#jongseong fic

By the time you turned the water off, the bathroom had filled with steam, the mirror completely fogged over. You stepped out, dried yourself, and went through the rest of your routine without much thought. You did your skincare, brushed your teeth, and pulled on leggings and a comfortable shirt to sleep in.

Once you finished, you felt put together enough to step back out, so you gathered your things and reached for the door.

You pulled the door open, your heart dropping at the timing of Jongseob slipping into his room across from the bathroom as Keeho walked past, only to stop mid-step.

“Ooo, are you done?” The older boy asked.

Your brow quirked. “I don’t know, let’s ask the audience.” You replied, glancing back into the empty bathroom before bringing your gaze back to Keeho. He was unamused with that.

In your peripheral, Dohoon and Shota had squeezed right behind him, entering the open room Jongseob had walked into, and you sensed his eyes burning onto you.

Can he look away. Like please.

You flicked your eyes at him once. He was still staring.

Fuck OFF.

Without another word, you stepped aside, letting Keeho use the bathroom before you booked it for your room.

You were back in your room, packing your things since you’d all be heading to Saitama the next day. A few minutes later, Haerin slipped in, grabbing her shower essentials before blowing you a quick kiss and heading back out toward the bathroom.

You tried to stay focused, but your thoughts were cut short by a knock at your door. Your heart stilled for a moment, unsure of who it could be, until you heard Intak’s familiar voice call your name.

Upon opening the door, you were met with your brother, just like you expected. He had a faint smile on his face as he lifted a small ziplock baggie between his fingers, giving it a little shake. Inside was a single joint.

“Oppa—” Your brows knitted together. “Where did you even get that?” A disbelieving laugh slipped out right after.

Intak only shrugged, far too nonchalant for your liking. “Some girl gave me a pack at the club the guys and I went to the other night.” He stood up straight and had a look on his face. “Jiung, Taeyang, and I went through most of it, not gonna lie… but I saved this one for us.”

“Boy, I have packing to do.” You decline, but he was persistent.

He dragged your name, playfully rolling his eyes. “Come on, hang out with me…” His eyebrow raised with a dumb goofy smirk. “It’s my birthday….”

You shot him a glare, but the look on his face made it impossible to hold it for long. A laugh slipped out before you could stop it, followed by a quiet sigh. “Fine,” You gave in, shaking your head. “God, you are such a bad influence.”

“Not like mom’s gonna find out,” He snickered, tilting his head slightly, which was his silent way of telling you to follow him.

The airbnb had quieted down by the time you stepped out with him. Intak didn’t say much as he led the way, just pushing open the sliding door to the balcony.

Warm air met you immediately, brushing against your skin in a way that felt grounding after the coolness of the inside air conditioning.

The city stretched out in front of you, lit up in bright neon lights and traffic moving in the distance.

It wasn’t loud out here, just enough noise to remind you that everything else was still going on while this moment felt a little more contained.

You stepped up beside him, resting your hands lightly against the railing.

For a minute, neither of you spoke. And it was very comfortable.

Not everyone got to appreciate something as simple as their sibling’s presence, but you did. No matter how much the two of you argued growing up, over stupid things or over nothing at all, Intak had always been your first best friend, and you knew you’d always be his too.

He let out a quiet breath, rolling his shoulders back before pulling the small joint from its bag. He brought it to his lips, flicking a lighter from his pocket to life and cupping it slightly as he lit the end.

After his first hit, he passed it over to you, a stupid and eager older brother smile already on his face. The kind that practically screamed yes, make bad decisions with me, mom and dad will never know!!!!!

You rolled your eyes, taking it anyway.

You didn’t really do stuff like this unless Intak was the one convincing you. He’d always been your bad influence in the most predictable older brother way, dragging you into things you normally wouldn’t even consider.

It wasn’t like he did it all the time though, he was more of a casual smoker than anything, and back home it wasn’t even easy to get your hands on anything decent. Half the time, whatever he managed to find wasn’t even worth it.

Which, somehow, made this feel even more like a rare occasion you couldn’t say no to.

You exhaled after a hit. “Reminder, I’m a lightweight, so this is mostly all you.” A cough followed after, and Intak laughed.

Guys, it’s been a minute since you’ve done this.

“Remember your first time? When you lowkey threw up.” He brought up the fond memory, causing you to glare at him.

“What do you mean “lowkey’, I did???” You furrowed your eyebrows, mocking your brother as he bursted into giggles.

Intak sighed. “Yeah, I know. I’m still sorry for that.”

You snickered. “It’s fine. That was like, years ago.”

“It was so funny though.”

“Yeah, okay.” You elbowed his side, causing him to wince through more giggles. You really brought out his inner child.

Intak took another hit from the joint before turning around and taking a seat on the little couch that furnished the balcony.

“My feet are actually gone,” He muttered, extending his arm to hand it over to you.

You let out a quiet laugh, taking the joint and sitting beside him. “Literally, I was dead after the second ride.”

“Keeho gave me a piggy back ride at some point.” Intak added. “It was when the group split.”

You snorted, shaking your head as you leaned a little more against the couch cushion. The conversation settled into something easy after that, familiar in a way that made everything else feel a little quieter.

“What was your favorite part today?” You asked, the question coming out a little more sentimental than you meant it to.

He paused for a second, like he was actually thinking about it, before letting out a quiet laugh to himself. “I don’t think you were there for this,” He said, already smiling. “But I was with Taeyang, Kyo, and Jiung, and we all ran off and hid from Seob while he just… kept walking.”

Your heart stopped for a second before you locked in. “Then what happened?”

“Took him a couple minutes to realize he was walking alone and heading toward no where.” Intak snickered, reaching for the joint in your hand that you gladly gave back.

“Anything fun for you?” He quirked a brow, and that was a little funnier than anticipated.

You freak, it was starting to hit a bit.

“Today was fun in general.” You sighed, slouching back. “Can’t really think of anything notable.”

Intak went quiet for a beat. “Hm, you were a little quiet today,” He said with honesty.

You shrugged. “Eh. Just tired.”

“Mm,” Intak hummed, not pushing. “Think that’s enough for now.” He cleared his throat after one more hit and put out the joint before storing it away.

Your eyes dropped absentmindedly, catching something new on his hand.

“Nice ring,” You said. “When did you get that?”

He lifted his hand slightly. “Oh—this? Seob got it for me.”

You felt yourself grow hot, quick and sharp, but you did your best to keep your expression neutral.

Although that was a tad bit impossible, considering you were a little intoxicated.

“Ah,” You said, looking back out ahead of you.

A small pause followed. You sensed your brother staring intently into the side of your face before he sat up straight and sighed.

“…Are you and him a thing?”

Your head snapped toward him almost immediately. “What—no??”

He raised his brows, confusion filling his expression. “Oh… so you don’t like him then?”

You squinted, completely lost now. “What are you talking about?”

He tilted his head slightly, studying your reaction. “Or do you?”

You let out a breath, almost laughing but also dragging a hand down your face. “Oppa, what are you even saying right now?”

He shrugged, turning a little more toward you. “I’m just asking.”

“Is this why you wanted to hang out?” You asked, narrowing your eyes playfully. “To interrogate me?”

He blinked, a little thrown off. “No—what? No! Well… honestly kind of. But also we haven’t really spent any time together during this trip, so I figured we could smoke and talk.”

You stared at him. Completely unimpressed and completely mortified.

This fuckhead, oh my god.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before his tone softened. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to look out for you, alright? That’s it. I just started noticing things and I’ve been curious.”

You didn’t respond right away, so he glanced at you again.

“You can tell me anything,” He added. “I’m not gonna freak out. If something’s going on with you and him, it’s not a big deal.”

Something about that made your chest tighten, because now you had the option and it was right in front of you.

Or you could brush it off… Laugh it off, even. Say no and move on, because that would’ve been easier.

But the words came out before you could stop them.

“You’re a little behind because I’ve literally liked him since we were like five,” You admitted, quieter now, your gaze dropping to the ground.

There was a buzzy feeling jolting through your body, and you hadn’t really paid any attention to it before you remembered why exactly you felt this way. Dang it.

“It’s been annoying me for years, but I just dealt with it because I didn’t think it would ever actually matter.”

Intak went still beside you.

“Then this trip happened,” You continued, the words coming easier now that they’d started. “And things were different from high school. Not even anything extravagant though, just… small stuff. Talking more, being around each other more and we both learned we get along well.” You let out a quiet breath.

