hyuck

Jaehyun would not be separated from you unless he absolutely had to be.

It’s quite a problem, actually, because his life is so deeply intertwined with yours that he doesn’t understand how to function alone. So when his company requests for him to go on an overseas work trip, he immediately wants to decline.

“Jae, you’re being ridiculous. You’ll be fine without me. This is huge! They must see a promotion in sight for you or else they wouldn’t have asked,” you say to him when he reveals his hesitation.

He grumbles. You have to stay in town because you both promised you would attend Johnny’s DJ set months ago and you don’t want to flake just because Jaehyun can’t make it. He knows Johnny would be fully understanding if you didn’t come, but considering Johnny has shown up for Jaehyun time and time again, he’s not going to be a dick because of his separation anxiety.

“What am I going to do without you?” He pouts.

You crawl into bed, giggling as you kiss him. “You’re going to be a normal human being and stop talking about your girlfriend for five minutes. Come on, Jae. We can be apart for a couple of days.”

When Jaehyun’s plane lands in Italy, he sighs and thinks about how cute you are when you’re worried about deplaning. When he rolls his suitcase down the walkway, he thinks about how you would stubbornly insist on handling your own luggage instead of letting Jaehyun take care of you. When his driver greets him with a nod, he thinks about how pretty you would look staring out the window, drinking in the sights of Italy.

He calls you as soon as he’s checked into his hotel, but your phone goes straight to voicemail. It’s way too early in the morning for you to be awake, but he selfishly wants you to lose sleep over him.

“Baby,” he whines, spread out like a starfish over the mattress. “Where are you?”

He scrolls through social media for a bit while he waits for you to call back. He also checks what his boss has planned for him tomorrow, sighing when he sees the long list of people he has to meet and exchange fake smiles with.

Should he call again? What if you’re abandoned on the side of the road with no service? What if someone’s been stalking you and they’ve been waiting for him to leave so they can finish their conniving plan?

He wasn’t always incorrigible like this. He used to actually believe boundaries were healthy for a relationship. But when Yuta introduced you to him over three years ago, he decided he never wanted to be apart from you.

There’s something about you that consumes him whole. He could stay up every night just to hear your voice. He’s never met someone who gets along with him so well. It’s like you see right through him and accept him for all of his flaws, no matter how bad they are.

One of them, obviously, is that he’s too clingy.

You call him back a few hours later, apologizing for keeping him waiting when he picks up on the first ring.

“Johnny and Joohyun called it quits. I just got to his apartment an hour ago. He’s such a wreck, Jae. He doesn’t even know if he can go through with his set tomorrow.”

He winces at the revelation. Johnny and Joohyun have been together even longer than you two, and you’ve often paired up for double dates. He feels a little sheepish for his bizarre speculation about your wellbeing.

“Should I call him? He’s been excited about this set for weeks. He has to perform tomorrow,” Jaehyun points out.

“No, it’s okay. I’m going to stay over and try to get through to him.”

His brain malfunctions for a second. Now, don’t get him wrong, Jaehyun is not the controlling type of boyfriend who tells you what you can or cannot do. He’s pretty relaxed because he knows you love him and he trusts you to do the right thing.

But the thought of you staying over at Johnny’s apartment… comforting him while he’s down… snuggling up to him while Johnny cries on your shoulder… it has Jaehyun’s blood boiling.

“Is that really necessary? He’s a grown man. He can make his own decisions,” he says to you, praying you don’t hear the insecurity laced in his tone.

“I think he just needs someone here right now. A voice of reason. I’ll call you before your first meeting tomorrow, okay?”

He clenches his jaw before replying with a simple, “Okay.”

As soon as you hang up, Jaehyun dials Yuta’s number.

“What?”

“How fast can you get to Johnny’s?”

Yuta pauses on the other end of the line. “Why?”

“He and Joohyun just broke up. I think he needs a friend there to lift up his spirits.”

Perhaps Jaehyun should have called someone else. Yuta knows exactly which buttons to push to get Jaehyun riled up, and he has a very fun time watching his temper rise.

“I heard he already has a very special friend there to comfort him,” Yuta replies, and Jaehyun can hear the evident smirk in his tone.

