james rummages in the trunk of his car, pulling out a box with a brand new tent he bought just for the occasion, “stay back babe, let a real man handle this”, you sigh, a hint of a smile on your lips “are you sure you don’t need any help?”, he scoffs lightly “of course not! relax and let me handle this”.

“ok!” you reply, taking a seat by a small bench nearby, partially glad you get to sit and watch your boyfriend totally struggle with the tent.

hours go by, and james has set up for now one pole, his hair is messy because of his hand constantly running in it, he has put on glasses to read the instructions, and he’s sitting on the ground trying to find all the pieces, he groans “ugh! when i was younger the instructions seemed much clearer!”.

you smile softly at him, getting up from your seat and kneeling down at his level, “still don’t need a hand?”.

james stays quiet for a few seconds “...maybe i do”. you chuckle softly, and with your help, you both successfully set up the tent, with you laughing whenever he’d get confused and irritated at the instructions or at the way he’d groan when he’d place a piece wrong, but maybe camping wasn’t so bad after all.

୨𝑒 juhoon kim 𑙕

you and your boyfriend have decided to take a break from the busy city life, and went camping. the problem? juhoon isn’t very fond of it. “babe, i think this frog is going to jump at me” he mumbles, holding your hand tightly as you both take a walk in the forest, “babe relax, it’s probably scared of you twice as much”. the frog croaked, and your boyfriend basically jumped in your arms.

it was an eventful day for juhoon: he got stung by a few bees, he fell into the lake and he tripped in a mud pond. he was already done with this outdoor adventure, but you seemed so genuinely aligned with nature, and relaxed too, so he didn’t want to ruin your fun. that night, as you both are in your tent, you try to medicate his bee stings, feeling sorry for how his day had turned out, “ju, listen, i… i’m very sorry, i know it was a hard day for you. we can go home if you don’t feel like sleeping here”.

juhoon takes a deep breath “no i… we can stay, despite all that has happened you were still there for me, even now you’re tending to my bee stings” he smiles softly at you. you slightly smile back at him, “if a bear decides to attack us tonight i’ll get in front of you to defend you, he has to step on me first” you say, puffing out your chest to make him smile. he chuckles and pinches your cheek softly “hey, slow down lion heart, and don’t make me think about this possible scenario”.

you smile and peck his cheek, you turn off your lamp and you lay down to sleep, but this time, he is the one safely tucked in your arms.

୨𝑒 martin edwards 𑙕

summer time is your favorite period of time, why? because you get to plan fun adventures with your overly energetic boyfriend. this time, you two decided to head to a camping site downtown. 

“ah! beautiful nature!” your boyfriend exclaims with a proud grin as you start to unload the car. you look at the sky, it’s starting to tint with shades of pink and orange “uhh babe, we should start making a  campfire, the sun’s about to set”, “oh, right” he says a bit sheepishly. you raise your eyebrow at him “...you do know how to start a campfire?”. a moment of silence stretches between you two, then he huffs out a laugh “babe, of course i know how to start a campfire”.

he did not know how to start a campfire.

you helped him gather some stones and wood to set it up, he insisted on starting the fire. at first, he claimed to do it the “natural way”; with two wooden sticks. “babe i don’t think–” “i promise it’s almost there! give it time”.

then, he tried rubbing two rocks together, but the moment he saw a sparkle, he threw them on the ground “phew, i almost lost a finger”.

the sky was starting to tint with darker hues, and the cold of the night was beginning to set. you rub your arms “babe, can’t we just look for a lighter–” he says, still focused on the tiny mountain of wood “i got this babe, don’t worry, you will be warm by the fire in a few seconds”.

as he’s sat on the ground, trying to look for a way to light up the fire, you sneakily head to the car, and rummage under the seats for a lighter, once you finally find it, you settle next to him. “babe, i love you, but we’ll be freezing cold at this rate” you say, handing him the lighter. he sighs “ok… you’re right, i guess. i just wanted to impress you by taking the lead” he says, as he begins to set fire to a smaller piece of wood. you smile, and reach by the tent you set up earlier for his guitar “well, i know what always impresses me” you say, handing him his guitar to play.

୨𝑒 seonghyeon eom 𑙕

as you and your boyfriend are exploring the campsite you decided to spend a weekend in, you find a tiny lake near the forest. you gasp excitedly “we have to go take a bath! it will be so refreshing!”. your boyfriend scrunches his nose “are you sure it’s safe babe?” you wave a hand at him, dismissing his statement “yeah babe, there’s the sign right there! what could go wrong?”

lots of things could go wrong.

while you are taking a relaxing swim inside the lake, feeling the sunlight on your skin and little fish swimming besides you, you suddenly hear your boyfriend scream. who knew, that your brave boyfriend, was terrified of the water? specifically, what is inside of the water?

you chuckle at the sight of him struggling to get in, and you swim by the shore “babe, i promise you nothing scary is hiding underwater”. he gulps “no i.. i know, nothing scary…”.

you smile, you had to admit, seeing your boyfriend so scared and vulnerable made your heart soften.

you stand up, holding out your hand for him to hold “come on, one step at a time”.

