Derya T.👽

His hair was slightly damp from sweat, cheeks flushed pink with a slight sheen over them. Gosh, he looked good even if he had just played a whole game before this. “Oh, it’s okay-“ you stammered, moving to pass the ball to him. 

“No, no, go ahead,” he encouraged with a smirk, “I’d like to see what you can do.” 

You weren’t one to turn down a challenge, so you shifted the ball around with the bottom of your foot, placing it squarely on the penalty arc. It had been a while since you were last in this position, but surely your muscle memory would pull you through. Yuta was getting impatient. “Hurry up. The ground crew is gonna lock us in here if you don’t get a move on.” 

Not wanting to be stuck on the field with such a prick, you locked your gaze on the goal, switching back to the ball. Your feet were firmly planted before pushing all your momentum forward, taking two steps towards the ball and kicking it hard on the third. The sound of the leather against your shoe made that satisfying noise you remembered all too well. The ball flew through the air valiantly, but your chest filled with embarrassment as it so clearly missed the goal, not even coming close to the posts. 

“Nice one,” Yuta sneered as he dropped the two balls he was holding in order to run after the one you had sent to the edges of the field. “Take those back to the bench for me,” he shouted as he took off running. 

You sighed, feeling bad about giving the already tired soccer player more work to do, but after he acted like he had a stick up his butt, you didn't feel all that guilty. Picking up the two balls that Yuta had dropped, you headed over to the team’s bench where Hoshi and Wren had taken a seat to wait for you. Wren raised a hand to wave at you before turning to Hoshi and speaking into his ear. Hoshi smiled and laughed at whatever your friend had said, nodding his head enthusiastically. 

“Now what are you lovebirds laughing about?” You inquired, not wanting to be left out of the fun. 

“It’s nothing,” Wren said with a smile. You knew it wasn’t nothing. 

“Looks like you met Yuta,” Hoshi noted. “He played well today.”

You spared the aforementioned soccer player a glance over your shoulder, finding Uta jogging while dribbling the ball in your direction. “Yeah…is he always like that?”

Hoshi raises an eyebrow, “like what?”

“You know…sassy, brooding…” you trailed off, not knowing how else to explain the attitude of the older athlete. 

“Hmm, I’d say so,” Hoshi mused, his eyes shifting to focus on something past you, “WATCH OUT-“

Hoshi towards you, placing a hand on your shoulder while his other stretched forward. But he was too late. There was a loud smack as the ball collided with your head and bounced off, sending you reeling. Hoshi barely caught you in his arms while Wren lurched forward to make sure you didn’t completely fall over. 

You felt a wave of heat wash over your head and face, ears ringing and burning. It was partly from embarrassment, but there was a stronger emotion present. Anger. You whipped around, knowing fully well just who sent that ball at your head. 

“Nakamoto Yuta!” You shouted, eyes falling upon the dark-haired soccer player clutching his stomach and laughing. He staggered around as he struggled to catch his breath, falling to his knees and putting a hand on the ground to steady himself. 

You stood still in shock, feeling a sudden hatred for the man in front of you. “Don’t take it too personally,” Hoshi muttered as he moved to retrieve the ball and slide it into the bag with the rest of them. 

“Don’t take it too personally?” You repeated, not sure how to handle the situation. 

“He’s just playing around,” Hoshi reassured. 

You shook your head and asked, “How in the world can that be considered ‘playing around’ when he literally nailed me in the head?”

Hoshi put a hand on your shoulder, patting it as if giving you support. “That’s how he fools around with us. Just trust me.”

No matter how much you trusted Wren’s boyfriend, there was no way you were going to trust that asshole of an athlete for deliberately kicking a ball to your head. 

After the little incident on the field, you start to notice Yuta like an Easter egg hidden in plain sight. On Monday, when you entered the classroom for your 9AM business ethics class, he was sitting on the other side of the room with his phone out. The seats had always been arranged in a circular formation to allow for discussion, and as you took your seat, Yuta was almost directly in front of you. There was no way he had always sat there. You had this class three times a week and already had six class meetings, yet you didn’t recall ever seeing his face. 

Yuta momentarily glanced up at you taking your seat, the two of you making brief eye contact, though he looked away, turning his attention back to whatever was on his phone. You were still perplexed by his appearance in class. Perhaps someone had taken his seat, and he had moved to a different one. Sometimes, that happened in your other classes, and you begrudgingly took up a different place in the room. Yeah, that’s probably what happened to him.

Most students streamed in and filled up the remaining spots in the circle while the professor started his lecture. Today’s focus was on profit margin, and the professor started monotonously introducing the topic of buying low and selling high. It was common sense, really. 

You found yourself falling disinterested in the lecture and allowed your eyes to wander throughout the room. When your gaze fell upon Yuta, it was startling to be met with his that was already on you. Now it was your turn to avert your eyes from his piercing stare. This type of interaction happened a few more times throughout the hour you were forced to listen to examples of net profit calculations. 

It was quite inconvenient that Yuta chose the seat that he did since whenever you relaxed and forgot about his dark and foreboding presence, he came into view again. When the lecture drew to a close, you breathed a sigh of relief as he swiftly left the room. The stifling feeling that had gripped you throughout the class finally began to fade, and you made a mental note to never again sit across from Yuta. 

Later in the week, on Friday, you were halfway through your shift at a small cafe just a block away from campus. Due to its close proximity, it was frequented by your fellow university students, so you shouldn’t have been surprised when a certain person entered the shop. Already preoccupied making another order, you didn’t pay him much attention, but your hands became shaky as you felt the unsettling sensation of someone watching you. 

“One medium green tea frappe with a caramel drizzle,” you heard him order while finishing up the drink you were working on. It may or may not have been on purpose that you took a while unscrewing the lid of the blender and pouring the contents out into a cup. But regardless, Yuta’s order went to another barista, and you were happy to have avoided the awkwardness of calling his name and handing him the drink.

After your coworker had finished making his order, you subtly watched him take a table near the back of the shop. That particular spot was coveted by many since it only seated two people and had access to the outlet in the wall next to it. As he pulled out a laptop and charger from his backpack, you wondered just how long he would be staying since it was already nearing 6PM. 

Yuta left the forefront of your mind as the hours dragged on, and you got lost in the repetition of completing orders and cleaning the equipment. The two other baristas working were entertaining enough with the rumor they heard about one of their professors doing drag at a local gay bar. 

