#dk au

your eyes opened with a comforting arm resting over your torso. it took a moment before the blurriness from your eyes faded away. you turned your head to look at the clock behind you.

02:35.

you turned your head back to see your boyfriend, seokmin, sleeping soundly. for a moment, he looked like a baby golden retriever taking a nap. you smiled at the sight of how he was wrapped around you, feeling the warmth of his body against yours. you tried to go back to sleep, closing your eyes to drift back to slumber.

you opened your eyes again, and turned your head again, looking at the clock for the time again.

02:41.

how have you woken up twice already? you tried again.

02:43.

and again.

02:44.

you sighed. sleep— was definitely not coming to you tonight. instead, it was starting to get on your nerves. you stared at the ceiling, blinking a few times to make sure you weren’t just in a crazy time loop of a dream.

it wasn’t.

you sighed again and looked at your boyfriend that was now sleeping in a fetal position, still faced towards you. now he really looks like a baby. that somehow got you to soften up.

you turned your body towards the window, looking up towards the night sky. you thought, maybe you should take a breather outside, since you really couldn't sleep.

you gently lifted yourself off the bed, carefully making sure you didn't disturb seokmin's beauty sleep. you made sure he was warmly wrapped in the blanket that was covering the both of you moments ago. you slowly slid open the glass door to the balcony and sat on the floor, looking up into the sky.

the dark sky with hints of dark blue and grey, lit up with tiny specks of light. stars. a few planets scattered here and there. in your head, you were thinking which of the few planets it could be. venus? saturn? jupiter? the moon was almost completely dark too, with just a little sliver of light at the bottom of the circle.

"a crescent, huh?" you whispered.

you consciously stared at the brightest star, thinking of how much longer until it stopped shining like that. maybe it was at its peak? had it just started living? or perhaps it was about to die out?

it wasn't long until you heard a voice behind you.

"baby?"

you snapped out of your daze and flicked your head to the direction of the voice. your eyes landed on a sleepy seokmin sat up on the bed, fingers rubbing his tired eyes. you could almost see question marks float around him as he looked at you, seemingly growing in concern.

"i'm sorry baby, did i wake you up?" you softly questioned.

you were sure he was sound asleep before you got up.

"no, i just woke up. can't sleep?" he tilted his head in the slightest bit in reaction to you, being displaced from the bed.

"yeah. i'm just looking at stars, seok."

he got off the bed, pulling the blanket along to cover both of you as he sat down next to you.

"ooh! okay tell me what you've seen so far, i wanna know what you think about today's painting!"

his eyes lit up, watching you in anticipation for your debrief from your observations so far. you softly giggled to yourself, thinking about all the times he called the night sky a new painting.

"if you think about it, every time you look at the sky, its a new arrangement of the stars and planets, and the moon is never the same either! wouldn't that be a new sight every time?"

you noticed the clock from the corner of your eye. 02:47.

"okay seok, buckle up."

you start by pointing out the shapes the stars made when aligned together, moving your finger in the air, as if drawing on the night sky. the way his eyes followed your hand, occasionally shifting to look at your expression as you passionately explained the thoughts in your head, it said a lot about how he feels about you every day.

all of a sudden, you became aware of the warmth of him against your side, and you wrapped up in the warm blanket, and you noticed your heart suddenly beating a little faster. you also caught a glimpse of him being lost in your eyes.

you smiled and pulled on his cheek lovingly.

"ow!! what was that for!" he yelped.

you giggled and said, "you were looking at me so lovingly, were you even listening?"

“i was! to be fair, i do love you a lot!” he retorted, his lips pouting in accusation.

truth be told, you couldn't care less if he was listening or not, you just wanted to tease him, and you were grateful enough for his company. it also helped that he was the living embodiment of the emoji ":(" in that moment, and that made him seem even cuter at that point.

you talked more, as he made sure to pay close attention to your words, and as the night sky continued moving and getting brighter, you noticed his face getting sleepier by the minute, head resting on your shoulder.

"baby?" you whispered.

"mm?"

"have you ever wondered what happens to stars after they die?" you questioned.

that seemed to have woken him up a little.

"well, i think they explode and become something pretty, if i remember correctly..." he sat up and scratched his head, evidently trying to recall what he learnt from his physics classes when he was younger.

