🦋

Today was another day at work as it was a Thursday afternoon. You were just making the coffee orders when your manager said she was going to bank in yesterday’s profits. She would probably take about 2 hours before she comes back so you would be left alone to mend the cafe. She’s done this multiple times because she trusts you and that she knows you are well capable of running the cafe alone.

Although that sounds horrible on your end, you did feel glad that you are indeed able to make all the drinks and foods on your own after working here for almost 4 years. After you had just finished making the order, you pressed the buzzer number. Once the girl had taken her drink and returned the buzzer to you, you went over to the cashier only to see a familiar face.

“Hey… You’re early today?” You asked as Chris smiled at you. Chris is a regular customer here at the cafe you worked at for a few months now and he even became friends with you and your co-worker.

“Hey, yeah. My friends and I wanted to sit somewhere and discuss our next song. Are you alone?”

“Yeah. My manager went to the bank so I’m assuming she won’t be back for quite a while.” You shrugged as he passed you his phone with a whole list of orders. You began to key in the orders while he continued to talk to you.

“Does she do that often? Leave you to mend the cafe alone?"

“Sometimes, yeah.” You sighed.

“But that’s staff abuse, isn’t it?” Chris looked genuinely concerned for you.

“If you think about it, yeah.”

“Aren’t you gonna do anything about it?”

“No? Must I remind you that I need this job?” You chuckled softly and he sighed.

“You can search for other places, Y/N.”

“I know but… I’ve grown to like it here. Minus my manager of course.” You said with a sad frown on your face and he sighed yet again.

“It’s just that… I think you should reconsider changing-” Chris was about to finish his sentence when a guy with dirty blonde hair came over to cut him off.

“Hyung, can I add something to our order?” He asked as you looked back and forth between them.

“Yeah, of course. What do you wanna add?” The guy glances over to you briefly before he whispers into Chris’ ear with his hand covering it and you stifle a laugh. Then, Chris cracks a smile and relays the message to you.

“Can you add one chocolate muffin please?”

“That’ll be an additional $5 charge to the final bill.” You teased, only for the guy to look surprised.

“Just kidding.” You giggled, hearing Chris chuckle while his friend relaxed a little.

“O-Oh…” He whispered quietly to himself.

“He’s cute…” You thought to yourself.

Just then, another guy rushes over to make a change to the order.

“Hi, sorry but can you change the Ice Blended Hazelnut Latte to Iced Mocha? Thank you!” The purple haired guy with adorable cheeks and muscular arms directed his words to you and this made you smile.

“Hi. And sure.” You said, making the change before looking back up to ask, “Any last changes before we proceed to make payment?”

The 3 of them looked at each other before Chris shook his head to you.

“Great.” You smiled at all of them and told Chris the total price. Once he was done paying, you gave the buzzer and receipt to Chris before they went back to their tables. You prepared their drinks while humming to the song on your playlist that was playing through the speakers in the cafe. Meanwhile, Seungmin kept glancing over behind the counter where you were by the espresso machine making the drinks.

Chan noticed this since he was sitting opposite Seungmin so he smiled as he nudged Seungmin’s arm and nodded his head towards you.

“What’s wrong, Seungmo?”

“H-Huh? Nothing, hyung. Was wondering if I should get some pastries to go.” Seungmin made up an excuse as he pretends to listen to the conversation. However, a couple of minutes later, Chan caught him looking over at you again. Suddenly, their buzzer began to buzz indicating that their orders were ready for collection. Changbin was about to stand when Chan stopped him.

“Hey Seungmin? Maybe you should go.” Chan said as the rest began to pick up the situation.

Minho then poked Seungmin’s side to tease him.

“Yeah, go talk to your new crush while you’re at it.” Minho said. Seungmin hissed at him but got up nonetheless. You were just wiping the collection counter when Seungmin came up to you.

“Uh… Here you go. Thanks.” Seungmin said as you smiled at him and took the buzzer from him. The only thing is, there’s two trays for them but only one person to carry. So you decided to offer some help.

“I’ll help you with this tray.” You said as he opened his mouth to say something but you were already leaving the back counter with their second tray. Both of you made your way to the table as Seungmin began to distribute the drinks while Chris helped with the ones on your tray. Once all the drinks and dessert had been placed on the table, you tapped Seungmin’s arm softly to get his attention.

“I can take the tray.” You said and he passed it to you.

“Um, thank you.” Seungmin gave you a small smile which you couldn’t help but return.

“No worries. Enjoy your drinks.” You politely said before you walked off.

The minute Seungmin sits down, Hyunjin and Changbin began to tease him in a good way. Seungmin could only brush them off and occasionally threaten them to shut up and it worked. They stayed at the cafe for about two hours or so, discussing their new song.

You were busy the entire two hours with the cleaning and making orders but it was still manageable.

About 10 minutes ago, your manager came back when there was a queue at the cashier. She didn’t bother to help as she went directly into the back room to do god knows what. You handled the orders as best as you could without her help. Not like she’s ever been much help all these while anyways. Not too long after, your co-workers who were working the evening shift just came and they both quickly put their bags down on top of the fridge and helped to make the drinks before they could even take their aprons.

After all the orders were completed and the last customer had taken her drink, only then did they let out a sigh and talked to you.

“Where’s Manager-nim?” Jimin asked, looking around.

“In the back room. She went to the bank 2 hours ago and she just came back like 15 minutes before you guys arrived?” You explained and they scoffed.

“She’s a nightmare. I don’t understand how she’s even a manager.” Jungkook said with a disgusted face and you laughed.

“Well, while you’re both taking your aprons, you can go say hi to her.” You teased them, only for Jungkook to pinch your side and you squeaked.

Another 30 minutes passed, your shift had just ended. Your manager had already left work unusually early, not like you guys cared anyway. You went to the back to change out of your uniform and wore the clothes you did when you came to work this morning. After you’ve kept your uniform in your bag, you leave the back room to say bye to your colleagues. Jimin was making his iced tea while Jungkook was just leaning against the counter and talking to Jimin.

You walked over to steal a bite of Jungkook’s apple pie and he scoffed at you.

“Excuse me, Missy? Go get your own pie.” Jungkook said with a growing smile on his face.

“Nah. I love stealing yours.” He laughed as Jimin poured the tea into the cup filled with ice cubes.

“You’re working tomorrow right?” Jimin asked.

“Yeah, morning shift again.”

“Are you doing anything at night?”

“Hmm, I don’t have any plans if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Jungkook and I are planning to go to the club tomorrow night. Wanna come?”

“Why should I? You’re both just gonna get drunk and go hook up with someone halfway through, leaving me all alone.”

“Nah. I don’t do hookups anymore. I’ve changed.” Jungkook says proudly but you could only giggle.

“Yeah right.” You said as Jungkook rolled his eyes jokingly to you.

“Fine. I’ll let you know if I change my mind.” You said before turning to leave, not forgetting to wave goodbye to them. As you were leaving the back counter, Chris and his friends were leaving the cafe as well.

“Oh Y/N. You’re leaving too?” Chris asked.

“Yeap.” You smiled at him, only for your eyes to naturally glide over to the blonde guy from earlier who was just behind Chris.

“So I’m guessing you’re heading home right now?” Chris asked, making you nod.

“Yeah. Gotta feed my parrot.”

“You have a parrot?” Seungmin asks curiously and you nod.

“Mhm! I’ve had him for 3 years now.”

“Oh, that’s nice. What’s the breed?”

“He’s an Indian Ringneck parrot.” You said as you showed them your phone wallpaper which was a picture of your parrot.

“Oh, he’s so cute!” Chris squeaked.

“Does he have a name?” Seungmin asked.

“His name is Zico! You guys should meet him one day.” You naturally blurt out this suggestion which kind of surprises him a little. Chris, not so much since he’s known you a little longer than Seungmin did.

“That would be nice. Maybe one day.” Chris smiled at you. Just then, you turned to Seungmin who had a soft smile on his face.

“I’d love to meet your parrot some day.” He said softly which made you smile. You then bid them goodbye since you would be parting ways now. You didn’t forget to say goodbye directly to Seungmin before you left and this woke the butterflies in his stomach.

The following day after work, you went home and suddenly remembered the proposal Jimin had offered you yesterday. It would be nice to just relax and cuddle up on your sofa alone at home, watching your favourite movies. However, going out to spend the night with two of your close buddies from work also sounds nice. Therefore, you decided to go ahead with the plan. You told them you’ll meet them there and so they got excited. You picked out your outfit which was a simple black sleeveless dress with strings to hold the back material together.

You paired it with a simple 3 inch heel so your feet don't hurt. When you made it to the club, you struggled to find your friends at first. But when you did, you caught them chilling at the bar. So you slinged your arms over the outer shoulders so that you would be in between them.

“Hi, handsome. Ready to party?” You asked and they smirked. Jungkook openly checks you out as he winked at you playfully.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Jimin said and you cheered. For the next 40 minutes, you drank a whole glass of Daiquiri and were now dancing on the dancefloor with them both. Jimin was standing in front of you while Jungkook was behind you.

They were your human shields from other drunk people who prey on drunk girls in the club. You held both Jimin’s hands as you danced with him to the song. Meanwhile, Jungkook was just moving to the beat behind you when suddenly, the song changed into a romantic but slightly slower beat. Jimin let go of your hands while he slowly got immersed in the song. You were just closing your eyes, allowing your body to move with the rhythm of the song when you felt a pair of hands sliding onto your waist and over your stomach.

You glance down to see Jungkook’s full right sleeve tattooed arm wrapping around your body while he pulls you into a back hug. He pressed his cheek against the side of your head only to say something in your ear.

“Whoever you date next, will be the luckiest guy on this earth.” You smiled as you pulled away only to find him smiling at you. He danced with you for a bit before the song changed again. After another hour or so, all 3 of you decided to go home and call it a night. Jungkook made sure to send you back home to your doorstep which you appreciated so much.

He unlocked your apartment door for you and brought you inside, removing your heels by the door and led you to your bedroom. Jungkook made sure to tuck you in before he wished you goodnight softly and made his way out of your apartment. He had just locked your front door just before he slammed your door shut and twisted the knob to make sure it was really locked when he turned around to find a guy walking past him. The guy flashed him a small smile and Jungkook did the same. Jungkook strolls slowly back to the lift lobby, stumbling a bit in his walk but was quick to recover.

Seungmin watched him walk to the lift lobby as he then glanced over at your door, not knowing that you lived there. Nevertheless, Seungmin enters his apartment which is right next to yours.

A week had passed and it was a Sunday afternoon. You were going to run some errands so you prepared to leave. You had just opened your door to leave when Chris shocked you.

“Y/N?! You live here?” Chris asked.

“Apparently…” You laughed as the rest of his friends were behind him only to walk around him while exchanging their hellos with you.

“What are you doing here?” You asked as you locked your door.

“We were going to just hang out at Seungmin’s place today.” Upon hearing that name, you turned around confused.

“Seungmin?”

As soon as you said his name, the door next to you opened and Seungmin peeked his head out from the doorway. He was surprised to see you but still greeted you nonetheless.

“Y-You… Hi?”

“Uh, hey!” You said with a smile on your face.

“She lives here, Seungmo. Didn’t you know?” Chris asked, only for him to shake his head.

“We’ve never bumped into each other before, hyung.”

“Really?! That’s so weird.” Chris said but then Felix joins in.

“Well, it seems like it’s fate.” Felix giggled as he rushed into his friend’s apartment while Seungmin was left standing there awkwardly blushing. You couldn’t help but giggle at how cute he looked.

“Since you guys live right next to each other, you guys can hang out more often.” Chris wiggles his eyebrows at you and Seungmin cheekily.

“Yeah. That would be nice.” You said while Seungmin glared at his friend.

“Okay then. I shall leave you guys to it. See you around Seungmin… And I’ll see you at the cafe, Chris.” You laughed as he did the same but nodded to your words. They briefly watched you leave before Seungmin grabbed Chan by his arm and forced him into his apartment.

“What are you doing, hyung?! Are you crazy?” Seungmin grumbles while Chan removes his shoes to join the others in the living room.

“Relax Seungmin, I’m doing you a favour.”

“What favour is there to do if she already has a boyfriend?” Seungmin asked and the rest of them went silent.

“Boyfriend? What are you talking about?” Chan asked, slightly confused. Seungmin sighed, feeling a little hesitant to tell them but he did anyway.

“Last weekend, when I was about to reach my apartment, I caught that guy who works with her leaving her apartment. He looked a little tipsy when he left too.” Seungmin sighed as he plops down next to Jeongin.

“Which guy?” Chan asks since he knows a lot about you at this point.

“He’s the one with the full sleeve tattoo on his right arm.” Immediately, Chan lets out a relieved sigh.

“Oh, Jungkookie… They’re just friends. He’s quite touchy with almost everyone he’s close with. But Y/N once told me that Jungkook and her are just very close friends, nothing more. So don’t worry. He’s not her boyfriend. You’re still safe to continue.” Chan encouraged Seungmin while the others did the same as well.

“W-What if you’re wrong? What if they decided to date each other now? What if she’s not telling you the truth? What if-” Seungmin was about to go on about his questions when Hyunjin stopped him.

“Kim Seungmin… Just ask her out. You can’t just assume things without getting a proper answer. Ask her out and see what she says. If she rejects you then maybe she is dating someone. If she accepts then hey? That’s one step closer for you.”

“Yeah, Seungmin ah. Just go for it. You wouldn’t know if you haven’t tried.” Jisung said as Seungmin let out a soft sigh, knowing his friends were right. He was afraid of getting rejected but at least he’ll get his answer on whether you’re single or unavailable. Then from there he could decide whether to go on or not.

A couple of days later, you were working as usual when you saw Seungmin enter the cafe alone. You didn’t expect to see him here because normally, it would be Chris who walks into the cafe at this hour. Nonetheless, when he meets your eyes, you flash him a warm smile.

“Hi.” You greeted softly and he grins at you adorably.

“H-Hi.”

“What can I get for you today?” You asked as he glanced over at the fridge to point at one of the cakes before looking back at you.

“I’ll have a cheesecake and one iced vanilla latte to go, please? Thank you.” Seungmin said and you keyed in his order.

“Anything else?”

He shook his head and you proceeded with the payment. After he had paid for his order, you gave him the receipt and he went over to wait by the collection counter. While you were preparing his order, Seungmin couldn’t hide his nervousness so he texted Chan.

Seungmin [sent at 2:13 pm]: I can’t do it

Chanie Hyung [read at 2:13 pm]: What?!

Chanie Hyung [read at 2:13 pm]: Don’t you dare back out now, Kim Seungmin >:(

Seungmin [sent at 2:14 pm]: What if she says no?

Chanie Hyung [read at 2:14 pm]: You haven’t even tried asking, how would you know she’ll say no?

Seungmin [sent at 2:15 pm]: Shit, she’s almost done. Hyung I can’t do it…

Chanie Hyung [read at 2:16 pm]: Seungmo, you’re gonna regret not asking her out afterwards… Trust me. There’s no harm in asking…

As Seungmin tries to process Chan’s last message, you gently call his name to get his attention. You slide the bag which has his drink and the cake in a small box towards him with a smile.

“Thanks for coming. Have a good weekend.” You said to him.

Seungmin simply flashed you a small shy smile before he thanked you and took the bag from you. Seungmin was about to open his mouth but then he saw Jungkook leaving the back room while tying his apron string around his back. With that being said, Seungmin left without a second thought and this somehow disappoints you a little. After he left in a rush, Jungkook pokes your side and questions.

“Who was that? Your friend?” Jungkook asked casually as he removed the portafilter from the coffee machine and gently slammed it upside down by the handle to remove the used ground coffee into the bin.

“He’s Chris’ friend actually and apparently my neighbour too.” You chuckled while he wiped the filter with a towel to clean the leftover coffee grounds.

“Oh right. He lives right next to you. I think I bumped into him that night when I sent you home after we went to the club with Jimin hyung.”

“You did?” Your voice was soft now as he nodded.

“He probably thinks I’m your boyfriend or date.”

“Well, if you saw a random guy leaving your crush’s place and is slightly tipsy, you would assume they at least hooked up.”

“Fair point. But hey, I can tell him we aren’t a thing if he ever swings by again. He probably has a crush on you.” Jungkook teased with a cheeky smirk on his face. You could say something but you didn’t wanna sound like a fool so you opted to continue with your work. You were currently seated on the floor in front of the bottom fridge, keeping the new stock of milk cartons when Jungkook’s voice catches your attention.

“Hey Cinderella, someone’s looking for you.” Jungkook said from the coffee machine with a smirk and this terrifies you. So you closed the fridge and stood up, only to be met with Seungmin.

“Hey? Did I make a mistake with your order?” You asked, only for him to shake his head.

“A-Actually, no. I um… I came back cause I wanted to… Well, I was wondering if you were free later tonight. I-It’s okay if you’re not. You don’t have to say yes.” Seungmin stuttered and from his shaky voice, you could tell he was nervous. But his simple courage to even come back and ask you this was really admirable.

“Yeah. I’m free tonight. I end at 5.” You said and he seemed shocked.

“Oh.” He paused as if to process your answer.

“Uh… Great? I’ll knock on your door at 8?” He continued from where he left off.

“Sure.” You smiled.

Finally, his lips curled up into a smile that leaves your heart fluttering.

“Alright then… See you later.” He said as you bid him goodbye. After he left, Jungkook squeaked whilst turning off the steaming wand.

“Finally! You scored a date!” Jungkook said happily as you laughed.

“Shut up, silly.” You said before going back to what you were doing previously.

Hours later, you were getting nervous for your date. You tried to pull up a nice outfit to wear instead of your usual jeans and hoodie. It took you almost an hour to decide on what to wear. In which you finally chose a black denim mid thigh skirt, a white long sleeve fitting top and a pair of white sneakers to finish off your look. This wasn’t your usual outfit so you think it was somewhat decent. When the clock strikes 8 o’clock, your door receives a few knocks and this triggers your nervous heart. Nevertheless, you went to the door and opened it, only to find Seungmin standing there looking twice as handsome as he normally does.

He wore a black shirt, a varsity jacket, a pair of jeans and a pair of sneakers. His hair was blonde and long enough to fall past his eyes. The minute you opened the door, Seungmin couldn’t help but give you one quick glance from head to toe before meeting your eyes again shyly.

“Hi… Y-You look really nice.” He said, making you blush.

“Thanks. I could say the same for you too.” You said and this time, it was his turn to blush.

“Shall we go?”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Seungmin said and this sparked your curiosity. You locked your door and soon left with him. He brought you to his car as he drove off without telling you the destination. In the car, you bonded with him and got to know more about each other. Everything was going smoothly so far and you were so happy. He brought you to a Korean BBQ restaurant and you were excited for the beef.

Dinner went well as you found yourself being comfortable around him. He was very gentle and calm around you, making you relax and not have to pretend to like being with him. After dinner, he drove you to a lookout point where you both sat on the hood of his car, admiring the stars in the night sky while you talked to him more. Though you never really opened up to him completely about your private life, he never forced it out of you also.

Simply out of respect since you two were only just starting to get to know each other anyway. About an hour or so, both of you decided to call it a night. When you made it outside your door, he made sure to thank you for tonight.

“Thank you for agreeing to hang out with me tonight. I really enjoyed it.” He says.

“No worries. I really like it too… And I don’t mind doing this again.” You gave him the hint which thankfully, he caught.

“Really?” He asked and so you nod.

“Then in that case… Do you have any plans next Saturday?” You asked.

“Hmm, that depends… Do you wanna schedule a plan for us next week?”

“I’d love to.”

“Great. I’ll see you next week then. Does 2pm sound good to you?” He asked.

“Absolutely.”

“Alright then. I’ll see you next week at 2pm. Goodnight Y/N.” He smiles.

“Goodnight Seungmin.” You smiled, turning to unlock your door and enter your apartment. He internally cheers for himself before heading into his apartment. He made sure to update his friends about his date and also the upcoming one. Only for his friends to freak out and encourage him to keep pushing forward.

For the next few weeks, you’ve been on a couple of dates with Seungmin but neither one of you have actually gone past the simple hand holding and slight cuddles. No one has been brave enough to kiss the other. The feelings were mutual and they were there. However, kissing the other person was just too nerve wracking to think about, let alone do it. Today was going to be your 8th date with Seungmin and you planned to somehow kiss him. Maybe just a peck at least. You had planned it all in your head, playing out the scenario to see if it would turn out okay or weird.

It’s been about 2 hours into your date where you were just chilling on his sofa when you received a phone call from your mum. So you picked it up instantly without a doubt.

“Hi mum!” You said cheerily into the call but all you heard was your mum’s frantic voice.

“Y/N. Come home quick. Grandma just fell in the toilet and we’re heading to the hospital now. She’s not in good shape…”

“What? O-Okay! I’ll come now.” You said as you had a tear roll down your cheek and he saw.

“Y/N? What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” Seungmin asked and you quickly got up to leave but he stopped you.

“Hey? Is everything okay?” Seungmin asked as he gently held your wrist and caressed it with his thumb.

“Y-Yeah. I’m so sorry but we have to postpone the date. I’m really sorry, Seungmin.”

“No, no, it’s fine. You don’t have to apologise. But, you sound like you’re heading somewhere. Do you need a ride?”

“I-I… I can get an uber. I don’t wanna trouble you.”

“No, please. I insist.” He said kindly and you were hesitant.

“But it’s a 2 hour drive from here…” You said and he smiled.

“At least you won’t be alone on your way there.” Seungmin said and your heart instantly melts for him.

“A-Are you sure?” You asked just to double confirm since you weren’t forcing him to take you to your destination.

“Absolutely. Come on. Go grab whatever you need and we’ll head out.” Seungmin says and you couldn’t help but lunge yourself onto him. You wrapped your arms around his waist as you buried your head in his chest.

“Thank you so much…” You whispered and he heard you. So he gently wrapped his arms around your shoulders to hold you for a bit before letting you go.

“Don’t mention it.” Seungmin smiles down at you as you both leave his apartment.

You went back to yours to quickly grab your belongings and soon left after locking your apartment door. Half an hour into the drive, neither of you were talking while the music played softly in the background. You have been texting your mum for the past few minutes to get an update on your grandma. Which he gave you the privacy to do so. When suddenly, you spoke up and Seungmin glanced at you briefly before he focused his eyes back on the road.

“My grandma fell down earlier and my parents are rushing her to the hospital…” Your voice was soft.

“I’m so sorry… Did they make it to the hospital?”

“Yeah. She’s in the A&E now, with the doctors.” You stared at your phone, unable to hide your emotions. Seungmin gently reaches over to scoop one of your hands. He tangles his fingers with yours while he rubs soft circles into the back of your hand with his thumbs.

“She’ll be okay.” Seungmin said, looking at you briefly only to catch a growing small smile on your face despite the tears in your eyes.

“I hope so.” You whispered and he turned back to the road. Through the entire drive, you held his hand in yours on your lap for comfort. The drive was surprisingly faster than you thought but thankful to have made it to the hospital safely. You rushed into the building after texting your mum for updates. When you make it to the ward, Seungmin trails behind you as you open the isolation ward door to find your parents on either side of the bed while your grandma lays there with a hip brace.

“Grandma!” You called as you rushed over to them. You cried upon seeing her there with a weak smile on her face.

“Hi my dear. How are you?” She asked.

“Why are you asking me? I should be the one asking you that question.” You said sadly and she chuckled.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m perfectly fine, sweetheart.” She says, making you sigh. Just then, your dad spoke up to acknowledge Seungmin as he came to stand next to your dad after bowing to him politely.

“Oh, hello son. You are?” You dad asked.

“Hi Sir. Um, I’m Seungmin. Y/N’s friend.”

“We were hanging out when mum called and he kindly offered to drive me here.” You explained to your parents only for them to feel thankful.

“Really? Oh how nice of you, dear. So sorry to trouble you to come all the way here.” Your mum said.

“It’s fine, Ma’am. I saw how shaken up she got after she received the call so I didn’t feel good to leave her on her own.” Seungmin said.

“Thank you for being here for my daughter.” Your dad said and Seungmin smiled.

The four of you spent the next hour there before your parents told you to head home. You frowned as you said you wanted to stay over back at your old home with them so you could come and visit your grandma for the next few days.

“What about Seungmin?” Your mum asked as you both turned to look at your dad talking to Seungmin by the door, a few metres away from you and your mum.

Seungmin did send you all the way here on a 2 hour drive because he didn’t want to let you be alone. So wouldn’t it be selfish if you told him to drive back home for 2 hours on his own now?

“Will you and dad be okay if he stayed with us for a couple days more before we head back?” You asked and she smiled.

“Of course sweetie. Besides, it wouldn’t be nice if you sent him home now after all that he’s done for you.”

“I know… Okay, I'll go and ask him.” You said as you got up and made your way over to him and your dad.

“Hey dad? I was thinking of staying with you and mum for a couple of days so I could come here and visit grandma.”

“Of course you can sweetie.” Your dad said before you glanced at Seungmin and then back at your dad.

“And I was wondering if you’ll be okay with Seungmin staying with us too before we head back together?”

Seungmin’s jaw drops slightly while your dad smiles, “Definitely.”

“B-But I-” Seungmin didn't finish his sentence when you cut him off.

“You offered to drive me here for 2 hours just so I wouldn’t be alone. I can’t just tell you to drive back home for another 2 hours on your own now. That’s unfair.” You smiled at him.

Meanwhile, your dad was just silently watching from the side with a fond smile on his face. Seungmin was shy but he knew you had a valid point. So he decided to agree with your offer. With that being said, you stayed for a little while more before all 4 of you made your way back to your old home. Your mum prepared the guest room quickly before she showed him to the room on the ground level next to the laundry room. Seungmin thanked your mum as he went inside to make himself comfortable.

In the meantime, you went through your closet to try and dig out whatever mens clothing that you bought for yourself to lend to him during his stay here. You came back down to find him sitting on the bed just staring at the window. So you knocked on the door softly to not startle him.

“Hey… You okay?” You asked and he smiled.

“Yeah. I’m okay.” Seungmin said before you walked in to pass him the clothes. He carefully took them from you and placed it next to him. You sat down beside him as you softly spoke up.

“You don’t have to stay if you have important things to do back home like work. I just felt bad if I told you to go back now after you’ve driven me all the way here.”

“It’s okay. I can just call in sick. They’ll understand.”

“Are you sure? I really don’t want to hold you back.”

“Don’t worry. I want to stay.” Seungmin said, awakening the butterflies in your stomach.

“Okay…” You whispered to him.

He glanced down at your lips briefly and you caught him. Seungmin then looked back into your eyes and gave you a gentle smile.

“You should get some rest.” He said, making you nod.

With that being said, you wished him goodnight and was on your way back to your room upstairs. A few hours went by and you couldn’t really sleep. You had a lot on your mind, especially thinking about your grandma. You sighed as you turned to the clock on your bedside table to see that it was half past midnight. You wondered if Seungmin was already asleep but you didn’t want to text him. So you got out of bed and tip-toed your way down the stairs. You carefully walked over to the guest room to see the door closed.

You hesitate at first, knowing you shouldn’t disturb him. But at that moment, you were yearning for his comfort so you decided to try your luck. You went up to his door and gave it two very soft knocks. You told yourself to wait for 3 seconds and if you got no reply, then you should just head back upstairs. However, before you could count to 2, the door swung open slightly and he looked wide awake.

“Y/N? Why aren’t you asleep yet?” He asked gently to which you bashfully smiled at him.

“U-Uh, I can’t sleep… Was I disturbing you? I’m so sorry.” You said but he shook his head and pulled the door open wider.

“No, you weren’t actually. Do you wanna come inside?” He asked and so you nodded. You walked towards his bed while he closed the door quietly before joining you.

“What were you doing before I came?” You asked.

“I was actually about to text you to ask if you had any spare charger that I could borrow.”

“Oh. I do. Let me go get it. It’s in the living room.” You said and he patiently waits for you. 2 minutes later, you came back with a charger in your hand and plugged it to the socket next to his bed.

“Thanks.” He says before plugging his phone in. You were about to leave, thinking you'd already disturbed him enough when he spoke up.

“I know you have trouble sleeping but do you maybe wanna lay down and at least try to fall asleep?” He asked.

“But, what if I end up falling asleep here?"

“I can just sleep here too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah? Why not?”

“Okay.” You whispered softly as he pulled the cover back so that he could climb in and you followed after. Once you were both snuggled in the guest bed, he turned to you with a gentle look on his face.

“Come here.” Seungmin said and so you took this chance to scoot over. You snuggled into his side, resting your head on his chest while he held you close. Seungmin’s lips brushed over your forehead and you could feel it. He caressed your wrist with his thumb that was resting on top of his chest. The room fell silent for a good minute or so. With him just softly running his fingers through your hair to smoothen the tangles out. Your eyelids finally began to droop down . Suddenly, Seungmin began to sing sweetly above you. His voice was sultry and smooth.

If he was a supernatural being, he could be a siren.

This works like a charm and you slowly begin to drift off to sleep. The next morning, you woke up to the feeling of someone hugging you from behind. You let out a soft sound from trying to stretch, only to hear him whine behind you.

“What time is it?” His raspy morning voice says from behind you.

You grabbed your phone to check the time and it was just a quarter to 8 in the morning, “It’s 7:45 am.”

“Mmm, more sleep then.” Seungmin hums as he nuzzles his face deeper into your neck while hugging you tightly. You fell asleep for another hour or two before you got woken up by your mother’s voice at the door.

“Kids, I’ve made breakfast.”

Seungmin groans softly before he responds to your mum, “Okay. Thank you.”

A few seconds later, you jolted up when it finally hit you.

“Shit… She knows I’m here.” You panicked, only for him to look at you and finally caught on.

“Oh…”

With that being said, you quickly got out of bed and left his room in hopes you don’t bump into your parents. However, when you were about to dash past the kitchen to head to the staircase, your mother caught you just in time.

“Oh good, you’re up. Where’s Seungmin?” She asks with a smile on her face while she pours fresh orange juice into the glasses.

“U-Uh… He’s awake, I think?” You replied and she simply laughed.

So you excused yourself to head back upstairs and wash up. You ended up spending another two more days there to visit your grandma before deciding to head back. While you were saying goodbye to your parents on the front porch, your mum said, “Seungmin is a sweet boy. It’s still not too late, you know?”

You knew what she was saying so all you did was smile at her. After you left, you never spoke about it throughout the drive. Instead, you talked about other things so that he does not get suspicious. When you finally arrived outside at your apartment unit, you turned to say thanks to him.

“Thank you again for everything.”

“You’re welcome.” Seungmin smiled as you were running out of words to say purely out of nerves. Just then, you wanted to cut the awkwardness so you excused yourself.

“Yeah, I’ll just head back inside. Thanks Seungmin.” You quickly said before rushing in.

You let out a heavy breath while leaning against your door. You wanted to get up and move on with your day but a huge part of you was screaming at you for leaving him out there.

Maybe he already went back into his apartment.

Maybe he went back downstairs to go for a drive.

Maybe he left because you abruptly left.

However, all your assumptions were false because when you decided to open the door and find him, you were surprised to find him standing outside your door with a sad frown on his face.

“Y/N?” He whispered your name.

With that being said, you threw yourself forward to wrap your arms around his shoulders and pull him in for a passionate kiss. You used both hands to gently hold his face while his hands slid around your lower back. When you pulled away to breath, he looked at you with a growing smile on his face.

“T-That um… Wow t-that was really nice.” Seungmin said softly and you blushed. He gently tugs you back in to kiss you again. You felt him smile against your lips, squeezing your waist softly. This time when he pulled away, he guided you back into your apartment as you giggled.

“I like you, Y/N.” He confessed to which you pushed your front door closed and smiled.

“Good… Because I like you too.”

There’s a popular phrase which most people could relate to and it goes like so; ‘People often come and go in your life, but the right ones will always stay’.

Throughout your whole life, you’ve had many friends. But at the end of the day, not many stayed. You can literally count with your fingers the amount of friends you had left who were the really close ones. And of all the close friends you had left, one of them meant the world to you. Nobody could ever replace him and nobody could ever make you feel the way he does.

You met him back in kindergarten when you were both at the age of 5. You were in the second form class, he was in the first form class. Everyday, you would only see him during play time because that is where both your classes would be brought to the playroom a few doors down from your classroom for an hour. Usually, you never liked to mingle or make new friends outside of your class simply because you’re a timid little girl. However, on that one unfortunate day is when you first interacted with him.

It was a Tuesday afternoon, where your teachers were preparing to bring you to the playroom. You were partnered with your best friend Mikayla for the short walk. When you made it to the playroom, the students from the other class were already there which means your class made it there just a tad later than them. Once you were all given the permission to go inside and play around for an hour, you began to head towards the slide with Mikayla. At one point, you were playing catch with her when you accidentally slipped and fell.

Hitting your chin onto the foam mat with a strong impact which left you crying. Not long after, a teacher came and carefully brought you to the side as she then hugged you to calm you down. She was sitting on the ground with you in her lap, burying your face in her shoulder while you cried. She rubbed your back soothingly as she said comforting words to you. Just then, you felt someone gently pat your head so you lifted your head up. That’s when you locked eyes with a boy with sparkly eyes. He looked concerned but then he smiled at you.

You held eye contact with him for a while as he gently patted your back to comfort you. Your teacher then asked if you had any injuries, she checked your mouth to see if you accidentally chipped a tooth or bit your lip or what not but it seemed like none of that happened. So she told you to sit here and rest if you wanted to, in which you agreed.

She got up to monitor the other kids while you sat there wiping your tears away. The boy from earlier sat down next to you as he flashes you an adorable smile.

“Is it still painful?” He asked.

“A little.” You quietly said and he nodded.

“My name is Chris. What is your name?”

“My name is Y/N.”

“Let’s be friends.” He said so you smiled. And that was the start of your friendship with him.

As the years go by, you went to the same schools which you also ended up being classmates through the entire years of school. Chris had many friends growing up but some of them come and go. On the other hand, you are never going anywhere and he won’t let you. The sad thing was, on the day of your high school graduation, he told you that he was leaving the country to go study in an overseas college which you dreaded so much.

You and Chris were like two peas in a pod.

Wherever one goes, the other will follow.

So to hear that he would be thousands of miles away, made you feel sad and uneasy. He told you that he will keep in touch with you every single day as if he never left but deep down, you knew it felt different.

Nevertheless, you weren’t going to stop him from going just because you want him close to you all the time. Which is why when he was supposed to leave, you sent him off at the airport together with your family and his. You promised him that you will look after his parents, Hannah, Lucas and Berry while he’s gone which he very much appreciates. After he had entered the departure hall and had gone further in, you sighed as his mother came over to give you a warm hug. She comforts you telling you that it was okay. You thanked her genuinely, only for Hannah to speak up.

“Since my older brother’s gone now, does that mean you’re my new older sister to replace him?” She asks cheekily, making you laugh.

“I’d love to.” You said as they all laughed.

Years soon went by and you were happy in college. Although you do still keep in contact with Chris every week, it wasn’t a secret that you miss him harder with every day that passes by.

Despite him being miles and miles away, you still keep him updated about almost everything that’s going on in your life. From school to friends to activities and even to dating and hookups. He would also tell you things that are happening in his life whenever you would facetime or even through texts. It’s interesting to hear how similar yet also different your lives were in both countries.

It’s been 4 years since you last saw him in person and today was the day you would be graduating from college. Your parents came down for your graduation ceremony as guests with the tickets you got for them so that they could enter the hall. The whole ceremony went perfectly as you collected your certificate on stage without embarrassing yourself. After the whole ceremony was over, it was time to leave the hall either for the buffet, for photo taking with your family and friends or to head home.

You met up with your family as they brought you to a corner where it wasn’t too crowded. Some of your friends came down to give you flowers and celebrate your graduation together which was really sweet. You were just taking pictures with your best friend as your younger brother was your photographer when someone tapped your shoulder. You turned around thinking it was a random student or a stranger but you were wrong. As soon as you turn around, your smile drops and you freeze from an immense amount of shock.

Standing in front of you now was Chris.

Who was wearing a white button down shirt, denim jeans and a pair of sneakers. He grins at you whilst holding a bouquet of your favourite blue roses with baby's breath flowers around it.

“Hey.” He chuckles adorably and you seem to have lost your words.

“Is it really you?” You asked in denial, making him laugh.

“Do you wanna check if I’m real?” He laughs again. This time, you bent down to put everything down on the ground before throwing yourself on him. Your arms wrapped around his shoulders while you buried your face in his neck. Chris laughs at your reaction but still wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you closer to him. You started tearing up and he felt it.

“Oi! Stop crying! You’re gonna ruin your pretty makeup!” Chris teasingly raises his voice at you as he pulls away. Everyone around you laughed at how funny and cute you were. Chris then took the tissue that your mother held for him to take as he wipes your tears away.

After a few more minutes, you finally took pictures with him for memories of your graduation. Once everything was settled, you thanked your friends for coming and they congratulated you once again before leaving. Meanwhile, Chris stayed upon getting an invite from your parents to go grab some dinner with your family which he agreed to. As you all began to walk out of the place, you walked with Chris behind your family. You turned to get a good look at him and he laughed.

“What? You still can’t believe I’m here?” He asks.

“Uh? Duh! You told me you couldn’t come to my graduation because of your own graduation!” You scolded him as you gently punched his arm.

“Well obviously I had to lie? I didn’t wanna ruin my surprise!” He said casually, earning a scoff from you.

“Kudos to you for pulling it off then.” You smiled at him as he ruffled your hair playfully. Dinner was nice and he told your family about his plans now that he’s graduated college. He said that he’ll be moving back here in a month's time and so you got happy.

And that was exactly what he did.

As each year went by, your friendship with Chris kept growing stronger and stronger now that he’s physically back here with you. Every guy you went on a date with, could never reach your expectations simply because of how high your best friend has set the bar for you. From a certain perspective, it might seem ridiculous and overrated. But on some perspective, it was set on a level where you realised that that is how you deserve to be treated. With the past dates and failed relationships you’ve had over the last decade, it made you realise how low and shitty those guys have ever made you feel.

It even got to a point where you were giving up on finding someone who could barely treat you right. Until that one night where you came to Chris’ apartment door crying after your boyfriend of 2 years broke up with you when you found him cheating on you.

He didn’t expect to see you there but he knew you needed him at that moment. So instead of letting you cry and calm down on your own, he brought you to his room and led you to his bed. He laid with you in bed, his blanket covering both your bodies as you cried onto his chest and he comfortingly caressed your head. You took at least 10 minutes to finally stop crying and calm down but he was so patient with you. Ever since then, you stopped going on dates to avoid getting your heart broken again. And all this time, Chris was right there next to you.

It’s been months since your break up and you’ve healed from it, not to mention moved on.

It was a Friday evening and Chris asked if you wanted to hang out at his place. You agreed easily to it considering he was your best friend.

When you arrived at his apartment, he greeted you at the door with just a cosy pair of sweatpants. You’ve seen him shirtless a couple times so it’s pretty normal for you by now. The only problem is, you find it harder and harder to keep your emotions hidden every single time mainly because of how much he’s changed over the years.

Mind you, this was the same Christopher who comforted you when you fell on your chin in preschool. So when he caught you glancing down at his abs briefly, he smirked teasingly whilst saying, “Do you like what you see?”

“Ew! Shut up!” You laughed, shoving his shoulders lightly and he chuckled.

“Oh what? You’re shy now?” He asked teasingly which made you scowl at him.

“Christopher Bahng, I swear-”

“Okay! Okay, I’ll stop.” He says with a cheeky smile. You rolled your eyes at him but the smile growing on your face, quickly betrayed you.

You hung out with him that night, quickly losing track of time even though you weren’t really doing anything significant other than watching movies, chatting, gossiping and snacking. It was already a quarter past midnight but you weren’t planning to head home anytime soon. He was sitting next to you, scrolling through the movies on netflix when an idea struck you.

“Hey, are you tired?” You asked.

“Nope. Why?” Chris asks without turning to you.

“Wanna go for a little walk?” You asked as he finally turned to you with an amused smile on his face.

“You wanna go outside? Where do you wanna go though?” He asks.

“I don’t know.”

The room fell silent as you both thought of a place to go. Just then, he suggests something.

“How about we’ll drive around and see where that leads us. Then we’ll stop somewhere nice where we can chill?”

“Sounds good. What time shall we go?”

“Do you wanna go now or a little later?” He looks at you softly, melting you in your seat.

“Later. When there’s lesser people outside.” You said and he laughed. Nevertheless, he agrees and waits with you.

An hour had passed and you were both preparing to leave. Chris had changed into a white shirt, a black oversized bomber jacket, denim jeans and a pair of sneakers. He also recently dyed his hair to a strawberry brunette colour. He lent you one of his oversized jackets which was too big on you but you loved it. Especially since it’s his but of course you couldn’t tell him that. You zipped it up to just below your chest while one side hangs loosely off your shoulder. Once you were both ready, you left his apartment as he chats with you about random topics.

The drive was basically aimless with no particular destination. After about half an hour of driving, you reached a part of the town which was empty and quiet.

All the street shops were closed and there were no cars on the road aside from the few that were parked along the side. There weren't any drunk or sober humans lingering around the street either, which was great. So he parked at one of the lots before you both left the vehicle.

“We have the whole street to ourselves.” You giggled while he smiled at you.

“What should we do?"

“Let’s capture these moments. I wanna be able to look back on it on days when I feel down or empty…” You said as you took your phone out and clicked the camera app.

This was normal to him because you do this every time you hang out with him or go on spontaneous trips like this. You loved to capture random moments like this so you could look back on them for the memories you shared with him.

You turned on the front camera video and clicked the record button before setting it up against one of the shop’s window ledges to work as a phone stand. Once it was standing securely, you turned to see him standing a few feet behind you with his hand tucked in his hoodie pockets. Chris was just staring at you quietly with a fond smile on his face. Since he didn’t seem like he was gonna move anytime soon, you giggled as you leaped forward. He opened his arms just in time to catch you.

You wrapped your arms around his neck while he hugged your waist. He laughed at you, saying you’re funny in which you thanked him. Just then, he suggested a challenge.

You will both go to the end of the street where the traffic light is and you will both have to run towards the phone. You easily agreed to it and he was excited. When you made it to the end of the street and you could sort of see yourself on your phone screen, you turned to him to ask a few more questions.

“Loser has to do what?” You asked.

“The loser has to eat a whole bowl of spicy noodles.”

“Damn, you make me wanna lose although I hate spicy food.” Just then, he tapped your shoulder and quickly took off running.

“Race you there!” He sprints down the pathway, leaving you behind.

“Hey! You cheated!” You screamed in between laughs but soon sprinted down.

You tried to catch up to him as best as you could. Once you managed to run past him, Chris laughed. You were just a few metres away from the finish line when he grabbed your jacket to pull you back. This caused you to stumble back, only to crash into his chest while he back hugs you.

Both your laughters echoed around the empty street, feeling him wrap his arms securely around you.

“Christopher! Let go!” You giggled but he refused to let go of you.

"No. That way no one loses.” You laughed in his arms feeling him bury his face in your neck, smiling against your skin. He then guided you towards his car before he leaned against the door.

You took this chance to turn around and face him. When you did, Chris still had his hands on your waist while you gently slid your hands up his chest to rest your wrists on top of his shoulders. Neither of you talked but the atmosphere seemed warm and cosy between the two of you.

You then caught his eyes glancing down at your lips. This made the butterflies in your stomach erupt. Chris then looks back up into your eyes and his lips curled into a soft smile.

“I’m never letting go.”

“We can’t stay out here all night, Chris.” You giggled, only for him to shake his head. You get confused, tilting your head to the side slightly and he chuckles.

So he explained to you, “I’ve known you ever since the day when we were kids. Nothing in the world could beat our little special bond. Every moment with you is a precious memory and I’m lucky that you’re my best friend… So, I’m never letting you go…” Chris says with so much fondness in his voice that it makes you melt against his arms.

You smiled at him, feeling like your heart was fluttering in your chest.

“Chris…” His name slips past your tongue in a whisper which he heard loud and clear. Your hands were now resting on his stomach while he reached up to hold your face with both his hands gently. He caressed your cheeks with his thumbs, never breaking eye contact with you.

Without any words exchanged, he carefully leans his head forward slowly to see if you would pull away. When he was just an inch away and he realises that you weren’t pulling away, Chris finally closes the gap fully.

He gently kisses on you the lips, feeling his soft lips touch yours.

You wrap your hands around his waist as you feel his lips curl into a smile against yours.

After a few seconds, you pulled back for a breath but kept his face close to yours. His lips hovered over yours as he kissed you again. You giggled into the kiss, earning a smile from him when he pulled away.

“What?” He asks but you gently pat your hands against his chest while he drops his hands to your waist.

“Nothing. You’re just so adorable…” You said, making him blush.

“I love you, Y/N… I love you for eternity.” Chris says, making you hug him.

You felt him wrap his arms around your waist securely, making you feel safe.

“I love you for eternity too, Chris.” You whispered against his shoulder. You then felt him kiss your neck before you pulled away to look at his face. He was smiling softly at you as you took this chance to kiss him again. A couple of seconds later, he whispers over your lips, “Let’s get your phone and head back home.” You nodded and did as he said.

Once you took your phone back, you both went in the car and he drove you back to his place.

The drive back home was filled with a peaceful silence as you tangled your fingers together with his hand in your lap. When you made it back to his apartment, you both took warm showers separately before changing into his comfortable clothes for sleeping. You climbed into bed next to him, only for Chris to pull you in. You laid your head on his chest while one of your legs rested in between his. He hugs you close, making sure you are safe in his arms. Right before you fall asleep, Chris reaches up to tilt your chin up using his fingers and soon kisses your lips softly.

“Goodnight, my love.”

“Goodnight… I love you…” You whispered tiredly as he smiled down at you before kissing you again.

You and Minho go way back. You practically grew up with him since he was indeed your neighbour. It’s impossible to split you up with him back in kindergarten and the first few years of primary school. Both of you were like two peas in a pod, even your close friends and classmates knew about your very close friendship with him. Despite his odd personality that just screams Scorpio and his peculiar love for dark humour, you seem to adapt to him really well that not many people can do. Unfortunately, halfway through primary school, his friends started to separate you from Minho.

They would hang out with him before you could find him after school, they would call you multiple different names saying you’re clingy, they would embarrass you by saying you only stick under Minho’s arms like a leech wherever he went. And the worse part is, Minho did nothing to defend you. He did nothing to stop his own friends from bullying you like that.

That was the reason why you slowly distanced yourself from him since his friends would literally shoo you away like you were a peasant.

Eventually, you grew a dislike of him for what he did, even up till this day where you were both turning 25 in September and October. The thing is, you both still lived with your parents which means you still see him everyday just that he lives a completely separate life from you. Your sister however has moved out long ago since she got married.

No doubt, you miss being close to him.

Those times where you would laugh and play catch with him in his backyard. When you’d cry in his arms when someone in kindergarten steals your crayons. Where you would stay up with him past bedtime, writing whatever you wanted to say to each other on drawing blocks and showing it to the other at your bedroom windows that were facing each other. How he would walk with you to and from school, wanting to act like the bigger one since he’s a boy when in reality, he’s 27 days younger than you. Minho was your best friend but that’s just it, isn’t it?

He was your best friend… Not anymore…

Both of you grew up really well thanks to puberty and deep down, Minho couldn’t lie that you still look the same except you’ve gotten prettier. Your fashion sense is still somewhat boyish but not as bad as when you were younger, where you just wore big shirts and ¾ trousers. Now, you’ve worn dresses and skirts a few times for special occasions but you always wore jeans.

Sometimes you go for a feminine outfit with skinny jeans and crop tops while on some days you go for oversized shirts or hoodies with baggy cargo pants or jeans. And you are never a heels girl, only for special occasions. Most of the time, you are seen in sneakers and it suits you a lot. He’d be damned but he agrees that you look the best in sneakers.

You look a lot more confident in sneakers compared to heels. The only thing is, he’s been hiding a big secret from everyone including his parents that he doesn’t plan on revealing it to anyone anytime soon. Minho can lie to everyone but he cannot lie to himself. Seeing you grow up before his eyes, watching all the good and bad times you go through, seeing how puberty did its magic on you and witnessing how different of a person you are now in terms of personality, Minho couldn’t help but fall in love with you.

Unfortunately, his ego is too high for him to easily admit that so he chose to keep that a secret from everyone and act as if he still doesn’t like you.

It is a rainy Saturday evening and your friends Changbin and Chan came over earlier to study and do your assignments together with you. Changbin drove here while Chan rode his motorbike and since the weather wasn’t that great, your mother insists for them to stay for dinner or at least until the rain stops. You were in the kitchen, helping your mother prepare the food and plates on the dining table when they both offered to help. Your dad was out working overtime so it’s just you and your mother at home with your two friends.

She then asked you to text your dad saying there’s food at home and he doesn’t have to buy it after work. You remembered your phone was in your room so you rushed up the stairs to find it. A few minutes passed and you still haven’t come downstairs. Mothers being mothers, she gave the boys a sympathetic smile before she asked either one of them to go check on you.

Changbin nodded and left as Chan stayed behind to help scoop out the beef stew into the bowl. Meanwhile, Changbin softly approaches your room to see where you are. When he saw you by your vanity table where your phone is charging, he tiptoed over to you who was standing with your back facing him.

You were busy texting your best friend Lily when suddenly, a strong muscular pair of arms wrapped around your waist to surprise you. You gasped softly from surprise, glancing to your right to find Changbin’s grinning face just staring back at you.

“What’s taking you so long, dummy?” He asked, earning a laugh from you.

“I was texting Lily. Why? Missed me already?” You teased him knowing there was no effect on him because he is already happily in love with his best friend and boyfriend, Felix.

“Of course, I always miss you.” Changbin said, nudging your cheek with his nose playfully.

He finally lets go of you and leaves the room with you hand in hand. Both of you completely missed the way someone witnessed all this from across your bedroom window in the dark. You came back downstairs to have dinner with everyone, only for your dad to come home when you were halfway done with your meal. Hours passed and you were in your bedroom with your friends when Chan stood by your window to look at the night sky. Suddenly, his words caught your attention.

“Hey Y/N, is that your neighbour you told us about?” Chan asked while staring at something downstairs. You got out of bed and walked towards him only to follow his trail of sight. Sure enough, you saw Minho playing catch with his cats. If you remember correctly, they were Soonie, Doongie and Dori. You naturally smiled at the sight of him playing with his cats.

“Yeah…” You simply said before Changbin frowned at you with a question in mind.

“Wasn’t he like your best friend at one point?” He asked, making you sigh and walked back into your room to sit on your bed.

“He was…”

“Then what happened?” Chan asked as he now sat on your study chair, curiously waiting for your reply.

“We… grew apart.”

“There must be a reason why you grew apart, no? I mean, if you two were really close friends, you wouldn’t wanna grow apart from each other… Unless something happened that made you choose that path.” Changbin said and you immediately felt upset.

“We used to be inseparable. He never told me he wanted me to give him space or anything and he simply stayed close to me too wherever we went. Until our third year in primary school, his friends started calling me names and said I was always clinging onto him like a leech. He never said anything to defend me or stop his friends. Ever since then, I slowly distanced myself from him because of his friends and he never apologised so I just decided to forget about it.” You finally explained to them the full story.

“I’m so sorry…” Chan said, making you smile despite the tears threatening to fall.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault.” You said as they both looked at each other and Changbin decided to drop the bomb on you.

“Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?”

“Sure. What is it?” You asked as you waited for his reply.

“Do you miss him?”

You fell silent for a while, not knowing how to respond. Your mind screams no but your heart screams yes. It’s difficult to choose one answer but you knew deep down, which is the right answer you’ve been holding onto all these years.

“I do…”

They chose to drop the topic and talked about the plan next weekend to hangout at the club. They soon left to head home after saying and hugging you goodbye at your doorstep since it was no longer raining. That night, before you went to sleep, you walked over to close your window and turn on your air conditioner when you saw Minho cradling Soonie in his arms as he entered his bedroom. You quickly closed the window and drew the translucent curtain over to cover your window while you peeked to see him.

Minho kissed Soonie’s nose as he nuzzled his face into her body. She licked his nose a few times before he placed her down on his bed and soon walked over to his window. You quickly hid behind the wall, afraid he might see you. If only you knew the reason why he actually went to his window, you wouldn’t have moved away that quickly.

A week later, you were just getting ready to head out with Chan and Changbin while your parents were out for their anniversary dinner. You wore a pretty lavender body fitting dress that stops about two inches above your knees. Changbin texted you saying he was already on his way to your house in a cab, together with Chan. Knowing they would reach in just 5 minutes, you decided to head downstairs and waited there instead. You had just locked your front door when the sound of a door closing followed by keys jingling made you turn to your right.

There, you saw Minho leaving his house as well. He was wearing a black silk dress shirt with the first few buttons undone, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows, tucked into his light washed denim skinny jeans and a pair of mens boots. His hair was styled up to show his forehead and bangs to fall and frame his face.

He looked sickeningly handsome. You’re almost jealous of it.

“Does mommy know you’re sneaking out of the house?” Minho asked as he came next to you who was just leaning on the short brick wall that separates your house yard from his.

“I don’t need to sneak out because they know where I’m going.” You said with a soft scoff.

“Mmm, so they’re aware that you’re going out wearing something like this? Naughty girl…” Minho teased you with that charming smirk on his face.

