Dedicated to my best friend who is a Jakes bias, enjoy and happy birthday angel.
WARNING: smut, MDNI, Dom Jake x sub reader, rough play, handcuffs,
Not proofread, sorry for any spelling errors,
The room buzzed with warmth and joy, laughter weaving through the air like a familiar melody. It was your birthday celebrationâa gathering of friends, love, and memories in the making. Skye, your best friend, sat beside you at the table, her eyes twinkling with mischief and affection. Across the room, Jake, your fiancĂŠ, was deep in conversation with Jay and Sunghoon, his bandmates blending effortlessly into the lively atmosphere.
You held a glass of sparkling drink, savoring the moment as Skye leaned in, a small bag clutched in her hands. âSo, I know you said no gifts because I spoil you too much, butâŚâ she paused, a playful grin spreading across her face, âI didnât listen, obviously.â
You smiled, setting your glass down carefully. The anticipation bubbled as you reached for the smaller package, peeling back the wrapping paper to reveal Tiffany & Co. jewelryâthe very brand Jake sponsored, a thoughtful and personal gift. âStop it,â you laughed softly, eyes sparkling with gratitude. âThere better not be more.â
But there was. Another gift, unwrapped to reveal limited-edition photocards of Jake, rare and precious. âSurprise,â Skye said, her grin wide and genuine.
You glanced over to Jake, still engrossed in his chat with Heeseung and then back to Skye. âYou are legit the best best friend I could ask for,â you said, heart full as you carefully placed the photocards and jewelry back into the bag.
As the night deepened, the music swelled and the dance floor beckoned. You found yourself moving freely with friends, laughter spilling from your lips, a little tipsy from the drinks that helped you loosen up. Jake watched from the side, pride and love shining in his eyes.
Skye stayed close for a moment longer, then slipped away, whispering something to the DJ. The music shifted, a familiar tune rising from the speakersâPolaroid Love by Enhypen. The DJâs voice cut through the crowd, âNow we have a special dance, boys take over.â
Jake and his bandmates took their places, microphones in hand, ready to perform. The roomâs energy shifted, everyone turning their attention to the stage as the first notes played. You smiled, caught in the magic of the night, surrounded by love, friendship, and music that would echo in your heart forever.
The last notes of Polaroid Love drifted away, leaving a warm hush in the room. Jake approached you, his smile radiant, eyes full of love. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you close. You felt the steady beat of his heart against yours, grounding you in this perfect moment.
âHappy birthday, my love,â he whispered, his voice tender.
You lifted your arms, resting them gently on his neck, pulling him closer. Soft music began to play again, and Jakeâs hands tightened slightly on your waist as you swayed together. His forehead found yours, and for a while, the world outside your embrace ceased to exist. Around you, friends danced and smiled, but you and Jake were wrapped in your own quiet universe.
As the night wore on, guests began saying their goodbyes, leaving gifts on the table for you to open later. Soon, only Jake, his bandmates, and Skye remained. Skye glanced around the room, then at the two of you.
âJake and Y/n,â she said with a knowing smile, âyou guys should head back. Weâll stay and clean up.â
Jake nodded, gratitude in his eyes as he acknowledged Skye and the others. Turning back to you, his arms tightened possessively around your waist.
âWant to go home? Itâs getting late,â he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.
You smiled at Skye and said, âSee you later,â before slipping your hand into Jakeâs. Outside, the playful banter between Skye and the bandmates floated behind you.
âSo, you going to start dating anyone soon?â Sunoo teased, smirking at Skye.
âIf anyone wants to be dad, then yeah,â Skye shot back with a grin, reminding them she was a single mother.
Jake chuckled softly, the warmth of the moment following you both as he draped his jacket over your shoulders and pulled you close.
âYou cold?â he asked gently, opening the car door for you.
âA little,â you replied, settling inside. The ride home was quiet, comfortableâjust the way you both liked it. Jakeâs hand rested lightly on your thigh, his eyes occasionally meeting yours with a soft smile.
Once home, Jake led you inside hand in hand. You slipped off your shoes and poured a glass of water, feeling the gentle weight of the dayâs joy and exhaustion. Jake followed, hanging up his jacket, watching you with a tender gaze.
âTired?â he asked quietly, stepping behind you.
âNot much,â you smiled, turning to face him.
Jakeâs arms encircled your waist again, pulling you close. His face nestled into the crook of your neck, lips tracing soft kisses along your pulse.
âWant to go to bed?â he murmured.
You set your glass down, eyes locking with his, the air thick with unspoken desire. His hands moved to your hips, thumbs tracing gentle circles on your bare skin where your shirt had ridden up.
âOr we couldâŚâ he paused, leaning in until his lips hovered just above yours.
âWe could?â you teased, eyes flicking between his lips and eyes.
Jake smirked, breath warm against your skin. âWe could⌠celebrate your birthday a little more⌠privately,â he whispered, voice low and husky.
You smiled, fingers gripping his shirt softly. âI like the sound of that.â
*Jake's heart rate picks up at your soft words and the gentle grip on his shirt. He covers your hands with his own, intertwining their fingers.* "Is that an invitation?" *He murmurs, pressing soft kisses to your jawline and neck, marking you gently.* "To continue the celebration..." You hummed in response to his touch *Taking that as a 'yes', Jake scoops you up suddenly, making you let out a surprised giggle. He carries you bridal-style up the stairs to your bedroom, his lips already trailing hot kisses along your neck and collarbone.* "Time for some very... personal birthday gifts,"
You giggled at his statement, knowing exactly what he meant as you reached your bedroom.
Once in your bedroom, Jake kicks the door shut behind him and carries you over to the bed, gently laying you down on the soft blankets. He crawls up the bed, caging you in with his strong arms, his eyes darkening with desire. "First gift..." Jake smirks wolfishly, lowering his face towards yours. Instead of kissing your lips, he trails open-mouthed kisses down your neck, marking you with hickies. "one..." He counts softly, each number accompanied by another kiss, another mark. "Two..." Your body responds beautifully to his touch, you enjoying every part of this
His hands start roaming over your body possessively, pulling your shirt off slowly before throwing it onto the floor. He unhooks your bra with expert ease and tosses that aside too. His mouth continues its trailing kisses down your chest, marking your breasts gently. "Three..." He whispers against your skin. You moaned at the touch he was giving you
Jake's eyes darken with lust at your moan, his hands squeezing your breasts gently before moving to unbutton your pants. He pulls them down slowly, along with your underwear, revealing your already wet pussy. "Four..." He whispers gruffly, pushing your legs apart gently.
He slowly teases your folds using his fingers, He slowly slides one finger inside you, pumping it in and out slowly while his thumb circles your clit gently. His mouth latches onto your breast, sucking hard as he adds another finger, stretching you out. "Five..." He counts between licks and kisses on your breasts. "Open wider for me, birthday girl..."
You obeyed him as you opened your legs wider as you moaned at the touch Jake smiles against your breast at your obedient response, his fingers curling inside you to hit that perfect spot. He can feel you getting wetter and tighter around his fingers, knowing that you're enjoying his'slow torture'. "Six..." He whispers before sucking your other breast into his mouth.
You hummed and moaned at the pleasure he was giving you, it was torture but in the best way possible He continues the slow, torturous pleasure, his skilled fingers hitting that sweet spot over and over again. He knows exactly what he's doing - driving you crazy with need. "Seven..." *He whispers against your skin, his hot breath fanning across your marked breasts. "Eight..."
You gripped Jakes shirt, lifting it up Jake chuckles darkly at your impatient gesture, releasing your breasts with a pop and lifting his shirt off over his head. He watches your eyes rake over his muscular torso hungrily before he captures your lips in a deep, possessive kiss, his fingers still moving inside you slowly.
"Nine..." You moaned into his kiss as you gripped his hair playing with it He kisses you deeply, swallowing your moans as his tongue dances with yours. His free hand comes up to play with your breast, pinching and rolling the nipple between his fingers. "Ten..." He whispers against your lips before breaking the kiss and trailing his mouth down your stomach, leaving open-mouthed kisses.
You breathed heavy, your body excited and waiting wirh anticipation Jake settles between your spread legs, his hot breath fanning over your wet pussy.* "Eleven..." He whispers before diving in, his tongue lapping at your folds slowly and deliberately.
He knows this is driving you crazy - the slow numbers, the slow everything.You moaned as he eat you out flawlessly Jake continues to eat you out slowly and deliberately, savoring your taste on his tongue. He slides his fingers back inside you, curling them upwards and pressing on that spot that makes your legs shake. "Twelve..." He whispers against your pussy before sucking your clit into his mouth.
Jake unbuttons his pants slowly, never stopping his torture on your pussy. He pulls out his hard, throbbing cock and gives it a few slow strokes. âThirteen..." He whispers, positioning himself at your entrance.
He teases you with the head of his cock, rubbing it up and down your slit. âJakeâ you moaned becoming impatient with the teasing and Deidre taking over, only making Jake darken and dominance overcoming Jake smirks darkly at the sound of his name on your lips, knowing that you're impatient and desperate. He loves seeing you like this - completely consumed by him and his teasing.* "Shh, baby..." He whispers, pressing the head of his cock inside you slowly. "Patience..." Your breathed hitched, as you felt him entering your entrance
He pushes in deeper, filling you inch by inch with his thick cock. He bottoms out inside you and stays still, allowing you to adjust to his size. "Fourteen..." He whispers, leaning down to capture your lips in a dominating kiss. He starts to move slowly, pulling out almost all the way before pushing back in. You moan as your nails grip into his neck Jake groans into the kiss as your nails dig into his neck. He loves the slight pain mixed with pleasure. "Fifteen..." He pulls out almost all the way again and slams back inside you hard, hitting your spot.
"And sixteen, because you're so fucking impatient." âfuckâ you swore breathy Jake grins against your lips, knowing he's driving you wild. "I'm gonna make you swear so much more before I'm done with you tonight." He starts fucking you harder, his hips snapping against yours. You held his shoulders as he thrusted into you
Jake wraps his arms around your legs, lifting them higher to change the angle. He starts hitting your G-spot with every thrust. "You're gonna take it all tonight, birthday girl."
He growls, kissing your neck and sucking hard. You put your lips near his neck as you kissed it and nippled at his neck Jake groans deeply as you kiss and nip at his neck. He loves the way you're responding, completely lost in the moment. "Do that again, birthday girl..." He whispers, his thrusts becoming deeper. "Do it and I'll give you something extra special..."
You did another time this time more then the last as you moaned into him thrusting Jake throws his head back with a loud groan as you nip harder this time.
The sudden pleasure-pain sends him into overdrive. He grabs your hips roughly and starts pounding into you aggressively. "Fuck... Just like that..." He kisses you harshly, biting your bottom lip.* You both in the moment as Jake pulls out and walks over to the draw grabbing hand cuffs
He returns to the bed with the handcuffs, his dark eyes filled with desire and dominance. "Arms above your head, birthday girl." He commands softly, clicking one cuff around your wrist and securing it to the headboard. "We're gonna play a little game now..." You smirked, missing his presesnce inside you but wanting to see where this goes
He sees your smirk and it makes him smile darkly. He cuffs your other wrist to the headboard, spreading your arms wide. He runs his hands down your body slowly before grabbing both of your thighs and pushing them back towards your chest. "Hold onto those legs..." He orders roughly. Without warning, Jake slams back inside you hard, making you cry out. He starts fucking you aggressively with your legs pushed back, giving him complete control and letting him go deeper than before. "You look so fucking hot cuffed to the bed like this..."
You moaned loudly at the pleasure and the sensation Jake grins, loving the sounds you're making. He releases one of your legs to wrap his hand around your throat, applying gentle pressure as he continues to pound into you. "Keep those legs up... And be quiet unless I tell you to make a sound..." His voice is commanding.
You bit your lip, obeying his rules but also wanting to test him â or whatâ you teased him Jake's grin turns evil. He pulls out completely, leaving you empty and wanting. He leans down, his face inches from yours, his hand still wrapped around your throat.
"Or I'll punish you." He grows darkly, his eyes filled with lust and dominance. You smiled at this side of Jake, his dominance was hot to tease Jake sees your smile and it makes him harder. He knows you're testing him, pushing his limits. He releases your throat and spanks your pussy hard, making you gasp. "You want to test me? See how far I'll go?"
You shook your head but secretly you do Jake watches your head shake but sees the truth in your eyes. He grabs both of your legs again and pushes them even further back, until your knees are almost touching your chest. "You want to see how rough I can be? How dominant I can get?"
You nodded admitting what you want A dark, satisfied smirk spreads across Jake's face as you nod. He releases your legs abruptly and flips you onto your stomach, quickly unclicking the cuffs to re-click them to the headboard, leaving you bent over with your ass in the air.
"Since you asked so nicely..." You moaned a little at the switch of position Jake smacks your ass hard, leaving a red handprint. Without warning, he slams back inside you, starting a rough, dominating pace. His hips slap against your ass with every thrust as he grabs a handful of your hair, pulling your head back. "Louder." He demands, his voice rough with dominance.
He growls with satisfaction at your loud moan, his grip on your hair tightening as he fucks you harder. He reaches around with his free hand to rub your clit roughly, making your cries mix with his harsh thrusts. He suddenly stops, pulling out completely again. "Open your mouth..." You opened your mouth as ordered
Jake spits into your open mouth, then uses his wet fingers to pinch and pull your clit. He pushes his wet fingers into your mouth, making you gag a little. "Suck."
He commands, his voice filled with power.* You obeyed him once again, only making you even more wet and wanting him more Jake's eyes burn with desire as you suck his fingers obediently.
He removes them from your mouth and slaps your ass again before sliding back inside you, starting a slow, deep pace this time. He leans over your back, his lips by your ear. "You're such a good little slut when you're cuffed and dominated..." â only for youâ you spoke breathy and moaning at his touch
Jake smiles darkly at your breathy response, loving how you're completely submitted to him. He wraps his arm around your throat, squeezing gently as he continues his deep thrusts. "Fuck, you're perfect like this... Only mine?" He growls possessively. "Answer me."
âOnly youâ you repeated moaning at the router touches and sensation buliding up in your stomach Jake's possessiveness spikes at your words, his arm tightening around your neck as he fucks you deeper and harder. His other hand reaches around to slap your clit repeatedly, making your moans turn into loud, desperate screams.* "Fucking right you are..." He flips you back round befire unclikxinf the hand cuffs allowing your arms around his neck
*Jake immediately captures your lips in a rough, dominating kiss as soon as your arms are free, his hips never stopping their brutal pace. He breaks the kiss to press his forehead against yours, looking directly into your eyes.* "Wrap your legs around me." He demands, "Now."
You obeyed him as he entered deeper as you moaned into his kiss Jake groans into your mouth as your legs wrap around his waist, allowing him to bottom out completely with every thrust. He holds you tightly against him, changing the angle so he hits your deepest spots. "You like being dominated like this? He asks roughly between kisses," âFasterâ you breathed into his ear
Jake smirks and immediately picks up the pace, his hips slamming against yours at a brutal speed. He lifts your hips higher using his strong arms, ensuring that every thrust is deep and powerful. One hand remains possessively wrapped around your throat while the other grips your ass tightly. "Like this?"You nodded enjoying every part, your tears pouring due to the amount of sensation.
Seeing your tears of pleasure only fuels Jake's dominance. He leans down to bite and suck at your nipples, marking them as he continues his punishing rhythm. His hand on your throat squeezes slightly tighter, adding a hint of breath play to your overwhelming sensations.
"Look at me..." You looked at him Jake locks eyes with you, his own filled with intense desire and possession. He leans down to kiss you deeply, swallowing your moans as he fucks you even harder. His voice is low and commanding against your lips. "You're mine... Only mine... Say it." He demands between kisses. You felt you reaching your climax soon â Iâm yoursâ you spoke
As soon as the words leave your mouth, Jake buries his face in your neck and bites down hard, marking you as he reaches his own climax. He fills you with his hot seed, his hips jerking erratically against yours. His hand on your throat squeezes tightly, cutting off your air supply just as you're about to scream in orgasm. You moaned loudly as you orgasmed with the sensations, you both breathing heavy.
