"You're stabbing at your food," a soft, amused voice cut through the loud chatter of the cafeteria, "Should I be worried that you're also giving me the death glare?"

Y/N doesn't take her eyes off him. She hated how well he held eye-contact, and she wasn't going to lose the little battles before the war. So, she sends him a scowl as a response, her dark, frizzy hair puffing up like a lion's mane.

Jaemin was intrigued by her. She was the only person who would never smile back, never say anything more than a few words to him. As if dealing with him, or people in general, sucked out her limited supply of energy.

Jaemin sits down next to her, his arm brushing against hers with the protection of her thick, knit sweater, "We're supposed to choose our pairs for the science project, wanna work together?"

She let out a scoff, side-eyeing him for the sheer audacity of asking something so absurd, "No," She replies flatly, munching on her cafeteria food that suddenly tasted like slop in his presence.

He raised an amused brow, smile never faltering. Honestly, she would pay good money to see him not smiling for once, "Come on, why not? You're smart and I'm... kinda smart. We'd make a good team! I've even come up with possible names for our duo," he clears his throat as if preparing a proposal for Shark Tank, "sun and moon, yin and yang, Princess and The Frog..."

"Princess?" She scoffs.

"Yeah, I'll be the princess and you can be the fro-," she grumbles under her breath, standing up with her tray and moving to another empty table. Jaemin was unfazed, unfortunately, and followed her casually as if she'd asked to move together.

"Stop following me," Y/N huffed, nestling into her purple sweater as she continued to stab at her food. She could see Jaemin's group of friends watching like vigilant vultures from the corner of her eye.

Haechan, the cocky, intimidating star student — or would be star student if he weren't so lazy. Chenle, the real crazy rich Asian, often coming to school with something designer. And Renjun, the angry artist who she often wondered how he fit in such a group, being as he seemed like the only normal person there.

She could almost hear their judgment, confused on why Jaemin spent almost every lunchtime circling around the grouchy loner.

Jaemin chuckled, slotting into the chair next to her, to which she nudged her chair to the side, trying to get as far away from him as physically possible, even down to the atoms, "it's either I work with you or Jisung... and I don't want to work with him."

Her eyes met his, glaring in a way Jaemin would call cute, strangely, "Not my problem."

Jaemin pokes at her arm, giggling when she jumps, startled, "But whyyy. That guy would be scared at the sight of a bunsen burner, that's not even on, mind you."

"Again, not my problem."

Jaemin pouted, resting his chin on the palm of his hand as he let his soft gaze flick over her features. He had a horrible habit of keeping his eyes locked on people's lips, even more so when they spoke. But, from up close, his appearance matched the mix of a doe and a rabbit with his long, fluttering lashes and big, round eyes.

She hated deers and rabbits.

"Would it be your problem if we were friends?" Jaemin asked suddenly. Everything about his voice to his gaze were genuine. He meant every word, and that scared her.

She froze, grip tightening on her cutlery as she slowly met his watching eyes, "Friends?"

"Friends," Jaemin added, "I want us to be friends. You're nice."

She snorted. For the first time, she actually made a sound close enough to be a laugh and Jaemin, startled, looked at her like a deer caught in headlights. As if a UFO had landed right in front of him and aliens stepped out wearing chicken suits, "You're delusional."

"Delusional or not, I made you laugh. Even more of a reason for us to be friends, I'm a good influence on you," Jaemin teased. Immediately, her expression faltered.

The sun was obnoxiously loud, and infuriatingly cocky.

The sun was, indeed, loud.

When she woke up this morning, she never would have guessed how horrible today would be. Not until Jaemin raised his hand incredibly high and chirped to the science teacher, "Y/N and I would like to be partners!"

If looks could kill, Jaemin would be shot dead on Earth, stopped before he got to the pearly white gates; his soul extracted into a minuscule bottle, crushed and thrown into the deepest, tenebrous voids before he even had a chance at getting reincarnated.

She sighed, loudly. She could hear people whispering, their watchful gaze flicking between the pair. Jaemin was as smiley as ever, his eyes little crescents as he skipped over to her, flower petals trailing behind him like some spring-happy leprechaun.

Y/N placed her bag on the one free seat next to her, and Jaemin pouted just as he got to her table, "Hey, is that how you treat your partner?"

She couldn't even spare him a glance, not with her seething, "I told you, I didn't want to be your partner."

Jaemin shrugs, placing his books on the table and pulls out a separate chair to sit in front of her — all without complaint or a twitching smile. He could tell she was mad at him, he wasn't a fool. Usually, she'd be boring burning hot holes into his skin with her piercing glare, though now, she kept her eyes on her science book, not sparing him a glance.

He was cautious with his movements, watching her as he sat right in front, just close enough to smell the soft hint of lavender from her jumper. He didn't want to scare her off or build the tension further so, he did the next best thing he could think of.

Digging into his bag, he pulls out his phone and wired earphones, ones he carried with him for years. It was to anyone's amazement how they lasted so long. He scrolls through his playlist, trying to find anything that was calming enough and, when he does, he grins to himself, leaning over to place one bud into her ear.

Her eyes snapped to his, his finger still pressed to the earbud to stop her from snatching it out so quickly, but that meant he was closer than he had ever been. She couldn't help but to notice those dark eyes that reflected the glittering ceiling lights as his warm, gentle and hesitant breath brushed her dewy skin, "What are you-"

"Just... I know you don't want to talk to me right now so, let's listen to some music together. Just this once," his smile was softer now, eyes trained on her with a hint of nervousness.

When Jaemin realised she wasn't making a move to yank the earphones out, he slowly retracted his hand, letting the music play. Surprisingly, the song was calming and sweet — a stark contrast to the energiser bunny who sat in front of her, grinning like a madman just at her tolerating his presence.

Jaemin confused her. She couldn't understand how someone could be so... sunshine and rainbows. Just looking at him was exhausting, feeling the corners of her lips burn at the simple thought of grinning twenty four hours of every day. He may as well have had more muscles on his lips than she had in her arms.

"You're always smiling," she mutters, scribbling random doodles into her science book, not caring if it affects the presentation. She felt herself calming a little from the music alone.

Jaemin nods slowly, looking through their worksheet for the experiment they had to do over the course of the week, "Is that a bad thing?"

It felt like that question alone stumped her. It wasn't that smiling was a bad thing, but with Jaemin, it always felt forced — maintaining the good boy image. She scoffs lightly, "It's annoying."

He only laughs at that, leaning in closer as his voice turns to a whisper, "So, if I smiled less, you'd tolerate me more?"

Her confused look had Jaemin smiling at her like a fool, trying to see how far he could push as he pulled away, "Tolerate me enough to become friends, I mean. You didn't give me an answer yesterday either."

"Thought it was an obvious no," she takes the spare worksheet and starts filling in the equipment they'd need and the correct order of steps.

Jaemin lets out a sudden, obnoxiously loud "wow" at the sight of the work she had done in a mere five minutes. He snatches it from the desk, his thumbs digging into the edges of the paper as he held it up in amazement, lips puckered in an exaggerated 'O', before his gaze flicked to her, always searching for a hint of a reaction, "I don't think we will need a whole week to get this experiment done. At least, not with you as my partner."

"Don't get used to it. You're pulling your own weight for this project," Y/N mumbles, snatching the worksheet out of his hands, her fingers brushing his in the process. She flinches slightly at the contact, and Jaemin doesn't let it slide, his smile sneakily widening.

"Well too late. I'm already naming my future children after you."

She stares at him with a deadpanned expression, "You're so weird."

"Thank you," he beams.

There's a long silence after that. She quietly observes Jaemin, whose lashes cast shadows on his cheeks, smile softening as he chooses another song on his playlist, humming along to it. Then, her gaze drops to the paper again.

"Are you serious about being friends?" she asks softly, not looking up, voice so low he almost doesn't hear it.

He stops humming, "Yeah, I am."

Y/N finally looks up, and Jaemin's not smiling this time, clearly serious.

She considers it. Actually weighs the pros and cons of being friends with the sun which, if she hadn't known any better, would only repeat Icarus' story, where her wax wings would melt if she got too close, "Don't expect me to tell you my favourite colour or make friendship bracelets out of loom bands with you."

Jaemin's smile slowly returns, as if he's waiting for her to change her mind, "That's okay, you can start by telling me what you hate most about me."

She snorts, "As if there's enough time for that in a day."

"Perfect," he sends her his classic toothy grin, "Guess I have more of an excuse to hang around you for longer, then."

The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, illuminating the multi-coloured shelves filled with snacks and bold coloured stickers with deals peppered along the products. It had smelled faintly of overripe bananas, cheap detergent, and air freshener — the familiar scent of your standard convenience stores. Jaemin had wandered the snack aisle on a lazy evening, indecisively scouring the 2-for-1 promotions. He was low on energy after spending the whole afternoon playing football against his will. Though, he was somewhat grateful it wasn't basketball this time, thanks to Chenle going on some last minute holiday.

All thoughts screeched to a halt while he was scanning for some snacks, seeing her behind the till. She wore the stores' basic, bright blue apron, the collar of the white undershirt slightly crooked, and an upside-down name tag pinned to her chest which gave more than enough away that she was in a rush to get to her shift. But most of all, she was smiling at the elderly woman in front of her, offering a genuine laugh when the lady made a joke he could barely make out.

Her laugh was so pretty to him. Despite it being awkward, tethering on deep yet with a sweet lilt... It was so unique, so adorable and something he wished he could hear over and over again, like a broken record.

He couldn't get over that smile, either. It brightened up her face and made her even more gorgeous than she already was. His eyes were locked on the soft and slightly shy grin, tugging up on one side. He had never seen her like that before, but he was already obsessed, his heart clenching as a sudden cuteness aggression overcame him.

The moment she noticed him walking towards the register with a basket of snacks, however, her expression had snapped back into its usual stormy cloud, the corners of her lips sinking into a scowl. Jaemin stifled a laugh as he set his snacks down on the counter.

"Hey," he whined, yet his voice was as bright and sunny as always, "I'm a customer too, where's my smile?"

"What are you doing here, Jaemin?" she grumbled, already scanning the items with speedy efficiency, clearly wanting to get rid of him.

"I came to see you," He let the sentence hang just long enough between them before correcting himself, "Actually... I just wanted some snacks."

She glanced at the box of Lucky Charms he placed on the counter —bright and completely childlike, just like him. She blinked before letting out a soft giggle, the sound barely audible, but loud enough for Jaemin to catch it. He felt butterflies going haywire in the pits of his stomach.

"You seriously eat this shi- stuff?"

"Religiously," he replied, smirking, "I'm convinced it really is sprinkled with some magical form of luck."

"Oh yeah, and what have you been lucky with?" she muttered, slipping the items into a plastic bag.

"You," he added with a grin. There was no hesitation in the way he had said it, especially with that stupid, shit-eating grin and the mischievous light in his eyes. But she forced her expression to remain neutral, even when a string of curses sat on the tip of her tongue.

The occasional beep of items being scanned and the quiet chatter of the other customers in the back had filled the silence between them. Jaemin leaned back and forth, raising an amused brow at her, cocky from having gotten to her in some way.

"I didn't know you worked here," he said finally, trying to fill in the silence and not wanting this moment with her to end so soon.

Y/N shrugged, adjusting the strap of her apron as she suddenly started to feel awkward, "It's... just part-time. Pays for things like snacks. But I never get to eat them because I have to smile at people like you all day."

He grinned wider, ignoring her slight jab, "So you do smile."

"God, you're annoying," she groans, packing the last of the items and gesturing to the till for him to pay.

Jaemin only smirks wider, tapping his card until a beep resounded in the shop, "And you're blushing."

"I am not-"

"Oh, you definitely are, but this would surely make you blush more...," He leans in, grabbing the plastic bag out of her hands, fingers barely brushing, as he whispered against the shell of her ear, "you're cuter when you smile."

Her hands stilled slightly as she let go of the bag as if they were opposites on either side of a magnet.

He held her gaze for a moment, before pulling away, "Thanks for the snacks."

"Don't come here again," Y/N grumbled.

Jaemin stepped back towards the automatic doors which kept trying to close, blocking the path of some customers as he smiled like a fool at her, as usual. She hated how he made her feel in this moment, and she could swear her heart had beat louder than the generic pop music which played in the shop. Maybe she would blame the fact that he was someone who does eat lucky charms. But his next words cut through her thoughts as he stifled a laugh before leaving, "No promises, cutie."

And, for some strange reason, that word didn't make her internally gag.

The cafeteria was in a state of a mess; chaotic noise and clattering trays, loud, overlapping conversations, and the sharp screeching of metal chairs. The air had smelt faintly of overcooked pasta and whatever they had tried to pass off as food today — what students would call radioactive slop. But not one table was as loud as the one Jaemin was sat on with his friends.

"I'm telling you, she's the cutest girl around. Like- Haechan, stop laughing, I'm being serious!" Jaemin glares daggers at the male who was barely keeping still on his chair.

"Yeah, I bet. I'd also bet she hexed you," Haechan, who sat across from Jaemin, wipes away a stray tear, followed by a sigh as he calmed down from his burst of laughter.

Renjun sat next to Haechan, nudging him with the pristine sleeve of his blazer. He had always kept a clean-cut appearance where not even a tiny drop of paint ever landed on his attire, "If Jaemin likes her, who cares? I will be judging though, but from the sidelines."

Jaemin grumbles, pushing his half-eaten tray away from him as he crossed his arms, "You guys are assholes. What happened to being happy for me?"

Chenle chirps in, glancing at the woman who was the focus of their conversation sat a few tables down on her own. He jabs a finger into the table, a classic Chenle move whenever he had a 'valid' point to make, eyebrows raised with passion, "You guys are like... the complete opposites of each other. She would definitely steal all your light. Well- on second thought, that's probably a good thing, maybe you'd finally be somewhat bearable to be around."

Jaemin rolls his eyes, stuffing a spoonful of rice and munching it in irritation, "Look, if you actually spoke to her, you'd see that there is more to her. She actually smiles too, and it's so adorable, plus-" Haechan side-eyes Jaemin; partly for speaking with a mouthful of food, and the other for simping over her of all people, "Don't tell me you're already pussy-whipped when you've only spoken to her once."

Jaemin's mouth drops in shock, "Once?! I've spoken to her like... three, four times?"

Haechan snorts, resting his hands behind his head, sprawling lazily out on the chair, "Might as well have been once. You can count it on one hand. You barely know her."

"Well, I know her better than you guys do, so why are we judging so hard?" Jaemin snaps, and his friends suddenly grow silent and tense. It was unlike the usually sunny male to get angry or irritated. His jaw was clenched as he dropped his metal chopsticks on the tray, the clatter loud.

Renjun clears his throat awkwardly, looking around the table, his brows furrowed softly as he met Jaemin's gaze, "You... do know why everyone avoids her though, don't you?"

Jaemin pauses, eyes flicking to his friend. Something in Renjun's tone makes the hairs stand up on the back of his neck, the tension, paired with worry, simmering.

"What do you mean?" he asks suspiciously, his voice quiet and brows furrowing.

Renjun shifts in his seat, shrugging, "Just… she's not exactly friendly. People say she snapped at teachers, ditched group projects, cursed out that senior last year-"

"She cursed at him because he was mocking her in front of everyone," Jaemin cuts in sharply, his leg bouncing under the table in frustration, "And the group projects... Maybe no one ever wanted to work with her. She had always been a target of stupid jokes. Besides, how is any of that a big deal?"

The table falls quiet again and Chenle raises a brow and puts his hands up in surrender, trying to lighten the mood, "Okay, damn. Someone is ready to fight for her honour."

Jaemin huffs, "No- Look I'm just saying... people love to talk. Don't you think she's just tired of all these assholes?"

Haechan whistles lowly, "Okay, our knight in shining armour, should we start planning the wedding?"

"Shut up," Jaemin mutters, his cheeks flushed pink, "I already did."

The lab was meant to be quiet except, Jaemin was being clumsy with the equipment. The glass beakers kept clinking against each other, and it was surprising how they hadn't smashed into pieces with his large hands. It was only them in the lab, away from the bustling lunch hall, and it was supposed to be them finishing off the experiment before they had to type up their conclusions. However, working with Jaemin was proving to be a separate challenge.

Y/N tugged her sleeves up her arms in frustration as she kept glaring at him and giving him orders. But Jaemin found her to appear less reserved when she wasn't surrounded by others — still sharp around the cute edges, but not enough to make a man cower.

"Put the beaker down slowly," she said, eyeing the glass nervously as Jaemin finished pouring the solution into a separate beaker, "I swear to God if you shatter another one-"

"Relax," Jaemin chuckled, mocking offence as he set it down with exaggerated grace, gesturing to it in celebration. She forgot he had arms that could squash a coconut in one go, panicking at the sight of him handling fragile equipment. But his cockiness worried her even further, "I have the hands of a pianist."

She side-eyed him with a slight look of surprise, "You play the piano?"

"No, but I could," he wiggles his fingers, "with these sexy hands."

She rolled her eyes, but he caught the subtle twitch of her lips before she turned away to fetch the other materials.

They had been measuring and watching the colours blend in the beaker, creating an... interesting solution. He watched her scribble something in the worksheet, noticing her handwriting was messier than he'd expected. It had kept changing its font, far from the consistent and neat image she had presented as, at least, with her personality. His eyes trailed to her frizzy hair that added an adorable, messy look to her, like his favourite character from UP, Ellie.

"You're staring," she mumbled, her pen tapping the edge of the paper in annoyance.

"Just admiring your handwriting," Jaemin teased, leaning slightly closer, glancing to her writing again, "It looks like five different people wrote that."

"Want to lose the ability to smile?"

He chuckled, watching as she moved to hold a pipette above one of the mixtures, "Are you going to start writing the conclusion, or should I do everything?"

Jaemin snapped back to reality, side stepping to grab the worksheet and immediately tapping the pencil to his cheek in thought, "Right, conclusion," he frowned when nothing came to mind, "Something something… mixture."

Y/N slowly turned to face him, "Very insightful," she deadpanned.

He didn't miss the tiniest curve of her mouth again and, God, even when she stifled a smile, it would still hit like a punch to the gut. He was starting to think maybe she was right to hide it as people would be drawn to her like the North Star. And now, it was starting to feel like it was a sight only he was allowed to see.

"You say that like it's not the best conclusion you have ever heard," Jaemin added, pressing the pencil to his lip smugly.

She sighed, snatching the worksheet from him without a word and scribbling a few lines with a quiet confidence that made him raise a brow. Her writing was still chaotic, unlike her thoughts.

He leaned in slightly to peek over at what she wrote, but she folded the paper away from his view like it was a personal diary.

"Do you mind?" she muttered in exasperation.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation, resting his chin on her shoulder to take a better look at the mysterious writing.

Y/N stiffened, her breath hitched as she stayed frozen. It was insane to her how good he smelt, the way her heart stuttered, and the soft weight of him on her shoulder felt... right. She almost let out a loud scoff at her own thoughts before elbowing him sharply in the ribs.

Jaemin let out a dramatic gasp, rubbing the spot with an exaggerated pout, "Excuse me, assault in a science lab full of lethal equipment is a criminal offence!"

"You were in my space."

"It was our space," he mumbled, still rubbing his side, "I would argue we have dual ownership over this lab."

She tongued the inside of her cheek and shoved the worksheet in his direction, "I don't see your name on this paper, Jaemin."

He smirked, feeling his own heart blush at the way his name sounded on her lips, and grabbed the paper, scribbling Na Jaemin (Princess) in the top corner, and (cute frog) next to her name. When he handed it back to her, she glanced at the names, then at him, and rolled her eyes at his silliness.

"Anyway," his voice filled the quiet room, eyes glancing away to look at the clock, seeing they only had a few minutes till the end of lunch, "I think we did a pretty decent job, we should celebrate getting this project done."

She looked up his taller form in confusion, "Celebrate?"

Jaemin nodded, "Yeah, I'll bring you a snack tomorrow, something sweet, so that you forget about annihilating me for barely carrying this project."

She sent him a scowl in response, "And what makes you think I like sweet things?"

He grinned cheekily, packing away the equipment, "You like me, don't you?"

Y/N was convinced Jaemin had hit his head in the past month, especially with all the shit he was spewing. But she couldn't stop the small smile that lifted the corners of her lips, immediately dropping the second she had realised, and Jaemin's eyes widened at the sight. His heart was going haywire. She had finally smiled in his presence, because of him.

"You really do look cute when you smile," he grinned at her, slinging his bag over his shoulder, looking almost entranced by her, "I'm glad I'm the only one who gets to see it."

She snorts, packing her things away as well, "Well, I'd rather you not smile. It's exhausting."

Jaemin smirks, nodding his head, "Okay, I won't!"

He exaggerates a silly-looking scowl, humming at the same time, "Is that better?"

Y/N lets out a disbelieving scoff, eyeing him in what seemed like amusement, "Somehow... that's much worse."

It had been three days. Three days of Jaemin leaving snacks on her desk like some overly enthusiastic snack fairy with too much free time in the crackhead hours of the morning — throwing coins on snacks she hadn't asked for.

He had brought strawberry pocky the first day (what he would call an abomination in a box), Hello Panda's the next, and today? Banana milk — in this obnoxiously bright yellow carton, with the straw poked in. He called it a "romantic gesture".

Y/N stared at the carton on her desk, the happy face of the banana staring right back into her soul. Her brows had furrowed as Jaemin plopped himself into the seat beside her with his usual beaming aura.

"You're welcome," he said with a grin, chin propped up on his hand as he watched her with hearts in his eyes.

"I don't remember saying thank you," she replied blandly, but her fingers still curled around the carton like a stress ball.

Jaemin tilted his head, nodding in agreement, "I know, but you did drink the last two, so... it seems like you do appreciate the gifts, or me. Or both."

"And it seems like," she echoed with a deadpanned expression, "you're annoying. Unsurprisingly."

"Are you waiting for some kind of an applause?" she continued when he didn't make a move to leave, taking another sip of the banana milk.

Jaemin shrugged, never taking his eyes off of her, even as other students around looked on in confusion, "Yes, actually. I deserve a standing ovation. I had brought you peace offerings three days in a row, that's equivalent to a committed relationship."

"You're clinically insane," she shakes her head, scanning over her notes.

"Clinically sexy, you mean," he corrected, wagging his brows, his voice exaggerated loudly.

She let out a long, exhausted sigh that sounded like it came from the pits of her stomach, the kind of sigh only Jaemin could evoke. However, silence had then settled between them again. This time, it was peaceful.

For once, Jaemin wasn't rambling silly little lines, openly flirting with her, or laughing gratingly loud. Instead, he was sitting there, occasionally stealing glances at her while she pretended not to notice. Then, out of nowhere, the words that had left Jaemin's lips gave her whiplash, paired with how casually he had said them.

"Wanna hang out this weekend?"

Y/N's pen slid across the page in shock, her head turning slowly, and suspiciously, like he had just asked her to help him bury a body, "Hang out?"

Jaemin shrugged, "Just thought we could do something, you know, outside of science experiments and this God-forsaken building."

She stared at him blankly for a moment longer before replying, "I'm busy."

"You don't even know what day I meant," Jaemin pouted, throwing rubber shavings her way, playfully.

"I'm busy that day too."

Jaemin smiled, unfazed, "Just know, I'm persistent."

"You mean annoying," she corrected.

He laughed under his breath, leaning back in his seat. "You'll say yes eventually."

"Not likely."

"We'll see."

She did end up saying yes.

When Friday afternoon came rolling in, and he caught up to her outside the school gates with another (peace offering) drink in hand, a grape-flavoured juice, he sent her a hopeful look with his lashes fluttering like the princess he claimed he was.

The weather carried a gentle breeze as the sun formed a subtle halo over the brunette male, making him appear even more angelic than he already was. His dark eyes were softer under the afternoon glow, and his smile felt like spring. Y/N didn't know why things were suddenly changing. Why her thoughts were becoming brighter and warmer in his presence. It was like he had merged into her life as though he had always belonged there, and she couldn't help but to give in.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. One hour."

Jaemin blinked, surprise etching into his features, "Wait- what?"

"I'll hang out with you," she clarified, crossing her arms and looking off to the side as if she were an older sibling giving into the younger's request, "For an hour. And I'm not doing anything cheesy. If you take me anywhere with fairy lights or those photo booths, I will walk into on-coming traffic."

Jaemin burst into a fit of laughter, barely containing the smile stretching across his face, "You're the one who said yes."

"God," she grumbled, turning to walk ahead, not even waiting for him, "I'm already regretting this."

"No take backs!" He chirped as he caught up to her, grinning like he had won the lottery, "You'll regret it a lot less once you see what I had planned."

She stopped in her tracks, head snapping to him in shock. Not once had she hinted in agreeing to hang out with him, and yet, he had still put in the effort to plan something that wasn't guaranteed. Just because he wanted to make it something special.

"You planned it already?" She asked, eyeing him suspiciously, "And why does that sound like a threat?"

"It's not! It's a promise," he beamed, "And of course I planned it. I knew you were going to agree. I mean, how could you say no to this face?"

He cupped his cheeks and batted his lashes at her. Usually, this would have been something that would instantly make her cringe yet, this time, it was so... Jaemin. So silly and adorably him. It gave her this sense of ease, as though it was alright for her to be just as silly, just as out there as he was. Despite what others may think.

However, Y/N gave him a long, stern look, unimpressed, "You are dangerously close to being punched in the throat."

Jaemin gasped, holding his arms up in defence, "Violence on our first date?"

"It is not a date," she said instantly, her voice a slight screech, feigning a scowl. Her heart was thumping erratically. A date? It was only a month ago when Jaemin had asked to be friends, but the spring-happy leprechaun wouldn't settle on just friends. Not with her.

"Sure it's not," he replied sarcastically, bumping his shoulder into hers. He watched as her teeth bit into the straw of the grape juice, lips puckering as she took a sip. God, he really was down bad.

"So, where exactly are we going?" she asked, interrupting his far from innocent thoughts.

Jaemin's smile twitched, internally cursing himself for getting carried away like that, "Somewhere where you can't walk into traffic."

She groaned, "Great. I can't escape by death."

Jaemin grinned, tugging at her sleeve lightly, "Nah, you're gonna fall."

"Fall?"

"For me," he replied smugly, wiggling his brows.

She stared at him long enough to make him shift slightly. He should have known corny, cheesy, unoriginal pick-up lines would never work on her, "…I changed my mind. Half an hour."

"I bet you're already falling for me," He continued to tease, gently poking at her sides and snickering at her annoyed expression.

"Keep talking and it'll be ten minutes."

He shut his mouth immediately, but the grin on his face didn't fade for even a second. Of course it wouldn't.

He had led her further down the quiet streets just beyond the school, the buzz of the busy roads echoing behind them. Suddenly, he turned into a narrow, sketchy pathway covered by dark walls and patched up windows.

"Okay, where the hell are we going?"

"You'll see, just trust me," Jaemin chirped, hopping over a puddle with the appearance of someone who probably believed in elves and the tooth fairy.

Y/N eyed the side of his face, as if analysing him, "You're like a golden retriever, and I don't mean that in a good way," she said, her tone dry, "Do you have this much energy even when you're in bed?"

Jaemin didn't miss a second, his lips curling into a smirk, "Depends who's in bed with me."

Y/N blinked, nearly choking on the last bit of juice, "You're disgusting."

"What?" he asked innocently, raising both hands in mock surrender, "You asked."

"And shameless," she muttered.

"And you're blushing," he shot back smugly.

She turned away quickly, muttering curses under her breath. The worst part was that he wasn't wrong… she was blushing.

However, when the path opened up to a skatepark, she was about to turn and walk in the opposite direction, until she saw a building to the right.

It was a planetarium, nestled at the far end of the park, hidden behind torn fences and overgrown trees, clearly abandoned. The soft, spring breeze weaved through the cracked windows and rustling dead leaves across the ground, making her anxious. It was silent, apart from the sharp creak of the iron gate as Jaemin kicked it open dramatically, letting her enter first.

"You're trespassing...," Y/N said nervously, yet still stepped past the gate.

"We are," Jaemin corrected, grinning as he didn't bother to shut the gate behind them, "You agreed to this, remember?"

She rolled her eyes, "I was coerced by grape juice."

Inside the planetarium was dark, where glimpses of sunlight flickered through the cracks of the walls. The air was coated in dust and old wood, the scent sharp in her throat — particles floated just like the glimmer of stars on the ceiling. The projector had sat in the centre, the lens still intact despite it rusting and coated in crumbling leaves and spider webs. But there was something almost... magical about this place, as though it carried many stories — a history.

"I used to come here a lot as a child," Jaemin said, his voice softer now, with a hint of nostalgia, "My dad used to work nearby, and he would take me after school sometimes. I mean... I loved the stars, it always intrigued me. I would just lie down right here and pretend they were real."

He lays down right in the middle of the dome, a softer, more pained smile gracing his lips as he saw the now faded stars that didn't seem to hold the same wonder it used to, "There was something so..."

"Magical," she voiced out her earlier thoughts, hesitantly laying down next to him.

He glanced over to see her looking up at the dimmed ceiling, the setting sun catching across her soft, pretty features, illuminating the curve of her cheekbone and the plushness of her lips. She looked oddly beautiful here, even in this run-down, shabby space. It was like she brought that same wonder back with just her presence alone.

"So this was your idea of a perfect date?" she asked finally, but her voice was gentle, tugging at his heartstrings.

"It's peaceful and there are no fairy lights in sight," he teased, "Besides, you'll ruin my date rating if you start judging my choices."

They lay in silence for a while, staring up at a ceiling that once reflected galaxies. Now, the real stars peeked through the gaps as the sun had finally set, fragmented and imperfect, fitting in like puzzle pieces against the fabricated lights.

"You asked me before if I ever stop smiling," Jaemin says, quietly, his eyes locked on the ceiling. He lies still under the watching gaze of the fading stars, "Just... when no one is around."

He lets out a breath that almost sounds like a bitter laugh, not reaching the crinkles of his eyes, "I think somewhere along the line, I decided that being the overly positive guy was who I was meant to be. If I kept people distracted by this- this image, no one would look close enough to see all the fragmented pieces. I wouldn't be a burden to others."

Y/N said nothing, biting her bottom lip.

"Sometimes it feels like… if I were to drop this act, people wouldn't know what to do with me," He turns his head slightly towards her, letting out a dry chuckle, "That I would be a handful. I'd come with all the baggage that overwhelms them."

Y/N felt her eyes glaze with tears, the brittle air pressing against her chest that made it feel almost suffocating. She hated how much she related to those words alone.

She shifts slightly on the cold floor, trying to make her voice sound neutral, "That sounds exhausting."

"I guess it is," Jaemin admits.

"I do understand, though," she responds, glancing at him, "With keeping up that image."

Her voice doesn't waver, but it had always been hard for her to be vulnerable as she never had the chance to with her own family, "It's weird. One day, conversation is easy, people are approachable and..."

He listens, his brows furrowing in focus.

"Being strong for everyone else meant having to lose a part of myself," She exhales shakily, her nails digging crescents into her palms, "And after a while, I stopped feeling like me. Now, it's like I'm just a shell and pushing people away is easier. You don't get hurt again."

Jaemin's fingers inch closer to her, his knuckles brushing along her hand and, when her pinky hooks around his, he can't help but to smile softly.

"Even so... I don't hate being around people," she whispers, "I don't hate being around you."

He feels his heart skip a beat and his eyes widen slightly when her soft gaze meets his. It was like he got a glimpse into the warmth beneath the grumbling girl, the gentle side of her that hid behind the protective wall. Her usual glaring, intense gaze was now soft and sweet, pupils big as they reflected the starry sky in them, drawing him in like a moth to a flame.

Jaemin quickly snaps his head away, bringing a hand over his mouth, hiding his flustered smile, "This is dangerous," he mumbles to himself. Every moment he spent with her was making it harder for him to be normal, not with his body getting hot, and her pretty eyes that watched him curiously.

"What's dangerous?" She asks, confused.

"You, Y/N," he breathes, meeting her gaze again, "you don't understand just how gorgeous you are, how you look at me like that and... the fact that you really are someone so warm and funny and smart. And there is so much more to you that I-"

He chuckled nervously, interlocking his hand with hers more boldly, "I love that you're different. That you trusted me enough to share a piece of yourself. I also want to be someone who would take away all the burdens you've been carrying. To help fill your cup with you, because you're perfect to me, and I want you to see that too."

"But why? You barely know me," she asked quietly.

"Because it's you. But also... do we even need a reason? I just want to."

Her heart beats loud in her ears and tears finally fall, startling Jaemin as he began to panic, worried he may have overstepped in some way. However, it felt like those were words she needed to hear, even if it were just scratching the surface of understanding her, and her understanding him. It felt like she had finally met someone who could. Who would try.

"Jaemin," she calls out to him, and he blinks in response just as she leans in before she could think. Before she could stop herself.

