#ficscafe

b ⤖ beginning (what would he be like as a bsf; how would the friendship start?)

imagine bumping into him at a cozy café, both reaching for the same book on the shelf his dry wit and unexpected humor would draw you in

you'd find yourselves talking for hours, discovering a shared passion for music, art, or maybe even the quiet beauty of a snowy day.

c ⤖ cuddles (does he like to cuddle; how would he cuddle?)

oh, he absolutely loves to cuddle. picture this: a rainy sunday afternoon, soft blankets, and sunghoon holding you close, his chin resting on your head as you both get lost in a movie.

he'd be the perfect big spoon, his embrace a safe haven where you can let go of all your worries.

d ⤖ domestic (does he want to settle down; how good is he at cooking and cleaning?)

while he thrives in the spotlight, a part of him longs for the quiet comfort of a home with you.

he'd be surprisingly good at keeping things tidy, maybe even a bit of a neat freak.

cooking might be a learning curve, but he'd be eager to try new recipes with you, turning kitchen mishaps into laughter-filled memories.

e ⤖ ending (if he had to break up with you; how would he do it?)

breaking up would be his absolute last resort.

if it came to that, he'd do it with the utmost respect and honesty.

he'd choose a quiet place where you could talk privately, his eyes filled with sincerity and regret as he explained his reasons.

he wants to make sure you know it's not your fault.

f ⤖ fiance (how does he feel about commitment; would he want to get married quick?)

commitment is not something he takes lightly.

he'd want to be absolutely sure before proposing, ensuring that you're both ready for a lifetime together.

he wouldn't rush into marriage, but when he finally gets down on one knee, it would be a moment filled with deep love and a promise of forever.

g ⤖ gentle (how gentle is he; emotionally + physically?)

sunghoon's gentleness is woven into his very being.

he'd handle your heart with the care of a sculptor, always mindful of your feelings.

his touch would be feather-light, a whisper against your skin that sends shivers down your spine.

h ⤖ hugs (does he likes hugs; how often does he hug you; what are his hugs like?)

his hugs are rare but precious, a silent language of love.

he'd pull you close when you need it most, his arms a warm cocoon that melts away your stress.

his hugs would linger, a quiet moment of connection that speaks volumes.

i ⤖ i love you (how fast does he say he loves you?)

those three little words would be sacred to him.

he'd wait until the moment feels perfectly right

j ⤖ jealousy (how jealous does he get; what does he do when he is jealous?)

he's not the possessive type, but a flicker of jealousy might cross his face if someone gets a little too close.

he wouldn't make a scene, but he might subtly pull you closer or hold your hand a little tighter, a silent reminder that you're his.

k ⤖ kisses (what are his kisses like; where does he like to kiss you; where does he like to be kissed?)

his kisses are slow and tender, savoring every moment.

he'd adore kissing your forehead, a gesture of affection and protection.

he'd melt under your kisses on his jawline, a secret spot that sends shivers down his spine.

l ⤖ little ones (how is he around children?)

he might seem a bit awkward at first, but his playful side would emerge around children.

he'd be patient and kind, engaging them in imaginative games and making them laugh with silly faces.

m ⤖ morning (how are mornings spent with him?)

mornings with sunghoon would be slow and peaceful.

he'd wake you up with soft kisses and whispered "good mornings," followed by a leisurely breakfast in bed

definitely enjoying each other's company before the day begins.

n ⤖ night (how are nights spend with him?)

nights would be a blend of quiet intimacy and shared passions.

you might find yourselves curled up on the couch, lost in a good book, or sharing headphones as you listen to your favorite music

but the silence is 100% filled with unspoken affection.

o ⤖ open (when would he open up; does he say everything at once or does he wait to reveal himself?)

he'd open up like a blooming flower, slowly revealing his deepest thoughts and feelings as your bond deepens.

late-night conversations would become a sanctuary where you share your dreams and vulnerabilities

p ⤖ patience (how easily angered is he?)

his patience runs deep

he'd approach conflicts with understanding and a willingness to listen

always seeking a peaceful resolution.

q ⤖ quizzes (how much would he remember about you; does he remember every little detail; or is he forgetful?)

he'd be a keeper of your secrets, big and small.

he'd remember the way you take your coffee, your favorite song lyrics, and the story behind that tiny scar on your knee.

your life would be etched in his memory, a testament to his love and attention.

r ⤖ remember (what is his favorite moment in the relationship?)

his favorite moment might be the first time you looked at him with pure, unguarded love in your eyes

in that moment he knew he was falling for you just as hard as you were falling for him.

s ⤖ security (how protectice is he; how does he protect you; how would he like to be protected?)

he'd be your silent guardian, always looking out for you, whether it's holding your hand as you cross a busy street or defending you against unkind words.

he'd appreciate a partner who offers him emotional security, a safe space where he can be vulnerable without fear of judgment.

t ⤖ try (how much effort does he put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

he believes in quality over quantity.

dates would be thoughtfully planned, anniversaries celebrated with heartfelt gestures, and gifts chosen with your personality in mind.

he'd show his love through everyday acts of kindness, from making you breakfast in bed to surprising you with your favorite takeout after a long day.

u ⤖ ugly (what are some of his bad habits?)

he might be a bit too hard on himself sometimes

always striving for perfection in everything he does.

he might also overthink things, getting lost in his own thoughts.

v ⤖ vanity (how concerned is he with his looks?)

he takes pride in his appearance, but it's more about self-care than vanity.

he understands the importance of looking his best

w ⤖ whole (would he feel incomplete without you?)

while he values his independence, you'd become an essential part of his life

for him, you're a source of joy and strength.

he'd cherish your presence, your laughter filling the spaces in his heart he didn't know existed.

x ⤖ xtra (random headcanon for him)

he secretly writes you love poems in his spare time, hiding them away in a special notebook

y ⤖ yuck (what are some things he wouldn't like; in general or in a partner?)

he wouldn't like dishonesty, rudeness, or people who try to pressure him into things he's not comfortable with.

in a partner, he'd value kindness, understanding, and a shared passion for life.

z ⤖ zzz (what are his sleeping habits?)

he might be a cuddler in his sleep, subconsciously seeking your warmth and comfort.

he might also talk in his sleep occasionally, murmuring sweet nothings that make your heart melt.

As you rise from your barstool, your steps carry a mix of uncertainty and disbelief, drawing you inexorably toward the pulsating heart of the dance floor. The scene before your eyes demands confirmation, and what you find shatters your world in an instant. There, under the chaotic spell of the music's relentless rhythm, stands your boyfriend, now a stranger, locked in a passionate embrace with another woman. Her arms are a seductive snakily coil around the back of his neck, and their laughter mingles with the infectious beats of the music, now assaulting your ears as you reach the realization of betrayal. A concoction of emotions—upset, betrayal, and the intoxicating fumes of alcohol—swirl within you, drawing you forward as the heat crawls up your face and flows into the rest of your body. Your feet guide you through the trembling beat, and, with a burst of fiery rage, you confront the pair. In an act of defiance and heartbreak, your open palm collides with your now ex-boyfriend's cheek in a resounding slap, the sound lost in the under the booming music that fills the club. The mysterious girl, who moments ago was dancing with him, stumbles back, her face etched with shock and disbelief. With your wounded pride, you retreat to the sanctuary of the bar. A final shot materializes before you, its amber contents beckoning with an illusory promise of numbness. You down the drink with the recklessness and no caution, the burn in your throat eclipsed by the feeling of your shattered heart.

You inform the bartender with a casual wave that the responsibility for the bill rests with the man you arrived with, an excuse that offers a semblance of dignity as you navigate your unsteady exit from the bar's confines. The city's nightlife swirls around you, a vivid blanket of neon lights and indistinct conversations. Perched on the curb outside the bar, you release a heavy, audible sigh that seems to resonate with the depth of your emotions. The exasperated "pfft" escapes your lips as you dismissively mutter, "What a waste." you recline, propping yourself up on your arms behind you, while your gaze ascends towards the night sky. It's as if you're summoning the attention of a god you don't even believe in, the stars and the moon bearing witness to your turmoil. Unbidden tears begin to well in your eyes, forming glistening pools that threaten to overflow. Yet, in a strange paradox, laughter bubbles up from within your heavy chest, as if mocking the absurdity of the situation. "He made a mistake… losing me? How stupid," you whisper to yourself, the words a bittersweet blend of self-affirmation and ironic amusement. Your tears, now fallen, trace glittering paths down your cheeks, their journey reflecting the city's glimmering lights. You cast your gaze downward, scrutinizing your ensemble—a striking red dress that billows around you, paired with towering, sleek black heels. In that moment of reflection, you realize that it was not you who was lost; it was him. Your attire serves as a poignant reminder that you are a treasure to be cherished, a realization that strengthens your resolve even as tears continue to fall.

Amid the quiet solace of your unspoken sorrows, the sudden roar of a motorcycle's powerful engine reverberates through the air, and your attention is instinctively drawn to the source. With a magnetic allure, the motorcycle glides to a stop not far from your lonesome, commanding your undivided focus. You study the machine as if decoding a riddle; its lustrous body gleams in pristine white, a stark contrast to the glinting silver rims of the wheels. The interior and seats, ensconced in shadowy allure, exude an air of enigmatic sophistication, cloaked in inky blackness. Seated astride this mechanical masterpiece is a man who embodies a paradox of rugged elegance. He possesses a commanding yet lean figure, an epitome of grace and strength that defies the bounds of convention. Draped in a formidable, protective black jacket, his attire is sending your brain into a frenzy. Fitting black jeans encase his legs, while black gloves envelope his hands with a subtle promise of concealed purpose. Each step echoing an aura of intrigue, he dons a pair of black Doc Marten boots, their resolute presence amplifying his enigmatic appeal. Atop the mysterious man’s figure sits a gloss-black helmet, its contours hinting at the mysteries that lie beneath.

With deliberate grace, he lifts the helmet from his head, revealing a crown of luxurious, dark purple locks. Your astonishment lingers in the air, and you can't help but be drawn to the allure of this captivating stranger. To call your fascination mere curiosity would be a gross understatement. Each of his features appears meticulously crafted, from his silver-clad ears adorned with earrings, to a proud and tall nose, and his eyes—those big beguiling orbs that seem to harbor a pool of secrets within. It's a visage that commands attention, the embodiment of an elusive charm that ignites your every sense. In a moment of serendipity, your eyes meet, the spark of connection bridging the gap between strangers. He saunters toward the store adjacent to the bar, a fleeting look of mischief dancing in his eyes. A playful wink and an enigmatic smile are cast in your direction, a wordless invitation that beckons with a magnetic pull. He dismounts from his motorcycle with an elegance that mirrors the grace of a dancer, setting the helmet upon the seat . As he disappears into the depths of the store, the intoxicating combination of your inebriation and the fragile state of your emotions conspire to form a whimsical yet irresistible decision. It's a gravitational force that leaves you with no choice but to step into the store and follow the purple-haired enigma, your heart beating in time with the uncharted journey that awaits.

As the convenience store door chimes melodically with your entry, a tingle of excitement courses through the air. The purple-haired enigma, the pull of destiny that brought you here, stands before you, a magnetic presence that seems to command every aisle. His striking figure exudes an aura that is both electrifying and tantalizing, and you can't help but gravitate toward him. With fluid grace, he reaches into the fridge to retrieve a drink, his movements a mesmerizing dance of confidence. You approach, and behind the cool, glass refrigerator door, your eyes lock in a seductive connection. He acknowledges your presence with a sultry smile that ignites the room. With an air of unshakable self-assuredness, you compliment his sleek motorcycle, your words laced with a smoldering charm. His response is a flirtatious grin, and as he rises to his full, towering height, he gazes down upon you, a titillating hint of promise in his eyes. "Thanks, ever been on a bike before, pretty girl?" he inquires, the huskiness of his voice sending electric shivers down your spine. Butterflies flutter wildly in your stomach as his words hang in the air. You return the provocative banter, testing the waters of this intriguing encounter. “Is this an invitation mr……?.”

“Heeseung. Lee Heeseung.” He introduces himself with a name that rolls off his tongue like a forbidden secret—Lee Heeseung. His playful response drips with allure, and you find yourself ensnared in the the moment. "And maybe it is an invitation… if you're willing to accept, Miss …..”? Your own name tastes sweeter than ever on your lips as you tease him with a hint of coyness, “Yn. Y/ln Yn. And why should I Lee?” Heeseung's perceptive eyes dart to the mascara-stained traces of tears on your face, his gaze tracing the invisible scars etched upon your soul. He tenderly points to your head, his words laden with a quiet understanding. "Judging by the mascara-stained tears on your face, I think a ride would fix whatever troubled that pretty little head of yours." A shy smile dances upon your lips, your heart pounding with a mixture of vulnerability and courage. "Got an extra helmet, then?" You say as acceptance to his offer. Heeseung's smirk deepens, his voice dripping with a seductive promise. "Good girl. Of course I do. You never know who needs a good ride." The air crackles with the electrifying energy of an adventure about to unfurl, as you and Lee Heeseung step into the thrilling unknown, united by the allure of the night.

In one hand, he clutches a tall, foreboding can of Monster energy drink, its vibrant, neon label a stark contrast to the other hand, which cradles a diminutive yellow box adorned with the endearing label "banana milk." The curious combination of his selections hints at the multifaceted personality of the man who has now become your enigmatic companion. With the transaction complete, the two of you emerge from the convenience store, and Heeseung extends a seemingly casual but unmistakably thoughtful gesture—offering you the little yellow box of banana milk. You accept it with a raised eyebrow, your curiosity piqued. "How'd you know I liked this, Lee?" you inquire, your voice touched by intrigue. A mischievous smile graces Heeseung's lips as he leans in a bit closer, and his response dances on the edges of flirtation, causing the butterflies in your stomach to stir with newfound hunger. "Pretty girls, like you, like banana milk," he teases, his words delivered with an artful charm that sends a shiver of excitement coursing through you. Grateful for his gesture, you return the enchanting smile, the air thick with an electrifying tension. As you both make your way toward the magnificent motorcycle that had initially captivated your attention, anticipation courses through your veins, setting your body aglow with excitement. You stand behind Heeseung, observing his every move with eager eyes. With practiced ease, he opens a concealed compartment at the back of the bike, revealing a second helmet that bears a striking silver star on either side. It's a unique touch that adds to the enigma of the man before you. Heeseung places your drinks within the compartment, where the second helmet once resided. With a smooth and assured motion, he secures the compartment and then offers you your designated helmet, a symbol of the adventure you're about to embark on together. As you accept the helmet from his hand, the magnetic connection between you deepens, and the night unfolds with the promise of thrilling secrets yet to be unveiled.

With the banana milk safely stowed and the helmet now snug upon your head, the night holds an air of mystery and excitement as you both approach the waiting motorcycle. Heeseung's slender frame moves with grace as he swings a leg over the sleek, white machine. He turns toward you, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that sends an electric pulse through your veins. "Make sure you hold on, doll," he says, his voice dipped in a heady blend of charm and raw anticipation. His words are laced with a promise of thrilling adventure, and your heart skips a beat as you grasp the significance of this moment. You eagerly position yourself behind him, forgetting all about your ex boyfriend and the events that took place before. your arms wrapping around his lean waist, fingers instinctively clutching the fabric of his black jacket. The powerful engine roars to life beneath you, its growl a primal invitation to the night. Heeseung's gloved hands deftly manipulate the handlebars, and in an exhilarating surge of acceleration, you both glide out of the convenience store's parking lot and onto the main road. The world becomes a mesmerizing blur of vibrant colors and lights as the motorcycle snakes through the city's labyrinthine streets, framed by beautifully illuminated buildings that reach skyward, a testament to humanity's creativity. The cool night air rushes over you, and the city's pulsating energy envelopes you, offering an intoxicating taste of freedom and escape. As the wind whips through your hair, and the city's mesmerizing lights create a captivating painting, you can't help but feel that you've stepped into a dream. With every twist and turn, Heeseung's driving skill reveals itself, and you're reminded of the harmony between man and machine. In this exhilarating dance through the heart of the city, you're not just a passenger; you're a partner in a thrilling adventure, bound by the allure of the night and the enigmatic man who now shares it with you.

As the motorcycle effortlessly weaves through the city's enchanting streets, Heeseung's lean frame seems to meld with the machine, and you can sense his exhilaration in the subtle movements and graceful leans. Every curve and twist of the road is navigated with a fluidity that suggests an intimate understanding between rider and ride. The city's lights create a dazzling panorama around you, and you revel in the symphony of sensations that surrounds you. After what feels like an eternity of blissful exploration, the first hints of daylight begin to break on the horizon, casting a soft, golden glow upon the cityscape. It's a bittersweet reminder that this enchanting ride must eventually come to an end. With a quiet understanding, Heeseung steers the motorcycle to a stop in front of your home, and the engine's growl reluctantly gives way to the stillness of the early morning. As you dismount the bike, you can't help but feel a mixture of gratitude and a hint of longing for the adventure that has brought you closer. Heeseung turns toward you, his eyes holding a sparkle that mirrors the city's lights. "I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did, pretty girl,” he says, his voice a blend of sincerity and allure. "I did enjoy it, lee.” Your eyes lock onto his, and you can't resist a teasing smile. "I have to admit, I'm not sure if it was the city or the company that made it so enjoyable." He chuckles softly, his gaze lingering on you. "Perhaps it's a bit of both. I hope I made you forget what you were crying about earlier.”

With an air of anticipation, Heeseung closes the enchanting gap between you, his footsteps a playful dance that mirrors the rhythm of your heart. You find yourself drawn closer to him, a mix of curiosity and desire, hoping for a kiss that promises to be electric. But Heeseung, ever the tease, surprises you by gently capturing your hand in his gloved grasp. His lips brush against your knuckles, leaving behind a soft and lingering kiss that sends a thrill down your spine. A mischievous sparkle dances in his eyes as he takes a step back, though his hold on your hand remains. A mischievous smirk plays upon his lips as he takes a step back, and your hands, still intertwined, reluctantly part as the space between you expands. but the connection between your souls remains undeniably strong. Heeseung places your helmet back into the motorcycle's compartment, his every motion a graceful symphony of closure, yet the moment is still heavy with the sweet ache of parting. He retrieves the little yellow box of banana milk, and with a look that speaks of unspoken promises and possibilities, he adds to the enchanting ambiance. As you turn away to make your way inside, your heart swells with emotions, and it's then you hear his voice, soft and filled with affectionate playfulness, "Heads up, princess!" Your head snaps around, your eyes locking onto Heeseung seated on the motorcycle, revving the engine with a fervor that mirrors the passion between you. With a flourish, he tosses the banana milk to you, and you catch it . Your heart flutters like a love-struck bird, and you're left standing there, watching the back of his retreating figure with eyes filled with longing. As the cold morning air surrounds you, you're reminded of the warmth and excitement that has filled this magical night. With a heart full of happiness, you finally turn to head inside.

In the cozy sanctuary of your home, you close the door behind you with a gentle sigh, leaning against it as you bask in the afterglow of this night. The memories of what transpired outside are like a symphony of emotions playing in your heart, each note resonating with the tender and profound love that has blossomed between you and Heeseung. The room envelops you in its intimate embrace, illuminated by the soft, warm glow of the night. As you lean against the door, the walls seem to hold the echoes of the moments shared, and you're overcome by a sense of profound romance that fills the very air you breathe. The night was a love story written in the stars, a story of two souls drawn together by destiny and fueled by a love that's destined to endure. Despite breaking every single rule of stranger danger, you wish this night couldve lasted forever.

As you ascend the stairs to your room, a sense of contentment and longing accompanies you. The banana milk, a sweet reminder of an unforgettable night, finds its place on your bedside table, a silent guardian of your dreams. The room envelops you in its cozy warmth, the atmosphere carrying the residual fragrance of romance and adventure. In the dim light, you prepare for a soothing shower, letting the cascading water wash away the remnants of the night. Your thoughts, however, remain tethered to the enigmatic Lee Heeseung. Questions and desires swirl within your mind, like a gentle storm of emotions.

After the warmth of the shower, you don your pajamas from the night before, their familiarity a source of comfort as you slip between the soft sheets of your bed. Your body, tired but satiated, yearns for rest, yet your heart and mind remain restless, still inextricably tangled in the enchantment of the night. Thoughts of him, like whispers in the night, dance through your mind. "When will I see him again?" and "I wish we had exchanged information" echo in the chambers of your thoughts. Who is this mysterious man, Lee Heeseung, who has touched your heart so deeply? The unanswered questions propel you to flip open your phone, your curiosity overriding the myriad missed calls and texts from your unfaithful ex-boyfriend. Instagram becomes your portal to seek out the enigma named Lee Heeseung.

A sense of disappointment settles over you as your search on various social media platforms yields nothing. Lee Heeseung remains a ghost, elusive and untraceable in the digital realm. It's as if he exists only in the echoes of your memories, and the absence of any digital footprint only adds to his mystique. In your moment of quiet contemplation, a yearning for his presence intensifies. The desire to see him again, to unravel the enigma that is Lee Heeseung, becomes an undeniable ache within you. The thought that he knows where you live, and the lingering memories of your night together, offer a glimmer of hope that he might return. The idea that fate might bring you two together once more fills your heart with anticipation and longing. As you close your eyes and surrender to the night's embrace, you can't help but wonder when the stars will align, and the mysterious Lee Heeseung will reappear in your life.

As days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, the longing in your heart grew stronger. Spring had arrived, heralding the return of life and the vibrant colors of the world, yet it also marked the lingering absence of Heeseung, the man who had swept into your life as quickly as a shooting star and vanished just as abruptly. Every motorcycle that whizzed past you on the bustling streets of your city drew your attention like a magnet. A spark of curiosity ignited within you, and the questions were ceaseless. "Was that him? Does he still think of me?" These thoughts had woven themselves into the very fabric of your existence, haunting your every moment. The memories of that unforgettable night had become a bittersweet symphony that played on a loop in your mind.

Despite the love and support of your incredible friends, your loving family, and a fulfilling job, the void Heeseung had left in your life persisted. The allure of "what could've been" weighed heavy on your heart, like a melody left unfinished, a dance cut short, or a love story left untold. In the midst of your everyday life, the longing for the man named Lee Heeseung never waned. Your heart carried the echoes of his touch, the memory of his gaze, and the whispers of a love story that had never fully unfurled. With every passing day, your desire for his return only intensified, like a fire that refused to be extinguished.

It was a typical Tuesday, just like any other weekday, as you made your way into the bustling work building, greeted by the friendly faces of your coworkers who had also become your cherished friends. Jake, ever the playful one, couldn't resist bringing up the topic of your elusive Heeseung. "How are you, YN? Still no luck with this Heeseung guy?" he inquired with a mischievous glint in his eye. You let out a dramatic sigh, a playful air of exasperation in your response. "Unfortunately, no, Jake. Trust me, I would've told you if I had any news," you said with a chuckle. Jay, another dear friend of yours, joined the conversation, bringing with him a delightful surprise in the form of coffee for both you and Jake. With a comforting smile, he chimed in, "Don't worry, Ynnie, maybe he lives in a different town and was just there that night for you!" You couldn't help but offer an appreciative grin in response to Jay's attempt at comfort. His words were like a warm embrace, reassuring you in your quest for answers. Then, a new proposal surfaced, and it was Jay who initiated it. "Oh, by the way, Jake and I found out that there's been underground racing events in our city. We've been meaning to check it out. Wanna come with?" At first, you hesitated, but Jay's persuasive nature quickly took hold. "C'mon, YN!" Jake chimed in, adding his own brand of playfulness. "It'll be fun! Who knows, maybe you'll find Heeseung there! … or a different cute motorcycle guy at least." You let out a laugh that admitted defeat. "Okay, okay, I'll check it out with you guys. But if it's boring, you're buying me a burger." Jay quickly agreed to the wager. "Fine. Deal. But it won't be boring!" he declared with unwavering enthusiasm. "Mhm, we'll see," you replied with a sly grin, anticipating the playful adventures that lay ahead with your close friends, all while hoping that amidst the thrills of underground racing, you might find the one you longed for – or perhaps, something equally captivating.

As the workday drew to a close, you bid your colleagues and friends farewell, exchanging a series of cheerful goodbyes and promises to reconvene tomorrow. Last in line to receive your parting words were your friends, and it was Jake who left you with a playful reminder. "We'll pick you up at 10, ynnie~,” he declared with a mischievous glint in his eye. Your response was a melodious giggle as you affectionately ruffled his hair, a signal of your confirmation.

Once home, the weight of the day's responsibilities dissipated like a passing storm. Shoes were unceremoniously discarded, your bag and jacket flung haphazardly onto the floor, and with a contented sigh, you sank into the inviting embrace of your couch. Retrieving your phone, you embarked on a determined quest to research the underground racing scene, the glimmer of hope in your chest steadily growing brighter with every tap of your fingers.

The prospect of possibly encountering Heeseung again ignited a certain spark in your eyes, a fire of desire that refused to be extinguished. Yet, much like the elusive enigma of the man himself, your online investigation yielded no information about these races. It was as though the world had conspired to keep their existence hidden, a fitting scenario for events that were undoubtedly illegal. As you set your phone aside, your thoughts began to spiral in a torrent of what-ifs. What if Heeseung is there, but his interest had always been elsewhere? What if he's not present? What if he doesn't even notice you? These unceasing questions threatened to consume your mind, and you shook your head, as if such an act could dispel these relentless thoughts. Determined to quell the storm of uncertainties that raged within you, you took a deep breath and resolved to face the night with unwavering optimism.

