power. a simple word that can mean many things: power can be a skill; the power of being musically talented, the power of helping others when vulnerable.

power can be intangible; the power of fame, the power of smarts, the power of emotion.

with all of this, what truly is power? power is control. power is the ability to control. whether it be yourself or others, against the strong or the weak - if you have power, you will be on top.

power also comes in other forms; how a boss has power over a worker or a teacher has power over a student - or how a project has power over 45% of your final semester grade, apparently.

45 fucking percent? euijoo thinks to himself as he stares at his anthropology professor, absolutely stunned. the pencil he was twirling came to a halt as he gulped shallowly, his tense gaze drifting to his laptop in an attempt to calm his racing mind.

he needed to do well; that’s the first thought that flooded his mind as his teachers voice began to dull, his hands clamming up as he hastily opens a fresh document. euijoo felt his shoulders shake rapidly, a familiar voice right next to his ear. “ej! let’s be partners!”

“partners?” euijoo asks, his brows knitting together as he stares up at his friend from his seated position. only then does he notice the several other students in his course also standing, speaking around to those nearby.

“were you not listening? this is a group project - i want you in my group!” sunoo says excitedly, his hands returning to euijoo's shoulders to shake him once more.

“do you not remember what happened last time we partnered with each other? we almost got kicked out of the fucking class,” the older responds, his sentence coming out warped from the jerky movements he was enduring at the hands of sunoo.

“okay, we don’t talk about that. plus, we’ve grown, we’ve matured-”

“it was last year-”

“we’ve grown. we’ve matured,” sunoo enunciates, his head nodding with each word while euijoo rolls his eyes at his friend's antics. “we should find more people, too.”

“you know more people than i do; you can go find them,” euijoo says, his voice sounding uninterested as the signal for lecture ending sounds throughout the room.

“i always have to do all the work …” sunoo sulks as he leaves euijoo's side.

“maybe that’s why we failed that project last year!”

“we don’t talk about that!”

“he asked you to be in his group?” yoonsung asks as he sits across from you at a lunch table, the commons quiet as you two spoke.

“yeah ... when i told him i already partnered with you, he said we could both join,” you answer. you didn’t know sunoo very well, only noticing him when he would walk into class late or let out loud groans about assignments.

“what’d you say to that?”

“said i’d get back to him about it through some kind of social -  figured i should talk it over with you first,” you smile.

“i mean, it’d give both of us a smaller workload splitting it between four people ...” yoonsung trails off, looking away and sighing dramatically as you chuckle.

“you wanna be in a group with them?” you ask, awaiting his confirmation or declination to the offer. with a nod of his head, he agrees, prompting you to attempt to contact sunoo.

“pretty sure i have his number from a past project from, like, freshman year ... maybe i can find him ...” you say out loud, yoonsung nodding along as he continues to eat.

“okay, how do you think we want to start?” yoonsung asks as he looks around the round table, speaking softly as others inhabit the campus library.

“who pays attention in class?” euijoo says, following yoonsung’s actions as he exchanges glances with everyone. when no one spoke up, embarrassed smiles were seen on everyone’s faces. “okay, so, we’re fucked.”

you chime in. “alright, uh, maybe we should just wing it and hope for the best?”

“not again ...” euijoo sighs, a light chuckle leaving him as he looks down at his keyboard.

“speaking from experience?” you ask, looking at the man before he glances up, a nervous blush on his cheeks as he smiles.

“ej. do not,” sunoo deadpans.

euijoo's eyes crinkle as his smile grows wider, tilting his head once again. “he doesn’t like when i talk about it,” he says.

“that bad, huh?”

“shut up!”

the table turned quiet - after the initial chaos of choosing a slides theme, everyone was working diligently. 

euijoo couldn’t help the small glances he made in your direction as he shifted his gaze between his laptop screen and his notes. he found it very cute how one corner of your mouth would lift every now and then when you got stuck, then turn into a small smile once you solved your internal debate.

“sunoo, can you get the fuck off my slide,” you say, feigning anger as he laughs.

“i don’t like the color you chose, trust me, this will look way better,” he says, continuing to change all of your elements to bright yellow. “did you just delete my slide?!”

“there was nothing on it!” you say, laughing as he pouts in your direction, creating a new slide and moving off of yours.

euijoo couldn’t help but watch how you two interacted, wishing he could get along with you as easily as sunoo could. he swore his friend asked you on purpose, somehow knowing about the small crush he’s had on you for the past couple months.

was he obvious about it? if it was obvious, were you just oblivious? euijoo broke out of his thoughts when your phone dinged, that being the first noise made in the library in a while with the exception of pages turning and keyboard clicking.