Y/N's lips press to his softly. It was hesitant and shy, but it felt right. Slowly, her fingers cup his jaw and Jaemin pauses. He had waited for this moment, waited for when he could finally get through the protective wall she built around herself. She pulls away and he immediately pulls her back in.

When her lips meet his again, it's messier, with her running her fingers through his hair, parting her lips to mould with his. He feels the urgency in her hands, and he lets out a quiet groan when she climbs onto his lap, knees on either side of his hips, yet never breaking the kiss.

Jaemin's palms settle at her waist, rubbing slow circles on her skin. He tries to control the pace, kissing her back slower, patiently, as he pulls away to catch his breath, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Let me-" his voice is breathy and hoarse; chest heaving, "Let me take my time with you, Y/N. Please."

When her eyes search his, he continues with a softer tone, "You deserve as much."

She leans forward again, kissing him slow.

His hands curl over the back of her neck, the other still cupping her waist, pulling her in a little closer. It feels different this time, gentle and tender. Their mouths move quietly under the witness of the stars, like they're both trying to memorise what the other feels like.

Jaemin sighs softly against her lips when she subtly grinds against him, and he rests his forehead against hers.

"You don't have to rush anything with me, Y/N," he murmurs, "I'm not going anywhere."

"But I want this," she bites her lip, looking down at him. And that's all it takes for him to want to give in and give her everything she wants.

Jaemin's lips trail to her jaw, then down her neck, pressing soft, open-mouthed kisses that make her heart flutter wildly. She whispers his name and he flips their positions so that she was under him now. His body hovers just above hers, brushing strands of her hair from her face.

He kisses her again, slowly at first, but the kiss deepens with each second. His hands slip beneath her soft jumper, fingers tracing along her waist and brushing just under the curve of her breast.

She arches into his touch when he cups her bra-clad breast, thumb swiping over her nipple. Her skin was warm and soft, paired with her sweet gasps, and he couldn't hold back any longer, pushing the jumper off of her.

"How could someone be so beautiful," he breathes out, his soft eyes delicately tracing over her frame as the subtle light of the moon hugged her skin. Her cheeks were flushed at the way he looked at her and, before she could feel any more shy, he connected his lips with hers again; tongue tracing the seam whilst his hands slipped under the lace, massaging her supple mounds.

Y/N tugged at his own hoodie, whining softly against his lips, to which he chuckled, sitting back to pull it off of him, not forgetting to place the clothing under her when he realised she was laying on the icy marble floor. Her cold, slender fingers cupped his jaw, trailing down his chest. It all felt unreal to the both of them; this moment under the stars. It was as though, under the moonlight, was her world. A glimpse into her inner warmth.

Soon, her jeans followed, his warm breath fanning against her inner thighs as his lips ghosted over the skin. He pressed gentle kisses slowly up, thumb finally grazing over her clothed clit which elicited a quiet moan from her. The moment he tugged her panties to the side, she knew what was coming and immediately gripped onto his hair in anticipation.

Jaemin's tongue licked a thick stripe up her folds and she shuddered. But he didn't stop there, picking up the pace. His humming against her had her cheeks flush. His warm breath and tongue guided her down the path towards ecstasy, hands pinning her thighs against his sprawled out hoodie. Each tug at the locks of his hair and the soft whines that left her lips, had Jaemin's control slip further, subtly grinding against the floor to find some sort of friction.

Y/N couldn't take it any more. Not his wet tongue that elicited lewd sounds from her lips, creating an erotic melody that layered with his eager licks and groans, paired with the squelching sounds as he finally pushed his fingers into her. Her eyes blurred as she stared at the stars, glimmering as he brought her to the edge. His fingers curled perfectly inside her, pressing against a bundle that made the thread snap, finally coming and coating his fingers with her release.

The sound he made when she shuddered beneath him; eyes rolling back, was so pretty, so guttural, she swore she could have come again right there and then.

"You're perfect, baby," he kissed the inside of her thigh before crawling up her writhing body, pressing another kiss to the corner of her mouth, "We don't have to go all the way tonight, if you don't want to."

Immediately, she shook her head, pulling him in for a lazy kiss, "Jaemin... I want to. I'm sure."

He swore he felt his cock twitch at that, but he shook it off, sitting back on the heels of his feet as he unbuttoned his jeans, kicking it off along with his boxers. But he cursed at himself when the realisation dawned on him, "I-I'm sorry, baby. I don't have a condom. I mean... I wasn't really expecting anything to come out of tonight." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, though she almost didn't hear him, too entranced by the size of him, needing to shake herself out of it.

"If you're okay with not using one, I'm okay with it too," she said without hesitation, "I'm on the pill and... Well, I can get the morning after-" His soft chuckle had cut her words short, "You want me that bad, huh? Aren't you the same woman who was so eager to get rid of me earlier?"

Y/N grumbles under her breath, "Just shut up. Are you going to sleep with me or what? It's getting cold."

Jaemin shakes his head in amusement, hovering over her. The way he looks at her has her heart race; the affection that he doesn't bother to hide, the way his eyes are constantly flicking over her features as if etching them into memory, and the way he isn't quick with claiming her, always making sure she's okay and giving her time to back out. Slowly, she reaches up, cupping his jaw, her thumb brushing over his bottom lip.

"Fuck... do you know what you do to me?" He breathes out, nuzzling into her touch and placing a kiss to the inside of her hand.

Then, he slides his member through her folds, pushing into her inch by inch, pausing every time her brows furrow even slightly. Even when it was torturous for him, he put her first, waiting until the corners of her lips relaxed, and the space between her brows didn't crease.

Finally, when he was fully sheathed inside, and she had relaxed around him, he started to move, picking up the pace a little at a time, her sounds playing as the guide. She was perfect, fitting around him like a glove, wrapping her legs over his hips, rocking into him to feel him deeper, as if he wasn't close enough for her.

Jaemin rested his forehead against hers, his groans synchronised with her pretty moans, "God..." he breathed out, letting his hand cup her waist, fingers pressed into her dewy skin as he grinded into her.

Y/N grabbed onto whatever she could, moving to nestle into his neck, her warm breath and plush lips brushing over his pulse point, "Y-yes, Jaemin...," her nails dug into his back, toes curling at every rock of his hips, every push of his dick into her, had the stars on the ceiling feel brighter and all-consuming, "F-fuck."

Jaemin couldn't handle it, couldn't prolong her release any longer. He grabbed onto her thighs, pushing them out and up to angle his thrusts better. Then, he grabbed onto her wrists, pulling them towards him, sitting back on the balls of his feet as he picked up the pace, the sounds of skin slapping against skin was so dirty under the witness of the gleaming moonlight.

Her head rolled back, mouth agape as deep, throaty sounds escaped her. The moment she began to shudder, he knew he had made her come a second time, his own release following right after.

Jaemin collapsed on top of her, his large frame burying her in warmth as she let out a lazy giggle, snuggling into him, "That was..."

"Amazing? I know."

She smacked his shoulder playfully, "You're so cocky. For all you know, I could have been about to say that it was mediocre, or abysmal, or-"

"Or the hottest thing ever," Jaemin pressed a kiss under her jaw, rolling off of her to grab the sleeve of his hoodie that still nestled under her figure, wiping away at the inside of her thighs.

Just then, a flashlight peeked through the hallway just outside the door. Immediately, the pair glanced at each other, Jaemin muttered a loud 'shit', before quickly slipping on his boxers and jeans, and she chucked his hoodie at him, throwing her own clothes back on — barely.

"We gotta go, now," Jaemin grabbed at her wrist before she could put her jeans and shoes on, darting out the back just as the security guard opened the door, yelling a 'who's there?'

As soon as they made it out of the planetarium and into the chilly night air, out of breath and barely able to stand up straight, Jaemin and Y/N let out a chuckle that sounded more like relief, finally bursting into a fit of laughter, barely able to keep their balance. She used that time to slip on her jeans and shoes, elbowing Jaemin, "We almost got arrested. You sure this is still a good date spot?"

Jaemin raised an amused brow at her, catching his breath after laughing, shrugging, "I just bagged the most perfect, smartest, and most unattainable woman in there. I'd say it's the date spot."

Y/N rolled her eyes, interlocking her fingers with his as she led him back onto the main street, "You better not bring anyone but me."

Jaemin stopped in his tracks, turning her around to face him as he held onto both of her hands, his face serious, "Of course. It's only ever been you, Y/N. I know we've only been on just one date and I know I get on your nerves, and that I barely carried any weight on that science project," he let out an embarrassed chuckle, "But I want to be your boyfriend, if you'll let me. Just know that I'll spoil you like crazy, because we both know that I'm the one who is down bad, who is so madly in love I can't think straight in your presence. I know it's only been a short while, but sometimes it just clicks and it clicked with you, Y/N. It clicked perfectly."

She couldn't stifle a wide smile, her eyes glazing over as she nodded eagerly, squeezing his hands tightly, "I can't say it's love just yet I... I need time, but I do like you, a lot and, I want to give us a try. I'll let you be my boyfriend."

Jaemin didn't realise he was holding his breath, letting out a sigh of relief, "I'm not expecting you to feel anything more than that, Y/N. That's more than enough for me, more than I can ask for or feel worthy of."

She tutted at him, sending him a playfully annoyed expression, "You're worthy of a lot more than you give yourself credit for, Jaemin."

6 months later...

"Haechan, don't be a brat, I told you to put the candles on the candle holders before placing them on the cake," Y/N scowled at the male, who only shrugged in response.

"You really don't need candle holders for this, he'll blow the candles out in like... two seconds. No wax will drip on the cake," He swiped his finger over the frosting, licking it off which had her smack his shoulder.

Renjun let out a frustrated sigh at their usual bickering, shoving Haechan to the side and placing the candles on the toppers, "Stop being difficult, Haechan. This isn't your event."

Haechan grumbled, crossing his arms as he leant against the fridge, "You guys need to get a DNA test, it's crazy how similar you both are."

Chenle, who was still wearing sunglasses indoors, peers up from his phone after watching the tracking map, seeing Jaemin's icon pulling up to the apartment, "Guys, he's almost here, stop fighting."

Y/N quickly scrambles to grab the cake, causing Renjun to whine, "Careful, this will all go to waste if you drop it!"

She sticks her tongue out at him, slipping the cake into her hands as she moves to stand in front of the door, "Okay, as soon as you hear the elevator, light the candles. Don't mess this up!"

Haechan grabs the lighter from the counter, standing next to her as he angles it just above the first candle, "Yes, ma'am. Wouldn't want the leader of the underworld to beat my ass."

She sends him a glare, kicking his leg which causes him to yelp, "I am not Hades!"

"Well, Hades would have kicked my leg too!"

"Because you deserved it!"

Chenle, who was now standing in front of the door, jumps in surprise when he hears the elevator ding, "Guys, shut up, he's here!"

Haechan, about to clap back at her, quickly lights the candles, struggling with the last one until it finally burns a flame into the thread just in time for the front door to open. Renjun could have sworn he almost had a heart attack from the way their whole surprise could have gone bust.

As soon as Jaemin steps inside, the quartet broke into song, singing happy birthday to the male who never would have expected a surprise from the people who meant the most to him. A smile tugged at his lips, his toothy grin wide as he finally met the gaze of the most beautiful woman in his eyes. He knew it was her idea, that she brought them here for him, even though it had taken a while for them to all grow close.

When the song ends, Jaemin's eyes flutter closed to make his wish, blowing out the candles, causing everyone to cheer. Haechan ruffles Jaemin's hair, Chenle claps his back, and Renjun gives him a curt nod and birthday wishes, taking the cake from Y/N's hands before the three of them move to the living room, preparing to hand him the presents.

Jaemin doesn't stop smiling at her, pulling her into a tight hug, his nose nestling into her hair, "Thank you for organising all of this, Y/N... It means the world."

She chuckles, "Of course, I knew how much it would mean to you. I'm just surprised I could get everything ready in time, knowing how easily the four of us bicker."

Jaemin chuckled, pulling back to meet her gaze, "Am I the luckiest man ever? I think I am."

She snorts, rolling her eyes, "You're so annoying. This is why I love you."

Jaemin paused, his eyes widening slightly as the words finally registered, "You..."

When she realised why he had been shocked, she shakes her head in amusement, pulling him in for a sweet kiss, nipping at his bottom lip as she pulled back, "I love you, Jaemin. I was just waiting for the right time to say it."

The three men hollered from the living room, but Jaemin let those sounds drown out, cupping her cheeks with the palms of his hands as he pulled her back in for another kiss, parting his lips against hers, tugging at the plush skin as he smiled into her mouth, "I love you too, Y/N."

Donghyuck is speed-walking down the sidewalk, his tie slightly crooked, a half-eaten piece of toast clamped between his teeth. His phone buzzes in his pocket, again, and he groans before answering, voice muffled by his breakfast.

"Mom. I’m literally about to be late—"

"Hellooo, my hardworking son! Running late because you stayed up finishing that big project, right? I knew it!" His mother’s voice is loud, proud, and completely unfazed by his distress.

Donghyuck scoffs, dodging a slow-walking old man. "No, I stayed up because Chenle kept sending me terrible memes at 2 AM—"

"Ah, never mind that! Did you eat? Did you drink water? Did you—"

"Yes, yes, yes—Mom, I’m fine—"

"Good! Because I was just thinking…” A pause. Very uncommon.

“When are we meeting your girlfriend, Son?"

Donghyuck nearly chokes on his toast. "My what?"

"Your girlfriend! The one you’ve been telling me about! The one who brings you coffee every morning and laughs at all your jokes?"

His brain screeches to a halt. 

Oh. Right. That.

Weeks ago, in a moment of sleep-deprived bravado, he might have… embellished his daily achievements...

"Yeah, Mom, I totally aced that presentation. And, uh, my girlfriend—yes, my gorgeous, brilliant girlfriend—she said I was the smartest guy in the office, so yeah, we hit it off and started dating."

And now, his mother’s voice is dripping with excitement. "You’ve been dating for weeks and you haven’t even sent me a picture! What’s her name? What does she do? Is she pretty? Of course she’s pretty, my son has taste—"

Donghyuck’s eyes darted around wildly, as if the sidewalk might provide an escape. "Uh. Her name is—" Nothing comes to mind. 

Because Donghyuck is as single as one can be. Why did he even have to tell her that? How stupid he could be sometimes… 

“You know what, Mom? I’ll bring her over this weekend, you’ll meet her.” 

He spoke before he even realised what he was saying, too busy trying to make his way on time to the office. 

“Really? That’s fantastic, Son!” Donghyuck’s mom’s voice was high and buzzing. He could almost hear her bouncing on her feet through the phone. “Tomorrow? I’ll prepare everything! Does she like kimchi jjigae? I’ll make it for you!” 

Donghyuck’s eyebrows furrowed as the realization of what he just said started to sink in slowly. He would have said something, but on the other end of the line, his mom was already ending the conversation as she babbled about going right now to the grocery store. 

"Yeah, yeah... Bye Mom. See you tomorrow..."

Oh, he was fucked.

The office was rhythmed by the frantic clack of keyboards, buzzing of printers, and distant chatters of receptionists on the phone, until the main door slammed open with force.

A whirlwind of disheveled brown hair, a crooked tie, and palpable panic stumbled into the open space, tripping slightly over his own feet, his messenger bag swinging wildly in his path. 

You looked up from your spreadsheet, alerted less by the door and more by the frantic stomp-stomp-stomp heading for the desks. 

Donghyuck's eyes, wide and slightly wild, scanned the room like a trapped animal before they landed on you.

"YN!" He gasped, your name exploding out of him like a burst of relief. 

He practically hurled his bag onto his own desk in his box, right across yours, sending a precarious stack of unsorted files cascading onto the floor. "Thank every star in the sky, you're here!"

You raised a single, skeptical eyebrow, your fingers pausing mid-formula. "I'm always here. Unlike you."

He ignored the look and the remark, already weaving around the labyrinth of low-walled cubicles like a pinball, zeroing in on yours. "YN," he declared again, skidding to a halt in front of you. 

His expression was unnervingly grave, the kind usually reserved for server crashes. "I need your help. Desperately. Like, life-or-death, my-mother-might-actually-disown-me levels of desperate."

You minimized your spreadsheet, leaning back in your chair with deliberate slowness, crossing your arms in front of your chest, and a faint smirk played on your lips. "What's your reason for being late today, Donghyuck?"

He waved a dismissive hand, the gesture frantic. "Pfft, alarm clocks are traitorous constructs designed by the universe to test me. You know that, that's irrelevant!" 

He glanced around furtively, then invaded your personal space bubble, perching himself precariously on the very corner of your desk. One of your neatly stacked sticky note pads wobbled dangerously. 

Now, you had to look at him. 

His eyes were pleading pools of exaggerated distress. "Y/N. Focus. Help. I need you."

Sighing, you plucked the wobbling sticky notes to safety. "Alright, Drama King. What catastrophic favor do you need this time? Did you promise Mark you’d reorganize the entire inventory by lunch? Again?"

He leaned in conspiratorially, lowering his voice to a stage whisper that probably carried to the break room. "Worse. So much worse." 

He took a deep, shuddering breath, bracing himself. "I... may have accidentally... sort of... invented a girlfriend."

You blinked. "...Invented?"

"For my Mom!" he clarified, his voice climbing back towards panic-pitch. "She calls every day, Y/N! Every. Single. Day. Asking about my 'great achievements'! And sometimes... sometimes a man needs to embellish! So I might have mentioned... a certain amazing, beautiful, brilliant, coffee-bringing, laugh-at-my-jokes-even-when-they're-terrible girlfriend!"

The pieces clicked. You stared at him, the absurdity dawning. 

"Donghyuck... you didn't."

"I did!" he moaned, slumping forward and burying his face in his hands for a second before snapping back up, eyes wide with renewed terror. "And it was fine! Great, even! Until this morning! On my way here, already late because someone's alarm clock is a saboteur—"

"—You mean your alarm clock—"

"—My mom calls!" He bulldozed over your correction. "She's so excited! She wants to meet 'the lovely girl who's finally tamed my wild heart'! Tomorrow night! Dinner! At their place!"

He looked at you, the picture of abject misery mixed with desperate hope.

"Y/N," he breathed, leaning close. "You have to be my fake girlfriend. Just for one dinner. Please…”

Your eyebrow arched impossibly higher, skepticism readable on your face.

"Why don’t you ask someone else?" Your voice was flat, perfectly calibrated to convey that his impending parental doom ranked somewhere below alphabetizing the supply closet on your list of concerns. "Jisoo in Accounting smiles at you sometimes. Or that intern, Mina? She brought you coffee last week. You have plenty of options."

"Jisoo thinks my jokes are 'stress-inducing'!" Donghyuck wailed, his voice cracking slightly. He leaned further over your desk, invading your airspace like a mosquito. "Mina flinches if I move too fast! You're the only woman who talks to me, YN! The only one to tolerate me!"

He slammed a palm down on your desk for emphasis, making your pencil cup rattle. "Pleeeeeaase!" You definitely heard the distinct, petulant thump-thump-THUMP of his dress shoe hitting the cheap office carpet.

Three times. Like a toddler throwing a tantrum. 

"I'll be ruined! Utterly humiliated! My mom will cry! Actual tears! Do you want that on your conscience? Huh? Do you?"

He actually got on his knees. 

On the floor. 

Right next to your chair.

"I'll do anything. Anything. Name it. I'll owe you forever. I'll do your expense reports for a month! I'll cover your weekend shifts! Just...please." He pleaded, his hands joined dramatically in front of his forehead.

You slowly swiveled your chair to face the human disaster crumpled under you. He lifted his head, eyes wide and suspiciously shiny. For a second, you thought he might go as far as to cry to get what he wanted. 

He looked like a kicked puppy, really.

A long, slow sigh escaped you, heavy with the weight of impending regret. You pinched the bridge of your nose, already feeling the headache blossom. "Donghyuck..."

He perked up instantly. "Yes? Yes! What? Anything!"

You leveled him with your best unimpressed stare. "...Just once."

"YES! JUST ONCE! IT'S ONE DINNER! PERFECT!" He shot upright, nearly knocking over your monitor. The transformation was instantaneous: despair evaporated, replaced by manic, giddy relief. 

He pumped a fist in the air. "You are an angel! A goddess! The absolute best fake girlfriend a guy could ever—"

"—Shut up, Donghyuck," you cut him off, already turning back to your screen, the beginnings of a profound sense of foolishness settling in your stomach. "Just... shut up. And get off my desk before you break something. And my price is two months of your Friday night shifts."

"Done! Sold! You drive a hard bargain, fake-love-of-my-life!" He practically bounced off your cubicle, radiating triumphant energy that felt wildly disproportionate to the catastrophic lie he’d just cemented. 

"Okay! Okay. Details. I'll text you the address. Dress... nice! But not too nice! Mom will get suspicious if you look like you're trying too hard for little old me..." He winked, the smugness already creeping back in, the whiny supplicant momentarily forgotten. "...even though you totally should."

He scurried back towards his own disaster zone of a desk, humming, the picture of a man who had narrowly escaped doom and was now blissfully ignoring the ticking time bomb he’d strapped to both of you.

You stared blankly at your screen. Out of pity, you told yourself firmly. 

Strictly out of pity. 

The soft, greyish light of early evening filtered through your apartment window, catching the dust motes dancing in the air. You straightened the hem of your skirt in the full-length mirror propped against your entryway wall, its surface slightly warped with age. The outfit was nice, demure but flattering: a sweater and a skirt that said "I have my life together but I’m not trying too hard". 

Perfect for a meeting with your fake in-laws.

Tch. The sound of your own derision was sharp in the quiet apartment. 

Fake in-laws. 

The absurdity of it all curdled in your stomach. You were about to spend your Friday night performing in a play written, produced by, and starring Donghyuck, with you as his unwilling love interest.

It was ridiculous. 

A sigh escaped you, fogging the mirror for a second before clearing. You looked at your reflection one more time and grimaced. 

Your phone screen, dark and silent on the console table beside you, offered no reprieve. You tapped it. 6:40 PM. 

Donghyuck was supposed to be here at 6:30.

As expected.

A dry, humorless laugh escaped you. Of course, he was late. 

The man whose entire existence seemed to operate on his own standard time was late to the very catastrophe he himself had engineered. 

You wondered, idly, what his excuse would be this time. A sudden and urgent need to reorganize his drawers? Or perhaps a critical emergency? You could already hear his voice, a little too loud, a little too breathless, offering a dozen convoluted reasons that all boiled down to one simple truth: he was Donghyuck.

Should you put your shoes on already? 

It felt like a commitment, the final step before crossing the threshold into this farce. 

What were you even doing? This was a colossally stupid idea. 

You could still back out. You could text him a simple “Sorry, came down with a sudden case of common sense and decided to spend the night with takeout and a movie, blissfully free of maternal interrogation and your brand of chaotic energy”.

But then the memory flashed, unbidden: his head dropped onto your keyboard, his voice muffled and desperate. “My mom will cry! Actual tears! Do you want that on your conscience?” And worse, the image of him on his knees on the grimy office floor, his eyes wide and shining with a panic that felt… genuine.

You swore under your breath. Out of pity. Strictly out of pity.

Your phone buzzed suddenly, and you snatched it up. 

Hyuck: Turning onto your street!

You rolled your eyes and finally slipped on your shoes, sealing your fate.

A minute later, the sputtering rumble of an engine that had seen better days echoed from the street below, followed by the cheerful beep-beep of a horn. 

You leaned over your sink, peering through the window. Down below, crammed into a tiny, brightly colored sedan, was him. He had the driver’s side window rolled down, one arm hanging out, and he was waving enthusiastically up at your building as if he hadn’t a care in the world and wasn’t 15 minutes late. 

Your phone buzzed again. 

Hyuck: Your chariot awaits princess!

Another sigh, this one laden with the weight of a thousand poor decisions. 

You gave your reflection one last, lingering look. The woman in the mirror looked back, a mix of apprehension and reluctant amusement in her eyes. This was it. The point of no return.

You grabbed your bag, turned off the light, and stepped out into the hallway, closing the door on your quiet, sane evening. 

The car was even smaller on the inside than it had looked from your window. It smelled faintly of old leather, cherry air freshener, and, underneath it all, Donghyuck’s cologne. 

He beamed at you as you buckled your seatbelt, his earlier panic replaced by a giddy, nervous energy.

"You look... suitably not-trying-too-hard!" he announced, giving you an approving once-over before putting the car into a gear that protested with a concerning grind. "Perfect. Mom will love it. She appreciates an understated effort."

"Glad my outfit meets the approval of your fictional narrative," you deadpanned, staring out the window as the city began to blur past.

"Our narrative," he corrected cheerfully, swerving around a delivery scooter. You quickly gripped the handle above the door. "Which is why we need to get our stories straight. We can't have any slip-ups! My mom has a sixth sense for this stuff, I swear. She once knew I failed a math test just by the way I said 'hello'."

"Donghyuck, it's a dinner, not a CIA interrogation." You sighed. “Plus, I’m sure your parents are not that bad…”

"You say that," he said, his voice dropping to a dramatic whisper. "But you've never been on the receiving end of her line of questioning. It's brutal. So! Let's practice."

He cleared his throat, adopting a higher, sweeter tone. "So, Y/N, darling," he began, glancing at you. "How did you and my wonderful son first meet?"

You blinked. "At the office...?"

"Ugh, no! Too boring! Too plausible!" he groaned, tapping the steering wheel for emphasis. "We need romance! Serendipity! Think! We met... at the coffee shop downstairs! You spilled your latte all over my brand-new, very expensiveshirt!"

"And that made you fall in love? I'd have sued me for dry cleaning." You snorted.

"No, see, I was charmed by your clumsiness!" he insisted, his eyes wide with the brilliance of his own fiction. "And you were so flustered and adorable, you offered to buy me a new one, and I said, 'A new shirt? How about you treat me to a coffee someday, instead?"

You stared at him, a slow, incredulous smile spreading across your face. "You did not just say that."

"I did! Smooth, right?"

"That's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard."

"It's romantic!" he whined, the sound fitting perfectly with the car's engine. "Fine. Your version, then. How did we meet?"

You thought for a second, watching the streetlights begin to flicker on. "You were trying to microwave your lunch in the office kitchen for, like, ten minutes and couldn't figure out why it wasn't working."

"...Why wasn't it working?"

"You hadn't taken it out of the foil wrapper. So I helped."

Donghyuck was silent for a moment before bursting into laughter, a loud, unreserved sound that filled the tiny car. "Okay, yeah. That's way more believable. We'll go with that. Our love bloomed over a sparking burrito and my utter helplessness. Mom will adore that. It plays into her 'my poor son needs looking after' narrative perfectly."

You had come up with this story to tease him, really, but he seemed genuinely pleased with this, humming as he switched lanes. "Okay, next! Pet names. What do I call you?"

"Y/N."

"No, I mean, like, a cute couple-y name! Honey? Sweetheart? Baby?" He said the last one with a ridiculous, exaggerated pout.

"If you call me baby even once, I will tell your mother about the time you tried to use a paperclip to 'reset' the server and nearly wiped the entire quarterly report."

He gasped, genuinely horrified. "You wouldn't."

"Try me," you said, your voice flat.

"Noted. No pet names. You're no fun," he pouted, but it quickly morphed back into a look of concentration. "What about our first kiss? We need a story. Was it a passionate, rain-soaked confession? A clumsy bumping of noses after a movie? A—"

"It hasn't happened yet," you interrupted, your face feeling strangely warm. "We've only been dating a few weeks. It's new. We're taking it slow. That's a perfectly normal thing to say."

Donghyuck snapped his fingers. "Genius! Playing hard to get! I like it. Makes me look persistent and respectful." He nodded, a master strategist approving a battle plan. "Okay, okay. Last thing. We need to act like we like each other. You know, couple stuff."

"What kind of 'couple stuff'?" you asked, suspicion creeping into your voice.

"You know!" he said, waving a hand vaguely. "Look at me fondly when I'm talking. Laugh at my jokes—which you should be doing anyway, they're hilarious—maybe... hold my hand or something under the table. Normal, fake-dating things!"

The car fell into a slightly awkward silence, punctuated only by the sputtering of the engine. 

You both stared straight ahead, the unspoken weight of that simple suggestion hanging between you. 

Holding his hand. It was a ridiculous, performative gesture for a ridiculous, performative evening. So why did the thought of it make your stomach do a funny little flip?

"We'll... play it by ear," you finally said, your voice a little tighter than you intended.

"Right. By ear. Cool, cool," Donghyuck replied, suddenly very interested in adjusting the rear-view mirror.

He drove the rest of the way in uncharacteristic quiet, the only sound the rumble of the car and the frantic, hopeful, and utterly ridiculous beat of your own heart.

Minutes later, the sedan wheezed to a stop in front of a modest, well-kept house that seemed to radiate warmth even from the curb. Flower boxes adorned the windows, and the faint smell of grilled meat somehow already permeated the car.

"Okay," Donghyuck breathed, killing the sputtering engine. The sudden silence was deafening. He turned to you, his earlier demeanor replaced by a flicker of genuine nerves. "Showtime. Remember: lunch, no pet names, taking it slow."

Before you could reply, the front door flew open.

"Donghyuck!"

A woman who could only be his mother stood there, beaming, wiping her hands on a red apron. She was smaller than you imagined, but somehow, her presence filled the entire doorway. 

She hurried down the path, and Donghyuck barely had time to get out of the car before she was pulling him into a tight hug, fussing over his crooked tie.

"Look at you! So handsome! And you must be Y/N!" she exclaimed, releasing her son and turning her full, radiant attention to you. Her eyes crinkled into kind crescents. "Oh, he didn’t do you justice at all! You’re absolutely lovely!"

"Good evening, Mrs. Lee. It's so nice to finally meet you," you said, bowing slightly, your voice a little steadier than you felt.

"None of that! My name is fine! Come in, come in, you must be freezing!" She looped her arm through yours, effortlessly pulling you towards the house as if you were an old friend, leaving Donghyuck to trail behind. "I hope you're hungry! I made enough to feed his whole office!"

The inside of the house was a comfortable haven of family photos, knit blankets, and the overwhelming, delicious smellof home cooking. In the living room, a man who shared Donghyuck’s nose and kind eyes stood up from an armchair, setting aside a newspaper.

"Dad, this is Y/N," Donghyuck said, his voice softer, more respectful than you’d ever heard it at the office.

Mr. Lee offered a small, warm smile and a firm handshake. "Welcome. It's good to meet you. Hyuck talks about you all the time." His voice was a quieter, deeper version of his son’s, and you instantly saw where Donghyuck got his playful tone from.

Dinner was a whirlwind of delicious food and easy conversation. Mrs. Lee was a masterful interviewer, asking you about your work and family with a sincere interest that never felt prying. Donghyuck, for his part, was… different. The loud, whiny office persona had completely melted away. 

Here, in the comfort of his family home, he was softer. He listened intently, chiming in to tease his mom gently ("Mom, stop interrogating her, she's going to think we're crazy!"), or to proudly elaborate on a story you were telling.

You were in the middle of recounting a particularly frustrating project, the words flowing more easily than you expected in the warm, accepting atmosphere. "...and the client just kept changing the goalposts, right up until the deadline—"

A shift in movement beside you. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Donghyuck’s hand twitch on his thigh, then lift haltingly. There was a brief, suspended moment of hesitation before his fingers brushed against the fabric of your skirt, coming to rest lightly on your knee.

The touch was warm, a little tentative. It was clearly meant to be a supportive, couple-y gesture for his parents' benefit, but the delivery was awkward, his fingers stiff. It felt less like a performance and more like a question.

You instinctively stilled, your sentence trailing off. The touch was… not unpleasant. Soothing, even, in its clumsy way. But it was a stark reminder of the charade, a jolt back to reality.

Donghyuck seemed to realize it at the exact same second. As if your leg had electrocuted him, he snatched his hand back, a faint flush creeping up his neck. He cleared his throat, suddenly shifting his attention to a loose thread on the tablecloth.

The abrupt absence of the warmth of his hand then felt stranger than the touch itself. It left a cold patch on your knee and made the whole interaction seem even more glaringly fake.

Without fully thinking, and propelled by a mix of stubbornness and a desire to smooth over the awkwardness he’d just created, you moved. 

Your hand dropped beneath the table, your fingers finding his where they now rested on his own leg. You gave them a quick, slight squeeze, a signal, and then guided his hand back onto your knee, firmly placing it there yourself.

You chanced a glance at him. Donghyuck’s head had snapped toward you, his eyes wide with pure shock. His mouth was slightly agape, all traces of his usual smooth bravado completely gone.

Your face felt warm. You offered him a small, tight, and awkward smile. You gave a tiny, almost imperceptible nod toward his parents, who were watching the two of you with fond, oblivious smiles.

He blinked, the shock in his eyes slowly melting into a dazed sort of understanding, then something warmer, more unreadable. His fingers, which had been rigid with surprise, slowly relaxed against your knee. This time, his palm settled more naturally, his thumb making a soft, absent-minded sweep against the side of your leg before stilling.

