#k-records

you always had a habit of running your thumb over things that were broken, as if gentle pressure could smooth out cracks that life had already set into place. 

sitting at your small kitchen island on a dreary tuesday night, you were tracing the fine spiderweb fracture near the top right corner of your phone screen, the quiet click-clack of your nail breaking the absolute silence of the room. the glass was slightly sharp, just enough to catch the pads of your fingers if you swiped at the wrong angle, but you didn’t care. you had earned every single cent in your bank account, paid your rent three days early every month, and held a quiet, fierce pride in the fact that you never replaced something until it was thoroughly, completely dead.

across the polished marble counter, james shifted, the soft rustle of his tailored charcoal shirt drawing your gaze up from the illuminated glass. his laptop was open, a sleek fountain pen resting loosely between two long, perfectly manicured fingers as he reviewed quarterly ledgers for his firm, but he wasn’t looking at the financial numbers anymore. his dark, quiet eyes were fixed entirely on your hand, watching the way your thumb hesitated over the cracked corner.

“it’s going to catch your skin eventually, pretty girl,” james remarked softly, his voice a low, grounded rumble that filled the quiet space between you.

“it’s fine, james,” you said without looking up, tapping a message icon with calculated precision. “it’s barely visible anyway. i’m going to get the glass replaced next month once my work project settles down.”

“or,” he said, closing his laptop with a quiet, decisive click that signaled the end of any business discussion, “i could just handle it right now.”

you lifted your head, narrowing your eyes in that defensive, guarded posture he had come to recognise over the months you had been together. “i don’t need a new phone, baby. i’m serious. it functions perfectly well.”

“i didn’t say you needed one,” he replied smoothly, standing up and smoothing down the front of his shirt with effortless grace.

he crossed the hardwood floor toward you, moving with a fluid, grounded presence that always seemed to make whatever room he was in feel instantly smaller, instantly warmer. leaning forward, he rested both of his broad hands on either side of your stool, trapping you in a subtle scent of dark cedar, crisp cotton, and high-end cologne.

you knew that look in his eyes, but before you could launch into your rehearsed speech about financial independence and unnecessary expenses, james reached into his inner jacket pocket and slid a slim, matte-black box across the smooth marble. it was heavy, factory-sealed in immaculate plastic, carrying the minimal logo of the newest flagship phone in the exact dark graphite shade you had casually pointed out in an ad three weeks prior.

you stared at the sharp edges of the box, then looked up into his steady, dark gaze. “james—absolutely not. push that right back into your pocket.”

“open it, yn,” he murmured.

“nope,” you said, pushing the box back across the counter toward him. “this is a ridiculously expensive piece of technology. my current phone is only two years old, and i’m fully capable of managing my own devices.”

james didn’t move the box back. instead, his long fingers reached out, closing gently around your wrist. his thumb began to trace slow, soothing circles over your pulse point, feeling the rapid, defensive beat beneath your skin.

“look at me, sweetheart,” he said softly, his voice dipping into that impossibly patient cadence he reserved entirely for you.

you met his eyes, exhaling a frustrated breath. “i am looking at you. and i’m telling you no.”

“i know you can buy your own phone,” he said, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made it impossible to look away. “i know you have a healthy savings account. i know you pay your bills on time, and i know you don’t need me to purchase a single thing for you. your independence is one of the million things i adore about you, my love. it isn’t a challenge to my ego, and it isn’t something i ever want to break. it’s simply who you are.” he lifted your hand, pressing a brief, lingering kiss against the back of your knuckles. “but this?” he continued, glancing down at the box before bringing his dark eyes back to yours. “this isn’t an obligation. it isn’t a power move, and it isn’t an attempt to show off. i saw a jagged piece of broken glass under the thumb of the woman i love. buying you a phone that doesn’t risk cutting your skin when you text me isn’t some grand, heroic gesture. to me, it’s basic. it’s the absolute bare minimum i should be doing as your boyfriend.”

“a brand-new, top-of-the-line device isn’t the bare minimum, james,” you countered, though your tone had softened under his touch. “it’s entirely excessive for a minor crack.”

a small, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “to you, maybe. but to me, ensuring that the person i love has a working phone, a safe car, and a warm coat in the middle of winter is baseline care. it’s entry-level stuff. and besides, i already had your sim card cloned and transferred at the store earlier this afternoon. all your data is already synced and waiting.”

you let out an exasperated laugh, shaking your head as you looked at the dark box sitting between your hands. “you’re absurd. you know that, right?”

“i’m attentive,” he corrected smoothly, a subtle glint of amusement in his dark eyes. “there’s a massive difference. now open it. and if you even attempt to transfer money into my checking account to offset the cost, i will simply route it straight back into a high-yield savings fund set up under your name anyway.”

“you wouldn’t dare,” you murmured, though you were already breaking the seal on the box, knowing full well he would dare, actually.

“try me,” he replied with a low, quiet chuckle, leaning down to press a kiss against the crown of your head as you lifted the sleek device out of its casing.

you couldn’t even stay mad at him—not when he handled your stubborn pride with such gentle, unyielding patience. you unwrapped the plastic, the fresh smell of factory-new electronics filling the air, and as you transferred your phone case over, you tried to ignore the way your heart swelled at how seamlessly he anticipated your needs before you even acknowledged them yourself.

iphone kupi (‘buy me an iphone’)... ☆

by the time friday evening rolled around, the city had dissolved into a slick, rain-soaked expanse of neon lights reflecting off wet asphalt. the weather was miserable, but inside the low, purring interior of james’ vehicle, the storm outside felt like a distant memory. 

james didn’t just drive any car; he had a deep, almost understated passion for fine engineering, and tonight he had picked you up in his custom porsche 911 gt3 touring. it was an absolute beast of a machine, finished in a deep, brooding shade of jet black metallic that seemed to swallow the city lights, its dark silver center-locking wheels gleaming beneath the streetlamps. inside, the cabin was a masterclass in quiet luxury—smelling of rich leather, dark suede, and the faint, warm ozone of a high-performance engine humming quietly beneath the frame.

you leaned your head back against your seat, feeling the subtle rumble of the engine vibrating through the floorboards as james navigated the rain-slicked streets with effortless, practiced precision. his right hand rested casually at three o’clock on the leather-wrapped steering wheel, while his left hand rested on the gear shift, his thumb occasionally brushing against your knee whenever he brought the low-slung car to a smooth halt at a red light.

“you like the noise this one makes, don’t you?” james asked softly, glancing over at you with a slight curve on his lips as the exhaust notes echoed off the concrete tunnel walls.

“it’s terrifyingly smooth,” you admitted, turning your head to look at his profile. “you drive like you’re on a track even in gridlock traffic.”

“it’s called control, pretty girl,” he murmured, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the gear shift before he stepped gently on the throttle. the engine let out a deep, intoxicating rasp that sent a faint shiver down your spine, accelerating seamlessly through the wet lane.

there was something undeniably magnetic about the contrast between his calm, polished demeanor and the raw, aggressive power of the vehicle he commanded so easily. he pulled the sleek sports car up to the curb of an intimate, dimly lit restaurant tucked away in the quieter cobblestone corners of the district. the valet immediately stepped out with a massive umbrella, opening your door with practiced deference.

“careful with the step,” james warned gently, stepping out from his side and meeting you under the awning before handing the valet his keys without a second thought. “keep it parked right out front under the cover, please,” he told the valet in a quiet, firm tone, slipping a heavy bill into the man’s hand.

“right away, sir,” the valet replied quickly.

inside, the restaurant smelled of woodsmoke, roasted herbs, and expensive wine. the hostess led you both past glowing ambient candleholders to a plush, dark velvet booth nestled near a quiet stone fireplace. james slid in right beside you instead of sitting across the table, his long arm extending naturally along the back of the velvet bench behind your shoulders, bringing his warm, familiar weight right against your side.

“how bad was the office today?” he asked softly, his dark eyes reading every subtle line of fatigue on your face as you leaned back into his chest.

“it was an absolute nightmare,” you admitted, closing your eyes for a brief second as his fingers began to gently massage the back of your neck. “endless fires to put out, three missed deadlines from the junior team, and my brain feels like mush. but i’m fine now.”

“you’re exhausted, sweetheart,” he corrected gently.

without needing to consult you on the tedious details, james signaled the sommelier with a brief nod. “we’ll take a bottle of the twenty-six sauvignon blanc,” he told the waiter smoothly. “and bring out the seared scallops and the truffle crostini to start, please.”

“you remembered what i like after a bad day,” you murmured, looking up at him as the sommelier bowed slightly and walked away.

“of course i remembered,” james said, resting his chin lightly against your temple. “i pay attention, y’know.”

you loved dining out, but as the incredible meal progressed and the empty plates were cleared away by attentive waitstaff, that lingering sense of self-reliance began to prickle at the back of your mind again. you had made a point early on in your relationship that you wanted an equal partnership. you hated the idea of feeling like a financial burden or acting like someone who expected to be catered to, and as the quiet waiter finally approached the table to lay a dark leather folder down, your hand instinctively dipped toward the zipper of your leather bag.

“let me cover the tip at least, james,” you said, pulling out your card. “or let’s split the total bill down the middle. you paid for lunch on wednesday.”

james’ hand moved with lightning speed, sliding firmly over yours before your fingers could even pull your card free. his touch was warm, solid, and entirely unyielding.