he reluctantly takes your hand, and as soon as the water reaches his calves, he jumps a bit “something touched me! babe we have to get out no–” you hold his shoulders “breathe, it’s seaweed. see?” you reach for it in the water and hold it up for him to see. he takes a sigh of relief “phew, you never know… these things, they snuggle everywhere”.

after what felt like an eternity, you managed to get in the lake, the water level reaching just above your bellybutton. 

you turn to him with a smile, still holding his hand “see? wasn’t so bad”. he’s still tense, but definitely less scared than before “yeah… but i’m still not sure this is a good idea”.

you roll your eyes playfully at him “oh come on babe, you’re no fu–”, in that exact moment, a wave of water completely covers you. you rub your eyes and take a deep breath, looking at your boyfriend, who is laughing and holding his belly “ you should have seen your face!”. he quits laughing the moment you push him and make him fall underwater, the moment he gets up, he moves his wet hair from his forehead, “war it is then!”

୨𝑒 keonho ahn 𑙕

“are you really sure you know how to do this?” you ask your boyfriend as he begins to gather the coal for the barbecue “hey! i promised you i’d take care of the meat while you relax! don’t worry about it” he says with a proud grin as he pours the coal in the barbecue.

you thought it would’ve been a good idea to take your boyfriend to this campsite, a breath of fresh air never hurt no one. but now, he seems convinced that he’s the nature man just because he helped a little bird get back in his nest the moment you stepped foot in there, and he hasn’t let you raise a finger ever since. 

you shrug, “alright, i’ll just sit back then”. you relax by the hammock, closing your eyes and enjoying the peace of the nature. from time to time, you sneak a glance at your boyfriend making sure he’s alright and doesn’t need your help, but after a few minutes, sleep takes over you.

you are woken up by a strange smell, you scrunch your nose and groggily open your eyes, only to find your boyfriend trying to turn off the fire that has set by the barbecue. you sit up quickly “babe! i was asleep for a few minutes?!”, you exclaim, quickly rushing up to help him. he’s full on panicking “the meat was taking too long so i added more coal! i didn’t know it would go on fire!”.

“do something babe! or we are going to go on fire!” you say, looking around for something that can stop the small yet scary fire. keonho takes a deep breath “you’re right, what could stop a fire? oh! maybe an extinguisher! …but i don’t think there are many in the middle of the forest… oh! maybe we can put a cover over it! …but what if the fire burns it down?”

he is so deep in thought he doesn’t notice you rushing to grab one of your water bottles and pouring it all over the now carbonated meat.

“...yeah that could work too, thanks babe” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. you take a sigh of relief, then turns to him, ruffling his hair “next time, we can just eat a sandwich”

james rummages in the trunk of his car, pulling out a box with a brand new tent he bought just for the occasion, “stay back babe, let a real man handle this”, you sigh, a hint of a smile on your lips “are you sure you don’t need any help?”, he scoffs lightly “of course not! relax and let me handle this”.

“ok!” you reply, taking a seat by a small bench nearby, partially glad you get to sit and watch your boyfriend totally struggle with the tent.

hours go by, and james has set up for now one pole, his hair is messy because of his hand constantly running in it, he has put on glasses to read the instructions, and he’s sitting on the ground trying to find all the pieces, he groans “ugh! when i was younger the instructions seemed much clearer!”.

you smile softly at him, getting up from your seat and kneeling down at his level, “still don’t need a hand?”.

james stays quiet for a few seconds “...maybe i do”. you chuckle softly, and with your help, you both successfully set up the tent, with you laughing whenever he’d get confused and irritated at the instructions or at the way he’d groan when he’d place a piece wrong, but maybe camping wasn’t so bad after all.

୨𝑒 juhoon kim 𑙕

you and your boyfriend have decided to take a break from the busy city life, and went camping. the problem? juhoon isn’t very fond of it. “babe, i think this frog is going to jump at me” he mumbles, holding your hand tightly as you both take a walk in the forest, “babe relax, it’s probably scared of you twice as much”. the frog croaked, and your boyfriend basically jumped in your arms.

it was an eventful day for juhoon: he got stung by a few bees, he fell into the lake and he tripped in a mud pond. he was already done with this outdoor adventure, but you seemed so genuinely aligned with nature, and relaxed too, so he didn’t want to ruin your fun. that night, as you both are in your tent, you try to medicate his bee stings, feeling sorry for how his day had turned out, “ju, listen, i… i’m very sorry, i know it was a hard day for you. we can go home if you don’t feel like sleeping here”.

juhoon takes a deep breath “no i… we can stay, despite all that has happened you were still there for me, even now you’re tending to my bee stings” he smiles softly at you. you slightly smile back at him, “if a bear decides to attack us tonight i’ll get in front of you to defend you, he has to step on me first” you say, puffing out your chest to make him smile. he chuckles and pinches your cheek softly “hey, slow down lion heart, and don’t make me think about this possible scenario”.

you smile and peck his cheek, you turn off your lamp and you lay down to sleep, but this time, he is the one safely tucked in your arms.

୨𝑒 martin edwards 𑙕

summer time is your favorite period of time, why? because you get to plan fun adventures with your overly energetic boyfriend. this time, you two decided to head to a camping site downtown. 