“Yuta,” he mutters through gritted teeth. “I need you to go over there.”

Yuta continues, “You don’t remember how Johnny and Joohyun got together, do you? Joohyun was dating this guy she thought she would have a big white wedding with, and then Johnny came along and flipped her world upside down. Sounds familiar, don’t you think?”

Jaehyun hits the end call button and stares up at the ceiling, riddled with nightmares of you falling into Johnny’s eager embrace.

Jaemin thinks you’re the prettiest person he’s ever laid eyes on. You’re so sweet and gentle, so caring of other people, and so impossibly hard not to like.

He doesn’t know when his crush on you began to bloom. The first time Jisung introduced you, he was too starstruck by your beauty to make a decent first impression. You simply smiled and shook his hand, leaving his fingers tingling for hours afterwards.

He grilled into Jisung that night, asking him every question under the sun about you.

Jisung was thoroughly exasperated before finally stating, “She’s single, Jaemin. But she likes bad boys.”

Jaemin is floored by the revelation. Bad boys… with you? No, it’s not possible. You’re too kind, dipped in honey and sugar. Any man who considers himself a “bad boy” should not be allowed to come within six feet of you.

He observes you at Jisung’s birthday party, keeping an eye out to see which type of man you decide to approach.

You almost trip on your heels to run to Lee Jeno.

Jaemin’s shoulders deflate when you bat your eyelashes at him, grinning widely as you squeeze his upper arm. Jaemin considers Jeno to be a close friend, but at the moment, he would like nothing more than to strangle him and leave him for dead.

“Give it up,” Renjun scoffs at him, flicking his forehead as he walks past. Jaemin glares at him in return. “Unless you start bulking up and never leave your house, she won’t look at you twice.”

So that’s exactly what Jaemin does.

He’s in the gym for nearly three hours every single day, lifting weights like it’s his full-time job. He shifts from a lanky guy to a jacked up man, straining the sleeves of his sweaters whenever he flexes his muscles.

He hopes you’ll notice the difference, but you barely acknowledge him.

“Oh, hi, Jaemin,” you murmur at Donghyuck’s house party, dressed in the loveliest shade of pink. You smile at him as you pour yourself another glass of lemonade. “How are you?”

“I’ve been hitting the gym a lot lately,” he says, cutting straight to the point. You tilt your head, examining his new form. He begins to sweat underneath your scrutiny, praying that he’s embodied the type of guy you want him to be. “I was thinking about texting Jeno, actually. I wanted to see if he’d like to be gym buddies.”

You smile coyly at the mention of Jeno and it has Jaemin swirling with jealousy.

“I think he would love that! He’s always saying he only likes to go to his house and the gym. He’s so silly,” you mumble with flushed cheeks.

Jaemin’s hand tightens around his bottle of beer. Seriously, what has Jeno done to have you acting this way? Jaemin could be silly too, he could match whatever energy you desire.

He just has to make you see the possibility that Jeno isn’t the right guy for you.

He asks Jeno to hang out the next day under the guise of wanting to try a new restaurant across town. Jeno doesn’t put up any arguments, strolling into the place like he hasn’t unknowingly declared himself as Jaemin’s worst enemy.

They talk about small things initially, conversing about the updates in their work life.

Jaemin is the first one to bite. “Have you been seeing anyone?”

Jeno shrugs. “Not really. I’ve been hooking up with a few people but nothing serious. No one has caught my interest for the long-term, I guess.”

Jaemin loathes him. How can he say that when you’re clearly vying for his attention, dangling off his arm and begging for him to stay?

Ungrateful bastard.

Jaemin mentions your name, watching carefully for Jeno’s reaction. He doesn’t seem affected at all, only raising an eyebrow and waiting for Jaemin to continue.

“I was thinking we could go on a double date. You and her, me and Yoojung. What do you think?”

“Yoojung? I didn’t know you had a thing for her.”

Jaemin doesn’t really know Yoojung, but he knows she’s nice enough to partake in his plan. She’ll be a great actress too, definitely willing to oblige him for the sake of love. She’s always been a huge champion for matchmaking so he’s well aware that she won’t put up much of a fight.

