J3llybean

more specifically, he changed as soon as his eyes met yours in that lecture hall. why focus on a book filled with words upon words, when he could instead choose to focus on you who had features that blended into pure harmonization. eyes that sparkled as you continued to share your own thoughts on the matter. shadows that swished and swashed with every passing movement of your outfit whenever you gestured to a specific part in his presentation.

a presentation that he poured his heart and soul into and was beyond the moon knowing at least one person appreciated his efforts. not so they could grade him, or look to see what they should focus since they’re presenting next, but out of sheer interest.

yn. a fellow student who simply enjoyed his lecture topic in world literature 52 had made the resident campus crush, myung jaehyun, fall head over heels for them. oh dear.

“i cannot believe he expects us to finish memorizing all that information on inorganic compounds and reactions by this friday.” you complained, fingers gently rubbing your temples to ease the headache that was starting to form. the laptop in your bag was wearing your shoulders down, knots only further solidifying to your dismay.

“right? plus, we still have to finish the spectral analysis he assigned too! honestly, he is being such a–”

“leehan!” you cut your friend off mid-sentence at the sight of the tall individual sporting an alien-shaped keychain on his worn out backpack. you sent your friends a quick, lopsided grin to apologise. with a short say, they headed on to the dining hall, hopefully already knowing to save you a seat for lunch.

donghyun spotted your tired figure within the crowd at the call of his name, signalling you to come over with an excited wave. while the gesture would usually be ignored by jaehyun, who was previously cooing over his strange friend’s fact of the day in a baby voice, that wouldn’t be the case now. he felt his eyes widen at your figure slowly moving closer and closer towards his direction. head moved to look around, heartbeat pounding louder in his ears, palms getting sweatier with every step you took.

why is yn coming over here? no one’s behind us looking their way. why is leehan smiling? does he know them? no, no, can’t be. not possible. he barely talks to anyone besides us. surely not. please stop walking towards us. no, go away!

“hey hannie,” you greeted with a bump of his shoulder against yours. they know each other?!

“hey yn,” he moved his bag to the front with a soft grunt, unzipping the material and digging around past books and crumpled papers before pulling out a somehow creased folder. his hand gave it over and you immediately hugged it close to your chest in gratitude. “as promised, here are the notes you missed in class. sorry if it’s a little messy.”

“you are an absolute lifesaver. professor lee would’ve had my ass if i was a lecture behind again.”

leehan laughed and continued to exchange pleasantries with you as jaehyun and the rest of the group watched in sheer astonishment at how he casually conversed with you like the two of you were childhood best friends. a statement that would have had taesan huffing in objection like a grumpy black cat. his head racked up every single memory possible, anything to try and gauge what, who, where, when, why and how you two became friends. close enough friends for you to call him by a nickname too.

goosebumps littered your skin as you moved your vision to his side, flashing the five males around leehan a shy smile. “sorry, i’m being rude. i’m yn, a friend of hannie. you all are?” one by one, you become the slightest bit more familiar with the group, storing their introductions in your head for future instances.

park sungho, an architecture major who tests recipes in the cooking club. lee sanghyeok or riwoo from the dance department, who’s also in the cooking club (mostly just to eat sungho’s creations). han dongmin or taesan, who makes mixes in the music composition department and music club. kim woonhak, the self-appointed mvp of the basketball club in music composition. and lastly, “you are– oh! it’s you.”

jaehyun pointed to himself, eyes looking into yours to be sure. “yeah, you. i’m not too good with names but we’re in the same literature class, right?”

he nodded. breathed in and out. “ye-yes. same one. i’m uh… f-friend. donghyun’s friend.”

huh?

you hummed, waiting for him to continue his introduction. his eyebrows furrowed after hearing the mistake, quickly shifting his eyes to look away before continuing. “i’m from the lal department.” you looked at him confused, head tilting at the word. “i- you know, lal. language and literature. l a l.” woonhak tried his best to stifle a snort but to no avail he ended up doubling over in laughter at the older one’s awkward mistake.

“oh. that’s cool, but i still don’t know your name…”

did he seriously not introduce himself yet? all the basics have been said except for the most important one. he just had to forget that one. awesome. okay. it’s fine. just say your name. simple as that.

“j-jae myung hyun.”

“...jae is your last name?”

he was punching himself internally, hands pulling at every last hair follicle that remained as he yelled in frustration, voice cracking at the prolonged length of his scream. “ahahaha. it’s– hyun. no! jae. m-myung jaehyun. last name myung, first name jaehyun.”

“well it’s very nice to meet you, myung jaehyun, who is hannie’s friend from the lal department and also happens to be in my class.”

you flashed him a grin, eyes shining brightly into his own, a fluttering warmth hitting the soft-hearted male straight in the chest causing his heart to clench at the overly cute sight. stop smiling like that please. you’re gonna make me explode from how cute you are. with his hands clamming up, he responded with a shaky smile of his own.

“so…”

“shut up!” jaehyun remarked, harshly stabbing at the broken up meatballs in his spaghetti. his frown deepened at the sound of his utensils accidentally scraping against the dish, a high-frequency metallic screech that would make even the most stiff expressions falter.

“it was like a humiliation ritual happened before my eyes against my consent.” he groaned at the insulting dig from the ravenette, figure slumping against the lunch table in despair while his so-called friends chuckled at his more than obvious misery.

“you’re usually more smooth with introductions, annoyingly so. what happened?” sungho breathlessly asked, the first to calm his laughter from the group.

he whined, fingers ruffling his hair into a deeper mess that matched his current feelings. “i’m not sure. all i remember is they were across the hallway, looking like an absolute angel coming from chemistry 124.01. next thing i know they’re walking towards us with a smile that could battle the sun on its best day. it was an attack to the heart!”

“so much for mr. all i chase after are medals. with those comparisons, you are waist deep in with no way out.” dongmin mocked, pursuing his lips and moving his shoulders annoyingly suave-like to portray the older male. that was until he got punched by the shoulder.

“seconded. also, why do you know yn had just come from chem 124.01? stalker much.”

“i overheard james talking to them about their group project a few weeks back and found out about yn’s schedule through him. pretty sure they’re in the same program. it’s been around two months since then.” heads turned to look at him in absolute shock. the same thought ran through each of their heads. there is no way myung jaehyun, who is the literal personification of tmi and extrovert, kept his crush secret from us for two whole months.

“have you told yn yet?”

“...what do you think, idiot?”

woonhak opened his mouth to argue but quickly shut it back up at the lack of words coming out. “right. my bad.”

his chopsticks pushed around the remaining kimchi on the dish, movement slowing down as he zoned out from the reality of the conversation at the mere sight of his crush. the longer he stared, the more lost he felt. just what made you different? so different that, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get over this silly crush of his.

maybe it was the way you seemed so passionate about life, sharing your views in discussions you’re interested in. from poetic literature to the societal issues it suggests, each word that left your lips only proved to him how insanely smart you were. you never hesitated to ask questions that would clarify the inquiries running in your mind, even if you weren’t all too familiar with the topic.

or maybe it was because you were really kind, but knew when to stand your ground ensuring no one walks over you. taking notes for others when they got sick, putting little tips and comments in the margins of the pages to make concepts easier to understand.

he paid mind to the smallest actions: whether it was the way you placed your phone screen side facing down to invest yourself in the conversation; the way you leaned in to listen to someone closely, clearly paying attention; or the way you traced a smiley face on any surface before sending the person beside you an equally bright smile to lighten their day.

he liked that about you. he liked a lot about you, and you didn’t even know.

his eyes met your own a few tables away and he could feel his heart rate rapidly speed up. your hand gestured an okay sign and he rushed to reply with two thumbs up, chopsticks clattering on the surface as it slipped from his fingers. you let out a small laugh at his clumsiness, nodding as your hand covered your mouth. i’m such an idiot. you broke his gaze, jaehyun sighing at his unrequited love as soon as you turned away.

“that was really, truly painful to watch.”

“can i change my answer? i think that was the humiliation ritual.”

“how is the so-called campus crush such a lovesick loser with his crush?”

“i’ve never been more embarrassed to be friends with you.”

“the only way to describe you and your actions is: a complete and utter mess.”

he pushed his plate towards woonhak, the younger male’s eyes sparkling with excitement at the free food offered. his hands dragged over his face, slapping his cheeks to snap himself out of this dazed feeling. he felt sick. stomach squeezing into different intricate knots, a result of the butterflies and cruel humiliation he faced after realizing how clearly his feelings could be seen. heart eyes, dreamy gaze, and flushed cheeks written all over his face. “please just put me out of my misery.” he begged, body leaning towards donghyun who willingly patted his shoulder out of sympathy.

“if you say so–”

“dongmin!” sungho scolded, momentarily taken aback by the immediate response to jaehyun’s sad request.

“ask and you shall receive, right? damn, this is what i get for being nice.” the eldest rolled his eyes, hand meeting his forehead in pure exhaustion as he muttered under his breath how tired he is constantly being surrounded by idiots. well, as they say, birds of the same feather flock together.

“so… when are you gonna get their number and ask them out?” leehan asked, leaning ever so slightly into his distraught friend, tone casual as he nodded his head over to where you were seated. “we can always help you out.”

his gaze softened, peeking past his fingers only to close them once again as you catch him staring, heat rushing up his neck when you smiled faintly. with a quick mental shake, he lowered his gaze, breath caught stuck in his throat at the fact you unknowingly had him wrapped around your finger. “never. i can’t. i’m just going to embarrass myself again. i’d rather suffer with this crush forever until the day i die.”

“okay. suffer then,” the sound of your laugh rang in his ears, a friend of yours casually dropping his arm around your shoulder to pull you closer. his eyes studied the way they looked at you, their expression reflecting only a hint of what he too felt for you. nails dug into his skin, a green-eyed monster consuming his thoughts as the stinging pain numbed. “suffer as you watch someone sweep your precious crush off their feet, knowing that could’ve been you instead.”

the teasing glint in their eyes was unmistakable. he shot them a glare causing a smirk to climb up their faces, enjoying the pout that framed his face at the idea of him never confessing. constantly trapped in a sea of his own emotions.

“fine. what’s the plan?”

i. operation “knight in shining armour”

“are you sure about this?”

“can you just– sigh, why am i helping you?”

“because you love me?”

“...save that for yn.”

the plan was simple. the humanities building had the busiest walkways in koz university and since jaehyun knew you had the navigating world history 225 class there (out of pure chance he adds but nobody believes), he was going to pretend to bump into you accidentally. maybe even lead you away from the crowd to protect you before asking for your number and inviting you out to lunch. the perfect case of a knight-in-shining armour.

it wasn’t even twelve yet yet he watched a couple of students flow in the hallways, eyes skimming through the crowd until it landed on you. your class must’ve ended early today. he threaded himself between students, grinning elegantly like expected before tapping you on the shoulder, “y-yn. hey, did you just finish class? what a coincidence ‘cuz i did too.” no it didn’t. he had been waiting outside for the past twenty minutes, but you didn’t need to know that part.

they look so pretty. ah, that’s a lot of papers, i should offer to help.

“here,” he slipped his hands under yours, the weight of books and course material lightening as he smoothly grabbed hold of the items, carrying it in his strong arms instead. “i got you.”

you whispered a thanks, ears warming a hinge of red, feeling bad that he was hauling the junk from your lessons. he was sweet, so kind that it made your heart leap in the air. it was nice walking with him in silence, the spring air sending a strange chill over your skin, the faint sound of leaves rustling in the distance adding to the atmosphere. “ow, excuse me! hey, stop pushing me! jae–”

the clock had struck twelve and right on cue a rush of college students filled the pathway, varying tones of voices mixing into one loud decibel as they shoved and jammed past each other to handle their business.

please let this go well.

jaehyun's eyes widened, not expecting the amount of people blocking his pathway, losing you in the mass. he shook his head, hyping himself up before pushing himself into the crowd, his friends, minus woonhak and leehan, watching with expressions of pain at the havoc ensuing before their very eyes. was this even worth it? for him, it most definitely was. he would be your prince charming, saving the day as he protected you from harm, getting an honorable reward by asking you out on a lunch date.

“ouch. hey, sorry– i lost someone in this– talk later please.” the mass flowed through the area, slowly leading him over to your worried self who was protecting your bag for life. sunlight streamed through the large glass windows, rays gleaming in your face making it harder to see through the rows of bodies. “sorry. yn, hi again.”

you turned around to see jaehyun awkwardly grinning at you, eyes glinting with that familiar sparkle of playfulness, a welcoming distraction from the current hecticness of the situation, “hey.”

“you alright?”

“never better, obviously. how about you?”

“absolutely amazing as you can tell, especially with me stuck in this literal sea of overworked students. come on.” he placed a hand on your shoulder, moving you just a bit closer to his chest, and with the other hand still holding onto your stuff, angling himself to protect you as he slowly guided you both step by step to the side, out and away from the crowd.

the sounds of chatter calmed and you could feel the airconditioned breeze hit your warm skin. notes of cedarwood and fresh soap hit your nose as you caught your breath, shoulders dropping down at the feeling of relaxation. finally, you had escaped. “thank you, seriously. you were basically my hero there.”

he chuckled, easing into his usual charming character, adoring the features that he could never see in detail up until today. how your skin felt warm to the touch, lips softly curving with every breath you took, hair strands falling to frame your face. it was a dangerous sigh. one that made him question if the concept of beauty was based on you.

his finger gently raised to swipe away at a stray strand, carefully moving it back into place behind your ear. the slight graze of his fingertip against the shell of your ear made you suck in a breath, eyes flickering to look up at his. “huh, your eyes are really pretty up close.”

“sorry?”

his tone carried a sincere lilt that contrasted the boyish grin he flashed, teeth pearly white drawing your attention to his lips. did he mean it? it sounded so casual, like it was a passing comment you didn’t need to pay mind to.

you should repay him somehow. after all that, it was basically necessary. your head flipping through potential options until, “food?” he looked at you in surprise. “i was gonna grab a bite to eat, if you wa-wanna? it’s a nice cafe by campus. relatively cheap prices. nice atmosphere. food is super good too.”

this is it. my chance. “plus i won’t be late to class later since it’s by campus… which you already mentioned, yeah. after that maybe we could exchange nu–”

“dude! come on, i am starving. it’s your turn to buy lunch. you promised, remember?”

your expression fell at the appearance of his friends woonhak and leehan, ultimately cutting yourself off before you could continue. “actually i was planning to go with yn.”

“no no, it’s fine. you have to keep your promise, also…”

“there you are, yn. are you busy?” your friend called, waving at your figure.

“ah.” he stilled. and just like that, he shut up.

“yeah. maybe next time. see you around.” his smile dropped while you hurried over to where your friend was, not even sparing a measly look back at him.

“so? did you get their number?”

he stole a glance at you holding your packed lunch with utmost care. the golden light casted a warm glow over the scene of you merrily walking away, a skip in your step at the prospect of having lunch. “i was about to until you interrupted, idiot! plus, yn’s eating lunch with their friends…” he deadpanned, wanting to cry from despair at his luck as they patted his shoulder sadly and smacked the youngest boy for butting in.

“how did we mess this up?”

“blame woonhak and jaehyun’s bad timing.”

“i said i was sorry!”

ii. operation “cat and mouse”

the literature lecture hall buzzed quietly, the usual sounds of chatter, fingers tapping hurriedly against the keys of their laptop, a subtle crunch of paper and plastic coffee cups being moved from hand to hand, and chairs screeching as students dragged them lazily across the floor. your heart was beating in fear, eyes constantly flickering back to the argument on the presentation slides at the front.

in the world of literature, what is the bigger tragedy? the love story of romeo and juliet, or the life journey of frankenstein’s monster?

with fifteen minutes left of the class, professor jung had once again initiated his weekly literature debate. a supposedly fun game that divided the class into two groups, pitting them against each other to argue in defense of their assigned side for the remainder of the session. you had been looking at the group document for almost seven minutes and at the messy sight of words on a page was starting to make you feel sick, groaning in complete spurn at its disorder.

a scattered pile of words in inconsistent paragraphs, bullet points listed that were either striked out or had an arrow following it, and sentences of varying sizes highlighted a light yellow paired with matching comments about what points to expound on. your ideas were starting to run dry, like a car slowing down in the middle of the road spurting out its last bits of fuel.

“how is what we wrote worse than before?” you frowned, staring at the messy page in disbelief. fingers tangled in your hair, tugging the strands the lightest smidge as if that would fix your problems. the brainstorming time was about to come to an end and with barely any progress, you couldn’t help but feel hopeless.

“just pull anything out at this rate. sad thoughts and find every inconsistency in their argument. if we grill them enough, the gaps will be obvious and our side will seem more uniform,” your classmates stated after seeing you shove the laptop away from you in irritation. the wretched device does nothing but make you feel worse.

beep beep. beep beep.

the timer echoed in your ears, the sound bouncing off the plain walls of the lecture hall. “who’d like to start?”

jaehyun raised his hand wearing a smirk dripping in confidence. your shoulders tensed, feeling the air shift as he cleared his throat. his posture was relaxed, like he already knew he had this in the bag. professor jung nodded, impressed at his proactiveness. okay, you got this jaehyun. cool and confident. all to impress yn. you’ll be fine.

“a famous example of star-crossed lovers in a forbidden romance. their story ended not from bad luck, but because the universe was cruel. not only did their families forbid them from being together, the forces of the universe did not look kindly on them either. at the knowledge of their passed loved one, they were impulsive and chose death. it shows dedication. a desperate attempt at finding love even in the afterlife.”

every statement he made, voice even and perfectly clear, points only helping him build a better foundation. yours fell short. it was good, but not enough. his was strong, like he had experienced the tragic love story himself. a victim of their misfortune rather than an ordinary student studying their lives. so you took action.

“frankenstein’s monster also experienced his rejection towards love. from the people of his community and after victor frankenstein failed to follow through with the creation of a female companion. his kindness was repaid with fear and violence on top of that just because he was a monster. wouldn’t you say that’s more pitiful?” you interrupted, eyes narrowing at the relaxed individual.

he gleefully laughed. messy hair that curled by the tips falling into his eyes, casually brushed away with a quick ruffle. they’re paying attention to me! it’s working. i’m impressing them. ugh and their points are so smart too. please like me back! “you’re wasting your time over this,” you mumbled, voice shaking as the clock slowly ticked away. huh?

“with you? happily… just like romeo might i say. a hopeless romantic that knew the rules and still chose to defy it out of dedication to his precious juliet. they had love that fell through after everything they did, frankenstein’s monster never experienced love to that extent of a cruel heartbreak.” the bell rang before you could argue back, and as you witnessed the professor giving jaehyun a nod of approval, you knew he had won.

“yn! y-you were great back there. if possible, do you think–” his sentence was cut off as friends gathered around, drowning him with compliment after compliment as he lost sight of you in the crowd.

“jaehyun, that was awesome.”

“you totally beat the other group.”

“best literature debate ever.”

“professor jung must love you man.”

the room filled with praise being thrown left and right towards the man, classmates patting his back and pushing to get closer like he was a celebrity. and why wouldn’t they. after all, he was mr. popular. he probably wanted to talk to them over you.

so you sent him a smile, not that you think he could see it, and silently slipped away to prepare for your next class. jaehyun could only watch, regret filling his chest as he tried to push through only to find you had disappeared in the hallway. your smile. it didn’t reach up to your eyes like normal. he didn’t like that. not at all.

shoot, i think i messed up.

iii. operation “just ask them you wimp”

it was like the universe and all its higher beings were plotting against him. he sighed, throwing his head back and groaning at the way the sun was blaring down on the track team. “do you think coach will let me skip practice if i tell him i’m having chest pains?”

“from what? your unreciprocated crush or the fact that you can’t even ask them for their number because of your general wimpiness?”

his right hand grabbed his soaked towel, flinging towards an unsuspecting tired dongmin. at the graze of cold sweat, the nonchalant male yelped, pushing off his chair to avoid the cloth landing on him. he was beyond upset. never had he been so annoyed at the fact people liked him, but at this point, after two major tries and many other small ones, he really wished that he could just get you alone so he could ask for the damn number. jaehyun didn’t even know if you would give it, but at least he could relax at the knowledge that he tried.

the coach clapped his hands together gathering the attention of the other players, with a booming voice he announced, “the annual cross university sportsfest is coming up. i want my runners front and center that day, winning medal after medal. so training is gonna be an hour longer for the next few weeks.” the team groaned in protest, the coach rolling his eyes and waving away the sound. “complain all you want, i want winners at this event. so no slacking! so start running your laps.”

while the other students ran ahead, jaehyun failed to move his body. he was too mentally tired for this. head gently thumping against the metal pole that supported their one shaded rest spot.

“myung, i swear. do not test my patience today.”

“but coach–” he whined, a prominent pout on his lips, shaking the arm of his mentor only to get a grunt.

“run the laps. now.”

he grumbled. this is not worth it. sigh. if i had some sort of motivation, maybe then i’ll feel like running laps.

“isn’t that yn?” his head shot up looking ahead and like he heard, there you were. tattered shoulder bag weighing heavy on your left shoulder, clothes wrinkled after a long day of back to back classes, lunch bag swinging lightly after being emptied during your late lunch period.

his hand grabbed a random water bottle, pouring its little remnants over his head , snatching his phone from the chair before he ran with haste. feet padding in a rhythmic sequence across the track that looped around the field. the dusty brick red track bright against the shades of greens, browns, and gray that framed their campus. bits of gravel and sand swept in the air as his pace sped up, calling out in desperation, “yn! wait up!”

you turned around, the intense afternoon heat blocking your sight until it cleared away to introduce the male calling for you. “h-hi, hey, wow.”

“jaehyun, what’s up?”

he walked closer to the edge, catching his breath as he leaned against the laced metal railings. while he was clearly out of breath, panting audible between you two, his smile hadn’t faltered for a second. it was brilliant, drenched in sweat (it was just water actually), undeniable joy, and pure love that he had for you. did he know how cute he was like this?

“nothing much, just training for the usual sports event. coach gum is drilling us about it too.”

you dug around in your pocket pulling out a navy handkerchief with small embroidered ducks by its corners, smoothed it down, and handed it over. “here. it must be difficult in this heat. i should leave–”

“wait, before you go.”

“myung! less talking and more running!” the sound of the coach’s voice, lined with tense anger, sliced through the air. “i will go over there and make you run!”

“he’s bluffing. anyways, i was wondering… could i possibly get your number? only if you want of course. i just–”

“myung!”

he leaned closer, pouting as he thumbed at the ends of the piece of cloth you gave. “i was hoping we could get lunch sometime soon. maybe like a date? if you’d let me.”

your eyes switched between him and his fuming coach who was now flushing a bright red at the male’s defiance. how exactly was this the star player of the track team? “are you seriously doing this right now? you’re literally in the middle of practice.”

“well i tried a bunch of other times but i wasn’t having any luck with it. the hallway, the lecture hall, heck even on my way to the bathroom. i kept screwing it up someway, somehow and gosh, i just really like you yn. a lot. what do you say?”

“are you seriously ignoring me?”

myung jaehyun, resident campus crush of koz university, liked you. it didn’t matter that he was dripping in sweat, hair a dark mess clumped together with strands sticking out awkwardly, jersey slipping that bit revealing a shiny collarbone. you loved how natural it felt. he waited and you just sighed adoringly, heart softening at his sincere expression. with you holding your hand out, he gasped and rushed to give you his phone, almost dropping it in the process which made you giggle at his state.

“text me soon, okay? good luck with practice, jaehyun.”

as soon as you handed the device back, the number now inputted into his contacts list, he immediately hugged his phone against his chest. with a grin of delight, he kissed the handkerchief excitedly. “i’ll text you right now if you want.”

“myung jaehyun! do you want more laps?!”

“bye, yn.” his footsteps brushed against the rough path, hands grasping the cloth and device in each palm as he yelled, “give me the laps coach ‘cuz i can run forever now that i got their number! i finally got yn’s number! the world loves me and i love them! let’s go!!”

you laughed, the giddy smile on your face stuck as you watched your phone glow with a notification from said campus crush.

so about that date? - jae myung hyun *myung jaehyun. sorry typo

taglist: @hironoshimura -> asked: @hraethy @honestlynae (ty for pressuring me lovely)

he’ll gently grab at your wrist but never make an actual attempt to move you away. his breathing stutters when your lips linger more than usual, feeling the familiar pressure of a mark on the column of his throat. and he’s about to tell you off before you go right back to peppering him with kisses and he forgets all about it.

however, when he sees the aftermath of your “kiss” in the mirror, it all comes flooding back to him with an embarrassing blush on his ears. the softer kisses you pressed to his lovebite did nothing to hide it. sungho will say he’ll cover it with makeup when he goes out, but never actually does because he’s almost.. proud of it.

୨ riwoo ⋮ cheek + hands ୧

a simple, traditional kiss on the cheek is the way to go for riwoo. it never gets old and still causes his heart to race with you lean in for a peck. he finds it to be perfect because of how casual it is; a quick one while your perusing the town, more playful when you’re in the comfort of your shared apartment. he even loves posing for a selfie with your lips on his blushed cheek.

your expression when you cup his face in your hands is one he can never forget, especially when followed by a flurry of exaggerated ‘mwah’s all over his face. each moment of contact sends a surge of dopamine to his brain that tells him he needs more. he’ll occasionally lean in, almost expectantly, during random times of the day just to experience your love.

his chest feels like it’ll explode when you take the time to kiss the cute beauty mark that’s settled just under his eye. it’s such a small gesture but knowing you love every single inch of him only makes his love for you grow deeper. he’d tattoo the faint whisper of a kiss mark left by your lip tint on that spot if he could.. so he opts for just asking you to do it yourself everyday.

his heart also melts when you lace your fingers with his and bring the back of his hand to your lips. you could peck his wrist in the middle of a conversation, for no real reason in particular, and he’ll fall silent. his hands are just so pretty that you can’t keep yourself away !!

the feeling of your palms against each other is grounding for the both of you, so he insists on it even when you’re just at home. and so he’ll catch you absentmindedly brushing your lips against the tips of his fingers when you’re cuddled up. he finds it to be such a cute and quiet act of intimacy that still makes him a little nervous but finds it so so precious.

it’s especially perfect for when it’s cold out and you want to keep your lover warm. he’ll feel his skin still tingling even minutes after the contact and squeeze your hand even tighter. he’ll also press a quick kiss back to yours if he feels so inclined, which he normally does. it creates a much lovelier sense of warmth than what any pair of mittens could attempt to bring, he thinks.

୨ jaehyun ⋮ cheek + lips ୧

jaehyun will claim he doesn’t have a favorite place to be kissed because absolutely any form of physical affection you give him has him all giddy and happy. but you’ve noticed he gets extra doe-eyed when you lean in closer to his face. whether it’s the proximity, the intimacy, or both, jaehyun’s face gets all warm and red when you press a kiss to his cheek. he thinks your lips are so soft and like a gift from heaven that graces his skin. and no, he’s not exaggerating.

he’s even worse when you have lipstick or gloss on. something about seeing the specific shade you use against his skin is addictive to him. he’ll ask for more and more while he looks at you, pupils dilated and eyes glossed over, until his face is littered with pinky-red kiss marks and he is exactly where he wants to be.

sometimes, he’ll be cheesy and kiss your cheek back, pressing your faces together just to leave a mark identical to his on your skin. “even our kisses are kissing,” he’ll grin, holding you tight even after saying the corniest line ever. and yes, he does ask to take a picture for his wallpaper each and every time.

his lips are always special, too. he’ll pucker up and send you flying kisses from across the room in a wordless attempt to ask for a kiss, which almost always ends up with him just walking over and kissing you himself.

but when you make the first move and close the gap yourself, jaehyun is smiling and giggling into the kiss while pulling you closer. he has the most lovestruck look on his face that melts into a puppy-like smile. he’ll hold you in place for a while, not wanting to separate and end the moment. but when you finally do, the way his eyes sparkle and you see how kiss-bitten his lips are only has you wanting to kiss him again, which causes the cycle to repeat and jaehyun to ascend to cloud nine.

on the days that end a little rough for him, a foolproof way to coax him out of a bad mood is a loving kiss to his lips. you can’t stand to see his saddened pout so you take him into your hands in hopes of fixing the problem. he’ll always happily accept the invitation and end up losing himself in you, forgetting about what made his day so bad anyway. because how could any day end horribly if this is what he gets in return.

୨ taesan ⋮ lips + neck ୧

taesan only claims to love a kiss on the lips because of the journey it takes to get there. he watches with an all too smug grin, using his height to his advantage as you try to reach his face. he thinks you look cute like that with a slight pout and eager eyes. but he’s not evil, he’ll soon cradle your face in his palms after having his fun and close the distance, still laughing into the kiss.

when you do catch him off guard, however, he’ll hum into your mouth as if satisfied with how you’ve taken after his teasing nature. honestly, he’s grown addicted since the very first time you shared a kiss, now looking for any excuse to share one. a quick peck as you pass him in the hallway will leave him stunned for a second before turning around for a ‘real’ kiss.

he’s noticed that you’ve grown bolder and more confident when leaning close to his face and he loves it. because now he looks forward to how your fingers now tangle in the overgrown hair on the nape of his neck, gently pulling him closer. the flavor of your lip balm will linger on his lips and drive him crazy throughout the day as he waits to come home to you and get another taste.

but going in for his neck really gets him going. something about you kissing him first, especially in a spot like that, just makes his heart race. he was like a kid on christmas the day you kissed his neck for the first time and he’s continued to chase that high ever since. he’ll tilt his head up to give you better access because he wants you to leave a mark. he won’t ask for it but there’s a noticeable pout on his face when you leave him without one (that you also have to kiss away)

taesan tries to convince you that his collarbones are at “just the right height for you,” and even if it sounds like an insult, he’s completely serious. he’ll start wearing looser shirts that open around his chest like a bird trying to tempt his mate. he means for it to be seductive but it comes out as a cat trying to catch your attention. you give in anyway and he thinks his plan so clever, showing that bread-like smile every time.

he’s grown a liking to when it’s later in the night and you’re giggling from drowsiness as you curl into him. the feeling of your nose nudging against his jaw and how he can feel you smiling against his skin is what makes the moment special, because you’re so you when you’re happy. he of course returns the favor, littering you in kisses while keeping you in his arms, filling the room with your overlapping fits of laughter.

୨ leehan ⋮ nose + forehead ୧

because of how often he leans in close, leehan loves when your faces nudge together and you plant a kiss on his nose, eyes sparkling with admiration. the act is so cute that it’s always followed by a low giggle that’s like music to your ears and your boyfriend wrapping you in his arms to keep all to himself.

it’s such an adorable feature on his face that you can’t help but pay attention to it. especially when he gives you that warm, crescent-eyed smile where his nose scrunches into the most kissable thing ever. the times you get him while he isn’t paying attention, he’ll shyly turn away, the tips of his ears flushed red as he plots a way to ‘get you back’ with a kiss attack of his own.

although, it happens to be most effective when he’s in a sulky mood. he’ll try to maintain his scowl while acting like nothing is wrong, but he can’t turn you down when your lips are so soft against the tip of his nose and your smile is so sweet and determined to make him happy again. he’ll still ask for another before indulging in you, just for good measure :3

he also savors each and every smooch on the forehead you give him. despite his height, he’ll occasionally crane his neck downwards with a knowing smile, level to your face to lure you to kiss him. it’s best for when he’s feeling just a little needy for your attention and the small act of praise is enough to keep him going for the day.

you have perfect access when he lays on you. his arms wrapped around your middle and face tucked into your chest like all he needs to breathe is you. careful fingers push his bangs out of his face and give way to the best place for a kiss just above his eyebrow. he’ll hum in amusement and peek out from the crook of your neck in a silent plea for some more loving, to which you graciously give into each and every time.

and even though he doesn’t like when others mess with his hair, it feels different when it’s you. in fact, he’ll encourage you to do so by not-so-secretly guiding your hand to his head. you know it’s because he likes when you fix it up for him, following up with a kiss above the bridge of his nose, and he knows you know this. so it’s become a mutual exchange where you, in turn, get to act as your very pretty lovers own personal hair stylist while he stares at you like you hung the moon and stars. (plus, you both get kisses at the end, so win-win!)

୨ woonhak ⋮ lips + shoulder ୧

woonhak swears he’s all smooth and suave when it comes to being romantic. he’ll lean on a doorframe in an attempt to flirt and serenade you in the car during a spontaneous late night drive. but a sweet kiss will shut him up pretty quick.

you’re both so used to him rambling all the time that cutting him off with a kiss has become normal, and almost expected..(sometimes he’ll talk nonstop just to get you to kiss him.) and yet, he’s still caught off guard by it almost every time, a quiet gasp escaping his lips before they connect with yours. but he can never resist you and melts into it every time, letting out a low whine while his hands find yours. you find his nervous blush so comically adorable, it only makes you lean in again!!

plus, he lovess when you kiss the corners of his mouth. he’d never admit it but that specific little moment gets his heart racing and makes him want to pull you in closer. whether it’s to kiss a pout away or when you claim he has a crumb there, woonhak thinks you’re just too cute when your lips land on the edge of his. so he’ll bridge the gap before giving it a second thought and lean into your touch on the back of his neck.

and on the days where days in the studio drag into later nights, a kiss to his shoulder can easily calm his mind. you’re perfect company when he’s working and somehow know exactly when he needs a little break. he loves that you’re just the perfect height to rest his chin on, exchanging little acts of love throughout the day with one to your forehead and one to his shoulder.

he appreciates the calmer act of affection as opposed to everything else in his life moving so quickly. it’s gentle, the way you lay your head against the broadness of his frame and tilt your chin for your lips to make contact. soft yet solid kisses pressed against his shoulder blade, followed by you leaning further into his side. it’s sweet, quietly intimate, and just what he needs when everything else gets a bit too busy.

you will admit, however, that you can’t hold back on the days he wears a tank top. woonhak swears he doesn’t do it on purpose but loves the extra attention he gets from you. he’ll jump at the occasional bite or mark you decide to leave on the exposed skin and whine that he should give you one back, “just to be fair,” to which he’ll act upon anyway and might get a little carried away..

like what you see? check my masterlist for more!! feel free to join my taglist if you’d like to be notified!! ↳ @xionvlog , @ivehan , @hraethy , @angelsemble

They laughed when you got dramatic over tiny inconveniences. They listened when you rambled about a movie theory nobody asked for. They let you explain random facts you’d learned at two in the morning from some questionable internet rabbit hole.

And honestly?

You liked that about yourself.

You liked being passionate. You liked caring loudly.

So maybe that was why it hurt more than it should’ve when the newest addition to the friend group sighed softly halfway through your story and said,

“Can you maybe let other people talk too?”

The words weren’t even harsh.

Her tone was polite. Calm. Casual.

But it still felt like someone had poured cold water directly over your head.

The entire table went quiet for a split second.

Not long enough for anyone to acknowledge it.

Just long enough for everyone to hear it.

Then conversation resumed almost immediately, awkwardly stumbling forward as if nothing had happened.

You felt your smile strain at the corners.

“Oh,” you laughed quietly. “Yeah. Sorry.”

And just like that, you shut up.

You stopped talking mid-thought. Stopped adding onto conversations. Stopped interrupting yourself with excited little side tangents. Even when people directly asked you things afterward, your answers stayed short.

The worst part was how painfully aware you suddenly became of your own voice.

Every time you almost spoke, your chest tightened.

Were you talking too much again?

Were people secretly annoyed all the time?

Did they only tolerate you because they felt bad?

You hated how quickly your brain spiraled.

So instead of risking it, you stayed quiet, and apparently nobody noticed.

Well.

Nobody except him.

Later that evening, the apartment door opened and Taesan walked in.

The atmosphere shifted almost immediately.

Maybe it was because Taesan naturally carried himself like someone impossible not to notice. Tall frame wrapped in an oversized black hoodie, dark hair slightly messy from the wind outside, rings glinting against his fingers as he pushed the door shut behind him.

Or maybe it was because your stupid heart still reacted to him like it hadn’t learned better yet.

“Finally,” Leehan groaned. “You’re late.”

Taesan snorted. “I brought food. That cancels out the lateness.”

“It absolutely does not.”

“It literally does.”

Everyone started talking over each other immediately.

Taesan laughed under his breath while slipping off his shoes, and then his eyes found you almost instantly.

Always.

It didn’t matter how many people were in a room.

His attention somehow landed on you first every single time.

Your chest squeezed painfully.

You forced a smile before he made his way over, setting the takeout bags down on the table first before dropping onto the couch beside you.

“Hi,” he murmured.

“Hi.”

He leaned down automatically to kiss your cheek.

Usually you’d immediately start talking after that.

You’d tell him something random before he could even settle properly. Maybe about the weird guy you saw earlier, or how Hana almost burned the garlic bread, or some ridiculous thing you read online.

Instead, you stayed quiet.

Taesan pulled back slowly. His brows furrowed almost instantly. There it is, you thought miserably.

He noticed.

Of course he noticed.

He greeted everyone else casually, fell into the rhythm of the conversation for maybe five minutes, but you could feel him glancing at you every few seconds.

Studying you.

By the sixth glance, you couldn’t even focus on the conversation anymore.

Then he leaned closer.

“You’re quiet,” he said softly enough that only you could hear. “What’s wrong?”

