#choi seungcheol one shot au | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

joonsytip · 6 months

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Withering for You || Seungcheol - Part 1

Pairings: Seungcheol x Fem!Reader

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Smut, CEO! Seungcheol au, Husband! Seungcheol au, Wife! Reader au, Music Teacher! Reader au, Arranged Marriage au, College Sweetheart au, Exes to Lovers au

Synopsis: When you are arranged married to the man, whose heart you had broken years ago, even dreaming about mending things seems next to impossible when he has been holding grudge for all these only to return it to you tenfold.

Warnings (specific to this part): Seungcheol is the biggest meany, crying, profanities, everyone is hurt and sad, everything is on rocks, mentions of infidelity (doesn't happen to though)

Word Count: 6.5k

Banner credits to my baby @hoeforhao (idk how I'd survive without you) <3

A/N: I'm back after a break, thanks for being patient.

[ SVT Masterlist ] [ SVT Flick - Fic Masterlist ]

You see his face everywhere. He's on every billboard accross the city, on every magazine's cover page or the advertisements shown on giant LEDs.

Since the CEO of Choi Enterprise, unarguably the continent's best interior designing company, stepped down, the position was acquired by his son, Choi Seungcheol.

The enigmatic, quintessential, charismatic Choi Seungcheol. Who also happens to be your ex. Who's also the man you're on your way to meet. Make it make sense, you both have given a nod to your families to meet up for the prelim talks of marriage.

Your parents had been nagging you constantly to settle down and for every match they brought in, you wouldn't even blink an eye to reject the person. When asked the reason to their surprise, you always had some valid points to add in the books of rejection.

So when one afternoon you received a call from your father, surprisingly, requesting you to get home from earlier, you had never expected to see both of your parents distressed about a match that came in. When they slid the photo to you across the table you froze.

It was a picture of Seungcheol, his face wearing an expression everyone would take for being a lookup but somehow you felt his eyes were strained mockingly at you, as if he took that shot only for you.

"W-What does this mean?", the first question, when you are finally able to tear your eyes from the photo.

"Your matchmaking profile somehow got to the Choi's and they agreed to meet for talks--"

You're cutting off your mother, "No way Seungcheol would be agreeing to do this."

"It was Seungcheol.", your father's statement stuns you, "For what I've heard is it's only Seungcheol, who had agreed on this."

It took you a whole week to decide on it. A whole lot of contemplation and hesitation before you made up your mind to go for it. Roles reversed, your parents were hell bent on not letting you meet the Choi's because frankly they were no stranger to your past with Seungcheol's.

So now here you are, along with your parents standing in front of the 'Ritz Esplaza', one of the subsidiary hotels owned by the Choi's, the most exquisite one in the country as well.

When you had made up your mind, you had also mentally prepared yourself for all the attacks you knew you are going to face because no way Seungcheol is doing this with the motive of actually settling down with you happily. But since fate has given you another chance, you'd definitely try your best to hold in that man who holds onto your heart.

"Are you sure?", asks your father, concern evident in his voice. You give him a firm nod and walk into the building. Your anxious eyes watch you pass the floors one by one inside the elevator until it's your stop. When the door opens, you take a deep breath and walk out.

When was the last time you saw Seungcheol? Was it the day of graduation? Maybe it was at a party hosted by a common friend? Or was it the day you tore him apart? You couldn't remember clearly.

Seungcheol is people magnet. He's pleasant on eyes and he is the most sought after bachelor of the country.

As soon as you enter the lounge, you are lead into the executive room. And as soon as you step in, everything fades away except for the pair eyes on which your gaze locks.

Time has definitely done good to Seungcheol. The pictures don't do justice to how beautiful he actually is. You let your eyes linger on him. You notice the puffiness of his cheeks is now gone, his nose and jawline being sharper, his build strauter, physique drool worthy but what about him hasn't changed are his eyes. He has still those beautiful deep eyes those carry the entire universe in them.

But those eyes which had love filled in them for you once, are now looking at you condescendingly.

Awkward smiles and glances are exchanged before everyone takes their seat. As easy as to decipher it is, none of the parents are okay with this predicament. They can't comprehend why their children would put themselves into such a thing, a marriage without love but despise, hatred and pettiness.

No one makes an effort to initiate the conversation and as you sit anxious under Seungcheol's unwavering gaze which starts to creep onto your skin. When enough, you stand up, a loud screech of your chair erupting the air and look into his eyes as you say, "I want to have a talk with you in private."

Seungcheol smirks, eyes making a sumptuous roll as he gets up without a word and walks towards another room, having you follow him.

You enter, closing the door behind you. Seungcheol sits on the couch, unspeaking. As silence looms over again, you understand that Seungcheol doesn't have an ounce of interest in striking any kind of conversation with you.

Before unsettling thoughts could engulf you once more--

"Why did you agree to marry me, Seungcheol?"

The said man's lips curl up in a smirk as his snark respond comes to bite you, "I didn't agree. I chose to marry you, Y/N."

You shudder under his presence yet once more tonight.

"Why?", comes out your strained voice with a heavy question that you both know loomed since the beginning.

"Why are you here?", he questions back, "You could have said no. I believe no one has forced you to be here", he snides, "No one could ever force a manipulative woman like you."

There's an answer that's at the tip of your tongue which you don't want to let out because you know it would hold no value to Seungcheol.

"Let me guess?", he rubs his chin as if thinking, "For status or for money, maybe both? Habits die hard afterall."

Your ability to speak is snatched from you and it's a given that Seungcheol certainly won't stop degrading you anytime soon. But that's what, you know, you're mentally prepared but also you're not.

The same Seungcheol who'd have once fought the whole world for you, has become the person who'd slice you down with the thinnest thread mercilessly.

You agreed to marry Seungcheol because you think life has given you another chance to set things right.

Seungcheol agreed to marry you just to make your life miserable.

"Are you on IUD?", he asks off track and you gape at him shocked.

When you don't answer he continues, "I can book you an appointment whenever you're free this week to get it done."

Your whisper of a meek 'why' is met by another snarky response, "You surely know why. The major one accounts as your devotion to me as a wife."

Honestly, when his secretary who's also a close friend to him showed Seungcheol your profile on a matchmaking app, his mind squared on making a sick joke just to test your audacity. Never did he thought that you actually be willing to even meet him. Again, you are shameless and greedy, he knew that, so was he really surprised?

Seungcheol with every nerve in his body is trying to test your temper and patience. He wants you to admit defeat, wants you to scratch that ridiculous idea of marrying him because he knows how pathetic of a living being you are. He knows you for the real you.

You with every nerve in your body are, will try to make this work. To mends things, to love once again. You too know Seungcheol for the real him, so you're adamant to make this marriage work.

"Book me an appointment on Wednesday.", you say confidently, "And we're going to have the wedding, Seungcheol."

"Oh well, I'm aware of your determination", Seungcheol says with a tinge of annoyance, "But, take it as an warning, I'm not gonna let you have it smooth. I would be your husband only on the papers and in front of the cameras.", the smirk finds it's way back on his lips, "You'd just be a trophy wife for showcase, you'd only be someone to warm my bed. You get the status, fame and money but...", he stops all at once.

You finish it for him, "Love. I'll gain your trust. Consider it as my redemption, my repentance to the wrong I did you. I'll make it right, I hope you'll find it in yourself to love me again."

Seungcheol's face contorts as if he has heard the most ridiculous joke ever. As the memories of past continuous to become vivid in the back of his mind, he decides to leave the room, leave you behind.

He promises himself to never let you breathe peacefully, he promises he'd make you beg him for divorce within months of wedding. As the corner of his eyes gets wetter, he promises, he'd pay you back all the heartbreaks you had given him.

As soon as the wedding is finalized, a dedicated PR team of the Choi's releases the statement, rather an announcement of what everyone is calling as the 'wedding of the year'.

Your father too runs a company which was build solely by him, but on scale, your and Seungcheol's families nowhere collided in the terms of riches. Maybe the social circle would allow both the families to gather under a hall sometimes but that was rare and the Choi's had been entitled to the top tier.

So people are curious. Curious about who's the country's most eligible bachelor getting married to. Who are you? How are you getting hitched to Seungcheol when there are the richest of heiresses lining up to getting linked to the Choi's? The whole nation is curious and everyone is trying to dig up information on you two.

However, the PR team is always a step ahead, so before the announcement was made, any source of information that could have caused any sense of discomfort or a scratch on either of you and anyone linked to you both was suppressed, rather buried.

"I can't believe she agreed to do this."

"She's basically digging her own grave."

You eyes move back and forth as the two of your best friends converse about you in your presence, also ignoring your presence.

"And to think Seungcheol wouldn't even allow us in the wedding... He'd kill us as soon as his eyes would land on us..."

"Imagine not being able to attend your best friend's wedding..."

"Mingyu, Eunsoo, stop.", you say calmly, "I'm already stressed enough, so please stop."

Mingyu gets up to take a seat beside you. He doesn't speak, just strokes your hair. You lean onto his shoulder closing your eyes.

"Does Chan knows about it yet?"

You jolt up and sit straight at Eunsoo's question.

"No. He's overseas for sealing a deal.", you tell them, "Also, mom & dad already raised their hands up, so I'll have to inform him myself."

"Well goodluck honey, knowing his temper... it's just worries me.", Eunsoo adds solemnly.

You three sit on silence for some moments before Eunsoo speaks up again, "I'm still skeptical about this whole thing. I mean you both met and made things clear with Mr. Choi but I don't trust that man, knowing what he's capable of doing."

"He is no threat, Eunsoo.", you affirm, "And that is why I agreed to this marriage."

Mingyu who has been listening to the conversation quietly, speaks up taking your hands into his, "Y/N, I can understand why you are doing this. But we know that he's gonna make it so hard for you, not his fault though, he's been scarred.", his hands now lifts up to caress your cheeks, "What I'm trying to say is, if you're going into it then go for it wholly. Don't be defeated, conquer it. Don't give up easily, like last time. Don't let the love of your life go when you got another chance."

You nod wordlessly hugging Mingyu and Eunsoo takes the chance to wrap herself around you both.

Seungcheol laughs in disbelief as he looks at his reflection in the mirror. He thinks that it's a dream, him being about to marry you, the woman he loathes the most. He's sure that it's a nightmare.

He's only doing this wedding with revenge on his mind. With the only motive to make you suffer, to humiliate you.

He's uninterested about the whole wedding thing, which shows. When you had the audacity to ask him to accompany you to the clinic for getting IUD on, he had blurted out a no before hanging up the call. When you had the audacity one more time to ask him to accompany you to meet the patisserie for finalizing on the wedding cake he had declined you then as well. Everytime you asked him to meet to decide on something, he would produce some snarky remarks while rejecting your proposal.

When you see Wonwoo waiting outside your house once again, you roll your eyes.

"I can do it all by myself.", you said unimpressed, crossing over your arms, standing infront of the man, "Just go. I'm tired of explaining people that you aren't the groom."

"Cheol doesn't trust you or your choices at all, neither do I.", Wonwoo says with all menace in his tone, "Plus being his secretary, I'm bound to follow his orders."

Wonwoo as said by the man himself, is Seungcheol's secretary as well as one of his closest friend since university. He was close to you as well once but now he, like his friend, loathes you equally.

You sigh when Wonwoo opens the car door. Another long day you think because Wonwoo has a habit of nitpicking and you're sure the two of friends scheme a strategy everyday to test your patience and defy you as much before stepping out for the day.

Another long day, you think.

The only time you manage to get Seungcheol rather it's Seungcheol informing that you both have a photoshoot together for a magazine. He meets you for an hour to go through over the script that you are supposed to lie through when asked about.

How did you both meet? Same University then lost contact at some point. Is it love marriage or an arranged marriage? Arranged turned love marriage. How did you both fell in love? You both met at a Gala and sparks reignited, then a whole lot of dates. Who proposed? You did, because during one cozy movie night when Seungcheol promptly danced with you on 'Somewhere we belong', you realised where exactly you belonged.

During the shoot, the proximity is what chokes you both. The lovely dovey act, flirty looks and touchy poses had you both, mostly Seungcheol feels suffocated.

Because you want it to be real but Seungcheol wants none of it.

You already know, so during the breaks and slot gaps for costume changes, you try not to be in the periphery of his vision. Which really doesn't work because the whole team is gushing how beautiful of a pair you are and keep on trying to push you two into proximity as much as they could. The shoot goes well, so does the interview because you believe everyone bought the lies you two fed.

When the magazine is released, you two instantly become the trending topic of the nation. You both are literally anywhere and everywhere. People are stanning, people are jealous, people are feeling the love.

It's new for you because your family have always tried to avoid the spotlight and for the Choi's, spotlight is almost an eternal part.

Your phone within your hand rings and you freeze. Taking a deep breath, you recieve the call. There's an ominous silence, no one speaks.

"Hello, Chan?", you speak, deciding to terminate the wait. You hear a shaky breathe then a sigh.

"I'm sorry you had to know this way.", you whisper into the phone sadly, "I didn't know how to tell you."

A beat of silence again before Chan speaks, "There's no way stopping this, ain't it?"

You shake your head knowing he won't be able to see it but Chan gets it nonetheless.

"I'm returning.", he informs, "Get me at the airport on Thursday? That's the earliest flight I could avail."

Concern washes over you, "You don't need to Channie. I know how much work is important--"

"Not more than you.", Chan cuts you off, "Nothing is more important than you. See you soon."

"See you.", you echo before hanging up.

Your chest becomes heavy, suddenly everything feels uncertain. There's a turmoil within that makes you wanna run. Runaway from everything.

But you can't. And you won't.

You call Seungcheol assuming he won't pick up as what he usually does. So after five rings when you're about to hang up, his voice reaches you from the other side.

"What?", he says and you could figure that he's tired.

"Are you free tomorrow?", you ask him hopefully, "Just to remind you, tomorrow's afternoon slot is booked for picking our wedding attires."

"I don't see why we need to go together. You go pick your dress, I'll go pick mine when I feel like.", Seungcheol reasons.

You expected exactly that, so you sort to pleading, "Please, it's my request. I haven't requested you the other times but please please just this once. I beg you.", you end up blurting out in a breath.

"No.", he flatly denies.

"Please, just for tomorrow. Promise I won't pester you again. Please Seungcheol."

He seems to contemplate for some moments before making up his mind.

"Fine.", he says and hangs up.

A wide smile splits on your lips, as you do little fists in air in pure joy. It's so important for you because you want Seungcheol to be the one choosing your wedding gown because once he wanted to do it.

"When we get married, please let me choose the wedding gown.", Seungcheol says with a fond smile, "You'd look so gorgeous in all of them, making it difficult for me."

You wrap your hands around his arm as you ask amused, "Why do you need to do it if it's so difficult?"

He looks at you with all the love in his eyes. He tucks the stray lock of hair behind your ear as he answers, "Because it'll be a privilege to fall for you again and again."

You bite your lips to stop the tears that pool in your eyes when he kisses you the next moment.

Next morning you wake up to Mingyu and Eunsoo both blowing up your phone, just to convince you to let them join you to the boutique and you angrily huffing out a 'that's a given! ofcourse you both would come!'

But the catch is they'd both come after Seungcheol leaves because they both have a fear of their dear lives.

It's afternoon and you're calling Seungcheol because you're in the botique waiting for him and he's late. Seungcheol is punctual, it's weird not having him present here already the moment you reached. He isn't picking up the calls or responding to your texts.

It's been half an hour already, you're anxious as you try to not let the ominous thoughts consume you. Suddenly you hear some commotion outside of the fitting room and expect that it's Seungcheol who'd walk in.

You're disappointed when you see Wonwoo. Your eyes search behind him though in anticipation but no one comes in.

"Where's Seungcheol?"

Wonwoo senses the distress in your voice and it should give him the satisfaction but this time it doesn't.

"He can't make it.", Wonwoo says as he avoids eyes contact.

"Why?"

"Something important came up."

"What exactly, Wonwoo?", you ask gritting your teeth, "What can be more important than this?"

Wonwoo clears his throat, looking everywhere but you, "Jiah is returning from Australia today and she wanted Cheol to pick her up."

Your heart drops. Ofcourse out of all days Jiah would return today and at this time. That trust fund woman would do anything in her will to stop this wedding. Jiah is Seungcheol's best friend who's in love with him and everyone knew except Seungcheol and it was tad obvious. You both never got along for obvious reasons.

And though you're aware but it still hurts to see Seungcheol choosing Jiah over you.

Wonwoo never got along with Jiah as well because she's plain irritating and judgemental and all other bad adjectives one could think of.

"You can go Wonwoo. I'll do it by myself.", you fail to say it firmly, your voice cracks.

He really feels bad as he sees you trying to compose yourself. He wants to console you, wants to say he won't be a pain in ass today but you beat him.

"Please go.", you sound so defeated that Wonwoo doesn't find it in himself to defy it and walks out quietly.

You sit on the couch for some moments. Too early to be heartbroken you think, it's only the beginning and you're prepared to go hell and back to win over Seungcheol again.

Not spoiling your mood further, you quickly call Mingyu & Eunsoo who are sad to hear about Seungcheol not making it but also more than happy to come over to choose your wedding gown.

You certainly aren't the one who needs comforting, not when both of your best friends are almost bawling their eyes out in happiness each time you try a gown and show them.

The wedding date closes in and you wonder if Seungcheol even remembers it because he's absent and his absense is loud.

Your parents are actively participating in the preps but with unwillingness because they want you to be happy and they aren't sure if Seungcheol is the key to that.

So is Chan. He's stressed, worried and in rage for you, because of you.

"Why him?", Chan asks, "How can you even think of linking yourself to that family?"

You sigh, a long discussion ahead you're sure of that, "First of all, Seungcheol had nothing to do with all that. Second, I love him Chan, do I really need another reason?"

Chan scoffs, "But he hates you. And knowing how petty he always has been, I'm scared for you."

His voices quietens when he says, "You won't deserve any of it. I don't wanna see you hurt."

Your eyes get teary and you're hugging Chan. When his arms wrap around tighter you whisper, "I need to try Chan. Let me be selfish this one time. When things get rough you'll be the one to know. I know I always got you, my baby brother.", you smile pulling away.

"Whom are you calling a baby?", Chan huffs, his nostrils flaring dramatically but he returns the smile, "You always have me. I'm just a call away."

You nod, "So what are you getting me as wedding gift?"

"What made you think I'm gonna get you a gift?", Chan retorts, "No gifts since you're marrying that jerk."

You slap arm and he groans, "That's not how you address your brother in law!"

Chan gags at the mention and next he's getting his head locked between your arms.

"I go out of the country for two months and come back to you committing blunders.", Jiah scowls at Seungcheol.

The man in question doesn't seem to pay much attention as his eyes trace over the words in the document.

"Cheol, are you even listening?", Jiah hits the table surface with both her hands, demanding attention.

Seungcheol sighs and lifts his gaze to look at her. He then leans back and looks up at the ceiling as he speaks, "This is what is supposed to happen after all, isn't it?"

"Are you crazy?", Jiah howls in disbelief, "This was never supposed to happen, she was never the one for you as you claimed, which turned true and goodness it was such a great riddance unless you decided to bring that pathetic excuse of a human back into your life, nonetheless you're marrying her! You should--"

Seungcheol's glare practically shuts her up.

"I have work to do", he states plainly, "It's late, go home."

Jiah gets up and walks upto him. She places her on the handle of the chair and leans to run her hand over his chest.

"I could be such a good wife to you.", she whispers leaning in further, "Our statuses match, we've known each other since childhood. We compliment each other so well Cheol--"

Seungcheol holds her hands to remove them off his chest and turns his face to the other side.

"You're my best friend Jiah. I do love you but it has been always platonic."

Seungcheol was unaware of Jiah's feelings till late, until one night at the product launching party she had too many drinks which made her surprisingly courageous to confess her actually feelings for him. Seungcheol was shocked but being a gentleman he was, he had fully sobered up Jiah before rejecting her. Since then she has been open about her advances, never missing any chances.

Jiah fumes, her gaze is fiery, "So could marry a woman who cheated on you but you wouldn't marry your best friend?"

Seungcheol is ticked off at the mention of past, there's an instant burning in his chest as those painful memories flash at the back of his mind.

"We're done with the same discussion.", Seungcheol gets up and grabs his coat. He walks off and turns back when reaches the door, "I'm going to marry Y/N because I have some scores to settle with her and no one can stop the wedding from happening."

"I have been working on this piece for the last three months and almost got it done", Seungkwan pauses and looks at you with somewhat dull eyes, "But it's not giving me that satisfaction."

You could feel the hesitancy from your comrade and that worries you as well. Seungkwan is your friend from academy days. You had joined a music academy because of having a knack for musical instruments. That's when the realisation had gnawed on you that you'd rather do music and that's where you met Seungkwan who comes from a well established family as well. You had decided not to pursue the family business but rather pursue music. Though your parents were disappointed but they'd never compromise with your wishes so gradually they embraced it. Thanks to Seungkwan who had played a major role in convincing your parents as he had gone through that phase before you did.

Now you both are co-founders of the 'Melodease' music academy. You have always believed Seungkwan to be an prodigy, there are very less instruments that he doesn't knows of or can't play. But he masters in playing piano and your instrument, coin it as coincidence, is cello which goes best with Piano. You both complement each other well, the trophy cabinet in your academy says it all.

The academy is curated by the both of you with passion and care. The faculties, the students as well as the other staffs, all see you both with utter respect.

"You know you could directly ask me to dive in instead of saying these same lines everyday.", you roll eyes and hear a dramatic gasp.

"Stop over reacting, diva.", you speak out as soon as you see him open his mouth.

The diva in question just pulls a neutral expression like a switch flipped and gets straight to the point, "I need you to incorporate your part and well I'd suggest you to work towards the bridge. Just an opinion though, take your time and come up with something."

You nod and ask him, "Do you have to take anymore class today?"

"Nope but I do have to be somewhere today.", Seungkwan quickly adds, "So I'll be on my way now."

Your face falls and it doesn't go unnoticed by him. He steps closer and pays your head fondly, "Sorry Y/N, I'd have skipped it if I could but it's really important."

You squint eyes, "I didn't even say anything."

Seungkwan laughs and turns to collect his belongings, "And since when did you have to speak it out loud for me to get you?"

After Seungkwan bids you goodbye for the day, you pull out your phone and call Seungcheol knowing he won't pick up, unless you call him a minimum of five times. Still that isn't going to stop you so you're calling him and much to your surprise he picks up after a ring.

"I want to meet you.", that's the first thing you say.

"Why?", he asks monotonously.

"You'll know once we meet."

"Fine, meet me at my house in an hour.", he says and hangs up.

"So what did you want to talk about?", Seungcheol asks twirling the glass of wine between his fingers.

Your hands are laid flat on the door to ceiling windows, your eyes trace the busyness of the city that settles at the pit.

A long sigh escapes your lips before you speak, "We're getting married in two weeks."

Seungcheol doesn't respond.

Eyes still trained on the view infront, you say, "Do you really want this marriage, want it as much as I do?"

"I do want it and you very well know why.", Seungcheol scoffs, "And I very well know you want to marry me for my fame and status. You can feed people with all that you love me nonsense, I'll buy none of it."

You let out a bitter chuckle, "Marriages are not meant for revenge, Seungcheol. If we're gonna do it, let's do it right or not do it at all."

"Backing out was never an option, Y/N.", Seungcheol sets down the glass and walks up to you. Standing beside you now, his gaze strains on you. His octave drops as he speaks through gritted teeth, "I'll make you go through the hell that I have been through for all these years because of you. This marriage...", he snickers, "will never mean anything to me. I'll...", he closes you off between the window and himself, "I'll make you divorce me. You'll beg me to free yourself from this so called marriage."

You shudder under his presence as tears keep pooling at your eyes.

"Hope you'll have a change of heart.", you say through tears, "I hope you'd give us a chance."

Seungcheol infuriates upon hearing you, he punches the window glass but you don't flinch.

"Too bad, what you're hoping for would never be true because I know you too well.", and suddenly he backs up.

An ominous silence follows.

Too early to get heartbroken, you repeat again in your head as you grab your clutch and walk out his study, walk out of his house.

It's the big day and you know that nothing is alright but one thing that keeps you at bay is knowing how much Seungcheol wants this marriage to happen, the reason maybe completely different to yours, you can bet on not being left alone at the altar. Seungcheol won't bail out at least.

With all sorts of anything but pleasing thoughts, you are sitting in front of the vanity. Unarguably the wedding of the year, all the influential people of the country as well as from overseas would be gracing their presence. And that's where you are loosing it.

You have never liked the spotlight, always avoiding it. Still you were known well in the society not because of your family business, not as your parents daughter, rather as a musical genius and you are proud of it.

The thought of all those curious, envious and judging eyes that would target you as soon as you walk down the aisle is enough to make you sick.

There's a knock on the door and through the mirror you could see the source that would actually make you sick, Jiah walking in.

Before she could even speak, you cut her off saying, "Lend me a hand.", as you grab your beautiful wedding gown.

Jiah, though agitated, does as asked and when you're stood on your feet, you smirk at her.

"Oh you poor little thing, couldn't stop the wedding after all.", you tut, feigning sadness.

"Do you think your marriage would be relevant?", she fumes, "Seungcheol would never love you."

"Just because you got away with what you did years ago, don't assume you'd get away this time.", you threaten her, "Years ago your plan of breaking us up worked but for what?"

"You will--"

"Even after breathing on his neck for years, you couldn't do shit honey. Seungcheol is marrying me.", the smirk on your lips returns, "Oh and I have been wanting to do this for long since no one's here, I'll spare you some of your non existent prestige and do it now."

And before Jiah could comprehend you slap her hard across her face, strong enough that she stumbles to the side.

"How dare you!", Jiah screams holding her cheek.

"What are you gonna do?", you snicker, "complain to Seungcheol? Sure, go ahead and see if this could stop the wedding from happening."

You take your phone and walk to her, holding it up for a selfie which comes out nice, meaning you look beautiful.

"Get lost now.", you say going back on your seat, "I've wasted enough time on you my special day."

"You'll regret it, Y/N! Seungcheol would never be yours.", she snaps and utters some more nonsense but when you don't lend an ear to any of it and she stomps out.

Mingyu, Seungkwan and Eunsoo walk in some moments after Jiah walks out and you could see their comical expressions through the mirror.

"I have recorded all of it.", Seungkwan says proudly.

"Send it to us", Mingyu says and who is Seungkwan to deny it.

"I recorded what you did as well", Seungkwan says to Eunsoo.

"And what did you do?", you ask turning to look at her.

"Oh nothing she just tripped and fell down because I extended my leg when she was walking past me.", Eunsoo relays casually but you could see how proud she is.

You just smile and sit quietly. Your friends catch on to the mood shift and immediately aid you the comfort. Only after ensuring you're feeling better they leave to check on some arrangements.

It's almost time you think, the uneasiness that has settled at the pit of stomach never goes away.

"Aren't you marrying the love of your life? So what's with that long face?"

Your lips curl up instantly on hearing your brother's voice.

"You got Mom and Dad worried", Chan says lightly, "They sent me saying that it's looking like you're a moment away from breaking down."

"And what if I am?", you say looking down.

"Then cancel the wedding.", he says in a beat with utmost seriousness.

"But you won't do that. I know how strong willed you are.", he continues, "You'll get through all of it.", he caresses your back, "And you know if things get hard, you have us, always."

"Always.", you acknowledge and hug him.

"Let's get going lovely bride, it's time.", Chan says helping you get up and you hook your arm within his. He walks to the gigantic door where your father is standing.

When Chan tries to hand you over to your father for the walk, you don't unhook your arm and your father gets you so he's beside you, with your another arm hooked within his.

The door opens and the three of you walk in. People who know you, know that you are beautiful are taking in how breathtaking you appear to be. People who are seeing you for the first time are starry eyed. People who were unsure, envious are starting to accept that you do complement the nation's heartthrob, Seungcheol.

Your gaze grazes as you walk by. You shake your head at your mother softly when you see the tears falling from her eyes. Smile wide when Mingyu behaves like a puppy wagging his tail as he's beaming with Eunsoo trying her best to keep him at bay. You urge to roll eyes get stronger when Seungkwan mouths you something scandalous and in the next moment goes back to wiping his imaginary tears.

You had saved him for the last gaze because you knew once he's in your sight it, a gaze off from him would be impossible for you. And finally you look at him, your groom, the man who you'd call your husband, Seungcheol.

Not letting the disappointment get to you when you don't find him looking at you already, you reach the altar smiling.

There's an impeccable tension between Seungcheol and Chan and before any one of them could snap your father hands you over to Seungcheol and ushers off quickly with your brother.

It's nothing embarrassing you think, as you gape at Seungcheol. You never thought you'd get to see him this close, get to touch him again. He's close, so close that your heart is thumping. Your fingertips graze lightly as they are wrapped around his arm. You breathe in his scent that you have known so well.

Seungcheol is smiling as if he's so happy. That's enough to fool people but not you. You notice how all those smiles are not quite reaching his eyes, how he's tapping his foot, a habit of his when he's unmindful.

There's a strange vision in his eyes when he looks at you. He even suppresses the urge to roll his eyes when you take the vows. It irritates you but you have to have patience of a saint if you wanna conquer. It's not like you were not warned.

Once all the rituals are done and you are announced as husband and wife, the crowd chants for you both to kiss. You are so sure Seungcheol would find a way out and never kiss you--

Suddenly you're grabbed by your hips and before you can react, you are being kissed, kissed hard by Seungcheol.

You as in whole short circuit but the screaming crowd alerts you back to your senses and as you start to kiss him back he pulls away with smirk.

You cock your brow as you pull him forward by his bow tie and steal a quick kiss leaving him flabbergasted.

Seungcheol smiles leaning in and through gritted teeth he says,

"Welcome to hell, my wife."

→ Do not copy, re-post, translate, or share any of my works on other platforms! All stories are copyrighted, joonsytip. ©️

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yoonbroom · 9 months

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SEVENTEEN FIC RECS

a list of seventeen fics I really enjoyed! pls go and show these amazing authors some love <3 also if there wasn't a summary on the fic I just included a little paragraph or the request! now onto the recs ↓

CHOI SEUNGCHEOL

HELLO TUTORIAL - @97-liners

oneshot, fluff, college au, frat au

it’s your final year of college, and you’ve been elected president of your sorority. this is all great and fine, but as the semester goes on, you find yourself having repeated run-ins with the president of the fraternity next door in a series of unfortunate coincidences (that might not actually be coincidences, as you come to discover). or: in which you’re trying to deal with your crush on seungcheol in a normal way, but the meddling kids are making it harder than it needs to be.

FRACTURED PARENTING, PT.2 - @berriesandjunnie

oneshot angst, fluff, idol au, separated parents au, enemies to lovers

parenting can be an emotional rollercoaster when you’re far from divorced and the flames are far from dying.

YOON JEONGHAN

UNTITLED - @userjuyo

drabble, fluff, est relationship

"i just know than jeonghan would tease his s/o a lot, but whenever they went “hannie :(“ he would literally MELT like he’d just be like “okay sweetheart i’m sorry 🥺” and the members would be like ????? BC HE WON’T LET THEM LIVE but it’s his baby so <;3"

UNTITLED - @wqnwoos

drabble, fluff, est relationship

“what if crabs think that fish can fly?” your question is whispered into the darkness of your bedroom — you gazing at the ceiling thoughtfully, while jeonghan curls up beside you.

OF RAINY NIGHTS AND ROSES - @chenfleur

oneshot, angst, fluff, idol au, est relationship

In the heat of the moment, Jeonghan grows careless with his words. Now, he has to bear the weight of saying things he didn't mean.

DAISIES - @viastro

oneshot, angst, fluff, strangers to lovers

the best type of revenge is to hurt the person that means the most to them. aka, in which jeonghan is in charge of making you fall in love with him, just to break your heart.

JOSHUA HONG

BEST FRIENDS BROTHER - @chocosvt

oneshot, fluff, angst, smut, best friends brother

joshua happens to be your best friend’s older brother. he’s pretty, and he’s got a lot of cool details about him that you pay a concerning amount of attention to, but he’s just a friend (if you could even call it that). still, what does he think of you, anyway? that is—if he thinks of you.

IT TAKES TWO - @/berriesandjunnie

oneshot, fluff, idol au, parent au, est relationship

a family is a little scary when your partner has over millions of fans.

UNTITLED - @/wqnwoos

drabble, fluff, est relationship

"it feels like the sky has only just welcomed the sun when joshua tries to get up to leave."

WEN JUNHUI

HEAVEN COULDN'T WAIT FOR YOU - @/berriesandjunnie

oneshot, angst, idol au

i just couldn’t stand to see you leaving but heaven couldn’t wait for you.

HAPPY ENDING - @junkissed

one shot, angst, fluff, marriage, est relationship

a pointless argument escalates until both of you need some space, but it couldn't come at a worse time.

KWON SOONYOUNG

LET ME TRY AGAIN - @papermatisse

oneshot, angst, fluff, exes to lovers, parent au

Soonyoung had never wanted to live a restrained capitalistic life, forced to work a tiresome 9 to 5, paying taxes until the day he dies. Though in exchange to pursue the other option, that being devotion to a career, he had to pay an unfathomably large price—he had to abandon everything and everyone he's ever loved. can he fit himself back into his former life? one that's changed more than he can possibly imagine? could the ones he loved forgive him for his wrongdoings? could he get the second chance he wants so desperately?

(UN)TRADITIONAL - @neonun-au

oneshot, fluff, wedding au, est relationship

"The digital clock on the hotel night stand flashes the next minute as it passes. A re-run of Law & Order: SVU drones on in the background as you sit at the edge of the bed, staring sleeplessly at your wedding dress hanging on the back of the closet door. "

VOWELS AND VERACITY - @hansolmates

oneshot, fluff, angst, smut, teacher au, single parent

after a blind date that makes you feel like a giddy teenager all over again, you’re forced to grow up and take a chance when you realize that special someone is your daughter’s kindergarten teacher.

BE SWEET - @heartkyeom

oneshot, fluff, angst, smut, royalty, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers

“Why are you here?” Your tone is resolute, not allowing for even an inch of resistance. “That’s what we need to talk about. We’re getting married,” He lifts the corner of his mouth. You let out a laugh that is nowhere near polite, in fact, you’re nearly cackling at the prospect of this idea. It’s simply so outlandish, so fantastical that every time you look at his face it seems more unfathomable.

JEON WONWOO

FOR THE BOOKS - @trblsvt

oneshot, fluff, teacher au, est relationship

wonwoo's students seemed intent on matching him up with a fellow teacher. he didn't really want to stop them, it was too funny for him to break up their fun. plus, he didn't mind the certain someone he was being "set up" with.

HOW TO FALL - @because-of-a-friend

oneshot, fluff, angst, idol au

"hi!! <3 i love ur acc and i was wondering if you'd be able to write an imagine where you're besties with joshua and he invites you to meet the rest of seventeen for the first time and you instantly fall for wonwoo? maybe some angst but overall fluff? thank you!! no rush!! i love your work!!!"

UNTITLED - @/97-liners

oneshot, fluff, royalty au, friends to lovers, childhood friends

"a royalty au where you’re the heir to the throne and wonwoo is your shy (and lowkey bumbling) royal advisor…. he’s smart and always has his head stuck in a book but he’s also painfully awkward and clueless to how deeply in love with him you are. until your parents decide it’s time for you to get married. and suddenly you’re inundated by suitor after suitor, and wonwoo is quizzing them on their credentials and doubting their suitability for you, this one makes brash political decisions, this one spends too freely, this one has no tact for diplomacy. until one day, you turn to him and ask, “you’ve hated every single one of them. who, then, do you think i should marry?” and wonwoo blushes red and presses his lips together."

SCANDAL, PT.2, PT.3, PT.4- @fantasyescapes17

series, angst, fluff, enemies to lovers, regency au

this is part of an extensive series that includes other members! you can check it out ⤳ here

The Viscount's sister with an enormous dowry, beauty and unmistakable talent- you began the London season as the most desired woman in any room. But Jeon Wonwoo (a man who would rather hide in the library than dance at a ball) is beyond your comprehension. Curiosity might have killed the cat, but it embroiled you into a scandal with a man you could never love.

MEET CUTE OF THE CENTURY - @lovelyhan

oneshot, fluff, angst, smut, idol au, strangers to lovers

the last thing you expected when you volunteered at your city’s local animal shelter is to meet the hottest cat person in the world. now if only he’d just adopt one of them so you’d stop ogling him every time he drops by.

MARRIAGE - @yikesmary

drabble, fluff, parent au, est relationship

where wonwoo’s nightmare is coming true.

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE - @/yikesmary

oneshot, fluff, parent au, est relationship

where you and nari try to make breakfast and a cake before wonwoo wakes up… if only your daughter knew what the word “surprise” meant.

