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zzoguri · 3 months

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[part one] the perfect pair ➵ “ew, is that sunwoo over there? 저리 꺼져.”

esports player!kim sunwoo x esports player!reader

being a woman in the esports league is hard, but dealing with cocky kim sunwoo is unmatched. with the valorant champions tour about to commence, you two are forced to team up to retrieve the trophy. what will be tested—team morale or your patience around sunwoo?

chapter genre/warnings ➵ enemies to lovers, afab reader (they/them pronouns), slow burn, slight angst, crack, sexual tension, misogynistic & sexist remarks and behaviors, sunwoo is such an annoying teammate... retired ow player now val player…, rush gets introduced YIPPEE, sunwoo gets jealous...?, bets are made, a lot of gamer lingo (check the guide & visual aids!)

word count ➵ 10.5k words

parts ➵ check out the series masterlist

a/n ➵ it's out! felt a lil pressured by the number of notes i wont lie! i hope u guys enjoy this along with the visual aid <3 special shoutout to @shegotthewoobies @vernyangel @heemingyu @deobienthusiast for beta reading <3 much love to you all <3 esp to ki who made the usernames <3 if you enjoyed reading, do reblog and leave feedback!

want to be part of my taglist? send me an ask! masterlist

HYST wins VCT’s Game Changers By Bae Sumin

HYST takes the title as the winner of the Valorant Championship Tour (VCT) Game Changers in Los Angeles, USA against defending champion 88RR. The team took over the playing field, showcasing their astounding teamwork and tactful gameplays, and won 3-1 in a best-of-five series.

Since the first match on Bind, players Ailurus (Y/N) and bokku (Miyawaki Sakura) demonstrated their chemistry through their formidable performance as Omen and Yoru respectively. Their alliance was enough for their opponents to avoid one-on-one battles.

Rising player Ppiya (Hong Eunchae) secures her position as one of the most impressive duelists to come from this year’s VCT. In all of the matches played, Ppiya secures at least one kill per round, placing her 3rd in the leaderboards out of all players in the event.

In their second match on Ascent, remarkable sentinel players CHUU (Kim Jiwoo) and subakhye (Son Hyeju) built solid defense systems and dealt with flanks with ease. They can adjust their setups accordingly as they observe their opponents’ playstyle.

Although their exceptional performance in Game Changers makes its mark in VCT history, Ailurus only hopes that they are given more opportunities to engage in such tournaments. “I am happy [about our win], but I hope that the [VALORANT] esports scene sees us more than just winners [of Game Changers]. I want to be seen as a remarkable player regardless of gender,” they share.

Despite HYST participating in VCT for the past two years, this is their first championship win. In last year’s VCT, the organization met its defeat in VALORANT Challengers through their other roster consisting of players bae (Jacob Bae), nuguri (Kim Sunwoo), Darong (Lee Jaehyun), gyulz (Ju Haknyeon), and Maize (Lee Juyeon).

Both teams are under the guidance of Coach bori (Kim Younghoon), a retired VALORANT and League of Legends pro player.

These turn of events displayed HYST’s dedication to improvement and VALORANT. Many followers hope to see more of the reigning champions of Game Changers.

ROUND 1: “WELCOME TO MY WORLD!”

The moon radiates tonight, its white gleam accompanied by speckles amidst the sea of black. Now would be the perfect moment to take some time to yourself; get in more hours of sleep, or pick up a book you’ve been putting off. Instead…

“Hi, everyone! It’s been a while,” you greet your viewers through the webcam.

The monitor shines on you, colors of blue and violet painting your skin. On the wall behind you is a shelf filled with memorabilia; medals from small competitions along with trophies from bigger tournaments.

“I know it’s a little late here, but I was itching to play some matches.” Your eyes glide through your stream’s chat. Many viewers are ecstatic to have you back on Twitch while others question your late hours of streaming.

jseollie: even after game changers?? CRAZY! bboppull: GRIND NEVER STOPS 💪💪💪 bookeucutie: tell us abt vct!!!

A chuckle leaves you as you open up Valorant. “I really enjoyed my time in VCT! I met some of my favorite players like Lorri from Evil Genius, sonder from Shopify, even Version1’s MeL.”

You lean back on your chair as you recall the event. “I won’t lie, I was very nervous about going against 88RR, which, by the way, is a lovely team. We met up for drinks after.” You scratch the back of your neck as you try to go through what your chat says.

“I remember talking to Kura about it since the semifinals, and she had to give me a constant pep talk.” The memory of Sakura knocking sense into you after every match makes you laugh.

As you dish to your viewers about your experience throughout Game Changers, you read their comments. Many of your viewers were happy with your revelation of the teams' bonds with each other. “Yeah, we’re competitive but we’re here with the same dreams, so I think it did help us form some kind of connection. I was able to exchange contacts with Sunmi and Taeyeon as well. I told them that whenever they decide to come back to Korea, they should give me a call.”

ajiajibee: is the trophy with you? ghanadara: i think it’s beside the picture frame

“Oh, I don’t get to keep it. It’s back in the headquarters,” you say as you slightly swivel your chair to the side. “That picture frame, however,” you point at your shelf, “is my certificate. That way, we all have something to bring home.”

You adjust your chair before smiling at the camera. “Anyway, I’m really happy that our practice paid off. It was an honor to even participate and meet other players.”

Most of the reactions were positive ones; congratulations and desires to see your team play together for more events. Yet, regardless of your achievements, there’s constantly a handful of negative ones.

hwithefool: Cant believe you won game changers. Ur not even that good. hwithefool: didn’t even get to champs L honeycube: boosted ass universefactory deleted hwithefool’s message. universefactory deleted hwithefool’s message. universefactory deleted honeycube’s message. hwithefool is now banned from this chat. Reason: Being rude honeycube is now banned from this chat. Reason: Being rude

Thankfully, your moderators were there to take control of such—but you’ll always know what people think of you.

“Anyway, for today’s stream, I’ll be playing with Juhak and Hyeju!” You exclaim as you switch scenes, now showing the Valorant lobby. “We’re going to play on our alt accounts for today, so it should be fun.”

real_juhaknyeon: LFGGGGG goated team rubyvobo: we get nom, jeorge porkwell, AND hyejuseyo?? We win today sunwooluver: what about nuguri?? he’s solo queuing right now rubyvobo: OFHEJSHSJJSKS I LOVE YOU GUYS sunwooluver: WILL NUGURI JOIN??

One of the few perks that comes with being an established streamer is that you could ignore comments, pretending you never saw them, and you’d get away with it; people just didn’t need to talk about it all together and you’d be fine.

So when you invite Haknyeon and Hyeju to your party, you continue talking to your chat about today’s stream. “We’re not going to play ranked today, I think?” You hum for a moment, going through the agenda in your head. “Well, we might, but I have no clue. It depends on what they want.”

Before you can continue with your rambles, your phone vibrates on your desk. Once you grab it, you notice that text messages from Kim Younghoon, the coach of the organization, have come your way.

coach bbang 🍞: hi y/n! don’t forget to remind your teammates about tomorrow’s meeting for vct ☺️ coach bbang 🍞: and gl with your stream tonight! y/n: teewai coach :DD see u tomo

“Sorry about that!” You put your phone away and give your full attention to your monitor. Hyeju and Haknyeon already joined your party, and you spot that they’re in a voice channel on the HYST’s Discord server. “Before I go join VC with the others, I just wanted to say thank you for supporting me and the others in Game Changers. It was a fun but tough competition, and I wouldn’t be here without you guys.”

Although your job did start as a hobby, you continued to persevere through such hardships thanks to your support systems; your teammates and viewers alike. You only ever considered going pro thanks to two friends. Unfortunately, time has its way of making you drift apart from them; you hope you can go face-to-face against them one day if the universe willed for it.

“Anyway, let’s have some good games!”

“I tuned in to your stream last night, Y/N,” Eunchae starts. “That losing streak is insane.”

You sigh, shoulders down as you walk dejectedly. “Don’t even get me started. Our randos were ass and wouldn’t stop talking shit.” You look at your younger friend who only pouts as you recap the events of last night. “I know you would always enter and clear sites for us, my Manchae.”

With your arm wrapped around her shoulder, her expression shifts into a smile. “I mean, that’s the least I can do as your duelist.”

“Well, not everyone seems to know that.”

The HYST headquarters is a three-story infrastructure whose interior resembles corporate buildings; the furniture is mostly of sleek leather and dark-stained wood. Monotone linoleum tiles and off-white walls stretch throughout the building.

As soon as you both arrive in front of the meeting room, you swing the doors open, revealing Sakura, Hyeju, and Jiwoo who sit together on one side of the conference table. You and Eunchae rush to them, exchanging greetings and embraces.

“Do you always play Valorant?” Jiwoo directs the question to you, referencing your stream last night with Hyeju and Haknyeon, to which you roll your eyes.

“No, I just had the itch to play!” You take a seat in between Sakura and Jiwoo. “Plus, I’ll take any opportunity to make some money.”

The doors swing open. “Hi, everyone. It’s nice to see you all,” Younghoon greets your team before walking to the whiteboard situated in the corner of the room.

The organization’s general manager, Lee Sangyeon, trails behind him, a smile painting his face as he takes a seat at the end of the table. “I’ll say this again, but good work in Game Changers.”

“Thanks, Sangyeon,” Sakura expresses her gratitude on behalf of the team. “We wouldn’t have been able to win without your help along with Younghoon’s.”

He shakes his head, trying to play it off. “No, I’m just here to make sure you guys get to participate, you know? Just want to make sure that you guys get recognized.”

Silence settles. The squeaking from Younghoon's marker is faint but loud enough to capture your attention. Although his figure covers most of what’s written on the whiteboard, you catch sight of a few gamer tags—Ailurus and bae.

Before you can decipher the other words, the doors open. “Hi, guys!” Haknyeon enters the room with all smiles. “Hello Game Changers winners,” he bows his head, making you chuckle.

His teammates, Jacob and Juyeon, trail behind him, relaxed expressions resting on their faces. “Congrats on the win,” Jacob shakes hands with everyone on your team. “That one play on Ascent went crazy, by the way.” His praise is directed towards you, and you try to play it cool.

“Ah, it was nothing. Just got lucky.”

“If I was in your situation, I probably wouldn’t have secured that round,” Juyeon chimes in as he takes a seat beside his teammates. The three boys sit across from your team.

Haknyeon smacks Juyeon’s arm, laughing at his words. “Yeah! Remember that one round in Breeze?” Juyeon only rolls his eyes while his teammates recap the events for your team.

You don’t really interact with Haknyeon’s team (or Jacob’s team if you were going to follow formalities), just the occasional greetings and small talk if you were going to be honest. It’s not like you didn’t want to be friends with them; there aren't enough opportunities to bond when you all have different schedules, let alone priorities. But you did enjoy their team's presence, and every interaction with them is one you hope may bring your team closer to theirs.

Except for one player.

“Sorry, we’re late!” Hyunjae enters the room with an apologetic smile. “Someone decided to sleep in.”

“Not true! Hyunjae’s lying.”

The room starts to grow dimmer, almost as if life were sucked out of it. Only you seemed to see it, never the others. There he is—the only exception.

He’s dressed in an oversized graphic tee layered on top of a white long-sleeved shirt and a pair of black baggy jeans. His hair shows its soft curls, clearly indicating that he’s the one lying.

A playful pout rests on his lips as he tries to continue his defense. Yet, when he locks eyes with you, he holds back. A scowl now paints his face.

If you follow esports, then you would know who Kim Sunwoo is—an established pro player who switched from Overwatch to Valorant. At first, many people were confused by his choice, throwing away years invested into a different game. Yet, it seemed that he didn’t care about what others had to say as he signed with HYST a few months after he started playing Valorant.

Within that time frame, he was able to impress Younghoon and Sangyeon with his gameplay. After all, Valorant and Overwatch required different playstyles. It was easy for him to become big in the Valorant pro scene, as you would like to say, for he made use of his existing fame.

He’s adored by many people who follow the pro scene; audience and players alike. You, however, seemed to think differently.

You shift your gaze to Younghoon, silently hoping that the meeting will commence. As if he heard your thoughts, he says, “No worries. Go, take your seats.”

