bf!james : who absolutely melts whenever you play with his hair. He’ll pretend he’s still watching the movie, but within five minutes his eyes are closed and he’s leaning into your hand like it’s the most relaxing thing in the world. If you stop, he’ll mumble, “…why’d you stop?” without even opening his eyes.

bf!james : who randomly sends you pictures throughout the day with absolutely zero context. A cloud shaped like a heart. His coffee. A cat sleeping outside. A blurry selfie where half his face is missing. When you ask why he sent them, he simply replies, “Wanted you to see what I’m seeing.”

bf!james : who always notices the tiny things. You tied your hair differently? He noticed. You switched perfumes? He noticed. You’re quieter than usual? He noticed before you even realized it yourself. He’ll gently bump your shoulder and ask, “You okay?” because he can somehow read you better than anyone else.

bf!james : who loves stealing little moments with you. Waiting for the elevator? He’s holding your hand. Standing in line? He’s leaning against your shoulder. Walking together? Somehow your fingers are already intertwined before you even realize it.

bf!james : who playfully argues over absolutely everything just to hear you defend yourself. “Brownies only taste better with vanilla ice cream.” “It literally doesn’t.” “Convince me.” He isn’t trying to win. He just loves watching you get animated while explaining your point.

bf!james : who immediately reaches for your hand whenever you look overwhelmed in crowded places. He doesn’t make a big deal out of it. He just quietly threads his fingers through yours and gently leads you through the crowd, giving your hand a reassuring squeeze every few steps.

bf!james : who secretly loves when you wear his hoodies or just his clothes overall, Every single time he notices one missing, he already knows where it went. Instead of asking for it back, he’ll grin and say, “Guess I have to come see you if I ever want that hoodie back.”

bf!james : who cannot stay fake mad at you for more than five minutes. You’ll catch him trying to keep a serious face, only for him to crack the second you smile at him. “…Don’t do that.” “Do what?” “…Be cute when I’m trying to be upset.”

bf!james : who always walks you to your door, even if it’s late and even if he has somewhere to be. He waits until you’re safely inside before leaving, and without fail, your phone lights up thirty seconds later.

James💗: “Made it inside?”

You: “Yes 😭 you literally watched me go in.”

bf!keonho : who acts like he’s totally unbothered when someone flirts with you… until they walk away. Suddenly he’s standing really close, an arm draped over your shoulders, asking with the sweetest smile, “So… what were they talking to you about?” like he wasn’t listening the entire time.

bf!keonho : who gets clingier the moment he hasn’t seen you all day. He doesn’t even greet you properly. He just walks over, wraps his arms around you, and refuses to let go for at least five minutes while mumbling, “You ignored me.” You literally answered his text fifteen minutes ago.

bf!keonho : who loves annoying you because your reactions are priceless. He steals your phone, hides your hair ties, randomly pokes your cheeks, and pretends to be sad whenever you get mad at him for annoying you.

bf!keonho : who always walks on the side closest to the road without thinking about it. If it’s crowded, his hand finds yours instantly, gently guiding you through the people while making sure you don’t get pushed around.

bf!keonho : who is convinced your snacks are automatically his… but somehow all of his food is also yours. He’ll steal a fry off your plate with a smug grin, then two seconds later hand you the last bite of his dessert because, “You looked at it.”

bf!keonho : who absolutely melts whenever you’re sleepy. Your voice gets quieter, your eyes start closing, and suddenly he’s fixing your blanket, brushing your hair away from your face, and telling everyone else to keep their voices down.

bf!keonho : who fake argues with you over the dumbest things. Whether cereal belongs before milk or pineapple belongs on pizza, he’ll defend the most ridiculous opinion with his entire soul just because seeing you passionately argue back makes him laugh.

bf!keonho : who gets adorably jealous of your attention… even over your pet. He’ll watch your dog happily laying on your lap before dramatically sighing, “Guess I’ll just sit over here since someone already took my spot.”

bf!keonho : who can’t resist touching you in little ways. Pinkies linked while walking. His hand resting on your knee in the car. Absentmindedly playing with your fingers while you’re talking. It’s never anything dramatic. He just likes knowing you’re there.

