the bustling streets of seoul, it’s an intense city teeming with life. within this city lived a charming boy by the name of lee heeseung and a high-spirited person named y/l/n y/n. attending the same university they weren’t much more than acquaintances who shared a few classes and worked on the occasional group project together, but destiny had other plans for them.

one fateful day y/n had found themself entangled in a web of complex emotions after a recent breakup with their long-time boyfriend. they were heartbroken as there had been no signs that he was unhappy, but also wanted to prove that they didn’t need him the way he must’ve thought they did. y/n’s determination reached new heights as they concocted a master plan, a fake relationship to make their ex-boyfriend jealous. the only question left was, with whom? that’s when it hit them, the perfect person for the job, the one and only lee heeseung.

just a few days later y/n sat in the back of the lecture hall as they’d arrived a bit late and there weren’t many seats left, they had planned to propose the idea to heeseung today but it looked like he wasn’t in class. that was until they saw the door opening slowly out of the corner of their eye, there to meet y/n’s gaze was none other than heeseung.

“i hope I didn’t miss too much, i got caught up at practice this morning,” heeseung said before turning to y/n and flashing a bright smile. “it’s been a while, nice to see you,” he said, greeting y/n politely before then getting out his notes and focusing on the lecture.

the lecture finally ended about an hour later and heeseung stood up as he packed his things, getting ready to leave. “heeseung?” y/n asked nervously, glancing up at him and gathering all the courage they could muster. “Would you mind doing me a favor?”

heeseung sat back down and listened to y/n’s proposal, admittedly he was a bit hesitant at first. however, after thinking about it he realized there would be no harm and happily agreed to help y/n out. after heeseung agreed y/n suggested that they move to a cafe just off campus to discuss the specifics of the arrangement and come up with a game plan. 

the two talked for a little bit before the conversation naturally took a turn and they began getting to know each other more. heeseung talks about his group’s recent rise in popularity and the stress that long hours of dance practice and other idol duties brought upon him. y/n expressed their sympathy for him, explaining that their ex-boyfriend had shared similar experiences as he was also an idol. it wasn’t long before heeseung asked y/n about themselves, prompting them to ramble about y/i for what felt like forever but he enjoyed every second of it.

before they knew it the cafe was closing and naturally, heeseung offered to walk y/n back to her apartment. “I’m getting a head start on this fake boyfriend thing” he teased as they began the walk to y/n’s apartment.

the walk was short but sweet, a comfortable silence fell over the two occasionally filled by the sweet sound of heeseung’s humming, adding to the comforting ambiance of the night.

“thank you, I’ll see you tomorrow for that ‘date’, y/n said, before disappearing into their apartment and leaving heeseung free to go back to the dorms he shared with his members not too far away.

heeseung's fellow group members quizzed him, attempting to decipher the truth behind his unusual behavior as he rarely went out, let alone stayed out so late. although initially hesitant to divulge, he eventually shared the nature of his ‘relationship’ with y/n. however, when it was revealed that y/n's ex belonged to a rival idol group, apprehension rippled through the dorm, fueling concerns over potential rivalry.

“wait, you do know who y/n’s ex is…right?” sunghoon asked, looking around at the other members and then finally at heeseung. 

heeseung shook his head, prompting sunghoon to explain that y/n’s ex happened to be part of a rival idol group. despite this information that seemed to rub some of the others the wrong way, heeseung shook it off. “guys, we aren’t actually dating and i really couldn’t care less about someone else’s love life, everything will be fine” and with that heeseung trudged up the stairs and went to bed, leaving the others to exchange worried glances.

the next day the pair went on their first ‘date’. it was a little bit awkward at first but they figured that with time the act would become much easier to put on. before they knew it their first date turned into their third, tenth, then fifteenth, and soon enough they had lost track. as their encounters grew in frequency, gossip spread through the university halls and online forums, it would only be a matter of time before y/n’s ex caught wind of the blossoming romance between the two.

they attended parties arm in arm, posed for pictures with genuine smiles (courtesy of the other), and engaged in playful banter until their stomachs hurt no matter who was watching. the line between what was reality and what wasn’t quickly began to blur for each of them, leaving y/n especially, with a tangled mess of emotions and unspoken questions.

this particular night was filled with laughter and excitement as heeseung and y/n stepped foot into yet another party, their fingers laced together and hands squeezing each other tightly, concealing the true nature of their relationship. the music echoed around them, setting the atmosphere as y/n’s ex, unknowingly present at the event, became their unsuspecting audience.