Unfortunately, Hyunjae opts to sit across from Eunchae, leaving one vacant seat across from you.

Sunwoo sits on the chair as a dejected sigh leaves him, causing you to roll your eyes while you keep your gaze away from him. All you need to do is get through the meeting and you won’t have to face him for a while.

“Thank you everyone for coming here today,” Younghoon starts as he faces all of you. The whiteboard behind him has now been flipped, and the gamer tags are now hidden. “Uh, before we get into the agenda for today’s meeting, let’s congratulate the winners of Game Changers!”

Applause erupts from everyone who didn’t participate in that competition, but your eyes don’t miss how slow the boy across you claps, almost as if he wasn’t impressed.

“Now, we can get to the point of today’s meeting.” Younghoon steps to the side, revealing the text written—VCT GAMEPLAN with irregular shapes surrounding it. “We all know that VCT is around the corner, a few months from now, which means we’ve got to start our preparations.”

“Normally, we would’ve gone straight to strategizing and having you guys,” your coach looks at the team across you, “practice, but Sangyeon and I have agreed on doing things differently this year.” He flips the board, revealing everyone’s gamer tags. “We’re changing the roster.”

Many players are caught off-guard by Younghoon’s announcement. It’s not usual for a roster change to take place, especially with only a few months left before qualifiers commence.

“We know that not everyone may want to participate in the upcoming VCT, and I’ve spent weeks trying to configure what’s the best roster to represent HYST.” Younghoon then pulls out a blue marker and starts to circle some names; CHUU, Darong, bae, nuguri, and… Ailurus? “These are my picks for VCT.”

A frown appears on your face, but before you can comment, Haknyeon beats you to it. “I don’t know if having Hyunjae and Sunwoo play together is smart.” All eyes are now on him. “I mean, no offense,” his eyes flicker to the two subjects, “I don’t know if Jiwoo and Y/N would be able to keep up, and that’s not a diss to them.”

“I agree,” Jacob chimes in. “Haknyeonie, Juyeon, and I can play with Sunwoo and Hyunjae as duelists because we know their playstyles well. We’ve played together for years. Y/N and Jiwoo would be playing with them for the first time.”

Younghoon bites the inside of his cheek, deep in thought as he considers what’s been said. “Thoughts?” He directs his question to the two people in question. The two players exchange glances, almost as if they were communicating.

“Yeah, I know Sunwoo and I can adjust our playstyle but it took more than half a year for Juyeon and Haknyeon to get used to our playstyle,” Hyunjae says as he scratches the back of his neck. “And if it helps, I’d prefer to sit this one out. You know, I have a lot of sponsorships lined up that I need to stream for also.”

Your coach sighs. “No worries. What about you, Sunwoo?”

“Wait, can I say something?” Jiwoo gathers the attention of everyone in the room. “I also want to opt out of VCT. I mean, I just played in Game Changers.” A guilty smile takes over her features.

Thankfully, Younghoon acknowledges where Jiwoo comes from. “Of course, I understand. After all, that’s why we're having this meeting.”

Before your coach can try to reconfigure the roster, Sangyeon stands up from his seat.

“Can I suggest another rotation?” Younghoon nods before handing him a red marker. Sangyeon starts to circle another list of gamer tags, ones he believes should be in the final line-up of players for VCT; it consists of bokku, bae, gyulz, Ppiya, and… Ailurus, again? Your coach frowns as he looks at the selection.

“I think Sunwoo should be benched.” Your eyebrows shoot up at Sangyeon’s words, not expecting those words considering the player’s reputation.“He’s made some rash plays recently, and you know that.” You glance at the boy who sits across from you only to see that his gaze is affixed to the ground.

Younghoon shakes his head, clearly in disbelief at the manager’s words. “Yes, but that’s only for a few matches. Trust me when I say that Sunwoo is strong as a duelist and an initiator.” His attempt to defend his mentee is weak against Sangyeon’s opinion.

“He plays for himself!”

Clearly, the two higher-ups have opposing views.

“Think about it; Eunchae and Sakura are great duelists, and anyone else on that team plays initiator.”

Although Sangyeon seems to believe his proposed line-up is the best one yet, your coach shakes his head. “Eunchae isn’t playing.” He glances at her before saying, “She told me beforehand.” All eyes are now on the teen who only shows an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, I wanted to take a break from this year’s VCT to focus on my studies.”

Sangyeon scratches the back of his neck. “Well—”

“Hey,” Sakura cuts into the conversation. “Haven’t we considered that Y/N and Sunwoo might not want to play together?” She looks at you two with scrunched eyebrows, clearly confused by your coach’s proposal. “I mean, we all know their relationship, no?”

Your feud isn’t under the table. All of the players know about your distaste towards each other but they don’t know where it stems from.

“Yes, but their playstyles complement each other.” Everyone’s confused as to why Younghoon is persistent. “Out of all my mentees, I’ve worked with them the most, and I know exactly how they can work together.”

“Well, I want Y/N on that team.” As your manager says that, all the attention is now on you. You’re not sure why Sangyeon would say that. Uncomfortable with how you’ve become the topic of the conversation, you cannot help but sink into your seat.

“And I agree with you. But if we’re going to have Y/N play, I need Sunwoo on that team.” You lock eyes with Sunwoo briefly as your coach says that. “He’s my one-pick, and I know he’ll help the team out the most.” Sangyeon sighs, rethinking the roster once more. You shift your gaze to the ground, clearly unhappy being paired with the player across from you.

You weren’t happy that the two continued to discuss the final roster without asking you, but before you could speak up, someone beat you to it.

“Shouldn’t Y/N take a break?” Your gaze lands on the boy across from you, eyebrows now furrowed over his suggestion. “I mean, they did just come from winning Game Changers. We can have Juyeon take over.” When you spot a small smirk resting on his lips, you ball your fists.

Whatever game Sunwoo is playing, you don’t want any part of it. If anything, whatever he’s trying to insinuate has you clenching your teeth. And you’re about to retort—

“No,” Sangyeon says, speaking on your behalf. “Y/N’s a good leader and a team player. I trust Y/N the most out of all the people on the roster.”

Sunwoo raises his hands in defense. “It was only a suggestion.” But when he glances at you, you don’t miss the sinister smile on his face.

Not only was Sunwoo trying to bench you out of the competition but Sangyeon and Younghoon were too invested in their conversation, speaking on your behalf as if you were nothing but a tool for the organization. Without a second thought, you stand up from your seat. Everyone’s eyes are on you as you storm out of the room.

That’s the thing about being a pro player in the esports scene; no one seems to listen to you if you aren’t a man.

For once, silence settles amongst everyone. Your departure is a message, one that everyone failed to see earlier on.

A sigh leaves Sakura. “I know we’re all worried about VCT but let’s not forget to hear everyone out, okay?” She glances at the doors that are now shut closed, wondering where you may have gone. “You know Y/N. Just avoid speaking on their behalf and let them talk for themselves.”

“Yeah,” Eunchae huffs, “let’s give them time to cool down. We only wrapped up Game Changers a few weeks ago.”

As Younghoon crosses his arms, a sigh leaves him as he looks down to the floor. “Sorry, Sangyeon and I were too caught up with what we wanted.” He glances at his watch before shifting his gaze to the players who sit idly. “Let’s talk about this again once they come back.”

In the eye of a hurricane stands you, a witness to the chaos, wondering what course of action nature shall take upon you. Somehow, your screams are soundless—not a single soul minds the hurricane for as long as it doesn’t hit them.

You stand in front of the washroom mirror, taking your time to recollect your thoughts. The stress that comes from the upcoming VCT, the pressure to represent HYST once more, the likelihood of working with Kim Sunwoo for the first time—there’s nothing you can control.

The stars point you towards acceptance, perseverance.

It’s not that you were against representing HYST for the upcoming VCT events. If anything, you were grateful that Sangyeon and Younghoon trusted you to undertake such an important role.

Although you’ve competed in Game Changers, the audience it attracts is smaller in comparison to the ones your manager and coach want to see you in. All eyes will be on you as you compete to reach to Champions.

The weight that comes with playing in a worldwide esports event, one that most of the community is tuned into, rests on your shoulders—a coalition of anxiety from every round that plays out, migraines from reconfiguring your strategies, the comments of you playing just because you aren’t a man. Those reasons should be enough for you to decline the offer, to protect your peace, and to make more out of your streams.

But nothing can compare to bringing back home the fruit of your labor—the Champions Cup—the recognition that comes from competing, and the bond built amongst teammates. If you got to experience all that from Game Changers, you’re almost certain that VCT will bring experiences to be marked in your books.

But what do you know, right?

With a mind clearer after today’s event, you exit the washroom, still deciding whether you should compete or not. Yet, it’s as if the universe has plans to provoke you as you come face-to-face with the last person you want to see.

His eyes lock with yours and a snarl appears on his face. “What? I had to use the washroom.” Defensive, like always.

Before you can make your way back to the conference room, he grabs your arm, holding you back. You glare at Sunwoo, your eyes glancing at his hand on your arm, and he lets go.

He bites the inside of his cheek. “I know we don’t like each other.” Tell me about it. “But,” he sucks in a breath as he stares back at you. “I know we want to prove ourselves, so why don’t we just suck it up and work together?”

Anyone could believe that Sunwoo’s trying to play nice with you—he’s willing to make amends in hopes that there’s no bad blood between you two—but you could care less about what this man has to say.

“It’s not that easy,” you start. “You don’t understand what I want.” Unlike him, you know that proving yourself does nothing.

His frowns over your words. “What do you mean—”

“Sunwoo, you can easily say you want to play to prove yourself,” you cut him off. “I can’t say the same for me. It’s a privilege enough that I can even play in these events.” You jab your index finger against his chest, making him stagger backward.

That’s what makes you and Sunwoo different; while he chases praises from a few lucky plays, you’re left to deal with the backlash from just breathing.

If Sunwoo wants to retort, you don’t give him the chance to do so as you walk away from him. As you reach the doors, you take a deep breath in before swinging them open. The chatter is interrupted by your presence as you make your way back to your seat.

Sunwoo follows shortly, keeping his gaze on you as he takes his seat. You would’ve ignored the way he looks at you but the eye contact you two exchange amplifies what you told him then in the halls. So when an ominous grin appears on your face, the lousy bridge he tried to build towards you crumbles. After all, it was constructed on a poor attempt to save his career.

“Count me in.”

ROUND 2: “YOUR BIGGEST MISTAKE WAS THAT YOU PISSED ME OFF.”

With every day that passes, the weight of VCT rests heavier on your shoulders. Playing with a team you don’t compete with is not easy. Yet, you’re hopeful today—it’s all you have, after all.

As you enter the practice room, you are greeted by the chilly air that emits from the air conditioners. The practice room resembles an internet cafe; desks are lined up with monitors and keyboards while CPUs are placed under the tables.

You catch sight of Sakura and Haknyeon chatting away as they sit in front of their assigned computers. Jacob, however, is busy talking to Younghoon; you can only assume they’re talking about possible strategies.

Before you take a seat beside Haknyeon, you make sure to greet everyone. “And I couldn’t believe Juyeon just fell to the floor!” He exclaims which has Sakura laughing.

“What’d I miss?”

Haknyeon looks at you on the brink of tears before he retells the story. “Okay, because you know how Juyeon and I share a room?” You nod. “So, I told Juyeon to shut the lights off on his way to bed because I was ready to go to sleep. But somehow, he got lazy while walking so he had this genius idea to just jump to the bed.” At this point, your friend is laughing in between words, and the story has gone incomprehensible.

“And the next thing you know it, Haknyeon hears a sudden thump.”

You burst into laughter over the story. “You’re telling me he missed?!” The only answers you get are chortles from the two.

Preparations for VCT have fueled your anxiety for many reasons, possible losses and backlash to name a few, but Haknyeon and Sakura bring pockets of sunshine amidst the storm. If they weren’t here, you wouldn’t know how to deal with your worries.

“Sorry, I’m late!” Your mood shifts as your last teammate enters the room with an iced americano in his hand. You both lock eyes for a brief moment before you shift your gaze back to your friends, chewing on the inside of your cheek.

“Okay, hurry! Everyone, start fixing your setups,” Younghoon orders as he claps his hands, grabbing everyone’s attention.