“But I ruined it,” You said, almost laughing at yourself, running your hands through your hair, slighting tugging at the ends. “Because I kissed him last night.”

Silence filled the space between you and Intak. You didn’t look at him. You didn’t WANT to look at him or his reaction.

“…Wha?”

You winced slightly, bracing yourself. “Yeah.” A nod from you followed after.

He blinked, clearly trying to process that, before letting out a slow breath and scooting closer. His arm pulled you into a loose side hug. “Well, that sucks.”

You stiffened slightly. “…?? That’s it?” You furrowed your eyebrows. “You’re not mad?”

“Pffft? Why would I be mad,” He scoffed. “Maybe a little grossed out, but not mad.”

You pulled away, your confusion still present. “What’d I do?”

“No, it’s not you,” He said quickly. “It’s Jongseob that’s gross. I would’ve at least hoped you’d get with Shota if you wanted one of my friends.

A small laugh slipped out of you despite everything, and you shoved him lightly. “You’re so annoying.”

He huffed, but didn’t move away right away. “…Well. Did Seob say anything?” Intak asked after a moment.

You grimaced before you shook your head. “I didn’t even give him the chance. I ran off.”

“Checks out.” He muttered.

You rolled your eyes, melting back into the couch with most of your weight now. You were really starting to feel it. “Oppa. It’s so awkward now. I’ve been avoiding him all day, and he’s been avoiding me too, and I don’t even know if that’s because of me or if he just—”

You cut yourself off, but it didn’t matter. The thought was already there.

“And god, I’m such a bad friend,” You continued, the words spilling out faster now. “I’m actively lying to Haerin and Dohoon about it and it’s killing me, and I feel like if I do anything else I’m going to ruin this trip, and I don’t want to take that away from you because that’s so embarrassing and—”

“Wait,” Intak cut in, brows furrowing as he paused you. “Why haven’t you told Haerin?”

You groaned immediately, dragging your hands over your face again. You felt like cheese. “Because I’m embarrassed!”

The word came out louder than you meant it to, but you didn’t care anymore.

You dropped your hands, exhaling. “I’m a little relieved I’ve told someone. Ideally you weren’t my first pick… no offend. But I’m glad to get this off my chest.“ You groaned. “God, it still feels… wrong. I don’t even know how to explain it without sounding insane.”

He watched you for a second, something softer in his expression now.

“Oppa,” You added quickly, pointing at him nearly in a panic, “You cannot tell anyone about this. You have to swear.”

Intak looked at you with wide, almost offended eyes. “Like I even have anyone to tell this to??” He scoffed.

Oh perhaps, Keeho…. Jiung…. Taeyang maybe???

“Pinky swear,” You insisted, holding your finger out between you. This wasn’t negotiable. Not when it came to the two of you—pinky promises were basically the law.

Your brother’s eyes softens at the gesture before he sighed. He now knew the importance of it all. Soon enough, he hooked his pinky with yours, giving it a small shake before exhaling once more. “Okay,” He muttered.

“Your secret is safe with me.”

But after a beat, he spoke again. “…We can laugh about it later on in the future, right?”

“We’re taking it to the grave, Intak,” You groaned, pressing your palms to your face again.

He laughed quietly beside you, shaking his head.

“Okay,” He nodded. “No one else hears about it.”

You peeked at him through your fingers, narrowing your eyes. “I’m serious.”

“I know,” He said, still smiling a little, but maybe it was because he was a tad bit gone. “I won’t say anything.”

You let out a breath, finally lowering your hands, the tension easing just slightly now that it wasn’t sitting entirely in your chest anymore.

“Did you want my brotherly advice though?” He offered, a little too confidently for someone whose eyes were barely staying open.

You scoffed, the sound melting into a quiet laugh. “Oh, I’m good,” You said honestly. “This is kind of something I feel like I need to face on my own. This is my problem.” You paused.

“I also don’t trust any advice you have to give.”

Intak slouched further beside you, your postures slowly mirroring each other without either of you noticing. “Fair,” He mumbled. “I don’t trust my advice either.”

You snorted, leaning your head back against the cushion behind you.

“I at least hope you’re gonna tell Haerin though?” He asked, turning his head slightly toward you.

You exhaled through your nose, thinking harder than you needed to. “Eventually. Maybe when I…” You trailed off, your thoughts lagging behind your words. “Maybe after this… actually?”

Intak lifted his head a little, eyes half-lidded as he nodded slowly, like the idea was taking a second to fully process. “That’s good…” He said, a small smile forming. “That would be good.”

Silence settled between the two of you for a moment, time just felt slow.

“Okay, I think we should go to bed,” You said after a second, your voice quieter now.

“Yes,” He agreed immediately. “That’s good.”

Yet, neither of you moved.

You stared out at the city for a second longer, blinking slower than usual before glancing over at him. “…You’re not moving.”

He frowned slightly, like that realization was new information. “I thought you were moving first.”

“Oppa—” You tried to say it seriously, but the laugh slipped out anyway, soft and sudden, like it caught you off guard more than anything.

He looked at you for a second, then let out a quiet laugh of his own. “Why are you laughing?”

“I don’t know,” You admitted, pressing your lips together like that would help, even as your shoulders started shaking a little.

Okay girl, it wasn’t even that funny.

The two of you stayed on the couch longer than necessary, the quiet laughter coming and going in waves until it finally settled into something softer, something manageable.

At some point, you both managed to pull yourselves together enough to actually get up and head back inside, the movement slow but steady as you slipped back into the dim hallway.

You split off at your doors without much else said, a quiet “goodnight” exchanged before you pushed your door open and stepped back into your room.

Haerin was already in bed.

The room was calm, the lights low, and she was completely curled into the blankets like she hadn’t moved since she got in. You stood there for a second, taking a breath, letting everything from outside catch up to you now that you were alone again.

Alright. You needed to tell her. And you were going to tell her.

You moved quietly, setting your things down before sliding under the covers beside her, careful not to shift too much.

“I need to tell you something,” You said softly.

Nothing.

You waited a second, turning your head toward her.

“Haerin?” You tried again, a little louder this time.

A small snore answered you.

You blinked, staring at the back of her head for a second, your expression flattening.

Oh, come fucking on.

END OF VOLUME TWO!

💌 from mika! srry this was highkey me projecting bc me and my brother are mr & miss giggleshits when we smoke. Anywaysvhiii. this was like so. whatever. im going no where with this anymore and im Stressed and I. okay ill stop. Now what. Guys now what. PLEASE BE KIND TO ME. yeah Sorry lets make fun of the girl who took a risk and put herself out there creatively. FML THATS HOW I FEEL RN ok just vote. bye. mika loves you. ALSO maybe it’s the asian in me but ik reader and intak are like grown ass adults but i still am writing as if their korean mother runs a strict program. Thank U.

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You might have to kill Mr. Park, preferably with something incredibly sharp.

Every remark your boss throws at you, verbal or handwritten, trickles down your body like acid. It's a wonder you haven't been eaten alive by his criticisms already, the CEO cruel in his meticulous focus and scathing remarks.

These estimates look terrible.

My dog could create a better spreadsheet than this—before he chewed it up, anyway.

Do you always lack focus on projects like this?

Just because he's the head of Daydream Media does not mean he gets to parade around with the energy of a pompous cockatiel. As soon as the thought comes up, though, you shut it down. Cockatiels are much cuter than him, and probably a lot cuddlier too.

Working under the guy for twelve months, you know how unrelenting his desire for perfection can be. Starting his company straight out of high school, the business went from a passion project in his garage to a multi-tier musical instrument and audio equipment manufacturer that could make Yamaha blush.

Park's admirable work ethic drove you to apply for a job at his company in the first place. Yet, his need to micromanage others quickly overpowered all the qualities you first admired about the man. His head status practically ensures all he needs to do during work hours is oversee company meetings and sit prettily at his desk. So why did he have to be such a prick?

You're grumbling to yourself as you type out your response to his last email regarding your monthly sales report. Every clack of your laptop's keyboard feels and sounds like gunshots in your ears. You try to remember to stick to facts, keep your response level, and do all the things you've learned from years working with pretentious dickheads like Park.

But there's something about him specifically, the irritation he stirs in you so deeply ingrained beyond the surface of your dignity you can't seem to think rationally.

Your cubby mate, Sunghoon, notices the tension pervading your shoulders and neck, the veins in them close to bulging from your skin. He slaps you on the back with a manila folder, and you roll your eyes in response.

"What crawled up your ass and took a vacation?"

You give him your best fake smile as you punctuate your email's last sentence with a period. "Who do you think?"

