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whatawonderfulexistence--blog · 3 months

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Fall For Me (Poly! Sleep Token x Fem! Reader) - Part VI

Why hello there! I am finally back with an Eepy Boi update!! Sorry it took me so long to get around to posting this, between the holidays and my work schedule being all over the place and a heap of other junk it took me a bit, lol. We're taking a little jump back? Forward? In time this chapter, the Fall Festival is finally upon us... Maybe a little bit of tension starts to occur? This is going to be a very fun chapter hehe. Thank all of you so so much for your continued support during my hiatus, I see every single note, reblog, and kudos on this fic, I read every single comment I get, all of you are absolutely wonderful, again, thank you. If you would like to be added to my tag list for this fic, please let me know! If you ever want to come be crazy over the Sleep Token boys with me, shoot me an ask or a message! Now onto the good stuff, I hope you enjoy!

WARNINGS: None, fluff, not proofread

My Masterlist! ~ A03 Link!

Part V - Part VI

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“Absolutely not.” Vessel responds blankly as he flips through one of the magazines by the register.

“Ves, come on.” You groan. “It's one night.”

“Yeah, one night with a whole group of people that want to run us out of town.” He retaliates in the same bored tone as he turns another page.

“Everyone's going to be wearing costumes, no one will know it's you.” You offer as you start bagging his purchase.

“They've seen pictures of us, love.”

“What? Those blurry, grainy sasquatch looking photos from the paper?” You sigh, handing him the bags. “Listen, I know you're worried. I know you just want to keep everyone safe, but you hiding yourselves away is only going to make people more suspicious.” You could feel his eyes studying your face.

“I get the slightest feeling that something is wrong we leave, do we have a deal?” He sticks out his hand to you, you clap your own into his without hesitation, giving it a firm shake. “I agree that people might be more comfortable with us being in town if we can exist in the same space without an issue… I just hope you're right about this.”

“I'll be right by your side the whole time.” You exchange a soft smile.

“Are you closing early that day?” He asks.

“Of course, I have to get into costume myself.” You giggle. “I'll be closing at noon that day, but I can always reopen if you guys want to stock up afterwards.” You offer.

“It’s not that, I wouldn't want to trouble you.” He chuckles. “I was thinking maybe we could meet here before the festival.”

“I'd like that.”

“Then it's a date.” He bows his head slightly in dismissal before pushing out the door.

The next day the store was abuzz with excited children picking out glow sticks, mother's buying ingredients for their bake sale items, and last minute costume necessities for all the town's residents. “Miss (Y/N)!” You can't help but smile as a young boy with messy brown hair and a gapped tooth smile rushes up to the counter.

“Daclan, she's busy-” his mother starts, a bubbly school teacher you had gotten to know quite well since she had moved to town.

“Don't worry about it, Siobhan.” You chuckle, pulling the bucket of candy out from behind the counter and discreetly offering it to him. You lean down slightly, “if you don't tell the other kids I'll let you take two.” You whisper with a wink. He shoves his hand into the bucket before quickly and triumphantly retrieving his candy.

“Miss (Y/N), are you coming to the Fall festival?” He asks excitedly.

“Of course I am, I wouldn't miss it for the world.” You smile. “What's your costume going to be this year?” He starts rambling on about his skeleton costume as you ring the two of them up.

“Woah! Mom, look at him!” Your attention flashes over to the door to see Vessel frozen in place as every pair of eyes in the store land on him. As quickly as he caught their attention it was gone, the bustling energy returning once more as everyone continued their shopping. You motion him closer with a wave of your hand. Declan stared up at the large masked man in amazement. “What are you supposed to be?”

Vessel gives you the briefest of looks, not exactly sure how to respond at first. But, seeing the boy's bright smile and lack of fear, it warmed his heart. He leans down, resting his elbows on the counter to bring himself closer to eye level. “The Grim Reaper, pretty scary, right?” He says with a grin.

“Awesome!” Declan exclaims in response. “Mom, can we make a costume like his next year?” Vessel chuckles at the young boy’s excitement.

“Sure thing, honey.” She ruffles Declan’s hair. “Come on, let’s let Miss (Y/N) close up so she can get ready.” You exchange goodbye’s with her, Declan telling you that he hopes you get to see his costume before hurrying out the door.

“So far so good.” You remark as you lean against the counter, you and Vessel shifting to more easily face each other. “I promise tonight will be fun.” You reach out, grabbing his shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“Well, if you talk so highly about this festival, I can't see any harm in giving it a shot.” You wait for your last few customers to file out of the store before locking up.

“Where's everyone else?” You ask, looking out in the empty lot for their truck.

“They're in back, I hope you don't mind.”

“Not at all.” You click off your open sign with a smile, motioning with a nod for Vessel to follow you out the front door. Your keys jingled in your hand as you struggled with the lock. “You'd think after all this time I wouldn't mess this up.” You sigh. The front door had a tendency to not shut fully unless things were maneuvered a certain way; the keys had to be slid into the lock a certain way, you had to push the door fully shut with your shoulder, you felt your cheeks start to burn as you struggled with something so simple in Vessel’s presence.

“Mind if I give it a try?” He offers quietly. You shuffle out of his way, the heat of his body noticeable against yours as he slid a little too close behind you. He jiggles the key slightly, slamming his shoulder into the glass pane’s metal frame, managing to slide the deadbolt into place. He pulls on the handle a couple times, making sure it's fully secure, before turning to you with a proud smile. “There, that should do it. He follows you out back, the other three members of the usual group lounging in the cab of the truck. IV was the first to notice you, perking up in his seat when his eyes landed on your approaching form. He nudges II, who looks up immediately from the book he was reading at the mention of your name.

“Where's your costume?” III asks in mock annoyance. He hops down from his place situated in the bed of the truck, his long strides allowing him to approach you quickly and pull you into his arms. He pulls back slightly, his blue eyes finding yours and making you freeze under their warm gaze. “Promise me I'll get you to myself for at least a little while tonight.” You could hear the smile he was wearing under his mask lace it's way through his words. Before you had a chance to respond the passenger door of the truck was kicked open, IV practically falling to the ground as he scrambled out. Your eyes darted up to three, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he gazed down at you. He gives you a quick wink before he steps back, satisfied with your flustered state.

IV bounds up to you, excitedly taking your hands in his. “I can't wait to see your costume.” You jump slightly as a warm hand if placed against your lower back, you caught the sight of II in your peripheral.

“Well we have to let her go get changed into it first.” He chuckles. “It's good to see you, love.”

“Come on guys.” You chuckle, motioning for the four of them to follow you. “You can hang out upstairs while I get ready.”

It always made your heart swell every time they were all together in one place. The warm, me jovial energy that filled your apartment had you practically skipping to your room to get changed. You could hear the four of them continue to talk in the living room, just quiet enough to make it so you couldn't hear. You opened your closet, pulling out the neatly packaged bag that contained your costume. You shimmied into the tight dress, the stretchy fabric hugging all of your curves just right. Was this the most original costume in the world? Absolutely not. But, considering you were hoping to catch the attention of some masked men in particular this evening, you figured it wouldn't hurt to be a little cliche. You did your makeup as quickly as you could, a dark smokey eye that was finished off by you drawing a little black nose at the tip of your own with eyeliner. You grabbed the headband from your vanity, adjusting it perfectly atop your head before giving yourself one final once over in the mirror and heading back out to your waiting guests. The room fell silent the second you stepped through your door, four pairs of eyes locked on your small form. All of the sudden attention made you feel self conscious about your costume choice, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. You wrapped your arms around your torso, your cheeks warming as you looked between the four. “Does it look ba-”

You didn't have a chance to finish your question before they were all scrambling out of their various seats towards you. All of them reassuring you that you looked fantastic and apologizing for staring. Your small group prepared to head out, III hung back to wait for you, his monstrous form taking up most of the doorway. You smile up at him as you straighten up from pulling on your shoes. “You look beautiful.” He compliments you softly, making your cheeks warm.

“Thank you.” He slips his hands into yours, his lips warm through his mask as he places a soft kiss to your knuckles.

“Ready to get going?” You nod, letting your hand reluctantly fall from his.

You piled into their truck, you were currently squished in between Vessel and II, III and IV curled up in the bed. “So, you're all excited about this festival, what are we even going to be doing?” Vessel asks suddenly, breaking the silence in the truck.

“Well,” you start, “there's going to be a lot of food, hay rides, a costume contest, lots of vendors from around the town, a few rides, a haunted house. It's nothing spectacular, but I’m hoping it will make you guys feel more at home here.” You noticed him and II exchange a look over your head. It wasn't long before you pulled into the bumpy dirt parking lot of the fair grounds. III vaulted out of the truck, his heavy boots landing on the ground with a loud thud. You notice II shove him back slightly as he holds out his hand to help you out of the truck. He gives your hand a soft squeeze before dropping it, you were quickly surrounded by the four men, all of you chatting happily as you made your way up to the festival. The four froze, taking in the chaotic sight before then. IV reached out, slipping his hand into yours.

“There's a lot of people, huh?” He asks, startling back slightly as a child rushes past his legs.

“The whole town’s probably going to show up.” You explain. You lean on closer to him, “you alright big guy? We can always turn around and go back to my place if this is too much.” You squeeze his hand reassuringly.

“I think I can handle it if you're by my side.” You noticed his features soften as he smiles under his mask. Your cheeks warm, your eyes darting to the ground in an attempt to try and hide your flustered expression.

“Where should we start?” III slips an arm around your shoulder, you instinctually lean into his side.

“You're the expert, love, lead the way.” Vessel shoots you a sharp grin. The group stayed close to your side, forming a buffer between you and the rest of the crowd. You wandered from booth to booth, letting the boy's childlike wonder take over as they excitedly showed you small trinkets and hand made gifts they stumbled across. The booth of old ladies selling goat milk soap cooed over how adorable all your costumes were, slipping sweets into all your hands as you made your way out. You paused in front of a vendor selling handmade jewelry, you jumped slightly as a hand came to rest on your waist.

“That would look very pretty on you.” II’s gentle voice meets your ears.

“You think so?” You ask through a flustered giggle. II asked to see the necklace in question, the beautifully wire wrapped crystal sparkling in the gradually setting sun. “It is really pretty.”

“How much?” He asks without hesitation. The young woman running the stand told him the price, to which II shocked you by immediately purchasing the necklace. He steps behind you, your hand raising to the unfamiliar weight as it falls around your neck. “A beautiful necklace for the most beautiful woman in the world.” His warm breath bounces off your cheek as he speaks, sending a shiver down your spine. You glance over your shoulder, your eyes immediately finding his bright blue ones.

“You know you didn't have to buy me anything.” You see the corners of his eyes crinkle as he smiles.

“What if I wanted to?” You didn't miss the teasing tone that had laced its way into his words. You traced a finger along the cool metal wire, fully turning yourself to face him. You glance up at him through your lashes, struggling to find the right words to say to thank him. You pushed yourself up onto your toes, quickly pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“Well, I think that’s very sweet. Thank you, II.” You perk up at the sound of one of the others calling your name, III appearing at your side and slipping his hand into yours.

“Mind if I steal her from you?” He quickly asks II.

“Not at all.” He holds up his hands with a soft chuckle. “I'm sure I'll manage to snag her back later.” He winks at you, making your cheeks grow warm.

“What a shame,” III leans down to murmur quietly in your ear, “looks like I'm going to have to beat them off with a stick to get you to myself.”

“Careful, you're all going to make me think you have a crush on me or something.” You tease in response, shooting him a playful smile of your own.

“Only a pretty little thing like you could handle something like that.” He winks. “I want to make sure you eat before IV gets over excited and drags you off to the rides.” He jokes with a smile. He tucks you safely into his side, helping you avoid the bustling crowd that surrounded you.

“Are you having a good time?” You ask him softly. He glances down at you, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiles.

“Yeah, I’m spending time with you, of course I’m having a good time.” You let out a bashful giggle, quickly turning away as you feel your cheeks grow warm.

As the evening carried on you couldn't help but notice II grow more fidgety with every passing hour, occasionally leaning into Vessel to whisper something only for the taller man to clap him on the shoulder and give him a reassuring grin. You were currently sat in a circle on the ground, finding a nice place in the open field to settle down and have some good together. You laughed as IV expertly stole a bite of your corn dog faster than you could comprehend what had happened. “What's your favorite ride?” II suddenly chimes in from his position sitting across from you.

“I'm personally a big fan of the haunted house, I think all the cheap jump scares are fun.” You respond with a laugh.

IV makes an intrigued noise. “We should all go on!”

“Only two people can ride together, unfortunately.”

“Well, how about you ride with me then?” II winks at you, making you blush.

“If you think you can handle it.” You tease in response. II stands, offering you his hand which you eagerly accept. He hoists you from the ground, pulling you into his side and slinging his arm across your shoulders. Vessel tagged along with IV, knowing it would be the only way to stop him from complaining about how he wanted to go too, III elected to stay back to save your spot. You all chatted happily as you stood in line, the slow creeping pace allowing them to see a little of what the ride had in store for them.

Brown metal buggies horribly painted to look like wood creaked along the track, bat shaped hood ornaments were barely recognizable after years of dings and chipped paint.A repeating track of over dramatic screams and ghoulish moaning looped from the speakers. “Next in line, please!” The ticket collector barked, IV and Vessel stepped up first, IV practically vibrating with excitement as he waited for the all clear to get on. II’s arm slid around your waist as you stepped forward, waiting patiently for the next cart to wheel itself into place. “Y’all have fun.” He waves you on. II helps you step into the cart, your body thudding against the thin, leather covered padding on the seat.

“You’re not going to get all scared on me now, are you?” You ask in a playful tone.

“Oh, don’t worry sweetheart, I’ll be right here to protect you.” He returns with a smirk. Your body lurched slightly as the buggy started to move. You were hit with a blast of cold air as you crept into the dark space, II’s arm wrapping around your shoulders, you found yourself instinctually snuggling into his side. You jumped slightly, giggling over being startled by the second air cannon you had rolled past.

You rolled past a growling werewolf, “Look, you can see the wires.” You nudge him slightly, pointing upwards.

“I personally think it adds to the experience.” He chuckles, you can’t help but laugh yourself. “You’re so beautiful.” You feel your breath freeze in your lungs at his compliment. You clung to him as something shot out of the darkness at you, it took you a moment to recognize the plastic skeleton’s limbs rattling at you. Your eyes are drawn back to him as you feel a warm hand slip over your cheek. “And you thought I was going to be the one getting scared.” He chuckles, his eyes flashing briefly to your lips. “Cute.” He fidgets with the edge of his mask for a moment, stretching the black fabric away from his neck. “Can- can I, um…” He swallows thickly, his confidence immediately crumbling as you continue to cling to him for comfort. “Can I kiss you?” You nodded, your wide eyes glimmering in the dim light. Without hesitation II lifts his mask, his lips slotting perfectly against your own. Your hand slides over his chest, you could feel his heart pounding under your palm. As quickly as the kiss had started it was over, II’s mask already neatly back in place by the time your eyes fluttered open. You hide your face against his neck, hoping he hadn’t noticed your flustered appearance. “That was nice.” He suddenly chimes in, making you giggle. You both reluctantly shuffle away from each other as the exit opens in front of you, squinting under the bright lights. II offers you his hand to help you from the cart, your eyes meeting his as he smiles. Your pinky wraps around his as he lets his hand slip out of your grasp. You hear him laugh softly at your actions, allowing your fingers to stay linked.