throughout the night y/n and heeseung went about minding their own business, the past weeks contributing to the skill with which they now played their parts. they shared many laughs and loving acts of affection that garnered the attention and envy of many who laid eyes on them, while others admired their seemingly perfect bond fondly from afar.

as the party eventually began to wind down, y/n and heeseung found themselves heading back to y/n’s apartment, their steps slightly less coordinated than usual from the long night they had. once they were finally inside they exchanged relieved glances, both pleased with the act they’d put on and happy to be in the comfort of y/n’s apartment rather than a crowded house. however, for y/n, the night had stirred emotions within them that could no longer be ignored. 

the two were finally settled down onto the couch, getting comfortable when y/n turned to heeseung, hesitating for a moment before speaking.

“heeseung, i have to tell you something…” they confessed, yawning as their head rested on Heeseung’s shoulder. “what is it, y/n?” he asked, looking down at them with genuine concern.

“i think i want to be with you for real…if i had a choice, you’d be my first” they mumbled, not even giving heeseung time to process the words that had fallen from their mouth before falling asleep. heeseung was left with wide eyes, his heart skipping a beat as the sound of y/n’s slow but steady breaths filled the room. 

all he could do was smile affectionately at the sight, y/n resting peacefully beside him whilst he leaned back and pulled a blanket over them. he couldn't help but wonder what y/n would say when they woke up. would they remember their confession, or would they simply dismiss it as the haze of the evening? but at that moment heeseung sat there holding y/n close, savoring the present as he realized that he too wanted to be with y/n but decided to leave the complications of their feelings for another time. as the night grew into the early morning he finally drifted off to sleep as well, both of their minds intertwined in a haze of emotions and possibilities for the future.

the next day y/n found themselves wrestling with their emotions once more as a text message from their ex appeared on their phone. it read, “hey, can we talk? I saw you at the party last night”

y/n battled an internal struggle whilst considering what it would mean to meet their ex. on one hand, the sweet memories of their past relationship tugged at their heartstrings, and they wondered if rekindling it was possible. after all, that is why they proposed this whole facade to heeseung in the first place, right? but on the other hand, their time with heeseung had blossomed into something they had never anticipated. 

“he probably doesn’t feel the same way though…if he did he would’ve said something by now” y/n mumbled to themself, thinking back on the way they had sleepily confessed to heeseung the previous night. eventually y/n agreed to meet up with y/e/n since heeseung was busy the whole day with practice anyway and they wouldn’t see each other until later that night, however they had no intention of rekindling anything so soon, if ever.

y/n got ready to meet their ex, putting a little extra effort into their appearance since they knew they were supposed to meet heeseung at the han river later on that night. y/n arrived first, nervously entering the cafe and taking a seat by a large window. the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the many quiet conversations swirling around them set the backdrop for the complicated conversation that lay ahead.

it wasn’t long before y/n was greeted by a familiar voice, none other than their ex. the two exchanged pleasantries, even making some small talk before y/e/n dropped the bomb.

“listen, i know this is out of the blue but…i miss you. i miss you so much, i just didn’t realize how much until i saw you with someone else.” he sighed, running a hand through his hair," i didn't even know you two were together…”

before y/n could ever register what they wanted to say they found themselves blurting out, “it's…complicated” they said, feeling a mixture of guilt and confusion as they tried to figure out what to say. “i’ve been trying to figure out what i want, and being with heeseung recently has made me realize that my feelings aren’t as straightforward as i thought they were…”

“but…is there still a chance that we could be together again? even just a small one?” he asked tentatively, “i just want you to know that i still have feelings for you, if you’re open to it i want to make things work between us.”

y/n took a deep, shaky breath, once again feeling torn between the blissful past they shared with their ex and the possibilities the future with heeseung might hold. 

“i appreciate it, i do, in fact if you’d asked to meet up a few weeks ago i probably would’ve said yes…but right now i need time to figure things out. i don’t want to rush into anything and end up hurting people just because i'm not sure of my feelings.”

y/n’s ex nodded, sighing softly before replying, “i understand, but if you change your mind i’ll be here.” that was the last thing he said before getting up to leave after y/n thanked him again for being so understanding. 

checking the time on their phone y/n realized that they were late to meet heeseung at the han river, little did they know that heeseung had seen them with their ex at the coffee shop on his way to the river from practice. 

heeseung’s heart clenched uncomfortably at the sight of y/n and their ex sitting across from each other at the coffee shop. he couldn’t bear to stay and see anymore, instead opting to confront y/n when they met later. his thoughts were overridden with confusion, hadn’t y/n said just last night that he was their first choice? he would’ve used alcohol as an explanation but y/n hadn’t drunk at all, so it must’ve been true…right?