“I think she’s cute,” he replies, lying through his teeth. Yoojung is nice, but in Jaemin’s eyes, she doesn’t hold a candle to you. “And I think she would feel more comfortable if we went on a double date first. You would be doing me a huge favor.”

Jeno nods. “Sure, man. I’m happy to help.”

Jaemin’s grin spreads from ear to ear.

Usually, the club isn’t this packed.

That’s the entire reason why you signed up for this job. It’s one of the lesser known clubs in town, still finding its footing after a few failed marketing attempts to gain public interest.

As the bartender, you normally are only dealing with five customers maximum on one shift. It’s easy to lean back and play games on your phone to pass the time, practically being paid just to lounge around and mix a shitty martini once in a while.

Unfortunately for you, the manager’s latest marketing attempt has flourished significantly. He’s brought in one of the hottest DJs to the club, sending out social media blasts like crazy to promote his appearance.

You’ve never met Johnny Suh in your life, but you already hate him for forcing you to complete actual work.

You’re darting back and forth at the bar, struggling to remember people’s orders as they crowd the space. You start getting complaints about you mixing the wrong drinks, but you reply with a heated glare and a snarky comment to tell them to find a different bar.

Johnny’s set starts in thirty minutes and the wolves are descending on you.

You scream at your manager when he comes by to check on you.

“I’m drowning here! Did you seriously think one bartender could manage this type of crowd?”

People are packed into the club like sardines, but your manager is beaming with pride, happy that he’s increased the business of this place. He’s not even deterred by your sour attitude.

“Don’t worry, they’ll become far more manageable once Johnny’s up there!” He tells you, having the audacity to wink at you like you’re also experiencing the best night of your life. “Just keep chugging along!”

You’re so overwhelmed that you start handing people full bottles of vodka and tequila and telling them to dole it out as they please. Thankfully, the audience starts to flock away from the bar once they realize Johnny is about to begin his set.

The lights dim when he takes center stage. The entire club cheers as he wrangles his headphones on, wearing a sleeveless white tank top, exposing the myriad of tattoos on his shoulders and arms.

You pause midway through mixing up a vodka cranberry, mesmerized by him.

You didn’t expect for the DJ to be… attractive.

“Hello?” The customer in front of you says, waving their hand in your face. “Are you finished with my drink?”

You narrow your eyes and thrust the half-mixed drink into his face.

“Here you go, asshole.”

He scoffs and wrenches the cup from you, disappearing back into the crowd. You have to put up with quite a few assholes throughout the duration of the night, but you happily curse them out with no filter. Your boss is too wrapped up in how well his plan worked out to worry about you, allowing you to handle the bar as you see fit.

When the night slowly dwindles to a close, you’re exhausted, wanting nothing but to curl up in bed and sleep forever. Your boss skips over to you as the last people filter out of the club. The place is a mess, and you have no idea how he’s going to hire anyone to clean this up by your next shift.

“You did great tonight!” He exclaims as he clearly hasn’t heard you telling multiple people to shove their drinks up their asses. “Here’s a little bonus for you. I know I should’ve prepared you better for tonight’s turnout, but we’ll work out all of the kinks. You should expect a lot more nights like this.”

Your eyes widen as you snatch the crumpled bills from his fingertips. “I thought you said this was a one time thing!”

He grins from ear to ear. “That’s what I assumed, but Johnny surprisingly took me up on my offer to DJ here for another week! We’re going to become the most successful club in the city!”

You’re infuriated. You’re blinded by rage over your boss’s inability to manage his own club properly and some misdirected anger towards Johnny for unknowingly bringing chaos into your once peaceful life.

When you see Johnny outside the club, loading up his equipment into his car, you can’t help but approach him and voice your thoughts.

“What’s wrong with you?”

He turns to look at you, one eyebrow raised as you stand in front of him, huffing and puffing. He’s calm, cool, and collected, differing from you as you’re seconds away from setting fire to the city.

“Do I know you, doll?”