“ah! beautiful nature!” your boyfriend exclaims with a proud grin as you start to unload the car. you look at the sky, it’s starting to tint with shades of pink and orange “uhh babe, we should start making a  campfire, the sun’s about to set”, “oh, right” he says a bit sheepishly. you raise your eyebrow at him “...you do know how to start a campfire?”. a moment of silence stretches between you two, then he huffs out a laugh “babe, of course i know how to start a campfire”.

he did not know how to start a campfire.

you helped him gather some stones and wood to set it up, he insisted on starting the fire. at first, he claimed to do it the “natural way”; with two wooden sticks. “babe i don’t think–” “i promise it’s almost there! give it time”.

then, he tried rubbing two rocks together, but the moment he saw a sparkle, he threw them on the ground “phew, i almost lost a finger”.

the sky was starting to tint with darker hues, and the cold of the night was beginning to set. you rub your arms “babe, can’t we just look for a lighter–” he says, still focused on the tiny mountain of wood “i got this babe, don’t worry, you will be warm by the fire in a few seconds”.

as he’s sat on the ground, trying to look for a way to light up the fire, you sneakily head to the car, and rummage under the seats for a lighter, once you finally find it, you settle next to him. “babe, i love you, but we’ll be freezing cold at this rate” you say, handing him the lighter. he sighs “ok… you’re right, i guess. i just wanted to impress you by taking the lead” he says, as he begins to set fire to a smaller piece of wood. you smile, and reach by the tent you set up earlier for his guitar “well, i know what always impresses me” you say, handing him his guitar to play.

୨𝑒 seonghyeon eom 𑙕

as you and your boyfriend are exploring the campsite you decided to spend a weekend in, you find a tiny lake near the forest. you gasp excitedly “we have to go take a bath! it will be so refreshing!”. your boyfriend scrunches his nose “are you sure it’s safe babe?” you wave a hand at him, dismissing his statement “yeah babe, there’s the sign right there! what could go wrong?”

lots of things could go wrong.

while you are taking a relaxing swim inside the lake, feeling the sunlight on your skin and little fish swimming besides you, you suddenly hear your boyfriend scream. who knew, that your brave boyfriend, was terrified of the water? specifically, what is inside of the water?

you chuckle at the sight of him struggling to get in, and you swim by the shore “babe, i promise you nothing scary is hiding underwater”. he gulps “no i.. i know, nothing scary…”.

you smile, you had to admit, seeing your boyfriend so scared and vulnerable made your heart soften.

you stand up, holding out your hand for him to hold “come on, one step at a time”.

he reluctantly takes your hand, and as soon as the water reaches his calves, he jumps a bit “something touched me! babe we have to get out no–” you hold his shoulders “breathe, it’s seaweed. see?” you reach for it in the water and hold it up for him to see. he takes a sigh of relief “phew, you never know… these things, they snuggle everywhere”.

after what felt like an eternity, you managed to get in the lake, the water level reaching just above your bellybutton. 

you turn to him with a smile, still holding his hand “see? wasn’t so bad”. he’s still tense, but definitely less scared than before “yeah… but i’m still not sure this is a good idea”.

you roll your eyes playfully at him “oh come on babe, you’re no fu–”, in that exact moment, a wave of water completely covers you. you rub your eyes and take a deep breath, looking at your boyfriend, who is laughing and holding his belly “ you should have seen your face!”. he quits laughing the moment you push him and make him fall underwater, the moment he gets up, he moves his wet hair from his forehead, “war it is then!”

୨𝑒 keonho ahn 𑙕

“are you really sure you know how to do this?” you ask your boyfriend as he begins to gather the coal for the barbecue “hey! i promised you i’d take care of the meat while you relax! don’t worry about it” he says with a proud grin as he pours the coal in the barbecue.

you thought it would’ve been a good idea to take your boyfriend to this campsite, a breath of fresh air never hurt no one. but now, he seems convinced that he’s the nature man just because he helped a little bird get back in his nest the moment you stepped foot in there, and he hasn’t let you raise a finger ever since. 

you shrug, “alright, i’ll just sit back then”. you relax by the hammock, closing your eyes and enjoying the peace of the nature. from time to time, you sneak a glance at your boyfriend making sure he’s alright and doesn’t need your help, but after a few minutes, sleep takes over you.

you are woken up by a strange smell, you scrunch your nose and groggily open your eyes, only to find your boyfriend trying to turn off the fire that has set by the barbecue. you sit up quickly “babe! i was asleep for a few minutes?!”, you exclaim, quickly rushing up to help him. he’s full on panicking “the meat was taking too long so i added more coal! i didn’t know it would go on fire!”.

“do something babe! or we are going to go on fire!” you say, looking around for something that can stop the small yet scary fire. keonho takes a deep breath “you’re right, what could stop a fire? oh! maybe an extinguisher! …but i don’t think there are many in the middle of the forest… oh! maybe we can put a cover over it! …but what if the fire burns it down?”

he is so deep in thought he doesn’t notice you rushing to grab one of your water bottles and pouring it all over the now carbonated meat.

“...yeah that could work too, thanks babe” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. you take a sigh of relief, then turns to him, ruffling his hair “next time, we can just eat a sandwich”

The song continued on as you watched contently, humming along to the song that you hadn't listened to as much as these people definitely have. You searched around the crowds of people, your head going in all directions, seeing if you could find your friend anywhere. She was supposed to be here an hour ago.