You turned back to his parents, forcing yourself to finish your story. "...So, we managed to get it all done, but just barely!"

All throughout dinner,  you caught yourself laughing, a real, unforced laugh, at endearing stories Mr. and Mrs. Lee told about young Donghyuck, a sweet feeling of easiness creeping up your heart and senses.  

You found yourself smiling more, your shoulders loosening from their usual guarded hunch. The domesticity of it all—the clatter of dishes, the gentle bickering between mother and son, the father’s quiet, amused observations—was a balm you hadn't known you needed.

“YN, darling, can you help me with these plates, please?” Mrs. Lee asked, and you promptly followed her into the kitchen

"He seems happier," she said softly, handing you a dish towel. Her back was to you as she started the water. “I’ve never seen him like this.”

Your heart gave a complicated thud. The lie felt heavy and sharp in your chest, surrounded by so much genuine kindness.

“I think he’s really happy to be home as well,” you said, fidgeting. “He talks about you a lot.” That, at least, was the truth. 

She turned then, her eyes a little shiny. "He's a good boy. A little... much, sometimes," she said, waving a soapy hand fondly. "But his heart is so big. I'm glad he found someone who sees that."

Back in the living room, you found Donghyuck and his father engaged in a quiet debate about a baseball match. Donghyuck was gesturing animatedly, but his voice was warm and engaged. He looked up as you entered, and his face broke into a smile that was smaller, less performative than his usual grins. It was just… happy. It reached his eyes, crinkling the corners.

For a moment, the line between the act and reality blurred into nothing. 

The warmth of the house, the affection in his parents' eyes, the quiet, endearing version of Donghyuck on the couch, it all felt disarmingly real. 

And the most ridiculous part of it all was that you wished, just for a second, that it was.

The final bites were savored, the comfortable silence punctuated by Mrs. Lee’s satisfied sighs. As you helped clear the last of the plates, Mr. Lee leaned back in his chair, a glint of quiet amusement in his eyes that was so like his son’s.

“Donghyuck,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “Why don’t you show Y/N around? The garden’s looking nice since your mother’s been terrorizing the weeds.”

Donghyuck, who had been basking in the apparent success of the evening, froze mid-stretch. “The—the garden? Right now? It’s dark out, Dad.”

“Then show her the house,” his mother chimed in, wiping the table with a knowing smile. “Go on. We’ll clean up.”

It was a clear, gentle dismissal. A chance for the “couple” to have a moment alone. Donghyuck’s ears turned pink, but he nodded, pushing his chair back. “Right. Okay. Yeah. A… tour. This way.”

He led you out of the dining room and into the quiet of the hallway. The moment you were out of sight, the tension broke. He slumped against the wall, running a hand through his hair as a breathy, incredulous laugh escaped him. You leaned against the opposite wall, a mirror of his relieved posture, and a giggle bubbled up in your own throat.

“Oh my God,” he whispered, his eyes wide with a mixture of panic and triumph. “They bought it. They totally bought it. My mom was looking at you like you’d personally hung the moon.”

“Your dad is terrifyingly perceptive,” you whispered back, your smile widening. “I thought he was going to ask for our couple’s membership card.”

“I know, right? The quiet ones are deadly.” He shook his head, the absurdity of the situation washing over both of you. 

In the shared, silent laughter, the strange, charged moment from the dinner table felt miles away. He was just Donghyuck again, your ridiculous, panicky coworker. 

And yet, seeing him here, softened by the glow of his childhood home, a new feeling bloomed in your chest—a fond, endeared curiosity.

You pushed off the wall, a playful glint in your eye. “So? Where’s the grand tour? I want to see it all. The scene of the crime.”

He raised an eyebrow. “The crime?”

“Where Lee Donghyuck, local menace, grew up,” you clarified, grinning. “I specifically want to see your childhood room. I need to see the shrine to your greatness. I bet it’s covered in gold-plated trophies.”

He scoffed, but a proud, boyish smirk tugged at his lips. “It’s not a shrine. It’s a… curated museum of my formative years. But fine. Since you begged.”

He led you down the hall and pushed open a door. “Prepare yourself,” he said, his voice dropping to a mock-serious tone. “The aura of greatness in here is overwhelming.”

You came in, and the air in the room hung thick with nostalgia and the ghosts of adolescence. In there, the scent of old paperbacks mingled with dust, and the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling shone faintly. 

Shelves bent under the weight of manga volumes and action figures: all of them testimonies of Donghyuck’s teenage days, holding some of his most precious memories.

On the wall, amidst other posters, was a framed photo of a gangly, grinning Donghyuck holding a basketball trophy. It was a shrine to a boy trying too hard to be cool, but as cocky as he looked, it made your lips curve into a soft smile.

"Thank you so much!" Donghyuck's voice shattered the quiet, followed by the dramatic sound of him collapsing onto his twin bed with a loud sigh of relief. "Seriously, yn. Lifesaver. Hero. Saint. Pick a title, it's yours. My parents are obsessed with you. I think Dad might like you even more than he does me."

You turned away, fingertips tracing the gritty layer of dust on his old dresser. A soft, non-committal hum was your only reply. He wasn't wrong.

It had been surprisingly...easy. It felt more natural than you'd ever admit aloud, and the confession sat heavy on your tongue: it felt good.

His parents were good people. Warm, caring, radiating a sincerity that felt like sunlight after years in the fluorescent sterility of the office, where you hid most of the time. 

They'd asked about your hobbies, your family, your favorite dishes... All while their eyes crinkled with genuine interest.

You'd spent your adult life building careful walls against exactly this kind of easy domestic intimacy, in case you got attached, just for it to end up vanishing. 

Yet, the shared laughter mingling with the scent of homemade cooking, the way his mother patted your hand, and the terrifying comfort of Donghyuck's warm hand resting on your thigh throughout dinner... It felt like stepping into a sunbeam you hadn't realized you were freezing without. 

Just an act, you reminded yourself fiercely, picking up a shark-faced monster figure--probably representing whatever video game character he must’ve been obsessed with in middle school.

"You know…" Your voice was softer than intended, almost drowned in the room's nostalgic silence. You traced the figure's jagged teeth, imagining a younger Donghyuck and all the happy memories the toy must hold. 

"Seeing you downstairs...all attentive, pulling out chairs, refilling drinks..." You swallowed, the words feeling treacherous. "It made me wonder. What you'd actually be like... if you had a real girlfriend."

Silence. Thick and sudden. 

Only the faint, rhythmic tick of an old Digimon clock on the wall. 

You kept your gaze fixed on the shark's beady eyes, heat creeping up your neck. 

"I know," you added quickly, forcing a brittle chuckle. "Silly, right? Forget I said that."

The old wooden floorboards groaned.

You didn't turn, but heard him approaching. You set the figure down with deliberate care, its plastic base clicking against the wood. 

"Well," Donghyuck's voice came from much closer, directly behind you now. "I'd have impeccable taste. As you can imagine." That characteristic smugness in his tone made you snort. How silly of you to feel flustered and domestic around Donghyuck of all people. 

This was just an act he put up, desperately trying to save face in front of his parents.

Still, your heart skipped a beat when you felt the warmth of him at your back.

"So my girlfriend," he continued, his voice dropping to a murmur that vibrated through the scant inches between you. "She'd be... breathtaking." The air grew taut as he paused. "So breathtaking, in fact..."

His hands settled on your hips, and you turned around in a startle. 

"...that it would be impossible," he finished, his gaze locking onto yours, "to stop myself from doing this."

The transformation was jarring. Gone was the exaggerated, performative Donghyuck from the office, the flamboyant mama's boy from dinner. The man looking down at you now held an intensity you’d never seen. 

His usual spark of mischief was still there, but submerged beneath a startling depth of focus. His eyes, usually dancing with laughter, were dark and serious, searching yours with an unnerving directness. 

They held no trace of the act, only a raw, questioning honesty that made your heart slam against your ribs. 

The careful distance you’d maintained all evening, the reminder that this was fake... It all crumbled under that gaze.

"Donghyuck…" Your whisper was barely audible, a plea and a question tangled together.

His gaze flickered down to your lips, then back up, holding yours captive. The playful smirk was absent. Instead, there was a quiet determination, an unspoken may I? hanging in the charged air. 

Slowly, giving you every chance to pull away, he leaned in. The scent of his parents’ home cooking still clung faintly to his shirt, mixed with his own familiar, warm cologne. 

The distance between you dissolved, measured now in heartbeats, in the shared warmth of breath. And his lips met yours. 

The first brush of his lips was tentative, a question whispered against your mouth. Soft. Testing. 

A spark ignited low in your belly, a jolt of electricity that contradicted every rational thought screaming this is pretend, this is dangerous, this is Donghyuck. 

Your hands, still hovering uncertainly in the air, instinctively found the fabric of his shirt, fisting the fabric as if anchoring yourself against a sudden, dizzying current.

He responded instantly. A low hum vibrated in his chest, resonating against yours as the tentative pressure deepened. The kiss transformed from a question to an answer, slow and deliberate, tasting faintly of the sweet tea his mother had served after dinner. 

The surprising softness of his lips, the focused intensity replacing his usual playful demeanor. Your carefully constructed walls, already weakened by the evening's deceptive warmth, began to crumble like ancient plaster.

One of his hands slid from your hip, tracing the curve of your spine, pulling you flush against him. The other tangled gently in the hair at your nape, tilting your head for a better angle. 

The initial softness slowly dissolved into something hotter, hungrier. The mutual attraction you’d both meticulously ignored surged to the surface with volcanic force. It wasn't just the thrill of deception anymore; it was pure, undeniable want.

A small, involuntary sound escaped you–a gasp swallowed immediately by his mouth. 

It was the spark to tinder. Donghyuck’s breath hitched, his grip tightening. The kiss turned consuming, a dizzying exchange of breath and building heat. 

He stepped forward, guiding you backwards until the edge of the old wooden dresser pressed firmly against your lower back. The impact dislodged a small, plastic figure; it clattered onto the dresser top, forgotten.

He broke the kiss for a fraction of a second, his forehead resting against yours, breath ragged. His eyes, dark and blown wide with desire, searched yours, seeking permission, confirmation. 

Seeing no resistance, only mirrored hunger, he dove back in. This time, it was fierce. Possessive. His tongue swept against yours, a bold claim that sent shivers cascading down your spine.

Rational thought evaporated. Your fingers, still tangled in his shirt, slid upwards, threading fiercely into the soft, dark strands of his hair. You pulled, not gently, a silent demand for more, closer, now. 

A ragged groan tore from Donghyuck’s throat, the sound vibrating against your lips, primal and thrilling. 

His hands moved decisively. The one at your back slid lower, fingers splaying possessively over the curve of your hip. The other slid down the outside of your thigh, before gripping firmly just below your ass. 

In one smooth, powerful motion, he lifted. Your feet left the creaking floorboards as he hoisted you onto the edge of the dusty dresser, the forgotten figurines rattling in protest. 

Now eye-level, the kiss deepened impossibly further. His body slotted perfectly between your thighs, pressing you firmly against the solid wood, the heat of him enveloping you.

Your legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, ankles locking at the small of his back, pulling him impossibly closer. 

The dresser groaned under the sudden shift in weight. One of his hands remained anchored on your thigh, fingers digging in with delicious pressure, while the other cradled the back of your head, holding you at the mercy of his searing kisses. 

It was messy, desperate, fueled by weeks of suppressed glances in the office, the confusing intimacy of the charade downstairs, and the raw, startling honesty that had flickered in his eyes moments before.

Donghyuck’s mouth was a brand on yours, his kisses growing messier, more insistent. His hands roamed your body with a desperate certainty, mapping the curve of your waist, the swell of your hip, the sensitive skin of your inner thigh where his thumb drew slow circles. 

The rough fabric of his jeans pressed against the thin barrier of your skirt, a delicious friction that made you ache.

You arched into him, pleading, your own hands scrambling under the hem of his t-shirt to find the hot, smooth skin of his back. He shuddered under your touch, a low groan vibrating against your lips.

"Y/N," he breathed, his voice a ragged, broken thing as he tore his mouth from yours to trail desperate, open-mouthed kisses down your jaw, your neck. "We... we should... fuck-" The last word was a gasp against your pulse point, more a statement of fact than a coherent thought.

"Should we?" you managed to pant, your head falling back to give him better access. Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer. "Seems like a fantastic idea…"

He chuckled, the sound dark and strained against your skin. "We work together. This is... this is a bad idea." His words were a stark contrast to his actions, as his hands slid under your thighs, hiking your skirt up around your hips. The cool air hitting your heated skin made you gasp.

"Since when do you care about work ethics, Lee Donghyuck?" you challenged, your voice husky. You rocked your hips against his, a deliberate, grinding motion that made him curse sharply, his grip on your thighs tightening to the point of bruising. "The man who bribes me with covered shifts to be his fake girlfriend is suddenly worried about HR?"

He lifted his head, his eyes blazing with a mix of desire and frustration. His hair was a mess from your fingers, his lips swollen and glistening. He looked utterly wrecked, and the sight sent a fresh wave of heat pooling low in your stomach.

"It’s different," he insisted, though his resolve was clearly crumbling. His hips gave an involuntary jerk against yours, betraying him completely.

"How?" you whispered, leaning forward until your lips were almost touching his again. You could feel the frantic hammering of his heart against your chest. "Because it's real now?"

That seemed to shatter the last of his resistance. A low growl rumbled in his chest. "Don’t say that," he muttered, before crashing his lips back onto yours in a kiss that was all teeth and tongue and raw hunger.

This time, there was no hesitation. His hands left your thighs, fumbling desperately with the button of his jeans. The sound of the zipper going down was obscenely loud in the quiet room. You took the opportunity to shrug off your sweater and top, letting them fall to the dusty floor beside his abandoned basketball trophy.

The sight of you in just your skirt and bra seemed to undo him completely. His eyes darkened, roaming over your body with a possessiveness that made your skin prickle with anticipation.

"You have no idea," he breathed, shucking his jeans and boxers down his thighs in one hurried motion. "No idea how long I've waited for this."

He stepped back into the space between your legs, his erection hot against your inner thigh. The feel of him, so hard and wanting, made you whimper. You reached for him, wrapping your hand around his length, stroking him once, twice. He threw his head back, a string of curses falling from his lips.

"Please, Donghyuck," you pleaded, your own control fraying. "Stop thinking. Just fuck me. Please."

That was all it took. With a final, guttural sound, he hooked his hands under your knees, pushing them apart and pulling you to the very edge of the dresser. He positioned himself at your entrance, his eyes locking with yours, asking one last, silent question.

You answered by lifting your hips, taking him in with a single, sharp, breathtaking thrust.

A sharp cry tore through the room. For a moment, he was still, buried deep inside you, his forehead pressed against yours, both of you breathing raggedly. The feeling of him, so full and perfect, was almost too much to bear.

"Fuck," he whispered, his voice trembling. "Y/N..."

Then he began to move. Slowly at first, a deep, dragging rhythm that made you see stars. 

Each thrust was a revelation, erasing every boundary, every wall you ever built until there was nothing left but the two of you, the creak of the old dresser, and the sound of skin meeting skin.

Donghyuck’s grip on your knees tightened, his fingers pressing into your skin as he folded you even more deeply over himself, changing the angle. A broken, keening cry was ripped from your lips as he hit a spot inside you that made white-hot pleasure crackle behind your eyelids.

"Right there?" he panted, his voice ragged and thick with effort. A sliver of his usual smugness managed to bleed through the haze of desire. "That's the spot, isn't it? Fuck, the way you just—" His sentence dissolved into a groan as you clenched around him, your nails digging into the sweat-slicked skin of his back.

"Don't—don't talk," you gasped, though the breathless command was undercut by the way you arched into him, begging for more.

He chuckled, a dark, strained sound. "Why? Am I... distracting you from your... very important... girlfriend duties?" He punctuated each broken phrase with a deep, rolling thrust that stole the air from your lungs. 

His ability to be infuriatingly clever even now should have been maddening. But instead, it was unbearably hot. For once.

"You're... impossible," you moaned, your head lolling back. The dresser rattled dangerously with every movement, a percussive accompaniment to your pounding hearts.

"You love it," he breathed against your neck, his lips finding your pulse point and sucking hard. The claim sent a fresh jolt through you. His hands slid from your knees, wrapping firmly under your thighs to hold you open, to take him even deeper. The new position was impossibly intimate, leaving you utterly exposed and completely at his mercy.

"Donghyuck—" You whispered his name like the only coherent thought left in your mind.

"I know, I know," he whined, his own control clearly fraying at the edges. His thrusts became less measured, more frantic. "It's so—fuck—it's too much, isn't it? You feel too good. I can't—"

He was babbling, a mix of filth and genuine praise. It was the most honest you had ever heard him.

Your own climax was building, a tidal wave gathering force at the base of your spine. You could feel his trembling, the way his rhythm began to stutter, the ragged gasps that signaled his own end was near.

"Look at me," he demanded, his voice a raw scrape. "Y/N, please. Look at me."

You forced your eyes open, meeting his dark, desperate gaze. The intensity there, the vulnerability stripped bare alongside the hunger, was your undoing.

"I'm—" you started, but the warning was cut short.

It crashed over you without mercy, a seismic release that tore a silent scream from your throat. Your body seized around him, waves of pure, blinding ecstasy washing through every nerve ending. You saw his eyes widen, felt his hips stutter and lose their rhythm completely as your climax triggered his own.

"Shit—Y/N—" His voice broke as he buried himself to the hilt, his body bowing over yours as he came with a shuddering whine. His arms, still wrapped tightly around your thighs, held you flush against him as he pulsed deep inside you, his entire frame trembling with the force of his release.

The tremors subsided slowly, leaving behind a heavy, breathless silence broken only by the ragged sound of your panting. 

The air in the room, once thick with nostalgia, was now charged with the scent of sex and sweat, a stark contrast to the innocent memories held within these four walls.

Donghyuck’s forehead remained pressed against yours, his body weight slumped over you, supported by his arms braced on the dresser. 

You were still intimately connected, his softening length inside you, your legs wrapped loosely around his waist, and the wood cooling the heat of your skin.

For a long moment, neither of you moved or spoke. The only sound was the frantic pounding of two hearts slowing to a steadier, synchronized rhythm.

Then, a slow, incredulous chuckle rumbled in Donghyuck’s chest, vibrating through yours. He lifted his head, his eyes meeting yours. They were still dark, but the intense hunger had been replaced by a dazed, wondrous amusement. His hair was a beautiful mess, and his lips were kiss-swollen and red.

“Well,” he breathed, his voice hoarse. “That… was not in the script.”

A breathy laugh escaped you, part relief, part sheer disbelief. “You had a script for this?”

“For the dinner. Not for… this,” he said, gesturing vaguely between your entangled bodies and the general disarray of the room. A plastic figure lay on its side near your elbow. “My mom’s gonna kill me if we broke anything. This is a ‘curated museum,’ as I said.”

“It’s a room, Donghyuck,” you murmured, your own voice scratchy. You unwound your legs from his waist, a wave of self-consciousness finally breaking through the post-coital haze. 

He gently eased out of you, his hands shifting to your hips to steady you as you slid off the edge of the dresser. Your legs felt like they could break at any time.

He kept his hands on you for a moment longer, his thumbs making absent, soothing patterns on your hips through the rumpled fabric of your skirt. 

“So,” he said, his tone shifting to something lighter, though his eyes remained serious. “That whole ‘taking it slow’ story we told my parents…”

“Yeah,” you replied, bending to pick up your top and sweater from the floor, your face heating. “We might have blown that narrative to smithereens.”

He grinned, that familiar, cocky smirk finally making a reappearance, though it seemed softer at the edges. “Details, details. I think we sold the overall premise pretty well.” He pulled up his boxers and jeans. “Besides, that was… statistically… the best first kiss and subsequent… activities… in the history of fake dating. Probably.”

You pulled your sweater over your head, your hair static and messy. “You’re keeping statistics now?”

“I’m a man of many talents,” he quipped, fastening his jeans. 

He looked around the room, at the slightly askew posters and the disturbed dust on the dresser. A faint blush crept up his own neck. “Okay. So that really happened.”

The vulnerability in his tone made you look up. He wasn’t looking at you; he was staring at his bed, the scene of his earlier dramatic declaration of thanks. 

“It did,” you said softly.

He finally turned to face you fully. The playful bravado was gone again, replaced by a raw, unnerving honesty. “Y/N… I… I don’t really know what to say. ‘Thank you’ feels weirdly transactional now, and ‘sorry’ feels like a lie...” He ran a hand through his hair. “That was… the least fake thing I’ve ever done in my life. And I’ve faked a lot of productivity reports, as you know...” He ended that sentence with an awkward chuckle, to ease the tension, you supposed.

Still, the confession hung heavy in the air. It echoed the chaotic, wonderful, terrifying feeling in your own chest.

You took a step toward him. “It didn’t feel fake to me either,” you admitted, your voice barely a whisper.

His eyes widened almost imperceptibly. A slow, genuine smile, not a smirk, not a grin, but a real, unguarded smile, spread across his face. It was brighter than all the star stickers on his ceiling.

“Yeah?” he asked, a hopeful, boyish note in his voice.

“Yeah.”

He closed the small distance between you, his hands finding yours and lacing your fingers together. “So,” he said, squeezing your fingers. “This is awkward.”

You let out a real laugh this time, the tension finally breaking. “Incredibly.”

“My parents are probably downstairs wondering if we’re redecorating with all the noise.”

“Oh God, don’t remind me.”

“Come on,” he laughed, tugging your hand gently toward the door. “We should probably go face the music. Or at least dessert.”

You didn’t move. 

“Donghyuck. What happens on Monday? At the office?”

He paused, his expression turning thoughtful. He looked down at your joined hands, then back up at you, his eyes clear and focused.

“On Monday,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument, “I come by your desk. And I don’t ask you to fake anything. I ask you for a real dinner. And maybe… we see if we can mess up my apartment instead of my childhood bedroom next time. It’s less… nostalgic and way less dusty.”

A smile spread across your face. “That sounds… suspiciously like a date, Lee Donghyuck.”

He winked, the gesture full of its usual mischief but now underpinned by something solid, something real. “The realest. Now come on,  baby,” he said, deliberately using the pet name you’d forbidden just hours ago, his voice dripping with playful challenge.

You rolled your eyes, but you were still smiling, and you let him lead you out of the room. “You’re still doing my expense reports for a month.”

“Worth it,” he declared without hesitation, squeezing your hand again as you descended the stairs together, toward the warm light and the waiting dessert, and the terrifying, exhilarating prospect of something that was no longer an act at all.

She hated how attractive her friend was; the subtle 'imperfections' of his skin — freckles and scars — were mesmerisingly perfect. And the veins tracing his hands and neck, along with the casualness of his outfit, had only added to her growing frustration.

His tongue trailed the seam of her glossy lips, nose brushing against hers whilst their breaths mingled together.

"You're a fucking asshole, you know that?" She hissed.

He smirked against her lips, pulling back enough to snicker at her furrowed brows, "An asshole you can't get enough of," he retorted, tilting her chin up, his breath hot against her skin, "But you like that I'm an asshole, don't you?"

Lifting up the hem of her skirt teasingly, his gaze flicked to her pussy, grinning at the wetness which seeped through the fabric of her underwear, "Very much, it seems." His eyes darkened while his other hand cupped her jaw. The pads of his fingertips left imprints across her skin as he pulled her in for another kiss — teeth grazing against the pillowy lips.

"Shut up," Y/N snapped, her palm pressing flat against his chest as she pushed him down onto the couch, "you made the rule, yet you were the first to break it."

His eyes harboured a glint of mischief as though to suggest he had done it purposefully, yet his words feigned innocence, "Yeah, and what rule did I break exactly?"

She rolled her eyes, but God did she love the sight of him sprawled out along the couch. His hair was a tangled, disheveled mess, lips swollen and pink from the make out, and bulge hard as it pressed uncomfortably against his sweatpants, the friction almost unbearable. But his half-lidded, almost sleepy-looking eyes were oh so attractive.

Haechan sat up as she climbed on top of him, earning a scowl from her. She used her index finger to push his forehead down, laying him flat against the cushions, "'Don't get in the way of us hooking up with someone else', and you did just that, Hyuck."

He recalled the other night at one of Jaehyun’s parties. With a cup of what he hoped was alcohol in hand, he watched as Jisung’s hands hesitantly settled on her waist, his thumb tracing small circles against her skin. She drew him in closer, whispering sweet nothings in his ear, and led him towards the stairs that ascended to the rooms, a shy Jisung trailing behind her.

A wave of either anger or jealousy washed over Haechan, he wasn't sure which, but he hoped it wasn't the latter. He crinkled the cheap plastic cup in his hands, chucking it away and pushing through the intoxicated crowd. Jisung's excitement was short-lived when haechan wrapped a strong arm around his shoulders, and whisked him away to God knows where.

She kissed down his neck to his collarbone, whilst Haechan's hands settled on her hips, tightening his grasp, "You really were serious about getting in bed with Jisung, huh? Baby, he wouldn't know how to satisfy you if it came with step-by-step instructions."

She scoffed, her finger trailing down his chest teasingly, loving the way his breath hitched at the touch, before stopping at the waistband of his pants, "But he's cute."

He raised a questioning brow as his fingers pressed against her skin. He bucked his hips needily against her as if to distract himself from the bubbling feeling that threatened to overwhelm him at the mere mention of Jisung, "Baby, I'm cuter, and I can make you feel good. I'd say I'm worth more of your time."

She laughs, which sounds closer to a sneer as she strips herself free of her top, "Just admit you're jealous and don't like to share."

Haechan's eyes trailed her body as she undressed, and he followed. He loved how she never held back with him, always playing along with his annoying antics, "Baby, I don't get jealous," he sat up, pulling her hands to wrap around his waist, her breasts pushed up against his chest, "but I do love the idea of you belonging to me."

He nipped at her neck, hand palming her breast, whilst his free hand moved to her ass, squeezing it lightly. He loved the sounds she made, the way her body reacted to him, and how soft her skin was as he trailed his fingers up her spine, "Now, are you going to fuck me, or should I do it myself?"

She sighed, almost reluctantly obliging, but roughly rolls her hips against him as payback for getting in between Jisung and her, earning a groan from him. An innocent smile was plastered on her face as she tightened her hold around him, a teasing glint in her eye, "There, happy?"

Her rough movements had sent him spiralling in a fit of pleasure, he rested his forehead against hers, letting out a breathy chuckle. He fucking loved it whenever she'd put him in his place.

"Happy? No, I'm not fucking happy" He muttered, kissing her cheek before pulling slightly away from her with that stupid grin of his, "But I will be once I fill you up with my cum."

His eyes never left hers, it was almost like he were challenging her, getting her to push back or, even better, take the lead. His voice was raspy and slow as if to enunciate every word, "Now, ride me like the good friend you are."

The way he spoke to her, paired with his half-lidded, teasing gaze... That alone could make her lose control, and she loved it just as much as she despised it. She moved against him, a wave of pleasure consuming her, yet she still managed to harbour a sarcastic tone, "Fuck- you sure are charming."

Haechan chuckled in response, head nestling into the crook of her neck, "I know I am," he jokes, biting down against her skin, "and you love it."

Haechan's grip on her tightened, knuckles white, as she began to rock against him, loving how she fit perfectly around his cock. Every time they had sex, Haechan would subtly take the chance to observe her features. The soft curve of her lips when she smiled at the pleasure, the layers of her long, dark hair which gently framed her face, but also the parts of her no one else got to see. The airbrushed moles which peppered down her figure, the cute tan lines painting her skin, and the beads of sweat that formed on the canvas which was her body.

His fingers lightly ghosted over her frame, searching for her hands. When they finally touched, he gently wrapped his hand around her finger. It was the right amount of intimate that wasn't suspicious, but enough to satisfy the strange feeling that washed over him.

Haechan continued to watch her intently, brows knit together when her voice faltered, getting caught in her throat. He brushed the strands of hair from her face, "Let me hear you, baby."

Her breathing grew uneven, body quaking as her forehead pressed against his. She cried out in husky, desperate pleas, "Fuck, Hyuck, I'm close."

The familiar nickname echoed in his mind, igniting a surge of pleasure and a desire to hear it again. "Say it again... My name," He demanded breathlessly, almost like that of a whine.

His thrusts became more desperate and increasingly impatient. His slender hands cupped her neck, thumb brushing against her soft jaw, "Say it, Y/N," he begged, his eyes pleading with her, every inch of him anticipating the sound of her voice.

Y/N's gaze locked with Haechan's, her dark eyes boring into his. The intensity of this moment, of their bodies, sent her over the edge. She gasped, "Hyuck... please, I need..."

His name on her lips sent a jolt of adrenaline through him, his hips thrusted with more fervour, his own restraint slipping as he responded, "You're so good for me, baby."

She could feel every ridge, vein and throb of his dick, making it hard for her to contain herself as he thrusted into her roughly. Y/N arched her back, her voice breaking, words a jumbled and incoherent mess.

Haechan's own release followed, their bodies shuddering and trembling. As she rolled off him, they lay there, panting, a small chuckle leaving both their lips before she moved to gather her clothes.

"So, do you wanna continue watching our show? I'm dying to know what happened to Elena."

He sends her a soft smile in the middle of throwing his clothes back on quickly, patting the space next to him with an arm outstretched, "I'm down."

She returns his smile, giggling as she hugs his side, his arm wrapping around her smaller frame, setting the episode to play on the TV. Then, with a playful mumble, she says, "You’re still an asshole, but I’m glad we’re friends.”

He chuckles under his breath, placing an uncharacteristic kiss to the crown of her head, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo as he let out a sigh of content, "Me too."

The music boomed uncomfortably loud throughout the house, the bass thumping against the walls as sweaty bodies meshed together — intoxicated and insufferable. Haechan hated house parties, even more so when Y/N was there. It was where she'd hook up with men. It's where she first hooked up with him.

He scoffed, taking a sip of the cheap, lukewarm alcohol as his eyes stayed trained on her, watching her dance with some loser, Jungwoo. Johnny slid onto the couch next to Haechan, resting his arm along the back as he followed his friend's gaze. He smirked, clasping his shoulder and leaning in to shout over the music, "You gonna do anything about it?"

Haechan sends him a sideways glance, raising an eyebrow, but he doesn't respond, which only raises Johnny's curiosity further.

He watches as Jungwoo's hands slithered down her body, his fingers slipping under her shirt to press the calloused pads against her supple skin. Haechan tightens his grip on the plastic cup, the crinkle sharp as it cut through the music. Johnny always found it amusing how the usually collected man would burn daggers at anyone who would get close to her, his thoughts loud as he sent curses to the shy dork who was suddenly all over his friend.

Then, Jisung saunters in, tipsy as he plops down next to Haechan, leaning in heavily onto his side. His elbow was practically digging into his friend's waist as he mumbled, "Can't believe you took her from me," he hiccuped, cheeks flushed and lips pouty.

Haechan shoved Jisung away with an annoyed groan, "Dude, space. And she was already mine."

Jisung squinted his hazy eyes at Haechan, looking at him in disbelief, "Y/N is not yours. You guys are just friends with benefits. You're basically using her for sex!"

Unfortunately for Haechan, Yuta had been leaning against the back of the couch, listening in. His fists had clenched instantly as he let out a loud scoff that startled Haechan, causing all the hairs to stand up on the back of his neck, "What the fuck do you mean, using her?"

Haechan swallowed thickly. He could have sworn he felt his life flash before his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing in fear. If there was one person you didn't want to piss off, it was Nakamoto Yuta. He may as well have been the second coach for the football team, a star player who dominated the field. He was also someone who didn't hesitate to mess people up, as he wasn't one to give a shit about his reputation, especially when people messed with his sister — Y/N.

Johnny was the first to step in, being close with Yuta, "Jisung is drunk, man. He's spewing shit."

But Yuta doesn't budge and doesn't take his glaring eyes off the side of Haechan's face, "I wasn't asking you."

Haechan chuckles lightly under his breath. He couldn't believe his luck. Couldn't believe Yuta had to be right here, just as he was about to get in-between Jungwoo and Y/N, as soon as Jisung waltzed in. That bitter laugh gets on Yuta's nerves and he reaches over the couch to grab the younger man by his collar, yanking him up, "What's so funny? You think this is a joke? Think my sister is one of your slutty, easy bitches you can play around with?"

Haechan raises his hands in surrender, red solo cup in hand, "Just wondered why it was only a problem with me and not with Jungwoo over there feeling her up."

Yuta's eyebrow twitched, his veins pulsing as he gripped his collar tight. But he responds with a sharp punch to Haechan's cheek, his ring cutting through his skin. Followed by another. And another. Loud gasps and whispers surrounded them. Johnny had jumped in, but Yuta was fuming, his face was a burning red as he glared down at Haechan who only laughed. He really couldn't believe his luck as he gazed up at Yuta from the floor.

