the lion

JAY

jay was the guy in your science class who thought he could blend in by keeping his head down. what he didn’t realize was that his nervous habits were endearing: the way he’d mumble answers to himself during group work or adjust his glasses every 30 seconds. he was always sketching random diagrams in his notebook—half for class, half because he was too awkward to make conversation.

you had a crush on him because, despite his shyness, there was something magnetic about the way he focused—his brows furrowing as he sketched diagrams in his notebook, the faintest pout forming on his lips when he was deep in concentration. one time, you caught him organizing the classroom supplies, his long fingers deftly sorting through tape dispensers and markers while muttering something about order.

when you mentioned you liked him, jay blinked at you like he couldn’t comprehend the words. “me? like me, me?” he asked, pointing to himself.

you nodded, trying not to giggle at how wide his eyes had gotten. “yes, you. i think you’re really sweet.”

jay’s face turned a deep shade of red, and he immediately started rambling. “i mean, i… uh, wow, okay, i didn’t expect this. are you sure? like, really sure? because i’m kind of a mess, and—”

once it clicked, though, he was all in. he’d send you paragraphs of text apologizing if he thought he said something wrong, shower you with small, thoughtful gifts (like your favorite snacks or a plant he’d researched how to care for), and eventually worked up the courage to hold your hand—though he’d sweat buckets the entire time.

jay would also start making lists—actual, physical lists—of things he could do to make you happy. “compliment her at least once a day,” “remember her favorite coffee order!,” and “learn how to not be a complete dork >:(” were scrawled on a sticky note tucked into his notebook. and when he wasn’t nervously doting on you, he was daydreaming about you, doodling your initials in the margins of his notes.

very soon, he was down-bad for you, which was evident through his real life and his social media activities. he’d post the cheesiest captions about you, like “can’t believe i’m dating the most amazing person in the world” with a blurry photo of the two of you. his friends teased him mercilessly, but he didn’t care. to him, you were worth every bit of embarrassment. late at night, he’d re-read your old texts and smile like an idiot, convinced he was the luckiest person alive.

JAKE

jake was a lovable mess. he wore mismatched socks, always seemed to forget his pencil, and somehow managed to trip over air at least once a day. his “plan” to talk to you involved him awkwardly hovering near your desk and pretending to need help with math problems he already knew how to solve. you knew from the start he was a bit of a loser—but that’s exactly why you liked him along with you finding everything he did adorable.

“wait, wait,” he said when you told him you were into him. “you like me? like, romantically? or is this a ‘pity me’ situation?”

after realizing you genuinely liked him, jake became a golden retriever in human form. he’d facetime you at random hours just to say hi, take you on chaotic “dates” that involved him occasionally tripping over things in public, nervously ordering food for you both and all silly fun activities like arcade games and amusement parks. it was never a dull day with him! after your first kiss, he couldn’t stop grinning for hours, texting his friends in all caps: “GUYS I JUST KISSED THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AAHJKHSSSK”

jake’s down-bad behavior reached new levels when he started making playlists for every possible mood you might have: “songs to cheer you up,” “songs that remind me of you<3,” and even “songs to study to (but only if you want to study with me):3” he’d even text you mid-class to tell you he missed you, even if you’d just seen each other that morning.

jake was also the kind of boyfriend who’d insist on carrying your bag even when it was clear it was too heavy for him. “i’ve got this!” he’d say, wincing slightly but refusing to let you take it back. and if you ever mentioned feeling sad or stressed, he’d immediately panic, asking, “what can i do? tell me, and i’ll do it!” he’d even write you little notes with nerdy jokes or doodles to make you smile, slipping them into your locker or bag for you to find later.

SUNGHOON

sunghoon thought he was slick, but his ‘cool guy’ act was so transparent it was almost cute. he’d lean against the lockers during breaks, pretending not to notice you, but the way his ears turned red every time you walked by gave him away. despite his awkward attempts at being aloof, you found his loser tendencies adorable: like how he’d secretly google pickup lines but chicken out before using them.

when you confessed your feelings, he genuinely choked. “wait, you like me? oh wow… you have bad- I MEAN great taste ahem.” he spent a solid week trying to act nonchalant, but once you started dating, his loser side came out full force. he’d ask you to “rate his outfits” before dates, send you selfies captioned “just thinking about you bbg,” and blush furiously every time you complimented him. sunghoon may have tried to act smooth, but deep down, he was utterly whipped.