“That wasn’t even scary.” IV groans as you approach.

“I never said it was scary, I just said I liked it.” You respond. Vessel smiles down at you.

“How was riding with II?” He asks with a chuckle. Your cheeks immediately warm at the question.

“We had fun.” You get out through a nervous giggle.

“Well, look who’s back.” You can’t help but smile at III’s cheerful tone. He hoists himself up from his position on the ground with a soft groan. “How was it beautiful?” Your eyes trailed after the people that were starting to gather in the open field.

“It was fun.” You felt a pang of guilt in your chest as you thought about kissing II. “See anything interesting while we were gone?”

“There’s a pretty good band playing over there.” He nods somewhere behind you. “Want to go check it out?”

“Sure.” You can’t help but smile as you feel the warmth of III’s hand brush against yours. The two of you lazily strolled in the direction of the music that floated through the air. A local folk group was currently performing under a gazebo, a small dance floor set up in front of the stage. You laughed as III took your hand and spun you around in time with the music, pulling you to him and swaying you in his arms.

“Do you know how to dance?” He asks with a grin.

“Not very well,” you giggle in response, “but I feel like with you that won’t matter too much.” You found yourself easily falling into a rhythm with him, every small misstep and teasing comment from him made you both crumble into fits of laughter. You both paused, looking up at the sky with the rest of the crowd as fireworks started going off overhead. III continues to hold you close, your arms sliding over his shoulders as the two of you watch the display. He fully encircles your waist with one arm, his hand sliding over your cheek, turning your face in order for his warm lips to find yours. Unlike the kiss with II, III took his time letting the sensation of kissing you sink in. You felt so small in his arms, the gentle dominance he had over the kiss allowing your body to fully relax into his embrace as your eyes fluttered shut. He traces a thumb along your jaw before hesitantly pulling away.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” He rushes to apologize, his body relaxing at the sight of the soft smile that had laced its way across your lips. Your eyes meet his, bright blue irises scanned your features with an adoration you had never seen. “I really like you.”

“III-”

“There you guys are!” He jolts back from you, the sudden lack of warmth making you shiver. “We’ve been looking all over the place for you!” It was IV, he jogged up to you. “Vessel wants to get going.”

You found yourself in the cab of the truck between Vessel and IV, II and III electing to sit in the bed for the ride back to your place. Your mind raced as you played over both men kissing you over and over again in your head. You didn’t know what to do. On one hand there was II, his silent charm and the undeniable intimacy the two of you have has drawn you in from the beginning. But then there was III, who made your heart race and dominated every aspect of your senses whenever you were with him. Who, despite his monstrous size, was always so gentle with you. You were absolutely torn. You rumbled into the store’s parking lot, Vessel parking the truck around back. You stood at the bottom of your stairs in a small circle. “Well, I hate to admit it, but that was pretty fun.” Vessel grins at you, there were murmurs of agreement amongst the group.

“Do you guys want to come up for a bit? There’s, um, there’s kind of something I need to talk to you about.” You fidget with your hands as you nervously put the statement out there. You were going to deal with feeling conflicted the only way you knew how, by facing the problem head on.

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dean-winchester-is-a-warrior · 28 days

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Shh! Pt. 2

Summary: The hangovers are very real for Dean and Y/N. Will they notice the artwork on the fridge?

Pairing/Characters: Dean Winchester x Y/N

Warnings: None. This second part is pretty much all fluff too.

Word Count: 2,693 (This part was a bit longer than the first. Sorry!)

A/C: Okay, so the first part of Shh! was actually just supposed to be a one shot, fic request. But I got a fair few requests for a sequel about the morning after, and I wanted to know what happened too. So, here it is. Lol! I had a lot of fun writing the two parts to this little story. Hope you have fun reading them. ❤️

It was requested that I tag @arcannaa if I made a second part. So, here ya go, lovely. Let me know if you'd like to be added to one of the tag lists linked below. ❤️

Part 1 is here || Main Master List || Tag Lists

The Next Morning:

Dean's groan was deep and long and ended in one word. “Fuck.”

“Shh…” Y/N held her head in her hands as she sat up. “Why are you so loud?” She asked, and her voice sounded as dry and cracked as the Sahara.

“No, you're so loud.” Was Dean's witty rejoinder as he sat up beside her.

They both turned their heads to look at each other and groaned again. Y/N looked around the room and her brow creased with confusion.

“Why am I here?”

Dean grunted. “I'm a little too hungover for an existential crisis.”

Y/N pursed her lips, side eyeing him. “No, idiot. I mean why am I here in your bed? Why aren't I in my own bed?”

Dean rubbed his hand down his face. “Well, your bed is about 2 hours away, which probably explains the sleepover.”

Y/N hummed her agreement and pointed at him, conceding the point. “Yeah, I guess neither of us was in the best shape to drive.” She paused and then scowled. “We didn't, right? I mean, we didn’t drive home.”

She squinted at Dean who was shaking his head. “Nooo…” His tone said that was impossible, but then he tilted his head. “Right? There’s no way we would have been that stupid.”

Y/N shook her head and then stopped when the room started spinning. She rubbed her temples with her fingertips. “No, we must have taken a cab. We must have.”

It was silent while both of them tried desperately to remember something from the night before.

Dean sat up straight. “Rainbow Connection!” He said suddenly.

Y/N turned to look at him again and one eye brow was raised. “Are you stroking out?”

Dean waved at her. “No, the cab. I remember we took a cab cause I remember being in it and singing ‘Rainbow Connection’.” He closed his eyes. “I really don’t remember why though.”

Y/N gasped softly, remembering something. “Rambeau.”

Dean opened his eyes to look at her and his expression was all confusion. “Uh…Rocky II. We just naming Stallone movies?”

Y/N made a sound of disgust. “No, B - E - A - U, Rambeau, not Rambo.” When Dean still just stared at her blankly, she sighed and rolled her eyes. “It was the driver’s name, remember. But you thought he -”

“ - said Rainbow!” Dean finished, snapping his fingers. “Right! That’s when we started singing it.” He nodded, happy with their mental sleuthing, and then he shook his head.

“Man, I hope we gave him a big tip.”

Y/N chuckled and then took a big breath. “K, I need coffee, stat. Like a vat of coffee, like, this is a hook-it-to-my-veins kinda situation.”

Dean grunted his agreement and they both pushed themselves up from the bed with a painful groan. Dean grabbed Y/N’s wrist as they were leaving the room. “Wait, do you remember…did we talk to Sam last night?”

Y/N just shrugged. “Dude, I have no idea.”

“Huh…I feel like we did.” Dean said quietly as he padded towards the kitchen with Y/N trailing just behind him.

When they got to the kitchen Y/N collapsed onto one of the seats at the table and cradled her head in her hands.

Dean walked to the coffee maker and his face lit up.

“Oh, thank god for a little brother who gets up at the butt crack of dawn to go running to nowhere in particular. He made the coffee already!” He grabbed two cups and brought them and the pot to the table.

Y/N inhaled deeply, pulling the aroma of the coffee into her lungs. “Do you have cream?”

Dean made a face. “Cream? God no; this is a black coffee household, Y/N. You should know this.”

Y/N rolled her eyes and smiled. “Yes, of course. Only manly black coffee for the Winchesters. How foolish of me.”

Dean shot her a grin and nodded in the direction of the fridge. “Might be some milk in the fridge.”

Y/N groaned again as she dragged herself up and stumbled blindly towards the fridge. She looked back at Dean as she pulled open the door. “I swear to God it feels like my muscles are about two minutes away from seizing up all together.”

Dean chuckled as Y/N looked into the fridge and shook her head. “There is nothing resembling milk in this fridge.”

“In the back?”

“Dean, there is no ‘back’ to this fridge. You’ve got three beers and leftover pizza that’s harder than the cardboard box it’s in.” She said as she peered inside. As Dean began rummaging around at the coffee station, she picked up a piece of the pizza and banged the crust against the box.

“That’s just sad.” She muttered.

“Score!” Dean called out just as Y/N closed the fridge door. “Found something called Coffee Whitener! Not CoffeeMate, it’s literally just called coffee whitener.”

“Uh…Dean?”

Dean’s face fell into a frown. “Actually, I don’t know how old this is.”

“Dean.”

“Might be from the fifties.” Dean mumbled. “Cause for the life of me I can’t remember Sam or I ever buying -”

“Dean!” Y/N yelled.

Dean grimaced as her shout made his head pound. “What? Jesus, why are you yelling?”

Y/N was pointing at the fridge door. “What the fuck is this?”

Dean set down the coffee whitener and walked over. “What the fuck is what?”

Y/N just kept pointing as Dean came up beside her to see two wrinkled up pieces of paper stuck to the fridge.

As he read the words he felt his heart clench. He read both letters twice.

He looked at Y/N slowly and couldn’t read what her expression was saying. He shook his head. “I - I mean, I dunno. Where did they come from?”

Y/N shrugged. “I don't know, but that’s my handwriting and…that’s yours. Do you…I mean, do you remember writing them?”

Dean shook his head. “No. I don’t remember. But, I mean…it must have…I mean, it had to be some kind of joke, right? Like we were messing around? Just some kind of drunken joke?”

Y/N was looking away from him, but he shrugged again. “I mean, don’t you think?”

She nodded and her face was scrunched up when she looked at him. “Had to be, right?”

He felt his heart plummet even as he nodded. “Right?”

“Yeah, we were just being stupid, fucking around.” She concluded quietly.

He nodded again. “Yeah.”

They were quiet for a minute before Y/N pointed towards the table. “So, did you say something about 1950’s coffee whitener?”

Dean forced a chuckle. “Yeah, come try it out, if you dare.”

They sat at the table and Dean poured them both coffee. In the end, Y/N just took a bit of sugar in hers, not willing to be a guinea pig for the decades old, mostly chemicals coffee whitener.

Silence reigned between them, neither of them able to push aside the words in the letters. Finally, Y/N couldn’t take the awkwardness and, pushing her coffee cup aside, she stood up.

“I should probably get going. I gotta shower and change and, you know, try to feel like a human again.” She said with a stilted laugh.

Dean nodded. “Yeah for sure. I’ll drive you.”

Y/N waved him down as he started to stand. “No, no. Don’t worry about it. I’ll just take the bus. There’s one that comes at 11:00. I’ve taken it before.”

Dean frowned. “Why the hell would you take the bus when I can just drive you.”

Y/N tucked her hair behind her ears nervously. She knew she wouldn't survive a two hour car ride, sitting so close to him but knowing she was never going to get any closer.

...it had to be some kind of joke, right? Dean's dismissive voice echoed in her mind.

So, she shook her head at him. “No, it’s okay. This way you can just rest and feel better. I like the bus. You know, I just put my music on and chill the whole way.”

“Right.” Dean said sardonically, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice. “Cause you know, if I drove you, we’d definitely be listening to an audio book about the sixteenth century Christian Reformation. No music in my car.”

Y/N laughed nervously. “No, I know…but…”

Dean just nodded again. “Yeah, okay. Well, have a good two hour bus ride, I guess.”

Y/N smiled. “I will. I’ll uh…I’ll call you.”

“M’kay.”

Y/N cleared her throat. “See ya.” She said with another plastered-on-smile as she left the kitchen.

“Yeah, see ya.” Dean answered quietly.

About an hour later Dean was still sitting at the kitchen table nursing an ice cold black coffee when he heard the bunker door slam. A minute later Sam walked into the kitchen in his running clothes, sweating and still breathing deeply.

He went to the sink to fill up his water bottle as he looked back at Dean with a smirk. “You look ill.” Dean just grunted and Sam chuckled as he took a sip of water. “Where’s Y/N?” He asked.

“Went home.” Dean answered shortly.

Sam frowned looking towards the fridge where the letters still hung. “Didn’t you guys see the letters?”

Dean’s head came up quickly and he stared at Sam. “What do you mean? Why do you know about them?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Who the hell do you think hung them up there?”

Dean shook his head, anger in his expression. “Why the fuck would you do something like that? Y/N saw them and freaked.”

“What?”

“I’m telling you. She saw what I wrote and couldn’t get out of here fast enough. Wouldn’t even take a ride home.” Dean said sullenly.

Sam set his water bottle down on the island, hard. “Oh my god!” He growled. “I might actually strangle you both.” When Dean just continued to frown at him, Sam shook his head. “Didn’t you each read the other’s letter? You guys wrote essentially the same thing to each other. Because you’re both so into each other. Jesus Christ.”

He pushed two hands through his damp hair. “I figured once you both saw it written out right in front of you, you’d realize that you’re both a couple of dumbasses!”

Dean shook his head. “No, she didn’t mean what she wrote. She thought it was some kind of drunken joke.”

Sam scowled. “She told you it was just a joke? She remembered writing her letter?”

“No, but I asked if she thought it was a joke and she said yeah, it had to be. Had to be because she has no interest in me like that.”

“Did she actually say that?” Sam asked, speaking over the end of Dean’s sentence, “Or did she just go along with you when you suggested it was a joke, because that’s what she thought you thought?”

When Dean didn’t answer Sam growled again in frustration. “For fuck’s sake this is ridiculous. I’m just gonna spell it out for you.” He walked over to stand in front of Dean at the table. “Y/N is madly in love with you.”

Dean scoffed, but Sam sliced his hand through the air. “No, shut up. She is in love with you and you are in love with her, and if you asked one single other person who knows you both, they’ll tell you the exact same thing. Because it is glaringly, abundantly, stupidly obvious, you dumbass. Now go find her at the station, tell her the truth and watch how quickly she tells you she feels the same.”

Dean was frowning. “That's not gonna happen.” But he could feel a spark of hope at his brother’s certainty.

Sam just glared.

He threw up his hands. “Okay, I’ll go.” He stood up and walked towards the door, stopping on the top step to look back at Sam. “But when she rips my heart out and I lose my best friend, you’re gonna be the one who has to deal with me.”

Sam rolled his eyes and pointed. “Go.”

All the way to the bus station, Dean was running through scenarios in his mind. As he parked outside, his watch said 10:50; was she already gonna be on the bus? Would it be like one of those horrible romcom things, where he had to chase her down through the crowd and then confess his love on a bus full of people. And if he did that, was Sam right? Would she love him back, or was it going to end up as - less funny romcom, more tragic farce?

He had the scenario half imagined in his head, but when he walked through the doors he was reminded that the Lebanon bus station was actually quite small so, no running from terminal to terminal looking for her. There were only two bus stalls outside to begin with, but also, she was sitting calmly on a bench just across from the door.

He walked towards her and her eyes got wide.

Fuck, I can’t do this. Why the fuck am I doing this? Dean thought over and over.

He stopped in front of her and she looked up at him, her face puzzled. “Dean? What are you doing here?”

