pairing: choi beomgyu x fem!reader. genre: strangers to friends to lovers, fluff. wc: 800?. warnings: this man is absolutely astronomically down bad. an: iâm going to pretend this isnât self-indulgent. bonus points for anyone who correctly guesses who the inspiration for this beomgyu is đ¤Ş
your eyes sparkle. your lips curl up. they dig into your cheeks and crease the edges of your eyes. you tilt your head back. and then that smile, already lethal enough as is, cracks open and you laugh.
this sequence, this magnificent spectacle, plays in slow motion for beomgyu. it is a mesmerizing spell that had been burned into his retinas from the very moment you first honoured him with itâmonday, or just now, he wasnât sure. every time felt like the first.
laughter, beautiful, raging-manic-drugged-up-butterfly-unleashing laughter spills from your lips and wraps around the racing heart in his chest so firmly he has to gasp for air. heâs pretty sure this sight deserved the top spot on the list of the worldâs seven wonders, but he also wanted to drag you into a room and have it all to himself.
and he did that. him. little old beomgyu pulled that look, that sound out of you.
you were going to be his. you didnât know it yet, but you were.
âtomatoes, beomgyu? really?â you say between the breaths with which youâre trying to control your laughter. his heart swells a little more every time you say his name, and heâs certain one day itâs just going to burst right out of his chest and snuggle into yours. you manage to contain yourself and his heart drops, but the smile remains so he deems it still a win. âwhat do you have against tomatoes?â
âtheyâre pure evil,â he grins as you dab away the tears in your eyes with your fingers. he decides right then and there that these kinds of tears are the only tears that are allowed to fall from your eyes. âtheyâre designed to be imposters! i mean, look, theyâve got the look of a vegetable, but theyâre a fruit! not to mention, theyâre too slimy to really taste like either.â
you giggle, and tomatoes are suddenly his favourite fruit in the world. heâd start a small country and make tomatoes the national fruit, itâd be on the flag too. âfair enough. but you believe thatâs why theyâre plotting a revolution?â
âthink about it,â he shrugs, brushing obstructing strands of hair from his eyes, âno one would ever see it coming.â
you shake your head and sigh, your hair falling over your face. he aches to reach over and tuck it away; he wanted to always see all of you. but he thinks better of it. he would take things slow, have you see how great he was first. there was nothing cool about being irredeemably down bad for someone from the second he laid eyes on them.
the campus cafĂŠ was quiet this time of the evening. most students were either comfortably in their dorms, or partying in someone elseâs. on any other night, beomgyu, too, would have been with a solo cup in hand at heeseungâs, but now you were here. you had transferred from another university in the city and, with his luck, you were in the same major, in the same year and had been grouped together for an assignment.
needless to say, professor cho is his hero.
âbeomgyu,â you say, pulling him out of his daze. he then decides that beomgyu must be the most beautiful name in existence, second only to yours, because why else would his heart skip a beat when you say it. your smile has vanished, and youâre looking at him in a way that makes him nervous.
âwhy arenât the others coming?â
he fights the surprise off from his face. his mind is blank. how was he to tell you that he told them you moved the groupwork date to tomorrow, because he hoped to have you alone today. because talking about tomatoes with you was infinitely more important than some guy called leonardo da vinci and whatever the hell he did.
he observes your face, starting from your cute little chin and ending with your big, beautiful eyes. he realizes that this look is telling him that you know. you know they arenât coming, and that you could have possibly known for the whole three hours youâve sat there. he feels his heart in his throat, two feet from disembarking on the journey to the palm of your hand.
âdo you wanna go somewhere with me?â he asks, a little more breathlessly than he had hoped. that smile, that weapon of mass destruction sent by God Himself to make him a holy man, makes a reappearance and itâs all he can do not to fall to his knees.
âiâd go anywhere with you,â you mumble. and then your eyes widen with realization and your face turns pink.
he fires heeseung a text, yea, no, dude, idc. this woman is going to have all my babies.
general taglist: @luvrjn @koishua @yoonzinoswife @hyukabean @piscesgyu (send an ask to be added, or fill out the form!)
scintillasofbeomgyu Š all rights reserved. do not copy, translate, alter, or repost in any way.
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âSoobinnnnnnnnnnn,â you whined unashamedly. You didnât care if the rest of TXT could hear you. You were going to get what you wanted. âCome on, pleaseeee. You promised that youâd play with me when the new season came out. News flash. Itâs out.â
Soobin did nothing but roll his eyes at your complaining, his eyes focused on his phone in his hands. It was true that he had said he would play the horror game with you but he had only said that because you wouldnât stop bugging him about it. He fully expected you to forget like you forget everything else. You couldnât remember what you ate for breakfast but you could remember a conversation the two of you had months ago!?!?
You pouted as your boyfriend ignored you once again. Fine, thatâs how you wanna play?
âHumph, if you donât want to play with me, then Iâll just go find someone who does. Iâm sure Gyu would be willing to play,â you said as you slowly got up from the bed.
Ok, so maybe it wasnât fair to bring up Beomgyuâs name, but how else were you supposed to get Soobinâs attention. The boy has had a crush on you ever since Soobin introduced you to him and the other boys and itâs painfully obvious to everyone, including Soobin. Your boyfriend has mentioned, on more than one occasion, how much he hates when the two of you hang out, as it makes him jealous. And what better way to get your boyfriend to pay attention to you than to make him jealous.
âOh, hell no.â Soobinâs head whipped up quickly as he finally looked away from his phone screen to you. He reached an arm out to you and pulled you back onto the bed and into his arms, his game of candy crush now forgotten.
âSoob, let me go. I wanna go play video games with Gyu,â you said, trying your very hardest not to laugh at the blatant jealousy radiating off of your boyfriend. You tried to squirm out of his arms, but Soobinâs grip only tightened, caging you in his embrace.
âNo, you can play with me. And stop calling him âGyuâ. Youâre mine, not his.â You couldnât resist the urge to roll your eyes at his words, even though they did make your heart skip a beat.
âGod, you get jealous so easily, do you know that?â Soobin only responded with a kiss on your temple.
â txtâs reaction to being jealous of another idol having a crush on their s/o
pairing: txt x female reader
genre and rating: fluff, SLIGHT angst
warnings: jealousy!
a/n: hi babies! i havenât written for txt in a while, and iâm trying to put out as much work as i can! enjoy a cute lil txt reaction i thought of as i also try out a new way to lay out my reactions <3
reaction below the cut <3
â yeonjun
oh boy buckle up
yeonjun likes to think heâs not a very jealous type of person
but heâs proved wrong when this incident happens
txt and wayv were doing an interview together
one of the interviewers had asked the boys who their ideal types were
when it was xiaojunâs turn, all he did was laugh
âum definitely (your groups name) y/n. sheâs incredibly talented and super pretty.â
yeonjunâs face fell
i mean he couldnât blame xiaojun
but you were his
soobin physically had to hold him back from saying something
â soobin
honestly, i donât see soobin being a super jealous person
heâs yours and you were his, so what did he have to worry about, right?
but when he was interviewing monsta x, and shownu brought your name up as his favorite idol at the moment, soobin almost lost it
he was working, so he did his best to be professional, but he found it incredibly difficult
âsheâs incredibly talented, and her voice is breathtaking.â
âyeah it is, isnât it?â
â beomgyu
he was just casually scrolling through twitter when he noticed you and hoshi from seventeen were trending
he was curious so he clicked on the tag
big mistake
the tag was full of fans shipping the both of you
you had recently done a variety show together and that sparked something for the fans
beomgyuâs jaw literally dropped
he immediately called you and asked what was up even though he knew you couldnât help it
you had no clue it was even happening
poor baby calmed down immediately
â taehyun
like soobin, i donât see taehyun being a super jealous person
he was confident in your relationship, as were you
and when he saw that felix from stray kids had said you were incredibly pretty, it didnât really phase him that much
notice how i said that much
i mean, itâs felix. taehyun couldnât help but feel a twinge of jealousy and he hated it
all he did was cling onto you a little more backstage so everyone knew who you belonged to
â hueningkai
kai didnât even know what was going on at first tbh
beomgyu showed him a video of eunwoo from astro saying something about you
âmy ideal type is definitely (your groups name) y/n. iâve always had a slight crush on her.â
kaiâs face fell
he didnât even know what he should do
but the first thing that came to mind was call you
âiâm cuter than eunwoo, right?â
âyes, love, and you always will be. i got my eye on you and only you.â
the sentence was all he needed to be his bright and bubbly self again
-[ Soobin: finally confessing to his male crush + first date
P: Soobin x male reader | G: fluff, headcanon | Inc: kinda highschool!au if you squint, Yeongyu mention, tooth-rotting fluff, first dates, coffee shops, Soobin being hopelessly in love | Wc: 529 | W: food| R: G
¡ Okay, Soobin is adorable
¡ Weâre not arguing about this â go fight with the wall if you disagree with me
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warning: mention of bruises, scrapes, and scratches.
word count: 579
note: i included petnames to make it cuter and fluffier. congratulations, you are now hyuka's fruit loop.