The music stopped, the lights shining on stage as all of the fans eagerly screamed. You noticed how the lead guitarist immediately left the stage as soon as the song ended. You chuckled, a someone must have had a bad day. Afterwards, the crowds of people broke off into their own little groups. You stayed at your table, letting out a long sigh and letting your head fall back. Your phone however, started to vibrate, which brought you back to sitting normally.

A text from your friend. She’s not coming, she's talking about some problems at work so she can’t make it here. You sighed. Poor girl, they make her go through hell and back in there. Shutting off your phone and slipping it into your pocket. picking up your drink and putting the cold glass to your lips, drinking whatever was inside.

A shadowy tall figure bought you out of your trance. placing the cup back onto the table, you were greeted by a man. He wore a ripped vest, ripped jeans and his face flashed with shiny jewelry. The anti eyebrow one was the first one you noticed

"Is this spot taken?" he asked, his Canadian accent masking over his words as he hovered over a chair.

"Not anymore I guess." you sighed.

The man moved the chair, sitting down across the table. The light from cars driving by shined on his face, the sweat trickling down from his forehead as he sniffled. His silver piercing shining. It did look so damn good on him. Your eyes moved down to his hands, his fingers were calloused, small bumps hovering over his hands.

"Ouhhh," you mumbled, "So you’re the guitarist right? The one who left the stage as soon as the song ended?" You questioned, slightly raising your eyebrow and teasing the man in front of you at the same time.

"I have a name y'know." he uttered, "But yeah that's me. I don't really fancy that song a lot you see..so when it's over i just leave." He explained, smoothly taking the drink away from you. "I’m Martin." He muttered, placing the glass to his lips.

You raised an eyebrow, looking at him with a confused gaze. "I could've drugged that, put some weird shit in it." you mumbled.

Martin took a gulp of the drink before placing it back down. "And why would you do that?” wiping the excess drink off of his mouth.

“You have the survival instinct of an açaí bowl” You chuckled softly, placing your hands on the table. Your flashy homemade rings are catching spiky head’s attention.

He stared at you, amusement written all over his face. "So what's your name then?" he asked, leaning in closer.

"Y/n" you replied, staring back at his flashy eyebrow piercings that stood out. It was distracting really, but not in a bad way. Actually, in a very very cool way.

Martin stopped for a moment, his eyes inspecting your face. Something about you entranced him, but also confused him. He couldn't tell why you were staring at him so fondly. "What are you looking at?"

His hands moving up towards his face, he felt the cold shiny metal, his eyes widening. "Ohhh, you like the piercings now do you?" he said, a sly smirk forming on his face.

You nodded. "They do look good on you, i like 'em." you muttered, taking a sip from the glass. Martin smirked, "You want one? I mean a piercing. I know a guy so you can get it for free." He muttered, slightly sniffling as he relaxed himself to the back of the chair.

You shook your head. "Now…how do I know you're not going to like try and murder me or something?" which made Martin laugh, his ripped vest slightly opening.

"Survival instinct of a navy I see. Trust me I think you'll be safer with me than any of the rest of this lot here." he muttered, standing up from his chair, his hands in the pockets of his vests as he let out a breath. Slow, he started to walk by you. stopping once he noticed you weren't coming.

He got a point, shaking your head as you rose from your seat. You did plan on getting a piercing real soon but it was surely not supposed to happen with a guy you barely knew. Quickly catching up to Martin who stood just inches away from you, waiting. Once you had finally caught up, the two of you started walking.

Folks bidding him goodbye and completely ignoring you. He didn't respond, he simply just nodded his head at the words.

It was dark outside, some cars passing by and some people hanging out on the sidewalks. All of them seemed to know Martin, each and every one of them getting excited once they caught a glimpse of his face.

"So you're popular one." you muttered, hoping it wouldn't make the rest of this walk uncomfortable.

"Eh?" Martin questioned, his face turning to look at yours. "Come out of it, I'm not popular, people just know me." he chuckled, one of his hands coming out of his pocket, keys jangling from his fingers. You peeped that.

"Getting piercings seems like a real proper date doesn't it?" he questioned, swinging the keys around on his fingers.

"A date?" you chuckled, raising your eyebrow, causing him to give you a confused glance. "Sorry to break it to you boy, but I don't date rockstars."

“Them crazy fans are enough for me.” You teased, your arms slightly brushing against his.

"Well it’s a good night to not be one." he replied. Once the two of you finally reached an apartment, the blond pressed buttons down on a keypad which made a buzzing noise. the apartment building doors opened as he walked inside. It seemed sort of run down but nevertheless, it seemed comfortable.

The two of you walked up stairs that squeaked with each step. Lights from the light post shining through the window as he stopped in front of a door, placing his keys into the doorknob.

"Wait, so this is really your place?"

Once he got the door open, he moved to the side giving you room to enter. You looked at him, your facial expression unreadable.

"You wouldn't have come with me if i said I was the guy. You can leave right now if you want, fine by me." he muttered, still continuing to hold the door wide open for you.