You chose your seat in hopes that Jacob would sit beside you, making it easier for you both to discuss possible team strategies. Yet, the other in-game leader sits somewhere else, leaving Sunwoo to take the spot next to you. Your bubbly mood has turned sour.

“Anyway, today we will be having a practice match! So, what to expect is that…”

Younghoon’s words fall flat on your ears as your heartbeat fills your ears. As you try to fix your monitor and audio settings to fit your preferences, you hope that the anxiety will die down. Yet, you feel a pair of eyes stare a hole right into you—annoyance now accompanies your anxiety.

“Can you mind your own business and listen to Coach?” You raise the question, only loud enough for your annoying teammate to hear.

“I am paying attention.”

You scoff, “Oh, so you’ll listen now?” You rip your gaze away from the computer to glare at Sunwoo. “You didn’t listen to me last time.”

A few days ago, your team decided to scrimmage against the other members of the organization. It was a good way to practice before signing up for scrimmages against other teams participating.

Unfortunately for you, it was a match that solidified your dislike of the player. With every round, he found ways to get on your nerves, ignoring your comms and playing for himself to name a few. If you were going to be honest, you expected a bit more from Sunwoo—Sangyeon is right about his stance on the player.

Sunwoo shrugs, glancing at your coach who continues to explain today’s practice match. “I don’t know, your strats weren’t making sense last time. I trust Jacob more.”

You clench your fists as you close your eyes briefly in disbelief. “So, if it’s a man speaking, you’ll listen?” You shake your head in disbelief as you return your attention to the computer. “Jacob and I had the same plan, asshole.”

If Sunwoo wanted to defend himself, he’s not allowed to do so as Younghoon calls on both of your names. “Hey, are you listening?” The two of you nod profusely in a poor attempt to hide your conversation. “Okay then. For today’s scrimmage, you’ll be going against RUSH.”

There’s no way, right? “Sorry, did you say RUSH?” You earn a nod from him, and your world tilts on its axis. After how many years, it only took one scrimmage for you to reunite with your reasons behind why you stand in the pro scene today—Jeon Jungkook and Eric Sohn.

The three of you first met each other in university in a club full of people who liked to play video games. At first, you weren’t sure why you joined in the first place, dreading the possibility of dealing with men who would throw misogynistic comments towards you. Yet, the universe found a way to make sure you would enjoy your stay, gifting you two boys who became your best friends from university.

“Today is the perfect time to get to know your opponents, get a feel of what they do. I know that you guys have started playing together, trying to get a feel of what it’s like to play together, but I hope this scrimmage will build on it,” Younghoon says as your team quickly logs into their accounts on Discord.

Once you’ve logged in, you notice that Younghoon has sent you an invite to a Discord server. You accept it, greeted by the huge selection of teams participating, and you catch sight of RUSH in a voice channel. All of their gamer tags are recognizable, but two of them have stuck with you since your university days.

“You can all jump on the voice channel with them. Don’t forget to introduce yourselves.”

You’re the first to hop on a call and your teammates follow you shortly. Usually, you were the type to have someone lead the conversation, but to say you were excited to talk to your old friends would be an understatement. “Hi, everyone.”

“Oh my god, is that Y/N?” Jungkook asks, surprised by the sound of a familiar voice.

“Y/N?!” Eric’s microphone crackles over how loud he exclaims your name, and a grin rests on your lips over the reactions.

There they are. “I know, it’s been forever. I haven’t talked to you both since we graduated.”

The next thing you know, their faces appear on the screen; they don’t look too different from when you last saw them, but they’ve grown up. “Is it actually you?!” Jungkook asks. “I won’t believe it until I see you.”

A chuckle leaves your lips over your old friend’s words. “God, I’ll turn my cam on.” You click on the video icon, revealing your poor attempt to hold back your grin. “Happy now?”

“It’s been so long, what the fuck? I miss you! Congrats on your win!” Eric says. “Everyone, why don’t we turn on our cams?” Both his teammates and yours have turned their cameras on. “Let’s introduce ourselves.”

The introductions are quick. You learned the real names of Jungkook and Eric’s teammates; Choi Soobin, Jeon Wonwoo, and Lee Jeno. RUSH’s roster is a good selection of players. Your palms get sweaty as you hear your heartbeat in your ears—nothing could’ve prepared you for today’s scrimmage.

Before you can all agree to start the match, Sunwoo pops a question. “Sorry, how do you guys know each other?” You watch his expression through Discord, eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

Jungkook chuckles before saying, “We went to uni together, met in this club which we all left after our first year.” All he gets is a hum from your teammate, but you don’t miss the way Sunwoo looks off into nowhere, almost as if he’s irritated—you wonder why his mood shifted. “Anyway, are we ready to have our match?” You all hum in agreement before turning your cameras off.

“Alright, good luck and have fun!”

The worst Valorant matches are the ones that reach overtime. It’s 12 to 13 on Icebox in RUSH’s favor, and your team is on the brink of losing—only one win is needed and your opponent will leave victorious.

“I think we should go through mid and then make our way through A-site.”

You shake your head in disapproval. “No, Jacob, I think we should enter a site together instead. It’s risky to pass through mid since,” you glance at the leaderboard to check how many credits Jungkook has, “I have a strong feeling someone will use an operator.”

Although Jacob seems to consider your suggestion, a groan leaves Sunwoo. “Wouldn’t it be better to split up?”

“No, we’re not strong enough to fight our own battles. We need to play together, fight together.” You would like to think that your team can handle isolated battles, but you guys were weak against RUSH. Perhaps they had good reflexes or better game sense.

As the timer starts to count down, Jacob orders, “Okay, we’ll go with Y/N’s plan. The most important thing is that we don’t pick fights on our own and plant the spike.”

The round commences, and you all make your way into your positions; Sakura and Jacob slowly make their way through A-main while you go up to the belt. Haknyeon carefully sets up his trip wires and camera before joining you.

“I’m going to dart first.” Once you get your recon bolt out, you shoot it far enough to land on the wall; it catches the presence of Soobin and Wonwoo. The toxic screen goes up, perfectly concealing the site.

“Go!”

It happens all too quickly, shots fired and damage dealt and received. Before you know it, your team is dead—except for one who didn’t seem to listen to your plans.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” you say as you spectate Sunwoo, watching that he’s making his way back to where you guys died, leaving mid. There are only two players that he needs to fight, Jungkook on Jett and Eric on Deadlock. You know the round is tense, and the last thing you want to do is aggravate him.

Thankfully, Sunwoo plants the spike, but he situates himself in a spot that wouldn’t allow him to reposition quickly. A pair of footsteps go up the stairs, signaling that someone is making their way to heaven.

For a moment, he keeps his gaze affixed to screens, but he looks back to A-main, expecting a flank, and he’s right; Eric comes into his vision.

You expect Sunwoo to win the fight, but when his body falls to the ground, a sigh leaves you. The mood has plummeted, sinking into murky waters of frustration, disappointment. “Fuck, sorry,” Sunwoo apologizes as he covers his mouth in frustration.

“It’s okay, you tried,” Jacob attempts to console his teammate. “Good work, everyone.”

The spike gets defused; HYST has lost against RUSH.

“Come on, let’s go hop on a call with them again.”

With that, your team follows Jacob’s orders. “Tight match everyone, but a fun one!” Wonwoo says.

“Yeah, thanks for the game,” Sakura responds, trying to stay in high spirits.

“Well, we have to get going. We have another scrimmage,” Eric starts. “Y/N, send me your number through DMs. Let’s hang with Jungkook.”

You hum, a small smile resting on your lips. “Sure, see you guys in Challengers.” With that, everyone leaves the voice channel.

While RUSH is probably celebrating their win, HYST is in low spirits. It’s a practice match, sure, but still a match nevertheless.

“Good work, everyone,” Younghoon says in an attempt to cheer everyone up. “I really liked the energy I saw from you guys. You all put up a good fight and fought together.”

Although everyone seems to hum in agreement with your coach, you don’t join in. “Why did you stray off?” You redirect your gaze to the boy beside you, only earning a frown. “Didn’t we agree to play together?”

He rolls his eyes at you. “Yeah, but—”

“But what, Sunwoo? What could’ve been the reason for you to not enter with us and not follow the game plan?” You’re frustrated over everything; the stress of VCT, your loss against RUSH, your teammate who never listens to you.

“Hey, knock it off!” Younghoon gets in between you two. “Now is not the time to be fighting.” You and Sunwoo only glare at each other. “Cannot believe I’m dealing with a bunch of 5-year-olds,” he mutters under his breath.

“Jacob and Sakura, nice work in holding B-site, by the way. Haknyeon, you also did well holding A-site.” Then, your coach glances between you two. “Now, we still need to work on your coordination and teamwork.” It’s a statement for your whole team, but it feels as if it were directed at you and Sunwoo. You wish you sat out of VCT.

“You can go now.”

With that, everyone gets ready to exit the practice room. Your coach is the first one out. You think you’re at fault for causing stress on him but if only Sunwoo would work with you—listen, for the matter—then maybe you two wouldn’t be in this mishap.

“Hey, you two.” You look at Jacob who calls on you and Sunwoo. “Can you stay behind for a bit?” You glance at Haknyeon and Sakura who observe the interaction briefly. As you both nod, your other teammates have taken their leave.

Now, you stand in front of him with your teammate beside you. A sigh leaves him as he rubs his jaw while a frown rests on his face. You only see Jacob like this when he’s focused on his games, but never when it comes to dealing with issues like what your team (or you and Sunwoo, really) has.

“I know you two don’t like each other, and I still don’t know why.” You and Sunwoo exchange glances before ignoring each other once more. “But you understand that you both signed up for VCT, right? That means you will be playing many matches together.”

You’re aware that agreeing to represent HYST means having to work with Sunwoo. Your reasons for participating are enough to convince you that you handle all the upcoming matches with Sunwoo—all adversities will be dealt with. Yet, you couldn’t speak for your teammate.

“So, I’m asking that you guys focus on working together. I’m not asking you to make up or anything but to still be professional around each other. We still have to win the qualifiers, so no funny business, okay?”

Jacob was right. Your dispute is getting in the way of team dynamics, holding HYST back, and you didn’t want to inconvenience your team any further. With that, you nod, begrudgingly accepting Jacob’s request. You can spot Sunwoo nodding along with you in the corner of your eye.

“Okay, thanks. You can both go now.”

When you and Sunwoo leave the practice room, not a single word is exchanged.

ROUND 3: “DON’T LOOK SO SMUG, SUNWOO!”

Over the last months, you and your team have spent every waking hour on Valorant—practice, practice, practice, until you all felt satisfied.

To say you were sick of the game is an understatement, but some of your teammates try to make every minute enjoyable; Haknyeon would goof off some rounds and knife opponents from behind, Jacob would make comments that you never would’ve imagined leaving his mouth, and Sakura would ask questions about everyone before every round. You take your part in lifting the spirits and making these matches less monotonous by reading stories from the r/AmITheAsshole subreddit.

As for your relationship with Sunwoo, you’ve tried to keep it professional. During matches and strategizing phases, you would communicate with each other, exchanging ideas of how to win these games. Outside of those periods, however, were spent ignoring each other’s existence.

Thankfully, all those months of practicing didn’t go to waste—your team went against multiple organizations during Qualifiers, and now you’re on the last leg of the event. Only one more win is needed and your team makes it to Challengers.

Now, your team is in the practice room, head-to-head against another team. It’s 11 to 12 in your team’s favor on Ascent. It’s absurd that your opponents made a comeback from 3-9, but you’ll blame it on the superstition.

“Let’s play default. Their team tends to push out anyway,” Jacob orders before he takes a sip of water. “I’ll play by tiles while Sakura and Haknyeonie can go to A-site. Sunwoo and Y/N, play near B-site. Just make sure to not get caught by their Sova’s recon dart.” Everyone on your team agrees with Jacob’s plan.

The round commences. Just like what Jacob called out, a recon dart is thrown, but it doesn’t catch sight of you and Sunwoo. “Sova’s by B-site,” Sunwoo tells the team.

