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haechan is just a simple guy. he doesn't mean any harm to you, you just happened to catch his eye one afternoon on campus.

maybe it was the way you laughed at something your friend said, head tilted back without a care in the world. maybe it was the way you tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear while reading beneath the shade of a tree or maybe there wasn't a reason at all.

all he knows is that after that day, he couldn't forget you, he tried. he really did but somehow everytime he thought about you led his hand in his trousers.

he was tired, tired of stroking himself alone. he laid in his bed every night, the rhythm of his chest rising up and down, sweat scattered on his forehead, as he imagines you, taking his length, filling you to the brim, tears leaving your eyes. he even thought about impreganting you, so you can't leave him.

but at the end of the day, it's all just a piece of his imagination. however, fate has another plan, the dream house party is this weekend. this time, he'd approach you without hesitation filling his blood.

it was finally the weekend. the one where haechan had been thinking about for weeks, where he was finally going to talk to you. he genuinely felt so pathetic as if he was high school teenage girl trying to confess to her crush, but the thing was that this was exactly the same thing.

he saw you the moment you walked in. the noise of the party didn’t fade, not really, but something about you cut through it anyway. oh god, you wore a short skim dress, not aware at how many jerks might be staring at you (including him) which made him want to gauge their eyes. he swore he popped a boner right there and then.

his hands embarassingly sweaty, resulting him clamping his hands over his crotch, trying to hide his rising length during the whole party. it was 12 am, people were leaving slowly, haechan was still there, still standing somewhere between “i’m going to do it” and “i’ll wait a few more minutes.”

which, at this point, was basically his entire personality for the night, he watched you from across the room. you were still surrounded by your friends, still talking, still smiling at something someone said like the world wasn’t quietly winding down around you. like time wasn’t slipping away with every second he hesitated.

he sighed, finally forcing his feet to move this was it. no more standing there pretending he was “waiting for the right moment.” there was no right moment. there was only this one, messy, real, slightly terrifying one.

he took a step forward, then another, eyes locked on you like if he looked away even for a second, he might lose the courage completely but then–

your group shifted, your friends started moving straight toward him or more specifically, toward his friends’ side of the room. haechan’s steps slowed almost instantly.

of course.

of course this was happening now, his heart kicked up so fast it almost felt loud in his ears, like it was trying to warn him before his brain could even catch up. suddenly, everything felt closer. tighter. like the room had shrunk without asking permission.

haechan caught in his gaze, the way you were walking towards him right now...everytime you took a step, your oh so perfect tits bounce just right, his eyes locked on them, for too long but not too long for you to notice. it drived him to the edge of crazy.

his mind already racing with filthly thoughts, he shifts uncomfortably, adjusting his growing erection in his pants. he let out a small, slightly awkward breath that might’ve been a laugh if he had more control over his nervous system.

one of your friends cut in first, haechan barely had time to register the movement before someone was suddenly in front of him, smiling like this was the most normal thing in the world.

“hey! wanna play truth or dare?”

for a second, he just blinked because his brain was still stuck on you being right there. close enough that he didn’t even have to look for you anymore.

“uh—yeah,” he heard himself say before he could overthink it into oblivion, his voice sounded normal. somehow miraculously. his friends immediately reacted like he had just agreed to jump off a building for fun.

haechan shot them a look, but it didn’t really land because his attention kept slipping back to you.

the group started forming a loose circle in the living room, people dragging chairs, sitting on the floor, laughing as the night finally settled into something slower, more contained.

haechan slides into the circle, positioning himself directly across from you so he has a perfect view. he leans back on his hands, legs spread casually as he watches you settle into your spot.

"alright, who's going first?" jaemin asks, spinning an empty bottle in the center. the bottle slows down, pointing directly at one of your friends.one of the friends clapped her hands dramatically, grinning “truth or dare?” the girl the bottle landed on didn’t even hesitate “truth!” immediate chaos.

the group around her reacted at once,

“no fun!!”

“boring!”

“you’re supposed to suffer a little!”

laughter broke through the complaints, filling the space again, light and easy, bouncing off the walls that were slowly feeling less like a party and more like a shared secret between everyone left in the room.

haechan let himself smile a little at that, just watching, but then his eyes drifted.

of course they did, to you.

you were sitting not too far away, listening, laughing at something someone whispered beside you, completely relaxed like the whole thing didn’t have the same effect on him that it did on you.

the girl suddenly leaned forward, eyes scanning the circle like she was about to expose secrets for fun “okay so,” she said, dragging it out for effect, “the people among us… who still is a virgin!" the room went instantly louder.

“oh my god—”

laughter bounced around the circle as people started pointing, teasing, trying to guess before anyone even answered properly. she buried her face in her hands for a second before finally peeking out between her fingers “ugh, fine.”

the room quieted immediately, she pointed across the circle “it's y/n..!" for a split second, everything went still then every head turned toward you, haechan's heart immediately dropped somewhere near his stomach.

the words hit him like a truck, his breath hitching audibly in his throat. immediately, his jeans became painfully tight, the realization that you were untouched driving him absolutely insane. he shifts his legs uncomfortably, trying to hide the massive bulge forming in his pants, his eyes locked solely on you with a newfound, predatory hunger. "fuck..." he muttered under his breath.

you looked completely caught off guard, “what?” you laughed, staring at your friend in disbelief.

“you asked!”

“i didn't think you'd actually say it..”

the room exploded into reactions, some people looked shocked and some looked suspicious. others immediately started teasing you while your friend defended herself with a dramatic, “don't blame me! you told me the truth!”

later, as the party slowly emptied out, people began gathering their things and saying their goodbyes.

the once crowded living room was now scattered with half-finished conversations and tired laughter. the energy had shifted completely from loud and chaotic to soft and sleepy.

haechan stood near the front door, hands tucked into his pockets and somehow, after spending an entire night trying to gather the courage to talk to you, he still hadn't done it.

it was actually impressive.

almost, then he saw you. you were saying goodbye to your friends, adjusting the strap of your bag as you prepared to leave. his stomach dropped.

no.

absolutely not.

if he let you walk out that door now, he knew exactly what would happen. before he could talk himself out of it, his feet started moving and suddenly he was standing in front of you. for a moment, neither of you said anything.

mostly because haechan's carefully prepared speech had completely disappeared from his brain.

"uh..."

great start.

you looked at him expectantly, he nearly laughed from nerves "you're leaving?" the second the words left his mouth, he wanted to throw himself into traffic.

obviously you were leaving.

you were standing by the door with your bag on.

genius observation.

but instead of looking annoyed, you smiled slightly. "yeah."

"right. yeah." he said, with a hint of hesitation.

silence.

haechan could feel himself actively losing this battle then he forced himself to continue "i was wondering..." his voice came out steadier this time. "would it be okay if i dropped you home?"

for a second, his heart forgot how to function, the question hung between you yet somehow it felt like the most terrifying thing he'd ever asked. you blinked, clearly surprised, not uncomfortable. just surprised which, honestly, was fair.

from your perspective, a guy you'd barely spoken to had suddenly appeared at the end of the night offering you a ride.

haechan immediately rushed to explain "only if you're okay with it," he added quickly. "if not, that's completely fine." he scratched the back of his neck, looking away for a moment "i just thought i'd ask." his honesty surprised even himself.

you studied him for a second and for the first time since he'd noticed you months ago in that university courtyard, haechan realized he wasn't looking at some impossible fantasy. he was standing in front of a real person and for the first time, you were looking right back at him.

ever since that night he dropped you to your home. it stimulates him that he knows where you live, your address. he has no bad intentions, he would never think of doing such a pathetic thing— but here he is, infront of your apartment complex.

he has your routine memorized, like the back of his hand. to anyone it was just a mundane routine but to him? it was poetry. he knew, at five am, the morning light peeked in your apartment causing you to wake up. then you'd get ready til six thirty am and leave for your uni.

you'd return home by seven to seven thirty pm, the real rush that made his blood hum with excitement was that today you were at a sleepover, he heard from your friends meaning you wouldn't be home today.

he has no bad intentions, really. he just wants you to feel loved, loved by him.

right now, he stands in front of your apartment. his eyes are locked on the keypad. he paces slowly in the dimly lit hallway. in his mind, he replays the exact movement of your finger. he had the code completely memorized.

he steps closer and presses the digits one by one. a sharp beep tears through the silent hallway. the lock click turns, as the door opens and all he could smell was remnents of you, your smell and your presence.

he steps inside, his eyes filled with lust scanning the familiarly unfamiliar place, the scent of vanilla and jasmine hits him instantly, your scent. it's intoxicating, driving him mad with desire.

he closes the door behind him, the click of the lock echoing in the quiet apartment. he pushes open your bedroom door slowly, stepping inside. his breath catches in his throat. the room is a sanctuary, soft pink walls, fairy lights draped across the ceiling, your scent lingering in the air like a beautiful ghost. he runs his fingers along the edge of your desk, his touch gentle, reverent.

he exits youe room, his feet moving towards the bathroom with a hidden ambition. his heart races as he spies your discarded panties on the bathroom floor. he picks them up cautiously, bringing them to his nose, oh god, your smell... something intimate and erotic awakes inside of him. his cock hardens instantly in his sweatpants.

he looks around, checking if someone could see him. the irony, his hand travels down to his trousers. he palmed his crotch as he found himself delving into your scent, he gasps for air.

he presses the fabric against his nose again, inhaling deeply. his free hand travels down his sweatpants, slowly. his throbbing length springs free and he groans softly, stroking himself as he sniffs your panties. he breathes, his thumb circling his tip. his breath is ragged, desperate. desperate for you.

his hand moves faster, pumping his length rhythmically as he imagines you beneath him. he presses your panties against his face, groaning at the intoxicating scent, "fuck... you smell so good, baby..." he pants, his hips bucking slightly, he closes his eyes, picturing your face.

his strokes grow harder, faster. in his mind, he sees you— eyes wide, lips parted as he slides inside you. He imagines your tight warmth gripping him, your soft moans filling his ears, "yes... take it all" he whines, his hips thrusting into empty air, his voice echoing in the empty apartment.

his pace becomes frantic, desperate. his cock twitches violently in his grip as he imagines your walls clamping down on him, milking him endlessly. his other hand squeezes your panties against his face, he strokes himself with the thrill of getting caught by you.

with a guttural, choked moan, his body arches violently. thick ropes of cum spill over his hand and the bathroom floor, his hips bucking uncontrollably into his fist as he rides out the intense orgasm. he gasps, panting heavily. his entire body trembles as the waves of pleasure crash over him.

after shamelessly catching his breath, he moves to your dresser, pulling open the drawer filled with your neatly folded panties. his eyes darken with hunger as he selects a pair. soft, silk, unused. he rubs his drying cum across the fabric, marking them with his essence.

a dark grin spreads across his face as he finishes marking them, his chest swells with twisted pride that every morning you'll slide into these panties, unaware that his cum will be pressing against your folds, coating your delicate flesh. you'll walk around, go about your day, feeling nothing but the fabric.

the next few days, he sees you across campus and his heart swells with this dark secret. you wave at him brightly, completely unaware that your sweet pussy is basically wraped around his essence. he waves back, playing the naive friend while inside he's burning with possesion.

for the next few weeks, the space between you teo seemed to shrink with every passing day. it became a fixture in the lecture halls, always sliding into the same creaking wooden seats, shoulders brushing with every shared laugh. but the casual hangouts and quiet study dates were no longer enough to quiet the restless storm brewing inside him.

a heavy, aching dissatisfaction had taken root. he didn’t just want to be close to you anymore; he wanted to tear down every remaining boundary, to consume you completely and feel you wrap around him from the inside out.

he just couldn't wait no more. he tried. he really did. but you would test his patience when you showed up in the shortest shorts, and tight tanks that barely covered you. sometimes he wondered if you were intentionally straining his patience, pushing his self-control to the limit.

today, he stood just a step away, his chest rising and falling in a slow, deliberate rhythm. the usual easygoing warmth in his eyes had vanished, replaced by something dark, intense, and unreadable as he watched the rain drip from your jawline.

you'd asked him to drop you off to your apartment, but it started raining, heavily. oh, how haechan thanked the heavens.

the rain fell in punishing sheets, standing under the shelter of the apartment awning, you were both completely soaked. strands of wet hair clung to your face, and your clothes felt heavy, plastering themselves to your skin.

haechan's eyes flickered, catching the way your white shirt had become translucent from the rain, clinging to your curves like a second skin. through the thin, wet fabric, your black bra was clearly visible, the lace pattern barely concealed.

he swallowed hard, his adam's apple bobbing as he watched the water droplets trail down between your breasts, disappearing beneath your collar.

it took every ounce of his self-control to keep his composure. he clenched his jaw, forcing his eyes away from the tantalizing sight of your wet shirt clinging to your breasts. he shifted his weight, discreetly adjusting his stance to hide the growing problem in his jeans, his knuckles turning white as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"uh, i'll go now.." he said, diverting his eyes from you. "you're going to freeze out here," you said, your voice shivering slightly as you offered a kind, sympathetic smile. you gestured toward the heavy glass doors of the complex.

"come inside. just until the storm lets up, i can get you a dry towel." you urged him. how could he refuse you?, to which he reluctantly walked to your apartment, his steps heavy and deliberate as he followed you down the quiet corridor. he kept his eyes locked firmly on the back of your head, watching the way your wet clothes clung to your skin.

his hands curling into tight fists at his sides to keep from reaching out prematurely. he was crossing the threshold into your private world. a faint, dangerous shift passed over his features; a predator recognizing that the cage doors had just been unlocked from the inside.

when you unlocked the door, he stepped inside the utterly familiar house, which once he filled his scent with, inhaling deeply. the air still holds traces of him, ghosts of his presence, of the countless hours he's spent inside your walls. his eyes scan over you, damp and vulnerable, unaware that he's violated this sanctuary of yours dozens of times.

he watches you disappear into the bathroom, his mind racing. the sight of you, soaked and naive, has his heart pounding and his jeans growing tight. when you return with a towel, he takes it from you without a word, deliberately letting his fingers brush against yours.

"thanks.." he said with a soft smile, "yeah, no worries. just make sure don't catch a cold!

he nods, forcing his smile to remain casual as he watches you dry your hair. the gentle concern in your voice sends a jolt of possessiveness through him. he wants to keep you warm, keep you safe... and keep you wrapped around his dick.

"i'll bring you something warm to drink, mhm?" you said softly. his heart swelled at your sweetness. he nodded, watching you walk into the kitchen to make hot coffee. his steps were completely silent as he followed.

he purposely stood directly behind you, pressing his broad, damp chest flush against your back. he leaned his weight against the counter, trapping you between his bodu and the kitchen island. his cock presses against your soaked shorts as he feigns casual indifference, pretending to observe the coffee brewing.