"supernovas? i think that's what they're called." he looked at you.

you paid attention to the small lesson he was giving, except with a tinge of warmth and a hint of a sleepy spell.

"i heard they're really bright!! and pretty!! and when i mean bright, i mean really, really, bright. like, brighter than that one!" he exclaimed, pointing at that bright star you were staring at earlier on.

"that's really nice, seok." you warmly replied, lying your head on his lap now.

"just like you."

"hm?" you widened your eyes, clearly taken aback by his sudden statement. that definitely took you by surprise.

"i'm saying, i think you're brighter than that star over there. just like a supernova, bright and pretty. just like you." he says, pinching your nose playfully.

time slowed down. his words felt like they were lined with so much meaning behind them, and the way his lingering stare looked into your soul, you thought that it was exactly what it felt like.

after a while, you found yourself wrapped up in his arms again in bed, and at least this time, you felt a lot warmer inside, definitely sleepier, and most definitely more loved than any person in the world.

you’ve always known there was something a little too dangerous about that smile.

the way it stretched so wide it looked like it could split clouds apart. the way it curved like joy itself had decided to settle on his face. the way it reached his eyes — those bright, crinkly crescents — and made you feel like everything in the world was okay. even if it wasn’t.

lee seokmin — dk — was sunshine bottled into a person. a human serotonin dispenser. an actual, walking, humming, giggling happiness. if joy was a person, it'd be him. and somehow, he never knew how much his smile knocked the breath out of you every. single. time.

you weren’t even sure when it started. when your heart started ithat fluttery-somersaulty nonsense just because he called your name. when your cheeks would blush rapidly, no matter how much you tried to hide it just because of a small compliment that everyone gave, and yet, it felt different. it was different. with him. you couldn't admit it just yet, but you were developing feelings. feelings more than just happiness. the feeling of wanting something more.

maybe it was the third time he brought you vitamin c packets, gently pressing them into your hand and saying, "you looked a bit gloomy today. can’t have my sunshine buddy catching clouds, you know?" or the time he made a ridiculous happy-face bento box just because he overheard you say you had a hard week. (plus the way he especially chopped up the vegetables in flower shapes--your favourite and how he didn't forget to bring an extra banana milk from that brand you always loved) , or the way he remembered the tiniest things about you — your favorite weather, your comfort snack, the exact way you liked your hot chocolate, even in summer.

or maybe — just maybe — you were always meant to fall for him. and maybe you already had, long before you realized it.

and now here you are.

on a stupidly sunny day. under a tree with leaves dancing in the breeze and shadows rippling like lace on the grass. with butterflies hosting a full-blown rave in your stomach. of course the weather was bright and cheery. it was always shining whenever dk was with you.

dk is standing in front of you — bright, curious, that damn smile already playing at the corners of his mouth. the sun warms your skin, making the colors of the world richer — brighter. like nature itself is rooting for this moment to happen. your heart is beating faster than your mind can figure out what's going on.

"are you okay?" he asks, tilting his head with that puppy-like concern. you swallow your words in a huge gulp. "you look like you just got possessed by a ghost with stage fright." he shoots you the widest grin of your life, and you can feel your heart beat with each passing moment, your cheeks already flushing against the warm sun that seemed to radiate a glow from him you could not quite describe. it was as if, he was recharged by being under the sun, because how did he look even cuter while smiling as the sun scorches the both of you alive?

oh darn that damn smile.

you laugh nervously, a hand flailing in vague explanation. "yeah… no—I mean yes. i’m okay. i just… need to say something. like, now. before i explode or spontaneously combust or start speaking in interpretive dance." you want to grimace for the words that are aimlessly spilling out of your mouth and you cringe. a little too obviously. he chuckles, eyes shining like sunlit soda bubbles. “that dramatic, huh?” another thud echoes loudly in your chest. you can't hold it in anymore. you take a breath that feels like you’re swallowing a whole bouquet of nerves. and then you just say it.

"seokmin, i, i uh, i like you. like… really like you. like heart-thumping, brain-melting, smile-cursing like you. like, if i see your gummy smile one more time, i might just ascend into a different realm.”

there’s a pause. a beat. a moment suspended in sparkly stillness.

you hold your breath, a million different thoughts already making their way to your mouth.

he blinks. once. twice. then his mouth drops open in the most cartoonish, adorable expression of surprise you’ve ever seen.