“I hear footsteps by tree,” Sakura starts, and Jacob takes it as his sign to smoke the cubby off. Before you know it, he takes a peek at mid and kills off the enemy team’s Gekko. Sakura flashes A-site before double-swinging with Haknyeon. “There are three players by A-site! Go to B-site!”

You and Sunwoo start to make your way through B-site. You walk in front of him, trying to smoke off hall and market. It should’ve occurred to you how weird it is that Sunwoo trails behind you, but it doesn’t, and you choose to enter the site.

The next thing you know, your body flops to the ground, and you let out a groan. As you spectate Sunwoo, he successfully trades you. “Spike down B,” the announcer voices out. Now, it’s a three versus one battle.

“Astra’s with me! Go plant,” Haknyeon calls out, and Sunwoo listens. He plants the spike like a breeze and situates himself in the boathouse.

Jacob tucks himself by mid, waiting for Astra to pass through spawn. “I can catch Astra off-guard while you try to pinch them,” he tells Haknyeon. Within a few seconds, he successfully lands his shots and kills Astra, securing HYST a win—your team will be participating in Challengers.

Everyone cheers, getting off their seats and huddling into a group hug. “Holy shit, Jacob! That was such a good 3K!” Haknyeon cheers as he’s overfilled with joy.

Your teammate tries to shrug off the compliments. “We all did good.”

A pair of arms wrap around you and Jacob. “That was an amazing play!” Younghoon is thrilled by today’s matches. “WE’RE GOING TO CHALLENGERS!”

It’s a dream come true; you’ll be competing on stage in front of a wider audience against teams who are more capable than you—who have more experience than you—but the journey has only started. You wonder what the upcoming months will have in store for you and your team—what will time do for you and Sunwoo?

You’re the first to break up from the hug, everyone else following along. “I’m going to call Sangyeon over,” your coach announces before making his way out of the practice room.

Then, Haknyeon pulls out his phone. “Wait, the guys are blowing up our group chat. I’ll just call them.”

Sunwoo is about to follow his teammates, but you grab hold of his forearm as you hold him back, and he frowns at you. “I need to talk to Sunwoo,” you smile at the other guys who only glance at each other, confused by your actions. Yet, they let the matter go, letting you deal with your business with him.

Sakura grabs your shoulder. “I’m going to call the team. Anything you want me to tell them?”

“I’ll tell them myself, it’s okay. You can go.”

With that, it was only you and your teammate.

You let go of his arm and a frown replaces the grin you once showed. “What was that during the last round?” As Sunwoo scrunches his eyebrows further, you groan. “You literally baited me.”

An exasperated sigh leaves him. “God, it’s not that serious.”

“Sunwoo, you’re playing duelist. You’re supposed to be entering sites for the team.”

“And I do!” He glares at you, annoyed by your complaints. “We still won. Can’t you just be happy that we made it to Challengers?”

That’s the thing you hate about playing with Sunwoo; if the outcome is good, he’ll turn a blind eye to his mistakes. How does he improve as a player if he doesn’t acknowledge his faults?

He’s about to turn away from you—make his way to his teammates and celebrate today’s win—but you grab his hand and pull him close to you. The sudden action almost has him toppling over you, and thankfully, his reflexes are quick enough to make sure you both don’t fall.

But the distance between you two is smaller, his eyes wide while yours remain stern. He holds his breath while yours grazes his skin.

You’ve never seen him this way—compliant, obedient—and it’s a sight to behold, one you’d like to keep for yourself. If only he were like this to you, then maybe you wouldn’t—no, snap out of it.

“Sunwoo.” He gulps at the way you call his name. “I’m your controller, I’m supposed to stay alive longer to support you.” You hold his gaze. “Try to keep this behavior up during the rest of VCT, I dare you.”

There’s malice laced in your tone, an attempt to make him cower—obey—over your threat, and you know your job is successful when Sunwoo doesn’t try to retort. He has every opportunity to retort—rile you up like all other times—and yet, he remains silent.

With that, you let go of his hand, stepping away to give you both room to breathe. Patches of warmth litter all over your skin, from your neck to your chest. To have Sunwoo look at you like that has—

“Guys!” Younghoon comes back rushing into the room with Sangyeon trailing behind him. You catch sight of the smile that rests on your manager’s face, clearly proud of your team. “Let’s look at the list of the teams who made it to Challengers.”

Your coach fiddles with the television remote and opens up the stream. Just in time, you’re able to look through the teams who made it to the next event. As you spot HYST in a sea of esteemed teams, fulfillment bubbles within you.

Yet, you know the battle doesn’t end here. RUSH makes the cut—will your team remain victorious or will it meet its demise?

ROUND 4: “YOU’RE HERE TO TAKE MY KILLS, SUNWOO? LET’S MAKE IT A COMPETITION.”

You were lying when you said you were sick of Valorant. There were other games you could be playing, Minecraft, Overwatch, and Stardew Valley to name a few. Yet, here you are, playing your favorite (read: most hated) game for today’s stream.

“I won’t lie, I’m not sure why I’m playing this game on stream,” you chuckle. “Like, I could be playing something else to save my mental health.” The comments keep coming as you ramble, trying to kill time.

keybladetwo: CONGRATS IN PLAYOFFS!!! GOODLUCK IN CHALLENGERS orangecheeko: HYST TAKEOVER 🔥🔥🔥 hungrydinosaur: the 3k bae did last round was INSANE

A flood of compliments comes your way, making you smile. “Awe. Thanks, everyone! I still can’t believe I’ll be playing for Challengers, and then there’ll be Masters and Champions.”

reingoaway: how was it like playing with the others :O noxturnal: U and Jacob on the same team must be crazy! Aren’t u both IGLs

A hum leaves you as you think over your answers. “It’s fun for the most part,” you admit. “I mean, it took us a while to get used to each other’s playstyles, but I’d like to think that the practice paid off.”

You fiddle around with your Valorant collection, changing skins on some firearms. “I’d like to think Jacob and I do pretty well in strategizing in the middle of matches. Sure, we have our fair share of contrasting opinions but we always consider each other’s ideas.”

Although the time you spend practicing with your team can be tiresome, your teammates try to make every round enjoyable. It’s thanks to them that you’re able to deal with the weight of VCT for the most part. There is burnout that comes from playing the same game at a pro level—at least you have most of your teammates to thank for the most part.

tagmeup: Will you play with nuguri? ailguriluver: YEAA u guys go crazy together ashfallen: nuguri & ailurus stream 🙏

You would’ve ignored it as you used to with all other streams, but your chat seems to flood the same question; there’s no escape even in the safety of your own channel. “Uh,” you scratch the back of your neck, “I didn’t really plan to stream with nuguri.”

nugunuguwho: He’s on stream right now!

“He is?” You bite the inside of your cheek as you type out his username on Twitch. His profile shows up, showing that he’s live, and you adjust your stream so that it shows your browser. Now, your audience can see that you’ve searched him up.

Once you click his stream, you are greeted with the words “DEFEAT” flashing on the screen. “Aish, fuck this game!” On the top left corner of the screen is your teammate, all dressed in a gray hoodie with hair messier than usual, and frames resting on the bridge of his nose. He leans back on his chair, tonguing the inside of his cheek out of frustration from losing a match.

The screen shifts to the match summary, showing that he’s currently 00RR in Ascendant 3. “Man, you would think that people in these ranks would at least understand to comm!” He then showcases his match history and—holy shit, it’s a red carpet. “Guys, it’s not looking good.”

You hide your smile behind the back of your hand. Although you make comments about how terrible of a player Sunwoo is, you would’ve never imagined him to be on such a horrendous losing streak.

(At the same time, it could be the fault of his teammates, but you weren’t going to give him that satisfaction. He’s an awful player, point blank.)

“Ailurus is on my stream?” You are snapped out of your thoughts as he mentions your gamer tag. “How do you know?” He scrunches his eyebrows as he reads the chat. “They’re streaming?”

You rush to close the window and frown at the camera. “I can’t believe you guys sold me out!” As you shake your head, you shift your stream back to the game. “I was trying to spy on him! Anyway, I’m going to queue up because I cannot have Sunwoo ruining my win streak.”

You’re about to queue into a game, hoping to end the discussion, but your eyes catch sight of a familiar name and you halt your movements.

nuguri: r u down to play?

It’s an internal battle—should you pretend you didn’t see Sunwoo’s message or should you fake your relationship with him?

Time ticks. The more you contemplate, the more you realize that you can’t play off that you saw his message in a sea of unfamiliar usernames. You’ve dug up your hole—there’s no turning back now.

“Okay, add my alt account.” Not a single mention of his name, and yet, your audience knows exactly who you’re talking to. The chat is filled with messages of excitement.

A friend request has been sent to you. “Is “sawako’s bf” your fucking alt?” Your gaze shifts to the chat, waiting for a message from Sunwoo.

nuguri: check discord

You roll your eyes before accepting his request on Valorant before opening up Discord. Another friend request has come in, and—is that a Smiski as his display picture? Your mouth parts open as you accept his request. Before you can shoot him a message, he calls you, and you don’t think twice before picking it up.

“I didn’t know you liked Smiskis,” you admit, surprised by the sight of the figurine. The sight of your profile picture, a Smiski from a different series, beside his photo is humorous—who would’ve thought that you two would match? “I didn’t even know you had another Discord account.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

You shrug. “I mean, you just don’t look like the type you know? You reek of “loser e-boy that can’t do shit” energy.” As you hear him gasp, you chuckle.

Perhaps it helped to interact with Sunwoo in front of an audience. You can say diss him if you wanted, boiling it down to banter, and no one would question it.

“First off, I have a Discord account for work and another one for just personal use. And second, I am not a fuckass e-boy.” His defensive energy has you rolling your eyes. “Hey, I see you rolling your eyes!”

“The fuck? Get out of my stream,” you say as you glance at the camera. As you go back to Valorant, you see that you’re invited to Sunwoo’s party. Once you accept the invite, Sunwoo queues you both up for a Ranked match. “If we lose, I’m blaming it on you.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault that I lost all my matches today.”

You bite on the inside of your cheek, holding back your laughter just in case he’s still watching your stream. “Okay, whatever you say. I know you only peaked Immortal 1.”

“Immortal 1 is a good rank! What are you trying to say?” A chuckle leaves him as he says those words, clearly knowing that he’s unfortunately not like you who is currently ranked at Immortal 2.

“I think you just want me to boost you.”

“Match found,” the announcer voices out. You are greeted by the opening screen of Sunset.

“Yeah, sorry. I’m down on my luck that I need someone to boost me.” Sarcasm is evident in his tone, and you can’t help but laugh. The screen then shifts to agent select. “What’s good, everyone?” A bad attempt at deep voice leaves Sunwoo as he talks to a team full of strangers.

You’re thrown back by the sudden tone shift, causing a giggle to leave you. “What the fuck was that?!”

“Go! Talk to the team.” You shake your head as if he can see you. (Maybe he’s still watching you, after all.) He hovers over Reyna before telling you, “It won’t hurt.”

The thing about you is that you would never talk to a team full of strangers, but you don’t think twice when you say, “I’m good,” before hovering over Omen.

“There we go!” He exclaims in your call. You try to hold back your grin.

Unfortunately, the moment doesn’t last long. “Didn’t you mean to hover over Sage?” A stranger on your team asks.

You frown. “What do you mean?”

“Because you’re a woman.”

You should’ve seen this coming—there’s a reason why you don’t like to speak in this game.

“Just because I’m born a woman doesn’t mean I need to play that agent. I can play Skye if we need a healer,” you suggest, trying to keep your cool over what the stranger says.

“Nah, Skye might be too complex for you.”

You’re thinking if you should just lock in on Omen or retort, but both choices lead to an outcome where they’ll constantly be on your ass. Before you can make a decision, however, someone speaks.

“Hey, let them play whoever they want to play. You can play Sage if you really want,” Sunwoo cuts into the conversation, hoping to diffuse the situation. But when a chuckle leaves the stranger, you know it’s far from reaching that.

“Ah, I see how it is. How’s the head?”

You’ve officially reached your limit, and it seems Sunwoo has reached his as well. “This shit isn’t worth it,” Sunwoo ends the conversation with that. Before you know it, you’re back in the lobby, alone. “Sorry, I quit the game. Just give me a second to boot it up.”