"smells good," yeah, he couldn't give one single fuck about the coffee, the only scent he was craving was yours. he murmurs against your ear, his hips subtly grinding forward so you can't miss it.

you jolted, your breath hitching at the sudden warmth pressing against your back. you quickly convinced yourself he wasn’t doing it intentionally; the kitchen was small, and he was just trying to stay out of the way.

trying to shake off the sudden nervousness, you forced your hands to stay steady and continued brewing the coffee, "uh, yeah..." you stammered, your voice trailing off as you stared fixedly at the mugs, trying to ignore the wetness dripping in your panties.

he notices your nervousness and it intoxicates him. the way you're trying so hard to be normal, to be a good host, while he's violating your personal space. he grinds a little harder, letting you feel the full length of his arousal pressed between your ass cheeks.

you didn't mean to let out a whimper, your clamped your thighs tighter at the contact. haechan's ego swelling at your lack of experience.

his eyes flash with triumph at your unintentional whimper. he swallows hard, his arm wrapping around your waist to pull you back against him fully. his other hand moves to cover yours on the counter, holding you in place as he continues to grind against you slowly, deliberately.

"shh..." his hand travels around your curves, you didn't stop him, it felt so good.

he feels your knees weaken and it makes him dizzy with power. your body is betraying you, responding to his hidden assault even as your mind remains oblivious. he grinds with more pressure. "just let your body feel it...doll."

his hand slides down from your waist to grip your thigh, lifting it slightly to change the angle so he can press deeper between your cheeks. he kisses your neck gently as he dry humps you against the counter.

haechan was way more vocal than you, he moaned against your ear, goosebumps spreading across your skin. his hand travels down to the waistband of your soaked shorts and your panties, tugging them down slowly as your whimpers fill the kitchen.

he drops them to the floor, exposing your bare skin to the cool air and his burning gaze. his cock is rock hard against your ass, slick with his own precum. "you're so wet, baby.." he groans, "you can give it to me, right?"

he coaxed you with his sweet and gentle voice, His voice drops to a low, soothing murmur as his fingers find your slick folds, sliding inside you with agonizing slowness. he feels your walls clench around him, your body responding despite your confusion.

"easy there, doll... just relax for me..." he curls his fingers gently, searching for that spot he knows makes you melt. "you feel so good..."

"haechan...i've never done this before..." you let out a breathy moan, his heart stutters at your confession–which he already knows, something dark and predatory burns behimd his eyes. he strokes you slower, gentler, revering the wet heat of you. his thumb finds the bundle of nerves, rubbing soft circles. he continues to stimulate you to the fullest.

he turns you to face him, his hands framing your face gently as he sees your eyes got glossy from the mere pleasure he gave you. he wondered how badly are you going to break when he stuffs you with his cock, filling you up or when he fucks your throat ruthlessly, gagging around his cock.

oh he was just getting started, you were so devastingly innocent, all he wanted to do was to corrupt you beyond any limit.

his lips curl into a dark smile as he takes in your innocent face, your tear-filled eyes. he realizes just how easy it would be to corrupt you, to take your virginity and make you love every second of it.

haechan, then led you into the bedroom, his hand firm on your lower back as he guided you forward. once inside he started peeling off his clothes right in front of you, first tugging his shirt over his head to reveal his chest, then shoving his pants and underwear down in one motion.

his cock sprung free, already half-hard and flushed. he stepped out of the pile of fabric and moved closer, reaching for your own clothes next. he stripped you slowly, pulling your soaked shirt off, as he clipped off your bra as you stood bare in front of him.

suddenly you were hyperaware of everything about you. you felt insecure, your hands rushed to cover your breasts– but haechan burned inside when he witnessed you conceal your beautiful body, the body which he can worship for hours, the body which he could not leave untouched.

"no, no, no." he immediately pushed your hands from covering yourself. he sounded so angered as if it personally offended him, it absolutely did. he let you sit on the bed, standing in front of you with his cock standing hard.

he had climbed onto the bed and pushed two fingers into your mouth, sliding them over your tongue, "suck," he whispered, his other hand stroked his cock. your naive eyes fluttered open, confused but obedient as you closed your lips around his fingers and sucked gently.

he whimpered, pulling his fingers out and replacing them with the head of his cock, "you're so beautiful, do you know that?" you took him into your mouth, tasting the salt of his precum while he thrust shallowly between your lips, he removed his cock from your lips, and laid you down on the bed.

he pinned your wrists above your head. he shifted lower between your spread thighs, releasing one wrist so his fingers could trail down your stomach. two thick digits pressed between your folds, rubbing over your clit in slow circles before he pushed them inside.

a moan escaped your lips when he moved his digits inside you, his ego swelling beyond limit. he worked them in and out steadily, stretching your tight walls while his thumb kept stroking that sensitive spot above. the way your back arched oh god, he loved how your tits bounced to the rhythm of his strokes. your juices coated his fingers quickly as he curled them upward, searching for the spot that made your hips twitch.

he pulled his fingers free after a few minutes and brought them to his mouth, sucking them clean with a low hum. then he lowered his face between your legs, leaving small pecks on your stomach, on your pelvic bone and on your inner thigh. his tongue dragged a long, flat stripe from your entrance up to your clit, tasting you fully before he sealed his lips around the swollen nub and sucked resulting a devastingly beautiful moan from you. "mhmg!...haechan.."

"oh you taste like heaven..." he licked and lapped with purpose, tongue dipping inside you now and then while his nose pressed against your mound. you trembled continuously and he showed no signs of stopping his assault on your core.

his hands gripped your thighs, keeping them wide open as he ate you out, saliva and your wetness mixing and dripping down toward the sheets.

he stayed there, tongue working deeper and faster, it made you see white, your toes curled with pleasure filling up your nerves. you squirted until your thighs started shaking around his head, your juices gushing out rapidly. his face, the sheets and your thighs dripped of your cum.

only then did he pull back, lips shiny, and crawl up your body again. he gazed at your dried tears, "oh baby, you did so well," he captured your lips in a deep, consuming kiss, nothing sweet or innocent about it. his tongue invades your mouth. he moaned into the kiss, tasting your juice, suckling on your tongue, a clash of teeth and tongues.

"i'm gonna fill you up raw, baby..." he heaved with lust veiling his eyes, his cock rested heavy against your slick pussy as he positioned himself, the head nudging your entrance without pushing in yet.

he growls, lining the thick head of his cock against your untouched entrance. he pushes forward slowly at first, the fat tip stretching your tight hole, then slams in deeper with one rough thrust. your hymen tears open under the force, the thin membrane ripping apart around his cock as he forces every inch inside you, you screamed out, with pain flowing in veins which slowly transitioned into tempering pleasure.

blood trickles out around his shaft, spilling on the bedsheet and mixing with the slick from his precum as he starts pounding into you without mercy. each thrust drives deeper, stretching your virgin walls that clench and flutter around him.

he pulls back just enough to see the red streaks on his cock before slamming back in, fucking the torn innocence wider with every stroke. his hips snap forward relentlessly, the wet sounds of your bleeding cunt filling the room as he claims your virginity completely.

he doesn't slow down, not one bit. he finally have you under him, after months of longing. hd grinded his pelvis against your clit while his cock rearranges your insides, pushing past the resistance until he's buried balls deep as he fucks you harder, the head of his dick battering your cervix with each brutal thrust.

your body shakes under him while he uses your freshly deflowered pussy, pulling out partially to watch your juices cling to his cock before ramming back inside.

his pace grew erratic as he chased his orgasm, grinding deep and holding there while his cock pulsed. hot cum flooded your insides, thick ropes painting your walls and leaking out around his shaft to mix with the blood.

he stayed buried inside you, rocking gently to push his load deeper, "stay like this, doll.." he ordered, keeping you pinned beneath him, "we don't want any of it to drip out? okay?"

haechan told himself, he can't live without you, never and you can never leave him, ever. the way he can keep you to himself, only to himself is to get you pregnant. his nerves filled with joy, when he envisions you all big and plump with his seed in you.

so, even after he came he kept his cock inside, half-hard and twitching as more cum seeped into you. his hands roamed your body while he whispered about how he'd keep coming back to fill you up until your belly swelled.

you laid there dazed, his fingers back in your mouth as you sucked them clean, completely unaware of how thoroughly he'd claimed you.

"national figure skating star zheng y/n, 23, has been accused of violating anti-doping regulations after reports alleged the presence of AAS, commonly known as performance enhancing substances, during a recent investigation. as the controversy spreads online, additional allegations surrounding misconduct and favouritism within the federation have also surfaced, causing public backlash and placing her career under intense scrutiny."

the sound of the reporter echoed through the empty ice skating rink, her voice bouncing off the cold walls like a cruel reminder of everything crashing down around you.

your coach stormed across the ice, dress shoes scraping harshly against the surface before he shoved his phone inches from your face. his fists were balled so tightly his knuckles had turned white. he was furious. beyond furious.

“tell me this isn’t true.”

on the screen was your face plastered across every headline.

zheng y/n accused of doping scandal.

your breath caught as the reporter continued speaking in the background.

“—additional allegations have begun surfacing online, causing severe backlash against the twenty-three-year-old figure skater…”

the rink suddenly felt colder than ever.

you looked down, with glossy eyes. you shouldn't cry, this isn't your place to cry, you embarrassed your coach, your teammates, your family, and yourself. you bit your lower lip, forcing back tears. you let out a sigh.

"coach," you exhaled, wondering if he'll believe what you say. "i didn't do it. i swear," a tear falling against your cheek, your throat tightening. a lump forming in your throat, your heart felt suffocated; you couldn't get the words out of your words.

your throat tightened painfully, as your chest rose unevenly. it felt like the air had disappeared from the rink entirely, your heart squeezing so hard it hurt to breathe.

“i would never do something like that…” you whispered. your coach furrowed his eyebrows, not convinced, though he knew you wouldn't do something like this. not because he thought you were guilty; no, he had watched you bleed on the ice for years, watched you train until your ankles gave out and your hands trembled from exhaustion. he knew you better than anyone.

but scandals like this didn’t care about the truth. before you could say another word, he grabbed your wrist, tugging you toward the rink exit.

“okay then,” he said quickly, desperation slipping into his voice, “we’ll go to the police and tell them everything. i’ll talk to the higher-ups myself. i’ll make sure you stay on the national team until this gets cleared up.”

his words lit the smallest candle of hope inside your chest. for a second, you wanted to believe him and wanted to believe this could still be fixed.

your lips trembled as you slowly pulled your hand away from his grasp, fingers curling tightly into your palms until your nails dug painfully into your skin.

“coach,” you said shakily, forcing the words out through gritted teeth, “listen to me.” he furrowed his brows, beads of sweat dropping from his forehead in this cold room.

“it’s not that easy.”

your coach stared at you, confusion and frustration mixing across his face. “what do you mean it’s not easy?” he snapped quietly. “if you didn’t do it, then we fight this. we prove them wrong.” a bitter laugh almost escaped you. you swallowed harshly, your voice dropping to barely above a whisper.

“they already decided i’m guilty.”

⛸️ A WEEK LATER

a week later, the world outside had only gotten louder. headlines, accusations, interviews, every channel still had your name plastered across the screen like you were some criminal waiting to be sentenced. sponsors dropped you one by one. your federation released a vague statement. even your social media had become unbearable to look at.

so you stopped.

stopped answering calls. stopped opening curtains. stopped stepping outside.

your apartment was dark, cold, buried in silence as you laid curled beneath layers of blankets on the couch, staring blankly at the muted television.

ding dong.

your brows furrowed, for a moment, you ignored it, thinking whoever it was would eventually leave. but the bell rang again. and again, letting out a tired sigh, you pushed the blankets off yourself and dragged your feet toward the door. the moment you opened it, your breath caught slightly.

“y/n…”

standing outside were your teammates, xinyu and shuhua held a paper bag tightly in her hands while xinyu offered you a small, hesitant smile. both of them looked worried the second they saw your exhausted appearance.

and suddenly, after spending an entire week alone, the apartment didn’t feel quite as empty anymore.

you stepped back, to let them inside,the familiar warmth of their presence filling the stale air, their expressions melted into visible sadness after seeing your state. concern, sadness, almost painful in your eyes. you were wrapped in exhaustion. i mean you looked pitiful, understandable.

"y/n, i'm so sorry this happened to you," shuhua whispered with a frown on her face, xinyu nodded behind her, agreeing what shuhua was preaching. you simply nodded at her words because what else can you do, but you were honestly happy when they told you about their achievements.

you moved quickly, motioning for them to sit before going to the kitchen to grab glasses of water, after a week of hibernating inside your blankets.your movements felt somewhat slow as if your body was still catching up to the week you'd lost. you felt warmth within you, seeing your friends.

xinyu hesitated before putting the glass on the table. "i got selected into the national team, replacing you," complete silence. "honestly, i feel so guilty, i'm so sorry, y/n." xinyu frowned with a pout on her lips.

your chest tightened, not because you blamed her, but the world had already taken so much from you, another good news sounded like a kind of loss for you.

you exhaled slowly, forcing a soft smile to form even as it wavered at the edges. “i’m so happy for you, xinyu,” you whispered, voice gentle. you gave her a look that tried to be reassuring, though it didn’t quite reach your eyes. “i’m glad you’re getting opportunities… you don’t have to feel guilty.”

your words came out steady, but something sharp formed in your throat right after, like a lump made of thorns pressing down every breath you tried to take. xinyu opened her mouth like she wanted to argue, but shuhua gently touched her arm, stopping her.

and just like that, the conversation drifted, thirty minutes passed like that. soft voices filling the space you thought had forgotten how to hold people. shuhua talked about practice sessions, about the coach being stricter than ever, about how the rink felt emptier without you. then she hesitated, glancing at you carefully.

“coach… and everyone,” shuhua said quietly, “they still talk about you.”your fingers paused around your glass. “they said they miss you,” she continued. “and… they’re waiting for you to come back.” for a moment, you didn’t respond.

something warm and fragile stirred inside your chest — unfamiliar after days of cold silence. you blinked once, then again, as if making sure you heard her correctly.

they still… wanted you back?

your lips parted slightly, but no words came out. instead, your shoulders sank just a little, like your body was finally allowing itself to feel something other than emptiness, and for the first time in a long while…you didn’t feel completely alone.

you opened your mouth to speak, but before any words could come out, xinyu’s phone suddenly rang. the vibration cut through the soft atmosphere like a crack. she reached for it quickly, glancing at the screen before answering.

“oh, alright, i’ll be there!” she said brightly, a smile instantly appearing on her face. she ended the call and looked up, only to meet two silent stares; yours and shuhua’s. who was it? the question hung unspoken in the air.

xinyu hesitated for a second before shifting in her seat. “guys… i think i have to leave earlier than expected. i have practice.” her eyes lit up slightly as she said it. “you know the finals are coming up…” for a moment, something flickered in your chest.

that expression. that excitement.

it used to be yours.

you used to speak like that about practice. about skating. about everything waiting for you on the ice. shuhua shot xinyu a sharp look, inhaling through her teeth in frustration, but xinyu immediately looked guilty. “oh—i didn’t mean to—”

you raised your hands gently, cutting her off before she could spiral. a small, genuine smile formed on your lips. “no, no! it’s fine,” you said softly. “it’s good seeing you happy, xinyu.” for a second, the tension eased. xinyu smiled back at you, a little relieved now, and quickly stood up to gather her things.