LEE JIHOON

GUITAR STRING - @leejungchans

oneshot, fluff, angst, royalty au

"“Take me away.” Jihoon’s elegant fingers, previously plucking at his guitar strings, freeze at your words. The soothing, lullaby-like chords he had been playing echo into the inky darkness, carried away by the chilly night breeze."

WE'LL BE OK - @atinykidult

drabble, angst, fluff, idol au, est relationship

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you” for hurt!Jihoon

LIVE - @wondernus

oneshot, fluff, idol au, est relationship

having just finished composing a song a few hours ago, jihoon starts a live on his phone to sing to those who are feeling a little lonely at night. little does he know, your sleeping figure could be seen in the corner of his little livestream, causing his fans to go crazy.

MWHA - @cheolism

oneshot, fluff, est relationship

three times you said "mwah" at the end of a kiss and one time jihoon said it back

IM DATING WOOZI - @jihoonotes

oneshot, fluff, smau, est relationship, idol au

y/n is in a public relationship w/ woozi of SVTZ and decides to make a twitter acc to support jihoon, but SVTZ fans seem to think they're delusional.

JIHOON'S PUPPY - @rubyreduji

oneshot, angst, fluff, college au

jihoon can’t seem to shake the puppy dog who keeps following him around or the teasing he gets for it

HEARTSTRINGS - @wavelikewhat

oneshot, fluff, strangers to lovers, idol au

You help Jihoon meet an unexpected deadline for a song and he wonders why he can’t stop thinking about you. Luckily his members nudge him toward the answer.

LEE SEOKMIN

WARM ME UP ! - @ponkwan

drabble, fluff, est relationship

the one where you’re on your third date with seokmin.

KIM MNGYU

HOT OR COLD? - @jjuniehao

oneshot, fluff, est relationship

when looking for something on his phone, you find an email you didn’t expect…

BOYFRIEND PHOTOS - @babyleostuff

oneshot, fluff, est relationship, idol au

a sunny date spent with your precious boyfriend

XU MINGHAO

THE LETTER - @toruro

oneshot, fluff, angst, smut, brothers best friend, childhood friends to lovers, idol au

in which you’re jun's little sister and have been pining for a man so close yet so out of reach for ages. now, years later, when you see minghao all grown up, famous, and still making your heart flutter, you're not so sure what to do about your not-so-little crush.

BOO SEUNGKWAN

A BEAUTIFUL LIFE - @sungbeam

oneshot, fluff, childhood friends, est relationship

Boo Seungkwan asked you to marry him beneath the shade of an orange tree.

CHWE VERNON

ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE - @suhnshinehaos

series, fluff, angst, childhood friends to lovers, arranged marriage, smau

the one where you get into an arranged marriage with your childhood best friend vernon, but neither of you seem to mind that much

UNTITLED - @/wqnwoos

drabble, fluff, est relationship, idol au

“vernon, we need to talk.”

OR, WOULD YOU RATHER IT BE ME? - @thepixelelf

oneshot, fluff, childhood friends to lovers, college au, soulmate au

A detested soulmark, a friendship over a decade in the making, and an unexpected proposal from one friend to another… what could possibly go wrong?

LEE CHAN

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE - @/berriesandjunnie

oneshot, fluff, est relationship, parent au, idol au

no matter what stage in life you’re at, or after all these years, you can count on his hyungs to still treat him the same.

08:23 AM - @wheeboo

drabble, fluff, est relationship, idol au

in which chan is late to dance practice.

want recs for other groups? check out my navigation → here!

#fic lists📃#seventeen fic recs #svt recs #seventeen fics #seventeen x reader #svt angst #svt fluff #svt smut #seventeen idol au #svt fanfic #seventeen dad au #seventeen smau #seventeen friends to lovers au #seventeen parent au #seventeen recs

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nnight-dances · 10 months

Text

ADORABLY, YOURS.

pairings: yoon jeonghan x fem!reader, feat. choi seungcheol tropes: love triangle, friends to lovers (jeonghan x you), strangers to friends to fwb to friends (seungcheol x you), kinda slowburn, one-sided love (or is it?), pining, slight age gap (2-3 years) etc. genres: fluff, angst, jealousy, sexual content (no explicit smut content but references to it) with vulgar language, cafe!au, non-idol!au, college!au. word count: 12k (I am sorry about this.) what to expect: You’ve liked Jeonghan since you met him through your best friend, Wonwoo. But little by little every day you’re convinced he knows you like him and his non-action can only mean your feelings are not mutual. Then, you run into Seungcheol, a childhood best friend of Jeonghan’s, who instantly develops a soft spot for you. The resulting love triangle that wreaks havoc on your emotions might as well end being the answer to your problems. Bittersweet like coffee but decisive as a caffeine rush, this is the story of how you beat all odds to be with Yoon Jeonghan. warnings slash author’s note: I warn you beforehand: the logistics of this love triangle are a bit morally ambiguous, i.e. I can’t tell if I used Seungcheol purely as a plot-point or not. I probably did. But in my defense, I think all love triangles are inherently a little bit evil and cruel. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this admittedly self-indulgent mammoth of a fic. I had a headache the whole three days I was writing it. I love Jeonghan and I promise there will be a make-up fic for Seungcheol, because I’m biased but not corrupt. As always, this isn't proofread but I will get to that in the next few days! All right, that’s all. Love you, friends and foes!

It’s one of those days. You can’t help yawn after yawn and no amount of caffeine is washing the throbbing in your head away. To make things worse, you’ve managed to sleep with a spine posture worse than even your worst days which means your back hurts from standing at the register all day. But the day is far from over as a glance at the clock informs you; your cafe shift has a good three hours remaining.

And whenever you’re hoping to take a break on the uncomfortable chair propped in a corner near the register, the door to the cafe will jingle with the presence of a new customer. At least your co-worker for the day, Joshua, is also a friend so you can talk his ear off about the various ways in which you might escape the prison of existence.

Just as you’re going into detail about how you wouldn’t mind dissipating into air, the glass door swings open and in comes a tall man clad in a suit, the heels of his dress shoes clanking against the floor of the coffee shop. You reign in the surprised look that threatens to overtake your face – because goddamn, the man is gorgeous – as you greet him, “Good morning! Welcome to Moon Coffee!”

“Good afternoon to you, too,” the man corrects you with a dimpled smile. You wince at your mistake and nod, “Right, sorry about that. What can I get started for you?” You force a smile that you hope is friendly enough onto your face, gesturing to the large menu boards above you, “Please, take your time.”

As the man busies his eyes with the plentiful options displayed on the boards, you busy yourself with questioning what a fancy ass man like him was doing at the campus coffee shop. His hair was long, brown ends curling around his neck and as he ran a hand through it, deep in thought, you could essentially smell how rich he was.

“The hazelnut mocha sounds like it’s good but also really sweet,” he comments, looking at you for a second opinion.

“Right, it’s one of our best-sellers! And it is on the sweeter side because of the chocolate in it, but you could balance it out with a double-shot?” you suggest and then, “Otherwise, our classic mochas are not as sweet.”

The man nods with a slight smile, “Hmm, I like the sound of the first option. I’ll have that, please.”

“Is that an iced hazelnut mocha with a double-shot for you?” you ask with a smile. When he nods, you punch in his order, “Can I get a name for the drink?”

“Seungcheol.”

“All right, thank you very much. That’ll take just a few minutes. You’re welcome to take a seat and wait.” He nods as he walks to one of the tables next to the window.

Joshua’s already getting to work with Seungcheol’s drink and you take a moment to rest your back against the counter, throwing a glance or two at the new (and gorgeous) face in town. But thankfully for this rich stranger, today is the day you don’t have the energy to go down a rabbit hole trying to find an explanation for his presence. Instead you wave him a good day as he leaves with a satisfied smile on his face and an iced mocha in his hand.

Maybe this job wasn’t so bad after all.

A week later has you eating your words. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Thursday afternoons are the busiest times of your shift at Moon Coffee. Most students were either rushing to down caffeine to finish some daunting assignment due at the end of the week or otherwise, others would be early in celebrating the fast-approaching weekend. The first kind you can deal with: they’re easy to relate to and they don’t really care if your customer service is the bare minimum from how tired you are.

But the second kind? You wish you could be granted with some kind of powers that would take away any more weekends from the rest of their lives. If the way they strolled in grinning and took their time with the menu didn’t have you fuming, their inane but obnoxious questions about your life would have you at the edge of your temper every week. You were only thankful you didn’t have to work the Friday crowds or you’d actually be declared a public threat.

But today, unfortunately for you, Jeonghan’s decided to make a visit to the cafe and if the fact that he’s not even a student anymore wasn’t enough, he was celebrating his birthday week. Which meant he was even worse than in exhibiting his usual infuriating customer behavior. But annoying customer or not, Jeonghan was also the guy you’ve harbored feelings for since two years ago now.

So when he strolls up to the counter with Seungcheol, the polite rich man from last week, by his side, you have more than one reason to stare at them dumbfounded.

“Oh, hey, it’s you!” Seungcheol starts, eyes trailing to the name on your tag, “Y/N!”

Jeonghan shoots you a confused look and then elbows Seunghceol, “Don’t even pretend that you know her. I totally caught you looking at her name tag. Have a little shame, Cheol.”

You clear your throat, “Um, good afternoon and welcome to Moon Coffee! What can I get started for you?” You punctuate the question with a smile that you hope screams please order fast and get out of here!

But Jeonghan evidently has long missed the memo when he pokes Seungcheol again, “You know sometimes I come here just so I can see Y/N smiling. She never smiles off the clock. It’s truly devastating.”

Seungcheol looks amused, “Is that so? I mean, fair enough. With a smile like that, you ought to be paid to show it.”

You cough into your palm, caught off-guard but quick to conceal the shy grin that’s crept up your face. You pray that the heat in your neck doesn’t climb up to show on your face. “Will you be ordering the same as last week? Iced hazelnut mocha with a double-shot?”

Seungcheol’s face lights up a little at your recognition but Jeonghan’s quickly butting in with an affronted expression, “Oh, so you recognize this man who’s been here once, but not your close friend of a long long time? Do you even know how much money I’ve spent on the seasonal lattes here?”

You sport a sly smile, “Right, thank you for enjoying our seasonal menu of beverages. We hope you continue to love the upcoming drinks. Feel free to leave any feedback or suggestions here!” You hand him a brand-new index card and gesture at a drop-box next to your monitor.

Seungcheol cackles at the defeated look on Jeonghan’s face and grins as he says, “You know what, I think I’ll get the same mocha again, Y/N. It did wonders for my mood.” You find yourself grinning almost immediately, tapping in his order with a hum.

“And for you?”

“...”

You know Jeonghan’s scheming something but you can’t afford to let him play out whatever sick mind games he’s planned out at your workplace so you’re quick to appease him, “If I might, I suggest you go for the salted caramel brownie latte. It’s perfect for this weather and it tastes suspiciously like birthday cake.”

Jeonghan can’t help a smile at your words, rolling his eyes a little, “Fine. That does sound tempting. I’ll have one of those, but only if I get a personalized note from you wishing me a very very happy birthday.”

You contain a scoff, “Of course.” You nod, “Thankfully for the line behind you, I already have your names down. Please step aside while we prepare your drinks. Thank you.”

–

“She’s hilarious,” chuckles Seungcheol, bumping shoulders with Jeonghan as they settle into his car. “Didn’t think I would witness Yoon Jeonghan’s downfall in a random college cafe.”

Jeonghan scoffs, “I think you’re too happy about this. Plus, my downfall started a long time ago when I stopped cheating in board games.” He takes a sip of his latte, “Fuck, this does taste like cake. What the fuck?”

Despite his words, Jeonghan smiles when he sees the note you promised him:

jeonghan – happy birthday week, u weird old man! please invite me to ur birthday party so i can give u the best gift of ur life and maybe also stick ur head in cake :) lots of love, y/n.

“She’s in her senior year, you said?”

Jeonghan looks up with a nod, “Yeah, I met her through Wonwoo, back when we shared a class in college. And then when I graduated and settled here, I’d invite them to get-togethers because I know how miserable the nightlife on this campus is.”

“Wow, look at you, such an admirable role model,” Seungcheol jokes, “And Wonwoo? Was he the glasses guy who you FaceTimed this morning? He seemed… cool, I guess.”

Jeonghan shrugs with a shoulder, “He’s a piece of work, alright. But that explains why he and Y/N are inseparable. Anyway, you’ll meet the rest of the crew later tonight. Thursday night is board game night.”

‘Board Game Night’ was a very, very loose term for the weekly gathering at Jeonghan’s place – it was a mix of Jeonghan’s friends, namely Dokyeom and Woozi, from work doing karaoke, his tired college friends (aka your friend group) lounging around on their phones, and maybe a group of two to three actually playing board games.

Tonight is slightly different, though, because the alcohol that Jeonghan otherwise wisely guards most weeks has made its presence known to everyone, the fancy bar table propped in a corner of his living room finally finding meaning.

You make it to his place, around thirty minutes past the usual starting time, exhausted from another soul-sucking shift at your job. You’d planned to sit on Jeonghan’s couch and binge-watch some mindless TV show but you’re thrown off when a reddened Seungcheol answers the door.

“Y/N! You’re late,” he exclaims. His speech is normal, thankfully but as you step in to take in the rest of the people, you look back at Seungcheol, eyes doubtful.

“I did not know my night was going to involve babysitting a bunch of drunk old men,” you mutter, not quite meaning for Seungcheol to catch your words. But he does and chuckles, hand at your elbow as he steers you to the bar.

“C’mon, you don’t have to babysit anyone. I’ve got it under control. Now, let me pour you a drink. What can I get for you?”

You watch the tall man with a skeptical smile, a little flustered because he’s standing close enough that you can feel him hard bicep against you and a little bit amused because well, this was new. It’d been a while since you’d been flustered around a man other than Yoon Jeonghan.

“Oh, so you’re making me a drink now?” you ask, “How did you even convince Jeonghan to let out the alcohol? You must have some special powers over him for this to happen.”

Before Seungcheol can supply a reason, Jeonghan appears behind the bar counter, smirking, “Ha! You think I’d let this coward dictate my actions? Nope, this was completely my decision. I couldn’t let the week of my birthday be dry! That’d be such a shame.”

“You’re funny, Han,” you mumble, turning to him with a quirked brow, “How many drinks are you down?”

He waves your concern away, “Shut up. I’m older than you, I don’t need you fussing after me. Now, get yourself a drink before I get mad.”

You raise your hands in surrender, “Sure, wouldn’t want the birthday boy to be made at me.”

“So what will it be? Do you want a beer? Or maybe a good old rum and coke?” Seungcheol offers, eyes already searching for the ingredients.

You narrow your eyes at him, “I think I’ll have a Scotch and Soda, please.”

A few hours later finds you sprawled on Jeonghan’s couch, nevermind the alcohol in your system and the ruckus your friends were creating. You had engaged with their antics for an hour: playing stupid drinking games (only to get drunker by the minute because you suck at games) and retiring early.

Jun starts to complain when you announce that you’re giving up, mainly because he’d be the next target of the crowd, but Jeonghan firmly leads you to the couch.

“You okay?” he asks you, warm fingers steadying you by the neck. Your world spins as he becomes the focus, ironically enough. You nod as you welcome the soft couch underneath your unsteady body, “Hmm. I’m just bummed out that you didn’t help me out by cheating.”

He laughs and the sound unsettles you with its vibrations. “I told you I don’t cheat anymore, silly. Also, I’m pretty sure you’d have lost even if I did pull out some master cheating moves.” You gasp, weakly pushing him away, “Whatever, man, I don’t need your attitude.”

If Jeonghan’s started to genuinely get worried about you, it only gets worse when you cough into your elbow, groaning as you pull away. His hands find your neck again. You hate his touch because you lean into it so naturally, your eyes following him just like he wants. You hate the warm feeling you feel when he feels your forehead with a concerned frown. You hate how you’re practically burning at his touch because he’s a breath away and your fingers twitch in your lap from wanting to touch his hair.

But soft like the strands that tickle your ear, Jeonghan whispers, “God, you’re burning up. Maybe you did drink too much. Fuck, let me bring you some water and then, let’s get you to sleep.”

You protest his lamely sensible plan of action but he isn’t listening as he departs, leaving you feeling cold. You wrap your arms around yourself to compensate, trying to keep an eye on Jeonghan when another tall figure encroaches your field of vision.

“Y/N?” Seungcheol calls out and for a moment, you’re unresponsive, eyes fixated on something beyond him but then you perk up in recognition, pouting as you beckon him to the couch.

“You–!” you point at him with a squint, head working hard to recall his name, “Um, um, Cheol?”

Seungcheol smiles at the nickname, taking a seat next to you, leaving some space but extending an arm behind you because of how you’re dangerously swinging. “Right, that is me. How are you feeling? Not too nauseous I hope?”

You shake your head, “”M fine. But tell that to Han because that weasel’s trying to make me sober up and sleep.” You breathe out a little angrily and then when the world swims around you, you lean your head against the back of the couch– that is currently occupied by Seuncheol’s arm.

He jumps a little at the unexpected contact but steadies himself when he sees your closed eyes, your skin hot against his forearm. “Now, why would he do that? You literally just got drunk,” he tells you, trying to keep you engaged in the conversation, lest you should pass out.

“Right?” you exclaim, opening your eyes, head still against his arm, “It’s like he’s never had fun in his life. For how much he likes to tease people, he sure is a killjoy.”

“Ha, I’m surprised you know him so well, honestly. People usually just take him at face value and think he’s a devilish troublemaker. But god knows how mature Jeonghan is. It makes me mad sometimes.”

You giggle and Seungcheol’s stomach swims at how he can feel the sweet sound in his veins, like literally. “You get me, dude. How long have you known him?”

“Um, like, nearly ten years now? I don’t know, I kinda lost count at some point.”

“Wow, that’s a long time. I’ve known him for like two years?” you hum. “Yeah, he told me.”

You quirk a brow at that, lifting your head up in amusement. “You two been talking about me? What did he say? That I’m Wonwoo’s evil twin?”

“Hmm, yeah, something along the lines of that.”

Jeonghan’s back by your side, suddenly, his strong grip straightening you up and holding up a glass of water. His expression is stoic as hell for a board game night and you don’t know if you feel scolded or cared for. It’s always hard to tell with him.

You stare at him blankly, not drinking the water like he wants you to. Instead you turn to Seungcheol, “I don’t want to.”

Your plea is unreasonable, you and Seungcheol both know, and he can practically feel Jeonghan’s glare when you ask Seungcheol, “Cheol, can you tell him I’m not dying? I don’t need to be babied.”

“Yeah, you do,” Jeonghan says, touching the cold glass against your skin. You jump a little with a soft unfair! and Seungcheol sighs, “Hannie, let her be. I don’t think she wants to go to sleep yet.”

“Thank you! At least someone has ears ‘round here!”

Jeonghan shoots his best friend an unreadable look, still firm, “Well, she needs to drink water either way. Unless someone wants the worst hangover of their life the next morning.” This time, his unoccupied hand finds the back of your head, settling into the stray strands of your hair there. “Please, just drink this.”

You find yourself giving in, lips opening up to the glass and you swallow a few gulps of water, the cold liquid soothing your insides. Before you know it, the glass is empty. He holds it up in front of you, “See? That felt nice, didn’t it?”

There it is, again. The playful glint in his eye and the sly tone of his voice. You ignore the burning tips of your ears and give him a half-nod, throwing yourself against the couch again with a relieved sigh. “Thanks, old man! What would I do without you?”

Jeonghan rolls his eyes as he stands up, “Ever so grateful, Y/N.”

“Y’know, Cheol and I were in the middle of a very mind-opening discussion about you.”

“Me?” his interest is piqued and he glances at Seungcheol, who he jostles lightly, “What’ve you been, shit-talking me?”

Seungcheol laughs as he throws the man off, “Wouldn’t you like to know? Anyway, if you want to go back to your game, I have a lot of anecdotes to share with Y/N. It’s our bonding time.”

And bond, you do. You spend the rest of the night talking to Seungcheol on Jeonghan’s couch, the owner of the place long forgotten as you go on to talk about everything else: college experiences, Seungcheol’s job (“So how rich are you exactly?” you grill him), and life interests.

“I can’t believe you like college so much! I hated it a lot back in my time.”

You snort, “You sound really old for someone who graduated two years ago. But I mean, each to their own. I prefer the comfort of the bubble here, you know. No real responsibility most of the time and you’re allowed to make some mistakes now and then. The real world? That’s like hell. I don’t think I’m ever going to feel like an adequate adult ever. Like, tax fraud is real, you know? And I never know which law I’m going to break? Don’t even get me started about the living situation.”

Seungcheol laughs throughout your troubled rant, “No, I get it. But don’t you feel excited about the independence you get to have? The freedom? And plus, if you get lucky with your job, working is actually very fulfilling.”

“Ugh,” you throw your head against the back of the couch again, “I don’t think I’ll ever feel fulfilled. Like ever. I feel too immature to be anything but a college student.”

He frowns on hearing that, confused because he’d never imagined of spending a whole night talking his heart out to a college student. But it happened because it was you, with your quick-witted responses and thoughtful questions. So, he’s fast to counter, “That’s not true–”

But his defense is cut short when Wonwoo approaches you, tapping at your shoulder with a smile. “Hey, you wanna head back?” You look up and are shocked to find the living room nearly emptied of its earlier occupants. When did everyone leave? “C’mon, I’ll walk you to your room. It’s getting late,” Wonwoo continues.

“Oh, damn, I didn’t even realize,” Seungcheol mutters, looking down at the watch on his wrist. “You guys sure you want to head back this late? You could just crash here. I would offer to drive but I drank.”

Wonwoo’s eyes trail to you, leaving the decision up to you. You mull it over, “I don’t know if Han’s gonna want a bunch of wasted kids at his place?”

As if you’d summoned him, Jeonghan appears beside Seungcheol with a yawn, “What’s this about me? Why’re you guys still up? Come on, let me show you to the empty rooms and please go to sleep before I have to use force.”

Wonwoo laughs, “He didn’t even leave us a choice,” and you watch as Jeonghan turns around, expecting you to follow him.

“Jeon Wonwoo,” you turn to your best friend, “Please tell me you don’t still try to suffocate other people in their sleep?”

The boy contains a grin, “I don’t know. It depends on how annoying the person I’m with is.”

“You’re sleeping on the floor, asshole.”

–

Seungcheol has a problem.

He likes to think of himself as a reasonable adult, with the ability to make logical choices and admitting to his flaws here and there. But had he been reasonable enough, he wouldn’t be this hung up over someone he met twice over the course of two weeks. It’s ridiculous: the way his heartbeat’s racing when you tread down to breakfast the morning after the board game night turned bonding time.

He’s smiling his way through an excited “good morning!” before he can collect himself. You look tired, albeit a little bit lesser than usual, and your hair’s down in something of a mess. Seungcheol vaguely recognizes the faded gray tee you’re wearing, probably a donation of Jeonghan’s. “Morning,” you mumble to the breakfast table, everyone present now that you’re here.

Wonwoo snickers, “You look like shit, dude.” You glare at him as you’re reaching out for a fork, “Thanks, Wonwoo, I see that you’re as sweet as ever.”

Jeonghan lightly slaps Wonwoo’s arm, “Be nice to her. Who knows what a hungover Y/N might do?”

You turn to Jeonghan, finally eating the piece of watermelon that you’d been reaching for, “I’m flattered you’re concerned but I’ll have you know I’m not hungover.”

“That’s impressive,” Seungcheol chimes in and you smile at him, “See, I can’t believe this man I met last week understands me better than my best friend and my other friend.”

“Your other friend? That’s what I am to you???” Jeonghan gasps, hand clutching his chest dramatically and Seungcheol laughs louder than he ought to, but he can barely help it, he’s all giddy. All it took was a half-compliment from you.

So yeah, easy to say, Seungcheol has a problem and it has something to do with the way you lean into him when you ask him to pass a slice of toast.

Luckily for Seungcheol, you also have a problem, and it occurs when you declare you need to head back, hoping that they’d let you go alone but Jeonghan’s standing up instantly with a nod. You have a problem with the way he’s unbothered with his behavior, easily saying, “I’ll walk you,” as if your best friend of years wasn’t sitting right there.

You look to Wonwoo, hoping he’d feel the heat of your expression but he simply stretches his limbs out with a groan, “Think I’ll go take a nap before I leave.”

“Don’t you have a class at 12?” you nudge him subtly, trying to ignore Jeonghan as he stands at the table, fingers tapping at the chair that he’s behind.

“Eh, I’m ahead of the syllabus in the class and attendance is a joke.”

You sigh in defeat and meet Jeonghan’s eyes as he lifts his lips into a smile.

And the smile only leaves his lips once you’ve stepped out, clad in your clothes from last night again, groaning when the morning sunlight hits your eyes. “Ugh is right,” he mumbles beside you as he starts walking.

You catch up to him, hands stuffed down your pockets, and he asks, “You have class?”

“Not really. But I do have an upcoming paper I want to finish over the weekend so I don’t perish next week.”

Jeonghan chuckles as he glances at you, “Wow, you’re still this hard-working, huh? I thought your lifestyle would’ve worn you out by now.”

“You’re one to talk about detrimental lifestyles, Han,” you scoff, “Just because you hang out with us once a week doesn’t mean we don’t know you’re overworking yourself for the rest of it.”

He’s silent for a beat and then he exhales, “Huh. I don’t know. Feels like I have the other kids fooled. It’s always you, with your smart little head and truth bombs.”

You laugh, hitting his side with your shoulder, “I’m serious, Han. Take it slow, won’t you? You’re going to end up burning yourself out to death by the time you’re 30. And then whos’ going to host board game nights?”

Jeonghan laughs and he turns to look at you, walking pace slowing down as he trains his eyes on you. You raise your brows in confusion, a slight smile playing on your lips as you try to guess what he’s thinking this time.

“You and Cheol have been getting along really well, huh?”

You’re thrown off guard, not having imagined this to be his next words. You shrug. “Yeah, he’s really easy to talk to, especially given his… I don’t know, social status?”

“Social status?”

You cough in embarrassment over your words. What were you saying? “Don’t know. It’s just nice to meet someone whose hopes and dreams aren’t being crushed by student debt.”

Jeonghan’s silent again and now it’s your turn to frown because you’re wondering if you said the wrong thing. God, does he think you’re creepy for liking his childhood friend? Fucking hell.

“I’m glad,” he says but you can sense a strain in his voice, “I was worried he’d get bored to death when he came to visit me.”

“Ah, well. How long is he around?”

“He took a month off, I think? But he’s got it easy with his flexible hours, so really, it’s up to him when to leave.”

You nod a little, “Cool.” You exhale in relief, a little bit reassured now that Jeonghan was back to talking like his usual self. You’ve finally reached the steps to your dorm by the time the conversation fades away and he waves at you, “Better be on time tomorrow for my party. And don’t forget to bring the best gift of my life.”

You groan when he quotes your note on his coffee from a day ago, shrugging as you turn around to run up to your room and melt into your pillow. But you’ve made it to two steps up when he calls out for you again. You swerve around to face him with a questioning glance.

“Y/N, remember you can come to this old man if you ever need anything, okay? I’m here for you, always.”

??????????

–

Okay, let’s rewind a little.

You’ve known Jeonghan for two years now, enough time to fall for him. You argue it was inevitable because all your life, you’d only been disappointed in your love interests, who would either ghost you in the talking stage itself or break up a few months into the relationship. One time it was because you were too busy with your studies and the third and final time because well, you were apparently too aloof. Not loving enough.

Which is why when Jeonghan came into the picture, you found yourself changing ever so slightly. Not to say you weren’t still a little bit wary of people and took your time opening up, but you met a lot of friends through him and he taught you that trust and attention goes a long way in relationships. If only you could apply this newfound knowledge to new relationships.

You’d tried: Wonwoo had set you up with a friend from class, Mingyu, and while you’d been able to sit through the first date, by the end of the night, it was clear that both of you were more interested in sex. Which was fine. But then there was the guy who was a regular at your cafe who had given you his number and you’d ended up wondering why you were with him in the bathroom, staring at a text from Jeonghan.

So you were down pretty bad for him. And as Wonwoo had voiced multiple times before, the next move to make was to actually tell the man that you’d been suffering in your feelings for him. But every time the topic came around, you had only one answer prepared: he already knows. Or so you’re convinced.

You had good reason to think so. Once, the group of you had been playing an online game that involved picking red flags for other people’s ideal types and when it was time for others to pick some for you, all hell had broken loose. “I bet she likes bad guys who are emotionally unavailable,” Jun had said, quick to drag the flag that said emotional constipation on it. You had defended yourself quickly, “UH? No thanks, men with no emotional intelligence are a hard pass for me. I don’t want to feed into some idiot’s Oedipus complex just because I’m the mom friend.”

“The mom friend?” Wonwoo had questioned, “Please, Y/N, if anything, you’re the dead friend with a severe case of RBF. Jeonghan’s the mom friend.”

Jeonghan’s shrug had been followed by a hysterical Joshua going, “Wouldn’t that mean Y/N’s ideal type is Jeonghan? I mean, it makes a lot of sense, he’s mature and emotionally intelligent.”

You’d choked over your next words, cheeks burning, “No, that’s stupid. Don’t be weird.”

Yeah, very weak defense.

When Wonwoo brought up the fact that you’d refuted Joshua’s claims and that probably led Jeonghan to believe you weren’t into him, you simply told him to remind himself of what happened next. Dokyeom had laughed, “But you definitely go for older men? I can’t imagine any guy in college being too smart like that.”

You’d agreed in the end, his logic being pretty solid. You had also noticed the way Jeonghan excused himself to the kitchen with a lame excuse about bringing more snacks when there was an array of unopened chips still lying around.

“Okay, so that’s one example, from like two months ago,” Wonwoo argues as you roll around in bed to avoid his glare, “Do you really think he remembers that incident so well?”

“Two months ago was not that long ago. And it wasn’t just this once. I’m a mess around Jeonghan.”

“You’re a mess period,” Wonwoo casually declares and when you sit up with an unhinged jaw, he laughs, “No offense.”

“Whatever. I hate you. And I hate Jeonghan. I should just skip his birthday party or I’m just gonna make things worse for myself.”

“Right. And what about the Lego set you spent half your life savings on?”

You pause, heart skipping a beat when you remember the gift sitting on your desk, wrapped securely and the purchase of which you could only justify with the words: Yoon Jeonghan.

“God, I must be insane. Why did I even buy that for him? He’s gonna think I’m genuinely weird. Does he even want gifts? He’s turning 25 for god’s sake.”

Wonwoo doesn’t respond so you can hear yourself and eventually, you do. Jeonghan himself had told you to be on time to his party with the gift alongside. You’re going to cry.

“You really think I should tell him?” you ask quietly.

Your best friend nods eagerly, patting your arm through the mess of your bedsheets, “Please. It’s high time. I promise you won’t regret it.”

“Weird promise to make, but fine. I’ll do it.”

–

The weight of your promise settles into your veins when you’ve arrived at Jeonghan’s place, self-consciously straightening out non-existent wrinkles in your dress when he comes over to greet you and Wonwoo. It doesn’t leave when he grins at you, wider than usual, and it definitely only gets worse when he accepts your gift with a low whisper that he’ll be sure to open yours first.

You’re thankful for Seungcheol when he shows up next to you, dimples out as he compliments you in your dress and you return it with a shy smile. Half because you need a distraction and more because Seungcheol’s presence is calming, you follow him to the bar.

“How’s your night going so far?”

“It could be better,” you mumble, eyes searching for Jeonghan and settling when he doesn’t seem to be anywhere close, “A little bit nervous.”

“Nervous?” he asks you, sliding you a drink and you smile as you take a sip: Scotch and Soda.

“Hmm, it’s nothing honestly. A lot of work piling up as we speak,” you joke. Seungcheol’s frown melts away, “Ah, of course. Senior year must be crazy.”

The night picks it pace up thereon, with your nerves finding some peace in the buzz from alcohol and your cheeks only hurting the longer you talk to Seungcheol.There’s some dancing of course, here and there, but you find yourself avoiding Jeonghan actively, retracting from the floor whenever he’s close.

It helps that Seungcheol stays close so that you have an excuse to appear occupied and somewhere along in the night, you tell the man with a smile, “You’re really charming, you know, Cheol?”

He breaks out into that giggle of his, “You think so? I haven’t even pulled out all the stops yet?”

“Really?” you find yourself stepping closer, encouraged by how quickly his hands are at your waist, “What haven’t you done yet?”

A breathy hum leaves his lips at your provoking and you’re close enough to brush lips against Seungcheol when suddenly, you’re being pulled away. For a moment, you let out an annoyed groan, certain that the iron hold on your bicep is Wonwoo being stubborn again. So when you tilt your head and catch sight of Jeonghan’s black hair falling into his eyes, a glare in place, all words leave your system.

You’re aware he’s dragging you away and also that Seungcheol’s following, reaching for your hand with words leaving his mouth, but you can’t make anything out. The blood’s in your ears and your heart is in your throat. You can feel Jeonghan saying something at Seungcheol, who glances at you in doubt, and leaves.

By the time you've calmed down, you find yourself in Jeonghan’s room, door half closed.

“Jeonghan?” you question a little weakly as he finally lets go of your arm and sits on the bed, his head in his hands. Is he okay? you wonder, standing helplessly near the door. You call out his name again, “Han? Are you okay?”

You step closer to him but stop when he looks up, startled by the lack of humor in his expression. “What were you doing back there?”

“Um, talking to Cheol.”

“Talking?”

“Are you annoyed at me, right now? Or jealous? I can’t tell.”

Jeonghan goes silent again, gaze dropping to his feet. You’re feeling annoyed by the minute.

“You’re acting like an idiot, Y/N. You don’t know Seungcheol. And you’re drunk.”

There it was: that strict tone of his, that always left you feeling conflicted and hurt. Today you actually tell him about it, “I’m not a kid, Jeonghan, I know what I’m doing.”

He looks up at you when you say that, eyes wide. “I never said that. I’m just saying that you should be more careful.”

“I am being careful,” you retort, a hostile edge to your voice, “I don’t know why you do this.”

“I thought you liked me.”

The words stun you into silence and your ears ring as you freeze. Your eyes don’t leave Jeonghan’s form though, watching him, waiting for him to disappear into nothingness as if this was just a dream. How you wish it was.

But Jeonghan’s on his feet when he notices the horrified look on his face and it’s only when he starts to come closer that you reach for the door.

“No, Y/N, please let’s talk about it–” he grabs hold of you and you feel your vision go blurry with tears, your back hitting the wall when Jeonghan shuts the door behind you.

“I knew it,” you mumble out through tears, “You knew about my feelings?”

Jeonghan’s eyes find yours in the dim lighting of his bedroom and you shiver when his hand tightens around your wrist, “I’ve known for a while. But then you went around flirting with Cheol like it was nobody’s business and I…” he trails off, “I was jealous. And confused.”

You force yourself to breathe out, heart going wild in your chest because of course, Jeonghan’s not addressing the elephant in the room. “Well, I was going to confess to you today and get it out of the way. But there’s no need anymore, I guess?” You cringe at the way you can hear the quiver in your own voice, “Just let me go now?”

“Why?” he asks, “You haven’t even asked me if I like you back?”

You scoff, “God, Jeonghan, you make it sound like we’re in high school or something, all this ‘liking’ talk.” You try to sound stable, only to be contradicted by the tears that leave your eyes, “And I figured you didn’t return my feelings. Or you would’ve done something about it.”

There’s a pause then. A shift. Jeonghan’s grip on you loosens ever so lightly and you fear you’ve understood him too well. For once, you wish you weren’t right.

“You’re right,” Jeonghan breathes out as if on cue, but his grip is still unyielding to your dismay, “Well, I thought I didn’t like you. I mean, you’re really pretty and funny and being around doesn’t tire me out like it does with others, but… I just liked you as a friend.”

Your heart’s shriveling up at his words with uncertainty because he might be talking about your love for him being one-sided but it is also in the past tense… right?

“What are you trying to say, Jeonghan?”

He flinches, “Um, I’m sorry. I just– I’m so confused about my feelings, right now. God, I thought I was more mature than this.”

You can’t help the disdainful laugh that leaves your lips as you push him away, brushing your tears away with the back of your hand. “Look, Jeonghan, I’m sorry I don’t have the time to sit down and help you untangle your feelings… about me. It really hurts to hear you go on about this, honestly. I think I’m just going to leave. Happy birthday, I hope you like your gift.”

–

The night outside is much more welcoming to you now, your shoulders more relaxed than ever now that your stupid crush on Jeonghan’s out in the open for him. You hadn’t expected it to go down like this but well, at least you were right about him already knowing, you know?

Lighter than before, the drinks you’d chugged before to gather courage catch up to you in the moment when you nearly run into a pole on the street. You would have run into it if Seungcheol hadn’t swerved you out the way with a, “Look out!”

“Fuck,” you mumble when you’re steady on your feet, Seungcheol’s hand firm around yours, “Sorry. I was in my head.”