Jake slowly releases your throat, allowing you to gasp for air as he collapses on top of you, his body shaking with the aftershocks of his intense orgasm. He stays buried inside you, his arms wrapped tightly around you as he presses gentle kisses along your neck and jaw. "Mine..."You smiled softly â yeah yoursâ you said as you wrapped your arms around him, Jake nuzzles into your neck, his body still partially covering yours as he comes down from his high.
He loves how completely satisfied and submissive you are right now - all tears, gentle smiles, and wrapped around him possessively. âDid I hurt you?" âNoâ you said, you always loved how Jake switched back to this caring side after rough sex, he slowly pulled out after a bit, grabbing a cloth and cleaning up He then grabs your soft blanket, ironically a Jake blanket your best friend got for your birthday a few months ago.
Jake gently cleans you up with the cloth, his touch now soft and caring compared to his previous roughness. He throws the cloth aside and pulls the Jake blanket over both of you, wrapping it tightly around you like a burrito. He settles back down beside you, pulling you into his chest and nuzzling your hair.
âComfortable?â Jake asks, his voice soft and gentle as he nuzzles your hair. He loves the way you fit against him, your smaller size allowing him to completely envelop you in his warmth and strength. He pulls the blanket tighter around you, ensuring that you're completely wrapped up and secure in his embrace.
Jake notices the subtle tremble in your legs and smiles possessively, knowing heâs the cause of your weakness. He pulls you tighter, his arms firm yet tender. âYouâre shaking,â he murmurs.
You mumble into his chest, âIgnore it.â
Jake chuckles softly, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. âI canât ignore it when itâs because I fucked you so good you canât walk.â His voice is teasing as his hand gives your ass a gentle squeeze beneath the blanket. âYour thighs are gonna be sore tomorrowâŚâ
You grin, reaching for your phone on the floor amid scattered clothes. âWell, thatâs a tomorrow problem.â
Jake watches your arm tremble slightly as you grab your phone, a smirk playing on his lips.
He pulls the blanket tighter around you, swaddling you like a baby. You send a quick text to Skye, letting her know itâs safe to come home now, aware sheâs still cleaning up with Jakeâs bandmates at the venue.
Jake leans over your shoulder, reading the message with a playful grin. âSkyeâs still at the venue, huh?â he says softly, wrapping you possessively back into his chest.
You tuck your phone away and settle back against Jake, both of you surrendering to the pull of sleep. His arms tighten around you, his face buried in your hair as he inhales your scent mingled with his own. His final thought before sleep claims him is how perfect you areâcompletely his, utterly claimed and cherished.
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summary: You transfer into an elite university and immediately clash with top law student Jay â cold, brilliant, untouchable. Your debate styles couldnât be more different, and your rivalry becomes the talk of campus. But behind closed doors, the tension builds into something deeper. As you challenge each other in the courtroom and beyond, Jay begins to fall â slowly, unwillingly, completely.
Youâre the only transfer student admitted into Hollowayâs competitive law program this semesterâa fact thatâs earned you a dozen side-eyes before you even sit down in Advanced Trial Strategy, the most competitive class on campus.
You walk in ten minutes early, arms full of color-coded binders, bright-orange post-its fluttering like warning signs. Your blazerâs slightly oversized, your hairâs still half-curled from the wind outside, and your lips are glossed pink.
You are sunshine, disorder, and ambition in heels.
And the only seat left when you enter⌠is next to him.
Park Jongseong.
Or, as everyone in this building knows him: Jay.
Word around campus is he doesnât speak unless he has to. Cold. Distant. The best student Hollowayâs had in five years. Youâve never met him, but your best friend Yunjin made a whole bingo sheet on your first night in the dorm titled:
âWays Jay Will Silently Judge You.â
You take the seat next to him.
âHi!â you chirp, smiling as you drop your bag with a thud. âSorry, is this okay?â
He doesnât look up.
He just nods once and continues typing.
Rude.
But youâll win him over. You always do.
⸝
Professor Song doesnât do warm-up lectures. He walks in and says, âYou two. Argue.â
He points straight at you. Then at Jay.
âProsecution. Defense. Five minutes. Go.â
You blink.
Jay closes his laptop with the calm of someone about to commit murder.
You scramble for your notes. âWaitâwhatâs theâwhatâs the case?â
âNo case,â Professor Song says. âYou invent it. You argue it. I want to see how your minds work under pressure. Letâs go.â
Jay steps forward. So do you.
He speaks first.
Cold. Precise. Voice like steel on glass. He lays out a fictional embezzlement charge, invents a company on the spot, constructs motive, opportunity, forensic trailâall in two minutes.
You stare at him, stunned.
Then you smile.
You donât match his logicâyou dismantle it.
Your voice rises with every sentence, full of conviction. You talk about social dynamics, gender disparity in finance firms, the psychological effects of chronic workplace isolation. You shift the narrative. Twist it emotionally.
Jay frowns.
Just slightly. Like he didnât expect you to hold your ground.
And thatâs the moment it begins.
The rivalry.
⸝
Later That Day â Debate Club HQ
You drop into a beanbag next to Yunjin, heart still racing.
âYou dueled Jay Park?â she gasps, almost dropping her coffee.
âTechnically, yes. Also technically, I think he hates me.â
âPerfect,â she grins. âYour arc begins.â
You groan.
Across the room, Heeseung, the Debate Club President, overhears. He walks over, flipping his clipboard casually.
âI saw it,â he says, grinning. âYou actually rattled him.â
âI what now?â
âYou rattled Jay. He adjusted his tie five times after class. Thatâs panic in Jay-speak.â
âFantastic,â you mutter. âNow heâll really hate me.â
âOr,â Heeseung says with a smirk, âheâll have no choice but to start watching you.â
⸝
Jayâs POV â That Night
His notes are organized.
His calendar is strict.
His routine is sacred.
So why has he rewritten the same paragraph of his brief five times tonight?
Jay exhales, pushes back from his desk, and shuts his eyes.
You were⌠unstructured. Illogical.
You argued like feeling was fact.
But you held the room.
You tilted the scales. You made people feel something.
It was⌠irritating.
And worse?
He can still hear your voice in his head.
⸝
A Week Later â Debate Club Practice
Heeseung pairs you and Jay again.
Yunjin groans. âHeâs doing this on purpose.â
You smile, cracking your knuckles. âLetâs ruin his GPA.â
Jay raises one eyebrow. âYouâd have to get close enough.â
âYou mean like this?â You slide your chair uncomfortably close to him. He stiffens.
âUnprofessional,â he mutters.
âEffective,â you grin.
Across the room, Eunchae, the first-year wildcard, blurts: âWait, are they flirting or plotting murder?â
Everyone laughs.
Jay flushes.
You wink at Eunchae. âWhy not both?â
⸝
âYouâre not here to make friends,â Professor Song says to Jay, eyes unreadable.
Jay stays silent.
âBut she is⌠challenging you.â
âSheâs chaotic.â
âSheâs not scared of you.â
Jay doesnât respond.
Professor Song leans back in his chair. âGood. You need someone who doesnât fall in line. Watch her. See what she teaches you.â
Jay clenches his jaw.
He already is.
__________
The list is posted on the Debate Club bulletin board before 9 a.m. sharp. Youâre already there, coffee in hand, windblown hair half tucked behind your ear as you scroll through your phone with one hand and balance your breakfast sandwich with the other.
Jay arrives without a word. You only know because the energy shifts. The hallway goes still.
You glance over. Heâs wearing black slacks, a gray turtleneck, a coat draped cleanly over one arm. His expression doesnât change when he sees the list. But he does read it twice.
You follow his gaze.
Mock Trial Regional: Team A
Lead Counsel: Park Jongseong
Co-Counsel: [Your Name]
You nearly choke on your sandwich.
âWhat?â you blurt, wiping your hands on your sleeve. âThere has to be a mistake.â
Jay says nothing.
You turn. âThere has to be a mistake.â
Still nothing.
âJay,â you say sharply.
He finally looks at you.
âThey put us together,â you hiss.
âI can read,â he replies, voice flat. âYou might try it.â
You blink. âAre youâdid you just sass me?â
He walks away.
You stand frozen for a second before chasing after him down the corridor.
âOkay, look,â you say, keeping pace beside him. âI know you think Iâm annoyingââ
âI donât think youâre annoying,â he says without looking at you.
You blink.
âI know youâre annoying.â
You gasp.
He cuts you a glanceâbarelyâbut thereâs the ghost of a smirk in his eyes.
You stare at him, stunned. And for the first time, you wonder:
Is Jay Park⌠capable of joking?
You shake it off.
âNo way Iâm doing regionals with someone who doesnât even make eye contact,â you mutter.
âThen youâll forfeit.â
You narrow your eyes. âDonât tempt me.â
His pace doesnât change. âYouâll compete.â
âYou think so?â
âYou want to win,â he says. âYouâre not the type to walk away from a challenge.â
You hate that heâs right.
You hate more that he knows it.
⸝
Practice is a disaster.
Youâre loud. Heâs precise. You improvise. He scripts everything down to the comma. By the end of the session, youâve snapped at each other three times, and Heeseungâyour team captainâis rubbing his temples like heâs aged ten years in an hour.
âAgain,â Heeseung says. âBut this time, try to act like youâre on the same team.â
You sigh and start reading the cross-exam questions, pacing the room with restless energy.
Jay sits straight-backed, flipping through notes, not even glancing at you.
âObjection,â he says halfway through.
âExcuse me?â
He looks up. âLeading the witness.â
âThis is a mock trial, Park. The witness is literally Chaewon from Econ in a wig!â
Chaewon, whoâs roleplaying the key witness, lifts a hand. âYeah, can we chill? Iâm missing lunch for this.â
Jay exhales through his nose. âIâm trying to make the argument watertight.â
âWell, maybe loosen the screws first.â
Heeseung stands. âOkay! Thatâs it for today.â
âBut we just started,â you protest.
âExactly. And Iâd like to keep my hearing intact,â he says, shooting you both a look.
As people begin packing up, Sunghoon walks in with two iced coffees and zero context.
He stops. âDid I miss a trial or a divorce hearing?â
âBoth,â Heeseung mutters. âTheyâre co-counsels for Regionals.â
Sunghoon grins. âOh. So this is the end of the world.â
You groan and drop into a chair. Jay doesnât respond. He just begins rearranging his notes with surgical calm.
Sunghoon leans down beside him. âSo howâs she doing?â
Jay doesnât look up. âLoud.â
âAnything else?â
Jay pauses. ââŚUnpredictable.â
âNot what I asked.â
Jay looks at him then, sharp. âSheâs good.â
Sunghoon blinks. Thatâs the most praise heâs heard from Jay in years.
âScary good,â Jay adds, more quietly. Sunghoon grins wider.
You donât hear any of this. Youâre busy bickering with Yunjin about who gets the last of her M&Ms, still frustrated from how the session went. But Jay glances up at the sound of your laugh. And he doesnât look away.
⸝
That night, youâre back at the shared study lounge in the dorms. Youâre slouched on a beanbag, surrounded by case law printouts, pink highlighters, a pack of sour candy, and a half-dead laptop. Youâre talking out loud to yourself as you write, bouncing arguments off your own echo like a courtroom in your head.
Jay finds you by accident. He pauses in the doorway. He was headed to the law library, but the sound of your voice made him stop.
Youâre talking to the ceiling: âOkay, but what if we flip the whole approach? What if we use the defenseâs timeline against themâwaitâwait, no, thatâs stupid, shut upââ
He watches you for another beat. And then, quietly, he pulls out his phone and starts recording the audio. Just a few seconds. Just enough to remember the rhythm of your argument. He wonât use it. He wonât show anyone. He just⌠wants to study you. Understand you. Maybe⌠hear your voice again when heâs alone.
⸝
A few days later, the two of you are summoned to Professor Songâs office. You walk in first, dressed in your usual chaotic professionalismâred blazer, earrings that donât quite match, a single pen stuck behind your ear. Jay follows, hair slicked back, tie flawless.
âSit,â Song says.
You do. Jay doesnât look at you, but he does glance onceâjust onceâat your fingers. Youâre drumming them lightly on your knee.
âIâve been watching your progress,â Song says. âYour styles clash.â
You open your mouth to speak, but he holds up a hand.
âClashing is not bad,â he continues. âBut only if it sharpens you. Does she sharpen you, Park?â
Jay is silent for a long moment. Then: âYes. You turn your head, stunned.
Professor Song nods. âThen let her.â
You blink. âWhat about me?â
Song looks at you. âStop trying to get him to laugh. Get him to think. Thatâs your job.â
You sit back, oddly shaken. Jay⌠glances at you. Just a flick of his gaze. And for the first time, something shifts. You donât say a word. But youâre thinking. So is he.
_________
The university van smells like burnt coffee and wet umbrellas.
Youâre twenty minutes into the drive to the Regional Prep Camp, legs curled up under you, earbuds in, head against the cold window. The sky outside is the color of damp paper, and traffic is already backed up past the freeway loop.
Jayâs sitting beside you. Naturally.
He requested the front rowâsome obsessive need to be near the coach. But the van was full by the time you arrived, and the only empty seat was next to him. You plopped down without hesitation, humming something tuneless under your breath as you adjusted the hem of your skirt and pulled out a bag of gummy bears.
He hasnât said a word to you since. Which is⌠fine. Youâre used to that.
But the silence between you now is less⌠cold, more coiled. Not quite hostile, but not easy either. Like youâre both waiting to see which one of you will break the stillness first. You stretch and yawn dramatically.
âAre we almost there?â
Jay doesnât look up from the law brief heâs annotating. You sigh louder. âIt feels like weâve been in here for five years.â
âFifty-two minutes,â he replies without inflection.
You glance at him. âWow. You timed it?â
âI have a watch.â âYou really need to learn how to lie for the sake of comedy.â
âI donât.â You open your gummy bears. The crinkling plastic fills the silence. Thenâ
âWant one?â you offer, holding the bag toward him.
He finally looks at you. âTheyâre red.â
You blink. âYeah? Theyâre the best ones.â
He hesitates. Then, without looking directly at you, he takes one.
You pretend not to notice the way his fingers brush yours.
⸝
The prep camp is hosted at an off-season resort on the outskirts of town. Big conference halls. Empty dining rooms. One vending machine with three types of stale chips. Your debate team pours into the lobby, lugging duffel bags and garment bags, everyone talking over each other.
You and Jay hang back.
Heâs scrolling through the itinerary on his phone. Youâre trying to balance your suitcase on one wheel and kicking it every few steps.
âThis place is cute,â you say. âIn a haunted kind of way.â
Jay hums noncommittally.
âOkay, Wednesday is strategy drills, Thursdayâs cross-exam mock-up, and Friday is⌠oh. Great.â
âWhat?â you say.
âPaired room check-ins.â
You blink. âWith who?â
He turns his phone so you can see.
Room 204: Park Jongseong / [Your Name]
You stare at the screen for a long beat.
Then: âYouâve got to be kidding.â
Jay already looks like he has a migraine.
âThere are forty people here,â you say, panicking. âWhy would they do this?â
He shrugs. âMaybe they think itâll build trust.â
âOh sure. Trust falls and sharing toothpaste. Classic team bonding.â
He glances at you. âYou snore?â
You gape. âDo you?â
âI donât sleep enough to snore.â
âOf course you donât.â
⸝
The room is small.
Two twin beds. One ancient lamp between them. A desk, a chair, a closet that looks like it might collapse if you breathe too hard.
Jay sets down his bag with mechanical precision. He immediately starts unpacking: laptop, chargers, ironed shirts, folders in labeled document sleeves.
You flop face-first onto your bed and groan. âI want to die.â
âDonât get your hair on the sheets.â
âPark, I swearââ
He doesnât respond. But you swear you see the corner of his mouth twitch.
You sit up and start rummaging through your bag, pulling out your notes, your ridiculous neon stationery, your rainbow pen set, your stress ball shaped like a unicorn.
Jay glances at it. âThatâs not regulation.â
âNeither is your soul.â
He ignores you.
⸝
That night, you canât sleep.
You toss. You turn. You huff into your pillow.
Jayâs perfectly still in the next bed over, eyes shut, hands folded neatly over his stomach like a vampire in a coffin.