“i’ll text you later,” she said, adjusting her bag. you nodded at her, she gave both you and shuhua a small wave before heading out the door, her steps quick with purpose, already returning to the world you had been pulled out of and just like that… the apartment grew quieter again.

💊 AT SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

the room was too quiet for something so expensive. it didn’t feel like a hospital room, more like a luxury apartment dressed in white walls and sterile silence. polished floors. soft lighting. a skyline view that meant nothing when you couldn’t step outside.

monitors beeped steadily beside the bed, each sound a reminder that time was still moving, even when everything else felt frozen. qian kun sat in a chair beside his father, posture straight but heavy, elbows resting on his knees.

on the wall-mounted television behind them, muted news footage played, headlines, scandals, names flashing across the screen like they were disposable. he didn’t really look at it.

his gaze stayed on the man in the hospital bed instead. his father. the man who built QN group from nothing. the man who now lay pale and still, weakened by something money couldn’t negotiate with. kun’s jaw tightened slightly. all of this, the wealth, the empire, the influence, and none of it could fix this.

his fingers curled once, slowly, then relaxed again. controlled. always controlled. but control didn’t change the fact that the beeping monitor was the only thing proving his father was still here and somewhere behind the noise of the television, another name flickered across the screen.

zheng y/n.

kun’s eyes finally shifted, just slightly distant, calculating as the reporter continued, the muted television filled the room with a soft, distant hum.

“figure skater zheng y/n… accused of misuse of AAS, also known as performance-enhancing doping…”

kun’s gaze, previously fixed on his father, slowly lifted, his eyes moved to the screen. the image of her appeared; bright arena lights, a frozen moment of perfection, a smile that didn’t match the chaos now being spoken over it. his expression changed almost unnoticeably.

his eyes narrowed slightly, studying the face on the screen, the gaze so sharp as if he could shoot razors into the screen. around him, the monitors kept beeping steadily, indifferent to the world outside the room, the reporter’s voice continued, but it blurred into background noise.

his father’s eyelids fluttered before slowly opening, the beeping monitors shifting slightly in rhythm as his condition stabilized just enough to return to awareness. kun’s posture straightened immediately. the screen behind him was forgotten in an instant.

“father…” he spoke quietly, almost restrained, like even his voice had been trained to stay controlled in moments like this. chairman qian turned his head with visible effort, lips curling into a weak, almost teasing smile.

“ah…” he rasped, voice rough but still carrying that familiar vigour of authority, “i forgot i had a son who actually cared about me.” a faint breath of laughter escaped him, strained but real. “you finally visited me, you punk!" kun exhaled slowly through his nose, expression unchanged, though his eyes softened just slightly.

“i couldn’t before,” he replied evenly, “due to overlapping meetings.” it sounded like a report more than an excuse. the chairman narrowed his eyes at him, unimpressed even in his weakened state. “meetings,” he repeated, as if the word itself was offensive. “you always have meetings.” kun didn’t respond immediately.

his gaze stayed steady, composed, the kind of calm that didn’t break even under pressure, but the faint sound of the television behind them still lingered in the room’s atmosphere, like something unfinished.

his father kept talking, voice still weak but carrying that same stubborn energy that never really left him “my son…” he muttered, staring at the ceiling like he was already exhausted by the conversation, “how old are you already? you’re thirty this year.”

his father let out a long breath, half annoyed, half amused“you know,” he continued, “i was already married at twenty-one.”he turned his head slightly, squinting at kun like he was personally offended by his life choices.

“and you?"

“what about you, you punk?”

kun blinked once, slow. the question landed, but he didn’t rush to answer it. his expression stayed calm, almost unreadable, but something behind his eyes shifted, faint, complicated, like he’d heard it a hundred times before but never felt like replying. he glanced down for a moment, then back at his father.

“you were forced to marry, i am not,” he said simply.

not rude. not defensive. just… honest.

his father clicked his tongue softly, clearly unimpressed, but there was no real anger in it. just a tired kind of concern buried under years of expectation, his father raised an eyebrow suddenly, eyes narrowing with visible curiosity despite how exhausted he looked.

“kun,” he started slowly, “are you gay?”

kun stared at him blankly.

the chairman continued anyway, completely serious. “you’re always stuck to your secretary’s hip. uh… what’s his name again…”his brows furrowed as he tried to remember. then his face lit up faintly.

“ah, yes. sicheng.”

kun looked at him with complete deadpan silence for a solid second before exhaling quietly through his nose. “that’s not the case, father." his tone stayed calm, though faint disbelief slipped through. kun met his father’s eyes directly, and posture is still composed as ever.

“i’m not interested in marriage,” he said simply.

a brief pause followed before he added, quieter this time,

“not right now.”

his father hummed unconvinced, giving him a long look like he could see straight through him. “you punk! i'm on my deathbed, just let me see you married.” kun rubbed a hand over his face, he said with genuine care.

“father, don't get rile up over something so useless, your blood pressure is gonna spike up again.” the chairman shot back "qian kun,” his tone alone made him look at him properly.

the chairman suddenly straightened slightly, whatever weakness in his body was momentarily overshadowed by pure stubbornness.

“if you do not get married while i’m still alive…” he paused to exhale, breath shaky from exhaustion, “then i will donate every last cent of my fortune.”

“no chairman position. no inheritance. nothing.”

the older man narrowed his eyes at him.

“stay a bachelor for the rest of your life since that’s apparently what you like.”

with a dramatic huff, chairman qian crossed his arms as best as he could and turned his back toward him like an upset child refusing to continue the conversation. silence filled the room for a second. kun stared at the back of his father’s head, almost in disbelief.

“…father.”

“hmph.”

“you’re blackmailing me from a hospital bed..?"

“and?” the chairman grumbled without turning back. “is it working?” kun let out a breath of amusement, somewhere between a sigh and a laugh. he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple slowly.

kun raised an eyebrow for a brief moment before letting out a quiet sigh. he stood from his chair and leaned down slightly, carefully pulling the duvet higher over his father’s shoulders. despite everything, the motion was instinctive. gentle.

“rest,” he said quietly. “i’ll be taking my leave now.” his father didn’t reply this time. whether asleep or simply ignoring him out of stubbornness, kun couldn’t tell, he stared at him for a second longer before finally turning away.

the vip room door slid open smoothly. outside stood two large bodyguards dressed in black, stiff as statues. beside them was his secretary, sicheng, completely absorbed in his phone as he scrolled through something with zero awareness of his surroundings. kun walked toward him with measured, clean steps.

then snapped his fingers directly in front of his face, and sicheng nearly jumped out of his skin. “oh—my god,” he breathed out, clutching his chest dramatically. “you scared me.” kun looked at him blankly. “slacking off?” the question immediately made sicheng straighten his posture like someone hit a reset button.

“absolutely not!” he said quickly. “i was just, uh… checking the deployment of the new—” kun cut him in “didn’t we already do that?” sicheng visibly froze, “…double checking,” he recovered weakly, forcing out a nervous laugh. “is quite efficient, boss.”

kun stared at him for a long second, thoroughly unconvinced, then he started walking again. sicheng hurried after him as the bodyguards followed behind. the polished hospital hall echoed with their footsteps while the two continued bickering on the way toward the elevator.

“you spend more time on your phone than working.”

“that’s not true.”

“your screen time says otherwise.”

“…you checked my screen time?”

kun glanced at him flatly. “you left it open during a meeting.” sicheng groaned quietly in embarrassment while the elevator doors slid open in front of them.

❄️ TWO WEEKS LATER ❄️

your name slowly disappeared from television screens. the headlines that once screamed your downfall were buried beneath newer scandals, newer tragedies, and newer people for the world to tear apart. tv stations stopped mentioning you. reporters stopped camping outside your apartment. even the internet seemed to move on.

the chaos died down, but for you, the world had stopped the moment everything was taken away because people didn’t understand that it wasn’t just your reputation you lost. it was your first love.

ice skating had been there before the medals, before the cameras, the pressure. it was the only place where your mind ever felt quiet, the only thing that ever made you feel free and now, even looking at your skates hurt but still… some habits were impossible to abandon.

so sometimes, late at night when the city was asleep, you would sneak into the ice rink. hidden beneath oversized hoodies and caps, hoping no one would recognize the fallen athlete everyone once adored, the rink was always freezing. empty and silent but the moment your blades touched the ice, something inside you loosened.

you skated alone beneath dim lights, movements softer now, slower not for practice, not for competition, not for perfection, just to breathe, to let out the emotions trapped inside your chest; the anger. the grief. the humiliation, all the words you couldn’t bring yourself to say out loud became etched into the ice instead..

so lost in your thoughts, your blade slipped slightly against the ice, your balance gave out in an instant

“ah—”

you twisted your ankle awkwardly before falling face-first onto the freezing surface with a harsh thud. ouch. usually, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. twisted ankles, sore muscles, and bruises they were normal in skating. you’d learned how to endure pain years ago, but today…

today it hurt.

you slowly pushed yourself upright, sitting on the ice as you reached for your left foot. your fingers trembled slightly while untying the skate, carefully pulling it off, the moment you rotated your ankle gently, pain shot through it sharply. a small yelp escaped your lips as you inhaled through your mouth, trying to breathe through it.

it hurt more than before or maybe… maybe it was everything else hurting at the same time, the humiliation. the loneliness. the silence. all the emotions you kept forcing down finally felt too heavy to carry. a tear slipped down quietly, landing against your knee. then another, and another.

your vision blurred almost instantly as your breathing became uneven. you pressed a hand over your mouth, trying to stop it, trying to stay quiet, but the sob that escaped you sounded broken after weeks of holding everything in, you finally shattered.

your cries echoed through the empty rink, small and helpless against the massive walls surrounding you, sitting alone on the ice, crying harder than the injury itself deserved.

you asked your manager to drive you to the hospital. your eyes were swollen and red, exhaustion still lingering in them after crying for what felt like hours. strangely enough, part of you felt lighter now, like all the emotions trapped inside your chest had finally spilt out but another part of you felt miserable. pathetic.

your manager helped you through the hospital entrance, your limp uneven as you walked through the polished white halls. the scent of antiseptic filled the air, you’d been here countless times before because of skating injuries. sprains, bruises, and overworked muscles.

but this time felt different.

ridiculous, almost.

later, you sat quietly in front of a nurse while she carefully wrapped gauze around your swollen ankle. you winced slightly at the pressure, earning a small chuckle from her.

“you have low pain tolerance, don’t you?” she teased lightly.

the nurse looked young, kind, the type of person whose warmth naturally made people relax around her. you gave her a small smile.

“you figured.”

before she could reply, the door suddenly swung open. your manager rushed inside hurriedly, nearly out of breath. “can we speed this up a little?” she asked the nurse quickly. “we have to leave soon.” you looked up at her, confused.

“why?” your brows knitted together. “we just got here. the doctor said i still need more tests—”

“xinyu just called me,” your manager interrupted immediately. “i need to drop her off at practice. we can’t let her be late.” she spoke urgently, wiping sweat from her forehead like this was obvious.

oh.

something inside your chest stung quietly.

you lowered your eyes to your injured ankle.

was i not important anymore?

am i just… a burden now?

the thoughts came so naturally it scared you, you stayed silent after that, lost in your own head while the nurse continued wrapping your ankle gently; a few minutes later, she finally leaned back with a satisfied nod.

“miss zheng, i finished it.”

you blinked and looked up at her, the nurse hesitated briefly before leaning closer, lowering her voice into a whisper only you could hear.

“good luck,” she said softly. “i hope your scandal gets resolved soon.”

your eyes widened slightly and she smiled warmly at you.

“you didn’t do it. a lot of people are waiting for you to return.”

for a second, your throat tightened again, not because of pain. but how overwhelmed you felt. your heart swelled, and your eyes got somewhat glossy. you had to keep your composure, so you smiled at her softly.

as you carefully stood up, your hand gripping the chair for support, your manager quickly moved to help steady you. you thanked the nurse quietly before limping toward the door. just before leaving, you glanced back once more. the nurse gave you a small wave, you slowly waved back.

somehow, that tiny interaction stayed warm in your chest. the two of you made your way through the hospital hallways, the polished white floors reflecting the bright overhead lights. your ankle throbbed with every uneven step. then your manager’s phone rang again.

xinyu.

she answered immediately, the call wasn’t on speaker, but xinyu’s voice was loud enough for you to hear clearly through the phone.

“where are you?” she complained sharply. “i told you to come at 3:30. it’s already 3:23 right now!”

your manager instantly tensed.

“ah, i’m sorry, xinyu—”

“and why are you still managing y/n anyway?” xinyu scoffed. “she’s completely washed up now.”

your steps slowed.

“she’s such a burden to you. to me. to all of us.”

the words pierced through you so suddenly it almost felt physical, your chest tightened painfully. that horrible lump returned to your throat instantly as your eyes began glossing over again still, you kept your face forward.

pretended you didn’t hear it.

pretended your heart hadn’t just shattered all over again.

your manager kept apologizing nervously into the phone, “i’m really sorry, xinyu. i’m coming right now, i’ll just drop her off first—”

“i’ll drop her off.”

a calm, deep voice suddenly interrupted.

you flinched immediately, and both you and your manager turned around at the same time. standing a few steps behind you was a tall man dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his posture composed, expression unreadable.

qian kun.

your eyes widened slightly.

wait, what...qian kun…?!

his eyes briefly flickered toward your manager — sharp enough to silence her instantly before settling on you and somehow, under that steady gaze…you suddenly became painfully aware of how small you looked standing there injured and humiliated.

📂 KUN's POV

kun had been visiting his father more frequently these days, too frequently. the kind of frequency that didn’t come from habit, but from something heavier, something he didn’t say out loud.

his father’s condition was deteriorating day by day, and even though kun never showed it on his face, it sat behind his ribs constantly, like a weight that refused to leave. stress from work didn’t help, neither did the silence that followed him home and at night, he would lie awake staring at the ceiling, thinking in loops he couldn’t break out of.

what if this was it? what if nothing got better? dark circles had started forming under his eyes, subtle, but there. a detail only people close enough would notice.

this was his third visit to the hospital in a week, he stayed with his father for about an hour, listening more than speaking, as usual. his presence alone seemed to be enough for the older man, even if they argued half the time.

when he finally stood to leave, it was supposed to be routine.

leave. work. repeat.

but then he saw you, limping through the hallway, small and slow, like you were carrying more than just an injured ankle. his steps stopped without permission; behind him, sicheng immediately caught up, phone in hand.

“boss, the team reported that the prototype is ready—”

kun didn’t even look at him.

“empty my schedule.”

sicheng blinked.

“…what?”

his voice cracked slightly in disbelief, kun finally glanced at him, expression completely flat.

“empty. my. schedule.”

a pause.