“put that back in your bag, yn,” he said softly, his tone carrying that quiet, absolute authority that left zero room for negotiation.

“james, come on,” you whispered, leaning in closer so the surrounding tables wouldn’t overhear your back-and-forth. “i work hard. i earn my own money, and i genuinely dislike the feeling of being paid for constantly. it makes me feel bad, like i’m not pulling my weight.”

james didn’t pull his hand back. instead, he pulled a heavy, matte-black card from his coat, slid it into the leather folder without even glancing down at the itemised receipt, and handed it back to the waiter with a quiet, polite nod.

“thank you, sir,” the waiter murmured, sliding away into the dim light of the dining room.

once the staff member glided away, james shifted his weight in the booth, turning his torso so he was facing you directly, his knees framing yours beneath the white tablecloth.

“do you truly believe you’re a charity case in my eyes, yn?” he asked gently, his eyes searching yours.

“it’s not that,” you murmured, looking down at your fingers. “i just need equality in our relationship. i never want you to entertain the thought that i’m with you for the places you can take me or the money you spend, you know?”

james looked at you then, his expression stripping away any lingering playfulness, replaced by a deep, unwavering sincerity that made your throat feel dry. he picked up both of your hands, lacing his long fingers through yours over the soft linen.

“if i believed, for a single second, that you were with me for my wealth, my love,” he said firmly, his voice low and steady, “we wouldn’t be sitting here right now. you fight me on every single check. you try to pay for your own morning coffees. you constantly try to split tabs down to the exact cent when we order late-night takeout. i know exactly who you are. you’re the woman who would happily sit on a cold park bench eating three thousand-won street food with me as long as we were together.” he squeezed your fingers, his dark gaze holding yours captive. “so hear me when i say this,” he continued softly. “paying for dinner when i take my girlfriend out on a friday night isn’t a flex. it isn’t an obligation, and it certainly isn’t an attempt to buy your affection. it is, as i’ve said before, the baseline standard of taking care of someone you’re utterly devoted to. if a man takes you out, he pays. period. that’s basic etiquette to me, which i learnt by looking at my dad taking out my mum. yn, you don’t owe me a single thing for this—not a formal thank you, not a return favor, nothing. it’s my absolute pleasure, and i do it because i want to make your life effortless after a long, grueling week.”

you bit your lip, feeling the sharp, defensive edge of your independence melt away under the quiet warmth of his reasoning. “you really consider a high-end, multi-course meal in the city to be the bare minimum?”

james tilted his head, a smooth, devastating smile breaking across his features as his thumb stroked the back of your hand. “for you? bringing you good food, keeping you comfortable, and picking up the tab is entry-level boyfriend behavior, sweetheart. if i could hand you the moon on a silver platter, i would still feel like i was slacking off.”

restoran oplati (‘pay for the restaurant’)... ☆

a week later, the autumn air had grown crisp and biting, scattering golden leaves across the wet concrete sidewalks. you had spent the afternoon running errands, dressed in an oversized, heavy grey knit sweater that belonged to james, the sleeves overlapping your hands so that only your fingertips peeked through. you were standing in the quiet alcove of a boutique shoe store downtown, picking up a pair of simple leather flats you had ordered online weeks ago.

james was standing near the entrance, leaning casually against a polished display case as he waited for you. he looked effortlessly striking in a dark tailored overcoat, his silver watch gleaming softly under the boutique’s track lighting. even just standing there, resting one hand in his pocket while he checked a brief email on his phone, he carried an air of calm, unbothered command that naturally drew people’s eyes.

as the clerk walked back out from the stockroom with your basic flats, james happened to look up, his eyes casually scanning the curated shelves behind the counter. his gaze caught on a pair of heels resting on an illuminated pedestal—a breathtaking pair of sculpted designer heels, crafted from buttery dark slate-grey silk with delicate, shimmering silver hardware detailing that caught the light like liquid moonlight. they were artistic, sophisticated, and undeniably exquisite, the kind of shoes designed for private galas or high-end evening events.

you noticed him looking and followed his line of sight, catching a glance at the silver detailing before checking the tiny designer label beneath them.

you let out a low, breathy laugh at the sheer number of zeroes on the price tag and leaned closer to him. “those are ridiculous,” you murmured under your breath as the clerk handed you your boxed flats. “gorgeous, but completely absurd for real life.”

james didn’t say a word right away. he simply pocketed his phone, walked smoothly over to the counter, and motioned quietly to the sales associate.

“could we see those slate silk heels in a size eight, please?” james asked calmly, his tone so light he might as well have been asking for a glass of tap water.

you immediately whipped your head around, your eyes wide as you grabbed his forearm through his heavy coat. “james, no!” you hissed quietly, pulling him back a step. “what are you doing? i came in here for forty thousand-won flats. i don’t need five-inch silk designer heels, and i certainly don’t have anywhere to wear them to.”

james didn’t look bothered in the slightest by your subtle panic. he looked down at your hand on his arm, a soft, indulgent smile curving his lips. “just let her bring them out so you can check the fit, yn.”

“i don’t need to check the fit,” you argued softly. “they cost more than my first car’s entire transmission!”

when the associate returned and set the silk heels down on the velvet rug, james casually dropped to one knee in front of you on the store floor. he didn’t care that the sales staff was watching or that people were passing by the glass storefront outside. he simply extended his hand, waiting patiently for you to slide your foot out of your casual shoe.

“james, please,” you whispered, feeling your cheeks warm up under the boutique’s bright lights. “this is crazy. get up—”

“just try them on, sweetheart. humour me,” he murmured, his voice smooth and steady as his long fingers wrapped gently around your ankle, lifting your foot to guide it into the silk shoe.

the moment your foot slid inside, the shoe fit like it had been custom-molded to your arch. the silver hardware gleamed softly against your skin, matching the quiet, understated silver rings you always wore on your hands. you looked down, unable to deny how stunningly beautiful they were, how they made your legs look long and elegant even beneath your oversized sweater.

“see?” james said softly, looking up at you from his spot on the floor. “absolute perfection.”

“they’re far too expensive, james,” you argued softly, shaking your head as you looked down at him. “i can’t possibly let you buy me something that extravagant for no reason at all. it’s not like i’m attending an award show.”

he stood up smoothly, dusting off his trousers before taking the boutique’s credit card reader from the associate without missing a beat.

“we’ll take them,” he told the clerk, tapping his black card against the machine and settling the absurd total before you could even process the transaction. “and pack up her old flats into the bag, please. she’s wearing these out.”

“right away, sir,” the clerk smiled.

james turned back to you, stepping close enough that his coat brushed against your sweater. he held your waist gently, looking down into your conflicted eyes.

“james, seriously—” you started.

“buying my girl a pair of shoes that makes her feel breathtaking isn’t merely an indulgence, yn,” he interrupted gently, his thumb tracing the curve of your hip through the thick sweater. “i didn’t buy them so you could hide them in a closet for a special occasion. i bought them because i saw something beautiful, knew it belonged on you, and wanted you to have the absolute best beneath your feet whenever you walk anywhere with me.”

“i don’t need designer shoes to walk with you,” you whispered.

“i know you don’t,” james replied softly, leaning down to press his lips against yours for a brief, sweet moment. “but making sure you feel adored, elevated, and pampered from head to toe is basic. if i can’t put you in stunning shoes, i’m not doing my job as your boyfriend properly.”

you let out a quiet sigh, looking down at the gleaming silver detailing on your toes, completely helpless against the relentless tide of his affection. “you’re utterly ruined.”

he simply kissed your forehead, whispering back, “i’m perfectly fine with that, as long as you’re the one ruining me.”

the rain returned two sundays later, a heavy, grey downpour that turned the city outside james’ high-rise penthouse into a blurred watercolor painting. the apartment was silent save for the soft, ambient hum of music floating through the hidden ceiling speakers and the rhythmic patter of water against the floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

you were curled up on the edge of his deep charcoal leather sofa, your feet tucked beneath a heavy silver-grey knit throw blanket as you turned a page of your book. james was sitting nearby, a dark ceramic mug of coffee resting on the low table in front of him. he was pretending to scroll through news updates on his tablet, but in reality, he spent far more time watching the calm, relaxed expression on your face than reading any headlines.

without any warning, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a small, heavy velvet box, and tossed it gently onto the throw blanket near your knee.

you blinked, pausing your reading to look at the box, then lifted your eyes to glare at him with mild suspicion. “what is this?”

“it’s a box,” he replied with total deadpan ease, lifting his mug to take a slow sip of black coffee.

“james…” you dragged out his name, raising an eyebrow high. “is today an anniversary i somehow managed to forget? is it a secret holiday? is it my birthday?”

“no, no, and no,” he answered smoothly, setting his coffee back down on the glass tabletop.

“then why are you handing me a jewelry box on a random sunday afternoon?”

“because it’s sunday,” he said, as if that simple fact explained the entire mechanics of the universe. “and because i felt like giving it to you.”

you picked up the velvet box, holding it delicately between your fingertips. “james, we talked about this. we established ground rules about spontaneous, unnecessary spending. you don’t need to keep giving me things just because the sky is blue outside.”