He jammed his hands into his jacket pockets and rocked up on to the balls of his feet; he shrugged. “I don’t know, I just thought…I really wanna give you a ride home.”

Y/N frowned and lifted a hand towards the small ticket office. “I already bought my ticket.”

“Well, get a refund.”

“Why do you want to drive me home so badly?” Y/N asked loudly, frustration tinting her words.

“Why don’t you want me to?” Dean answered even louder.

Y/N let out a huff of air. “I don’t want you to not…I don’t not want…I want not t -” She broke off with a cry of frustration. “Ugh!!”

She looked up at him and her gaze was confused and questioning. “Dean, what is going on here?”

Dean shuffled from foot to foot for a minute, until Y/N started to speak again and he cut her off.

“The letter was true.”

He spoke quietly and he wondered if she’d heard him. He wasn’t sure he’d have the courage to say it again; as it was, he was staring at the ground, his stomach in knots.

“What?”

He shook his head and finally just decided it was all or nothing.

“My letter. What I wrote. It was true. I mean, it was drunken idiocy, but…” He raised his head and looked at her. “It was true.”

“Really?”

He wasn’t sure, but he thought he caught relief in her voice, so he smiled at her and gave a resigned nod.

“Yep. You are my good day.” He said, paraphrasing his letter. “I want kisses from you.” He paused a beat. “And also sex.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Sorry.”

Y/N’s smile was bright and beautiful as she leapt up and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank god.” She bit her bottom lip and then quoted her letter. “I hope you will kiss me. All the time.”

Dean felt like his chest might actually burst from happiness as he grasped her waist and pulled her close.

“I can do that.”

He pulled her tight against him, capturing her lips in a kiss that he’d waited for for a very long time.

Y/N felt lightheaded with joy and with the headiness of Dean’s kiss. His lips were soft and searching as they pressed tightly to hers, and she opened to him immediately, reveling in the deep groan that tumbled out of him as he sank his tongue deep into her mouth.

They clung to each other, endlessly kissing, sharing breath and stealing each other's moans. Neither of them were one hundred percent sure they weren’t just in a very vivid dream, but both of them were determined that if it was a dream, they didn’t want to wake up.

The loudspeaker came on announcing that Y/N’s bus was boarding, but neither of them heard it, and neither of them cared. The ticket agent who’d sold her the ticket called out to her.

“Miss, your bus is leav-”

But her coworker interrupted her. “Shh! Are you crazy? Do you see the man kissing her? Trust me she does NOT want to be disturbed.”

She wasn't wrong.

Jensen RPF and Any/All Characters: @lyarr24 @lacilou @deans-spinster-witch @globetrotter28 @suckitands33 @alwaystiredandconfused @evznackles @jackles010378 @impala67rollingthroughtown @krazykelly @candy-coated-misery0731 @envyaurora95 @spnwoman @deans-baby-momma @luvr4miya

Dean Fics Only: @roonthelittlespoon920 @slamminmine @zepskies @safiyas-world

Any/All Fics Regardless of Character or Fandom: @kazsrm67 @slut-for-evans-stan @sexyvixen7 @nancymcl @hobby27 @waywardcheshire

Everything Incl. Fan Edits: @k-slla @leigh70 @eevvvaa @kickingitwithkirk @foxyjwls007 @notinthislife50 @roseblue373 @mishkatelwarriorgoddess @avanatural @mrsjenniferwinchester @all-alone-he-turns-to-stone @deangirl96

#dean x y/n #dean winchester #dean winchester fluff #dean winchester fic #dean winchester mini-series #dean winchester crack

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kwanisms · 9 months

Text

Did You See That? — l.jihoon

«« part one | seventeen masterlist | end.

➮ producer!Jihoon × f!Reader wc: 18.1k (I have no words but I'm not sorry lol) summary: After discovering that Y/N isn’t dead but actually in a coma, Jihoon is determined to get her spirit back into her body. What neither he nor Y/N are prepared for is what happens when she finally does wake up. genres/themes/au: angst, fluff; supernatural themes, ghostly themes; non idol au, ghost au warnings: adult dialogue, mentions of death, alcohol consumption (there’s a lot of wine and I’m not sorry. I’m just that bitch), a lot of angst

special tags: @peachescherryheart @steamingramyun @studiogiblhi @bunnyjaycheoluwu @bri-brithebumblebeee @helloitsai @shez-kindathat-hot1995 @mvltimoon @justasoftstan @wonugyu @vernongyu @babytaes @mysafehaneul @jisooxxi @seodami @burningupp @rubyreduji @sea-gyu @hittwon @seokgyuu @baby-chocolat @my-bias-list-is-ruined @3sriracha @justapotatonow @han-hoshi @johfaam @donotmindmeiamembarrassing @bbsmxlming @stilesbff @lunaryoongi permanent tags: @yoonguurt @wonderfulshinee @candidupped @dejavernon @violagoth @tigermoonbiss @katsukis1wife @luvsooby @thesolarplanetarysystem @salty-for-suga @devilsmatches @dmnspiit @simeonswhore @yangracha @atinypurr @aikyubi @labyrinthonmymind @bintificreads @toxic-babexe @plutoneu @mistlightmoonlight @pristineaugustine @imwhoever join my taglists! Strikethrough means I cannot tag you. MINORS WILL BE BLACKLISTED & BLOCKED. AGELESS BLOGS WILL ALSO BE BLOCKED.

a/n: I am so sorry it took so long to get this done and that y’all have been waiting literal years for this but it’s finally here. The long awaited sequel to Did You Hear That? I hope it lives up to your expectations and that you all enjoy the finale! Thank you so much for reading as always, this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only.

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“That makes no sense,” you whispered. “If I’m not dead, why am I a ghost?”

Jihoon shrugged his shoulders. “I can’t answer that either. I have no idea how any of this works but Jihyo said you aren’t dead. You’re in a coma.”

You stared at Jihoon for a few moments before looking away, your mind spinning with this revelation. If your old roommate said it was the truth, who were you to deny it?

Clearing your throat, you turned to look at Jihoon. "If I'm in a coma," you started, your voice soft. "Can you… I don't know, go see my body?" You cringed after asking the question. It sounded completely ridiculous.

Jihoon nodded silently. "I think I can do that," he answered, his voice equally as soft as yours. Your eyes widened, lips parting in a small O. "I'll go tomorrow," he added. You felt a rush surge through your body, almost like electricity. To say you were excited would be an understatement.

The next morning, Jihoon got up and headed into the kitchen to make his morning coffee. You had been sitting outside on the balcony, watching the sunrise. If Jihoon and Jihyo were right and you weren't dead, then that changed everything.

It meant your body was out there somewhere and you needed to find your way back to it.

The sound of the sliding door caught your attention and you turned to see Jihoon peering out onto the balcony. "Y/N?" he asked softly. You shifted into his view and felt the same feeling of electricity surge through your body when he smiled.

"Hey," he said softly as he stepped onto the balcony, sliding the door shut behind him. "Hey," you repeated as he took a seat. You watched as he took a sip of his coffee. "I miss that," you admitted as he lowered his cup. Jihoon glanced down at the black liquid in his mug and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sure there's a lot you miss," he replied, eyes shifting back to you.

A small chuckle escaped you as you looked out into the sun rising over the city. "Yeah," you replied, holding back tears. "So," you said, inhaling deeply and turning to face Jihoon. "When are you going to the hospital?" you asked, hoping to change the subject and turn the focus away from the fact you almost started crying.

"In a few hours. Jihyo said she'll meet me there and take me up there. She has a class this morning," he said before taking another sip of coffee. You nodded silently, unsure of how to respond. "Since we're up," Jihoon added. "You wanna just hang out?" he asked. "Just… talk?" he added. You smiled shyly before nodding.

"Yeah," you replied. "I'd like that."

The two of you sat on the balcony, the sun rising in the distance, bathing your little sanctuary in sunlight. You missed the warmth from the sun and looked up sadly at it. Jihoon noticed and wanted desperately to reach out and take your hand, to comfort you.

"You miss it, don't you?" he asked.

You nodded. "I miss a lot of things," you repeated his words from earlier. Jihoon nodded, taking a final gulp of his cooled down coffee. "What else do you miss?" he asked as he set the mug aside, pulling the blanket from the living room further around his body.

"Truthfully?" you asked before looking at him. "I miss a lot. I miss sleeping, I miss petting dogs and cats, I miss cooking and eating, I miss taking baths," you admitted, not looking at Jihoon as you listed off the things you missed about being in your body. "Anything else?" Jihoon asked, tilting his head. You nodded silently.

"I miss being held," you answered quietly. "I miss… being kissed," you added in an even quieter voice. You saw Jihoon’s ears turn pink but chose to ignore it. "I can't imagine spending so much time without being touched," he replied. "That sounds awful," he added.

You nodded. "It's been tough," you admitted. "Especially now," you started before trailing off. Jihoon’s eyes flickered up to meet yours and you knew that he knew what you were going to say. You could see in his eyes that he wanted the same thing. A few silent moments passed before your unspoken bond was broken by the ringing of Jihoon's phone. He pulled the device out and glanced down at it. "Oh, it's Jihyo," he said and answered.

"Hello?"

You watched with curious eyes as he listened to what your roommate had to say. "Alright," he replied.

"Sounds good. I'll be there soon."

Jihoon sat upright, saying goodbye and hung up, placing his phone back into his pocket. "She's out of class," he explained. "I'm going to go meet her at the hospital."

You sighed as he stood up, grabbing the blanket and moving towards the door. "I wish I could go with you," you said, looking out at the city. Jihoon grimaced, uncertain of what to say. "I'll be back soon," he finally replied. When you didn't respond, he decided to let you be and stepped into the apartment, sliding the door shut behind him.

In the kitchen, Seungcheol was sipping on some coffee while he made some eggs, Soonyoung sat at the island, scrolling through his phone. Both men looked up at him as he entered. "Is Y/N outside?" Soonyoung asked. Jihoon nodded. "But it's best to leave her alone right now," he added as he set the blanket on the couch.

"Where are you going?" Seungcheol asked as Jihoon set his mug in the sink and turned to grab his keys and walked over to the front door. "I'm going to meet Jihyo, (Y/N)'s old roommate," he said as he opened the closet and grabbed his coat. "Are you going to the hospital?" Soonyoung asked. Jihoon nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "Where her…” he trailed off, glancing out the window to the balcony. “…body is?" Seungcheol asked softly. Jihoon nodded again.

"I'll keep you guys updated," he added.

Neither one said anything as they watched Jihoon slip on his shoes and exit the apartment. Once the door shut behind him, Soonyoung and Seungcheol exchanged glances before they both looked out the sliding glass door at your silhouette sitting out there.

Jihoon pressed the elevator button, zoning out as he waited for the lift to arrive. His thoughts swirled in his mind as he wondered how, if at all, he could get you to wake up. He thought if he could get you to wake up, maybe you could slowly get back to your life and if you could get back to some semblance of normalcy, then perhaps there was a chance for the two of you.

He stepped onto the lift when it arrived and pressed the button for the lobby. The ride down was quick as he followed autopilot, walking into the parking garage and to his car. He wasn't sure how he functioned on autopilot but it seemed to take no time to get from his apartment to the hospital. Almost as soon as he left the apartment, it felt like he was pulling into a parking space at the hospital.

He parked and turned off the car before pulling out his phone and sending a text to Jihyo that he was at the hospital. He sat for a moment, waiting for a response. He was glancing at his reflection in the rear view mirror when he felt his phone vibrate.

Seo Jihyo: I'm in the lobby in a long tan coat

Jihoon got out of his car and made his way towards the main entrance of the hospital. Following the automatic spinning door in, he saw a tall slender woman with shoulder length black hair, soft features, and wide, doe-like eyes. She was wearing black ankle length pants, a cream turtleneck sweater and… a long tan coat.

Jihoon walked over slowly. The woman made eye contact and watched as he approached.

"Jihyo?" he asked. She nodded, looking him up and down. "Jihoon, I presume?" she replied to which he nodded. She bowed politely, a gesture Jihoon returned. "It's so nice to meet you, " he said. Jihyo smiled at him, flashing a set of brilliant white teeth. “Likewise,” she said, before motioning for him to follow her.

They walked through the lobby, greeting the receptionist behind the front desk as they headed for the elevators. Jihyo pressed the button, returning her hands to her pockets and watching the floor indicator countdown. “She’s up in the coma ward,” Jihyo started to explain.

“She’s been there since the… accident.”

Judging by the look on her face, Jihoon could assume she didn’t like to talk about the accident or what happened to her friend. He didn’t blame her one bit. If something traumatic happened to Seungcheol or Soonyoung, he wasn’t sure he’d want to speak about it either. Glancing up at Jihyo’s face, Jihoon tried not to stare at Jihyo but he couldn't help but notice how pretty she was.

But he still thought you were prettier.

The doors opened, allowing the two to step inside. The doors shut behind them and the lift began moving immediately. "So,” Jihoon started, clearing his throat. “Do you come here often?" Jihoon asked. Jihyo nodded. "As often as I can,” she answered. “It’s difficult sometimes as I'm working on my master's degree but I like to come here and read to her," she admitted. Jihoon smiled.

"What do you normally read to her?" he asked. Jihyo returned the smile. "Usually poems,” Jihyo replied, a dreamy tone in her voice. “She really likes romantic poems.” Jihoon tried not to chuckle as Jihyo talked. It sounded just like you. At least the you that he had come to know. “Has she always been a romantic?” he asked suddenly, catching Jihyo by surprise.

“Uhm,” Jihyo hummed, nibbling on her bottom lip. “She’s never mentioned it before but she’s always been a huge fan of romantic stories. Books, movies, poems. She loves all of it,” she continued. “So I guess you could say she is a bit of a romantic.”

Jihoon nodded, glancing up at the number indicator inside the lift as it counted up.

“What else do you read to her?” he asked softly.

Jihyo paused, looking deep in thought but answered him nonetheless. “Mostly just the poems,” she replied. “But sometimes I'll read the news. She doesn't seem to like that as much," she said with a chuckle. Jihoon joined in as the elevator reached the tenth floor. The doors opened and the two of them stepped out, Jihoon following Jihyo out of the lift and through the hallways. She stopped at a desk where a nurse sat behind.

The nurse looked up and smiled at Jihyo, seeming to recognize her. She then looked at Jihoon. "This is my cousin," Jihyo said, gesturing at Jihoon. "He's been out of town but wanted to come see Y/N. They used to go to school together," she explained.

The nurse nodded and asked for Jihoon's ID. He handed it over and waited while she made a copy. She then printed a visitor pass for him and gave that to him along with his ID. Jihoon thanked her and put on the pass, following Jihyo through the door after it buzzed open.

Jihoon followed Jihyo down the corridor, keeping on her heels. “You don’t get a visitor’s pass?” he asked softly as they strolled down the hallway passing nurses and doctors as they went. Jihyo shook her head, showing him a different kind of pass. It was laminated and on a lanyard. “I have a permanent pass,” she explained. “Y/N’s parents asked since they don’t live in the city and I’m almost like a daughter to them,” she continued.