“you heard me.”

sicheng looked like he’d just been personally betrayed by reality “what do you mean empty your schedule?” he asked loudly, gesturing at the tablet. “you have three meetings, a board review, and—”

kun exhaled slowly, already done with the conversation, “today,” he said simply, “i’m playing hooky.” sicheng stared at him like he’d never met this man before in his life

then, with visible frustration, he stomped away and started aggressively tapping at the tablet, muttering under his breath while cancelling everything in existence, kun didn’t move.

he just watched you from a distance. waiting, not rushing. not interrupting, just timing, calculating it like this wasn’t a coincidence at all, even if he would later call it one.

an accidental interaction.

kun stepped forward with quiet, controlled steps, the kind that didn’t make noise but still somehow filled the space, almost eerie and ghostly.

he didn’t know what exactly he’d interrupted. he only knew something felt wrong, you looked… not okay. not in a dramatic way, not something he could define properly. just a feeling. broken wasn’t the word he would’ve used; kun didn’t really use emotional labels like that but something was clearly off.

and then he heard it.

your manager, talking about dropping you off. she was rushing, stressed and distracted. something in the situation didn’t sit right with him, so he stepped in.

he stopped right behind you, close enough to be heard but not close enough to invade, he was calm, composed and unreadable as always.

“i’ll drop her off.”

your head snapped towards him, your manager turned too, both of you looked surprised. kun paused for half a second.

why are they surprised?

it wasn’t like he’d said anything unusual. it was a simple sentence, a simple solution. his brows lifted slightly, as if trying to decode your expression.

was it confusion? disbelief? panic? before he could decide, he cleared his throat and repeated himself, voice a little firmer this time.

“i said, i’ll drop you off.”

you blinked, once, twice and then thrice. “...what?” you muttered, turning briefly toward your manager instead, like she would somehow explain this situation better than reality itself.

your manager looked between you and kun with an expression that clearly said: i am about to abandon you in the most brutal way possible, you widened your eyes slightly, shaking your head at her in a subtle “no, don’t you dare” motion.

but her phone rang again.

xinyu.

and that was it. your manager froze for a second, looked at her phone, then looked at kun like he had just descended from heaven personally.

“oh my god!” she blurted out. “you’re a lifesaver, ceo kun!”

your eyes widened immediately.

of course she said it.

“please take care of my precious y/n!” she continued dramatically, already backing away. “i’ll leave her in your care! goodbye!”

before you could even react or protest, she rushed toward the almost closing elevator, the doors slid open just in time, she gave you a nervous smile, continuously pressing the close the door button and then she was gone.

silence, you stood there. kun stood there and somewhere down the hallway, the elevator doors closed like a final verdict.

your mind drifted right back to the extremely awkward situation you were now stuck in. your fingers moved unconsciously to the back of your neck, scratching lightly as you tried to process what was happening.

“uh… you didn’t really have to—” you started.

“can we talk for a moment? i wanted to discuss something with you.”

he cut you off cleanly, as if your sentence had never existed. your mouth opened slightly, then closed again. you narrowed your eyes at him, confusion clear on your fvae.

“what discussion could you be having with me..?” you asked, genuinely curious now, despite everything, he didn’t hesitate, his tone stayed firm, controlled.

“i don’t think you should stand for too long. let’s sit there.” he motioned toward the hospital café without waiting for your response, you blinked once, then slowly nodded, too tired to argue.

a few minutes later, you were sitting across from him. the café was quiet, too clean, too bright, like every hospital café ever. he had placed a cup of bitter coffee in front of you, the kind that tasted as if someone combined water with dog shit.

You stared at it for a second, then back at him, he sat perfectly straight and composed, expensive-looking in a way that somehow felt unfair in a hospital setting, he looked perfect— what.

you shook your head slightly, forcing yourself back into focus before your thoughts could wander anywhere else, your arms rested on the table as you finally spoke.

“what did you want to discuss with me…?”

you hesitated slightly before adding, raisng a brow.

“ceo… kun?”

he looked at you deadpan and, without any hesitation, slid a file across the table. it stopped right in front of you. neat, official, almost too deliberate for what it represented.

you only glanced at it at first, not really registering the word contract before your attention was completely pulled away by what he said next.

“marry me.”

you stayed staring at the file for a second longer, as if ignoring it would somehow rewind reality. then your head snapped up slowly. “…come again?” you asked, voice unsure.

kun didn’t react to your shock. his expression stayed calm, controlled. “you make me repeat myself a lot,” he said flatly, then added, “marry me, miss y/n.”

your brain went completely blank. your mouth opened, then closed again as you blinked at him like he had just spoken in a language you didn’t understand. you even glanced around the empty café, just to confirm this wasn’t some mistake directed at someone else. “…huh?” you muttered.

then, still trying to catch up, you blurted out, “sorry, what? marry? like marriage? getting married? husband and wife?” your hands moved slightly as your thoughts spilled out faster than you could control them. kun listened without interrupting, completely steady, and then simply nodded. “yes,” he said. “i would like you to be my wife.”

silence fell immediately after that. you froze, staring at him like your mind had temporarily shut down, before slowly looking back down at the file. your voice came out quieter this time. “what is this then..?” you asked, pointing at it. “a marriage contract,” he replied calmly, almost convincing you as if he asked you to do a small favor

you swallowed, still trying to make sense of it. “why me? i mean… so suddenly?” you asked. he exhaled lightly, almost like the question was expected. “relax,” he said, as if this was all simple. “my father’s health is deteriorating. if i don’t get married, while he's alive. he’ll donate all his fortune and step down as chairman.”

you frowned slightly. “why don’t you marry someone you love…? wouldn’t that be better than… wasting your time with me?”

kun looked at you for a moment before answering, completely straightforward. “i don’t have time to love,” he said. then, without changing his tone, he looked at you, almost sincerely, "what do you say?"

his words almost made you believe this was some kind of soap opera you were in, you instantly snapped out of your bubble, after you grasp what kind of situation you are in right now. you swallowed, trying to form a sentence but couldn't find the words to.

"don't worry," he says flatly, "i will not pressurize you, so please take your time, considering my offer." he looked at you in such a genuine and desperate way, you almost melted.

you let out huff, straightening your horrible posture, a sign of confidence that you understand where he's coming from. "why should i have to marry you..? what do I gain from it, and my career—"

kun raised a brow, his gaze steady and unflinching as it stayed on you. there was a bit mockery in his expression, with blunt honesty.

“your career?” he said calmly. “isn’t it already over?”

the words landed without softness, without hesitation with no remorse, no cushioning. just fact, spoken like a report. for a second, you went completely still. the café felt quieter than before, like even the background noise had stepped back out of respect for how direct that was.

you clicked your tongue, letting out a sharp scoff as irritation finally broke through your shock. your brows knitted together, disbelief written clearly across your face.

“excuse me,” you said, voice rising slightly, “you’re the one asking me a favor and now you’re insulting me?”

kun didn’t react immediately. he just watched you for a moment, as if measuring your response rather than being affected by it then he leaned back slightly in his chair, expression still calm, still infuriatingly composed.

he then, states with a firm and deliberate tone, "if you marry me, i will clear your name, get you back into the national team, and chase the person who accused you til the end of this world," his gaze stayed on you, firm and unwavering. “and i will make sure they face consequences.”

maybe you were out of your mind to think it sounded kind of romantic. you were losing your composure for the nth time, while he sat on the chair, showing little to no expression for the past 15 minutes. you sighed, again.

“why? why work so hard for me? to clear my name… get married to a respectable woman. don’t get involved with an alleged druggie like me,” you said, eyes dropping back to the file like it was safer than looking at him.

kun didn’t answer immediately. his gaze stayed on you, steady, unreadable, like he was deciding how honest to be without making it worse then he spoke, calm as ever.

“because i feel bad for you.”

a pause followed, brief but firm.

“and if i marry another woman, i’ll be leaving them with no reason one day.”

his tone didn’t soften, but it shifted slightly, less detached, more bluntly practical.

“i asked you,” he continued, “because we both have something to gain.”

silence settled between you again, the café suddenly felt too bright, too clean for a conversation like this. kun’s eyes stayed on you, unwavering. “you get your name back,” he added simply. “i get what i need to satisfy my father’s condition.”

your teeth gritted as your voice finally rose, frustration breaking through everything you were trying to hold in “i don’t need your pity, and i don’t need you to clear my name.”

your eyes stung immediately after the words left your mouth, glossy despite how hard you tried to keep them steady. the lump in your throat returned instantly, heavier than before, making it harder to breathe normally.

kun didn’t react right away instead, he reached into his pocket and calmly pulled out a handkerchief, placing it in front of you on the table like it was the most casual thing in the world.

you stared at it, then at him.

“what’s this?” your voice wavered despite your effort to keep it steady.

“you look like you’re about to cry,” he said simply, brutally honest.

you immediately turned your face away with a scoff, rolling your eyes upward like that alone could force the tears back where they came from.

“who said i’m about to cry,” you muttered, your voice trembled.

but a tear slipped out anyway. then another followed. your brows furrowed as embarrassment quickly took over your entire chest, spreading fast, suffocating. your breathing turned uneven, a shaky exhale escaping you as your lips trembled.

you sniffed once, then grabbed the handkerchief without thinking any further, covering your face with it as everything you had been holding in finally collapsed.

you cried, fully and openly. like no one was watching, your sobs filled the quiet café, breaking whatever fragile stillness was left. a few people nearby turned to look, but before the attention could settle, kun subtly raised his hand and gestured to the guards nearby, who quietly guided the people away without disturbance.

time blurred after that.

you cried for what felt like forever, though it was only minutes; your shoulders shaking, breath uneven, everything you had buried for weeks spilling out all at once, eventually, it slowed.

you lowered the handkerchief, sniffing softly, eyes red and swollen as you tried to pull yourself back together, across from you, kun hadn’t moved much. he wasn’t looking at you.

instead, his gaze was fixed out the window, where the sunlight peeked in quietly, like nothing had just fallen apart at the table between you both.

⛸️ TWO DAYS LATER

two days later, you kept telling yourself it hadn’t really happened. it was easier that way, easier to pretend the hospital café, the contract file, and the calm voice saying something as absurd as marry me were just your brain trying to process stress in the worst possible way but it didn’t leave.

the words kept coming back at random moments, like they had settled somewhere in your mind and refused to move out. marriage contract, clear your name, get you back into the national team.

it didn’t sound bad when you broke it down logically. in fact, it sounded almost too clean for the mess your life had become. a solution with terms and outcomes instead of uncertainty but then reality would follow right after the logic.

your mother’s reaction and the media headlines. the internet turning it into another spectacle, raging headlines on news "disgraced skater marries qian group ceo after scandal"

even thinking about it made your chest tighten, so you called your friends over, though only shuhua came, since xinyu said she was busy practicing. right, it rubbed in like salt on a freshly cut open wound.

now she sat across from you in your apartment, legs folded under her, watching you with that familiar mix of concern and confusion as you fidgeted with your hands.

“so let me get this straight,” she said slowly, “the ceo of qian group offered you a contract marriage… in a hospital café?”you exhaled, leaning back against the couch.

“…when you say it like that, it sounds insane.” shuhua raised a brow immediately, "because it is insane.” you let out a small, tired laugh, rubbing your face before dropping your hands into your lap again.

“but it’s not bad,” you muttered. “i mean… it fixes everything.”the room quieted slightly after that. shuhua studied you for a moment, her expression softening just a little,“or it ties you into something you can’t walk away from,” she said quietly.

you didn’t respond right away. instead, your gaze drifted down to your hands, your voice lower when you finally spoke, “…i know.”

the silence that followed wasn’t heavy exactly, but it wasn’t light either. it sat somewhere in between, where decisions started to feel real instead of theoretical.

shuhua suddenly leaned forward with a grin that completely changed the mood in the room, “but he’s totally handsome!” she said, eyes sparkling like she was discussing a drama instead of your actual life. “like, the age difference is so cute. i can totally already picture you guys together.”

you immediately smacked her arm,“dude, that’s not what i called you for!” shuhua didn’t even flinch properly. instead, she grabbed your shoulders with both hands, shaking you lightly like she was trying to physically knock sense into you.

“okay, okay!” she said quickly, still smiling. “but think about it; what if it was some old sixty-year-old chairman offering you the exact same thing?” your face twisted instantly in disgust.

“…ugh.”

“exactly!” shuhua pointed at you like she had just won an argument. “plus he literally said you can divorce whenever you want!”you narrowed your eyes at her suspiciously.

“you look way happier than me, shuhua.”

she paused for half a second, then gave you a very guilty but very unconvincing smile “i’m just saying,” she said, letting go of your shoulders and leaning back, “objectively speaking… it’s not the worst deal ever.”

you stared at her in disbelief, “you’re supposed to help me think this through, not sell me on it.” shuhua shrugged lightly, clearly not helping at all “i am helping. i’m giving you perspective.”

you groaned, falling back into the couch again, falling into this madness of endless thinking about this shortcut ticket that effortlessly fell in your hands. “…your perspective is terrifying.”

shuhua inhaled softly through her teeth, her earlier teasing tone fading into something more grounded,“well… you can reject him,” she said honestly, shrugging a little. “that’s all i can really say.” the words landed heavier than expected.

you went quiet because deep down, you weren’t just confused. you were attached to the idea already. not fully, not logically… but emotionally, in your heart, you didn’t want to admit existed. you sighed, leaning back slightly.

could qian kun really change your life like that? or was it just another dangerous shortcut dressed up as an opportunity?

your gaze drifted to shuhua, steady now, searching for something certain in her expression. shuhua met your eyes properly this time, no jokes left in her tone.

“y/n,” she said more softly, “you should do whatever you feel is best for you. whatever gets you out of this situation.” she paused for a moment then added, “and honestly… one of the best chances you have right now is kun.”

you blinked slightly at that, her voice stayed firm, but not pushy. just honest“don’t let the opportunity pass you,” she said. “if you’re going to grab anything right now… grab the thing that helps you survive first.”

the room went quiet after that, her words didn’t feel like pressure. they felt like clarity you didn’t ask for but desperately needed.

you looked at her for a long moment, lips pressed together, something shifting slowly in your chest then you gave a small, reluctant nod, you said quietly

“…okay, i guess i'll have to grab that opportunity to survive."

🔆 THE NEXT MORNING

you woke up feeling strangely clear-headed, for the first time in weeks, there wasn't a heavy weight pressing against your chest the second you opened your eyes. the anxiety was still there, lingering somewhere in the background, but it felt quieter now, something that you can now manage.

you lay in bed for a while, staring at the ceiling, the thoughts returned immediately. the marriage contract you got offered, qian kun. his offer.

you rolled onto your side with a groan, burying your face into your pillow. maybe if you ignored it for another day, the decision would somehow make itself, but it didn't.

instead, you spent the next four hours wandering aimlessly around your apartment. you made tea and forgot to drink it. sat on the couch and stared out the window. paced around your living room. sat down again. stood up again.

by the time you glanced at the clock, it was already two in the afternoon. four hours, completely wasted inside your own head you let out a long sigh, rubbing your face, "okay."

your voice echoed through the empty apartment. you couldn't keep thinking in circles forever. sooner or later, you needed to make a decision. your eyes suddenly widened.

the business card.

without another thought, you practically launched yourself off the couch and rushed toward your bedroom. drawers were opened. clothes were tossed aside, a pile of laundry stood up like a flood.