“open it before you start your formal lecture,” he requested calmly. “do it for my own peace of mind.”

rolling your eyes with a quiet laugh, you popped open the spring lid of the velvet box. nestled inside against a dark satin cushion was a heavy, exquisitely crafted band of solid sterling silver. you had always preferred silver over gold—you loved its cool, understated elegance, the way it shimmered softly without being loud or ostentatious. james shared that exact same taste, his own watch and cufflinks always featuring polished silver accents.

the ring in the box was sleek, heavy, and timeless. but as you lifted it out of its velvet bed to examine it closer in the dim light of the room, you caught the delicate script engraved along the smooth inner curve of the metal.

you brought it right up to your eyes, reading the fine inscription. etched into the polished silver was your full name in elegant, precise lettering, followed by a set of fine coordinate points—the exact latitude and longitude of the quiet coastal overlook where the two of you had parked his car and talked for five hours straight on your very first real date.

your breath hitched slightly, a quiet lump forming in your throat. the sheer depth of thought embedded in the small band of metal hit you square in the chest, instantly wiping away any sarcastic remarks or arguments about price.

“james…” you swallowed hard, tracing the smooth, cool inner script with the tip of your thumb. “it’s gorgeous.”

he stood up from his chair, walking over to sit on the edge of the sofa right beside your legs. he reached out, taking the ring gently from your fingers, his other hand sliding beneath your knees to pull your legs into his lap so you were facing him completely.

“give me your hand, pretty girl,” he murmured softly.

you extended your right hand, watching in silence as he carefully slid the cool silver band onto your middle finger. it fit with absolute precision, settling against your skin as if it had been meant to live there forever, matching the other silver rings you already wore every day.

“why?” you asked softly, looking up into his dark, warm eyes. “why give me custom-engraved silver on an ordinary, lazy sunday?”

james brought your hand up to his mouth, resting his warm lips against the newly placed silver ring for a long, quiet moment. when he looked up, his expression carried an intense, protective softness that made your pulse jump. “because you wear your independence and your pride like heavy armor,” he said quietly, his thumb caressing your knuckles. “i wanted you to have something solid, something real and cool against your skin, that serves as a constant reminder that you belong to someone who cherishes you, even when we’re doing nothing more than sitting on a sofa watching the rain.”

“custom silver jewelry for no reason isn’t normal behavior, pewtty boy,” you whispered, though a soft, affectionate smile was tugging at your lips.

“who said anything about normal?” he countered softly, leaning forward until his chest was lightly resting against your knees. he reached up, his hand cupping the side of your neck, his thumb resting gently against your jawline, feeling the soft warmth of your skin. “listen to me closely, yn,” he murmured. “a custom silver band with your name on it, given simply because i thought of you while driving past an artisan shop downtown, is basic. it’s step one. giving a gift to the woman you love just to see her smile on an unmemorable afternoon is the absolute bare minimum expected of any man who claims to hold her heart.”

“you keep using that phrase—’bare minimum’,” you said to him softly, sliding your fingers into his soft hair. “i don’t think you truly understand what the it actually means for normal people, baby.”

“it means whatever standard i choose to set for how you deserve to be treated,” he replied without a single second of hesitation. his hand shifted, his fingers sliding up into the dark waves of your hair to pull you gently closer. “you spend so much of your life taking care of every single detail yourself,” he continued, his voice dropping into a tender murmur against your skin. “your job, your apartment, your responsibilities. you’re so fiercely determined never to be a burden to anyone around you. so let me burden you instead. let me pamper you. not because you ‘can’t’ buy your own silver, but because i demand to be the man who puts it on your fingers.”

he leaned in, pressing a slow, deep kiss to your lips that tasted of dark coffee and warmth, lingering against you until your arms naturally found their way around his broad shoulders, pulling his frame down against yours.

when he finally pulled back, his dark eyes were shining with an affection so heavy it made your breath catch.

“now,” he murmured against your cheek, “are you going to keep fighting me on every detail, or are you going to let me make you late lunch?”

“i’ll only agree if you let me stand in the kitchen and help you cook,” you negotiated weakly.

james chuckled softly, pressing a quick kiss to your temple as he stood up, lifting you effortlessly off the sofa with him. “that’s an acceptable compromise, sweetheart.”

bez povoda mne podari, kol’tso s moim imenem (‘give me, for no reason, a ring with my name on it’)... ☆

the following month, the late-autumn weather reached its breaking point, unleashing a severe, relentless storm over the city. the sky turned a dark, bruised shade of slate grey, pouring sheets of torrential rain that flooded the lower intersections and brought city traffic to an absolute, gridlocked standstill.

it was the kind of day where everything that could go wrong did. your day at work had been an absolute nightmare of tight deadlines, but the real disaster struck when you walked out to the parking garage at seven in the evening. you turned your key in the ignition, only to hear a hollow, metallic clicking sound before your dashboard lights flickered once and died completely. your alternator had chosen the worst possible evening to completely collapse.

you spent the next forty-five minutes sitting in the damp, freezing interior of your dead car, trying to call roadside assistance while the rain hammered against your windshield like gravel. the tow company gave you a two-hour wait time, your phone battery was draining rapidly, and by the time you finally managed to get a rideshare back to your apartment building, your clothes were damp, your shoes were soaked through, and your shoulders were locked tight with pure, unadulterated physical and mental exhaustion.

you dragged yourself up the stairs to your floor, your wet key fumbling against the lock before you finally managed to push your apartment door open.

you expected a dark, cold flat. instead, you were instantly hit by a wave of lingering heat and the rich, mouth-watering aroma of roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and simmered broth filling your hallway.

standing in your small, modest kitchen, his shirt sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows to reveal his stupidly beautiful forearms, was james. he was calmly stirring a simmering pot on your stove, looking entirely at home despite the sharp contrast between your humble kitchen and his expansive penthouse.

you stood frozen in the doorway, your dripping umbrella hanging loosely in your hand as you stared at him. “james? what… how did you even get inside?”

he set his wooden spoon down on a rest, taking three long strides across the hardwood to take the dripping umbrella from your cold fingers and set it in the corner. without saying a single word, he unbuttoned your wet coat, peeling the heavy material off your shivering shoulders and hanging it up by the door. then he took both of your freezing hands into his warm ones, bringing them up to his mouth to breathe hot air over your pale knuckles.

“your landlord knows me well enough by now,” he explained quietly. “and your tow truck driver called me directly when he picked up your car.”

you blinked, completely bewildered through your haze of exhaustion. “wait… why on earth would a tow truck driver call you about my car?”

he offered a calm, unbothered explanation, admitting casually, “i placed a discreet tracking tag on your main key fob three months ago for safety and emergency situations. when your vehicle remained completely stationary in your office lot past seven o’clock with the hood popping an engine error on my tracking display, i got an automated ping on my phone.”

“you tracked my car?” you asked softly, almost laughing.

“i monitored a potential hazard,” he corrected smoothly. “i stepped in immediately, called my personal mechanic, arranged a flatbed transport, and settled the entire repair bill upfront with the garage owner. they’re replacing the alternator, swapping out the dead battery, and completing a full brake inspection. the car will be delivered back to your assigned parking spot by tomorrow afternoon, and i’ll drop you off at work tomorrow morning.”

you stood there in the middle of your warm hallway, completely stunned into silence. you had spent the last two hours stressing about how much a sudden alternator repair was going to hurt your monthly budget, how you were going to navigate commuting without a car, and whether the mechanics would try to take advantage of your lack of auto expertise.

and in the span of an hour, james had silently, invisibly erased every single one of those problems before you had even set foot inside your front door.

“james…” you started again, your stubborn pride raising its head even through your bone-deep tiredness. “an alternator repair costs well over a million won. i have an emergency savings fund specifically built for situations like this. you can’t just cover massive automotive bills for me!”

he stepped closer, taking your face gently between both of his broad, warm hands. his thumbs brushed over your damp cheekbones, wiping away stray drops of rain with delicate precision.

“stop talking, pretty girl,” he said softly.

“i’m fully capable of paying my own mechanic,” you whispered, looking up into his eyes. “you don’t need to step in and fix an obstacle in my life the second things go sideways.”

he looked down at you, his dark eyes locked onto yours with a fierce, unwavering intensity that made your heart skip a beat.

“baby, i’ll say this however many times it takes to fully convince you: i’m not fixing your life because i believe you’re helpless or incompetent,” he said firmly. “i know with full certainty that you could have called your own tow truck, paid the garage out of your savings, and managed the inconvenience entirely on your own strength. you’re brilliant, resilient, and fiercely independent.” he leaned his head down, resting his forehead directly against yours, his warm breath fanning across your lips. “but what’s the point of me having resources, influence, and capability,” he murmured, “if i don’t use them to clear the path for the woman i love when she’s exhausted? letting you freeze in the rain while you drain your hard-earned savings on an unexpected car failure isn’t something i will ever allow.”

you closed your eyes, leaning your weight into his touch. “it feels like too much,” you confessed softly. “it makes me feel bad… how much you do for me.”

“it isn’t too much, i promise, sweetheart,” he said, his lips pressing a warm kiss against the bridge of your nose. “taking care of logistics when your girlfriend is stranded in a storm is standard human decency. taking care of a million-won repair so you don’t have to stress about money after a brutal workday is the absolute bare minimum expected of any man standing in my position.”

he guided you toward the heated bathroom, where he had already turned on the hot shower, steaming up the glass enclosure and filling the space with warm, soothing vapour. he smoothed your damp hair back from your forehead.