â âş choi yeonjun
every time yeonjun sees you with a scratch he gives you that knowing look like (-_-* ) because even after all this time he's still baffled by how much you trip and fall on your face, even after all of his lectures. yeonjun scolds you while applying hydrogen peroxide to the scrapes on your knees. he always ends the scolding with a peck on the lips and a tap to your bandaids. yeonjun offers to walk you to and from every destination so that he can make sure you don't get hurt again, but much to his dismay, he can't always be with you.
"okay, doll, we've talked about this. you need to be more careful."
â âş choi soobin
you bruise easily, and that's really no one's fault. it could be the slightest bump to a table and you end up with a light bruise on your thigh. soobin's kind of a drama queen when it comes to you getting hurt, though, so you try your hardest to hide your bruises and pained expressions when you get hurt. but when he wraps his arm around you and squeezes your shoulder just a bit too hard after you had just bumped into a wall, soobin will ask to see where you're hurt. after rubbing your shoulders, he furrows his brows and pouts becauss you didn't tell him you had gotten hurt.
"i don't actually feel like moving, but if you need me to bubble wrap the furniture i can, love."
â âş choi beomgyu
you and beomgyu often bicker when it comes to taking care of certain tasks because he knows you're kind of a klutz. he tries to hide how worried he is 'cause he knows you don't like it when he stops you from doing what you want. and you're also hellbent on lessening his work load, so if you're determined to open a large jar of animal crackers, he's going to let you do it. and he's also going to carry you to his bed, give you a bag of ice, and clean up the spilled animal crackers after you succeed in opening the jar but drop the jar on your foot.
"it was only filled with crackers, babe. i think you're being dramatic."
â âş kang taehyun
taehyun knows you get injured easily, and he's usually able to stop it from happening. like if you trip, he catches you real quick. still, he's not always around. so when he meets up with you and sees you clutching your wrist, eyes squinted trying to hold back tears, he reacts quickly. you have to calm taehyun down, and tell him that you slipped back and used your hand to break your fall, but landed a little too hard. taehyun never lets you do anything too risky for the next few days. he always assures you that he's not mad at you and that you'll be okay.
"don't worry too much about it, sweetheart. everyone falls down, i'll take care of you."
â âş huening kai
of course it would be you to trip over the leg of a table, knock something expensive off of said table, and then roll out onto the floor. kai is never surprised these days, but he's definitely still panicked. he always rushes to your aid and helps you up, and is sure to clean up the mess you made too. he never questions about how you managed to face plant onto the dorm floor, just focuses on taking care of the swelling of your palm until you feel better.
"it's okay, fruit loop. i know you didn't mean to make a mess."
paper hearts | choi soobin [f] ; [c]Â 80s! au, 9.6k words
s u m m a r y ; if there was one thing you wanted to avoid on valentineâs day, it was running into your ex best friend, choi soobin. but when a series of unfortunate events involving too much purple eyeshadow, drunken punches, and one stolen bicycle leads you right back to his side, you begin to realize that maybe you truly belonged with him all along.
c o n t e n t s ; soobin x fem!reader, 80s! au, valentineâs day, ex best friend! soobin, rich boy! soobin, but heâs a major dweeb and the biggest softie, yeonjun is a major prick (iâm so sorry junnie), reader is a part time worker, soobin is best friends with lee felix of stray kids, some themes of social classes, roughly inspired by the 80s movie âpretty in pink,â mentions drugs, alcohol, and single parent households, mostly just fluff, fluff, and more fluff, with a hint of crack/humor
n o t e ; hello friends! this was a very quickly planned, last minute valentineâs day idea, and itâs actually a collab with one of my dearest friends, @chanluster ! she posted her piece of the collab as well, you can check it out by going to the collab masterlist here! this was so much fun to write and i think that 80s! soobin was just too good of a concept to pass up! anyways, happy valentineâs day, i hope you enjoy this oneshot! do leave a like, reblog, or comment if you could, it really helps so much <3
[back to my masterlist] [oneshot playlist]
IF ONE MORE CUT-OUT, CRAFT-PAPER HEART HIT YOU IN THE FACE, YOU WERE GOING TO QUIT YOUR JOB.
Of course you would never actually quit. With your mother out of the picture and your father working nonstop overtime just to barely have enough cash to put food on the table for the both of you, you had come to rely on your minimum wage part-time hours more than you liked to admit. However, the handmade strings of paper hearts that hung from wall to wall throughout the entirety of the record shop you were employed at was enough to make you consider it; not to mention the Phil Collins record that had been spinning all day, filling your ears with melodies embodying the very air of romance, and the embarrassing pink sweater your boss had forced you to wear. You mumbled curses beneath your breath as you pulled at the collar, itching away at your neck.
When you made a step towards a crate full of records, ready to tidy it up after a customer had rummaged through it leaving it a mess, you were met with another face full of cheap red construction paper. With a large growl of exasperation, you swatted at the hearts and accidentally caused the entire string of them to fall to the ground. You cleared your throat, glad that no customers were present to see your little outburst.
Your boss, Jen, still saw it all.
âThatâs not very festive of you, kid,â She said, taking a drag on her cigarette. âItâs Valentineâs Day! Lighten up.â
âAh, my bad. I forgot that I was supposed to be overjoyed on the day honoring the execution of St. Valentine,â You said as you gave her a sarcastic smile. âIâll make sure to smile at the next couple that walks in and ask them how they plan to contribute to the commercialization of a martyrâs death.â
âYou must be real fun at parties,â Jen mumbled. She shook her cigarette at you from behind the counter. âYouâre just bitter because you donât have a valentine. I canât blame anyone for giving you the cold shoulder with that attitude of yours.â
You scowled, picking up the string of hearts that you had sent crashing to the floor. âIâm not bitter, and I donât want a date. Also, I told you to stop smoking inside! It smells awful.â
âLast I checked, this was my shop, not yours.â You rolled your eyes as you approached the counter, handing the discarded string to Jen so she could throw it in the trash. âNow youâre making me do chores for you too? Youâve got some nerve, Iâll give you that.â
âJen, please, Iâm really not in the mood for this today.â
Jen shrugged, bending towards the trash can to throw away the string of hearts when she paused and pulled something from the bin. You glanced over your shoulder and gasped when you saw what she held in her handâa small red envelope with your name scrawled across the front and a pink heart-shaped sticker stuck on the back.
âWhatâs this?â Jen asked, opening the envelope and shaking out the contents. A single slip of paper fell out, landing atop the counter. You rushed to grab it, but Jen snatched it up just before your fingers reached the countertop.
âGive me that,â You insisted, face growing warm. âI threw it away for a reason!â
âItâs an invitation to a party?â She seemed beyond surprised, glancing back and forth between you and the paper several times. âYou got invited to a Valentineâs Day party, and instead of going, you asked me to give you extra hours? Why?â
You looked down at your feet, digging the toe of your sneaker into the blue carpet. There were, in fact, many reasons why you did not want to go to that party. They were as follows:
One: Choi Yeonjun was the one who had invited you. After you had rejected his offer when he asked to take you to a basketball game a month before, you could barely make eye contact with him in the school hallway without feeling guilty. That and the fact that he was one of the richest preps in the school, you knew he had just been asking you out for some sort of prank or dare that you preferred to not potentially fall victim to.
Two: you needed to work as much as you could. Money, as always, was tight for you and your father. There was no way you would sacrifice precious hours to go to a party full of rich kids where nothing but humiliation was sure to await you.
Three: your old childhood friend and the one person you couldnât bear to see was probably going to be thereâChoi Soobin.
You had barely spoken to Soobin in the four years you had been in high school. Crossing paths with him in the cafeteria, turning down the same aisle of books as him in the library, all those tiny stolen glances and accidental encounters were the only bits of interaction you had kept throughout all that time. The worst part was, he hadnât done anything wrong.
It was nothing but your own cowardice that had driven the two of you apart, and you were still too afraid to own up to it.
Instead of explaining all of this to Jen, you simply shrugged and said, âI dunno. It just sounds lame.â
Your boss sighed, holding the invitation out towards you. âOkay, Iâm letting you off early. Go to the party.â
With wide eyes, you shook your head immediately. âAbsolutely not. Why in the world would I go?â
âWell, first of all, itâs a once in a lifetime opportunity for you. Who knows when your next chance to go to a party will be.â
You couldnât help but roll your eyes at that.
âSecond, itâs a holiday! The only reason I even opened today was because you were begging me for hours. I thought it was because you were bummed about having no plans, but clearly itâs because you wanted an excuse to be a recluse.â
âHey, Iâm not a recluse.â
âClearly.â She shook the invitation at you once more, brows raised. âIf you go, Iâll raise your pay by fifty cents for the next month.â
Your ears perked up at that.
âWell?â She asked, well aware that she had hit the jackpot. âWhat'd ya say?â
Weighing the risks against the benefits, you bit the inside of your cheek.