Johnny's desperate yells were drowned out by the music, trying to pull Yuta off of Haechan as he was sprawled out along the floor, bruises blossoming across his skin. But to no avail, not when rage burned in the untamed eyes of the protective brother with anger issues.

Haechan didn't know how long it went on for. It wasn't until Taeyong stepped in, his stern eyes enough to have Yuta backing down like a guilty puppy.

He dragged himself to his feet, pushing past the familiar faces that reached out to him in concern, stumbling towards the stairs. He gripped onto the railing as the world spun nauseatingly around him. His jaw throbbed from the numerous punches, and his cheek burned from the cut of Yuta's ring, tasting blood on his tongue each time he swallowed.

He barely made it upstairs, kicking the first door open and stumbling inside, thanking the Heavens that it was the bathroom. He slammed the door shut behind him and fumbled with the lock until the click echoed in the small, white room. And, when he finally turned, he got a look at the mess of his face, each red mark and cut made up the canvas of Yuta's work. He let out a bitter laugh, the cool marble of the sink biting into his palms as he twisted the tap with shaky fingers and started to wash out the blood that stained his skin.

His attempts at cleaning himself was... pitiful, "Fuck," he mumbled. Soaked tissues scattered on the floor around him, sticking to surfaces, water pooling everywhere, yet he was still as much of a mess as when he first walked in here.

"Hyuck," Y/N's soft voice called out from behind the door. He tensed, glancing back at himself in the mirror. He didn't want her to see him like this. Vulnerable, weak and small. But he couldn't do anything on his own, not when his entire body throbbed and ached.

Hesitantly, he unlocked the door but stayed by the sink, embarrassment eating away at him. He could hear her shocked gasp and see the reflection of her wide eyes as she took in his appearance. She felt guilty, her hands fidgeting at her sides, unsure of where to even start.

She stood beside him, dabbed a wet tissue at the bloody cut on his cheek with a shaky hand, holding back tears with every wince of his. The lack of a first-aid kit only made matters worse for her, having to use tissues which barely helped in cleaning him up.

"Jesus, Hyuck," she breathed, soaking another tissue in water before going back in.

He leaned back against the marble, watching her carefully, like he wasn't sure if she was about to scold him or cry. Maybe a bit of both.

"You look like shit," she said, voice cracking on the last word, trying to lighten the mood.

He laughed. It was a short, breathless sound that made him tense up as pain cut through his body, immediately cutting it short, "Thanks, Y/N. You really know how to make a guy feel good," he grabbed her wrist, trying to clean himself up instead when her voice cut through his attempts.

"You're such an idiot," she whispered, pulling her hand away from his grasp, "Be a good boy and let me help."

He didn't move when she stepped between his legs and cupped his bruised cheek so softly it almost had him punching the air, finding her adorable like this. Her touch was light, fingertips tracing along the cut with a gentle care he never expected. His breath hitched, and for a second, he forgot about the pain.

He watched the way her brows knit together in focus, the way her bottom lip trembled slightly from worry, and the way her hands shook as she dabbed at his skin with a damp tissue.

"You're such a mum," he teases, holding onto her hips gently as his thumbs grazed the skin under her shirt.

She paused, sending him a deadpanned expression, "Don't call me that or I'll knock you out."

He laughed, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck as he breathed her in, sighing contently. She gently threaded her fingers through his hair without complaint or question.

Haechan couldn't ignore the way she made him feel in this moment, or ever. He had always subtly wanted more; hand wrapping around her finger during their coupling, eyes tracing down the lines and patterns of her body, memorising every dip, curve and blemish. And now, as tears pricked her eyes, he couldn't help himself, blurting out words like a fool which was so unlike him, "I like you."

It was simple, but so idiotic. He made those rules. Those stupid rules that did nothing to stop his heart from locking its rosy gaze on her, squeezing out a sickening beat at every laugh or feel of her touch. Simple words such as 'I like you' couldn't express how he truly felt, even as the anxious flutter of butterflies, and whatever else used to lay dormant in the pits of his stomach, flapped their fragile wings erratically.

"What?" her voice was quiet, too quiet as the drowned out sound of club music filtered in through the cracks of the door.

Haechan pulled back, feeling his cheeks flush. He was usually the one to make the first move. The one who first suggested being friends with benefits. And, the one who acted like nothing was ever a big deal. But now, with her wide, soft eyes peering back at him, paired with the gentle touch of her cold fingertips, he felt the words form a lump in his throat, "I... I said I like you."

The hoarseness of his voice and the pitiful state of him had her giggling softly as she continued to clean him up, "I like you too, Haechan."

He grabbed at her wrist again, stopping her movements, "Not as a friend. Well, I do like you as a friend, of course. But as in-"

Whenever he was flustered, he was always a stuttering mess, waffling about anything to calm his raging heart, but her lips pressing to his had him pause immediately in surprise, "I know, dumbass. I like you too," she whispered softly against his lips, pulling back, "and you think I didn't notice you having feelings for me? I knew from the moment you suggested being friends with benefits. Like an idiot."

She smacked his head lightly, "If only you just said you liked me back then, it wouldn't have been so messy. And Yuta would have actually liked you too."

Haechan pouted, leaning against the counter and averting his gaze as he mumbled, "I guess I am an idiot."

"A big one."

He glanced sideways at her briefly, a smile tugging at his lips, "So... if you like me and I like you too, does that mean we've levelled up from friends to a couple?"

Y/N pondered, her hum echoing in the small confines of the bathroom as she cleaned up the last of his blood, "Hmm, I don't know, are we?"

Haechan scowled, mumbling small complaints before he pressed her to the cool, tiled wall, peering down at her with an intense glint in his eyes, "Don't tease me now, Y/N. I need to know."

She chuckled, but only shrugged, which had Haechan tonguing the inside of his cheek in frustration, his words making her thighs quiver, "I've always been somewhat gentle with you, but I won't be if you're a brat," his thumb grazed over her bottom lip, pressing it down and tilting her chin up, "Do I need to fuck the answer out of you? Because, believe me, I'd be able to get it out of you with your thoughts all mushy from the feel of my dick."

Y/N swallowed hard. Haechan always talked dirty. His smart little Gemini mouth constantly working overtime in making her knees weak. But this was different, especially paired with the cuts and red marks along his skin, "Ask me properly and maybe you'll find out."

Haechan let out a low chuckle under his breath, peering at her through his lashes cockily. God she would tug at the roots of her hair at how insane he was making her right now, "I always thought our first proper time would be sweet and slow but... Fuck being gentle."

His plush lips crashed into hers, dragging and nipping at them as if she were his lifeline. His fingers tangled in her long hair, tugging at the strands to tilt her head to the side, letting her parted lips lock with his with practiced ease. He tasted like alcohol, paired with his warm breath which caused her to feel flushed and drunk on him.

She gasped into the kiss, giving him the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. She was grabbing at anything she could, from his shirt, to his hair, and even his arm. The warmth of Haechan's body contrasted against the coolness of the bathroom tile.

It was so messy. So needy. So hot. She felt like she had stumbled into cloud nine, especially as his lips dragged down her neck to nip at her collarbone, marking her, "Maybe this will let your brother know that you are mine."

She chuckled, "I didn't say I was," Haechan pulled back to glare at her and, if that wasn't the sexiest thing — the graze on his cheekbone and the red marks that peppered his golden skin made her feel breathless and in a daze, "...yet."

Haechan tried hard to stifle his smile, but he ended up letting out a soft laugh, shaking his head as he pulled her in by her waist, smiling down at her, "You're so cute, you know that?"

Y/N stares at him suspiciously, "I know... but what did I do that was so cute?"

He only roles his eyes, "Everything, especially the way you look at me," he presses a soft kiss to her cheek, letting is lips linger, "So, are you going to give me an answer now?"

She scowls at him, squishing his cheeks between the palms of her hands whilst avoiding his injuries, pulling him back to meet her gaze, "What happened to not being gentle anymore?"

Haechan pouted, rubbing circles along the skin of her waist with his thumbs, "I lied. I want our first proper time to be special and only when we make it clear we aren't just friends anymore. I mean... I want to show you off the moment we leave this cramped bathroom."

She giggles, pulling him in for a hug. He waits patiently, savouring the feeling of her warm body molded into his, "You still have to ask me properly, Haechan."

He whines, about to retort before cupping her cheeks and meeting her gaze, "Okay, Princess, as you wish," He clears his throat, a smug smile lacing his lips, "Will you let me finally be your boyfriend, Y/N?"

Y/N pretends to ponder, letting her hum echo in the bathroom and Haechan pokes her side which causes her to yelp and playfully smack at his shoulder, "Yes, yes! Fine, jeez. You can be my boyfriend. But don't let it get to your head."

Haechan picks her up by her waist and spins her lightly before wincing and putting her back down, laughing with her when he remembered Yuta had almost knocked his lights out, "So... Now that we're dating. Am I still an asshole?"

Y/N thought for a moment before shrugging, "A little. A cute one, though."

Haechan rolls his eyes, unlocking the bathroom door and lacing his fingers with hers, "I suppose one thing has changed though."

Her ears perk up as she meets his gaze, "What has?"

"I'm your cute asshole now."

"You're stabbing at your food," a soft, amused voice cut through the loud chatter of the cafeteria, "Should I be worried that you're also giving me the death glare?"

Y/N doesn't take her eyes off him. She hated how well he held eye-contact, and she wasn't going to lose the little battles before the war. So, she sends him a scowl as a response, her dark, frizzy hair puffing up like a lion's mane.

Jaemin was intrigued by her. She was the only person who would never smile back, never say anything more than a few words to him. As if dealing with him, or people in general, sucked out her limited supply of energy.

Jaemin sits down next to her, his arm brushing against hers with the protection of her thick, knit sweater, "We're supposed to choose our pairs for the science project, wanna work together?"

She let out a scoff, side-eyeing him for the sheer audacity of asking something so absurd, "No," She replies flatly, munching on her cafeteria food that suddenly tasted like slop in his presence.

He raised an amused brow, smile never faltering. Honestly, she would pay good money to see him not smiling for once, "Come on, why not? You're smart and I'm... kinda smart. We'd make a good team! I've even come up with possible names for our duo," he clears his throat as if preparing a proposal for Shark Tank, "sun and moon, yin and yang, Princess and The Frog..."

"Princess?" She scoffs.

"Yeah, I'll be the princess and you can be the fro-," she grumbles under her breath, standing up with her tray and moving to another empty table. Jaemin was unfazed, unfortunately, and followed her casually as if she'd asked to move together.

"Stop following me," Y/N huffed, nestling into her purple sweater as she continued to stab at her food. She could see Jaemin's group of friends watching like vigilant vultures from the corner of her eye.

Haechan, the cocky, intimidating star student — or would be star student if he weren't so lazy. Chenle, the real crazy rich Asian, often coming to school with something designer. And Renjun, the angry artist who she often wondered how he fit in such a group, being as he seemed like the only normal person there.

She could almost hear their judgment, confused on why Jaemin spent almost every lunchtime circling around the grouchy loner.

Jaemin chuckled, slotting into the chair next to her, to which she nudged her chair to the side, trying to get as far away from him as physically possible, even down to the atoms, "it's either I work with you or Jisung... and I don't want to work with him."

Her eyes met his, glaring in a way Jaemin would call cute, strangely, "Not my problem."

Jaemin pokes at her arm, giggling when she jumps, startled, "But whyyy. That guy would be scared at the sight of a bunsen burner, that's not even on, mind you."

"Again, not my problem."

Jaemin pouted, resting his chin on the palm of his hand as he let his soft gaze flick over her features. He had a horrible habit of keeping his eyes locked on people's lips, even more so when they spoke. But, from up close, his appearance matched the mix of a doe and a rabbit with his long, fluttering lashes and big, round eyes.

She hated deers and rabbits.

"Would it be your problem if we were friends?" Jaemin asked suddenly. Everything about his voice to his gaze were genuine. He meant every word, and that scared her.

She froze, grip tightening on her cutlery as she slowly met his watching eyes, "Friends?"

"Friends," Jaemin added, "I want us to be friends. You're nice."

She snorted. For the first time, she actually made a sound close enough to be a laugh and Jaemin, startled, looked at her like a deer caught in headlights. As if a UFO had landed right in front of him and aliens stepped out wearing chicken suits, "You're delusional."

"Delusional or not, I made you laugh. Even more of a reason for us to be friends, I'm a good influence on you," Jaemin teased. Immediately, her expression faltered.

The sun was obnoxiously loud, and infuriatingly cocky.

The sun was, indeed, loud.

When she woke up this morning, she never would have guessed how horrible today would be. Not until Jaemin raised his hand incredibly high and chirped to the science teacher, "Y/N and I would like to be partners!"

If looks could kill, Jaemin would be shot dead on Earth, stopped before he got to the pearly white gates; his soul extracted into a minuscule bottle, crushed and thrown into the deepest, tenebrous voids before he even had a chance at getting reincarnated.

She sighed, loudly. She could hear people whispering, their watchful gaze flicking between the pair. Jaemin was as smiley as ever, his eyes little crescents as he skipped over to her, flower petals trailing behind him like some spring-happy leprechaun.

Y/N placed her bag on the one free seat next to her, and Jaemin pouted just as he got to her table, "Hey, is that how you treat your partner?"

She couldn't even spare him a glance, not with her seething, "I told you, I didn't want to be your partner."

Jaemin shrugs, placing his books on the table and pulls out a separate chair to sit in front of her — all without complaint or a twitching smile. He could tell she was mad at him, he wasn't a fool. Usually, she'd be boring burning hot holes into his skin with her piercing glare, though now, she kept her eyes on her science book, not sparing him a glance.

He was cautious with his movements, watching her as he sat right in front, just close enough to smell the soft hint of lavender from her jumper. He didn't want to scare her off or build the tension further so, he did the next best thing he could think of.

Digging into his bag, he pulls out his phone and wired earphones, ones he carried with him for years. It was to anyone's amazement how they lasted so long. He scrolls through his playlist, trying to find anything that was calming enough and, when he does, he grins to himself, leaning over to place one bud into her ear.

Her eyes snapped to his, his finger still pressed to the earbud to stop her from snatching it out so quickly, but that meant he was closer than he had ever been. She couldn't help but to notice those dark eyes that reflected the glittering ceiling lights as his warm, gentle and hesitant breath brushed her dewy skin, "What are you-"

"Just... I know you don't want to talk to me right now so, let's listen to some music together. Just this once," his smile was softer now, eyes trained on her with a hint of nervousness.

When Jaemin realised she wasn't making a move to yank the earphones out, he slowly retracted his hand, letting the music play. Surprisingly, the song was calming and sweet — a stark contrast to the energiser bunny who sat in front of her, grinning like a madman just at her tolerating his presence.

Jaemin confused her. She couldn't understand how someone could be so... sunshine and rainbows. Just looking at him was exhausting, feeling the corners of her lips burn at the simple thought of grinning twenty four hours of every day. He may as well have had more muscles on his lips than she had in her arms.

"You're always smiling," she mutters, scribbling random doodles into her science book, not caring if it affects the presentation. She felt herself calming a little from the music alone.

Jaemin nods slowly, looking through their worksheet for the experiment they had to do over the course of the week, "Is that a bad thing?"

It felt like that question alone stumped her. It wasn't that smiling was a bad thing, but with Jaemin, it always felt forced — maintaining the good boy image. She scoffs lightly, "It's annoying."

He only laughs at that, leaning in closer as his voice turns to a whisper, "So, if I smiled less, you'd tolerate me more?"

Her confused look had Jaemin smiling at her like a fool, trying to see how far he could push as he pulled away, "Tolerate me enough to become friends, I mean. You didn't give me an answer yesterday either."

"Thought it was an obvious no," she takes the spare worksheet and starts filling in the equipment they'd need and the correct order of steps.

Jaemin lets out a sudden, obnoxiously loud "wow" at the sight of the work she had done in a mere five minutes. He snatches it from the desk, his thumbs digging into the edges of the paper as he held it up in amazement, lips puckered in an exaggerated 'O', before his gaze flicked to her, always searching for a hint of a reaction, "I don't think we will need a whole week to get this experiment done. At least, not with you as my partner."

"Don't get used to it. You're pulling your own weight for this project," Y/N mumbles, snatching the worksheet out of his hands, her fingers brushing his in the process. She flinches slightly at the contact, and Jaemin doesn't let it slide, his smile sneakily widening.

"Well too late. I'm already naming my future children after you."

She stares at him with a deadpanned expression, "You're so weird."

"Thank you," he beams.

There's a long silence after that. She quietly observes Jaemin, whose lashes cast shadows on his cheeks, smile softening as he chooses another song on his playlist, humming along to it. Then, her gaze drops to the paper again.

"Are you serious about being friends?" she asks softly, not looking up, voice so low he almost doesn't hear it.

He stops humming, "Yeah, I am."

Y/N finally looks up, and Jaemin's not smiling this time, clearly serious.

She considers it. Actually weighs the pros and cons of being friends with the sun which, if she hadn't known any better, would only repeat Icarus' story, where her wax wings would melt if she got too close, "Don't expect me to tell you my favourite colour or make friendship bracelets out of loom bands with you."

Jaemin's smile slowly returns, as if he's waiting for her to change her mind, "That's okay, you can start by telling me what you hate most about me."

She snorts, "As if there's enough time for that in a day."

"Perfect," he sends her his classic toothy grin, "Guess I have more of an excuse to hang around you for longer, then."

The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, illuminating the multi-coloured shelves filled with snacks and bold coloured stickers with deals peppered along the products. It had smelled faintly of overripe bananas, cheap detergent, and air freshener — the familiar scent of your standard convenience stores. Jaemin had wandered the snack aisle on a lazy evening, indecisively scouring the 2-for-1 promotions. He was low on energy after spending the whole afternoon playing football against his will. Though, he was somewhat grateful it wasn't basketball this time, thanks to Chenle going on some last minute holiday.

All thoughts screeched to a halt while he was scanning for some snacks, seeing her behind the till. She wore the stores' basic, bright blue apron, the collar of the white undershirt slightly crooked, and an upside-down name tag pinned to her chest which gave more than enough away that she was in a rush to get to her shift. But most of all, she was smiling at the elderly woman in front of her, offering a genuine laugh when the lady made a joke he could barely make out.

Her laugh was so pretty to him. Despite it being awkward, tethering on deep yet with a sweet lilt... It was so unique, so adorable and something he wished he could hear over and over again, like a broken record.

He couldn't get over that smile, either. It brightened up her face and made her even more gorgeous than she already was. His eyes were locked on the soft and slightly shy grin, tugging up on one side. He had never seen her like that before, but he was already obsessed, his heart clenching as a sudden cuteness aggression overcame him.

The moment she noticed him walking towards the register with a basket of snacks, however, her expression had snapped back into its usual stormy cloud, the corners of her lips sinking into a scowl. Jaemin stifled a laugh as he set his snacks down on the counter.

"Hey," he whined, yet his voice was as bright and sunny as always, "I'm a customer too, where's my smile?"

"What are you doing here, Jaemin?" she grumbled, already scanning the items with speedy efficiency, clearly wanting to get rid of him.

"I came to see you," He let the sentence hang just long enough between them before correcting himself, "Actually... I just wanted some snacks."

She glanced at the box of Lucky Charms he placed on the counter —bright and completely childlike, just like him. She blinked before letting out a soft giggle, the sound barely audible, but loud enough for Jaemin to catch it. He felt butterflies going haywire in the pits of his stomach.

"You seriously eat this shi- stuff?"

"Religiously," he replied, smirking, "I'm convinced it really is sprinkled with some magical form of luck."

"Oh yeah, and what have you been lucky with?" she muttered, slipping the items into a plastic bag.

"You," he added with a grin. There was no hesitation in the way he had said it, especially with that stupid, shit-eating grin and the mischievous light in his eyes. But she forced her expression to remain neutral, even when a string of curses sat on the tip of her tongue.

The occasional beep of items being scanned and the quiet chatter of the other customers in the back had filled the silence between them. Jaemin leaned back and forth, raising an amused brow at her, cocky from having gotten to her in some way.

"I didn't know you worked here," he said finally, trying to fill in the silence and not wanting this moment with her to end so soon.

Y/N shrugged, adjusting the strap of her apron as she suddenly started to feel awkward, "It's... just part-time. Pays for things like snacks. But I never get to eat them because I have to smile at people like you all day."

He grinned wider, ignoring her slight jab, "So you do smile."

"God, you're annoying," she groans, packing the last of the items and gesturing to the till for him to pay.

Jaemin only smirks wider, tapping his card until a beep resounded in the shop, "And you're blushing."

"I am not-"

"Oh, you definitely are, but this would surely make you blush more...," He leans in, grabbing the plastic bag out of her hands, fingers barely brushing, as he whispered against the shell of her ear, "you're cuter when you smile."

Her hands stilled slightly as she let go of the bag as if they were opposites on either side of a magnet.

He held her gaze for a moment, before pulling away, "Thanks for the snacks."

"Don't come here again," Y/N grumbled.

Jaemin stepped back towards the automatic doors which kept trying to close, blocking the path of some customers as he smiled like a fool at her, as usual. She hated how he made her feel in this moment, and she could swear her heart had beat louder than the generic pop music which played in the shop. Maybe she would blame the fact that he was someone who does eat lucky charms. But his next words cut through her thoughts as he stifled a laugh before leaving, "No promises, cutie."

And, for some strange reason, that word didn't make her internally gag.

The cafeteria was in a state of a mess; chaotic noise and clattering trays, loud, overlapping conversations, and the sharp screeching of metal chairs. The air had smelt faintly of overcooked pasta and whatever they had tried to pass off as food today — what students would call radioactive slop. But not one table was as loud as the one Jaemin was sat on with his friends.

"I'm telling you, she's the cutest girl around. Like- Haechan, stop laughing, I'm being serious!" Jaemin glares daggers at the male who was barely keeping still on his chair.

"Yeah, I bet. I'd also bet she hexed you," Haechan, who sat across from Jaemin, wipes away a stray tear, followed by a sigh as he calmed down from his burst of laughter.

Renjun sat next to Haechan, nudging him with the pristine sleeve of his blazer. He had always kept a clean-cut appearance where not even a tiny drop of paint ever landed on his attire, "If Jaemin likes her, who cares? I will be judging though, but from the sidelines."

Jaemin grumbles, pushing his half-eaten tray away from him as he crossed his arms, "You guys are assholes. What happened to being happy for me?"

Chenle chirps in, glancing at the woman who was the focus of their conversation sat a few tables down on her own. He jabs a finger into the table, a classic Chenle move whenever he had a 'valid' point to make, eyebrows raised with passion, "You guys are like... the complete opposites of each other. She would definitely steal all your light. Well- on second thought, that's probably a good thing, maybe you'd finally be somewhat bearable to be around."

Jaemin rolls his eyes, stuffing a spoonful of rice and munching it in irritation, "Look, if you actually spoke to her, you'd see that there is more to her. She actually smiles too, and it's so adorable, plus-" Haechan side-eyes Jaemin; partly for speaking with a mouthful of food, and the other for simping over her of all people, "Don't tell me you're already pussy-whipped when you've only spoken to her once."

Jaemin's mouth drops in shock, "Once?! I've spoken to her like... three, four times?"

Haechan snorts, resting his hands behind his head, sprawling lazily out on the chair, "Might as well have been once. You can count it on one hand. You barely know her."

"Well, I know her better than you guys do, so why are we judging so hard?" Jaemin snaps, and his friends suddenly grow silent and tense. It was unlike the usually sunny male to get angry or irritated. His jaw was clenched as he dropped his metal chopsticks on the tray, the clatter loud.

Renjun clears his throat awkwardly, looking around the table, his brows furrowed softly as he met Jaemin's gaze, "You... do know why everyone avoids her though, don't you?"

Jaemin pauses, eyes flicking to his friend. Something in Renjun's tone makes the hairs stand up on the back of his neck, the tension, paired with worry, simmering.

"What do you mean?" he asks suspiciously, his voice quiet and brows furrowing.

Renjun shifts in his seat, shrugging, "Just… she's not exactly friendly. People say she snapped at teachers, ditched group projects, cursed out that senior last year-"

"She cursed at him because he was mocking her in front of everyone," Jaemin cuts in sharply, his leg bouncing under the table in frustration, "And the group projects... Maybe no one ever wanted to work with her. She had always been a target of stupid jokes. Besides, how is any of that a big deal?"

The table falls quiet again and Chenle raises a brow and puts his hands up in surrender, trying to lighten the mood, "Okay, damn. Someone is ready to fight for her honour."

Jaemin huffs, "No- Look I'm just saying... people love to talk. Don't you think she's just tired of all these assholes?"

Haechan whistles lowly, "Okay, our knight in shining armour, should we start planning the wedding?"

"Shut up," Jaemin mutters, his cheeks flushed pink, "I already did."

The lab was meant to be quiet except, Jaemin was being clumsy with the equipment. The glass beakers kept clinking against each other, and it was surprising how they hadn't smashed into pieces with his large hands. It was only them in the lab, away from the bustling lunch hall, and it was supposed to be them finishing off the experiment before they had to type up their conclusions. However, working with Jaemin was proving to be a separate challenge.

Y/N tugged her sleeves up her arms in frustration as she kept glaring at him and giving him orders. But Jaemin found her to appear less reserved when she wasn't surrounded by others — still sharp around the cute edges, but not enough to make a man cower.

"Put the beaker down slowly," she said, eyeing the glass nervously as Jaemin finished pouring the solution into a separate beaker, "I swear to God if you shatter another one-"

"Relax," Jaemin chuckled, mocking offence as he set it down with exaggerated grace, gesturing to it in celebration. She forgot he had arms that could squash a coconut in one go, panicking at the sight of him handling fragile equipment. But his cockiness worried her even further, "I have the hands of a pianist."

She side-eyed him with a slight look of surprise, "You play the piano?"

"No, but I could," he wiggles his fingers, "with these sexy hands."

She rolled her eyes, but he caught the subtle twitch of her lips before she turned away to fetch the other materials.

They had been measuring and watching the colours blend in the beaker, creating an... interesting solution. He watched her scribble something in the worksheet, noticing her handwriting was messier than he'd expected. It had kept changing its font, far from the consistent and neat image she had presented as, at least, with her personality. His eyes trailed to her frizzy hair that added an adorable, messy look to her, like his favourite character from UP, Ellie.

"You're staring," she mumbled, her pen tapping the edge of the paper in annoyance.

"Just admiring your handwriting," Jaemin teased, leaning slightly closer, glancing to her writing again, "It looks like five different people wrote that."

"Want to lose the ability to smile?"

He chuckled, watching as she moved to hold a pipette above one of the mixtures, "Are you going to start writing the conclusion, or should I do everything?"

Jaemin snapped back to reality, side stepping to grab the worksheet and immediately tapping the pencil to his cheek in thought, "Right, conclusion," he frowned when nothing came to mind, "Something something… mixture."

Y/N slowly turned to face him, "Very insightful," she deadpanned.

He didn't miss the tiniest curve of her mouth again and, God, even when she stifled a smile, it would still hit like a punch to the gut. He was starting to think maybe she was right to hide it as people would be drawn to her like the North Star. And now, it was starting to feel like it was a sight only he was allowed to see.

"You say that like it's not the best conclusion you have ever heard," Jaemin added, pressing the pencil to his lip smugly.

She sighed, snatching the worksheet from him without a word and scribbling a few lines with a quiet confidence that made him raise a brow. Her writing was still chaotic, unlike her thoughts.

He leaned in slightly to peek over at what she wrote, but she folded the paper away from his view like it was a personal diary.

"Do you mind?" she muttered in exasperation.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation, resting his chin on her shoulder to take a better look at the mysterious writing.

Y/N stiffened, her breath hitched as she stayed frozen. It was insane to her how good he smelt, the way her heart stuttered, and the soft weight of him on her shoulder felt... right. She almost let out a loud scoff at her own thoughts before elbowing him sharply in the ribs.

Jaemin let out a dramatic gasp, rubbing the spot with an exaggerated pout, "Excuse me, assault in a science lab full of lethal equipment is a criminal offence!"

"You were in my space."

"It was our space," he mumbled, still rubbing his side, "I would argue we have dual ownership over this lab."

She tongued the inside of her cheek and shoved the worksheet in his direction, "I don't see your name on this paper, Jaemin."

He smirked, feeling his own heart blush at the way his name sounded on her lips, and grabbed the paper, scribbling Na Jaemin (Princess) in the top corner, and (cute frog) next to her name. When he handed it back to her, she glanced at the names, then at him, and rolled her eyes at his silliness.

"Anyway," his voice filled the quiet room, eyes glancing away to look at the clock, seeing they only had a few minutes till the end of lunch, "I think we did a pretty decent job, we should celebrate getting this project done."

She looked up his taller form in confusion, "Celebrate?"

Jaemin nodded, "Yeah, I'll bring you a snack tomorrow, something sweet, so that you forget about annihilating me for barely carrying this project."

She sent him a scowl in response, "And what makes you think I like sweet things?"

He grinned cheekily, packing away the equipment, "You like me, don't you?"

Y/N was convinced Jaemin had hit his head in the past month, especially with all the shit he was spewing. But she couldn't stop the small smile that lifted the corners of her lips, immediately dropping the second she had realised, and Jaemin's eyes widened at the sight. His heart was going haywire. She had finally smiled in his presence, because of him.

"You really do look cute when you smile," he grinned at her, slinging his bag over his shoulder, looking almost entranced by her, "I'm glad I'm the only one who gets to see it."

She snorts, packing her things away as well, "Well, I'd rather you not smile. It's exhausting."

Jaemin smirks, nodding his head, "Okay, I won't!"

He exaggerates a silly-looking scowl, humming at the same time, "Is that better?"

Y/N lets out a disbelieving scoff, eyeing him in what seemed like amusement, "Somehow... that's much worse."

It had been three days. Three days of Jaemin leaving snacks on her desk like some overly enthusiastic snack fairy with too much free time in the crackhead hours of the morning — throwing coins on snacks she hadn't asked for.

He had brought strawberry pocky the first day (what he would call an abomination in a box), Hello Panda's the next, and today? Banana milk — in this obnoxiously bright yellow carton, with the straw poked in. He called it a "romantic gesture".

Y/N stared at the carton on her desk, the happy face of the banana staring right back into her soul. Her brows had furrowed as Jaemin plopped himself into the seat beside her with his usual beaming aura.

"You're welcome," he said with a grin, chin propped up on his hand as he watched her with hearts in his eyes.

"I don't remember saying thank you," she replied blandly, but her fingers still curled around the carton like a stress ball.

Jaemin tilted his head, nodding in agreement, "I know, but you did drink the last two, so... it seems like you do appreciate the gifts, or me. Or both."

"And it seems like," she echoed with a deadpanned expression, "you're annoying. Unsurprisingly."

"Are you waiting for some kind of an applause?" she continued when he didn't make a move to leave, taking another sip of the banana milk.

Jaemin shrugged, never taking his eyes off of her, even as other students around looked on in confusion, "Yes, actually. I deserve a standing ovation. I had brought you peace offerings three days in a row, that's equivalent to a committed relationship."

"You're clinically insane," she shakes her head, scanning over her notes.

"Clinically sexy, you mean," he corrected, wagging his brows, his voice exaggerated loudly.

She let out a long, exhausted sigh that sounded like it came from the pits of her stomach, the kind of sigh only Jaemin could evoke. However, silence had then settled between them again. This time, it was peaceful.

For once, Jaemin wasn't rambling silly little lines, openly flirting with her, or laughing gratingly loud. Instead, he was sitting there, occasionally stealing glances at her while she pretended not to notice. Then, out of nowhere, the words that had left Jaemin's lips gave her whiplash, paired with how casually he had said them.

"Wanna hang out this weekend?"

Y/N's pen slid across the page in shock, her head turning slowly, and suspiciously, like he had just asked her to help him bury a body, "Hang out?"

Jaemin shrugged, "Just thought we could do something, you know, outside of science experiments and this God-forsaken building."

She stared at him blankly for a moment longer before replying, "I'm busy."

"You don't even know what day I meant," Jaemin pouted, throwing rubber shavings her way, playfully.

"I'm busy that day too."

Jaemin smiled, unfazed, "Just know, I'm persistent."

"You mean annoying," she corrected.

He laughed under his breath, leaning back in his seat. "You'll say yes eventually."

"Not likely."

"We'll see."

She did end up saying yes.

When Friday afternoon came rolling in, and he caught up to her outside the school gates with another (peace offering) drink in hand, a grape-flavoured juice, he sent her a hopeful look with his lashes fluttering like the princess he claimed he was.

The weather carried a gentle breeze as the sun formed a subtle halo over the brunette male, making him appear even more angelic than he already was. His dark eyes were softer under the afternoon glow, and his smile felt like spring. Y/N didn't know why things were suddenly changing. Why her thoughts were becoming brighter and warmer in his presence. It was like he had merged into her life as though he had always belonged there, and she couldn't help but to give in.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. One hour."