You shook your head immediately.

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

You even smiled a little to make it convincing.

It didn’t work on him for even half a second.

Taesan stared at you for another moment before narrowing his eyes slightly.

“You sure?”

“Mhm.”

“You’ve said maybe six words since I got here.”

You shrugged.

“I’m just tired.”

That earned you an unimpressed look. Because Taesan knew you. Knew you in the terrifyingly specific ways that made lying almost impossible.

He knew your fake smiles from your real ones. Knew the difference between your annoyed silence and your hurt silence. Knew when your thoughts were moving too fast because your fingers twitched against your sleeves.

And right now?

He knew something had happened.

Still, he didn’t push.

Not there.

Not in front of everyone.

Instead, he rested his arm behind you on the couch and stayed quiet.

But you could feel it.

The way he kept looking at you.

The way his jaw tightened every time someone else spoke while you stayed silent.

The way he frowned slightly whenever you laughed too softly at something.

You hated that he could tell.

You hated that you cared this much.

The evening dragged on painfully after that.

Usually you were the loudest person in the room. Usually Taesan spent half his time teasing you for bouncing between topics too fast for anyone else to follow.

Tonight, you mostly just listened.

And somehow that felt worse.

At some point, Riwoo brought up conspiracy theories.

Normally that would’ve been dangerous territory for you because you loved talking about weird things. Taesan especially loved listening to you spiral through theories with dramatic hand gestures and completely unnecessary diagrams drawn on napkins.

Tonight, you stayed quiet, and Taesan noticed immediately.

His head turned toward you.

“You don’t have anything to say about this?” he asked.

You blinked.

“Hm?”

“The conspiracy thing.”

“Oh.” You looked down at your drink. “Not really.”

Now everyone was staring at you like you’d grown a second head.

“Not really?” Hana repeated. “You literally made a thirty-minute presentation once.”

“It was not thirty minutes.”

“It was forty-five.”

Normally you would’ve argued dramatically. Normally you would’ve laughed. Instead, you just shrugged again.

Taesan’s expression darkened slightly.

He looked genuinely concerned now.

And honestly?

That almost made you emotional.

Because nobody else seemed to realize how weird this was except him.

The conversation continued, but you could feel Taesan getting quieter beside you too.

Observing.

Thinking.

Then eventually he leaned down near your ear.

“Come outside with me for a second.”

Your stomach twisted.

You nodded quietly.

Nobody really questioned it when he stood up and held his hand out toward you. You slipped your hand into his automatically and let him guide you toward the apartment balcony.

The cool night air hit your face immediately.

Nights always felt strangely comforting to you. Cold enough to wake you up a little, soft enough to calm you down.

Taesan slid the balcony door shut behind him.

Then he turned toward you fully.

“What happened?”

You looked away instantly.

“Nothing happened.”

“Baby.”

That voice.

That soft, patient voice he only used when he knew you were lying but wanted to give you the chance to tell the truth anyway.

You swallowed.

“It’s stupid.”

“Then tell me the stupid thing.”

You rubbed at your sleeve nervously. Taesan waited quietly. Somehow that made it worse. Because he wasn’t rushing you. Wasn’t dismissing you. Wasn’t acting annoyed. He just looked at you like what you said mattered.

Always.

Finally you sighed.

“I think I talk too much.”

Taesan blinked once.

“What?”

You laughed awkwardly.

“There. See? That reaction alone proves it.”

“What are you talking about?”

You hesitated.

Then quietly explained what happened earlier. The more you talked, the more Taesan’s expression changed. Not annoyed. Not embarrassed. Just increasingly upset on your behalf.

“And I know she didn’t mean it badly,” you rushed to explain. “Like logically I know that. I probably was talking too much. I do that sometimes and I know it can be annoying and—”

“Hey.”

Your words stopped immediately.

Taesan stepped closer.

“You know what I noticed when I got here?”

You frowned slightly.

“What?”

“You weren’t talking.”

“Well obviously.”

“And that bothered me.”

Your chest tightened unexpectedly.

Taesan shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie before continuing.

“You know what this friend group sounded like before you joined?”

You blinked.

“What?”

“Dead.”

You snorted softly despite yourself.

“I’m serious,” he said. “Nobody talked this much. Nobody got excited this much. Half the hangouts used to be everyone staring at their phones.”

“That’s dramatic.”

“It’s true.”

You rolled your eyes weakly.

Taesan leaned against the balcony railing.

“You talk a lot because you care a lot.”

Your throat felt weirdly tight now.

“You get excited over things. You tell stories like every detail matters. You make people laugh because your brain moves faster than your mouth.” His lips twitched slightly. “Sometimes significantly faster.”

You finally smiled a little.

“There she is,” he murmured immediately.

Your smile faltered from embarrassment.

“You don’t think I’m annoying?”

Taesan looked genuinely offended.

“Annoying? Baby, I voluntarily listen to you explain things I don’t even understand for hours.”

“That doesn’t count. You’re biased.”

“I’m absolutely biased. But I’m also right.”

You stared down at your shoes.

Taesan sighed softly before reaching over to tilt your chin up gently.

“I like listening to you.”

The sincerity in his voice made your stomach flip.

“You don’t have to say that.”

“I’m not saying it because I have to.”

You looked at him carefully, and unfortunately for your emotional stability, he looked completely serious.

Taesan laughed quietly under his breath.

“You know what's my favorite thing?”

“What?”

“The way you start rambling when you’re excited and then halfway through you realize you forgot the original point.”

You groaned immediately.

“Oh my god.”

“And then you try to backtrack but somehow the story gets even longer.”

“Taesan.”

“And your hands start doing this—” He mimicked your overly animated gestures badly.

You smacked his arm instantly.

“That is not what I look like.”

“That’s exactly what you look like.”

“You’re evil.”

He grinned.

“There she is again.”

You hated how easily he could pull you out of your moods sometimes.

Taesan’s expression softened after a moment.

“Do you know how quiet you got in there?”

You looked away again.

“Yeah.”

“I hated it.”

That surprised you.

“You did?”

“Mhm.”

He reached for your hand absentmindedly, playing with your fingers while he spoke.

“When you’re quiet because you’re tired, it’s different. Tonight you looked like you were trying to make yourself smaller.”

Your chest ached immediately. Because that was exactly what you’d been doing.

Taesan sighed softly.

“I don’t like when people make you feel like you need to shrink yourself.”

You blinked rapidly.

“It wasn’t even a big deal—”

“It hurt your feelings.”

The simple certainty in his voice almost undid you.

You laughed weakly instead.

“I sound dramatic.”

“You are dramatic.”

“Wow.”

“But you’re also sensitive.” He squeezed your hand gently. “And there’s nothing wrong with that.”

You stayed quiet for a moment before mumbling,

“I was trying really hard not to talk too much afterward.”

“I know.”

“I kept thinking about everything I said before speaking.”

“I know.”

“And then I got scared to talk at all because what if everyone secretly agrees with her?”

Taesan’s face softened painfully.

Then suddenly he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around you. The hug caught you off guard enough that you melted into him almost instantly.

“You know what I think?” he murmured against your hair.

“What?”

“I think if somebody genuinely didn’t like you talking, they wouldn’t keep inviting you everywhere.”

You hummed quietly.

“And I think,” he continued, “you’re way too loved for that.”

Your throat tightened embarrassingly fast.

Taesan pulled back slightly just to look at you.

“And personally? I could listen to you talk forever.”

“That’s insane.”

“It probably is.”

You laughed quietly into his hoodie.

For a moment neither of you spoke.

The city lights glowed softly around you while distant traffic hummed below.

Then unfortunately your brain started functioning normally again.

“So anyway speaking of conspiracy theories—”

Taesan burst out laughing immediately.

“There she is.”

“No because listen,” you said, suddenly animated again. “Why do celebrities always wear sunglasses inside buildings? That’s suspicious behavior.”

“Oh my god.”

“I’m serious. There has to be a reason.”

Taesan leaned against the railing again while you started talking properly for the first time all evening.

And because he loved you hopelessly, completely, disgustingly much—

He listened. Not the fake kind of listening either. Not the kind where someone nods while waiting for their turn to speak.

Taesan listened like every word mattered.

Like your thoughts were something precious.

You started pacing slightly as you spoke, hands moving dramatically while you explained your ridiculous theory about celebrities, government replacements, and weird airport behavior.

Halfway through, you got distracted by another thought entirely.

“Wait actually speaking of airports, did I ever tell you about the guy I saw eating tuna at like six in the morning?”

Taesan smiled immediately.

The topic switch.

Classic you.

“Yes,” he said fondly. “Three times.”

“Right, okay, but that’s because it was genuinely disturbing behavior.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“No because imagine waking up and deciding tuna is breakfast food.”

Taesan watched you continue talking. Watched the way your face lit up again. Watched your eyes brighten more with every sentence.

And maybe it was pathetic how much affection filled his chest from something as simple as this. But he couldn’t help it. He loved listening to you. Loved the way your thoughts wandered unpredictably. Loved how passionate you got over tiny things. Loved how conversations with you never stayed on one topic for longer than three minutes.

You made everything feel alive.

Even silence felt warmer around you.

You eventually stopped mid-sentence suddenly.

Taesan blinked.

“What?”

You squinted at him suspiciously.

“You’re doing the face.”

“What face?”

“The one where you stare at me like I’m a cute puppy.”

“I’ve never made that face in my life.”

“You’re literally making it right now.”

He laughed quietly.

“Maybe I just like you.”

You rolled your eyes dramatically.

“Cringe.”

“And yet you stay.”

“Unfortunately.”

Taesan pulled you closer by your hoodie strings.

“You know what else?”

“What?”

“You look happiest when you’re talking.”

That hit you strangely hard. Because nobody had ever said that before, and maybe it was silly. Maybe it was stupid how emotional something so small made you feel.

But Taesan noticed things.

Tiny things.

The kinds of things people usually overlooked.

You looked away shyly.

“That’s embarrassing.”

“It’s cute.”

“Even more embarrassing.”

Taesan laughed softly before pressing a kiss to your forehead.

Then the balcony door suddenly slid open behind you. Riwoo peeked outside dramatically.

“Oh thank god,” he sighed. “She’s talking again. We were getting scared.”

You groaned instantly.

Taesan smirked.

“Told you.”

Riwoo pointed accusingly at you.

“Do you know how weird it was in there without you talking about something random every five minutes?”

“That sounds fake.”

“It’s not fake,” Leehan called from inside. “Come back and tell us more conspiracy theories.”

You blinked in surprise.

Taesan watched your expression carefully.

That tiny moment of realization. Maybe they did like listening to you after all.

Riwoo grinned.

“Seriously. The silence was depressing.”

You laughed softly before looking at Taesan again, and the look on his face nearly melted you alive.

Fond.

That was the only word for it.

Like he was genuinely relieved to see you smiling again.

You nudged him lightly.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like I’m adorable.”

“You are adorable.”

“Taesan.”

“You’re literally pouting.”

You immediately stopped pouting. Which only made him laugh harder.

Riwoo gagged loudly.

“You two are disgusting. Get back inside.”

Taesan snorted before intertwining his fingers with yours again. As he led you back inside, he leaned down slightly and murmured near your ear,

“By the way.”

“Hm?”

“If anyone tells you to stop talking again, I’m fighting them.”

You stared at him.

“That’s insane.”

“Mhm.”

“You can’t fight people for not wanting to hear me yap.”

“I can and I will.”

You laughed so hard your stomach hurt.

And that sound alone made Taesan think the entire world was worth it.

© All rights reserved @gigisnextdoor 2026.

"oh wait, we forgot to grab a basket!" you turn back to look at him already raising his hand that held the basket. "i got you," he grinned.

your hands reach out for your bag that was hanging on his shoulder and grabbed the list given to you by your club president. as much as you wanted to tour around the store for your own interests, you have a task to complete before doing so.

while scanning the list for what you need, riwoo moved close to you. leaning his head over your shoulders to see the list for himself. you feel his chest brush against your back and his breath behind your ear, making you shiver at the close proximity. before your mind could drift away to thoughts you weren't ready to have, you start walking towards the filing supplies.

riwoo, though puzzled by you suddenly walking away from him yet again, picks up his speed to catch up to you, "will you please stop wandering off without me?" the store was a lot more packed than he had expected, he didn't want to lose you in the crowd. however, you couldn't help yourself from wandering off, simply too excited and too nervous to stay close to him.

"hmm...sungho didn't specify the size of the folders in his list," you scan the paper in your hand. riwoo, once again moving to stand close behind you. "what size should we-" your words are cut off at the feeling of riwoo's hands brushing and hovering on your lower back as a person walked behind you. your brain short circuits for a moment and you somehow forget how to speak.

"sorry, what were you saying?" he asks. hands still hovering behind you.

"uh- sungho. folder." damn it. you curse yourself in your head. thankfully, riwoo is too concerned over people bumping against you to notice your stuttering. he does it again, leaning over your shoulder but with his hand hovering on your lower back.

oh, god.

you feel his breath on your cheek now. warming them up, or maybe it's warmth from your face blushing the longer he stayed close, practically pressed against you.

"let's just get both sizes to be sure." his lips faintly brush against your cheekbones as he spoke. making your cheeks even warmer. honestly, your whole face was heating up now. your chest wasn't any better. it felt like you were having a heart attack. it was beating in an abnormal way.

with a gulp, you nodded your head to agree with him, unable to trust yourself that you can talk without stuttering out a weird sound instead of an actual word. hurriedly, you grab the folders in front of you before, yet again, wandering off, to riwoo's disappointment. he sighs before jogging to catch up to you.

this time, you try to go through the list as quickly as possible. moving to different sections before riwoo could even breathe in the same spot as you. this gets him really frustrated. but you don't even notice the way he looked at you with furrowed eyebrows out of both concern and frustration. you can't even look at him now. not without your heart beat racing and blood rushing to your head. it was dangerous and very, very bad for your health.

riwoo almost gets a heart attack when he sees you almost tripping on a basket on the floor and bumping a stranger. tightly clutching the basket on his hand, he maneuvers his way towards you. he sighs in relief, now finally being able to stand next to you. "how many times do i have to tell you to stop wandering off by yourself? seriously, the place is packed, what if you had actually tripped back there?" he spits out rapidly upon reaching you. but it seems as though you were not even listening to his worries, "yn, are you listening to me?"

"can you grab those highlighters up there?" you ask him. completely ignoring his nagging. riwoo simply sighs before putting down the basket in his hand. another person coincidentally walks by the same time he tried to walk past behind you, making the space for him smaller. instinctively, he brushes a hand around your waist before reaching up for the highlighters you asked for. fingertips hovering right above your waist.

the sensation gave you goosebumps. and you felt dizzy from the blood rushing straight to your head. oh dear, you felt like you were about to pass out.

he lets go of your waist and sets down the highlighters in the basket, "what else is on the list?"

"uh...i think that's all," surprisingly, you manage to let out real words after that. but your legs betray you when they wobbled when you both started walking to the cashier. yet again, riwoo's hands are back on your waist. this time, a firm grip instead of hovering. now your face reddens out of embarrassment.

"you okay?" he asks, concern etched all over his features.

riwoo's hand never let go of your waist, even while you stood in line at the cashier. sometimes he would mindlessly squeeze them lightly and caress down to your hip before going back to rest on your waist. even until you were paying for the supplies. his other hand effortlessly grabbed his phone from his pocket to scan for the payment while keeping the other attached to your waist.

and when you both got out of the store, he never let go. not like you wanted him to anyway.

and its not like he wanted to let you go too.

he liked having you close. feeling your presence and your body, right on his fingertips.

©️ tobiotaesan

The anesthesia had hit him hard.

Like hard hard.

His eyes were half-open, his hoodie was crooked, and he kept blinking at the world like it personally offended him.

The second the nurse wheeled him out and pointed at you, his eyebrows furrowed in genuine confusion.

“Who’s that?”

You snorted quietly.

The nurse smiled patiently. “That’s your girlfriend, sweetheart.”

Riwoo’s head whipped toward you so fast you were genuinely worried he was going to give himself another medical issue.

His mouth fell open.

“That pretty girl?” he whispered dramatically.

The nurse nodded.

Riwoo looked back at you with the most devastated expression imaginable, like he had just discovered the meaning of life.

“THAT pretty girl is my girlfriend?!”

You burst out laughing immediately.

He slapped a weak hand over his chest. “Holy shit,” he gasped. “I bagged a baddie.”

“Riwoo!” you wheezed.

“No, wait—” He pointed at you with all the seriousness of a man delivering a speech at an awards ceremony. “Look at her. She’s gorgeous. How did I even pull that off?”

“You’re literally drooling right now.”

He gasped again, scandalized. “Don’t expose me in front of my girl.”

“I am your girl.”

He stared at you for a long moment before his expression softened into the dopiest smile ever.

“Oh,” he mumbled dreamily. “Nice.”

The ride home was even worse. Every thirty seconds he’d look at you like he’d never seen you before.

“You’re really pretty.”

“Thank you, baby.”

“No but like—” He leaned closer, squinting at you. “Are you famous?”

You nearly swerved the car.

“What?!”

“You look expensive.”

“Oh my god.”

By the time you got him home, he was basically attached to your side. The moment you tried helping him sit properly on the bed, his face turned pink all over again.

“Careful,” you laughed, fixing his hoodie. “Sit upright for me.”

Riwoo stared at you like you’d personally hung the stars.

“You’re so gentle with me,” he whispered.

“You just had surgery.”

“I think I’m in love with you.”

“You’ve BEEN in love with me.”

“Oh.” He blinked slowly. “Good decision honestly.”

You actually had to sit down because your stomach hurt from laughing. Meanwhile Riwoo was still staring at you with pure wonder written all over his face.

“Can you believe,” he said softly, “that out of every person in the world—”

You smiled. “Yeah?”

“—you picked me?”

“Aww.”

He pointed lazily toward himself. “This guy.”

You couldn’t even answer because you were too busy giggling while recording him.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Are you filming me?”

“Maybe.”

“Make sure you get my good angle.”

“You don’t have a good angle right now.”

He gasped loudly, clutching at his nonexistent pearls. “My own girlfriend bullying me after surgery. This is sick.”

“You literally called yourself a baddie collector an hour ago.”

“Because I am.” He nodded seriously. “Look at you.”

Then, completely out of nowhere, he grabbed your hand with both of his and kissed your knuckles with ridiculous concentration.

“I gotta marry you,” he mumbled.

Your face immediately warmed.

“Riwoo—”

“No seriously.” His eyelids were already drooping again. “Prettiest girl ever. Funny too. And she helps me not fall over.” He sighed happily. “That’s wife material.”

You stared at him for a second before quietly brushing his messy hair back.

“Go to sleep, loverboy.”

He smiled sleepily.

“Only if you stay.”

And honestly?

Hazy, clingy, absolutely-gone-on-anesthesia Riwoo might’ve been your favorite version of him yet.

© All rights reserved @gigisnextdoor 2026.

⋆｡°✩ HOW IT ALL STARTED… (prologue)

message from 한동민: oh yeahhh btw guys i forgot to send my linkedin type shhh. Mb gang, here it is: https://dongmin-is-so-sexy/profiles.com

01. um.. what do I do now.? Is there an instruction manual?

02. guys…the alien doesn’t know what a name is..

03. is it normal for her to just be saying my name? (wc. 1.1k)

04. pack it up. I gotta get the alien new clothes…

05. cooking might not just be her forte.

06. apparently i’m a big bad influence!

07. so uh….she’d rather mimic than play mimic? (wc. 1k)

08. wait…she doesn’t need sleep..?!

09. why is it that i’m either talking cap or delusional

10. posing like a pinterest girlfriend

11. her first day (back..?) to school!

12. she’s too popular for her own good

13. how can i teach what passion is when i don’t have one?

14. a small shop we found between two cafes

15. i mean, hand holding is normal for friends..right?

more to be posted…

TAGLIST: @ja4hyvn @flwoie @sulkygyu @xiaoderrrr @ineedaherosavemeenow @teddywonss @taerae-verse @bbangbies @voucearse @ruuroom @wensurr @tofu-kmi @leehanaholic @delirioastral @todorokiskitten @cherryblossomlovesblog @pluslandminun @ivehan @coerbnz @gorgeoustimetravler @angelyseo @hollyoongs @starriniqhts @riuscheri @letwiiparkjay @lookingforsnacks @started-with-f-ends-with-uck @waldorfiles @yesongi @fayepz @orbitsofyours @wooahoe @wiihan @wnouzi @daramgyu @lovesckaiwenn @w3willris3 @ziziforsan @woonhakfeet @txtsoobean @hollxe1 @kyunari @kazuxiao @beomtomie @elysianssoul @ru-lin @yumimeimi @corydorrys @skepvids

NETWORKS: @k-records

3 WEEKS BEFORE THE WEDDING

The envelope sits on your kitchen counter between a spoon and a jar of peanut butter, mocking you. It’s baby blue and has a floral design, just like the letter inside printed on expensive paper. You pull it out, read it over, just one more time, just to make sure, as if the words would change, as if you could ever forget.

We’re delighted to invite you to the wedding of Woo Haerim and Myung Jaehyun…

It doesn’t sound real. It sounds exactly the kind of prank you would pull on your best friend and not the other way around. Jaehyun is a touchy, clingy, laughs-harder-than-anybody-else kind of guy who likes to exaggerate and tease, but he wouldn’t joke about marriage. He’s too much of a romantic for that.

But there was a time when he was younger, after one too many shots, freshly graduated with honors, when he promised that if both of you are still single by the time you turn twenty-eight, he would marry you.

It was a running joke just between the two of you, a simple ‘it’s okay I will marry you anyway’ thrown around whenever one of your relationships ended or were single for too long. It was something to laugh about because… how cliché it was really, two best friends getting married? But suddenly you didn’t find it funny because your supposedly best friend was about to marry a girl you haven’t even met yet.

Jaehyun used to ask you about your opinion and it had become a little tradition too, giving bestie approval stamps to each other’s significant others. You weren’t a big fan of any of his past girlfriends but Haerim? You only knew about her at all because Sanghyuk mentioned her in passing the last time he visited you in Busan. You thought it wasn’t that serious if Jaehyun couldn’t be bothered to tell you himself, so what now, marriage? Make it make sense, Myung Jaehyun.

You let the phone ring for longer than necessary.

You never hesitated before when he called but now you feel like you need to compose yourself before you say something you will regret. So you take a deep breath and count to five before pressing the green button.

“Hey,” Jaehyun sounds relieved and the sound of his voice is enough to make you smile. It’s been a while since you talked.

“Hi,” you greet him back on auto-pilot but your voice comes out less cheery as it usually would. A part of you is still waiting for the punchline of a joke that probably doesn’t exist.

“Did you get my letter? I sent you one a two weeks ago,” he asks, all worried and you can easily imagine the frown on his forehead based on his tone alone.

You could blame it on the Korean Postal Service, saying that maybe the mail got delayed a bit in the countryside but the delivery time between Seoul and Busan is a few days maximum, a day if the letter was sent with priority stamp. The truth is you could have probably picked it up sooner from your mailbox but you rarely check it because it’s mostly just ads piling up. Who still sends letters in the 21st century? You wonder if it was Jaehyun’s fiancée’s idea to handle the invitations in the old fashioned way. Or is it just you being too practical for sentimental things like this?

“Uhm, yeah, actually, just yesterday,” you mutter, all awkward, and you mentally wince at your own reaction.

“Oh, okay, I was getting worried. That… maybe it got lost. Or worse, that you ignored it. I know we drifted apart lately but–”

“I would never ignore you, Jae,” you cut him off because no matter the time or distance, Jaehyun is still your best friend. He will always be. Who else would you play bingo with in the retirement house?

In all honesty, meeting Jaehyun was the best thing that happened to you in college. You have no idea how you would have survived without him. He has always been your biggest supporter, the one who took care of you when you were sick in the dead of winter or drunk enough to almost fall asleep on a bench in a park. You were like two peas in a pond, fueling each other’s energy, partners in crime. You met during a house party playing drinking games and you somehow managed to reduce him to tears when you told him that you thought Twilight was awfully cringe and a mess of a plot. He spent the rest of the night trying to change your mind, which he couldn’t, but you ended up walking away with a best friend anyways.

Now, it’s been almost five years since you graduated. Two since you moved to Busan because of an offer you couldn’t refuse. Eight months since you last saw him during Chuseok. Funny, isn’t it? You have known him for eight years and apparently eight months was enough for him to meet the love of his life and decide to marry her the summer before the two of you would turn twenty-eight. The thought tastes bitter in your mouth.

“I know that but still. So… are you coming? I can’t wait for you to meet Haerim! You’re gonna love her!” Jaehyun suddenly sounds much more chipper. It reminds you of those college days when he would act like he was on his deathbed, only to perk up when you put a cup of coffee in front of him.

You swallow around the glob in your throat because unlike him you aren’t that sure that you’re gonna love his fiancée.

“Duh? I wouldn’t miss my best friend’s wedding!” You click your tongue as if even the thought of it was offensive and really, it kind of is. No matter how surprised you were when you received the invitation, your answer has never been a question. You would drop anything to be there on his big day – even if only to tease him for crying because he’s definitely the type who would cry when he sees the bride walking down the aisle. But still, there’s an elephant in the room to address. “It’s just… a bit unexpected, you know?”

You’re careful as you choose your words and the way you keep your tone even. It’s unlike you with your unfiltered mouth that has gotten you in trouble before. Luckily, Jaehyun doesn’t seem to notice. He sounds all too happy to talk about the love of his life.

“Yeah, I know. But the thing they say? That you just feel it when it’s real? It’s true.”

“Yeah well… I wouldn’t know,” you mutter under your breath.

That’s the main difference between you and Jaehyun when it comes to romance: you don’t really believe in the big capital word Love and its all-consuming power while he believes in cinematic, swoon-worthy love stories. Your relationships usually ended because you felt like your boyfriends moved too fast, wanted too much, while his heart often shattered at the first signs of not fitting together perfectly. Not now, apparently.

“I’m happy for you,” you tell him and it’s honest despite the thorn in your side. You have never wanted him to be anything but happy.

“Thanks. But Y/N… Actually the reason why I called…” You can tell Jaehyun fidgets on the other side of the line and you force yourself to sit down, tapping on the floor while you wait for him to finish. “Can you join us a few days earlier? With Haerim’s family there… I can’t do this without you. I need you there with me.”

You glance at your planner open on your desk, the date of the wedding now highlighted with a bunch of question marks. You should probably think about having to ask for more day-offs than necessary and the last minute flights to Jeju but Jaehyun’s desperate voice fills your mind like static. You’re not surprised that the wedding preparations got him like that, he gets easily overwhelmed when there are a lot of things to do, but it’s the way he says it, that he needs you… that’s an arrow straight to the heart, bullseye.

You don’t even think. Never, apparently, when it comes to him.

“Yeah. Yes, of course.”

“I need a favour,” you blurt out as soon as Sungho picks up the phone after nine agonizing seconds. No hellos, no niceties, just straight to the point but he lets it slide.

“I’m listening,” he hums, already half amused, half concerned.

Not that he has any reason to be the latter. It was only one time that you called him from a hospital ward because the nurses didn’t let you leave on your own after unplugging the IV drips from your own arm.  A bit of dizziness after pulling all nighters because of a project deadline rarely hurt anybody, right? Okay, maybe two times, if he counts that night when you called him drunk after a shitty day and he had to pick you up from Gwangalli beach because you were convinced that you were staring at the sea from Haeundae and didn’t understand why you couldn’t find your way home. You made him give you a piggyback ride that day and shamelessly groped his arm muscles while singing a mainstream girl group song you claimed to hate. It’s Sungho’s favourite anecdote to bring up whenever you forget that you have a low alcohol tolerance.

The two of you started working for the association behind the Busan International Film Festival as juniors in the same year. You are both cinephiles, hence you have an endless list of movies to discuss and watch ready at all times. He also has most of his family back in Gangwon province, so you usually take the KTX train together around Seollal and Chuseok. But other than these, you couldn’t be more different. You are an unlikely duo: you being your chaotic, unapologetic self and him being always so put together. He’s your voice of reason while you’re his voice when he’s too polite to call somebody out on their bullshit. But somehow it works, he’s the closest friend you made since you left Seoul for bigger adventures and dreams. You would probably call him your best friend as of late if you weren’t still keeping that title for Jaehyun.

“I need you to be my plus one for Jaehyun’s wedding,” you tell Sungho without beating around the bush.

He coughs like he choked on something.

“As in the Jaehyun you were supposed to marry after turning twenty-eight?”

“Yes, that Jaehyun.”

There is no other Jaehyun in your life unless you count Jaehyun from accounting but he goes by Hyunjae anyways. So yeah, there is no other Jaehyun whose wedding you would attend but you also know that’s not why Sungho is asking, so you let out a dramatic sigh as you flop back onto your bed and start explaining.

“He’s getting married in Jeju at the end of June to the freaking daughter of KOZ’s CEO. Can you believe it? Jaehyun marrying into a chaebol family?” You snort and it’s mostly a rhetorical question because Sungho only knows Jaehyun from your stories, so he wouldn’t know. But you do and with his free spirit, it’s hard to imagine him navigating the intrigues of crazy rich people. “He wouldn’t rush a marriage like this, I really don’t get that part, so I’m pretty sure the girl is just manipulating him, maybe using him to get out of an arranged marriage. Jaehyun has too big of a heart for his own good, it could happen to him.”

“That sounds too much like an SBS drama, honey,” Sungho says and you can tell from the sound of his voice that he’s smiling wistfully because he knows you’re prone to act dramatic just for the sake of it. “Maybe they just fell madly in love.”

“Unlikely,” you grimace while you try to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach. “Jaehyun always second guesses himself when it comes to love. He’s not reckless like me.”

“And yet, you haven’t told him that you’re in love with him.”

It doesn’t sound accusatory, the way Sungho says it, but you still wince, because it’s a reminder of a bruise you forgot it hurt.

“I don’t want to lose my best friend over something like that,” you say, a little softer, a little quieter. Something like love, something you’re admittedly, historically suck at. Even if Jaehyun likes you back, you would mess it up one way or another. So why risk it?

“It looks like you will lose him anyways, so what now?” Sungho asks because he always asks the right questions even when you don’t like them. You don’t know what to say, you didn’t really think it through, you just knew that you don’t want to be in Jeju, alone, and watch the guy who could have been The One for you marry another girl. So you called Sungho because he always knew what to say and what to do, but you know it’s not something he can decide for you. “Y/N?”

“He just called me. He told me he can’t do this without me,” you whisper while keeping your eyes on the water stain on the ceiling. “Sungho… I can’t let a cunning rich girl take him away from me.”

“And what do you need me for?” Sungho asks simply, not even trying to talk you out of it. Just one more reason why you work together so well. He knows there would be no use of trying to convince you once you made up your mind. And now, he’s part of your plans too.

“For emotional support? To keep me accountable? Come on, Sungho. One week in Jeju, all-inclusive, you deserve a vacation.”

When Sungho groans, you know you won.

The truth is… you have always thought of Jaehyun more like a twin brother you never had. Until you moved away to a new city all alone and realized how big part of your life included him. Until Sungho asked about him.

Kind, sweet Sungho holding an umbrella above your head, his jacket over your shoulders after a company dinner, waiting for a bus. Sungho who blushed prettily when you called him handsome and floundered over his words when you asked what he would do with the number you saw one of the waitresses sliding to him.

“Probably nothing. She’s not really my type,” he said eventually, gazing down at the rain-washed road.

“Really? She seemed nice,” you feigned nonchalance while checking the time on your phone as if you weren’t suddenly curious about what his type might be, as if you didn’t wonder whether he preferred girls who shook up his life over the nice ones. You weren’t sure what exactly you wanted to hear but it surely wasn’t what went down when Sungho turned back to you.

“Is that your boyfriend?”

It was so sudden, so unprompted that you couldn’t even hide your surprise with a joke.

“Who?”

“The guy on your phone lockscreen.”

You look down at the device in your hand, at the candid photo of you and Jaehyun laughing Sanghyuk took when you three climbed Namsan in your senior year. Among the many love lockets there, there is a bright yellow one with your names and #hanyang2022 as proud soon-to-be graduates you were. It’s a nice photo, a happy memory, nothing more.

“What? No. That’s just Jaehyun, my best friend,” you say and because you’re naturally prone to bring chaos, you add, all chatty and casual: “I mean we do have a silly pact that we will get married if both of us are single when we’re twenty-eight, but we aren’t like that.”

“Oh,” Sungho reacted a bit dumbfounded and blinked slowly when the bus pulled up in front of you. “Well, it sounds to me like you are a bit like that.”

So this was how it started. Sungho making an assumption and turning his back to you. You catching up to him on the bus, wondering whether he was right. After all, he usually was.

5 DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING

And now, here you are, in Jeju with bright sunrises and the roaring sound of the sea, with Sungho by your side who came partly for the free hotel and free food… and partly for the drama (aka to judge you though he would never admit it).

Luckily, you managed to convince Jaehyun that he doesn’t need to come pick you up at the airport. This way you’re free to complain about the ridiculousness of destination weddings all the way from Jeju International to the fancy hotel Jaehyun’s rich fiancée readily booked you right away after you confirmed your flight details. Sungho mostly just hums along with your monologue but you blame it on his post-nap state. Still, somehow he’s still more present to navigate through the airport and get a taxi because you are too pre-occupied going through all the info Jaehyun sent you about the schedule.

“Dinner tonight, dress fitting tomorrow, then cocktail party, wedding venue check. Exclusive tea ceremony? Why the hell are rich people making such a big fuss about a wedding? Isn’t it supposed to be one day, signing documents and that’s it?”

“Maybe they want to make everybody feel included or just spend time together. Shouldn’t you be happy? It’s been a while since you last saw him,” Sungho says, squinting in the afternoon light as he takes your carry-on from the car after his and wheels both of them towards the hotel lobby.

“I would be more happy if this wasn’t for a wedding. I will have to act like I like his fiancée and you know I tend to panic when I lie and end up saying stupid things,” you mutter because your worst fear at this point is to unintentionally hurt Jaehyun over something stupid.

“Who knows maybe you will actually like her,” Sungho shrugs and you narrow your eyes at him.

“Whose side are you on again?” You put your hands onto your waist with a click of your tongue but force a smile on your face when the receptionist lady asks what she can help you with. You check in  without a problem and have your luggage handled by a bellboy. Breakfast is included in the price but only available until 9AM, so you’re already planning the latest feasible time to wake up tomorrow, making Sungho promise that he would wake you up while you’re riding the elevator to the top floor. Or at least it sure feels like it. The bellboy asks if you need help with anything else but leaves soon enough, so you’re ready to pass out on the bed’s expensive duvet when you realise exactly what’s off with the room.

When Jaehyun told you that Haerim got a suite for you and your plus one, you didn’t think to clarify that the room would need two beds because you naively thought suites would be like that, having multiple rooms or whatnot, and here you are now, staring at a singular albeit generously sized bed in a fancy room with a view of the sea. Funnily though, Sungho seems more scandalized by the idea if his widened eyes and cheeks dusted pink are anything to go by.

“I’m sleeping on the sofa,” he clears his throat, steering his suitcase towards the living room area already.

“Don’t be stupid,” you roll your eyes, gesturing wildly. “Look at this bed, it’s huge. We won’t even touch.”

Not to mention Sungho slept through the short flight on your shoulder which must not have been comfortable for his neck. You don’t want him to leave this trip with aching bones.

“But…”

“We used to crash at each other’s places with smaller beds with Jaehyun back in college. As long as you don’t steal all the blankets, I’m fine with it,” you shrug like it’s not a big deal because it shouldn’t be. Sure, it’s not college anymore and he’s not Jaehyun. But you are both mature adults, so what’s a little platonic bed sharing?

Sungho doesn’t say anything, just drops his bag at the leg of the bed and catches your wrist before you could faceplant yourself onto the soft-looking bed-covers.

“No outside clothes in bed,” he scolds, not mean, just firm, and there’s something hot in the authoritativeness of his voice and in the weight of his hand on your arm. You almost give in.

“Well, your half of the bed, your rules. My side of the bed, my rules,” you stick out your tongue and climb in just to prove a point.

You doze off quickly, only awakened by the alarm you set beforehand to get ready for the dinner reservation Jaehyun sent you. You open your suitcase only to notice that Sungho already put his neatly folded clothes into one half of the wardrobe while you were asleep. There’s also a bottle of your favourite passion fruit flavored ice tea on your bedside table which you doubt was the hotel’s doing.

“Ah, Sleeping Beauty is up,” Sungho teases with a gentle smile as he steps out of the bathroom.

In black tank top and sweatpants.

It takes everything in you not to stutter because is that really ironed shirts and cardigans Park Sungho in casual clothes? Are those defined biceps? Oh, so that’s why he could lift you up so easily when you were drunk.

“Where are you going?” You croak out, pushing yourself up to a sitting position.

“I’m checking out the gym while you catch up with Jaehyun,” Sungho says seemingly not catching on to your weirdly off tone.

“Of course you are.”

With how health-conscious he is, it just makes sense.

“You could always come with me,” he says and the worst thing is that he means it, so you just shoot him an unimpressed look and let out a grave sigh because it means he’s letting you face the wolves alone. As in your college best friend and his fiancée. How cruel.