“shit, i’m sorry guys,” you say, preparing to pack your bag. “i have to cover a shift, i’ll work on my slide more once i’m off.”

“where do you work? i can probably drive you if it’s far,” euijoo offers without hesitation, shocking himself slightly - you don't fail to notice the nervous glint in his eyes.

“it’s not far, just the flower shop a little past campus - thanks for the offer, though,” you smile, shoving your laptop into your bag before slinging it over your shoulder, offering small waves to everyone before leaving.

“i’m gonna go to the bathroom, i’ll be back,” euijoo says, leaving his bag next to his chair and laptop open before heading into the back of the library.

thinking quickly, euijoo suddenly shrinks, his vision skewed as he becomes an ant and slipping underneath the crack of the library’s back door. thankful for his still-conscious human mind, euijoo looks around, making sure the coast is clear before transforming again, this time into a fluffy squirrel. with a deep breath, he swiftly climbs a nearby tree, jumping from branch to branch to try and find you walking away from the building.

he could vaguely make out your form, leaving the tree and hiding behind bushes to watch as you walked. he completely understood what he was doing right now was creepy, but he couldn’t help wanting to be near you, even if you didn't realize it was him.

he walks close behind, being sure to be cautious of other people on the sidewalk until you look down at your feet.

“aw, you’re cute!” you say to the small animal, and euijoo couldn’t help that his tiny heart started beating faster. “i’m sorry, i don’t have any extra food.”

euijoo just stared up at you, tilting his head to the side as he nodded. while the action wasn’t uncommon in day-to-day life, it was uncommon to see a squirrel respond in any way to such a statement.

your eyes widen, visibly confused. euijoo freaks out, ultimately choosing to run into a nearby bush and leave you crouched on the sidewalk.

“first crows are acting weird, and now squirrels?”

power. a simple word that can mean many things. power can be a skill; the power of articulation, the power of confidence.

power can be intangible; the power of love, the power of strength, the power of vulnerability.

with all this, what truly is power? power is control. power is the ability to control. whether it be yourself or others, against the strong or the weak - if you have power, you will be on top.

what hinders euijoo the most is that his power is something he must always be quiet about. you can boast about fame or money, you can brag about your skills or your smarts; he wasn’t allowed to talk about his - even past death.

euijoo sat in his university’s cafe, laptop open to his empty presentation slide while his form slouched in an uncomfortable chair. his eyes felt heavy as they bored into his computer, the dimmed screen not doing much to keep him alert as his fingers toyed with the small bundle of daisies he held.

deciding to call it a night, euijoo shoves his computer into his bag and daisies into his jacket pocket, making his way towards the door of the cafe and beginning the small commute to his dorm room. 

sometimes, euijoo absolutely adored his unwanted power; if he was hungry, he would shapeshift into a seagull or a crow when no one was looking, walk into a convenience store, grab something, and walk out. what was the clerk gonna do? chase down a bird over a bag of chips? no, and so, euijoo got home with a new snack.

but other times, he dreaded his power. wanting nothing more than to hide away forever, never being able to change again. he doesn’t remember when or how he got to this point, all he remembered was that he was having a nice dream about a dog he saw at a dog park, then when he awoke, he was covered in golden fur, a tail wagging behind him and his nose now a prominent snout between his eyes.

after the sudden shock, he thought of himself again, and poof - he was back to his normal self, anxiously laying against his mattress with wide eyes as he looked down at his hands. 

over time, euijoo was able to learn about the regulations and rules that came with this power:

firstly, he could only shift into other living things. animals, bugs, if it has a respiratory and nervous system, he could become it.

he couldn’t shift into a different person. whatever granted me with this shit doesn’t like identity theft, i guess, euijoo thinks to himself as he continues down the sidewalk.

whatever he was holding and wearing would disappear into thin air, as well as be on his body again once he transformed back. i can somehow defy the laws of physics?

he couldn’t shift into anything that was bigger than himself. but with his stature, that wasn’t much of a limitation. he couldn’t think of a single instance he would need to become an elephant or a giraffe; at least not yet, he supposes.

he drags himself up the stairs, skipping every other step before walking towards his dorm. closing the door swiftly, dropping his bag from his shoulder as it hits the floor with a loud thud, curses falling from his lips at the possibility of his computer breaking on impact.

