you’re sitting there organizing your things and prepping your documents for this assignment. it was suggested to work in groups as to get the work done faster, and you already know who will be showing up at your desk. but when you look up, there’s an unexpected face staring at you instead; taehyun. he’s another classmate of yours and a good student. “hey, if you’re not busy i was hoping we could work on this together? yknow split the work up a bit?” you’re about to reply when a familiar voice rings in your ears. “oh im sorry, was i interrupting? i was just trying to get my partner so we can work together.” of course it’s sungho. he’s not even sure how he got here so quickly. all he remembers is a weird feeling swirling in his gut. why is he with you. doesn’t everyone know sungho only works with you? you’re so smart and kind, always working with his ideas and adding your own thoughts. taehyun doesn’t even know the face you make when you’re focused, so why does he think he can just walk up to you like he doesn’t exist?? taehyun flashes a quick apologetic smile, completely unaware of the battle sungho is fighting in his head. “partner? sorry dude i had no idea you guys were dating, my bad!” his eyes go wide and almost immediately his ears burn a bright red. “WHAT—?! no not my partner, she’s my class partner! like we’re paired for the project!!” his eyes flash over to you, wildly gesturing with his hands. “we’re not dating no- i mean, i’m not saying i wouldn’t date you.. you’re amazing— L-LIKE in a ‘you’re super smart and hardworking’ way, you know? but i- im not trying to ask you out now, i’d have more class than that! i’d take you out somewhere nice and ask you properly— NOT THAT I’VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEFORE!!” he’s beet red and out of breath by the time he’s done over explaining himself. taehyun takes his leave awkwardly and you’re stuck staring at him with a bewildered expression. “sungho. get to the fucking table already.”

- he’s speechless after that, completely confused as to what made him act out like that. he seemingly can’t comprehend why it made him so… upset to see you being someone else’s partner.

- and that word, partner, is what makes the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. he might like you a lot more than just a classmate….

- sungho is traumatized. by himself. and vows he’ll never do something that embarrassing again. therefore, he now has to confess to you properly and keep his word of asking you out after a nice dinner!

riwoo — the cutie

- you and riwoo met in elementary school, bonding over having the same pencil case and liking the same music. but him moving away after the fourth grade unfortunately had you forgetting about him. well, until now.

- of course you’re happy to see him after all these years and can’t wait to catch him up on your middle school horror stories. but he’s not just some school gossip, he’s a man now! a man ready to confess what he couldn’t all those years ago.

- his confidence has always been what pushes him forward and there’s no denying that now with how much prettier and interesting you’ve gotten. but with everyone else seemingly fighting for you..? what if he stands no chance…

- no, he can’t think like that. he knows he can trust in his cute charm, so he’s not worried about his “competition” since there’s really no better choice than him!!

- besides, there was no going back for him once he’s heard you’re going to the same high school now. he needs to make up for lost time :

“ah- riwoo?” he’s snapped out of his thoughts and turns his head to the sound of your voice. there you are. just as pretty as he could’ve imagined. your hairstyle suits you, he thinks, it frames your face in a way that brings out your eyes. and your smile— wait. respond, riwoo don’t just go silent! “yn! it’s so nice to see you, how have you been? i know it’s been a while,” does he hug? handshake? a simple nod?? god, when has he ever been this nervous.. after you go in for a hug, you pull away and hum, “cute glasses,” and he swears he feels light headed. you almost immediately start talking afterwards and for that he’s glad. there’s no awkward transitional phase where you’re silent, it’s like you’re just resuming a conversation. he smiles to himself because you still talk the same. just as animated and excited when recreating stories with the same habit of talking with your hands. it’s like you’ve actually known each other all these years. oh but now he’s overthinking it.. what if this is too casual. are you this comfortable because you just see him as a close friend? what is he thinking, you’ve been talking for 2 minutes not 2 months! there’s no way you could— “..riwoo?” his gaze shoots up to yours, “i said, what about you? i’d love to know how you’ve been doing.” and his nerves calm because the beam of your smile is all the reassurance he needs.

- however, no matter how many years have passed or how he’s grown into his features, riwoo is still scared that you’ll always see him as the friend you had on the playground.

- he also might have a bit of an unacknowledged one sided beef going on with these other guys because they don’t see him as a threat..

- but that’s not gonna stop him from winning your heart, he’s technically known you years longer than anyone else here! plus, he’s charismatically handsome and a lot funnier so why wouldn’t you choose him?

jaehyun — the overachiever

- jaehyun juggles the many tasks of being the class president, captain of the boys soccer team, and is now trying to be the schools genius. however you’re a pretty tough candidate to beat.