"Santa Claus? I hate that fucker." Sunghoon's smirk can usually put you out of any funky mood you're in, but not today. You smile with closed lips instead, hoping the message gets across well. I love you, but it's not the best time.

You close the email and rotate your chair in his direction. Sunghoon may put too much gel in his hair and annoy you to no end, but he's your best friend, regardless. He's partially the reason you stick around the hell-ridden office you've made a home in for a year. "Mr. Park," is the only answer you give him to curtail his initial sardonic guess.

"Ah, head honcho." He flicks his gaze toward your boss's office, a stray hair whipping into his forehead. "What's he mad about now?"

"My latest stats for the new snare kits." You huff out a breath of air. Rubbing your temple, you try to curtail the impending headache on the horizon. "Don't know if he's pissed they're not selling as predicted or because I didn't make the headers on the sheet the right shade of green."

"Hey!" Sunghoon points one of his slender fingers in your face. "You know the guy uses night mode on his fancy PC all the time. He needs to see the projections, you heathen."

Just as a laugh is ready to escape your mouth, your computer pings. The notification reads the email is from the devil himself. As you click it to pop open the application in full-screen mode, you wonder what Park could say so quickly after you gave him a three-paragraph-length explanation on your report.

When you read the single line of text, any semblance of happiness turns to bile in your throat.

You'd think with your degree, you'd be able to spell "acquisition" correctly.

All the composure you tried to muster dies. Your jaw muscles tighten and your teeth gnash against each other as the words replay in your head over and over. He has no right, and yet he does at the same time. He didn't need to say it the way he did, and yet it's here in black and white for you to spiral because of, the exasperated and petulant tone practically hitting your eardrum in the way only his voice can.

You ruminate on your initial thought of murder, and you know even now—despite the ever-present reason to put the guy in a casket—it's childish.

But if you can't kill him, the less drastic option is to at least give him a piece of your mind.

Your chair bangs against the cubby opposite of yours when you stand up, and Sunghoon flinches. "Hey, don't do something you'll regret," your best friend warns.

"Trust me, I won't," you mutter quickly before storming off in the direction of the executive offices.

At lightning speed, you're in front of Jay Park himself. The man's ready to dig into a chocolate cupcake when you approach him.

"Do you get off on being an asshole?" The words come out biting and high-pitched, but every knot in your gut unfurls when you say it. His eyes bug out, and that gives you the perfect signal to continue before he can open his mouth with a witty comeback.

"I spelled one fucking word wrong in an email, and it was another excuse for you to pick me apart and prove you're the one calling the shots here. But having millions of dollars to your name or a shitload of success doesn't make you a good person. You treat so many people in this company like disposable pieces of garbage, when the only one who should feel like that is you!

"You're an arrogant, self-centered, irritable…" Your last words disintegrate on your tongue when you see the single pink candle strewn across his desk. The flame was puffed out long ago, but it tells you all you need to know.

You're giving your boss the proverbial middle finger on his birthday.

In the second between realizing you've been telling him off to considerable lengths for a long minute and the fact you've done so on his birthday of all days makes you flush. Your entire body drains of its color the longer you remain silent. How could you forget this day? Why did you have to find courage at the worst time?

He doesn't yell back, scoff, or do any of the telltale things you expect from him by now. Instead, all he does is laugh. He almost smashes his face into the cupcake in front of his lips as the chuckles exit his mouth.

"I thought Chaewon in accounting giving me this would be the highlight of my day," he lifts his cupcake for dramatic effect as he speaks, "but that…tirade has to be the best present I've had in a long time." He sets the cupcake down and stands up from his desk, but not before rolling the cuffs of his button up to his forearms, wiping the crumbs off of his fingers with disinterest.

You stutter, unsure how to continue now or what he plans on doing. As you try composing an apology, the automatic blinds to the windows that give Jay a bird's-eye view of the employee floor from his office come down. You slowly watch the people outside of the room leave the corner of your eye, and you gulp. "I—"

"I admire your courage, you know. Walking in here with that angry pout and little performance. I thought you couldn't get any cuter."

"I didn't pre-plan it," you interrupt him, some of your flare coming back in full color. Even as you say it, your mind hangs on his last word like a clothespin. Cuter?

You never would've expected that word to come from his mouth. Not in relation to you, anyway.

"Of course." His smile remains plastered across his face, but it doesn't meet his eyes. "Do you remember that team-building retreat in Seosan? It must've been around your three-month mark here with us."

You nod vigorously, going back to the memories of that vacation in your mind's eye. That word fits better, you think, when you recall sipping cocktails and lounging by the pool with Sunghoon and your mutual friend in sales, Jake. You did your typically professional routine by day, attending meetings and learning seminars like an astute employee. The nights that accompanied them were filled with fun and laughter you were glad to have with your new coworkers.

"Yes, I remember." You stand stock still even as he steps closer, the professional bubble on the precipice of being popped with every step he takes to get closer to you.

"Do you ever stop to think when my…excuses to pick you apart, as you said, began to occur?" He holds his fingers under his chin, pretending to contemplate the answer to the question with you, and while it riles you up, it leaves you more confused.

"It must've been…" You bite your lip, unsure what intentions are hiding behind his questions. "I'm not sure."

"One of the first emails I sent to you was marked right after we came back from the trip."

"I—I don't understand."

Jay laughs again, the sound hollow. "For an incredibly brilliant woman, it seems you need things made explicitly clear to you."

He's so close now, you smell the mint on his breath. It's intoxicating mixed with his cologne—Prada, you think. The mixture combined with his proximity makes your knees buckle a fraction. "Maybe something about you caught my eye, sipping Mai Tais one minute and being so prim and proper the next, and I've been spending the past excruciatingly long nine months trying to figure out what. All I know is that it's definitely not your penchant for spelling." His eyes gleam with sincerity, a rawness that you've never witnessed in his presence. This is the first time you've ever been alone together, truthfully.

"Respectfully, sir, there's nothing particularly eye-catching about me," you say meekly. "It's not like I'm the one with the company—"

Jay's lips slamming into yours is the last sensation you planned on feeling because of him. You can live with displeasure, annoyance, exasperation, but this is entirely new. He captures the inside of your mouth with his tongue, pressing in and probing like he's never felt someone more worthy of exploring before.

His fingers find purchase at your waist, and he takes your bottom half in both of his hands as he continues navigating your mouth. The spank he lands to one side pushes you further into him, and his body rumbles in delight. He's searching for the answer to his previous question; you can tell. What is it about you that's been driving him crazy, and continues to do so?

His intense physical analysis of you and your body makes you cry out, eager for more and not settling for anything else. Has this been always sitting under the surface, the tension you so adamantly assumed was hatred? You should've noted the way he stared at you from across the bar all those months ago, lights twinkling behind his head as he quietly observed you in all of your alcohol-flushed but starlit stupors.

Again, the words run around the two of you like a marathon, practically screaming in your ears: it's always existed, this tie between you both that you once assumed was founded on disdain.

Boy, were you fucking wrong.

Jay pulls away when he hears your moan fill the room. "Forgive me," he starts, "I just couldn't help myself." You must look breathless, seem dumbstruck, for him to hold you with such care and tenderness. You barely recognize the man in front of you, the tyrant you purported to know long gone.

He runs a finger across your bottom lip, and you can't fight the urge to take the digit into your mouth. When you bite down on the soft skin of his index finger, he groans. "I just apologized for my lack of control. Don't make me lose it again, princess."

The pet name shoots you in between the legs, your body jelly in his hold when his eyes stare you down so intensely. "What if I want you to…sir?"

He takes your throat in one palm and kisses you deeply, cutting off your breathing just a touch for you to focus only on his mouth. Like he's the only thing that can keep you breathing if you just give into him.

"I thought you hated me," he confesses in between kisses. He peppers them across your cheeks and takes a long pull at your mouth again before pushing you into the edge of his desk. You squeal when he lifts you up and sets you down on the glass tabletop, not stopping his barrage of kisses and licks to your skin.

"B-Because it's not normal to feel the opposite. To have a crush on your very powerful and intimidating boss isn't exactly smiled upon in the code of conduct, sir," you whisper as he trails his lips down your neck, across your collarbones. He even goes so far as to dip his nose towards the center of your cleavage. You never hated him, you realize. He frustrates you to no end, for sure, but that emotion clearly has many facets that you never dissected before.