âMake it a dollar and youâve got a deal.âÂ
-
âHAPPY VALENTINEâS, CHOI.â
When Soobin heard the sarcastic remark coming from his best friend, Felix, he had to fight back the urge to burst into tears then and there. He still wasnât quite sure how Felix had convinced him to come, but he was already regretting it. The last thing he wanted to do to celebrate the day dedicated to love was spend it at a house partyâor, as Soobin preferred to call them, any outcast high school kidâs version of hell on earth.
With a quick peek between his fingers, which he had used to cover his eyes immediately upon arriving at the site of the Valentineâs party, Soobin caught another eye-full of couples getting all too familiar with one another out in the open. He gulped, letting his hands grip the handles of the bike as he averted his gaze, choosing to cast his best glare at Felix, who was busy adjusting his ever-present beanie.
âShut up,â he murmured, slowly sliding off the seat of his bike. He dusted off the worn, tearing cushion, glancing around the area. âNow quick, we gotta put our stuff somewhere safe.â
Felix looked aghast, making no moves to help Soobin in his search for a hiding spot. âWhat are you doing?â
âTryna find a safe place for my bike?â He thought the answer to be somewhat obvious, but clearly Felix wasnât on the same track of thinking. âYou donât know todayâs world! Anyone is willing to steal nowadays.â
âSoobin, your bike is coughing up oil from its chains. It should be in its own care home at this rate.â
âI donât wanna hear your slander, skater boy,â Soobin retorted, eyeing Felixâs ebony skateboard that he refused to be seen without. As if on cue, when he pushed his bike forward, the chains squealed, drawing the attention of a pair of particularly passionate individuals who had been wrapped up with one another moments before. Soobin ignored their annoyed stares, feeling his ears burn from embarrassment. He glanced back to Felix. âHelp me find a hiding spot.â
Felix was anything but enthusiastic, but he began to help Soobin search nonetheless.
âSlide it in here, Soobs,â Felix called a few moments later. He was pointed to an empty space between the homeâs perfectly trimmed bushes. Soobin pursed his lips together, pushing his large glasses further up the bridge of his noseâa nervous tick of his. Felix groaned, rolling his eyes. âOr you can leave it out in the open so itâll spit more oil on the passersby? Is that what you want?â
âFine, fine!â Soobin huffed, wheeling his bike over to the shrubbery, chains squeaking all the way. He carefully laid it beneath the brush and moved a few branches to cover it up nicely. He stood up straight, dusting his hands on the front of his loose blue jeans. âWhat about your skateboard?â
Felix gave the board a pat, awarding his most prized possession a dazzling smile one would expect to see a proud father giving his beloved son. But in reality, it was the schoolâs stoner grinning ear to ear at his old, dusty skateboard. âNightrider stays with me.â
Soobin scrunched his nose, cringing on instinct. He still calls that thing by that stupid name?
Felix clapped him on the shoulder before he could make a remark, catching him off guard when he said, âRight. Letâs go and get your girl.â
There was nothing Soobin could do to stop the flush that rushed to his cheeks right away. Images of you, his ex-best friend and the only reason he had even come to this party in the first place, flashed through his mind. Had he not overheard Yeonjun invite you earlier that morning and then casually mention the encounter to Felix, there was no way he would have even stepped foot out of his house that night. Part of him was peeved, wishing he had never uttered a single word about you to his overbearing friend. Yet, deep down, there was hope within himâthe tiniest sliver.
If there was even the slightest chance that he could talk to you that night, he would do anything. Even if it meant dealing with a stupid party, and the never-ceasing teasing he was bound to continue receiving from Felix.
âDonât even say that,â He said, emphasizing each word as they walked up the front steps. Soobin had to glance down at his much shorter friend to see the devious grin on his freckled face.
âSay what? That sheâs your girl, your woman, your one and only?â
The blush must have been creeping to his neck by that point. He could feel it. âI. . .â There were many things Soobin wished to say; angry words that would hopefully shut the blonde skater boy up real quick. But he couldnât bring himself to say a single harsh word, so he sighed in defeat. âI canât even say it.â
âThat you hate me?â Felix only grinned even bigger, and Soobin couldnât help the tiny defeated smile that slipped over his features. âOh, I know. Itâs because Iâm too good of a best friend.â
They stepped into the house then, instantly being overwhelmed by loud music, boisterous laughter, and drunken yells echoing throughout the halls. Soobin latched onto Felix right away, gripping his friendâs sleeve as someone stumbled into him, a bit of beer spilling from their cup. He pushed his glasses up, only for them to slide right back down as he began to sweat.
âMaybe we should go home, Lix!â Soobin shouted to be heard over the noise as they travelled further into the house. âWe can always try next year!â
âStop being a scaredy-cat!â Felix shouted back, and Soobin thought he might actually begin to cry as they squeezed their way into the living room. Soobin nearly gagged at the strong smell of alcohol as it burned in his nose. The scene was nothing short of a nightmare to Soobinâloud voices, smoke rising in the air, vodka assaulting his nose and sweat beading on the back of his neck. He had never been one to drink, and he didnât plan on starting that night; but he was beginning to understand what Felix meant when he had once told him it was nearly impossible to get through one of these parties sober.
He was about to make another complaint and beg to leave when someone from the crowd hollered his name, causing him to wince when he recognized that voice as the one that belonged to none other than Choi Yeonjun.
âSoobin! Where you been?â
Soobin smiled nervously at the schoolâs heartthrobâand textbook snobby rich kidâbefore he turned back to Felix. He didnât want to leave his friend, but he knew that he would never hear the end of it if he ignored Yeonjunâs persistent calls. âIâll be right back,â He promised Felix, still holding onto his sleeve.
âNo, no,â Felix assured. âYou go. Youâll probably find her around that place anyway.â
Soobin wasnât so sure of that. You were definitely not of the right social standing to be caught amongst the circle of the schoolâs rich boysâwhich was why it had surprised Soobin that Yeonjun had invited you to the party in the first place. Your high school had its own caste system, and you were near the bottom of it.
And, as much as it pained him to admit it, Soobin was stuck at the very top with all the other rich snobs who cared about nothing more than their daily allowances that came straight from their daddyâs bank account.
âWhat about you, buddy?â He asked Felix, desperate for any excuse to remain by his friendâs side. He would have tried to bring Felix with him, but his friend was in an even worse social standing than you wereâhe was poor, and he was most known for being the schoolâs pothead. There was no way Soobin would willingly drag him into a situation where nothing but slander and torment awaited him.
âMe?â Felix shrugged, gripping his board tighter. âIâll just smoke away the night.â
Soobin pouted, glancing back at the group of preps as they called for him once again. He sighed, clapping Felix on the shoulder. âJust make sure you wonât smell too much of it when I come back.â
Submitting himself to his doom then, he turned on his heel and slowly made his way to where the group of boys sat near the sofa, giving them a half-hearted wave.
âWhy were you hanging around that Felix guy?â Yeonjun asked once Soobin had reached their circle. âDid he blackmail you or something?â
Soobin frowned, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. âHeâs my friend.â
Yeonjun rolled his eyes, brushing a hand through his perfectly-straightened ebony locks. âSure he is. Tell me, do you see every kid you find on the streets as some sort of personal charity project? Or is it just Felix andâwhat was her nameââ He snapped his fingers then before he said, âY/N, right?â
Soobin didnât respondâwell, it was more like he couldnât respond. By nature he was a very passive being, but nothing drew him closer to bouts of anger than when the people he cared about were being insulted right before him.
Especially when it came to you.
Yet, as much as he wanted to tell Yeonjun off or give him a nice shove into the smoke-stained walls, words failed him. They always did. Perhaps this was why you had abandoned him all those years ago. Nobody knew him better than you did, so of course you were able to see what he truly was beneath all the expensive clothes and nervous laughterâa coward.
He figured that heâd probably have left himself too.
âDrink up, buttercup.â The chipper voice that belonged to the other Choi in the small gathering of socialites, Choi Beomgyu, thrust a plastic red cup towards Soobinâs chest.Â
He shook his head, throwing another wavering smile in his direction. âNo thanks. I donât drink.â
Yeonjun rolled his eyes. âOf course you donât. Why are you even here then?â
Once again, Soobin chose silence as his only response. He swallowed, patting the front pocket of his denim jacket. As the group of boys began conversing once more, he couldnât help but let his eyes wander around the room, searching every drunken face for the features that belonged to you, trying to hear your name in every conversation, desperate for your voice to break through the blasting music and shouting voices.
âWho ya looking for there, Big Choi?â Soobin grimaced at the nickname. He was skinny, but incredibly tall, and nobody would let him forget that. âBig Choiâ was one of his most common nicknames among the elitists. He despised it, but of course, he would never voice that aloud.
He glanced at Beomgyu and smiled nervously again, shaking his head. âNobody.â
His eyes met Yeonjunâs and he gulped yet again as the latter eyed him with suspicion. It wasnât as though he had anything to hide, but something about Yeonjunâs calculating gaze made his skin crawl.
He needed to escape. Just for a moment, at least.