With the plan in place, you had agreed that the guys would hang out at your place before the big race. Jake and Jay, after their workday, rushed home, got dressed for the evening, and then made their way to your doorstep around 7:30. You swung open the door in your comfy pajamas, greeting the duo with warm hugs and bright smiles. "Alright, guys," you chimed in, "I'm going to get ready now. You said we're leaving at 10, right?" They both confirmed your question with a nod, and you headed upstairs to prepare for the night ahead. As you left the living room, the two friends made themselves at home, lounging comfortably on your couch and taking charge of the TV. The anticipation for the evening ahead filled the air, and the sense of camaraderie between the three of you was a reassuring presence, setting the tone for the exciting adventure that lay just around the corner.

Upstairs in your room, you embarked on the grand battle that is getting ready for a night out. The soft glow of your vanity mirror cast a warm light on your determined face as you transformed your appearance for the evening. Your makeup was an elegant fusion of dark and bold, with a smoky eyeliner that accentuated your eyes and a luscious dark red lip gloss that heightened the allure of your lips. The result was a striking look that suited your features beautifully. You took a few moments to curl the ends of your hair, creating soft, cascading waves that reached down to your lower back. These curls were swept up into a high, sleek ponytail, with two delicate strands left loose to elegantly frame your face. Your outfit had been meticulously selected, not only with Heeseung in mind but also with the exciting prospect of possibly meeting someone new at this enigmatic race. Dark red leather pants, designed to hug your curves in all the right ways, were paired with a lace black tank top, adding a touch of sensuality to your ensemble. To complete the look, you adorned yourself with a black and white leather jacket that draped over your shoulders like whipped cream on a tantalizing sundae. In your full-length mirror, you admired the reflection of a confident and captivating woman, well aware of her own allure. A pair of sleek black boots adorned your feet, and you accessorized with a silver necklace featuring a delicate pendant and matching earrings, adding a touch of sophistication to your ensemble. To crown your transformation, you picked up your favorite perfume bottle, and with each spritz, a beautiful aroma enveloped you like a fragrant embrace. The battle of getting ready was won, and you felt like a queen in your own right. With a final glance in the mirror, you knew you looked stunning and were ready to face whatever the night had in store. With your purse in hand, you headed downstairs, prepared to join your friends who were patiently waiting for you.

"DAMN YN!" Jay and Jake exclaimed in unison as you descended the stairs, the sight of your stunning transformation leaving them momentarily breathless. A beaming smile graced your lips as their admiration washed over you. "Thank you, boys," you replied with a gracious nod, giving them a playful twirl to showcase your meticulously chosen outfit. "Do I look good?" you asked, a hint of playful teasing in your voice. "You know you do," Jay responded with a smile, but he was eager to get going. "Now, let's get moving! It's nearly 10:15." You waved off his concern with a nonchalant chuckle. "Oh, please, there's no way these things start right on time. We're fine. Now, let's make a quick stop at the convenience store so I can get a banana milk, pretty please~" you added with a hint of irresistible charm. The two boys, who had been lounging on the couch, rose from their seats with mock exasperation. Jake couldn't help but mutter a resigned, "Yes, ma'am…" as you playfully led the way, heading into the car where you sat in the backseat.

With a refreshing banana milk tucked safely in your purse, courtesy of Jake's wallet, the three of you arrived at the underground racing event. The venue was located beneath a highway bridge in an area you never even knew existed. you were struck by the sheer scale of the place, surrounded by towering structures that seemed to stretch to the heavens. This perspective, seeing the world from a unique angle, made you feel small in the grand scheme of things, a humbling realization that added to the aura of the night. Lost in your contemplation, you were momentarily unaware that Jay and Jake had already exited the car, with Jake gallantly holding the door open for you. He playfully addressed you, "Here we are, princess," and you responded with a light, affectionate hit on his arm, chuckling, "Oh, cut it out, Jaeyun." A playful exchange of names ensued between the two friends as you headed toward the gathering crowd at the starting line, eagerly awaiting the start of the race. You surveyed the bikers as they lined up in their positions, and your attention was drawn to a particular rider who was surrounded by a group of enthusiastic women. The throng of admirers made it difficult to see his face clearly, but you couldn't help but wonder if it might be Heeseung.

The announcer's voice crackled over the radio, calling on the racers to mount their bikes and prepare for the thrilling competition. Jay and Jake signaled that it was time to find your seats, with Jake instinctively taking your hand to guide you and ensure you didn't get lost in the bustling crowd. As you were led to the front row, you couldn't help but scan the racers one last time. The colorful array of bikes and their determined riders filled the scene with an air of excitement. But then, at the far end, you spotted a white bike, and your heart skipped a beat. Could it be Heeseung's bike? The memories of him came rushing back, and you pointed it out to your friends. "Wait, guys, that might be Heeseung's bike," you mentioned, your voice tinged with both hope and anxiety. Jake and Jay exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. "You think so, YN?" Jay asked, offering a glimmer of doubt. "Maybe it's just a guy with the same motorcycle color as Heeseung, Ynnie. I mean, white bikes aren't that uncommon, right?" Jake reasoned, trying to provide a rational explanation. You shook your head, a familiar gesture you used to clear your thoughts. "Yeah, Jakey, you're probably right. I mean, I haven't seen him in months. It can't be him," you replied, trying to convince yourself as much as your friends. You felt a surge of anxiety but decided to push those thoughts aside and focus on enjoying the race. With the comforting presence of your banana milk, you took a sip and leaned back, hoping that this night would be an adventure to remember, regardless of the outcome.

As the man on the radio commenced announcing the racers' names, an air of anticipation enveloped the crowd. With each name called out, a symphony of revving engines filled the air, punctuated by cheers and applause from the spectators. The excitement was palpable, and you joined in, clapping and cheering for each racer. However, as the announcer neared the end of the line of racers and you waited with bated breath, you couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. The name you had been hoping to hear, "LEE HEESEUNG," didn't make an appearance. Instead, the announcer declared, "And last but not least, our reigning champion, ACE!" A sigh of regret escaped your lips, revealing your unspoken hope. You observed that the crowd cheered enthusiastically for this "Ace" character, understanding why he had garnered a legion of female admirers. The sense of anticipation still coursed through your veins, but you decided to put aside your initial disappointment and immerse yourself in the exhilarating atmosphere of the race, hopeful that the night would hold some surprises, even if Heeseung's name was absent from the list of competitors.

Snapping you out of your thoughts, Jake directed a question to both you and Jay, inquiring, "Who are you guys rooting for?" Jay was quick to respond, his eyes bright with enthusiasm. "I'm rooting for the guy named Jungwon on that bright blue bike. He seems like an underdog, you know?" Jake couldn't resist poking fun at Jay's choice. "So cheesy," he remarked, provoking Jay to playfully flip him off. Turning to you, Jake's curiosity was evident in his expression as he asked, "What about you, YN?" You pondered for a moment, a mischievous glint in your eye as you gave your answer. "Hmm, maybe that Sunghoon guy, on the black bike. He seems hot," you added, punctuating your response with a giggle. Jay shook his head in mock exasperation, but he couldn't hide a smile. "I'm not even surprised." As the three of you continued to chat and enjoy the electric atmosphere, the announcer's voice broke through, "RACERS, START YOUR ENGINES!" The crowd erupted into cheers, blending with the powerful roar of the motorcycles.

"READY…SET…GO!" The announcer's command was met with a symphony of revving engines, and in an instant, the racers sped off on the manmade track, weaving between the imposing pillars of the bridge above. The sound of the engines and the fervent cheers from the crowd captivated you, and your gaze remained fixed on the racers as they disappeared into the distance, the race now in full swing.

The race unfolded with an intoxicating blend of speed, skill, and sheer adrenaline. The racers zipped around the tight corners and weaved through the narrow gaps between the bridge's pillars, their powerful machines roaring like wild beasts. The air was filled with the intoxicating scent of gasoline and burnt rubber, adding to the sensory overload that engulfed the crowd. The race was paired with commentary by the announcer, “In the lead is ace! Are we surprised? That white bike is a godsend!”

As the racers maneuvered with lightning precision, the crowd couldn't help but be entranced by the sheer spectacle before them. Spectators cheered as their chosen favorites powered through the track, and collective gasps echoed through the audience whenever a close call or a daring move occurred. The atmosphere was electric, charged with the shared excitement of everyone in attendance. Another comment was made by the announcer, “Woah! Look at jungwon pulling through and passing ace on his left! Will this be the first race he wins?”

“I told you guys. Always root for the underdog,” Jay chimes, but your eyes are glued to sunghoon and his black bike.

Amidst the collective fervor, you found yourself mesmerized, your eyes locked onto the racers as they sped past. The world outside the race ceased to exist for those moments, and you were drawn into the raw energy of the event, feeling the vibrations of the engines in your chest and the rush of the wind in your hair. “Here come’s sunghoon! Passing jungwon on his right, and making his way towards the finish line!” Says the announcer.

The announcer's voice crackled through the speakers, adding to the electrifying atmosphere. "WOAH, WOAH!! HERE COMES ACE RIGHT BEHIND SUNGHOON! WHO WILL WIN? THE TWO ARE SIDE BY SIDE, WILL IT BE A TIE? THE FINISH LINE IS RIGHT THERE, AND… ALMOST A PHOTO FINISH! BUT THE WINNER OF THE RACE IS SUNGHOON!"

As the crowd erupted in joyous celebration, the cheers of the spectators seemed to reverberate in perfect harmony with the racing engines. You were swept up in the excitement, joining the chorus of voices, and even rising to your feet as you cheered for Sunghoon, the victor of the race. The thrill of witnessing such a close contest was invigorating, and you couldn't help but be caught up in the jubilation around you. With a playful tone and a hint of what-ifs, you turned to your two friends and exclaimed, "Damn, we should've bet on it. Missed opportunity!" The boys laughed along with you, the infectious joy of the moment drawing them into the celebration. Together, you stood and cheered for Sunghoon, basking in the shared experience of witnessing an extraordinary race and its exhilarating conclusion.

The exhilarating atmosphere of the race drew you, Jay, and Jake, along with the rest of the crowd, to approach the racers as they dismounted their bikes. The audience showered the racers with an array of cheers and encouraging words, from "good job!" to "you'll win next time!" to admiring comments about their impressive machines. As you and your friends navigated your way through the dispersing crowd, you found yourselves face to face with Jungwon, the racer who had been your friend Jay's underdog favorite. Eager to express your admiration, you initiated the conversation, addressing him with warmth, "Hey, Jungwon, right? You were so cool! I thought you were gonna win for a second there!" Jungwon's face lit up with gratitude, and he replied with a sincere smile, "Thank you so much! I thought so too, but I had nooo chance against Ace and Sunghoon." Jay, ever the enthusiast, extended a firm handshake in that classic man-to-man fashion. "Bro! I was rooting for you from the start. You'll see me at the next race," he proclaimed with enthusiasm, earning a "thank you" from Jungwon. With that, the three of you moved on to the next racer, Sunghoon, eager to share your appreciation with the winner.

Sunghoon leaned casually on his sleek black bike, a striking figure with an air of confidence that immediately caught your attention. Up close, you couldn't deny how incredibly handsome he looked, and you were taken aback by his allure. Summoning your courage, you approached the winner, introducing yourself in a soft, friendly tone, "Hi Sunghoon, I'm YN. Congrats on the win, handsome." The compliment had its intended effect, and Sunghoon's eyes focused on you. "Well, hello, Miss YN. Nice to meet you," Sunghoon responded with a smirk, revealing a sharp canine tooth and a dimple that sent a shiver down your spine. You felt yourself blushing in response to his charm. Sunghoon's flirtatious banter continued as he inquired, "You were rooting for me, pretty girl?" He leaned in a little closer, his voice dripping with playful seduction. You met his flirtatious challenge with a sly smile. "Maybe… maybe not," you replied, adding a teasing playfulness to your tone. He feigned disappointment, a twinkle in his eye as he teased, "What a shame, I was gonna offer you a ride." Playing along, you flirtatiously touched his arm, your confidence growing with every word. "Oh, come on, Hoonie, of course I was rooting for you," you confessed with a playful eye roll, a mischievous gleam in your eyes. Sunghoon rewarded your playful admission by tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear, and for that moment, the world seemed to narrow down to the two of you, engaged in a playful dance of flirtation amidst the post-race excitement. The nickname you garnered for him was definitely working in your favor.

You were so deeply engrossed in your conversation with Sunghoon that you remained oblivious to the intense gaze fixed upon you from the second-place racer, Ace. He watched you with something akin to jealousy, uncertain whether he should approach. Leaving you and Sunghoon in your own world, Jay and Jake made their way over to Ace to offer their congratulations. Jake, always one for humor, attempted to lighten the mood with a lighthearted comment. "Hey, man! You were so cool out there. Second place is still good. Don't be discouraged. I'm sure all these girls still want you," he quipped, though he hadn't realized that Ace's attention was on him. Ace's initial jealousy quickly transformed into a friendly demeanor as he responded, "Yo, thanks for that, haha. Almost won, but I'll win the next one for sure." Jay chimed in with an encouraging pat on Ace's shoulder before the two of them began to walk away. However, Ace couldn’t keep it to himself. He called out to Jay and Jake, nodding in your direction while still engaged in conversation with Sunghoon. "Hey, do you know that girl?" he inquired, his interest piqued. Jay answered without hesitation, a friendly tone in his voice as he looked back toward Ace. "Yeah, that’s yn! We're friends. She came here with us," he explained, his focus now shifting as he moved away from the racer, joining Jake in heading back in your direction, leaving Ace with his thoughts as you continued your conversation with Sunghoon.

As the evening wound down and Jay and Jake were ready to head home, you and Sunghoon decided to exchange numbers, creating a playful connection. Sunghoon, with a charming wink, remarked, "Call me when you wanna ride, beautiful." Your response was just as flirty, "I'll call you when I want to, Hoonie," and you playfully blew him a kiss. As you began to walk away, ready to rejoin your friends in the car, Sunghoon made his way over to Ace, eager to share his little victory. "Bro, I just got the hottest girl's number, and—" Sunghoon began, but before he could finish, Ace roared away on his bike, his jealousy simmering beneath the surface. With your two friends already in the car, you confidently made your way toward them, your spirits high. For that moment, Heeseung had slipped from your thoughts, and the excitement of connecting with Sunghoon filled your mind. However, just as you were about ten feet away from Jay's car, a white motorcycle suddenly cut in front of you, blocking your path to your friends. Startled, you took a step back, your heart racing, and realized that the rider was one of the racers. You cautiously addressed him, "Oh, Jesus Christ, you scared me. Ace, right?" His helmet obscured his face as he nodded, and he proceeded to take it off, revealing his identity.

Your heart sank as the white helmet came off, revealing the vibrant purple hair that had grown longer since you last saw him. The shock washed over you like a tidal wave, and your eyes scanned his familiar face, unable to believe that he was standing there before you, just as he had been months ago. His eyes, large and twinkling, bore into yours, the same way they had done when you first met. "H-Heeseung?" was all you could manage to stammer. The excitement you had felt only moments ago had evaporated, replaced by a rush of tears welling up in your eyes. Every emotion you had held back for months now poured out, glistening like rivers of glittering light. The overwhelming flood of feelings left you lost and unsure of how to proceed. Heeseung spoke, his voice breaking the silence, "Yn, I missed you pretty girl.” But you couldn't handle it. The anger and sadness mixed inside you, driving you to act on impulse. "I can't do this right now, Heeseung. I-I gotta go," you uttered, your voice quivering with raw emotion. You turned and ran towards Jay's car, where the two boys had witnessed the entire interaction. Climbing into the vehicle, you were met with a barrage of concerning questions from your friends. "I'll answer once you start driving. Please. Please start driving," you implored. Jay promptly obeyed your request and sped out of the lot, the car now on the road, the boys eager to ask their questions.

Jake spoke up first, his voice tinged with disbelief, "Yn, who was that?" "Heeseung…" you replied, your voice quivering. "Oh my god, what?!" Jake exclaimed. "Heeseung? Like in, Heeseung Heeseung?" Jay asked, his surprise mirroring Jake's. "Yes, Jay. Heeseung Heeseung. Oh my god, what was he doing there?" you lamented, your words spilling out in a mixture of confusion and emotion. "Wait, isn't this what you wanted, Yn? Why are you so upset?" Jake inquired, trying to make sense of your reaction. You paused, a heavy sigh escaping your lips before you responded, "…because… where has he been? I've spent months, nearly half a year wondering when he'd show up—waiting for him like some lost puppy. And now all of a sudden, I see him today, surrounded by a crowd of girls, only talking to me because I was hitting it off with Sunghoon? I just… I just don't know what's going on. And just now, he says he missed me? Bullshit. Absolute bullshit. He knows where I live; if he missed me so much, he would've visited. I waited months, guys. MONTHS. I just… I'm so—" Jay cut off your rambling rant, his voice filled with understanding and empathy. "Yn, my love, it's okay. Let's get you that burger." In your teary, emotional state, you couldn't help but let out a faint laugh, appreciating Jay's attempt to lighten the mood. Jake reached his hand to the backseat to comfort you, and you clung to it as he gently rubbed circles into your hand. As you sat there, feeling a whirlwind of emotions and confusion, you were grateful that your friends were by your side, offering their support and understanding in your time of need.

With the comforting presence of your friends and the burger in your stomach, you finally arrived home. Jay and Jake had offered to spend the night with you, but you assured them that you appreciated their support but wanted some time alone with your thoughts. Feeling too drained to remove your makeup and outfit, you flopped onto your couch, face-first, and screamed into a throw pillow. The weight of the day and the unexpected encounter with Heeseung left your mind in a tumultuous state. As you lay there, lost in your thoughts, exhaustion overcame you, and you drifted into an uneasy slumber. Some odd hours later, you were startled awake by a persistent knocking on your door. At first, you attempted to ignore it, hoping the person would go away, but the knocking persisted. Reluctantly, you dragged yourself up and went to inspect the door through the peephole. What you saw on the other side took your breath away: a head of purple hair, Heeseung, standing at your doorstep.

Anger surged through your body as you swung the door open, and a torrent of questions spilled from your lips, "What do you want? Why are you here? Why did it take you so long to see me?" The frustration that had been simmering inside you for months finally found its voice, and it was directed squarely at the person who could provide answers. Heeseung began to speak, attempting to explain himself, but you couldn't bear to let him finish. The words tumbled out of you, fueled by the emotions that had been building up over time. "No, Heeseung. Do you know how long I've been waiting for you? How much I wished every motorcycle that passed me on the street was you? I've been so…" The emotional dam broke, and tears cascaded down your cheeks as your voice quivered with pent-up pain and frustration. Heeseung, rather than offering words, brought you into a gentle embrace, his strong arms wrapping around you, and his hand softly patting your head. His voice was a soothing whisper in your ear, "Shh, shh… I'm here now, pretty girl. I'm here. I'm sorry." His comforting presence and reassuring touch allowed you to release your bottled-up emotions. You allowed yourself to cry in his arms, feeling a mixture of anger, relief, and longing all at once. Despite your anger at him in this moment, you couldn't deny that his embrace was warm and welcoming, and it offered a sense of solace that you hadn't realized you had been yearning for.

You and heeseung were now sitting on the couch, cuddling in the darkness of your living room. You decide to break the silence, “Can we talk now, hee?” He begins to play with your hair, offering you a quiet hum in response. “Where have you been? Why haven’t you visited me?” You ask the questions that plagued your mind the most. "Yn, I'm truly sorry for disappearing like that. I had my reasons, but I understand how much it hurt you. I needed some time to sort things out in my life. It's not an excuse, but I want you to know that I've missed you every day, and I regret not being there for you. I'm here now, and I want to make it right, if you'll have me" he answers. “How do I know you’re telling the truth, heeseung? I mean, the first time I saw you today, you were surrounded by all these girls, and how do I know you won’t leave again?” You ask. "I understand your doubts, baby, and I don't blame you for being cautious. The girls today were just fans, and I was trying to keep a low profile. I promise you, I won't disappear again. I want to make it up to you and prove that I'm committed to being in your life. Actions speak louder than words, and I'm willing to show you through my actions that you can trust me." You let out a quiet sigh, “I want to trust you heeseung, I really do. But Im so scared of getting hurt again. Why did you decide to help me out that one day? The day we met? Do you do that to other girls? "I completely understand your fear, Yn. I helped you that day because you seemed like someone genuinely in need, and I felt a connection with you from the start. I don't do that for other girls; our meeting was special and unique. I can't promise you won't ever get hurt, but I can promise that I'll do my best to be there for you and be honest with you. I want to make things right between us. Seriously, my pretty girl” heeseung claims, shifting his body so you guys are face to face now.

As Yn looked into Heeseung's eyes, she saw a sincerity she hadn't seen in a long time. Her heart was still cautious, but the warmth of his embrace had melted some of the ice around it. "Let's take it one step at a time, my “love Heeseung said gently. "I won't rush you, and I'll do my best to earn your trust. We can figure this out together, princess.” Yn nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She was unsure of what the future held, but for the first time in months, she felt a glimmer of hope. As the night continued, they talked, laughed, and shared stories. Yn realized that Heeseung had changed, and maybe she had too. They both had scars, but perhaps together, they could heal. The story of Yn and Heeseung wasn't over; it was just beginning. And for the first time in a long time, they both felt like they were exactly where they were supposed to be.

“Lee Heeseung, if you disappear on me again, I swear to god. Don’t forget I still have sunghoon’s number!” You playfully hit Heeseung. “Okay, okay! Message received ma’am! Now I have a question.” You respond with a hum. “Now who was that boy holding your hand earlier? At the race? Hm?” You laugh and respond teasingly, “Baby, that’s Jake. You really don’t have to worry about him. He’s like my little puppy!”

“My love, you do realize how wrong that sounds?” Heeseung laughs.

“Nope! James is a dick and we don’t gorge ourselves on ice cream over dicks.” Your well-meaning best friend, Lily, made this declaration as she grabbed the carton of Ben and Jerry’s from your hand and immediately went to throw it away. “We’re going to get you over this break-up with alcohol, neon lights, loud music, and dancing.”

Despite yourself, you had to bite back a laugh. “I’m not gorging myself, Jesus,” you argued, getting to your feet and following your friend. You rested your elbows on the island countertop and watched her dump the carton in trash then rinse your spoon in the sink. “One: I’ve had three bites and two: I realize he’s a dick. The AmeriCone Dream is less about my ex and more about me craving something sweet. Also three: The last time we all went out, we ended up getting on the wrong train and not realizing it until we literally made it to the end of the line and they kicked us off at like 2AM.”

That gave Lily pause. “...Point. We’ll just have to agree in advance that we’re sharing an uber home rather than risking the train! I’ll let Nari and Jess know the plan. Now. Go get dressed because we’re doing this.”

Your lips twitched and you let out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. But only because you asked so nicely.”

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Two hours later, you were in the middle of a crowded dance floor, covered in a sheen of – well, you’d call it sweat but your grandmother always said ladies don’t sweat, they glisten, so – whatever noun constituted glistening. Catching Nari’s attention, you gestured you were headed toward the bar and made sure she nodded her understanding of your intentions before making your way to the (relatively) less (at the moment) crowded bar area. You pressed your hands against the edge of the countertop then leaned forward to speak to the bartender when she stopped in front of you, having to almost shout your order for water and another rum and coke. At her thumbs up and movements to do just that, you shifted to sit on the stool while you waited, a hand moving from your peripheral into your line of sight drawing your attention.

You followed the hand up the arm, all the way up until your gaze met that of the unbelievably handsome man standing next to you, a wide, friendly smile on his face and his hand still held out to you. Having confirmed he caught your attention, the man shifted his hand into a slight wave and your lips curved up into a smile. 

“Hello,” you said with an answering wave. Had you gone out that night with the intention of picking up or being picked up by someone? No. Did that mean you were going to not take this chance to talk to a random hot guy and see what happened? Also no. After how things went down with your ex, if nothing else, it was a nice validation. 

“Hi,” he started, “I’m –”

“Sorry, buddy. She’s spoken for,” came an altogether too familiar voice, quickly followed by the man to whom that annoyingly familiar voice belonged slipping himself between you and Mister Tall, Dark, and Dreamy. Looking pleased as punch as he turned his body sideways to force the other man to step further back or risk being bumped into. 

Seungcheol.  

If you had hackles, they would be raised straight up. “I am not,” you said through gritted teeth. Forcing your gaze away from the bane of your existence, you looked up at the other man.  “Please ignore Seungcheol. His favorite pastime is being an ass.” 

That earned you an arched eyebrow and an amused smirk from said ass. 

Unfortunately, Tall, Dark, and Gorgeous was looking back and forth between you and Seungcheol, then shaking his head and holding his hands up. “No, it’s okay. I’ll let you two do…whatever this is.” 

Then he was gone and you were glaring at Seungcheol. “Seriously?”

He grinned, turning his body back around so he was facing you. “I’ve gotta look out for my best friend’s girl, don’t I?”

“Your best friend’s ex-girl, actually, and considering you’ve never looked out for me a day in your life, this is a really odd time to start.” 

“Haven’t I?” His expression was unreadable, then, and your brows pulled together, baffled by his words and his demeanor. At least until he shifted right back into obnoxious, making a point to look you up and down before shaking his head and returning his gaze to yours. “Anyway, you’ll always be his girl to me, unfortunately. On the rebound already, though, ouch,” he said with a tsk that you could see more than hear, and that made you want to claw his eyes out but hey. It was nothing new. “That didn’t take long at all, did it?” 

”Despite your…personal – and questionable – experience with reality, the rest of us live in the world where James and I broke up. And since I’m at least waiting until that’s the case to ‘rebound,’ of the two of us, I think I’m morally in the clear here.”

“What?” It was his turn to look confused.

“What do you mean, what? He didn’t tell you why we broke up?”  