Your lips twist at the pet name. “I’m not your doll. And no, you don’t know me, which makes this whole situation worse. Why would you choose this club out of all places to DJ at?”

He leans against his trunk, crossing his arms over his chest as he stares at you. He’s amused, the corner of his mouth lifted upwards.

“Because it’s relatively chill and lowkey. I need a place to hide for a while. The festivals are growing to be too much for me.”

“Boo hoo,” you grumble. “And did you ever think about how your decision would affect other people? Like let’s say, the poor bartender of this small club who has never served more than two people at once?”

He raises an eyebrow. “So you’re complaining to me because you have to do your job?”

You glare at him. “Yes!”

He chuckles fondly at you. His eyes rake over your figure from top to bottom and you shift uncomfortably. You’re dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, your hair tangled and messy from your busy night. You’re not exactly the epitome of sex appeal right now.

“Sorry to burst your bubble, doll. But I’m happy that I’ll be seeing you for another week. I’ll tell the crowd to go easy on you.”

Your fury gradually evolves into abhorrence. You hate this good looking man. You hate that he thinks you find this humorous, that he can flirt with you and ruin your life because he’s a big shot DJ.

“Fuck you, Johnny.”

As you walk away, you hear him call out, “So you won’t even give me your name?”

You slave away in the kitchen for weeks, practicing endlessly until the day of the cook off creeps up on you. Jeno joins you when you check in, helping you carry the multitude of pots and pans into the venue. You’re sweating profusely, afraid of seeing Chenle in person. Jeno prevents himself from saying any snarky remarks when he realizes how nervous you are.

He becomes your helper for the day, organizing your ingredients and calming you down by purchasing you hot chocolate. Soeun and Hyojung eventually join in the audience as well, hyping you up minutes before the competition begins.

“I haven’t seen him,” you whine, searching for Chenle’s face in the crowd. “Where is he? Have you seen him?”

“He’ll be here, don’t worry,” Hyojung murmurs assuringly. “He’s probably waiting backstage. I’m sure he doesn’t want to cause a frenzy by his presence.”

“Just focus,” Soeun says sternly, placing her hands on your shoulders. She rattles you a little bit for good measure. “All you need to think about for the next three hours is cooking like your life depends on it. You can worry about Chenle later when the results are announced.”

You nod, swallowing your fear. You take a deep breath, finding your happy place as the lights dim and the host begins his speech. You shake out your nerves, zeroing in on the ingredients in front of you when the buzzer goes off.

You can hear Hyojung and Soeun shouting your name, cheering you on as you start. You keep your hair tied up in a bun as you work, fighting back the ache in your fingers as you chop.

There’s at least twenty other people competing with you, all of them far more composed than you are. You push back the worry that they’re more experienced than you, that they’ve been practicing for years while you’ve only started a few weeks ago. You add the flair to your recipes that you hope will make you stand out, watching the time as it ticks down to zero.

The host briefly comes to your station to interview you. He grins as he shoves a microphone in your face, asking you about the inspiration for your dish.

And you can’t help yourself. You should heed Hyojung and Soeun’s advice, but you’re far too pumped up with adrenaline to back out now.

You stare directly into the camera lens as you say, “I’m just hoping to impress Zhong Chenle.”

A few people in the crowd whistle at your bold statement. You wrap up the rest of your time with flushed cheeks, hoping that Chenle heard you, wherever he is.

You step back once the buzzer rings, signaling the end of your three hour run. The lights shine down on you as the cameramen rush over, capturing your creation in high definition.

The applause only electrifies when the host announces, “And now for our special guest judge, Zhong Chenle!”

Your heart beats rapidly in your chest when Chenle steps out from the side of the stage. You lick your lips as he nods at the crowd, a faint smile twirling at the corners of his mouth. He starts at the left end of the aisle, and you watch him survey his options while you stand at the other end of the stage.

You look for your friends in the throng of people, spotting Soeun bickering with Yangyang while Hyojung and Jeno give you a big thumbs up.

Chenle is even more attractive in person, which is highly unfortunate for you. How are you supposed to concentrate on explaining your recipe when he’s in front of you? He’s everything you’ve ever wanted and you despise the idea that you may not be chosen as his apprentice by the end of the day.