- you’d assume he would come for your spot in being top of your class but he actually really admires you for it! he starts making an effort to get on your good side because in his head, you’d be an unstoppable duo.

- it’s during a study session for a group math competition that the warmth in his chest becomes unavoidable and he comes to terms with the fact that being just the top students isn’t all that he wants.

- at first, he tries winning you over with expensive gifts and elaborate plans to take you out. he thinks he can win you over by just impressing you. but you’re just not falling for him yet.. so he almost gives up

- but he realizes that you actually enjoy nerding out and appreciate when someone really listens. you light up with an animated expression when you talk about your interests, he caught the look in your eyes during your conversation with the “weird fish guy” and couldn’t get it out of his head.

- he starts paying more attention to what you’re really passionate about instead of going off of the surface level things he sees :

the sun begins to dip under the horizon as you finish your last assignment for the week. you don’t even notice jaehyun walking up until he’s sitting across from you at the table. he’s still a little sweaty from practice but changed into a fresh pair of clothes. you notice he’s acting weird, normally starting the conversation with a loud greeting or a laugh. but he looks… nervous. not making eye contact, unusually quiet, and playing with the strap of his backpack awkwardly. “are you.. okay? you’re acting really weird.” you laugh it off but concern is laced in your tone. “i got you something,” his voice is weaker and even a little embarrassed, like he’s not sure if he’s saying the right thing. “myung jaehyun, i told you to stop getting me things! you’ve spent way too much money and i don’t—” your throat goes dry when he turns his phone over to you. the screen reads YOU GOT EM! with a recent picture of your favorite idol group that’s just announced their tour. your eyes trail down and are caught on the subtext. meet and greet. jaehyun’s heart pounds against his chest in anticipation, he can’t read your expression. did he go too far? what if he got the group wrong. what if you can’t even go that day? what if— you launch out of your seat and practically tackle him, “OH MY GOD. YOU DIDNT- HOW DID YOU EVEN—? THEY’RE SO EXPENSIVE WHAT??” you’re spewing out thank you’s and your face is so close that all he can muster is a “are they okay..?” you pull back with a huge grin, “OKAY?? jaehyun this is PERFECT! thank you, oh i LOVE YOU FOR THIS!” and his brain short circuits.

- now that he knows the true way to your heart, jaehyun takes the time to assure you he’ll support every interest you talk about. the expensive gifts don’t stop, instead becoming more thoughtful and relevant to what you’d actually love.

- he listens to your advice of slowing down and stop trying to get ahead of his future, focusing on you is his main priority and he can only hope he isn’t too late.

taesan — the quiet one

- you’ve heard of taesan before, some calling him the rude emo that makes garage band music.. but the guy has been no where to be seen as of late.

- an awkward interaction with one of your love interests leads you to take refuge in a music room you had wrongfully assumed to be empty. unfortunately, no one takes your schools band seriously so the practice rooms are usually unused and left unlocked to whoever wants to make an attempt at making music.

- you’re giving yourself a pep talk on how to not be so awkward when the most monotone voice scares the living daylights out of you

- “..are you done?” and that’s where you meet him!!

- you magically start noticing him around your campus a lot more and he soon starts waving back when you say hi.

- he eventually catches himself enjoying your company and once he opens up, you realize he’s not the “gothy grump” everyone makes him out to be.

- it isn’t until the festival that’s coming up that taesan realizes he might have to confront his feelings sooner than he’d like. he overhears jaehyun saying he’s gonna confess to you during the fireworks and he can’t have you wasting your time on that “tryhard” :

just before you finish getting ready to leave the house and meet jaehyun, a message pops up on your phone from taesan asking you to meet at your usual spot because it’s urgent. you rush over because he’s never texted with such…emotion before. except when you get there, he’s calm as ever saying he needs your help with his equipment and writing lyrics. “taesan- i don’t have time for this.. the festival starts soon and i had promised jaehyun I'd—” “hold this,” he cuts you off and hands you his electric bass as if to distract you. you freeze. taesan has said how this is like his prized possession. how he saved his paychecks from his job at the dead end music shop to pay for it. and he’s just handing it to you so naturally. “you know how to play?” his hands ghost over yours, cold and much larger than yours as they position your fingers in the correct spot. he teaches you the beginning melody of a song he’s working on and it gets stuck in your head. you can almost catch a glimpse of his notebook with the lyrics. lines are scratched out and others are penciled in messily, and you swear a scribble at the top resembles your name but you don’t get the chance to read any of it before he swipes it from the desk and turns his attention back to you. you end up talking a lot in that room, the night feeling endless as time goes on. your heart sinks when you hear the fireworks cracking outside, realizing you’d broken your promise to jaehyun. taesan tries bringing your attention back to him but is too late before you’re grabbing your bag and running out the door. there’s a twinge of guilt in his chest but it’s ultimately drowned out by the ache in his heart when the warmth of your hand lingers on his palm.