âIâll be right back. Going to find some water.â
He slipped out of the living room then, apologizing profusely to each couple he accidentally bumped into, bowing in remorse to each personâs toes his big feet happened to stumble over. He ached to be by Felixâs sideâthe stoned skateboarder had become somewhat of a security blanket to the taller of the duoâbut his blonde friend was nowhere to be seen.
After snagging a bottle of water from the kitchen, Soobin managed to slip into an empty bathroom. He slammed the door shut and wasted no time in locking it. Letting out the biggest sigh of relief, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the door, taking a big gulp of the ice cold water.
He set the bottle on the counter and carefully reached into the front pocket of his jacket, his fingers finding the piece of paper he had been storing there all evening. He pulled it out and let his eyes wander over his middle school creation. It was a big heart, cut out from a scrap piece of red construction paper. Scrawled across it in his eight-grade handwriting were the words, Be mine this Valentineâs! His name was etched at the bottom, and at the very top, delicately printed in hot pink glitter glue, your name was written as well.
He had planned to give this to you four years ago on Valentineâs day. Everything had been planned out perfectly; he was to pick you up on his old, trusty bike. It wasnât really made for two people, but the two of you had fashioned a makeshift extra seat for you to sit upon whenever you went places together.Â
He wanted to take you to the Dairy Shack, which was the local ice cream shop where the two of you spent the most time together. You always got a large chocolate shake to share, playing a quick game of rock, paper, scissors to decide who got to eat the cherry on top. He was going to order a shake and specially ask for two cherries that time, and planned to give both of them to you before he would bravely present you with the handmade card he had spent all day working on.
However, when he waited for you outside your house that day, the red dusk turned to pitch black night, and you never stepped foot out your door.
He had even gone up to your door a few times and knocked, but there was no answer. Eventually he pedalled off into the night, back to his house. He was disappointed, of course, but more worried than anything else. He had hoped you werenât sick.
But when he saw you at school the next day, he knew that hadnât been the case.
And when you ignored him calling your name as you passed by him in the hallways, he knew that something had drastically changed.
For weeks, Soobin was in great turmoil as he replayed your last few encounters together before you had stood him up. Perhaps you were angry that he had won the last few games of rock, paper, scissors? If he had known, he would have given you all the cherries for the rest of time if it meant you would still talk to him. He didnât care about themâhe cared about you.
He missed you.
And as weeks turned to months, and months turned to years, you still barely spoke to him, and he missed you more and more. The best friend he had wanted to take a step closer to had taken a thousand steps back from him, and he still had no idea why.
But that night, he was determined to find out.
Well, if he could muster up the courage to get a single word out, of course.
He folded the heart back up and stuck it back in his pocket, taking a deep breath as he observed himself in the fogged-up mirror. He fixed his bright blue hair that Felix had helped him bleach and dye, making sure the pieces fell over the corners of his eyes just right. He straightened his white turtleneck and cuffed the sleeves of his denim jacket until he was at least somewhat content with his appearance.
âYou can do this, Soobs,â He told himself, adjusting his big round glasses further up the bridge of his nose. âThatâs what Felix would say.â
âHey, rich boy!â A loud scream came from outside the bathroom door, accompanied by harsh knocking that sent Soobin stumbling backwards until he fell in the shower, pulling the curtains down with him.
âHurry up in there! Iâm about to piss myself!â
Soobin let out a shaky sigh, scrambling to his feet as he rushed to fix the curtain he had torn down with his clumsiness. âSorry,â he mumbled, though he doubted the person on the other side of the door could hear him.
He realized then with an ever growing dread that it would be a miracle if he survived the night long enough to even find you, but it would take the work of God himself for him to actually speak to you.
He figured it was time for him to start praying.
-Â
YOU KNEW IT WAS A MISTAKE TO LET JEN DO YOUR MAKEUP.
When she had stopped you on your way out the door with a compact of bright purple eyeshadow, you had turned her down right away. No way in all of creation were you walking in a party with such an atrocious color caked up to your brow bone.
âHow can you say itâs gonna look bad if you havenât even let me try?â Jen had asked.
You had given her a once-over, your lips pressed into a thin line. âIf itâs gonna look anything like the way you do your own makeup, Iâm gonna have to pass.â
After that snide remark, she had threatened to fire you if you didnât let her apply the makeup. And so you obliged, though you didnât have much of a choice.
The booming sounds of the party hit your ears before you had even reached the lawn. Screaming teensâwell, there were probably some adults thrown in there as wellâand the sound of music spilled through the open windows of the home. Couples and singles alike were scattered throughout the perfectly kept lawn that was now littered with empty cups and other assortments of garbage.
You looked down at your patchwork jeans and pink sweater, certain that you would be underdressed compared to the rest of the partygoers. But from the looks of things, as you carefully squeezed your way through the front door and into the home, everyone was probably too wasted to even notice your arrival, let alone care about your looks.
You caught a glimpse of your face in the hallway mirror, cringing at the sight of your eyeshadow. You had tried to wipe some of it away before arriving, but it simply smudged, giving you quite the shocking smoky, purple eye look. For someone who didnât even know the difference between a paintbrush and a makeup brush, it was a bold look, to say the least.
If Soobin saw you looking like this, heâd probably have a heart attack.
Soobin.
In the midst of all your frantic preparation, you had nearly forgotten about the main reason why you had planned to avoid this party at all costs. With a quick glance around the room, you realized that he was nowhere to be seen. You wouldnât have been surprised if he hadnât shown up at all. He was never a fan of parties, anyway.
You crossed your arms over your chest and slowly slipped past the couples crowding the hallway with their limbs intertwined, mouths practically swallowing one another whole, until you reached the living room. Surprisingly, it was less crowded in here than you thought it might be. A few minglers were scattered about the roomâs perimeter, but they all kept away from the center of the room, which was occupied by none other than Choi Yeonjun and all his brainless, rich-boy worshippers. You quickly scanned the group, not able to make out Soobin among them. When you realized he wasnât there, you were partly relieved and partly disappointed. If was to be anywhere at this party, it would probably be with these guys.
With a quick turn on your heel, you planned to make your way out of the living room before Yeonjun could see you. The last thing you wanted was for the boy with a bruised ego to see you, regardless of whether or not he had been the one to invite you.
âY/N? You came?â
Too late.
Plastering a forced grin to your face, you slowly turned to face Yeonjun, who had just called your name. He was eyeing you with slight surprise, but soon, a smirk slipped across his lips as he motioned for you to come over. You had to hold back your sigh, wishing there was some way for you to get out of this situation. It was all Jenâs fault that you had to show up in the first place. You decided you were going to demand an extra ten cents be added to your raise the next time you saw your pushy boss.
âHey Yeonjun,â you said once you had walked over to him. âI figured Iâd stop by for a minute or two, since you were kind enough to invite me.â
He smirked, glancing at a few of his friends. They shared a knowing laugh with one another, but the meaning of it was lost to you. You wanted nothing more than to get away from them, but that wasnât an option.
âYouâre too busy to go out with me to a basketball game but free enough to come to a party, huh?â He asked.
You blinked, digging your nails into your arms. âIâm sorry?â
âItâs fine, really,â He drawled, swirling his plastic cup of beer in his hand. âYou didnât think Iâd be upset or anything did you? I only asked you out because I was dared to shack up with you. But Iâm guessing you already knew that, since youâre so smart and all.â
Your eyes went wide, but you managed to control the rest of your expression. It was just like you had guessedâYeonjun had invited you to the party with the sole purpose of making a scene.
If you survived the night, Jen was never going to hear the end of it.
âYouâre not gonna say anything?â He asked, pushing himself to his feet. You could tell by the slight stumble in his step and his hooded eyes that he had quite a bit to drink. He took a step towards you, causing you to back up immediately. Your back hit the wall, and you placed your palms against it as Yeonjun towered over you.Â
âItâs okay, sweetheart. I know why youâre here anyways.â He leaned forward, his lips hovering near your ear. âYouâre here to see Soobin, arenât you? Since heâs the only one here willing to waste his time on filth like you.â
Your blood boiled, and you had to clench your fists at your sides to control your anger.
âDonât,â You seethed, âCall me that.â
âCall you what? Filth? Or sweetheart? Why, is that something good old Binnie used to call youââ
He never got to finish that sentence, because with one big burst of anger, you stomped on his toe as hard as you could with your worn-out platform sneaker.
âWhat the hell!â He screeched, drawing the attention of several others in the room. His outburst even caused a few of the couples to pull away from each otherâs faces long enough to eavesdrop.
Before you could even say anything back, lukewarm liquid was splashed up in your face, burning your eyes and nose. You gasped, running your hands over your eyes to see Yeonjun with his now empty cup of beer pointed towards you.
âThink twice before you act out against me next time, sweetheart. Never forget your place.â
Tears of anger burned in your eyes, and you scanned the room to see several people exchanging whispers and giggles as they glanced in your direction. You pushed past Yeonjun and quickly made your way out the back door of the house, unable to stand the humiliation for a moment longer.