Eventually you got out of bed albeit with more nerves and less enthusiasm than you should have. You showered and put on fresh clothes but Jaehyun really should have mentioned how fancy this booked restaurant was because you definitely felt underdressed in your crop top and linen maxi skirt combo approaching the gilded lettered, Greek pillared, bowtie waiter place. But before you could even whip out your phone and text Sungho about how pretentious this place was, you heard a shriek and heels clinking on the marble tiles.

“Oh my gosh, the infamous Y/N! I have heard so much about you!” The stranger exclaims and you’re pulled into an embrace before you could even process that you are the one being talked to.

The first thing you notice is that Haerim’s hair is ridiculously silky and she smells nice, like something flowery and sweet, something expensive for sure.

The second thing you notice is Jaehyun over her shoulder and how his hair is longer, curling around his nape. He is standing behind his fiancée with a wide smile on his face even though you’re frozen in place with your hands awkwardly hovering in the air like your body still can’t decide whether you were attacked or not.

“Well, I can’t say the same. Jae was quite secretive about you,” you say pointedly with a challengingly raised brow but Jaehyun just laughs giddily and Haerim isn’t offended at all.

“That’s okay, we will be like best friends by the end of the week! I have always wanted a big sister!” She shrieks as she pulls away and it’s even worse because she’s perfect. Doll-like eyes, feminine figure, an angelic smile. She looks at you with sparkling eyes like she actually means each of her words.

You hate her already.

Haerim links her arm with yours and pulls you towards the patio seating. She’s telling you about how she has always wanted to meet you and how happy she is that you’re here. She promises that you will love this place because her family used to come here every summer and everything is exquisite. Even her vocabulary is pretentious, you note with a barely concealed grimace you try to hide behind your wine glass. Thank god those were served as soon as you sat down.

“Uhm, so that’s why you chose Jeju?” You ask just to fill the void and not accidentally blurt out something about how you’re not buying the love story they’re trying so hard to sell right in front of you. Haerim is basically all over Jaehyun: their arms brushing, her hand on his thigh, glancing at him every few seconds. It’s so forced it makes you want to gag. Or maybe it’s just your allergy to public display of affection. Jaehyun used to call you skittish because you always pulled away when he tried to hug you, especially in public. Now you miss it more than anything.

“Haerim wanted the Maldives first but getting that many guests onto those islands would have been a nightmare, so we agreed on Jeju. It’s easier for everybody,” Jaehyun explains with big gestures and matching enthusiasm like he has always done. Its familiarity is the only thing that grounds you in this ridiculous situation.

“Maldives. Wow,” you mutter, fighting the urge to roll your eyes because rich people things once again. You and Jaehyun used to judge people who did things like it – spend money without a care in the world – together and you’re not sure how to feel about it. Did his infatuation blind him so much that he forgot?

“And he proposed on this beach too, so it’s extra romantic!” Haerim coos, reaching for Jaehyun’s hand resting on the table and you can’t help but let your gaze linger on their linked fingers and the diamond on Haerim’s ring finger. You’re pretty sure she did it on purpose to show off. She’s trying so hard to cling to your best friend that you wonder what she heard of you to act like it. What is she afraid of?

“Ooh did he?” You muse out loud, going along with Haerim’s little pre-orchestrated scheme. Of course, she would want to tell you about the proposal. Of how Jaehyun chose her.

“Yes! There was a heart made out of rose petals on the sand, a live band playing one of my favourite songs and everything.”

“Hah, I didn’t take you for such a romantic,” you lift your gaze to Jaehyun in defiance, watching the way his eyes widen in pseudo-offence and how he sits up just a bit straighter. It’s good to know you still know how to poke his buttons.

“He’s very romantic! He even handwrites letters for me every month!” Haerim speaks up faster than he could answer though and it’s not a surprise, you have gotten handwritten cards from Jaehyun for every occasion, Christmas, birthdays, graduation. You kept them all in a metal box in the very back of your drawer without telling him.

“But enough about us, tell us about your boyfriend!” Haerim leans closer lowering her voice as if it’s some hot gossip and you can see the corner of Jaehyun’s mouth twitch, that signature smile of his gone.

“My–” You blink, processing her words and it takes you an embarrassingly long moment to realise she must have meant Sungho. Double bed and all. Ah.

“Come on, don’t be shy now,” Haerim nudges your arm and before you could explain, Jaehyun shakes his head with a nostalgic smile playing on his lips.

“She isn’t shy, she just doesn’t really date seriously,” he says like it’s the universal truth and in that moment you make a decision just to prove him wrong.

A bad decision? Probably.

A reckless decision? Definitely.

A decision Sungho will judge you for? Most likely.

“Uhm, there’s just not much to tell, it’s all very new,” you lie through your teeth with a fake smile and hide your guilt behind the wine glass. But it works because under the layer of surprise, a hint of hurt flashes in Jaehyun’s eyes. Good, now he knows how you feel, you think bitterly and look down at the menu.

4 DAYS UNTIL THE WEDDING

“You told them what?” Sungho gapes at you with widened eyes and disbelief clear on his face.

After you got back yesterday, you told him everything about Haerim and the cheesy stories, the ridiculously well-done meat at the restaurant with its horrendous prices but not this. You waited until the last minute to tell him about this teeny tiny detail maybe he should have known before meeting the couple. That last minute just happened to be the hotel elevator going down to the lobby.

“I didn’t plan it but you should have heard them! It was either this or letting Jaehyun know that the reason why I don't date seriously is because I’m half in love with him!” You whisper-shout with desperation dripping from your voice.

“Oh no, no, don’t drag me into this. I’m here as emotional support, not as–”

Ping.

Murmurs of conversations fill your ears as soon as the elevator doors open at lobby level, followed by a now familiar shriek.

“Oh my gosh, you must be the boyfriend!”

“Yeah, uhm, this is Sungho, my boyfriend,” you force a smile, stepping a bit closer to him, trying to beg him with your best doe eyes to play the role. “Babe, this is my college best friend, Jaehyun and his fiancée, Haerim.”

Sungho’s mouth is pressed in a tight line but he manages a polite smile as he looks at the couple.

“Nice to meet you both. I have heard a lot about you from Y/N-ie,” he says smoothly, dragging out your name overly sweet. He has never called you that. Your stomach flips.

In disgust, of course.

“Only good things, I hope,” Jaehyun laughs but there’s something forced in it, you can tell and when you see his eyes flit downwards, you grab onto Sungho’s hand like it’s a lifeline. He flinches but covers it up nicely with a full-bodied laugh.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” You wiggle your eyebrows at Jaehyun and follow the couple to the hotel’s restaurant for brunch as they suggested the evening before.

Once you are seated, Sungho immediately reaches for the water jug to pour some for everybody even though according to Korean table manners, it should be the youngest’s job, so Haerim’s who is too busy making suggestions about the menu, swearing by their pancakes with maple syrup and somehow ends up comparing them to the ones she had in freaking Paris. It almost makes you roll your eyes but instead you ask about her time there. It turns out she did a semester abroad there for her fashion management degree and she even speaks French because of course, she does. You bet she learned ballet and piano too and excelled in them all.

When your food arrives, you’re still listening to her, briefly beaming at Sungho when he passes over his fresh, cut strawberries to your plate because they are your favourite. It’s not an unusual thing between you, sharing food because you often spend lunch break together, so it’s nothing special but when you catch Jaehyun’s eyes, he stares at you as if he couldn’t believe what he’s seeing.

“So uhm… how did this happen? You’re working at the same company, right?” He gestures between the two of you after taking a sip of his coffee. Black, no sugar, which is crazy because he has always hated bitter things. He always complained that he couldn’t understand how you could actually like the taste of Americano. Now, look at him forcing it down because Haerim ordered it for him.

“Yeah, we’ve been friends for a while though but then…” You trail off, unsure how to continue and you glance at Sungho for help who just raises his eyebrow while chewing on his food as if saying you dug yourself this hole, so climb out of it too. The way he tilts his head has his hair fall into his eyes and you almost yelp as the idea hits you.

“Then he dyed his hair blond! Doesn’t he look hot? It turned my whole world upside down,” you exclaim with a hand darting out to fix Sungho’s bangs for him, which hopefully looks domestic enough and not awkward. (It sure does, Haerim cooes loudly.)

Sungo blinks, that dumbfounded cute blink of his when he hears something he can’t quite believe. He doesn’t pull away from your hand though, just blinks a few more in repetition then clears his throat, collecting himself, but you see his ears turn red.

“So you’re saying I wasn’t hot before?” He challenges with a pout forming on his lips. Damn, he’s a good actor, you never gave him enough credit for that.

“No! I just didn’t notice it. You also always wear these preppy outfits to work hiding your muscles!” You point out poking his arm because let’s be honest, Sungho looks like a prince. Not your usual type, the easy-going dudes in leather jackets you would run into at clubs, but you aren’t blind, you know he looks good. Maybe you’ve even had a moment of insanity when you could ogle at his biceps for the first time.

“So you made the first move? It was the same for us!” Haerim cheers excitedly and you start to wonder whether that’s her default reaction for everything. Nobody can be that excited all the damn time.

“Your brother was my business partner, of course, I couldn’t hit on you,” Jaehyun reminds her.

“Excuses, excuses,” she waves it away.

Luckily, the rest of the brunch goes smoothly, no awkward questions you have to lie about and you swear you will get cavities from the way Jaehyun looks at Haerim when they feed each other. He looks bewitched and it stirs something bitter and mad in the pit of your stomach. Too bad you have always liked bitter things.

After brunch, Haerim steals you away for dress fitting which also leaves Sungho alone with Jaehyun. You look back at their duo with an awkward smile while the girl is dragging you away and how unlikely their pair is really, it’s almost funny. That’s your two best friends and they couldn't be more different. A cat and a dog, really.

“You could have been the maid of honor but Jaehyun wanted you as his best woman, so you don’t have to match with the bridesmaid but it would be nice to go with the same color palette,” Haerim says while linking your arms and mentions a bunch of fashion terms you don’t know nor care about. You let her guide you to the salon, take the offered tea and pretend not to be bored while you’re trying to see the difference between the shades of light hot pink and pink pearl in the handle book.

After what feels like a small eternity, the curtains are pulled back and you look up at a literal angel.

“So… what do you think?” Haerim asks with uncharacteristic uncertainty in her voice as she twirls.

With her fashion degree and money and feminine traits, you expected her to go all out and choose a wedding dress so flashy and princess-y that you would want to gag but no, she’s beautiful. It’s an elegant dress with fine details in the most gorgeous glossy white colour you have ever seen. The veil falls smoothly over her bare shoulders from her simple updo and you’re sure she will be even more breathtaking on the big day when she has her hair properly done and accessories on.

Wait, what happened to not letting a rich chick steal your best friend?

“Jaehyun might cry,” you mumble, snapping out of your stupor. You force a smile when Haerim lets out a relieved chuckle. Apparently, she doesn’t find the thought of her fiance crying embarrassing.

“He really might. He’s a real crybaby, isn’t he? Makes me wanna bubble wrap him on most days,” she says with so much endearment in her voice people usually use when talking about cute dogs and not adult men.

“Right? Don’t even get me on how much of a scaredy cat he is!” You carry on, hoping to get some kind of reaction out of Haerim that could prove she only likes Jaehyun when he’s cool and composed. But no amount of embarrassing college stories can fade the smile on the girl’s list while she’s busy getting you into a pretty pink dress that exposes your back. It’s not your usual style but you go along with it, hoping that it would be the end of your little dress fitting shopping tour but somehow you end up with three new dresses and matching shoes. By the time you make it back to the hotel room, you feel like you could strangle anybody who claims shopping is relaxing.

3 DAYS UNTIL THE WEDDING

You’re drawing your eyeliner with precise focus, leaning closer to the bathroom mirror while listening to Sungho’s recounting of yesterday’s events from the bedroom through the door left ajar. He has been at it for ten minutes or so because apparently he wasn’t tortured by shopping. Good for him.

“Sounds like you had fun,” you mention and it sounds more surprised than you actually are. Maybe if you weren’t so worried about Sungho accidentally spilling the beans while spending the day with Jaehyun, you would have seen it coming. No matter how different they essentially are in terms of their attitude, they are not only both close friends with you but also extroverts and well… guys.

“Yeah, it turned out he also likes football and karaoke, so we bonded over those. He’s a bit too touchy for me but he’s easy to be around and very likeable, so I get why you’re caught up with him,” Sungho says, like it’s an everyday thing for him to befriend your… crush or whatever. Jaehyun has been your best friend your entire adult life, you have never referred to him differently. It’s only because of Sungho’s sharp eyes and his master ability to spot when you’re lying that he even knows how seriously you took that little promise Jaehyun had made about marriage.

“I’m not caught up with him, I’m…”

You actually don’t know how to describe this feeling. You have been angry and disappointed when you got the wedding invitation a few weeks ago, then desperate when panic settled in, but now? You’re more than confused. Despite the distance between you, in a way you have always thought of Jaehyun as your person, somebody who would always be in your life through everything, somebody you could always count on. But him getting married? He would have a family of his own, they would automatically become the most important people in his life and you would be put on the backburner. Somehow that thought leaves you more unsettled than the possibility of him not liking you back.

But then you play back the way his eyes went to your hands linked with Sungho, how he stared when you whispered something into your fake boyfriend’s ear and it just doesn’t make sense. He invited you here, he said he needed you here and yet, he’s being lovey-dovey with his wife-to-be as if he didn’t need you at all. It makes you want to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. Why is he confusing you?

“I just can’t imagine my life without him,” you say and grimace at your own words because they sound pathetic no matter how true they are. Or maybe that’s exactly why. Sure, you’re not those kind of friends who text or call everyday but he’s the first person you tell if something happened. Okay, maybe second because Sungho is usually there.

You rub your lips together after applying the bold lipstick and give yourself one last look in the mirror. Your life might be a mess but at least you’re looking like a hot mess while managing it all.

“Anyways I need to find some time to talk to him, just the two of us. He sounded different over the phone when he asked me to come, so I want to know what that was about,” you say, mostly to yourself to keep yourself accountable, before leaving the bathroom you have occupied in the last half an hour to get ready for the cocktail party.

Sungho is doing his tie, his brows furrowed, face focused, when you step out the bathroom in one of the new dresses Haerim told you to get. When he lifts his head, his fingers freeze in the middle of a knot and he gapes like fish in a market.

“You look…”

“Ridiculous, I know. But Haerim said the party’s theme is hydrangea blue or whatever, so it is what it is. At least it’s super soft,” you sigh, smoothing down the lines of the baby blue material. It’s technically not uncomfortable, and if you really wanted to, you would have told Haerim you’re not wearing this (though she seems like somebody who would weaponize her doll eyes), but it’s rare for you to dress up like this, so it feels weird.

Not to mention, you feel strangely self-conscious about it in front of Sungho, who has mostly seen you sporting business casual or just everyday casual looks at work. The last time he commented on your outfit, it was because he recognized the 10 Things I Hate About You quote on your T-shirt and you ended up discussing the movie as expected of two nerds who work in the film industry.

“I was about to say that you look pretty,” Sungho mutters, looking down at his tie again. It takes him three attempts to find the front loop and secure it around his neck.

You feel your cheeks flush at the compliment, not knowing how to react to it. He isn’t supposed to just say things like that. Not when there’s nobody to perform to.

“Thanks. You don’t look half bad either,” you wave in his general direction, suit and tie and all, trying to get over this weird awkwardness in the air. You have never been like this before, why start now? “Uhm, can you…?”

You turn around, pulling your hair away from your back to reveal the halfway stuck zipper. Asking for help is not your forte but once again you’re not well-versed in the art of putting on intricate dresses either. Luckily, Sungho understands what you want without you having to spell it out.

“Oh, right,” he clears his throat and steps closer. You can feel his laboured breathing on your shoulder just before his fingers gently brush against your spine and air gets stuck in your throat. His warm touch leaves goosebumps behind as the zipper smoothly slides upwards and his fingers linger on your nape just a moment too long before he steps back. You exhale shakily.

Now, that further complicates things. Gosh.

The garden cocktail party is in full swing by the time you arrive. Haerim mentioned that some relatives and close friends arrive just in time for that but when she said some, you thought of maybe four or six, not a dozen. So introductions are in place and you try your best to remember every face. Gahyun, Haerim’s best friend, makes it especially easy after she looks at you like you're a hazardous risk. At least now you know for sure that you have a reputation.

Two colourful, sweet drinks later you’re determined to make sure you deserve whatever they made up in their minds about you. It’s quite petty but once you start, you just can’t stop, not when it’s so easy. You have years worth of stories with Jaehyun and it seems innocent enough to mention a few here and there, just to remind Haerim that you will always know him better. That she might be in Jaehyun’s bed now but you have been there first no matter how platonic that was. You mention family visits, vacations together, anything you can think of whenever random people ask about your friendship with the fiance. You make it sound casual, just an old friend reminiscing about the past, but you pay close attention to Haerim and how she’s listening even when she’s talking with others.

“Come on, dance with me. It’s our song,” Sungho smiles, very much charming and convincing, excusing you from the table in the middle of a college party retelling Haerim’s brother seems particularly interested in. You pout but let Sungho take your hand and pull you towards the flower-surrounded dancefloor in the middle of the garden. Only then you realize that the slow song that plays is indeed the one you ever danced to together, the first night you ever saw Sungho drunk during an overnight company outing because he kept losing the games. Back then it was you who pulled him to the dancefloor and giggled at his sleepy eyes. You wouldn’t have thought that he even remembered.

“What are you doing?” He hisses, lowering his voice as he leans closer, his breathing fanning over your ears.

He sounds incredulous, like he can’t believe what he’s witnessing. To your ears it sounds like a scolding, so you shrug like a reluctant child. Then you realize you’re just standing in the middle of the dancefloor, so you slide your arms around Sungho’s neck and start swaying from side to side.

“Did you see how Gahyun looked at me? She’s a much worse actress than Haerim is. They hate me. I want to see Haerim’s nice girl act break too.”

You knew it was all too good to be true: Haerim and how much of an open arms she welcomed you. None of Jaehyun’s ex-girlfriends were that excited to meet you and you can’t blame them. In a culture where female-male friendship is rare, your longwithstanding friendship with Jaehyun is enough to make a romantic interest feel threatened. Especially if they know how clingy Jaehyun could get with his friends.

“It honestly looked like you’re just desperate for attention,” Sungho whispers, finally letting his hands rest on your wrist after what feels like an internal battle. His touch feels grounding; both his presence and his closeness. So maybe that’s why the comment doesn’t hurt, because coming from him it’s not judging. You pull back just enough to look him in the eyes, to confirm there’s no disappointment there, and Sungho looks back at you with the same gentle eyes as always.

“Maybe I am,” you say, defiant. With a sigh, you lean your head against his shoulder, letting your eyes scan the people at the table you just left. “We have been here for two days and Jaehyun hasn’t even tried to talk to me.”

It’s silly because you have seen him each day. It’s also greedy. He’s busy, you know he is, but you miss your best friend and you want to know if he missed you too. If his determination to marry has been shaken by any measure with you here.

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t have told him that you have a boyfriend,” Sungho, ever the voice of reason, points out what changed since your phone call with Jaehyun and you give it a thought.

“Did he say anything about it? When it was just the two of you?”

“He told me that he will make my life hell if I break your heart,” he says, amused, but his pause is too sudden, so you wait for him to continue. Eventually he does. “I told him it’s more likely that you will break mine. He agreed. That’s about it.”

The concept of breaking Sungho’s heart is foreign. You have never seen him in love or heartbroken, he never really talked about that kind of stuff even though the company dinner was just one occasion of many when you saw him getting numbers.

“So you both think I’m a heartbreaker, huh. What a slander,” you click your tongue pseudo-offended.

“I mean I saw you reject that heart-eyed intern…”

“I’m not into younger guys and he confessed in public! I hate that kind of thing,” you huff with a little shove at Sungho’s shoulder. He lets out a laugh as he dramatically stumbles backwards and the sound of it echoes in your ears. You have always liked his unguarded laughter.

When the song ends with Sungho dipping you, his palm secure on your waist and his smile matching yours, somehow you forget about Jaehyun watching.

One more cocktail and a long-winded discussion with Haerim’s K-drama obsessed aunt about the film industry later, you’re back in the hotel room actively trying to become one with the soft blankets.

Sungho is in the shower when there’s a knock on the door, so you have to be the one to get it even if you want to do nothing less. A groan escapes you as you push yourself up since you’re just tipsy enough for your head to not appreciate the sudden movement. At least you get to the door without stumbling, that’s a win, and when you open it, the sight in front of you is sobering enough.

“Hey,” Jaehyun smiles sheepishly, his right hand stuck halfway between a knock and an awkward wave. He looks two seconds away from fleeting as he glances behind you. He must be expecting Sungho. “Are you free for a bit?”

“Yes, of course,” you nod without thinking and step out to the corridor, pulling the door closed behind you.

“I remember that concert,” Jaehyun points at your chest and you glance down automatically. You have an old merch tee on, one you had since college because its soft cotton material is perfect for sleeping. You bought it at an indie band gig you had gone to together with Jaehyun because he hadn’t wanted you to go alone.

“We had the time of our lives that day,” you look up with a smile as nostalgia washes over you. “I’m pretty sure you enjoyed the concert more than me even though you hadn’t even heard about the band before.”

“Yeah, well, I think I mostly had fun because you had fun,” Jaehyun says and there’s something there in the way he says it, something so subtle you can’t quite pinpoint what it is. There’s a playful grin playing on his lips but there’s a shade of melancholy in his eyes. You aren’t ready to address it though, not yet.

“I miss those times when we could just show up at each other’s dorm like this and hang out. Living so far from each other sucks,” you end up saying instead and slide down by the wall to sit on the cushioned corridor floor. It’s a weird thing to do in a fancy hotel but it’s more awkward to just stand there while you’re in your pajamas and Jaehyun is still in his suit-and-tie outfit, his blue necktie (that matched Haerim’s dress) crooked slightly. He doesn’t even question your actions, doesn’t tell you to get up. No, he has always been with you when you did silly stuff like this and it seems like it’s something that hasn’t changed.

“But you love living in Busan,” he points out after he sits down, his shoulder lightly brushing yours. Something coils in your stomach at the accidental touch.

“More than I expected actually. It has city vibes and chill beaches too,” you muse out loud, thinking of those exhausting days when after work you and Sungho go down to the sea with a can of beer in hand and suddenly everything feels better.

“And it has Sungho too,” Jaehyun adds to your list. It makes you pause for a moment, confused, wondering whether you said that last part out loud, but then you just shrug it off.

“Yeah, I guess it has.”

Sungho with his crisp Seoul dialect is even more of an outsider in the beach town than you are, so even though you met him there, you don’t associate him strongly with the city. But you’re glad he’s there with you, that’s true. He’s a good person, his level-headedness balances out your impulses and he’s supportive enough to come with you for this wedding just because you asked. He’s even willing to play your boyfriend just to save your dignity. He has seen your drama queen moments and he’s still here.

“But I still miss you, you know?” You turn your head towards your best friend, tasting ache on your tongue as the too-honest words leave your mouth.

“I miss you too,” Jaehyun replies automatically, the smile on his lips turning mellow. “I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” you tell him and you mean that. Even if you never imagined him getting married – not really, not even with you despite that inner joke of yours – it’s still true. You would want to be there at every important event of his life.

Silence settles between you, or at least as much of a silence as it’s possible in a hotel full of guests. A baby cries a floor away and a couple is arguing in front of the elevator just down the corridor. But in the middle of it all, you realize with startling clarity that it’s the first time it has been just the two of you, just how you wanted. It’s nice, cozy, but it misses the butterflies one would expect from having a crush nearby. Is it because it’s been so long since you’ve seen each other?

Jaehyun is nibbling on his lower lip, a nervous tick of his, so you know there’s more he wants to say he just doesn’t know how. Of course, he has something to say, he has come to your room to specifically seek you out, but here you are getting lost in nostalgia on the floor. Anticipating builds in your guts seeing Jaehyun’s hesitancy and when he speaks up, you can only blink in surprise.

“Haerim and I… we don’t even have a song, you know. Is that a bad sign?”

You think back to Sungho stealing you away for your song, to Jaehyun’s eyes following you, to all the years when you thought that down the road you would be the right ones for each other without having to say anything.

“Are you having second thoughts?” You ask cautiously.

It’s exactly what you wanted to hear before you came to Jeju, you wanted him to have doubts, but it’s not as satisfying as you hoped it would be.

“I’m afraid she’s just settling with me and she will regret it,” Jaehyun mutters, staring at his polished shoes and the implications of his words boil your blood.

“Hey, come on! You’re such a catch! Anybody would be lucky to have you,” you don’t even care how loud your voice gets as you rush to protest because what? Somebody regretting being with Jaehyun? They would have to be mad. “Is it the money? Is that what makes you feel this way?”

You lower your voice because that’s the only reason you can think of. Does he feel pressured to provide Haerim the princess lifestyle she has grown up in? Did she or her family ever make him feel less because of his middle class background?

“No! That was never the issue with us. I don’t know… Sometimes I just feel like I’m not enough. Or that I’m actually too much,” he sighs, looking down at your hand over his, the first thing you could grab on in your vehement reactions. Your fingers tremble. “Before Haerim, you were the only person I was this comfortable with. But I held back even with you.”

“You did?” Your voice breaks as the arrow pierces deeper into your heart. Jaehyun looks into your eyes with a sad smile playing on his lips. In his eyes, you see a younger version of yourselves, naive and wild. Stupid.

“You never liked being held for long. You never liked hearing ‘cringe’ things like I love yous.”

Point well made. You were also always quick to argue with strangers who mistook you for a couple. When Jaehyun flirted, you flirted back twice as hard, going along with his mischief because he did that with all his friends, girls and boys alike, but you always treated it as a joke, even when it didn’t sound like one. It felt safer that way. Those I love yous though, they were as platonic as they could get and you rarely said it back. As if articulating them out loud would have changed everything.

“But… just because I’m not saying it out loud, it doesn’t mean I don’t–”

Surely he knows, he has to know. You have been friends for almost a decade. He’s one of the most important people in your life.

“I know, but Y/N… sometimes people need to hear it,” he whispers and there’s a moment there, suspended in time and space, as you look into his always warm chocolate brown eyes that you almost give in. Your heart feels like it’s on the verge of splitting open and spilling your guts. All the ugly parts, right here onto the pristine hotel corridor.

But then something buzzes and Jaehyun rips his gaze from you, his hand slipping from under yours to get his phone.

You clear your throat and look away, exhaling shakily.

“Uhm… I have to go. Haerim needs me,” your best friend excuses himself with worry evident in his voice and you wipe off the non-existent dirt from your clothes as you get up from the floor. 

“Yeah, of course, you should go,” you force a smile onto your lips.

“Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that I’m happy that things are working out for you and Sungho. I know you don’t like excessive PDA and he seems to be similar in that sense which is great,” Jaehyun adds in a hurry, as if it’s an afterthought from your previous conversation.

It leaves you feeling gutted but you can do nothing but watch him walk away, back to his fiancée.

Sungho doesn’t say anything when he opens the door to you. He doesn’t even scold you for forgetting to take a key card with you. He doesn’t ask what you were doing out there in your sleepwear, but you have a feeling that he knows. He just puts away the book he has been reading and switches off the bedside lamp when you slip under the covers next to him.

It’s dark and quiet but sleep doesn’t come easy. After a few long minutes you give up.

“Sungho?”

He hums half-asleep.

“Was I mean? At the party?” You whisper, thinking back on your attitude and that maybe it was too much, maybe you made Haerim cry and Jaehyun will hate you for it when she tells him.

The question is followed by silence for long enough for you to think that Sungho might have fallen asleep in the meantime.

“No. You were just hurt,” he answers eventually with some tired rowdiness in his voice but his words wash over you like a balm you didn’t know you needed. If asked, you would blame your next actions on the sentimentality of the moment, on feeling seen and understood, but you damn hope nobody will ask why you snuggle close to your fake boyfriend, why you mold yourself against his side when you have a huge bed.

You feel Sungho tense against you, his body going rigid for a moment before relaxing. You half-expect him to laugh, to call you a child, to pull away–

But when he moves, it’s only to slide an arm under your head and hold you close.

Neither of you says anything and you close your eyes, your thundering heart calming down.

Even in the dark, there’s something comforting about Sungho’s closeness. He smells like fresh laundry and the hominess of movie dates. Like something loved and familiar.

You drift to dreamland within what feels like seconds.

2 DAYS UNTIL THE WEDDING

On Wednesday, you’re checking out the wedding venue. It’s decorated with lisianthus and tea roses and even though you have no idea how to tell apart one white flower from another white flower or tea roses from normal roses, Haerim felt it was important to point that detail out.

Jaehyun and she walk in the front, following the event manager, while Sungho and you are a few steps behind them. You really don’t get why you’re here though, not until the couple doesn’t agree on a color or a seating arrangement and suddenly, your opinion matters. Temporarily at least because at the end, Jaehyun will go with whatever Haerim wants anyways and she kisses him on the mouth for that. Whenever that happens, something uncomfortable brews in your stomach. You can’t tell if it’s jealousy, envy or something else entirely.

Admittedly, the cake tasting is the best part of the day’s itinerary. You take a picture of all six options to send them to Sanghyuk later, so he knows what he’s missing out on just because he couldn’t cancel his dance classes ahead of a competition.

“Here, try this,” Sungho holds out a forkful of the white chocolate vanilla cake for you while you’re angling your phone over another dessert. Without thinking, you lean in to let him feed you. You don’t really realise how corny it is until you notice Jaehyun’s surprised face, but even then you focus on Sungho beaming at you.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” He asks with sparkling eyes and white-dusted mouth, his childlike enthusiasm endearing.

“Yeah, it’s really good,” you agree after swallowing. Then you reach out to wipe off the sugar powder from the corner of his lips. It’s a subtle action, you don’t really think much into it but color fills Sungho’s cheeks and you can’t help but think that it’s a good look on him.

On your way back you spontaneously end up at a noraebang. It’s Sungho’s idea because apparently he and Jaehyun promised to do a duet one day and it’s as good of a time as any. Haerim seems clearly uncomfortable with the idea of singing, so you tell her that it’s okay, she doesn’t have to come. The moment you tell her that though, something like determination flares in her eyes and she decides to join the fun anyways. Of course, she wouldn’t leave you alone with her fiance now, would she? You smile at her as if you didn’t see through her and tell her that she will be the first one to sing then.

It’s a mistake because Haerim comes over her discomfort halfway through the song but you have to listen to an IU song’s totally debauchered, off-key and zero rhythm version until the end. Nothing is sacred anymore. Not to mention how Jaehyun coos at her and tells her how well she did and you can just sit there and drink your soju like this performance didn’t traumatize your eardrums. Luckily, Sungho’s rendition of ballads and Jaehyun’s hip hop song covers raise the bar of the night.

The biggest surprise of the night comes later though, when after finishing your second bottle of peach flavoured soju, you go to the restroom and Haerim’s suddenly there by the time you open the door to the handwash area.

“Jeez,” you put a hand on your chest to ease the fright she caused while she just giggles, clearly more drunk than you are.

“Unnieee~ I’m so glad you’re here,” she mumbles as she half-hugs you from behind while you wash your hands, pressing her rosy cheeks against your shoulder. It’s almost unsettling because her clinginess is very Jaehyun-like. It’s cute. Not to mention, there’s nobody to fake niceties for there nor does she look like she’s in the state to do so, so she must actually mean it. You don’t know how to feel about that. “It’s so fun. I have always wondered how Jaehyun was at college, what it would have been like to be there together.”

“You didn’t miss out on a lot. Both of us were a mess at college,” you shake your head and close the tap. Haerim finds your answer quite funny because she’s chuckling right into the material of your shirt.

“Jaehyunnie is still a mess sometimes, but shh…” The girl’s head lulls to the side as she puts a finger against her lips. “I love  him a lot. He’s my mess.”

“Alright, he’s all yours,” you mutter, tasting the sharp bitterness of alcohol on your tongue as you peel her off your back, help her empty her stomach into the toilet bowl while holding her hair and walk her back to the karaoke room, so that your best friend can coddle her. You don’t miss the worried look on Sungho’s face as you sit down next to him. Somehow it makes you want to laugh… or cry. Or both.

Soju hits you harder than those cocktails from two days ago. You reach this conclusion on your own as you sit on the toilet lid in your hotel bathroom, feeling strangely emotional.

“They are perfect together, aren’t they?” You whisper, your bottom lip wobbling. It’s not a real question, you know the answer. “Whenever I watch them, I feel like a villain from a Disney original.”

Sungho moves smoothly around you, fluid like water. He doesn’t seem tipsy at all as he gets a makeup wipe from your bag and crouches down in front of you to assess the situation. You smile at him slowly, mellow before closing your eyes and only flinch a bit when the wet material touches your face. Sungho whispers sorry immediately as if it was his fault.

“I’m not jealous though. At least I don’t think so. Is it envy? That I think we could have had that?” you mumble, the words spilling out like something broke inside you. “Or maybe not. Is it weird that I only realised I have a crush to begin with when I moved away and couldn’t see him regularly? I didn’t even think about it until you asked.”

Sungho doesn’t answer, just continues to wipe away all the makeup products until your face is bare and glowy with your favourite night serum. He smoothes out the frown on your forehead with gentle fingers and when you blink your eyes open, you find his almond eyes bore into yours like he never wants to look away even if it hurts him.

“I think you need closure,” he says and from his mouth it sounds so simple, so logical. “Tell him how you feel and if he rejects you, at least you can move on.”

If he rejects you, he says as if you still had a chance, as if you didn’t spend the last four days watching the couple behaving disgustingly lovey-dovey. You shake your head vehemently.

“I can’t tell him. He will choose Haerim. Why wouldn’t he? She’s kind and pretty and rich. She’s perfect.”

Actually it’s not the rejection that scares you, you aren’t the type to take such things to heart. Losing your best friend is the scariest part of all.

“Y/N…” Sungho’s voice is soft like a lullaby as he calls your name and his thumb caressing your cheek is ever so gentle. “People don’t care about perfection when they fall in love. They just fall.”

You want to ask him if he’s familiar with the feeling. Of falling without knowing there’s a safety net. But exhaustion blankets your body like an invisible weight and your forehead drops onto his shoulder. Half-asleep, you hear him murmur something about you being a handful but it sounds terribly fond as he slides a hand underneath your knees and carries you to bed. You scrunch your nose at the tickling feelings of something in your face but soon your breathing evens out to the rhythm of fingers raking through your hair.

1 DAY UNTIL THE WEDDING

The day before the wedding starts with you dealing with the consequences of your drinking habits and making bad life decisions. Just the usual.

When Sungho gets back from the gym, you’re eating the hangover soup he has left behind with a sticky note on your bedside table. (You really don’t deserve his unwavering kindness; you owe him big time when you get back to Busan.) He greets you casually and heads to the bathroom only to make a double take and turn back around.

“Y/N… Why are we having a wedding dress in our room?” He asks suspiciously as he stares at the two garment bags hanging from the wardrobe’s doors, one of them unmistakably containing white silk material.

Well, about that…

“You stole Haerim’s wedding dress?” Sungho’s voice rises higher as realization dawns onto him.

“I can explain! I panicked,” you throw up your hands in defence and really, it wasn’t like you had planned it. It just happened.

You were still very much half-asleep and fighting demons (a headache) when the dress shop called saying that they could have your last dress delivered because they finished with the fitting. It was the shop assistant who brought up Haerim and how they couldn’t reach her earlier this morning. It just slipped out that they could deliver her dress to your hotel as well. You were just trying to be helpful until you realized this was the perfect opportunity to stir drama.

“So… let me get this straight: you want to test whether Haerim would throw a fit over the missing dress? Because if she doesn’t she might deserve your best friend?” Sungho tilts his head, confused. You don’t blame him. Your explanation was like 3 stars at best. Two and half for the effort probably.

“Exactly!”

Sungho stares at you in disbelief for five long seconds and just when you think he will let out a disappointed sigh or shoot you a judgemental look (you wouldn’t blame him for either), he bursts out laughing like it’s the funniest thing he has heard lately.

“You keep surprising me,” he shakes his head with an amused smile still playing on his lips before turning back towards the bathroom like he originally intended.

“That’s a good thing, right?” You call after him and even when the bathroom door is closed between you, you just raise your voice. “Right?”

You never get a verbal answer but Sungho doesn’t act differently while you get ready for the tea ceremony, so that’s good enough for you. When he gets your purse that you left behind and you fix his crooked tie, it’s actually awfully domestic. Maybe all those years studying film did both of you a favour because at this point you could win outstanding rookie actor awards.

By the time you make it to the gorgeous hanok house, the guests are already piling up. You recognize some from the cocktail party but see new faces too. Introductions are rushed though because the ceremony is starting with Jaehyun and Haerim in the front in traditional hanboks. Everybody has a tray of supplies in front of them and you all follow along with the instructor. Once it’s done and everybody enjoys their herbal tea, the event turns more flexible with most of the guests talking in the garden. With your awfully bitter tea in hand, at least you can’t get swayed by alcohol. You really should not drink because you keep getting yourself into ridiculous situations. But honestly, you’re good at making nonsense decisions even sober.