- the music room becomes your safe space when things get too overwhelming and you know taesan will be the silence you need

- he likes your company as he works on his music, watching your face as he plays the backtracks of “your song” without explicitly saying it’s for you just to see if you like it

- he hates how distracted you are with all these other losers so he can only hope his music gets stuck in your head and into your heart.

leehan — your nerdy friend

- you’re not entirely sure how or when you had become so close to leehan. all you remember is asking him to help you get a bag of chips out of the vending machine because they were stuck and he was the only one around. he kinda just assumed you were friends now and has lingered around ever since.

- hanging out with him is a nice change of pace though, like a person you really can be yourself around. you take turns info dumping about things you’re into and get equally as excited with each other.

- he’s always super sweet, walking you to class and waiting for you outside before it finishes. he’ll even hold your bag despite your protests of being fully capable to hold it yourself.

- even on your hangouts to the aquarium or a museum he’s a saint. if you want pictures taken then he’ll turn into your personal photographer and smiles when he sees himself tagged under your instagram post.

- ever since the new year has started, leehan has noticed you’ve been around him less. he’s always been very observant like that, so of course he’s aware of the time you don’t spend with him.

- he gets a little sulky, sure, but he only suspects that to be normal because of all the new friends you’re making :

leehan hasn’t had a reason to doubt your closeness anyway. you have matching keychains and go out with other around the town basically every week. you always have something (and someone) new to talk about so he doesn’t see much of a problem because you’re so happy when you talk. but today he’s heard some news that’s seemed to have reached everyone but you considering how calm you are about it. “i heard from riwoo that you’re going out on a.. date pretty soon.” there’s a lilt in his tone that isn’t necessarily insecure, but more so curious as to what you’ll reply. “oh yeah that’s right! he said there’s this super cute pastry shop downtown that we should go to!” he’s not a fan of the way you perk up. “you’re actually going??” you almost flinch at his change of tone; accusatory and almost offended. “well.. yeah? riwoo’s nice and i mean no one else has really stepped up to take me out so i don’t see why it’s so bad to go out with him.” confusion is written all over your face because why would he care? you’ve barely mentioned any of the other guys you’ve met to him. he scoffs, pouting and breaking eye contact with a huff, “and you didn’t bother to tell me?” “it never came up! besides, why do i need to tell you everything? it’s not like we’re dating.” it goes silent. “….we’re not?” you stare at him for a long time before breaking the silence, “why would we?? you haven’t asked me out or called me your girlfriend— we don’t even see each other everyday!” “i just thought.. we were really secure…”

- turns out, all leehan needs in a relationship is attention, a great listener, and an aquarium buddy. but now he thinks he can do better than that..

- these other guys don’t even know you! he’s the only one who recognizes the video game character you have as your profile picture and the music you listen to while you study.

- so after a few awkward explanations, leehan is determined to prove to you and everyone else why he should reclaim his spot as your official boyfriend.

woonhak — the eager one

- you didn’t necessarily have a choice in being in woonhak’s life, it was more like he chose you to be in his.

- he begged you to tutor him in biology and hasn’t really left your side since. he kinda claimed you as his friend and now you have no say in the matter.

- he’s always coincidentally at the same places you are. he’ll walk by your class and wave at you through the window or offer to buy you lunch since your schedules surprisingly match up.

- but despite how..random he is, woonhak always manages to put a smile on your face every time you're around him. whether it be a dumb joke or his clumsy mistakes, he's always managed to get you out of a bad mood.