sunghoon would also start practicing ways to compliment you in the mirror—only to mess it up completely when the time came. “y-you look… uh, very… beautiful? no, wait, gorgeous! that’s the word i meant!” and everytime you smiled at him, he’d be texting his friends, “she smiled at me again!!!!! i’m gonna pass out.”

his devotion extended to doing the smallest things for you, like bringing you your favorite drink or snacks without you asking. he’d even memorise your schedule so he could “accidentally” bump into you between classes, claiming it was coincidence even though the timing was suspiciously perfect. at night, he’d lay awake replaying your conversations, smiling at the ceiling like the lovesick fool he was.

SUNOO

you had noticed sunoo always sitting at the edge of friend groups, laughing along but never quite joining in. he was bubbly and fun but had an air of self-doubt that made him endearing. you started noticing how he’d always bring extra snacks to share with classmates or go out of his way to compliment people—little acts of kindness that made your heart flutter. not to mention his angelic beauty, that had you look twice the first time you had seen him standing near the water cooler awkwardly.

it was hard not to develop a crush and when you told sunoo you liked him, he’d blink in disbelief. “no way. you’re joking, right?” but after realising you were serious, he’d giggle nervously and hide his face in his hands. once you started dating, he became the most attentive boyfriend ever, remembering every small detail about you and hyping you up like you were the main character. he’d also send you cheesy tiktoks at 2 a.m. with captions like, “this is so us babe ><”

sunoo was head over heels for you, the literal epitome of “she fell first but he fell harder”. he did adorable things like creating a secret pinterest board filled with date ideas and texting you pictures of cute animals with captions like, “look, it’s us in 50 years!” he also started learning how to bake just so he could surprise you with your favorite treats—though most of his attempts ended in chaotic, flour-covered disasters.

if you ever seemed upset, sunoo would go into full panic mode, showering you with compliments and doing everything in his power to cheer you up. “you’re the most amazing person i’ve ever met,” he’d say earnestly, his eyes sparkling with sincerity. he even kept a list on his phone of all the things you’d mentioned liking, just so he could surprise you when you least expected it.

JUNGWON

jungwon was the class president who seemed to have it all together—but his close friends knew better. he was the guy who’d trip over his words during speeches, carry five planners because he kept losing them, and stress over things like forgetting to bring tape for a poster project. you liked him because, despite his loser-ish tendencies, he had a heart of gold and worked hard to make everyone feel included.

when you told him you had a crush on him, jungwon’s first reaction was to nervously laugh. “wait, me? are you sure? why would you do that to yourself!?” once he accepted that you really liked him, he became the sweetest boyfriend imaginable. he’d plan thoughtful dates (that inevitably went slightly wrong but ended up being more fun because of it), leave you encouraging notes in your locker, and get adorably flustered every time you kissed him.

jungwon also started creating “motivational speeches” for you, writing them out on notecards and practicing in the mirror before giving them. “i believe in you,” he’d say earnestly, fumbling to hand you a little note that said, “you’re amazing, and don’t you forget it.” if you teased him about it, he’d bury his face in his hands and mumble, “stop, you’re embarrassing me…”

his love didn’t stop there. he’d stay up late researching ways to make your life easier, like creating color-coded study guides or finding fun new spots to take you on dates. and if anyone dared to speak poorly of you, jungwon would step up, surprising everyone with his sudden fierceness. “they don’t know what they’re talking about,” he’d say, his tone protective and unwavering.

NI-KI

ni-ki was the quiet gamer boy who’d rather blend into the background than be noticed. he wore the same hoodie every other day and constantly had earbuds in, even when they weren’t playing anything. you liked him because of how unpretentious he was—and how his eyes lit up whenever he talked about something he loved, like a new game or a random meme he found hilarious.

when you told him you were into him, ni-ki almost dropped his controller. his eyes narrowed into a glare, “are you sure you’re not messing with me? did jake tell you about my crush?” after he realised what he had said, he immediately scampered away leaving you standing there confused. once he got over his initial shock, he became your biggest simp. he’d send you memes that reminded him of you, let you beat him at games (even though he’d deny it), and randomly text you “you’re so pretty” at the most unexpected times. around his friends, he’d brag about you non-stop, showing off pictures of you with a proud grin.