You shook your head. Can’t believe you’re doing this. You entered his apartment, a strong smell of wood chipping and cologne engulfing your sense of smell. He had a couch, two guitars in the corners of his living room and old posters on the wall. He also had a record player, a collection of vinyls sitting just underneath them.

Martin closed the door, throwing the keys on the couch as he took off his vest. leaving him just in his shirt and jeans as he made his way through the apartment and what seemed to be the bathroom.

"Make yourself at home." he shouted from the bathroom, rummaging through the cabinets to try and find everything he needed for an at-home piercing. "Found them!" he shouted, taking out a clear box and gloves.

You followed his voice, walking into the dimly lit bathroom as your gaze met his. Then trailing down to the box of assorted piercings, and needles. He was putting the gloves on, checking the needles to make sure they were sterile. He even had a tool to hold on and pinch your nostrils with, so they wouldn't move.

"You’re ready?" he asked, his gaze meeting yours again as he laid out all of the tools needed for the piercing.

"Blow your nose first, can't get snot all over the needle now can we?" he questioned, a slight smile forming on his face.

“Such a shame.” you did what he told you to, making sure your nose was clean from the inside and the out. Martin then moved the box from the counter, placing it on the toilet seat, and making room for you in the bathroom.

"This will be a lot easier if you sit upon the counter." he muttered. You nodded, making your way to the counter as you propped yourself up on it. He looked up at you, holding the needle in his hand.

" Tell me Spikey head, how many people have you used this trick on?" you questioned. He moved slowly closer towards you, getting in between your legs as your thighs rested on each side of his body. his eyes attentively on yours.

"Spikey head?" he squinted

You rolled your eyes. "Y'know the whole like come-back-to-my-place-and-i'll-give-you-a-piercing thing. Must have worked on a lot of people right?" you questioned, a slight smile forming on your face.

He chuckled slightly.

"My first time doing it to that pretty girl I just met. Why? Is it working on you?" he asked in a soft tone. One so soft it sent chills down your spine, you realized how close the two of you were. "It really is the first time I've done this, actually." he muttered, pinching your nostril.

"I'm going to put the needle in, it might hurt." he mumbled. The needle pierced your skin, sending a slight stinging sensation through your nose. You closed your eyes slightly, feeling them water up. You then felt something cool drip out of the needle, you looked at Martin with a worrying glance.

"It’s blood, but don't worry it's not a lot and it's normal." putting the jewelry in at the end of the needle.

In one swift move he took the needle out, replacing it with the jewelry. Then, he grabbed the end of the jewelry, screwing it tightly onto the piercing. "Ta-da." he smiled.

You looked back at yourself in the mirror, seeing the flashy piece of jewelry shining on your nose. You smiled softly, looking back at the blonde. It looks so good," you muttered, "What do you think?" you asked him, your eyes meeting his.

"Looks perfect on you" he muttered, a smile forming on his face.

The two of you looked at each other for a while, your faces just inches away from each other. And the tension keeps building. You're both aware of it now, this thing stretching between you like a wire being pulled taut.

The best part that makes your chest ache with how good it feels is the not-knowing. You don't know if that hand on your arm will slide down to your hand. You don't know if this is the beginning of something or just a perfect moment suspended in time.

And that uncertainty is delicious. It's what makes every word feel heavier, every glance feel significant, every accidental touch feels like the most intentional thing in the world.

You purposefully moved your face down closer, your lips ghosting, he’s about to cup your jaw when you’re fully pulling back last second. Slightly tilting your head to the side eyes filled with banter.

“What was that for?”

“Unfortunately I don’t do kissing on the first da-”

You adored making sweets-even more the days you've made better and moods you've lifted with them! Well everyone knew a yummy chocolate chip cookie made everything better. It was truly a dream. Most of the time.

With a pretty popular and booming company, unfortunately, crummy clients were...inevitable. Bad reviews would be left, food would be thrown away or spit out-and hey, you didn't have to be everyone's cup of tea, but it still undeniably hurt that one could treat something you made with so much love with so much hate.

Within your mix of customers and all of the newfound connections you'd made through your business, there was one that you thought about just a bit more than the others, one who walked around rent-free in your mind.

The first time he came in, you were working the register, dressed in a pretty gingham patterned apron and matching headband. It was just another day, sun filtering in through the large bakery windows, casting glowy shadows over everyone that occupied it. It was beautiful, and you couldn't be happier.

"Hello! Welcome, what could I get for you?" Your smile was as warm as the tone of your voice, your eyes crinkling at the ends as you looked up at him. You weren't just some establishment owner-you truly loved your job.

"Hello." He replied. His voice was monotone and smooth like french hot chocolate melting onto your tongue. It was the first of many things about him that encaptivated you. His dark hair framed his face perfectly, slightly covering his eyes. A tiny detail that reminded you of the macarons you baked. Was this man simply a pretty little mix of the things you made, or a treat all on his own?

"One strawberry shortcake slice, please."

"Ah, right." You nodded your head, face warming beneath his gaze. Could he tell what you were just thinking? That he was something edible. You registered the item in before looking back up at him. Come to think of it, he was unusually close.

"Of course, anything else?"

"Hm." He hummed, thumb to his lip as he scanned the menu.

"And whatever you'd say is your favorite."