bf!keonho : who is the first one to notice when your smile isn’t real. Everyone else thinks you’re okay, but he’s already leaning down to quietly ask, “Want to get out of here?” because he knows you well enough to tell.

bf!keonho : who loses every pillow fight because he spends half the time laughing at you instead of actually defending himself. Then the second you celebrate your victory, he tackles you into the softest hug, proudly declaring himself the winner anyway.

bf!keonho : who immediately gets offended if you carry anything heavy. Grocery bags? Give them here. Backpack? He’s already putting it on his shoulder. “I got it,” he says, even if he’s now carrying four bags and looking one trip away from collapsing.

bf!keonho : who gets embarrassed whenever his friends tease him about how obvious it is that he’s whipped. They’ll point out the way he’s staring at you, and he’ll immediately look away, muttering, “I’m literally not,” while his ears slowly turn pink.

bf!keonho : who randomly sends you pictures throughout the day with captions like, “This reminded me of you,” “Look at this cat,” or simply, “Miss you.” Half of them make absolutely no sense, but they always make you smile.

bf!keonho : who absolutely refuses to let you walk home alone at night. If he can’t be there himself, he’ll stay on the phone with you the whole way until you tell him you’re safely inside.

The dream of studying abroad in Korea had lived in your head for years.

Every time another TikTok popped up on your For You Page showing girls laughing with their new friends, exploring Seoul at night, eating convenience store food after class, or filming aesthetic campus vlogs, a familiar feeling settled in your chest.

You’d scroll through hundreds of comments filled with people saying things like, “Best year of my life,” or “Studying abroad changed me forever.” Every single one made you wish you had that life instead of yours.

Your own school life couldn’t have been more different. It wasn’t that you had no friends. You did.

But they always had someone they’d choose before you.You were everyone’s second option.

The friend they’d text when nobody else was available.The one who got invited only if someone else canceled.It hurt more than being alone.

To make things worse, you never really fit in with the people around you. While everyone else spent weekends partying, smoking, and drinking, you stayed home. Sure, you were curious sometimes, but your parents would absolutely lose it if they ever found out.

Speaking of your parents… They were also unbelievably strict. They barely let you hang out with friends. Walking to the convenience store five minutes away somehow turned into a full interrogation all the time .

“Where are you going?” , “Who are you meeting?”

“How long will you be gone?”

It was exhausting.

They still treated you like a little kid even though you weren’t one anymore. Some nights you lay awake wondering if anything would ever change.Would your friendships ever feel real?Would your parents finally trust you?.

Would life stop feeling like the exact same day replaying over and over again? School. Home. Homework. Sleep. Repeat.

You wanted something different. Anything different. A new place, New people, A new version of yourself.

Lost in your thoughts, you realized you’d been reading the comments under the same TikTok for almost fifteen minutes. Then one comment caught your eye.

“If anyone wants to study abroad in Korea for a year, DM me! I can help you get there. It won’t cost a lot, either. If you’re serious about changing your life, message me and we’ll make it happen.”

Your heart skipped. This is it. The universe is finally listening. Without thinking twice, you clicked on the user’s profile and sent them a message explaining how badly you wanted to study in Korea.

For a split second, the thought of getting scammed crossed your mind… But something about this felt strangely genuine. Four hours later, your phone buzzed.

They had replied.

The two of you spent hours chatting. They asked why you wanted to study abroad, what your goals were, and what your life was like. Eventually, they explained everything. Apparently, a friend of theirs living in Korea had helped create something called the International Travel Program for Students.

Every year, foreign students could apply to spend one year studying in Korea. Only one hundred students would be accepted out of millions of applicants. Those selected would receive housing with a Korean host family, meals, and a monthly allowance while attending school.

It almost sounded too good to be true. Still…

You agreed immediately. The person submitted your application that same day. Days turned into weeks.

Weeks turned into months. Every morning you checked your email.

Nothing.

Every night before bed you hoped tomorrow would finally be the day. Eventually, checking became part of your daily routine.