“I’m 25, Minho. I can wear whatever I want.”

“Technically, you’re still 24.” He’s right. You still have four months till your birthday but who cares.

“You’re so annoying.” You whispered to yourself as you saw a taxi gradually slowing down towards you. When the vehicle finally comes to a stop in front of you, the two heads that popped out from the windows made you relax. It was Chan, Changbin and Felix. You entered the cab without saying anything else to Minho, ignoring the way he was keeping his eye on you even after the cab had driven off. One thing he completely forgot to do was to compliment you on how pretty you looked tonight.

Half an hour later, you arrived at the club and soon got out of the vehicle with your friends. You managed to enter the club since the queue wasn’t that long and made your way to the bar to get your drinks. You stayed by Chan the entire time since Felix was with Changbin. That night, you had no idea why but you just felt like letting loose and drinking however much booze your body can take.

Minutes ticked by and you were now on your 7th shot of tequila. You were clearly drunk but not enough to drop dead unconscious. Chan was talking to you about this girl he met on this dating app and was just listing out all the things he liked about her when you suddenly dragged him to the dancefloor. He danced with you with no sense of awareness of your surroundings. Everyone else was just as drunk as you, dancing their hearts out letting their limbs move to the beat.

You were too busy swaying your hips to the song when someone slips in front of you and takes your hands in his gently. Your vision was hazy as you found it difficult to keep your eyes open. The person danced with you, bringing your hands up over his shoulders and dropping them there while his hands rested on your lower back comfortably. For some reason, you felt like the touch was very familiar.

The music was drowning you, wanting to just focus your vision on the person you’re dancing with. Just then, he leaned down to say something in your ear, loud enough to hear over the booming music.

“You’re very drunk.” He said, your mind was running amuck.

“I know.” You giggled but he kept his lips by your ears, not wanting to pull back and let you see his face.

“I should take you home.”

“N-No… Take me to your home.” You giggled as you tangled your fingers in his hair softly to play with it.

“I don’t think you will like that, Y/N.”

Oh, he knows your name. This must be Chan… right?

He then guides you towards the entrance, only for you to panic saying you need to tell your friends that you’re going home and all that so they wouldn’t get worried. But instead, he told you to do that in the cab to avoid you from falling down. Not long after, the cab came and you entered the vehicle with him. During the car ride, you ended up falling over with your head in his lap. You fell asleep with your left arm stretched over the seat while your right hand gently held onto his thigh for support.

The next thing you knew, you woke up the next morning in your bed with a really bad hangover. And yet, the memories from yesterday still lingers in the back of your mind and the mysterious guy remains unknown. Later in the afternoon, you went to make a group call with Chan and Changbin and they picked up your call with ease.

“Hello?” You asked into the line and they both replied at the same time.

“Hey. What’s up?”

“Were any of you guys with me last night at the dancefloor?” You said and you could hear both of them humm in thought.

“I was with you briefly when you dragged me to the centre but I don’t really remember anything after. I was really drunk.” Chan laughed.

“I was with Lix the entire time. So I’m clearly out of the picture.” Changbin giggled as you heard a shuffle from his end but then it stopped.

“Because I was dancing with someone and he sent me home last night. I thought it was one of you guys.”

“Definitely not me then.” Changbin said and so did Chan.

“I don’t think I was sober enough to even send myself home…” Chan said lightly but then he paused. The line fell silent and he spoke up again, “But if neither of us sent you home, who did? And how would they know where you live?”

He does have a great point.

“That’s what I’m confused about. How would a stranger know where I lived? Unless it’s one of you guys?” You asked as your brain began to search for ideas on who it could be. All but one was suddenly missing from your list by accident.

“Maybe it’s your sister!” Changbin said only for you to scoff in disbelief.

“It was a guy! And why would my married sister be at a club when she has a pair of twins to take care of?” You asked, only for Chan to laugh out loud and tease the other male in the call.

“Maybe it’s your cousin?” Chan asked but you knew it wasn’t a relative. Just then, Changbin mentions someone you completely forgot about.

“What if it’s him?”

“Him… who?” You asked in a slow pace, hoping he wasn’t talking about who you’re thinking.

“Your hot but ex-best friend neighbour?” You can’t believe he said it.

“No… No, it can’t be. How would he know I was there? That’s impossible.”

“Probably he just happened to be at that same club. That is the only club in this area anyway…” Chan suggested, making you frown. What if it’s true? That’s the only logical explanation as to how the person knew where you lived and knew your name. If it wasn’t any of your friends, it couldn’t have been a total stranger. But why? Why would he do that when he clearly didn’t have to?

This isn’t making any sense…

Nevertheless, you made an excuse saying you needed to help your mom run some errands so you ended the call. That night, you were just sitting by your window staring at the beautiful starry night sky when you saw Minho enter his room. He paced around his room with a deep frown on his face. Just then, he took you by surprise as he grabbed the hem of his hoodie and pulled it over his head, leaving him shirtless for you. A soft gasp left your lips as you quickly closed your window before he saw you.

Little did you know, right after he took off his hoodie, he heard the sound of your windows being closed so his gaze naturally flew across the room just in time to see you lock your last window and disappeared into your room. Minho chuckled quietly to himself as he went to take a quick shower. After he was done, he laid in bed staring into his ceiling with the same scene just repeating over and over again in his head.

The way you danced with him last night, the way your fingers tangled into his hair, the way you fell into his lap, the way you slept the entire car ride back home, the way he carried you into your home and all the way to your bedroom, the way you unconsciously whined when he pulled away from you, the way he took the chance to gently caress your cheek while whispering the words he never dared to say to you in person now, the way your lips looked so soft and kissable but he had to restrain himself from doing something while knowing you were drunk.

Minho pushed all those thoughts to the back of his mind, hoping he’ll forget all about it as the days go by. Wanting none of that to bother him because if it does, he would probably come knocking at your doorstep and tell you how he truly feels about you. Clearly his ego would be crushed by that so he chooses not to.

Months had passed and it was your birthday today. Your parents invited your sister’s family, your friends Chan, Changbin, Lily and also Minho’s family over to the house for your birthday celebration. It was just going to be a private birthday party for you. You wore a pretty blue semi flowy dress to match the theme of the decorations. Your mother knew you loved blue so that’s why the decorations were all blue in colour. With the right amount of food and desserts she ordered, you can’t wait to have a good time. The only thing is, you were kind of hoping Minho would come.

You missed him a lot but you weren’t sure if he feels the same towards you. Nonetheless, those thoughts were thrown out of the bus the minute your friends arrived. The party started after 3pm and your friends came just one minute after 3 so you got distracted really fast. As the hour went by, your sister, your brother in law and your twin nephew and niece finally came. You greeted them warmly while your brother in law handed you a gift bag.

“Happy birthday Y/N! Your sister and I picked this out for you so we hope you like it.” He said, making you laugh.

“Thank you! I just hope it’s not something weird.” You joked and they laughed. Your niece and nephew hugged you to say hello and wish you a happy birthday before they went to greet your parents. A few minutes later, your doorbell rang again so you went to see who it was. Surprised to see Mr and Mrs Lee standing there with a gift bag and a box filled with home baked cookies.

“Happy birthday dear. Here’s your birthday present and the cookies you loved to eat when you were younger.” Mrs Lee said, making you giggle.

“Aww Mrs Lee, you shouldn’t have…”

“It’s okay my dear. Today is your day.” Mr Lee said as you welcomed them in. Though you did feel a little sad that Minho wasn’t here with them, maybe he really doesn't care about you anymore. You joined your friends in your living room as they played with the twins. Just then, Changbin spoke up from beside you.

“He didn’t come?”

“No…” You said but somehow, he could tell your tone was off.

“Were you hoping he’d come?” He asked softly, not wanting to upset you in any way possible. Your silence was enough for him to apologise even though he knew it wasn’t his fault. Changbin rested his hand over your knee and gently caressed it to comfort you and it partially worked. Hours passed and you were just playing with your niece when the doorbell rang.

“Y/N sweetie, can you go and see who that is?” Your mom called from the dining table where the adults were eating and chatting. With that being said, you nodded and got up to see who it was. Maybe your mom ordered something she forgot about. As soon as you pulled the door open, you froze at the sight of someone too familiar standing at your doorstep. Minho glanced down at your attire before meeting your eyes and he gave you a little smirk.

“W-What are you doing here?” You asked rather softly, unable to calm your nerves.

“What does it look like? I came to celebrate your birthday… And also have free food.” Minho said as he took a step forward while you took a step back. Minho smirked at you cheekily before he tapped the tip of your nose with his finger and whispered, “It’s good to see you again.”

The minute he walked in, your parents greeted him with so much love. Your mom hugged him tightly and he embraced her as though she was his mother. Your mother asked him to make himself at home and just take whatever food he wants, only for him to thank her. Meanwhile, you glanced over to your friends and both Changbin and Chan looked at you with shocked eyes.

The twins greeted Minho warmly as he lifted your niece on his waist while your nephew ran to take his favourite stuffed animal and bring it to Minho.

You’ve never seen him mingle around with kids before, not really knowing what to expect considering he’s an only child. So to see him being greeted warmly by kids who basically met him for the first time, it’s making your heart tingle. To avoid looking obvious, you quickly went to sit next to Changbin while Lily and Chan were talking about school. Your friend looks at you worriedly but all you did was smile.

“Are you okay?” He asked, making you nod.

“Are you sure?” He asked again, knowing you damn well that you’re not anywhere near okay.

“Yeah! I’m okay.” You smiled as you watched Minho get dragged by the kids to play with them together with Chan and Lily who were seated by the toys. Every now and then, Minho would glance at you and you’ll look away as though you didn’t mean to look at him.

Minho’s lips would unconsciously curl upwards slightly without making it obvious that he’s smiling at you. The sun was starting to set and your mother was preparing the candles for your cake. You were just in your room, charging your phone and also wanting to get away from the whole awkward situation downstairs for a bit when a familiar voice speaks up from your bedroom doorstep.

“I thought the birthday girl should be downstairs mingling with her guests?” He asked as you turned around to find Minho leaning against your doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. Why does he look so fucking handsome tonight in just a plain black shirt and jeans?

“I was just about to head back down.” You said, avoiding his gaze as you turned your back to him once more. Minho carefully walked over to you while keeping the conversation alive.

“Really? You don’t seem like you are going to move any time soon though.”

“I-I have to send an email for my school work.”

“For 10 minutes? Yeah right.” He said as his voice sounded a lot closer now. You turned around to say something to him but instead, you flinched back when your arms accidentally crashed into his chest. A soft gasp left your lips when he smirked down at you charmingly.

“U-Um… We should go downstairs.” You said as you slipped past him to head towards the door but Minho caught your wrist and tugs you back slightly to stop you from walking.

“Hey… I just-” Minho’s words get stopped when your sister’s voice echoes down the hallway.

“Y/N? Minho? Come on! It’s time to cut the cake!” She suddenly appears by your door only for Minho to let go of your wrist gently so she wouldn’t question anything. Soon, all three of you went downstairs but while you were about to head to the dining table where the cake was lit, Minho spoke up, earning a frown from you.

“I have to go. I just remembered I need to submit my essay tonight and I still haven’t finished it yet.” Minho said as he bowed to your parents and was about to walk out of the house when you reached for his hand in yours and tugged him back gently.

“N-No, please… Don’t go?” You whispered with a shaky breath. Minho could’ve sworn he saw tears, his heart broke seeing you tear up but he couldn’t just hug and kiss you right there even if that’s all he could think of. So instead, he reached up to hold your face with his right hand and gently caressed your cheek with his thumb to comfort you.

“Happy birthday Y/N.” He whispered softly as he turned and left without looking back. You stood by the door as Chan came over to take you in. Not before he rested a gentle hand on your lower back and comforted you as best as he could.

“Come on… He’ll come around soon. You know he will.” He said, only for you to sigh. Throughout the night, you weren’t as happy as you were a few hours ago. From time to time, you kept glancing over to the house next to yours. Your friends could tell that your mind was somewhere else so they decided not to stay long. But before they left, they made sure to hug you tightly and Lily didn’t forget to say something sweet to you.

“If he’s meant for you, he will come back. Only idiots would be dumb enough to not choose you as a partner.” Lily said, making you giggle lightly. That night, you couldn’t help but feel sad thinking about how Minho slipped away from you yet again. You were just curled up in bed when there was a soft knock on your bedroom door.

“Baby? Are you still awake?” Your mother asked as she opened your door. You hummed to respond, hearing her walk closer until she was right behind you.

“Oh, my sweet baby. Come here.” She said while climbing into bed, only for you to immediately throw yourself in her arms and cry. She held you in her arms securely while you cried your heart out.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

“I-I never said this to anyone before… b-but I-I miss him…”

“I know, baby. I’m sure he misses you too… Just… Give him some time to figure things out. I’m sure he’ll come around.” She said, hoping you’ll feel better. Thankfully, you calmed down with her words so you stopped crying and she kissed your forehead before tucking you into bed.

It’s been 2 and a half months now since your birthday party. You didn’t celebrate Minho’s birthday simply because his parents told you he was out of the country with his friends for his birthday. A part of you knows he was just trying to avoid you and so his parents couldn’t throw a party for him only to invite you. Just last week, your parents told you about their plan on going for a staycay with the Lee’s family for the holidays. Apparently they’ve already booked the accommodation which is a beautiful wooden lodge up in the snowy mountains.

It was only after they told you that you remembered it was your friend’s wedding on the day they planned to leave for the mountains. Unfortunately for you, it seems like you have no other choice but to go the next day instead. How you would make your way to the mountain, that’s your task to do some planning at least you can join them on the trip anyway. Your sister and her family would be going too but they’re all leaving on the first day morning but you had to stay behind.

Today was the day where your family and his, had already left to go to the lodge up the mountains while you’re here preparing for your friend’s wedding. Hours prior to leaving the house, you made sure to pack all the clothes you need for your trip so that you wouldn’t be rushing tomorrow or tonight knowing you’ll be back way past 7pm despite the wedding reception starting at 1pm. It was one of your old friend’s wedding from college. Her name is Roseanne and she is considered one of your close friends.

You wore a pretty turquoise boat neck dress that stops a few inches below your knees, pairing that with a simple pair of black open toe heels. Your hair cascades down your shoulder and back in soft straight waves.

When you arrived at the wedding venue, it was very beautiful. The colour scheme for the wedding decorations and the altar is just spectacular. Since you were there alone, you didn’t really know anyone there except for Roseanne’s sister and parents. Time passes by so fast, you don’t even realise it was almost 10 o’clock now. You knew you needed to head home and get your rest since you planned to leave early in the morning tomorrow.

With that being said, you bid her family goodbye and made sure to meet Roseanne and her newlywed husband to say your final congrats before leaving the venue. You called a cab and it came as soon as you called. The drive back home seemed shorter than the drive to the venue earlier, maybe due to less traffic at night.

Nevertheless, you paid the cab fare and got out of the vehicle after saying thank you. The cab driver soon drives off while you went inside your house and locked it.

You let out a tired sigh as you dragged yourself up the stairs to your bedroom. You turned on the lights and walked over to your vanity table beside your bedroom window. Taking a quick glance, you saw that his bedroom was dark. You wondered what he could be doing there at the lodge with your family.

With a soft sigh, you combed your fingers through your hair and brought it up to hold it in place with your claw clip. You began to remove your makeup with your makeup wipes while blasting your favourite tunes. Luckily you already packed your clothes and necessities. A few minutes later, you just left the bathroom down the hall when your phone started ringing. You glanced down to see your mother’s caller ID on your lock screen so you answered it.

“Hello?” You said into the line.

“Hi sweetie. Have you packed your bags?”

“Yeah. I’m just bringing my luggage and my sling bag.”

“Great! Anyway, there seems to be a change of plans. Minho is actually home right now and he planned to drive up the mountains tonight so he would reach here tomorrow morning. Since you’re both at home, why don’t you go with him tonight? He just got off the phone with his mother and he said he’s okay with driving here with you.”

Minho’s not with them?

“Oh… Uh… Sure, I guess.” You said, sounding a little unconvincing to her and she laughed.

“Alright dear, just be downstairs before midnight, okay? I love you baby.”

“Okay mom. I love you too.” You said before ending the call.

Great… What better way to have a reunion by spending a 6 hour drive with him. This is gonna be awkward…

Nonetheless, you did what was necessary before midnight rolled around. It was finally midnight in a blink of an eye and you were just locking your front door when you heard his voice speak up from behind you.

“Didn’t think you’d be left behind as well.”

You turned around to find him strolling towards you in his sweatpants, hoodie with his oversized shirt peeking underneath it and a long windbreaker jacket over it. His hair was damp and fluffy so you’re assuming he just got out of the shower and yet, he still looks good.

“Wedding bells were calling me. What about you? Why aren’t you there with them already?” You asked as he took your luggage from you and placed it in his car boot and proceeded to close the door. Once you were both inside his jeep, he started the car and drove off smoothly not forgetting to answer you.

“I had to retake my exam today. I suck. I know, okay? Don’t judge.” He said, making you raise your hands in a surrender position. Minho’s lips curled up into a cute smile that made you look out the window to avoid his gaze.

For the rest of the drive, both of you got quiet. He focused on driving while you were dozing off after a tiring day. Minho never held a grudge against you for sleeping while he had to sacrifice his sleep and stay awake to drive. Although, he does tend to glance over to his right to check on you but it leaves his heart fluttering every time he does that. It’s been nearly 4 hours since the drive and as he got higher up the mountains, the snow was beginning to get heavier.

Cool air seeps through the car gaps, causing you to stir awake from the sudden drop in car temperature despite the heater already turned on. You glanced up to see the car completely covered in snow while a thick windbreaker was placed over your curled up body in the passenger seat.

“How much longer till we reach the lodge?” You asked tiredly as you peeked the time on your phone screen.

“Another 2 hours, give or take.” He said while keeping his eyes on the slippery road. There’s no way you can make it to the lodge in this weather. With how heavy the snow was falling, it could be a snowstorm coming your way pretty soon. So to avoid any unfortunate events, you knew it would be the best decision to stop somewhere and wait till the morning to continue your journey. Upon having this thought, you noticed there was a hotel lodge just a few metres ahead.

“Stop there. We can’t go any further in this kind of weather.” You said as Minho drove to the open parking lot at slow speed due to the piled up snow covering his tires and almost 6 inch tall snow that was covering the ground. Once you were parked, both of you felt a little worried considering it’s now or never.

“Leave our luggages here. We’re just here to let the night pass anyway.” He said, making you frown even though you knew he had a point.

With that being said, both of you struggled to get out of the car but you still made it to the lodge safely as he clicked the lock button on his key. You entered the lodge first with him following behind you and there were quite a number of families there too and it looks like they’re snowed in as well. Minho approached the counter where a man was seen a little overwhelmed by the new guests who showed up.

“Hi, can I know why are all these people gathered here?” Minho asked, only for the man to politely smile and answer professionally.

“They’re just here for shelter since the weather forecast for tonight isn’t that great. There is a high chance that we will be stuck here tonight. Really sorry for the unfortunate situation.”

“It’s fine but uh… do you guys happen to have a spare room for us to rest in for the night?” Minho asked as you simply watched quietly beside him. You’d usually butt in and argue back with whatever decisions he’s making but tonight, you’re too tired to function.

“We do have a small room but there’s only one bed and our heaters are not that strong due to the horrible weather. We can’t fix it until tomorrow when the mechanics are open. Will that be okay?” The man said, giving Minho the chance to look at you to see how you feel about the suggestion.

“Why are you looking at me?”

“Didn’t you hear what he just said? There’s just one bed and the heater isn’t working well. Do you still want the room or not?” He asked.

“At this point, I don’t even care.” You sighed tiredly only for Minho to give the man a shrug of his shoulders.

“Fine. We’ll take it.” Minho said as he then made the payment for the room. A few minutes later, you were both sent to your room on the third level. You thanked the worker as you entered the room after Minho who was now holding the door for you. As expected, the room was just barely warm with the cold air still surrounding the room completely. You were in three layers of clothing and yet you’re still shivering. The first thing you did after taking off your shoes was to climb into bed and bury yourself under the thick covers.

You were just curled up on one side of the bed when you felt the mattress dip with his weight. Minho pulled the cover up so he could also bury himself in it. He laid on his back while you laid on your side with your back facing him. The room was silent as nobody said anything but with the subtle shifts and movements, you knew that he wasn’t asleep.

“Should’ve asked for an extra blanket. It’s still so cold…” He whispered as he shifted a little closer to you when he felt the nice warmth radiating off you.

“I just hope the weather gets better later. But right now, all I need is sleep.” You said as you buried your arms closer to your chest to keep yourself warm. Silence fills the room again but you were still shivering and Minho could feel the bed vibrating softly from it.

“You know what? Fuck it. I can’t sleep like this.” Minho said as you wondered what he was going to do next.

Just then, you didn’t expect him to shuffle towards you until you felt his chest pressing against your back while his left arm slid over your waist and reached for your arm. He slips his hand into your right hand, lacing his fingers perfectly with yours before tangling his legs with yours underneath the covers. Your heart was racing rapidly in your chest now, afraid to make the slightest of sound and movement. But Minho calms you down by caressing your hand with his thumb, feeling his soft lips press on your neck.

“Are you still cold?” He whispered quietly against your neck, making you let out a very soft whimper before saying no.

“Good.” He replied to you, holding you closer right after. This kept you warm and you both eventually managed to fall asleep.

A few hours later, you woke up feeling comfortably warm and fuzzy. You let out a soft moan as you stirred awake, feeling something soft brush against your forehead. When you manage to open your eyes, that’s where you realise the sleeping position you were in. Minho was laying on his back with you resting your head on his chest.

Your left hand was tucked between your bodies while your right hand was lacing fingers with his that was hanging past your shoulder. Minho stirred awake when he felt you let go of his hand only to slide up his chest and stopped on the side of his neck. You stayed like that even when you felt his hand glide up and down your right forearm softly.

“This feels nice…” He said quietly, not really expecting a reply from you. Your heart swelled knowing he was talking about being this close and comfortable to you once again after years.

“We can stay like this for a while more…” Your voice was almost a whisper but thankfully he heard you. Because the minute those words left your lips, you felt him press the sweetest soft kiss to your forehead. Minho couldn’t stop himself from cracking a smile against your skin, knowing you probably felt it.

“I wouldn’t wanna let go anyway.” He said ever so softly, making you blush. With that being said, you snuggled deeper into his chest. Trying to ignore the urge to kiss him right there. About two hours later, you finally got out of bed and headed back down to resume your journey to the family lodge. Neither of you mentioned the cute little cuddle session simply because you were too shy to address it in the car and even when you arrived at the lodge a few minutes past noon.

Everyone asked you and Minho about what happened last night and where you’ve been, so you told them everything. All until the cuddling part. They were just glad that you both made it to the lodge safely so you could finally enjoy the holidays in the snowy mountains.

Throughout the next two days, you were enjoying yourself a lot on the trip. From the activities to sightseeing to homemade food and to family bonding. This has probably been the only time you saw just how fun Minho truly is and how loving he was towards your sister’s children. The twins are already 9 years old and yet, Minho seems to win both their hearts. Maybe including yours too.

It was the last night of the family trip, all of you were gathered around the christmas tree when your parents began to give out gifts to their kids and grandkids. Followed by Minho’s parents giving him his presents. You got a few pretty tops from your parents while your sister got you a beautiful necklace with a simple heart charm. Just then, Minho’s mother held out a wrapped present to you with a bright smile on her face.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart. This is a gift from us that Minho helped to choose. We hope you like it.” She said, making you thank her while taking the gift from her. All eyes were now on you as the kids wanted to help you unwrap so you let them do that. Once the present was revealed, a soft gasp left your lips when you saw the brand of the box. It was a shoe, not just any shoe though… It was your favourite shoe brand.

You carefully pulled the cover open and peeled the paper back only to gasp out loud this time. It was the exact shoe that you wanted to buy for yourself the other day but was prioritizing your expenses to only buy what you need.

“I love it… I wanted to buy this a few weeks ago but I didn’t…” Your voice grew softer with every word until you were now looking at Minho.

“I noticed you like shoes. So I just gambled and picked the one with a baby blue accent. Didn’t know you wanted this exact one though.” He said, making you giggle.

“Well, thank you for the gift then.” You said with a smile, earning a laugh from him.

An hour later, everyone was starting to disperse to head to bed but you weren’t sleepy yet. You bid everyone goodnight but you stayed seated against the couch facing the fireplace. You were just admiring the shoe when a familiar voice caught your attention.

“Be careful not to burn the shoe.” Minho said as he approached you with a teasing smirk.

“Of course I won’t. I’m not that clumsy.” You replied to him while putting the shoe back in the box and pushing it under the tree, away from the fireplace. Minho took a seat on the couch as you got up and plopped down beside him.

“But really though… Thank you for the gift.” You said, earning a soft smile from him. Both of you fell silent, blankly staring at the fireplace instead of each other. You were so close to removing yourself from the room, thinking he probably feels awkward with you here now that you’re alone again but he spoke up before you could run away.

“I’m sorry…” He said very quietly while staring into the fire.

“What are you sorry for?” You asked over a whisper, finally turning to look at him. Minho kept his gaze ahead but you saw the sadness lingering in his facial expression.

“For everything? I’ve hurt you a lot and only now do I have the balls to apologise.” He chuckled but it wasn’t a happy one.

“It’s okay. I forgive you.” You said with a smile on your face, ignoring the tears that were threatening to fall. After what felt like hours, Minho finally turns to you with the deepest frown you’ve seen on him. He took his time boring his eyes into yours in search of something unknown to you.

“Why?” He asked and you were confused.

“Why not? That’s what friends do, no? They forgive each other…” You said easily only to go speechless when his eyes grew wide at the word ‘friends’. This was already pretty obvious where he got caught up and it doesn’t make sense to you. Sure you haven’t really been doing friend stuff with him for years but you still consider him your friend, even though deep down you want him to be something more.

“Friends?” He whispered out as a question so you couldn’t help but giggle lightly to brighten up the mood slightly.

“Yeah? Okay fine, technically we’re neighbours. Does that sound right to you?” You asked, only for him to finally crack a smile. This simple sight has undoubtedly awoken the butterflies in your stomach.

Both of you fell silent briefly, not really sure how to continue the conversation. You stared at your hands in your lap, picking on your cuticles out of anxiety and he noticed.

Minho could never stand seeing you having anxiety. The cuticle picking, shaking legs, fidgeting limbs and all he wants to do is to hold you close and tell you that he’s there with you. He takes this opportunity to calm you down and by that, he reaches one hand up to hold the side of your face and turn it towards him. Once you were facing him, you felt him caress your cheek with his thumb as he slowly leaned in. Partially scared that you might just pull away from him and embarrass him.

Your heart was palpitating rapidly in your chest, not really sure where this is going. Just when you feel his nose brush against the side of your nose, a familiar voice calls out to you very softly from behind Minho.

“Auntie Y/N? Can I sleep with you?” Your niece asked as Minho pulled away from you just in time for your niece to settle herself in your lap.

“Of course, baby. Come on, let’s get you to bed.” You said, turning her around to carry her in your waist while you stood up. Minho stood right after you but before you walked off, you cupped his face with your right hand and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. Minho froze seeing you smile up at him only to then carry your niece to your room. That night, he slept with a smile on his face even though it was just a kiss to his cheek.

The next day, it was time to go back home. Since Minho drove there, he and his parents took his car while you followed your family car together with your sister’s family. Both of you never spoke about last night to anyone, not even to each other. The drive back home was filled with sleep and occasional laughter. When you arrived back home after sending your sister to her house, you made your way to your room to unpack and shower since it was already 8pm.

You had just finished showering and entered your room when you saw Minho shuffling around his room shirtless with damp hair falling down his head. Of course he looked handsome as ever but at least now you don’t have to quickly hide yourself from him to avoid him seeing you.

So instead of doing that, you continued doing what you planned on doing and that was to wear your clothes and unpack.

Minho stole a few glances into your room through his window as well but you didn’t seem to look over so he never waited for you anyway. He’s just happy that you’re no longer mad at him. That’s already a great start for him to redeem himself and maybe redo his friendship with you.

Besides, that’s all you both wanted with each other… To finally be friends again and possibly more.

It's been a few days now since the trip, yet neither you nor him have spoken to each other. Today is new years eve and you didn’t really have plans for midnight. Changbin was going to celebrate new years with Felix, Lily has a party to go to that was hosted by her friends in high school while Chan is out on a date with the girl he’s been talking about lately. It’s 2 hours to midnight and you were just lounging in bed, scrolling through your twitter when your mom came to your room with a bright smile on her face.

“Hi darling. You’re not going out with your friends tonight? It’s New Year's eve…” She laughed softly but you shrugged your shoulders as a response.

“Nope. All my friends already have their own plans. And besides, it’s just new year’s.” You said proudly, earning a smile from her.

“Well, in that case, why don’t you get ready. Someone’s here to take you out to see the fireworks.” She said, making you frown.

“Who?”

“Get ready and you’ll know.” She said before kissing your forehead and left the room. With that being said, you quickly changed into a thin sweater, a hoodie over it, ripped jeans and pinned your hair up in a claw clip. You opted to just fill your brows, put on chapstick and wear your contact lens on to avoid wasting time. Once you were sort of presentable, you took your phone and left your bedroom but you definitely weren’t prepared for when you arrived downstairs. There by your couch, was Minho leaning against the back of it with his arms crossed over his chest.

He was chatting with your dad and he looked so fucking handsome as always. Minho was wearing a simple white long sleeve with black and light grey flannel, a hooded leather jacket, skinny black jeans with his hair down completely not styled and yet he still looks good. When you finally reached the base of the stairs, both of them glanced over to you and you felt shy under his gaze.

“H-Hey…” You started and Minho couldn’t help but chuckled softly at your reaction. You dad smiled at you two, telling Minho to drive safe as he gave the boy a hug. You went over to hug your parents and soon left the house with Minho. The minute your front door closes, you spoke up to him in urgency.

“You didn’t tell me you were going to drag me out tonight?” You asked, earning a laugh from him.

“It was meant to be a surprise. I guess I’m just lucky that you’re home tonight.” He said casually.

He soon started the car and drove off into the night. You have completely no idea where he was taking you but after a while, you sort of have a clue since the drive was leading you to the highest point of town where the famous lookout point was. The drive to the location was filled with singing and laughing, not really having a proper conversation. When you arrived at the lookout point, you had about an hour left till midnight. Minho parked his car to the side of the road a few metres next to the railing.

“Do you wanna stay in the car or sit outside?”

“Let’s sit outside. The night sky looks really pretty tonight.” You smiled and he nodded to your suggestion. He locked his car and you both walked over to climb over the railing and sit on it facing the lookout point.

“Wow… I’ve never been here before.” You said as you took your time to admire the view. The starry night sky, the city lights, the wonderful view of the city at this time of night.

“I always come here if I need time alone. It calms me, weirdly enough.” Minho said, earning a nod from you.

“I can totally understand why. It’s beautiful up here.” You said while looking out into the city before you. At that moment, there’s nothing more beautiful to him than the sight of you here with him after years of missing you. Both of you chatted with each other and catched up with a lot of things you missed in one another’s life. When Minho realised it was almost midnight, he got up and told you he wanted to take something from the car. You let him be as you continued to stare into the night sky.

A few minutes later, you realised you had a minute left until midnight. You were just staring blankly at the city lights when Minho’s voice caught your attention.

“Hey, let’s stand. My ass hurts from sitting there too long.” He said, making you laugh. You did as he said only to join him behind the railing. Without any thoughts in mind, you stood facing the lookout point, only to hear everyone else around that area do a countdown. Naturally, you smiled as you hugged yourself.

10…

9…

8…

7…

6…

5…

4…

“3.” He said.

“2.” You said.

“1…” You both said at the same time as everyone else yelled into the night, “Happy New Year!” At that exact moment, fireworks were brought to life as they exploded into the night sky in colourful arrays of sparks. You gasped at how pretty they looked, not regretting leaving the comforts of your bed for this. Just then you thought the night couldn’t get any better, a warm hand slips around your waist as you get turned around.

When you finally turned to the side, Minho slid his left hand onto your face and without any words exchanged, he locked lips with you. His heart was beating so fast as his hands shook from both the cold and his nerves. You smiled against his lips as you slid your hands up his chest and wrapped them around his shoulders. Minho was so scared that you would shove him away or slap him for being bold but he never thought you would kiss him back. You allowed him to pull you closer against his front, snaking both arms around your waist to secure his hold on you.

His lips were too addictive, you had to force yourself to pull away to breathe. Keeping your face close to him, you tangled your fingers into his soft hair while you held his face with your other hand and caressed his cheek with your thumb softly. Minho’s heavy breaths mixed with yours as he squeezed your waist a little before he spoke up very quietly despite the loud explosion behind you.

“I’ve missed you so much… I regret letting you slip away due to my ego. But I will never regret loving you from the day we met.” He paused as you stared into his eyes lovingly and you could tell that he was nothing but genuine.

“Y/N… I love you… I will always love you.” Minho whispered against your lips and that was all it takes for you to break into tears. You couldn’t help but bury your face in his shoulder, feeling him hug you tighter while caressing your back. He let you cry into his shoulder, never once letting you go or loosening his hold around you. Eventually, he guided you towards the car until he could sit on the hood with you in between his legs.

Once you’ve calmed down, you pull away from him to wipe your tears on the sleeves of your hoodie. Minho laughed at you but he too helped with wiping your tears away using his thumbs. When you’ve stopped crying, he holds your face in both hands and gently tilts them up to meet his eyes. As soon as you finally locked eyes with him, Minho gave you the sweetest smile you’ve ever seen before he kissed you once more.

You melted against him, resting your hands on the nape of his neck as he pulled back to gently say, “I mean what I said just now.”

Minho isn’t the kind to easily convey his feelings let alone show it to anyone. So for him to confess to you right now is a big step he took and he wasn’t going to regret it no matter what your answer is. You wanted him to know how you feel so by pulling him in for another longing kiss, Minho smiled knowing your answer was already pretty obvious.

“I love you too, Minho.” You whispered against his lips, earning a chuckle from him.

Living in a beach house was probably in everyone’s dreams. Imagine waking up to hearing peaceful waves crashing against the sand, a spectacular view embraces you the moment you pull your curtains back. Except, you had the privilege of waking up to this everyday. This makes it easier for you to catch some waves be it for practice or for fun when you just need some fresh air.

You have been learning how to surf since you were at the age of 9. The reason why you took up surfing as a hobby then soon turned it into passion is because you grew up watching your dad surf. He was a professional surfer who won about 7 championship meets in a row.

That’s where you had the interest to learn from him. He, of course, was happy enough to teach you and eventually, got one of his best buddies to accept you into his surf classes. However, that was also the beginning of your journey with probably your one and only rival in every surf meet you took part in from then on.

His name?

Seo Changbin.

He was one year younger than you. His father is good friends with yours. Interestingly enough, Mr Seo who was not only your surf trainer but is also Changbin's father, and your own father used to be in a surf group back then where they surfed together and cheered for each other for every surf competition they took part in. Which is why you knew Changbin and his older sister but you were only never really friends with Changbin due to how competitive both of you were.

Your father didn’t blame you for being this way with Changbin because Mr Seo also knew about this rivalry and yet, all he and your dad could do was laugh. Your rivalry officially started when you were 13 and he was 12. You lost your first place to him when you landed a second too late on your last trick, making your land a bit unstable and choppy.

Changbin was personally a competitive person when it comes to competitions and games so in that sense, he wasn’t much different than you were. Which is why you both became the perfect rivals.

His family lives just two houses down from your beach house, making it easier for his family to come over to your place whenever the elders wanted to catch up.

This still happens up till this day where your father would just casually invite them over for dinner, meanwhile you would take this perfect chance to head to the beach either for a surf or just chill by the sands. Ever since your mother’s unfortunate passing, that has been the two things you did whenever you felt suffocated in the house or when you got into a serious fight with your dad.

This year, you would be celebrating your 25th birthday and also your 8th birthday without her around. It still hurts you just thinking about it but compared to years ago, you’ve already come to accept the fact that she’s in a better place now.

It was a bright Thursday morning, your classes won’t start until 10am and since it was only 7, you decided to head to the beach. The waves are too calm for you to surf so instead, you took the plastic bowl filled with diced mangoes from the fridge and soon left the house after brushing your teeth and washing your face. You walked down the wooden boardwalk, making your way down to the wooden platform at the bottom of the steps which links to the start of the beach.

It has been approximately 15 minutes since you sat there and basically ate your breakfast whilst watching the early risers taking a morning stroll on the beach, some were even exercising on the beach. You were just picking on your mangoes when a familiar voice spoke up ahead of you.

“What are you doing here? Too sad, you can’t catch a morning wave today?” You looked up from your bowl only to lock eyes with the devil himself.

“Even if I am, it’s none of your concern.” You said, rolling your eyes at him.

Only then did you actually realize that Changbin was glistening with sweat dripping down his neck, all the way down his shirtless toned torso. Toned abs to pair with his broad chest. His arms were probably bigger than your face now compared to a few years ago when he was still small and lanky.

When you realized you were staring, you quickly looked away hoping he didn’t catch on since he never made fun of you. Little did you know, he saw you openly staring at his body. He just chose to keep his mouth shut today.

When he finally left, you let out a breath you never realised you held in.

Hours passed and you had just finished your morning class which is also time for lunch. You began making your way to the lunch hall with your two best friends, Yeji and Ryujin. Right before you make the final turn to head to the lunch hall, a heavy arm suddenly drops on your shoulder followed by a soft ruffle to your hair. You flinched as you glanced up to look at the culprit only to see his toothy grin smiling down at you with his crescent moon eyes.

“Hey! How was class?” Minho asked, to which you couldn’t help but giggle softly and soon realising he wasn’t alone. Hyunjin, who was Yeji’s twin brother, was walking beside her whilst Felix was just talking to Ryujin beside you.

Minho was your friend.

You actually met him in high school and he has been your friend ever since. A little back story, Minho and you used to date for a few months in high school before you decided to break things off with him after you realised that neither of you were ready to seriously commit in the relationship. Nevertheless, both of you mutually agreed to remain as friends. Hence, the reason why he was here with you right now.

The only problem now lies within him. Along the way, he started to develop feelings for you again. Though he tries so hard to keep it from you, sometimes he would accidentally act on it without him realising until one of his friends acknowledges him about it.

To summarize, Minho still has a crush on you. The end.

You, on the other hand, had completely moved on from him. It was quite clear to you that Minho is now strictly in your friendzone. Of course you still love and care for him dearly but just as a friend.

Even so, you didn’t mind having occasional skinships with him because you trusted him. So you were completely fine with him slinging his arm on your shoulder.

“Class was a bore. Can you believe he actually taught us nothing related to Python? It’s ridiculous.” You complained, earning a little chuckle from him.

“But my little Y/N here is pretty smart on her own isn’t she?” He asked, making you giggle. Minho teases you by nuzzling his nose against yours, something he does often after he gives you a compliment. Just then, Hyunjin’s voice calling out to a series of names, piqued your interest as you glanced ahead to see five guys just standing in front of the lockers seeming to chat with each other.

The closer you got, the more you realized just who it was. Sometimes you completely forget that Hyunjin is not only Yeji’s twin brother, but he was also in Changbin’s circle of friends. You also forgot that Minho and Chan have been close friends since high school and while Minho is your friend, Chan is Changbin’s friend in college due to the same class and major they were taking together with Jisung.

So basically, your life was filled with Changbin both personally and publicly. It was useless to try and run away from him.

You watched as the guys greeted each other with handshakes and the manly hug. Meanwhile, you girls continued to walk off allowing the guys to have their moment. Right when you thought you could leave in peace, Changbin’s voice echoed around the semi empty hallway.

“Good luck for the surf meet this Saturday. You’re gonna need it.” All of your friends knew about the annual surf meet that you and Changbin take part in. That means they also know about your strong rivalry with Changbin and yet they always cheered for both of you equally. For that, you’re thankful to have them as your friends and sort of acquaintances.

“Not if I take home the trophy this year.”

“We’ll see about that.” Changbin smirks as you groan in annoyance whilst heading straight for the lunch hall, missing the way Changbin had his eyes fixed on your descending back while Minho watches you storm away with a little smile on his face.

Saturday comes faster than you hoped. You were nervous for the meet but it wasn’t something unusual. You always get nervous for every surf meet, it’s just your anxiety of being the centre of attention in a large crowd. However, it all goes away the minute you step foot in the ocean. Yeji and Ryujin promised to go over to your house before heading to the beach together despite it being right behind your house. You wore your swimsuit which was essentially just swimming shorts and a bikini top with an oversized shirt on.

The three of you began to make your way to the beach, only to see a huge crowd of people just gathered all along the beach where the main tents were. You found an empty spot to stick your surfboard upright in the sand, asking your friends to keep a lookout on your board whilst you went to register your name by the main booth.

Even before reaching the booth, you already spotted a familiar face waiting at the back of the line. It was as if on cue, he turned to his left, locking eyes with you before you saw the corner of his lips curl into a smirk.

“Ready to get your butt kicked?” Changbin asked as you rolled your eyes at him subtly before you answered him.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“Let’s make a bet.” He suggests innocently as you join the line behind him.

“Enlighten me.”

“If I win first place, you have to treat me to dinner for a whole week.” Changbin smiles innocently at you as you try to ignore his shirtless figure standing before you.

“Fine. Then if I win first place, you have to teach me how to do a rodeo flip.” You said calmly. You noticed the way his eyes widened for a split second before going back to its natural hooded state.

“Deal.” He said as he held his fist out to you at chest level so you easily fist bump him to seal the deal.

Just then, you heard your father’s voice calling your name followed by Mr Seo’s voice calling Changbin’s name. You both turned to your right to see the two men walking over to you with bright smiles on their faces. You gave your dad a tight hug as Changbin simply let his dad give him a few strong pats to his shoulder.

“Hi kids. We just wanted to wish you good luck.” Your dad said, making you giggle before saying thank you. So did Changbin.

“Remember the lessons I taught you for the past few weeks. Put that into your surfing techniques later out there and I’m sure you will both make it to the top.” Mr Seo motivates you two with his words of wisdom.

“Noted.” Both you and Changbin said in unison as Mr Seo smiled and gently placed his large hand on top of your head in a fatherly manner. Right at that moment, a shove to your side made you crash against Changbin who instantly reached for your waist out of instinct. Needless to say, it felt so right having his hands rest on your waist.

Wait what.

You whipped your head to the side to see who just deliberately shoved you, only to see a woman standing there with her entire back facing you as she talked to your dad. The only problem that struck out to you was how she had one hand hover over your father’s chest while she barely caressed her fingertips down his clothed skin.

Your jaw dropped as you stared at your dad in disbelief. Your father has never mentioned to you about anybody he’s talking to or is contacting. He usually tells you if there is someone special in his life ever since your mother’s passing. So for this woman to touch your father like that, made you shocked.

“Who is she?” You mouthed to your dad the minute he locked eyes with you.

However, seeing how uncomfortable he was and the way he was clearly trying to move away from her, only made your blood boil even more. With that being said, you tapped on the woman’s shoulder eagerly. She let out a scoff before turning to you, a disapproving look prominent on her face but you couldn’t care less.

“Excuse me. Hi. What do you think you’re doing?” You asked with the most sarcastic smile on your face, hoping she’d take the hint.

“What I do is none of your business. Besides, aren’t you a little young to be interested in a full grown man?” She asked with clear disgust in her voice, to which you let out a chuckle to stress on how ridiculous her accusation sounds.

“Me? Interested in… Oh, no sweetheart. I’m not interested in my own father. But I am interested in knowing who you are and why you’re blatantly flirting with him right in front of me.” You said, as you slowly circled her until you were now standing in between your father and herself.

“I think it’s time your father has some fun, considering the years of an unworthy loss, don’t you think?” The woman smirked at you, she clearly has no idea what she’d just set on fire. Without further ado, you took two slow steps to close the gap between you and her, keeping your fiery gaze on her that made her knees go weak.

“Nobody… disrespects my mother like that. So I suggest you get lost before I make your life a living hell.” You said lowly to which you saw her smirk begin to disappear whilst her lips quivered slightly. Nevertheless, she stormed away angrily, earning a few beats of silence from those around you.

That’s when you whipped your head around to meet your dad’s, making you frown upon him.

“You were just gonna let her touch you like that? Weren’t you gonna say anything to her yourself?” You asked in disbelief, making him frown.

“I… I was stunned when she suddenly touched me. I’m really sorry sweetie…” Your father apologised to you, making you feel bad. So you easily wrapped your arms around his waist only to mumble a soft apology against his chest. Changbin, who had been silently watching the entire scene unravel in front of him, couldn’t help but feel touched by how you protected your dad from being harrassed. This somehow made him feel something in the pit of his stomach but he just didn’t want to admit it.

An hour and a half passed, it was time for the final scores to be revealed. You were standing near the sea with Yeji and Ryujin while Changbin and his friends were gathered right next to you girls since Hyunjin was just chatting with his twin sister beside you.

“And finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for! I will announce the top 3 finalists for this year’s Annual Surf Meet! In third place, with a score of 80 points, we have… Choi Yeonjun! Congratulations!” The commentator announced into the microphone as the crowd began to cheer and clap for the boy who was standing not too far from you with his friends.

“And in second place, with a score of 85 points, we have… Yoon Sanha! Congratulations!” Upon hearing this, you frowned deeply as you instinctively turned to Changbin who turned to you at the same time. You obviously couldn’t read his mind but for some reason, it seemed like you both understood each other for once.

This never happened before.

Every surf meet, both you and Changbin would be in the top 3. Only that it’s either you or him taking the first place. So to hear the 3rd and 2nd place going to neither of you, made you curious.

“Wait a minute, if neither of you are in 3rd or 2nd… Then, who’s first?” Hyunjin asked as you and Changbin soon turned back to the commentator who seemed to look shocked at the winner’s list.

“And finally, in first place, with a hefty score of 95 points… Well, it has been 21 years since we had this kind of result and to be honest, I’m pretty sure none of us saw this coming… But, coming in first place for 2023’s Annual Surf Meet goes to… a tie between Seo Changbin and Y/F/N! Congratulations! Can the winners please come forward to receive your prizes.” The commentator announced, all to which your eyebrows rose in shock, your body stood frozen on the sand.

“Omg! It’s a tie!” Yeji, Ryujin, Felix and Jisung said in unison while the rest began to cheer excitedly for you and Changbin. You were still rooted to the ground, making Minho jog to you and soon tugging you forward. You glanced over to Changbin who was slowly walking forward but the minute he locked eyes with your shocked ones, he couldn’t help but smile as he reached out to grab your hand from Minho’s and soon dragged you to the prize booth.

You both took the first place trophy each before standing on the platforms for a photo. After the prize ceremony was done, you got down from the platform only to hear Changbin speak up, “Looks like both our deals would be happening huh?” This made you remember the bet you made earlier before the meet. Well, at least it’s nothing too extreme.

“Looks like I owe you dinner tonight then…” You teased, earning a cheeky little smirk from him. For once you didn’t feel like slapping the smirk off his face and you wondered why.

Your friends came over to you and Changbin as they congratulated you on winning the first place trophy together, making you thank them. Minho suggested having a mini celebratory beach bonfire tonight for you and Changbin. While everyone else seemed to agree, you looked over at Changbin and saw the smile on his face.

“We’ll come after dinner.” He informed the others, only to hear them all say okay. Looks like you’ll have to spend quite a lot of time with Changbin for the next few days.

Hours passed, you had just showered and was blow drying your hair when there was a knock on your bedroom door. So you turned the dryer off and made your way to the door, only to open it and find Changbin standing there. He was wearing a black shirt, a dark grey and white large flannel with denim ripped jeans on. You would be lying if you said he didn’t look good in this fit.

“What are you doing here? Can’t you just wait downstairs?” You asked, stepping aside to let him in despite this being his first time entering your bedroom.

“I wanted to but your dad insisted on making me go to your room since he was heading out to meet some friends which includes my dad.” He said. He walked in a little awkwardly before you closed the door and made your way back to the corner of your room which had a full length mirror and your blow dryer plugged to the socket on the wall.

Changbin leans against your desk as he quietly watches you dry your hair. “Have you decided where to eat?” You asked, trying to make small conversation with him. Today was probably the first time ever in years where you two could sit in the same room without bickering like Tom and Jerry.

“Have you tried that seafood place down the block? I heard it’s really good.”

“Are you planning to get me broke? Cause I can’t afford a whole buffet, just so you know.” You said as you glared at him through your mirror, only to see him smirk.

“Trust me, I’m not a gold digger plus, I don’t like people spending too much on me so you’re good.” Changbin said, giving you a playful wink. You rolled your eyes at him but his wink actually did something to you. You just chose to ignore it. After you finished drying your hair, you went to change out of your pajamas. Changbin begged you to let him choose your outfit, something you’ve never had anyone do before.

Unfortunately, to avoid getting into an unnecessary argument with him, you decided to just let him do what he wants. Within a seriously long 5 minutes of him disappearing into your walk-in closet, he finally came out with your outfit for the night. Which would be a white thin strap crop top, black and white oversized flannel, a denim black button down skirt and your favourite pair of white high top converse.

You stared at the outfit incredulously, only for you to question, “You want me to wear a skirt and shoes when we’re heading to the beach right after dinner?” Changbin shrugged innocently as he tossed the clothes to you, making you catch them swiftly in your arms but he didn’t miss the snarl coming out from your lips.

“Why not? I’m wearing shoes too.”

You let out a heavy sigh as you clicked your tongue in annoyance before asking him to leave your room so you could change.

About 4 minutes later, you came back out fully dressed in his chosen attire.

You found him leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs, eyes glued to his phone. When you gently tapped the back of his head, he turned around ready to say something snarky at you but instead, his curious eyes wandered down your body to inspect the outfit he chose for you.

He was clearly satisfied with his choices.

“I know I would never do this on a normal basis… but damn… I chose your outfit well.” Changbin smirked, meeting your eyes again only to see you staring at him softly.

“Don’t get used to it.” You joked, earning a chuckle from him.

“Don’t worry, I will.”

With that being said, both of you left your beach house and soon began to make your way to the seafood place he mentioned earlier.

An hour passed by, the food was pretty delicious but it was a little on the expensive side. Since it was part of the bet, you promised you would pay no matter the price. Of course Changbin didn’t pay for it at the restaurant since it was part of the bet. You managed to make it to the celebratory bonfire your friends were doing that night by the beach. You sat in between Minho and Ryujin as they played a round of truth or dare. Some of them were pretty intoxicated but still sober enough to know what was going on.

It was now Minho’s turn, to which he decided to choose a dare. You silently watched as some of them began to whisper amongst each other. Right when you took a sip of your soda, Chan’s words did not go unnoticed.

“I dare you to kiss your ex.”

Shit.

Sure Minho and you dated in the past but it’s over now. You two are now very good friends. You already moved on from him. Therefore, you shouldn’t kiss him right?

You turned to Minho who was just staring at you softly, his doe eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

“We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. It’s up to you.” Minho said quietly to you, knowing what you were already thinking. As much as you didn’t want to do it, you knew it was just for a game. Nothing’s gonna come out of it. So it wouldn’t hurt if you kissed him for a silly dare, right?

Just then, for some reason, your eyes naturally travelled around the circle of friends. However, your gaze stopped the minute it landed on Changbin who was seated opposite you with a small frown on his face.

Why was he frowning?

You had to force yourself to break eye contact with him as you turned back to Minho and soon spoke up, “It’s just a dare right?”

“Yeah, of course… We’re just friends now.” Minho said but a small part of you says that he didn’t mean that 100%. Nevertheless, you gave him a slight nod as you reached up to cup his face while you gently pulled him in until you felt his soft lips on yours. You closed your eyes to distract yourself from the squeals around you, feeling Minho move his lips in sync with yours. Unfortunately, much to his dismay, you pulled away a lot quicker than he wanted you to.

Sure it felt nice to kiss someone again but at the same time, it felt wrong to kiss your ex. So you told them to continue the game. A few seconds later, Minho gently reaches for your hand only to whisper in your ear, “Sorry if that made you uncomfortable.” With that being said, you shook your head to tell him it’s okay and that it was just for a game.

You weren’t mad at him anyway so you simply brushed it off. However, it looks like someone found it a little difficult to let the visual and thought of you kissing Minho, out of their mind.

Oddly enough.

The next few days, you have been going for dinner with Changbin just like you promised for the bet. Except, you noticed that he had been less talkative ever since that bonfire night. Of course you didn’t think much as to why he was acting weird at times but it did make you wonder if he was somehow affected by the kiss. But why would he if he saw you as his rival, just like you see him?

Was something changing between you two?

Were you starting to see him as not a rival anymore?

Has he stopped seeing you as a rival?

It was a Saturday afternoon and you were just lazily lounging on the couch with your dad. Both of you were eating the salad you ordered since neither of you had the mood to cook that day. Just then, there was a knock on your front door. Your dad got up to see who it was since you told him you were lazy to go check. You had your eyes fixed on the tv screen until your dad’s voice caught your attention.

“Sweetie, someone’s here to see you.”

You turned around, ready to ask who it was but instead, you were met with a familiar face that leaves what felt like butterflies fluttering in your stomach these days.

