“I saw everything,” you say, still kind of dazed. “You guys were—dude. You crushed them. They didn’t stand a chance.”

And somehow, that’s enough to set off a whole new round of screaming. Jake throws his towel like it’s a confetti cannon. Sunghoon yells something unintelligible and jumps around like he’s six years old. Before you can even process it, someone (probably Jake) is yelling, “UP SHE GOES!” and suddenly you’re being hoisted onto their shoulders like some sort of trophy.

You flail a little, laughing so hard you nearly choke. “You guys are gonna drop me—”

“No chance,” Jake shouts. “You’re the reason we even got our shit together in the first place.”

“That’s facts,” Sunghoon adds, steadying your leg. “This is your win too.”

You don’t even care that you’re slightly terrified of falling. You’re beaming, cheeks aching from smiling, surrounded by the sounds of celebration. Someone tosses a bottle of apple cider across the room. Jake catches it one-handed, pops it open, and sprays it everywhere while yelling, and Sunghoon’s wheezing from laughter. You’re wiping cider off your cheek, still sitting on Jake’s shoulders like it’s the most normal thing in the world. It kind of is.

Eventually, they let you down. You’re still laughing, a little breathless, hair a mess from being hoisted around like a trophy, when you hear someone yell: “GET OUTTA THE WAY, MVP MUSE COMIN’ THROUGH!” And it’s Beomgyu, of course. Charging in like he owns the place, drenched in sweat, pads halfway off, eyes wild.

Behind him is Heeseung, scowling at his phone, and Niki, who should not be here, because he’s literally not on the team, but he’s walking in like he is, holding a Gatorade bottle like it’s champagne. Soobin follows last, towel over his head, looking like he’s seen the gates of hell.

“Look at you,” Heeseung says, finally glancing up and smiling at you. “All up on shoulders like a little trophy.”

“She is the trophy,” Sunghoon says behind you, still breathless.

Beomgyu snorts, then turns to Soobin. “Yo, how do you miss an extra point with your WHOLE FOOT. You had ONE JOB.”

“It slipped!” Soobin groans, burying his face deeper in the towel. “It was wet!”

“Your excuses are wet,” Beomgyu fires back. “I’m never letting you kick anything again. I’m buying a robot kicker off Amazon.”

“You can’t even buy shampoo off Amazon without messing it up,” Niki adds, sipping from his Gatorade bottle like it’s wine.

“Wait.” You squint at Niki. “Why are you here? You’re not even on the team.”

“I have a VIP pass for life,” Niki says proudly, holding up a laminated badge. “I was the football team’s social media manager last year. I posted one TikTok and it got 82 views. Legacy secured.”

“You posted a thirst trap of yourself in the mirror with the caption ‘practice grind,’” Heeseung mutters.

“EXACTLY. The people were fed.”

“Okay, wait,” you turn to Heeseung. “Did you ever fix your keyboard? Jake showed me your message and it looked like a Greek prophecy.”

Heeseung groans, holding up his phone. “Mark Lee changed my keyboard to Greek and I can’t figure out how to switch it back.”

You glance back at Heeseung, who’s now poking at his screen like it personally betrayed him. “You know what you need?” you tell him, grinning. “You need Giannis Antetokounmpo to come fix your phone again.”

Heeseung groans. “At this point, I’d pay him.”

“I’m DMing him right now,” Niki says, already typing. “Telling him we have a Greek emergency.”

You’re laughing again, shoulders still tingling from the adrenaline of the celebration. Around you, the locker room is chaos, pads clattering to the floor, towels flying, someone blasting music from a waterproof speaker, someone else trying to use the hand dryer to dry their hair (probably Beomgyu).

Jake’s hand finds yours as he tugs you gently toward the hallway. “We’re gonna shower real quick, then it’s party time,” he tells you, eyes still shining.

Sunghoon bumps his shoulder as he walks by, hair damp already, cheeks flushed with victory. “Don’t take too long,” you call after them. “I have exactly twenty-five minutes of patience and then I start pulling people out in towels.”

“You’d love that,” Jake calls over his shoulder.

You sit on a bench outside the locker room, texting random updates to your friends and watching the door as the boys rotate through one by one, some actually getting clean, others just putting on deodorant and praying for the best.

Eventually, they all trickle out, fresh jerseys, hoodies, backwards caps. Jake grabs your hand again, grinning like he hasn’t stopped since the final whistle. Sunghoon is next to him, animatedly re-telling one of the plays. Niki’s walking backwards ahead of everyone, filming them for a fake vlog, narrating: “Here we have the champions. Smelly, emotional, dangerously underfed.”