Then…

One evening, while eating dinner with your parents, your phone vibrated. A new email. The sender was unfamiliar. You almost deleted it, assuming it was another promotional email.Then you noticed one small detail.

Location: Republic of Korea.

Your stomach flipped. Hands shaking, you opened the email and scanned the first few lines.

Halfway through… Your eyes froze.“Congratulations…” No way. You kept reading faster. “…you have been selected as one of the one hundred students accepted into this year’s International Travel Program for Students.”

Silence Then “Oh my God!” You shot out of your chair so fast it nearly tipped over.

“I GOT IN!”

You jumped around the dining room, laughing and screaming while your parents stared at you in complete confusion. “Y/N!” your dad exclaimed. “Sit down! The neighbors downstairs are going to complain again!” “What happened?” your mom asked, worried. “Is everything okay?”

Breathing heavily, you shoved your phone toward them. “I got accepted to study abroad in Korea!”

Your parents looked at each other. Then back at you. “What?” your mom blinked. “How did this even happen? ”For a brief second you Panic.

There was no way you could explain the random TikTok comment. So you lied. “My school nominated me,” you said confidently. “Because of my grades. They picked me for this international program.”

The lie rolled off your tongue far easier than you expected. Your parents ofc immediately believed it.

Your mother’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, sweetheart…” She stood up and wrapped you in the tightest hug. “I’m so proud of you, I always knew you’d accomplish something amazing.”

Your dad smiled proudly, giving you a pat on the shoulder. “Looks like all that studying paid off y/n ”

Guilt pricked at your chest. But it was quickly drowned out by excitement. Once everyone settled down, you looked back at the email.

At the very bottom was one final sentence. Departure Date: Five days from today, Five days.

That was it, Five days until your entire life changed.

Without another word, you sprinted upstairs and threw open your bedroom closet. Suitcases, Clothes, Chargers, Books. Anything you thought you’d need It didn’t matter that you still had five days. The sooner you packed, the sooner it would feel real

For the first time in years… You weren’t dreading tomorrow, You couldn’t wait for it. A brand-new country, A brand-new school, A brand-new life.

Even if it only lasted one year…

Time Skip: The Day of the Trip

You woke up feeling exhausted since your excitement had gotten the best of you the night before, and you barely got any sleep. Reaching for your phone, you checked the time and immediately shot up.

Only two hours left.

You rushed to the bathroom, quickly brushing your teeth before jumping into the shower. Once you finished, you hurried back to your room and put on your favorite outfit. A few minutes later, your mom called from downstairs.

“Y/N! Come on! Dad already put your suitcase in the car with the rest of your things!”

“I’m coming!”

Grabbing your backpack, you rushed downstairs, your heart pounding with excitement. This was finally happening.

During the drive to the airport, your mind wandered as you stared out the window.

How many new friends am I going to make?

Will my host family be nice?

What if the language barrier ruins everything?

A thousand thoughts raced through your head so fast that you didn’t even realize you’d completely zoned out.

“Y/N?”

You blinked.

“Sweetheart, are you okay?” your mom asked. “I’ve been calling your name for the past minute.”

You looked over at her and smiled softly.

“Yeah… I’m okay. Just thinking about how everything’s going to be from now on.”

She smiled warmly.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. Everything is going to work out. You’re amazing, so don’t stress yourself too much, okay?” You nodded , “Okay, Mom.”

Before you knew it, you had already arrived at the airport.You climbed out of the car and rushed to the trunk to grab your bags. After your parents helped you unload everything, the three of you walked inside together.

They helped you check in your luggage, print your boarding pass, and make sure you had everything you needed before walking you over to security.

You turned around one last time.Both of your parents stood there waving.

Your mom already had tears in her eyes, and your dad looked like he was trying his hardest not to cry.

A lump formed in your throat, You smiled through the tears beginning to fill your own eyes and waved back.

No matter how strict and overprotective they could be… They were still your parents, And you loved them.

After making it through security, you wandered through the airport until you finally found your gate.

Noticing an empty seat right next to a charging outlet made you smile. “My phone is literally about to die,” you muttered.