Before you knew it, the end of your shift was approaching, and the employees taking the graveyard shift arrived. You double-checked that you had clocked out properly before taking off the cafe apron and throwing it in the laundry bag. Upon exiting the bar from the side door, you were surprised to see Yuta still at his table nestled in the corner. 

He looked the same as when he first sat down all those hours ago, except he now wore glasses and had a collection of empty cups next to his laptop. He came in around 6PM and was still working at 10PM. You wondered what Yuta could possibly be doing that he kept himself holed up in the cafe for so long. 

As you held the door open for your coworkers leaving behind you, Yuta looked up from his computer, his interest piqued by the motion behind his screen. Your eyes caught his, just as they did during class, though this time, you could see exhaustion painted ever so clearly in his expression. 

“It’s already ten o’clock,” you called out to him, walking over to his table, “what are you doing here this late?” 

Yuta let out a heavy sigh, which was laced with his stress and lack of energy. “I have a term paper due tomorrow, but this cafe is the only 24-hour cafe with internet near campus. So I’m stuck here, pretty much.”

“You don’t have wi-fi at your dorm?” you inquired. The thought of being a college student without internet access in their accommodations utterly horrified you. 

“Apartment,” he corrected. “I do have an okay connection there, but my roommates slow it down a lot because of all the stuff they do.”

You couldn’t really imagine what a group of guys had to do in order to slow down their connection so much that Yuta felt he had to go elsewhere. Especially to work on a school assignment on a weeknight. That seemed inconsiderate of his roommates, but you knew you weren’t in any place to voice these thoughts to Yuta. “How much longer are you planning to stay?”

“Maybe just another hour or so. I’m almost done,” he shared. “Why? Do you need me to leave or something?”

“No, I was just curious,” you blurt quickly, not wanting to provoke his thorny personality when he is already worn out. “I guess I’ll see you in class tomorrow?”

Yuta looked down at his laptop and sank into the seat. “Yeah, probably. If I actually wake up and get there in time.” 

“I can take notes for you if you end up not making it,” you offer, surprising yourself. 

He perked up at your words. “That would be nice. Here,” Yuta picked up his phone from the table and held it out toward you. “Send yourself a message from my phone so that you have my number.” 

You typed in your digits and sent a smiley face before handing the phone back to him. “Good luck on your paper,” you encouraged, “and hopefully, I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Thanks,” Yuta answered curtly while returning his focus to his assignment. 

On your walk back to your dorm, your thoughts kept drifting to Yuta. It was clear that you hadn't broken through his shell, but you had his number now. Surely that was progress, right? Why were you even trying to make progress in the first place? He was only a classmate, and not even a very sociable one. So, why were you still so drawn to him?

As the semester went on, you noticed the way that Yuta became a regular in your cafe. His piercing gaze met yours whenever he came in, no matter if he came during the lull between lunch and dinner or if he came during the peak of rush hour with customers waiting for their end-of-work caffeine fix. Yuta always ordered the same thing whenever he came. A medium green tea frappe with a caramel drizzle. Surprisingly sweet for the likes of him. 

You became so familiar with his presence in the shop that you would start working on his order as soon as you saw him walk through the door. At some point, you noticed that you began looking forward to his visits when you were working. You caught yourself wondering when he would stop by, what he would be wearing, and what his plans were for the day. 

Whenever you happened to be the one to take Yuta’s order at the register, he would greet you with a smile and ask how your day had been. Sometimes, you’d answer with a simple “good.” But whenever the store wasn’t busy, you took the time to share more about yourself, and he would do the same. 

You came to know about which classes he had besides your shared one. He was a fifth-year business major with a focus on international relations and a minor in travel industry management. He spent his earlier years in college partying until the sun rose, forming bad habits to the point that he was going to be kicked from the team if his grades dropped any further. Yuta told you that he took his third year as a time to change. He shared about his withdrawal from the soccer team and the long hours he spent at the library finishing assignments and proofreading his essays in a grand attempt to resurrect his GPA. 

To him, soccer was more than just a sport. It was something that grounded him and brought him back to his senses. To Yuta, soccer was the reason that he was able to clean up his act and get his academics in order. You would have never guessed that this one activity meant so much to him. “I’m worried about what I’ll do once this is all over,” he confided during one quiet evening. “I’m scared that I’ll go back to my old habits once I don’t have the team to keep me in check, once I don’t have practice to go to every week.”

The conversations with Yuta became a regular occurrence, especially when he would come near the end of your shift. You worked from the end of your classes at 1pm to 5pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, which was right in time for Yuta’s coffee pick-me-up before heading to soccer practice at 7pm. Originally, you hated your Friday schedule, starting classes at 9am with hardly any break until 2pm, then off to work from 3pm until 10pm. But when Yuta began coming in during those late nights, you grew to like them. 

“Can’t let a pretty girl like you walk home alone when it’s this late,” Yuta reasoned when you asked why he insisted on coming to the cafe and getting his normal iced americano when any normal person would be winding down for the night. He stuck to his words, walking you home every Friday night after you helped close up. You weren’t going to admit it, but you enjoyed his company, and it helped to put your mind at ease whenever he was with you. Sometimes, he would even help you clean up, picking up trash and taking the large garbage bags out to the dumpster for you. “The faster you close, the faster you’ll get home…gotta make sure my girl is safe.” 

His girl. 

Yuta had never asked you for more than his normal medium green tea frappe with a caramel drizzle, yet you both knew each other well past customer and barista. Were you his girl? If you were, you had no way of knowing. You didn't want to ask and push the situation around when you were already happy with where things stood currently. The way Yuta made time for you in his busy schedule despite his soccer commitments and impending graduation. Surely that must mean something, but you shut down those thoughts, not wanting to place more weight onto Yuta’s actions. 

Aside from Yuta becoming a regular at your cafe, you similarly became a regular at the men’s soccer games, much to Wren’s surprise. After that first incident with Yuta, Wren was so sure that you would never want to go to another soccer game in your life. Wren jokingly asked if you would be down to watch the team’s upcoming match, fully expecting you to say no. Wren’s eyes went wide in shock upon hearing your answer, not sure if they heard you correctly. “Y-you’ll go to the game with me?” 

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?” You said matter-of-factly. 

“I know I said that it’s an important match because it decides whether or not they qualify for the play-offs, but that doesn’t mean you have to go,” Wren blurted, as if double-checking that you weren’t merely forcing yourself to go in order to support your friend in supporting their boyfriend. 

