Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Kim Namjoon lives a quiet, carefully ordered life, untouched by chaos. Until an arranged marriage brings a stranger into his world. What begins with distance slowly shifts through shared routines and silent understanding.In the stillness of everyday moments, something tender begins to grow.A gentle story of love that unfolds slowly, becoming home before either of them realizes.
Genre - Arrange marriage, slice of life, Romace
Pairing - Kim Namjoon(ceo) x Reader
The morning light in Tokyo didn't crash into the room; it filtered in through the sheer silk curtains as a soft, pearlescent glow, painting the suite in hues of pale gold and grey. The city below was already humming, but inside the room, time seemed to have been suspended.
You woke up slowly, the weight of the last night pressing into your bones with a pleasant, heavy ache. You weren't just in bed; you were anchored. Namjoon’s arm was a solid, warm band across your waist, his large hand resting flat against your stomach, rising and falling with the steady rhythm of his breath.
When you shifted slightly, the friction of the sheets against your sensitized skin brought back flashes of the night before—the heat of his mouth, the low vibration of his growls, and the way he had utterly undone you.
A soft, gravelly hum vibrated against the back of your neck. Namjoon hadn't opened his eyes yet, but he tightened his grip, pulling you flush against his chest. He was radiating a natural heat that made the cool morning air feel irrelevant.
"Morning," he murmured, his voice thick with sleep, the sound vibrating through your spine.
He leaned in, pressing a lingering, soft kiss to the sensitive curve where your neck met your shoulder. It wasn't the hungry, demanding kiss from a few hours ago; it was tender, almost reverent. He nuzzled his face into your hair, breathing you in.
"Did you sleep well, baby?" he asked, his hand on your stomach sliding up slightly, his thumb tracing the bottom of your ribs.
You turned in his arms, your legs tangling with his as you faced him.
His hair was a chaotic mess, falling over his forehead, and his eyes were half-lidded and soft. He looked at you with a quiet, devastating intensity, his gaze flickering down to your swollen lips before returning to your eyes.
"I did," you whispered, your voice still a little raspy. You reached up, your fingers tracing the sharp line of his jaw, feeling the slight prickle of morning stubble. "You?"
He let out a small, huffed laugh, a dimple peeking through as he leaned down to capture your lips in a slow, sweet morning kiss. It tasted of warmth and shared secrets.
"Best sleep I've had in years," he admitted, pulling back just enough to rest his forehead against yours. "I could stay right here for the rest of the day. No galas, no meetings... just this."
He kissed the tip of your nose, his thumb catching a stray tear of sleep from the corner of your eye. For a moment, the world outside and the wedding you had to face later didn't exist. It was just the two of you, tangled in white silk and the quiet afterglow of a night that had changed everything.
You sat up slowly, the silk sheets pooling around your waist as you looked at Namjoon. The morning light caught the sharp angles of his face, making him look softer, more approachable than the titan of industry the world knew.
"Mind if I ask you a favor?" you whispered, your voice still a bit thick with sleep.
Namjoon leaned back on his elbows, a lazy, devoted grin spreading across his lips. "Order me around," he replied, his tone playful yet entirely sincere.
You couldn't help but chuckle, the sound light and airy in the quiet suite. "Can we go to Luna’s wedding? I don't want to be the only one missing it... especially since all of my old classmates will be there."
The playfulness in his eyes didn't vanish, but it was joined by a steady, grounding seriousness. He reached out, his large hand finding yours and squeezing gently.
"Of course," he said, his voice dropping into that warm, protective register. "But only if you’re truly comfortable with it. We don't go for her, Y/N. We go for you. Okay?"
He didn't wait for an answer before pulling you back down toward him, his thumb tracing your jawline. "If we’re going to make an appearance, we might as well make it one they'll talk about for the next ten years. I'll have the team coordinate everything. You just worry about looking as breathtaking as you do right now."
You nodded, a surge of gratitude warming your chest. Seeing him like this, hair mussed, eyes soft, and entirely devoted to your comfort made the prospect of facing Luna feel significantly less daunting.
"I am," you said firmly, the resolve hardening in your voice. "I want to show up. Not for her, but for me. I’m tired of being the girl who vanished."
Namjoon’s expression shifted instantly. The sleepy, indulgent husband was still there, but a sharper, more calculating glint entered his eyes. He sat up, the duvet falling to his waist, revealing the broad, sculpted expanse of his chest that still bore the faint marks of your fingernails from the night before.
"Then we’ll do more than just show up," he murmured, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind your ear. His touch was feather-light, but his voice held a heavy, commanding weight. "If we’re going to a wedding to 'flex,' as your friend put it, then we should probably give them something they’ll never forget."
He leaned in, pressing a firm, lingering kiss to your forehead. "I’ll have my assistant coordinate with the local stylists. We’ll need something that says 'Imperial' without you having to say a single word. And Y/N?"
You looked up at him, caught in the intensity of his dark gaze.
"You don't have to explain London to me until you're ready," he said, his thumb grazing your lower lip. "But today, when we walk into that room, remember that you aren't just a classmate. You are the woman who holds the Kim heir’s heart. Kim’s daughter-in-law. Everyone else is just background noise."
The way he said it—with such calm, unshakable certainty—made the knot of anxiety in your stomach finally unravel. You leaned forward, pressing your face into the crook of his neck, breathing in the scent of him.
"Thank you, Joon."
"Don't thank me yet," he chuckled, his arms winding around you to pull you back down for one last, slow morning kiss. "Wait until you see the car I’m having them bring around for the entrance."
°
The sleek, obsidian-black Maybach glided to a halt in front of the ornate entrance of the Tokyo grand hotel, its tires barely making a sound on the pristine gravel. Outside, the flashbulbs of a few invited photographers were already popping, and a hush fell over the crowd of guests lingering near the foyer.
The valet opened the door, and the first thing the world saw was the polished shine of a handmade Italian leather shoe.
Namjoon stepped out first, looking every bit the formidable heir in a bespoke, midnight-navy three-piece suit that hugged his broad shoulders with lethal precision. He didn't look at the cameras or the whispering guests; his entire focus was on the interior of the car as he reached back, offering a steady, large hand to you.
When you took it and stepped out, the collective intake of breath from your former classmates was almost audible.
You were a vision of understated power. You had chosen a sculptural, floor-length gown in a deep emerald silk that caught the light with every movement, cinched at the waist to emphasize the curves Namjoon had worshipped only hours before. Your hair was swept back into a sleek, modern updo, leaving your neck bare—save for the discreet, high-carat diamond necklace that glittered against your skin, a gift from the Kim family vaults.
"Easy," Namjoon murmured, his voice a low, private vibration only you could hear as he tucked your hand into the crook of his arm. "You look like a queen, Y/N. Just breathe."
As you walked toward the entrance, the sea of familiar faces from your past parted like the Red Sea. You saw them—the girls who had whispered behind your back in London, the guys who had ignored your emails—all standing there with their mouths slightly agape.
And then, you saw Luna.
She was standing near the floral arch in her white lace gown, looking pretty, but suddenly very small. Her bright smile faltered as her eyes swept over your designer gown, your effortless poise, and the way one of the most powerful men in Asia was looking down at you with a gaze of pure, terrifying devotion.
Namjoon didn't even acknowledge the stares. He kept his pace slow and deliberate, his presence radiating a quiet authority that made the entire venue feel like it belonged to the two of you.
"Y-Y/N!" Luna stammered as you approached, her voice lacking its usual bite. "You... you actually came. And Mr. Kim... I—"
"Congratulations on your wedding, Luna," you said, your voice calm, steady, and impeccably polite. You didn't need to 'flex.' The way Namjoon’s hand tightened possessively on yours, his thumb grazing your knuckles, did all the talking for you.
The two of you stepped inside, and the venue was a masterclass in opulence, draped in floral arrangements that smelled of fresh lilies and success. You moved through the crowd with practiced grace, offering Luna her gifts and your blessings with a polite smile that hid the storm beneath. As you transitioned toward the table where your old friends sat, you finally let out a long, shaky breath. You were doing it. You were fine.
Throughout it all, Namjoon was a constant, grounding force. He stayed close, his hand a warm weight at the small of your back, leaning in periodically to whisper quiet assurances that only you could hear. His presence was the anchor that kept you from drifting into the shadows of your memories.
But then, the air seemed to vanish from the room.
Your gaze drifted toward the head of the ballroom, and your heart didn't just sink—it shattered into a thousand jagged pieces. There she was. Not a ghost, but a living, breathing reminder of the betrayal that had leveled your world. It was the woman who had broken you in ways a man never could, her familiar silhouette cutting through your newfound composure like a blade.
°
The weight of a friendship breakup was a heavy, silent burden that most people overlooked. It didn't have the clean closure of a romantic split; it was a slow-acting poison that left you ruined, a hollow mess of shared secrets turned into weapons.
Namjoon followed your haunted gaze to the woman in red, Hye-su. He didn't press you. He simply lowered his head, his sharp eyes taking in the way your posture had stiffened into a defensive shell. He had a thousand questions, but he waited, wanting the truth to come from your lips when you were ready to trust him with the wreckage of your past.
As you reached the table, the atmosphere shifted instantly. Your old classmates swarmed you, their voices a chaotic blend of high-pitched greetings and tight hugs. "Y/N! You look incredible!"
"Congratulations to both of you!"
Namjoon sat beside you, his presence like a dark, elegant anchor. Your friends, clearly eager to impress, began peppering him with questions about the Kim Group’s next move in the tech sector. He handled them with his signature poise, his voice deep and melodic as he navigated the small talk, but his left hand never left yours under the table. His thumb traced steady, rhythmic circles over your knuckles, a silent, private heartbeat just for you.
Except for Hye-su.
She sat across the table, her expression one of practiced, glacial boredom. She didn't look at you. She swirled her champagne, her gaze fixed on the floral centerpiece as if you were nothing more than background noise.
"Oh wow," a hushed whisper drifted from a few seats down, sharp enough to cut through the laughter. "Is it true that Y/N and Hye-su are meeting now for the first time since that night in London?"
The table went momentarily quiet. You felt the blood drain from your face, but Namjoon didn't let your hand go. He exhaled a slow, steady breath, his grip tightening just enough to pull you back from the edge of the memory.
"So, Mr. Kim," one of the guys joked, trying to break the sudden tension, "how does it feel to have the most regal park daughter as your wife? We all thought she’d disappeared for good."
Namjoon leaned back, a slow, devastatingly handsome smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He didn't look at the speaker; he looked directly at you, his eyes dark and full of a terrifyingly beautiful devotion.
"Disappeared?" Namjoon repeated, his voice smooth as silk but carrying the weight of a gavel. "No. She was simply being cherished where the world couldn't reach her. I don't blame anyone for being curious, though. When you have something as rare as Y/N, you tend to keep the gates closed to those who don't deserve to see her."
He raised his glass slightly toward the table, but his gaze flicked momentarily to Hye-su, his expression turning into something cold and predatory. The silence from her side of the table was deafening. She finally looked up, her bored facade cracking as she saw the sheer scale of the man protecting you.
"We’re actually planning a private gala in Seoul next month," Namjoon continued, his tone conversational but his 'flex' absolute, just like Luna wished. "Just for the inner circle. It’s a celebration of our first year. I’m sure Y/N will let me know which of you are... truly her friends."
Hye-su’s knuckles whitened around her glass. She had come to see you fall, but instead, she was watching you be crowned.
The atmosphere at the table shifted from playful banter to a cold, clinical interrogation. Hye-su finally broke her silence, but she didn’t look at you. Instead, she directed her sharp, calculating gaze toward Namjoon, her voice smooth and dripping with a feigned professional warmth that made your skin crawl.
"Mr. Kim," she began, her tone carrying a practiced weight. "I’ve been following the Kim Group’s recent acquisitions. My husband’s firm has been expanding into similar sectors—he’s quite successful in his own right, as I’m sure you’re aware. Perhaps there’s room for a collaboration? Our families moving in the same circles could be... mutually beneficial."
The audacity of it felt like a physical blow. After years of silence, after the wreckage she left behind in London, she was bypassing you entirely to pitch a business deal to your husband—treating you like a ghost at your own table.
Your vision blurred. Hot, stinging tears welled up in your eyes, and you had to blink rapidly to keep them from falling. The betrayal wasn't just in the past anymore; it was happening right now, in the way she looked through you to get to the power sitting beside you.
Namjoon felt your hand tremble violently in his. He didn't even look in Hye-su's direction at first. He took a slow, deliberate sip of his drink, his silence stretching out until the air at the table became suffocating.
When he finally spoke, his voice was a low, terrifyingly calm rumble that cut through Hye-su’s pitch like a serrated blade.
"Collaboration?" Namjoon repeated, finally turning his head to look at her. His expression wasn't one of business interest; it was the look of a man observing an insect. "That’s an interesting proposal, miss…sorry i don’t even know your first name. However, I have a very strict policy when it comes to the Kim Group’s ventures."
He paused, leaning in slightly, his shoulder brushing yours in a firm show of solidarity. He felt the hitch in your breath and tightened his grip on your hand under the table, his thumb pressing firmly into your palm to keep you present.
"I don't do business with people who lack character," Namjoon said, his voice dropping into a lethal, quiet register. "And I certainly don't collaborate with those who have a history of... poor investments in loyalty. My wife is my most trusted advisor. If she hasn't mentioned your name in the context of 'success,' then as far as I'm concerned, your firm doesn't exist."
The table went deathly quiet. Hye-su’s face drained of color, her facade crumbling as Namjoon effectively blacklisted her entire family in front of everyone they knew.
He turned his full attention back to you, his eyes softening with a protective fire. He reached up with his free hand, his thumb catching a single tear before it could fall down your cheek.
"I think we've had enough of the 'festivities' here, don't you, baby?" he murmured, his voice loud enough for the entire table to hear. "The air in here has become a bit... stale."
The cool night air of the garden had been a temporary reprieve, but the walls of the restroom felt like they were closing in as the sob you’d been choking back finally broke free. Standing over the marble sink, you let it all out—the phantom pain of London, the sting of being ignored by the one person who used to know your soul, and the exhausting effort of maintaining a perfect mask.
Your phone buzzed against the vanity.
Joon: Are you okay? Should I come?
That simple text, so steady and grounded, was the tether you needed. You splashed cold water on your face, smoothing your emerald gown and forcing your spine to straighten. You weren't that broken girl in London anymore. You were the woman Namjoon looked at as if she were the only thing that mattered in the world.
As you stepped out into the hallway, the air turned icy. Hye-su was standing there, leaning against the wall with a glass of champagne, her expression souring the moment she saw you. For a heartbeat, the old urge to explain yourself, to cry, or to scream surfaced.
Instead, you gritted your jaw. You didn't break your stride. You passed her with your chin held high, your eyes fixed forward as if she were nothing more than a smudge on the wallpaper—an insignificant insect in the grand hallway of your life.
When you reached the end of the corridor, Namjoon was waiting by the exit. His hands were tucked into his pockets, but the moment he saw you, a slow, predatory, and incredibly proud smile spread across his face. He had seen the encounter. He had seen you win.
He didn't say a word as he stepped forward, cupping your face and pulling you into a deep, lingering kiss that tasted of victory and salt. He guided you toward the waiting Maybach, the valet scurrying to open the door.
Once you were settled in the plush leather seat, Namjoon leaned over you to buckle your seatbelt. His face was inches from yours, his scent of cedarwood and expensive whiskey enveloping you.
"I know a solution to make you smile," he whispered, his voice a low, dark vibration against your ear. "Should I repeat last night's method... or try a new one, baby?"
The heat rushed to your cheeks, the sharp sting of the earlier confrontation replaced by a flustered, electric thrill. You sniffled, wiping the last of the moisture from your eyes, and gave him a playful shove.
"Shut up and drive," you muttered, though a small, genuine smile finally tugged at your lips.
Namjoon let out a rich, booming laugh that filled the quiet car, making your heart feel ten pounds lighter. He started the engine, the city lights of Tokyo blurring into a kaleidoscope of gold as he pulled away from the wedding, leaving the ghosts of your past exactly where they belonged—in the rearview mirror.
Once you both reached the suite and refreshed yourselves, you traded the heavy emerald silk for your most comfortable pajamas and crawled onto the bed. Namjoon was still pacing the floor, his voice low and professional as he spoke with his father about the upcoming meetings and some urgent business matters. You didn't mind; you just reached for the wine bottle and two glasses, waiting patiently.
When he finally hung up and returned to the bedside, you gestured for him to settle beside you. He looked at the glasses with a tired but soft smile. "We’re drinking tonight?"
"We can, can't we?" you asked, pouring the deep red liquid. "Just a night for ourselves. No titles, no cameras. Just talking and drinking."
He sighed contentedly and leaned back against the headboard, pulling you close. For a long time, you both sat in a comfortable silence, watching the Tokyo skyline glitter outside. There was something precious about being able to be happy in the quiet with someone—no need to perform, just existing together.
"Hye-su and I were best friends since high school," you began, your voice barely above a whisper as you sipped your wine. Namjoon stayed silent, his gaze fixed on the view, giving you the space to speak. "We... we were supposed to be together forever." Your voice hitched slightly.
Namjoon didn't say a word, but his hand found yours, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over your skin.
"We went to London together for university. We shared everything for years," you continued, your voice dropping. "Until I realized she never actually liked me. She used my family name and my connections just to get her foot in the door. Our entire friendship was just... a ladder for her."
Namjoon’s hand tightened on yours. "Are you okay? You don't have to keep going if it hurts."
You shook your head, taking a deep breath to steady yourself. "It broke my heart into a thousand pieces when she finally told me, to my face, that I never really meant anything to her. We haven't spoken since. And the worst part? She was the one my university boyfriend cheated with. She did all of that while pretending to be my bestfriend. Or at least, that’s what I thought she was."
Namjoon immediately set his glass down on the nightstand and pulled you firmly into his embrace. "I’m so sorry, Y/N," he murmured against your hair.
The dam finally broke. You snuggled your face into the crook of his neck and let the tears run freely, venting the pain you’d been carrying since that morning—and for years before it. Namjoon simply held you, his hand rubbing slow, rhythmic patterns on your back, letting you cry until the weight felt lighter.
Eventually, you pulled back with a shaky sigh, feeling a bit raw. "I’m so... I just embarrassed myself in front of you, didn't I?"
He shook his head, his expression full of a fierce, protective tenderness as he wiped the dampness from your cheeks. "Of course not, baby. I honestly don't understand how someone could look at a girl as beautiful and kind as you and choose to hurt you." He leaned in, playfully pinching your nose to make you smile before pressing a soft, reverent kiss to your forehead.
The heavy atmosphere lifted, replaced by a warm, tipsy glow. The rest of the night passed with the two of you swapping ridiculous university stories, drinking, and laughing until your lungs ached—healing the old wounds with the steady heartbeat of the present.
°
The transition back to Seoul had been a blur of quiet corridors and the faint scent of old oak and tannins that seemed to follow Namjoon home. For the past week, he had been a ghost in his own estate, buried under stacks of research for the new wine launch. Dinners were the only time you truly saw him, and even then, his mind seemed miles away, though he never failed to press a tired kiss to your temple before retreating back to his study.
You were currently in the middle of his expansive walk-in closet, breathing in the lingering scent of his cologne as you straightened his rows of bespoke suits, when your phone buzzed.
"Mom!" you greeted, pinning the phone between your ear and shoulder.
"Y/N! Hello, daughter. How are you? I haven’t had a chance to catch up since your Tokyo trip—I’ve been drowning in these business charity events."
"I know, I know," you chuckled, moving a stray silk tie. "Jimin oppa mentioned you were busy."
"Well, I was thinking... why don't you and Namjoon come over for dinner? Tomorrow, perhaps?" she suggested.
You paused, looking at the empty space on his shelf where his favorite briefcase usually sat. "Oh... I’ll have to check with him. He’s been incredibly busy with the new launch lately."
"Of course. Just let me know once you’ve spoken to him," she said before hanging up.
The house felt unusually still as you made your way downstairs. The only sign of life was in the kitchen, where the head maid, Mrs. Choi, was meticulously packing several sleek, insulated lunch boxes.
"What is all that, Mrs. Choi?" you asked, leaning against the marble island.
"Oh, Madam! It’s lunch for the boys at the office. I was just about to send it over with the driver," she explained, smoothing down a napkin.
"To the company?"
"Yes, Madam. Master Namjoon and master Seokjin haven't been home for lunch in days."
A small idea began to form. You looked down at your casual but chic outfit and then back at the lunch boxes. "Actually... I’ll take it. I have some things to discuss with him anyway, and surprisingly, I’ve never actually seen the Kim Group headquarters."
Mrs. Choi’s face lit up with a knowing, maternal smile. "That’s a wonderful idea, Madam. I’m sure the Master would be very pleased to see you."
She handed you the heavy bags, and minutes later, you were in the back of the car, watching the Seoul skyline rise to meet you. As the driver pulled up to the glass-and-steel monolith that was the Kim Group building, a flutter of nerves hit your stomach.
The lobby was bustling with high-powered executives, but the moment you stepped inside, the receptionist’s eyes widened. She clearly recognized the woman from the headlines.
"Mrs. Kim! We weren't expecting you," she stammered, quickly pressing a button to alert the top floor.
"I'm just delivering lunch," you said with a polite smile, feeling the weight of the bags in your hand. "Is he in his office?"
"He's in a briefing in the main boardroom, but you're welcome to wait in his private suite, Madam."
As the elevator hissed up to the penthouse floor, you straightened your hair in the mirror. You were about to walk into Namjoon's world—the place where he wasn't just your husband, but the Director everyone feared and respected.
His office was expansive, anchored by a heavy, dark wood desk in the center that was currently buried under a mountain of files and paperwork. Two tall filing racks stood sentinel at the side, while a large window offered a sweeping view of the city, and a single, well-kept plant sat in the corner. The space was exactly like him, huge, sophisticated, and impeccably professional.
You had been sitting on the waiting couch for nearly ten minutes when the door clicked open. A woman walked in, pausing when she saw you. She looked surprised—clearly his assistant.
"Oh. Mrs. Kim?" she asked, checking the watch on her wrist. "Mr. Namjoon is in a board meeting right now. It isn't scheduled to end until around 1:30 PM."
"It’s alright, I’ll wait," you replied calmly. "I’m here to bring him his lunch."
"You can just leave it there, Mrs. Kim," she said, her tone carrying a sharp edge that immediately irked you. "I’ll make sure he gets it."
You cleared your throat, meeting her gaze steadily as you shook your head. "It’s fine. I’ll give it to him myself. I also have something important I need to discuss with him."
"Sure. I'll leave you to it, then." She turned and closed the door behind her. You couldn't help but roll your eyes; between her dismissive attitude and her choice of dress, she was already getting on your nerves.
Another half-hour passed before you finally heard Namjoon’s voice approaching. "Yes. Get that report finished and submit it to me. Send it via email." He was clearly still in work mode, barking out orders.
"Yes, sir," came that same annoying assistant voice from the hallway.
The door swung open, and Namjoon stepped inside, his eyes glued to a tablet as he read through a document. Seeing him in his element was a total shift—he looked incredibly handsome in his tailored suit, glasses perched on his nose as he navigated his empire.
The assistant cleared her throat, nodding toward the couch. Namjoon’s eyes flicked up, his mouth parting in a small 'O' of surprise.
"Y/n," he said, his voice instantly softening as he set the tablet down. A genuine, warm smile transformed his face. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming."
"I'm here to bring you lunch," you said, gesturing toward the stacked containers.
The assistant bowed quickly and excused herself, finally leaving the two of you alone in the quiet of the office.
Namjoon stood up briefly to close the window blinds, turning the transparent glass into a private sanctuary. He settled back onto the couch, closer this time, and slid his glasses off his nose. Every movement—the way he loosened his tie, the roll of his shoulders was inexplicably magnetic. You watched him with a level of intensity that made you wonder if your hormones were just working overtime today.
"Mmm. My favorite," he murmured as you unlatched the containers. "It feels like it's been forever since I had a proper homemade lunch."
"That’s exactly why Mrs. Choi spent all morning packing it up," you teased, setting the spread out on the coffee table.
Namjoon clearly felt the weight of your gaze. He paused, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth, and arched a brow at you. "You’re staring quite a bit today, wife. Something on your mind?",
"I just never realized you were this hot when you were actually working," you admitted.
A faint flush crept up Namjoon’s neck, and he let out a low, embarrassed chuckle that vibrated through the quiet office. He didn't say anything, but he dipped a spoon into the rice and succulent chicken, holding it out toward your lips. You took the bite, smiling as the familiar flavors filled the room.
"You must be so stressed," you said softly, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead.
"I am," he sighed, leaning into your touch for a fleeting second. "I’m sorry I haven’t been able to give you much time this week."
"Don't be. You’re working hard for the launch," you reassured him. "We can always make up for it later. Besides, I actually have something to ask you."
That caught his full attention. He slowed his eating, his dark eyes searching your face with genuine interest.
"My mom called earlier. She invited us over for dinner tomorrow night. Are you free?"
"For family and especially for you, I can always push my schedule around," he answered without a second of hesitation. The sheer certainty in his voice made your heart skip.
"So, we’re on for tomorrow night?"
He nodded, looking suddenly more like a delighted boy than a high-powered CEO. "You really should have called me before coming today, Y/N. I would have cut the meeting short just to wait for you at the elevator."
"I wanted it to be a surprise! I’m honestly impressed, Joon. This headquarters is massive," you said, glancing around the high-ceilinged room in awe.
He let out another small chuckle. "It is a bit much, isn't it? But still, you should have at least called me once you reached the lobby."
"I thought your assistant would have buzzed you?" you mentioned, your brow furrowing slightly. "She told me you were in a board meeting and just asked me to wait here."
Namjoon leaned back, his eyes dancing with a mix of amusement and something a bit more intense as he watched you pack the lunch boxes. He let out a low hum with a raised brow.
He could tell you weren’t really on liking terms with his assistant with the tone of your voice and expressions.
"Her name is Min-hee," he said, his voice dropping into that smooth, teasing register. He reached out, his hand sliding around your waist to pull you flush against his side. "And are you truly telling me you aren't a little jealous, wifey?"
"I am not jealous," you insisted, though the heat in your cheeks probably betrayed you. "I just think professional standards exist for a reason. Her attitude was... dismissive. And her choice of wardrobe belongs in a club, not a boardroom."
Namjoon chuckled, the sound vibrating against your hip. He took the last container from your hands and set it on the table so he could have your full attention.
"I’ll look into the HR protocols, I promise," he murmured, his expression softening as he tucked a stray hair behind your ear. "But don't let her annoy you. She’s just staff. To me, this entire building is just glass and steel—you’re the only thing in it that actually matters. I only have eyes for you, darling."
He leaned in, pressing a firm, lingering kiss to your lips before trailing a few softer ones across your cheeks, making your breath hitch. The lingering scent of his cologne and the quiet intimacy of the darkened office made it hard to pull away.
"I have to get back to these reports if I want to be free for your mother tomorrow," he whispered against your skin.
You blushed furiously, finally managing to stand up and gather the bags. "Fine. I’ll be waiting at home. Don't work too late. Bye, Joon."
He watched you walk toward the door with a proud, lingering gaze, his glasses back on his face but his smile still firmly in place.
°
The door had barely clicked shut behind you before the warmth in Namjoon’s expression evaporated, replaced by the chilling, professional frost that made him one of the most feared directors in the city. He didn't return to his desk. Instead, he stood in the center of the room, adjusted his cuffs, and pressed the intercom button.
"Min-hee. My office. Now."
A few seconds later, the door opened. The assistant stepped in, a practiced, confident smile on her face—the same one she had used to dismiss you earlier. "Yes, Director? Did you need the final wine analytics?"
Namjoon didn't look at the tablet in her hand. He sat on the edge of his desk, his long legs crossed at the ankles, his gaze heavy and unblinking behind his glasses. The silence stretched until her smile began to falter.
"Tell me," Namjoon began, his voice a low, dangerous velvet. "What is the protocol when my wife enters this building?"
Min-hee blinked, her posture stiffening. "I... I told her you were in a meeting, sir. I didn't want to disturb the board—"
"That wasn't my question." Namjoon stood up, closing the distance between them. He didn't raise his voice, but the authority radiating from him was suffocating. "My standing order is that she is never to be kept waiting. She is to be escorted to this office immediately, and I am to be notified the second her foot touches the lobby. Why was she sitting on that couch for forty minutes? We do the same with mrs. Yoona, don’t we? How come you forgot the rules for my wife?"
"I thought it was best for the company's time—"
"You are not paid to think about how my wife spends her time," he cut her off, his voice dropping an octave. "You are paid to facilitate my schedule. And my schedule revolves around her."
He let his gaze sweep over her outfit, the hemline that was a bit too high, the neckline a bit too low—with a clinical, detached coldness that made her pull at her skirt.
"Furthermore," Namjoon continued, "this is a corporate headquarters, not a lounge. I expect my staff to reflect the prestige of the Kim Group. If your wardrobe continues to be a distraction to professional standards, HR will provide you with a severance package that matches your lack of judgment."
Min-hee’s face went pale, her eyes dropping to the floor. "I... I understand, Director. It won't happen again."
"It won't," Namjoon agreed, turning back to his desk as if she had already disappeared. "Because if it does, you won't be here to apologize. Now, get me the report on the French vineyards. And Min-hee?"
She paused at the door, her hand trembling slightly on the handle.
"The next time you speak to Mrs. Kim, remember that you are speaking to the woman who owns half of everything you see in this room. Address her with the respect she has earned. Dismissed."
Once the door shut, Namjoon exhaled, the tension leaving his shoulders.
Kim Namjoon lives a quiet, carefully ordered life, untouched by chaos. Until an arranged marriage brings a stranger into his world. What begins with distance slowly shifts through shared routines and silent understanding.In the stillness of everyday moments, something tender begins to grow.A gentle story of love that unfolds slowly, becoming home before either of them realizes.
Genre - arrange marriage, slice of life, romance
Pairing - Rich Ceo! Namjoon x Rich! Reader
The sunrise over the Kim estate was a soft, bruised purple as the car pulled away, but by the time you reached the private terminal, the sky was a brilliant, clear blue. The Gulfstream sat on the tarmac like a sleek silver bird, its engines already humming with a low, expensive purr.