Soobin arrived in the living room just in time to see you leave.
He wasted no time in rushing towards Yeonjun, grabbing hold of his arm. âYeonjun, was that Y/N?â He asked, eyes quickly taking in the puddle of alcohol on the floor and the empty cup in Yeonjunâs hand. âWhat happened?â
âNothing you need to worry your pretty blue head about, Big Choi. I just put her in her place is all.â
Soobinâs eyes narrowed. âWhat do you mean you âput her in her place?ââ
Yeonjun laughed, giving Soobin a nonchalant pat on the back. âJust drop it, would you? It has nothing to do with you.â
âWhat did you say, Yeonjun?â
Yeonjun was growing irritated now. He huffed out a breath, crossing his arms over his chest. âI said it has nothing to do with you, Soobin. I know you like to hang around people like that pothead Felix, but the rest of us live in the real world, where weâd rather not waste our time with those who have no future anyways. I bet heâs the one that got you to dye your hair that god awful blue, isnât he?â
Soobin bit the inside of his cheek. He so badly wished to rip Yeonjun to shreds then and there. If he had Felixâs courage, the cocky bastard would have been knocked to the ground ages ago. But if there was one thing Soobin was sure he could never be, it was brave. And so, despite his rage, he remained silent, his eyes practically burning a hole through Yeonjunâs chest from how intently he was glaring.
It seemed as though Yeonjun was about to say something, but his eyes landed on the bit of red that peeked through the front pocket of Soobinâs denim jacket. Before Soobin had time to defend himself, Yeonjun had reached forward and snatched it from his pocket, revealing the large paper heartâhis valentine for you.
âSo this is why you care so much,â Yeonjun said, laughing as his eyes scanned the glittery words that decorated the page. âYou want her to be your valentine.â
âGive that back,â Soobin said quietly, his hands beginning to shake.
Yeonjun instead lifted his eyes to Soobin, gave him a sickly sweet grin, and ripped the heart straight down the middle. He let the two pieces fall from his hands to the ground, and with them Soobinâs heart went also.
âYouâre really willing to try and go against me, and for what? For the sake of a girl who canât even afford a new pair of jeans and a boy that smokes his life away in the bathroom stalls?â Yeonjun took a slow step towards Soobin, his eyes glinting with a sinister determination. âYou may be rich, Soobin, but if you choose to lower yourself to their standards, you may as well be dirt poor just like they are.â
With his hands clenched into tight fists, his glasses sliding down his nose, and his heart quite literally in two pieces on the floor below him, Soobin decided that he had had enough.
âIâd much rather be associated with people who are kind and have actual depth to their character than be lumped together with a bunch of pricks like you with no real personalityâbecause thatâs something you canât buy with daddyâs paycheck.â
He had to physically restrain himself from slapping his hand across his own mouth in shock. It was as if the spirit of Felix himself had possessed him to say such harsh things. He wondered where Felix was then, wishing more than ever before to have his best friend by his side as he began to tremble from either the rush of adrenaline that coursed through his veins, or from fear. Or perhaps it was both.
He didnât have time to ponder it any longer before Yeonjunâs fist collided with his nose, resulting in a sickening crack as pain echoed throughout his face in tidal waves.
He stumbled backward as people began to shout, raising his hand to his nose and gasping when he saw that his palm was covered in blood.Â
Beomgyu had his arms wrapped around Yeonjun, who was desperately trying to lunge towards Soobin once again.
âKnock it off, Yeonjun!â Beomgyu shouted, pushing the elder back. âHis dad is on the school board! Are you trying to get expelled?â
Beomgyu looked over his shoulder at the still stunned Soobin, who was gaping at the blood that now stained his once white turtleneck.Â
âGet lost, Soobin,â Beomgyu said, to which Soobin only blinked in reply, his ears ringing.
âNow!â
Head spinning, Soobin picked up the two halves of his paper heart, stuffed them into his jeans, and stumbled out the same door he had seen you go through just minutes before. After checking to make sure his glasses were still intactâthey were, thankfullyâhe shook his head in an effort to clear his mind of the static, eyes scanning the front lawn looking for any trace of you.
It didnât take long for his eyes to spot you among the now dwindling crowd of partygoers. Your bright pink sweater stood out against the darkness, so he was able to recognize you even with your back towards him. He sniffed, wiping the back of his hand against his dripping nose as he slowly made his way to where you sat on the curb, your feet planted on the asphalt street. He wished that he looked a bit more presentableâwhen he played this scene out in his head over the years in which he would finally reunite with you, he never imagined himself dazed and covered in blood.
Desperate times called for desperate measures, he supposed.
When he reached you, he simply stood beside you in silence for a moment, unsure of what to say. He could tell that you sensed his presence, but you refused to look up at him as you kept your face buried in your hands. He could have sworn he heard a few muffled sobs slip through your fingers, but of course, he wasnât going to bring that up.
Eventually he decided to slip his jacket off of his shoulders, leaning down to drape it over you. You still kept your head down as he sat beside you on the curb, but he watched you grip the jacket and pull it tighter around your body. He smiled a bit, holding the collar of his turtleneck against his throbbing nose.
âThank you,â you muttered, wiping your hand across your eyes. You finally looked over at him, and when you did, you couldnât hold back your gasp. âMy God Soobin, what happened to your face?â
âOh, well, I might have gotten punched,â He said quickly, trying to wave off your concern. âDonât worry about it.â
âPunched? By who?â
He looked down at the ground, sniffing as a drop of blood hit the pavement. âYeonjun,â he muttered under his breath.
âIâm sorry, did you just say Yeonjun? Are you insane? Why on earth would you butt heads with the Choi Yeonjun?â
Soobin didnât say anything in response, he simply stared at you, eyes wide with beer dripping off the ends of your hair, makeup smeared across your face, your sweater stained down the front. It didnât seem to take long for you to put the pieces together, as the shock left your face and was replaced with something akin to guilt.
âOh,â You said, looking back down at your shoes.
âSo she knows that I did it all for her,â Soobin thought.
For some reason, the idea of that both terrified and excited him.
A second later, he glanced over to see you ripping one of the hand-sewed patches of fabric off your jeans, leaving a square of your skin exposed to the chilly night air. You leaned towards him, pushing his hand away from his nose so you could use the patch to clean up some of the blood on and around his puffy red nose.
âY/N, your pants!â He exclaimed, trying to push your hand away. âTheyâre ruined!â
âIâm not worried about my pants, you idiot,â You said, swatting his hand away as you continued to press the cloth against his skin. âYou got punched in the face because of me, this is the least I could do.â
âThat was my choice though,â He muttered, although he stopped trying to resist your touch. He ignored the way his heart thrummed harder in his chest, hoping that you couldnât hear.
âWell, this is my choice too.â Your eyes flicked to his for a brief moment, your bottom lip pulled between your teeth. âWhy did you do it, by the way?â
âDo what?â
âStand up to Yeonjun for me and get a nasty nosebleed as a result.â
âOh.â He blinked slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on yours. âJust âcause.â
âBecause . . . ?â
âBecause of you.â He blurted, causing your hand to go still against him. He swallowed his fear, braving the best smile that he could. âJust you. That was my only reason.â
You didnât say anything as your hand fell from his face, the cloth clutched between your fingers. The anxiety he had tried his best to suppress came rushing up all at once, and he was surprised that his ears didnât begin to squeal like a tea kettle from all the pressure.Â
âY/N,â He said, gently placing his hand over yours despite how his fingers trembled. âWhy did you pull away from me?â
âWhat?â
âFour years ago. Why did you stop talking to me?â
You were quiet for a moment, digging into the ground with the toe of your sneaker. Soobin held his breath until you finally replied with, âI was afraid.â
âAfraid? Of what?â
âWe were getting older, Binnie,â You said, and his heart skipped at the use of your old nickname for him. âYou and I, weâre from very different walks of life. You get to hang out with people like Yeonjun, whereas I get a cup of beer poured all over my face just for existing, and you get a fist to the nose for trying to stand up for me. Weâre from different sides of the track, one might say.â
âSo?â Soobin asked, his hand tightening around yours. âDid you really think that would affect us that much, Y/N?â
You frowned, glancing down at his hand over yours.
âI thought youâd be embarrassed of me,â You said, your voice barely above a whisper.
âEmbarrassed?â Soobinâs eyes went wide as he gripped your hand tighter still, pulling it into his lap. âY/N, I would never, ever be embarrassed of you. Besides, have you seen my best friend? Heâs on a first name basis with the principal because of how often he gets written up for smoking behind the school. If Iâm not embarrassed of him, why would I ever be embarrassed of you?â
You laughed, wiping the back of your hand across your eyes once more. âI guess I was worried about nothing, huh?â You sniffed, giving his hand a squeeze. âIâm sorry, Soobin.â
He shook his head, squeezing your hand right back. âDonât apologize. Youâre here now, thatâs what matters. Do think we couldâyou knowââ
âPick up where we left off?â You smiled, nodding vigorously. âIâd like that very much, Binnie.â
He beamed then, almost pinching himself to be sure that he was not dreaming, but the pain in his nose was real enough to remind him of that on its own. He jumped to his feet, pulling you right up with him.