once he was down bad for you, he became hell bent on learning how to cook your favorite meals—even though he’d never cooked before in his life. “how hard can it be?” he’d say, only to panic five minutes in and call you for help. he also started staying up late to design matching gamer tags for the two of you, insisting that everyone online needed to know you were his.

in quiet moments, ni-ki would open up about how much you meant to him, his voice soft and a little shaky. “i don’t know what i did to deserve you, but i’m not letting go.” and if you ever showed up to surprise him during his gaming sessions, he’d immediately log off, saying, “sorry, guys, my priority is here,” as he turned his full attention to you.

𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 ©𝗴𝘆𝘂𝘂𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆𝘆 on Tumblr

˚ · .𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱

taglist: @soobnuuy @senascoooop @moafloribunda @lunalovesstories

@firstclassjaylee @levandright @fancypeacepersona @mirouie

you’re glad he’s successful, that he’s living the dream that he wanted, you just wish it was far away from you. it’s not fair that both of your dreams were to be in the entertainment industry and it’s not fair that the both of you achieved them. you love acting and you’d never give it up but you can’t help but resent it a little bit because of its role in your break up.

sunghoon had just debuted and you’d gotten your first big role. obviously it proved to be too much for sunghoon to handle because he broke up with you a few months into his career. you’re both successful now, yes, but you can’t help but think that you could’ve been successful while being happy with him.

you love your job but, god, you hate that it forces you to be around sunghoon. it’s awful to be around the man who broke your heart—the man that you still love—and it’s the only downside of your job that you’ve discovered.

despite still having some underlying feelings for him, you don’t think you’d ever go back. the heartbreak your teenage self went through was too much and for what? for someone who doesn’t bat an eye when he sees you while you’re tripping over yourself? you just don’t think that it’d be worth it.

not that you think he’d ever ask for you back.

you think about the fact that you haven’t had a proper conversation with him since the break up and it makes you cringe. it’s awful because here you are thinking about him while he’s probably having fun with his members, your relationship most likely an almost forgotten memory.

walking in a convenience store, you pull your mask up higher and greet the worker quietly. you don’t see any reason to be this careful about your identity but your manager insists that if you’re going to be going out late at night you should at least do this much.

you walk through the aisles, noting your usual snacks. you were craving chips but now that you’ve see your options, you want something sweet now. you’re too focused on figuring out what you want and that causes you to crash into someone’s (firm) chest. the stranger’s hands grip your waist to steady you and you feel butterflies in your stomach for the first time in forever.

great. you even haven’t seen the person’s face and your heart is already racing. barely five minutes ago you were thinking about sunghoon and the fact that you still love him, yet here you are.

maybe you’ve moved on without realizing it.

you doubt it.

you look up and see that they’re—he’s wearing a mask similar to yours. unlike you, though, he’s wearing a cap that obscures your view of the top half of his face. he clears his throat and the sound brings you out of your thoughts. you let out an embarrassed apology before pulling away.

he responds with your name.

you blink, unsure of how to answer him. you’ve never been recognized so close to your home and definitely not when you’re deliberately hiding your identity. you’ve been told what to do in this kind of situation by your company but it’s different when it’s actually happening.

“i’m sorry?” you make your expression into a confused one. you deviated from the set of lines your company gave you for situations like these but it’s not like they’re here anyways so who really cares?

“it’s sunghoon.”

oh.

oh.

“huh?” you’re sure sound smart—you bet you look it too.

he laughs softly and it makes you wish he didn’t have a mask on his face. you don’t have to wish for long because a second later he grants your silent plea and pulls his mask down.

it’s definitely him.

“you’re her right? it’s sunghoon,” he repeats, “from.. enhypen.”

“i am.” you inwardly cringe at the awkwardness in your voice, “..um, why?”

he seems surprised at your question, hesitating for what feels like forever, “it’s been a while.”

you last saw him at the MAMA awards in osaka. that was five days ago. true, you didn’t exactly speak for long but you still greeted each other. you push away the annoyance bubbling up in your chest. it really hasn’t been that long.

“yeah.”

you both stand there awkwardly for a few seconds; you’re looking everywhere but him, sunghoon’s looking only at you. his intense gaze gives you goosebumps and you want him to stop. he hasn’t looked at you like this since you were dating and you hate the feeling that a simple look is bringing to you.