"My favorite?" You repeated, your eyes finally locking into his.

"Correct."

Your smile widened ever so slightly, eyes shining beneath the lights. "Of course, I'll get it to you quickly! That'll be-"

Before you could finish your sentence he was already walking away, making his way over to a tiny 2-seater table in the corner of the bakery.

"Huh."

For a moment you were left dumbfounded, blankly blinking at him until another customer walked into line. You were forced to avert your attention, gaze focusing on the kid now in front of you.

"Hi, sorry. What could I get for you today?"

"A chocolate cake slice, please!" She smiled, a lollipop in between her lips.

"Got it!" You eagerly registered in her order, surprised when she suddenly spoke again.

"Ma'am..is this yours?"

"Hm?"

She held up a $100 dollar bill, crisp with zero creases. "Oh-no, I don't think." You stammered, slowly looking back at the man in the corner-just for a second. Was that why he didn't pay? Well—he did, but it was absolutely too much. He probably didn't have change, and expected to receive the rest when he got his food. Yep! That's it!

"It-it is, actually! Sorry." You politely accepted the bill, shoving it into your pocket to make sure you didn't forget.

"Awh man, thought I got lucky." The girl sighed, eliciting a smile from you.

"Hehe, maybe next time..but for now it'll be seven dollars and fifty cents, hon."

"Darn it."

She handed you exact change, grumbling just a bit beneath her breath as she plopped down at a different table. Kids will be kids you suppose…

"Here you go, sir." You carefully set down two plates in front of him. One was syrupy sweet with strawberries and cake and the other was beignets. He gracefully accepted the sweets, resting one hand on top of his knees while the other reached for a fork.

'It’s a New Orlean’s recipe. Tiana made them in ‘Princess and the frog’. Also, have your change-"

"I didn't require change."

"Huh..?" You went silent, watching him munch on the cake as a bit of frosting decorated the corner of his lip.

"Consider it gratuity for excellent customer service..and" he took a moment to swallow, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "delicious desserts."

You smiled softly, a sudden bashful feeling overwhelming you. "Do you mean it?"

"Of course, compliments are earned and you deserve it."

"Thank you."

"Hm." He replied, taking a second to observe the croissant you'd also set down." "This is your favorite.?"

"It is."

A moment of silence passed before he went back to the cake, popping a strawberry into his mouth.

"Thank you."

"No problem." Your voice wavered for a second, a bit of confusion fogging your brain. You took his quiet eating as the cue to leave, walking back behind the register to get back to work-yet you could barely focus. Curse him and his stupidly charming face and compliments.

You'd talk to him more next time. And you did.

He'd come in almost everyday around the same time, sit in the same spot, and order the same thing-except he'd always ask for what you were in the mood for, taking home an extra dessert with him every time.

You had not the slightest clue who the other pastry was for or why he had such a routine visit, but you weren't complaining...you were just curious. Not jealous. Not jealous at all. Maybe you'd ask if the dessert was for someone at home.

It's bold, but maybe it'll spark something? You couldn't deny the effect he had on you, but it was a bit embarrassing. How easily a simple regular could get you weak in the knees.

Unusually, there wasn't a next time. There wasn't a next time for a few weeks, actually and you were just a bit worried.

Almost a month and he'd never missed a day. Never. Your employees even began to call him "Strawberry guy", the tall, handsome, quiet boy that spoke to nobody but you and ordered nothing but a singular slice of strawberry shortcake and whatever you wanted.

"He'll be back. In fact I bet he's having withdrawal symptoms right now." Your best friend Stella spoke, trailing behind you as you delivered treats around the bakery.

"He probably got tired of my boring suggestions." You sighed heavily-almost comically as you placed a plate down onto a table. "Enjoy, sir.”

"You're hopeless! You don't have romance! He's simply so deeply infatuated he can't even face you! He's afraid once he does he'll immediately propose!"

"Oh god, you're the worst person to confide in.."

She stopped in front of you, dropping to her knees and grabbing one of your legs-just to prove her point.

"Marry me! Marry me, you beautiful bakeress! Take me as your doting wife! I won't live if you won't take me! I'll simply die"

You froze up almost instantly, eyes of the customers glued to you-and your best friend who apparently had no shame and loved to make fun of your love life.

"Folks are watching...stop humiliating yourself." You whispered through clenched teeth, wiggling your leg away before she even had a chance to speak.

"Fine..." she groaned, dusting off her pants as she got up before chasing you back to the register.

"You're simply..a small thinker."

You rolled your eyes, resting your cheek in your palm. "You simply read too much fanfiction."

"Low blow." She replied, clutching her heart in faux pain.

"Super low..."

"Ha-ha." You deadpanned, bonking her head with your free hand.

"Owch! Hey, I need compensation for that! You knocked some of my brain cells out!"

"Really? I thought you got all of them out when you started begging me to marry you."

"Eh, that did minimum damage." She sighed, rubbing her head where you'd lightly hit her. "Can I get a little cake for my troubles?"

You look to the side as if you were thinking, eyes slowly wandering back over to her. "Come during closing and I'll see what I can do."

"I'll be there."

Night time comes along sooner than expected, the entire bakery clean and ready for tomorrow. Stars were twinkling, shining a small light through the glass windows, creating a beautiful picture.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Moka!"