"where is it..."

you dropped to your knees beside the laundry basket, frantically digging through hoodies and sweatpants, then your fingers brushed against thick card. you froze, slowly you pulled it out. the business card. you stared at it for several seconds.

it felt ridiculous, but your heart genuinely skipped a beat, the simple black card sat in your palm like some sort of golden ticket. you swallowed hard. "i'm actually doing this..."

the realization hit you all over again. you stood up immediately before you could change your mind, grabbed your phone from your bedside table, and sat down on the edge of your bed, your thumb hovered over the number. once, twice, thrice, then you pressed call.

the ringing felt impossibly loud, you sat up straighter without realizing it. one ring. two rings, then the call connected.

"hello, this is the reception desk speaking. how may i assist you?"

you blinked with disbelief

right.

of course, someone like qian kun wouldn't answer his own phone. you cleared your throat.

"i want to speak to qian kun."

the receptionist remained professional, "may i know who is calling? i will need to check whether you have a scheduled meeting with him." your brows knitted together, meeting?

you hadn't exactly expected to need an appointment to call the man who proposed marriage to you.

"could you tell him it's zheng y/n speaking?" you asked hesitantly.

there was a brief pause, then the receptionist added, "please stay on the line, ms. zheng." the receptionist's voice softened slightly before she placed you on hold. you stared at your phone screen and suddenly, every bit of confidence you had gathered over the last four hours completely disappeared.

what exactly were you doing? your leg bounced nervously against the floor. the hold music continued playing while your heart somehow beat faster with every passing second and all you could do was wait.

on the top floor of qn group's headquarters, the receptionist sat perfectly upright at her desk, headset in place as she followed protocol. every call directed toward qian kun went through multiple layers before ever reaching him.

“sorry to disturb you, sir,” she said professionally after the line connected. her voice was so polished it almost sounded robotic.

“there's a caller by the name of zheng y/n requesting to speak with you. i'm just confirming it isn't a spam call before transferring—”

the tapping of a keyboard stopped, kun's eyes lifted immediately from the document in front of him. for the first time that afternoon, his attention completely shifted. he hadn't expected you to call this quickly.

not because he doubted you would consider the offer; he'd seen the way your eyes lingered on the contract but because most people needed time before making decisions that could alter their entire lives, a faint look of surprise crossed his features before disappearing just as quickly.

“transfer the call.”

his response came immediately, the receptionist blinked once“yes, sir.” the transfer happened within seconds. meanwhile, several kilometers away.

you were one nervous breakdown away from hanging up. your foot tapped relentlessly against the floor.

tap.

tap.

tap.

your palms had become embarrassingly sweaty. you switched the phone from one hand to the other then back again. why were you nervous? it was only the ceo of one of the biggest companies in the country who had proposed marriage and could change the trajectory of your entire life.

totally normal.

you groaned quietly, dragging a hand down your face, “get it together,” you muttered to yourself. your heart ignored the instruction entirely, and then the hold music suddenly stopped, and your entire body straightened. the silence lasted less than a second.

“zheng y/n.”

your breath caught. the familiar voice came through the speaker so clearly that it felt like he was standing in the room with you and suddenly, all the words you'd prepared over the past two days vanished without a trace.

your foot stopped tapping, your brain stopped functioning and for three horrifying seconds, all you did was stare at the wall in front of you because now that he was actually on the line and you had no idea how to start.

“uh—hi!”

your voice came out way too bright, and you immediately regretted it. your eyes widened slightly as you realized how ridiculous you sounded, you quickly cleared your throat, trying to fix your tone.

“i mean… good morning, ceo kun.”

there was a brief pause on the other end of the line. then his calm voice came through, steady as ever.

“good afternoon to you too.”

you pressed your lips together, biting back a scoff. of course he corrected you. and of course he did it in a way that made it sound normal, like you were the one who made the mistake. it irritated you more than you wanted to admit. you straightened slightly, forcing yourself back on track.

“let’s meet.”

there. straight to the point, at one point, you were going to pat yourself on the back. there was no hesitation from him.

“sure, i’ll send a car to you.”

your brows furrowed instantly.

“what? where?”

“your address.”

you blinked, “…my what?”

“your address.” he said quietly.

your voice rose immediately? “how do you know where i live?!” there was a brief silence on the other end, one that felt heavier than it should’ve. then, for the first time, he showed a bit emotion in his tone.

“i…recall i dropped you home last time we met,"

he, then added with hesitance

"i also did a background check on you."

your jaw dropped, “a background check?!” it came out louder than you intended, disbelief completely taking over your face as you stood there holding the phone like it had personally betrayed you.

“without telling me?” your voice spilled out immediately, full of disbelief and frustration. there was a brief pause on the line before he answered, completely unbothered.

“typically, it defeats the meaning of a background check.”

you bited back the urge to let out a groan, you inhaled to stop yourself from cursing at him, right there and then.

“ah, right.”

you ran a hand through your hair, pacing slightly as your mind tried to keep up with everything happening at once. “when will you be sending the car…?” you asked, already tired of the conversation but too deep in it to stop now.

his voice came again, steady and final. “it’s already on the way. meet me at the fortieth floor, in my office.”

your brain paused for a second, trying to process the sudden switch in instructions.

“huh—”

beep.

the call ended.

you slowly lowered the phone from your ear and stared at it for a second like it had betrayed you personally then your face scrunched up in pure frustration.

“wow, qian kun,” you muttered, voice rising as you stomped toward the bathroom, “you are so infuriatingly annoying!”

your steps echoed through your apartment as you prepared yourself for the future, still muttering under your breath, half annoyed, half… something you didn’t want to name yet.

note — ayeee part 2 is here, i put my blood sweat tears in this, i tried to put more angst but like who could reject mark...?

playlist — pour up by dean, temperature by psychic fever, love by dean (ft syd), baby dont like it by nct 127, house of cards by bts, aftertaste by anderson paak and dean, heaven by red velvet - irene&seulgi

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

mark had been leaning lazily against the kitchen counter, phone in hand while half-listening to whatever story chenle was loudly telling from the couch. but the second his eyes met yours, the entire room seemed to blur out around him. his posture straightened slightly. you looked tired, visible dark circles around your eyes. signs of no sleep, only because of him.

not the usual “i stayed up too late” kind of tired. the kind that sat behind your eyes and dragged your shoulders down no matter how hard you tried to hide it behind that small smile and somehow, that was the first thing he noticed.

not your clothes.

not your messy hair.

not the fact that you looked like you’d rushed over without thinking twice...

just you

your presence relieves him to ease

his expression softened almost instantly.

“hey,” mark says quietly, voice gentler compared to the chaos around him, you suddenly become hyperaware of yourself under his gaze. the oversized hoodie you threw on in five seconds. the lack of makeup. the exhaustion practically written across your face, and meanwhile he looked unfairly good without even trying, so annoying

your fingers tightened around the strap of your bag as you forced out an awkward laugh. “sorry, i look kinda horrible right now..." the second the words leave your mouth, mark’s brows pull together “what?” he says immediately, almost offended by the statement itself, haechan snorts from somewhere behind you. “oh brother, here he goes.”

mark ignores him completely, eyes still fixed on you,“you don’t look horrible." the sincerity in his voice makes your stomach twist unexpectedly. “you look tired,” he corrects softly. “there’s a difference, exams must've drained you out... right?"

for a moment, nobody says anything, then chenle groans dramatically from the couch. “god, this is actually painful to watch..." “shut up,” mark mutters without even looking away from you, earning loud gasps from the room, and somehow, despite the exhaustion weighing you all day, the tightness in your chest eases just a little.

you nodded at him, with a slight smile, looking down, getting used to the chaos, "how have you been..?" you said, exhaling.

not how have promotions been.

not how’s the solo stuff going.

just him.

mark’s smile falters slightly, only for a second but you notice it because he understood exactly what you meant. the air between you suddenly feels heavier, filled with all the things neither of you had properly talked about since that happened. the distance. the silence. the awkward drifting apart neither of you seemed to know how to fix.

mark exhales quietly, glancing down before nodding once. “i’ve been…” he pauses, lips pressing together briefly. “busy, i guess.”you give a small nod, though both of you know that wasn’t really an answer, haechan, surprisingly, notices the shift immediately.

his playful expression softens as he exchanges a quick look with chenle before loudly clapping his hands together. “anyway!,” he announces dramatically, standing up from the couch. “chenle, help me order food, let's go, let's go!"

“why do i have to help”

“because i said so.”

“that’s literally dictatorship"

their bickering grows distant as they drag the others toward the kitchen, leaving you and mark standing awkwardly near the hallway, the silence that follows isn’t uncomfortable, it's just careful. careful of how things are going to turn out.

mark finally looks back at you fully, eyes softer now, “how about you?” he asks quietly. “you disappeared for a while.." your throat tightens a little at that, because disappearing sounded a lot nicer than admitting you just didn’t know how to be around him anymore after the sudden distance between you.

you hesitate for a moment before finally forcing the words out, “…could we talk somewhere quiet?” your voice is soft, nearly drowned out by the music blasting in every corner of the house but mark hears every syllable clearly and then you look at him.

really look at him.

there’s something in your expression that makes his stomach twist painfully tight, nervousness or exhaustion, maybe even hurt and suddenly all he can think about is how easily he’d give you anything if you just asked.

his jaw tightens slightly before he nods. “yeah,” he says immediately, quieter now. “of course.” he doesn’t even hesitate, mark gestures for you to follow him, slipping past the chaos of the living room while the others are too distracted arguing over food to notice much. though as you pass by, haechan definitely notices the tension between you two, his eyes narrow towards you two suspiciously, a smear smirk appears, maybe tonight. he'll forget about rina.

the stairs creak softly beneath your footsteps as you follow mark upstairs, farther away from the noise, the laughter, the bright lights downstairs. the air feels different up here, calmer. heavier, more dangerous somehow.

mark leads you toward the small balcony connected to the hallway, sliding the glass door open carefully before stepping aside for you first, cold night air immediately brushes against your skin, goosebumps rise.

for a second, neither of you speak.

mark leans lightly against the railing beside you, hands shoved into the pockets of his sweatpants as he watches you carefully from the corner of his eye, he hesitantly speaks, "so, what’s up..? kinda scaring me there hah.." his awful attempt at lightening the mood, attempting a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes and somehow, that only makes this harder.

“that day…”

the second those words leave your mouth, mark’s posture changes instantly, subtly but you noticed it. his shoulders straighten, fingers curling tighter against the railing beside him while his gaze drifts away from yours toward the city lights in the distance.

you swallow nervously, staring down at your shoes instead, “i wasn’t in the right mind,” you continue carefully, voice quieter now. “i mentioned her and…i messed things up between us, right?” the memory still made your stomach twist unpleasantly.

you risk a glance at him for barely a second before looking away again, “i’m sorry,” you murmur. “i crossed the line.”your fingers fidget anxiously with the sleeve covering your hands.

“…but a part of that wasn’t a mistake.”

silence.

cold air brushes past the balcony, but it suddenly feels hard to breathe, mark slowly turns his head toward you. his brows are furrowed deeply now. no, he wasn't angry, which would be more understandable and easier instead, he looks frustrated. conflicted.

his jaw clenches slightly as he watches you stand there apologizing to him like you’d committed some unforgivable crime, it irritates him instantly because why would you apologize to him like this? why were you looking at the floor like you were waiting for him to confirm your worst fears? mark exhales sharply through his nose before speaking.

“stop doing that.”

your head lifts slightly. “what?”

“acting like everything was your fault.”

his voice is low now, controlled, but there’s clear irritation underneath it, he pushes himself off the railing, taking a step closer. “yeah, mentioning her hurt,” he admits honestly, eyes fixed on you. “but you know what pissed me off more?”you blink up at him quietly.

“the fact, you're not wrong.

his expression tightens, and he leans back against the railing once more, fingers rubbing tiredly over his jaw as if admitting this out loud physically exhausted him.

“it’s me,” he says with a bitter laugh. “i’m the stuck-up idiot who couldn’t move on from my ex.” his words come slower now. more honest “and i tormented you because of it.” your brows pull together immediately. “mark—”, “no,” he cuts in softly, shaking his head. “let me say it.”

the city lights reflect faintly in his eyes as he looks away again, visibly frustrated with himself “i kept comparing everything to the past without realizing it.” he swallows harshly. “and you were the one who had to deal with that version of me.” the guilt in his voice makes your chest ache

“those things you said to me that night…” he pauses. “they pissed me off because they were true" you stared at him silently. “i hated hearing it,” he admits. “but after you left, i kept thinking about it over and over again.”

the wind blows softly through his hair, but neither of you move. mark finally looks at you again then, expression calmer now. vulnerable in a way you rarely ever saw from him, “you know what the worst part is?” he asks quietly.

your throat tightens. “what?”

his gaze lingers on you for a second too long before he answers. “i didn’t even realize how important you are to me until you stopped being around.

your eyes widened after those words left mark's mouth, and you let out an exhale, throat dry as a desert. "i don't understand what you're trying to say ..." you narrow your eyes at him. mark musters up courage, to look you in the eyes, seeing the reflection in your eyes of himself, made him realize what he was about to do was pretty shameless. he hesitantly speaks, "y/n, i like you."

your throat tightening, realizing the weight of his words. they relentlessly repeat in your head as mark waves his hand in front of your eyes, "y/n? are you uncomfortable? i'm truly sorry. i- uh, this wasn't supposed to happen—" you cut him off, "no! mark, what? what are you saying...?" you frowned at him, feeling this strange emotion between the line of happiness and unfairness.

mark's expression falls immediately at the confusion on your face, his hand drops back to his side awkwardly, trying to figure out if he ruined everything in the span of ten seconds.

"I—, uh let's forget this happened.." he exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair, frustration bleeding into his voice now. you let out an emotionless laugh, more like a huff. Your brows are furrowed tightly as you stare him, emotions visibly fighting behind your eyes.

"you're so unfair. you're so selfish mark. you know, every time you would start talking about rina, how'd I feel? i would feel like shit, like every word of yours would feel like stepping on shreds of broken glass.

your throat tightens painfully, and silence crashes between you. mark can’t even interrupt because deep down, he knows you’re right. you finally look back at him, eyes glossy under the balcony lights. “for the longest time,” you admit quietly, “i thought these feelings of mine were completely one-sided.”

the confession knocks the breath out of him. his lips part slightly, but nothing comes out because while you were sitting alone convincing yourself you never stood a chance, he was too busy being stuck in the past to even recognize what was right in front of him.

“y/n…” his voice comes out rougher than before. you immediately wipe at your face in frustration, embarrassed by the tears threatening to form. mark’s chest aches so sharply it almost feels unbearable. you laugh weakly at yourself, shaking your head.

“this makes me even more pathetic.”