- traces of you are left all around him now; your notes and doodles in the margins of his notebook, random stickers left on his water bottle, even some of your pens that he stole borrowed from you. while other people have gained suspicion, you both only see it as a ‘really good friendship’…

- one day, you go out grocery shopping with your mom and stop dead in your tracks when you make eye contact in the cereal aisle :

he’s immediately on his best behavior to make a good impression on your mom and of course she loves him. he has that boyish charm that wins her over and makes your stomach do a weird flip. you excuse yourself to grab a carton of eggs and a breather. it’d be silly to overthink this, it’s a grocery store not a manhunt, so why would it be crazy to see him here?? either way. your mom taking such a liking to him wasn’t exactly on your bucket list. of course you’re questioned on the way home and asked about who he is but there’s not many answers to give. later that night, you hear a knock at your door right before dinner is almost done. but you’re completely dumbfounded when woonhak is standing at your doorstep with a cheesy smile and a bouquet of flowers. “your mom will like these, right? i wasn’t sure if she was more of a lilies or peonies type of person, but she suits both!” your own mother plotted your demise while you were grabbing eggs. and worst of all? you’re in your home outfit. a well loved band tshirt, sleep shorts that have seen better days, and your hair sticking every which way. but woonhak’s smile almost melts like he finds it endearing, and that just makes this all worse!! he’s invited in by your mom and you rush to change into something more presentable before setting the table. you completely expect the table to be awkwardly silent or for someone to end up embarrassing you but it’s surprisingly pleasant. woonhak compliments your moms cooking and gets into an entertaining conversation with your dad about baseball. he fits in all too well and, without either of you realizing, it makes you both a little nervous.

- he definitely will help with the dishes after and your mom will insist he comes over more often. she’ll even bring him up like “that woonhak boy is so sweet, you should bring him over more!” and you don’t know what kind of spell he’s cast over her.

- since he’s a little younger than you, woonhak is just trying his hardest to prove himself to you and the universe is working in his favor every time.

so, who would you choose?

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“What idiot is calling me at this hour.” you mutter, your voice thick with sleep and annoyance.

You squint at the screen, ready to decline the call without hesitation, but the name glowing back at you wipes the irritation clean off your face.

Jaehyun.

Your best friend.

Sleep evaporates instantly. Your body goes rigid as your mind leaps to a dozen catastrophic possibilities. He never calls this late. Not unless something is wrong. Your heart begins to pound so loudly you’re sure you can hear it in your ears as you swipe to answer.

“Jae?” you breathe, already sitting upright. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? What happened?”

There’s a pause on the other end, just long enough for panic to bloom in your chest.

And then—

He giggles.

Actually giggles.

“I’m outside the bar,” he slurs, his voice loose and syrupy. There’s a soft hiccup in between his words. “It’s cold. They kicked us out ‘cause it got late, and the guys said I should call you. I told them you were sleeping, pretty girl, but they insisted. I’m sorry.”

Relief crashes over you so suddenly your shoulders sag with it. He’s not hurt. He’s not bleeding. He’s not stranded somewhere dangerous.

He’s just drunk.

Very, very drunk.

You press a hand to your forehead and exhale shakily. “Which bar?”

There’s dramatic groaning on the other end, as if you’ve asked him to solve advanced calculus instead of read a sign.

“Hold on,” he mutters, and you can practically picture him squinting at something. “The—Blue Lounge.” He reads it slowly, over-enunciating each word like a child. Then he snorts. “Stupid name. There isn’t even a lounge.”

Despite yourself, a small laugh escapes you as you push your blankets aside and swing your legs over the bed. The floor is cold beneath your feet, but your nerves are buzzing too loudly for you to care. You flick on your bedside lamp and reach for the first warm hoodie you can find.

“Stay where you are,” you instruct firmly. “I mean it. Don’t move.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replies solemnly, and then giggles again like the order itself is the funniest thing he’s ever heard.

You hang up, already tugging on sweatpants and shoving your feet into sneakers. You grab your keys, your wallet, and your phone charger out of habit before heading for the door, typing the bar’s name into Google Maps as you get into your car. Thankfully, it’s not far. Ten minutes, maybe less.

The streets are nearly empty at this hour. Streetlights cast long golden reflections on the pavement, and the city feels strangely hushed, like it’s holding its breath. You drive a little faster than you probably should, your thoughts racing despite knowing he’s fine. The image of him sitting somewhere cold and unsteady makes your chest ache in a way you don’t examine too closely.

When you turn onto the bar’s street, you spot him immediately.

Jaehyun is sitting on the pavement outside, his back against the brick wall, shoulders hunched against the night air. His head tips back lazily as if he’s studying the sky. Leehan and Riwoo linger nearby, both swaying slightly in place, and Mei stands between them with the exhausted patience of someone who did not sign up to babysit three grown men.

You park quickly and step out of the car. The cool air bites at your cheeks as you approach.

Mei’s eyes find you first, and relief washes over her face. “You’re a lifesaver,” she says, shoving Leehan gently toward her car. “They were about to start singing.”