“They made a special exception based on the circumstances. Here we are,” she said suddenly as they approached a room in the corner. Jihoon felt his chest tighten. He wasn’t sure how he would feel on his way here but now that he was here, it felt surreal. He wasn’t sure if he was ready.

Whether he was ready or not didn’t matter as Jihyo opened the door and peered in. “Come on,” she whispered, leading the way in, allowing Jihoon to catch the door before it shut behind her. He followed her in, noticing two nurses. One was checking the monitors while the other was writing notes.

The two smiled as Jihyo and Jihoon entered the room. "We were just finishing up," one of the nurses said, scribbling hastily on his clipboard. "I already read the news to her," he added. "She definitely did not like it," he said as he moved to walk past them, offering Jihyo a wink.

Jihyo chuckled and moved around to sit beside the bed. Jihoon watched as Jihyo took your hand gentle, holding it between hers as she looked at you. The second nurse excused herself and left the room, shutting the door behind her. Jihoon stared in awe at the body lying in the bed. There was no doubt about it. It was definitely you.

He took note of how peaceful you looked. Like you were in a deep sleep.

There were all kinds of wires connected to you and it shocked him how similar it seemed to any of the doctor shows he’d seen on TV. An IV was attached to your arm, running across the linens and up to a bag with clear fluid, hanging from a stand by the head of your bed.

There was also a tube down your throat and a smaller breathing tube taped under your nose. He felt his heart clench at the sight. Despite how jarring it looked, you still looked so beautiful. The slow rise and fall of your chest as the machine helped you breathe.

Jihoon moved slowly and stared down at you. He was tempted to reach out and take your hand or stroke your cheek but he refrained from doing so. Instead, he sat down across from Jihyo. She watched him as he watched you. She could see the recognition pass over his features. He knew you somehow, there was no denying it. Jihyo glanced at your form, blinking back tears.

"How long has she been asleep?" Jihoon asked suddenly. Jihyo blinked more tears away as she composed herself. "Almost a year," she said, her voice wavering. Jihoon glanced over at her. He couldn't imagine seeing your best friend like this. He didn't even want to imagine something like this happening to Seungcheol or Soonyoung.

He cleared his throat, the sound louder in the empty room.

"And has there been any improvement?" he asked. Jihyo nodded. "They’ve noticed that in the last couple months, her brain activity has spiked on several occasions. The doctors said it could be her trying to wake up but they said not to get our hopes up," Jihyo answered. Jihoon frowned. "Why?" he asked. Jihyo sighed heavily.

"Basically, they said as quickly as she's been improving, she could decline just as fast," Jihyo replied, sniffling slightly. Jihoon glanced from your face to Jihyo. He felt for her, he really did. He looked back at you. "I hope that's not the case," he said softly. Jihyo nodded. "I hope so too," she stated.

Silence fell over the two as they watched your sleeping form.

You sat on the balcony, peering over the railing at the busy streets below. You sighed heavily and strained your ears, hearing voices in the distance. You blinked slowly, still staring at the lively city streets.

The voices in the distance started to grow louder. You lifted your head and tried to focus on the voices. You couldn't tell where they were coming from at first. They weren't drifting from the street below nor were they coming from another apartment. You glanced behind you to see if the boys were watching TV but they weren't.

You then realized the voices were coming from inside your head.

"How long has she been asleep?" you heard a familiar voice ask. 'Jihoon?' you wondered. "Almost a year," another familiar voice replied. You sat up, looking around quickly. "Jihyo?" you whispered. You got to your feet and walked back into the apartment, sliding through the door. "And has there been any improvement?" you heard Jihoon's voice ask.

'He must be in my hospital room!' you thought to yourself. "They’ve noticed that in the last couple months, her brain activity has spiked on several occasions. The doctors said it could be her trying to wake up but they said not to get our hopes up," Jihyo answered, her voice echoing in your head. "Why?" Jihoon asked. 'Yeah, why?' you thought as you listened to the conversation, starting to feel dizzy.

"Basically, they said as quickly as she's been improving, she could decline just as fast," Jihyo replied. You could hear her sniffling slightly. It was a moment before Jihoon responded. "I hope that's not the case," he said softly. Your vision started to grow dark as you stood still in the front room. You saw at the edge of your vision, Soonyoung walking toward you. He was speaking but you couldn't hear him. He stopped just before you. You saw his lips moving, repeating your name, trying to get your attention.

Jihyo's voice in your head spoke. "I hope so too," she said. Your vision went black with your head swimming.

Soonyoung had just walked into the room, seeing you standing in the living room. He watched as your head moved as if looking around but your eyes were unfocused, blinking rapidly. He walked over slowly. "(Y/N)?" he asked softly. You didn't respond, but your eyes started rolling around in your head. You continued to look around as if trying to find something. "(Y/N), are you alright?" Soonyoung asked.

He repeated your name a few more times, Seungcheol walking into the room behind him. "Is she okay?" he asked. Soonyoung glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. He turned back to you. "Y/N, are you okay?!" Soonyoung asked again but you didn't respond. Instead, your eyes rolled back into your head and your image shook visibly until you just vanished.

Soonyoung and Seungcheol both shouted in shock, looking around frantically. "What the fuck was that?" Seungcheol asked. Soonyoung shook his head, turning to look at his roommate. "I have no idea!" he answered. "I'm gonna call Jihoon," he said, pulling his phone out, and dialing his friend's number.

Jihoon felt his phone vibrate and quickly pulled it out of his pocket, checking the screen. Soonyoung was calling him. Jihoon glanced up at Jihyo who gave him a curious look. "I-I’m sorry,” he stammered, looking up from the device. “I need to take this. I'll be right back," he said, getting to his feet. Jihyo nodded, gesturing for him to do as he needed. Jihoon thanked her and stepped out of the room, answering the call.

"What is it, Soonyoung?"

Soonyoung started talking immediately, his voice loud in the receiver but Jihoon couldn't discern what his friend was saying. "Soonyoung, you need to calm down," Jihoon said softly. He plugged his free ear, trying to hear his friend better. "Explain that to me again," he added.

He heard Soonyoung shush Seungcheol in the background.

"Something’s happened to (Y/N)," Soonyoung started again.

Jihoon felt his heart drop into his stomach.

"What?" he asked. "What do you mean?"

He heard Soonyoung shush Seungcheol again. "I don't know but I walked into the living room and she was standing there, her eyes were going all crazy. It looked like she was having a seizure but I know that's not possible," he explained.

Jihoon could feel his heart start to race and his breathing quicken. "Alright," he finally said. "I'll be there as soon as I can," he answered. He said goodbye and hung up before returning to your room where Jihyo was waiting patiently. Jihoon walked over to your bed and grabbed his coat. "There's an emergency at home," he explained. Jihyo nodded understandingly.

"Would it be alright if I came back tomorrow?" Jihoon asked. "I have another day off and maybe I could try to wake her up?" he added. Jihyo gave him a small smile. "I have classes all day but it should be fine," she said with a nod. Jihoon gave her a thankful smile.

"Thank you," he answered. "I'll come back tomorrow morning," he stated. Jihoon exited the room and made his way to the waiting room, giving his pass back to the nurse behind the desk and headed for the elevator, pressing the down button.

Once on the lift, Jihoon pulled on his coat and waited for the elevator to reach the lobby. He headed out of the hospital once the doors opened and headed out to his waiting car. He got into the driver's seat, buckling his seat belt and starting the engine.

He wondered what could have happened to make you disappear like that. Was it your body pulling you back? Trying to wake you up?

Once he pulled out of the space, he pulled onto the street and made the drive back to the apartment.

In record time, Jihoon was pulling into his parking space and headed into the building. He nodded a silent greeting to the concierge desk, heading to the elevator and pressing the call button. The doors opened quickly and Jihoon stepped inside and pressed the button for his floor.

The ride up was quick and uneventful and soon he was walking up to the front door of his shared apartment. He unlocked the door with the keycode and pulled the door open, stepping inside. Soonyoung and Seungcheol were searching the apartment frantically as he slipped off his shoes and coat. "Okay," Jihoon said as he walked further into the apartment. "Tell me what happened again."

Ten minutes later, he sat on the couch blinking as he tried to process the story Soonyoung told him. He glanced from Soonyoung to Seungcheol. "And you haven't seen her since?" he asked. The both of them nodded quickly. Jihoon sighed and leaned back against the couch, thinking deeply.

“What do we do?” Soonyoung asked, glancing from Seungcheol to Jihoon.

"Let’s give her some time and let her come back to us on her own," Jihoon said after giving it some thought. “Maybe she was feeling overwhelmed? It might have something to do with her brain activity spiking at the hospital,” Jihoon explained. “We can’t know for sure until she reappears.”

‘If she reappears.’

Soonyoung nodded slowly. “Okay,” he replied, leaning back in his seat while Seungcheol looked deep in thought. “She will come back, right?” Soonyoung asked suddenly. Jihoon shrugged lightly, shaking his head as he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. “I don’t know,” he answered.

“I don’t know.”

A few hours had gone by and Jihoon was sitting at his desk, working on a new project. One he’d started last week. His head bobbed slightly as he listened to the beat he was working on when he heard another sound over the music. He turned and looked behind him, nearly jumping out of his chair when he saw you standing behind him.

Pressing pause and pulling his headphones off, Jihoon stood quickly as you looked up at him. "Are you okay?" he asked. You looked around, confused as to how you ended up in his room. The last thing you remembered was standing in the living room before blacking out. Jihoon sat on the edge of his bed and patted the spot beside him. You sat down next to him.

"What happened?" he asked. You shook your head. "I-I don't know," you stammered. "Explain what you experienced. What do you remember?" he added. After collecting your thoughts, you started to explain about hearing his and Jihyo's voices and how you were standing in the living room and blacked out and then came to and was standing in his room.

Jihoon listened intently until you finished. When you were done, he explained what Soonyoung had told him. You listened in horror as he told you Soonyoung and Seungcheol's side of the story. "Oh my god," you whispered, mortified. "That must have been terrifying for them," you admitted. Jihoon shrugged but you remembered what he had gone to do that morning.

"Wait,” you said, perking up. “How did it go at the hospital?" you asked.

Jihoon sat up a little straighter. "It, uh.. It went well. I'm actually going back tomorrow," he replied.

"Tomorrow?" you asked, tilting your head. "Why?"

Jihoon reached up, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, I'm gonna try to wake you up," he admitted nonchalantly. You felt a smile spread across your face.

"Really?" you asked excitedly. Jihoon nodded, returning the smile. "I'm not really sure what I could do, but I'm gonna try," he said with a shrug. You smiled wider. "I hope it works," you said softly. "Me too," Jihoon replied. You sat on the edge of Jihoon's bed as he slept. You smiled, watching his peaceful expression, wishing desperately to be able to reach out and touch him. You let out a soft sigh.

'Soon.'

The next morning, Jihoon got up and downed his coffee and a quick breakfast. You sat with him, talking about what happened the previous day. When he finished, he rinsed his plate and put it in the dishwasher. He turned to clean the counter before walking over to the door, pulling on his coat and slipping his shoes on.

You walked over, leaning against the wall and crossing your arms over your chest. Jihoon glanced back at you, giving you a warm smile, one which you returned. “Hey,” he said softly, glancing down. “If I succeed in waking you up," Jihoon said softly. "I just want you to know that," he added, trailing off softly. You stared at him curiously.

Jihoon looked up from the floor, taking a deep breath.

"I just want you to know that I love you," he admitted, his cheeks turning pink.

You bit your bottom lip, trying to fight a huge grin threatening to spread across your face. "Really?" you asked breathlessly. Jihoon nodded quickly. You couldn't stop the smile from spreading this time. "I love you, too," you whispered. It was Jihoon's turn to smile.

"If I could touch you, I'd kiss you right now," he said softly. You giggled and waved your hand at him, shooing him away. "Well then, go, wake me up and you'll be able to kiss me a lot sooner!" you squeaked. Jihoon laughed and pushed open the door, stepping out into the hall and making his way down to the lobby as quickly as the lift would allow.

The drive to the hospital seemed to fly by and soon he was stepping off the elevator and greeting the nurse behind the desk. She handed him a visitor pass after checking his ID and buzzed him through the door. Jihoon made his way down the hall towards your room.

He entered, shutting the door behind him and peered at your still form, smiling as he took a seat beside your bed. He shrugged his coat off and leaned forward, resting his forearms on your bed.

"Hey, Y/N," he said softly. I hope you can hear me."

You had just stepped out onto the balcony when you heard a whisper in your head. "Jihoon must be there," you whispered to yourself as you took a seat. You stared out, watching the sun rise.

"You've been asleep for so long, it's time to wake up," Jihoon whispered, moving his hand to place it softly over yours. Feeling your hand under his was unreal, something he never expected to feel. He glanced up at your face, watching for any sign.

You felt your hand tingle and glanced down at it. "What the hell?" you whispered. 'Is he… holding my hand?' you wondered.

Jihoon gently stroked the back of your hand with his thumb, speaking softly as he tried to bring you back. "Please wake up, baby," he whispered. "Wake up so you can leave this place."

You enjoyed the feeling in your hand, knowing Jihoon was holding your hand. You heard his voice again, your eyes fluttering shut as you focused on his voice. "Please wake up, baby." You smiled when he called you baby, feeling a warm sensation throughout your body.

"I want to come back," you whispered. You felt a whooshing feeling, a rush surge through you, the sounds of the city fading away, replaced with a soft beeping. "Y/N?" you heard Jihoon's voice clearly and your eyes snapped open. You were sitting across from him, his eyes were wide open.

You looked down and saw your body lying between you. Your eyes widened and your lips parted in shock. You were seeing your body for the first time in what felt like years. Looking back up at Jihoon, his look of shock morphed into delight. "You're so close!" he whispered. You looked back down at your body.

He was right. Your body was right here. All you had to do was figure out how to get your soul back inside your body and wake up. But you had no idea where to begin.

You looked back up at Jihoon. "I have no idea what to do," you said softly. "Try touching your body?" Jihoon asked. You nodded and looked back at your body, reaching out slowly, you touched your hand, shutting your eyes but nothing happened.

Opening your eyes, you were still standing beside your bed, your hand passing through your body, Jihoon watching you closely. You let out a sigh, disappointed. Jihoon visibly slumped.

"Wh-what am I supposed to do?" you whined. Jihoon shook his head. "I'm not sure," he whispered. The two of you stayed silent as you mulled over what you could try to reunite with your comatose body.

Minutes ticked by while you watched Jihoon as he held your hand, still watching your sleeping expression. The only sounds that could be heard were the beeping of your monitor and the breathing machine. He let out a sigh, his breath fanning over your comatose arm, causing a tingle to run up your arm. "This is so frustrating," you whined, taking a seat. Jihoon glanced at you, a grimace on his face.

"I wish I could help," he said softly. "Maybe try touching my face or something?" you asked. Jihoon nodded and leaned forward. His fingers brushed against your face as he cupped your cheek, his thumb stroking the skin lovingly. "Anything?" he asked, glancing up at you. You shook your head in response.

Jihoon let out a sigh and stared at your sleeping face. It was a moment before he spoke again.