You plugged it in, set your bags beside you, leaned your head against the chair…and slowly drifted off to sleep.

About two hours later, you felt someone gently tapping your shoulder, Your eyes flew open.

Standing in front of you was the same elderly couple you’d seen earlier, The older woman smiled kindly.

“Oh, thank goodness you’re awake, sweetheart. Boarding is about to begin.”Your eyes widened.

“Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for waking me up. I seriously appreciate it.” She chuckled.“You’re very welcome.”You quickly grabbed your bags and hurried into the boarding line.

About fifteen minutes later, it was finally your turn.

The airline employee scanned your passport and boarding pass before asking a few routine questions about your trip and why you were traveling to Korea.

Even though you thought some of the questions were a little unnecessary, you answered them politely, After handing everything back, she smiled.

“Enjoy your flight.”

“Thank you.”

You stepped onto the plane, unable to stop smiling.

Thank goodness I got a first-class seat, you thought.There’s no way I’d survive a fourteen-hour flight sitting in economy.

You found your seat, stored your carry-on in the overhead compartment, slipped off your shoes, and changed into the complimentary slippers provided by the flight attendants.As passengers continued boarding, your thoughts began racing again.

This was the longest flight you’d ever taken…

And the first time you’d ever flown this far completely alone.You turned toward the window, watching the airport workers load everyone’s luggage.

A moment later, you heard voices beside you.

You turned to see…The same elderly couple.

You laughed softly.“What are the chances?”

The older woman smiled. “Looks like we’re seatmates.”

“I’m actually really glad,” you admitted. “Thank you again for waking me up earlier.” The couple smiled before asking you questions about yourself, why you were traveling to Korea, and what you planned to do there.

You answered each one politely, enjoying the conversation.Eventually, the cabin became quieter.

You turned back toward the window.The sky stretched endlessly above you.

This is it.

Everything I’ve been dreaming about starts now.

As the plane lifted into the air, you watched the city slowly disappear beneath the clouds Before long…

You drifted back to sleep.

Hours later, you woke up needing to use the bathroom.You quietly excused yourself and made your way toward the back of the plane.After finishing, you glanced at yourself in the mirror.

“…Yikes.”

Your mascara was smudged.

Your lip liner had faded.

Your hair looked like you’d been struck by lightning.

Embarrassed, you quickly fixed your makeup, brushed your hair, and took a deep breath before walking back to your seat. Once you sat down, you checked your phone.

Only two hours until landing.

Your eyes widened “Did I seriously sleep that long?”

Then your stomach growled loudly You froze.

You hadn’t eaten since breakfast The elderly woman beside you laughed softly “You missed breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” she teased. “Good thing I packed snacks.”

She reached into her bag and handed you several Korean snacksYour face lit up “Thank you so much!”

She smiled warmly “You’ll need your energy.”

You happily ate everything she gave you before thanking her again.

With only about an hour left in the flight, you decided to watch a movie on the screen in front of you.Time flew by.Before you realized it, the plane had already begun descendingYou lifted the window shade.

Your breath caughtBelow you stretched a city unlike anything you’d ever seenTowering buildings,Tiny cars moving through busy streets,Bridges crossing the river.

Rows of apartment buildings stretching toward the horizonYour heart pounded, “I’m really here”.

A few minutes later, the flight attendant made the landing announcement.“We’ve arrived in Seoul. Please remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete stop.”

As soon as the seatbelt sign turned off, everyone began gathering their belongings.You grabbed your backpack, slipped your shoes back on, and followed everyone off the plane.The moment you stepped outside…Fresh air brushed against your face.

It smelled faintly like sweet bread and coffee.

You looked around the airport, completely overwhelmed Everything was new, Everything felt different.

You simply followed the crowd until you reached immigration and collected your suitcase, Finally, after making it through the airport, you turned your phone back on.

Within seconds, notifications flooded your screen.

Mom: 1 new message

+82…: 2 new messages

Mom:

“Hey, sweetheart! Please let me know when you land, okay? Stay safe. We love you so much. Make sure you eat well and get enough sleep. ❤️”

You smiled.