âIn that case, how about we finally go on that Valentineâs date I had planned all the way back then?â
âDate?â You asked, a brow raised. âIs it really considered a date if two friends are just hanging out?â
He didnât respond as he pulled you along behind him towards the bushes where he and Felix had hidden his bike. He crouched down and moved the branches aside, feeling his heart drop to his stomach when he realized that his bike was, in fact, no longer there.
He shot up, turning to face you with eyes wide. âFelixâthat bastard took my bike!â
You were quiet for a moment, but then, you burst into boisterous laughter, leaving Soobin utterly confused.
âItâs not funny, Y/N!â He whined, shoving your shoulder lightly. âI was supposed to take you to the Dairy Shack on my bike!â
âIt is funny,â You said between bursts of laughter. âOnly you would get such a rusty old piece of metal stolen from you.â
He pushed his lips out in a pout, sliding his glasses up his sore nose. âItâs a good bike, donât make fun of it.â
You grinned, interlocking his fingers with yours, which was enough to instantly wipe the pout right off his face.Â
âLetâs just walk, Binnie. The Dairy Shack isnât that far anyways.â
You were right; the walk to your favorite milkshake place was very close to the house where the party had occurred. Although Felix stealing his bike had thrown an obvious wrench in his plans, it was a minor hiccup, and one he could most definitely handle. Besides, he wouldnât have to see Felix until the next day anyways. He could deal with his frustration then.
At least, thatâs what he thought anyways, until the two of you spotted Felix at the skatepark on your way to the dairy shack.
Soobinâs eyes took in the deplorable sight before himâfrom where he stood on the dimly lit sidewalk, he could see Felix and a girl he had never seen before, their faces nearly pressed together, and most importantly, with his bike discarded a few yards away from them.
âSoobin,â You said, tugging on his arm. âThey look like theyâre busy, letâs just goââ
But Soobin, who had little patience when it came to Felix messing up his plans, didnât let you finish before he screamed, âGive me back my freaking bike!â
You had to hold back your snort of laughter at his choice of words. Even when he was trying to sound angry, he was undeniably adorable.
Soobin watched as Felix startled, clutching his spliff between his fingers as he glared daggers back at his friend. Soobin gulped, trying not to let his fear show on his face. What did he have to be afraid of, anyways? He was the victim of thievery, and his best friend was the offender.
Felix took a big step towards him, but he paused, his eyes landing on your interlocked hands. Soobin glanced down as well, his face growing furiously warm as he realized the situation he had gotten himself into.Â
He decided to divert the subject before it could even be brought up by saying, âI canât believe you stole my bike! All this time I was trying to hide it from strangers, but you, my best friend! I shouldâve been hiding it from you!â
Soobin noticed Felixâs female companion step off the skateboard and walk over in his direction, and for a second he felt bad for possibly ruining her night with his best friend. However, his frustration was more prominent in the moment as he fixed his gaze back on his best friend, who had fixed a mischievous smirk upon his face that made warning sirens blare in Soobinâs head right away.
âNow, now, buddy,â Felix said, his voice calm and carefree as ever. It probably had something to do with what he had just smoked, but Soobin didnât care all that much. âYouâre just gonna have to let me borrow it for a little longer.â
Soobin nearly laughed at the audacity of such a statement. âYou are gonna give me the bike, orââ
âHow about this, Soobs?â Soobinâs lips clamped shut at his friendâs interruption, as the thief in question gestured with his joint to where Soobinâs fingers were locked with yours. âYou let me keep your bike for the night, and I donât tell your dad about you hanging out with the opposite gender.â
Unable to control yourself, you let out a big laugh. Soobin would have felt betrayed, but he was more terrified than anything else at the idea of his father finding out that he was taking a girl out without his permission. He would be grounded for weeksâno, months.
âYou wouldnât.â
Felixâs lips curled up even more into a twisted grin that Soobin wished he had the guts to slap off his face. âGod, just imagine the look on Mr. Choiâs face. Imagine him finding out about your premarital hand holding.â
No. Not the hand holding.
Soobin almost felt faint, but he steeled himself to the best of his abilities as he cleared his throat. âOne night, Lix,â he warned. âIf I donât see it on my porch in the morning, youâll be sorry!â
âOh, Iâm so scared,â Felix teased. His expression changed a moment later though, when he finally noticed Soobinâs swollen nose and blood-stained turtleneck. âWait, Soobs, the hell happened to you?â
Soobin, however, had already taken his first steps away from the skatepark, pulling you along behind him. âIâll tell you later, bud. Enjoy your spliff with that kind girl who you probably donât deserve!â
âHey!â
Soobin couldnât help but laugh as he swung your interlocked hands together, grinning as you let out a laugh as well. The anger that had seeped through him seemed to melt away in an instant as the two of you continued your journey to the Dairy Shack.
âWould your dad really be that upset if he found out about this?â You asked.
Soobin grimaced. âWe should probably wait til next year to tell him about this outing. Or maybe the year after that.â
When the two of you had finally reached the Dairy Shack, you waited outside for him while he went in to order your drink. A large chocolate milkshake, with two straws, just like you used to get every time before.
When he had the drink in hand, he walked back outside and sat down beside you on the curb, smiling as you wrapped his jacket tighter around your shoulders. You smiled back up at him, your eyes creasing from the expression. Your smile had always struck him right to his core; he had missed seeing it every day.
He hoped he could see it every morning and every night from that day onward. There was no way he would let you go this time.
He just had to muster up the courage to grab hold of you first.
âYou know what, Binnie, you turned out to be a lot taller than I thought you ever would be,â you said as you took one of the straws from his hands. âYouâre actually enormous. Itâs shocking.â
âShould I find that offensive? It sounds kinda like an insult.â
âTake it however you will,â You teased, leaning over as he popped the plastic lid off the milkshake. He grabbed the cherry by the stem and held it towards you.
âWhat are you doing?â You asked, holding out your fist. âWe have to rock, paper, scissors for it. Remember?â
Soobin laughed as he shook his head. âIâm giving it to you this time. Itâs what I planned to do all those years ago, when I asked you to hang out on Valentineâs.â
You seemed to be taken aback, but you simply shrugged as you plucked the cherry from his hand and pulled it from the stem with your teeth, glancing back over at him. It was silent for a moment, but then your eyes landed on the pocket of his jeans, where you could see a bit of red paper poking out. You leaned over even further, reaching your hand out to snatch the paper.
âWhat are youâhey! Give that back!â
Soobin desperately tried to take his Valentine back from you, but it was too late. You held both halves of what used to be a whole in your hands, your eyes scanning the words as you pieced them together.
âSoobin . . .â
He held his breath. Had his act of young love left you completely speechless? Were you so touched that you would burst into tears?
âThis looks like a middle schooler made it.â
He let out the breath in the form of a long, long sigh.
âThatâs because it was made by a middle schooler,â He said as he set the milkshake down beside him. âI made it back in the eighth grade. I planned to give it to you that Valentineâs.â
âOh.â You ran your finger along the cardâs surface, the smallest smile creeping across your lips. âWell in that case, itâs not half bad. Whyâs it ripped though?â
âAhâwell, Yeonjun . . .â
You nodded, taking another glance at his swollen nose. âNo need to elaborate. It seems you had a lot planned for our Valentineâs Day back then. Is there anything else you wanted to do?â
His mouth went dry at that, and he wished that you couldnât see his face because he was sure that his expression was quite comical. All the way back then, four years prior, he had in fact planned the perfect, ideal day in his head. Picking you up on his bike, giving you the cherry from his milkshake, and presenting you with his hand made card.
There was only one thing left on his list.
He didnât move at first, willing himself to have enough courage to even look back in your direction. But when he finally did allow his eyes to meet yours, he felt his shoulders relax and his heart rate became more manageable.
He took a deep breath, leaned forward, and pressed his lips against your cheek.
He lingered there for only a moment before he pulled back, daring to pry one of his eyes open to take in the look on your face.
The disappointment was palpableâfrom the way your brows furrowed together and the way you pursed your lips. His stomach dropped, and he scooted the tiniest bit away from you.
âIâm sorry,â He blurt out, his face growing warmer by the second. âI shouldnât have done that, I justââ
âIs that all?â
Your question stopped him mid-ramble, his eyes growing wide. âHuh?â
âIs that all?â You repeated, closing the distance between you that he had created. âItâs Valentineâs Day, Soobin. I think we can do better than a peck on the cheek.â
The implications of what you were saying didnât register with him right away, but when it finally did, he could have sworn his heart began to beat loud enough for the entire town to hear. His hand curled into a fist as he gripped the denim of his jeans. He leaned forward, keeping his eyes open just enough to watch you as he brought his lips closer to yours. He could feel your eyes on him all the while, causing his heart to pound fiercer still within him.