"So you think I'm intimidating now?" Jay questions you with a lilt of humor that is unmissable. He unties your blouse and unclasps your bra in record time so both articles of clothing fall to the floor like raindrops, insignificant now that they're out of the way. It would be incredibly easy to get lost in the beauty of your chest, the peaks of your nipples and curve of your breasts, details Jay wants to take to his short and long term memory, but he's got a one-track mind that points south. If he enjoyed making you squirm with words before, he smirks to himself at how different it'll be for you when uses his body this time.

"I've always thought you were," you confess. You gasp when he bunches your skirt between his fingers to sit the material at your hips, exposing your lace panties. The fabric is soaked by now; you swear you can feel a damp spot forming under you and on his desk.

But he looks more than satisfied.

"Fuck, this is how wet you get?" The question is more for his ears than yours, and you whine from the lack of his touch on your skin, although you've had a plethora of that merely a second ago. You thought you were burning before, but now you're on fire and close to becoming ash before he's even truly done anything.

"Mr. Park, p-please," you beg, slightly gyrating against the glass desk for some relief. It's better than doing nothing to fix the ache he's created.

"It's Jongseong," he interrupts you with a smile. "Jay if it's easier pretty, but I do love it when you use my surname like that." He nips your lips again, licking inside your mouth lewdly.

"Lie back," he commands. It's hard to do as he asks with so much in the way, but the problem's immediately solved when he throws the contents on his desk—including his laptop—to the side. Everything clatters to the floor, but you fight the urge to react outwardly. The only physical reaction is your eyes going wide at the sound the clattering of his pencils, books, and electronics just made. Your reaction causes him to scoff, the sound on the edge of wickedness. "I can get all of this brand-new in a second. Don't focus on that," he says with his hands rubbing the outside of your thighs in tender circles, "and focus on laying down now, princess."

You let your bare back softly hit the glass. The desk is cold against your naked skin, but the sensation's immediately replaced by the warmth of Jay's breath against you. "You're beautiful. Just like I dreamed," he whispers, partly amazed and fully intoxicated, before diving in.

Jay immediately laps and sucks along your folds—the sounds of his mouth working your hole reverberating across the walls—as if he's been starved for decades. He takes your clit between his lips as a finger prods your center. The digit hooks inside of your core without issue. He eats you out like no man has ever done to you or for you before, his method alternating between long strokes of his fingers and little flicks of his tongue. How could heaven be so attainable with someone you initially saw as the devil incarnate?

"You asked me if I get off on being an asshole," he whispers into your cunt. "I don't. But I just might from touching you. You taste impeccable." He slaps your clit abruptly, making you keen. He presses the hand originally at your neck against your chest, your heartbeat thrumming against his palm. The tempo is all for him, a beat he wishes to hear on loop forever.

“It's like you were made for me," he whispers, "the perfect little slut splayed out like this." He inches your thighs further apart to see the way your hole glistens with his spit and your gathering arousal. The sight makes the strain of his erection in his slacks a touch more painful. It begs for him to do something else fast to relieve the surmounting pressure, but he puts off the urge for now. "I fucking love it."

"Jong—sir—I'm gonna come," you announce, the lower half of your center bumping into his chin harshly from how hard you're following the movements of his mouth. You shouldn't chase it so fiercely, but you want him to pick you apart in this way. You've never wished for anything more in your life.

And you know he'll put you back together just to repeat the process all over again.

"Come for me, princess. I want to feel it on my tongue." He replaces his finger with the wet muscle, dipping inside of you to lap up all of you before you completely crumble. Jay takes it all beautifully, allowing his face to be covered in you in the aftermath. You scream out as your release continues overtaking your better judgement. Your brain doesn't care how loud your cries of pleasure must be or have been.

Your coworkers saw you walk in here moments ago; they have to know what you're getting up to, legs spread for your boss and letting him use you for all of his fantasies. But, as you float back to consciousness, you don't seem to give a fuck about any of them.

"You did so well for me, pretty." Jay unbuckles his belt and unzips his fly just a touch to pull his cock from his pants. He hisses when he touches himself, and you know he must be aching from no stimulation prior to this moment. "Think you can handle one more?"

"Yes, sir, please." You say it with such a twinkle in your eye, Jay doesn't seem to care if he breaks the Italian-made iron of his desk. He has to have you, to cover your body with his and push you beyond your limits again.

Jay does exactly that, squishing you between his white button up and the glass underneath you, but you wouldn’t mind if he collapsed your lungs at this point. He's taken you to the edge of breathlessness by now, so there's nothing stopping him from fully toppling you over.

He slides inside of you without issue, your previous arousal creating the right amount of slip. But he's so big, his cock tightly filling your pussy with every inch, the tears that fill your eyes are unavoidable. "S-sir, it's t-too much—"

Jay halts the lie on your lips with his own, his teeth tugging at your bottom lip with a fierce power. "It's not nearly enough, pretty. You feel incredible, so tight. Such a tight little cunt, and all mine."

You nod your head as he thrusts, fat tears falling down your cheeks as he sets a relentless rhythm. The iron fixtures of Jay's desk squeak and tremble from how hard his hips snap up into you, but the only sounds he focuses on are your mewls and labored breaths. You're a vision, fucked out and trembling, and he can't picture a moment where you don't captivate his very being.

The answer to his earlier question hits him like a flutter of wind to the face: it's everything about you. Your relentless effort to every minute task that mirrors his own, your smart retorts to his endless critiques, the way your eyes crinkle at the edges when you laugh. It's all that pervades his mind, but the new images of your slung mouth and sounds you make on the brink of your second orgasm take precedence on the list of ways you enthrall him.

He reaches in between you to pinch and roll your clit against his thumb and index finger, feeling his own release on the tip of his tongue. "Come with me, princess. Let me feel it."

You don't need to hear it a second time to listen to his words clearly. You rattle around his cock like thunder that follows a stroke of lightning, your body shaking as your body surges with endorphins. If your first orgasm was bright and blinding, this one is all-encompassing and soul-shattering, threading into every seam of you so you don't forget how it feels to be pleasured so well, loved so thoroughly.

Jay comes right after you, his warmth flooding you as his body goes taut from his own shocks of numbing pleasure. You know he feels the same, with the way his brows knit together and his jaw slacks. His hips stutter to a full stop, and he can barely pull out of you without his body quaking. He watches the traces of his cum leak out, mixing with the arousal still surrounding your hole, and he knows he's in it now. He'll never go back.

You slump against him when he lays back on the table. The staccato of his heartbeat sweeps through your right eardrum. The muscle's tempo is an exact match for your own racing chest.

"I can't believe I was so loud," you murmur into the silence that follows your labored breaths. Jay looks down at you with a dazed smirk, and you giggle with a shy smile before tucking your face in between your fingers.

Jay takes both palms in his own to kiss, and semblances of the sweat on his skin touch you like dew. It's beautiful to be so wrong about someone, this gentleness he's displaying proving that fact perfectly. "The glass is laminated, and the rest of the walls are soundproof, princess. Nobody could hear you in here unless I truly gave it my all."

You smirk, unruffled by the fact your boss always thinks one step ahead of everyone, even in situations like this. "That wasn't your all?" You blush and tuck your face into his neck, the question rhetorical and teasing. "Seems you have a lot to show me."

"That I will." He takes your jaw between his fingers when he kisses you again. Mint still lingers on his tongue behind the traces of your arousal, and you could become a puddle again from how unreal it all seems. The past thirty minutes, the preceding moments before you walked into his office, and the plans that lay ahead for the future. "But not before I take you on a proper date."

Months later, you sit at your desk with only your boss on your mind, his eyes lingering on you even as his CFO Lee Heeseung discusses something menial with him. You try to go back to your laptop screen, the seasonal trends report for the new line of guitar strings begging to be completed, but it's no use. You're enthralled with the man across the office space, just like he is with you.

So when the email to meet him in his office for an "oral report" of the latest documented projections comes a few moments later, you don't question him, the man you love.

You thought you wanted to kill your boss before, but it was truly unexpected how many deaths—both little and enormous—Jay Park seemed to have in his pocket for you.

@gyubakeries @loserlvrss @jjunberry @frenchkisstheabyss @prkhaven @tinycatharsis @fangel @aaa-sia @yvnempire @addictedtohobi @innocygnet @filmnings @lovetaroandtaemin @xylatox @dawngyu

𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐒 ── .✦ @kstrucknet @k-films @kvanity-main @lapydiaries @/moadiarynet @/pirateeznet @/thediamondlifenetwork @sweetvenomnet @violetanet @whipped-kpop-creators

Disclaimer : THIS IS PURE FICTION, ALL THE BEHAVIORS OF MY CHARACTERS ARE NOT RELATED TO ENHYPEN REAL MEMBERS AT ALL!

