berry

the kitchen was already warm, the counters dusted lightly with flour, christmas music playing low in the background. you’d laid everything out neatly, ingredients measured and ready. jaehyun, on the other hand, had shown up late, half a bottle of soju in, energy already a little too chaotic for someone about to handle raw eggs.

“i bake all the time,” he’d insisted, shrugging out of his coat.

you eyed him skeptically. “what do you bake?”

“…ramyeon.”

you should’ve known then.

somehow, you ended up letting him crack the eggs. the first one went fine. the second exploded in his hand.

“oh—oh no,” jaehyun laughed, staring at the yolk dripping between his fingers. “is that bad?”

“why would you squeeze it?” you groaned, grabbing paper towels. “eggs are fragile.”

“so am i,” he said solemnly, wiping his hands on your apron when you weren’t looking.

“jaehyun—!”

flour followed soon after. somehow it ended up on the counter, the floor, your sleeve—and his cheek, courtesy of an ill-timed spin as he reached for the sugar.

you stared at him.

he froze. “what?”

“you’ve got—” you gestured vaguely to your own face.

he leaned closer instead of wiping it off. “Here?”

“no—”

too late. your fingers brushed his cheek, swiping the flour away gently. the laughter died down, the space between you suddenly quieter. Warmer.

his eyes flicked to yours.

“…thanks,” he murmured. neither of you moved for a moment, your hand lingering next to his cheek. jaehyun brought his hand up to yours, gently holding your wrist. his touch made your breath catch.

“hey,” jaehyun said quietly, the usual teasing edge gone. “can i say something?”

you nodded, barely breathing.

“i know i joke a lot,” he continued, eyes dropping briefly before meeting yours again. “and i mess things up. clearly.” a faint smile tugged at his lips. “but i’ve liked you for a while now. longer than i probably should’ve.”

your heart thudded painfully in your chest.

“i didn’t mean for tonight to turn into… whatever this is,” he added softly. “but i’m kinda glad it did.”

you smiled, your hand intertwining with his. “yeah?”

“yeah.”

of course, the oven timer chose that moment to go off. but neither of you moved.

jaehyun laughed quietly under his breath, shaking his head. “guess even the kitchen’s trying to rush me.”

you stepped closer instead, closing the small space between you. “you can take your time.”

something warm and relieved spread across his face. he leaned in slowly, giving you every chance to pull away. when you didn’t, his lips brushed yours—soft, lingering, tasting faintly of sugar and soju. he pulled back just enough to smile.

“merry christmas,” he murmured.

you smiled back, forehead resting against his. “merry christmas.”

the smell of burning cookies filled the air, but this time? neither of you cared.

all of your friends had noticed—riwoo and woonhak had actually teased you two about being ‘more than friends’—but you and taesan didn’t really seem to care. from going to the kitchen together just to talk alone to sitting too close when the group played monopoly; something about the christmas spirit had made you both a little bolder than usual in expressing your affection.

for you, it was one of those days where excitement would come from the tiniest things—like your legs would be touching and neither of you moved. you’d always found taesan attractive, but today was different. there was a quiet intimacy that neither of you outright acknowledged, but it was definitely there. and maybe you enjoyed having a little fun embracing it for once, instead of shutting it out.

for taesan, on the other hand, every tiny touch or laugh was heart racing. he’d blamed his red ears on the alcohol, but who was he kidding? they were so obviously because of you.

it happened later in the night, when most of the group had migrated to the living room and the kitchen was temporarily empty. taesan followed you in without really thinking about it—something he’d been doing all night.

you were halfway through opening the fridge when a voice rang out from behind you. “Wait.”

you turned just in time to see riwoo standing in the doorway, a grin already forming. woonhak was right behind him, arms crossed far too innocently.

“you two,” riwoo said slowly, eyes flicking between you and taesan. “don’t move.”

taesan frowned. “what are you—”

before either of you could finish the question, woonhak reached up and taped something above the doorway with exaggerated care.

mistletoe.

you stared at it. then at them.

“are you serious?” you laughed, heat creeping up your face.

“very,” woonhak replied, backing away. “we’re just helping the christmas spirit along.”