“hey hee!” y/n exclaimed happily, running up to meet him and being met by his warm embrace. heeseung smiled widely as he looked down at them, “hey, you had a good day I hope?” he inquired, as they began to walk, he was always curious about how their day had gone.

the soft glow of the moon’s light bathed the han river, creating a magical atmosphere as y/n and heeseung walked side by side. each step they took was synchronized not only with each other but with the gentle flow of the water. all of a sudden heeseung stopped in his tracks, the stars shimmering above and reflecting in y/n’s eyes as he looked down at them, full of nerves.

“y/n, I saw you with your ex on my way here. I need to know…do you want to get back together with them?” he asked, biting his lip nervously as he waited for a response. 

“maybe…but it’s not what you think-” y/n responded, they meant what they had said the previous night, however, they were unaware of the fact that heeseung shared genuine feelings for them as well.

heeseung glanced away, trying to hide the vulnerability in his eyes, “you said that i was your first choice, what should I think? hm?” he stated, the tone of his voice making it obvious how hurt he was.

his tone caused y/n’s heart to drop, the thought of them being the reason that he was hurting even in the slightest made them sick to their stomach. but before they could explain heeseung continued. “y/n…i need to be honest with you, i know this is all supposed to be an act to help you win your ex back. at least that's what we agreed for it to be, but something changed along the way for me. it’s okay if you don’t feel the same, i don't want you to feel pressured to reciprocate anything…but i have genuine feelings for you. these past few weeks have made me realize that it’s not just acting for me anymore. the way your smile instantly lights up my world, the sound of your voice being able to cheer me up in an instant, counting down the hours until i get to see you again, and so much more. I truly care for you y/n.”

y/n’s heart was racing as they listened to him speak, feelings of surprise and delight still stirring inside of them. “hee…i don’t even know what to say, i like you too. i’ve liked you for a while now…but I kept quiet because I was afraid you didn’t feel the same…that’s the only reason I even entertained meeting up with y/e/n.” y/n laughed quietly, gazing up into his eyes with a bright smile. “i guess this means we don’t have to pretend anymore?”

heeseung chuckled, full of relief at their response as he shook his head with a grin plastered across his face before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on y/n’s lips, “does that answer your question?”

the view out the window of the plane was gorgeous, the sky painted with hues of deep oranges and light pinks as the sun set over the ocean. While the scenery was breathtaking it wasn’t enough to calm your nerves, you were finally going back to korea after studying abroad for 2 years in the states.

you were happy to be going home, of course you were, after all, your friends and family were all still living here. However you couldn't deny the anxiety and fear bubbling up inside, what if things had changed? Everyone has moved on without you? You just…no longer belonged? eventually, you got lost in your thoughts, mapping out every worst-case scenario before drifting off into a not-so-peaceful slumber.

a few hours later you were awoken due to the bumpy landing of the plane, a storm making it a bit rough but nothing too scary. The rain was strangely comforting, you’d always been someone who enjoyed staying in and reading a nice book with the comforting pitter-patter of raindrops against the window.

you’d just grabbed your luggage from the baggage claim, making your way across the airport when you heard y/f/n calling out to you, “y/n! Over here!” they yelled out whilst running toward you. “Oh my god, it's been forever! I know we’ve kept in touch but it just wasn't the same as having you here, how are you? Was the flight okay? I can’t wait to show you around, and there's a party tonight I can take you to and-”

you loved them but you had to admit all the questions at once were a bit overwhelming, the one thing that caught your attention being the mention of a party. “y/f/n- you know I'm not exactly a party person” you mumbled and they shook their head, “nonsense! You just came back and it’ll be a great way to introduce you to new people!”

you sighed and shook your head as y/f/n rambled on, you knew there was no use in arguing and you weren’t exactly the type to fight back so you simply accepted your fate as the two of you headed to your family’s home to settle in.

after settling in a few hours had passed and you were lying on y/f/n’s bed, scrolling mindlessly through your phone as you waited for them to finish showering. “Soooo, about that party-” they started, settling down right next to you on the bed. “I already told you I don’t wanna gooooo” you whined, glancing up at them with an uninterested expression.

after a good 30 minutes of back-and-forth banter between the two of you, you accepted that there was no way out of this. y/f/n had lent you something to wear, as you hadn’t felt what you picked out was quite…party appropriate, and off you went to call a taxi.