he couldn’t care less, not in the mood to work on his stupid anthropology assignment as he lays across his bed, limbs fully extended and dangling off the mattress. his face was mushed into the pillow, exasperated sighs being muffled into the material before his phone dings, his sighs turning into a slightly aggravated groan.

reaching his hand into his pants pocket, he pulls out the device, the screen illuminating his dark dorm room. 

euijoo shuts his phone off, not needing to be a part of the conversation between his group members any longer. a thought plagued his mind: if you were going to the cafe to work with them, would he have walked all the way back?

he hated the fact that his answer was most likely yes.

what got into him? you were just another student in his class. at least, that’s what he's been trying to tell himself these last few months.

you were special, he knew it. you had to be like him; you had to possess something similar to him that made him feel a magnetic pull, that’s the only logical reason he feels gravitated towards you.

he turns over on his bed, staring into his tiled ceiling as he purses his lips. should i work on the project by myself? i mean, i haven’t even done my introductory slide yet, euijoo thought to himself. with a heavy sigh, he lifts himself from his bed, grabbing his bag and sitting at his desk.

“thank god,” he says as he opens his laptop once again. “not broken…”

“y/n, are you able to do your part soon? if not, i’m willing to take on a bit more,” yoonsung says from beside you in the crowded hallway.

“i can get it done,” you start, offering him a small smile as you maneuver yourself around the mass of people. “they keep having me stay later on my shifts ... it’s getting on my nerves.”

“i’m sorry. again, i can take over some of your parts! i don’t mind,” he says with a smile. “i’ll see you tomorrow, alright?”

you nod, watching as he walks ahead towards another group, all welcoming him with smiles as you push open your building’s doors. it was colder than usual, the normally humid air feeling crisper, the sun barely visible through the dense clouds.

your hands remain in your pockets as you make your way over to the small flower shop across campus, already being able to make out the colorful bouquets you displayed just the day before.

although sometimes you feel like they’ve taken advantage of your kindness when it comes to working longer hours or taking over shifts, you did enjoy your time there. meeting the different people, arranging bouquets for different occasions, even sometimes hearing someone's story of love or loss; it makes your job a bit more interesting.

as the automatic doors open, you take in a deep breath, the somewhat overwhelming scent of flowers and other greenery filling your nose as a small smile graces your features. you toss your bag into the backroom, grabbing your apron and sliding it over your clothes, tying it around your waist before making your way behind the small counter.

it felt much nicer in the shop than outside, the fresh smell overtaking your senses as you inhale deeply. you look down at your hands, playing with your fingers out of boredom before the sliding doors open.

a shocked expression fell on your face; this was the third time this week this same crow - at least, you assume he's the same crow - had waltzed into the shop, made a b-line to the same bouquet of daisies, and looked in your direction before tilting his tiny head and leaving the store with a small bundle in his beak.

all you could do was watch as a crow steals your supply. there wasn’t much that you could do to prevent it; you didn’t have the heart to shoo him away. what if he was gonna give that to his crow partner? or maybe use it to decorate a grave like many others have bought flowers from you for?

in reality, just around the back of the shop and out of view of the bustling street and people on the sidewalk, that crow transforms into a person you’ve come to know, school attire on and his bag on his back. he pulls the small flowers from between his lips, the faint feeling of freshly sprayed water drops still on their stems as he removed them from his mouth.

he sighs to himself, trying to remember what brought him to this point; trying to remember how and when he started to fall for you. maybe you were some sort of sorcerer, you casted some admiration spell on him and that's why he couldn’t stop thinking about you for the last few months. that’s gotta be it, euijoo concludes as he moves to a small patch of dirt, digging a tiny hole and attempting to plant the daisies again.