“now,” he said firmly, “get under the hot water. get warm, and change into the dry clothes i brought over from my place that are waiting on your bed. you’re not allowed to think about a single bill, a single mechanical issue, or a single work stress for the remainder of the night. do you understand me?”

you looked up at him—this breathtakingly handsome, fiercely loyal man who treated massive acts of financial and emotional rescue as if they were simple, everyday courtesies—and felt the very last brick of your stubborn, self-reliant wall crumble into dust.

“okay,” you offered softly, a genuine, relieved smile finally breaking across your tired face. “yeah, okay.”

“good girl,” he murmured, pressing a quiet, lingering kiss against your temple before stepping out of the bathroom and closing the door behind him to give you quiet space.

an hour later, the heavy rain continued to hammer relentlessly against your bedroom window pane. the room was bathed in the warm, quiet glow of a single bedside lamp, casting long shadows across the cozy space.

you were sitting between james’ long legs as he leaned back against your headboard, your back pressed comfortably against his broad chest. he was slowly twirling the silver band on your finger, his chin resting lightly on your shoulder as you both relaxed in the quiet dark of the room.

“james?” you called his name softly, tilting your head back against his collarbone.

“hmm?” he hummed in response, his arm tightening around your waist, his thumb tracing smooth patterns against the knit of your sweater.

“do you truly, genuinely believe everything you say?” you asked softly. “that the phone, the dinners, the heels, the custom silver, and handling my car repairs are all just the ‘bare minimum’?”

he went still for a long moment, his chest expanding against your back as he took a deep, deliberate breath. “i believe,” he said quietly, “that the world treats independent women with an unfair amount of coldness. people expect you to carry every heavy burden entirely by yourself simply because you’re capable of doing so. they see a woman who is strong, competent, and self-sufficient, and they assume she doesn’t need pampering, doesn’t need protection, and doesn’t need someone to step in and make her life easier once in a while.” he turned his head slightly, pressing a soft, warm kiss against the curve of your neck. “i know you don’t need me to survive, my love,” he continued, his voice low and steady. “you were thriving long before i walked into your life, and you will continue to thrive no matter what. but as long as you choose to give me your heart, my job isn’t just to watch you handle everything alone. my job is to give you a safe place to lay your burden down. to take the weight off your shoulders when you’re tired, and to give you beautiful things simply because seeing you smile is the best part of my day.” he lifted your left hand, catching the soft glow of the engraved silver ring in the dim light of the bedroom. “buying you a working phone when yours is broken, paying for dinner when i take you out, sliding designer shoes onto your feet, giving you engraved silver for no reason, and fixing your car before you can stress about it—that isn’t extraordinary love, yn,” james whispered, his voice rich and deep in the quiet dark. “that’s the bare minimum. that’s the standard entry fee for the immense privilege of being allowed to love you.”

you turned around in his lap, shifting so you could sit cross-legged facing him, cupping his jaw with both of your hands, your silver ring resting cool against his cheek. “you’re setting the bar dangerously high for anyone else in the world, pretty boy,” you told him softly.

james leaned into the touch of your hands, a slow, devastatingly beautiful smile breaking across his features as he wrapped his arms tightly around your waist, pulling you flush against his chest.

“good,” he whispered against your lips, his dark eyes shining with pure, unyielding devotion. “because you deserve nothing less than the absolute highest standard imaginable. and as long as you belong to me, sweetheart, i’m only just getting started.”

bazovyy minimum (‘basic minimum’)... ☆

© hyuneskkami ❦

some hms for alternate banner icons i had the HARDEST time choosing between 😁💞:

This time when you pull away again, you catch the exact moment confusion shifts into realization. His eyes darken considerably, pupils blown wide as he stares at you. The hand on your back flexes, fingers pressing into your skin even through your shirt.

"Are you..." he starts, voice already rough and lower than usual. He swallows hard, and you watch his throat work. "Are you doing that on purpose?"

The barely restrained frustration in his tone sends heat pooling in your stomach. You try to look innocent, biting back a smile. "Doing what?"

Sungho’s jaw clenches, and you see his chest rise and fall with a deep breath, a familiar sign of him trying to steady himself. He doesn't say anything for a moment, just watches you with those intense dark eyes, and you can practically see him trying to maintain control.

Then slowly, deliberately, he leans back in. Both hands come up to frame your face, and the way he holds you is almost possessive. His thumb traces your bottom lip, and his eyes track the movement with an intensity that makes your breath catch.

"Don't," he murmurs, and his voice has dropped even lower. It's not a request—it's a warning. "Don't pull away again."

But of course, you do.

The sound he makes is devastating, somewhere between a groan and your name, rough and frustrated. In one smooth movement, his hand slides to the back of your neck, fingers tangling firmly in your hair. It's not painful, but definitely controlling. His other hand grips your hip hard enough that you feel the heat of his palm through the fabric.

"I'm trying," he breathes out, and you can hear how strained his voice is, "to be patient with you."

He pulls you closer—or maybe pushes himself closer, you're not sure—until there's no space between you at all. You can feel the heat radiating off him, feel his heart racing against your chest, feel the tension coiled tight in his muscles.

“But you keep—” He breaks himself off with a sharp breath, the words failing him. He leans in, resting his forehead against yours, eyes falling shut as if he needs the contact to steady himself, as if proximity is the only thing keeping him anchored. When he opens them again, the look on his face is raw, unguarded, almost desperate.  “Do you have any idea,” he asks quietly, voice strained, “what you’re doing to me?”

His hand in your hair tightens just slightly, angling your head back. The movement is controlled but barely, and you can see the exact moment his carefully maintained composure starts to crack.

"One more time," he warns, voice barely above a whisper but somehow more intense for it. His lips hover just barely above yours, so close you can feel his breath. "Pull away one more time and I won't be gentle anymore."

It should probably intimidate you, but instead it sends a thrill down your spine. You can feel him trembling slightly with the effort of restraint, can see the war between his natural control and his desire written plainly across his face.

"I'm serious," he continues, and now his lips brush against yours with every word. "I'm trying so hard to be good, to take my time, but you're making it impossible."

His hand slides from your hip to your lower back, then lower still, pulling you even more firmly against him. The kiss he gives you then is harder, more demanding, his tongue sliding against yours with clear intent. When his teeth catch your bottom lip, you gasp, and he takes full advantage, kissing you deeper until you're dizzy with it.

He pulls back just enough to speak, and his voice is absolutely wrecked. "So be good for me," he murmurs against your lips, and the please is unspoken but clear in his tone. "Stop teasing me, got it sweetheart?"

When he kisses you again, it's with single-minded focus, like kissing you is the only thing that matters in the world. His hand tightens in your hair, the other sliding under the hem of your shirt just enough that his fingers brush bare skin. The touch makes you shiver, and you feel him smile against your lips.

"That's better," he breathes, sounding almost relieved. "Much better."

This time, you don't even think about pulling away.

ˋ ⌞⋮ RIWOO .ᐟ⌝ ˎˊ˗

Riwoo kisses with complete focus and surprising intensity hidden beneath a gentle exterior. His hands are soft where they rest on your waist, his lips moving against yours with careful attention, like he's trying to get every detail just right.

You almost feel bad for what you're about to do.

Almost.

When he tilts his head to deepen the kiss, you pull back just slightly. His eyes flutter open immediately, wide and confused, lips still parted. "Did I... did I do something wrong?" he asks softly, concern evident in his voice.

"No," you assure him quickly, leaning back in. "You're perfect."

He relaxes at that, a shy smile crossing his face before you kiss him again. This time he's a little more confident, his fingers curling slightly into the fabric of your shirt. You feel him sigh contentedly against your lips, and that's when you pull away again.

"Oh," he breathes out, and you can see him trying to figure out what's happening. His eyebrows furrow adorably, head tilting like he's solving a puzzle. "Are you... do you need a break? We can—"

You cut him off with another kiss, and this time you feel the exact moment he realizes what you're doing. His sharp intake of breath, the way his fingers suddenly grip your waist a little tighter, the slight tremor that runs through him.

When you pull back the third time, his reaction is completely different.

“You’re teasing me,” he says, the words barely audible, more confession than accusation. His ears have gone pink, heat creeping up his neck, but his eyes give him away—there’s a new intensity there, a shadow beneath the softness you know so well. “You're doing this on purpose.”

Before you can respond, he's leaning back in, and this time his kiss is less careful. His hands slide from your waist to your back, pulling you closer with more force than you expected from him. When your lips meet, you can feel the desperation already building in the way he kisses you—deeper, more insistent, like he's trying to keep you from pulling away through sheer determination.

But you do it anyway.

"Please," he breathes out, and the sound goes straight through you. His voice is shaky, strained. "Please don't— I can't—"

He cuts himself off, pressing his forehead against yours. You can feel him trembling, feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest. When you look at him, his eyes are squeezed shut, jaw clenched like he's trying to compose himself.

"This is torture," he whispers, and there's a whine in his voice that makes your stomach flip. "You're torturing me."

His hands are restless now, one sliding up your back, fingers splaying across your shoulder blade, the other moving to your hip and squeezing. You've never seen him like this—usually so controlled, so precise in his movements, now barely holding himself together.