Then you opened the second conversation.

+82…:

“Hello, Y/N! This is Mrs. Eom. I’ll be your host mother while you’re staying in Korea. Please give me a call once you’ve landed. We’re waiting for you at the airport, sweetheart!”

My host family… You couldn’t help smiling, wait because How did they even get my number?

Without wasting another second, you pressed the call button.

She answered almost immediately. “Hello, Y/N! How was your flight?”, “It was really good! Just really long.”

She laughed.

“I can imagine. Where are you right now?”

You looked around before describing your location and what you were standing near.“Perfect,” she replied. “Stay right there. We’re already inside the airport. We’ll be there in just a few minutes.”

Before hanging up, she asked you what you were wearing so they could recognize you.

A couple minutes later…

You suddenly heard someone shouting from across the terminal.

“HEY, Y/N!!”

You turned around just in time to see a girl around your age sprinting toward you. Before you could react… She wrapped you in a huge hug that nearly knocked you over.

You stood there in complete confusion, She quickly stepped back. “Oh my gosh! Sorry!” she laughed. “I forgot to introduce myself!”

She smiled brightly. “My name’s Eom Iseo. I’m your host sister!”

Realization hit you.

“Ohhh! Hi!”

You laughed before hugging her properly this time.

It’s so nice to finally meet you.” She grinned.

“You too!”

A few seconds later, a woman and a man walked over, both smiling warmly.

“Hello, Y/N,” the woman said kindly. “I’m Mrs. Eom.”

“And I’m Mr. Eom.”

They both gave you warm hugs that instantly made you feel welcome. “Let us help you with your luggage, sweetheart,” Mrs. Eom said.

Before you could protest, Mr. Eom had already picked up your suitcase while Mrs. Eom grabbed another bag.Together, the four of you made your way toward the parking garage.

Once they loaded everything into the trunk, you climbed into the car.As the doors closed behind you, it finally sank in.You weren’t dreaming anymore.

For the next year…

Korea was home.

You finally arrived at the Eom family’s house.

As the car pulled into the driveway, your eyes widened. This house is huge…

These people have to be rich, you thought to yourself. Mr. Eom parked the car, and everyone climbed out. The moment your feet touched the ground, Iseo hurried over to your side with an excited grin.

“This is our house!” she said, spreading her arms dramatically. “Welcomeeee~!”

You couldn’t help but laugh.

Mrs. Eom unlocked the front door before calling into the house. “Seonghyeon! Come downstairs and greet our new family member! And help your father bring in the suitcases, please!”

You looked at Iseo in confusion.

“Seonghyeon?” She nodded.

“Oh, yeah! That’s my older brother. He’s your age.”

“Your brother?” “Yep!” she said cheerfully. “He couldn’t come to the airport with us because of some personal stuff, but don’t worry. He’s really chill.”

Before you could ask anything else, you heard footsteps coming from upstairs.You looked toward the staircase.A tall guy slowly walked down, wearing a gray hoodie, baggy black jeans, and a black beanie pulled over his hair.

He was easily much taller than you.

As soon as he reached the bottom step, his eyes met yours.For a brief moment, neither of you looked away.Then he walked over and stopped in front of you.

“Hey,” he said with a small smile. “Y/N, right?”

He held out his hand. That’s when you noticed the cast wrapped around one of his fingers.

You hesitated for a second before gently shaking his hand, careful not to hurt him.

“Oh… yeah. Hi.” You smiled awkwardly.

“It’s me.”“…Seonghyeon, right?” He chuckled softly.

“Yeah.” “Nice to meet you, Y/N.”

He held your gaze for another second before letting go of your hand.A tiny smirk appeared on his face before he turned around and headed outside to help his dad with the luggage.

You watched him leave.

“Y/N!”

Iseo suddenly grabbed your wrist.

“Come on! Let me show you your room!”

She practically dragged you upstairs before stopping in front of a bedroom next to hers.

“This is your room.” She slowly opened the door.

“…Well… for now.”

You peeked inside. The room was nice, but there were clearly signs that someone was still using it.