"See you!"

The last employee was on their way and all that was left was you, the treats on display, and lovely silence. It was nice to be alone sometimes, but most of the time when you were alone you started to think..and the only thing you could think of was him. Was he really gone forever now? People move to different places all the time..perhaps he's sick? Maybe..maybe he's found another bakery.

The chime of the door pulls you from your thoughts, and you quickly look up. "Moka.."

"Hello."

It's him, dressed in a simple white shirt and jeans-his posture the same as ever...Maybe you were imagining him. It was late after all...perhaps you were hallucinating from lack of rest. Strawberry guy ?

He walked closer, standing just the same way he had in front of you so many days ago.

"One slice of strawberry shortcake...and an almond croissant, please."

"I." Well, he's definitely real, but why is he here so late? After so long? ..Was this a prank? "Yes, of course. One moment, sir." You replied, auto-piloting your response as you tried to process the situation.

Without another word he went back to sit down in the exact same chair. All you could think of as you grabbed a slice from the display was all the questions he had yet to answer, and all of the things he could possibly say.

You let out a soft sigh, grabbing a few extra strawberries for a better presentation, maybe it'd sweeten him up too…

With careful steps you walked over to him, gently placing the plates down before sitting down in the chair across from him.

And for the first time-he ate the croissant first.

"Would it be odd to say I missed this taste?" He murmured, taking small bites of the fluffy pastry, his facial expression the same as always. Blank yet somehow slightly fond.

"I guess not. You're bound to miss something when you're away from it for a bit."

A pause.

"Speaking of, where have you been anyway?"

"Were you looking out for me?”

You raised an eyebrow. Answering your question with another one? This is your chance, just speak. Easy and slow.

"Family? Or maybe a girlfriend?"

"No. Just me."

"l meant if you had one."

"I do not."

A sound of what could've only been relief left you, a soft sigh escaping your lips. Would he take offense?

Quite the opposite.

The corner of his lips curved ever so slightly, his eyes glued to your face as you tried to hide your embarrassment.

"I just thought you must've..you probably brought those extra desserts to your...someone."

"You’d be dead wrong. They're for me."

"Noted" You quickly replied, thank God you can’t blush anyway.

A longer moment of quiet passed before he set down the bready treat, picking up a fork to bite into the cake before suddenly stopping.

"There's a few more strawberries than usual."

"We’ll take it as a welcome back gift free of charge." You joked, finally beginning to ease back into your usual self.

"You're extremely kind and trusting. Why?"

Your eyebrows rose a bit at the unexpected question, your lips parting ever so slightly.

"You never know what's going on in someone's life. I think it's always better to be kind, it's an even greater feeling to know you'd brighten someone's day."

"I see." He mumbled, before finally taking a bike into the cake, savoring the sweet syrup on his tongue.

"I guess you won't be frequenting as much then?"

"You’d be incorrect, again."

"Really?" You try to hide your excitement, but you can't physically find it in yourself.

"Of course. Perhaps then I could find an opportunity to repay you for those strawberries.

"Ah-I told you, they're free of charge." You chuckled, getting up from the chair to collect his empty beignets plate as you noticed it was getting particularly late.

But he stopped you, lithe fingers wrapping around your wrist to keep you from the plate. His hand was cold, but extremely soft. You'd only dreamed of him holding your hand. Not exactly in this situation, but you'd take what you could get.

"I wasn't speaking of money."

"You weren't?"

"Could I tell you what I would like to give you?"

You lean down a few inches, nodding your head as he tilted his own so his lips were just a centimeter away from your ear.

"A kiss."

You almost immediately turned your head, but before you could even utter your exclamation his mouth was over yours, overwhelming your senses until all you could think of was his warm and utterly smooth lips against yours.

He was careful in everything he did. From how he ate to how he held you now, his grip on your wrist loosening as you leaned into him, seeking more of his touch. You gratefully took all that he gave you, not once pulling away.

His tongue eventually grazed your lower lip, and all you could internally say was..

"Holy shit! I knew it!"

You squealed into his mouth before pulling away, watching your best friend stand at the front door-absolutely gobsmacked. How did you not hear the door!? She's probably here for her cake freeloader.

"You again.." You whispered under your breath, still holding his hand, still squeezing his palm. "And I thought I was the only one who could kiss you" She sighed, the most devilish smile adorning her lips.

You look back at him, his eyes staring blankly at your friend.

"You and your lying ass.”

"Fine! You should've just broken up with me instead of cheating on me like this!" She paused, staring right back at Juhoon.

"And I want my cake!!" With a dramatic exit, she left the building. Probably just to wait in her car for you to deliver her slice.

"She is not my girlfriend, I'm not even a lesbian.” You raised up your hands almost innocently.

"It's quite alright. I could tell she was lying."

"Oh well.”

He's still squeezing your fingers, rubbing his thumb against the back of your palm like it's muscle memory, and for a moment you feel completely at peace.