“Changbin? Why are you here?” You asked him curiously since it was a little too early to have dinner.

“Get dressed, I’m gonna teach you the rodeo flip like I promised.” Changbin said, making you remember his part of the deal.

“Now?”

“The waves are at their strongest right now. It’s the perfect time to learn the trick.”

“Hmm… Fine.” You puffed your cheeks out in defeat as you got up to keep your salad in the fridge before heading upstairs to change. Once you were ready, you rejoined him downstairs, giving your dad a quick kiss to his cheek before leaving the house with Changbin. Both of you made it to the beach where there was pretty much a weekend crowd. You and Changbin managed to find a spot with not many people around so that you could practice sort of in private.

He explained to you the basics of the trick first and the proper way on how to execute the trick. Every step was briefly explained to you, making you nod. However, you do well by doing instead of listening. With that being said, both of you soon swam out into the ocean on your surfboards, seeing a few surfers catching some waves as well.

Once you made it out pretty far from shore, you waited for the perfect opportunity where the waves were exactly at the correct height and strength for the trick.

“Watch and learn.” Changbin said as he soon pushed himself forward to head further out and the minute he was aligned with the oncoming waves, he allowed his surfboard to rise up along the side of the waves before he stood up on both feet and soon surfed his way down to make his body parallel to the waves.

You watched as he skillfully surfs his way up the high waves and the minute he’s about to launch himself into the air, he bends down to grab his board and soon flips his entire body along with his board backwards. Flipping a complete 360° before he easily lands back on the wave. He balanced himself while he surfs to a gradual speed towards you. Once he made it back to you, Changbin looked at you with a small smirk on his face.

“Your turn.” He said.

With a heavy sigh, you stared into the distance, trying to gauge for the next best wave. When it finally came, you pushed your board forward, similarly to what he did earlier. Unfortunately, you failed to do the flip but since it’s your first try, it wasn’t a surprise that you couldn’t do it.

You tried again for another four times, yet the result was still the same. This was your fifth try, you were about to launch yourself up into the air so you prepared yourself to grab your board.

The minute half of your board was no longer touching the waves, you bent down to grab your board and soon, used all the strength you had to push your body backward.

You finally succeeded in doing a backward rodeo flip in the air. A sense of excitement rushed through your veins as you made a smooth land back on the waves. Your smile stretched from ear to ear, an adrenaline rush engulfing you in an instant.

“I did it… I can’t believe I did it…” You whispered to yourself as you surfed back to where Changbin was.

From where you were, you could see him smile while giving you applause for executing the trick well. The waves were starting to come in every 10 seconds, giving you the perfect opportunity to surf again. When you made it back to shore, he walked side by side with you. Both of you were having an empty conversation about random things when you realised he was walking you to your house.

“Aren’t you gonna head home?” You asked as he turned to you with an offended look on his face.

“I teached you how to do a rodeo flip and you’re asking me to leave already? I’m disappointed… truly.” Changbin fakes a pain in his chest, clutching his right hand over his heart. You rolled your eyes at him only to realise you were right outside your front door.

“Well, I was trying to be nice and spare you the trouble of having to walk all the way here when you could’ve just went straight from the boardwalk stairs right in front of your house but okay…” You said nonchalantly, to which you saw him let out a breathy chuckle at how ridiculously cute you were being.

Just then, Changbin glanced at his wristwatch and soon back to you, “Okay, I guess I’ll see you later for dinner?” You gave him a firm nod as he got quiet for a few seconds before he spoke up again.

“I’ll pick you up at 8?”

“Sure.”

With that being said, your eyes flickered down his face slightly but was quick to recover by looking back into his eyes. You wanted to say something else, not wanting him to leave just yet but you couldn’t bring yourself to say anything. As if luck was on your side, Changbin decides to say something, “Oh, and wear a swimsuit under your outfit later.” His words piqued your curiosity.

“Why?”

“You’ll see. Just do as I say.” He gave you a cheeky little wink, making you scoff but a smile managed to creep its way onto his face. At that moment, Changbin playfully tapped under your chin with his index finger to gain your attention. Once he got that, he smiled and said to you, “I’ll see you later.”

Changbin didn’t wait for you as he started to walk away with his back facing you. Despite knowing you’ll see him later, you still chose to turn your head to see his descending back. You stared at his back for a few long seconds, a whole bundle of thoughts just swimming around your brain before you finally entered your house.

A few hours later, you had just finished getting ready when you heard your father’s voice calling you from downstairs.

“Y/N sweetie, Changbin’s already here!”

“Okay dad! 2 minutes!” You yelled back as you tied your hair into a low messy bun, leaving a few stray hairs out to frame your face. You were wearing a pretty off shoulder blouse with a pair of denim skinny jeans. Once you think you’re ready to head out, you take your purse from your bed and soon leave the room.

It wasn’t until a compliment came your way, that you finally realized you were at the bottom of the stairs already. “Woah, you look pretty.” Changbin said, making you blush a little but was quick to hide it by scoffing.

“You’re just saying it because my dad is here.”

“What? No, I actually do mean it…” Changbin clarifies himself to you, earning a warm smile from your dad. After you bid him goodbye and kissed him on the cheek, you led Changbin out the house as he brought you to his car. The drive to the restaurant took about at least half an hour. Neither of you could get the topic of surfing out of the conversation but you didn’t mind it at all.

You finally made it to the restaurant as the waiter led you over to a secluded booth far from the main busy area of the restaurant. Once inside, the waiter handed you the menu and boy was the prices a shocker.

“What the hell? One dish is almost 20 bucks?! You’re kidding me right?” You asked as you desperately stared at him in disbelief.

“Oh come on… It’s the last day of your part of the deal. I think it’s only fair since I teached you one of the hardest tricks there is to know.” Changbin challenges you in which all you could do was stare at him until a hole burns through his head. You have been staring at the menu for about 5 minutes now so Changbin reaches over to tap the back of the menu you were holding, only for him to speak up softly.

“Just buy whatever you want. Don’t hesitate.”

“What do you mean ‘don’t hesitate’? Of course I will hesitate if the price adds up to more than 100 bucks! I’m almost broke, Changbin!” You whined at him, earning a loud laugh from him.

“Oh for god’s sake just get anything. Trust me. It’ll be fine.”

And yet, you still chose the cheapest meal and the cheapest drink there after nearly 15 minutes of you two just bickering and staring at the menu.

Minutes slowly ticked by and your meals had arrived long ago. Though you must admit, today’s dinner seemed slightly different than before. There’s something about the way he constantly looks at you whenever you were talking or the way he reached up to wipe off something that stuck to your lips or maybe even the way his eyes would casually flicker between your eyes and lips when you speak.

He was a lot quieter and maybe even calmer tonight as compared to the past week. Maybe it’s just you. Only time will tell. After you were both done with dinner and was about to leave, you stood up to take the bill when you realised the holder with your bill attached to it was missing.

“Where’s the bill?”

“Let’s go.” He said but you didn’t want to leave just yet.

“But I haven’t paid anything yet.”

“Come on, we should get going.” Changbin kept insisting on leaving but you wanted answers so you began storming your way to the cashier point.

“Hi, I would like to pay the bill for table 45?”

The lady checked her list on the computer, only for her to smile, “Oh, it’s already paid.”

What?

“Who did?”

“The gentleman outside.” With that being said, you whipped your head around to find Changbin standing there with his hands in his jeans pockets. You quickly thanked the lady before making your way outside, only for you to slap his arm as a payback.

“Ow! What was that for?” He scowled at you, rubbing the part where you slapped him.

“Why did you pay for it? I thought the deal was to treat you to dinner for a whole week? Today’s supposed to be the last day for that.”

“I know… I just felt like paying tonight.”

“You… just? Felt like paying tonight? Since when are you this nice?”

“Since the day I was born but apparently someone overlooked my kindness too much.” Changbin said with a straight face. You couldn’t help but punch his chest again, only this time, he swiftly grabbed your wrist and tugged you closer. Unfortunately, this made you accidentally crash against him to which your other hand instantly pressed onto his broad chest.

A soft gasp left your lips when you noticed your face was just inches away from his. You were so distracted by the close proximity that you didn’t feel his free arm snaking around your waist until he gently squeezed your waist.

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” Changbin whispered with a smirk on his face as his eyes were fixed on your lips.

“W-What?! N-No!” You denied firmly, pushing his chest slightly to put a space between you two. However, you instantly missed his warmth the minute he took a step back to give you some personal space.

“I’m kidding. Come on, I’ve got something cool to show you.” Changbin said as he noticed you weren’t going to move anytime soon so he simply laughed and softly slid his fingers down your wrist only to lock fingers with you. You stayed quiet the entire time, even in the car when he began to drive back to the beach near your house.

About 20 minutes later, both of you were just walking towards the other side of the beach in silence. You had already taken off your shoes so that you could walk in the sand as the waves crashed underneath your feet. After what felt like forever, Changbin suddenly turns to you and says, “Take your clothes off.” This was enough to make you yell ‘what?!’ out loud. With that, Changbin immediately held his hands out in a surrender whilst he explained himself.

“No! No! That’s not what I meant! Geez! Remember I told you to wear your swimsuit under your clothes? This is the reason why. We’re going for a swim.” Changbin said, making you relax slightly but still eyed him curiously.

“Is this your tactic to get me somewhere secluded so you can kill me?” You asked as he laughed at your ridiculous accusation.

“Trust me, you’re not worth killing. Now hurry up!” Changbin said as he began to pull his hoodie over his head swiftly, bringing his shirt up as well. Once he was standing there shirtless, you started to carefully take off your blouse while he took out his belt and unzipped his jeans, pulling his pants down.

“You know, this would seem so wrong to people who see us from a distance.” You huffed, knowing you had a crucial point.

“Which is exactly why I told you to hurry up.” Changbin said as he hid his clothes in between the rocks so that no one could steal them. After you were finally in just your swimsuit, you went ahead and hid your clothes as well before trailing behind him. You entered the water little by little until you were waist deep.

“Changbin, where are we going?”

“Just follow me.” He said as he began to swim out into the ocean.

You let out an annoyed sigh but nonetheless followed him. You swam around the side of the beach, surprised to find a hidden little island which instead of being surrounded by sand, was surrounded by big boulder rocks.

When you made it to the rock beside him, that’s when you decided to ask him how he chanced upon this place.

He explained to you that he was just surfing one day when he came across this hidden island. He was curious so he went to check it out himself one night. Changbin has also been coming here almost every night ever since because he claims it to be really calming and peaceful especially after midnight. After he finished explaining himself, you watched him quietly just splashing the water around with his legs. Changbin nodded his head towards the rocks to his left and so you swam over.

You were just carefully stepping on each boulder, gauging as best as you could considering the water was pitched black and you couldn’t see shit. You can’t even see past the water surface. With that being said, you tried your best not to slip but of course, luck wasn’t on your side today. A sharp gasp left your lips the minute your feet slipped on the boulder. You sunk at least half a meter deep up to your chest but then the firm grips to your waist stopped you from submerging completely.

Changbin then steps onto the same boulder behind you since you could feel his body so close to your back, not that you mind it per se.

“Be careful.” He said softly to you, feeling him squeeze your side a little. You didn’t know why but you just decided to turn your head thinking to reply to him. Except, your plan immediately went down the drain the moment you felt his lips graze over your cheek when you turned. You visibly gulped nervously in which he saw so he decided to tease you.

“Do I always make you nervous?” He asked, earning a soft scoff from you. To avoid looking weak, you bravely turned to face him completely despite feeling his arms snaking around your waist to prevent you from slipping again.

You held your head up high, challenging him even though you knew very well that you would lose.

“No, but you can be a serious pain in the ass sometimes.”

“Really? Fine then.” Changbin said as he easily let go of you and you immediately fell backwards due to the lack of balance. This caused you to splash into the water, knowing he was enjoying the shit out of this. When you finally resurfaced, Changbin was just laughing at you for falling.

So you splashed a good amount of it onto him out of sheer anger.

You struggled to stand on the boulder, but when you managed to do that, you took this opportunity to push him off as well. He fell back, submerging fully underwater just like you did earlier. The only problem is, he never resurfaced.

“Changbin? Changbin it’s not funny… Changbin?” Your voice gradually get softer as you began to panic. He was still not resurfacing and it was starting to worry you.

Did you push him too hard?

What if he hit his head underwater when you pushed him?

Did you accidentally kill him?

You didn’t realize there were tears forming in your eyes as you stared into the dark water. You dipped your hands underwater to try to feel for him. However, your heart nearly exploded out of your chest when a pair of hands grabbed onto your waist from behind. A short scream left your lips, your heart dropping at the thought of it being a sea monster or even worse, a sea ghost.

Just then, a familiar giggle echoes in the air to which you turned around to find him there just laughing at you. His wet hair sticking to his forehead messily, covering half of his eyes as well. You slapped his chest twice to emphasise your annoyance but all he did was giggle again and shook his head from side to side to get rid of the water droplets on his face and air ruffle his blonde brown locks.

When Changbin finally stops laughing to stare at your eyes, he realises they were watery and it was clearly not from the sea water.

“Wait… Are you… crying?” He asked quietly to which you sniffled and stubbornly replied to him with a firm ‘no’ but he knew it was a lie.

“You are crying. Were you that worried for me?” He asked but you never answered. Instead you just pushed yourself out of his grip to swim back to shore before he could even stop you. Once you made it back, you quickly grabbed your hidden clothes and started to speed walk back to your beach house. All while ignoring his calls. You were about to reach the boardwalk stairs when his firm grip on your wrist made you stop.

He came around to stand in front of you, seeing the way you desperately avoided his eyes by staring at the wooden boards behind him. And there, he too realises that on your way back here, your tears were finally falling freely down your cheeks.

“Y/N…” He whispered as you quickly pulled your arms out of his grip and sniffled.

“I’m fine. Goodnight.” You said as you walked past him. Changbin never said anything else but his heart shattered a little, feeling bad knowing that he was the reason for your tears.

Monday came rolling in, you remembered you had a netball tournament that day so you brought your attire in your backpack. You haven’t seen or talked to Changbin since that night so when you saw him in one of the tables at the lunch hall, you avoided his eyes right before he could turn to look at you. He wanted to talk to you, he wanted to ask if you were still upset with him, he wanted to make sure that you weren’t going to ignore him forever because he probably couldn’t live with that.

However, he could see that you didn’t want to be near him for now which is why he decided not to bombard your personal space. Sure you guys were rivals when it comes to surfing but sometimes, even he knows that it’s ridiculous for him to hate you entirely just for that reason alone.

Hours passed and you had already changed out of your casual clothes into your netball attire which was essentially just running shorts, your team jersey and your sports shoe.

The indoor sports hall slowly began to fill in with students from both your campus and the opposing school. You were just strapping on your knee guards when your curious eyes began to wander around the room. Your heart skips a beat the minute you see familiar faces in the crowd, more specifically two people.

Ignoring them, you soon started the game. So far, your school was winning by just two points ahead. It’s a close game that keeps everyone at the edge of their seats. You were just about to toss a high ball to your teammate over on the other side of the court when the captain of the opposing team deliberately crashes into you, making you lose the ball.

She smirked but you were angry. Suddenly, the referee blew her whistle and held a yellow card up with her left arm which has the blue wristband to indicate that it’s for your team.

This made you even more pissed.

With that being said, you stormed up to the referee to voice out your concerns.

“Yellow card? I didn’t even do anything!”

“I’m just doing my job. I saw what I saw. You get a yellow card.” She said nonchalantly to which you scoffed.

“I didn’t even touch her! She’s the one who pushed me! What? Did she bribe you? That’s why you’re being unfair to my team?” You argued back, only for your coach to come over with a frown on her face.

“Hey, hey? What’s going on here?” Your coach asked as you listened to the referee who explained that you were the one making the offense.

“I didn’t fucking touch her!” You said out loud, ignoring the fact that almost everyone in both teams were now gathered around you.

“My statement is final. Yellow card goes to the Konkuk team. If you repeat this again, you will be disqualified.” The referee said, making you let out a frustrated groan. You stormed off, pushing past the referee and the girl who crashed into you purposely. You were about to leave the hall when a grip to your wrist made you stop.

“Leave me alone!” You growled but the sweet voice made you instantly calm down.

“Y/N, stop. Please… I know it wasn’t your fault but you can’t just leave your teammates back there like this. They need you.” Minho said gently as he stood in front of you now with one hand holding your wrist while the other held onto your other forearm.

“What if I get disqualified? Leaving the game is better than getting kicked out halfway through…” You said firmly. You were about to walk away when Minho held you back again.

“Y/N…” Minho sternly called your name as he stared at you like how an adult scolds a child for being stubborn. You felt slightly intimidated by the way he was staring at you so eventually, you ended up avoiding his gaze by gently getting your arms out of his grip.

“I… I don’t know Min…”

Just then, he softly reaches for your waist with one hand before cupping your face with the other and caressing your cheek with his thumb. This was something he usually did to calm you down when he was still dating you.

“Please? Do it for your team? They need you…” He said to which you finally looked up at him. For a brief second, you could’ve sworn you saw him glance down to your lips.

“Okay… Fine…” You whispered to him, earning a relieved sigh from him. At that moment, Minho suddenly began to lean in until his face was so close to you. This made you panic so you flinched back slightly in shock.

“W-What are you doing?” You asked softly, earning a halt from him.

“H-Huh? Oh. S-Sorry… I um… It’s just a habit I guess…” Minho said, knowing it was just an excuse. When you’ve finally rejoined the team, you focus on the game but unfortunately, your team lost the tournament. Once everyone was dismissed, you noticed your friends still seated in the bleachers so you went up to them. That’s also when you accidentally locked eyes with Changbin who was just staring at you like you’ve just told him his pet died.

The closer you got, the more you felt the need to look away and so you did. The only problem is, your heart was yearning for him and you don’t understand why.

All of you left the hall as Yeji, Ryujin, Felix and Jisung were constantly trying to cheer you up.

When you reached the parking lot, you were going to leave the front gates but Changbin’s raspy voice spoke up to catch your attention, “Hey Y/N, I’ll send you home.” You didn’t know if it was due to your heart yearning for him or you just didn’t have the energy to reject his offer, but you simply nodded. You completely missed the way Minho was staring at you with nothing but pain in his eyes. Of course he knows you’ve moved on. He knows that he can never be with you again and yet, why did it hurt him to see you leave with Changbin?

Half an hour later, you finally made it in front of your house. The entire car ride was filled with silence but you didn’t really mind it. You were just glad that you were close to Changbin again. However, when the car finally came to a gradual stop, he puts the gear to park and soon turned the ignition off. Both of you sat there in silence before you quietly thanked him.

You wanted to just leave before it got even awkward but the minute you opened your side of the car door, you felt his fingers wrap around your wrist gently.

“Wait…” He said so you stopped. You kept your back to him but he continued talking, “If you’re still upset about that night, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to make you worry… I just… I just thought I could loosen things up with you. But I get it if you’re still upset.” He soon let go of your wrist, leaning back into his seat properly. When he never spared you another glance, you simply kept quiet and left his car.

You mentally cursed yourself but nevertheless, entered your house without looking back.

The week went by, you still haven’t properly talked to Changbin. It was a Saturday late afternoon and your friends invited you to a little beach birthday party for Lia. Since you were going to the beach, you decided to just wear denim shorts, a sleeveless top and an oversized flannel. When you made it to the beach, most of them had already made it there. All except for Hyunjin, Yeji and Jeongin.

You sat beside Chan as far away from Minho and Changbin as possible. Minutes ticked by, you were just listening to Lia telling a story when you caught Changbin swirling his plastic cup filled about an inch with the grape soda, his hooded eyes softly staring at you but he was quick to look down when he realized he was caught staring.

A few minutes later, you noticed the waves were perfect for a surf. As much as you know you should stay and celebrate Lia’s birthday, you couldn’t ignore the urge to catch the wave.

With that being said, you got up from your seat and began to walk to Yeji to tell her what you wanted to do.

“Oh, okay! Just come back for dessert when I call for you okay?” She smiled, to which you gave her a firm nod. After you left, you decided to head to the lifeguard post since they have spare surfboards there and also, one of your close friends worked there too.

The minute you arrived, you saw his purple hair staring at you as his back was facing you completely.

“Hey Jungkook!”

The male turned to look over his shoulder, seeing the corner of his lips curve up into his usual toothy grin.

“Oh, hey princess. What are you doing here?” He asked as he pressed his forearms on top of the counter and leaned forward to let his face hover closely in front of your face. If passerbys saw this, they would definitely think Jungkook was trying to flirt with you.

“Can I borrow a surfboard? I promise I’ll bring it back in one piece.”

Jungkook eyed you skeptically with a raised brow.

“Please? I’ll treat you to ice cream after your shift.” You bat your eyelashes at him knowing he was always weak for this.

“Fine. You know how to tear me down don’t you?” Jungkook scoffs at you but the smile growing on his lips did not go unnoticed. Once he places the surfboard on the counter, you press your palms on top of it and push yourself up, swiftly giving him a peck on his left cheek near where his healed scar was.

Jungkook’s chuckle made you giggle as you took off your clothes, leaving only your swimsuit that you wore underneath. After placing your dry clothes on his countertop for him to keep guard, you thanked him once more and soon swiped the surfboard off the counter before jogging towards the beach.

The waves were strong but not too powerful to the point where you can’t surf. So when you finally entered the water, you plopped the surfboard down and began to walk further down until the water reached your thighs. Only then did you lay on top of the board and used your hands to paddle.

You had made it pretty far out into the sea, just gauging and waiting for the perfect wave to come strolling in.

Just then, you saw the perfect one coming so you smiled to yourself as you turned your surfboard around to get ready. The moment you were lifted at an angle by the waves, you easily balanced yourself and stood on your feet, gliding across the waves skillfully whilst executing some tricks.

You did this a couple of times, even managing to do a tube ride where you surf through the wave loop, stretching your hand out to let it glide through the waters.

Surfing has always calmed you down whenever you were stressed or just in need of fresh air. And sometimes, it was the best boredom reliever in your opinion. You were probably on your forth surf now, just enjoying the cutback when a baby seal suddenly launched out of the waves right in front of you. This made you squeak as you lost your balance on the board and soon crashed into the ocean.

You sank at least 8 feet under the surface, swallowing a large amount of salt water by accident. The raging waves were making it hard for you to resurface as it simply swallowed you back down when you were about to reach the surface.

You weren’t sure how many minutes had passed but every time you resurfaced, you barely got time to breathe in oxygen before the waves swallowed you whole again. Just when you were about to lose your consciousness, your blurry vision managed to catch a figure diving underwater and swimming their way to you.

From the person’s overall size and figure, you knew it was Changbin.

He soon wraps an arm around your waist while the other scoops up and back down his side to push himself upwards. After what felt like forever, you finally resurfaced, taking a huge gasp of fresh air. The waves were slightly calmer now but it was still quite choppy. You coughed out the water in your lungs as you held onto his shoulders for dear life.

Once you managed to cough out whatever salt water you swallowed and return your breathing to normal, you finally heard him ask from above you.

“Are you okay?”

You had your head down so essentially, your face was buried in his neck. He had one arm securely around your waist while the other wraps over the surfboard to keep you both afloat. When you didn’t reply to him, you felt him squeeze your waist gently and pushed the tip of his nose against your temple before he whispered softly into your ears, his voice sounding so light and concerned.

“Hey? You okay?”

With that being said, you finally brought your head up only to let your face meet his that was barely an inch away. You could literally feel his soft lips brush against the bridge of your nose very lightly.

You carefully glanced up to look at him but instead, you caught him staring a little down south from your eyes.

Nevertheless, you gave him a small nod to answer his question, making him let out a relieved sigh. Changbin tilts his head down, making his nose brush against the side of your nose, letting his lips hover right above yours as he closes his eyes.

“Thank god you’re okay.” He whispered very very quietly, making your heart pound rapidly in your chest. Neither of you dared to say anything so he opted to just get you back to safety before it got even awkward.

“Come on, get on the board. I’ll get you back to shore.” Changbin said as he uses his strength to push the board down underwater so that you could climb onto it. Once you were at the front of the board, he easily did the same for himself, swinging his leg over so that he was now sitting behind you. Both of you began to paddle back to shore and once you did, he got off the board first before helping you.

Immediately, your friends had gathered near the waters just patiently waiting for you and Changbin to come back safely. “Oh my god Y/N! Are you okay?!” Yeji asked as Jisung, Hyunjin and Felix asked you the same question in unison.

You nodded, drifting your gaze to the side where Jungkook was seen jogging towards you. Without a single word exchanged, he wrapped his arms around you to pull you into a tight but secure hug. “You scared the shit out of me! Don’t ever do that again, you twerp.” Jungkook said against your hair, making you smile.

“I’m sorry…” You apologized, earning a little sigh from him.

“You’re lucky he came fast to save you. I was just about to go when I saw him already running to the waters and I didn't have a surfboard with me.” Jungkook said as he nodded his head to someone behind you.

Without saying a thing, you already know who he was talking about. You apologized once again before Jungkook asked to walk with him so that he could help dry you off and change back into your dry clothes. On your way back to the lifeguard post, Jungkook had brought a towel with him as he wrapped it around your figure, not forgetting to pass Changbin one too.

“So… who is he? Your boyfriend?” Jungkook asked with a cheeky grin on his face.

“Who? Changbin?”

“Is he the one who saved you?”

“Yes.”

“Then yes, him. Is he your boyfriend?”

“N-No… Why do you ask?”

“Just curious… Since he ran in after you, I just figured he cares a lot about you.”

“He’s not my boyfriend…” You said in defeat as he entered the post to get your clothes.

“Really? But you two look so good together though…” Jungkook said when he came back with your dry clothes in his hands. You simply brushed him off despite your heart stammering in your chest. Just while you were putting your flannel on, Jungkook’s voice made you snap your head up to look at him.

“You know, it’s never too late to ask someone out on a date. Guys find it hot if a girl makes the first move.” Jungkook smiled as he gave you a cheeky wink before walking away to attend to a customer.

With that being said, you huffed but his words slowly circled your mind.

You left after waving goodbye to your close friend. When you made it back to the party, everyone had already made their way back to where the bonfire pit was. They began to shower you with questions about your wellbeing but all you said was ‘I’m okay’ and nothing more in detail. After a while, you realise that Changbin was nowhere to be seen. You went up to Minho who was the nearest to you at the moment.

You gently reached for his forearm, earning his attention as his lips curved into a smile upon seeing you.

“Hey Min, have you seen Changbin anywhere?” You asked as your eyes began to search around but still no luck. You didn’t notice the way his smile falters a little as he then looks down for a second before hesitantly answering you nonetheless.

“I saw him going up there. Probably he went home to get something?”

Once you’ve gotten the information you need, you begin to leave the bonfire not before telling Yeji you’re just going to grab something at home. When you reached the top of the boardwalk, you saw Changbin’s back making his way directly past his house.

Wait what?

You silently followed him, wanting to see where he was going.

After a few minutes of strolling, you found yourself at a much quieter part of the beach side where you were literally far from where society was. Changbin stops at a lookout point that hangs over the cliff right beside the open beach on your right. To the left is where the beach stops and is replaced by cliffs and dangerous rocks, blending and merging into the sea.

You watched as he stood at the edge of the railing, letting his hair flow with the wind. His loose tank top swaying with the sea breeze. He was so busy being distracted by the sea that he completely missed your creeping presence until you spoke up, “The sea is nice, isn’t it?”

Changbin jumped slightly but soon maintained his cool by turning back towards the sea.

“No one understands the sea like we do.” Changbin said, earning a smile from you.

“Because we’re the only ones who actually ride with the waves.” You said confidently, making him chuckle. Both of you fell silent for a few seconds but he was quick to break the ice.

“What are you doing here, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay… I mean, afterall, you did save me from dying earlier.”

“That was just out of instinct. Especially since I’m the only one amongst our friends who could actually swim in the open sea.” Changbin smirked, letting out a cute giggle you’ve realised was his signature laugh. You were now standing next to him with your hands on the railing. Both of you were looking out at the sea while you let your body enjoy the breeze. You didn’t pay much attention to your surroundings at first until you felt a teasing touch on your pinky.

That’s when you looked down to find his hand inching closer and closer to yours until his pinky was playfully touching yours. Neither of you spoke up but actions for sure spoke louder than words. Changbin took a very light step closer to you while he stood straight and let his hands slide off the railing. You naturally got curious so you turned your body to face him slightly.

“Do you wanna head back?” He asked very softly.

“Not yet… I wanna stay here a while longer.” You said as your voice gradually gets softer with the way he gently slides one hand around your waist while the other reaches up to cup your neck. Changbin leans forward slightly until there was barely any space left between you two but you didn’t complain.

“Like this?” Changbin whispered while his eyes were now fixed on your lips despite knowing it was already obvious. So with that being said, you carefully cupped both of his soft full cheeks in your hands while you brushed the side of your nose against his and smiled, looking up to meet his eyes.

“Just like this.” That was all you managed to whisper before Changbin’s lips curve into a wide grin and soon kiss you like he’s been waiting for this moment for years.

You indulged the kiss as you wrapped your arms around his neck when you felt his hands press against your lower back. He holds you securely against him while his addictive lips kisses you passionately. Changbin slides his tongue over your bottom lip, making you giggle into his mouth. He deepened the kiss with you, feeling him squeeze your waist.

When he pulled away for a breath, he went back in for another two more pecs before he said against your lips, “This doesn’t mean we’re not rivals anymore for surf meets.” He teased you, earning a little tug of his hair from you but very gently not to hurt him.

“I’ll take it.” You smiled, to which Changbin chuckled as he kissed you longingly while still hugging you close.

When he pulled away from you, he stared at you for a bit before he reached up to caress your cheek with his thumb and swiftly tucked your fallen hairs behind your ear. Your hands rested on his firm broad chest, letting your fingers curl against his chest while you hang your head down for a brief second.

Changbin tucks his finger under your chin and once you make eye contact with him, that’s when he leans in to let his lips hover above yours for a second or two before he whispers his confession.

“I think I really like you… and I hope I can take you out on a date one day if you’d want to.”

With that being said, you gently wrapped your fingers around his wrist that was holding your chin, guiding his hand down before you cupped his face and smiled.

“I’d love that… because I think I like you too.”

Both of you began to laugh as he kissed you like he was actually addicted to your lips. Secret was, he really is addicted to your lips. After spending almost 15 minutes with him, you finally began to head back to the beach party where everyone was starting to bombard you with questions on where you were. You seemed to stay by Changbin’s side the entire evening yet still going around to mingle with everyone else.

6 years ago, your sister gave birth to the most gorgeous little human being you’ve ever seen. She was the reason why you became an aunt. You love your niece with all your heart, promising to be there beside her every step of the way. Reason being the guy who got your sister pregnant who is supposedly her boyfriend of 3 years, had chosen to abandon his responsibilities as a father when he found out she was carrying his child. You were beyond furious with him to the point where you actually went down to his apartment to curse the fuck out of him.

After your niece was born, you made sure that you were there with her as she grew up. She was the reason why you look forward to living everyday. There wasn’t a day where you didn’t spend time with her. When you were in college, you worked as a part time barista to pay off your school fees and monthly expenses on food and stuff. The extra money you had was spent on her toys, snacks, food, anything that would make her happy and lessen your sister’s burden in a way.

She is a single mom after all so it’s only right for you to help out with whatever you can. Whenever your sister has to work or is busy with something, you’re always there to help her out no matter how tired or busy you are. A few years following her birth, your sister had saved enough money to rent an apartment solely for her and her daughter, Lucy.

As much as she was thankful that your parents were okay with having her and Lucy live in your family home, your sister wanted to move out because your parents were already old and she didn’t want to burden them even more. Taking care of two kids was already enough for them. Therefore, your sister rented a place not too far from your campus. During the first three years after you graduated high school, you were still living with your parents.

When you finally saved enough money, that’s when you moved out and rented an apartment that was just a 15 minutes walk from your sister’s place. It was way easier to travel back and forth to look after Lucy and spend time with her ever since.

Sometimes you would go to their place, sometimes they would come to your place. You are pretty close with your sister. You loved her unconditionally so to see her go through parenthood alone, it definitely breaks your heart but you also see how strong she is. Not many people can do this and yet, here she is. You are beyond proud of her.

It’s been 7 years since you graduated high school and you are now a working adult. You are working under a pretty well known company. Your job is stressful but most of the time, you have very codependent team members whom you work well with. You are thankful that your team is a bunch of nice people who you can bond with. The team has a total of 5 people and you’re all really good friends with each other. There was Jieun, who is your team leader, Yoongi, Taehyung, Yeji and yourself.

You have been working with this company and the team for almost 2 years now and you’re still grateful for it till today. Whenever you’re having a whole load of work stress, they’re always there to relieve it. Even your sister knows them because of how often you tell her about them.

However a few months ago, your CEO announced that they were starting this new production line which will be a test to see how well the sales are. If it goes well, they will launch the product for good and put it out on the market. Your job was to keep an eye on the sales and calculate the financial impact of the product. It’s stressful but at least you have a team working with you on it.

Due to this new project, you had to OT more often every week and this has led to you only seeing Lucy on weekends and less on weekdays. It sucks that you have to spend less time with your niece but at least you still see her on weekends.

It was a Saturday afternoon and you promised to bring Lucy to the mall. So it was Lucy, your sister and yourself who are going to the mall to hang out for the day. Jisoo drove so she placed Lucy in her baby chair at the back seat while you sat in front with your sister. Lucy was sleeping so you had this time to have a private chat with Jisoo about life and work. A year ago, you were dating someone you met at university. He was two years younger than you and everything was going well with him.

He was your person.

Unfortunately, with the accumulating fights and disagreements began to slowly build up at one point, a huge argument happened one day and both of you decided to break things off after realizing that it might never work. Both of you had very different perceptions of things and could never come together as one. Therefore, that was the only logical thing to do and this all happened just over 2 months ago.

“I haven’t heard about him in a while. Lucy asked me about him recently too.” Jisoo said, only for you to stare blankly into the dashboard.

It took you a while to reply but when you did, you had to take a deep breath first and said, “We broke up…” Your sister glanced at you briefly but made sure to keep her focus on the road.

“When?”

“2 months ago, give or take…” You said quietly to avoid waking Lucy up.

“I’m sorry.” She said, making you shake your head.

“No, it’s fine. I just feel like we’re too different and we’re no longer compatible with each other. So I didn’t wanna waste my time pining over someone who doesn’t wanna work together.”

“Well, I guess you did the right thing then… What are you gonna tell her though?” Jisoo asked as you glanced at the back seat to find Lucy sleeping.

“I won’t say anything to her until she asks me about him, I guess…”

“Yeah, I think it’s best if she hears it from you instead of me.” Jisoo said. You agreed with her decision because it’s your life so you should be the one sharing, not her. Just then, she changes the topic to avoid the awkward atmosphere about your ex boyfriend.

“By the way, I know I should’ve told you sooner but a few weeks after you started to get busy with your OTs, I started to keep getting night shifts so I decided to hire a babysitter. It’s been a month now. And guess what?”

“What?”

“Lucy loves him! She adores him so much, it’s literally so adorable.”

“Wait a minute… Your babysitter is a guy?” You asked in disbelief.

“Yeah. Young and handsome too.” She said with a cheeky wink, causing you to gag. Your sister then scoffs at your reaction to defend herself before you get the wrong idea.

“Not for me, you fool. I’m telling you that he’s young and handsome.” She smirked teasingly to which you rolled your eyes.

“How young? And I don’t trust your tastebuds.”

“Rude. Look, he’s your age and I’m telling you… He is drop dead gorgeous.” She said but all you did was brush her off.

You still won’t believe her until you see him for yourself. Only then will you agree with whether he’s handsome or not.

You changed the topic again, not wanting to wake Lucy up as Jisoo finally pulls into the mall car park. All three of you got out of the car once it was properly parked and made your way into the mall. You spend almost half a day there, grabbing lunch, going to the clothing store to shop for your things, going to a toy store to buy Lucy new toys and plushies, going to watch a new cartoon movie in the cinema.

All in all, it was a very good day well spent with Lucy after a stressful week at work. Unfortunately, your day was being cut short when your sister got a last minute call from her senior nurse telling her to come down tonight to cover a shift for her colleague who took an urgent leave. You were pissed because today was supposed to be Jisoo’s day off but there’s nothing much you can say. Even if you told your sister to tell them it’s her day off, she would still go down to cover the shift.

Which is why you were now at her apartment to keep Lucy company for the night while your sister left for work. After she left, you showered Lucy and prepared her dinner. You were just feeding her dinner in the living room when she came to you with a sketchbook filled with drawings.

“Wow, did you draw these?” You asked as she sat in your lap to flip through the pages.

“Yeah! But Uncle Minie drew some of it!” She said, making you wonder if that was the name of her babysitter.

“Is Uncle Minie a good person?”

“He is! He’s very nice to me and mommy.”

“Mmm, you must really like him then, don’t you?” You said and as a result, she giggled adorably in your lap.

“I do! You have to meet him… I think you will like him too, Auntie Y/N!” She said so all you could do was smile. You continued to play with her after dinner until she grew tired so you could tuck her into bed. When she was finally asleep, you cleaned up the house a little before taking a shower and went to bed.

Almost a month has passed since you last saw Lucy and your sister. Work got very hectic and your schedule has been pretty off lately. You had to work on weekends for the past few weeks and it was mentally draining. The project has been a success recently which is why you had to work extra everyday but your schedule was starting to simmer down and was now proceeding to launch it for real and properly this time. Nevertheless, it has been really tiring for you but thankfully you had your team with you to motivate each other and give words of encouragement to one another.

It was a Friday evening and you decided to surprise Lucy and your sister tonight after not seeing them for so long. Before heading over to their place though, you didn’t forget to stop by Lucy’s favourite fast food restaurant to get her french fries. It was her ultimate favourite snack that she would never fail to ask for whenever you brought her out or came over to the house. You bought extra food so everyone could eat, including the babysitter just in case he was hungry.

It didn’t take long to arrive at your sister’s apartment so when you made it in front of her door, you gave it a few knocks and waited patiently for someone to open it. The one who ended up greeting you at the door was Lucy.

“Hi baby!” You said as she hugged your hips tightly with his small dainty arms.

“How are you, my favourite niece?” You asked as she let go of your hips to let you walk in. You closed the door behind you as Jisoo came out from the kitchen with her uniform already worn.

“I’m good, auntie!” Lucy said, making you kiss the top of your head before holding out the bags of food in your hand.

“I bought all of us dinner. And I bought you fries, Lucy!”

“Yay!” She cheered as she ran off and disappeared into the living room.

“What time are you leaving for work?” You asked as your sister took the bags from you while you took off your heels by the door.

“Soon. I have to come early tonight because one of the nurses took an urgent leave.” She said.

“Eat something first at least before you go. Don’t delay your dinner.” You scolded her while she quietly took out the fries from the bag. You helped her take a plastic plate from the cabinet, passing it to her. She then took out a handful of fries and placed it on the plate before you took it and brought it to the living room where Lucy was playing with her dolls.

“Lucy, auntie will put your fries here okay?” You said as she ran over to take one and put it in her mouth while excitedly thanking you. Just when you turn to go back to the kitchen, a figure comes out of the hallway only to stop dead in his tracks. His eyes were completely wide from shock.

“Changmin? What are you doing here?” His name slips off your tongue naturally as your sister looks back and forth between you and Changmin. He was speechless and so were you until Lucy ran up to his side and held his hand in hers with a bright smile.

“Auntie, how do you know Uncle Minie? Is he your boyfriend too?” Lucy asked as you glanced over to your sister and then to Changmin. He was still staring at you quietly but his eyes were no longer wide so you looked at Lucy and smiled.

“H-He’s just an old friend, who happens to be a boy. Not my boyfriend.” You explained to her while she let go of his arm and hops over to you when you gestured her to come to you.

“Who is your boyfriend then?” She asked, to which you kneeled down beside the coffee table while you pulled her into your lap.

“Remember Uncle Sunwoo?”

“The one who gave me the stitch soft toy?” She asked and you smiled at her.

“Yes. Do you remember him?”

“I do!”

“That was my boyfriend.” You said while gently cupping her cheek.

“Why isn’t Uncle Sunu here today?” She asked, only for you to accidentally glance up to find Changmin staring at you quietly with no particular expression on his face.

“Because he’s no longer my boyfriend anymore, that’s why he’s not here. But it’s okay, you have Uncle Changmin now right? I heard you like Uncle Changmin a lot.” You asked, only for her to giggle and point to him with a bright smile on her face.

“Yes! I like Uncle Minie!” She said. After you’ve let go of her, she runs back to him only to bring him to her play area in front of the tv.

You’ve known Changmin since kindergarten and high school. You used to bicker with him a lot and because he was your classmate, all the more reason for you to fight with him almost everyday. As much as you don’t like him at the time, you don’t consider him your enemy though. It’s not like you despise him or anything as a person. Sure he’s sort of similar to you in terms of being introverts but other than that, he’s too much of a weirdo to actually understand how he sees things when he was younger. Therefore, the endless amount of arguments with him. And after graduating, you never saw him again.

You went back into the kitchen to help pack the food for your sister, making sure she wouldn’t starve at work knowing how she is when she’s stressed or is thinking too much about things she chooses not to share with anyone. So when you placed the bag of burger and fries in her smaller lunch bag, you reminded her to eat when she’s having her break time and to not skip her meals during work. You then walked with her to the front door only to call Lucy over.

“Lucy, your mommy’s going to work.”

“Okay! Bye mommy!” She said as she ran to your sister to give her a hug and kiss. You were just watching them when Changmin’s voice sounded softly from behind you.

“Didn’t expect to see you again.” He said.

“Me too… Didn’t take you for a babysitter.”

“This is just a past time thing…”

“But you babysit her almost everyday.”

“Because I like her.” Upon hearing his words, this made you whip your head to him with a frown.

“My sister or my niece?” You narrowed your eyes at him.

“What do you think? Not gonna lie though, your sister’s pretty hot.” That’s when you slapped his arm and glared at him.

“My sister is off limits you pervert.” You scolded him, only for him to cackle.

“Fine. What about her sister then? Is she off limits too?” It took you a while to realise what he was saying and before you could even reply to him, Lucy was already rushing to you and waving to her mother.

“Bye sis.” You smiled as you gestured to Lucy to follow Changmin while you went to lock the front door. You came back to the living room to find Changmin teasing her by stealing her fries. You’ve never seen this side of him. Who knew Changmin of all people would be this good to a child especially considering he’s the youngest in his family.

About an hour or so later after you’ve showered and changed into your pyjamas since you’ve already planned to sleep over, you came back out to find Lucy curled up in Changmin’s lap on the couch. Paw Patrol was playing on the screen but it seemed like no one was really watching. You carefully walked closer to find Changmin patting her to sleep in his arms. He saw you from the corner of his eye so he glanced over his shoulder with a small smirk on his face.

“I think she’s in love with me.” He said, making you roll your eyes at him.

“I doubt that.” You walked over to kneel in front of his legs only to gently cup her face.

“Darling, come on. Let’s get you to bed.” You softly said as she stirred awake.

“Are you sleeping here tonight?” She asked tiredly while her tiny head was still against his chest.

“Yes, darling.”

Just then, Lucy looked up at Changmin and asked, “Are you sleeping here too?”

Changmin couldn’t help but glance over to you for a brief second before answering her, “I don’t have to sleep over tonight since your Auntie Y/N is here.” He said but she instantly whined.

“But… I want both of you here.” She said, making you stunned. Both Changmin and you exchanged looks for a second as if to figure out what to say but he beat you to it.

“Alright then. Uncle Min will stay with you and Auntie Y/N, okay?”

“Okay.” She giggled tiredly as she opened her arms to you so you took her onto your waist and carried her to her room. Once you’ve tucked her in, you sang her to sleep. Her favourite lullaby that apparently, only you and Changmin can sing for her. Lucy wouldn’t let your sister sing for her. She would ask your sister to read her a bedtime story instead. You made sure she was already fast asleep before you kissed her forehead and left the bedroom door slightly ajar. You came back outside to find Changmin cleaning up the mess she made with her toys.

While he was doing that, you cleared the kitchen by putting the leftover food in the fridge and throwing away whatever is deemed as trash. Both of you were working in silence, never once talking to each other. After you finished cleaning the kitchen, you went to the living room to find it empty. Changmin must’ve gone inside to sleep so you let out a soft sigh of relief. About half an hour later, you were just watching a tv series on netflix when soft footsteps came approaching you from behind. Before you could turn, Changmin came into your peripheral vision and sat down next to you.

“Why aren’t you asleep?” He asked as a strong whiff of vanilla filled your nostrils. It must be the body wash you saw in the bathroom.

“I could ask you the same question.” You said, earning a click of his tongue.

“I’m not sleepy yet. Your turn.”

“I need a break before I do a bit of work.” You said and he finally turns to you with a frown. You looked at him and gave him a shrug of your shoulders, “What?”

“It’s already after hours… What work do you possibly have to do?” He asked only for you to sigh.

“My work… You wouldn’t know.” You ended off in a whisper while turning your focus back to the tv. A few minutes later, Changmin excused himself quietly without telling you where he was going. Not like you cared or anything. So when you realised he never came back out after an hour, you guessed he was asleep. You stayed up till 4 in the morning just working on the upcoming project you had with the company’s sales.

You were doing your work at the kitchen island with your back facing the hallway. At one point during the night, Changmin left the guest room to go to the bathroom. He saw you seated on the stool with fingers tangled in your hair. He was curious to know what work you had to do that made you stay up all night but he wasn’t going to ask. He saw that it was nearing 4am and it kind of worried him a little. Changmin knew how tiring and mentally draining it is to stay up late to do work so he could only hope you’ll get the rest you deserve.

Days began to pass by fast, making sure to visit your sister’s house a few times a week on days where you weren’t working overtime so that you could spend time with Lucy again. It’s been over three months now and you’ve been to their house almost every week now. Of course not everyday since the project was still going on. And in all the times you came over, Changmin was always around. There are times when he’s oddly nice and kind to you, never once picking on you. Other times he was always being a little ass to you briefly so Lucy doesn’t catch on.

One thing’s for sure, Changmin has never really said something that made you absolutely pissed before so that’s good in a way. It was a Thursday evening and you made it to your sister’s apartment a few minutes after she left. You had to stay at the office for a bit and she had to leave early due to an emergency. Therefore, you didn’t get the chance to meet her. However, it’s okay because you still went over to spend time with Lucy.

You brought cakes for dessert, knowing she loves the strawberry shortcakes that were sold at a nearby cafe. When you reached their doorstep, you gave it a few knocks, only to hear her high pitched voices and soft footsteps rushing towards the door.

“Auntie!” She exclaimed excitedly as she carefully tiptoed to grab onto the door handle. But before she would accidentally wedge her toes under the door, Changmin was quick to hold onto the side of the door while gently telling her to step away from it.

With that being said, she hopped to the side only to hug your leg so you wrapped your arm around her hip and carried her up with one arm while the other was holding onto the bag of cakes. Changmin closed the door while you took off your shoes, only to feel him take the bag from you quietly and bring it to the kitchen. This allows you to properly hug Lucy and playfully swing her around as she laughs against your chest. You then placed her down on her feet, running back to her toys in the living room.

Changmin was just staring at the cakes so you couldn’t help but giggle softly at his sim-like behaviour and asked, “Why are you just staring blankly at the cakes? Is there something wrong with it?”

“No… I just, I’m trying to figure out which cake is Lucy’s.” Changmin said as you came to stand beside him.

“Make a guess.” You said. It took him 3 tries but when he finally got it, he decided to act smug about it like he was just trying to test you.

“I knew which one she liked. I just wanted to see if you knew.” Changmin said, making you mock him with a laugh. He made a silly face to you while rolling his eyes, earning a soft slap to his chest before calling for your niece. She came over to you and was utterly surprised upon seeing her favourite cake.

“Is this mine?” She asked excitedly, making you nod.

“Yeah! Do you want me to feed you or do you wanna eat it on your own?”

“Hmm… I want Uncle Minie to feed me.” She giggled while sticking her tongue out the side of her mouth teasingly. You faked a shocked face and soon pretended to get upset.

“Do you like Uncle Minie more or Auntie more?” You asked.

“Uncle Minie.” Lucy said with a laugh and that was it. You wanted to get back at her for choosing an outsider over yourself. Of course this was all just for fun and games, you weren’t actually this petty. However, while all this was happening, Changmin was actually enjoying this scene in front of him where you were having a playful banter with your niece. He was almost adoring you in a way where nobody else would realise unless someone was there to see his reaction live.

“Fine. Then you can’t have Uncle Minie. He’s mine.” You said as you stood in front of Changmin to shield her from him. Lucy laughed as she tried to go to the side but you followed her to block her. She was laughing till her heart’s content, failing to get to her babysitter who was all the while just standing there with the most fondest smile on his face.

Just when Lucy was holding your hands to apologise for choosing him instead of you, the pair of warm hands sliding over your waist and around your front was enough to catch you off guard as you accidentally crashed backwards into Changmin’s chest.

“Lucy ah, if you want uncle Minie, you have to want auntie Y/N too or else she’s gonna be very sad. Okay?” Changmin said as you tried so desperately hard not to turn your head because if you did, the chances of accidentally kissing him is very high. Not that you wouldn’t want that to be honest. But at least not right now. So with that being said, Lucy giggled and she quickly apologised to you before hugging you. Changmin had already pulled away from you but he was so tempted to keep his arms around you.

After you’ve kissed the top of her head, Changmin held her hand and brought her to the front to play and eat before she went to bed. All the while, you helped to tidy the house a little so that your sister wouldn’t have to do much cleaning when she gets home from work tomorrow. Hours later, you had just put Lucy to bed and so it was time for you to leave since you’re working tomorrow.

You came back out to find Changmin just finished cleaning up her scattered toys and putting them back in her basket. He stood up and immediately locked eyes with you, feeling something tickle your stomach.

“You’re not staying?” He spoke up first while he slowly approached you.

“I have work tomorrow. I have to come early and stay late to finish up the quotas for the project.” You sighed, watching as he stopped right in front of you. All you needed to do was stretch your arms out, grab his shirt and pull him in but of course you’re not gonna do that.

“So I’m assuming that you won’t be stopping by tomorrow evening?” He asked.

“Probably not… Why? Are you gonna miss me?” You couldn’t help but ask as a smirk slowly creeps onto your face.

“Miss you? I think you’re delusional, babe.”

“Am I?” You asked, seeing the way his eyes grew a tad larger for just a split second before it shrunk back to his original size.

“I’d miss you any day.” Changmin teased you back, now you’re the one who’s speechless. He laughed at your reaction, thinking you were hella cute as he watched you take your work bag and was making your way straight to the door. You left without another word said to him, hearing his cackle grow softer the minute the door was shut. As soon as Changmin had locked the doors and was making his way back into the apartment, he caught Lucy standing in the middle of the hallway just tiredly rubbing her eyes and was slightly groggy.

“Where did auntie go?” She asked so he carefully walked to her and carried her onto his waist to bring her back to her room.

“Auntie has to go home, darling. She has to work tomorrow.” Changmin gently explained to her while laying her back onto her bed and pulling the blankets over.

“Uncle Min?”

“Yes baby?”

“Do you like my auntie?” Lucy asked as she yawned but was patiently waiting for his answer. Changmin took no less than a minute to answer her question easily in a heartbeat.

“Yes I do. I like your auntie… I like her a lot.”

“You should tell her. I like you with my auntie a lot too.” She said as she slowly fell asleep again. Changmin unconsciously smiled, remembering this conversation. He definitely wasn’t lying to her about how he feels about you.

If only he can tell you…

A week has passed, as usual, your sister was working a night shift today and Changmin would be at her place to look after Lucy. Since it was a Friday evening, you were okay with sleeping over at your sister’s place since you’re not working tomorrow. So when you went there, everyone was present in the house. However, there is a new individual who is in the house and he was playing with Lucy while Changmin and your sister were in the kitchen preparing Lucy’s dinner.

“Hey! I’m here.” You said after Lucy greeted you at the door. Once you’ve taken off your heels, you made your way further into the house only to lock eyes with the new guy who soon stood up to greet you.

“Hello? I’m sorry but I don’t think I’ve met you before. You are?” You asked politely as he let out an awkward laugh and responded to your question nicely.

“I’m Heegeun. Jisoo’s uh… friend.” He smiled and you could tell he was lying but you never pry any further.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m her younger sister, Y/N.” You said before making your way into the kitchen. She was practically hiding behind Changmin so you pinched her side softly in annoyance.

“He’s not just your friend, is he? Who is he? Your boyfriend?” You asked in a whisper all behind Changmin who was scooping out the rice porridge into a bowl for Lucy. Even then, Changmin couldn’t help but smirk hearing this conversation happening right behind him.

“He’s… ah. I’ll explain tomorrow. I have to go now.” Jisoo escaped despite you trying to hold her back.

“Heegeun ah, let’s go. Lucy, mommy will see you tomorrow okay? I love you.” Jisoo said as she bid her daughter goodbye at the doorway. Meanwhile, you clicked your tongue in annoyance and whispered to yourself, “Ugh. He’s definitely not her friend…” Nevertheless, you heard the door click shut and Lucy soon went back to her toys. So you took this opportunity to interrogate Changmin instead.

“Why are you smiling? You know something, don’t you?” You asked, only for him to shrug his shoulders teasingly.