His eyebrow raises when he approaches your table.

“I heard I have a big fan here,” he says, amused as you stammer over your reply.

“I h-hope you like it,” you murmur. “I admire all of your work immensely.”

He grins, and it dawns on you that he’s just as attractive when he’s nice. He picks up a pair of chopsticks, inspecting your noodle dish with a curious look. Your heart is lodged inside your throat, lips dry when he takes his first bite.

He chews carefully, his gaze trained on you as you squirm in place. His expression turns stoic and the brief flicker of hope you felt is extinguished. He nods once at you before moving on to the next candidate.

You’re on the verge of falling apart, disappointed in yourself for even thinking you could impress him.

What did you think he was going to do? Declare you as the world’s greatest chef just from one bite?

You watch as he examines each plate until he reaches the end, your fists clenched by your sides. You feel like you’re on the opposite end of a cruel joke when Chenle steps up to the microphone.

“Thank you to all of the wonderful contestants who have bravely stepped forward today,” Chenle says, offering everyone a round of applause. You hesitantly clap along, wanting to rush off the stage so you can curl up into a ball and sob. “I was impressed by your many talents. Fortunately for me, I’m searching for my new culinary prodigy and I believe I’ve found who I’m looking for. I would like to announce them as the winner of the competition and offer them an exclusive spot as my apprentice. Mark Lee, will you step forward?”

The crowd erupts in cheers as all eyes are drawn to the winner. He’s completely shocked, asking multiple people along the way to the podium if he heard his name correctly. You hold your tears back, sullenly putting on a brave face as Mark accepts the prize.

Once you’re dismissed, you sprint backstage with tears streaming down your face. Jeno finds you first, hugging you tightly as he sighs. Soeun is pissed, complaining loudly.

“That Mark guy couldn’t even cook an egg properly! How could Chenle pick him?”

Hyojung joins her, fuming. “He clearly bribed him or something! No one in their right mind would’ve picked that guy as the winner.”

“I just want to go home,” you say into Jeno’s shoulder, sniffling quietly.

“You can’t miss the after party!” Yangyang exclaims. “He might not have picked you but he definitely wanted to fuck you. Trust me, I know what desperation looks like.”

“I don’t agree with that sentiment but I think Yangyang’s right,” Jeno says. “You should be a good sport and attend. You could network, make a few connections. Something good might come out of this.”

They drag you to the venue where the after party is held. You try your best not to sulk, mingling with other dejected contestants and even receiving a few offers to work in upscale restaurants. Obviously, no one gets as much attention as Mark, who struggles to keep track of each conversation he’s pulled into.

You’re about to make your escape when you’re cornered in the hallway.

“You made an excellent piece.”

You stop when you hear Chenle’s voice. You swivel around to face him, refusing to meet his gaze.

“Apparently it wasn’t good enough for you.”

He chuckles at your candor. “You were the candidate I would’ve chosen, if the choice were up to me.”

You furrow your eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

He sighs. “My apprentice used to be chosen by me, but ever since it became a spectacle that my manager realized we could profit from, I no longer have power over the decision. They wanted a rags to riches story this year, which is why I had to pick Mark. He’s the worst cook I’ve ever seen, and the media is eager to witness how I can turn his skills around.”

“So I lost because I’m too good?”

He purses his lips. “Unfortunately, yes. But I was hoping you would stick around so I could propose a second offer to you.”

Hope blooms in your chest again. “An o-offer?”

“To be my second apprentice. My real apprentice,” he emphasizes. “You wouldn’t receive the same media attention, but you would still train with me, learn from me. I think we could cultivate a lot of your skills if you were willing.”

You grin, happily bouncing on the balls of your feet. His eyes briefly dart down to your lips and you ignore the fluttering feeling in your stomach.

“I would be honored, sir. Truly honored.”

“Good,” he murmurs, taking another step closer. The distance between you has shrunken considerably but you thrive in his undivided attention. “I’ll have my assistant send you the details. I’m holding you to a higher standard than Mark, so I expect you to exceed my expectations. Do you think you can do that?”