That’s why you play it safe after Sungho joins in on a conversation about FIFA with Haerim’s brother and rather look for familiar faces in the sea of people. You end up dissing the ex-boxfriend of one of the cousins you talked with a few days prior and the drama of it actually takes your mind off the craziness surrounding you for a bit. Then after putting down your empty cup in the kitchen area, you spot Jaehyun’s mother alone in the inner garden, admiring a small pond with koi fish. 

“Eomonim!” You greet her with a wide smile as you run up to her. The woman embraces you with all the motherly love she has to give. You never understood how Jaehyun could be so generous with his love and kindness even towards strangers, but after you met his family, it was easy to see. He had grown up surrounded by love and all of its forms. “How are you doing these days? Are your migraines getting better?”

“Yes, dear, thank you for asking. What about you? How is life in Busan treating you?” Jaehyun’s mother smiles, all warmth and familiarity. She’s genuinely interested when you tell her about the preparations for the upcoming BIFF festival. She has always been supportive and treated you like a daughter she never had. You remember Jaehyun coming back from winter break to the dorm with extra food for you as if your own mother didn’t send some.

“...so yeah, we will be pretty busy with Sungho,” you wrap up your yapping about the big annual project at your workplace. You’re excited because you genuinely love being involved in film-related events, so it’s something you like about your job even if it can be a pain in the ass a lot of times.

“Is Sungho the good looking man who came with you?” The woman nudges your arm playfully and you chuckle at that obviously teasing tone of hers.

“Yeah, that’s him,” you mutter hoping that she won’t ask details about your relationship because explicitly lying to Jaehyun’s mother would feel like a new low when she has been nothing but kind to you.

“I see. It’s funny now but for a while I thought that maybe you and Jaehyunie would… you know. Silly, I know, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be,” she says goodheartedly and the words lodge something in the back of your throat. You force a smile, hopefully a convincing one instead of one that says ‘you and I both, eomonim’.

The woman’s words stay with you even later, they follow you like a haunting ghost. You practically feel their effect whenever you catch a sight of Jaehyun smiling somewhere in the crowd. It’s half a cup of bitter nostalgia of could have beens and a splash of anger because were you really that delusional when you thought even just for a moment that he looked at you differently from how a best friend would? Was it that wrong of you to hope? You never liked being wrong.

You’re so deep in your thoughts that at first the cold drops on your shoulder don’t even register in your mind. Then suddenly like somebody opened a tap, it’s not just a few droplets anymore, it’s pouring against the bright summer sun’s backdrop. The guests yelp and scatter inside the hanok to save themselves from the rain. It’s a bit cramped like this, you only find a spot right under the roof where rainwater tickles down to a jar.

“Muffin, no! Come back here!” Somebody yells and you look around to see what’s the commotion about.

It turns out to be about a small Pomeranian running out to the rain probably chasing a butterfly or something. The elderly lady whose dog it must be however looks so distraught that she would definitely get up and go after the dog if Haerim’s aunt wasn’t stopping her. A little rain probably won’t hurt the puppy but if the gates are open and it goes out to the road…

You step out into the rain without thinking. You grab at your skirt to not step on its hem as your heels click on the cobblestone. It’s a warm early summer day, the raindrops feel almost refreshing against your skin, so you don’t mind it that much even though you can feel it soak the material of your dress and it starts uncomfortably sticking to your skin. You brush the wet strands of hair out of your face almost triumphant when rounding the hanok, you spot the cute dog waving its tail and staring at the wind chime by the gate. You let out a relieved chuckle as you approach it carefully to not spook it.

“Hey, Muffin, that’s not a toy, let’s go back,” you crouch down, smiling when the Pomeranian lets out adorable barks. Then the puppy starts sprinting straight towards you and a moment later you have an armful of fluffy cuteness. By the time you make it back to the hanok, your dress is drenched and stamped by muddy paws. It’s not a see-through material and laundry services exist for a reason, so you’re not worried too much but Haerim’s aunt and the dog owner lady are horrified, so they usher you towards the restroom in the back.

You’re halfway there, dripping all over the fine tiles despite the dry blanket somebody draped over your shoulders, when Jaehyun steps out to the corridor too. He has that concerned look on his face, the exact one he always had on when you did something stupid, something he would have also done if he were you, the one where you have always wondered: do friends look at each other like this? His mother’s words echo in your ears again but now they spur you on, to do something, to–

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Sungho steps right in front of you seemingly out of nowhere and startled, you halt in your steps to look up at him, at the clear worry in his eyes, his furrowed forehead and the jut of his lips.

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just a bit of rain, I’m not made of sugar,” you tell him, aiming for lighthearted but there’s a strain in your voice you can’t help as you see Jaehyun stop short just a few steps behind him. Suddenly you don’t want him to come closer.

“You will catch a cold,” Sungho mumbles and he sounds exasperated as if you being sick was the worst thing that could happen on Earth. It’s sweet, the way he cares, and your breath hitches when he tucks your wet hair behind your ear and wipes the rain droplets from your face with a tissue. He’s a bit clumsy with it because he’s being overly careful. It’s as endearing as annoying because he’s getting nowhere like this. You reach up to take the tissue from him but instead, your fingers just curl around his hand and in that moment you both freeze.

Looking into his widened eyes forces you to re-evaluate the situation: the intimate closeness and the heat radiating off his body against your slightly shivering one. His fingertips tremble against your cheeks and deja vu hits you square in the chest, flashes of memories of him worrying and taking care of you. Not just here in Jeju but back in Busan too. You like to think that you’re independent, that you can handle anything on your own and you probably could but it’s nice to have somebody who is always there when you need it. You realise only now just how long he has been that person for you.

“Sungho,” you mumble, his name tasting sweet on your tongue as you take a shaky breath.

You’re distantly aware that it’s like those highlight moments of the romantic movies he likes, a scene you usually grimace at for being too cliché and cringe. Now, it feels like neither. Now, the pit-a-pat of rain in the background sounds like the echo of your heartbeat and everything around you seems dull except him: that unruly strand of hair falling into his eyes, the way his lips part and how the concern in his eyes turns into something softer. Something like a wish upon a star.

It almost happens in slow motion: you let your hand fall and it settles on his shoulder instead. You use it for balance when you push yourself up to the toes of your heels and give in to the urge to do something stupid like kiss him.

“Y/N?” Sungho’s breathless voice breaks the bewitchment when you’re barely a hair’s breadth away. You can even feel his hot breath on your mouth. “What are you doing?”

He sounds bewildered and it feels like a slap. The rejection stings more than you would have expected if you ever entertained the thought. Because it is a rejection, isn’t it? He could have just closed the distance instead of asking stupid questions. You feel yourself flush in embarrassment as you take a much needed step back to put some distance between you. For a moment you feel nauseous like you woke up with a hangover. You want to bite out a sarcastic answer like what does it look like? but end up swallowing it back and looking for a believable reason. An excuse that doesn’t make you feel cracked open, vulnerable, that doesn’t showcase just how much it hurt that he stopped you.

“Jaehyun watches, so I thought we could make him jealous,” you blurt out because it’s the easiest excuse, the stupidly obvious one because really, why else would you have tried to kiss your best friend who is also your temporary fake boyfriend if not so your supposed other best friend could see it and get jealous? It’s exactly the kind of plan you would have come up with. It’s a movie cliché, so Sungho should have seen it coming but instead you watch his face fall in real-time. You watch him gulp and his face morph into unrecognizable seriousness.

“Y/N… I’m a man too, you know?”

“Of course I know that,” you snort because how could you not? He might have a face prettier than the entire guest list of this wedding but at the end of the day he’s a guy. A guy who barely a minute ago looked like he wanted to kiss you. What were you supposed to think? And why does he suddenly think that you don’t view him as a man? It just doesn’t make sense.

“No. You don’t get it,” he says, firm and devastating. It sounds almost sad and you are so confused. The corner of Sungho’s mouth twitches like he wants to say something more but eventually talks himself out of it. He doesn’t say anything, just turns on his heels to walk out to the rain, leaving you shivering in the corridor.

“Did you two just have a fight?”

You jump a little in surprise when Jaehyun appears by your side. You kind of forgot about him with the whole almost kiss ordeal.

“I’m not sure,” you mumble because you never fought with Sungho before. Sure, you bickered a lot (mostly about movies and romance, or how you should take better care of yourself, or him not knowing how to loosen up, normal stuff like that, friends stuff) but this time there was no playful undertone to it. Normal friends don’t get into situations like this, do they?

“This really isn’t our day,” Jaehyun says wistfully and hands you a towel. You take it automatically and realize that it must have been why he approached you to begin with. It makes you want to laugh hysterically. Did you really almost think more into a towel?

“What’s wrong with yours?” You raise an eyebrow as you turn to him.

The tea ceremony was gorgeous and fancy and even the rain didn’t kill the mood. Everything looked perfect as an outsider. They will probably have the most beautiful wedding imaginable tomorrow and you will sit in the front row watching it happen because no amount of embarrassing stories of your best friend could apparently change Haerim’s mind nor does it seem like Jaehyun is having second thoughts. It’s exactly the kind of romance he has always wanted and you’re not selfish enough to take that away from him.

“I thought I lost the ring this morning and Haerim got mad about it. Luckily I found it but now she doesn’t have her dress because the assistant who handled the delivery is on vacation and they somehow don’t know where it was sent, so she’s panicking,” Jaehyun sighs and you try not to choke on thin air.

Shit. You kind of forgot about that too, that you have an entire wedding dress lying around in your hotel room. What sounded like the perfect kind of plan this morning, now doesn’t make you feel good at all. Especially because it just added to the pile of worries they already have about the wedding.

“Is she mad at you about that too?” You ask tentatively. Because him losing the ring is one thing but the dress… he has nothing to do with that.

“No. She thinks it’s her fault,” Jaehyun clarifies and you make a mental note about asking somebody at the hotel to take the dress to Haerim, saying it was mistakenly delivered to your room. You can at least solve one problem that easily.

“I’m sure it will be sorted out,” you pat Jaehyun’s slumped shoulder a bit awkwardly but he shoots you a grateful smile nevertheless.

“You should make up with Sungho. Or just tell me if you want me to give him The Talk again,” he grins, clearly joking because you never needed his intervention with your boyfriends but you appreciate his attempt to cheer you up. Well, aren’t you two a pair?

There’s cold medicine on your bedside table when you make it back to the hotel but Sungho’s nowhere to be found. His bag and clothes are still in the room, so he didn’t elope like a romance movie heroine. You knew he wouldn’t, he’s too much of a good person to turn his back on you even if you messed up, even if you could make up an excuse why he needed to go back to Busan.

You text him asking him where he is, trying to not sound like a worried – or worse, a possessive – girlfriend. In the meantime, you handle the wedding dress mishap as discreetly as you can, so there’s no evidence of your crime by the time Sungho eventually gets back.

You sit up straight in bed when the keypad chimes and the door opens, an unmistakable wave of awkwardness pulling you tight on strings like a marionette. It’s weird, being nervous around Sungho. He gives you a tight-lipped smile but goes straight to the bathroom without saying anything and in bed, he lies with his back to you for the first time since this whole sharing arrangement. The back of your throat itches with all the unsaid things burning inside. You can’t take this silence, especially because you know you’re the one to blame.

“Sungho…”

You try to make things right but he beats you to it.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that,” he says and it just feels wrong. Aren’t you supposed to be the one who apologies? And ‘snap at you’? Was it really that? He needs to work on his snapping skills if he wants to get that message across.

“Are you mad at me?” You ask quietly in the darkness of the room because you need to know, and you need to know how to make it up to him. You can't lose him over something like this. A silly misunderstanding, isn’t it? 

“No,” he says without a hesitation. It doesn’t sound like a lie but he still doesn’t turn around, so it doesn’t really ease the pressure on your chest.

“I’m sorry that I tried to kiss you,” you utter and just like that it’s out there. Bolded. Underlined. Acknowledged out loud. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter that you thought that it was mutual, that he was okay with it, you still feel bad for making him uncomfortable.

The sound Sungho lets out is an unfunny laugh, a little choked up.

“Y/N, it’s not…” He pauses then takes a deep breath like he’s preparing himself for something inevitable. “I’m not mad about that.”

You hold your breath but for three long seconds there’s nothing but silence. Even the hum of the AC quiets down and then–

“I’m mad because I wish it wasn’t just for the show.”

“What?” You mutter dumbly and your eyes widen in the dark even though you see nothing more than the silhouette of Sungho’s broad shoulders in an arm’s length.

“Good night, Y/N,” Sungho’s voice turns carefully neutral and firm. His dismissal sounds final and you respect him enough to give him the space he clearly asks for.

The hotel bed has never felt so huge, so cold. You lie awake, mulling over his words, until exhaustion drags you down just before the sun rises.

WEDDING DAY

As one of the universe’s unchangeable laws probably states: Sungho was right.

You hate to admit it but you do need closure. You need to close this chapter of your life because you can’t be hung up on Jaehyun. You want him to be happy more than anything and if Haerim makes him feel that way, that’s good enough for you, you will wish them nothing but happiness. But before that, you need him to know the truth. You are best friends after all, you can’t have a secret like this fester between you like a wound.

So yeah, first you deal with Jaehyun. Then, Sungho.

You knock on the slightly open bathroom door and wait for Sungho’s hum before you push it further. He stands in front of the mirror in the well-fitted white t-shirt he wears to sleep, shaving foam on his face and razor in hand.

“Uhm, I have a salon appointment with Haerim and the bridesmaids. And I… I also need to talk with Jaehyun,” you say, somehow nervous, which is ridiculous, but Sungho barely acknowledges the statement as he glides the razor blades across his jawline and your throat goes dry. Holy moly, since when have you found shaving hot? You quickly clear your throat. “Let’s meet at the reception before the wedding?”

“Yeah, okay, see you there,” Sungho agrees easily and you slip away before you could catch his eyes in the mirror following you.

The moment you step out of the hotel room, you text Jaehyun asking if he has time to meet you for a bit. You almost make up an excuse of going over your to-dos as his best woman as if you didn’t have a whole rehearsal two days ago but then decide against it because the Jaehyun you know isn’t the type who would only spare some of his time if it’s about the wedding, not even on his wedding day. When he texts back that he’s dropping Haerim off at the salon, suggesting to meet there, you agree in relief. It’s as good of a place as any.

By the time you get there, Jaehyun is already waiting for you. He has an extra cup of coffee in his hands and a smile on his face. The morning sunlight is hitting him just right and it reminds you of your college days when he would sunbathe while leaning against the brick walls on campus waiting for your class to end. You have always thought that he looked like a main character of a college romance drama but still rolled your eyes when girls walking by giggled at his sight. Now, he looks more mature – he’s wearing a tucked in dress shirt for god’s sake and not an oversized tee with baggy jeans – but his smile is the same, all teeth and wide enough to make his eyes narrow.

“Thanks,” you mutter and take the coffee he got for you. Iced Americano just how you like it.

Your nails dig into the plastic cup and the condensation dripping all over your fingers almost makes you forget that your palms are sweating for a reason that has nothing with the June weather. You need to get this over with.

“Let’s sit down. I have something to tell you,” you point towards the little park across the street. There’s no reason to prolong this anymore. It has already been too long.

“What’s going on? You’re scaring me,” Jaehyun says jokingly but he still follows your lead and sits down on the first bench you come across.

You take a deep breath and turn towards him, dozens of scenarios running through your head, dozens of what ifs that might drive you crazy. Funny how you’re the rational, T-type friend between the two of you but when it comes to Jaehyun, you’ve never been able to rationalize.

“Remember that silly promise we had? About marrying each other if things don’t work out?” You start off with an itchy feeling in the back of your throat. It’s like scraping at the edge of a plaster, getting ready to rip it off, mentally preparing for the pain.

“Yeah…”

“Well, it turns out I took it more seriously than I expected. I didn’t even realize how much until your invitation,” you let out a little laugh and it should be embarrassing but Jaehyun has lived through too many embarrassing things with you for the shame to really settle. “I know it’s too late to tell you now and it’s not like I expect anything but I need to get this off my chest.”

This is the moment. The summer sun paints a halo around Jaehyun. You squint to look at him and he stares back wide-eyed, not joking anymore. You wonder whether you ever stood a chance even before saying anything. Maybe you have already wasted it.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve been in love with you for a while.”

It’s out. Clear as the sky, no room for misunderstanding and it feels–

Underwhelming.

You’re not even nervous about Jaehyun’s answer because you know what he will say and somehow you’re okay with it. Not disappointed or angry, just… relieved.

But the first thing he asks is: “What about Sungho?”

“We don’t date for real. We just faked it to make you jealous,” you wince as you say that last part out loud, the ice clinking loudly against the plastic cup in your hand, so you put it down. Suddenly, fake dating sounds like a worse thing to do than confessing to somebody soon-to-be married.

“Well, it kind of worked. I envied him for knowing you better now than I do,” Jaehyun says with no judgement in his eyes but his voice turns to that softer version of itself when he tries to comfort somebody. “But Y/N..,”

“You love Haerim. I know,” you cut him off with a half-smile because somehow the knowledge doesn’t hurt.

“There was a time when I could have loved you like that. But… it wouldn’t have worked with us,” Jaehyun says, pensive, melancholy seeping through his vowels, and the worst part is that you know he’s right. You’re too different. You would have said something harsh that only ended up with him being hurt or he wouldn’t have given you space when you needed it and the frustration of it would have driven you apart. It would have had a bitter end. You would have lost him eventually.

“I know,” you mutter but Jaehyun doesn’t seem quite finished.

“We have known each other for so long, Y/N, so let me be honest with you. I think you’re afraid to be vulnerable with somebody new and possibly get hurt. I don’t think you are really in love with me. I’m honoured if you are but… I think you just believe it’s safe. Loving me. Especially now,” he says and if it wasn’t him, you would probably feel annoyed having your feelings invalidated. But Jaehyun is one of the few people out there who really gets you. Maybe he’s right. Maybe that’s why it was surprisingly easy to accept the truth after you confirmed that Haerim loves him too. Maybe that’s why the whole thing with Sungho got so messy.

“That’s the most creative way anybody rejected me,” you sniffle with a chuckle stuck in your throat because for once you can’t help it. This feels like the end of something. Oh gosh, when did you become so emotional? It’s really unlike you.

“Come here,” Jaehyun opens his arms with a smile and even now he respects your boundaries, letting you come to him on your own terms. Can anybody really blame you for being a little bit in love with him?

“I’m sorry. For everything I did. The embarrassing stories, the– uhm, the wedding dress… I just… I was scared of losing you,” you murmur into his shoulder, feeling much lighter now that everything is out and you don’t have to pretend anymore or keep secrets.

“You won’t lose me. I will always be here. As your best friend. Or at least one of them,” Jaehyun promises, his hand’s pat-pat on your back a bit coddling. It makes you smile but the gesture freezes onto your face the next moment when you see Haerim next to their car and how she takes in the sight before turning on her heels.

You swear under your breath and stumble to your feet, peeling yourself out of Jaehyun’s arms.

“Haerim,” you explain simply when hurt starts showing in your best friend’s eyes and then he’s on his feet too, whipping his head towards the salon and his fiancée’s disappearing figure.

“Let me talk with her,” you stop Jaehyun with a hand on his chest before he could sprint after her and instead you’re the one running. It’s funny because you didn’t think you would actually chase somebody down like this. Ever. Normally you can’t even be bothered to run after the bus. Lucky for you (and your joke of a stamina), Haerim doesn’t actually run far. She has an appointment to have her hair and makeup done for the wedding after all.

“Haerim, wait!” You call after her after the salon’s automatic doors open for you and you see her round the corner. You don’t care about the receptionist who’s clearly annoyed that your loud ass interrupted her doomscrolling on Tiktok. At least, Haerim falters enough for you to catch up with her.

You aren’t sure how you expected her to react. She knows how touchy Jaehyun is with his friends, so the hug couldn’t have surprised her that much, but after everything you have done? Maybe she had the reason to be wary or angry or hurt. But when she turns around there’s only quiet confidence and determination in her eyes.

“What?” She crosses her arms in front of her chest and raises her chin. Gone is the bubbly, excited girl and it feels shitty to know that you kind of deserve why she’s acting like this.

“I have something to tell you,” you say, getting ready for another rehearsed monologue you had time to put together during your restless night but Haerim doesn’t seem impressed.

“About why you took my wedding dress or is there something else I should know about?”

Oh.

“You knew?” You blurt out dumbly while the audience around you gasps at the information. Great, now your issues are broadcasted to an entire salon of girls getting their hair done.

“The staff told me they sent it to you, I just didn’t want Jaehyun to know,” Haerim explains and now it makes sense why the reason Jaehyun recited about the lost dress was so weird. But at the same time, the fact that she made it up just so your best friend wouldn’t know about your schemes is something you never expected.

“Why didn’t you come to me?”

“I hoped you would return it,” she admits and her expression softens. “Look, I know you’re not a bad person. You went after my grandma’s dog, you comforted my cousin who got broken up with, you held my hair when I was sick and you are a big part of Jaehyun’s life whether I like it or not. But you have to understand that I don’t know where this puts us.”

Haerim casts her eyes down as she lets out a frustrated sigh.

Yeah, you get that. Jaehyun has always been ‘your person’ and you can’t imagine life without him. But now suddenly, there is another person in his life who is just as important as you if not more. It must have been weird on her end too, to accept a girl best friend who has been so deeply intertwined with Jaehyun’s past as you are.

“When he told me that he invited you I was scared because every time he talked about you he smiled. Sometimes randomly he mentioned you when something reminded him of you and I was afraid that maybe he was more attached than he realized. Of course, I was jealous and then you came and started telling me all these stupid things as if I cared that he didn’t shower for 3 days once in college or that he used to cuddle with you during horror movie nights.”

“I’m sorry. It was a stupid idea,” you mumble, ashamed because your attempts to draw them apart suddenly sound ridiculous. The strangers around you murmur amongst themselves though as if this was the best hot gossip they could have imagined. “Actually, I’m sorry for all the hurtful, embarrassing things I have done in the last few days. I have no better excuse than I was afraid that it would change everything between Jaehyun and me. He’s my best friend and I didn’t want to lose him. But I also want him to be happy. And it looks like he is. With you.”

You thought it would hurt to admit it but it feels a lot like relief. Like closure. Haerim seems to consider it. You and your change of heart, then she smiles a bit shyly and you can’t help but think that she’s cute.

“I really do love him, you know? I would have married him in a potato sack too if I had to. I don’t really care about the dress or this whole thing,” she waves around in the salon but she probably means everything else. Not just the professionally done hair, makeup, nails but also the fancy destination wedding, the detailed itinerary, the expensive cake, the flower arrangements and hundreds of guests. All that flitter and gold and carats on her ring finger. “Because I love him and if he wanted, I would run away with him.”

Somebody coos loudly at the romantic declaration from the background and for once, you don’t find it cringe because this is exactly the kind of love your best friend deserves. 

“I know we started off on the wrong foot. Mostly because of me. But if you would still like me as a sister, I would be happy to be one for you in the future. I mean it,” you promise and suddenly you have an armful of Woo Haerim with her doe eyes teary and lower lip trembling. It takes you a full five seconds to reciprocate the hug and not just stand there awkwardly.

Surprisingly it’s Gahyun, Haerim’s I’m-not-even-trying-to-pretend-to-like-you best friend, who saves you from dying from hug overload.

“Are you two coming or not?” She asks, shooting you a wary look which you kind of deserve. Haerim wipes her tears and links her arms with both of you and pulls you towards the hair dresser stations. Somewhere between getting your hair curled and sharing intel about the cute hotel receptionist guy with Gahyun you remember to send Jaehyun a text that it’s all good and for the first time you set foot on Jeju island you really think so.

At the wedding venue, a porter opens the orange taxi’s door from outside and offers you a hand. You have to lift the pink tulle skirt to avoid stepping on it as you get out and walk down the path framed by flowers. The material of your dress floats around you in the wind as you take the stairs up to the reception area. You spot Sungho in an elegant suit right as you pass through the floral arch and you see the moment he notices you too. His jaw goes slack for a moment, eyes widening in something akin to half-surprise, half-awe before he collects himself and walks up to you.

“You look… wow,” he whispers and his not quite eloquent compliment makes you smile. He must really be impressed because otherwise he’s usually more put together.

“Thanks but don’t get used to it. I can’t wait to put my normal shoes back on, these stiletto heels are killing my ankles,” you tell him with a lowered voice as if you were sharing a secret. It’s not really a secret though, not really, since he knows how you usually dress. Now, you feel a bit like Cinderella, all dolled up and everything. Sure, it feels nice to be pampered like this once in a while but it’s still a bit weird. The amount of hair and setting spray you have on has sent you to a coughing fit already.

“Anyways you look great too. I like what you did with your hair,” you reach up mindlessly to touch the blond strands now brushed out of his forehead. Then suddenly you remember that you aren’t quite okay now, so you retrieve your hand quickly.

“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it. The gel feels weird,” Sungho cracks a smile and you let out a relieved chuckle. Maybe you will be okay after all.

“Touché.”

When he offers his hand, you don’t even hesitate to take it. You tell yourself that even though Jaehyun knows now that you aren’t dating for real, the rest of the guests don’t, so why not keep up the act? But deep down you know it’s for a much more selfish reason because having Sungho close is a privilege you used to take for granted.

The wedding is beautiful beyond words.

Haerim is even more gorgeous than when you last saw her in the dress. Now, she has this glow around her, a contagious happiness that spreads like a virus, so the ugly feeling of jealousy doesn’t come when you see Jaehyun beam at her. He actually tears up the moment he sees her walk down the aisle and Sungho has to hand out tissues to the ladies sitting on his other side during the vows. You and Sanghyuk are too busy documenting Jaehyun’s reaction for future blackmail purposes, of course.

Sanghyuk’s best man speech contains a few dad jokes only half the guest list appreciates – Sungho is one of them, so they get along well quickly. When it’s your turn as the best woman (because why not have one of each, right?), you wish Jaehyun and Haerim only happiness from the bottom of your heart and threaten your best friend that you will take his wife’s side if he messes this up. He promises he won’t and you believe him.

It’s ironic how a few days ago you were dead set on breaking them up, convincing yourself that what they had was fake but now you look at them and you get it, what Jaehyun meant when he said he just knew.

Too bad for you, you’re not that in tune with your feelings.

Too bad because it means your nosy best friend will take the matters into his own hands.

He catches you just when you managed to escape the ahjussis on the dancefloor.

“You know, Sungho is a great guy.”

You snort. Not because Sungho is not a great guy, admittedly he is, but because Jaehyun says it in that tone. The matchmaker one. Now that he’s married suddenly he’s giving you relationship advice, how ridiculous is that? 

“He’s just a friend,” you shoot him a side-glance and take a sip from the champagne glass you lifted from a passing waiter's tray.

“Like we were just friends, too?” Jaehyun wiggles his brows playfully and you want to call him out on the callout, to tell him it’s too soon for joking about that, that it’s a sensitive topic but somehow it’s not. You have always been easygoing friends. “You deserve happiness and I’m not saying you need a guy for that because hell no, but… maybe give him a chance. He looks at you like he has been waiting for one.”

“You’re hallucinating,” you roll your eyes but against your better judgement you let your gaze linger over Sungho awkwardly dancing with Jaehyun’s twelve-year-old cousin to a song from the 2000s.

It’s warm out here in the garden despite the shade the tent provides, so you can’t even blame Sungho for leaving his jacket at your table. But like this, with his rolled up sleeves his forearms are out in the open and you realize once again that you’re just a woman. Your throat feels suddenly dry.

“Am I?” Jaehyun raises a brow at you challengingly like he knows something you don’t. “Where do you think he was yesterday evening?

You freeze in the middle of a sip.

“Was he with you? What did he tell you?”

Your best friend has the audacity to shrug and ignore your burning questions. “Maybe you should ask him.”

“Argh, you’re the worst best friend ever,” you groan because it’s unfair how your two closest friends suddenly seem to have teamed up against you.

“You love me,” Jaehyun singsongs and not so subtly pushes you back towards the dancefloor after successfully stealing the champagne glass out of your hand. You barely manage a hissed yah before you stumble (stupid long skirt!) and suddenly there’s a warm hand on the small of your back to help you with balance.

“You good?” Sungho asks gently, soft concern lacing his vowels, and your heart flutters. It's almost like it cannot stop now that you have seen him in another light. Now that you allowed yourself to. Gosh, you won’t survive this last night in the hotel room with him. You will overthink sleeping next to him and make it weird. And of course, he will notice and it will be awkward again.

“Yeah, thanks,” you mutter, letting him pull you upright. His hand lingers on your waist a bit more, then he clears his throat and steps back. You miss his warmth already.

You need to be alone with him for a bit. You can’t do this (talk about feelings and such) in a room full of people. You could wait until the end of the party, until you’re both back at the hotel room but you don’t trust yourself to keep your courage and not use alcohol as a substitute if you have to wait for that long. Then tomorrow morning you fly back to Busan and go back to work on Monday, so everything will go back to normal. It’s now or never.

“Uhm, should we take a photo? To commemorate this crazy week? I think I saw a photobooth somewhere,” you blurt out the first idea that comes to your mind thinking about secluded places and point towards the quieter reception area. Sungho seems to consider it for a second, his eyes flitting towards that general direction before focusing back to you. At first, you think he will say no, that he will stop entertaining your whims, but then he chuckles like he can’t believe himself.

“Yeah, sure,” he says and follows you to the vintage style booth Haerim had rented for the event.

It’s cute, beige curtains and wooden walls, and most of all, narrow. You realize exactly how small it is after paying for two classic strips of photos and stepping back, your shoulder bumps into Sungho’s chest. When he immediately pulls away to give you more space like a gentleman, practically plastering himself against the wall, it stings a bit. For once, you don’t want space.

The first shutter catches you both off guard and you scramble to turn towards the camera and pay attention to the countdown of the second. The poses you come up with are awkward, generic V-signs and forced smiles. That simply won’t do, you decide, so in those ten seconds until the next shutter you do exactly three things:

Turn towards Sungho.

Take a step towards him.

And when he backs up against the wall, looking at you with wide eyes, you put a hand against the booth’s side next to his head like those ridiculous drama male leads do in the scenes where they tower over the female lead. Your heels might give you some boost but not that much, so you have to hope that Sungho’s heart rate is going up for all the right reasons even without that.

“Y/N?” He utters your name shakily, a bit breathless, and you think the way he says your name might be your favourite version to hear.

“We should talk about that almost kiss,” you say with forced nonchalance because it’s clearly the elephant in the room. You could probably leave and never bring it up again, acting as if it was just a fever dream, and then nothing would change between you but… haven’t things already changed?

“Now?” Sungho sounds bewildered, the third camera shot catching his surprise in real-time. Neither of you really pay attention anymore. 

“Isn’t it as good of a time as any?”

“I guess it is,” he agrees with a gulp, his Adam’s apple bobbing, which shouldn’t be as attractive as it is. He doesn’t argue with you. You two argue a lot about small things but rarely do when it matters.

“I lied,” you blurt out, ripping off the bandaid, and at the confused look on Sungho’s face, you clarify. “I lied when I said it was because of Jaehyun. It wasn’t.”

You watch it closely, how the realization slowly dawns on Sungho about what it means. There are a lot of different emotions in his eyes only illuminated by the small booth’s even smaller screen but you would like to think one of them is hope or at least relief.

“Oh. That’s… good,” he mutters, a bit dumbly but he can even pull that off. He looks cute while doing so.

“I talked with him too. I told him everything and then he said something that made me realize that maybe I just treated him as an excuse to avoid real feelings. Maybe he was right and it was never really that kind of love. Otherwise I couldn’t be this genuinely happy for him, could I? So I was thinking–”

“Are you two done?” Somebody yells outside of the booth, effectively cutting off your ramble but they must reinforce their point by knocking on the booth’s wall beside the curtain. Sungho looks like he’s about to go out and apologize, which is absolutely not happening.

“No!” You yell back and quickly pay for another set of photos.

You turn back to Sungho now all fired up. You can’t believe you’re here. In Jeju, at this wedding, in this photo booth. That he came as your plus one, even went along with your fake dating scheme and comforted you when you were at your lowest. He’s either a pushover or you’re the luckiest girl out there.

“I keep thinking about what you said about wishing it wasn’t just for the show,” you admit, take a deep breath and bite the bullet. “Park Sungho… do you like me?”

It sounds unreal to your ears but you swear you can see his cheeks redden even in this shitty lighting. He casts his eyes down with a little giggle he always does when he’s embarrassed and it’s so fricking endearing you can’t believe you didn’t notice earlier.

“Wasn’t it obvious?”

“You should know by now that I’m not good with feelings,” you grimace because that’s putting it lightly. But after this you will take Jaehyun’s advice and make sure the people who are important to you know it too.

“So… is this the part where you tell me you’re not ready for a relationship?” Sungho asks tentatively, looking a tad bit confused about the purpose of this discussion and well, okay, maybe you went off track from your original plan. Right, the kiss, taking a leap of faith and all that.

“No. This should be the part where I tell you that you deserve better. Look what I dragged you into. I’m a terrible person,” you sigh because you still feel bad about the entire Haerim incident and how you initially reacted to Jaehyun’s marriage news. Shouldn’t you first work on being a better friend before you could be anything else?

But Sungho is not having it, you being unkind to yourself.

“No, you’re not. A bit crazy? Yes. But you have a big heart. And frankly, I don’t want anybody else,” he gently tilts your head up with a tap on your chin, so he could look into your eyes and with sudden clarity you remember him telling you that people don’t fall for perfection. Even through your tipsy state, you remember how he looked at you then. Or when he wiped away the raindrops from your face. It didn’t make sense then but now you understand.

He’s holding back.

He’s just one push from the edge.

“Come on, you hate martyrs in movies. Don’t reject me because you think I’m better off with someone else. Reject me properly. Tell me you want to focus on yourself or that you need time to move on from Jaehyun. Tell me that you don’t see me as a man and that you can’t ever like me like tha–”

Sungho stops talking when you lips meet his. His eyes are comically wide for a long moment before he melts against you. You smile into the kiss as you let your heels touch the ground, knowing that Sungho will follow you down.

You pull away, mouth still grazing his, just to ask: “Did it seem like a rejection?”

Your hopefully-not-fake-anymore boyfriend smiles and kisses you again. You wrap your arms around his neck and gasp when your back hits the side of the tiny booth. Right, it’s probably not the most ideal place to do something like this.

“Can you two stop hogging up the photo booth to make out?” The same voice from before complains again and now Sungho looks mortified. He apologizes with cast down eyes the moment you pull the curtain to the side. You’re about to make a comment about envy to the impatient girl but Sungho knows you too well and he drags you away before you could make an even bigger scene. He also remembers to grab the four cut photos you snatch from him on the way back to the tables.

“This one’s definitely my favourite,” you point at the last little square which managed to capture perfectly the moment of your first kiss. “Maybe we should ditch the rest of the party and actually make out since we were rudely interrupted?”

You mean it as a joke because you should probably talk properly and because Sungho seems like the type who takes things slow. But he literally trips on his own foot and lets out a scandalized noise at your suggestion.

“Y/N!” He hisses and looks around to see if anybody heard. “You can’t just say that!”

“Why not? We still have a fancy hotel room for tonight,” you wink and watch him go beetroot red. Oh, you’re gonna love making him blush. “But first, come on, let’s dance more. We need more songs for our playlist.”

It’s safe to say that your plan to stop this wedding epicly failed. But at least it got you a boyfriend who is also your best friend. Maybe one day you will marry him too. Not before you turn twenty-eight, but when you’re ready.

For now, it’s enough to just be happy.

END NOTES. originally i leaned more into the movie storyline, sungho would have been the fiance and it would have had a bittersweet ending (or i had a version with haerim actually planning to avoid an arranged marriage by marrying him) but 2k in when i started writing the scene in which originally the mc asked jaehyun to be her plus one for the wedding, i was like… wait, the fake dating potential! so i ended up re-writing the first two scenes and here we are. it was still fun to use the movie plot beats in this version. also i'm not sure i managed to get that across but mc liked sungho back in that flashback scene! she just thought it would be better to not ruin their co-worker friendship thing because of his reaction to the jaehyun picture. and because she's avoidant when it comes to feelings.

header pic from Hollywood Action MV Behind Sketch

☆ BOYNEXTDOOR masterlist

💌 askbox

From the dining room, your parents and Woonhak’s parents looked over with bemused smiles while sipping their tea.

Beside you, Woonhak licked butter off his fingers and blinked. “What’s a husband?”

You turned to him, nose twitching at the mess. “It’s when someone loves you forever, like Gomez loves Morticia.” You pointed at the screen, where Gomez was now kissing Morticia’s hand. “That’s what I want. A husband who loves me like that.”

Woonhak chewed on the thought, literally and figuratively. In the midst of your explanation, he had once again stuffed his cheeks with popcorn. Then, with all the confidence only a five-year-old could have, he nodded knowingly and thumped his chest. “I can be your husband.”

You shook your head. “You can’t be my husband!”

“Why not?” he demanded, crumbs flying from his mouth. The fist he pressed against his chest left a butter stain on his shirt.