the car kept driving for what felt like an eternity, following a windy road up a hill and coming to a stop in front of a house not big enough to be a mansion but big enough to elicit an audible gasp from you.

as soon as your feet crossed the threshold of the home you felt out of place, the loud music, crowded rooms, and overall overwhelming atmosphere was too much. y/f/n seemed to know everyone as she lead you through the sea of bodies, waving and greeting almost every other person. “Come on, you need to let loose!” were the last words you heard from them before they vanished from your sight.

somehow you found yourself wandering to the kitchen, grabbing a drink to occupy your hands to blend in and avoid looking even more out of place than you already felt. Despite your efforts to distract yourself and make the most of the situation the commotion seemed to be growing louder by the minute, unable to withstand the pounding in your head any longer you pushed through the crowd until you saw the moonlight leading you to a balcony.

there you stood, trying to get a breath of fresh air while leaning against the wall in an attempt to calm yourself down. Out of the corner of your eye, you could’ve sworn someone was approaching, but you couldn’t be bothered to double-check. You didn’t know it yet but you’d just caught the attention of the most well-known party boy in the district, choi yeonjun.

“hey there,” yeonjun said, flashing a signature smile as he glanced down at you, “what brings a pretty person like you out here when all the fun is in there?” he chuckled, nodding his head back toward the inside of the house.

“just needed some space…” you mumbled quietly, unable to combat the smile tugging at your lips when you looked up and met his eyes. He could tell that you weren’t quite comfortable going back inside, but something about you was calling to him. “Do you maybe wanna go for a walk or something? It’s a lovely night and I assume you don’t wanna head back in there” he said with a kindhearted laugh.

“actually…that sounds nice” You nodded, that was all it took for yeonjun to grip your hand tightly but gently, leading you back through the sea of bodies and out the back door. The two of you walked aimlessly down the windy road in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other’s company.

once the two of you reached the foot of the hill yeonjun took notice of the convenience store just down the street, “are you hungry?” he asked, to which you nodded in response. “I could eat right now” you laughed as he tugged you gently in the direction of the convenience store, “let's eat then, and get whatever you want, it's on me” he grinned as he opened the door for you, and followed inside.

your eyes light up immediately at the sight of your favorite snack, immediately grab a bag and continue to browse with it held tightly in your arms. Yeonjun followed behind you, finding the way your eyes lit up adorable.

after a few minutes, you heard Yeonjun’s voice echoing from another aisle, “Oh look! The tteokbokki here is amazing, trust me, do you wanna share some?” he asked, looking over to you with hopeful eyes. You couldn't bring yourself to say no and you did enjoy tteokbokki, “oh my god, yes!” you gasped happily, tteokkbokki had been a comfort food of yours ever since you were a kid and little did you know it was yeonjuns too.

soon you decided you were done and the two of you went up to the counter, everything was rung up and yeonjun led you to a table by the window and sat down. “So, care to tell me about yourself? I don't think I've ever seen you around…and if there's a party I'm always there” he added with a smile.

“well I guess it was obvious but I'm not really a partier, and I just came back after studying abroad so I’m still settling in” she replied nervously, yeonjun carefully taking note of your demeanor as he nodded. You guys began eating as soon as everything was heated up, at first the conversation was slow and minimal but soon enough you found yourselves opening up to each other. An extra 10 minutes turned into an hour until almost 2 hours had passed and you found yourself wondering where the time had gone.

“hmm we should probably head back now, your friend might be worried about you no?” yeonjung asked, tilting his head. Truth be told he didn't want to go back just yet, even 15 more minutes with you would make him ecstatic, but he didn’t want to push his luck. “Yeah I don’t want to worry y/f/n,” you said with a bit of a frown forming on your face. It was obvious that neither of you wanted to be without the other's company, having formed a strong connection in the short time you’d spent together.

it didn't take long for you and yeonjun to reach the party, but much to your surprise it was still going strong and y/f/n was nowhere to be seen.

“why don't we go up to the roof? The sky is pretty clear tonight so we can stargaze, I figure it’ll be a lot better than going back in there right now” he laughed, looking to you for an answer. You thought about it for a few seconds before nodding eagerly, “sounds amazing” you said, on the outside, you seemed indifferent but on the inside, you were thrilled to be able to spend more time with him.

yeonjun lead you up a staircase that lead to the roof, a nice flat surface that the two of you could lay on. “Sit here,” he said softly, patting the space next to him and waiting until you’d settle down next to him. As soon as you sat he laid back and nodded when you glanced at him, wondering if you should do the same.