“don’t do anything we wouldn’t do,” riwoo added cheekily, the two of them already walking away.

taesan stood frozen beside you, ears burning bright red. “they did that on purpose.”

“obviously,” you said, still staring up at the mistletoe. neither of you moved.

for a moment, the air felt thick—charged. taesan glanced at you, then away, then back again. his voice was quieter when he spoke. “we don’t have to.”

“well… for the spirit of christmas,” you excused with a small chuckle, trying to sound as casual as possible.

a small laugh escaped him, nervous and breathless. “Okay.”

he slowly stepped in closer, giving you time. when you didn’t pull away, he leaned in, his lips brushing yours in a soft, lingering kiss. like he’d been waiting all night. one hand caught your hip, and you immediately leaned into the touch, eyes closing as you savoured the feeling of his lips on yours.

after a moment, taesan pulled back, his face still inches away from yours. his plump lips parted slightly, making him look a little dazed.

“wow,” he murmured breathlessly.

you smiled, tugging him back in by the sleeve for one more quick kiss.

somewhere down the hall, you heard woonhak whoop.

taesan groaned. “i hate them.”

you laughed, resting your forehead against his. “liar.”

it was red—violently red—with a reindeer stitched across the front, its nose flashing intermittently. little bells jingled every time he moved, and the whole thing looked about two sizes too big for him, the sleeves swallowing his hands entirely.

you stared at him for a moment too long before bursting out laughing.

“don’t laugh,” he protested immediately, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. his ears burned red as he tugged at the hem. “jaehyun made me wear it.”

“of course he did,” you grinned, reaching out without thinking to poke the blinking nose. it lit up faster at the contact, and leehan groaned. “this is criminal.”

“hey,” he protested weakly. “it’s festive.”

“it’s tragic,” you corrected, eyes flicking up to his face. “you look like a walking christmas decoration.”

he laughed, the sound warm, filling the room as he followed you inside. the two of you moved around the kitchen together, setting mugs out, putting on music, falling into that familiar rhythm. comfortable. effortless.

but leehan kept catching you staring.

every time you laughed, every time you brushed past him, every time the oversized sleeves slipped down his wrists and exposed just a bit of skin. he noticed the way your eyes lingered—quick, fleeting. like you didn’t want to be caught.

so he leaned into it.

“you keep looking,” he said casually, leaning against the counter beside you.

you startled. “i do not.”

he hummed, stepping even closer now. close enough that the bells chimed softly between you. “you like it.”

“leehan—”

“you’ve been smiling at me all night,” he continued softly, voice lowering. “and every time i move, you look.”

you swallowed. “maybe i’m just judging.”

“maybe,” he said. then, quieter: “or maybe you like seeing me like this.”

your heart thudded loudly in your chest.

he reached out, hesitating for half a second before gently tugging the sleeve of your sweater, fingers brushing your wrist. “does it bother you?”

your gaze flicked down to where he was touching you, then back up to his eyes.

“…no.”

something shifted in his expression—relief, warmth, something tender. he smiled softly and stepped closer, until there was barely any space left between you.

“good,” he murmured. “because i wore it for you.”

your breath caught. “you said jaehyun made you.”

he shrugged. “he suggested it.”

your laugh came out quieter this time. softer. “you’re ridiculous.”

“maybe,” he agreed, lowering his forehead to rest against yours. the lights from his sweater blinked between you, faint and warm. “but i wanted you to notice me.”

your hands lifted without thinking, fingers curling into the thick knit of his sweater. you felt him inhale sharply at the contact.

“i did,” you whispered. “i always do.”

for a moment, neither of you moved—just standing there, tangled in knit fabric and blinking lights, breathing each other in.

“guess my sweater did its job,” leehan murmured.

you smiled against him. “don’t let jaehyun hear you say that.”

he laughed quietly, arms slipping around you, bells chiming softly as he pulled you closer.

“worth it.”

“wow—riwoo, look at the lights!” you exclaimed excitedly to your friend, tugging on his sleeve in a gesture that made riwoo’s heart burst. he followed your line of sight to the christmas lights that adorned the trees in the park, wrapping around their trunks and hanging from the branches.