“this isn’t gonna work …” he sighs, grabbing his water bottle from his bag and dripping it around the freshly planted bundle. he stands and tilts his head at the attempted gardening job, another troubled sigh leaving his lips as he heads out of the alcove he found himself in much more often than he would like to admit.

it was unfortunate for euijoo, truly - despite his attempts to cleanse himself of your spell, rid his mind of your person, and stop transforming into a damn crow to see you more often, he couldn’t bear to break the cycle.

he thought you looked adorable in your work apron, the shocked look you would show him when he would first waddle into the shop, only for it to turn into a small smile and a light chuckle by the time he left. 

he couldn’t get enough. and he hated it.

today, he wanted to try something different; he didn’t want you to see him as some bird or squirrel, he wanted you to see him as him. and with newfound confidence, he started his new plan:

euijoo found himself smiling at the small interaction, quickly wiping his grin off his face once he caught himself. it’s just for class, dumbass, that’s why they agreed, he thinks, his flushed cheeks very obviously contradicting his thoughts.

if only he could see the smile you had plastered on your face once he responded.

surprising even himself, euijoo found that his pace walking to the cafe was faster than usual, eager to open the doors and find a table. would going to a secluded table be weird? he thinks, eyes shifting around the interior and other cafe-goers before deciding on a table near the front.

he sits, setting his bag next to him and pulling out his laptop, anxiously awaiting your arrival.

“a crow?” euijoo asks, looking at you in disbelief as you take notes, looking up from your paper with an unamused stare.

“yes, a crow!” you answer as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “he comes in every day, and has been for a few weeks.”

“what does he do? just stare at you?”

“no, he comes inside the store, like- waits for the doors to open and walks inside, goes towards the daisies, picks some, looks at me as if he isn’t stealing from me in front of my eyes, then walks out! who does that?”

“crows, apparently.”

you laugh, a smile gracing both of your features as euijoo looks at you fondly; you continue: “it was a rhetorical question.”

“i know,” he says softly, looking back down at his slightly shaking hands above his keyboard, his screen blocking your view of them. “i’m just teasing.”

“tease someone else, then,” you say, your voice light as it fills euijoo's ears, your tone indicating you weren’t actually upset with his words. “i know what i saw.”

euijoo felt uneasy; how could you hide the fact you put a spell on him so easily? how could you seem to show no remorse for your actions? even when he knew it was simply a spell, he couldn’t help but feel warm inside whenever you smiled, how his mind seemed to cloud over whenever you called his name to catch his attention, or even your shy laugh and warm cheeks when you caught him staring.

he enjoyed those small instances so much, he wasn’t sure if it was the trance that made him think these things anymore.

“i’m not sure how convinced i am of your crow story, y/n,” he says, earning a glare from you as he tries to hide his smile. “might need to see it myself.”

“i have to go to work in a few minutes, i’ll show you the crow. i’m pretty sure it’s the same one every time, too,” you say, looking down at your note-filled paper in thought, raking your brain for any defining features of the black bird.

what the fuck would be a defining feature for a crow? you think, only to shake your head of the thought.

you begin packing your bag, watching as euijoo's eyes follow your rushed movements. “c’mon, don’t wanna miss the stupid bird.”

“hey, i’m sure the crow is smart,” euijoo replies, packing up his belongings into his bag. “he seems cool.”

“he’s a thief! do you want me to get fired from my job because of a bird?” you over-exaggerate, knowing that a few plucked daisies in the beak of a bird isn’t enough to jeopardize your job.

“oh, please,” euijoo says, his eyes feigning judgment as they glance up at you, your breath getting hitched in your throat from the small smirk he offered with it. “you won’t get fired, y/n. it’s not exactly ethical to charge a bird for daisies.”

“nice apron,” euijoo comments as he watches you emerge from the backroom, hands behind your back as you tie off its strings.

“thank you so much for that totally genuine compliment!” you say, sarcasm present in your tone that causes euijoo to chuckle as you go behind the front desk. “its uniform.”

“i assumed,” he says, his eyes shyly looking away from your form and around the plant covered shop. “it looks cute.”

you face flushes as you look at him, more specifically, the soft blush that fell upon his cheeks, his eyes still not meeting yours. “it’s just a black apron.” you reply.

“and? it’s cute on you,” he says smugly, titling his head as he looks at you, a smile on his face as he watches you play with your fingers. “what? that doesn’t get a ‘thank you so much for that totally genuine compliment’?” 

“thank you for the compliment, ej,” you say, and you don’t fail to notice how his eyes change. they appear softer, the blush on his face becoming more apparent before he clears his throat, looking towards the sliding doors.

“where’s this crow that you were talking about? thought you said he always shows up at the start of your shifts,” you could sense that same teasing tone he had earlier when he questioned the validity of your statement at the cafe.

“i’m sure he’ll show,” you say, a pout present on your lips, and euijoo couldn’t help but silently coo at the action, finding it adorable.

time passes slowly, the sliding door never opening to reveal the feathered thief that graced your presence for the last handful of weeks. a sigh leaves your lips, accepting defeat before euijoo speaks.