You stare at the ceiling.
âI can hear your thoughts,â you whisper.
Silence.
âTheyâre mean.â
Still silence.
ââŚYou still awake?â
âUnfortunately,â he mutters.
You grin. âWanna play âWould You Ratherâ?â
âNo.â
âToo bad.â
He sighs. But doesnât stop you.
âWould you rather lose a case in front of the Supreme Court or be stuck in a window seat with someone clipping their nails?â
ââŚSupreme Court.â
You burst out laughing.
His lips twitch. Just barely.
You prop your head up on one elbow and turn toward him. âOkay, your turn.â
He thinks for a moment.
Then, in that same unreadable tone: âWould you rather go one week without speaking⌠or one week without winning?â
Your smile fades a little.
Youâre quiet.
Jay shifts slightly, eyes still on the ceiling.
âIâd rather speak,â you say at last.
He doesnât ask why.
But you know he understands.
⸝
The next morning, Heeseung calls for a pre-drill strategy review. You shuffle into the conference hall with sleep in your eyes and half a granola bar in your hand. Jayâs already thereâfresh shirt, perfect hair, legal pad open.
Heeseung clears his throat.
âIâm going to pair you off again,â he says, flipping his clipboard. âBut this time, I want your arguments swapped. You take the opposite side.â
You stare.
Jay lifts an eyebrow.
âYou want me to argue his way?â
âYes,â Heeseung says. âAnd I want him to argue your way.â
Jay blinks.
You grin, evil. âYouâre gonna have to talk about feelings.â
Heeseung claps. âGo!â
⸝
The debate starts.
Youâve never seen Jay struggle like this. His cadence is awkward. His tone too sharp. He stumbles over metaphors.
Meanwhile, youâre flourishing. You mimic his cold logic with exaggerated flair, slicing through rebuttals like a sword through butter.
People are laughing. Cheering. Filming.
You wink at him mid-argument.
He glares.
Afterwards, he storms past you in the hallway.
âAw, come on,â you say, chasing after him. âI was brilliant.â
âYou were mocking me.â
âI was learning your style!â
âYou were flirting with the judge.â
You stop.
Jay stiffens. He hadnât meant to say that out loud.
âYou think I was flirting?â
He doesnât look at you. âForget it.â
âNo, waitâdo you think thatâs how I win? That I flirt?â
He says nothing.
Your voice drops. âThatâs low, even for you.â
Jay turns to face you. âYou manipulate.â
You fold your arms. âAnd youâre a robot.â
âYou donât respect the structureââ
âYou donât listen.â
The hallway is dead quiet. Your voices echo. Just the two of you. Staring each other down like rivals. Like combatants.
Heâs breathing harder than usual.
You notice. So does he.
You open your mouthâmaybe to argue again, maybe not.
But before you can speak, Heeseung calls you both from the end of the corridor. âYouâre on in ten!â
Jay walks away without another word.
You watch him go.
And for the first timeâŚ
youâre not entirely sure how you feel.
_________
You wake up before your alarm.
The room is still and gray, painted in thin strips of dawn. Jayâs already up. Of course. Heâs seated on the edge of his bed, shirt half-buttoned, eyes on something in his lap â a printed copy of the trial brief, annotated to death in his narrow handwriting.
You watch him through half-lidded eyes, your face buried in the pillow.
Thereâs something eerily quiet about the way he moves. Precise. Measured. Like he lives by rituals: brush teeth, comb hair, destroy opponents.
It should annoy you.
It used to.
But this morning, you just feel⌠tired.
You roll over with a groan. âDid you sleep at all?â
Jay doesnât look at you. âEnough.â
âWas I snoring?â
He hesitates. ââŚOnly a little.â
You gasp. âI knew you were keeping a list.â
His mouth twitches.
You blink hard and sit up, brushing your hair away from your face. âBig day today.â
Jay nods. âFirst elimination round.â
You both fall quiet.
You pull your knees to your chest.
âDo you ever get tired?â you ask suddenly.
Jay looks over. Frowns. âOf what?â
âOf⌠keeping it all together.â
He stares at you. You donât elaborate.
Eventually, he says: âYou think I keep it together?â
You smile weakly. âBetter than me.â
He doesnât respond. He just watches you for a moment longer than he should.
And when he turns away, you swear itâs because he canât afford to let it show â whatever that thing is behind his eyes.
⸝
Later, youâre seated in the prep room, heels off, feet tucked under you, highlighter between your teeth as you scribble final notes.
Jayâs across from you, typing. You havenât spoken in over an hour.
But then, without looking up, he says quietly:
âYou donât need to impress the judges with charisma.â
You glance up, surprised.
Jayâs still typing. âYour logicâs strong enough to stand on its own.â
You blink.
Itâs not a compliment. Not exactly. But from him? It feels seismic.
You look down at your notes, heart unexpectedly tight.
ââŚThanks.â
Silence.
Then: âYouâre not just flair either,â you mutter, avoiding his eyes. âI mean⌠you donât just win because youâre cold and smart. Youâre terrifying because you actually care.â
Jay pauses.
Slowly, he closes his laptop.
When he looks at you, his expression is unreadable.
âThatâs the first nice thing youâve ever said to me,â he says.
You grin faintly. âDonât get used to it.â
He doesnât smile back.
But he doesnât look away either.
⸝
The round is brutal.
Two hours of high-level argument, case law manipulation, and verbal fencing so sharp the judges barely have time to blink. Youâre fire and chaos. Jay is ice and clarity. And somehow, it works.
When the verdict comes in your favor, the room explodes.
Youâre pulled into hugs. Yunjin screams. Eunchae tries to jump into your arms and misses. Heeseungâs already pulling up the next bracket.
And Jay?
Jay just watches you.
Not smiling. Not celebrating. Just⌠watching.
Later, you find him outside, near the resortâs empty garden path. The skyâs heavy with storm light, and the air smells like ozone.
You sit beside him on the stone bench. Quiet.
He doesnât move.
You fold your arms, stare out into the wind. âYou okay?â
Jayâs eyes flick to you. âWe won.â
âThatâs not what I asked.â
He exhales. Looks down at his hands.
ââŚYouâre not what I expected,â he says.
You blink.
He still doesnât look at you. âWhen I heard weâd be paired⌠I thought Iâd be doing all the work.â
You raise an eyebrow. âAnd?â
âI was wrong.â
You pause. Your chest tightens strangely.
Jay finally turns his head. His gaze is still flat. But softer. Like a door thatâs cracked open for the first time in years.
âI underestimated you,â he says.
The wind lifts your hair. You stare at him, breath caught in your throat.
And you donât know what possesses you, but you whisper:
âMe too.â
⸝
That night, you canât sleep.
Again.
You lie awake, eyes on the ceiling, breath shallow.
Jay is motionless in the bed beside you, as always.
You whisper into the dark: âDo you think we hate each other less now?â
No answer.
You roll over. âJay?â
A beat.
âI donât hate you,â he says quietly.
You stare at the ceiling.
Then, very softly: âI donât hate you either.â
Neither of you says anything else.
But when you wake the next morning, the blanket is tucked gently around your shoulders. And your chargerâleft tangled the night beforeâis plugged into your phone, perfectly wrapped.
You donât mention it.
But you remember.
⸝
The next day is chaos.
A judge no-shows. The schedule collapses. A storm knocks out the power in half the resort.
Youâre huddled in the dimly lit conference center, scribbling edits by flashlight. Your hairâs a mess, your mascara smudged, and youâve got coffee spilled down one sleeve.
Jay shows up looking like he just stepped out of a courtroom in The Hague.
You glare. âDid you steal a generator for your curling iron?â
He blinks. âI donât curl myââ
You throw a pen at him.
Later, when youâre mid-panic about a broken page reference in your outline, he sits beside you silently and starts fixing the citations without being asked.
You glance at him. He doesnât look back.
But his hand is steady. His edits are cleaner than yours. And for some reason, you feel like crying.
You donât.
But your voice is quiet when you say, âThanks.â
Still no reply.
But he doesnât move away.
⸝
That night is the final prep round.
You and Jay are in sync. No eye contact. No side comments. Just rhythm.
He finishes a rebuttal before you even raise your hand. You cite a case he hasnât opened yet, and he adjusts mid-sentence to support it. The air is tight with shared momentum.
When the session ends, the judges nod. One claps.
âYouâre a dangerous pair,â someone says.
You glance at Jay. He doesnât smile. But his hand brushes yours briefly as you leave the room. And you donât pull away. You tell yourself it means nothing. Itâs just proximity.
But later that night, you sit awake again, watching his sleeping form in the dark, wondering when he started to feel less like an enemyâŚ
âŚand more like something dangerous you might miss when this is over.
__________
You forget your flashcards.
Itâs the morning of the semifinals, and your heart sinks the moment you realize. Theyâre not in your folder, not in your tote bag, not in your suitcase. You tear through everything twice.
Jayâs already dressed, tie knotted, jacket buttoned. He stands near the door, watching you panic.
âDid you leave them in the prep room?â he asks.
You blink. âNo. IâI left them in the lounge. Last night. I was going over witness statements on the floor and I mustâveââ
You trail off, chest rising.
âI have backups,â you say, trying to sound calm.
Jay doesnât speak.
You grab your bag, flustered. âItâs fine. Iâllââ
âI already got them.â
You freeze.
He steps forward, reaches into his folder, and pulls out your flashcardsâbound with your glittery purple binder clip, a little bent at the corners but all there.
âI saw them under the table after you left,â he says simply. âFigured youâd need them.â
You stare at him.
He shrugs. âYou panic without structure.â
You blink hard, unsure if you want to hug him or hit him.
ââŚThanks,â you mutter, taking them. âYou didnât have to.â
âI know.â
You say nothing. But your hands shake just a little less when you walk into the room that morning.
⸝
You win the round by a landslide.
Itâs clean. Itâs controlled. Your rhythm with Jay is airtight nowâone argument, one breath, one unspoken signal passed across the table and picked up mid-sentence. The panel applauds before the feedback even begins.
As you exit the conference room, the hallway explodes with movementâYunjin running toward you, Sunghoon whooping dramatically, Eunchae nearly knocking over a trash can trying to hug you both at once.
Jay stands behind you, his hand resting lightly at the small of your back for just a second too long. You donât mention it. But you notice.
⸝
Lunch is chaos. Everyoneâs celebrating. Someone found champagne. Heeseung is halfway into a story about his own semifinal victory when Jay sets a tray down across from you. You look up, surprised.
Youâve never seen him in the dining hall before. He usually eats alone, in silence, in some corner of the universe that doesnât include the rest of the living. Now heâs here. Sitting beside you. Andâgod help youâheâs trying.
He even makes a comment about Heeseungâs story, dry as ever, but people laugh. His delivery is precise, but it lands.
You glance at him out of the corner of your eye. Heâs not looking at you. But his shoulder brushes yours under the table. When you offer him one of your fries, he doesnât hesitate this time. Just takes one. Quietly. Yunjin notices. Raises an eyebrow. You ignore her.
⸝
Later, youâre reviewing one last case file before the final, sitting cross-legged on the floor of the prep room, hoodie sleeves rolled up, eyes bloodshot.
Jay walks in carrying a cup.
He holds it out.
You blink. âWhatâs this?â
âWhite mocha.â
Your jaw drops. âYou remembered?â
âYou ranted about it for ten minutes on the van ride. It wasnât hard.â
You take the cup.
Itâs perfect. Sweet, warm, exact ratio of foam to milk. Your favorite.
You look up at him.
ââŚYou hate sweet things.â
He shrugs.
You pause. âDid you go all the way to the vending annex for this?â
He doesnât answer.
You sit in stunned silence.
ââŚYouâre trying to calm me down,â you say finally.
Jay looks away.
âIâm not panicking,â you insist.
âYouâre shaking your leg again.â
You immediately stop.
He walks over to the table and sits beside you, unfolding his laptop. His arm brushes yours again. This time, neither of you moves away.
⸝
That night, the storm hits.
Hard.
Thunder cracks through the resort like a whip, and the power flickers twice before failing completely. The hallway lights snap out. Somewhere, Eunchae screams.
You sit up in bed, heart racing.
Jayâs already awake.
You can barely see him, but you hear the faint shift of fabric, the steady cadence of his breath.
âHey,â you whisper.
âYeah.â
ââŚKinda creepy without the lights, huh?â
He doesnât respond.
You sit in silence a moment.
Then: âI used to be scared of the dark.â
Jay shifts. âUsed to?â
âI guess I still am.â
A pause.
You canât see him in the pitch black. But you feel himâsomehow, like gravity.
âI hated sleeping alone as a kid,â you admit. âMy mom would leave the hall light on. Sheâd tell me it was the sun waiting outside the door.â
Jay exhales. A low, soft sound.
âI donât sleep in silence,â he says after a moment. âI keep a white noise app on loop.â
You smile in the dark.
Another crack of thunder. You flinch.
Thenâbarely audibleâhis hand brushes yours between the beds. Not quite touching. But there.
Steady. Real.
âIâm not scared,â you lie.
âOkay.â
You fall asleep like that. The air still buzzing with electricity. His hand not touching yours, but close enough that your breath slows anyway.
⸝
The next morning, your phone dies.
You barely notice until youâre late for the final prep call and frantically trying to open your notes.
Jayâs already there, of course. When you arriveâhalf-wet from the rain, hair frizzy, eyes wildâhe silently turns his screen toward you.
You blink.
Heâs pulled up your outline. Annotated it. In your color system.
You look at him.
He says nothing.
But in your section, next to your weakest argument, heâs left a comment:
âYou always go for emotion. Go for the throat instead. You can do it.â
You read it three times.
Your chest is tight. Again.
You donât speak.
But when you look at himâŚ
heâs already watching you.
⸝
You win the finals.
Barely. But you win.
The room explodes again. Applause. Laughter. People crying. Confetti (courtesy of Eunchae, who apparently packed a party popper âjust in caseâ).
Jay is swarmed by congratulations, but he keeps glancing over at you.
Youâre hugging Yunjin, breathless. Laughing. Your voice cracking from emotion.
When your eyes meet his, itâs not triumphant.
Itâs soft.
Like maybeâfor just a secondâyou forgot the rivalry.
And remembered itâs always been the two of you.
⸝
That night, as the team celebrates, you slip away.
You find yourself outside the resort, near the same quiet garden path. The storm has passed. The sky is open, dark and glittering.
You sit on the stone bench.
And then heâs there.
Jay.
He doesnât ask to join you. Just does.
You donât speak.
You donât have to.
For the first time since this started, thereâs no need to fight. No debate. No scoreboard.
Just breath and silence and memory.
And something growing where rivalry used to be.
You donât know what it is yet.
But youâre not afraid of it anymore.
And neither is he.
_______
The campus feels colder after the win.
Back at Holloway, you expect the buzz to fade, but it doesnât. Everywhere you go, people talk about the victory. You and Jay. Them. The pair.
Thereâs even a thread on the university forum titled âDebate Barbie & Ice Prince: Is It Love or Just Tactical Alliance?â
You laugh when Yunjin shows it to you. Jay⌠does not.
He just reads the comments in silence, then closes the browser.
You donât miss the way his jaw clenches slightly when he sees a photo of you laughing mid-trial.
⸝
The next week, youâre assigned your first on-campus exhibition debate â a solo round, but youâre expected to workshop it with your previous team partner.
Jay.
You meet in one of the unused classrooms at dusk. Tall windows, golden light spilling over dusty desks, the smell of dry markers and old books.
Youâre seated cross-legged on top of a desk, a clipboard balanced on your knee.
Jay sits in the chair across from you. Legs spread, jacket off, sleeves rolled to the forearms.
He looks tired.
Heâs never looked better.
You tap your pen against your chin. âI think I want to argue from the angle of comparative morality.â
Jay shakes his head. âToo abstract. Youâll lose the conservative judges.â
âSo?â
âSo you want to win, donât you?â
You roll your eyes and hop off the desk, pacing now. âItâs not just about winning, itâs about making people think.â
Jay watches you move â slow, calculating. His fingers curl loosely around the armrest of his chair, and his foot taps faintly.
âYou talk like a poet,â he murmurs.
You freeze. Turn.