Jake’s house is already packed. Music’s blaring, lights are low and warm, and there’s that post-win energy in the air. Everyone’s yelling, hugging, double-fisting sodas and beers like it’s the end of the world in the best possible way.

“LET’S GOOOOOO,” Jungwon yells, arms up in victory even though he didn’t play a single minute of the game. Giselle steps in behind him in a matching UCLA hoodie, sunglasses on indoors. Classic.

“Why is that rat back?” Jake asks suddenly, pointing.

Because Woonhak is walking in like a proud father, holding his pet rat in a little hoodie that says “MVP.” You blink. The rat blinks back. “She needed to see history being made,” Woonhak says solemnly. “She’s a huge Jake fan.”

You turn to Woonhak. “Magnesium is a girl?”

“Yeah,” Woonhak mutters. “Add her to the guest list next time.”

Before anyone can say anything else, the door opens again and in tumble Jay, Taesan, and Leehan. Jungwon beelines for Jay and throws himself into his arms. “You remembered I exist!!”

“You’re my favorite clone,” Jay says, spinning him once. “Don’t tell your sister.”

Sunghoon appears next to you, two drinks in hand. He gives you one without saying anything and just nudges his shoulder against yours. You smile at him.

Jake reappears too, a little sweaty already because he’s been moving furniture to make room for people dancing. He tugs your sleeve. “Hey,” he says, a little shy, even now. “You having fun?”

You nod. “This is insane. You’re like… a hero.”

Jake looks at you for a second, then grins. “You’re the only one I care about impressing.”

Sunghoon hears that and groans dramatically. “Get a room. Or let me join. I’m flexible.”

You burst out laughing, caught between the two of them. Jake’s arm goes around your waist. Sunghoon throws an arm over your shoulder from the other side. And just like that, you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, in the middle of a perfect night, with your boys on either side and the party just getting started.

In two hours in, it’s officially a full-blown, borderline illegal rager. The living room is a sauna of bodies. Someone turned the backyard into a beer pong arena. The kitchen counter is stacked with half-eaten pizzas and a single rotisserie chicken that no one knows who brought. You lose track of how many people hug you just because they “saw you on Jake’s story.”

And more people keep arriving. At one point, Yeonjun walks in wearing leather pants and a glittery mesh top, like he’s coming from the Euphoria set. He’s followed by Taehyun, who immediately makes a beeline for the aux and puts on an obscure hyperpop remix of “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” No one knows what’s happening, but no one stops him.

You find Heeseung trying to use a Swiffer to mop up spilled Coke, even though the Swiffer pad is bone dry. “This isn’t working,” he mutters, still doing it anyway.

Then Niki shows up again. You swear he was here earlier, but now he’s wearing a different outfit, sunglasses, and holding a walkie talkie.

“Bro,” Jake calls, “where have you been?”

Niki holds up a finger. “Securing the guest list.”

“What guest list?” you ask, just as the door swings open.

John Cena walks in. Like. The John Cena. In full jorts. “Where the party at?” he asks in perfect sync with the beat drop. People scream. John Cena gives Sunghoon a fist bump and tells Jake “good game, champ.”

You stare, but you’re too stunned to speak. And then it gets worse.

Behind him: A guy who might be from Stranger Things. Gordon Ramsay. A baby-faced TikToker with a ring light strapped to their chest. Someone’s uncle.

“Bro,” Beomgyu says to you, eyes wide. “Gordon Ramsay just stepped on my foot.”

“Did you thank him?” you ask.

“I apologized to him, actually.”

At one point, you catch Jake and Sunghoon in the hallway, eating Doritos straight from the bag while talking to John Cena about protein powder. You’re still trying to process that when you hear yelling from the kitchen.

“WHO PUT A RAT IN THE BLENDER?” (It’s unplugged. Woonhak was just trying to take a cool photo of Magnesium.)

You step out onto the porch to breathe, only for Niki to materialize behind you. “Next time,” he says, sipping something neon, “we get Beyoncé.”

You don’t even question it. You just nod. At this point, anything feels possible.

The music inside is still thumping. The lights still flash like it’s someone’s cinematic debut. People are still screaming every time they spot a new celebrity.

The backyard’s quieter now, you sit on the edge of a patio bench, cradling a solo cup filled with something vaguely fruity. Jungwon flops down next to you with a dramatic sigh, throwing his head back. Sunoo follows right after, curling up beside you. “You look happy,” Jungwon says after a beat, turning his head to you.