Jaemin blinked, surprise etching into his features, "Wait- what?"

"I'll hang out with you," she clarified, crossing her arms and looking off to the side as if she were an older sibling giving into the younger's request, "For an hour. And I'm not doing anything cheesy. If you take me anywhere with fairy lights or those photo booths, I will walk into on-coming traffic."

Jaemin burst into a fit of laughter, barely containing the smile stretching across his face, "You're the one who said yes."

"God," she grumbled, turning to walk ahead, not even waiting for him, "I'm already regretting this."

"No take backs!" He chirped as he caught up to her, grinning like he had won the lottery, "You'll regret it a lot less once you see what I had planned."

She stopped in her tracks, head snapping to him in shock. Not once had she hinted in agreeing to hang out with him, and yet, he had still put in the effort to plan something that wasn't guaranteed. Just because he wanted to make it something special.

"You planned it already?" She asked, eyeing him suspiciously, "And why does that sound like a threat?"

"It's not! It's a promise," he beamed, "And of course I planned it. I knew you were going to agree. I mean, how could you say no to this face?"

He cupped his cheeks and batted his lashes at her. Usually, this would have been something that would instantly make her cringe yet, this time, it was so... Jaemin. So silly and adorably him. It gave her this sense of ease, as though it was alright for her to be just as silly, just as out there as he was. Despite what others may think.

However, Y/N gave him a long, stern look, unimpressed, "You are dangerously close to being punched in the throat."

Jaemin gasped, holding his arms up in defence, "Violence on our first date?"

"It is not a date," she said instantly, her voice a slight screech, feigning a scowl. Her heart was thumping erratically. A date? It was only a month ago when Jaemin had asked to be friends, but the spring-happy leprechaun wouldn't settle on just friends. Not with her.

"Sure it's not," he replied sarcastically, bumping his shoulder into hers. He watched as her teeth bit into the straw of the grape juice, lips puckering as she took a sip. God, he really was down bad.

"So, where exactly are we going?" she asked, interrupting his far from innocent thoughts.

Jaemin's smile twitched, internally cursing himself for getting carried away like that, "Somewhere where you can't walk into traffic."

She groaned, "Great. I can't escape by death."

Jaemin grinned, tugging at her sleeve lightly, "Nah, you're gonna fall."

"Fall?"

"For me," he replied smugly, wiggling his brows.

She stared at him long enough to make him shift slightly. He should have known corny, cheesy, unoriginal pick-up lines would never work on her, "…I changed my mind. Half an hour."

"I bet you're already falling for me," He continued to tease, gently poking at her sides and snickering at her annoyed expression.

"Keep talking and it'll be ten minutes."

He shut his mouth immediately, but the grin on his face didn't fade for even a second. Of course it wouldn't.

He had led her further down the quiet streets just beyond the school, the buzz of the busy roads echoing behind them. Suddenly, he turned into a narrow, sketchy pathway covered by dark walls and patched up windows.

"Okay, where the hell are we going?"

"You'll see, just trust me," Jaemin chirped, hopping over a puddle with the appearance of someone who probably believed in elves and the tooth fairy.

Y/N eyed the side of his face, as if analysing him, "You're like a golden retriever, and I don't mean that in a good way," she said, her tone dry, "Do you have this much energy even when you're in bed?"

Jaemin didn't miss a second, his lips curling into a smirk, "Depends who's in bed with me."

Y/N blinked, nearly choking on the last bit of juice, "You're disgusting."

"What?" he asked innocently, raising both hands in mock surrender, "You asked."

"And shameless," she muttered.

"And you're blushing," he shot back smugly.

She turned away quickly, muttering curses under her breath. The worst part was that he wasn't wrong… she was blushing.

However, when the path opened up to a skatepark, she was about to turn and walk in the opposite direction, until she saw a building to the right.

It was a planetarium, nestled at the far end of the park, hidden behind torn fences and overgrown trees, clearly abandoned. The soft, spring breeze weaved through the cracked windows and rustling dead leaves across the ground, making her anxious. It was silent, apart from the sharp creak of the iron gate as Jaemin kicked it open dramatically, letting her enter first.

"You're trespassing...," Y/N said nervously, yet still stepped past the gate.

"We are," Jaemin corrected, grinning as he didn't bother to shut the gate behind them, "You agreed to this, remember?"

She rolled her eyes, "I was coerced by grape juice."

Inside the planetarium was dark, where glimpses of sunlight flickered through the cracks of the walls. The air was coated in dust and old wood, the scent sharp in her throat — particles floated just like the glimmer of stars on the ceiling. The projector had sat in the centre, the lens still intact despite it rusting and coated in crumbling leaves and spider webs. But there was something almost... magical about this place, as though it carried many stories — a history.

"I used to come here a lot as a child," Jaemin said, his voice softer now, with a hint of nostalgia, "My dad used to work nearby, and he would take me after school sometimes. I mean... I loved the stars, it always intrigued me. I would just lie down right here and pretend they were real."

He lays down right in the middle of the dome, a softer, more pained smile gracing his lips as he saw the now faded stars that didn't seem to hold the same wonder it used to, "There was something so..."

"Magical," she voiced out her earlier thoughts, hesitantly laying down next to him.

He glanced over to see her looking up at the dimmed ceiling, the setting sun catching across her soft, pretty features, illuminating the curve of her cheekbone and the plushness of her lips. She looked oddly beautiful here, even in this run-down, shabby space. It was like she brought that same wonder back with just her presence alone.

"So this was your idea of a perfect date?" she asked finally, but her voice was gentle, tugging at his heartstrings.

"It's peaceful and there are no fairy lights in sight," he teased, "Besides, you'll ruin my date rating if you start judging my choices."

They lay in silence for a while, staring up at a ceiling that once reflected galaxies. Now, the real stars peeked through the gaps as the sun had finally set, fragmented and imperfect, fitting in like puzzle pieces against the fabricated lights.

"You asked me before if I ever stop smiling," Jaemin says, quietly, his eyes locked on the ceiling. He lies still under the watching gaze of the fading stars, "Just... when no one is around."

He lets out a breath that almost sounds like a bitter laugh, not reaching the crinkles of his eyes, "I think somewhere along the line, I decided that being the overly positive guy was who I was meant to be. If I kept people distracted by this- this image, no one would look close enough to see all the fragmented pieces. I wouldn't be a burden to others."

Y/N said nothing, biting her bottom lip.

"Sometimes it feels like… if I were to drop this act, people wouldn't know what to do with me," He turns his head slightly towards her, letting out a dry chuckle, "That I would be a handful. I'd come with all the baggage that overwhelms them."

Y/N felt her eyes glaze with tears, the brittle air pressing against her chest that made it feel almost suffocating. She hated how much she related to those words alone.

She shifts slightly on the cold floor, trying to make her voice sound neutral, "That sounds exhausting."

"I guess it is," Jaemin admits.

"I do understand, though," she responds, glancing at him, "With keeping up that image."

Her voice doesn't waver, but it had always been hard for her to be vulnerable as she never had the chance to with her own family, "It's weird. One day, conversation is easy, people are approachable and..."

He listens, his brows furrowing in focus.

"Being strong for everyone else meant having to lose a part of myself," She exhales shakily, her nails digging crescents into her palms, "And after a while, I stopped feeling like me. Now, it's like I'm just a shell and pushing people away is easier. You don't get hurt again."

Jaemin's fingers inch closer to her, his knuckles brushing along her hand and, when her pinky hooks around his, he can't help but to smile softly.

"Even so... I don't hate being around people," she whispers, "I don't hate being around you."

He feels his heart skip a beat and his eyes widen slightly when her soft gaze meets his. It was like he got a glimpse into the warmth beneath the grumbling girl, the gentle side of her that hid behind the protective wall. Her usual glaring, intense gaze was now soft and sweet, pupils big as they reflected the starry sky in them, drawing him in like a moth to a flame.

Jaemin quickly snaps his head away, bringing a hand over his mouth, hiding his flustered smile, "This is dangerous," he mumbles to himself. Every moment he spent with her was making it harder for him to be normal, not with his body getting hot, and her pretty eyes that watched him curiously.

"What's dangerous?" She asks, confused.

"You, Y/N," he breathes, meeting her gaze again, "you don't understand just how gorgeous you are, how you look at me like that and... the fact that you really are someone so warm and funny and smart. And there is so much more to you that I-"

He chuckled nervously, interlocking his hand with hers more boldly, "I love that you're different. That you trusted me enough to share a piece of yourself. I also want to be someone who would take away all the burdens you've been carrying. To help fill your cup with you, because you're perfect to me, and I want you to see that too."

"But why? You barely know me," she asked quietly.

"Because it's you. But also... do we even need a reason? I just want to."

Her heart beats loud in her ears and tears finally fall, startling Jaemin as he began to panic, worried he may have overstepped in some way. However, it felt like those were words she needed to hear, even if it were just scratching the surface of understanding her, and her understanding him. It felt like she had finally met someone who could. Who would try.

"Jaemin," she calls out to him, and he blinks in response just as she leans in before she could think. Before she could stop herself.

Y/N's lips press to his softly. It was hesitant and shy, but it felt right. Slowly, her fingers cup his jaw and Jaemin pauses. He had waited for this moment, waited for when he could finally get through the protective wall she built around herself. She pulls away and he immediately pulls her back in.

When her lips meet his again, it's messier, with her running her fingers through his hair, parting her lips to mould with his. He feels the urgency in her hands, and he lets out a quiet groan when she climbs onto his lap, knees on either side of his hips, yet never breaking the kiss.

Jaemin's palms settle at her waist, rubbing slow circles on her skin. He tries to control the pace, kissing her back slower, patiently, as he pulls away to catch his breath, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Let me-" his voice is breathy and hoarse; chest heaving, "Let me take my time with you, Y/N. Please."

When her eyes search his, he continues with a softer tone, "You deserve as much."

She leans forward again, kissing him slow.

His hands curl over the back of her neck, the other still cupping her waist, pulling her in a little closer. It feels different this time, gentle and tender. Their mouths move quietly under the witness of the stars, like they're both trying to memorise what the other feels like.

Jaemin sighs softly against her lips when she subtly grinds against him, and he rests his forehead against hers.

"You don't have to rush anything with me, Y/N," he murmurs, "I'm not going anywhere."

"But I want this," she bites her lip, looking down at him. And that's all it takes for him to want to give in and give her everything she wants.

Jaemin's lips trail to her jaw, then down her neck, pressing soft, open-mouthed kisses that make her heart flutter wildly. She whispers his name and he flips their positions so that she was under him now. His body hovers just above hers, brushing strands of her hair from her face.

He kisses her again, slowly at first, but the kiss deepens with each second. His hands slip beneath her soft jumper, fingers tracing along her waist and brushing just under the curve of her breast.

She arches into his touch when he cups her bra-clad breast, thumb swiping over her nipple. Her skin was warm and soft, paired with her sweet gasps, and he couldn't hold back any longer, pushing the jumper off of her.

"How could someone be so beautiful," he breathes out, his soft eyes delicately tracing over her frame as the subtle light of the moon hugged her skin. Her cheeks were flushed at the way he looked at her and, before she could feel any more shy, he connected his lips with hers again; tongue tracing the seam whilst his hands slipped under the lace, massaging her supple mounds.

Y/N tugged at his own hoodie, whining softly against his lips, to which he chuckled, sitting back to pull it off of him, not forgetting to place the clothing under her when he realised she was laying on the icy marble floor. Her cold, slender fingers cupped his jaw, trailing down his chest. It all felt unreal to the both of them; this moment under the stars. It was as though, under the moonlight, was her world. A glimpse into her inner warmth.

Soon, her jeans followed, his warm breath fanning against her inner thighs as his lips ghosted over the skin. He pressed gentle kisses slowly up, thumb finally grazing over her clothed clit which elicited a quiet moan from her. The moment he tugged her panties to the side, she knew what was coming and immediately gripped onto his hair in anticipation.

Jaemin's tongue licked a thick stripe up her folds and she shuddered. But he didn't stop there, picking up the pace. His humming against her had her cheeks flush. His warm breath and tongue guided her down the path towards ecstasy, hands pinning her thighs against his sprawled out hoodie. Each tug at the locks of his hair and the soft whines that left her lips, had Jaemin's control slip further, subtly grinding against the floor to find some sort of friction.

Y/N couldn't take it any more. Not his wet tongue that elicited lewd sounds from her lips, creating an erotic melody that layered with his eager licks and groans, paired with the squelching sounds as he finally pushed his fingers into her. Her eyes blurred as she stared at the stars, glimmering as he brought her to the edge. His fingers curled perfectly inside her, pressing against a bundle that made the thread snap, finally coming and coating his fingers with her release.

The sound he made when she shuddered beneath him; eyes rolling back, was so pretty, so guttural, she swore she could have come again right there and then.

"You're perfect, baby," he kissed the inside of her thigh before crawling up her writhing body, pressing another kiss to the corner of her mouth, "We don't have to go all the way tonight, if you don't want to."

Immediately, she shook her head, pulling him in for a lazy kiss, "Jaemin... I want to. I'm sure."

He swore he felt his cock twitch at that, but he shook it off, sitting back on the heels of his feet as he unbuttoned his jeans, kicking it off along with his boxers. But he cursed at himself when the realisation dawned on him, "I-I'm sorry, baby. I don't have a condom. I mean... I wasn't really expecting anything to come out of tonight." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, though she almost didn't hear him, too entranced by the size of him, needing to shake herself out of it.

"If you're okay with not using one, I'm okay with it too," she said without hesitation, "I'm on the pill and... Well, I can get the morning after-" His soft chuckle had cut her words short, "You want me that bad, huh? Aren't you the same woman who was so eager to get rid of me earlier?"

Y/N grumbles under her breath, "Just shut up. Are you going to sleep with me or what? It's getting cold."

Jaemin shakes his head in amusement, hovering over her. The way he looks at her has her heart race; the affection that he doesn't bother to hide, the way his eyes are constantly flicking over her features as if etching them into memory, and the way he isn't quick with claiming her, always making sure she's okay and giving her time to back out. Slowly, she reaches up, cupping his jaw, her thumb brushing over his bottom lip.

"Fuck... do you know what you do to me?" He breathes out, nuzzling into her touch and placing a kiss to the inside of her hand.

Then, he slides his member through her folds, pushing into her inch by inch, pausing every time her brows furrow even slightly. Even when it was torturous for him, he put her first, waiting until the corners of her lips relaxed, and the space between her brows didn't crease.

Finally, when he was fully sheathed inside, and she had relaxed around him, he started to move, picking up the pace a little at a time, her sounds playing as the guide. She was perfect, fitting around him like a glove, wrapping her legs over his hips, rocking into him to feel him deeper, as if he wasn't close enough for her.

Jaemin rested his forehead against hers, his groans synchronised with her pretty moans, "God..." he breathed out, letting his hand cup her waist, fingers pressed into her dewy skin as he grinded into her.

Y/N grabbed onto whatever she could, moving to nestle into his neck, her warm breath and plush lips brushing over his pulse point, "Y-yes, Jaemin...," her nails dug into his back, toes curling at every rock of his hips, every push of his dick into her, had the stars on the ceiling feel brighter and all-consuming, "F-fuck."

Jaemin couldn't handle it, couldn't prolong her release any longer. He grabbed onto her thighs, pushing them out and up to angle his thrusts better. Then, he grabbed onto her wrists, pulling them towards him, sitting back on the balls of his feet as he picked up the pace, the sounds of skin slapping against skin was so dirty under the witness of the gleaming moonlight.

Her head rolled back, mouth agape as deep, throaty sounds escaped her. The moment she began to shudder, he knew he had made her come a second time, his own release following right after.

Jaemin collapsed on top of her, his large frame burying her in warmth as she let out a lazy giggle, snuggling into him, "That was..."

"Amazing? I know."

She smacked his shoulder playfully, "You're so cocky. For all you know, I could have been about to say that it was mediocre, or abysmal, or-"

"Or the hottest thing ever," Jaemin pressed a kiss under her jaw, rolling off of her to grab the sleeve of his hoodie that still nestled under her figure, wiping away at the inside of her thighs.

Just then, a flashlight peeked through the hallway just outside the door. Immediately, the pair glanced at each other, Jaemin muttered a loud 'shit', before quickly slipping on his boxers and jeans, and she chucked his hoodie at him, throwing her own clothes back on — barely.

"We gotta go, now," Jaemin grabbed at her wrist before she could put her jeans and shoes on, darting out the back just as the security guard opened the door, yelling a 'who's there?'

As soon as they made it out of the planetarium and into the chilly night air, out of breath and barely able to stand up straight, Jaemin and Y/N let out a chuckle that sounded more like relief, finally bursting into a fit of laughter, barely able to keep their balance. She used that time to slip on her jeans and shoes, elbowing Jaemin, "We almost got arrested. You sure this is still a good date spot?"

Jaemin raised an amused brow at her, catching his breath after laughing, shrugging, "I just bagged the most perfect, smartest, and most unattainable woman in there. I'd say it's the date spot."

Y/N rolled her eyes, interlocking her fingers with his as she led him back onto the main street, "You better not bring anyone but me."

Jaemin stopped in his tracks, turning her around to face him as he held onto both of her hands, his face serious, "Of course. It's only ever been you, Y/N. I know we've only been on just one date and I know I get on your nerves, and that I barely carried any weight on that science project," he let out an embarrassed chuckle, "But I want to be your boyfriend, if you'll let me. Just know that I'll spoil you like crazy, because we both know that I'm the one who is down bad, who is so madly in love I can't think straight in your presence. I know it's only been a short while, but sometimes it just clicks and it clicked with you, Y/N. It clicked perfectly."

She couldn't stifle a wide smile, her eyes glazing over as she nodded eagerly, squeezing his hands tightly, "I can't say it's love just yet I... I need time, but I do like you, a lot and, I want to give us a try. I'll let you be my boyfriend."

Jaemin didn't realise he was holding his breath, letting out a sigh of relief, "I'm not expecting you to feel anything more than that, Y/N. That's more than enough for me, more than I can ask for or feel worthy of."

She tutted at him, sending him a playfully annoyed expression, "You're worthy of a lot more than you give yourself credit for, Jaemin."

6 months later...

"Haechan, don't be a brat, I told you to put the candles on the candle holders before placing them on the cake," Y/N scowled at the male, who only shrugged in response.

"You really don't need candle holders for this, he'll blow the candles out in like... two seconds. No wax will drip on the cake," He swiped his finger over the frosting, licking it off which had her smack his shoulder.

Renjun let out a frustrated sigh at their usual bickering, shoving Haechan to the side and placing the candles on the toppers, "Stop being difficult, Haechan. This isn't your event."

Haechan grumbled, crossing his arms as he leant against the fridge, "You guys need to get a DNA test, it's crazy how similar you both are."

Chenle, who was still wearing sunglasses indoors, peers up from his phone after watching the tracking map, seeing Jaemin's icon pulling up to the apartment, "Guys, he's almost here, stop fighting."

Y/N quickly scrambles to grab the cake, causing Renjun to whine, "Careful, this will all go to waste if you drop it!"

She sticks her tongue out at him, slipping the cake into her hands as she moves to stand in front of the door, "Okay, as soon as you hear the elevator, light the candles. Don't mess this up!"

Haechan grabs the lighter from the counter, standing next to her as he angles it just above the first candle, "Yes, ma'am. Wouldn't want the leader of the underworld to beat my ass."

She sends him a glare, kicking his leg which causes him to yelp, "I am not Hades!"

"Well, Hades would have kicked my leg too!"

"Because you deserved it!"

Chenle, who was now standing in front of the door, jumps in surprise when he hears the elevator ding, "Guys, shut up, he's here!"

Haechan, about to clap back at her, quickly lights the candles, struggling with the last one until it finally burns a flame into the thread just in time for the front door to open. Renjun could have sworn he almost had a heart attack from the way their whole surprise could have gone bust.

As soon as Jaemin steps inside, the quartet broke into song, singing happy birthday to the male who never would have expected a surprise from the people who meant the most to him. A smile tugged at his lips, his toothy grin wide as he finally met the gaze of the most beautiful woman in his eyes. He knew it was her idea, that she brought them here for him, even though it had taken a while for them to all grow close.

When the song ends, Jaemin's eyes flutter closed to make his wish, blowing out the candles, causing everyone to cheer. Haechan ruffles Jaemin's hair, Chenle claps his back, and Renjun gives him a curt nod and birthday wishes, taking the cake from Y/N's hands before the three of them move to the living room, preparing to hand him the presents.

Jaemin doesn't stop smiling at her, pulling her into a tight hug, his nose nestling into her hair, "Thank you for organising all of this, Y/N... It means the world."

She chuckles, "Of course, I knew how much it would mean to you. I'm just surprised I could get everything ready in time, knowing how easily the four of us bicker."

Jaemin chuckled, pulling back to meet her gaze, "Am I the luckiest man ever? I think I am."

She snorts, rolling her eyes, "You're so annoying. This is why I love you."

Jaemin paused, his eyes widening slightly as the words finally registered, "You..."

When she realised why he had been shocked, she shakes her head in amusement, pulling him in for a sweet kiss, nipping at his bottom lip as she pulled back, "I love you, Jaemin. I was just waiting for the right time to say it."

The three men hollered from the living room, but Jaemin let those sounds drown out, cupping her cheeks with the palms of his hands as he pulled her back in for another kiss, parting his lips against hers, tugging at the plush skin as he smiled into her mouth, "I love you too, Y/N."

He squints at her, trying to focus his blurry vision at her trembling form. His jaw hardens. Just a few months ago, he'd be a worried, nervous wreck at seeing her cry. Though now, he felt nothing but annoyance, tonguing the inside of his cheek as he mocked her stupidity in his head. But God was it hard to separate whether the frustration was at her dumping her problems on him, or at how sexually frustrated she made him. He couldn't help but sneak a glance at the tantalising strip of her thighs in those shorts, even as his jaw was clenched tight.

"I really love him... I love him so much, why can't he see that?" She choked out another sob, tears staining her skin.

Mark had reached a boiling point. It's like something that held his sanity and kindness snapped. Any ounce of respect he had for her had shattered, replaced by an all-consuming jealous rage.

His hand grabs at her wrist, tearing the palm that covered her face away, "What did you say?" His voice was quiet yet stern, husky from the lack of sleep.

She sniffled, meeting his hard gaze which made her breath catch in her throat, "I... love him."

Her soft eyes did nothing to calm the fire that raged in his chest. How could a sweet girl like her fall in love with that cheating, fucking asshole in a span of three months? Especially when Mark had always been there for her, through thick and thin, even now when she pulled him out of his sleep, selfishly, to talk about her own problems. He felt pathetic. In a way, he was just as pathetic as she was.

Mark sucks in a sharp breath, his fingers tightening on her arm which causes her to wince as he leaves red prints along her smooth skin, "M-Mark, you're hurting me-"

"Shut the fuck up," he snapped, yanking her towards him, "I'm tired of your fucking bullshit. If he's such an asshole, break up with him!"

Y/N stumbles over her words, lips opening and closing like a clueless fish at Mark's uncharacteristic outburst, "I- I can't."

Mark scoffs, pushing her back onto the couch as he clamoured on top of her, gripping at her plush thighs that seemed to mold to his touch as she scrambled in surprise, "Why can't you? Does he blackmail you? Did he save your life and you feel like you owe him? What bullshit excuse will you give me this fucking time?"

She's breathing heavily, her tears now dried on her skin as she keeps her eyes on him, "Mark... what are you doing?"

He couldn't play nice when she looked so pretty like this. Mascara running down her pink cheeks, lashes wet and eyes soft as her glossy lips puckered in confusion.

Mark chuckles in disbelief, shaking his head, "Why don't we give that son of a bitch a taste of his own medicine? Maybe then you'd shut those pretty little lips up about another man I could give less of a shit about."

She gasps, pushing at his chest, "W-what? You're crazy!"

Mark laughs, gently threading his fingers through her long hair, "We're both crazy, baby. At least I have a thing called pride."

Y/N swallows thickly, peering up at him like a deer caught in headlights. Mark's fingers brush under the hem of her shorts, his nose nudging the crook of her neck, "Maybe I could fuck a little thing like pride into you... give you another thing to cry about."

In a second, he pins her wrists above her head, trapping her hips between his knees as he pulls back to meet her nervous gaze. She bites her lip, contemplating. She can't believe she's actually considering what her best friend was offering. She thinks back to her earlier argument with Jaehyun and, fuck, would it feel good to get back at him for once.

Even just thinking about her boyfriend has a fresh set of tears glazing over her eyes, "I-"

Mark's voice cuts through hers, "Don't expect me to play nice though, I've been a carpet you've walked all over long enough," he smirks cockily at her hesitation, leaning in to whisper hoarsely in her ear, "Think about it, baby... Think about your precious boyfriend pounding into that slutty chick of his. I mean... he clearly isn't fucking you right now. Couldn't blame him when you whine like a little bitch."

Y/N sobs harder, burying her damp cheeks into the crook of his neck, "O-okay! Just stop... stop talking about him."

Mark grips at her cheeks, forcing her mouth open as he looks down at her with mockery, "Don't wanna face reality, princess? Fine."

His lips meet hers, molding against her soft, tear-stained ones that remained parted from his tight grasp. Her muffled sounds died in his mouth, his tongue swiping at the seam of her lips as it swirled with hers. He could taste the saltiness of her tears mixed with the vanilla flavoured gloss. When he pulled back, she was breathless, eyes blown wide. He loved the way her swollen, slick lips looked — a pretty pink that matched her flushed cheeks.

"You're an asshole," she pouted, her voice a broken whine despite the way she unashamedly rubbed her thighs together.

"Seems like you have a thing for assholes, baby. Admit it, you want to be ruined like a little slut. Who knew the crybaby was so filthy?" Mark pressed his knee between her legs. It was rough and it mixed pleasure with pain that had her gasping.

Y/N let out a choked moan, head nestling back into the cushions as he dragged his knee up and down her clothed clit. She hated that she was enjoying this. She was no better than Jaehyun. Sure, she had thoughts about her attractive best friend before, but he was never really her type. Until now.

"I don't have a thing for assholes," she sent him a glare despite lying through her teeth, "And I'm not a slut."

Mark stares at her for a moment before he lets out an amused laugh, "You're cute, but you're also dead wrong, baby."

He tugs his sweats down, pulling out his throbbing dick as he swirls his tip over her lips, coating them with his precum to wear like lip gloss. She let's out a muffled whimper, eyes pleading. He only scoffs in response, "I'll show you how slutty you really are, and you'll take it like a good girl, won't you?"

Her pussy clenches around nothing at that and Mark wastes no time in lifting her head up from the back of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair. His other hand grabs her cheeks, forcing her mouth open as he stuffs his dick past her lips, stretching her out. She sobs again, fingers digging into his hips as she let's him manhandle her, rutting his dick into her mouth like a fleshlight.

Y/N's moans, whimpers and sobs get lost on his dick. But what really gets her off is how vocal Mark is. His groans and breathy gasps urges her to take more of him, gagging as his tip occasionally hits the back of her throat. Her eyes flick up to see him staring back at her through half-lidded eyes, fucking her into the couch. She'd never given head like this before - sprawled out underneath with her head in his hands to relinquish all control to him.

"Should take a photo of you like this," Mark's thumb tugs her chin up, "send it to that shit-faced ex of yours... let him see what he missed out on."

Mark pulls back and she whines at the loss of her mouth being filled up, "He's not my ex."

He snorts in response, "He will be once I'm done with you."

She swallows thickly, suddenly feeling nervous. Mark had always been the sweet, gentle and respectful best friend. Predictable and safe. But this was a side she never knew existed, especially as he was private about his sex life.

Mark flips her over, letting her chest press against the armrest of the couch. But her words cut through his thoughts, "I'm not breaking up with him, ever."

At that, Mark let's out a bitter laugh, and smacks her ass, hard. The sound is sharp and leaves a tingling sensation behind that causes her to wince, "You will."

At her no, he smacks her again, rubbing the sting with his kneading hands, "You're pathetic."

Without wasting anymore time, he'd tugs her shorts down. His fingers rub along her slit and, with his teeth, he bites at the waistband of her underwear, letting it pull down to her thighs. For years, he had been fantasising about his best friend, even beating himself up about it from the shame. But seeing her bare before him, has him swallowing hard, his Adam's apple bobbing at the sight. His imagination could never do her justice, she was gorgeous.

Mark leans in, dragging his tongue over her asshole, circling and teasing the puckered flesh. He spits on it, watching it glisten obscenely, tilting his head as he kisses and nips at the soft flesh of her ass. She'd never felt so embarrassed, writhing under him. But the only thought that came to mind was how Jaehyun would never.

Mark's fingers probe at the entrance of her pussy, coating the slender digits with her slick before pushing inside; scissoring and curling his fingers inside of her. He groaned at how the tight, wet heat gripped him like a vice, pulsing around his fingers. His other hand tugged her hair back, leaning in to kiss her, licking into her mouth that has her moaning.

Mark nips at her bottom lip, hard enough to draw blood and make her wince. He licks at it, cooling the burn before he tugs her hair back harder, peppering sloppy kisses from her jaw down to her collarbone.

She rocks her hips back against his fingers, and Mark can't help but to smirk against her neck, "Desperate already?"

Maybe Mark was right, she didn't have pride and she was as slutty as they came. She nods eagerly, "Please, need you..."

Mark bit on her earlobe, whispering, "Gotta do better than that, sweetheart." His fingers stilled in her, hand pressed to her lower back to keep her from moving.

"I need you, Mark. Please," she begged.

But that wasnt enough, not even close, "Need me to what?"

Her lip quivered, feeling herself losing every inch of her sanity, "Need you to fuck me."

Mark stroked himself, his restraint was slowly slipping too, but he couldnt give her what she wanted just yet, "only if you promise to leave that son of a bitch," he spoke through gritted teeth.

Y/N bit on her bottom lip, pondering, "I will. I'll break up with him. So, please."

Mark scoffs. It didn't take long for her to give in, but he was grateful. Not wanting to waste another second, he pushes into her, hard and fast, not giving her time to adjust. She gasps out loud, clutching onto the armrest with desperation, "fuck! M-Mark-"

He ruts into her, blocking out her cries, "Like I said, you'll take what I give you like the good girl you are. Or do you prefer to be called a whore now that you're sleeping around?"

She whimpers, tears slipping down her cheeks, "Both... I wanna be called both."

Marks hands grab at her hips tightly, pulling her against him, "Knew you were nothing but a whore. Bet you were hoping for this... you were trying to piss me off by showing up at my place every night, huh?"

She shakes her head, clenching around him, "No! No, I wasn't."

His hand slithers under her, rubbing rough and quick circles on her clit, causing her to writhe beneath him, "You wanted me to fuck the outline of your body into my couch. Wanted someone who'd fuck you better than that asshole."

He pulls the length of his cock out of her before slamming back in. Her toes curl and she feels her body growing weaker, her release approaching. Her thoughts were cloudy, drool and tears staining her skin. Each thrust of his hips had her let out choked moans.

"No one is better for you than I am. Not Jaehyun, not even your own fingers. Just me. Only me," he growls, and she swears it was the sexiest sound that ever came out of any man.

"Y-yeah... only you... only you, Mark," she cried, arching her back against him.

"You're mine. All mine. Say it... say it for me, princess," his voice is suddenly soft and breathy. The gentleness returning, as if he really meant it.

Y/N nods, gasping, "I'm yours," she shuddered, her release washing over her as Mark never slowed his pace. She could feel him twitching as he helped her through her release, his own following as he pulled out and came all over her back.

She whined, "Wanted you to cum in me."

Mark chuckled, panting as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her lithe body into his chest, kissing down her neck and shoulder, "Next time, pretty. I'll save that for when you block that bastards number and make you mine for real."

(I promise my next post will be a Haechan fic)

"You're stabbing at your food," a soft, amused voice cut through the loud chatter of the cafeteria, "Should I be worried that you're also giving me the death glare?"

Y/N doesn't take her eyes off him. She hated how well he held eye-contact, and she wasn't going to lose the little battles before the war. So, she sends him a scowl as a response, her dark, frizzy hair puffing up like a lion's mane.

Jaemin was intrigued by her. She was the only person who would never smile back, never say anything more than a few words to him. As if dealing with him, or people in general, sucked out her limited supply of energy.

Jaemin sits down next to her, his arm brushing against hers with the protection of her thick, knit sweater, "We're supposed to choose our pairs for the science project, wanna work together?"

She let out a scoff, side-eyeing him for the sheer audacity of asking something so absurd, "No," She replies flatly, munching on her cafeteria food that suddenly tasted like slop in his presence.

He raised an amused brow, smile never faltering. Honestly, she would pay good money to see him not smiling for once, "Come on, why not? You're smart and I'm... kinda smart. We'd make a good team! I've even come up with possible names for our duo," he clears his throat as if preparing a proposal for Shark Tank, "sun and moon, yin and yang, Princess and The Frog..."

"Princess?" She scoffs.