His eyes are already back on the page. âThatâs not an insult.â
You narrow your gaze. âIs it a warning?â
âNo.â A pause. âItâs⌠a reminder. That you donât think like everyone else.â
You tilt your head. âYou mean that as a compliment?â
His eyes flick up. Hold yours.
âItâs an advantage,â he says quietly. âBut itâs also why you throw people off balance. You donât follow the rules.â
You step closer, arms folding. âNeither do you.â
Jayâs eyes flicker â almost imperceptibly â down your body, then back up.
You catch it.
He looks away.
⸝
You walk over to where heâs seated. Not threatening, not seductiveâjust tired. Just curious.
âYou knowâŚâ you say, standing beside him, looking down. âFor someone who hates people, youâre surprisingly easy to talk to. When you try.â
Jay glances up.
And then it happens.
The moment hangs. No fanfare. No sound. Just breath. Just eye contact. Something sharp in the quiet.
Jayâs gaze lingers longer than it should. His lips part slightly. His hand shifts on the armrestâtightens.
You take a half step back, heartbeat skipping. You meant it as a jab. You didnât expect it to land.
Jay exhales. One slow breath. Then he stands.
Youâre suddenly too close.
Heâs tall. Too tall in moments like this. His eyes are dark, hooded with exhaustion and something elseâsomething hotter, buried.
He opens his mouth. Closes it.
Your breath catches.
And thenâ
âLetâs run the opening again,â he says.
You nod. Too quickly. Step back. Turn around to grab your notesâ
âand you donât see the way he stares at your back, jaw tight, hands flexing once at his sides before he forces himself to move.
⸝
Hours pass.
You argue. Rehearse. Re-write. And somewhere around the fourth run, you get frustrated.
Your voice is louder. Your gestures sharp. You throw your pen down.
âIâm too emotional,â you snap. âRight? Isnât that what youâre thinking?â
Jay looks up from his notes.
âIâm thinking,â he says calmly, âthat you havenât eaten in six hours, your eyelinerâs smudged, and youâre still the most compelling speaker Iâve heard this year.â
You freeze.
Your pulse jumps.
Jay doesnât look away.
âYou just need to stop trying to sound like me,â he adds. âYou donât win because you sound detached. You win because you make people care.â
You swallow.
âI thought you said that was manipulation.â
Jay steps forward.
His voice drops just slightly. âI said it works. I never said it was wrong.â
You meet his gaze.
And suddenly â itâs there.
A pause that stretches too long.
A breath too sharp.
Your hand at your side twitching.
Jayâs eyes on your mouth.
You both feel it.
You both try to ignore it.
And you fail.
You turn slightly. He steps closer. The tension in the air is nearly unbearable.
And thenâ
âSay something,â you whisper.
Jay doesnât move.
But his voice, when it comes, is gravel.
âYou do that a lot.â
You blink. âWhat?â
âYou say things,â he murmurs, eyes trained on your face, âlike you donât know what you do to people.â
You inhale sharply.
âJayââ
His name cracks out of your mouth too soft, too broken.
And thatâs the moment.
He doesnât kiss you. He doesnât touch you.
But his eyes trace every inch of your face like heâs memorizing it. His jaw is clenched. His throat moves with every shallow breath.
He leans inâbarely, like instinctâbut his hands stay clenched at his sides.
His voice is lower than itâs ever been.
âYou donât get it, do you?â
You donât breathe.
He tilts his head, just enough for his breath to hit your cheek.
âYou walk into every room like you own the air,â he says, voice husky. âLike youâve never had to second-guess your shine. And then you look at me like you donât even know.â
Your lips part.
Jayâs eyes flick down to your mouth. Then lower.
Slow.
Hungry.
His gaze drags down your throat, over your collarbones, lingers on the hem of your blouse where itâs started to slip.
He blinks hard. Steps back.
Youâre shaking.
He drags a hand through his hair, visibly collecting himself. His chest rises. Falls. Heâs breathing like he just ran ten miles.
His voice is hoarse when he speaks again.
âIâm going to get water.â
He doesnât wait for your answer. He leaves the room like heâs about to burn alive.
You sit down.
Hard.
And you donât move for a very long time.
_______
You havenât spoken since that night.
Not really.
Youâve passed each other in the hall. Met in group study. Stood side by side in meetings. But the electricity that once crackled in your arguments is now something heavier, quieter.
Jay doesnât look at you the same.
You donât look away like you used to.
Something has changed, and it terrifies you both.
⸝
It comes to a head the night before your exhibition round.
Youâve stayed late in the Debate Club office, combing through notes under flickering fluorescent lights. Jay is across the room, seated with one leg crossed over the other, a legal pad balanced on his knee, pen idle in his hand.
Youâve said maybe ten words in the last hour.
Youâre trying to work. Really, you are. But the silence is thick. And the longer it stretches, the harder it gets to breathe.
Finally, you exhale.
âAre we gonna talk about it?â
Jay doesnât look up.
âAbout what.â
You stare at him. âReally?â
Nothing.
You drop your pen.
Jay flinches at the sound.
You rise slowly. Walk over. He still doesnât meet your eyes.
Youâre standing in front of him now.
âJay.â
His jaw tightens.
âPark Jongseong.â
His pen snaps in half in his hand.
You both freeze.
Jay sets the broken pen aside with deliberate control, then stands. Close. Too close.
His voice is low. âYou want me to say it?â
You stare at him, throat tight. âI want the truth.â
He exhales. Laughs once. Bitter.
Then he looks at you.
Really looks.
And itâs like watching something shatter behind his eyes.
âThe truth,â he repeats.
You nod.
Jay steps closer. The air between you vibrates.
âYou want to know why I canât focus when youâre in the room?â he says, voice quiet and shaking. âWhy Iâve rewritten the same brief five times just to delete it again the second you speak?â
You freeze.
âYou want to know why I nearly lost it when that guy from Econ put his hand on your shoulder in the library?â His voice drops even lower. âWhy Iâm not sleeping. Not thinking. Why I canât stop looking at your mouth when you talk like youâre not even aware of what you do to me?â
Your breath catches.
Jay leans in.
âI love you,â he says. Raw. Unsteady. âIâm so fucking in love with you itâs making me reckless.â
Silence.
You stare at him.
His eyes are dark and exposed â no mask, no filter, nothing but pure, open ruin. His fists are clenched like heâs trying not to touch you. His chest rises and falls with every strangled breath.
âI fought it,â he says, softer now. âGod, I fought it.â
You donât speak.
Jay laughs again â but itâs not amusement. Itâs disbelief. Desperation.
âI told myself you were just annoying. Just bright and loud and distracting. That I didnât like the way you smell. Or smile. Or fight. Or fix people without trying.â
His voice breaks slightly.
âI thought if I ignored it long enough, it would go away. But it didnât. It got worse.â
Youâre still frozen.
Jay steps back â just half a step â like heâs bracing for rejection. Like heâs already writing his apology in his head.
And thatâs what makes you move.
You reach out.
You grab the front of his shirt.
And you pull.
Hard.
Your lips crash into his before he can speak again â desperate, breathless, not careful. His hands catch your waist like instinct, anchoring you. One slides up your back. The other grabs a fistful of your shirt.
He kisses you like heâs been dying.
Like this is the first time heâs let himself want something.
You gasp when his teeth drag across your bottom lip. He groans â low, guttural â like heâs been holding back too long.
And then â he pulls away.
Just barely.
His forehead rests against yours. His breathing is ragged.
âI didnât plan this,â he whispers.
You shake your head. âI know.â
âI still hate how loud you are.â
You smile. âI know.â
âIâm still not done falling.â
You pause.
Your voice breaks when you say, âThen donât stop.â
Jay leans in again. Slower this time.
But deeper.
Like a confession sealed in the dark.
_______
Youâre not used to being quiet around Jay.
Not like this.
Not in the way that feels⌠soft. Like silence is no longer a battlefield, but a secret youâre both holding between your teeth.
Youâre sitting beside him in the nearly empty student cafĂŠ, legs tangled together under the table. Your laptop is open, but you havenât looked at it in fifteen minutes. Youâre watching him instead â chin resting in your palm, your eyes tracing the curve of his nose, the way his lips part slightly when heâs thinking.
Jay doesnât notice at first.
Or maybe he does.
Because a second later, he glances at you. Blinks slowly. And his whole face softens â just like that.
You grin. âYouâre staring at your screen like it owes you money.â
âIâm trying to finish the case brief before my brain collapses,â he murmurs.
âWant me to help?â
He pauses. Looks at you again.
And his voice is gentle when he says, âNo. I just wanted to sit near you.â
Your heart stutters.
He says it like a fact. Like telling you the weather. Like of course.
You smile at your coffee cup. âYouâre not as emotionally constipated as I thought you were.â
âIâve had practice. You make it easier.â
You glance at him. âWhy?â
Jay leans back in his chair, stretching slightly, fingers laced behind his head. His shirt pulls just a little across his chest, and you hate how distracted you are by that.
âBecause you donât pull away,â he says.
You blink.
He shrugs. âYou donât flinch. You donât apologize for being loud or messy or bold. You argue like youâve never had to apologize for taking up space.â
You go still.
Jay turns to look at you fully now, all of him â quiet, intense, open.
âIâve never met anyone like you.â
Your breath catches.
You say nothing for a second.
Then, soft as breath:
âIâm in love with you too, you know.â
Jayâs gaze falters.
He swallows.
âYou donât have to say it backââ
âI want to,â you interrupt. âIâve been wanting to.â
Jay goes silent.
Then: âWhen did you know?â
You smile a little. âWhen you brought me coffee. The kind I like. Without asking.â
He exhales. A small, broken laugh.
âYou know whatâs annoying?â you add.
âWhat?â
You lean forward, fingers toying with the hem of his sleeve. âEven when you were being impossible, even when I wanted to strangle you with your own tie, I still kind of wanted to kiss you.â
Jayâs eyes darken. Just slightly.
âStill kind of?â he murmurs.
You grin. âIâm being polite.â
He laughs again â soft and real.
And then he says, âYouâre everything Iâve never let myself want.â
And you feel it, somewhere deep in your chest â that dangerous, crumbling warmth.
⸝
That night, youâre in the study lounge again. Just the two of you. The others have gone home. The storm outside drums softly against the windows.
Jay is sitting on the couch with his head tilted back, eyes closed. Youâre curled beside him, your legs thrown across his lap, reading off a case note.
âHypothetically,â you say slowly, âif one partner were to⌠say, distract the other during prep, would that be grounds for debate misconduct?â
Jayâs eyes open.
And theyâre darker than they were a moment ago.
âDepends,â he says.
âOn what?â
He shifts, and suddenly his hand is on your calf. Just resting. His thumb brushes back and forth.
âOn how distracting,â he murmurs.
You pause.
Your heart stutters.
âYou think Iâm distracting?â you whisper.
Jay smiles â slow, wicked, reverent.
âI think youâve been driving me insane since the first day you walked into class in that ridiculous orange blazer.â
You gape. âYou remember my blazer?â
âOf course I do.â
You blink rapidly. âYou said it was unprofessional.â
Jay leans closer. His hand slides up, just a little â from your calf to your knee, fingertips tracing your skin.
âI lied,â he says softly. âIt made it impossible to focus.â
Youâre staring at him now. Your mouth has gone dry.
Jayâs gaze doesnât leave yours. âYou make me want things I never gave myself permission to want.â
You swallow.
He moves his hand up again. Just barely. But itâs enough to make your breath hitch.
âYouâre flirting with me in the most romantic way possible,â you murmur.
Jay tilts his head, and his eyes gleam.
âIâm falling for you in the most helpless way possible.â
You canât look away.
He leans in. Not to kiss. Just to be close. His nose brushes yours. His voice is low and close enough to feel.
âYou make me want to be gentle,â he says. âBut I donât always know how.â
You whisper, âThen learn with me.â
Jayâs hand tightens on your leg, just a little. His eyes flutter shut.
âI donât want to mess this up,â he says, raw.
âYou wonât.â
He breathes once. Twice. Then opens his eyes and looks at you like youâre the only real thing in the world.
âYouâre mine,â he whispers.
You smile.
And say, just as quietly:
âIâve been yours.â
_________
It starts with a book.
Youâre in your dorm common room, curled on the couch in a hoodie and shorts, highlighting a passage from a criminal ethics textbook. Your knees are tucked beneath you. Youâve been reading out loud without realizing, voice soft and lazy.
Jay walks in. Heâd planned to drop off your USB. Nothing more.
But the moment he sees you like that â hoodie slipping off one shoulder, hair messy, bare legs stretched out â something changes in his chest.
He stops walking. You glance up. Smile.
âYou okay?â you ask. He doesnât answer at first.
His gaze drops to your exposed thigh, then to the highlighter in your hand. Yellow ink is smudged on your knuckle. Thereâs a post-it stuck to your bare knee.
Jayâs jaw clenches. His eyes lift slowly to yours.
âI just came to drop this off,â he says, holding up the USB.
You hold out your hand. âCome here.â He hesitates. Then walks over.
You shift, making space beside you. Jay sits stiffly, like heâs afraid to move. You tilt your head, watching him with soft curiosity.
âWhy are you acting like I bite?â
Jay doesnât look at you. His eyes stay forward.
You smile. âOkay, fine. You donât have to stay.â
You go back to your book. And a minute later, you feel it.
His hand on your leg. Barely there. Just resting. But deliberate. You freeze. Jay doesnât say a word. His thumb moves slowly against your inner thigh â innocent at first, like heâs just grounding himself.
But then he does it again. Slower. Deeper. You donât look up.
You whisper, âJay.â
He hums. His fingers slide higher, just enough to make your breath catch.
âYouâre distracting me,â you murmur.
âI know.â
His voice is deeper now. A little hoarse.
You finally glance at him.
And your breath catches.
Jay is staring at you like heâs starved. His eyes are heavy-lidded, his mouth slightly open. His other hand is braced against the back of the couch, and heâs leaning into you now â his entire body tense like heâs barely holding back.
You blink up at him. âWhat are you doing?â
He exhales. âTrying not to ruin you on this couch.â
Your heart punches your ribs.
You open your mouth â to protest, to tease, you donât know â but heâs already leaning in.
He kisses you.
Slow.
Firm.
But itâs not polite this time. Itâs not careful.
Itâs claiming.
His hand slides beneath your thigh, pulling you closer. Your book falls to the floor, forgotten. He kisses you again, harder now, like heâs wanted to do this since the first time you rolled your eyes at him in class.
You gasp. And he growls.
âFuck,â he breathes, pulling back just enough to look at you. âYouâre gonna kill me.â
You grin. âYou started it.â
His hand drags up under your hoodie, fingers grazing your bare stomach. You twitch.
âIs this okay?â he murmurs, eyes locked on yours.
You nod.
He tilts his head. âWords.â
You whisper, âYes. Please.â
Thatâs all he needs.
He pushes you gently back against the couch, climbing over you â not fast, not rough. Just desperate. His knee slots between yours. His mouth finds your neck, your collarbone, your shoulder. Every kiss is deliberate. Slow. Soaked in hunger.
âBeen thinking about this for weeks,â he groans. âThe way you look at me⌠the way you argue⌠fuck.â
His hands slide beneath your hoodie, thumbs brushing your ribcage. You arch into him, gasping.
And thatâs when he snaps.
Jay pulls the hoodie off in one motion. His eyes drop.
Youâre not wearing a bra.
âJesus,â he whispers.
He doesnât even ask.
His mouth closes around your nipple, hot and wet, and your back arches off the couch.
You cry out.
He moans against your chest like itâs killing him. âYou taste so good, baby. Fuck.â
His hand dips between your thighs â palm pressed against your clothed core. He groans again.
âYouâre wet.â
You whimper. âJayââ
âYouâre soaking through,â he growls. âDid that happen just from me kissing you?â
You nod. Barely.
He grins â dark and slow and dangerous.
âFuck. Youâre mine.â
He slides your shorts down. Pauses. Youâre dripping. Jay stares. Then leans down and licks you. One long, slow stripe. You scream his name. And he moans. Like heâs just tasted heaven.
