okay so law of assumption works. i've seen it, i've lived it, and TODAY the universe decided to send the confirmation in the form of a golden potato and honestly? most divine thing that's ever happened to me.
because think about it. what is this potato doing? it's just BEING golden. it's not stressing. it's not checking the 3D. it's not asking "but what if the good news doesn't come." it just EXISTS in its golden era fully and completely and the good news is already on the way. this potato is literally a neville goddard student and it doesn't even know it.
and now it's on your screen. that's not a coincidence. u attracted this potato. the potato is a sign. the potato is the universe winking at u going "yes dear it's working."
so we reblog. we assume. we receive. we thank the potato later.
i don't make the rules i just trust the process and apparently also the produce. đ„âš
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reblog if people r allowed to send u asks as if theyre ur friend. wanna tell me how ur day went? do it!!! ask me for advice? sure! ask a personal question? go right on ahead!
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I highly recommend watching this testimony from Aliya Rahman, the disabled woman who was dragged out of her car and kidnapped by ICE on her way to a doctor appointment in Minneapolis a few weeks ago.
Ok the US Attorney General says that she will remove ICE if MN drops all our sanctuary laws, complies with ICE, hands over all our SNAP, Medicaid and voter rolls. They demand control over our voter registration so they can "ensure free and fair elections".
They want to control our elections.
I am dead serious people call your representatives. Get volunteering. Get protesting. Get LOUD.
They released a letter full of straight up lies. Spread the truth. MAKE NOISE.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Free to watch âą No registration required âą HD streaming
Summary: Getting caught with each of the Stray Kids, by another member
Warnings: Smut
Word Count: 2.5k
ââââââââââââ
Han
Youâre on your back, legs spread, Han between them, shirt halfway off, lips wet, breathless. The room is dim except for his lamp, casting golden light over his flushed face. His mouth is on your chest, and one hand is already inside your underwear, making you squirm.
âYouâre so fucking pretty like this,â he pants, nuzzling against your jaw before biting softly. âI missed you all day.â
âYou saw me at lunch,â you gasp, fingers tugging at his hair.
âYeah, and you were wearing that skirt I like,â he says, rubbing his fingers in slow circles. âI couldnât stop thinking about this.â
The pace picks up. Youâre kissing like youâre starving for each other, his hips grind against your thigh, your shirt rides up, and just as heâs about to slide your panties off,
The door opens.
âWhat the f..â Minho stops dead, his voice low and sharp.
Han jerks his head up, blinking, hand still in your panties. âHyung?!â
You scramble, tugging the hem of your shirt down, but Han doesnât move, like his brain hasnât caught up yet.
Minho exhales slowly and closes the door behind him, but he doesnât leave.
âYou seriously couldnât lock it?â
Hanâs face is red, but thereâs a defiant edge to his voice. âItâs my room.â
Minho folds his arms, eyes cutting toward you, then back to Han. âAnd I guess you figured I wouldnât come looking for my charger?â
You sit up fast, pulling the blanket over yourself. âMinho, I didnât know youâd..â
âI donât care that youâre with her,â he snaps, a little too fast. Then, quieter, almost biting, âBut maybe next time you wait until no oneâs in the dorm.â
Han gets off the bed, annoyed. âWhy are you acting like this?â
âYou know why,â Minho says, voice cool. âI told you I didnât want to see this.â
Your eyes flick between them, thereâs something heavy in the air, unspoken tension.
Han doesnât say anything. He just walks to the desk and grabs the charger Minho came for, tossing it at him without looking.
You exhale shakily, heart racing. Han is quiet for a second, then he sighs and climbs back into bed beside you.
âWell,â he mutters, rubbing a hand down his face, âThat couldâve gone worse.â
You look at him, confused. âWhat did he mean⊠he told you he didnât want to see this?â
Han just shrugs, eyes on the ceiling. âItâs complicated.â
â
Felix
The warm steam curls around you as Felix leans against the bathroom counter, shirtless, golden under the soft light. His hair is damp, and youâre pressing a cold towel to the nape of his neck when he leans in and kisses you. Soft at first, then deeper, needier. His hands slide under your shirt like he canât help himself.
âYou always take such good care of me,â he whispers, breath warm. âLet me take care of you now.â
He lifts you onto the counter. His mouth finds your neck, your chest, his hands firm on your thighs. Youâre still half-clothed, but your jeans are already undone, his fingers tugging at the waistband, lips trailing lower.
He sinks to his knees in front of you, nose brushing your stomach, pulling your panties down slowly like itâs a ritual.
âLixie..â you gasp.
âShh. Iâve been thinking about this since you came to practice,â he says, eyes fluttering shut as he kisses between your thighs. âLet me, baby.â
His tongue flicks, your head falls back against the mirror, fingers tangled in his hair, and youâre close to forgetting the world entirely,
Until the bathroom door swings open.
Hyunjin freezes.
You jerk upright. Felix stumbles backward like he forgot other people exist. Your shirtâs bunched up, your jeans half-off, and Felix is literally on his knees.
âHyung!â Felix yells, panicked. âDonât look!â
Hyunjin slams the door shut so hard it echoes.
âAre you kidding me?! This is the communal bathroom! I brush my teeth in there!â
You burst out laughing, a breathless, embarrassed giggle. Felix hides his face in your stomach, groaning.
âWhy does this keep happening to us?â he mumbles, voice muffled.
You kiss the top of his head. âWeâre just cursed.â
Felix whimpers dramatically and hugs your waist tighter. âI can never look him in the eye again.
â
Changbin
âYouâre gonna get us caught,â you whisper, but your hands donât stop exploring under his oversized hoodie.
Changbin grins up at you, cheeks pink. âThen be quiet, baby.â
Youâre straddling him in Chanâs producer chair, shirt already discarded, bra unclipped and hanging by one strap. Changbinâs hoodie is bunched around his shoulders, his mouth warm on your chest, sucking a mark just above your heart. His hands are on your ass, grinding you down against his cock through layers of clothes.
âYou know what this chair does to me,â he mutters against your skin. âI see you sit here and all I can think about is fucking you in it.â
Your head tilts back. âGod, BinnieâŠâ
His hips buck up. One hand slips into your leggings and finds you soaked, needy. His fingers curl, teasing.
âLet me hear you.â
You kiss him hard, breath catching. Youâre moaning into his mouth, grinding down onto his fingers, his cock trapped and throbbing beneath your heat,
And thatâs when the studio door clicks open.
âHey, did you guys..â
Bang Chan stops in the doorway.
He sees your bare back, your top on the floor, Changbinâs flushed face between your tits, and your hips mid-grind.
ââŠJesus Christ.â
You freeze like a statue. Binnie doesnât move. No one breathes.
Chan turns around immediately.
You scramble for your shirt.
âI donât even.. Iâm not here. Iâm leaving. I didnât see shit.â he yells as the door slams shut again.
Changbin bursts out laughing, arms wrapped tight around you. âOh my god, heâs gonna bring this up for years.â
Youâre mortified, hiding your face. âWe are so dead.â
He kisses your cheek. âTotally worth it.â
â
Hyunjin
Youâre pressed against the mirrored wall, one leg hooked around his waist, Hyunjinâs hands under your thighs holding you up. His body grinds into yours, sweat-slicked and panting between kisses that leave you breathless.
âYou knew what you were doing,â he murmurs, mouth hot against your ear. âWearing that little skirt to practice.â
âYou liked it,â you whisper.
âI loved it.â
He thrusts against you through your underwear and the thin fabric of his sweatpants, grinding in a slow rhythm. The glass behind you fogs with your shared heat, his shirt somewhere on the floor, your hoodie unzipped and useless.
One of his hands slips into your panties, fingers sliding between your folds. âFuck, youâre wet already?â
âBecause of you,â you breathe.
He kisses you again, messy and hungry, his fingers moving faster as you whimper against his mouth,
Then the door opens.
ââŠHyunjin, have you seen..â
Seungmin stares.
Youâre lifted against the mirror, half-naked, skirt pushed up, Hyunjinâs hand clearly down your panties. His hair is wild, lips swollen, chest heaving.
Hyunjin freezes.
Seungmin blinks once. Twice. Then just says flatly, âIâll come back never.â
He turns on his heel and walks away like a ghost. No shouting. No slamming doors.
Just the sound of his footsteps fading as you and Hyunjin stare at each other, horrified.
ââŠIs he okay?â you whisper.