"I'm gonna try something, but I need you to look away. I can't do it with you watching." You gave him a curious look. "Please just trust me," he said. You stood up and turned away slowly, moving behind the curtain.

Jihoon stood up, taking a deep breath and letting out before leaning over slowly. He placed his hand on your cheek, checking your eyes before leaning in closer. He hesitated for a moment before pressing his lips to your forehead.

You stood behind the curtain, waiting for something to happen, anything at this point. You suddenly felt a tingle in your cheek and wondered what Jihoon was doing when you felt your forehead tingle. Your eyes widened when you realized what he was doing.

Was… was he kissing you.

A surge of emotion and electricity flowed through you. The monitor in the room started beeping faster. Your heart was starting to race. The tingling spread throughout your body. You tried to move but you couldn't. Your head was growing more and more dizzy until your vision grew dark.

Jihoon pulled back as your heart monitor started to beep faster and faster. He stood up and glanced at it. After a moment, he glanced down and saw your eyes start to flutter open. “Oh my god,” he breathed.

Scrambling past the chair he’d been sitting on, he rushed to the door, yanking it open, and looked into the hallway.

"Nurse!" he called out. “She’s waking up!”

A nurse hurried over and followed him into the room. She came in to check your vitals. "Oh my god," she whispered as you were slowly starting to rouse. She hurried to the door and called for a doctor as a couple more nurses came in.

You started to gag against the tube in your throat. “Y/N,” the doctor said as he came in quickly. “I need you to stay still for me,” he continued, walking over to your side as the nurses tried to hold you still as you fought against the tube. “You’ve been in a coma for ten months. You have a tube down your throat.”

Jihoon could see your eyes widening, tears filling the bottom of your lash line.

“We’re going to remove the tube, but you need to calm down and be still for me.”

You started to stop moving. “Very good,” the doctor said calmly.

One of the nurses noticed Jihoon still standing there and walked over, gently taking his arm. "You'll need to leave," she said. “We’ll call you back in when we’ve had a chance to look over her,” she added with a gentle smile. Jihoon nodded. "Can I just stand outside?" he asked. The nurse nodded and Jihoon thanked her, stepping out into the hallway.

He paced slowly while the doctor and nurses worked. He pulled his phone out to text Soonyoung and Seungcheol, telling them you were waking up.

Soon: oh my god! Tell me this isn’t a joke!

Cheol: when was the last time Hoon told a joke?

Cheol: and why would he joke about this of all things?

Cheol: come on Soon, use your brain, I know it’s there

Soon: 😤

Jihoon: they’re gonna call me back in when they’re done

As he was typing another message, his phone started ringing. The screen displayed Jihyo’s name. He answered it with a quick "hello?"

Jihyo spoke quickly. She sounded out of breath.

"What’s going on?! I just got a call that Y/N is waking up?!" she asked.

Jihoon let out a huff. "Yeah. I uh… I don’t know what happened or how but she just woke up. The nurses and doctors are in there right now. They're taking the tube out of her throat," he said. He heard Jihyo sob softly. "Okay, uhm," she said in a wavering voice. "I-I'm on my way now."

Jihoon nodded.”Okay,” he answered. “See you soon,” he added before hanging up.

The wait was excruciating while the nurses and doctor worked on you. All he could think about was how you were now awake. After ten months. Almost a year after your accident. You were finally awake. He let out an incredulous scoff, covering his mouth with his hand as he tried not to break down right then.

He couldn’t wrap his head around it. You were awake.

About 20 minutes later, Jihoon heard footsteps rushing down the hall and looked up to see Jihyo had arrived and was walking briskly down the hall towards him.

"How is she?" she asked as soon as she was in earshot. Jihoon was about to answer when the door opened and the doctor followed the nurses out. Jihyo rushed forward. "What's going on? How is she?" she asked. The doctor gave her a faint smile.

"Your friend is awake. We took her off the breathing machine and her vitals look good. We’re going to do some more blood work but you can go in for now," he answered. Jihyo thanked him and hurried into the room, Jihoon following closely behind her. Jihyo took a seat beside you while Jihoon stood near the door, smiling as he watched you give your friend a weary smile.

Jihyo who had tears streaming down her cheeks, smiled back.

"I thought you'd never wake up again," Jihyo sobbed, taking your hand tightly in hers. You reached up and placed your hand over hers. "Well,” you whispered, your voice extremely hoarse. “I'm here now."

Jihyo let out a sound that seemed to be a mix between a laugh and a sob, tears still streaming down her face. “You’re not allowed to use the stairs ever again,” Jihyo said sternly, making you laugh which turned into a cough. As if on cue, a nurse appeared with a cup of ice water, a bendable straw poking out the lid.

“Thought you might be thirsty,” the nurse said as he moved to place the water on the table but instead handed it to Jihyo when she held out her hand for it. “I’ll make sure she drinks it,” she said, voice wavering. “I’m not going anywhere.” The nurse smiled and exited the room, nodding once at Jihoon who returned the gesture before turning his attention back to you and Jihyo.

You took several long sips of water, swallowing thickly as you got the liquid into you. “God that tastes amazing,” you said weakly as Jihyo set the cup on the bedside table. You suddenly glanced over at Jihoon, eyes wide before looking back at Jihyo.

"Do you recognize this man?" Jihyo asked. You looked back at Jihoon, brow furrowed as you looked over him. You turned to look at Jihyo, silently shaking your head. Jihoon felt his stomach sink as he watched the exchange. ‘Oh no,’ he thought. ‘Please no.’

"No," you finally whispered. "Who is he?"

Jihoon felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart but did his best not to show it. Jihyo glanced at him, her eyes apologetic. "I'll uh… give you two some privacy," Jihoon whispered, backing towards the door. Jihyo noticed and stood quickly, telling you she'd be right back. She hurried after Jihoon as he left the room.

"Hey,” she said, grabbing his arm and turning him towards her. “I’ll take care of it,” she added.

“Take… care of it? How?” he said with a scoff. The woman he’d fallen in love with didn’t recognize him. She had no idea who he was. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. She was supposed to wake up and then everything would be just fine.

“I'll explain everything to her when she's fully conscious," Jihyo explained, pulling him from his thoughts.

Jihoon forced a smile. “You don’t have to,” he said softly. “If she doesn’t know who I am, it’s fine. At least she’s awake now, right?” Jihoon turned to leave but Jihyo grabbed his wrist gently. “I’ll keep you updated,” she said softly before letting go.

Jihoon nodded wordlessly and made his way down the corridor, returning his pass and heading for the elevator to head down to the lobby. He was silent the entire time, keeping his eyes forward and trying not to think, not to break down. The doors opened with a ding and he stepped onto the thankfully empty elevator.

When the doors shut behind him is when he lost his composure, slowly sliding down the wall and ducking his head as a soft sob ripped through his chest.

He hadn't expected you to not recognize him and now he didn't know if you would ever recognize him.

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

The drive home was silent. Jihoon hadn't bothered with the radio, preferring the silence. He pulled into his usual parking space, cutting the engine and sitting in the now completely silent car. He stared at the steering wheel, his mind blank before he sighed and leaned forward, resting his forehead against the leather.

His thoughts and emotions came rushing back to him, the corners of his eyes burning, tears threatening to spill. He figured he’d better let it all out now before he went back inside to tell Seungcheol and Soonyoung the news.

He opened his eyes, staring blankly at his jeans, hot tears flowing freely as he let himself be vulnerable in the comfort and privacy of his car. If he had done this in the apartment, he’d never hear the end of it. At least in the car, no one knew.

He allowed the gravity of the situation to finally wash over him. You didn’t know him. You didn’t recognize him. Like the last several months hadn’t happened. Jihyo had promised to handle it. To take on the task of explaining everything to you but Jihoon didn’t feel the least bit hopeful.

How could he? When he knew it was useless. Whatever had happened while your soul was outside your body hadn’t transferred over. The late night talks, the jokes, the accidental summoning, the morning conversations on the balcony, the notes back and forth on post-its, all of it. It seemed he would be the only one to remember it all.

His eyes widened as another revelation hit him, fresh tears spilling down his face, staining his cheeks.

Your voice, soft and almost distant in his memory. “I love you, too.”

You’d never remember the confession this morning. How you reciprocate his feelings. Then another voice, his own, spoke in his mind. “No matter what happens, I just want you to know I love you.”

A soft smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. He needed to keep that promise alive. He’d love you no matter what. No matter the outcome. He had to hold onto that. Even if he felt hopeless you’d never remember. He could remember for the both of you.

He would remember.

Dragging his feet, Jihoon found himself outside the apartment door, not remembering the walk here nor getting on the elevator. He’d blocked it all out. Taking a deep breath he resolved himself to opening the door and let himself in rather than turning around and running away, never to be seen again.

Inside the apartment felt different. It felt… empty. Your presence was gone entirely. The warm feeling Jihoon felt upon entering in the past was gone, replaced with a cold, uninviting space. The way a home felt when there was no longer any life or joy in it. And it was true.

With you gone, there was no longer any life or joy in the home. Not for Jihoon.

He silently made his way through the apartment, trudging down the hall like the weight of a million worries and thoughts had all piled on top of him. He reached his room and looked inside. It too felt cold and empty. He sighed heavily, stepping into the room and shutting his door to the hall.

Cutting himself off from the rest of the apartment. He needed to be alone. He couldn’t cope with it all at the moment. He needed solitude. He let his bag drop to the floor with a heavy thud, dropping into his chair at his desk and staring blankly at the wooden surface. He didn’t know what to do with himself. Usually he’d throw himself into his work to avoid these situations.

To take his mind off it all but now… he feared not even work would be enough to distract him.

What was he going to do now?

When Soonyoung finally arrived home, it was dark and seemingly empty. It had felt the same since that morning when your soul had disappeared from the balcony, taking all the warmth with it. He’d decided to leave, spending the day at the park and out running errands to distract himself from the weird feeling of the apartment. Seungcheol had left shortly after Jihoon but hadn’t returned home either.

Turning on the kitchen lights over the island, Soonyoung shrugged off his coat and set it on the back of the nearest stool, setting a black plastic bag on the counter. He’d stopped to grab some chicken and beer, hoping the familiarity of the food would bring back some of that warm homey feel.

He wandered through the apartment in search of someone to share his meal with, not wanting to eat alone. He continued down the hall, noticing Jihoon’s door was shut. ‘I’m sure he left that open when he left this morning,’ Soonyoung told himself as he walked towards the door.

He raised his fist, knocking softly three times.

There was no answer. He tried again, straining his ears for any sound on the other side of the wood.

“Go away,” said a muffled voice. Soonyoung perked up, having found someone else home.

“I brought chicken and beer,” Soonyoung said through the door. “I don’t want to eat alone,” he added.

“Please don’t make me eat alone.”

He heard a shuffle on the other side and the door opened, revealing Jihoon. He had dark circles under his eyes which were red and his hair was tousled, no doubt having been in bed. Soonyoung had half a mind to ask what happened, his mind jumping to conclusions at the state of Jihoon’s appearance.

“She’s not…” he whispered, causing Jihoon to look up at him. He shook his head. “She’s fine,” he answered, voice hoarse. “She’s awake.” Soonyoung’s eyes widened. “What?” he whispered. Jihoon shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about it right now,” he added. “Where’s the beer?”

Soonyoung nodded down the hall towards the living area. Jihoon ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to tame the locks before stepping out of his room, shutting the door behind him. Soonyoung followed as Jihoon trekked down the hall sluggishly.

He walked around the kitchen island to open the plastic bag and produced the beer. Jihoon grabbed one and popped it open, taking a drink immediately as Soonyoung unpackaged the chicken. “Will you tell me what happened tomorrow?” Soonyoung asked as Jihoon took another sip.

He nodded silently. “But not tonight,” he replied in a soft voice. Soonyoung knew better than to pry but he also knew Jihoon really well. Well enough to know that the younger man had been crying for probably most of the day. Soonyoung reached across the kitchen island, grabbing the can of beer from Jihoon and pulled it away. He then grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and set it in front of his friend.

“Drink the water first,” Soonyoung said, nodding towards the bottle. “Then you can have your beer.”

Jihoon unscrewed the cap of the bottle, glaring at Soonyoung as he did so. Satisfied when his friend downed half the bottle, Soonyoung returned the can and started opening the chicken containers.

The front door opened and both men looked up as Seungcheol arrived, struggling to keep the door open as he stumbled in, flecks of white littering his coat and hair. “It’s snowing!” he exclaimed as he looked up and saw both staring at him. In one hand he carried a 6 pack of beer and in the other, a togo bag with no doubt more chicken. Seungcheol looked at the food on the counter and laughed.

“I guess it's a beer and chicken kind of night!”

“No, no, no!” Soonyoung said, shaking his head, forcing down a smile as Jihoon and Seungcheol stared at him incredulously. “It’s not the Lion King!” Soonyoung added angrily as he lifted the small note in his hand. Seungcheol glared at him angrily. “There’s no way it’s not the Lion King! I’ve seen that movie hundreds of times, I’m telling you it’s the Lion King!” he roared, hand slapping the counter as Jihoon cackled loudly, lifting his third can of beer to down the rest.

“It’s not!” Soonyoung yelled. Jihoon waved his hand at the two. “You’re-” he was cut off by a burp. “Ugh,” Jihoon groaned before returning to the conversation. “You’re gonna get us in trouble. Stop. Yelling.” Soonyoung narrowed his eyes at Jihoon. “Are you drunk?” he asked. Jihoon rolled his eyes. Or attempted to. His head moved in the same motion, almost as if he was exaggerating the motion.

Only he didn’t realize he was doing it.

Seungcheol watched the spectacle before letting out a laugh. “He’s so drunk right now,” he laughed. Soonyoung clicked his tongue, taking the now empty can from Jihoon. Upon realizing it was empty, he tossed it and immediately his hands shot out to stop Jihoon from grabbing another.

“You’ve had enough!” Soonyoung growled, wrestling the can from his friend who whined loudly.

“Come on!” Jihoon protested. Soonyoung shook his head, pulling the case away. “No,” he answered.

“You’re cut off!”

Jihoon picked up a napkin, wadded it up and threw it at Soonyoung. “My ghost girlfriend doesn’t recognize me now that she’s not a ghost!” he blurted out. “I think I’m allowed another beer!”

Both Soonyoung and Seungcheol hesitated mid action to look up as Jihoon grumbled to himself, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting like a child. Soonyoung glanced over to meet Seungcheol’s gaze before turning back to look at Jihoon. Soonyoung cleared his throat, leaning against the counter as Seungcheol sat up a little straighter.

“What’s this about Y/N not recognizing you?” Soonyoung asked, drawing Jihoon’s attention. “She doesn’t recognize me. Which means she probably doesn’t recognize either of you,” he said, blinking slowly. Soonyoung looked at Seungcheol who looked back before speaking.

“Are you sure she didn’t recognize you?” the older man asked. Jihoon turned his head to study Seungcheol. “I’m sure. Jihyo asked her ‘do you recognize him?’ And she shook her head! The nerve! I confessed my feelings to her this morning and she now doesn’t recognize me!” Jihoon scoffed, he leaned forward and grabbed another can in Soonyoung’s momentary lapse in attention. Just as quickly, Soonyoungwas on him, trying to wrestle the can away.