As the flight attendants took your coats and settled you into the oversized leather captain's chairs, the intimacy of the previous night still felt like a physical weight between you.
"Coffee?" Namjoon asked, his voice still a bit gravelly from sleep. He looked devastatingly professional in a charcoal suit, yet there was a softness in his eyes that only you were allowed to see.
"Please," you murmured, opening your laptop. "I was looking at the guest list for the Tokyo gala. It’s... intimidating. The head of Suntory is going to be there?"
Namjoon leaned over your shoulder, his scent, cedarwood and a hint of the soap from this morning enveloping you. He pointed to a name on the screen. "And the Minister of Trade. It’s a shark tank, Y/N. But they aren't there for the wine, mostly. They’re there for money and for high end gossip about the new couple."
"Is that so?" You leaned back, your head almost touching his. "And what are they expecting to see?"
"A trophy," he whispered, his lips grazing the shell of your ear, sending a familiar shiver down your spine. "But they’re going to get a genius who can rewrite their entire logistics backend before dessert is served."
You chuckled, turning to face him. "Is that your professional opinion, Director?"
"It’s my highly biased, very smitten opinion," he countered, his hand sliding across the armrest to cover yours. He squeezed gently. "But seriously, the charity auction starts at eight. We’re donating a vintage 1945 bottle from the private cellar and a huge sum of money. My mother wants you to be the one to present it."
The transition from flirting to business was seamless with him—a dance you were both learning to master.
"I can do that," you said, clicking through the auction details. "As long as you’re standing right next to me. I don’t want to accidentally bid three billion yen on a prehistoric vase because I got nervous."
Namjoon laughed, the sound rich and private in the quiet cabin. "I’ll be right there. Besides, if you did buy a three-billion-yen vase, I’d just find a way to make it tax-deductible."
He leaned in closer, his thumb tracing the pulse point on your wrist. "Though, I have to admit... I’m finding it very hard to focus on 'tax-deductibles' when you’re wearing that dress. You look incredible today."
"Namjoon," you warned with a blush, "we have three hours of flight time. If you keep flirting, I’m never going to finish this briefing on Japanese etiquette."
He let out a mock sigh, retreating just an inch, though his hand remained firmly over yours. "Fine. Business first. Tell me about the seating chart. But fair warning, once we land in Tokyo and the doors close on our suite, the 'Director' is officially off the clock."
The plane began flying, the push of the engines pressing you back into your seat. You looked out the window at the receding Seoul skyline, feeling a strange, wonderful mix of ambition and affection.
°
The grand ballroom was a blur of crystal chandeliers, the hum of polite Japanese, and the clinking of expensive crystal, but through it all, Namjoon was your constant. He moved through the crowd with a practiced grace, his hand almost always resting at the small of your back—a steady, warm anchor. He introduced you not just as his wife, but as a brilliant partner, making sure the sharks of the industry saw the sharp mind behind your polite smile.
You two stepped into the balcony for some air as the gala was winding up. The Tokyo skyline glittered like a spilled jewelry box outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Namjoon had loosened his tie, the silk hanging undone around his neck, and bought two glasses of a rare, amber-colored hibiki. He handed one to you, his fingers lingering against yours.
"I can't believe I actually handled that," you admitted, taking a small, burning sip of the whiskey. The adrenaline was finally fading, replaced by a triumphant sort of exhaustion. "I didn't trip, I didn't offend the Minister, and I think I actually convinced the Suntory CEO that our new database is superior."
Namjoon leaned against the railings, the city lights silhouetting his broad shoulders. He watched you with a look of pure, unadulterated pride.
"You didn't just 'handle' it, Mrs. Kim," he whispered, his voice dropping into that low, intimate register that always made your pulse skip. "You commanded the room. Be ready to be the headline of the business world by tomorrow morning. 'The New Power Behind the Kim Empire' has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
You shook your head, a shy laugh escaping your lips. "I just wanted to make sure I didn't embarrass you."
"Embarrass me?" Namjoon set his glass down on the mahogany table and stepped into your space, his eyes dark and focused. "Y/N, I’ve never been more proud to have someone stand by my side. You were the most captivating person in that ballroom."
He reached out, his thumb tracing the line of your jaw, tilting your face up to meet his gaze. The professional mask he’d worn all day was completely gone now.
"But the gala is over," he murmured, his breath fanning over your lips. "And I believe I promised that once those doors closed, the Director was officially off the clock.I can’t wait to get to the hotel."
He leaned in, his lips ghosting over yours, teasingly close.
You laced your fingers through Namjoon’s, the friction of your palms sparking a quiet thrill that made the grand exit feel like a runway toward the privacy you both craved. Your pulse was a frantic, happy drum against your ribs; all you could think about was the weight of his hands on your waist, and the searing heat of his lips finally reclaiming yours without the world watching.
But that rush of adrenaline turned to ice in a single heartbeat.
As your eyes darted behind, a woman stepped out from the shadow of a marble pillar. She was elegantly dressed, her presence sharp and unmistakable, cutting through the blur of the crowd like a blade. The air seemed to leave your lungs, and your shoulder pulled tight, a reflexive flinch that telegraphed your sudden distress straight through your joined hands.
Namjoon felt it instantly. The man who had been smiling down at you just seconds ago vanished, replaced by the perceptive, protective husband who caught every shift in your mood. His grip on your hand tightened, steadying you, as his gaze swept the room to find exactly what or who had caused your blood to run cold.
"Y/N?" he murmured, his voice dropping into a low, private register, vibrating with a sudden, sharp edge of concern.
He didn't wait for you to point her out. He followed the line of your frozen stare until his eyes landed on the woman. She was watching you with a look that was far too familiar for comfort, a mixture of recognition and something that looked dangerously like a challenge.
The professional persona settled over Namjoon's features, his broad shoulders shifting subtly to place himself between you and the approaching figure. He could feel the fine Tremor in your fingers, and his thumb traced a soothing circle over your knuckles, even as his expression turned to stone.
"Who is she?" he asked, his voice a low, protective rumble.
Luna’s voice was high and bubbly, the kind of sunshine that felt like it was intended to blind rather than warm. She stepped into your personal space, her expensive perfume clashing with the subtle cedarwood scent of Namjoon that usually kept you grounded.
"L-luna," you managed to get out, the name tasting like lead on your tongue. Your stomach coiled into a tight, uncomfortable knot. Every missed call notification you had deleted over the last few months seemed to flash before your eyes.
"Do you have any idea how many times I tried to reach out to you!?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with mock hurt before they swept over your designer gown and then up to the man towering beside you. "You didn't answer our calls at all! And see now—oh my god! You’re married... wait..."
She gasped, her hand flying to her chest in a gesture that felt a little too practiced. "This must be your husband. Kim Namjoon?! The heir? Congratulations, Y/N! You really did disappear into a whole new world, didn't you?"
Namjoon didn’t move. He stood like a stone wall, his hand still firmly anchoring yours. He felt the way your fingers had gone cold in his grip. His eyes, usually warm and soulful, were now narrowed and analytical, scanning Luna with the same precision he used for a flawed contract.
"Luna, was it?" Namjoon’s voice was smooth, but it had the temperature of liquid nitrogen. He didn't offer his hand. He simply looked down at her from his height, his thumb continuing to rub soothing circles over your knuckles. "It seems my wife has been very busy transitioning into her new life. I’m sure you can understand why she hasn't had time for... distractions."
Luna’s bright smile faltered for a fraction of a second before snapping back into place. "Oh, of course! I mean, who has time for old friends when you're busy becoming….? Everyone back home was so worried when you just... vanished after the London incident."
The mention of London made your heart skip a beat. It was a calculated jab, hidden behind a friendly face.
Namjoon felt the tension spike in your arm. He leaned in slightly, his shoulder brushing yours in a silent show of solidarity. "Well," he said, his voice dropping into a final, decisive tone. "We were just on our way out. It was... interesting meeting you, Luna."
"My wedding is tomorrow," Luna continued, totally ignoring Namjoon, her voice airy and sweet, though the underlying bite was unmistakable. "I already sent Y/N the digital invitation weeks ago, but she’s been so private lately. Please, Mr. Namjoon, it would be such an honor. All of our old classmates will be there. It’s the perfect place for Y/N to flex you."
You felt a surge of heat crawl up your neck, not from the flexing, but from the sheer audacity of her implying you were only there to show him off.
Namjoon’s expression didn't flicker, but his hand on your waist tightened, pulling you a fraction of an inch closer to his side. He looked down at Luna, his gaze cool and impeccably detached.
"A wedding," Namjoon repeated, his voice smooth and professional. "How very festive. However, my wife’s schedule is quite demanding, and we are in Tokyo primarily for the Kim Group’s interests."
He turned his head slightly to look at you, his eyes softening just for a second, searching yours for a signal. He was giving you the out, one word from you, and he would shut this down permanently.
"I'll check my itinerary," you managed to say, your voice steadier than you felt. "Congratulations on the wedding, Luna."
"Oh, don't be like that! You have to come," Luna insisted, touching your arm lightly before waving a manicured hand. "I'll see you both tomorrow! Don't be late!"
As she disappeared back into the crowd, the silence between you and Namjoon became heavy. He didn't say a word until you were through the mahogany doors and stepping into the cool night air where the private car was waiting.
The door to the luxury sedan closed with a solid, expensive thud, cutting off the noise of the gala. Namjoon exhaled a long breath, reaching over to take both of your hands in his. His thumbs traced the back of your knuckles, his brow furrowed with a protective intensity.
"Y/N," he started, his voice low and serious. "You don't have to go to that wedding. And you certainly don't have to 'flex' me to anyone. Who is she, really? And what happened in London that she thinks she can use as a weapon?"
°
The silence in the suite was a stark contrast to the hollow, bright chatter of the gala. Namjoon was a man of many words, but he was also a master of the quiet ones. He hadn't pressed you in the car, and even now, as the low amber light of the Tokyo skyline bled through the sheer curtains, he remained a steady, undemanding presence.
"I don't like it when my wife is so silent," he murmured, his voice a low vibration that seemed to settle right in your chest. "How do I make her happy?"
The weight of him as he pulled you onto his lap was grounding. When his lips met yours, they tasted of the sharp, peaty warmth of the Hibiki, a heat that quickly spread through your own veins. You didn't just kiss him back; you clung to him. You wanted to drown out the memory of Luna’s voice and the ghost of London with the sheer, undeniable reality of him.
Your fingers tangled in the soft hair at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer as the kiss deepened, turning from a comfort into a fire. A soft, broken sound escaped your throat as his hand slid down, his palm large and possessive as he gripped you, pulling your hips flush against his.
"Joon..." you breathed out, your head falling back as his mouth left yours to find the sensitive cord of your neck.
He didn't rush. Even with the tension rolling off him, he remained agonizingly deliberate. He moved you with a gentle strength, laying you back against the cool silk of the duvet. The contrast of the plush bed and the heat of his body hovering over you made your breath hitch.
He settled between your slightly parted knees, his eyes dark with a focused, raw intensity as he looked at you. Slowly, he leaned down, trailing a path of searing, open-mouthed kisses from your collarbone to the soft swell of your cleavage. Every touch was a claim, a silent promise that whatever happened tomorrow, you belonged right here.
He looked up for a brief second, his thumb grazing your swollen lower lip.
"Forget her, Y/N," he whispered, his voice thick and commanding. "Tonight, there is no one else in this city but us."
Then, he lowered his head again, his tongue tracing the skin he had just heated with his breath, making your fingers curl into the sheets as you arched toward him.
The sophisticated veneer of the Kim Group heir had completely shattered, replaced by a raw, primal hunger that Namjoon had been suppressing for weeks. His kisses grew heavier, transitioning into slow, deliberate licks as his tongue lapped at the dark marks he’d left on your skin. He trailed a path of fire down your abdomen, his tongue swirling around your navel in a way that made your entire body arch off the silk sheets.
Your shirt was pushed up, forgotten, as you gasped at the sensation of his open mouth against your stomach. He descended further, his breath hot against your skin as he moved to your thighs, pressing searing kisses to the sensitive inner flesh. He paused there for a heartbeat, the scent of your arousal filling his senses and darkening his gaze.
He slowly lifted his head, his dark, blown-out pupils searching yours for permission. Your throat went dry; you could only gulp and nod slowly, your fingers curling so tightly into the bedding that your knuckles turned white.
With a decisive movement, he spread your legs and discarded the last barrier of your lace panties and pants. Once you were bare beneath him, Namjoon sucked in a sharp, ragged breath. He stayed there for a moment, poised and motionless, simply devouring the sight of you—your soft, slicked folds glistening with wetness in the amber glow of the room lights.
His finger moved with feather-light precision, brushing against your folds to test your heat. He leaned in close, his scent mixing with yours, before finally running his tongue down the length of your entrance. The contact was electric, forcing a sharp, broken gasp from your lungs as the world outside the suite vanished entirely.
Your whimper broke the silence of the suite as he increased the pressure, his tongue finding a devastating rhythm. He wasn't just kissing you anymore; he was devouring you, his mouth hot and insistent as he began to suck and nibble at your clit. You instinctively pushed your legs wider, your head thrashing against the silk pillow as you moaned his name, the sound loud and uninhibited in the quiet room.
Namjoon seemed intent on worshipping every inch of you. His fingers joined the fray, slick with your own heat as they worked in tandem with his mouth, rubbing and teasing while his tongue explored deeper, mimicking a slow, rhythmic fuck against your entrance.
"Damn, baby," he rasped, his voice a dark, vibrating growl against your skin. "You taste so good."
He didn't give you a moment to recover. He pulled back just enough to coat his lips before diving back in, his assault on your pussy relentless and hungry. The friction and the wet, sliding heat of his tongue sent jolts of electricity straight to your core. You were a frantic mess of tangled sheets and broken gasps, your body arching violently as the tension finally snapped.
You broke apart beneath him, a series of high, desperate whimpers escaping your throat as your orgasm crashed over you, leaving you shaking and slicked with cum. He stayed there, holding your hips firmly, drinking in every tremor of your release until you finally slumped back into the mattress, completely breathless and undone.
Namjoon didn’t pull away even as the aftershocks continued to rack your body. He was relentless, his mouth staying firmly pressed against you until he had tasted every drop of your release, sucking you clean with a devastating, lingering hunger. Your legs wouldn't stop shaking, the overstimulation finally becoming too much until you weakly pushed at his head, a few stray tears of pure exhaustion and pleasure sliding down your flushed cheeks.
He finally sat up, the predatory focus in his eyes softening into something dark and deeply satisfied. Seeing the damp tracks on your face, he reached out with a large, warm hand, his thumb gently wiping the tears away. A slow, knowing smirk played on his lips.
"You should only ever cry because of this," he murmured, his voice a low, gravelly vibration that settled in the marrow of your bones.
He crawled up the bed, his weight settling over you for a brief, heavy second before he captured your lips. The kiss was deep and salty, and you tasted yourself on his tongue—a raw, intimate sharing that made your heart hammer one last time.
"Sleep, baby," he whispered against your mouth, his breath hot. He pulled the silk duvet up, tucking it around your trembling shoulders with surprising tenderness. "I don't want to do anything else you aren't ready for yet. You’re exhausted. Just sleep."
He settled beside you, pulling you back against his chest so that your spine was pressed into his heat. His arm draped over your waist, anchoring you to him in the quiet of the Tokyo night. As your breathing finally slowed, the memory of Luna and her wedding felt like a distant, fading noise compared to the steady, rhythmic beat of Namjoon’s heart against your back.
Kim Namjoon lives a quiet, carefully ordered life, untouched by chaos. Until an arranged marriage brings a stranger into his world. What begins with distance slowly shifts through shared routines and silent understanding.In the stillness of everyday moments, something tender begins to grow.A gentle story of love that unfolds slowly, becoming home before either of them realizes.
Genre - Arrange marriage, slice of life, romance.
The drive was a quiet blur, the hum of the luxury SUV acting like a lullaby against your lingering exhaustion. You hadn't realized you’d drifted off until you felt a gentle pressure on your shoulder and the sensation of someone tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear.
"Y/N? We’re here," Namjoon’s voice was a low, honeyed vibration.
You blinked your eyes open, feeling that heavy, pleasant post-nap grogginess. As you stepped out of the car, the air hit you, crisp, earthy, and sweet with the scent of ripening grapes and sun-warmed soil.
The estate was staggering. It wasn't just a farm; it was a sprawling emerald sea that rolled over the hills as far as the eye could see. Precise rows of ancient vines, gnarled and thick with history, were staked with weathered dark wood. A rustic stone path led toward a grand, ivy-covered tasting manor that looked like it had been transported directly from the French countryside.
"Come on," Namjoon said, his fingers naturally finding the spaces between yours.
As you walked, the staff dressed in crisp uniforms—paused their work among the vines to bow deeply. "Congratulations, Director Kim! Welcome, Madam," they greeted in unison. The formality was a stark reminder of the world you’d married into, but Namjoon’s steady grip kept you grounded.
Near the fermentation vats, you spotted a familiar broad-shouldered figure. Seokjin, who had swapped his wedding finery for a sophisticated navy work coat, was inspecting a crate of grapes. He looked up, a mischievous glint returning to his eyes.
"Ah, the late-sleepers have arrived!" Jin called out, wiping his hands. He gave Namjoon a sharp nod and then turned to you with a wink. "Hope you enjoy the tour, Y/N. Try not to let him bore you with the science of soil acidity. If he starts talking about 'terroir,' just walk away."
"I'll keep that in mind," you laughed, leaning slightly into Namjoon’s side.
As you moved further into the heart of the rows, away from the noise of the machinery, the atmosphere shifted to something more timeless.
"This place... it really gives off serious 'old money' vibes," you remarked, looking at the weathered stone walls and the crest engraved into the iron gates.
"That’s because it has been passed down for generations," Namjoon replied, his voice tinged with a quiet sort of pride. He stopped walking and turned to you, the late afternoon sun casting long, golden shadows across his face. "This land has seen every Kim wedding and every Kim birth for a hundred years. It’s seen a lot of duty, Y/N. But standing here with you... it’s the first time it just feels like home."
He lifted your joined hands and pressed a lingering kiss to your knuckles, his eyes never leaving yours. "I hope one day you look at these hills and don't see 'business' or 'wealth.' I hope you just see a place where you're loved."
°
The heavy, traditional atmosphere of the Kim estate felt miles away as the sleek SUV glided along the Han River. The interior of the car was a private, dim-lit sanctuary, the only light coming from the glowing dashboard and the rhythmic passing of streetlamps.
A soft, indie-pop melody began to play through the high-end speakers. Your eyes lit up instantly. "Oh! This is my favorite song," you whispered, the exhaustion from the day finally replaced by a peaceful sort of giddiness. You started to hum, your voice small but melodic in the quiet cabin.
Namjoon’s fingers tapped a steady beat on the steering wheel. He didn't just listen; he started to sing along, his voice a deep, gravelly baritone that rumbled pleasantly in his chest.
"I’m really not great at singing," you muttered, feeling a sudden flare of shyness as you realized a world-class heir was serenading you.
"Trust me, nor am I," he muttered back with a dimpled grin, catching your eye for a fleeting, playful second before focusing back on the road. "But that’s the best part about night drives. There’s no one around to give us a low score."
Eventually, Namjoon pulled the car over at a quiet, deserted overlook. The city skyline was a shimmering wall of neon across the dark, glass-like surface of the river. He hopped out and returned a few minutes later from a nearby 24-hour convenience store, holding two simple ice cream cones.
You both sat on the hood of the car, the metal still warm from the engine. The night air was cool, carrying the faint, salty scent of the water and the distant hum of the city.
"Vanilla for the traditionalist?" you teased, nodding at his cone.
"And chocolate for the genius," he countered, nudging your shoulder with his.
For a long time, neither of you spoke. You just sat there, side-by-side, watching the way the moonlight fractured on the ripples of the Han River. It was the first time since the wedding—maybe the first time since you met—that the weight of the "Kim" name and the "Park" legacy didn't feel like it was sitting on your shoulders.
"You know," Namjoon started, staring out at the dark water, "my life has always been about the next merger, the next harvest, the next headline. I’ve spent years looking at this view and only thinking about how much the real estate was worth."
He turned to look at you, his expression raw and incredibly soft. "Tonight, I’m just looking at the river. And I’m looking at you. And for the first time in thirty years, I’m not thinking about what comes next. I’m just... here."
You felt a surge of affection so strong it made your chest ache. You leaned your head against his shoulder, the sticky sweetness of the ice cream still on your lips. "I'm glad I'm here with you, Namjoon."
He wrapped an arm around you, pulling you closer into his warmth. "Me too, Y/N. Me too."
°
Five weeks into the marriage, and the novelty of being "Mrs. Kim" was slowly being replaced by a restless itch. You were currently sprawled across the massive, silk-sheeted bed, your phone propped up against a pillow as you FaceTimed your mom and Jimin.
The house was unnervingly quiet. Namjoon and Seokjin had been gone since dawn for a series of high-stakes mergers. Mr. and Mrs. Kim were attending a prestigious charity gala, and even Yoona was out. She was far from a traditional housewife; she split her time between her own burgeoning makeup brand and an executive role at her father’s company.
While the rest of the Kims were out conquering their respective empires, you were effectively "rotting in a mansion that felt a little too large for one person.
"I think I need to actually do something," you muttered, staring at the ornate ceiling molding. "I’m getting bored, Mom. My brain is starting to feel like an unloaded webpage."
Your mother’s face appeared on the screen, her expression amused. "Why don't you look into the family business? I’m sure a global conglomerate like the Kims has plenty of use for someone with your background. Accounts? Maybe optimizing their database systems? You are a computer scientist, after all."
You let out a long, dramatic sigh, rolling onto your side. "I don't know... it’s been five weeks and my biggest accomplishment has been organizing Namjoon’s bookshelf by color and going on sunset dinner dates. I feel so lazy."
In the background of the call, you heard Jimin’s voice chime in. "Don't let the 'trophy wife' life swallow you, Y/N. You’ll end up talking to the plants by month six."
Your mother chuckled, shushing him. "Oh, sweetheart, you’ll find your flow. Transitioning into a family like that takes time. Just... be patient." She cleared her throat, her tone turning a bit more maternal. "So? Tell me the truth. Is he treating you well? Is the prince everything the headlines said he was?"
A small, genuine smile tugged at your lips as you thought of Namjoon—how he’d tucked you in last night, or the way he always asked about your day even when his own was exhausting. "Yes, Mom. He’s... he’s actually better than the headlines."
"Good," she said, looking relieved. "Just don't be too stubborn, okay? Marriage is about compromise, not just coding."
"Alright, Mom," you laughed. "I’ll try to keep my stubbornness to a manageable level."
As you hung up, you looked over at your laptop. Maybe it was time to stop rotting and start showing the Kim family exactly what kind of asset they had actually gained.
You ended the call with a lingering sigh, the silence of the massive bedroom suddenly feeling much louder than before. You looked at the ceiling, then at the perfectly made bed, then at your laptop sitting untouched on the desk. Five weeks. In London, you were pulling all-nighters, debugging complex algorithms, and living on caffeine and adrenaline. Here, your biggest challenge was deciding which silk robe to wear to breakfast.
Your mother’s suggestion echoed in your head. Coding something? The Kim estate ran like a well-oiled machine, but as you looked around, you realized their internal logistics were still very traditional—lots of paperwork, manual scheduling, and old-school filing. A small spark of the "old Y/N" flickered to life. You didn't just want to be a trophy wife; you wanted to be useful.
Just as you were opening your laptop to browse some of the family’s public business portfolios, the door clicked open. Namjoon stepped in, looking slightly disheveled, his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked exhausted, but his face brightened the second he saw you sprawled on the bed.
"Hey," he said, dropping his briefcase by the armchair and coming over to sit on the edge of the mattress. "I missed you today. The board meetings were exceptionally dry."
"I missed you too," you said, sitting up and pushing your hair back.
"Namjoon... I was talking to my mom. I think I’m starting to 'rot' a little too much. I need to do something. My brain is starting to feel like mush."
Namjoon paused, his expression shifting from tired to curious. He took your hand, tracing the line of your wedding ring. "I was wondering when you’d say that. You’re too brilliant to just sit around this house, even if I selfishly love coming home to find you here."
"I was thinking... does the winery or the logistics arm need any digital optimization?" you asked tentatively. "I noticed the inventory system in the vineyard office looked like it was from 1995."
Namjoon let out a surprised, delighted laugh. "It’s actually from 1998, but you’re right—it’s a disaster. If you’re serious about helping, I’d be the luckiest CEO in Seoul. But only if you want to, Y/N. No pressure from the 'business merger' side of things."
"I want to," you said firmly, feeling a surge of excitement. "I want to see what I can do."
He leaned in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to your forehead.
°
The room was bathed in the soft, amber glow of the bedside lamp, creating a private world where the heavy expectations of the Kim name couldn't reach. You were tucked into the crook of Namjoon’s arm, your head resting on his chest as you recounted your day.
"And then," you said, nearly choking on your own laughter, "I just gave him one little shove. You should have seen his face! Jimin hit the water like a dramatic rock."
Namjoon’s deep, melodic laugh vibrated through his ribs, making your own chest bounce along with his. "I can imagine the look on his face. He probably spent twenty minutes fixing his hair afterward," he teased, his voice thick with amusement.
As the laughter subsided into a comfortable, warm silence, his hand drifted up to brush a stray lock of hair away from your forehead. His touch lingered there, his thumb grazing your temple before his gaze settled on your face.
You were glowing—fresh-faced and stripped of the elaborate bridal makeup and the designer gowns. To him, you looked more "yours" than ever. His eyes drifted from your wide, doe-like eyes to your soft cheeks, finally coming to a rest on your lips. The air in the room seemed to thicken, the playful energy shifting into something magnetic and heavy.
You watched as his Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed, his gaze fixed with an intensity that made your breath hitch. He didn't rush. He waited, his eyes lifting back to yours in a silent, respectful question, searching for the green light. His eyes fell on your soft lips, asking for permission.
You gave a slow, rhythmic nod and leaned in, closing the small gap between you.
The moment his lips pressed against yours, the world outside the bedroom ceased to exist. It was a gentle, exploratory kiss at first—tender and patient, as if he were trying to memorize the texture and taste of you. His hand, warm and large, snaked around your waist, pulling you flush against him. As he deepened the kiss, his palm slid slightly beneath the hem of your t-shirt, his fingers caressing the soft skin of your stomach with a feather-light touch that sent a jolt of electricity through your nerves.
You tried to kiss him back with the same intensity, but Namjoon was a master of patience. Every time you tried to take the lead, he would slow the pace, his lips moving against yours with a deliberate, commanding sweetness that forced you to simply melt into him. He wasn't just kissing you; he was claiming this quiet space for both of you, building a rhythm that felt entirely like your own.
The electric hum of the kiss lingered in the air, thick and sweet, even as he slowly pulled back. His thumb traced the line of your jaw one last time before he leaned in to press a lingering, grounding kiss against your forehead.
"No rushing," he whispered against your skin, his voice a low, gravelly vow that sent a final shiver down your spine. "I’ll take it as slow as you need."
As he retreated to his side of the bed, the sudden space between you felt both cool and buzzing with leftover heat. You both lay there, flat on your backs, staring up at the shadowed patterns on the ceiling. The silence of the massive Kim estate usually felt empty, but tonight it felt full, charged with the sound of two hearts trying to find a synchronized rhythm.
You could feel the warmth radiating from him, and out of the corner of your eye, you saw him swallow hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in the dim light. You were both blushing furiously.
"My heart is hitting my ribs like a drum," Namjoon confessed after a moment, his voice airy and slightly breathless. He let out a shy, boyish chuckle that broke the tension. "I think I handled the merger negotiations with more composure than that."
You let out a soft, shaky laugh, finally turning your head to look at him. "So the great Kim Namjoon actually gets nervous?"
"Terrified," he admitted, finally turning his head to meet your gaze. His dimples made a fleeting appearance in the dark. "But the good kind of terrified. The kind that makes me glad I’m here."
He reached out over the duvet, his pinky finger hooking around yours in a small, innocent anchor. "Get some sleep, Y/N. you must be tired.” You squeezed his finger, the last of your restlessness fading into a warm, heavy sleepiness.
"Goodnight, Namjoon."
"Goodnight, my clever girl."
°
"Oh, I see it! You two can't even look at each other without turning into a pair of ripening tomatoes," Yoona teased, nudging your shoulder with her elbow as the espresso machine hummed in the quiet kitchen. She leaned in, winking as she poured the steaming milk. "What’s the secret, huh? Did the 'Great Namjoon' finally find his smooth side?"
You tried to keep your face neutral, but the heat crawling up your neck betrayed you instantly. "It’s not like that... we’re just... adjusting," you stammered, before finally giving in to her knowing smirk. "We kissed. For the first time since the wedding, last night. And then again this morning after our showers. It’s like... now that we started, it’s impossible to stop."
Yoona nearly dropped the spoon, her laughter echoing off the marble backsplash. "You guys waited a whole month? You mean to tell me absolutely nothing happened all those weeks? No wonder he’s been so focused on his book collection lately!"
"No," you defended softly, a shy smile tugging at your lips. "We promised to take it slow. We wanted it to mean something."
Yoona hummed, a supportive yet mischievous glint in her eyes as she handed you a cup. "Well, kissing is checked off the list. Next step: a proper make-out session. Don't let him be too much of a gentleman, Y/N."
As you walked back into the dining room, her words replayed in your head. You caught sight of Namjoon’s lips as he spoke to his father, and you couldn't help but wonder how they’d feel pressed against the sensitive skin of your neck, or if he’d lose that signature composure if you were the one to pull him closer.
The breakfast conversation flowed easily, jumping from international politics to the latest silly office gossip Seokjin had brought home from the city.
"Oh, right, Dad," Seokjin said, pointing his fork toward the head of the table. "There’s that high-profile gala in Tokyo next week. It’s the primary launch event for the new reserve wine. We need a strong presence there."