“Oh no,” you murmur.

“It was tragic,” she confirms. “Drive safe, okay?”

“You too.”

She manages to wrangle Leehan and Riwoo into her car with surprising efficiency, leaving you alone with your particular disaster.

“Jae,” you call softly.

His head snaps up at the sound of your voice. For a moment, he just stares at you as if making sure you’re real. Then recognition dawns, and his entire face lights up. The grin that spreads across his features is wide, unguarded, almost childlike in its delight.

“Pretty girl,” he breathes reverently. “You came.”

The way he says it makes your heart do something traitorous in your chest.

“Of course I did,” you reply, stepping closer.

He attempts to stand and nearly topples sideways. You lunge forward on instinct, sliding an arm around his waist to steady him. He’s heavier than he looks, his weight sagging into you without hesitation, like he trusts you entirely to keep him upright. The scent of alcohol hits you full force, mixed with his cologne and something distinctly him.

“Jeez,” you mutter. “How much did you drink? You smell like a winery.”

He squints at you seriously and holds his fingers an inch apart. “Only this much.”

“Liar.”

He leans further into you, his forehead almost knocking against yours, and presses a sloppy kiss to the side of your head. “My pretty girl,” he murmurs again, the words warm against your temple.

“Okay, that’s enough,” you protest, trying to maneuver him toward the car while dodging his attempts to pepper your face with more kisses. “You’re going to be mortified when you remember this.”

“Sober me is boring,” he informs you gravely.

Getting him into the backseat is an ordeal that involves a lot of negotiation and one very dramatic complaint about gravity. You manage to buckle him in without him hitting his head on the doorframe, then rush around to the driver’s seat before he decides to unbuckle himself for fun.

The drive back is filled with his soft humming. He stares out the window like the passing streetlights are the most fascinating thing he’s ever seen. At one point, he leans forward between the seats.

“You’re really pretty,” he says with absolute sincerity.

“You’ve said that already.”

“I know,” he replies. “Just making sure you don’t forget.”

Your fingers tighten slightly on the steering wheel.

Back at your apartment, the real challenge begins. You half-carry him inside, his arm slung heavily around your shoulders, his steps uneven and unpredictable. He laughs at nothing in particular as you fumble with your keys and finally get the door open.

The moment you guide him to the couch, he drops onto it with a dramatic sigh, sprawling across the cushions as if he’s run a marathon instead of spent the night drinking.

The second you step away to grab him water, his fingers hook stubbornly into the hem of your shirt.

“Don’t go, pretty girl.”

“I’m getting water,” you reassure him gently, prying his hand loose. “I’ll be right back.”

He watches you like you might vanish if he blinks.

When you return, he’s leaning so far to one side that he looks seconds away from sliding onto the floor. You set the glass down and guide him upright, your hand steady at his shoulder.

“Drink,” you instruct.

He obeys without argument, sipping slowly until he’s satisfied. A small drop of water escapes the corner of his mouth, and you wipe it away absentmindedly with your thumb. His eyes follow the movement with surprising focus.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, softer now.

You nod, about to step back, when his hand closes around your wrist.

Before you can react, he tugs gently. You lose your balance and stumble forward, bracing your hands on the couch beside his shoulders. Your knee presses into the cushion between his legs to keep yourself from falling completely.

And then his lips are on yours.

For a split second, everything stops.

The room, the air, the sound of your own breathing—it all vanishes.

Jaehyun is kissing you.

Your best friend is kissing you.

Your brain short-circuits. You freeze, heart slamming against your ribs. His lips are warm and clumsy, tasting faintly of mint and alcohol. He kisses you like he’s afraid you’ll disappear, like he’s been waiting and finally lost the restraint to hold back.

But he’s drunk.

You pull away carefully, your breath shaky. “Jae, you’re drunk.”

He follows your movement, chasing your mouth. “Let me,” he whispers. “Please.”

“Jae,” you say more firmly, pressing your palm lightly against his chest to create space. “No.”

Something shifts in his expression at your tone. The playful drunken haze dims. His features soften, and what remains isn’t mischievous or reckless.

It’s vulnerable.

“I need you to listen to me,” he says quietly. His words are still slightly slurred, but there’s a clarity underneath them now. “I know I’m drunk. But I’m not lying.”

Your throat tightens.

“I’ve liked you for so long it actually hurts,” he continues, his voice barely above a whisper. “I tried to ignore it. I told myself it was just comfort. Just habit. Just you being you.” He lets out a weak, humorless laugh. “But every time you talk about another guy, something in me twists. And I stand there smiling like it’s fine because I’d rather suffer quietly than lose you.”