“i was actually thinking about getting some flowers for my dorm; bring in some color. wanna show me some of your favorites?” he says, his request taking you out of your sulking state as you nod, moving onto the main floor with him following close behind.

you go over to some arranged displays, pointing out some of your favorite pieces and flowers, ranging from favorite smells to appearance. euijoo listens intently, enjoying the sight of your eyes lighting up when talking about the plants and how your smile seemed to shine brighter.

he didn’t mean to, but he stopped listening once he got caught up in how happy you looked explaining everything to him. “you okay?” you ask, your soft voice bringing him out of the trance he lost himself in, seeing as you held a small bouquet of hyacinths in your hands.

“i’m fine,” he answers, his eyes still offering you a gentle look. “it’s nice to see someone so excited about their job.”

“really? what do you do?” you ask curiously. euijoo reaches forward and gently takes the flowers from you, his fingers closing around yours for a brief moment before he examines them.

“just a video game shop in the mall, i don’t hate the job itself-” he pauses to look away from the flowers and hold eye contact with you. your eyes were trained on his and he felt himself falling back into his trance. “-i hate that i’m constantly surrounded by things i can’t afford.”

“no employee discount?”

“no, we have one,” he says, a heavy sigh leaving his lips as he softly smiles. “i’d just rather not go broke. knowing myself i’d buy our whole stock in one sitting.”

you chuckle lightly, and euijoo couldn't help but smile when you turned back towards the flowers. “i think i’ll buy these - you have any other favorites?”

“wanna meet to work on the project again tomorrow?” you ask as you give him his small handwritten receipt, leaning over slightly on the counter.

“yeah, i’ll text the group,” he says with a smile, and he doesn’t fail to notice how your smile fell slightly before you quickly wipe it away. were they hoping it’d be just us again? euijoo questions as he tilts his head to the side.

“okay, i’ll see you then,” you answer softly, nodding as he exits the building with the bouquet of flowers in his hands.

you let out a breath of relief; it was nice to see euijoo in a non-school-related atmosphere, and watching as his form exits through those sliding doors made you feel a bit sad. you smile to yourself at the thought of seeing him again tomorrow, mindlessly fiddling with your fingers as they sit atop the counter.

you grab the small spray bottle from under the counter, walking away to spritz a few of the plants that lined the main floor and the walls. the sound of the door opening prompts you to turn around, preparing to welcome your new customer, only to be met with the black-feathered bird.

your lips purse into a thin line, sighing quietly before following behind the bird slowly so as to not scare it. “you couldn’t have shown up earlier like you normally do?” you say, the bird continuing his natural actions; picking a few daisies and preparing to leave. “i made a fool of myself because of you.”

the crow turns towards you as you crouch down in an attempt to get a better look at the bird, pulling your phone out and snapping a quick picture to prove it to your project partner. what shocked you was how calm he was, how he began to approach you slowly and dropping the plucked daisies by your feet; instead moving behind you to the counter, grabbing a small decorative paper card from a rotating display - and if birds were able to run - what he did would be classified as sprinting out of those same doors.

what the hell? you couldn’t help but stare as those doors close, the bird turning with the card in his beak and waddling away as if he didn’t change his routine ... mid-routine.

you pick up the daisies, twirling them in your fingers as one corner of your mouth lifts into a confused half-smile. standing again, you bring out an old book from the back, deciding it was best to press the plucked flowers.

you lay wax paper on each side of the book’s pages, placing the flowers between and closing the book, weighing it under the other books before walking back out onto the main floor.

behind the shop, in the same alcove he found himself in all too often, euijoo was sitting on the dirt ground, back against the cement wall with his face in his palms. his face was warm in his hands, leaning against his bent knees with his backpack and flower bouquet to his side.

he lifts his head, leaning it against the wall with a smile on his face. he was awestruck by how infatuated he became with you in such a short amount of time. you had him turning into a bird - a fucking bird - just so he would learn more about you - so he could see you more often.

he lets out a sigh, standing up and dusting off his jeans, grabbing his bag and the flowers, placing that small card in the bundle of flowers as he walks out of the alcove. his phone dings, pulling it out of his back pocket as he holds the device in his hands.

he chuckles to himself, looking at the picture you attached of him with the flowers in his mouth - his beak.

he smiles to himself, turning the corner and taking a quick peek through the unopened sliding door, catching a quick glimpse of you smiling down at the phone in your palms while you twirled the abandoned daily between your fingertips, and he couldn’t help but hope that smile was because of him.

he felt nervous as he stood in front of your dorm's door the next morning, the bouquet in his hands with the small note pushed between the array of flowers. he regretted writing in pen, thinking about the cringy “can i go out with you?” that he tried his best to neatly write.

he swallowed his worries as he knocked on the door, the sound echoing through the hallway before the door slowly opens. he hadn’t thought he came super early, but from the sight of you rubbing your tired eyes with the side of your hand and the fact that you were still wearing your pajamas, he thought he might have made a flaw in his timing.