Seungcheol was about to join in when Jihoon’s phone started buzzing on the counter. He grabbed it while the two were distracted and answered it, not bothering to read the name on the ID.

“Hello?”

There was a brief pause before the caller answered. “Is this Jihoon?”

It was a woman’s voice. Seungcheol frowned and pulled the phone back to look at the screen. The name read Jihyo. His eyes widened as he brought the phone back to his ear. “Oh sorry!” Seungcheol said softly, getting up from his seat as Jihoon and Soonyoung’s wrestling match moved to the floor. “This is his roommate. I’m Seungcheol.”

“Well, where is Jihoon?”

Seungcheol glanced down at the floor where Soonyoung had managed to pull the can from Jihoon’s hands but now Jihoon was biting Soonyoung’s arm. “Uh.. he can’t come to the phone right now. He’s… wrestling.”

There was a brief pause before Jihyo spoke.

“Wrestling?” she deadpanned. “Yeah,” Seungcheol answered. “It’s a long story. Is there a message I can pass on for you?” Jihyo was silent for a bit more as Soonyoung screamed in pain and tried to fight Jihoon off him. “Uh… can you just tell him I’m working on what I told him earlier? Tell him Y/N is more lucid and I’m going to keep my promise.”

Without another word, Jihyo hung up and Seungcheol pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in confusion. Jihoon looked up and noticed his phone in Seungcheol’s hand. “What are you doing?” he asked suddenly and scrambled to get up but not before lightly kicking Soonyoung and taking the can of beer for the win.

“Your phone was ringing so I answered it,” Seungcheol answered, holding the device out when Jihoon silently asked for it. “Who was it?”

“It was…” Seungcheol trailed off, contemplating if he should tell Jihoon. “Jihyo,” he finally answered, deciding lying wouldn’t look good. Jihoon perked up visibly. “What? Jihyo? Are you sure? What did she say?”

Seungcheol held up his hand. “She said to tell you that Y/N is more lucid, that she’s going to keep her promise, and that she’s working on what she told you earlier,” he answered, repeating what Jihyo had said to him. Jihoon frowned, not looking exactly at Seungcheol before glancing down at his phone.

“What’s she talking about?” Soonyoung asked breathlessly and getting up. Jihoon said nothing, instead handing the unopened can to Soonyoung and then turning around and wordlessly leaving the room. Seungcheol and Soonyoung watched him until he disappeared into his room, the door shutting with a soft click. Soonyoung glanced at Seungcheol. “What just happened?” the younger man asked.

Seungcheol shook his head, staring at the end of the hall where Jihoon had disappeared.

“I have no idea,” he answered. “But we’ll find out tomorrow.”

The next morning, Jihoon woke up with a raging headache. He was tangled up in his bedding, hair sticking up in all directions as he opened one eye. Sunlight filtered into his room from the window and he lifted his head, squinting as he looked around for his phone which he found plugged in on his bedside table. He grabbed the device and checked the screen.

It was just past eleven in the morning. He’d slept in later than he intended. Getting up, Jihoon managed to untangle his legs as he pulled himself from his bed. He rushed into his bathroom to do his business. Once he was done, he headed out into the hallway where the smell of breakfast and coffee greeted him.

Following his nose, he ambled into the kitchen where Soonyoung sat at the island already dressed for the day and sipping on his coffee. Seungcheol was standing at the range, chopsticks in hand as he made an omelet. “Morning,” Seungcheol said softly as Jihoon walked over to the coffee maker to fix himself a cup. “You sure slept late,” Seungcheol addressed him.

“Rough night?”

Jihoon turned to glare at Soonyoung over his shoulder. “Shut up,” he snapped before turning to the coffee pot. Soonyoung didn’t take it personally. Jihoon was often grumpy in the mornings but add in a hangover and whatever happened at the hospital last night to the mix and he was bound to snap.

“Look,” Seungcheol said as he plated the omelet and set the plate in front of Soonyoung who thanked him with a “yum,” before digging in. “Obviously something happened yesterday and we don’t know because we weren’t there. You aren’t the only person here who cares about Y/N so start talking,” the older man said, turning to Jihoon and pointing at him with the chopsticks.

Jihoon glared at him as well prompting Seungcheol to come up with a threat.

“Talk or make your own omelet.”

Jihoon grumbled as he moved to sit at the kitchen island, leaving a seat between him and Soonyoung.

“Fine,” Jihoon said as the pair stared at him. “Fine, I’ll talk.”

Half an hour later, Jihoon was finishing his omelet as Seungcheol plated his own.

“Honestly, I don’t know how the rules work,” Seungcheol said as he picked up his chopsticks and started to eat. “None of us knows how any of this works. So let’s just trust that Jihyo will handle it. And who knows,” he added, taking another bite of omelet. “Maybe Y/N’s memories of living here will come back to her!”

Jihoon said nothing but nodded nonetheless. It was normal for Seungcheol to be the optimistic one out of the three of them although Soonyoung was generally optimistic as well. Soonyoung, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. “What if we visited her?”

Jihoon rolled his eyes. “You think her memories will come back just cause she sees us?” Jihoon snapped angrily. “If that was the case, don’t you think her memories would have come back when she saw me standing in her hospital room?”

Seungcheol swallowed his food before interjecting. “Don’t be nasty,” he said sternly. “She was just waking up,” Soonyoung reasoned. “She wasn’t fully there.” Seungcheol nodded towards Soonyoung.

“He’s got a point. And Jihyo said she was more lucid last night. Maybe before she was still fuzzy because her soul had just jumped back into her body. Maybe now, she’ll be more receptive.”

Jihoon said nothing, processing their words instead. It was a valid point to make. He was just mad that he didn’t make it yesterday when he was sobbing in his car. “It’s worth trying,” Seungcheol added while Soonyoung nodded persistently. Jihoon again said nothing. Maybe they were wrong. Maybe you’d never remember the things that happened when you weren’t in your body.

But maybe… just maybe they were right.

You sighed heavily as you watched Jihyo get ready, pouring her coffee into a travel mug.

“I miss having a job,” you said softly as you watched her bustle about. Jihyo snorted as she grabbed her toast. “If it were me, I’d love not having to get up every morning and go to work,” she said. She no longer glanced at you as if your coma was some sensitive subject and you were both able to make light of the situation. Once you were deemed fit to leave the hospital, Jihyo insisted you move in with her. She had a nice apartment downtown close to the hospital where you’d have to go for your check ups on your road to recovery.

She had converted the den into your room, apologizing that there was no closet. You assured her it was okay. All of your things had either been donated or taken to your parents place in the country. All your clothes were there and your parents had sent you some of your money they’d put in a savings account for if you woke up again.

It was all prepared carefully.

You were able to use that money to buy some essentials and some clothes as well. Jihyo had also taken you to get a new phone and number as your parents had canceled your previous plan. You were fully set up minus your things from home within the week from being discharged.

Since you’d lost your job after the accident, you were now unemployed again and had taken to doing the household chores to earn your keep, despite Jihyo telling you not to worry about it. It had been two weeks since you left and you were starting to get bored. You needed a job.

So after Jihyo left, you got dressed and ready to go out and hunt for a job. Even if it was a part time job, you needed something to get you out of the house and keep you from going insane.

After trying several ads in the paper you’d seen, you found yourself stopping outside a cute cafe and glanced up beside it at the highrise building it was nestled into the base of. It was clearly some kind of office building and you decided to go in and see what businesses were there. Hopefully find a place you might be able to snag a job.

With your little notebook and pen in hand, you started to scribble down the names of the various firms and corporations as workers moved around you, not noticing you as they arrived for work. You were halfway down the list when the security guard approached you.

“Can I help you find something, miss?” he asked. You turned to look at him, noticing he was a kind looking older man. You smiled at him. “Sorry,” you said softly. “I probably look really suspicious,” you added, prompting him to tilt his head at you. “I just got discharged from the hospital a couple weeks ago and I’m looking for work,” you explained.

“What were you doing in the hospital?” the guard asked. “I was in a coma for ten months,” you answered, chuckling at the shocked expression on his face. “I fell down the stairs at my old apartment building,” you continued. “Fell into a coma at the hospital and just finally woke up.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your accident but glad you’re still with us,” the guard said with a kind smile. “If I may,” he added, stepping forward to point to a name on the directory. “I know this place is looking for some assistants. Mainly to help with filing and other clerical work,” he explained.

You jotted down the name before smiling up at the directory and then turning to beam at him. “Thank you very much!” you replied happily. “I can let you up to see the receptionist. They can direct you where to go to fill out an application and you could turn in a resume if you have one on you.”

You nodded quickly. “That would be so helpful, thank you!”

The security guard walked you to the elevators and once you were on, he pressed the button for the eleventh floor and told you where to turn and which suite to go to. You thanked him and were on your way up. The small crowd in the elevator thinned out as the lift rose up further until you were the last on the elevator when it arrived at the eleventh floor, doors opening with a ding.

You stepped out of the lift and looked around for the suite number the guard had told you. ‘Eleven-eighty-two.’ Your eyes were met with texture glass windows framed with black steel and a matching door with black painted letters at the top that read one one eight two. At eye level were the words “MM&C Management Firm.” You pulled open the door and stepped inside where you were greeted by a small white desk and a very pretty young woman who sat behind it.

“Hi,” she said as you approached, giving you a warm and friendly smile. “How can I help you?”

“So, I just got out of the hospital a couple weeks ago and I’m looking for work. The security guard downstairs told me this firm might be looking for help with clerical work?”

The woman smiled at you and turned to pull open a desk. “Here,” she said softly as she pulled out a small paper packet and set it on the top of the desk. “Fill that out and bring it back. I will make sure it gets to the right person,” she added with a wink. You smiled and looked around. “Any chance I could fill it out here?” you asked softly. “I’m not in any hurry,” you added.

The receptionist pulled out a pen and handed it to you. “Take your time,” she said and gestured for you to pull up a chair next to her desk and fill out the application.

You were impressed by the volume of questions and how thorough the application was. It took you several minutes to fill out and when you were finished, you handed it back to the receptionist with a copy of your resume. She promised to get it to the read of human resources as soon as possible and that most likely she’d hear back within the week. You thanked her one last time and headed out of the office feeling more confident than before as you pushed the elevator call button.

Back out on the street, you decided to stop by the cafe and grab a coffee and maybe a muffin as you hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. You made your way through the busy sidewalk as you headed for the door before bumping into someone. The motion caused you to spin 180 degrees as you collided with the man.

Looking up, your eyes met his and you noticed how they widened. His lips parted and he stared at you in what you could only assume was shock. “I’m so sorry,” you said, bowing politely. He stood unmoving, staring at you. “I should have been watching where I was going,” you added. Still he did not move.

You were starting to get worried when a familiar face strode up beside the shocked man.

“Soonyoung,” he said, grabbing the man’s shoulder and giving him a slight shake. “You’re staring,” the man whispered. It was the same man from your hospital room. The one Jihyo had asked if you recognized. He managed to pull his friend, Soonyoung out of his trance. He whispered something to Soonyoung before turning to give you an apologetic look.

“I’m so sorry,” he said softly. “He’s…” he trailed off. “Uh. Yeah. Sorry again.”

Before you could say anything else, the two left, the man pulling his friend along and out of sight.

You weren’t sure what it was but something was familiar about Soonyoung. You couldn’t tell what. You knew you’d never seen him before but the feeling you got when you saw him felt oddly… comforting.

After getting your coffee and muffin you continued about your day, applying at various firms and dropping off your resume until you returned home to shower before Jihyo got home.

As you were starting dinner, Jihyo arrived. She changed out of her work clothes and joined you in the kitchen as you were putting dinner in the oven. She moved over to the fridge to grab a bottle of wine and two glasses before asking how your day was. You told her about your job hunt, thanking her for the glass before setting it down and looking up at her.

“I saw him again,” you said suddenly. Jihyo looked at you. “Saw who?”

“That man from my hospital room. I saw him today while I was looking for jobs.”

Jihyo’s eyebrows raised. “Really?” she asked before taking another sip of wine. “Where at?”

You explained about the highrise building you’d visited and went up to fill out an application. How the security guard had been very nice and told you where to look. You minced on the details of the place in favor of explaining what happened after you left the building.

“I bumped into this guy,” you continued, staring at your glass of wine. Jihyo had already almost finished her glass and was watching you intently. “Oh?” she asked. “Was he cute?” You didn’t miss the way she wiggled her eyebrows at you, prompting you to roll your eyes. “Not the point, Ji,” you answered.

Jihyo’s eyebrows shot up. “So he was cute!”

You waved your hand, trying to dismiss this part of the conversation. “Again, not the point! What is the point is that he was friends with the man from the hospital,” you added. Jihyo nodded, downing the rest of her wine. “Jihoon,” she said suddenly, pulling you from your thoughts just as you were sinking.

You looked up quickly. “What?” you whispered as she moved around the island to the fridge, grabbing the wine to refill her glass. “His name is Jihoon,” Jihyo explained. “The man from the hospital. Lee Jihoon.” You turned away from her as the name rolled around in your head like clothes in the dryer.

‘Jihoon? Why does that seem so familiar?’ you asked yourself. ‘And his friend. Soonyoung, he was familiar, too.’ You looked up as Jihyo returned to her seat, picking up her wine. “Tell me about the accident again,” you said suddenly.

Jihyo coughed, setting her wine back down and placing her hand over her mouth as she tried to cough up the wine she accidentally inhaled. “We’ve been over this, Y/N,” she explained.

“You fell at the old apartment. The elevator was out of service and you must have been late for work. One of the tenants on the bottom floor heard your scream and came out to find you at the base of the stairs. He called the paramedics.” You listened intently as Jihyo went over the events again.

It sounded the exact same as the first few times she explained it. “I don’t remember falling,” you whispered. Jihyo grimaced and reached across the countertop to take your hand in hers. “I wouldn’t want to remember falling down an entire flight of stairs, would you?” she asked softly.

Looking up, you met her gaze and finally shook your head. “No, I guess not,” you replied.

Your conversation was interrupted by the timer going off. “Dinner!” Jihyo exclaimed excitedly, getting up and rushing around to grab the oven mitts.

You stepped out of the way as she pulled open the oven door and carefully pulled out the dish, setting it on the counter. “Can we go see it?” you asked as Jihyo pulled off the oven mitts, shutting the door and giving you a perplexed look. “See what?”

“The apartment,” you answered. “I want to see it again. It’s been what? Almost a year since I last saw it.”

Jihyo looked nervous as she turned to face you. “I don’t think that’s possible,” she answered. Your smile fell. “And why not?” Jihyo sighed, turning to open a drawer and produce a spoon for the casserole. “Because!” she retorted. “Someone else lives there now.”

You shrugged as Jihyo started plating the food. “We can tell them what happened!” you pressed. “Tell them we used to live there. Maybe they’ll let us in!”