“Because you’re my best friend!”

He grinned toothily. “I can be both!”

“No, you can’t!” You folded your arms and shook your head so hard your pigtails whipped against your cheeks. “Best friends are not husbands!”

“Yes, they are!”

Without warning, he scrambled up and ran to the dining room to tug at his mother’s sleeve. “Mom! Can I be Y/N’s husband someday?”

The adults burst out laughing. His mom smoothed his hair fondly, wiping the crumbs off his lips with a towel. “Well, sweetheart, if you get older and you still want to, you can ask Y/N again.”

He spun back around to you with a triumphant grin. “See!”

You groaned, flopping back onto the rug in embarrassment and burying your flushed face in the couch cushion. “I don’t believe you.”

But when you peeked through your fingers, Woonhak was still grinning smugly. He plopped back down beside you and stole another handful of popcorn, all while keeping his eyes glued to the screen with a newfound determination.

And that had only been the beginning.

YOU WERE ELEVEN when you first learned what a crush was.

It happened during recess. You sat in a circle with your girl friends on the classroom floor while the boys crowded the other side of the room with doing whatever it is that boys do.

One of your friends leaned in, hands cupped around her mouth. “Okay, don’t tell anyone, but…I think I have a crush.”

The other girls gasped in unison.

You, on the other hand, quirked your head at the unfamiliar term. “What’s a crush?”

They blinked at you. To your right, Eunchae dropped her voice and slowed down her words in explanation. “It’s when you like someone."

You frowned. “But isn’t that just a husband?”

The group burst into giggles.

“No, silly!" Kyujin pushed you gently. "A husband is like… someone you marry when you’re all grown up. A crush is just… someone you like being around, you know? Someone who makes you happy.”

That made you pause. Your eyes drifted to the other side of the room, where Woonhak was laughing loudly with his friends.

You contemplated for a while. Despite being an absolute menace most of the time, he always did things he knew you liked. Or at least, he did things for you that he claimed he had never done to anyone else. He saved you the better half of his lunch. He always walked with you home after school, and he always, always found a way to win in dodgeball just so you wouldn’t get hit.

“If that’s what a crush is,” you said slowly, “then I can just say I have a crush on Woonhak?”

The room exploded. “You do?!”

Your face went hot. All of a sudden, you felt a wave of embarrassment wash over you. “Wait, no. I didn’t—!”

But it was too late. Across the room, Woonhak’s head shot up. He must’ve heard his name through the commotion. “What's going on?” he called, frowning. "Are you bullying Y/N?"

"Nope!" Eunchae called back, grinning mischievously. "She said you're her crush!"

You wanted the ground to swallow you whole. You buried your face in Kyujin's shoulder, who was clapping and giggling at your reaction. You dared a peek in Woonhak's direction.

The frown was still there as he shook his head. “I’m not Y/N’s crush, whatever that means."

You ignored the tiny twitch of your heart at the words and for some weird reason, you wanted to call him out. Did that mean he didn't like you like you liked him? But then, his frown dissolved into a smug grin you were awfully familiar with.

"I’m her husband!”

The room exploded for a second time.

The boys immediately jumped in, jeering.

“You can’t be her husband!” Mackiah shouted. He had tossed a crumpled paper ball in Woonhak's direction, adding injury to insult.

"I am!"

"Yeah? Then where's her ring?"

At the statement, Woonhak froze. Then, without a word, he stood up and walked right out the door.

Your heart twitched a second time at his sudden departure. Despite your inner turmoil, your friends continued to squeal and tug at your sleeves.

“Oh my god, you do like him!”

“What does he mean, husband?!”

Before you could answer, the door banged open again. Woonhak strode back in with his fist closed tight. For a second, you thought he was able to start a fight but then he marched straight up to you. You wanted to ask what he was doing but then he grabbed your hand and shoved a neon candy ring onto your finger.

“There,” he said with finality.

Then, just as casually, he turned on his heel and walked back to his friends like nothing happened.

The shrieks from your friends seemed never-ending. They crowded around you as you tried to hide your face in your hands, ignoring the rough texture of the candy ring catching in your hair.

Across the room, the boys pounced on Woonhak with equal energy, shoving him in the shoulder and chanting, “Husband! Husband!” until the word lost all meaning.

Woonhak groaned, batting them away. “Shut up,” he muttered, more annoyed at their teasing than anything else.

In the corner of his eye, he watched how flushed you looked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth only when no one was looking.

And just like that, the whole "husband" thing never went away. As a matter of fact, it only grew louder as you both grew older.

BY THE TIME you hit high school, you’d made a silent rule with yourself. No more talking about husbands. Not after years of teasing. Not after the way the joke had followed you all through middle school, even making it across both of your families and relatives. Heck, the entire neighborhood had somehow caught on!

The way everyone thought it was hilarious had been exhausting and somehow Woonhak made it even more exhausting with the way he became the loudest at riding on it.

Every time you told him to cut it out, he’d look at you with those kicked-puppy eyes and whine that he wasn't joking. That clearly, who could be a better husband for you than him? Even after you had established how relationships worked, how marriage was an actual thing that grown-ups think about for a long time before going through with it.

Yet every time, Woonhak still insisted he never once joked about it, which only made you roll your eyes because what else could it be but a joke?

That was until one afternoon.

You were at your locker, shoving books into place when your friends came bustling over, giggling. You knew deep down that something was up.

“You’re not gonna believe what we just saw,” Eunchae whispered.

You gave them a side-eye. You knew that look, and you knew it involved your childhood friend yet again. “Do I even want to know?”

Kyujin grinned. “We saw a girl confess to Woonhak. Again.”

One fascinating development happened despite your many attempts at shrugging off Woonhak's jokes. Remember that heart-pinching feeling you got when he gave you that dumb candy ring in middle school? Yeah, that came back with a vengeance.

In high school, your little gremlin had turned into someone the whole school seemed to notice. He’d made the varsity baseball team freshman year, his name on the morning announcements more often than you could count. Suddenly, he was that guy. People cheered for him on the field. He had juniors flocking the bleachers just to see him practice.

And of course, you couldn't miss the confessions. Dozens of them. Which he turned down every single time.

Not that you cared. Obviously. It didn’t matter that he still sat with you at lunch like always, or that he never acted any different when it was just the two of you. It didn’t matter that every time you caught sight of a girl waiting nervously by the school gates with flowers hidden behind her back, not only did your heart pinch, it full on throbbed angrily like an infected wound. Nope. Didn’t matter at all.

“That’s, what, the third time this week?” You huffed, shaking your head.

There must've been something on your face that betrayed you because Eunchae and Kyujin suddenly wore matching smirks.

“Honestly, you should be more expressive.”Kyujin nudged your shoulder. “Since you two are dating anyway.”

You nearly choked. Another fascinating development. You and Woonhak somehow downgraded from married couple to dating. “What are you talking about? We’re not dating!”

They only exchanged looks like they knew better, which annoyed you more than you wanted to admit.

And of course, because the universe had some personal vendetta against you, saying his name was like calling a moth to a flame. Whenever you brought up Woonhak, he had the uncanny ability to just… appear. Even when you so desperately try to push him out of the conversation.

So naturally, Woonhak strolled up right then, his usual grin plastered across his face.

“Hey,” he greeted easily, eyes flicking between you and your friends. “What’s this about us dating?”

"It's nothing. My friends are just being idiots," you shot down the idea, staring pointedly at the other two. Eunchae and Kyujin took this as a sign to leave, but not before making kissy faces behind Woonhak's back. "Anyway, I heard you broke another poor girl's heart today."

Woonhak made a face, scratching the back of his neck almost abashedly. "Yeah, let's... not talk about that please. I feel bad already."

You decided not to prolong his misery further. "Well, what did you want to talk about?"

He leaned against the lockers with his arms crossed. “Remember when you visited my house and told my mom you liked her wedding ring?”

Your eyes narrowed immediately at the mention of the w-word. You knew it almost always inevitably led to the m-word and then the h-word and you did not want to have that conversation either.

“Yes…” you said cautiously.

“And remember how she asked if you wanted me to give you one too?”

Heat crawled up your neck. You remembered that day exactly.

Your moms were chatting in the kitchen when you caught sight of the shiny band on his mom’s finger and blurted out how pretty it was. She’d teased you about it, and right then, of course, Woonhak had walked in chugging straight from the milk carton, smirking like the devil when he caught what you said. That had been months ago, and you had prayed everyone had forgotten.

“Where are you going with this?”

“Do you remember what you told her?”

You groaned, burying your face in your hands. “I said I wanted a big and shiny diamond ring that I could wave around and talk about.” You’d said it on purpose to try and scare him off, certain he’d never actually follow through.

But before you could say anything else, Woonhak’s hand slipped gently around yours. He pulled something from his pocket and slid it onto your ring finger.

You blinked down. It wasn’t big but it was shiny. A little diamond ring glinting under the hallway's fluorescent lights.

There goes your heart pinching again. Your head snapped up, ready to demand an explanation, but you barely got a word out before Woonhak bent and pressed a quick kiss to the top of your head.

“Happy birthday,” he murmured, then turned to walk away.

“Woonhak!” you called after him, flustered at the sudden skinship. You were too caught off-guard to care that everyone around you had stared in your direction at the loudness of your voice. “My birthday’s tomorrow, dumbass!”

“I know!” he shouted back over his shoulder, not slowing down.

By the time you reunited with your friends for afternoon class, you were still staring at the ring every few minutes, trying to gauge what this means for your and Woonhak's friendship because what kind of guy best friend would give his girl best friend a ring?

WHEN COLLEGE HAPPENED, you had expected things to change.

And in some ways, it did. You and Woonhak no longer walked to class together every morning. You two no longer ate every meal side by side. No more lazy afternoons sprawled on the same couch at each other's homes until one of your moms yelled at you to do something useful.

College meant new friends and new schedules that didn’t always line up. Sometimes days passed without seeing him, which would’ve been unthinkable before.

But when you did meet up, in between classes or over late-night takeout, or even walking home from parties you were both invited to, it was like nothing had changed. He was still your best friend and you were still his, even if there had been this sudden tension developing between you that none of you dared to bring up.

But then again, it was bound to happen eventually.

Only you hadn't expected it to happen that night, when the two of you were walking back from a study session at the library.

The night was still young. Cricket sounds filled the air. The lampposts occasionally flickered. For once, neither of you was talking much.

“You’re quiet,” you said finally, nudging his arm with your elbow.

“I’m thinking."

“Well, don't hurt yourself too much."

He laughed under his breath, then shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. “It’s just… weird, isn’t it? Everyone around us is suddenly dating, or breaking up, or getting engaged.”

You snorted. “Engaged? We’re twenty, Hak.”

“Still happens,” he said, grinning sideways at you. “And it made me wonder.”

“Uh-oh. About what?”

His grin faltered, just slightly. “If you’re still looking for a husband.”

You blinked at him. You definitely hadn't expected that. “What?”

“You used to talk about it all the time,” he said, a little defensive now. “When we were kids. Middle school, even high school.”

“Exactly,” you cut in, rolling your eyes. “When we were kids. I grew out of that, Hak.”

“Did you?” His tone bordering between careful and teasing.

You scoffed, trying to deflect. You didn't think much when you said the next words, especially with the implications they carried. “Why? You wanna volunteer again? Like when we were kids?”

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes this time. He didn't say anything for a while, and then...

“Maybe I still do.”

That made you pause. You both fell back into the silence even as you continued walking. You wanted to say something, but nothing was coming out. There were words inside your head yet they jumbled around, trying to be coherent.

In the corner of your eye, you noticed him staring. When you finally mustered the courage to fully look at him, you realized he was staring at your hand instead.

“What?” you asked, trying not to sound too self-conscious.

“You’re still wearing it,” he said simply.

It took you a second to realize what he meant. Then you looked down at your own finger, where the thin, shiny little ring glinted faintly under the lamplight. The one he’d given you in high school. You hadn't talked about it. In fact, time went by without anyone bringing it up after the first time so you eventually forgot.

Except you hadn’t. Not really. And you’d never been able to bring yourself to take it off.

You pulled your hand back instinctively. “Oh. This? I just...I don’t know, I never thought about it.”

“Mm.” His voice was unreadable.

“Hak, it’s not—”

But before you could finish, he stopped walking. You turned to face him, and there was something in his eyes that wasn’t quite a joke anymore.

“I’ll give you a better one someday,” he said. “So don't go looking for a husband elsewhere.”

Oh, the implications of that one sentence caught your breath.

And when you stared at him like this, observing the way his now-longer hair brushed into his eyes and the way he tucked his hands into his puffy jacket, you wondered where all the time had gone. How years of makeshift rings and joking proclamations of marriage had carried you both here. And how you missed his quiet persistence.

Then, without meaning to, a small smile tugged at your lips.

“Okay,” you said softly.

His head tipped slightly, eyes narrowing in surprise. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you echoed, holding out your pinky.

He stared at it, then laughed under his breath, all tension slipping from his shoulders. He hooked his pinky with yours and the two of you kept walking like that under the streetlights.

And just like always, everything felt the same. Except now, it also didn’t.

ADULTHOOD WAS SUPPOSED to make you serious, but somehow it only made your friends louder.

You were sitting around a table at a reunion dinner, everyone filled with nostalgia and a little too much wine. The conversation had veered again to relationships: who was dating who, who were still single, and all that jazz.

At some point, someone turned to you with a mischievous grin. “So, Y/N, what about you? Where’s your man?”

You leaned back in your chair, amused at the question. You looked around for dramatic flair. “Honestly! Where the hell is my husband?”

The table broke into laughter, and right on cue, a familiar voice answered from somewhere behind you.

“Right here.”

Woonhak leaned down, pressed a quick kiss to your cheek, and slid into the empty seat beside you. And when your hand shifted on the table, the light caught on the big, glittering diamond wrapped snugly around your finger.

As the eldest son of house 406 next door, all Woonhak could do was stare at the white Pomeranian that coincidentally always wandered around when he came out to water his mom’s plants. (It also remained a mystery how Nyang-Nyang—a dog named 'Meow'—managed to sneak over the fence to see him and return home without ever raising suspicion).

Back to Woonhak’s massive wall: the girl next door, who, as far as he could remember, used to be his childhood playmate.

The only definition Woonhak, in his mature adult years (a college freshman...), could give her was 'Angel'.

Beautiful - Check.

Smart - Check.

Kind - Check.

Sweet smile - Check.

Out of reach - Check.

(Never even glances his way - Check).

Well, maybe saying that wasn't entirely fair, since the real reason was that his angel had moved out to live in a dorm closer to her university. Taesan, the eldest brother from house 605 who helped guide him into his current major, often teased him, saying Woonhak was exactly like Nyang-Nyang—always stretching his neck, waiting for the owner (of his heart) next door every single day.

Zero respect for his adulthood, seriously.

But then, one Saturday morning, everything changed. The house next door, which normally only had two familiar tenants, was suddenly bustling with noise. Nyang-Nyang barked so loudly that Woonhak almost regretted secretly sharing his snacks with the dog the day before. Curiosity got the better of him, and he peeked through his bedroom curtains facing the house next door.

And he almost ascended to heaven. He could die with no regrets right then and there. He had finally seen his angel... (Don't tell anyone, Taesan hyung would definitely mock him).

Because the person standing in front of the house, the absolute center of attention, was Y/N.

The angel of little boy Woonhak (who is now fully grown) laughed and crouched down to catch Nyang-Nyang, who was barking happily and jumping into her arms. The late morning sun reflected off her hair, making her smile shine even brighter.

Woonhak practically slammed the curtains shut.

He almost died.

His heart was beating way too fast to keep standing there watching.

One afternoon that same week, his younger sister baked her first cake and invited friends from the neighborhood over—Taesan hyung, who happened to be the older brother of one of his sister’s friends, was among them.

Taesan, noticing Woonhak acting suspiciously out of character (thanks for caring, but please don't next time), pointed an accusing finger at him after leaving the kids to chat in the backyard while they played PS5 in the living room.

Woonhak brushed it off (obviously), but he couldn't outsmart his favorite older brother's sidekick—Leehan hyung from house 201.

"Oh right, Y/N is back. Yesterday my mom made me go help her move her stuff."

Woonhak flinched. Taesan burst into laughter. Leehan looked completely confused by the extreme reactions of the two guys next to him.

"Hyung, can you stop laughing? You're going to choke on the cake and die in my house," Woonhak muttered, though deep down, he kind of wished that exact scenario would happen.

Taesan, still wiping away tears of laughter until Leehan started to piece together what Woonhak desperately wanted to keep hidden, finally calmed down.

"So why did Y/N come back, Leehan hyung?" Woonhak asked.

"I think she's here to look after the share-house. She's on a long break, and her aunt is going on a trip, something like that."

Woonhak nodded, trying hard to ignore Leehan’s knowing gaze. As long as Leehan hyung didn't say anything else, he wouldn't hold it against him.

Just as he was about to take his frustration out on the PS5 controller, a shout calling his name came from the backyard. He didn't have to guess; his sister walked in from the kitchen carrying a few small, cute cake boxes, issuing a command that looked more like a plea in an older brother's eyes.

"Oppa, can you take these cakes to the older kids next door for me? This white box is for Y/N unnie. Please share the rest with the others in the house."

"Why don't you go yourself?"

"Because Taesan oppa— I mean, I haven't finished washing the dishes yet! Just do it for me, please!"

Woonhak didn't object (his heart was practically doing flips of joy), but looking at the kid's eyes, he knew she had conspired something with Taesan, who was still smirking. Before he could say another word, his sister dashed back into the kitchen amidst the giggles of the younger girls.

And that was why he was standing here... in front of the familiar house, with the familiar Pomeranian staring at him through the fence, its tail wagging furiously.

He had already pressed the doorbell, and a sweet voice had already answered. While waiting, Woonhak suddenly felt like everything about himself was in the way—his towering 185 cm height felt awkward, his long, lanky arms and legs didn't seem to know where to go (not to mention the figures of Taesan and Leehan spying on him from the fence, which were definitely an eyesore).

Footsteps rustled before she appeared—familiar hair, a slightly changed silhouette from his memories, and that exact same smile coming into clear view.

"Oh, it's Woonhak! Long time no see. Have you been well, 'little boy'?"

He couldn't even remember how he smiled back, what he said, or what expression he made.

That very first sentence in years kept echoing in his head until he returned home to face Taesan’s exasperating, mocking smile.

"So, how'd it go?" Taesan asked, even though he literally knew everything because he eavesdropped. Cold-blooded.

"I'm just a little brother..."

His mood was the one going cold now.

"I'm a grown man now, why is it like this?"

He kept mumbling to himself until Taesan had to shoot a look asking for backup...

His pathetic state must have been truly unbearable. Jaehyun hyung from house 102, who happened to be walking by (because his sister had called him over to grab some cake), got reeled in by Taesan and ended up having to help.

And that was how the 'How to be a nice guy' masterclass was born.

Step 1 - Be a gentleman

"I'm already polite, though."

The ultimate filial eldest son, well-mannered, and mature—who else could it be but Woonhak?

Taesan snorted too loud at that statement that Jaehyun and Leehan had to quickly hold Woonhak back before he grabbed something to whack his older brother.

"I mean, if you don't want Y/N to see you as a kid—then don't act like a kid."

"Easy for you to say, hyung" Woonhak scoffed.

When did he ever act like that? Woonhak believed he had outgrown his 'cute kid' phase since he was 9, or at least since he got a younger sister. He was acting like a proper, grown-up older brother. What were they even looking at?

"That's called being pretentious."

And controlling his temper to not smash the TV remote over his Taesan hyung's head was another sign of Woonhak's growth. I guess?

"Calm down, little bro. Think about it slowly," Jaehyun started. "Have you ever seen Y/N show interest in someone who acts like a little kid? (Of course not, because she hasn't been home in ages). Plus, fundamentally, women like guys who are 'gentlemen'."

Woonhak paused to think. Even though the person giving advice had zero credible achievements in this field... looking at the other two guys in the room, he realized he didn't have many options.

Taesan? - Scrap that.

Leehan? - He wouldn't dare compare himself to a guy who could just stand still and have the whole neighborhood fall for him.

Jaehyun? - Yeah, not very reliable... but what choice did he have? (None)

"Oh, right. I made plans to walk the dogs with Y/N this evening. Do you want to come along?"

Leehan suddenly became a much better option when he brought that up. Woonhak’s eyes sparkled as if he had found the light at the end of a very dark tunnel—

"But what is Woonhak going to do? He doesn't even have a dog. Is he going to help you walk Koni?" Taesan chimed in, mentioning Leehan's small Shih Tzu, instantly wiping the smile off Woonhak's face.

"Hey, there's always a way."

Because of Leehan’s words, backed by Jaehyun’s instigation, Woonhak was now standing here.

Awkwardly walking behind the beautiful older girl next door who was holding Nyang-Nyang’s leash, while his hands gripped the white eco-tote bag he had snatched from her when he ambushed her in front of her house.

Obviously, the basics of being a gentleman—carrying the bag.

Even though the tote bag he was holding was light as a feather, and the expression on her beautiful face was nothing but confusion—Woonhak was quite impressed with his execution of this step.

Smooth, flawless, and handsome.

She definitely had to feel a flutter in her heart.

Leehan carried his little princess Koni in another direction, seemingly giving him a chance to make a move. Nyang-Nyang, acting like a perfect wingman who remembered the guy who secretly fed him snacks, chose to run slightly ahead. Man, everything was falling perfectly into place.

A gentle breeze, the afternoon sun softening, the cool shade of the trees—paired with the newly rebranded 'Gentleman Woonhak'. Come on, who could resist this?

Y/N turned back to look at him when the boy next door didn't catch up, but she paused when a light breeze blew a stray leaf into her hair—as if right on cue. Instinctively, he reached out to gently brush it away for her.

If he wasn't flattering himself too much, her heart had to have skipped a beat...

...If it weren't for the sound of dogs barking right behind Woonhak, instantly diverting the girl’s attention toward the source of the noise. Along with the young man who casually strolled into the scene with terrible timing.

'Riwoo', the owner of two Pomeranians just like Nyang-Nyang, named Daebak and Jjang. He half-ran after his four-legged friends who eagerly greeted Y/N. Woonhak vaguely remembered that Riwoo hyung, the son from house 303, was close friends with Y/N. He just didn't expect them to be so close that they could chat so naturally after not seeing each other for so long.

Woonhak unconsciously stepped back. Once again, that sweet smile wasn't meant for him, yet it looked just as beautiful as ever.

"Do you think Riwoo is a gentleman?" Jaehyun, standing as an 'outside observer', asked out loud, completely forgetting how much those words would crush the giant puppy listening.

"He is a gentleman. He's probably the ideal son-in-law for all the moms around here," Leehan replied while holding Cony, looking worriedly at his beloved younger brother.

Jaehyun finally seemed to catch on and quickly added, "This won't do. Emergency Step 2, Woonhak! Don't lose your confidence. You get what I mean?"

Leehan scratched his head. Probably too late for that. Right now, Woonhak looks as sad as the five dogs in this park combined, hyung...

Step 2 - Don't lose your confidence

"Stick your chest out, Woonhak!" Jaehyun hissed through his teeth from behind the bushes, making pushing motions with his hands as if trying to physically boost the giant kid's morale. "Remember, rule number two is confidence! Walk right in there, act like you're having an adult conversation. Show her you're on the same level as Riwoo!"

With no other choice (and refusing to have his spotlight stolen any further), Woonhak took a deep breath, puffed out his chest, put on his most mature, serious face, and marched right back to the young woman and older guy who were deeply engaged in conversation.

"What are you guys talking about?" Woonhak interjected, forcing his voice to drop an octave lower, standing right in the middle of them.

"Oh, Woonhak." Riwoo smiled warmly—the kind of smile that made mothers all over South Korea want to sign over their property deeds to him. "Y/N and I were just talking about the new cafe in front of the neighborhood... Do you drink coffee, Woonhak?"

Coffee? The adult vocabulary hit Woonhak right in the face. He normally only drank banana milk, but to maintain his 'manly' facade, he nodded confidently.

"I like drinking light roast Americanos. The fruity acidity really wakes me up," Woonhak lied with a straight face (while internally cringing at the bitter thought of it).

Y/N raised an eyebrow, looking at the giant kid with a mix of surprise and amusement. "Wow, you've really grown up."

"I told you I'm a grown man, Noona." Woonhak smirked, thinking to himself, I look so cool right now. Girls are definitely screaming.

Riwoo chuckled softly, finding him endearing. "That's great... Oh, right! Woonhak, could you hold Daebak and Jjang's leashes for a second? I need to tie my shoelaces."

"No problem. Piece of cake." Woonhak confidently reached out and took the leashes of the two Pomeranians. Left arm holding the eco-bag, right arm holding the dogs. He struck a pose like a pet magazine model.

Everything was going perfectly... if it wasn't for Nyang-Nyang, who was playing far away, suddenly spotting his best buddies Daebak and Jjang.

"Woof!"

Nyang-Nyang launched himself forward at top speed. Daebak and Jjang, seeing their friend, instantly bounced up in response.

"Hey, hey! Wait! Sit, guys, sit!" Woonhak's eyes widened in panic as three hyperactive furballs began doing laps around him.

The leashes started wrapping around Woonhak's long legs with lightning speed, almost like they were programmed to do so. He tried to step out of the trap, but his 185 cm frame combined with the tangled mess of ropes caused him to lose his balance completely.

"Whoaaa!"

…

The confident young man fell straight back, landing ungracefully on the grass. The eco-bag flew up and landed squarely on his forehead, while the gang of three Pomeranians rushed in to lick his face like they had just won a war.

"Woonhak!" Y/N cried out in panic, quickly crouching down to check on him, a mix of shock and suppressed laughter on her face.

"I'm... I'm fine, Noona..." Woonhak mumbled, lying spread-eagle on the grass, his confidence shattered into a million pieces.

Before Y/N could help pull the giant kid up, a smooth, deep voice interrupted.

"Jaehyun? Leehan? What are you guys doing in those bushes?"

Riwoo, who had just finished tying his shoes, wasn't looking at Woonhak, but was squinting at the low bushes behind them, where two large men were desperately trying to shrink themselves out of existence.

Jaehyun flinched, offering a dry smile and a wave. Leehan, who was holding Koni (and covering his little princess's eyes so she wouldn't see the pathetic scene), widened his eyes as if waking up from a trance.

"Ah... right!" Leehan exclaimed loudly. "I was supposed to be walking with Y/N today!"

"You goldfish!" Jaehyun smacked his own forehead loudly. "You came with her, but you stood hiding with me?!"

The absolute bust of the advisory squad made Y/N burst out laughing. Riwoo slowly shook his head at his friends' chaotic energy before turning back to pull Woonhak to his feet, helping brush the grass off his shirt.

"I think... you should throw Jaehyun's 'How to be a nice guy' course in the trash," Riwoo said deadpan, though his eyes were full of fondness.

"Y-you knew about that, Riwoo hyung...?" Woonhak went pale, feeling like the biggest idiot in the neighborhood.

"Step 3, Woonhak... Just be yourself. Trying to be someone else is exhausting."

Riwoo's words flicked a switch in Woonhak's brain, but the person who truly left him stunned was the young woman standing next to him, laughing until her eyes crinkled.

"Finally, someone said it!" Y/N beamed, showing zero surprise. "I saw you trying to keep a straight face and force your voice down since we left the house, Woonhak. It was making me feel uncomfortable."

The 19-year-old's eyes went wide. "N-Noona, you knew...? That I..."

"Of course I did!" She reached out and pinched his tall nose affectionately. "Ever since that first day I came back and we bumped into each other at the fence. You looked like a deer in headlights, stood completely frozen, and babbled nonsense for ages... I easily guessed, right?"

The mirror of his secrets shattered completely... Everything was ruined! All that practicing, all those consultations with his older brothers... The person he trusted the least turned out to be the most dangerous one! (Thank God he didn't trust Taesan too much. Those emo villains are never to be trusted anyway).

"And besides, Taesan can't keep a secret to save his life," Y/N added, holding back a laugh.

"Come on... Y/N Noona!"

Woonhak whined loudly, all traces of his formal, polite tone vanishing into thin air. He reverted completely to the slightly spoiled, overly affectionate voice of a teenage boy. His thick eyebrows furrowed, his lips jutting out in a pout without realizing it. "You knew, and you just let me act like a crazy person this whole time! You're so mean!"

The sight of the giant 'puppy' throwing a tantrum because he got caught made Y/N laugh brighter than she had all day. She reached up and ruffled his perfectly styled hair until it was a messy, natural bird's nest.

"I just wanted to see how long you could keep the act up." She gave him a sweet, gentle smile that made the onlooker's heart skip a beat. "But you know... I think the normal Woonhak is..."

"..."

"A whole lot cuter."

It felt like the whole world stopped spinning. The cool breeze blowing through the park did absolutely nothing to cool down the heat rushing to Woonhak's face. He pressed his lips together, desperately trying to hide a massive smile, but his ears, which were burning bright red all the way to his neck, betrayed him entirely.

Back in the bushes...

Jaehyun, who was still squatting, rolled his eyes, so annoyed he wanted to throw leaves. "Wow... now she's complimenting the giant puppy. When it's me, all I get is yelled at.”

Leehan nodded slowly in agreement. "True... the only person who sees that girl as an angel is an absolute fool."

Woonhak’s bedroom window was in a prime location—as mentioned before.

It caught the perfect amount of morning sunlight, and it aligned perfectly with Y/N’s bedroom window.

He walked out, ruffling his damp hair from a shower (obviously, after rolling in the dirt like that), only to find the young woman sitting on her balcony, resting her chin on her hand and absentmindedly petting Nyang-Nyang.

That beautiful smile could bring the dead back to life.

And Woonhak was resurrected once again.

A smile sweeter than the sugar in his sister’s cake, a smile that shined brighter than the moon tonight—directed entirely at him. (Check - give this one about ten checks. Bonus points).

"When are you going to say it?" Woonhak called out.

The owner of the sweet smile tilted her head, looking amused, pretending she didn't know why the kid was greeting her with that sentence.

"Don't play dumb—tell me what's on your mind."

The distance between the two houses meant he couldn't whisper it like he wanted to, but the fact that his loud voice reaching her carried a hint of a whiny, spoiled tone didn't bother him at all.

"Adults don't whine, Woonhak," she replied with a teasing smile.

"I'm still a kid. I'm allowed to whine. You said so yourself."

"When did I ever say that?" She laughed, letting Nyang-Nyang hop back into her bedroom without stopping him.

"Don't you make me wait—say what's on your mind—just say that you love me already, Noona"

"Do I?"

Just as Woonhak was about to pout and throw another tantrum, that sweet voice replied right on cue.

"Yes, I do."

Woonhak was so overjoyed he almost made the terrible decision to jump across the balconies to reach his angel (though if he missed, he'd definitely be meeting real angels in heaven). But he was suddenly stopped in his tracks by the sound of a guitar strumming and a very familiar singing voice coming from not too far away.

"I love you baby, baby, baby 외쳐대느라 내 진심을 동네방네 다 알아! (I shouted it out so loud, now the whole neighborhood knows my true feelings)"

Followed by an ad-libbed shout that was unmistakably the main rapper: "니가 좋아! (I LIKE YOU!)" It was so loud it made both of them flinch.

While Y/N tried to lean out to find the source of the noise, Woonhak, from his angle, had a crystal-clear view of exactly who was standing in front of the share-house where the person across from him lived...

"JAEHYUN!! SHUT UP AND GO TO SLEEP!!"

And that was the exasperated response to the serenade, courtesy of one of the tenants of house number 405...

A/N

۶ৎ when you take charge of a situation. seeing you be assertive, make decisions, take control, whether it's ordering for both of you at a restaurant or handling a difficult situation, makes him feel some type of way. sure he's the youngest in his family, but he's grown used to being the responsible oldest hyung in the group, so when you step up, it's attractive and also kind of a relief. plus, the confidence you exude is extremely hot to him. he'll come up behind you after and murmur "That was really hot" directly in your ear, just to see you get flustered.

۶ৎ whenever you bite or lick your lips. he's so fixated on your mouth in general, but when you do that? His concentration disappears completely. he loses track of conversations entirely. you could be having the most mundane conversation and if you bite your lip while thinking, he's just staring, not hearing a single word. "Sungho, are you listening?" you'll ask, and he has to shake himself out of it. "Sorry, what?" sometimes he has to physically look away and take a breath to regain focus.

۶ৎ when you wear his button-up shirts or dress shirts, especially if it's slightly oversized on you and you've left a few buttons undone. his eyes suddenly go dark and intense, and he's very aware of how good you look in his clothes. his hands get restless, wanting to touch. he'll come up behind you and wrap his arms around your waist, voice lower than usual when he murmurs "That's mine" against your ear. when you tease "I know, I borrowed it," he just tightens his hold. "Looks better on you anyway."

۶ৎ the sound of your laugh when it's just for him. you've always reserved this softer, more intimate laugh for him whenever it's just the two of you. it makes his chest tight and his thoughts go fuzzy. he'll stop whatever he's doing just to watch you, and there's this certain look on his face like he's trying to memorize the moment.

۶ৎ when you touch the back of his neck or run your fingers through his hair. he literally freezes the first time you do it, and even now he's still not used to it. his eyes close automatically and you can see him physically trying to maintain control. if you do it in public, he'll grab your wrist gently but firmly and give you a warning look. "Not here," he says quietly, but his voice has that edge to it. "Unless you want problems." the threat makes you smile, which makes him have to look away before he actually does cause problems.

۶ৎ when you look up at him during a hug. something about the angle, the closeness, the intimacy of the moment makes his brain malfunction. his arms tighten around you automatically and he has to resist the urge to kiss you (sometimes he doesn't resist). if you smile up at him while doing this, he's actually gone, completely lost. "What?" you'll ask, and he just shakes his head. "Nothing. You're just—" he never finishes that sentence, just kisses you instead.

۶ৎ the way you say his name when you want his attention. there's a specific tone you use. it's a little drawn out, a little whiny and completely endearing. it works on him every single time. he could be in the middle of anything and that tone makes him immediately turn to you, already asking "What do you need?" he's so weak for it and you definitely know it. sometimes you abuse this power and he'll call you out : "You're doing that on purpose." but he still gives you whatever you wanted.

۶ৎ when you wear anything that requires him to help you with it. a zipper you can't reach, a necklace clasp, anything that gives him an excuse to touch you while you're standing still. his fingers always linger longer than necessary, and you can feel his breath on your neck, the warmth of him behind you. "There," he'll say softly when he's done, but his hands stay on your waist, his lips dangerously close to your shoulder. these moments feel more intimate than they should and he’s very aware of it.

‧₊˚┊RIWOO〃・

۶ৎ when you watch him dance. you're always paying attention, eyes following his every movement, completely focused on him. he can feel your gaze and it makes him simultaneously want to show off and completely fall apart. after practice, he's always a little breathless and flustered, asking "Was that okay?" even though he knows it was perfect. the way you look at him with admiration makes his heart race faster than any choreography ever could. once you said "You're incredible, you know that?" and he had to hide his face in his towel for a solid minute.

۶ৎ your hands, specifically when you touch him absentmindedly. playing with his fingers while you talk, tracing patterns on his arm, brushing his hair back, he's so aware of every single touch. he'll go completely still and quiet, just feeling it, and you'll notice his breathing has changed. sometimes he catches your hand and just holds it, bringing it to his cheek or his lips because he can't help himself. "What are you doing?" you'll ask, and he just shrugs with a shy smile. "Your hands are warm."

۶ৎ when you initiate physical affection first. because he's often shy about reaching for you, when YOU reach for him—grabbing his hand, pulling him into a hug, kissing him without warning—it makes his brain stop working. he gets this surprised, delighted look on his face, and then he's melting into you completely. "You surprised me," he'll mumble against your shoulder, but he's smiling and holding you tighter. it makes him feel wanted and it overwhelms him in the best way.

۶ৎ when you wear anything soft or oversized. specifically big sweaters or hoodies that make you look cozy and touchable. it brings out every protective and affectionate instinct he has. he wants to pull you close and bury his face in your shoulder. if it's HIS hoodie? he actually might malfunction. "Is that mine?" he'll ask, even though he knows it is, and when you nod he just wraps his arms around you from behind. "Keep it. It's yours now." (he says this every time but also keeps giving you more hoodies.)

۶ৎ the way you say his name—Sanghyeok. most people call him Riwoo, so hearing his real name from you, especially in that gentle tone, sends his heart into overdrive. if you say it while looking directly at him, he's GONE. he'll just stare at you with wide eyes, cheeks pink, completely forgetting whatever he was doing or saying. "Sanghyeok?" you'll say when he doesn't respond, and that just makes it worse. "Sorry, I just... I like when you say my name."

۶ৎ the smell of your shampoo or body wash. when he hugs you and gets a face full of that scent, it's game over. he'll linger way longer than necessary, breathing you in, completely lost in it. you'll feel him nuzzle closer and hear him sigh contentedly. if you ask "Are you okay?" he'll just nod against your shoulder. "You smell really good. Can we stay like this?" he's accidentally told you "You smell so good" out loud more times than he can count.