âYouâre so fucking sweet,â he whispers. âBeen dreaming about this. Every night. Didnât think itâd be this good.â
His tongue circles your clit. Teases. Presses down. His fingers slide into you slowly â two at once â and your thighs tremble.
âJay, pleaseââ
âYeah?â he pants. âWhat do you want, sunshine?â
You choke on air.
He smirks against you. âYou want me to fuck you?â
You nod, whimpering.
âBeg.â
âJayââ
âBeg for my cock.â
You blink up at him, ruined.
âPlease,â you whisper. âPlease fuck me.â
Jay growls.
He undoes his jeans with shaking hands, pulls them down just enough. His cock springs free â flushed, hard, already leaking. You reach for him.
He grabs your wrist. Pins it above your head.
âNot tonight,â he says, voice low. âTonight, I do everything. You just take it.â
You bite your lip. Jay lines himself up. Then slides in. Slow. Thick. Deep. You gasp. He moans like heâs dying.
âSo tight,â he grits. âSo warm. Fuck, babyâfuck.â
He starts moving. And you fall apart.
________
The moment he pushes in, your breath stops.
Jay is slow at first. Painfully slow. Like heâs memorizing every heartbeat of your body.
His cock splits you open with deliberate care â thick, flushed, so hard you feel every twitch, every vein, every stretch.
Heâs on his elbows above you, forehead pressed to yours, his breath hot and shallow.
âFuck,â he breathes, voice breaking. âYou feel like heaven.â
Your hands are tangled in his hair, and your legs are wrapped around his hips. Your walls clench around him instinctively, and Jay moans â a sound from the base of his throat, raw and ruined.
You kiss his cheek, his jaw, his temple. âIâve always been yours.â
That breaks him.
Jay thrusts.
Hard.
You gasp â it punches through your lungs. His hips roll, slow and deep, and his cock drags against every nerve inside you, thick and perfect and made to fit.
âOh my godââ
He pulls out almost completely, then slams back in â balls slapping against your ass, the weight of him filling you, stretching you. His groan is helpless. Animal.
âYouâre so fucking tight,â he growls. âSo warmâfuckâI could die like this.â
Your nails dig into his back. âDonât stopâpleaseâJayââ
âI wonât,â he pants. âI canât.â
His pace builds. Not brutal â just desperate. His hips stutter. Every thrust makes his balls slap against your soaked folds. You feel every twitch of his cock as he drags through your walls, then sinks back to the hilt again.
âYou were made for me,â he gasps. âFuck, babyâyou were fucking made for me.â
You canât speak. Youâre sobbing under him, head thrown back, body arching to meet every stroke. The couch creaks beneath you both.
Jay leans down, kisses your mouth â soft and shaking â then moans into you as his cock thrusts deeper.
âLook at me,â he begs.
You do.
And heâs crying.
Actual tears, caught in his lashes, spilling as he rocks into you, as his hips twitch and his voice breaks.
âI love you,â he says, wrecked. âI love you, I love youâfuck, Iâve neverââ
You cry, too. Eyes wide, hands cradling his face.
âI love you more,â you whisper. âYou donât have to hold back.â
Jay slams into you.
Hard.
You scream â because it hits your spot so deep your vision blurs.
He grits his teeth. âYou take me so wellâso fucking good for meâshit, Iâm so close, babyââ
His cock twitches inside you with every word, his balls tightening as he thrusts faster, harder. Every move is pure desperation â pelvis grinding, sweat slicking his chest to yours, your thighs trembling from how deep heâs driving.
âGonna fill you up,â he growls. âYou want that? You want me to come inside?â
You sob. âYesâpleaseââ
âYouâre mine,â he gasps. âMineâmineâmineââ
His thrusts falter. He chokes on a cry.
And then he comes â cock pulsing deep inside you, hips pressed tight to yours, his whole body trembling as he spills into you.
You clench around him, crying out his name, and the orgasm slams through you too â walls fluttering, back arching, vision going white with it. You both go still. Breathing. Shaking.
He collapses onto you, but doesnât pull out. His cock stays inside, twitching gently. Youâre full. So full.
Jayâs face is in your neck. His breath hitches.
âI love you,â he whispers again.
You kiss his temple. Your voice trembles. âI know. I love you too.â
_______
The sunlight comes through the windows like honey.
You wake slowly, your face pressed into a warm chest, fingers splayed across a bare shoulder. Jayâs arms are wrapped around you, one leg tangled between yours, his breath soft and even against your hair.
You shift slightly. He stirs. And then â the quietest, sleepiest groan rumbles in his throat. You glance up. His eyes flutter open. Focus. And then he smiles. That smile. The kind that makes your stomach somersault.
ââŚHi,â you whisper.
Jay tightens his grip. âNo. Stay.â
You laugh into his collarbone. âWeâre going to be late.â
âI donât care.â
âYou always care.â
âI donât now.â
You grin. âWhy not?â
He kisses your forehead. âBecause I get to wake up next to you.â
⸝
By the time you make it to the quad, itâs already buzzing. Yunjin spots you first.
She raises an eyebrow as you approach, your hair still a little mussed, Jayâs hoodie wrapped around your frame.
She looks at the two of you. Then at the faint bruise on your neck. Then slowly raises her iced coffee like a toast. âFinally.â
Sunghoon turns. âWait, what?â
Eunchae nearly drops her bag. âDid they kiss?â
Yunjin grins. âOh, baby girl. They did a lot more than kiss.â
Jay lets out the softest exhale through his nose and runs a hand down his face.
You shoot her a look. âYunjin.â
âWhat?â
Heeseung strolls up just then, flipping a file open. âPlease tell me I donât have to reassign the team because of some domestic disputeââ
âNo dispute,â you say quickly.
Jay adds, without hesitation: âIâm hers.â
Your heart lurches.
The group goes quiet.
Then Yunjin squeals. Eunchae gasps. Sunghoon throws his arm around Jayâs shoulders like a proud older brother.
âOh my god, she claimed him,â Eunchae whispers.
âFinally,â Yunjin beams. âMy enemies-to-lovers brain has been starving.â
⸝
Later, after the crowd disperses, youâre sitting on a picnic blanket in the quad, cross-legged, eating from a container of sliced fruit. Jayâs beside you â leaning back on one arm, his other hand resting just barely over your ankle.
Youâre telling him about something small â a memory from high school, or maybe the way your dad used to quiz you on Supreme Court cases during road trips. Your words tangle, build on each other, spiral into full-blown storytelling, animated hand gestures and soft laughter and a rant about judicial language.
Jay says nothing. Not because heâs not listening. But because he canât look away. His eyes are fixed on your face â soft, glowing, focused with such intensity it could light the sun. Youâre talking a mile a minute. Youâre not even trying. And youâre still the most beautiful thing heâs ever seen. His chest aches. Heâs never loved anyone like this. Not even close.
Later that evening, he finds you alone by the study hall window. Sunset leaks orange through the glass, painting the carpet in warm light.
Youâre reading. Jay stops in front of you.
You glance up. âHeyââ
âI need to ask you something.â You blink. âOkay?â
Jay looks wrecked. Beautiful. Like heâs bursting.
He walks closer. Slowly. Kneels down in front of you.
Your breath catches. âJay?â
He doesnât take your hands. Doesnât touch you.
He just looks up at you â eyes wide, heart open, vulnerable in a way youâve never seen before.
âI donât want this to be a phase,â he says quietly. âI donât want it to be casual. I donât want it to be uncertain.â
You swallow.
Jayâs voice breaks. âCan I be yours?â You stare.
âI mean it,â he says, and this time itâs desperate. âI donât just want to be with you. I want to be your boyfriend. Your partner. Your person.â He breathes hard.
âCan I please be your boyfriend?â
Silence. Then you lean forward, cupping his face. Your voice is soft and shaking.
âYou already are.â
Jay closes his eyes. And exhales like heâs finally allowed to breathe. You pull him into a kiss. Long. Warm. Certain. And when you pull away, your forehead pressed to his, you whisper:
âYouâre it for me.â
Jay smiles. And this time, it reaches his eyes.
____________
THANK YOU FOR READING!! REBLOG IF YOU WANT JAYâS CREDIT CARD đđ
Jayâs alarm shattered the early morning silence at 6 AM, yanking him from a deep, peaceful sleep. Groggy, he reached out and silenced the persistent beep, then instinctively pulled you closer, savoring the warmth of your body against his. But reality crashed inâhe had a flight to catch. He sighed, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead.
âBaby,â he murmured.
You stirred, eyes fluttering open. âI know itâs time.â
âYeah,â Jay replied, voice thick with sadness. The night theyâd just shared still lingered between you, making the impending goodbye even harder.
Slowly, he sat up and pulled you with him. âCome with me to the bathroom real quick,â he said softly.
You nodded sleepily, following him. Once inside, Jay started the shower, then turned to wrap his arms around your waist, pulling you close. âIâm gonna miss you like hell,â he whispered into your hair.
He held you for a moment longer before pulling back to kiss you deeply, passion and longing mingling in the touch. âBe good while Iâm gone, yeah?â
âI will. I promise,â you answered, your voice barely above a whisper.
Jay stepped into the shower, the water washing away the last traces of sleep but never quite erasing the ache of leaving you behind. When he emerged, dressed and ready, he found you wrapped in his hoodie on the bed. The sight made him smile softly.
âThe carâs coming soon?â you asked.
âYeah,â Jay confirmed, checking his watch. âAbout twenty minutes.â
He zipped up his suitcase and set it by the door, then sat beside you, pulling you into his lap for one last embrace.
âCome here,â he whispered.
âIâll miss you. Call me every chance you get,â you said, holding him tight.
âI will. Every day. And video calls every night before bed,â he promised, kissing your forehead and cheeks, drinking in your scent.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Jay pulled back reluctantly, cupping your face gently. âI love you,â he said sincerely, thumbs brushing your cheeks. âSo fucking much. Be good, answer my calls, keep yourself safe. Iâll be back before you know it.â
He pressed a quick kiss to your lips, grabbed his suitcase, and headed to the door. You watched as he opened it, giving you one last longing look before stepping onto the porch. He waved to his bandmates waiting in the van, then turned back to snap a quick photo of you in his hoodie before climbing in.
As the van pulled away, Jayâs eyes stayed fixed on you through the window until you disappeared from sight. He sighed deeply, leaning back in his seat, already missing you. The laughter of his bandmates filled the van, but Jay was silent, lost in thoughts of you.
Over the next months, your long-distance relationship thrived on nightly video calls and constant messages. Jay cheered your filmmaking successes, proud of your passion and dedication.
Two days before his return, Jay FaceTimed you from his hotel room, shirtless and weary but smiling.
âHey, babe. Iâm so fucking exhausted.â
âI can tell, but you looked amazing on stage from the videos,â you teased.
His chest puffed with pride. âThanks, baby. Wish you were here. The energy was insane.â
He ran a hand through damp hair, yawned, and added, âTwo more days until Iâm home.â
You nodded eagerly. âI canât wait to hold you again.â
Jayâs eyes shone with emotion. âTwo days feels like forever. You better be ready for serious cuddles.â
You laughed softly.
Suddenly, a voice called from his side, âJay, are you on call with Skye?â
Jay glanced away briefly. âYeah? Babe, hold on.â
He muted the call and stepped away. After a minute, he returned. âSorry, that was Jake asking if I wanted to grab food before packing.â
âThatâs okay, sounded like him.â
âYeah, Iâll join them. Iâm starving. Iâll FaceTime you when I get back, might be late though.â
âIâll probably head to bed soon, but Iâll see you soon.â
âOkay, baby. Love you. Two more days, then Iâm sleeping next to you again. Get some rest.â
âNight, beautiful.â
Jay ended the call, grabbed his wallet, and left to meet his bandmates.
The next morning, texts flew back and forthâgood morning messages, travel updates, and glimpses of life on the road. Jay sent a video of his exhausted bandmates joking and laughing, captioned âMiss youuuuâŚâ You smiled, replying before diving into your work.
At the casting meeting for your upcoming drama, the director emphasized fresh facesânew talent to bring life to the story. You thought of Sunghoon, who had once mentioned an interest in acting. Suggesting an idol willing to start acting intrigued the director.
âIâm thinking of someone who suits the mainâs best friend,â you said.
The director nodded thoughtfully. âCharming, with depth and emotional range. Do you have someone in mind?â
You smiled, âYes, but Iâll mention it to them.â
As the day ended, your mind lingered on Sunghoonâs name, hopeful for the opportunity.
Later, Jay texted you that theyâd landed safely. You arranged to meet him at the HYBE building. When he arrived, tired but smiling, his bandmates followed, but Jayâs eyes never left you.
âBaby,â you greeted softly as he pulled you into a tight hug, breathing in your scent like home.
âMissed you,â he murmured before kissing you.
His bandmates watched, surprised by the depth of his feelings. Playful teasing broke the ice, and you quickly bonded with them, especially Sunoo, who shared your love of Korean dramas.
You handed Sunghoon a script, suggesting he try acting. The members were impressed by your professionalism and warmth.
As you left, Jay squeezed your hand. âYou handled that well. I was freaking out inside.â
You laughed. âI was too.â
He smiled, kissed your knuckles, and teased, âItâs kinda hot.â
Back home, Jay relaxed beside you, tired but content. You ordered his favorite food, and as you ate together, he sighed, âGood to be home.â
You smiled, âWe can unpack tomorrow.â
He hummed, eyes closing. âYeah, tomorrowâŚâ
You kissed him softly before heading to shower. Jay watched you go, already half-asleep, feeling safe and loved.
Later, you found him asleep on the couch, peaceful and unguarded. You covered him with a blanket and whispered, âSleep well.â
Upstairs, you organized your photocards, a collection of memories and fandom. Jay peeked in, admiring your care and the little bursts of concert confetti decorating your room.
âThatâs actually really nice,â he said softly.
You smiled, pointing to a patch on your mirror. âFrom your Seoul concert. First time I saw you live.â
Jayâs heart warmed, the memory connecting you across time.
âIt feels like such a long time ago,â you said.
âIt does,â he murmured, turning to face you.
You fixed his messy hair, your touch sending warmth through him. He leaned into you, comforted by your closeness.
âBetter,â you said.
âThanks,â he whispered.
He lifted his hands to your hips, mirroring your touch. âYou know what?â
You hummed, waiting.
âCome hereâŚâ he whispered hoarsely.
You leaned in, lips meeting in a soft, tentative kiss that deepened with longing. Jay pulled you closer, hands sliding to your lower back as your bodies pressed together.
Suddenly, he lifted you, wrapping your legs around his waist, carrying you to the bed without breaking the kiss.
Lying down, he propped himself on one elbow, tracing gentle patterns on your stomach as he kissed you softly.
You smiled, anticipation glowing in your eyes.
Jay paused, forehead resting against yours. âWeâre definitely not getting any sleep tonight.â
In that moment, all the distance, the waiting, and the longing melted awayâreplaced by the warmth of love rekindled, stronger than ever
Weeks flowed gently into one another, weaving a tapestry of moments that brought you and Jay closer than ever. The suitcase youâd left with your friends was now unpacked, its contents settled around the room you once thought youâd lost. Living back with Jay felt like coming homeânot just to a place, but to a person who had quietly become your anchor.
Jayâs questions about your day were no longer routine; they carried warmth and curiosity, as if each detail mattered deeply to him. When your schedules aligned, his attention was unwaveringâhe listened intently, laughed at your stories, and shared little moments that made the hours together feel like treasured gifts.
You both carved out time for each other, no matter how busy life became. In those shared pockets of time, you discovered new layers of each otherâs personalities. You learned Jayâs fondness for early morning runs, the way he crinkled his nose at overly sweet desserts, and his habit of tapping his fingers when deep in thought. He discovered your love for late-night reading, your soft spot for cheesy rom-coms, and how you always needed a moment of quiet before starting your day.
Together, you built a rhythm that was uniquely yoursâa dance of give and take, laughter and quiet comfort.