"Yeah, I'll be the princess and you can be the fro-," she grumbles under her breath, standing up with her tray and moving to another empty table. Jaemin was unfazed, unfortunately, and followed her casually as if she'd asked to move together.

"Stop following me," Y/N huffed, nestling into her purple sweater as she continued to stab at her food. She could see Jaemin's group of friends watching like vigilant vultures from the corner of her eye.

Haechan, the cocky, intimidating star student — or would be star student if he weren't so lazy. Chenle, the real crazy rich Asian, often coming to school with something designer. And Renjun, the angry artist who she often wondered how he fit in such a group, being as he seemed like the only normal person there.

She could almost hear their judgment, confused on why Jaemin spent almost every lunchtime circling around the grouchy loner.

Jaemin chuckled, slotting into the chair next to her, to which she nudged her chair to the side, trying to get as far away from him as physically possible, even down to the atoms, "it's either I work with you or Jisung... and I don't want to work with him."

Her eyes met his, glaring in a way Jaemin would call cute, strangely, "Not my problem."

Jaemin pokes at her arm, giggling when she jumps, startled, "But whyyy. That guy would be scared at the sight of a bunsen burner, that's not even on, mind you."

"Again, not my problem."

Jaemin pouted, resting his chin on the palm of his hand as he let his soft gaze flick over her features. He had a horrible habit of keeping his eyes locked on people's lips, even more so when they spoke. But, from up close, his appearance matched the mix of a doe and a rabbit with his long, fluttering lashes and big, round eyes.

She hated deers and rabbits.

"Would it be your problem if we were friends?" Jaemin asked suddenly. Everything about his voice to his gaze were genuine. He meant every word, and that scared her.

She froze, grip tightening on her cutlery as she slowly met his watching eyes, "Friends?"

"Friends," Jaemin added, "I want us to be friends. You're nice."

She snorted. For the first time, she actually made a sound close enough to be a laugh and Jaemin, startled, looked at her like a deer caught in headlights. As if a UFO had landed right in front of him and aliens stepped out wearing chicken suits, "You're delusional."

"Delusional or not, I made you laugh. Even more of a reason for us to be friends, I'm a good influence on you," Jaemin teased. Immediately, her expression faltered.

The sun was obnoxiously loud, and infuriatingly cocky.

The sun was, indeed, loud.

When she woke up this morning, she never would have guessed how horrible today would be. Not until Jaemin raised his hand incredibly high and chirped to the science teacher, "Y/N and I would like to be partners!"

If looks could kill, Jaemin would be shot dead on Earth, stopped before he got to the pearly white gates; his soul extracted into a minuscule bottle, crushed and thrown into the deepest, tenebrous voids before he even had a chance at getting reincarnated.

She sighed, loudly. She could hear people whispering, their watchful gaze flicking between the pair. Jaemin was as smiley as ever, his eyes little crescents as he skipped over to her, flower petals trailing behind him like some spring-happy leprechaun.

Y/N placed her bag on the one free seat next to her, and Jaemin pouted just as he got to her table, "Hey, is that how you treat your partner?"

She couldn't even spare him a glance, not with her seething, "I told you, I didn't want to be your partner."

Jaemin shrugs, placing his books on the table and pulls out a separate chair to sit in front of her — all without complaint or a twitching smile. He could tell she was mad at him, he wasn't a fool. Usually, she'd be boring burning hot holes into his skin with her piercing glare, though now, she kept her eyes on her science book, not sparing him a glance.

He was cautious with his movements, watching her as he sat right in front, just close enough to smell the soft hint of lavender from her jumper. He didn't want to scare her off or build the tension further so, he did the next best thing he could think of.

Digging into his bag, he pulls out his phone and wired earphones, ones he carried with him for years. It was to anyone's amazement how they lasted so long. He scrolls through his playlist, trying to find anything that was calming enough and, when he does, he grins to himself, leaning over to place one bud into her ear.

Her eyes snapped to his, his finger still pressed to the earbud to stop her from snatching it out so quickly, but that meant he was closer than he had ever been. She couldn't help but to notice those dark eyes that reflected the glittering ceiling lights as his warm, gentle and hesitant breath brushed her dewy skin, "What are you-"

"Just... I know you don't want to talk to me right now so, let's listen to some music together. Just this once," his smile was softer now, eyes trained on her with a hint of nervousness.

When Jaemin realised she wasn't making a move to yank the earphones out, he slowly retracted his hand, letting the music play. Surprisingly, the song was calming and sweet — a stark contrast to the energiser bunny who sat in front of her, grinning like a madman just at her tolerating his presence.

Jaemin confused her. She couldn't understand how someone could be so... sunshine and rainbows. Just looking at him was exhausting, feeling the corners of her lips burn at the simple thought of grinning twenty four hours of every day. He may as well have had more muscles on his lips than she had in her arms.

"You're always smiling," she mutters, scribbling random doodles into her science book, not caring if it affects the presentation. She felt herself calming a little from the music alone.

Jaemin nods slowly, looking through their worksheet for the experiment they had to do over the course of the week, "Is that a bad thing?"

It felt like that question alone stumped her. It wasn't that smiling was a bad thing, but with Jaemin, it always felt forced — maintaining the good boy image. She scoffs lightly, "It's annoying."

He only laughs at that, leaning in closer as his voice turns to a whisper, "So, if I smiled less, you'd tolerate me more?"

Her confused look had Jaemin smiling at her like a fool, trying to see how far he could push as he pulled away, "Tolerate me enough to become friends, I mean. You didn't give me an answer yesterday either."

"Thought it was an obvious no," she takes the spare worksheet and starts filling in the equipment they'd need and the correct order of steps.

Jaemin lets out a sudden, obnoxiously loud "wow" at the sight of the work she had done in a mere five minutes. He snatches it from the desk, his thumbs digging into the edges of the paper as he held it up in amazement, lips puckered in an exaggerated 'O', before his gaze flicked to her, always searching for a hint of a reaction, "I don't think we will need a whole week to get this experiment done. At least, not with you as my partner."

"Don't get used to it. You're pulling your own weight for this project," Y/N mumbles, snatching the worksheet out of his hands, her fingers brushing his in the process. She flinches slightly at the contact, and Jaemin doesn't let it slide, his smile sneakily widening.

"Well too late. I'm already naming my future children after you."

She stares at him with a deadpanned expression, "You're so weird."

"Thank you," he beams.

There's a long silence after that. She quietly observes Jaemin, whose lashes cast shadows on his cheeks, smile softening as he chooses another song on his playlist, humming along to it. Then, her gaze drops to the paper again.

"Are you serious about being friends?" she asks softly, not looking up, voice so low he almost doesn't hear it.

He stops humming, "Yeah, I am."

Y/N finally looks up, and Jaemin's not smiling this time, clearly serious.

She considers it. Actually weighs the pros and cons of being friends with the sun which, if she hadn't known any better, would only repeat Icarus' story, where her wax wings would melt if she got too close, "Don't expect me to tell you my favourite colour or make friendship bracelets out of loom bands with you."

Jaemin's smile slowly returns, as if he's waiting for her to change her mind, "That's okay, you can start by telling me what you hate most about me."

She snorts, "As if there's enough time for that in a day."

"Perfect," he sends her his classic toothy grin, "Guess I have more of an excuse to hang around you for longer, then."

The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly, illuminating the multi-coloured shelves filled with snacks and bold coloured stickers with deals peppered along the products. It had smelled faintly of overripe bananas, cheap detergent, and air freshener — the familiar scent of your standard convenience stores. Jaemin had wandered the snack aisle on a lazy evening, indecisively scouring the 2-for-1 promotions. He was low on energy after spending the whole afternoon playing football against his will. Though, he was somewhat grateful it wasn't basketball this time, thanks to Chenle going on some last minute holiday.

All thoughts screeched to a halt while he was scanning for some snacks, seeing her behind the till. She wore the stores' basic, bright blue apron, the collar of the white undershirt slightly crooked, and an upside-down name tag pinned to her chest which gave more than enough away that she was in a rush to get to her shift. But most of all, she was smiling at the elderly woman in front of her, offering a genuine laugh when the lady made a joke he could barely make out.

Her laugh was so pretty to him. Despite it being awkward, tethering on deep yet with a sweet lilt... It was so unique, so adorable and something he wished he could hear over and over again, like a broken record.

He couldn't get over that smile, either. It brightened up her face and made her even more gorgeous than she already was. His eyes were locked on the soft and slightly shy grin, tugging up on one side. He had never seen her like that before, but he was already obsessed, his heart clenching as a sudden cuteness aggression overcame him.

The moment she noticed him walking towards the register with a basket of snacks, however, her expression had snapped back into its usual stormy cloud, the corners of her lips sinking into a scowl. Jaemin stifled a laugh as he set his snacks down on the counter.

"Hey," he whined, yet his voice was as bright and sunny as always, "I'm a customer too, where's my smile?"

"What are you doing here, Jaemin?" she grumbled, already scanning the items with speedy efficiency, clearly wanting to get rid of him.

"I came to see you," He let the sentence hang just long enough between them before correcting himself, "Actually... I just wanted some snacks."

She glanced at the box of Lucky Charms he placed on the counter —bright and completely childlike, just like him. She blinked before letting out a soft giggle, the sound barely audible, but loud enough for Jaemin to catch it. He felt butterflies going haywire in the pits of his stomach.

"You seriously eat this shi- stuff?"

"Religiously," he replied, smirking, "I'm convinced it really is sprinkled with some magical form of luck."

"Oh yeah, and what have you been lucky with?" she muttered, slipping the items into a plastic bag.

"You," he added with a grin. There was no hesitation in the way he had said it, especially with that stupid, shit-eating grin and the mischievous light in his eyes. But she forced her expression to remain neutral, even when a string of curses sat on the tip of her tongue.

The occasional beep of items being scanned and the quiet chatter of the other customers in the back had filled the silence between them. Jaemin leaned back and forth, raising an amused brow at her, cocky from having gotten to her in some way.

"I didn't know you worked here," he said finally, trying to fill in the silence and not wanting this moment with her to end so soon.

Y/N shrugged, adjusting the strap of her apron as she suddenly started to feel awkward, "It's... just part-time. Pays for things like snacks. But I never get to eat them because I have to smile at people like you all day."

He grinned wider, ignoring her slight jab, "So you do smile."

"God, you're annoying," she groans, packing the last of the items and gesturing to the till for him to pay.

Jaemin only smirks wider, tapping his card until a beep resounded in the shop, "And you're blushing."

"I am not-"

"Oh, you definitely are, but this would surely make you blush more...," He leans in, grabbing the plastic bag out of her hands, fingers barely brushing, as he whispered against the shell of her ear, "you're cuter when you smile."

Her hands stilled slightly as she let go of the bag as if they were opposites on either side of a magnet.

He held her gaze for a moment, before pulling away, "Thanks for the snacks."

"Don't come here again," Y/N grumbled.

Jaemin stepped back towards the automatic doors which kept trying to close, blocking the path of some customers as he smiled like a fool at her, as usual. She hated how he made her feel in this moment, and she could swear her heart had beat louder than the generic pop music which played in the shop. Maybe she would blame the fact that he was someone who does eat lucky charms. But his next words cut through her thoughts as he stifled a laugh before leaving, "No promises, cutie."

And, for some strange reason, that word didn't make her internally gag.

The cafeteria was in a state of a mess; chaotic noise and clattering trays, loud, overlapping conversations, and the sharp screeching of metal chairs. The air had smelt faintly of overcooked pasta and whatever they had tried to pass off as food today — what students would call radioactive slop. But not one table was as loud as the one Jaemin was sat on with his friends.

"I'm telling you, she's the cutest girl around. Like- Haechan, stop laughing, I'm being serious!" Jaemin glares daggers at the male who was barely keeping still on his chair.

"Yeah, I bet. I'd also bet she hexed you," Haechan, who sat across from Jaemin, wipes away a stray tear, followed by a sigh as he calmed down from his burst of laughter.

Renjun sat next to Haechan, nudging him with the pristine sleeve of his blazer. He had always kept a clean-cut appearance where not even a tiny drop of paint ever landed on his attire, "If Jaemin likes her, who cares? I will be judging though, but from the sidelines."

Jaemin grumbles, pushing his half-eaten tray away from him as he crossed his arms, "You guys are assholes. What happened to being happy for me?"

Chenle chirps in, glancing at the woman who was the focus of their conversation sat a few tables down on her own. He jabs a finger into the table, a classic Chenle move whenever he had a 'valid' point to make, eyebrows raised with passion, "You guys are like... the complete opposites of each other. She would definitely steal all your light. Well- on second thought, that's probably a good thing, maybe you'd finally be somewhat bearable to be around."

Jaemin rolls his eyes, stuffing a spoonful of rice and munching it in irritation, "Look, if you actually spoke to her, you'd see that there is more to her. She actually smiles too, and it's so adorable, plus-" Haechan side-eyes Jaemin; partly for speaking with a mouthful of food, and the other for simping over her of all people, "Don't tell me you're already pussy-whipped when you've only spoken to her once."

Jaemin's mouth drops in shock, "Once?! I've spoken to her like... three, four times?"

Haechan snorts, resting his hands behind his head, sprawling lazily out on the chair, "Might as well have been once. You can count it on one hand. You barely know her."

"Well, I know her better than you guys do, so why are we judging so hard?" Jaemin snaps, and his friends suddenly grow silent and tense. It was unlike the usually sunny male to get angry or irritated. His jaw was clenched as he dropped his metal chopsticks on the tray, the clatter loud.

Renjun clears his throat awkwardly, looking around the table, his brows furrowed softly as he met Jaemin's gaze, "You... do know why everyone avoids her though, don't you?"

Jaemin pauses, eyes flicking to his friend. Something in Renjun's tone makes the hairs stand up on the back of his neck, the tension, paired with worry, simmering.

"What do you mean?" he asks suspiciously, his voice quiet and brows furrowing.

Renjun shifts in his seat, shrugging, "Just… she's not exactly friendly. People say she snapped at teachers, ditched group projects, cursed out that senior last year-"

"She cursed at him because he was mocking her in front of everyone," Jaemin cuts in sharply, his leg bouncing under the table in frustration, "And the group projects... Maybe no one ever wanted to work with her. She had always been a target of stupid jokes. Besides, how is any of that a big deal?"

The table falls quiet again and Chenle raises a brow and puts his hands up in surrender, trying to lighten the mood, "Okay, damn. Someone is ready to fight for her honour."

Jaemin huffs, "No- Look I'm just saying... people love to talk. Don't you think she's just tired of all these assholes?"

Haechan whistles lowly, "Okay, our knight in shining armour, should we start planning the wedding?"

"Shut up," Jaemin mutters, his cheeks flushed pink, "I already did."

The lab was meant to be quiet except, Jaemin was being clumsy with the equipment. The glass beakers kept clinking against each other, and it was surprising how they hadn't smashed into pieces with his large hands. It was only them in the lab, away from the bustling lunch hall, and it was supposed to be them finishing off the experiment before they had to type up their conclusions. However, working with Jaemin was proving to be a separate challenge.

Y/N tugged her sleeves up her arms in frustration as she kept glaring at him and giving him orders. But Jaemin found her to appear less reserved when she wasn't surrounded by others — still sharp around the cute edges, but not enough to make a man cower.

"Put the beaker down slowly," she said, eyeing the glass nervously as Jaemin finished pouring the solution into a separate beaker, "I swear to God if you shatter another one-"

"Relax," Jaemin chuckled, mocking offence as he set it down with exaggerated grace, gesturing to it in celebration. She forgot he had arms that could squash a coconut in one go, panicking at the sight of him handling fragile equipment. But his cockiness worried her even further, "I have the hands of a pianist."

She side-eyed him with a slight look of surprise, "You play the piano?"

"No, but I could," he wiggles his fingers, "with these sexy hands."

She rolled her eyes, but he caught the subtle twitch of her lips before she turned away to fetch the other materials.

They had been measuring and watching the colours blend in the beaker, creating an... interesting solution. He watched her scribble something in the worksheet, noticing her handwriting was messier than he'd expected. It had kept changing its font, far from the consistent and neat image she had presented as, at least, with her personality. His eyes trailed to her frizzy hair that added an adorable, messy look to her, like his favourite character from UP, Ellie.

"You're staring," she mumbled, her pen tapping the edge of the paper in annoyance.

"Just admiring your handwriting," Jaemin teased, leaning slightly closer, glancing to her writing again, "It looks like five different people wrote that."

"Want to lose the ability to smile?"

He chuckled, watching as she moved to hold a pipette above one of the mixtures, "Are you going to start writing the conclusion, or should I do everything?"

Jaemin snapped back to reality, side stepping to grab the worksheet and immediately tapping the pencil to his cheek in thought, "Right, conclusion," he frowned when nothing came to mind, "Something something… mixture."

Y/N slowly turned to face him, "Very insightful," she deadpanned.

He didn't miss the tiniest curve of her mouth again and, God, even when she stifled a smile, it would still hit like a punch to the gut. He was starting to think maybe she was right to hide it as people would be drawn to her like the North Star. And now, it was starting to feel like it was a sight only he was allowed to see.

"You say that like it's not the best conclusion you have ever heard," Jaemin added, pressing the pencil to his lip smugly.

She sighed, snatching the worksheet from him without a word and scribbling a few lines with a quiet confidence that made him raise a brow. Her writing was still chaotic, unlike her thoughts.

He leaned in slightly to peek over at what she wrote, but she folded the paper away from his view like it was a personal diary.

"Do you mind?" she muttered in exasperation.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation, resting his chin on her shoulder to take a better look at the mysterious writing.

Y/N stiffened, her breath hitched as she stayed frozen. It was insane to her how good he smelt, the way her heart stuttered, and the soft weight of him on her shoulder felt... right. She almost let out a loud scoff at her own thoughts before elbowing him sharply in the ribs.

Jaemin let out a dramatic gasp, rubbing the spot with an exaggerated pout, "Excuse me, assault in a science lab full of lethal equipment is a criminal offence!"

"You were in my space."

"It was our space," he mumbled, still rubbing his side, "I would argue we have dual ownership over this lab."

She tongued the inside of her cheek and shoved the worksheet in his direction, "I don't see your name on this paper, Jaemin."

He smirked, feeling his own heart blush at the way his name sounded on her lips, and grabbed the paper, scribbling Na Jaemin (Princess) in the top corner, and (cute frog) next to her name. When he handed it back to her, she glanced at the names, then at him, and rolled her eyes at his silliness.

"Anyway," his voice filled the quiet room, eyes glancing away to look at the clock, seeing they only had a few minutes till the end of lunch, "I think we did a pretty decent job, we should celebrate getting this project done."

She looked up his taller form in confusion, "Celebrate?"

Jaemin nodded, "Yeah, I'll bring you a snack tomorrow, something sweet, so that you forget about annihilating me for barely carrying this project."

She sent him a scowl in response, "And what makes you think I like sweet things?"

He grinned cheekily, packing away the equipment, "You like me, don't you?"

Y/N was convinced Jaemin had hit his head in the past month, especially with all the shit he was spewing. But she couldn't stop the small smile that lifted the corners of her lips, immediately dropping the second she had realised, and Jaemin's eyes widened at the sight. His heart was going haywire. She had finally smiled in his presence, because of him.

"You really do look cute when you smile," he grinned at her, slinging his bag over his shoulder, looking almost entranced by her, "I'm glad I'm the only one who gets to see it."

She snorts, packing her things away as well, "Well, I'd rather you not smile. It's exhausting."

Jaemin smirks, nodding his head, "Okay, I won't!"

He exaggerates a silly-looking scowl, humming at the same time, "Is that better?"

Y/N lets out a disbelieving scoff, eyeing him in what seemed like amusement, "Somehow... that's much worse."

It had been three days. Three days of Jaemin leaving snacks on her desk like some overly enthusiastic snack fairy with too much free time in the crackhead hours of the morning — throwing coins on snacks she hadn't asked for.

He had brought strawberry pocky the first day (what he would call an abomination in a box), Hello Panda's the next, and today? Banana milk — in this obnoxiously bright yellow carton, with the straw poked in. He called it a "romantic gesture".

Y/N stared at the carton on her desk, the happy face of the banana staring right back into her soul. Her brows had furrowed as Jaemin plopped himself into the seat beside her with his usual beaming aura.

"You're welcome," he said with a grin, chin propped up on his hand as he watched her with hearts in his eyes.

"I don't remember saying thank you," she replied blandly, but her fingers still curled around the carton like a stress ball.

Jaemin tilted his head, nodding in agreement, "I know, but you did drink the last two, so... it seems like you do appreciate the gifts, or me. Or both."

"And it seems like," she echoed with a deadpanned expression, "you're annoying. Unsurprisingly."

"Are you waiting for some kind of an applause?" she continued when he didn't make a move to leave, taking another sip of the banana milk.

Jaemin shrugged, never taking his eyes off of her, even as other students around looked on in confusion, "Yes, actually. I deserve a standing ovation. I had brought you peace offerings three days in a row, that's equivalent to a committed relationship."

"You're clinically insane," she shakes her head, scanning over her notes.

"Clinically sexy, you mean," he corrected, wagging his brows, his voice exaggerated loudly.

She let out a long, exhausted sigh that sounded like it came from the pits of her stomach, the kind of sigh only Jaemin could evoke. However, silence had then settled between them again. This time, it was peaceful.

For once, Jaemin wasn't rambling silly little lines, openly flirting with her, or laughing gratingly loud. Instead, he was sitting there, occasionally stealing glances at her while she pretended not to notice. Then, out of nowhere, the words that had left Jaemin's lips gave her whiplash, paired with how casually he had said them.

"Wanna hang out this weekend?"

Y/N's pen slid across the page in shock, her head turning slowly, and suspiciously, like he had just asked her to help him bury a body, "Hang out?"

Jaemin shrugged, "Just thought we could do something, you know, outside of science experiments and this God-forsaken building."

She stared at him blankly for a moment longer before replying, "I'm busy."

"You don't even know what day I meant," Jaemin pouted, throwing rubber shavings her way, playfully.

"I'm busy that day too."

Jaemin smiled, unfazed, "Just know, I'm persistent."

"You mean annoying," she corrected.

He laughed under his breath, leaning back in his seat. "You'll say yes eventually."

"Not likely."

"We'll see."

She did end up saying yes.

When Friday afternoon came rolling in, and he caught up to her outside the school gates with another (peace offering) drink in hand, a grape-flavoured juice, he sent her a hopeful look with his lashes fluttering like the princess he claimed he was.

The weather carried a gentle breeze as the sun formed a subtle halo over the brunette male, making him appear even more angelic than he already was. His dark eyes were softer under the afternoon glow, and his smile felt like spring. Y/N didn't know why things were suddenly changing. Why her thoughts were becoming brighter and warmer in his presence. It was like he had merged into her life as though he had always belonged there, and she couldn't help but to give in.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. One hour."

Jaemin blinked, surprise etching into his features, "Wait- what?"

"I'll hang out with you," she clarified, crossing her arms and looking off to the side as if she were an older sibling giving into the younger's request, "For an hour. And I'm not doing anything cheesy. If you take me anywhere with fairy lights or those photo booths, I will walk into on-coming traffic."

Jaemin burst into a fit of laughter, barely containing the smile stretching across his face, "You're the one who said yes."

"God," she grumbled, turning to walk ahead, not even waiting for him, "I'm already regretting this."

"No take backs!" He chirped as he caught up to her, grinning like he had won the lottery, "You'll regret it a lot less once you see what I had planned."

She stopped in her tracks, head snapping to him in shock. Not once had she hinted in agreeing to hang out with him, and yet, he had still put in the effort to plan something that wasn't guaranteed. Just because he wanted to make it something special.

"You planned it already?" She asked, eyeing him suspiciously, "And why does that sound like a threat?"

"It's not! It's a promise," he beamed, "And of course I planned it. I knew you were going to agree. I mean, how could you say no to this face?"

He cupped his cheeks and batted his lashes at her. Usually, this would have been something that would instantly make her cringe yet, this time, it was so... Jaemin. So silly and adorably him. It gave her this sense of ease, as though it was alright for her to be just as silly, just as out there as he was. Despite what others may think.

However, Y/N gave him a long, stern look, unimpressed, "You are dangerously close to being punched in the throat."

Jaemin gasped, holding his arms up in defence, "Violence on our first date?"

"It is not a date," she said instantly, her voice a slight screech, feigning a scowl. Her heart was thumping erratically. A date? It was only a month ago when Jaemin had asked to be friends, but the spring-happy leprechaun wouldn't settle on just friends. Not with her.

"Sure it's not," he replied sarcastically, bumping his shoulder into hers. He watched as her teeth bit into the straw of the grape juice, lips puckering as she took a sip. God, he really was down bad.

"So, where exactly are we going?" she asked, interrupting his far from innocent thoughts.

Jaemin's smile twitched, internally cursing himself for getting carried away like that, "Somewhere where you can't walk into traffic."

She groaned, "Great. I can't escape by death."

Jaemin grinned, tugging at her sleeve lightly, "Nah, you're gonna fall."

"Fall?"

"For me," he replied smugly, wiggling his brows.

She stared at him long enough to make him shift slightly. He should have known corny, cheesy, unoriginal pick-up lines would never work on her, "…I changed my mind. Half an hour."

"I bet you're already falling for me," He continued to tease, gently poking at her sides and snickering at her annoyed expression.

"Keep talking and it'll be ten minutes."

He shut his mouth immediately, but the grin on his face didn't fade for even a second. Of course it wouldn't.

He had led her further down the quiet streets just beyond the school, the buzz of the busy roads echoing behind them. Suddenly, he turned into a narrow, sketchy pathway covered by dark walls and patched up windows.

"Okay, where the hell are we going?"

"You'll see, just trust me," Jaemin chirped, hopping over a puddle with the appearance of someone who probably believed in elves and the tooth fairy.

Y/N eyed the side of his face, as if analysing him, "You're like a golden retriever, and I don't mean that in a good way," she said, her tone dry, "Do you have this much energy even when you're in bed?"

Jaemin didn't miss a second, his lips curling into a smirk, "Depends who's in bed with me."

Y/N blinked, nearly choking on the last bit of juice, "You're disgusting."

"What?" he asked innocently, raising both hands in mock surrender, "You asked."

"And shameless," she muttered.

"And you're blushing," he shot back smugly.

She turned away quickly, muttering curses under her breath. The worst part was that he wasn't wrong… she was blushing.

However, when the path opened up to a skatepark, she was about to turn and walk in the opposite direction, until she saw a building to the right.

It was a planetarium, nestled at the far end of the park, hidden behind torn fences and overgrown trees, clearly abandoned. The soft, spring breeze weaved through the cracked windows and rustling dead leaves across the ground, making her anxious. It was silent, apart from the sharp creak of the iron gate as Jaemin kicked it open dramatically, letting her enter first.

"You're trespassing...," Y/N said nervously, yet still stepped past the gate.

"We are," Jaemin corrected, grinning as he didn't bother to shut the gate behind them, "You agreed to this, remember?"

She rolled her eyes, "I was coerced by grape juice."

Inside the planetarium was dark, where glimpses of sunlight flickered through the cracks of the walls. The air was coated in dust and old wood, the scent sharp in her throat — particles floated just like the glimmer of stars on the ceiling. The projector had sat in the centre, the lens still intact despite it rusting and coated in crumbling leaves and spider webs. But there was something almost... magical about this place, as though it carried many stories — a history.

"I used to come here a lot as a child," Jaemin said, his voice softer now, with a hint of nostalgia, "My dad used to work nearby, and he would take me after school sometimes. I mean... I loved the stars, it always intrigued me. I would just lie down right here and pretend they were real."

He lays down right in the middle of the dome, a softer, more pained smile gracing his lips as he saw the now faded stars that didn't seem to hold the same wonder it used to, "There was something so..."

"Magical," she voiced out her earlier thoughts, hesitantly laying down next to him.

He glanced over to see her looking up at the dimmed ceiling, the setting sun catching across her soft, pretty features, illuminating the curve of her cheekbone and the plushness of her lips. She looked oddly beautiful here, even in this run-down, shabby space. It was like she brought that same wonder back with just her presence alone.

"So this was your idea of a perfect date?" she asked finally, but her voice was gentle, tugging at his heartstrings.

"It's peaceful and there are no fairy lights in sight," he teased, "Besides, you'll ruin my date rating if you start judging my choices."

They lay in silence for a while, staring up at a ceiling that once reflected galaxies. Now, the real stars peeked through the gaps as the sun had finally set, fragmented and imperfect, fitting in like puzzle pieces against the fabricated lights.

"You asked me before if I ever stop smiling," Jaemin says, quietly, his eyes locked on the ceiling. He lies still under the watching gaze of the fading stars, "Just... when no one is around."

He lets out a breath that almost sounds like a bitter laugh, not reaching the crinkles of his eyes, "I think somewhere along the line, I decided that being the overly positive guy was who I was meant to be. If I kept people distracted by this- this image, no one would look close enough to see all the fragmented pieces. I wouldn't be a burden to others."

Y/N said nothing, biting her bottom lip.

"Sometimes it feels like… if I were to drop this act, people wouldn't know what to do with me," He turns his head slightly towards her, letting out a dry chuckle, "That I would be a handful. I'd come with all the baggage that overwhelms them."

Y/N felt her eyes glaze with tears, the brittle air pressing against her chest that made it feel almost suffocating. She hated how much she related to those words alone.

She shifts slightly on the cold floor, trying to make her voice sound neutral, "That sounds exhausting."

"I guess it is," Jaemin admits.

"I do understand, though," she responds, glancing at him, "With keeping up that image."

Her voice doesn't waver, but it had always been hard for her to be vulnerable as she never had the chance to with her own family, "It's weird. One day, conversation is easy, people are approachable and..."

He listens, his brows furrowing in focus.

"Being strong for everyone else meant having to lose a part of myself," She exhales shakily, her nails digging crescents into her palms, "And after a while, I stopped feeling like me. Now, it's like I'm just a shell and pushing people away is easier. You don't get hurt again."

Jaemin's fingers inch closer to her, his knuckles brushing along her hand and, when her pinky hooks around his, he can't help but to smile softly.

"Even so... I don't hate being around people," she whispers, "I don't hate being around you."

He feels his heart skip a beat and his eyes widen slightly when her soft gaze meets his. It was like he got a glimpse into the warmth beneath the grumbling girl, the gentle side of her that hid behind the protective wall. Her usual glaring, intense gaze was now soft and sweet, pupils big as they reflected the starry sky in them, drawing him in like a moth to a flame.

Jaemin quickly snaps his head away, bringing a hand over his mouth, hiding his flustered smile, "This is dangerous," he mumbles to himself. Every moment he spent with her was making it harder for him to be normal, not with his body getting hot, and her pretty eyes that watched him curiously.

"What's dangerous?" She asks, confused.

"You, Y/N," he breathes, meeting her gaze again, "you don't understand just how gorgeous you are, how you look at me like that and... the fact that you really are someone so warm and funny and smart. And there is so much more to you that I-"

He chuckled nervously, interlocking his hand with hers more boldly, "I love that you're different. That you trusted me enough to share a piece of yourself. I also want to be someone who would take away all the burdens you've been carrying. To help fill your cup with you, because you're perfect to me, and I want you to see that too."

"But why? You barely know me," she asked quietly.

"Because it's you. But also... do we even need a reason? I just want to."

Her heart beats loud in her ears and tears finally fall, startling Jaemin as he began to panic, worried he may have overstepped in some way. However, it felt like those were words she needed to hear, even if it were just scratching the surface of understanding her, and her understanding him. It felt like she had finally met someone who could. Who would try.

"Jaemin," she calls out to him, and he blinks in response just as she leans in before she could think. Before she could stop herself.

Y/N's lips press to his softly. It was hesitant and shy, but it felt right. Slowly, her fingers cup his jaw and Jaemin pauses. He had waited for this moment, waited for when he could finally get through the protective wall she built around herself. She pulls away and he immediately pulls her back in.

When her lips meet his again, it's messier, with her running her fingers through his hair, parting her lips to mould with his. He feels the urgency in her hands, and he lets out a quiet groan when she climbs onto his lap, knees on either side of his hips, yet never breaking the kiss.

Jaemin's palms settle at her waist, rubbing slow circles on her skin. He tries to control the pace, kissing her back slower, patiently, as he pulls away to catch his breath, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Let me-" his voice is breathy and hoarse; chest heaving, "Let me take my time with you, Y/N. Please."

When her eyes search his, he continues with a softer tone, "You deserve as much."

She leans forward again, kissing him slow.

His hands curl over the back of her neck, the other still cupping her waist, pulling her in a little closer. It feels different this time, gentle and tender. Their mouths move quietly under the witness of the stars, like they're both trying to memorise what the other feels like.

Jaemin sighs softly against her lips when she subtly grinds against him, and he rests his forehead against hers.

"You don't have to rush anything with me, Y/N," he murmurs, "I'm not going anywhere."