“uhm.. thank you, i’m martin” he says with a quiet voice, a bit embarrassed by the situation “thanks for helping out, you didn’t have to” the corner of his mouth lifts slightly as a sign of gratitude.

you shake your head gently “it’s alright, it can happen. i never tried skating but i bet stuff like this is pretty frequent”.

that was your first encounter with martin. and ever since then, he always found an excuse to hang around you, whether rushing up to you after seeing you from afar, casually skating by your favorite park where you’d hang out with your friends to drop by and say hi, you name it. 

despite your friendly demeanor, you were someone who always had something to say. you weren’t afraid to speak up, especially when someone was being disrespectful

and she only reveals what she wants you to see

that’s when martin couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw you animatedly fighting with one of your friends at the park over the usual stuff a teenager could fight about, boys? clothes? he didn’t know. he was too busy looking at how your eyebrows were furrowed, how much you gestured to get your point across, how fiery you seemed. 

you were always composed around him, never raged out like that. did he not like it? nah, he loved it as much as he loved your qualities.

she can wait if she wants, she’s ahead of her time

“took you long enough to tell me” you say as your lips slightly rise in a smile “i’ve been waiting for like 5 years”. martin’s eyes widened “wait… you waited all this time for me to confess… while knowing i liked you? why didn’t you do anything?”, you chuckle softly, and martin thinks his heart might explode right now. “i know you, you wanted to be the knight in shining armor”.

martin huffs out a laugh and shakes his head, of course she knew, he should’ve figured it out. she’s always been one step ahead of him in everything, and all along he just told himself he was easily predictable. 

“so, we’re getting coffee after school?” he asks with a grin, you smile and pull out two iced coffees, his and your favorite “i already knew you’d ask”

but she’ll bring out the best and the worst you can be

“why do you never listen, y/n?! it’s like everyone is always in the wrong with you!” martin says, eyebrows furrowed and his voice loud. they have been arguing for about an hour in her room. for what exactly? he’s not sure, things have been rocky for a while in their relationship. he thought it was the usual kind of crisis most couples go through, that you two would get over it pretty fast, but it was not the case.

“no it’s not! i’m just telling you my point of view but you refuse to acknowledge it!” you bite back, martin can’t believe how stubborn you’re being right now “ok you know what? i don’t want to listen to another word coming from you! the more you speak the more i get irritated so why don’t you just shut up?!”

oh no. that does it.

you stare at him, in disbelief. sure, you were fighting, but shutting you out completely? ignoring your feelings? and to top it all, giving you the look of someone that doesn’t want to have anything to do with you? the tears start flowing down before you can even realize you’re crying. 

martin is frozen in place, now realizing how far he’s gone. should he hug you? or maybe give you space? he’s too deep in thought to realize that you’re grabbing your bag without a word and you’re getting ready to leave. he panics as he sees you reach for the door “no no no no no” he mutters quickly, grabbing your elbow gently and spinning you around towards him “hey, no shutting out”.

you choke out through tears “you said you don’t want to hear another word from me! so i’m going–” he cups your cheeks “i’m a dick, you know that better than i do” he looks deeply in her eyes, all the anger from before slowly disappearing “i just… i just exploded, i’m sorry. please, let’s sit and talk it out. i want to be mature for you”. you take a deep breath, searching in his eyes for any hint of dishonesty, and when you find none, you speak with a quiet voice “we need to learn how to handle our emotions better”. martin gives you a tiny and sincere smile “this might be a good start”

but she’s always a woman to me

martin has been with you for almost 2 years now, and he gets surprised when he remembers that, to him, it feels like you two have been together as long as he can remember. and you probably have been, ever since that day where you took care of his bruise at the skate park.

now martin is looking at you, from the door of your shared bedroom, in your own apartment that holds so many memories of you together, staring intensely at you as you busy yourself with some make-up products, getting ready for your date with him.

he watches how you brush your hair, how you put on lipstick, how your mouth slightly opens as you put mascara on your lashes, and he sees the little girl who helped him up after a fall on the skateboard, the teenage girl who was a ticking bomb of emotions, lashing out, crying, and then laughing, and now the woman who he shares his present and future with.

and through all this years, she changed, but she’s always a woman to him.

주훈, juhoon

greengreen, he’s the "i packed snacks, a blanket, and your favorite drink" type.

greengreen, shows love through actions more than words. often opting for experiences over gestures.

greengreen, he’s patient when teaching you something.

greengreen, notices what makes you comfortable and adjusts accordingly.

마틴, martin

greengreen, he stay on the phone with you until you fall asleep type.

greengreen, a gentle giant with you. he seems to tower everyone, including you. his affectionate with you in a softer, gentle way.

greengreen, he supports you unconditionally about everything. he has enough belief in you for the both of you.

greengreen, he’d write songs inspired by you for other hybe groups.

Martin… enjoys the height difference more than he should. when you need help reaching things that are too high, or when you’re looking up at him to say something, it’s his favorite thing in the world.

Martin… smiles when he’s on live and sees certain emojis in the chat that you always use when texting him.

Martin… sends you random photos throughout the day with no context; a stray cat, a vending machine that had your favorite drink in it, or just a silly looking cloud.

Martin… remembers the tiny details. “isn’t your test today?” or “i thought you said you didn’t like those.”

Martin… has an album of screenshots of cute texts you send him.

Martin… gets overly excited when he notices you wearing something he bought you.

Martin… calls you by your full name when he’s worried about you or being serious.

-