You glance at him, surprised. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he nods. “Like… genuinely.”

“You haven’t yelled at me in like two hours,” Sunoo adds. “That’s personal growth.”

You roll your eyes, but you’re smiling. “I’m always yelling at you out of love.”

“I know,” he grins. “I just prefer this version of you.”

“Okay ew,” Jungwon mutters, but he’s smiling too. “But for real… I’m glad. You’ve been through a lot, Y/N. It’s nice seeing you just… breathe.”

You pause for a moment, looking up at the stars. Or maybe they’re just reflections in the pool. Either way, you feel lighter. Like someone took a heavy coat off your shoulders without you noticing. “Yeah,” you admit quietly. “I feel good. Like… good good.”

Sunoo bumps his shoulder against yours. “Is it the Jake and Sunghoon effect?”

You laugh. “Maybe.”

Jungwon squints at you. “Okay, but like. Be honest. What is going on with you three?”

“Are you dating them both?” Sunoo stage whispers.

You giggle into your cup. “I don’t know what it is, honestly. It’s just… fun. We’re having fun. They’re friends again. Everything feels… easy.”

Jungwon tilts his head. “You’re not confused?”

“Oh I’m very confused,” you say. “But in a kind of peaceful way.”

Sunoo snorts. “Poetic.”

You lean your head on Sunoo’s shoulder, exhaling. “I just… I spent so long feeling like I had to figure it all out. Like I needed answers or labels or a five-year plan or whatever. And now I’m just trying to enjoy the moment.”

Jungwon looks at you for a second and nods, the corners of his mouth turning up. “Proud of you.”

“Yeah,” Sunoo agrees. “You’re thriving. Emotionally. Sexually. Aesthetically.”

You burst out laughing. “Shut up.”

Sunoo shrugs. “Don’t blame me. I’m just the narrator of your hot girl arc.”

Jungwon raises his cup. “To Y/N.”

“To confusion and kissing hot people!” Sunoo adds. You clink your cups together, laughing under the string lights.

You’re halfway to the fridge when you hear your name.

“Y/N.”

You turn your head and see Jake leaning against the counter, half-shadowed by the dim kitchen lights. His hat’s backwards, cheeks still a little flushed from the post-game high, hair damp like he just ran his hand through it. You blink. “What are you doing in here? Hiding from the A-list guests?”

He smirks. “Maybe.”

You raise an eyebrow, amused. “You planning to kiss John Cena next or something?”

Jake chuckles, low and breathy. “Not unless he asks nicely.”

You laugh and head to the fridge, pulling it open to grab a drink. But before you can close it, Jake’s already next to you, reaching past you to push the door shut. You blink up at him, heart tripping. He’s close. Stupidly close. “Actually,” he says, voice low, “I was waiting for you.”

Your pulse spikes. “Oh?”

“You haven’t given me my victory kiss yet.”

You try to play it cool. “Oh, I haven’t?”

Jake shakes his head slowly. “Nope. Won a whole game and everything. My feelings are so hurt.”

You smile despite yourself, hand still wrapped around your drink like a lifeline. “Poor baby.”

Jake tilts his head. “Think you can fix it?”

You open your mouth to say something, probably to make a joke or deflect, but then his hand is already on your waist, gentle but firm, and you forget how to speak altogether. He pulls you just slightly closer, enough that your chest brushes his, enough that you can smell the cologne on his neck.

You look up at him, he looks down at you. And then you kiss him. It’s slow and a little teasing. His mouth is warm, familiar now, and he kisses you like he’s been waiting all night. Like he’s still a little drunk off the win, but you’re the only thing that really matters.

His hand slips under the hem of your shirt, resting against your back, warm and steady. He deepens the kiss slightly, just enough that you feel your knees weaken a little and your free hand clutches his shirt to stay upright. When you finally pull back, your breath is shallow, your cheeks warm.

Jake grins. “There it is,” he murmurs, brushing his nose against yours. “That’s what I was waiting for.”

You bite back a smile. “Cocky.”

“Earned,” he says. Then pauses. “Though, like… feel free to keep going if you’re feeling generous.”

You laugh, leaning in to kiss him again, shorter this time, just to shut him up. But his hand stays on your waist even after you part, thumb brushing your skin like he doesn’t want to let go. Jake’s eyes flick toward the pantry door, then back to you. There’s a split second of hesitation, like he’s deciding what to do, but then he leans in, lips brushing your ear. “Come here.”