Note : hi, guys. i finally contribute to the enhablr community by publishing this old draft that i wrote years ago. it was inspired by one of my loooong dream that i had on christmas eve night back then in 2020. i decided to stick on the original names that i have for them. all the fem characters doesn't have any face claims, i leave them to your imaginations. some random male idols might appear in the future as relatives/enemy/friends. without further do, meet the characters and i hope you guys enjoy!

CHAPTERS — PROLOGUE CHAPTER I CHAPTER II CHAPTER III CHAPTER IV

Introduction to our vampires:

Jestel Sinflame

/jé-ssel/ 299 years old — The rightful crown prince of Krashoviel. Choosing peace over war right now (living under the same roof as his brother-like best friends rather than in the sucking dry and toxic castle). A little bit classist like his family, Sinflame, except towards Ricardo, who he saw the potential of that kid himself. His parents died during the Red War and now he’s trying his hardest to contact his brother, Holstein, who also got lost in the war.

Sarco Phelanflame

/sár-ko/ 288 years old — Phelanflame has always been the first row at wars. They’re the leader of the soldiers. Very strong since birth with a little sadistic tendency. Their personality is cold, much colder than the other vampires around Krashoviel. If not cold, they’re always a little bit of an oddball. All the elders in his family were deceased during the last war. Now, Phelanflame only has three members, including Sarco and his two other cousins.

Ricardo Nikolai

/ree-kár-do/ 20 years old — Came from an orphanage, Ricardo is a third-class vampire in Krashoviel. He got lucky because Jestel and Sarco saw his potential while visiting his orphanage, they took him home and gave him all the facilities he needed. Ricardo likes to play fight with almost everybody, but his favorite activity to do is disturbing Jusarlie’s peace.

Jasper

/jæs-per/ approximately 23 years old — A new vamp who was found in the woods during their monthly patrolling. No one knows about his background, he lost his memory, so they named him Jasper.

Saine Cairneye

/sāin/ 201 years old — Grandson of the current Queen on the throne. His mother died during the war. The Cairneye bloodline is in charge of magick, witchcraft, astrology, omen, and so on. Their current job is reading people intentions and possible-futures with their crazy personality tests. They are blessed with good physical appearance, and all of them look like elves. They have a silly little hobby, which is accidentally having a vision that scares the royal family a.k.a Sinflame!

Jusarlie Grieffang

/jou-sār-lee/ 297 years old — Grieffang, the fang of Krashoviel. They are the greatest strategists and professors, Grieffang is one of the keys of Krashoviel’s endless winning of wars. They’re still relatives with Sinflame. Jusarlie is Jestel’s distant nephew, though their age gap is not far. Rival kingdoms tried to kidnap and use Grieffangs against Krashoviel during their wars, but it was no use, Grieffangs are loyal and far smarter than them. Plenty of them are still alive after the wars along with Sinflames.

Hiael Von Ruden

/heeæl/ 314 years old — His original nation is Slevado, Hiael was a crown prince. He turned his back after the Red War, and it creates a huge controversy. He is now working under Jestel’s command and is currently busy training Jasper. He’s reserved, calm, to the point where it becomes scary rather than comforting for his surroundings. No one knows what is on his mind, but for Jestel, as long as he has made a blood pact then he’s good.

you’re somewhere in between cursing your teacher out for thinking that putting you all in groups together to work together would be a good idea and yourself for deciding on coming to class today. usually, you wouldn’t have bothered, but there was some part of you whispering that you really should consider it.

of course, you now want to beat that part of you up with a stick.

because which teacher thinks calculus was a good subject to work on in groups? math is one of the most diverse in terms of skill level in that… you either get it or you don’t, to put it simply. well, you’re sure people can learn, but surely putting people in groups of other students, all eager to show off, won’t be the best method?

you resist the urge to massage your forehead in an attempt to ward the stress away. doing so would only catch the attention of your work partner park jongseong, number one student and resident hardass. you would be more than content to sit back and allow him to write and hand in work from the both of you, despite the teacher’s stipulation that one of you has to be thinking about the problem and solving while the other writes…

for some reason ‘jay,’ as you learned he apparently likes getting called, decided he hates you and wants to torture you. because why else would he force you to be the thinker while he writes when you clearly had no idea what was going on?

you heave out another heavy sigh, only staring blankly at the boy when he raises his head to look at you. he seems to be sending a mild glare your way, for which you have no sympathy. if he didn’t want to be spending all the work time sitting with a pencil in his hands, he shouldn’t have relied on you.

you let him know as much, quietly muttering, "...this is why you should have been the one to think. i'm not smart enough for this."

jay looks over to the other groups that are several steps behind and his eye twitches in annoyance. see, he had initially written you off as just another dumb kid who doesn’t try in class. except, there was this time, where you had been caught up with the content just because you were bored. he saw as you seemed to be snoozing during the lesson, but would sit up to quickly solve examples and then go back to sleep without waiting to see if they were correct. that was when he really started paying attention to you.

evidently, you have potential, you’re just oblivious to it because you haven’t tried learning in a way that suits you. or no one’s bothered to teach you that way. he lets you continue on, delusions and all, though. all in due time. jay doesn’t really have a plan, but he does now the mild excitement that had sparked when the teacher announced the two of you would be paired together for her strange learning exercise.

he wants to see where this will go.

so there you are lamenting as you painstakingly (in your opinion) make your way through the question. you’re so glad to be over with it, but when you finish, jay looks at you with an expectant look.

you raise an eyebrow, "...what?"

to your irritation, jay rolls his eyes, saying, "we’re not done."

your eyes light up as you catch on. right, your teacher could be a real hardass on full solutions sometimes. "oh, right. write down that there's another solution, but it's invalid because–"

you continue to explain exactly why, but jay’s hand freezes as he writes. he was completely expecting you to solve for it and didn't realize it would be considered invalid.

of course he understands why within barely a second and had it been a test his paper would have never been handed in with the invalid solution as a possibility, but the fact remains that for a split second you had been right while he was wrong. incredible.

and he was corrected, even though you didn't realize (and never would if jay had anything to say about it). not to mention the note you made required an innate understanding of the topic.

you groan, "this new system is making me do so much work, i was planning on looking at all this next week."

so the reason you knew what to do is that you actually bothered looking at the content this week? his interest with you grows day by day.

the more he pays attention to you, the more he disdains you though. it really bothers jay how someone can go through life living like this.

you never eat lunch, how do you expect your brain to thrive on nothing? you sleep through every class, what are you even learning? you don't even bother writing down assigned work let alone doing it.

returning back to his gripe, the few times jay’s seen you scribble a solution to what the teacher is talking about then you throw it out, deciding you don't care that much. your solution’s always right. even worse, when the teacher calls on you for an answer you shrug and say you don't know.

there’s only one thing to do now. it’s clear. thus, jay starts to harass you.

jay: sign up for this math contest y/n.

you: no thanks!

…

jay: the teacher says people who need to cover the lessons should visit him after class.

you: ...okay?

…

jay: solve this, y/n.

you: girl, i don't know? wait we're on this unit now?

it comes to the point where you slump into you and riki’s eating spot, beyond exhausted. it was like jay was out to get you.

you inhale deeply, "nishimura riki, in my will, i y/n l/n leave to you my book collection." you utter the words with an exaggerated solemness unfit for the dusty linoleum the two of you have chosen to sit on. granted, there’s nowhere in the school truly clean. this is just a nice nook formed by the turns and contours of the brick walls. 

you’re so into contemplating why the brick walls look like that in the first place, white and larger than the normal bricks, that you’re almost startled when riki finally answers you.

riki frowns at you, "you don't have one."

"my webnovel collection," gosh do you have to spell everything out for him?

"they're free you idiot,” riki grumbles, “also your taste is ass. ASS."

you snort, "shut up you overgrown toddler. anyways you're not going to ask me?"

"because i know your annoying ass will explain anyways," riki sighs with an eyeroll. and to think he took his earbuds when you came to eat together, only to be met with this.

“that aside,” you shudder, "i fear my life may be in danger." you cast a quick glance around, your lookout for jay not entirely exaggerated. 