When he was just a breath away, he whispered, âCan you close your eyes?â
âHm?â
He lifted his hand, gently placing it over your eyes. He leaned closer then, filling the space between you both as his lips met yours. You tasted vaguely of cherry and strawberry slice soda, and he found it quite nice the way his lips seemed to fit perfectly against your own. As the seconds drew on, your hands slipped around his neck, pulling him closer. He slowly let his hand fall from your eyes, tracing lines with the tips of his fingers down your cheek before he cradled your jaw, letting his lips part just enough to taste the sweet sugar on your lips once more.
He thought in a haze that it was a good thing he didnât drink anything at the party, as kissing you was proving to be intoxicating enough on its own.
When you finally pulled away, leaving your forehead resting against his, he let his eyes flutter open enough to see the euphoric smile that adorned your features. He grinned as well, gently running his thumb against your cheek.
âI think that back then, I had planned to ask you this before kissing you,â He whispered, âBut Y/N, will you be my Valentine?â
Instead of a spoken answer, you laughed, leaning forward to capture his lips with yours once again, and that was the only answer Choi Soobin would ever need.
-
WHEN SOOBIN ARRIVED HOME THAT NIGHT, HE WENT STRAIGHT FOR THE TELEPHONE.
It was kept upstairs at night right outside his parentâs door, to keep himself and his brother from using it in the late hours. Of course, this never stopped Soobin from sneaking it downstairs to his room in the basement to make late night calls to Felix.
And that particular evening, he really needed to give Felix an update.
He grabbed the phone from the small table in the hallway, carefully tiptoeing towards the basement stairs. Before he had even taken the first step down, the bathroom door creaked open. Soobin whipped his head around to see his brother Kai standing there, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he raised a brow at his older brother.
Soobin froze, blinking slowly as he realized the incriminating situation he found himself in.
âPlease donât tell mom,â He whispered, his eyes pleading with his younger brother.
Kai nodded, although Soobin wasnât quite convinced that the boy was even coherent enough to understand what was going on. Soobin offered a rushed thank you, and ventured his first step down the stairs.
Well, he tried, anyways, and ended up missing the first step. He tumbled down the rest of the stairs, landing on his butt at the very end.
He winced in pain, glad to see that the phone was still intact in his hands. He glanced over his shoulders to see Kai staring down the stairway with wide eyes, his lips parted in shock. Soobin quickly put a finger to his lips, begging his brother for silence.
Kai simply shook his head and walked away, allowing Soobin the freedom to breathe out a sigh of relief.
He quickly ran to his bedroom and shut the door, collapsing onto his bed with the phone as his breaths came in ragged gasps as an aftereffect from his tumble down the stairs. He figured he should have dialed Felixâs number right away, but he couldnât help but brush his fingers against his lips, remembering the feeling and taste of having yours pressed against them.
He was so caught up in his daze that he didnât notice Felix calling until the third ring.
He picked it up, breathing heavily into the speaker as he rubbed a sore spot on his lower back.Â
âPlease tell me that panting is from running a marathon, and not what I think youâve successfully tried.â
Soobin nearly gagged, holding the phone away from his face as he coughed, flustered by his friend's crude words. He brought the phone back to his face and said, âNo, you sicko, I just fell down the stairs.â
âHow the hell did you manage that with those long legs?â
âThatâs not important, Lix!â He laid back onto his pillows then, twirling the phone cord in his hands as he stared up at his ceiling, the memories of his adventure with you that night flooding his mind once more. He couldnât help but smile from ear to ear as he said, âLook, I need to tell you something important.â
If he didnât know any better, he would have thought that he could hear the smile in Felixâs voice too as his friend replied.
âWell buddy, I got something to tell you too.â
pairing: soobin x gn!reader, platonic!ot5 x gn!reader
genre: fluff, some subjective angst, bits of humor, enemies-to-lovers, childhood friends
word count: 4002
event: #summerscape for @kpopscape
credit: @enha-woodziesâ for making the gfx for this series! show her some love <3
authorâs note:Â i accidentally deleted this post so here is a rushed reupload. it might not be as good as the original because it isnt proof read as well but i still hope the algorithm picks it up, maybe thisâll be good for the post. Also, the second part will be coming out in 15 days.
warnings:Â people disappearing, mentions of burning and fire (further warnings will be released in the next parts as the story gets darker)
THIS STORY IS PURELY A WORK OF FICTION AND DOES NOT DICTATE JAY OR NI-KIâS PERSONAL LIVES AND/OR FAMILY.
part two ->
The blonde stared up at an intricately designed structure in awe, walking forward to touch the sides of it and running his calloused hands up and down its rusted carved wedges. It seemed oddly cliche and unrealistic, but he could feel its story. Every touch of the ceramic pillar provided him with emotion that he couldnât bring himself to explain.
The sun hadnât set yet, but he could make out the faint reflection of it settling in the background. The huge pine trees around him were making conversation with each other; their faint whispers and rustles providing peace to his veins.
So entranced in the scenery of such a mystical place, he forgot to watch out for his younger peer. Kicking back into his senses, he nervously called out, âRiki! You there?â His voice, usually strong and boisterous, laced fear today.
âDonât worry about me Jay, Iâm right behind you. Just climbing this fence..and..there!â Riki let out a grunt as he jumped onto the soft grass, looking at his older friend with an innocent grin.
At the sight of his buddy, Jay visibly loosened. It was clear that he didnât feel safe in this environment, yet felt entranced to it in some way. Riki caught up to him in a quick jog before standing next to Jay, in awe at the magnificent view that they were spectating for the first and possibly last time.
âIs thisâŚthe place you were talking about?â Riki was out of breath from running after his peer. He pats the grassy patch below him before slumping onto it, crossing his legs afterward.
Jay took a seat next to him, setting his canvas satchel and leather jacket next to him. âAccording to the maps and books, this is the right spot. I just want to see if the myth is true.â
Riki clapped his hands in excitement and turned to face Jay. âWeâre staying till the sun sets right? I want to see what the carousel looks like at night! This structure is so fascinating. It must be beautiful out here at night.â
âNo, weâre walking back as soon as the sun goes down. I do not want to risk being out here at night. People have disappeared from staying too long and I wouldnât want to worry your mother.â
Riki visibly slumped and turned back in time to see the last drop of orange dip. It was quiet for a while. The singing birds stopped humming their soulful tunes, yet the whispering trees grew louder, their inaudible gossip echoing in the ears of the two boys.
At nine at night, Rikiâs mother would call Jay, heeding no response. She would do the same for his parents and his friends. The only piece of information they could provide was that Jay had brought Riki, in his words, to âa magical placeâ. With no other vital details they could draw from their sonâs peers, Jay and Rikiâs family agree to call the local police, reporting two missing people: two minors, one last seen in a brown leather jacket, and a taller one tailing alongside him. Both their hairs were dyed in a striking shade of blonde.
Summerâs heat-blasted onto your skin as soon as you stepped out of your sleek white Toyota. It was good to be back, you supposed. Although it was something that not many people would fawn over, you were ecstatic to be home in town.
Leaving at the mere age of sixteen wasnât easy. After your parents decided that you were too good for a mediocre high school where people cared more about their body count than grade count, they immediately sent you off to a prestigious boarding school in the big city. You were given three days to pack and say goodbye to your friends, the rest of your family, your world. As excited as you were to study in the evolutionary epicenter of technology, you didnât like how you had almost no say in this decision.
You didnât return home from high school even after four years of studying at that mentally draining institution. It wasnât like you didnât want to come back, you were just so accustomed to life in the big city that it seemed pointless to return to square one. With the rest of the world finally in your grip (or so you thought), you enrolled in a highly expensive university and received a full-ride scholarship.
Perhaps that was your breaking point. Piles of work that could never be cleared mustâve got to your head. No one out there seemed to care about your mental health and well-being. The only reason you were allowed to take a break from the university and return was because of your constant breakdowns that your lecturers called âdistractingâ and âunethicalâ. You were hoping that this drop-by in town would give you a physical and mental cleanse.
There was no place as hot as home, from where you had been. The blazing sun scorched onto the road. Carrying baggage by itself was already hard enough, but this heat was immensely torturing. You struggled to carry your belongings while trying to close the car boot at the same time. Oh, a pity. You had just returned home and you were slowly turning into a bundle of disorganization, unlike your previous methodical attitude.
âNeed a hand?â A familiar suede voice behind your shoulder sounded like music to your ears as you dropped all of your luggage and turned back to seeâŚ
âTaehyun!â Child best friend number one. You were looking at a once-innocent boy with doe eyes who had matured into a fine young man. His hair was dyed platinum blonde and, although younger than you, possessed a flair that was completely unlike his past self. His facial features were more prominent than ever and you wondered if all of your friends had developed as well as he had.
You locked your arms around his neck and embraced him as he took your baggage from you.
âYouâre so tall now!â You gasped in awe and looked him up and down.
âOf course I am! A boy has to grow, doesnât he?â
Speak of the devil(s), four people tagged behind Taehyun, waiting for you to notice their presence. All of them were just as tall (if not taller) than your blonde friend and stood out like a sore thumb. It wasnât just the height, their hair was also in very...exciting colors.