Seungcheol straightened his spine and your attention shifted down to where his jaw was clenched before you forced it back up to meet his, inwardly recoiling at the ire there. If you didn’t know for a fact the man hated you, you could almost think he was angry on your behalf. “Obviously not. What happened?” 

You did know him, though, and he had made it very clear over the last eight months how much he disliked you. 

                                                                                             You had never figured out why or what you’d done to offend him so much in the first ten seconds of your meeting that prompted him to ice you out. To continue to be cold and dismissive of you despite your attempts to understand and get closer to him in an effort to make things less awkward for your boyfriend. After all, James had nothing but good things to say about his best friend. Warm, affectionate, funny, loyal, trustworthy, dependable, kind. Those were adjectives you’d heard used to describe Seungcheol hundreds of times during the course of your relationship with your ex, and yet you had never met that version of the man. 

Still, you had tried and tried until you finally had enough one day and just asked him what the hell his problem was, only to be met with a scoff and a drawled, “What’s the matter, princess? Need everyone to like you? Can’t handle it when someone isn’t paying you attention, hm?” 

Your indignant gasp and (admittedly and sadly) shrill, “Princess? Are you kidding me right now?” had earned you a sly smile and him stepping into your personal space, tucking stray hairs behind your ear and crooning at you. 

“Or is it just that you want my attention? For me to like you?”

You had slapped his hand away and balled your hands into fists at your sides. “I don’t want anything to do with you,” you had hissed at him, flushed with anger and offense. 

Some small part of you had whispered that actually, you had wanted him to like you and to pay attention to you – not in the way he was implying, of course. As objectively good looking as Seungcheol was (you could admit it to yourself and had even had an initial moment of, ‘Oh no, he’s hot,’ when James had first introduced the two of you), he was an ass and you were hopelessly infatuated with James. But because he was your boyfriend’s best friend and you had wanted him to fucking like you, which wasn’t a bad thing! 

His attention. That was maybe a little less noble, but it was human nature to want what we couldn’t have and the more standoffish he had been, the more you had wanted him to turn his attention to you. If only to prove that you could have it and there wasn’t something wrong with you that warranted being treated like a Leper.  

“Oh? My mistake.” Seungcheol had chuckled and you had watched his gaze sweep over you, then toward the front door, which you both heard opening at that moment. James had gone to get lunch and the sound indicated he must have returned. Seuncheol had taken a step back, then, and turned his loaded gaze to meet yours. “Maybe you should pay more attention to what your boyfriend is getting up to than whether or not I ask you how your day is and tell you that you look pretty.”

After that…well, screw him. If he wanted to act like an ice prince and for you to act like a bratty princess, fine. You could and you would and you did. 

Back now in the present moment, you gave yourself a mental shake and shrugged your shoulders. “He’s your bestie. Ask him.” 

He looked like he wanted to argue – of fucking course he wanted to argue; since that day you confronted him, every interaction between the two of you had devolved into an argument or bickering until someone (usually your now-ex) either separated you or changed the subject. Fortunately, any argument he wanted to make was interrupted by the bartender placing your drinks on the counter in front of you and you handing her your card. 

You could feel Seungcheol’s eyes on you as you paid and made your way back into the crush of people.

-----------------------------------------

Disloyal Douchebag [1:02AM]: Did you tattle on me to Cheol? 

Disloyal Douchebag [1:52AM]: Wtf

When you finally got your phone back the next morning, Lily having confiscated it at some point during the night, the missed calls (three of them) and texts from James simultaneously made you want to laugh and your brain hurt. Made that part of you who had cared enough to spend eight months with the man ache. He could reach out when he wanted to complain about you inadvertently outing him for being a cheater to his best friend, but not to apologize for being a cheater. It wasn’t as though Seungcheol knowing would change anything. 

Bro code and all of that. 

Ignoring the sting in your eyes, you blinked rapidly and got up to go about your day. 

-----------------------------------------

The rest of the weekend flew by, courtesy of your friends, so determined to keep you busy and distracted, and the inevitable, unavoidable, never-ending responsibilities that every functional adult had to take care of during those two meager days off. 10PM on Sunday night found you letting out a relieved breath as you finally flopped down onto your bed, spread out on your back like a starfish. 

You stared at the ceiling, mindlessly counting the silly glow-in-the-dark stars you’d put up in a fit of whimsy last month, an impulse purchase from the gift shop at the planetarium. James had flaked (of course), but his friend, Jeonghan, made sure you knew you were still invited and encouraged you to bring one of your friends, too. His laugh when you’d asked if Seungcheol was going and the amusement in Jeonghan’s voice when he offered reassurance that he would make sure the other man was on his best behavior still made you smile. Actually, one of the worst parts about this whole thing was how much you liked some of your ex’s friends and how, given the whole break-up thing and that they were his friends first, meant you doubted you would get to see them again. 

Groaning, you rolled over onto your stomach and buried your face in the pillow beneath your head. You reached out a hand to turn the bedside lamp off then drew the covers over you, telling yourself as you started to drift off that you could just text those mutual friends that you wanted to keep. Maybe they wouldn’t want anything to do with you, maybe you and James would have to share “custody” in the split, or maybe they realized he was trash and you would get to keep them. A very teeny, tiny, possibly sort of petty and vindictive part of you maybe hoped for the latter. 

You break my heart, I take your friends. 

But mostly they were just really cool and it would suck to lose them, too. 

Except Seungcheol. James could keep him.

—-----------------------------------------

By the time you made it to the following Friday, you were unbelievably relieved for the week to be over but also incredibly, intolerably bored. All of your friends were busy and, if you had to stare at your walls any longer or watch one more minute of television, you were going to lose your mind. Add in the fact that work had been determined to drive you up a wall and/or run you ragged in the past week, and your ongoing angst regarding your ex (who was also clearly determined to drive you up a wall, considering his random calls you had to ignore and the voicemails he left that vacillated between remorseful, “please take me back,” and “I don’t see what the big deal is/you’re overreacting, come on already,”), your general stress level was what any rational human being would consider not good. 

And okay, fine. You were also horny, which you chalked up to a) not being able to have sex regularly anymore and b) hormones that always messed with you this time of the month and hadn’t got the memo regarding point a. 

So there you were. 

Alone on your bed, with your laptop in-hand, scrolling through thumbnails of live streams on some website you’d never heard of before – SVT Hub. You weren’t normally one for watching cam shows but that night you were curious enough to see what it was about. At the very least, while you weren’t in the room with the man on the other end of the line, there seemed to be some level of added intimacy and connection as opposed to mindlessly watching the same old, pre-recorded porn. 

The first thought you had when you saw coups_d_éhot was, “Holy beefy arms, Batman!” S.Coups, which was his name according to his profile, didn’t have his face shown in the thumbnail, nor was it visible when you clicked through into his streaming page to view the pictures he posted. All of them captured him from the neck down, showing off those truly distractingly strong arms, as well as several of his torso which was just – Jesus, you could definitely see the appeal of watching him get himself off. You were just looking at pictures of the man and you wanted to lick him. Or claw up his back, which he had oh-so-graciously shown in one of his photos. 

His tendency to hide his face was something you noticed continued to be the case as you clicked into the live stream, just starting. Biting at your lower lip, you let your gaze sweep over what you could see of him, sitting in front of his computer in an executive chair, upper body encased in a black turtleneck. Upper body really doing an amazing job at filling out that turtleneck, the outline of his muscles teasing at the fabric. 

And look, you totally understood him not showing his face for privacy reasons. You did. God knew, you couldn’t even do it with your face hidden. It did feel a little weird staring at and possibly getting off to a man whose image was cut off at the chin, though. Yes, he was a camboy and was on the site to be looked at and talked to and hopefully, for his and his audience’s pleasure, but he was literally being – visually and physically, at least – reduced to his body. Guilt gnawing at your insides, you almost backed out of the page, when he spoke. His voice, deep and smooth, caught and held your attention. Vaguely familiar, some small part of your brain registered, but quickly pushed aside in favor of focusing on what he was saying and the screen in front of you.

“I don’t know about you, but it’s been a really fucking long week for me,” he said and you could see the rise of his chest as he drew in a deep breath, then watched it fall again as he sighed. 

He sat up straighter in the chair and his voice practically oozed empathy when he spoke again. “Yeah? I’m sorry you’ve had it rough, too.” Logically, you knew he was responding to someone in the chat, but he could have been speaking to you and you felt that genuine warmth like a caress. “We’ll just have to make sure we take extra good care of ourselves tonight, hm?”

Okay, so maybe you could stick around and watch a bit. Just to see. Dragging the cursor away from the back button, you let your hands fall to your lap. 

“Why am I wearing a turtleneck in the middle of the summer?” You could hear the grin in his voice as he read the words and let out a soft laugh. “That’s a good question! You don’t miss anything, do you?” 

Thank God someone asked because you were only wearing panties and an oversized shirt and were already warm. Looking at him, you felt even hotter on his behalf. 

“I got a new tattoo and, well – should I show you?” 

Yes, you thought, as the chat box filled with enthusiastic echoes of that same thought. 

He tutted and your gaze caught on the back and forth movement of his chin. “You know better than that. Ask me nicely, baby,” he instructed, voice pitched even lower and okay, fuck. You weren’t sure if it was the petname or the sternness, but you felt yourself clench and knew damned well you weren’t going anywhere. 

Yes, please, you typed into the chat. 

Watching tips notifications pop up in the chat, along with a resounding textual chorus of ‘pleases,’ you held your breath. Anticipating. 

“That’s better. So polite for me,” he practically purred. “Manners get rewarded, don’t they?” His hands appeared on screen then, dragging the turtleneck up with them, until he had pulled it over his head and tossed it somewhere off camera, leaving himself bare from the waist up and your mouth dry. 

Pictures did not do this man justice. Well, they did, but not enough. You weren’t even sure where to focus your gaze, too busy letting it sweep over the flatness and fitness of his abs, the slightest trail of hair starting at his belly button and disappearing into the sweats he wore. Back up to his chest and catching at his nipples, dusky and tempting and, if you’d wanted to put your mouth on them before, now that they were live and his thumbs brushed against them, a soft hiss escaping from between lips you couldn’t see, the desire to taste him and earn more of those sounds was an ache. 

The movement of his hands drew your attention then, your gaze avidly watching one dropping to his lap, palming himself through the cotton fabric of his pants, causing your breath to catch in your throat and you to squirm on your bed, until your peripheral caught sight of his other hand sliding across his chest to trace over the tattoo on his neck. Black a stark contrast against his skin, soft brushes of ink that shaped a feather? A bird’s wing? Whatever it was, it covered the left side of his neck from just above collarbone to just beneath his jaw and fuck, it was hot. 

“Thank you,” came his rough voice and you watched his throat move around the words as he responded to people in the chat. “Got it last weekend. Mm, been wanting to for a while, m’glad you like it, baby.”

Like might have been an understatement, if anyone asked you, but you kept that to yourself, along with the other thirsty and completely inappropriate thoughts you were having about the man. S.Coups, you reminded yourself. That’s what he called himself. 

If you ever gave any thought to what camming might consist of and/or the possibility of watching it before, you would have said the talking and shooting the shit was probably just a waste of time. A ploy to drive tips and prolong getting to the point, which was the sexy stuff, wasn’t it? The naked stuff. Watching and listening to S.Coups as he engaged with the viewers, though, you sort of got it. He was a stranger about to get off on camera but, in these interactions, he was charming and it made the whole experience seem less generic porn-y and more…intimate. Like – face hidden or not – he was a real person sharing this part of himself with you. All however many of you. 

He chuckled, then, voice laced with amusement. “It makes me look like a bad boy? I have my moments. You and I know how much you like it when I’m bad, don’t we? Like it when I encourage you to be naughty with me.” He punctuated his words with a groan, the hand palming himself giving a squeeze and causing his hips to jerk upwards. “You gonna misbehave for me tonight, sweetheart?”

Well fuck. 

-----------------------------------------

You woke the next morning to sunlight streaming in through the curtains and a familiar ringtone coming from your nightstand. Slapping your hand out to the side, you groggily grabbed your cell and looked at the screen, a sleepy grumble escaping from between your lips when you saw Jess’ name lighting up the screen, which reminded you that you had brunch plans with friends that morning. 

Rolling over in bed, determined to ignore the call and knowing you could get at least another ten minutes in before one of your friends called again or just showed up at your door, you yelped when your stomach landed on something hard, and your eyes flew open on instinct. They narrowed when you spotted your laptop, first in that still-half-asleep-what-is-happening sense, then in perturb at the thing that would dare to interrupt your efforts to ignore the day and drift back into dreams. Delicious dreams of a man, sweaty, strong hand gripping your hip, dragging your ass back into his thrusts, other hand fisted in your hair just hard enough for you to feel the pull, his voice a low rasp of your name into your ear. 

Fucking cooing that you “needed this, didn’t you?” and “I know, princess. Gonna give you what you need, fuck, just like that. There you go.” You had been on the cusp of coming when the sun decided to so rudely wake you up and your stupid laptop that didn’t even belong there just had to be there to be hit. Why the hell was your laptop on your bed anywa– Oh. 

Right. 

S.Coups. coups_d_éhot. The unfairly sexy camboy – camman? cam man? – who seemed to know exactly what to say and how to say it in order to leave you panting, writhing, making a mess of yourself and your sheets, until you were begging him in the goddamn chat to let you come. Tipping him. You had never paid for porn a day in your life, and yet. Apparently, you were dreaming about him, too? Jesus. Whoever he was in his real life, he knew exactly what he was doing on that stream and for the sake of your wallet (and peaceful sleep), you needed to stay away from said stream.

Sighing and giving up on your bonus sleep, you swiped the screen to answer, pulling the phone to your ear and stating, “I need twenty minutes.”

Jess laughed and her voice was laced with mirth when she responded. “I figured. I’ll swing by Starbucks on my way and see you in thirty, sleeping beauty!” 

You loved your friends. You really did. 

-----------------------------------------

Despite your best intentions and several very strongly worded lectures to yourself, you did not stay away from the cam site. You made it to Wednesday night before curiosity and the metaphorical devil on your shoulder had you pulling it back up, scrolling until you found coups_d_éhot, hesitating all of ten seconds before clicking through and onto his profile. He wasn’t streaming that day, but he did have older videos you could pay to watch, which you did. 

That night, you got yourself off to his low, rough voice telling you exactly how to do so. Edging yourself again and again until you knew that, if he had been live – if he had been in your bed with you, teasing you and drawing it out so long, with that casual amusement, the knowing in his tone, his words – you would have been cursing him and pleading with him to let you come. To either let you finish yourself off or to give you his fingers, his mouth, his cock. 

Your eyes were riveted on the grip of his hand on said cock, hard and long and thick, precome gathering at the head. The way his thumb brushed over the tip, drawing the liquid down his length. The low groan he emitted when he drizzled lube onto his dick, the squeeze he gave himself as he started pumping harder, faster. 

You lied there in your own bed, biting back said curses and pleas that he would never hear, your fingers not nearly enough to sate you but when he finally threw his head back, jaw clenched, and growled at you that he was “Gonna come, fuck, you’re gonna take it all for me, aren’t you, baby? Every drop.” His voice was a rasp as he commanded you to, “Come now. Let me fucking feel you squeeze it out of me,” and you fell apart, cunt clenching around your fingers, a needy whine pushing its way past your lips because he came then and as you watched him spill come across his abdomen, you wanted him to be inside of you on the most visceral level. 

Friday night, again. You went to bed with your body still tingling, his voice still echoing in your head, sated and sleepy.

The rest of the weekend and the next week didn’t afford much opportunity to indulge and really, you needed to not get completely caught up in some faceless, real nameless man on the internet being the source of your orgasms. 

The following Saturday (technically Sunday morning), still tipsy and wired despite it being 2 o’clock in the morning, you decided to say, “Screw it,” and pulled up your favorite camboy’s latest video. The datestamp indicated it had been recorded earlier that night, while you and your friends were very enthusiastically and tragically singing pop’s greatest hits. Well, what you all thought the greatest hits were. God, he had the tattoo in that one. You might or might not have sent him a private message telling him he was your favorite — your only camboy, if you were being honest (which you were) — that he was stupid hot (even if he never showed his face, you just knew and he should know), he really did make you want to misbehave, and thanking him for orgasms. Lots of them. Including the one you had right before sending said message. 

That you might have but might not have sent. Because you totally wouldn’t do that. 

(Except you definitely did.) 

-----------------------------------------

August was always hot and you were by no means a fan of the heat, but you did love the beach and there was no better time to be at the beach than when it was hot enough to bake you just standing outside for ten minutes. After finding parking – easier said than done, the whole ordeal taking you forty-five minutes and causing you to seriously consider just going home and calling an uber to bring you right back – you and Lily finally made your way toward the sand and water, your lips pulling into a happy smile as you watched the people milling about, and the way the waves continuously rolled into the shoreline. 

This was your happy place. 

You heard your name being called and turned your head toward it, spotting and waving back at Jess, slipping your arm through Lily’s and dragging her forward to meet up with your other friends, who had picked a spot earlier. You hugged Jess and Nari, giving their boyfriends a friendly smile in greeting before you and Lily set your towels down next to theirs and dropped down onto yours. 

While everyone chatted or stripped down to their swimsuits, you pulled off your own shorts and t-shirt, tucking the items into your bag and started searching through the bag for your sunscreen. You found it and were able to put it on for the most part, calling over your shoulder as you finished up on your face, holding out the bottle of sunscreen to your side so Lily could grab it from you. “Hey, get my back for me? I can’t reach it.”

“Ask me nicely,” came the drawled response in a voice that definitely did not belong to any of your friends and, in fact, gave you an unfortunate flashback to when S.Coups told the viewers exactly that, causing a shiver to shoot down your spine at the same time you spun quickly around to confirm your worst fears. 

Seungcheol was standing over you, backlit by the sun, arms crossed over his chest, and his forever infuriating smirk in place. Staring at you expectantly.    

“I – What the hell are you doing here?” you hissed up at him, looking around for your friends and realizing that while you were busy covering yourself in SPF 100, half of them must have wandered into the water and the other half were several towels down, looking very interested in anything but your current predicament. 

“That is not asking me nicely, princess.” 

His words drew your attention back to him and you refused to think about the way what would normally only piss you off now managed to piss you off and somehow send a bolt of lust through you. Well. You were seriously never watching coups_d_éhot again. Clearly he broke something in you, if you were responding to Seungcheol like this. Or no. It’s not even about Seungcheol, you told yourself. You were reacting to echoes of the camboy’s words, so that is what turned you on. The words were the same and they just – Seungcheol had a similar voice to him, was all. Actually, when you thought about it, their voices were uncomfortably similar. Between that and the middle of the night thirsty private message your intoxicated brain thought would be a good idea to send, you had yet another reason to avoid watching S.Coups in the future. 

You were determined to ignore the lingering horniness that was obviously because of someone not the man in front of you. Clearing your throat, you put on your most pleasant, innocent, and so overly-that-it-wasn’t-even-remotely-believable contrite expression as you squinted up at the man. “You’re right. I am so sorry, Seungcheol. Would you please tell me what the hell you’re doing here?” 

“You are such a fucking brat,” he said, lips twitching. 

You grit your teeth as you watched him reach behind his head and draw his shirt up and off, rolling it up and dropping it onto the sand next to you before he crouched down in front of you. He rested one forearm on his thigh and held the other hand out for the bottle of sunscreen, still in your hand. “Lily invited Jeonghan, Jeonghan invited me. It’s hot. I said yes. Give it to me, hm? Unless you want to burn…?”

Vaguely, you were aware of his words. Aware of the fact that you should be annoyed and offended by being called a brat. Instead, your focus tunneled, the sounds and colors and movements around you fading into the periphery. Crouching as he was, shirtless as he was, and close enough that you weren’t blinded by the sun behind him, you had an up close and personal view of his bare upper body. On even the best day, under the best of circumstances, it would be distracting. You had never seen him without a shirt and, although he was your least favorite (okay, second to least, since James held the top honors) person on the planet, the man was built. His fucking arms? His chest? His neck with horrifyingly familiar black ink. That hadn’t been there before. You would’ve noticed. Wouldn’t you? 

No, you would’ve. Definitely. 

You forced your gaze away from the tattoo, letting it sweep over his torso again, then his jawline. No. No no no. Widened eyes stared at the feather design, starting at that same spot just above that same clavicle, ending in that same spot beneath that same jaw. You drew in a sharp breath as the realization that Seungcheol was S.Coups hit you. You hated this man and he hated you but you’d seen him naked and watched him pump his cock in his fist, heard him say the sexiest, filthiest things, while you fucked yourself to climax on the other side of the screen. Multiple times.

You had sent him a message – you had told him –  

Oh fuck. Fuck. 

 “Careful, princess,” he tutted, moving closer and grabbing the sunscreen from your outstretched hand, leaning his face into your view and arching a brow at you. “Keep looking at me like that, I’ll start to think you like me and all the attitude has just been you trying to hide how much.” 

Well that was a reality check, tearing you out of your thoughts and back into the moment. You jerked your hand back, glaring at him and trying your best to ignore the flush you could feel covering your skin. Trying to ignore how close he was and to not let your gaze keep dropping to his neck or his torso. Trying to pretend you hadn’t seen this man naked. Mortified, furious, and appalled. At least he didn’t realize you knew about his…nighttime activities.

“Like you? I do not –” you started, before realizing how loud you were being and pressing your lips together, then continuing much more quietly. “Maybe I just like your tattoo. It’s new?” 

His gaze slipped from yours and toward where the tattoo was, not that he could see it, then he cocked his head to the side and you did not like the interest with which he looked at you. “Ah, right. That must be it. We’ll just pretend that’s the only place you were looking.” 

You were going to hit him. You just were. The patronizing jackass. 

Or you were going to die of discomfort and say something to somehow out yourself as one of his – fuck, one of his viewers. What you needed to do was put space between the two of you so you could wrap your head around this development and then never think about it again. 

“I’m going in the water,” you said, pushing yourself away from Seungcheol and to your feet. 

“You realize I haven’t put the sunscreen on you yet, right?” 

“I don’t even care.”

“Sit down.”

“No.”

The way he clenched his jaw actually gave you a thrill that you refused to think about too closely. Instead, you flashed him an overly bright smile and turned away, ignoring the curses you heard him making under his breath or him calling your name. 

You were able to avoid him most of the time there, making sure to be in the water when he was on the shore or on the shore when he made his way into the water. What you could not avoid was his gaze. That, you felt on you throughout the day and caught on you several times. The problem was you couldn’t stop yourself from looking at him or looking for him, needing to be aware of where he was at all times in order to avoid having to talk to him and give him the opportunity to question you or fluster you. Because you were really fucking flustered already and were having a very hard time compartmentalizing. A task that was made even harder every time you looked at him, caught him staring at you, studying you, his goddamned eyebrow lifted and a smirk turning up the corner of his lips. 

The thing was, you knew he didn’t know you had seen his…performances. There was just no way. You had watched him as a guest the first time and then used some super generic screenname to buy access to the videos and to message him from. As long as you – for real, this time – never went back to the site and never actually told him you saw him on there, it would be fine. If you could avoid ever seeing him or running into him again at all, even better!

From the looks Lily and Jeonghan kept exchanging and their not actually all that sneaky touches, though, you were definitely going to be in the same place at the same time with him again at some point. This was what happened when you got greedy and asked the universe to let you keep your ex’s friends. They started dating your friends. 

A nudge to your arm dragged your attention away from the blossoming couple – or more accurately, Seungcheol’s back, where he was standing next to the blossoming couple – to the knowing grin Nari was giving you. “I thought you hated him,” she said. 

“I do hate him,” you argued. “And he hates me.” 

“Is that why you’re blushing?” 

“Blush- I’m- I’m not blushing!” You sputtered, hands flying up to your face to cover your cheeks, cringing when you felt the heat there. 

Her smile widened and she laughed, holding her palms up in front of her. “Okay, okay! For the record, though, you guys are both being extra weird today. And you spend a lot of time staring at each other for two people that supposedly hate one another.”

Sighing, you crossed your arms over your chest and eyed your friend warily. You wanted to explain but despite the enmity between you and Seungcheol, he clearly tried to conceal his identity during the streams, and you weren’t going to be the asshole who exposed him. “It’s…complicated,” you settled on.

When she responded with, “Mmhm, I bet it is,” you rolled your eyes affectionately and gave your friend a soft shove toward the coolers.

-----------------------------------------

As you settled yourself in bed that night, you turned off the lights and were plugging your phone into the bedside charger when a notification banner popped up on your screen, indicating you had a new email. Expecting the email to be a quick ‘send it to the trash’ type thing, as was usually the case when they came through at this time of night, you clicked through intending to do just that. Your eyes scanned the body of the message and you felt your breath catch when you realized it was SVTHub telling you that you had a new private message from coups_d_éhot. 

Shit. 

On the one hand, it was really nice that he took the time to reply to people who messaged him. Which – his whole persona as S.Coups was so different from the version of him you knew personally that the resulting cognitive dissonance made your brain error. It was weird and wrong and yet, so much more like the man everyone else described him as that it was also kind of infuriating. Even strangers on the internet got to meet thoughtful, warm Seungcheol! Apparently, you were the only person on the planet who didn’t.  

On the other goddamn hand, his response meant Seungcheol had read your thirsty DM. Thank God he didn’t know you were, well, you. 

You weren’t going to read his response. You weren’t. You told yourself exactly that even as you clicked on the link in the email that would take you to the message on the website. 

[coups_d_éhot] to [princess_peach] 10:43pm: 

Thank you for the sweet message, princess. I’m honored to be your favorite (only) camboy and love to hear you’ve been able to make yourself feel so good while watching me. ;) Don’t be a stranger in the chats. Tell me what you need and share those orgasms with me. 