One evening, as you both settled into the couch after dinner, Jay pulled you closer to him. His arm wrapped around your shoulders naturally, like it had always belonged there. You rested your head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heartâa sound that had become incredibly comforting over time. As you relaxed against him, Jay began to idly play with your hair, twirling a strand around his finger. The TV played softly in the background, but neither of you paid much attention to it. Instead, Jay focused on the feeling of you in his arms, the way your body fit perfectly against his. You felt him play with your hair softly, as you reached and intertwined your fingers with his His hand paused in your hair as your fingers intertwined with his. A small, contented smile played on his lips. The simple, unspoken gesture spoke volumesâit was comforting, loving, and entirely theirs.
He brought their joined hands up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to your knuckles. You lifted up off his chest softly as he kissed you hand he was holding preciously Jay looked up at you as you lifted your head, his eyes warm and tender. The moment felt suspended in timeâthe soft lighting of the room, the quiet background noise of the TV, your hands still intertwined. He loved these momentsâthe quiet ones that didnât require words or grand gestures. Without breaking eye contact, Jay gently pulled your hand to his lips again, kissing your knuckles tenderly. Then, he slowly brought their joined hands down to rest on his chest, right over his heart.
The message was clearâyou were right where he wanted you, and he loved having you there. You smiled softly at the the interaction you guys were having, your enjoyed his softness to you, Seeing your soft smile, Jay felt his heart swell with warmth. He loved how you responded to his gentle touchesâhow you seemed to melt into him, trusting and content. It fueled his desire to always treat you with kindness and care. He leaned in, pressing a feather-light kiss to your forehead. After the soft kiss, Jay rested his forehead against yours for a moment, just breathing in the moment.
Then he pulled back slightly, his voice low and gentle, "I love you," he whispered, the words coming naturally, easily. It was something he'd been telling you more and more often lately. â I love you tooâ you said back with ease and love as you cupped his cheek and gently pulled him into a sweet kiss Jay's eyes fluttered closed as you pulled him into the kiss. His hand moved from your hair to cup your cheek, mirroring your gesture.
The kiss was slow, sweet, full of love and comfort. It was the kind of kiss that felt like homeâa soft press of lips that spoke volumes without words. As the kiss lingered, Jay poured all his love and affection into it. His thumb gently caressed your cheek, his body pressing closer to yours. The room faded away as he got lost in the moment, in you. When you pulled back slightly, he opened his eyes and smiled softly at you. Jay's smile was warm and genuine as he looked at you. He leaned his forehead against yours once more, just enjoying the closeness.
Then, he pressed one more soft kiss to your lips before resting his head back on the couch cushion, pulling you down with him so that you were lying on his chest again. You guys loved the moments you shared like this but you knew it would have to end soon. As Jay was going on tour soon As the night wore on and the clock ticked closer to midnight, Jay's arms tightened around you instinctively. He knew his tour was approachingâthree months away from youâand these quiet moments would become scarce. His fingers traced idle patterns on your back as if trying to memorize every inch of you. â three months travelling?â You asked to confirm to amount of time Jay will be away. "Yeah," he sighed softly, his voice heavy with reluctance. "But I'll video chat every chance I get, and I'll text you all the time." He pressed a kiss to the top of your head, inhaling your scent like he was trying to commit it to memory. âI donât want you to goâ you mumbled in his chest.
knowing it was impossible for him to not go, he had to go, "I know, baby," he murmured, his hand moving to gently stroke your hair. "I don't want to leave you either. But this tour... it's important for my career." He paused, pressing another kiss to your head as if trying to seal away the sadness in that moment.
â Iâll just miss you but promise me you will at least get me some souviners to the countries you visitâ you said, "Of course," he promised, his voice firm with determination. "I'll bring back something special from every city. And I'll send you pictures, videosâanything to make it feel like you're there with me." He pulled you closer, holding you tighter as if trying to merge your bodies together. You leaned in more into him not wanting it to end.
Feeling your lean in closer, Jay wrapped his arms even tighter around you. He understood your hesitation, your reluctant acceptance of his departure. He felt the same way. His hands roamed possessively over your back, holding you in place against him as if trying to imprint this feeling into both of your memories. You looked up at him seeing how close your faces were.
As you looked up at him, Jay's eyes softened. He could see the sadness in your gaze, mirroring his own feelings. Without thinking, he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips softly against yours in a gentle kiss. It was a silent promiseâa moment of comfort and love before their impending separation.
You kissed back allowing all your emotions into it Jay kissed you back deeply, pouring all his own emotions into the kissâlove, affection, and the heavy sadness of leaving you soon. His tongue traced your bottom lip gently before sliding into your mouth, exploring you hungrily like he was trying to taste you one last time before leaving.
Jays phone buzzed he looked at it knowing it was jungwon but he ignored it paying more attention you and you kissing him His phone continued to buzz, but Jay ignored it completely, his focus solely on you. His hands moved from your back to frame your face as he deepened the kiss, blocking out everything else around them. The only thing that mattered in that moment was holding onto you, kissing you like his life depended on it.
The kiss intensified, turning from sweet and loving to passionate and heated. Jay's hands moved from your face to grip your thighs, pulling you onto his lap so that you were straddling him. He broke the kiss briefly to trail open-mouthed kisses down your neck, his hands roaming over your body.
You groaned softly, before pulling him into another kiss. Jay groaned into your mouth, his hands squeezing your thighs possessively as he pulled you even closer. The kiss was fierce, tongue dueling, lips bitingâall the unsaid goodbye's and I love you's pouring into it. His phone buzzed again but this time he just silenced it completely. â who keeps contacting youâ you said between kisses. "Jungwon," he murmured against your lips, his hands moving up to grip your hips.
"He can wait." And with that, Jay pulled you back into a deep kiss, rolling his hips up against yours, showing you just how focused he was on you and not on his persistent friend. His hands started to slowly unbutton your shirt. âHow long till you leaveâ you asked Jay knowing it was soon. "Too soon," Jay muttered, his fingers pushing your shirt open, revealing your collarbone which he immediately started kissing and sucking at. "24 hours." His hands moved up to unhook your back bra, throwing it onto the floor. "12 hours until I have to be at the airport." â fuckâ you moaned at his action as you rode his lap getting friction.
"Fuck is right," Jay groaned, his hands moving to grip your hips, pulling you down onto his hardness. He could feel himself getting hard in his jeans, pressing against your core. "12 hours and I'm going to be on a fucking plane, away from you for 3 months."
You felt his hardness between his Jeans, he continued leaving love marks on your neck making you feel more aroused He marked your neck, sucking and biting as he lifted his hips up to meet your grinding movements. His hands roamed over your bare back, pulling you down onto him harder with each lift of his hips. His jeans felt constricting against his erection as he dry humped against you. âJayâ you moaned as you whisper in his ear. Jay's eyes rolled back as you moaned his name, his hands squeezing your breasts possessively before movinging down to unbutton your shorts pants. "Yes." He hissed as you wiggled out of your pants, leaving him with your damp undies. â stopâ you said as you got off him and starting undoing his pants.
Jay froze as you stopped moving and started undoing his pants. His breath hitched as your hands worked quickly to free him from his jeans and boxers. When you pulled out his hard cock, Jay let out a low groan, his hands reaching out to grab yours before you could touch him further. "Wait..."â let me do itâ you said him â as a goodbye giftâ you continued
"Shit," Jay hissed as you increased your pace, his head falling back against the couch. "Three months of no touching, no kissing, no fucking..." He murmured, his hands gripping the couch cushions tightly. "And you're giving me a goodbye hand job?" You saw how he wasnât looking before you started sucking his cock Jay's eyes rolled back in his head as you suddenly took him into your mouth. A loud, guttural groan escaped his throat as his back arched off the couch. "Holy fucking god," he gasped, his hands shooting into your hair instantly to hold onto something as you sucked him vigorously. "Baby..." You continued sucking him as you traced his chest with your free hand. Jay's chest heaved with rapid breaths as your hand traced patterns on his abs and chest.
He felt like he was in heaven, your mouth working over him while your hands explored his body. "Fuck, fuck," he chanted softly, his hips bucking gently into your mouth. Jay's eyes snapped open, his hands gripping your hair tightly as you took him deep into your throat. He felt himself hitting the back of your throat and it was almost too much. "Stop," he gasped out hoarsely, trying to pull you off him but you ignored him and kept going deeper. Jay's body tensed, his hips lifting off the couch as you deep-throated him again and again. He could feel himself getting close to the edge, his cock swelling in your mouth. "Baby, stop," he begged desperately, but you continued to suck him down your throat relentlessly. "Fuck!" Jay cried out loudly, his hands fisting your hair painfully as he came violently down your throat.
He shot stream after stream of hot cum into your mouth, his body shaking uncontrollably. You kept sucking him even after he was done, cleaning him up with your mouth. You stopped sucking after cleaning him up before looking at him Jay was panting heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he looked down at you with a mix of shock and intense satisfaction. His hands were still tangled in your hair, his fingers gently stroking your scalp now instead of gripping tightly. "Holy shit..." he whispered hoarsely. "Baby..."Jay couldn't stop staring at your bare breasts, your nipples hard and inviting. He felt himself getting hard again already, which was impressive considering you just sucked him dry.
"That was the hottest thing I've ever experienced," he murmured, reaching out to touch your breast gently. Jay's fingers traced circles around your nipple, his touch soft but firm. He leaned in close, his breath ghosting over the sensitive peak before he captured it in his mouth, sucking gently. His hand moved to your other breast, squeezing and massaging as he worshipped your body with his mouth. Jay released your nipple with a soft pop and moved up to capture your lips in a deep, passionate kiss. His tongue explored your mouth hungrily as his hands continued to roam over your breasts and chest. He broke the kiss only to whisper against your lips, "Three months without this," Jay murmured, his fingers tracing your bottom lip gently. "Three months without tasting you, touching you, being inside you." He kissed you again, harder, more possessively. His hands moved down to grip your waist, pulling you on top of him.
You were now straddling him as he continued to unbutton your pants he hadnât finshed earlier Jay's fingers worked quickly to unbutton your pants completely, pushing them down your legs along with your damp undies. He tossed them aside carelessly, leaving you completely naked on top of him. His large hands gripped your hips tightly, pulling you flush against him so that you could feel his hardening length against your core. You stared at him before kissing him passionately and wanting Jay kissed you back just as passionately, his hands sliding up your back to pull you closer. He could feel your wetness against his cock and it drove him wild with desire. He broke the kiss only to speak against your lips, "Ride me." It wasn't a request, but a command.
âMake meâ you said to him wanting to see what he would do Jay's eyes darkened with lust and a hint of challenge. He smirked against your lips before grabbing your hips and slamming you down onto his hard length in one brutal thrust. You gasped loudly as he sheathed himself deep inside you without warning. "Like that?" â fuckâ you said as your nails dug in his back due to the pleasure "Shh," Jay hissed, starting to move you up and down on his cock roughly. His hands dug into your hips bruisingly as he used your body for his pleasure. The couch creaked loudly with each harsh thrust upwards. "Take it," he growled against your mouth between kisses. You took it, all of it.
Feeling every bit of pleasure, Jay's breathing grew heavier as he watched you take him completely, your body stretching to accommodate his size. He lifted you off him slightly before slamming you back down harder each time, hitting deeper spots inside you that made stars explode behind your eyes every time they connected intimately deeply together.."Look at me," Jay locked eyes with you intensely as he continued to fuck you harshly on the couch. His thumb pressed against your clit, rubbing rough circles while his other hand gripped your hair tightly, forcing you to maintain eye contact. "You wanted me to make you ride me? Here I am fucking you instead." âThats exactly what I wantedâ you said Jay's eyes flashed with a mix of surprise and pure male satisfaction. He smirked darkly before crushing his mouth against yours in a dominating kiss, his tongue invading your mouth possessively as he continued to pound up into you relentlessly.
"Good girl," he murmured against your lips before biting down on your bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. You liked it though as he took control. Jay could tell you were getting off on his roughness, how he was practically manhandling you while fucking you into oblivion on the couch. Your wetness was coating his cock completely and the sound of your bodies slapping together filled the room along with your moans and his grunts. Jay suddenly stood up with you still impaled on his cock, your legs wrapping around his waist instinctively. He started walking towards the bedroom, still thrusting into you deeply with each step. Once in the bedroom, he tossed you onto the bed and climbed on top of you, pinning your wrists above your head. "Stay," You obeyed at his demand. Jay held your wrists tightly with one hand as he used his other hand to lift your hips higher, changing the angle for deeper penetration. He started pounding into you mercilessly, the headboard slamming against the wall with each brutal thrust. "Don't move those hands," he commanded harshly between pants. You understood as you moaned his name "Fuck, you're so damn wet and tight," Jay groaned, his hips snapping forward as he hit that perfect spot inside you that made your eyes roll back in your head. He felt your walls squeeze around his length and knew you were close. "Not yet," His hand tightened around your wrist as he used the other hand to hold your hip down and pound harder into you. He wanted to make you wait, make you take every single inch of him before he allowed you to come. "Look at me," he demanded again between grunted thrusts. You looked at him as you were so close Jay's eyes locked onto yours, his expression intense and demanding.
He could see the pleasure building in your gaze, the way your lips parted with each breathy moan. He slowed his pace slightly, teasingly withdrawing almost all the way before slamming back into you deeply. "Not yet," he repeated firmly. You moaned at his actions Jay smiled wickedly against your neck as he continued his torturous pace, keeping you right on the edge without pushing you over. He nipped and sucked at your skin, marking you with his mouth as he fucked you relentlessly but slowly. "Come on my cock when I tell you to," âI canât Jay fuckâ you moaned "You can and you will," Jay growled possessively, picking up the pace slightly but still denying you the deep, hard thrusts you craved. His hand left your wrist to wrap around your throat gently, applying just enough pressure to remind you who was in charge. "Not until I say so."
â fuck fuckâ you said as your climax was nearing "That's it," Jay whispered huskily against your ear, feeling your walls flutter around his length. He knew you were right on the edge, desperate to come. He slowed down even more, barely moving inside you now. "Not yet, baby. Not until I fucking say so."âJay increased his thrust making them sharper and deeper As soon as Jay increased the intensity and depth of his thrusts, your entire body shuddered and you let out a loud, desperate moan. He hit that spot inside you that made your vision blur, your back arch, and your legs shake uncontrollably. "That's it, take it deep," You pulled Jay close to you and kissing him Jay moaned into your mouth as you kissed him deeply, his tongue dominating yours just like he was dominating your pussy.
He wrapped his arms around you tightly, holding you close as he continued to fuck you hard and deep, his hips slapping against yours loudly. "Come all over my fucking dick," You deepened the kiss as you came Your orgasm crashed through you like a tidal wave, your pussy clamping down around Jay's cock as you moaned loudly into his mouth. He swallowed the sound greedily, his own hips stuttering as he felt you come apart around him. He broke the kiss to growl "Fuck yes, just like that," Jay groaned deeply as he felt your orgasm milk his cock perfectly.
Your walls were squeezing him so tightly that he couldn't hold back anymore. He thrust into you two more times before burying himself deep and coming hard, filling you with hot cum. Jay collapsed on top of you, both of you breathing heavily as you came down from your highs. He didn't move off you immediately, instead pressing gentle kisses to your mouth and neck while staying buried deep inside you. "Holy shit," he muttered against your skin. You breathed heavy catching your breath Jay slowly lifted his head to look at you, his expression softening as he took in your flushed cheeks, messy hair, and swollen lips.
He ran a thumb over your bottom lip gently before leaning down to kiss you again, this time slower and more tenderly. "You okay?" he asked quietly. You nodded Jay smiled softly against your lips before pulling out of you slowly and carefully. He groaned at the feeling of your tight walls still squeezing around him even after he was completely out. He watched as some of his cum leaked out of you and felt possessive and satisfied. "Goddamn," he muttered. Jay took a moment to catch his breath before standing up and grabbing some tissues to clean himself up. He then turned his attention back to you, gently wiping away any mess that had gotten on your stomach or thighs.