“i-i’m sorry,” euijoo stutters out. “did i wake you?”

“nah, i needed to be up anyways,” you reassure him with a sleepy smile, euijoo didn’t quite believe you, but let it be. “was something wrong with the flowers?”

“oh! no, nothing’s wrong. they’re uh, they’re for you, actually,” he says, extending his arm a short distance as you do the same, taking the flowers from him with a smile.

“actually?” you say, smiling to yourself as you look down, noticing the small card. “they’re beautiful, almost as if i picked them out myself,” you comment, glancing up at him with a smug look as he just chuckles and looks down. his hands nervously shove themselves into his jacket pockets as he shifts his weight from foot to foot.

“you want me to go out with you?” you ask, although it was written clearly on the card now in your hand - very different handwriting from his anthropology notes - you still felt you needed confirmation.

“yeah, if you’d let me take you out,” euijoo confirms, his head lifting so his eyes could meet yours, a small but visible blush dusting his cheeks and ears. you smile, and in turn, euijoo smiles as well.

“i would love to,” you say, watching as his eyes light up at your answer.

“in that case, i will not text the group chat about meeting up to work on the project,” he says. “instead, would you maybe want to go to dinner with me?”

you nod quickly, and he swore the sight in front of him was the cutest thing he had ever seen.

do they have a power; what even is power? euijoo thought to himself as he watched you fill a vase with water and place the flowers inside softly. power is control. power is the ability to control. whether it be yourself or others, against the strong or the weak - if you have power, you will be on top.

maybe he was wrong; you weren’t a sorcerer who put an admiration spell on him. maybe you two aren’t as alike as he thought you were, but he knew for sure that you were not just another student in his anthropology course.

he knew you were special, not in the sense of supernatural powers, but in the sense of making yourself known in his heart and his mind. being able to have him bending over backwards and transforming species just to see you. you were special to him, and after today, he thought maybe he was special to you as well.

© 8TURNING 2025. all works/visuals created by 8TURNING. do not use, copy, or claim as your own.

YOU COULD BARELY SEE THROUGH THE TEARS LINING YOUR EYES.

your cheek was squished against his shoulder - arms tightly wrapped around you to keep you still as he takes in your presence fully. you can feel his chest rising and falling against your own; a foreign rhythm you can't wait to become accustomed to as your time with him begins.

though you knew you should probably care a bit more about the luggage case you haphazardly abandoned in favor of hugging your boyfriend in the airport, you can't find it within yourself to pull away enough to look to your feet to see if it's still there.

you let out a shaky sigh, the adrenaline you felt as your flight landed finally dissipating from your being as tiredness took over. only now, while you were in jay's arms, did you feel just how much your legs were aching - how sore your feet were and how you wished for nothing more than to lay down fully and rest, if possible.

before you could allow yourself to feel selfish for those desires meanwhile the very person your visiting stood in front of you, your boyfriend spoke up just loud enough for his voice to pierce through his black mask.

"how was the flight? oh my god, you're here..." he says, the disbelief evident in his tone as he loosens his arms just enough to see your face. you were sure the flight had made you look less put together for your arrival, but jay couldn't care less. he'd rather see you in this state all the time versus only see you through a screen. "are you hungry? we can go eat something if you are-"

"jay," you say, your voice course having not had to use it for some hours. his eyes light up, meeting yours before you can see the remnants of a smile bloom on his face from beneath the mask. hearing your voice through his speakers or earbuds could never compare to hearing it now, especially when you called his name so softly - he felt so incredibly lucky.