Reading that was a mistake. Squeezing your eyes shut, you did your best to ignore the flush creeping across your cheeks and down your neck. Seungcheol didn’t know he was talking to you but you sure as hell did and the idea of sharing your orgasms with him filled you with a warmth you weren’t going to acknowledge. You bit at your bottom lip, weighing out whether it would be worse to reply and then disappear forever or just ignore the message. 

The guilt gnawing at your insides had your fingers moving to the keys, trying to type up something that would allow you to gracefully exit stage left while also acknowledging him and not leaving the guy on read.

[princess_peach] to [coups_d_éhot] 11:05 pm: 

As appealing as that sounds, I don’t think I’m comfortable sharing my orgasms with you AND the rest of the chat haha. Thanks for getting back to me and not treating me like a giant weirdo for watching and messaging a stranger!

There. That was a totally reasonable response! You were about to close the screen and log-out when another message popped up. 

[coups_d_éhot] to [princess_peach] 11:06pm: 

You’re cute. Shy, huh? I get that. Tell you what, peach. If you ever want all of my attention to yourself and to share with ONLY me, let me know. I don’t usually do private streams, but I have before, and you and I could talk about what that may look like. 

Your next inhale was sharp, eyes staring at the words on the screen as you squirmed in your bed. A private stream? You forced your eyes shut and quickly closed the tab, then shoved your phone face down on your nightstand. That you considered it for even a second was inexcusable and, frankly, bewildering. He wasn’t just some nameless, faceless, random man on the internet. He was your ex-boyfriend’s best friend! He was the bane of your existence! You were his best friend’s ex-girlfriend and he couldn’t stand you. 

If Seungcheol knew it was you on the other end of his messages, he would be horrified. And probably kill you. At the very least, he would go out of his way to be even more of a pain in your ass. So no. You were going to erase this whole thing from your awareness and pretend it never happened. 

Starting now. 

-----------------------------------------

You ran into your ex at the store on Wednesday and found yourself floundering. James had been there with the woman he had cheated on you with, even, something you had hoped to avoid ever having to encounter in person. Feeling frustrated and a little brittle, hurt and angry – with him, with yourself for still caring and allowing yourself to be affected by him, you needed to do something. In your defense, you had called your friends first and they had been able to talk you down from that something being completely impulsive and excessive.

Idea number one had been to pack a bag, get on a plane, and move to Boston, Augustana style. If you didn’t love Lily as much as you did, and know she loved you just as much, her laughter as she shot down that plan would have had you pushing back more. Idea two was to swear off men entirely, for the rest of forever, which you thought was pretty reasonable, all things considered. Jess and Nari reminded you of all the things you actually really loved about men, though – at least, men not James – and they had a point. Lots of guys were not cheating douchebags and there was no way you would give up forever all the stuff that came with dating them.

So fine. 

You made plans with them to meet up over the weekend and hung up the phone, feeling better. Mostly. The old saying that the best way to get over a guy is to get under another guy snuck up into your awareness and wouldn’t leave, and at this point, you were starting to seriously consider the strategy. 

Which left you with two options: tinder or getting gussied up, going out, and trying to pick a guy up. Tinder was a goddamn nightmare and a curse upon every single woman in the universe, however. It would also involve you then having to still get gussied up to meet them and presumably sleep with them. And even if you found someone on there, or if you put in the effort to go out to find someone the old-fashioned way (which, really, going out by yourself to a club or bar sounded awful), there was zero guarantee the guy could get you off. 

Okay, option three was to table options one and two for now, possibly revisit option two over the weekend when you and your friends went out, and just focus on orgasms. Partnered and yet…not. Your fingers were still curled around your phone and you tightened your grip, drawing in a deep breath. You tried to tell yourself that messaging Seungcheol back, asking him what exactly was required for and what was the expectation for private streaming, was not an option. 

It wasn’t quite as rife with the potential for life-altering consequences as an impulsive move, but it was a very bad idea. 

First and foremost, Seungcheol didn’t know you were princess_peach but that did not mean he wouldn’t find out, especially if you did things to single yourself out from his other viewers and put yourself into a one-on-one virtual situation with him. You hoped and would assume the site protected the names and other private data of viewers as well as performers, but assuming had made an ass of you many times. Even if that was protected, and even if you did your best not to say anything that would give you away, it wasn’t a guarantee he wouldn’t find out you were you. 

Secondly, if he found out, you could honestly make the argument at this point that you hadn’t known he was S.Coups when you watched him and got off on doing so. Despite the fact that he hid his face and didn’t use his real name, there was always the risk of someone he knew stumbling upon him – it just so happened to be you in this case. If you messaged him now, arranged for him to share a private stream with you, to put on a show for you while you chatted with him and touched yourself to the sight and the sounds of him, you would be doing so knowing who he was, purposefully hiding your identity and withholding that same knowledge from him. At the very least, it seemed like a violation of…fairness? If he found out afterwards, he would be pissed and you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on because you knew it was wrong. 

Also, you reminded yourself, I can’t stand the man, so why am I even considering this? 

Because, the fact of the matter was, he was different when he was acting as S.Coups. He – and you would only admit this to yourself – was always hot, but when he wasn’t actively being an ass or doing his best to get under your skin, he was also not the worst. Fine. He was actually very attractive in more than the physical sense. That’s as much as you were willing to give. 

Maybe you would message him and he would say, ‘Sorry, that’s not an option anymore, but here’s some other streamers I can recommend if you’re into that!” and all of this would be a moot point. 

[princess_peach] to [coups_d_éhot] 8:34pm: 

Hi! Is talking about a private stream still on the table? If not, I totally understand. I’m sorry I didn’t reply earlier. I wasn’t really sure how to respond but I’m definitely interested.

That was not a lie. 

[coups_d_éhot] to [princess_peach] 9:16pm: 

There’s my shy girl. It’s on the table, yeah. Why don’t I send you a sheet I drew up that explains how it works? You can take a look at it and tell me if it’s something you’d like to move forward with. 

[princess_peach] to [coups_d_éhot] 9:24pm: 

Your shy girl, huh? I know I claimed you as my favorite but I didn’t realize the claiming went both ways. Noted. ;) And yes, please. I’ll take a look and get back to you asap.

Jesus Christ, you were flirting with him now. 

[coups_d_éhot] to [princess_peach] 9:27pm: 

I think we both know I don’t share well, don’t we, princess? You’ve seen my shows. If we’re going one-on-one and getting to know each other that well, you’re definitely gonna be mine. File is attached, so read it and let me know. [attached: 1 document]

Jesus Fucking Christ, you were flirting with him, he was flirting with you, and you liked it. 

The shiver that went through you, the wave of heat you felt reading his cocky, possessive words, should probably be a sign you were heading into a danger zone and the last thing you should do was to go through with this. Probably should but if it was, you ignored it in favor of scanning through the document he’d sent, already knowing you were going to agree. It was just a transaction. He did this with other people, too, so it was fine. Totally fine! You were just another, uh, customer. Seeing the cost of a private session, your eyes nearly bugged out of your head, but it wasn’t like it would bankrupt you and you were all-in on this questionable decision-making now. 

You messaged him back, agreeing to the terms and the cost, signing the form he sent over confirming such and giving SVTHub permission to charge your card upon initiation of the private stream, and establishing a day/time for said stream. Tomorrow night at 8pm. For one hour, S.Coups – Seungcheol – would be all yours. 

Hand to God, if he ever found out you did this, you were going to flee to Boston. Or Antarctica. Somewhere you never had to face him or anyone who knew the both of you again. 

01 : bitchless, 22 and counting

02 : our secret romance

03 : delulu engenes

04 : third person

05 : the art of ignorance

06 : deleted instagram account

07 : breaking up on the tl

08 : fuck shit up

09 : the line between friends and more

10 : miyaki tag

11 : do what you can

12 : riki redemption arc

13 : unauthorized investigation

14 : last chance

15 : silly little feelings

16 : we're in this together

17 : good at this

18 : media left and right

19 : all you want

20 : who's the real cheater

21 : how are you so sure

21.5 : extra ! the miya scandal

22 : no regrets

23 : leaving for good

24 : an odd solace

25 : take two — epilogue !

—

“Gosh, did you really break up with her? And here I was, thinking this one would actually last longer than two weeks.”

Yeonjun only rolls his eyes in response to his friend’s nagging, his back resting against the cold stonewall of the school as his shoes sink into the soft grass surrounding them. It's the place he, Soobin and Taehyun go to complain about homework, classmates, or in his case, girls, and it was carefully chosen by them so as not to catch the attention of any annoyingly nosy teachers. It is also the place he usually brings girls to make out with – at least those he won’t even bother taking out on a date since they’re way too boring. Most people would be surprised to know just how many girls aren't worth knowing. 

He sighs deeply, fidgeting a little with the hem of his ripped jeans before fetching a pack of cigarettes from the pocket. His eyes scan the area subconsciously, not searching for anyone in particular but looking for anything interesting to latch onto. “Oh, quit complaining, Soobin. Why do you care, anyway? It’s not like she was your girlfriend.” 

‘Girlfriend’ is a bit too much of an exaggeration, even he has to admit – all that girl ever was to him was a quick fuck. Not that it matters. It doesn’t exactly occupy his thoughts whether she’s taking their ‘breakup’ well or not. He sighs, tearing his gaze away from the crowd as nothing – and nobody – catches his eye. Ignoring his friend’s judgemental stare, he lights a cigarette, bringing it to his lips and inhaling the calming aroma, before breathing out a cloud of smoke. 

“No, but she seemed to like you a lot.” Soobin says, and Yeonjun lets out a snort of laughter, which earns him another death stare from his friend. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll run out of girls to hook up with?” 

“I can always go to a bar and find some new ones. Seoul is full of girls, which makes it even more embarrassing that you’re incapable of finding yourself one.” 

“Oh, shut up. It’s not like you’ve ever had a proper relationship, either. I’d say that’s even more embarrassing.” 

“How is it embarrassing? I’m living the dream, man, admit it.” And as if to prove his point, he takes another drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke directly into his friend’s frowning face. 

And then he looks at the crowd of students again, totally uninterested as always. At least until his eyes land on your frame and he’s suddenly feeling more interested than he’s ever felt before. Because, holy fuck, who is that girl and why has he never seen her before? For a moment, he’s just staring at you, eyes running over all your features as if not to forget any of them, mind racing with the thought that you might just be the prettiest girl he’s ever seen in his entire life. And then you disappear into the crowd again and all that’s left is his burning determination to make you his.

“Who was that girl?” He asks his friend, finger pointing in the direction of where you were standing just a moment ago. 

Thankfully, Soobin seems to have seen you, too. “Huh? Oh, her? That’s Y/N.”

“You know her?”

Raising a brow, he responds skeptically. “Yeah, why? She’s the class president in my class.”

Oh, wow. Class president. He's never been with a class president – mostly because all of their school talk was impossible to endure – but that shouldn't be much of a problem. You are still a girl, after all, and girls are his specialty. 

It only takes a few more questions directed at a not-so-happy Soobin to find out that you work as an assistant at the school library during breaks, and so Yeonjun has found his destination. He's so quick to run into the school that it's not before he's spent five minutes looking for the library that he realizes he has no idea where it is. Groaning in frustration, he asks one of the bypassers to show him the way, but it takes another three minutes for the girl to stop blushing and giggling, which makes Yeonjun question whether it's worth it to even go there.

But then he's reminded of how pretty you looked from a distance, and he knows he has to see you up close. So he lets the girl bring him to the library, and he's quick to realize that this might just be his least favorite place in the whole school. The room is filled with nothing but shelves of books and the girls who are sitting by the tables are nowhere near as pretty as he'd like. And they're also not even paying him a glance – something he finds a little weird. Now he just hopes you're good with your mouth, so that his time doesn't go to waste.

“Do you need help with anything?” 

He hears from behind him and yes, his eyes weren't playing tricks on him earlier – you're even prettier up close. Of course you'd come up to him first – he'd doubted your ability to take initiative since you are a class president, but it seems that he'd overestimated people's capability of resisting his good looks. You are just making his task so much easier. 

“Not really, no,” He grins widely, running his ring-clad fingers through his hair. “Just wanted to ask you if you’re free this weekend.” 

He watches as you scrunch up your nose in confusion – it’s kind of cute – and awaits your answer with the grin never leaving his face. If there’s anything he’s good at, it’s asking people out. Though the fact that he’s had a 100% success rate all his life probably helps with the confidence. You sigh a little and it brings him to reality, making him realize that you’re taking a little too much time thinking and too little time agreeing to go out with him. 

“Sorry,” You say finally, gaze so uninterested that it kind of reminds him of his. “I’m not interested.” 

And just like that, you walk away from him. Totally unfazed, too, like you didn’t just reject Choi fucking Yeonjun. It makes him furious. But for some unknown reason, it also makes him interested. And when Choi Yeonjun is interested in someone… Well, he’s not going to give up that easily. 

—

“What do you mean Choi Yeonjun asked you out?” One of your friends exclaims as you sit in the cafeteria, your hand quickly coming up to cover her mouth so that nobody hears what you’re talking about.

“Would you quiet down a little?” You hiss in her direction, removing your hand when she rolls her eyes. “I mean, he asked me out. When I was in the library. Just appeared out of nowhere, asking me if I have plans for the weekend.” 

“Oh my god, that’s amazing! What did you say?”

“No, obviously. Why would I wanna-”

“What do you mean you said no?!” There it is again – a high pitched squeak and a facial expression of someone who was just deeply offended. And knowing your friend, she probably is. “Are you fucking insane? Why wouldn’t you want to go out with the Choi Yeonjun? Literally every girl at this school would kill to get asked out by him.” 

“I wouldn’t,” You say, going back to your food. “He hooks up with every other girl he sees and smokes cigarettes. I don’t want anything to do with him.”

“Sure, you don’t,” You hear your friend scoff in annoyance, but this time you choose to ignore her. It’s not like you could ever convince her to stop admiring the guy, so why waste your oxygen trying? Honestly, it’s all getting on your nerves – how everyone seems to adore him. Girls want to date him and boys want to be him. You’ve never quite understood why. 

Not that it matters – now that you’ve told him off there’s no way he wants anything to do with you. Right?

Wrong. 

You realize just how much you’re mistaken already the next day as you’re hurrying to class, four textbooks huddled in your arms as you push your way through the crowd. It's 9:21 and your class started six minutes earlier, leaving you with no choice but to pay no attention to your surroundings and focus on getting to the classroom. Which turns out to be a very bad idea the moment you run straight into something – no, someone – and drop all your books on the floor. Not to mention that it feels like you just broke your nose. 

“Ow,” You mutter under your breath, and you hear a low chuckle that makes you look up at the person you just ran into. And, holy shit, there's just no way someone can be this unlucky. 

“Where are you going in such a hurry, sweetheart?”

You furrow your brows at the one and only Choi Yeonjun, who's standing in front of you with his hands buried in his pockets and an annoyingly attractive smirk on his face as he eyes you up and down. Did he just call you sweetheart? You suppose he did. Not that you feel special or anything – he probably calls every girl that. 

Just like he probably picks up every girl's books when she drops them – which is what he's doing right now as you still try to recover from the shock of seeing him again after such a short time. You don't even get to protest as he kneels down, before picking them up and handing them to you with his cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. It should be a repulsive sight, but it's actually ridiculously attractive on him. 

“To class? Where else would I be going?” And before he gets to reply, you're already pushing past him to leave the conversation. But after barely two steps you feel his hand on your shoulder, turning you around to look at him again. “What are you doing? I need to go.”

“Come on, it won't kill your teacher to wait another five minutes,” He tilts his head to the side, studying your face so intensely that you're afraid he'll see the way you're not as calm as you appear to be. “Don’t you wanna go outside and take a cigarette with me?”

“I don't smoke,” You say. “Especially not with people like you.”

For a moment, you're scared he'll get mad at you for saying that, because his smirk drops and his eyes grow darker – as if what you said hit him a little too hard. But it's most probably just your imagination playing tricks on you, because in the blink of an eye he's smirking again, this time with a hint of amusement in his gaze. 

“People like me? What's that supposed to mean?” 

Um, I don't know, fuckboys who change girlfriends every week and don't give a shit about other people's feelings, maybe? But you don't say that out loud. Instead you shake his hand off of your shoulder and ignore the feeling that something's missing when you no longer feel his touch. 

“I have to get to class.”

And just like that, you walk away from him for the second time. Only this time, he's not the only one with this strange encounter on his mind. 

—

You've only met him twice, and both times you spoke with him only briefly, but that doesn't change the fact that Choi Yeonjun is the one occupying your mind for the next couple of days. What's even worse is that you're not sure just why you're thinking about him – whether it's because you've had enough of him, or the total opposite. But since you're a rational person, you settle with the first one: that you're simply thinking about him because you don't want to see him ever again.

That is actually something you've managed to do for the last few days – you haven't even seen him in the hallway. Which is refreshing, because it means you're back to normal, being the class president who can focus on school and not some annoying troublemaker. You've purged all thoughts of Yeonjun that were left in your head by the time you're in the cafeteria, hungry as hell. Saying a quick goodbye to your friends, you head over to one of the vending machines in order to buy yourself an iced coffee – you deserve it after all the schoolwork you've done today, that's for sure. 

When you've chosen your drink, you press your card against the sensor and wait for it to withdraw the money, but after a few seconds a message saying 'card rejected' pops up on the screen. You sigh softly, trying again. 

“What the fuck?” You mumble to yourself as your card gets rejected by the paying machine once again. 

“You sure you have enough money on that card, kitten?” 

You jump slightly at the sound of a voice barely two centimeters from your ear. Your hand instinctively comes up in order to cover your mouth to muffle your gasp as you turn around only to be met with a pair of deep brown eyes, belonging to none other than Choi Yeonjun himself. He only laughs at your reaction, letting one of his hands rest on your shoulder as he leans over the vending machine with his card between his fingers. 

“What are you doing?” You finally ask as he hands you your card, pressing his against the machine instead. 

“What do you mean?” He fetches the drink from the vending machine and holds it out in front of you, urging you to take it. 

“I mean, what do you think you're doing?”

“I’m paying for your coffee, that's what I'm doing,” He says it like it's the normal thing to do, but you both know this isn't how he usually acts. And it freaks you out, knowing that he's acting nicer than usual. Because what the fuck does he want? “Now would you please take this from my hands? It's a little rude not to thank me when I'm being so generous, don't you think?”

So you grab the drink, eyeing him cautiously as he walks over to the nearest table before plumping down on one of the cheap chairs. He looks so out of place here, with his dark hair and silver rings adorning his long fingers that have already fetched his phone from his pocket. You don’t recall ever seeing him here, actually – you’ve heard from your fanatic friends that he always eats lunch at the cafe close by the school. You’re not sure why –  maybe because he feels too cool to eat in the school cafeteria or maybe he wants to avoid all the giggling girls that are looking at him with eyes full of adoration. Whatever the reason, he never eats here. 

And yet he’s sitting right there, scrolling through his phone with no apparent wish to get out of the cafeteria anytime soon.

“Are you just gonna stand there or what?”

“Huh?” His words bring you back to reality and you realize you’ve just been standing a meter away from the table with your coffee clutched in your hand this entire time. You hadn’t even noticed that he’d looked up from his phone, that annoying smirk plastered back onto his features as he speaks.

“Aren’t you gonna sit down?” Seeing your expression, he chuckles softly, and for some reason you don’t find his laugh that annoying – it's quite pretty actually. Has a nice ring to it. Not that you care what his laugh sounds like, of course. “What, you don’t drink coffee with people like me, either?”

You don’t respond, instead opting for sitting down by the table, across from him. You’re not sure what possessed you to do that – whether it was the embarrassment from earlier or the way that Yeonjun’s burning gaze is too much to handle while standing up – but you don’t miss the jealous stares from the nearby-seated girls, reminding you that there’s literally no reason for you to be talking with Choi Yeonjun right now. Or ever, for that matter. 

“Give me your number,” He says once you’ve taken a sip of your drink, making you almost choke on it.

With a bewildered expression, you look at him and the phone he’s shoving in your direction. The ‘create a new contact’ function is open and it’s obvious he wants you to write your number there. For a moment, you’re about to do it, the way that he said it with so much confidence somehow making you weak in the knees even when sitting down. Now you can understand how he can pull every girl he wants. But then you’re able to think clearly again, and you realize that phone probably contains the numbers of tens of girls whom he’d hooked up with. 

And you know for a fact that you’re not about to become the next checked-off item on his list.

“Why would I give you my number?” You say to him, pushing the phone away from you on the table.

He raises an eyebrow in amusement, smiling a little wider at your response and it makes you groan internally. Why must he be so hard to upset? “God, you’re really stubborn, huh?” 

It annoys you that his voice holds an amused tone, and it annoys you that he finds your attempts at rejecting him funny. Shouldn’t someone like him – someone who isn't used to being pushed away by anyone – be much easier to discourage? Why is he so fucking persistent? Why is he ignoring your uninviting demeanor, when he could be chasing after any other girl – a girl who’d have no problem falling to her knees for him in the span of two seconds. But you suppose it’s partly your own fault since you’re not making any particular effort at leaving the scene.

“You don’t know anything about me.” You hope your voice sounds as confident as it did in your head when you let those words leave your mouth.

“Well, I want to get to know you.”

“No, you don’t,” You scoff, letting your eyes meet his this time. “You want to get in my pants.”

“What’s the difference?”

Even though you kind of expected that kind of response from a well-known fuckboy, it still makes your mouth fall open. “Are you serious right now?”

“No.” His lips spread in a smile as he rests his chin on his hand, eyes glistening with amusement as he observes the change of your facial expressions. “But I bet you thought I was.”

He’s absolutely right and it makes you feel exposed in a way. Like you’ve been thinking there’s no personality to him, and now he’s proving you wrong. That’s what he’s acting like, anyway. Like him knowing the difference between getting to know someone and wanting to sleep with them makes him any less of an asshole. If anything, it’s the opposite – it means he deliberately chooses to play with people’s feelings, and since you know he’s good at it, the best choice would be to leave now, before his demeanor somehow grabs your attention and interest. 

“You don’t know very much about me either, do you, sweetheart?”

Your breath hitches a little as his hand accidentally brushes against yours when he puts it on the table, and you’re quick to pull it back to you and rest it in your lap instead. His eyes won’t leave you alone as he yet again pushes his phone towards you, further proving your theory that the man just won’t take a hint. “I’m throwing a party this Saturday. You should come. I’ll text you the address, so give me your number.” 

“Can’t you just tell me?” You cock an eyebrow at him. “Besides, what makes you think I wanna come to your party?”

“I think,” He leans a little forward, and you try to slow down your heart that’s started banging against your chest a little too loudly. “You like being around me a little more than you let on. And I think that you want to get to know me, too. So this is your chance. And if I can’t convince you to give me a chance by then, I’ll leave you alone. Okay?”

“So you need to be at a party to show me that you’re worth knowing?” You taunt, again a little disappointed when you see that all your words cause is a short laugh. “But fine, I’ll come.”

You’re not sure what got into you, but the moment you say that, you realize the thought of coming to his party is making you excited. And even though you know it’s foul, the vision of showing all those shallow girls that you’re the one he spent time hitting on, that you’re the one he put in effort for, is tempting. You don’t want to be another girl he throws away when he’s done with, but you also can’t help the way his perseverance is slowly, but surely pushing down the walls you’ve put up around yourself. 

“Perfect.” And it feels like a crime to have butterflies swarm in your stomach as he sends you a smile – one that feels so genuine that you almost forget he’s nothing but a player. Almost. 

—

It goes without saying that your friends were thrilled to hear that you, out of all people, are invited to Choi Yeonjun’s party, and their excitement went over the roof the moment you told them you’re bringing them along. Now, bringing your Choi Yeonjun-obsessed besties to his party might not be the brightest idea, but at this point it’s your only option, since there’s no way you’re going alone. 

Why? Partly because you’re straight up terrified of parties, but mostly because bringing your friends along is a good opportunity to discourage Yeonjun from further pursuing his determination to get in your pants. There’s no way a guy who only wants sex will care enough to put up with your crazy friends and your aversion to partying. At least you hope so. Lately, Yeonjun has been proving every assumption you’ve ever had about him wrong. 

Nevertheless, you’re sure he won’t prove this one wrong. Because he is still a fuckboy, after all, and fuckboys are only interested in one thing – getting their dicks wet. So when he doesn’t get that from you, he’ll leave your life and so will this strange sense of attraction you feel every time he speaks to you. 

“Are we at the right place?” You ask your friends as all three of you stand in front of the house that Yeonjun told you the party would be at.

“Are you stupid or what? Of course we are, don’t you see the people passed out on the lawn?”

Of course, you do. It’s not like you’re blind. Just nervous. Really fucking nervous. For a moment, you question whether you should just go back to your dorm and read a book like you normally would on a Saturday night, but unfortunately, you doubt you could’ve focused on the words knowing that somewhere out there, Yeonjun is waiting for you to show up at his door. Maybe even thinking of you, of getting to know you. No, Y/N, he doesn’t want to get to know you, you mentally scold yourself. He wants to fuck you. So get yourself out of this ditch before you fall in too deep.

“Right. I’ll knock then.” Your friend looks at you expectantly and you clear your throat before ringing the doorbell with shaky fingers. Fuck. What are you so stressed about?

Much to your poor heart’s dismay, the one opening the door for you is Choi Yeonjun himself. He’s looking even more annoyingly handsome than he usually does, with a silver chain around his neck and his shirt half unbuttoned, the sleeves of it rolled up to reveal his forearms. And god, is he a sight to see. It makes you understand the girls who swarm around him at all times. Especially when he leans on the doorway, licking his lips in a seemingly innocent manner that unintentionally makes your heart beat faster, before inviting you inside with his signature smirk planted to his face. 