Mr. Kim nodded slowly, his observant eyes shifting toward his younger son. "Namjoon should handle it. It’s a perfect opportunity for the new couple to make their international debut. Namjoon and Y/n will go, won't you?"
Namjoon paused, his hand hovering over his coffee cup. He looked at you, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes—likely worried about overwhelming you so soon after the move.
"Namjoon, yes!" his mother chirped, clapping her hands lightly. "Go to Japan. Think of it as a pre-honeymoon before your actual summer trip. A little romance, a little business, and plenty of time away from Seokjin’s teasing."
Namjoon’s gaze lingered on yours, a silent question in his expression. You gave him a small, encouraging nod. The idea of a hotel suite in Tokyo, away from the prying eyes of the estate, sounded exactly like the next step Yoona had mentioned.
"We’ll go," Namjoon said, his voice dropping into that decisive, low tone. "It’ll be good for us."
°
Your brain momentarily short-circuited. You had seen Namjoon in perfectly tailored suits and expensive loungewear, but nothing prepared you for the sight of him dripping wet, a single dark towel slung low on his hips. The steam from the bathroom clung to his skin, highlighting every sculpted line of his chest and the hard, defined ridges of his abs.
"Oh, shit—sorry! I thought you were still downstairs with Yoona noona," he managed, though he didn't look nearly as flustered as you felt.
"It’s... I mean... it’s your room," you stammered, your eyes betraying you by lingering on the way the water droplets traced the muscles of his torso.
Namjoon caught the direction of your gaze, and a slow, devastating smirk spread across his face. The shy gentleman had vanished, replaced by someone much more confident.
"Enjoying the view, Y/N?"
Before you could look away, he stepped into your space. The heat radiating from his damp skin was overwhelming. He reached out and took your hand, guiding your fingers until they brushed against the hard planes of his stomach. You internally screamed, your touch ghosting over his skin.
"I didn't spend all those hours in the gym just for the health benefits," he murmured, his voice dropping into a low, playful vibration. "If I can't flex for my wife, what’s the point?"
He leaned down, giving you a quick, heart-stopping peck on the lips before disappearing into the walk-in closet. You sat there on the edge of the bed, your hand still tingling from the contact.
Make out. Yoona’s words flashed in your mind. If a simple kiss was already this addictive, what would happen when things actually heated up?
A few minutes later, Namjoon emerged wearing a simple black tee that hugged his shoulders perfectly. "We leave for Tokyo the day after tomorrow. Make sure you pack everything you need; I want us to be able to just relax once we land."
You nodded, but stayed seated, your posture stiff. Namjoon noticed immediately, tilting his head as he studied you. "Is something on your mind? You look like you're overthinking again."
"I... I mean... can we... kiss? Again?"
Namjoon’s eyebrows shot up, a small, dark flame flickering in his eyes. He didn't need to be asked twice. "Always," he whispered.
He crawled onto the bed, his large frame hovering over yours as he captured your lips. This wasn't the tentative, exploratory kiss from before. This was rhythmic and demanding, his tongue swirling against yours in a way that made your toes curl. The heat between you spiked instantly. His hands became restless, roaming from the curve of your waist to the silk of your thighs, pulling you closer until there was no air left between you.
The kiss grew heavier, more desperate, as his lips broke away to trail a path of fire down your jawline. He moved to the sensitive column of your neck, his breath hot against your skin, until he reached the soft peak of your cleavage. He paused for a heartbeat, his eyes dark with an intensity you hadn't seen before, before pressing an open-mouthed, lingering kiss right there.
The friction of his stubble against your skin and the sheer boldness of the gesture made a soft gasp escape your throat.
The sound of your own gasp seemed to embolden him. Namjoon’s hand slid from your waist to the back of your neck, his fingers tangling in your hair to hold you steady as he continued his slow, agonizingly sweet descent. The contrast of his cool, damp hair against your skin and the searing heat of his mouth was almost too much to handle.
He hummed against your skin, a low vibration that you felt deep in your chest. "You have no idea," he murmured, his voice thick and strained, "how hard it’s been to be a gentleman these last few weeks."
He moved back up, his lips grazing the sensitive hollow behind your ear before finding your mouth again. This time, the kiss was deeper, more possessive. He tasted of mint and the lingering heat of the shower. You found yourself reaching for him, your hands sliding up his chest to grip his shoulders, feeling the hard muscle shift beneath his t-shirt.
Namjoon shifted his weight, hovering over you, his knees pinning your thighs as he supported himself on his forearms. He broke the kiss for a second, both of you breathless, your foreheads resting against each other. His pupils were blown wide, making his dark eyes look almost black in the dim light.
"Y/N," he breathed, his thumb tracing the swollen line of your lower lip. "If I don't stop now, I don't think I'll be able to let you sleep tonight."
Kim Namjoon lives a quiet, carefully ordered life, untouched by chaos. Until an arranged marriage brings a stranger into his world. What begins with distance slowly shifts through shared routines and silent understanding.In the stillness of everyday moments, something tender begins to grow.A gentle story of love that unfolds slowly, becoming home before either of them realizes.
Pairing - Rich Ceo! Namjoon x Rich! Reader
Genre - arrange marriage, slice of life and romance
Namjoon watched you from a distance as you said your final goodbyes to your parents and Jimin. Even from across the garden, he could see your eyes welling up with tears, and his heart tightened with a protective instinct he was still getting used to.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Seokjin approaching. His brother leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he whispered, "Just so you know, Mom, Dad, Yoona, and I are staying at the city villa tonight. You two have the main house all to yourselves. We’ll make sure to come back... very late tomorrow morning." Jin gave him a knowing wink.
Namjoon let out an internal groan at the blatant teasing, but his pulse was already racing. He didn't respond, instead turning his full attention back to you as you walked toward him, looking small and overwhelmed in your grand gown. He held the car door open for you, then slid into the seat right beside you.
"Bye! Take care of her!" your mom shouted as the car began to pull away.
As the house faded into the distance, Namjoon reached over and took your hand, holding it firmly. He began drawing small, rhythmic circles on your skin with his thumb, a silent effort to ground you. Seeing a tear finally escape, he pulled a clean handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to you.
"Careful," he said softly, trying to lighten the heavy mood. "Your makeup will get smudged, and I don’t think I’m skilled enough to fix it."
You let out a weak sniffle, dabbing your face while glancing at your reflection in the small mirror. "It’s so weird. I lived in London for years, but leaving the house today... it feels like hell."
Namjoon offered a gentle, reassuring smile. "You aren't losing them, Y/N. You can go see them whenever you miss them. I’ll never object to that."
You looked at him, truly seeing the kindness in his eyes. "You’re perfect, Namjoon."
He let out a short, humble laugh, squeezing your hand. "Far from it. But I'm glad I'm the one taking you home."
The car came to a smooth halt as the Kim estate sprawled before your eyes. It was a masterpiece of architecture, a seamless blend of glass-walled modernity and traditional stone pillars that felt rooted in history. Warm amber spotlights illuminated the manicured hedges and a grand fountain that danced in the moonlight.
"It’s... even bigger than my parents' house," you breathed out as the driver opened the door. Before you could struggle with the heavy silk of your gown, Namjoon was there, his hand extended. He didn't just wait; he actually leaned down to help gather the voluminous skirts so you wouldn't trip.
"Obviously," he said with a gentle, teasing tilt of his head. "It’s a bigger family here."
He guided you inside, his hand never leaving your waist as he navigated the grand foyer. The interior was a sanctuary of high ceilings, polished marble, and a sweeping staircase that looked like a work of art. The walls were adorned with paintings that looked like they belonged in a museum, yet the house felt lived-in and warm, not cold like a gallery.
"I think all the staff have been dismissed for the night," Namjoon noted, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet hallway. "It’s quite late already, and I wanted us to have some peace."
"Of course," you whispered, feeling the weight of the day finally beginning to lift.
"That wing over there is mine... no, sorry," he caught himself, a faint flush creeping up his neck as he looked at you. "It’s ours now."
You couldn't help but smile. He wasn't perfectly smooth, and he was clearly still adjusting to the idea of sharing his life, but the way he corrected himself was so sincere.
He led you through the long, quiet hallways until he opened the double doors to the primary suite. It was stunning—bright, modern, and filled with his personality. Huge floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined one wall, and several framed sketches sat on a desk near a large window that overlooked the gardens. A plush, oversized bed sat in the center, looking incredibly inviting.
"It's... beautiful, Namjoon."
"I wish I’d had the chance to see your room back at your house," he said, leaning against the doorframe for a moment. "People say a person's personal space tells you everything about their soul."
You let out a genuine chuckle, feeling a bit shy. "My room is a disaster zone. Comics, half-finished games, books everywhere, clothes on the 'designated chair'... but I promise to keep your room clean."
Namjoon laughed, the sound deep and resonant in the quiet room. He walked closer to you, stopping just inches away.
"It’s our room now, Y/N. Our house. Our life. We’ll build it together, mess and all." His gaze was steady and incredibly genuine. You nodded, feeling a sudden, deep sense of belonging. "You must be exhausted. Here, let me help you with your hair."
He moved with surprising grace, shedding his suit jacket and untying his bow tie, tossing them onto the couch. He stood behind you, his large hands moving with unexpected patience and delicacy. One by one, he began to slide the floral pins and the heavy diamond clips from your hair. His touch was light, his fingers occasionally brushing against the nape of your neck, sending a different kind of shiver down your spine—one that felt like peace.
Your heart was still hammering against your ribs, a wild, frantic rhythm that seemed to echo in the quiet of the room. The sudden proximity, the heat of his hands near your neck—it was all so new, so real. When Namjoon caught the way your shoulders tensed and your breath hitched, he didn't push. Instead, he stepped back with a soft, respectful clearance of his throat.
"You should freshen up first," he said, his voice dropping into a gentle, grounding tone. "I'll use another washroom in the house to give you some space. Take all the time you need."
You nodded, barely able to meet his eyes, and practically escaped into the bathroom. Leaning against the cool wood of the door, you let out a breath so heavy it felt like a physical weight leaving your chest.
An hour later—after a long, steaming shower that finally melted the tension in your muscles and a meticulous process of scrubbing away every trace of bridal makeup, you felt human again. You chose your most comfortable, oversized PJs. They weren't exactly wedding night material, but they felt like you, and right now, you needed comfort more than anything else.
When you finally stepped back into the bedroom, the air was cool and smelled faintly of Namjoon’s woodsy cologne. He was sitting on the edge of the large bed, the glow of his phone illuminating his sharp features until he clicked it off the moment he saw you. He had changed into a simple grey t-shirt and black lounge pants, looking softer and less like a "Kim heir" than you'd ever seen him.
"Right..." he said, the word hanging awkwardly between you as you stood in the middle of the rug, suddenly unsure of where to put your hands.
He looked at you and his expression softened into something incredibly kind. "Y/N... please, don't be nervous. I won't... we don't have to do anything you aren't ready for. We can take our time with intimacy. We’ll find our own flow as we fall in love. For now, let’s just sleep? It’s been a long day for both of us."
The sincerity in his voice acted like a warm blanket. You felt the last of your defensive walls crumble. "Thank you," you whispered, a genuine smile finally touching your lips. "Thank you for understanding."
"Of course," he said, already starting to stand up. "Actually, I can sleep in one of the guest rooms if you'd prefer to have the bed to yourself tonight—"
"That won't be necessary," you interrupted, surprised by your own boldness. You walked toward the bed, meeting his gaze. "I want to share the bed with you. How else are we supposed to fall in love if we're in separate wings?"
Namjoon let out a surprised, melodic chuckle, the sound breaking the last of the awkwardness. "You have a point. A very logical, computer-scientist point."
He pulled back the heavy duvet for you, and as you both settled in, keeping a respectful, comfortable distance—the silence of the house felt peaceful rather than heavy. Just before you drifted off, you felt him reach out in the dark, his hand briefly finding yours for a reassuring squeeze.
"Goodnight, Y/N."
"Goodnight, Namjoon."
°
The sunlight streamed through the curtains in bright, unapologetic streaks, dancing over the duvet. As you stirred, the first thing you noticed wasn't the light, but the warmth. A steady, rhythmic thrumming was beneath your ear, and the weight of a heavy arm was draped securely over your waist.
Your eyes fluttered open, only to find Namjoon already awake, propped up on one elbow and looking down at you with a soft, sleepy-eyed expression.
The realization hit you like a lightning bolt.
Oh. Right. Married. The Kim estate. Namjoon.
You looked down and realized your legs were completely tangled with his, your head tucked perfectly into the hollow of his chest. You scrambled backward so fast you nearly fell off the edge of the mattress, your face heating up until it felt like it was glowing.
"Sorry! I... I have a habit of cuddling anything near me when I sleep," you stammered, frantically trying to smooth down your hair, which felt like a literal bird's nest.
Namjoon didn't look annoyed; he just sat up slowly, the sheets pooling around his waist, and offered you a lopsided, dimpled smile.
"Good morning, Mrs. Kim."
The title sent a physical jolt through your stomach. Mrs. Kim. It sounded so formal, yet so intimate coming from him.
"I actually didn't mind the wake-up call," he added, his voice gravelly from sleep. "A very persistent, very cute koala was trying to smuggle her way into my personal space all night. It was... nice."
You bit your lip, trying to suppress a smile while your heart did a frantic somersault. Before you could respond, a sudden burst of laughter erupted from downstairs, followed by the unmistakable, high-pitched tone of Seokjin’s voice.
"They can be pretty loud," Namjoon muttered, ruffling his messy hair in a way that made him look unfairly handsome. "Probably debating something completely useless, like which breakfast pastry is superior."
You grabbed your phone from the nightstand to check the time, expecting it to be maybe 9:00 or 10:00 AM. When the screen lit up, you let out a strangled gasp.
"It’s 1:00 PM?!" You practically levitated off the bed.
Namjoon stopped mid-stride on his way to the bathroom, looking back at you in confusion. "Is something wrong?"
"I slept in until the afternoon! On my first day as a daughter-in-law!" You were already diving into your suitcase, pulling out a white floral frock in a panicked blur. "Your mother is going to think I’m completely spoiled—or lazy—or—"
Before you could spiral any further, Namjoon was in front of you. He didn't grab your shoulders; he simply placed a single index finger over your lips, effectively silencing your frantic rambling. The touch was light, but it grounded you instantly.
"Y/N, stop," he said softly, his eyes searching yours with total calm. "We didn't even get to bed until 2:00 AM, and we haven't had a full night's rest in weeks because of the wedding. My mother knows that. She’s probably the one who told everyone to be quiet so we could sleep."
He moved his hand away, but stayed close. "No one is judging you. This is your home now, not a job interview. Take a breath. Freshen up at your own pace, and then we’ll go down together. Okay?"
You took a shaky breath, looking at the floral dress in your hands and then back at him. "Okay. Together?"
"Together," he promised, giving your hand a quick, reassuring squeeze. "Now go. I’ll go use the other shower so we can face the 'chaos' downstairs as a united front."
°
You took a deep breath, splashing cool water on your face and putting on the white floral frock. It was light, airy, and made you feel a little more like yourself, the Y/N who liked comfort even though you were currently walking into the lion’s den of the Kim household.
When you stepped out of the bathroom, Namjoon was waiting by the door. He’d dressed in a simple, oversized white shirt and black trousers, his hair still slightly damp from his own shower. He looked effortless, and seeing him there, waiting just for you, made your nerves dissipate by half.
"Ready?" he asked, extending his arm.
"As ready as I'll ever be," you replied, taking his arm and letting him lead you toward the grand staircase.
As you descended, the sounds of the living room became clearer. You could hear Seokjin’s signature windshield-wiper laugh, Yoona’s bright giggles, and the low, authoritative hum of Mr. and Mrs. Kim discussing something in the kitchen.
The moment your foot hit the bottom step, the living room went strangely quiet and then, chaos erupted.
"Look who decided to join the land of the living!" Seokjin shouted, jumping up from the sofa. He looked absolutely delighted, holding a plate of half-eaten pastries. "I was starting to think you two had hibernated for the winter."
Yoona was right behind him, beaming at you with a sympathetic, knowing look. "Oh, hush, Seokjin. Let them sleep. You were just as exhausted after your wedding, remember?"
Mrs. Kim emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. Her expression wasn't one of judgment, but of sheer relief. She walked over to you, gently taking your hands and pulling you into a warm hug. "My dear, you look so refreshed. I told them not to make a sound until 2:00 PM. I hope you slept well?"
You felt the last of your panic evaporate. "I did, thank you so much, Mrs. Kim. I'm so sorry we slept in so late."
"Nonsense," she scolded playfully. "You’ve had a busy month. Namjoon, did you at least feed her something before you dragged her down here?"
Namjoon tightened his grip on your arm, his thumb rubbing soothingly against your skin. "We’re actually starving, Mom. Any of those pastries left?"
Seokjin leaned in, winking at you with a grin. "Oh, plenty. But maybe you two should save your appetite for dinner. I hear there's a lot of 'catching up' to do."
"Seokjin-hyung," Namjoon said, his voice dropping an octave in a mock-warning.
You couldn't help but laugh. The teasing was playful, the warmth was genuine, and for the first time, being a Kim didn't feel like a title you had to live up to—it just felt like being part of a family.
"Come on," Namjoon whispered to you, leading you toward the kitchen. "I’ll get you the best pancakes before Jin hyung finishes the whole plate."
The aroma of buttery pancakes and fresh coffee filled the dining room, a comforting scent that finally made your stomach stop growling. You sat close to Namjoon, almost subconsciously seeking the familiar warmth of his side as the staff set the table with an elaborate spread.
True to form, Seokjin didn't wait long before leaning across the table with a devious glint in his eyes. "So, Namjoon-ah," he started, cutting into a pancake with exaggerated precision. "I noticed the hallway was remarkably quiet this morning. Either you’ve finally learned to walk without tripping over your own feet, or you were too 'busy' to even move. Which one was it?"
Namjoon choked slightly on his coffee, his ears turning a vivid shade of pink. "Hyung, please. It’s 1 PM. Can we have one meal without your commentary?"
"What? I’m just admiring your stamina for sleep!" Jin laughed, his windshield-wiper laugh echoing off the high ceilings. "Though, looking at Y/N’s bed-head earlier, I’d say someone had a very restless night."
"Seokjin, leave them be," Yoona intervened, though she was wearing a small, knowing smirk of her own. She turned to you, her voice like sunshine. "Don't mind him, Y/N. He’s just jealous because he had to wake up at 8 AM to help move the floral arrangements. You look lovely, by the way. That color really suits you."
Across the table, Mr. Kim remained quiet, his presence steady and observant. He didn't say much, but every time you caught his eye, he offered a small, approving nod and a kind smile that made you feel like you truly belonged there.
"Namjoon," Mrs. Kim said, pouring more syrup. "You should take Y/N to the family vineyard this afternoon. The weather is perfect for a walk through the property, and then perhaps a nice night drive? Give her a proper tour of her new surroundings."
Namjoon cleared his throat, finally regaining his composure after Jin's teasing. "Yes, Mom. I actually already had a few plans in mind for us... if Y/N isn't too tired, of course."
You looked up from your plate, meeting his gaze. "I'm not tired anymore. I’d love to see the vineyard."
"That’s the spirit!" Mrs. Kim beamed, then noticed your plate was nearly empty. "And Y/N, dear, don't be shy. You’re eating for two—wait, no, that’s not what I meant! I mean, you need your energy! Tell me if you want more food."
"Yes, Mrs. Kim," you replied softly.
The table erupted in gentle laughter. Mrs. Kim reached over, patting your hand affectionately. "Oh, stop that. Call me 'Mom' already. We’re past the formal stage, don't you think? You're a Kim now."
You felt a lump of warmth in your throat. You looked at Namjoon, who was watching you with a proud, tender expression, and then back at the woman who was welcoming you so wholeheartedly.
"Okay... Mom," you said, the word feeling new but right.
"Come on, Y/N! Let the boys talk about their spreadsheets and soil pH levels," Yoona laughed, hooking her arm firmly through yours and leading you away from the dining table. Namjoon gave you a helpless, amused little wave as you were whisked away, his eyes following you until you turned the corner.
The estate was a labyrinth of elegance. Yoona was the perfect guide, less like a formal docent and more like a co-conspirator.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Kim Namjoon lives a quiet, carefully ordered life, untouched by chaos. Until an arranged marriage brings a stranger into his world. What begins with distance slowly shifts through shared routines and silent understanding.In the stillness of everyday moments, something tender begins to grow.A gentle story of love that unfolds slowly, becoming home before either of them realizes.
Pairing - Rich Ceo! Namjoon x Rich! Reader
Genre - arrange marriage, slice of life, slow burn, romance.
The engagement was held at a private villa owned by the Kims, a serene space tucked away from the city’s noise. Despite the combined wealth of both families, the atmosphere was surprisingly intimate. Warm fairy lights were strung through the trees of the manicured garden, and the scent of expensive lilies and aged oak filled the air.
You stood on a small, flower-adorned dais, wearing a stunning, floor-length silk gown in a soft champagne hue. Across from you stood Namjoon, looking every bit the prince from your dreams in a tailored charcoal suit.
The chatter of the relatives hushed as your father and Mr. Kim stood together, beaming with pride. Namjoon took your hand, his fingers slightly trembling, a detail only you noticed, which made your heart swell.
"You look breathtaking, Y/N," he whispered, low enough only for you to hear making you blush.
He slid the diamond band onto your finger, the stone catching the moonlight. When it was your turn, you looked up into his steady, warm eyes. As the ring settled onto his finger, a collective cheer broke out. It wasn't just a business merger anymore; anyone watching could see the genuine spark between you.
Later, during the cocktail hour, you spotted Jimin and Namjoon standing by the drinks station. Jimin was leaning against a pillar, swirling a glass of champagne with a smirk that usually spelled trouble.
"So, Namjoon-ssi," Jimin started, his tone playful but with a sharp edge of protective brotherly energy. "I hope you realize my sister needs a lot of 'rotting' time. If you start dragging her to too many boring business galas, she might actually short-circuit."
Namjoon let out a deep, melodic chuckle, adjusting his glasses. "Actually, Jimin, I’ve already looked into soundproofing a wing of the house for her 'gaming and drama' sanctuary. I think we’ll be just fine."
Jimin blinked, surprised by the direct hit. He let out a dry laugh and patted Namjoon’s shoulder. "Okay, okay. You pass the first test. But remember—if she cries, I’m the one who knows how to hack into your winery’s inventory system."
"I’ll keep that in mind," Namjoon replied, bowing slightly with a respectful grin.
The interaction between the parents was seamless. Your mother and Mrs. Kim were already inseparable, huddled in a corner discussing guest lists for the wedding as if they’d been best friends for decades.
Yoona came over to give you a tight hug, her eyes sparkling. "Welcome to the family, officially! If Namjoon gets too quiet or starts talking about architecture for three hours straight, just call me. I will give you hints to get him on track."
"I'll hold you to that," you laughed, leaning into her.
As the night wound down, Namjoon found his way back to your side, slipping his hand into yours. "Are you tired?" he asked softly.
"A little," you admitted, resting your head on his shoulder. "But I'm happy."
"Me too," he murmured, kissing the top of your head. "Ready to go home? Our parents look like they’re going to be here until sunrise planning the floral arrangements."
The evening was winding down, and you were finally starting to relax, sipping on a chilled glass of sparkling cider. You turned to say something to Namjoon, but your heel caught on the edge of a decorative rug. With a small gasp, you lurched forward, and a splash of your drink painted a dark streak across the front of Namjoon’s pristine charcoal suit.
"Oh my god! Namjoon, I’m so sorry!" you cried out, your face flushing a deep crimson as you reached out to brush the droplets away, only making it worse.
To your surprise, he didn't look annoyed at all. Instead, he let out a hearty, deep laugh that vibrated through the air. "Well, I suppose the 'prince' needed a little more character in his wardrobe anyway," he teased, holding his arms out to look at the damage.
"Stop laughing! It’s going to stain," you hissed playfully, grabbing his hand. "Come on, follow me."
You guided him through the back entrance, away from the prying eyes of the relatives. Once inside the quiet, marble-tiled bathroom, you grabbed a clean hand towel and began dabbing at the fabric. Namjoon stood still, watching you with a soft, amused expression as you worked with intense focus.
"You're very cute when you're in 'crisis mode', Y/N," he murmured.
"I’m trying to save your expensive suit," you retorted, though a smile was tugging at your lips. After a few minutes of scrubbing, the mark was barely visible. "There. As good as new."
Instead of heading back to the party, you spotted a side door that led to a smaller, more secluded garden on the opposite side of the villa. Without a word, you led him out into the cool night. The music from the party was just a faint, rhythmic hum in the distance, and the only light came from the moon and a few low-set garden lamps.
"It’s so quiet over here," you whispered, finally letting out a breath of relief.
"Better than the spotlight, isn't it?" Namjoon agreed. He turned to you and held out a hand, his fingers long and elegant in the moonlight.
"Since I missed my chance earlier during the formal part of the night... may I?"
You placed your hand in his, and he pulled you close, his other hand settling firmly on the small of your back. There was no music, just the sound of the wind in the leaves and your own steady heartbeats but you began to sway together in a slow, private dance.
You rested your head against his chest, listening to the rhythmic thump of his heart. You both started giggling as Namjoon accidentally stepped on your toe, proving that even a perfect gentleman had his clumsy moments.
"See? We’re a perfect match," you joked, looking up at him. "Both of us are a little bit of a mess."
"The best kind of mess," he whispered, leaning down to rest his forehead against yours. In that hidden corner of the world, away from the family expectations and the business talk, it felt like it was finally just the two of you.
°
The business world was buzzing with the news of the "Power Union" between the Park and Kim families. While the headlines focused on market shares and corporate mergers, the reality inside your home was a frantic, colorful blur of silk swatches, guest lists, and the scent of expensive perfume.
On the morning of the wedding, the silence of your dressing room was a stark contrast to the chaos outside. You stared at your reflection, almost unable to recognize the woman in the mirror. The white gown was breathtaking—a masterpiece of lace and silk that flowed around you like a cloud. With your hair left down in soft waves, adorned only by delicate floral ornaments and the shimmering diamond jewelry gifted by Mrs. Kim, you looked like you had stepped directly out of the very dream that had started this journey.
Your mother moved around you, her eyes perpetually misty. "Eat just a little more, Y/N," she whispered, feeding you small bites of steak for energy. "It’s going to be a long day, my beautiful girl."
The door creaked open, and your father and Jimin stepped inside. Your father didn't even try to hold back; he hugged you so tightly you could feel his heart racing. "My little princess," he choked out, wiping his eyes.
"Dad, I’m not leaving Korea," you teased gently, though your own throat felt tight. "I'm only a twenty-minute drive away."
"Yeah," Jimin chimed in, leaning against the vanity. He was dressed in a sharp tuxedo, looking more sophisticated than usual, though his eyes were suspiciously bright. "She’ll be calling us in two days because she forgot how to use the high-tech microwave at the Kim estate. She’s not going anywhere."
Once your parents stepped out to take their places, the weight of the moment finally hit you. You looked at Jimin, your hands trembling slightly. "I’m actually nervous. Like, my-knees-might-give-out nervous."
Jimin’s teasing mask slipped, replaced by the steady, protective brother you’d always relied on. He patted your back firmly and then extended his arm, offering you his elbow with a formal flourish. "It’s alright. You’ll be fine. I’m right here, and I’m not letting go until I hand you over. Ready?"
°
The doors to the grand hall swung open, and the swell of soft, orchestral music filled the air. The room was a forest of white lilies and orchids, glowing under the light of a thousand crystal chandeliers. Every seat was filled with the elite of Seoul’s society, but as you started down the aisle, your vision tunneled.
There, at the end of the long walk, stood Namjoon.
He wore a perfectly tailored black suit and a classic bow tie. He looked steady, regal, and incredibly handsome. When his eyes met yours, his breath hitched—a small, human reaction that made the regal prince look like the man who had laughed with you in a private garden just weeks ago.
When you finally reached the altar, Jimin took your hand and placed it into Namjoon’s. Jimin gave Namjoon a look that said 'Take care of her,' before stepping back.
Namjoon’s fingers closed over yours, warm and grounding. He leaned in just an inch, his voice a ghost of a whisper against the music.
"Beautiful," he murmured, his dimples making a fleeting, nervous appearance.
You felt the familiar heat rise to your cheeks, a shy blush blooming as you turned to face the officiant. The sea of eyes behind you faded into the background. In that moment, it wasn't a business merger or a headline-worthy event. It was just you and the man who had promised to build you a sanctuary.
The grand hall fell into a heavy, expectant silence as you and Namjoon stood facing each other. The scent of a thousand lilies hung in the air, but all you could focus on was the warmth of his large hands holding yours.
When it was time for the vows, Namjoon went first. His voice, usually so steady and deep, carried a slight tremor that made your heart ache. He didn’t talk about business or legacies; he spoke about the quiet moments—the way you looked when you were talking about books, and how he promised to always be the person who understood your need for space.
Then, it was your turn. You looked into his eyes, clearing the lump in your throat. "I do," you whispered, the two simplest words feeling like the weight of a lifetime. You promised to be his partner, his sanctuary, and the person who would always laugh at his clumsy moments. As you spoke, you saw his gaze soften, a look of pure, unadulterated devotion taking over his features.
"You may now kiss the bride."
The world seemed to hold its breath. Namjoon stepped closer, his shadow falling over you. He didn't rush. He reached out, his thumb gently grazing your cheekbone, a silent question in his eyes. When you tilted your head up, he leaned in.
It wasn't a show for the cameras or the crowd. It was a soft, incredibly respectful brush of his lips against yours—a lingering, tender contact that spoke of a deep promise. It was brief, sweet, and perfectly mindful of the boundaries you had built together over the last few months. When he pulled back, his forehead rested against yours for a fleeting second, a private smile shared only between the two of you.
The reception was a blur of congratulations until the lights dimmed for the first dance. A soft, melodic instrumental began to play, and Namjoon led you to the center of the polished floor.
He placed one hand on your waist, the other holding your hand close to his chest. You rested your hand on his shoulder, feeling the expensive fabric of his suit under your fingertips. As you began to sway, the heavy diamond jewelry and the eyes of the elite guests seemed to vanish.