"But I want this," she bites her lip, looking down at him. And that's all it takes for him to want to give in and give her everything she wants.

Jaemin's lips trail to her jaw, then down her neck, pressing soft, open-mouthed kisses that make her heart flutter wildly. She whispers his name and he flips their positions so that she was under him now. His body hovers just above hers, brushing strands of her hair from her face.

He kisses her again, slowly at first, but the kiss deepens with each second. His hands slip beneath her soft jumper, fingers tracing along her waist and brushing just under the curve of her breast.

She arches into his touch when he cups her bra-clad breast, thumb swiping over her nipple. Her skin was warm and soft, paired with her sweet gasps, and he couldn't hold back any longer, pushing the jumper off of her.

"How could someone be so beautiful," he breathes out, his soft eyes delicately tracing over her frame as the subtle light of the moon hugged her skin. Her cheeks were flushed at the way he looked at her and, before she could feel any more shy, he connected his lips with hers again; tongue tracing the seam whilst his hands slipped under the lace, massaging her supple mounds.

Y/N tugged at his own hoodie, whining softly against his lips, to which he chuckled, sitting back to pull it off of him, not forgetting to place the clothing under her when he realised she was laying on the icy marble floor. Her cold, slender fingers cupped his jaw, trailing down his chest. It all felt unreal to the both of them; this moment under the stars. It was as though, under the moonlight, was her world. A glimpse into her inner warmth.

Soon, her jeans followed, his warm breath fanning against her inner thighs as his lips ghosted over the skin. He pressed gentle kisses slowly up, thumb finally grazing over her clothed clit which elicited a quiet moan from her. The moment he tugged her panties to the side, she knew what was coming and immediately gripped onto his hair in anticipation.

Jaemin's tongue licked a thick stripe up her folds and she shuddered. But he didn't stop there, picking up the pace. His humming against her had her cheeks flush. His warm breath and tongue guided her down the path towards ecstasy, hands pinning her thighs against his sprawled out hoodie. Each tug at the locks of his hair and the soft whines that left her lips, had Jaemin's control slip further, subtly grinding against the floor to find some sort of friction.

Y/N couldn't take it any more. Not his wet tongue that elicited lewd sounds from her lips, creating an erotic melody that layered with his eager licks and groans, paired with the squelching sounds as he finally pushed his fingers into her. Her eyes blurred as she stared at the stars, glimmering as he brought her to the edge. His fingers curled perfectly inside her, pressing against a bundle that made the thread snap, finally coming and coating his fingers with her release.

The sound he made when she shuddered beneath him; eyes rolling back, was so pretty, so guttural, she swore she could have come again right there and then.

"You're perfect, baby," he kissed the inside of her thigh before crawling up her writhing body, pressing another kiss to the corner of her mouth, "We don't have to go all the way tonight, if you don't want to."

Immediately, she shook her head, pulling him in for a lazy kiss, "Jaemin... I want to. I'm sure."

He swore he felt his cock twitch at that, but he shook it off, sitting back on the heels of his feet as he unbuttoned his jeans, kicking it off along with his boxers. But he cursed at himself when the realisation dawned on him, "I-I'm sorry, baby. I don't have a condom. I mean... I wasn't really expecting anything to come out of tonight." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, though she almost didn't hear him, too entranced by the size of him, needing to shake herself out of it.

"If you're okay with not using one, I'm okay with it too," she said without hesitation, "I'm on the pill and... Well, I can get the morning after-" His soft chuckle had cut her words short, "You want me that bad, huh? Aren't you the same woman who was so eager to get rid of me earlier?"

Y/N grumbles under her breath, "Just shut up. Are you going to sleep with me or what? It's getting cold."

Jaemin shakes his head in amusement, hovering over her. The way he looks at her has her heart race; the affection that he doesn't bother to hide, the way his eyes are constantly flicking over her features as if etching them into memory, and the way he isn't quick with claiming her, always making sure she's okay and giving her time to back out. Slowly, she reaches up, cupping his jaw, her thumb brushing over his bottom lip.

"Fuck... do you know what you do to me?" He breathes out, nuzzling into her touch and placing a kiss to the inside of her hand.

Then, he slides his member through her folds, pushing into her inch by inch, pausing every time her brows furrow even slightly. Even when it was torturous for him, he put her first, waiting until the corners of her lips relaxed, and the space between her brows didn't crease.

Finally, when he was fully sheathed inside, and she had relaxed around him, he started to move, picking up the pace a little at a time, her sounds playing as the guide. She was perfect, fitting around him like a glove, wrapping her legs over his hips, rocking into him to feel him deeper, as if he wasn't close enough for her.

Jaemin rested his forehead against hers, his groans synchronised with her pretty moans, "God..." he breathed out, letting his hand cup her waist, fingers pressed into her dewy skin as he grinded into her.

Y/N grabbed onto whatever she could, moving to nestle into his neck, her warm breath and plush lips brushing over his pulse point, "Y-yes, Jaemin...," her nails dug into his back, toes curling at every rock of his hips, every push of his dick into her, had the stars on the ceiling feel brighter and all-consuming, "F-fuck."

Jaemin couldn't handle it, couldn't prolong her release any longer. He grabbed onto her thighs, pushing them out and up to angle his thrusts better. Then, he grabbed onto her wrists, pulling them towards him, sitting back on the balls of his feet as he picked up the pace, the sounds of skin slapping against skin was so dirty under the witness of the gleaming moonlight.

Her head rolled back, mouth agape as deep, throaty sounds escaped her. The moment she began to shudder, he knew he had made her come a second time, his own release following right after.

Jaemin collapsed on top of her, his large frame burying her in warmth as she let out a lazy giggle, snuggling into him, "That was..."

"Amazing? I know."

She smacked his shoulder playfully, "You're so cocky. For all you know, I could have been about to say that it was mediocre, or abysmal, or-"

"Or the hottest thing ever," Jaemin pressed a kiss under her jaw, rolling off of her to grab the sleeve of his hoodie that still nestled under her figure, wiping away at the inside of her thighs.

Just then, a flashlight peeked through the hallway just outside the door. Immediately, the pair glanced at each other, Jaemin muttered a loud 'shit', before quickly slipping on his boxers and jeans, and she chucked his hoodie at him, throwing her own clothes back on — barely.

"We gotta go, now," Jaemin grabbed at her wrist before she could put her jeans and shoes on, darting out the back just as the security guard opened the door, yelling a 'who's there?'

As soon as they made it out of the planetarium and into the chilly night air, out of breath and barely able to stand up straight, Jaemin and Y/N let out a chuckle that sounded more like relief, finally bursting into a fit of laughter, barely able to keep their balance. She used that time to slip on her jeans and shoes, elbowing Jaemin, "We almost got arrested. You sure this is still a good date spot?"

Jaemin raised an amused brow at her, catching his breath after laughing, shrugging, "I just bagged the most perfect, smartest, and most unattainable woman in there. I'd say it's the date spot."

Y/N rolled her eyes, interlocking her fingers with his as she led him back onto the main street, "You better not bring anyone but me."

Jaemin stopped in his tracks, turning her around to face him as he held onto both of her hands, his face serious, "Of course. It's only ever been you, Y/N. I know we've only been on just one date and I know I get on your nerves, and that I barely carried any weight on that science project," he let out an embarrassed chuckle, "But I want to be your boyfriend, if you'll let me. Just know that I'll spoil you like crazy, because we both know that I'm the one who is down bad, who is so madly in love I can't think straight in your presence. I know it's only been a short while, but sometimes it just clicks and it clicked with you, Y/N. It clicked perfectly."

She couldn't stifle a wide smile, her eyes glazing over as she nodded eagerly, squeezing his hands tightly, "I can't say it's love just yet I... I need time, but I do like you, a lot and, I want to give us a try. I'll let you be my boyfriend."

Jaemin didn't realise he was holding his breath, letting out a sigh of relief, "I'm not expecting you to feel anything more than that, Y/N. That's more than enough for me, more than I can ask for or feel worthy of."

She tutted at him, sending him a playfully annoyed expression, "You're worthy of a lot more than you give yourself credit for, Jaemin."

6 months later...

"Haechan, don't be a brat, I told you to put the candles on the candle holders before placing them on the cake," Y/N scowled at the male, who only shrugged in response.

"You really don't need candle holders for this, he'll blow the candles out in like... two seconds. No wax will drip on the cake," He swiped his finger over the frosting, licking it off which had her smack his shoulder.

Renjun let out a frustrated sigh at their usual bickering, shoving Haechan to the side and placing the candles on the toppers, "Stop being difficult, Haechan. This isn't your event."

Haechan grumbled, crossing his arms as he leant against the fridge, "You guys need to get a DNA test, it's crazy how similar you both are."

Chenle, who was still wearing sunglasses indoors, peers up from his phone after watching the tracking map, seeing Jaemin's icon pulling up to the apartment, "Guys, he's almost here, stop fighting."

Y/N quickly scrambles to grab the cake, causing Renjun to whine, "Careful, this will all go to waste if you drop it!"

She sticks her tongue out at him, slipping the cake into her hands as she moves to stand in front of the door, "Okay, as soon as you hear the elevator, light the candles. Don't mess this up!"

Haechan grabs the lighter from the counter, standing next to her as he angles it just above the first candle, "Yes, ma'am. Wouldn't want the leader of the underworld to beat my ass."

She sends him a glare, kicking his leg which causes him to yelp, "I am not Hades!"

"Well, Hades would have kicked my leg too!"

"Because you deserved it!"

Chenle, who was now standing in front of the door, jumps in surprise when he hears the elevator ding, "Guys, shut up, he's here!"

Haechan, about to clap back at her, quickly lights the candles, struggling with the last one until it finally burns a flame into the thread just in time for the front door to open. Renjun could have sworn he almost had a heart attack from the way their whole surprise could have gone bust.

As soon as Jaemin steps inside, the quartet broke into song, singing happy birthday to the male who never would have expected a surprise from the people who meant the most to him. A smile tugged at his lips, his toothy grin wide as he finally met the gaze of the most beautiful woman in his eyes. He knew it was her idea, that she brought them here for him, even though it had taken a while for them to all grow close.

When the song ends, Jaemin's eyes flutter closed to make his wish, blowing out the candles, causing everyone to cheer. Haechan ruffles Jaemin's hair, Chenle claps his back, and Renjun gives him a curt nod and birthday wishes, taking the cake from Y/N's hands before the three of them move to the living room, preparing to hand him the presents.

Jaemin doesn't stop smiling at her, pulling her into a tight hug, his nose nestling into her hair, "Thank you for organising all of this, Y/N... It means the world."

She chuckles, "Of course, I knew how much it would mean to you. I'm just surprised I could get everything ready in time, knowing how easily the four of us bicker."

Jaemin chuckled, pulling back to meet her gaze, "Am I the luckiest man ever? I think I am."

She snorts, rolling her eyes, "You're so annoying. This is why I love you."

Jaemin paused, his eyes widening slightly as the words finally registered, "You..."

When she realised why he had been shocked, she shakes her head in amusement, pulling him in for a sweet kiss, nipping at his bottom lip as she pulled back, "I love you, Jaemin. I was just waiting for the right time to say it."

The three men hollered from the living room, but Jaemin let those sounds drown out, cupping her cheeks with the palms of his hands as he pulled her back in for another kiss, parting his lips against hers, tugging at the plush skin as he smiled into her mouth, "I love you too, Y/N."

She pouts obnoxiously at him. Yet, when his gaze catches a glimpse of those perfect, god-crafted tits, he really feels like he should be paying a thousand thank yous to the man above, expressing his immense gratitude for having them press against his arm as she continues to whine with that sugary voice, "But I learn through hands-on experience! And sex is sex... how is it any different?"

Maybe Mark should take back his gratitude. There was no way his tutoring alone could save her from failing science in only two months and, he was starting to believe even miracles weren't strong enough, "No, it's different with cells. You'd know this if you paid attention yesterday. We went over this during class."

She scoffs, pulling back and fixing her top whilst looking at the mirror on her desk, pushing her breasts together which has Mark reeling, "Who cares about class when I have such a cute tutor?" She grins at him, leaning in enough for him to feel her warm breath brush against his lips, "What about you?"

"W-what about me?" Mark squeaks, his voice cracking at the close proximity.

She giggles, "Do you think I'm cute?" Her hand comes up to cup his jaw, thumb grazing his bottom lip as she watches it jutter out, entranced.

Mark squirms in his seat, cheeks a bright red under her intense gaze, "Yeah... you're cute."

He doesn't know what came over him, but fuck was she perfection. Sure, all of God's works were perfection, but when she pulls back to unzip her top, exposing the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra this whole time, he'd come to the conclusion that she needed a word that went beyond perfection itself.

"Fuck," he kept his eyes locked on the soft mounds and perky nipples. He wondered how they'd fit in his hand and whether they were as soft and plush as they looked.

"Surprised I wasn't wearing a bra? Well, it's one less garment to fiddle with," she giggles dumbly, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "that includes underwear. Wanna find out if I'm wearing any?"

But Mark, being the barely experienced, book nerd he was, forces his eyes to bore into the textbook in front of him. He tries to make sense of the words on the page, but it's hard when he can see her pretty, perky tits in the corner of his eyes. He desperately shifts in the chair, trying to calm his raging hard on. He hated how easily he was turned on by her. She was an air head. A gorgeous, sexy, air head that drove him insane despite being used by hundreds of men for being a cumslut.

She pouts, "You're gonna ignore me?"

Mark swallows thickly, eyes fluttering shut as if to drown out the pretty voice from the pretty woman next to him, "We-," he clears his throat, "We need to study... I need you to pass-"

Suddenly, she swivles his chair to the side, planting her knees to the carpeted floor as she lodges herself between his legs, "We can study after, Mark. I need your cum... need you to paint my mouth white, I can't focus otherwise. Not when you're so cute," she bites her lip, doe eyes pleading as she looks up at him.

It felt like Mark had experienced whiplash with the way she fit so perfectly between his legs. He was starting to believe her middle name was indeed... perfect. He moaned, clutching onto the armrests as she licked over his clothed crotch, yanking him back towards reality. Another lick, and he swore he could see stars, "Fuuuck, Y/N... w-we can't."

Mark clutched desperately onto the armrests, knuckles turning white out of fear that, if he were to let go, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from going all the way with her.

"We can't or you won't?" She slowly starts to unzip his jeans, giving him the option to pull away. But, when he doesn't, she feels the anticipation start to throb between her legs, and she has to rub her thighs together when his cock springs free from the confines of his boxers, "Gonna make you feel so good, my little nerd. Wanna taste you so bad."

In a heartbeat, she leaves kitten licks along the raging red head of his cock. Each lick causes him to shiver, "S-stop teasing..," Mark groans, peering down at her through hooded eyes.

She swipes her flat tongue up his length before swallowing him whole. He bucks into her mouth, desperately grasping at her long hair, bunching it up and shoving her down on his cock, "Fuck... your mouth... so pretty wrapped around my dick..."

She hums, sending shivers through his body. Her tongue swirls around his length, sucking and bobbing her head with a vigour that leaves him breathless and, the erotic sight of her drool dribbling down his length, has him panting. When she pulls away with a pop, a string of saliva connecting between her lips and his dick, Mark can see the whore beneath the pretty exterior, and his dick twitches at the sight. He stops her before she goes back in, "Tits... wanna fuck your tits."

That alone has her clenching around nothing. She sits up, wrapping her breasts around his dick, "Go ahead, make a mess of them, baby."

Mark groans at how pliant she is. Slowly, he ruts into them, loving how soft they feel, and he can't hold back anymore. He picks up the pace, rocking his hips between her breasts and he swears this is better than any fantasy he could cook up about her. At the same time of his thrusts, she rubs her breasts around his length, spreading the wetness from having sucked him off, watching his dick twitch and the skin tug with every drag.

But Mark forces himself to pull away before he reaches his orgasm, and Y/N starts to complain "Mark, why did you stop?"

He sends her a lazy chuckle, one that has her swooning. Sure, she could get with any man without a care, but Mark was attractive in a subtle, cute and sexy way, as she now realises with the look he sends her. She swallows hard, his heavy gaze raking over her smaller frame. She swears if he continues to look at her like this, she'd come on the spot and stain her favourite rug.

Mark grabs at her waist impatiently, yanking her out of her thoughts and manhandling her as he hoists her up onto the desk without much gentleness, "Look at you, you'd sooner bend over for any dick than pass your exams," his hand cups her cheeks, squishing them roughly, "If you're gonna act like a whore, maybe I'll treat you like one."

Without warning, he reaches under her skirt, feeling the cloth of her panties, "So, you were wearing one." His lip twitches into a smirk, tugging her underwear to the side as he thrusts into her, and it's a feeling she found herself addicted to — getting filled up, used and fucked until she couldn't form coherent thoughts. Sharp moans pushed out of her throat, echoing in the room as she rocked her hips against his, spreading her legs wider for him.

Mark's hand moves down to her throat, applying enough pressure to have her gasping, "You're just a slut. Say it."

"I-I'm a slut," she moaned, her eyes rolling back and jaw going slack. She could feel every ridge and vein of his cock as it stretched her out, pulling back just enough before slamming back in. He was the perfect size, and she swears she lucked out after perfecting her dick radar. That little nerd tucked away in the corner of the library, unsuspecting and easily flustered... who would have thought he'd be so... commanding and intense. It made her clench around his dick, earning a groan from him as his glasses slipped further down the bridge of his nose, already fogged up from their coupling.

Mark leant in, his hot breath tickling her neck, "That's right... my filthy slut," he nips at her skin, trailing open-mouthed, sloppy kisses along the column of her neck, biting into her skin as he ruts into her, "So... so sexy..."

Her fingers tangle in his hair, tugging with each thrust. She loved the feel of his soft lips against her skin and the cool metal of his glasses bumping into her jaw, "Your f-filth... filthy slut..."

But it wasn't enough. It never was enough. Mark pulls out of her, flipping her over so that her ass presented itself to him tantalisingly under her mini skirt. He groaned at the sight, spreading her apart as his dick rubbed along her folds, teasing her entrance, before pushing back in. This new angle had her knees buckling, gasping as her clit brushed over the desk with every hard thrust. Her manicured nails dug into the desk, gripping as spit dribbled down her chin. She hadn't been this fucked out in so long, and it was none other than a nerd who had the slut seeing stars.

She cries out, and Mark leans over, tilting her face to meet his lips, kissing her lazily, swallowing her wanton moans and smearing her spit along her cheeks, "So dirty."

Y/N rocks her hips back against his and Mark grabs a fistful of her hair, pressing her face to the desk, free hand splayed out on her lower back to hold her firmly down as he picked up the pace, feeling his climax approaching, "Fuck, I'm close... wanna cum on your tits though, like I was supposed to."

She concluded he was a tit-obsessed nerd, but she loved every second of it. She nods her head eagerly, "I don't care where you cum as long as it's on or in me," she begged, desperation eating away at her as she came, shuddering under him, "please... please..."

Mark smirked, yanking her head back enough so that she lay on her side as he pulled out, cum spurting on the side of her face and along her breasts. He leans in, suckling on her cum-coated nipple before moving up her body to kiss her. She tasted sweet, mixed with the saltiness of his release, and he swore again that she was perfect. Perfect just like this; fucked out and smeared with his cum as she babbled pretty, incoherent words.

She hated how attractive her friend was; the subtle 'imperfections' of his skin — freckles and scars — were mesmerisingly perfect. And the veins tracing his hands and neck, along with the casualness of his outfit, had only added to her growing frustration.

His tongue trailed the seam of her glossy lips, nose brushing against hers whilst their breaths mingled together.

"You're a fucking asshole, you know that?" She hissed.

He smirked against her lips, pulling back enough to snicker at her furrowed brows, "An asshole you can't get enough of," he retorted, tilting her chin up, his breath hot against her skin, "But you like that I'm an asshole, don't you?"

Lifting up the hem of her skirt teasingly, his gaze flicked to her pussy, grinning at the wetness which seeped through the fabric of her underwear, "Very much, it seems." His eyes darkened while his other hand cupped her jaw. The pads of his fingertips left imprints across her skin as he pulled her in for another kiss — teeth grazing against the pillowy lips.

"Shut up," Y/N snapped, her palm pressing flat against his chest as she pushed him down onto the couch, "you made the rule, yet you were the first to break it."

His eyes harboured a glint of mischief as though to suggest he had done it purposefully, yet his words feigned innocence, "Yeah, and what rule did I break exactly?"

She rolled her eyes, but God did she love the sight of him sprawled out along the couch. His hair was a tangled, disheveled mess, lips swollen and pink from the make out, and bulge hard as it pressed uncomfortably against his sweatpants, the friction almost unbearable. But his half-lidded, almost sleepy-looking eyes were oh so attractive.

Haechan sat up as she climbed on top of him, earning a scowl from her. She used her index finger to push his forehead down, laying him flat against the cushions, "'Don't get in the way of us hooking up with someone else', and you did just that, Hyuck."

He recalled the other night at one of Jaehyun’s parties. With a cup of what he hoped was alcohol in hand, he watched as Jisung’s hands hesitantly settled on her waist, his thumb tracing small circles against her skin. She drew him in closer, whispering sweet nothings in his ear, and led him towards the stairs that ascended to the rooms, a shy Jisung trailing behind her.

A wave of either anger or jealousy washed over Haechan, he wasn't sure which, but he hoped it wasn't the latter. He crinkled the cheap plastic cup in his hands, chucking it away and pushing through the intoxicated crowd. Jisung's excitement was short-lived when haechan wrapped a strong arm around his shoulders, and whisked him away to God knows where.

She kissed down his neck to his collarbone, whilst Haechan's hands settled on her hips, tightening his grasp, "You really were serious about getting in bed with Jisung, huh? Baby, he wouldn't know how to satisfy you if it came with step-by-step instructions."

She scoffed, her finger trailing down his chest teasingly, loving the way his breath hitched at the touch, before stopping at the waistband of his pants, "But he's cute."

He raised a questioning brow as his fingers pressed against her skin. He bucked his hips needily against her as if to distract himself from the bubbling feeling that threatened to overwhelm him at the mere mention of Jisung, "Baby, I'm cuter, and I can make you feel good. I'd say I'm worth more of your time."

She laughs, which sounds closer to a sneer as she strips herself free of her top, "Just admit you're jealous and don't like to share."

Haechan's eyes trailed her body as she undressed, and he followed. He loved how she never held back with him, always playing along with his annoying antics, "Baby, I don't get jealous," he sat up, pulling her hands to wrap around his waist, her breasts pushed up against his chest, "but I do love the idea of you belonging to me."

He nipped at her neck, hand palming her breast, whilst his free hand moved to her ass, squeezing it lightly. He loved the sounds she made, the way her body reacted to him, and how soft her skin was as he trailed his fingers up her spine, "Now, are you going to fuck me, or should I do it myself?"

She sighed, almost reluctantly obliging, but roughly rolls her hips against him as payback for getting in between Jisung and her, earning a groan from him. An innocent smile was plastered on her face as she tightened her hold around him, a teasing glint in her eye, "There, happy?"

Her rough movements had sent him spiralling in a fit of pleasure, he rested his forehead against hers, letting out a breathy chuckle. He fucking loved it whenever she'd put him in his place.

"Happy? No, I'm not fucking happy" He muttered, kissing her cheek before pulling slightly away from her with that stupid grin of his, "But I will be once I fill you up with my cum."

His eyes never left hers, it was almost like he were challenging her, getting her to push back or, even better, take the lead. His voice was raspy and slow as if to enunciate every word, "Now, ride me like the good friend you are."

The way he spoke to her, paired with his half-lidded, teasing gaze... That alone could make her lose control, and she loved it just as much as she despised it. She moved against him, a wave of pleasure consuming her, yet she still managed to harbour a sarcastic tone, "Fuck- you sure are charming."

Haechan chuckled in response, head nestling into the crook of her neck, "I know I am," he jokes, biting down against her skin, "and you love it."

Haechan's grip on her tightened, knuckles white, as she began to rock against him, loving how she fit perfectly around his cock. Every time they had sex, Haechan would subtly take the chance to observe her features. The soft curve of her lips when she smiled at the pleasure, the layers of her long, dark hair which gently framed her face, but also the parts of her no one else got to see. The airbrushed moles which peppered down her figure, the cute tan lines painting her skin, and the beads of sweat that formed on the canvas which was her body.

His fingers lightly ghosted over her frame, searching for her hands. When they finally touched, he gently wrapped his hand around her finger. It was the right amount of intimate that wasn't suspicious, but enough to satisfy the strange feeling that washed over him.

Haechan continued to watch her intently, brows knit together when her voice faltered, getting caught in her throat. He brushed the strands of hair from her face, "Let me hear you, baby."

Her breathing grew uneven, body quaking as her forehead pressed against his. She cried out in husky, desperate pleas, "Fuck, Hyuck, I'm close."

The familiar nickname echoed in his mind, igniting a surge of pleasure and a desire to hear it again. "Say it again... My name," He demanded breathlessly, almost like that of a whine.

His thrusts became more desperate and increasingly impatient. His slender hands cupped her neck, thumb brushing against her soft jaw, "Say it, Y/N," he begged, his eyes pleading with her, every inch of him anticipating the sound of her voice.

Y/N's gaze locked with Haechan's, her dark eyes boring into his. The intensity of this moment, of their bodies, sent her over the edge. She gasped, "Hyuck... please, I need..."

His name on her lips sent a jolt of adrenaline through him, his hips thrusted with more fervour, his own restraint slipping as he responded, "You're so good for me, baby."

She could feel every ridge, vein and throb of his dick, making it hard for her to contain herself as he thrusted into her roughly. Y/N arched her back, her voice breaking, words a jumbled and incoherent mess.

Haechan's own release followed, their bodies shuddering and trembling. As she rolled off him, they lay there, panting, a small chuckle leaving both their lips before she moved to gather her clothes.

"So, do you wanna continue watching our show? I'm dying to know what happened to Elena."

He sends her a soft smile in the middle of throwing his clothes back on quickly, patting the space next to him with an arm outstretched, "I'm down."

She returns his smile, giggling as she hugs his side, his arm wrapping around her smaller frame, setting the episode to play on the TV. Then, with a playful mumble, she says, "You’re still an asshole, but I’m glad we’re friends.”

He chuckles under his breath, placing an uncharacteristic kiss to the crown of her head, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo as he let out a sigh of content, "Me too."

The music boomed uncomfortably loud throughout the house, the bass thumping against the walls as sweaty bodies meshed together — intoxicated and insufferable. Haechan hated house parties, even more so when Y/N was there. It was where she'd hook up with men. It's where she first hooked up with him.

He scoffed, taking a sip of the cheap, lukewarm alcohol as his eyes stayed trained on her, watching her dance with some loser, Jungwoo. Johnny slid onto the couch next to Haechan, resting his arm along the back as he followed his friend's gaze. He smirked, clasping his shoulder and leaning in to shout over the music, "You gonna do anything about it?"

Haechan sends him a sideways glance, raising an eyebrow, but he doesn't respond, which only raises Johnny's curiosity further.

He watches as Jungwoo's hands slithered down her body, his fingers slipping under her shirt to press the calloused pads against her supple skin. Haechan tightens his grip on the plastic cup, the crinkle sharp as it cut through the music. Johnny always found it amusing how the usually collected man would burn daggers at anyone who would get close to her, his thoughts loud as he sent curses to the shy dork who was suddenly all over his friend.

Then, Jisung saunters in, tipsy as he plops down next to Haechan, leaning in heavily onto his side. His elbow was practically digging into his friend's waist as he mumbled, "Can't believe you took her from me," he hiccuped, cheeks flushed and lips pouty.

Haechan shoved Jisung away with an annoyed groan, "Dude, space. And she was already mine."

Jisung squinted his hazy eyes at Haechan, looking at him in disbelief, "Y/N is not yours. You guys are just friends with benefits. You're basically using her for sex!"

Unfortunately for Haechan, Yuta had been leaning against the back of the couch, listening in. His fists had clenched instantly as he let out a loud scoff that startled Haechan, causing all the hairs to stand up on the back of his neck, "What the fuck do you mean, using her?"

Haechan swallowed thickly. He could have sworn he felt his life flash before his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing in fear. If there was one person you didn't want to piss off, it was Nakamoto Yuta. He may as well have been the second coach for the football team, a star player who dominated the field. He was also someone who didn't hesitate to mess people up, as he wasn't one to give a shit about his reputation, especially when people messed with his sister — Y/N.

Johnny was the first to step in, being close with Yuta, "Jisung is drunk, man. He's spewing shit."

But Yuta doesn't budge and doesn't take his glaring eyes off the side of Haechan's face, "I wasn't asking you."

Haechan chuckles lightly under his breath. He couldn't believe his luck. Couldn't believe Yuta had to be right here, just as he was about to get in-between Jungwoo and Y/N, as soon as Jisung waltzed in. That bitter laugh gets on Yuta's nerves and he reaches over the couch to grab the younger man by his collar, yanking him up, "What's so funny? You think this is a joke? Think my sister is one of your slutty, easy bitches you can play around with?"

Haechan raises his hands in surrender, red solo cup in hand, "Just wondered why it was only a problem with me and not with Jungwoo over there feeling her up."

Yuta's eyebrow twitched, his veins pulsing as he gripped his collar tight. But he responds with a sharp punch to Haechan's cheek, his ring cutting through his skin. Followed by another. And another. Loud gasps and whispers surrounded them. Johnny had jumped in, but Yuta was fuming, his face was a burning red as he glared down at Haechan who only laughed. He really couldn't believe his luck as he gazed up at Yuta from the floor.

Johnny's desperate yells were drowned out by the music, trying to pull Yuta off of Haechan as he was sprawled out along the floor, bruises blossoming across his skin. But to no avail, not when rage burned in the untamed eyes of the protective brother with anger issues.

Haechan didn't know how long it went on for. It wasn't until Taeyong stepped in, his stern eyes enough to have Yuta backing down like a guilty puppy.

He dragged himself to his feet, pushing past the familiar faces that reached out to him in concern, stumbling towards the stairs. He gripped onto the railing as the world spun nauseatingly around him. His jaw throbbed from the numerous punches, and his cheek burned from the cut of Yuta's ring, tasting blood on his tongue each time he swallowed.

He barely made it upstairs, kicking the first door open and stumbling inside, thanking the Heavens that it was the bathroom. He slammed the door shut behind him and fumbled with the lock until the click echoed in the small, white room. And, when he finally turned, he got a look at the mess of his face, each red mark and cut made up the canvas of Yuta's work. He let out a bitter laugh, the cool marble of the sink biting into his palms as he twisted the tap with shaky fingers and started to wash out the blood that stained his skin.

His attempts at cleaning himself was... pitiful, "Fuck," he mumbled. Soaked tissues scattered on the floor around him, sticking to surfaces, water pooling everywhere, yet he was still as much of a mess as when he first walked in here.

"Hyuck," Y/N's soft voice called out from behind the door. He tensed, glancing back at himself in the mirror. He didn't want her to see him like this. Vulnerable, weak and small. But he couldn't do anything on his own, not when his entire body throbbed and ached.

Hesitantly, he unlocked the door but stayed by the sink, embarrassment eating away at him. He could hear her shocked gasp and see the reflection of her wide eyes as she took in his appearance. She felt guilty, her hands fidgeting at her sides, unsure of where to even start.

She stood beside him, dabbed a wet tissue at the bloody cut on his cheek with a shaky hand, holding back tears with every wince of his. The lack of a first-aid kit only made matters worse for her, having to use tissues which barely helped in cleaning him up.

"Jesus, Hyuck," she breathed, soaking another tissue in water before going back in.

He leaned back against the marble, watching her carefully, like he wasn't sure if she was about to scold him or cry. Maybe a bit of both.

"You look like shit," she said, voice cracking on the last word, trying to lighten the mood.

He laughed. It was a short, breathless sound that made him tense up as pain cut through his body, immediately cutting it short, "Thanks, Y/N. You really know how to make a guy feel good," he grabbed her wrist, trying to clean himself up instead when her voice cut through his attempts.

"You're such an idiot," she whispered, pulling her hand away from his grasp, "Be a good boy and let me help."

He didn't move when she stepped between his legs and cupped his bruised cheek so softly it almost had him punching the air, finding her adorable like this. Her touch was light, fingertips tracing along the cut with a gentle care he never expected. His breath hitched, and for a second, he forgot about the pain.

He watched the way her brows knit together in focus, the way her bottom lip trembled slightly from worry, and the way her hands shook as she dabbed at his skin with a damp tissue.

"You're such a mum," he teases, holding onto her hips gently as his thumbs grazed the skin under her shirt.

She paused, sending him a deadpanned expression, "Don't call me that or I'll knock you out."

He laughed, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck as he breathed her in, sighing contently. She gently threaded her fingers through his hair without complaint or question.