Jihyo slammed the end of the spoon on the counter top. “Y/N! Just… stop it,” she said, her tone exasperated. “It’s just not possible. Someone else lives there now. Would you want some stranger showing up and wanting to come in here to look around?”

When she put it like that, you saw her point. You hung your head dejectedly. “You’re right,” you whispered. Jihyo set the spoon down and sighed, taking your hand in hers. “I’m sorry I yelled,” she started. “That wasn’t very Cash Money of me.”

You snorted at her comment, a smile spreading across her face as well. “It’s in the past though. There’s nothing left for you there. All your things are gone or at your parents house.”

You nodded again, taking in a deep breath before exhaling. “You’re right,” you said with a firm nod. “No point dwelling in the past,” you continued. “I just feel a pull to go back. I’m sure it’ll pass though,” you said as you picked up your fork and took a bite of the casserole you’d prepared.

Jihyo took a bite as well. The two of you looked at one another before each spitting your food out.

“Pizza?” Jihyo asked to which you nodded, picking up your phone and pulling up the website of the closest pizza place. “Yeah,” you replied softly. “I’m never cooking again.”

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

The following week, you were surprised to receive a call about a position at the MM&C firm you’d applied to. They wanted to schedule an interview and have you come in to meet with HR and that the head of the department would actually be conducting your interview.

You looked up at the same high rise from the other day and smiled nervously. ‘You’ve got this!’ you told yourself before taking your first confident step towards the front door. Once inside you met the gaze of the security guard who smiled at you as you approached his desk.

“Well, hello again,” he said brightly. “What brings you back?”

“I actually have an interview with someone at MM&C Management,” you explained. He gave you a high five and wished you luck. “You’re gonna knock ‘em dead!” he called as you walked towards the elevator, prompting you to wave at him before stepping onto the elevator.

As the doors were shutting, a hand shot out, stopping the doors and a man entered the elevator, pressing the button for the tenth floor. He gave you a polite smile as the doors shut and the elevator started to climb. You could sense he was glancing at you out of the corner of his eye but you tried to pay him no mind, instead staring at yourself in the reflective surface of the elevator interior.

You’d chosen this dress specifically for this interview, having gone out the day you’d gotten the call to shop for more appropriate attire. Jihyo had to work so she couldn’t be there in person but you sent her pictures of each ensemble and she helped you narrow down your options.

You left with three outfits with shoes and accessories to match. Once Jihyo returned home, she looked over the outfits with you and helped you settle on a cream and black colorblock dress. It was form fitting and the hem stopped just above the knee. With it you’d paired simple black heels that were nice but still comfortable. You’d worn one of Jihyo’s long coats and borrowed a hat and scarf to protect against the cold weather.

The elevator doors dinged and opened, allowing the man off who gave you a smile and a wave. The doors shut before you could return either, not that you particularly wanted to. The ride from the tenth to the eleventh floor lasted all of ten seconds and soon you were stepping off the lift and making your way to suite 1180. You pulled open the doors and were greeted by the same receptionist who beamed as you approached the desk.

“Told you I’d get those papers to the right hands,” she said with a wink. You smiled shyly as she glanced down at her papers. “Miss Y/N, I presume?” she asked, glancing up. You nodded and watched as she pulled out a visitor pass and handed it over. Just have a seat and someone will be here to escort you shortly,” the receptionist said, gesturing to the seats against the wall.

Thanking her, you moved to sit down and now had the chance to actually look around the office. It looked like any other office. Plain walls, plain floors, fluorescent lights, office cubicles. What separated it from most other offices was the openness that came with the large windows and all the natural light.

To your left seemed to be the main office space although it was on the smaller side. You looked to your right and saw a long hallway that led to a black door with three horizontal rectangular windows. As you stared down the hall, a door opened and another woman appeared. She was tall and slim, sporting a plain white blouse with a high neck, cap sleeves that showed off her toned arms. Her shirt was tucked into a khaki pencil skirt with shiny gold button details.

She approached the reception area, her black stilettos silent against the carpet as she walked. Her long black hair was styled into a half updo, soft curls flowing down her back. She stopped as she approached you, prompting you to stand up quickly. “Y/N?” she asked with a smile, a set of dazzling white teeth appearing from behind her soft pink lips.

You nodded wordlessly, bowing when she bowed to you. “Mr. Choi is ready for you,” she said softly. “If you’ll just follow me.” You shot a glance at the receptionist who mouthed a quick ‘good luck’ offering a thumbs up as you followed this well put together woman down the long corridor.

About halfway down, she stopped and opened a door with the words ‘Human Resources’ etched onto textured glass. As she opened the door, she stepped in, gesturing for you to follow. Inside was a smaller office space, much like the one you’d seen before at reception. She led you through the office which, while being on the smaller side, was much different from the office cubicles you’d seen before.

Instead of cubicles, there were walled off spaces with glass. Somewhat private but still not entirely closed off from the rest of the department. At the end of the room was no doubt the head of HR’s office, where you were heading. Counter height windows dominated the wall except for the door which also had a large window. The blinds were half raised but closed completely to give off a private but not isolated vibe.

The woman leading you paused at the door, knocking lightly. A voice rang out, asking the two of you to enter. The door was opened and you peered from closely behind the woman.

“Y/N is here for her interview,” she announced to the man who sat behind the desk. He was ducked behind his PC, typing away. “Perfect,” he said. “Please take her to the conference room and I’ll be with her in just a moment,” he instructed. The woman nodded, pulling the door shut and smiling at you, guiding your way to one of the longer office spaces which was currently empty.

A long black wooden table stood in the middle of the room with enough chairs to seat ten people which seemed to be all that worked in this department from what you saw. “Mr. Choi will be right with you,” the secretary said. “You’re welcome to have any of the refreshments from the fridge,” she added, gesturing to a fridge in the corner.

You thanked her and just like that, you were alone.

Seungcheol finished the email he’d been working on before sending it and stretching. ‘Thank god that’s over,’ he mused as he shut down his computer and got up, grabbing his phone and checking the time. He slipped the device into his pocket afterwards and headed out of his office, stopping by his secretary’s desk as he exited his office. “Do you have that file for me?” he asked softly.

His secretary smiled, pulling open the top drawer of her desk and handed it to him. “Perfect,” he said with a grin. “Thank you, Hana.”

Taking the file, Seungcheol headed for the meeting room, looking over the file. He stopped in his tracks as he read the name on the application. “Y/N?” he breathed. ‘It couldn’t be, right?’

He looked up from the papers and into the meeting room, his eyes widening and heart skipping into his throat at the same time his stomach dropped into his shoes.

It was you.

He froze in place, unable to move or speak as he watched you sitting behind the glass. You obviously looked quite different from what he was accustomed to but there was no mistake. It was you.

Your hair was a little different and you weren’t wearing the same outfit he saw you in day in and day out.

You were corporeal. Living, breathing. There was color to your complexion. A natural glow to your skin. And makeup. There was makeup. It was almost surreal seeing you in this state when he’d been used to seeing you the other way for so long. He managed to regain his composure and started walking towards the door, pulling it open carefully.

He’d have to make a mental note of this to tell Jihoon and Soonyoung later.

“Hi,” Seungcheol said as he shut the door. You stood quickly, bowing respectfully as he did the same before moving to sit adjacent to you. “I hope you don’t mind me sitting here,” he said as he set a folder, no doubt your file, on the table. “I find sitting so far down at the head of the table informal and really awkward. I almost have to yell all my questions,” he added.

You smiled back at him, nodding silently. “Okay, so,” Seungcheol started. “I’ve gone over your application and your resume so I’m not going to waste your time with the information on that. Tell me a little about yourself,” he said, hoping to use this opportunity to get to know you a little more.

You looked taken aback but got right into it.

“Well, I’m returning to work. I’ve been unemployed for ten months,” you explained. Seungcheol leaned in as you explained about the accident, your fall down the stairs that landed you in a coma for ten months. He’d heard this story from Jihoon already but didn’t interrupt.

“I figured it’s time to return to work. I moved in with my best friend after the hospital discharged me but I’m starting to feel like a burden. I want to help out.” Seungcheol nodded as he listened.

“And what about your family? Do they live in the city?”

You shook your head. “No, they live in the country. I would have moved back home with them except that my doctor is here and it’s better for my check ups to stay close to the city center. I haven’t been approved to drive yet so I actually live very close,” you explained.

Seungcheol nodded, looking down at the paper, eyes scanning the sheet.

“Well, you’re more than qualified for the job and you have excellent references,” he stated before looking up. “I’m not one of those people who asks why you want to work for us. I can guess that the location is convenient for you and that you need a job. Otherwise you wouldn’t apply, am I correct?”

You nodded silently. “Is this line of work similar to your previous job?” he asked, not looking away as you nodded. “Well,” you cut yourself off. “Sort of. I was a paralegal before,” you added.”Which is fancy for ‘lawyer secretary and assistant,’” you continued with a chuckle.

“But I have a lot of clerical experience.”

Seungcheol smiled and nodded. “Your resume and application definitely tells that tale. It also tells me that you’re a loyal employee with several years of clerical work under her belt at the same firm.”

He glanced down and shut the folder, looking back up. “There shouldn’t be any reason why we wouldn’t hire you,” he added. “I’m supposed to tell you to expect a call back within a week but don’t be surprised if you hear back tomorrow or the day after,” he added, standing up.

You followed suit as he grabbed the folder and gestured to the door. “I’ll walk you out,” he added, pulling open the meeting room door and allowing you to leave first. He followed you to the office door that led into the hallway and walked you down to reception.

“Did you have any questions for me?” he asked, looking up as you walked.

“Uh,” you hesitated. “I don’t think so, actually.”

“Well, if you happen to come across any questions you’d like to ask me,” he started as the two of you stopped. “Don’t hesitate to reach out.”

He handed you a card with his name and number on it. “That number is my office number but under it is my personal cell. You can also always reach me by email.” You took the card, thanking him for his time with a bow. He returned the gesture. “Thank you for coming by and I hope to see you again soon,” he added. You thanked him again and he watched as you headed towards the door and out of sight.

‘What are the odds?’

Soonyoung reiterated his sentiment later that night as Seungcheol recounted the interview and his interaction with Y/N. Jihoon was surprisingly silent as Seungcheol and Soonyoung chatted.

“Is she qualified for the position?” he asked, lifting his glass to his lips. Seungcheol nodded, chewing his food thoughtfully. “More than qualified. It’s simple clerical work. She used to be a paralegal,” he answered, drawing both Soonyoung and Jihoon’s attention.

“She did?” Soonyoung asked. Seungcheol nodded. “She’s perfect for the position.”

Jihoon said nothing, taking another sip of his drink. Soonyoung noticed Seungcheol’s gaze shift ever so slightly to look at the youngest of the group. “It feels weird though,” Seungcheol continued. Jihoon looked up from his food.

“What does?”

Seungcheol didn’t meet his gaze. “Being in control of her career like this. It feels… I don’t know…” Seungcheol trailed off as he tried to find the right words. “Wrong. It feels wrong.” Jihoon snorted, returning his attention to his food. “If she’s qualified for the position, or overqualified as you’ve indicated, then it can’t be helped. It’s not like she knows who you are,” he added.

“We don’t control where she applies. It’s not like we told her where to go nor are you pulling any strings to get her in.” Seungcheol watched as Jihoon continued to eat.

The younger man looked up, finally meeting his gaze. Jihoon merely shrugged at him.

“It’s a coincidence.”

You flopped down onto your bed, letting out a sigh. Your shower felt nice. Like you were washing away your worries for the day. It had been a couple days since your interview at MM&C Management and you’d had a couple other interviews but none of those had made you feel as at ease as Mr. Choi at MM&C. You couldn’t shake the feeling that you knew him though you knew you didn’t.

He wasn’t familiar. At least not his face. But the way you felt around him was comforting. He was comforting. It was almost the same kind of feeling you got around Soonyoung the other day outside the high rise. How could two strangers’ presences feel so… comforting?

It made no sense to you.

You were pulled from your thoughts by the ringing of your phone. Without sitting up, you reached for the device and checked the screen. It was an unknown number. You answered it hesitantly.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this Y/N?” asked a voice. ‘Wait, that voice sounds familiar!’

“It is,” you answered.

“This is Hana from MM&C Management. We met just before your interview the other day.”

The woman with the long black hair came into your mind’s eye. ‘Of course!’

You sat up quickly. “Y-yes! Hello!” you said, attempting and failing to keep your voice calm. Excitement was written all over your face.

“I have Mr. Choi on the line, he would like to speak with you,” Hana explained. “O-of course!” you replied, waiting for the line to switch.

“Hello? Y/N?” His voice brought with it a soothing comfort and you were able to relax a bit. “Hello, Mr. Choi,” you replied. You heard him chuckle over the line. “Seungcheol is fine,” he retorted. “Mr. Choi is my father.” You let out a nervous chuckle. “Of course, sorry. Seungcheol. How can I help you?”

“Well, for starters, you can accept this offer of employment. That would really make my superiors happy,” he said, that same amused tone in his voice. “So, what do you say, Y/N? Feel like joining MM&c Management?” Your heart pounded in your chest as he spoke.

Before you had time to process or think your lips parted.

“Count me in.”

The call ended after Seungcheol had gone over as many of the details he was authorized over the phone to do so. For the rest, you would have to come in for orientation and finalize everything by signing some paperwork which was scheduled for the following Monday.

You heard the front door open and got up quickly, scrambling out of the den door to meet Jihyo as she entered the apartment. She looked at you with a peculiar expression as she set some takeout on the counter. “What on earth has gotten into you?” she asked, trying to suppress her laughter.

“Please tell me you have another bottle of wine,” you started as she untied the black plastic bags and started to pull out the food. “I do,” she said hesitantly. “Why?”

You beamed at her as you moved to sit at the kitchen counter.

“Break out the wine,” you announced. “This bitch just got herself a job!”

Filling out paperwork and signing proved to be just as taxing as you remembered but Seungcheol made the process as smooth as possible, explaining everything in the simplest terms he could.

After what felt like two hours of paperwork and signing, your picture was taken for your new work badge, and next came the tour. Not only did Seungcheol take you through the suite, showing you each department, but he also took you to a couple other floors where the firm worked closely with the others.

You learned of the twenty floors in the building, five of them were associated with MM&C. He also showed you where the employee cafeteria was located and promised that the food was well worth it. You were then shown to your workstation. You were not going to be working on the eleventh floor with him but instead you were on the nineteenth. You’d be doing clerical work and errands for the secretarial staff on that floor.

It didn’t take you long to fit into the staff and get into the swing of things and even though you weren’t working on the same floor as Seungcheol, you surprisingly made a lot of trips down to human resources for your clerical work. It was nice to see his comforting face occasionally when you came to drop off files and got to chat for a bit.

Lunch was another time you got to visit with him, eating in the cafeteria and talking about more than just work. Seungcheol was easy to talk to and you really enjoyed talking to him.

So when he didn’t show up for lunch one day, you wondered if he was okay. You hadn’t seen him all day, your tasks keeping you moving from floor to floor except for the eleventh. You were picking up some files that needed to be scanned and digitized on the fifth floor when you ran into him.