“I don’t know anything. He was already here when I came about an hour ago.” Changmin said, making you growl.

“There’s something fishy going on here…” You said while narrowing your eyes at him but then changed the topic as you took the bowl and walked over to Lucy to feed her dinner.

Your mind keeps drifting off to the guy earlier and you can’t stop worrying about history repeating itself again. Ever since what happened with Lucy’s biological father, you have gotten awfully overprotective towards your sister that you tend to analyse whoever wants to date her. So the fact that this guy suddenly appears in the picture without your sister telling you a thing about him, makes you feel slightly skeptical.

All the while you were just blankly staring into space with your mind somewhere else, Changmin was actually observing you. He kept smiling to himself knowing you were probably going crazy about who the guy was and all that. When you knew it was pointless to keep thinking about that guy’s relation with your sister, you just glanced to the left randomly with no particular intentions. Unfortunately, that caused you to lock eyes with Changmin but all he did was smirk at you charmingly.

After you’ve fed Lucy, you went to clean up the kitchen while Changmin accompanied her for the next few minutes before bringing her to bed. It took him less than 10 minutes to get her to finally sleep as he leaves her room quietly. Changmin walks into the living room to find you seated on the couch just watching your favourite american youtuber duo on the smart tv.

Changmin soon came to join you, sitting so close to you that you could literally rest your leg on his thigh since you sat with your legs bent into your chest. Still in your work clothes but thankfully you’re in formal pants so it’s fine to sit like that.

“What would you do if that guy is actually dating your sister?” Changmin suddenly asks, causing you to get agitated again.

“I’m gonna make sure he doesn’t break her heart and treat her the way she deserves to be treated or else I’ll come for his throat.”

“Woah. You’re literally threatening him.” He laughed but you frowned.

“After what that asshole did when he found out my sister was pregnant, I’m never letting any guy come near her unless he’s proved to me that he’s worthy of my sister.” You said protectively and he could sense that from you. Nevertheless, he totally understands where you’re coming from.

“So what kind of guys do you like?” He suddenly changes the topic, catching you off guard a little.

“I-I… I actually don’t know… If I like someone, I’ll just know I guess.”

“How would you know if you like someone?” He asked, making you shy all of a sudden. It was difficult for you to answer at first but you managed to do it after a few seconds of buffering.

“W-Well… When I have butterflies while being around them? Or maybe when I feel comfortable and safe around them?” Changmin seemed to digest your answer as you wondered why he was asking you this question. Just then, he got up and said he wanted to go to sleep claiming he’s tired and sleepy. You bid him goodnight as you went to take a shower before going to bed yourself.

The next morning, your sister came home at about 8am as she found you sleeping in her bed. That same afternoon when Jisoo had already gotten her sleep since today was her day off, the four of you decided to hang out at the mall. Changmin was the one driving today so you sat in front with him while your sister and niece sat at the back. All the while, Lucy poked her head through the gap in the middle between you and Changmin. She sang and danced to the songs that Changmin put on his car radio just for her.

At one point, while Lucy was just talking to her mother about something out the window, you glanced back only to smile at the sight. The car gradually came to a stop at the traffic junction so you turned to look in front but instead, you caught Changmin’s gaze on you.

“What?” You asked softly, earning a cheeky little smile from him. One that wakes the butterflies in your stomach.

“Have I ever mentioned you’re pretty?” He suddenly flirts with you despite knowing there’s two other people in the back.

“Shut up.” You dismissed him with a shy laugh, knowing he’s just being playful. There’s absolutely no way he actually means what he said… Right?

Just then, Changmin glared and clicked his tongue at you to show that he was probably disappointed with your reaction. Though, knowing how he is, he was just joking with his reaction and it was true because he then replied, “Ungrateful…” Upon hearing this, you gently punched his arm and he hissed but never got angry for real. How did you know? Because right after he did that, you could see the way the corner of his lips curled up.

In another 10 minutes, you arrived at the mall where Changmin finally parked the car in the parking lot upstairs. The moment the engine was turned off, Lucy was already scrambling out of the car and was dragging her mother into the lobby which leads straight into the shopping mall. She was so eager to go see the toy shops she saw the other day. While the two mother and daughter were walking ahead, you waited for Changmin to get out of the car and locked it before walking with him.

You were going to turn the corner where the slope is when Changmin slid his right arm around your waist from behind to pull you in right as a car was speeding down the slope.

“Watch where you’re going, pretty.” Changmin said, making you blush.

“I-I was about to stop…” You faked an excuse as he squeezed your side softly before letting go.

Both of you made it safely into the mall, not surprised when you saw the two of them entering the toy shop just opposite from the lobby. You walked towards the shop and went inside to find them. Lucy was going around, looking at all the toys and playsets but your sister told her not to get any because she already has a lot at home.

Lucy isn’t the kind to cry and beg her mother for something she wants but you can see from her expression. Your heart breaks whenever you see her like that so when all of you were now at an ice cream shop, everyone had their own ice creams except for Lucy. She was sulking so she didn’t wanna buy anything even when her mother consoled her. With that being said, you looked at Lucy who was seated diagonally across from you and beside Changmin with a smile.

“Hey Lucy darling, mind if you accompany me go see a dress at one of the shops? I think I might change my mind about it.” At first she just shook her head and hung her head against Changmin’s chest. So you got up and went over to her side before you cupped her face and made her look at you gently, giving you the chance to whisper to her something her mother couldn’t catch.

“I’ll buy whatever you want from the toy store but don’t tell mommy.” That was all you said as she finally tore away from Changmin and kept her sad face on but decided to follow you. It was only when the two of you were no longer visible in their sight that you high fived her and she giggled excitedly to you.

Meanwhile, after you left, Changmin was just eating his ice cream when your sister suddenly spoke up from her seat diagonally across from him.

“Changmin, you’re a really nice guy and apparently a very good babysitter.”

“Oh. Thanks? I’m just doing my job.” Changmin said with a laugh, only for her to smile.

“But I think it’s time for me to talk to you about this…” She paused to give him the element of suspense. He was thinking that he was gonna be in trouble for something he did wrong or maybe even fired at this point. Except, the question that came out of her mouth was the least expected question to ever cross his mind.

“Do you like her?” She asked, catching him off guard.

“H-Her who? Your daughter or your sister?”

“I know you like my daughter. But unfortunately, I’m referring to my sister.” She laughed to lighten up the mood and it worked. Changmin felt a little less tense but he was still nervous about the question. Since he was taking too long to answer, she decided to change her question.

“Okay, nevermind. Scratch that. Let me rephrase myself… What do you think of my sister?”

Now that’s a question he could answer in a heartbeat.

“I think she’s an amazing person. She’s smart, kind, and can be annoying sometimes back when we were younger but she’s such an amazing auntie to Lucy and I can see that really well.” Your sister smiled happily at her bowl of ice cream before she spoke up afterwards.

“Now is it easier for you to answer my original question that I asked?” She teased and so Changmin chuckled nervously but he felt ready to give her his answer.

“I do like your sister. I actually like her a lot now…”

“Good. Because I think she likes you too, just that she’s still trying to figure that part out.” Your sister said as he felt something tickle his heart. Do you really like him too? If you do, he wouldn’t know what to do with himself. Just a few seconds after, you came back with Lucy and there was a huge plastic bag you were holding in your hand, paired with a toothless soft toy in Lucy’s arms. Your sister’s jaw drops as Changmin simply laughed at her reaction.

“I knew you were lying earlier, you brat.” She said to you, making you stick your tongue out at her teasingly.

“I know.” You said as you flipped your hair sassily and she scoffed but her smile betrayed her.

“Well, now that you’re here, I’m gonna go check out the home furniture store upstairs.” She said as she soon disappeared. Changmin brought Lucy to go buy her ice cream since she was in a happier mood now. When they came back, Lucy asked Changmin to feed her. He did it without hesitation, paying full attention to her only to abandon his own cup of ice cream that was ⅓ done.

“Lucy, can you eat on your own? Uncle Min needs to finish his ice cream before it melts” You said, trying to make her listen.

“No! I want Uncle Minie to feed me.” She said with a proud smile on her face.

“Can I feed you then? He needs to eat his ice cream too.” You tried to persuade her but she whined.

“Lucy.” You called her name once in a serious tone but she looked at you with a frowning pout. Her eyes started to get glossy so Changmin quickly stepped in and smiled at her.

“It’s okay, Lucy. Uncle Minie will eat later. Come, open your mouth.” He said while slowly bringing the spoon to her mouth. She eats it quietly, avoiding your gaze in case you scold her as she fiddles with her toothless soft toy ears. You let out a soft sigh, which was unfortunately heard by Changmin. You pressed your fingertips to your temples, only to hear him direct his words to you.

“Since she doesn’t want you to feed her, you can feed me before my ice cream turns into soup.” Changmin said. You glanced at him and then his ice cream bowl. It was starting to melt so you took his bowl and scooped a spoonful of ice cream and his toppings before bringing it to his mouth.

He ate it and the corner of his lips instantly curled into a small smile. You pretend you didn’t see that as he turned back to Lucy to feed her. This continued until her ice cream was finished, only then could he eat his dessert on his own. However, when you were about to pass it to him, he simply sat there with his mouth open. You raised your eyebrows at him in question and he smirked.

“Since you’ve been feeding me, you might as well continue.” Changmin said, making you shove the spoon onto the tip of his nose, getting a small blob of ice cream on it. You laughed as he narrowed his gaze at you on purpose but it didn’t scare you.

“It was a perfect opportunity. I’m sorry.” You said, only to feed him the last scoop before handing the rest to him. Changmin ate on his own after wiping his nose while Lucy came to sit next to you and apologised for making you angry. You told her you weren’t angry and that you just wanted her to be independent and she listened. All the while, Changmin was listening to you and it sparked something in him. Not long after, your sister came back and soon, all of you left to head home.

A few minutes upon reaching back at her apartment, you told your sister you weren’t staying over because you have to clean the house tomorrow so she said okay. Changmin also said he needed to go home to do his laundry. So when it was time to say goodbye to Lucy, both Changmin and you gave her a goodnight hug despite her crying, begging for you two to stay. Changmin went ahead and cupped her cheeks in his hands, giving her forehead a soft kiss to calm her down.

“Don’t cry, Lucy. Uncle Minie will come see you again soon. Auntie Y/N too, okay?” He said, making your heart swell.

“Y-You promise?” She asked so he nodded and did a pinky swear with her.

“I promise.”

“O-Okay…” She said as she wrapped her arms around his neck before letting go. She then came to you so you squat down to match her height and gave her a warm hug too. When both you and Changmin finally stepped out of the apartment unit, she gave you one big wave before her mother gently guided her back inside.

You were quietly walking next to him when he asked, “How are you getting home?”

“Bus, probably.” You said, only for him to offer you a ride home.

“I-It’s fine. I can take the bus.”

“I don’t take no for an answer.” He said, allowing you to enter the lift first. Once you got into his car, he asked for your address and so you gave it to him. In the car, his mind drifted back to your sister’s words earlier.

“I think she likes you too”

Changmin’s mind was swirling with questions following those words but he never actually voiced out to you about it. When he finally parked the car in front of your apartment complex, you thanked him for the ride home and bid him goodnight. He simply nodded and so you left his car right after.

Days have passed and it was recently announced that there will be a company event at the end of this week. The event is to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary upon its first launch. Not only that, everyone was encouraged to bring a plus one to the event, be it their significant other, a friend, a family member, etc. Therefore, your friends in your team have decided to invite their partners along since they were all either engaged or in a relationship with someone. The only one who is single between the five of you, is you.

“So, are you guys gonna bring your partners?” Taehyung asked, earning a smirk from Yoongi.

“Hell yeah. I would be glad to show off my fiancè to that girl in the HR department who keeps flirting with me at work.” Yoongi said, making you laugh.

“How about you?” Yeji then turned to ask you, earning a quiet sigh from you. They knew you broke up with Sunwoo a while ago and that you’ve been single ever since. She felt bad for asking you so she tried to cheer you up, “You can go with me. We don’t need to bring anyone to the event.”

However, you knew she would love to bring her boyfriend to this event so you just smiled and rejected her offer. You reassured them that you’ll figure something out and told them not to worry about you. As much as they didn’t want you to feel left out, they knew you wouldn’t be affected by going solo to the event. With that being said, the topic was dropped and Jieun proceeded to talk about something else.

A few hours later, you made it to your sister’s apartment after work to have dinner before your sister leaves for work. You were at the kitchen island eating the kimchi soup your sister made with her while Changmin was in the living room with Lucy and you kept thinking about the company event. Your sister could probably sense your mind being somewhere else so she was the first to break your train of thoughts.

“You look like your mind just did a brain fart over there. What’s going on?” She asked you calmly as you sighed.

“My company is doing a 25th anniversary event this Saturday evening. They invited everyone in the company…”

“But?” She said knowing you were hiding something when you paused.

“But they encouraged all the workers to bring their plus ones. I can’t bring Sunwoo because he’s my ex now.”

“So ask Changmin.” She said almost so easily, causing you to widen your eyes in shock. Just then, Changmin’s voice sounded from behind you as he heard his name in the equation.

“Ask me what?” He said as you glared at your sister to keep her mouth shut but she of course didn’t care.

“She has this company event on Saturday evening and she needs a plus one so I told her to ask you since I’ll be out of town from Friday to Sunday with Lucy.” She said with a proud smile on her face. You just wanted to stab her right now for being so blunt. Nevertheless, Changmin looked at you and gave you his answer with no hesitation at all whatsoever.

“Sure. I’ll go with you. That is if you’re okay of course.”

You were speechless but maybe you were just a tad bit happy that he was okay to go with you considering you weren’t technically friends to begin with. So since he already said he could go with you, that’s one less thing on your checklist to prepare for the weekend.

A few days went by and it was finally time to get ready for the company event. You texted Changmin to ask again if he was really okay with going to the event as your plus one. He sent you the cutest message you’ve ever gotten by someone even though it sounds pretty threatening considering it’s him who texted it.

“You can either accept the fact that you’re going with a handsome lad or choose to go to the event with your lonely ass. You pick.”

It wasn’t a surprise that you laughed upon reading the text but he doesn’t have to know that… For the event, you decided to pick out the most formal yet casual dress you owned which was a simple black fitted lace dress that stops at your mid thighs. Pairing it with your favourite nude open toe heels that were just 3 inches at least. Your makeup was very light and you had your hair clipped up, leaving your bangs down to frame your face. When he texted you at 7pm saying he was downstairs, you texted back to acknowledge him and soon took your necessary belongings.

When you made it downstairs, you saw him lean against the passenger side door looking handsome as ever. Changmin was wearing a black skinny jeans, white button down formal shirt with the first four buttons undone, a black blazer over that and his black boots. His hair was jet black with the slight side parting, hair styled up to show his forehead.

Your heart was beating so fast as you approached him but you quickly maintained your composure when he finally looked up to meet your eyes. Changmin checked you out briefly and pretty much openly, making you feel a little small under his intense gaze. When he finally locked eyes with you again, he smirked charmingly at you and said, “Have you always looked this hot?” His comment was totally unexpected as it awoke the butterflies in your belly.

“Apparently not, I guess.” You said, only for him to laugh. Both of you got into the car and you gave him the address so he finally drove off following the map. In the car, he asked you more about the event and you tried your best to answer every question to your best abilities.

Right after he parked the car in the parking lot, he turned the engine off and suddenly asked, “By the way, what am I supposed to be tonight?”

“Oh… U-Uh… I don’t know. I guess just go with the flow?”

“Good idea.”

With that being said, both of you made your way into the lobby and went up to the ballroom level via the lift. When you arrived at the ballroom, you showed the security your staff pass and soon entered the venue with Changmin closely behind you. The room was filled with your colleagues but only a few were recognisable to you. Changmin scanned the entire room curiously, trying to get used to the new environment until he felt soft fingers wrap around his hand to bring him back to reality.

“Hey, keep walking or you’ll get lost.” You said with a gentle smile on your face, making his heart flutter. Nevertheless, he followed you to a table where your friends and their plus ones were seated at.

“Y/N! You made it!” Yeji said with an excited tone as her eyes soon flew over to Changmin behind you. She smirked at you but Taehyung beat her to the questions.

“Hey, who’s this?” He asked with a teasing smirk, making you blush.

“Guys, this is Changmin… He’s uh…” You paused as your mind grew fuzzy on what to say so you naturally turned to look at Changmin. However, he seemed oddly calm as he finally looked at them and spoke up confidently that it made you slightly shocked.

“Boyfriend… I’m her boyfriend.” Changmin said, causing your friends to make excited sounds that you couldn’t help but laugh, finding it funny.

“It’s nice to meet you, Changmin. You definitely made a good choice.” Taehyung said, making you slap his arm and soon took a seat in the empty chair next to him while Changmin sat next to you. All of you began to chat as Changmin surprisingly got along well with your colleagues and including their individual partners too. The event was going well so far, the CEO gave out his speech and was giving out awards to the staff members in the company. After that segment was done, it was currently a free and easy time. People can mingle around, dance on the dancefloor, etc.

Just then, Jieun noticed a photobooth at the other side of the room so she spoke up, telling everyone at your table to go take pictures for memories. Changmin remained seated at first but when you noticed he wasn’t moving, that’s when Yoongi spoke up to address him.

“You too, Changmin. Come on.” Changmin’s eyes grew wide as he looked up at you and you smiled. You patiently waited for him, seeing how hesitant he was. So to ease him up a little, you laced your fingers with him and he turned to look down at your intertwined fingers. Changmin glanced up to meet your soft eyes staring back at him, melting him into a puddle.

“We’re here together, remember?” You asked so he nodded. Both of you began to make your way to the photobooth where your friends and their partners were already busy choosing props for the pictures.

They beckoned you over so you dragged Changmin with you. Once you’ve chosen your prop which was a cat ears headband, Changmin chose the same as you so that you were both matching. First picture, the girls sat on the bench while the guys stood behind you. Second picture, the bench was taken away as you guys scattered around to stand with your partners. You stood behind Jieun while Changmin was to your left. Right before the picture was taken, you felt his warm hand gently rest on your waist to hold you securely beside him.

Your heart was racing as the picture was taken and they were now deciding how to pose. Meanwhile, you turned to him and saw that his hair was a bit messy. While everyone was deciding how to pose, you reached up and carefully adjusted his bangs so that they weren’t poking his eyes. All the while, Changmin couldn’t help but stare into your eyes even though you weren’t looking at him. When you finally realised he was staring at you, that’s where you giggled and whispered to him quietly.

“What?”

“Nothing. You just look really cute right now.” Changmin said.

You blushed yet again as you gently slapped his chest but he quickly wrapped his arms around your waist, his left hand holding his right wrist to keep you secure against him. Since you were stuck like that, you ended up resting your hands on his chest while you posed for the third picture.

“Okay guys! Should we do a cute photo for the last one?” Yeji asked, only for Taehyung to suggest something very unexpected.

“We should kiss our partners!” He said, making you panic slightly. Changmin noticed the way you tensed up in his arms so he felt the need to calm you down. With that being said, Changmin nudged your cheek with his sharp nose to make you look at him. When you turned, Changmin smiled down at you with his arms still around you.

“We don’t have to kiss if you don’t want to. We can just pretend.” He said calmly, making your heart melt.

Has he always been this sweet?

“I-I… Are you sure?”

“Of course. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or anything.” He reassured you and it was enough to make you feel a lot better.

Everyone else was already in their positions as they brought back the bench. Two couples were seated while the other three were standing. You were on the left side with Changmin, standing behind Yoongi and his fiancè. The cameraman did a countdown to tell you when he would snap the picture. So you turned to look at Changmin as you slid your hands onto his neck and kept them there.

3…

Changmin smiled softly at you while he carefully leaned down to let his nose brush against yours.

2…

You then saw his gaze fall down south easily as he let out a soft but shaky breath to calm his own rapid heart despite the smile still plastered on his face.

1…

Just two seconds before the cameraman took the picture, you tilted your head up to let your lips crash against his softly. He was still smiling into the kiss when the picture was captured, making you caress his jaw gently with your thumbs. When you pulled away, you struggled to meet his eyes. Butterflies erupted rapidly in your stomach, earning a soft laugh from him.

“Look who’s being brave tonight.” He teased you over a whisper, making you shy.

“It’s the best opportunity I have, I guess?” You said and he couldn’t help but agree. All of you returned the props back to the table and made your way back to the table. About an hour later, the event was finally over so it was time to head back home. You bid goodbye to your friends and their partners before walking back to Changmin’s car.

Both of you remained quiet during the first few minutes, not really sure how to approach the topic of what happened earlier. At one of the traffic junctions, you were just staring out the window, your mind currently running haywire thinking about the kiss when you felt his soft hand slip into yours and carefully laced his fingers together with yours. Changmin brings your hand up only to plant a gentle kiss to the back of your hand before resting them in his lap while he drives. When he made it to your apartment, he didn’t need to be asked because he was already walking with you to the lobby.

You quietly brought him to the lift and up to your apartment level, all in a peaceful silence. When you reached the 12th floor, both of you got out of the lift as you led him to your door. After you’ve unlocked your door, you turned around but Changmin thought you wanted to say your goodbyes.

“I’ll see you around then? Goodnight Y/N.” Changmin said as he was about to walk off when you held his wrist and pulled him back only to cup his face with your other hand and tugged him down to kiss him. Changmin was genuinely stunned this time as he froze when you kissed him. His hands were awkwardly hovering over your waist. Changmin was so scared of making the wrong move but when he felt how genuine your kiss was, that’s when he finally melted against you.

He easily wraps his arms around your waist to pull you into his chest while guiding you back to gently crash against the door. Changmin’s kiss was passionate and needy, his hands squeezing your sides as though he was afraid to let you go. You pulled away first to take a breath, holding his face with both hands and smiled.

“Stay with me tonight…” You whispered over his lips, causing him to go crazy.

“I would absolutely love to.” Changmin smirked as he kissed you again while reaching for the door handle to push it open. You stumbled back into your apartment while he held you to prevent you from falling over.

He then kicked the door closed and locked it before lifting you up onto his waist while kissing you again. He kicked off his shoes while he helped to unbuckle your heels and let it slip down to the ground. He walked deeper into your apartment, guiding him to your bedroom. Once he made it there, he brought you to your bed, gently laying you down as you sat up and watched him take off his blazer and tossed it to the ground.

Changmin crawls up the bed to join you, situating himself between your legs as you pull him down for a kiss. While you were busy kissing him, your hands began to unbutton his white shirt and pushed the material off his shoulders for him. He threw it to the ground as he then pouted to you adorably.

“Why am I the only one with less clothes on?” He asked, only for you to giggle.

“Because mine is just one piece.” You said, earning a playful smirk from him. Changmin kissed you while pinning your hands above your head. He laced his fingers with yours, holding them against the mattress while he kissed you lovingly. Suddenly, he stopped only to look you dead in the eye. You thought he was going to change his mind and that he just realised that this wasn’t what he wanted but then what comes out of his mouth next was totally unexpected.

“I think I love you.”

“What?”

This time, he said it confidently.

“Scratch that… I love you, Y/N.” Changmin said, making your heart swell. With that being said, you kissed him longingly while caressing his cheek. When you pulled away, you slowly fluttered your eyelids open to meet his gaze and smiled.

“I love you too, Changmin.”

That was all he needed to hear before continuing with where you both stopped. Knowing that the feelings are mutual, it felt a little more intimate now. All the while, he was being gentle to you, asking you questions to make sure you’re okay with what he’s doing. He would only go rough when he needs to, etc. That night, you felt so loved and respected. He showered you with so much love that it made you feel so full at the end of it all.

“Y/N, sweetie! Don’t go too near the lake!” Your foster mother said as she walked side by side with your foster father. Your 5 year old self was running around the park, trying to diligently catch the beautiful sky blue coloured butterfly. You ignored their calls of asking you to be careful because of course, kids will never listen. You got further and further away from your elders as you were so close to catching the butterfly when all of a sudden, your feet missed a step on the wooden bridge.

Within a split second, you plunged into the lake before your elders could chase after you. Water flushed down your nose and mouth, accidentally swallowing it in huge gulps while you were desperately crying for help. Since you were just a 5 year old kid, you didn’t know how to swim nor were you taught not to open your mouth and breathe underwater.

You were growing unconscious due to the large amount of water that had already started to fill your lungs. You were ready to just accept your fate that you were going to die right then and there. Except, luck has a different plan for you. Just when you were on the brink of completely drowning, a sudden new figure dives into the lake and swoops you into their arms before bringing you back up easily. Once you were on land, they began to do CPR on you until you finally managed to cough out a huge amount of water that had gotten into your lungs.

After you have recovered slightly, the voice of the person who had just saved your life, rings in your head like a lingering memory.

“Are you okay?”

It was a man. You glanced up but all you can see is a shadowy figure looming over you. Nothing about him or his appearance is clear and so it was pretty useless to even guess who or what he looked like.

Right after you’ve gotten a glimpse of his presence there with you, everything goes white. Even though this is just a dream, everything about this felt so entirely real. Almost as if this same exact scene happened before in your life.

And it did.

You just don’t remember it. Not yet.

And then you awoke.

You’ve been getting that same recurring dream ever since you turned 16. They’re all the same dream where it stops abruptly after your savior asks if you are okay. As much as you want to figure out the details of the dream, you couldn’t because you don’t have much to work with aside from it being what looks to be an old memory of what happened to you years ago. Nevertheless, you lived your days like every other normal teenager until you were now in your last year of university.

That’s where you met two of your current best friends and their names were Hwang Hyunjin and Han Jisung.

You were like three peas in a pod ever since college days. Everywhere one goes, the other two follow. Except the toilet of course. There isn’t anyone on this earth (aside from your foster parents) that you could trust more than you trust them. Only reason being you were an only child. Not to mention, adopted. So everyone in school used to make fun of you a lot. They called you all kinds of nicknames and said that your real parents never loved you enough to take care of you.

It hurts a lot, having to hear those words being thrown at you when you were barely a kid. However, you loved your foster parents so much, you tried so hard to ignore the bullies and carried on with your life just to make your elders happy. You couldn’t bear to see them sad so you made a promise to yourself that no matter what happens, they will always come first and you will do whatever it takes to give them a happy and successful life when you’re older.

It wasn’t easy of course but you made it through. Not only that, who knew college would let you cross paths with two of the most genuine individuals who actually cared for you and not expect anything in return. For that, you’re thankful you met Hyunjin and Jisung.

Everyday is such a blessing with them around and today was no different.

You were heading to the parking lot after your class ended when you saw a group of four guys gathered at the near entrance of the campus building. Both Hyunjin and Jisung still have yet to finish their lectures so you told them you’d wait for them by the car. You were about to walk down the stairs when one of the guys blocked your path intentionally.

“Hey, um… Y/N right?” He asked, to which you frowned. You don’t seem to recognize him so how did he know your name?

“Yeah? Sorry, do I know you?” Your voice was timid and almost inaudible.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve introduced myself. My name’s Changbin. This is Wooyoung, Yeonjun and Haknyeon. I’ve uh… been wanting to talk to you actually but I didn’t know how. So I kinda asked your friend about you…” He said while scratching the back of his neck nervously. Upon this revelation, you frowned as you tilted your head slightly in confusion.

“My friend?” You asked.

“Han Jisung?”

“Ah… Right, Mr Dumber…” You said casually, earning a few chuckles from them.

“So… I was wondering, if you’d wanna hangout with me tonight? I know this really awesome billiard place downtown.”

“Um… Sure. Yeah, I think that sounds good.” You said as he asked to exchange numbers with you and so you did. Once you were done, you bid them goodbye and soon walked over to your car. It didn’t feel weird or creepy talking to him but it did catch you off guard slightly considering you’ve never gotten someone to actually come up to you bravely like that and asked for your number. So for that, you kinda respected Changbin for that.

A few minutes later, your friends finally came and Jisung seemed happy as he was seen bouncing in his steps over to where you were standing.

“You look overly happy and satisfied. What’s up?” You asked, only for him to smirk.

“A little birdie told me that somebody’s got a date tonight…” Jisung teased you in front of Hyunjin who looks like he had absolutely no idea what’s going on.

“It’s not a date.”

“Really? What time is he picking you up?” He smirked at you, ignoring Hyunjin’s wide eyes staring back and forth between you and Jisung.

“We haven’t set a time yet, Ji. Now shut up and get in.” You said in annoyance as you unlocked your car doors and entered the driver seat easily while the other two followed suit.

“I’m sorry but what is going on? Can some kind soul please fill me in on what’s going on?” Hyunjin asked as he turned his body 90° to face you and turned his head back to glare at his same aged friend. Finally, Jisung explained the situation to Hyunjin and you were thankful that Hyunjin was just letting it slide without actually teasing the shit out of you.

A few hours went by, and you were finally done getting ready to meet up with Changbin. You opted for a simple crop top, skinny ripped jeans and a thick oversized jacket in case you got cold during the night. Changbin soon picked you up at your apartment with his black mustang, bringing you to the billiard place downtown. You were quite surprised with how easy your conversation turned out with him in the car. He was quite bubbly himself so it wasn’t difficult for him to start the conversation every time. And so far, you feel pretty comfortable with him.

Once you arrived at the location, the place was dimly lit to give off a relaxing vibe to the venue. There were many pool tables occupied so there were a few empty ones near the back. Changbin and you went to book a table for yourselves, only to get the last table at the very last corner of the room.

The other tables near you were empty so essentially, you had the space to yourselves. Changbin took the cue sticks for you and him while you carried the tray of billiard balls.

“Just so you know, I have no idea how to play this.” You said as a disclaimer, only for him to chuckle.

“It’s fine. I can teach you.” He said casually, making you smile.

After you had both settled down your things on the table, he began to prepare the balls into the triangle and soon called a start. He was the first to break it up. Right after that, he walks over to you and asks which colour you wanted to aim for, solids or stripes. You glanced around the table top to see which one was the easiest target and soon chose the stripes. He led you over to where the ball you were aiming for and began to guide you on where to stand, how to hold the cue, et cetera et cetera.

Apparently, you were holding it wrong and had completely no idea what to do so Changbin came over to stand behind you while he reached over to position your hand properly. His left hand was guiding your hand while the other hovered over your waist, knowing not to touch you without your permission.

So when you could feel his awkward hand beside your waist, you glanced down at it and laughed slightly before you turned to him and said, “Isn’t your hand tired from being in the air for that long?”

Changbin glanced over to your waist, only to laugh a little as he got shy.

“Sorry, I just… I don’t know where to put my hand.”

“Just hold my waist if you want. It’s fine.” You smiled at him, earning a little giggle from him.

“O-Okay.” He replied shyly before gently putting his hand on your waist. He resumed teaching you and once you got the shot, both of you cheered excitedly. The game continued with laughter and occasional lessons along the way but so far, you were enjoying it. After you were done playing, he offered to pay for the game so you told him you’d pay for the food afterwards and he said okay.

You were walking back to his car when you didn’t realise there was someone walking ahead of you. It wasn’t until the sudden crash against your shoulder made you turn around. A young guy locks eyes with you from under the brim of his baseball cap, black mask covering his nose and mouth.

“Sorry.” He said softly to which you simply smiled and shook your head.

“It’s okay.” You said as he then walked away. For some reason, your heart was starting to palpitate in your chest.

Soon after, Changbin drove you to a pretty cafe a few blocks down from where you were, only to gush over the cute decorations outside the cafe. It was decorated with pretty fairy lights and small strings of roses attached to it. So minimal yet so pretty at the same time. Both of you went inside to get your food first before sitting outside.

The night was young, people were seen walking about the streets in all ages. You were chatting about your hobbies and what you do when you’re bored. You realize that he is a gym-addict and that he does dance occasionally and rap most days when he feels like recording a song. He is multi-talented and yet, his hard work is not published anywhere. Nevertheless, you found him charming and an absolute sweetheart.

You just… don’t have any special feelings towards him. So when you were ready to call it a night, he sent you home all the way to your doorstep.

“If it’s not too much to ask, is it okay if we do this again? It doesn’t have to be a date if you don’t want it to. I just… kinda like spending time with you.”

“Of course. I’d love to. Anyways, I should go in. It’s getting pretty late… Drive safely. Goodnight Changbin.” You smiled, before entering your apartment once he said goodnight.

Looks like you’ve gained a new friend.

It was a bright Wednesday afternoon. You were seated at one of the wooden tables at the rooftop garden of the engineering building, waiting for the boys to finish their lecture. You had your headphones on so the world around you was just a blur to you. Mind focused on your assignment, you didn’t even realise the two individuals that had just entered the rooftop until one of them slams both hands on the table top to scare you. As expected, you didn’t flinch.

“Boohoo… You’re no fun.” Jisung pouts as he takes a seat opposite from you while Hyunjin slides into the bench beside you.

“What are you doing?” The long haired blondie asks.

“A research on Thomas Edison. I mean, come on. That man might have invented the light bulb, telephone and motion picture camera, sure. But did he figure out how many times the earth orbits around the sun? I’m pretty sure that’s more fascinating than inventing a device that most people would have come up with eventually.” You didn’t realise you were ranting until you finished talking, earning a soft scoff from Hyunjin.

“Relax, Miss Know-It-All… What’s with the ‘tude? It was just a simple question. Geez…” Hyunjin said as he flips his hair sassily before taking out his phone to text someone.

“Sorry… I’m just a little stressed from this stupid thing, I kinda need a break from it.” You sighed heavily with your head against the table. Jisung cooed softly as he suddenly clapped his hand together and suggested hanging out at the empty music room that nobody seems to use anymore.

“I don’t know, Ji… You tend to overlook some important details sometimes…” You said while packing your stuff, only for the male to huff at you.

“Trust me. I’ve done my research this time. It’s safe. Besides, if anything happens, you have two hot guys to protect you.” Jisung smirks at you cheekily, earning a roll of your eyes.

“More like two cowards.” You said quietly but still loud enough for them to hear, only for you to giggle right after. All three of you finally made it back to the ground floor and were soon walking towards the music production building on the other side of campus. Jisung was standing in the middle of you and Hyunjin. As usual, he was being chatty and bright like how he always was. You were just listening to the chatterbox called Han Jisung when you naturally looked forward to see where you were walking.

Almost instantly, you caught sight of two males walking in your direction, parallel to you.

One had striking neon blue hair while the other had bright purple hair. The purple haired one would be right next to you once you crossed paths with them too. You kept your eyes on them as they got closer and closer until they were about 3 feet away. As if on cue, the purple haired individual just happened to turn his head towards you, causing you to lock eyes with him.

Suddenly, a weird feeling washes over you while you felt as though your heartstrings were being tugged. It was as if there was an invisible thread being pulled.

The minute he had walked completely past you, a small sense of longing lingers in your veins. You frowned as you glanced over your shoulder to find that the two males were casually talking to one another like nothing happened.

You were confused. Yet, there was nothing to say or do so you turned back in front with the thought plastered onto the back of your mind. A few seconds later, the feeling of longing and heartstrings being tugged, suddenly evaporates. Almost as if it never existed.

What’s going on?

Who were those guys?

Why did you feel like you knew the purple haired one?

Days passed since you first saw the colourful haired duo on campus. And it was pretty noticeable that you’ve been seeing them more often than not now. Even if they were on the other side of campus, you’d still spot them thanks to their brightly coloured hairs. You aren’t even sure if that’s a pro or a con at this point. What’s pretty sure though is that whenever the purple haired one is anywhere close to your range, you would casually lock eyes with him and that feeling you encountered the first time you saw them would come back again.

You still have no idea why but you weren’t one to dwell on it for too long. So after he leaves your radius, you’d either forget about it or you would just pretend like maybe it was pure coincidence and that you didn’t in fact know this guy because if you did, you would’ve recognized him… Right?

And yet for some reason, the one with purple hair seemed to linger in your thoughts more often than you wanted him to.

It has been 8 weeks now and today is a bright Tuesday afternoon. You just remembered you have a Netball tournament this evening in the indoor sports hall. They promised to come down and support you, despite knowing they’ve never missed a single game of your to begin with. All three of you were currently seated in one of the wooden tables right outside the main campus building, just hanging out there while waiting for your break time to pass before you had to go for your respective lectures.

“Omg, you know what? We should really check out that new club downtown this weekend! I heard they sell some amazing booze there.” Hyunjin suggested with a cheeky smirk on his face, one that leaves you rolling your eyes at him and Jisung to fake a gag.

“Sure, let’s see who drops dead drunk in less than 5 drinks first.” Jisung said, giving you a silent high five while Hyunjin straightened his back to retaliate.

“In my defence, I was already pre-drunk with beer the other night. That doesn’t count.”

“Yeah… Sure. You can’t even walk straight after a bottle of soju.”

“Shut up Han.” Hyunjin scoffed as he slapped a packet of wet tissue to Jisung’s face, causing the latter to dramatically stumble backwards. You were quietly watching the two children banter back and forth while your curious eyes began to wander around the campus ground. It wasn’t until two very bright, very prominent blobs of hairs were seen crossing the parking lot from the music production building to the main building, caught your eye.

You had to mentally rip your gaze off them by turning to Hyunjin who was sitting next to you to avoid looking like a creep. About 3 seconds later give or take, you casually turned to pretend like you’re looking around again and that’s when you almost panicked.

When did they get so close?

The purple haired one locked eyes with you as they were just 6 or 7 metres away from your table. Before it got any more awkward, you quickly turned away in hopes that he didn’t think you’re a creepy stalker of some sort because that is the last thing you’d wanna be labelled as. With that being said, the three of you left the table about 10 minutes later to head to your respective classes. You were just listening to Jisung rant about his crush’s kissable lips when you noticed your bracelet was missing.

That was your birthday present from your foster mother a few years ago and you’ve been wearing it ever since. So to know that you’ve lost it, really wouldn’t sit right with you.

“Shit! My bracelet! Where is it? Oh shit, she’s gonna kill me!” You panicked as the two boys couldn’t help but mimic you.

“How could you not feel it dropping from your wrist?” Hyunjin asked while staring at the ground and taking a few steps back to try and retrace your steps.

“Because I was too busy listening to you two idiots trying to differentiate between lipstick and lip gloss, for god’s sake.” You said only to glance at the time and realize that you were almost late for your lecture. They told you to go to class while they try to find the bracelet for you. With a heavy heart, you ran off to your next lecture, leaving it all in the hands of dumb and dumber whom you call best friends.

Hours later, you were in the hall where your tournament would be taking place. Hyunjin and Jisung already tried to find your bracelet but to no avail. You were devastated but what’s done is done. Maybe someone took it. Maybe someone used it. Maybe someone even threw it away. Only God knows. However, that’s not your main concern right now. The golden trophy is waiting for you tonight and you’re determined to bring that trophy home for the team and that’s exactly what you’re gonna do.

You were just stretching by the bench, facing the crowded bleachers where students from Hankuk U came to support you girls. Of course, Hyunjin and Jisung were amongst the crowd. In fact, you saw them earlier and even gave them a wave to acknowledge their presence.

As much as you’re upset about the bracelet, you promised yourself you shouldn’t let it affect your performance today during the game. It was hard, but you can do it.

The game was about to start in just 5 minutes. Your coach had already briefed your team about the rules and regulations, standard procedure, techniques to use, etc. you were just cracking your knuckles when your eyes naturally found its way to a few rows above Hyunjin and Jisung, only to find the coloured hair duo just calmly seated there. What made you not notice them at first was the fact that the purple haired one was wearing a baseball cap while the blue haired one was wearing his cap backwards.

This essentially hides their coloured hair so you didn’t quite spot them first straight away. Nevertheless, you locked eyes with the purple haired one and suddenly, the feeling of your heartstrings being tugged was present. You had to look away to make the feeling stop but it left a lingering tug in your chest. You were distracted for a second but was quickly brought back to attention the minute the whistle was blown.

Immediately, you went into alert mode as your game attitude comes on. The game was intense as you tried your very best to guide your team. You did a pretty good job until the end, claiming the victory title for Hankuk University. After everything was done, you were just gulping down your bottle of water when Hyunjin and Jisung suddenly ran to you and lifted you up on Hyunjin’s shoulders. A scream left your lips as you gripped his hair for balance.

You yelled at him to put you down and once he did, you slapped his chest a few times for nearly giving you a heart attack. They both broke into hysterical laughter as you shoved them away and told them to just go home and not wait for you.

The boys apologized after they'd stopped laughing and soon told you to have a safe journey home before bidding you goodnight. You didn’t leave the hall without taking a quick shower like you always do after every practice. About half an hour later, you’ve already changed into your earlier outfit you wore to classes which were ripped skinny jeans, a fitted tank top, an oversized jacket and a pair of jordans.

Once everyone was done, you all started walking to the entrance to head home. You were just walking ahead slightly from everyone else when you saw a familiar figure leaning against one of the pillars outside. The closer you get, the clearer it is for you to recognize them. A few more steps and you were finally just 6 metres away from him when he pushed himself off the pillar and turned to face you.

“Hey? Um… A-Are you looking for someone?” You asked, hoping he was there for you and not anyone else.

“Actually, I was looking for you.” The purple haired male said with the most gentle smile on his face. His lips curled upwards, reminding you of a bunny. An odd sound leaves you unconsciously while your head tilts in confusion naturally. He couldn’t help but chuckle upon seeing your reaction before he continued from where he left off.

“I wanted to congratulate you on winning 1st place today… And also to return this…” He said as he reached into his front pocket and soon took out your bracelet which you lost a few hours ago.

This made you gasp softly whilst staring at the item in his hand in disbelief.

“How did you-”

“I was sitting at one of the tables when your bracelet fell. I was gonna return it to you but you were gone. I didn’t know how else to contact you until I saw a poster on the notice boards all over campus about the tournament today so I decided to meet you here instead. I hope this doesn’t come off as creepy or anything.” He explained to you in detail, making you shake your head eagerly.

“No! Absolutely not! You have no idea how devastated I was when I realized it was missing… Thank you so much…” You said as he gave you a smile. Both of you were silent as neither of you clearly knew how to keep a good conversation going. Nevertheless, you broke the ice after not wanting him to leave just yet.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before on campus… Not until recently at least. Are you new here?”

“Yeah. Me and my friend just moved to this city two months ago.”

“Where were you guys from?”

He looked like he was hesitating a bit but was quick to compose himself.

“Far from here actually…” He chuckled and for some reason, you didn’t feel the need to interrogate more.

“Well, I hope you guys will have good memories here so you don’t have to move again.” It went silent for a few beats before you asked, “Pardon my rudeness… My name’s Y/N. What about you?”

“Just call me Jungkook.” He smiled.

“It’s nice talking to you Jungkook, and… thank you again for my bracelet.” You said, to which he brushed you off.

“Anytime… Hey, uh… do you have a ride home?” He asked in the most gentle tone possible.

“Yeah. I drive to school everyday. It’s okay.”

“Alright then. Drive safe. I’ll see you around.” He smiled again, making you do the same. He then walks off with his hands in his pockets and he couldn’t look any hotter than that. The entire drive home, you couldn’t stop thinking about him. How his smile could melt your heart in a flash, how your heartstrings tug whenever you lock eyes with him, how he makes you feel like you’ve known him for years, how he makes you feel comfortable, etc.

You just wished you'd known him sooner.

“Y/N, sweetie! Don’t go too near the lake!” Your foster mother said as she walked side by side with your foster father. Your 5 year old self was running around the park, trying to diligently catch the beautiful sky blue coloured butterfly. You ignored their calls of asking you to be careful because of course, kids will never listen. You got further and further away from your elders as you were so close to catching the butterfly when all of a sudden, your feet missed a step on the wooden bridge.

Within a split second, you plunged into the lake before your elders could chase after you. Water flushed down your nose and mouth, accidentally swallowing it in huge gulps while you were desperately crying for help. Since you were just a 5 year old kid, you didn’t know how to swim nor were you taught not to open your mouth and breathe underwater.

You were growing unconscious due to the large amount of water that had already started to fill your lungs. You were ready to just accept your fate that you were going to die right then and there. Except, luck has a different plan for you. Just when you were on the brink of completely drowning, a sudden new figure dives into the lake and swoops you into their arms before bringing you back up easily. Once you were on land, they began to do CPR on you until you finally managed to cough out a huge amount of water that had gotten into your lungs.

After you have recovered slightly, the voice of the person who had just saved your life, rings in your head like a lingering memory.

“Are you okay?”

It was a man. You glanced up and saw what looked to be a figure of a man looming over you. Though his overall appearance and face was somewhat a terrible blur, there was one thing you could easily make out. And that was the silver pendant necklace hanging around his neck. You couldn’t really see it that clearly but it was an oval shaped pendant, similar to the ones where you can open and close it.

This was new to your dream. All these while, you’ve always seen a shadowy figure, with unclear images of your dream. This time, things were slowly beginning to become clear.

Maybe this is a memory.

A recurring memory that your brain is trying so hard to remember every piece of detail that was left untouched at the very bottom part of your brain.

So you knew, this wasn’t just any ordinary dream.

And then you awoke.

It was a Friday afternoon, your two best friends wanted to go to the club that night for some drinks and just lay off some steam. You, of course, could never get away with whatever plan they had so you had no other choice but to go. You were all gathered to do your assignments at one of the tables where the study building was. Suddenly, a thought came to mind and you just couldn’t get your mind off it.

“Hey, do you remember the dream I keep having? The one where I fell into the lake?” You ask as Jisung stopped chewing his sushi while Hyunjin stops typing and slowly glances up from the top of his laptop screen.

“Yeah? What about it?” Jisung asked curiously before looking at Hyunjin to see if he knew something.

“You know how it always stops abruptly after the voice asks me if I’m okay and I see a shadow figure standing there?” You explained, earning nods from the two children.

“Well… It’s not really… a shadow figure anymore…”

“What do you mean?” Hyunjin asked, his laptop long closed to pay full attention to your story.

“I saw… a male figure. Everything about him was blurry but I could see that it’s a man. And… he had this silver pendant necklace around his neck. Those where you can open and close.”

“You mean the ones where our grandmothers would put a picture of us in it?” Jisung asked.

“Yes. That kind.” You said.

“Hmm, do you recognize it?” Hyunjin asked, earning a firm shake of your head. “How did you feel when you saw him?” Hyunjin asked again. You couldn’t bring yourself to answer right away as your mind began to recollect the feeling you had when you saw that part of the dream.

“I… felt safe.”

“Well, that’s a good start, right? I mean, if you feel scared then it’s probably a nightmare.”

“But that’s the thing! I-I don’t think it’s a dream.”

“What do you mean? Of course it’s a dream. You were sleeping when that happened, weren’t you?” Hyunjin asked with a confused tone in his voice.

“I mean yeah, technically but… I think that actually happened to me when I was young. If not, why else would I keep having the same dream over and over again?”

“You’ve got a point.” Jisung shrugs while Hyunjin still tries to process this. He brings both hands up in front of him after waving it in a circle, closes his eyes to let the information sink in before he speaks up.

“So… you’re telling me… that the universe is somehow trying to make you recall this memory of yours through a dream?”

“It’s possible isn't it?” You asked.

“Okay? And then what? You’re gonna go to the place where you almost died and somehow meet up with the person who helped you?”

“No? Yes? I don’t know! Look… I think I’ll just ask my parents about it and see if they remember anything about it. I mean… there must be something they can tell me?”

“Good luck babe. You’re gonna need it.” Jisung said, making you sigh.

That evening, you were having early dinner with your elders in the small living room of their one bedroom house. Everyone was quietly eating their food, she was peeling some roasted sweet potatoes while your he was just folding some banana leaves to sell tomorrow. You glanced over at them once or twice before taking a deep breath and dropped the bomb.

“Hey grandpa?” You call softly as the old man pauses his actions and turns to you with a smile on his adorable little face.

“Yes, darling?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Ask away…”

“When I was young… did I happen to… fall into a lake by any chance?” You asked as he frowned in thought. He couldn’t seem to remember anything of it until she spoke up.

“Oh dear, how could I not remember? You were so busy catching the butterflies that I couldn’t even stop you in time.” She giggled as you couldn’t help but smile. “But then this brave young man jumped into the water without a shadow of a doubt. We thanked him for his gratitude and tried to offer him a lunch treat but he rejected us so nicely… I wonder where he is now…” She continued, making you frown.

“Do you guys remember what he looked like?” You asked.

“I’m so sorry dear, I can barely remember anyone I met.” He said to which you let out a soft sigh. Just then, her eyes lit up only for her to raise her finger up in thought.

“Oh, the only thing I could remember was his name… If I’m not mistaken, I think he said his name to be JK like the letters… Yes, yes… That’s it.”

With that being said, you tilt your head to the side in confusion before you stare into the bowl of potatoes, “J… K?” The name sounded like there was a hint of familiarity in it but you can’t seem to point your fingers at where it’s focusing. Nevertheless, you took your attention off that topic and chose to think of what to wear for later instead.

A few hours had passed and you were finally waiting outside the club with Hyunjin and Jisung. The security checked all of your ID’s before letting you in. Hyunjin locked fingers with you just so that you wouldn’t be lost or separated from them as Jisung stayed close behind you. Once Hyunjin has managed to navigate his way around the place and finally save a booth for the 3 of you, he lets go of your hand and allows you to sit in the middle. Jisung went to the bar to order drinks for you all while you stayed with Hyunjin.

Not long after, Jisung came back with a tray of 2 shot glasses, a bottle of tequila, along with a small plate of lime slices and a glass of mocktail for you. The club was pretty much alive with the endless amount of young adults enjoying their drinks and dancing freely to the music.

You had just finished talking to Jisung about the hot girl dancing on the dancefloor when Hyunjin tapped your thigh and soon said aloud in your ear, “Don’t look now, but I think that dude is into you… 10 o’clock.” With that being said, you took a sip of your drink while you let your eyes wander over to where Hyunjin told you, only to find yourself locking eyes with a familiar pair of eyes. It was the purple haired guy from school. Jungkook was his name if you remember correctly.

“Jungkook…” His name rolled off your tongue naturally, sounding so right.

“You know him?!” Hyunjin asked, making you scoff.

“He returned my bracelet to me the other day after the tournament. He told me his name then.”

“And you didn’t tell us this, because…?” Jisung asked, sounding offended almost.

“Not everything in my life has to be told to either one of you.” With that being said, you stood up and soon made your way to Jungkook. Once you were behind him, you slipped into the empty space next to him, dropping an order to the bartender. Right after you were done, you glanced over to him who was just running his middle finger over the rim of his glass.

“Hey… Jungkook right?” You were the first to break the ice as he finally turned to you and smiled.

“Hey, yeah. Y/N, correct?”

“The one and only.” You giggled, earning a soft chuckle from him.

“Are those your friends?” He asked with a slight jerk of his head to the side, referring to the two boys in your booth. You hummed in response before asking if he was here alone or with his blue haired friend.

“Nah, he’s in here somewhere… I just told him I wanted to get a drink at the bar.” He explained, to which you frowned.

“Well, I’m pretty sure he’d be occupied by now.”

“Are you tryna say he’s hot?”

“Am I wrong?” You smiled, earning a chuckle from him.

“Absolutely not. Anyways, enough of him… Do you wanna dance with me?” He asked, turning his body to face you now on the stool. You glanced at the dancefloor, seeing the group of people dancing freely to the music like there’s no tomorrow. You knew you wanted to, especially since he was the one offering it so you easily accepted it. Jungkook got off the stool and held out his hand to you. Without having to think much, you gently place your hand in his as he leads you to the centre of the room.

Once you were with the crowd, he turned around to face you. You comfortably placed your hands around his neck, swaying your hips to the rhythm. Both of you were moving your bodies in sync to one another despite everyone else stumbling and crashing into you. At one point, he twirled you around but you lost your footing. Hence, crashing into him.

You started to burst out laughing and he did too when he realized you weren’t injured. You didn’t notice his hands on your waist until he gently squeezed it to gain your attention. That’s when you glanced up to meet his eyes, your laughter died down as your heart began to beat rapidly in your chest. Heartstrings started to tug everytime he looked at you and it’s unhealthy. For your heart at least despite loving it.

“Are you okay?” He asked softly, his face was just inches away from yours. Suddenly, a part of your dream flashed through your mind upon hearing his question. You frowned a little from the abrupt thought. However, before you could reply to him, a frantic voice to your left made you jump only to meet Jisung’s heavy frown.

“Y/N! You have to help me! Hyunjin got into a fight!” With that, you basically tear yourself out of Jungkook and rush over with Jisung to where the fight was happening. Hyunjin was in a fist fight with two guys who were not much taller than him but were definitely bulkier than he was. You yelled for them to stop but they of course couldn’t hear you. Jisung went in to help Hyunjin but he got punched in the jaw.

“Stop it! Please! Hyunjin stop!” You yelled as he fell in front of you. His lip was busted, his cheek was bruised and his knuckles were bleeding from having a cut. You kneeled down beside your friend as you watched the guy charging over to you and Hyunjin.

So you got up and pushed the guy away with whatever strength you had. But instead, you got slapped across the cheek.

You collapsed to the ground with a hand to your face. Everything happened so quickly because right before the guy could throw a punch to Hyunjin, Jungkook swooped in from the side and landed a hard punch to the guy’s jaw making him fall to the ground with a harsh thud.

“Enough! Get lost before I call security.” Jungkook warned as you watched the two guys who were in the fight with Hyunjin began to scramble away. You crawled over to Hyunjin who was holding his jaw with a hiss. You cupped his face worriedly while you scolded him.