As you hear those words, warmth surges within you. You don’t like your teammate at all and he’s never given you any reason to treat him with kindness, but just this one action is enough to make you see him in a different light—is he rotten to the core or have you been blinded this whole time?

Before you know it, he requests to join your party, and you accept the invite. When your eyes catch sight that he’s deranked to Ascendant 2, it hits you that he lost some RR just to avoid playing with the player who was giving you a hard time.

(Would it be bad to hope he did it for you?)

You hop in the queue to find another match.

It’s quiet for a moment; the mood has been ruined by some stranger on Valorant. Yet, Sunwoo seems to have something under his sleeve, a way to lift your spirit. “What if we pick each other’s agents?”

“This is a ranked match. You know that, right?”

Sunwoo lets out a groan. “I know that! But think about how fun it would be! We can play each other’s mains!”

“Do you really want to play Omen or Sova?” The screen then shows you’ll be playing on Pearl. “I thought you wanted to win some games.”

“Hey, I can definitely play those agents!” You roll your eyes over his words, clearly not believing him. “Let’s make it a competition. Whoever gets placed on top of the leaderboard wins, but you play Raze while I play Omen.”

A hum leaves you as you contemplate his proposal. “What’s the prize?”

“Well,” Sunwoo pauses, thinking over what can be done. “What if the winner gets their wish granted by the loser?”

“A wish? What type of wish?”

“Well, that’s for us to determine in our own time.”

You should’ve said no—why would you agree to such a bet with the one guy you can’t stand being in a room with? But the problem is that your pride is on the line, and you wanted to prove to Sunwoo that you could do his job better as a duelist.

So, you don’t think twice when you say, “Ah, fuck it. Let’s do it.”

You should’ve played Raze earlier on in your esports career. The match passes you like a breeze, entering and clearing sites and shots landing on your opponents every round. You don’t remember having this much fun playing Raze for the first time.

But somehow, the universe didn’t listen to your wishes—Sunwoo sits on the top of the leaderboard while you’re under him.

“Fuck! I only needed one assist and I would’ve beaten you.” As you complain, your teammate laughs.

“Ah, I wonder what I should have you do for me.”

You roll your eyes before looking at the time. “God, it’s that late already? I think I’m gonna end the stream already.”

“Yeah, me too. I’ll be back.” Before you know it, he deafens himself on Discord.

A sigh leaves you before you briefly look through the chat. “Sorry guys, I’m gonna end it early. I still need to pack my suitcase for Challengers next week.” There’s a mix of comments, ones that beg you to stay while others that thank you for today’s stream. “I’ll try to stream again before I leave but no promises. Bye, everyone! Hope you enjoy the rest of your days!”

With that, you end the stream. Another good stream out of you despite how short it was.

The most surprising thing to come out of this stream is that you were enjoying your time with Sunwoo. Whether it may be from the later hours of the day or just a front that he was putting up for the audience, you didn’t want to think too much of it. You’ll accept it for what it is now.

As you quit out of some of your applications, you look back at Discord to see that he’s back.

For a moment, it’s quiet. There’s an internal struggle within you—should you thank him for what he said earlier or not?

You didn’t want to call attention to the issue anymore. Unfortunately, you’ve had your fair share of experiences with misogyny throughout your life, and it pained you to say that this wasn’t the worst thing you’ve heard.

But he beats you to it, almost as if he was bothered by the silence, and says, “I’ll think about the wish for a bit, just want to think of my options.”

A groan rips out of you. “Don’t make me do anything stupid, please.”

He hums for a moment, almost as if he was considering your request, but you know who he is. “No guarantee! I’ll see you soon.”

Before you can retort, he ends the call. You stare blankly at your screen. If you thought Sunwoo was okay, you were absolutely wrong. He’s still a shithead.

But when you get in bed, you stare at the ceiling for a moment, and you can’t wipe off the grin that rests on your lips.

God, you need to sleep.

perma taglist ➵ @deoboyznet @kflixnet @blankjournal @winterchimez @miusgirl @jenoscafe @sweet-unicorn-world @vernyangel @mosviqu @stealanity @deobi0412 @blue-rainydays @maessseongs

series taglist ➵ @wooluv09 @untilsunset @hiefisch @wonuroyal @sunkitti

if you enjoyed reading, please do reblog and leave feedback! don't just like :]

#deoboyznet #kflixnet #bjnet #k-labels #works of moni #kim sunwoo #the boyz #the boyz x reader #kim sunwoo x reader #the boyz angst #the boyz imagines #kim sunwoo angst #kim sunwoo smut #kim sunwoo the boyz #sunwoo the boyz

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twicesserafim · 7 months

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Masterlist..

Sakuras Cousin:

Yunjin x Fem!reader.

You're sakuras cousin, you and yunjin both have an interest in each other but a specific member doesn't like that. (sakura) So you part ways, go through multiple different challenges in your relationship, making it rocky and difficult. Feelings get hurt, tears get shed, will you guys make it and last until the end? ... -Ongoing-

1. Not aloud

2. Flirting

3. Instagram

4. Cute

5. Mine

6. Caught by kkura

7. Blondie

8. Dinner date

9. Matching post

10. Chefs

11. My fave streamer

12. Railing

13. I'm sorry.

14. The truth

15. Kim Minju

16. Jealousy over a hoodie

17. Wait, what?

18. Getaway

19. Jealous Jen

20. Get married 👍

21. The world is healing

22. Uh-oh

23. 2Kim

24. Talk it out

25. Make out

26. Good golly

27. "STOP MAKING FUN OF MY SPELLING."

28. You're so horny

29. HWSHSHICEOA

30. Surprise?

31. Your Girl.

32. Posting again??

33. Quotes

34. Pr or no?

35. Babies

36. Damn..

37. In love with you.

38. That's our song.

39. Public.

40. Low blow.

41. Reality check.

42. Not for you.

43. Money, Money, Money.

44. Scandal Saviour

44. Are you insane??

45. Too fine

Fall in love with you.

Sakura x Fem!reader

You've been a fan of sakura for as long as you remember, it's always been a joke that sakura's your girlfriend. You're an influencer but half of your page ends up being sakura. But little did you know, she's a fan of you too. What happens when one day, she reaches out to you.. but she's nothing like you imagined? ... -Ongoing-

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14

Part 15

Teenage love.

Eunchae and Y/n experiencing teenage love together for the first time, but one mistake makes their relationship more risky and a lot more effort had to be put in. Can they do it? ... -Ongoing-

Eunchae x Fem!Reader

Dammit.

Run.

Try Again.

Forbiddingly Yours.

In a world where loving someone with a different surname is forbidden, but the two daughters of the most respected and well known families of Taiwan fall in love with each other. Chou Tzuyu and Lu Y/n. Can they keep things hidden? ... - Ongoing -

Tzuyu x Fem!reader

Intro!

[1] First talk

[2] I'm yours

[3] Melting

[4] Uh oh..

[5] Did it hurt?

[6] Seriously?

[7] Cheater!

[8] Lying.

[9] Break up.

[10] Falling.

[11] Explaining.

[12] Try again.

[13] Mine all mine.

[14] My love.

[15] What?

[16] Giving Up.

[17] Screw you.

[18] It's over.

[19] She needs to know.

[20] Korea and Vietnam.

[21] Secret Lu.

[22] Is it mine?

[23] Choices.

[24] Win her back.

[25] Won their love.

[26] Anniversary.

[27] Truly yours.

[28] Twice?

[29] Well..

[30] You didn't tell me??

To be continued...

Have Faith In Me

Kim Minji and Lu Y/n. One new jeans member, One lesserafim member. They get paired up as roommates for the new reality show of living with Nwjs and Lsfm made by their managements. They start off on the wrong foot but slowly get along.. -Ongoing-

Kim Minji x Fem!Reader

(Lsfm profiles) (Lsfm contact names)

1. Dorm arrangement

2. Word on the street

3. Bad first meet!

4. Physical!

5. Bad plans

6. Okay so..

7. Danielle

8. Hotel room

9. Girlfriend

10. Vietnamese Lesson

11. Loser

12. Pochacco war

13. Em yêu chị

A/N: CHANGE OF PLANS. Y/N IS BORN 2002. BUT EUNCHAE DOESNT CALL HER UNNIE HALF OF THE TIME.

One-shots..

A collection of my short stories/one shots 😁

Lesserafim..

Miyawaki Sakura:

All couples fight. [A]

Back the fuck up. [A, S, F]

Change for us, since you ruined me. [A, S, F]

Jealous g!p sakura [S]

Huh Yunjin:

Expect the unexpected [S]

Kim Chaewon:

nothing yet..

Nakamura Kazuha:

None yet...

Hong Eunchae:

Dammit. [F]

Run. [F]

Try Again. [F]

Twice..

Im Nayeon:

Not Over You. [F]

Yoo Jeongyeon

nothing yet..

Hirai Momo:

nothing yet..

Minatozaki Sana:

Falling for you. [F, A]

After Breakup Jealousy [A, F]

Park Jihyo:

nothing yet..

Myoui Mina:

nothing yet..

Kim Dahyun:

nothing yet..

Son Chaeyoung:

nothing yet..

Chou Tzuyu:

Long Distance [A, F]

New Jeans..

Kim Minji:

Campus Crush [A, F, S]

Kang Haerin:

Jealous Y/n [F]

Gf texts [F]

Second masterlist!

146 notes · View notes

wherethefireliliesgrow · 7 months

Text

Handle It

Son Chaeyoung x reader

GENRE: angst, slight fluff

TAGS: idol, heartbreak

TYPE: Request, Drabble

Slightly out of breath after your performance, you rushed off the stage with your fellow members, making your way down the long hallways toward your designated lounge. Your legs felt shaky and weak from a combination of exhaustion and a lack of food.

It was the second week of your promotions, and despite the initial excitement of finally being able to release new music to your fans, you were feeling drained both physically and mentally.

Even though AESPA had built up a sizable audience before your official debut, and you had thousands of fans cheering you on during each promotion stage, you couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of loneliness. This comeback was notably different - it was the first one without Chaeyoung. Memories of her sneaking into your practice rooms for a quick kiss of good luck or her comforting hugs waiting for you in bed after long months of promotions haunted you.

Not even the enthusiastic smiles of MYs, your loyal fans, in the audience could fill the aching void in your heart.

"Are you okay?" Minjeong's soft murmur reached your ears, and her comforting hand gently squeezed yours as you walked down the hallway with the other girls.

You shook your head, unable to find the words to express the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside you. The lump in your throat seemed insurmountable, and it took all your strength to keep from breaking down.

Minjeong, always perceptive, noticed the exhaustion in your eyes and wrapped her arms around your waist, leading you forward with a gentle but firm touch.

As your roommate, she had been witness to the quiet tears that flowed from your bed late at night and had observed how you hardly touched your food. She understood the pain you were going through after your difficult breakup with Chaeyoung, but she struggled to find a way to help you open up about it. Nevertheless, she was unwavering in her determination to be there for you, offering her support when you needed it most. After all, you were not just friends; you were best friends who had supported each other through countless heartbreaks and the pressures of the idol life.

The hallways were cramped and noisy, filled with idols and backstage workers rushing in various directions to their designated spots. The bright lights and loud commotion were giving you a pounding headache, and all you wanted was to return to your dorm and sleep for the rest of the week.

"Eunchae!" Jimin and Yizhuo suddenly exclaimed from up ahead, waving excitedly to the youngest member of Le Sserafim.

"Unnie!" Eunchae giggled in response, equally thrilled. "I saw the performance! You guys were amazing!"

Eunchae was followed by a filming crew, apparently working on the next episode of Star Diary. Your group had a close relationship with the younger girl, especially Jimin and Yizhuo, who had appeared in one of her episodes before.

Eagerly bouncing over to give all of you a hug, Eunchae grinned and gestured to two figures within her filming crew. "I'm filming with TWICE today!"

Glancing over her shoulder, you spotted the person you had been dreading to see the most: Chaeyoung. She looked as beautiful as ever, with her messy blonde hair and bangs falling into her eyes. She was wearing a simple rock-band t-shirt and black jeans, proudly displaying her tattoos. You remembered lying in bed, tracing over those tattoos with your fingertips while you watched her compose one song after another.