Hyunjinâs mouth twitches. âHeâs dissociating. Thatâs what that is.â
You snort. âWe broke Seungmin.â
He rests his forehead on your shoulder. âHeâs never going to look me in the eye again.â
âGood,â you murmur, breath still shaky. âLetâs make sure he never walks in on this again either.â
Hyunjin smiles into your skin. âOr we lock the door next time.â
â
Seungmin
Youâre on the bed, lying on your stomach, textbooks forgotten on the floor. Seungmin is straddling your hips, kissing along your back slowly, his fingers under your shirt tracing your spine.
âYouâre not even pretending to study anymore,â you tease, cheek pressed to the pillow.
âIâll study your body,â he murmurs, smug.
You giggle. âThatâs the corniest thing youâve ever said.â
He leans down, kissing your shoulder, lifting your shirt further. His hands are so gentle, so precise, always focused. One moves between your legs, spreading you open through your shorts as he settles lower.
âI missed this,â he says, voice low. âYou always smell so sweet.â
His fingers slide under the waistband, stroking you soft and slow. Youâre moaning into the pillow, trembling under him as he whispers praises in your ear, when the door bursts open.
Jeongin stands in the doorway, blinking.
Youâre on your stomach, shorts halfway down your thighs, Seungmin in between them, fully clothed but very much in position. You let out a horrified yelp, reaching back to yank your shorts up.
Seungmin doesnât move. He just lifts his head and sighs deeply, like this is the greatest inconvenience of his entire life.
âInnie.â
Jeongin is frozen. âI..uh..um..â
Seungmin calmly pulls the blanket over you. âClose the door.â
âI didnât know anyone was home!â
âNow you do.â
Jeongin shuts the door so fast it practically bounces off the frame. You bury your face in the pillow.
âOh my god.â
Seungmin just flops next to you. âIâm never going to hear the end of this.â
You groan. âHe saw my whole ass.â
Seungmin turns to you with a deadpan expression. âHeâs seen worse.â
You gape at him. âWhat?!â
He smirks. âJust kidding. Maybe.â
â
Jeongin
Youâre curled up on the couch with Jeongin, wrapped in a blanket and watching a movie, but the remoteâs long forgotten, the TV flickering soundlessly as your bodies melt together. His hoodie is hiked up, yours already discarded, and your leg is slung over his as you straddle his lap.
âI still canât believe youâre letting me do this in the dorm,â he whispers, voice husky as his hands grip your hips, guiding your rhythm.
âYouâre being quiet,â you tease, breath hitching.
âI have to be. Han hyung has super hearing.â
âThen shut up and kiss me.â
And he does, eager, open-mouthed, tongue gliding against yours as you grind down harder. His sweatpants do nothing to hide how desperate he is, cock straining up into your heat, the friction making him bite back moans.
Your arms are wrapped around his shoulders, his hoodie tugged halfway off, your underwear already shoved to the side as he bucks up into you.
âI think Iâm gonna..â
The light flicks on.
âWhat the actual fuck?!â
Han is standing in the doorway in his pajama pants and an old hoodie, holding a water bottle and blinking like he walked into a horror movie.
You freeze. Jeongin groans out loud, like heâs not even embarrassed, just pissed.
âHyung..really?â
âI thought I heard raccoons in the kitchen!â Han yells, looking personally offended. âNot raccoon sex!â
You try to climb off Jeongin but nearly fall off the couch in the process. He tugs the blanket higher to cover both of you and glares at Han.
âCanât you knock?!â
âYouâre in the living room!â Han is pacing now, hand over his eyes. âI eat snacks on that couch, bro!â
You bury your face in Jeonginâs shoulder. âWe are never living this down.â
Han turns, looking mildly betrayed. âI thought you were the innocent one, Innie.â
Jeongin looks him dead in the eye. âThatâs your first mistake.â
Han makes a strangled noise and bolts back down the hallway, muttering something about bleach and betrayal and how heâs going to move out.
Youâre still clinging to Jeongin, breathless with laughter now.
âYour hyung hates me.â
âHeâs just jealous,â Jeongin says smugly, dragging the blanket up and pulling you closer. âHe wishes he got to fuck you on the couch.â
â
Bang Chan
He has one hand tangled in your hair and the other gripping your thigh, guiding your hips slowly against his.
âYouâre driving me crazy,â he groans against your mouth. âYou wore this hoodie on purpose, didnât you?â
You just smile and roll your hips again, feeling his cock slide deeper. âWhat if I did?â
His head falls back, breathless. âThen Iâm never letting you out of it.â
Your lips are on his jaw, his neck, his shoulder, kissing and biting as you ride him slow and deep. The chair creaks under you, muffled by the low bass of the music, and Chan is nearly panting now, whispering praise in your ear.
âLook at you. So perfect like this. Taking me so well, baby.â
Your nails rake down his chest as you grind harder. His hands tighten on your hips, and then the door opens.
Changbin stops.
Chan freezes.
You both turn slowly, still fully connected, and see Changbin standing there with wide eyes, holding a Tupperware container like he was just looking for snacks.
His mouth opens. Closes. Opens again.
ââŠI was gonna ask if you wanted leftovers but..â
You bury your face in Chanâs shoulder, mortified.
Changbin nods slowly. âI think Iâm just gonna starve.â
âBinnie..â Chan starts.
âNo, nope, Iâm good.â He backs out of the room like heâs witnessed a murder. âEnjoy your⊠hoodie party.â
The door shuts.
You groan. âI cannot believe he saw us mid-fuck.â
Chan just laughs, low and raspy. âWell, he did walk in uninvited.â
You smack his chest. âYou forgot to lock the door!â
â
Lee Know
Minhoâs bed creaks softly under you as he kisses down your chest, hands gripping your waist to keep you pinned. His mouth is slow, focused, worshipful, trailing hot kisses from your sternum to your stomach.
âMinho..â you whisper, breath shaky.
He hums against your skin. âMm. Youâre so impatient.â
âYouâre teasing me.â
âI like when you squirm.â
He kisses the inside of your thigh, still fully clothed except for his shirt, which is crumpled somewhere on the floor. Youâre only in your underwear now, chest bare and flushed from how long heâs been edging you. Your legs tighten around him, trying to pull him closer.
âPlease,â you whisper, breathless.
âSay it again.â
âPlease..â
âSay my name.â
âMinho..fuck..â
Heâs just dragging your panties down, tongue licking his lips like heâs starving, when the door swings open.
âHey, are you guys..â
Chan stops in the doorway.
Minho doesnât flinch. Doesnât even move from between your thighs.
Chanâs face goes completely blank. Not surprised. Not horrified. Just⊠processing.
You let out a strangled yelp and scramble to cover your chest with the nearest pillow.
Minho lifts one brow. âHyung.â
Chan holds up his hands like heâs being arrested. âI didnât knock. Thatâs on me.â
âCorrect.â
Thereâs a beat of silence. Youâre still clutching the pillow. Minho is still half-leaned over your inner thigh, looking completely unfazed.
Chan slowly steps back into the hallway. âI was gonna ask if you wanted to order food.â
âLater,â Minho says simply, voice low and calm. âWeâre busy.â
Chan closes the door behind him with a soft, horrified, ââŠOkay.â
You stare at Minho, face burning. âYou didnât even try to move.â
He smirks. âYou think Iâm letting that distract me from this?â His fingers trail slowly up your thigh.
âYouâre evil.â
âMm,â he hums, eyes dark as he dips his head back between your legs, âHe should know better than to interrupt a meal.â
As you all saw during these past days I relocated my stuff over here! So I decided to change up a bit the masterlist of the series by putting some order in it!
I want to thank all of you for the love you are bringing to my works, every like, reblog and small comment means the world to me, as it pushes me to write better everytime! Please keep sending love and stay tuned for the next works of this series <3
TW: Some of the stories present some trigger warnings! Please mind them before reading!
ËâĄË àŁȘ Moving into a suspiciously cheap house was supposed to be a win for the guys⊠until it turned out to be built on ley lines, and now each of them has a power they definitely didnât ask for.
Eight boys, eight witches, endless chaos, and a whole lot of magical mishaps while they all learn how to reign their powers and fears ËâĄË àŁȘ
Prologue
(L/n) (Y/n) - The Threadseer Witch: A witch capable of perceiving and interacting with the threads that bind living beings, magic, fate, and emotional resonance.
Threadseers experience magic as interconnected strands, invisible to others eyes. They can see threads that link people to one another, to places, to events, and to latent potential. These threads carry emotional weight, magical tension, and memory, allowing the Threadseer to sense imbalance, fracture, or strain within both individuals and shared bonds.
Bang Chan - The Binding Witch: A witch capable of weaving binding resonance between people, objects, spaces, or magical energy. These bindings can manifest physically, emotionally, or magically, allowing the witch to anchor individuals to reality, reinforce fragile states, share strength, or prevent magical destabilization. Strong emotional bonds often enhance the effectiveness of a binding, making trust and proximity key components of their magic. Binding magic is frequently subconscious in early stages, activating automatically to protect or ground others.