“don’t,” he says immediately.

his voice is firm this time, he steps closer before stopping himself halfway, like he’s scared touching you right now would only make things worse. his eyes are locked onto yours now, filled with guilt and something heavier.

before you can step away again, mark’s hands gently grip your sides, careful but desperate at the same time. the sudden closeness makes your breath hitch. his eyes search yours frantically, and seeing you like this hurt because of him, crying because of him feels like something physically crushing down on his chest.

“y/n, i’m sorry…”

his voice breaks completely, and your expression falters instantly because mark rarely cries. but now tears are slipping down his face faster than he can stop them, his grip on you tightening slightly like he’s terrified you’ll disappear if he loosens it even a little “i know,” he chokes out shakily. “i know i was selfish.”

he laughs bitterly through the tears, shaking his head at himself.

“i’m such a goddamn fucking loser.”

“mark—”

“but i don’t wanna lose you,” he says quickly, voice cracking again. “please.”

the desperation in his voice hurts more than it should and then, almost cruelly timed, faint music drifts up from downstairs — some sad love song. you stare at him for a second before a hollow laugh escapes your lips at the sheer irony of it all

mark lets out a watery laugh too, forehead dropping briefly against your shoulder as if the emotional weight of the night is finally catching up to him. “perfect timing,” you mutter weakly.

A shaky laugh leaves him despite everything and somehow that tiny sound seems to break you even more. he pulls back just enough to look at you again, eyes red, cheeks damp.

“i know i don’t deserve this,” he says quietly. “i know i probably confused you and hurt you more than anyone should.” his thumb brushes lightly against your sleeve near your waist, hesitant. “but if there’s even a small chance…” he swallows hard. “i wanna do this properly.”

you stare at him silently.

the cold night air, the distant music, the city lights below everything suddenly feels strangely blurry compared to the way he’s looking at you right now, like you’re the only thing he can focus on.

"so..?" you sniff, wiping the residue tears under your eyes as you let out a small laugh, "so when are you asking me to become your girlfriend?"

silence

mark blinks once, then twice.

"what?" he breathes out, staring at you in disbelief. "what." you laugh again, this time more real, your cheeks burn immediately under his gaze. "don't make me repeat myself twice..." suddenly embarrassed, "it's embarrassing.."

his mouth opens slightly before closing again, and the realization then hits him fully. his eyes widened so fast, it made you laugh. "oh my god." he mumbles to himself.

"uhm, okay wait– let me start thid again -" he rushes, hands trembling like he genuinely couldn't believe this is real. he wipes quickly at his face with the sleeve of his hoodie, still looking emotional and overwhelmed at once.

"uh– so, would you let me be your boyfriend..?" he looks at you with hearts in his eyes, you wanted to devour him right there and then. he nodded, way eagerly then you expected, as tears escaped your eyes.another tear slips down your cheek as you laugh softly at his reaction, overwhelmed by everything all at once

before you can say anything else, he pulls you into him suddenly, arms wrapping tightly around your waist while yours instinctively circle around his shoulders. mark laughs shakily against your hair, holding you like he’s scared this moment will disappear if he loosens his grip. and honestly, you did the same. The tension between you both, building walls between you two, is cracking apart.

mark's forehead dropping against yours, he keeps looking at you with that same disbelieving expression, like he still can’t understand how this ended with you in his arms instead of walking away from him.

then, after a moment, his ears turn faintly red “…can i kiss you?” he asks softly and somehow, after everything tonight, that shy question is what finally makes your heart completely melt.

you don't say yes.

​you don't waste a single second with words because words have kept you apart for far too long. you instantly go in. how could you reject him when this exact moment is what you have been craving for months, losing sleep over, and dreaming about.​ you lean in, sliding your hands up his chest to grip the fabric of his hoodie, and close the gap between your lips.

​mark lets out a sharp, muffled breath against your mouth, a tiny sound of pure shock, but the hesitation lasts for less than a second. The moment your lips meet his, his grip on your waist tightens, pulling you flush against him as he catches his balance. the shy, desperate boy disappears, replaced entirely by the boy who has been wanting you just as desperately.

​the kiss is warm, deep, and heavy with months of unspoken longing. his lips are soft but demanding, parting slightly as he tilts his head to kiss you deeper, his thumb smoothing over the fabric of your shirt, anchoring you to him.

​when you finally pull back just enough to breathe, your foreheads resting together, mark’s eyes are still closed, a breathless, dazed smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. His ears are redder than ever, but he doesn't look disbelieving anymore. he feels relieved.

mark narrows his eyes on your shirt, and he opens his mouth before closing it again. you understood what he meant as you pulled your shirt off with no hesitation. mark's eyes widened at your bold action. he was memorised at your almost bare state. ​his breath hitched in his throat, the words he had been trying to form dying instantly. his mind completely short-circuiting as his gaze locks onto you.

​"y/n," he breathes out, his voice dropping an octave, rough and completely stripped of his usual hesitation. ​the crimson flush on his ears spreads down his neck, but the shy restraint from moments ago vanishes entirely, replaced by a dark, intense focus.

​"you're going to drive me crazy," he murmurs, you sat there, bare-chested save for a lace bra that struggled to contain the swell of your breasts. mark's eyes widened. he looked as if he had been struck. his gaze travelled slowly, hungrily, over the curve of your waist and the pale slope of your chest. he eyefucked you with a raw, undisguised intensity that made your stomach flip.

he reached out, his hand trembling slightly. he didn't touch your skin at first; his fingers hovered just an inch away from your shoulder. then, he slid his hand around to your back. you leaned forward, granting him access. you felt the tips of his fingers fumbling with the hook of your bra. there was a sharp click, and the tension of the lace snapped.

the bra loosened, and you let it slide down your arms. You were completely bare from the waist up, your nipples peaking in the chill of the room. mark let out a low, guttural sound, a moan that started deep in his chest. he reached out and gave you a look of approval and cupped your breast, his palm warm and heavy. he squeezed, his thumb brushing over the hardened tip of your nipple.

"you are so beautiful," mark murmured.

"you're way more beautiful," you whispered.

mark lunged forward, his mouth crashing against hers. the kiss was not gentle. it was a collision of weeks of repressed desire. he tasted of mint and desperation. his tongue pushed into your mouth, seeking you with an aggressive hunger. You both exchanged saliva in a messy, wet slurry, breaths mingling in frantic gasps. mark's hand moved from your breast to the back of your neck, his fingers tangling in your hair to pull her closer, deepening the kiss until you felt lightheaded.

you let out a whimper into his mouth, your hands sliding down his chest to the waistband of his jeans. you could feel the hard ridge of his cock pressing against the soft cotton, a thick, insistent weight. you tugged at the waistband, the cotton tensing under the pressure.

"are you sure?" mark gasped, breaking the kiss for a second to breathe. you nodded almost instantly,

mark didn't argue. he pushed you back onto the sofa, his body following yours. He hovered over you, his eyes scanning your naked torso once more. he lowered his head, his lips trailing down your neck to the valley between your breasts. He licked a path of fire toward your left nipple, his tongue swirling around the areola before he took the peak into his mouth.

you arched your back, a loud moan escaping you. the sensation of his warm, wet tongue suctioning your nipple sent a jolt of electricity straight to your crotch. you felt a sudden, heavy gush of wetness between your thighs, your pussy aching for him.

"mark, please," you whimpered. mark moved lower, his hands sliding under your pants, pushing the fabric down to your ankles. he found the thin lace of your panties and ripped them to the side with a sudden, violent motion. he didn't remove them he simply pushed them aside to expose your dripping folds.

he leaned down, his face inches from your heat. he inhaled deeply, the scent of your arousal filling his nostrils. "oh my god," Mark whispered, mouth open in awe, he pressed his tongue against your clit, a sharp, direct stroke that made you scream. he began to lap at you, his tongue moving in fast, rhythmic circles. He used his fingers to spread your lips wide, exposing the pink, swollen walls of your vagina.

he pushed two fingers deep inside you, feeling the tight, hot squeeze of your muscles.

the sound of it filled the quiet room—a wet, squelching noise as his fingers slid in and out of your soaking wet walls. your hips bucked uncontrollably, your hands gripping the velvet of the sofa, your knuckles white.

"i can't... i can't take it," you gasped, your voice breaking, mark looked up at you, his lips glistening with your juices. he quickly stood up and shed his clothes, his sweatpants and boxers falling in a heap. when he stood before you, his cock was fully erect, a thick, veiny pillar of flesh that pulsed with every heartbeat. beads of clear pre-cum leaked from the tip, glistening in the dim light.

you reached out, your fingers wrapping around the shaft. he was hot, the skin stretched tight. you slid your hand up and down, feeling the ridge of his tip. mark groaned, his head snapping back.

you shifted, sliding your legs around his waist and pulling him toward you. you guided the head of his cock to your entrance, the wetness of your pussy acting as a lubricant.

you lowered yourself slowly, the thick head of his penis stretching you open. you felt a moment of resistance, a fullness that bordered on pain, before you slid down completely, taking all of him in one deep, sliding motion.

a, wet squelch echoed as your bodies connected. you let out a long, shuddering breath, your eyes fluttering shut. he filled you completely, hitting your cervix with a dull thud that made your toes curl. "baby, fuck..." Mark groaned, his voice sounding strangled. "god, you feel incredible."

he gripped your hips, his fingers digging into your skin, and began to thrust upward. the motion was slow at first, a steady grind that focused on the friction of your pelvic bones rubbing together. then, the pace quickened.

the sound of your bodies became a rhythmic percussion, lewd sounds of skin slapping on each other, the slap of his balls against the lower curve of your pelvic, the wet shlicking of his cock sliding through your cream. with every thrust, air was pushed out of your pussy, creating small, popping sounds that added to the raw intensity of the act.

"harder!," you urged, your voice a ragged whisper.

mark obeyed. he flipped you over, pinning you face-down into the pillows. he entered you from behind, his cock sliding back into you with a loud, wet plunge. the angle allowed him to go deeper, his length burying itself into you until there was no space left between you.

he hammered into you, his movements becoming frantic and erratic. the vigor of his thrusts caused his cock to slip out almost entirely, the head glancing off your outer lips before slamming back inside with a heavy thud.

the friction was intense, the heat building in both of you until it felt like you were melting together.

your breasts bounced and jiggled with every impact, your nipples rubbing against the fabric of the sofa. you could hear the sounds of your passion heavy, synchronized panting, the wet slapping of skin on skin, the way mark's breath hitched every time he hit your sweet spot.

"i'm going to... i'm almost..." mark gasped, his voice trembling.

his hand reached down, his hand finding your clit, squeezing and circling it in a deliciously slow manner. the action pushed you over the edge. you let out a whimper, body stiffening as he continued the double pleasure, your head felt light, toes curling. muffled moans escaped your mouth, as he violated your hole relentlessly.

the knot in your stomach loosening second by second, feeling insane ecstasy, your hips stiffened as you come undone, releasing your juices all over his thighs and the bed sheet, making a mess, mark rode out your orgasm, continuing the frantic thrusts which were getting sloppier by the second, chasing his own orgasm.

he delivered one final, deep thrust. he buried himself to the hilt, his cock pulsing inside you as he erupted. you felt the hot jets of his semen hitting your cervix, wave after wave of thick, warm fluid filling you up. your internal muscles clamped down on him, milking him for every last drop.

you both stayed like that for a long time, locked together, your chests heaving in unison. the only sound in the room was the rhythm of the faint music and the wet, sliding sound as mark slowly pulled out of you.

a mixture of pre-cum, saliva, and semen leaked from your opening, trailing down your thigh in a sticky, white streak. he flopped down next to you, anchoring his arm around your waist.

"i'm sorry, and i love you, y/n." mark whispered.

you laughed, a small, breathless sound. you leaned against his him, feeling the steady beat of his heart.

"i love you way more," you replied.

the heavy silence of the room returns, broken only by the sound of your shared, uneven breathing. both of you are completely tired, with chests heaving and breathing shuddered, completely consumed by the sudden rush of adrenaline and the warmth of each other's embrace.

and unknowingly, you both didn't notice, eyes peeking from the unclosed creaking door, it was haechan and chenle, peeking in, grinning ear to ear. they had their heads stacked one over the other in the tiny crack of the doorframe, witnessing the absolute chaos they had probably been rooting for weeks.

"finally, they did it!" haechan whispered, turning his head towards chenle with a triumphant grin. he adjusted his stance, leaning back slightly while keeping his voice to a low, muffled murmur. "do you think they noticed the songs I put from my go-to sex playlist?"

────୨ৎ────

"And, again, Peter Drains Ocean's HP, decreasing it to 50, then again! And again, another hit! There we go! WISHED's Ocean is now down!"

As the commentator shouted, voice echoing the arena as the screen flashed with a kill notification. The crowd erupted as DR3AM's Peter killed another Champion from WISHED team. Peter rolled his neck, confidence radiating off him, as he effortlessly secured an another kill.

Peter, At just twenty three, the mid laner for DR3AM had already climbed to the peak of his career only only three years after his debut. Everyone underestimated him but he proved them all wrong, a nightmare for every team standing across him.

Donghyuck never planned on becoming a professional gamer. Back in university, he was a piano major, trying to survive countless deadlines, spending sleepless nights practicing until his fingers bruised. People said he had fast and precise hands, how naturally talented he is. He wondered if he was really meant to play the piano. Sitting in practice rooms for hours, a part of him still felt restless, as if he was trying to force himself into a life that didn't feel like him.

At night, he'd play League Of Legends with his friends just to pass time. It was never that serious, just late night gaming, cursing at each other for letting go of the enemy, for getting killed by a Turret. These games made him forget how anxious he felt about his future.

After graduating, reality hit Donghyuck hard... Job hunting was exhausting, making resumes of experiences he never experienced, his classmates already getting hired. His parents kept asking about the interviews, too much pressure constantly questioning himself if he was good enough.

That one random ranked game turned his life upside down. What turned out to be a late night gaming session, he queued into a match and defeated the enemy team's mid laner effortlessly. It turned out to be S.Bin of TBT, one of the biggest pros in the E-sports scene. And the cherry on top was that, S.Bin was doing a live stream, the clips spread like wildfire immediately, and people suddenly wanted to know who that "peter" guy was.

A few weeks later, DR3AM contacted him, Back then, Donghyuck almost didn't accept. Becoming a E-sports player sounded risky, unstable and unrealistic, however he wanted to give it a try, so he said 'to hell with that degree!' He took the chance.

The guy who used to be constantly under pressure over job applications ended up becoming one of the best mid laners in the league history. Three years after debuting, He even surpassed S.Bin himself. He jokes about it sometimes, shrugging to himself simply saying it's a skill issue.

The cameras flashed endlessly as confetti rained down the stage, the massive EWC trophy shining across arena lights while the members of DR3AM crowded around it, exhausted and laughing at the same time. They done it again, winning the EWC back to back, and in the center Peter still holding onto the Finals MVP title for the second year in a row.