Standing next to her was Jeongyeon, and by the looks Jeongyeon was giving you, it was clear she knew about the misunderstanding between you and Chaeyoung. Even more evident was the fact that Jeongyeon was on Chaeyoung's side.

"Annyeonghaseyo sunbaenim," Jimin and the rest of your group quickly bowed out of respect, with the two seniors doing the same.

An awkward silence hung in the air, and you could see Eunchae struggling to find something to say.

"I think we should head back to our lounge," Minjeong smoothly suggested, gently pulling you closer to her protectively. "We have interviews in another hour."

Chaeyoung's eyes narrowed as she noticed Minjeong's hand on your waist, her face contorting with jealousy. You knew that look all too well - it was the same look she had worn when you ended things between you. The fire in her typically calm eyes, the twisted expression that hid her welcoming smile.

You despised that look on her, and you loathed how the words that usually followed it would cut like knives into your heart. Her anger brought up flashbacks of how sour your relationship ended, and you worked on blinking away the tears that were starting to gather in the corners of your eyes.

Seeing your seniors glaring at you, Jimin and Aeri quickly positioned themselves in front of you, shielding you from their view. Although your members were usually polite and friendly, they were not hesitant to protect you from other seniors. After all, you were their maknae, and they were very protective of you.

"It was nice meeting you, sunbaenims," Yizhuo said coolly, offering another respectful bow. "Eunchae, we can catch up later."

Eunchae was left momentarily speechless by the encounter. Confusion must have crossed her mind as she witnessed the rather cold interaction between the two groups. After all, everyone thought you were all quite close. Aeri often hung out with TWICE's Japanese members, and Jihyo was frequently seen taking all of you to lunch, treating you like her own children. You were famously known to spend time with Chaeyoung and Mina, watching movies together and visiting museums. You were all close, until the breakup happened.

You gave Eunchae a small, reassuring smile and squeezed her arm before leading the way down the hallway, the rest of your group surrounding you like a protective barrier.

After yet another decline to a movie night from you, the girls had had enough. It was time for an intervention.

It had been a few months since the breakup, and they were tired of seeing you moping around and refusing to take care of yourself. Your obvious weight loss, the dark circles under your eyes, and your lack of presence on stage were deeply concerning. They all knew you took your performances and practice seriously, always giving your all, but lately, your eyes had seemed vacant, empty of emotion. Even fans and media outlets had caught on, spreading news and negative comments about your declining health. Everyone was worried, everyone but you.

"Yah! Kim Y/N! Wake the hell up!" Yizhuo yelled, storming into your shared room with Minjeong and flicking on the lights.

Aeri followed closely behind, yanking your blankets off, while Jimin jumped on top of you, shaking your shoulders to rouse you.

You groaned, your eyes squinting under the sudden brightness before burying your face deeper into your pillow.

"I'm tired," you huffed in annoyance, trying to push Jimin off. "Leave me alone."

"Not a chance, Y/N," Jimin said sternly. "We need to talk."

You stiffened at Jimin's tone. She didn't often assert her leader's authority like this, and you could tell she was not happy with you. Reluctantly, you sat up, rubbing your eyes and then looking at the four pairs of worried eyes before you.

"This has got to stop. You're being self-destructive," Jimin pointed an accusing finger at you, her brows furrowing in concern.

It was unusual to see Jimin this serious; she was typically the hyper one among the five of you, which made her current demeanor all the more unsettling.

Seeking support from Minjeong, you turned to her, but she shook her head and avoided your gaze. She knew this wasn't her place to intervene, and she too had grown tired of your self-destructive behavior.

"I'm n—" you began, but Jimin's glare silenced you.

"Y/N, we don't know what happened between you and Chaeyoung, but we're here for you. Please talk to us, or at least tell us what we can do to make you feel better," Aeri begged, sitting down on your bed and pulling you into a comforting hug.

Her embrace triggered a torrent of tears. You were so exhausted from feeling this way, from the ache Chaeyoung had left in your heart. As you sobbed into Aeri's arms, the rest of the girls quickly joined the hug, soothingly stroking your head and patting your back. You weren't known for being the one to cry in the group; they rarely saw you shed tears (except for Minjeong, who was aware of your late-night crying sessions). So, they knew how serious this was.

"I'm sorry," you cried as they attempted to comfort you. "I'll try to get better."

"Please spend some time with us or your friends," Yizhuo urged, "and stop skipping meals. Everyone is worried."

"And also quit smoking," Minjeong added, her words slipping out before she could stop them.

Your eyes widened in fear as they met hers, and both of you silently prayed that Jimin hadn't heard.

"SMOKING?" Jimin shouted, her entire frame trembling with anger. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY SMOKING?"

The rest of the girls looked at you with pity. They knew about the bad habits you'd developed, everyone except your leader.

"Good luck," Yizhuo whispered, squeezing your hand before hurrying out of the room with Aeri and Minjeong.

“I’m going to kill Chaeyoung,” Jimin muttered, before throwing a fit.

After that decisive intervention and a stern talking-to from Jimin about smoking, you slowly began the process of piecing yourself back together. Taking additional dance lessons with Minjeong, you gradually regained the strength you had lost. You also kept busy by participating in more entertainment shows, striving to prove to your fans that you had returned even stronger than before. Despite your efforts, thoughts of that particular blonde never left your mind, influencing every aspect of your life.

On the other hand, Chaeyoung managed to maintain a polished facade in public, but behind closed doors, she would often break down. Your favorite sweater still sat neatly on your side of the bed, and some of your plush toys remained arranged exactly as you left them in her room. Without you there, her room felt too big, too desolate.

She attempted to dismiss your significance as just another fling in front of her members, but they could see through her facade. They knew that you were the reason why Chaeyoung seemed to be permanently stationed in the recording studio now, and why her laughter no longer reached the depth of her eyes.

“If you keep doing this, our next album is only going to be ballads and sad songs.” Tzuyu settled down beside the blonde, who was fervently jotting down in her notebook, surrounded by crumpled paper balls.

The early hours of the morning found the tall maknae at JYP's studio, her brow furrowed with concern. Jihyo had reached out earlier, requesting her to check on the brooding Chaeyoung. Despite the other TWICE members' efforts to persuade her to leave the studio and spend time with them, their attempts had all been in vain. It was time to play the maknae card.

It had been a while since Tzuyu had seen her unnie, and she understood how Chaeyoung tended to withdraw when left alone. So she enlisted the help of the cheeriest and most boisterous person she could find, urging them to drive with her to the studio to locate the heartbroken idol.

"What do you mean? I only write lead singles," Chaeyoung attempted to force a smile, concealing her true feelings.

"Mina unnie told me she saw you clutching your notebook to your chest and weeping into the microphone last night," the tall maknae deadpanned.

"Tzuyu!" Nayeon interjected, nudging the girl gently.

"What Tzuyu meant was that we know you've been feeling down lately, and we want you to know that we are here for you."

Chaeyoung nodded slowly, her mind lost in thought. She was aware that her mood was causing worry among her fellow members, yet she couldn't bring herself to open up to them, knowing she would be unable to contain her emotions if she started talking.

"I'll be fine," the blonde murmured, avoiding the concerned glances of her members.

Sighing, Tzuyu pulled the smaller girl into a gentle embrace, offering her comfort. It was unusual for the younger girl to initiate physical contact, indicating how much Chaeyoung's absence had troubled her.

"Stop being stubborn and just apologize," Tzuyu advised, stroking her hair tenderly. Not to worsen the pain but to address the issue, she continued, "You crossed the line. She's hurting more than you are."

Chaeyoung bit her lip and nodded, finally setting aside her pride and acknowledging her role in causing immense pain. She was determined to make amends, but not before addressing her own insecurities. She didn't want to inflict any more harm on you than she already had.

"But for now... I can take you out for drinks to take your mind off things," Nayeon chimed in, flashing a toothy smile, which earned an appreciative nod from the blonde.

The night ended with one irresponsible unnie getting the maknae line intoxicated. Jihyo was furious upon seeing a video of Chaeyoung loudly cursing into the studio microphone and brandishing an empty bottle of soju, while Tzuyu lay on the floor attempting to count non-existent stars through the windowless studio.

At least this drunken escapade managed to get the Chaeyoung back on her feet. Jihyo reassured herself as she attended meeting after meeting with the board, explaining the situation and attempting to appease the public.

Promotions had become a whirlwind after the success of your comeback, your schedule jam-packed with overseas travel. SM Entertainment was determined to expand your fanbase internationally, hence your prolonged absence from South Korea for several months.

The busy schedule and the time spent away from South Korea had been somewhat healing for your heart, gradually piecing it back together as days merged into months. You were content to have missed out on the award shows and music banks, places where you were likely to cross paths with the members of TWICE.

In your second week back, you took the time to reconnect with all of your friends after having lost touch with them for a while. Your close friend Haewon was overjoyed at your return and invited you for a sleepover at the NMIXX dorms. You shared a close bond with the girls, particularly Haewon, as you were both the same age and had originally trained in the same company. You had been a JYP trainee for several years before transitioning to SM, enticed by their promise of an immediate debut. It was through the workshops held by TWICE that you first met Chaeyoung.

Somehow, the original planned movie night turned into a pillow fight with the girls. You were carrying Haewon on her back, and she was waving a large pillow determined as you faced your competitors, Lily and Bae.

With a battle cry, Haewon tugged at your hair like reins, signaling you to charge.You ran towards the two girls, and Haewon braced herself before swinging like a mad man, trying to get Bae off of Lily’s back. You managed to miss out on the fight despite amidst it, as Haewon’s hands were holding onto your face and covering your eyes every time she lost balance (which was 90% of the time).

When your vision finally cleared, you saw the two girls sitting on the living room floor, attempting to disentangle themselves, while Haewon remained on your back, her hair wild, and the rest of the girls laughing from the sofa, thoroughly entertained by the fight.

"We're such a good team," Haewon exclaimed, still swinging around on your back, attempting to flex her non-existent biceps. "If I were gay, I'd date you."

"I think Y/N unnie was blind the entire time, though," Sullyoon chimed in with a giggle.

"And deaf. Haewon was screaming in my ears," you added, attempting to rid yourself of the ringing in your ears.

"I think I'm going deaf too," Lily muttered, sitting up and rubbing her ears. "You nearly killed us with your screams, woman."

Before Haewon could retort with a witty remark, a sharp knock resounded from the door. The girls exchanged perplexed glances. Visitors were rare, given the strict rules at JYP's dorms regarding unauthorized entry, unless it was their manager.

Who could possibly be seeking them out at 1 in the morning?

Another impatient knock echoed through the silence.

Haewon hopped down from your back and cautiously approached the door.

"Who is it?" she called out, her voice tinged with a hint of fear.

No response, just an unsettling silence.

"Maybe it's manager-nim?" Kyujin whispered, seeing their leader's hesitation.

As the group's leader and one of the oldest members, Haewon had always strived to be responsible and resilient, but bravery was admittedly not her strong suit. She was trembling as she slowly inched her way forward.

"C'mon, I'll go with you," you offered, taking her hand and guiding her toward the door.

Another set of urgent knocks reverberated, prompting the shorter girl to seek refuge behind your figure, clutching your arm in worry.

"What do you—" Your words were cut off as you swung the door open, revealing Chaeyoung with her fists raised to knock once more.

"Chaeyoung," you whispered, her presence once again taking your breath away.

Somehow, seeing her up close ripped open all the wounds you had painstakingly mended over the past few months, ushering in waves of pain as your heart lurched and faltered.

The older girl was adorned in a cozy beige woolen sweater and grey sweatpants, topped with the familiar grey beanie you had gifted her a few years ago. The rolled-up sleeves of her sweater revealed her tattoo-covered forearms, the collection seemingly grew during your time apart. She looked as breathtakingly beautiful as the last time you had seen her, except for the dark circles that now seemed etched beneath her eyes.

"Y/N," she breathed, offering you a sad smile that hinted at her dimples. "Hey."

"Oh, annyeonghaseyo Sunbaenim," Haewon's head popped up from behind you, her grip on your arms still firm.

She quickly bowed in respect, a mix of confusion and slight worry in her eyes, having been on the receiving end of Chaeyoung's fits of jealousy during your trainee days when you were too close.