"Are you okay?" he whispered, spinning you slowly.
"Better now," you admitted, leaning your head against his shoulder.
He let out a soft, relieved chuckle. "Me too. I think I held my breath for the entire ceremony."
You laughed softly, the sound muffled by his chest. You danced with a natural ease, moving in perfect sync. For a few minutes, you weren't the Power Couple of the year; you were just two people who had found something real in the middle of a very planned world.
As the song ended, he leaned down to whisper in your ear, "Ready to go home? To our home?"
The way he said "our" made your heart skip a beat.
Kim Namjoon lives a quiet, carefully ordered life, untouched by chaos. Until an arranged marriage brings a stranger into his world. What begins with distance slowly shifts through shared routines and silent understanding.In the stillness of everyday moments, something tender begins to grow.A gentle story of love that unfolds slowly, becoming home before either of them realizes.
Pairing - Rich Ceo! Namjoon x rich! Reader
Genre - arranged marriage, slice of life and slow burn love.
The week had flown by in a blur of late-night texts and shared playlists. You’d discovered that behind the "business tycoon" exterior, Namjoon was an incredibly thoughtful, almost poetic person. He wasn’t just a gentleman—he was genuinely interesting.
For the date, you decided to keep it you. You wore a deep red top that hugged your frame just right, paired with your favorite jeans. You kept the makeup minimal but leaned into your love for accessories, stacking a few rings and choosing elegant earrings that caught the light.
When you arrived at the restaurant, he was already there. He looked striking in a crisp, formal black suit, his hair swept back to reveal his forehead. The moment he saw you, his face lit up.
"Hey! You made it," he greeted with a warmth that felt much more personal than the stiff formality of the family dinner.
"Hey," you replied, giving a small, respectful bow. Even though you’d been texting constantly, the two-year age gap and his polished presence still made you feel a bit shy.
He stood up and pulled out your chair with practiced grace. Once you were both settled, the sommelier approached, and Namjoon took the lead on the wine list.
"Since we’re having the wagyu, we should probably go with a full-bodied red," Namjoon noted, scanning the labels. "The tannins in a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Malbec help cut through the richness of the marbling. If it’s too light, the meat just overpowers the grapes."
He looked up at the waiter. "We’ll take the 2018 Napa Valley, please. It has those dark fruit notes that should pair perfectly."
"Oh, wow," you breathed out as the waiter bowed and left. "I never knew wine was that much of a science. You really know your stuff."
"Well, I had to," he replied with a modest shrug. "I spent a year basically living in our vineyards and studying the fermentation process before I officially joined the business. It’s a lot of chemistry and patience." He leaned in slightly, resting his chin on his hand. "But enough about my work. Tell me about you, Y/N. How do you actually like to spend your days off?"
"Umm... sleeping?" you admitted, letting out a sheepish chuckle. "Mostly just rotting in bed and binge-watching dramas. I’m a professional at doing nothing."
Namjoon let out a soft, genuine laugh. " That sounds like a dream. Sometimes 'rotting' is the only way to actually recharge."
"And you?" you asked, curious. "I bet your days off are much more sophisticated."
"Me? Usually, it's golf with my brother and his friends, or just staying home with the family. If I’m lucky, I get a few hours alone to just sit and read."
"Very... productive," you chimed in just as the waiter returned with the food.
The aroma hit you instantly, and your stomach betrayed you with a loud, distinct growl. You hadn't eaten since a light brunch, and the sight of the food made your mouth water.
Namjoon’s eyes crinkled at the corners. "Oh... let's eat while we talk. Clearly, someone is starving," he teased gently.
Your face heated up instantly. "It’s... it's fine. I’m okay."
"Don't be shy with me, Y/N," he said, his voice dropping to a softer, more intimate tone. "Be open. I want to see the real you, not the 'polite dinner' version. That’s the only way we’ll truly know if this works."
You looked at him—the dimples, the kind eyes and felt the tension in your shoulders finally melt away. You picked up your fork and smiled.
"In that case... don't judge how much I’m about to eat."
The waiter retreated, leaving the two of you in a comfortable, candlelit bubble. You took a deliberate, satisfying bite of your meal, and Namjoon watched you with a small, amused smile before picking up his own fork.
"So, London," he started, swirling the dark red wine in his glass. "Master’s in Computer Science is no joke. Did you actually have time to see the city, or were you just living in a dark room full of code and empty coffee cups?"
You laughed, the wine beginning to settle your nerves. "A bit of both? I definitely had my 'hermit' phases where I didn't see sunlight for three days. But when I did go out, I loved the quiet spots—little bookstores in Bloomsbury or just walking by the Thames at night when it was foggy. It felt... like a movie, sometimes."
"I can see that," he said softly. "I studied Business and Architecture, so my time in the States was spent staring at buildings and spreadsheets. I think that’s why I appreciate art so much now. It’s the only thing that isn’t ‘logical.’"
"Is that why you’re doing this?" you asked, your voice dropping a notch, becoming a bit more daring. "The marriage proposal. It’s very... logical. Very traditional."
Namjoon set his glass down, his expression shifting from playful to contemplative. "I see Jin-hyung and Yoona-noona every single day. They’re disgusting," he joked, though his eyes were warm. "But honestly? I envy them. They have this quiet partnership where they don't even have to speak to know what the other needs. I want that. I don't care if it starts with a 'logical' introduction as long as the feeling that grows from it is real."
He leaned in, his gaze steady on yours. "I’ve had a few relationships in the past, but in my world, people often want 'Kim Namjoon the Heir,' not just Namjoon. It gets exhausting. When my mother suggested you, I looked at your photo, sure but then I heard how you were taking a break to 'explore life' instead of rushing into the family business. It made me curious. It felt... different."
"And what about you?" he tilted his head, a dimple flickering. "Any London flings? Or were you too busy being a genius?"
"Definitely too busy being a genius," you teased, though you felt your cheeks heat up. "I’ve had... a boyfriend or two. But nothing that felt like it was worth the effort of staying. I’m quite protective of my space, Namjoon. That’s my biggest fear with this whole thing—living with a big family. I'm used to being a bit of a loner."
Namjoon nodded slowly, showing he was actually listening. "I get that. I really do. Our house is big, but it can feel small when everyone is in your business. But," he reached across the table, his hand resting near yours but not quite touching it yet, "if this were to work... I’d make sure you had your own sanctuary. I’m a bit of a loner too, believe it or not."
He paused, a shy, boyish look suddenly crossing his handsome face. "I mean... I'm already thinking about where your desk would go. That’s probably moving too fast, isn't it?"
You bit your lip to hide a smile, looking down at your plate. "A little bit. But... I don't hate the idea."
The tension between you wasn't heavy anymore; it was magnetic. You were both adults, both cautious, yet there was a clear, growing spark that made the arranged part of the evening feel like a very distant memory.
The dinner flew by in a blur of shared plates, laughter over favorite movies, and the kind of subtle flirting that made the air between you feel light and electric. When it was finally time to leave, Namjoon walked you out to the parking lot, the cool night air a sharp contrast to the warmth of the restaurant.
"Y/N, you seriously make me lose all track of time," he said, his voice dropping into a lower, more playful register.
You laughed, feeling a bit giddy. "I could say the same. It really was a great evening."
"It was," he agreed, stopping beside your car. "Let me drop you home? It’s getting late."
"Oh, no, I brought my own car," you said, gesturing to the driver's side. "It would be a huge hassle to come back and get it tomorrow."
"Fair enough." He held up his hands in mock surrender, a charming smile tugging at his lips. "I suppose I’ll just have to start looking forward to our future dates then."
The word dates, plural sent a flutter through your chest. You felt your face heat up, but you didn't want the night to end on a maybe.
"Well," you began hesitantly, looking up at him, "if you’re free later this week... we could always go on another one?"
Namjoon’s expression softened, and those deep dimples made a reappearance. "I’ll make sure I'm free. Just tell me when."
° °
You pulled into the driveway, your heart still racing, and before you could even pocket your phone, you were already mentally drafting a Thursday plan. You stepped through the front door, half-expecting the house to be quiet, but the living room light was still on.
Jimin was sprawled across the sofa, his laptop balanced precariously on his knees. He looked up the second you entered, his eyes narrowing instantly as he clocked your flushed face and the way you were practically glued to your phone screen.
"Well, well, well," he drawled, tossing his phone onto the cushion beside him. "The 'childish girl' returns. And she looks like she’s just won the lottery."
You kicked off your heels, trying to look nonchalant. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. It was just dinner, Jimin oppa."
"A dinner," he repeated, mimicking your tone with a mocking smirk. He stood up and paced over to you, peering over your shoulder to see if you were texting anyone. "You’ve been smiling at that screen for the last five minutes of your walk from the car. Come on, give it up. Did the golden boy behave himself?"
"He was... actually very nice," you admitted, finally letting your guard down. You sank into the armchair, feeling a mix of exhaustion and absolute giddiness. "He’s not at all what I expected. He’s funny, and he actually listens. And he likes the same kind of movies."
"Movies? Oh god, you two are already bonding over Netflix?" Jimin groaned, though he was clearly fighting a grin. "Mom is going to be insufferable tomorrow morning. She’s already picking out wedding colors in her head, I swear."
You groaned, burying your face in your hands. "Don't remind me. I told her it was just a date, but you know how she gets."
"Oh, I know," Jimin said, ruffling your hair exactly the way your dad did, only with significantly more 'older brother' energy. "But honestly? I'm glad. If he makes you happy and if he’s actually worth your time—then maybe this whole 'arranged' thing isn't the disaster I thought it would be."
He gave your shoulder a firm squeeze, his expression softening for a brief, rare moment of genuine sincerity. "But if he hurts your feelings, or makes you feel like you have to be someone you aren't... I’m the one you’re calling first."
You smiled, the warmth spreading through your chest. "Deal."
"Good. Now go to bed, you look like you’re vibrating," he teased, heading toward the stairs. "And tell me everything over breakfast. I expect the full tea."
You went to your room, but sleep felt like a distant possibility. You lay back, staring at the ceiling, wondering how an arranged introduction had managed to turn into something that felt so much like a beginning.
The last two months had been a whirlwind of late-night phone calls, museum strolls, and finding hidden cafe gems in Seoul. You’d discovered that Namjoon wasn’t just a prince from a fairy tale; he was a man who got incredibly clumsy when he was excited, who overthought his text replies just as much as you did, and who looked at you with a quiet, steady intensity that made the arranged part of your meeting feel like a lifetime ago.
You were currently sprawled on the living room sofa, a large bowl of popcorn between you and Jimin as a horror movie played on the TV. Jimin was midpoint through a critique of the main character’s survival instincts when your parents walked in, looking more coordinated and serious than usual.
"Y/N," your father started, leaning against the doorframe while your mother sat on the edge of the armchair. "We don't want to pressure you, but the Kims called again today. It’s been two months of dates and family dinners."
"They're asking for a formal answer," your mother added, her eyes shimmering with that familiar, hopeful spark. "They want to know if we should move forward with the official engagement preparations."
Jimin paused the movie, the sudden silence making the room feel heavy. He looked at you, his teasing persona dropping for a second to give you a supportive it's up to you nod.
You looked down at your lap, fiddling with one of the rings you’d worn on your very first date with Namjoon. You thought about how he always made sure you had your space , how he defended your choice to take a break from work, and how he looked when he laughed—dimples deep and eyes crinkling.
A warmth spread from your chest to your cheeks. You didn't even have to overthink it anymore.
"I..." You cleared your throat, a shy but certain smile tugging at your lips. "I want to do it. Tell them it's a yes."
"Yes?!" your mother gasped, clapping her hands together.
"Oho! Look at her blushing!" Jimin yelled, immediately unpausing the movie just to jump up and ruffle your hair aggressively. "Our little hermit is actually getting married to the wine tycoon!"
"Stop it, Jimin!" you laughed, swiping at his hands, though you couldn't stop the massive grin on your face.
Your dad let out a long, relieved sigh of happiness. "I’ll call Mr. Kim right away. He’s going to be thrilled."
As they hurried out to make the calls, your phone buzzed on the coffee table after few minutes.
[Namjoon]: My mom just walked into my office looking very suspicious and happy. Should I be preparing a speech, or am I getting ahead of myself?
Kim Namjoon lives a quiet, carefully ordered life, untouched by chaos. Until an arranged marriage brings a stranger into his world. What begins with distance slowly shifts through shared routines and silent understanding.In the stillness of everyday moments, something tender begins to grow.A gentle story of love that unfolds slowly, becoming home before either of them realizes.
A tall, handsome man with perfectly shaped lips, a prince straight out of a fairy tale leaned in and kissed you.
"Y/N!"
He moved his lips softly against yours, the world around you fading into a hazy glow.
"Y/N!"
The shouting finally broke through. You frowned, eyes fluttering open as you prepared to yell at whoever had the nerve to ruin such a perfect dream. But as your vision cleared, you found yourself staring right into your mother’s eyes.
"Oh, finally! You’re awake," she exclaimed. "You’re the one who asked me to wake you up early, and then you don't budge at all. I’ve been calling your name for the last ten minutes! Didn't you say you were heading out with your friends today? Go on, get ready!"
Your mom started tidying up the room, scolding you under her breath as she moved about. You rubbed your eyes and sat up, stretching your body lazily.
"Good morning, Mom," you said with a sweet, sleepy smile.
She just shook her head at you, heading toward the door to leave. Before stepping out, she paused. "Get ready quickly. Your dad wants to talk to you about something."
You hummed in response, finally sliding out of bed to freshen up.
It has been nearly a month since you returned to Korea after finishing your Master’s in Computer Science. You were originally supposed to stay back and find a job, but after a long, deep discussion with your brother about life and following your passions, you decided to take a break from the academic pressure.
After your marathon "freshening up" session, you finally headed downstairs, offering your mother a sheepish smile as she leveled a mock glare at you.
"Did it really take you forty-five minutes just to shower?" she gasped, hands on her hips.
"Were you scrubbing the tiles or actually washing yourself?" A familiar, teasing voice drifted in from the living room, the one voice that annoyed you to no end, yet you always loved hearing. Your brother, Jimin, was lounging on the sofa, calmly sipping his coffee.
"I just like being neat and tidy, unlike some people," you shot back, sticking your tongue out at him. You bypassed his smirk to raid the kitchen counter, stealing a handful of dry fruits while your mother busied herself with breakfast.
"Funny," Jimin called out mockingly. "That’s not the story your bedroom told last night. Clothes everywhere, stacks of comics... honestly, gross."
Pouting, you marched into the living room and plopped down on the couch next to your father, right across from your brother. Your dad chuckled at your expression, reaching over to affectionately ruffle your hair.
"Oh, look at her. She’s still such a cute kid," he said warmly. You were definitely the "spoiled princess" in his eyes, though you knew better than anyone that he could turn serious and strict the moment the situation called for it.
"Dad! Your son is being incredibly annoying!" you complained, leaning into his side.
Jimin clicked his tongue, shaking his head as he set his coffee cup down with a deliberate clink. "I honestly can't believe this childish girl is the one who’s supposed to be getting married."
The room went dead silent. The playful bickering died instantly as you froze, your eyes darting between your father and your brother. Even your mother had stopped what she was doing, stepping out of the kitchen into the living room, her eyes searching yours with a look of cautious hope.
Jimin swallowed hard, shifting uncomfortably under his father’s playful yet warning glare. He cleared his throat, suddenly looking much less confident than he had a moment ago. "Well, Y/N... Dad will explain. It’s better coming from him."
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. The lighthearted morning banter evaporated, replaced by a heavy, expectant silence. You narrowed your eyes, looking back and forth between your parents, silently demanding to know exactly what Jimin was talking about.
"So, Y/N," your father began, his tone turning gentle but serious. He leaned forward, placing his cup carefully on the expensive glass coffee table. "This is something I’ve been planning to ask you for over a week now."
You hummed softly, keeping your gaze fixed on him, waiting for the rest of the sentence to drop.
"It’s about your marriage. A formal proposal has been made for you," your dad said, his eyes searching yours for a reaction. "You remember Mr. Kim? My old friend, the one I used to play golf with all the time?"
Your mother stepped closer, her hands clasped together, watching you with a mix of hope and nerves.
You tried to scan your memory, but it was like looking through a foggy window. The name "Mr. Kim" was so common, and it had been years since you’d really kept up with your father’s social circle.
"Ah, Y/N, you’re embarrassing me! How can you not know Mr. Kim Sang-ho?" Jimin interjected, shaking his head. "He’s a massive tycoon in the business world. He owns a string of high-end restaurants and a winery business that’s famous both here in Korea and abroad. He’s a very close family friend."
"Alright," you breathed out, trying to process the scale of this. "So? Does Mr. Kim have a son?"
"Yes, yes," your mother chimed in quickly, her voice full of excitement. "He has two sons. The eldest is Kim Seokjin, he’s already married. And then there's the youngest, Kim Namjoon."
"Dad... Mom..." You let out a long, heavy sigh. "I understand that you want me to settle down eventually, but don't you think this is a bit much for a casual breakfast?"
Your dad reached over, patting your back gently to soothe your rising nerves. "I’m sorry for dropping this on you so suddenly. That’s my fault. It’s just a proposal for now, okay? Mrs. Kim is the one who suggested it, apparently, she really likes the idea of you joining their family. And Namjoon has already seen your photo; he’s agreed to meet you."
"Dad!" You stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. "What about my consent? My opinion?"
"Yes, yes, of course, my daughter," he said quickly, raising his hands to calm you. "Only if you are completely okay with it will we proceed with a family dinner for a formal introduction. Not a moment before."
You swallowed hard, your heart racing. Feeling cornered, you looked over at Jimin, silently pleading for backup. Despite all the bickering and the teasing, he was always your pillar when things got serious.
He shoved his hands into his pockets, his expression softening as he caught your gaze. He gave a firm, supportive nod. "Only if you actually like him, Y/N. You’ll look at his picture, and if you aren't feeling it, you say no. Simple as that. If you don't like him, we reject the proposal. End of story."
.✦ ݁˖
The past week had been a blur of nerves and second-guessing. You had seen Namjoon’s picture, and honestly, he was striking. He had a clean, classic handsomeness that radiated a "gentleman" vibe. Combined with your mother’s non-stop praise of his character, he seemed almost too good to be true.
Now, you were seated in the back of the car, watching the city lights of Seoul flicker by as you headed toward the restaurant for the formal family dinner. You had agreed to this meeting, but you’d made it very clear to your parents that this was just an introduction. Your final decision would come later.
You weren’t actually against the idea of marriage. In fact, you liked the romantic notion of falling in love and building a life with someone. But between your intense Master’s program and your somewhat lacking social skills, the "love marriage" route had felt increasingly out of reach. If an arranged meeting was the way it had to happen, you were open to it.
However, one detail kept nagging at you. As your mom yapped away in the front seat about the Kim family’s prestige, she mentioned they all lived together in a large family estate. Namjoon, his parents, and his older brother Seokjin with his wife.
That was the hardest part to swallow. Growing up, you’d always had your own space, surrounded by only a few close people. The idea of moving into a house full of in-laws was intimidating. You valued your privacy and your quiet moments; what if his family was overbearing?
Your mother’s description of them was glowing—almost suspiciously positive but you knew she was biased. You smoothed out the fabric of your dress, your palms a bit damp. In a few minutes, you’d finally see for yourself if the man in the photo lived up to the hype, and more importantly, if you could actually see yourself as part of his world.
"Y/N, are you nervous?" your dad asked softly as he held the car door open for you.
"Kind of, Dad," you admitted, taking a deep breath of the cool night air. He gave you a reassuring smile and guided you toward the entrance.
"Remember," he whispered as you walked, "only if you like them. No pressure."
The restaurant was one of the many the Kim family owned, and it was breathtaking. It was massive, elegantly designed, and screamed wealth from every corner. The staff greeted your family with practiced perfection, guiding you through the halls toward a private VIP dining area. Your heart skipped a beat as the heavy doors were pulled open, revealing the room inside.
Damn.
You were immediately met by several pairs of eyes, all of which seemed to zero in on you at once. The atmosphere was formal but warm, though the sheer weight of their collective attention made your stomach flip.
Keeping your composure, you offered the polite smile you’d practiced in the mirror and bowed deeply toward the elderly couple at the head of the table. You assumed, correctly, that these were Mr. and Mrs. Kim.
"It is a pleasure to meet you," you said, your voice steady despite the flutter in your chest.
As you straightened up, you noticed a tall man standing near the window. He was even more handsome than his photo, sharp features, a calm aura, and those same "fairy tale" lips you’d seen in your dream. He stood up as your family approached, his gaze fixed on you with a curious, gentle expression.
You gulped, momentarily overwhelmed, and shifted your gaze toward the other couple at the table—Seokjin and Yoona. Yoona had a smile that was pure sunshine, nodding at you with genuine warmth before greeting your parents. Seokjin followed suit, offering a respectful greeting to your father and mother before turning a friendly, curious smile toward you.
The three of you took your seats opposite the Kim family. Almost immediately, the elders dove into a lively chatter, their voices filling the room with the easy familiarity of old friends. You kept your eyes mostly lowered, feeling a wave of shyness wash over you as you began to eat in silence.
"Y/N, please, feel free to relax," Mrs. Kim said, her voice soft and encouraging.
You gave her a small, grateful nod and took a small bite of your steak. As you chewed, you couldn't help but feel a steady gaze on you. Every now and then, your eyes drifted toward the man sitting across from you—Namjoon. You caught him looking back more than once before he’d quickly look away.
"I heard you love designing?" Yoona asked suddenly, breaking through your thoughts.
You blinked, surprised. How did she know that? You glanced at your mother, who was looking very pleased with herself. She must have been bragging…
"Uh... yes. I do," you managed, your fingers instinctively fidgeting with the fabric of your dress. "It’s a... hobby? For now."
"You two actually need to speak to each other if you're going to get to know one another," Seokjin interjected, his voice light and playful, clearly trying to break the ice.
Namjoon cleared his throat as his mother gave him a subtle nudge under the table. He looked like he was searching for the right words, but Mr. Kim beat him to the next question.
"So, Y/N," Mr. Kim said, "do you intend on working at your father’s company in the future?"
"Oh, no," you replied, finding your voice. "I don't have any intentions like that. For now, I’m taking a break from both work and studies. Just... exploring life for a bit."
The table went slightly quiet for a second, and you felt your heart hammer against your ribs. You wondered if they expected a more "ambitious" answer, but then you saw Namjoon tilt his head slightly, a small, thoughtful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Through a series of small, lingering eye contacts with Namjoon, the conversation flowed from childhood stories to your life in London. By the time dessert arrived, the atmosphere had softened, though the weight of the evening still pressed on you.
"I really wish Jimin could have made it today," Jin commented with a grin. "He’s always such a mood."
"He had plans with his girlfriend," your mom replied, smiling. "It’s her birthday today."
Suddenly, your phone vibrated in your hand. "Um... excuse me," you said, standing up and holding your phone. "Important call." You offered a quick bow and slipped out of the private room.
Once you reached the quiet of the restaurant garden, you answered. It was Jimin. You had actually texted him earlier, begging him to call you as an excuse to step away—the room was becoming a bit much. Every question felt like an interview, even if Namjoon’s steady gaze felt surprisingly grounding.
After clearing your head for a few minutes, you headed back inside. The dinner was wrapping up, and your family was already bidding their goodbyes. You walked a few paces behind the group, falling into step with Yoona.
"Hi again," Yoona whispered playfully, nudging your shoulder.
"Hi," you replied, still feeling a bit awkward.
Then, you felt a presence right behind you. You tilted your head and saw Namjoon. Up close, he was tall—really tall—and his build was much broader than it had seemed in the photo. Yoona caught your expression, gave you a quick wink, and hurried ahead to join the elders.
"Hey," he said. His voice was deep, sending a sudden flutter of goosebumps down your spine.
"Hey," you managed to say back.
"I realized I didn't get to speak with you much during dinner," he said as you both slowed your pace, letting the others get further ahead. "I didn't want it to seem like I wasn't interested. I just... didn't want to add to your nervousness."
"Thank you," you admitted, finally letting out a breath. "I really was nervous there."
"You still are," he said, letting out a soft, warm chuckle.
You both came to a stop near the doorway. He turned to face you fully, his expression gentle. "Allow me to ask you out on a proper date? Only if you’re comfortable with it, of course."
"Uhm... sure," you blurted out. Then, realizing how quickly you’d agreed, you added, "I mean, that's not my final answer for the... marriage. I can't decide on something that big just from one family dinner."
"Of course not," he said, his smile widening to reveal deep, unmistakable dimples. "I wouldn't expect you to."
Cute, you thought, your heart doing a tiny somersault at the sight of those dimples.
After exchanging numbers and saying your goodbyes, you finally climbed into the back of the car. The silence lasted all of two seconds before you felt your parents’ eyes burning into the back of your head.
"I do like his family," you blurted out, trying to preempt the interrogation. "But I don't know anything about him yet. I need to know... more." You could feel a slight blush creeping up your neck, which didn't help your case at all.
"Sure, honey. So, I assume the date is next Sunday?" your mom said, a teasing smirk playing on her lips.
"Mom!" you groaned, your face heating up even more.
To escape her gaze, you looked down at your phone and immediately started doing what anyone in your position would do, stalking his socials. You searched for "Kim Namjoon," but it wasn't as easy as you expected.
He was clearly a very reserved person. His profiles were curated—mostly photos of art galleries, architecture, and the occasional landscape from his travels. There were no flashy party shots or "tycoon heir" flexes. It was all very calm and intellectual.
Just as you were scrolling through a photo of a Bonsai tree he had posted months ago, your phone buzzed in your hand.
[Unknown Number]:It was really nice meeting you tonight, Y/N. I hope I didn't make the 'exit' too awkward. Get home safely.
Your heart did that annoying little skip again. It was him.
when a cozy reading evening turns into a steamy play between you and your boyfriend.
Genre - smut, idol, girlfriend x boyfriend, romance, ice play.
Pairing - idol! Namjoon x girlfriend! Reader
ONESHOT 3K words
The penthouse was a tomb of elegant silence, save for the soft rustle of pages turning. You were tucked into the corner of the velvet couch, lost in a world of ink and paper. The quiet shattered when the front door clicked open. Namjoon stepped inside, bundled in a puffy jacket and a low-slung cap. He pulled down his mask, offering a tired but genuine smile and a playful wink.
"How was your day?" you asked, peering over the top of your book.
"Good. Wrote some lyrics... then did practice for the upcoming shoot." He shucked off the heavy jacket, tossing it aside before sinking onto the cushion beside you. He glanced at the book in your hand, his eyes softening. "Reading?"
"Yes. Been reading since the afternoon. I love this book." He hummed in acknowledgment, pressing a quick kiss to your temple before heading to the bedroom to wash off the day.
You dove back into the story, but the tone had shifted. You hit a chapter of pure, unadulterated smut. The descriptions were graphic, visceral, and intense, making your thighs clench instinctively. You were mid-ovulation, your body already a live wire of sensitivity, and this was the last thing you needed.
Or exactly what you needed.
Your mind betrayed you, replacing the book’s male lead with Namjoon. You imagined him losing that composed idol exterior—manhandling you, pinning your wrists, his large, veined hands exploring every inch of you. Namjoon was kinky, you knew that, but he usually held back, careful and respectful. But right now, you didn't want careful. You wanted all of him.
He stepped back into the living room, freshly showered and smelling of soap and raw masculinity. The scent hit your senses like a physical blow. You shifted uncomfortably as he sat a few feet away, the friction of your jeans against your skin sending a jolt through you. Focus, you told yourself, but it was a lost cause.
As you tried to read, your imagination ran wild. You could practically feel his mouth on your skin, his tongue swirling over your nipples, his weight crushing you into the mattress.
A small, involuntary sigh escaped your throat. You gulped, darting a glance at him. He was scrolling through his phone, his jawline looking sharp enough to cut glass, his focus absolute. Your eyes drifted to his hands—those massive, powerful hands. You watched the veins pop and flex as he typed, and your core throbbed in response.
You shook your head, trying to clear the haze, and looked back at the page. The description was too much. A small, high-pitched moan escaped your lips before you could catch it. Your eyes went wide, and you looked up to find Namjoon staring at you, a dark, amused smile playing on his lips.
You let out a shaky breath of pure embarrassment, covering your mouth with your hand.
"Did you... just moan, Y/N?" he asked, his voice dropping an octave.
"No," you lied, though your flushed skin told a different story.
Namjoon set his phone on the coffee table and slid closer, his movements predatory. "What were you reading, huh?" He settled a hand on your knee, his thumb tracing slow, deliberate circles upward. You gulped, looking up as he began to hover over you, his bulky chest brushing against yours with every breath.
"N-nothing..." you stammered.
He reached out and plucked the book from your hands, scanning the title. "Dark romance?" He raised a brow, a flicker of heat in his gaze. "Hmmm. Must be some serious smut to make my girlfriend moan like that."
Your heart hammered against your ribs as he flipped to the bookmarked page. He let out a low, dark chuckle as he skimmed the text. "Who were you imagining while reading this?" His voice shifted—it was deep, husky, and full of intent.
You instinctively parted your knees to give him room, and he settled perfectly between your legs, his weight a welcome pressure. "You."
"Me? That's good." He leaned in, his breath hot against your neck. "Do you ever touch yourself while reading smut? Imagining me doing these things to you?"
His hand moved to your cardigan, slowly popping the buttons one by one. You shivered as the cool air hit your heated skin, revealing the faint purple marks he’d left on your collarbone last night. Seeing them clearly turned him on even more.
"I do," you whispered shakily.
He smirked and leaned in, kissing the corner of your lips. His tongue flicked out, tasting your skin, licking at your mouth like you were his favorite treat. You arched your back, your fingers tangling in his damp hair as small, needy whines broke from your throat.
"Mhmm," he hummed against your skin, his mouth migrating down to suck at the existing bruises on your neck. "Tell me... do you want me?"
"Y-yes."
"How do you want me to take you?" He growled the words into your ear, his voice vibrating through your entire body.
"Rough," you whimpered, shivering when he nipped at your bottom lip with his teeth.