Han Jisung - The Feymind Witch: A witch whose magic is intrinsically tied to the mind, emotions, and subconscious. Feymind magic often activates instinctively, especially under stress or fear, prioritizing survival responses over conscious control. Common manifestations include involuntary teleportation, environmental distortion, and the creation of dream echoes or memory imprints. Without grounding, prolonged emotional distress can cause unstable or repeated manifestations.
Lee Minho - The Wildheart Witch: Witches whose magic is rooted deep into their instincts, territory and protective resonance. They are very responsive to emotional states, especially fear, threat or attachment, they may activate automatically to defend those the witches consider theirs.Â
This magic often manifests through heightened senses and an instinctive perception of danger within claimed spaces or toward protected individuals. Wildheart witches can unconsciously (and consciously) establish territorial wards, marking people or places as under their protection and subtly deterring hostile magic or intent.Â
A defining aspect of Wildheart magic is animal resonance. Sometimes the witch mirrors certain animal traits which can influence posture, movement, and emotional responses. Animals are also often drawn to Wildheart witches and may respond instinctively to their presence.
[WORK IN PROGRESS] Kim Seungmin - The Silence Witch: A witch whose magic manifests through the negation and suppression of others magic. Silence magic dampens sound, emotional resonance, and magical activity within its range, causing spells to fail, unravel, or never form at all.
Often tied to stress or overload, Silence may activate involuntarily as a protective response, creating zones of quiet where both sound and magic are muted. Without conscious control, prolonged activation can induce sensory disorientation or temporary deafness in those affected.
Seo Changbin - The Echoheart Witch: A witch whose magic externalizes emotion through sound, the opposite twin to the Silence witch. Echoheart magic amplifies vocalizations, heartbeats, and environmental noise into physical force, with intensity directly tied to the witchâs emotional state. Joy may strengthen and uplift, while anger, fear, or grief can fracture space, shatter objects, or reverberate through living bodies.
Echoheart magic can also act as a booster of other witchesâ magic. When ungrounded it can cause uncontrolled amplification of magic.
 đčairing ê±Â ËË Hyung Line x gn! reader ËË new relationship ËË insecure reader ËË đ°enre/ angst, hurt-some comfort (not for all), implied cheating? In a heated argument, they tell you that you are just a rebound, but thatâs a lie, right?
[ đđđđ. ] â Iâve had this sitting mostly finished for a hot minute, so I figured Iâd finish it to tide yâall over til OFAF, this was requested by @chainbinnie and Iâm so sorry that itâs been sitting in my drafts for so long! Let me know what u think! <3
 Part 2
Maknae Line
Chan:
You wake up to your phone buzzing against the nightstand. You donât even open your eyes but you feel a smile spread across your face.
Itâs always him.
You roll onto your side, hair falling in your face as you squint at the screen. The brightness stinging your tired eyes, but itâs worth it.
Channie đș: Morning, baby.
A second later, a selfie loads. Heâs standing in the bathroom mirror, chest bare as a few stray water droplets roll down the dips and contours of his muscles, his sweatpants hanging lose at his hips with his hair still damp and curling at the ends like he didnât bother to dry it properly.Â
His dimples are half-hidden behind his phone, like heâs trying to hide his face but shamelessly show off the rest of him. Thereâs a tiny smudge of toothpaste on the corner of his mouth.
You half-laugh, half-choke as your eyes take in every inch of him, thumbs already flying.
You: GOOD MORNING đđÂ
You: you must be trying to kill me đźâđš
Three dots appear almost instantly.
Channie đș: Itâs just a picture.đ Donât die on me today, yeah?
You press your phone to your chest for a second, trying to slow your heart rate, warmth spreading through you like sunlight under your ribs.
Itâs only been a few months since you started dating, Not long enough to feel this safe. Not long enough for this to feel so real.
And yetâŠ
It was like youâd known each other for years the way you fell into the comfort of each otherâs presence, feeling like you just fit in a way you couldnât explain.
The rest of your day passes in a blur of moments, your mind and heart looking forward to tonight.Â
Dating a celebrity comes with its drawbacks backs, the main one being the busy schedule. So when you find time to be together you take every opportunity.
Today must still be a busy day at the company cause even though you send your usual mid-day check in text to make sure he ate something, and then later a voice note reminding him to take breaks.
He wasnât reading them til hours after and the photo of your coffee was left on delivered for longer than normal.
You tried not to let it bother you, knowing heâs busy and when he gets in the zone heâs all in on what heâs focused on so you figure youâll let it be and youâll see him later.
Itâs easy to let yourself be absorbed by your work letting the time fly by at a comfortable pace til youâre clocking out and making your way home.
You sit with your headphones in as you scroll mindlessly on your phone, thinking of what to order for dinner tonight and excited to see your boyfriend.
when the article pops up, you donât even register it at first. Itâs just another headline, meant to suck you in for clicks, a blurry picture and another attempt at stirring something out of nothing.
STRAY KIDSâ BANG CHAN SPOTTED WITH RUMORED EX?! â FANS FULL OF QUESTIONS!
You frown at the screen for just a moment, letting your thumb hover over the image.
The photo is grainy, zoomed in too far. The man in the picture looks similar to Chan but in low quality way so itâs hard to say for sure.Â
Thereâs a girl beside him, her face turned away. The angle makes it look like theyâre walking together, close enough that their shoulders almost touch.
You scoff.
You know how this works. You know how people take something and run with it.
Still, you find yourself clicking on the link.
By the time youâve read the whole thing, thereâs a knot sitting in your stomach that wasnât there before.
You knew he had been dumped by his ex a couple months before the two of you met, he had been open about his dating history since the very beginning, wanting you to know exactly what came with dating someone in his world.
You knew that they had been together for quite a while and that their breakup was hard on him, but you also knew that he would never have asked you out if he wasnât ready for another relationshipâŠ. Right?
After all the place where the photo was taken is a restaurant you had showed him a few weeks ago and he loved it, you planned several dates while you were there, and he has even gone there for lunch a few times since.
So you donât text him about it. Not right now, itâs probably just a misunderstanding.
You tell yourself youâll bring it up later, casually, like it doesnât matter.
 Cause it doesnâtâŠ.
Does it?
When you show up at the dorm that evening, Chan looks exhausted. Hoodie swapped for a worn t-shirt, hair shoved under a beanie, dark circles smudged under his eyes.Â
He smiles when he sees you, soft and familiar, arms opening automatically. You let him hug you, but your mind is back on the article.
âLong day?â You ask.
He hums into my hair. âAlways.â
Youpull back, studying his face. He looks the same. Feels the same. Warm hands, steady presence, that quiet steadiness that always pulls you in.
So why does the picture keep flashing behind your eyes?
You sit on the edge of the couch while he grabs you both a water from the kitchen. The dorm is quiet for the first time since youâve been together. Without the sound Changbinâs shouting or Felix laughing.Â
the living room feels like its own small, closed-off world.
You clear your throat when he comes back giving you a questioning look as he set a bottle down in front of you.
You figure now was probably the best time to bring it up.
âI saw something today.â Your voice is a little scratchy from nerves.
Chan pauses, his own bottle halfway to his mouth.Â
âYeah?â he smirks a little, waiting for you to continue.
âAn article.â You try to sound casual, but he can see that something is wrong.
âWhat about?â His shoulders tense just slightly as he lowers the water.
âThis.â You pull out your phone and show him the picture.Â
âSeriously? That?â He leans back, squints. Then he sighs, long and tired.
âIt doesnât look like that,â you add weakly.
âBecause cameras and people lie,â he says, a little sharper than before.Â
âYou know that,â he looks at you pointedly.
You shift. âThen why havenât you responded to my texts all day?â
âI didnât think I had to.â his words land wrong.
âWhy not?â you press. âYou always respond to my textsâ
Chan turns to you, brows knitting together. âI didnât think getting a picture of your coffee cup was something I needed to respond to, not when I have more important things to do.â
âIâm not saying that,â you add quickly, but his words stung a little.Â
âIâm just saying it wouldâve been nice to hear from you instead of reading about your day from some headline.â
His jaw tightens. âSo you believe them over me?â
âThatâs not what I said,â you defend.
âBut thatâs what it sounds like.â He stands looking down at you with slight hurt.
âSorry if seeing my boyfriend with his ex makes me a little nervous!â Your hands are shaking a little bit so you clench them into fists in your lap.