"Riwoo," you murmur, and his eyes snap open.

The look he gives you is devastating, pupils blown wide, lips swollen and red from all the kissing, cheeks warm with colour. It’s not just desire, but a soft, aching plea tangled with a frustration you’ve never seen on him before, unfamiliar and vulnerable, like he’s losing control that it both unsettles and exposes him.

"I need—" he starts, then stops, swallowing hard. His voice drops lower, rougher. "I need you to stop pulling away. I don't... I can't think when you do that."

To prove his point, he kisses you again, and this time there's nothing gentle about it. His hand comes up to cup the back of your head, fingers threading through your hair as he angles your face exactly how he wants it. His other hand slips under the hem of your shirt, and the feeling of his palm against your bare skin makes you gasp.

He takes advantage immediately, deepening the kiss, and you feel him shaking with the effort of maintaining some semblance of control. His thumb traces patterns on your skin that make you shiver, and he makes this small sound in the back of his throat that's pure need.

When you start to pull back again, his grip tightens instantly.

"No," he says firmly, and the command in his voice surprises both of you. His eyes widen slightly, like he can't believe he just said that, but he doesn't take it back. "Stay. Please stay."

The "please" softens it, but there's still an edge of desperation that makes your heart race. He's looking at you like the thought of you pulling away again might actually break him.

"I'm trying so hard to be good," he confesses, voice cracking slightly. His forehead drops to your shoulder, and you can feel his breath hot against your neck. "But you keep— every time you pull away, I—"

He doesn't finish the sentence. Instead, he presses a kiss to your neck, then another, and you feel his teeth graze your skin lightly. The hand in your hair tightens, and suddenly he's pulling your head back gently, exposing more of your neck to his lips.

“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” he murmurs against your skin, his voice dropped so low it feels almost dangerous. “To see me lose control.”

His kisses trail up your neck, along your jaw, until his lips are hovering over yours again. He's breathing hard, chest heaving, and you can see the internal war playing out across his face—the Riwoo who’s always gentle, always careful, pressed up against a need that’s sharper, more urgent, tugging insistently at his restraint.

"Well, congratulations," he whispers, and then he's kissing you again with an intensity that steals your breath. "You won."

This time when his tongue slides against yours, when his hands grip you tighter, when he presses impossibly closer, you don't even think about pulling away. You couldn't if you wanted to, not with how he's holding you, kissing you like he's been starving for it.

"No more teasing," he breathes between kisses, and it's still soft, still Riwoo, but there's steel underneath it now. "I can't take any more. Please."

And the way he says please—broken, desperate and so, so honest—makes you want to give him everything he asks for.

ˋ ⌞⋮ JAEHYUN .ᐟ⌝ ˎˊ˗

Jaehyun kisses like he's enjoying every second of it—which, knowing him, he absolutely is. There's a smile on his lips even as they move against yours, his hands warm and secure on your waist, thumbs tracing idle patterns that make you want to melt into him.

His hair has gotten longer recently, falling into his face as he tilts his head to deepen the kiss, and you can't resist reaching up to run your fingers through it. He makes a pleased sound at that, leaning into your touch.

That's when you pull away.

His eyes open slowly, still half-lidded and hazy, a confused smile playing on his lips. "Hm?" 

You just smile innocently and lean back in, kissing him again before he can question it. He responds immediately, enthusiastically, one hand sliding up your back. But just as he's really getting into it, you pull away again.

This time, his eyes sharpen with understanding.

“Oh,” he says, the confusion easing as his smile shifts into a knowing curve. “Oh—I get it now.”

Before you can say anything, he's laughing that bright, delighted laugh of his. "You're messing with me right now. You're actually messing with me."

"I don't know what you mean," you try, but he's already shaking his head.

"Okay, okay," he says, still grinning. "So we're playing games? I love games."

He leans back in, but this time when you try to pull away, his hand comes up to cup your jaw, holding you in place firmly enough that you can't escape. His kiss is deeper this time, more purposeful, and you feel him smile against your lips.

Then he pulls away first.

"How does it feel?" he asks, voice teasing. His thumb brushes over your bottom lip as he watches your reaction with obvious amusement. "Not so fun when it happens to you, right?"

Two can play this game, apparently.

He kisses you again, and just when you're sinking into it, he breaks away with a playful smirk. "Oops."

"Jaehyun—"

"What?" He's grinning fully now, eyes sparkling with mischief. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? To play around?"

His hair falls forward into his face as he leans closer, and you reach up to brush it back without thinking. His expression shifts slightly at the touch, eyes darkening just a fraction, but the smile remains.

"You keep touching my hair," he observes, voice a little lower now. "Do you like it longer?"

Before you can answer, he's kissing you again, and this time you can feel the teasing energy start to shift more intensely. His fingers tangle in your hair, mimicking your earlier action, and when you gasp softly, he makes a satisfied sound.

You pull away again—you can't help it, it's too fun—and this time his reaction is different.

"Okay," he says, and his voice has lost some of that playful edge. He runs a hand through his hair, pushing it back from his face, and you watch his jaw clench slightly. "Okay, you need to stop doing that."

"Why?" you ask innocently, and his eyes flash.

"Because," he says, leaning in close enough that his lips brush against yours as he speaks, "I'm trying really hard to play along and be fun about this, but you're making it really difficult."

His hair falls forward again, tickling your face, and he makes a frustrated sound. In one smooth motion, he reaches back and gathers his hair, tying it up into a small ponytail with the hair tie he keeps on his wrist. The movement makes his arms flex, his jaw set in concentration, and you can't help but stare.

He notices, of course. The corner of his mouth quirks up. “Yeah,” he murmurs, gaze dropping to your lips. “You like that, don’t you, princess?”

He kisses you again, and with his hair out of the way, it's different—more intense, more focused. His hands grip your waist tighter, pulling you closer, and you can feel the shift in his energy. The playfulness hasn’t disappeared, but beneath it is a seriousness that wasn’t there before, an insistence that asks instead of teases, that wants instead of jokes.

When you try to pull away this time, he doesn't let you.

"Nuh-uh," he murmurs against your lips. "My turn now."

His hand slides to the back of your neck, holding you in place as he kisses you deeper. There's a confidence in the way he takes control, like he's done playing your game and has decided to start his own. His other hand slips under the hem of your shirt, palm hot against your skin, and you feel him smile when you shiver.

"See, the thing is," he says, pulling back just enough to speak, "I was having fun letting you tease me. It was cute." His thumb traces your jawline as his eyes lock onto yours. "But now I'm thinking about all the ways I could tease you back."

To prove his point, he kisses along your jaw, down to your neck, and you feel his teeth graze your skin lightly. Your hands come up to grip his shoulders, and one of them tangles in his ponytail without thinking, tugging slightly.

The sound he makes is somewhere between a groan and a laugh.

"Oh, so you can pull my hair but I can't—" He doesn't finish the sentence. Instead, his hand comes up to thread through your hair, gripping gently and tilting your head back. "That's not very fair, is it?"

His lips return to your neck, kissing and biting softly, and you can feel him smiling against your skin when you gasp. “There you go,” he murmurs, lips brushing your skin. “That’s the reaction I was looking for.”

When he pulls back to look at you, his eyes are darker than before, pupils blown wide. "No more pulling away," he says, and it's not quite a command but not quite a request either. His hand tightens slightly in your hair. "You had your fun. Now let me have mine."

He kisses you again, and this time there's no teasing, no games. Just intensity, heat and the feeling of his body pressed against yours. His hands are everywhere—your waist, your back, sliding up to cup your face, back down to grip your hips.

When you instinctively try to pull back just slightly, probably out of habit more than anything, his grip tightens immediately.

"What did I just say?" he asks, but he's smiling even as he says it. He presses his forehead against yours, breathing hard. "You're going to be the death of me, you know that?"

His hair tie has come slightly loose, a few strands falling free to frame his face, and without thinking you reach up to fix it. He catches your hand, bringing it to his lips instead.

"Or," he says, eyes glinting with mischief again, "you could just take it out. Since you seem so interested in my hair."

When you do, his hair falls forward, messy and perfect, and he shakes his head slightly to settle it. The movement is casual, but the way he's looking at you is anything but.

"There," he says, leaning in close again. His voice drops lower, more intimate. "Now you can touch it all you want."

And when he kisses you this time—deep, slow and purposeful, his fingers threading through your hair to mirror your touch in his—you forget all about teasing him.

You forget about everything except the way he's holding you, kissing you, like he plans to make up for every single time you pulled away.

"See?" he murmurs against your lips, and you can feel his smile. "Told you I'd be fun.”

ˋ ⌞⋮ TAESAN .ᐟ⌝ ˎˊ˗

Making out with Taesan is always intense. He doesn't do anything halfway. When he kisses you, it's with complete focus, like nothing else in the world exists. His hands are firm on your waist, his lips moving against yours with purpose and confidence that makes your head spin.

So really, you should've known better than to tease him.

But you do it anyway.

The first time you pull away, his eyes open slowly, dark and slightly unfocused. He doesn't say anything, just looks at you with a quiet question in his gaze. When you lean back in without explanation, he accepts it, one hand coming up to cup your jaw as he deepens the kiss.

The second time you pull away, you feel the change immediately.

His fingers tighten on your waist—not painfully, but noticeably. His eyes are sharper now when they meet yours, more alert. He's figured it out.