"Let's try something, shall we?" he whispered, his hand sliding dangerously high up your thigh.
He gripped your waist, hoisting you up until you were sitting flush against his chest, your back to him and your body cradled perfectly between his heavy, spread thighs. You could feel the rigid, demanding length of his hard-on pressing firmly against the crack of your ass. It was a promise of what was coming. He pressed the book back into your shaking hands.
"Read. Read it out to me," he whispered, his lips grazing the shell of your ear, sending a violent shiver down your spine.
Your heart skipped a beat, hammering against your ribs. With trembling fingers, you flipped the pages open and began to read, your voice thin and wavering. "Shawn... Shawn slowly rubbed his cock against Rae's clit, her moans..."
As the words left your lips, Namjoon’s hand slid down the front of your pants. He didn't go inside yet; instead, he used the palm of his hand to rub you through the fabric, his fingers circling your pussy with agonizing slowness.
"Read," he commanded, the authority in his voice making your core throb.
You swallowed hard and continued, "Her moans echo through the silent room, as he fu—fuck..." You gasped, your hand flying down to catch his as his other hand reached up to squeeze your breast, pinching your nipple roughly through the thin material of your cardigan.
"Fucks her against... t-the wall... Namjoon!" You let out a high-pitched wail as he suddenly hooked his fingers into the waistband of your panties, pulling the fabric tight and snapping it back against your soaking wet slit. The friction was electric. His mouth dropped to your shoulder, licking a path of fire toward your neck.
"Go on, baby... read," he whispered against your skin.
You shook your head frantically, your vision blurring. "I can't... I need you," you panted, your body writhing against his.
"Mhmm... first read." He found your clit through the lace and pinched it sharply, making you buck against him. As you tried to grind for more, his grip on your hips tightened, pinning you in place. A low, guttural moan escaped him. "Be a good girl, or I’ll move away."
Terrified he’d actually stop, you nodded and forced your eyes back to the text. "There... Rae screamed. She was... panting as Shawn came all... fuck... feels so good, Joon." You threw your head back against his shoulder as his fingers finally dove inside your pants, catching the sticky wetness and massaging it deep into your walls, his thumb never leaving your clit.
"Joon..." you moaned, the book slipping from your fingers and thudding onto the table. You couldn't take the distance anymore. You shifted, turning in his arms to wrap your legs firmly around his waist, pressing your soaking pussy directly against his stomach.
"Please," you pleaded, your eyes blown wide and dark with heat.
"Remove them," he ordered, his eyes dropping to your shorts.
You didn't hesitate for a second. You stripped out of your clothes until you were completely naked, while he remained fully dressed, the contrast of his rough denim against your bare skin making you whimper.
You sat back down on his lap, straddling him and rubbing yourself up and down against the bulge in his pants. Just the friction of his thick thighs was enough to send you over the edge. Your head fell back, your throat exposed, as you ground your aching pussy against him.
He gripped your hips with bruising force, his large hands guiding your rhythm, letting out deep, approving hums that vibrated through your chest as you rode his thigh.
The friction was relentless. Each time you slid down his thick thigh, the rough fabric of his pants caught against your swollen clit, sending white-hot sparks through your nervous system. Namjoon’s hands were like iron clamps on your hips, forcing you to take every bit of the friction he dictated.
"Look at me," he growled, his voice a low rumble you felt in your soul.
You forced your eyes open, your vision swimming. He was watching you with a raw, predatory hunger, his pupils so blown out they swallowed the brown of his irises. Seeing his face—the way his nostrils flared as he watched you come undone—pushed you over the ledge.
"Joon, I'm... I'm gonna—"
"Do it," he hissed, his thumbs digging into your hip bones. "Come for me, Y/N. Right there on my leg."
The first wave hit like a tidal wave. Your internal muscles clamped down hard, pulsing in a violent, rhythmic squeeze. You let out a broken, strangled scream, your back arching until you thought it might snap. You were grinding into his thigh with desperate, frantic force, trying to milk every last drop of pleasure from the contact.
"Fuck," Namjoon groaned, his head falling back as he felt the heat of your release soaking through the denim of his jeans. He didn't let you stop; he kept your hips moving, forcing you to ride out every single throb of your orgasm against him.
You slumped forward, your forehead resting against his damp neck, your chest heaving as you tried to find oxygen. You were slick, shaking, and completely spent, but the weight of his hard-on was still pressing rhythmically against you.
He didn't move for a long moment, just held you tightly, his breath ragged in your ear. Then, he leaned back just enough to look you in the eyes, his smirk returning—sharper and filthier than before.
"You're a mess, baby," he whispered, his hand sliding down to feel the sticky evidence of your climax. He brought his fingers up, showing you how much you'd leaked for him. "But I’m still fully dressed... and I'm far from finished with you.”
Namjoon’s hand lingered between your thighs, his fingers tracing the sensitive, pulsing skin as you tried to catch your breath. He leaned in close, the heat radiating off his body contrasting sharply with the cooling dampness on your skin.
"All those books you read," he murmured, his voice dropping into that dangerously smooth register. "All those scenes you've been imagining me in... tell me one. Your wildest fantasy. Something you've read that you want me to do to you right now."
He nipped at your earlobe, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin until you shivered. "Don't hold back, baby. I want to know exactly how to ruin you."
You swallowed hard, your heart still racing from the climax. You thought about the dog-eared pages of your paperbacks, the scenes that made your blood boil and your stomach flip. You leaned back, looking into his dark, expectant eyes.
"Ice play," you whispered, the words feeling heavy and scandalous on your tongue. "I read a scene once... about using ice. I want to feel you use it on me."
Namjoon’s eyebrows shot up, a slow, wicked smirk spreading across his face. He let out a low whistle, his gaze dropping to your flushed chest. "Ice? You want to be cold while I'm this hot for you?" He chuckled, the sound vibrating deep in his chest. "I can work with that."
He didn't waste a second. He stood up, lifting you effortlessly and setting you back down on the velvet couch. "Don't move. Not an inch," he commanded, pointing a finger at you before disappearing into the kitchen.
You sat there, naked and trembling, the penthouse air biting at your wet skin. A moment later, he returned. In his hand was a small crystal bowl filled with clear, jagged ice cubes. He sat back down on the edge of the couch, spreading your legs wide and settling between them once more.
He picked up a single cube. It was glistening, sharp, and freezing.
"You want to feel this?" he asked, his eyes locked on yours.
Before you could even nod, he pressed the ice directly against the hollow of your throat. You gasped, your back arching at the sudden, shocking sting of the cold. He dragged the cube down slowly, following the line of your collarbone, the melting water trailing like tiny, freezing insects across your skin.
"Look at how your nipples react," he rasped, watching as they puckered into hard points. He moved the ice lower, circling one breast and then the other, the cold making the skin tighten and ache.
Just as the cold became almost too much to bear, he replaced the ice with his mouth. The sudden blast of his hot tongue sucking the freezing water off your nipple made you scream, your hands flying to his hair.
"J-Joon!"
"Shhh," he hissed, his eyes dark with a new kind of intensity. He picked up another piece of ice. "We’re just getting started. I haven't even taken it south yet."
He moved the ice down your stomach, stopping just at the top of your curls. He looked up at you, the ice dripping between his fingers. "Tell me, Y/N... do you want it inside, or just on your clit?”
"Everywhere..." you moaned, your voice cracking with a desperate need.
Namjoon’s smirk deepened, his eyes glinting with a dark, playful hunger. He reached into the bowl and plucked out another ice cube, slotting it firmly between his lips. He leaned over you, the heat from his body radiating against your bare skin while the ice remained a chilling promise.
He started at your sternum, dragging his lips—and the freezing edge of the cube—slowly down your torso. You let out a jagged gasp as the ice carved a path of fire and frost toward your stomach. He took his time, circling your navel with agonizing precision, the melting water pooling in the dip of your belly before spilling over your hips.
The sensation was maddening; the searing heat of his mouth against the biting sting of the ice made your nerves scream.
You were writhing beneath him, your back arching off the velvet cushions as you tried to ground yourself. Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer even as the cold made you shiver violently.
"You're so reactive, Y/N," he murmured against your skin, his voice muffled by the ice but dripping with authority.
He moved the cube lower, tracing the delicate line of your hip bone before bringing it back to the center. He didn't just let it sit there; he used his tongue to swirl the ice against your sensitive skin, the contrast making your breath come in short, frantic hitches. You were a mess of contradictions—burning up from his proximity and freezing from his touch.
"Please, Joon... it's too much," you whimpered, your thighs trembling as they brushed against his clothed legs.
"Not yet," he rasped, his eyes fixed on the way your muscles rippled under the cold. He sucked the ice back into his mouth, chilling his tongue until it was numb, then immediately replaced the ice with a long, hot lick across your sensitive stomach.
The sudden transition from freezing to boiling sent a jolt of pure electricity straight to your core. You let out a broken cry, your hips bucking instinctively. He chuckled low in his throat, a predatory sound that vibrated against your skin.
"I told you I'd give you everything," he whispered, his hand sliding down to part your legs even wider. "And we still have a whole bowl of ice to get through before I even think about letting you come.”
Namjoon didn’t give you a second to recover. With the ice still held firmly between his teeth, he moved lower, his head disappearing between your trembling thighs. The moment the freezing edge of the cube touched your sensitive, swollen folds, a strangled scream tore from your throat.
It was a total assault on your senses. He used his lips to guide the ice, dragging it in slow, torturous circles around your clit. The biting cold made your muscles contract violently, but then came the heat—his tongue, slick and muscular, followed right behind the ice to lick away the freezing meltwater. The contrast was agonizingly perfect; it felt like being branded by frost and fire at the same time.
"J-Joon! Stop... no, don't stop!" you sobbed, your fingers digging into his shoulders, your knuckles white.
He ignored your protests, his focus entirely on the wreck he was making of you. He tilted his head, using the sharp corner of the ice to flick against your bud, before burying his face against you and letting out a deep, vibrating hum.
The vibration, combined with the numbing cold and his searing tongue, sent a massive jolt of electricity straight to your brain.
You were thrashing now, your heels dragging against the couch cushions as you tried to find some purchase. Namjoon’s large hands moved to your thighs, pinning them wide, keeping you exposed and vulnerable to his every whim.
He sucked the ice deeper into his mouth, chilling his entire palate, before spitting the half-melted shard back into the bowl. He immediately replaced it with the full, scorching heat of his mouth. He latched onto you, sucking hard, his tongue swirling in a frantic rhythm that mirrored the pulse thrumming through your pussy.
"Fuck, you're so wet," he growled against your skin, his voice thick with lust. "The ice isn't even melting fast enough to keep up with how much you're burning for me."
He looked up at you, his chin glistening with a mix of melted ice and your own nectar. His eyes were dark, devoid of their usual sweetness, replaced by a raw, dominant hunger that told you exactly what was coming next. He reached for the bowl again, but this time, he didn't pick up a cube. He grabbed a handful of the smaller, crushed pieces and pressed them directly against your entrance.
You gasped, your body stiffening as the ice began to slide inside you. "Namjoon, please—"
"I've got you," he whispered, his hand moving to his fly, the sound of the zipper loud in the silent penthouse. "I'm going to melt every single piece of that ice inside you with how hard I'm about to fuck you.”
Namjoon didn't wait for your consent; he knew your body was already screaming for it. He took a fresh, jagged cube from the bowl and pressed it firmly against your entrance. The shock of the sub-zero temperature hitting your most sensitive, over-sensitized skin made your entire body lurch. You let out a broken, breathless sob, your head tossing from side to side on the cushions.
"Focus, Y/N," he rasped, his voice a low, commanding vibration between your legs.
While one hand held the ice, rubbing it in slow, cruel circles that numbed your outer lips, his mouth surged forward to claim you. He buried his face in your heat, his tongue darting out to lick the freezing water directly off your clit. The sensation was mental—a frantic, high-voltage glitch in your nervous system.
One second you were freezing, your muscles seizing under the ice, and the next, the scorching, muscular heat of his tongue was swirling over your bud, dragging you back into the fire.
"Namjoon, fuck! It’s too much!" you wailed, your fingers clawing at the back of his head, trying to pull him closer and push him away all at once.
He ignored your pleas, his grip on your thighs tightening until his fingerprints were practically bruised into your skin. He pushed the ice cube deeper, right against the opening of your core, letting the cold seep inside your walls. At the same time, he began to eat you out with a feral, rhythmic intensity.
He sucked your clit into his mouth, his tongue flicking in a fast, relentless pace that mimicked the way he’d want to fuck you.
The combination was lethal. The ice was numbing your nerves just enough that when his tongue hit, the pleasure felt amplified, sharper, and more visceral. You were a mess of high-pitched whimpers and gutteral moans, your hips bucking uncontrollably against his face.
"You're shaking so hard, baby," he muttered against your wet skin, the ice melting rapidly between his fingers and your heat.
He didn't stop until he felt the first violent tremor of your climax. He pressed the remaining shard of ice directly onto your clit and sucked hard, his tongue working in a frantic circle.
The dual sensation pushed you over the edge. You screamed his name into the empty penthouse, your internal muscles clamping down on the cold and the heat, pulsing in long, agonizing waves of release that seemed to go on forever.
He stayed there, drinking you in, holding the ice against you until it completely disappeared, melted away by the sheer fever of your orgasm. When he finally looked up, his face was glistening, his eyes dark and satisfied.
"See?" he whispered, his thumb wiping a stray drop from his lip. "I told you I'd make you feel everything.”
Masterlist
A/n : I wasn't going to post this today but anyways....I wrote this one shot early this morning. I don't know what got into me. Do leave your review!
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Genre: exes!au, forced proximity (because what am i without my fav trope), lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers (kind of), slow burn, angst, second-chance romance, heaps of miscommunication.
Summary: A booking mix-up forces you to share a secluded hanok with Namjoon, the ex you still resent, and who resents you just as much. What begins as an unwanted holiday becomes the closure neither of you knew you needed, and perhaps the start of something worth trying again.
Warnings: language, mentions of suicide and cheating (kind of).
Word count: 9.8k
a/n: this has been sitting in my fanfic folder for almost one year now. and finally decided to publish it because i saw pics of joonie in brussels and well.. i just had to. also, as this is a one-shot, there will not be a second chapter 🤍
check out my: masterlist
The hanok in Andong was supposed to be empty.
That was the whole point of booking it months in advance for seven days. All you wanted was just seven days of no work calls, no calendar notifications of when your next meeting would be, and no one asking you to explain something about work in a 30-minute meeting that could have been a short email. You needed this time alone to yourself. Just you, a stack of unread books that has been sitting around in your to-be-read list, and a wooden veranda that overlooked a persimmon tree.
You did not expect your ex boyfriend, Kim Namjoon, to be standing in the backyard of the hanok when you arrived with a duffel bag slung over your shoulder. And Namjoon was staring at the same booking confirmation on his phone that you had opened on yours.
Neither of you said anything for a good one minute.
“It’s you again,” Namjoon said.
And you just nodded at him because what the heck were you supposed to say to an ex you hated with your guts?
Thankfully the host came out just in time, wiping her hands on her apron, and she was very cheerful. Only because she had no idea what she just did. What booking you and Namjoon in her two-bedroom hanok at the same time would do to the peaceful area of Andong.
"Oh good, you're both here! I ran this as a two-bedroom stay during the off season, but I forgot to change the description in that new website! If you expected to have the whole hanok to yourself, I am so sorry! I swear it was the new website and it's a new update! And I didn't think two separate bookings would land the same week. Lucky you, though, the whole place is yours," the middle aged host said. She was still very cheerful even though she acknowledged she made a mistake.
Lucky would be the very last word you would describe this situation, you almost laughed at the host.
Namjoon just stayed calm. You figured it was the media training of being in BTS for years that he managed to stay so calm. He is the leader of the biggest boyband in the world, he probably has faced more awkward situations than this.
But you knew deep down how Namjoon felt. The two of you despised each other and you really didn’t want to go deep in history to explain to the host in front of you why this was a bad idea.
"I can find somewhere else," Namjoon finally said. Gosh, it has been so long since you’ve heard his voice. Years ago you would have been so wet down there just by listening to him talk, but now, you were trying so hard not to vomit.
"Everything's booked out for the festival," the host replied, "you'll be fine, you'll be fine. The rooms have their own doors and modern bathrooms, you will only have to share the kitchen."
“Are you sure the whole area is booked? I just don’t want this young lady to feel awkward having to share this space with a male stranger,” Namjoon said to the host.
“Yes. I run most of the other places too, and they are all booked. Let’s ask the young lady then, would you be okay spending the next seven days sharing a kitchen with this man? He looks nice to me and looks familiar too!” the host said, smiling at you.
“As long as there is a key to lock my bedroom at night, I don’t really care,” you said, shrugging at the host. But when you turned to look at Namjoon, you showed him a gesture that expressed how you wanted him, the richest and most connected person out of you both, to find another place.
Namjoon understood your gesture. How could he have not? You were his first love, someone whom he had a very, very hard and long time forgetting. But he didn’t care about what you were asking him to do, he booked this place because of how serene and peaceful its location is. Plus, the hanok was featured in an Architectural Digest, it has a beautiful architecture hence why the place is usually booked out. Even as Namjoon of BTS, he couldn’t book it up until now. So no, he wasn’t just about to throw it all out for his ex-girlfriend.
“Well there you go! The key and lock work just fine and I do have CCTV outside of the bedroom, so you will be safe and sound! And there are security guards guarding this neighbourhood 24/7. If you just shout, they’ll come right for you! But I doubt you’ll need them, since this good looking young man doesn’t seem to be the type to hurt others!” the host said, smiling at Namjoon and you.
You couldn’t help the mocking laugh that came out of your mouth. This lady didn’t know how the good looking young man in front of her has put you in so much misery.
“Well then that settles it. How long will you be staying here?” Namjoon said to you. It was the first time he was addressing you, the elephant in his room.
“I booked for seven days,” you replied. You didn’t bother asking him the same question, because you heard the lady say something about having to share the same kitchen for the next seven days.
You assumed there was one thing Namjoon still excelled at: hearing only the parts of a story that suited him.
It reminded you of the final month before your breakup, when he accused you of being too close to a co-worker. What he never understood was that your co-worker had come out to you and was going through a very difficult time. It was not your secret to share especially when your friend had specifically asked you not to tell anyone. Being gay in Korea was not easy, and your friend trusted you with something deeply personal that you were not about to share with any soul.
Back then, you tried to explain. You asked Namjoon to listen to your side of the story, you asked him to trust you, but he did not want to hear or trust you, he never did.
It’s really true that men never change.
“Seven days it is,” Namjoon nodded.
“Enjoy your stay,” the host said, waving at the two of you as she left the hanok.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The hanok has two bedrooms which are separated by a wall so thin you could hear Namjoon breathing on the other side of it.
You forgot how every hanok has this really thin wall so every king and queen whose bedrooms were separate could still talk to each other. You used to think it was romantic, but now, having Namjoon at the other side of the wall just feels more like punishment.
You dropped your bag on the floor of the room because you didn’t even have the energy to unpack. You sat at the edge of the mattress and you could hear Namjoon doing the exact same thing. You could hear the thud of his duffel bag and the creaking of the bed as he sat down.
You have to spend the next seven days with your ex-boyfriend. It would be fine if it was any of your other ex-boyfriend. But not this one, not Namjoon.
It’s just seven days, what could go wrong really? You can survive seven days of anything.
You’ve survived worse, you technically have survived him and that counts for something.
You never planned this trip around meeting him. You didn’t choose Andong to torture yourself. You chose it because you saw this hanok featured in a magazine, and your coworker mentioned about her trip here once and how peaceful and lovely her trip had been. So you listened to the reviews you have seen online and from your own friend. You didn’t think in a million years that the dates you picked were the exact same one Namjoon had chosen for his own separate getaway.
You expected some quiet.
And you did not, under any circumstance, expect Namjoon.
And yet here he was, on the other side of a wall thin enough you could hear each and every movement he makes. It was as if the universe had a sense of humor you will never once find funny.
You thought about calling the host back out, asking if there was truly nothing else like a motel, a shared room for backpackers, or even a bench in some park that is safe at night. But the host already left to wherever she had to go, and it was nearly dark, and some stubborn, tired part of you decided you would rather sit in silence next to a man who used to love you like you were the only thing keeping him alive.
Well, that was before he eventually found your presence hard to be around.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
Nothing much happened on the first day.
Thankfully, you woke up first before him and could occupy the front yard before he could. And Namjoon, to his credit, understood that you being there meant he would be spending most of his time sitting in the backyard. So neither of you saw much of each other.
And when you did happen to see each other. It was during dinner, and even then, you barely really spoke to each other.
One of the complimentary amenities they give when you stay in the hanok is free dinner because no restaurant around here is open at night. The staff or host, you couldn’t tell since you were too busy resting and reading on a picnic mat in the front yard, left a pot of corn soup, bread, and different types of sides. They also left a note that said: ‘help yourselves, we will pick up the food in 30 minutes so please eat before then and do not eat in the bedroom for cleanliness.’
You found Namjoon already in the kitchen with his sleeves pushed up, ladling soup into his bowl.
"Leave some for me," you said.
Namjoon didn't look up as he said, "Didn't know you had a voice."
You tilted your head at him, “Were you waiting for me to talk to you? That’s new.”
"You wish," Namjoon snorted, setting the bowl down on the counter, hard enough that some of it sloshed over the rim, "I was only saying that because you are usually so loud."
You rolled your eyes at him and grabbed a bowl from the cabinet. You filled the bowl without a word and sat down at the opposite end of the table, putting as much space between you as possible.
Towards the end of your relationship, Namjoon never waited for you. He could go days without calling, texting, or meeting-up, and whenever you brought it up, he always had the same answer; he was busy with everything except you. At first, you tried to understand him. You told yourself he was under pressure and that loving someone meant being patient when life got difficult, especially when his life as an idol is so different from life of most people. So you waited for the calls he promised to make after work, for replies that arrived hours later, sometimes the next day. And you waited for him to notice that you stopped telling him about your day because there was never a good time to say anything.
Eventually, you stopped waiting altogether. So you did the same to him. You gave him a taste of his own medicine; the distance, unanswered messages, the quiet indifference he once made you endure.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
"You’re eating like it's a race," you said, watching him finish half the bowl in what felt like four bites.
"I have things to do," he said.
"Of course, the always busy man. "
"Last time I checked.." Namjoon said, stopping before finally looking up at you just to say, "That used to be your excuse too. "
You didn't have an answer for that one, so you ate your soup in silence and let the silence do what it does best. Because Namjoon was right. You did to him what he did to you, but you did not regret it. He needed that wake-up call, although it didn’t change anything in your relationship.
Namjoon finished first, and rinsed his bowl at the sink with his back to you. You didn’t mean to watch him but the view from where you were sitting was to the kitchen. You couldn’t help but see what was happening there. You remembered this view from three years ago, when the two of you were still together.
You shook your head immediately as the thought of your past relationship crept up your mind.
Remember, your life was a living nightmare with him.
You somehow just noticed that his hair was shorter, and without meaning to, your thoughts slipped out of your lips, "You cut your hair," you said.
You regretted it the moment you said it. You hoped he didn’t hear it, but of course he did.
"Two months ago," Namjoon said, still rinsing his dishes, "you're behind."
"I wasn't exactly keeping up," you snorted.
"Could've fooled me, aren’t we in this situation because you knew I’d be here?” Namjoon said.
“Did you develop narcissistic personality disorder after being in the spotlight for too long? I have a life I love that does not involve you at all. I couldn’t care less whether you keep your hair short or long,” you said angrily.
Namjoon would be lying if he claimed to not winch when he heard what you said. But he shrugged it off, you are someone he could care less about. “You used to like it long," Namjoon said quietly, just like you, he didn’t mean to say it out loud.
"Well, apparently I liked a lot of things that didn't stick around," you said, and you felt a sense of regret the second it left your mouth.
Namjoon turned the tap off, set the bowl in the rack as he said, "Goodnight.”
Then he left the kitchen without looking at you.
You sat with your half-empty bowl a while longer, listening to his footsteps go down the hallway, the sound of his door sliding open, and silence was all it followed.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
That same night, through the wall, you heard him on the phone to Jimin.
“Hey Jimin. Yeah, the mixup by the host is crazy, I didn’t expect to be stuck in this hanok with her.”
There was a pause, probably Jimin telling Namjoon to find some other place.
“I tried, even my manager tried too. It’s just fully booked everywhere.. No, no, you don’t need to come. I’m fine. I just need the week to rest and write, it’s still really nice out here in Andong. It’s peaceful, which is something I really need. Yeah. I know. We thankfully don’t really interact much. It should just be during dinner and that’s because the place only has a 30-minute dining timeslot since they have to pick up the leftover food. Yeah, it sucks, but the place is really nice.”
Then Namjoon went silent for a few minutes and you thought his phone call with Jimin was over but then you heard him say, “Jimin, it’s not because of her that I’m staying here. As much as I dislike that woman, I have been waiting for too long to stay in this hanok and the scenery and ambience is something I do not want to give up. So don’t worry about me, I’m fine. Okay, thank you. Good night to you too, bye.”
That woman?!
Is that what he just referred to you as? Just some woman? You snorted at how ridiculous it was. Did Namjoon forget the two of you spent three whole years together?
What a fucking prick.
You thought about the last time you heard him talk like that, and how it used to be you he was talking to on the other end of the phone. But one of your last conversations with him on the phone wasn’t really something as warm as his conversation with Jimin.
“I know, babe. I know I said I'd be there. I'll make it up to you, ____”
Namjoon was always so good at saying he’ll make it up to you when he never did.
Kim Namjoon is a prick and all of his fans would find him disappointing once they knew that he is just a man.
You rolled onto your side now facing the wall, and let yourself feel the hatred towards your ex before finally falling asleep.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The second day, you woke up to the sound of Namjoon doing pull-ups on the old wooden beam of the veranda, which was, you thought, an incredibly on-brand way for Namjoon to process anything uncomfortable.
You used to find that endearing, now you just found it loud and annoying. Especially since it is still way too early and you were still tired.
You laid in bed a while longer than you needed to, listening to the creak of the beam, Namjoon’s controlled exhale on every pull, the small grunts he lets out on each pull that he probably didn't know he makes. You used to find his grunts hot and it used to turn you on.
Now you were just irritated.
You got up before the sounds he make could turn your irritation into anything more complicated.
You walked to the kitchen through the front yard, avoiding the side of the house Namjoon was in, and made your coffee black. You sat at the dining table, facing the backyard which was close enough to see Namjoon through the paper screen yet far enough that he wouldn’t have noticed you were there.
Namjoon eventually finished his workout routine and came into the kitchen. His breathing was shallow and fast. His shirt had gone see-through, sticking to his well-built figure from the sweat. His arms looked fuller after the workout, muscles still tense beneath his skin as he reached for a glass filled with water. He stood by the sink with his back to you as he drank. The pull-ups left his biceps, shoulders, and his overall figure look way more shredded, and his veins were faintly visible along his forearms.
It was a view that once would have driven you insane.
You immediately looked away before your thoughts spiral into even more nonsense.
“You’re up early,” Namjoon said, still not turning around to look at you.
“You are very loud,” you answered, “it’s hard to stay asleep when a man is having a breakdown on a pull-up bar.”
“You could’ve said something,” Namjoon replied.
You took a sip of your coffee, “Would you have listened to me?”
“I’m listening now,” Namjoon said, finally turning around to look at you.
You looked at him over the rim of your mug, “That’s a little late, don’t you think?”
"That's rich," he said quietly, "coming from the person who canceled on me six times in one month because work got busy."
"You were on tour for eight weeks straight, Namjoon. Do you really want to talk about who canceled on who?"
"I was working," Namjoon said, defending himself.
"So was I," you said, scrunching your face in disbelief.
"Not the same kind of work. Your job was-"
"Don't," you said, standing up so fast your chair scraped out loud against the floor, "don't you dare tell me my job mattered less or whatever the fuck you said to me then. I’m so sick of hearing you say that shit to me."
Namjoon didn't say anything. He just looked defeated, and mostly because he didn’t know what to say to you. He never meant to make you feel like your job mattered less and he never remembered saying such a thing, but Namjoon understood why you would remember it that way.
Your hands were shaking around the mug, so you set it down before you dropped it and you turned away before he could see your face properly. You did not look back at him as you walked down the hallway and shut your bedroom door behind you harder than necessary, but still not hard enough to feel satisfying.
Through the wall, you could hear him sitting down on the dining chair.
And neither of you said sorry, neither of you ever did.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
By the afternoon, you went out to the backyard, where Namjoon was already sitting on the raised wooden veranda of the house. He barely looked up when you spread a picnic mat beneath the tree. You were there to read, while Namjoon was on his laptop with one earphone in his ear.
"Isn’t this a holiday?" you asked, not looking up from the page of the book you were reading.
"I have responsibilities," Namjoon answered.
“You know you’re allowed to exist without making everything productive,” you didn’t have any spiteful intent behind what you said, you genuinely wanted him to take rest too.
His fingers stopped typing whatever he was typing on his laptop, “And you need to stop looking for something to comment about,” he replied bitterly, "you used to just let things be things."
"I used to let a lot of things slide," you sneered, "look how that turned out."
Namjoon exhaled through his nose, his thumb dragging across the edge of the keyboard as if he was trying to find something to hold on to, “You don’t have to keep dragging what happened between us into everything you say.”
“I made one comment,” you snorted and sighed as you closed your book, “and I actually was trying to be nice.”
“Well, I guess you don’t really know how to be nice to me anymore,” Namjoon said, finally looking up at you.
You stared back at him, unwilling to let him have the last word, “Maybe because every time I tried, you found a reason to make it sound like an attack.”
Namjoon said nothing to that.
After a while, he put his earphones back in and turned his attention to the laptop again, and the sound of his typing continued, but quieter this time.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The third day, avoiding each other was something intuitive for the both of you. You took your coffee at seven, Namjoon didn't come out of his room until eight. You read on the veranda facing the front yard in the morning, while Namjoon occupied the veranda to the backyard.
The two of you should have felt relieved, but somehow, deep down, you were both still feeling restless.