He just grabs your hand and starts pulling you. “Oh my god,” you say, laughing as he opens the door to the pantry. “Jake. Not this again.” He grins, tugging you inside and shutting the door behind you. “I’ve seen this movie and it ends with Sunghoon walking in and pretending he’s not into it.”

Jake leans in, hands sliding to your waist as he cages you gently between his arms and the wall. His voice drops. “Yeah, yeah,” he murmurs. “We’ll call Sunghoon later. Right now?” He brushes your hair back behind your ear. “I want you all to myself.”

Your breath catches, just for a second. There’s something about the way he says it, so calm, so sure, like he’s not even asking. Just stating a fact. Jake tilts his head, mouth brushing your jaw. “I’ve been sharing you all night,” he mutters. “Let me be selfish for once.”

You don’t argue. He kisses you hard, urgent, his hands grip your waist tight, sliding under your shirt again, fingers hot against your skin. Your arms wrap around his shoulders instinctively, pulling him in, and he groans softly against your mouth like he’s been waiting for this exact second. “You taste like that lemonade shit you like,” he mumbles between kisses. “So annoying. I wanna be mad but it’s hot.”

You laugh into his mouth, but it turns into a gasp when he starts kissing down your neck, slow and purposeful, like he’s memorizing every inch of you again. His teeth graze your skin and you feel your knees wobble. “You drive me fucking crazy, y’know that?” he mutters. “Walkin’ around this party, lookin’ all smug. Everyone’s talkin’ to you and I’m just—fuck—I’m just standing there like an idiot.”

“You jealous?” you whisper, grinning.

Jake huffs a laugh against your collarbone. “Yeah. Sue me.”

His hand slides up your spine, pulling you closer until there’s nothing between you but heat and breath and the sound of the bass from the living room thumping through the walls. “I keep thinking about that night,” he says, voice low, “when it was just us. When you looked at me like that.”

“Like what?”

Jake pulls back just far enough to look at you. “Like you needed me.”

His words punch the air out of your lungs. But before you can reply, his mouth is on yours again, deeper this time, more intense. His body presses into yours and you can feel how badly he wants this. Wants you. “Say you missed me,” he murmurs, lips trailing along your jaw.

You breathe, “I missed you.”

“Say you want me.”

“I want you.”

Jake smirks, forehead resting against yours for a second like he’s catching his breath. Then he kisses you again, messy, hot, hungry. His hands roam. Yours do too. There’s no space. Just Jake, everywhere, kissing you like the world might end, like the game didn’t matter. You moan softly into his mouth, and he groans in return, like it’s his favorite sound on earth. “I could stay in here all night,” he whispers.

You laugh, breathless. “I think someone’s gonna notice we’re gone.”

Jake presses one last, lazy kiss to your lips, his voice low and smug. “Good. Let ’em wonder.”

You're just catching your breath, your back still pressed to the wall, when Jake shifts. His hands slide lower, gripping the backs of your thighs, and before you can react, he lifts you effortlessly. Your gasp is swallowed by his mouth as your legs instinctively wrap around his waist. He presses you harder into the wall, his body flush against yours, and there’s no space left between you. You can feel everything.

“Fuck,” he mutters into your neck, voice rough and shaky. “You feel so good like this. You have no idea what you do to me.”

Your fingers tangle in his hair, tugging gently as he kisses you again, hotter now, sloppier, with that kind of urgency that makes your head spin. He rocks his hips into yours just enough for you to feel it, and it sends a shiver through your entire body. “Jake,” you breathe, voice barely a whisper.

“I should take you to my room,” he says, panting slightly, like he’s trying to talk himself into letting go. “I should—fuck—I wanna lay you out on my bed, take my time with you.”

You moan, and that’s all it takes. He presses his forehead to yours, breathing hard, his hands squeezing your thighs tighter. He crashes his mouth back to yours, and the way he touches you, like he knows exactly what he’s doing, makes your stomach flip. “You’re so fucking pretty,” he mumbles. “You came out tonight wearing my jersey, and I knew I was screwed.”

You smirk against his mouth. “I wore it for you.”

Jake growls softly, nipping your lower lip. “Yeah? Keep talkin’ like that and I really won’t make it to the bedroom.”