A hoodie was thrown across a chair.A few books were stacked on the desk.And a pair of sneakers sat by the closet.Iseo laughed awkwardly.

“Ignore the mess.”

“My brother’s staying here for a couple of days, but don’t worry! He’s leaving back tomorrow, so after that this room is completely yours.”

She pointed toward the room next door.

“Tonight, you’ll just sleep with me.”

“Oh…”

You nodded before another question popped into your head.

“Wait…”

“You said your brother doesn’t live here?” “Oh!” Iseo laughed. “I forgot to mention that.”

“He doesn’t.”

You blinked.

“But… isn’t he my age? I thought people usually stayed with their parents longer here.” She shrugged.“He doesn’t live alone.”

“He has an apartment with some of his friends.”

“Oh…” you said still confused

You nodded thoughtfully, “I didn’t know that.”

“Yep!” she smiled. “Anyway, enough about him.”

She clapped her hands together.“Let’s bring your luggage upstairs first.”

The two of you headed back downstairs just as Mr. Eom and Seonghyeon carried the last few suitcases inside. Without saying much, Seonghyeon picked up two of your heavier bags and carried them upstairs.

As he walked past you, your eyes met for just a second.

He gave you a small wink before disappearing down the hallway, You couldn’t help but wonder about him.He seemed… quiet, Different.

But before you could think about it any longer, Iseo grabbed your arm again. “Come on!”

The two of you finished unpacking your things into her room for the night.Once everything was inside, she flopped onto her bed and looked at you with a huge smile.“Okay!”

She pointed at you dramatically, “I need to know everything.”, “What kind of stuff do you like?”

“Who’s your favorite artist?”, “What’s your favorite food?”, “Do you watch K-dramas?”, “And don’t leave out any details.” She laughed excitedly.

“Tell me everything about yourself, ASAP!”

As you started talking about your interests and the things you liked, Iseo immediately started agreeing with almost everything you said, occasionally blurting out the most random comments that made you laugh. The conversation flowed so naturally that before you knew it, an hour had already passed.

Even while laughing with Iseo, Seonghyeon stayed in the back of your mind. What teenager lives with his friends instead of his parents? Did his parents just… not care?

And why didn’t he come to the airport? Sure, his finger was injured, but was that really the reason?

You caught yourself overthinking and quickly pushed the thoughts away.

Maybe it wasn’t your business.

After unpacking your suitcase, you set your pajamas and shower things aside. It was already around 9 p.m., and after such a long flight, all you wanted was a hot shower. “I’ll be back,” you smiled at Iseo before leaving the room.

As you walked toward the bathroom, the door suddenly opened.

Seonghyeon stepped out.

His damp black hair clung to his forehead, tiny drops of water slowly trailing down his neck before disappearing beneath the collar of his oversized shirt. The room instantly smelled like fresh soap.

For a second, neither of you moved.

His tired eyes met yours before a small smile spread across his face.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, stepping aside to let you pass.

“It’s okay.”

You tried to walk past him, but the hallway suddenly felt way too small. Your shoulders nearly brushed, forcing both of you to awkwardly stop for a split second. “You can go first,” he said quietly.

“No, you’re fine.”

Another awkward pause.

He let out a small chuckle before finally squeezing past you. “Goodnight… for now.”

Your heart did something weird.

“…Goodnight.”

You stood there for another second after he disappeared downstairs. Why was your heart beating so fast? Shaking your head, you went into the bathroom and took your shower.

After you finished getting ready for bed, you headed downstairs to grab some cold water. The hot shower had somehow made you even thirstier.

You grabbed a glass, filled it with ice and water, then leaned against the kitchen island while quietly looking around the house.

A photo held up by a magnet on the refrigerator caught your attention.

It was Seonghyeon.

Standing beside four other boys.

The picture looked professionally taken, everyone smiling like they had known each other forever.

You couldn’t help but stare.

He looked… different.

Happier.

You were so focused on the picture that you didn’t notice someone walking into the kitchen.

A warm hand rested lightly against your waist.

“Excuse me.”

You nearly dropped your glass.

“Oh my gosh!”