By late afternoon, you were about to cook some ramen when you accidentally went into the kitchen when he was already there. Namjoon was making eggs, the way he always had, too much heat and with not enough patience for someone who always seemed to preach about being mindful.
"You're going to burn those," you said, before you could stop yourself from commenting on what he was doing. You really didn’t want to start another bitter conversation ending with ugly remarks from you or Namjoon.
"I know how to make eggs," Namjoon replied.
"Do you know? I remember you used to struggle a lot when making eggs, you once set off a smoke alarm trying to make eggs," you let out a small laugh remembering the event that happened in the past.
The corner of Namjoon’s mouth twitched and he eventually gave in and smiled, "That was one time."
"It was still memorable to this day," you said.
"We had a good run didn’t we?" he muttered, flipping the eggs.
"Oh, be careful, Joonie," you said, leaning against the counter with your arms crossed, "you're one comment away from being nice to me."
"God forbid," he chuckled.
"God forbid," you agreed.
For a second, one single, traitorous second, it almost felt like the fun and loving relationship you two had before it all went down. Like the version of the two of you that used to burn eggs together on purpose because neither of you cared about the egg, because doing the activity together was always the whole point.
You went back to the dining table, waiting for him to finish cooking his lunch before taking your turn. Then Namjoon plated the eggs, and nodded at you as he left the kitchen without another word.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The host left dinner on the table before the two of you even noticed her come in. Tonight’s dinner menu was grilled mackerel, side dishes in small mismatched plates, and a pot of rice still steaming under a cloth. Tonight, the two of you sat down to eat at the same time.
"She made too much again," Namjoon said, nodding at the food on the table as he sat across from you.
“She thinks we’re about to get together,” you replied. It was not exactly a lie because the day before, when you had gone alone to the nearby shop, the owner asked why you didn’t bring your soon-to-be boyfriend with you. When you asked what she meant, she looked at you as though the answer were obvious.
Apparently, your host had told everyone in the village you were staying there with your soon-to-be boyfriend.
“At this point,” you added, “the whole village probably thinks so too.”
"Let them think what they want," Namjoon flatly replied.
“Easy for you to say,” you said, before adding, “you’re not the one who has to keep correcting people since you’re not exactly going to be walking around the village, are you? Celebrity status and all.”
"I didn't realize being mistaken for my girlfriend was such a hardship," Namjoon said looking at you.
"It is," you said, accidentally filling your bowl with more force than it required, "it's just inaccurate and I don't love inaccurate things being said about me."
"You didn’t use to mind what others were saying about you," Namjoon said quietly.
"I used to do and put up with a lot of things," you said, setting the ladle down hard enough to rattle the pot of rice, "doesn't mean I have to keep being that person just because you got comfortable with her."
Namjoon looked up at you, something changed in his face. You could tell Namjoon was furious, “You are being ridiculous. I never said I wanted you to stop being yourself.”
"You didn’t have to say it,” you answered, “you made it clear in every other way.”
"That's not fair,” Namjoon said as he set his chopsticks down, hard enough for it to make a loud noise, "What do you want me to say, exactly? Nothing I said could have fixed anything back then. I don't see why it would now."
"I don't want you to say anything," you snapped, “I want you to stop acting like you were the only one who got wronged here, the only one who got hurt. You canceled on me too, repeatedly. But somehow, in your head and in your version of the story, you're still the only victim."
"I'm not the victim of anything. I'm just tired of being the only one who remembers trying."
"You never even tried, Namjoon," you said with a blank stare.
He picked his chopsticks back up but he didn’t eat anything. He only held them with so much force that his knuckles went pale around wooden chopsticks.
"You actually really think that? That I never tried? I wasn’t the one getting too close to a coworker after I already told you it made me uncomfortable," he said, visibly pissed off.
“Right, because I was the only one who ever made you uncomfortable,” you snapped, “as if you didn’t do the exact same thing with that fucking girl from Twice!”
Namjoon’s expression changed and he was about to speak but you cut him off first before he could get any word out.
“And for the record, my co-worker was suicidal. He was in and out of hospital because he was a closeted gay man who had no one else to talk to, no one else to turn to. I couldn’t tell you because it was his secret to keep and was not mine to tell. I am loyal to my friends the way I was loyal to you.”
You watched the colour drain from Namjoon’s face.
Namjoon never knew any of that.
He never knew that your co-worker had come out to you, or that the constant messages were not some secret relationship unfolding behind his back. He never knew the man had been scared and alone, trusting you with something that was not yours to share.
All Namjoon had known was that he was texting you every day. That he had called when you were with Namjoon and you always picked up. On his last night before leaving for a world tour, you answered someone else’s call instead of staying with him. Namjoon thought you were already tired and bored of waiting for him and so you went looking for someone who was easier to be around, someone who did not keep leaving you.
And Sana, nothing had happened with Sana. Namjoon and her had gone to a bar behind your back, and that was it. But he did that because he was angry at you. Because some part of him wanted to prove that he could do the same thing to you. Because Namjoon wanted you to feel even a fraction of what he felt when your co-worker’s name kept appearing on your phone.
God, Namjoon really fucked it up.
You asked him multiple times to trust you, he remembered that now. Namjoon remembered how frustrated you sounded, how many times you tried to explain before he stopped listening. Still, he wasn’t completely irrational, was he?
He was hurt, Namjoon was insecure. He was about to leave for two months, and you seemed farther away than ever.
But being hurt did not make Namjoon right.
If anything, refusing to hear you out then had turned his fear into something much uglier.
You didn't touch the rest of your food. Just sat there, angry at the situation the world has given you on your holiday off work. Namjoon wasn’t touching his food either, and both of you were too stubborn to be the one who leaves the table first.
But you got up anyway, because you couldn’t stand the sight of him any longer. So you went to your room without another word shared between you.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
If you thought the passive-aggressiveness had peaked during last night’s dinner, day four proved you wrong.
It started with nothing, or something small enough to be nothing.
You left your shoes unorganised by the door, a habit you were never able to break since you were a kid. It used to make Namjoon laugh, but this morning, he tripped over them on his way out to the front yard.
“Could you not leave your shit everywhere?” he snapped as you walked past the door and towards the kitchen.
“They’re shoes, Namjoon, not a crime scene,” you said, matching your tone to the way he was talking to you.
“It’s the same thing it always was,” he shot back at you, “you take up space and expect everyone else to adjust around you.”
“What the fuck does that even mean?” you said, confronting Namjoon.
Were you in the wrong? Yes, but It was one fucking pair of shoes and you did not deserve this much anger over one pair of shoes.
“Oh, you want to talk about adjusting?” you pointed at him, “I adjusted my entire life around your schedule for our whole relationship. I adjusted dinners, weekends, holidays, and my friends' weddings. I even missed a fucking job interview because you only had twelve hours before you had to leave again.”
“I adjusted too,” Namjoon barked.
“You didn’t adjust anything,” you rolled your eyes at him, “you kept doing exactly what you wanted. You chose your career every single time, then you thought feeling guilty about it afterwards made it count as compromise.”
“And don’t act like I forgot about Sana,” you continued, “you went to a bar with her behind my back. Just the two of you then I had to watch people gossip about the two of you everywhere while we were still in a relationship, Namjoon. And you do not understand how hard it was trying to survive a breakup with a fucking celebrity whose face is every fucking where.”
Your throat tightened, and out of anger you said, “I wish we never fucking met.”
“That’s not fair,” Namjoon said, the tone of his voice dropping which was somehow worse than him yelling, “I know I went with Sana out of spite and I was in the wrong, I admit that. But I didn’t know what was happening between you and that fucking co-worker. How was I supposed to know there was nothing going on? Can you really blame me for feeling insecure?”
“It wasn’t my place to tell you, Namjoon. All you had to do was trust me, the woman you claimed to love.”
You laughed bitterly before continuing, “You want to talk about fairness? Well, it wasn’t fair that I had to watch you choose work over me every single time.”
“You could have told me what you wanted from me,” Namjoon said.
“I shouldn’t have had to tell you,” your voice humiliatingly cracked, “that was the whole fucking point, Namjoon. If I had to ask you to try, then it stopped meaning anything.”
Namjoon didn't answer you again as he just looked at you before finally walking out into the garden, leaving the door open behind him like he couldn't be bothered to close it gently either.
You stood there a long time, staring at your own shoes, hating both of them a little for starting this fight. Hating yourself, really.
You thought about the night your relationship had actually ended. It wasn’t dramatic, which was always the part nobody believed when you talked about it later on. There was no shouting or any insults involved. There were only two exhausted people sitting on opposite ends of a couch, each waiting for the other to say the thing first, until you finally did.
You remembered saying; “I don't think this is working out.”
And Namjoon didn’t argue, even when some small part of you wished he did. But he didn’t fight for it at all. He just nodded, like you did something he already privately decided too, and all he said was, “Yeah. I think you're right.”
You remembered cursing him in your head when you realised he wasn’t going to fight for you. Because you wanted, more than anything, for him to be the one who tried and fought for the relationship first for once. And when he didn't, some old and stubborn part of you decided that meant he never would have, not even if you stayed.
Namjoon probably remembered it differently. He probably remembered the months before that, all the times he asked you to make time and all you replied was: “soon”. You did that out of spite, you wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine. And maybe in his version, he was the one who kept reaching out, and you were the one who kept pulling away first. When in reality, you only gave him the same energy he was giving you.
It was funny how the two of you shared three years together, yet left with a different story, and both of you were convinced yours is the true one.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
That night, Namjoon could hear you were still awake through the wall, he could hear the repetitive sounds of short videos playing from your phone bleeding through the thin wood wall between your rooms. He knew you were doomscrolling, you’ve always done it when your mind was too loud for you to fall asleep.
For years, Namjoon told himself that whatever existed between you and him ended because it was supposed to, that too much had happened; too many things were badly said and too many moments were missed. But seeing you again after years, made something painfully clear.
Namjoon has never stopped loving you, and he has always loved you deeply.
He could still read you the way he did back then, even after you’ve spent years apart. And he remembered all of your habits and worse, some part of him still wanted to be the only person who noticed these things about you.
He imagined knocking on your door softly, asking if you were okay, and you letting him in and telling him to sit beside you. The way he imagined it to go almost made Namjoon get up to join you. He imagined taking your phone from your hand and hearing you laugh at something stupid he says, the way you used to when the world had not yet become so difficult between you.
But wanting you again felt cruel.
How selfish would it be for Namjoon to suddenly realise how deeply he loved you only after losing the right to do anything about it?
So that night, Namjoon stayed where he was supposed to.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The next morning felt different somehow, though neither of you could have pointed out exactly why it felt that way.
You woke to the smell of coffee, so you headed down to the kitchen and found a cup of coffee just sitting there on the kitchen counter with a note next to it that said: I made too much coffee, feel free to drink this one.
You sighed as you wrapped your hand around the warm cup of coffee.
This had always been Namjoon’s version of an apology. He was never good at walking up to you and saying the words ‘I’m sorry’ outright. Instead, he would cook you something, bring home your favourite snack, or leave a coffee waiting for you as though food could say what he could not.
You found him on the veranda, staring out at the garden. He looked like he barely slept, and you probably looked no better. You sat next to him, just a short distance away, far enough not to pretend things were fine but close enough that it did not feel like you were strangers.
For a while, neither of you said anything.
"I called my sister this morning," you eventually said, breaking the silence, “she asked how the trip was going."
"Ah, what did you tell her?" Namjoon said, lifting his cup of coffee to his mouth.
"That it was complicated," you said, looking down at the coffee in your hands, "she laughed at me and said that's basically been the answer to every question about you since… you know."
"Fair," he replied quietly, "what did you use to tell people? About us, I mean, after we broke up?"
"That it just didn't work out," you said as you shrugged your shoulders, "nobody needs to hear the long version. Plus a toxic relationship doesn't really make a good story."
"I see. Well, me either," he admitted, "I always ended up saying we just had different visions.”
You turned to look at him, “Different visions?”
“It sounded better than the truth,” Namjoon said with his gaze fixed on the garden in front of him.
“And what was the truth?” you asked curiously and without malice.
You expected defensiveness, an excuse, or something about work, expectations, and pressure of being Kim Namjoon. You expected anything that would make it easier for him to avoid admitting what he had done.
But Namjoon’s fingers tightened slightly around his cup before he finally said, “The truth was that I kept asking you to make room for my life when I barely made any room left for you in it.”
You went silent for a while, and couldn't really believe what you were hearing. “You could have said that back then,” you said, “you could have told me how you felt, you could have listened to me when I asked you to trust me, you could have tried more instead of making me feel like I was asking for too much.”
“Yeah, I didn’t know it then,” Namjoon replied quietly.
His voice was quiet enough that you almost missed it, so you just nodded while staring at the cup in your hands, “You didn’t make too much coffee, did you?” you asked.
He let out a small and humourless laugh, you just always know what he was thinking about, “No, I made exactly two cups.”
“Is this supposed to be your apology?” you asked, looking at him.
“No,” he replied, turning his head to look at you, “it’s supposed to be me trying to figure out how to start one.”
“Well, you should start with the words itself,” you answered, smiling at him.
Namjoon looked back out at the garden, his shoulders dropping slightly.
“I’m sorry,” he said after a long pause, “I’m sorry if I made you feel like you had to earn space in my life. I’m also sorry for not trusting you enough and acting out of spite to hurt you.”
You didn’t say anything back at him, you just nodded and gave him a small smile.
The rest of the afternoon was neither warm nor cold. You both kept to yourselves, doing what you had come here to do in the first place. Namjoon stayed on the veranda with his laptop, while you wandered between the garden and your room with your book. Whenever your paths crossed, neither of you ignored the other completely; a glance, a small nod, or a quiet “sorry” when one of you had to pass.
And the air now felt less hostile than before.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
By evening, something in the air between the two of you had changed enough that when he set two glasses and a bottle of soju on the dining table, you didn't immediately think it was a bad idea.
You almost skipped dinner that night and told yourself you would just eat something small in your room to avoid the whole exhausting event of sitting across from a man who apparently still has the ability to unravel you in under ten words.
But Namjoon was in the kitchen when you came out to get water, and saw him setting a bottle of soju and two glasses on the dining table.
"I'm not trying to start anything," Namjoon said, before you could even say a word, "I just.. I don't want to spend two more days pretending you're not here or pretending as if there is nothing for us to talk about."
You hesitated at first because it could go bad really quickly, but you knew even if it does, all you would have to do is stand up and walk away, "One drink," you finally said, “and that's it."
"Yes, one drink," Namjoon agreed.
You sat down across from him, as Namjoon poured the soju on the glass. When he filled yours up, you drank it way too fast, the way you always do when you are bracing for a conversation you didn't actually want to have.
"So," Namjoon said, refilling your glass without you needing to ask, "are we going to talk about it, or are we just going to keep circling it for two more days?"
"Talk about what exactly?" you answered, though you knew exactly what he meant.
"What happened to us,” Namjoon said, in a very non-chalant way that almost pissed you off.
You sighed as you looked out at the persimmon tree outside, "Fine, then you can talk first."
Namjoon went quiet for a moment, turning his glass in his hands, "I used to think you left because you stopped loving me," he said finally.
"I didn't stop loving you," the words came out before you could stop them, "that was never it. I just got tired of being the only one who kept trying to fix things. I was so tired, Joon."
"I was trying too," he quietly said.
"Were you? I don’t know. I mean yes, you always felt bad about it afterwards, you feel bad about missing things we’ve planned and tried to make it up in your own ways. But you know, your guilt was still not the same as your presence."
He flinched, just slightly, "That's harsh. You did the same too the last few months, you were around yet somehow never around.”
"Well, I was petty then, I wanted to give you a taste of your own medicine,” you replied.
He nodded slowly, looking down at the table, "Yeah I kinda knew that now. I thought it was not like you to act that way; to always have some excuse. It felt like every time I needed you to just be there, you had somewhere else to be."
"Well, I also had a life, Joon. I wasn't going to put it on hold indefinitely waiting for you to have room for me in yours," you said, giving him a small smile.
"I know," he said it so quietly you almost missed it, "I know that now."
"What has changed? How do you realise it now but not then?" you asked curiously.
He thought about the question longer than you expected to.
"Time, I guess, and distance too. Sometimes you just start seeing things clearer once you're not standing so close to the person you hurt anymore," he said as he turned his glass slowly on the table, watching the liquid move around, "I spent a long time telling myself the story where I was the one who tried harder, it was just easier that way. Easier to be the guy who got left than the guy who let something special slip out of his life because he was too busy chasing something else. But now, I don't think you were as absent as I made you out to be in my head and I don't think I was as present and innocent as I told myself I was, either."
You thought about what he said for a moment, surprised by how open Namjoon was to you. This was the Namjoon you knew the first two years of the relationship, the only difference is that he did seem a lot more mature now.
"I’m sorry about the co-worker thing. I really didn’t have the right to tell you what he was going through. I was the only person in his life who knew. He is now married to his husband and has moved out of the country. He’s happier and we’re best of friends now. I don’t think he would have made it out alive if I wasn’t there for him. I just couldn’t tell you then.." you said.
“Yeah.. I should have trusted you more,” Namjoon said.
“And I should have convinced you harder,” you admitted.
“I’m sorry about the Sana thing, I never wanted to be that guy but I did it out of anger and spite.. I’m really embarrassed of myself to this day that it ever happened.”
“Yeah, I figured you did it just to rile me up. You were never the type to do something like that,” you said, before taking another sip of the glass of alcohol in your hands, "Do you regret it?" you asked, "us breaking up, I mean."
Namjoon didn’t have to think about the answer because he has thought about it ever since the two of you were broken up, "No," he said, before adding, "I don't think I do. I think we would've just kept hurting each other even more. I understand why it happened. I get it now, in a way I didn't back then."
"Yeah," you replied, agreeing with him, "me too."
Namjoon poured another round of drinks and the two of you drank slower this time as the conversation drifted somewhere different. The old memories neither of you meant to bring up, the trip you two had to LA, Tokyo, and Singapore, the time the two of got lost trying to find a bookstore that turned out to be permanently closed, the time where you tried teaching him how to drive only for him to hit someone’s bins, the stories of your families and friends that the two of you have missed, the new music you both listen to, and the ugly ceramic bowl with the crack near the rim that you still refused to throw away.
"You still have that bowl?" he asked, surprised.
"It's a favorite bowl of mine, do you think I would just throw it away?" you said with a smile on your face.
"It's an ugly bowl, and you know how I appreciate artists more than anyone you know, but that bowl is just something else that I cannot even defend," Namjoon said.
"It's an ugly bowl I like," you said, defending yourself and the artist.
The two of you laughed, and the conversation drifted from the ugly bowl to the artists and writers you had both been following lately. Namjoon told you about an exhibition he wanted to see but never found the time for, while you complained about a novelist whose latest book disappointed you after years of being your favourite. For a while, it was easy.
"Can I ask you something?" he said after the two of you just finished debating whether J.K. Rowling would ever write anything that could surpass Harry Potter. "Did you see anyone else? After we broke up?"
“I went out with a few but only dated one guy for about eight months. He was.. " you paused, searching for the right word to describe your other ex, "easy. As in everything was just so easy with him."
“That sounds nice,” Namjoon said, though the slight tightening of his jaw betrayed the jealousy he was trying to hide.
"It was boring," you admitted, surprising yourself with how honest you were to him, "I hated how easy it was. I kept waiting for it to feel like something and it never did. I think I broke up with him because I just missed having something to fight for."
"I think about that sometimes," he said, "whether we would've been better off if it had been easy between us. But then maybe having it easy is just not what we were built for."
"Maybe not," you said, before adding, "maybe we were always going to be difficult. I just wish we had gone through the difficult times together instead of being difficult at each other."
"Yeah," he said quietly, agreeing with you, “me too."
By the fourth glass, or maybe the fifth, you really have lost count, the bitterness in the air shifted into something closer to the version of the two of you that used to sit and talk all night long.
"I missed this," he said, and then, drunk Namjoon, without him probably realising it, confessed, "I have missed you ever since."
You went very still in your seat. Namjoon didn't seem to notice what he just said. His eyes were already heavy, glass tipping slightly in his hand, and the soju and the exhaustion of four bitter days have finally caught up to him all at once.
"Joon," you said softly and when you looked over at him, you found him slumped slightly against his chair with his eyes closed.
You sat there for a while, still with a glass in hand, looking at him in the dim light of the kitchen, "Me too," you whispered to no one, to Namjoon who passed out in front of you, "Me too, Joon."
You got a blanket from his room and draped it over him where he was sitting and sleeping, careful not to wake him up.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
Namjoon woke up the next day in the kitchen with a headache and a blanket he didn't remember getting, and the dread of a man who knew he said something the night before but couldn’t fully remember what. Namjoon got off the chair, folded the blanket, and went looking for you.
You weren’t in the kitchen, and the door to your room was open with your bed already made. He panicked at first, wondering if you had left. But he continued searching for you and he finally found you in the backyard under the persimmon tree, sitting on a stool, with a book open in your lap.
Namjoon walked over to you with his hands in his pockets, "Good choice of book," he said, nodding at the book.
You looked up at him and gave him a small smile before saying, "Thank you."
Namjoon chuckled and let the silence sit for a second before he said, "I'll be checking out early at 4 AM tomorrow."
"I’ll be checking out tomorrow as well," you said looking at him.
"Alright," he nodded, “it's been nice seeing you, ____."
You laughed at him before saying, "Crazy how one night could change the first four days huh? But yes, it’s been nice seeing you too, Joonie.”
Namjoon reached his hand out before he could think better of it and ruffled your hair, the way he used to and you let him.
Then Namjoon walked back towards the hanok, and you watched him go until the sliding door clicked shut behind him.
You just sat there a while longer under the tree, some fruit were starting to drop around you, one by one, and you could hear the soft thuds against the ground.
You weren’t sad, because you knew the past few days had only been an accidental closure for the two of you.
And it was never meant to be anything more than that.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
Three Months Later - Seoul International Airport, 11:47 AM
South Korea was not small enough for this to not be fate.
A country with millions of people, and somehow it kept finding ways to place the one person you had tried hardest to forget directly in front of you.
You had stopped thinking about Andong. At least, that was what you kept telling yourself. Six bitter days and one drunken confession had not undone everything that happened between the two of you. But they had changed something; how you see Namjoon, and how he sees you.
You saw him before he noticed you were there.
Namjoon was standing by the magazine rack, with sunglasses pushed up into his hair, flipping through something he clearly wasn't reading. He looked good and you hated that you noticed.
Just as you considered turning away, Namjoon looked up from the magazine, and your eyes met. The moment Namjoon saw you, everything in him went still as if time had stopped.
After that night where he drank soju with you, he told himself that Andong had given both of you what you needed: an ending that did not involve slammed doors, unread messages, or either of you pretending not to care. The stay in Andong gave the two of you closure and that was what it had been.
Namjoon left at four in the morning exactly as he said he would. What you didn’t know was that he had stood outside your door for longer than he cared to admit, his hand hovering near the wooden door, before deciding against knocking. You both already said what needed to be said and anything more than that would have been selfish of him.
So Namjoon left.
But, you didn’t know that Namjoon had convinced himself that if it was meant to be, if the universe really wanted the two of you to try again, then Namjoon will be seeing you again.
And now you were there.
Standing right in front of him with your handbag over one shoulder and your other hand on the handle of your carry-on luggage, looking just as startled as he felt.
For one second, Namjoon wondered whether he had imagined you. Whether the lack of sleep, the long flights, and the stupid hope he carried with him since Andong had finally caught up with him.
Then you shifted on your feet, your fingers tightening around the strap of your bag the way they always did when you were nervous and did not know what to say, only then Namjoon realised you were real.
Namjoon put the magazine back on the rack, though he had no idea which rack it belonged to. The airport was still moving around the two of you, you could hear the suitcases rolling over the floor, the announcements over the speakers, and people rushing into their gates, but it all sounded far away to the both of you.
Namjoon spent three months telling himself that, if he ever saw you again, he would not waste it.
So he stepped away from the magazine rack and walked closer to where you were standing.
“Hi,” Namjoon greeted, his dimples appearing as he smiled fondly at you.
You gave him a small smile back before answering, “Hi.”
"You look good," he said.
"So do you," you answered, letting out a small laugh.
“Are you leaving somewhere?” Namjoon asked, still smiling at you.
“Yeah, I have a flight in..” you checked your phone to see the time before saying, “in about an hour.”
Namjoon nodded, his eyes dropping briefly to the carry-on luggage you had with you before staring back into your eyes, “Then I guess I caught you at the right time,” he said.
You frowned slightly at him, not understanding what he meant, “The right time for what exactly?”
“For coffee,” he said, “before your flight.”
You glanced at the departure board, then back at him, “One coffee,” you said, saying yes to his invitation, “that’s all I have time for.”
The airport cafe was crowded and loud, which didn’t influence how easily the conversation flowed. You talked about the ordinary things at first; work, travel, mutual friends, the books you had both been reading. Namjoon told you about a museum exhibition he was preparing for, and you complained about a project at work that had been taking up too much of your time.
It was strange how natural it still felt. And by the time your boarding call appeared on the screen, both coffees had gone cold.
Namjoon walked with you towards your gate, neither of you mentioning how none of really wanted the conversation to end.
"Text me when you land," he said.
You looked at him, all confused before saying, "You don't have my number anymore."
"Well, I could get it."
"You could," you said, smiling as you pulled out your phone and giving him your phone number.
And then, just like that, the two of you had to part ways. You walked towards security while Namjoon walked towards his gate, glancing back to each other more than either of you would admit.
You were two people who once tried to be everything to each other, failed and even hated each other for it.
But somehow, years later, after spending an accidental few days together in Andong, you two found something worth sitting down and trying for.
The world, it seemed, was not quite done proving that sometimes the right person only made sense once you both found yourselves in the right place and right time.
Genre: exes!au, forced proximity (because what am i without my fav trope), lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers (kind of), slow burn, angst, second-chance romance, heaps of miscommunication.
Summary: A booking mix-up forces you to share a secluded hanok with Namjoon, the ex you still resent, and who resents you just as much. What begins as an unwanted holiday becomes the closure neither of you knew you needed, and perhaps the start of something worth trying again.
Warnings: language, mentions of suicide and cheating (kind of).
Word count: 9.8k
a/n: this has been sitting in my fanfic folder for almost one year now. and finally decided to publish it because i saw pics of joonie in brussels and well.. i just had to. also, as this is a one-shot, there will not be a second chapter 🤍
check out my: masterlist
The hanok in Andong was supposed to be empty.
That was the whole point of booking it months in advance for seven days. All you wanted was just seven days of no work calls, no calendar notifications of when your next meeting would be, and no one asking you to explain something about work in a 30-minute meeting that could have been a short email. You needed this time alone to yourself. Just you, a stack of unread books that has been sitting around in your to-be-read list, and a wooden veranda that overlooked a persimmon tree.
You did not expect your ex boyfriend, Kim Namjoon, to be standing in the backyard of the hanok when you arrived with a duffel bag slung over your shoulder. And Namjoon was staring at the same booking confirmation on his phone that you had opened on yours.
Neither of you said anything for a good one minute.
“It’s you again,” Namjoon said.
And you just nodded at him because what the heck were you supposed to say to an ex you hated with your guts?
Thankfully the host came out just in time, wiping her hands on her apron, and she was very cheerful. Only because she had no idea what she just did. What booking you and Namjoon in her two-bedroom hanok at the same time would do to the peaceful area of Andong.
"Oh good, you're both here! I ran this as a two-bedroom stay during the off season, but I forgot to change the description in that new website! If you expected to have the whole hanok to yourself, I am so sorry! I swear it was the new website and it's a new update! And I didn't think two separate bookings would land the same week. Lucky you, though, the whole place is yours," the middle aged host said. She was still very cheerful even though she acknowledged she made a mistake.
Lucky would be the very last word you would describe this situation, you almost laughed at the host.
Namjoon just stayed calm. You figured it was the media training of being in BTS for years that he managed to stay so calm. He is the leader of the biggest boyband in the world, he probably has faced more awkward situations than this.
But you knew deep down how Namjoon felt. The two of you despised each other and you really didn’t want to go deep in history to explain to the host in front of you why this was a bad idea.
"I can find somewhere else," Namjoon finally said. Gosh, it has been so long since you’ve heard his voice. Years ago you would have been so wet down there just by listening to him talk, but now, you were trying so hard not to vomit.
"Everything's booked out for the festival," the host replied, "you'll be fine, you'll be fine. The rooms have their own doors and modern bathrooms, you will only have to share the kitchen."
“Are you sure the whole area is booked? I just don’t want this young lady to feel awkward having to share this space with a male stranger,” Namjoon said to the host.
“Yes. I run most of the other places too, and they are all booked. Let’s ask the young lady then, would you be okay spending the next seven days sharing a kitchen with this man? He looks nice to me and looks familiar too!” the host said, smiling at you.
“As long as there is a key to lock my bedroom at night, I don’t really care,” you said, shrugging at the host. But when you turned to look at Namjoon, you showed him a gesture that expressed how you wanted him, the richest and most connected person out of you both, to find another place.
Namjoon understood your gesture. How could he have not? You were his first love, someone whom he had a very, very hard and long time forgetting. But he didn’t care about what you were asking him to do, he booked this place because of how serene and peaceful its location is. Plus, the hanok was featured in an Architectural Digest, it has a beautiful architecture hence why the place is usually booked out. Even as Namjoon of BTS, he couldn’t book it up until now. So no, he wasn’t just about to throw it all out for his ex-girlfriend.
“Well there you go! The key and lock work just fine and I do have CCTV outside of the bedroom, so you will be safe and sound! And there are security guards guarding this neighbourhood 24/7. If you just shout, they’ll come right for you! But I doubt you’ll need them, since this good looking young man doesn’t seem to be the type to hurt others!” the host said, smiling at Namjoon and you.
You couldn’t help the mocking laugh that came out of your mouth. This lady didn’t know how the good looking young man in front of her has put you in so much misery.
“Well then that settles it. How long will you be staying here?” Namjoon said to you. It was the first time he was addressing you, the elephant in his room.