“you like me?!” he chirps, voice jumping a pitch. “wait. you like me? as in me-me? dk?! the guy who tripped over a balloon and cried watching a cartoon dolphin documentary last week?!" you nod, hiding your face (which is by now redder than the sun) in your hands. “…yes. that guy.”

he stares at you. and then —he explodes.

“oh. my. gosh.” his whole body jolts like a firework just went off in his heart. “i can’t believe my crush likes me back!!!”

now, you blink.

“…wait. what?”

he grabs both your hands, eyes sparkling so hard it’s borderline dangerous. “i’ve had the biggest crush on you since forever!! every time i saw you, i thought, ‘how is it even legal for one person to be that cute and still walk around like a normal human?!’ but i thought you were way out of my league, like… star-level out of reach!” your brain crashes like a computer without enough battery. “me? out of your league? you are literally the sun with legs!”

“you are literally the reason i rehearse my best jokes in the mirror!” he fires back. “you’re the person i wanted to save all my best smiles for!” that’s it. you’re melting. your heart’s gone. you’re on the grass. dk is grinning at you like he’s watching confetti fall in slow motion, and you’re pretty sure that if the sun had a face, it would be jealous of his right now. he squeezes your hands gently, still laughing like a kid who just got the best surprise of their life. “hey,” he says quietly, voice softening just enough to make your heart do flips, “wanna go get ice cream? like, as a real date? i’ll even let you pick the flavor. even if it’s mint chocolate. i won’t judge. out loud.”

you laugh — loud, breathless, giddy — like the kind of laugh that’s been waiting its whole life to be set free. “okay,” you grin, heart threatening to fly out of your chest. “but i get two scoops.” he pulls you up gently, wrapping an arm around your shoulders as you walk side by side toward the ice cream stand down the street. the world feels softer here — like every color is a little brighter, every sound a little sweeter. “you know,” he says, nudging your shoulder playfully, “i think you just turned my whole day into a rom-com.” you roll your eyes but can’t help the huge smile spreading across your face. “yeah? well, it’s only fair. you’re basically the star.”

and as you lean your head on his shoulder, he leans down to kiss you, softly, a light, gentle touch that you eagerly return. the breeze plays with your hair, the sun kisses your cheeks, and the whole universe seems to hum with the same happiness that’s blossoming inside your chest.

You were seated cross legged next to Chan, a beer in your hand that surely had reached room temperature by now. Wonwoo was the one doing a dare for fifteen minutes, still counting. He had been dared to call his first girlfriend and tell her he wanted her back (which was absolutely infuriating and manipulative and horrible, but you were surrounded by a bunch of frat dudes who didn’t know boundaries) and she still hadn’t picked up. Why he kept on trying, you didn’t know. Perhaps he really wanted her back.

“Just leave a message, what the fuck,” you finally breathed out, face in a frown and the circle of dudes all turned to look at you. God damnit, why did their frat have to be the most unpopular on campus and why were you the only one feeling enough pity for them to actually come to their lame ass parties? 

“But then we won’t get to see her reaction!” Soonyoung protested, but you groaned and shook your head at him.

“Okay, and? I’m pretty positive she’ll call him back once she sees the thirty missed calls, Soon.” 

To that, none of them had a response. Soonyoung exchanged looks with Wonwoo and Seokmin, and finally decided to give in. Sighing in relief, you relaxed against the couch behind you, watching Wonwoo spin the bottle this time. It spun for a good thirteen seconds before it stopped - pointing at Seokmin. He, as confident as always, with a huge grin on his face said: “Dare!”

Maybe you should have seen it coming. The round had been going on for way too long for no one to be dared to kiss you - the only girl at this joke of a party. The thing was, Seokmin wasn’t ugly. More so the opposite. He could have been a campus heartthrob if only he hadn’t decided to join this fraternity. SVT was a sad example of how frats can become unpopular when they get led by the wrong people. And while Seungcheol, the leader since this semester, tried his very best to get their reputation up - it hadn’t worked just yet. So, yeah, Seokmin was handsome and buff and hot and all that. But he was Seokmin. He was silly and goofy and laughed a little too loud and always tried to cheer everyone up even when no one wanted him to. Thinking about it now, it did sound kind of nice of him. Still. Did you want to kiss him? Not really.

“I dare you to kiss Y/N! But not just a peck, like full on kiss kiss her!” Wonwoo grinned and your mouth dropped open.