You braced yourself for the familiar look of jealousy from Chaeyoung, the intense glare that always made you flinch, but to your surprise, there was none. Instead, her eyes conveyed a haunting sorrow, paired with a small genuine smile.

"Hey, Haewon," Chaeyoung greeted, reciprocating the bow without a hint of anger. "Do you mind if I borrow Y/N for a bit?"

Haewon looked at you with uncertainty, and you gently squeezed her hand, nodding in reassurance. Despite the ache in your heart, warning you to keep your distance from the blonde, you found yourself inexplicably drawn to her, yearning to be near her. Besides, this composed and collected version of Chaeyoung was a new sight to behold.

Closing the door behind her, you found yourself alone in the empty hallway with the girl who held the power to either shatter you in seconds or offer you a taste of heaven. The gentle scent of detergent and lavender lingered in the air, bringing back memories of being held in her arms.

You waited patiently as the idol fidgeted with the rings adorning her fingers, her gaze fixated on her worn-out sneakers, lips pressed tightly together.

"If there's nothing you want–"

"Come with me," she interjected abruptly, immediately flushing at her unintended interruption. "I m-mean, can you go somewhere with me?"

Mustering up her courage, she finally met your gaze, her warm eyes causing another surge in your heart. You found yourself nodding in agreement and following her out of the building without a second thought. She could lead you to your own destruction, and you would still follow her. You could picture your unnies shaking their heads in disappointment at you right now.

Chaeyoung was nervous. Scratch that, she was terrified.

It felt like her one and only opportunity to win back the girl of her dreams, and the fear of ruining things was suffocating. It had been so long since she had last seen you, and all she wanted was to pull you into a tight embrace and never let go. She wanted to fall to her knees and plead for forgiveness, but at the moment of seeing you, her mind had gone blank, unable to form coherent sentences.

Now, with you seated in the front of her car, the wind tousling your hair, she couldn’t help but admire your beauty. The soft illumination from the streetlights cast a gentle glow over your features, accentuating your angelic features as the car glided down the street.

She was resolute in her determination never to let you slip away again, if you allowed her to stay. The past few months without you had been torture, and you were the angelic presence that had lifted her from the depths of despair. She loved you more than anything, and she was ready to spend the rest of her life ensuring you knew it.

"The studio?" you asked, eyebrows raised as you recognized the familiar parking lot that Chaeyoung pulled into.

"Yeah, I wanted to show you something," she responded, opening the door for you. "If that's okay?"

You nodded. How could you ever say no to those hopeful eyes?

It was like déjà vu all over again: you sitting on the familiar black sofa, and Chaeyoung fumbling with the buttons and levers of the recording panel in front of the room. The sight of her trying to set everything up brought bittersweet memories. Days spent in the studio, watching her compose and record, flashed through your mind.

"I wrote a song for you," Chaeyoung stated after a prolonged silence. "PD-nim wanted it for our upcoming album, but I want your approval first."

You nodded, giving her silent permission to continue.

She fetched two headphones from the table and walked over to you. Out of habit, she gently placed them on your head. The soft pads of the headphones met your ears, and her fingertips, warm and tender, brushed your cheeks, sending an electric current through your body. Your heart quickened its pace, pounding in your chest, and you involuntarily drew in a sharp, trembling breath, caught in the gravity of the moment.

Realizing her mistake and mistaking your reaction for annoyance, she jumped back in embarrassment. "Sorry. Habits die hard."

Returning to the panel, she took a few deep breaths to compose herself. Your reaction only intensified her self-doubt. Perhaps she was too late. Perhaps she had hurt you too much for you to forgive her.

With a click of the play button, music filled your ears as you focused on Chaeyoung. She tapped her feet nervously, her eyes shifting from her hands to your face as you listened. Mina's rare lower register sent shivers down your spine, but you found it hard to focus on the lyrics; all you wanted was to hear Chaeyoung sing it to you, to hear her true feelings.

"Stop," you said suddenly, removing your headphones. "Please stop."

Chaeyoung quickly pressed pause, her fingers trembling at the thought that you didn't like the song or didn't want to know what she had to say.

"You don't like it?" she asked, crestfallen.

You shook your head. "I want to hear you sing it for me. Just you. Like you always did."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Chaeyoung reached for the guitar on the nearby stand. If singing this song to you would make you happy, she would do it, no matter how vulnerable it made her. Her eyes met yours before she began to sing. The hint of a smile on your face and your tender expression gave her the courage to express her true feelings, to apologize for all the wrongs she had committed, for hurting you.

Words were never her strong suit, so she often hid her true thoughts behind harsh words to protect herself, but it had only broken your heart. Her eyes never left yours as she sang, conveying her apology for her jealousy, the hurtful words, the fights, and the misplaced anger directed at you. She tried her best to convey that she couldn't live without you and that she loved you.

As the final strum of the guitar echoed in the air, the two of you looked at each other, tears glistening in your eyes, the long-overdue apology finally spoken. All you wanted was to forgive the tormented girl before you, to kiss away her pain and tell her you loved her too, but you were afraid of getting hurt again.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N," Chaeyoung said, placing the guitar down and kneeling in front of you, grasping your cold hands in her warm ones.

"I'm sorry for hurting you."

She reached up to wipe the tears from your cheeks, and as you closed your eyes, leaning into her touch, her warmth, her scent, her presence filled the void in your heart, but you worried that when she left, you would have to start healing all over again.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to understand what I did wrong. I was so selfish and sure of myself that I ignored your feelings," she continued, gently stroking your face as tears streamed down her own.

"I shouldn't have projected my past trauma onto you. That was unfair. I should have trusted you instead of trying to keep you away from everyone just because I was insecure."

"Chae..." Her nickname slipped from your lips, making her heart soar.

"Jagi, please forgive me," she implored, pressing your hands to her lips and kissing them. "I can't handle another day without you."

You sighed, pulling your hand away from her lips to rub your forehead. Deep down, you wanted to be with her again. She was like a drug; the closer you got, the stronger the withdrawal. You knew that after this encounter, it would take your heart several months to heal again.

"I don't think I can handle another heartbreak, Chaeyoung."

At that, the light in her eyes dimmed, and she bit her lip, struggling to hold back her sobs. Slowly rising from the floor, she turned around, pretending to switch off the machines and speakers, although you knew she was trying hard to compose herself.

"I understand," she whispered, her back still turned to you.

She looked so small, so defeated, and you couldn't bear to see her in so much pain any longer. She may have had issues to resolve, but so did you. With her close, you knew she would always be the only one for you. She was like air in deep water, providing support and slowly pulling you towards the surface.

You approached her slowly, observing her body shake with quiet sobs as she stood facing her feet. Wrapping your arms around her waist, you buried your face in her hair, pressing kisses to the exposed skin in comfort.

"But I don't think I can handle losing you again."

Not fully structured, but just wanted to drop something for you guys.

Please let me know what you think!

#gxg #kpop fanfic #kpop imagines #wlw #twice x reader #twice fic #chaeyoung #chaeyoung x reader #son chaeyoung #drabble #one shot #aespa #kpop fic #nmixx #wherethefireliliesgrow

138 notes · View notes

mechaknight-98 · 6 months

Text

Gathering: Birds of Paradise

After the wildly successful "Fearless Kkura" episode that he and Dexter had been a part of: Connor and Dexter began getting calls from other companies to help with work with idols. While sifting through these various emails Connor gets a call from Jennifer Huh?

"Yo Jenny what's up," Connor asks excitedly.

"Hey so don't be mad but I kinda RSVPed you and me for a gala in Florida," Jennifer said

"Why? you know I hate those," Connor replied

"Well, Chaewon and Kkura had schedules around that time. Kazuha's back in Japan with her family, and Eunchae is too young." Jen explained.

"Okay, that's reasonable…Before I say yes can I ask what's the Gala for?"

"Oh…um it's a Tricell Charity Gala for those who have been victims of all of the bio-terrorist attacks over the years. I got invited because My family had survived one in New Jersey a while back only because of the recovery aid from Tricell." Jen explained

Connor sighed trying to hide his emotions, but Jen being Jen sensed his discomfort like… Um… what would be a good analogy for this…Oh, I got it; Jen could sense his discomfort like a Shark with blood in the water.

"Ah whae. I know that sigh. that is a Don't have me do this sigh," Jen said to her friend.

"I don't know Jen that sounds incredibly dangerous," Connor replied

"What aren't you telling me?" Jen asked Connor. Connor remained silent.

"Ah heck, I'll go," Connor replies against his better Judgement.

Connor arrives a day early so he can meet Yunjin. He is surprised to see no crowd waiting for her as she approaches His rental. She hugs him

“Hey, Connor. How’s it going?” She says cheerfully then she notices his rental truck and laughs. “wow You must like that truck?” she teased

Connor gives a slight nod, smiles, and says, “Pretty good, and yes I do. Also are you hungry?” Yunjin nods. She gets in the rental and they both drive to a small cafe.

On the way, Connor speaks to Jen.

"Okay, so Jen while we are out here. I do need to meet with my sister and mom." Connor started. The previous day he had visited his brother.

"Oh, I will go with you," Jen replied

"That's not what I was asking," Connor said

"Oh well too bad I am coming with you," Jen said happily. Connor groaned, to which Jennifer replied, "Well how else would I get to know who made such a distinguished and handsome gentleman? Connor relents as they pull into a small Cuban Cafe that was a few miles from both the hotel and the airport. the two sit in the cafe and order their food, while eating Yunjin asks, “So why the beef with Tricell?”

Connor stiffens, hesitates, and concludes that telling her the truth will be the easiest thing. Taking a page out of Dex's book he begins to overshare, "Well I lost both my parents to the T virus outbreak in 98 which was led by the previous head of Tricell Albert Wesker. who's second Son Alexander also caused me to lose my adopted older brother. So I have beef with Umbrella, Tricell, and him, but hey they're trying to change right? if not I can always beat him to a pulp again."

"So you and Dexter both have a history with the Wekser family?"

"Wait how do you know about that? He's never told me anything about that!" Connor exclaimed.

"Well I don't but Kkura told me that Eunbi explained that after Eunbi and Dexter's second date

"Wait Eunbi Kwon and Dex?"

"Yeah, Kkura introduced them after the third episode of "Fearless Kkura" you two worked on together."

"Oh, that's why she had him and Eunbi stay after, and why he's been hopping back and forth to Korea."

"Well that and she also really likes his directing, but yeah they're super cute together," Jennifer said. "Which reminds me. Are you still romancing Giselle…I mean Aeri?"

"No. She doesn't like guys like Kkura."

"Oh really."

"Let me rephrase I don't think she likes me like that."

"Oh okay, that makes more sense. Maybe she can sense that you mine?"

"Shut up Jen," Connor replies

"Ah, whae? I mean don't you like me?" Jen asks with a legit look of disappointment, but Connor reassures her that it's not her it's him.

"Yeah, but come on you're Incredible Ms. Starlet baddie Yunjin Jennifer Huh. I am just normal ole Connor Sun-Won Young." Connor replies

"Wait is Sun-Won your middle name?" Jen asks

"Not the point, but No my middle name is Connor after my Grandpa, but it's easier to say the Sun-won for most people." Connor elaborates

"That's it I am calling you Sonny now." Jen teases

"Oh, brother." Connor groans

"But yeah Dex when he was in College had a run-in with a Wesker who had an outbreak at his school. the school was destroyed and he had to leave." Jen explained.

Connor nodded surprised to be hearing this, and said, "I wish he would have told me that."

Seeing the genuine hurt on Connor's face; Jen looks at Connor slack-jawed. After a few moments she grabs his hand “Connor I am so sorry to hear that.” She says genuinely. “I thought it was that they were just because of your hatred of Mega corporations but this was extremely personal, Why did you agree?” Connor shrugs and tries to figure out why, but he can't form any other response. Yunjin’s shocked face eases and she responds, “Well Thank you for coming with me.” Connor nods. After finishing breakfast He takes Yunjin to her hotel and helps her with her bags. After they finish she looks at Connor confused. “Hey, where are you going?”

“to visit my mom then to my hotel room,” Connor says hesitantly.

“uh, why,” Yunjin says as she corners him.

“Your manager made it clear that while you are here you are to be “untouched” was the word,” Connor responds.