“I booked for seven days,” you replied. You didn’t bother asking him the same question, because you heard the lady say something about having to share the same kitchen for the next seven days.
You assumed there was one thing Namjoon still excelled at: hearing only the parts of a story that suited him.
It reminded you of the final month before your breakup, when he accused you of being too close to a co-worker. What he never understood was that your co-worker had come out to you and was going through a very difficult time. It was not your secret to share especially when your friend had specifically asked you not to tell anyone. Being gay in Korea was not easy, and your friend trusted you with something deeply personal that you were not about to share with any soul.
Back then, you tried to explain. You asked Namjoon to listen to your side of the story, you asked him to trust you, but he did not want to hear or trust you, he never did.
It’s really true that men never change.
“Seven days it is,” Namjoon nodded.
“Enjoy your stay,” the host said, waving at the two of you as she left the hanok.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The hanok has two bedrooms which are separated by a wall so thin you could hear Namjoon breathing on the other side of it.
You forgot how every hanok has this really thin wall so every king and queen whose bedrooms were separate could still talk to each other. You used to think it was romantic, but now, having Namjoon at the other side of the wall just feels more like punishment.
You dropped your bag on the floor of the room because you didn’t even have the energy to unpack. You sat at the edge of the mattress and you could hear Namjoon doing the exact same thing. You could hear the thud of his duffel bag and the creaking of the bed as he sat down.
You have to spend the next seven days with your ex-boyfriend. It would be fine if it was any of your other ex-boyfriend. But not this one, not Namjoon.
It’s just seven days, what could go wrong really? You can survive seven days of anything.
You’ve survived worse, you technically have survived him and that counts for something.
You never planned this trip around meeting him. You didn’t choose Andong to torture yourself. You chose it because you saw this hanok featured in a magazine, and your coworker mentioned about her trip here once and how peaceful and lovely her trip had been. So you listened to the reviews you have seen online and from your own friend. You didn’t think in a million years that the dates you picked were the exact same one Namjoon had chosen for his own separate getaway.
You expected some quiet.
And you did not, under any circumstance, expect Namjoon.
And yet here he was, on the other side of a wall thin enough you could hear each and every movement he makes. It was as if the universe had a sense of humor you will never once find funny.
You thought about calling the host back out, asking if there was truly nothing else like a motel, a shared room for backpackers, or even a bench in some park that is safe at night. But the host already left to wherever she had to go, and it was nearly dark, and some stubborn, tired part of you decided you would rather sit in silence next to a man who used to love you like you were the only thing keeping him alive.
Well, that was before he eventually found your presence hard to be around.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
Nothing much happened on the first day.
Thankfully, you woke up first before him and could occupy the front yard before he could. And Namjoon, to his credit, understood that you being there meant he would be spending most of his time sitting in the backyard. So neither of you saw much of each other.
And when you did happen to see each other. It was during dinner, and even then, you barely really spoke to each other.
One of the complimentary amenities they give when you stay in the hanok is free dinner because no restaurant around here is open at night. The staff or host, you couldn’t tell since you were too busy resting and reading on a picnic mat in the front yard, left a pot of corn soup, bread, and different types of sides. They also left a note that said: ‘help yourselves, we will pick up the food in 30 minutes so please eat before then and do not eat in the bedroom for cleanliness.’
You found Namjoon already in the kitchen with his sleeves pushed up, ladling soup into his bowl.
"Leave some for me," you said.
Namjoon didn't look up as he said, "Didn't know you had a voice."
You tilted your head at him, “Were you waiting for me to talk to you? That’s new.”
"You wish," Namjoon snorted, setting the bowl down on the counter, hard enough that some of it sloshed over the rim, "I was only saying that because you are usually so loud."
You rolled your eyes at him and grabbed a bowl from the cabinet. You filled the bowl without a word and sat down at the opposite end of the table, putting as much space between you as possible.
Towards the end of your relationship, Namjoon never waited for you. He could go days without calling, texting, or meeting-up, and whenever you brought it up, he always had the same answer; he was busy with everything except you. At first, you tried to understand him. You told yourself he was under pressure and that loving someone meant being patient when life got difficult, especially when his life as an idol is so different from life of most people. So you waited for the calls he promised to make after work, for replies that arrived hours later, sometimes the next day. And you waited for him to notice that you stopped telling him about your day because there was never a good time to say anything.
Eventually, you stopped waiting altogether. So you did the same to him. You gave him a taste of his own medicine; the distance, unanswered messages, the quiet indifference he once made you endure.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
"You’re eating like it's a race," you said, watching him finish half the bowl in what felt like four bites.
"I have things to do," he said.
"Of course, the always busy man. "
"Last time I checked.." Namjoon said, stopping before finally looking up at you just to say, "That used to be your excuse too. "
You didn't have an answer for that one, so you ate your soup in silence and let the silence do what it does best. Because Namjoon was right. You did to him what he did to you, but you did not regret it. He needed that wake-up call, although it didn’t change anything in your relationship.
Namjoon finished first, and rinsed his bowl at the sink with his back to you. You didn’t mean to watch him but the view from where you were sitting was to the kitchen. You couldn’t help but see what was happening there. You remembered this view from three years ago, when the two of you were still together.
You shook your head immediately as the thought of your past relationship crept up your mind.
Remember, your life was a living nightmare with him.
You somehow just noticed that his hair was shorter, and without meaning to, your thoughts slipped out of your lips, "You cut your hair," you said.
You regretted it the moment you said it. You hoped he didn’t hear it, but of course he did.
"Two months ago," Namjoon said, still rinsing his dishes, "you're behind."
"I wasn't exactly keeping up," you snorted.
"Could've fooled me, aren’t we in this situation because you knew I’d be here?” Namjoon said.
“Did you develop narcissistic personality disorder after being in the spotlight for too long? I have a life I love that does not involve you at all. I couldn’t care less whether you keep your hair short or long,” you said angrily.
Namjoon would be lying if he claimed to not winch when he heard what you said. But he shrugged it off, you are someone he could care less about. “You used to like it long," Namjoon said quietly, just like you, he didn’t mean to say it out loud.
"Well, apparently I liked a lot of things that didn't stick around," you said, and you felt a sense of regret the second it left your mouth.
Namjoon turned the tap off, set the bowl in the rack as he said, "Goodnight.”
Then he left the kitchen without looking at you.
You sat with your half-empty bowl a while longer, listening to his footsteps go down the hallway, the sound of his door sliding open, and silence was all it followed.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
That same night, through the wall, you heard him on the phone to Jimin.
“Hey Jimin. Yeah, the mixup by the host is crazy, I didn’t expect to be stuck in this hanok with her.”
There was a pause, probably Jimin telling Namjoon to find some other place.
“I tried, even my manager tried too. It’s just fully booked everywhere.. No, no, you don’t need to come. I’m fine. I just need the week to rest and write, it’s still really nice out here in Andong. It’s peaceful, which is something I really need. Yeah. I know. We thankfully don’t really interact much. It should just be during dinner and that’s because the place only has a 30-minute dining timeslot since they have to pick up the leftover food. Yeah, it sucks, but the place is really nice.”
Then Namjoon went silent for a few minutes and you thought his phone call with Jimin was over but then you heard him say, “Jimin, it’s not because of her that I’m staying here. As much as I dislike that woman, I have been waiting for too long to stay in this hanok and the scenery and ambience is something I do not want to give up. So don’t worry about me, I’m fine. Okay, thank you. Good night to you too, bye.”
That woman?!
Is that what he just referred to you as? Just some woman? You snorted at how ridiculous it was. Did Namjoon forget the two of you spent three whole years together?
What a fucking prick.
You thought about the last time you heard him talk like that, and how it used to be you he was talking to on the other end of the phone. But one of your last conversations with him on the phone wasn’t really something as warm as his conversation with Jimin.
“I know, babe. I know I said I'd be there. I'll make it up to you, ____”
Namjoon was always so good at saying he’ll make it up to you when he never did.
Kim Namjoon is a prick and all of his fans would find him disappointing once they knew that he is just a man.
You rolled onto your side now facing the wall, and let yourself feel the hatred towards your ex before finally falling asleep.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The second day, you woke up to the sound of Namjoon doing pull-ups on the old wooden beam of the veranda, which was, you thought, an incredibly on-brand way for Namjoon to process anything uncomfortable.
You used to find that endearing, now you just found it loud and annoying. Especially since it is still way too early and you were still tired.
You laid in bed a while longer than you needed to, listening to the creak of the beam, Namjoon’s controlled exhale on every pull, the small grunts he lets out on each pull that he probably didn't know he makes. You used to find his grunts hot and it used to turn you on.
Now you were just irritated.
You got up before the sounds he make could turn your irritation into anything more complicated.
You walked to the kitchen through the front yard, avoiding the side of the house Namjoon was in, and made your coffee black. You sat at the dining table, facing the backyard which was close enough to see Namjoon through the paper screen yet far enough that he wouldn’t have noticed you were there.
Namjoon eventually finished his workout routine and came into the kitchen. His breathing was shallow and fast. His shirt had gone see-through, sticking to his well-built figure from the sweat. His arms looked fuller after the workout, muscles still tense beneath his skin as he reached for a glass filled with water. He stood by the sink with his back to you as he drank. The pull-ups left his biceps, shoulders, and his overall figure look way more shredded, and his veins were faintly visible along his forearms.
It was a view that once would have driven you insane.
You immediately looked away before your thoughts spiral into even more nonsense.
“You’re up early,” Namjoon said, still not turning around to look at you.
“You are very loud,” you answered, “it’s hard to stay asleep when a man is having a breakdown on a pull-up bar.”
“You could’ve said something,” Namjoon replied.
You took a sip of your coffee, “Would you have listened to me?”
“I’m listening now,” Namjoon said, finally turning around to look at you.
You looked at him over the rim of your mug, “That’s a little late, don’t you think?”
"That's rich," he said quietly, "coming from the person who canceled on me six times in one month because work got busy."
"You were on tour for eight weeks straight, Namjoon. Do you really want to talk about who canceled on who?"
"I was working," Namjoon said, defending himself.
"So was I," you said, scrunching your face in disbelief.
"Not the same kind of work. Your job was-"
"Don't," you said, standing up so fast your chair scraped out loud against the floor, "don't you dare tell me my job mattered less or whatever the fuck you said to me then. I’m so sick of hearing you say that shit to me."
Namjoon didn't say anything. He just looked defeated, and mostly because he didn’t know what to say to you. He never meant to make you feel like your job mattered less and he never remembered saying such a thing, but Namjoon understood why you would remember it that way.
Your hands were shaking around the mug, so you set it down before you dropped it and you turned away before he could see your face properly. You did not look back at him as you walked down the hallway and shut your bedroom door behind you harder than necessary, but still not hard enough to feel satisfying.
Through the wall, you could hear him sitting down on the dining chair.
And neither of you said sorry, neither of you ever did.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
By the afternoon, you went out to the backyard, where Namjoon was already sitting on the raised wooden veranda of the house. He barely looked up when you spread a picnic mat beneath the tree. You were there to read, while Namjoon was on his laptop with one earphone in his ear.
"Isn’t this a holiday?" you asked, not looking up from the page of the book you were reading.
"I have responsibilities," Namjoon answered.
“You know you’re allowed to exist without making everything productive,” you didn’t have any spiteful intent behind what you said, you genuinely wanted him to take rest too.
His fingers stopped typing whatever he was typing on his laptop, “And you need to stop looking for something to comment about,” he replied bitterly, "you used to just let things be things."
"I used to let a lot of things slide," you sneered, "look how that turned out."
Namjoon exhaled through his nose, his thumb dragging across the edge of the keyboard as if he was trying to find something to hold on to, “You don’t have to keep dragging what happened between us into everything you say.”
“I made one comment,” you snorted and sighed as you closed your book, “and I actually was trying to be nice.”
“Well, I guess you don’t really know how to be nice to me anymore,” Namjoon said, finally looking up at you.
You stared back at him, unwilling to let him have the last word, “Maybe because every time I tried, you found a reason to make it sound like an attack.”
Namjoon said nothing to that.
After a while, he put his earphones back in and turned his attention to the laptop again, and the sound of his typing continued, but quieter this time.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The third day, avoiding each other was something intuitive for the both of you. You took your coffee at seven, Namjoon didn't come out of his room until eight. You read on the veranda facing the front yard in the morning, while Namjoon occupied the veranda to the backyard.
The two of you should have felt relieved, but somehow, deep down, you were both still feeling restless.
By late afternoon, you were about to cook some ramen when you accidentally went into the kitchen when he was already there. Namjoon was making eggs, the way he always had, too much heat and with not enough patience for someone who always seemed to preach about being mindful.
"You're going to burn those," you said, before you could stop yourself from commenting on what he was doing. You really didn’t want to start another bitter conversation ending with ugly remarks from you or Namjoon.
"I know how to make eggs," Namjoon replied.
"Do you know? I remember you used to struggle a lot when making eggs, you once set off a smoke alarm trying to make eggs," you let out a small laugh remembering the event that happened in the past.
The corner of Namjoon’s mouth twitched and he eventually gave in and smiled, "That was one time."
"It was still memorable to this day," you said.
"We had a good run didn’t we?" he muttered, flipping the eggs.
"Oh, be careful, Joonie," you said, leaning against the counter with your arms crossed, "you're one comment away from being nice to me."
"God forbid," he chuckled.
"God forbid," you agreed.
For a second, one single, traitorous second, it almost felt like the fun and loving relationship you two had before it all went down. Like the version of the two of you that used to burn eggs together on purpose because neither of you cared about the egg, because doing the activity together was always the whole point.
You went back to the dining table, waiting for him to finish cooking his lunch before taking your turn. Then Namjoon plated the eggs, and nodded at you as he left the kitchen without another word.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The host left dinner on the table before the two of you even noticed her come in. Tonight’s dinner menu was grilled mackerel, side dishes in small mismatched plates, and a pot of rice still steaming under a cloth. Tonight, the two of you sat down to eat at the same time.
"She made too much again," Namjoon said, nodding at the food on the table as he sat across from you.
“She thinks we’re about to get together,” you replied. It was not exactly a lie because the day before, when you had gone alone to the nearby shop, the owner asked why you didn’t bring your soon-to-be boyfriend with you. When you asked what she meant, she looked at you as though the answer were obvious.
Apparently, your host had told everyone in the village you were staying there with your soon-to-be boyfriend.
“At this point,” you added, “the whole village probably thinks so too.”
"Let them think what they want," Namjoon flatly replied.
“Easy for you to say,” you said, before adding, “you’re not the one who has to keep correcting people since you’re not exactly going to be walking around the village, are you? Celebrity status and all.”
"I didn't realize being mistaken for my girlfriend was such a hardship," Namjoon said looking at you.
"It is," you said, accidentally filling your bowl with more force than it required, "it's just inaccurate and I don't love inaccurate things being said about me."
"You didn’t use to mind what others were saying about you," Namjoon said quietly.
"I used to do and put up with a lot of things," you said, setting the ladle down hard enough to rattle the pot of rice, "doesn't mean I have to keep being that person just because you got comfortable with her."
Namjoon looked up at you, something changed in his face. You could tell Namjoon was furious, “You are being ridiculous. I never said I wanted you to stop being yourself.”
"You didn’t have to say it,” you answered, “you made it clear in every other way.”
"That's not fair,” Namjoon said as he set his chopsticks down, hard enough for it to make a loud noise, "What do you want me to say, exactly? Nothing I said could have fixed anything back then. I don't see why it would now."
"I don't want you to say anything," you snapped, “I want you to stop acting like you were the only one who got wronged here, the only one who got hurt. You canceled on me too, repeatedly. But somehow, in your head and in your version of the story, you're still the only victim."
"I'm not the victim of anything. I'm just tired of being the only one who remembers trying."
"You never even tried, Namjoon," you said with a blank stare.
He picked his chopsticks back up but he didn’t eat anything. He only held them with so much force that his knuckles went pale around wooden chopsticks.
"You actually really think that? That I never tried? I wasn’t the one getting too close to a coworker after I already told you it made me uncomfortable," he said, visibly pissed off.
“Right, because I was the only one who ever made you uncomfortable,” you snapped, “as if you didn’t do the exact same thing with that fucking girl from Twice!”
Namjoon’s expression changed and he was about to speak but you cut him off first before he could get any word out.
“And for the record, my co-worker was suicidal. He was in and out of hospital because he was a closeted gay man who had no one else to talk to, no one else to turn to. I couldn’t tell you because it was his secret to keep and was not mine to tell. I am loyal to my friends the way I was loyal to you.”
You watched the colour drain from Namjoon’s face.
Namjoon never knew any of that.
He never knew that your co-worker had come out to you, or that the constant messages were not some secret relationship unfolding behind his back. He never knew the man had been scared and alone, trusting you with something that was not yours to share.
All Namjoon had known was that he was texting you every day. That he had called when you were with Namjoon and you always picked up. On his last night before leaving for a world tour, you answered someone else’s call instead of staying with him. Namjoon thought you were already tired and bored of waiting for him and so you went looking for someone who was easier to be around, someone who did not keep leaving you.
And Sana, nothing had happened with Sana. Namjoon and her had gone to a bar behind your back, and that was it. But he did that because he was angry at you. Because some part of him wanted to prove that he could do the same thing to you. Because Namjoon wanted you to feel even a fraction of what he felt when your co-worker’s name kept appearing on your phone.
God, Namjoon really fucked it up.
You asked him multiple times to trust you, he remembered that now. Namjoon remembered how frustrated you sounded, how many times you tried to explain before he stopped listening. Still, he wasn’t completely irrational, was he?
He was hurt, Namjoon was insecure. He was about to leave for two months, and you seemed farther away than ever.
But being hurt did not make Namjoon right.
If anything, refusing to hear you out then had turned his fear into something much uglier.
You didn't touch the rest of your food. Just sat there, angry at the situation the world has given you on your holiday off work. Namjoon wasn’t touching his food either, and both of you were too stubborn to be the one who leaves the table first.
But you got up anyway, because you couldn’t stand the sight of him any longer. So you went to your room without another word shared between you.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
If you thought the passive-aggressiveness had peaked during last night’s dinner, day four proved you wrong.
It started with nothing, or something small enough to be nothing.
You left your shoes unorganised by the door, a habit you were never able to break since you were a kid. It used to make Namjoon laugh, but this morning, he tripped over them on his way out to the front yard.
“Could you not leave your shit everywhere?” he snapped as you walked past the door and towards the kitchen.
“They’re shoes, Namjoon, not a crime scene,” you said, matching your tone to the way he was talking to you.
“It’s the same thing it always was,” he shot back at you, “you take up space and expect everyone else to adjust around you.”
“What the fuck does that even mean?” you said, confronting Namjoon.
Were you in the wrong? Yes, but It was one fucking pair of shoes and you did not deserve this much anger over one pair of shoes.
“Oh, you want to talk about adjusting?” you pointed at him, “I adjusted my entire life around your schedule for our whole relationship. I adjusted dinners, weekends, holidays, and my friends' weddings. I even missed a fucking job interview because you only had twelve hours before you had to leave again.”
“I adjusted too,” Namjoon barked.
“You didn’t adjust anything,” you rolled your eyes at him, “you kept doing exactly what you wanted. You chose your career every single time, then you thought feeling guilty about it afterwards made it count as compromise.”
“And don’t act like I forgot about Sana,” you continued, “you went to a bar with her behind my back. Just the two of you then I had to watch people gossip about the two of you everywhere while we were still in a relationship, Namjoon. And you do not understand how hard it was trying to survive a breakup with a fucking celebrity whose face is every fucking where.”
Your throat tightened, and out of anger you said, “I wish we never fucking met.”
“That’s not fair,” Namjoon said, the tone of his voice dropping which was somehow worse than him yelling, “I know I went with Sana out of spite and I was in the wrong, I admit that. But I didn’t know what was happening between you and that fucking co-worker. How was I supposed to know there was nothing going on? Can you really blame me for feeling insecure?”
“It wasn’t my place to tell you, Namjoon. All you had to do was trust me, the woman you claimed to love.”
You laughed bitterly before continuing, “You want to talk about fairness? Well, it wasn’t fair that I had to watch you choose work over me every single time.”
“You could have told me what you wanted from me,” Namjoon said.
“I shouldn’t have had to tell you,” your voice humiliatingly cracked, “that was the whole fucking point, Namjoon. If I had to ask you to try, then it stopped meaning anything.”
Namjoon didn't answer you again as he just looked at you before finally walking out into the garden, leaving the door open behind him like he couldn't be bothered to close it gently either.
You stood there a long time, staring at your own shoes, hating both of them a little for starting this fight. Hating yourself, really.
You thought about the night your relationship had actually ended. It wasn’t dramatic, which was always the part nobody believed when you talked about it later on. There was no shouting or any insults involved. There were only two exhausted people sitting on opposite ends of a couch, each waiting for the other to say the thing first, until you finally did.
You remembered saying; “I don't think this is working out.”
And Namjoon didn’t argue, even when some small part of you wished he did. But he didn’t fight for it at all. He just nodded, like you did something he already privately decided too, and all he said was, “Yeah. I think you're right.”
You remembered cursing him in your head when you realised he wasn’t going to fight for you. Because you wanted, more than anything, for him to be the one who tried and fought for the relationship first for once. And when he didn't, some old and stubborn part of you decided that meant he never would have, not even if you stayed.
Namjoon probably remembered it differently. He probably remembered the months before that, all the times he asked you to make time and all you replied was: “soon”. You did that out of spite, you wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine. And maybe in his version, he was the one who kept reaching out, and you were the one who kept pulling away first. When in reality, you only gave him the same energy he was giving you.
It was funny how the two of you shared three years together, yet left with a different story, and both of you were convinced yours is the true one.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
That night, Namjoon could hear you were still awake through the wall, he could hear the repetitive sounds of short videos playing from your phone bleeding through the thin wood wall between your rooms. He knew you were doomscrolling, you’ve always done it when your mind was too loud for you to fall asleep.
For years, Namjoon told himself that whatever existed between you and him ended because it was supposed to, that too much had happened; too many things were badly said and too many moments were missed. But seeing you again after years, made something painfully clear.
Namjoon has never stopped loving you, and he has always loved you deeply.
He could still read you the way he did back then, even after you’ve spent years apart. And he remembered all of your habits and worse, some part of him still wanted to be the only person who noticed these things about you.
He imagined knocking on your door softly, asking if you were okay, and you letting him in and telling him to sit beside you. The way he imagined it to go almost made Namjoon get up to join you. He imagined taking your phone from your hand and hearing you laugh at something stupid he says, the way you used to when the world had not yet become so difficult between you.
But wanting you again felt cruel.
How selfish would it be for Namjoon to suddenly realise how deeply he loved you only after losing the right to do anything about it?
So that night, Namjoon stayed where he was supposed to.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
The next morning felt different somehow, though neither of you could have pointed out exactly why it felt that way.
You woke to the smell of coffee, so you headed down to the kitchen and found a cup of coffee just sitting there on the kitchen counter with a note next to it that said: I made too much coffee, feel free to drink this one.
You sighed as you wrapped your hand around the warm cup of coffee.
This had always been Namjoon’s version of an apology. He was never good at walking up to you and saying the words ‘I’m sorry’ outright. Instead, he would cook you something, bring home your favourite snack, or leave a coffee waiting for you as though food could say what he could not.
You found him on the veranda, staring out at the garden. He looked like he barely slept, and you probably looked no better. You sat next to him, just a short distance away, far enough not to pretend things were fine but close enough that it did not feel like you were strangers.
For a while, neither of you said anything.
"I called my sister this morning," you eventually said, breaking the silence, “she asked how the trip was going."
"Ah, what did you tell her?" Namjoon said, lifting his cup of coffee to his mouth.
"That it was complicated," you said, looking down at the coffee in your hands, "she laughed at me and said that's basically been the answer to every question about you since… you know."
"Fair," he replied quietly, "what did you use to tell people? About us, I mean, after we broke up?"
"That it just didn't work out," you said as you shrugged your shoulders, "nobody needs to hear the long version. Plus a toxic relationship doesn't really make a good story."
"I see. Well, me either," he admitted, "I always ended up saying we just had different visions.”
You turned to look at him, “Different visions?”
“It sounded better than the truth,” Namjoon said with his gaze fixed on the garden in front of him.
“And what was the truth?” you asked curiously and without malice.
You expected defensiveness, an excuse, or something about work, expectations, and pressure of being Kim Namjoon. You expected anything that would make it easier for him to avoid admitting what he had done.
But Namjoon’s fingers tightened slightly around his cup before he finally said, “The truth was that I kept asking you to make room for my life when I barely made any room left for you in it.”
You went silent for a while, and couldn't really believe what you were hearing. “You could have said that back then,” you said, “you could have told me how you felt, you could have listened to me when I asked you to trust me, you could have tried more instead of making me feel like I was asking for too much.”
“Yeah, I didn’t know it then,” Namjoon replied quietly.
His voice was quiet enough that you almost missed it, so you just nodded while staring at the cup in your hands, “You didn’t make too much coffee, did you?” you asked.
He let out a small and humourless laugh, you just always know what he was thinking about, “No, I made exactly two cups.”
“Is this supposed to be your apology?” you asked, looking at him.
“No,” he replied, turning his head to look at you, “it’s supposed to be me trying to figure out how to start one.”
“Well, you should start with the words itself,” you answered, smiling at him.
Namjoon looked back out at the garden, his shoulders dropping slightly.
“I’m sorry,” he said after a long pause, “I’m sorry if I made you feel like you had to earn space in my life. I’m also sorry for not trusting you enough and acting out of spite to hurt you.”
You didn’t say anything back at him, you just nodded and gave him a small smile.
The rest of the afternoon was neither warm nor cold. You both kept to yourselves, doing what you had come here to do in the first place. Namjoon stayed on the veranda with his laptop, while you wandered between the garden and your room with your book. Whenever your paths crossed, neither of you ignored the other completely; a glance, a small nod, or a quiet “sorry” when one of you had to pass.
And the air now felt less hostile than before.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
By evening, something in the air between the two of you had changed enough that when he set two glasses and a bottle of soju on the dining table, you didn't immediately think it was a bad idea.
You almost skipped dinner that night and told yourself you would just eat something small in your room to avoid the whole exhausting event of sitting across from a man who apparently still has the ability to unravel you in under ten words.
But Namjoon was in the kitchen when you came out to get water, and saw him setting a bottle of soju and two glasses on the dining table.
"I'm not trying to start anything," Namjoon said, before you could even say a word, "I just.. I don't want to spend two more days pretending you're not here or pretending as if there is nothing for us to talk about."
You hesitated at first because it could go bad really quickly, but you knew even if it does, all you would have to do is stand up and walk away, "One drink," you finally said, “and that's it."
"Yes, one drink," Namjoon agreed.
You sat down across from him, as Namjoon poured the soju on the glass. When he filled yours up, you drank it way too fast, the way you always do when you are bracing for a conversation you didn't actually want to have.
"So," Namjoon said, refilling your glass without you needing to ask, "are we going to talk about it, or are we just going to keep circling it for two more days?"
"Talk about what exactly?" you answered, though you knew exactly what he meant.
"What happened to us,” Namjoon said, in a very non-chalant way that almost pissed you off.
You sighed as you looked out at the persimmon tree outside, "Fine, then you can talk first."
Namjoon went quiet for a moment, turning his glass in his hands, "I used to think you left because you stopped loving me," he said finally.
"I didn't stop loving you," the words came out before you could stop them, "that was never it. I just got tired of being the only one who kept trying to fix things. I was so tired, Joon."
"I was trying too," he quietly said.
"Were you? I don’t know. I mean yes, you always felt bad about it afterwards, you feel bad about missing things we’ve planned and tried to make it up in your own ways. But you know, your guilt was still not the same as your presence."
He flinched, just slightly, "That's harsh. You did the same too the last few months, you were around yet somehow never around.”
"Well, I was petty then, I wanted to give you a taste of your own medicine,” you replied.
He nodded slowly, looking down at the table, "Yeah I kinda knew that now. I thought it was not like you to act that way; to always have some excuse. It felt like every time I needed you to just be there, you had somewhere else to be."
"Well, I also had a life, Joon. I wasn't going to put it on hold indefinitely waiting for you to have room for me in yours," you said, giving him a small smile.
"I know," he said it so quietly you almost missed it, "I know that now."
"What has changed? How do you realise it now but not then?" you asked curiously.
He thought about the question longer than you expected to.
"Time, I guess, and distance too. Sometimes you just start seeing things clearer once you're not standing so close to the person you hurt anymore," he said as he turned his glass slowly on the table, watching the liquid move around, "I spent a long time telling myself the story where I was the one who tried harder, it was just easier that way. Easier to be the guy who got left than the guy who let something special slip out of his life because he was too busy chasing something else. But now, I don't think you were as absent as I made you out to be in my head and I don't think I was as present and innocent as I told myself I was, either."
You thought about what he said for a moment, surprised by how open Namjoon was to you. This was the Namjoon you knew the first two years of the relationship, the only difference is that he did seem a lot more mature now.
"I’m sorry about the co-worker thing. I really didn’t have the right to tell you what he was going through. I was the only person in his life who knew. He is now married to his husband and has moved out of the country. He’s happier and we’re best of friends now. I don’t think he would have made it out alive if I wasn’t there for him. I just couldn’t tell you then.." you said.
“Yeah.. I should have trusted you more,” Namjoon said.
“And I should have convinced you harder,” you admitted.
“I’m sorry about the Sana thing, I never wanted to be that guy but I did it out of anger and spite.. I’m really embarrassed of myself to this day that it ever happened.”
“Yeah, I figured you did it just to rile me up. You were never the type to do something like that,” you said, before taking another sip of the glass of alcohol in your hands, "Do you regret it?" you asked, "us breaking up, I mean."
Namjoon didn’t have to think about the answer because he has thought about it ever since the two of you were broken up, "No," he said, before adding, "I don't think I do. I think we would've just kept hurting each other even more. I understand why it happened. I get it now, in a way I didn't back then."
"Yeah," you replied, agreeing with him, "me too."