âI told you it was a fan, not my ex!â His face contorts in a way Iâve never seen.
Our voices are loud. You donât remember either of you deciding to raise them. You realize youâre also standing glaring up at him.
âI trust you,â you tell him. âI justâthis stuff makes me feel weird.â
You hesitate, and He notices.
âWeird how?â he asks, more firmly.
Your chest feels tight. âLike I donât really know where I stand.â
Chan exhales through his nose. âWhat is that supposed to mean?â
You shrug, but itâs defensive. âIt means you have a past. A really public one. And I donât know where I fit into that.â
âYou fit because I chose you,â he says. âIâm with you. Isnât that enough?â
The way he says it, like heâs tired of this conversation, and frustrated that you even brought it up, like heâs sick repeating himself.
It hits a nerve you didnât know was raw.
âSometimes it feels like Iâm just⊠filling space,â you say.
Chan looks at you like he doesnât recognize you.Â
âThatâs not fair.â his voice is strained as you stare at each other.
The room feels smaller.
You donât know who says it first. You donât know when it stoped being a conversation and turned into a fight.
âI just donât get why youâre so calm about this,â you snap. âLike it doesnât matter.â
âBecause it doesnât,â he fires back.Â
âThen why am I the only one who feels like this is a problem?â you quip back.
âBecause youâre making it one.â his words hit and sink like a pit in your stomach.
The words are out before you can catch them.
âMaybe itâs a problem because I feel like youâre not over her-" his shout cuts you off.
âYEAH? SO MAYBE IâM NOT!â
The air goes still.
Chanâs mouth parts. His eyes widen, just a little.
âWaitââ he starts.
You feel something in you tilt. Slide. Start to fall.
He opens his mouth like he can take back the words, but youâre already spiraling, already feeling that sinking pain in your chest.
He takes a step towards you but you move back.
âI didnâtâI donâtâI just-â he struggles to find the words his eyes pleading with me.
The words donât even sound real at first. They float in the air between you, ugly and heavy and wrong.
Your chest caves in.
Chanâs face changes instantly. His eyes widen, panic crashing in like a wave. âNoâno, I didnât meanââ
But youâre not hearing him anymore.
Thereâs a high-pitched ringing in your ears, like something just snapped inside your head.
You nod once, like your body needs to confirm it heard him right.
âOkay,â you say softly.
You grab your bag from the couch. Your hands are shaking so hard you almost drop it.
âWait,â Chan says, stepping forward.Â
âPlease, thatâs not what I meant. I was angry, I didnâtââ
You donât look at him.
You walk toward the door, every step feeling like it weighs a ton.
He follows you, faster now.Â
âStop. Just stop for a second,â he pleaded, his voice breaking.
You reach for the handle.
His fingers close around your wrist.
You flinch like youâve been burned, ripping your hand away, turning on him, eyes stinging, vision blurred.
âDonât touch me.â
The words come out sharp, venomous, dripping hurt.
Chan freezes.
You see it thenâreally see it. The fear in his eyes. The way his chest is rising too fast. The way his hands are half-raised, like he doesnât know what to do with them.
But it doesnât matter.
You open the door and slam it behind you.
Lee Know:
Lee Know is kind enough to you, and thatâs almost the problem.
warm enough. Nice enough. Not the kind of kind that wraps around you and pulls you close. His kindness is measured, controlled, like everything else about him.Â
Itâs a hand on your back when you step off a curb. Itâs a quiet âtext me when you get homeâ that sounds more like a habit than a real want. Itâs him holding doors open and remembering how you take your coffee.
Itâs never him letting you in.
Still, the morning starts the same way it always does.
You get out of bed and start your morning routine, you are slipping on your shoes before your phone buzzes again.
Lino đ±: Practice all day. Donât be annoying while Iâm gone. <3
You snort.
You: I canât make any promises.
You send a heart. He reacts to it with a thumbs-up.
And you tell yourself that itâs normal, you chat with friends in the hallways, laughing and making plans for the weekend. Enjoying the natural warmth and closeness that comes from good friends.
You stumble across the article in between classes.
You scroll past it at first, not even fully reading the title, but when your eyes pick up his name, you swipe back. You stare at the headline like it might change if you give it long enough.
STRAY KIDSâ LEE KNOW SEEN WITH EX-GIRLFRIEND â STAYS IN UPROAR!
The picture is worse than you expect.
Theyâre close. Too close. Her hand is mid-gesture, like sheâs laughing at something he said. His face is turned toward her, expression soft in a way you donât see very often, and heâs holding the door open for her to exit whatever restaurant they were just at.
You swallow.
You know you shouldnât but You open the article anyway. It doesnât say much. Speculation mostly. A reminder of how public his last relationship was. How messy the breakup had been.
Your phone buzzed and you read the text notification bubble.
Lino đ±: donât forget to eat. đ„Ș
Followed by a picture of an aesthetically pleasing sandwich, its wrapper matching the logo in the picture from the article.
You feel a lump form in your throat and any appetite you had is long gone.
You donât text him back.
The dorm that evening feels colder than usual.
Lee Know is in the kitchen when you arrive, cutting fruit with careful precision. The motion is neat. Controlled. Like everything he does.
âHey,â he says when he sees you.
âHey.â You stand there for a second, not sure where to put yourself.
He slides a bowl toward you. âYou didnât eat today, did you?â
You blink. âHow did youââ
âYou always get like this when you havenât eaten much,â he gives a half-hearted smile before going back to the fruit.
You almost laugh. Almost.
You sit at the counter, pushing the fruit around with your chopsticks.
He watches you for a moment. âWhatâs wrong?â
You hesitate. Then you pull out your phone and show him the article.
His eyes flick over it. Once. Twice.
He exhales through his nose.
âSeriously?â
âThatâs what I said too,â you mutter before you can stop yourself.
Lee Knowâs mouth twitches. âFunny.â
âThatâs it?â you ask before adding.
âThatâs all you have to say?â you know he can see the hurt on your face, but he just rolls his eyes.
âWhat do you want me to say?â his tone is flat.
âI donât know,â you admit.Â
 âItâs a picture.â He sets the knife down, turns to face you fully.
âWith your ex.â you press.
âWith someone I used to date,â he corrects.Â
âThereâs a difference.â he states.
âIs there?â you ask.
He stiffens. Just a little.
âYes.â
You look at him, really look at him. Heâs standing there with his arms crossed, weight on one foot, expression calm. Closed. The same way he looks when fans ask too personal questions.Â
The same way he looks every time you try to get too close.
âThen why does it feel like thereâs still something there?â you ask quietly.
âThere isnât.â His jaw tightens.Â
âBut you donât look at me like that,â you say before you can stop yourself.
The words hang in the air between you.
âLike what?â Lee Knowâs eyes narrow.Â
âLike you love me,â you say.
That gets a reaction.
Itâs small, but itâs there. A flicker of something in his eyes.
âYou think I donât?â he asks.
âI donât think you let yourself,â you say.Â
He looks away, and thatâs enough of an answer. Your chest feels heavy.Â
âWhy are you even with me, Minho?â You hate how needy the words make you sound.
He frowns.Â
âWhat kind of question is that?â his tone is annoyed and not at all reassuring.
You shrug not knowing what to say, but he just stares at you waiting for a response.
âSometimes it feels like Iâm⊠convenient,â you admit.
âThatâs ridiculous.â He scoffs softly.Â
âIs it?â you push.
 âYou keep me right here.â You hold your hand out in front of you.Â
âClose enough to touch. Not close enough to let me in.â
His shoulders tense.
âThatâs not fair,â he says.
âThen what is fair?â you ask.Â
when he doesnt respond to continue.
âBecause it feels like Iâm standing in front of a wall you wonât even admit is there.â
He turns away, staring at the sink. The silence stretches.
You hate it. You hate how familiar it feels.
âYouâre not over her,â you say quietly.
Lee Know turns back to you slowly.
âThatâs not your place,â he says.
The words are calm and even as they cut away any hope you had.
Your heart stutters.Â
âIt is if Iâm the one standing here now.â You let the hurt show through your words.
âYou donât know what youâre talking about.â He runs a hand through his hair, frustration slipping through the cracks.Â
âThen explain it to me,â you say. âExplain why you keep me at armâs length. Why you donât let me in. Why you still look at her likeââ
âLike what?â he snaps.
You flinch.
âLike youâre still in love with her,â you finish.
His lips press into a thin line.
You feel yourself slipping. Falling into the same spiral you swore you wouldnât. But youâve spent too many late nights wondering this to not say anything.
âIâm just a rebound, right?â you say voice soft.
âSomeone to pass the time until you figure yourself out,â you say, hoping he denies it.