“Y/N,” He says and the way your name rolls off of his tongue sends shivers down your spine. It’s the first time you’ve heard him say it, and it makes you grateful he’s never called you by your name at school because the subtle warmth laced in his voice is very distracting. “And friends, I suppose.”

Oh, right. Your friends. Who you brought here to annoy the guy whose voice you just internally drooled over. In your head, you thank Yeonjun for the reminder as to why you're really here – because it's surely not to shamelessly stare at his veiny hand that is wrapped around a plastic cup.

“Oh, yeah, these are my friends,” You say, pointing to the two girls that are practically drooling as they look at Yeonjun. But you suppose you're not allowed to judge them anymore, not after basically doing the same thing. To your defense, every girl would look if Choi Yeonjun stood in front of her like that. Or at least you hope that this isn’t a sign of you getting too attached.

“Wow, Yeonjun, you look much more handsome in real life than on instagram,” One of your friends gushes as he opens the door wider, allowing all three of you to enter the packed house. The moment you step inside, you’re hit with the strong smell of alcohol and sweat, as well as loud music that you can already sense is about to give you a headache. “You wouldn’t mind giving me your number, right?”

The moment those words leave her mouth, you’re whipping your head around to look at her half-surprised, half-mad. Why, you’re not sure, but the thought of her hitting on him makes something twist in your stomach unpleasantly. The death stare you send her doesn’t seem to have any impact, but Yeonjun’s words do as he drapes his arm over your shoulders before sending you – not your friend, you – a teeth-flashing grin. “Yeah, no, sorry, I’m kinda busy right now. Talk to you later, uh, whatever your name is.”

And just like that, he walks further into the crowd, pulling you with him, and you’re too shocked by the whole situation to even react, only managing to look back at your friends for a mere second. But, for some reason, their shocked faces don’t even make you feel that bad about walking away, partly because they pissed you off, but also because Yeonjun’s arm fits strangely perfectly around your shoulder, and his fingers grazing the exposed skin on your arm bother you way less than they should. Even the girls sending you ugly stares manage to be somehow drowned down by his light, but heart-stirring touch as he leads you to the kitchen, before finally letting you go. 

“If you brought me here to seduce me, don’t hold your breath,” You tell him as he walks over to the counter, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. “I didn’t come here for that.”

There's a small smirk on his face as he looks up at you. “Then what did you come for?” 

“You forced me to, remember? I came so that you'll finally accept your defeat and leave me alone.”

A chuckle leaves his lips as you watch him open the bottle, realizing that there's actually nobody except the two of you in the kitchen. The walls provide a good exclusion of the loud music, and there's some kind of peace to the atmosphere. It's the first time you're alone with Yeonjun in a room, but it doesn't stress you out at all – actually, it’s calming. 

“You know, that’s what I like about you,” He smiles, pouring the alcohol as if he didn’t just say something that makes your heart drop to your stomach for just a second. “That you always say what you mean. No matter what, you do what you want to do and say what you want to say. It takes a lot of courage to do that, you know.”

You scoff at his words, sitting down on the floor with your back pressed up against the counter. “Just how drunk are you? You’re talking nonsense. Everyone says what they wanna say and does what they wanna do.”

“Really?” He cocks an eyebrow, before sitting down next to you and handing you your drink. For just a short moment, your fingers graze his skin as you're taking the glass from his hands, and goosebumps spread across your whole body from the contact. But then he lets go, and the sensation disappears, leaving you feeling somewhat empty. “I don’t.”

You furrow your eyebrows, taking a sip of your drink and instantly frowning afterwards, the strong taste burning your throat. He laughs at your reaction – not in the cocky way, but warmly, like he genuinely finds you amusing, but his smile fades when you speak. “What are you talking about?” 

“I don't even know,” He sighs, lighting one of his cigarettes as he leans his head back and inhales the smoke, and it feels like an eternity before he speaks again. “Sometimes I just feel like I don't even know who I am anymore.”

He doesn't even expect you to react in any way. Why should you? He's been all but bothering you the last few days, doing absolutely nothing that would prove wrong your assumptions about what kind of a person he is. And yet he's telling you things – things he's never told anyone before, things he thought he'd never say. Part of him hopes you just won't say anything, that you'll leave and forget he ever brought this up, but at the same time, he wants you to listen, because it's his chance to prove to you that he's something more than just the facade he's been putting up around himself.

But you don't owe him that. You don't owe him anything, especially not listening to his problems. He doesn't owe you an explanation, either, though, so maybe he should be the one to stand up and leave the scene. Or maybe he does owe you an explanation, after all, for spending so much time with you even though everybody knows he doesn't like wasting his time. You're probably left wondering what the hell he wants with you, and frankly, so is he. 

He's almost set on leaving, but then he hears your voice laced with concern, and when he whips his head around to look you in the eyes, he sees it's paired with an expression of genuine interest in your features, and he knows that even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to leave now. 

“In what way?” You're asking him, tilting your head a little to the side. “I thought you would be the person to know exactly who you are and what you want.”

“Well, I did tell you you don't know much about me, didn't I?” He grins, but seeing your awaiting face, he stops. You're really serious about this, and it makes him question whether he should have said anything at all. “Besides, there's not much to say. I created the problem myself when I decided to become the kind of person people like you stay away from. It's not like I can blame people for seeing me as just an asshole if that's all there's ever been to me.”

“Is it, though?” You ask, eyeing him cautiously as he places the cigarette between his lips again. “Is that all there is to you?”

It takes him a while to respond, his mind stirring with thoughts as he wonders, what else is there to him? He's promised to show you that he's worth knowing, but now that he's to prove it, he has no idea what to say. That's a first. It's also a first that he doesn't feel like he's wasting his time getting to know a girl – actually, he can't get enough of the way you're observing him as if you really care. 

“No. I don't think it is.” He says finally. “Because there are still things I want to do. There are still pictures I'd like to take, songs I'd like to play and places I'd like to go. And there are people I'd like to know.”

“Like who?” Your question is genuine, he realizes, and it makes him laugh, because still, you somehow haven't put the pieces together. Class president, yet you can't seem to understand he's flirting with you. 

“You.” And it's no secret that he enjoys – a little too much, maybe – watching how your caring expression turns into one half-annoyed, half-flustered. He thinks you're adorable, scoffing to hide the way his words have an impact on you. Or at least he hopes they do. 

“Why are you telling me all this, out of all the people you could've chosen to say it to?”

“I don't know, honestly,” He sighs, throwing his cigarette away. “You’re the only one who’d care, I suppose.”

You can't help but giggle, probably influenced by the alcohol. “The only person who'd care is the one who told you to fuck off the first time you met her?”

“Yeah, I know, it's fucking ironic.” He laughs, too. 

And for some unidentified reason, you realize you wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else at this moment, than here, in the kitchen at a party, next to the biggest fuckboy of them all, Choi Yeonjun. If anyone had told you three weeks earlier that you'd grow to enjoy talking to a guy like him, you wouldn't have believed them, but it's true that the smile plastered onto your face is genuine. And silently, you hope Yeonjun’s is, too. It's a stupid thing to hope for, you know that. Especially since he’s known for breaking hearts. But pretending to not give a fuck would be just as stupid at this point. 

Suddenly, interrupting this peaceful moment, a load of drunk teenagers barge into the kitchen, each one shouting louder than the other. You frown as the loud music from the other room hits your ears, and curse them silently for ruining what was a very enjoyable interaction. 

You're just about to stand up and leave as you feel the warmth of Yeonjun’s hand as he laces his fingers through yours like it's the easiest thing in the world, before leaning to the side to whisper in your ear. His lips just barely craze the shell of your ear, and you feel a little lightheaded, though you're not sure whether that's from the alcohol or being able to feel his breath tickling your skin as he speaks.

“Do you wanna get out of here?”

And there it is. The words that bring you to reality, that remind you that Choi Yeonjun is, after all, your school's well-known fuckboy who just wants you in his bed. And though you already knew that, it hurts a little stronger because for a moment you felt like there was something more to him than that. 

“And go to your bedroom? No, thank you,” You’re quick to pull away from him, but your hands remain interlaced because his grip is too tight to escape instantly. His brows furrow at your words, but he lets go of your hand when he sees you struggling to get out of his grip. 

“You should chill out a little, kitten,” His mildly annoyed tone catches you off guard – you’ve never thrown him off before. Is this the moment he stops talking to you entirely because you didn’t let him get what he wants? “I actually wanted to take you home. It’s getting late and you don’t look like you’re enjoying the party.”

Oh. Oh. He wants to take you home. Choi Yeonjun wants to take you home. Now you most definitely feel like an idiot. You’re so shocked – and humiliated – that you can’t even say anything, so instead, you just follow him through the crowd as turns around to leave, heading towards the exit. Sensing he’s somewhat upset, you stay quiet, but you truly regret not holding his hand as you push through all the dancing people. You shouldn’t be thinking like that, you’re aware, but it bothers you that you judged him like that. Even though he deserves to be judged, he’s a player. And an asshole. And you don’t even want to get to know him. You don’t care what he thinks of you. Right?

“You’re not mad at me, are you?” 

Wrong. You do care. You hope he doesn’t hear it in your voice, but it’s pretty much obvious from the way all arrogance is wiped from your face and you’re looking up at him with expectant eyes as he pushes one of the curtains away to look out the window. For the brief moment that his gaze isn’t on you, you allow yourself to admire him – his hand that brings his drink to his lips, his dark eyes in which you can see the luminescence radiating off of the moon from outside. And you realize you don’t want to part from him just yet. 

“No,” He says finally, letting go of the curtain and looking you straight in the eyes. This time, his gaze has softened and although you’re not sure exactly how you acquired this information, you know he’s sincere. “I’ll walk you home, it's dark outside already.” 

He’ll walk you home? Part of you is curious as to why – you’ve heard from your friend that he’s always the last one to leave parties, especially those he throws himself. But another part of you, a bigger part, is feeling euphoric about spending more time with him, so you don’t really question him. You’ve done enough of that for one day. Waiting for Yeonjun to put on his jacket, you open the door, only to be met with a gush of cold wind and the sound of raindrops hitting the pavement outside. It’s fucking pouring. 

“Fuck,” You mutter under your breath, catching Yeonjun’s attention.

“Wow, miss class president, you should watch your language. You’re setting a bad example.”

“Yeah, whatever,” You say with a smile. “It’s raining.”

You watch as he opens a closet, searching for something for a few seconds before he reaches you an umbrella. Opening it, you realize it’s decently big and will work great in stopping you from getting wet. But as Yeonjun closes the closet without taking out a second umbrella, you raise your brow at him questioningly. “What about you?”

“There’s only one. And you'd think a rich family like Taehyun’s would have more umbrellas.” 

You hand him the umbrella as he walks over to you, figuring that it’ll work better if he’s the one to hold it since he’s taller. He doesn’t even care enough to bid his goodbyes, which surprises you a little – it’s his party after all –  but after all you’ve witnessed today you conclude that you do, in fact, not know much about Choi Yeonjun, so there’s no point in assuming anything. Besides, a small part of you is hoping that he forgot to say goodbye because he was too caught up in you. Minimal chance that it applies, but still. Let a girl dream, right? 

The two of you walk outside together, his arm bumping into yours as both of you try to fit under the umbrella. The weather is truly horrible, but luckily – or not, you’re not sure – the way home isn’t very long. You shiver a little as the cold breeze reaches your skin, regretting that you didn’t bring a warmer jacket. Oh well, it could've been worse. You could’ve been stuck in this weather alone, with no umbrella at all. 

“Are you cold?” 

“What?” You look at him, a little confused.

“You’re shivering,” He points out, handing you the umbrella and sliding his jacket off of his shoulders before you can protest. “Here, take this. I’m hot anyway.” 

You take the jacket from his hands, and he waits with the umbrella directly over your head as you put it on. Starting to walk again, you can't help but inhale the smell that hits your nose when you bury your face in the fabric. It smells mostly like Yeonjun’s cologne – the expensive one that you felt for the first time when he picked up your books for you in the hallway, but underneath that there's also a scent that can't be anything but him. Is this what his skin smells like? If so, you're not sure you ever want to give this jacket back to him.  

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing,” He shrugs, but you partly hope it isn't actually nothing to him. Because it's definitely something to you. 

You both stay silent for a while, and it's a little weird seeing him so quiet, but you savor the moment nevertheless. At this point, it's evident that your original plan has failed – because if there's anything you haven't done tonight, it's getting rid of the connection that seems to be forming between you and Yeonjun. Truly, though, you can't bring yourself to think about that now. Rather, you turn your head to him and for a split second, you're taken aback by how close your face is to his when he turns to look at you, too. 

It takes a couple seconds for you to realize that he only turned to look at you because he felt your gaze on him, not because he can read your thoughts or anything. 

“By the way,” You say to him. “You said something about Taehyun’s family being rich, yet not having enough umbrellas. But I thought we were at your house.”

“My house?” He laughs a little, as if the idea throws him off. “Nah, I don't really invite people over there. It's messy and small, and Taehyun’s house works much better.”

“You’d think fuckboys would have plenty of people to invite over.”

“Never said I don't have anyone to invite over. It's just that most people I know aren't worth inviting over.”

“Oh,” You say. What's that supposed to mean? Does he mean that you, too, aren't worth inviting over or what? You almost regret that he's proven not to be the person you'd expected him to be, because if he fit into that little bison you had of him, it would've been much easier to read him. “Well, someone you know must be worth inviting over, right?”

You hope to god that he doesn't hear the longing in your voice, but from the way the corners of his lips lift up in a smirk and he places his hand on your shoulder to stop you from walking any further, you can tell your prayers haven't been heard. Not even giving you a chance to defend yourself, he's turning his body towards you, pulling you closer by your shoulder. When he leans down, his face is so close to yours that you fear he can hear your heart that is on its way to beat out of your chest. 

“Well, I suppose someone is.” He purrs, bringing one of his hands to pick up the strand of hair that's stuck itself on your skin and tuck it behind your ear. “You know that if you want to spend time with me, you can just ask, right, kitten?”

If his goal is to make you have a heart attack, then he's on the right track for sure, because you're feeling extremely dizzy now that his eyes are focused solely on you and his hand is resting against the skin on your neck. You wonder how he's able to keep his cool – this is probably nothing new for him, but still, it's like you're breathing the same air. That must surely have some kind of impact on him, right? But even if it does, he doesn't show it, because the smirk on his face doesn't fade – if anything, it grows wider at your flustered state.

“That’s not what I-”

“It’s time for us to move past the lying stage, don't you think?” He runs one of his fingers over the skin right below your jaw, and it takes every bit of willpower inside of you not to lean into his touch. “It’s getting a little old.”

One of his rings comes in contact with your flesh and it makes you shiver – something you could've probably covered up by saying it's from the cold, but something tells you that there's no point in lying to him. Part of you wants to break the tension and pretend like nothing happened at all, but you're way too caught up in him to look away. Your eyes move from his eyes to his mouth and back again, and you wonder if his lips have always looked this kissable. 

For a split second, you think he's thinking the same thing; with the way he's licking his lower lip, inching a little closer to you it seems like he's about to break the distance between you. And in that moment, you realize that you'd let him. If he were to kiss you right now, you wouldn't even have thought of pushing him away. Actually, you realize, you really want him to kiss you right now. You really, really do. But then his phone starts vibrating in his pocket, and slowly, but surely, the breathtaking moment is coming to an end as he stands up straight again, his eyes now glistening with annoyance rather than desire.

“Shit, it's Soobin,” He mutters, removing his hand from where it was resting against your skin, leaving you feeling somewhat empty. “I need to pick up.”

He doesn't walk away since it's still raining like crazy, but he turns a little away from you as he talks to his friend. You could've probably listened in on their conversation, but you're not very interested in it, and honestly, what occupies your mind more is the occurrence that took place just a moment ago. What the fuck just happened? Was Choi fucking Yeonjun just about to kiss you, or was it just your imagination playing tricks on you? Either way, you're both frustrated and relieved that this situation came to an end. 

You're drunk. You can't think straight. That's why you let him tuck your hair behind your ear and look at you as if you were the only girl in the world. That's why your heart fluttered when he smiled down at you – that goddamn smile that makes everyone weak in the knees. But if that's the only reason, then why is your heart still beating quickly even though he's not touching you? And why do you feel more sober than you've felt your whole life? 

“Hey, miss president,” He says, catching your attention. You look up at him, and you're surprised to see his classic smirk missing from his features, replaced by a frown. “I need to go back to the party. Soobin says they're planning to jump on the glass table or some shit, and trust me, Taehyun will kill me if something happens to his parents' furniture.”

“Oh,” You say. “Alright then, I’ll just take the bus, since the station is right here.”

You're lucky, that's for sure, because the bus station is merely twenty meters or so away from where you and Yeonjun are standing. You'll still have to walk in the rain for a while to get home after taking the bus, but you don't mention that, since Yeonjun looks annoyed enough as it is. As to why that is, you’re not sure, but you partially hope that it's because he's reluctant to leave you. Because you’re personally very hesitant to say goodbye. 

“Yeah, do that,” He says. “And text me when you get home, just so I know if I have to find myself a new girl to annoy. And make sure I won’t have to, because finding girls worth inviting over is very difficult these days.”

And before you can even respond or fully register what he just said, he winks at you and starts walking away, leaving you alone to sort out the chaos in your head. First of all, Choi Yeonjun just asked you to text him when you get home. Which means, that to some extent, he must genuinely care for you. Secondly, he indirectly said you’re worth inviting over. Even though he doesn’t normally invite anyone over to his house. Which might – just might – mean that you’re more special to him than those other girls. And thirdly, he just winked and left. Without his umbrella or jacket. 

“Yeonjun, wait!” You shout before you’re able to stop yourself. Fortunately for you, he’s close enough to catch your voice and he turns back, walking over to you again. His black hair is completely wet now, and so is his white shirt that has now become useless because it’s sticking to his skin, outlining his abs and biceps very well. Too well, actually, because you catch your eyes flicking down to stare at them even as you talk to him. “What about the umbrella?”

A smile spreads itself on his face and you’re this close to having your knees buckle at how gorgeous he looks in that moment. You'd never tell him that – it’d only heighten his already inflated ego, but you’d be an idiot not to admit it to yourself, at least. Your mind can barely register what he says when he answers your question. “Keep it. I’ll just run.”

“But-”

“Just keep it, I said. Or you might catch a cold,” Goosebumps spread themselves across your skin like fire, and you know it’s not from the wind. The way he’s looking at you doesn't help either, with his warm eyes staring into yours so fondly, that if you didn't know any better you’d say he was infatuated. “Besides, I’m sure you'd like to have something that reminds you of me in your room, right, sweetheart?”

“As if,” You say, but your voice sounds too weak to convince him that you actually mean it. “Go, then. Before they completely wreck the house.”

“Bye, Y/N, I had fun today,” He says, a little bit louder than normal so you’ll hear him over the rain, and you can see a hint of something you wouldn’t consider anything but pure bliss in his eyes. “Oh, and keep the jacket, too. It looks much better on you, anyway.”

With those words, he walks away quickly and you stand looking after him until he’s completely out of your sight. Only when you’re entirely certain you can’t catch a glimpse of his white shirt somewhere in the distance do you start moving towards the bus station, thinking to yourself that this night did not go as planned. Not at all. But it doesn’t really matter, because for the first time in a long time you feel like you don't want to spend the next day alone.

That maybe, just maybe, you want to spend it with Choi Yeonjun. 

—

You've heard multiple times that rumors spread faster than wildfire at your school, but you've never really paid it any thought – you were never involved in said rumors, anyway. Until now, it seems like, because the moment you enter the school on Monday morning, everyone's eyes are on you. Most of them don't even try to hide that their conversations are about you, some even point their fingers in your direction as you enter the hallway.

At first, you're all but confused. Do you look weird or something? Why have they all taken a sudden interest in you? But then, as you walk by a group of frowning girls, you overhear the words ‘Yeonjun’ and ‘his new girl’, and immediately, you know what this is all about. Hanging out with the school’s most popular boy has some downsides as well, and this is one of them. Everyone knows, after yesterday's party, probably, that you're the girl who piqued Choi Yeonjun’s interest, and since you so sensibly chose to wear the jacket he borrowed you to school today, you've gotten rid of everyone's doubts. 

But it's fine – the girls at your school have a talent for finding new things to gossip about very fast, so you don't doubt that by the time you're back from chemistry class, they'll be over it. 

Class goes smoothly as always, you take some notes and pay no attention to the few girls that whisper to each other about you, because you're sure that rumor will die down soon. Besides, it's hard to feel uneasy when the first thing you see as you take out your phone is a text message from none other than Choi Yeonjun, reading ‘hey miss class president, when do ur classes end? i’ll come meet u’. 

You smile involuntarily upon thinking about meeting him and you're quick to write back: ‘at 2pm. don't be late.’ A mere second later comes a reply reading ‘wouldn’t dream of it, sweetheart’ and in response, you only grin to yourself, heart already beating in excitement. The second the bell rings, you're out the door, fixing your hair hastily as you look into the camera of your phone. It's not like you want him to notice the efforts you're putting in to look good, because he'd probably figure out it's all for him way too quickly, but you can't help feeling a little nervous about meeting him. Though you shouldn't, because who is he to make you feel this way? 

With your thoughts occupied by Yeonjun, you don't even realize you've run into someone before you feel yourself stumbling backwards, your bag almost falling off of your shoulder.

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry,” You say quickly, eyes scanning the face of the girl you just bumped into for any signs of bruises. Thankfully, there is none, and after bowing your head a little, you’re about to leave again. Yet, for some reason, the girl steps to the side to block your way and you see that her and her friends are glaring at you threateningly. Wow, are they this upset that you ran into them?

“Look, I’m sorry for bumping into you, but I’m kind of in a hurry, so-”

“Who exactly do you think you are?” You’re caught off guard when the girl speaks, her tone laced with venom as she crosses her arms over her chest. What the fuck? You can't recall ever seeing any of these girls before, so why are they suddenly acting like you stole their boyfriends or something? 

“Excuse me?” 

“I said, who the fuck do you think you are?” She repeats, just as venomously, rolling her eyes in the process. God, this girl is really getting on your nerves – especially since Yeonjun is most likely going to arrive by the cafeteria in a minute or two. She really couldn't have picked a worse moment to torment you. “Like, seriously, who are you to spend so much time with Yeonjun? What makes you so fucking special, that he decided to just beg for your attention, even though he never does that?” 

Oh, so that’s what this is about. Of course. They’re asking you questions you don’t even know the answer to yourself. Why does he keep acting so interested and genuinely curious about you? It’s a thought that has been tormenting your thoughts ever since he picked up those books for you in the hallway. 

And after the party on Saturday, when he was walking you home, he was so sweet and alluring, you’d managed to convince yourself that he did actually care for you. Because otherwise, how would you explain him borrowing you his umbrella, even if it meant him having to walk back in the rain? And why would he tell you to text him when you got home if he didn’t care? And, most importantly, why would he tuck your hair behind your ear and look at you as if you gave meaning to his life and lean in to kiss you as the rest of the world dissolved behind the rain? 

He couldn’t have done all that without meaning any of it. You know that. Just like you know those girls think otherwise only because they don’t know him. And they never will, either. Because he wants to know you, not them. Something about that fills you up to the brim with joy. And even though part of you still wants to play it safe and keep your undeniable feelings towards him hidden away, it feels so much better to just let them bloom inside of you and wait for what will become of them. 

“Are you deaf or what? Why does Yeonjun hang out with you all the time?” 

“I don’t know, maybe because he likes it,” You retort, feeling your blood start to boil as the girls roll their eyes for the nth time. “And I know this kind of exceeds the amount of information your brain is able to process, but it’s dumb to refuse to believe that he’s found someone he enjoys being around just because he never cared enough to tell you himself.” 

A few seconds pass and all you can see in her face is pure shock which slowly, but surely transitions into rage. Before you can even react, the girl has taken a step forward and pushed you with probably all her force, because it makes you stumble over your own feet and lose your balance. A hiss leaves your mouth as your bare knee comes in contact with the pavement, scraping your skin. “You should watch what you say, bitch.” 

You’re just about to respond when you hear a familiar voice from somewhere behind the girl and it makes you groan in frustration that he had to arrive at a moment like this. 

“What the fuck is going on here?” 

Yeonjun looks as handsome as ever, his hands buried in his pockets and a chain hanging from his neck as he stands a few meters away from the scene, his eyes scanning the area before they finally land on you. You’re not certain, since he’s far away, but you think you can see his gaze soften a little when you meet his stare. It’s only for a moment, though, because next thing you know, he’s looking angrier than you’ve ever seen him before, his jaw clenching as he pushes past the girls and kneels in front of you. 

“What happened?” He asks through gritted teeth, his touch soft as he examines your scraped knee.

“It’s nothing,” You mumble, keeping your gaze fixated on the ground. You're both embarrassed and scared to be caught in a situation like this. It's mostly because you're afraid that Yeonjun will stop spending time with you when he realizes what problems it causes, but also because he looks ready to punch someone and you don't want him to get into trouble because of you. Though he doesn't seem to care about that as he keeps pushing.

“I didn't ask you if it was something, I asked you what the fuck happened,” His voice is serious – more serious than you've ever heard him. “Just answer my question.”

“It’s not that important, okay? Let's just go.”

“But-”

“Let’s just go, Yeonjun, please,” You plead, finally meeting his gaze and watching the anger in his eyes slowly melt as you tug on his sleeve as if to keep him away from the girls behind him. All three of them are eyeing you, faces scrunched up in both shock and irritation. Yeonjun is paying them no attention right now, though, rather looking at you with an expression you can’t quite read. 