The confession lands heavily between you.

“You’re my favorite person,” he says. “My safest place. I didn’t want to ruin that. I was terrified that if I told you, you’d step back. That I’d see distance in your eyes where there’s always been warmth.”

His grip on your wrist loosens, as if he’s afraid of holding you too tightly now.

“But pretending got harder,” he admits. “Every day. The more I tried to stop liking you, the more I realized I don’t want to stop. I don’t want less. I want more. I want you. Not just as my best friend. Not just as my person at three in the morning. I want to be the one you choose. Sober. Fully aware. Every day.”

Your heart feels like it’s trying to beat its way out of your chest.

“You don’t mean that,” you whisper, because believing him feels too dangerous.

“I do,” he insists softly. “And if you don’t feel the same, just don’t disappear on me. Reject me gently. But don’t take yourself away.”

Silence stretches long and fragile.

“Tomorrow,” you manage finally, your voice trembling. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow. When you’re sober.”

He studies your face like he’s memorizing it, then nods slowly. “Okay.”

Exhaustion crashes into him suddenly. You help him lie back properly, slipping his shoes off and tucking a blanket around his shoulders. Within minutes, his breathing evens out, deep and steady.

Only then do you allow yourself to fall apart.

He likes you.

And the terrifying, beautiful truth is that you like him too.

You sit on the edge of the couch for a long time, staring at his sleeping face. Memories flood your mind in relentless waves: late-night study sessions, inside jokes, the way he always walks on the outside of the sidewalk, how he remembers your coffee order without asking. All the moments that felt charged but were never acknowledged now glow with new meaning.

You don’t sleep much that night.

Morning arrives far too quickly, sunlight spilling through your curtains in unforgiving brightness. You wake with your heart already racing, the events of the night replaying in vivid detail.

You stall.

You shower slowly. You tidy your bedroom. You make your bed with unnecessary precision. You wipe down the kitchen counter even though it’s already clean. Anything to delay facing him.

Eventually, there’s nothing left to reorganize.

When you step into the living room, he’s awake, sitting upright on the couch with his elbows resting on his knees. His hair is tousled, his expression thoughtful rather than embarrassed.

“How’s your head?” you ask, keeping your voice neutral.

“Killing me,” he admits.

You hand him painkillers and a fresh glass of water. He thanks you quietly and swallows them without complaint. The silence between you isn’t awkward exactly, but it’s heavy with everything unsaid.

He sets the glass down and pats the space beside him.

“Sit,” he says gently.

Your stomach flips, but you do.

He turns to face you fully. There’s no teasing smile. No drunken haze. Just steady, unwavering eye contact.

“I remember everything,” he says.

Your breath catches.

“And I meant it.”

The certainty in his voice sends a shiver down your spine.

“I’m not asking you to answer me right now,” he continues carefully. “I just need you to know it wasn’t the alcohol talking. It was me. I’ve loved you quietly for a long time. And I’m done pretending I don’t.”

The room feels smaller somehow.

“Do you regret telling me?” you ask softly.

“No,” he says immediately. “I regret waiting so long.”

The sincerity in his expression makes your chest ache.

Silence settles again, fragile and full.

“You idiot,” you murmur finally.

His brows lift slightly in confusion.

“I like you too.”

The words leave your mouth in a rush, but once they’re out, they feel right. Terrifying, exposing but true.

For the first time since you’ve known him, Jaehyun looks completely stunned.

“You do?”

“Yes,” you whisper. “I was just as scared of ruining us.”

Relief washes over his face so visibly it nearly steals the air from the room. His shoulders drop, tension draining from his body as he lets out a shaky breath.

“Can I?” he asks softly, gesturing faintly between you.

This time, he’s sober. This time, he waits.

You nod.

He leans closer slowly, giving you every opportunity to change your mind. His hand lifts to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing gently along your skin as if grounding himself. There’s no rush in him now. No recklessness. Just quiet intention.

When his lips meet yours, it’s soft. Warm. Certain.

You kiss him back.

It isn’t desperate or messy. It’s steady and deliberate, built from months—maybe years—of laughter, comfort, and almost-confessions. It feels like crossing a line you’ve both been standing at for far too long.

His other hand finds yours, fingers intertwining naturally, like they’ve done it a thousand times before in every way except this one.

When you finally pull away, your foreheads rest together, breaths mingling in the small space between you. Neither of you moves immediately. There’s no need to.