Lee Know laughs once. Itâs sharp and empty.
âAnd what if you are?â
The words hit like ice water. Your breath leaves your lungs in a rush, and for a moment, you canât move.
Lee Knowâs face changes almost immediately. His eyes widen, just slightly. His mouth opens like he wants to pull the words back.
âNo,â he says. âThatâs not what I meant.â his voice is serious, but his eyes show the panic he's feeling.
But youâre already stepping away from the counter, away from him.
Your hands feel numb as you grab your jacket.
âWait,â he says, reaching for you.
You turn and give him a pained smile.
âMaybe you should figure that out before you hurt someone else.â
You donât raise your voice; you donât have to. The hurt in your eyes is louder than your words.
Lee Know freezes.
You walk to the door, open it, and step into the hallway.
Behind you, he says your name.
But you donât turn around.
Changbin:
Your phone buzzes right before your alarm goes off.
You groan, rolling over, hitting the snooze button and wishing you could fall back asleep, but youâre already half-awake.
Picking up your phone you see a notification that makes you smile.
Binnie đȘ: MORNINGGGG
A selfie follows the text, with him in the gym mirror, cheeks puffed out, hair sticking up in a dozen different directions, his tank top tight on his frame.Â
Heâs making a peace sign and a ridiculous face that still manages to make your chest warm.
You smile, typing back without thinking.
You: Good morning, Bin. Have a good day today. Donât forget to eat. Iâll see you tonight đ
he responds a few minuets later.
Binnie đȘ: I will! đ«Ą
You grin like an idiot before begrudgingly make your way to the shower to get ready.
The day feels light after that. Normal and easy, you start on your work and everything is going great.
Until it isnât.
The article shows up in your feed just as you sit down to have lunch.
You donât even register it at first. You recognize the format immediately. bold headline, blurry picture, speculation dressed up to get clicks.
STRAY KIDSâ CHANGBIN SECRET MEET UP WITH EX?? â
Your stomach drops anyway, and despite your better judgment you click on the link.
The picture is grainy, taken from across the street. But Changbinâs car is unmistakable even with the tinted windows you can still make out the two figures.
The wide shoulders are undeniably his as heâs half-turned toward someone just blocking them from view. A girlâs arm is visible, hand resting briefly on his shoulder.
You scroll on, heart thudding in your chest.
Words like reconciliation and unfinished business jump out at you as fans speculate.
You close the tab.
You tell yourself youâll ask him about it later, that youâll handle this calmly, like the mature individual you are.
But by the time youâre standing outside the dorm that evening, your blood is heated and your mind is racing from the hours youâve had to over think.
Changbin answers the door with a grin.
âThere you are!â he says, pulling you into a hug so tight it almost knocks the air out of your lungs.Â
âI thought you were going to ditch me,â he teases,
You laugh weakly, hugging him back.Â
âNow why would I do that?â The joke falls flat but he doesnât seem to notice as He leads you inside, talking a mile a minute about practice, and about a new verse heâs been working on.
You nod along, smiling and laughing when youâre supposed to.
But your mind is somewhere else.
When thereâs finally a break in his rambling, you clear your throat.
âBinnie.â
He looks at you immediately. âYeah?â
âI saw something today.â Your voice is hesitant, and he notices.
âWhat kind of something?â His smile falters but doesnât disappear.
You pull out your phone and show him the article.
The reaction is instant.
Changbin stiffens. His shoulders tense. His eyes flick away from the screen like it burned him.
âOhâcome on,â he says, a little too fast.Â
âThatâs notââ but you cut him off.
âThen why are you acting like this?â you ask.
âLike what?â He blinks.Â
âLike you just got caught,â you accuse.
His eyes narrow, and his smile vanishes.Â
âI didnât get âcaught.ââ he uses air quotes as if that negates what you just said.
âWhy are you panicking?â you prod.Â
âIâm not!â he snaps.
âYou are!â You counter.
âItâs just annoying. These articles are always annoying.â He runs a hand through his hair, pacing now.Â
âThen why canât you look at me?â Your voice is low, and your eyes show the sadness you're trying to keep inside.
He stops moving, shooting you a dark look.
âWhat does that have to do with anything?â he asks, voice rising.
âIt has to do with everything!â you match his tone.
âBecause you look guilty!â you don't understand why he's reacting like this.
âIâm not guilty of anything!â he yells.
The word echoes in the room making You flinch.
He seems to realize how loud he got, because his eyes widen slightly.Â
âI didnât mean toââ you cut him off as something in you snaps too.
âThen explain it,â you say, voice pleading.
 âExplain why-" he cuts you off.
âBecause Iâm tired of this!â he shouts. âIâm tired of people assuming things about me.â
âIâm not âpeople,ââ you shout back.Â
âIâm your partner!â Your words ring out through the empty dorm.
He freezes for a second at that.
Then he laughs, breathless and sharp, but he doesnât say anything just shakes his head.
Your heart stutters.Â
âWhat is that supposed to mean?â You hate how pathetic the question sounds.
âIt means youâre acting like this is some huge betrayal when itâs not,â he scolds, as if you are the problem for bringing it up.
âThen why does it feel like one?â you fire back.Â
âWhy do you look like youâve been hiding something since the second I showed you that article?â you try to calm down but your heart is racing.
Changbin opens his mouth, but he's at a loss.
You see it then.
The hesitation, and the guilt, it makes your chest tighten.
âRight,â you say, voice shaking.Â
âBecause Iâm just here to hold the place for the person you really want,â you spit the words out like they burn.
âThatâs notââ he starts.
âIsnât it?â you interrupt.Â
Changbinâs breathing is heavy now. His fists clench at his sides, you can see the emotions running through him as he stands there.
You open your mouth to tell him to just tell the truth, but when he sees you open your mouth, something in him snaps, and he shouts.
âYES OK?!â
âI got with you because I thought it would make her jealous,â he yells.Â
The word slams into you.
He doesnât stop there.
âAnd it worked.â
The room goes silent.
The only sound is your own heartbeat in your ears.
Your mouth opens, but no words come out, tears sting your eyes as you find it hard to breathe.
Changbinâs face drains of color almost immediately. His eyes widen like he canât believe what just left his mouth.
âNo,â he says, stepping forward. âWait- thatâs notââ
You step back.
Your hands are shaking so badly you have to grip the hem of your hoodie to keep yourself from falling apart.
âSo thatâs it,â you whisper.Â
âNo!â he says, panic flooding his voice.Â
âThatâs not all you are. Thatâs not what I meant,â he tries to take back the words that are echoing in your brain.
âBut itâs what you said,â you reply.
You grab your bag from the chair.
âWait,â he says, rushing toward you.Â
âPlease, I was angry. I didnât thinkââ He reaches for you, but you yank your arm away.
âDonât.â Your voice is quiet.
Changbin stops dead, his hand lingering in the air as if fighting with himself.
You walk to the door, every step heavy.
âDonât go,â he says, voice breaking.Â
âI messed up. I know I did. Iâm sorry. Iâm so sorry.â he's pleading as tears fill his eyes.
You turn the handle.
âYou donât get to be sorry after that,â you whisper as you leave.
The door closes with a soft click.
The hallway feels endless, and despite the numbness your legs carry you without you really telling them where to go.
Your phone buzzes.
You pull it out only to shut it off.
Hyunjin:
HwangâŁïž: Good morning, angel.
 His text brings a smile to your face as you move from one work meeting to another, his morning texts come a little later than yours but Sometimes thereâs a selfie to make up for it.
soft lighting, hair falling into his eyes, lips curved into that small, private smile he says is only for you. Sometimes itâs of a painting or drawing he stayed up late working. Â
His words are always gentle and sweet.
You reply the same way you always do.
You: Good morning, pretty boy. Have a good day today. Iâll see you later âŁïž
He reacts with the same heart emoji.
It feels like something sacred.
You love the way that Hyunjin loves like an artist. He notices the way sunlight hits your face, the way you tilt your head when youâre listening, the way you tuck your hands into the sleeves of his hoodie when your hands get cold.Â
He tells you youâre beautiful in ways that feel like heâs painting you with his words instead of just looking at you.
But sometimes, when he thinks you arenât paying attention, he stares past you, like his mind is somewhere else, or maybe someone else.
You tell yourself itâs nothing.
The post is on a fan account, one you follow cause you love the way they keep track of the boys better than you can sometimes, so you smile and tap the notification that says ânew postâ.
OMG?!? đ± Hyunjinâs been meeting up with his ex again?đ±Â
Thereâs a photo attached. Blurry. Taken from far away.