۶ৎ when you wear delicate jewellery, especially necklaces or earrings. he's very detail-oriented and he notices these things immediately. "Is that new?" he'll ask about a necklace, reaching out to touch it gently. the delicate, pretty accessories appeal to his aesthetic sense, but more than that, he likes learning these details about your style. he's definitely mentioned specific pieces he's seen you wear, remembering them weeks later.

۶ৎ the way you look right after waking up. messy hair, sleepy eyes, that confused little expression you make, he thinks it's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. he's taken mental pictures of this version of you countless times. when you try to hide or say you look awful, he genuinely doesn't understand. "What? No, you're beautiful," he'll say, completely serious, pulling you back down. "Stay. Let me look at you." the sincerity in his voice makes it impossible to argue.

۶ৎ when you laugh at his jokes or antics. we all know he's actually one of the funniest members, but he's not loud about it, his humor is more subtle, deadpan, or unexpectedly chaotic. so when you genuinely laugh at something he does or says, especially the quieter jokes others might miss, it makes him feel so seen and appreciated. he'll get this pleased, slightly shy smile and feel encouraged to be even more himself around you. "You actually think I'm funny?" he'll ask, almost surprised, and when you confirm it enthusiastically, he looks so happy. later he'll get more comfortable showing you his chaotic side, doing silly things just to make you laugh.

۶ৎ seeing you in anything form-fitting. he tries so hard not to stare, but his eyes betray him constantly. he'll look away quickly when you catch him, ears going red. "Sorry," he'll mumble, but then he's looking again two seconds later. if you tease him about it, he gets even more flustered. "I can't help it, you look really good." his hand will find your waist almost unconsciously, touch a little more lingering than usual.

‧₊˚┊JAEHYUN〃・

۶ৎ your laugh, especially the uncontrolled, genuine one. he lives for that sound whenever you're really cracking up, maybe even snorting or wheezing. he'll say the most ridiculous things and do the dumbest stuff just to hear it. when you're laughing that hard, he's watching you with the brightest smile, completely endeared. "There it is, you’re so cute!” sometimes he laughs just because you're laughing, and it becomes this feedback loop of happiness.

۶ৎ the way you say his name when you're trying to scold him. that exasperated “Jaehyun!” or “Myung Jaehyun!” when he does anything chaotic. instead of making him stop, it just makes him grin wider. the frustrated yet fond way you say it is one of his favourite things. “Ooh, full name,” he’ll tease. “Am I in trouble?” the answer is always yes, but he never seems to care.

۶ৎ when you see through his playful act to the real him underneath. he's gotten so used to being the energetic, teasing leader, but when you recognize the quieter, more thoughtful Jaehyun and engage with that side of him, he’s genuinely so appreciative of you. when you ask him genuine questions about his thoughts or feelings in private, his whole demeanor softens. "You really want to know?" he'll ask, a little surprised. the playful mask drops and he becomes more serious and vulnerable. it makes him feel truly seen.

۶ৎ  when you absently trace the veins on his hands or forearms. he has prominent veins and when your fingers just naturally gravitate to following them while you're talking or watching something, he can barely concentrate on anything else. his hand will flex unconsciously under your touch. "You do that a lot," he'll comment quietly, and when you ask if it bothers him, he shakes his head. "No. Don't stop. It feels nice." his voice is lower, more serious than usual.

۶ৎ when you hum or sing along quietly to his parts in BOYNEXTDOOR songs. you’d be just naturally singing along because you know the songs, and it makes him feel pride and affection in equal measure. he'll stop and just listen to you, smiling. "You know all my parts?" when you confirm you do, he gets this look, proud but also genuinely touched. "Sing it again." and he's completely serious, wanting to hear you do his parts over and over.

۶ৎ when you're doing a completely mundane task while wearing his clothing. specifically when you're just living life—washing dishes, working, reading—while casually dressed in his shirt or hoodie like it's the most natural thing. it's the domesticity of it that gets him. you're not trying to look cute or get a reaction, you just grabbed his clothes because they're comfortable. he'll back hug you and just hold on. “I really like this,” he'll murmur into your shoulder.

۶ৎ when you get protective over him. whether it's defending him in conversation, making sure he's eaten, noticing when he's tired even when he's hiding it with his bright personality—when you protect or care for him, it makes him feel cherished. his usual independence wavers and he lets himself lean on you. "You noticed?" he'll ask softly when you call out that he's exhausted. the vulnerability in that moment is something he only shows you.

۶ৎ the quiet sounds you make when you're falling asleep. soft sighs, little mumbles, the way your breathing changes—he's learned all of them. when you're dozing off on his shoulder or in his arms, he stays perfectly still just to listen. these are his favourite sounds because they mean you're comfortable enough with him to be this unguarded. he'll press a kiss to your head and whisper "Sleep well" even though you're already out.

۶ৎ when you match his energy for meaningful conversations late at night. when the dorm is quiet and it's just you two talking about your dreams, fears, deep thoughts—and you're fully engaged, asking thoughtful questions, sharing your own vulnerabilities. this is when he's most himself. "It's not usually easy to talk about this stuff with most people," he'll admit, fingers intertwined with yours. "But with you it feels effortless."

۶ৎ when you touch his face gently, specifically cupping his jaw or cheek. that specific touch never fails to make him melt. he'll lean into your palm, eyes closing, and you can see all the energy drain out of him in the best way. "This is nice," he'll mumble. if you stroke your thumb across his cheek, he makes this soft, contented sound. 

‧₊˚┊ TAESAN〃・

۶ৎ when you understand his need for silence and just exist quietly beside him. he's not always talkative, and most people try to fill the silence, but when you just sit with him, both doing your own thing, no pressure to talk, it makes him feel understood. he'll glance over at you occasionally, and there's this soft contentment in his expression. sometimes he'll reach over and just rest his hand on your knee or link his pinky with yours without saying anything. 

۶ৎ when you listen to music with that same intense focus he has. eyes closed, completely absorbed, feeling it—when he sees you experience music the way he does, it creates this connection he can't articulate. he'll watch you and feel this pull in his chest. "What are you listening to?" he'll ask after, genuinely wanting to know. if you share your earbuds with him, sitting close while you listen together, those might be his favourite moments. he's accidentally held his breath during these moments because he doesn't want to disturb the vibe.

۶ৎ the specific scent of whatever lotion or cream you use. It's not perfume, it's more subtle than that, he only notices it when he's close. when he hugs you or you're next to him, he catches it and it derails his thoughts completely. he's learned what it smells like and now associates it entirely with you. sometimes when you're not around, he'll catch a similar scent randomly and it makes him miss you instantly. he's never told you this because it feels too revealing.

۶ৎ when you call him out on his bullshit directly. he has a tendency to deflect or use sarcasm as a shield, and most people let him get away with it. but when you see right through it and call him out on it (not in a mean way!) it catches him completely off guard. "Don't do that," you'll say. "Just tell me what you're actually feeling." he'll be quiet for a moment, then sigh. "You're annoying," he'll mutter, but he means "you're right" and you both know it. it makes him feel seen to the point it’s terrifying and addictive.

۶ৎ your collarbones, especially when you wear crew neck or off-shoulder clothing. It's specific and he knows it's kind of random, but it just appeals to his artistic sensibilities and also makes him want to trace them with his fingers, or his mouth. he's thought about it extensively. when you wear any clothing that shows them, his gaze keeps drifting there. "Stop looking at me like that," you'll say, and he'll smirk slightly. "Then cover up."

۶ৎ when you remember lyrics to songs he's recommended. he doesn't recommend music lightly—his taste is specific and personal. so when you not only listen to what he shares but actually remember it, reference it, quote lyrics back to him, it makes him feel understood on a level that's hard to explain. "You actually listened to the whole album?" there's surprise in his voice. when you confirm you did and tell him your favourite track, he has to look away because the feeling in his chest is too much.

۶ৎ when you're completely barefaced around him. it's not because he doesn't like makeup, but because it means you're comfortable enough to be completely natural with him. the first time you showed up or stayed over without makeup, he noticed immediately. he didn't say anything at first, but just looked at you with a soft expression. "What?" you asked, and he shook his head. "Nothing. You just... you look beautiful." now whenever he sees you barefaced, it feels intimate. it has nothing to do with appearance and everything to do with trust.

۶ৎ when you reach for his hand in public. he's not overly affectionate in public settings, so when you slip your hand into his while walking, there's a brief moment where he glances down at your intertwined fingers. he doesn't pull away—his grip is actually firm, secure. "You good?" he'll ask casually, like he's just checking in, but really he's acknowledging the touch without making it a big deal. if you let go to do something and don't immediately take his hand again, his hand will find yours within a minute. 

۶ৎ when you take care of practical things for him without being asked. ordering food when he's been working too long, making sure he has what he needs, handling things so he doesn't have to think about them. he loves that someone cares enough to just handle things. it makes him feel quietly taken care of, a feeling he never realized he needed every now and then.

۶ৎ when you get slightly annoyed with his teasing. you're not actually upset, but there’s this mock-irritated look you give him when he's being purposely annoying. the little huff you make, the way you roll your eyes, how you try not to smile even though you want to—he finds it adorable and it just makes him want to tease you more. "Aww, are you mad at me?" he'll coo, knowing full well you're not. when you swat at him, he catches your hand and pulls you closer. "No? Then why are you blushing?”

‧₊˚┊LEEHAN〃・

۶ৎ when you show genuine interest in his fish and marine life facts. how could I not start off with this for Leehan? he adores when you actually ask questions, remember the names of his fish and engage with his explanations. most people zone out when he starts talking about aquatic ecosystems, but when you actively listen and participate, it gives him butterflies. "You actually want to know about this?" he'll ask, slightly surprised. when you confirm you do, he gets this soft look and continues with even more enthusiasm. later he'll randomly bring up something you asked about days ago because he's been thinking about how to explain it better to you.

۶ৎ when you remember small details about his routine or preferences. he's mentioned once that he feeds his fish at a certain time, or that he likes a specific drink, or prefers things a certain way—and you just remember. you don't make a big deal about it, you just incorporate it naturally. when you hand him exactly what he needs without him asking, he'll pause and look at you. "You remembered." it's not a question. the quiet appreciation in his eyes says everything.

۶ৎ when you touch him casually and consistently. a hand on his arm when you're talking, playing with his fingers absently, leaning against him—you're naturally tactile with him that it's grounding. he's not always the most outwardly affectionate, but he craves this casual, constant contact. he'll adjust his position to make it easier for you to touch him, subtle encouragement. if you stop, he'll literally guide your hand back. "You can keep doing that," he'll say calmly, like it's the most natural request in the world.

۶ৎ when you're sleepy and clingy. you get more openly affectionate when you're tired, seeking him out, wanting to be close. the unguarded nature of it, the way you just want him specifically when you're in your vulnerable state satisfies him. he'll pull you closer, arrange you however is most comfortable. "Sleep," he'll say simply, but his hand is running through your hair, his other arm tight around you. these are the moments he feels most needed.

۶ৎ when you get excited or passionate about your own interests. the way you light up, talk faster, gesture more—it's a side of you that's unfiltered and genuine. He'll watch with this calm, focused attention, slight smile on his face. he might not fully understand what you're talking about, but he loves seeing you like this. "Keep going," he'll encourage when you pause. "I'm listening." and he genuinely is, absorbing every detail about what makes you feel this way.

۶ৎ when you understand his need to observe and process before reacting. he's not always immediately expressive or responsive, and some people find that frustrating. but you've learned to read his quieter cues, to give him space to think, to not push for immediate reactions. that patience and understanding makes him feel accepted exactly as he is. "You get me," he'll say sometimes, out of nowhere. and the weight of that simple statement carries everything he doesn't always know how to express.

۶ৎ when you agree to download and play games with him (especially pokémon). he doesn't even have to persuade that hard, he'll mention it once with that calm, matter-of-fact tone, "You should download this, we can play together," and when you actually do it, he gets visibly pleased. he'll help you set up, explain everything patiently, and just sharing this specific interest with you makes him so happy. "You're actually playing," he'll comment, like he's pleasantly surprised you followed through. now he sends you screenshots of his progress and asks about yours regularly. It's become your thing.

۶ৎ when you notice he's pouting before he even says anything's wrong. he gets pouty more easily than he'd admit, and most people don't catch it because his expression doesn't change that dramatically. but you've learned to read the subtle signs—the slight downturn of his lips, the way he gets quieter, how he'll look away. "What's wrong?" you'll ask, and he'll try to play it off. "Nothing." but when you insist and actually care enough to find out, he'll eventually tell you. the fact that you noticed and cared enough to push makes the pout disappear pretty quickly.

۶ৎ when you baby him without him having to ask for it. he loves being taken care of but won't explicitly request it. so when you just naturally baby him—fixing his hair, adjusting his clothes, feeding him bites of food, cooing over him—he melts. he'll have this small, satisfied smile and lean into it completely. he's absolutely not moving away from your attention. if you stop, he'll do something to get it back. he thrives on this kind of care.

۶ৎ when you compliment him genuinely and specifically. he doesn't mjnd generic compliments, but when you notice specific things, "your eyes are really pretty in this light," "I love the way you explain things," "you have really nice hands." he'll get this small, pleased smile and his eyes will soften. "Yeah?" he'll ask, wanting you to elaborate. unlike his usual calm demeanor, with compliments he's almost... eager. "What else?" he'll prompt, completely shameless about wanting more. he drinks in praise like his fish need water.

‧₊˚┊WOONHAK〃・

۶ৎ when you ruffle his hair or treat him fondly. he'll complain about it every single time. "Stop! You're messing it up!" but he's not actually moving away, and he's smiling. if you stop and apologize, he'll literally lean his head towards you. "I didn't say stop completely..." the casual affection just makes him feel cared for, even if he acts like it's annoying. he's definitely started putting his head within your reach more often.

۶ৎ when you hype him up or brag about him to others. telling people how talented he is, how funny, how good at dance, he acts embarrassed but he's absolutely beaming. "Stop, oh my god," he'll say, covering his face, but peeking through his fingers to see if you're still talking. later he'll bring it up. "So you really think I'm that good?" he wants to hear it again. he'll fish for compliments by mentioning whatever you praised him for.

۶ৎ your smile, specifically when you're smiling at him. when he looks over and you're already looking at him with that warm expression, it makes his heart do weird things. he'll probably point at himself like "Me??" even though obviously yes, you. then he'll get shy and look away, grinning. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he'll ask, but he's clearly happy about it. he'll sneak glances at you to see if you're still smiling.

۶ৎ when you call him cute (but only sometimes). most of the time he protests. "I'm not cute! I'm cool!" but occasionally, when you say it in a certain tone or at a specific moment, he gets flustered. his ears go red and he doesn't know where to look. "...You really think so?" the vulnerability in that question is so genuine. when you confirm, he tries to act cool but fails completely, just smiling uncontrollably.

۶ৎ your presence at his practices or performances. knowing you're there watching makes him want to do his absolute best. he'll look for you in the crowd or practice room, and when he spots you, his whole face brightens. after, he'll rush over. "Did you see? Was I good? What part did you like best?" he values your opinion so much and wants detailed feedback on everything. he'll remember every compliment you give.

۶ৎ when you share food with him without him having to ask. you'll just automatically offer him a bite of whatever you're eating, or order extra because you know he'll want some. "Wait, this is for me too?" when you nod like it's obvious, he gets this soft look. "You're the best, seriously." he'll start doing the same for you, always making sure to get enough to share. food is love language for him, and sharing it with you makes him feel connected.

۶ৎ when you laugh at his attempts to be smooth or flirty. he's not great at it yet, but he tries sometimes, and it usually comes out awkward or overly rehearsed. instead of cringing, you find it endearing and laugh warmly. "Did that work?" he'll ask hopefully, even though he knows it didn't. when you say he's cute when he tries, he groans. "I'm going for cool, not cute!" but he's smiling, and he'll probably try again later.

۶ৎ when you take photos of him randomly. you'll just snap pictures of him doing normal things—eating, laughing, practicing—and he'll notice. "Are you taking pictures of me?" when you admit you are, he gets shy but also pleased. "Why? I'm not even doing anything special." later he'll ask to see them, and he'll save every single one. "You make me look good," he'll say, when really you just capture him being genuinely himself.

۶ৎ when you remember he's still young and growing. when you're understanding about the fact that he's still figuring things out, still learning, still maturing. you don't expect him to have everything figured out. "You're doing great," you'll tell him when he's frustrated with himself. the patience and faith you show in him makes him want to live up to it. "I'm gonna make you proud," he'll declare determinedly.

۶ৎ when you say you're proud of him. Those specific words—"I'm proud of you"—they hit him right in the heart. he's used to being praised for being cute or funny, but pride? that's different. his eyes might get a little watery. "Really? You're proud of me?" when you confirm, he'll try to play it cool but fail completely. "That means a lot..." he'll remember you said that for months, bringing it up when he needs motivation.

@coriihanniee ᯓᡣ𐭩

˖➴ reblogs are appreciated! ty for reading! <3

"AND CUT!" The director yells and everyone is clapping. Seungcheol who is kneeling on the ground with his eyes full of tears is getting help from the actress he played with to stand up. Everyone is clapping because the shoot for the new drama is finally wrapped beautifully.

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK EVERYONE!" Seungcheol shouts. 

He is thanking everyone who has worked hard to make the shooting process easier for him. He is thanking his co-star Ahn Sumi, the newcomer who just made her breakthrough from her past drama. He takes photos with his co-stars and the staff while holding a bouquet of flowers from the staff as a congratulatory gesture. 

One by one, each light turns off and so does his life as an actor. He is no longer Seungcheol the top actor or S.Coups—a famous singer in the music industry. He is back to his ordinary life as Choi Seungcheol. Thirty five years old Choi Seungcheol who loves to take a long hot bath, drink a can of beer before sleeping while watching whatever his youtube home page is showing, and of course, talking with you about his day or listening to every rant you need to vent, especially about your endless work. Most importantly, he loves to play with the love of his life, his two years old daughter.

Seungcheol might appear as a single man who from time to time is involved in gossip for a dating scandal which he denied every time. He always put a high barrier every time he acted in romance movies or dramas with his co-stars. He always considers them as a good friend or as work colleagues at least. He likes to keep his work life professional, so falling in love with his co-star is out of the question, because you are the only one he could ever think off.

Seungcheol met you by the river eight years ago, he was twenty seven years old at that time. 

It was midnight when Seungcheol decided to go for a run at the jogging track by the river. He had just finished his schedule that day. It was a long and tiring day. He and his group needed to record their performance at five in the morning, then went to shoot for a show he can't even remember the name of, then proceed to practice for tomorrow's shows. It was really tiring but that night Seungcheol really needed to let it all out, he really needed to let go of the burden he had on his shoulder. 

He missed living a normal life as a guy in his twenties, so he ran that night by himself. He was feeling himself. Seungcheol was running so hard until he was out of breath. He rested both hands on his knee, his chest was heaving because he ran too fast but a smile grew on his sweaty face. 

He plopped himself to the grass, removed one of the heads of a wired earphone from his ears. He heard someone crying, bawling even, and he saw you there. You were very close to the river and Seungcheol's instinct was running towards you, because he thought you were going to do something he can't even imagine.

"Don't!" You stopped mid crying. Looking down at your wrist that gets held by someone. You dragged your eyes slowly from your wrist until you met Seungcheol eyes. Your eyes widened and you pushed him hard until he stumbled to the back. 

"Just don't do it! There are many things to do in your life!" This time, Seungcheol was shaking your body while holding you on your shoulder. Like he was trying to get your senses back. 

"I'm not gonna do anything!" You removed his hands on your shoulders. 

"Pervert!" You half shouted. 

Seungcheol's eyes might have popped out at that moment, he was trying to help you— he didn't want anything bad to happen to you but he got called a pervert instead.

"I'm trying to help! I'm not a pervert!" Seungcheol lowered his mask, trying to make you realize that he was indeed not a pervert.

That night, you didn't realize that he was someone famous until the next morning you saw his face when you were on your way to work. Your jaw was on the floor when you realized who you called as a pervert that night.

Days after, you were back sitting by the river. This time you were not crying, but you were lying down on the grass. Listening to songs on your playlist, until you found someone sitting beside you. Seungcheol was the one who sat beside you. This time you didn't scream or accuse him as a pervert, you stayed there in silence with him.

"Is it hard to be an idol?" Was the first thing you asked him. You didn't even bother to ask his name, because you see how tired he was. He looked as tired as you.

"It is but I love my job," He answered.

"Then what's with the long face?" You asked again. 

"I feel lonely." 

Seungcheol never asked your name and you never asked his name— one, because you knew his name already, his name was plastered everywhere, almost every billboard you passed by, had his face and name on it. 

The frequency of you meeting with him by the river was never planned, almost every Thursday night you met him there. There were times where you didn't meet him at all but you stayed there a little bit longer than usual, in case he was coming late. 

You were sitting by yourself that night and you saw him run towards your direction, still with fancy clothes. You had not met him for more than a month, so seeing him run towards you was quite a surprise. He was panting and trying to catch a breath before he took a seat beside you, handing you his phone.

"Can I have your number?" He asked, half panting. 

You stared at his phone before looking him in the eyes.

"You asked for my number first but you never asked for my name," You joked. 

He scratched the back of his ears, feeling embarrassed. 

"That was not so gentleman of me right?" He offered his right hand to you.

"Let me introduce myself, my name is Choi Seungcheol and perhaps, may I know your name miss?" You laughed before accepting his hand and shook it. You introduced your name to him.

"And yes, I already know your name."

After that night, everything about you and him changed slowly but surely. It all started with your little meet up place by the river at midnight to late night eating at the nearest convenience store, then to meet him at a private room at a restaurant to have a decent dinner. Until the two of you went to each other's house to spend more time privately. Your little apartment was probably not even a quarter of his penthouse but he really loved your little space. He loved your apartment more than he loved his big fancy penthouse.

The night where he asked you to marry him was a quiet night, you were sitting next to each other in front of the TV, watching his first ever drama where he was the main lead. Your head was resting on his shoulder— your favorite place to lean on, before he suddenly got up from his seat, leaving you on your own to the bathroom. He was inside the bathroom for more than fifteen minutes and he left his phone. You decided to check on him. 

"Cheol? Is everything okay?" You knocked on the door and he didn't answer.

"Cheol?" You knocked impatiently. You were afraid that he passed out in the bathroom because his schedule was too hectic. You let out a sigh of relief when you heard the door getting unlocked, you also pushed the door and were welcomed by Seungcheol who was grinning.

"You scared me!" You hit his chest lightly but he caught your wrist.

He kneeled suddenly, hand reached the back of his shorts, pulling out a small blue turquoise-ish box. You knew that box very well.

"Cheol?" You called him softly.

"Love," He called you,eyes were getting watery.

"Will you spend the rest of your life with me?" His hands were trembling but his voice was firm. 

You dropped your knees to the ground and said “Yes, I will.” 

You hugged him tight like your life depends on it. He was crying when he slipped the ring on your finger.

About six months after the proposal, the two of you registered for the wedding. Seungcheol asked his two best friends as the witness. Jeonghan— Seungcheol's best friend and Seungkwan— Seungcheol's manager slash best friend. After the two of you registered the wedding, there was no reception, just a simple dinner with the witnesses..

You knew very well what you got yourself into, living as the wife of a famous celebrity, but you knew it was worth it because you did it with him. With Seungcheol. 

"Cheol, wake up." You poke Seungcheol's dimple. The man is sleeping peacefully in your queen size bed.

"Hmm?" Seungcheol tosses and turns on your bed. You giggle after successfully waking him up. You put your daughter beside him and Seungcheol acts like he is unaware of his baby on his side.

"Daddy…" Your daughter calls her father. 

Seungcheol giggles when his daughter pokes his dimple, following what you just did seconds ago. 

"Do you miss me, my lovely daughter?" Even though Seungcheol hasn’t opened his eyes, his hands wrap around his daughter perfectly. Seungcheol snuggles to his daughter, earning a giggle from his daughter.

"Shall we invite mama too?" Seungcheol asks his daughter and your heart warms up seeing them being cuddly with each other.

"Mama, come hereeee." Seungcheol imitates your daughter's voice. The bed deepens when you join them, Seungcheol is in the middle, you are on his right and your daughter is on top of him.  His hands wrap around the love of his life tightly. 

This is the morning he always wanted. 

"It feels nice to spend my morning like this." He whispers to your ear before kissing your temple lovingly.

"I know right? But it would be nice if you let me go and drive me to work like right now." Seungcheol groans and whines to his daughter who doesn’t understand a single thing his father says.

"And you need to drop her off at the day care," You add. 

"So I'm all alone?" Seungcheol asks and you nod. 

“Why don’t you take your paid leave and stay with me here– we can do all sorts of things together.” He groans. 

"Well, you can enjoy your rest day without anyone bothering you." You peck his lips quickly.

"And maybe– I have a surprise for you tonight." You throw a seductive wink at him and a grin grows on his face. 

He knows what you mean by a surprise. So, Seungcheol picks his daughter up with his morning hair that looks like he gets hit by a typhoon. It is a mess but you love seeing him like this in the morning. He looks natural. He looks just like an ordinary person, just like you.

"Mama have a surprise for daddy tonight, baby" Seungcheol talks to your daughter all giggling and she giggles with him. 

Seungcheol is driving you to work and it is his routine every time he has a day off or when his schedule starts at noon. He drives you to work with your car to make it less suspicious. He is busy taking care of his daughter, settling her in her car seat. He always makes sure that her seat is safe. Then Seungcheol proceeds to carry your daughter's bags and arranges them on the trunk.

"Honey, before I forget again– Jeonghan asked us to have dinner in his house this Saturday. Do you want to?"

"What's the occasion? it's not his birthday yet."

"He missed our daughter."

"Then he can baby sit her and we can have our long forgotten date night." You joke. 

Jeonghan loves your daughter so much, he will spoil her to death, but baby sitting your daughter? Jeonghan probably will join her for a tantrum session.

Jeonghan was a big shot investor in the filming industry. The Yoon family company basically invested in almost every successful movie in the country. Jeonghan met Seungcheol years ago when Seungcheol just started to play in a TV drama as a cameo. Jeonghan saw his potential and told the PD if he ever thought of casting Seungcheol again, he would gladly invest in their drama.

Jeonghan welcomed you when Seungcheol introduced you to him. Your personality and Jeonghan's clicked right away, and you didn't have any hard time to befriended with him. Same goes as Seungkwan, Seungcheol's manager. Seungkwan was putting his guard up so high when Seungcheol introduced the two of you and eventually put his guard down when he started to spend time with you

"Remember, pick her up at 5." You remind Seungcheol while gathering your work bag and laptop bag.

"Yes, honey!” He salutes at you that makes you chuckle at his silliness. You lean in for a quick kiss before looking at the back seat. 

"See you later, my lovely daughter.” You send a flying kiss to your daughter and she sends you a flying kiss too. 

Seungcheol drives away after you get off from the car. Along the way to your daughter day care, Seungcheol keeps talking to his daughter about everything he loves every time he has a day off. Driving you to work and his daughter to day care, picking you up from work and his daughter from day care, doing absolutely nothing in house means he has the chance to do the house chores the way he likes it— he just loves his day off so much because it gives him the feeling of a father who is busy with his family. 

"Here we are my lovely daughter, daddy will pick you up at five sharp!" He gets ready before getting out of the car. Seungcheol puts on his hoodie, his mask, and his sunglasses. He checks himself in the rear mirror for a second before getting out of the car. He unlocks the car seat, hold his daughter gently in his arms before opening the trunk to take out his daughter's bag.

"Oh? Mr. Choi? It's been so long." Mrs. Jang, the owner of the daycare greets Seungcheol.

"Good morning Mrs. Jang. I just got back from a business trip." He lies. 

"Sena, do you miss your dad?" Mrs. Jang asks Sena and she nods.

"Oh? Does my lovely daughter miss me so much? We will play together with mom later. Daddy will pick you up at five sharp today." Seungcheol puts his daughter down and she runs straight inside without saying goodbye to Seungcheol, earning a laugh from Seungcheol and Mrs. Jang.

"Mrs. Jang, please take care of our Sena today." Seungcheol bows before handing his daughter's bag.

"Yes, like wise Mr. Choi." Seungcheol waves at Sena who doesn’t even look back before heading to his car.

Seungcheol is back at his penthouse. Your car that he used earlier is now parked on an assigned parking spot and he changes to his own car. He does it to prevent getting caught by paparazzi that he rides in someone else's car. He checks his messages and Seungkwan only texted him to let him know that he is scheduled for a photo shoot tomorrow morning. 

Seungcheol starts his car and drives to his gym to meet his gym buddy slash his group mates, Wonwoo. 

Seungcheol is also a leader of a four member boy group; the group has been on hiatus since two years ago. The group consists of Seungcheol, Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Hansol. Only Seungcheol and Hansol had a stage name, their stage name was S.Coups and Vernon. It's been so long since he met with the others, because their individual schedules are too packed and it’s making it hard to meet with each other. 

"Whats your menu for today?" Wonwoo asks.

"Leg day and you seem so eager to make your shoulder more broad." The younger guy scoffs at Seungcheol. 

"Are you still dating your girlfriend?" Wonwoo suddenly asks. 

"Suddenly? Why? And yeah we're still going strong now." Seungcheol answers. Technically he is not lying, because it is true that his relationship with you is still going strong– he just lies about the status. You are no longer his girlfriend, your status already got upgraded five years ago as his lawfully wedded wife. 

"Well, you know, I've been thinking about dating too but I'm afraid that because of me, she will get backlash." 

Seungcheol pulls the stops at the leg press machine. 

"Is she in the same industry?" Seungcheol asks. 

"No, she's an ordinary person. She's a lawyer." 

Seungcheol's grins grow wider because of Wonwoo love story that is way more interesting than the leg press machine.

It is almost lunch time when Seungcheol finishes his workout session. He has already finished taking a shower when he sees your messages. You ask him if he wants to grab lunch with you and of course Seungcheol agrees immediately without hesitation even though there is always a chance of getting caught by paparazzi. 

Seungcheol arrives at your office building and you are running to his car when you see his fancy car at the entrance. He is smiling from ear to ear when you run towards his car.

"I miss you so much." He pulls you into a hug right after you settle inside his car. 

"What do you want to eat for lunch?" You ask him.

"Oh? I thought you already brought one." He answers naturally because most of the time you already have the lunch ready, then the two of you will eat inside the car in the basement.  

"Should we eat out?" You suggest.

"Or is it too risky?" You change your mind because you are afraid to get caught in broad daylight by paparazzi. 

"No, let's eat out. What do you want to eat?"

Seungcheol always wanted to have a normal date like other couples. Having lunch or dinner outside, going to a viral restaurant or lining up to try a viral cafe with his loved ones, but he never did it before. He wants to act like a normal couple for once with you without the fear of getting caught by paparazzi. 

"Pork cutlet?" You suggest. 

"Nice choice!” He pinches your cheek gently. 

The pork cutlet place is not crowded even though it’s lunch time. You walk side by side with him, he is back on his ninja mode—that's how you like to call it. Nobody suspects anything, because it's really normal in your country to dress like that. You pick the furthest table that was blocked by a wall in case someone notices Seungcheol. 

You put orders for the two of you then when the worker finished taking your orders, Seungcheol lowered down his mask and took off his beanie. You hold his hands because you miss him so much and it's been so long since you eat out with him. .

"How was your work?" He asks. 

"Stresful as usual but I have more energy today because I can’t wait to go home and play with Sena and you!" You answer excitedly that makes him smile. 

Not long after the two of you are chatting, the food comes. The two of you dig in immediately while talking about this and that. When the two of you finish your food, you make your way to the cashier to pay while Seungcheol is waiting in front of the door, he is back in his ninja mode. You make your way to Seungcheol but stop at your track when you notice a group of teenage girls whispering to each other while pointing at Seungcheol. You know, Seungcheol's cover is busted. So you do what you need to do, you text him and tell him to go first without you.

Seungcheol looks back at you and you assure him with a nod before he walks away to his parked car. The group of teenage girls approach him, asking him a few questions and hands him anything for him to sign. He answers their questions happily and gives them a sign, before getting into his car and driving away.

You are watching their interaction before exhaling sharply and you are left alone, again.

Seungcheol pulls his car to the side. He calls you but you don’t pick up. He is afraid you will get caught or harassed by the paparazzi. As he almost starts to drive again, you call him back. You are in a taxi on the way back to your office. Seungcheol keeps saying sorry to you and leaves you all by yourself there but you assure him that it is fine and you know the consequences when eating out with him. Seungcheol feels a pang of guilt in his chest, bringing back the feeling that he already buries inside his heart and it starts to creep up. 

Seungcheol has been thinking about early retirement from the industry, not fully retired, just stopping appearing on the big screen. He will continue to produce and write music, but he cannot continue living his life like this for the rest of his life. He can't enjoy going to the amusement park with his little family. Accompanying you to the hospital for Sena’s check up or vaccination or going to your company end year dinner. He wants to have a normal life. He wants his family to live a normal life, like every other family.

It's 4.30pm and Seungcheol rushes to pick Sena up from day care. He thinks that it will be better to pick you up after office too. He arrives right at 5pm and all the other parents are already waiting for their baby to come out from the day care. He is waiting patiently until Sena's name gets called.

"Hello? Are you Sena's father?" A lady in his mid-thirties come up to Seungcheol.

"Ah? Yes, I'm Sena's father." Seungcheol bows.

"Finally I met you because every time I pick my son, I only meet with your wife, I'm Chan's mother." She introduces herself.

"Choi Sena is here!" Seungcheol's eyes light up when he hears his daughter's name.

"Here!" He waves his hands towards Sena. Making the little girl run to her dad with her little feet and falling right into Seungcheol arms.

"My baby, are you having fun? hmm?" Sena giggles.

"Thank you miss, see you tomorrow." He holds Sena's small hand and Seungcheol also bid his goodbye to Chan's mother.

"So you have a friend named Chan? He must be a boy right? He must like my Sena." Seungcheol talks to Sena.

"Daddy, mama?"

"Yes baby, let's go pick your mother up." He kisses Sena's cheek.

Tonight, the three of you are spending the night at Seungcheol's penthouse. You are taking a long relaxing bath after Sena successfully falls asleep in Seungcheol’s arms. It feels nice to let your body sink in a warm bath after a long day and you have zero worries about your baby because you are not alone tonight. 

You are relaxing in the bathtub, humming and singing along to the songs on the playlist you play for yourself until the bathroom door cracked open. Seungcheol with a smirk appears behind the bathroom door with a glass of wine in his right hand and a baby monitor in his left hand.

"Thank you," You sit straight up and take the wine glass off your husband’s hand and give your husband a sweet loving kiss on the lips.

"Are you going to join me or just stand there and stare at me?" You ask because Seungcheol couldn’t keep his eyes off you, he is staring at your face and your boobs alternately. 

"I'm waiting for the invitation and yes, I will gladly join you." 

You sip your wine while enjoying the view in front of you. Your husband strips his clothes one by one, like he is seducing you. His body never fails to make your breath hitch every time. You have seen it all, you have felt it, yet it never stops making your heart thumping hard.

"I see you are liking the view, my love." He says as he drops the last piece of his clothes, he takes his time to enter the bathtub, like he is teasing you. 

He sinks to the bathroom, facing you. The bathtub is big enough for the two of you but it feels suffocating, the atmosphere inside the bathroom has changed completely with Seungcheol naked in front of you. You offer him your wine and he gladly sips it. The way he never leaves his eyes from you when he sips the wine, making your stomach turn because of nervousness but  you know very well that he is teasing you. He can tease you and edge you without laying his hands on you, his eyes are enough. 

"Are we still playing this game?" You lean back and rest both your hands on the bathtub sides. 

He chuckles and scoots closer to you until he is close enough for you to wrap your legs around his waist. You let out a shaky sigh when you feel his hard length pressing on your stomach.

"I love to play this game with you, I love to see you look desperate and begging me." He whispers in your ear seductively, blowing a small air from his mouth to your ear before giving your ear a gently kiss. 

He plays with your damp hair, twirling it before tucking it behind your ear. His other hand was tracing a line along your thigh that made you shiver. While his eyes never leave yours, his eyes are getting dark, lust starts to take over him and you can clearly see the hunger in his eyes. 

"Please, kiss me." You beg, because you can’t take it anymore. 

Seungcheol smirks before leaning in to kiss you. The kiss is not sweet at all, it is full of hunger, desperation. It was messy.

Just like you love it. 

"Someone is too giddy?" Seungcheol teases you between kisses.

"You left me untouched for almost a month. I'm hungry for you. I need you." You say while trying to hide the moan that is on the tip of your tongue.

The beast that has been sleeping inside Seungcheol wakes up, he doesn’t even think twice to kiss you again, harder this time. He pulls you on top of him. You make yourself comfortable on top of him before wrapping your legs around his waist and grinding against his length. 

He is taking his time with you until the sound of Sena's crying voice blast through the baby monitor. She is crying frantically and calling your name. The two of you break the kiss and Seungcheol groans in frustration, this is the moment he's been waiting for. 

"You should enjoy your bath, I'll take care of Sena." As much as he wants to stay, he gets up from the bathtub. 