“yeah… beautiful, aren’t they?” he murmured, turning his gaze to your profile as you watched the lights blink and change colours. to be honest, his attention was totally and completely on the way they illuminated your features, making you look like an angel. a slightly tipsy angel.

you gasped as the two of you passed a gazebo, where an elaborate animation of santa was being cast by some lights on its roof. you tugged on your friend’s sleeve again, pulling him toward the gazebo like an enamoured child. riwoo laughed under his breath, following along. your sober self would never display this kind of child-like excitement. and riwoo could feel himself growing fonder and fonder of this side of you by the second.

you pulled him into the gazebo, eyes straining up as though trying to see the lights from underneath the roof. the action caused you to stumble backward, almost losing your balance—but at the last moment, you clutched riwoo’s arm, backing into his chest with a giggle and an ‘oops’.

“woah—you’re quite tipsy, aren’t you?” he laughed, his cheeks heating up slightly as you clutched onto him. the way you were looking up at him, eyes wide and shining, was making his heart beat a little too fast. especially since he knew you were only this carefree because of the alcohol.

“just a bit,” you mumbled back, your giggles dying down. your grip on his arm remained firm as you looked up at him, neither of you breaking eye contact.

after a long moment, riwoo cleared his throat, looking away with heated ears. “home… your house. we should keep walking.”

you bit your lip, keeping him by the arm as he tried to walk away. riwoo stepped back with wide eyes, a little surprised.

“let’s just stay here for a while. i’m not in a rush,” you murmured, looking up at him through your lashes. “unless… you are?”

riwoo swallowed and looked down at you, his expression softening slightly as he moved his arm down, slipping his hand through yours.

“no,” he smiled softly, squeezing your hand as he watched you blush. “let’s stay.”

that evening, after a bowl of hot ramyeon and a mug of cocoa, you two set up the tree. you’d found a productive process after all these years; you’d stand on a chair and hang up the ornaments as he’d hand them to you from a dusty box pulled out of storage. this year was no different—except for the way your heart would speed up a little every time his fingers grazed yours.

“be careful,” sungho murmured, his body reacting instinctively every time you’d adjust on the chair. you somehow managed to look both precarious and graceful at the same time, balancing on that old chair.

you reached down as he handed you the star, having to stand on your tiptoes to reach the apex of the tree. you hung up the star slowly and carefully—all was going well. until you started to get down. and then the chair decided it’d had enough too.

you felt your stomach drop as the chair slipped out from under you, a surprised yelp leaving your lips as you lost your balance. your body fell backwards—but before you could react, a strong pair of hands was gripping your waist, catching you as the chair knocked over with a clatter.

“woah,” sungho muttered, helping lift you down onto the ground, his arms flexing as he kept his hands on your waist almost protectively. he turned you around, sharp eyes assessing your features. “you okay?”

you could only nod in reply, too shocked from the suddenness of the fall to speak. and maybe your heart was pounding a little too fast now that your best friend’s hands were on you.

“i told you to be careful,” he sighed, but you could tell he was far from disappointed. just worried. “I guess the chair had other plans.”

you nodded again, feeling his grip on you tighten momentarily before he released you. why did you feel empty now?

“well, at least the tree’s done now,” he observed, running a hand through his hair, still stressed from your near-accident. he looked down at you for a long moment before walking over to your front door. he switched off all the lights on your switch, allowing the room to plunge into darkness. you held your breath as you stood there, hands twitching by your sides, unable to see anything.

you heard a rustling beside you before the christmas lights turned on, a myriad of colours lighting up the living room dimly. you inhaled slowly, looking around with a small, impressed smile. hanging them up on all the walls was such a good idea—your living room definitely had a christmassy feel. and a romantic one too.

“wow—” you started, before being cut off when your back hit a chest. sungho’s hands snaked around your waist as he looked down at you, as though checking if you’d pull away. your breath hitched as you turned around slowly, your hands trembling slightly as you placed them on his shoulders.

“what are you doing?” you whispered. not accusatory, just curious. making sure you weren’t reading this wrong.