Two figures sitting on a bench in a small park. One of them is unmistakably him, his long limbs, familiar posture, head tilted slightly as he listens. The other is a girl with her hair pulled back, head resting on his shoulder while his arm is wrapped around her.
They look⊠comfortable.
You swallow and even though you know you shouldnât you spiral into the post.
It leads you to a thread of similar posts all of them dating from the time you started dating, to even before you got together.
Him and this girl, there were pictures of drawings heâd done pointing out how they resemble his ex and the pictures, so many pictures.
Some clear as day, others were a little more of a reach, but the ones that were undeniable made your heart feel like someone had it in a death grip.
You donât confront him right away.
You waited, trying to think of what to say to him.
That night, the walk to the dorm felt heavier than usual, like you were moving towards something inescapable.
Hyunjin is in the living room, sketchbook open on his knees, pencil moving slowly across the page.
He looks up when you walk in and smiles.Â
âYouâre late.â His voice is teasing, but you donât smile.
âSorry,â you say.Â
âGot caught up.â
He sets the sketchbook aside and stands, stepping toward you. His hands hover at your waist, he smiles at you before his arms wrap around you pulling you against him.
You let him touch you, but your chest feels heavy, and the embrace feels forced.
You sit together on the couch. He leans into you, head resting against your shoulder.
For a moment, it almost feels normal.
Then you speak.
âAre you still seeing her?â Your voice is soft, but the question hits him hard.
His body goes still.
âWho?â he asks softly.
âYou know who,â you say.
âWhere did you hear that?â He pulls back, eyes searching your face.Â
âSo you are,â you whisper.
Hyunjin exhales slowly.Â
âItâs not like thatââ he starts but you interrupt.
âThen what is it like?â
He looks down at his hands.Â
âWe talk.â
âWhat is there to talk about?â you ask, tone flat.
He hesitates, and thatâs enough of an answer.
âHow long?â Your chest tightens.Â
âSince before I met you,â he admits.
The words feel like a knife sliding between your ribs.
âWhy?â you ask.
He looks at you then, really looks at you. His eyes are bright and vulnerable.
âBecause I never stopped caring about her,â he says.
Silence stretches between you.
âI care about you too,â he adds quickly.Â
Your laugh comes out hollow.Â
âThatâs not comforting, Hyunjin.â Your tone is unamused.
He leans forward, hands reaching for yours.Â
âI donât think love is always something that only fits one person at a time.â he tries to meet your eyes, trying to get you to understand.
You pull your hands back from him, your eyes flashing with something close to disgust making him flinch.
âWhat does that mean?â you ask.
âIt means,â he says slowly, carefully, âthat I can love you. And still love her.â
Your throat closes as your mind races.
âSo what am I, then?â you whisper.
He opens his mouth, but no words come out.
You feel something in you break.
âIâm your second choice, arenât I?â you say, voice breaking at the end.
âSomeone to keep you company while you hold space for her.â You want him to deny it, but you both know it's true.
His eyes fill with tears instantly.
âNo,â he says. âThatâs notââ
âBut it is,â you say.Â
âYouâre with me now, but the second you can be with her, youâll leave.â Your hurt bleeds through your words.
 âI didnât mean for it to hurt you.â He drags a hand down his face, voice cracking.
âHow could it not?â you ask, voice rising from a whisper.Â
He shakes his head, tears slipping down his cheeks.Â
âI love you.â
âAnd you love her,â you spit.
âYes,â he whispers.
The word hangs in the air.
You stand slowly.
âSo youâre asking me to share you?â The words are bitter on your tongue.
âIâm asking you to understand me,â he pleads, tears running down his face.
You shake your head feeling your own tears hot and heavy, grabbing your bag from the floor you move towards the door.
âIsnât having me enough?â he cries, voice breaking.
You pause at the door.
âThatâs the problem,â you say softly. âIf you still love someone else⊠do I even really have you in the first place?â
He steps toward you, hands outstretched.Â
âPlease. Donât go. I can figure this out. I justââ his voice is choked as tears stream down his face.
You step back.
âNo, I deserve more than second place.â
His hands fall to his side as he shakes with a sob.
You open the door with shaking hands and behind you, he collapses to his knees.
 đčairing ê±Â ËË Hyung Line x gn!reader ËË new relationshipËË insecure readerËË đ°enre/ angst, hurt-some comfort (not for all), implied cheating? light swearing. The fallout from the heated argument, where they tell you that you are just a rebound, but thatâs a lie, right?
[ đđđđ. ] â Here's the final part of the hyung-line for Collateral Damage. This was fun and also painful to write. I hope you hurt as badly as I did writing this. Let me know what u think! <3
request by @chainbinnie
 Part 1
Maknae Line
Chan:
He doesnât sleep.
He lies on his bed staring at the ceiling, phone clutched in his hand like it might dissolve if he lets go. The room is dark, quiet except for the distant hum of traffic outside and the occasional sound of the wall shifting when someone moves in another room.
Every time he closes his eyes, he sees your face.
The way you looked at him when he said it.
The way you pulled away when he tried to reach for you.
He groans softly and turns onto his side, burying his face into his pillow.
â Fucking idiot,â he mutters.
His phone lights up, not a notification, just the time. 2:47 AM.
He unlocks it anyway.
Your chat is still open.
The last thing you sent is from that morning.
The words twist in his chest, what he wouldn't do to go back to that morning and start over.
He starts typing, deletes it, types again, and deletes that too.
Finally, he just sends something. Anything.
Chan:Â Iâm so sorry.
The message delivers.
He stares at the screen like he can will you into replying.
You donât.
He runs a hand through his hair and sits up, elbows resting on his knees, blankets tangled in his legs from his constant shifting.
Chan:Â I donât know why I said that. I didnât mean it. You didnât deserve that, and I know I hurt you.
He exhales shakily and keeps going, thumbs moving faster now, like if he stops, heâll lose the nerve.
Chan:Â When you said I wasnât over her, it hit something in me and I snapped. I used the one thing I knew would hurt you back and I hate myself for it.
His chest tightens as he hits send.
Chan:Â Youâre not a rebound. Youâre not temporary. I chose you. I want you. I want us.
He tries to swallow the lump in his throat, feeling like his own emotions are about to choke him out.
Chan:Â I understand if you need time. I can wait. I canât begin to explain how sorry I am.
He sets the phone down, face in his hands as he takes a few shaky breaths.
Minutes pass.
Nothing.
He doesnât know what hurts more, the silence or knowing he deserves it.
You donât sleep much either.
You lie on your side staring at the wall, face hot and damp with half-dried tears, phone on the nightstand where you can hear it buzz every time Chan sends another message.
You donât open them at first.
You know what theyâll say.
You know how he is when he messes up, how he apologizes like he can fix anything if he says sorry enough, like he's trying to stitch everything back together with his words alone.
you relize now how unfair your questions and accusations were to him, how you could have handled the situation better, but instead you got in your head and then self-destructed.
Both of you were casualties of your own insecurity and his anger; neither of you is blameless, but his words still hurt and you know that if you let him in you could fix this.
But youâre not ready to let him pull you back in yet.
Hours pass with you going over all the things you both said and how you wished you could go back to before you saw the article.
Eventually, around three in the morning, your curiosity wins over pride.
You turn over and grab your phone, unlocking it with a swipe.
The messages stack down the screen, one after another, and you read them over, sections sticking with you as you move to the next.
Iâm so sorry.
I didnât mean it.
I hate myself for it.
I want you. I want us.
Your chest aches.
You set the phone back down without replying.
Not because you donât care.
Because you care too much, and your mind is too full to risk saying anything else right now.
The next day is slow.
Heavy.
You go through the motions, work, errands, and coffee to take the edge off the sleepless night. Chanâs texts sit in the back of your mind like a weight.
Your phone buzzes again in the afternoon.
Chan:Â I wonât keep blowing up your phone. I just wanted you to know Iâm here whenever youâre ready.
You stare at the message for a long time.
Your fingers hover over the notifications.
Then you lock your phone.
Chan seems to mess everything up that day.
He messes up a move in practice. Misses a cue. Stares off into space long enough for Changbin to snap his fingers in front of his face.
âEarth to leader,â Changbin says. âYou good?â
Chan forces a smile. âYeah. Just tired.â
Itâs only a half lie.
Everything reminds him of you.
A vending machine you always complain about because it always eats your money, your favorite drink he keeps for days when you visit him in the studio.
He pulls out his phone during a break.
Still nothing.
He stares at the screen.
A minute passes.
Then two.
Thenâ
You let out a breath, quickly hitting send before you can take it back.
You:Â I canât do this over text.
The three dots appear almost instantly.
Chan:Â Okay. I understand. wherever youâre comfortable with.