The wall is cool behind your back, but Jake is all heat, his mouth, his hands, his body pressing into yours like he can’t get close enough. You can feel him pulsing with tension, like he's holding himself back by a thread. Jake’s kiss starts to slow, just barely, but it’s still deep and greedy. His lips are swollen, his breath warm against your cheek as he nuzzles in close, one hand still gripping the back of your thigh.

You press a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth and murmur, “We should go back.”

Jake leans back just enough to look at you, his brows furrowed like you just said the most heartbreaking thing in the world. “Back? Why?”

You laugh softly, brushing his messy hair out of his face. “Because you just won the biggest game of your life, and you’re hiding in a pantry.”

“I am celebrating,” he says, dipping to kiss your neck. “With you.”

You bite back a smile. “You’ll celebrate with me later. With less people downstairs and preferably a door that locks.”

Jake groans dramatically, letting his head fall against your shoulder. “You’re evil.”

You kiss his temple and whisper, “You love it.”

He sets you down slowly, his hands lingering at your waist like he’s not quite ready to let go. His eyes search yours like he's committing this whole moment to memory. “Later,” he repeats, grinning now. “You better keep that promise.”

“I always do.”

When you both step out of the pantry, the music hits you like a wave, loud and fast and chaotic. The house is even more packed now, everyone buzzing from the win, the drinks, and whatever unhinged guest list Niki summoned.

You spot Jungwon holding a ping pong ball and making aggressive eye contact with Jay across the room. He sees you and lights up. “DUDE. You’re playing. Come here.”

You shoot Jake a quick smile and head toward the beer pong table. Jungwon throws his arm around your shoulder like it’s game time in the Super Bowl again. “Me and Y/N,” Jungwon announces, already talking shit. “Versus grandpa Jay and the tall emo.”

“Tall emo?” Sunghoon laughs, setting down his drink. “You just gave me more motivation to wipe the floor with you.”

Jay winks at Jungwon. “Hope you’re ready to lose.”

Jungwon lets you go, smirking while he points at Jay, feigning anger. “Hope you’re ready to cry in the bathroom when I sink all the cups.”

Sunghoon steps up beside you while Jay and Junwon are bickering, his lips barely brushing your ear, leans over and whispers, “If I win, you owe me a kiss.”

You roll your eyes, heart stuttering a little. “That’s not how this works.”

“Sure it is,” he says, casual, cocky. “Winner gets a prize. You can kiss Jake after if you feel bad.” You bump his shoulder playfully, but he just grins wider.

The game starts, and it’s instantly chaotic. Jungwon is yelling so much for someone who keeps missing. You’re actually decent, sinking a few shots back to back, but Sunghoon, of course, is disgustingly good. Every time he lands a shot, he does some stupid little victory dance, and Jay keeps egging him on.

Eventually, Jay sinks the last cup. Jungwon screams “NOOOOOOO” and dramatically drops to the floor like he’s been sniped. You’re laughing so hard you can’t breathe.

Jay and Sunghoon are high-fiving, obnoxiously smug. “Losers,” Jay says. “Should’ve brought a better teammate, Jungwon.”

“You’re lucky I didn’t have my glasses,” Jungwon mutters, still on the ground.

You’re about to go grab another drink when Sunghoon appears in front of you, a little breathless, eyes sparkling. “I believe,” he says, cocking his head, “you owe me a reward.”

You raise a brow. “For winning a drinking game?”

He steps closer, voice lower. “Don’t act like you didn’t promise.”

Your breath catches a little. The energy between you is buzzing, electric. You glance around, and when you look back at Sunghoon, he’s smiling at you like he knows exactly what he's doing. You look up at Sunghoon, eyes playful, but your smile is full of trouble. “Ohhh,” you hum, tilting your head, “you want me to reward you? That’s cute.”

Sunghoon’s gaze flickers to your lips, then back to your eyes. “I’m dead serious.”

You take a step back, slowly, taunting. “Hmmm… I don’t know. I didn’t agree to anything. I think you’re making stuff up.”

He laughs under his breath, following you like a shadow. “You’re such a bad liar.”

You bite your lip, letting your eyes drop to his mouth and then back up. “And you’re dangerously cocky.”

“Only when I know I’m right.”

You fake a dramatic sigh and turn like you’re going to leave, tossing over your shoulder, “Well, guess you’ll have to find someone else to kiss.”

But you don’t move far, and you know he’s watching you. He’s there in a second, catching your wrist gently. “Y/N.” His voice is lower now, quieter, dipped in something that makes your spine straighten. You glance back, and he smirks. “You know, I’ve been to Jake’s house like a hundred times. I know a lot of hidden places here, more… private.”