“i should—”

“can we—”

the two of you speak in unison.

“go ahead.” you give him a tight smile even though you know that he can’t see it.

“can we talk?”

that is the absolute worst sentence a man could ever say to you, especially when he’s your ex boyfriend. you have no idea what he possibly needs to talk to you about considering you haven’t been in contact at all. you think that maybe you did something to offend him. that thought doesn’t make sense, though, so you get rid of it.

“we’re already talking.”

“just– a real conversation.” after a beat, “please?”

he sounds serious but you shouldn’t agree. it’s late and you’re tired and you’re sure you’ll do something that you’ll regret if you allow him to talk to you. you know it’s not a good idea, so why is it that five minutes later you’re unlocking the door and inviting him into your home?

silently guiding him to the kitchen, you can feel your chest practically caving in. why on earth would you allow him into your house? are you insane? what if someone saw and dating rumors get spread around? what if you accidentally just ruined both of your careers? what if he really doesn’t care about and wants nothing to do with you?

you pause. you need to get a grip—it’s just sunghoon. there’s no reason for you to be overthinking so much, it’s not like you split on bad terms or have an unresolved hatred towards each other. it’s a little uncomfortable, maybe, but nothing bad is going to happen.

it’ll be fine.

after quickly collecting yourself, you grab two glasses and fill them both up with cold water. you pass sunghoon his before taking a drink of your own, attempting to soothe the dryness in your throat.

“so.. um, what’d you want to talk about?” you say as quietly as you can but making sure he can still hear you.

“i watched your show.”

“oh my god, you didn’t.” you hide your burning face in your hands out of pure embarrassment. he’s the last person you wanted to watch that stupid show—it wasn’t bad, your character was just.. unique and you had to do a lot of embarrassing things. things that no ex boyfriend should be allowed to see even if it is your job.

“why? i wasn’t supposed to?” you can envision the grin on his face and you swear you can hear him stifle a laugh.

“i looked stupid half of the time. that’s.. wait is that what you wanted to talk about? my show?” you look up, staring at one of his moles to avoid eye contact.

“no, i don’t– i’ve just been thinking about you.” he takes a step closer and you take two steps back. his face falls at your reaction and he whispers your name so fondly that it nearly makes your heart stop. “is that bad of me to admit? i think about you all the time. it’s pretty hard not to when you’re practically everywhere right now.”

“sunghoon.”

your heart rate has probably jumped up by a couple hundred at this point. the same situation you never expected to happen in this lifetime or the next is happening right now. he’s saying the things that you’ve been thinking, the things that you hoped he had felt too and you don’t know what you’re supposed to do with that.

“say something.” his voice comes out quiet and desperate. it feels like he’s begging you without any of the actual begging.

“i don’t know what to say.”

“do you miss me?”

you do. you can’t look him in the eyes and deny that fact because, god, you really do miss him. what’s the point of being an actress if you can’t act like you don’t miss him? so rather than making up some half-assed lie, you deflect, “aren’t you busy?”

he steps closer, trapping you between him and your kitchen counter. you should’ve moved somewhere more open so you could’ve avoided this. “so you didn’t?”

staying silent, you choose not to answer him. honestly, you’re scared of what he’s going to say next. you don’t know what you’re going to do or how you’re going to react—whether you’ll scream or cry, laugh or kiss him, you don’t know and that’s what scares you. this moment is forcing you to face all of the conflicting emotions you have for your ex boyfriend and you don’t know if you’re exactly ready for what you might realize.

“i miss you. i want us to try again.”

and the way that he says your name almost has you throwing yourself into his arms, but you stop yourself. you have to think rationally about this—as rationally as you can with him this close to you.

“you can’t just say things like that, sunghoon, we broke up. you broke up with me.”

“i was stupid and i don’t know why i would ever ruin what we had. let me make it up to you, please.”

“we were nineteen, it doesn’t matter anymore."

it does matter and you know he knows that you’re lying. you can see it in the sad smile that he’s wearing.

“it matters to me. do you really not think about me? i don’t cross your mind ever? am i the only one that’s glad we bumped into each other?“

he raises his hand like he wants to touch you, but he hesitates and drops it back down to his side. you wish he didn’t. you wish he’d just pull you into his arms already so that you can forget all of your teenage angst.

but he doesn’t and he won’t. not until you give him something to work with.

you reach your hand out, grabbing his. it’s cold against your skin and you squeeze, finally meeting his gaze, “i didn’t say that.”