“What were you thinking?! You could have gotten even more hurt…” You frowned, only for Jisung to come over. That’s when you cupped Jisung’s bruised face as well.

Just then, Jungkook kneeled down asking for all of you to leave before the security came. Soon enough, Jungkook’s blue haired friend appears as well and the five of you leave the club through the back door. Once you were in the back alley, Hyunjin used Jisung as support while you held onto his waist and allowed him to sling an arm over your shoulder.

“Come on, our apartment isn't too far from here. We’ll need to get those cuts treated.” Jungkook said, only for Jungkook’s friend to come and ask for you to switch with him. You asked for his name, in which he told you it was Taehyung, so you thanked him afterwards. While they were walking ahead of you, Jungkook stayed next to you as he took off his coat and placed it over your shoulders. Eventually drowning you in his big coat. He chuckled at your ridiculously swallowed body, only for him to speak up.

“You were really trying to be a hero back there, huh?” You glanced up to him, seeing the small smirk on his face but it didn’t annoy you at all.

“He was going to hurt my friend. I can’t just sit there and do nothing...” You pouted slightly, to which his smirk melted and he sighed.

“No matter how dangerous it may be?” He asked as you frowned upon him. Nevertheless, you gave him a firm nod which left him to sigh. Silence falls upon you two, your gaze settles on the three boys walking ahead of you. Just then, Jungkook’s voice is gentle and soft, as if he didn’t want the rest to hear him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t help you sooner… If I did, you probably wouldn’t get hurt…”

“No… No it’s okay… it’s not your fault.” You said softly, making him shake his head. He feels responsible for not jumping in to help Hyunjin when Jisung came to warn you earlier. He felt like he could’ve done better and for that, he couldn’t forgive himself. So when you noticed how quiet he got, you carefully reached for his hand that was just beside yours and soon locked fingers with him to give him some kind of support. And maybe more than that too but he doesn’t have to know.

He glanced down at your linked hands, only for him to lock eyes with you again and this time, a small smile grew back on his face. You gave his hand a little squeeze for reassurance and was about to let go, thinking he might feel that it’s weird considering you barely know him. However, he held your hand tighter and said, “Keep it there. At least until we’re back at my place.” With that being said, you nodded as a blush creeps up on your face.

Once you arrived at Jungkook and Taehyung’s shared apartment, Taehyung tended to Hyunjin while Jungkook tended to Jisung. You were just walking around the living room when you saw a necklace on the table top. It was a silver chain necklace with a round pendant on it. What was even more intriguing is the fact that it looked so familiar to you and it was one of those pendants where you could open and close.

The question is, why did it look so familiar?

Just when you were about to open it, Jisung’s voice called for you as he reappeared into the living room while Hyunjin was still in the bathroom with Taehyung.

“Y/N, hyung asked me to call you over. He’s in his room, the last door on the right.” You gave Jisung a nod as you placed the necklace down and went to the said room. When you arrived, you gave the door a few soft knocks before Jungkook looked up and smiled at you. He told you to sit down on his bed next to him.

“Are you okay? Does it still hurt?” Jungkook asked and there it is again, a weird tug to your heartstrings made your breath hitch. Jungkook stared at you quietly before he asked if there’s something wrong. When you denied it, he went ahead and took a cool pack as he then pressed it against your cheek where you got slapped. You couldn’t seem to bring the words out so you opted to just put your hand over his that was holding the ice pack to make him look at you.

“This is random… but have… have we met before? Like before all this… Before university. I don’t know why but I feel like- like I’ve met you before. I keep getting this same feeling everytime I’m near you.” You said as he stared at you deeply without faltering.

It was nearly impossible to read his expression and thoughts but a part of you was telling you that he’s hiding something from you.

“Maybe we’ve bumped into each other before on the street or something.” Jungkook said as a small smile creeps onto his face. A genuine one at that. So without prying further, you nodded and gave him a soft smile. You thanked him for helping your friends as you excused yourself to let him and Taehyung rest. Jungkook offered to send all three of you home but you refused his kindness politely, opting for a cab instead so as to not trouble him any more than you already had.

“Are you sure? It’s really late out and I don’t mind driving you and your friends back.” He said as you both stopped at the foot of the hallway only to find Hyunjin semi-passed out on the couch after swallowing two aspirins you assume. Jisung was talking to Taehyung, well, more like ranting to the blue haired male about what went down at the club earlier.

With that, you turned to Jungkook and gently reached for his arm, holding it to give him some reassurance, “We’ll be fine. I promise.” You smiled as his eyebrows began to connect in the middle.

You let go of his arm, walking over to Jisung and Taehyung to retrieve your drunk friend.

“Thanks Taehyung. So sorry to disturb your night.” You apologized as Taehyung simply shook his head and told you that it was okay. Once you’ve gotten the green light, you snapped your fingers at Jisung and soon pointed to Hyunjin’s distraught figure.

“You take right, I’ll take left.” You said to him as he nodded. Hyunjin began to stir awake slightly but was still groggy and drunk. You struggled to get his arm over your head so Taehyung helped you with that. After you were ready to leave, Jisung and you began to walk towards the door where Jungkook was patiently waiting. Hyunjin tiredly opened one of his eyelids and was starting to slur over his words.

“Where am I? What are you doing? Where are you taking me, you kidnapper!” You slapped his chest quite harshly before earning a loud groan from him.

“We’re at someone’s house because your stupid drunk ass just had to get into a fight with two bigger dudes. You should be ashamed of yourself, you dimwit.” Hyunjin lets out a weird sound as he leans himself more towards you.

“H-Hyun… H-Hyunjin! Hwang Hyunjin!” You yelled as you were about to fall and get squished by him when a firm arm wrapped around your waist while the other hand was pressed firmly against Hyunjin’s rib to support his heavy weight. In addition, your side crashes against someone’s chest. You glanced up to find Jungkook’s chin directly above your line of sight. Jungkook pushed Hyunjin’s body slightly to stabilize the said man as you managed to stand up straight again.

Except, his arm was still around your waist. Almost as if he didn’t wanna let go of you. Not that you were complaining anyway. However, when he noticed this, he slowly retracted his arm from your waist and apologized to you. You shook your head, to tell him that it’s okay. After you left, Jungkook closed the door behind him only for Taehyung to smile at him.

“Ready to admit yet?” Taehyung asked simply, earning a thick eye roll from Jungkook who began to walk over to his couch.

“Shut up, hyung.”

“What? It’s just me…”

“You’re not seeing my vulnerable side. Uh uh. No way.” Jungkook shook his head diligently, causing Taehyung to laugh as Jungkook continued, “Besides, they’re gonna kill me if they find out.” With that being said, Taehyung sighs at the younger male. Knowing that he had a point.

“No they won’t. I won’t let them.”

“How? Stopping them is nearly impossible, you know that.” Jungkook said firmly.

After a few seconds of silence, Jungkook finally took a deep breath and said, “Whatever. I don’t care.” Jungkook was about to leave the room when Taehyung’s words lingered in his memory like a broken record player.

“You and I both know that’s a lie.”

“Grandma! Grandpa! We’re here!” Your 5 year old self exclaims the minute the cab driver brings the vehicle to a stop right at the entrance of the park. You hurriedly got out of the cab whilst your foster father was busy paying the driver for the fare. You run to the end of the footpath as it separates into two directions, leading you to different parts of the park.

“Grandma! Hurry! I want to see the swans!” You yelled excitedly as the elderly couple began to walk slowly towards you. Since they were just a few metres away from you, it was the perfect chance for you to run off towards the path on the left where the lake would be. Occasionally taking breaks while waiting for your foster parents to catch up with you. People around you give you smiles whenever you pass by them and say hello.

You were walking down the footpath, trying to find a pair of swans when a beautiful sky blue coloured butterfly suddenly hovered in front of your face. You flinched back in surprise as it landed on the tip of your small nose. A soft giggle left your lips as you reached up to touch its wings when it began to flutter away. Being the child you are, you started to trail after it.

The butterfly flaps its wings delicately across the park, freely and happily while you try to not lose sight of it. Unfortunately, your carelessness has brought you closer to danger than you would’ve thought at the time.

“Y/N, sweetie! Don’t go too near the lake!” Your foster mother said as she walked side by side with your foster father. Your 5 year old self was running down the footpath, trying to diligently catch the beautiful sky blue coloured butterfly. You ignored their calls of asking you to be careful because of course, kids will never listen. You got further and further away from your elders as you were so close to catching the butterfly when all of a sudden, your feet missed a step on the wooden bridge.

Within a split second, you plunged into the lake before your elders could chase after you. Water flushed down your nose and mouth, accidentally swallowing it in huge gulps while you were desperately crying for help. Since you were just a 5 year old kid, you didn’t know how to swim nor were you taught not to open your mouth and breathe underwater.

You were growing unconscious due to the large amount of water that had already started to fill your lungs. You were ready to just accept your fate that you were going to die right then and there. Except, luck has a different plan for you. Just when you were on the brink of completely drowning, a sudden new figure dives into the lake and swoops you into their arms before bringing you back up easily. Once you were on land, they began to do CPR on you until you finally managed to cough out a huge amount of water that had gotten into your lungs.

After you have recovered slightly, the voice of the person who had just saved your life, rings in your head like a lingering memory.

“Are you okay?”

It was a man. You glanced up and saw what looked to be a figure of a man looming over you. Though his overall appearance and face was somewhat a terrible blur, there was one thing you could easily make out. And that was the silver pendant necklace hanging around his neck. You couldn’t really see it that clearly but it was an oval shaped pendant, similar to the ones where you can open and close it.

“Y-Yes… T-Thank you, M-Mister…” You stumbled over your words as you saw your elders rushing over to you. That’s when the man said something that wasn’t quite understandable to you.

“I promise to keep you safe from any harm.” He said over a whisper but you heard him.

This was new to your dream. All these while, you’ve always seen a shadowy figure, unclear images of your dream, missing details, unknown situation. This time, things were slowly beginning to become clear with more details given to you in the form of this dream.

At this point, you were confident that this is in fact, a memory.

A recurring memory that your brain is trying so hard to remember every piece of detail that was left untouched at the very bottom part of your brain.

You just have to let time do the magic and fill you in with what’s left of the missing dream.

And then you awoke.

Days passed gradually as both Taehyung and Jungkook started to become friends with you, Hyunjin and Jisung. Well, they were dragged by Jisung at least. That one just doesn’t know how to stop his bargains until he gets what he wants. So eventually, both the coloured hair friends decided to just accept the welcome to be part of the friend circle. Later on in the weeks, you began to have growing feelings for Jungkook. The butterflies in your stomach and tugging heartstring were still present whenever he was near but you’ve grown accustomed to it.

It was a nice, warm Friday afternoon. Taehyung and Jungkook were nowhere to be seen while Hyunjin and Jisung were seated at the wooden table with you near the garden. Your mind was somewhere else and the boys noticed this. It was easy to know that because your fingers were hovering over your keyboard but nothing was being typed and it’s been a good 10 minutes of you just staring at the pond. Just then, Hyunjin’s voice broke your train of thoughts.

“A penny for your thoughts?” He asked, to which you turned to him with a confused face.

“Huh?”

“You look like you’re grieving over there. What’s wrong?” Jisung was the one to ask this as silence falls over you for the next 5 seconds, give or take.

“Something… new appeared in my dreams. It doesn’t just start with my mom telling me to avoid the lake anymore.” You began to explain as both boys soon stopped whatever they were previously doing, just to listen and pay full attention to you.

“Then what does it start with now?” Hyunjin asks curiously as he and Jisung exchange looks before turning back to you.

“Me in the cab with my parents and getting excited once we arrived at the park… But that’s not the only change in my dream that’s new. The dream doesn’t just stop at the part where he asks if I’m okay… This time, the last thing he said to me was…” You paused for a second to try and remember the exact words. Once you got it on the tip of your tongue, you brought your gaze back up to meet theirs and told them what you remembered.

“I promise to keep you safe from any harm. And then I woke up.”

The two boys were shocked at how much details your dream was showing now but they just can’t decipher why these changes were happening so suddenly. What caused your dreams to be more clearer as if it wants you to slowly remember that day, that incident, that specific person.

None of it was making sense to them.

“I just… I don’t understand. Like, why now? Why after all these years, only now your conscience is showing you all this. Why didn’t it show you from the start? What is it hiding? I don’t get it.” Jisung said as he dramatically pulled at his hair.

You couldn’t help but giggle at his figure before speaking up, “It’s my dream but why are you the one stressed?”

“Aren’t you?! I mean come on. You’ve been having this dream for years, aren’t you even a tad bit curious as to why this is happening to you?” Jisung asked with his eyes wide open. He has a point.

“Maybe the universe just wants me to remember that tragic incident for the rest of my life.”

“Or it wants you to find the hidden clues in your dreams that might lead you to something big.” Hyunjin shrugged his shoulders at you, earning a shake of your head.

“What could possibly be bigger than my near-death experience?”

“I don’t know? Meeting your savior and thanking him for saving you that day?” Jisung said with his arms bent on either side as his palms faced upwards.

“That’s ridiculous. I don’t even know what he looks like. Besides, if he really was in his early 20s when that incident happened, he would be like what? Early 40s now? He probably doesn’t even remember me.”

“Fate works in mysterious ways.” Jisung smirks at you, earning a ball of tissue thrown to his face.

You thought his theory was a whole load of nonsense because theoretically, your savior would be in his 40s by now and it’s nearly impossible for him to remember who you are. It wouldn’t make sense. However, in other circumstances, the universe has different layers to it. So the chances of something out of the ordinary happening, would be a solid 1 out of 10 chance but it’s not completely impossible. It just depends on how you wanted to see it.

Your attention soon diverted past Jisung’s head only to see Taehyung and Jungkook walking over to your table so you warned the two, not to mention anything about your dream when they’re there. Nobody knows about your recurring dream except for Hyunjin and Jisung and you intend to keep it that way.

A few hours later, you were at the supermarket to get some groceries for the house when you stumbled upon Jungkook who was searching through the shelves for something so you spoke up first, “Jungkook? Hey. What are you doing here? I thought your apartment was like 20 minutes away from here?” You asked him casually, earning a smirk from him.

“Ah shit. Looks like I’m busted…” Jungkook said, knowing he was just fooling around. He soon laughed as he continued from where he left off, “I’m just kidding. I needed some stuff that my nearest supermarket didn’t have so I drove over to this one.”

“Well, at least that's better than you stalking me right?”

“Why should I stalk you when I already have you at one phone call away?”

Smooth.

“Maybe you’re just clingy and want to see me.” You teased him to see what he says. You didn’t really know what to expect until he gave you his answer.

“And if that’s true?”

You were quiet as you didn’t think he would be that bold and straightforward. Sure he can be confident and maybe just slightly cocky sometimes but he was never over doing it when he’s with you. For that reason alone, you found that side of him charming.

“Then… you need to see a therapist.” You joked but he took it lightly. A small laugh leaves his lips while he grabs the can of sweetcorn from the shelf. At the end of your shopping spree, he offered to send you home after seeing the amount of bags you had to carry after you told him your car was recently sent to the workshop and wouldn't be repaired anytime soon. Of course you told him you could make it home on your own the first time because you didn’t wanna trouble him. And of course, he brushed you off by saying he wouldn’t be able to sleep if he knew he didn’t help you tonight.

With that being said, he drove you back to your home while he chatted with you comfortably about a series on netflix. Once he finally pulled up in front of your home, he glanced down to where your home was and soon turned to you with a smile.

“You didn’t tell me you lived in a cute little house.” He said effortlessly but it made you frown slightly.

“Well, to many, it's a ‘tiny shack’.”

“Well, those people are assholes.” His words made you laugh softly. You knew he was trying to make you feel better about it so you secretly thanked him for that. Both of you fell silent for a few seconds before he turned off his ignition completely and clapped his hands together once to liven up the mood.

“Come on! I’ll help you carry the groceries!” He left the vehicle before you could stop him, finding it cute that he was eager to help when he really didn’t have to. After he stubbornly carried three bags in each arm, you were left with none despite wanting to help him. You rolled your eyes at his persistence even though your smile never lies. Jungkook walks with you to your front door, only for you to unlock it and is soon greeted by your foster mother.

“Oh hello dear, I was just about to see if you were making your way home yet.” She said as her gaze soon fell onto the male beside you.

“Oh? And who are you, young man?” She asked with a fond smile on her face.

“I’m Jungkook, Ma’am.”

“You seem like a handsome young man, Jungkook. And well mannered too. I think you’d be a great partner for her.”

With that, you gasped softly and scolded her politely. Jungkook simply laughed as he brushed her off saying that it’s okay. Just as he was keeping the groceries with you in the correct places, your father walked out of his room and greeted Jungkook warmly. They talked for a bit while you kept the last bag of celery into the fridge when you overheard your father ask, “You should stay for dinner, Jungkook. My wife and I would love to get to know you more, especially if you are someone special in Y/N’s life.”

Jungkook was too kind to reject their offer so he ended up staying, just like they asked. Thankfully, your elders were mainly focusing on Jungkook rather than trying to convince him into dating you or anything like that. At the end of the dinner, he excused himself so as to not disturb your parent’s privacy. He bid them goodbye whilst you told them you wanted to walk him back to his car.

Once you made it to the top of the steps, you glanced back at the house and naturally, a smile grew on your face. He noticed this and he couldn’t help but ask, “You seem a little happy.”

You turned around to find him staring at you fondly with a smile.

“I just… can’t imagine my life without them.” You whispered sadly to yourself, suddenly a whole series of emotions just got washed over you. It took you a while to come back to your senses with the help of Jungkook. Who gently cups your face in his hands, caressing your cheeks lovingly while he does. Jungkook’s sparkly eyes bore into yours but the connection feels stronger than ever tonight. Your usual tugging of heartstrings and feeling of longing just felt stronger tonight. As he was holding you, a small part of you was yearning for him.

You felt a sense of safety and comfort with him but you don’t seem to understand why. Jungkook could read you like an open book, it was fascinating. Just then, he said something that made you genuinely shocked.

“Your foster parents are really nice. I should’ve thanked them for taking care of you well.” This made you pull away from him slightly in shock.

How did he know they’re not your grandparents?

“How did you know they’re not my grandparents?” You asked as Jungkook visibly froze.

“What do you mean?”

“You said ‘foster parents’ instead of ‘grandparents’...”

“Uh… You must’ve told me before that they’re not your grandparents.” He chuckled softly while rubbing the back of his neck. You weren’t fully convinced by his answer because if you had told him that, you would’ve remembered. However, you weren’t in the mood to question him further so you simply stood there in thought. Jungkook didn’t want you to occupy your mind with it, leading him to take a step closer to you until his forehead gently pressed against yours. Both of you stayed like that for a second or two before he leaned over to the side and kissed your cheek.

“Goodnight Y/N.” He said with a small smile on his face that you couldn’t help but mimic. The minute he drove off into the distance, the thought remained stuck in your mind as you found it difficult to move on from it. And yet for some reason, a part of you knew that he might be hiding something from you. You just don’t know what it is.

Even so, the feeling of his soft lips on your cheek, lingered in your head. Feeling giddy at the thought of him kissing you even if it wasn’t on the lips. You felt like a little girl having a crush on a boy all over again.

But that night, you had the same recurring dream again. Except, a new change happened this time as your dream was slowly becoming clearer.

“Grandma! Grandpa! We’re here!” Your 5 year old self exclaims the minute the cab driver brings the vehicle to a stop right at the entrance of the park. You hurriedly got out of the cab whilst your foster father was busy paying the driver for the fare. You run to the end of the footpath as it separates into two directions, leading you to different parts of the park.

“Grandma! Hurry! I want to see the swans!” You yelled excitedly as the elderly couple began to walk slowly towards you. Since they were just a few metres away from you, it was the perfect chance for you to run off towards the path on the left where the lake would be. Occasionally taking breaks while waiting for your foster parents to catch up with you. People around you give you smiles whenever you pass by them and say hello.

You were walking down the footpath, trying to find a pair of swans when a beautiful sky blue coloured butterfly suddenly hovered in front of your face. You flinched back in surprise as it landed on the tip of your small nose. A soft giggle left your lips as you reached up to touch its wings when it began to flutter away. Being the child you are, you started to trail after it.

The butterfly flaps its wings delicately across the park, freely and happily while you try to not lose sight of it. Unfortunately, your carelessness has brought you closer to danger than you would’ve thought at the time.

“Y/N, sweetie! Don’t go too near the lake!” Your foster mother said as she walked side by side with your foster father. Your 5 year old self was running down the footpath, trying to diligently catch the beautiful sky blue coloured butterfly. You ignored their calls of asking you to be careful because of course, kids will never listen. You got further and further away from your elders as you were so close to catching the butterfly when all of a sudden, your feet missed a step on the wooden bridge.

Within a split second, you plunged into the lake before your elders could chase after you. Water flushed down your nose and mouth, accidentally swallowing it in huge gulps while you were desperately crying for help. Since you were just a 5 year old kid, you didn’t know how to swim nor were you taught not to open your mouth and breathe underwater.

You were growing unconscious due to the large amount of water that had already started to fill your lungs. You were ready to just accept your fate that you were going to die right then and there. Except, luck has a different plan for you. Just when you were on the brink of completely drowning, a sudden new figure dives into the lake and swoops you into their arms before bringing you back up easily. Once you were on land, they began to do CPR on you until you finally managed to cough out a huge amount of water that had gotten into your lungs.

After you have recovered slightly, the voice of the person who had just saved your life, rings in your head like a lingering memory.

“Are you okay?”

It was a man. You glanced up and saw a young man probably in his mid 20s looming over you. His facial features were a blur but you could somehow see how defined and sharp everything was. The bridge of his nose, his beautiful doe round eyes, the silver hair falling down his forehead. Except, there was one thing you could easily make out. And that was the silver pendant necklace hanging around his neck. You couldn’t really see it that clearly but it was an oval shaped pendant, similar to the ones where you can open and close it.

“Y-Yes… T-Thank you, M-Mister…” You stumbled over your words as you saw your elders rushing over to you. That’s when the man said something that wasn’t quite understandable to you.

“I promise to keep you safe from any harm.” He said over a whisper but you heard him.

This was new to your dream. All these while, you’ve always seen a shadowy figure, unclear images of your dream, missing details, unknown situation. This time, things were slowly beginning to become clear with more details given to you in the form of this dream.

At this point, you were confident that this is in fact, a memory.

A recurring memory that your brain is trying so hard to remember every piece of detail that was left untouched at the very bottom part of your brain.

You just have to let time do the magic and fill you in with what’s left of the missing dream.

And then you awoke.

A few days later, you were going to your next class when Hyunjin told you he forgot something in the other lecture hall. Leaving just you and Jisung. Your mind was swirling around the latest dream you had where the image of your savior was starting to get clearer as the days went by. Jisung could easily sense your distraction because you had not paid attention to any of the things he just said. He got his answer when he snapped his fingers in front of your face and saw you flinch.

“Earth to Y/N? Are you okay? You’re barely listening to me…” He pouted at you sadly, making you sigh.

“Sorry Ji… I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Like what?”

You took in a deep breath and exhaled right before explaining to him what was bothering you, “You know how my dreams are starting to get clear?”

“Mhm?” He hummed in response to which you continued.

“I can almost make out what the person looks like now.”

“Wait! Wait… You mean… The person who saved you?”

“Yeah.”

“Really? That’s great! I mean… Isn’t it? Didn’t your dad tell you the guy’s name the other day? Maybe you can try and find him to say thank you.” Jisung laid out the options you could take but somehow, a part of you still wasn’t sure if this was enough for you to go find the person.

“Ji… How am I supposed to find him?” You asked desperately, thinking his suggestion was insane.

“We have advanced technology now! It’s not that hard.”

“I don’t know, Ji… I don’t think we can find him.”

“Y/N, don’t give up before you even start. We’ll find him together and I’ll be here with you, okay? So will Hyunjin once we tell him…” Jisung said with a bright grin, his full cheeks on display for you. Hours later, you were walking to the parking lot with Hyunjin and Jisung when you bumped into Jungkook and Taehyung coming from the music production block. They were busy talking to each other, not realising the three of you were right there until Hyunjin called their names. They finally turned towards the front only for you to lock eyes with Jungkook.

“Hey guys, wanna go check out that new horror movie?” Hyunjin asked, making them both shrug their shoulders.

“Sure. We’re not doing anything anyways tonight.” Taehyung answered for both himself and Jungkook.

“Great! Shall we meet at the mall?” Jisung asked as he turned to you knowing everyone had their rides except for you. However, before Jisung could offer you a ride, Jungkook had offered it first which you of course, couldn’t reject.

Once you had all separated to go to your respective vehicles, you followed Jungkook to his. You walked along the front of the parked cars with Jungkook behind you. Just then, right when you were about to take a step forward past a tall jeep, Jungkook harshly tugged your waist back. Exactly 1 second before the sports car speeds out of the parking lot right next to the jeep where it was hiding from plain sight. If he hadn’t pulled you back to safety, you would’ve been run over.

A heavy breath left your lips after you gasped in shock. Your heart was racing in your chest, unable to calm down after your second near death experience. Suddenly, you could feel his hands run up and down your arms in attempts to calm your tense muscles in which it worked.

“Are you okay?” He asked as you slowly nodded.

Jungkook whispered a soft ‘okay’ before he guided you to his car safely. As soon as he drove out of the school compound, you felt a huge relief knowing you didn’t die in your school’s parking lot. He must’ve noticed your trembling hands at some point too. Hence the reason why he reached over with his free hand to hold yours softly to give you comfort. When you looked down to find him doing that, you couldn’t help but glance up at him to see his gaze focused on the road ahead of him while he had one hand on the top of his steering wheel.

The ride to the mall was peacefully quiet, with his hand never leaving yours except when he had to park and change the gear stick to reverse. The minute he finally brought the car to a stationary position, you took this opportunity to thank him for helping you earlier.

“Thank you for saving me earlier… A-And for calming me down on our way here.” You said softly to which he smiled.

“Of course. I wouldn’t wanna lose you.” He said easily, making you blush.

“How did you know the car was driving out?” You asked him a bonus question that made him freeze for a split second.

“I saw the tail lights turn on, red light flashing onto the tree behind it.” Jungkook said, which was pretty logical if you think about it. You decided to let the topic slide as you met up with the rest at the entrance. Upon buying the movie tickets, you were all going to get snacks to sneak it into the theatres. After a few debates, you have all agreed to buy some seasoned fries and popcorn chicken bites from FiveGuys. While Hyunjin was queuing to buy the food, the four of you wandered around the same level to see if there’s anything else you could buy.

You were just looking at some stuffed toys through the glass windows of a shop when someone wrapped an arm around your waist comfortably.

“Planning to sneak one in or what?” Jungkook asked teasingly, to which you couldn’t help but giggle.

“And use it to shield my vision from the horror movie? Yeah, why not.” You said, feeling your heartstrings tug upon hearing his laugh. You stood up straight to walk away, only for him to do the same with his arm still around your waist. None of you wanted the other to pull away and you could tell. When you saw Jisung and Taehyung at the other shop ahead of you, Jungkook was debating on whether he should pull his hand away from your waist.

Unfortunately, his thoughts were cut short when Jisung’s voice sounded from a few feet away.

“Hyung… Y/N… Is there something you’re hiding from us?” His voice sounded cheeky and you could tell. You looked at Jungkook and he did the same to you, not sure of what you should reply to your friend. Partly because neither of you declared anything of your status with each other. Upon realising this, Jungkook decided to answer for both of you.

“She got cold so I’m just offering her some warmth.” He said without a single hesitation, successfully convincing Jisung.

“Really? Do you want my jacket?” Jisung asked you as he unzipped his jacket and grabbed the hem, ready to tug them off his shoulders but you stopped him saying it’s okay.

After you had all managed to head into the theatre, you sat in between Jungkook and Hyunjin in the centre of the row. Halfway through the movie, you naturally snuggled closer towards Jungkook who easily noticed this. Your heart was beating so fast in your chest but you ignored it. At one point, Jungkook whispered something to you but you couldn’t hear him so you glanced to your right only to feel his lips brush over yours when you did that. You saw him glance down to your lips briefly as he smirks softly at you, causing your heartbeat to pick up its speed.

“I said… Do you wanna hold my arm? I’m sorry I don’t have a jacket to offer you.” He repeated his words to you, earning a soft nod of your head. You proceed to slide your arm behind his bicep, wrapping your hand over his forearm. Jungkook smiled as he leaned in softly only to feel him kiss your cheek so gently, you would barely feel it if you weren’t paying attention.

After the movie ended, the rest of them wanted to get ice cream before you went home. Once it was time to call it a day, Jungkook sent you home without being asked to do so.

When he finally arrives outside your house, he told you he’ll walk you to your door.

The minute he joins you by your side, he slips his hand into yours as you easily let him. He locked fingers with you, holding you close to his side as if he was afraid of losing you. When you made it to your front door, you turned around to face him. He had a bright smile on his face, eyes twinkling under the moonlight.

“Thank you for sending me home.” You said, earning a soft chuckle from him.

“No worries. Besides, how would I get my goodnight kiss if I didn’t send you home, right?” Jungkook teased you, making you blush hard.

“G-Goodnight kiss?” You repeated those two words in a whisper, catching his attention.

Jungkook laughed at you, not expecting to see you react so shyly like that. Jungkook reaches up with his free hand to cup your face, caressing your cheek softly with his thumb. You watched as he began to lean down, closing the gap until his lips were hovering over yours. Unfortunately, your fairytale thoughts were cut short because the minute you felt his soft lips brush against your own pair, your front door opened and there stood your mother with a bright smile on her face.

You jumped away from him in shock, clutching your chest where your heart is.

“Oh my! Goodness! Grandma! You shocked me…” You said with a heavy sigh, earning a soft giggle from her.

“I’m so sorry dear. I saw Jungkook’s car outside so I was wondering where you two were.” She said, making you sigh.

“You should go. It’s getting late. Goodnight Y/N… Goodnight Ma’am.” Jungkook said before he gave your hand a light squeeze before walking away. After he left, you entered the house with her only for her to ask you something you never expected.

“Are you finally dating the nice boy? What’s his name again? Jungkook, is it?”

“H-Huh? Oh… N-No, no. Jungkook, he… he’s just a friend.”

“Are you sure? I can see that he likes you a lot and I’m pretty sure you do too.”

For the first time in your life, you were speechless. You didn’t know what to answer. So you simply kept quiet as you guided her further inside before you head to your room.

It’s been a week since the ‘almost-kissing-him-goodnight’ incident which neither of you dared to acknowledge it outwardly. Just hugging and holding hands and occasionally kissing your cheek like he’s been doing all these while. It was a Saturday evening, you were in your bedroom when your mom came knocking on your door and said, “Dear, someone’s here to see you.”

With that, she pushed the door open to reveal Jungkook standing there with a shy smile on his face. He was wearing a white shirt, a black and white large flannel unbuttoned over it and a pair of slightly loose denim jeans. You ushered him in as you patted the mattress, asking to sit down.

After she had closed the door to give you two some privacy, that’s when you giggled softly. Clearly not expecting his arrival.

“What are you doing here?” You asked.

“I was passing by the neighbourhood so I decided to come and say hi. I hope I’m not a disturbance to you or your parents at this hour.” He apologised to you as his eyes began to wander around your bedroom.

It was small but really cosy to you. All there is, was a small desk for you to do your school work, a super single mattress laid on the floor at the corner of the room beside the window, a drawer to keep your clean clothes and a full length mirror. You smiled as you watched him quietly, finding his curious face pretty cute with how his eyes grew round and his lips were parted slightly to show his adorable bunny teeth.

Minutes ticked by so fast when you’re not paying attention. Both of you were just joking around at some point when you saw his necklace fall out of his shirt where he had hid it. It was the same necklace you saw that night on his tabletop but what was even more intriguing is that it was the exact same one that the guy in your dream was wearing.

You reached forward for his necklace but stopped halfway. Jungkook knew what you were going to do so he held the pendant in his fingers and asked why you were going to reach for it.

“I’m sorry, I just… I feel like… I’ve seen the necklace you’re wearing, somewhere before. It’s okay. I must be mistaken though.” You said as you let out a soft laugh. Jungkook remained quiet as he nodded. Suddenly, you watched as he took off the necklace and soon put it around your neck. You frowned as you glanced down at his lips where his face was just inches away from yours, only to meet his gaze after he’s successfully clasped the necklace hook in the loop.

“Why did you put it on me?” You asked in total confusion, having absolutely no idea as to why he did that.

“Keep it.” He said.

“B-But I can’t! It’s yours!”

“I mean it. It’s yours now.” He said as he gave you the softest smile you’ve ever seen. With that, you simply clutched onto it like your life depends on it. When you finally walked him out to his car, you suddenly felt like you didn’t want him to go just yet. Jungkook could sense your hesitation so he lightly chuckled.

“Do you really have to go?” You whispered shyly, earning a laugh from him.

“I have to, besides, it’s getting late. I don’t want to disturb your parents. They need their rest.”

“Hmm… Okay…” You hummed sadly, only for Jungkook to chuckle. Just then, Jungkook takes a step forward as he slides one hand over your waist while the other hand cups your cheek. He tugs you closer as you glance up to lock eyes with him. Jungkook’s eyes glistened under the moonlight as he caressed your cheek with his thumb while his eyes flickered down to your lips. Neither of you said anything as he closed the gap and soon kissed you. Your heart pounded against your chest while you snake your hands around his slim waist.

You felt him smile against your lips before he pulled away to leave barely any space between your faces only for him to whisper, “I love you.”

You were about to reply but he stopped you.

“Don’t… Don’t say it yet.”

“Why?”

“You’ll get to say it when the time is right…”

“When will that be?” You whispered to him, unsure of what was going on and you couldn’t help but feel like something’s wrong.

“You’ll know it… I promise.” Jungkook said as you frowned upon him. You didn’t understand why but you obeyed his words nonetheless. Jungkook breathes out through his nose before he kisses you again longingly, making your heart swell for him. When he finally pulled away, you could feel your whole world slowly begin to crumble.

Something’s not right.

With a heavy heart, you watched as he got into his car and drove off into the distance. There was a voice in the back of your mind telling you that there’s something off with his behaviour. You just don’t know exactly what it was.

That night, your questions were answered.

That night is when it all happened.

That night is when your dream finally became crystal clear to you and all the memories came flooding back like a tsunami.

“Grandma! Grandpa! We’re here!” Your 5 year old self exclaims the minute the cab driver brings the vehicle to a stop right at the entrance of the park. You hurriedly got out of the cab whilst your foster father was busy paying the driver for the fare. You run to the end of the footpath as it separates into two directions, leading you to different parts of the park.

“Grandma! Hurry! I want to see the swans!” You yelled excitedly as the elderly couple began to walk slowly towards you. Since they were just a few metres away from you, it was the perfect chance for you to run off towards the path on the left where the lake would be. Occasionally taking breaks while waiting for your foster parents to catch up with you. People around you give you smiles whenever you pass by them and say hello.

You were walking down the footpath, trying to find a pair of swans when a beautiful sky blue coloured butterfly suddenly hovered in front of your face. You flinched back in surprise as it landed on the tip of your small nose. A soft giggle left your lips as you reached up to touch its wings when it began to flutter away. Being the child you are, you started to trail after it.

The butterfly flaps its wings delicately across the park, freely and happily while you try to not lose sight of it. Unfortunately, your carelessness has brought you closer to danger than you would’ve thought at the time.

“Y/N, sweetie! Don’t go too near the lake!” Your foster mother said as she walked side by side with your foster father. Your 5 year old self was running down the footpath, trying to diligently catch the beautiful sky blue coloured butterfly. You ignored their calls of asking you to be careful because of course, kids will never listen. You got further and further away from your elders as you were so close to catching the butterfly when all of a sudden, your feet missed a step on the wooden bridge.

Within a split second, you plunged into the lake before your elders could chase after you. Water flushed down your nose and mouth, accidentally swallowing it in huge gulps while you were desperately crying for help. Since you were just a 5 year old kid, you didn’t know how to swim nor were you taught not to open your mouth and breathe underwater.

You were growing unconscious due to the large amount of water that had already started to fill your lungs. You were ready to just accept your fate that you were going to die right then and there. Except, luck has a different plan for you. Just when you were on the brink of completely drowning, a sudden new figure dives into the lake and swoops you into their arms before bringing you back up easily. Once you were on land, they began to do CPR on you until you finally managed to cough out a huge amount of water that had gotten into your lungs.

After you have recovered slightly, the voice of the person who had just saved your life, rings in your head like a lingering memory.

“Are you okay?”

It was a man. You glanced up and saw a young man probably in his mid 20s looming over you. His facial features were a blur but you could somehow see how defined and sharp everything was. The bridge of his nose, his beautiful doe round eyes, the silver hair falling down his forehead. Except, there was one thing you could easily make out. And that was the silver pendant necklace hanging around his neck. You couldn’t really see it that clearly but it was an oval shaped pendant, similar to the ones where you can open and close it.

“Y-Yes… T-Thank you, M-Mister…” You stumbled over your words as you saw your elders rushing over to you. That’s when the man said something that wasn’t quite understandable to you.

“I promise to keep you safe from any harm.” He said over a whisper but you heard him.

This time, when you glanced back up to meet the face of the man who saved your life, it was like the blur finally faded away and you could see clearly whoever was standing in front of you. That’s when you realised. The man who saved your life, the man that has been appearing in your dreams as nothing but a black shadow to begin with, the man who you owed your entire life to for giving you the opportunity of a second chance at life, was the same guy who you met a few months ago. The same guy who you became close to. The same guy who you eventually fell in love with.

It was him this entire time.

It was Jungkook.

But how? That’s impossible… right? How could he not age? How is he not in his early 40s by now if he really was in his early 20s when he saved you 20 years ago?

All these questions began to swirl around your head, filling you with a million different emotions.

And then you awoke.

It was 3 in the goddamn morning but sleep was no longer in your to-do list. You quickly changed out of your sleeping shorts to your sweatpants, putting your bra on and an oversized jacket as you rushed out of the house without waking your parents up and soon made your way to his place. You gave it a few knocks, hoping he was still awake. A few seconds later, the door swings open only for you to be greeted by a shirtless Taehyung. He seemed fully awake as he gave you a confused smile.

"Y/N? What are you doing here at a time like this?" He asked as politely as possible.

“I’m looking for Jungkook. Is he here?”

“Uh… He’s not home… He probably won’t be for the next few days…”

“Why? Where did he go?” You asked a little impatiently. Taehyung stared at you in worry as he wasn’t sure what to say to you.

“He, um… He has a very important business to handle somewhere else. I’ll update you once he’s back-”

“I really can’t wait that long, I need to see him now…” You partially begged as Taehyung pressed his lips into a straight line in defeat.

“He went back to the cosmos…”

Now it was your turn to get confused.

“Cosmos? What cosmos? What are you talking about?”

“Me and Jungkook… We’re not from this universe.” You stared at him in disbelief but for some reason, you knew he wasn’t lying.

“T-Then… Then does that mean you’re… immortal?”

“Correct. How did you find out?” Taehyung asked as he stepped aside for you to enter. Once you made it inside, he guided you over to the couch where you decided to come clean.

“When I was five, I almost died… But someone saved me from drowning. I never got to remember who it was. Right after my 16th birthday, I started getting these blurry, recurring dreams about my accident. The dream wasn’t clear but I kept seeing the same scenes happen again and again. A few months back, my dream slowly began to get clearer but I still couldn’t see who saved me that day… And just now… just now is when my dream finally became crystal clear and I saw everything. Now I remember.” You said. Taehyung smiled as his eyes travelled down to the necklace around your neck.

“He gave you his necklace, huh?” He asked softly. You held it in your hand as you reached forward with your other hand to hold Taehyung’s forearm gently.

“Taehyung, I need to see him. All these years, I’ve been trying to figure out who saved me that day but I have no idea who it was. Now that I know, I have to tell him.”

“There is something I have to tell you.” You remained quiet as you stared at him desperately so he took that as his cue to continue.

“Jungkook was never supposed to save you that day. His task was to simply watch over you. Sort of like a guardian angel. He can’t help you no matter how fatal the situation was for you because that’s just how it works for us. But that day, he couldn’t bear to see your parents cry. He didn’t have the heart to watch you drown in front of your parents…” Taehyung paused as you slowly began to piece this whole thing together.

“So that’s why he saved me…”

“Correct. However, because of that, the higher deities did not approve of his actions… So, he had to receive punishment. And his first punishment was that he has to watch over you from afar as you grow up without getting into close contact with you until your 16th birthday. The recurring dreams you had since you turned 16 was the second punishment. You were made to slowly remember that it was him who saved you that day. And once you fully remember that it was him…” Taehyung stopped abruptly as if he was afraid to continue.

“What happens if I remember it was him? Taehyung tell me! What happens if I remember?” You asked desperately as Taehyung frowned at you sadly.

“He will forget that you ever existed.”

“What…?” Your heart stopped as you couldn’t get this thought through your thick head.

“That’s his punishment.”

“N-No… No he… he can’t forget me. He’s been there for me my entire life, he can’t just forget me… No…” You began to get anxious as Taehyung felt bad for you. You were determined to not let Jungkook forget you so you begged Taehyung to bring you to the cosmos and see Jungkook. Taehyung didn’t want to risk it at first but after seeing how determined you were and knowing that Jungkook would not want to forget you, Taehyung decided to help.

Jungkook stood in the middle of the courtroom up in the cosmos, ready to receive his punishment. Though his heart was already shattered into a million pieces, he told himself he had to stay strong in order to have even the slightest bit of hope that he would somehow remember you after all this was done. He couldn’t bear to lose you. Not again. Not ever. He has loved you from the start. He fell in love with the little girl he was told to look after. The minute he laid eyes on you on the day you were born, he knew that he would look after you to the best of his abilities.

He made a promise to himself that he would do whatever it takes to protect you from any harm that may come in your way. Jungkook wouldn’t know what he would do if he just watched you get hurt no matter how little or fatal the accident may be. And on that unfortunate day where he was just watching over you from afar, running along the edge of the lake trying to catch the butterfly, he already saw it coming. He just wasn’t sure if he should obey the words of his deity or defy them by doing exactly what he was told not to do.

In which he ended up choosing the latter for he could not bear to see your parents crying and struggling to save you. Jungkook wasn’t heartless and he wasn’t planning on becoming one. Hence, why he decided to dive into the lake that day and save you. He knew his actions would result in a heavy consequence but he didn’t care at the time. All he wanted was for you to have a second chance at life and thanks to him, you got it.

So as he stood there, his mind was filled with memories of you. From when you were a kid to now. Every single memory he had of you, lingered in his mind like posters and pictures pinned to a bulletin board. Suddenly, all he could think of was kissing you. How soft your lips were. How good it felt to finally tell you how he feels about you. To be able to hold you in his arms and tell you he loves you because he wouldn’t get to say it to you again after tonight.

It broke him but he was satisfied.

“Jeon Jungkook. You were called upon the courthouse to receive your punishment for the offence you committed years ago. Are you aware that the girl has finally seen the truth in her dreams?” His deity asked, earning a scoff from Jungkook.

“If she hadn't, I wouldn’t be here.”

His deity leaned back in his seat feeling slightly furious with how Jungkook was showing lack of respect for them. Nonetheless, they continued with Jungkook’s sentencing.

“Very well then. By the power vested in me, thou shall have no memory of the said girl after tonight. Every single memory of her shall be erased, leaving no traces of her behind. In addition, thou shall not remember any mortal from the past 2 years and vice versa. It shall be as though they never existed in each other’s lives. If there are no objections-” As soon as this was said, a familiar voice catches Jungkook’s attention.

“I object!”

He whipped his head up in search of the owner of the voice. The minute he found it, his eyes grew wide as he stared in shock upon witnessing this discovery. There you stood, at the very top of the stairs in the courthouse right next to Taehyung. He knew he had to stop you but he didn’t. He wanted nothing more than for his best friend to be happy so he decided to let you do what’s right to get his best friend out of his misery.

“Who dares to go against our ruling?” The deity said, making you speak up bravely.

“I do.”

He whispered your name under his breath as he watched you descend the stairs while keeping your eyes locked on the higher authorities.

“And just who do you think you are? Strutting about and bravely make your call to stop this trial?”

“Someone that will stop you from carrying out his final punishment.”

“Ah… you must be the girl from the lake… You must be stupid enough to think that you could leave this place alive.”

“No! Please! I’m begging you, don’t hurt her please. Give me my final punishment, just leave her alone.” Jungkook said as he stood in front of you to shield you from them.

“What are you doing? Don’t you wanna remember who I am?” You asked in confusion as he turned to you with tears in his eyes.

“Of course I do. But I also want you to leave this place alive.”

“I don’t want you to forget me! I can’t lose you again. Jungkook please!”

“You won’t lose me. Because you remember me. Promise me that you’ll make me remember you.”

“I promise.”

With that, Jungkook cups your face with both hands as he pressed his forehead against yours softly. Your eyes were closed, feeling him caress your cheeks with his thumbs. Just then, you didn’t want to lose this chance so you pushed your head forward only to kiss him. You let your lips stay there for a while before pulling away. The minute you did, you wrapped your fingers around both of his wrists while you whispered against his lips, a sealed promise.

“I love you Jungkook and I promise I’ll make you remember me.”

Suddenly, everything happened so fast as a blinding white light began to fill your vision. The next thing you knew, you were in your bedroom. It all felt like a dream to you. Except, you remembered everything vividly.

The next day, you made your way to school, only to find Hyunjin and Jisung seated at the wooden table in the garden. You came over and soon asked them curiously about the other two. However, what they answered came as a surprise to you.

“Who’s Taehyung and Jungkook? Are they your friends?” Hyunjin asked, making you frown.

What the…

A few hours later, the three of you were walking to the CS building across the campus when you caught sight of two males walking in your direction, parallel to you. One had striking neon blue hair while the other had bright purple hair. The purple haired one would be right next to you once you crossed paths with them too. You kept your eyes on them as they got closer and closer until they were about 3 feet away. As if on cue, the purple haired individual just happened to turn his head towards you, causing you to lock eyes with him.

Your heart began to race in your chest the closer you got to them. The minute you walked past them, with the purple haired one being the closest to you, the same feeling you felt the first time this happened a few months back repeated again today. The feeling of a string being tugged at that was invisibly linked to your hand and his, a small sense of longing lingers in your veins. However, you continued walking despite sensing him turning back to look at you.

So when you felt like it was safe to turn, that’s when you glanced over your shoulder to see him tilt his head in confusion but nonetheless continued walking. You whispered something under your breath, feeling your heart shatter with every word you say.

“I remember you.”

You turned back in front, your mind was already somewhere far. There was absolutely no way in hell that you were going to let this slide.

It was a Saturday afternoon, you are working a full shift today to earn money for a lot of commitments. Like your rent, power bills, phone bills, water bills, groceries, school fees, etc. Being a university student isn’t easy but you aren't gonna give up just yet. Which is why you work a full shift on weekends to earn extra than what you get every other day due to working short hours after school. After serving the food orders to a table with a family of four, they thanked you for your good service before you left to continue with your work.

You went to the back room to take a short breath from running around for the past few hours. A fellow colleague of yours who is the senior waiter and team lead, Hyungwon, was just informing the chefs the new orders before clipping the paper to the string for the chefs to refer.

“Tired already?” Hyungwon teased you as he walked up to you with a smile on his face. Yes he’s your senior, but somehow, he’s very close to you and treats you with so much care as though you were his little sister. He is in fact 4 years older than you so that explains a lot.

“One of the tables is occupied by a group of girls who seem like they’re the kind to complain about the pasta being fusilli and not linguine…” You said with a huff, only for him to laugh.

“Still… They’re customers so all we can do is give them what they want.” Hyungwon said, giving you a soft pat to your shoulder before he left the kitchen. You didn’t wanna get caught slacking by your boss so you got up and left the kitchen to continue doing your job. You went over to a table near the window where a couple was sitting, so you could take their orders.

“Is there anything else?” You asked.

“No, thank you.” The woman said with a kind smile in which you happily returned.

“Alright then. Your order will be served soon.” You said as you turned to head back to the kitchen. Unfortunately, you turned a little too soon because it caused you to accidentally crash into someone who was walking past your back.

“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry!” You said as the handsome guy simply smiled and shook his head.

“No worries. Are you okay?” He asked so you nodded. He then held out his hand, gesturing you to walk so you did. That’s when you heard a voice calling for the person standing behind you.

“Chan hyung!” The male with full cheeks waved in your direction as you glanced past your shoulder to find the guy you bumped into, giving a thumbs up. This slipped your mind as you went into the kitchen and delivered the order to the chefs. A few minutes ticked by and you were currently serving drinks to a table near the front entrance. When you turned back to head to the kitchen, you saw the guy from earlier raising his hand up in hopes that one of your friends would see him.

Lucky for him, you saw his hand raised. Hence, why you were now making your way to their table. As you got closer, you felt a little nervous seeing that their table is filled with 8 very good looking guys who look to be around your age. You tried to keep your professionalism in and smiled when you arrived at their table.

“Hello, are you ready to order?” You asked and the same guy from earlier smiled at you politely.

“Yes we are. Can I have one beef bolognese pasta with linguine and one coke please? What about you guys?” He then points to his friends as they go around the table giving you their orders. When you noticed there were just 7 food and drinks in total, you spoke up to make sure everyone had their orders in.

“There’s only 7 orders. Am I missing out on one?” You asked as their heads soon turned to the male sitting with his arms crossed on the table, head hanging low to burn a hole into the menu, looking as though he’s hiding under his cap.

“Hwang Hyunjin. Aren’t you the one who complained about being hungry just 10 minutes ago?” The one with a black fitting shirt said with a teasing smirk.

“Uh… I’ll um… I’ll get the um…” Hyunjin clears his throat as the one sitting opposite him with fairly long dark brown hair and feline eyes smirked at him to tease afterwards.

“Come on, Jinie… Don’t be shy in front of the waitress… She’s waiting.” The male said, making some of them squeak along with teasing noises. You couldn’t help but let out a soft giggle as Hyunjin finally looks up after glaring at his friend and meeting your gaze.

“I’ll get the sirloin steak with mac ‘n’ cheese and salad please.” He said, keeping eye contact with you.

“Great! How well would you like your steak to be cooked?”

“Medium well, please.”

“Awesome. Any drinks to go with that?”

“Uh… Just iced americano, please.” Hyunjin said and you smiled while writing it down.

“Got it.” You said and soon repeated their orders before taking the menus with you and left. Minutes tick by and you were too busy to steal glances at their table but maybe it’s good because if not, you probably wouldn’t be focusing on work. When their food was ready, you carried the plates on your arms, balancing them expertly. With your help of calling out the name of each dish, they raised their hands to their individual orders and you gave them out accordingly.

You came back again with the remaining dishes, handing Hyunjin’s food last since his was in fact steak. After you’ve given him his order, you flash them a smile politely.

“Enjoy your meals. Call us if you need anything else.” You said and they thanked you in unison.

For the next hour, the crowd had died down a little, giving you room to relax. You were just by the cashier counter, changing the empty paper roll to a new one in the bill printer machine when your eyes naturally flew over to the table in the back of the room. This accidentally caught the attention of the male with feline eyes. He visibly smirked at you as you saw his lips move. Just in time for Hyunjin to glance past his shoulder and lock eyes with you.

This made you look down naturally, hoping you didn’t look too panicky. You busied yourself with checking the bill history to make sure they tally. Suddenly, your co-worker Ellie came to you and was grinning at you from ear to ear.

“What now, El?”

“Those guys seated at the back… I heard them talking about you when I came to clean the table next to them.” She giggled, making you huff at her.

“You probably misheard them.”

“No! I’m serious! Would I be mistaken when they clearly said ‘the girl at the cashier’?” Your breath hitched as you tried to brush it off.

“If they really are talking about me, it’s probably to comment on my rushing ass.”

“Uh… No they weren’t? The one wearing a grey sweater clearly said ‘Ask for her number. She’s at the cashier, maybe you should pay for our meals too while you’re at it’ and he was pointing to the guy sitting in front of him.” Ellie said, making you blush. There’s no way she could make this up. So to see if she was telling the truth, you glanced up and looked at their table. You almost choked on your own saliva when you saw Hyunjin and some of them were already staring at you and Ellie.

“Shit El, they’re looking at us.”

“Correction, they’re looking at you.” She giggled as you saw Hyunjin stand up from his seat while everyone else remained seated.

“Uh… El? Why is he coming here?” You whispered while stacking the receipts in a pile.

“Oh, Hyungwon Is calling me. Bye!” She said whilst rushing into the kitchen, completely walking past Hyunjin but he couldn’t care less about her since she wasn’t the one he’s focused on. Before you could speak up to call for her, your words got stuck in your throat upon seeing Hyunjin approach you at the cashier.

“Hey… Um, can I pay for our table first?” He asked, making you smile.

“Of course. Can I have your bill?” You asked and he passed you the small clipboard with their bill attached to it. You keyed in their table number into the computer and their orders came up on the back screen for him to see.

“Help me do a quick check to see if everything is correct.” You said as his eyes soon fell on the screen behind your computer.