“It’s okay,” you told them. “I want to go.” But if you were being honest, you were already planning to go. Yuta had invited you to the game the previous week. When he explained how important the match was to him, being that it was his last year with the team, you couldn’t say no. Not when he gave you the cutest pleading look, eyes wide with hope. For all the times he kept you company at work and got you home safely, you figured this was the least you could do to repay him. 

The bright stadium lights shone harshly upon the two teams running around on the field. You watched the throng of players weaving in between each other as the ball was passed around the turf. It was already nearing the end of the match, yet the teams were neck and neck, tied with one goal each. You admired all of the athletes on the pitch, in awe of the stamina and strength they’d shown throughout the entire match, yet your eyes followed only one of the players. Number 7, Nakamoto Yuta, left striker. 

Yuta dominated his area of the field, expertly handling the ball with precision and skill. Throughout the game, he was constantly breaking away from the opposing players defending him and taking multiple shots on the goal. He played with such vigor and ferocity that it had you doubting he was the same man that watched you with such softness as you wiped down tables. 

With only a few seconds on the clock, the play started with a throw-in from Hoshi, who was playing as a right-side midfielder. Sitting next to you, Wren cheered on their boyfriend as he sent the ball to the right-side center back, Jeonghan. The ball was sent on its way from Jeonghan across the field to the left, bouncing over to where Yuta was in tight quarters with two players from the opposing team. One of them attempted to do a header, causing the ball to continue in the air and the group of them to run after it in a fight for dominance. When the ball came back down, Yuta swooped under it, nudging it with his thigh to push it forward and into his control. The team erupted in cheers as they knew what was about to happen. 

Yuta brought the ball to the ground and dribbled it while coming up to the opposing team’s defensive players. He lightly tapped the ball towards the outer line before quickly sidestepping and redirecting the ball towards his right, now with a clear path towards the goal. Yuta broke away from the small mob of opposing players with exceptional speed, his shoes turning into a blur as he sprinted toward the penalty box. 

The opposing team watched, unable to catch up with him, their only hope left being their goalie. Right as Yuta reached the top of the penalty box, you saw the all-familiar plant of his left foot while his right hung back, winding up for the shot. The crowd was in a frenzy as supporters of both teams yelled and cheered. The sound of Yuta’s shoe against the ball echoed from the field, followed by the swish of the net when the ball soared right over the goalie’s outstretched arms. 

You and Wren jumped in the air, holding each other's hands in celebration while the other boys on the team ran onto the field and crashed into Yuta as he ran into their arms with a smile on his face. The buzzer rang loud and clear, signaling the end of the match and the team’s entrance into the playoffs. You watched as Yuta’s hair flew around while he hugged his teammates, all of them equally sweaty yet even more energized. “Come on, let’s go and congratulate them,” Wren said, holding onto your wrist while guiding you down the bleachers toward the turf. 

Not wanting to interrupt the team and their hard-earned moment, you and Wren hung back near the edge of the field. Your eyes floated over the crowd of boys in the same jersey, buzzing with the same excitement. A singular ball came shooting out towards you from the mass of men, followed by the athlete whose smile felt like it was even brighter than the stadium lights. 

You trapped the ball gently with your foot before passing it back to Yuta as he approached you. He received the ball with the top of his foot, popping it into the air and letting it fall onto his thighs before juggling it a couple of times, showing off his skill before sending it back to you. You trapped it with your thigh, waiting for it to fall down a bit and then tapping it back up with your foot, only juggling the ball twice before firmly pressing it onto the ground. “Looks like you should be on the field instead of me,” Yuta joked with a smile. 

“No, I could never,” you shook your head as Yuta closed the distance between the two of you. “You did so good tonight,” you said quietly as Yuta pulled you into a hug. 

“I had to,” he responded, pulling away to meet your gaze. “Couldn’t let you down.” 

“Couldn’t let your team down,” you corrected. “Congratulations on making it into the playoffs.” 

Yuta sighed as he released you from his grip, “Yeah, just means more games, more practice, more sore muscles.” 

“You act like that’s such a bad thing when you’re quite literally the star of the team,” you say with a smile tugging at your lips. 

“Am I?” Yuta mused while turning to look at the rest of his teammates as they began to pack up their equipment. 

“I think so,” you nearly whisper as you approach him once more. You place both your hands on his firm chest before shoving him lightly back towards his team. “Go back to your team before they leave you behind.” 

Yuta shot you a quick smile as you passed him the ball, and he took it back over to the bench and joined his team in cleaning up. “What’s up with you guys?” Wren's voice breaks you away from the fading image of Yuta’s smile in your mind. You shrug, not really knowing how to explain the situation between you and Yuta. Wren gave you a look that meant you were done for once the two of you were alone. “There’s no way you guys go from nearly fighting each other one game and hugging the next without telling me what’s going on.”

“I became a fan, I guess,” you tell them with feigned nonchalance, causing Wren to let out an exasperated sigh.

In celebration of the soccer team’s advancement into the playoffs, their coach had given them the week off and canceled practice on Monday and Wednesday. You knew this much because of Wren’s insufferable yapping about how excited they were to have Hoshi all to themselves for the week and how they had so many fun things planned. Wren and Hoshi had extended an invitation to both you and Yuta privately in hopes of getting to play matchmaker and help move your relationship along. 

You meant to ask Yuta about it on Monday, but your plans were thwarted by the midterm, which occupied all of your class time. Since Yuta’s practice was cancelled, and the midterm for your shared class was over, you knew there was really no reason for him to stop by the cafe that night. You spent that entire shift anxiously glancing between the door and the clock on the wall, wondering if the dark-haired soccer player with the piercing eyes would show up. He did not. 

On Tuesday night, your professor announced that class on Wednesday would be canceled to allow for makeup tests for any students who had yet to take the midterm and for the grading of tests. As such, you were robbed of your next chance to see Yuta. When you went to work on Wednesday, you assumed that Yuta’s familiar presence would again be missing from your schedule. 

It was fine; he deserved to rest. Yuta should have been using this time to recover. He earned it. 

The bell on the door chimed as Wren and Hoshi entered the cafe, interrupting your pitiful worrying. “How is my favorite barista doing?” Wren asked with a wide smile, their hands wrapped around Hoshi’s bicep. 

“Good, good,” you start, “just…working.” You took down their order seamlessly before continuing the conversation. 