"yeah of vitamin deficiencies," riki mutters before speaking louder, "why, oh esteemed y/n, is your life in danger?" 

you fight back the urge to smack him really, really hard and instead whine at his other comment, "hey i don't mind eating i just don't have good food."

it’s… complicated. you had no time between reading and your part-time job to be cooking and your frozen food options were palatable to someone whose taste buds have been eradicated after day after day of numbing food so you just… don't eat at school and wait until you get home so you could make yourself a plain dinner (rare) or sadly open frozen food (common).

that’s a completely different matter, though, and you’d rather not rehash it out with riki so you move on.

you speak again, in a low voice to prevent any potential eavesdroppers, "i'm being hunted down. by park jongseong. continuously. he has something out for me."

riki bursts out in laughter,  "AHAHAHA that bastard?" 

to be fair. he calls any guy a bastard. hell, he even calls you a bastard, which? why doesn’t his policy of being at least minimally nice to girls extend to you? is this what it’s like to have an insufferable brother?

unaware of your dilemma, he pauses to wipe tears out of his eyes (that’s real?), and clears his throat, "so what did you do now?"

you ignore the affront to your dignity and drag a hand over your face, tired, "somehow he got the idea that i'm like. smart or something into him so he's been harassing me to do smart people things."

and then suddenly nothing’s funny. riki’s eye twitches, "let's not talk about this."

"huh, why?" the change in mood is concerning.

"because your wasted potential has been giving me hypertension since our first year and you will give me an aneurysm if we have to discuss it again." riki’s look ranges somewhere between disappointed and exasperated.

you proceed to be a pouty loser. though not without a jab at riki that you’re surprised he knows those words in the first place. it earns you a light forehead flick.

the two of you are sitting on the floor in one of the turning points of a hallway, so it’s not really surprising for people to pass by semi-frequently. you don't really pay attention when someone walks by in a very i’ve-got-places-to-be-shit-to-do-pace.

except then the footsteps stop a few ways away and turn around, causing you to glance up in curiosity.

"oh my god," you started slapping riki’s shoulder vigorously and whispering, "that's park jongseong."

he cackles, "you always have the worst luck, huh?"

jay, upon arriving at your spot on the floor, gives you a blank stare, "the bell rang?" it’s less of a question and more of a statement.

oh right...

"yeahhh," you drag out the word a bit in the hopes jay will get the hint and leave you alone.

"we have class," jay states again, hands on his hips, not getting why you’re in this (semi) secluded corner with a boy.

"we do," you acknowledge plainly. you had completely been planning on skipping.

your manager had given you an extra late shift and so you didn't have time to study the material for the collaborative solutions. this was an issue.

the teacher had eventually decided the students could stick with their partners or choose another one, letting you know to just choose so that she wouldn't have to do so each class.

you had initially planned on weaselling away from jay and going to someone who was decently smart (allowing you to carry on being a slacker) but wouldn't give you the same uncomfortable sense of your soul being seen that jay often gives.

unfortunately, jay grabbed your shoulder before you could make a quick exit.

he simply said, “you're staying with me," and well, what other option did you have but to agree? no seriously you needed suggestions. oh, well you could be a little shit about it?

the point is, with your partner being confirmed jay, you really would rather not go to class and inevitably embarrass yourself: thus skipping to hang out with riki. easy-peasy.

even as you recall this, somehow you don't think this will go over well with the boy in front of you.

so instead you nervously say, "yeah, i'll get there. you go ahead. right behind ya."

jay narrows his eyes, all you do is lie. so he leans down and grabs your wrist, dragging you up from sitting. you’re astonished at the gentle, but firm, pressure.

you look at riki with a distressed expression, barely holding back from mouthing a ‘save me,’ to which he wheezes and films you getting taken away.

you contemplate several scenarios. eventually, when the two of you arrive and sit down for the solution, you decide it's better to just confess now.

you utter the words in almost a sort of word vomit, "i didn't look at today's lesson. i don't know what to do." you ignore the slight tremble in your hands.

you had been switching for the thinker role back and forth, your pair finishing first regardless of who it was, and today would have been your turn. jay sighs, contemplating your words with a frown.

ultimately, jay decides to be merciful, "just write what i say." his long term plan of… well he wasn’t exactly sure what the end goal was, but his plan was bound to hit a few roadblocks on the way. he would just have to clear the road.

so you do, at first mechanically following jay’s words. around half way through though, jay notices a brightening of your face, like a lightbulb had went on behind your eyes.

it was as if your whole expression was going, “ohhhhhh!” jay smiles softly, so you finally get it.

jay is a little confused at the feeling in his chest, but he chalks it up to excitement. he's always been logical so it's entertaining to see things logically fall into place for other people. right?

one of the (few) joys of the school system: when the learning clicks.

you’re too busy engrossed in re-examining the work with a new mind to notice the small grin on jay’s face.

at one point, after class, jay cracks, incredibly curious. he asks you a question.

"why do you never try?" in hindsight perhaps there was a better way to word it, but jay’s never really been one for that.

you tilt your head in mild confusion,  "i don't have time?"

jay stares at him.... he knows for a fact that's not true considering what had happened a few weeks ago.

weeks ago:

jay noticed you and riki sitting for lunch, with you scrolling aimlessly on your phone.

he walks up to you two. while usually he would seclude himself on the rooftop, he has business to do.

"y/n. do this question." it was one that had taken him a bit longer to do so he wanted to see you do it. to compete. somewhere in him, he knows that should you just try, the two of you could be genuinely fighting on an equal level.

"i don't wannaaaa." somewhere between your first interaction and then, you had gotten comfortable enough to petulantly whine.

of course, jay didn't care, sitting down and pulling his lunch out. he wasn't leaving without your work.

riki was about to get irritated at him for intruding but he started drooling at the mouth-watering, beautiful meal jay pulled out. it was in a lunch dish so it didn't look like takeout either, unless he repackaged...?

"damn rich boy," he interrupted your conversation, "you got a private chef?"

jay paused, confused, "i made this."

"yeah, of course you---- WHAT?!" riki’s shriek is almost ear-shattering and jay winces. you sit still, unperturbed. you’re convinced riki’s bound to give you tinnitus one day, but you’ve accepted it as a fact of life at this point.

idiot 2 stared at jay with his jaw dropped. immediately, riki had squinted at him, calculating. it was not unlike the way one looks at a prime cut of meat.

riki, clears his throat, "if y/n does this solution, will you cook the two of us lunch tomorrow?"

jay had considered carefully… a mutually beneficial deal. he waited for all of a second before responding, “okay.”

you were baffled, "and where do i agree?! RIKI WHY ARE YOU EVEN GETTING FOOD YOU'RE DOING NOTHING!"

he had just rolled his eyes, "it's about damn time for you to contribute to this friendship. you." he pointed at jay, "you can sit with us and slave-drive– i mean– politely make y/n do work, every single day. as long as you bear food."

jay raises a brow. oh, this was very good for jay, school was starting to get much less boring. 

he nodded quickly, "okay, deal."

of course, you had complained loudly and for extended time, but no one listened. 

the point is, through your lunch conversations jay had heard you rant and vent about all your webnovels too many times. so many, that he was starting to understand this is what you spent a majority of your time on.

at present:

jay’s eye twitches as he hears the blatant falsehood, "y/n l/n, don't lie."

you stare at him for a few tense moments before sighing, "okay okay, but when i was younger i actually couldn't study… for reasons," which you would rather die than name, “so the habits never formed and now i just don't have the discipline… you know?"

"what if i disciplined you?" jay asks reflexively before pausing. something didn’t sound quite right. he coughs, ignoring your unimpressed stare.

"i mean,” jay continues valiantly in spite of his bright red ears, “what if i made sure you worked, supervised and taught you how to form good study habits?"

you bite your lip,  looking off to the side, "no... i can't give up on my precious novels."

jay knows you have a whole job outside work and well, his family is loaded.

"i'll pay you, you won't have to work so you can use that time instead." it seems like the perfect solution.

you snort in disbelief, "you'll pay to essentially tutor me?"

you can't accept something like this, something that reeks of pity. especially not from someone like jay, the school’s golden boy. or well, at least your year’s.

jay’s voice is stern in response, "it isn't for you, it's for me. because i can't stand this mind-numbing school any longer."

he lowers his voice and says the next part while looking away, embarrassed, "i need someone to keep up with me."

you frown and shake your head, "it's not me."

riki is watching all of this with rapt attention, but doesn’t really think now is the time to but in. it feels… intimate. charged.

"it could be. unless," jay pauses, he had never used taunting, but after hanging around you and riki for so long he was starting to get it, "you know that you'll be second place even if you tried."

jay’s accompanying smirk is lazy, arrogant. it makes you want to wipe it right off. your eyebrow twitches....