"What are you doing?" His voice is low, quiet, but there's an edge to it.

"Nothing," you say, but you can't quite hide your smile.

Taesan's jaw clenches. He doesn't move for a moment, just watches you with that intense gaze that always makes you feel like he can see right through you. Then, slowly, he leans back in. His hand slides from your jaw to the back of your neck, grip firm and possessive.

"Don't," he says simply, right before his lips meet yours.

This kiss is different, harder, more demanding. His tongue sweeps against yours with clear intent, his hand tightening in warning when he feels you start to pull back. But you do it anyway, breaking the kiss with a soft laugh.

The look he gives you could melt steel.

"You think this is a joke?" His voice is dangerously quiet, and the tone in his voice makes heat pool in your stomach. He's not smiling. Not even a little bit.

"Maybe a little," you admit.

Wrong answer.

In one fluid motion, Taesan shifts, and suddenly you're the one being pressed back against the couch. He's hovering over you, one hand braced beside your head, the other still gripping your hip. His hair falls forward slightly, shadowing his eyes, and the intensity of his gaze pins you in place.

"You want to play games with me?" he asks, voice still low, a controlled tone that somehow feels more threatening than if he were actually angry. "Okay. Let's play."

He leans down, but instead of kissing your lips, he goes for your neck. His mouth is hot against your skin, teeth grazing lightly before he soothes the spot with his tongue. When you gasp, you feel him smile against your throat.

"What's wrong?" he murmurs, lips brushing your skin as he speaks. "You can dish it out but can't take it?"

His hand slides under your shirt, palm flat against your stomach, and you feel him trace slow patterns on your skin. It's deliberate, teasing, and completely unfair. When you try to squirm, his grip on your hip tightens, holding you still.

"Stay," he commands softly, and the authority in his voice makes you obey without thinking.

He kisses up your neck, along your jaw, getting closer and closer to your lips but never quite getting there. When you turn your head to try to kiss him, he pulls back just enough to stay out of reach, and the smirk on his face is absolutely infuriating.

"Not so fun, is it?" he asks, voice laced with dark amusement. "Being teased?"

"Taesan—"

"What?" He tilts his head, looking at you with false innocence that doesn't match the heat in his eyes at all. "I'm just doing what you did to me. That's fair, right?"

His hand slides higher under your shirt, thumb brushing just below your ribs, and you arch into the touch without meaning to. He notices, of course. He notices everything.

"So sensitive," he observes, and there's satisfaction in his tone. His hand moves back down, tracing patterns that make you shiver. "I barely even touched you."

When he finally kisses you again, it's overwhelming. Deep and consuming, like he's trying to prove a point. His body presses close to yours, and you can feel the tension wound tight beneath his skin, the barely restrained control as he holds himself back.

You try to pull away—instinct, maybe, or maybe you just want to see what he'll do—and his reaction is immediate.

His hand flies up to grip your chin, firmly turning your face back to his. "Don't," he warns, and his voice has gone even lower, rough with frustration. "I'm not playing anymore."

There’s a dangerous edge in his gaze now, sharp enough to steal your breath. He’s always been intense, but this is different. This is Taesan with his patience worn down, his restraint fraying, control slipping just enough to show what he’s been holding back.

"You wanted my attention?" he asks, his thumb pressing against your bottom lip. "You have it. All of it. So stop running away."

He kisses you again, harder this time, almost punishing. His hand slips back into your hair, fingers curling with just enough force to steal a breath from you, and he doesn’t hesitate, using the moment to pull you closer, to deepen the kiss until the world tilts and everything feels hazy around the edges. His other hand grips your waist, thumb pressing into your hip bone hard enough that you know you'll feel it tomorrow.

"This is what you do to me," he breathes against your lips, and for the first time you hear how affected he actually is. His voice is ragged, strained. "You drive me crazy. You know that?"

His forehead drops to yours, and you can feel him trembling slightly with the effort of maintaining control. His breathing is heavy, chest heaving against yours.

"Every time you pulled away," he continues, voice barely above a whisper, "all I could think about was how to make you stay. How to make you want me so badly you couldn't even think about leaving."

He pulls back just enough to look at you, and the raw intensity in his gaze steals your breath. "So here's what's going to happen," he says, voice dropping into that commanding tone again. "You're going to stay right here. You're not going to pull away. And you're going to let me kiss you until I'm satisfied. Understood?"

It's not really a question.

When you nod, his expression softens slightly. "Good girl," he murmurs, and the praise sends warmth flooding through you.

This time when he kisses you, it's slower but no less intense. Thorough. Possessive. Like he's claiming you with every brush of his lips, every slide of his tongue. His hands roam your body with purpose, touching, gripping and holding like he's trying to memorize every inch of you.

When he finally pulls back—minutes or hours later, you've lost track—his lips are swollen and red, his eyes dark and satisfied.

"You're so pretty," he says, voice still rough. His thumb traces your jaw gently, a stark contrast to how tightly he was holding you moments ago. 

He settles beside you, pulling you against his chest, and you can still feel his heart racing. His hand finds yours, fingers intertwining, and he brings it to his lips.

"Next time you want to tease me," he says quietly, pressing a kiss to your knuckles, "remember how this ended."

It's a warning and a promise all at once.

And the really dangerous part? You're already thinking about doing it again, just to see what happens.

ˋ ⌞⋮ LEEHAN .ᐟ⌝ ˎˊ˗

Leehan kisses the way he does everything else—with a calm, unhurried confidence that somehow makes your heart race more than any urgency could. His hands are gentle on your face, thumbs brushing your cheekbones as his lips move against yours with patient precision.

There’s an almost meditative quality to it—how he takes his time, as if he has all day to learn the shape of your mouth. It’s the same focused attention he gives anything that holds his interest—steady, observant, fully present.

Which is exactly why you're curious to see what happens when you disrupt that carefully maintained composure.

When you pull away the first time, he doesn't react much. Just opens his eyes slowly, looking at you with that serene expression he always has, like nothing in the world could disturb his peace. He tilts his head slightly, a small questioning smile on his lips, but he doesn't say anything. Just waits.

You lean back in, and he accepts it without hesitation, picking up exactly where you left off. His kiss is deeper this time, more intentional, and you feel one of his hands slide to the back of your neck, fingers spreading through your hair.

Then you pull away again.

This time, you catch the faintest flicker in his eyes. Not confusion, not frustration, more like… focused interest. Like he’s watching an experiment unfold and quietly filing away observations.

"Interesting," he murmurs, voice still soft and even. His hand stays where it is in your hair, not gripping, just resting. "Are you testing something?"

The casual way he asks it makes you laugh. Leave it to Leehan to treat this like a curious phenomenon rather than actual teasing.

"Maybe," you admit.

He hums thoughtfully, eyes scanning your face with that focused attention he usually reserves for his fish tanks. "I see." Then, simply : "Continue."

It's such a Leehan response that you can't help but smile as you kiss him again. This time his hand tightens just slightly in your hair—barely noticeable, but you feel it. When you pull away for the third time, you're watching for his reaction.

His eyes open slowly, and there’s a shift you can’t ignore. The calm is still there, carefully maintained, but beneath it simmers a heat that hadn’t surfaced before. He looks at you for a long, deliberate moment without saying a word, and the silence feels heavy, charged, far more unsettling than anything he could have spoken.

"Three times," he observes quietly. His thumb traces your bottom lip with deliberate slowness. "You've pulled away three times now."

"Have I?" You try to sound innocent.

"Mm." His gaze drops to your lips, and you watch his jaw tighten almost imperceptibly. "You have."

He leans in again, but this time it's different. Slower. More purposeful. His eyes stay open, locked on yours until the last possible second, and when his lips finally meet yours, the kiss is deeper than before. Consuming. His hand in your hair shifts, fingers curling just enough to keep you in place without being forceful.

When you try to pull away this time, you realize you can't move far. His grip isn't painful, isn't even really tight, but it's firm. Decisive. And the message is clear : he's done letting you control this.

He breaks the kiss himself, but stays close enough that his lips brush yours when he speaks. “I’ve been patient with you,” he murmurs, voice low and even, controlled that it feels almost mesmerizing. There’s an undercurrent to it now, a quiet shift that makes your stomach tighten, that sends awareness sparking through you. His gaze stays locked on yours as he adds, just as softly, “But I think we’re past that.”

His free hand lifts to cradle your face, the touch gentle but unmistakably claiming, a quiet possessiveness threaded through the softness of the gesture. "Do you know what happens when you test someone's patience?" he asks, and it's clearly rhetorical because he continues without waiting for an answer. "You find out exactly how much control they actually have."

He kisses you again, and this time there's no mistaking the intensity behind it. It's still controlled, still measured, but you can feel the restraint it's taking. His tongue slides against yours with clear intent, and the hand on your face angles your head exactly where he wants it.

"I have a lot of patience," he murmurs against your lips. "But even I have limits."

When his hand slides down from your face to your throat, his thumb against your pulse point, you gasp softly. You feel him smile.

"Your heart is racing," he observes, voice still that same quiet, almost clinical tone. But his thumb traces circles on your neck that are anything but clinical. "Interesting. Are you nervous?"

You shake your head, and his smile grows slightly.