He kisses your lips quickly before getting out of the bath. He is drying and wrapping  his body as quickly as possible. Picking the clothes he takes off earlier and wearing it fast. He doesn’t even realize he wears his t-shirt inside out because he rushes to Sena’s room.

You peek behind Sena’s bedroom door after finishing your shower. Seungcheol is sleeping beside her with his arms wrapped around Sena, protecting his little angel from the monster under the bed. You tiptoe your way in, kissing your daughter's forehead good night and Seungcheol cheek too. You are not going to wake Seungcheol up, you are going to let them sleep soundly. When you pull the cover up, Seungcheol opens his eyes slightly before he smiles when he sees you. 

There is no word needed, his eyes speak enough for you to understand everything that he has in mind. Seungcheol moves very slowly, afraid that his movement can wake his little angel. Sena tosses a little, both you and Seungcheol are holding your breath. After making sure Sena is still in her dream land, Seungcheol gets out of bed. 

"Sweet dream, little angel." Seungcheol whispers before kissing Sena's cheek. 

Both of you make your way out of Sena's room quietly. His right arm wraps around your waist and his left hand is holding the baby monitor.

"Thank you, baby." You kiss Seungcheol on the cheek when the door behind you finally close. 

"What are you thanking me for?" Seungcheol asks, raising his eyebrow. 

"You let me take a long relaxing bath."

"Oh honey, you deserve it. You deserve the long relaxing bath more than anyone." He gently wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you closer. 

You rest your head on his shoulder, wrapping your hands on his waist too. The hug is much needed after a long day and after not seeing each other for a long time. 

"Why don't you change your clothes? You still wear the bathrobe." Seungcheol says as he brushes his palm on your back. 

"I don't think I need to, because soon, I won't need to wear anything, right?" You whisper in his ear that sends a shiver down his spine. 

"You are so right, because I will be the one who takes it off." He says in a deep voice that make you gulp but you are not backing down tonight. 

You seduce him back before with loosening up the bathrobe but he captures your lips right away before you could do anything else. The two of you make your way to the main bedroom without letting go of each other's lips. Bumping here and there was not a big deal until he pins you against the door.

You hiss when your back hits the door, quite harsh but you love it so much, so you don’t say anything. You love him when he is desperate. 

"Baby, the monitor." You remind him while tapping on his shoulder, the man is busy kissing your neck. 

“Right!” Seungcheol realizes he probably left it on the counter somewhere along the way, he hurries to look for the baby monitor, his lips are swollen and his hair is already a mess because of you. 

You open the bedroom door and jump to the bed, waiting for Seungcheol to come back with an elbow supporting yourself so you are not fully lying down. The bedroom door handles creek and you smirk when you see your husband is coming looking all sexy especially he is holding a baby monitor in his hand. 

"What a good daddy," You tease him. 

He gently put the baby monitor on the nightstand before crawling his way to you.

"Am I?" He is caging you. 

He leans down until his face is close to you– close enough until you can feel his heavy breath on your face.

"You are a good daddy, that's why I want to give you a present." You push him, so he is lying on his back. You crawl on top of him, settling down just right above his hips, bending yourself so he can see your breast slightly behind the bathrobe. 

"I can't wait to receive it." He rests his head on the head board, hands behind his head. 

The smirk on his face grows wider when you pull your bathrobe tie loose, exposing your bare body. You kiss his chest seductively and keep going down without breaking eye contact with him.

"Daddy?" Sena is pointing at the TV in front of her.

"That's right baby, it's daddy on the TV." You are smiling because Sena seems so excited to see his dad on the TV.

"Mama, where is daddy?" You smile at her, an assuring smile while patting her head

"Daddy is working at the moment, baby. Do you miss daddy?" You ask her but her facial expression changes instantly. 

She is crying. 

"Baby, you miss daddy so much? Should we try to call him?" You pick Sena to your arms, trying to calm her down by calling her daddy. 

He doesn’t pick up his call, he is probably in the middle of shooting. So you send a message to Seungkwan, asking if Seungcheol is busy at the moment. Seungkwan replies right away, telling you that Seungcheol is doing an interview for his drama with his co-stars.

“Daddy is busy at the moment, baby. I’m sorry.” You hug your child, rocking her so she calms down.

Your phone rings, Seungkwan is calling you so you pick it up immediately.

"Hello? Seungkwan?"

"Hello, I’m sorry but Seungcheol is shooting at the moment, is there something important? Do you want me to pass the message to him? Or is it private?" He asks.

"Oh? no no, it’s fine. Sena is crying because she misses her daddy. She saw Seungcheol on the TV." You explain

"Aw, Sena missed his dad? Sena do you miss uncle too?" Seungkwan tries to calm Sena down with a joke. 

"Sena misses her uncle Kwan too— well, Seungkwan, thank you for calling me. I’m sorry for bothering you." You thank Seungkwan who always responds to your message fast.

"No worries, I will tell Seungcheol to call you as soon as his schedule is done." He assures you before he ends the call.

Sena is no longer crying, she is all smiley by now.

"Daddy is still working, he will call us as soon as he finishes working." You explain to Sena and she just nods before snuggling into your embrace.

"Sena, do you want to go on a date with mama?" You try to cheer her up and distract her until Seungcheol finishes with his work. 

"Do you want to go out? Shall we have a mama-daughter date?" Sena doesn’t understand yet what mama-daughter date is but she is excited and nods while giggling.

You help Sena change her clothes and get yourself ready. You pack Sena's necessities to her bag before going straight to your car. You send a message to Seungcheol to let him know that you are out on a date with Sena.

"Sena, what should we do first? Should we play in the park first?" You ask Sena while settling her down on her car seat.

"Park? I like it mama!" The sides of your lips make high curves seeing your daughter excited with the idea of playing in the park.

You arrive at the park and the park is much more crowded than usual, a lot of families come to picnic or accompany their child playing in the park’s playground. You let Sena run around with you chase her, before she makes friend with other kids, so you let her be. 

You are sitting on the playground bench with the other parents. You feel a little jealous of a family that comes and plays together, a complete family like that one family in front of you who are busy playing catch with their son. You let out a sigh that is a little bit too loud. 

"Are you okay?" A mother probably in her forties asks you. You don’t even realize that she is sitting beside you. 

"Oh? Sorry, did I sighed too loud?" You apologize. 

"No, no worries. I hope everything is going well for you." She gives you a sweet smile and you smile back at her. 

"It must be nice to play with a complete family like that, especially when their father is around" She continues. 

"Ah, sorry, I’m feeling a little emotional today." She apologizes. 

"No, it's fine. Are you okay?" You turn to face her, to make sure that she is okay. .

"Me? no. I'm not. I'm in the middle of my divorce proceedings. Stressful." She laughed. The laugh is not a happy laugh, it is a laugh that forces you to hide your hardship in front of others. 

"Oh no, I'm so sorry it happened to you." 

"No, don't be. It is the best decision I made this year. He kept me and my son like a secret, he didn't bring me and our son to his company's end of the year party or dinner. He rarely brought us to his family gathering—he didn't even want to be seen with us. It feels like I’m watching a drama." She ends her short story with a chuckle. 

"He thought I was too ugly to be seen with him. I used to be fucking pretty too—I just don't have time to take care of myself because I'm too tired to do it after doing the chores and taking care of our son." She keeps talking and you keep listening to whatever she needs to let out. 

"In the end, I caught him cheating with his so-called "work wife" whose younger and prettier—I'm sorry, I overshared." She clasps both her hands in front of her mouth and apologizes to you again. 

"No, no, it's fine. I'm glad that you talked about it to me, I hope your divorce proceedings finish neatly." Hearing her story makes you overthink about your marriage with Seungcheol because you are nobody. Nobody knows who you are and nobody knows that you have a superstar husband. You open your mouth, wanting to talk with the woman again but you hear the sound of your daughter crying.

You rush to your daughter who is lying on the ground just below the slide, she falls down from the slide. 

"Sena? Are you okay?" You try to calm her down. 

You hold her up and brush her clothes that were full of dust. Her knees get scratched because of the fall and her palms too. Thankfully the wound is not that big but seeing her crying frantically makes you panic. You carry her back to the bench while telling her that everything is going to be okay.

"It's okay, baby." You soothe her.  

The mother who talked with you earlier is pulling out an emergency medical kit from her bag.

"Here, always prepared because my son loves the ground so much." She gives you her medical kit bag. 

"Thank you so much." You sit Sena on the bench before taking the medical kit bag. 

"Honey, we're single fighters. We help each other." She says while patting your back. 

You give her a thankful smile even though you are not a single parent, deep inside you feel like one. Maybe it is because of all the commotion that happened today, it makes you tired to handle it all by yourself. 

You finish cleaning her wound then give back the medical kit bag to her. You thank her once again before bringing Sena to the toilet to change her clothes. While changing you keep your smile all the time, telling your daughter that it is totally normal to fall and the wound will be healed in no time. You try to hide the tears that almost spill from your eyes, you are tired doing these by yourself. You couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for all the single parents out there. 

You take Sena to her favorite pizza place, it is in a famous Italian restaurant not too far from the park. Seungcheol brought the pizza from there once and Sena loves it very much, so every time you want to eat pizza, you always order it from there. 

The drive to the restaurant is less than ten minutes, as you park your car, you let out a sharp exhale before putting a big smile for your daughter on her car seat in the back. 

“Let’s go, baby!” 

Upon arriving at the restaurant, the staff ushered you right away to a four sitter table. The staff tells you in advance there will be a group around twenty that already book, so it will be a little bit too noisy. You thank the staff and order right away because you already know what to order. 

The foods come quickly as you expected and you slice the pizza in smaller pieces for Sena. 

"Yummy!" She exclaims

“Eat a lot, baby.” You smile at her as you take a bite of your pizza.

"Mama? That is Daddy!" Sena points her finger towards the entrance. 

Your eyes follow Sena’s finger and it is Seungcheol but he is not alone. He is with the whole filming crew including his co-star. The door opens again and Seungkwan walks in with one phone between his ear and shoulder and he is busy typing on the other phone. 

"Daddy! Daddy!" Sena shouts, calling her daddy that successfully steals attention from the surrounding. 

Seungcheol recognizes that voice immediately. His baby’s voice that always runs to him every time he shows up behind the door. He knows it by heart. Seungcheol’s eyes wander to look for his baby, his daughter– until he spots the two of you sitting side by side. 

When you realize Seungcheol and the whole crew's eyes are on the two of you, you try to calm Sena down before everything turns to something worse. 

"Sena, let's continue to eat." You plea to your daughter who is still calling his daddy. 

"No, Sena wants daddy!" She cries out.

You glance behind your shoulder trying to see Seungcheol but you can’t because Sena is getting out of hand to handle. 

"Daddy!" Sena cries out Seungcheol's name. 

Seungcheol's heart wrecks to pieces when he hears it. He wants to run and hug his baby, he wants her in his arms. 

"What a pitiful lady, her daughter keeps calling you daddy. She probably doesn't have one, so she called every man she saw, her dad." Sumi, Seungcheol’s co-star, makes a rude comment and Seungcheol glares at her. 

"What did you say?" Seungcheol angrily asks. 

"Her mom probably watched too much drama with you as the main lead, so her baby called you his dad. Her mother should behave her child—I know she's a baby but she disturbs the whole restaurant." His co-star keeps rambling that makes Seungcheol’s blood boil.

Seungcheol couldn't believe what he just heard. He knows that his co-star has a problem with her attitude, but he can't tolerate this. She is humiliating his family. His blood. 

"You should watch your words." Seungcheol says coldly. 

Seungcheol drags his gaze to you again. Sena is trying to climb out from the baby chair, so when he sees Sena almost fall down, his heart drops to his stomach. He can’t move his feet because it feels like it is nailed to the ground. 

"I got you, baby." Jeonghan comes out of nowhere to catch her in time. 

You are surprised to see Jeonghan here but you are really grateful because you have no idea what to do if Sena really falls from her seat. 

"Jeonghan, thank you." You thank him and he only wink at you as his response. 

“No need to thank me and you should relax for a bit. I got you.” He notices right away how tense you are.

Jeonghan sees Seungcheol with the crew, in fact Jeonghan is the one who invited them to have dinner together to celebrate another successful drama with Seungcheol as their main lead.

"Let me borrow her quickly and you should take your time to eat.” Jeonghan squishes your shoulder gently before bringing Sena to where the crew are sitting. 

"Jeonghan, don't." You try to stop him  but Jeonghan is being himself, so he won’t listen to you. 

With Sena in his arms, he takes big and full of pride at every step. Seungcheol is looking at Jeonghan who is picking his daughter like she is Jeonghan’s. As Jeonghan is getting closer to the table, Seungcheol notices a scratch on Sena’s knees. 

"Evening everyone," Jeonghan greets them, picking Sena’s right hand and waves it. 

"Mr. Yoon, do you know this child?" Seungcheol co-star asks.

"Oh? I know this child very well and I know her mother very well. The pretty lady right there." Jeonghan points at you, who looks concerned.

"Oh? Is she your wife?" One of the crew asks.

"Oh? I wish." Jeonghan chuckles that makes the other chuckle too but not Seungcheol. 

Seungcheol hates that joke very much. 

"Daddy," Sena's hands reach out to Seungcheol and without hesitation, Seungcheol takes Sena in his arms naturally. 

The whole crew look at Seungcheol weirdly because the way Seungcheol takes Sena in his arms naturally and the way Sena looks comfortable around Seungcheol, raise suspicions from others. 

"Seems like Sena loves you so much, Seungcheol." Seungkwan, who just ended his phone call trying to ease the tension before he realizes, he calls Sena by his name. 

"Oh? Mr. Yoon, how are you?" Seungkwan switches the topic right away to Jeonghan.

"Oh, Seungkwan, how are you? You look so busy these days." Jeonghan plays along with Seungkwan.

"Ah, no no, Seungcheol just has so many calls, but everything is under control." Seungkwan steals glances at Seungcheol who is busy playing and talking with Sena. 

"Uncle Kwan," Sena giggles while calling Seungkwan name. 

Seungkwan looks at Jeonghan, asking for help. 

"Does Sena remember Uncle Seungkwan?" Jeonghan plays along while stealing Sena back to his arms from her dad. 

"Of course Sena remembers me, right Sena?" Seungkwan leans in towards Sena, makes her giggle.

"Well, is it okay if my dear friend and her child join us for dinner?" Jeonghan asks everyone at the table and of course nobody dares to object to the investor. 

You end up sitting beside Jeonghan awkwardly with Sena in her baby chair. Seungcheol is sitting in front of you and you feel a little bit uncomfortable seeing how his co-star is sitting too close to him. You are jealous of her because she is younger, prettier, and skinnier. 

"Are you jealous?" Jeonghan whispers in your ear.

"Huh? No, why would I?" You smile at him, trying to change your expression, so it is not too obvious. 

Jeonghan chuckles before resting his hands on the back of your chair. Jeonghan's actions earn him whistles from here and there, because they are still thinking that you are with Jeonghan.

Seungcheol's eyes are burning with jealousy, he knows his best friend too well. He knows that Jeonghan purposely makes him jealous and boy, it is working. The others are busy chatting and drinking while Seungcheol never leaves his eyes from you. 

"You should eat." Jeonghan says to you. 

"I’m fine, I’m not that hungry." You give Jeonghan a smile before looking at Seungcheol for a mere second. 

"Let me feed her." Jeonghan stands up and moves his chair so he is sitting beside Sena and that successfully makes Seungcheol angry. 

Seungcheol kicks your feet gently under the table, signaling you to meet him in the toilet at the back. You try to put on a poker face before standing up from your seat and excuse yourself to the restroom. 

"Jeonghan, I’m going to the restroom for a while.” 

"Take all the time you need. Sena is happy with me." Jeonghan says as he happily feeds Sena the pizza. 

You walk rather quickly to the women’s room. You stand in front of the mirror and stare at your reflection. Eye bag under your eyes, your hair that you clipped carelessly—you haven't had time to go to the salon to do your hair. Your hair was getting long and messy. You didn't even remember when you had time for yourself, going to a spa, to a nail salon, you just didn't have the time for yourself. You let out a deep sigh before getting out of the women’s room. 

As you push the door, Seungcheol is already standing in front of the door, not too far from the men’s room door. He doesn’t say anything, even a simple hello– he pulls you to the side, so nobody won't find the two of you there. 

"Hey, what happened?" You ask calmly.

"What are you doing here? Did Jeonghan tell you that we're having a staff dinner here?" He asks, his tone was higher than your liking, both hands on his waist. 

He is pissed and you can’t do anything about it. 

"First of all, I'm taking my daughter to eat in her favorite restaurant and second, I don't even know that you will be having dinner here with your crew." You bark back as you fold your arms in front of your chest. 

"Then why did you act like you were a couple with Jeonghan?" He scoffs and it starts to get into your nerves.

"I didn't? We literally just sit there and eat our foods for God's sake. I don't even make any comments about how your co-star is acting all annoying and touchy with you." You finally snap at him, huffing at the end because you are so done. 

You are tired. 

"Oh please, we're just co-star. You know how I feel about her and why didn't you clarify that you are not with Jeonghan? You can at least deny it." Seungcheol counters back as he raises his eyebrows.

"Should I deny it in front of your whole crew and clarify that you are my husband instead? Is that what you want?" There is no friendly tone in the way you talk with him. 

"Do you want me to tell the whole damn world that Choi Seungcheol, the top star, is my husband? That we have already married for five years? That we have a daughter that misses her father so much she has been crying the whole day calling your name? Do you know how stressed I was when you walked through that door and Sena kept calling your name? Do you know how hard it is to act like we didn't know you at all? So you know how hurt I am seeing your daughter cry your name but you act like you don't know her? Like she is not your own blood and flesh?" You keep talking, don't give Seungcheol a single chance to talk– to interrupt you. 

Your tears are finally coming out from your eyes and you don’t even bother to wipe it. 

"Do you think that you are the only one hurting?" Seungcheol finally speaks up, feeling hurt with your words. 

"Then you should do something." And then you leave.

You leave the love of your life there, still shocked after hearing everything you have said. His heart is racing because he is mad. Not with you, but with himself.

You compose yourself for a moment and make your way back to the table acting like nothing happened but Jeonghan notices it right away.

"I think we should get going. It's almost Sena's bed time." You say to Jeonghan while gathering your things.

"Oh right, do you want me to take you home?" Jeonghan offers but you reject it right away. 

You give Seungkwan a small smile while he is helping you. 

"Thank you everyone for the dinner, we'll be going first. Sena, say thank you." You pick Sena up.

"Thank you!" Sena says cutely while bowing. 

Everyone is giggling because of Sena's cuteness and as you excuse yourself once again, you meet with Seungcheol again. You don’t even offer him a smile, you walk past him with Sena in your arms. Like you don’t know him at all. 

Jeonghan follows you to the car, he holds Sena’s bag and he walks by your side. 

"Did the two of you fight?" Jeonghan asks calmly after he settles Sena on her car seat. 

You nod and the tears start to pour down again from your eyes. You are really tired and you can't even talk about it to anyone. You've been keeping it to yourself, you don’t even talk about it to Seungcheol because you know he is also tired and stressed because of his work. You just don’t want to burden him more.

"Oh my." Jeonghan pulls you into a hug. 

A hug from a friend that you need the most because at the moment, only Jeonghan knows how hard it is for you. 

One of the crew sees the two of you in the parking lot, hugging. He runs back to the restaurant and announces it to the whole table. Seungcheol's face turns more sour, he is not done with being angry with himself, with the situation, and now he is burning with jealousy.

"Just stay for ten minutes more then I will make excuses so we can go early." Seungkwan whispers and Seungcheol doesn't even respond to Seungkwan. 

He is burning inside; he is angry with himself, he is angry with the situation, he is angry with Jeonghan because he should be the one who hugs you tightly and assures you, not him.

You just finished putting Sena to sleep, she keeps asking for her daddy and it hurts you so much that her daddy is not beside her at the moment. Sena is already at the age where she starts to understand about her surroundings and especially her parents

You plop yourself to the sofa, taking a long deep breath in and out to relax yourself even though your mind is not relaxing at the moment after fighting with Seungcheol earlier. Your mind is full of thoughts and  questions regarding your marriage with Seungcheol. You sigh and close your eyes for a moment. 

You never had any doubts regarding your marriage with Seungcheol but today is totally different from any other fights you had with him before. You are afraid that Sena is feeling lonely, she doesn’t have anyone else beside you and Seungcheol. You have no family, your parents passed away since you were in high school. You have no siblings and so does Seungcheol. The two of you have no family beside each other.

Especially with Seungcheol who is busy with his work, he rarely goes home. You are afraid that Sena starts to feel unfamiliar with her own father. 

Tears start to come out again but you brush it off when you hear your apartment door unlocked.

"Honey?" Seungcheol calls out but you refuse to answer him and make your way to the kitchen.

"Love, are you mad at me?" Seungcheol tries to stop you by grabbing your wrist.

"I'm tired, Seungcheol. Can we talk about this tomorrow?" You brush him off and continue your way to the kitchen.

"Why are you avoiding me?" He follows you to the kitchen, he stomps his way to the kitchen. 

"I am not, Cheol. I'm just tired." You stop him before he could go any further towards you. 

"I am also tired, honey. You are not the only one." He lets out a frustrated sigh, both of his hands rest on his waist– His face clearly shows how tired he is but you just can’t talk in a right mind with him at the moment. 

"I know that you are tired too, Cheol. I understand. But did you know how tired I was? How do I need to handle everything by myself? You rarely go home. You never came to the parent-teacher meeting. You never played with Sena in the playground. Do you know she was crying the whole day asking for his daddy? Do you know we tried to video call you once?” You take a deep breath and wipe the tears on your face. 

“Do you know I had to be the annoying wife that called her husband's manager just to ask about her own husband? Did the husband respond to her wife's text or call? Did you know that Sena fell on the playground and she was a crying mess and I was the only one who needed to calm her down and clean the wound? Do you know how hopeless I am?" Tears are streaming down your face. You can’t even stand anymore, you squat yourself down, head down. 

"I'm trying my best here. I really do." Seungcheol sounds defeated. 

He is hurting and so do you. 

Seungcheol is hurting to see you like this and you are hurting because you know, you just hurt him. 

"I know but I feel like I'm all alone in this. I'm tired of being hidden. For acting like a mistress. To stay hidden and untouchable from the outside world, for putting an act in front of everyone that my husband is a very busy business man that works on the other side of the world. Well, at least I can bear it all but Sena? Sena needs her father." You push yourself up and leave him in the kitchen by himself. 

You go straight to Sena's room, lying yourself down on the carpet slowly, not daring to make any noise, afraid that Sena will wake up because of you.

Seungcheol is still standing in the kitchen. He doesn’t move an inch. He stays there for a long time, his shoulder slumps like he is defeated. His mind is messy with everything that is happening at the moment. He knows very well how hurt you are because of him and it wrecks him. He takes his car key and leaves. 

Seungcheol doesn’t drive right away. He takes a breather inside the car, resting his head on the head rest. He takes his phone and sends Mingyu a simple message to let him know that he is on his way to his place. 

"Well damn you look wreck as hell." It is the first thing Mingyu says when he opens his apartment door. 

Mingyu is Seungcheol's group mates along with Wonwoo and Vernon. Mingyu knows about Seungcheol’s relationship but he doesn’t know the relationship has bloomed into something more serious– marriage.

"So, what's wrong?" Mingyu asks while pouring the whiskey.

"I had a fight, a big one." Seungcheol says then he drinks the Whiskey in one breath. 

Mingyu scoffs after seeing Seungcheol drink the Whiskey like it was a tequila and Mingyu is hundred percent sure the fight is taking a big toll in Seungcheol. 

"With your girlfriend?" Mingyu asks, trying to act like he doesn’t know it as he sips his Whiskey gracefully, a total opposite of what Seungcheol is doing. 

“Yes.” Seungcheol sighs defeatedly. 

"Oh? I thought you broke up already? I mean there's a rumor that you date your co-stars." Mingyu turns his seat to face Seungcheol. 

It is just Mingyu’s way to get all the information he needs. Mingyu knows the rumor of him dating his co-star is just another baseless rumor– he just lures him to spill all the beans Seungcheol has been keeping to himself.

"No, I’m not dating my co-star and actually we’re past the stage of girlfriend and boyfriend." Seungcheol looks at Mingyu dead in the eye and Mingyu pours another drink into Seungcheol glass. 

“What do you mean you passed the dating phase? Did you already propose to her?” Mingyu takes down the remaining whiskey in his glass. 

“We’re married.” Seungcheol says casually that makes the man beside him choke on his drink. 

"You what? What the fuck?" Mingyu doesn’t believe what he just heard, he is standing right now, marching back and forth while saying whoa for the nth time. His hands are covering his mouth on the floor at the moment. 

“You? Already married? Since when? For fuck sake.” Mingyu asks, frustrated because this information is not something that someone can casually drop. 

"It's been five years and next month is our sixth anniversary." Seungcheol chuckles bitterly after remembering their wedding anniversary next month. He pours the whiskey to his glass again and sighs hard before downing his drink.

"You gotta be kidding me—how could, how come we didn't know?" Mingyu sits down and holds both of Seungcheol's shoulders while shaking him lightly. 

"Seungkwan and Jeonghan know." 

Mingyu is speechless again. 

"Just them? The two of them?" Mingyu is shaking his head in disbelief. 

"I have a daughter too you know, she's so pretty just like her mom. Do you want to see her?" Another bomb is dropped casually and Mingyu can’t wait for another shocking news to be dropped casually by his leader. 

Mingyu is dumbfounded at this point. He is just processing the word of marriage and suddenly Seungcheol brings up his daughter. 

"How in the world do you keep it hidden so well? Your wife must be so tired to hide from the rest of the world." Mingyu suddenly feels sympathetic towards you and Seungcheol only gives him a wry smile.

"She's so cute right?" Seungcheol doesn’t want to answer Mingyu's question because he knows the answer already, so he pulls his phone out and shows Mingyu photos of Sena.

“She is super cute but I really need to know every detail that I’ve been missing since five years ago.” Mingyu demands as he takes out another bottle of whiskey for his friend. 

The second bottle of Whiskey is for Seungcheol. Mingyu doesn’t drink that much because his mind should be in the right place to proceed with every new information that is out from Seungcheol’s mouth. As much as Mingyu wants to be mad at Seungcheol for hiding such an important thing from him, Mingyu chooses to stay silent and listen to his best friend ramble. Seungcheol even cried at some point. Seungcheol keeps saying that he is sorry for you to handle it all by yourself. Seungcheol is mad at himself because he hides you from the rest of the world like a secret that needs to be kept.

Mingyu takes Seungcheol back to his apartment when the clock strikes at three in the morning. Mingyu even fell asleep at some point on the sofa and sober himself first before driving the drunk man back. Mingyu knows Seungcheol’s apartment but he never let anyone come inside, Seungcheol always said it is his private property so nobody is allowed to come in. Mingyu glances at the older guy who is sleeping on the back seat– he is sleeping with his mouth open. 

“Private property my ass, you have been hiding your wife and daughter there.” Mingyu says to the sleeping Seungcheol. 

After hearing Seungcheol left earlier, you end up falling asleep on the carpet in Sena's room. You are awakened by the apartment doorbell that keeps ringing. You reach your hands out to look for your phone and it is three in the morning. You push yourself up before tiptoeing your way out from Sena’s room. When you close Sena’s room, you rush to check the front with the intercom. 

The intercom shows Mingyu who is holding drunk Seungcheol. You unlock the door right away and run to the front door. Mingyu has difficulty keeping the man in line while opening the damn door because one wrong move, the drunkard will fall. You hurried to pull the door open, to let both of them in. 

"Hello, it's finally nice to meet you. I'm sorry we met this way but your husband's ass is so heavy." Mingyu greets you with a big smile on his face whereas he is struggling to carry Seungcheol. 

“I’m so sorry for bothering you, just drop him on the couch.” You apologize to Mingyu and helps him to bring Seungcheol to the couch. 

Mingyu throws Seungcheol's body to the couch and he sits himself right away at the carpeted floor right in front of the couch. 

"Your husband is really something else– he is getting more buff these days and I’m sorry for not introducing myself properly. My name is Mingyu, Kim Mingyu." Mingyu offers his hand to you and you shake his hand while introducing yourself.

"We should have met long long ago but this big guy right here decided to keep you under the radar." Mingyu nudges the side of Seungcheol’s waist, making the drunk man groan in his sleep and you answer him with a dry laugh. 

"I’m sorry, let me get you a drink. Is cold water okay for you?" 

“Yes, that’s what I need the most right now.” Mingyu smiles at you and you hurry to the kitchen. You grab a bottle of cold water from the fridge but stop for a moment. This is the first time you have met Seungcheol's friends other than Seungkwan and Jeonghan. You have seen Mingyu, Wonwoo, and Vernon from TV or in the concert but you never talk with them in person, you only know each of them from Seungcheol’s story. 

You make your way back to the tired Mingyu who is half sleeping on the carpeted floor until he sees you. He sits straight right away and takes the bottle you give him. 

"Thank you." He thanked you before cracking the bottle cap. Mingyu gulps down the water in one breath like he just finished a marathon.

"I wish I could meet Sena, but she must be sleeping right now." Mingyu says while giving you a friendly smile.

"Yes, she is sleeping right now." You don't know what to say further, so you only answer the question as it is. You still feel awkward meeting one of Seungcheol’s best friends directly because you only know them from his stories only. 

“I know it must be surprising for you to meet someone else from Seungcheol’s life other than Seungkwan and Jeonghan. As much as he is a big pain in the ass, he is still my best friend and my best friend's wife is also my best friend. So, just think of me as one of your friends.” Mingyu assures you. 

"Thank you, Mr. Kim." You thank him formally and Mingyu's facial expression changes right away, like he is hurting because you call him in a formal way. 

"Please, call me Mingyu. No need to be formal with me." 

“I will try.” You offer him a friendly smile that makes Mingyu laugh because everyone in this room–sadly it’s only the two of you in the room, three including Seungcheol, can feel the awkwardness out of you.  

"Sena, my baby, Sena." Seungcheol babbles in his sleep. You and Mingyu look at each other before looking at Seungcheol that keeps babbling and calling your name too. 

"Well, that's my cue to take my leave then. I hope the problem ends well." Mingyu stands on his feet and walks to the front door. You escort him to the front door, waiting for the man to wear his sandals. 

“Are you sure you don’t need my help to move him to the room?” He asks once again, hand already on the door handle. 

“No, he is fine on the couch.” You joke to ease the awkwardness between you and Mingyu. 

“Can’t agree no more. I’m taking my leave then,” Mingyu nods a little to you. 

“Thank you, drive safe!” As he leaves, you close the door. You walk to the living room, right to your drunk husband who is still sleeping on the sofa with his brows knit together like he is thinking hard in his sleep. That is his habit when he has something in his mind, he doesn’t sleep peacefully.

"Baby, wake up. Let's get you to bed." You tapped his cheek lightly to wake him up but he didn't budge at all. 

"Baby?" You call him again, still tapping his cheek lightly. Seungcheol's eyes flutter and he looks at you for a moment before he pushes himself up with his elbow to sit straight up on the sofa. 

"Love?" He still calls your name shaky. 

"It's me, I'm here." You take his cold hands and he pulls you into his laps, you fall right to him and he immediately wraps his arms around you, head resting on your shoulder. He is showering your shoulder with little kisses. 

"I'm sorry." He says as he looks up to you so his eyes meet yours. 

"I'm sorry for snapping at you." You apologize, giving his hands a squish. 

"No, I'm a total jerk. I am a bad husband. I don't deserve all the love you and Sena give to me." He shakes his head and tears start to form in his eyes again. 

"Don't say that, you deserve it. I'm just too tired and finally exploding. I'm sorry for talking to you that way." You hug him tight. 

"I deserve it more than anyone in this whole world. I'm sorry. I never have any intention to hide you from the whole world, I'm too selfish." Seungcheol says as the tears in his eyes finally make their way down to his face. You feel his tears on your shoulder and you tighten the hug even more. The two of you stay there for a moment longer, to reflect on everything that happened today.

"Shall we go to the bathroom? Let's wash your face, brush your teeth and change your clothes." You say as you help him to get up and walk to the bathroom. You sit him down on the closed toilet, put a hairband around his head.

You are busy washing his face with a damp cloth with his hands on your waist. He keeps squishing your waist even though it is a gentle squish, it’s still distracting you. 

“You know, there is a Japanese drama that is very similar to our story—the father is a top idol who is secretly married to an amazing woman with three children. His group member finds out and demands him to remove him from the group.” Seungcheol murmurs as you rub his face gently with a facial wash. 

“And?”

"And I think it will hurt me more to get kicked out from the group" He chuckles but not a funny one. A sad chuckle.

“What are you thinking, hon?” You ask him straight to the point and stop rubbing his face. 

"Retirement." Your heart drops to your stomach when you hear him saying the word retirement. 

"It's not because of our fight—I've been thinking about it for a while. I think I have done enough." He gives you an assuring smile with bubbles from the facial wash.  

"But you love your job, hon." You remind him and you continue to wash the bubbles away from his face.

"Lets talk about this later okay? When you are sober." You say and he nods.

Last night was a moment that you will remember for the rest of your life, not just you but Seungcheol too. That was the first time you had a huge fight with him and even though the two of you made up not long after, the two of you haven’t finished the talk about retirement. The most important thing right now is you are being woken with kisses and giggles from Seungcheol and Sena.

"Good morning, Mama!" Seungcheol exclaims as he sees your eyes open. 

"Morning, Mama!” Sena follows Seungcheol with giggles. 

"Morning the love of mama’s life." Both of your hands stretch out to hug them both. Sena is getting squished between you and Seungcheol.

Sena let out a squeal when Seungcheol attacked her with a tickle. Seungcheol doesn’t stop there, he attacks you with kisses all over your face that makes you laugh uncontrollably. 

A morning like this is what you wish for. The love of your life, lying beside you, annoying or tickling each other. Your heart warms up because you will exchange the world just for this moment. Most of the time, Seungcheol already left for his schedule even before Sena was awake. 

"Sena, let's prepare breakfast for mama!" Seungcheol says to Sena that makes the little girl jump from the bed like she is ready to conquer the kitchen. 

"Let's go, daddy!" Sena exclaims happily.

Seungcheol gives you a kiss on your forehead before running to catch up with Sena who is already waiting at the door. Seungcheol picks Sena up before he opens the door and he closes it slowly and before the door closes fully, Seungcheol winks at you. 

You stretch yourself on the bed, looking for a comfortable position. The smile hasn’t left your face and you hope it will stay all day. You hear a utensil falling and it makes a very loud sound but you don’t care. You don’t care if your kitchen will get messy or if any of your kitchen utensils breaks, because the most important thing is, Sena is making memories with his daddy.

The utensils can be replaced, the mess can be tidied, but the memories will last forever. 

Your hand reaches out to the night stand beside the bed, you grab your phone and as you unlock your phone. There are messages from Seungkwan, not just two or three messages but a bunch of it. There are five missed calls from Seungkwan and you know something is happening. You open the messages and most of it is asking for Seungcheol to answer his call and Seungkwan telling you to not panic. 

You jump right out from the bed, heart racing and you hold yourself to look Seungcheol’s name on the internet in the meantime. Your right hand is already holding the door handle but before you open your bedroom door, you try to calm yourself first before delivering the news to Seungcheol. 

"Cheol," You call his name softly with a smile on your face, a smile that only Seungcheol could understand. The smile on his face fades right away when he sees your face. He kisses the top of Sena’s head before walking towards your direction. 

"I don't know what happened but please call Seungkwan back." You hold both of his hands, giving it a gentle squish. 

“I’ll be right back.” Seungcheol kisses your temple before making his way to the bedroom. 

He grabs his phone on the night stand, the phone he hasn’t touched since last night. As he unlocks his phone, tons of messages from Seungkwan flood in, there are missed phone calls from his CEO and Joshua, head of PR. Seungcheol's hands are quick to find Seungkwan contact and calls him right away. 

"Where have you been? I've been calling you!" No greeting or small talk from Seungkwan only means one thing and it is not a good sign. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't check my phone at all." Seungcheol apologizes right away as he takes a seat at the end of the bed. 

"You are all over the news— someone leaked to the paparazzi that you are dating Ahn Sumi." Seungcheol lets out a heavy sigh as he leans his head against the head board. 

Another day, another dating scandal.

"Well? It's not a big deal. You know the truth, Kwan." Seungheol says, trying to keep his calm. 

"I know the truth but there is another rumor involving your family. So, you are two timing Ahn Sumi and have a secret family." Seungkwan explains and Seungcheol body tense immediately. 

"Come again?" Seungcheol stands up, he doesn’t believe what kind of nonsense the paparazzi has made. Seungcheol pinches his nose bridge and closes his eyes as he listens to Seungkwan's explanation. 

"I think the paparazzi bribed the crew from our last drama shooting. Your rumor with Ahn Sumi—considered it done, I have talked with Joshua regarding this. Her management is already in contact with Joshua but the problem is we need your clarification for your secret family." Seungcheol's head throbs again, it's not because of the alcohol he consumed last night with Mingyu but it's because of the sudden stress that creeps in. 

"I am not going to deny it, Kwan. You know it."