“so give me another chance. i swear i won’t fuck it up this time. like i said; let me make it up to you. i swear on everything that i’ll be better this time.”

“i don’t know, i’m just so confused right now.”

he lets go of your hand and you’re scared that you said the wrong thing but he doesn’t give you time to overthink it. a second after he pulls away, his hand finds its place on your cheek, the familiar sensitive has you subconsciously leaning into his touch.

“give me one month to win you back, okay? if you want nothing to do with me after that then i’ll leave you alone forever.”

you barely process his words, distracted by the small circles his thumb is rubbing against your skin.

in all honesty, you were stupid to think that you could ever deny him. you’ve always known that deep down you wanted him to come back to you and you knew that you would forgive him.

the reason for your break up was understandable, no matter how much it hurt you. you know that you can’t lament over your past relationship forever, especially now that you know he wants to try again.

“just one month, okay?” his face visibly brightens at your response and you think you can see his body become lighter right in front of your eyes. he rests his forehead against yours, mumbling his thanks towards you. you don’t think you’ve seen him this happy in a long time and it’s contagious. for the first time all night, a smile finds its way onto your face.

you get to have a second chance with sunghoon and maybe it’ll be a good ending and maybe it won’t, but at least you get to try.

anna's note. this is ass IJBOL erm happy late.. birthday sunghoon 😅😅 this was supposed to come out days ago obviously but i got lazy.

-`♡´- | the first day of school always carries a mix of excitement and nerves, but today felt heavier. new school, new faces—it was overwhelming. as you stepped into the classroom, the buzz of conversation seemed to quiet, and dozens of eyes turned toward you. the teacher beckoned you to the front, and with a deep breath, you introduced yourself, your voice steady despite the pounding in your chest.

and then, you saw him.

among the sea of unfamiliar faces, his stood out the most. dark eyes met yours with a curiosity that sent a flicker of something unspoken through the air. you held the gaze longer than you should have, unsure if it was intrigue or coincidence that kept him looking back.

“take the seat behind nishimura,” the teacher instructed, pulling you from the moment.

he turned slightly as you moved toward the desk behind him, his gaze flicking upward once more before he straightened in his seat. the faintest trace of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips, gone before you could be certain you saw it.

sliding into your seat, you couldn’t help but wonder if that fleeting moment meant something—or if it was nothing at all.

-`♡´- | the classroom buzzed with excitement and a little awkwardness as the teacher announced the dance activity. you couldn’t help but glance at riki, who was leaning against his desk with his usual casual air. when the pairs were called, you were matched with someone else, and for a fleeting moment, you thought you saw riki’s relaxed expression falter.

as the music started, you focused on keeping in step with your partner, but you couldn’t shake the feeling of someone watching. you turned your head slightly, catching riki’s gaze. his eyes were dark, fixed on you with an intensity that made your pulse quicken.

it was during one of the moves—a gentle touch to your waist—that his stare sharpened. he wasn’t smiling, his usual light demeanor replaced with something quieter, almost brooding.

when your partner spun you back into position, you risked another glance at riki. his expression remained unreadable, but the weight of his gaze lingered, leaving you wondering what he was truly thinking.

-`♡´- | the classroom was quiet during the break, with most students chatting softly or scrolling through their phones. riki, however, had his head down on his desk, his breathing steady as he napped. you knew he’d pulled another all-nighter, probably gaming or cramming for an assignment, so you decided to let him rest.

settling into the seat next to him, you unwrapped your snack and quietly ate, trying not to disturb him. but as the minutes passed, your attention wandered to his face—peaceful, so different from his usual playful expressions. his messy black hair fell slightly over his eyes, and you couldn’t help but notice how soft his features looked in the afternoon light.

suddenly he shifted, turning his head toward you. his eyes fluttered open, and before you could react, your gazes locked. you froze, caught in the moment, his sleepy stare holding yours as a faint smirk curved his lips.