He smiles then, that familiar teasing spark slowly returning to his eyes.

“So,” he murmurs lightly, “does this mean I still get to call you pretty girl?”

You huff out a quiet laugh, your heart impossibly full.

“Only if you’re sober.”

His grin widens.

“Good,” he whispers. “Because I plan on saying it a lot.”

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That was until he saw you with your group of friends, and oh how he thought you were the most angelic person he has ever seen—which you were.

Now internally monologuing in his head, he thinks what to do to get you notice him—the process goes like this:

Do I flash her a smile? I mean—ladies do love a guy with healthy pearly whites, right?

Should I ask Riwoo hyung for advice? Does he even have dating experience? Probably with guys. I have a feeling that he's dating Jaehyun but I just can't prove it yet.

Should I just go up to her and ask for her number? Or maybe talk to one of her friends to get her number?

Wait, what if she already has a boyfriend and what if he finds me and beats me to a pulp—oh who am I kidding…

With you on the other hand, you're tanning in the sand while your friends Gaeul, Moka and Sui are playing in the water when you see a ridiculously handsome man sitting outside of the lifeguard tower. While you're starring at this handsome man without realizing that it could get awkward if he looks at you. You look at his hands, oh those beautiful, veiny hands. You wonder what it's like to have those hands wrapped around your— "Hey! What was that for!?" you yell out while rubbing your eyes. Your friends splashed you with water and you're now drenched.

"Come on Y/N, you can tan after. Can you please come into the water with us?" Sui asks with puppy dog eyes. You can never say no to those eyes.

"What if I say no."

"You do know that going in the water makes you tan faster, right?" Gaeul mentions.

"Ugh fine…" you groan and roll your eyes at her as Sui and Gaeul drag you into the water, Moka following behind.

—

Leehan did end up noticing you and went straight to Riwoo—let's just say things were…chaotic. The second he opened the door of the lifeguard tower, he sees Riwoo and Jaehyun, another fellow lifeguard, making out. Hands all over each other and everything. Jaehyun's even pinning Riwoo to the wall.

"Oh my god, get a fucking room you two… why do I have to walk in to the two of you making out in here…? Please do your job—people could be drowning any time."

Riwoo and Jaehyun let go instantly. "Hey! We weren't even making out! We were just—uh… cuddling!" Jaehyun tried explaining to Leehan, terribly.

"Yeah well, can you at least keep the PDA to a minimum please? Thanks—anyways you two, I need advice."

"Oh? Is it a girl?" Riwoo questions the younger one with an eyebrow raised.

"Um…yes it is—you see, there's this girl I saw today tanning, and oh my goodness. She's like an angel that fell from heaven, and not to mention her tan is so damn good," Leehan responds while totally losing it.

"Riwoo honey, is he high?" Jaehyun whispers to his boyfriend.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was," Riwoo replies. "I mean—just look at those eyes, not a single thought behind them. This kid's a total loser."

"I am NOT a loser by the way," Leehan huffs as he crosses his arms and turns away from them.

"Yeah yeah, okay buddy~ who the fuck says they're not a loser while talking about how good a girl's tan is…"

Oh it's gonna be a long shift…

—

You're in the water with your friends and you've come to the conclusion that being in the water IS fun and DOES in fact make you tan faster. The next thing you know is that Sui is bridal carrying you. "H-hey! Sui put me down!"

"HAHAHA!" Moka starts pointing and laughing at you.

"Moka this isn't funny! Put me DOWN!"

"Okay but it is funny though," Gaeul chimes in, giggling. "You should've seen the look on your face!"

"UGH GUYS I MEAN IT! PUT ME DOWN—"

3…2…1…

SPLASH!

You were thrown into the water, and suddenly you're regretting your life choices after decided to go to the beach with these three munchkins. You're totally going to get back at the, soon. Although the four of you are just having fun and playing around, you hear a sound in the distance—a whistle.

Leehan is sitting on his tall lifeguard chair when he sees some commotion out in the distance, and low and behold he sees you being thrown into the water. He springs into action, blows the whistle, and brings the life float with him on his journey to save you.

He runs into the water and starts screaming for you. "HEY! ARE YOU OKAY!?"

You face the direction towards the voice. "Hm? What's going on…?"

"Beats me." Moka replies unenthusiastically.

When Leehan finally makes his way to you, he feels relieved to you that you're okay.

"Hey, you okay?"

You raise your eyebrows at Leehan as you have no idea what he's saying. "Um, yes? Am I not supposed to be okay?"