For a moment, he just stays like that, staring at you for so long you start wondering if he’s studying your bone structure. But then he sighs deeply, closing his eyes for a second before draping his arm over your shoulders and helping you stand up, the warmth of his body against your side bringing a small smile to your face. 

“You can walk, right?” He asks and when you nod he continues. “Let’s go to the infirmary, then.”

“It’s just a scratch, though.”

“So?” He leads you towards the school building, leaving the girls behind. “I already told you it’s hard to find pretty girls to annoy these days, so I’d rather be safe that you won’t die from this.”

You roll your eyes at his antics, but inside you can feel your heart speeding up dangerously as some kind of heavenly warmth spreads across your whole body. You might be a fool for feeling so captivated right now, but hearing him call you pretty most certainly made your blood pressure rise. It’s not like you didn’t know he finds you attractive – it’s the reason he approached you at first, after all. But it’s different somehow, hearing him say it so openly, like he’s totally unashamed of feeling that way. 

It all almost makes you want to tell him that he absolutely does not annoy you in the slightest, and that if he’d ever stop giving you his attention you might just die from emotional misery. And while it is embarrassing to admit, you can’t deny you’ve grown attached to the type of affection he showers you with – the smiles he sends you, the jokes he tells, and the small, featherlight touches that he leaves on your skin like an everlasting mark. 

“The infirmary’s this way, right?” You're torn away from your thoughts as you hear Yeonjun’s voice right above your ear.

“You don’t know where the infirmary is?” You ask him, smile tugging at your lips as you try to hold back the laugh that threatens to spill out of your mouth. He acts so tough, yet he doesn't even know where the school nurse resides. You're unable to keep your giggles inside when you see his annoyed expression, eyes glaring at you from above. 

“Well, I haven’t had to deal with girls unable to take care of themselves before, have I?”

“Alright, then, if it’s so much trouble, I’ll just walk home and put on a bandaid myself,” You scoff at him, trying to wriggle out of his grip. That turns out to be a challenge, though, so it's your turn to glare at him. 

“Cut it out,” He sighs, pulling you along as he starts walking through the hallway again. “I never said it was too much trouble, so stop acting childish.”

You smile a little to yourself as he pulls you closer to him, the scent of his perfume filling your senses as the two of you arrive at the infirmary. Unfortunately, Yeonjun lets go of you to open the door and you feel a little disappointed now that his skin isn't touching hours. Yet you walk inside nevertheless, looking around for any sign of the nurse. You can hear the door close from behind you and you turn around, letting Yeonjun know that there's nobody here.

“She’s probably on break,” You add.

You can see him roll his eyes as he walks over to the nurse’s desk, opening up the drawers in search of something – a bandaid, probably. You want to tell him that he shouldn't be doing that since the nurse isn't here, but seeing that he's already a little upset, you decide not to. Besides, he is Choi Yeonjun. He's done worse things than break into the nurse’s office to find a bandaid for a girl. A girl you're starting to wonder if he likes a bit more than he lets on.

“Sit on the desk,” Yeonjun says, making you furrow your brows in confusion. “I need to put on the bandaid, so sit on the desk.”

“Oh, okay,” You do what he says, letting your legs dangle off of the table as you sit on it, doing your best not to spread your thighs too much since you're wearing a skirt. 

You can see how Yeonjun’s eyes follow your movements, and before you can even protest, he's taking off his hoodie and draping it over your legs, so that only your knee and the skin under it is exposed. Muttering a small ‘thank you’, you subtly let your eyes rest on his frame as he kneels in front of you, pouring some rubbing alcohol onto a damp cloth. He's done this before, probably, with how many times you've heard that his friends get into fights for fun.

“I can do it myself, you know,” You tell him when he brings the cloth to your knee, carefully brushing it over your scratch. 

“I know.” 

But he doesn't move away, nor does he meet your eyes as they look down on him – seemingly neutral, hopefully hiding the way your heart flutters at his words. Stupid heart, you think to yourself, reacting like that even though he didn't do anything much. Though that changes the moment his fingers come in contact with the flesh on your thigh as he places the bandaid on your scraped knee, brushing over it with his hand to secure it in place and at the same time, making sure that your heart gets no rest. His touch feels strangely comforting, even though he's just barely grazing your skin with the tip of his fingers. The warmth that spreads through your body at his actions disappears way too quickly when he finishes putting on the bandaid, pulling away and looking up, finally meeting your gaze.

But he definitely chose the worst moment to do so, because the look in your eyes evidently gives up what you were thinking about just a mere second ago. Who you were thinking about, that is. A moment passes by and you can't read his expression, but then a smile tugs at his lips and he gazes at you in a way that has you feeling lightheaded, head spinning in the best way possible. 

But that is nothing compared to the way you feel when he stands up, moving his face so close to yours that you're breathing the same air and bringing his hands up to caress your cheeks. His gaze flickers from your eyes to your lips, and then back again, but you can't seem to gather your thoughts enough to even focus on one part of him, eyes taking in every bit of his beauty that they can gather. Your breathing is erratic and your face is burning up under his touch, heart banging against your chest and palms getting sweaty. You're warm, burning up almost, yet he manages to spread goosebumps all over your skin by just running his thumb over your lower lip, looking down on you like he's waiting for your permission. 

And though it's almost embarrassing just how quick you're willing to give it to him, you don't really care at that moment. All you can think about is him – his eyes, nose, and lips that you want to kiss. So you move closer, even if by just an inch, and you know he understands what you mean by it. And you're impatiently waiting for him to do something, so infatuated with him that you can't even think straight.

It's worth the wait, though, because as he leans in to connect his lips to yours, you feel happier than you've ever felt in your entire life. 

It's perfect, the kiss – slow, soft and delicate, the movements of his lips gentle, like he doesn't want to scare you away. And he's perfect, too, with his fingers touching the skin off your cheeks, caressing it like it’s his dearest possession. Your tongues melt together in a perfect combination of bliss and desire, the whole world drowned out by the taste of his lips. He's the only thing you can feel in that moment – you’re breathing his perfume, getting completely lost in the sensation of his hand dropping down to your thigh, grazing it ever so slightly and making you gasp quietly into the kiss. 

He’s never touched you like this before – with so much tenderness in his caress – and you love it. You love how all of his attention is on you, and how he’s taking his time, kissing you like it’s the last time. But you hope to God it’s not, because you’re not sure if you could’ve ever moved on with your usual life after feeling his lips on yours, taking every worry and doubt off of your mind. 

Your noses bump into each other, breaking the kiss and it’s an empty feeling that fills you as he pulls away. But your misery is put to an end as you open your eyes and find him still there, only an inch or so away from you with a smile on his face. And it’s a real smile, a genuine one. Not a smirk or pitiful look. It’s just pure elation radiating off of him and it makes your heart swell in your chest.

“I think I’m in love with you.”

The words roll off of his tongue so easily that you would've thought that he'd just asked you for help on his homework; not confessed his feelings for you. Which, by the way, makes your heart stop by itself because one thing is being kissed by Choi Yeonjun – being told that he fancies you is another. 

“What?”

“I think I'm in love with you,” He repeats, tone dead serious and the smirk you've grown to see on him nowhere to be found. You’re pretty sure your heart has stopped beating by now, mouth hanging open as you attempt to process what’s happening.“I smile when you're happy, I miss you when you're gone, I hate it when you're sad. And, most importantly, you make me want to become a better person. If that isn't love, I don't know what is.”

Saying that you’re left speechless would be an understatement. His words quite literally make your stomach do flips, your heart basically beating inside your throat. Part of you had dreamed of this, hoped that he actually cares about you, but it's hard to wrap your head around the fact that he's not kidding. That – for the first time in his life, probably – he’s serious. And that he's awaiting an answer. 

“You’re not gonna say anything?”

“Well, I’m sorry if I’m a little quiet after the school’s handsome fuckboy just told me he loves me, but it’s kind of shocking news,” You say sharply, furrowing your eyebrows when you see the smirk you know all too well spread itself across Yeonjun’s lips. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

His smile only widens as he leans down to place his face mere centimeters away from yours. For a moment, you think he's going to kiss you again, and you're about to close your eyes, but your plans are cut short when he starts speaking instead. 

“So you think I’m handsome?” 

You roll your eyes, half-disappointed and half-relieved that he didn't kiss you, because you're not sure whether you wouldn't have died of a heart attack if he did. “I think you’re annoying as fuck.”

“And you know what I think?” He leans forwards again, this time resting his lips against the shell of your ear and causing your breath to hitch as he speaks. “I think I’m making you nervous, sweetheart.”

You don't get to say anything – though you're not certain you would be able to, either – before his lips move to your jaw and he presses a soft kiss to the skin right below your ear. It makes goosebumps spread across your whole body and it doesn't exactly help that when he pulls away, he sends you the most knee-buckling smile paired with an outstretched hand to help you get off of the table. With slightly shaky hands, you reach for him, trying your best not to faint when he interlocks his fingers through yours. None of you bother to clean up the nurse’s office, walking through the school halls again, this time heading out. 

“So,” Yeonjun says eventually, swaying your interlaced hands a little and by that, making butterflies swarm in your stomach. The grip he has on you is really annoying sometimes. “Will I get an answer? Do you feel the same way or do you not date people like me?”

You stop in your tracks, sighing softly as you turn to face, deciding that you can't hide from the question forever. Your gaze rests on your hands for a second as you gather your thoughts, before you actually look into his eyes, hoping that he can't see how anxious you are. 

“I do. Feel the same way, I mean.” You take a deep breath before uttering the words that you wish you’d said sooner, because they'd been a lingering weight on your shoulders the past few days. “I think I’m in love with you, too, Yeonjun.”

“Good,” He smiles, letting go of your hand to bring his fingers to your cheek instead. “Because you have no idea just how long I've waited to do this.”

And just like that, his lips are on yours, hands caressing your cheeks so softly that it's a big contrast to the way he's kissing you eagerly. You're quick to reciprocate the actions, letting your mouths move in a steady rhythm as you slowly, but surely forget your surroundings, nothing but Yeonjun on your mind. He knows exactly what to do to make you crave more, with his hands just barely grazing your skin, leaving goosebumps on it. But when it comes to the kiss, he can't seem to hold back either, already pushing you against the wall in the hallway after only a few seconds. 

You wince a little at the cold stone against your back, and instantly, he's pulling away to look at you worriedly. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” You reply, not bothering to explain what happened, because your lips are already aching to kiss him. So you put your hand on the back of his neck to pull him closer, capturing his lips in a messier, needier, but just as euphoric kiss. 

Yeonjun most certainly enjoys this new side of you, smiling into the kiss as his hand comes down to touch your thigh, making you gasp. Naturally, he takes this opportunity to slip his tongue inside your mouth, and pretty quickly you're met with the taste of cigarettes and something more subtle – the taste of him. It's addicting, all of it. His taste, his touch, his smell. And he knows perfectly well how lightheaded he's making you feel when his fingers move higher up your thigh, touching the hem of your skirt now. 

“Can I?” He pulls away to ask, motioning towards his hand that is on its way to slip under your skirt. 

You waste no time in letting him know just how much you want him, pressing your lips to his instead of responding and guiding his hand further up your thigh, until it rests against your already damp panties. He smiles into the kiss again, running his knuckles over your clothed core, satisfied as you audibly moan into his mouth. Words can't explain how many emotions that are stirring up in your mind at this moment, but uncertainty most definitely isn't one of them. So much is evident in the way you're grabbing onto his hair, whining when his fingers run over the thin, and almost completely soaked through, fabric of your panties. 

This is so new to you, but so amazing, too. It feels like heaven to have him touching you like this, to have him looking at you so lovingly, and yet so passionately. 

You can't stop the small noises from leaving your mouth when Yeonjun’s fingers start drawing small circles on your clothed pussy, your panties rubbing against your heat and creating a pleasant friction. He's not kissing you now, having pulled away to look at your features and listen to all the sounds that you make at the smallest touches. Even as he pulls his hand away, you whine for him, bucking your hips a little so as to not lose the sensation. 

“You’re so cute,” He coos, fingers tilting your chin upwards the moment you try to look away from him, embarrassed. “This little is enough to get you so needy.”

Before you get to say anything, his lips travel to your jaw and then your neck, spilling kisses across your skin. You gasp when he sucks on the flesh, hard enough to leave a mark, before his mouth moves upwards again, resting against the shell of your ear. 

“Let’s go somewhere else, though, okay, princess?” He whispers into your ear. “This isn't exactly the ideal place to… you know.”

And just like that, his touch is gone and you're allowed to calm down a little, though the heat between your legs doesn't disappear so easily. You fix your skirt a little, a little embarrassed after turning into a whining mess for him so quickly, but he doesn't seem to mind – a bright smile on his face, so you only smile back at him and grab his outstretched hand. 

“I thought you didn't have a problem fucking girls on campus, though?” You inquire as he leads you through the hall, his hand warm in yours. 

“No, but I do have a problem with not taking the girl I love to my house before fucking her brains out.”

These words both cause your heart to swell and your pussy to throb painfully from between your thighs. Now you’re definitely convinced that Yeonjun’s goal in life is to make your blood pressure rise to dangerous levels. How can he say he loves you and that he wants to fuck you in the same sentence? You might have already kissed him and had his hand between your legs, but that doesn’t change the fact that your knees threaten to give in when he winks at you and continues walking like nothing even happened.

“Wow, you're really good at this boyfriend stuff for being a fuckboy,” You tell him when you’re sure your voice won’t quiver, and you’re surprised to find an even wider grin on his face when you turn to look at him. 

“Oh, so I'm your boyfriend?” He wiggles his eyebrows at you, and you scoff in response, rolling your eyes to assure that he doesn’t notice how your heart skips a beat. 

“Shut up,” You say, but there’s no annoyance in your voice. “Yes, you're my boyfriend, happy now?”

“Yes,” You feel your whole face heat up when he presses a kiss to your cheek before the two of you finally reach his car, and he opens the door for you. “Very happy.”

—

After a few kisses and a drive that lasted only a few minutes, but felt like an eternity because of the throb between your legs and Yeonjun’s warm hand that rested on your thigh the entire time, the two of you finally arrive in front of the block in which you assume Yeonjun, your boyfriend, lives. God, it feels so weird to call him that. And to think he was a complete stranger to you less than a month ago. Now, though, you're wishing he'll never let go of your hand and your cunt is throbbing with excitement as he leads you up the stairs to his apartment. 

You’ve barely made it through the doorway before Yeonjun’s slamming the door shut and pushing you against it, just like he did in the school hall earlier. Only this time, he's not holding back – his hands slipping under your shirt with ease, finding your tits and his mouth attaching itself to your neck. You let a few sounds escape your mouth when he runs his tongue over your skin, before sucking on it harshly. You're about to comment on his actions, say that he must really be into marking, but the words get lost in your throat when he rolls his hips into yours. 

“Oh,” You're both fully clothed, but that doesn't make the tent in his pants any less obvious as it rests against your thigh. 

Yeonjun’s expression turns into a frown immediately, and he’s quick to pull away and look at you in concern. “Are you okay? Do you want to stop?”

“What? No,” You shake your head a little too eagerly, though you suppose your irrational actions could be excused due to the intensity of the situation. You are about to get railed by the one and only Choi Yeonjun, after all. “No, I'm just worried, you know, like, it won't fit.”

The worry in his eyes dissolves at your words, replaced with a hint of amusement and cocky grin that makes your knees grow weak. You wonder whether you just should've kept your mouth shut, because what you said seems to have inflated his ego even more. Still, you don't exactly get to ponder that for long because before you know it, his hand is caressing your cheek, thumb swiping over your lower lip and you're already feeling dizzy. That dizziness all but intensifies when he leans down to let his mouth hover over your ear, barely grazing it as he speaks.

“I’ll make it fit, then.”

And just like that – as if he didn’t just knock the air out of your lungs – he grabs your hand and leads you further into his house.

As you walk inside, you're met with a simple interior – a living room connected to the kitchen and two doors, one probably leading to the bathroom, while the other to his bedroom. What surprises you the most is the clean state of the apartment. You would've mistaken it for something he'd rented out for one night if it weren't for the unwashed dishes and a pair of boxers lying on the floor by the couch. His bedroom isn't very different – a few shirts are scattered on the floor, but his bed is made and he's got a shelf full of books.

“Wouldn’t have taken you for someone this organized,” You comment with a smile, “You’re good at keeping this place clean, for sure.”

“Well, I'm good at a lot of things,” He purrs as his hands grab your waist and pull your body close to his, nose brushing over yours and his breath hot on your lips. Just like that, he's reminded you of why you're here and your stomach stirs in excitement as you speak in a quivering tone. 

“Yeah? Like what?”

A smile sets on his features and he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, eyes fanning down to your lips for only a moment before they meet yours. Your breath gets caught in your throat yet again when he teasingly runs a finger down your collarbones, before he lets it run over your arm and hip. Finally, it rests on your upper thigh, so close to your clothed cunt that if you moved your hips a little forward, his fingers would brush over the fabric of your panties. You don't have to do that, though, because a mere second later, the palm of his hand is pressed flat against your clit and you whimper loudly from the feeling. 

“Like stuffing this cute little pussy full of my cum.”

And as if to mark his words, he starts rubbing his hand against your cunt, slowly drawing circles on the thin fabric of your panties which are now so wet that you fear your arousal will start to drip from them and onto your thigh. Yeonjun seems to notice this, too, because before you know it, he's pushing you onto his bed and spreading your legs, eyeing your cunt hungrily.

“So fucking wet,” He says, pushing your panties aside and pressing a finger flat against your pussy, moving it up and down painfully slowly. “Tell me, are you always this needy, baby?”

“Just–” Your reply is replaced by a whimper when he starts moving his finger faster, now also paying attention to your clit. Upon seeing his awaiting expression, you inhale sharply, trying to gather your thoughts, though that isn't very easy when Yeonjun is smearing your arousal all over your cunt. “Just for you.”

Satisfied, he smiles down on you, albeit a little condescendingly, and you take that as an opportunity to buck your hips upwards to create a little bit more friction. That doesn't seem to be Yeonjun’s plan, though, because he's quick to push your hips down again, a disapproving look on his face. You're about to complain, but before you can do that, he delivers a slap to your pussy that makes you whimper and your thighs instinctively start to close. 

“Yeonjun,” You whine as he pryes your thighs apart again, still teasing you with the way he's slowly rubbing your clit, fingers barely grazing it as he does so. His touch is featherlight and you need more, or else you're certain you're going to go insane. “Please…”

“God, you're so cute when you're needy,” He coos, hand slipping under your shirt to play with one of your tits. “Now, be a good girl and let me take care of you, okay?”

You nod vigorously, and he pinches your nipple slightly before his fingers start working faster on your clit. The sudden change in pace makes your back arch and you can't hold back the moans that slip from your lips when he pushes one of his fingers inside of your pussy. His hand that is caressing your breast moves to stroke your hair as he adds another finger, stretching you out and making you clench around his digits. He's pushing them in and out of you quickly now, hitting all the right spots and definitely enjoying how you're moaning his name. 

“More, please, it feels so good,” You basically cry out, rolling your hips against his hand.

This time, he doesn't tease you anymore, moving his hands to your thighs as he leans down to press an open-mouthed kiss to your clit. You whimper softly at the contact, bucking your hips up again, although your movements come to an end as he licks a stripe up your pussy, before twirling his tongue over your clit. Moaning his name, you grab at the sheets, probably ruining them in the process. Not that you care right now, because with his two fingers pumping in and out of you and his mouth sucking on your clit, it's hard to focus on anything else. 

“Too much, Yeonjun, it's too much,” You whimper, grabbing at his hair, half pulling him closer, half pushing him away. 

He only smiles against your folds, tongue plunging deep inside of you to replace his fingers that are now rubbing your clit quickly. One look down is enough to see that at this point, his sheets are stained with your arousal, and your pussy tightens around him at the sight. You can feel him smile into your cunt, his nose rubbing against your clit. 

“Too much? If this is too much, then how are you going to handle my cock, baby?” He mumbles against your pussy and you shiver, clenching and unclenching around his tongue. 

It doesn't take long before the familiar feeling of rapture stirs up in your stomach, and you know you're close to your orgasm. Yeonjun has no trouble understanding that you're about to cum from the way your hands are grilling at his hair and whimpers are leaving your mouth in series. He does nothing to slow down his movements, though, actually speeding up the way he's lapping at your pussy, his tongue reaching places you didn't even know was possible and his hand holding your hips in place so you can't move away, even when the pleasure becomes too much to handle and you're whimpering his name. 

“Yeonjun, please, I–” Your voice breaks into a moan as his teeth graze your clit, and you're basically squirming under him now, thighs shaking with every lick at your pussy. “Gonna cum.”

The knot in your stomach tightens quickly, and when you're at the very edge, you pull at Yeonjun’s hair harshly to bring him as close to your dripping cunt as possible, eyes rolling to the back of your head. It's completely over for you the moment he groans into your pussy, pleasure spreading across your body like wildfire when you reach your high, a loud moan falling from your lips and your eyes screwed shut.

You stay like that for a few seconds, catching your breath, and when you finally open your eyes you’re met with a sight that instantly makes your swollen cunt start throbbing again – namely Yeonjun licking his fingers clean of your juices, a smirk on his face the moment he catches your captivated gaze.

“You taste like fucking candy, baby,” He says, moving up so his face is at your level and he can press a kiss to your jaw before he whispers directly into your ear. “If I could, I’d eat you out for hours on end, but I suppose there are other things we need to take care of first, hmm?”

You would be lying if you said he wasn’t getting you all riled up again, your pussy already acquiring its own heartbeat when you feel his hard-on pressed up to your thigh. It's straining against his pants like crazy now, and he thinks he's going to go insane if he has to hear your pretty moans again without stuffing your pussy with his cock first. Luckily, you’re thinking the same thing, tugging at his collar a little with a pout on your face as you speak.

“Yeonjun…”  Your voice is shivering – there’s no doubt that you’re feeling fucked out from your recent orgasm, but that doesn’t prevent you from grinding your hips against his leg that he’s resting between your thighs. “Want your cock, please.”

Yeonjun can feel his cock twitch in his pants at your words and it only takes him a glance at your fucked out expression to give you exactly what you want – his hands coming up to help you unbutton his shirt before he discards it somewhere on the floor. Next to go are his jeans and boxers, and you can't help the way your eyes grow wide when he finally lets his dick spring free. 

He’s big, and even though you knew that already, it creates a pool of arousal between your legs. You don’t even try to hide that the sight of him is turning you on, your eyes traveling around his naked body so shamelessly that you could’ve never done it if it weren’t for your current state of desperation. 

You want him. Bad. And you know he knows it, too, because soon enough, he’s smirking as he hovers above you again, his breath hot on your face and his bare cock resting against your skin enough to make you feel lightheaded. 

“Yeah? My fingers weren’t enough, you want my cock, too?” 

You nod vigorously – it's the best response you can give at this point. Luckily for you, he doesn’t demand for you to use your words this time, instead positioning himself at your entrance straight away, the tip of his cock grazing your clit. Biting your lip, you send him a pleading look, but he only grins back, dragging his cock up and down your folds. You whimper when it rubs against your clit, throwing your head back in pleasure and grabbing at the sheets again. It feels good, but you need more of him, so you thrust your hips up to meet his, the amused look on his face telling you that he does this just to mess with you.

“Please, Yeonjun, more.” 

He gives into your pleas this time, enjoying the way you whine when he removes his cock from your clit, only to reposition himself at your entrance and push into you slowly. You gasp at the feeling of being stretched out, his cock already making you feel full and you clench around him, drawing a soft groan from his mouth. You’ve barely gotten used to the feeling of him inside of you before he continues entering you – making you realize that he was merely halfway earlier. 

“Fuck, you’re so tight,” He mutters, hands tightening on your hips and you realize he’s resisting the urge to move. 

It’s painful, the stretch, and it basically has you gasping for air when he bottoms out, your walls sucking him in and tightening around him in a way that allows you to feel every part of his cock clearly. He waits for you to get used to him, one hand slipping under your bra to play with your breast, soft fingers running over your nipple and making you arch your back, pushing your chest against his hand. 

“You-” You begin, cut off by the way he pinches your nipple, making you whimper, the sound bringing a smirk to his features. “You can move now.”

And move he does, thrusting into you slowly, but strongly enough to make your eyes roll to the back of your head, mouth falling open and moans spilling out of it. 

“Yeah? Feels good?” He asks, moving in and out of you leisurely, seemingly unfazed by the way you're clenching around him like crazy. 

“Mhmm,” You moan in response, pulling him closer to you with your legs.

He takes the close proximity as an opportunity to move his hand from your chest to your jaw, moving it to the side so that he can lean down to press kisses to your neck. The movement makes his dick sink further into your wet cunt, and it has you closing your eyes, whimpering. His lips suck marks into your sensitive skin, nose running over those he left on your neck earlier while he keeps thrusting into you, now with the palm of his hand pressing down on your clit. 

You spread your legs wider for him when he starts rubbing your clit, and he smiles against the skin of your neck before pressing one kast kiss to it, pulling away. He's looking down on you now, watching your tits bounce with every deep thrust, your vision cloudy already. The lewd sounds your pussy makes when he slides in and out are enough to make him twitch inside of you, aching to move faster, and your moans are exactly what prompts him to do just that. 

He speeds up, his hand positioning your leg higher on his hip so he can pound into you from a deeper angle as he watches your face contorted in pleasure. You're grabbing onto his shoulders for dear life as he fucks you into the mattress, your head turned away and your lip between your teeth to muffle the embarrassingly loud moans and whimpers you're letting out. 

“Look at me,” Yeonjun’s not having any of it, fingers sinking into the soft skin of your cheeks as he turns your head so you're forced to look at him. “You wanted me to fuck this pussy so bad and now you can't even look at me while I do it?”