"I know, Cheol but the company thinks that you are still single. They think you are still dating." Seungcheol lets out a heavy sigh. His head snaps to the bedroom door when he hears the door is being open. Sena’s head pokes from the door, giving Seungcheol a smile. A very genuine smile that makes Seungcheol's heart warm instantly. 

"Sena, daddy is working." You are coming from behind, picking Sena up and before closing the door, you give Seungcheol your biggest and assuring smile. A small gesture to let Seungcheol know that he is not alone.

Seungcheol knows, he can't pretend anymore. He can't live a double life like this anymore. He can't hide you and Sena any longer. The whole world needs to know that Seungcheol is in fact not single. He is a husband to an amazing wife and a father to her loving daughter. He is done playing pretend.

He wants to drop and pick you up from the office. He wants to come to the teacher-parents meeting. He wants to be a father that always came to her daughter's recital. He doesn’t want to hide behind the mask, sunglasses, and hat. He wants the whole world to know his world; his everything.

He wants to be present in your and Sena’s life.

"Seungkwan, I think it's time." Seungkwan knows exactly what Seungcheol means by that. So Seungkwan lets out a deep exhale. 

"I'm going to set up a meeting in an hour. Is that okay?"

"Yes, I'm going to have breakfast first with my family then I will go straight to the office."

"Okay,"

"Seungkwan, thank you." On the other line Seungkwan's breath gets caught in his throat. Seungcheol never forgets to thank everyone who works with him. He always thanks everyone sincerely and he always thanks Seungkwan. 

Ten years of working as Seungcheol’s manager and this gratitude feels deeper, and meaningful yet hurt at the same time. 

"Just so you know, I always got your back. No need to thank me." Seungkwan doesn’t let Seungcheol reply to his words, he ends the call right away. 

Seungkwan knows what’s on Seungcheol's mind— he thinks of early retirement. Seungcheol jokes about it sometimes to Seungkwan. At first, Seungkwan takes it as a joke but seeing how drained Seungcheol is for these past months—Seungkwan knows sooner or later, the topic will come out from Seungcheol’s mouth not as a joke anymore. 

Seungcheol is back in the dining room with a smile on his face. He kisses Sena's cheek multiple times until Sena shrieks with happiness. Then he walks towards you, who is still busy flipping the pancakes on the pan. He hugs you from behind while pampering your shoulder with kisses until you giggle because how ticklish it feels on your skin. 

"Something is up." Seungcheol whispers, resting his head on your shoulder. 

"I know, I checked it on the internet already. Are you okay, honey?" You ask softly while brushing your thumb against his arms that wraps around your waist

"I'm not." Seungcheol says honestly. 

Seungcheol rarely shows the side where he burns out, he always acts tough in front of you and Sena because he doesn’t want you to be worried but he is too tired to pretend that he is tough. 

"Seungcheol, my love." You call his name softly, turning off the stove then facing him.  

You put your hand on the side of his face, giving it a subtle brush with your thumb. 

"You can do anything you want. Whatever your decision is, I just want you to know that you have me. I got you." Seungcheol couldn't hide his tears anymore, he let his tears run down his face.

"Daddy don't cry." Sena's little voice makes Seungcheol choke on his tears even more. He drops to the ground and hugs Sena tightly. 

You can’t hide the tears anymore, you drop to your knees, following Seungcheol. His hands wrap around you and Sena tightly. 

Everything he needs is wrapped around him. 

"Thank you, my love." Seungcheol whispers in your ears.

Pi Cheolin, The CEO of Seungcheol management massages both his temples. He laughed like a maniac when he first read the rumor first thing in the morning. Seungcheol dates his co-stars? Never. Seungcheol has a long time girlfriend? He knows about it. Does Seungcheol have a family? What nonsense this gossip forum spouting. 

But when Seungcheol came in fifteen minutes ago, dropping the truth. Pi Cheolin laughs, he laughs again. Not just maniacally laugh, a very scary stressful laugh. He doesn’t know how to react, so he just laughs as his coping mechanism.  

The other three sit in silence. Vernon and Wonwoo are processing whatever the hell Seungcheol said just now and Mingyu, who just happened to know about it less than twelve hours ago, chooses to keep his mouth shut. 

"Why didn't you tell us? We basically a fucking family and you hide a big news like this from us?" The first comment is coming from Vernon out, everyone in the room never expects that Vernon will be the one who talks. 

"We just met recently in the gym—we even talked about your relationship." Wonwoo feels betrayed by Seungcheol.

"You don't want to say anything, Gyu?" Pi Cheolin asks Mingyu who keeps silent the whole time. 

Mingyu looks around, trying to read the situation in the room. 

"No, I knew about this last night." Mingyu says honestly. 

Vernon scoffs, he gets up from his seat, walks towards the window with both hands on his hips. Vernon laughs to himself, he feels like he is the only one who doesn’t know about anything. 

“I feel so left out.” Vernon lets out a heavy sigh. 

"I'm sorry." Seungcheol’s head is getting heavier, he doesn’t even dare to look his group member– his family in the eye.

“What a good leader you are– betraying your own members, your family– oh do you still think of us as a family? Because the last time I remember, you are the one who always talks about us as a family.” Wonwoo says to Seungcheol, his tone was flat and cold.

Mingyu, who is sitting beside Wonwoo, tries to calm him down. Mingyu’s hands are already on Wonwoo’s shoulder, to keep him from going anywhere or worst case, to stop him from punching Seungcheol. 

"Let's fight after this but what are you gonna do right now, Seungcheol? Joshua already talked with Sumi's management to deny the allegation but what are you gonna do about your alleged family?" Seungkwan asks Seungcheol. Seungkwan’s phone never stopped ringing since the news broke out in the morning. 

"I'm not going to deny it. I'm going to come clean that I have a wife and a daughter. I'm also going to announce my retirement." The last word snapped everyone's head to Seungcheol. 

Silence. 

Everyone in the room couldn't believe what they just heard.

"Your what?" Pi Cheolin asks again to confirm Seungcheol's words. 

"My retirement." Seungcheol says without any hesitation. 

"Oh my—" Seungkwan closes his eyes. He is cursing under his breath because all the prayers he chanted all morning goes to waste. 

Pi Cheolin drops his head to his desk, he feels defeated. Vernon's jaw is on the floor. Wonwoo rubs his temple. Mingyu gets up from his seat and stands beside Vernon. 

"I've been thinking about it for months and today is my last straw. I can't hold it any longer. I want to live like an ordinary person who is married and has a family.” Seungcheol says, his eyes already full with tears.  

“I want to have lunch with my family in a family restaurant just like any other family. I want to attend my daughter's parents-teacher meeting. I want to pick up my wife from work and go to her company's annual dinner. I just want to enjoy my life as a husband and a father. I want the world to know my whole world." Tears start to stream down on his face. 

Seuncheol’s head hangs low, he can’t even look his group member in the eye, all the staff that have worked hard from the very first time he debuted up until now. 

"Okay," Pi Cheolin claps both of his hands loudly, stealing the attention from everyone in the room. 

"Let's do exactly that." Pi Cheolin continues. 

"I'm sorry, what?" Joshua asks, he propped his head up. 

"Let's have a press conference and a formal announcement letter." Pi Cheolin says as he stands up from his seat, walking towards Seungcheol. Pi Cheolin stands right behind the man, putting both of his hands on Seungcheol’s shoulder. 

“We’re going to make a clarification once and for all. Let Ahn Sumi management post a clarification, we will stay still until tomorrow. We’re going to hold a press conference regarding his status as a married man.” Everyone starts to murmur after hearing Pi Cheolin’s strategy. 

“Isn’t it too risky?” Joshua asks.

“It is, everything is too risky at this point, but trust me.” Pi Cheolin squishes Seungcheol’s shoulder lightly. 

Joshua inhales sharply because he knows that he won't be able to sleep soundly for at least a week and the entire PR team will pull an all-nighter.

"Are you serious? What about his reputation? What about us? Are you going to disband us? I don’t want us to disband." Vernon says nonstop. 

“I’m going to retire, that means I’m going to quit the group.” Seungcheol says and Wonwoo scoffs. 

“After all the mess you made, you are going to quit? What about us? What about your so-called family that you left behind? It’s so easy for you to say that." Anger takes over Wonwoo, he walks out from the meeting room. 

“Wonwoo,” Seungcheol wants to run after him but Pi Cheolin keeps him at his seat. 

“Let the man cool off.” Pi Cheolin says to Seungcheol. 

“The most important thing is, we don’t need to worry about anything. The Seungcheol scandal won’t harm the group and everything will work as I imagine. Trust me.” Shiver runs down Seungcheol's spine, he knows Pi Cheolin is a hella good CEO but hearing him solve the problem directly, this is the first time ever. 

"Joshua, you need to start contacting our investors— especially Mr. Yoon Jeonghan. Then contact every brand that endorses and collaborates with Seungcheol. Also contact the media. Get the legal team to work for any threat and malicious comment regarding Seungcheol and his family.” Pi Cheolin starts to list the things to do before the conference press tomorrow. Joshua and his team, busy typing everything Pi Cheolin asks them to do. 

“But, I have a question for you, Seungcheol." Pi Cheolin suddenly asks as he makes his way to his seat. 

Everyone who is busy typing stops mid air and for the first time since Seungcheol entered the meeting room, he lifts his face and looks at Pi Cheolin right in the eyes. 

"The reason I did all of this is because I trust you and your decision, but if everything that I calculate went south, are you going to risk it all? risk everything that you have built this far? fame, money, fans. Are you?" Pi Cheolin takes off his glasses as he asks Seungcheol.

"Yes, everything for my world.” Seungcheol answers without any hesitation.

Seungcheol is sitting on the office park bench alone after the meeting. He is looking at the gloomy sky, it feels like the universe knows about his feelings at the moment. He pulls his phone out from his back pocket, unlocks it and finds a text message from you. 

Is everything okay?  

He sighs hard before pressing the call buttons and by the third ring, you pick up the call. 

"Hey, are you okay?" You ask right away without any greetings, he can hear the concern in your voice. 

As much as he hates to admit it, Seungcheol can’t help it but to talk it out with you. 

"Honestly? No." Seungcheol heard your worry sigh on the other line. 

"I'm sorry, I couldn't be there for you." 

"It wasn't your fault, so there is no need for you to apologize." Seungcheol assures you as he leans back. 

"I know love but I feel sorry because I cannot be there for you."

“You are here with me, on the phone.” A small forceful smile grows on Seungcheol's lips.

"If my reputation is ruined and I don't have any jobs anymore—are you going to leave me?" A chuckle slips from your mouth. 

"Love, why would I leave you? You can be a house husband." You joke, trying to ease the tension that has been building on his shoulder. 

“A house-husband?” Seungcheol echoes, he is laughing now. A genuine laugh that doesn’t last long. 

"Is my baby taking her nap?" Seungcheol asks, after a long pause. 

"Yes, after a long battle, Sena is finally asleep." You stretch your body on the sofa, eyes back on the TV, and watch entertainment news that talk about Seungcheol’s scandal. 

"Seungkwan will pick you up from home to the company, is it okay?" Seunghceol asks you because he just remembered that Pi Cheolin asked him earlier. 

“Yes, Seungkwan called me earlier just before you called me. We’ll be going there after Sena’s nap.” 

You always wonder about Seungcheol’s company, BOMG, The company that’s been like Seungcheol’s second home growing up because he spent most of his youth here. Starting from the bottom until he reaches his peak. 

As you step your foot for the first time in the company, you can’t help but get mesmerized by how big and lavish it is. Seungkwan ushers you and Sena from the back door, getting inside an elevator that goes straight to the seventh floor. Seungkwan hasn’t let go of Sena's hand ever since the little girl got out of the car. 

Seungkwan calls your name, he gives you an assuring smile to let you know that everything is going to be okay. 

You follow Seungkwan who is now picking Sena’s up in his arms walking down the hallway. All eyes are on the three of you and you can’t help but look down because of the sudden embarrassment that takes over you. 

Seungkwan stops in front of a meeting room, he turns to look at you. 

“Here we go.” He pushes the door and the chatter stops immediately. 

“Everyone, this is Mrs. Choi and Choi Seungcheol’s daughter.” Seungkwan announces and everyone in the room greets you politely. 

You bow deeply as a gratitude and apology. 

“Daddy!” Sena wriggles from Seungkwan’s arm that makes Seungkwan put her down gently. Sena runs right away to her daddy and falls into her dad's arms. 

“My baby.” Seungcheol plants a kiss on top of Sena’s head before picking her up. A smile rises from his mouth when Sena’s little hands wrap around his neck, then hide between the crook of Seungcheol’s neck. 

You are sitting beside Seungcheol with Sena on Seungcheol laps, scribbling something in a piece of paper that was given by Wonwoo from earlier. Every eye in the room is focusing on a little girl that is busy in her own world. 

"She really took her mother's features." Vernon says to you with a nod and you thank him. 

"Sena, will you invite me to your third birthday party? Uncle will give you whatever you want." Mingyu says to Sena while waving his hands, trying to get Sena’s attention. 

"Uncle will be your photographer on your third birthday if you invite me." Wonwoo doesn’t want to lose to Mingyu. 

"Uncle will provide any entertainment you want— you can invite all of your friends and uncle will perform a magic trick." Vernon who apparently can’t do a single magic trick trying to steal Sena’s attention and he earns a heavy side eye from Wonwoo and Mingyu

"Sena will send the invites to uncle Wonwoo, uncle Mingyu, and uncle Vernon. So please, bring a lot of pretty gifts for me." Seungcheol says cutely, trying to follow the way Sena talks. The three grown up men roll their eyes. 

"Mama." Sena hands reach out to you still with the pen in her little hand and you pull her to your lap from Seungcheol’s laps. 

"Sena didn't even want to sit on your lap for too long— she probably forgot that you are her father because you are too busy with your work.." Snarky comments come out from Vernon’s mouth. Seungcheol wants to counter Vernon’s comments, he opens his mouth but nothing comes out, so he closes his mouth again. 

The meeting room’s door opens, Pi Cheolin comes in. His sunglasses still sit perfectly in his nose, he walks towards you who already stands up to greet him. He reaches out his hands to you, offers you a hand shake. You shake his hands while introducing yourself. 

"Finally we met." Pi Cheolin takes off his sunglasses and puts it back after. 

“Updates?” Pi Cheolin asks as he takes a seat at the end of the table. 

"Sumi's management already denied the allegation. It's only us now." Joshua reports right away and shows Sumi’s management press release regarding the dating scandal. 

"Our team already contacted the news forum and journalists for our press conference tomorrow.” Joshua continues. 

“Well, let’s hope for the best for tomorrow.” Pi Cheolin throws a wink at Seungcheol before standing up. 

“Before we finish this meeting, Jihoon, the legal team should make sure there will be no harm or false accusation towards the artist and his family. We will protect our artists and their loved ones.” Pi Cheolin remarks before bidding his goodbye. 

“Everything will be fine, love.” You squish Seungcheol's thigh gently. 

“I hope so, love.”

Right after the meeting, Seungkwan takes both you and Sena back to your apartment because Seungcheol’s apartment complex is already full with paparazzi. Seungcheol doesn’t even go home, he is spending the night at the office. 

As you arrive at your apartment, Seungkwan helps you with your belongings because Sena is asleep and refuses to let go of your hug. 

“Thank you, Seungkwan.” You thank him again as you walk him out from your apartment. 

“No worries, that’s my job to keep the three of you safe.” You let out a relief sigh as he pulls you into a hug. 

“I’m going back now, if you find someone that looks suspicious or paparazzi, please contact me right away.” Seungkwan says as he turns around and leaves. 

You lie on your side on the sofa, right hand supporting your head while your other free hand is scrolling on social media. You read some news articles about Seungcheol’s scandal, they talk about how Seungcheol’s management has not dropped any clarification and they are curious about the press conference that will be held tomorrow morning. 

Your phone buzzes and Seungcheol is the one who called you. You pick up the phone and his raspy voice greets you. 

"I miss you." You chuckle after hearing it.

"We literally saw each other an hour ago." You said softly while turning to your left side. 

“So, I can’t miss you even if we just met each other an hour ago?” He asks, pouting his mouth. 

“You can, love and the truth is I miss you too.” You say with a gentle smile but Seungcheol doesn’t response right away, 

"What if everything went south tomorrow? I don't have any jobs left. My savings are all gone because I need to pay the penalty fee. What should I do? I'm afraid." You can sense the fear in his voice. He is anxious. He overthinks.

"Then it's my turn to make a living—I saved up enough for us, well not as much as your income but it will be enough for the three of us. You've been providing us this whole time while I work the whole time. I rarely used my salary because you always said I should save it up. Now my savings can be useful." You tried to assure him but it only made him sigh hard.

"Then I failed as your husband and Sena's dad. I cannot provide you anymore." 

"Love, you remember that you have royalty up to your name right? You can still work as a producer and song writer. You might no longer work in front of the camera but you can work behind the camera—and we never know what will come tomorrow." 

"I wish you were here." He sniffles and you know, he is crying.

"I wish the same, love. I wish I could hug you and tell you everything is gonna be okay." Tears start to build up in your eyes. 

Your distance from Seungcheol is not that far, you are only thirty minutes drive apart but it feels harder than before your marriage. You used to have a long distance relationship with him especially when his group is still actively promoting and doing world tours. One continent to another, one country to another, one city to another; it was hard to schedule a date with him but tonight? It feels harder even though the distance is not far. 

And it breaks your heart more with the actual distance not too far but you need to keep a distance for a while with him until everything settles down. 

You couldn't even sleep properly last night. You are talking with Seungcheol until two in the morning until he falls asleep while listening to you. You glance at the clock and it is almost ten in the morning, which is when Seungcheol's press conference will start soon. 

You put Sena’s down in her play mat and turn on the TV. You switch to one national TV channel who will broadcast Seungcheol’s press conference. The conference room is still empty, the only sound you can hear from the TV is a typing sound and a murmur from the reporter and journalist that come. 

Right at ten o’clock, the side door is open and Seungcheol is wearing a simple black tuxedo. He walks with his head down. His steps are heavy and his shoulder slumps down. His face shows how he is not sleeping properly and his eyes are puffy after crying. He bows deep to the media before he takes a seat. The camera flashes with every step he takes. 

He takes a spot in the center, behind the lecterns that are already full of microphones from news outlets. 

"First of all, thank you to all the media, journalists, and reporters that come today." Seungcheol bows deep once again.

“I am going to clarify about the allegation that has made a stir yesterday, I apologize because of the commotion that happened because of me.” Seungcheol takes a deep breath before continuing. 

“I am not in a relationship with actress Ahn Sumi and I am deeply sorry for not making the clarification sooner and getting a lot of backlash. I am sorry.” Seungcheol bows again. 

“And with that, I’m going to clarify that I, Choi Seungcheol, have indeed tied a knot in a marriage with someone I love and cherish. We also have become a little family of three with the presence of my daughter. I am sorry for hiding them and being a coward for hiding and not showing my love.” Seungcheol takes a moment to adjust his breath and his heart that beats fast. 

“I deeply apologize to everyone who is hurt because of me. To my fans who have always supported me since day one, I am sorry for breaking the trust you have given to me. I am sorry.” Seungcheol bows, deeper and longer.

Your hands clutch the blanket on the sofa because your heart breaks into pieces after seeing the man you love hurting. His eyes are glistening because of the tears in his eyes that can fall at any time.

It is almost midnight when you hear your apartment door unlocked. You get up from the bed, rush to the front and find Seungcheol who is trying to get the shoes off. He doesn’t even notice you at first because his head hangs low. 

"Love?” You call him with a gentle voice. He looks up and he falls right on his knees. You hear a little sob from him that makes your heart wrench.  

"Seungcheol?" You walk to him, get on your knees and pull him into a tight hug. 

You let him cry on your shoulder, you saw him cry before but not like this. He was crying hard, his breath caught in his throat. You didn't make a sound, you just hugged him hard and rubbed his back. Tears flowing down on your face, your heart wrenched seeing the man who always stood tall, broke down in front of you.

You let him cry on your shoulder for as long as you can remember because the numbness on your feet is not comparable with what Seungcheol feels at the moment. 

“Love, let’s move to the couch.” You help him to stand, the man who always looks strong in front of you, who always looks dashing in your eyes is showing another side of him that you never see and you embrace this side tightly.

You help him settle on the couch before making your way to the kitchen to get him a glass of water. You are back and he still gives you a smile, even though it’s a forced one. 

"Seungcheol," You gently take a seat beside him, putting your hands on his hair, giving his messy hair a brush with your fingers. 

"It's over." Seungcheol says as he hugs you.

 You don’t say anything, you just let him hug you and you hug him tighter. 

He is always there for you, he always welcomes you with open arms and now, it is your turn to welcome him with open arms. He always assured you that everything will be okay and now it is your turn to let him know that you have his back and everything will work the way it should be.

"Everything will be fine, honey. Everything will work the way it should be."

You just get an approval from your manager for work from home arrangement for a couple days because urgent matters– the urgent matter is Seungcheol hasn’t come out from the room for a while and you feel anxious about leaving him all by himself. You announce to him that you will be dropping Sena at day care real quick, he kisses the top of Sena’s head and your cheek before going back to lie down in the bed. 

You are back from dropping Sena at daycare and Seungcheol hasn’t moved an inch. 

"Honey, let's eat breakfast." You hug him from the side and he turns around to face you.

"We made you a waffle with a rainbow sprinkle on top of it." You say cutely, trying to cheer him up. 

"Thank you, love." Seungcheol cups the side of your face and strokes your cheek before he pulls himself out from the bed.

Before he takes another step, a heavy sigh is out of his mouth. His steps are heavy as he walks to the bathroom, he is always excited every time you make a waffle with rainbow sprinkle on top and it hurts you to see him in this state. 

Your phone buzzes and you see Seungkwan’s name as the caller but you only stare at it, you don’t answer nor reject it until the call ends. 

"Baby," You run towards Seungcheol who just came out from the bathroom and hug him tight.

"I love you." You whisper before you give him a peck on his lips. 

"Thank you for always loving me. What would I do without you by my side?" Seungcheol hugs you tightly and rests his chin on your shoulder as you stroke his back.

Seungcheol doesn’t check his phone at all, he doesn’t know that Seungkwan has been calling him and you. You respect your husband, so you decide to let him have a moment without any interruption from outside when he is feeling down. 

He eats his breakfast not as cheerful as he used to, he doesn’t even finish it all but he thanked you for making the breakfast extra special for him. 

“I’m going to do chores right now– I’m going to do the dishes,"

You stop him before he can move to the sink.

“I’m going to do the dishes and you just need to sit still.” You push him back to his chair but he shakes his head. 

“I need to get busy.” He forces a smile that wrench your heart.

“Well, you can put the laundry in and fold the dry one.” 

“That’s what I like.” He kisses your lips quickly before making his move to the laundry room. 

You are busy doing the dishes when the doorbell rings, you rinse your hand full of soap and run to the front door. You open the door and are greeted by the angry Jeonghan. 

"Where is that bastard?" Jeonghan's chest rises and falls like he just came after running a marathon. 

"Han, not now." You stop him before he tries to make his way inside.

"I've been calling him since morning— basically everyone is trying to reach him out." He raises his tone. 

You are quite taken aback when Jeonghan raises his voice at you. Jeonghan lets out a frustrated sigh when he realizes he just raised his voice at you.

"I'm sorry but please let me talk to him."

"He is not in a good condition, Han." Your eyes get watery again, remembering your husband broke down in front of you last night.

"I know, we all know. Trust me, okay?" You nod before moving to the side to let Jeonghan come in. 

You gesture to Jeonghan to wait before knocking the laundry room door. 

"Honey, I'm going to the store for a moment." You announce it loud enough for him to hear.

"Okay! Be careful!" He shouts back and you look at Jeonghan briefly before making your way out. 

Seungcheol is busy, more like making himself busy in the laundry room because it helps him to distract all the bad thoughts. The laundry room door opens and Seunghceol turns his head right away, thinking it would be you who comes in but his face turns sour as he sees Jeonghan. 

“What do you want?” Seungcheol looks away. 

"Let's talk, Cheol." Jeonghan steps in and takes a seat on the floor right in front of the dryer and Seungcheol does the same. 

So the two of them sat beside each other in the laundry room while facing the dryer that spun all the clothes inside.

"I already prepared for the worst and I'm going to work behind the scenes as a producer and song writer." Seungcheol says before Jeonghan says anything. 

“Regarding the loss, I think I saved enough for the penalty fee and that should cover all the loss for you and the company.” 

"Probably working in front of the camera is not the best option after all." He tries to choke up a laugh.

“Have you read the news? Most of your fans support you. They know how harsh it was to work as a public figure, especially an Idol. In the span of twenty-four hours, the whole nation couldn’t stop talking about you. Thousands of them hate you for being in love and living your life behind the camera, but millions support you.” Jeonghan says with a little anger, because the man beside him, his best friend, already thought the worst. 

"Joshua gave me a report last night, almost all of the brands that you worked with, only two brands that decided to stop working with you. The penalty fee? You don't need to worry about that. In fact, three brands that target families reached out to work with you; you as their new brand ambassador." Seungcheol looks at Jeonghan in disbelief, like what Jeonghan says is full of nonsense. 

"What a funny world isn't it? You are loved, Seungcheol. People like you, adore you—yet you don't believe in yourself. As your best friend, I was mad. Hella mad when you decide to retire without even talking about it to me– you can talk to me about everything." Jeonghan continued as he put his arm on Seungcheol’s shoulder. 

"I don't know— I don't know if I did the right thing."

“Just believe in yourself, Cheol. Maybe that rumor was your wake up call.” Jeonghan pats Seungcheol's shoulder before getting back on his feet. 

“You have a family that will always welcome you. A beautiful daughter that solely becomes your reason to live and a loving wife that always has your back. Your life? I was jealous of you for living my dream.” Jeonghan chuckles as he stands up. 

Jeonghan’s right hand is already at the door handle but before he pushes the handle down, he turns his head to the side "Give Seungkwan a call, he is going crazy because of you." 

Jeonghan leaves Seungcheol by himself at the laundry room. 

Seungcheol leans his head to the wall, he looks up to the ceiling and inhales sharply before he pushes himself up. He makes his way out from the laundry room to the main bedroom. He takes his phone out from the nightstand and turns it on. Dozens of calls from Seungkwan and Jeonghan, hundreds of messages from people whom he worked with—everyone is worried about him.

It doesn’t take him a long time to call Seungkwan back and he picks it up before the second ring. 

"CHOI SEUNGCHEOL!" Seungkwan shouts and Seungcheol lets out a chuckle after hearing Seungkwan.

"How dare you laugh? I almost lost my mind because of you?" Seungcheol can hear the frustration in Seungkwan’s voice.

"I'm sorry, Seungkwan. I need time." Seungcheol can hear the relief sigh that comes out from Seungkwan mouth on the other line.

"I know but there are so many things that happened and as your friend, I want to let you have all the time for yourself but as your manager, there are dozens of casting calls for you." Seungkwan explains. Seungcheol is quite taken aback because of what Seungkwan just said, he takes a seat on the edge of his bed. 

"I'm going to let them know that you still need time after everything that happened, at least until the end of this week. Is it okay or do you need more time?"

"Sorry, this is a lot to take. Can I talk about it first with my wife?" 

"As your best friend, I want to tell you that you are very lucky to have her as your wife. You have a home to rest when things get hard and your home always welcomes you. I'm glad that you have someone by your side, Cheol." 

At the same time, you walk in without knowing that Seungcheol is talking with Seungkwan on the phone  while holding two bags full of Seungcheol's favorite snack and drink. You retreat when you see him talking on the phone carefully to not make any sound and close the door as quietly as possible.

"I know, Kwan. I'm always thankful that I have her and Sena in my life. And I'm sorry for not thanking you enough for always being there for me, Kwan." Seungcheol indeed owes Seungkwan a lot in his life. Seungkwan is always there on every step he takes. From nothing up until now. 

He owes him. 

"You better tell Pi Cheolin to give me a raise. Call me if you need anything." Seungkwan ends the call abruptly because he doesn’t want Seungcheol to hear him cry.

Seungcheol knows Seungkwan almost cries, which is why he chose to not call him again. Seungcheol locks his phone, tosses it on the bed and heads to the living room. You greet him with a big smile when he gets out of the room. 

"Is that Seungkwan?" You ask as Seungcheol walks towards you.

"Correct." Seungcheol holds your hand and pulls you closer. 

"Are you feeling better?" You loop your arms around his neck.

"I am." He rests both his hands on your waist. 

"Well, I should thank Jeonghan and Seungkwan for making you feel better." You kiss his cheek before walking back to the kitchen but Seungcheol stops you, he holds your wrist.

"I should thank you first." He whispers as he pulls you gently into him until your body touches each other. 

"Oh? And how would you thank me?" You tease him as you look at him right in the eye. 

“Do you want me to explain it step by step or should I just get into it and let you learn it by action?” Seungcheol says seductively in your ears that sends shivers down your spine. 

A month after the press conference, Seungcheol is already booked and busy. He scores a deal with three big brands where their main target is a family. He also gets dozens of casting calls for TV Dramas, exclusive dramas on streaming platforms, and movies. Everything is going better than he expected but he hasn’t accepted all the offers, because he is taking a break for himself and wants to spend more time with his loved ones.

"Good morning, mama!" Seungcheol kisses your cheek when your alarm blares.

"Morning," You greet him back still with your eyes closed. 

He moves his body so he is spooning you, his leg is on top of your thighs, one hand is inside your clothes. His hands are on top of your breast, cupping your breast while kneading it gently and his thumb brushes your nipple, teasing you. You push your back to him more because you know how this morning will end. Your back hits his morning wood and you intentionally wriggle your back— acting like you are adjusting yourself to be in a more comfortable position.

"Baby? What's that?" He whispers in your ears with his husky voice that makes you clench. 

"What? I didn't do anything." You play dumb with him.

"Hm? Is that so?" He moves his thumb slowly against your nipple again, brushing it lightly and giving it a light pinch that makes you hiss because of how good that feels.

"Did you push your ass on me on purpose?" He asks once again as he pinches your nipple harder than before.

"Yes." You answer in a hushed tone, trying to suppress the moan that almost slips from your mouth.

"How naughty." He licks the back of your ear, an action that makes you shiver and mouth agape.

"I need you." You beg him desperately.

"Anything you want, baby."

His hand that you use as a pillow started to play with your clothed nipple and his free hand made his way down to where you need him the most. He teases you while playing with the band of your pajama pants before his hands creep inside. He starts slowly, making you almost lose your mind, he plays with your folds still with your damp panties on, tracing along the line. 

"You are this wet for me? When I haven’t done anything yet to you?” 

"Yes, only for you."

He pushes your panties aside, his index fingers traced your wet folds before finally finding your clit. He rubs his finger slowly around your clit, a moan that you have been holding finally out from your mouth. A smirk grows on his face as he rubs your clit in a circle slowly, teasing you the way he knows how to make you fold for him. Another moan slips out from your mouth and your breath hitch when Seungcheol's leg that rests on top of you, pushes your legs to open more for him.

"Want you." You say breathlessly, hands clutching the bed sheet. 

"Not so fast, baby." He lowers down your pajama pants and your panties before having you bare.

His fingers move like a work of art, you can't help but hide your face on the pillow to muffle your moan. You gasp loudly when Seungcheol starts to push his finger inside you. It starts with one finger until you ask for more and three fingers now buried deep inside you. He knows you like the back of his hands, he knows your spot, so he purposely thrust his finger deeper and curled it. Your moan is a heavenly tune in his ear, he won't stop until you reach your release.

"I'm close." Your eyes are getting watery because of how good you feel and how close you are from his fingers only.

As he draws you closer, he starts to thrust his hips on your back, humping himself behind you to let you know how hard and desperate he is. You cry his name when your walls clenches around his fingers and you let go your first release on his fingers. He pulls his fingers out, sucks and licks them clean.

"What time is it?" You ask him, panting. You roll to the other side, so you face him. 

"We get forty minutes left before Sena wakes up from her sleep." Seungcheol answers as he glances at the clock on the wall. 

"Okay, cowboy. It's time for me to ride you." You push yourself up and unbutton your pajama top one by one, sensually, while keeping your eyes on your husband. He is watching you with lust in his eyes, both his hands rest behind his head. 

You notice how he gulps hard when you make your way to his hard length. You palm his still clothed length making his mouth gape because of how good you make him feel. A satisfied smirk spreads across your face when you see him like that. You pull his pants down slowly without breaking eye contact with him.

"We are running low on time." You say as you position yourself on top of him, before adding with a wink.

"I'm gonna suck you off till you can't even remember your own name later, tonight."

"Whatever you want, baby." He groans as you push down and takes his length full without warning.

that he got this afternoon. 

"I did! but I guess she knows my trick by now." He drops his legs slowly then with the support of his hands he drops to the ground and rests his head on top of your thighs.

"What are you working on, love?" He asks, popping up his head so he can see what you are working on.

“I’m working on my monthly report. I thought I could get it done this afternoon but sometimes you just want to smash your head with a keyboard then your work can’t be finished.” You explain to him and he looks at you confused, which makes you chuckle because he doesn’t understand it. 

"Why would you want to smash your face with a keyboard? Someone is bothering you at work?" He sits straight up, eyes looking at you with all seriousness. 

"I worked on a wrong report all day." A gasp left from Seungcheol’s mouth, he even covers his mouth dramatically and you let out a laugh because of him. 

"Thank you for providing us." He jokes and that makes you laugh a little bit too loud until you cover your mouth, afraid your daughter will wake up because of it.

Seungcheol is still in his hiatus, he is enjoying his day as a house husband. He drops you off at work and drops Sena to daycare every morning. He goes to the gym right after, sometimes he works out with Wonwoo or sometimes he bothers Seungkwan at work. Seungkwan is back at his dusty work desk because of Seungcheol’s hiatus and he always acts that he hates it every time Seungcheol comes, but secretly he loves it because he has excuses to leave his desk.

Seungcheol also realized a new therapeutic thing, which is grocery shopping. He loves grocery shopping so much and you are the one who is stressing out because he kept on buying unnecessary things. He even signed up for a beginner cooking class. He also realized folding clothes was tiring, then he discovered the Marie Kondo method, so he’s been folding that way and most of the time he failed it. He even started to watch afternoon local TV dramas that have the same pattern over and over again, he complained a lot about it but he can’t stop watching it.

But it always warms your heart every time he tells you about his day and his new favorite things to do because he is enjoying his life. His slower pace life. 

Parents in Sena's daycare understand his position as a public figure, so they never asked him or took his photo. Seungcheol even sends Sena to Chan's house for a play date and having lunch over in their house with Chan's mother. Chan's mother is very talkative and Seungcheol will make sure to give her a backstage pass for their concert because it turns out she is a big fan of Wonwoo. She collected Wonwoo's photo card from their group album.

"Should I send Wonwoo to Chan's house to pick up Sena? I mean that would make Chan's mother happy." Seungcheol asks with a spatula in his right hand.

"Don't you think Chan's mother will pass out if that happened?" You ask back while preparing the plates on the dinner table. 

"Right.. but she paid for my coffee, I should pay her back." You laugh at your husband because he’s been thinking how to pay Chan’s mother back because she paid for his coffee this morning.

Seeing him befriended with Chan's mother gives you reassurance, Chan's mother is always sweet towards you and Sena. She even offers to bring Sena to her house when you can't pick her up from daycare on time.

"Maybe, you could give her a signed album." You try to propose a new idea. 

"She has them." Seungcheol sighs while flipping the rolled omelette. 

"Oh, Sena's birthday is coming up— we should invite Chan, then she can meet with Wonwoo there." You say excitedly and Seungcheol claps his hands together.

"Perfect!" He raises his spatula. You giggle and head towards his side to peck his lips.

Seeing your husband living his ordinary life makes you happy, especially since he can still work on his job that he loves. Maybe after his hiatus ends, he won't have that much time to spend with you and Sena, but you know for sure that his family is always his top priority.

Even in front of the cameras that are still rolling, lighting still on, all the spotlight is on him— you know for sure, he is still the same man you married. The man that you vowed in front of his best friends to spend the rest of your life with till death apart.

"Cheol, I love you."

"I love you more, honey." He leans down to kiss you on the lips and when his lips almost touch yours, 

“AND CUT!” The camera stops rolling and Seungcheol backs away with a little smile. 

“THAT IS PERFECT!” The director walks towards Seungcheol while clapping his hands and the assistant director runs to his direction with a bouquet of flowers for him and his co-star. 

“This adaptation will be a big hit!” The director taps Seungcheol's shoulders. 

“I hope so, sir.” Seungcheol says with a big smile. 

“Break for ten minutes then we’re going to take a staff picture, okay?” The director tells Seungcheol.  

“Yes, sir.” Seungcheol bows his head then walks to his green room. His manager gives him his phone before he enters his room. 

He opens the door, sits himself on the couch. His phone rings right after, with a big smile spread across his face he answers the call. 

“My wife! The shoot is officially done!” Seungcheol lies down on the couch, still with his phone attached to his ear. Seungcheol continues to talk with his wife over the phone until a knock on the door interrupts his conversation. His manager’s head poked behind the door, signaling him to go back to the set for a photo session. 

“Love, I need to go now. See you later at home.”