You chew on your lower lip, mesmerized by him. He seems to be equally captivated by you, drinking in your eagerness to please him. You should be focused on your career, on the possibility of expanding your horizon with his stamp of approval.

But now all you can think about is bending over for him and letting him have his way with you.

“I’ll do anything you want, sir.”

The implication doesn’t go unnoticed by him. He clenches his jaw and you wonder if you’ll be reprimanded, if you’ll see the stern side of him that peeks out in those reality television shows.

“You’ll be good for me?”

You nod, and the room grows smaller and smaller. The space between you closes, his body molding yours against the wall. You inhale sharply as your core aches for him.

“Chenle? Where did you go?”

“My fucking manager,” he hisses under his breath. He takes a step back and you pout when he parts from you. His fingers brush over your jaw, tracing your hard edges carefully. “I’ll see you next week. I want you to be on your best behavior for me, is that understood?”

“Yes, sir,” you whisper.

His eyes flare up again in desire before he turns on his heel, leaving you wanting for him.

Men like Jeong Jaehyun should never be allowed to be this attractive.

It’s lethal, the way he can stun random strangers on the spot just with one look. You are obviously not immune to his charms, but you do still follow a sacred rule you’ve kept to yourself for years.

You do not, under any circumstances, date a co-worker.

You seriously cannot see any positive outcomes to dating a co-worker. Sure, many older employees on the floor have met their partners in the office, but no one ever talks about how awkward it gets when the relationship doesn’t work out.

You have to come to this place everyday at the crack of dawn, and you cannot imagine how difficult that task would be if you had to face your ex-boyfriend while battling a case of insomnia.

So no, even though Jaehyun is the most handsome man you’ve ever seen in your life, you will not go out on a date with him.

No matter how many times he asks.

Like clockwork, he drapes himself over your cubicle around lunchtime, blinking at you as innocently as he can. Your packed lunch sits on your desk, waiting to be cracked open and eaten.

“They opened a new sandwich shop down the street. Did you hear?” He questions, eyes twinkling.

You sigh, ignoring him. “I have a lot of work to complete today, Jeong.”

“I could grab your order for you. We can eat in the break room together. You wouldn’t even have to leave the building.”

It’s kind of cute to see how desperate he is. Everyone in the office wants him, dying to possess a mere minute of his time, yet he stays pining after you, the co-worker he can never have.

“I have lunch already,” you say, waving the tupperware in front of his eyes. Joohyun peeks over at you from her cubicle five feet away, itching to hear you deny Jaehyun another chance at victory. “But thank you for the offer.”

His shoulders deflate but he smiles nonetheless, refusing to let you witness his dejection. You wonder how many times he’ll keep trying until he finally gives up.

“Oh, okay. I’ll see you after work then?”

You don’t know if it’s true that he lives in your area or if it’s another reason for Jaehyun to latch onto you, but you take the same train home from work. He often uses this as another opportunity to gently ask you if you would like to wind down the day with a drink or two.

“Sure, Jeong. I’ll see you after work.”

Joohyun scurries over to you as soon as Jaehyun hops on the next elevator.

“He’s so endearing,” she pouts, pulling up a chair and invading your personal space. “Like a lost puppy who needs a home.”

You sigh, gently elbowing her so you can reach your keyboard. “Then why don’t you provide him with one?”

“Because then he’ll run away. He knows exactly which home he wants to end up in. Why don’t you just give him one chance? I’m sure he’s not the type to keep badgering you after a failed date.”

“You know my rule, Joohyun.”

She whines. “But sleeping with co-workers is so fun and messy! You definitely enjoyed the gossip last week when I told you how amazing Johnny was in bed. Imagine what you could find out about Jaehyun’s behavior in between the sheets.”

You wince at her candor. “You are aware that the human resources lady sits directly across from my cubicle, right?”

She waves you off. “Oh, please. She never listens, I would know. And don’t try to change the subject! You have to admit that you’re a little curious as to where Jeong Jaehyun would take you on your first date.”