Yunjin laughs “Um how about no.” She says as she grabs him by his necklace. She tilts her head as she grabs it. “Oh, this is nice. It looks good on you. Is it new?” she asks

“No, I just got it back though.” Connor answers.

“Well, it looks good on you. Silver suits you” Yunjin says as she pulls Connor onto the bed.

As you two stare into the roof of the room an awkward silence falls.

“So what happened when you asked Aeri out yet?” Jen asks.

Connor turns over to her and responds “She laughed while she said she sees me as an older brother.”

Jen stifled a chuckle before saying “You an older brother? Oh, I’m so sorry come hug noona to make it all better.” Connor accepts her hug but scowls at her saying noona

“Noona, where did that come from I’m older than you?” Connor responds to Jen

She looks at him and squints, “No you’re not?”Connor groans, takes out his ID, and shows her his birthday. Yunjin smirked “Huh” she grunted “I guess you are my oppa then. Sorry, Oppa. That explains why Aeri was calling you that now. I thought she liked you that's why.” Jennifer explains

“It’s no big deal.“ Connor responds

“I just thought cause you such a teddy bear that you were younger than Chae and I.” Jen rebutted

“Nope. I’m a year older than Kkura. to be exact six months but I digress” Connor says matter of fact.

Connor gets up and begins the process of heading to his mom's spot. Jennifer is all smiles as she also gets up with him. They get in his car and drive to Miami where his mother stays. when arriving Connor begins to get cold feet. his hands start shaking. Jennifer notices this and smiles reassuringly at him and the two get out of the car. Connor approaches his mom's door and knocks. The house remains quiet until it opens.

"Oh Baruuk how good to see you." Connor's sister: Valkyr says to him. Connor smiles weakly.

"Is Mom home?" he asks.

"Yeah, but are you sure you want to talk to her?"

"Yeah, I have some stuff I'd like to tell her."

"Okay, but wait who's this pretty young lady behind you?"

"Oh Hi I'm Jen his girlfriend," Jennifer says.

Connor shoots a look at Jen who just smiles at him. Valkyr sees their little interaction and laughs, "Well Ms. Jen can I talk to you while My little Ruuk goes to our mom?" Valkyr asks, and Jen nods. This gives Connor the freedom to go back to his mom who was in the backyard.

Mrs. LesProux Knew since his landing that Connor was going to arrive. Call it mother's intuition. what she didn't know was what he would be here for.

"Hey Mom," Connor says to his mother upon entering the backyard. His mother a tall statuesque Amazonian woman stood in the backyard facing the morning light.

"Hello, Little cub. I am surprised to see you," she says coldly.

"I didn't expect to be back, but here I am…You know I have done some thinking, and I finally have an answer for you."

"Oh, really, and what is that? Do you still hate me for stealing you from your birth parents? Do you still want revenge?" Mrs. LesProux questions

"No, I said those in anger and resentment that I couldn't have a normal life, but that was never your fault," Connor says apologetically

Mrs. LesProux turns to her adopted son. She sees his remorse and gets closer to him, "Wait, so you're not angry anymore?" she asks skeptically.

"No…I can't be really, but in this time separated from this life I realized I am not built for war." Connor says

"Oh, then what are you built for?" Mrs. LesProux asks intrigued

"Diplomacy and art, but I appreciate what you did for me because as you've said numerous times. Fate had other plans." Connor answers

Mrs. LesProux chuckles at her son's response "That is a surprising answer."

"Why so." Connor asks

"To forge peace one must know war." Mrs. LesProux answers

"Yes, and you've taught me war. The time I have been with Dexter or as you call him the fool has brought me peace, and I needed that." Connor adds

"Well, then I guess I may have been harsh in my judgment of him. Especially learning about him." Mrs. LesProux asserts

Connor looks to his mom confused "What do you mean?" he asks

"He was in love with that Wesker girl a few years back and according to my sources she betrayed him when he went to do his best to purge all records of that event from everywhere." Mrs. LesProux explains

"That explains why he never talks about it." Connor figures

"I assume it's a pretty sore spot. Speaking of pretty who is that girl talking to Valkyr Baruuk?" Mrs. LesProux says to Connor

"Oh that's Jennifer she's a friend." Connor reassures

"Really? she doesn't look at you like you're just a friend." Mrs. LesProux states

"How do you figure that?" Connor asks

"I have seen the look of love Baruuk and believe me she has it." Mrs LesProux Explains

"Well then I will keep that in mind." Connor said falling quiet. Mrs LesProux smiles at her son's bashfullness.

She goes to hug him "Still my shy and humble little boy I see. I should have known that bringing you into the fold was a mistake, but that being said I think you have grown into a fine young man."

"thanks Voruna." Connor says to his mom

"You're welcome Baruuk." Mrs. LesProux says "So what will you do now?" She asks

"I am going to the Tricell Gala tomorrow with Jennifer as her plus one." Connor answers

"Oh well then we shall see each other again then." Mrs LesProux says

"Okay." Connor says

After that connor walks back with his mom to the living room where Valkyr and Jennifer talked. Mrs. LesProux looks Jennifer up and down. then says "What are your intentions with my son?"

Yunjin blushes a the question as does connor before Valkyr gives them an out.

"Come on Mom, Can't you see their blushing. Baruuk, Jen leave before you get more embarrassed." Valkyr says before escorting the couple out. The couple then drive back to the Hotel and Jen starts to become sleepier. (I guess the effects of the flight getting to her.) They get back to her hotel room and she cuddles with Connor.

"So you've met my mom, and sister what did you think?" Connor asks

"I am still surprised you are so manly and gentlemanly because Your mom and Valkyr are very cold." Jen answers

"Well that was because of my older brother Atlas. He taught me a lot of the manners stuff, you would've love him. he was tall kind, and…" before Connor could really get into his description Jen asked what happened to Atlas. "He was the brother that died because of Alexander Wesker." Connor answers

Jen nods “oh…Learning new things about you every day.” She adds. Jen falls silent after that. Connor notices she hasn’t broken the hug after 30 minutes, and then he hears her sleep breathing. eventually. the calming sound her of breathing also lulls Connor to fall asleep as well. He wakes up from his nap when Jen’s alarm goes off. No Return begins blaring. As he attempts to get up he is struck by his arm being very asleep, realizing this he tries to remedy it. As Jen wakes up to his movements she laughs excitedly watching as Connor tries to wake his sleeping arm up.

“What’s going on?” Connor asks confused

“Oh we’re meeting with Winter and Hosang before they just flew in so we’re all getting dinner together.” Connor nods and follow her as she changes her jacket to something lighter as the morning cool has burned off into a humid heat more common to Florida. Connor looks away as he tries to not see her exposed

Jen smiles at Connor and says"you know you don't have to look away while I change."

"Um yes I do" Connor Rebukes

"You're so cute when you're bashful." Jen teases. She begins laughing while watching he is still trying to get his arm awake again. After a few minutes, he succeeds and he gets up now having his arm almost back to normal. You get in your rental truck and drive to the airport again. Winter and Hosang are surprised when you pick them up.

“Oh hi Yunjin… and Connor.” Hosang said in surprise to seeing you.

You wave as they put their bags in the truck bed. Winter and Hosang both begin to whisper in Korean. They’re quiet enough to not hear every word. You turn to them when you hear “American” both you and Jen do actually. You both scowl suspiciously.

“What?” winter says innocently.

“What was that about? They are sooo American?” Jen says.

Hosang laughs and says “well look like we were caught. Winter and I were just talking about how you two looks so American together. (He gestures to the truck) its so funny how you are both so American and so not American.” You watch as Jen goes back to facing you with a smile. You drove the couple to their hotel.

while on the way in Jen asks “hey how did you guys get the okay from SM to date?”

Hosang answers. “Um so we actually haven't so if you could keep it on the down low that would be great.” Jen’s eyes go wide and she nods in understanding. She smiles and says

“You secret is safe with us. Isn’t It Connor.”

Teasingly you say “Absolutely not. I need compensation for Giselle putting me in the brother zone, and a dating scandal for her group sounds like a fat pay day. So two birds one stone.” they look at you for a moment, thinking you serious, but when they see your face change they all break into a smile.

“You had us worried for a minute.” Winter says. You laugh

While helping them Hosang comes to you and asks, “I know you were joking about the Aeri thing but are you sure you’re okay?” you shrug

“I can’t really do anything about it so why would I care? As my friend Burro says “Time keeps moving forward so whill I.” .I’ll just work my hardest and then move on.”you say to Hosang. Who nods.

“ah the good ole keep moving forward.” he says and you nod. After you help the couple into their room you, Jen, winter, and Hosang all get back into the car you drive to restaurant where you’ll be eating for the night. You arrive at the small Cuban spot that Jen found and you all file in. Jen smiles as you all walk in and she grabs your arm, she links with hers as she smiles at you. You smile back her dark hair bouncing as she walks with you. A wave of calm washes over you as you sit with her. You feel… pleasant around her in a way you’re not used to.

After the waiter takes drink and appetizer orders. Then Hosang asks you the fated question.

“So how did you meet Aeri Uchinaga Mr. Connor?”

You look around and winter smirks. “tell him then Magic man.“

“Well long story short. I play mtg to deal with some PTSD issues I had in the past. So naturally I played mtga where I met Scorpion’s love-00. I beat this person. This person sends me a discord message and we begin an online friendship. That friendship eventually led to me meeting this person who turned out to be the illustrious Giselle of Aespa.” Jen smiles as you recount your story.

When you get to the part about Winter looked at you surprised. After you finished your tale pried a little into that. “You mentioned PTSD…um Connor are you okay?” you shrug.

“Yeah just some bad stuff happened while before I got into college. Mtg helped me get out of that bad place, but it also made it worse because I became obsessed. Overall I think I am good though now.” Winter squinted as she starred at you. You could see the worry on her face. You smile to allay her worry. After all they didn’t need to be bothered with your tales. After you finished your food got here, and while you ate you could of sworn you saw Voruna. When your friends catch you spacing out looking for her they quickly bring you back. You smile at them as you all get back to eating and enjoying their company.

When you went to pay the man waiter says “Oh you’re meal was already paid for by a Karena LesProux. She left the message, “for my lost cub who is found again.” everyone looks weirdly at the waiter except you who knows who that is and what that means. You ease into the seat and say to everyone “wow that is so weird but cool free meal.” they all look at you weirdly at first but then it’s put past them

.After that you take Winter and Hosang back to their hotel and say your goodbyes until tomorrow.

Winter stops for a moment before going in to talk to you. She gets you out of earshot of the others and says. “Don’t give up on Giselle just yet. She’s just got a lot going on” you sigh and wave as they leave.

You go to drop Jen off and as you leave she says. “Can you stay with me tonight?”

You see the anxiety in her eyes, and all you can say is “Sure” so you follow her to her room, and fall asleep. You take turns using the shower and getting ready for the night . You cuddle with her in the bed. It’s awkward at first until she says “Hey it’s okay I don’t bite.” her eyes are bright and happy. Her smile is innocent and inviting.

You say to her, “this isn’t very hot girl. Of you.”

She laughs and responds “Maybe I want to be soft girl for the night.” you laugh and she hugs you tight. You both fall asleep roughly around the same time. At 4am you wake up. You get up to leave but as you went to get up from the bed Jen said still partially asleep you think says, “Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone.” you look at her. She looks so lonely, so afraid

“What’s wrong Jen?” you ask. At this point you look at her worried but clearly see she is still half asleep.

“I feel so isolated, and you make me feel connected. Idol life it’s great but there’s too much pressure too rigid. I want someone who’s fluid and goes with the flow .I live in fear everyday that because of who I am and my background that everything is going to collapse on me. I want someone by my side who is strong and confident yet gentle and reassuring. So please stay with me.” Jen says. You also remember that Jen said all of this still half asleep and probably wouldn’t remember it. You breath in and out and lie back next to her. As you drift off your mind settles in a familiar place. Stars litter the endless void.

When Connor opens his eyes he is greeted by Jen’s smiling face. She is elated that he stayed with her. The next thing he hears is his phone ringing. It’s Dexter.

#kpop fanfic #male reader #le sserafim yunjin #fanfic #resident evil #le sserafim

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