The commentator called him untouchable, fans called him the future of League, though his team members called him annoying after he got too cocky after a win, but you cannot deny his skills, smooth and precise timing of his fingers, fast pacing and steady strategies made at risky times.

"Hold the trophy properly man!" Jeno complained, as Donghyuck tried to not burst out laughing. "Relax dude," Donghyuck grinned, tilting the trophy. "I clutched today, how can you die from a turret dude?", "Crazy ego," Andy, also known as Jisung murmured under his breath. "Skill issue." Donghyuck instantly uttered.

The ride back home was somehow louder than the arena itself, inside the team bus. The EWC trophy sat carefully buckled into the seats while the members looked half dead after the exhausting finals. Well, everyone but Donghyuck.

"Nice hit! Wow, Peter you did so well!!" Donghyuck boasting, from his phone replaying the clips from the livestream earlier. With the biggest grin on his face, he even patted himself. Damn, this guy's insane...

In the backseat, came an irritated groan, "shut up dude," Jaemin muttered groggily before kicking the back of Donghyuck's seat. "I swear i'll throw you out of the bus." Donghyuck laughing louder at his face, "Dude, just admit you were stunned by how amazingly I destroyed the enemy tea--" An elbow slammed into his abdomen suddenly. "What the fuck dude?!" Donghyuck clutched his stomach, folding dramatically. Glaring at the culprit, Jeno doesnt even look apologetic, his hood was pulled over his head, eyes barely open.

"We're trying go sleep" he said flatly, "shut your mouth before I shove the trophy in it."

That actually kind of scared Donghyuck, making him quiet down for a whole...minute? Before he started giggling to himself again, while scrolling fan edits online.

By the time they arrived back at the house house, everyone was too exhausted to celebrate their win, Jisung practically dragged himself back to his room. Chenle muttered a tired goodnight, which no one really heard. Jeno and Jaemin looked like they were about to collapse any second now.

One by one, the lights of their rooms turned off, however, Donghyuck? The adrenaline rushing through his veins after that tremendous match still hadn't left his body yet. Everytime he closed his eyes, he could hear the crowd screaming NEO27's name, feeling the weight of the medal around his neck.

So, instead of sleeping like a normal person, the moment he got back to his room, he hopped onto his PC, his fingers almost moving automatically. PC on. Headset on,Twitch open.

Donghyuck leaned back in his chair, still wearing his medal around his neck like it was physically attached to him. Without thinking too much, he clicked the Start Stream option. Within seconds, the viewer count shot up instantly! The chat slide so fast it became unreadable.

| neospetermaid AYO OMGGG YOU GUYS WON EWC AGAIN

| lelechu HE'S ACTUALLY ONLINE WHAT 😭

| andyisbetterthanjuju where is andy???

| mr_j.minwife CONGRATS GUYS SO PROUD OF YALLL

| dr3amanagerreal PETER MVP SO PROUD OF U DUDE

| jasonthesnake i swear ocean of wished is fuming rn HAHA

Donghyuck blinked at the screen, reading the comments, a slow grin appeared on his face. "You guys truly flatter me!" Donghyuck huffed dramatically with a hand on his chest. The donation notification increasing minute by minute. "okay guys! Enough with donations , today we're gonna celebrate! So c'mon send me your reccommendations in the inbox. I'll check them out later. Join the queue already! Let's play swift play."

Instantly the chat exploded with songs, Anime, books, random memes. Donghyuck obviously wasn't going to check them all out but he still clicked through few links, letting random songs playing the background, "Who the fuck put Super Idol ??" He muttered with a huff while destroying the nexus of the other team.

Some reccommendations were ridiculous. Donghyuck squinted at the reccommended anime title before recoiling in disbelief.

"My Step-mom's Daughter Is My Ex...?" He read out slowly with a frown. He stared at the screen for a second. Deadpan. "What the hell are you guys watching??" The chat bursted laughing, filled with laughing and crying emojis.

It's been an hour, his celebration mood was starting to wear off. He leaned back in his chair, yawning as he scrolled through the flood of messages. Eyelids heavy, another incoming yawn.

Then, a title caught his attention, it was a link. Leaning closer to the monitor to clearly see it. "What's this?" Said to himself, as he curiously clicked on it.

The page loaded, Archive Of Our Own. It was an AO3 Fanfic...of him? He scrolled further down, reading the title properly.

Peter as your Boyfriend In Bed By peterlovr

NEO27/E-sports 23 april, 2026

Rating: Explicit

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Applied, Just Don't let him see this

Category: F/M

Fandom: NEO27, Peter/Donghyuck Lee, E-sports

Relationship: bf! Peter x reader.

Characters: Peter Lee

Language: English

Stats: Published:- 2026-04-23 Words: 2,270, Chapters: 1/1, Comments: 1,807 , Kudos: 18,944, Bookmarks: 5,612 Hits: 73,821

Donghyuck's eyes squinted at what he read next.

Guys, Peter as a boyfriend would be so adorable, but in bed? He'd be the wildest motherfucker EVER. After a stressful match, he'd come to you, needy. He doesn't care what are you doing at that moment, he push you back, your face on the pillow, panties off, starts humping you like a rabbit in heat. Resisting against Peter is basically impossible, but it's not that you hate it, you enjoy it in thre best way possible. He pulls your hair, you moan loudly showing how much pleasure he provides to you, His ego would start to take up the whole room, Oh! And his oh so fast fingers, will make you go crazy. Have you guys seen how insanely precise his fingers are? Making you come within minutes--

Donghyuck gulped, his throat tightening as he stared at the absolute blasphemy written across the monitor. His right hand ghosted over the mouse, his fingers twitching above the left click button, his mouth hung slightly open, his heartbeat getting faster and more erratic second by second.

Who would write this bullshit about me? He panicked internally, staring at the now minimized tab of Ao3. And why the fuck is this making me hard. His mind raced, teeth gritted, and hands balled into a fist. He thought hard, Was it one of the girls he'd slept with in the past? Or an incredibly observent stalker? Who was this lunatic of a person who wrote this abominable piece of scripture about me?

He shoved his hand down on the mouse, staring at the Start game button, but his head was spinning. He didn't even know what he was feeling, anger for being explicitly objectified in front of ninety thousand people or was his ego inflating to a dangerous size because of how someone's high opinion of him was?

"Uh guys," Donghyuck muttered in the mic, forcing a massive, completely fake yawn, stretching his jaw, "Let's continue this tomorrow. uh, i'm kinda sleepy.." Absolutely not, not after what he had just read. He was wide awake, his pulse way faster and beneath the desk, his trousers suddenly felt a whole lot tighter..

He hit the End Stream button, taking off his headset. Sitting alone in the darkness, with a blue light glowing in the DR3AM's gaming house.

He couldn't sleep, not at all. The words of the fanfication loop in his mind as if it was stamped onto his brain, he tossed and turned in his bed. He knew he had many fangirls and could be extreme, but he wasn't even mad. He wss just...astonished?

The next morning, Donghyuck's eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, he came out of his room clutching a water bottle, to run straight into Chenle, who was visibly trying not to laugh at his face. "Just say it.." Donghyuck muttered, rolling his eyes, Chenle dodging his glare, a snort escaping him "nah, just check the gc,"

Donghyuck frowned, his brows furrowing in confusion, "what do you mean-," he asked, already walking towards his desk. His fingers clicking open Discord,

[ DR3AM Official Discord ]

ANDY 11:45 AM

@peter why did you end stream so fast last night??

JENO 11:50 AM

check the clips on twt bro...your trending for reading your own fanfic

J.Min 11:51 AM

"He'd be wild" LMAOOO peter whats this?? [Link: ://X.com..]

LELE 11:55 PM

Guys, go easy on him, he just woke up HAHA

JENO 11:57 PM

manager saw it too, he wants to know why does a smut has better strategic detail than our actual matches

PETER 12:00 PM

hang yourselves

J.Min 12:03 PM

Good morning to you too（⊙o⊙)🌷🩷

PETER 12:04 PM

Where are you guys anyway??

JENO 12:06 PM

far from you

PETER 12:06 PM

oh shut up

J.Min 12:07 PM

We're at the company, we didn't wake you up since you were on live til 3 am. they said it wasn't that important, so only me, jeno & jisung went

PETER 12:07 PM

what are you discussing with the management?

JENO 12:08 PM

for you to send your resignation letter

⬅ JENO has been kicked out of the group, 12:08 PM

ANDY 12:09 PM

we'll tell you when we reach the house

Donghyuck leaned back on his chair, quietly slurping his iced americano as the front door clicked open, moments later. Jeno, Jaemin and Jisung entered back into the house. Jeno immediately kicked his shoes off while Jaemin let out a exhausted stretch. Raising his brow, Donghyuck gave them a pointed look over the rim of his cup, indicating an update on their company meeting.

Jeno took a note of the stare, looking up, "oh yeah, there are offers from Kyung Hee University for us to visit their alumni function, since you and I are alumni, i mean only if you wanna go"

"A visit..? All of us?" Haechan raised a brow with a pout. "Yeah, to give the students a 'lecture'," Jaemin said with air quotes. "i mean, who are we to give them an educating lecture as if we're not glued to our devices 24/7."

Jeno huffs, "you down?", tossing his jacket onto the couch. Donghyuck pouted, swirling the ice in his iced americano. "Yeah sure, whatever but I gotta find that lunatic of a author first. My public image is completely destroyed!"

"Was it ever really good before, though?" Jaemin chimed in, not even looking at him, mid-stretch. Donghyuck shoot him a glare, "Shut up." Suddenly, a light bulb lit up in his mind, instantly sat up in his chair, and called towards the kitchen. "Hey! Zhong Chenle!" Chenle came out a moment later, pulling the airpod from his ear, "what?"

"You have Yangyang's number, right?" Donghyuck asked, scratching his neck nervously "I think he lowkey blocked me..", "Uh, yeah I have it," Chenle muttered. His eyes narrowing as a deeply suspicious spread across his face "But why do you need it?" Donghyuck stood up from his chair, invading Chenle's personal space casually, with a cute pouty expression. "What do you mean, why do I need it? C'mon we're all bros, just do me favor!" Donghyuck whined.

Chenle eyed him up and down, "You do know exactly why he blocked you right?" Donghyuck glanced back to find Jeno, Jaemin and Jisung giving him the same look as Chenle. "What!" Donghyuck mewled, "Hyung, You kinda relentlessly annoyed him into hacking stuff for you last time," Jisung chimed in, exposing him.

Donghyuck furrowed his eyebrows defensively, "Hey! It was just for gift cards — It's not like I asked him to leak someone's address or something–" Jaemin's eyes widened as he understood what Donghyuck was about to do, "Hey! Lee Donghyuck! You cannot do that!"

Jeno looked between them, a confused raised, "Do what?" Donghyuck cut him off, "Do nothing!" Glaring at Jaemin for revealing his plan. He looks back at Chenle with that annoyingly cute expression. "Please!" He begged with his hands pressed together.

Chenle gives up because he knows Donghyuck will either torture it out of him or blackmail him, it is actually impossible resisting him. He sighs as he shared him the contact number, causing Donghyuck a grin. A few minutes later, Donghyuck was hovering his phone, typing out a text to Yangyang.

yy my guy🩷🕊

Donghyuck: heyyyyyyy

Yangyang: do i know you?

Donghyuck: im your fave, baby dont u know?

Yangyang: jiyeon?

Donghyuck jaw drops, probably he thinks it's one of his nightstands..as he aggresively replied back

Donghyuck: who tf is jiyeon?? It's peter lee, the biggest e-sports player in THEE world 😲😱

Yangyang: who the fuck gave you my number

Donghyuck: i don't think that matters baby, it matters that we can communicate again

Yangyang: dude i beg you, i was almost sued because you took the money from roblox gift cards...

Donghyuck: I MEAN you did do it, for me

okay okay my bad im sorry, I just need you to do me a favor i beg YOU

Yangyang: WHAT is it

Donghyuck: Can you come over on the weekend, i'll tell you there

Yangyang: uhh what is it that you cant tell me over text?

Donghyuck: baby, just trust me

Yangyang: top five lies ever said

"Y/n! Y/N!" Ningning's voice cut through the noise of the crowded hallway, snapping you out of your thoughts instantly. You jerked slightly, blinking, your eyes were still locked onto the massive poster hanging near the student center wall.

경희대학교 Kyung Hee University — Alumni Festival

Special Guests: PETER & JENO From DR3AM

Reading the poster again and again. Your Idol, your role model, AND the who helps you get off... was actually coming to your university.

"Oh my god, Ning Yizhuo!" You squeaked, immediately grabbing Ningning’s shoulders and bouncing excitedly. “Ning Yizhuo! Can you believe this?! I’m actually gonna see Donghyuck in real life!” Ningning laughed at your reaction, “As if you’ve never seen him here before?”

You frowned instantly, "That doesn’t count,” you argued. “Back then, I barely noticed anything around campus. I was literally just going from class to dorm every day..." you glanced back at the poster again, still in disbelief.

“I never even explored the university properly… so I never got the chance to see him.” Ningning crossed her arms with an amused grin. “And now suddenly you care about campus events?”

“Obviously..." you shrugged, Ningning rolled her eyes playfully. You continued, "but honestly, who wouldn’t lose their mind a little after finding out DR3AM’s Peter is visiting the uni..and now he is going to be standing somewhere on this campus in real life...."

This thought alone made you dizzy...

The moment the bell rang, the crowded hallway erupted into noise again as students rushed toward their next classes, You and Ningning split ways with one last excited look before heading to your respective lecture halls.

Every few minutes, you found yourself wondering if it was real or if you had somehow imagined the entire thing. You had probably pinched yourself at least ten times already just to make sure you weren’t dreaming...By the time class started, your notebook sat open infront of you untouchrd while the professor's voice became background noise. You got lost in thinking scenerios about him.

What if he notices you? What if he finds you pretty—

"Miss Y/n!" You jerked instantly, looking around to see the whole class, staring at you. You realized the professor was calling out to you for the past 5 minutes. You immediately stood up, "Yes, sir?!" Heart beat racing, you gazed down in embarrassment as the professor looked at you with an deadpan expression.

"And I was saying, you could all end up like Miss Y/n, if you don't get enough sleep, and start hallucinating in class.." His voice echoed through the room. You looked down in embarrassment, knuckle white fists. You muttered to yourself "fuck..."

The clock on the wall suddenly felt painfully slow, each minute dragging longer than the last Usually, classes ended quickly enough, but today? It felt like the the time was mocking you. All you wanted was for the day to be over, and be free from the shackles of Professor Hong.

— ★ At DR3AM HOUSE

Donghyuck takes a long sip of his Iced Americano, tapping his foot constantly as Yangyang works on his computer. Jaemin was absolutely correctly, he was gonna find the IP Address of that author and then sue them. Jeno, settled behind Yangyang's chair, uttered, "Donghyuck, take a chill pill. Do you know that this smut fanfication is pretty common? Let it go, really don't understand why you gotta take it this far.." Donghyuck huffs dramatically, "you wouldn't know, after you've been explicitly described in front of thousands,"

Jeno shrugged, "So get ready to sue the whole ao3 website if you're at it..." A chuckle escaping Chenle and Jisung.