"U-um—well, you were drowning, were you not?"

"Uh, no I wasn't…"

"Oh. Well, have a nice day?" Leehan's face turns red. This is the first time he wrongly thought someone was drowning. He knows that once Riwoo and Jaehyun find out about this, oh will the teasing be endless. You just starred at him. For a handsome guy, he's pretty strange and quirky.

—

Leehan walks back to the lifeguard tower with his head down feeling defeated. He looks up and sees Riwoo sitting on the desk doing some paperwork.

"Hyung, I just embarrassed myself…"

Riwoo turns around and looks at Leehan, trying not to hold in a laugh because he's seen Leehan embarrass himself several times in front of pedestrians at the beach. "Oh yeah? How so?"

"I might've thought someone was drowning because her friend threw her into the water, and I swam all the way to her. I even blew the whistle! I just made a fool out of myself in front of her and her friends," Leehan responds defeated and smeared his hands onto his face.

"Oh! Well that's a new one…" Riwoo's eyes widen slightly. "Wait a damn minute, is this the girl whom you said her tan was good?"

"Uh—yes."

"Oh my god Leehan."

"I'm trying here hyung!"

"Oh yeah, definitely."

The next day, Leehan was excited to see you. One problem, you weren't at the beach. So, predictably, Leehan was upset. Very upset. He went inside the lifeguard tower and met up with Jaehyun.

"She's not here," Leehan says sadly.

"It's still pretty early though, I'm sure she'll come later."

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Jaehyun gets up from his chair and opens the door, and to Leehan's surprise, it's you.

"Um—hi there! I'm here for the job interview."

"Oh yes! Y/N, right?" Jaehyun asks.

"Yup! That's me," You respond back.

"Great! We were just waiting for you! Just follow me into this room where we do our interviews!" Jaehyun replied professionally, and you followed him into the small interview.

"Uh—hyung?" Leehan whispers to Jaehyun.

"Hm?"

"That's the girl I was talking about."

"Oh, her?" His smirk gets bigger. Oh no, what's he planning.

—

Leehan is waiting outside of the lifeguard tower with very conflicting thoughts. He wants you to get hired so he can talk to you and get closer to you but, he also doesn't want you to get hired because whatever happened yesterday could literally be used as blackmail.

He walks back into the lifeguard tower at the same time you and Jaehyun walk into the main room.

"Well, Leehan—you have a new partner. She's hired."

"O-oh…nice!" Leehan fumbles his words. What a loser.

Jaehyun looks back at Y/N. "Oh shit. I forgot to introduce you to Leehan! Y/N, this is Leehan.

"Nice to meet you Leehan!" Y/N enthusiastically says while shaking Leehan's very sweaty palms.

"N-nice to meet you too…!" Leehan fumbles his words yet again.

"Well then, I'm going to get stuff prepared for today's shift. You two be good. Talk and get to know each other! Play a game of icebreakers or something I don't fucking care," Jaehyun says while patting both Leehan's and your backs a little too aggressively, and he's off.

Once Jaehyun left the lifeguard tower, Leehan stares at the floor.

"Are you just going to ignore me, my lifesaver?"

"Hm?" Leehan looks up at you after you say that.

"Y'know, instead of making a fool of yourself of thinking I'm drowning, you could've just walked up to me if you wanted to talk to me," you say with a slight smirk on your face, feeling amused.

"…"

"You're one quiet guy, aren't you?"

"U-uh... yeah."

You walk up to Leehan and cup his cheeks with your hands. Then, you kiss him. Leehan's eyes widen with the sudden action. He doesn't kiss you back until five seconds after you initiated it. His hands fall to your waist, caressing it, and he's kissing you passionately. Until—

"Y/N, can you come out here for a sec—uh, am I interrupting your make out session?" Jaehyun interrupts realizing he walked in at a wrong time."

You and Leehan both let go from that pretty steamy kiss and you call out to Jaehyun. "Oh right, sorry about that!"

"It's all good, just keep the PDA to a minimum will you?"

"I literally said that when you and Riwoo hyung were making out in here yesterday!" Leehan chimes in.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Jaehyun rolls his eyes and leaves the lifeguard tower.

You look back at Leehan as you both give each other a quick, short and soft kiss on the lips. "Well, see you pretty boy~" and you walk away.

Leehan touches his lips with his fingers. Oh he knows he's so in love to the point where there's no returning back. He's smiling like crazy. What on earth did you even do to him, he wonders. Now he just wants to kiss you all the time.

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