“You know, we didn’t think you would be at work tonight,” Hoshi shared. “We thought you would be with Yuta.” 

“Oh?” You were intrigued. Yuta hadn’t mentioned any plans to you. The two of you hadn’t seen, much less spoken to, each other since the game on Saturday. 

“Yeah, I was stalking your location, and when I saw you were here, I knew something was up,” Wren spilled, causing you to roll your eyes at their antics. “Hoshi also said that Yuta has been radio silent in their team chat too, so we thought maybe he was over here with you.”

“Hmmm,” you hummed in thought. “He didn’t say anything about hanging out this week, and he hasn’t stopped by the cafe while I was working either. Should I be concerned?”

Hoshi looked between you and Wren. “Well, nearly every guy on the team is spending this time with their significant other. I’m not saying it’s a problem that Yuta isn't with you, but I’m just saying maybe he would like to have some company.”

You thought back to the late-night conversations you shared with Yuta in the cafe and on the walks to your apartment. The way he told you about the passion, loyalty, and devotion he had towards soccer and the team. The image of his brow furrowed with worry comes to your mind, remembering how he spoke about his future and his life without the guidelines of the sport keeping him afloat. 

All the pieces suddenly fell together. You had a newfound sense of urgency to finish Wren and Hoshi’s orders. Looking over at your coworker, you quietly asked if they would be okay closing alone, which they more than happily obliged, as you often did for them. 

You brought Wren and Hoshi their order before taking off your apron and clocking out early. “Where are you going?” Wren asked, the slightest bit of concern showing in their expression. 

“Is the field open?” You ask Hoshi. 

He nods. “Should be. We normally have practice right now, so I would assume it’s open.”

“Thanks.” You packed away your belongings into your school bag and headed out just as the sun was starting to set. 

After the short walk back to campus, you finally reach the top of the soccer stadium. The lights illuminated the field, all but empty aside from the lone man taking shots from the edge of the penalty box. As you made your way down the bleachers, emotions swirled in your chest. Would this be too far for your relationship? Was it too much for him? What if he wasn’t comfortable with this? What if he really just wanted to be alone?

Part of you wanted to turn around and go back to the familiar warmth of the coffee shop and spend a peaceful evening with your friends. But it was too late for that. Yuta had already spotted you and now stood waiting with his arms crossed, one leg straight while the other was planted on a ball. “What are you doing here?” He called out to you. 

“I thought practice was canceled.” You deliberately didn’t answer his question. 

Yuta shrugged, then returned his focus to the line of balls and sent another one whizzing through the air and into the corner of the goal. He continued down the line as you drew closer, sending shot after shot into the net. He paused right before the last one, placed his foot upon it before turning to you. “Just because it’s canceled doesn’t mean I can’t practice on my own.”

He took his foot off the ball, doing a little nod over to it and stepping back a bit to give you space. You smiled at him before shooting the ball towards the goal, hearing the satisfying swish as the ball fell against the net.

Yuta praised your skill, and the two of you played around for a bit while collecting the balls from the goal. Once all of the balls were fathered into a bunch, the two of you laid down on the cool turf together, looking up at the night sky. 

“Shouldn’t you be at work right now?” Yuta questioned. 

“I should be. But I’m not.” You didn’t dare look at him, keeping your eyes glued on the stars above you. 

From the corner of your eye, you saw Yuta adjust himself. You saw him roll onto his side and prop his head up, his cheek resting inside his palm. “Why are you here?”

“Thought you might need some company,” you breathed out, feeling the heat of Yuta’s gaze on you.

“I guess you were right.” Yuta’s eyes traced up and down the outline of your face. “So do you have any plans for tonight?”

You finally turn to face him. “No, this was about it.”

“Would you like to come over?” Yuta offered.

You looked at him incredulously. “Come over?”

“Yeah,” Yuta chuckled, seeing your expression. “To my apartment. Well, it’s a shared apartment. I live with Seungcheol and Jeonghan from the team.”

You knew he had roommates, but you didn’t know they were his roommates. You should’ve expected he would be living with people from the team, though. They were his inner circle, and you knew that much. “What are they doing with their free time tonight?”

“Don’t know. They said they’re going to a party, so they probably won’t be coming back until later.” Yuta rolled onto his back as a gust of wind blew over the two of you, carrying his sweat-tinged scent. “So are you coming or what?”

You hummed as if thinking about your answer. “I smell like coffee, and you smell like, well…”

“Yeah, I know.” Yuta let out a laugh as he pushed himself into a sitting position. “I want to take a shower, so you should probably join me,” he smiled further as your brows furrowed, “to save water, you know?”

“I-” you were left stumbling for words. “I mean, yeah, I guess that makes sense.” You sat up to match him, dusting off the bits of turf that stuck to your clothes.

Yuta looked at you through strands of damp hair. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I was only joking.” You froze in place. “Unless…you really want to.” A smirk slowly formed on his face. “I won’t stop you if you do.”

You didn’t want to speak, afraid of tripping over your words as your heart pounded in your chest. “Yuta, what are we?” You blurted out.

“Well,” he began, placing a hand on your knee, “what would you like us to be?”

“I don’t know,” you sigh and look up at the stars glimmering in the sky as if they would speak your innermost desires for you. “Would it scare you if I said I want us to be more than friends?”

“No, not at all.” Yuta’s hand lifted from your knee and gently cupped your jaw, turning you to face him. “Would you like to be my girlfriend?”

“I would love that.” Your eyes lit up, mirror the stars above you. 

Yuta closed the distance between the two of you, the hand on your jaw tilting your head as his lips caught yours in a kiss. You kissed him back and felt his lips form a smile against yours. 

Yuta scored many goals on this field, but nothing compared to the one he scored tonight. 

Autoplay: If you liked this, you may also like Good Thing - K.Doyoung

A wheeze left you as you stepped down onto the pale blonde sand, feeling completely changed as the warmth enveloped your bare feet. Wow. This was paradise indeed.

“How could she hide her wealth from us all this time? We all rented the shittiest apartment together when we were in university. This makes no sense.”

Mac shrugged, not feeling any sting of betrayal like you were. “And yet here we are for the wedding destination of the year. Are they waiting over there with flutes of champagne for us? I’ve never had this type of perk upon arriving anywhere before.”

“You’ve never been flown into a tiny island for a wedding like this before either.” You eyed everything a little more cynically. “We only paid two thousand dollars to attend this.”

“And?”

“Look around Mac! This is utter paradise. This is mad! This is expensive.”