Lee Jihoon. The elevator opened and the two of you made eye contact. He visibly tensed as his eyes met yours. You offered him a polite smile and stepped onto the elevator. The atmosphere between the two of you was tense. Something unspoken between the two of you but you couldn’t discern what.

Jihoon on the other hand knew exactly what it was.

Sexual tension. He’d never experienced it with you. It had never been very tense between the two of you before you woke up, so he didn’t have much to go off but he’d felt sexual tension plenty of times in his life. And elevators had a way of bringing it out in people.

“How have you been?”

Your voice was so soft that if this was the sort of building to play elevator music, Jihoon is certain he would have missed your question. Instead, he heard it crystal clear. It dawned on him that this was the first time he was hearing your voice since you woke up.

He turned to glance at you. ‘How have you been?’ It was such a simple question but he couldn’t answer it right away. Not the way he wanted to. ‘How have I been?’

Truthfully, he’s been better but rather than telling you that, he came up with a bullshit answer. Hopefully you couldn’t read him as well as you could before. “I’m alright,” he answered, surprised by the softness of his own voice. “I remember you,” you said suddenly, making his heart skip a beat.

“From the hospital,” you added. His heart slowly sank back into its usual position. ‘Of course.’

“Ah,” he said simply. A beat of silence fell over the two of you before you spoke again.

“Why were you there?” Jihoon hadn’t been prepared for this question. In all honesty, he hadn’t been prepared to see or speak to you ever again so he wasn’t sure how to answer it. Deciding vagueness had always been his strong suit, he tapped into that.

“It’s… complicated.” You tilted your head, like a puppy does upon hearing its own name.

“Complicated how?” god you sounded so child-like and innocent. How could he possibly begin to even explain it? There was no easy way to do it, not without sounding like a total nutcase.

“I… can’t really explain it,” he finally settled on. Was it a lame answer? Of course. Did you deserve a better answer? Absolutely. So why couldn’t he give you one? Perhaps because he was a coward.

The elevator dinged, pulling both of you from your thoughts and the unaddressed tension as the doors opened. Jihoon stepped forward without another word. “It was nice seeing you- oh! Seungcheol!” you said as the man in question appeared.

Seungcheol turned to find both you and Jihoon. “You didn’t come to lunch today,” you noted, a hint of sadness to your voice. Jihoon felt his stomach sink and his blood start to boil as he turned his head slowly to look at Seungcheol who offered a sheepish smile. “Sorry, Y/N,” he said.

“I made plans with a friend for lunch,” he said, clapping Jihoon on the shoulder.

The shock on your face was evident in the way your brows rose and your lips parted.

It looked as if you hadn’t known Jihoon and Seungcheol were friends and Jihoon would have to give the older man a piece of his mind about eating lunch with you.

Seungcheol gestured for Jihoon to go ahead of him. “Sorry again, Y/N,” he said with a smile. “Maybe tomorrow?” You nodded, the smile returning to your face. “It was nice seeing you again, Jihoon!” you called, noticing how Jihoon visibly stiffened before turning to look back at you. “You, too,” he replied softly.

You watched as they disappeared past the suite door and stepped back to allow the elevator doors to shut. ‘So they’re friends, too?’ you wondered as the elevator started to ascend to the nineteenth floor. You crossed your arms over your chest, holding the folders of papers to be scanned close to you, almost hugging it. Just how many people in your life were he friends with?

As soon as the door to his office shut, Seungcheol expected Jihoon to pounce but instead the younger man sat down and glared at him. He glared but said nothing until Seungcheol couldn’t take it anymore.

“Will you at least yell at me or something?” he asked. Jihoon shook his head silently.

“Are you seeing her or something?” he finally asked. Seungcheol was so shocked by his question that his jaw actually dropped. “You honestly think I’d do that to you?” Seungcheol asked incredulously. “I know how you feel about her. You really think I would just swoop in and steal her from you?”

Jihoon sighed heavily, leaning forward to hide his face in his hands. “No,” he groaned before sitting back. “No I don’t.” Seungcheol nodded slowly. “Well good. Cause I wouldn’t. You’re one of my best friends, Ji. I wouldn’t dream of hurting you like that.”

“Why are you eating lunch with her? How often have you been doing that?”

Seungcheol hesitated for a moment. “For a while. Since she started. I wanted to make sure she was comfortable and she had a familiar face around,” he answered. “It might make it a lot easier.”

Jihoon narrowed his eyes. “Might make what a lot easier?” he asked. Seungcheol sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I thought that if she and I spent some time together, even in a work setting, we’d become friends and then through me, she could meet you again. Maybe it might trigger some memories or something!” Seungcheol explained as Jihoon groaned and got up, beginning to pace.

“Did you hire her specifically to do this?” Jihoon asked angrily. “What?” Seungcheol asked, looking indignant. “No? I didn’t hire her! I just do the interviews!”

Jihoon groaned and turned to face the office door. He pressed his fingers against his temple on either side of his head. “This has to stop,” Jihoon said softly before turning to look at his friend. “We can’t interfere with her life. We have to move on.” Seungcheol’s expression morphed into one of sadness.

He knew where Jihoon was coming from and he understood it but he also felt there was something more to this. Like you were meant to be in their lives still. If Jihoon was willing to give up that was fine, but he wasn’t. Not yet.

“I’m sorry,” Seungcheol said softly. “I should have told you from the start.” Jihoon shook his head. “It’s okay. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions and accusing you of being a bad friend.” Seungcheol smiled at him. “So,” he said, leaning forward.

“You wanna get sushi?”

The entire rest of your day at work was hell. You were distracted and couldn’t focus on anything. All you could think about was why Jihoon was there. Had he and Seungcheol been friends all along? Was he following you? Just who was he? As you gathered your things at the end of your shift and headed to the elevator, you knew just who to ask to get your answers.

Jihyo was already home when you got there, dinner in the oven as she poured two glasses of wine. She wanted to celebrate your first week of work at your new job. As you entered, she welcomed you home cheerfully, smile fading as she watched you hastily tear off your hat and coat, tossing them on the bench by the front door before slipping your shoes off.

“You have a lot to answer for, Seo Jihyo,” you said angrily as you stormed over. Jihyo shrank against the kitchen counter. “Wh-what are you-”

“Who the fuck is Jihoon and why does he know the guy who hired me? Why is he everywhere? Why was he in my hospital room when I woke up?”

Jihyo stared at you, eyes wide. “I-I…” she stammered, trailing off. “Tell me now or I swear to god-”

Jihyo held out her hands. “Okay, okay!” she said quickly. “I’ll tell you but you have to listen to everything I say and wait until I’m done before you speak.”

You narrowed your eyes at her before moving to sit at the kitchen island, grabbing your glass of wine and downing half of it in one go. “Talk.”

Jihyo sighed before launching into explanation. She explained how she met Jihoon. How he contacted her to ask about your accident. He was under the impression you had died. Before you could interrupt, Jihyo explained that Jihoon, Seungcheol, and Soonyoung were the new tenants of your old apartment.

Jihoon wanted to know details about your death because he and the others were experiencing… supernatural activity. They were convinced it was your ghost. Upon hearing this, you had a sudden flash, a memory, of you standing in the apartment, surrounded by furniture that did not belong to you.

You snapped out of it as Jihyo continued. “So when he called me and asked for details about your death I told him you weren’t dead. You were in a coma. He asked if he could meet me and at first, I was hesitant but I agreed. He was adamant he’d seen your spirit. Spoken to it. Had full conversations with you. I thought he was crazy,” Jihyo laughed, downing the rest of her wine before pouring another glass.

“But then he started to tell me things about you. Things he couldn’t have known. That was when I started to believe him.” She continued on, telling how Jihoon came to the hospital to see you. The day you woke up and that he somehow managed to wake you up. “He had said he wanted to try,” she said with a far off look in her eyes.

“And they live in our old building?” you asked. She nodded, closing her eyes. You sat silently as you made up your mind. It sounded ridiculous but then again, you couldn’t shake the unmistakable feeling you got around Soonyoung or the comfort of Seungcheol. Even the unaddressed tension between you and Jihoon in the elevator.

And there was only one way to know for sure.

You got up from the island, walking to the door. Jihyo sat up. “Where are you going?” she asked as you slid on your shoes and pulled on your coat. “To our old apartment,” you said simply, pulling on your hat and gloves, wrapping your scarf around your neck. “You can’t!” Jihyo protested.

You turned to her. “Don’t try to stop me, Jihyo,” you warned. “I have to do this. I need answers.”

Jihyo stared at you blankly. “I just gave them to you,” she replied. “No,” you started, turning to face her.

“I know but I need more answers. Ones you can’t give me. I need answers from…” you trailed off.

“From Jihoon.” Jihyo finished your sentence for you. “Yeah,” you nodded. “From Jihoon.”

You pulled open the door and stepped out into the hall.

You barely knew how to get to your old apartment from where you were but you knew you’d manage. You had your phone after all. You could just look up the directions.

Once you were gone, Jihyo ran to the kitchen, snatching her phone off the counter and started scrolling until she found what she was looking for. She pressed the little green button and waited for an answer while it rang. After a couple rings, someone picked up.

Jihoon had just arrived home and was the first one there. Seungcheol had gone out for drinks with coworkers and Soonyoung had left for the weekend to stay with his parents. He’d finished dinner early and was cleaning up when his phone vibrated on the counter. He dried his hands and picked up the device, reading the name Jihyo flash across the screen.

He answered it, confusion rampant on his face and in his voice.

“Jihyo?” he asked. “Why are you-”

“I told her.” Those three simple words were enough to send Jihoon’s heart into a panic. ‘Told her? Told her what?’ He cleared his throat. “Wh-what did you tell her?” he asked, deciding context was important. “Everything,” Jihyo whispered on the other end. “I told her everything. She’s on her way there now. She needs more answers. Answers I can’t give her.”

Jihoon’s heart pounded in his chest. ‘She’s on her way? She’s coming here?’ He licked his lips and looked around quickly. “Uh… okay. I’ll uh… I’ll take care of it.” Jihyo thanked him before hanging up. Jihoon finished cleaning up at record speed.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed between Jihyo’s call and the knock at his door. He walked over to the door, checking his reflection in the mirror before peering through the peephole. You stood on the other side of the door, bundled to the max with tiny flecks of white dusting your clothing.

Jihoon unlocked the door and pulled it open, eyes meeting yours as you turned to look at him. Neither one of you said anything at first until Jihoon finally broke the silence. “You want to come in?” he asked, his voice soft as he stood aside. You thanked him quietly and stepped over the threshold.

Jihoon stood back as you removed your shoes and pulled your hat off your head, stuffing it and your gloves into your coat pockets. Jihoon moved to the kitchen, watching as you started to look around. Your eyes were full of both sadness and curiosity as you scanned your surroundings.

You said nothing as you looked around and took it all in. It was your old apartment but it also wasn’t at the same time. The furniture wasn’t yours but it was familiar all the same. A nagging and pulling at the back of your mind telling you this was home. This was your home. Yet it wasn’t, you told yourself. It was Jihoon’s. It was Seungcheol’s. It was Soonyoung’s. It wasn’t yours anymore.

Without asking, you walked over to the windows looking onto the balcony where you and Jihyo had kept your plants. There were still plants but they weren’t yours. And the chairs weren’t yours either.

As you started to turn away from the balcony, you had a sudden memory. Sitting on the balcony and laughing as the sun came up but it was with Jihyo. It was with…

You turned around to look at Jihoon who was watching you with a guarded expression.

You said nothing, too stunned to speak as you walked through the living room, stopping to look at the living room set. The coffee table brought another memory.

Seungcheol and Soonyoung kneeling around the table with a Ouija board and a dark foreboding presence. You snapped out of it and continued on, passing the main bathroom. The first room you reached was Nari’s. You peered in and saw the furniture was definitely not Nari’s. It was completely different from how you remembered it.

Another memory manifested itself as you peered into the dark room. Sitting in the desk chair and talking to someone who wasn’t Nari. It was Soonyoung. You blinked, the scene fading from in front of you, almost like you were observing it instead of experiencing it.

You continued down the hall, peering into Jihyo’s old room. ‘This must be Seungcheol’s room.’ You decided not to enter as you worked with him and it felt wrong to enter his space like that. Although this whole situation felt wrong, it also felt right. Like you were meant to be here.

You saved your old room for last, pushing the cracked door open and looking into the room. It wasn’t yours anymore but for some reason, it still felt familiar. Like you’d spent enough time here to know that the placement of everything was where it should be. The bed, the desk, all the desk supplies. Everything was in its rightful place.

You walked into the room slowly, looking around, eyes landing on the bed. Walking over cautiously, you sat on the edge, running your palm over the sheets as another memory flashed before your eyes. Late nights lying on this bed, talking to… him. Sitting on it against the wall, watching him work at his desk.

Getting up, you walked over to the desk and looked around the details, everything was where it should be. Finally, you noticed the notepad and reached for it hesitantly. You grabbed it carefully, bringing it up to flip through the pages, your breath catching in your throat as you noticed something.

Your own handwriting.

Little notes to the owner of the desk saying things like “don’t give up!” and “you can do it!” You didn’t realize tears were spilling from your eyes, staining your cheeks until a drop fell onto the notepad page you were looking at.

Setting the pad back down, you exited the room and headed back into the living area where Jihoon was still standing behind the kitchen island. He glanced up as you walked in. Noticing your tear stained cheek, he started to move but hesitated, ultimately deciding against it.

As you looked at Jihoon, another memory made itself known. You were looking at Jihoon, standing in the exact same spot as he sipped on a cup of coffee. He glanced up, smiling at you. You couldn’t remember exactly why but it was a very important day that day.

You remembered very clearly what he said to you. And more importantly, what you said to him.

You cleared your throat, drawing Jihoon’s attention, the memory fading and allowing you to see him standing before you. “I…” your voice trailed off as your words failed you. How could you even begin to explain what you’d just experienced? Lucky for you, Jihoon needed no explanation.

“You remember, don’t you?” he asked softly. You nodded, a soft sob escaping your lips as your knees buckled. Jihoon was quick, rushing to your side as you started forward and caught you, the two of you falling to the wooden floor, kneeling as he pulled you into his arms.

You remembered wanting this more than anything. Wanting him to be able to hold you. To feel you.

The reality of it was surreal. He was holding you. He was holding you. He was holding you.

“Do you remember that last morning?” he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper. You nodded, fresh tears flowing as you looked into his eyes. “Do you remember what I told you?” he asked. Again, you nodded, the words clearer in your mind than anything else.

“And do you remember what you said to me?”

You nodded once more, the tears flowing freely.

“What did I say to you?” Jihoon asked, his eyes looking into yours, brimming with unshed tears.

You took a deep breath.

Instead of answering him, you leaned in, your lips pressing against his. It was as if everything fell into place at that moment. Your life suddenly made sense. All your feelings since waking up made perfect sense; why Jihoon was in your hospital room; why Soonyoung seemed familiar; why you found comfort in Seungcheol’s presence. This is where you belonged. This was your home. Jihoon was your home.

And it was time to return.

fin.

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