You spun around so fast your heart almost jumped out of your chest. Seonghyeon immediately pulled his hand away. “Sorry,” he laughed softly. “You were blocking the cabinet.”

Your cheeks instantly burned.

“No! I’m sorry… I didn’t even realize I was standing there.”

His eyes stayed on your face for a second longer than they probably should have.

“It’s okay.”

He grabbed a cup and filled it with water before leaning against the counter beside you.

Silence settled between the two of you.

Not awkward.

Just… quiet.

You couldn’t help but glance over.

His Adam’s apple moved as he drank, strands of wet hair falling into his eyes.Almost as if he could feel you staring, he slowly turned his head.

Your eyes met.You looked away so fast it was embarrassing, A quiet laugh escaped him.

“Were you looking at the picture?”

You glanced back at the fridge.

“…Maybe.”

“They’re my friends.”

“The ones you live with?”

He nodded.

“They’re annoying.”

You smiled.

“But… I guess they’re family.”

Something about the way he said it made your chest tighten, Like there was more to the story.

You wanted to ask.But before you could, he pushed himself off the counter.

“Have you been to a convenience store here yet?”

You blinked.

“No.”

“Wanna come with me?”

“…Right now?”

“I want coffee.”

You looked down at your pajamas.

“I’m literally wearing pajamas.”

He laughed.

“So?”

“I am not going outside like this.”

“You’ll be fine.”

He pulled on a hoodie before slipping a black mask over his face, You frowned. “It’s so hot outside. Why are you wearing all that?”

He froze for the smallest second before casually shrugging.

“I don’t really like being recognized.”

Recognized?

Before you could ask what he meant, he had already opened the front door.

“You coming?”

Curiosity got the better of you.

“…Fine.”

The walk to the convenience store was surprisingly nice. The streets were quiet, the warm summer air wrapping around both of you.

He asked you about home, your hobbies, your favorite foods, and even your music taste.

Every answer somehow led to another conversation.

Talking to him felt… easy.

Like you’d known him longer than a day.

When you reached the convenience store, he headed toward the coffee machines.

“Grab whatever you want.”

“You sure?”

He nodded without hesitation.

Big mistake.

Everything looked so good.

Half the snacks you’d only ever seen on TikTok were actually sitting on the shelves in front of you.

By the time you finished, your arms were completely full. When you walked back over, Seonghyeon looked at the mountain of snacks before looking at you.

“…You’re serious.”

You laughed nervously.

“I’ve never had any of these before.”

He shook his head with a smile.

“Cute.”

“…What?”

“Nothing.”

He walked to the register before you could question him.The cashier scanned everything while speaking to him in Korean.

Your eyes drifted to the screen.

₩72,975.50.

“…Wait.”

Your jaw dropped.

“What?!”

Seonghyeon calmly tapped his card.

“You don’t have to…”

“It’s fine.”

“No! That’s like…”

You quickly pulled out your phone.

“I’ll pay you back.”

He looked over at you before laughing.

“It’s only about fifty dollars.”

“Fifty dollars is still fifty dollars!”

He smiled, stuffing the receipt into the bag.

“I wanted to.”

His words caught you off guard.

“…Why?”

He shrugged.

“Because I felt like it.”

There wasn’t a trace of hesitation in his voice.

As if spending that much on someone he’d just met wasn’t a big deal.The walk back felt even shorter.

He told you funny childhood stories about the boys he lived with, making you laugh so hard your stomach hurt.By the time you reached the house, you almost wished the walk had been longer.

You both slipped your shoes off by the front door.

“Thanks… seriously,” you smiled.

He looked over at you.

“Don’t worry about it.”

He grabbed his coffee before turning toward the stairs.

“I hope I see you in the morning.”

“So you can tell me goodbye?”

He nodded.

You hesitated before speaking.

“Seonghyeon…”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you leaving?”

He stopped walking.

For a brief second, he didn’t answer.

Then he smiled.

“I don’t actually live here.”

“I kind of figured.”

“I live with my friends.”

“…For work?”

His eyes flickered with surprise.

“You ask a lot of questions.”

Your face warmed.