“Oh no,” he lamented, shaking you gently. “You’re not going to get hung up on the details, are you? Our best friend met the woman of her dreams. Now she’s getting married. We, as members of her bridal party need to get on board with her ideal wedding. She wanted something tropical and on the beach. It can’t get any better than this for Jennie.”

You sighed, knowing he was right. You wanted the very best for Mac and Jennie, but you also wanted answers. Nodding gratefully at the flute of bubbles handed to you, you craned your neck to see if your other best friend that you hadn’t seen in six months would suddenly appear before you and settle your nerves. Maybe there was some misunderstanding, some other way you had both ended up flying halfway across the world to this little island for less than you knew something like this had to cost.

Instead, you spent the next ten minutes listening to the head of staff on the island letting you and the eight others who had flown in with you about how the island ran. Whilst they had a heavy focus on nature and serenity, it was a resort all the same, with full amenities to promote relaxation and zen.

“Maybe we need to get you to the spa,” Mac murmured to you with a chuckle. “You’re not looking very zen.”

“I want to find Jennie.”

“For those here for the Mabell-Lorne wedding, please follow me in this direction,” a staff member suddenly gestured to a small pathway and you and Mac followed her. She smiled at you both. “We are still waiting on more wedding attendees to arrive today, but the hosts are up here. You are part of the Lorne bridal party, yes?”

“We are.”

“Excellent, I will organise you into your lodgings for the duration of the week, and then we can show you where those already here are relaxing today.”

You weren’t led to a large resort building, but rather, a pod-like village, all connecting to a boardwalk that sat near the beachfront. You laughed sharply, and Mac, who was uncharacteristically quiet too, wrapped his arm around you again. “This is insane.”

“This is our private cottage colony,” the clerk mentioned, gesturing to the buildings you were heading towards. “The whole wedding party will be located over here for privacy and easy commute to other attendees. The brides-to-be are staying in the cottage up the front here, and you both have been allocated a cottage to share a row back. Allow me to show you to it now.”

Another disbelieving laugh left you when you saw the luxurious cottage. Everything was high-end. There were two plush beds facing out to the sea through a window wall, a shower with three shower heads that was large enough for you both and even Jennie to share comfortably, and a waiting goodie basket full of branded chocolates, perfume, and another bottle of champagne.

“Okay, I’m suddenly on board with interrogating Jennie now,” Mac admitted after letting out a low whistle. You let go of your purse onto a bed and then marched back out to the waiting clerk who led you both to your best friend.

You saw the back of her first. She was laughing whilst leaning into her fiancée Cassida and your heart squeezed for the genuine love between the pair. However, Mac, now having caught up to your level of stress, called out and broke up the canoodling moment. “Oi, Jennifer Marie Lorne. You have some explaining to do.”

Jennie shrieked and turned, running at you and Mac, and your annoyance dissipated as soon as the woman held you both tightly to her body. “I’ve missed you both, oh my God.”

“I’ve missed you more,” you told her, as Mac patted you both on the back, his signature hug style.

“And I’m always glad to have women in my arms, but I have to know. How the hell did you pull this off, Jennie?”

Your best friend stepped back and allowed Cassida to hug you both whilst wringing her hands together. “So, uh. There’s something I need to tell you both about my family.”

The sun was finally setting in paradise, and you had spent the last few hours finding out that your best friend for the last ten years had been born into wealth. You and Mac had heaps of questions, but at the end of it all, being rich didn’t mean Jennie wasn’t the same person you thought she was. Well, mostly. You still were trying to wrap your head around the fact that her parents actually owned multiple island resorts just like this one, and that Jennie had wanted an authentic college experience fending for herself and not living like the elite she was.

You’d taken this information on board better than you initially felt you would, and the excitement of Cassida and Jennie’s wedding returned before long. You guessed you could see this week-long stint on a tiny island as a great way to relax before returning to reality after all this. In fact, you had just woken from a small nap and gotten ready for the first night of wedding festivities.

Dinner with the wedding party wasn’t too bad. Yes, you noticed the wealth radiating off certain people gathered there, but everyone was welcoming, and you didn’t feel out of place in your maxi beach dress that you had gotten on sale and not from a branded store. Mac had already charmed his way into the graces of Cassida’s very single cousin Lydia, forever finding his way through life with a smile on his face and adapting to any situation thrown at him.

You were more reserved, however, and made polite conversation where it mattered, trying to not monopolise all of Cassida and Jennie’s attention when they were wanted by everyone there to celebrate their love story. But you were thankful when the younger members of the group decided to head off to the club on the island to continue the night. Relaxing with your best friends and dancing for a couple of hours loosened you up, as did your second drink of the night. You weren’t buzzed, but your shoulders were no longer up by your ears, and you were laughing and having a good time.

You were on a romantic little island though. And there was a part of you, as you watched Mac cosy up with Lydia, and then Jennie and Cassida kissing as they danced, that made you look around the crowd. Maybe there could be someone here you could get to know. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet someone for an island fling, wasn’t it? How many of your other close friends were going to get married like this?

Searching the crowd again, your gaze snagged on a group of people who had been at another table during dinner. You hadn’t paid them much attention earlier, trying to keep up with conversation going around the table you were sat at instead, but now you were free to acknowledge the group more easily.

“What’s caught your eye?” Mac breathed heavily into your ear, wrapping a sweaty arm around your shoulders that you immediately shrugged off. “Or who? Don’t want your bestest best friend leaning over you in case you want to shoot your shot?”

“Y/N?” Jennie said with a laugh, shaking her head lightly. “There are calculated risks to everything, Mac.”

“Including dating. ‘I can’t possibly jump into anything that fast’,” he concluded, echoing words you had said years ago.

You rolled your eyes. “I can be spontaneous.”

“You over-plan everything.”

“You immediately grew cynical when we arrived here earlier,” Mac pointed out and you looked at him accusingly.

“Excuse me, but so did you!”

“Okay, so I should have told you both earlier in our friendship, but I never made friends, only people who wanted me for my status. I apologise!” Jennie claimed dramatically and you laughed whilst rolling your eyes. Jennie then grabbed your hand and pulled you to where she and Cassida were still dancing. “But we’re right, Y/N. You don’t just leap without checking what’s happening below.”