“Yeap. Everything’s in.” He said before meeting your eyes shyly from under the brim of his cap. You then asked how he wanted to pay for the meal and he said by card. While you were keying the amount into the machine, Hyunjin stole a quick glance past his shoulders, just in time to catch his friends gesturing for him to get your number. When he turned back around, you had just placed the machine on the top of the counter for him to insert his card.

He entered his pin number and proceeded to wait for the approval. The receipt finally prints out to indicate that the payment was successful. However, Hyunjin was debating on asking you for your number simply because he was nervous and shy. So when you handed him the receipt and his card, he quickly thanked you before going back to the table. You were a little sad that he didn’t ask for your number or even your social media but maybe it’s not meant to be. With that thought, you went into the kitchen to distract yourself. Little did you know, Hyunjin was literally smashed by his own friends when he came back empty handed.

A few minutes later, they were preparing to leave but Hyunjin thought that maybe he should just ask you for your number before he leaves. He slowed down his pace in hopes that you’ll come out from the back room. Even after he was a few feet away from the main door, you were still nowhere to be seen so he couldn’t help but sigh and left the restaurant for good.

Regret slowly seeping through his skin for not manning up and just ask you when he had the chance right in front of him. Looks like it’s too late now.

A few days had passed now and you still couldn’t get Hyunjin out of your mind. Ellie asked you to try and find his social media since you knew his full name thanks to his friend. However, you didn’t wanna be a creep and stalk him so you opted to just forget about it. Today is a nice cooling Friday evening. You took a few days off from work for the next few weeks to focus on your upcoming tests and exams. Tonight however, your friends from university, Lisa and Jennie wanted to go to the bar and take a little break from studying.

With that being said, you decided to tag along to relieve your stress. You changed into a pretty dark grey side drawstring sleeveless top and a pair of denim jeans. The girls met up with you outside the bar as you went in with them. Once you made it inside, there were a lot of people all around. Some at the bar, some at the stray tables and some at the sofa booths.

You were just walking behind Lisa and Jennie to find an empty table when you caught sight of a group of familiar looking faces at one of the sofa booths. The one that really triggered your memory was Hyunjin. He was seated there with his left arm resting on top of the sofa, wearing a satin white button down shirt with denim skinny jeans and sneakers. His hair is currently blonde, long enough for him to tie it in a half ponytail with his bangs framing his face.

He didn’t notice you at first until his friend whom you remember is the one with feline eyes nudged Hyunjin’s side and nodded his head towards you. Before you could look away in panic, Hyunjin locked eyes with you and it made you instantly smile. He did the same as he watched you walk past their booth and sat in the booth a few tables down where there were four guys greeting you and your friends.

They were Lisa and Jennie’s friends from college and you have met them a few times before. You just weren’t really close to them. Minutes went by as you slowly took your time to finish your drink while they were all on their umpteenth shot of whiskey already.

“Hey waiter! We need another bottle!” Yunhyeong slurred drunkenly to an imaginary waiter and you couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’ll go order a bottle for you guys.” You said rather calmly considering you weren’t anywhere near drunk at all. You got up to go get them a bottle of whiskey, making your way to the bar. When you made it there, you smiled at the bartender who in return, gave you a cheeky grin. Thank god he’s handsome, if not, you would’ve just cringed.

“Can I get one bottle of whiskey, please? My friends seem like they’re going through tough times.” You said, only for him to laugh. He grabs a bottle from his shelf and hands it to you.

“Just don’t let them sleep in the bar all night.” He said, making you laugh.

You took the bottle and thanked him, handing him cash before leaving the bar. While you were making your way back to your table, you caught a glimpse of Hyunjin’s table and as if they were already waiting for you to look, some of them were already waving to you. The one with feline eyes smirked at you and gestured with his fingers to call you over.

With a mind of its own, your legs brought you to their table and soon, Chan speaks up on behalf of everyone.

“Hey, you’re the one who worked at that restaurant right?” He asked, making you nod.

“Yes. And apparently, I have a name in case you’re wondering.” You said, only for the one with feline eyes to smirk.

“Hyunjin already has a name for you but go ahead. Tell us your name.” He urged you gently so you did.

“It’s Y/N.” You smiled, glancing over to Hyunjin. He had a shy smile on his face, only for you to hear Lisa’s voice calling for you from their table. A soft sigh left your lips as you bid them goodbye.

“Well, there’s my cue. Bye guys.” You laughed and walked away a little sadly. Another half an hour or so went by, you were just starting to get borderline tipsy when a soft tap on your shoulder made you turn to find Hyunjin standing there. You were surprised to see him there since you never thought he wanted to talk to you.

“Hey, can I buy you another drink?” He asked so you nod. You followed him to the bar as he sat next to you and told you to order whatever you want. You ended up with just a glass of bourbon as he settled for a glass of whiskey.

“I don’t wanna sound like a creep or anything, but I’ve been thinking about you lately. I guess I regretted not talking to you more the other day at the restaurant.” Hyunjin said, making you laugh.

“It’s okay. That makes two of us I guess.” He couldn’t help but laugh as you chatted more with him, getting to know him a little better. You found out that he’s two years younger than you, is a Hankuk U student unlike you who is a Yonsei U student, he is taking up dance major and he likes art, more specifically painting, drawing, sketching and fine art. You were so engrossed in your conversation with him that you didn’t notice your friends were leaving until you felt a tap on your shoulder.

Jennie was holding onto Lisa who seemed completely out of it and was a giggling mess, “Sorry to interrupt, but we’re heading home. Wanna come with us?” Jennie asked. You glanced back at Hyunjin who gave you a soft smile and nodded at you to go with your friends. You hesitated for a bit but then an idea came into your mind. That’s when you took out your phone from your back pocket and unlocked it, clicking on the contact list and holding your phone to him.

Hyunjin didn’t waste any time in entering his information before passing your phone back to you. With that being done, you bid him goodbye and you left, helping to hold Lisa’s other side.

That night, Hyunjin patiently waited for you to text back. He wasn’t sure if you’d actually text him since you’re the one with his number. He was just lying in bed, ready to go to bed when his phone chimed with a new text message. He took his phone from his nightstand and saw a few texts from an unknown number. He clicked on it and there were 3 unread messages.

You [sent at 1:54am]: Hey! It’s me, Y/N

You [sent at 1:54am]: I actually wanted to text you when I reached home but I got so busy helping my friend that I forgot to text you…

You [sent at 1:55am]: Sorry if I’m disturbing your sleep. We can text tomorrow! Haha :)

Hyunjin wasted no time in replying to you since he’s been waiting all week to do this ever since he laid eyes on you.

Hyunjin [sent at 1:56am]: Hey! No, you weren’t disturbing. I just got back a while ago anyway :)

The conversation continued until late, not realising that it was just a few hours before sunrise. You excused yourself to go to sleep, making sure to tell him that you loved talking to him and that you’d wanna continue the conversation later in the day again and he agreed. Hyunjin felt like his heart would explode at any given moment now that he finally gets to talk to you.

It was always such a great honour to be invited into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a fellow student with the ability to learn and master the arts of magic. Whereby not everyone could be accepted into the school. Every student in that school feels very proud to be in Hogwarts for it is every children’s dream to become part of the Hogwarts family. As for you? It is undescribable how you felt when you got the letter of invitation, knowing your parents would’ve been happy for you. Hogwarts is divided into four houses which were discovered by the respective founders.

Godric Gryffindor

The founder of Gryffindor house. A fair man, he believed that any child who displayed magical abilities before their 11th birthday should be able to attend Hogwarts. Godric values courage and bravery, believing that these were the two most virtuous abilities that a person can possess. His house corresponds to the element of Fire.

Rowena Ravenclaw

The founder of Ravenclaw house. A sharp and intelligent woman, intellect is a highly valued asset to the students of Ravenclaw house. Due to this, it is likely that Rowena wanted to make Hogwarts the very finest wizarding school on earth, teaching those children with the highest intelligence. Her house corresponds to the element of Air.

Salazar Slytherin

The founder of Slytherin house. A sly and cunning man, he was not unlike many of the students he brought into his house. He believed strongly that only wizards of pure blood should be allowed to attend Hogwarts. His house corresponds with the element of Water.

Helga Hufflepuff

The founder of Hufflepuff house. A kind and warm woman, she believed that in order to be sorted into Hufflepuff, a person must possess the values of loyalty, patience and be hard-working above all else. Her house corresponds with the elements of Earth.

Unfortunately, you couldn’t share this exciting news to your parents, for they were already gone too soon after a terrible car wreck. The only people you could share this news with were your grandparents who took care of you ever since that horrible accident. The only sad part is, they couldn’t send you off to the train station on your first day of school due to two main reasons. They were getting old which means they can barely walk for more than 5 minutes without having to stop for a breath.

They also have trouble travelling without proper guidance and so if you left to board the train, you worry about how they would head back after sending you off. So to avoid these from happening, you decided to just say your goodbyes before leaving the house that morning. Making sure to give them both tight hugs since you wouldn’t be coming home every night to be with them until the next holiday period.

Saying goodbye to them was hard, but you made a promise that you would write a letter to them every week so they know that you’re okay. They both kissed your cheek and soon waved to you at the door, watching as their one and only granddaughter finally climbed into the taxi to head to the train station. You have already bought the necessary things you needed for school with the help of a Hogwarts staff member who came to deliver the letter of invitation personally to you the other day.

So with your baggage trolley in hand, bags packed, your chosen pet owl whom you’ve named Snowy was sitting in his cage on the top of your stacked luggages, you pushed the heavy trolley with whatever strength you had packed in the small, fragile body of yours since you were in fact, still a child.

While you were searching for the odd but said Platform 9¾, you noticed a family who seemed to be rushing whilst the mother said something that caught your attention.

“Hurry up kids! You’re gonna miss the train! Quickly now. Platform 9¾’s this way!” She said as you silently followed them from behind. Once they stopped in between two huge pillars, you watched as their older daughter ran straight into the wall, dissolving into the brick wall in front of your own eyes. This made you gasp quietly before you went over to the elderly couple to enquire about what you just saw.

“Um… Excuse me? Can you… tell me how to do… that?” You nodded your head towards the brick wall in which the girl just went through, earning a bright smile from them both.

“Of course! It’s my son’s first time too. Anyway, it’s very easy, dear. All you have to do is run straight into this wall.” She said as you looked at her son who shrugged his shoulders.

“Ladies first.” He said. So with one deep, shaky breath, you took off running with your luggage trolley and went through the wall with ease. Once you were at Platform 9¾, the boy and his parents came through as well, leading you to the train along with their son. The train conductor ushers you into one of the train cabins after you showed him your ticket, telling you that he will help to load your baggage into the train for you. 

With that being said, you glanced back at the boy behind who gave you a gentle smile and a nod.

This encouraged you to finally board the train and he did too, not before giving his mother a hug. The moment you were both inside, you looked at him and asked, “Do you wanna sit together?”

“Sure. Let’s find an empty booth.” He said as he began to lead you down the narrow alley of the train cabins. After about two cabins, you finally found an unoccupied booth so he proceeded to enter it followed by yourself. You sat opposite each other, staring out the window to see all the parents and family members waving goodbye to their children and siblings. It made your heart clench, knowing you came here alone with no one else. 

Neither of you spoke until the train started to slowly move off. Once it was finally departing from the train station and your view changed from the busy crowd to the open scenery of the town, that’s when he spoke up.

“I’m Changmin by the way… You are?” He said, to which you looked ahead to meet his eyes through his round glasses that seemed to slide down the bridge of his nose every few seconds. 

“I’m Y/N.” You said, earning a smile from him.

“Why weren’t your parents here to send you off?” He asked innocently without knowing anything so you couldn’t blame him for that. Nonetheless, that question made your breath hitch for a split second before you answered his question.

“They died a few years ago… And my grandparents couldn’t come due to health issues…” You tried not to sound as sad as you can even though you already felt like crying. Changmin couldn’t help but panic, realising that he just messed it up by asking you a sensitive question. However, you simply brushed it off saying you accepted his apology because he didn’t know about your situation. Even then, he still felt bad about it and you could tell.

Not long after, two new faces appear at the door. Even though they were unfamiliar to you, it was pretty obvious that Changmin knew them thanks to the way his eyes lit up excitedly while a bright smile creeped onto his face.

“Juyeon! Minho! You’re here too?” Changmin said as you glanced over to the new faces whom you do not recognize.

“Yeah, didn’t think you’re the only special one did you?” The one with a prominent smirk on his face said before his eyes travelled to meet yours. 

“Shut up Minho.” Changmin laughed, allowing the two guys to settle down. Once they did, that’s when Changmin introduced all of you to one another. You found out that the one sitting next to your new friend was Juyeon. Which could only mean that the one sitting beside you was Minho. They began to talk about something you weren’t aware of but someone noticed the way you were left out. So he turned to his left and spoke up to direct his words to you.

“So… what is a muggle like you doing here?” Minho asked, making you frown.

“Are we not allowed in Hogwarts?” You asked, earning a smirk from him.

“Oh, you’re allowed in Hogwarts… Purebloods like me just find it unnecessary.” He sounded very cocky about it, it’s ridiculous.

“Then why don’t you sit somewhere else… I don’t wanna ruin your day.”

“Nah, it’s fine… I guess one muggle wouldn’t hurt.” He said, making you stare at him in disbelief.

Was he straight up flirting with you right now? 

Either way, you rolled your eyes at him before taking out your book from your bag and began to read it. As surprising as it sounds, the three boys continued chatting and were almost acting as if you weren’t there. They didn’t try to tease you or disturb your reading session. You thought Minho would snatch your book away and make fun of you for reading or what not but he never did that. Instead, he would occasionally glance over to you once in a while during his conversation with the other two boys. And all he would do is smile. 

Approximately an hour and a half or so later, you finally made it to the castle. Your dream has finally come true. To stand on the castle grounds. To witness the glory and beauty of the entire Hogwarts castle. To be a fellow student of Hogwarts. If only your parents were still around to celebrate the happy moment with you. 

All of you were given robes to wear upon your arrival at the train station. It was compulsory to wear it when you finally entered the castle, proceeding forward with the house sorting. As soon as the huge double doors to the Great Hall swung open, you were all greeted by the existing students of Hogwarts and the teachers of the school. Long tables align the hall in four columns, starting with Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor. A few metres above the tables were the respective house flags that were hung on each pillar on the golden rod.

Students of each house sat in their respective tables while teachers, headmasters and headmistresses sat in the long table behind the podium in which Dumbledore stood to welcome the newcomers including yourself. The new lot of you stopped at the very start of the short steps up the platform where you see a wooden stool and a very crimped looking hat. It was a pointed hat with a huge rim around it.

Except, what brought your attention was the face that was on the front of the hat.

“Now when I call your name, you will come forth. I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses.” Professor McGonagall said as she held the hat in one hand while the other held a big piece of paper that had the list of names that belonged to the new students this year.

And so it began.

“Lee Juyeon.” She called as he walked past the crowd to meet her at the top of the steps. He sat on the stool while she placed the hat onto his head. Immediately after it touched his head, the sorting hat’s neutral expression changed into a smirk before it spoke up.

“Hmm… very interesting. You are gullible but you can be smart as well. I see bravery and courage behind your gentle appearance that just suits this specific house… Better be… Gryffindor!” The students of Gryffindor cheer loudly as they welcome a new member to their house. Juyeon smiled brightly as he walked over to join his new housemates. A few names were called after Juyeon, waiting patiently for your turn. Then, another familiar name was called upon.

“Ji Changmin.” You turned to him who gave you a smile before walking forward. He sat in the chair and the sorting hat began to do his magic.

“Ahh… this one is quite easy… You are very loyal to the people you love. You have a good dedication towards doing what you love and for that, I shall put you in… Hufflepuff!” It said, earning a thunderous applause and roars of cheers from students of Hufflepuff to welcome another new member to their house. Professor McGonagall soon calls for the next name in the list.

“Lee Minho.” You watched as he strolled forward with a smirk on his face. He proceeded to sit on the stool, waiting for the hat to be placed on his head. Except, the hat barely even touched his head but it seemed like it was already determined which house Minho would definitely be placed in. And your guess was right.

“Slytherin!” Roar of cheers burst into the hall as the students of Slytherin welcomed him warmly. Minho joins them naturally like he knew he was going to be sorted into Slytherin right before he stepped foot into the castle. Right when you were just about to take a deep breath from feeling nervous, Professor McGonagall called upon your full name to summon you on stage. Since there were a few students left, you could easily walk up the steps unlike when you first started the sorting of houses. You sat on the stool, waiting patiently despite your heart beating rapidly in your chest.

Instantly after being placed on your head, that’s when the hat speaks, “Ahh… This one is tough… I sense great bravery within you that seems to overpower everything else. But your curiosity for even the small little things could easily activate your intelligence and that is the key trait about you that not many possess… I know… Why not put you in… Ravenclaw!” 

As soon as this was announced, the students of Ravenclaw burst into cheers for you to welcome their new member into their house. You walked over to the empty seat with a smile, sitting next to the new boy in your year whose name is Hongjoong. He gave you a high five after you settled down, returning his gesture happily, knowing you were finally sorted into your house for the next 7 years. You then glanced forward naturally, not really sure what you were looking for until your pair of eyes met a pair that was staring straight into yours.

There he sat directly opposite from you. Minho’s gaze was soft but you could sense the playfulness in it. The corner of his lips curl into a smirk, raising his eyebrows cheekily at you to in a way, congratulate you for settling in a house. You weren’t sure how to react because this was new to you so all you could afford to do was divert your eyes towards the remaining bunch of students waiting to be sorted into the respective houses. 

Once that was over, Dumbledore gave a quick last speech before he waved both hands out and magically, your tables were all filled with food that could feed everyone endlessly. You ate till your heart's content, not giving a single care in the world about who should have the last piece because it just magically refills by itself once the plate is empty. 

Dinner ends with you being escorted back to your respective towers with the help of your house prefects. The way to enter the Ravenclaw tower is to answer whatever riddles or puzzles that the bronze eagle knocker asks as a password. Its question may vary so it doesn’t always ask the same riddles over and over again. Only those who get the answer correct may enter and those who can’t answer can only enter when someone answers it correctly. 

The moment the door opens, you are greeted by a large and spacious area which is called the common room. Where the students can sit and lounge by the fireplace and use the built in library to read books. The boys and girls room were separate upstairs where a few students shared a room with 5 beds arranged in a circle with the foot of the beds meeting in the middle. It took you less than a minute or two to adjust to the new environment, going to your designated bed where your bags and Snowy were already waiting for you. 

You couldn’t help but look forward to your days to come as a fellow Hogwarts student. 

The next day, you were having your first class as a Hogwarts student. You walked with Hongjoong and Yeeun to the potions class. Upon entering the classroom, you noticed the students gathered at the back of the class. Clearly not knowing where to sit. It wasn’t a surprise considering all of you were still new to all this. Suddenly, an arm drapes over your left shoulder, catching you by surprise. You turned to your right to see who it was, only to lock eyes with the fellow Slytherin you met on your way here yesterday.

“Good morning. You look like you barely slept last night. Are you that excited to be here?” Minho teased with a cheeky look on his face that you didn’t miss out.

“You look like you had too much sleep. Are you that bored to be here?” You asked back, earning a laugh from him.

“Someone’s a little feisty this morning…” Minho said, making you roll your eyes. 

“You just seem like you enjoy disturbing people for your own amusement so I won’t give you that.” You said easily, earning a nod of agreement to you. 

“Hey… In my defence, I don’t just pick on people randomly. I choose who I wanna talk to because apparently, not everyone can handle my charms.” Minho sounded cocky and confident which never looked good on anyone. And yet somehow, it kinda suits him especially with that stupid Slytherin uniform of his. 

“Charms? I think you mistook charms for repulsiveness.” You said before pushing his hand off your shoulder.

“Oh come on, Y/N… I’m not as bad as you think, you know? You just haven’t known me well yet.”

“Whatever.” You said firmly as the teacher in charge of this class walks in with a gentle smile on his face.

“Good morning class. My name is Professor Slughorn and I will be your teacher for Potions class. Now, you may sit with whoever you’d like. It doesn’t matter to me.” He announced, allowing you to settle down before he began teaching. You chose Yeeun as your sit partner without a doubt, not realising that Minho was sitting two tables behind you diagonally in the very last row with his housemate, Jungwoo. Minutes tick by and you are finally dismissed from Potions class. 

After gathering your books, you left the classroom to walk to your next class which was Herbology. While you were walking and talking to Yeeun, you noticed Minho walking a few students ahead of you. He was with Jungwoo, Juyeon and Changmin but for some reason, he caught your eye first because he had already taken off his robe. Simply wearing the black pants, a white long sleeve shirt with the green sweater vest over it. His robe was hanging off his forearm like it was a piece of towel. 

When you made it to the greenhouse, all of you were told to wear a protective gear which was a beige coat and a pair of thick gloves that would protect you from the plants in case anything unfortunate happens. 

Class went well despite having a student from Gryffindor fainting after hearing the mandrake’s cries. Nevertheless, you finished class successfully and soon made your way back to the respective house towers. About half an hour later, you were all making your way to the Great Hall for lunch. Students were heading towards the same place in groups, chatting and laughing amongst themselves. You were talking to Yeeun about class when Changmin’s voice calling your name made you turn around.

He walks over to you with Seonghwa who was also a Hufflepuff. Once they joined you and Yeeun, all four of you continued to walk to the Great Hall together. On your way there, you spot Minho leaning against the staircase with some of his Slytherin friends including Jungwoo. They looked like they had absolutely no intentions of joining the crowd whatsoever.

However, the minute his eyes met yours from across the room, you saw the way he smiled wider and was shifting his weight from one foot to another as though he was about to push himself off the wall. At last, he opted to stay where he was even though his gaze never left yours for more than 5 seconds every time.

All in all, your first day of school went by pretty well. Making new friends along the way, letting Minho tease you to his liking, attacking him back with unexpected replies, earning the title of Tom and Jerry within the first day of school. Your classmates noticed this interaction between the two of you and some of them couldn’t help but say that there was some sort of secret attraction between you and Minho. As much as you disagree, you couldn’t help but wonder if it’s indeed true.

Nonetheless, you simply brushed it off knowing it’s only been a day and you have 7 years left with him. Maybe your feelings might change, maybe it wouldn’t. For now, it’s safe to say that you don’t see him romantically. Probably you just find him slightly attractive to a certain extent but that’s it.

That’s it…

Days become months and you are now 8 months in year 2. At the start of the year, your senior Namjoon and Jungkook encouraged you to go for the Quidditch tryouts for the three different positions. That was how you landed on becoming the Seeker for Ravenclaw. You’ve already taken part in a few friendly matches with the other teams, only to find out that Minho was also the Seeker for his team. You’ve lost to him thrice in the past 7 and a half months during a match. And yet, you’ve also won a total of six times in a row during that 7 and a half months, making you the ultimate Seeker for Ravenclaw.

It was a Wednesday afternoon, you had just finished having lunch and was now in the Great Hall again to do some quiet studying with Professor Snape being the teacher in charge of looking after everyone. You were sitting in one of the tables together with Yeeun, Hongjoong, Changmin and Seonghwa. All of you had to whisper to talk to each other because Snape was scary to all the students here and you wouldn’t dare to press his wrong buttons. 

Just then, someone placed their book down on the empty space beside your arm, causing you to look up. You found Minho slipping into the seat next to you with Jungwoo on the opposite side. 

“Hey guys, mind if we sit?” Minho asked, to which you scoffed at him.

“Yes, we do mind actually.” You said.

“Well, too late. We’re still sitting.” He said purposely to annoy you and it worked. You shook your head before turning your attention back to your work. A few minutes later, is when Minho nudged your elbow with his to gain your attention despite being aware that Snape was somewhere around the corner.

“Are you ready for tonight’s match?” He whispered loudly to you.

“Yes.”

“Really? Should we make a deal?”

“No.” You said, earning a smirk from him as he leans closer.

“Come on… It’ll be fun! I’ll start first.” Minho was about to continue when you noticed Snape approaching him from behind so you turned back to your book and whispered to give him a warning in hopes that he caught it.

“Snape’s coming!”

“Y/N, listen. It’s sim-” And then you hear a loud book smack to the back of Minho’s head. You flinched hard, feeling the pain when he received that. After Snape walked off, you turned to Minho who was rubbing the back of his head with a snarl on his face. 

“I warned you…” You laughed softly, only to hear him scoff at you.

“Shut up.” He said in annoyance. However, he couldn’t stay mad at you for long. Which is why he brushed it off a few minutes later.

Hours later, you were finally preparing for the match. You had changed into your quidditch gear and uniform. Your team captain was giving a briefing before the match started like they always do. The first match was between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Next match tomorrow was between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Then the winners of each match will go up against each other on Friday. When it was your turn to head into the quidditch pitch, your team cheered before climbing onto your brooms and soon flew out of your tents.

You went to your position a few metres above every other player in the air where you hovered face to face with Hufflepuff’s Seeker whom you recognised to be Taehyung. While you were just focusing on Madam Hooch who was giving out instructions for the match, you heard someone calling your name from the Ravenclaw pitch only to see Yeeun bouncing on her feet cheering for you.

This made you laugh as you then saw Hongjoong and Chanhee doing the same. After you’ve given them a small wave, you naturally shift your gaze to the left of the pitch where Slytherin students were gathered. That’s when you spotted Minho standing there with his eyes fixed on you. Your smile began to fade despite seeing him smiling at you cheekily. Before something happens, you avoided his gaze by looking down. Pretending to listen to Madam Hooch.

Once the game started, you paid full attention to the game. Trying your best to find the golden snitch. Just as you were about to say something to Taehyung to throw him off, you saw the golden snitch hovering from side to side behind him. You smirked as you locked eyes with him and said, “Goodluck.”

That was all you said before taking off at a speed that no one thought you were capable of.

After a few minutes of active chasing and near-fall accidents, you finally caught the snitch in your hand by throwing yourself off your broomstick. Landing on the sand with a roll. The minute you sat up, you held the golden snitch high in the air, earning almost half of the quidditch pitch to cheer for you. Your teammates flew over to give you a group hug, celebrating your team’s victory. Your team soon made your way back into your house tent happily knowing you won today’s match. Which means you qualify to the final round.

As soon as you’ve removed your protective gears back to the trunks, you all made your way back to the castle. With your broomstick in one hand and your robe in the other, you walked back to your tower with your friends.

The next day, you found out that Slytherin won the match which means that your team would be going up against Slytherin for the final match. As nerve wracking as it sounds, you have a hunch that your team would win the match even though you know not to be too overconfident. Which is exactly why you weren’t boasting about winning the match since it hasn’t even happened.

Either way, you can’t wait for the match.

The final match was starting in less than an hour, as you put on your protective gears where necessary. Once that was done, you go over the techniques to use during this game knowing it was against Slytherin. When it was finally time to enter the pitch, you got onto your broom and flew out together with your teammates. All of you flew around the pitch before going to your places in the air. Since you were the Seeker, you hovered a few metres above your teammates. And since Minho was the Seeker for his team, he too flew up to hover above his teammates and eventually, facing you.

“Hey you. Ready to get your ass kicked?” Minho asked in a teasing tone, making you huff.

“I could ask you the same question.”

“Should we make a deal? The loser has to do the winner’s homework for a week.”

“Nah… It’ll be too obvious if you did my homework…” You said sarcastically, earning an offended look from him.

“Are you saying I’m dumb?” He asked with full offence.

“I’m not saying you’re smart either, am I?” 

“You’re unbelievable.” Minho scoffed at you.

With that being said, the whistle was blown, Madam Hooch threw the quaffle up high into the air and soon, the games began. You stayed put while trying to search for the golden snitch. The minute you spotted the snitch flying around behind the Slytherin goal posts, you immediately flew in its direction. Aiming for nothing but the golden snitch. While you were flying, you noticed Minho coming for you as the golden snitch made a sudden turn up. Before you could crash into him, you flew up at a sharp 90° angle, following the golden snitch diligently.

Minutes ticked by as you weren’t keeping track of the time. Your team was currently losing with a hefty point of 50 against 130. You had only 4 minutes left to catch the golden snitch or else your team loses. So with a determined mindset, you tried whatever you could to speed up despite Minho trying to throw you off. 

Nevertheless, luck seems to be on your side because during the last 30 seconds of the game, Minho ended up crashing through one of the wooden pillars when he tried to fly up. That’s when you managed to catch the golden snitch at the very last second, earning your team an extra 150 points. You celebrated with your team when you made it back to your tent. Happy that you won the final round of the tournament. When everyone had already removed their protective gears and was about to make their way back to the castle, that’s when you crossed paths with the Slytherin team. 

“We would’ve won if you hadn’t cheated during the game.” Jungwoo said, directing his words to you. This made you frown, knowing he was probably just salty over the loss.

“Cheated? I never cheat during a game unlike your team. We play fairly according to the rules.” You defended yourself and your teammates.

“You probably casted a spell on Minho’s broomstick so that he would lose control over it, didn’t you?” 

“Are you listening to yourself? Spells aren’t allowed to be casted during a game by any players!”

“You might’ve been desperate to win since your score was way lower than ours.” Jungwoo said with a prominent smirk on his face, making you want to just slap that shit eating smirk off his face. 

“Enough.” Minho said quietly whilst pressing a firm hand on Jungwoo’s chest to stop him. However, the latter was stubborn.

“Maybe you wanted to win so badly, you just decided to cast a spell without anyone seeing.” Jungwoo continued to trigger you and it was honestly getting to you even though you knew that wasn’t true.

“Because you’re just a desperate little mudblood.” The minute Jungwoo said this, Minho immediately yelled at his friend, “Hey! Enough!” clearly disapproving of what the boy said. You then storm off without saying goodbye to your friends. You were just about to climb the Grand Staircase when a firm grip to your wrist made you stop.

“Y/N! Wait.” Minho said as you ripped your arm out of his grip.

“Leave me alone.” 

“Y/N stop!”

“What more do you want, Minho?! You heard what he called me!”

“So what? It’s just a word.” He said unknowingly and it hurts you even more.

“A word? Do you even know what that means? You don’t know what it’s like to be a muggle born. You purebloods definitely don’t understand how hurtful that word means to us…” You said in pure disappointment as he clearly didn't know what to say.

“Y/N-”

“Leave me alone, Minho.” You said as you left him standing there just staring into your back without any intentions of chasing after you. For the next few days, you barely talked to him even though he tries to talk to you.

Fortunately for him, you couldn’t stay mad at him for too long as you eventually gave in when he sat with you in between classes and teased you lightheartedly about things you found ridiculous. 

Hence, why you ended up talking to him again despite what you said the other day after the tournament.

Your relationship with Minho began with a rocky start but as the years go by, your relationship with him could be said to have improved quite a lot. Rather than fighting everyday, both of you were almost looking out for each other when times are rough for either one. Even your close friends could see the difference in the way you both interact with each other over the past few years. It’s quite obvious yet subtle at the same time. It was your sixth year a few months ago, and you were thankful that your grades have been consistently good even with how hard some of the subjects could be.

It was a chilly Saturday afternoon, you were all given the permission to go into town for the day provided you get a parent or guardian’s signature by signing an approval form. You were all walking down the path that leads you straight to the secret passageway that links to Hogsmeade town. You were walking next to Changmin, Juyeon and Seonghwa when a heavy arm suddenly draped over your left shoulder. 

This made you flinch slightly before you turned to see who it was, not surprised to find the arm belonging to Minho. Beside him were Changbin and Hyunjin, who he became friends with after he ditched Jungwoo. When you asked him why, he only said they had a disagreement about something but he was never clear about what it was and you never asked further anyway.

“Hey babe, know where you’re heading to yet?” Minho asked, making you nod.

“Yes and I’ll make sure you won’t be there.” You said. The guys hissed jokingly for Minho, making fun of him. Minho on the other hand, smirks at you while rolling his eyes. You’ve always been like this with him and vice versa. Some of your friends even called it your love language with each other.

“Oh, come on Y/N… You know you like having me around.” Minho teased you openly, earning a little laugh from you.

“Aren’t you a little too confident right now?” 

“I don’t have to be when I’m with you though because I know it’s always true.” 

“You’re so annoying.” You whispered under your breath while pushing his arm off your shoulder. You sped up to join Sakura, Yeeun and Eunbi up front, leaving the boys in the back.

“Just confess already man… We can literally see your heart eyes for her.” Changmin teased Minho, trying to break the latter’s ego but it’s obviously not working. Not easily at least.

“I don’t like her. I just love teasing her.” Minho said with his head held high.

“Keep telling yourself that, Minho.” Changmin laughed, together with Hyunjin and Changbin.

“Come on, why would I like a Ravenclaw? She’s so… intellectual all the time. It’s annoying.” Minho claimed but his friends knew how much that was a lie.

“As if you didn’t just tell us the other day that you found that sexy.” Hyunjin said, earning a sharp glare from Minho who suddenly reached out to grab Hyunjin’s sleeve but the male was quick to run forward with a loud cackle.

Upon arriving at Hogsmeade, you told your friends that you would be heading to the bookstore. You always went there whenever you were given the opportunity to go into town as you loved to buy new books for you to read during break times in school. You were taking your own sweet time, looking through the books on the shelves when someone suddenly traps you between the shelves and themselves by putting their hands on either side of your head against the shelf rack. 

You turned around quickly, thinking it was some weird person but instead, you sighed in relief after realising it was just Minho.

“Really? The first thing you do upon reaching town is to go to the bookshop?” He asked.

“We all have our hobbies, no?” You asked with a smile, seeing the way his eyes very subtly flick down to your lips for a second before meeting your eyes again.

“You’re a bookworm, you know that?” Minho said teasingly but you didn’t take it to heart for you to declare yourself as one too.

“I know.” You said with a light laugh before gently pushing him by his stomach in which he easily takes a step back to free you from his cage. He stayed with you for the next few minutes while you looked through the books that were open for sale. Minho never complained once or even asked for you to hurry up. Instead, he simply waited patiently behind you. Picking up books to casually flip through whilst waiting. 

Since you’ve been there for almost an hour, you finally bought two books and left the shop with him.

When in reality, you could’ve been in there the entire day. You were walking down the cramp alleyway when a warm hand slid around your wrist to stop you from walking. You turned over your shoulder to find Minho’s eyes focused on the shop called Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. He then turns to you silently and you got the message. 

With that being said, both of you made your way into the shop, only to be greeted by a fresh aroma of teas and coffee beans filling your nostrils. You were going straight to the tea section while he went straight to the coffee section. A few minutes later, you were taking a sip of a tea sample that the staff gave you when Minho came back with a bag in hand. Both of you proceeded to then leave the shop to go find your friends at the Three Broomsticks Inn.

Upon arriving at the Inn, you found your friends sitting together at a table, minus Changbin and Hyunjin who sat with their own friends that you recognize to be Chan, Jisung, Felix from Gryffindor, Jeongin from Hufflepuff and Seungmin from Ravenclaw.

“Can’t we sit together?” Minho asked, to which you scoffed at him but the smile on your face did nothing to hide your emotions.

“Are you seriously being clingy right now?” You teased, earning a roll of his eyes at you.

“What? I can’t sit with the girl I like to annoy most?” 

“Unfortunately, no.” You said before walking towards your friends. 

Minho did the same despite feeling slightly bummed that he would have to sit pretty far from you. All the while, he would occasionally steal glances over to you from across the room. Sometimes you’d catch him, sometimes you were busy laughing at something one of your friends said. Either way, Minho felt like he was drawn to you every time and that made him sneak glances at you repeatedly. After almost two hours of just hanging out at the Inn, it was time to head back to the castle so you all left the place.

Two weeks later, you were in the library to study for your upcoming exams. Though you’ve asked some of your classmates to join you for a study session, they weren’t as studious as you so they made excuses to not go to the library with you. Even so, you never got upset with them for you just said okay and left to head to the library by yourself. Just as you were seated diagonally on the table top right beside the shelves with a book in hand, someone snuck up behind you only to lean in close until you could feel their body warmth radiating off them.

You turned to look over your shoulder and saw Minho looming over you from behind. One arm resting against the bookshelves while the other hand was tucked inside his pant’s pocket. 

“Do you ever not go to the library? This is like literally your second home.” Minho commented on your choice of location that differs from everyone else for the weekend.

“I have to study. I don’t want my grades to fall.”

“Y/N, you’re literally the smartest person I know. Your grades will never fall if you skip studying for just one day.” 

“Minho!”

“Y/N!” Minho loudly whispered as you grew quiet, not knowing what to say to him. You decided not to stir up an argument with him since you’re in the library so you simply sighed in defeat and began to walk away. He trailed behind you until you were making your way towards the exit. That’s when he spoke up.

“Let’s go do something.” 

“Why?”

“It’s Saturday. Everyone’s out of the castle.”

“I need to study.”

“Y/N, how many times do I have to tell you, there’s no need to study 24/7… You’re gonna ace it. Even you yourself know that.”

“I don’t wanna be overconfident, Minho. What if I flunk this time round? I can’t let that happen.” 

“You’re overthinking again.” This made you scoff knowing it's true. With that being said, you let out a groan of frustration before you spoke up to him.

“Fine! Let’s go.” You said as he cheered to your reply. You quickly went to change out of your Ravenclaw uniform into something cosy since it was gradually entering the winter season. Once you were ready, you left your common room to find Minho waiting for you outside the Ravenclaw tower. You didn’t expect him to be there since you told him to wait for you at the quad instead. 

You were about to walk down the steps when he suggested something that was surprising to you.

“I have an idea… but it might not be something you’re used to.”

“And that is…?”

“Well… we could go to town like everyone else is doing… or we could play quidditch without actually playing quidditch…” He said with a playful smirk creeping onto his face.

“So you’re basically suggesting to play catch in the quidditch pitch?” 

“Are you up for it?” He asked. You thought for a solid few seconds, wondering how bad it would be if you got caught but hey… it’s okay to have a little fun once in a while… Right?

“Let’s go then.” You said, which made him smile brightly upon hearing this. Nevertheless, you went to the quidditch pitch with him, deciding to borrow the broomsticks that were available in your house tents. You flew out of the tent only to find Minho flying in circles around the entire circumference of the pitch. When he saw you hovering about 50 metres off the ground, he flew to you with a prominent smile on his face. 

“Who’s the seeker and who’s the snitch?” He asked.

“Rock paper scissors?”

“Okay.”

He did the count for it, calling rock paper scissors before both of you pulled out a hand sign for your chosen item. He chose rock while you chose scissors. Minho took less than a second to decide to be the seeker which lands you with being the snitch. As soon as he counted to 3, you took off flying as fast as you could. You even went out of the pitch but still within the quidditch pitch area, avoiding going too close to the main castle grounds.

Both of you flew around for a couple of minutes with him being unable to catch you. Just then, you were flying straight into the ditch whilst turning back to look at him when Minho suddenly panics and shouts to you, “Watch out!” 

This made you turn to look forward and you saw that the sand ditch was less than 10 metres away from you. With how fast you’re going, it’s impossible for you to curve up in time. And so, when you still tried to pull your broomstick up, the back of it crashed into the ditch. This great impact made you get thrown off your broom and crash into the ground in front. Your whole body bounced back off the ditch from how forceful it was but before you could collide into the ground again, a body crashed into you as you rolled onto the sand to a harsh stop.

The minute you stopped rolling, that’s when you slowly looked up to find Minho shielding your head by wrapping one arm around your head that buried your face in his chest while the other hand wrapped around your torso. Both of you were breathing heavily from all the chaos and tumbling around.

“Are you okay?” He asked quietly, earning a nod from you.

“Are you okay?” You asked him the same question after knowing he took most of the impact for you. 

“I will be…” He said, making you huff. You carefully got off him, helping him up as well. When you were both back on your feets, you said that he should head back to his common room to rest. Deep down, he didn’t want to but he decided to just listen to you.

However, he promised himself not to suggest anything dangerous to you ever again.

Weeks passed by and you had a few days of school left before the festive holiday break which would be a solid 2 weeks. Returning back to Hogwarts after New Years. It was a chilly Monday morning. You had just finished your Herbology class and were walking towards the main castle with Yeeun and Sakura when Changmin’s voice called for you from behind. All three of you turned around to find Minho walking a few metres behind you along with Juyeon, Changmin and Seonghwa.

“You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up with you later.” You said to the two girls as they nodded and continued walking. You stopped and stayed where you were until the boys came to you. Once they were in a line with you, that’s when your legs started walking again. With you being in between Minho and Juyeon.

“Are you going back home for the holiday season?” Juyeon asked, to which you shook your head as a reply. Some of them frowned upon seeing this, confused as to why you wouldn’t be going home to spend the holiday season with your grandparents.

“Why not?” Changmin asked, making you look down at your feet.

“My aunt is bringing my grandparents out of the country for the holidays. They just didn’t bother to wait till my holiday started.”

“What the hell? That’s so unfair! How could they sit you out on this one? You’re literally their family.” Juyeon said, making you shrug in defeat.

“My aunt has always neglected me ever since my parents died. Only my grandparents know how much I’ve tolerated her bullshit over the past years.” You sighed, not knowing how angry Minho was feeling upon this revelation. As the holiday season was getting closer and closer, and students were starting to pack up to go home for the 2 week break, you occupied your time by going to the library after school to either study or read. Since that was all you could do during the 2 weeks break while the castle is void of students and teachers.

However, you weren’t prepared for the plan someone had in store for you. It was the day before the break started, you were just walking to your potions class when Minho catches you down the hall and walks with you. And suddenly, he said, “Pack your bags by tonight.” making you frown.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re coming home with me for the holidays.”

“What?!” You yelled in surprise, not expecting this at all.

“I’m serious.” He said.

“I can’t, Minho! Your family… They hate muggles. You said it yourself. I can’t join your family for the holidays.”

“It’s gonna be fine.” Minho said nonchalantly as though it was nothing.

“Minho, you know I can’t go. I don’t belong there.”

“It doesn’t matter because you’re still going and that’s final.” He was adamant on this decision so you had no other choice. The next morning, you were contemplating leaving the Ravenclaw tower. Hoping he’d just leave you once he sees that you weren’t coming with him but Minho wasn’t easily persuaded by just actions. You were lounging in the Ravenclaw common room when a lady from a portrait outside the Ravenclaw tower walked over to the huge painting in the room to deliver her message to you.

“Dear, there’s someone waiting to see you.” She said.

“Who is it?”

“It’s a Slytherin boy. A handsome one too.” You knew right off the bat who it was and you knew there is no way you could easily run away from him so you sighed in defeat. You got up and followed her to the entrance, as you opened the door to reveal the main castle’s hallway and there stood prince charming in his Slytherin robe over his casual winter wear.

“Packed your bags?” He asked without a hi, causing you to cross your arm over your chest while leaning against the doorframe.

“Hello to you too…” You let out a soft scoff before you continued, “Is there a chance that I could convince you into letting me sit this one out?” You sounded hopeful even though you knew he’d say no.

“No.”

There it is.

“Minho, please?”

“Y/N, you’d rather stay here with the ghosts for 2 long weeks than with humans?”

“I can survive!”

“And spend your 2 weeks in the library everyday? Even Rowena Ravenclaw didn’t stay in the library that long.”

“Minho!”

“Y/N, hurry up and get your bags!”

“Fine!” You ended up raising your voice after failing to persuade him, walking in to go get your things. 

Meanwhile, Minho looked at the woman in the portrait and asked, “Can I come in?”

“Can you answer the eagle’s puzzles or riddles?” He glanced over to the bronze eagle knocker that was guarding the entrance to the Ravenclaw tower before he said, “Nevermind.” He walked away to lean against the wall while waiting for you. When you finally came back out with your bags, Minho offered to carry them for you but you refused. He then led you to the quad where the transport for him was already waiting. 

Both of you got onto the carriage as it began to take you further into the woods that would bring you straight to the Lee’s residence since he was indeed a pureblood which means he didn’t live in the muggle world. The journey to his home was occasionally filled with laughter, oftentimes just you slapping the crap out of him in annoyance. When you finally arrived outside his house, you instantly felt out of place. You felt like you didn't belong there and he knew.

“Just stick to me if you feel uncomfortable.” Minho said as he helped you with your main bag. He unlocked the door with a simple flick of his wand, making you stare in awe. He led you inside after closing the doors.

“Mom, dad, I’m home…” Minho said as you then heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

“Oh, my baby is back home! I’ve made your favourite beef-” Her words stopped the moment she locked eyes with you, clearly not expecting a visitor. Her smile washes away as she holds her head high to look down at you.

“Why did you bring a muggle into the house, Min?” 

“Mom, be nice. She wasn’t going home for the holidays so I told her to come with me.” She was definitely displeased with his answer to which you already couldn’t help but hide yourself behind him.

“Your cousins and relatives are coming over this weekend. I want her out by then.”

“What?! Mom-”

“I said it! You better do it.” She said firmly, only for his father to join you at the front door. He frowns upon Minho but never greeted you the way she did. Instead, he opted for a small nod before telling Minho to obey his mother’s words. You, on the other hand, felt like it was a mistake to come here. So right after his father walked off, Minho asked you to follow him upstairs but you remained glued to the ground.

“Hey, forget what she said. Come on.”

“No.” You said firmly. Minho frowned at you, feeling uneasy after how his mother acted in front of you.

“Y/N-”

“No! I’m not staying here if I’m not welcomed. You can’t force me to stay. This is your home, not mine…” You paused as a tear was threatening to roll down your cheeks.

“I should go. Happy Holidays Minho.” You said, turning back to exit the house. You began to walk back down the path you came from without the carriage since it was long gone. You were halfway into the woods when you heard the sound of tyres crushing dead leaves on the ground behind you. You turned around to find Minho on a carriage coming towards you.

“Hop in.” He said.

“What?”

“Come on. I have a better idea.” Minho smiled as he stood up and gestured for you to throw your bags in. Once that was done, you grabbed his reached out hand and let him pull you up with ease. You sat next to him, asking where you were going but he said it was a secret.

After a few minutes of chatting, the carriage finally brought you back to the castle where both of you got down with your bags and started walking.

“Why are we here?” You asked him quietly, only to see him smile.

“If you can’t spend the holidays with me at my home, then I’ll spend the holidays here with you.” You were shocked at how easy he said that as if his relatives weren’t coming that weekend.

“What about your family? Minho, you should be with them.”

“And you should be with yours, yet they left you. No?” You grow quiet, not able to find the right words so he sighed.

“Look, there’s nothing much we can do here but at least you won’t be alone for the holiday season…” He tried to cheer you up and you couldn’t help but feel touched by his sweet gesture.

Throughout the next few days, you and Minho grew closer as surprising as it sounds. Every morning, he would wait for you outside the Ravenclaw common room to head down to the Great Hall together. He would tease and joke around with you like no other, making you feel less lonely. For that, you were actually grateful to have him here with you. Today was no different. It was the second last night before everyone came back from the holiday break which was also the night before New Years. 

Minho decided to bring you to the lake to relax under the moonlight since there was no one guarding the entrances to the forests during that long holiday break. Once you were at the lake, you sat under a huge tree next to him. Not really speaking to each other but instead, enjoying the calm silent night. Minho stood up as he began to collect small flat pebbles and toss them horizontally onto the water surface to make them hop. 

You silently watched him flick his wrist professionally everytime he threw a pebble into the lake. Suddenly, you didn’t know what washed over you but you spoke up what was on your mind.

“Thank you.” Your voice was soft, as if you were afraid he’d hear you but that wasn’t your intention.

You wanted him to hear you.

“What for?” He asked as he turned to look at you. You find his gaze intimidating, making you look down onto your hands in your lap. Avoiding eye contact with him at all costs.

“For staying at the castle with me? You should’ve just stayed with your family.” You said as you picked on your cuticles out of anxiety. Minho noticed this but he didn’t wanna say anything.

“It’s fine… I needed an excuse to get away from them anyway. I’m sick of them bugging me to find a girlfriend every time I come home.”

“They want you to get a girlfriend?”

“Yeah… They keep telling me to date preferably a pureblood, Slytherin girl but have you seen the girls in Slytherin? I’d rather date McGonagall than them.” Minho shivered visibly, making you giggle. 

So you teased him, “Are you saying you have a crush on McGonagall?” 

“Yes. Yes I do.” Minho said, with a cheeky smirk. Your face distorts in disgust, earning a laugh from him.

“Eww, who knew you’re into old ladies.” You laughed while he just stood there with a smile on his face.

“Okay but seriously though? You can’t tell me there’s not even one girl in Slytherin who appeals to you?”

“Nope. No one.”

“That’s a lie.” You said.

“Would you believe me if I said I like someone outside of Slytherin?”

“I highly doubt it’s true but I don’t think it’s impossible.” You shrugged your shoulders, earning a roll of his eyes at you.

“Can you give me a name?” You asked.

“No.”

“Why? Are you shy?” You teased him, causing his ears to turn red.

“Hell no.”

“Okay, so then tell me.”

“No.”

“Fine, which house are they in?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Why not?”

“Y/N, you’re not a detective. Stop asking me questions!” He said firmly as he got up to leave so you followed behind him.

“Oh come on, don’t tell me you’re shy. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“No.” You remained quiet until you decided to make it fair for him.

“I like someone too… But I don’t know if they feel the same about me. So how about this… Will you tell me their house if I tell you mine?” You spoke up softly. Minho stopped walking as he visibly contemplated it. You weren’t sure if you were ready to say it out loud but since you suggested it, it’s too late to back out now.

“Fine. Just their house, yes?”

“Yeah. Nothing more. I promise.” 

“Same time?”

“Sure.”

Both of you faced each other and at the count of three, both of you said at the same time.

“Slytherin.”

“Ravenclaw.”

You smiled even though your heart was racing in your chest.

“See! That wasn’t so bad, was it?” You asked, making him sigh. Both of you continued walking in silence until you could see the wooden bridge that links to the quad. Snowflakes gently fall from the sky, coating the ground and yourselves. Right before you reached the end of the forest where it was just an open field that leads you to the start of the wooden bridge, you called his name softly. He turned around to look at you as he hummed in response while his soft eyes wandered in thought. 

You weren’t sure if you should say it since you promised to keep it at the house and nothing more. “Nevermind… Just forget it.” You smiled as you walked past him to go straight to the wooden bridge. You were halfway through when his heavy footsteps rushed behind you only to feel him grab your wrist gently to avoid hurting you.

“You wanted to say something earlier right? Just say it.” He said but you were stubborn.

“It’s fine. We should go, it’s almost New Years. We can see the fireworks.” You said as you carefully unwrap his fingers from around your wrist only to tangle your fingers with his. You dragged him all the way to the end of the bridge and once you were in the quad, you glanced down at your wristwatch to find that you have 1 minute left before New Years.

“Are you ready for year 7?” He asked while walking along the sheltered part of the quad with your hands still locked together.

“Yeah… All that studying better pays off or else I’m gonna throw someone in the Black Lake.” You said.

“Please… You’re like the smartest Ravenclaw in our class that I know. You’re definitely gonna ace it.”

“You’re just saying that because I’m here…” You teased him as he began to defend himself.

“No! I’m serious!”

“Yeah right.” You laughed only to hear the fireworks go off.

“Minho look!” You said as you pulled him outside to the open quad where you could get a good look of the fireworks. Both of you were in awe by how beautiful it was, decorating the night sky with colour sparks as snowflakes fall down on you.

“Happy New Year Minho.” You said as you looked up at him.

“Happy New Year Y/N.” He said with a sweet smile on his face. Neither of you dared to do anything else but the tension was killing you… And him too apparently.

So with him being the man, Minho whispers under his breath, “Fuck it” before he tugs you into his chest while his other hand cups your face to guide you until your lips touched his. Your breath hitched in your throat but you were quick to melt into the kiss. Your hands find their way to his chest and up to his neck. Minho hugs your waist to keep you close to him, feeling him smile against your lips.

“I like you, Y/N… I always have.” He whispered when he pulled away, leaving you to smile shyly up at him.

“Well guess what?” You paused to see his reaction. When he nodded his head once with a cheeky smirk on his face, you cupped both sides of his face and said, “I like you too. But I don’t know if I can say the same about the other thing though.”

Minho laughed as he kissed you longingly again before saying, “It’s okay. As long as you like me back now, I’m fine with that.”

You pulled him down for another kiss before telling him to go inside because you were freezing out there. Once you were back in the castle, you asked if he wanted to hang out with you for a while in your common room. Which he easily said yes. When you finally made it to the Ravenclaw tower, you helped him enter by solving the riddle that would open the door to your common room. He followed you up to the girls dormitory where you knew everyone was gone for the holidays. 

You led him to your bed, allowing him to sit while you kissed him. He scooted back until he was leaning against your bed frame, with you straddling his lap. His warm hands slide around your waist, hugging you in place after removing your thick outer layers that were shielding you from the cold weather outside. You were left in just a sweater and jeans while he was in a button down shirt, a sweater that you just removed from him and his jeans. Minho smirked as he kissed you again, squeezing your sides softly to your liking.

With both your hands gently holding his face, you kissed him with so much passion that you completely missed the footsteps approaching until you heard a soft scream behind you.

This made you and Minho flinch from shock, turning around to see a Year 1 student standing at the foot of the door. You panicked as she froze in her spot so you quickly said, “Please don’t tell anyone about this.”

The girl nodded hurriedly before she left, slamming the door shut behind her. You let out a heavy sigh whilst burying your head in his shoulder out of embarrassment. Minho couldn’t help but laugh seeing your reaction earlier. You felt him kiss your cheek as he giggled in your ear softly.