“I know you were but you gotta watch where you’re going, kid,” he scolds, “I don’t want to have to carry your unconscious body to your room.”

You roll your eyes, “What is it with everyone and calling me a kid tonight? So much for keeping up a track record for being reliable and responsible.”

“It’s not that you’re not those things, Y/N,” Seungcheol says, hand still on yours reassuringly, “It’s just that sometimes you’re… dense. And maybe even something of an idiot.”

“Ah! Excuse me!” you protest, “I am not an idiot. Say that to my grades.”

“An idiot as in someone who doesn’t see what’s right in front of them.”

That shuts you for good, then, and you stop walking with a sigh. “I don’t even know about that, anymore.”

Seungcheol watches as you slow down, tears behind your eyes and his heart hurts for you, thanks to his problem. When he’d found you storming out of Jeonghan’s room with fists wiping your tears away, he’d wrapped an arm around you immediately, listening as you quietly told him you needed to leave. He’d offered to walk you home and you’d watched him for a moment before nodding.

“Why are you doing this, Cheol? Shouldn’t you be back there, comforting Jeonghan?”

“See, there it is. The idiot side of you.”

You go silent again, looking down at the hand that was clutched in his a few moments ago.

“...you like me?”

“Bingo. Plus, I don’t think Jeonghan wants to hear from me tonight. Not after I almost kissed you in front of him.”

You let out a surprised sound, hand flying to your mouth when you recall the near-kiss, ears turning impossibly pink under the streetlights. “Fuck, I forgot that happened. I’m sorry? Or you’re welcome?”

“Nah, I can’t thank you till we actually seal the deal,” Seungcheol teases, stepping closer to you and dramatically ducking his head as if going in for a kiss. You push his shoulder away, “Fuck you, Seungcheol.”

“I mean, sure, if you want to!”

“Ugh!” you start walking with a pout on your face, “I hate the guts of the men in this place!”

“That’s not what your face said thirty minutes ago at the bar!”

“Go away, Cheol, or I’m reporting you to the campus authorities.”

“Aww, you called me Cheol even when we’re fighting. Aren’t you the sweetest?”

–

When Monday rolls around, you think you’ve got a good hold on your head this time, especially after a few grueling hours at your shift at the cafe. That is until you spot Jeonghan walking in, hair tied back in a half-ponytail and hands crossed across his white cardigan. The sight of him sends you into a frenzy and you debate your options as being between: ducking behind the counter and switching positions with Joshua, or otherwise, manning up and facing the aftermath of your actions.

You glance at Joshua’s back, his hands busy cleaning the espresso equipment and before you have a minute to ask him to switch, Jeonghan’s at the counter (where’s a line of customers when you need it?), calling you out. “Hey, Y/N, do you think we could talk for a minute?”

You look at him blankly, not expecting him to take the direct route after everything. But you malfunction a little and cut his advances off, “Welcome to Moon Coffee! What can I get started for you?” you ask loudly and then add in a softer voice, “Conversation with me is not on the menu.”

“Hm?” Jeonghan looks devastated at your cold response but his eyes search the menu board frantically anyway, “Uh, I guess I could get just an iced americano, then, please?”

You note that down with a half-smile, and almost go on to ask for a name for the order but decide against it, not wanting to stretch your pettiness limit for the day. “Alright, thank you for your order! Please feel free to take a seat while you wait.”

You relax when he nods with a hesitant smile and takes a seat, close to the window but close enough to the counter to hear his name being called out. You feel the pit in your stomach burn a little at how deflated his shoulders are and you wonder if you ought to drop the act; you’d been into the man for two years now. Right?

But before you can pursue this heart-wrenching line of thought, you’re distracted by the sound of the door opening and– great, it’s Seungcheol. By the surprised look he shoots Jeonghan’s sat figure, they hadn’t planned this… ambush, but you reign in your usual cordiality anyway as Seungcheol approaches you.

“Hey there, morning. How’ve you been?”

What did you have to do to have one customer who came in here for coffee?

“Good afternoon,” you correct him, pleased at the reversal of your first meeting with Seungcheol, who chuckles a little. “Welcome, what can we get you today?”

He pauses, casting a glance to Jeonghan over his shoulder, whose attention is on this interaction, legs crossed and brows furrowed. “I’m sorry, didn’t know he was in here. I just wanted to check up on you.”

“What are you apologizing for?” The question slips before you can remember to be professional and also, a little bit quieter because almost certain that Jeonghan’s heard you by the way he averts his eyes. “Um, I mean, sorry. I can recommend you a drink for the day or do you want to get your usual?”

Seungcheol mulls it over, “Hm, I’m fine with anything you choose for me.”

You pause before punching in the order for a hazelnut mocha, without a double-shot this time. He can deal with the sweetness for a day, you reckon. You glance at Joshua who’s still cleaning up before getting started on the orders because well, it’s a slow day. Or it’s supposed to be.

As you thank Seungcheol for his order and he’s about to step aside to wait, you add in a quick, “And next time, if you want to check up on me, do it when I’m not working.” He does nothing to hide the grin of acknowledgment that takes over his face, a sight that only darkens the storm known as Yoon Jeonghan brewing in the cafe.

You walk over to Joshua, “Dude! Hurry up, we have customers waiting.”

He turns to you slowly, wiping his hands off ever so slowly, even the smile on his face slow. “Don’t worry, it’s just Jeonghan. We know these guys. We can take our time.”

You narrow your eyes at him, wondering if Jeonghan put him up to this act, but don’t question it because even that would be admitting defeat. “Whatever. I’ll make the drinks if you’re going to be annoying. Where’s the syrup for the mocha again?”

Joshua slaps the hand that you’re using to reach for the syrup with a firm, “Uh-uh! Hands off, young lady. That hazelnut mocha is all mine to make. You can work on the iced americano if you really want to help out.”

You groan, throwing your hands up, “So you were slowing things down on purpose, you little bitch.”

“Hello? Please be mindful of the language you use around here. I can report you–”

“Yes, yes, of course, I will just shut up and make that americano so I don’t have to listen to your voice again.”

A few minutes later, you’re scribbling Jeonghan’s name onto the cup, proud with the quick work you’ve made of the drink and also thankful nobody was coming in right now. “Han–” you stop yourself just as the nickname slips your tongue, flinching when you remember you’re supposed to be acting stuck up right now.

You turn, hoping that Jeonghan hadn’t heard you but nevermind that because he’s at your side, quicker than he ought to be really (any other scenario, he would be declaring all kinds of knee problems), that sly grin plastered on his face.

“Hi there,” he greets you, “Called for me, did you?”

“...I did. An iced americano for Jeonghan.” You try hard to make your sentences brief but Jeonghan’s chuckling as he takes the drink from you– using both his hands so that you’re brushing against his. Classic middle school boy behavior.

If anything, this ordeal was making you question if the man was as mature as you’d believed. Either way, he thanks you with a smile and leaves promptly, leaving a very affronted Seungcheol in his wake. “Hey, I thought you said you were gonna wait for me!” he calls out after Jeonghan, who doesn’t respond as he slides out.

“A hazelnut mocha for Seung…Cheol?”

You glare at Joshua who frowns at the name as that was the first he’d heard of it, and the guy just shrugs as he puts the drink down. “Sorry about that. Joshua’s feeling rebellious this afternoon,” you tell a frowny Seungcheol (you are a minute away from admitting how cute he is when he’s upset), “Anyway, here’s your drink, Seungcheol. Have a good day!”

“Cheol!” you call out when you spot the brown head of hair outside the cafe when your shift ends. He’d texted you a while after he’d walked off with his drink in hand, pouting because you insisted on calling him Seungcheol.

meet me after your shift? his text reads.

do u even know when my shift ends dude

no and thats why im asking u. when does your shift end?

… u are insufferable.

insufferable enough to fall 4 u i guess

when are u going to stop holding your feelings for me over my head?

when you do something about them.

meet me at 6 outside the cafe.

Yeah, so you wouldn’t say you’re being your wisest self right now. To begin with, you should probably seek out Jeonghan and find closure of some sort. But something tells you to wait on him, wait till he’s ready to seek you out (no, coming up to you during your work shift did not count). Instead, you choose to pursue the… spark that you have with Seungcheol, his feelings for you aside. The night after Jeonghan’s party he’d made it clear that he didn’t really want anything serious, just to get to know you more while you were still around.

A little fooling around never hurt anyone, right?

So when Seungcheol whines out, “Oh, so I’m back to being Cheol now, huh?” you finally let out the laugh that you’d held back at work at his antics.

“Nobody ever told me you were such a pouty baby,” you tell him, eyes shameless trained on his pink lips.

“I don’t pout for anyone, baby,” Seungcheol shoots back, hand on your back as he leads you somewhere. You look at him in question. “What? We’re getting dinner.”

“I was not aware,” you reply, “But all right. Let’s do it.”

Dinner is comfortable. Which is more than you ask for on a date these days.

“Your dates have really been that bad, huh?” Seungcheol asks you. You shake your head, fork scraping some tiramisu onto it, “You can’t even imagine it, Cheol, it’s hell out there. I’m lucky if the guy pays for the dinner so I don’t have to work an extra shift to make up for it.”

He laughs and you savor the sight, because hanging out with this often hadn’t meant you had become indifferent to his looks. If anything, it was the other way around.

“Thanks for dinner,” you tell him later as he sneaks his hand into yours. You allow yourself to feel guilty for indulging him like this but then he squeezes your hand, “Anything for you, m’lady.”

Later that night, you invite him to your room. “It’s not much,” you add to the invitation, “But you know, I do happen to have some wine in my fridge that Wonwoo forgot to pick up. And my bed’s pretty cozy to watch movies in.”

Seungcheol is breathless by the time you’re in your room, not only because of the trek up the stairs but also the fact that you’d held his hand in yours the whole way up. “Wow, it sure is cold in here,” he comments as you turn the lights. It is the textbook college room, albeit a little bigger since you’re in a single.

You cough, “Um, sorry about that. Let me turn on the heater. And you can sit on my bed…” you pause when you remember the mess you’d left on your mattress this morning, in a hurry to make it to your shift but nevertheless, insistent on putting together a fit.

You sweep up the pile of discarded clothes from your bed and onto an already burdened chair, making a show out of it. You dust your hands off with a smile at Seungcheol who’s been watching with a hand on his hip. “Change your mind about me yet?” you question, teasingly.

He rolls his eyes as he walks closer to you, effectively bumping you onto your bed, the new angle forcing you to look up at him. He kneels in front of you, his smile turning loving as he takes your face into his hands. “Not a chance,” and then he leans in until his warm lips are on yours, the heater whirring irrelevant now that heat’s rushing up to your temples instantly.

You taste him and then pull away, “Mhm. Not so fast, you sly little man. I promised you wine and a movie in my bed. And I,” you say as you crouch in front of your fridge, “am a woman of my word.” You shake the cold bottle of red wine at him and he grins.

An hour later, you’re curled around Seungcheol, glasses of wine long consumed and movie long forgotten in favor of cuddling. You stare at him and then when he smiles shyly, you finger one of his dimples, “Hey. You sure you’re not serious about me? Because I’m…” you hate the way you trail off, the very thought of Jeonghan derailing any sense of coherence you’ve ever had.

“I know,” Seungcheol’s hand comes to your wrist, “I knew I didn’t stand a chance against Jeonghan since I saw you guys fight at the cafe that day. You look at him like he has all the answers.”

“That’s ridiculous,” you brush off, not completely refuting him. “But if you knew, why’d you stick around and… I don’t know, flirt with me?”

Seungcheol laughs into your neck, “Call it a bad habit of mine.” His hands play with your hair now, brushing it away from your face, “I see a pretty girl and I have to charm her.”

You drop your head into his chest with a groan, “Stop! You sound so creepy. Like a predator.”

“Hey!” he protests, his chuckles vibrating through you, “You’re the one who called me charming the other day!”

“Hmm. I guess I did.”

His hands slowly pry you away from his chest and to his face, lips pressing against yours. You smile a little and then open up for him, shifting until you’re situated on top of him. You close your eyes, surrendering yourself to the kiss and – “Shit, you’re a good kisser.” The man underneath you moves you closer with a pleased smirk, voice smug when his lips trail down your neck, “That’s not the only thing I’m good at.”

–

“Sex with older men really is different, huh?”

You gasp at Wonwoo’s vulgar words, slapping his arm mercilessly making him jump away from you. “Dude! Mind keeping it down? We’re in the library, not your mom’s house.”

“Ha! Jokes on you, I wouldn’t be making dirty jokes in my mom’s house because Jeonghan is my mom away from home and he would really kick my ass if he heard me talk about you and Seungchel fucking–”

Another slap on the arm and Wonwoo shuts up, groaning in pain. You grimace when you notice a few heads turning your way at the commotion, and bow in apology. When they’re looking away, you glower at Wonwoo, “Seriously, man, what are you up to? Drop the horny teenager act for once so we can focus on the problem at hand.”

“Judging from the tone of your voice, I’m guessing that you’re not talking about the problem of calculus in front of us, but rather, the problem of… life?”

You stare at Wonwoo blankly, “I’m so glad you find this entertaining.” As you’re about to continue giving him a piece of your mind, your phone buzzes, cutting you off much to Wonwoo’s relief, who sneaks a look over your shoulder anyway.

cheol: rate last night on a scale of ‘okay’ to ‘let's meet up again tonight’?

You scoff at the audacity and Wonwoo’s already clinging onto this new piece of evidence. “Oh, so what was that about this being a one-time thing? Next thing I know you’re moving in with him when you graduate.”

You slam your phone face down, “Listen, I know you think this is a joke but it’s not. I’m not going to sleep with Cheol again because that’s obviously the right thing to do. But as for Jeonghan, well, it’s been radio silence from him all week.”

“And since when have you let Jeonghan take the lead on your relationship with him? You know he’s a working man so I’m not surprised he’s not texting you at noon on a Wednesday.”

You glare at Wonwoo, “Seungcheol is also very much a working man? I don’t see your point. And also, I don’t know when this became a competition between the two?”

“Since you confessed to one and then slept with the other?”

You exhale heavily, unable to shoot him down because he was at least a little bit correct. Instead you heave your head into your arms. “Maybe I should just fake my death and move away.”

“You’ll give up your dreams of graduation over a stupid love triangle, consisting purely of men?”

“Shit. You’re right. That’s not happening,” you look up, “Jeon Wonwoo, what would I do if you weren’t by my side bringing me to my senses? You’re the best friend I ever had.”

“Actually, your use of ‘friend’ is very offensive to me,” he complains, fisting his palm dramatically, “I consider myself one of the girls. Or even better, your guardian. Refer to me as Your Highness exclusively or I will not listen.”

You stand up with a screech of your chair, “Okay, that was the last of your reasonable thinking. I’m going to go to my shift and work until I can no longer think or pine.”

“Great plan, young one!”

“Touch grass while I’m gone and you might have hope yet.”

–

“Look, I really don’t think we should be doing this anymore.”

Seungcheol laughs, eyes searching your face for signs of humor. You flash him a grimace of seriousness and doom. He deflates. “I saw this coming. Should’ve known you would only ever ask me out to a fancy restaurant for dinner to break up with me.”

You flick his forehead, “Break up? Don’t call it that. It gives people the wrong idea.”

“Interesting, Y/N L/N admits to caring about whether or not people get the wrong idea about us. Very interesting,” he comments, not at all sneaky with the way his arm snakes around you, “Anyway, you want me to pay for dinner and what, drag my sorry ass back to Jeonghan’s place?”

You stiffen at the mention of Jeonghan and then sigh, the following conversation almost inevitable given your current situation. “So speaking of Jeonghan, has he been talking?”

“Um, yeah, he sure has been opening his mouth and saying words.”

“Fuck you, I meant as in, about me? Has he said anything?”

“Not in specific. Although he did inquire if I had slept over at your place two nights ago and when I said yes, he threw a slice of half-eaten apple in my face. Since then whenever I see him, I duck.”

“That’s very funny.”

“Don’t worry, I made sure to tell him how hopelessly in love with him you are–”

“That was not needed.”

“–And how you accidentally moaned his name on my cock.”

You glare at him, “What about those statements made you think they were okay to voice out loud, not only once but twice?”

As Seungcheol comes up with a witty defense for his lapse in judgment, your phone buzzes next to your thigh and the name that pops up has you zoning everything out instantly.

han: hey, can we talk?

You look away from the screen and breathe out, “And that makes two of us dragging our sorry asses to Jeonghan’s place.”

When you knock on his door, the last thing you expect to see is a red-eyed, very sniffly Jeonghan. Heck, you hadn’t ever even come close to imagining the heartbroken look on Jeonghan’s face, his eyes downcast when you visibly look taken aback at his state.

“Han?”

“Hey,” his voice is hoarse and good lord, you can’t stand this. “Let’s sit in the living room. I was going to go grab some water anyway.”

You follow him speechlessly, watching the way his hands disappear into the sleeves of the black sweatshirt that hangs loose around his frame. You keep watching when he reappears, and it’s when he sits down quietly, fingers whitening around the glass of iced water in hands that you lose it.

“Talk to me, Han. Are you okay?” you breathe deeply to contain the multitude of concerned questions that threaten to leave your system. For one, you didn't know how to interpret the crestfallen expression he held up when he met your eyes. While someone like Wonwoo (aka a naive little kid) would argue that the only reasonable explanation for it would be that he was devastated that you’d been avoiding him the past week. But knowing what you did about him, you couldn’t let go of the possibility that he was just mourning the impending loss of a friend, i.e. you, when he breaks it to you that he doesn’t like you back.

Jeonghan senses you’re in your head when you’ve been staring at him for a moment too long, mouth agape, so he moves closer, taking the water out of your hands and placing it next to his emptied glass.

“I’m sorry, Y/N.”

Fuck. An apology?

You stammer, “S-Sorry? Why?”

“I’m sorry I called you an idiot the other day. You’re the farthest thing from an idiot– and you’re definitely not a kid. I’m so sorry that I made you feel like that. I just… I’ve been thinking about us, and I realized that somewhere along the way, I became really over-protective of you. I started treating you like you were fragile or something, and I shouldn’t have.”

“I’m listening,” you tell him, frown letting up now that he’s finally speaking up.

“And I’m sorry for being a cowardly little bitch about my feelings for you,” he mumbles, eyes dropping to your lap where your fingers play with the fabric of your shirt uneasily. He stops your fiddling, his hands coming to envelope both of yours. “I’m the idiot for thinking I could be anything other than in love with you.”

“Huh,” you exhale again, biting your lip to hold the smile that threatens to spill.

“And finally, I’m sorry for not doing anything about it when I knew your feelings were mutual. As you know, I’m getting old and–”

You stop any further stupidity from leaving his lips by – you guessed it – by pressing your lips against them. He lets out a surprised gasp and your smile finally turns into a giggle when his hands tighten around yours in your lap.

You pull away, only to detach your hands so you can bury them in his hair instead and Jeonghan smiles at you, his eyes crescents as they watch you lovingly and you think: the pain was worth it.

Jeonghan’s smile widens when he feels you thumb at his skin, tenderly tracing his eye-bags.

“You look terrible, Han, I’m sorry,” you mutter, kissing his cheeks and then his forehead. He’s already mellowing under your hold and he hums, low, “You should be. I went to hell and back when Seungcheol announced he slept with you. I mean, what were you thinking?”

You break, guiltily looking away. “That was not my smartest moment but I was also very distraught about my relationship with a certain someone who wouldn’t contact me outside of my working hours.”

“You and your stubborn need to remain professional. Y/N, it’s a campus cafe, I don’t think anyone’s going to care if you break your act once in a while. I don’t know, if I don’t get a kiss the next time I visit you– I might just rethink this.”

You scoff in disbelief, “You’re a real pain in the ass, Jeonghan. Maybe I’ll just go back to my room and cry myself to sleep.” But as soon as you make moves to stand up, Jeonghan’s bringing you back to sit, taking the chance to pull you closer into a hug. “You will do no such thing.”

You freeze when you feel his nose settle into your shoulder, warm breaths relaxing when your hands reclaim their place in his hair. “I love you, Y/N.”

A beat passes and with a kiss to his head, you return, “I probably love you more, old man.”

“If we’re going to date, that nickname has got to go!”

“What? You’re the one who was complaining about your knee problems last week. It’s fine, I can add this relationship to my list of community service activities.”

Jeonghan pulls away, standing up abruptly and jerking you upward as well. Your smile falters but then, he’s steering you to his bedroom, throwing the door shut with a grunt. You side-eye him, “What’s up–” He cuts you off, lips hot against yours.

A few minutes later, when his tongue finally lets up, he mutters, “I just remembered that you kissed Seungcheol with this mouth. I’ve gotta do everything I can to erase that memory.”

“I can’t tell if you want me to forget… or yourself.”

“Shh, I bet he couldn’t even– Wait, why aren’t you wearing a bra? Don’t tell me you were–!”

“You sure love asking questions, old man,” you whine and before Jeonghan can question you further, you take ahold of his hand, sliding it over your stomach and down the waistband of your jeans, the space tight and hot but not as hot as the groan Jeonghan lets out when he feels you. “Holy fuck, you’re wet.”

You grin when he falls to his knees, your jeans unbuttoned and pulled down in next to no time. “There’s more where that came from,” you mumble before he’s between your thighs, ripping out scream after scream from your throat.

–

Genuinely and honestly, if you’d foreseen waking up in Jeonghan’s bed, his hair a mess from last night but face comfortably snuggled in your arm– you would’ve been less mean to Wonwoo. Because it turns out that his voice (of reason? or of deviance? you would never figure it out) in your head had been right: Jeonghan did return your feelings all those times you thought he might.

He tells you all about it when you’ve collapsed later that night, replacing the curses on your lips with dampness in your eyes because of how vulnerable he is, pouring his heart out to you like this.

Propped up on an elbow, he played with your hand, “I remember when you first came over with Wonwoo. I thought I’d met myself, but younger and prettier and sillier.”

“I hate it when you combine insults with compliments so I can’t attack you.”

“I learnt that from you, silly,” he kisses your nose but continues, “But honestly, the more we talked, the more I realized how different you are from me. I mean, sure, are you tired out of your mind half the time like me? Yeah. But you were so observant and so keen on getting to know people. It’s hard to come across people who are invested in friendships for more than just small talk and someone to have meals with.”

But just as he’s getting deep on you, he adds, “Plus, you smell a whole lot better than anyone else. I’d go crazy sitting next to you, especially because you just love to throw yourself at people in laughter.”

“Not that I’m complaining–” he stops your protests quickly, “I swear my heart would skip a beat everytime you laughed at something I said. And then the time we were talking about ideal types and you got all flustered over everyone teasing you about me? Dude, I had to run to the kitchen before I could do something rash. Like kissing you in front of everyone. Or worse, bride-style carrying you into my room so I could enjoy the adorably lovesick look on your face.”

You groan into his pillow, “Stooop. This is just embarrassing for me. It’s not like I was trying to be obvious.”

“I know, baby,” he coos, gentle hands prying you away from the pillow, “But you know, you have the same look on your face right now.” He laughs, kissing the pout off your lips with a sweet, “For what it’s worth, I was yours for a long time. Just took a minute for me to realize it.”

You huff but smile despite it and pull him closer, “I’m glad. Now hold me to sleep or I’m gonna be sad.”

Another laugh reverberates through the two of you when he slides down, pulling the sheets closer over you, and pats your back as you settle into him with a satisfied sigh. “Sleep well, my love.”

–

“And when I’m gone, please don’t stop eating breakfast in the morning. I know you think that it’s consequential to your life completely,” Seungcheol pauses for dramatic effect, “but it’s important. It could be the difference between living 20 less years or 50 more.”

“How scientifically true is that?” you mumble to Jeonghan under your breath, who being the devious little brat he is voices your concern, earning you a look from Seungcheol.

“Whatever, I knew my words were undervalued in this household ever since you guys started dating and refused to keep it down at night. Like, it’s not that hard, right?”

You punch Jeonghan’s arm to both keep him from telling the dick joke he’s about to say and also, to show Seungcheol that you wanted no part in this. “I told this guy to keep you in mind but that just made him mad which in turn led to… screaming. Sorry.”

Seungcheol sighs as he glances at his watch, “Okay, okay. I have to get going now so bring in whatever last-minute reconciliations you two have for me.”

Jeonghan steps forward and hugs the man, surprising both the latter and you. But you watch with a pleased smile playing on your lips, relieved that their friendship still seemed to go strong, bumps and all. When it’s your turn to hug Seungcheol, you scoff at the hesitant look he casts at your boyfriend and wrap your arms around his middle.

“Thanks for everything, Cheol. Keep in touch. And do something about this second-lead syndrome of yours. I better catch you in a happily stable relationship of your own next time around.”

Seungcheol chuckles quietly, waiting for you to pull away to say, “If that’s an order from the main female lead, then I guess I have no choice, do I? Unless,” his eyes mischievously stray to Jeonghan who already knows what’s coming next, “the male lead fucks up and leaves a certain pretty girl single, huh?”

You don’t have time to decipher if that’s a threat wrapped up in a punchline because Jeonghan’s arm’s around your shoulder, moving you away and besides you, he says, “You’ll be waiting all your life if you wait on me to fuck this up. Bye, Cheol, I can see that your Uber just pulled up.”

“Ha! Good one. Alright, this is goodbye for now. See y’all on my feed. Or it might be better if I don’t. Anyway, bye and don’t kill anyone.”

With Seungcheol gone, you look up at Jeonghan with a smug smirk, “Oh, so you plan on sticking around with me forever? That’s a long time, you know.”

Your boyfriend chuckles, his eyes twinkling, “Please, if I had the patience to watch you hug Seungcheol right in front of my eyes, being with you forever will be a breeze in the park. So yes, I plan to stick to you forever, like superglue.”

“Gross, you couldn’t say something romantic like candy or syrup?”

“Sorry, babe, but I was just distracted by how all mine you are that I couldn’t think of anything else.”

“Never mind, I think it’s worse when you’re all cheesy. Go back to being gross?”

“I love you. Now, come here so I can kiss every single surface of your face. And then we can go on a walk and tell everyone who told me to give up to suck it.”

You lose balance when the laughter finally escapes your mouth but thankfully, Jeonghan’s arms are around you, promising and playful when you meet his eyes. “Ugh, whatever. I love you. So I guess we can do all the weird annoying stuff you want to do for now.”

Despite your banter though, the two of you are so happy together that you’re shocked by the picture of you with Jeonghan that Wonwoo Airdrops, after your walk. You have the dopiest smile on your face and Jeonghan’s looking at you with a cheesy grin. You hate to admit it but you do look like an “old married couple” like Wonwoo’s text teases. But for once, you give in, snuggling closer to Jeonghan’s body because well, yeah, you did plan to stick to him. Like superglue.

–

#once again apologizing #jeonghan x reader #seungcheol x reader #seventeen x reader #seventeen imagines #seventeen fluff #seventeen angst #svt fluff #svt angst #svt x reader #yoon jeonghan #choi seungcheol #seventeen smut #jeonghan angst #seungcheol angst

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gyupinkys · 10 months

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SVT- mafia series

SVT mafia au one shots.

CHOI SEUNGCHEOL

Seungcheol is not a nice man. How could he be? To run a mafia you need to be ruthless and you are no exception to that behavior. No matter how many times he fucks you and tells you he owns you, he will never mean it. Thats until he see's you being a little to friendly with Shownu.

POUT SOME MORE

CRY SOME MORE- pout some more pt.2

YOON JEONGHAN

You were assigned this case and expected to succeed. 7 years working as a detective gives you experience like no other. So what happens when Jeonghan figures you out? Offers you an ultimatum, help him out or he rats you out.

ONLY ANGEL

THE DEVIL-only angel pt.2

HONG JISOO

People need to stop telling Joshua he's crazy. You just make him do crazy things. Like stealing one of Seungcheol's helicopters to break you out of jail, but what was he supposed to do? Leave you in there to die? He could never let his love be out of his hands for too long.

MR.J

WEN JUNHUI

Jun hates lying. He especially hates lying to you. When you two were 7 you promised to never lie to each other, but here Jun is 20 years later lying to you. If you find out what he does you'll hate him... but Jun doesn't want to lose his first and only love best friend.

coming soon..

KWON SOONYOUNG

Soonyoung doesn't play around when it comes to his girl. Despite you being able to fend for yourself, he can't help but worry when you turn up missing. You on the other hand, you're having the time of your life putting a bratty Soobin and his friends in their place.

USE YOU

JEON WONWOO

Wonwoo is a bad man. You're the good girl. So he doesn't understand why he wants you so bad. He wants to own you, keep you as his to fuck, to love, to worship. Tonight is the night he'll finally take you away.

MINE

LEE JIHOON

Jihoon was never one for relationships. His stoic behavior tends to bore the ladies, but he's had is fair share of flings. However, when some low life hacker tries to access his files; he cant help but look into you more, and some more, and a little more until he becomes obsessed. Jihoon makes it his mission to find you.

FOUND YOU

LEE SEOKMIN

"DK, I know you're trying to kill me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

AMANDA?

KIM MINGYU

Mingyu didn't know a little lady like you could put up such a fight, then again, who would willingly get kidnapped? For the week they have you in the warehouse basement you never shut up and you're driving him insane. Insane enough to accidentally let you go, and accidentally go to your house, and accidentally let you do all the nasty things you promised to do to him.

BOSS YOU AROUND

XU MINGHAO

Minghao is hiding something from you.

You're hiding something from Minghao.

APRIL 6TH, 3:36PM

BOO SEUNGKWAN

Seungkwan's got jokes for days. But whenever you're around he gets tongue tied. You're just so pretty and your hair is so nice and you smell so good and your smile is so bright and you never say hi to him which makes him want you more and- ok he's rambling.

BOO BEAR

CHWE HANSOL

Vernon's a regular at your cafe. All he does is order a large chocolate milk and pretend he's not staring at you. So when four scary looking men walk into your cafe asking about vernon, you dive head first into a life you didn't ask for.

coming soon...

LEE CHAN

You fucking hate Chan. What kind of bullshit name is "Dino". It's like every time you think you've escaped him he's right behind you. You've gotten so used to him constantly bothering you, when he's finally gone you feel incomplete. And to make matters worse he reappears with a girlfriend, a very pregnant girlfriend.

Coming soon...

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wqnwoos · 1 year

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masterlist . . .

key: f — fluff, a — angst, c — hurt/comfort, h — humour/crack

all works are sfw. all works are gender neutral unless specified otherwise.

ot13 / unit (reactions + headcanons)

seventeen & touch-starved oc — hhu | vu

dating seventeen — hyung line | maknae line

svt as your boyfriend — vocal unit

96 line & deliriously tired y/n (platonic)

seventeen as tropes — performance unit

seventeen as jane austen characters

seventeen as your older brother meeting your bf

choi seungcheol

cold (f)

birthday boy (f)

deceit, divorce & dishes (f)

cruel summer (f, a, situationship2lovers)

espresso shots (f, meetcute, cafe!au)

i love you (i know) (f, bffs2lovers)

cramps (f, c)

koala tendencies (f)

yoon jeonghan

exam stress (f, c)

crime and pen-ishment (f, college!au, meetcute)

questions of the flying fish variety (f)

to you (f)

restless (f, bffs2l)

ur so pretty (f, c)

ikea complications (f)

snooze (f)

i know (you know) (f, bffs2l)

cookie crush (f, roommates)

hot potato (f, roommates2lovers)

hong jisoo

heartbreak x3.5 [ a, f, childhood bffs 2 strangers 2 lovers, 2.3k ]

joshua hong breaks your heart three and a half times before you can even reach nineteen, and yet you can’t stop loving him with the pieces that remain.

early mornings (f)

closure (a, f, exes!au)

pillow forts (f)

wen junhui

“i’ll hold you.” (f, c)

i wanna be a rock! (f)

forever is hiding in the laundry basket (f)

kwon soonyoung

the importance of brownies (versus the love of your life) (f, h)

persuasion (f, meetcute, college!au)

forever is a long time (but not long enough) (f)

jeon wonwoo

gamer boy (pretty boy) (f)

daisy (f, cafe!au, meetcute)

grocery shopping (f)

whale conversations (f, h?)

fate (f)

the inevitable insufficiency of the word love (f)

head over heels (f)

dance, baby! (f)

a world of your own (blanketed in white) (f)

lee jihoon

you are in love (so in love) (f)

home (f)

heartbeat (f)

lee seokmin

betelgeuse & dinner (f, c)

rainy days (a, f?, exes!au)

twenty five, twenty one (a)

make a wish! (f, bffs2l)

kim mingyu

i want to hold your hand (f)

street-racer!mingyu (headcanons)

call it what you want (f, college!au)

xu minghao

goodnight n stay (f)

beauty even when you cannot see it (c, f)

love & shakespeare (academic rivals to lovers, f, college!au)

easy love (f, bffs2lovers)

duvet-hogging (f)

inebriated conversations (f, meetcute)

boo seungkwan

untitled but seungkwan taking care of you when you’re sick (f, c)

pick-up lines and cheek kisses (f, h, bffs2lovers)

grocery shopping (f)

chwe hansol

on idiocy, bugs and the prospect of forever (f, bffs2lovers)

impulsive decisions of the feline variety (f, h)

vehicular flirtations (f, h, f2l, college!au)

i miss you, i’m sorry (a, f)

the space between (f, f2l/situationship)

golden (f)

coffee break (f, h, coworkers!au)

renaissance eyes (f)

to taste the same thing in the same moment (f)

00:02am (f, voicemail)

philosophical inquisitions of the lovering kind (f, bffs2l)

lee chan

“me or aspirin?” (f, c)

dramaticisms (f, h)

to conquer a claw machine (in the name of love) (f)

#.masterlist #seventeen x reader

707 notes · View notes

junhui-png · 3 months

Text

puppy love ⌦ .｡.:*♡

mingyu x reader x scoups? (Still figuring it out LOL)

pt. 2

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summary: first year of college, you literally knew no one and you planned for it to stay that way but damn were you wrong

notes: part 2!!! I hope y’all like this, I read back on pt 1 and realized I made some grammar errors and it was lowkey just ass in general…So I hope part 2 is a lot more enjoyable as I put a little more thought into it ! 💕

genre: seventeen college au, love triangle between scoups and Mingyu, Mingyu being on a football team, financial major scoups, angst??, fluff, cute friend ships, Hoshi, Joshua, Seungkwan, Minghao, and Wonwoo r your besties, Also besties with Yunjin (Le Sserafim) and Minnie (G-IDLE), other seventeen members are mentioned?? Childhood friends, cursing, drinking

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"its been awhile" the man chuckles. Choi Seungcheol. You're first every friend. You had met him on the first day of 2nd grade and had stayed friends till middle school until he moved away. You tried looking up his name on insta but nothing every came up, So you just gave up in finding him. "This is crazy" you let out an airy laugh "its been like what, 10 years?" Seungcheol asks, taking a seat next to you "Yea maybe" you felt awkward but so relieved at the same time, it really was nice seeing him after so long "sooo how do you to know each other again? Soonyoung ask "Childhood friends" Seungcheol responds, taking a bite from one of appetizers that were brought up "Wahh~ what a coincidence" Seungkwan says in awe and you both nod "Are you folks ready to order?" the waitress comes around "Yeah I think so?" Wonwoo tells the waiter.

Everyone's food had arrived and we were all eating peacfully, talking about school drama and whatever. But you were defiantly talking to Seungcheol the most, I mean how couldn't you? You had just met your childhood best friend after 10 years. Your phone lights up on your lap and you see a text message from Joshua "Don't you think Mingyu's been awfully quiet" read the text from Joshua. You shot your head up from your phone to look up at Mingyu, who was across from you. He was in fact a lot quieter than he normally is and he even looked a little pissed? You look over at Joshua and he simply gives you a shrug "He looks mad, right?" you whisper to Joshua "He does..." Joshua whispers back. "Can i get these plates out of your way?" the waiter asks and Soonyoung and Wonwoo help collect the plates to hand them over to the waiter "I'll be back with the bill" the waiter smiles before vanishing into the swarm of people.

"That was good, right nini?" Seungcheol pats his stomach a bit and you giggle. Nini was a random nickname Seungcheol had given you when you were both about 7. The whole backstory behind it was that, Seungcheol could never get your name right, but he did remember you by one of you favorite snacks, called "NINI" and eventually, even after he learned and memorized your name, he still preferred calling you nini “Nicknames? Really?” Mingyu scoffs, stuffing in hands into the pockets of this jeans “What’s up with him today?” Seungcheol asks but no one has the answer “maybe he didn’t like his food” Soonyoung suggests. You all stop once you’ve reached the parking lot of the restaurant “We’ll go first, see you guys tomorrow” Soonyoung and Seungkwan both bid there goodbyes, then shortly after Wonwoo and Joshua also left for there dorms, leaving you, Seungcheol, and Mingyu by yourselves. “Do you have a ride nini?” Seungcheol asks you and you shake your head “There’s probably no Ubers around at this time, it’s like a 10 minute walk anyways” you state “I can-“ before Seungcheol can finish his sentence he’s interrupted by Mingyu “I can walk her back to her dorm, you can go home it’s late anyways” Mingyu finishes Seungcheol’s sentence. “Alright if you say so, I’ll text you later y/n” The man scoffs before turning his attention to you “get home safely” he waves goodbye and both you and Mingyu begin to walk towards your dorm.