It's shameful how you instantly clench around his cock when he says that, but he seems to enjoy how you react to him, fingers gripping your jaw tighter as his thrusts manage to become somehow deeper. He's making you see starts with the way his hand moves from your jaw to your throat, fingers wrapped around it as he splits you open with his cock. Your thighs are starting to shake, the knot in your stomach tightening and there's no point in attempting to hold your moans back – they manage to escape past your lips anyway.

“I’m close,” You warn him, but it sounds more like a whimper than a sentence. 

This only fuels him on, his fingers working wonders on your clit while his dick reaches sensitive places you didn't know existed. You're basically drooling onto his hand now, vision hazy and whole body trembling with pleasure. The feeling of fullness is making you dizzy, making it hard to make out coherent thoughts. 

“That’s it, keep taking all I give you like the good girl you are,” He groans, his cock twitching inside of your cunt. “Nobody takes it as well as you.”

You let out a loud, broken moan as you teach your high, nails digging into his shoulders and pussy clenching around his dick. Not a moment later, he's shooting his load inside of you, filling you up with his cum as you moan his name repeatedly, eyes rolled to the back of your head from the pleasure. A moment passes by for you to catch your breaths, before he's pulling out to lay down next to you. 

You’re left feeling a little empty, but it doesn't matter the second Yeonjun’s arms come to pull you in for a hug. Your head rests in the crook of his neck, eyes still screwed shut as you listen to his heartbeat, and you're pretty sure it's the prettiest sound you've ever heard in your entire life. It's steady and loud against your ear, and his hot breath hitting the top of your head feels comforting.

“You look so pretty like this,” You hear Yeonjun’s voice after a while, his hand coming up to stroke your hair. “So, so pretty.”

You fight the urge to leave your eyes closed – your exhaustion finally catching up to you after two orgasms – to look up at him, and it’s definitely worth it. He looks beautiful – even more than usually – with his hair sticking to his forehead, eyelids heavy and a sheepish smile on his face. You reciprocate the grin as he presses a kiss to the top of your head, before you're lying down on his chest again, sighing softly. 

“Let’s stay like this forever.”

You can feel his chest rumble with the chuckle he lets out, before he picks your hair out of your face to whisper in your ear. 

“I’d like nothing more.”

⋆͛♡⋆͛ jun

probably doesn’t even realise he was on the big screens the first time it happens because he’s so absorbed in your performance. only finds out when minghao, who was sitting next to him, told him about it. the cameramen definitely do it again though, and this time he notices just how smitten he looks as your group goes up on stage to receive an award. not that he’s complaining.

⋆͛♡⋆͛ soonyoung

another member who doesn’t get shy. like, at all. he’s jamming out to the rearranged version of your most recent release when they suddenly switch to put him on the big screens, while he’s still in the middle of nodding his head along to the music and excitedly mouthing to the lyrics. horanghaes when the fans start cheering because…well, he loves you. <3

⋆͛♡⋆͛ wonwoo

he’s observant, so he notices he’s being put on the big screen almost right away, but he pretends he doesn’t. he just prefers not to make a big deal out of it and take the attention away from your performance, so he keeps clapping along to the music until the camera eventually pans away. but once you look at the clip more closely after the show, you’d notice the rosy tint to his ears and the barely noticeable curl of his lips.

⋆͛♡⋆͛ jihoon

another member who’s blissfully unaware of the fact that he was put on the big screens. he’s always so focused on the music during other performances, but especially when it’s you up there. he’s so busy watching you on stage that he doesn’t even notice his face plastered on the huge screens. one of the guys tells him when it’s gone, and it’s then when it clicks why the fans had screamed so loudly. gets a little flustered for the next few minutes, but it’s in the past so he doesn’t linger on it too much.

⋆͛♡⋆͛ seokmin

he’ll always be your biggest supporter, so once the cameramen see him happily singing along to your group’s song like a true fan they immediately turn the camera around to film him. he gives the camera a huge smile and thumbs-up, though if it focuses on him a little too long he’d point back to the stage as a way to tell them to film your performance instead, because you’re always the main character in his eyes. you two end up trending everywhere for being couple goals.

⋆͛♡⋆͛ mingyu

uh-oh. the camera would catch him right when he’s biting down on his lower lip seductively because he’s just so blown away by how you look, not just in terms of your outfit but also from how you’re oozing with sheer confidence. goes from 100 to 0 the second he realises he’s been caught, and it definitely leads to him being mercilessly teased by his members. probably even earns a few laughs from his other idol friends, which makes him revert back into shy puppy mode and hide behind his members.

⋆͛♡⋆͛ minghao

he’s subtly mouthing along to your lines when the camera unexpectedly pans over to catch his reaction due to your recent dating news. his eyes widen a little and he freezes for a split second because he’s not sure how to deal with the sudden attention, especially when the audience starts screaming. but he recovers quickly and gives a little wave before the camera pans back to the stage, a soft blush on his cheeks as he devotes his full attention back to your performance.

⋆͛♡⋆͛ seungkwan

as one of the most supportive, outgoing idols in the industry, absolutely no one is surprised when he jumps up and claps happily when you win an award. all cameras are on you both as you walk past where seventeen are sitting on your way to the stage, capturing the huge smiles you send each other. they show his face on the big screen sometime during your speech, and everyone can tell how whipped he is from his starry eyes while he watches you like the proud boyfriend he is.

⋆͛♡⋆͛ vernon

:man_standing: personified. he’s just trying to vibe to your performance in peace, so when they unexpectedly project his face onto the big screens he’s so startled. still, he acknowledges the camera and gives an awkward little smile and ✌🏻 before turning back to the stage, hoping they will pan away from him soon enough. it’s cute, i promise, and you’d definitely find him really endearing once someone shows you the video.

⋆͛♡⋆͛ chan

he’s so absorbed in your performance that he doesn’t notice, especially not after your group’s dance break. one of the others nudges him when they see him appear on the screens, so he turns to face the camera and gives his signature :] smile. he’s a little perplexed from being put on the spot so suddenly, but he tries not to show it. gets more and more flustered the longer the camera lingers on him and probably bursts out laughing to brush off the embarrassment.

“Yeah, well, I’m getting sick of everyone bringing it up around me,” you admitted, making a beeline for the kitchen to pour yourself a drink. “I just wish everyone would stop talking about it! I literally have no issues with either of them, and there’s no lingering feelings or whatever. I’m good, I’m totally fine,” you muttered, sipping your drink with a frown on your face.

“Alright, I’m sorry,” Sunghoon admitted, gingerly scanning the assortment of snacks with vague disinterest.

“You know Jay and Niki came up to me today to tell me that Heeseung and Hana got back together,” you said, rolling your eyes at the memory of Niki storming into the library and Jay cornering you after your morning lecture. “It’s everyone else who’s making a big deal out of it, not me.”

Noticing how you were growing more frustrated the more you talked about it, Sunghoon was quick to concede. “I won’t bring it up again, I promise,” he assured you.

“Thanks,” you sighed. “Now let’s go find our friends before they send a search party,” you suggested, scanning the crowded living room to search for your friend group.

You didn’t have to look far, since all of your friends – minus Heeseung and his girlfriend – had spotted you first, making their way over to the significantly less crowded kitchen. You hesitantly waved them over, slightly dreading the concerned looks you knew they would give you.

“Hey,” Jay, who was impeccably dressed and perfectly styled as always, acknowledged you with a hug. You hugged back, barely seeing over his shoulder to see your other friends greet each other.

“If it isn’t my favourite heartbroken friend,” Jungwon teased you, grinning brightly in amusement.

You narrowed your eyes at him, playfully pointing a threatening finger at him. “You’re lucky you’re cute,” you told him. “Can we please stop talking about it?”

“We haven’t even started talking about it!” Sunoo complained. “I can’t believe Heeseung would do this to you.”

“He didn’t do anything,” you insisted. “And would you keep your voice down? They could be anywhere and I don’t want to start anything,” you added, hurriedly looking around to see if Heeseung or Hana were anywhere in sight.

“Actually, he did do something,” Jay said, earning a glare from you. “What?” he exclaimed, raising his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying! You don’t kiss someone and then get back together with your ex two weeks later. Especially if that someone you kissed is one of your best friends.”

“Yeah,” Sunoo agreed, scowling. “That majorly sucks.”

“He was tipsy,” you reminded them. “And it was just a kiss! It’s no big deal.”

“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you say that,” Niki muttered. “Aren’t you the one who said that kisses are a jumping off point into new, exciting emotional endeavours?”

“I told you that in confidence one time at three in the morning,” you reminded him. “And that was a long time ago. My philosophy has changed.”

Jay laughed. “You’re the most stubborn person I know,” he exclaimed. “There’s no way that your philosophy on anything has changed.”

“If you guys are just going to make fun of me all night, I can leave,” you said, pointing your thumb at the front door.

“Alright, fine, we’ll stop,” Jungwon allowed, though he was still smiling at your friendly bickering. “As long as you admit that a small part of you is still pining for Heeseung.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’m not still pining for Heeseung,” you denied. “I don’t know how many more times I have to say it before you guys understand. But I’ll say it again: I’m not pining.”

Your friends clearly didn’t buy this. “You liked him for half a year,” Sunoo reminded you – as if you needed reminding. “And what, you suddenly decided to just get over him?”

“He has a girlfriend,” you reminded them. “Even if I did still like him, there’s no point in even discussing it.”

“Okay, then prove it,” Niki, who suddenly had one of those evil smiles on his face, suggested in a casual tone.

You sighed, knowing you’d probably regret asking. “How?”

“Easy,” Niki said innocently, and that was when you knew you were in trouble. Wearily, you nodded for him to go on. “Kiss the next person who walks through the door, and I’ll believe you.”

You rose an eyebrow, eyes sweeping across the room to the front door.

It would be simple to accept this challenge, and having all of your friends drop the subject would be reason enough to just kiss a stranger. But the truth was that Sunghoon and Jay were right; you did put a lot of importance into kisses, and your philosophy on this would probably never change.

Was it worth it to ignore your thoughts on kisses, especially first kisses, just once so your friends would leave you alone?

“I bet you’re hoping that Lee Heeseung will step through that door,” Jungwon said jokingly as your friends giggled, which made you instantly make up your mind. You knew they were just being playful, and they would never actually hurt your feelings, but you wanted to end this conversation once and for all.

“If I do this,” you began, abruptly silencing your friends as they stared at you in disbelief. “You’ll never bring this up ever again? And you’ll believe me when I say I’m over him?”

Sunoo laughed nervously. “Wait, you’re not serious?”

You smiled. “Just answer the question.”

“Yeah,” Jay nodded, the others slowly following his lead, still too shocked to think about what they were doing. “We’ll believe you.”

“Fine,” you agreed, pouring yourself a new drink and knocking it back with a wince. “Let’s see who the lucky stranger is,” you added, facing the front door.

Your friends swiftly whipped their heads around in the same direction, anticipation growing. Although you were trying to play it off, you could feel your heart beating just a little faster in your chest than it had been a minute ago. At this point, your confident act had gone far enough that your pride would no longer let you out of this deal.

When the door did finally open, you had no idea what would become of the next two minutes of your life. It took only a couple minutes for the doorknob to turn, and you could feel your breath catch as you waited to see who would walk through the doorway. You could hear your friends all holding their breath beside you, equally riveted to see who you would have to kiss.

Seconds later, a tall boy with perfect brown hair came through the doorway sporting a nervous smile.

You sighed, embarrassment filling your chest as your friends whispered amongst themselves.

Of course he had to be hot.

Fate couldn’t have been kind to you even once, and had to give you a ridiculously good-looking guy with amazing style and kind eyes to kiss in front of all of your friends.

He was dressed head-to-toe in black, the colour making his skin and brown eyes stand out even from a distance. You had never seen him before, which didn’t surprise you considering how big your university was. Luckily, this made your situation just a little less scary.

If you had never seen him before, chances were that you’d never see him again. And even though a little voice in your head was insistent that you were lying to yourself, you had to push those thoughts away. At that point, you couldn’t let your doubts stop you; you had to act now, think later.

As he closed the door behind him, he was met by the excited cheers of a few guys you didn’t know, and as your eyes swept towards them you could see Heeseung dancing with Hana. Admittedly, Heeseung’s presence added just enough doubt for you to falter in your steps towards the stranger.

Perhaps there was a tiny bit of truth to what your friends were saying. Perhaps what Heeseung did to you really did hurt a little.

Making up your mind, you placed your drink down on the kitchen counter and approached the boy, your friends buzzing with excitement behind you. The boy spotted you, sending you a friendly if not slightly confused smile.

“Um, hi-”

“Can I kiss you?” you asked him once you were directly in front of him, forgoing any sort of greeting or explanation. His eyes widened in shock, taking a moment to register your words.

Only after you spoke did you realise that the boy might reject you. Instantly, goosebumps rose on your skin at the thought of embarrassing yourself further.

To your relief, he said: “Yeah,” nodding his head once. You couldn’t help but notice just how beautiful he looked like this, lips slightly parted and pupils blown. That was all it took for you to grasp the lapels of his leather jacket and kiss him.

Despite the fact that he barely had any warning of your intentions, the stranger kissed you back, meeting your lips with equal fervour. You leaned into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his shoulders as he cupped your face. Even though you had never kissed this boy before, he was doing an excellent job at convincing you to do it again. He seemed to be thinking something similar as he pulled you impossibly closer.

Maybe you were right all along about first kisses being significant.

“Hi,” he greeted you breathlessly once you pulled away, thumb caressing your cheek. You felt out of breath and a little light-headed, but your stomach was warm and throbbing with butterflies.

The second his lips curved into a perfect smile, you knew you were in trouble. There was no end to those the butterflies.

“I’m Jake.”

Even his name was pretty.

Up close, his dark brown hair was swept perfectly away from his forehead and his brown eyes seemed to almost glow in the crummy entryway lights. He had pretty, pink lips and a pointed, perfect nose to top it off. The black top and jacket he was wearing made is creamy skin look even more flawless, and it took all of your self control to not pull him in for another kiss.

You could hear your friends cheering you on, causing an embarrassed flush to cross the tops of Jake’s cheeks. He let out a shy laugh, searching your eyes as if he was memorising them and sliding his hands to hold yours.

God, he’s perfect. Where on earth had this man come from? Heaven?

“Hi Jake,” you replied rather breathlessly, wondering how you were supposed to get out of this predicament. There was only one thing for it: “Um, your fly is open,” you lied, thinking on your feet as quickly as you could.

When Jake took his hands from where they were linked with yours to fix this non-existent mistake, you took your chance to escape.

[10:21pm] 

niki: holy shit!!! you kissed him!!

sunghoon: i am both scarred for life and incredibly impressed, y/n

heeseung: omg what?? who did y/n kiss??

sunoo: DIDN’T YOU SEE???

heeseung: OBVIOUSLY NOT

heeseung: who was it?? tell me, tell me

jay: we don’t know who, it was just the first person to walk through the door

heeseung: YOU’RE LYINGGG

jungwon: it’s true!!

sunoo: was he a good kisser?? 😏

sunghoon: it sure looked like he was 😏

y/n: no comment…

niki: ASJFGK Y/N WHAT

y/n is offline (10:25pm)

“I’m sorry but I don’t get it,” Jay said, eyeing you suspiciously as you took your laptop and textbook out of your bag. It had been two days since the party, and you were actively doing your best to bring as little attention to yourself as possible, just in case you ran into Jake. “You’re telling me that you had an amazing first kiss with a literal stranger, and you made up some dumb excuse to get away from him?” 

Your head jerked to face your friend, frowning at his accusation. “I thought it was a pretty creative excuse, thank you very much.” 

“Y/n.”

“Jongseong.”

“Oh, you’re calling me by my legal name now?” Jay said, raising an eyebrow. “It’s that serious?”

“I thought I kissed a stranger so that you guys would stop bothering me,” you reminded him pointedly, opening your laptop to a new document as your Professor made her way to the front of the room. 

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Jay grinned victoriously, twirling a pen in his hand. “It was specific to not bothering you about the whole Heeseung and Hana thing, not to stop bothering you altogether.” 

“You should change your major to law,” you mocked playfully. “Since you’re so good at remembering the clauses of our agreement.”

“Did you feel butterflies?” Now it was Jay’s turn to mock. “When he kissed you? You felt butterflies and your heart was racing, right?” he accused, relishing in the deadpan stare you sent him. 

You wanted nothing more than to wipe the smug smile off your best friend’s face, but you loved him too much to actually do anything to make him stop smiling. 

“That’s nothing,” you said in a hushed tone, not wanting to draw your Professor’s attention to yourself. “I felt butterflies, so what? I was nervous about kissing a stranger and had those anxious butterflies before he even walked through the door.”

“Alright, fine,” Jay conceded, dark brown eyes skimming what your Professor had projected onto the screen. Then, he met your gaze and you could see the mischievous glint in them. “Just answer this: did you feel any butterflies when you kissed Heeseung?”

“No, but he was tipsy and I don’t like him like that,” you rolled your eyes, nudging him in the arm when snorted. “So, I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”

“Fine,” Jay tried to hide his laughter. “Then I’m going to pretend that you didn’t just suggest that you might like that guy you kissed.”

Just as you had predicted, you didn’t see Jake again. 

The first week after your kiss, you had walked around campus with extreme care to avoid him, but your university was huge and you didn’t even know what department Jake was in. Even if you tried to avoid him, you didn’t know how you would go about doing so. Soon, you grew confident that you wouldn’t unexpectedly run into him at any point and continued on with your daily routine as always.

On the Monday two weeks after the party, you were running late for your first class. Of course this was the class where you didn’t have any friends that could save you a seat, so when you arrived at the crowded lecture theatre, there was only one available seat left. It was wedged between two guys you hadn’t seen before and was a real pain to get to, having to squeeze past a whole row of seated students to sit down.

With a huff, you took your seat and started pulling your notebook and pens out of your bag. 

“Hey,” the guy next to you whispered.

You hummed absentmindedly, still taking taking your supplies out as you glanced sideways, eyes widening when you recognised the guy as Jake. 

He was wearing a white sweatshirt and a beige baseball cap that he wore backwards, and the brightness of his clothes made him look drastically different from the night of the party. Though he was still just as handsome, he seemed more approachable and friendly in this more casual style. 

To your surprise, Jake didn’t look upset to see you. In fact, he looked at you with a bright, excited grin as if you didn’t kiss him and run away with a bogus excuse only seconds later. 

“I’ve been wondering,” he began but was cut off by your Professor starting his lecture. Awkwardly, Jake cleared his throat and turned his attention to the front of the room.

You reminded yourself to do the same, having trouble dragging your eyes from the boy you had shared a frightfully amazing kiss with. 

Focusing on your class was nearly impossible. 

The seats in the lecture hall were cramped and small, only having a small half-table attached to every chair. You could feel the way your right leg pressed against Jake’s for the entire class. Every time he bounced his leg in boredom or shuffled in his seat, his thigh brushed against yours and made your heart jump a little.

The last thing you wanted was to get flustered, but your body seemed fixated to his every movement, which made ignoring him tedious and borderline impossible.

Trying your best, you mumbled everything the Professor was saying back to yourself so you could focus enough to actually take notes and find out what would be on your midterm. Jake glanced at you from the corner of his eye, grinning at your adorable habits and observing you shamelessly once he realised you weren’t paying him any attention. 

Resting his head on his hand, which was supported by the table his elbow was propped on, Jake continued to keep an eye on you throughout the rest of the lecture, not caring if he missed out on anything. After all, asking for your notes would just give him an excuse to talk to you should he ever need one. 

The moment your Professor dismissed you, you threw your pens into your bag at lightning speed and grabbed your books in your arms, trying to get away from Jake as quickly as possible.

“Hey, wait a second,” Jake called after you, jolted by your sudden haste. He fumbled with his own belongings, shoving them into his backpack absent-mindedly before rushing down the stairs after you. “Where are you going?” he wondered with what seemed to be a permanent smile, easily catching up to you thanks to his long legs.

“I have another class,” you told him as he walked down the corridor beside you. You weren’t exactly lying, you just left out the part about your class not starting for another two hours.

“Oh, okay,” he replied, mumbling a small excuse me as he passed the other students in the cramped hallway. “I just wanted to make sure, do you remember me from the other night?” Jake asked since you didn’t show any sign of recognition. “You walked right up to me and-” with widened eyes, you covered his mouth with your hands, freezing in place. 

A few students grumbled but reluctantly manoeuvred around the two of you.

“Don’t say it,” you warned, wide-eyed. You couldn’t believe that he was about to say it out loud; just thinking about you walking right up to him and kissing him made you want to hide under a pile of blankets.

Jake raised an eyebrow, gently removing your hand from his mouth to reveal a laugh. His hands were soft and warm, matching his energy. The mental list you were, unintentionally, keeping of all his perfections was growing by the second. “So you do remember! I was beginning to think that you forgot all about me.” 

You glanced down as he intertwined your hands, thinking back to how he did the same thing after you kissed. It was impossible for you to forget him, but you weren’t about to tell him that. 

“Where’s your next class? I’ll walk you,” Jake suggested, eyes bright and curious when you looked back up at him. You had approached him so confidently the night of the party, and it was endearing for him to see you so flustered and unsure now. He had thought you were pretty cute that night, but now you were downright adorable.

“That’s okay, thanks though,” you turned down his offer, pulling your hand away without trying to seem too rude. “Anyway, I’ll see you around,” you added, quickly making a beeline for the exit of the building and leaving Jake behind, confused.

You had an odd habit of running away from him just as things were getting interesting.

When your second class of the day ended, you were thoroughly looking forward to grabbing lunch and forgetting about the day. Against your own will, you had spent most of your class thinking about Jake, and the last thing you wanted was to spend the entire day ruminating on the same subject. 

You had made plans to get lunch with your friends at your university’s dining hall, and you immediately booked it over to your usual table when you saw how crowded it already was.

“Hey guys,” you greeted tiredly, placing your bag on the floor and taking a seat next to Jungwon. He was munching on a carrot with an uncontrollable grin, earning a weird look from you. “What’s got you all excited?”

“Look who Heeseung invited to lunch,” Jungwon said instead of answering your question, gesturing a few chairs down by jutting out his chin. 

And of course when you looked to see who he was talking about, you met Jake’s bashful gaze.

He was sandwiched closely between Heeseung and Niki with a lunch tray in front of him. Heeseung sat beside him, oblivious to everyone’s mischievous anticipation while Niki was practically bubbling over with excitement on Jake’s other side.

“This is Jake,” Heeseung introduced after taking a sip of bubble tea, not knowing that the two of you were already, shall we say, closely acquainted. “We met at the start of the semester. He was looking a little lonely so I figured he should start joining us for lunch. He just transferred all the way from Australia!”

Niki, who couldn’t contain his elation, blurted out: “Look Y/n! It’s the guy you kissed the other night!” As if you had no idea who Jake was. Niki grinned so widely that you could barely see his crinkled eyes. 

This caught Heeseung’s attention, causing him to choke on the tapioca pearls he was chewing. “I’m sorry what!” he exclaimed after hitting his chest a few times, staring at Niki with wide eyes.

You squinted up at the ceiling, wondering if there were any gods, fairies, or wizards in the world that could teleport you out of this situation. And maybe get you some new friends. 

“I know subtlety isn’t exactly your thing, Niki, but don’t make Jake uncomfortable,” you said with pleading eyes. 

Jake, who was turning a little red at the attention, suddenly realised that he had been ambushed by your friends. “So that’s why you guys looked so happy to see me,” he mumbled to himself, the gears in his head turning. “And here I was, thinking you guys just wanted to be my friends.”

“Aw, we do want to be friends,” Sunghoon assured the newcomer to your group sympathetically. Honestly, he had only talked to Jake for fifteen minutes before you arrived and he already really liked the Aussie boy. He was charismatic and kind, laughing genuinely at all of Sunghoon’s lame jokes without judgement. “However, teasing our favourite friend Y/n comes above all else on our list of priorities.”

Nobody else realised it, but this was the first time that Jake heard anyone say your name. His eyes flitted over to where you were playfully scowling at Sunghoon, feeling his heartbeat quicken when you momentarily met his eyes.

“Y/n?” Jake asked, and you almost melted at the way your name rolled off his tongue. Your eyes widened at his sentimental tone, caught off-guard by your bodily reaction as pleasant chills went down your spine.

Jake thought you were beautiful.

“Hold up,” Heeseung ignored Sunghoon’s quip, holding both hands in the air. “Jake is the guy you kissed at the party?” Heeseung repeated, looking back and forth between you and Jake several times. “How exactly did I miss this?”

“It’s not like I live tweeted the event for everyone to see,” you reminded your friend, trying to get through the conversation without hiding under the table in embarrassment.

Taking notice of your slight discomfort, Jay spoke up. “It was a dare,” he explained, playing the kiss off as no big deal. “Besides, it was all in good fun, right? No need to keep obsessing over it.”

“Right,” Jake agreed, also becoming aware of the fact that you wanted the conversation to be over. “It’s all good,” he assured you, sending you a smile. “This seriously explains a lot. Even though I appreciated the enthusiasm, you guys were freaking me out a little,” he continued, taking the attention off of you. 

The change of subject was so natural that nobody noticed it except you.

“We weren’t that bad,” Sunoo protested, lips pouting. 

“You were pretty bad,” Jake insisted. “You giggled uncontrollably when Heeseung introduced me and I thought you were going to leap out of your chairs at any moment because of how excited you were.”

“Yeah, Niki totally blew it,” Jay agreed instantly, jokingly glaring at the youngest of your friend group.

“Hey,” Niki whined, eyebrows furrowing together. “Maybe I was a little excited, but it was Jungwon who kept making eye contact with me and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.” 