“What the fuck is kiss kiss supposed to mean?!” You asked, and Wonwoo shrugged

“You’ll figure it out!”

Taking a deep breath, trying your hardest not to once again yell at the man with the round glasses on top of his nose, you finally looked at Seokmin, who’s eyes seemed to be just as wide as humanly possible. 

“D-Do you mind?” He stuttered out and because you weren’t a buzz kill, you shook your head and put your cup down, uncrossing your leg and instead crouching over to him. 

“Just kiss me and shut up,” you mumbled and Seokmin visibly swallowed, his eyes gazing from your eyes to your lips and then, finally, he leaned forward, pressing his mouth against yours. 

At first, you were confused. Because why the hell did his lips feel so soft? Never in your two years of knowing this man had you seen him use chapstick. Seokmin kissed the way he smiled. Warm. And sweet. And somehow better than anyone you had ever kissed. Almost automatically, your eyes fell shut and your hands landed on his cheeks as you slowly sat up, taking him with you. He kissed you deeper then, his hands on the small of your back and when he parted your lips with his own and let his tongue slide into your heat, you almost felt like moaning. It wasn’t necessarily because you were turned on but because he was just so good at this. 

“Okay, okay! Damn, get a room!” Chan had thrown his empty solo cup at your head and you had, with a strange sense of sadness in your heart, separated from Seokmin. Or at least your lips separated because your hands were still on his cheeks and his were still on your back. For a few seconds you just stared at each other, blinking away and then you were back on your place on the floor, head buzzing and heart thumping. 

What had just happened? Seokmin’s taste still lingered on your lips, on your tongue. It left you breathless, left your stomach doing flips over and over again and your brain yelling at you to kiss him again because, fuck, how long had it been since you’ve kissed someone and liked it? While the game continued, Seokmin now asking Chan a question after the youngest hast picker Truth over Dare. You allowed your eyes to flicker to Seokmin, seeing the red on his cheek and the way his lips were wet and- 

“Seokmin, I think you wanted to show me something in your room earlier.” 

The words left your mouth before your brain caught up. Chan, who had been in the middle of answering the question you hadn’t even heard, and everyone else in the circle, stared at you. God, you hoped Seokmin got the hint. If he didn’t, this could end up extremely awkward.

Seokmin was also looking at you, eyes back to being big and round and his mouth was hanging open slightly as he seemed to wreck his brain as to when he had said that. But when he saw the look in your eyes, saw the silent pleads, it clicked. His cheeks got even redder.

“O-Oh, yes! Yes, I did. Uhh, I think now is as good as ever to show you! S-sorry guys!”

It was safe to say none of the guys were mad once they caught on what was actually happening (it took them a good five minutes to count one and one together).

You were on top of Seokmin, straddling him, and your arms were locked around his neck while his rested on your back, his lips moving against yours so perfectly it felt like they were two puzzzle pieces designed to fit together. Kissing him was like tasting cotton candy for the first time, like going for a swim on an especially hot summer day. It felt right in all the ways a kiss could. You didn’t even care about the lack of him trying to touch you anywhere else than your back, just happy to feel his lips on yours and to have his tongue occasionally bump against yours. This wasn’t about initiating sex, no, this was something more and still less. Your fingers stroked the back of his head, felt the soft locks and when he giggled against your lips you almost melted. 

“I’m ticklish”, he explained then, the red back on his cheeks and you just nodded, kissing him again, hands moving to his face.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” you mumbled, pressing your lips together. He wrapped his arms around you fully now, hands on your shoulder, and you felt the safest you ever had in anyone’s arms. This was crazy. This was Seokmin. He wasn’t supposed to make you feel this way. You shoved the thought away. It didn’t matter that he was in a bitchless fraternity. From now on you could be his bitch. 

Suddenly, you felt hin smile against your lips and you parted from him even though you didn’t actually want to.

“What’s so funny?” You asked, kissing his cheek. Seokmin chuckled.

“I kind of wanted to kiss you since freshman year.”

“For real?!” Your eyes widened. He nodded.

“Yeah. But when I entered SVT I kind of figured it probably wouldn’t happen.”

“Guess you figured wrong.” The smile on your lips was sincere and you let your hands rest on the sides of his face again. Seokmin smiled warmly, just like he always did.

“I guess so.”