“I didn’t know you were so close to coups” Mingyu says, so quietly you can barley hear him “I mean I guess we’re good friends” you shrug “ just good friends?” Mingyu says, he’s tone filled with sarcasm. “Yes, just good friends” you say, returning the sarcastic tone. There’s awkward silence but the silence doesn’t last very long “ let’s play 20 questions” Mingyu says suddenly, breaking the silence “So suddenly?” You chuckle but he ignores you “I’ll go first. Favorite artist right now?” He asks “Wave to Earth” “ok ok, now you go” “uhm I don’t know.. favoritee~ video game?” “Call of duty” “cool cool” “Why does coups call you nini?”. You were taken aback just a bit by his question, you thought it was just some stupid Q&A game Mingyu wanted to play to pass the time “he also had trouble memorizing my name, so he started calling me “Nini” because I was always eating those Nini snacks at school” you still answer his question. Mingyu nods but doesn’t seem very satisfied by your question “how long have you been playing football?” “5 years” “dam ok” “What do you like about coups?. Once again, Mingyu brings up Seungcheol and you just didn’t understand why, I mean you didn’t really mind but it was just werid. “Uhm he’s nice??? And he really thoughtful and pays attention when I talk and is just really sweet” you answer Mingyu’s werid question anyways and yet he still looks unsatisfied “Favorite class your taking?” “Photography.” “I didn’t expect that from you” you mumble and Mingyu nods “ a lot of people say that”. “Do you not think I’m nice?” Mingyu suddenly stops in his track and turns to you “what??” You turn and stop to face him “I mean you said you liked coups because he’s nice right?? So am I not nice??” You couldn’t tell if this kid was pulling at your leg or was being dead serious “I mean I barley know you” you stutter out “I mean you said you hadn’t seen him in 10 years! How do you know he hasn’t changed?” Mingyu lowers his head slightly, watching his feet as he kicks a few tiny pebbles lying on the floor “Mingyu. You realized YOU are the one that invited him, I think you would know if he wasn’t a good person” you continue walking up the side walk and Mingyu follows you “so what do you think of me?” Mingyu asks “not your turn, it’s my turn to ask questions” you correct him “why are you asking so many questions about Seungcheol?” You ask “I’m just curious” he shrugs “about what?” You try and ask but Mingyu stops you “Not your turn” he smirks and you just scoff at him. At this point you were both in front of your dorm building complex “Do you think I’m hot?” Oh my god this kid and his fucking questions were gonna be the end of you “I mean.. yeah” you simply state, slowly going up the stairs with Mingyu trailing behind you “Your skincare routine?” “Don’t got one” he shrugs. You give him a dirty look because you know dam well there ain’t not way his skin that clear without at least a cleanser. You know we’re standing in front of your door “go out with me.” Your mind went completely blank “what.” “You heard me”. You did in fact hear him but the words definitely were not processing “you said it yourself, you said I’m nice and hot so why don’t we go on a date?” You were trying your best to avoid eye contact but that man was making it basically impossible, staring right at you without even blinking “well I mean I don’t know” you try and push him away, realizing he was basically pining you up against the wall because of how close you two were “text me then.” He said, backing up just the slightest so you would breathe “ok. I’m going now. Goodnight get back safely” you quickly enter your apartment before even letting the poor boy respond “what the actual fuck..” you mumbled to yourself. “DING” you phone screen lights up and you see a text message from the one and only Mingyu “postist art museum, 3:30 tomorrow” reads the text he sent you with a wink emoji “this kid” you sigh. Though you though he was ridiculous you caught yourself smiling at his text message.

The blaring sound of you alarm pierced through the morning silence of your dorm. You let at a groan as you shifted around in your bed before grabbing your phone "2:01" read the time on your phone "SHIT" you immediately rise from your bed and rush towards the bathroom where you brush your teeth and wash your face. Even though your "Date" with Mingyu was at 3:30, you normally took 2 hours to get ready. As you rummaged through your closet, trying to settle on an outfit to wear, Minnie strolls in "You got a date?" Minnie smirks "Actually, yes I do" you dont bother to look up at Minnie but you have already pictured her shocked face "Damn really? Who?" Minnie leans on the door frame, getting comfortable as you begin to speak "Remember that guy that dropped me off when I was drunk?" You stop looking through your closet and take a seat on your bed "The super hot one?" Minnie asks and you nod "Well, last night he asked me out on a date and I dont even know what I was thinking but I said yes" You sigh, getting back up to continue looking for an outfit "When'd ya'll meet" Minnie asks "Soonyoung's party, so like almost a week ago?" You shrug "You just met this guy and your about to spend a whole day with him?" Minnie questions. I mean she was right, you'd only known this man for less than a week "He wouldn't hurt a fly, I think" You pull out a pair of washed jeans and throw them on the bed "Great! just dont let him kidnap you" Minnie says, sarcastically "Thanks for being such a protective roommate" You give her a fake smile before turning back to look for a top "When are you leaving?" Minnie asks picking up her phone "I wanna get out at 3:00 so id better hurry" you pull out a white square neckline top with a cute lace bow on the neckline "you got like 45 minutes you better hurry" Minnie taps at your door frame, signaling shes going back to her room "have funn!" she calls out "thanks!" You reply, wasting no time to quickly change, put your shoes on and run out of the house.

You do your makeup on the way there and you reach the art museum at exactly 3:30. As you walk off the bus, you almost immediately spotted Mingyu. He was sitting down on the staircase leading up to the museum with a small pink bouquet in his hands. He was wearing a button down loosely with a pair of grey washed jeans and a black leather jacket. You couldn't deny that man was fine, and looked even finer today, especially in that outfit. "Mingyu!" Mingyu shots his head up and looks around before finally locking eyes on your figure. He starts to stand up as you approach him "You look beautiful" He smiles, handing you the pink bouquet "Thank you, you looks nice as well" you take the flowers, examining them carefully "Just nice?" Mingyu cocks his eyebrow up and you scoff at his sarcasms "What did you want me to say?" you and Mingyu start to walk up the stairs, leading to the art museum "I dont know maybe, breath-taking? Ravishing? Stunning? Out of this world?" Mingyu shrugs, you roll your eyes in response "Thats too much" You chuckle.

You and Mingyu begin to walk around the art museum, admiring the art hanged along the walls. "You know, a lot of girls at campus would be jealous of you right now, Going on a date with Mr. Campus crush" Mingyu teases, his lips forming into a cheeky smirk "Dont let you ego get the best of you, Kim Mingyu" You teased back. As the two of you strolled through the museum, admiring the beautiful pieces of art on the wall, Mingyu unexpectedly shifted from his usual playful banter to a more serious note. With a curious glint in his eyes, he turned around to face you and asks "So, what exactly are you looking for in a guy?" The question catches you off guard in the mist of you admiring one of the paintings on the wall, and after a brief pause you begin to state some "Someone who's genuine, I guess? Who's nice, good sense of humor, respects himself and others, and can cook" Mingyu, with a sly smirk, retorted "So basically me?" His comment sent you into laughter, though you weren't necessarily laughing because you thought what he had said was funny, but to try and hide you face that had probably turned as bright as a tomato and heart that was going at 200 BPM. "Well," you replied, finally calming your heart beat down by the slightest bit "Maybe minus the cockiness" You chuckle.

As you and Mingyu continue to walk around, making small comments about some to the paintings on display, you had noticed that Mingyu's banter had changed once again to quite a tense one, almost like he was dying to ask you somthing "You and Coups. You two seem basically inseparable" He asks, his casual tone barely concealing an undercurrent of tension. Suprised by the sudden focus of you childhood friend once again, you nodded "Yeah, Seungcheol. We're close. Why?" Mingyu's gaze lingered on a painting, his questions become more pointed. "What makes him you like him so much? I mean, did you guys share secrets and stuff when you were little or was it just the usual camaraderie?" Mingyu's eyes glancing towards you but stay glued on the painting in front of the two of you "We had a crazy strong bond when we were little, shared a lot of memories. Why are you suddenly curious about him anyways? You were like this yesterday." Mingyu was the one who invited him, he probably knew Seungcheol better than you and longer than you, so you were confused at the mans sudden interrogation. Mingyu's respone was a vague shrug, which left you in an even more confused state "Wanna get out of here?" Mingyu slightly signals towards the door and you nod "Sure, I'm hungry anyways" You both start to walk towards the exit, Mingyu looking through his phone looking for a place to grab dinner at.

You guys walk down the street to a nearby Italian restaurant that Mingyu said he's been wanting to try "I'll trust you judgment" You laugh, walking into the restaurant. You two are seated and begin to pick up you conversation. As Mingyu took a sip from the glass of water left on the table for the two of you, he turns to you with a sudden hopeful gleam in his eyes, almost like a puppy. "You know, you should come to my football games. Its a blast, and I think I'd really love to have you there cheering for me." You chuckle, "Im not really a sports person. The only thing I'd cheer for is not spilling my popcorn all over the bleachers." He grinned, undeterred, "Come on, Its not about the game. Its about the experience. You might enjoy it, I mean who wouldnt if I'm playing in it" You raised an eyebrow "First of all, not everyone goes to watch you" "And second are you trying to recruit me for the team or something?" Mingyu grinned "Well, maybe. But mostly, I just think you'd enjoy it, Plus, you'd get to witness my incredible skill firsthand." Before you could come up with a comeback, the waitress arrived to take our orders, in which we gave and the waitress simply nodded before taking the menus from in front of us.

"Like i was saying" Mingyu begins but realizes your not fully paying attention, but the person to your left. You Ex. There he was sitting right across from you on his friend "Do you know him" Mingyu speaks up, knocking you out of your trances "Yeah, sorry what were you saying?" You tried to get back on track "Who is that?" Mingyu asks "My Ex." "Oh. sorry." "Its fine, it sure is a small world" You chuckle, trying to lighten the mood "We can go somewhere else if you want" Mingyu suggests but you turn the offer down "its fine, we already ordered, and he hasn't even noticed me anyways" Well he didnt notice you 10 seconds ago but he defiantly has now. "Y/N" The family voice sends chills down you spine. Mingyu watches you, waiting for your response but you dont move. Your ex-boyfriend, Jaemin, seized the opportunity while there was silence to approach your table. "Hey" he greeted, a unreadable look in his eyes "Its been a while. I've missed you" Before you could come up with a response, Mingyu, sensing the discomfort, stepped in "We're having a private dinner here. I think its best you leave us be," he states, a subtle intensity in his tone.

Jaemin, now growing upset "I just wanted to talk, catch up. Is that too much to ask?" You look up at him in disgust. How can you try and "catch up" after what he had done to you. he cheated. gaslight you. and now he wants to "talk?". Mingyu catches the look you gave him and returns to Jaemin, his gaze hardening. "Look, she's moved on. Maybe you should to instead of being a dick. Respect her boundaries" Mingyu spits and you can see Jaemin getting progressively angrier. The tension escalated quickly, creating an uncomfortable silence. You apperciated Mingyu stepping in, but it might have made the conflict worst. "Jaemin. Just go." You try and say sternly but you end up sounding like a 6 year old "Why? I know you miss me" you scoff "Me? Miss you? Never. Nobody wants you here so leave." You say sternly, keeping eye contact with him "Whatever, you're gonna come back crawling in a month anyways" Jaemin rushes out of the restaurant leaving you and Mingyu together once again "Sorry.." you mumble "Dont be. He's the one who should apologize for causing such a scene" Mingyu tsks, leaning back in his seat.

The waiter brings you your food, which you both enjoy while talking about all sorts of thinks, and at the end of the day you ended up agreeing to going to Mingyu's next football game "I'll save you the best seats, where you'll get to see the best view of me" Mingyu smirks "Thanks, want me to bring anything?" you walk up the stair of your dorm "Like?" Mingyu asks and you shrug "flowers? somthing to celebrate your win?" You suggest and Mingyu lets out a little laugh "What?" You turn to face him now that you've reached your door "You're so sure I'm gonna win, huh?" Mingyu teases and your face gets a little hot "What? are you not gonna win for me" You tease back "Oh trust me I'll make sure I win" You'd never truly noticed how amazing Mingyu was. Spending the whole day with him really changed how you saw him, he was caring, protective, defiantly a flirt, but you knew that even before you got to know each other, and funny. "Thanks for today, really" Mingyu smiles warmly "Me too, How about we plan something again sooner?" he asks "I'd like that" You smile up at him. "Get some sleep, i'll see you tomorrow" Mingyu backs away from the door and begins going down the stairs "Goodnight" you call out "goodnight, my love". You're left standing there, feeling all warm and fluffy on the inside because of this new nickname. You quietly enter your dorm, removing your shoes and going to get read for bed. Once you had changed into you pajama's you flopped onto the bed and opened your phone to see your lockscreen full of notifications from one person "Na Jaemin." The warmth Mingyu had left you with suddenly disappeared as you read the texts he had left you "Baby, I'm sorry I got mad." "How are you feeling? Do you want me to drop off some food for you?" "Who was that guy you were with?" "Baby??" "Honey?" "answer me" The text trail went on and on "I still have your stuff, you should come by and get it" "I miss you baby please dont be stubborn with me" This man had the audacity to text you such things and try and call you. You take a deep breath, now frustrated by the whole situation "I'll just deal with this tomorrow" You mumble, pushing away your problems like you normally do. You take one more deep sigh before turning off your lights and going to sleep. You thought you ex was just acting up. Kind of just stuck in his feels or whatever, but you had no idea the lengths this man would do to get you back.

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previous / next

next chapter coming out 2/3/24 or 2/4/24 😸😸

111 notes · View notes

jihoonotes · 1 year

Text

“no right to be mad” | choi seungcheol

summary: you and cheol are stuck together like glue but lately it seems that only you enjoy spending time with him- at least that’s what he makes you understand.

genre: one-shot, more than friends au | streamer!cheol x bff!reader

part of the he calls you clingy series.

#seventeen smau #seventeen social media au #seventeen x reader #seventeen x y/n #kpop social media au #social media au #seventeen au #text au #twitter au #choi seungcheol #scoups #seungcheol x y/n #seungcheol x reader #seungcheol x you #scoups x reader #scoups x you #scoups x y/n #seungcheol smau

662 notes · View notes

eoieopda · 9 months

Note

<whispers in your ear> Cheol x Reader where he’s her brother’s friend? 🙏

the one with seungcheol and the ruse

pairing: choi seungcheol x jeon!reader summary: your knight’s shining armor is actually of flannel, but he gets the job done. cw: reader’s gender/sexuality are left up to interpretation, annoying ex, alcohol mention, the setting is a bar, wonwoo doesn’t actually appear but my girl lee youngji does (lmao) au: older brother’s best friend, fake dating (sort of) type: drabble (fluff-adjacent) rating: pg15 wc: 1.4 🔞 MINORS WHO INTERACT WITH ME AND/OR MY CONTENT WILL BE BLOCKED, WHETHER OR NOT THE CONTENT IS NSFW. I’M AN ADULT WRITING EXCLUSIVELY FOR OTHER ADULTS.

The similarities between you and your brother start and stop with genetic material. While you’d rather die than spend a Saturday night at home alone, Wonwoo would sooner drop dead than divorce himself from his PC just to leave his apartment.

All things considered, it’s not much of a surprise when you roll up to the bar with your friends and find your brother’s there without him. Just the same, you’re not shocked when the cursory wave you give goes unnoticed; they’re all too busy guzzling shots to care who walks by.

All but one, that is.

The oldest, Seungcheol, lifts his pint glass in acknowledgment when he sees you come in from the cold. That gesture comes with a bonus in the form of a lazy half-smile, which almost has you tripping over your own feet. Now effectively tattooed on your brain, you still picture that lopsided grin while you cross the room to claim a booth.

Of the boys taking up space at the bar, Seungcheol is the closest to your brother — and, as a natural consequence, the closest to you. So, you tell yourself, it’s only natural that your focus keeps drifting in his way. More than that, it’s polite, checking in to make sure he’s having fun.

Wonwoo would want that for him, after all.

Right?

More often than not, Seungcheol is too engrossed in his friends’ shenanigans to feel your casual — polite — gaze burning a hole in the side of his head. Even though he’s not looking in your direction, you find it hard to stop glancing in his. It can’t be helped; it’s always been this way. There’s only one conclusion left to draw:

Choi Seungcheol was tailor-made to distract you.

First, it’s the fact that his hair is quite a bit longer now than when you saw him at your parents’ anniversary party a few weeks ago. The more you stare at those dark waves, the more you try to justify it to yourself. As far as you’ll admit, it has nothing whatsoever to do with how soft those tresses look; nor any desire you may or may not have to touch them and test your theory.

No, you’re simply trying to determine what vitamins or supplements he takes to achieve that perfect shine — because whatever he’s doing is working.

When you stop gawking at his head, it’s his hands that trip you up. The way they grip Soonyoung’s biceps when the younger of the two starts wobbling, threatening to topple over onto a soju-sticky floor. The urge you feel to throw yourself at the ground and see who catches you is purely scientific, you tell yourself.

Research.

If it’s not his body, it’s the sound he makes, laughing like a mad man with his whole chest. You have to peel your velcro gaze off of him to see what he’s laughing at: Kim Mingyu, who attempted to catch a tossed peanut in his mouth but ended up getting hit between the eyebrows.

You’d let yourself be pelted with peanuts if it made him laugh like that again — and, quite frankly, you have no excuses left to give about why that is.

Nine times out of ten, your friends are smirking when you finally turn back around because they know exactly where your eyes keep wandering — and to whom. They point out the way your cheeks and ears flame up. Each time they do, you blame it on the alcohol, though none of you believe it.

When you turn around for the tenth time, however, they’re not smirking. Instead, they’re pushing their empty glasses your way.

“You’re on refill duty, aren’t you?” Youngji asks with a single eyebrow raised.

You’re not, but she’s not blind. She knows how much you want to hover, and how desperately you need an excuse to do so.

Seungkwan, quick on the uptake, chugs what’s left of his cocktail. His face is still twisted from the sour syrup when he waves his now-empty glass in front of you. He says nothing, but he doesn’t have to; his narrowed eyes are menacing, and they tell you everything he’s thinking.

You sigh, put-upon, even though everyone knows you aren’t. Lips pursed tight, you keep that giddy grin to yourself as you collect the glasses and skip off towards the bar.

After giving your orders to the bartender, you glance — for the millionth time — over to your brother’s friends. The one you’re looking for is nowhere to be seen. Bravely, you do your best not to pout.

“Hey,” comes a low voice from behind you.

It’s a miracle that your head doesn’t roll with how quickly you swivel around.

As soon as you do, your face falls. The excited flip in your stomach is swiftly replaced by a wave of nausea. Your tone is clipped and drenched in disappointment when you respond: “Can I help you?”

Your ex never could take a hint. They breeze right past that deadly look on your face, sidle up next to you at the bar until their shoulder is damn near bumping into yours. Worse, they open their mouth to speak again.

“Haven’t seen you around much lately —”

Is that not the point of breaking up with someone?

Desperate, your eyes scan the room for anyone who might notice the giant, neon exclamation point flashing above your head. Nobody you stare pointedly at feels your gaze on them, so you switch targets — again, again, again. Your brother’s friends are equally as useless as your own, it seems.

What if you tap “SOS” in morse code?

“— I’ve missed you. Missed us.”

Shit.

Why didn’t you learn morse code?

You’re ready to sprint headlong out of the bar entirely when an arm — thankfully not your ex’s — drapes around your shoulders. With a quick glance up, you confirm that there’s truth to the meme: not all heroes wear capes.

As it turns out, some heroes wear flannels, and they accessorize them with jaws clenched tightly enough to crack teeth.

“Jagi, who’s this?”

Seungcheol’s posture relaxes just a little when he looks down at you. You swallow and keep your swooning to a minimum. There’s sweetness dripping from his tone that you want to bathe in.

“I thought I’d met all your friends by now.”

When you let him pull you closer to his side — so close that your head can rest against his goddamn pectoral — you tell yourself that it’s just part of the bit. The affectionate smile he sends your way is part of the ruse. He’s convincing, though; you’d fall for this con, too.

You and your moon-sized eyes begrudgingly shift focus from Seungcheol to your ex, who still hasn’t taken the hint. That lovesick smile of yours is gone in an instant, giving way to the flattest affect you can muster. The sugar-laced voice you speak with is a far cry from the unblinking and unapologetic expression on your face. “I’m so sorry, but I don’t recall your name! What was it?”

Suddenly, Seungcheol unwraps his arm from around you. He seems to sense that this change-up startles you, so he winks at you while he leaning forward into the space between you and your ex; hands reaching for the drinks you’ve been waiting on.

Oh, you realize. He’s making sure you get the last word.

You swallow thickly as you reach out to take your burden off his hands. He shakes his head and beckons you with a smile, eyes softening. “C’mon, sweetheart. I’ve got these.”

You do as he says, following close behind him like a puppy, and you only stop when he does. Seungcheol looks back over his shoulder, calling out first to the bartender:

“Can you put these on my tab? The name’s Choi.”

Then, dropping all pretense of friendliness, to your ex:

“Get home safe, eh, chingu?”

When you both resume your path to your table, you squeeze his elbow and whisper, “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” he urges, shaking his head a second time. Although he’s smiling, there’s some unspoken conflict in his eyes that you can’t quite parse. You can’t ask after it, either, because he stops stalling and sighs, “That’s what pseudo-brothers are for, right?”

#svt #scoups #seungcheol x reader #scoups x reader #seungcheol #choi seungcheol #svt drabble #seungcheol drabble #jade writes #jade’s drabbles #jade’s requests #svt imagines #svt scenarios #scoups imagines #seungcheol imagines #scoups scenarios #seungcheol scenarios #re: the one with seungcheol and the ruse #csc

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lololololchips · 5 months

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Choi Seungcheol || boyfriend texts with seungcheol!

genre: one!shot texts, idol!bf, smau, fluff

warnings: cursing, jealousy (we love kuma and hannie here), nsfw, lots of i love yous😔

a/n: can y’all tell i’m a BIIIIG cheol girl…?

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fantasyescapes17 · 10 months

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This is War (Prologue + Masterlist)

An SVT Leaders Series

Genre: dystopian!AU, war!AU.

Warnings: Violence, war, general death and devastation, character deaths, sexual themes (no explicit smut, only implication), very dark themes overall, slow burn and plot-heavy.

Characters: Woozi x female!reader, Hoshi x female!reader and S.Coups x female!reader (The readers are not the same person).

Prologue

Air Strike Zero marked the beginning of the War.

The Empire had not been prepared for the sudden and absolute devastation caused by the aerial attacks. The ground shook, and explosives rained from the sky. People died in the streets. Crops were destroyed and buildings collapsed.

When the deafening sounds finally stopped, three days later, all that remained was blood and rubble.

The Empire was under attack. The democratic government had collapsed. The borders had been breached, and most of the population was dead. In one devastating blow, everything about the world had changed.

Then the military took over.

The announcements came soon after the dead had been buried, and all hope seemed to be lost. The survivors lived in constant terror of further attacks. Who were these invaders and what did they want? Nobody seemed to know anything.

Finally Major-General Yang, the commander of the Empire’s armed forces, spoke up. The government has failed us, Major-General Yang explained, and we are at war.

It was the military’s turn to protect the citizens of the Empire. Martial law was declared, and civil rights were suspended. Food would be rationed. All able-bodied young men were required to report to Military Base 2 and 3 to help protect the borders and control the internal strife. Curfews would be enforced. People found stealing, absconding or breaking the law in any form were to be shot dead on sight.

Unity. Order. Peace.

The Empire was reborn as a military state.

This is War.

featuring...

Choi Seungcheol as the Rebel

Lee Jihoon as the Soldier

Kwon Soonyoung as the Sacrifice

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapters:

The Soldier I

The Sacrifice I (coming in the first week of August)

The Rebel I (coming soon)

Recommended Listening:

#seventeen scenarios #seventeen fanfiction #seventeen x reader #seventeen angst #seventeen imagines #seventeen fluff #seventeen masterlist #dystopian!au #woozi scenarios #hoshi scenarios #hoshi x reader #s.coups x reader #woozi x reader #Spotify

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dinodontwait · 3 months

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Some things, you know, are meant to be

Pairing: Choi Vernon x afab!reader

Genre: Office au, Rom-com, fluff, full of fluff

Summary: A workplace comedy that unfolds amidst stapler shenanigans, coffee-stained kisses, and the unexpected melodies of a love story written in the margins of office chaos.

Word Count: ~3k

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANSOL!!!!!

Inspired by:

Like a river flows Surely to the sea Darling, so it goes Some things, you know, are meant to be

- “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley

The fluorescent lights flickered above my desk as I furiously typed away on my keyboard. Meet deadlines, exceed expectations, that was my mantra. Vernon, the resident laid-back charmer, was stationed at the desk across from mine, seemingly unfazed by the whirlwind of papers around him.

"Hey, Y/N, have you tried this new relaxation technique?" Vernon flashed a grin, waving a stress ball in the air. "It works wonders."

I rolled my eyes, suppressing a smile. "I'll stick to my to-do lists, thanks."

Seungkwan, my best friend at work and partner in crime, shot me a knowing look. "Y/N, you need to loosen up. Look at Vernon here; he's like the office zen master."

I scoffed, glancing at Vernon who was now juggling stress balls effortlessly. "I'm here to work, not join the circus."

Mingyu, the charming office heartthrob, strolled by. "Y/N, you're missing out on all the fun. Vernon's stress ball circus is the highlight of my day."

Ignoring Mingyu's teasing, I turned my attention back to the computer screen. Little did they know, behind my focused facade, there was a secret crush brewing for Vernon – the guy with a grin that could disarm even the most stressed-out soul.

One day, as I meticulously organized my desk, Seungkwan leaned in with a mischievous grin. "You know, Y/N, I heard Vernon is single. Maybe you should consider letting loose a bit?"

I scoffed again, a little too loudly. "I'm not looking for love; I'm looking for a promotion."

Seungkwan raised an eyebrow. "¿Por qué no los dos?"

Our boss, Seungcheol, walked in, eyeing the lively atmosphere. "Can someone explain why there's a stress ball juggling act happening in the middle of a workday?"

Vernon, quick on his feet, quipped, "Just promoting a stress-free environment, boss!"

Seungcheol sighed, shaking his head. "Just get your work done, people."

Little did they know, the real circus was happening inside my head – a swirling mixture of deadlines, spreadsheets, and an unspoken crush on Vernon, the stress ball virtuoso.

Days turned into weeks, and my secret crush on Vernon continued to blossom like an office plant thriving on coffee spills and forgotten snack crumbs. Seungkwan, my ever-curious accomplice, kept pushing me to confess my feelings.

One afternoon, as I reached for a printer jam, Vernon appeared beside me. "Need a hand, Y/N?" he asked with that disarming smile.

"N-no, I'm good," I stammered, my fingers fumbling with the paper tray. Smooth, Y/N. Real smooth.

Seungkwan, sensing the tension, waltzed in. "Vernon, have you tried Y/N's favourite stress relief technique? It's called 'awkward small talk.'"

I shot Seungkwan an annoyed look, but Vernon chuckled. "Actually, I'm quite the expert in that field."

As the days went by, Vernon and I continued our friendly banter, oblivious to the silent romantic tension building up. One day, Mingyu, the office heartthrob, decided to play cupid.

"Seungcheol is throwing a little office gathering this Friday. You should come, Y/N," he suggested, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

Seungkwan, overhearing the conversation, grinned at me. "A little birdie told me Vernon might be there."

I rolled my eyes, "I'm not going for Vernon; I'm going for the free snacks."

Friday arrived, and the office was transformed into a makeshift party zone. Soonyoung and Chan, the resident party planners, had outdone themselves. The atmosphere was lively, and mingling was the order of the night.

As I casually hovered near the snack table (as promised), Vernon sidled up. "Hey, Y/N, mind if I join you?"

My heart raced, and my well-rehearsed response escaped me. Seungkwan, ever the opportunist, popped up from behind a potted plant. "This is your chance, Y/N!"

I shot him a death glare, but before I could say anything, Minghao, our boss, took the stage for an impromptu karaoke session. The crowd roared with laughter as Minghao belted out a surprisingly good rendition of a popular song.

Seungcheol, Jeonghan, and Joshua joined the makeshift karaoke stage, turning the office gathering into an unexpected talent show. Amidst the chaos, Vernon leaned in, his voice barely audible over the laughter.

"Y/N, do you mind if I steal you away from the snack table for a moment?"

My heart skipped a beat as we slipped away from the cacophony of mingling coworkers. Little did I know; this office gathering was about to take an unexpected turn.

Away from the karaoke chaos, Vernon and I found ourselves on the office rooftop, a hidden sanctuary above the hustle and bustle of the party below.

"So, Y/N," Vernon began, leaning against the rooftop railing, "what's the verdict on Seungcheol’s karaoke skills?"

I chuckled, grateful for the brief escape from the office madness. "Surprisingly good! Who knew our boss had hidden talents?"

Vernon grinned, his eyes meeting mine. "Speaking of hidden talents, have you discovered any exciting stress-relief techniques lately?"

My cheeks flushed, and I laughed nervously. "Well, there's this one where you, um, take a deep breath and... forget about stress for a while?"

Vernon raised an eyebrow, "Sounds intriguing. Mind showing me?"

As I attempted to demonstrate the 'forget about stress' technique, our hands accidentally brushed against each other. A jolt of electricity shot through me, and I couldn't help but feel that maybe Mingyu's party suggestion wasn't all about the snacks.

Just as the moment was getting more intimate, Seungkwan's voice echoed through the rooftop door. "Y/N, Vernon, you won't believe what Seokmin is attempting on that karaoke stage!"

We exchanged an amused glance and headed back to the party, the rooftop escape lingering in the air like an unspoken secret.

Days turned into weeks, and the office dynamic shifted. Vernon and I found ourselves collaborating more often, whether it was on projects or sneaking away for a coffee break. The once-careful balance between professionalism and unspoken feelings began to blur.

One day, as I was drowning in a sea of spreadsheets, Vernon appeared at my desk with a cup of coffee. "Thought you could use a break, Y/N."

I smiled, touched by the gesture. "Thanks, Vernon. You always know when to save me from spreadsheet-induced insanity."

Vernon chuckled, "Just doing my superhero duty."

As he walked away, Seungkwan, ever the observant friend, nudged me. "Y/N, if Vernon's your superhero, maybe it's time to let him rescue more than just your sanity."

I sighed, realizing that maybe it was time to acknowledge the switch in my feelings. Little did I know; the office drama was far from over.

Embracing the subtle shift in dynamics, I decided to take Seungkwan's advice and let Vernon in a little more. As days passed, we found ourselves sharing stories, inside jokes, and even embarking on a few collaborative projects that had nothing to do with work.

One day, as we navigated a particularly tricky task, Vernon flashed that signature grin. "Y/N, who knew work could actually be fun?"

I smirked, "Well, considering you've turned our office into a circus more than once, I'd say fun is your specialty."

Vernon chuckled, and for a moment, our eyes locked. The unspoken tension between us was palpable, and I couldn't help but wonder if this was the moment to address the elephant in the room.

However, fate had different plans. Mingyu, the office charmer, decided to play cupid once again. "Guess what, lovebirds? There's a team-building retreat this weekend. You two should totally go together!"

I shot Mingyu a glare, but Vernon seemed unfazed. "A team-building retreat, huh? Sounds like a great opportunity to strengthen our professional synergy."

Seungkwan, who overheard the conversation, nudged me with a sly grin. "Looks like Mingyu's doing your job for you."

The weekend retreat was a mix of team-building exercises, trust falls, and awkward icebreakers. Vernon and I navigated through it all, trying to maintain our professional front. However, as the evening bonfire flickered to life, the atmosphere changed.

Under the starlit sky, surrounded by the laughter of colleagues, Vernon and I found ourselves drawn to the warmth of the flames. It was then that Mingyu, ever the matchmaker, suggested a round of sharing secrets around the fire.

Seated next to each other, Vernon and I exchanged hesitant glances. "I'll start," Mingyu declared. "I once accidentally sent a love letter to the office printer."

The group erupted in laughter, and the ice was broken. Colleagues shared embarrassing stories, dreams, and even fears. As the circle neared us, Vernon looked at me, his eyes reflecting a hidden vulnerability.

"I've got a secret," he began, "I'm not as carefree as I seem. There's more to me than meets the eye."

The sincerity in his voice struck a chord, and I felt a surge of courage. "I've got a secret too," I admitted, my gaze locked with Vernon's. "I never thought I'd find someone who could make me question my to-do lists and deadlines. Until now."

A hush fell over the group, and Mingyu, grinning like the ultimate cupid, whispered, "Looks like we've got a love confession in the making."

Vernon's eyes widened, and a smile played on his lips. The unspoken tension finally surfaced, and in that moment, surrounded by colleagues, deadlines, and the warmth of the bonfire, our secret crushes were no longer a secret.

The confession around the bonfire sparked a change in our dynamic. Colleagues became enthusiastic cheerleaders, and our interactions took on a newfound sweetness. The retreat ended with a subtle shift, leaving us on the brink of exploring a different facet of our relationship.

Back at the office, the atmosphere buzzed with playful teasing and knowing glances from our colleagues. Seungcheol, our boss, couldn't help but join in on the newfound workplace romance banter.

"Looks like we've got our very own office love story," he quipped during a team meeting, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

Vernon, ever the cool customer, took it in stride. "Guess we're the talk of the office now."

Seungkwan, who had become our unofficial relationship coach, couldn't resist chiming in. "Don't worry, you two. I've got a list of rom-coms we can use as a guide. First on the list, 'Office Love: A Spreadsheet Affair.'"

I rolled my eyes, "I think we can figure this out without consulting Hollywood."

As days turned into weeks, Vernon and I continued to explore the romance budding between us. The office dynamic remained lighthearted, with playful banter and camaraderie. Our desks, once separate islands in the sea of cubicles, were now like neighbouring countries, sharing secrets and stolen glances.

One day, as we worked on a project together, Mingyu sauntered over with a mischievous grin. "You know, there's a team-building workshop next month. More trust falls, more icebreakers. You guys up for it?"

Vernon and I exchanged a knowing glance, and he chuckled. "Why not? We've survived worse."

The workshop became another chapter in our evolving story. Trust falls turned into shared laughter, icebreakers transformed into inside jokes, and by the end of it, the unspoken romance had solidified into something more tangible.

As we navigated the workplace romance waters, our colleagues became our biggest cheerleaders. Soonyoung and Chan, known for their playful antics, organized a surprise 'office engagement' celebration, complete with streamers and confetti.

Vernon and I shared a glance, realising that our love story had taken a turn neither of us anticipated. Amidst the laughter and playful celebrations, the office had transformed into a haven of love and camaraderie.

In the midst of it all, Seungkwan, the unsung hero of our love story, grinned. "Who knew a stress ball circus could lead to all this?"

As the celebration continued, I couldn't help but marvel at the unexpected journey from unrequited feelings to a full-blown office romance. Little did I know, our story was far from ordinary, and the chapters that awaited us were bound to be filled with laughter, love, and the occasional office-related shenanigans.

And so, our office love story continued, each day bringing new adventures and discoveries, proving that sometimes, the best stories are the ones we never saw coming.

The end.

BONUS

Amidst the lovey-dovey glow of our budding romance, the office continued to be a hotbed of humor and shenanigans. Soonyoung and Chan, the dynamic duo of mischief, were determined to ensure our love story had its fair share of comedic moments.

One day, as Vernon and I were engrossed in a serious discussion about a project, Soonyoung burst into the room, wearing an oversized cupid costume complete with wings and heart-shaped arrows.

"Lovebirds! Cupid is here to spread the love!" he declared dramatically, shooting imaginary arrows in our direction.

Vernon burst into laughter, "Soonyoung, did you steal that from a costume shop?"

Soonyoung winked, "Let's just say they were happy to contribute to the office romance fund."

As cupid Soonyoung made his dramatic exit, Seungkwan appeared, holding a boombox blaring romantic ballads. "Cue the romantic background music, because love is in the air!"

I couldn't help but shake my head, "Are you all on a mission to turn our love story into a rom-com?"

Seungkwan grinned, "Of course! Every great love story needs a touch of drama and a splash of comedy."

The office antics continued, from surprise romantic dinners (courtesy of Mingyu's questionable cooking skills) to impromptu karaoke sessions led by Seungcheol. Each day brought a new twist, and our colleagues reveled in turning our office romance into a daily dose of entertainment.