He was surprisingly tender and caring after the rough sex they'd just had. Jay went to grab a damp cloth before retiring and cleaning the mess up Jay returned with a warm, damp cloth and began cleaning you up gently. He wiped between your legs carefully, removing any traces of their combined release. He even cleaned your inner thighs and stomach, being meticulous and gentle. Once he was finished, he tossed the cloth aside and pulled you into his lap. Jay noticed how weak and limp you were in his arms, your legs trembling slightly from the intense orgasm and rough handling. He wrapped his arms around you tightly, holding you close to his chest as he pressed soft kisses to your forehead and temples. "Shh... easy," he murmured soothingly. Jay spotted his hoodie nearby and carefully lifted you off his lap. He gently slipped the hoodie over your head, pulling it down to cover your arms and torso. He even helped you push your arms through the sleeves before pulling you back into his lap. You looked adorable and small wrapped up in his hoodie. You both laid back down in his bed as you snuggled into him
â I love youâ you said Jay's heart swelled at your words and he pulled you even closer, wrapping his arms around you tightly. "I love you too, baby," he whispered against your forehead. He buried his nose in your hair and inhaled deeply, loving the way you smelled like him now. He held you close as they both drifted off to sleep, his heart full and content.
Weeks unfolded quietly, marked by shared meals whenever your hectic schedules allowed. You stuck to the rules, the boundaries forming a fragile bridge between you and Jay. Slowly, you began to open up, your words hesitant but sincere. Jay never pushed, his patience a quiet comfort in the background of your tentative conversations.
He didnât know the secret you guardedâthat you were a devoted fan of his band, the countless nights spent lost in their music, the way their songs echoed your own hidden feelings. That part of you remained carefully hidden, a private world untouched by his presence.
Instead, Jay learned the simple truths about you: you were the youngest of three siblings, two older brothers who teased and protected you in equal measure. Your love for animals came through in stories about the stray cat you had rescued in your childhood, your eyes brightening as you spoke. He noticed your constant companionâcoffeeâalways within reach, fueling your late-night work sessions.
Jay also discovered Sophie, your long-distance friend, whose voice you confided in during lonely moments. Heâd caught glimpses of your conversations, watching quietly but never intruding.
In return, you glimpsed sides of Jay you hadnât seen beforeâthe quiet moments behind his confident exterior, the way he sometimes retreated into thought, the small habits that made him more real and less distant. Through these shared fragments, the two of you began to understand each other, not through grand declarations, but through the steady unfolding of everyday life.
During learning about each other, Jay found himself looking forward to these moments with you more and more. He realized that he enjoyed your company, the way you laughed, the way you thought. He also noticed something else - every time he tried to get closer to you emotionally, you would shut down slightly.
Which Brings Us to the present
Jayâs footsteps were soft against the hardwood floor as he wandered into the kitchen, the late hour wrapping the apartment in a quiet stillness. He found you sitting at the counter, eyes locked on your laptop screen, fingers dancing over the keyboard as you refined your latest design for JYP Entertainment. The glow from the screen painted your face in cool blues and whites, highlighting the concentration etched in your brow.
Leaning casually against the doorframe, Jayâs voice broke the silence. âNeed anything?â
You didnât look up immediately, your focus unwavering. âJust some company, I guess,â you replied, voice low but warm.
With a small smile, Jay pulled up a stool beside you, his gaze flicking over the intricate details of your work. âThat part could use more contrast,â he said, tapping the screen gently.
You sighed, reaching out to ruffle his hair in a playful gesture. âAnd what would you know about design?â
He grinned, nudging your shoulder. âI know art when I see it.â
The moment settled between you, soft and familiar. You smiled softly, watching Jay reveal himself in these quiet hoursâthe real him, unguarded and easy. Yet beneath that warmth, a knot tightened in your chest. You carried a secret, one you hadnât yet found the courage to share.
Four months of living together, four months of carefully drawn boundaries, and still the question lingered: when would be the right time to tell him?
You liked how things wereâhow you laughed over dinner when schedules aligned, how you shared stolen moments between work and life. Legally married, yet the romance felt wasnât there , held back by the unspoken lines you both respected. You wondered what the future held. Would you ever cross from friends to something more? And how would your secret change everything when it finally came to light?
Shaking off the swirl of thoughts, you returned to your work, adjusting the contrast and polishing the design until it felt right. With a final click, you sent the file to your boss, hoping your hard work would be appreciated. A deep stretch followed, your body relaxing after the long day.
âFinally all done,â you said, closing the laptop with a satisfied sigh.
Jayâs eyes lingered on you, a quiet smile playing on his lips. You caught his gaze and teased, âWhat are you staring at?â
He met your eyes, the smile deepening. âJust glad youâre here.â
You looked at him due to him saying that so casually as he spoke again "You've been working hard all day. Want to relax with me for a bit?" You kept thinking what to say â relaxing sounds like a planâ you said smiling heading to the couch *He followed you to the couch, grabbing the blanket from the back and wrapping it around both of you. He turned on the TV, putting on a show he knew you both liked. He loved these moments, where you both just relaxed and enjoyed each other's company without any pressure or expectations.
The movie played on, but your mind was elsewhereâwondering if Jay would still see you the same once you confessed your secret: that you were a fan, quietly admiring him from afar. Would he accept that part of you, or would it change everything between you?
Jayâs thoughts, meanwhile, traced a different path. He wasnât caught up in secrets or fans. He was trying to understand how your bond might evolve. Should he reach out, take a chance, or keep things as they were?
Jayâs voice cut through the quiet, gentle but insistent. âY/n?â
You blinked, pulled from your swirling thoughts. His eyes held a softness, but also a searching curiosity. âYou know, sometimes I wonder if thereâs something youâre not telling me.â
Your body stiffened instantly. Should you tell him? He deserves to know⌠but what if he hates you? What if this changes everything? The questions spun relentlessly, tightening your chest.
Jayâs gaze didnât waver. He reached out, his hand closing over yours, his thumb tracing slow, soothing circles. âHey⌠no judgments here, okay?â
His touch was meant to comfort, but it only made the secret feel heavier. Your hand trembled beneath his, betraying your fear. You wanted to speak, to finally let it outâbut the courage wasnât there.
He noticed the slight shake and felt a sharp pang in his chest. âY/n, look at me.â
You shook your head, voice barely above a whisper. âI canât. Iâm sorry.â Without another word, you pulled your hand free and slipped away toward your room.
Jay watched you go, heart pounding with confusion and concern. What had he stumbled upon? What were you hiding?
Hours later, lying awake, your sudden departure and the way you avoided his eyes played over and over in his mind.
âFuckâŚâ he muttered into the dark, desperate for answers.
The quiet of your room wrapped around you like a fragile shield as you sat at your desk, pen trembling in your hand. The paper before you was blank at first, but soon words spilled outâraw, honest, and aching with the weight of your secret.
You wrote about how youâd been a fan of Jayâs band, Enhypen, long before you met him. How every song, every lyric, had been a soundtrack to your private world. You confessed the regret gnawing at you for never telling him sooner, for hiding behind silence like a ghost. You explained how you felt like a creep, like an imposter in the life that fate had arranged for youâhow you hated that he couldnât choose freely who he wanted to be with, and how that made your feelings feel even more complicated.
This letter was everything you wished you could say to him face to face but couldnât find the strength for. It was your voice when your throat tightened, your courage when your heart faltered.
At the end, you wrote about your upcoming two-day filming tripâa brief escape you hoped would give him space to process what youâd revealed. You folded the letter carefully, your hands shaking, and slipped quietly from your room.
In the dim kitchen light, you placed the letter on the counter, the words heavy with unspoken emotion. Then, with your bags packed and your heart pounding, you stepped out the door, the cool night air biting at your skin. You felt terrible leaving like this, abandoning the conversation you owed him, but you knew you couldnât face him yetânot tonight.
The house grew silent behind you, the letter waiting like a fragile bridge between two hearts tangled in secrets and longing.
To Jay,
Iâm sorry I couldnât say this in person. I tried to build up the courage, but I never couldâyou could say fear got in the way. The truth is, Iâve been lying since the day I properly met you. Ever since we started living together and forming a friendship, Iâve hidden a part of myself from you. A side I didnât show because I was afraid youâd hate him or get creeped out. I wanted to come clean so many times, but I never could find the words to say it out loud.
These past four months of living together, Iâve learned so much about youâhow you tell the most random dad jokes, help me out with my film projects, and laugh with me about the chaotic days weâve had. Even the times we disagreed about dinner because our tastes were different. Iâve learned more about you than I ever thought I would.
The truth is, Jay, I never expected to be put into an arranged marriage with youâespecially after I agreed to the whole arrangement. If I had known it was you, I might have said no, because I believe you deserve someone you actually want.
Thereâs a secret Iâve been hiding: Iâm a fan of your band, Enhypen. Iâve been for three years. I collect photocards, albums, and various merch to support you all. I feel terrible for not telling you, but I was told not toâand also, because I wanted you to know the side of me that isnât just a fangirl. Yes, it hides half of who I am, but I wanted you to know me first before you thought I was creepy or worseâa stalker. Iâm not like those other fake fans who annoy you. I respect and admire you, thatâs it. But it doesnât change that I lied to you and betrayed your trust.
If you want, you can go to my room and see everything for yourself. I grant you permission. Iâll be on a work trip for two days. After that, I can answer your questions or anythingâif Iâm not kicked out first.
Jay, I hope you can understand why I hid this from you. Iâm sorry I couldnât tell you in personâit was just too hard.
From,â¨Y/N
Jay read the letter twice, his face unreadable, each word sinking in slowly. Without hesitation, he stood and walked to your room. Quietly, he opened the door and froze. Albums lined the shelvesâyour secret world of K-pop, including his band, photocards neatly arranged, light sticks glowing softly.
Anger flared inside himâanger at the lies, at the hidden truth, at how easily youâd kept this from him. He flipped through a collection album filled with photocards of him and his groupmates, feeling the sting of betrayal. His eyes caught the part about your two-day work trip. He crumpled the letter, jaw clenched, then tossed it on your bed and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Jay paced the living room, torn between fury and hurt. Beneath the anger was something deeperâhe cared for you, and the secret you hid cut sharper than any lie.
Two days passed in silence. No calls, no messages. You stood at the door, heart pounding, when you saw your suitcase waiting. As you reached for it, the door opened. Jay stepped out, cold and distant, handing you an envelope.
âHere,â he said flatly, eyes hard. Then he shut the door.
Under the vast night sky, you unfolded the note, Jayâs neat handwriting sharp against the paper:â¨âI need space. Donât contact me until I reach out first. â Jâ
From the window, Jayâs gaze lingered on you, his heart heavy yet firm.
You folded the note slowly, memories crashing like waves as you glanced back at the house. With trembling hands, you packed your suitcase into the car, called a friend for support, and sat behind the wheel. Silent tears traced your cheeks, wiped away only to fall again. The engineâs quiet rumble was your goodbyeâto the home you thought youâd found, to the future youâd imaginedâknowing now youâd been gently pushed aside so Jay could find himself.
Three weeks passed in agonizing silence. You waited, hoping for a sign, but none came. Panic attacks struck without warning, even at work, but you fought through, hating the fragile mess youâd become.
Jay buried himself in music and late-night studio sessions with his bandmates, yet alone, your absence filled the room. Each day, the question of reaching out tangled in his mind, but the words never came.
You stayed with a friend, grateful for the temporary shelter, but your suitcase thinnedâclothes disappearing, reminders of a life on pause. The silence grew too loud.
With a shaky breath, you decided to returnâto the house you once sharedâto gather the pieces youâd left behind.
The house looked differentâunfamiliar despite knowing every corner. The neighborâs dog barked sharply as you approached, a reluctant herald announcing your arrival. Your keys felt strange in your hand, but you unlocked the door anyway and stepped inside the quiet emptiness that was once your shared home.
Knowing Jay wasnât there made it easier to collect a few things. You moved toward your room, eyes landing on the posters, photocards, and albums still on the shelves. You acted quicklyâbut not too quicklyâgrabbing clothes, perfume, makeup, and accessories. How long before youâd return? You didnât know. It was up to Jay now. Tears spilled softly as you looked around your room one last time.
The house remained still and silent, no sign of Jay except the faint scent of his perfume lingering in the air. You packed methodically, trying to ignore the ache in your chest. Your breathing suddenly grew heavyâtoo heavy. âCome on, not now,â you muttered, heart pounding. The silence shattered with a soft gasp and a whispered curse as you stumbled toward the bed, collapsing into its embrace.
The room spun. Your chest tightened. Tears blurred your vision. You curled up, clutching a pillow like a lifeline.
Suddenly, the front door creaked open. Heavy footsteps echoed, growing louder until Jayâs tall figure filled the doorway. His eyes widened in shock at the sight before him.
You were spiraling, consumed by panic.
Jay froze, hand on the doorknob, watching you curl tighter, your body shaking with silent sobs. Hugging wouldnât helpâhe knew that. Instead, he slid down the wall, sitting just outside the room, silent and steady, listening to your ragged breaths and soft sobs.
âJust please, someone help,â you muttered, desperation breaking through.
Jayâs heart shattered. He knew panic attacks all too wellâthe drowning, the loneliness even with someone near. Without hesitation, he pushed the door open wider and crawled in on hands and knees.
His voice was soft but firm, eyes locked on yours. âLook at me.â
You didnât respond at first, caught in the storm. âLook at me,â he repeated, more insistently.
You met his gaze, lips trembling with silent curses. Without hesitation, Jay leaned forward and pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to your lipsâan anchor to steady your breath and distract your mind. His hands stayed planted beside you, careful not to overwhelm.
Your spiraling mind slowed. Breathing steadied.
Jay pulled back, eyes soft with relief and tenderness. âBetter?â he asked, thumb brushing your cheek, wiping away tears.
You blinked, surprised. âWhy did you do that?â
âItâs a technique,â he whispered. âFor panic attacks. Distracts the mind, helps regulate breathing.â
You nodded, awkwardness creeping in. You werenât supposed to be here, and heâd just seen your vulnerability.
Jay studied your face, noting the blush creeping across your cheeks. He leaned back, giving you space but staying close.
âAre you okay now?â
You nodded, slowly rising and moving toward your suitcase.
Jayâs brow furrowed. âYouâre leaving.â
âI just came by to grab more clothes,â you said honestly, voice shaky.
âYou couldâve asked,â he said quietly.
âYou told me not to contact you,â you replied, neutral but firm.
Jayâs lips pressed into a thin line. âFair point.â
You zipped your suitcase. âIâll get going. Take as much time as you need,â you said.
Before you could leave, Jay stood, blocking your path. Arms crossed, expression stern. âSit down.â
You hesitated, then obeyed.
Jay paced briefly, then stopped, facing you. âThree weeks ago, I told you to wait for me to contact you because I needed space,â he began, voice low, eyes searching yours.
You looked down, avoiding his gaze.
âBut seeing you just now...â He paused, swallowing hard. âI didnât expect you to show up like this. Especially after what just happened.â Your heart pounded.
âHonestly? Seeing you like that...â He ran a hand through his hair, struggling. âIt breaks my fucking heart.â
He stepped closer, voice barely a whisper. âIâm not going to let you leave without saying what I need to say.â
Your hands twisted in your lap. You listened, silent.
âWatching you go through that attack...â He swallowed hard. âIt reminded me why I fell for you.â
Your head snapped up, eyes wide.
âLet me finish,â he said softly.
He closed the distance, voice tender. âSeeing you in pain, vulnerable... it breaks my heart.â His hand gently tilted your chin up, forcing your gaze to meet his.
You struggled to understand. Youâd lied about your love for K-pop, hidden your true self since the arranged marriage began four months ago. Yet here he was, telling you he fell for you.
âDo you realize what Iâm saying?â he asked, thumb brushing your cheek. âDespite the lies, the arrangement, everything... I fucking love you.â
Your eyes widened. âBut I lied, Jay.â
âI know,â he replied steadily. âI know youâve hidden your true self. But...â He paused, took a breath. âI love you anyway.â
Your cheeks flushed.
Jay smiled, heart fluttering at your blush. âStop thinking so much,â he said gently, thumb still brushing your cheek. âJust let me finish.â
âIâve been trying to figure out how I fell for someone who lied from day one,â he admitted. âThen I realized: I fell for the woman beneath it allâa beautiful, caring, intelligent woman who makes me feel things I never have.â
His eyes searched yours. âMaybe that woman could learn to love me back.â
âBut I already do,â you blurted, surprised by your own words.