Namjoon poured another round of drinks and the two of you drank slower this time as the conversation drifted somewhere different. The old memories neither of you meant to bring up, the trip you two had to LA, Tokyo, and Singapore, the time the two of got lost trying to find a bookstore that turned out to be permanently closed, the time where you tried teaching him how to drive only for him to hit someone’s bins, the stories of your families and friends that the two of you have missed, the new music you both listen to, and the ugly ceramic bowl with the crack near the rim that you still refused to throw away.
"You still have that bowl?" he asked, surprised.
"It's a favorite bowl of mine, do you think I would just throw it away?" you said with a smile on your face.
"It's an ugly bowl, and you know how I appreciate artists more than anyone you know, but that bowl is just something else that I cannot even defend," Namjoon said.
"It's an ugly bowl I like," you said, defending yourself and the artist.
The two of you laughed, and the conversation drifted from the ugly bowl to the artists and writers you had both been following lately. Namjoon told you about an exhibition he wanted to see but never found the time for, while you complained about a novelist whose latest book disappointed you after years of being your favourite. For a while, it was easy.
"Can I ask you something?" he said after the two of you just finished debating whether J.K. Rowling would ever write anything that could surpass Harry Potter. "Did you see anyone else? After we broke up?"
“I went out with a few but only dated one guy for about eight months. He was.. " you paused, searching for the right word to describe your other ex, "easy. As in everything was just so easy with him."
“That sounds nice,” Namjoon said, though the slight tightening of his jaw betrayed the jealousy he was trying to hide.
"It was boring," you admitted, surprising yourself with how honest you were to him, "I hated how easy it was. I kept waiting for it to feel like something and it never did. I think I broke up with him because I just missed having something to fight for."
"I think about that sometimes," he said, "whether we would've been better off if it had been easy between us. But then maybe having it easy is just not what we were built for."
"Maybe not," you said, before adding, "maybe we were always going to be difficult. I just wish we had gone through the difficult times together instead of being difficult at each other."
"Yeah," he said quietly, agreeing with you, “me too."
By the fourth glass, or maybe the fifth, you really have lost count, the bitterness in the air shifted into something closer to the version of the two of you that used to sit and talk all night long.
"I missed this," he said, and then, drunk Namjoon, without him probably realising it, confessed, "I have missed you ever since."
You went very still in your seat. Namjoon didn't seem to notice what he just said. His eyes were already heavy, glass tipping slightly in his hand, and the soju and the exhaustion of four bitter days have finally caught up to him all at once.
"Joon," you said softly and when you looked over at him, you found him slumped slightly against his chair with his eyes closed.
You sat there for a while, still with a glass in hand, looking at him in the dim light of the kitchen, "Me too," you whispered to no one, to Namjoon who passed out in front of you, "Me too, Joon."
You got a blanket from his room and draped it over him where he was sitting and sleeping, careful not to wake him up.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
Namjoon woke up the next day in the kitchen with a headache and a blanket he didn't remember getting, and the dread of a man who knew he said something the night before but couldn’t fully remember what. Namjoon got off the chair, folded the blanket, and went looking for you.
You weren’t in the kitchen, and the door to your room was open with your bed already made. He panicked at first, wondering if you had left. But he continued searching for you and he finally found you in the backyard under the persimmon tree, sitting on a stool, with a book open in your lap.
Namjoon walked over to you with his hands in his pockets, "Good choice of book," he said, nodding at the book.
You looked up at him and gave him a small smile before saying, "Thank you."
Namjoon chuckled and let the silence sit for a second before he said, "I'll be checking out early at 4 AM tomorrow."
"I’ll be checking out tomorrow as well," you said looking at him.
"Alright," he nodded, “it's been nice seeing you, ____."
You laughed at him before saying, "Crazy how one night could change the first four days huh? But yes, it’s been nice seeing you too, Joonie.”
Namjoon reached his hand out before he could think better of it and ruffled your hair, the way he used to and you let him.
Then Namjoon walked back towards the hanok, and you watched him go until the sliding door clicked shut behind him.
You just sat there a while longer under the tree, some fruit were starting to drop around you, one by one, and you could hear the soft thuds against the ground.
You weren’t sad, because you knew the past few days had only been an accidental closure for the two of you.
And it was never meant to be anything more than that.
♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡
Three Months Later - Seoul International Airport, 11:47 AM
South Korea was not small enough for this to not be fate.
A country with millions of people, and somehow it kept finding ways to place the one person you had tried hardest to forget directly in front of you.
You had stopped thinking about Andong. At least, that was what you kept telling yourself. Six bitter days and one drunken confession had not undone everything that happened between the two of you. But they had changed something; how you see Namjoon, and how he sees you.
You saw him before he noticed you were there.
Namjoon was standing by the magazine rack, with sunglasses pushed up into his hair, flipping through something he clearly wasn't reading. He looked good and you hated that you noticed.
Just as you considered turning away, Namjoon looked up from the magazine, and your eyes met. The moment Namjoon saw you, everything in him went still as if time had stopped.
After that night where he drank soju with you, he told himself that Andong had given both of you what you needed: an ending that did not involve slammed doors, unread messages, or either of you pretending not to care. The stay in Andong gave the two of you closure and that was what it had been.
Namjoon left at four in the morning exactly as he said he would. What you didn’t know was that he had stood outside your door for longer than he cared to admit, his hand hovering near the wooden door, before deciding against knocking. You both already said what needed to be said and anything more than that would have been selfish of him.
So Namjoon left.
But, you didn’t know that Namjoon had convinced himself that if it was meant to be, if the universe really wanted the two of you to try again, then Namjoon will be seeing you again.
And now you were there.
Standing right in front of him with your handbag over one shoulder and your other hand on the handle of your carry-on luggage, looking just as startled as he felt.
For one second, Namjoon wondered whether he had imagined you. Whether the lack of sleep, the long flights, and the stupid hope he carried with him since Andong had finally caught up with him.
Then you shifted on your feet, your fingers tightening around the strap of your bag the way they always did when you were nervous and did not know what to say, only then Namjoon realised you were real.
Namjoon put the magazine back on the rack, though he had no idea which rack it belonged to. The airport was still moving around the two of you, you could hear the suitcases rolling over the floor, the announcements over the speakers, and people rushing into their gates, but it all sounded far away to the both of you.
Namjoon spent three months telling himself that, if he ever saw you again, he would not waste it.
So he stepped away from the magazine rack and walked closer to where you were standing.
“Hi,” Namjoon greeted, his dimples appearing as he smiled fondly at you.
You gave him a small smile back before answering, “Hi.”
"You look good," he said.
"So do you," you answered, letting out a small laugh.
“Are you leaving somewhere?” Namjoon asked, still smiling at you.
“Yeah, I have a flight in..” you checked your phone to see the time before saying, “in about an hour.”
Namjoon nodded, his eyes dropping briefly to the carry-on luggage you had with you before staring back into your eyes, “Then I guess I caught you at the right time,” he said.
You frowned slightly at him, not understanding what he meant, “The right time for what exactly?”
“For coffee,” he said, “before your flight.”
You glanced at the departure board, then back at him, “One coffee,” you said, saying yes to his invitation, “that’s all I have time for.”
The airport cafe was crowded and loud, which didn’t influence how easily the conversation flowed. You talked about the ordinary things at first; work, travel, mutual friends, the books you had both been reading. Namjoon told you about a museum exhibition he was preparing for, and you complained about a project at work that had been taking up too much of your time.
It was strange how natural it still felt. And by the time your boarding call appeared on the screen, both coffees had gone cold.
Namjoon walked with you towards your gate, neither of you mentioning how none of really wanted the conversation to end.
"Text me when you land," he said.
You looked at him, all confused before saying, "You don't have my number anymore."
"Well, I could get it."
"You could," you said, smiling as you pulled out your phone and giving him your phone number.
And then, just like that, the two of you had to part ways. You walked towards security while Namjoon walked towards his gate, glancing back to each other more than either of you would admit.
You were two people who once tried to be everything to each other, failed and even hated each other for it.
But somehow, years later, after spending an accidental few days together in Andong, you two found something worth sitting down and trying for.
The world, it seemed, was not quite done proving that sometimes the right person only made sense once you both found yourselves in the right place and right time.
Synopsis: Christian Yu, or better known as the workaholic DPR IAN, and you are in a situationship only prevented from being more due to his heavy workload, otherwise, you two absolutely adore each other. Now with the first portion of his tour handled, he's more than ready to give you the attention you've both been needing.
Content Warning: Smut, pet names (Darling, Princess, Baby), LOTS of preface, L-bomb (More on the sweet side, curse my Asexuality), light fingering, nibbling, marking, nipples (lightly mentioned), open-ended.
Ngl, was supposed to have more smut but I got writer's block bad and I just want to throw this out into the world already. BE FREE!
Networks: @othersideoutlawsnetwork
Part 2 Continued: Here
It had been a short while since the last time Christian had toured, and yet, so much has changed since then. Even though you hadn’t the chance to be by his side back then, you were proud to be here for him now.
Your relationship had been kept a secret and held a bit ambiguous for some time but everyone on the team knew something was going on between you two. All the times you left his recording studio looking more disheveled than the last, but the rumors still held true. The only thing Christian loved more than your body under his was the art he was creating day in and day out.
Even while you’d wished for your relationship to become something more, you continued to sit back, silently admiring his sleepless nights. You lived for the odd hours he’d wake you with a gentle caress of your face, happily presenting the 4-5 samples he’d created over the last hour you’d been asleep. Being woken by him was always a treat in itself though his diligence not only shone in his work but in the way he’d treated you as well. He was always certain to reward you for your patience and that was more than enough for you.
The coming days of the Seoul concert were busier than ever. You’d honestly expected he’d disappear off into his own world so you were surprised when he brought over matching luggage cases and invited you along to South Korea with him. Even though you’d only be able to stay in his Seoul apartment while he worked, it was a refreshing change of scenery and felt like a good use of your vacation time. You cozied up in his bed with a book or two and a bit of tea, staying up a little late into the nights just to see him back safe and sound.
Everyone knew the first day of the concert would be hectic and you stayed behind then as well. Despite the way he returned, stumbling into the apartment worn and exhausted, his eyes lit up telling you every little detail, and how much it warmed his heart getting to see "the lovely Dreamers" once again. In a moment, he clutched your hands in his and he begged you ever-so sweetly to tag along for his second performance the following day. Despite your initial hesitance toward the potential of being spotted, you agreed under the condition of staying in a secluded backstage waiting room.
Now here you are, as you promised you would be. A silent room with a few snacks and beverages, a couch, a chair, and the greyest walls imaginable. It was moments like this that made you wonder if it was really okay to continue living this way. You opened your phone for the Nth time, only to see fancam after fancam of his performances taking over your social feeds. A lighthearted sigh leaves your lips when you see him tying a bow on his head. “He’s so precious, of course this was all worth it”.
As the words leave your lips, you hear a light knock on the door. You eagerly sit up, a twinkle in your eyes. “Yeah?~” The door creaks open with Christian peeking in before sneaking in and closing the door shut behind him. You make your way up and both run into each other's arms once again. “Darling, it must get tiring to always be waiting on me like this but I can promise you…” he leans in, tucking your hair behind your ear to softly whisper against it “I’ve been waiting to get to you just as much as you’ve waited on me”. As each word gently falls upon you, your senses become enveloped by him.
The softness of his words tickling your ears.
The way his body fits perfectly against yours.
The scent of his sweat infused with the woody cologne he’d put on before the performance.
The sight of his stage makeup drying after running down his face.
By all means, he should be exhausted like any other day but the twinkle in his eyes as he looks down at you says everything you’d needed to hear.
In a moment, your lips are on his, your fingertips tracing up his shoulders to the dampened back of his neck. He gently caresses the small of your back as you exchange feelings for each other with actions alone. Between the heavenly plush of his lips, the delicateness of your tongues just barely swiping between desperate kisses, and warmth of your breaths colliding, what was meant to be a moment of understanding was rapidly spiraling into a deep, familiar desire.
A breathy moan escapes your lips and he takes it as an opportunity to graze your tongue with his. As quickly as you get a taste, his mouth leave yours and relocates to the base of your neck, one hand reaching up, tangling into your hair as he ever so softly marks you. “You taste delicious, Darling. I'm so lucky to have all this right here, waiting just for me". He guides you back against the arm of the couch and mumbles against your skin "Now, let me show you proper just how I appreciate you".
With a small whine of acceptance leaving your lips, he guides you to lean back, his hand giving your thigh a squeeze, thumb rubbing at the soft plush. He presses kisses down your chest, only stopping to mouth over the peak of your nipple clearly protruding beneath your thin t-shirt.
You loved the way it felt how he touched you, the butterflies in your stomach when he'd give in and spoil you with endless affection. But as his hand crept up your thigh, so had the worries deep in the pit of your stomach. "Christian..." you held his hand in place, causing him to look up to you once again. "What is it, Darling? Is something wrong?"
You swallowed hard and stayed quiet a moment before responding, averting his gaze. "I don't love the way things are ambiguous between us. Sometimes... I wish..." your words trail off.
"I love you, y/n. No doubt about that in my heart" he softly caresses your face. "You've stayed beside me through my best and worst days, you've held on through my busiest months and have been the anchor and breath of fresh air I needed in the times between. If 'official' is what you want, I'm more than ready to give it to you."
Your eyes widened, "Do... do you really mean it?" you say in a near to hushed whisper. He kisses you softly, slowly deepening the kiss, one arm snaking around you before leaning back to whisper against your lips. "More than anything, Princess. If it helps..." his free hand rides the rest of the way up your thigh, rubbing your heat through your leggings, a finger slipping between your folds "you can be as loud as you'd like now and we'll explain it all later."
Your breath hikes in a damn near squeak, only needing to see you eagerly nodding before he returns to ravaging your mouth once again. A second finger slipping between and you'd swear on your life the next day if asked that his fingers had never felt thicker. He nibbles your lip as his finger teases your entrance through the leggings. You give a small yelp, to which he kisses your lip all better.
"Don't get shy on me now, Baby. Lets lay you down this couch and I'll give you good reason to be loud."
The lingering time between then and the couch is spent up in a blind tango, your lips endlessly caressing each other's. Even as he sits you down and leans you back, his body only casts over yours the whole while. You pull him down closer by the loose hanging fabric of his shirt, yearning for him more desperately.
"Is my pretty girl already so needy? Well Darling, I'm more than happy to oblige." He props himself up on one arm, looking deep into your impatient doe eyes. His free hand brushes between your thighs, taking in the sight of you trembling with your breathy, half-lidded gaze. His fingers brush past your clothed core before snaking their way down your waistband and teasing your dampened folds. Your hips buck up for more but he raises his fingers away, kissing you deeply as he settles your hips back down.
"ah ah~, no moving for you, Darling..." he leans and whispers deeply "I've got you."
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Summary: After finally opening up to your boyfriend Jung Kook about a painful past, you're gently shown what intimacy is supposed to feel like — safe, chosen, and full of love.
Word Count: ~ 3,320
Genre: Fluff, Smut (Adults Only)
Warning: Mentions of past non-consensual sex. Nothing graphic or descriptive, but it may be triggering to some.
The movie had long since ended, the credits rolling silently across the dark television screen, but neither of you had moved. You were tucked into the corner of Jung Kook's couch, legs folded beneath you, his arm draped warm and easy over your shoulders. He smelled like cedar wood and something sweet — the dessert you'd shared at the restaurant earlier — and you had tipped your head just slightly toward him without meaning to.
This was the thing about Jung Kook. He made leaning in feel effortless.
He noticed, the way he always noticed everything about you, and he pressed his lips to your temple first. Soft. Testing the air between you. When you turned your face up toward his, he kissed you gently, his free hand coming to rest against your jaw, tilting you toward him like you were something he was afraid to spill.
You kissed him back. You always kissed him back — that part was never the problem.
His mouth moved from yours, slowly, down to your neck. You exhaled, your fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. He knew exactly what that did to you. He had learned you the way someone learns a language they intend to speak for the rest of their life — carefully, attentively, with patience that sometimes made your chest ache.
"Jung Kook," you whispered, not in protest. Not yet.
His lips curved against your skin. His hand, which had been resting at your waist, began to drift — fingers brushing upward, just beneath the hem of your shirt, warm against your skin.
And there it was.
"Wait." Your hand came down over his, gentle but firm. "Wait, I'm sorry."
He stilled immediately. Pulled back to look at you, his dark eyes searching your face without a trace of anger — just questions he didn't know how to ask.
"It's okay," you said quickly, hating yourself for the apology already forming. "I'm sorry, I just—"
"Don't apologize." His voice was quiet. He sat up slightly, giving you space. His hand withdrew. "You never have to apologize for that."
But there was something underneath the steadiness of his voice. You knew him too well not to hear it.
He sat with it for a moment. Then he exhaled through his nose, and you watched something move across his face — not anger, but a kind of quiet hurt he was trying to put somewhere it wouldn't show.
"I'm going to go to bed," he said. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to your forehead, so tenderly it made your throat tighten. "You know where everything is. Come whenever you're ready."
He started to rise.
"Jung Kook, wait."
Your hand found his before you'd made the decision to reach for him. He stopped, looked down at your fingers wrapped around his, then back up at your face.
"Sit back down," you said. "Please."
He sat.
You looked at your lap. You had rehearsed this moment approximately a hundred times in your head over the past several months — in the shower, on your commute, staring at the ceiling at two in the morning — and now every version of it had evaporated completely.
"I want to tell you something," you said. "I've been trying to tell you for a while, but I don't really know how."
"Okay," he said. Just that. Okay. His hand turned over beneath yours, palm up, and you took it.
But the words wouldn't come. They sat in your chest like stones, and the longer you searched for them the heavier they got, until your eyes burned and the first tear fell before you even felt it coming.
You heard him make a sound — soft, almost pained — and then his arms were around you.
"Hey," he murmured into your hair. "Hey, I've got you. Take your time."
You had never cried in front of your boyfriend before. You were, by almost every account, a happy person — bright, he always said, like you carried your own light source somewhere inside you. You laughed easily and often and filled up every room you walked into without trying. He had told you once, early on, that you were the most effortlessly joyful person he had ever met, and you had smiled and thanked him and said nothing about the thing you kept locked up somewhere beneath all of that joy.
But now he was holding you while you cried, and his thumb was moving in slow circles against your hand, and he said nothing — just waited, steady as ground beneath your feet.
"My first time," you finally said. Your voice came out smaller than you intended. "The first time I was ever with someone — it wasn't something I chose."
The circles his thumb made slowed, then stopped.
"I didn't want it to happen," you said. "And it happened anyway. And I know that was a long time ago, and I know I'm — I'm fine, I really am fine, I just—" Your voice broke on the last word. "Every time you touch me I want to let you. I really want to. But something in me just—"
"Shh." He pulled you closer. His lips were against your hair. "You don't have to explain it. You don't owe me an explanation."
"I wanted you to understand."
"I do," he said. "I understand."
You stayed like that for a long time. His heartbeat was slow and even beneath your cheek, and gradually, incrementally, the tightness in your chest began to loosen.
"I'm sorry," he said eventually, quietly, "that I ever made you feel pressured. Even for a second."
"You didn't—"
"I did. Tonight I did. I wasn't angry, but I let you see that I was hurt, and that wasn't fair." He pressed his lips to the top of your head. "I'm sorry."
You shook your head against his chest. "You couldn't have known."
"No," he agreed. "But I know now."
You slept in his bed that night, curled against his side, his arm around you and your hand resting flat over his heart. He stayed awake long after your breathing had evened out and deepened, watching the ceiling, listening to the quiet of his apartment.
He had always thought of himself as a patient man. He had never, not once, resented you for the way you pulled back — not really. But he understood now that he had carried a small and selfish confusion about it, tucked away where he hoped you wouldn't see it.
He understood now.
The anger came quietly, the way certain feelings do — not a flash, but a slow, rising heat in his chest that he had to consciously breathe through. The idea of someone doing that to you. To you, specifically — someone so open and warm and full of light, someone who laughed with her whole face and got excited about small beautiful things, someone who had never, in all the time he had known her, shown him a single reason to be anything other than gentle.
He pushed the anger down. Carefully, deliberately, the way you'd cap something flammable.
He turned his head and looked at you. The shadows of the room softened everything, and you were peaceful in a way that felt almost sacred.
What you need, he thought, is to feel safe. To feel chosen. To feel like your body belongs to you.
He could give you that.
He pressed one slow kiss to your hair.
He already knew what he was going to do.
You were in his kitchen Friday evening, reaching into his cabinet for glasses, when you heard the door.
"Don't turn around yet," he said immediately.
"What?"
"Just — give me a second."
You heard the rustle of bags, the soft knock of something being set on the counter, and then: "Okay."
You turned around.
He was holding a bouquet — cream and blush roses wrapped in brown paper — and there was a paper grocery bag on the counter behind him, a baguette sticking out the top at a cheerful angle. He was still in his jacket, slightly windswept, and he was watching you with an expression you didn't quite have a word for.
"What is all this?" you asked.
"A do-over," he said simply.
You blinked.
He set the flowers down and stepped toward you, taking your hands in both of his. "That first time — it doesn't count. It was never yours. You didn't choose it, so it doesn't belong to you." His voice was even, but there was something fierce and tender running underneath it. "In my mind, you've never been with anyone before. And tonight, if you want — only if you want — I'd like to be your first time." He squeezed your hands. "The real one. The one you actually get to keep."
Your vision blurred before you could stop it.
"I brought pasta," he added, softer now, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "And wine, you know? Because you deserve the whole thing."
You let out a sound that was almost a laugh, almost a sob, and then you stepped forward and wrapped your arms around him, and he held you tight and sure with his chin resting on top of your head.
"I love you," you said into his chest.
"I love you too," he said. "Let's cook."
He was a good cook — admittedly better than you — but he insisted on giving you tasks anyway, because he knew you liked to feel helpful. You were stationed at the stove, stirring the sauce, when he came up behind you.
His hands found your waist. Unhurried, certain. He swayed you gently, just a little, and then his lips found the side of your neck — that spot he knew, the one that made your thoughts scatter.
"Kookie," you said softly, his nickname falling from your lips before you thought about it — the one you'd called him since the early weeks, when you had learned that you were with someone unapologetically and delightfully playful.
He huffed a quiet laugh against your skin, his fingers dipping just slightly beneath the hem of your shirt to rest warm at your waist. "It's just us tonight," he murmured. "No need to be shy."
Your grip on the spoon tightened a little, but you smiled.
Dinner was easy, the way evenings with him always were. You told him about your work project — the difficult client, the breakthrough you'd had that afternoon — and about the text your best friend had sent you that had made you laugh on the subway, and about the new coffee you'd tried that morning that had tasted surprisingly and delightfully of caramel.
He listened to all of it. Watched you talk with his chin resting in one hand, wineglass at his elbow, and said nothing for long enough that you caught yourself mid-sentence.
"What?" you said.
"Nothing," he said. "You just — the way you talk about things. I love it."
You felt heat climb your cheeks. "I'm rambling."
"I know," he said. "I like it."
He refilled your glass. Under the table, his foot found yours.
He ran the bath while you leaned against the doorframe, watching. He moved with a kind of easy domesticity that you had always loved about him — unhurried, comfortable, like he had all the time in the world. He tipped a small measure of bubble bath beneath the tap and the water went warm and foamy.
When he straightened, he looked at you.
"We don't have to," he said. "We can stop anywhere. At any point. For any reason."
"I know," you said. "I don't want to stop."
He nodded. Then he reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it off, and reached for his belt, and a moment later he was standing in just his boxers, and you were reminded — not for the first time, but in a way that hit differently now — that Jung Kook was extraordinarily beautiful.
He had the kind of body that came from discipline, lean and carved and golden-toned, and there was the ink at his arms and hands that you had always found unbearably attractive, delicate and dark against his skin. He saw you looking and didn't smirk about it, which somehow made it worse.
"You can touch me," he said quietly. "Whenever you want. I'm yours."
You crossed the small distance between you and placed your hand flat against his chest. You felt his heartbeat — faster than his face let on. He stood completely still and let you feel him, your palm moving slowly, and when you finally looked up he was watching you with an expression so open it was almost hard to look at directly.
He kissed you slowly. Then he pulled back.
"Can I unbutton your top?"
You nodded.
He held your eyes as his fingers worked the buttons, one by one, and let the fabric slip from your shoulders. His gaze dropped, briefly and with reverence, and then back to your face.
You reached for your jeans. He waited.
After a little more time — more kissing, his forehead against yours, your hand still resting over his heart — he reached around you. You felt the clasp of your bra give way.
Instinctively, your arms crossed over your chest. He didn't move, didn't rush you.
"It's just me," he murmured. "You're safe. Will you let me see you?"
Slowly, you let your arms fall.
He looked at you. His expression was something you had never seen on a person's face before — something that managed to be both wanting and reverent at once, like you were precious and he knew it.
"You're perfect," he said. It came out low and genuine, nothing performative about it. "You know that?"
He helped you out of the rest, and then he stepped out of his own boxers, and you looked — of course you looked — and he was already half-hard and the sight of him made something warm pull low in your stomach. He caught your eye and the corner of his mouth curved.
"You can touch me there too," he said. "Later."
You laughed despite yourself, and the nervousness broke open into something easier.
He stepped into the tub first, then offered you his hand, and you stepped in after him and settled back between his legs, his arms coming around you from behind, the bubbles rising soft and white around you both, and the rest of the world disappeared.
His hands moved slowly. He touched your sides first, your stomach, learning you without urgency. When he brought his hands up to your breasts you felt your breath change, your head falling back against his shoulder.
He was careful. Attentive. He paid attention to every sound you made, every shift of your body.
"Is that good, baby?" he murmured against your ear.
"Yes," you breathed.
"Good." His lips brushed the shell of your ear. "Just feel it."
One hand drifted lower, dipping between your thighs. Your breath caught.
"Just me," he said softly. "It's just a new feeling. Keep breathing."
He talked you through it — quietly, steadily, his voice low in your ear like a compass bearing. He told you what he was doing, peppering it with sweet praises that made every touch feel even more personal, and when you moaned softly he made a low, pleased sound of his own that sent heat flooding through you.
When you finally came apart it was with a gasp and a helpless whine, your hand gripping his forearm, his lips against your temple, his voice saying there you go, I've got you, you're so beautiful like this — and he held you through every second of it until you went soft and breathless against him.
"Jung Kook," you managed.
"I know," he said warmly, pressing his lips to your hair. "I know."
In the bedroom he laid you back against his pillow and looked at you — the way your hair fanned out around your face — and shook his head slowly, something wondering in his expression.
"Angel," he said quietly. Like it just came out.
He kissed you everywhere. Your throat, your collarbones, the soft skin of your stomach, the inside of your knee. When he got to your toes you shrieked in laughter and he grinned — full and bright, the boyish smile you knew so well — and you giggled until he carefully, deliberately brought your legs back down and opened them, and then the giggles faded into something else entirely.
"Can I?" he asked, and you nodded. When his mouth found your center, your hand went immediately into his dark hair and you gasped his name.
He was thorough. Devoted, even. He held you down with gentle, firm hands and took his time, and when you came again it was harder than the first, your thighs trembling around his shoulders, his name a broken syllable on your lips.
Afterward he pressed a kiss to the inside of your thigh, then looked up at you.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I'm — yes." You laughed, a little dazed. "I'm very okay. But I don't want to stop."
He tilted his head. "Yeah?"
"I want you," you said. "All of you."
He moved up your body and settled over you, and you watched his face as he positioned himself. He was watching yours, and you felt the first gentle pressure of him, and you held his gaze.
"Tell me if you want to stop," he said. "Promise me."
"I promise."
He was slow. Patient beyond what you deserved, you thought — though he would have argued that you deserved everything. He gave you time to adjust, watching your face for any shadow of discomfort, and when you exhaled and nodded he moved again.
Perfect, he thought, in a language deeper than words. She fits like she was made for me.
He looked down at you. Your lips were parted, your eyes half-lidded and soft, your hair spread around you, and you were looking up at him like something he would carry with him for the rest of his life.
He leaned down, braced his forearms beside your head, and kissed you.
"You feel incredible," he murmured against your mouth.
"So do you," you whispered back.
He felt your legs wrap around him, pulling him closer. He moved steadily, carefully, watching you — the way your eyes fluttered, the soft sounds you made against his throat, the way your hands moved over his back like you were trying to memorize him, and scratched his skin gently, like you were claiming him.
"Does it feel good?" he breathed.
"Yes," you said. "Yes, Koo — I love you, I love you—"
"I love you too, baby," he said, low and certain. "So fucking much."
He was close. He started to shift, to slip out, but your hand came up to his jaw.
"Stay," you said. Your eyes found his. "I want to feel close to you. I want all of you."
The air between you went still.
He looked at you for one long moment — at your eyes, your flushed skin, the trust written plainly across your face — and something in his chest cracked open into warmth.
"You have me," he said. "All of me. Always."
He kept his eyes on yours until the end, until he buried his face in your neck and breathed your name and finished with a low, broken sound, and you held him close through every aftershock, your hands in his hair, his lips moving against your skin.
The room settled into quiet.
He didn't move for a long moment. Just breathed. Just held you.
Eventually he shifted, gathered you into his side, and pressed his lips to your forehead.
"How do you feel?" he asked softly.
You considered this honestly. Warm. Heavy in the best way. A pleasant ache you'd never felt before. And underneath it all — beneath the tiredness and the new and tender feelings — something that felt remarkably like being home.
"I wouldn't change anything," you said. "Not a single second of tonight."
He exhaled slowly.
"Thank you," you said. "For all of it. For being so—"
"Don't thank me." He tilted your chin up gently. "Thank you. For letting me in." A beat. "Both ways."
You laughed softly, burying your face against his chest.
He pressed his lips to the top of your head, and you felt him smile against your hair.
"Also," he said, the warmth in his voice edged now with amusement, "I hope you know what you've done. I'm not going to be able to keep my hands off you now. You've ruined me."
"Good," you mumbled, half asleep already.
He laughed — low and quiet, just for you — and pulled you closer.
I have never, he thought, watching the ceiling, listening to your breathing slow, been more in love with a woman in my entire life.
He closed his eyes.
For the first time in a long time, the night was simply peaceful.