“Oh yeah?” you ask, still teasing, eyes sharp. “How many girls have you dragged off to corners and closets and bathrooms, huh?”

Sunghoon leans in close, his breath brushing your jaw. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Before you can respond, he’s already steering you subtly down the hall, hand at your lower back like he owns the moment. The noise of the party fades just a little as he pushes open a door, a small half-bath, and pulls you in with him before locking it with a quiet click.

You're half-laughing, half-shocked. “Sunghoon—”

But you’re cut off when he turns you around with a hand on your hip, pressing you gently forward until your hands land on the edge of the counter. The mirror stretches in front of you, and he steps in behind, his chest warm against your back but not quite touching. Hovering.

He catches your eyes in the reflection. “Don’t pretend you don’t like this.” His voice is just above a whisper, rasped and slow in your ear, the heat of him curling around your whole body. Your breath catches in your throat. “You’ve been playing all night,” he murmurs, dipping his head so his lips brush the shell of your ear. “Looking at me like that.”

You shiver. His hands are on the counter now, caging you in, his body heat pouring over you. “You’re so fucking pretty,” he whispers, eyes still locked on yours in the mirror. “Bet you don’t even realize.”

One of his hands lifts, sliding down your side, fingers just grazing the curve of your waist. You lean back into him instinctively, your body betraying every ounce of composure. Your eyes meet in the mirror again. He breathes. “I just wanna see how long you can keep pretending you don’t want this too.”

You breathe out a laugh, shaky and soft, but your body betrays your voice. You’re leaning back into him more now, heart racing, eyes flickering down from the mirror like you can’t even face your own reflection. Sunghoon notices. He dips his head, his nose brushing the curve of your neck, and he says, low and smooth: “You’re real quiet now.”

You don’t answer. Can’t. Your hands are gripping the edge of the counter, knuckles tight, and he’s still right there, so close behind you, not touching completely, but there. His presence is heavy, almost unbearable in the best way. He lets the silence drag, lets it stretch until it’s almost too much.

Finally, he moves. His hands slide from the counter to your hips, slow and purposeful. His fingers press into your sides just enough for you to feel it through the fabric of your clothes. He leans in until his chest is flush against your back, warm and solid, and you can feel the steady rise and fall of his breath syncing with yours.

Then, he brings his mouth to your ear, voice barely audible: “I’m gonna kiss you now.” You don’t even have time to nod before he turns you around gently, his hands guiding you like he already knows exactly where you’ll go. And you do. You let him.

The second you're facing him, his hand slides up to your jaw, thumb brushing your cheek. He looks at you like he’s memorizing something, eyes intense but soft, lips slightly parted. He kisses you. His mouth moves against yours in perfect rhythm, hot and certain, pulling you under like a riptide. His other hand finds your waist, gripping you tighter, and you melt into him without thinking. Your hands reach for him instinctively, curling into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer, grounding yourself in the heat and pressure of him.

The kiss deepens, fast. His mouth parts against yours, tongue brushing yours in a way that’s so smooth and deliberate it makes your knees buckle. He groans softly into the kiss, and that sound alone sends a wave through you, low and warm and dizzying.

When you gasp for air, he doesn’t pull away. His lips trail down to your jaw, then to the corner of your mouth, then to your neck. “You kiss me like that again,” he whispers against your skin, “and I’m not letting you leave this room.”

You laugh, breathless. “Wasn’t planning on leaving soon.”

He lifts his head, eyes burning into yours, thumb still caressing your jaw. “Good.”

And then he kisses you again. You can feel the tension unraveling between you, fast and hungry and real. Like it’s been simmering for way too long and now that the fuse is lit, there’s no stopping it. One of his hands slides up your back, to the nape of your neck, pulling you deeper into him. The other slips just under the hem of your skirt, fingers brushing bare skin at your waist, gentle but electric.

You kiss him like you’re trying to memorize him too. Like this might be the only moment that exists. Like you’ve wanted this just as long. And when you finally pull apart, barely breathing, foreheads pressed together, he just grins. “God,” he mutters, “you drive me insane.”

You smirk, still catching your breath. “Takes one to know one.” He laughs under his breath, and the sound is so him that you swear your chest aches a little. Sunghoon’s hands are all over you now.

There’s no hesitation anymore, just heat and pressure and the unmistakable sound of his breath catching every time you gasp. Your back hits the counter again, and this time his hips follow, slotting between your legs like it’s the most natural thing in the world. His mouth is on yours, hungry, devouring, pulling every little noise out of you like he needs them to breathe.