“i don’t wanna be alone this christmas,” sungho murmured, pulling you in toward him under the tree. the dim lights illuminated his face, highlighted his sharp features and parted lips. “I mean… i wanna be with you. not as friends. as… something more.”

his words hit you right in the heart, your chest swelling as butterflies swarmed your stomach. your arms tightened around his shoulders as you leaned in a little more, faces now inches away as you whispered back, “i want that too.”

sungho’s expression softened to something akin to relief as he leaned in closer, a silent message sent between the two of you before his lips were on yours. you melted immediately, eyes fluttering closed as you relished in how soft his lips were. he pulled away slowly after a few seconds, before pressing one more quick kiss to your lips that made your eyes widen comically. he chuckled softly, his hand moving up to trace your jaw.

“guess my christmas wish came true.”

you lowered yourself down onto the couch slowly, now wishing you had a fireplace to warm you up. with your chin tucked into your scarf and your gloved hands balled into tight fists, woonhak had to admit you looked extra adorable. and it was taking everything in him not to act on his impulses right now and make a move that might risk your friendship.

“i don’t know how we can physically get warmer,” you gritted out desperately through chattering teeth, squeezing your eyes shut momentarily in a futile attempt to block out the cold. woonhak glanced over at you, taking the opportunity to let his eyes flit over your form with a subtle intensity. a momentary silence fell between the two of you; you too cold to speak, woonhak too deep in thought. he was the first to break it.

“i know a way,” he murmured, shifting a little closer on the couch. you blinked up at him, looking with those eyes he’d gotten lost in one too many times. he couldn’t look away. he never could when it came to you.

“how?”

as soon as your innocent question left your lips, woonhak was wrapping his arm around you, pressing you into his side in one swift move. he was gentle enough for you to pull away if you wanted to, but firm enough that you knew it was intentional. you sucked in a breath, your body tensing on reaction.

“um… woonhakie?” you squeaked, your heart pounding in your chest. you stared straight ahead, unsure if you could manage looking your best friend in the eye right now.

“hm?” woonhak hummed, relaxing into the couch and holding you against him as if it was the most natural thing in the world. he turned to look at you, his eyes boring into your profile as his fingers traced gentle patterns into your sleeve.

“body heat,” he muttered simply, pulling you even more tightly against him. the blush on your cheeks was definitely not because of the cold anymore. you bit your lip, exhaling slowly as you tried to get comfortable next to him. you relaxed into his side, your head finding his shoulder as you snuggled into him.

“It’s… working,” you murmured, your hand finding it’s way to his chest as you lay against him. your breathing had managed to slow as your body got used to the fact that you were cuddling your best friend on your couch right now. in the dark.

“yeah?” woonhak murmured back, his fingers now finding your hair to gently run through. he’d never touched anything softer in his life. “you’re warmer now?”

you nodded against his shoulder, snuggling a little closer. woonhak swore his heart leapt out of his chest at the feeling. his hand moved to tangle in your hair, gently tugging to get your attention. you lifted your head, perching your chin on his shoulder. your faces now inches away.

“god… you’re so close,” woonhak breathed, accompanied by a quiet, nervous laugh. you chuckled softly as well, eyes flickering over his face with interest masked by fondness. the air between you hung still for a moment.

“I think this was just an excuse,” he added softly, his hand slipping down to rest on your lower back, holding you tightly against him. “to get you in my arms.”

your breath caught at his words, and the unspoken meaning behind them. you inched your face a little closer to his, eyes flickering down to his lips once before meeting his gaze again. you swore you felt woonhak’s body freeze.

“maybe this power cut isn’t so bad after all.”

you’d caught his eye from the second you and your friends had entered the resort.

long legs, tan skin, bright smile and bikini-clad figure. jaehyun swore you looked too good to be true. sure, his job was to man his tower and check for danger, but nobody would notice if he stole a few looks during his shift, right?

over the course of the day, ‘a few looks’ turned into ‘i can’t look away,’ and it had gotten to the point where you’d become a distraction from jaehyun’s work. an elegant, charming, beautiful distraction, but a distraction nonetheless. his eyes were glued to you, the way you moved and the presence you carried. everything about you was effortlessly attractive—the pinnacle of sunkissed perfection.