One day, as Vernon and I enjoyed a quiet lunch in the office breakroom, Mingyu approached with a sly smile. "I've organised a team-building scavenger hunt. You two are partners, of course."

Vernon raised an eyebrow, "A scavenger hunt? Is this another attempt to set us up with more office romance drama?"

Mingyu winked, "Consider it a test of your teamwork skills."

And so, armed with a list of bizarre items to find around the office, Vernon and I embarked on the scavenger hunt. Little did we know; the items on the list were carefully curated for maximum comedic effect.

From finding the boss's favourite mug to retrieving Mingyu's missing pen, the scavenger hunt led us on a wild goose chase through the office, with our colleagues cheering us on and occasionally throwing in unexpected challenges.

As we raced against the clock, laughter echoed through the corridors. The scavenger hunt not only tested our teamwork but also became a hilarious adventure that further cemented the lighthearted spirit of our office romance.

In the end, we returned triumphant, armed with the requested items and a bag full of new inside jokes. Mingyu, grinning from ear to ear, declared, "Teamwork makes the dream work, especially in love!"

Our colleagues erupted in cheers, and as we caught our breaths, I couldn't help but appreciate the unexpected bonus of laughter and camaraderie that came with our office romance.

And so, amidst the office shenanigans and comedic chaos, Vernon and I embraced the joyous journey of love, proving that sometimes, a touch of humour is the perfect seasoning for a budding romance.

The real bonus, it seemed, wasn't just the love story but the incredible cast of characters who made our office romance an unforgettable and laughter-filled adventure.

ONE MORE BONUS

In the midst of our blossoming office romance, fate decided to throw a comical twist our way. Chan, the youngest member of our close-knit work family, found himself unintentionally at the epicenter of a lighthearted office drama.

As Vernon and I sought a moment of solitude for a stolen kiss, little did we know that Chan, armed with his characteristic youthful enthusiasm and penchant for timing, happened to be passing by. A sharp gasp from him caught our attention, and we quickly pulled away, glancing at each other with a mix of embarrassment and surprise.

The mischievous gleam in Chan's eyes hinted at trouble. "Caught you two in the act," he declared, brandishing his smartphone.

Seungkwan, never one to miss an opportunity for teasing, chimed in, "Looks like our baby Chan here just became the official office spy."

Chan, visibly annoyed but also reveling in the attention, shot back, "I am not a baby, and I was just passing by!"

Jeonghan, in his usual sarcastic tone, crossed his arms and looked at Chan with faux anger. "Oh, Chan, our innocent little baby. What have they done to you? You've been tainted by their lovey-dovey vibes."

Chan, with an eye roll, muttered, "I am not innocent, and I am certainly not a baby. Stop calling me that!"

Jeonghan continued in mock frustration, "Well, I hope you're happy now, Y/N and Vernon. You've officially corrupted our 'baby' Chan. Congratulations."

Chan, now slightly exasperated, grumbled, "I'm not corrupted, and I'm not your baby!"

The playful banter continued, with colleagues suggesting that Chan should be the official office witness for romantic moments. Mingyu, always ready for a bit of mischief, proposed a weekly "Chan's Chronicles" during team meetings, where Chan would share his accidental discoveries.

As the teasing persisted, Chan, despite his irritation, couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. "Fine, fine, make fun of me. But I'm not a baby, and I definitely didn't ask to witness their love drama."

And so, amidst the laughter and camaraderie, the unexpected witnessing by our 'baby' Chan became a quirky tale in our office romance saga. Chan, despite his protests, inadvertently added a touch of humour to our love story.

THE END

#svt fic #seventeen fanfic #svt x reader #svt fic recs #seventeen x reader #svt series #svt romcom #romantic comedy #svt comedy #svt fluff #vernon x reader #hansol x reader #hansol vernon chwe #vernon #svt #hoshi #jeonghan #mingyu #woozi

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niyahniyaa · 5 months

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Imperfect Love

Choi Seungcheol x Reader

Tags: au, smut, angst, heartbreak, fluff, breakups

A/N: This is my first short story. I'm thinking of writing a pt.2 or just making an entire story of it but it depends on how this does. So bare with me.

Synopsis: You and Seungcheol have been happy for a while now. It’s a perfect relationship.…until it isn't.

Credit to my Beta Writer @liyahlisworld

————————————————————————————

“I’m in the kitchen.” You yell, calling out to your boyfriend who just walked in the house. It’s 5:30 pm, he usually walks in around this time, so you were already expecting him.

“Watcha cooking?” He asks hugging you from behind, the minty scent coming from his breath as he places small kisses on your neck and shoulders. You turn to look at him, setting the spoon down on the counter. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you place a small peck on his lips.

“How does spicy stir fried pork and kimchi with udon noodles sound?” You ask smiling up at him. He returns the gesture kissing you softly on the nose.

“Sounds good Naekkeo” he starts. “ I’m gonna go put my things away, I’ll meet you back at the table ok?” He grabs his bag he previously placed on the couch and walks upstairs to the room. You put the finishing touches on the meat and start to make your plates. On cue, Seungcheol walks into the dining room and sits across from you at the table.

“Anything new today at work?” You ask, sparking a conversation. He shakes his head while slurping up some noodles. “Nothing really.” He starts. “We just got a new VP for Marketing. She seems nice I guess.” He says picking up a piece of meat.

You nod your head taking in this info. He works at Hybe, one of the biggest recording companies in Seoul. He’s the CEO so he gets pretty busy, which is why you like to have dinner ready once he gets home. Being together for 5 years now you’re pretty used to his schedule.

“So how was work,” he asks taking a sip of water, “anything eventful happen?” You work at the local Veterinary Clinic. Today just so happens to be the day that you preformed a life saving surgery on a baby shiba.

“I actually performed a very successful surgery on a pup today,” you start, “I was so nervous honestly, it was super risky and I’ve grown so attached to her on the count of her frequent visits and tests, so my nerves we’re shot!” You exclaim shaking your head. It’s quiet.

You look up instantly meeting eyes with Seungcheol. His deep dark browns staring at you attentively. Listening and taking in every word that came out of your mouth. You can’t help but blush at the sight. That’s when you finally take the chance to analyze him. His black hair lay messily atop his head, some strands hanging over his eyes. He’s wearing a white tank top that exposed his beautiful broad shoulders. You look back up at his face and notice he’s biting his lips.

How long have you been staring? Has he noticed?

“Wow,” He says snapping you out of your thoughts. “Sounds like it was a lot and you have to remember not to get too emotionally involved Naekkeo”. He says gently. He didn’t seem to notice your staring. He straightens up and reaches out for your hands. “Yea I know, they’re just so cute.” You respond as you place your hands softly on his big palms.

“Saw something you liked y/n?” He asks caressing your hands, making soft circles on the back of your hand. He’s staring at you intensely as if he’s trying to undress you with his eyes.

He noticed.

You feel the your cheeks getting warm and you look down shyly. Even after all these years together, he still gives you butterflies like it’s the first time meeting him all over again.

“I was just uh-,” you start. “I just noticed how messy your hair looked.” You say sheepishly. You smile and shake your head. “How is it that you can still give me the same feeling I’ve felt when I first met you Cheol?” You ask him. He smiles exposing his cute deep dimples. “I don’t know?”, he starts. “Maybe it was the spell I placed on you after our first date”. You roll your eyes at his cheesy remark. He’s so cute. “Whatever.” You smirk.

————————————————————————————

You start to gather the dishes to clean when you hear your phone ding on the table. You put the remaining dishes you were holding in the sink and walk back towards your phone.

Dokyeomie🍕 8:17 pm: Bestieeeeee

Dokyeomie🍕 8:17 pm: Wanna hang out after work this Saturday🥹

Dokyeomie🍕 8:19 pm: Soonyoung is flying in around 3 that day. We could meet at your place after we drop his things off at his hotel.

You’re usually just home lounging around after work. Cheol doesn’t come home for almost another 3 hours after you get off anyways so you could use the company.

You haven’t seen your bestfriend in like a month anyways, and you miss him.

You 8:21 pm: Yea why not, I’ll be home. I miss you my Seokminnie☺️

You 8:21 pm: Didn’t know you and Hosh made up

Dokyeomie🍕 8:23: Yea we’re over it now, she was nobody anyways🥱

You 8:24: Lol yea whatever you say🤣, I’ll see you this weekend ok? Gn bestie

Dokyeomie🍕 8:25: Yay😁see you this weekend gn y/n

“You okay?” Seungcheol asks, damn near scaring you to death. “Jeez Cheollie,” you say holding your chest, “you scared the shit out of me.” You put your phone back down on the charger and start walking towards the kitchen. Cheol following you.

“Seokmin and Soonyoung are gonna come by Saturday after I get off work.” You tell him turning the faucet on. He grabs the towel off the counter beside the sink. Ready to help you with drying the dishes. “Cool, when was the last time you’ve seen each other?” He asks drying a plate. You shrug your shoulders and look over at him. “It’s been a while, he’s been “busy”.” You say using air quotes.

Dokyeom was recently in a relationship. She was introduced to him by Soonyoung, one of our close friends. To make a long story short, she cheated on Dk with Yeonjun, one of Hoshi’s associates, at a party. Hoshi found out and didn’t tell Dokyeom about it. He was pretty mad at him and instantly broke up with the girl. He says that she was a nobody, but they dated for almost a year and Dk grew to love her. It definitely broke his heart, not that he’d admit to it.

“He’s been shelled away in his house since the breakup but if he says he was “busy” then who am I to doubt him”. You say handing Seungcheol a cup. You finish washing the last of the dishes and turn the faucet back off. “As long as they’re alright and are talking again that’s all that matters right?” Cheol says kissing your cheek. Your stomach flutters and you smile.

“Yeah I guess you’re right.” You turn the lights off in the kitchen and living room then grab your phone as you make your way upstairs. Seungcheol grabs your hand as you reach the top of the steps. He pulls you back softly, turning around to meet his hard chest. “I missed you today y/n.” He says biting his lips. He cups your chin turning you into a kiss, your lips instantly reciprocating.

He kisses you softly, stroking his tongue across your lips asking for an invitation. You instantly oblige parting your lips for his tongue to play with yours. He guides you into your room with a hand on your back. You haven’t had him all day. You can never get enough of the way he admires you so passionately.

“Cheollie,” you began, a soft moan escaping as he kissed your shoulder, gently lowering your bra strap. “Shower.” You say, tugging on his shirt. He picks you up bridal style and carries you toward the bathroom. He places you on the sink before starting the steaming shower. You began to take your clothes off, feeling Seungchol’s eyes watching your every move.

You look up making direct eye contact, your cheeks burn as you turn away still unable to maintain eye contact after all this time. It’s not like he hasn’t seen your naked body before. “You’re beautiful.” He says staring at you heatedly. You turn slightly covering your breast, tossing your bra at him playfully. “See something you like Cheol?” You ask using his own words against him. You step into the shower closing your eyes as warm water rushes down your head, flowing like a stream to your toes.

You feel arms wrap around your stomach and you turn around to see Seungcheol looking down at you. You move over slightly letting him into the water. The way it just runs down his head. His hair falling over his face and the way he slicks it back with his hand, it’s driving you insane. God how is he so hot. You look down at his now fully exposed body. His abs glistening against the moonlit ambience in the skylight above the shower. His large member fully erect as it softly pokes your belly.

You place your hands on his abs and slowly make your way lower. “I missed you too baby.” You say softly as you let your hands grip his hard cock. He picks you up suddenly wrapping your legs around his waist as he pins you against the wall.

You moan quietly as his lips find their way back to yours. “Fuck!” You groan as he rubs the tip of his dick along your folds. “I love you so much baby,” he whispers against your lips, “there’s no one I’d rather love-” a kiss against your shoulder, “no one I’d rather fuck.” He groans sliding into you slowly.

“Cheollie fuck!” You shout gripping onto his shoulder tightly. “Mmm, can’t believe I went the whole day without feeling your pussy.” he says moaning. You can never get over how dirty Cheol sounds when he has you like this, begging for anything he’d give you.

“God! You feel so good baby, so tight.” He rambles placing a hand on the wall while using the other to hold you up. In the midst of fucking you crazy, he still manages to make you feel so safe and balanced between him and the wall, never letting his grip loosen.

You feel your body start to tingle as he picks up the pace. He kisses you sloppily, teeth clashing as he moans inside your mouth.

He bites your bottom lip and you let out a moan. You throw your head back as he hits your g-spot, he knows your body like the back of his hand, pulling your strings like a fiddle. “Baby I-I’m g-gonna cum.” You say closing your eyes losing yourself to the pleasure. You drown in the ecstasy his strokes give. Sinking further and further into that hazy headspace.

“Not yet baby, wait for daddy.” He coos caressing one of your tits with his free hand. “I’m almost there baby, fuck.” He says. You look back down to see his eyes closed and him biting his lip. “Fuck me Cheollie…yessss, just like that.” You moan out meeting his thrusts in tandem. You feel him groan into your shoulder and you know he’s close. You lean in, biting his ear and kissing down to his neck. He moans loudly and you know that was it for him. “Shit baby yess…..fuck I’m cumming.” He says rubbing your clit with his free hand pushing you over the edge. You climax together, gripping each other tightly as you come down from your collective high.

“I love you y/n.” He says gently placing you down on your feet, still holding you close as to not let you stumble. You bask in the afterglow, holding him close. You stand on your tiptoes and give him a kiss. “I love you too Seungcheol.”

————————————————————————————

The sun shined brightly through his office as he walks inside. Seungcheol was placing his bag on the chair by his desk when his assistant walked in. Kim Mingyu has worked for Seungcheol for quite some time now, becoming good friends as years passed. “Some night huh boss?” He says chuckling. Cheol was a bit groggy today, and Mingyu liked to mess with him. “Y/n kept you up late last night?” He laughed placing a coffee on his desk.

Seungcheol glares lowly, no real heat behind it and shakes his head, sipping his coffee. “We ready for this meeting?” He asks grabbing files from his drawer. Mingyu shakes his head, putting a hand in his pocket. “Just about, we’re waiting on your new VP, she isn’t in yet so,” he says checking his watch, “we still have a few more minutes.” Seungcheol rolls his eyes. He hates tardiness, it’s one of his biggest pet peeves in a workplace.

“We have a lot to go over so we have to start now.” He commands walking out of his office. Making his way to the conference room, he groans as he collides with someone. Papers flew everywhere. He bends down to help pick them up but his hand brushes another in the midst. He looks up to meet eyes with a woman. “I’m so sorry.” She says, bowing slightly and tucking her hair behind her ear.

Seungcheol smiled reassuringly. “It’s alright, your the new VP aren’t you?” He asks standing back up and handing her the papers he held. She nodded, staring at Cheol. “Sorry I’m late, traffic was horrible leaving my apartment.” She apologized. Seungcheol nodded, understanding. “Come, we’re beginning now.” He said, leading her to the conference room.

————————————————————————————

“I’m just happy she’s ok.” You say proudly over the phone. “Don’t forget she has an exam coming up soon, we gotta make sure she’s not scarring too bad or anything from the surgery.” The woman on the other end agrees and says her goodbyes. You hang up and take a deep breathe. You finally get some quiet time in your office. It’s been busy today, from checkups to filing paperwork, you’ve been on your feet all day.

“You alright?” Your receptionist Younji asks stopping by your office. The clinic was slowing down now and there aren’t anymore customers occupying the lobby, so you don’t mind her coming in. “Yea I’m fine, just tired.” You say, your yawn proving how burnt out you were. She smiles and leans against the door. “Long day huh, it hasn’t been this busy in a while.” She comments running her fingers through her hair. She’s right. We haven’t been this busy in almost 3 weeks. “Yea something must be in the water.” You say jokingly.

Your phone began to ring and Younji excuses herself, closing the door behind her as you go to pick it up. It’s Seungcheol.

“Hey Jagiya,” he says as soon as you answer.

“Hey babe, how’s work?” You ask smiling at the sound of his voice. You then hear a few laughs from his side of the phone.

“Hey, I won’t be home til late today baby,” he starts. “Me and a couple friends are gonna go for some drinks after work.” He tells you. You nod your head at his statement. A weird feeling sinking in your stomach. “Well Seokmin and Soonyoung will be there to keep me company so that’s alright.” You tell him, remembering your messages with Dk earlier that week.

“Okay great, I’ll see you tonight then.” He says. “I love you.” You hear him kiss the phone receiver and you can’t help but chuckle at his action. “I love you too Cheollie, see you later.” You hang up and place your phone back on your desk. It’s 1 pm right now. You’ll be home soon. Just a couple hours left. You think to yourself, leaving your office.

————————————————————————————

“I don’t care how much money you give me, I’m not jumping into a pile of cow shit. No!” Seungcheol says laughing. He was at a bar not too far from Hybe building and everyone was a few shots in by now. Mingyu laughed loudly, holding his stomach. “Quit asking stupid questions Gyu.” Seungcheol laughs. Everyone was laughing or engaging in their own conversations. The woman from earlier, Naeyon, giggles lightly. “Yea that’s a disgusting question anyway.” She says taking a sip of her soju.

“Ok,” Mingyu starts, finally over his laughing fit. “What if y/n was at the bottom of said shit pile, would you then jump?” He says raising his eyebrows. Seungcheol chuckles to himself. “If y/n was stuck at the bottom of a pile of cow shit,” he began, “I would personally shovel my way through to her.” He says sipping his drink. “Happy now?” He asks lifting his bottle. Mingyu claps while laughing. “Ladies and gentlemen, our CEO.” He says causing the rest of their colleagues to clap unknowingly.

He shakes his head while looking down. Naeyon takes a seat in one of the stools away from him. Trying to grasp his attention. “So you have a girlfriend I assume?” She asks looking up to Cheol, catching his attention. He nods his head while sipping his beer. “Uh yes, yes I do.” He looks away for a second then meets her eyes again. “As a matter of fact, I should be getting home now.” He says grabbing his jacket.

She grabs his wrist before he could completely stand up. “Let me buy you one more drink.” She offers smiling lightly. “I mean we are gonna be working together, might as well get acquainted right?” She suggests beckoning him to sit back down. He looks at the watch on his wrist, 8:45 pm. I’ve got time. He thinks to himself. “Just one more.” He says sitting back down.

————————————————————————————

“Really?” You laugh out as Soonyoung finishes up his story. “That’s so petty Dk.” You say to your bestfriend. Soonyoung telling you how Dokyeom blocked him on everything. He even deleted his social media so Hoshi couldn’t contact him while they were fighting. “What?” Seokmin asks shrugging his shoulders. “That was a dick move and you know it Soon.” Dk said crossing his arms. You knew the whole situation still rubbed him the wrong way. He’s been your bestfriend since freshman year of high school. You knew him like the back of your hand.

“I apologized Dk. Really I’m sorry.” Soonyoung says sincerely grasping Dokyeom by his shoulders and shaking him. “I vow to never ever keep anything from you again.” He says holding out his pinky finger. “I promise.” Dk rolled his eyes, finally unfolding his arms and locking pinkies with Hoshi. “Good.” You say clapping your hands and standing up. “Anybody want another drink?” You ask walking towards the kitchen. “Yeah sure.” Hoshi says. You grab three bottles of Soju out the fridge and walk back to the living room. You hand the bottles over plopping back down. “Thanks baby.” Seokmin says opening his bottle.

“So where’s Seungcheol, shouldn’t he be coming home by now?” He asks changing the subject as he takes a sip with a raised eyebrow. You look at the clock hanging on the wall. 9:45! It is late isn’t it? You think to yourself. You shake your head as if to shake the thought away. “He’s out with a few friends from work, he told me earlier that he’d be home late.” You reassure them. They exchange a look to each other. “Unless he’s really out with some slutty assistant of his.” Hoshi laughs already tipsy.

You laugh uncertainly taking a sip of your drink. “While Mingyu is very handsome, I doubt Cheol would make any advances on him”. They laugh, holding their hands up in surrender. You then think back to the conversation you and Cheol had earlier this week. “There is this new VP that was hired on Monday.” You don’t know why you told them that or why it was even on your mind. Still you couldn’t shake the sinking feeling of his call from earlier. “He said she’s nice.” You finish looking away and rolling your eyes at yourself.

“HELLOO?!” Dk says loudly, smacking the couch. “He’s obviously out with her, right now!” He shouts, completely sure of himself. Hoshi laughs at Seokmin’s sudden outburst. You shake your head. Cheol would never. Besides they’re coworkers. You reassure yourself. “No, come on Dk,” you began, “Cheol would n-.” Your sentence was cut short by the door being swung open. Seungcheol walks in smiling big at you.

“NAEKKEO!!” He yells excitedly. He’s drunk. He turns and closes the door behind himself. He stumbles toward you, tripping over Hoshi and falling onto Dk. “Too much to drink huh Cheol?” Dk asks pushing him to the empty space beside him. You shake your head and walk towards him, checking his face. You brush the hair from his face, looking into his eyes. “Why would you drive like this?” You ask standing up with your hand on your hip. “I made it home didn’t I?” He sasses.

Dk stands up grabbing his now empty bottle. He walks to the kitchen and tosses it inside the bin. “On that note, I think it’s time for us to go.” He says to Hoshi clearing his throat. Soonyoung grabs his and Seokmin’s jacket and walk towards you. “It was great to catch up,” he says hugging you, “see you again soon y/n. Don’t be a stranger!” You walk them to the door, also receiving a hug from Dokyeom. “Love you bestie, thanks for coming over.” You say pulling away. “See you soon.” He says before heading out the door. You close it behind them, locking it in the process, you take a deep breath before making your way back to Cheol.

He’s sprawled across the couch, his eyes now closed. You shake your head as you pull him up. Jeez he’s so heavy. You say to yourself, wincing at the sudden pressure on your shoulder. “Come on Cheollie, you have to help me a little. You say as you walk towards the stairs, his arm wrapped around your shoulder as you keep him from stumbling. He lazily helps you carry him up the steps, tripping over a few in the midst.

You finally make it to the room and you push him onto the bed. He lands forcefully, face first. You place his bag on a chair by your vanity and look over to him. He seems to be asleep now. You shake your head as you began to undress him, starting with his shoes. As you were beginning to take his pants off, you hear a ding, coming from his bag. You walk to the chair you placed it in and look inside. His phone screen lights up the dark space inside as you reach for it. It was a text from an unknown number.

Unknown 10:15: Hey it’s me☺️, just making sure you made it home

Unknown 10:16: You seemed a bit drunk when you left

Unknown 10:17: Anyways just checking on you haha, see you on Monday

“You okay baby?” Cheol asks, suddenly awake. You nod holding his phone up for him to see. “You got a message from some unknown number.” You tell him walking towards the bed. He takes it and looks at the screen briefly. He shakes his head and tosses his phone to the side. “It’s nothing.” He reassured grabbing your hand. “Come here.” He demands pulling you on the bed closer to him. He kisses your lips and you could smell the alcohol on his breathe. You push him back, staring into his eyes. “Take this off babe.” You tell him, referring to his buttoned up shirt. He lazily unbuttons some, but you finish it off for him. “Goodnight beautiful.” He says turning over. You kiss him on his cheek and lay beside him. Trying not to get suffocated by the constant thoughts in your head, you close your eyes and slowly drift off to sleep.

————————————————————————————

“Knock knock.” Seungcheol looks up from his computer to the voice coming from his office door. It was Nayeon. It’s been two months now that she’s been working here, and since then, she’s grown quite comfortable, too comfortable. “Can I come in?” She asks interrupting Cheol from his work. “Sure, is there something you need?” He asks her. She shakes her head, closing the door as she walks in. He looks confused as she walks up and takes a seat across from him.

“I just wanted to tell you that sales have been great since changing the initial marketing technique.” She says referring to their last meeting. He nods sitting back in his chair. “Yes I’ve noticed,” he started, “great job you’re doing.” He says smiling. She blushes, tucking her hair behind her hair. “Thank you Cheol, your ideas really helped.” She says, cheeks turning red. Seungcheol stares at her, surprised by the sudden nickname, a name only close friends used.

“Is there anything else you need?” He asks her shifting in his chair. She looks at the watch on her wrist and looks back up at him. “I’m just about to head out for my break,” she starts, “let me treat you to lunch.” She’s grinning widely. He looks at his watch and sighs. I’ve gotten a substantial amount of work done so why not? “Sure there’s a cafe across the street from here that we could go to.” He says standing up. She smiles also standing up. “Great.” He follows her to the elevator and steps inside with her once it arrives.

“So how do you like the job so far?” He asks her breaking the silence. She turns and looks up at him. “It’s great really. Everyone’s nice and I have an awesome boss.” She smirks flirtatiously. He smiled shyly rubbing the back of his neck. “Just keep up the good work and you’ll breeze by.” He says nicely changing the subject. They make it out the elevator and to the lobby, the warm breeze caressing Cheol’s skin as he steps outside. She follows closely beside him as they cross the street into the cafe on the corner.

“Can I get two medium iced americanos with two pumps of sugar and caramel drizzle, and can I also get two sandwiches on a toasted croissant please?” He asks the woman at the counter, once they get inside. She tells him his price and he pulls out his wallet to pay. “Hey, I’m supposed to be treating you remember?” Nayeon says stepping in front of him. He shakes his head and gently moves her out the way. “I’m a man, I couldn’t.” He says handing over the bills. They stand by the end of the counter and wait for their order to be called.

Once they get their food, they sit at one of the few tables by the window. “You didn’t have to do that.” She says taking a sip of her coffee. He shook his head before taking a bite of his sandwich. “Now you owe me.” He says covering his mouth. She grinned, looking down shyly. “So tell me about this girlfriend of yours,” she started, “she seems like a lucky girl.” Seungcheol chuckled to himself. “Nah, if anything I’m the lucky one. She’s amazing.” He says looking away.

Nayeon smiled not reaching her eyes like earlier. “Well then you’re lucky to have each other.” She says pulling at her sleeve. “I mean how did she score a catch like you?” She asks staring into Seungcheol. He shrugs, cheeks turning red. Looking at his watch he begins to stand up. “I think it’s uh- time to get back.” He says clearing his throat. “Of course.” She said grabbing her bag and standing up. They tossed their trash and she followed him back across the street into the large building. They throw their now empty cups into the bin by the elevator before stepping in.

After what seemed like forever, the elevator doors close. Then suddenly, before he could react, Nayeon is connecting her lips with him. She kisses him deeply before he shoves her away looking down at her. “W- what are you doing?” He asks her stepping back. She steps forward trailing him. “Come on, she doesn’t have to find out.” She says before forcing herself back onto his lips. They kiss for a few seconds before he comes to his senses. What the fuck am I doing? This is wrong. He thought to himself before pulling away again.

The elevator doors finally open up to the 16th floor and he quickly steps out. He rushes back to his office but is stopped by Nayeon calling his name. He turns around just as she’s walking up towards him, stopping beside him. “She doesn’t have to know.” She calls again before walking off. He finally steps into his office and closes the door. What the fuck?

————————————————————————————

Its been two weeks since the incident, and Nayeon continues through their work day as if it hasn’t happened. “See you tomorrow Cheol.” Mingyu calls out as Seungcheol walks past him, leaving the office. He waves back at him and steps in to the waiting elevator. Before the doors could close, Cheol hears someone yell out to him. “HOLD THOSE DOORS PLEASE.” The voice yells. He quickly puts his hand out so the doors don’t shut and the person walks in. It’s Nayeon, holding her bag and a few other things. “Thanks Cheol.” She says smiling up at him.

He doesn’t say anything. Just looks up at the numbers above the doors as they count down to the garage. “Giving me the silent treatment aye?” She asks nudging him lightly. He walks out once they reach the garage, still not saying anything. He finally gets to his car and he suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder.

“Cheol,” she began. Turning around he cuts her off. “Don’t call me that.” He says sternly. He looks up and sighs heavily. “I have a girlfriend Nayeon, this can’t happen.” He says pointing to the two of them. She grins and looks down at his lips. Before she could act, Seungcheol clicks the button on his car key and climbs in, tossing his bag on the passenger seat.

Nayeon taps on the glass lightly asking him to roll down his window. Just drive off Cheol. Don’t entertain her. He thought to himself. He sighs and eventually rolls it down. “She doesn’t have t-.” She’s again cut off by Seungcheol’s deep voice. “Stop!” He says a bit loudly. “She does because she’s my girlfriend and I love her.” He tells her, as if to remind himself. “Ok so you don’t mind me telling her how you came on to me in that elevator two weeks ago?” She threatens. He looks at her, puzzled by her remark. “Just leave me alone.” He says before driving off, leaving Nayeon standing there alone.

————————————————————————————

This shit sucks. Oh to be a woman. You think to yourself while hugging your stomach. It’s that time of the month for you and you can barely move. I’m hungry, you thought to yourself. “Shit dinner!” You say out loud. Cheol would be home any minute and you haven’t started cooking yet. You look at the time on your phone and throw yourself back on the bed. Fuck. Takeout it is, you thought. You open up the food delivery app on your phone and start scrolling through the endless choices. “I’m really craving some pizza right now.” You say out loud to yourself.

“BABE?!” You hear the door slam shut and you knew Seungcheol was home. “UP HERE!” You yell back. He walks up the steps to your room and plop himself on the bed next to you. He’s still thinking about what happened at work and he’s reluctant to tell you. “How was work?” You ask him snapping him out of his thoughts. He sits up running his fingers through his hair. “Stressful.” Is all he says before getting up and walking to the bathroom, taking his phone with him.

“How so?” You ask as he cracks the door. It’s quiet. You can faintly hear typing coming from his phone. Seungcheol types out a message responding to Nayeon’s previous one.

NCoworker 5:30: Come on Cheol. It wasn’t that bad was it?

NCoworker 5:31: Ik you enjoyed it a little right?😌

Cheol 5:45: This has to stop. I love y/n and nothing you do will change that.

NCoworker 5:46: I won’t tell her Cheollie. I promise.

Cheol 5:46: Meet me in my office tomorrow during lunch. This’ll be over soon.

NCoworker 5:46: If you say so. I’ll see you at work. Goodnight love.

“Who you texting?” You ask, making him jump slightly. He turns around quickly locking his phone. “Just Mingyu telling me about his girlfriend.” He lied. You nodded, part of you not believing him, but you quickly brushed that feeling away. “Takeout tonight?” You ask holding up your phone. You’re still undecided so you ask for his opinion. “I kind of want pizza and wings, but if you want something else we can choose the latter.” You tell him walking into his chest, wrapping your arms around him. He’s warm and his heart is beating quite fast. He seems nervous.

“You ok?” You ask looking up at him. He nods and leans down to kiss your nose. “Pizza it is.” He says walking back out of the bathroom holding your hand. You quickly order the food and lay on the bed, letting his hand go. Seungcheol is by the closet undressing. “You know I love you right?” He says randomly. You nod, somewhat confused by his question. “Of course, why what’s wrong?” You ask, brows furrowed. He just shrugs and walks back towards the bathroom, stopping by the door. “Just wanted to make sure you knew that.” He says before walking in and closing the door behind him.

You look over to where he was previously standing and noticed he left his phone. That sinking feeling returns and the next thing you know, your grabbing his phone quickly running back to the bed. Opening it, you didn’t really expect to find anything, you’re not even sure what made you want to go through it. You click on his messages and something immediately catches your eye. “Goodnight love.” Who is that? Your head immediately floods with thoughts. You click the message and your heart jumps.

NCoworker 5:46: I won’t tell her Cheollie. I promise.

Cheol 5:46: Meet me in my office tomorrow during lunch. This’ll be over soon.

NCoworker 5:46: If you say so. I’ll see you at work. Goodnight love.

What the fuck? Who is this? Is he- No. You instantly brush the thought away. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t! Before you could think of anything else, you quickly close out of everything and place his phone back where it was. You hear the water turning off, signaling that he was done showering. You grab the remote and quickly put something random on tv.

A movie began playing loudly as he walks out of the bathroom. “Watcha watching?” Cheol asks smiling at you. He walks into the closet and began dressing himself. You can’t help but sit and think about what you saw. Who is N. What won’t she tell someone. Why is she calling him Cheollie? So many thoughts flood your mind that you didn’t even hear Cheol calling your name. “Y/N!” He says snapping you out of your thoughts.

“Everything alright?” He asks drying his hair. You look over at him. He’s wearing a black T-shirt with some grey sweat pants. His hair loosely hang over his face as he continues to dry it. “Yea everything’s alright.” You say lowly. At least that’s what you told yourself. Just then you hear the doorbell ring. “Must be the food.” Cheol says rushing downstairs, taking his phone and his wallet with him.

Your phone begins to ring. You look at the caller ID to see that it’s your dad. Shit. Here we go. You reluctantly answer.

“Hey dad.” You say, fake excitement in your voice.

“Don’t sound to eager to hear from us.” He says, noticing the sarcasm. “Your mother and I are in town and we would like to see you.” He tells you. You roll your eyes. Terrible timing. Just as I’m starting to make assumptions on Cheol’s whereabouts at work. Your dad never really liked the idea of you and Seungcheol being together. Said he didn’t like the looks of him. Cheol was just a COO at the time. Working underneath a now close friend of his, Kim Namjoon. The elder really favored Cheol and his work ethic and promoted him within a couple years after his retirement. Still, my father didn’t think he was good enough for me.

“Great,” you start, throwing your head back. “What time would be good for you guys?” You ask. You can hear your mother on the other side saying something. Seungcheol walks back in with a plate of pizza and some wings for you and him to share. You get up and walk to the small table in your room. “Tomorrow night. We can grab dinner and catch up.” Your dad says finally. Seungcheol makes a small gesture as to question who was calling. You hold up a finger, telling him to wait a second.

“Sure dad, so I’ll meet you guys tomorrow night at 9.” You tell him. He agrees. Then hangs up. You sigh deeply before taking a bite of your pizza. “That your parents?” He asks handing you a bottle of water. You nod looking over at him. Your mind rushing back to his messages as you continue to stare at him. “Anything interesting happen at work today?” You question hoping he would let you in on whatever those texts were about.

He shakes his head. “Just constantly trying to boost sales for our clients and what not.” He says biting into a piece of chicken. “Gotta keep our clients happy.” He says drinking some of his water. He didn’t tell you. Since when did he start keeping things to himself? Since when did he lie to you? Again thoughts crowding your mind.

You didn’t want to think the worse. But then why would he be lying to you. Why couldn’t he just tell you. You shake the thought away. He wouldn’t. “Could you take this downstairs?” You ask Seungcheol, quickly losing your appetite. He furrows his brows. “You going to bed?” He asks watching you climb back into bed. You nod your head without saying anything else.

Shit. Does she know. She couldn’t possibly. Seungcheol thought to himself. Maybe meeting her parents is what’s upsetting her. They don’t have the best relationship. His mind racing as he took the food downstairs to the kitchen. Just then he got a call from his phone. NCoworker displayed brightly on his screen. What the fuck? Why is she calling him so late?

Seungcheol takes a glance to the top of the steps before hesitatingly answering.

“Hey there.” Nayeon says flirtatiously. He runs his fingers through his hair. What was he doing? Why did he answer? “What did you want Nayeon?” He asks quietly. “I figured you would still be awake.” She says giggling slightly. “I’d love your company right now.” He shakes his head at her remark. What the fuck was her problem? “What the fuck is wrong with you Nayeon,” he begins “This ends tomorrow.” He says to her before hanging up.

———————��————————————————————

“Yes two pumps of sugar.” You tell the barista at the cafe. You decide to surprise Cheol by bringing him lunch. You tell yourself that what you saw yesterday was just a misunderstanding. At the same time, you thought it would be a great time to bring him lunch, NOT because he said he would be meeting this N at that time. Though that was also sitting in the back of your mind, nothing wrong with a little lunch pop up right?

You park your car in the garage that connects to Hybe building. Walking towards and into the elevator, you began to get feeling again. Why? It’s not like I haven’t been here before. You think to yourself. Something was different though. A faint nervous feeling. Nervous because you didn’t know what you were walking into.

Finally reaching the 16th floor of the building, you walk until you reach the section his office was in. Mingyu spots you and gives you an endearing smile. “Hey y/n. Nice to see you again.” He says standing up to give you a friendly hug. “Should I let Cheol know, h-.” You basically yell cutting him short. “No!” You shout making him jump slightly. “No,” you continue less loudly now. “I brought lunch for him and wanted to surprise him.” You say showing him the bag and the coffee. He smiles and nods understandingly. “Got it, you know where to go.” He says returning back to his work.

You began walking down the long hallway, making your way to his office. As you reach it, you notice the door is closed. You can faintly make out two voices, one being Cheol’s, the other sound like it belonged to a woman. You instantly walk in, swinging the door open widely. You see Seungcheol and this woman standing uncomfortably close to each other. He notices you and quickly back away.

“What’s this?” You ask staring at him. He looks over at the woman and then back at you. “You must be y/n.” The woman chimes excitedly. She quickly walks up to you bowing. “I’m Nayeon.” She says smiling. N. This has to be her. You look at Cheol who still hasn’t said anything. “Yes,” he finally blurts out, “this is my girlfriend, y/n.” He says still staring at you. He blinks quickly and look away. “What’s going on?” You ask him. He walks up to you and kisses you softly on the lips. You notice Nayeon shift slightly on her feet.

