Jaywalks007

So that’s how you ended up here. Alone, in bed, sprawled out in a star fish pose, with your blanket kicked to the end of the bed. It was around 3 am and Riki still wasn’t home yet. You couldn’t sleep until he got home.

It wasn’t about distrust, or that you feared sleeping alone. It was worry. The concern that something happened to him on the way home, or even at the party was heavy enough that you couldn’t get a hint of sleep.

Just as you were deep in a sleep-deprived spiral about something, the door opened and the sound of keys cluttering filled the atmosphere. Crawling out of bed, you went to check the noise with a small, adoring smile playing on your lips.

The sight that greeted you cast a warmth to spread in your chest from affection.

Your boyfriend was leaning down, to get the keys he just dropped. His hair was messy, like he ran a hand through it one too many times. When he noticed you, the nonchalance he used with his friends melted off him. Leaving a tipsy twenty-one-year-old, who was happy to finally see his girlfriend again.

“Hey babe. I missed you. The party was so boring without you.” He moved his arm to hug your waist, burying his face in your neck, inhaling your scent then letting out a sigh of relief.

You could feel and scent the alcohol, making him softer, but no less attentive.

After placing his stuff down, and having a bit of small talk, you decided both of you were too tired to continue the conversation tonight, so you moved to get ready for bed.

While he was busy changing, you brought a cup of water and painkillers to the bedside table in case of morning headaches.

As you were brushing your teeth, he came up behind you and wrapped you in a hug again. His chin resting on the top of your head. “How is your head, pretty?” the caring and worry in his voice made your heart flutter.

Even while drunk he cared about your health first.

“Better, now it’s barely there. Still, I wouldn’t have been fun at the party if I went.” you locked eyes with him in the mirror.

After he also brushed his teeth, and washed his face, he turned you to face him. Pulling you into a tight hug. You could still smell the faint scent of alcohol on him. “You’re always fun. I was being serious though” he paused for a beat. “The party was pretty lame without you.”

He kissed the top of your head gently, then gently took your hand to lead you back to bed.

He fell into bed first, pulling you with him, so you landed on top of him. He cupped your cheeks softly and pressed a sweet, loving kiss on your lips. The warmth of his body added to the heat already in the room was a lot to say the least. Yet you didn’t care anymore; all that mattered was that Riki was here. Safe, content, and soft in your arms.

“How boring was it here without me?” he joked lightly, keeping his voice low.

“Very” you replied dramatically just to continue the banter.

A few quiet minutes passed, and you were just about to fall asleep when he spoke up.

“Never make me go alone again.” He muttered against your hair, his thumb tracing little circles into your shoulder. Grounding both you and himself.

“Okay” you responded quietly, kissing the soft skin of his neck.

“Promise?”

“Pinky promise.” you said with a certainty that made him hum in approval.

Soon both of you were deeply asleep, finally in each other's arms again. The chaotic entry has now settled into a warm bubble of shared moments, and warm love wrapping around you like a blanket.

And summer has only begun.

by Hana

Sometimes during the fighting you would get distracted by some things, like how a lot of people are staring at you, how the fight is starting to lose the actual plot, or because of how handsome he looked when he was annoyed, how perfectly his hair fell in his eyes after he ran a hand through it — which happened surprisingly often. More recently you started noticing how a playful glint always lit up in his eyes when you started arguing. And maybe, just maybe you started picking fights more often just to see that familiar spark in those near-black beauties. Everyone had secrets, and your secret was the growing crush on your academic rival. As long as you kept that secret to yourself nothing bad could happen, no one would get hurt and you could definitely do that. Except it started to get harder to keep up the act of annoyance, the eye rolls that felt fake, the hidden smiles after class, the suppressed shiver that crawled up your neck whenever his knee bumped yours under the desk. But what hurt most was the sight of him at parties all laid back, dressed in casual clothes with one arm around a random girl’s waist who was enjoying herself a bit too much under the spotlight that is his attention.

So you did what you did best, distracted yourself.

Drank one more cup of whatever punch Sunghoon made, laughed at a random guy’s joke - whose name you didn’t remember - while batting your eyelashes.

Since it usually worked that was the plan for tonight’s party too. Pre-gaming at Yunjin’s with your close friends and having fun while the night was still young. 

You got to the party late - but fashionably as always - it was safe to say you were tipsy. The gathering was in full swing when Karina laced her arm through yours talking about finally making a move on her crush of three years. You didn’t even bother knocking knowing very well that even if you did no one would hear it nor care. 

It was Jake who noticed you first, nodding at you with an easy smile before turning his attention back to whatever Niki was telling him. Since you weren’t drunk enough for that group of guys you decided to head to the makeshift bar in the corner, already getting used to the scent of sweaty bodies and alcohol.

You were pouring yourself a drink when you noticed the tall, muscular frame that recently started appearing in your dreams. He was leaning against a doorway looking down at a pretty girl that was basically throwing herself at him. You fought back a scoff as you drowned the contents of your red plastic cup, before finding Giselle and dragging her to the dance floor. 

Getting lost in the rhythmic thump of the bass was your other way of forgetting about him, or anyone really.

While twirling Giselle around you felt a pair of hands on your waist from behind, polite but demanding attention. You turned your head to see who it was only to find Jake standing there with a grin on his face.

“Dance with me” the words were more of a demand than an answer but you didn’t complain as you turned to face him fully. Behind you Giselle muttered something about getting a drink before leaving. 

Wrapping your arms around his neck you lifted your gaze up to his face. “What’s with the sudden urge to dance? Though you didn’t like embarrassing yourself in front of the whole year.” You joked, but there was genuine curiosity laced into the question.

His head dropped forward as he let out what sounded a lot like a huff instead of a laugh. “Just thought you would like the company… and the help”

“Help?”