You hesitate before typing out your response.
You:Â The park near my place. The one with the small bridge, after work.
Chan:Â I know it. Iâll be there.
The air is cool when you arrive.
The park is quiet, streetlights casting soft pools of yellow on the path. The bridge sits over a narrow stream, water reflecting the lights like broken stars.
Chan is already there, sitting on the lone bench on the bridge.
He stands up the second he sees you. He's bundled in a hoodie, a beanie, a mask hiding most of his face, and he keeps his hands shoved into the pockets of his hoodie like he doesnât know what to do with them.
For a moment, neither of you move.
âHey,â he says softly.
âHey.â You stop a few steps away from him.
You swallows. âThank you for coming.â
He nods, shifting on his feet.
âI don't know how to start this.â you say awkwardly, unsure where to look as you move to the railing.
He winces slightly. âYeah. Me neither.â
Thereâs an awkward pause.
Chan breaks it first.
âI meant what I said in my messages,â he says. âAll of it. I didnât mean what I said that night. Not even a little.â
You look down at the bridge railing instead of at him.
âI know I responded terribly,â he continues. âWhen you accused me of not being over her, I felt⊠insulted. Hurt. Like you didnât see what I felt for you. And instead of saying that, I snapped and said the worst possible thing.â
You let out a quiet breath. âYou used my words against me.â
He nods immediately. âI did. And I hate that I did that to you.â
You finally look at him.
His eyes are tired. Red-rimmed. Earnest in a way that makes your chest ache more.
âIâm not with you because I'm waiting for someone else,â he says. âIâm with you because I love you. I like the way you laugh at my dumb jokes. Because you remind me to eat. Because you make my bad days feel lighter.â
Your throat tightens.
âBut I also know,â he adds, âthat loving you doesn't make up for the way I hurt you; loving you is supposed to make you feel safe. And I didnât do that. I broke that trust.â
You nod slowly. âI donât know if we can go back to the way things were before.â
âI know,â he says quietly. âAnd Iâm not asking it to. I just⊠I donât want this to end because I said something I didnât mean. I want us to grow from this.â
You lean against the railing, staring at the water.
âI shouldnât have said what I said either,â you admit. âAbout you not being over her. I was projecting my insecurities, and that was not fair to you.â
He steps a little closer. Not touching. Just closer.
âThen letâs talk about that,â he says. âThe scared part. Not the fighting part.â
You consider him.
âI donât want to feel like Iâm competing with your past,â you say. âI donât want to feel like Iâm a replacement.â
âYouâre not,â he says immediately.
âI'm going to need a lot of reassurance for a while,â you reply. âNot just when things are good, but especially when theyâre hard.â
He nods, slow and serious. âOkay. I can do that.â
Thereâs another pause.
Itâs not comfortable.
But itâs honest.
âIâm sorry that I hurt you too,â you say.
âI know,â he answers.
"I'm going to work on my insecurities and do my best to be a better partner to you."
âI know,â he says again. âIâll be here, even if it takes a while.â
You look at him.
He doesnât reach for you.
He just waits.
After a moment, you step closer.
Not into his arms.
Just close enough that your shoulders touch.
âIt's a start,â you say.
His breath shudders out. âIâll take it.â
You stand there together, quiet under the streetlights, not fixed, but not broken beyond repair either.
Lee Know:
Lee Know tells himself he did the right thing; he just went about it in the wrong way.
He tries to convince himself itâs easier this way.
He sits on the edge of his bed, forearms on his knees, phone in one hand, his other hand over his mouth, staring at the blank chat screen.
Your name sits at the top like a dare. The room is quiet, the kind of quiet that makes thoughts louder.
He replays the moment over and over again in his head.
Maybe you are. His voice echoes.
The way your face fell.
The way you said 'donât touch me' without raising your voice.
He exhales through his nose and leans back on the mattress, staring at the ceiling.
He didnât mean it like that.
He meant it like 'Donât expect more from me than I can give.'
But the way he said it, he knows you heard, 'You donât matter.'
He presses his palm into his eyes.
His phone buzzes. He brings his phone up to check the notification.
Not you.
It's Chan, asking if heâs okay.
He doesnât know how to answer.
He tells himself his walls are necessary.
The last time he let someone in, it ended in shouting matches in parking lots, in late-night calls that turned into sobbing, which led to days of silence, in watching something he thought was solid fall apart in his hands.
He tells himself he learned.
He's convinced himself heâs being smart with his heart.
But when he opens his fridge and sees the uneaten fruit he meticulously cut, he closes the door too hard and swears under his breath.
He sits at the kitchen counter, the only light coming from his phone screen as he types, then deletes, before typing again.
Lino:Â I shouldnât have said that.
He stares at the message for a long moment.
Then he sends it.
The delivery checkmark appears.
But no response comes.
You stare at the text, not answering because you donât know what to say.
Because 'I shouldnât have said that' doesnât begin to fix what it felt like to hear those words from his mouth.
You go about your day with a hollow space in your chest that feels like something was forcefully removed.
When your phone buzzes again later, you look out of habit.
Lino đ±:Â I didnât mean to hurt you. I just donât know how to do this without getting hurt myself.
You both sit there waiting for the other to say something.
Lee Know keeps his hands folded in his lap, knuckles white.
âIâve been thinking,â he says.
âMe too,â you reply.
He nods, like he expected that.
âI didnât say what I said because I donât care,â he continues. âI said it because I do.â
You give him a confused look. âThat doesnât make sense.â
âIt does to me,â he says. âThe last time I cared about someone too much, it ended badly. I promised myself I wouldnât let it get that far again.â
âSo you decided not to let it get far at all?â you clarify.
He swallows and nods.
âI donât want to go through that again,â he admits. âI donât want to get hurt.â
You look at him. Really look at him.
âAnd what about me?â you ask.
He opens his mouth, but he can't find the words.
You shake your head as you move to stand up slowly.
âThatâs what I thought.â Your voice is tired as you grab your bag.
He stands too, panic in his eyes. âThatâs not fair.â
âNeither is loving someone who wonât meet you halfway,â you say.
He runs a hand through his hair, frustration slipping through his calm. âIâm trying.â
âYouâre trying to protect yourself,â you reply. âNot this. Not us.â
Silence stretches between you.
âI care about you,â he says finally.
âSo you say,â you shrug. âBut you donât fight for me. You donât even fight for this.â
He flinches.
âI shouldnât have to convince you to want to be here,â you continue. âI shouldnât have to prove that Iâm worth the risk.â
He looks away.
"If protecting yourself means hurting me, why should I endure that? Why should I pay for the sins of someone else? Why do I have to convince you to love me?" You shoot one question after the other, but he just stands there.
you shake your head and look away to gather your thoughts before turning back to meet his eyes.
âThatâs not my job,â you say softly. âItâs yours.â
He swallows.
âWhat are you saying?â he asks.
You take a breath.
âI think we should take a break,â you say. âYou need to figure out if you actually want this.â
His jaw tightens. âAnd what if I do want it?â
âThen youâll come back when youâre ready to show it,â you say.
You make your way to the door, but before you step out, you turn back to him.
âI hope you figure it out,â you say. âI really do.â
The door chimes as you make your way out, and he watches you walk away.
Later, he sits in his room, staring at the empty notification bar where your name used to light up.
He tells himself he did the right thing, that this is what he wanted.
But the silence feels a lot like losing.
Changbin:
Changbin tries to text you that night, but the message doesnât go through.
He stares at the screen, waiting for the little checkmark that never appears.
He tries again.
Nothing.
He swipes to your contact, hits call.
It goes straight to voicemail.
Blocked.
The realization settles in his chest like a stone.
He tells himself you just need some time, he tells himself heâll try again tomorrow.
But when tomorrow comes, he doesnât.
A few days later, when the phone chimes, he thinks you're finally done throwing a tantrum, but when he checks, it's a name he hasnât seen in months lights up his phone.
Her.
He almost doesnât belive its real.
Almost.
He quickly opens the message.
Ex:Â Hey, Binnie. I know this is random, but I was thinking about you. Want to grab coffee sometime? Just to catch up.
He stares at the screen longer than he should.
He thinks about you. About the way your voice sounded when you said donât touch me. About how your eyes looked angryâhurt.
He types, deletes, types again.
Changbin:Â Yeah. Sure.
He tells himself it doesnât mean anything, he tells himself itâs just coffee.
They sit in the booth by the glass, the one closest to the door.
It feels like a bad choice, but he ignores what his gut is telling him.
Changbin realizes that about twenty minutes in, when heâs already laughing.