jaehyun had never been upset for a shift to end before, but turns out there’s a first time for everything. he couldn’t get you out of his head, and the thought of never getting to see you again caused a strange feeling of disappointment to settle in his stomach. as he slung his bag over his shoulder from inside the main tower and adjusted his red cap, his eyes naturally found you—it was almost starting to get frustrating. but what was more frustrating was the scene that met him. because this time, you weren’t alone or with friends. jaehyun’s grip on his bag tightened.

your arms were crossed over your body, a soft laugh leaving your lips which was practically screaming ‘help me’. the man perched on the edge of your sun chair had one hand resting beside your hip, his gaze devouring every inch of your body in a way that was too predatory to simply be interested. jaehyun’s gaze hardened as he watched the man lean in a little too close to share a laugh, his restraint crumbling immediately as he dropped his bag to the ground.

it wasn’t just jealousy that made him move—it was the urge to protect. it was the reason he’d donned the lifeguard uniform in the first place. because he knew the likes of men like the guy hovering over you, and he knew they weren’t well-intentioned. he crossed the area in a few quick strides, coming to a stop beside your sun chair as he folded his arms over his chest, his jaw clenched and lips pursed.

“can i help you?” jaehyun asked, his voice even and low. he wasn’t sure who he was asking—maybe the man, who looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. or maybe you, to make sure he wasn’t reading the situation wrong. but when you finally turned to look up at him, that flash of relief that crossed your expression told him enough. his breath caught as your eyes met, and he had to force himself to remain stoic and intimidating—despite how he’d already folded for you internally.

the man was the first to speak, his hand not budging from beside your hip. jaehyun could feel the arrogance radiating off him, like a wolf marking its territory. “no,” he replied simply, a smirk tugging at his lips as he sized jaehyun up. “we’re doing just fine.”

jaehyun bit the inside of his cheek, his hands clenching at his sides as he fought a raging internal war. everything inside of him was screaming ‘protect’, but he didn’t want to overstep. he exhaled slowly, turning to you this time. jaehyun didn’t look away from you when he spoke again.

“hey,” he said, softer this time—just for you. “is he bothering you?”

the question was simple, but it gave you an escape route. your shoulders relaxed almost immediately as you nodded, small and hesitant. you shifted your body away from the man beside you, the movement subtle but telling. that was all jaehyun needed.

“i’m going to ask you to step away,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. his toned arms standing out against the crisp, white lifeguard uniform that clad his body.

the man’s smirk faltered. just a little.

“and if i don’t?” the man challenged, clearly not used to being told ‘no’.

jaehyun straightened up to his full height now, the sun catching the red whistle hanging around his neck as he did. “i’ll have security escort you off the premises. your choice.”

a thick, tense silence stretched between the three of you, neither jaehyun nor the man eager to back down. after a long moment, the man scoffed under his breath and stood. his hand brushed the edge of your chair as he passed, but Jaehyun shifted immediately, placing himself between you without hesitation. The man muttered something under his breath and disappeared into the crowd.

only once he was gone did Jaehyun finally exhale.

“you okay?” he asked, turning to you. and suddenly, it was like he was seeing you again for the first time. except now, you were much closer. much more real. and jaehyun had to physically force himself to focus on your comfort rather than the other thoughts swirling in his head—some less than holy.

you looked up at him, your eyes drifting over the lifeguard’s form momentarily as you took him in for the first time. you couldn’t believe you hadn’t noticed him this whole time—especially now you were staring into his dark, concern-filled eyes. “yeah,” you breathed, sitting up slightly on the sun chair. “I am now.”

something settled in jaehyun’s chest at your words and the way you were looking at him. he was suddenly well aware of the fact that he was still in uniform. but he couldn’t bring himself to leave.

“i’m off shift,” he added, glancing toward the tower and then back to you. his expression was a mixture of hope and sheepishness. “if you… wanted some company.”

your smile widened a touch, and you glanced down at your lap at the offer. “I guess,” you started, raising your head to meet his gaze again. “I could always use a lifeguard.”

and for the first time that day, jaehyun didn’t feel the need to look away.

leehan’s hands grip your thighs as his tongue slips past your lips and into your mouth, eliciting a soft gasp from you that has his mind reeling. all he can think about is you—the way your hands feel cupping his jaw, the way your thighs encase him on the couch, and the way your ass places just enough pressure on his lap to make his head spin.