His hands trail up under your skirt, fingers grazing your thighs, slow and teasing. He doesn’t go further, but the threat is there. It’s in the way he grips your waist, the way his lips trail from your mouth to your neck, to that spot just below your ear. “You have no idea what you do to me,” he mumbles, voice low and gravelly. “I should show you.”

And just as his hands tighten on your hips like he’s about to do exactly that, there’s a loud knock on the door.

“Yo,” someone calls from the hallway, clearly trying to suppress a laugh. “People are literally peeing in the backyard. Open up.”

You both freeze. Sunghoon’s forehead drops to your shoulder, and you feel his whole body shaking, he’s laughing. Quiet, breathless, absolutely done with the interruption. You can’t help it either. You giggle, still pinned against the counter, legs around him, a mess, lipstick probably smudged to hell. “This is so unserious.”

He finally looks up at you, eyes still dark with want, but there's a crooked smirk on his lips now. “You’re telling me.”

You slide your hands down his chest, smoothing his shirt, trying (and failing) to make yourselves look halfway presentable. “We should probably—go back.”

“Probably,” he repeats, but he’s not moving.

You tilt your head. “I told Jake I’d meet him in his room later.”

Sunghoon raises an eyebrow, eyes flickering with something unreadable. “Oh yeah?”

You nod, slowly, dragging your fingers up to the collar of his shirt. “End of the night.”

He leans in again, mouth brushing your ear. “Lucky him.” You smirk, already reaching for the doorknob, but his voice stops you one last time. “Maybe I’ll come find you both.”

You glance back at him, eyes locking, heartbeat skipping a beat at the way he’s looking at you, like he’s already picturing it. Like the thought of you and Jake together is not something that bothers him at all. Quite the opposite. “Maybe you should,” you say, lips twitching into a wicked smile.

You open the door and step out like nothing happened, leaving him alone in the bathroom with the ghost of your lipstick on his neck and the idea of what could happen next still burning in his mind.

You find your way back to the party, though your heart’s still racing a little. The music’s still going, but things have mellowed out just enough. You spot your friends all crowded in the backyard, sitting on mismatched chairs and the edge of the pool, some people on the grass with plastic cups in hand.

Jungwon waves you over with a big grin, scooting over so you can sit between him and Sunoo. “There she is,” Sunoo says, nudging you. “Thought maybe you’d been kidnapped again.”

You just smile and sip your drink. “Almost.”

Everyone’s laughing and talking over each other, the kind of easy, familiar chaos that makes your chest feel warm. Jake's standing a little off to the side, laughing at something Heeseung said, until Heeseung yells, “Jake! Give us your victory speech!”

Jake straightens up like he’s been waiting for this his whole life. Jake climbs onto one of the patio chairs like it’s a stage. “I just wanna say…” he starts, dramatically placing a hand on his chest. “This victory wasn't just for the team. It was for the people.”

Everyone groans. “Shut up!” Beomgyu yells, throwing a chip at him. “You literally fumbled like twice!”

“I recovered!” Jake protests. “And I scored! This is my redemption arc!”

Niki jumps in. “We couldn’t have done it without my support on the sidelines. Really. My Instagram stories? Inspirational. Game-changing.”

Jungwon’s already wheezing, and someone from the back—maybe Woonhak—shouts, “YOU'RE NOT EVEN ON THE TEAM!”

“I AM the team,” Niki replies, unbothered.

Everyone’s laughing now, and Jake just raises his cup. “But for real. Shoutout to my guys. Heeseung, Soobin, Beomgyu. The whole team. But especially…” He turns toward Sunghoon. “Especially Sunghoon,” he says, a little softer. “You killed it out there.”

There’s a beat of silence. Everyone watches as Sunghoon gets up, walking over with a little smile on his face. They do one of those bro-hug-handshake things, and then just pull each other in for a real hug. The group starts clapping and cheering like it’s a movie ending. Sunghoon pulls back and says something only Jake can hear, probably something dumb, but they both laugh like kids again.

You can’t stop smiling. Because this is kind of everything. Seeing them like this. Not just winning the game. But finding each other again. Being friends again.

And for a moment, in the middle of a chaotic backyard, under cheap string lights and surrounded by people you love, everything feels okay. Like maybe things don’t have to be figured out yet, as long as you have moments like these.