“Come on, Y/n. Don’t act like you don’t want to make Jay jealous.” He said in your ear lowly just so you can hear.

Just how did he know about that? You were about to stutter out some excuse when he beat you to it. “laugh like I said something really funny, while I talk, yeah?” His accent heavy over the murmured words that left his mouth. “Okay, before you ask, no I’m not a mind reader. But really what did you expect? That me, the guy who witnesses all the excuse fighting you two do wouldn’t find out?”

You averted your gaze from his face, to look over his shoulder, your attention getting caught on the before mentioned guy who was now leaning against the wall eyeing your pair. “You cannot tell anyone. I would die if he, or anyone found out.” He just chuckled at that, before responding.

 The only problem was that you didn’t comprehend what that was because just then he caught your eyes. Jay’s eyes held a quiet challenge in them, like he was daring you to lean closer to Jake - which you did just to see his reaction, which was definitely worth it seeing as it sent his brows furrowing, his jaw ticking slightly and his fist clenching. 

“Spin me” you asked, to which your dance partner reacted immediately to, by completing your request, when you arrived back against his hard body, Jay was nowhere to be found.

You were just starting to feel something along the lines of relief and disappointment when a low familiar voice spoke from behind you. “Hey man, think I could steal her?” 

Jake just winked at you and mouthed ‘good luck’ before disappearing into the crowd. 

“What?” you tried your best to sound irritated, only to find yourself front faced with a pair of dark, cold yet so heated eyes that you almost reached out to steady yourself. 

“Jake? Really? that's the best you can do?” The scoff that followed was full of things that were left unsaid - at least for now. 

You looked down at your nails trying - and failing - to look bored and annoyed, “I’m not doing this tonight, m’going home. What’s it to you anyway?” You turned if not for something else just to hide the blush that grew on your cheeks from the heavy gaze that was his.

He followed without a word waiting until you were out of the house, to draw less attention.

“Nothing I just thought you would try harder to find someone to make me jealous with than my best friend” that made you stop in your tracks, the cold breeze caressing your face, a huge contrast to the fire burning inside you right now. 

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me!” He started raising his voice, his composure slipping by the second.

“You arrogant, self-centered jerk” you spat, not meaning a single syllable knowing very well how right he was. “Do you really think I was dancing with Jake because of you?” You stepped closer pointing your finger at him. 

“Think so? No, sweetheart I know so! You’re doing the same thing as I-” he cut himself off, panic settling on his face. “Either way it’s childish, thinking that will work.”

“Finish that sentence.” You demanded calmly. 

He ran a hand through his hair, looking away angrily - though you didn’t know if it was because he was angry at you or himself. “Do you know how hard it is to see you at every party, flirting and getting drunk on the trashy attention those good for nothing guys offer you? Knowing that I-” He went quiet, seemingly trying to calm himself. 

“Like you don’t do the same thing, don’t talk down to me like I’m the one in the wrong here! You lean in, you flirt, you wrap them around your finger then what? Take them home? Make sure they get the best makeout or god knows what of their lives?” 

“You just don’t get it, do you?” he asks, surprisingly calmly for someone who was shouting a minute ago. 

“Get what?” you sigh, starting to get visibly irritated at his antics.

He just sighs pacing a bit, but not answering.

“Get what Jay?!” You all but yell, trying to figure out what he’s trying to say.

“That I love you! Okay?! I do, I really fucking do! I tried to ignore it, pretend that everything is normal, that you’re just some annoying girl in my class who is too stubborn for her own good and can’t accept defeat. But instead of it all going away it just got worse with each eye roll and unnecessary sass. So I tried to do something about it, flirted with girls who were willing, went to all the parties that were thrown, drowned myself in my studies, I even joined the photography club for god’s sake! But it didn’t work, nothing worked, not the studying, not the parties and definitely not the girls. Because every time one of them touched my arm or caressed my jaw, while I closed my eyes I just kept hoping that when I opened them you would be the one standing there. Smiling at me with that perfect smile, looking at me like I was the only person in the world. But that didn’t come, it never did. Yet I just kept hoping and hoping.”

He goes quiet for a moment. His chest heaving like he just ran a marathon. “So when I saw you dancing with Jake, I thought I would combust if I didn’t do something about it.” He steps closer, his cologne filling your senses. He lifts his hand to caress your cheek, but instead lets it hover before dropping it completely. 

“Because I love you so much that I don’t know what to do with it aside from saying it to you. Out loud.” His confession hangs in the air sitting heavily in the silence between you. 

For a second you don’t say anything just staring at him, searching his face for any hint that he’s lying. Yet you don't find anything other than raw, unguarded honesty “Say something, please.” He pleads quietly, his eyes wandering your face like committing it to memory. 

“Come here, lover boy” with that you grab his collar and crash your lips against his. The kiss is searing and all consuming, - his hands wandering your body learning all the perfect places he can rest them, while you just slip your fingers into his hair tugging slightly as if to pull him closer - by the time you pull apart you’re both breathless smiling widely. 

“What does that mean?” he asks quietly, his tone full of teasing.

“What do you think, idiot?” you lean in to kiss him again, this one much softer than the first, yet it still steals your breath. With the world still spinning, you lace your fingers through his own, before starting to walk towards your house pulling him along.

“I’m still mad about you trying to make me jealous” he starts, but you just cut him off with a quiet laugh, nudging his shoulder gently.

“Don’t ruin the moment” 

The conversation flows on the way home, your body still buzzing with the alcohol and adrenaline left in your system. Behind you the party continues, maybe Karina finally made her move and Jake found someone to dance with - for real this time. And when you finally do get home, kisses are shared and maybe some other things happen too but only those know who were there, in that cocoon of heated love that only comes alive, when two secrets of the same origin finally surface.

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