They talk about everything and nothing. Old jokes. Shared memories. gossip about people they both know. They fall back into old habits, like the way things used to be.
Time slips by without him noticing.
Their drinks sit half-empty on the table, ice melted, condensation soaking into the napkins.
She leans forward, resting her chin in her hand. âI missed this,â she says.
He smiles without thinking. âYeah. Me too.â
Thereâs a lull in the conversation.
The kind thatâs comfortable instead of awkward.
She reaches across the table.
Her fingers brush his forearm, then settle there, warm and familiar.
She bats her lashes at him, a gesture he recognizes too well.
You watch as she reaches out and brushes his hair off his forehead.
You watch as he smiles, soft and familiar, the way he used to smile at you.
You watch as he takes her hands in his.
Something in your chest caves in.
You donât remember when you start crying.
You just know suddenly your vision is blurred and hot, angry tears are burning trails down your cheeks like acid.
You turn away.
This time, you donât look back.
Changbin doesnât realize what heâs done until later.
Much later.
He walks home in a haze, her laughter still echoing in his ears, the way her hands felt in his own.
He catches himself smiling at the thought, but then suddenly, as if his brain catches up with him, the picture of your face burns across his mind like an asteroid set on destruction.
he tries to shake it away bringing his focus back to the way she said she missed him.
He lies on his bed, staring at the ceiling, phone resting on his chest.
The smile he doesnât deserve is still on his lips when his phone buzzes.
Your name lights up the screen.
His heart jumps, and then sinks.
The message isnât really a message.
Itâs a link and two words.
You:Â fuck you.
His stomach drops as he clicks the link.
The color drains from his face.
STRAY KIDSâ CHANGBIN CAUGHT CHEATING WITH EX-GIRLFRIEND
Him sitting across from her, her hand in his, his smile unmistakable.
Seconds later, his phone explodes in his hand, a flurry of messages fills the screen as he feels like he's about to be sick.
Chan: WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?
Han: This is bad.
Other texts come flooding in, from their manager, their PR team, even his older sister.
His chest tightens, and it's like he canât breathe.
He tries to text you.
Undelivered:Â Please. Let me explain.
The message doesnât go through.
Blocked.
He calls.
Straight to voicemail.
He throws his phone onto the bed and drags his hands down his face.
âOh my god,â he whispers.
He sits up, head in his hands.
The article stays on his screen, taunting him, the comments piling in. Judgment. Words like betrayal, disgusting, and poor girl flashing across the screen.
He scrolls back to the picture of you.
The look on your face.
He presses his fist into his teeth.
âI messed up,â he mutters.
He thinks about how he didnât try harder. How he didnât fight for you when he should have, how easy it was to fall back into something familiar instead of fixing what he already had.
His phone buzzes again.
He stares at the message you sent before you blocked him permanently.
You: You donât get to be sorry after that.
He swallows hard.
This time, thereâs no door to chase you through.
No hand to reach for.
Just silence.
And the consequences of choices he canât take back.
Hyunjin:
He doesnât sleep, he's not sure if he ever will be able to again.
He lies on his back, staring at the ceiling of his room, watching the shadows from passing cars slide across the walls like ghosts. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees your face from that night, the way your voice trembled when you told him that you deserve better than second place.
Why did he say yes when you asked if he also loved her?
Somehow, that had felt like the most honest and cruel thing heâd ever done.
His phone rests in his hand, screen dark.
He doesnât know who heâs supposed to reach for.
Mid-afternoon, soft music playing low, sunlight spilling through the windows. It feels wrong that the world can still look like this when his chest feels like itâs caving in.
Sheâs already there.
His ex.
Sitting at a small table near the back, hands wrapped around a cup as she looks out the window.
She looks up when he approaches.
She smiles, small and polite.
âHey,â she says.
âHey,â he replies.
He moves to sit.
Thereâs an awkward pause, nothing like the easy comfort he remembers from the last time they spoke. The space between them feels heavier than the guilt he feels from yesterday.
He clears his throat. âThanks for meeting me.â
She nods. âOf course.â
He fidgets with the sleeve of his sweater, nerves buzzing under his skin. He hadnât planned what to say. He just knew he needed to see her.
âIâve been thinking about you,â he admits.
She doesnât look surprised.
He rushes on, words tumbling over each other. âI mean, Iâve been thinking about us. About what we were. And I justâI donât think I ever really got over it.â
She studies him for a moment.
Then she exhales slowly.
âHyunjin,â she says gently, âI know.â
His heart stutters.
"You do?" his voice is soft but she continues before he can say anything else.
"Why else would you keep asking to just talk?" she adds and his face heated a little but he doesnt know what to say to that.
She lets out a sigh when she sees he's not going to say anything.
âI moved on,â she continues. âIt took a long time, but I did. And I know youâre seeing someone now.â
He swallows. âItâs⊠complicated.â
She gives a sad smile. âLove usually is.â
He leans forward. âI still love you.â
The words feel like a confession and a wound all at once.
She looks at him with something like fondness. And something like closure.
âI care about you,â she says. âBut not like that anymore.â
âI think you should focus on the person youâre with now,â she adds. âThey deserve all of you, not half of you, still looking back at me.â
His chest tightens.
âI wish you the best, Hyunjin,â she says. âTruly.â
She stands before he can respond, slipping on her coat.
As she walks away, he realizes something terrifying.
He didnât lose her today; he lost her a long time ago.
He walks back to the dorm in a daze; the city feels too loud. Too bright, too alive, when a part of him feels like it's just died.
His phone buzzes in his pocket.
Your name lights up the screen.
You: Are you free?
His heart leaps, then steadies.
This is it, he thinks. This is where he does it right. Where he gives you everything he should have from the beginning.
Hyunjin:Â Yes, Can we meet?
Youâre waiting for him outside his dorm.
Sitting on the low wall near the entrance, swaying back and forth as you study your shoes. When you look up and see him, your expression is soft, but resolved.
He slows.
Something about the way youâre sitting makes his stomach twist.
âHi,â he says.
âHey,â you reply.
He moves to sit beside you, close enough to feel your warmth, far enough to overwhelm you.
âI met with my ex,â he says.
You nod. âI know.â
He blinks. âYou⊠what?â
âI reached out to her,â you admit. âI asked if sheâd meet you.â
His breath catches. âWhy would you do that?â
You stare out at the street. âBecause I didnât want to be the one who âwonâ just because she didnât want you anymore.â
He shakes his head. âThatâs not what this is.â
âIsnât it?â you ask quietly.
He opens his mouth to say no, he loves you, he always has been he's finally ready to give you everything, like he should have done in the first place.
But you continue before he can say anything, voice steady even as your hands tremble in your lap. âYou said you loved both of us. That you were with me, but you still wanted her. I couldnât stop thinking about what that meant.â
He swallows. âBut I'm here to tell you I choose you.â
Your eyes flicker to his.
âWhat if she had chosen you?â you ask.
He doesnât answer.
And that was answer enough.
You exhale, slow and shaky. âI donât want to be someone you settle for because your first choice walked away.â
He reaches for your hand.
You donât pull away, but you donât squeeze back either.
âShe turned me down,â he says softly. âShe told me to focus on you. That you deserve all of me.â
You smile sadly.
âSheâs right,â he continues, cupping your hand in both of his, looking at you earnestly.
âLet me give you that,â he pleads. âAll of me. I can. I want to.â
You look at him for a long moment.
âI'm sure you do,â you whisper sadly.
His chest tightens. âWhat does that mean?â
âIt means youâre still learning how to let go,â you whisper. âAnd I canât be the person you practice on while youâre still holding onto love for someone else in your heart.â
Tears sting your eyes, but you donât let them fall.
âI donât want to be loved in comparison,â you continue. âI want to be loved completely.â
He feels something crack inside him.
âI love you,â he says.
âI know,â you reply. âAnd I love you too.â
The words hang between you, heavy and heartbreaking.
âBut sometimes,â you add, âlove isnât enough to make something work.â
He looks down at your hand in his.
âAt least not like this.â
You gently pull your hand away.
âHyunjin,â you say softly, âthe best for both of us⊠isnât each other.â
His throat tightens. âThen what is?â
You stand.
âFinding someone who only has one heart to give,â you say. âAnd gives it without hesitation.â
You step back, putting space between you.
âI hope you find that,â you tell him. âTruly.â
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props to stem people wtf! i can bullshit my way through any english essay because literally u just have to say stuff. but for stem paper u have to say stuff AND it has to be true. wack.Â
props to hums people wtf! i can bullshit my way through any stem essay because literally u just have to repeat stuff. but for a hums paper u have to say stuff AND it has to be new stuff from your brain. wack.Â