“Are you that scared you’d get busted for sneaking me into your common room?” He asked.

“Of course I am! I don’t wanna get expelled, Minho!” You exclaimed as you pulled away to meet his eyes. He was staring up at you softly which was expected of him but you didn’t care.

“Relax baby. You know we can just cast a spell to make her forget she even saw this right?” 

“I know but that’s against the rules.”

“Baby, when have I ever played by the rules?” 

“Good point.” You said in defeat, earning a cheeky little kiss from him. After he gave you the umpteenth kiss, he finally rushed out of bed and excused himself for a second. He disappeared and came back a few minutes later only to tell you that he had already casted a spell on the girl to make her forget whatever happened during the past 15 minutes. He proceeded to lock the door and climbed back into bed with you, falling asleep in each other’s arms comfortably.

Spending the holiday with him wasn’t as bad as you thought. At least that made both of you realise how you felt for one another. 

Viper.

That was your code name within your gang and the mafia world. Why? Because you were an elite member of your mafia gang. ‘The Red Cobras’ was your gang’s name. Everyone in the mafia world knows who The Red Cobras are. Everyone knows not to mess with your team. Everyone knows to never cross the line whenever your team is involved. For their lives would be at stake if things ever go south. And you would be in-charge of eliminating the enemy or targets in cold blood.

Hence, why your code name was given as ‘Viper’.

Similarly to how they show it in the movies, you do have a private life outside of the mafia world. One where nobody knows your true identity. One where nobody knows what you do for a living besides going to university. Your dark side of your life has always been kept a secret, even from your own family and friends.

Reason being you don’t wanna risk their lives for something that you’ve done. If death is coming your way because things went south during a job, you want it to be targeted to you alone and not your loved ones.

Of course, you would never let that misfortune even happen in the first place. Which is why you can be really uptight and super precise when it comes to planning, preparing and going for every job given to you. So in conclusion, your whole life is a mess but you’d do whatever it takes to keep it intact and as far from your loved ones as possible. The only thing that keeps you going everyday is music. Who knew that someone as dangerous as you could love a commonly loved genre amongst all else, and that is Kpop.

Except, not just any Kpop but more specifically Stray Kids. You’ve been listening and supporting them along with their music ever since they were on that survival show. They have been your pillar of strength when nobody was there for you.

Sure they don’t know you personally. Sure they don’t even know you exist. Sure you probably won’t ever get the chance to meet them. Nevertheless, you were thankful that you found them and their music. As dramatic as this sounds, you definitely have no idea where you would be without them.

It was a Wednesday afternoon, you were having lunch in school when your notification went off. You checked your phone to see what it was and you nearly shat your pants. A few days ago, Stray Kids made a comeback with their new album called Maxident. JYP then tweeted saying that there will be a fansign event coming up for this album release and it will be a first come first serve basis. So as soon as they tweeted the link to apply for the fansign, you quickly clicked on it and prayed for the best.

Which is why you nearly shat your pants when you received an email from the event management saying that you were one of the lucky fans to secure a spot for yourself in the fansign. Nevertheless, you were really thankful for this as you could finally check off one thing on your bucket list. Your friend looked at you with an eyebrow raised, clearly unaware of what was going on.

“I got in for Stray Kids’ fansign this weekend!” You said, only then did they let out a scream of excitement that made everyone in the cafeteria turn heads.

“Omg! Are you serious?! Wait! Omg! You can finally meet I.N!” They squeaked to which you nodded.

“I can finally meet I.N!” You repeat their words out of sheer excitement. Not believing this miracle.

Nonetheless, you went about your day just like how you usually do. Finding it hard to focus sometimes whenever your mind just flickers back to the thought of meeting your ultimate bias this weekend. The chances of you getting the ticket in was less than 50% and yet, you still got in. There is no way you’d forget this day and the actual day when you’re finally meeting him in person.

The day finally comes, where you decide to wear something similar to Jeongin’s everyday look since that was basically your favourite style as well. It was simple yet comfy at the same time. You made yourself look as presentable as you could, spraying a good amount of your favourite EDP scent. The journey to the venue took about half an hour, thanks to the lack of congested traffic. Once you made it to the venue, you paid the cab driver the exact change before getting out of the vehicle. Immediately, there was a whole bunch of fans waiting outside in a queue.

They were all dressed up and ready to meet the boys of Stray Kids. Not only the fangirls but also the fanboys too. Who are we kidding right? You’re meeting your favourite idols. Of course you have to look good in front of them so that they notice you. When else can you sit down and have a chat with your idols casually, right?

Minutes felt like hours as they finally opened the doors to the hall. You sat according to your seat number, placing your bag onto your lap that was filled with the gift you got for each of them. The staff played a video of their new album songs, starting with Case 143 music video first. You were quietly listening to it while texting your friend, not aware of how long you’ve been sitting there. All until the Superboard music video stops and soon, you hear Chan’s voice through the speakers.

“Hello! Hello! Shall we come out and meet you guys?” Everyone in the room replied with a yes as you could hear the background began to get noisy with the rest of the members’ voices. Not long after, all 8 of them entered the stage one by one and you could’ve sworn your soul left your body for a split second when Jeongin walked in.

They greeted all of you and had a quick chat before they started with the fansign event. All the while you were waiting patiently in your seat, you went ahead and took pictures of them from afar.

At one point, you were just admiring the way Chan was laughing out loud while playing rock paper scissors with the fan when you glanced over to his left and saw Jisung staring at you. He didn’t have a fan in front of him so he opted to look at the seated fans. The minute you locked eyes with him, you cheekily winked at him and it startled him. Jisung began to giggle with his hand over his mouth, hanging his head low to avoid your gaze. When he looked back up to you, Jisung gave you a finger heart and pretended to shoot you with it in which you catched it in mid air and pressed your palm over your heart.

He grinned widely at you before giving you a little wave as the fan sat down in front of him. You found it adorable and you don’t think you would ever forget that moment you shared with him. About 20 minutes later, it was finally your turn to head on stage to meet the guys, starting with Chan.

The arrangement of the fansign was Chan, Jisung, Changbin, Seungmin, Minho, Hyunjin, Felix and Jeongin. So when you sat down in front of Chan, he greeted you warmly with a wave and a cute grin.

“Hello! How are you?” He asked as he took your album from the staff and turned it to his page to sign it.

“Hello! I’m good. How are you?” You asked, to which he looked up from the album to talk to you with eye contact.

“I’m doing great. Have you eaten?”

“I did before I came. I hope you had your lunch too?” You asked, earning a cute nod from him.

“Yes, yes. We did. By the way, what’s your name?”

“I’m Y/N.”

“Oh wow, that name really suits you! So, what song is your favourite from Maxident?” Chan asked while you thought of an answer. In all honesty, you loved every single song on the album. So it was hard to pick just one. However, because you were feeling pressured with how little time you had left with Chan, you just said a title that popped to your head first.

“I like all the songs but if I had to choose one? I’d pick Superboard.”

“Really? I like that song too.” Chan giggled, making you do the same. You chatted with him for a bit more but it was time to say goodbye to him.

Before you moved seats, you dug your bag for his gift and soon gave it to him. You told him it was a black hoodie with his initials on the right sleeve cuff and he gasped. He took a quick look at it only to smile brightly at you. He thanked you for the gift and told you that he promised to wear it for his upcoming Chan’s Room live.

Chan then waved to you sadly and placed his palm against the glass divider that separates the idol from the fans due to the pandemic that was still going on. You placed your hand against his and soon moved onto the next person, which was Jisung. Immediately, he laughed and spoke up to you.

“Hey! You’re the one that winked at me earlier, right?” Jisung asked, making you laugh.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Y/N.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Y/N. My name is Han Jisung.” He flashed you his signature toothy grin, making you laugh at how cute he looked up close for the first time. He however, was curious as to why you laughed so his expression changed so quickly to a confused frown. His cheeks puffed out while his eyes grew wide.

“Am I funny looking? Why did you laugh?” He asked in a sad tone, his marker hovering over the album page where his picture was.

“No! I didn’t laugh because you look funny! I laughed because you’re so much cuter in real life.” You said, to which Jisung was caught blushing upon hearing your compliment. He burst out laughing from embarrassment, not really sure on how he should react.

“Ah… Don’t say that. I know I look handsome in person.” He sounded so confident, to which Changbin scoffed beside him and said, “Please. If that’s true, then why is Hyunjin the visual of the group then?” Jisung stuck his tongue out at the male beside him in annoyance, making you laugh at their childish antics. Jisung then turns back to you and apologises for the small bickering.

“Don’t have to. Regardless of what he says, you’re still the visual to me.” Upon hearing this, Jisung’s lips curl up into a cocky smirk, earning a laugh from you. After you chatted with him for a bit more, it was time to move onto the next person. Not before giving him his gift which was a pair of ear studs with a chain loop on it. He thanked you for it, saying he’ll wear it out one day and promised he’d do it. You gave him a gentle high five through the glass divider and proceeded to take a seat in front of Changbin. He waved at you eagerly like a little kid, earning a small giggle from you.

“Hi! What’s your name?”

“Hello! I’m Y/N.”

“Hi Y/N, I’m Seo Changbin but you can call me Binnie!” He said cutely to you. This made you laugh knowing he loves being called ‘Binnie’.

“What did you have for lunch, Binnie?” You asked him casually, only for him to blush and giggle hearing you call his nickname.

“I had jajangmyeon, fried chicken, korean beef with rice and tteokbokki for lunch. What did you have?”

“Just kimchi fried rice.”

“That’s all?! Why! You should eat more!” Changbin said with nothing but pure concern and you didn’t know if you should be sad or thankful about it.

“It’s okay, my appetite comes and goes. Sometimes I’ll eat a lot then other days I’ll barely eat anything so it’s fine.” You said, only for him to frown at you adorably with his lips jutting out into a pout.

“Promise me you’ll eat something even if you don’t feel like it, okay? I don’t want you to fall sick.” He said, making you smile and promising him that. Soon after talking to him for a bit, you gave him his gift which was a keychain that has the initials ‘OCB’ then an X over the letter O, followed by ‘SCB’ below it. Changbin laughed after he realised what it means, thanking you happily for the amazing idea. You waved goodbye to him as you shifted over to the next seat.

Seungmin smiled at you like an adorable puppy, before he spoke up to you, “Hi! How are you?”

“I’m good, how are you?”

“Same. What’s your name?”

“I’m Y/N.”

“That’s a nice name. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Thank you! It’s nice to meet you too.”

“So, what is your favourite title track out of all the albums we had?” He asked, to which you took a while to answer.

“I really like all of it… But if there’s one title track that I listen to over and over again, it would have to be Thunderous.”

Seungmin smiled like he was proud of that answer, looking up from the album and said, “Nice choice. I thought you were gonna say God’s Menu or Back Door.”

“Don’t get me wrong though, I love all of your songs. Thunderous just hits me differently.” You explained, earning a satisfied nod from him. You chatted with him a little more about how you came across their music and what other genres you listen to before you were told to move to the next person. You gave him his gift which was a necklace which has a small puppy pendant, telling him that it reminded you of him and so he laughed.

He didn’t forget to thank you before you scooted over to the empty seat next to you. Only for Minho to smirk and tease you like you were his long time friend.

“Hey, haven’t seen you in a while huh?” He said confidently, causing you to frown in confusion.

“But this is my first time meeting you?”

This caused him to cackle, holding his stomach as it curls in his torso. He finally looked up to you and said, “I was just kidding! I didn’t wanna start off the conversation with the typical ‘Hi, what’s your name’ like the other four did. It’s lame.” He really is odd but probably the most realistic one in the group. And for that, you loved it.

“So… how can I address you?” He asked naturally.

“Y/N.”

“So Y/N, what do you think about the fansign so far? Anyone bore you? These four can be pretty dull sometimes, especially the one sitting at the start of the line.” Minho said cheekily before peeking past the front to make a silly face whilst staring at Chan but of course the latter couldn’t hear him so Minho opted for a laugh instead and so did you.

“They didn’t bore me, unfortunately. Maybe you might though…” You said teasingly only for him to scoff.

“Oh yeah? Okay, don’t talk to me then.” Minho said as he began to focus on writing on the page when you laughed, hoping he was not upset.

“I still wanna talk to you though…” You pouted, only for him to glance up and catch the look on your face. This made him smile, falling for your charms easily.

“Okay! Do you like me?” You were flustered by how direct he was, something you forgot Minho was good at.

“Yes.”

“Will you go on a date with me?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“I’m definitely not your favourite, seeing how easily you said yes.” Minho began to laugh, finding the situation funny. You, on the other hand, were surprised that he was extremely quick to catch on to the fact that you answered him without much trouble.

“Don’t say that! You make it sound so bad!” You begged, causing him to laugh even more.

“It’s true though, right? So who’s your favourite SKZ member?” He smirked at you and wiggled his eyebrows cheekily, making you laugh.

“I’m not telling you.”

“Why not?” He whined, to which you shook your head and soon took out the gift you got for him. He took it from you and opened the box, only to find a phone case which has a picture of his cats printed on it. He adored the picture so much that he couldn’t help but change his phone case on the spot. He thanked you as he waved goodbye while you got up to move onto the next seat.

Hyunjin greeted you happily as he started off the conversation with, “I hope you’re still having a good day after meeting the rest of my members. You’re gonna have the best day now that you met me.”

“That’s very confident of you.”

“I am confident.” He said before he burst into laughter. He then asked for your name in which you told him.

“What perfume are you using? It smells so good!” He asked.

“I’m using the Peony & Blush Suede by Jo Malone.”

“It’s really nice! I love the scent.”

“Thank you!”

“You’re welcome!” He giggled as he signed off the short paragraph of message before looking up at you to focus on you while he speaks.

“What made you like us?” He asked.

“I’ve been supporting you since the survival show and it’s been a great journey up till today. I never thought music could change my life but it did. After seeing you grow from Hellevator to District9 and so on, I feel really proud to call myself a STAY.” You explained briefly, only for him to pout at you from feeling overwhelmed. Though he knew he wasn’t allowed to make skin contact with you, he still chose to sneak his hand beside the glass divider and gently hold your hand to give you some sort of comfort.

“Thank you for staying with us from the start. We wouldn’t be where we are now if it wasn’t for STAYs like you.” He said, to which you couldn’t help but smile. You talked to him for a bit more before handing him his gift. And that was a set of paintbrushes that were custom made to have his initials ‘HHJ’ engraved onto the end of each paintbrush.

He was visibly moved by the gift, seeing how he had a hand over his mouth while he stared at the engraved letters. He thanked you for the gift, telling you that it was perfect and that he would keep it and use it well to his best abilities. You then said goodbye and moved down the line, only to meet Felix.

“Hello! Do you know my name?” He asked cheekily.

“Hello! Unfortunately, I have no idea. You are?” You teased just to see what he would say, and for some reason, you had a feeling he would say a pickup line.

“I’m your-future-boyfriend. Nice to meet you.” He said and right after he finished his sentence, his face immediately cringed as he squeaked from his lame attempt at flirting. He’s just too shy and gentle to give a strong pickup line like that. It almost seemed unnatural coming from someone as polite as himself. So you teased him by saying, “No, Felix. Please don’t ever do that to your crush in the future. You should just be yourself. You’re sweet enough already.”

With that being said, Felix laughed at your response finding the truth behind it. He then asked, “Is this your first fansign with us?” While he wrote something in your album.

“It is. I’ve been a STAY since the survival show actually. I just never got the opportunity to go to a fansign before.” You explained to him briefly, only for him to nod.

“I’m glad you could finally meet us in person! How do you like it so far? Have my members been nice to you?” Felix asked as he jokingly side eyed the rest of his members to his right, making you laugh.

“I love it so far. You are all so funny and sweet.” You said, earning a small smile from him. A few more chats and you were soon told to move down the line. So you quickly passed his gift before you forgot. For Felix, you got him a silver stainless steel ring with his initials carved on the inner part of the ring.

“It’s supposed to be worn as a ring but in case it doesn’t fit you, I included a chain in the box so you can put it through to make it a necklace.” You said whilst getting up. Felix gasped in awe, thanking you for the beautiful gift. Thankfully, he tried the ring on his middle finger and it fit perfectly so he decided to keep it on for the rest of the fansign. You waved goodbye to him before turning to the last person that was waiting in line for you to sit down.

Immediately, your heart was so close to leaping out of your chest. You couldn’t contain the shyness of having sat right in front of your bias. If you told yourself 4 years ago that you would be sitting here with Yang Jeongin from Stray Kids and have a full on chat for a few minutes, you would’ve called yourself crazy.

The minute you locked eyes with him, you could feel the world around you spin due to major euphoria. Right when you sat down, you felt as if your words got sucked out of your mouth. Suddenly, you were too dumb to speak.

“What’s your name?” He asked gently.

“I’m Y/N.”

“I like that name. It suits you.”

Jeongin said as you simply giggled while thanking him. He must’ve noticed the tremble in your hands because he immediately giggled and said, “Don’t be nervous… Relax.” With that being said, you tried your best to do as he says.

“I’m sorry! I just can’t believe I’m talking to you right now.” You said, hearing his shy chuckle through the glass divider.

“Well then, don’t let this few minutes go to waste! Which music video is your favourite?” He asked.

“Uh… Maybe Easy? Or Thunderous? But I liked Levanter too. Ahh I don’t know! I love all of it.” You said, earning a laugh from him.

“Who’s your favourite member?” He asked all of a sudden, catching you off guard. Compared to when Minho asked you, it was pretty obvious how you were stunned and almost stuttered now when Jeongin asked simply because you are in fact nervous. If Minho saw you right now, he would make fun of you for getting all nervous and shy now that your bias was the one asking the question.

“U-Uhh… I… Favourite member?” You stumbled over your words in which he reacted by saying, “So cute.” That almost made your knees weak.

“Y-You’re actually my favourite member.” You finally confessed, seeing the way his grin grew wider.

“Really? No wonder you’re so shy. Thank you!” He said, making you smile. Unfortunately, it was time to say goodbye so you gave him his gift.

“Is that for me?” He asked innocently so you decided to tease him.

“No, it’s for your manager.”

“Aish…” He playfully frowned as a pout appeared on his lips, making you laugh.

“Of course it’s for you!”

He opened the box to find a bracelet which had a circle pendant that had his initials on one side and an outline of his SKZOO character on the other. He was amazed by how you managed to get this customised.

“Thank you so much! This is really pretty.” He said with a bright smile on his face.

“I hope it’s okay that it’s not a branded gift.”

“Are you kidding? I don’t care if it’s not branded! It’s the thought that counts more. So thank you!” He said before his manager began to usher you away for the next fan to get their turn. He immediately put on the bracelet you gave him. You took your album and soon got up from the seat in front of him.

He then waved to you sadly, saying goodbye. You didn’t want this event to end but you knew it had to. As much as you wanted them to stay, that would never happen. You left the event feeling happy and content, hoping they’ll remember you even though you knew that wouldn’t be possible unless a miracle happened.

That night, you were getting ready to leave your apartment for your meeting with your boss at the headquarters when you received a notification from instagram with the title, “realstraykids just made a post”. You clicked it only to smile when you see a picture of Jeongin smiling into the camera while standing in front of a plain white wall. What catches your eye however was the bracelet you gave him, still wrapped around his wrist.

Maybe dreams do come true anyway.

It’s been days since the fansign and you haven’t seen them anywhere except through your phone or laptop screen. Your job has been pretty hectic recently, having to use every ounce of energy you had to get into a close combat fight with your targets. As crazy as it all sounds, you weren’t given the title of an “elite member” for nothing. You narrowly escaped near-death experience thrice throughout the past few missions. Tonight was no different.

You were walking down the street to head back home after you got separated from your group halfway through the mission. As usual, you got out of the fight with minor cuts on your arms and cheek but there weren't any deep cuts that would need to be sewn or stapled close.

After a rough fight and thankfully winning on your part, you told your members you were heading straight home to aid your cuts just so they know you’re still alive. However, on your way back is when you heard a squeal followed by a cry for help.

The problem is…

Why did the voice sound so oddly familiar?

You rushed your footsteps quietly down the path only to peak past the wall. That’s where you saw a familiar white headed boy curled up against the alley brick wall with his hands clasped in front of him desperately.

“Please don’t hurt me! I-I just wanna go home! T-Take my money! Just take it, please!” Jeongin cried as he begged the drunk man with a pocket knife in his hand, just pointing the sharp blade towards Jeongin’s eyes. Just as he was slurring over his words, you yelled at him to get his attention.

“Oi!”

Both of them turned to you as the drunk man began to swing his arm at you whilst letting go of his grip on Jeongin’s shoulder. You swiftly dodged his arms whenever it was getting closer to you.

“T-This is not your business! Get lost!” The man said as he struggled to stand on two feet. His breath reeks of alcohol and as much as you don’t normally comment on a person’s hygiene, this man looks like he’s been out of the house for days without proper care. Just then, he swung his arm out with the blade pointing outwards when you grabbed hold of his forearm to block it while your other hand lifted up at an angle only to slam your elbow down on his arm joint.

He let out a loud grunt followed by dropping the knife willingly due to the sharp pain, giving you access to punch his face.

The man groaned in pain as you stared at the broken nose and red crimson blood dripping down his cupid’s bow. You then bent his arm behind his back, keeping him in a locked position so his movements were restricted.

You reached down swiftly for your karambit knife as you wrapped an arm across his shoulder while pressing the tip of your blade against his neck right beneath his earlobe, only to hear him panic.

“Please! Please! Don’t kill me! I’m begging you!” The man cried to you. All you did was jerk your arm into making him think that you’re about to slice his neck open but you didn’t. The drunk man panicked even more as he apologised further. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Just… Please don’t! Don’t kill me! I swear I’ll leave!” He begged desperately while you had him locked in your arms.

“Get lost before I change my mind.” You threatened as you shoved the man forward, seeing him scramble away like he'd just seen a ghost. You kept your gaze on the drunken man, completely missing the way Jeongin had already stood up and was staring at you deeply. It wasn’t until he spoke up that you finally looked at him properly.

“I-I know you… You came to our fanmeet the other day right? You’re the one that gave me this bracelet.” He said as he held up his left hand to show you the bracelet you had gifted him.

This shocked you with the fact that he even recognized you in this all black fit in the dark alley. You remained quiet as he continued softly, “Y/N right?” You frowned when he was about to take a step closer to you but stopped him.

“Don’t come any closer… I… I’m a dangerous person for you. I should leave.” You said as you turned to leave when he spoke up again in a hurry, “Wait! Please don’t go. You just saved me from getting hurt, I can’t just let you go without properly thanking you.” Jeongin said as you felt your heart melt from his kindness.

Since you were hesitating, Jeongin spoke up again, “How about grabbing a coffee tomorrow afternoon at Daisies Cafè down that street? Coffee’s on me.”

“Are you sure?” You asked him, genuinely concerned for his safety and career.

“Of course I’m sure. Unless you have a better suggestion?” He asked expectantly with his adorable almond shaped eyes in which you could never say no to.

“Okay. I’ll see you there.” You said with a small smile. He mimicked your expression and soon nodded his head to you.

“See you there…” Jeongin said as he was about to walk off when his eyes grew wide at something he saw. Suddenly, he reached up to touch something on your face when he stopped himself. To avoid infecting your cut, he proceeded to touch the spot on his own cheekbone where your cut was and told you that it was bleeding. You swiped a finger over it, only to get a smudge of blood on your fingertip.

“It’s fine. I’ll clean it later.”

“I can’t believe this. How were you so shy a few days ago but so badass and strong now? You’re so cool.” He smiled brightly, earning a soft laugh from you.

“You’ve only seen a little.” You teased, seeing him burst into laughter. Jeongin decides to let you head home and rest, opting to say goodnight instead of running away, even though he just saw you threaten someone with a blade in your hand.

“Goodnight Y/N. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He said.

“Goodnight Jeongin. Get home safely and I’ll see you tomorrow too.” You smiled before going separate ways.

Three Years After The Breakup

Ever since that heartbreaking separation, Hyunjin has lost whatever contact he has from you. You changed your number, all of his social media was blocked, you moved out of your apartment, you changed colleges during your final year, you basically wiped your entire existence from his life. Of course it was hard for you to make those final decisions but it was something you knew had to be done. There was no beating around the bush with that and even he knows it. At first he didn’t feel any different because he had Rhea to focus on.

But guess what? Karma is a bitch. And karma came to bite his ass three years after he left you for an actual bitch… 

Rhea cancelled on their date plan at the very last minute, saying she wasn’t feeling too well. Hyunjin got worried and asked if he could come over to take care of her but she refused. She told him that she could manage on her own and that she just wanted to lay down and let her body recharge again after eating her medicines. Hyunjin being him, he understood despite having a hunch that something wasn’t right. 

A few hours later, he called Rhea to check in on her. Just wanting to make sure that she’s okay. It was only 7 in the evening so it didn’t make sense if she couldn’t reply to his texts or calls not even once. Sure she might have fallen asleep after eating her medications but he had been texting her since three hours ago but she still hasn’t opened his chat.

Something’s not right…

He thought to himself before he leaped out of his couch to grab his phone and keys before leaving his apartment. He drove to her place in less than 10 minutes, feeling uneasy. Maybe she passed out. Maybe she’s asleep. Maybe she went to get food. There were so many possibilities that would explain why she hasn’t been checking his texts. However, the odds of it being one of those reasons are slim. 

The minute he arrived at her apartment complex, he quickly rushed upstairs in hopes that she was okay. When he finally stood outside her door, he was searching for his spare keys when all of a sudden, a loud yet muffled moan filled his ears. 

“What the fuck?” He asked as the male managed to unlock the front door and right off the bat, the two sneakers and heels that seemed to sprawl over the ground caught his eyes followed by the discarded clothes thrown at every inch of the house. “No fucking way…” Hyunjin thought to himself as he slowly walk deeper and deeper into the premises. The further he went, the louder the sound of heavy grunts and moans could be heard. 

His blood was boiling in his veins, his heart was beating rapidly due to anger. He was growing insanely furious. The minute he stopped right outside her bedroom door, that’s when he heard her pleading voice, begging to be fucked like the slut she was.

With that being said, Hyunjin slammed the door open abruptly, cutting the session short. All three of them jumped from shock as Hyunjin witnessed the obscenity in front of him.

There on her bed, laid a male with blonde locks. Rhea was riding his manhood with her back facing him while the jet black haired male kneeled in front of her, enjoying the view of his girth disappearing into her mouth. The guys seemed to panic but not Rhea. All she did was smirk. “The fuck is this?!” Hyunjin growled as he stormed over to them only to grab her wrist and yanked her off their holds and onto her feet.

“I’m sorry baby, this was just a one time thing.” Rhea said with her sweet voice while batting her eyelashes at him.

“One time thing? Who the fuck said it’s okay to fuck two dudes while you’re dating me?! Do I mean nothing to you?” Hyunjin asked as his voice got softer. He seemed disappointed but why was this feeling so familiar to him?

Oh wait…

“You’re a sweet guy, Hyunjin. You really are… But you’re too naive. I’m not gonna lie though, you’re heavenly in bed.” She smirked while she ran a finger down his jawline. He slapped her hand away, not wanting to hurt her.

“You’re breaking up with me?” He asked as if to double confirm.

“Of course… Unless you don’t mind sharing me with others.” She let out a giggle before she took his hand and brought it down to press his palm against her throbbing, wet core. Hyunjin immediately pulled his arm back harshly before scowling at her.

“I never should’ve left her…” Hyunjin whispered softly under his breath all while taking large steps backwards.

She laughed like a maniac, locking eyes with him after and said, “You lost, babe.” Hyunjin didn’t waste anymore time as he left the house fuming with anger. Except, it wasn’t towards Rhea… it was towards himself.

That night, Hyunjin went back home only to vent out his anger. He screamed. He yelled. He cried. He threw every single item near him, against the wall and across the room. He thrashed his place like it was nothing. He couldn’t think straight. His mind was jumbled up like a new box of puzzles. He was frustrated, disappointed, ashamed, remorseful, furious, literally every negative feeling to ever exist. Yet, he can’t really do much.

He cried for hours, not giving a single fuck in the world about his neighbours filing a noise complaint against him. At this moment, he wished he could just turn back time and stop himself from making that stupid mistake. He wished he could just allow the one person who has been there for him all his life, to take all his pain away as if it never happened in the first place. But of course, that was all just a dream now. He lost that comfort place and there wasn’t a single hint of him being able to retrieve that back. 

Simply because it’s close to impossible. 

“Hey Lix, have you heard from Hyunjin the past few days? That idiot just left me unread and has been ignoring my calls. Did he say anything to you?” Minho asked as Felix took a bite of his fillet. The younger one shook his head while he was busy chowing down his lunch. 

“He hasn't opened my chat since last Friday… Do you think something happened to him?” The younger one asked, sounding genuinely worried.

“What? You think he’s dead?” Minho chuckled but Felix clicked his tongue and slapped the elder’s shoulder.

“Oi! Don’t say that, hyung! I’m sure he’s still alive but I’m just not sure if he’s well… I think we should check on him.”

“Where? We don’t even know where he is, for god’s sake.” Minho said with a bored tone.

“We can start with his house.” Felix said, earning a shrug from the older boy. With that being said, that was exactly what they did after their classes ended for the day. The two boys arrived at Hyunjin’s apartment about half an hour later, finding Hyunjin’s car just parked in one of the lots. Minho went over to it and placed a hand on the hood of the car, only to frown.

“What’s wrong, hyung?” Felix asked, only for Minho to look at him with pure worry.

“His engine is cold… It’s like… he never went anywhere for days.” Minho said. 

With the amount of concern piling up in them, the two boys soon took the lift up to Hyunjin’s floor. They knew the route by heart after coming here multiple times before. Once they arrived outside Hyunjin’s unit, Felix gave the door a few knocks. All they got was silence. Minho tried knocking again and the result was still the same. Just then, he reached for the door knob to try his luck.

Thankfully, the door was unlocked which means Hyunjin was home. However, what they were about to walk into never once crossed their minds.

The house was in utter chaos. Things were thrown everywhere. 

Plates, vases and jars were broken. All his art works and paintings were torn and thrown across the hall. Anyone would suspect a robbery or even a murder that took place there. And that is exactly what they had in mind. Fortunately, Minho was quick enough to pick up what sounded like a soft cry coming from down the hallway. He began to walk deeper into the premises, making his way straight towards Hyunjin’s bedroom. Trying his best to avoid the shards of glass and ceramic on the ground.

The moment he stood outside Hyunjin’s bedroom, he gently pushed the door open. Only to reveal their dishevelled friend sitting on the ground looking completely unkempt. 

“Hyunjin?! What the fuck, dude! We thought you were dead! What the fuck happened to you? And why is your house similar to a bloody crime scene?” Minho asked firmly in hopes that his dear friend would cooperate. Thankfully, he did.

“I was stupid, hyung… I was so fucking stupid! I’m an asshole… I’m a fucking asshole!”

“No shit sherlock.” Minho whispered under his breath while Felix tried to calm his friend down.

“Hyunjin ah, what happened?” Felix asked as he kneeled next to the broken boy who had his fingers buried deep in his own locks.

“I shouldn’t have trusted her… I should have known better not to fall for her…”

“Her, who?”

“Rhea! She cheated on me…” Hyunjin said as his two friends glanced over to each other with a knowing look on their faces. They knew about his breakup with you. They knew what he did to you back then. So when the same thing happened to Hyunjin a few days ago, the boys could only nod as they knew this would happen one day.

“Huh. I see.” Minho said as he crossed his arms over his chest before he continued, “I guess that saying is true then… What goes around, does come around.” Hyunjin sighed heavily and soon crashed the back of his head against the wall. 

“I miss her hyung… I fucking miss her but I know she would never take me back after what I did. I’m an idiot.” Hyunjin began to chuckle like a maniac, finding it ridiculous how he made his life choices. Nevertheless, the two boys couldn’t do much to cheer their poor friend up except telling him to give it a shot and try to reconcile with you despite knowing that would be close to impossible.

Even then, Hyunjin tries his best to find you everywhere online that he can.

Two weeks passed, even though Hyunjin is still struggling to find you on social media, he hasn’t given up on that just yet. He was determined to find you simply because he wants, or more so wishes that you would agree on starting over. Losing Rhea made him realize that what he did to you was absolutely outrageous and that he was so blinded by her that he could easily give up the one person who has literally been there for him since day 1. He was stupid. He was naive. He was a total asswipe and he acknowledges it now.

Which is why he couldn’t forgive himself for his actions. He hated himself for that. But what’s been done is done. All he could do now was to accept his consequences and move on with his life.

It was a Saturday night, Hyunjin decided to hangout with Minho and Felix at the bar but he didn’t really have the feels to drink. So he opted for a mocktail instead. He had too many things in his mind that he might actually explode any moment now. Recently, his mind has been filled by your wellbeing and your whereabouts. He knew he needed to move on but he only will and probably only could do that once he finally apologizes to you.

Hyunjin takes a small gulp of his drink, feeling the cool, liquid flow down his throat as a soft sigh escapes his lips. Both of his friends could only exchange knowing looks to one another, not sure if they should even say anything to their friend who has been sighing every 3 minutes ever since they stepped foot in the bar. 

Hell, Hyunjin has been sighing for the past few weeks ever since the breakup with Rhea. However, Minho decides to be the older person amongst them and acknowledges the elephant in the room.

“Hey, Hyunjin ah. It’s time to put it all in the past. Stop dwelling on this, man…” He paused as he gave Felix a glance before he continued whilst looking at Hyunjin dead in the eyes, “She’s not coming back.” That’s when Hyunjin slams his hand on the tabletop and raises his voice slightly in sheer anger.

“Don’t! Don’t say that! I know she will. She has to… Right? I mean, she can’t live without me. She said that herself…” Hyunjin’s voice slowly began to go into a whisper as he tries to convince himself more than anyone else.

Felix scoots closer to his friend and places a soft hand on Hyunjin’s shoulder as a way of comfort despite knowing it probably didn’t do shit.

“Look man, she’s probably living a happy life right now so just… go with it.” Felix said. 

Hyunjin scoffs as he gets up to leave, not bothering to answer their calls even when Minho literally shouts about who’s going to drive them home later. The former simply raises an arm up at a 90° angle to flip Minho off without turning back. Once he was out of that dim bar, he walked over to his car and proceeded to enter the stationary vehicle, only to let out a frustrated yell the minute he closed the door beside him.

He runs his fingers desperately through his hair, almost on the verge of ripping his strands out. Nevertheless, the male couldn’t help but cry in the comforts of his car. To make things simple, he was currently pathetic.

So to clear his mind, he decided to go for a drive without a particular destination. He just wanted to take his mind off of you as best as he could even though he knew it would be close to impossible. Even so, he still did it. He began driving for the next few minutes, not knowing where he was or where he was heading. It's been nearly an hour of him just driving where the roads took him, only to realize that he was now further down town. Probably coming two hours away from his apartment. 

While driving down the street, he came across a 24 hour cafe which looked like it was only 2 in the afternoon. The cafe was nearly packed with customers and that usually means that the cafe was popular amongst those living in this particular area. So when he managed to get himself a parking space, he got out of his car and began to stroll towards the cafe that caught his eye. 

Upon entering the place, a strong aroma of roasted coffee beans began to waft in the air. Filling his senses with it. Hyunjin was obsessed with coffee. He drinks it when he’s happy, sad, sleepy, depressed, distressed. Basically coffee runs in his bloodstream. His eyes were glued on the menu board above the cashier, scanning the list of drinks that were available. Just then, a male with muscular arms, broad chest, wide shoulders and a toothy grin comes over to attend to Hyunjin.

“Hi, welcome to Haus Of Coffee. What can I get for you today?” He asked as Hyunjin spoke up to give his order.

“I’ll just have an iced americano to go please.”

While the male was pressing buttons on the monitor screen, Hyunjin was just randomly looking around the cafe to check out the interior of the place. However, his admiration was soon cut short when he heard a familiar voice just two feet away from him. 

With that being said, he carefully turned his head back to the front and he could’ve sworn his heart stopped beating for a second. 

It was you.

It was really you.

You said something that was just loud enough for your colleague to hear, only for him to burst out into a cackle. You teasingly slapped his chest as you unconsciously turned your head towards Hyunjin. It would be a lie if you said your heart didn’t flinch a tad bit upon seeing him after all these years but it didn’t create the same feeling it did when you were still with him. 

You simply felt… numb.

Which is exactly why you ignored him and walked away to go make the coffee orders. Hyunjin was so busy staring at you that he almost missed the way the male at the counter was calling out to him loudly to get his attention. Hyunjin finally returns back to earth and soon takes out his money. While the male was keeping the money in the cashier and taking the change he owed Hyunjin, the latter made a quick glance at the male’s name tag, ‘Changbin’.

After he got his change back, he slowly walked over to the side to get a better view of you. However, something unexpected happened and Hyunjin didn’t know why but felt jealous. You were tamping the coffee grinds when Changbin suddenly tickled your sides before wrapping his arms around your waist. You laughed as he placed a soft kiss on your cheek, causing you to blush.

Changbin lets go of you only to leave the back to go clear the tables so Hyunjin took this opportunity to step forward, closer to where you were. He remained silent until you came over to pass him his drink.

“Iced americano.” You said while avoiding his eyes. You were about to walk away when he was quick to grab your wrist softly.

“Y/N…” He calls your name sweetly, just the way you used to like it. “Can we talk? Please?” He asked, voice sounding hopeful as ever.

“I’m working.”

“What time do you end? We can talk after.” He insisted, making you frown and finally lock eyes with him.

“There’s nothing to talk about. We’re done, remember? Now go before she finds you talking to me.” You said firmly, pulling your arm out of his grip just in time for Changbin to re-enter the back. Hyunjin felt defeated but he was determined to talk to you. So he waited outside beside his car. About an hour and a half later, he finally saw you leaving the cafe alone. The only problem is, before he could even go up to you, Changbin came out a few seconds later only to surprise you with a back hug and soon kissed your cheek again just like before. 

You seemed really happy at the moment and it hurts him. Because the last time you were this happy was when he was still with you. And yet despite all this, he couldn’t bear to ruin your happiness which is why he decided to leave after he sees you putting on the helmet only to climb onto the pillion seat of Changbin’s sports bike.

His world got crushed for the second time but he’s sure that third time’s a charm.

Four days later, you were working your afternoon shift again right after class. It was half past 11 and you had less than an hour until your shift would end. Changbin wasn’t working tonight but he promised to pick you up after work. Just that he had an urgent matter at work to settle first so he might be a few minutes late. About 20 minutes later, you had just finished making an iced americano and were about to call out the name of the person who ordered the drink when your voice got stuck in your throat seeing the familiar name written on the cup.

You couldn’t help but roll your eyes in which he clearly saw. Yet again, he didn’t wanna let you go that easily. Just like before, he told you he wanted to talk to you and he insisted on having a few minutes of your time. Since Changbin wouldn’t be coming anytime soon, you decided to give in. Once you left the cafe, you looked around to spot Hyunjin sitting on a bench that was located right outside this flower shop just two units down. 

He looked up from his coffee the minute he heard soft footsteps approaching him, making him smile but you couldn’t react the same way.

“Hey… Uh thanks… For choosing to sit with me.” He said nervously and you could tell.

“I’m only doing this because I have a ride to wait for. Don’t think I did this to sympathise with you.” You responded coldly to him with your arms crossed over your chest. A part of him shattered upon hearing how distant you were being when you were literally claiming him as your world years ago. His face dropped slightly in disappointment despite knowing he can’t blame you anyway.

“Listen… I know that what I did was absolutely wrong. But I feel like I have to tell you something.” He paused to see your reaction but all he got was two bored eyes staring plainly back at him. Hyunjin gulps down his nervousness before coming clean to you.

“Rhea and I broke things off a couple of days ago…”

Both of you fell silent for a second, giving you the chance to ask further.

“What happened?”

His eyes suddenly dropped to the floor, feeling pure embarrassment and humiliation washing over him.

“I… walked in on her cheating on me.” 

“Oh…” That was all you managed to say. You grew silent again as you felt a sense of deja vu except it was happening to him and not you.

“I know I did you wrong. I know I was an asshole… but I just-” 

Right at that moment, the sound of the engine rumbling down the empty street made you divert your attention to it. Gaze falling onto the rider of the matte grey sports bike rolling to a slow stop until they were right in front of where you were. An instant smile appears on your face despite the person having a full face helmet on. Not long after, you stood up and so did Hyunjin.

The rider swings his leg over the back to unmount the vehicle and takes off his helmet only to then turn to you with the brightest of smiles.

“Hey! I’m really sorry I’m late! My grandma slipped in the bathroom so I had to call the ambulance for her. Mom and dad weren’t home.” Changbin said with a small pout on his face as you took a step closer to him and wrapped your arms around his shoulders. 

“It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize. But is she feeling better now?”

“Mmm! She didn’t have any broken bones or anything. Just that her ankle is sprained a little. That’s all.”

“She’ll recover soon. I know that. She’s a very strong woman.” You said, earning a soft giggle from him before his eyes flicked over to Hyunjin.

“Oh? Didn’t you come to the cafe the other day? Do you guys know each other?” Changbin asked innocently as you quickly answered calmly before Hyunjin could.

“We were schoolmates years ago… I’m surprised he even recognizes me.” You let out a small laugh to loosen the tension between you and Hyunjin. Changbin’s smile widens as he claps his hand once and says, “Ahh! No wonder he was shocked to see you the other day. He got so distracted he didn’t even hear me talk to him.” He laughed as Hyunjin mimicked his reaction slightly so as to not seem off.

“We better get going babe. We’ve gotta do the opening shift tomorrow.” You said as you slipped your hands in Changbin’s easily, feeling him give your hand a gentle squeeze. A small reassurance to tell you that he is indeed with you. 

“Sorry to disrupt your reunion!” Changbin directed his words to Hyunjin who simply stood there like a lost child. He shook his head and waved his hands to brush him off.

“No no, it’s fine.” Hyunjin said, swallowing his tears as he spoke.

“It was nice meeting you, uh… I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.” Changbin laughs, causing Hyunjin to respond.

“It’s Hyunjin.”

“Right, sorry. See you around Hyunjin!” Changbin said cheerfully before walking with you to his bike. 

Hyunjin watched as Changbin whispered something in your ear, to which you scoffed loudly with a smile before slapping his chest. You seemed genuinely surprised but due to something positive. Changbin’s giggle echoes down the empty street, sliding his hands around your waist perfectly. Your hands cupped each side of his face, bringing his face close to yours as you said something against his lips. And that’s when Hyunjin’s nightmare happened.

You giggled right before you gently pressed your lips against Changbin’s full ones. 

A mix of jealousy and disappointment began to rage through Hyunjin’s body. His mind was in distress while his heart was ripped into pieces. “This can’t be happening… It’s only been three years…” He thought to himself. 

Exactly… 

It’s. Been. Three. Years.

He was a fool to think that after all these years, you would actually wait for his return. He was a fool to think that you’d give him another chance. He was a fool to think that after what happened, you would take him back. 

He was a fool.

The minute Changbin drives off into the distance, Hyunjin couldn’t help but collapse to the ground helplessly. Tears came streaming down his face like a broken pipe. He couldn’t control himself as he yelled out in frustration, completely ignoring the stares he got from all those around him. He knew this might’ve happened but he didn’t want to consider this possibility. He has always thought that you will never move on from him just because you’ve known him since you were in diapers.

Looks like he was wrong.

A few weeks passed, you were meeting up with Changbin, Jisung, Jeongin and Seungmin at the mall to hang out together after a stressful week of exams. You were waiting for Jisung, Jeongin and Seungmin outside the Apple store with Changbin. He leans against the railing while you stand between his legs. Changbin protectively holds your waist with his hands while you tangle one hand into his hair with the other resting on his chest. Occasionally playing with the pendant of his necklace.

He sneaks a kiss to your lips, making you giggle. He does this a few times, only for you to cup his face with both hands and stare directly into his eyes softly with a smile.

“I love you a lot, you know that?” You asked, to which he nodded.

“I know. Because I love you so much too.” He responded confidently. He kissed you again longingly until a voice called you out in disgust.

“Get a room please. We don’t need PDA here.” Jisung said as you turned around to find all three of them walking to you. Just then, Changbin smirks cockily at the younger boy and says, “I’m sorry your single ass feels jealous of me and my beautiful girlfriend.” 

Jisung scoffed loudly as a joke before he spoke up, “Jealous? As if! It’s not like you’ve only got the best girl ever or anything…” He said with a pout on his face, making you laugh. The five of you began to leave the spot and made your way to the restaurant you wanted to eat in. Hours later, Jeongin suggested getting dessert at this ice cream waffle place a few blocks down from the mall and so Changbin drove all of you there. Once you were there, you sat at a table with them while Changbin went to order the desserts with Seungmin.

You were just listening to Jeongin rant about this girl in his class that is somewhat of a creep when Jisung’s voice calling out to a familiar name made you freeze in your spot. 

“Hey yo, Hyunjin! My man! What are you doing here?” Jisung asked as he got up and soon did a handshake with the said person. 

“Hey man! I got bored so I decided to go for a drive.” Hyunjin said. You glanced up only to meet Hyunjin’s eyes but all you felt was emptiness. From the visible frown on his face, you could tell that he was shocked to see you with Jisung. The fact that he froze, Jisung knew something was wrong, which is why he decided to be smart and ask.

“Do you guys know each other?” 

“He was my schoolmate.” You replied, the same answer you gave Changbin when he first asked.

“That’s so cool! What a coincidence!” Jisung laughed, earning a soft chuckle from you and Jeongin but not Hyunjin. Just then, Changbin and Seungmin came back to the table and of course, your boyfriend acknowledged Hyunjin like the friendly guy he is. They talked for a bit to ask about Hyunjin’s wellbeing and what he's been doing recently. However, right when he excused himself, he deadpanned at Changbin with a smile and asked him for permission.

“Hey, do you mind if I borrow Y/N for a bit? I just need to talk to her about something.” 

“Sure. As long as you don’t kidnap her from me, I’m good.” Changbin jokes, making you click your tongue at him. He laughed out loud, saying you were cute when you got angry but nonetheless allowed you to go with Hyunjin. You hesitantly followed Hyunjin out of the cafe only for him to ask you to walk with him. You wanted to just talk outside the cafe where your friends and boyfriend could see you but he insisted on walking. So to avoid fighting with him, you simply followed him.

“How have you been?” He asked first, in which you nodded and responded after.

“Good. Yourself?”

“Not the best… Exam week is crazy and my professor is shit.”

“Well, there’s always the one professor who’s useless in every campus.” He laughed at your remark, covering his face with his hand. A little habit he picked up since he was small. Both of you fell silent for a second or two before he cleared his throat.

“How did you meet Jisung?” You asked, genuinely curious.

“I met him at my cousin’s wedding. He was the bride’s distant relative. I didn’t know who he was but then we started talking when we were at the dessert table.”

“Yeah, he can be quite a talkative little hamster when he’s in the mood. Sometimes too talkative…” You said, earning a soft chuckle from him. The next few minutes, the conversation was okay until he brought up a question about your relationship values.

“Why do you trust strangers so easily?” He asked nonchalantly, making you frown at him deeply, unsure of what he meant by that.

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. Why do you trust that dude so much?” He asked clearly in spite of Changbin.

“Are you listening to yourself? What does my trust in him have to do with you?”

“You’re trusting a stranger too much, god knows he might be lying to you behind your back.”

“First of all, he’s not a stranger to me. You don’t even know him. And second of all, a person I met a year ago is much more trustworthy than a person I’ve known my whole life.” You said out of sheer anger, making him stiff.

“So don’t educate me on who I can and can’t trust when you’re literally the cause of me having trust issues.” You continued to speak your point, all of which he remained quiet. You were done with his bullshit. You just wanted to tear yourself away from him forever and not have him in your life anymore. With that being said, you turned around to walk back to the cafe but he was stubborn. He wasn’t done talking so he grabbed your wrist to stop you and it worked.

“Fine! Yes! I lied to you a lot back then but I was just trying to protect our relationship!”

You were furious now.

“Protect?! Are you fucking kidding me?! You lied to me because you were too much of a pussy to tell me that you were cheating on me! Don’t pretend like you were doing it to save our relationship because that’s bullshit!” You said, knowing you had a point.

“What was I supposed to do?! Tell you that I was attracted to your friend?!”

“At least it’s better than lying to me for 15 fucking months, isn’t it?”

“Y/N, you’re being irrational.” Hyunjin scoffed under his breath. That was his mistake. Because that made you lose your shit. That was your final straw.

“Irrational?! Because of you, I suffered from depression after you left me for that slut! I kept wanting to kill myself Hyunjin, and I almost succeeded. I kept telling myself that I wasn’t good enough for anyone. You were everything to me. You were my whole world and you even dared to make me feel unworthy that night. Your words kept replaying in my mind like a broken record. I was going insane…” 

You paused for a second only to continue, “But guess what? While you were happy with that bitch, only one person managed to get me out of that horrible state and nurtured me back to sanity… And it’s changbin. He was there for me when no one else was. A guy who I’ve just met, a complete stranger, was there for me at my lowest. Where were you?” You paused again, noting how his face had dropped. You had tears rolling down your cheeks now but you didn’t care.

“Where were you when I needed you most?” You paused to let him think.

“Y/N-”

“So don’t! Tell me I shouldn’t trust him because if there’s one person I would call during a life and death situation, I’d choose him in a heartbeat.” With a harsh swing of your arm from his grip, you stormed back down the street while aggressively wiping your tears away before entering the cafe to avoid questions from them. Hyunjin knew he fucked up badly and there was no way of redeeming himself now. But he knows he deserved it. So all he could do was sigh and walk away.

He lost. He lost the battle and he acknowledges it.

14 Months After The Breakup

It has been months since the world came crashing down on you. It was easily the saddest moment for you as you have lost the most precious person to ever exist in your life. Hyunjin was your everything. He was your best friend, your other half, your soulmate, your boyfriend. 

Well… ex-boyfriend that is. 

You have always thought that you can never live without him. He was your pillar of strength. He was the first person to ever talk to you in preschool. He was your motivation to keep you on your feet everyday. He was the one who brought you to your first ever live concert. He was the first person to ever confess his feelings to you. He was the first person to ever kiss you. He was your first to many things.

Which is why you found it oh so hard to forget about him completely in a flash. Even when you’ve moved to a new city, deleted and blocked all of his social media and phone number, avoided his friends, everything you could think of, you still somehow end up thinking about him. It was a chore to keep forcing yourself into forgetting him. It came to a point that you even began to suffer from depression. It was tiring when all you wanted to do was end your life, feeling utterly hopeless. Finding the easiest ways to get yourself to stop thinking about him.

It was unhealthy but there was no one to help you because the one person you thought would always be there for you at your lowest, was busy fucking around with a slut. You went weeks without having a proper meal. Losing weight extremely due to your lack of nutritions. Your eyes puffy from crying to sleep almost every night. You were constantly at wits end. 

However, on one very fateful night, is when your whole life changed in a blink of an eye. 

You were going insane. You couldn’t take it anymore. You’ve lost every ounce of hope, every bit of faith into believing that not all men are similar to Hyunjin. You’ve lost all your hope into thinking that you have a second chance at love. He was the cause of your fear. He was the cause of your phobia. He was the cause of your trust issues. He was the cause of every negative trait and issues you were facing ever since the breakup.

As much as it sucks to go through this pain, you didn’t know how else to overcome it. As a result, you have decided to make your way up the tallest building in the city you were in. Once you made it to the top of the building, you took slow steps towards the edge of the parapet. Resting both hands on the surface, leaning over to witness the height of the building. A cold shiver ran down your spine, unable to grasp the fact that this might be the last thing you see. With a heavy heart and a shaky pair of legs, you carefully climbed onto the parapet to prepare yourself.

Your breaths got heavier by the minute as you glanced down to look at how high up you were.

“That’s it. Here goes nothing.” You whispered to yourself.

However, as soon as you begin to lift one feet up and swing it slowly outwards to dangle off the edge, a soft voice calls out behind you.

“Miss. I really don’t mean to startle you but please… please don’t do it…” The male said. You didn’t realize you were crying until you tasted something salty on your lips.

“Why? Why shouldn’t I jump?! He doesn’t love me! Nobody loves me!” You cried as you took a small step back, edging closer and closer to the edge while he too took small steps forward.

“Don’t say that. I’m sure a lot of people love you. Your family loves you.” He said again, in a very gentle voice while he had his hands out with his palms facing you.

“I feel so fucking useless! I’m a fucking loser. He made me feel so worthless. He doesn’t care about me. He doesn’t love me.” You frowned, causing him to smile.

“I know I may not be the best person for advice. But what I do know is that your life is the most precious thing in this world and I wouldn’t take it away from myself just because of an outsider, if I were you. So please… don’t do this to yourself, miss…” He said as you stood frozen there. You were a crying mess now as he finally stood a foot away from you. Since you were distracted, he carefully slipped his hand into yours and tugged you towards him. Once you were finally back on the rooftop ground, he smiled while still keeping his hold on you. 

“Do you need some comfort?” He asked and all you could do was nod weakly. The male laughs softly but nonetheless wraps his arms around you. For some odd reason, you felt so safe in this stranger’s arms. It was almost as if it was meant to be perfect. You embraced his warmth by sliding your arms around his waist tightly, burying your face in his neck while he held you close to him. 