You have thought about it before. After all the trouble he’s gone through to grovel at your feet, you assume he would bring you somewhere sentimental, somewhere memorable enough to leave you craving for more of his precious time. In a world where Jaehyun wasn’t your co-worker, you’re certain he would be a perfect boyfriend.

“I don’t have time to debate this with you, Joohyun. These emails have to get sent by the end of the day.”

“Fine,” she sings, wheeling away from you. “But don’t act like you’re better than us because I know you also dream about riding his dick.”

As soon as your last email leaves your outbox and you start to pack up to leave, Jaehyun is by your side, waiting for you with a paper bag clutched in his hand. You raise an eyebrow inquisitively.

“I figured you could warm it up for dinner,” he explains, grinning as he hands it to you.

You peer inside, getting a whiff of the mouthwatering sandwich. Your gaze flicks up to see his classic dimple popping out.

“Thanks,” you mutter, shutting down your computer and walking out with him.

His hand falls to the small of your back as he guides you into the elevator. Your breath hitches, silently wondering if he thinks you can’t manage to step into an elevator on your own.

Men are so predictable.

He chatters to you while you take the short walk to the train station. He beams about the new car he got over the weekend, and how he and Johnny have already driven down the coast with the top down and the wind in their hair.

His personality is so carefree sometimes that it makes you speculate why he would want to be tied down by you.

Once you reach the platform, you pause when you see your friend from college, Doyeon, lingering by the stairs. She notices you first, her expression lighting up at the sight of you.

She quickly envelops you in a hug, squealing with joy. “I haven’t seen you in so long! How are you? Oh, this is my boyfriend, Doyoung.”

She introduces you to the man who stands shyly behind her. You remember Doyeon having a bigger personality than most, and it would make sense that she found a man who would rather prefer for her to be the center of attention.

You’re about to step back and add Jaehyun to the conversation, but Doyeon pipes up again before you get the chance.

“And this must be your boyfriend! So handsome,” she says with the wiggle of her eyebrows.

You flush in embarrassment but Jaehyun simply smiles.

“I wish that were the case,” he chuckles, shaking her hand. “But unfortunately, I’m just her co-worker. It’s nice to meet you.”

Doyeon pouts, and you suddenly recall why you lost contact with her after graduation. In any occurrence, no matter how awkward the situation may be, she will always find a way to make it worse.

“Just a co-worker,” she repeats, appalled by the information. “But that can’t be! You two look so perfect together.”

The whistle of the incoming train saves you from your drowning mortification. Doyoung smiles at you apologetically, but his girlfriend doesn’t stop, even once you’ve boarded and are stuffed together like sardines.

“You must’ve gone on at least one date,” Doyeon says, twisting her head to see you in the crowd.

Jaehyun is squished against your back, but you think he likes it that way, especially when his hand grips your hip to steady himself. You toss him a glare over your shoulder but he pretends not to see it.

“I’ve tried to ask her out many times. One time, she told me I was brave for even attempting to ask,” he says, and you push down the desire to shrivel up and jump onto the train tracks. “She doesn’t believe in dating co-workers.”

Doyeon’s jaw drops. “Well, that’s ridiculous! Doyoung and I met through work and we’ve been together for four years. Not all office romances are doomed to fail.”

You can hear the smirk in Jaehyun’s voice when he leans over to whisper in your ear.

“Did you hear that?”

You growl, loathing how you’re practically dripping in your panties, feeling his bulge pressed against your ass.

“I heard it.”

You step off the train as soon as it comes to a halt, ignoring the burn on your skin from where Jaehyun touched you. You hastily promise to contact Doyeon for lunch before fleeing the scene, refusing to spend one more second with Jeong Jaehyun in case your resolve snaps.

Apparently, hooking up with other actors is just as unfulfilling as hooking up with any regular man.

The actor you bring to bed is more than unsatisfactory. You kick him out the next morning with an eye roll, and Sookyung raises an eyebrow at you as she pours you a cup of coffee.

“He was so promising,” you whine, sipping on your mug with a pout. “He’s hot right now because of that new drama. I thought he would know a thing or two.”

“The actors are extremely boring,” she informs you. “Clean cut, too hyperaware of the cameras. You can marry them but they won’t fuck you well. You know who’s very good at controlling their body movements? Idols.”