"No? Then what?" His eyes search yours with genuine curiosity, edged with a darker intent. "Excited? Anticipating what I'll do next?"

He’s analyzing you even now, reading every reaction—and somehow that makes it worse.

"Let me tell you what I think," he says, leaning in close enough that his breath fans across your lips. "I think you wanted to see what would happen if you pushed me. You wanted to know what I'd be like when I stop being patient."

His hand tightens just slightly around your throat—not restricting, just present, just enough to remind you it's there. "Would you like to see?"

Before you can answer, he's kissing you again, and it's completely overwhelming. Still controlled, still measured, but intense in a way that makes your head spin. His hand stays on your throat, feeling every gasp, every quickening of your pulse, while his other hand finally releases your hair to slide down your back.

When he pulls you closer, you can feel his heart beating against your chest, faster than usual but still steady.

"You're not pulling away now," he notes, pulling back just enough to speak. There's satisfaction in his tone, quiet but unmistakable. "Why is that?"

His hand slides under your shirt, palm flat against your lower back, and the skin-to-skin contact makes you shiver. He notices immediately, of course he does. He notices everything.

"Cold?" he asks, but there's a knowing look in his eyes that says he knows exactly why you shivered, and it has nothing to do with temperature.

"Leehan—" you start, but he cuts you off with another kiss, this one somehow even deeper than the last.

"Shh," he soothes between kisses, hand moving in slow circles on your back. "No more talking. No more pulling away. Just focus on this."

When his hand slides higher up your back, fingers tracing your spine, you arch into him without meaning to. His other hand tightens on your throat in response just for a second, just enough to make you gasp, before relaxing again.

"See?" he murmurs, and there's a smugness in his tone now. "You're much better when you stay still. When you let me do what I want."

He kisses along your jaw, down to your neck, and you feel his teeth graze your skin lightly. "I could do this for hours," he says conversationally, like he's commenting on the weather. "Just finding all the spots that make you react. Learning exactly what you like."

"But first," he says, pulling back to look at you again, "you're going to stay right here and let me kiss you properly. No more games. No more pulling away." His thumb brushes across your throat, feeling your pulse jump. "Can you do that for me?"

It's phrased as a question, but the look in his eyes makes it clear there's only one acceptable answer.

When you nod, his smile is small but genuinely pleased. "Good," he says softly, leaning in again. "That's very good."

And when he kisses you this time—slow, deep and absolutely devastating—you understand exactly what he meant about patience. Because Leehan doesn't rush anything. He takes his time, thorough and methodical, until you forget you ever wanted to pull away in the first place.

Until all you can think about is how to get him to never stop.

ˋ ⌞⋮ WOONHAK .ᐟ⌝ ˎˊ˗

Kissing Woonhak is sweet and a little clumsy in the most endearing way. He's still figuring things out, but he makes up for any lack of experience with sheer enthusiasm. His hands rest nervously on your waist, and you can feel how fast his heart is beating when you're this close.

So of course, you decide to make it worse for him.

The first time you pull away, his eyes fly open immediately, wide and startled like a deer in headlights. "Wait, what— did I mess up?" His voice pitches up slightly in panic. "Was that bad? I can do better, I promise, just—"

"You're fine," you assure him with a laugh, leaning back in before he can spiral further.

He relaxes instantly, shoulders dropping as he lets out a relieved breath. "Okay, okay good, because I've been practicing— I mean, not practicing, but like, thinking about— you know what, never mind." His ears are already bright red as he kisses you again, and you can feel him smiling against your lips.

That's when you pull away the second time.

"Okay, what—" He blinks at you, confused. Then his eyes narrow slightly in suspicion. "Wait. Are you doing that on purpose?"

You try to keep a straight face. "Doing what?"

"THAT!" He gestures wildly between you. "The pulling away! You're messing with me right now!"

When you don't deny it, his mouth drops open in betrayal. "Oh my god, you ARE! I can't believe— I was so worried I was doing something wrong!"

"You weren't," you say, grinning now.

"Then why—" He stops, processing, and then his expression shifts between embarrassment and indignation. "You're TEASING me? Seriously?"

He runs both hands through his hair, laughing in disbelief. "I'm already so nervous and you're just— wow. Okay. That's how we're playing this?"

Before you can respond, he's leaning back in with renewed determination. "Fine. You know what? I'm not gonna let it get to me. I'm just gonna— we're just gonna kiss and it's gonna be great and you're not gonna—"

You pull away again.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?" His voice cracks spectacularly, and he falls back against the couch dramatically, covering his face with his hands. "This is torture! Actual torture! I'm being tortured!"

You're laughing now, and he peeks at you through his fingers. "You think this is funny? My heart can't take this kind of stress! I'm too young!"

"You're so dramatic," you say, but you're smiling.

"I'M dramatic?" He sits back up, pointing at you accusingly. "You're the one playing mind games! Do you know how hard it is to focus when you keep— when you—" He gestures vaguely, too flustered to finish the sentence.

His whole face is red now, and he's fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "Every time you pull away, I think I did something wrong and my brain just goes—" He makes an explosion sound effect with his hands. "Like that. Complete malfunction."

"Want me to stop?" you ask, taking pity on him.

"YES! No! I don't know!" He groans, flopping against the couch again. "This is so confusing. You're so confusing. Why are you like this?"

After a moment of internal crisis, he sits back up with a determined look. "Okay. Okay, I'm gonna try one more time, and you have to promise not to pull away because I don't think my heart can handle it."

"I promise," you say, and he eyes you suspiciously.

"Really?"

"Really."

He studies your face for a long moment, clearly trying to determine if you're trustworthy. Finally, he nods. "Okay. But if you do it again, I'm— I don't know what I'll do, but it'll be something! A consequence! There will be consequences!"

The threat would be more effective if his voice wasn't shaking slightly and if he didn't look absolutely adorable while making it.

When he leans in this time, he's extra careful. His hand comes up to cup your face gently, and he pauses just before your lips meet. "You promised," he whispers, and for all the control in his posture, there’s a fragile note beneath it, almost pleading, almost vulnerable.

"I promised," you confirm.

This kiss is different—slower, more confident now that he's not worried about you disappearing. His other hand finds yours, fingers intertwining and squeezing like he's anchoring himself. When you don't pull away, you feel him relax completely, even smiling against your lips.

After a few moments, he pulls back himself, and the smile on his face is so bright and genuine it makes your heart squeeze. "See? We can do this! When you're not being evil, we're actually really good at this!"

"Evil is a strong word," you laugh.

"You literally tortured me for fun," he points out, but he's grinning now. "That's pretty evil. I'm dating a villain."

He's still holding your hand, thumb tracing patterns on your skin, and the simple affection of it is so Woonhak it makes you smile.

"Don't do that again though," he says quietly. "My heart rate still hasn't gone back to normal. I think you took years off my life."

"So dramatic," you repeat.

"So mean," he counters, but he's leaning in again anyway, bumping his nose against yours playfully. "You're lucky you're cute."

"You think I'm cute?"

"Don't fish for compliments, you already know you are," he mumbles, ears going red again. "Now can we please just kiss like normal people? No more games?"

And when you agree, his relieved sigh is so loud and exaggerated that you can't help but laugh against his lips.

Even as he kisses you again—sweet, enthusiastic and unmistakably Woonhak—he pulls back every few seconds just to check that you're still there, like he doesn't quite trust that you won't disappear again.

"Just making sure," he explains each time, and honestly? It's perfect.

@coriihanniee ᯓᡣ𐭩

˖➴ reblogs are appreciated! ty for reading! <3

it all started when you thought to yourself how good of an idea it would be to prank your boyfriend after he got home from work.

"welcome home, coups." you greet seungcheol at the door, pecking his cheek as you take his things from his arms. he looks tired, but offers a cute smile to you anyways, pulling you in for a greedy kiss as he huffs afterwards.

seungcheol doesn't even seem to notice you're calling him by his stage name, and so you just smile, prancing off into the living room as he trudges behind you.

he finds a seat in the kitchen, sleepily climbing on top of a stool as he lets his head hit the counter. "rough day?" you question him, and he nods, groaning as he runs his hands over his tired face.

"very rough. choreographing for a solo i had no intention of dancing to is the worst thing ever." seungcheol whines, and you chuckle, throwing your head back as you glance at him to gage his reaction.

"you're just being dramatic, s.coups. lighten up! you always deliver when the fans want it," you turn your back to him to prepare the stove for dinner, but you can feel his dark brown gaze hot on your back. oh, you're definitely paying attention now, you say to yourself.

sure enough, when you turn around to put the cutting board down on the countertop, seungcheol's glaring at you like you've said a curse word in front of a bunch of kindergarteners.

"what?" you question innocently, even going as far to cock your head to the side in faux confusion. seungcheol's eyebrows scrunch slightly before he shakes his head, running a hand through his tousled hair as he shrugs.

"thought i heard you say something." he mumbles, annoyingly digging his phone from his pocket as the buzz of a phone call sounds off.

"not now, please," he says aloud, powering off the device before smacking it against the counter face-down. his head is on the marble again, cheek smudged against the surface as he glances up at you with those puppy dog eyes.

"what are you making, baby? already smells so good," seungcheol groans like a little baby, making you giggle as you throw the chopped vegetables into a bowl.