“We were just discussing uh-,” he starts thinking to himself, “some major marketing plans we had for our clients.” He said looking down and noticing the bag in your hand. “You brought me lunch?” He asks you. You couldn’t gather any words, your mind was running a marathon. “I’m the new VP, I’ve been here for about two and a half months now. Cheollie and I here have been working pretty closely.” She tells you happily, staring endearingly at Seungcheol.

“Cheollie?” You repeat, questioning her choice of words. “Yea,” she says all giddy, “we’re basically partners.” She says nudging him. Cheol looks at you and puts his head down. “Nayeon please excuse yourself.” He demands to her. She instantly obliges and closes the door behind herself. You look up at Seungcheol as he guides you to a couch in his office. “Cheollie?” You repeat again, staring deeply at Seungcheol. He grabs your hand reassuringly.

“It’s nothing, I promise it’s nothing.” He says staring into you. You shake your head at him. “It doesn’t seem like nothing Cheol, she seems awfully close to you.” You say, your cheeks turning red. Is this why he’s been lying to you? “I saw the messages Cheol.” You tell him. His eyes widen, he clears his throat trying to remain calm. He swallows thickly and looks back at you. “She’s been coming on to me.” He admits with his head down. You scrunch your face at his remark. “I’ve been avoiding and dodging her advances. I promise nothing has happened or will ever happen.” He promises squeezing your hand tightly.

You didn’t say anything, just nodded. Nothing could escape your mouth. There was a knock at the door, you both look up to see Mingyu standing there with a few papers and folders. “Sorry to interrupt you guys,” he says quietly. “Cheol I have the Chairman on line 3, he’s waiting to hear from you on the recent changes made to the company”. He says before excusing himself.

You finally speak up. “I have to go, there’s some things I have to grab before meeting my parents tonight.” He nods but grabs your wrist before you can leave. “There’s a company party being thrown later,” he says, “we’re celebrating the release of our new group, maybe you could come by after dinner?” He asks. You force out a soft smile. Maybe there really is nothing going on. Maybe he’s telling the truth. He would never lie to you, right?

You go in for a hug, which he returns. “I’ll try ok?”

————————————————————————————

You take a deep breathe before shaking away your nerves. You were standing outside the restaurant your parents told you to come to. You always got a nervous feeling when seeing them again. They’re very judgmental and you long for their approval. You finally walk inside approaching the man at the front. “Hi! I have a reservation for Lee.” He looks up and down his list, nodding his head after finding your last name. “Yes, the rest of your party are already here, follow me.” He says walking off.

As you walk deeper into the restaurant, you see your parents sitting at a circle table towards the back. Your mother notices you and stand up to greet you. “My kitten!” She says excitedly. You smile and walk into her welcoming arms. The scent of blossoms and peaches cloud your senses. You pull away looking over at your dad. He stands up bowing to you with a gentle smile. “Long time no see,” he says dramatically. He then pulls you into a tight hug. “Your mother and I missed you.” He admits shyly. He pulls your chair out for you to sit, he takes his seat after helping your mother. You smile endearingly, shocked by your dads’ words. You fell out with your parents once you started dating Seungcheol.

Your dad just couldn’t get behind the fact that you decided to move in with him, and your mother stands behind every decision he makes. Basically disowning you once you moved away, you haven’t really spoken to them much from that point, so it’s pretty relieving to hear this. “I’ve realized over these past years that he isn’t going anywhere,” he starts,“so I’m willing to give him a chance my Bear, for you.” Your dad finishes. You instantly go in for another hug. Finally.

————————————————————————————

Shit. Who made this drink? Seungcheol thought to himself. He was now sitting at one of the tables on the far side of the conference hall, now on his 3rd or 4th drink by now. “Enjoying the party?” Mingyu asks him walking up to take a seat beside him. Seungcheol holds his cup up with an eyebrow raised. “Who made this drink?” He asks taking another sip, his head beginning to feel fuzzy. “I don’t know, strong isn’t it?” Mingyu questions scrunching his nose up. Seungcheol nearly finishes his drink, the strong taste in the back of his throat.

“You coming back out there?” Mingyu asks standing back up. Seungcheol blinked rapidly, his drink almost catching up to him. “I gotta run to my office really quick.” He said standing up, stumbling slightly before catching himself. Mingyu pats him on the back and makes his way back to the party. Seungcheol walks out of the party towards the elevator. Fuck, this shit is strong, he thought with a shake of his head. Finally the elevator arrives and he presses the 16 for his main office level.

Making his way around the dark space, he finally reaches his office, walking in and closing the door behind him. He sits on the couch that’s awfully comfortable to him right now. He really left to get away from the loud music. The party was nice, but he needed some quiet time for the moment. He kicks his feet up to be fully laid out on the couch, with his arms tucked comfortably behind his head. Just then he heard his office door swing open and close. Fuck.

————————————————————————————

Dinner was amazing. You and your parents touched on a lot of your problems and your dad is even willing to create a mutual relationship with Seungcheol. You pick your phone up and text Cheol telling him that you were on your way to his company’s party.

You 10:35: Heyy Cheollie, dinner went great☺️

No answer. You put your car in drive and hold your foot on the break.

You 10:37: I’m otw ok? I love you❤️

You put your phone down and began making your way to him. Now that your dad loosened his hold on him, you could get them to have a proper meeting together. You couldn’t wait to tell Cheol about it. Driving through the beautiful luminous city lights Seoul has to offer you smile to yourself, it’s so pretty at night, and you rarely go out at night so you don’t get to enjoy this view much.

You finally reach Hybe building and park your car in the adjoined parking garage. You get to the elevator and quickly press the button to the lobby. Fuck. I forgot to ask him what floor the party would be on, You thought reaching the lobby. Walking out, you see the sign with celebratory balloons hanging from it. You approach it to see that the party is on the 12th floor. You sigh and walk back towards the elevator, getting in and pressing the number 12 button.

You finally reach the 12th floor and greet the security guard you’re so used to seeing during your visits. “Nice to see you Ms. Lee.” He says letting you walk past him. You enter to see Mingyu dancing wildly in the middle of the room. You stand by the front laughing as he jumps and does some crazy moves with his arms. He finally spots you and runs towards you. “Y/n!” He says all excitedly. Your instantly pulled into a hug. You giggle at his sudden action. “Where’s Seungcheol?” You ask him after he let you go. He snaps his fingers as if trying to remember. “Ohhh yea,” he starts, “he went to his office.” He says now offering you a drink. You take it and thank him, walking back to the elevator.

When the doors opened to his floor, you couldn’t help but get this cold feeling. It was much different in here at night, an almost eerie feeling. You walk around the dark almost unfamiliar area, finally making it to the hallway that homed his office. Suddenly you hear voices, a man and a woman it sounds like. You can’t really make out their words, you’re too far. Who else would be here at this time?

As you’re close to approaching, you realize it’s coming from Cheol’s office. Finally getting a little closer, you can clearly hear it. “I promise I won’t tell her,” you hear her say, “she doesn’t have to know, this’ll just be our little secret.” She says, sounding seductive. You stand there trying to listen more. Then it’s quiet. You’re hot. You’re ears are hot. You quickly run down the rest of the hallway and burst through the door. Your chest heavy. You can’t breathe.

Walking in, you see Cheol laying back on his couch. His hair disheveled, shirt unbuttoned and pants halfway down. What the fuck. On top of him sat Nayeon, the very person he told you not to worry about. She quickly climbs off him, pulling her dress back down. Seungcheol quickly stands up, staring at you deeply, as if he’s trying to read your mind.

Your mind was racing. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Cheol would never. Your previous thoughts flooding your head. Five years. Five years of a relationship that he just let go of. Did he not care? You thought he loved you. He said that he would never hurt you. So many promises he made to you gone in an instant. You couldn’t breathe. Your chest heaved heavily. Oncoming tears stung at your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. Not right now, you couldn’t let them see you like this. Let her see you like this.

“Y/n.” Seungcheol said softly, as if he was proceeding with caution. He grabbed your hand and you quickly snatch away. “Do not fucking touch me Cheol!” You warn him, backing away. He looked at you with regret in his eyes. He looks a mess. Shirt still opened and pants pulled back up but unbuttoned. You look past him to see Nayeon grabbing her things and quickly running out of his office. You stand there quiet, thinking of your next words.

Seungcheol walks slowly towards you with his hand out. “Please Naekkeo, here me out.” He says using your nickname. A nickname that once made you feel warm and loved. Now it just makes you feel cold and unwanted. “Don’t call me that!” You snap at him. “You don’t get to call me that.” You say, pushing your tears away. You sniff and look away. Fighting the water works that were welling up the more you looked at him.

“Why?” You ask, not fully sure you wanted to know the answer. “It didn’t mean anything, she’s a nobody.” You’ve heard that before. Everytime a guy says that a girl is just a nobody, most of the time, she’s a somebody. You look at him shaking your head. “You lied to me Seungcheol.” You look up hoping your blurred vision would go away. “I clearly see why you haven’t answered any of my texts.” You say biting your lip. He runs his fingers through his hair and moves to grab your hand again.

To no surprise, you pull away again. “Y/n I-.” He’s cut short by your outburst. “YOU LOOKED ME IN MY EYES AND LIED TO MY FUCKING FACE SEUNGCHEOL!” You yell. “Please” he says tears filling his eyes. Smack! Your hand stings as you hit him. You don’t know what came over you but you hit him. You were hurting. You felt betrayed, embarrassed, and above all broken. “I hate you,” you spat. He stood there tears now rolling down his face. You quickly turn and began walking out, not wanting to be there anymore. “Y/n” he says, grabbing you wrist. You turn to look him in his eyes. “Fuck you Seungcheol.” You snatch away and run out. Leaving him there alone.

————————————————————————————

My Cheollie🍒 11:45 pm: Y/n please

My Cheollie🍒 11:45 pm: Let me explain

My Cheollie🍒 11:46 pm: I love you so much, I would never do anything to purposely hurt you

My Cheollie🍒 11:47 pm: Talk to me

My Cheollie🍒 11:48 pm: Believe me she doesn’t mean anything to me

My Cheollie🍒 11:48 pm: You’re the only one I want to be with

My Cheollie🍒 11:49 pm: Please come home

My Cheollie🍒 11:49 pm: I need you baby please

You lay there in the bed staring at the messages that Seungcheol sent last night. You couldn’t bring yourself to reply to any of them. You spent the night at Seokmin’s place, not wanting to go home. He has a spare bedroom so he didn’t mind you coming to stay. You knew Cheol would be returning home that night and you didn’t want to be there once he arrived. You hated the way he made you feel. You hated the way he looked at you when you walked in his office. Why did he do it? You thought to yourself while staring at your lock screen. A picture of a painting you and Cheol painted together displayed brightly.

“How you feeling?” Dokyeom asks popping his head in the room breaking you out of your trance. You look up at him, wiping the tears you didn’t even realize started falling. He comes in and takes a seat on the bed, staring into your sad eyes. “I’m so sorry best.” He says holding his arms open, welcoming you into an embrace. You quickly sit up and fall into his warm body. He holds you tight, rubbing your back.

“What now?” You ask him through loud sobs. “We started a life together,” you start. “Just us and each other’s company.” You hug Dk tighter. I’m gonna have to completely start over. What will I tell my parents? “I have to start looking for my own place.” You say pulling away from him. He smiles softly and supportingly. “You can always stay here with me until you find one.” He replies. You force a smile out and chuckle slightly. “I love you Seokmin, thanks for always being there for me.” He pulls you into another hug and kisses your forehead. “I love you too y/n.” He says pulling away and standing up. “I’ll always be here for you.”

————————————————————————————

It’s been two weeks and you finally gather the courage to go back to Cheol’s house. You’re there to get the rest of your things and return your key. For the past few days, you’ve been visiting whenever he was at work and taking a few clothes and personals. It’s 6:30 pm and you would’ve come earlier but you were at a meeting with a landlord for a potential apartment across town. You knew he would be there but you weren’t ready to face him just yet. It’s now or never. Come on y/n we can do it. You mentally prep yourself.

You walk up to his door and unlock it with your key. It still works. Are you surprised though? Making your way inside, you notice how dark it is. An unwelcoming type of darkness. “Y/n?” You walk further in and turn the lights on in the living room seeing Seungcheol sitting in a lounge chair by the window. “I won’t be long.” You say quickly making your way upstairs. You hear him following behind you which you pay no mind to.

“Where are you going?” He asks sloppily. He’s been drinking. He stands there watching you grab several suitcases you stored in the hallway closet. You ignore him as you open them up and quickly begin packing your things away. “Y/n answer me.” You stand up instantly meeting eyes with him. “There’s nothing for me to say to you Seungcheol.” You take a deep breathe and push past him going to your vanity. You grab your jewelry, taking each out of their own spaces and tossing them in a small bag.

“You haven’t been returning any of the messages I’ve been leaving you. Y/n we didn’t speak in two weeks. Where have you been?” You feel your irritation raise and look up to glare at him. Why is he speaking as if he’s done nothing wrong? Like he didn’t fully cheat on you with his coworker. After telling you nothing was going on. “YOU CHEATED ON ME CHOI SEUNGCHEOL. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. YOU-” You cut yourself off feeling the frustration rise in you.

He stumbles back trying to catch himself. He grabs the side of the vanity, balancing himself. “I love you.” He says walking closer to you. It’s now that you finally get to analyze him. He’s wearing a black tank top and a pair of adidas pants. His hair has grown longer and falls messily over his face. You can smell the alcohol on his breathe. “You did this Seungcheol. Not me”.

You finally finish packing ignoring everything he’s had to say to you. Your bags are in your car and you’re gathering the remaining of your things. Walking into the bathroom to get your personal hygienic items, you can’t help but remember the last time you and Cheol showered together. You were happy, everything was ok. How could it all go so wrong in the span of a couple of months. You shake your head and wipe the single tear that fell down your face away.

You walk out to see Seungcheol now sitting on the bed holding a bottle of water in his hand. “Don’t leave me y/n.” He says sluggishly. You look away and make your way for the door, stopping briefly. You turn to take one more look at him. “I hope it was worth it”. You say staring at him. This time he doesn’t say anything. Just stares back at you. You turn back around heading towards the stairs. When you finally reach the door, you hear his voice. “Don’t walk out on us, please.” He begs from the top of the steps. You stand there. Memories you shared flooding your mind. You sigh deeply, sobs threatening to burst from your chest. You grab the doorknob and head out finally closing the door on the love of your life.

“I’m sorry.” Seungcheol says after you close the door.

What have I done?

#scoups x reader #seungcheol x reader #cheol x reader #seventeen #seventeen carat #seventeen x reader #seventeen x y/n #kim mingyu #kwon soonyoung #hoshi #dokyeom #dk #lee seokmin #choi seungcheol #scoups #carat #seventeen au #au #alternate universe

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aclowntiny · 11 months

Text

Smell You Later- Gryffindor Quidditch Captain!S.Coups x Slytherin Quidditch Captain!Reader (Gender Neutral)

What are the odds one Potions class could shake things up between two house Quidditch captains?

Word Count: 4996 | Rivals to Lovers, Hogwarts AU (sortings/headcanons for each member here) | Warnings: You go through some physical strife a bit at one point, but it’s not violent, you’re just really winded & stuff. Wandless magic is canonically very difficult stuff 🤕 also some swears 😅

Tagging @belladaises on request- feel free to join the taglist for Hogwarts AUs too or anything 🥰

Practice was over.

Rough day chasing, too, because half your Beater duo was so eager to send it flying you were having to spend the game with your portion of Slytherin reminding them you wouldn’t actually be playing against maniacs.

“Until you’re up against Gryffindor-have you seen Soonyoung?”

A fair point from Hogwarts’s Quidditch commentator, a Hufflepuff named Seungkwan who was friends with a couple of your teammates, who’d decided to watch you guys play.

“He’s even worse than Jeonghan.”

“Hey,” your exuberant Beater exclaimed, “I’m just doing my job! And besides, they’re indebted to me for convincing the referee we were tied even though they clearly shot three points!”

“Yeah, well, you aren’t Slytherin for no reason,” Seungkwan shot back.

“Oi, enough out of you,” you swooped in closer to the Hufflepuff as you landed, shaking some sweat from your hair, “you said you were rooting for us!”

“Well yeah, only because a ton of my friends are in Slytherin and I don’t want to give Soonyoung the satisfaction.”

“Well, then you should be happy that we’re going to crush him.”

“Once you get that one play down.”

“Once we get this one play down,” you repeated with a small grimace.

The sun was beating down, school having just returned to session from summer, so you went to the pitch’s well to scoop yourself up a drink. As you gulped down the refreshing coolness, flicking away the remains that trickled down your chin and dripping a bit down the front of your heavy green Quidditch robes, you heard Jeonghan’s slightly raised voice.

“Quit doing that, you’re lions, not tigers!”

Such a quip could only mean one thing: Gryffindor had entered the pitch. Sure enough, as you turned around your eyes were met with an array of heavy robes just like yours, but red and gold replaced your-more elegant, in your opinion- green and silver. They all had their brooms in hand, of course, and were led by Choi Seungcheol.

Gryffindor’s Keeper and captain, leader of the team rivaling the one you spearheaded. He smiled, eyes sparkling mischievously, when his gaze met yours.

“What’s this I hear about a difficult play? That’s probably the one we mastered last week, huh guys?”

You smiled and shook your head in disbelief. No ill will toward Gryffindor- in fact, two of your friends played on the team and half your mates were buddies with Soonyoung and Seungcheol- but they still got under your skin, especially the captain. Just one look at his smug face and you were ready to crush him. Competition was competition, after all, and pride ran high in both your houses.

“No, we already learned how to hit a ball in First Year,” you shot back with a nod at the Beaters, “but it’s nice to see Soonyoung almost has it down.”

“Has Jeonghan stopped hitting his own teammates?” The tiger lover in question asked you, shading his grin with a gloved hand.

“He’s never actually hit us before,” Joshua, your Keeper, countered, “so that’s one thing you two have in common.”

For that one, you reached up and gave Joshua a high-five so coordinated you never even turned to look at each other. Suddenly, the sun didn’t seem so stifling, your energy less depleted and practice less feckless. You had a battle to fight.

“Is that the play you practiced, (y/n)?” Seungcheol asked, inclining his head in the general direction of where the high-five occurred.

“No, we’re just that in sync,” you replied, “aren’t we, Joshua?” Your teammate hummed in response, bringing a smile to your face. “Jealous?”

“You wish,” Seungcheol replied with another smirk and shake of his head, “you guys done with the pitch for the day?”

“Yeah,” you replied, banter over for the afternoon, “go for it. Get ready: first match is us.”

“Don’t I know it,” he said, and with that he waved the rest of Gryffindor forward, striding past you as you left- well, all of you but Seungkwan, who watched pretty much every practice due to his diverse friend group, “it’ll be legendary as always, especially when we win.”

“Smell you later,” Chan, your Seeker, called out as your teams pass each other.

Your hand hit your forehead. “Chan, that was immature.”

The Gryffindors snickered and, knowing Chan, Seungcheol full-on laughed. Guy had a nice laugh, but there was no appreciating the sound made at your expense.

“I didn’t know you were letting First Years join the team, (y/n),” he commented.

After they passed, you shook your head and hissed to Chan, “You know what, I’m with him on that one. You need to work on your smack talk.”

“They do smell, though,” Chan protested, wrinkling his nose and crossing his arms as best as he could with a broomstick in hand, “haven’t you noticed Seungcheol almost always smells like glove leather even off the pitch? That’s why he tries to cover it up with that dumb cologne.”

“No,” you answer, “I can’t say I’ve ever thought that hard about what Seungcheol smells like, but hey, you do you, man. Whatever floats your boat.”

Chan spluttered defenses that had you and the rest of Slytherin laughing as you hung your broomsticks and threw your outer sporting robes in your lockers.

Whizzing narrowly past a Bludger, you waved a finger and charmed a spark to catch Jeonghan’s attention, taking a few deep breaths and putting all your energy into steadying yourself afterward. It was the one bit of wandless you could do, and boy did it knock the wind out of you, but having a silent signaling system worked wonders for your team. And as dedicated to beating Gryffindor as you were, that possibility and the guarantee of their shocked looks was worth feeling like you’d been punched in the gut for a minute. The wind whipping in your ear suddenly seemed twice as loud.

Huffing, you banked hard, eyes on the Quaffle, this time dodging the Bludger that Jeonghan sent back towards your opponents and straight into Soonyoung’s flight pattern, sending the energetic boy swerving as you landed a score past him.

“Nice one!”

“Lucky shot!” Soonyoung complained, flying past you with his tongue sticking out. Who was acting like a First Year again?

“Oh-ho! I don’t know what that light-up thing was all about, but it looks like Soonyoung didn’t either!” Seungkwan caught his friend’s glare, smiled and waved at him, then continued at the big round mic. “And despite that weird bank of (y/n)’s, Slytherin scores again!”

“Hey, whose side are you on?” You called to your friend, who flapped his black and yellow scarf at you.

“Hufflepuff,” he replied into the mic, earning a chastising “Focus” from the nearest professor, who was obviously not a Hufflepuff.

As you flew on, though, the feeling of doubled-over exhaustion wasn’t leaving your body. Maybe practicing the signal play every day was pushing you too far. Heaving another deep breath, you fought on, almost getting hit twice but never letting the lions get the best of you. In the end, you won the game, but your voice was barely strong enough to cheer, even as you masked it with the wide smile nothing would fight.

As soon as your team got off the pitch you let yourself go, stumbling and clutching your chest, barely making it to the bench in the locker room. The rest of your team milled around you, Chan shaking you and asking if you were ok and Joshua taking your hand, telling you to never try that move again if it hurt you.

“I’m fine,” you croaked, “just drained is all. I may lay down for a bit.”

“Get water! Get water!” You heard Jeonghan and Amir, another Chaser, calling out as Chan left the room for some before your eyelids fluttered shut, your body falling to lay on your side.

“Hey, what’s all the commotion?”

“(y/n) isn’t feeling good, so we’re getting water,” Joshua answers, hand still clutching yours.

Your eyelids had fluttered open at the new voices in the room, vision revealing lights too bright for your headache as well as Seungcheol and Soonyoung, who surely heard their friends’ concern.

“You fool,” Seuncheol tuts, not unkindly despite the insult, “wandless magic isn’t something even most adult witches and wizards attempt. All that for a game?”

“I…beat you, didn’t I?” You croaked, lips curving a bit into a faint smile.

“Yeah, I guess you did. Here.” Reaching into the satchel he always took up after a game, he extended a hand to you, fingers curled around a dark green bottle.

“Are you…trying to poison me?”

“Enough jokes,” he said firmly, smile fading as his gloved hand took the bottle’s metal-topped stopper out, “Drink this. Please.”

Joshua helped you into a seated position, taking the potion for you and holding it to your mouth. The draught tasted kind of minty, kind of tree-barky, and kind of like too-long-brewed coffee, but your headache was gone seconds later, strength flowing back into your limbs.

“Wiggenweld,” Seungcheol told you with a nod to the tiny, now-empty glass bottle Joshua handed him, “you feel better, right?”

You’d never seen him look at you with legitimate concern like that before, no smirk, just a softening of his features as his brown eyes bore into yours, brows creasing slightly as your silence lengthened. You opened your mouth, closed it again as his hand hit your shoulder, heavy and hot in its well-played-in leather glove, yet a welcome pressure.

“Come on. What’s going on?”

You shook your head, sitting up and shaking his hand off your shoulder. “Yeah, I do feel better. Thanks. Surprised you wasted a potion like that on a Slytherin.”

“A player in need is a player in need,” Seungcheol replied simply, shrugging and shaking his hair back into place as he stood back up from leaning over you.

Palming the hard bench seat, you rose to your feet, too, potion’s effects dulling your exhaustion so much you almost wondered why you were laying down in the first place.

“I’d hope you’d do the same for me,” Seungcheol continued, “though it looks like your team hasn’t figured out to keep medical supplies present.”

“That’s what Madame Pomfrey’s for,” you countered even though he had a point and, to his credit, really did care for his team, “but yeah, I’d sure think about it.”

He smiled at you, shaking his head in exasperation. “Best I can expect from a snake, huh? Well, good game, (y/n). Nice fakeout bank you did out there.” He extended a gloved hand.

Your newly bared palm stuck to the leather unpleasantly, but you still shook his hand. One thing you could say about Seungcheol, he was a hell of a Quidditch player. “Thank you. I practiced that one forever.”

“You were almost passing out and we both know it.”

“Alright, moment successfully ruined, thanks. Now get out, I gotta change,” you shooed your fellow team captain out of the locker room with a look of amusement.

“You’re welcome,” he chuckled as you disappeared into a stall, bootsteps echoing in the stone room.

“I already said thank you!” You called back as you started removing your outer coat. “Are you adding greed to all the bravery and chivalry crap you guys tout?”

“Yeah,” he snorted, “they’re adding it at the same time as they put ‘foolhardy’ on the Slytherin crest.”

“Fools for the game!”

You heard him give that laugh of his. No more banter this time, though. “You’re funny.” And with that, he was back out into the pitch sun, heading for his own locker room, no doubt.

You were funny? Funny like stupid or funny like ha ha? How were you supposed to take that? Maybe it was supposed to be vague. Well, whatever. It’s not like you’d dwell on it.

“Wow, I heard you saved the Slytherin captain’s life, huh?”

You snorted. She didn’t even know your name, just that Seungcheol tossed you a potion after the game. Apparently your little stunt was giving Gryffindor some publicity too, at least in Rhea’s eyes.

“Whoa, is she putting the moves on Seungcheol?” Chan gaped at the girl who corned Gryffindor’s captain, gaze drifting up and down as he gave a short reply about how he just gave you what you needed, no crazy rumors necessary. You appreciated that, especially when you had seen his pride at work. That was a game face just like yours. “That’s crazy, she just dumped Matthew Kim, like, two days ago- does she only date within the Gryffindor team?”

Rolling your eyes at the way she put her hand on his shoulder and snorting as he politely brushed it off, you shrugged and replied, “Well, good luck to her. Bro code, not to mention she’s not his type.”

Chan’s eyes bugged as he glanced between you and her. “What do you mean? She’s gorgeous! I wouldn’t mind if she tried Slytheri-”

You held up a hand for him to stop, grimacing. “Yeah, I’ll just stop you right there. I just mean Seungcheol likes someone who looks out for others and cares for them- that’s his type, not some self-serving rebounding-”

“Whoa, whoa, ok, point taken, red flags,” Chan shot back, hands raised in defense, “how do you know Seungcheol’s type though?”

“I’ve heard him say it,” you shrugged again, book bag jostling at your side, “I could tell you Seungkwan’s type too.”

“Yeah,” Chan agreed, hands sliding into his pockets, “who doesn’t know Seungkwan’s type? He’s even more of a hopeless romantic than Soonyoung.”

You spluttered out a laugh at that as you made your way to your house dungeon’s stairs, glancing one more time at Rhea, who was walking away from Seungcheol with the pout and crossed arms of a girl unsuccessful, with a smirk of amusement. That’s what she got for just calling you ‘the Slytherin captain’- you’d fought hard putting Gryffindor through hell to make sure Seungcheol remembered your name and never forgot it.

Rhea could never.

She didn’t care about him. She wasn’t, what was it, funny?

Oh, shit. Shit. You were late for Potions with Gryffindor of all classes; Snape was going to kill you. Ok, maybe not kill you since you were in his house, but he’d make some snide remark and may have you stay after to clean up, which would send a wave of lateness through your day that may not look great to blame on a professor. But taking the fall would annoy you on principle because you may not have had to deal with that if Snape had just let you go with some points off, which you could only pray he did.

All that because of a stained house scarf and a forgotten spell. Jeez, you felt like an idiot.

Luckily for your pride, Snape wasn’t in the main Potions room when you got in, but you had to take the last empty space on a Gryffindor-Slytherin split, next to Jeonghan luckily but equally unfortunately across from Seungcheol and Soonyoung.

The room was dim as always, lit only by torches and cauldron fire like the creepy dungeon it was, and it smelled odd, too. Something else snaked over the room’s usual musty smell, something less dank and far more overpowering. At first, there was a waft of your favorite baked good amidst the smells of Quidditch pitch grass, must, and flame, then… cologne.

Oh, Merlin’s beard, that was strong. It had to be someone at your table, right? And there was no way it was Jeonghan, despite him being right next to you. He never wore musky stuff like that- he was a floral guy and you knew it. Seungcheol or Soonyoung then.

Wait, didn’t Chan just say something about the captain’s cologne last week? Something about it covering up the leather stink. Speaking of leather stink, oh man…

“Wow, Chan was right, Seungcheol,” you teased your rival captain, “you do smell like sweaty leather.”

“(y/n),” Jeonghan’s voice came at your side.

You just shrugged, giving him a breezy smile. All the Gryffindors and Slytherins knew you were joking more than anything. Heck, your Seeker and their Beater ran the dance club together! They’d said worse things than that before- Soonyoung once called Joshua a Frog Face despite that not being true at all. Speaking of Soonyoung, he gave his captain a funny look, brows furrowing, then raising as he gave him side eyes. Seungcheol barely spared him a glance, eyes focused straight on you. Ha.

“And you think you have enough cologne on over it? I think maybe Chan was right.”

“(y/n)?” Jeonghan again, this time with a questioning tone, his leg reaching out to kick yours gently under the table.

You ignored him, eyes squarely on Seungcheol, who still hadn’t come up with a rebuttal. Instead, he just…leaned back in his chair with a little smile, eyes falling from you. Soonyoung looked pretty happy, too, but he was looking you in the eye.

“What?” You asked him.

“Snape had to get some supplies, but he had us write this down in our notes about his potion. That one over there.” Nodding towards the cauldron on the flame, its open surface coated with a gorgeous iridescent sheen with shifting colors you wanted to stare at, Soonyoung flapped a piece of parchment in your face, breaking the shining effect.

The parchment read: Amortentia. Strongest known love potion. Distinct mother-of-pearl sheen and infatuating effects. It smells unique to its beholder, reminding them of their favorite things as well as the object of their affection.

“Seungcheol isn’t wearing any cologne today. I saw him getting ready right next to me,” the Gryffindor added smugly.

Was he really trying to say you liked Seungcheol? Sure, you respected his leadership even if you gave him a hard time for it, and sure, you’d always enjoyed keeping up the banter and had the most fun playing his team, and sure, you never saw him the same since that day he gave you that healing essence, looking at you with such care and laughing that laugh of his as he left, calling you funny, which stuck in your head because what did that mean-

Shit. Ok, be cool, be cool. Lie. “Well,” you crossed your arms, leaning back in your stool and inhaling that cursed intoxicating air, “that obviously doesn’t apply to me, so someone else must have the same one.”

Best you could do. Glancing back to Seungcheol, though, you saw the last thing you would have expected. His expression fell from a smile to something softer, sadder? Something swam in those dark eyes you’d never seen before.

“W-would that really be so bad?” He asked quietly, wringing his hands atop the heavy wooden table, “I…kind of thought we had something.”

“Oooooh!”

“Soonyoung, not now,” Jeonghan waved a hand across the table in front of his face.

“All the back and forth was really fun, I guess I thought we were flirting?” He looked truly surprised, clueless, almost sweetly innocent, like a kid on the playground falling off the swings for the first time. Maybe you two had been acting like kids.

For what felt like the first time in your life, you could not come up with a comeback for the life of you. As your lips parted, working faster than your brain, which seemed to have slowed considerably the moment Seungcheol looked back up, staring into your eyes once more…

“Here are the last ingredients. Class will begin.”

…in walked, or more like floated with those robes of his, Professor Snape, who waved your heads immediately up at him and back down into your lesson on how to brew the potion that had sent your metaphorical foot careening so violently into your mouth.

Or so you couldn’t help but think as you worked, Jeonghan trying his best to help you and even calling over your friend and housemate Mingyu while you spent half the time stealing glances at Seungcheol. Soonyoung whispered something to him. He glanced at you, met your eyes, smiled a bit awkwardly, then wider when you ventured a wave. Seriously, what was wrong with you- what were you guys, eight?

Where was that bravado that was so easy to hide behind? God, you wished you were back on the pitch. Everything made sense fifty feet in the air with a broomstick in hand. Then, your body was in the clouds, not your mind.

“N- Need help crushing the pearls?” Seungcheol’s voice cut into your reverie as he leaned across the table toward you. “I know that’s one of the hardest parts,” he says to you.

“What, because you’re so buff?” Teasing was just easier, though it may not have been the best choice, as he leaned a bit back again, looking rejected. “No,” you hastily amended, “that was a compliment! Like, being buff is a good thing? Unless that wasn’t what you were going for, then stop working out I guess?” Laughing nervously, you mentally kicked yourself. Apparently you really did only know how to speak to Seungcheol in banter.

“Oh,” he responded dumbly, running a hand through his hair as he reached gently for the pearls at your station, “you think I’m… thanks.” This time it was his turn to laugh nervously. “I didn’t know you were looking.”

Neither did I, you wanted to say.

Scurrying out of Potions was an action surprisingly motivated more by Snape than by your fellow Quidditch captain, who shot out of the dark room just as fast as your punishment avoidance. Neither of you moved half as fast to head to your next class, though.

Seungcheol met you right around the corner from the steps back up into the castle, wetting his lips nervously as he stood to face you. “Hey, I- I’m really sorry if Soonyoung put you on the spot, but I really do need to know if you’re comfortable saying. Mine… My, er, my Amortentia, if you will, it smelled like you. It was broomstick straw, my favorite ice cream from Fortescue’s, and the scent you wear. I catch it every time you pass me on the pitch, but I never told you how nice I thought it was because I thought we weren’t doing that in front of the guys.”

You were his Amortentia?

At this point, at the way he looked at you- and how could you never have realized what all those smirks did to you, how the feeling of Seungcheol’s eyes on you was all you were looking for, how possessive you felt when anyone else showed interest in him and yet more satisfied still when they got rejected- it was a fight to keep a borderline hysterical burst of laughter from bubbling up. As was your wont, your mouth worked faster than your brain, articulating the first thoughts that rose to your swimming head. “Dude, if you really thought all that was going on, why didn’t you ever just kiss me?”

Seungcheol took a step closer to you, eyes drifting slightly down and back up, expression still uncertain even as you were practically backed against the castle’s stone wall. “Do you want me to?” He asked.

“Why would I say that if I didn’t want you to?”

“You are very hard to read!” He shot back, hands raising in defense, though the remainder of his posture stayed the same, not a single step taken from its proximity to you.

“Well, if I’m so hard to read, fine.” And with that, you stepped forward away from the wall completely, ignoring the weight of your book bag swinging into your side as you took his face in your hands, barely pausing to appreciate the warmth meeting your palms before you pulled his lips into yours.

He responded immediately, one hand wrapping around your waist as his lips worked. It surprised you how sweet of a kisser he was, every motion gentle, reverent, loving? Whatever it was, you couldn’t get enough. His lips were soft with just the faintest bit of wind chap you were sure you had too from all your time on a broomstick. And for all your talk of banter and tension, all you could feel as Seungcheol held you there like thatwas right. For the first time, you forgot to compete, just reveling in the feeling of his warmth around you. And then as you pulled away, he gripped you tighter still, a wide but tentative smile on your face. You just nodded.

“Yeah, I felt it too.”

“I didn’t say anything yet.”

“Well,” your eyelashes fluttered as you leaned in towards him again, “I may be hard to read, but I guess I have you figured out.”

“Oh, yeah?” He leaned forward a bit too, just to bump his forehead against yours. “Well, you need some chapstick.”

“So do you,” you shot back, giving him a playful shove.

Banter just worked for you guys. “Well, guess if we’re going to keep on like this, someone has to buy some.”

“Rock paper scissors. Loser buys the chapstick?”

He chuckled, then that competitive smirk you’d come to love returned. “You’re on.”

He threw scissors, you threw rock. Pumping your fist, you exclaimed “Yes! Ha, take that! I knew a Gryffindor would throw a weapon!”

“But did you know he’d do this?”

And there you were, back locked in another kiss. This time though, he pulled apart first, eyes wide. “Oh, wait, shit, we’re going to be late for class.”

You arched a brow. “You stopped kissing me for that?”

“It’s Herbology, I have to go all the way to the greenhouse.”

You stuck your tongue out. “Sucks to be you, I have Divination with Hufflepuff, so all I have to do is climb up.”

“Yeah, yeah, you win,” Seungcheol waved a hand, finally walking away, though his eyes stayed on you, winking, “smell you later.”

“Yeah,” you just agreed, shaking your head just as incredulously as it was fondly, “I guess so. You’re lucky I don’t mind the leather.”

“I can’t believe Amir is stepping down from the team!” Joshua lamented.