"i think i should rest a bit ... i'm sore from sitting for a while," you explain, the fog you felt between your ears making it difficult to articulate your exact thoughts. thankfully, jay understood loud and clear; his entire focus was on your voice, after all.

with a nod of his head, jay leans down to re-extend your luggage's handle, putting it back on its wheels before lifting your backpack straps from your shoulders. "i'll carry these, is that okay?" he asks gently, the subtle weight shift from the backpack already relieving the ache you had endured.

without needing a reply, jay lifts the bag from your shoulders, slinging it onto his own with ease before taking hold on your luggage with one hand, his free one reaching for your own.

"the van should be just outside," jay says, his smile visible as his eyes squint. you prepare yourself for the cold - bringing your vacant hand up to pull your coat tighter around yourself as you follow jay through the automatic doors.

the chill from outside wakes you up instantly, a short gasp escaping your lips as you powerwalk down the sidewalks outside the airport to reach the waiting van. jay's quick as he moves to the car, holding your hand tighter in an attempt to spread the little body heat he had to you.

with rushed movements, jay releases your luggage from his hand as you reach the van, still holding onto you firmly as he slides the door open.

he refuses to let you go, loading your bags into the car before ushering you inside first, his hand keeping you steady as you step inside. only then does he release your had from his hold, removing your backpack from his shoulders to set at your feet before accompanying you inside as well.

sliding the van door shut, he lowers his mask to just under his chin, a beaming smile on his lips as he feels his heart beating faster. your eyes glow in the dim illumination of the car & surrounding gleam, & as the internal lighting fades due to the doors closure, jay's eyes travel along your features - doing his best to take in everything before the night takes over his view.

"rest," he says quietly, his voice hushed as the low hum of the car sounds around you, feeling as the car begins to move forward. jay's hand moves towards you, double-checking your seatbelt is safely buckled in place before placing a comforting hand over your own.

his thumb soothingly glides along your knuckles, a gentle reminder of his presence as your eyes lull shut - your breathing slowly evening out as your drive begins.

as passing city lamps & the headlights of other cars flash against your closed window, jay catches small glimpses of your relaxed features. his hand remains on yours as he watches you fully settle into the chair, taking it as a hint that you're slowly letting sleep overtake you.

jay's heart swells at the thought - despite only being in each others physical presence for mere minutes, you already felt comfortable enough with him to sleep beside him. pushing every thought of how your stay is now fighting a ticking clock, he smiles - his hand squeezing yours gently before turning to watch the passing buildings from his own window.

© 8TURNING 2023. all works/visuals created by 8TURNING. do not use, copy, or claim as your own.

⁰⁰¹ : JAEYUN.

he'd be rather casual about it. he calls you petnames somewhat regularly, so you suddenly referring to him with one wouldn't be too much of a shocker, but that definitely does not mean his heart doesn't skip a beat every time.

most common — jae.

occasionally — babe. yun. my love.

⁰⁰² : MYUNGHO.

tries to play it cool (but fails in secret). will act all nonchalant about it up until the moment you turn around after he answers your question. will smile so wide and briefly put his face in his hands for a moment to try and recollect himself. will NEVER reveal to you how much it affects him.

most common — ji.

occasionally — baby. myung. silly.

⁰⁰³ : MINHO.

aaa he loves it!!! from the moment you call for him, he's hugging you so so tightly. has the brightest smile on his face as he listens intently to every word you say, watching your lips as you speak. you'd end up being the one getting flustered instead of him; his constant admiring making you feel like you're floating.

most common — love.

occasionally — min. minnie. woochie (for jokes)

⁰⁰⁴ : YOONSUNG.

very expressive,,, you can see the shock on his face!! overall gets really happy and smiley once you call for him. has this specific look in his eyes when listening to you - he can't get over the fact that you!!! called for him!!! with such a cute name!!! one that's only for him!!!

most common — pretty.

occasionally — sungie. baby.

⁰⁰⁵ : HAEMIN.

oh my gosh, he doesn't know how to react. freezes. gets nervous. face gets warm and uses his hands to hide himself. he can't meet your eyes because he was so caught off guard and his stomach is doing flips. hearing you call for him again only makes him realize that he never answered you the first time.

most common — haem.

occasionally — lovely. min.

⁰⁰⁶ : KYUNGMIN.

gets an odd feeling that he can quite describe or put a name to. all he knows is it feels ... right! he smiles to himself when you call out for him to help you, a blooming warmth fills his chest when he stands, a sense of relief and love washing over him as he makes his way over to you.

most common — minmin.

occasionally — baby. minnie.