“Maybe I could here,” you announced, looking back over at the group from before. There was one man amongst them all that made your heart thud faster. Although he’d lost his jacket, his clothing screamed wealth, and you sighed a little, wondering if someone like you could still be attractive to anyone on this island. A little fun wouldn’t hurt, though. And if you could get away from your best friends, they could actually enjoy more romance themselves. You knew Mac was dying to make out with Lydia but kept near you just so you weren’t left out entirely.

You straightened your shoulders. “Actually, I know I can. I like someone already.”

“Holy shit.” Mac looked straight at Jennie, a hand coming to rest over his heart. “Is our baby bird ready to fly our nest, darling?”

“We’ve raised her well. It’s about time she wobbles on out of here.”

“I will not wobble. I can do this,” you told them both, catching the eye of the man in question and smiling at him. He looked you over from head to toe and returned his focus to your eyes, smiling back.

“Oh god.” Jennie tracked your focus. “Hey Y/N?”

“Hm?”

“That’s uh, my father’s best friend’s son.”

“Aim high baby!” Mac exclaimed with a wolf whistle.

“What’s his name?”

“Kim Junmyeon. His dad was at dinner with us. You know, the one I mentioned ran this island for my parents.”

“You mean, he lives here?”

Jennie frowned. “I think he lives here some of the year. Junmyeon helps run the place. He will take over when his Dad retires.”

You laughed lightly. “Of course, I would go for the most unrealistic option here.”

“He’s really nice,” Jennie supplied, and Mac rubbed your bare shoulders like he was warming you up for a round in the boxing ring. You guessed it was a bit like that with how your brain was already throwing punches at you to not proceed anywhere near the attractive man.

You rolled your shoulders under Mac’s hands, and he moved them to tap you playfully on the butt. “Atta girl. You’ve got this. I’ve watched you slay mediocre men in the office. Treat it like an interview.”

“Not like an interview,” Jennie breathed at the terrible advice, but you nodded decisively and started walking over to the group. Junmyeon stepped away from his friends to meet you halfway.

And of course, just before you reached his side, you did in fact wobble. How could you lose your footing when you didn’t even have any heels on or something to make you step poorly, to begin with, you didn’t know. One moment you were confidently moving towards the gorgeous man, and the next you were falling.

“Woah,” he breathed, reaching out to right you before you fell, and you gripped his forearms that were exposed by his rolled-up sleeves, sinking into the warmth of his body. They were firm, and you reluctantly loosened your hold when you felt stable enough.

“That was not how I was hoping to come over and say hello,” you admitted sheepishly, and looked up into his face. He was the brightest thing here under the stars of the outdoor club, especially when he grinned at your statement. You felt momentarily blinded, your heart thudding out three words in repetition.

I like him.

“It’s very memorable all the same. And you gave me the chance to show my chivalry.”

“I can’t take the moment from you then.”

“No, but you could tell me the name of the woman I just saved?”

“Y/N,” you said, lifting a hand away to hold out in greeting.

He slipped his palm against yours without hesitation. “Junmyeon. Are you here for Jennie’s wedding?”

“The one and only. Maid of honour, at your service.”

“You’re the best friend from college days that I’ve heard a lot about.”

You nodded. “One of them.”

“And how are you liking paradise?” he wondered, gesturing to the place around you without taking his eyes off yours.

“It’s like a dream.”

“Don’t want to wake up?” he wondered, and you smiled again.

“Definitely not right now.”

“It would be terrible if you did.”

You spent the rest of the night getting to know Junmyeon. At one point, your friends came over and joined you for a chat, and you marvelled at how easily Junmyeon fitted in with everyone. Of course, he knew Jennie and was able to share anecdotes of their childhood growing up. Not to be outdone, Mac was quick to supply your own memories, much to your horror when he talked about the time you marched into the swimming pool with your bikini top off so you could match him.

“I was six!” you exclaimed, leaning over to cover his mouth from spilling anything else. “I didn’t even have a chest to worry about covering up then.”

It wasn’t lost on you when Junmyeon tracked that you had something there worthy of keeping wrapped up now.

And when Jennie kissed you on the head and told you she would see you in the morning, and Mac declared that he would not see you until breakfast whilst following Lydia back to her cottage, you shifted further into the seat of one of the couches that lined the terrace that you had migrated to earlier.

Junmyeon leaned on his arm as he swivelled to look at you. “Not tired?”

“I’m not risking going to sleep just yet. It might disturb this dream I’m having.”

He laughed. “We don’t want that. How about we take a walk on the beach? Somewhere quieter than here?”

If you were back home right now, you wouldn’t dare go somewhere secluded with a man you had only met, but you didn’t think about it as you slipped your hand into Junmyeon’s, allowing him to pull you up and lead you away from the club.

There was an easy quiet between you both as he swung your linked hands back and forth whilst taking you down to the beach from a small trail marked between the trees and bushes. The ocean was calmly rolling in and out along the shore and you sighed with content. “How do you find living here? I wouldn’t be able to believe it’s real every day I woke up.”

“When I’m away from here for a while, it’s like that for a bit when I return,” he admitted, staring out at the sea. “I find cities hard to bear because of it.”

“The noise,” you replied, and he nodded.

“And the smell. I’m very lucky to live in such a natural environment.”

“Does it get lonely?”

He nodded softly. “We have guests all year round. So, it’s not that I’m only seeing the same faces. And the people who work for us do come and go. Paradise long-term isn’t for everyone.”

“Fancy things lose their shine, I’m sure.”

“It gets all very much the same. People who come here are generally from the same circles. They expect certain things from the people here.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s never real. The rich, they can be very ridiculous.”

You shot him an amused look. “Says someone wealthy.”

“Touche.”

“I work with people like that though. The façade of the office is exhausting.”

“Thankfully, you get to leave it behind at the end of the day. When you live in paradise, you don’t quite get to escape it.”

“Do you want to?”

“I just want something real. I want to feel more than I do.”

“I relate to that,” you admitted, taking a seat on the sand and Junmyeon dropped down beside you. “I’m not normally this forward.”

“No?”

“Gosh no. Back home, I’m pretty guarded. Mac can approach anyone and make a friend within five minutes. Not me.”

“You chose to come to me tonight.”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“I felt… something.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Like?”

“My heart picked up.” You couldn’t face him as you continued your confession, staring out at the ocean instead. “I thought this is someone I could like.”

“Huh.”

“And then I went and fell on you.”

“You sure you didn’t do that on purpose?”

“You do have impressive arms,” you replied with a laugh, and Junmyeon scooted closer.