"Jeno wouldn't even mind, he would be noting the positions used in the smut instead, they lowkey creative..." Chenle piped in, standing next to angered Donghyuck. Donghyuck clicked his tongue multiple times, "Shame on you guys.." Jaemin chimed in, from behind."By the way, Donghyuck, that same fic was open on your phone. You keep reading it, dont you?"

Donghyuck's eyes widen, about to shoot a soap opera, already halfway standing up from his chair"You son of a bit—" Yangyang cut him off, his fingers tapped on the keyboard a few more times, "Hey, I got through the firewall, this is the IP address where that fanfic was posted from.." Donghyuck rolls his chair closer, "Well..?" Yangyang muttered in blinking before slowly reading it

"Kyung Hee University "

Every single person in the room froze, and the silence was intimidating. Jisung almost choked on his saliva, "No way..." Jeno chimed in, "And they chose to write a smut in a university..." Donghyuck huffs with a grin, tongue digging his cheek, he straightenrd his position, "Any other info?"

Yangyang cracked his knuckles dramatically before hovering his fingers of the keyboard. The clicking of the keys filled the room as lines of codes flashed on the monitor, faster than anyone can understand... A few seconds later, Yangyang suddenly leaned in the monitor, "Oh?"

Everyone instinctively moved in closer, Donghyuck basically almost entering the screen, "What, what show me!" Yangyang frowned, and pushed him aside with a groan, "Move! Dude"

Donghyuck snarled at him before asking again, "What's this? Their phone number?" Yangyang lazily at the screen, "I couldn't find any personal information. Whoever this is, covered their tracks pretty well, but" Donghyuck ushered,"but??" Yangyang tapped the number on the display monitor, "But I think this is the university identification number..."

2022-12742

Donghyuck shot up from his chair so fast that almost everyone flinched, "LET'S GO BABY!" Chenle gave him the nastiest look, "Why are you celebrating...?" Donghyuck grinned, pointing at the screen, "oh, you author, you're done..." Jisung mumbles, "okay, i'm kind of scared..."

Donghyuck continues, "2022 means the year they entered the university, which means they were a freshmen when I was about to graduate..and do you guys know where we’re going next week?” Donghyuck asked slowly, a dangerous grin spreading across his face, nobody really answered, he leaned forward dramatically over the desk.

"The alumni festival…” he paused for effect, “…at Kyung Hee University..." The room was in complete silence, then Donghyuck burst into laughter.., it wasn't a normal laugh, the kind when the villain finally revealing his evil plan laugh. “hahah, oh, this is fate,” he wheezed, clutching the desk, “This is actually fate.."

Jaemin, who had been silently petting his cat the entire time, stared at him for a long moment before slowly standing up, "Okay you really wasted my time.." as everyone in the room, started leaving one by one. Jeno didn't even bother looking back, "You're deranged as hell bro.." Donghyuck called them out in disbelief, “Hey?!” Jisung stretched lazily before standing up “please don’t scare random university students... They'll think we're weirdos.."

Chenle was already laughing while walking towards his room, "Imagine if they see you acting like this and regret writing the fic..HAAHA." Donghyuck’s jaw dropped in betrayeveryone abandoned him, “Guys?!” he whined loudly, spinning around in his chair. “This is MY victory! Aren’t we supposed to celebrate?...."

The only response he got was Jisung quietly mumbled to himself, "Alleged victory..." Donghyuck left in disbelief “…Wow.”

Then Yangyang suddenly nudged his shoulder before leaving, Donghyuck looked up, "what?” Yangyang raised an eyebrow before subtly rubbing his fingers together in the universal sign for money, Donghyuck blinked once, "Ah...right.." Yangyang only grinned smugly, “A deal’s a deal..."

Donghyuck pulled out his phone, tapping aggressively against the screen, transferring him the promised account. "Sent it..." Yangyang grins as he stares at his suddenly filled back account, "Yo, thanks Haha, I'll be heading out now, and please don’t do anything weird..." Donghyuck lets out a scoff, he said confidently, "why would you let a guard cat the milk.."

Yangyang frowns while putting his phone in his back pocket, while mid-step "Huh what? Donghyuck looked at him, blinking at him, "Y'know, the saying.." Yangyang blinked back at him, correcting him, "you mean let a cat guard the milk?" Donghyuck blinked once.. "…Oh yeah,” he replied immediately. “That.” Yangyang burst out laughing so hard he nearly doubled over, “Oh my god, you are actually stupid, donghyuck..." Donghyuck shooing him away "Okay go back to your slum!"

Still laughing, Yangyang waved him off before finally leaving the room, the door clicking shut behind him...the silence returned almost instantly, Donghyuck leaned back in his chair again, eyes drifting toward the still-open monitor displaying the university ID number.

2022-12742.

A slow grin spread across his face once more, "…Kyung Hee University, huh?” he murmured quietly to himself...

playlist — loser by mark, round&round by nct u, easy by jaehyun, insomnia by haechan, lie with you by ten, i just by red velvet, what 2 do by dean.

₊˚ ✧ ‿︵‿୨୧‿︵‿ ✧ ₊˚

☆ 19th february, 2025

you sat on the chair in mark's studio, after he showed you his song. 'loser.mp3' written on the computer illuminating the dark studio.

he sat on the couch of his studio, looking at you with hope, "sooo, how's it? it's the demo, i have to record the final version but i wrote down some lyrics to get the general vibes of the song.." he stated, you nodded in response, "sounds good, it's something i'd listen on a rainy day... it's great!"

mark smiled, then after a few seconds he groaned, "aghh...this song, y'know i wrote this for rina." rina, his ex. the girl who made your life a living hell, even if you never met her --- mark introduced her to you like she was part of your own life story.

you rolled your eyes and huffed "mark, just let her go! she even moved on and yet you're still here, talking about her every given chance" mark pouted "i thought we were best friends...we'd listen to each other and-" you cut him off "listen to each other, not you just mentioning your goddamn ex everytime we have a conversation, listen i know you're heartbroken but you gotta try and move on, you've got million of fans out there for you, cheering you on for your album"

"yeah right, if you'd ever get heartbroken, you would feel the same, dude..." you sighed, rolling your eyes in your mind, thinking yeah right, heartbroken as if he's not ranting to you about his ex for the past three months that's been breaking you from inside.

☆ 6th april, 2025

《A day before the release of 'The Firstfruit'》

you were in your bed, staring at the '1999' music video premiere, smiling to yourself, for mark. you know how hard he worked for this album and it contains many of his memories and history, with rina as well.

you knew how much he loved rina, always blabbering about rina. they were dating for 3 years, but rina suddenly left mark with a lousy excuse that she 'fell out of love.' ever since that, mark has been struggling with his health, physically and mentally. you stayed by his side and know how much he has prepared for this album.

this burning ache in your heart everytime he mentions rina arises, honestly you think you can treat him better than rina. if he would stop crying like a loser about his breakup and move on, but that doesn't change anything.

you felt a lump in your throat thinking about it, eyes getting teary. you let out a sigh and set your phone aside and laid down on your bed. you didn't know what to do, university has been stressing you out and this mess with mark.

a week after the release of his album, you finally saw mark when he came over to your house to visit you. your mom letting him obviously as she adores him. you were on your pc, playing the round of valorant as you kept losing. you let out a frustrated huff "fuck this game..."

you felt a presence behind you, you turned around to see mark with a grin holding beer and chicken. you gave him a soft smile, as you signaled him to sit down. "i lowkey forgot you were an idol..been so busy?" you let an soft scoff. mark replied while settling the cans of beer and chicken on the table "did you hear the album?" he asked with a huge smile on his lips.

your eyes drifted towards his lips and then his eyes, you nodded while pressing your lips together. "it was so good! like i'm so proud of you, mark!" mark grinned as he reached for your hand, intertwining his hand with your hand, "you're just the best, y/n. do you know that?"

you almost couldn't breathe, heart skipping a beat when he held your hand, like fireworks burst in your heart. a stuttering thanks escaped your mouth. you pulled out your hand from his hand, avoiding eye contact, looking down at the chicken.

mark looked a bit confused, he furrowed his eyebrows, "something wrong? you look stressed out" you huffed looking up at him "i'm fine, i just...i was doing some assignments." mark still looking confused as he moved closer to you, turning sidewards to look behind you. "oh assignments?" he said with a smirk, raising his eyebrow, you turn around to see the round of valorant put on pause.

you let out a small laugh, turning your head back at him, to end up being too close to him. noses almost touching, the air was thick, heavy, like you'd just forgotten how to breathe.

you almost choked on the chicken bone as you coughed out the chicken from your mouth. you thought to yourself "so fucking embarrassing, i should just bury myself right now." mark quickly hurried to pat your back, quickly opening the bottle of water to you. you gestured a 'i'm fine' to him. "you okay? i was just joking around" he asked.

looking concerned. yeah joking around, coming so close to me and doesn't expect to take the breathe out my lungs. you thought to yourself. "i'm fine don't worry hah...and that valo round, i was just taking a break."

everytime you try to act normal infront of him, something always happens. to him, probably it's casual and brushes it off because you're his homie, his best friend, nothing more than that. but for you? it felt like your heart was on fire, each beat echoing louder than the last.

after eating the chicken and chugging down the beer, mark offered to play a round of valorant with you, which you accepted. the next hour flew in a blur, respawns, and constant teasing. mark was surprisingly good — way better than he let on and you found yourself laughing more than you had all week.

every time he got a kill, he’d throw a cheeky smirk over his shoulder, and every time you clutched a narrow win, he’d groan dramatically, shaking his head like a kid caught cheating.

“you're cheating,” you accused, pressing your hands to your face as he snagged yet another kill.

“cheating?” he echoed, mock-offended. “oh please, I’m just naturally amazing.”

"yeah right" you rolled your eyes, scoffing at his self praises. you stretched in your chair, walking over to your bed. plopping on your bed, letting out a tired "i'm tipsy..." mark turned to look at you, leaving the controller down on the table. he sat next to you on the bed. "go to bed, i'll clean this up and leave."

you groaned at his words "you always leave..." mark looked down at you, furrowing his eyes, "what?" you're drunk and about to blabber some nonsense to him. you grab at his hoodie, forcing him to stay still. you look up at him, a dead stare. "are you going to rina?" mark's lips opened in a gap, "what are you saying y/n?"

you sit up on the bed, maintaining eye contact. in your tipsy state, you are basically known as the most shameless person alive. you grabbed mark by his collar, pulling him close, lips inches away from touching. you said with a mix of beer and chicken breathe "don't do this to me, please..."

mark basically froze, as he obviously didn't expect you to do this to him. "y/n...what?" he whispered, the air was thick, heavy, didn't know what type of tension was this, sexual? emotional? you knew what you were doing wasn't right. you passed out from the affect of alcohol. good timing, right? you fainted on his chest as he was confused, concerned and worried.

the next day, ur memories from that day have been totally erased from your mind. the only thing you remember was how you snacked on chicken and beer, and you blacked out. Mark probably left late because of you since he cleaned out the mess you created. He is probably at Inkigayo pre-recording.

There was no single text from him, though he would update you on what he was doing. Heat rushing to your face as the weight of your own words replayed in your head again and again. of all things, why did you have to mention rina? your stomach twisted painfully.

idiot.

you clenched your jaw, teeth pressing together as embarrassment crawled under your skin. maybe you’d ruined the little progress he’d made trying to move on from her. the thought alone made your chest ache.

Two weeks after that incident, things between you and mark changed. not drastically. not enough for anyone else to notice, but you noticed. the texts became shorter, safer, and carefully measured, like both of you were trying not to step on broken glass, it was truly frustrating.

how was your day?

it was okay, yours?

how did your exam go?

pretty decent i think.

Pretty much that was it. no random late-night bantering, no teasing, no spamming each other with stupid pictures and voice messages. every conversation felt like strangers trying to imitate friendship, you hated it deeply.

every time his name popped up on your screen, your fingers hovered over the keyboard, wanting to clarify yourself, saying the words

i’m sorry.

but your ego wouldn't let you, wrapping around your throat like a barb wire. so, instead, you kept pretending this distance didn’t bother you. After your final exam, you had barely gotten home before your phone buzzed again. It was Jaemin..?

you stared at the notification for a second before opening it.

> we’re throwing mark a party tonight for his solo debut

come to the dream dorm

he doesn't know, so dont spill, thank uuuu ♡♡♡

Your chest tightens immediately at mark's name. You read the text again, and again, the dream dorm. The place that used to feel warm and familiar now only got used for parties and celebrations, loud music and crowded rooms. You thought what if he told his members, about I said. Maybe they all resent me now?

You dropped your phone onto the bed with a groan, dragging your hands down your face. Sighs, part of you wanted to say no, actually most of you wanted to say no. Because after seeing mark after weeks of awkward texting sounded like torture. Another part of you missed his presence, his laugh, his un-funny jokes. You missed him.

So after ten whole minutes of staring at the ceiling and arguing with yourself, you grabbed your phone again and typed back

> sure, i’ll be there.

The message was sent immediately, but suddenly, you regretted everything. How will you face him? Will he be the same with you, or will he give you the cold shoulder. These thoughts devoured your brain relentlessly..

— AT THE PARTY —

You were infront of the dream apartment, heart racing erratically. You just had a feeling something'll go wrong today. The second the dorm door swung open, haechan leaned against the frame dramatically, arms spread wide.

“yooo, what’s up,” he grinned, pointing at himself proudly, “mark’s second best friend. since i’m obviously the first," despite yourself, a small tired laugh escaped you. "right...”

haechan’s teasing grin softened slightly as he looked at you properly under the hallway light. “wait,” he squinted, “what’s wrong with you? you look... tired...?" You slipped your shoes off by the entrance, forcing a shrug, “it’s just exam season. drained the life out of me.” You waved him off lightly. “don’t worry, tonight i’ll get my energy back!"

he gave you a suspicious hum, clearly not fully convinced, before stepping aside to let you in, the moment you entered the dorm, your eyes widened. Fairy lights were taped absolutely everywhere, around door frames, hanging unevenly from the ceiling, wrapped around random furniture like someone had lost control halfway through decorating. giant printed photos of mark were scattered across the walls, some normal, some horrifyingly zoomed in and some 140 pixel and in the background, “1999” blasted through the speakers loud enough to shake the floor.

“wow…” you muttered. “this is… something.” haechan puffed his chest proudly from behind you, “decorated by yours truly, lee donghyuck. thank you very much..." he lets out a proud huff? you turned to him with a straight face. “no, i mean it’s something....this is somehow worse than the party you threw for jeno’s birthday...

haechan gasped in offence immediately. “go to hell, bro.”you finally laughed properly, the tension in your chest loosening just a little as you walked further inside. Then your eyes darted toward mark, effortlessly dressed, still looking as handsome as ever. And you? Mentally drained, you didn't try to dress properly today. Suddenly feeling out of place. your steps slowed, as you make eye contact with mark...