"some recipe i found on the internet." you reply, turning your back to him to put the vegetables in the pan and fry them in butter. "hey, coups, will you hand me the shredded cheese out of the fridge?"

the chair pauses mid-scrape just seconds after your question is posed, and seungcheol's burning holes through your head with his intent gaze. you turn around to meet him, feigning confusion once again as you speak. "what's wrong?"

"you keep calling me that." seungcheol says, and you laugh, shaking your head at him as if you're clueless. "calling you what? what are you talking about?"

"you've called me 'coups' twice now. you never do that." seungcheol says, dark eyebrows furrowed in confusion as his plump lips turn up in a pout.

"you're being silly. i haven't called you that at all! are you hearing things?" you combat his claims just as quickly as he brings t]hem up, and he just glances at you, silently fulfilling your request as he plops the bag of cheese next to the stove.

"thanks, s.coups." you peck his cheek, and he freezes in place, eyes widening just a fraction as he realizes what you've said.

"see! you just called me s.coups!" seungcheol points to himself, and you stare blankly at him, silent as he stares at you accusingly. he's towering over you now, not only tired and grumpy from his tiring work day, but now your constant 'slip-ups'.

"why are you calling me that? you know that's my stage name. when i'm off the clock, you know i want you to call me cheol. seungcheol, even. i just..." seungcheol trails off, cheeks flushing in embarrassment as he mumbles.

"i want you to call me by my real name. when i'm home, i'm yours. not carats, or anyone else's. just—just yours."

that makes your heart soften instantly, and you set your spatula down, taking seungcheol in for an embrace as you smile. "okay. i'm sorry for pranking you."

"it's okay, baby, i—" seungcheol pauses mid-sentence when he registers your words, and you can't help but laugh aloud at his reaction. "what? prank?"

"yeah! i thought i would prank you once you got home from work, and so i decided to call you by your stage name until you realized it." you explain, and seungcheol rolls his eyes, a small smile escaping nevertheless as he scrunches his face up at you.

"you little devil," he lowly teases, and you shrug pridefully, glancing over at him as you nod. "what can i say? you're all cute when you start confessing to me."

"god, ignore...ignore what i said earlier. if i knew you were pranking me, i would've—" seungcheol starts, and you stop him, stuffing hot vegetables into his mouth as he chews hurriedly.

"save it, cheol." you tease, gloating in the way his cheeks heat up so easily at the simple nickname. "we both know how soft you get when i call you by your full name."

"i hate you." seungcheol grumbles with a smile on his face as he kisses your neck, and you smile proudly, stirring the vegetables as his arms find their way around your torso, resting his head on your shoulder as you nod. "i love you too, seungcheol."

"okay, stop calling me that." seungcheol says, and you oblige for a second, more than ready to carry on the teasing. "right, s.coups. sorry."

"...never mind." the words are so quiet you can barely hear them, but you know seungcheol's blushing now, lips curving into a small smirk on your skin as he huffs a sigh. "i like seungcheol ten times better."

HEESEUNG

you and heeseung are walking together on the street, fingers loosely intertwined, when an old friend suddenly calls his name—a female friend. before you can even react, she steps in and hugs him.

your hand slips from his immediately, brows slightly creasing together as you watch her hands wrap around his neck. heeseung freezes for a second before gently and awkwardly pulling back. he turns to you instantly, noticing the way your demeanor completely changed. “hey,” he murmurs, hand snaking around your waist to softly squeeze it. after she leaves, he breathes a sigh of relief before tilting your chin up with his finger. “you okay?” you don’t answer right away, prompting him to lean down and press a slow, reassuring kiss to your pouty lips. “i’m with you. you’re okay, angel.”

JAY

a random girl compliments jay’s hair as she walks past you two, smiling a little too hard for someone she doesn’t even know. you immediately feel a small sting in your chest

jay presses his lips together as an uncomfortable “thank you,” before stopping you on the sidewalk, arm sliding around your waist naturally. it’s fairly empty, so he takes it as a chance to be a little bold. he lifts your chin with two fingers, causing you to meet his piercing gaze. “don’t do that, doll.. c’mon.” he kisses you when you sigh as a response—possessive as his lips hungrily move against yours. that’s the point he’s making. “you’re the one i want, and you know that.”

JAKE

jake’s phone buzzes while you’re sitting beside him—it’s from his female coworker. you catch the name and the message, reading, “hey wanna grab lunch tmr?” you go quiet the second you both acknowledge it, and he notices instantly.

“easy, baby.. you already know what i’m gonna say,” he murmurs, unlocking his phone and showing you as he types out a firm “no.” his arm arm snakes to your hip, patting it as your face nuzzles in his chest. his text back to her truly felt reassuring. “you’re my girl.. y’know that?” he presses a wet kiss to your lips, then another to your cheek, then your nose, smirking when you finally calm down from your silent tantrum.

SUNGHOON

a girl at the gym smiles at sunghoon, eyes flicking to his arms. “someone’s been working hard,” she says casually. you roll your eyes immediately—of course she doesn’t realize that you’re his girlfriend.

you walk right beside sunghoon, hand wrapping around his bicep like you’re holding it. “only for me.. right, hoon?” you purr, looking up at him with big eyes as he smirks and pulls you closer by the waist. “that’s right, baby,” he replies flatly, causing the girl to clench her jaw before walking off. after, he leans down to kiss your pouty lips, muttering a small, “you’re hot when you’re jealous.”

SUNOO

a girl laughs way too hard sunoo’s joke when you’re out with friends. she leans in like she wants more.. and he notices it instantly. but more imporantly, he sees you and how it made you feel.

he reaches for your head, lacing his fingers with yours before pulling you closer until your shoulder presses into his side. he kisses you while everyone’s busy with their side conversations, smiling against your lips as he gently squeezes your thigh beneath the table. “did that make you jealous?” he teases, and when you nod, he can’t help himself from pecking your face every chance he gets. “good,” he starts. “because i’m yours.”

JUNGWON

a girl keeps stepping closer to jungwon in an elevator, brushing his arm, very clearly flirting—not knowing you’re together. jungwon chuckles awkwardly, eyes flicking to you every now and then. and gosh were you upset.

before her flirting goes any further, you gently pull yourself into his chest, shooting her a hesitant glare as his hands naturally throws around your shoulder. “oh, this is my girlfriend,” he says politely but firmly, causing her lips to press together as she softly nods, embarrassed. once she steps out of the lift, he hugs you tightly, resting his chin on your head. “you didn’t like that, hm?” he whispers against your hair, and you shake your head. he turns to kiss your temple, then your lips, his own heart fluttering at how protective you can be sometimes.

NIKI

a girl at your friend gathering keeps touching niki’s arm, laughing too close, intentionally grazing her fingers against his. niki’s patience runs thin fast.. especially when he notices your pissed expression

without a word, he walks over to you and snakes his arms around your waist, resting just above your butt. he pulls you close to him, not giving a care in the world if anyone saw you two. but he hoped that girl saw him. “hey,” mutters, but his grip tightening around you as you’re on the verge of rolling your eyes. he cups your jaw with one hand and kisses your lips, deepening it to remind you that you’re only his. “don’t look at anyone else,” he mutters, forehead pressed to yours. “i only want you, got it?”

© 𝗬𝗢𝗢𝗡𝗶𝗦𝗢. @douqhnxtss @j4eyxn @f4loveex @ourhyeons @orimuraa @berryysuyoo @kristynaaah @ryukumi taglist !

and every time someone brings you up around jake? he lights up like a golden retriever that just heard the word ''walk.''

''yeah,'' he says, puffing up his chest like it's his job, ''she's my girlfriend.''

people laugh, every single time. he doesn’t get it. did he miss the joke?

like, what's funny about a man being proud of his girlfriend?

and then there’s always that one interviewer who tries to go gotcha-journalist mode.

''so, jake, do you ever feel overshadowed now that y/n's… well, her?''

he blinks at them like they just asked if the sky is green.

''why would i be mad?'' he says. ''i won, man. i get to date her. do you? i mean she's like the coolest person on earth. i'm lucky she even looks at me.''

the interviewer laughs. the audience laughs. everyone laughs.

jake doesn't.

he stares around, confused, like he missed the joke entirely—which he did—and then just continues talking because nobody on earth is stopping him.

he didn’t understand why the photographers laughed when he asked if he should carry equipment. he thought he was being helpful. he genuinely would drop his career to be your personal assistant and he said this often enough that your team started giving him tiny fake tasks just to keep him entertained.

and every time someone pointed a camera at him in public and joked, ''jake, when's y/n letting you be her full-time assistant?''

he'd brighten like a sunrise: ''i mean if she says yes i'll pack my things tonight—what, why are you laughing?''

every little comment about whether him having to ''worry'' about your success growing day by day only led to replies like

no. it bothers me that she doesn't let me carry her shoes too.

you tease him for it later, curled up together on the couch, his head tucked into your neck like it’s programmed there.

''you know people think you’re whipped, right?''

''i'm supportive,'' he corrects, frowning slightly.

you laugh, kiss his cheek, and he melts instantly—brain shutting down like a cheap computer.

he'd follow you anywhere. to any shoot, any event, any red carpet.

he loves that you're famous.

loves that you shine.

and if people think he's whipped?

well. maybe he is.

but to jake, he's just yours—and proudly so.

HOLY DOWNBADDERY guysw i also want a jake