“You’re still on this?” You huff. “I wasn’t going to touch him with a ten foot pole, Soo. You know my drama is set to release in the fall. I can’t jeopardize its ratings. It’ll be my first big break.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that the senior idols know how to be discreet? You can keep toeing on the safe side but you’ll just return home every night, wondering if his dick is better.”

You ignore her advice. You throw yourself in your work for the next few weeks. Your agent books you audition after audition, leaving you scrambling to learn last-minute lines and adjusting your look to please the directors. You don’t even have time to slip a hand down your pants at the end of the day, let alone call the idol that Sookyung vouches for.

You don’t get a chance to breathe until the after party for Sookyung’s upcoming drama. She invites you to the premiere and you smile in front of the blinding lights, hearing flashes go off from left to right. You thank Sookyung for the free press and she waves you off.

“You know I’ll always look out for you,” she winks, tracing her finger over the rim of her champagne glass. “But do me one favor. I want you to have a good time tonight. You’ve been so tense these past few weeks!”

“I know, I know,” you sigh, running your fingers through your hair. “But I booked two more jobs. At least the long nights are getting me somewhere.”

You scan the room. It’s a relatively quiet party as most of the cast of Sookyung’s drama are on the older side. They mingle with one another as the venue plays soft jazz music.

You narrow your eyes when you spot the idol from your night at the club. He lingers by the bar, chatting with the actor that stars alongside Sookyung. You start to connect the dots in your head.

“You didn’t say your friend of a friend would be here,” you murmur, tossing her a look.

She smirks. “Oh, I didn’t? It must've slipped my mind.” The director walks over, apologizing before pulling Sookyung away into another conversation. She whispers to you before she leaves, “Don’t forget to have a good time!”

You weigh your other options before biting the bullet. Having an affair with an actor twenty years your senior is widely out of the question. Hooking up with the same actor who failed to bring you to your climax is also out of the question.

The idol approaches you while you’re silently crossing out candidates in your head.

“Ah, the pretty girl strikes again,” he says smoothly, sliding into your view with a grin. You give him a look of indifference. “Are you finally going to tell me your name? And maybe let me take you home?”

“You’re awfully bold for a man who danced with me for less than five minutes,” you say. “How do I know you can carry through with your promise of a good time?”

“I’m sure I can do a lot better than that sad sack you took home instead of me.”

You click your tongue. “He was great, actually. Kept me going all night.”

He barks in laughter, clutching his stomach. Even you can’t believe your phony lie. He jumps at the opportunity to tease you.

“Oh yeah? Did he whisper in your ear all night about what he would do to you? Did he drive you to the edge over and over again until you begged him to stop?” He asks, taking a step closer until the tip of his shoes brush against yours. You swallow, your eyes trained on his full lips. “Or maybe he got you drooling for him, stuffing your mouth to ensure you would be a good girl for him? Is that what you did for him, princess?”

The pet name scratches the itch inside of you. This is exactly what you wanted from that actor but he wasn’t able to provide. This idol is able to flip the switch so easily, morphing into the man you’ve been craving for.

…But you want to see him work for it.

After all, they say love is a game, right?

“It was really hard for me, you know,” you say, feigning innocence. Your voice drops a few octaves until you’re certain he’s the only one who can hear you. “Taking such a big cock in my mouth. It made my throat ache the next morning and got me wet for days. He didn’t last long though. I was hoping to see how pretty it would look when I bounced on him or when he stretched me out… can you imagine it?”

His jaw has dropped open with a small glob of drool spilling from the side of his lips. You giggle when he quickly wipes it away, his eyes wide in astonishment.

Hook, line, and sinker.

You grab another champagne glass from a nearby tray and wink at him.

“My drama is out this fall. Maybe you can finally learn my name when you see it in the credits.”

He grabs your wrist before you can merge into the throng of people.

“I promise I’ll show you a very good time,” he pleads. “Give me one chance to prove it to you.”

You smile mischievously. “Good boys like you have to earn it.”

You wriggle out of his grasp, your heart beating a million times a minute as you disappear from his line of sight.