⁰⁰⁷ : YUNGYU.

his eyes would widen a bit, a very poor attempt at hiding his smile would give away that he really enjoyed hearing it. he'd likely never verbally admit such to you or his members, but he hopes he at least appeared nonchalant enough for them to not tease him about it later (kyungmin is NOT letting him live this down).

most common — yuyu.

occasionally — gyu. cutie. lovely.

© 8TURNING 2023. all works/visuals created by 8TURNING. do not use, copy, or claim as your own.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ REBLOGS ARE APPRECIATED ! ⸜(ˊ▽ˋ*)

⁰⁰¹ : MINJAE.

minjae tries being slick about it (when he's actually very obvious) and adamantly denies he feels any way for you 💀

he'd "accidentally" order an extra plate of food,,

oh no! guess you'll have to join him! it's so convenient that none of his members are available right now!

it's also so convenient he only ever seems to over-order when you're in the office, too. . .

he'll leave you small motivational notes for you to read - in your bag is his favorite place since he's still a bit too nervous to give them to your upfront.

⁰⁰² : JUNMIN.

junmin pines secretly.

NEVER dares to tell his members - they will rat him out immediately (especially sumin 💀).

you might even think he hates you from the constant side-eyes he gives you, but that's actually him internally panicking and checking if you're looking at him. . . he doesn't hate you!! he could never hate you!!

he's always so nervous all the time around you - even once you two became good friends, he'd still find himself stuttering over his words when he speaks with you.

⁰⁰³ : SUMIN.

sumin likes you and will make sure everyone knows ♡

openly flirts. very giggly and teasing if he makes you shy (but will also get shy easily himself).

he feels no shame in being extra stand off-ish in front of you - whether you're laughing with him or at him, he made you laugh!!

that's a #SuminWin in his book!!

help he's the type to pinch you then quickly look away as if it wasn't him 😭

⁰⁰⁴ : JINSIK.

ham jinsik, who doesn't leave your side :((

from the day he met you he deemed you a "safe person"

always invites you out with him, memorizes your drink orders so he can make quick runs in the morning and gift them to you.

he pays close attention to everything you do and makes sure you know just how much he cares 💔

⁰⁰⁵ : HYUNWOO.

hyunwoo tries to make himself known to you in the office, but in the quietest way possible.

even if you're just standing in the same room as him, he'll be sure to show off his gentlemanly qualities - tidying up after his friends, offering waters to everyone he can, spots others when they're stretching. . .

his kindness wasn't fabricated by any means, but it was definitely amplified because of your presence :3

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ REBLOGS ARE APPRECIATED ! ⸜(ˊ▽ˋ*)

💭 THINKING ABOUT : HONGJOONG.

he's a rather quiet lover, i think.

hongjoong's mind is running 24/7, and no matter how many times you tell him you understand, he still gets an ache in his chest thinking he's not putting you on a high enough pedestal.

you knew it wasn't his fault - you knew if given the opportunity, your doting boyfriend would spend all of his time at your side.

sometimes it felt like you cared more about his career than he did. telling him that he can't stay over another night because he has practice in the morning, or that he needs to help guide his members for upcoming performances - that your movie night can be pushed back a day.

he knows you're right, but that doesn't stop him from causing a light-hearted bickering match between you two about the topic. he thinks it's cute how much you care.

takes gift giving SO PERSONALLY!!! will make anything and everything for you that he can. need a new light-jacket for fall? he'll customize it to your exact style and taste. need a new screen protector? no worries, he'll buy you one (and make you a cool phone case as well).

hongjoong really likes the idea of matching, but he also equally adores if you have a different style from him. both of you exploring how each other likes to dress and express yourself would be something he really takes value in!

disagreements with hongjoong would be few and far between, but on the occasion they do happen, you would have discussed prior what each person needs to resolve it.

hongjoong isn't the type who needs to address things right away. he prefers to have a bit of time - having the opportunity to collect himself fully to have a productive conversation is what he values the most.

he's never outwardly angry or upset, but in the years you've been with him, you've been able to pick up on smaller habits of his.

longer hours spent at his laptop, his palm over his mouth as he works as if he's preventing himself from speaking, or staying in the studio for extended periods of time are just a handful of examples.

when the time finally comes, a mature conversation will be held. the level of communication you both have is the reason arguments are so rare. you know that he'll listen to your concerns and that gives you comfort to express your thoughts - he knows you'll listen to him as well.

after a nice talk, he'll give you a long hug and a kiss to your temple, a small reminder that he wants to always be with you.