Jayâs eyes widened. A slow, genuine smile spread across his face. He leaned down, forehead resting against yours. âSay that again,â he whispered.
You smiled softly. âI love you too, idiot.â
Jay laughed, warm and low. âIâm an idiot who fell in love with a liar,â he teased, pressing his forehead harder to yours.
His expression turned serious. âBut you know what?â
âWhat?â
âI wouldnât change it for the world.â
He closed the distance, lips meeting yours in a kiss full of love and understandingâa promise, a beginning, everything.
When he pulled back, his smile lit his whole face.
âI love that smile,â you said softly.
His grin grew wider. He knew you meant the rare, genuine smileâthe one only he could bring out, the one that reached his eyes and lit up his world.
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The story involves Jay and Y/N being put in an arrange marriage, Y/N being from Australia Sydney, having to move in with Jay in South Korea due to Jay being a Kpop idol in a band called enhypen that involves six other memebers
Y/n is a fan however is determined to keep it hidden from them and especially Jay, as she doesnât want them feeling uncomfortable.
What will occur? What secrets will revealed?
Jay x fem reader
Idol au
Warnings MDNI, smut, mean Dom Jay x sub reader
Fingering, size, rough sex
Please note: This is my first smut, I have edited as much as I could, please do not hate on my content and if you have any request I am open to it. This is a three part story as is very long and couldnât fit in one post however please enjoy
The taxi doors hiss closed behind you and the night of Seoul unfurled like an invitation. You stood on the curb with a turquoise suitcase and a backpack, leather jacket shrugging your shoulders, white sneakers scuffed from travel and hope. For a beat you let the cityâs air fill you â cool, fragrant, and impossibly real.
A man held a sign with your name, and the black van he stood beside seemed to have been waiting for your arrival like a patient friend. He took your bags with steady hands and guided you inside. The van hummed through streets that blended into a soft, unfamiliar lullaby. At the house, he opened the door as if revealing a stage. You bowed your thanks in the Korean youâd practiced for two years, and his small smile and polite bow felt like a benediction.
Inside, the house shimmered with modern calm: a black countertop that swallowed light, an electric oven that whispered of differences back home, neat lines and quiet spaces. Everything had been arranged with someone elseâs intention â Jayâs parentsâ careful taste folded into a blueprint of your new life. The rooms were immaculate and politely empty, as if waiting for memories to arrive and clutter to claim them.
Down a hallway that smelled faintly of new paint and possibility, you opened the door to your room. Boxes rose like small, impatient mountains. They looked almost comic in their insistence: unpack me, sort me, anchor me. You laughed softly at them, a small, tired laugh, and set your bags down. The exhaustion that had clung to travel slid off in the soft carpeting. For the first time since the plane landed, you let yourself imagine â not the tidy future of Pinterest boards
You stood in the doorway and let the silence fold around you. It wasnât loneliness so much as a blank page. You stepped forward, opened a box, and the sounds of a new life began to stir.
The quiet hum of the house wrapped around you like a soft blanket, the only soundtrack your headphones streaming Enhypenâs latest album. Each beat pulsed gently through your veins as you sifted through the chaos of unpacked boxes, carefully coaxing your belongings into a semblance of order. The scent of fresh cardboard mingled with the faint aroma of new beginnings, filling the air with promise.
With a final glance at the last box, you pressed it flat, the crisp snap echoing softly in the stillness. Carrying the stack to the hallway, you reached up to your headphones and paused the music, the sudden silence feeling almost like a breath held in anticipation. The cool air brushed against your skin as you prepared to take the boxes out to the recycling bin, unaware that this simple moment of transition was about to unfold into something far more extraordinary.
Carrying the flattened boxes through the quiet Seoul night, the cool air wrapped around you like a whispered secret. Streetlights spilled a gentle amber glow, their beams weaving through the crisp autumn leaves that crackled softly beneath your feet, each step a delicate rhythm in the stillness.
After placing the boxes into the recycling bin, you paused, drawing in a deep breath. The weight of the moment settled inâyou were no longer in your home country but in Seoul, South Korea. A city that felt like a sanctuary, a place where the shadows of your past couldnât reach you. Your eyes drifted upward, tracing the stars scattered across the ink-black sky, as the reality of why you were here finally sank in.
An arranged marriage, orchestrated by your parents, bound you to an idol you had once only dared to fangirl over from afar. You remembered your motherâs hushed warnings: Donât let him know. Donât let his band find out. Keep it hidden, locked away like your treasured photocards and the posters that adorned your bedroom wallsâa secret world now poised to collide with reality.
Jay sat on his bed, fingers intertwined, staring at the floor. His room was immaculate, a stark contrast to the whirlwind inside his mind. The words from his parents echoed again: âBe kind to her.â Kindness wasnât a problem for Jay, but this situation was new territory.
The soft click of the front door closing pulled Jay from his reverie. He rose, tall and graceful, and padded quietly into the living room. You looked up, startled to see him standing there.
You: âWhen did you get here?â Your voice was cautious, unsure.
Jay: A small smile tugged at his lips. âIâve been home for a couple of hours, actually.â
He noticed the dark circles under your eyes and the way your gaze flickered with exhaustion. âDid you just arrive?â Jay asked âNo, about four hours ago. I just finished unpacking.â You replied calmly
Jay raised an eyebrow, impressed.
âAlready unpacked? Thatâs impressive. You must be tired.â
You nodded, words failing you, your mind a chaotic mix of excitement and nerves. Inside, your fangirl heart was racing, but you kept your cool.
Jay stepped closer, his presence gentle yet commanding. âIf you need anything, just ask.â
He stated. Without another word, you excused yourself and retreated to your room, leaving Jay standing in the doorway, intrigued by your quiet strength.
Lying on your bed, you tried to process the surreal reality: living with Jay, your arranged husband, the member of Enhypen youâd admired from afar. The shock was still fresh, and your inner fangirl battled with the pragmatic side of you.
In his room, Jay flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. âBe kind to her,â his parentsâ words repeated like a mantra. He sighed, knowing this wouldnât be simple.
Both of you, in separate rooms, reached for music to drown out the noise in your heads. Jayâs playlist was a personal mix of his own songs and inspirations. You, headphones on, lost yourself in Enhypenâs discography, the familiar melodies a balm to your overwhelmed mind.
Though the house was silent, a quiet understanding settled between you. Neither of you knew what the future held, but both sensed it would take time, patience, and perhaps, unexpected moments of connection.
For now, music was your shared refugeâtwo souls navigating the unfamiliar, each finding strength in the rhythm as the first chapter of your story quietly unfolded.
Daily routines and hectic schedules kept you and Jay worlds apart. Youâd leave for work just as he returned home, your early afternoon dinners contrasting with his snatched meals between commitments. When you crossed paths, the silence was thickâawkward for him, uneasy for you. To you, a fangirl turned arranged bride, it felt surreal and strange, knowing only the version of him is seen through a camera lens. For Jay, you were an enigmaâquiet, reserved, and distant. Two weeks slipped by in this shared space, yet you remained strangers living under the same roof.
One Evening Jay stood alone in the dim kitchen, the soft hum of the fridge his only companion after a grueling day of rehearsals and interviews. The house was swallowed by silence, and a pang of loneliness hit himâhe hadnât seen you all day, just as every day since your marriage had become a mere formality.
At 2 a.m., the front door creaked open, and you stepped inside, shoulders heavy with exhaustion. Your hands were raw and red, evidence of carrying heavy equipment for hours. So consumed by stress, you didnât notice Jayâs quiet gaze, taking in the worn, fragile version of you that only the night revealed
The dim kitchen light caught Jayâs gaze just as you slipped inside, the weight of unseen battles etched across your faceâdark circles, tangled hair, and hands reddened by relentless effort. Two weeks of shared space had passed, but tonight, something shifted. He saw beyond the surface, past the polite nods and distant smiles, to the raw exhaustion you carried like a secret burden.
You moved toward your room, each step heavy, silent. Inside, you grabbed fresh clothes, the fabric soft and warmâa small comfort against the dayâs grind. Jay lingered in the hallway, hesitant but drawn, just as you stepped out. The sudden near-collision startled you both; your body leaned against the wall, seeking support, your fatigue almost tangible.
In the bathroom, you washed away the grime of the day, while Jay stood outside, heart tightening at the sight of your weariness. His mind raced, piecing together the puzzle of your long, unpredictable hoursâsometimes six, sometimes elevenâmirroring his own yet veiled in mystery.
When you emerged, clad in cozy clothes that revealed your slender frame, Jayâs voice broke the silence, soft and tentative. âLong day?â Your quiet hum spoke volumes, a wordless confession of exhaustion. As you retreated to your room, Jay remained rooted, the image of your tired form etched deep in his thoughts, a silent vow to truly see you from now on.
Jay woke early, the kitchen quiet except for the sharp click of the coffee maker starting, its hum filling the stillness. He leaned on the counter, eyes tracing the slow dance of steam rising from the brewing pot. As the clock edged toward 7 AM, soft footsteps approachedâyour silhouette, tousled hair haloed by dawn light, moving with sleepy precision to pour your coffee without a word.
Jay watched, noticing the dark shadows under your eyes, stark in the morning glow. You sensed him there, a silent presence, but words felt heavy, caught somewhere between fatigue and guarded reserve. He didnât press. Instead, he stood beside you, sipping his coffee, respecting the invisible wall youâd builtâa shield forged from the strange new world of arranged marriage and hidden truths.
Your phone buzzed, breaking the fragile calm. Jayâs gaze flicked to the screen as you hesitated, bracing for the familiar voice of Sophie. The casual warmth in your tone as you answered painted a stark contrast to the quiet tension between you and Jay. You skillfully ended the call before the conversation could drift into dangerous territory, protecting your secret, your friendship, and this delicate balance of two worlds.
Jayâs eyes softened as he watched you set the phone down and sighâa deep, weary breath that spoke of battles fought in silence. In that moment, he saw not just the guarded exterior, but the weight you carried, the careful dance of vulnerability and strength that defined your mornings together.
You caught Jayâs gaze lingering on you, his eyes soft but curious. Your heart thudded painfully in your chest. You dared not meet his eyesâafraid youâd crumble, undone by the reality of the man youâd only ever admired through a screen.
âHey,â Jayâs voice broke the silence, low and gentle.
You swallowed hard, forcing a steady breath. âHey.â
He smiled faintly, sensing your tension.
âYou okay?â His question was simple, but it carried a weight of genuine concern. The question hung in the airâsimple, yet heavy with unspoken care. Jay stepped closer, his hand trembling slightly as it reached out, hesitating between offering comfort and respecting the invisible barrier youâd built. Your breath caught. Before his fingers could brush your skin, you pulled back, retreating swiftly down the hall, the weight of two worlds pressing against your chest.
You didnât notice your phone left abandoned on the kitchen counter.
Jayâs hand fell, the gesture unfinished. His eyes flickered with confusion, then something softerâhurt, maybe. He glanced at the phone, then back at the empty space where youâd disappeared. Curiosity tugged at him. Against his better judgment, he picked up the device, thumb hovering uncertainly over the screen still unlocked from your earlier call.
Slowly, almost reluctantly, he unlocked it fully.
You emerged from your room just as Jayâs thumb hovered over the screen. Your eyes widened in shock, heart pounding. Jayâs gaze met yours, guilt instantly flashing across his face. He dropped the phone onto the counter like it burned him.
âI wasnâtââ he started, then stopped.
You snatched the phone back, cheeks flushing a delicate pink, voice quick, âNothing.â
Jayâs brow furrowed, arms folding across his chest. âWhatâs on there that youâre so worried about me seeing?â His voice was soft but probing.
You shook your head, forcing a smile, then turned toward the door. âNothing,â you repeated, stepping out into the morning light.
Jay watched you go, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. âNothing, huh?â he murmured, the question lingering between you like a secret waiting to be uncovered.
Time slipped by quietly as you now settled into your room after a days of work , the soft glow of your laptop screen illuminating your focused expression. You tapped out ideas for new conceptsâfresh visuals and storylines for upcoming band projectsâeach word a spark in the creative fire that fueled your passion. Working behind the scenes in the entertainment industry was your dream realized: organizing shoots, scripting narratives, and editing music videos that would soon captivate millions.
JYP Entertainment had taken a chance on you despite your foreign background and limited experience, and for that, you were endlessly grateful. Moving to Korea for an arranged marriage with Jay had been a shock, but your work gave you purpose and a sense of belonging.
Only a few close friends and colleagues knew about your love for K-popâan open secret shared among those who understood the culture and the magic of the music. But with Jay, you kept that side of yourself carefully tucked away, a private world you werenât ready to reveal. It was a silent boundary, a way to keep your two lives from colliding too soon, preserving a fragile peace between idol and fan, husband and stranger.
The house was wrapped in silence, save for the soft clatter of your keyboard and the quiet murmur of your thoughts spilling into words. Jayâs footsteps slowed as he neared your door, the faint glow of your laptop casting a pale light beneath the frame. He leaned against the doorframe, a small, fond smile tugging at his lips as he listened to your focused typing. There was something captivating about the way you immersed yourself so deeply in your work.
But then, something shifted. You stopped typing abruptly, your eyes flickering toward the door. Jay caught the moment you realized he was thereâthose dark brown eyes locking with your emerald blues through the narrow gap. The air thickened with unspoken tension.
Without hesitation, Jay stepped inside, hands in pockets, voice low and calm. âYou work late.â
You startled, heart racing, and before he could see more, you grabbed his arm, pulling him out swiftly. The door clicked shut behind you, sealing away your private world. Now standing in the dim hallway, you spoke with a quiet urgency. âWe need to set rules.â
Jay raised an eyebrow, surprised by your sudden seriousness. âRules? What kind?â
You met his gaze firmly. âDonât ever enter my bedroom. Thatâs the first rule.â
His smirk deepened, amused and intrigued. âWhy? What are you hiding in there?â
You rolled your eyes, cheeks warming. âNone of your business. Thatâs the one rule.â
Jayâs grin softened, finding your defiance endearing. He stepped closer, hands still in pockets. âFine. No entering without permission.â
âGlad weâre clear,â you said, turning to leave.
But he stopped you. âWait. Another rule?â
You glanced back. âWhat rule?â
His eyes held yours for a moment before he looked away, thoughtful. âIf I follow your rules, you follow mine.â
You hesitated, then nodded. âOkay. What are they?â
He counted on his fingers. âOne: No shutting me out when Iâm trying to talk. Two: Eat with me. Every meal. No exceptions.â
You cut in, âHold up. Our schedules wonât always allow that.â
Jay nodded, adjusting. âFair. When we can, then. And threeâŚâ
You waited, curiosity piqued.
âNo secrets between us. If somethingâs bothering you, you come to me first. No hiding behind closed doors or locked phones.â
His gaze was intense, searching.
You swallowed, voice soft but firm. âThatâs invading privacy.â
Jayâs expression softened, realizing heâd pushed too far. He ran a hand through his hair. âYouâre right. Maybe too much. How about a compromise?â
âCompromise?â you echoed.
âInstead of âno secrets,â how about âno major secretsâ? If something really matters, you tell me. Small stuffâpersonal thoughtsâyou keep.â
You stiffened, guarding a secret too big to reveal.
Jay noticed, voice gentle. âIs that a deal-breaker?â
You hesitated, then nodded. âDeal.â
Jay smiled, unaware heâd just made a pact with a secret fangirl. âGreat. So, no major secrets, meals together when possible, and you stop shutting me out.â
You nodded. âExactly.â
He glanced at you, eyes softening. âIf Iâm talking, you listen. No shutting down.â
You cut him off, âWe should try to make this work.â
Jay smiled at your bluntness. âYeah. Rule four: No judging each otherâs weird habits.â
You smiled, recalling his quirks from videos youâd secretly watched. âWeâll see about that.â
Jay laughed softly. âOkay. No judging⌠except maybe music taste?â
âMy taste is quite good,â you teased, knowing it matched his own.
âOh really?â He raised an eyebrow. âBetter than mine?â
âGuess youâll find out another time.â You smirked, slipping back into your room.
Jay lingered in the hallway, amusement and curiosity swirling. âSheâs hiding something,â he muttered, grinning. âAnd Iâm going to find out what it is.