"i still can't accept this," is all you ultimately say in response.

jay furrows his brows, thinking hard, "then do something for me."

"what could i possibly have to offer you,” no money to your name, no popularity, no anything.

jay considered several different possibilities, before deciding, "in the future, i want you to pay me back." riki resists the urge to burst into loud laughter. all that thinking and this is what jay came up with?

you stare at him, exasperated, "what makes you think i’ll even keep in contact with you after school? and i know that's just one of those ‘blah blah let’s hang out’ type things you'll never follow up on."

jay thought harder, "do me 10 favours." okay, what?

he speaks again before you could repeat your point that he won’t cash in, "you can be sure i'll use them because i'll use one right now." jay leans uncomfortably into your personal space.

he pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to you, "enter every contest on this list." it’s several math competitions, ranging from schoolwide to countrywide.

you consider… and consider… before eventually agreeing to this foolish deal.

so that's how the two of you start hanging out together a lot more, with jay essentially teaching you how to learn.

and man do you learn. in your most recent sessions jay was starting to get the idea that he’s creating a monster.

but it's so exhilarating.

several months pass, your rank jumping higher and higher while jay starts to realize these feelings he gets sometimes are more than just excitement at having an equal.

it's your final exams for high school, your last ranking before higher education. jay has one last favour left to ask you.

"y/n l/n,” he speaks. you’re both lying on your backs on the rooftop.

"here is my last favour. when i beat you in the rankings, be my girlfriend."

you laugh at the blunt way he asks that is so utterly jay, before smirking at him, "what's with the when? i’m obviously going to beat you."

you say nothing about the request, which jay isn't sure is a rejection or not. but that’s a potential win?

it's fine though, he would never use the favour to coerce you into a relationship. it was more of a way to let you know his feelings without having to announce them. you hold a smile back at how adorable you find the boy.

when you go into exams, jay is as calm as ever. he answers every question meticulously, a bright fire warming him up everytime he remembers you would be competing with him in these exams, just as hard. there’s no feeling like it.

when the list is posted though, jay’s heart is pounding as he checks. for once, he feels nervous.

as he reads the results, he smiles very, very widely. the entire school is shocked. baffled! jay is smiling at.... being second place? perhaps this was an alternate dimension?

jay himself hadn't expected this happiness, the satisfaction at seeing you thrive just like he always knew you could. one might argue that the ‘always knew’ part is not in fact the truth… jay would fight them.

he isn't even disappointed that he can't confess loudly and confidently like he did on the roof, but it's no matter, he'll just have to adjust his plans.

eventually you come up to the paper and read it, looking for both of your names. jay holds back a smile when he sees you start from the bottom of the list. old habits die hard, huh?

"hey," you speak with a debonair attitude, "it's only fair that i get to ask you something instead since i won, right?"

jay tries to resist the corners of his mouth lifting, but ultimately he can’t, "if i recall, you owe me a favour, but okay, this can be an aside. what do you want as a prize?"

you take a few deep inhales. calm down, don’t squeal. "i think,” you speak slowly, loving the impatience creeping into jay’s countenance, “that you should be my boyfriend."

it's an exact reverse of jay’s request. it's so annoying, but it's exactly why he likes you.

"okay," he laughs, startling you, and causing your mind to almost blue screen at the sound.

“congratulations, y/n."

TAGLIST.

He’s up on stage singing his heart out but his eyes don’t look the same as they used to, his pretty chocolate brown eyes that used to be filled with such light and mirth. Now, looked drained and saddened from the life-threatening experience he’s been through. And yet, he still stands up there, playing his guitar and singing, “We get it on most every night, And when that ol’ moon gets so big and bright, It’s a supernatural delight, Everybody was dancing in the moonlight.”

You hum along to the lyrics, knowing most people wouldn’t think twice about his sullen eyes. Or wonder why he had a long scar across his arm that was visible as he strummed along. After all, he was singing about dancing in the moonlight, to them those were just remnants of distant past. Not something recent and definitely not something that caused this happy song to be written in the first place. But you knew firsthand, because you were there too.

To this day, you’re not sure how you lived, because the condition when you arrived in the hospital was a gruesome sight. Everyone, including you, considers that you’re still standing here, singing along backstage to be a miracle.

It’s been two years and three nights since that fateful night and neither of you have been the same sense. It was worse those first few weeks when you both got home from the hospital. But the trauma responses didn’t end there. You two no longer could bear to be apart from each other more than a couple hours, fearing that something horrible has happened to the other. Which was funny, because you weren’t separated for longer than a few minutes when the homicidal maniac was coming after you both.

But maybe it was the fact that you both believed that you were stronger together, that made you feel so inseparable, fearing for the worst. Because if it wasn’t for him, you were sure you wouldn’t be here today. But one of the rougher aspects was neither of you being able to handle Christmas celebrations anymore.

Christmas lights no longer had that warm cozy feeling. Hot cocoa lost it’s ever-tasty charm. And you both could no longer handle more than just a dusting of snow, or it would bring you back to that fateful night. But worst of all, was when people would dress up as Santa Claus around you two. And you’d both be sent into panic attacks. Something that was once so jolly and happy, took a turn for the worst. And you’re both not sure if you’ll ever be able to celebrate Christmas together again. A once beloved holiday for you both, was now a nightmare-filled tragedy.

Three nights ago, you both spent the day double checking every window, and every door to make sure they were locked and barricaded. Neither of you were able to catch a wink of sleep, fearful that if you fell asleep before the night was over, that that night would happen all over again. It was silly to worry, the guy was long since behind bars and won’t be released for another fifty-some years, if he lives until then. But you both couldn’t help it, only falling asleep when the sun came back up, secure in each other’s arms.

But tonight, he’s standing up there singing about what could have happened instead, what should have happened. How you both should have been dancing in the moonlight, or well, at least singing along to shitty Christmas carols together. And yet, that’s not what happened. And you both know it, even if you both tried to think of what could have happened. You were both wrought with what did take place.

Two years and three nights ago, a few cabins over, there was screaming, crying, and blood all over the cabin walls, and you both were oblivious to the whole thing. Too busy kissing and laughing at the silly Christmas movie you both were watching. Then, another cabin was attacked, and you both heard the distant screams this time. But you both thought that whoever was in that cabin was having a wild night, which made you both laugh, wondering if you should get up to the same fun.

And before either of you could slip out of any clothes, a brick came hurdling through the window. And you both jumped from the couch, dropping your hot cocoa mugs on the floor as you watched in fear as the gloved hand that was reaching through the window and down to the doorknob.

Jay was the first to say, “Oh fuck.” The two of you got off the couch, and when the masked man came in, you both knew it wasn’t for some innocent burglary. The gruesome mask made his smile look sinister. It was like your worst nightmares coming to life. The smile on the mask was uncanny, and for the first time in your life, you understood the fear some kids had for Santa Claus. There was blood splattered all over the white fur of his red velvet suit. And the smooth knife he wielded in his hands twirled as Jay dialed up emergency services as fast as could. Before he was rushing you both back towards your bedroom for the weekend.

You locked the door as he quickly told the person on the line that you had a masked murder coming towards you both. And the person on the line told them, “Do whatever you can to survive, we’ll be on our way as fast as we can.”

You gulped, “What are we going to do, Jay?” And for the first time since you started dating him, he looked panicked, “Not die.” You took the plan to heart and quickly tried to find something to take that motherfucker down. You slammed the glass vase down and it shattered just so-so to make the perfect tool for a glassing. While Jay found a baseball bat in the closet. When the door started tinkering open, you slammed the window open. Just because you both had weapons didn’t mean you wanted to be forced to use them.

Jay follows you out after you drop down from the window. And you both hear your bedroom door fly open. You hear a small grumble through the window as you both take off hand-in-hand. Sure, you could split up, but if he went after either of you alone, you were both less likely to survive the night. You were stronger in numbers, and it was better to die side-by-side than alone.

You both look back and watch as the masked man, hops down from the window, and cracks his neck uncomfortably. As if he already broken it before he got to you both. He belly laughs into the cold night air, “You two didn’t think you were getting away from good ol’ Sant-y Clause, now, did you?” You shake your head, there’s no way this is happening right now, and Jay goes, “Don’t fucking pay attention to him.” You agree before you remind him of your promise a minute ago, “We’re getting out of this alive.” You could start whipping snowballs at him, but he has a knife and he’s hurtling towards you both, you doubt that the snowballs will hinder him in anyway. But it doesn’t stop you from making one and tossing it right at eyes. Which just seems to anger him as he wipes the snow from his mask and continues running towards you both.