“Why does he not love me?” You whispered in between tears, mind still hazy with the thought of your best friend. However, the words that the male said couldn’t leave your mind even after you’ve gone your separate ways after that.

“The only love that matters is self love. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t love you. Love yourself first because people will come and go. And that’s normal. So it’s okay. It’s really okay to lose people you love. Just don’t forget to love yourself more. That way, even if the ones you love do leave you, you won’t feel so lost and empty.” 

With that being said, you pulled away from him, feeling how genuine he was now that he has said those things to you. The minute you were face to face with him, you finally got to properly look at the male who saved you from your near death. 

He was handsome. So handsome and who knew a stranger you’ve just met, would be willing to help someone who is at their ultimate lowest without caring about whether they’re someone they love or just merely a stranger. This shows how good of a person he is. When he noticed how blankly you were staring at him, he let out a soft giggle before cupping your face with both hands and wiped your tears with his thumbs. After doing that, his eyes met yours and you couldn’t help but feel shy from his gaze. 

You felt stupid for what you almost did. You were too blinded by the mistakes that you forgot about your family. How they would feel if you took your own life just because of a boy. How your mother would feel if she found out she lost you when she hasn’t seen you in years ever since you moved out to go to college. You weren’t ready to break her heart. You just couldn’t.

So you were thankful. You were so thankful for the stranger who saved you tonight. 

A Few Days After That Fateful Night

It’s been a few days since the night that stranger saved you from your misery. You had been reflecting about everything, making video calls to your family back at home. Telling them you missed them and that you loved them so much. It was such a relief to see them smile. It felt so warming to know that despite losing one person, you’ve still got your family to receive the love from. They will always be your strength, no matter what the circumstances are. 

Tonight however, you decided to go and get some fresh air. You weren’t sure where to go or what to do. All you know is that you just needed to get out of the house and start fresh. You wanted to try and put all the past behind and start moving forward instead of staying put where you last fell. So that’s exactly what you did.

Of course it was hard because you were on your own. You had no one to help you. The work would take double your effort but with time, you were sure you’ll make it. With that being said, you wore a hoodie and slipped on your comfortable sweatpants before leaving the house. You aimlessly walked around your neighbourhood with no sense of direction. It was 15 minutes to midnight and there were little to no shops left that were operating at this late hour. All except for this cafe called Haus Of Coffee.

With no thought, you entered the bright cafe which seemed to be open till past midnight since the cafe looks like it's nearly full. There was no one at the cashier but there was one girl cleaning the tables and that was it. So you took this time to scan the menu board to see what you could buy. You were just focused on the menu when the staff room door right behind the cashier slides open. 

You see the back of a guy talking to a man wearing a black button down shirt who seemed to be joking around with the guy. When the man wearing black noticed you, he nodded his head towards the guy in front of him to signal your presence. 

“Hyung! You owe me an ice cream!” The guy said before turning around completely but for some reason, his voice sounded oh so familiar. The minute he turned around, that’s when your heart skipped a beat. It was the same guy from that night. He looked equally shocked to see you as his eyes grew wide and his mouth hung agape slightly. 

“Oh? You’re… Aren’t you the girl from that night?” He asked gently to which you only nodded. 

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again…” He chuckled nervously before continuing, “How have you been?” He asked, making you smile.

“Okay… Not the greatest but I’m feeling slightly better. Still trying my best to heal.” You said quietly as he nodded to show that he understands you.

“What can I get for you today? Do you need a little night booster or are you just here for a stop-over drink?” He asked with the cutest grin you’ve ever seen.

“Just the latter is fine. I was actually out to get my mind off things.”

“Mmm. Then I have the perfect drink for you! Have you ever tried the Iced Butterfly Pea Sweet Tea?”

“What is that?” 

“I promise you it’s every customer’s favourite! They usually come here for that if they don’t want coffee.” He said, making you giggle.

“Okay then. Maybe I’ll give that a try.” 

He smiles as he taps the screen to key in your order while asking, “Anything else for you?” 

“No, that will be all. Thank you.” You said, to which he nodded and soon charged you for your drink. However, after you’ve collected your receipt and were waiting by the side, only then did you notice the price you paid was half of the original amount they stated on the menu board. Not only that, there was a small note typed in under the remarks which made you smile instantly.

“You’re already pretty but I think you look even more beautiful when you smile. So don’t put that smile away! :)” 

The minute you glanced up, your eyes instantly met his own pair from on top of the coffee machine. Even though you could only see his eyes, the way they crinkled into crescent moons, it was only obvious that he was smiling. He looked down to break eye contact and soon you felt your heart racing in your chest. 

A few minutes later, he calls for you to tell you your order is ready. When you walked over, he smiled adorably at you. “Here’s your order.” He said.

“Thank you… um…” You paused in thought as he chuckled softly as if he read your mind.

“Changbin.” He smiled, causing you to easily mimic his expression.

“Thank you Changbin.” You repeated your words in addition to his name this time. Except, he didn’t forget to ask for yours.

“I’m Y/N.”

“Pretty name for a pretty girl.” He flirted with you but it seems so natural and playful. And you were oddly okay with it. Maybe because the one saying it is him and not some random creepy dude. Right? Maybe.

“Where are you going after this?” He asked you casually, to which you shrugged your shoulders.

“I’m not too sure to be honest.”

“Do you need company?”

“But you must be really tired from work, right?”

“I’m holding up well.” Both of you laughed softly as he continued, “So… where shall we go?”

“You know, you’re really confident for somebody I just met. Are you always like this to every pretty girl you meet?” You asked out of curiosity and he completely understood your insecurity.

“Even if I told you I don’t flirt with every girl, you wouldn’t believe me, would you?” 

“Of course not.” 

“Exactly, so should I even answer your question?” He asked cheekily while cocking his eyebrow at you teasingly.

“Fine. Fair point.” You said in defeat, earning a laugh from him. Just then, Changbin asks if you were still up for a little adventure with him after he finished his shift. With the fact that you wanted to start fresh and get your mind off things, you decided to string along. Your gut feeling has always been right so far and tonight, you had a feeling that he was someone you could trust. Which is why you agreed to his suggestion, making him smile brightly.

And that was the start of your new friendship with the cute barista who also happens to be the one who saved you from your past trauma and heartbreak.

6 Months Later

Changbin and you haven’t officially declared yourselves as a couple but the signs were there. You’ve been on a few outings that seemed too romantic to be called a casual hang out. However, neither of you wanted to openly call it a date as none of you wanted the other to get the wrong message in case they didn’t feel the same way. It was a Saturday afternoon and Changbin had told you in advance that he wanted to bring you out today. Except, he didn’t say where. All he said was to wear something free and easy.

With that being said, you opted for a simple pair of denim jeans, a pretty floral blouse and your favourite white sneakers. He picked you up right at your doorstep, looking so handsome that it blew your mind away. He was wearing a pair of jeans, a simple graphic black shirt which had the sleeves rolled nicely to accentuate his muscular arms perfectly, a few statement jewellrys, a pair of sneakers and a cap.

“Hey beautiful. Ready to go?” He greeted you, causing you to giggle. 

“Yes, but where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise! I can’t tell you now.”

“Why?” You asked sadly, earning a hearty laugh from him.

“Come on! Let’s not waste time!” He said as he took your house keys from you gently and proceeded to help you lock your door for you. 

Both of you began to make your way down and to his sports bike. You kept your focus on the routes he was taking, noticing that you were heading further out of town. After about 30 minutes of riding, he finally pulls up into a parking lot but what made you gasp was the huge amusement park that sat right next to the parking lot.  Once he managed to park his bike at one of the lots, both of you got down only for you to squeak in excitement.

“Oh my gosh! This is amazing! How did you know about this place, Bin?” You asked as he giggled at how cute you were when you got all excited. 

“Sungie told me about this place a while back. So I thought I’d check it out with you.” He smiled, to which you hugged him.

“I’m so excited! I can’t wait to ride the viking!” You said as your inner child was unleashed. You easily slipped your hand into his and soon began to head towards the ticketing counter with him. You spent the next hour going to different game booths, riding the rides that were available, getting carnival snacks during your break time. Everything was perfect and you couldn’t have asked for a better person to experience this with. 

Right before you called it a night, Changbin asked if you wanted to go on the ferris wheel that overlooks the city. You easily nodded, knowing you’ve always loved seeing the city lights. While you were entering the small glass container, you didn’t realize Changbin was a few steps behind but he managed to join you before the container rose from the platform. Once the doors were closed, the two of you sat on the bench and talked about the stuffed animal he won for you.

Minutes ticked by without you realizing that you were almost nearing the top of the ferris wheel. Just as you glanced up to look ahead, the wheel stopped moving and you began to panic.

“Oh shit. Oh shit! Shit! Shit! Why did it stop? Omg are we in trouble?” You rushed through your words as you walked over to the door to see what was going on downstairs. Your mind was flooded with negative thoughts, completely unaware of his voice calling your name calmly. It wasn’t until you felt soft hands resting on your waist that you finally snapped out of your train of thoughts and soon turned around to meet him.

“Hey? Hey… Relax… We’re okay, I promise. I was the one who asked the man to stop the wheel once we’re up here.” He said while gently caressing your sides. You let out a heavy sigh before slapping his chest softly.

“You idiot! You almost got me crying!” You whined at him in which he couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m so sorry. I just… wanted a few more minutes with you alone with the best view we could get.” He said, hands linking with yours while he began to walk you towards the front of the glass container to get a better view of the city. Once you are there, Changbin turns you around to gently press your back against the glass. His hands sliding around your waist perfectly. You rested your hands on his broad chest, feeling yourself smile upon seeing his gaze fall on your lips. 

Changbin slowly began to lean in, getting closer and closer to your face until you felt his soft lips brush over your own, dangerously close. He reaches up to hold your face gently with one hand only to hear him whisper quietly to you, “Can I kiss you?”

That was all you needed to hear from him.

So without replying to him verbally, you simply nodded and he smiled. Changbin caressed your cheek with his thumb as he pushes his head forward so gently to let his lips touch yours.

Your heart was rapidly beating in your chest while he kissed you sweetly. Your mind was relaxed, your heart was content. Your fear of never being able to find love again, faded into dust for he had proven to you that there is someone for everyone on this earth. Changbin gave you strength and courage to move forward. He has been there for you right from the start. He was there for you when you were at your lowest and he was there every single step of the way. Never once did he leave you to go through the process on your own.

So when he pulled away from you, he kept his face close to you. Soft touches to your cheek as if he was afraid of letting you go.

“I love you. Will you be my girlfriend?” He asked, making your heart jump out of your chest. 

“Of course… And Changbin?”

“Yes, my love?”

You smiled at the nickname he chose for you, making you shy.

Six years ago is when you got sorted into a house by the sorting hat. You came from a family of muggles, which simply means that you do not have a family history of wizards. Even then, Hogwarts was nice enough to invite you in as a student of the school. It was a great honour for you to be accepted into Hogwarts for many muggle kids weren’t blessed with this opportunity. Your parents were both ex-students of Hogwarts where your mother was a Ravenclaw and your father was a Hufflepuff. As for you? You were a Gryffindor.

You believed that you had a mixture of your parent’s traits in you, which is why you were neither in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff but it’s okay. Words about Slytherin house and the students itself got to you before you joined the school. You were warned of their cunning, sly and potentially mean characteristics that you ought to stay away from.

During your first day of school is when you meet the one person who would linger in your life for a long time even though they’re someone you told yourself to stay away from right from day 1.

Lee Minho.

He was already making mean comments to other students who were in your batch on your first day. It only made you wonder how someone could be this insensitive.

“Who gave you that haircut? Your old muggle grandpa?” Minho said as he and his posey laughed at his remark about a boy with a round haircut. He seemed a little timid, simply staying quiet while he got mocked. You couldn’t stand this behaviour which results in you stepping forward and directing your words to Minho.

“Watch your mouth.”

Minho gave you a menacing smirk whilst eyeing you from head to toe, only to ask, “Look who’s talking… I’ve heard about you… Must be hard to watch your muggle parents die in front of your eyes, hmm?” He laughed along with his friends, making you frown.

“Keep my parents out of your filthy mouth.”

“Make me.”

Just when you were about to pounce at him, Professor McGonagall came to welcome and debrief you at the steps before she brought you into the Great Hall along with the others. That’s when you not only got sorted into Gryffindor house, but you also found out Minho’s name.

His name would be at the top of your enemies list, you just know it.

You were now in your sixth year in Hogwarts. Your close friends were Changmin from Hufflepuff, Chan and Eunseo from Gryffindor. You were quite a social butterfly so you were friends with many of your classmates despite being in different houses. The only person you weren’t friends with was obviously Minho. It was nearly impossible to see the two of you go by a day without bickering at least once since year 1.

Today was no different. Defence Against the Dark Arts class had just ended with Snape tasking you with a 6 page essay on werewolves. You were just walking down the hallway with Changmin and Eunseo when a harsh shove to your shoulder made you stumble forwards.

How could you miss that strong cedarwood smell approaching from behind you a second ago?

A glare was thrown towards the person who had just crashed into you, witnessing the smirk on that familiar face. “Oh, sorry Y/N. Didn’t see you there.” Minho said as his friends laughed at you. They walked off like nothing happened, only for you to curse under your breath, “One of these days, I swear to god I’d throw him to buckbeak as bait.”

Your friends laughed at you for even thinking about that, telling you to just move on.

“I can never understand how you put up with him and it’s already been six years.” Changmin said, making you groan in annoyance.

“I don’t have a choice, do I? That moron just keeps appearing into my life like a goddamn leech.”

“I guess it suits him cause you know, he is a Lee anyway, get it?” Eunseo made a joke that was quite lame yet true at the same time.

“Good call.” You laughed at her joke, finding it funny.

You made it to the Great Hall for lunch, parting ways with Changmin since he was a Hufflepuff. Meanwhile, you and Eunseo went over to your friends at the Gryffindor table. The only downside today was that Slytherin’s table was right next to yours on the right side of the hall. You almost cursed your friends for sitting right behind Minho and his friends. Just before you reached the empty space next to Jisung, Minho turned to you since he was standing up.

“Are you sure you wanna sit there? Cause I might wanna talk to you every 5 minutes.” Minho teased you with a growing smirk on his face.

“I’ll just pretend you don’t exist then.” You flashed him an insincere smile before you proceeded to sit next to Jisung. You missed the way his smirk changed into a smile as he watched you sit down before he too did the same.

Dumbledore was making his speech, talking about the school values and a little history about the school for the new batch of students who had just joined you that day. You were quietly listening to him, hearing Kevin complain about how the speech is boring and dry as usual. Your hands were busy fiddling with the outer rim of your plate when a soft hit to the back of your head made you flinch.

The soft giggles behind you cleared your suspicions. You ignored it as you tilted your head slightly in annoyance. A few minutes later, it happened again. With a huff, you slowly craned your neck to look over your shoulder with the sharpest glare you could give, only to lock eyes with Minho who had a cheshire grin on his face.

“What?!” You mouthed to him since Dumbledore was still talking at the podium.

“Nothing. Just wanted to see your face.” Minho whispered without a single ounce of remorse. You turned back ahead, hanging your head low to try and keep your calm.

A few seconds later, another hit to the back of your head was felt. This time, instead of turning to look over your shoulder, you reached an arm over to pretend like you were scratching your head but actually, you gave him your middle finger. Laughter could be heard so you knew they saw it. Thankfully, after that last throw, he didn’t bother you anymore. After lunch, you had an hour of free time before your next muggle studies class.

Your friends wanted to sit around at the viaduct courtyard but you weren’t in the mood so you opted to go back to your common room. After parting ways with them outside the hall, you began to head towards the stairs that lead you to the changing stairways. Gryffindor common room was on the seventh floor so it would take you quite some time to reach there.

Nevertheless, you began to climb the stairs while reading your favourite novel from one of your local town’s bookstores back when you were living with your parents.

Time flies by without you realizing but you managed to head to your muggle studies classroom just maybe a few minutes late. Thankfully Professor Burbage was a lenient lady who simply gave you a smile before gesturing for you to join the class. As much as you wanted to sit next to Eunseo and Chanmi, Eunbi was already seated next to them.

The only seat that was left empty is on the other side of the classroom, next to Chanwoo and Moonbin, just diagonally above Minho.

Immediately, he was the first person you locked eyes with. Seeing the corner of his lips curve up into a smirk.

Nonetheless, you took a seat next to Chanwoo while Professor Burbage continued from where she left off. You paid attention as she explained about the topic you were covering this week and that was about how mating between muggles and purebloods were recommended so as to expand wizardry.

Of course, the minute that was said, some of those purebloods from Slytherin house began to scoff and make disapproving sounds.

“As if. That would just corrupt our perfect bloodline.” Jungwoo, a pureblood from Slytherin who happens to be Minho’s friend, said aloud. A series of laughs and agreements from the rest of their clan was heard.

“Oh, believe me Mr Kim… I’ve had some students in the past saying the exact same thing only for me to find out later that they found true love with fellow muggle borns. It is possible.” She said with a smile on her face, making Jungwoo and some others groan in disgust. Naturally, your eyes flicked over to the side. As if on cue, you caught Minho turning his head slightly as his eyes glanced past his shoulders.

He wasn’t looking at anyone in particular but you saw the way his eyes briefly glanced over to your feet before he turned back in front. Once class was dismissed, you packed your bags only for Chanwoo to ask you a question.

“Hey, are you heading anywhere after this?” Chanwoo and Moonbin were both Ravenclaws and you’ve spoken to them quite a number of times during your past few years of sharing classes. You just weren’t close to them like you were with Changmin, Eunseo, Juyeon and Kevin.

“I don’t think so. Why?” You said as the three of you began to walk down the steps together with everyone else.

“We’re going to the quidditch field to practice for fun. Wanna join us?”

“I don’t mind. I could use a little practice too actually. I’ll meet you guys at the quad then we can head there together?”

“Okay.” Chanwoo smiled at you, making you mimic his reaction.

You had just left the room and were just making your way down the spiral stairs, too lazy to catch up with your friends that were already a few flights down. Suddenly, you felt a soft brush of fingers to your right so you turned. Slightly surprised to see who it was.

“Going for quidditch practice, huh? Can I join?” Minho asked with a cheeky smile on his face.

“Uh, no?”

“Why not? We’re both seekers anyway.”

“Go practice with your own teammates.”

“They’re no fun… I wanna practice with you.” Minho said as you felt his hand brush over yours again. Completely by accident? You don’t know.

“Kiss up.” You whispered under your breath, only to snap your head at him when he spoke up.

“Kiss you? Gladly.” Minho smirked as he playfully leaned in to you. The first thing you did was place your hand on his face and pushed him away, hearing his cackle right after. You frowned at him but why was your heart pounding in your chest?

“Fuck off, Minho.” You said before rushing down the steps to catch up with Eunseo and Juyeon. Minho’s laugh was loud but it wasn’t obnoxious. In fact, it was sort of like a teasing laugh.

That left your stomach filled with awaken butterflies.

It was a Saturday afternoon. You were all given permission to head down to Hogsmeade provided you got a parent or guardian to sign your permission slips. Since your parents were deceased, you managed to get your aunt to sign it. You gave the signed permission slip to Mr Filch before joining your friends in the crowd. Professor McGonagall reminded you all to be at your best behaviour when you are in town as you would be representing the school.

Once she gave you the green light to go about with your day, Mr Filch began to lead you to Hogsmeade. You were walking with Chan, Eunseo, Felix and Jisung when a familiar voice called for you. Upon turning your head, Minho smiled at you as you noticed he was walking a few feet behind you along with two of his close friends, Changbin and Hyunjin.

“I heard that muggles love to go to the shop called Zonko’s Joke shop cause you know… muggles are a joke?” Minho said with the most proudest smiles on his face. Changbin and Hyunjin snorted a laugh behind him.

“Please… the only joke around here is you.”

“Oh Y/N… You really are funny.” Minho said before he ruffled your hair. You grabbed his wrist to forcefully shove it away, clicking your tongue at him in sheer annoyance.

After a few more minutes of walking, you finally arrived at Hogsmeade, making sure to go separate ways from him.

You soon found yourself in Three Broomsticks Inn along with your four other friends. Chan went to order while you sat between Felix and Jisung. The next hour was spent chatting about dates and love interests that they had. Throughout the entire conversation, you kept quiet simply because you didn’t have anything much to say. Just then, Eunseo directed her words to you.

“Y/N, how about you? Do you have anyone you crush on at the moment? Maybe Chanwoo? I mean, he seems like he’s interested in you recently.” Eunseo said with a playful smirk, causing the rest of them to tease you.

The only problem is, your mind naturally thought of a name the minute she asked that question.

“Nah… Chanwoo is a nice guy but he’s just a friend to me.”

“That’s a bummer… What about the seeker from Ravenclaw, Jeon Jungkook? He’s quite a hunk, don’t you think?” Eunseo asked.

“He’s cute but he seems a little boastful sometimes.”

“You’re literally the most boring person I’ve ever met.” Jisung joked as you slapped his chest with the back of your hand softly. The poor boy grunts in pain before he scoots further from you with an apology. Just then, the doorbell chimed only to see Minho and his two friends enter the pub. A soft sigh left your lips, darting your eyes to the mug of butterbeer sitting right in front of you.

“You know, I’m actually starting to think he has a crush on you. He’s always in the same room as you.” Felix said, making you turn to him with a raise of an eyebrow.

“Who?”

“Lee Minho. Who else? Oh will you look at that? Perfect timing. He’s looking at us.” Felix announced only for Eunseo to speak up.

“I think you meant Y/N. He’s looking at Y/N.”

With that being said, you glanced up to find that your friends were right. Minho was indeed looking at your table, more specifically you. Though he never actually came over to disturb the shit out of you, the constant glances he threw your way every time you happened to look over cannot be counted with your fingers.

And every single time you locked eyes with him, a smile was always on his face and you weren’t sure if it was for his friends or for you. Either way, you opted for turning away before it became a staring contest.

Your curfew at Hogsmeade was about to end so the five of you got up to leave. As you were walking down the streets of Hogsmeade, you noticed a group of Slytherin students tormenting a poor year 1 girl just a few metres ahead of you. The closer you got, the clearer their words were.

“Go back to your parents, mudblood. You’re not welcomed in Hogwarts.” They said as they soon casted a rain cloud over the girl. She got drenched as she ran down the path with the cloud still hovering over her head.

You were the only muggle born amongst your four friends so obviously, this triggered you the most. With that being said, you took out your wand and casted the disarm spell to the boy who made that cloud appear. He growled as he turned to see who did it. When he saw you lower your wand, he glared at you.

“You’re gonna pay for that, mudblood.” He said as one of his friends was about to cast a spell on you but you managed to disarm him. Except you weren’t quick enough to block the other one.

“Stupefy!”

You felt a huge force throwing you back in the air, only to collide with the pebbled ground harshly. A sharp hiss left your lips as Eunseo and Jisung rushed over to you. They helped you up, making sure you weren’t injured but you were still pissed off.

Right when you were about to attack him back with a spell, someone had done it for you.

“Everte Statum!”

The boy was thrown back similar to how you did. You whipped your head around to find who did it. What surprised you was seeing Minho lowering his wand before his eyes met yours. He didn’t say anything but his gaze wasn’t a teasing one. Instead, he was frowning.

He soon walked past you before going over to the Slytherin boys and said something to them. All of you began to walk back to Hogwarts as though nothing happened but of course, someone from town must’ve informed the teachers at Hogwarts. Reason being the minute you arrived at the castle, Professor McGonagall was already calling for you, Minho, the Slytherin boy and the first year student into her office. The four of you stood in line with you being right next to Minho.

“I am very disappointed in all of you. I have clearly warned you all of the rules and regulations when you visit Hogsmeade town. This behaviour is simply unacceptable.” She announced as you gave the Slytherin boy a side glance, only to catch Minho looking over to you.

“Miss Yuna, I’m so sorry you had to experience this horrible treatment by your own classmate. I will make sure that this does not happen to you again. You are dismissed.” The girl timidly nodded before she left, only for Professor McGonagall to give the remaining 3 of you a slight glare.

“As for you three… You shall receive detention for not following the rules and regulations.” She said firmly but you didn’t think it was fair.

“But he’s the one being an asshole! I was just trying to help her.”

“Language Miss Y/N... But yes. He was. And you were. Yet, that does not give you the right to behave in such a manner.” You were going to retaliate back but you felt Minho grab your wrist and soon, she spoke up again.

“What you did was honourable… but rules are rules. You will receive punishment for your actions. I will get Mr Filch to take you to Hagrid’s tonight at 9pm. I want all of you to gather at the Grand Staircase by then. 50 points will be taken from each of you. You may go.” She said as the three of you soon left her office. The minute you were a few metres away from the office, you called for that guy.

“You’re a fucking asshole, you know that?”

“So what? Mudbloods like her shouldn’t be allowed in Hogwarts, much like you.” He spat.

“And purebloods, should? Just because you have wizardry running in your blood, doesn’t make you any better than muggles. Only pathetic purebloods like you don’t deserve a spot in Hogwarts.” You said, already an arms length away from the said boy.

He snarled at you, taking a step forward to close the gap with you. “What did you say?” His voice was deep, wanting to sound scary but you didn’t seem to falter.

“You heard me loud and clear.” You said.

Right when the boy was just about to lay hands on you, Minho stepped in to put a distance between you and the boy as he pressed a firm hand on the boy’s chest. “That’s enough, Taehyun.” Minho said, his voice sounding intimidating to you as all you could see was his broad back. After the younger boy left, Minho turned to you with a frown. Neither of you said a word as you simply walked away and towards your common room.

A few hours later, you had already showered and changed into a sweater with loose pants and shoes along with your Gryffindor robe. You made your way to the Grand Staircase at 9pm, only to find Minho and Taehyun already standing there.

Not long after, Mr Filch came only to lead you to Hagrid’s cottage.

When you arrived, Hagrid came out with his dog. He dismissed Mr Filch by saying, “Thank you Filch, I can take it from here.” You watch quietly as Mr Filch walks back to the castle with his cat whilst Hagrid tells the three of you to follow him. Sheer panic began to engulf you when you realized you were heading to the forbidden forest.

“We’re going in there? I thought that students weren't allowed in the forest! We can’t go in there!” Taehyun said.

“Yes, you’re right. But students are forbidden to enter the forest without adult supervision. Since you were tasked to serve detention with me, you are indeed allowed to enter the forest. Now, come with me.” Hagrid said as you walked behind him while Minho was next to you and Taehyun was next to Hagrid.

The forest was eerily silent with random noises appearing from all directions every now and then. A few seconds later, Hagrid stopped walking and soon pointed to a puddle of silver liquid on the ground.

“See that? That’s unicorn blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. So… our job… is to find the poor beast. Taehyun, you come with me. Y/N, you go with Minho."

“Fine... Can we get Fang at least?”

“Alright, but just so you know… he’s a bloody coward.”

Right after, the dog whines at you, making you frown. The four of you part ways in pairs, leaving you and Minho to go deeper into the forest with Fang beside you. Minutes passed as you scoured the area to find the dead unicorn. You were walking in silence, eyes trying their best to see in the dark. Just then, a werewolf howl could be heard in the distance, catching you by surprise.

Naturally out of complete instinct, you reached out to grab hold of something nearest to you. In this case, it was Minho’s arm. He glanced down at you, his lips tugged into a small smile before he teased you.

“Scared already?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, we’re in the forbidden forest with no adult present and a cowardly dog that would literally be useless if we got into trouble. So yes, I am scared.” Minho laughs as he feels you let go of his arm.

“If it makes you feel any better, you can hold my hand. You know, so you remember that you’re not alone?” Minho smirked at you effortlessly. He soon held out his hand, allowing you to stare at it for a few good seconds. Contemplating on whether or not to hold it like he suggests.

Right when you were about to refuse his offer, another weird noise was heard in the distance, only for you to quickly lace fingers with his and hug his arm close to your chest.

“I swear this is torture at this point.” You whispered under your breath causing him to laugh.

“Wow. After six years, I finally got you to hold my hand. What a surprise.”

“This is just a one time thing, you buffoon. Don’t get used to it.”

“Why not? It feels nice, doesn’t it?” Minho asked as you looked at him to try and find his teasing eyes but instead, he softly looked at you with a smile tugging on his lips. A smile that seemed too genuine for it to be a teasing one. You couldn’t stand his eye contact any longer so you turned away from him. That’s when you saw something laying on the ground a few metres away.

“Minho, look.” You said as you pointed towards the left before you began to drag him over. When you made it closer, you found yourself staring at the dead unicorn’s body with a slight disgust prominent on your face.

“We should tell Hagrid.” Minho suggests as he took out his wand and pointed it to the sky.

“Periculum.”

You watched as red sparks shot up into the sky before it exploded and soon disintegrated into small specks. While waiting for Hagrid to come, you let go of Minho’s hand and slowly walked closer to the body. Without touching it, you inspected the injury, noticing a huge chunk of flesh had gotten ripped out of the unicorn’s neck.

“What do you think happened?” You asked.

“Probably another creature attacked it… I mean surely. This forest is literally the home to almost every creature in the wizarding world.”

You hummed in response, only to hear footsteps approaching and soon, both Hagrid and Taehyun appeared. After detention was over and Hagrid managed to bring you back to the castle safely, the three of you reentered the school grounds to head back to your common rooms.

While Taehyun had walked ahead of you, Minho stayed by your side as he even walked you to the changing stairway tower that was located at the other side of the building from where his common room was located.

“Aren’t you gonna head back?” You asked curiously.

“Why? I can’t walk with you for a little while more?”

“I-I just… wouldn’t want you to waste your time. It’s already late.”

“Don’t worry about me, Y/N. I do this all the time.” Minho confessed to him sneaking around the castle during late hours and potentially getting himself in trouble if you actually exposed him to either one of the professors in Hogwarts.

“Are you saying you want to get caught?”

“Caught for sneaking around the castle past curfew? No. But caught for walking you to your common room as a kind gesture? Maybe…” He smirked at you, earning a scoff from you. A small smile tugs on your lips, making him laugh.

“Are you trying to hit on me, Lee Minho?”

“That depends… Are you falling for it?”

“Never in a million years.”

“Are you sure about that?” Minho said as he grabbed your waist and pulled you back.

A soft gasp left your lips when you accidentally crashed into his chest with your hands pressed onto his chest out of instinct. Your face was inches away, feeling him snake his arm around you. Minho’s eyes flicked down your face innocently, making you nervous.

“W-What are you doing?” You stumbled over your words in a hush, not trusting your voice at the moment. Minho could only smile down at you, flicking your eyes back up to meet his.

“Nothing… Just wanted to tease you.” Minho said as he nudged his nose against yours and soon took a step back while letting go of you. “Well, goodnight Y/N. See you in class.” He gave you a wink before he turned to leave you standing there completely lost and confused.

Nevertheless, you rushed back to your common room with the image of Minho being that close to you, running through your mind the entire night.

One of these days, he’s gonna be the death of you and not in a bad way.

The following days, Minho has been bipolar with you. Sometimes he would act sweet and kind towards you, then there are days where he would pick a fight with you or simply trigger you until you felt pissed off with him. Every time you would be nice to each other, students around you would think there’s something going on with you and him. Today was nothing short from the other days.

You were having your Herbology lesson where Professor Longbottom was teaching class. Herbology is one of your favourite subjects in school next to Defence Against the Dark Arts.

“As you all may be aware of, I have given you a short test about the different types of plants we grow here in the greenhouse, correct?” Professor Longbottom said, earning a series of head nods and yeses from everyone in the room.

“I have already marked your scripts and I will be returning them back to you after class.”

An hour later, he did exactly as he said he would. He distributed the papers one after another. However, when he gave you your script, he told you to help out later since he has an important meeting to attend to. So you being the model student you were, you accepted his offer to help out in the greenhouse during the extra tutorial. When the time finally comes, you make your way to the greenhouse only to find Professor Longbottom pacing around the room doing certain things at the same time.

“Good evening Professor! Is there something I could help you with?”

“Ah, Miss Y/N. Good evening. Thank you for coming. I’m sorry if I disrupted your day in any way, but will it be okay if you helped to conduct the extra tutorial today? I have an important meeting to attend in 5 minutes and the tutorial will start in 10 minutes. There’s only one student for the extra tutorial so I believe it will be fine.

“Oh, okay. What do you need me to do, Professor?”

“Go through the test scripts and explain the questions they got wrong. I trust that you can do it since you are in fact a star student in Herbology.” Professor Longbottom gave you a polite smile, making you giggle softly.

“Yes sir, Professor.” He laughed at your response. Ever since day 1, Professor Longbottom has been a very nice man to all of you. He was very humble and helpful that you could go to him if you ever had any questions about Herbology. Sometimes with other classes too, and personal problems. He wasn’t that old as compared to other Professors in school so you found it nice that he would sometimes treat you like a friend rather than a student and teacher.

So after he briefed you on what to do, he took his leave. You were now alone in the greenhouse. A few minutes later, you were just pouring the soil into the new pots when a familiar voice echoed in the greenhouse.

“Of all people I have to go through with this stupid tutorial, it just had to be you.”

Minho said as he walked through those doors with his hands tucked into his pants pockets. Minho was wearing his uniform minus the tie. Basically his pants, white button up shirt, green and dark grey sweater vest along with his Slytherin robe. He reached over to let his fingers glide over the row of pots on the table. Just when he was about to touch the purple flowers blooming in a pot, you stopped him immediately. He halts his movements as you scold him for being careless.

“Don’t touch that! That’s an Aconite, the leaves are very toxic and the flowers are poisonous.”

“That’s a what now?” He asked with a curious brow, making you scoff as you watched him lower his hand.

“An Aconite. If you had actually paid attention during class, you would’ve known not to touch those, you idiot.”

“And you know about every plant in this room?”

“I definitely know a shit ton more than you do so that’s good enough.”

“Kiss up.” Minho whispered under his breath, making you scowl.

“At least I’ll know which plants to avoid in the wild.” You said before you continued to pot the remaining plants. Minho joins you by your side while he looks at you planting the newly grown Fluxweed. You quickly finished up what you were doing before beginning to carry out the task you were informed to do. You spent the next one hour going through all the questions he got wrong and explaining to him the answers.

The first few minutes, you would bicker with him if he gets distracted or fools around while you were explaining but after a while, he actually listened to you quite attentively. You had about 10 minutes left before the tutorial ends so you decided to test him to see if he remembers what you taught him.

“What are two things that a Devil’s Snare can’t stand?” You asked as you watched his eyes darting over the plants desperately.

“Uh… Fuck… Oh! Light or Fire.”

“Name three plants that start with the letter B.”

“Baneberry. Bulrush. And… Balm.” He said. You took a small pot which grows a pretty, colourful tubular flower with a long and leafy stem with leaves on it.

“What is this?”

“A Foxglove.”

“It’s usage?”

“It is a highly poisonous plant, and is a key ingredient to make the Pompion Potion.”

“Name the two crucial plants needed to make the Polyjuice Potion.” You asked the minute you placed the pot down and turned your head to look at him.

“Knotgrass and Fluxweed picked at full moon.” Minho said as his eyes flew to yours, instantly flicking down south briefly before meeting yours again. You were honestly impressed that he managed to answer all of your questions easily without hesitation.

“I see my teachings actually paid off for once. That’s a good start.” You joked, earning a shrug from him.

“Maybe because I listen better when it’s you who teaches.” You diverted your eyes from his eyes, a little too panicky earning a soft chuckle from him. There was a brief pause as the room fell silent for a second or two.

“Looks like you’re ready for the retest. Good luck.” You soon glanced down at your wristwatch to find that the tutorial was over so you clasped your hands together to gain his attention.

“Well then, that’s it for the extra tutorial. You can leave.” You said as you walked off to go attend to some of the plants. That’s when you heard him ask softly behind you.

“Everyone should be in the Great Hall by now. Aren’t you coming too?” He asked but you simply kept your back to him.

“I will. I just have to finish cleaning up. You can go ahead first.”

“Are you sure? I mean, do you need some help?”

“Nope, I’m good. See you at dinner.” You turned to give him a smile, only to find him staring at you with the subtlest frown you’ve ever seen. When he didn’t seem too convinced with your reply, you let out a soft chuckle before speaking up more firmly this time.

“I’ll be fine, Minho. Just go.” You said again yet with another smile. With that being said, he finally nodded and soon left even though he was contemplating on staying behind.

You spent the next few minutes in the greenhouse doing exactly what you told him you were going to do before you headed straight to the Great Hall. When you arrived, Dumbledore was making his speech so he paused and gave you a brief nod. You rushed over to your friends who had left an empty space for you. Once you’ve seated down, Eunseo whispers next to you.

“Where were you? We didn’t see you in the common room after last period.”

“I had to go do something. Sorry about that.”

“Were you from the greenhouse too?” Jisung suddenly asks.

“Too?” You got confused now.

“We overheard Minho’s friends asking him where he was because he came in right when Dumbledore was going to make his speech. He told them he was in the greenhouse for his extra tutorial.” Jisung said.

Just then, you glanced past Jisung’s head that was seated right in front of you, only to lock eyes with Minho who happened to sit at the table right behind your friend and was perfectly in line with your sight. It looked like he had just looked over to your table as well because his head had turned during the exact same time you did. He had a blank facial expression at first but the minute he locked eyes with you, his expression changed.

Minho’s eyebrows relaxed as the corner of his lip began to tug upwards slightly almost as if he was forcing himself not to smile.

Upon seeing this, you glanced down to your plate to hide your face briefly and it worked. Because the minute you looked back up, he was already chatting with his friends. After dinner was over, everyone was dismissed and your house prefects were tasked to lead all of you back to your common rooms in an orderly manner.

You were just blending together with the crowd while talking to Chan about your final exams when you suddenly felt fingers brushing into your palm followed by a piece of paper being pushed into your hand. You turned to your side, surprised to see Minho there. He didn’t say a word as he simply gave you a wink and soon parted ways with you outside the Great Hall to follow the rest of his Slytherin housemates.

Nevertheless, you kept the paper in your robe pocket, making sure to open it when you’re alone.

The minute you entered your common room, you rushed up the spiral stairs to head to the girl’s dormitory. You made your way to your bed and sat on it with your back leaning against the wall to make sure no one peeked over your shoulder or anything.

Meet me at the clocktower at 11pm sharp. Try not to get caught by Mr Filch or Mrs Norris :) ~ LMH

You let out a soft sigh as you kept the note in your side drawer. A few hours later, you made sure everyone in the room was asleep before you snuck out. You successfully made it to the clocktower without being spotted or followed by any Professors, let alone Mr Filch. You waited by a pillar, just hoping you weren’t caught when a firm hand on your shoulder made you flinch harshly followed by a loud gasp.

With your hands naturally flying up to clasp your mouth, you were met with Minho who had the brightest smile on his face. He holds out a small bottle to you, making you ask what it was.

“Drink half of it and save it for later. It’s an invisibility potion. It wears off after 15 minutes.” He said, making you raise a brow at him curiously.

“Is this how you sneak around in school after hours?” You asked, seeing that prominent smirk appear on his handsome face.

“Clever girl. Bottoms up.” He cheered your bottle and soon both of you gulped down half of the liquid mixture. When you start to see the potion take effect, Minho soon grabs your hands and leads you out of the school grounds. That way, you wouldn’t be lost on where to go since you were holding his hand.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see."

“I wanna know now.”

“Jeez, impatient much?” Minho laughed, making you slap his arm. He ignored you as he led you deeper into the woods. Right when you had made it out of the dense forest, you finally realised where you were. You were at the shallow side of the Black Lake on the other side of the castle. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking to you especially at night. With how beautifully the moon shines down on you and the lake. The mountains upon mountains that lay far into the distance.

This would be the perfect place to run away to if you needed to clear your mind. You were so busy admiring the scenery that you didn’t even notice he was starting to strip off his clothes until he was just wearing his boxers. You panicked as you quickly covered your eyes with your hands, your voice going high pitched slightly from sheer panic.

“W-What in the name of Dumbledore do you think you’re doing?!”

“I can’t possibly enter the lake fully clothed, can I?” Minho laughed as he gently pulled your hands away from your face before he jogs towards the water. “Come on! Get in the water!” He beckons you over, submerging waist deep into the lake and soon plops himself down to fully let his body be surrounded by the water.

You contemplated stripping since no one has actually seen you half naked before. This was new to you as you would usually come prepared if your friends ever thought of swimming but it was a rare occasion. However, seeing how free Minho seemed to be swimming, it only pushed you to just do as he says.

Carefully, you began to pull your sweater over your head, leaving your black bra on. Hooking your thumbs underneath your sweatpant’s waistband, you pushed the material down your hips and legs, stepping out of them. You were now half naked for him to see, making you hug yourself protectively despite knowing he would never do anything bad to you.

You were only calf deep when Minho stopped whatever he was doing to give you a good look. He has never seen this much of your skin. He never knew what to expect.

Minho had always thought that he could never be close to you considering how much you hated each other during your first two years. But as the years flew by, both of you began to tone down a notch and your usual fights and banters ended up being playful comments, jokes and sometimes occasional flirts from his end. All of which, you seem to go along with it like it never bothered you one bit.

So to see you like this for the first time in six years, he was giddy. He was absolutely giddy. He could feel butterflies erupting in his stomach at this point.

You continued walking further down until you were chest deep. Minho stood just a few metres away at this point but you were scared to go to where he was. You didn’t want to drown in the dark water so you opted to play safe.

“This is as far as I can go.” You said, earning a soft chuckle from him.

“But that’s not even the best part. You can really feel yourself being in the open where I am.”

“I’m not about to volunteer myself to drown in this black lake, Minho. I can’t swim.”

“I won’t let you drown.” Minho said as he held out his hand to you but you stayed put. You were scared and he could see it. So when he swims up to you, he stops right in front of you.

“Do you trust me?” He asked.

Almost immediately, you nodded despite your mind telling you to say no. He smiled at you before you felt his arm snake around your waist underwater. You gasped softly before his other arm extended out to your side in preparation.

“Ready? Hold on to my shoulders.” You let out a soft whine as you obeyed his words nonetheless.

Soon enough, Minho began to swim backwards as you felt your feet slowly paddle behind you. After a few minutes of swimming, Minho finally stops to let his body fall perpendicular to the water surface. The moment your feet weren't touching any sort of ground, you began to panic as you desperately wrapped your arms around his shoulders while burying your face in his neck.

Minho laughs at you but still asks if you were okay. When he heard you whine, he laughed softly again.

“Will you try and let go of me?” He asked.

“Absolutely not! I’ll drown!”

“You won’t drown.”

“No!”

“Y/N…”

“No!” You whined against his neck, feeling his chest rumble against yours whenever he laughed. Just then, you felt one arm snake around your waist as something brushed over your calf. Sheer panic ran through your spine as a soft scream left your lips.

“Ah! What was that?! Something touched my leg!”

“That was me.”

“Fuck me, I’m going insane…” You cried in his ear but no actual tears were coming out. Minho didn’t expect to hear those first two words from you but nonetheless, it made him smile.

“Okay, how about this… I want you to pull away but keep your arms around my shoulders, can you do that?”

“I-I’ll try…”

“Good girl. Now try and slowly pull back.” He instructed you gently as you carefully did like he said. Once you manage to bring your face in front of him with your head hung low, Minho uses his other hand to tilt your chin up. When you locked eyes with him, he flashed you the sweetest smile and soon told you to look up.

You almost let go of him in awe when you saw just how bright and pretty the moon was hanging above your heads. It was beautiful. A soft ‘wow’ left your lips in a whisper while your eyes were fixed on the moon.

What you didn’t notice was how he never once let his eyes wander off your face.

Minho was still staring at you except maybe taking this chance to properly admire your features up close. He took his time to memorise every detail of your face like he would for his exams. The only thing is, he may or may not have lingered his gaze on your lips a little too long because when you glanced back down to say something to him, you had caught him staring at your lips. Both of you fell silent but you were the first one to break the ice.

“Minho?”

“H-Huh?” His eyes finally flew up to meet yours.

“Is… everything okay?”

“I-I… yeah…” He said merely in a whisper. You stared at him softly as you watched his eyes flick back down to your lips.

Just then, Minho consciously leans his head forward slightly until you feel his nose brush against the side of your nose. Your heart was racing in your chest while you kept one arm wrapped around his shoulder while the other hand slid up to lace your fingers into his hair soothingly.

Right before you could feel him graze his lips over yours teasingly, the sound of thunder rumbling through the sky made you pull away from shock.

“I think we should go. It’s getting late.” Minho said with a heavy heart but nevertheless, guided you safely back to shore. After you’ve worn back your clothes, both of you ran back to the castle before you got caught in the rain. You managed to drink the remaining half of the invisibility potion, leaving you unseen to the naked eye. Once you made it back to the castle, you didn’t properly say goodbye as Professor Snape was seen roaming the halls you had to head down.

You took a different route after squeezing his hand gently to say your goodbyes. Even though the goodbyes were inaudible and that shared moment at the lake was cut short, the thought of it never left your mind the entire night.

You just couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like if the thunder didn’t interrupt you.

Ever since that night, both of you never knew how to acknowledge the situation without making things awkward. So you opted to just move on despite not actually moving on. Same goes for himself. It has been two weeks since that incident at the lake and you noticed how Minho rarely talked to you these days. A small part of you missed having conversations with him even if it was you two bickering. Now, he wouldn’t even talk to you unless he really had to for class purposes.

Today was no different. It was a Thursday morning and you were having Potions class where Professor Slughorn was teaching this semester.

“Now, class, today’s lesson will be about love potions. Over here, we have the most powerful love potion in the world. It’s called ‘Amortentia’. It’s made to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them. Now, Amortentia doesn’t create actual love as that would be impossible. But it does cause powerful infatuation or obsession. And for that reason alone, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room.” He said as he closed the lid of the pot.

Soon enough, he instructs you to follow the book and use the recipe guides on how to create the potion. It took you two tries to brew the perfect potion which leaves Professor Slughorn to congratulate you on your successful attempt. However, before he scoops a small potion bottle full of the potion, he looks at you and asks with a smile.

“Tell me, Miss Y/N… What do you smell?” You stared at the pot in front of you before you tried to distinctly make out the scents.

“I smell… Sweat. Cherries. And...” You whispered that last scent only for Professor Slughorn to smile wider.

“Be careful with this potion. You do not want it to fall into the wrong hands.” He said, to which you nodded. However, as if on pure instinct, your eyes naturally flew over to the table across the room. Immediately, a familiar pair of eyes met yours.

Neither of you said or did anything so you were the first one to look away. Once class was dismissed, you saw Minho being the first to leave together with Jungwoo and two other Slytherin boys but you had no intention to chase after him anyway. You were halfway down the hallway when Changmin eagerly asked you what you smelled through the potion.

“It’s honestly a weird combination to be honest…”

“Really? What was it?”

“Sweat, cherries and... something. Like what even is that?”

“Hmm, maybe it’s not something but someone? Because for me, I smell strawberries, fresh sheets and roses which is what my girlfriend loves.” Kevin said, making you frown. This made you wonder as you made your way back to your common room. You knew something was off and so you had to find him.

A few hours passed, and you were having lunch in the Great Hall. You wouldn’t be having any class until an hour after lunch time ends. Some of your friends suggested hanging out at the quad but you already had a different plan in mind so you politely rejected them.

Minho on the other hand, was about the same as he too rejected his friends who asked if he wanted to go to the quidditch field and hangout there. He left the Great Hall and went straight towards the Slytherin tower. His mind was filled with you but he can’t bring himself to approach you for what he had in mind. So Minho starts strolling back to his common room with an empty mind.

After a few minutes of walking, he finally arrives inside the Slytherin’s common room. There wasn’t much he could do since he was nearly alone in the common room so he decided to head to his dorm room. Slytherin’s dorm room was slightly different from Gryffindor’s dorm room. Each student has their own small rooms which basically means they have their own privacy. Minho closed his room door quietly as he made his way to his bed and soon laid flat on it.

Few minutes later, he heard a soft rustle coming from across the room. He frowned as he whipped his head around thinking it was his pet cat.

“Dori?” He calls out softly only to receive silence in return. “Huh… That was weird.” Minho said as he got up to sit properly in bed with his back facing the wall. Right at that moment, a soft call of his name made him leap out of bed. He got a shock thinking it was one of the castle ghosts trying to scare him. The only thing was, the voice sounded very familiar to him.

“Hello? Who’s there?” Minho said as his eyes darted all around his room. He was halfway across the room, ready to bolt out when he saw flickers of a human figure starting to appear right by the door. He waited to see if his suspicions were true and it was.

Because the moment he saw your face start to lose its invisibility powers, he quickly ran to his door and locked it before turning to you with a frown.

“What in Filch’s name are you doing here?! Are you insane?” Minho asked in a loud whisper, clearly distraught.

“I needed to talk to you.”

“Can’t you wait till we’re in class?”

“This can’t wait.”

“And you thought sneaking into Slytherin’s common room was a good idea? What if someone saw you?”

“Nobody did. Don’t worry.” You said confidently. Minho stared at you quietly as he found this side of you attractive.

“So you’re suddenly okay with breaking the rules?” He asked, making you pout.

“I’m not proud of it, if that’s what you’re wondering.” You scoffed at him, earning a laugh from him. Minho stood in front of you about an arms length away. You were finally standing there in full flesh, potion effects had already worn off. His eyes began to travel down to scan you from head to toe as if he wanted to make sure you were physically here in his room. When his gaze finally found yours again, you took a while to regain your composure.

“Remember what we learned this morning during Potions class?” You asked.

“Yes?”

“What did you smell in the potion?” Your voice was hushed but it was loud enough for him to hear. You could see the way his eyes grew wide slightly for a brief second before he relaxed again.

“Earthy smell… Fresh soil… and… Roses.” He answered as he waited to see your response. But when you grew quiet, that’s when he asked, “What was yours?” Your eyes darted up to meet his, feeling like you were breaking out in cold sweat.

“I smelled… sweat, cherries and…” You paused as he stared at you in anticipation.

“And?”

You glanced down at your hands which were fiddling with your own fingers only to see him reach out to hold them in his hands. When he took a step closer and was now just a hand length away from you. Minho slips one hand around your waist to pull you closer until you naturally rest your hands on his torso. His other hand lets go of your hands only to reach up to gently hold your face.

You leaned into his touch, letting out a soft sigh while you did so. A small smile tugging on his lips as he leans in slightly to let his nose brush over yours.

“What was the last thing you smelled, Y/N?” His voice was so soft, it wasn’t the tone he has been using with you this entire six years of knowing him. Nevertheless, you slowly pulled back slightly to be able to look him in the eyes.

“Cedarwood.”

Immediately, his ears perked up upon hearing that. His favourite cologne scent was cedarwood and he would never go anywhere without spraying it on him. He brews the invisibility potion often and one of the key ingredients is cherries. Last but not least, he is a Seeker for Slytherin’s quidditch team which results in him sweating every time he plays the sport.

With this revelation and realization, Minho caressed your cheek with his thumb before he spoke up.

“Earthy smell because you’re a quidditch player. Fresh soil because you love Herbology. And roses because you often smelled like it.”

Your eyes were frantically darting back and forth between both of his eyes, unsure of what to say or do but he seemed to make your job easy. The minute he explained his theory, Minho spoke up again, “Do you like them?” He never specified a name of a person or an item but a person’s name did in fact pop into your mind the minute he asked you the question.

You nodded and so he continued, “You have a name in mind, don’t you?”

A soft nod was given as a response, only for him to answer, “I want you to say it aloud for me in the count of 3, can you do that?” You nodded yet again before he started to do a countdown.

“1… 2… 3.”

“You.”

Minho somehow knew what you were going to say, he just wasn’t prepared to hear it come out of your mouth. Nonetheless, he smiled at you as he caressed your cheek with his thumb and moved in to let his lips brush against yours. Minho wanted to ask you for permission but it seems like he was too impatient to wait a second longer so he pushed his head forward and the minute you locked lips, you felt like you were on cloud9.

Both of his hands made it to wrap themselves around your waist, cupping your sides easily in his hands. You glide your arms up his torso and to his chest, not to forget his shoulders and soon, his neck. He guided you to his bed while he carefully walked backwards. The minute he feels the back of his knees crashed into the side of his mattress, he plops onto his bed, pulling you down with him.

You ended up straddling his lap, cupping his head in your hands. He kissed you passionately without detaching his lips from yours for more than a second. His hands were now on your hips, gliding dangerously close to your rear. When he felt you pull back to breathe heavily, he took this as a sign to relax a bit.

Minho leans back in to let his lips brush over yours but never actually kissing you. He slides his hands up to rest them on your lower back while you play with his hair between your fingers. The room fell quiet as you closed your eyes, afraid to look at him.

“Can I tell you a secret?” He said softly.

“Mhm…”

Minho smiled as he kissed you sweetly for a few seconds before he pulled away and kept his lips right over yours so that you could feel his lips brushing yours when he spoke.

“I like you.” He whispered quietly to you. That’s when you finally opened your eyes to meet his own and saw how softly he was staring up at you. You gently caressed his cheeks with your thumbs, feeling him hug you closer to him only for you to smile.

“I like you too.” You said in response, earning a satisfied sound from him. He kissed you yet again. Maybe it’s not that bad to have feelings for your classmate who is someone you bicker a lot with yet have comfort in as well.