“I know,” you replied, arms crossed, “but I understand. He messed up his shoulder pretty bad, so I wouldn’t ask him to keep on. At least we get some young blood on the team, right?”

“Right. I think our new player shows promise, too” Joshua replies, gaze leaving you to travel across the pitch, where the new girl, a Fourth Year Slytherin named Jess, chatted with Chan.

You roll your eyes at your Seeker’s emphatic, expressive motions. Even for a dancer you could tell he was being dramatic, especially with the proud kid look on his face. “I better go see what they’re talking about, though,” you tell him, shouldering your broomstick and crossing the pitch grass.

“What’s he telling you?” You called to Jess, sauntering over. “Don’t let him scare you off.”

She shook her head, blonde hair falling into her eyes and back out. “No, he was actually telling me about all the times we’ve beat Gryffindor’s arses,” she answered in her thick brogue, “and how you ‘n’ the Gryffindor captain are always goin’ head to head!”

Biting back a more like mouth to mouth joke, you simply replied, “Maybe sometimes, but it’s all in good fun. Seungcheol’s a great leader; I respect him.”

Her blue eyes widened in awe before blinking back the day’s warm sun. “I thought you two hated each other?”

“No,” Chan interjected, singsonging, “I told you! They looooove each other!”

Hand on her hip, Jess just side-eyed him. “Very funny, of course they don-”

“Still not done with the pitch, babe?”

Your body swiveled immediately at the familiar voice, eyes laying on Seungcheol, who strode up to you as he shrugged his crimson jacket on. As if instinct, you jogged right over, boots crunching on the grass as you bounced into his side, crashing into him for a messy side hug that he pulled you further into. That day, he had worn his cologne, a scent now beyond familiar to you especially when he bugged you, then you jokingly blamed it for having to deal with him.

“Leave us alone, we have a new recruit,” you whined into his shoulder, motioning to Jess with the arm that wasn’t wrapped around him.

“Don’t blame her when your maneuvers go wrong.”

“Don’t come crying to me when you wish you had her.”

“We can’t steal another house’s players. Otherwise we would’ve stolen you already,” Seungcheol remarked, glancing down at you with a satisfied grin.

“Hey,” Chan butt in, looking up from re-lacing his boots, “not me?”

“Sorry, (y/n) is the only one up to our beauty standards.”

“How’d you get in, then?” Chan muttered.

“Hey!” Both you and Seungcheol exclaimed.

Jess, for her part, had deer-in-the-headlights eyes as her had bounced between you three like it was a table tennis match.

“Too mean,” you admonished your Seeker, “unsportsmanlike conduct.”

“You said I needed to work on my trash talk,” he pouted.

“Yeah, tell him he can’t get his Beaters in control, don’t insult his appearance when you’re clearly jealous.”

“Hey,” Seungcheol said, pausing for a heartbeat, “and thank you.”

“Don’t mention it, babe. Also, don’t think we won’t still wipe the floor with you on Friday,” you reminded him with a sarcastic bat of your eyelashes.

“You’ll be nothing but a pebble beneath our feet,” he replied with a bright smile.

“All right, all right, go throw your stuff in your locker, we’re almost done,” you swatted him away as if you hadn’t been the one to grab him.

“Ok. This isn’t over.”

“I know it’s not.”

His face softened again. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“See, you may think I’m bad at smack talk, but my insult did that,” Chan pointed out as Jess gaped.

For that, he got a high-five from Seungcheol and a friendly arm punch from you.

#seventeen #seventeen imagines #seventeen reactions #seventeen x reader #seventeen scenarios #s.coups #s.coups x gender neutral reader #gender neutral reader #hogwarts au

158 notes · View notes

hongcherry · 9 months

Text

pretty please (stay with me) || c.sc | 1

"After being assigned a fashion show for your big senior project, you set off to find volunteers to make it successful. However, when you meet Choi Seungcheol and his unfriendly clique through your volunteers, you realize they’re an unwanted package deal you can’t escape from. Can you handle Seungcheol's obnoxious friends, and can he handle your brash behavior?"

🍒 Pairing: businessMajor!Seungcheol x fashionMajor!Reader (afab)

🍒 Rating/Genres/AUs: M(18+); Slice of life (!!!), slow burn, drama, fluff, angst; Unrequited enemies to lovers (lol), strangers to lovers, college au

🍒 Warnings: [general tw (won't be repeated in the other chapters)] reader has she/her pronouns (referred to as girl, miss), reader dresses really feminine, reader is not nice, character outfit descriptors, parent/family issues (marital problems), bullying | [chapter tw] “joke” that implies prostitution in a negative way, near car accident (rear end), brief mention of death thru a joke

🍒 WC: 14.8k

🍒 Betas: Huge shout out to my bae, @love-strike, for being with me throughout this whole process, for listening to me whine, for helping me brainstorm majors for OT13, and for being so supportive! tysm 😭 And thank you to @playmetheclassics, @here4kpopfics, @angelwoozi for also beta'ing this series! ty for your time and for your sweet feedback! i really cherish everyone's efforts and brains hehe 🥰💖 i understand this was not an easy task to take on.

🍒 Author's Note: HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY TO THE LOML, CHOI SEUNGCHEOL!!!!!!!!! 🎂♥️ I started this fic in September 2022 and contemplated even publishing it multiple times. I think this will be the first fic I've worked on for so long and published. Also, this is the longest fic I've ever written, so that's exciting! It was supposed to be one long one-shot, but I ended up writing way too much for a one-shot LOL. I'm really proud of myself for powering through and not abandoning it, as I've done in the past. I also wrote this all in past tense and spontaneously decided to change it to present 😪 Anyway, please enjoy the start of this couple's journey 😁

also read here: AO3 | Wattpad

seventeen masterlist | main masterlist

previous chapter \\ series masterpost // next chapter

When people say good students are those who arrive on time, you find it hard not to scoff. Professors should care more about how hard-working one is rather than if they show up on the dot.

Of course, you do try to make it on time, but can you really leave your house looking less than perfect? Absolutely not. Plus, the first fifteen minutes usually consist of professors getting set up for their classes, so you don’t feel like you are missing anything of importance.

Today is no different.

Ten minutes past the official class time, you stroll inside the room. Students are seated where they normally sit, some are on their phones, and others are trying to finish some last-minute homework assignments. It’s a fairly small class, and being in your senior year means everyone knows each other well. Although, most of the people in your class think ill of you and don’t talk to you.

At first, you thought it was a pity, but in the end, you realized you didn’t want to befriend those who would only talk shit behind your back. This is what you figured they did since they were never discreet when they exchanged whispers with their eyes glued to you.

Luckily, you have at least one friend in the class. Quality over quantity, right?

“Right on time,” your friend, Dae, says with a sly smile when she spots you.

You chuckle and slide into the seat next to her. “Class started fifteen minutes ago.”

“It did, but you’re right on time for you,” she explains with a knowing grin.

“Guess I need to be more late from now on,” you tease as you take out your iPad.

The device is a holy grail to you. Majoring in fashion design means all your ideas and creations over the past few years are stored there. When you don’t have it, it’s stored in secret in your house. Maybe that’s a little excessive, but losing it would feel like losing a part of yourself. After all, art creations always include a part of the creator. The device almost feels like it’s an extension of yourself—something too personal for others to peek at.

Dae rolls her eyes. “Or you could come on time. That would be different.”

“Why would I? The first fifteen minutes are worthless,” you huff and open your notes.

“I wouldn’t quite say that,” Dae answers, sliding a piece of paper over. You glance down at it.

Prepare for the annual Senior Fashion Show! Students are to create their own fashion show with a theme of their choice. The show will be toward the end of the semester in the Main Theatre (official times and dates TBD). The project will count for 80% of your grade as this will require you to use all the skills you’ve acquired as a student. When creating your show, be sure to be mindful of the following…

“This was handed out at the beginning of class. Seems like we’re going to have to work with students from outside our department,” Dae comments after she gives you a few minutes to read everything.

So, this is it.

Every senior majoring in fashion design is required to participate. You attended every fashion show hosted during your time as a student here. You were always left in awe, motivated to be a student that would leave behind a name for themselves at the college. You want to inspire the next seniors just as the ones inspired you before.

While this assignment has your body giddy with excitement, there is a part you are dreading.

People skills are not your forte.

Not because you feel awkward talking to new people, but because the conversations always end unpleasantly. Sometimes with back-handed compliments, insults, or them trying to scold you. You hope that won’t be the case while recruiting volunteers.

“So, do we have the class period to start getting things together?” you question once you finish skimming through the instructions again. You’re responsible for a lot more elements than you anticipated. You need lighting, music, a theme, backstage helpers, hair and makeup artists, an advertiser, and most importantly, models. This is when you wish you had a large network. Though, every friend you tried to make didn’t end up lasting. Dae is the only person who has stuck by your side.

“Yup,” she replies. “We’ll be doing mini assignments throughout the semester to help us prepare. I think it’s just a way for Dr. Lim to give us grades so he doesn’t get in trouble.”

“Probably,” you sigh. You are already feeling stressed. Quickly, you scribble down a list of to-do’s in your notes.

“Do you have a theme in mind already?” Dae asks after a moment.

“No, do you?” you wonder.

Dae sits back in her chair, pen resting between her fingers. “I was thinking about something with space? Maybe my main colors will be blue, purple, and black.”

“Oh? Isn’t that what you’ve been doing, though? Don’t you want to try something different?”

Although the question is harmless, the tone of your voice must have rubbed Dae the wrong way. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and then looks at you again.

“Think of it as branding, okay? Why does it bother you so much?” she wonders with a frown. Realizing your mistake, you inhale slowly.

“It doesn’t. I didn’t mean to sound rude. I’m sure your stage will do well,” you reply, forcing a small smile on your lips.

“No ‘sorry’?” Dae asks despite knowing it isn’t part of your favorite vocabulary.

You narrow your eyes at her. “Nope. Just don’t be so defensive next time.”

“You’re insufferable,” Dae answers. “One day, you will be sorry for your behavior.”

Shrugging, you say, “There’s always a chance, but maybe if the world wasn’t so insecure, saying sorry wouldn’t be so wanted.”

Dae exhales disapprovingly at your thought process, displeased with your reply. “Well, for now, maybe try to be more empathetic?”

“I have bigger things to worry about right now. For instance,” you start, a finger at the top of your to-do list, “I’ve got to find someone who can provide me with music.”

Fuck, it’s too loud in here.

The sounds of different instruments being played at once, all emitting different tunes, have a migraine bubbling in your head.

You make a beeline to the professor who is sitting in the corner. She is an older lady, evident by her wrinkles and gray hair. Yet, her features are soft, and the smile she gives you makes you feel at ease.

“Hello, miss, can I assist you?” she asks when you’re in hearing range.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I was hoping you could help me with an assignment?” you wonder and offer her a kind smile, hoping she won’t shoo you away immediately.

“Ah, it’s alright. They’re just practicing for an upcoming assignment today. What is it you need, dear?”

“Who would you consider your best student? Is there a way you can get me in contact with them?”

The professor’s eyes widen slightly at the question. She didn’t expect that. Nevertheless, her gaze rises to scan the classroom.

“There,” she points as discreetly as she can. You follow her finger, which lands on a blonde-haired guy tuning his guitar. “Lee Jihoon. He’s the most talented student I’ve ever had.”

“This semester?” you ask out of curiosity.

The professor shakes her head. “Ever.”

You can’t stop the small disbelieving huff that escapes you. The best student ever? You aren’t sure how long she’s been teaching, but you doubt out of all her time, he is the best. He looks too young.

“Now, now, don’t judge a book by its cover,” she scolds gently. You have to force yourself not to roll your eyes at the phrase. You’ve heard it too many times that its meaning lost its effect on you.

“What makes him your best student?” you question, sight going back to the man who is oblivious to your stare. He sits next to another student who also has a guitar. They seem to be friends from the way they are laughing together.

“His work is versatile and very good. I’m positive he will be the perfect person for your project.” The way she speaks about him makes you believe her. There was no waver to her voice, and her eyes hold a fondness in them you know one can’t replicate if not genuine.

“How long until they have their assignment due?” you wonder, realizing you may have to wait until the class ends before you could talk to him.

The professor smiles. “I’ll let them have five more minutes so you can introduce yourself.”

Internally, you sigh in relief. You’re grateful you don’t have to wait.

“Thank you,” you say before strolling to the man.

As you near, his friend glances up. He’s mid-sentence when he spots you, eyes growing slightly at the sight of you. You’re used to getting looks like that. Your fashion is always dressier than the average college student's. People just aren’t used to it.

“Hi,” the brunette friend says. He has prince-like features, and you almost consider asking him to be one of your models. You give him a small grin out of politeness before turning to the whole reason you came over.

“Lee Jihoon?” you ask.

Jihoon’s mouth parts slightly in surprise. “Uh, y-yeah. Do I know you?”

“No. My name’s Yn. I have a project in a class and need someone to provide music for me. You won’t get paid, but any extra experience is always good, right?” you greet, not wanting to dance around the subject. After all, this is only the first of many on your to-do list.

“What major are you in?” he wonders, brows knitted in confusion.

“Fashion design,” you answer.

Jihoon is silent for a moment. “And how did you find me?”

This guy is more difficult than you wished. You just need him to say yes.

“I asked for the best student, and you were recommended. So, what do you say? Will you help me?”

Jihoon gives you a small smile, but something about it rubs you wrong. “Sorry, my plate is a little full right now—”

“Do you need money? I can give you some afterward.”

You try not to sound desperate. Lee Jihoon is not the only music major—this is obvious by the amount of noise you hear in the background.

But you never settle for less than the best.

You have been looking forward to this project since your college tour here.

“It’s not that,” Jihoon chuckles awkwardly. “I have other assignments I have to practice for, but I’m sure there will be someone else to help you. There’s a lot of talented students her—”

“But they’re not the best,” you interrupt. What else can you offer him that will make him say yes?

“Well, being the best is subjective,” Jihoon counters, voice light so you know he doesn’t mean it rudely.

You open your mouth to bargain with him more, but his friend leans into his ear. The noise from the other instruments behind you makes it hard to hear what they are saying.

Patience is something you rarely have. The longer you stand there waiting, the more annoyed you get.

“Look, you have almost a full semester to get a song done by then. I’m sure you can find some tim—”

“Fine,” Jihoon grumbles as he shoves his friend away. “I’ll do it.”

“Oh,” you pause. You are fully prepared to go down the mental list of how helping you will help him in return. One that will be complete bullshit, but if it gets him to say yes, then so be it. Luckily, you don’t have to.

“Great!” you say.

You aren’t going to give him time to back out, so you quickly retrieve a business card you had made from your purse. It’s easier to exchange contact information, and you never know when you may run into someone important. Being in an artistic field means competition. You always need to have an eye out for something, or someone, that will help you get your name out there.

“Here’s my number. Please contact me before the day ends.”

Jihoon takes the card and examines it. “Got it. What kind of music will you need?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I’ll let you know,” you reply. He nods in response.

“I look forward to hearing your music. I’ll talk to you later then,” you say.

You have half a heart to wish them both luck on their assignment, but part of you is a little petty that Jihoon put you through some trouble. Instead, you give them a wave before turning on your heel.

As you’re leaving, you hear a loud sigh followed by a laugh from behind you.

“Shut up, Shua,” Jihoon groans before the professor calls everyone’s attention.

Music, check. Now, what’s next?

As you make your way down the hallway, you stumble across Dae. She is surrounded by two other male students, none of whom you know. You don’t plan to greet her since she seems busy, but the sound of your heels clicking against the tile catches her attention.

“Yn!” she calls out cheerfully.

You halt in your tracks, turning to see her smiling at you. She gestures for you to come over, so you do.

“Hey,” you say to her.

“How’s your project going?” she asks.

“I got someone to help me with music,” you reply, then glance behind her to see the two guys staring at you. Dae follows your gaze and makes a small “oh!”

“Is that all? Do you have anyone for advertising or graphics?” Dae wonders, her voice seemingly excited.

“I don’t,” you answer hesitantly. Her eagerness has you worried.

“Perfect!” she exclaims, then turns to the others. “This is Yejun and Jeonghan. They’re both advertising majors. Yejun agreed to help me with my project, but Jeonghan,” she pauses to address the man. He has blonde hair that goes past his eyes. His soft features are handsome and almost angelic.

“Jeonghan, would you mind helping my friend with hers? She’s super talented.”

Jeonghan glances at you, but before he can say anything, you ask him, “What are your skills? Do you have some work I could see first?”

Jeonghan looks taken aback. “O-oh, I don’t have a portfolio yet, sorry.”

“Ah, that’s fine,” you say before looking at Dae. “Thanks for trying to help me, but I’ll find someone else.”

Dae’s eyes narrow at you. “Come on, Yn. Jeonghan is really good!”

“Didn’t you just meet him?” you question and try to stop the scoff that threatens to escape.

“Well, yes, but Yejun has been my friend for a while, and I’ve seen his work. Yejun and Jeonghan have worked together as well, and their creations are unique!”

You inhale deeply, eyes roaming from your friend to Jeonghan. He offers you a smile.

“What your friend said,” Jeonghan replies with a small chuckle.

“Trust me on this,” Dae says. “Jeonghan won’t disappoint you.”

You don’t feel at ease agreeing to someone blindly. Dae’s definition of “really good” could be different from yours. Although her work is good, you feel your standards are way above hers. You had planned to ask for the best student for each assigned task, so having been offered a random helper with no proof of their credentials is unnerving.

Granted, you haven’t heard Jihoon’s work, but you were sold on the way the professor spoke about him. Dae, on the other hand, is not a professor and could be biased as Yejun is her friend. Though, you still have a lot more positions to fill, and you need to do so soon.

Sighing, “Fine. You can work with me.”

From the way you word your sentence, it’s almost as if Jeonghan is supposed to jump up and down with glee. He doesn’t.

You grab another business card from your purse and hand it to Jeonghan. He takes it slowly.

“Just so you know, I have the right to replace you with someone else if I see your work isn’t fit,” you warn as Jeonghan slips the card into his pocket.

His eyes lock on yours. “That won’t be necessary,” he answers, not bothered by your comment.

“Oh?” you wonder and quirk an eyebrow up.

“Hm. You also need graphics, right? I have a person for that as well,” Jeonghan says.

“I haven’t seen their work yet—”

“You’re not very trusting, huh?” Jeonghan observes with a laugh. You shift your weight on one hip, not liking the way he is trying to tell you about your personality when he doesn't know you.

“I just know what I want, and I won’t settle,” you answer sharply.

Dae huffs next to you and gives you a gentle shove, indicating you to ease up. That isn’t going to happen.

Jeonghan doesn’t reply and instead takes out his phone. His fingers dance around the screen for a minute before he turns the device for you to see. On the screen is an Instagram account with various posts of different art and graphic pieces. Your eyes drift to the username. by_xuminghao_o. His art is impressive and definitely not an amateur like you half expected.

“So, about not settling,” Jeonghan trails off, a hint of a cocky smirk on his lips.

“I expect you both to contact me before the day ends,” is all you respond with.

Jeonghan pockets his phone and nods. He seems content with your answer even though you don’t confess the art meets your standards.

“All good then?” Dae asks, glancing between you two.

“We’re good,” Jeonghan replies and gives you another smile of his—one you are starting to hate seeing. There is just something about it that seems like he knows more things than you in a cocky, condescending way.

Yejun glances at his watch and then nudges Jeonghan.

“Thanks, ladies, but we have a class to attend. Nice to meet you, Yn,” Yejun says.

You hum in response while turning away from them. Dae says her goodbyes, watching as they leave before putting her focus on you.

“Do you have to be so picky?” she sighs.

“As I said, I know what I want. I’ve waited to do this project for years. It has to be perfect,” you explain and pull out your iPad. You check off music and advertising from your to-do list. Graphics aren’t listed, but you figure it will be a nice addition.

“I understand, but—”

“Just focus on your project, and I’ll focus on mine, okay?” you interrupt. You don’t feel like hearing her lecture you for a second time today.

“Alright,” Dae answers. “I’ll see you around,” she says, walking away before you can say anything else.

With her back turned, you roll your eyes at her attitude. It has your mood lowering, and you conclude you’re done with human interaction for now. You carefully place your iPad back in your bag, then make a beeline to the parking lot, ready to go home to figure out a theme for your show.

Home is somewhere you don’t enjoy being.

It always has this melancholy cloud looming over you. You can never seem to get rid of it completely. Even on the good days, it lingers in the corner of the room, always threatening to float above you. You doubt it will ever dissipate.

Your back is against the headboard of your bed, your iPad resting against your legs that are pulled to your chest. The music playing is too low for your liking, but you know if it’s any louder, your father will scold you for the high volume. Sometimes you will raise it just to get him to talk to you. Though today is not one of those days. You want to be left alone for once, which isn't usually too hard to do unless your sister needs attention. Like now.

“Today is the last day. Pleaseeee, Yn!” your sister whines at the foot of your bed. Her small body is bouncing with desperation and eagerness.

Reluctantly, you flicker your gaze up at her. The slight scowl on your face doesn’t seem to faze her… Probably because she’s seen it so much.

“Can’t you see I’m busy?” you exasperate, gesturing to your iPad.

Seoah frowns. “When are you not? Come on! It’ll take, like, ten minutes. I’ve been looking forward to getting a Fallin’ Flower frap for months! You know it’s a seasonal drink.”

“Didn’t Dad say you couldn’t have any more sweets?” you say and peer down at your iPad again. You’re in the middle of brainstorming themes for your show. There are various words within bubbles, each connected with a line.

“I’ll just get a small,” she explains. When you don’t move, she walks around the bed to stand next to you. Her voice becomes softer, sadder. “You said you would take me. Dad can’t.”

“That was before I got assigned this project. It’s my—”

“Senior project that you’ve been looking forward to since your freshman year, yeah, I got it,” she responds, reciting what you’ve told her before.

You finally look at her once more. “I’ll take you for the next seasonal drinks, okay? They’re probably better anyway.”

“But I really want a Fallin’ Flower,” Seoah pouts.

“Next year,” you offer and return your attention to your homework.

“Yn—”

“Next year,” you repeat firmly without looking up.

Seoah pauses in her begging. You think she’s going to continue, but you hear the soft padding of her feet as she moves.

“Oh, Seoah?” you call out, glancing up.

She pauses by your door and looks up with some hope in her eyes.

“Don’t forget to shut the door all the way.”

“Right,” she mutters slowly, then leaves the room. You wait until you hear the door click close prior to getting back to work.

You sit on your bed the remainder of the day, only getting up to cook dinner for your father and sister. Your eyes feel strained and your body weak, but the sooner you pick a theme, the sooner you can get started.

It’s days like these when your body is mentally and physically exhausted, that you miss your mom. You try not to think too much about her as it only makes the gloomy cloud above your head darker.

Is she happier? Surely, she is. She is living her dream as a traveling journalist. Sometimes you will see her adventures if you peep at her social media. It’s self-torture to do so, but curiosity gets the best of you. You hope one day you’ll have the willpower to block all her accounts.

At this point, you’re having the same conversation you have with yourself once a month. It never ends the way you want.

Inhaling deeply, you finish plating all the food before calling your family for dinner. While your father eats in his office, needing to continue his work, you and your sister eat in silence in the dining room.

Maybe one day things will change, but for now, you’ll have to settle with this.

You are about to knock on the door a second time when no one answers it. You have allotted only an hour for this meeting, so the longer you wait outside, the more you grow impatient. You have set mini-deadlines throughout the semester to ensure you will complete this assignment in a timely manner. You just hope your recruitees aren't going to slow you down.

Suddenly, the door is yanked open. Jeonghan stands on the other side, hair a little damp and a few wet spots on his shirt.

“Sorry about that,” he says hastily. “I thought I could shower quicker.”

“I told you eleven o’clock,” you scold. Jeonghan simply smiles.

“Never hurts to give people some wiggle room. Plus, aren’t you the early one?” Jeonghan leans back to view something. He looks at you after a few seconds. “It’s only three minutes past.”

“Early is on time,” you say as if that is an obvious life choice. Although you’re never really on time for classes, you reason that to be because the first fifteen minutes are a waste of time. This, on the other hand, is not. “Invite me in?”

Jeonghan moves aside and lets you enter. His apartment is tidy for the most part. It seems as if he had started to clean up but gave up toward the end.

“Where’s Minghao?” you wonder when you saw you were the only one here. He’s supposed to be here with Jeonghan, so you can all go over the advertising designs.

“He called and said he hit some traffic. Have a seat anywhere; I’m going to grab my laptop,” he instructs before jogging to another room. Shaking your head in disappointment, you glance around again.

Spotting his couch, you walk over and make yourself comfortable. You take out your iPad and open what you have so far—color ideas, font ideas, and a few mock-up fashion designs. It has been two weeks since you last saw Jeonghan. The majority of your tasks have already been assigned to people, but you still have to find a few more models.

“Alright, so, what’s the theme?” Jeonghan asks when he comes back. He sits down next to you, causing you to bounce slightly from his weight.

You angle your screen, so he can see it easier. “I decided on the four elements—water, ice, air, and earth. The title right now is Pinwheel.”

“This gives us multiple color options,” Jeonghan examines. “Maybe we could have five designs. One for each element and then one with all of them? That would give you a variety of exposure and make the audience feel they’re not looking at the same promo material every time.”

You sit still as you ponder his suggestion. “You don’t think people will get confused seeing different designs?”

“We can make it all tie in some way. You have your own logo, as I saw on your card. We can use that and the same fonts.”

“Okay,” you say slowly. “That sounds—”

A knock on the door stops you.

“Ah, that must be Minghao. Do you mind getting that? I’m going to get my notepad, so I can try to sketch some layouts.”

You nod, setting your iPad down next to his laptop, then walking to the entrance.

“You’re late,” you groan while you pull open the door.

“Oh? Am I?” the person says with a little playful smile on his lips.

Although you’ve never met Minghao, you have seen pictures of him on his Instagram. You expected to see a head of blue hair, but you are greeted with black. Instead of a narrow face, his is slightly wider. He wears an oversized white shirt, jeans, and a colorful necklace. He looks like every other college student. Sure, he’s more handsome than the average, but not by much. Behind him are two women and one man.

“Can I help you?” you exhale a disheartened sigh when you conclude it isn’t Minghao. Meaning, he’s even later than you wished for.

The guy chuckles. “I doubt it, but Jeonghan can. Is he here?”

His voice is slightly deep. You may have found him soothing to listen to if it wasn't for his irksome words.

“He’s busy right now. You can come back in an hour, though,” you instruct and start to close the door. You don’t need any distractions.

The man sticks his foot out to stop you, causing you to exhale annoyed when you can’t get rid of him. You open the door slightly again.

“Just tell him I’m here,” he says, his teasing tone not so visible anymore but still light enough to not sound too rude.

“And who are you?” you question apathetically.

“Jesus,” someone hisses behind him before shouting, “Jeonghan, come here!”

Your eyes gaze past the man to see a woman with short-length dark hair. She eyes you haughtily, hand on the man’s forearm as if she were to push him away. Though she never does. She takes in your attire, and you once again get a look of judgment at your choice of dress. Your white dress paired with a same-colored, opened button down and beaded chain around your hips is apparently not her style.

“What’s going on?” Jeonghan asks behind you. Reluctantly, you move aside so he can see. “Oh, Seungcheol! Right. One second. Come on in. I’ll get those papers for you.”

“Actually, do they need to come in? They’re not staying long,” you say quickly before any of them can move.

“Relax, princess, he’s just being friendly. You know, like when someone is kind, thoughtful, and considerate?” the girl questions as if you’re dumb and makes her way inside despite you standing close to the door. It forces you to move over.

Her friends follow along. Three of them stand in the living room, while the second guy sits at the kitchen bar before pulling out his phone. You watch them with a fire inside your chest. Not only are Jeonghan and Minghao late, you now have to deal with this obstacle.

Just as you’re shutting the door, you see a glimpse of blue down the hall. Finally.

“You’re late,” you repeat, but to the correct person this time.

“I know, I’m sorry! Oh, are they helping too?” Minghao says, pausing at the entry when he sees the group of people inside.

“No. Get in,” you huff and point a finger in the apartment. Minghao enters without a fight.

“Hao!” the second girl exclaims with a smile.

Great. Do they all know each other?

“Hi, Hana,” Minghao greets with a gentle grin.

“What are you doing here?” Hana wonders.

“I’m helping Yn with her project,” he answers and gestures to you while you shut the door.

Hana looks your way, and you can see the distaste in her expression; however, she doesn’t say anything.

Jeonghan walks out of his room with a folder in his hand. “I hope this is what you need,” he tells the first man—Seungcheol, you presume.

Seungcheol smiles and takes it from him. He flips open the folder, doing a quick glance through the papers inside.

“Looks great,” he says. “Thanks for getting these for me.”

“Of course,” Jeonghan replies.

“Hannie, do you want to come to Shining Diamond with us this weekend?” the first girl asks, tilting her head in a way that appears as if she’s begging for a yes.

“Ah, this weekend?” he hesitates. “I have a test on Monday I was going to study for.”

“A few hours won’t hurt you,” she replies.

“Alright, Hajun, but only for an hour or so,” Jeonghan says with a not-so-stern voice.

“Great! Minghao, do you want to come, too?” Hajun asks.

Minghao shrugs. “I’ve got nothing else, so sure.”

Hajun grins widely. Her eyes go past Minghao to see you standing in the corner, your arms crossed and eyes staring daggers at everyone.

She doesn’t say anything, but her look tells you you aren’t invited. As if you are silently begging to join. The thought makes you scoff quietly.

“Cool. You all scheduled your weekends,” you start and walk back to the couch. You turn briefly to Seungcheol, who is eyeing you already. “And you got your things. Can we please continue?”

Your gaze shifts to Jeonghan at your question. He offers you an apologetic look before nodding.

“I’ll see you all this weekend. You can text me the time,” he says while walking to the door.

“We can decide that now,” Hana suggests.

“Or over text like Jeonghan said,” you interject. She narrows her eyes at you.

“Be patient. It’ll only take a few minutes,” she replies.

A few minutes, my ass.

“I’d rather you use those minutes to walk out the door.” You give her a faux smile.

“Have some respect,” Hajun scolds.

You laugh though you don’t find any of this humorous. “What a hypocrite. How about you respect people’s times?”

“I did tell Yn I’d help her,” Jeonghan cuts in sheepishly and opens the door to hint at them to leave. “I’ll text you all later, or you guys can come back in a bit.”

Seungcheol’s gaze lingers on yours as he walks toward the door. Your eyes catch on his as he makes his way into your line of sight. His stare has an unsettling feeling form in your stomach, and you contemplate asking what his problem is. Before you can, he turns to Jeonghan.

“Thanks again,” he says as he lifts the folder.

“No problem. Talk to you later,” Jeonghan replies.

All his friends have filed out except for the one male who hasn’t said a word. He glances at you. You expect to receive another jab about who knows what. Instead, he gestures at your body.

“Nice chains,” he compliments with a smile.

Your eyes widen slightly as you glance down briefly at your outfit. That was certainly unexpected. “Uh, thanks.”

“Come on, Vernon!” Hana yells from the doorway. Vernon gives you a thumbs up, which is uncanny given the situation, then follows his friends out the door.

Once they leave, you narrow your gaze at Jeonghan and Minghao. They’re quick to apologize again and start asking questions about your project before you can lecture them. Lucky for them, your hour is almost up, so there isn't enough time to do that anyway.

Weeks go by with you working nonstop on your project. Annoyingly, you also realize that the majority of the people you recruited to help all know each other. It usually isn’t something to be irritated by, but each time they run into each other, they usually end up making small talk that you have to break up. They can do that on their time, not yours. Even more frustrating is that this so-called Seungcheol and his groupies know them all as well. Their reactions to seeing you are always the same—ones of displeasure. Though the feeling is mutual.

You learn they are all business majors, except for Vernon. Well, he was a business major, but he plans to switch to something else. You can’t blame him. If all the business majors act revolting, you would leave that department as well.

Seungcheol… He isn’t as bad.

You have only ever hung out with him by himself for less than five minutes. Those conversations spur when you’re both left alone after one of your “mutual friends,” because none of these people are your actual friends, abandon you both. The conversations are awkward and never hold any weight. He doesn’t throw snide remarks at you, but his presence still makes you uneasy with the possibility. You’re normally the first to leave because of that. Maybe if he didn’t have those obnoxious friends, you could tolerate him more. You can’t help but associate him with them though. You simply want to get away from them, even if that includes him. Not that you are craving his presence anyway. You barely know him and aren’t interested in changing that.

“Those are looking awesome so far!” Dae exclaims when she peers over your shoulder to see your sketches.

You smile at her and set your iPad down on the table. The weather outside is perfect, given the cool breezes in the heat. It eases your mind, and you feel more creative being in a new environment.

“Thanks, how are yours coming along?” you question and wait for her to angle her own iPad to you. On the screen are various designs, each with a hint of purple or blue.

“Those are neat,” you compliment.

“Yeah?” she says and beams at you. “What about this one? I think the shoulder looks a little weird.”

You reach over, using two fingers to zoom in on the screen to examine it.

“Maybe just lower this,” you gesture on the screen, careful as to not move the screen on accident. “You could take this part out too and make it asymmetrical.”

Dae hums, lips pursed in thought. “I’ll try it. I guess I won’t really know until it’s on someone.”

You nod in agreement before focusing on your designs again. After a while, Dae excuses herself from your homework session. She had planned to meet with one of her helpers. You bid her a quick goodbye.

Ten minutes pass when you see someone standing in front of your table, blocking your sunlight. Your eyes rise to see who it is.

“Hi,” Seungcheol greets.

You straighten your posture upon seeing him. He wears a basic navy suit that fits him well. To your surprise, it actually looks decent on him. Your eyes dart around him to see if any of his friends came.

“Just me this time,” he answers the question in your head.

“What is it you need?” you ask blankly.

“Must I need something?” he retorts.

You suppress the eye roll you want to give him. “Well, I’m sure you didn’t come here to tell me about your day.”

“I can if you want,” he responds, then to your utter dread, he sits down across from you. From the position he is sitting at, the breeze is blowing his hair forward and into his face. He raises a hand to push it back, but it’s no use.

“You can spare me. Tell me what you want and go,” you instruct. This is the first time he has approached you—and alone, for that matter. You don’t want to make it a regular thing.

“Always straight to the point,” he chuckles.

“I just don’t like my time being wasted,” you explain.

“So, I’m wasting your time now?” His eyebrow quirks up.

“Should I spell it out for you?” you scoff. It should be obvious that you don’t feel like talking to him.

“You can try, but do you know how to spell it?” he stares at you through the hair on his face. Even though you can’t see him clearly, you can tell he has a challenging gleam in his eyes.

“At this point, I think you just came to bother me,” you sulk.

He smirks at you. “I didn’t, but it is a little fun to see your feathers ruffled.”

“They’re perfectly content being unruffled.”

Seungcheol chuckles at your response. He pushes his hair back, but this time he rests his hand against his head, keeping his hair in place. His elbow is propped on the table while his other arm lays flat on the surface.

All the times you have seen him, his hair has covered part of his forehead. Now, it’s all exposed, and you feel you can see him. Maybe it’s because he’s donning a suit for once, but he looks almost… handsome like this—dressed formally with a small glint in his eyes and his lips spread in a gentle smile.

“Where’s the fun in that?” he replies. “I think you need to have more fun.”

Well, he was handsome until he opened his mouth.

“I don’t need a stranger telling me how to live my life,” you say.

“A stranger? I would think we’re at least acquaintances,” he frowns.

“You only see me because your friends are helping me. Speaking of, is that why you’re here? Does it have anything to do with one of them?”

Seungcheol bites his bottom lip, and you can’t stop your eyes from lowering to his mouth.

“Maybe,” he answers slowly. Your eyes snap back to his when he speaks. He gives you a knowing smile that has you shifting in your seat. You had only looked at his lips because he brought attention to them. Nothing more.

“Are we playing twenty questions?” you groan, finally unleashing the eye roll you have been trying not to do.

“We can,” Seungcheol says with a shrug. “You asked three already—more if you start from the time I sat down.”

Exhaling a deep breath, you put your forehead on the hand that’s propped on the table. The conversation is slowly draining your energy. The need to be alone becomes stronger with each second.

“Seungcheol,” you warn. You are not about to play a guessing game with this man. “Please.”

“Oh, so that word is in your vocabulary.”

“Yes. Would you like me to use it in a sentence?” you question, pitch raised as if you’re talking to a toddler. You lift your head to glare at him.

“Sure,” he smirks and leans forward. He still holds his hair back and this time, you can really see the way he is goading you.

“Please fuck off,” you grin widely. Your head tilts to the side as you push your arms together to act overly cute.

“Please make me,” he counters. The smirk he wears is still plastered on his lips.

“If we weren’t in public, I would,” you say, voice returning to normal as you relax your body—the cute act over.

“Oh? How?” he chuckles. From the way he looks at you, you know his mind has gone elsewhere.