“it's gorgeous out here right now…” he commented, the stars glittering above the two of you in a vast sea of darkness. You nodded, gazing up with him before excitedly pointing at a whole cluster of stars, “look at the group right there, it's breathtaking” you sighed contently.

before you knew it your eyelids were getting heavier by the minute. Yeonjun glanced over, taking notice and smiling to himself. He’d been stealing glances at you all night long, but you looked especially stunning with the soft glow of moonlight shining down on your face.

he’d only looked away for a few seconds when he turned to point out a constellation to you but was instead met with the sight of your eyes shut tight and your chest rising and falling gently with every breath.

“You ready Hyung?” Jungwon called from behind as he and Sunoo walked up to Heeseung. The elder said his goodbyes to the girls and they scattered away on command.

“Yeah, just waiting to see who I’m racing.” Heeseung shrugged with a sigh. They looked over once more to the crowd bubbling around a few cars. One with it’s hood up for everyone to pass by and praise the expensive engine. While the other two were closed and figures littered around admiring them still.

“Just cause we’re on their side shouldn’t mean we give them princess treatment.” Jay echoed almost as if he was targeting the East. Sunghoon chuckled patting Jay’s shoulder.

“I heard they’re trying to put the coordinators sister into the race as bait.” Riki spoke from behind while accompanying Jake. They were both off trying to get Riki into the next race.

“Knew these assholes were sore losers, their trying to distract Heeseung with a girl!” Jay hollered. If he was a cartoon, steam would be spilling out of his ears.

Heeseung laughed knowing it was true. He was an easy boy as people would say. He hated to admit it but he was a lover boy at heart despite having this cover up of not caring for the opposite sex.

The large crowd around the vehicles began to disburse and finally the main show was about to start.

“Holy shit, it’s Yn.” Jungwon muttered from behind Heeseung, inching closer to get a better look at the girl sitting on the hood of a red car.

Heeseung stood up straighter feeling his heart speed up at a faster rate than when he raced. His brows furrowed and he concentrated on you and only you. The moon perfectly ignored the artificial light and lit up your beautiful face.

Your lips were red and full, moles sprinkled on your face like star constellations, and hair that effortlessly ran down your back.

“How do you know her?” Heeseung asked glancing at Jungwon then turning his stare back at you.

“She’s the sister of the lead coordinator of these events. She’s usually the flag girl.” Sunoo completed for Jungwon.

Heeseung nodded before grabbing the keys that were stuck in the ignition. He tossed them at Riki before walking across the track to where you sat, completely spaced.

He was in a trance like a robot tasked to do whatever he was obeyed to do. His eyes couldn’t move onto something else and when he heard his friends calling out to him, he ignored them.

“Hey,” Heeseung said out of breath, it’s not like he walked miles but it felt that way.

“Hey,” You replied tilting your head up at him. It was unusual to see someone from a rival group so civil.

“You’re Heeseung right?” You asked leaning back on your palms. The dim lighting did justice for Heeseung because his cheeks began to heat up quickly.

“Yeah, how do you know me?” He inched closer, he wanted to pull you against him and hide from all the peering eyes.

“I’ve watched some of your races, I like the way you drive.” Your lips turned up in a taunting smile. The way he kept exhaling and inhaling sharply almost made you break out in a giggling fit.

“Really?”

“Really.” You nodded, you moved over on the hood, patting the empty space.

“You gonna win this race too?” Heeseung swallowed hard before nodding. His shoulder brushed yours and he felt warm in his jacket.

“I can, for you,”

If you smiled harder you bet your cheeks would burst from how sore they were. His entire presence altered the way you viewed these functions. He was interesting and despite everything you’ve heard about your reputation, you were willing to try him out.

“Are you always this smooth with the girls you talk to?” You pressed on, moving closer to him until the space between your faces felt non existent. Your noses could brush each other with one wrong move.

“Only for you.” He said again.

“I hope you’re telling the truth Lee Heeseung.” You glanced down at his lips then to his face. It was impossible to stay focused when one thing was on your mind.

“I always do, Yn.” He mumbled before diving down to capture your lips onto his. They moled perfectly around yours. The warmth you wanted know infiltrating your mouth. He smelt like sour berries, a tart accent that had you yearning for more.

“Can i see you after the race?” He lured with desire deep in his eyes.

“If you win.”

The best prize he got that night was you.

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