The party had started to wind down the way all great nights eventually do, not with silence, but with soft laughter, spilled drinks, and someone passed out on a beanbag chair in the corner of the living room.

You’re not sure what time it is. Late enough that the playlist’s shuffled into obscure indie covers, and Sunoo’s stopped pretending to like the beer pong crowd and started stealing blankets from Jake’s closet to wrap around himself, Jungwon and Giselle. There’s a weird kind of peace in it. A calm buzz in your chest. You’re warm, from the alcohol, the memories, the way your cheeks still hurt from smiling.

You excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, walking through the quieter parts of the house, brushing past jackets tossed on chairs and half-finished drinks on the counter. The hallway's quiet when you step into it. The bass from the speakers is still thumping, but faint, almost like a heartbeat now. Most of the party has dissolved into corners, whispered conversations, slow goodbyes, people curled up in borrowed blankets on the floor.

You’re headed to the bathroom, barely thinking, when you feel fingers wrap around your wrist. You turn, already smiling. Jake. He’s got that look on his face again, like he’s been waiting for this exact moment all night. “Hey,” he says, voice soft, eyes a little sleepy from the drinks and dancing. “Was just looking for you.”

“Oh yeah?” you tease. “Well, I was looking for a toilet.”

He laughs, pressing a kiss to your cheek. Then to the corner of your mouth. Then to your mouth, fully. It’s slow, warm, affectionate, different from the others tonight. There’s no urgency. Just something that says, I’m really glad it was you. He pulls back, still close enough for your noses to brush. “Come with me.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Again?”

He just grins, tilting his head toward the stairs. And you go. The climb up feels quieter than it should. More intimate. Like the world’s been put on pause, just for a second. Jake walks beside you, not holding your hand this time, but brushing his pinky against yours with every step.

When you reach his bedroom door, you already know. Sunghoon is standing there. Leaning casually against the wall next to it, like he’s lived in that exact spot forever. His hair’s a little messy. His eyes find yours instantly, and there’s a smile waiting there, small, lopsided, but genuine. “Hey,” he says.

“Hey,” you reply. You’re not surprised to see him. Neither is Jake.

No one explains anything. No one needs to. Jake steps forward and nods toward the door. “Room’s still yours if you want it.”

Sunghoon glances at him. “You sure?”

Jake shrugs. “I think she’d kill us both if we made her choose like that.”

You laugh, but it comes out a little breathy. Your chest is suddenly too full, of emotion, of affection, of the sheer ridiculousness of the night. “You guys are idiots,” you mutter, but you’re smiling.

They both turn to you at once. “Yeah,” Jake says. “But we’re your idiots.”

Sunghoon leans back on one foot, watching you. “You sure about that?”

You look at the two of them standing there. Jake with his sleepy eyes and soft hair and that crooked little smile that never quite leaves. Sunghoon with his steady gaze, his confidence, his quiet charm that never really asked permission to get under your skin. They’re so different. And yet, somehow, they’ve both been exactly what you needed.

You take a step closer to the door. Your fingers brush the handle, but you don’t turn it yet. You pause. Look at them again. Jake’s looking at you. Sunghoon too.

And then, at the exact same time, they ask it.

“So… who’s the nicest guy?”

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author's note: like hannah montana once said THEY SAY THAT GOOD THINGS TAKE TIMEEE BUT REALLY GREAT THINGS HAPPEN IN A BLINK OF AN EYE!!!

hi. hi omg. i’m emotional. this was my first full length smau, and i literally only started posting it because my best friend begged me for a jakehoon fic and i thought okay fine i’ll just post it for her and now SOMEHOW it has over 2k likes??? you guys were actually reading this?????

i don’t even know where to begin. this story was unhinged from the start in the best possible way. remember: • woonhak's viral tiktok about THE PUKE INCIDENT • heeseung’s keyboard in greek. niki’s in cyrillic. justice for the groupchat. • the super bowl. the eagles. the trauma. (i always traumatized btw) • btw john cena just… being there. always. • THE PANTRY SCENE that time jake and sunghoon both kissed y/n’s neck at the same time and nobody flinched • and my personal favorite: taylor swift’s fictional short film. niki’s halftime show with john cena.

thank you to everyone who followed this chaotic journey with me. it means the world that you laughed, screamed, cried, and maybe blacked out a little bit alongside y/n. i’m so so grateful.

i have more projects coming soon (yes more unhinged enhypen content is on the way) so stay tuned!!!

love u forever, yours truly, the nicest girl (jk. or am i.)