“Maybe so!” Jungwon agreed. “And what about it? At least it was subtle!”

“It really wasn’t,” Jake laughed, wholly entertained by your friends’ bickering.

“It was subtle enough that Heeseung didn’t even notice,” Jungwon retorted with a smirk.

At this, you had to grin. “Like Heeseung counts,” you said with a giggle. “He’s too busy dreaming about Hana to actually pay attention to anyone around him!”

“Hey!” Heeseung exclaimed, shocked that he was the one being criticised all of a sudden. “I- Actually, you know what, that checks out,” he confessed, having the decency to look a little embarrassed. 

Soon enough, the eight of you were eating your lunch and discussing mindless topics comfortably with one another. You were grateful that, even though your friends looked forward to teasing you about Jake, they were behaving normally enough that you could enjoy your lunch without feeling uncomfortable. 

When you got up to put your tray away, Jake got to his feet and followed you. “So,” you said after building up the courage to make conversation. “Australia, huh?”

“Yeah,” Jake nodded. “It’s been a pretty big change, but I love it here. The campus is beautiful and it’s so nice to be in the middle of a big city.”

“Well, I’m glad you like it so far,” you smiled politely. 

“You weren’t drunk, were you?” Jake asked suddenly, feeling awkward even bringing it up. “The other night?”

“No, I wasn’t,” you assured him. “I mean I had a few drinks but that’s not why I- Yeah.”

“Can I ask what happened? Jay mentioned a dare?”

“Yes. Um, basically, Heeseung and I had a little tipsy kiss a few weeks ago and then, like, ten days later he got back together with his ex-girlfriend Hana. Everyone kept acting like I was really upset over it and stuff, so they agreed to leave the subject alone if I can prove I’m over him,” you rambled on, feeling nervous about Jake’s close proximity to you.

“Oh,” Jake nodded in understanding. “So you like Heeseung?”

“No,” you shook your head. “I mean, I did for a few months, and I thought he liked me too. But I guess not,” you shrugged your shoulders. “It’s okay, though. It’s not a big deal, I’m over it, and we’re still friends.” 

“I get it,” he said. “Thanks for explaining, you didn’t have to give that much detail so I’m glad you trusted me to tell me all that,” Jake smiled that perfect smile again, and you almost melted into a puddle on the floor.

“Listen, I’m really sorry my friends cornered you like that,” you apologised, embarrassed on behalf of your extra friends.

“Don’t worry about it,” Jake interrupted you, already predicting what you were going to say. “They seem nice and they clearly care about you a lot, so we’re all good. Are the two of us okay?” he wondered, taking your tray off your hands and clearing it for you. The moment your fingers brushed, you could feel the familiar tingle of butterflies in your stomach. 

Startled at how easygoing he was, you could only nod. “We’re good,” you said quietly, overwhelmed by how much this boy was affecting you.

“Cool,” he beamed, stacking the empty trays and turning to face you. “So, what’s your major?” he wondered before rambling on about how he was figuring out if he wanted to double major in physics. All the while, you could only follow him, feeling yourself drawn to him as if you were magnets.

Soon enough, Jake was a regular member of your friend group and sat with you for lunch everyday. At first, Niki and Jungwon would tease the two of you whenever you sat next to or opposite each other at the lunch table, but after a week the novelty wore off. It didn’t take long before Jay was their new target, teasing him for his style or purposely making him angry for their own entertainment.

In a strange turn of events, Jake was actually starting to make the class you shared bearable. What you thought was going to be an awkward semester of avoiding him every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday turned into him saving you a seat and you lending him your notes.

“So,” Jake said on Wednesday, throwing his expensive bag carelessly onto the ground and taking the seat next to yours. You jumped at his arrival, almost knocking your laptop to the floor if it wasn’t for Jake’s quick reflexes. “Sorry, you alright?” He added, catching your eyes. When you nodded, he went on. “So, I was wondering if you wanted to go see a movie with me.” 

“A movie?” you echoed, thinking it over. “Yeah, I could probably go tonight. What did you have in mind?” 

“We could watch the new Doctor Strange movie,” Jake suggested, eyes sparkling at the idea. “Or the new Top Gun movie! But honestly, I’m pretty flexible so we can go see whatever you’re into,” he added.

You hummed, looking up movie times on your phone and finding a showing of Doctor Strange that would be perfect for your schedule. “How does 9pm sound?” you offered, showing him the mostly-empty theatre seats on your phone. 

“Perfect!”

You selected seats close to the back and smiled, “This is going to be so much fun! The boys and I haven’t been to a movie in forever because our schedules never line up,” you explained, texting your group chat and sending a screenshot of the movie tickets you bought for everyone.

Jake paused. “What do you mean?” He asked, already dreading your answer.

“Since we all have such different majors, we always have exams at different times and our schedules don’t sync up. We missed the showings for Spider-Man No Way Home because of it! But luckily, all eight of us are free tonight so we can all go see Doctor Strange together!” You explained happily, watching all your friends reply in excitement to the group chat.

“Oh, so it’s like, a group activity,” Jake realised, frowning as he sulked in his seat. “Fun.”

“So fun!” you agreed, oblivious to his disappointment.

This obliviousness went on for several weeks, and Jake wasn’t sure if you genuinely had no idea he was pursuing you, or if you were just avoiding the subject. He decided to just be upfront about it.

“Y/n,” he called for your attention as the two of you lazed around under a tree on campus on a particularly sunny day. Your head was resting on his lap as you closed your eyes while Jake was stuck to his physics textbook. “Do you want to go on a date with me?” he asked, watching patiently as you processed his words and your eyes snapped open.

You sat up, leaning back on your elbows and glancing at him. “Are you serious?”

“I’m really tempted to say No I’m Jake but I’ll refrain,” he joked, earning a small smile from you. “I’m serious. I don’t know if you realise it, but I’ve been asking you on dates pretty regularly. You tend to just invite all of our friends to come with us, which makes it less of a date and more of, well, nothing.”

“Those were all dates?” you asked, genuinely startled by this piece of information.

“All of them,” Jake confirmed.

“Doctor Strange?”

“Yes, Doctor Strange.”

“The puppy café that day it rained?”

“Yup.”

“Studying in the library?”

“All four times I initiated it.”

“Movie night in the park?”

“I actually didn’t mind that you brought the guys since it was fun, but yes.”

“The concert?”

“How you even found six extra tickets is beyond me, but yes. The concert, too.”

“Oh,” was the clever line that you came up with at this realisation, and Jake practically swooned on the spot. How you couldn’t see he was absolutely enamoured by you was beyond him, but he was enjoying your confused expression too much to voice his thoughts. “I didn’t realise.”

“I know,” Jake laughed. “That’s why I figured I’d just tell you to your face this time.”

You hummed, nodding slowly, your brain still processing what was going on. “Good call.”

“I like to think so.”

“Can I think about it? Before I answer your question,” you wondered, wanting nothing more than to find Jay and ask him about what the hell you should do. More than being your emotional support best friend, Jay also had a much sturdier, mature head on his shoulders and always seemed to know what to do.

“Take all the time you want,” Jake assured you. I just hope you feel the same way.

When it was time for Jake’s afternoon class, the two of you parted ways. He went to go meet Jungwon for coffee before their lecture, and you headed to the library to make some sense of what your Professor had taught you that morning. 

It was perfectly peaceful until the double doors of the library were flung open, banging loudly against the walls and making everyone in the library jump out of their seats.

When you spotted Niki racing over to your seat you hid your face in your hands, embarrassed. “Y/n!” you heard a frantic yell of your name, sinking into your seat to escape the numerous eyes on you. 

You loved your friends, you really did, but they drew way too much attention to themselves for your taste. Especially your youngest friend Niki, who didn’t really understand the definition of discretion, and therefor never applied it to his behaviour. 

“Dude,” you hissed, dragging him into the seat next to you with wide eyes. “This is the library,” you emphasised. “I know you don’t come here that much, but it’s pretty common knowledge that you’re supposed to be quiet when you’re in here.”

“Whatever,” Niki rolled his eyes, reluctantly lowering his voice. “I heard that Jake asked you out on a date! When are you going?”

“How the hell did you already hear about that?” you couldn’t help but wonder. “You know what, never mind. And for your information, I don’t even know if I’m going at all.”

“What do you mean you don’t know if you’re going?” Niki asked, deeply disappointed by your response. “You like Jake, Jake likes you. It’s simple maths!” he added with excessive hand gestures that you couldn’t quite make sense of. 

“Jake’s not my type,” you lied, making Niki snort.

“Sure, then what is your type?” he challenged you, crossing his arms sassily to make a point.

“Bad boys,” you said the first thing that popped into your head. “Bad boys with motorcycles. You know the kind, long hair, beards, look like they only shower every couple weeks.”

“Gross, thanks for that mental image,” Niki grimaced. “This is just like your big fat crush on Heeseung all over again!”

“I did not have a big fat crush on Heeseung,” you corrected.

“Sure,” Niki replied in a disbelieving tone.

“Do you want me to have a crush on Heeseung?”

“No!”

“Good! Because I don’t. And I’m not going to let you pressure me into going on a date with Jake,” you said, turning back to your notes. “End of conversation.”

Niki snatched your notebook from the table before you could stop him, tossing it carelessly on the floor behind him. You exhaled through your nose, exasperation growing. 

“Continuation of conversation. Look, I’m glad you’re not upset about Heeseung, but you must be feeling something now that Jake asked you out.” Niki was insistent.

“Why?” you asked. “Why does everyone want me to feel something for Jake?” You wondered, recalling the conversation you had with Jay only a few days after you kissed Jake at the party.

Your friend’s eyes softened, a small frown appearing on his face. “Because for a while there, it seemed like Heeseung liked you too,” he said quietly. “And he didn’t tell you a thing about getting back together with Hana, which was really mean of him. And we all just want you to be happy with someone nice, like Jake.”

“Okay,” you allowed, feeling your heart soften at the rare show of sincerity from Niki. “Maybe I have feelings for Jake. And maybe I considered agreeing to go on a date with him. But I don’t know if it’s a good idea, and I’m still thinking it over. Nothing’s off the table yet,” you promised Niki, wanting his sad, puppy-eyed expression to go away.

“You promise?”

“Yes,” you emphasised, smiling at Niki’s concern. “You’re very sweet, Niki, but I need to make up my own mind about this. Seriously.”

Niki shrugged, getting up to pick up your notebook. “If you say so,” he sang, passing the pages over to you and smiling. “Are you coming to the party tonight?” 

“Yeah,” you told him, flipping your notebook back to the right page. “Sunghoon told me that he’s only going if I come, so, it’s my duty as the group introvert’s comfort friend.”

“Great, I’ll see you tonight,” Niki waved at you.

“Didn’t you come here to study?” you asked, taken aback by how quickly he wanted to leave.

“Nah, I just came to check on you,” he said, pulling his phone out of his pocket. After replying to a few texts, Niki smiled and sent you a one-handed finger gun before leaving the library. 

You grinned at the sight of him tripping on his way out the door, not expecting to have received so much love from Niki of all people.

“I got a pretty concerning phone call from Niki this afternoon,” was what Jay greeted you with two hours later. The two of you had agreed to get something to eat before the party that evening and you texted him to be ready for you to talk his ear off.

“That can’t be good,” you replied, raising an eyebrow as you read the menu of the little pizza shop you decided to try for the first time. 

Jay laughed, recounting how Niki had called him because he was worried about you and didn’t want you to feel like you were alone in this decision, and how he was concerned that you would mess things up between you and Jake forever. “You have to give him credit,” Jay mused. “He certainly knows how to dial up the dramatics.”

“No doubt about it,” you agreed readily, deciding on your pizza and letting Jay order for you. “Alright, go on.”

“What?” Jay asked, placing his napkin in his lap as you looked expectantly at him.

“Don’t you have anything to say?”

“Y/n my dear, you’re going to have to be more specific than that.”

“Seriously,” you whined, whacking him with your menu. “I want to know what you think about Jake asking me out.”

“Why does it matter?” Jay dismissed easily, acting like he was usually uninvolved in your major life decisions and hasn’t spent hours trying to convince you of his opinion in the past. There was a particularly harrowing incident in which you jokingly suggested that polka dots were making a comeback, and you still got chills thinking about how fashionista-Jay had annihilated you. “He didn’t ask me out, so why should you care what I say?”

“Oh come on,” you said, unconvinced that he was truly not going to share his thoughts with you. “Jay, you’re my best friend. Why are you sitting this one out?”

“Because I want you to make up your own mind,” he replied easily, unbothered by your protests.

“That’s the funny thing about having a best friend,” you began in a faux-excited tone, clasping your hands together on the table in front of you. “They’re supposed to know your mind better than anyone else! So, what’s the verdict? Yes I go out with Jake, or no I don’t? Let’s hear it.”

“Y/n,” Jay sang your name, unable to help the small chuckle that escaped him. “Why is it that you need my validation?” he wondered. Sure, you had asked him for advice on most of your other issues, but your love life was usually something you were very independent with. “You’re right, I am your best friend. That’s why I know that you need to make this decision yourself, and not let other people get in your head so much,” Jay declared, not wanting to make you feel like he was telling you off.

“I love you Jay, but I kind of want to hit you right now,” you sighed sadly, knowing he was completely right.

“I know, and I love you too,” Jay said, giving you his most sympathetic smile. “Do you want to split some cheesy garlic bread?”

“I think that would be wise,” you agreed, slumping in your seat and frowning at your predicament.

“Okay,” Jay nodded, flagging the waiter down as you lazily stirred the melting ice around your glass. “Listen, you’ve got this,” he encouraged, noticing how disheartened you had become at his declaration of neutrality. “We can still talk about it! I want to hear why you’re so desperate for someone to make this decision for you.”

“I don’t know,” you lied. When Jay scoffed, you rolled your eyes and decided that it wasn’t even worth it to lie to the one person who could see through your every falsehood. “Okay, fine. I want someone else to make this decision for me because I’m shit scared.”

“Everyone’s shit scared,” Jay retorted.

“Not Jake,” you reminded him. “Jake is kind of fearless. At least when it comes to this sort of thing. When we met for the first time after we kissed, he had no problem expressing his interest in me. He held my hand and offered to walk me to class, and it was just so overwhelming to see his pretty, puppy-dog eyes gazing down at me as if I was the answer to all his prayers.”

“That’s probably because you are the answer to all his prayers,” Jay laughed, thanking the waiter when he brought you the cheesy garlic bread. “Jake really likes you.”

“I like him too,” you allowed for more honesty. “And I want him to be my boyfriend.”

“I’m pretty sure he’d be into that too,” Jay teased you.

“Yeah,” you smiled to yourself. “I don’t know if I want to be his girlfriend, though,” you said cryptically, not knowing if you were making any sense. “Does that make sense?”

“Not to me,” Jay replied, blunt as always. “Doesn’t have to make sense to me though, I’m not dating Jake.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to be someone’s girlfriend,” you tried to explain yourself. “I know that Jake’s going to be an amazing boyfriend, I have no idea if I’m going to be a decent girlfriend.” 

“That’s the funny thing about dating,” Jay said, mocking your faux-excited tone from earlier, clasping his hands together just as you had. “You’re not technically anyone’s girlfriend yet. You’re just floating somewhere in the realm between friends and something more. You’ll figure out when you want to be his girlfriend together.”

“Oh,” you said under your breath, actually understanding what Jay was trying to say. “I guess you’re right.”

“Always the tone of surprise,” Jay murmured with an affectionate eye-roll.

After some gentle convincing, Sunghoon finally stepped into the party and awkwardly started bopping his head to the beat of the song blasting overhead. If you didn’t know him personally, you’d have no idea that Sunghoon had extensive dance training. 

“Hey,” Heeseung greeted you happily, passing you a cup and pulling you into a side-hug. “I see you managed to get Sunghoon through the door,” he added, motioning in your friend’s direction with his head.

You grinned, taking a sip from the cup and finding your favourite drink inside. “It’s my specialty,” you joked. “Where’s Hana?”

“Oh, she’s probably around here somewhere,” Heeseung casually waved your words off. “Finding someone to dance with, I’m sure,” he added.

You frowned. “What? Did something happen between you guys?” you wondered, concerned at the way Heeseung’s joy seemed to be slowly drained from his body. 

“We broke up,” Heeseung explained, pausing awkwardly before adding, “Again. Actually, she broke up with me because I’m too clingy or something like that? I don’t know, I kind of disassociated from that conversation after she began recounting all the times I was unbearable.” 

“I’m so sorry,” you said, pulling your friend into a proper hug and gently patting his back. “For what it’s worth, you’re really awesome and definitely too good for her,” you added, wanting to encourage your friend when he seemed so upset.

“Thanks,” Heeseung mumbled, gently pulling away and sighing. “That’s enough about me. So,” he dragged the word out. “I heard something just a couple minutes ago that I thought was interesting,” Heeseung mentioned, grinning knowingly. 

“Don’t even mention who I think you’re going to mention,” you warned, knowing that this was about Jake asking you on a date. You had received several pointed texts from Jungwon and Sunoo already, and you weren’t sure if you could hear it anymore. “I’ve already had enough from the others.”

“Alright, fine,” Heeseung chuckled, finishing his drink off with a smirk. “Actually, since we’re both chatting, I wanted to apologise to you,” he added, leading you to a slightly quieter area of the living room where the music wasn’t reaching as loudly.

“Apologise for what?” You wondered. You and Heeseung had always been good friends, but you weren’t particularly close recently.

Heeseung’s expression turned embarrassed as he carefully avoided your eyes by glancing down at his shoes. “Kissing you and getting back together with my ex a couple weeks later?” He phrased it like a question, voice lilting at the end of his sentence.

“Heeseung,” you started but were quickly halted.

“No, I need to do this,” Heeseung maintained. “I never acknowledged how much that sucks, and I’m sorry that I even put you in that position in the first place. I thought that you had a crush on me back then, and even if it’s not true it was wrong of me to exploit that. Especially since we’re friends. So, yeah, I’m really sorry, Y/n,” he said, finally having the nerve to meet your eyes.

“Don’t worry about it,” you assured him, flicking his bicep with a grin. “I forgive you. That feels like forever ago, anyway.”

“Maybe it was forever ago, but it was still wrong,” he replied with a shrug, gently flicking your arm back. 

“That’s okay, I’m over it,” you promised.

“So we’re good?”

“We’re excellent, Heeseung.”

“Great,” he beamed at your assurance, pleased that the two of you could go back to normal. “Since we’re good… Don’t be mad but I really do have to ask what’s going on with you and Jake,” Heeseung pleaded, inadequate at holding back his curiosity.

You groaned, “Nothing is going on with us! Absolutely nothing.”

“Why not?” Heeseung whined. “The two of you are great together, and he clearly likes you, so I don’t really get why you’re not together.”

“How can we ever be together? He’s perfect,” you exclaimed, the mere mention of Jake already lighting your skin on fire as your face warmed.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong I really like him and I’m glad I brought him into the friend group,” Heeseung said, smiling at the thought of meeting Jake for the first time. “But he’s not perfect.”

“You’re only saying that because you’re not in love with him,” you waved him off.

“So you are then?”

“What?”

“In love with him.”

You blinked, “Did I say that out loud?”

Heeseung smirked, “Loud and clear,” he confirmed with a wink, knowing you had been caught.

“Shit. Well I guess I can’t take it back at this point,” you shrugged, earning a booming laugh from your friend.

“Let’s just say he’s perfect, for argument’s sake,” Heeseung began, thoughtfully. “Why should that mean that you can’t be together?”

“Because pretty soon he’s going to realise that I’m not perfect, and I don’t want to be there when the illusion that he has of me is shattered,” you confessed, something that you had been too shy to even tell Jay. Perhaps the alcohol was helping you a little, or perhaps you felt like you had closure with Heeseung and could finally confide in him like you used to. “Once the novelty of our little flirtation wears off he’s going to realise that he doesn’t actually like me.”

“You know what, I think he might surprise you,” Heeseung argued.

“What makes you say that?”

“Because people always surprise you, it’s kind of in their nature,” he shrugged.

“Damn, you’re wise when you’re tipsy,” you mumbled in surprised, a little moved by his comment.

“Damn straight, it’s why I kissed you,” Heeseung joked, earning a hard slap in the shoulder. “Ow!” he exclaimed, clutching the spot where you struck him. “On that note, I’m gonna get out of here because I think Hana’s about to start making out with my Chem Lab partner. Give me a call if you need someone to talk to,” he excused himself, eyes narrowing to a corner of the room that was just out of sight for you.

“Thanks, Heeseung, you too,” you said your goodbyes, deciding to go check on your friend group’s resident introvert to make sure he hadn’t run away.

Once you were sure Sunghoon wasn’t going to book it out of the party, leaving him with Niki and Sunoo to hype him up, you stepped outside to get some air. As you tucked your hands into your jacket pockets and scanned the area, you noticed an unusual sight that clashed with your worldview.

“What is that?” you asked, spotting Jake on the sidewalk near the house the party was hosted in. 

He grinned. “A motorcycle,” he explained, leaning against the vehicle, looking impossibly cool. 

Somehow, the image of him with the motorcycle was a complete juxtaposition; even though he looked the part with his black leather jacket and thick, leather boots, you couldn’t get the image of Jake wearing a fuzzy teddybear sweater to class out of your head. Sweet, bubbly Jake riding a motorcycle? Even now, you couldn’t imagine it.

You laughed. “I know it’s a motorcycle, what are you doing standing next to it?”

Jake shrugged. “It’s my motorcycle.”

“Shut up,” you said, rolling your eyes.

“Why?!”

“That is not your motorcycle,” you denied.

“Yes it is, actually.”

“When did you get a motorcycle?” you asked, more laughter bubbling out at the incredulous image of Jake buying a motorcycle. You knew he was rich but dropping cash on a motorcycle when he had previously never expressed any interest in one? That was too much, even for Jake.

“When Niki said that bad boys are your type,” he joked, picking up a helmet.

You paused, remembering the terrible, unconvincing excuse you had given Niki earlier that day in the library. “That’s not funny.”

“I mean it!” Jake insisted. “What you said really woke me up, I figured that it’s time to step out of my comfort zone and try something new.”

“Really?”

“No, it’s my friend from class’s motorcycle, I’m just keeping an eye on it while he picks up his girlfriend from the party,” Jake admitted, a large grin growing on his face once he realised you were starting to believe him.

“I knew it!” you exclaimed, pointing at him and sniggering.

“Is it really so crazy to imagine me on a motorcycle?” Jake wondered, pouting slightly at the thought of you not thinking he was attractive enough to pull off the bad boy vibe.

“No, it’s not crazy at all,” you admitted. “I guess I just didn’t really think it sounded like you. When I picture you, I picture you in a soft sweatshirt, not riding a vehicle that goes 300 kilometres an hour.”

“Aw, so you think about me often, then,” Jake teased, stepping away from the motorcycle to lean closer to you, just over the fence that surrounded the house. “And I shouldn’t change to better fit your type?”

“Of course I wouldn’t want you to change,” you said softly, meaning every word.

The teasing glint in his eyes was replaced with something gentler as Jake cleared his throat, averting his gaze with reddening cheeks. “Good to know,” he mumbled.

Now it was your turn to tease him. “I see how it is,” you began, grinning. “You can dish it out but once the attention is back on you, you retreat so quickly,” you joke, taking your hands out of your pockets and resting them on the wooden fence. “Like I said, you definitely aren’t a bad boy,” you added, leaning in closer.

“And bad boys definitely aren’t your type,” Jake countered, raising an eyebrow and trying to hide the pink flush on his cheeks.

“Maybe not,” you agreed, loving the way he looked when he was flustered. 

“God, I had no idea this is what you were going to be like when I first saw you,” Jake laughed. “So forward out of nowhere.”

“Me walking right up to you and asking for a kiss didn’t tip you off?” You wondered with a chuckle.

“Ah,” Jake held a finger up to stop you. “But that’s not the first time I saw you,” he retorted.

“What do you mean? That’s the first time we ever talked.”

“Yeah, but I had already noticed you before,” he confessed for the first time. “We have that class together three times a week. I noticed you and thought you were really pretty and smart for, like, six weeks before you ever talked to me at that party,” Jake admitted to your great surprise.

“Are you being serious right now?” you wondered, eyes widening. “You’re not just messing with me?”

Jake shook his head. “I met Heeseung in a different class and he noticed that I seemed to have my attention on you when we crossed paths, so he invited me to that party so that he could introduce us,” he admitted, revealing the real reason he came to that party the night you met.

“Wait, Heeseung knew that you liked me?” 

“He sure did,” Jake confirmed. “And in the end, he didn’t even have to introduce us. Because what do I know, the moment I walk through the door, there you were. And you were asking me to kiss you, without knowing that I couldn’t possibly refuse you.”

“That’s what he meant when he said you might surprise me,” you realised, finally understanding why Heeseung suddenly seemed so wise and knowledgable tonight. “He knew that you liked me before anybody else did.”

“Exactly,” Jake nodded, and the satisfied grin on his face made you want to kiss him.

“Let’s go out,” you decided on the spot, wanting nothing more than to spend every second with the man in front of you.

His eyes widened. “Yeah?” he exclaimed, startled by your sudden declaration.

“Yeah. Tomorrow, the day after, next week– let’s go out.” 

“I think I’m free,” Jake agreed. “And if not, I’ll clear my schedule.”

“Oh really?” you laughed, taking the lapels of his leather jacket in your hands, just like you had the first time you kissed him. “Even your plans to go motorcycle shopping?”

“I’ll just take you with me,” Jake replied easily, brushing his thumb across your cheek. “So you admit, I’d look cool on a motorcycle?”

“What can I say? I guess bad boys are just my type,” you winked, letting Jake pull you in for a kiss.