“god,” he murmurs between kisses, his hands squeezing your thighs and sliding up to tease the hem of your shorts. “you’re incredible…”

you only hum in response, the feeling of his plump lips on your’s making you dizzy. your thumbs caress his cheeks gently, a contrasting affection to them in comparison to the way his tongue is practically shoved down your throat.

leehan’s hands find their way to your ass, groping the flesh there as he groans into your mouth. he’s a huge toucher—and you know he’ll take any opportunity he has to get a feel of your assets. you shift slightly on his lap, adjusting your position selfishly so the fold of his jeans is pressing right against your already throbbing clit. you swear you can feel leehan’s cock harden beneath you.

you feel his hands slip under the back of your shorts, squeezing your flesh as he sucks on your bottom lip. you whimper softly, your thumbs pressing into his cheeks as you angle your head to make it easier for him. a proud smirk pulls at the corner of leehan’s mouth as he nibbles on your bottom lip, before pulling off just to take a good look at you. your eyes are half-lidded, cheeks flushed and lips red and bitten.

“bedroom?” you whisper, pulling your bottom lip between your teeth.

leehan has never moved faster.

your date with sungho had gone well.

so well that you were now straddling his lap as he sat up in bed, hands groping your ass as your lips moved against his in a passionate kiss. you were mindful that sungho was pretty new to this, having never been in a relationship before. but you also knew that he was a quick learner. and a very eager one at that.

you pulled away, panting slightly as you tried to catch your breath. sungho’s pupils were blown, his cheeks slightly flushed and his lips red from the kissing. he squeezed your ass through your shorts, enjoying the way the flesh filled his large hands.

“you wanna keep going?” you asked breathlessly, making sure that he’s okay with everything. sungho only nodded, watching intently as you ran a hand through your hair. god, you’re insane, he thought to himself, tugging your top with eager eyes. you pulled your top over your head, letting his gaze roam over your bra-clad torso with something between awe and desire.

your lips reattached quickly, this kiss sloppier than the last. he’d gotten good at this from all the practice, picked up on how you liked when he tugged your hair or slipped his tongue into your mouth. his hands moved up curiously, squeezing the flesh of your boobs over your bra. he wanted it off so badly. he reached behind you, fumbling with the clasp as you broke the kiss with a soft laugh. you taught him how to unclasp your bra before removing the rest of your clothing, and then his.

both now fully naked, sungho regarded you from below with lidded eyes. you knelt between his legs, biting your lip when you saw his size. he was big. you helped him roll on a condom before straddling his lap again and positioning yourself above him, guiding his cock to your core. sungho watched intently, his hands moving up to grip your hips in anticipation. your eyes met his, silently asking for permission. and when he nodded, you slowly sank down.

sungho had never looked prettier. his eyes fluttered shut as his head fell back against the headboard, his hands squeezing your hips so tightly they would surely leave bruises tomorrow. the feeling of him stretching you out had you moaning softly through your teeth, adjusting to the mix of pain and pleasure.

“feel good?” you whispered, watching him carefully. he opened his eyes just enough to peek at you, before nodding.

“move… please…” he murmured, needing more. you felt so tight and warm around him, it was already making him see stars. at his request, you placed your hands on his chest for leverage before lifting your hips up and back down, eliciting moans from the both of you. as you started to bounce more quickly, sungho could swear he was in heaven.

“jesus,” he groaned, forcing himself to keep his eyes open to watch the way your tits bounced with every movement. he’d never felt anything close to this before—the combination of physical and visual stimulation almost overwhelming. “I think… 'm close,” he murmured through gritted teeth, assuming the coil forming in his stomach to be his orgasm. you nodded, unable to speak as you picked up the pace as much as possible, his groans and gasps fuelling your movements.

with moans of each other’s names, the two of you came undone, you falling onto sungho’s chest as his arms encased your body. his face nestled in your hair immediately, taking in a deep breath of your scent as his eyes fluttered closed.

“you okay?” you murmured, propping your chin on his chest to look up at him. sungho let out a soft, disbelieving huff of laughter at your question, shaking his head slightly.

“I just got fucked for the first time. I’m more than ‘okay.’”