You push at the arm that is stretched across the table. “Because I would rather not get caught for murder, you pervert.”

Seungcheol laughs and sits back, letting his hair fall back into his eyes. It’s the first time you notice he has dimples. Your first impression is that they are cute, but you quickly recall who they belonged to and shove that thought from your mind.

“Seokmin wanted to let you know he lost your card,” he finally discloses. “Asked if you could give him another.”

“If he lost a simple card, is he really reliable?” you sigh as you grab another from your purse.

“The good news is those stage lights are so big, he won’t be able to lose those,” he says, taking the card from your hand.

“Thankfully,” you mutter. “I hope you’re better than Seokmin at not losing things.”

“I’ll get this to him, don’t worry,” he replies and puts the card in his suit jacket. You want to ask why he is wearing that, but that will mean you will prolong this conversation. Fortunately for you, he starts to stand up before you succumb to the temptation.

“Thanks for the talk,” he says as if you had a choice. “I’ll see you around.”

You would have doubted that, but you know that won’t be true.

The second time Seungcheol approaches you by himself is a few days later when he catches you exiting a building he is approaching.

“Don’t tell me someone else lost my card as well,” you say after he calls your name. You readjust your bag on your shoulder as you wait for his response.

“About that,” he starts sheepishly.

You put your weight on one hip and cross your arms, and set your mouth in a straight line. You wait for him to tell you who is the perpetrator.

“I may have left your card in my suit jacket when I washed it.”

Well, that explains why you haven’t received a message from Seokmin yet.

“Seriously, Seungcheol?” you exasperate.

“I didn’t do it on purpose!” he says, lips pouting and eyebrows angled.

Shaking your head, you retrieve another card. You make a mental note to restock later as you are running out.

Seungcheol reaches out to grab it from you, but you quickly pull back.

“Put this in your bag,” you instruct.

You slowly give him the card and watch as he slings his bag around to his front. He makes a show of unzipping one of the front pockets and sliding it inside.

“Done,” he says, acting like he should be rewarded for doing as he was told.

“Good. Is that all?” you wonder. You’ve just finished your last class of the day, and all you want to do is climb into bed.

“Yes.”

Seeing no need to continue the conversation, you start walking in the direction of the parking lot.

“Great. Bye, Seungcheol,” you say over your shoulder.

“Hey, wait,” he says quickly, walking briskly to be by your side. “We’re going in the same direction.”

You peer up at him momentarily. “That doesn’t mean we have to walk together.”

“You said before we’re strangers. This would help us not be that anymore,” he shrugs casually.

“I never said I wanted that,” you reply flatly.

“It might benefit us since we’ll have to see each other a lot.”

“Is that so?” you sigh sadly.

Seungcheol smiles at you before shoving his hands in his pockets. “You did ask my friends to help you.”

“Well, if I knew you were a package deal, I wouldn’t have.”

“Come on. I’m not that bad.”

Sighing, you slow your steps to look at him better. He stops next to you, awaiting your response. His gaze is hopeful, but you’re not sure why.

“I’ll agree if you leave me alone,” you finally say.

Seungcheol’s lips dip in a frown. “I’ll get you to admit it one day.”

He starts to walk again before you can reply. Now is your chance to let him get a few feet from you. You have the opportunity to finally end this conversation you’ve been dreading. Though, for some strange reason, your feet quickly move on their own accord.

Seungcheol’s steps are small, and you catch up with him easily. Neither of you says a word, but you can see a hint of a smile on his lips.

Instead of parting ways once you reach the parking lot, he follows you to your car. Something about it being dangerous for you to walk to it alone, even though it’s light out.

“Yn?” he says to catch your attention when you open your door. You turn and give a small “hm?” in response.

“My friends and I plan to go to this poetry lounge in two weeks. Would you want to come?” he asks. You aren’t sure why he appears to be anxious.

The shock you feel must be evident on your face because Seungcheol’s apprehensive expression relaxes into a gentle smile.

“Business friends or our ‘mutual ones’?” The idea doesn't sound so bad if you are hanging out with the people who are helping you. Although you have your issues with them, they aren’t that bad to be around if you’re being honest.

“Business.”

That’s not what you want to hear.

“Do your friends know you’re asking me this?”

Seungcheol shakes his head. “No, but I don’t need their permission. What do you say?”

You can’t recall being invited to a night out with someone other than Dae. If you were to go out without Dae, it would be with your family or for a class assignment. To be invited to a place by Seungcheol, out of all people, catches you off guard.

Despite having an opportunity for a different change of pace, you answer, “No.”

“No?” he asks, perplexed.

“Your friends don’t like me, Seungcheol,” you explain matter-of-factly through a sigh, leaning against your open door.

“They just like to tease you. I’ll talk to them before,” he explains.

Tease is a funny way to describe it, you think.

“I don’t need you fighting my battles,” you answer, referring to the latter part of his reply.

“Still. I want you to enjoy yourself. You’ve probably been glued to that project of yours. Step away for a bit,” he reasons.

He isn’t wrong. Your focus has solely been on the project. Of course, you have other classes, but you aren’t putting as much effort into them as you are this one.

“I’ll pick you up and pay for any expenses,” he offers. The more he talks, the more taken aback you are. You figured he’d drop the offer once you rejected him. From every interaction you’ve had with these “friends,” it never ends well. You doubt this will be any different. Regardless, something in you feels a little… honored he is so adamant about getting you to come.

Thus, hesitantly, “Fine.”

Seungcheol’s face breaks out in a grin. “Okay. I can give you my number, so you can text me your address.”

He starts to pull out his phone, but you stop him.

“No need,” you say. At Seungcheol’s confused expression, you continued with a faint smile, “You have my card.”

His mouth opens briefly in realization before the corners are pulled up.

“One step ahead, I see,” he teases, pulling it out to inspect it as if confirming your number is there. You suppose he may think you’re lying to get out of going.

“I’ll text you then,” he concludes and places the card back.

“Alright,” you say, shifting your weight. You aren’t sure if he wants to say anything else. Why are you giving him the time to? You have already given him enough of it.

Sensing your readiness to leave, he waves as he slowly takes steps backward. “Drive safely, Yn.”

“You too, Seungcheol.”

You climb into your car’s seat, turn on the engine, and watch as he makes his way through the maze of cars until he is out of sight.

That Friday comes sooner than you would’ve liked.

Throughout the times you had met with your “friends,” you had bumped into Seungcheol one-third of the time. Sometimes, you were left alone with him again. Each interaction you had with him became easier the more you talked to him.

Dare you to admit; his presence wasn’t actually teeth-gritting anymore? At least when he was alone, you didn’t have to deal with his business friends. Despite him not usually laughing at their jokes, he never really stepped in to stop them teasing you at first. Maybe only a few times when he felt things got too heated. He wasn’t your best friend, but part of you did hope he would’ve said something.

Each time he didn’t, you felt your disappointment rise. He apologized on their behalf constantly, but his apology meant nothing when they kept insulting you. However, lately, he has been stepping in sooner. Although you didn’t want him fighting your battles initially, some things you couldn’t do alone. One thing you and his business friends had in common was that no one really knew where the sudden change of attitude came from. For once, you didn’t complain, though.

You’re tempted to cancel this outing, but talking to Seungcheol a few days ago made you realize he was a little more excited than he was letting on. The reason is unknown to you—maybe he really likes poetry lounges—but you’d feel slightly guilty if you ditch last minute.

It’s not like you haven’t been out on a Friday night with people, yet your heart is beating rapidly in your chest. You have changed about six times, exchanging your accessories with each outfit. Normally, you would dress up more, but these aren’t your friends you’re about to hang out with. They are Seungcheol’s—business majors who think skirts more than two inches above the knees mean you’re a slut. Though, you can’t figure out why that matters. You never dress with the thoughts of others. If you want to wear something that day, even if it’s “over-the-top” for some, you wear it. So, why are you in such a fashion dilemma now?

In the end, you settle for a simple, spaghetti-strapped red dress that is slightly bunched on the sides with strings that are tied in bows. You pair it with a small, heart-shaped purse and white heels. There isn’t any bling in your outfit, which is unusual for you. The accessories you wear are minimal and small. They are a matching cherry set you were gifted by your mother on your 12th birthday. Although it’s been years since you received them, they’re still wearable and delicate enough not to call much attention—unlike some of your other accessories.

You reach for a white fur jacket only to stop when your fingers graze it. Your eyes travel to yourself in the mirror as you debate on wearing it. The jacket will be too much, you conclude.

The buzzing of your phone catches your attention. It’s Seungcheol telling you he’s five minutes away. After stuffing your phone in your purse, you quickly apply red lipstick and toss it in your purse for later touch-ups.

When your phone buzzes again, you hurry to your front door. Your family is home, and you don’t want Seungcheol to meet them. Life at home isn’t ideal, and the only person who has a hint of what is going on is Dae. You doubt Seungcheol will find that out from one quick meeting, but you don’t want to risk it.

You throw your door open, ready to meet him at his car. Instead, he stands in front of you with a hand raised. He takes a step back in surprise. His eyes glide down your body quickly, but you’re too concerned about your family coming to notice.

“Oh, hey,” he greets. “I was just about to knock.”

Before any of your family can intervene, you close the door and start your way down the porch steps. Seungcheol follows you.

“You didn’t have to. I can make my way to your car by myself,” you answer. Although you’ve never been in his car before, you’ve seen it around. Plus, it’s the only unknown vehicle near your home.

You stand next to the passenger door and wait for him to unlock it, arms wrapped around your body when the chilly weather hits you.

“You sure you don’t want a jacket?” he asks when he notices you didn’t bring one.

“It didn’t go with my outfit,” you explain. It’s a lie. The coat did go with your fit, but you didn’t feel like disclosing the fashion crisis you had gone through.

Seungcheol chuckles. “So, you’re going to freeze instead?”

“It’s not that cold,” you lie again.

“It’ll get colder later, though,” he explains and comes closer to you. You step aside when he is a few inches from you. You press your arms tighter around you, eyes averting from his because of his close proximity. The small distance has you wanting to squirm away, but your feet can’t move. He peers at you with a small smile while he reaches behind you.

“My lady,” he murmurs when he pulls the door open and gestures for you to get inside.

“How chivalrous,” you reply after you force your nervousness away. You carefully slide inside his car, situating yourself comfortably in the seat.

Seungcheol waits to ensure you have all your limbs inside before shutting the door. As he walks around to the other side, your eyes scan his car. The seats are leather, and the interior has higher tech than you thought it would. It is a nice car—not overly luxurious, but enough to show it isn’t cheap. It makes you wonder how much it costs.

“You warm enough?” Seungcheol questions after he gets in and buckles.

“Yeah,” you reply quietly, hands resting awkwardly in your lap. The heat from the vents aids in your goosebumps disappearing.

Your mind is already wondering what to expect tonight. You know his friends aren’t fond of you. At least most of them. That guy, Vernon, seems nice enough. He is the quiet one in the group; however, you did notice he has his own quirks that make him unique. You foresee yourself hanging out with him most tonight. But even then, you don’t feel too great about going.

The longer you sit in Seungcheol’s car, the more you regret agreeing to this.

He stares at you for a moment; brows knitted together slightly. You feel uncanny acting so meek, and Seungcheol can't help but notice.

Silence consumes the small area for a few seconds until Seungcheol says, “Seatbelt.”

You look at him confused, then realize he is talking to you. Of course he is, who else?

“Right,” you mumble, quickly pulling the belt over your body.

“You don’t have to come, you know?” he says with one hand on the steering wheel while the other is on the gear stick.

You sigh and gesture to the road ahead. “Let’s just get going. I’ve got stuff to do after.”

It isn’t completely a lie. You still have to work on bringing your designs to life for the show, but it isn’t like you are behind schedule that you need to do that tonight. You just know you might actually back out if you ponder on leaving more.

Seungcheol bites his bottom lip, averting his focus to the road. He doesn’t reply and obliges to your request by shifting the car into drive.

During the ride, your gaze drifts to Seungcheol. He is relaxed in his seat. One arm stretches to hold the wheel while his other rests on his thigh. One which is clad in a pair of light-washed jeans with a black belt between the jean loops. He wears a white shirt tucked in and a black jacket.

You peer forward slightly to read what his shirt says. Propriety of Balenciaga? The Balenciaga? You don’t think he’s wealthy enough to afford one of those shirts. Perhaps it was a gift or a knock-off brand? Maybe he thrifted it… Though, Seungcheol doesn’t seem like the thrifting type.

“Do you need this?” he asks, breaking you out of your thoughts. He’s holding his jacket open to show you what he means. You must’ve been staring too much.

“No, I’m okay,” you say and turn your attention away quickly. “I just didn’t realize you wore glasses.”

Although the comment is true, you need something to say before he questions why you truly are staring at him. You had noticed the spectacles earlier but didn’t feel like mentioning them.

Seungcheol laughs lightly, “Actually, I don’t. I just thought I’d try to improve my fashion. What do you say, did it work?”

He glances at you after stopping at a traffic light; his mouth quirks up in a teasing smile. You turn toward him and scan his face quickly. They do look good on him, but you aren’t going to tell him that.

“They certainly did something, but whether that effect is good or bad is a secret,” you reply, looking away again.

“I’ll take that as you not wanting to admit they look nice on me,” Seungcheol says and continues driving at the green light.

“I think they’d look better on someone else,” you answer. Though, you don’t believe what you said. Something about the glasses on him has you wanting to stare at him more. They fit his face well and make him appear more attractive. You don’t want to sit on that thought for much longer.

“Is that so? Here,” he says, pulling them off his face. The glasses come into your view, and you stare at him, puzzled.

When you don’t take them, he adds, “They won’t bite.”

You roll your eyes at his comment and finally grab them from his grasp. You pull down his sun visor to look at yourself. After sliding on the spectacles, you turn your head from side to side to see the different angles.

“I think I was right. They do look better on someone else,” you tease and face him as you shut the visor. Seungcheol turns to you at your reply.

His eyes wander across your face, a hint of a smile appearing on his lips.

“Maybe I’ll have to agree with you this one time,” he says. His stare lingers on yours so much that it has you shifting in your seat. When you avert your gaze, your eyes widen.

“Cheol!” you shout as he was about to rear-end another car. Instinctively, he shoots an arm out across your chest that has your back pressing firmly against the seat. The sudden act causes you to reach up and grab onto his arm tightly.

The car screeches as it comes to a sudden halt. Luckily in time to not hit the other car.

You both sit still, breathing intensified at the near accident. After a few seconds, Seungcheol retracts his arm. It’s then you realize you’re still holding onto him. Your eyes dart to his forearm and frown when you see small crescent shapes indented in his skin.

“Sorry,” you say sheepishly.

Seungcheol’s focus is ahead of him but glances at you in confusion at your apology. “What?”

You quickly gesture to his forearm. When he sees the marks, he rubs a hand over them absentmindedly. “It’s fine. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Are you?” you reply, heart rate slowing down to normal.

“I’m alright. Sorry. I guess I shouldn’t make you play dress up in the car.”

“No, it was my fault.”

Seungcheol eases on the gas pedal when the light turns green, keeping a safe distance from the car in front. He remains quiet for a while to ensure you are both safe.

“Are you sure you’re okay? First, you apologize, and now something is your fault?” he jokes.

You don’t remember what you said a few minutes ago, so it takes a while for you to comprehend what he is saying. “Shut up,” is all you can respond with in the end.

Seungcheol laughs but doesn’t pester you about it any longer.

“Oh, you can take these back,” you say and tug off the reason for almost hitting another car.

“Thanks,” he mumbles as he slides the glasses back on his face.

You nestle yourself back in the seat again and glance out the window. As the buildings pass, it dawns on you that you’ve never called him Cheol. The thought of using a nickname for him has your body tingle with an unknown feeling. It’s strange. You aren’t the first to call him that, but you aren’t that close to him to start using nicknames. Annoyingly, you spend the remainder of the car ride fretting about how he felt toward you shortening his name.

Did he even notice? If he did, did he like it? Had you crossed a line?

When he parks, you become acutely aware of everyone’s attire. Many wear jeans or tights with a plain shirt and jacket. A few have on skirts or dresses, but they are more t-shirt dresses or plain skater skirts, if anything. Plus, they are accompanied by tights because of the weather. No one has as much skin showing as you do.

The sinking feeling of not belonging consumes you. You can’t remember the last time you felt this way, and that alone has you questioning yourself even more.

“I’m too dressed for this, aren’t I?” you think out loud.

Seungcheol turns off the car, eyes raking your body again. Though this time, you’re aware of it. You tug down the bottom of your dress at his stare. It’s not like it’s predatory, but it still has your nerves skyrocketing.

“Since when did you care about what others thought of your outfit?” he wonders. The question has you sighing, momentarily closing your eyes as you remind yourself you dress for you, not for others’ approval.

“Right,” you swallow harshly and sling your purse over your shoulder—mentally throwing away the negative thoughts too. “Let’s just go.”

With that, you open his car door and step out.

“Yn wait—” you hear Seungcheol call out right as you shut the door.

Your hair is immediately pushed from your face as the wind blows past. It makes your body shiver, and for a split second, you wish you took up Seungcheol’s offer to grab a jacket when you were at your house.

Seungcheol’s car beeps as it locks before he stands in front of you. His broad body blocks the wind, and you feel your own ease from feeling a tad warmer.

“I’m sorry if that came off rude,” he apologizes softly. “I think you look great.”

You look at him, face void of emotion. You don’t believe him, but you don’t want to argue. At least not standing in this weather.

“Okay,” you reply. “We need to go meet your friends.”

You take a step forward, thinking it will get him to start walking toward the building, but he doesn’t budge. You only decrease the distance between you two.

“I mean it,” he whispers.

Goosebumps are forming on your exposed skin the longer you stay out. You blame the cold weather for them, but something in your chest tightens at the way Seungcheol is speaking to you.

“I think red is your color,” he pauses. “You should wear it more, Cherry.”

Your head tilts at his last word. “Cherry?”

The corner of his mouth raises at hearing it from your lips. Slowly, he brings a hand to your face. You stand still as you stare at him with wide eyes. His hand brushes past your cheek before he grazes his fingertips along your ear.

“It suits you,” he murmurs, eyes moving away from yours.

You follow his gaze and realize he has been looking at your cherry-charmed earrings. His eyes then flicker to the matching cherry-charmed necklace resting below your bare collarbones. You’re not sure if he means the color suits you or if the nickname he just made suits you. Either way, you’re surprised at his words.

Suddenly, the weather doesn't feel as chilly anymore. Your body heats quickly at his comment, or maybe it’s from how close he is to you. Nevertheless, you need to distract yourself from this warm, odd feeling bubbling in your chest.

You clear your throat and step back. His hand lowers steadily.

“I’ll think about it,” you reply more confidently and clearly.

Seungcheol takes the hint and moves aside, hands stuffed in his jeans pockets. He nods his head in the direction of the building, and you start walking toward it. Your pace is slightly faster than his, but you don’t mind not walking next to him. If anything, you need distance from him anyway.

The moment you open the door to the lounge, the heat from inside greets you in full force. You step inside and are welcomed by a worker. He is young, maybe a few years younger than you. He gives you a friendly smile.

“Hi, are you wanting to be seated, or are you with a group already?”

“With a group,” you reply. The worker nods.

“Do you need help locating them?”

You shake your head as the jingle of the door opening sounds behind you. Seungcheol stops behind you. His hand comes to hover over your lower back, not really touching you, but close enough to feel the heat radiate from his hand onto your skin. It has you shuffling away.

“They’re over there,” he says. You peer up to see where he is gesturing. Fair enough, you see his friends at a table toward the back of the building. There are five of them, all smiling at each other. You can spot a few familiar faces—one of them being Vernon. You feel a little at ease knowing he made it here.

“Thanks,” you murmur to the worker before making your way to the table. The closer you get to the table, the slower your steps become. You’re used to keeping your chin high in situations you aren’t completely comfortable in. The whole “fake it until you make it” is on repeat in your head.

Yet the saying is not encouraging you much right now.

“You’re not mad at me, are you?” Seungcheol asks when he catches up to you. You don’t realize you had stopped a few feet from the table.

“No,” you say. You aren’t mad at him; you just need some space from him for now. You don’t like how you aren’t in control of your emotions when you’re around him. “I’m going to freshen up in the bathroom.”

Seungcheol eyes you for a second before nodding. You make your way to the bathroom, but right before you enter, you can hear the welcoming echoes coming from his table of friends. All of them sound cheerful and excited to see him. You don’t expect any of them to look forward to your presence, yet you feel a little disappointed when no one brings up your name—in a positive way.

After using the restroom and washing your hands, you stand in front of the mirror with your hands lingering under the warm water. Your eyes roam your face and body, taking in your appearance. Compared to your normal fashion, you really did dress down. You sigh when you realize you’re circling back to the same issue.

You retract your hands from the faucet and grab a few towels to dry them.

It doesn’t matter if you’re overly dressed. You usually are and don’t care. You look great. You should feel confident in your fit.

You gently tug the dress down before turning in front of the mirror.

You look fine. You look nice.

As you reapply your lipstick, you keep repeating compliments and reassuring phrases in your head.

They’re going to look at you funny. You are going to ignore them.

“That’s right,” you sigh to yourself as you toss the lipstick back into your purse.

Suddenly, your phone starts to vibrate. You pull it out to see Dae’s name appear across the top. You eagerly answer her call.

“Hey babe,” Dae’s voice comes from the other line. “How’s it going?”

“I’m ready to go home,” you say with a small huff.

“Damn, that horrible? Is he treating you badly?” Dae questions. You had told her about Seungcheol’s invitation when you got home that day. She was shocked, but ultimately supportive of you going.

You shake your head despite her not being able to see you. “No, he’s been fine. I just,” you pause. Although you have your ups and downs with Dae, she has stayed with you when no one else has. You don’t disclose your troubles often, wanting people to not see that side of you, but you’re feeling too low that you can’t stop the confession from coming out.

“I’m way overdressed for this place. Everyone’s in jeans or tights. I don’t belong here,” you say.

Dae sighs sadly. “Jeans are boring. I think I only own a pair,” she answers, trying to make you smile. “Just remember, if you were to die right now, would you want your last outfit to be something boring?”

“No,” you answer slowly.

“Exactly. These are people who are used to looking plain. They’re probably jealous you’re outdressing them. Don’t let them get to you, Yn. I’m sure you look beautiful.”

Your shoulders ease at her words. “Thanks, Dae.”

“No need. If they had the talent to dress themselves better, they would.”

You let her words sink in, but the reassurance doesn’t last long.

“I shouldn’t have come,” you say, beginning to pace the small area in the bathroom.

“It’s good for you to be around people from outside our department. It’ll make you more open-minded,” she encourages. “Plus, Seungcheol isn’t as bad as he seemed, huh?”

There is a teasing tone to her voice that you don’t like.

“One outing with him doesn’t mean he’s my friend,” you argue.

Dae giggles. “No, but it’s a start. Do you like him?”

“No!” you answer quickly.

“I was just asking in general. Not ‘like’ as in crushing on him,” she explains nonchalantly, but you can hear her smile.

“He’s,” you pause as you try to think of a word to describe him, “he’s been alright.”

“Well, I better let you get back to him then. I just wanted to check in,” Dae answers.

“Thanks. I appreciate it,” you say.

“Remember, you don’t need their approval. You never have, and you never will. People want the confidence you have.”

“I’m not feeling too confident right now,” you mumble.

“That’s because you’re overthinking. Chin up, okay?”

Sighing, you reply. “Okay.”

“Good. Talk to you later!”

“Yeah,” you say before hanging up.

Taking one last look at yourself, you roll your shoulders back and exit the bathroom.

Seungcheol is sitting in the middle of Hajun and someone you don’t know. His eyes lift to meet yours when he hears the sound of your heels.

“Hey, you okay?” he asks.

Nodding, your eyes roam for a spot to sit.

“You knew you were just going to a poetry lounge, right? Not the runway,” Hajun comments with a small scoff.

Your eyes move to look at her, and you quirk an eyebrow. She wears leggings with a graphic tee. Her discarded jacket is slung over the back of her chair. “Are you sure you know that, as well? Or did you think you were just going back to your bed?”

“This is how normal people dress,” she replies.

“Relax, Hajun,” a voice you don’t know sounds. You direct your attention to them.

The guy has black hair that is parted on the side to expose his forehead. His eyes are narrow, and even though he has a soft appearance now, you’re sure his gaze can be fierce when needed.

“People don’t need to dress up for special occasions,” he says.

You’re taken aback by his comment. Seungcheol’s friends have always questioned your wardrobe, so for this new “friend” to not agree with Hajun is surprising.

“No, they don’t, but you gotta’ admit she’s a little overdone huh, Soonyoung?” Hajun replies.

“Hajun,” Seungcheol interjects, giving her a pointed look.

“I understand not everyone knows how to dress. It’s okay, though. I can offer my services if you need some help,” you comment, half tempted to reach in your bag to get a business card. Although you aren’t on campus, you never know when you’ll run into someone who will make a good connection, so you keep them with you wherever you go.

“Services?” Hajun laughs and rests her crossed arms on the table. “And what ‘services’ are you offering? Because from the looks of it, I can tell exactly what you offer. Sorry, I’m not interested.”

Her eyes roam your body once more, indicating that the way you are dressed, means your services consist of paying to be with people in bed.

“I don’t think those services would help you anyway. Your rotting attitude is enough to repel anyone. Though I guess some people are willing to lower their standards when they’re desperate,” you counter.

“You’re such a—” she starts.

“Can we talk?” Seungcheol asks Hajun quickly, but he doesn’t give her the option to answer because he takes her hand and pulls her away from the group.

The table is silent for a few seconds before Soonyoung speaks up again.

“Don’t pay any mind to her. It’s nice to meet you. You must be Yn?” He smiles at you, slightly bowing at you.

“Correct,” you say, trying to not show how irritated you feel.

“Come sit,” he offers, pulling up a chair so you’re sat between him and Vernon. You thank him before sitting in the chair. You sit your purse in your lap as conversations begin to spark again.

Their voices become background noise as your gaze drifts to Seungcheol and Hajun in the corner. They stand close to each other and are in a deep conversation—clearly about you. Seungcheol has his back to you, so you can’t see his expression, but you can see Hajun’s. Her lips are in a frown, her expression not as sassy as before.

Though her pouting seems forced, her bottom lip a little too far stuck out. Soon enough, she rolls her eyes, an expression similar to how it was earlier. Her eyes then move from him to you over his shoulder. When she catches your gaze, she smiles and raises a challenging eyebrow. However, her gaze doesn’t last long because Seungcheol’s hand comes up and guides her eyes back to him. Even though his hand isn’t touching her completely, she leans into his touch. The act has you stilling.

“Yn?” Vernon questions, tearing you from your thoughts. You don’t realize you’re clutching your purse until your focus goes to Vernon. You ease your grip and raise an eyebrow.

“Soonyoung was asking what your major was,” Vernon explains.

“Oh,” you say, glancing around the table. It appears the others are in their own conversation.

You look at the man to your left. He gives you a reassuring smile that tells you he is patient. “I’m studying fashion design. Are you in business, too?”

Soonyoung shakes his head with a laugh. “I could never. I’m a dance major.”

“Wow, that sounds nice,” you say. “Aren’t your career choices limited with that, though?”

“A little,” Soonyoung replies honestly. He doesn’t seem offended by the question. Maybe he gets it a lot. “But it makes me happy. I can always teach or maybe even become a dancer in a well-known group.”

You hum, understanding his words.

“Isn’t fashion design limited, too?” Vernon asks.

“Clothes are everywhere. I can do a lot with it.”

“But not everyone will wear your clothes,” Hana says, having finally heard your discussion.

“There will always be someone,” you argue, confident in your work. It may be a slow start, but you believe in your designs.

She laughs. “Who? Your mother?”

Your eyes narrow at the mention of your mom, and Hana is quick to notice the change in attitude. Instead of letting go of the topic, she continues.

“Ooh, trouble at home? See? I knew the ‘Great Yn’ isn’t as perfect as she seems,” Hana says. What makes her think you are so “great” is unknown to you, but you aren’t surprised to guess people have made up a persona for you.

“Stop, Hana,” Vernon says, but it has no effect.

“Oh, so we were right?” Hajun’s voice comes from above. You glance up to see she and Seungcheol have returned. It appears their little chat did nothing to keep Hajun from being a bitch.

“Seems so,” Hana says with a smile. “Care to share with the class what kind of mommy issues you have?”

“No wonder she dresses like that,” Doyun, another one of Seungcheol’s alleged friends, adds. “She’s not getting attention at home. I guess Daddy isn’t there either?”

“That’s enough,” Seungcheol scolds them all.

Your eyes are darting from everyone at the table. Their stares are akin to shrink rays, making you feel tiny and minuscule. You know when you aren’t welcomed, and there’s no reason to stay listening to this. You want to snap back, end the conversation with your own last words, but nothing comes to mind.

In lieu, you push your chair back and stand up. Your hands twitch with the temptation to dump their food all over them, but you just want to get out as soon as possible.

You waste no time careening for the exit.

Seungcheol calls your name; you ignore it. The worker from before sees you, telling you goodbye, but you couldn't care less and push past the door before he can finish his sentence.

Your breath gets caught in your throat at the sudden breeze that slams into you. Instantly, your arms wrap around you once more. You glance around and see a bus stop down the street. You don’t care that it’s the other way from Seungcheol’s car. You hurry to the station, not sure when the next bus will come.

The bus stop isn’t deserted despite the cold weather. The area must be busy all the time since the sidewalks are littered with more people than you expect. All the seats at the stop are taken, yet you still shuffle under the shelter in hopes to get away from some of the breeze.

You are shaking, and your teeth are chattering. It’s impossible to force your body to stop since you need to generate heat somehow. You probably look like a pathetic naked chihuahua in winter.

You take out your phone, open up a browser, and search for bus times. Thankfully, there’s one coming in three minutes in the direction you need. The thought of taking the bus is not pleasurable. You hate the idea of your skin touching something so many others have touched. It feels unsanitary.

Accidentally leaning back against the wall while you silently groan has you jumping at the cold material touching your bare skin. Your jolt catches the attention of an older woman who is sitting near you.

“Aren’t you freezing, child?” she asks as she stares at your attire—or lack of.

“I’ll be fine soon,” you say, not really in the mood for talking.

“Where is your coat? Did you not know the weather was going to be cold?” she continues.

Utterly done with all the people-talk tonight, you hiss, “Focus on yourself. I’ll focus on me.”

She seems startled at your outburst. Her already crossed arms tighten as she turns away from you. Her muttered “bitch” doesn’t go unnoticed, but you don’t say anything about it. There’s no point in arguing with a stranger.

The sound of the bus calls your attention, and you mentally thank the universe for the great timing. After people leave and all the new patrons enter, you finally take a step up the bus’ steps. Before you can climb all the way, you hear your name being called. You look past the bus doors to see Seungcheol running toward you.

Just what you need.

You disregard him and step farther up the steps of the bus.

The bus driver looks expectantly at you, and it dawns on you that you need to provide payment before you can board fully.

“Card?” you wonder. The bus driver nods and gestures to a device to the right.

As you unzip your purse, you feel a hand grip your arm.

“Where are you going?” Seungcheol asks, slightly breathless. His hair is disheveled from running, but he doesn’t seem to care.

“Home, idiot,” you huff and pull your arm out of his grasp so you can retrieve your card.

“Just come with me. We can talk somewhere else,” he pleads, a hand stopping your movements again.

“I’m not going anywhere with you, Seungcheol,” you hiss. “Now, let go of me.”

He hesitates but slowly releases your arm. He doesn’t leave, though. “I’ll take you home. You don’t need to take the bus. Come on.”

“Go with him or get on! We have places to be,” a passenger exclaims, clearly annoyed with your drama.

You raise your head to the person, narrowing your eyes in a glare that tells them to pipe down. It has no effect on them. They shoot a fierce look back.

“I know you don’t want to take the bus,” Seungcheol comments quietly.

He’s right. Not only do you not want to sit next to a lady whose arms are filled with shopping bags—the only available seat—you really don’t want to add time to your trip home.

Seungcheol reaches out again and carefully takes your hand in his. This time, you don’t fight him as he guides you off the bus. Once you’re both off, the bus doors shut and begin its trip down the road.

You watch it silently, not knowing Seungcheol is discarding his jacket until you feel the warm material cover your shoulders. Your eyes snap back to him as if remembering who you’re with.

“I’m sorry they said all that stuff. I told them not to do that tonight,” he says remorsefully.

“Oh, so you’ll let them talk shit about me another day?” you chide and start walking away from him. Thankfully for Seungcheol, it’s in the direction of his car.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” he replies as he hurries to catch up, which doesn’t take much effort as you aren’t walking too fast due to your cold, stiff legs.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll do that whenever they want to. They wouldn’t be the first,” you scoff.

“It doesn’t make it right regardless,” he says. You halt in your steps, causing Seungcheol to stop and turn to look at you.

“I talk shit about people behind their backs, too. Does that make me a bad person?” you question. Perhaps if he sees you as one he’ll leave you alone.

He exhales a deep breath. “Let’s just get in the car, okay?”

“You can admit it,” you challenge and walk closer to him. “Does talking shit about someone make me a bad person, Seungcheol?”

He stares down at you, soft gaze turning dark with annoyance.

“To the car, Yn,” he demands slowly just in case you won’t understand; his tone is sharp in a way you haven’t heard before. You don’t let that scare you away. Maybe if you weren’t so fired up, you would have been a little intimidated.

You laugh darkly and roll your eyes at his command. “You want me to sit next? Bark, too?”

“Now, you’re just being dramatic.”

Dramatic, he says.

“Woof?” you reply, dramatically giving him the best puppy-dog eyes you can muster.

Seungcheol’s jaw clenches at your response—not pleased with your sarcasm. However, instead of replying in an annoyed tone, he takes a step forward. His head draws closer to your face to ensure your eyes are glued to his.

“Wanna be a good girl and go to the car, Cherry?” he murmurs lowly, an eyebrow quirking up for a second.

His sudden change in tone has you stiffening. You want to bite back—figuratively or literately… you aren’t sure yet—but you can’t even remember what you are mad about in the first place.

“Hm?” he croons when you don't reply quickly.

Rather than a sarcastic reply, you simply grumble, “whatever,” before pushing past him to get to his car.

You stand next to the passenger side like before, waiting for him to unlock it. Seungcheol comes beside you and swiftly unlocks the vehicle. Although you aren’t arguing at the moment, you can sense some irritation lingering from him.

You get the feeling he'll always hold the door open no matter how annoyed he is with you.

You feel suffocated.

The air in the car is too hot. The weight of his jacket has you overheating. The tension is unbearable.

Seungcheol keeps his eyes on the road, not throwing you a single glance as he drives. Every once in a while he will tighten his hold on the steering wheel. One time you even catch the way his muscles flex at the motion—now exposed from not wearing his jacket. You never realized how fit he is. This isn’t the first time you have seen him sleeveless, but you just never stared long enough to notice. Or if you did, you simply didn’t care. Regardless, you notice now, and you have to force your eyes away before he catches you staring.

You want to ask for music so you don’t have to sit in this insufferable silence, but your mouth feels dry. You decide to just deal with the quietness, shifting in the seat so you’re facing the window more. Your eyes drift close as you let the hum of the car distract you.

Seungcheol’s jacket is snuggled around you, and his woodsy cologne fills your senses. It’s pleasant, and you don’t mind if you smell more of it in the future.

By the time you arrive home, you are on the verge of sleep. You stumble out of the car and shut the door without saying a word to Seungcheol. You expect him to drive off, but the sound of his tires moving never comes. Instead, you hear his car door opening and closing.

“You don’t have to walk me to the door,” you say while you glance behind you. Seungcheol is following you languidly.

“No, I don’t,” he says and pauses at the bottom of your porch steps. He places a foot on the first step while a hand holds onto the rail. You have your keys out, ready to slide them into the keyhole when you speak.

“Then don’t,” you reply sternly.

He chuckles lowly but doesn’t say anything about it.

“You can go now,” you say when he doesn't move.

“You have something of mine.”

Puzzled, you stare at him for a second. Seungcheol gestures to your body, and you quickly remember you’re wearing his jacket. You tug it off and toss it to him. He grabs it from the air with ease. The loss of heat makes you wish he didn’t say anything.

“Goodnight, Cherry,” he murmurs as soon as you click open your door. You step inside before turning to face him.

The nickname you used earlier forms on your tongue, yet you can’t find the courage to say it consciously.

“Night,” you answer, then shut the door before either of you can say anything else.

With your head bowed, you turn the lock slowly while you exhale deeply. His nickname falls from your lips under your breath—unable to keep the desire at bay.

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A/N: Can't believe the first chapter is actually published 😭 I sat and stared at this for a few before hitting "post" because I'm so anxious! dfl;kbjdvs. Please feel free to share your thoughts on it so far!

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