“Sorry.”

He chuckled.

“I’ll be gone for a while.”

“A while… like how long?”

“…Long enough.”

It wasn’t really an answer.

You noticed.

He noticed that you noticed.

Another quiet silence settled between you.

Finally, he smiled again.

“But I’ll text my new friend.”

Your heart skipped.

“…New friend?”

“Unless you don’t want to be.”

You smiled without realizing it.

“I think I can live with that.”

“There it is.”

“What?”

“Your smile.”

You blinked.

“It’s nicer when you’re not overthinking.”

Before you could even process what he’d said, he started walking away.

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight…”

He looked over his shoulder one last time.

“And good luck sleeping next to Iseo.”

You laughed.

“Why?”

“She kicks.”

“…Seriously?”

“Oh yea and she kicks hard too.”

You both laughed.

Then he disappeared upstairs, You stood there for another moment, replaying every conversation you’d had with him today.

There was still so much you didn’t know. Why he hid behind a mask,Why he lived with his friends,Why he seemed to avoid answering certain questions.

He was a mystery.

Pushing the thoughts aside, you headed upstairs and climbed into bed beside Iseo.Within minutes, exhaustion pulled you to sleep.

bf!juhoon who becomes an absolute softie the minute it’s just the two of you guys alone. Even if he acts cool around the others, he’s always finding excuses to lean his head on your shoulder, hold your hand, or wrap you in warm, sudden back hug when you least expect it.

bf!juhoon who is dedicated to making you laugh no matter how bad or good your day was. If he notices you're feeling down, he'll start acting ridiculously goofy, telling silly stories, or making silly faces across the room until he finally catches you cracking a smile.

bf!juhoon who always protects and checks on you in public settings. He’s the one who subtly shifts you to the inside of the sidewalk while walking, pulls you out of the way of crowded spaces, and wraps his arm around your waist to keep you close.

bf!juhoon who saves the best bite of whatever he’s eating for you. Without even asking, he’ll cut off the best portion of his meal or give you the last piece of dessert just to watch your face light up when you take a bite.

bf!juhoon whose entire mood brightens the second you walk into the room. His eyes instantly light up, his face breaks into a wide smile, and he drops whatever he’s doing just to welcome you over to sit beside him.

bf!juhoon who gets super proud whenever you wear his clothes. He’ll intentionally "forget" his oversized hoodies or flannel shirts at your place just so he can see you wearing them later, quietly taking a picture of you because he thinks you look adorable in them.

bf!juhoon who becomes your personal hype man during every little victory. Whether you passed a tough test, learned a new skill, or just survived a long week, he just loves making a massive deal out of it.

bf!juhoon who rests his hand on the back of your neck or rubs soft circles into your back whenever you're sitting next to each other. It’s an automatic habit of his that he does whenever he’s relaxed and focused on something else.

bf!juhoon who is surprisingly observant about your mood shifts. He knows your exact "fake fine" voice, and instead of pushing you to talk, he’ll just bring you your favorite drink, wrap a blanket around you, and quietly sit nearby until you're ready to open up.

bf!juhoon who loses his train of thought completely if you make direct eye contact and smile at him while he’s talking. He’ll freeze mid-sentence, blush, and have to laugh off the fact that you completely distracted him without even trying.

bf!juhoon who gets super affectionate during late-night car rides. He’ll drive with one hand on the steering wheel while using his other hand to hold yours over the center console, thumb gently rubbing over the back of your hand the entire way home.

bf!juhoon who picks up on your habits before you even realize them yourself. He’ll automatically buy two of a snack because he knows you’ll want some but end up take a bite of his anyway, or hand you hair ties and lip gloss right when you start looking through your bag for them.

bf!juhoon who can't help but brag about you to his friends. The second you do something cool, creative, or funny, he’s showing everyone his phone with a proud smirk on his face, making sure everyone knows how amazing you are.

bf!juhoon who gets adorably dramatic whenever you tease him. If you give him a playful poke or mock his taste in movies, he’ll gasp, place a hand over his heart like he’s deeply wounded, and demand a kiss as a peace offering to fix it.