Neither of you had coats on, let alone shoes, so if the masked killer doesn’t get you first, you were certain that hypothermia would get you both. You shake your head of those thoughts; you weren’t dying tonight and definitely not from something like hypothermia.

Jay asks in a frenzy as you both hear the sound of steel-toed boots thudding through the snow, “See the pine trees?” You’re panic-ridden as you nod and he says, “If we can get up high enough in them, we have a chance to survive.” You nod and you both rush towards the snow-covered pine trees. The Christmas lights strung up through them feel like a saving grace, like this is all going to be okay, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. And when you wake up tomorrow, this would just be a silly nightmare.

But it wasn’t a nightmare.

And before either of you can get far, you feel something pierce your torso. You look to see the sharp point of a knife sticking out of you. You gulp, knowing you’re not feeling it just yet, and you tell Jay as calmly as you can as you still, “Jay, if I die. I need you to know that I love you. And that I’ve always wanted to marry you. And if we get out of this alive, I want to marry you.”

You see tears in his eyes as he tries to get you to continue moving forward, “I love you and I want to marry you too. But we have to get away while we still can.” But the killer is already upon you. You feel the knife being pulled out of your body, and before either of you can stop that from happening, you feel the knife pierce you again as you let out a gasp. You thrash around as Jay starts wailing on him with his baseball bat, but the guy just laughs as you manage cut him with your vase. The guy cackles loudly into the night, “This is the best night of my life! I got two naughty kids who think they’re going to make it to tomorrow morning! Do you both really think a baseball bat and a cut-up vase is going to do anything to me?” You feel the knife rip through you again. And this time you feel it for real, the sensation finally having caught up to you.

Even though you were in a fight or flight situation, there wasn’t enough adrenaline in your body to stop you from feeling two stab wounds. You fall backwards into soft snow beneath you, as Jay tries to beat the hell out of him. The masked killer slashes Jay’s forearm, causing his blood to splatter across the snow. You look at your stomach, and find none of your organs are out, which is a relief. And before Jay can hit him again, the guy catches the bat. You watch in horror, as he flings Jay with the bat away from you towards the trees as if he weighs nothing to him.

You blindly search for the broken vase you ended up dropping and let out a sigh of relief when you feel your fingers graze it. While your arms are starting to feel a little weaker, you grasp it with all the might you have left, and smash the glass into the maniac’s knee, which causes him to yelp. You wish to laugh in victory, but you know it’s not over yet. He pulls your grip off of the vase and rips the glass from his knee and tosses it somewhere in the distance. You gulp and you can feel the tension in your stomach as you realize he’s going to kill you, that the stabs from before were just for the love of the game.

You start flitting through all the possible ways to get away, but with the way your core feels, you know you can’t crawl backwards or risk more blood flowing out of you and onto the white snow below you. You can’t bear to watch as the blade comes down on you, so you tightly close your eyes, knowing you won’t be able to keep your promise to Jay. You whisper out an apology, certain you won’t be marrying Jay, at least not in this life.

You feel the knife graze your abdomen. And that’s when it becomes a blur to you. You hear Jay somewhere in the distance, or maybe he was very close to you both. You weren’t positive, your mind couldn’t place where he was even if you wanted it to, but you hear the sound of wood splintering over something hard, and you’re not sure what. You just know it caused the man above you to let out an agonized noise.

If you could see, you would know Jay had tears streaming down his face as he took off the guy’s Santa hat and slammed the baseball bat down onto his head as hard as he could. Causing the baseball bat to splinter and smash into the guy’s skull. The guy took a rough fall to his bad, bloodied knee. And with one last hoorah, before the masked maniac falls unconscious, he takes a swing at Jay and manages to lodge into Jay’s side before he crumples completely.

You feel Jay’s arms cradle your head, “You’re okay baby, I’m here. I’m here.” Your eyes open slightly to see him crying over you, and you give him a faint smile, “Hi.” He smiles back at you, “Hi.” You look behind you towards the beautiful decorated and snow-covered pine trees that once spelled safety, knowing you weren’t able to make it. There was no light at the end of the tunnel, just darkness. You refused to fully lose consciousness even as your eyes start to close, knowing if you did, you were certain you’d succumb to your injuries and never wake again. You heard Jay begging you to stay awake, that you can’t die on him, you promised. You didn’t even know if the man in the bloodied Santa suit beside you would stay knocked out cold for long.

You mumble into Jay’s chest as he puts pressure against your injuries, “Thank you.” He murmurs not to thank him, when you’re not out of this mess just yet, but you still do anyway. Just as you were about to succumb fully to your injuries, you heard the sound of what sounded like hundreds of footsteps, it could have been more, honestly, you weren’t sure. It all felt so distant. But here in his arms, it felt like a heavenly place to pass away. You were safe in his arms, and he’d keep you protected while you made your way to the next plane.

That’s when you feel three people touching you that aren’t Jay, and you try to move away. And you beg, for the first time all night, “Please, don’t hurt me.” You hear a sweet voice call to you, “Honey, we’re life flighting you both out of here, don’t you worry. No one is going to hurt you anymore.” You didn’t even realize you were already inside of the ambulance, being taken care of while Jay was inside of another.

You cry as you realize they separated you two, and even though you want to protest, the part of you that still has some rational awareness knows it has to be this way. You close your eyes, and you mumble as you feel a staple hit around one of your wounds, “I’m not going to die.” And the EMT who is stapling you up, tells you, “That’s damn right, keep that energy. We’re going to do our best to make sure of it, okay?” You hum as you feel bandages and staples being thrown around you and feel yourself drifting off to somewhere nicer where there are only Christmas lights, ‘fa la las’, hot cocoa, and Jay.

Honestly, you wouldn’t have been surprised if they couldn’t have saved you, especially with the way your mind was imagining something better than what you were experiencing. But you hear how they murmur above you about how the killer miraculously managed to not hit any main arteries or organs.

You woke up to doctors surrounding you, or well, some type of doctors, they could have been witch doctors for all you know, they all looked so blurry. When your eyes finally catch up to you, you realize you woke up in the ICU, and they were currently suturing your stab wounds. Your mouth feels like it’s full of cotton, you can’t speak, but you’re aware of what they’re doing even if you can’t feel it. Their heads shift to the sound of your heartbeat, and someone reassuringly tells you, “We’re almost done, three more stitches, okay?” You wish to hum in agreement, but you can’t. They stitch you up with care before they place non sticking patches over each sewed up hole before they begin wrapping the gauze around your torso.

When you can finally speak, you ask, “Where’s Jay?” They point to the bed next to you and you ask, “Can you please remove the curtain? I want to see him, please… I have to know he’s alive.” They nod, and when they draw back the curtain, you see he’s out cold. You look at his monitor to see his steady heartbeat and let out a sigh as you realize he’s alive. They don’t let you stay up for much longer, knocking you out so you can get some sleep to recover at least for a little bit.

When you wake up you find Jay already staring at you, he holds his hand out to you. And you do your best to reach for his. And he catches your hand in his, and he smiles at you, “You’re alive.” You smile at him, “You are too.”

“We kept our promise.”

You hum and you ask, “Are you going to keep your other promise?”

“To marry you?”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

You smile, last night may have been the worst night of your life, but at least you had Jay. And it was going to be okay.

A week later, when you were both finally able to eat and hold down your meals, he got a pad of paper and started scribbling words down. You asked, curiously as you ate the hospital carrots, “What are you writing?”

He hums, “A song.”

You roll your eyes, of course he was, “About what?”

“About how differently that night could have turned out.”

“Oh.”

“I’ll sing it to you when it’s finished and we’re out of here, okay?”

“Okay.”

He did, and when he was in full health, he returned to his band and taught it to them with you in the room. And then several months later, he married you, and more things in the world felt right.

There was some good that came from that night, like how his band grew even more popular than before due to that song he wrote while you both were recovering. It turned out everyone dreamed of better nights and wanted to dance in the moonlight too.

And now, while you both still struggle, you’re both happily married to each other and living relatively happy lives. Even if some days, like three nights ago, are rougher than others. There are days like this one too, where he sings his heart out and plays his guitar and everything feels right in the world.

He looks back at you as he sings, “We like our fun and we never fight, You can’t dance and stay uptight, It’s supernatural delight, Everybody’s dancin’ in the moonlight.” You smile back at him as you sing softly along.