Haechan couldn't ignore the way she made him feel in this moment, or ever. He had always subtly wanted more; hand wrapping around her finger during their coupling, eyes tracing down the lines and patterns of her body, memorising every dip, curve and blemish. And now, as tears pricked her eyes, he couldn't help himself, blurting out words like a fool which was so unlike him, "I like you."

It was simple, but so idiotic. He made those rules. Those stupid rules that did nothing to stop his heart from locking its rosy gaze on her, squeezing out a sickening beat at every laugh or feel of her touch. Simple words such as 'I like you' couldn't express how he truly felt, even as the anxious flutter of butterflies, and whatever else used to lay dormant in the pits of his stomach, flapped their fragile wings erratically.

"What?" her voice was quiet, too quiet as the drowned out sound of club music filtered in through the cracks of the door.

Haechan pulled back, feeling his cheeks flush. He was usually the one to make the first move. The one who first suggested being friends with benefits. And, the one who acted like nothing was ever a big deal. But now, with her wide, soft eyes peering back at him, paired with the gentle touch of her cold fingertips, he felt the words form a lump in his throat, "I... I said I like you."

The hoarseness of his voice and the pitiful state of him had her giggling softly as she continued to clean him up, "I like you too, Haechan."

He grabbed at her wrist again, stopping her movements, "Not as a friend. Well, I do like you as a friend, of course. But as in-"

Whenever he was flustered, he was always a stuttering mess, waffling about anything to calm his raging heart, but her lips pressing to his had him pause immediately in surprise, "I know, dumbass. I like you too," she whispered softly against his lips, pulling back, "and you think I didn't notice you having feelings for me? I knew from the moment you suggested being friends with benefits. Like an idiot."

She smacked his head lightly, "If only you just said you liked me back then, it wouldn't have been so messy. And Yuta would have actually liked you too."

Haechan pouted, leaning against the counter and averting his gaze as he mumbled, "I guess I am an idiot."

"A big one."

He glanced sideways at her briefly, a smile tugging at his lips, "So... if you like me and I like you too, does that mean we've levelled up from friends to a couple?"

Y/N pondered, her hum echoing in the small confines of the bathroom as she cleaned up the last of his blood, "Hmm, I don't know, are we?"

Haechan scowled, mumbling small complaints before he pressed her to the cool, tiled wall, peering down at her with an intense glint in his eyes, "Don't tease me now, Y/N. I need to know."

She chuckled, but only shrugged, which had Haechan tonguing the inside of his cheek in frustration, his words making her thighs quiver, "I've always been somewhat gentle with you, but I won't be if you're a brat," his thumb grazed over her bottom lip, pressing it down and tilting her chin up, "Do I need to fuck the answer out of you? Because, believe me, I'd be able to get it out of you with your thoughts all mushy from the feel of my dick."

Y/N swallowed hard. Haechan always talked dirty. His smart little Gemini mouth constantly working overtime in making her knees weak. But this was different, especially paired with the cuts and red marks along his skin, "Ask me properly and maybe you'll find out."

Haechan let out a low chuckle under his breath, peering at her through his lashes cockily. God she would tug at the roots of her hair at how insane he was making her right now, "I always thought our first proper time would be sweet and slow but... Fuck being gentle."

His plush lips crashed into hers, dragging and nipping at them as if she were his lifeline. His fingers tangled in her long hair, tugging at the strands to tilt her head to the side, letting her parted lips lock with his with practiced ease. He tasted like alcohol, paired with his warm breath which caused her to feel flushed and drunk on him.

She gasped into the kiss, giving him the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. She was grabbing at anything she could, from his shirt, to his hair, and even his arm. The warmth of Haechan's body contrasted against the coolness of the bathroom tile.

It was so messy. So needy. So hot. She felt like she had stumbled into cloud nine, especially as his lips dragged down her neck to nip at her collarbone, marking her, "Maybe this will let your brother know that you are mine."

She chuckled, "I didn't say I was," Haechan pulled back to glare at her and, if that wasn't the sexiest thing — the graze on his cheekbone and the red marks that peppered his golden skin made her feel breathless and in a daze, "...yet."

Haechan tried hard to stifle his smile, but he ended up letting out a soft laugh, shaking his head as he pulled her in by her waist, smiling down at her, "You're so cute, you know that?"

Y/N stares at him suspiciously, "I know... but what did I do that was so cute?"

He only roles his eyes, "Everything, especially the way you look at me," he presses a soft kiss to her cheek, letting is lips linger, "So, are you going to give me an answer now?"

She scowls at him, squishing his cheeks between the palms of her hands whilst avoiding his injuries, pulling him back to meet her gaze, "What happened to not being gentle anymore?"

Haechan pouted, rubbing circles along the skin of her waist with his thumbs, "I lied. I want our first proper time to be special and only when we make it clear we aren't just friends anymore. I mean... I want to show you off the moment we leave this cramped bathroom."

She giggles, pulling him in for a hug. He waits patiently, savouring the feeling of her warm body molded into his, "You still have to ask me properly, Haechan."

He whines, about to retort before cupping her cheeks and meeting her gaze, "Okay, Princess, as you wish," He clears his throat, a smug smile lacing his lips, "Will you let me finally be your boyfriend, Y/N?"

Y/N pretends to ponder, letting her hum echo in the bathroom and Haechan pokes her side which causes her to yelp and playfully smack at his shoulder, "Yes, yes! Fine, jeez. You can be my boyfriend. But don't let it get to your head."

Haechan picks her up by her waist and spins her lightly before wincing and putting her back down, laughing with her when he remembered Yuta had almost knocked his lights out, "So... Now that we're dating. Am I still an asshole?"

Y/N thought for a moment before shrugging, "A little. A cute one, though."

Haechan rolls his eyes, unlocking the bathroom door and lacing his fingers with hers, "I suppose one thing has changed though."

Her ears perk up as she meets his gaze, "What has?"

"I'm your cute asshole now."

meeting up with your friends after class was almost routine at this point. your chosen hang-out spot was the small garden area at the centre of campus, always sitting on the grass as the tables were always taken. the small group of you would take it as an opportunity to debrief and vent about your days. however, today was different. when you had agreed to meet with everyone like you always do, you were expecting an opportunity to vent about the group assignment coming up or how your latest essay was marked way too harshly. instead, you were greeted by talk of date night plans and romantic gifts.

it was valentine’s day, and you hadn’t even noticed. cursing yourself for not noticing, you reluctantly sat down alongside your friends, preparing yourself for an hour of listening to just how great everyone else’s love life was. 

you were barely paying attention when the sound of your name brought you back to reality. it seems that your friends had all finished talking about their plans. all eyes shifted to you, it now your turn to detail your valentine’s plans. being the only single one of the group, you didn’t know exactly why they were asking. You decided to indulge them anyway. You began to rattle off something about how you had decided to spend the holiday alone. Too engrossed in coming up with a plausible story, you failed to hear the sound of footsteps coming up behind you.

“alone on valentines, a little sad, isn’t it?” you froze, recognising that voice from anywhere. you turned to look up at a smirking haechan. your eyes immediately narrowed, looking away from him with a scoff. you hated how he always seemed to have this air of smugness around him. hated how he seemed to command the attention of whatever room he walked into. you hated how he now sat across from you, giving you the same look he always seemed to give you. a knowing look as though he had you right where he wanted you to be, like it was only a matter of time before you fell for him like everyone else seemed to.

you hate lee haechan. and you would never give him the satisfaction of falling for him.

“god you’re annoying. didn’t your mother ever teach you to not interrupt people when they’re speaking” you spat, arms coming to cross underneath your chest. you didn’t miss the way that haechan’s eyes travelled downward to watch the movement before snapping back upward again, tongue darting out to lick his lips.

“she did, but i’m sure you can teach me some more… creative ways to shut up.” haechan leant back down onto the grass, body spread out and on full display and a hand brushing through his hair. your eyes scanned his body as he did so, feeling a slight heat rising to your ears at the sight. he was attractive, not that you’d ever let him hear that. you were stubborn, not a liar. if only his personality better matched his looks, maybe then things would be different between the two of you.

haechan just couldn’t seem to wipe the smirk off his face. he had clearly noticed the way you had noticed him. it was clear to you now that his actions being done with the intent of you gawking over him. you hated the way he got some sort of sick enjoyment out of getting a rise out of you.

“you’re actually disgusting.”

this was the normal routine between the two of you. whenever your friends has the displeasure of being in the same room as you both, they would watch your back and forths like a tennis match. haechan would always open like he had tonight with some teasing remark, always seeming to know how to push your buttons just right. you would then follow up with some kind of insult, only for haechan to then turn it into some vaguely sexual innuendo. your back and forth would continue like that until you both felt satisfied. your friends now knew better than to try to intervene after being reprimanded many times before, instead choosing to take a backseat to it all.

so that’s what your friends did, choosing to watch on in silence as you continued to go at one another. and while they knew that haechan’s comments came with the intention of driving you mad, they would have to be blind not to notice the obvious tension between the two of you. they were just waiting to see who would cave first.

“why don’t i do you a favour and take you out, that way you won’t be lonely.” haechan suggested. he now had a certain look in his eye, as though he would be doing you a favour by taking you out. you tried to barely pay it any mind, fobbing his comment off.

“i don’t need you to take me out, if i wanted to have a date, i could go out and get one.”

“really? want to bet on it?” now that caught your attention. “if you get a date by midnight you win, if you don’t, i win.” haechan continued, now sitting back upright. 

“what does the winner get?”

“anything they want, so long as it isn’t too crazy.” you thought it over. knowing haechan, this was probably some sort of trap. and yet, you couldn’t seem to figure out what the downside could be. sure, there were many things haechan could force you to do if you lost. but you don’t lose, and you weren’t planning on starting now.

“bagging a date and getting to see the look on your face when i win. how could i refuse?” you sated, returning haechan’s smug attitude. 

the two of you fleshed out the details together, while your friends carried on their own conversations. you needed to secure and go on a date before valentine’s was over. it could be anyone, so long as it was a legitimate date and not just some friend you had convinced to play along. you also had to make sure to get some sort of evidence of your date, such as a picture or a gift. once it was past midnight, you would meet haechan outside his dorm room and determine who was the winner. 

the winner would get whatever they want from the other person, so long as it is within reason. the two of you went back and forth about what exactly ‘within reason’ meant. haechan eventually suggested that there be some sort of veto system whereby you could bypass a request, stating “i’m not an asshole, i’m not gonna force you to do something you don’t want to do.”. that was before immediately suggesting that using the veto would be the ‘cowards way out’ and something that ‘he would never do’. after thinking it over one last time, you held out your hand in agreement. haechan simply smirked at this, reaching forward to take your hand into his own. you firmly shook hands, sealing your agreement.

finding a date was going to be so easy, you had nothing to worry about.

fuck dates. fuck valentine’s. and fuck people who had dates on valentine’s.

turns out, finding a date at 6pm on valentine’s day wasn’t as easy as you thought it would be. though the universe did seem to enjoy making you suffer, so you don’t know why you were surprised. anyone you had been talking to or were casually interested in seeing were busy, already having made plans for the night. 

at 7pm, you messaging anyone you had come in to some sort of contact with in your classes to see if they were free. anyone from people you’ve done a group project with to the people you’ve simply exchanged greetings with. all seemed to be busy with their own plans.

by 8pm, you were stalking the social media pages of your exes, trying to figure out if any of them were single and would be willing to take you out. much to your dismay, they all appeared to be in some sort of relationship that would prevent them from taking you out. and even though you knew some of them were shitty enough to take you out despite having someone else in their lives, you weren’t about to step on anyone's toes.

9pm brought with it desperation. time was well and truly ticking now, and you still had no hope in sight. that’s how you ended up with a horde of freshly installed dating apps staring back at you. you must have broken some kind of record trying to set them all up, cursing whoever decided that you needed to hand over your life story in order to have a complete profile.

once you got in, you immediately began swiping right in every profile that came your way, not caring if your efforts came off as desperate so long as you won. matches trickled in at a snails pace it seemed. half of them were looking for a hook-up, you now being traumatised by multiple unsolicited dick pics. the other half seemed unwilling to meet you straight away.

10pm signalled you losing hope. you finally just began to be brutally honest with the people you were matching with, hoping one of them would take pity on you and take you out. you weren’t having much luck with that strategy either, even having one of your accounts banned after one match was particularly concerned for your well-being. 

11pm was when you were meant to meet the one guy crazy enough to take you up on your offer. you had thanked any holy figure you could think of when you matched, the guy being both close to campus and not scared off by your whole date-to-win-a-bet thing. you had agreed to meet at the 24-hour café on campus. and yet as the time ticked on, your match was nowhere to be found. 11 became 11:15 then 11:30 and still nothing. at 11:45 you accepted your fate, you had been stood up.

well that’s embarrassing.

but nowhere near as embarrassing it will be to admit defeat to haechan. when the alarm went off on your phone signalling that it was now midnight, you could have cried. you had actually managed to lose. you begrudgingly grabbed your things and left the café to make your way over to haechan’s dorm. after six hours of hopelessly searching for a date, you don’t think you were mentally prepared to deal with his antics. but a deal’s a deal.

pushing the door to haechan’s dorm building took more out of you than you would like to admit, your dignity seemingly vanishing into the wind. as you approached haechan’s dorm room, his figure came into view. he was wearing the same ripped jeans and sweater as before now paired with a pair of thick dark frames you had only ever seen him wear before on days when he had forgotten to put his contacts in. he chose to lean against the wall and play with his phone as he waited for you. you had taken notice of the outfit before, as you thought he looked particularly nice today. how did he manage to look this good, so late? shouldn’t he be dishevelled and in his pajamas by now? 

but it also got you thinking. did haechan even have a date of his own? you knew he didn’t have a girlfriend to go out with, but maybe someone else? that would explain why he was still so well put together so late at night. but during your hangout, he never mentioned having a date of his own. and he hadn’t posted anything to indicate he was going out. did he stay all dressed up because he was meeting with you? surely not.

the sound of your platform boots against the floor altered haechan to your presence. he put his phone away in his back pocket, his eyes finally looking up to meet yours. a smirk immediately graced his lips. it was clear on your expression, he had won. you positioned yourself on the wall on the other side of the hallway with a huff.

“you can wipe that smug grin off your face, just tell me what you want as a prize.” you conceded with a roll of your eyes. you hated losing, but this was even worse. you absolutely hated giving him the satisfaction. at least you could say you tried. 

haechan simply watched you, revelling in your dismay. he didn’t seem to even mull over what he might make you do, having already thought it over with the assumption that he was going to win. you knew he already had something in mind, otherwise he wouldn’t have offered the deal in the first place. what exactly was he planning?

“for my prize, you owe me a kiss.” your eyes went wide, looking at him in pure horror. as much as you wanted to believe that you had misheard him, he was crystal clear in his request. images started flashing through your head of what it would be like to kiss haechan. him having to lean down to meet your lips, hands coming to grip at your waist. how good it would feel to have him pressing against you, fingers running through his hair as he claimed his prize.

what. the. actual. fuck. since when did you think about him like that? you would slap yourself for thinking like that, but haechan had a habit of sniffing out weakness, and you didn’t want to let him see you sweat. haechan narrowed his eyes at the lack of a clap back, expecting a more explosive response. you finally decided to indulge him.

“are you serious?” you exclaimed, ignoring the slight heat you felt on the tips of your ears. 

“deadly.”

“out of all the things you could get, a kiss?” haechan simply nodded, looking at you expectantly. the thoughts from earlier came rushing back to you, cheeks flaring red now.

“i’m not kissing you!” you shouted before slamming a hand over your mouth, hoping that you hadn’t woken anyone in the dorm with your antics. haechan let out a small laugh, shaking his head. 

“that’s unfair! it was part of the bet, i won fair and square. it’s a perfectly reasonable request!” he justified with a huff.

“to you maybe!”

“does the idea of kissing me turn you off that much?” haechan pouted, arms crossing over his chest. you had no reasonable response to that question. because despite what you insisted you felt for the man in front of you, the idea of kissing him was not turning you off. in fact, it was kind of doing the opposite. this had to be the result of sleep deprivation, or mental overexertion from trying to find a date in such a hurry. and well… he’s attractive, who wouldn’t want to kiss an attractive man?

lee haechan was trying to coax you into kissing him. and it was working.

you studied the expression on his face. at first, you thought he was playing it up, acting all pouty in an attempt to get you to cave. but underneath it all, there was something else. had your rejection managed to genuinely upset him? it seemed like it had. the back and forth between you had always been mostly lighthearted. and while you hated his attitude, you would never deliberately want to make someone upset.

well, that’s what you would say to justify what you were about to do.

haechan watched as somehow your cheeks managed to flush an even darker red, taking a couple steps forward so that you were well and truly in his personal space. you leant upwards to press a chaste kiss on his cheek, just below the mole on his cheek bone. you immediately scurried back to your side of the hallway, watching as haechan just processed what you did.

haechan was stunned. you had actually gone through with it. sort of. his eyes scanned over your blushing figure with a smirk, fingers coming up to trace where your lips had been. you watched on in horror, coming to grips with what you had just done. you could already hear the teasing remarks he was about to spew, most likely about how you hadn’t actually fulfilled your end of the deal. 

he had managed to reduce you to a fumbling, blushing, rambling mess at the mere proposal of a kiss. which is probably why you jumped to speak before he could make fun of you.

“you never specified where you wanted to be kissed. if you wanted it to be somewhere specific, you should have said. i think i did you a favour by kissing you on the cheek. if anything, i think that’s a more valid form of kissing, more intimate even. i swear i read a study that said-” your rant was cut off by the feeling of lips against yours. you froze in place, eyes finally focusing on the image of haechan in front of you, his eyes having fluttered closed as he kisses you in the way he had originally intended to happen.

and for some reason that you would definitely have to unpack later, you began to kiss him back.

now that it was happening, your imagination did not do it justice. the way his soft lips left against yours. how he chose to cup your face with his hands instead of resting them on your waist. how he pulled you in closer to him as you reciprocated, his movements becoming more rushed as you leant into him. you gripped onto his sweater tightly as his tongue slid into your mouth, eliciting a sigh from the back of your throat.

it was a few minutes before the two of you parted, out of breath and panting into each other’s mouths. you stared into each other’s eyes for a moment, coming to some silent agreement, before haechan turned around to open the door to his dorm room. you quickly shuffled inside, haechan following close behind as he closed and locked the door behind him. 

you barely had time to kick your shoes off before he was on you again, lips pressing against yours in a way you could only describe as desperate. you returned his kiss with a giggle, hands coming up to tangle in his hair. at the feeling of you tugging on his hair, haechan let out a groan. he nipped lightly at your bottom lip before trailing kisses down the column of your neck. he seemed to find your most sensitive spots with ease, paying them the most attention as he basked in whatever small noises he could coax out of you. 

he slowly began to move you both towards his bed, lips coming up to meet yours again. with the back of your legs hitting the edge of the bed, you felt haechan lightly push against your shoulder. now separated, you fell back against his mattress with a huff. you quickly shuffled further up the bed, watching as he crawled to be on top of you. 

haechan paused when he came face-to-face with you. he stared down at you with an expression you couldn’t quite place. your cheeks grew warm at the intensity of his gaze, hands coming up to hide your face. haechan wasn’t having any of it, moving your hands to pin them either side of your head. 

“what?” you finally questioned, unable to suppress the goofy smile forming on your lips. haechan let out a hearty laugh, leaning down to resume kissing you.

“you know, you could have easily won today.” he stated when he decided to pull away from you once more. you looked up at him in confusion.

“how?”

“you could have asked me out.” now you were even more confused. to accept your invitation for a date would have meant an automatic loss for him. did he want to lose?

“but that would mean you lost?”

“yeah, but it would have been worth it so see how happy winning made you.” oh. well that caught you off guard. you don’t think you had ever heard haechan say something so… romantic. and he was so genuine in his sentiment, that’s what caught you off guard the most. 

haechan took your silence as an opportune moment to go back to pressing kisses against the sensitive spots on your neck. his fingers began to work at the buttons on your shirt. you watched in amusement as he struggled slightly.

“where’s all this sappiness been hiding?” you questioned, finally giving in and helping him to take off your blouse. 

“it’s always been there. teasing you is just more fun.” he winked, quickly taking his own shirt off before resuming his trail of kisses down your collarbones and to the swell of your breasts. 

“you’re actually evil.”

“yeah, but don’t act like you don’t like it that way.” haechan teased, movements pausing so he could rest his head on your chest and look up and you mischievously. you looked down at him and scoffed, mind beginning to conjure an appropriate retort. however, any rebuttal you had died on your tongue when haechan’s fingers slipped underneath your skirt to palm at you through your panties. he watched on with a smirk as your expression shifted from one of reprimand to pleasure. 

haechan let out a quiet curse as he felt how wet you had gotten. he hastily pushed your panties aside, fingers coming to part your folds. you let out a moan as his fingers found your clit, drawing small circles around it. haechan positioned himself directly above you again, crashing your lips together in a hurried kiss. he ate up every single noise you gave him, tongue teasing them out of the back of your throat. 

you felt him slip his middle finger inside of you, shallowly thrusting it in and out as his thumb came to resume the ministrations against your clit. you involuntarily parted from him with an elongated whine, back arching and head lulling back in pleasure. you felt yourself growing flushed at the depravity of it all. haechan fingering you underneath your skirt, groaning into the nape of your neck at how good you felt, spit slicked lips pressing against your skin with every noise.

“not so evil now am i?” he smirked, finally letting his finger slip all the way inside. you let out something between a laugh and a moan at the sensation, haechan somehow being able to angle his finger in just the right way to hit your most pleasurable spots with every thrust.

he was very clearly taunting you with his words, thinking he had rendered you incapable of engaging in the back and forth he enjoyed so much. the first time you attempted to respond, he slipped a second finger inside of you, resulting in you cutting yourself off with a gasp. haechan let out a small laugh at your reaction. it was like he knew you were about to make a smart ass comment. after a few more quiet moans made their way past your lips, you managed to respond. 

“that’s debatable.” haechan watched you in amusement. it was clear from the way you were now gripping at his sheets that he was doing something right. and yet you still wanted to push him for more.

“how do i show you i’m good, then?” he asked with feigned innocence, removing his fingers from you entirely. you let out a high-pitched whine at the loss of pleasure. he backed off of you entirely, straddling your lap as he waited for a response. you let out a frustrated huff at his teasing. 

haechan sat there silently, smirk growing wider with every moment. he wanted to do some good? then you were gonna tell him exactly how. you pushed yourself up into a sitting position, now once again face to face with the boy in your lap. 

“by shutting up and putting that mouth to better use elsewhere.”

you let out a giggle as haechan pushed you back down into the mattress. he shimmied further down with his target in mind, trailing kisses along your abdomen as he moved downward. when he reached the waistband of your skirt he simply flipped the pleats up, dragging your panties down your legs and flicking them where he had flung all your other clothes.

he then positioned himself in front of your now exposed sex, letting out a string of curses at how good you looked to him. he began trailing kisses along your inner thighs, taking his time to leave some evidence behind that he had been there. on reflex, your thighs came to close around his head. he let out a groan at the feeling, hands coming up to hold them apart.

you sat up onto your elbows, letting out small noses at the feeling of his lips against your thighs. although you were a little confused. why hadn’t he taken your skirt off? surely it was just getting in the way at this point. just as he was about to move on to the main event you gripped at his hair, holding him in place. he looked up at you with an irritated look, disappointed you had just prevented him from getting a taste.

“you’re keeping my skirt on?” you questioned, your hold on haechan’s hair loosening. he furred his eyebrows in response.

“yeah? is that a problem?”

“yeah it is.”

“why?” you knew it wouldn’t be as simple as him agreeing and moving on, it never was. you were beginning to feel embarrassed by your protest, remaining in silence instead of answering. haechan sensed your reluctance, rubbing soothing circles into your thighs. “i can’t help you if you don’t tell me.” he added, looking up at you with genuine concern.

“i wanna watch you.” you admitted quietly, avoiding his gaze. haechan felt himself relax in knowing that he hadn’t done anything wrong. haechan pursed his lips as he contemplated his response. he could give in, but where was the fun in that? 

“well i think you look really fucking hot in this skirt, so i’m gonna keep it on.”

“but-“

“y/n, relationships are about compromise.” haechan said with a mocking tone. the situation was almost comical. you two were probably the only people who would start bickering over the way you were about to be eaten out.

“we’re not in a relationship!” you corrected with a huff.

“just give me about five minutes and i’ll convince you otherwise.” he said with a wink, hands reaching up to grab at the hem of your skirt. he pushed it up in your direction, waiting for you to grab onto it. you did so despite your confusion, looking down at him in disbelief.

“what does that even-“ you cut yourself off with a loud moan, haechan licking a stripe up your pussy. you clung onto you skirt for dear life as haechan began to tongue at you. you watched on intently as his tongue moved against you expertly.

that didn’t last very long though, as the sensation of him finally paying attention to your clit again drove you back down into the mattress. you were sure the noises you were letting out now were loud enough for his dorm mates to hear, but you didn’t care. you released your hold on your skirt to grip at haechan’s hair, hips bucking against his face as he continued to suck on your clit. 

haechan let out a groan at the feeling of your nails against his scalp. he was trying to focus on getting you off. but fuck. the sight of you was practically pornographic, expression contorted in pleasure, lips wide open with continuous moans pouring from them. haechan couldn’t help himself. he began to buck his hips against the mattress, clinging on to the small amount of pleasure that was providing.

you were well and truly lost to the pleasure at this point, fucking yourself against haechan’s face in search for your release. you untangled one your hands from his hair to push the cups of your bra aside, boobs spilling out. you began to pinch at your nipples eliciting a high whine from the back of your throat. haechan watched on in amazement, growing even more turned on if that was possible. 

you were getting close, movements becoming more frenzied and desperate. haechan seemed to pick up on this. he slipped two fingers back inside of you, curling them to hit your sensitive spot just right. he felt you clenching around him, wetness dripping down his fingers and onto his sheets. that’s a problem he would gladly deal with later. you had a vice-like grip on his hair, chasing after your orgasm with little care for anything else.

your climax rushed in, suddenly clouding your senses. your eyes screwed shut as your back arched up off the bed in pleasure. haechan let out an audible whine against your clit at the way you tightened around his fingers, having to halt the movement of his own hips to avoid cumming in his pants. he helped you ride out your orgasm, only removing himself once you started letting out small whines of overstimulation. 

you fell back against his mattress with a content sigh. you watched as haechan cleaned up his fingers using his tongue. when he caught your gaze he sent a wink your way. you simply shook your head with a laugh, this in contrast to the way your thighs clenched together at the sight. when you had regained some energy you came to sit up next to him. haechan looked at you expectantly, the same smug grin he wore earlier in then day now once again on his lips.

“have i convinced you?” he asked, pressing a quick kiss against your lips. you didn’t let go get away that easy. you pulled him back in, tongue slipping into his mouth. he gladly returned your movements, letting out a groan when you backed up to suck on his tongue. after a few moments, you pulled away from him, suppressing a giggle at his disappointed expression from your separation.

“almost.” you beamed. haechan looked back at you in exasperation.

“jesus woman! what more do you need?” he whined, bottom lip coming forward in a pout. it was now your turn to smirk at him.

“lie down.” you commanded. haechan complied without much thought, lying back against his mattress. you turned to straddle his thighs, reaching forward to open up his jeans. he watched on, wide-eyed, as you pulled his jeans and boxers down simultaneously, getting them off without much help from him. you bit your lip as his cock sprung back against his abdomen, tip leaking at the lack of proper attention it had received. he let out a groan as you grabbed his cock. you shifted yourself forward, your other hand coming to align yourself with him.

once his mind came back to him, haechan scrambled to stop you. he didn’t want you to think that he had only done all of this in order to get something in return. you looked back at him confused, wanting to know why he was hesitating.

“hey, you know you don’t need to do this. i wasn’t expecting anything. i’m totally fine if you leave now. i’ll be even better than fine, i’ll be amazing, spectacular even. here, i’ll just-“ you cut him off by sinking down onto his cock. you both simultaneously let out a moan at the feeling. you relished in the feeling of haechan stretching you out, while he let out strings of curses at the feeling of you being wrapped around him. once you were fully seated, you leant forward to press a quick kiss against haechan’s lips.

“you won the bet, now enjoy your prize.” you smiled. haechan returned your expression, smiling up at you brightly. you pushed back on his shoulders to position yourself up right again. you stared down at him as you lifted up your hips before slamming them back down again. 

haechan watched intently as you rode him. the focused look on your face, the way your tits bounced against your bra with every movement, the way you frustratedly flipped your skirt out of the way when it was messing with your chosen rhythm. he loved how you were letting him see you like this. not the uptight and well put together person he always saw, but another side to you entirely. desperate and messy, doing whatever you could to get a sound of pleasure out of him.

“you look like a fucking mess.” haechan let slip. your movements faltered slightly, the comment flustering you. you weren’t normally like this. haechan always seemed to bring out different sides to you, and you were beginning to realise that you really enjoyed it.

“do you ever shut up?” you snapped back with a particularly harsh bounce. haechan let out a whine, hands coming to grip at your hips, halting your movements.

“i mean in a hot way! you look so fucking hot right now.” he clarified, worried he had accidentally offended you. in response, you rolled your eyes, hips rocking slightly on his cock in impatience.

“you still haven’t answered my question.”

“i’ll shut up if you make me.” challenge accepted. your lips came together in a mess, almost missing each other entirely. once haechan settled on sucking on your bottom lip, he began to thrust up into you. you let out a loud curse at the sudden movement, giving him the go ahead to take over.

haechan used his grip on your hips as leverage to continue thrusting into you, finally allowing himself to chase his own orgasm. his sharp and rough movement were sure as hell taking you along for the ride, finding yourself meeting his movements as you cried out in pleasure. haechan’s head came to rest in the nape of your neck, using it as a way to suppress his whines and groans.

as his movements became sloppier, you could tell that haechan was close. the feeling of you clenching around him was definitely helping that along. you felt your own release building up once again, hands coming to grip at haechan’s shoulders for leverage. nether of you were lasting much longer, and you were both perfectly fine with that.

haechan came first, groans morphing into whines, which morphed into a loud string of curses as he released inside of you. you continued to ride him, chasing after your own release. haechan let out whines of oversensitivity as you rode him to your own completion. you came with a loud moan, nails digging into his back, almost guaranteeing that there will be marks left there in the morning. 

you let out a whine as you moved off of his cock, feeling his release leaking out of you. haechan shot off of the bed, racing to get a cloth for you to clean yourself up with. you let out a lazy laugh at his swiftness, thanking him for the cloth when he handed it over. haechan pulled you into his chest when he returned to the bed, wrapping his arms around you as you nuzzled into his chest.

“so… what now?” you asked, playing with his fingers. 

“well, did i convince you that we should be together?” 

“you haven’t even taken me on a date!” you exclaimed, looking up at him with a teasing look. haechan took a moment to think it over before he shot out of bed once again, reaching for where his boxers had landed. he slipped them on before reaching for his pants, you looking at him in confusion.

“what are you doing, i’m tired.”

“too bad. get up, we’re going on a date.” you shot up in the bed in shock, looking at him like he was crazy.

“now?!”

“i’ve waited for you long enough, we’re going out now.” you let out a scoff at his suggestion. you looked down at yourself, thighs covered in bruises that your skirt barely covers, said skirt being crumpled and creased from having two sets of hands gripping on to it. you didn’t even want to think about how your hair or makeup looked right now.

“i look like a mess!” you whined, slamming your hands down onto the mattress.

“i thought i made it clear to you that i’m into that.” haechan stated, wiggling his eyebrows at you. you let out an annoyed sigh. his insistence had worked, and you were giving in to his request. 

“fine! just give me a second.” the second you attempted to walk away from his mattress your legs refused to comply, faltering and causing you to stumble back onto the mattress. haechan burst out laughing at your display, your cheeks blazing red at his reaction. 

“holy shit! i mean, i knew i was good, but i didn’t know i was that good.” haechan joked, going around the room to pick up the various clothing items of yours that had been flung around during your activities.

“god, you’re annoying!” you complained as haechan began to help you back into your clothes. he even went so far as to help you slip your shoes back on, tying and zipping them up. you watched on with a soft smile on your lips, cherishing the romantic gesture. haechan looked up to catch you staring down at him with your love struck smile. he let out a small laugh, standing up slightly so that he was now face to face with you.

“don’t act like you would have it any other way.” haechan whispered against your lips before giving them a peck. you hated that he was right, but you couldn’t help but smiled at how well he could read you. he let you go and fix your hair and makeup quickly, watching you in the mirror of his bathroom as you did so.

once you were done, haechan outstretched his hand for you to grab. you took it gladly, being pulled into his embrace. his arm wrapped around your shoulders as he guided you out of his dorm room, going on about how he was going to give you the best post-sex date you’ve ever had. you don’t think that either of you had ever had one of those before, but you weren’t gonna correct him, simply looking forward to whatever he was pulling out of his ass as a last minute plan.

and at that moment you decided that maybe liking lee haechan wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

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