“In this dream of yours, the one you don’t want to wake up from. What happens next?”

“Well,” you said, moistening your lips. “In dreams, you’re the bolder version of yourself, right?”

“Definitely.”

“Then I’m not going to be afraid to take your hand, like this.” Reaching out to take the hand that had held yours all the way down to the beach, you smiled when he rubbed his thumb over your skin softly.

“And I’ll tell you that I’d very much like it if you kissed me.”

Junmyeon’s lips were still smiling when they touched yours, but not for long. The kiss was slow and searching, both of you looking for more than the spark of attraction that had brought you together tonight. He tasted decadent, like chocolate melting in your mouth, and you moaned lightly when his tongue slipped in to meet yours, your free hand slipping up into his hair.

Eventually, he sat back, catching his breath. You noticed he still held your hand and smiled.

“Was that a good first kiss?”

“Probably the best I’ve had.”

“Well, I confess, I don’t just go around kissing anyone.”

“You mean, you don’t take a chance with every new group on this island here?” you teased, and Junmyeon nudged you playfully.

“Definitely not. I’m very glad you came over to me.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve been looking at you all night and was about to move over to you when you did.” The moon lighting up his face in the night helped you see the pink tinge to his ears. Without thinking, you reached out to touch one of them, and Junmyeon sighed heavily.

“One week.”

“Don’t break the dream yet, Junmyeon.”

“Who’s to say that you’ll want to leave paradise too easily?” he wondered, and you leaned in so you were a breath away from his lips again.

“I really fancy you.”

“Good. Because the night isn’t yet over. I’m hoping I can make you keep telling me just how much you like me that after this wedding, there’s more than just one love story to share.”

_________________

All rights reserved © prettywordsyouleft

Taehyung is your best friend’s older brother. 

It’s so entirely cliché that you cringe whenever you think about it, but it’s true and it happened…..you had the tiniest crush on him in high school. Okay— it was a big, fat crush. But you weren’t willing to admit it, not then and certainly not now. Mostly because it’s weird. Plus there’s the fact that it would be breaking the code of honour between besties. Sisters before misters.

The last thing you would want is to make Joy upset. 

But when you came home from college in the summer and Taehyung returned from his own studies abroad...you didn’t expect him to look like that.

“Hey, Y/N.”

“H-Hey.”

Taller. Leaner. Better dressed.

Maybe it had just been a long time since you’ve seen Taehyung. Maybe you had gotten desensitized but the long period away from him made you hyper aware of his existence again. Either way, seeing him made you realize that he had very much become a man.

He was no longer just the unattainable, cool teenage boy that you swooned over but left behind nonetheless in your coming of age years. And that fact slapped you across the face.

You didn’t expect for him to be like that either.

To smile at you like that. To strike up conversations. To be interested in what you were doing, where you were going.

“What are you majoring in again?”

“Anthropology.”

“Really? That’s super cool. I took one anthropology class when I was a freshman. Do you like it?”

“It’s not too bad. I think it’s interesting.”

Taehyung smiles faintly. “I always knew you were smart.” 

It was one date. 

You came over. Joy was abruptly called in to fill a shift at her summer job at the ice cream parlor.

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry. I swear I’m going to choke Jimin.”

“And then who’s gonna have to bail you out? Get going before you’re late.”

“Promise we’ll hang out more tomorrow.”

“Have fun at work!”

Taehyung happened to be there, hanging around the house, and he offered to drive you home.

“You really don’t have to.”

“I’m not going to make you take the bus in this hot weather, you know that right?” The corner of his mouth tugs easily. “Just get in the car.”

Except you both stopped to grab a small bite. A burger and fries. While sitting out at the park.

You’re not sure if that even constitutes as a date — there was nothing said about it, no mention made, all entirely too casual to be considered one. But it was the first time you and Taehyung were alone together.

Okay, if that counts...then technically it was two dates.

You and Joy went out to Jungkook’s party. She had a little too much to drink and the pair of you needed a ride home afterwards. Naturally, Taehyung was the one who picked you up in his car, begrudgingly, as Joy fought him before she laid down in the backseat, but he still flashed you that smile.

“Had fun tonight?”

“It was alright.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t end up going home with him.”

“Who?”

“You know. That guy with the glasses you were talking to on the lawn.”

“Namjoon? Oh no, we’re just friends.”

“Hmm. Is that so.”

After Joy was put to bed and tucked in, Taehyung asked if you wanted to stick around to watch a movie. You might or might not have cuddled into him during those three hours, but really was it cuddling? He just slung his arm over the couch where you were sitting and you leaned into his chest.

The two of you were just getting comfortable.

Alright, if that counts, then it was three dates but just three!

Taehyung asked you out personally, but it was to help him pick a gift for Joy’s birthday. He drove you downtown and you walked together in the streets, checking out boutiques before parading around the mall.

“What do you think?”

“Joy hates camo print and she doesn’t need another backpack, Taehyung.”

“Perfect! So she’ll love this then.”

He ended up getting a sweater she’d been eyeing for months.

When it became dark and you got hungry, instead of being dropped off at home, you went to the night market together on a whim. You snacked, had conversations and exchanged numerous stories. You still remember the laughter and how much your cheeks ached when you finally jumped into bed that night.

But before the summer ended, before you both left for your respective colleges, he wanted to talk.

“I had a lot of fun this summer.”

You eye him. “What did you even do this summer?” 

“Hang out with you.” Taehyung grins, eyes sparkling with mischief. “And I liked it.”

“Good. I might be hurt if you thought this entire time was awful.”

“I like you too much to ever think that. But...hear me out. What would you think we made things offici—

“We’re going to be super busy,” you interrupt in a panic, having a sense of where he was going with this. “...going to different schools and all that.”

You search his expression while schooling your own. Taehyung stays silent for a second and tries to read you. You’re not sure how successful he is.

“Right.”

“I’ll contact you, Taehyung.”

He smiles at that and eases. “Okay. Yeah. Sounds good. You can call or text me anytime.”

“Anytime?” You try to lighten the mood by shooting him an incredulous look. “I wouldn’t want to bother you.”

“If it’s you, it wouldn’t be a bother. Trust me.”

Except when you got back, you didn’t call him. You didn’t text him either.

You only saw him briefly when Joy would occasionally facetime him in the same room as you, when you were merely a figure in the background and Taehyung would ask who it was.

“Y/N, of course, who else?”

And you would give a small wave.