-`♡´- | the park was quiet, the world wrapped in a blanket of fresh snow. each flake fell softly, creating a serene, magical scene. your hands were intertwined with riki’s, his palm warm against yours despite the chilly air. the two of you sat on a bench beneath a snow-covered tree, the silence between you comforting, like a shared secret.

you couldn’t help but hum softly, the peacefulness of the moment filling you with warmth. the snow glittered under the faint glow of a nearby streetlamp, and for a moment, it felt like you were the only two people in the world.

but then you noticed—riki hadn’t said a word in a while. curious, you turned your head to look at him, expecting his usual playful smirk or a sarcastic comment. instead, you found him already watching you.

his lips curved into a gentle smile, the kind that reached his eyes. but it wasn’t just a smile—it was full of something deeper, something that made your heart skip. his gaze held a quiet affection, unguarded and tender.

“you’re beautiful,” he murmured softly, almost as if speaking the words to himself. and just like that, the snow wasn’t the only thing melting.

-`♡´- | the first day of school always carries a mix of excitement and nerves, but today felt heavier. new school, new faces—it was overwhelming. as you stepped into the classroom, the buzz of conversation seemed to quiet, and dozens of eyes turned toward you. the teacher beckoned you to the front, and with a deep breath, you introduced yourself, your voice steady despite the pounding in your chest.

and then, you saw him.

among the sea of unfamiliar faces, his stood out the most. dark eyes met yours with a curiosity that sent a flicker of something unspoken through the air. you held the gaze longer than you should have, unsure if it was intrigue or coincidence that kept him looking back.

“take the seat behind nishimura,” the teacher instructed, pulling you from the moment.

he turned slightly as you moved toward the desk behind him, his gaze flicking upward once more before he straightened in his seat. the faintest trace of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips, gone before you could be certain you saw it.

sliding into your seat, you couldn’t help but wonder if that fleeting moment meant something—or if it was nothing at all.

-`♡´- | the classroom buzzed with excitement and a little awkwardness as the teacher announced the dance activity. you couldn’t help but glance at riki, who was leaning against his desk with his usual casual air. when the pairs were called, you were matched with someone else, and for a fleeting moment, you thought you saw riki’s relaxed expression falter.

as the music started, you focused on keeping in step with your partner, but you couldn’t shake the feeling of someone watching. you turned your head slightly, catching riki’s gaze. his eyes were dark, fixed on you with an intensity that made your pulse quicken.

it was during one of the moves—a gentle touch to your waist—that his stare sharpened. he wasn’t smiling, his usual light demeanor replaced with something quieter, almost brooding.

when your partner spun you back into position, you risked another glance at riki. his expression remained unreadable, but the weight of his gaze lingered, leaving you wondering what he was truly thinking.

-`♡´- | the classroom was quiet during the break, with most students chatting softly or scrolling through their phones. riki, however, had his head down on his desk, his breathing steady as he napped. you knew he’d pulled another all-nighter, probably gaming or cramming for an assignment, so you decided to let him rest.

settling into the seat next to him, you unwrapped your snack and quietly ate, trying not to disturb him. but as the minutes passed, your attention wandered to his face—peaceful, so different from his usual playful expressions. his messy black hair fell slightly over his eyes, and you couldn’t help but notice how soft his features looked in the afternoon light.

suddenly he shifted, turning his head toward you. his eyes fluttered open, and before you could react, your gazes locked. you froze, caught in the moment, his sleepy stare holding yours as a faint smirk curved his lips.

-`♡´- | the park was quiet, the world wrapped in a blanket of fresh snow. each flake fell softly, creating a serene, magical scene. your hands were intertwined with riki’s, his palm warm against yours despite the chilly air. the two of you sat on a bench beneath a snow-covered tree, the silence between you comforting, like a shared secret.

you couldn’t help but hum softly, the peacefulness of the moment filling you with warmth. the snow glittered under the faint glow of a nearby streetlamp, and for a moment, it felt like you were the only two people in the world.

but then you noticed—riki hadn’t said a word in a while. curious, you turned your head to look at him, expecting his usual playful smirk or a sarcastic comment. instead, you found him already watching you.

his lips curved into a gentle smile, the kind that reached his eyes. but it wasn’t just a smile—it was full of something deeper, something that made your heart skip. his gaze held a quiet affection, unguarded and tender.

“you’re beautiful,” he murmured softly, almost as if speaking the words to himself. and just like that, the snow wasn’t the only thing melting.