There were no conversations, no small talk, no exchanges of laughter. But it was better that way. Otherwise, you wouldn't know what Joy would say, how she’d react. You don’t even know if he’s serious about you. And you’re too scared to find out the answers to any of these questions.

It didn’t matter anyway. Deep down, you know Taehyung should be kept at a distance. You know it would be better if these feelings could fade away as a sweet, brief summer romance.

What you didn’t anticipate is to come over to the Kim’s for the holidays a few months later.

“Where are you going?”

Taehyung’s following after you, trailing at your heels like a lovesick puppy. “And don’t tell me you’re showering because you already used that excuse to avoid me today.”

You spin around, masking your startlement at just how close he is, and you frown. “I’m not avoiding you.”

The corner of his mouth tugs. “We shouldn’t lie to each other, sweetheart, even if you have the tendency to do that.”

You feel hot in your face from the pet name. “I never lied to you.”

Taehyung raises his brows. The both of you know then and there it’s a lie.

“My empty phone says differently.”

You cross your arms defensively. “I never promised I’d remain in contact. I was just...busy with classes.”

“Oh. Another lie again.” Taehyung grins, and he exhales softly causing a hundred goosebumps to raise along your skin when you feel the warmth of his breath. “You should really stop your bad habit, Y/N.”

You take a step back and he steps forward.

Before you know it, he’s cornered you in the dark hallway, staring at you intently before his half-lidded eyes flicker to your lips.

You swallow hard. “Go annoy your sister instead.”

“Why should I?” His mouth slyly curls. “I like you way better.”

For the entire duration of the break so far, the both of you have been sneaking around the whole time. From Taehyung instigating a game of footsies under the dinner table to whispering in your ear when no one’s looking to winking at you from across the room so quickly that you’d miss it if you blinked. You feel his affectionate hand on the small of your back when he slides by you, feel his gaze when his shoulders graze yours, and you feel the tickle in your tummy when his voice lowers into that seductive, husky pitch. 

During the summer, he was kind and friendly Taehyung. Cautious when it came to you. Hesitant to look your way.

But this time, he’s intensified. Flirtatious. Bold. Pulling out all stops.

Maybe it’s because he’s pissed that you didn’t contact him like you said you would. Maybe because he doesn’t understand why you’re restraining yourself, and he feels the need to push to know. Maybe because he suspects you know he likes you, and you like him — he wouldn’t be wrong. 

But either way, his new brazen approach was making you weak in your knees.

“Your mom’s coming,” you mutter while pressing your hands to his chest. You don’t know how or why he feels so firm.

“She isn’t. But even if she was, she’d be more than happy to know we’re together.”

“W-We’re not together, Tae.”

“That could change right now.”

“I...I can’t.”

His thick brows furrow. “Why not? I like you, Y/N, a lot.”

You swallow hard, feeling scrutinized under his heavy gaze. Taehyung’s beauty is lethal when he’s this close and you feel an urge to brush away the dark strand that’s fallen in front of his forehead from his neatly styled hair. It was a contrast to the casual hoodie and sweatpants he was wearing. He was handsome and cozy, ready to stop hearts or be hugged like a teddy bear.

It didn’t help that he was saying these kinds of things either. “I know.”

“I don’t think you do.” His voice drops a pitch. “For the past few months, I’ve been thinking about the summer and you. The entire time, I was waiting for you to call me, to text me. Do you know what that’s like?”

“Taehyung.”

“We can make this work. I want to make it work, so don’t make me wait anymore.”

You gaze at him, breath hitched in your throat and your self-control meets its limit. You practically leap onto Taehyung, heart thundering against your rib cage, standing on the tips of your toes — all to kiss him.

It’s soft and unhurried. 

Taehyung is caught off guard, but then you feel his wide smile against you. Immediately, his strong arm reaches for your waist and he tugs you in. A yelp escapes your throat as your bodies become flush against one another. Taehyung’s other hand presses against the wall behind you and he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. His tongue licks into your mouth and you groan, wrapping your arms around his neck. He tastes like sugar cookies, smells like citrus, and absolutely makes your knees weak.

You’re not sure how long you and Taehyung make out for, swapping spit like horny teenagers without experience.

It’s not until you hear a— “what the hell!” — do you break apart.

Joy is standing at the end of the hall and you shove Taehyung away from you, wide-eyed. He stumbles back, equally surprised.

“I-I can explain!”

Joy’s jaw has gone slack and you realize she’s waiting for said explanation.

“I….I…we….umm….”

Taehyung looks at you and then at his sister, opening his mouth to rescue you from this mortifying experience. But his sibling beats him to the punch—

“Look.” She raises her hands and you brace yourself. She wouldn’t end your years of friendship over this, would she? Then again, you can’t blame her if she did. “You don’t have to make this weird. It isn’t weird unless you make it weird. So I’ll just pretend I didn’t see anything.”

“Wait.....what?” That was certainly not the reaction you were expecting. You think you’re more taken aback than she is. “You’re okay with this? You’re okay if we’re dating?”

Joy nonchalantly shrugs. “It’s not a big deal. You’re adults, so you can make your own decisions and I kind of had a feeling there was something going on anyway.” She smiles and looks at her older brother. “Taehyung, you’re way too obvious. The biggest gift under the tree is for her from you.”

He grins. “You caught me there.”

You’re shell-shocked at how unconcerned she is and seemingly supportive at that.

“You knew?”

“Of course I do. We’ve been friends for what, ten years? I knew you had a crush on my brother back then. So if anything, it’s about time.” Joy raises her fist at Taehyung. “You better not make Y/N cry or I’ll make you cry.”

He snorts. “Wow, thanks.”

“Anyway, continue.” Joy lazily gestures. “But we’re watching a movie in five so be quick.”

Your best friend leaves to the bathroom where she was heading to in the first place and you turn to Taehyung who has an amused grin. “Well?”

“I don’t know.” Your mind is reeling at everything that’s happening and how real this is becoming. “For some reason in my mind, I thought that would go way worse.”

“Is that why you were so worried? You didn’t need to be. Joy likes you way more than she likes me, so if anything I’d be the one getting the flack.” Taehyung smiles and leans in. “But does this mean we can finally make it official? Can I call you my girlfriend already?”

You sigh and lift your arms to loop around his neck again. He leans in for another kiss, but you stop short an inch— “Depends on what that gift under the tree is.”

Taehyung grins and before you can pull away, he tugs your waist into him once more.