âCanât believe you forgot about us just for Taehyun.â Ah, that nasal voice was so recognizable. Choi Yeonjun, second-best friend. You cherished him like he was your secret weapon, a power waiting to be unleashed into your industrial world. Although older than Taehyun, they seemed to be the same height now. You couldnât tell because his new neon pink hair was waxed slick and puffy which made him look a teensy bit taller than his younger friend. You had seen him around on social media and he was a hair-changing chameleon.
Alongside Yeonjun was Hueningkai, better known as Kai in the friend group. He was the youngest one, constantly babied and spoiled, you could say. He was probably influenced by the rest of his friends too, his hair now in a mossy shade of blonde.Â
Poor Yeonjun, you completely disregarded his existence and dashed over to Kai instead, eagerly standing next to him to compare heights. The kid had grown so much, you couldnât tell if you were contented that he was now taller than you or dejected that you had missed so much when you werenât around.
âHey, wait up!â Someone from behind called. With Hueningkai and Yeonjun blocking your view you couldnât see who that one person walking next to Choi Beomgyu was.
Beomgyu, the last friend who joined the friend group. He was always a comedian and never failed to make your day. Although, he didnât seem so smiley anymore. You figured that it was school stress and adulting getting the best of him. We all had those days; you regrettably knew them like you knew the back of your hand . Unlike the rest of his friends, Beomgyuâs hair was kept in a natural shade of ivory brown. He had never been swayed by the rest of the crowd.
There were so many things to do, so many people to see. You had missed out on most of your growing: having fun with friends, staying up late at night just to watch the stars, dancing on your balcony. You had missed the people too. The town felt different from when you had left it.
âSoobin! Donât just stand behind, meet our friend! They just returned from the city, right?â Beomgyu ran over to you before giving you a little squeeze.
Whoâs Soobin?
âHey, Iâm Choi Soobin. Twenty-one this year. I moved here a few years ago. You must have left before I showed up.â A simple and concise introduction from the blue-haired man. Maybe he was the root of this hair-dyeing trend in town (pun very much intended), as well as the height trend since he was just as tall, if not taller than the rest of the boys.
You briefly introduced yourself but that was about it. You didnât know how to create small talk, nonetheless with someone completely unfamiliar to you.
Later that day, you wondered if he had replaced you, become another guardian in the friend group. As one of the oldest, you and Yeonjun were always known as the parents of your three âkidsâ, but Soobin seemed to take care of them equally well. Throughout the day, you watched his every action, how he helped Beomgyu with homework, how he styled Kaiâs hair, how he treated Taehyun to his favorite meal, exactly like what you did when you were still around. For once, you felt like the outsider.
Marshmallow Night had always been a tradition here. It was a five-of-you kind of thing, well, the six-of-you now. It had always been the go-to celebration whenever one of you hit a milestone, or was just held for fun. The days of joy where the only thing you had to worry about was whether your smores were burnt.
It had changed a lot over the years, you guys would add some new events to it and remove the ones you guys outgrew, like hopscotch.
You had missed most of its evolution.
Instead of being the main catalyst for todayâs event, you resorted to sitting at the side as Soobin took the lead, carrying tables back and forth as well as setting up the fire in a method that the five of you had never used.
Oh, how much you loathed him. You hated his innocent-looking face that spurred out words of authority and boastfulness. You couldnât stand how he looked so obnoxious with his bright blue hair, his dark brown eyes that held an impeccable gleam. He looked so cheeky, so mean, and worst of all, he had made all of your friends convert to mini spawns of him. Even Yeonjun, the oldest member, no longer felt like the Choi Yeonjun you once knew.
If you could, you would throw him out of your hometown, except that you seemed to be the outsider here. Anyone who walked past would see five people sitting on a huge log, helping each other light marshmallows and biscuits. They would barely notice the one person hunched over on the other side, sitting on the ground, eyes dazed and uninterested.
Occasionally one of the boys would call out to you, either hand you a sâmore or ask if you were alright, to which you responded, âIâm alright! Donât worry about me, Iâm having fun.â
Anyone could also see that you werenât in the zone, but you didnât want to ruin the moment and be a party pooper. You ended up spending most of the time scrolling on your phone, checking school emails, and such. It didnât feel like you were back home, it felt like you were on a vacation, on your own.
The commotion had died down, for the most part. Everyone else was either discussing school gossip in hushed voices or making the most of use of their electronic device. You were tempted to join the little heated conversation that Soobin and Beomgyu were having, but you didnât know who this âChaeyeonâ girl was and either way, you wouldnât want to voluntarily speak to Choi Soobin.
It wasnât long before both of them went to do something else, the only sound prevalent being the wood crackling from the bonfire and the occasional chirp of evening birds.
It was a loud, sucked-in breath that drew the attention of everyone, eyes pinned onto the instigator.
Choi Soobin, once again disrupting the peace of this curated environment. He ducked his head in apology and you were about to return to your world when Kaiâs curiosity got the best of him.
âWhy did you just do that?â His booming voice resounded over everyone else.
You werenât going to lie, you were curious too. It wasnât every day you heard a gasp like that.
Soobin looked back up, eyes wide and awake. He was excited about something but seemed to be masking it for the sake of..suspense?
âOkay. You guys know Yongsam Park right?â He put his phone down and tapped his hands on his thighs in a state of urgency.
Now that statement got everyoneâs attention. âItâs the flower place outside our town, everyone passes it when they enter. Of course we would know where the place is. Why are you so adamant about it?â Taehyun inquired.
âWell, have any of you gone inside the park? Or near the landmark in general?â
âNo. Why would we? Thereâs nothing to do there than to take pictures of boring flower statues.â You stated.
âSee. You guys donât know anything about the place.â He smirked tilting his head upwards and proudly crossing his arms.
âCould you cut to the chase and tell us what it is already?â Thank Yeonjun for his smart, impatient mouth.
Soobin didnât answer and merely flipped his phone so you could see whatever was on it. The only words you could make out were âYongsam...missing...carnivalâ and something related to the park before he turned it back, away from your view.
âYou canât just say that we donât know anything about this place then proceed to give us nothing about it.â You rolled your eyes, disinterested in the conversation once again.
âFine. Iâll send it to you.â Soobin rolled his eyes back as four of the other boys snickered. They loved seeing the two of you bicker.
In courtesy of Beomgyu who gave Soobin your number (without your consent), you received a news article and skimmed through it with eager eyes:
[WHATâS THE HYBE?]
YONGSAM PARK CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION, AUTHORITIES SAY
3 days ago
Whatâs the deal with Yongsam Park? Insiders say that, although bland and boring, Yongsam Park is currently under high-level investigation for the disappearance of a few citizens. The flower-decorated park is the perfect place to take Instagram-worthy pictures and is quite harmless in itself, so visitors were shocked to arrive at the park only to find it surrounded by heaps of yellow tape.
Yongsam Park was developed by Kim Yongsam, director of My Flowers, a multi-million florist franchise that has now spread to Japan and Taiwan. In a 2015 Interview with the millionaire, he mentioned that he had created the park in the inspiration of the rising ootd picture trend, also known as the outfit-of-the-day trend, which he had initially discovered from his teen daughter.Â
âI wanted to create a welcoming park for people of all ages, but I couldnât find a suitable place to do it without the budget being drastically high. In the end, my team and I found an abandoned site and decided to build a simple structure with lower costs up there. Props to my team for the discovery of this landmark. The scenery there, especially in the evening, is stunning .â He stated in the 2015 interview with Soup Magazine.
Whatâs the abandoned site? With the evidence that is still standing, Yongsam Park is rumored to have previously been a carnival. Said evidence is a worn-down carousel in the back of the park, along with piles of other burnt carnival decoration and equipment. With research, Yongsam Parkâs site may have once been an abandoned carnival that perished from an unknown wildfire. This may have been the primary cause of the drought that ensued in the 80s, leaving only a carousel and ashes behind. When questioned, Mr. Kim said that he had decided to leave the carousel standing behind the park due because he felt âdrawn by its alluring glowâ, as quoted.
Investigators and the local police have only enclosed the flower section of Yongsam Park because that was where the victims were spotted. They believe that disappearances took place there and are currently trying to find evidence to back up their stance. Most of this new information is not known to the public, however, Kim and his team are trying to keep it that way. The current disappearance count is seven people, the most recent case being two high-schoolers.
The carousel is still open and does not require a visitor ticket, but visitors are advised to take precautions and leave before the sun sets.
RELATED
TWO MORE BOYS HAVE DISAPPEARED AT THE NOW INFAMOUS YONGSAM PARK
5 days ago
FAMILY OF TOURISTS DISAPPEAR AT YONGSAM PARK, INSIDERS SAY THIS IS THE SECOND CASE OF DISAPPEARANCE HERE
2 weeks ago
JAPANESE COUPLE DISAPPEAR AT FLOWER PARK, NETIZENS CALL THE NEWS A POLITICAL DISTRACTION
3 weeks ago
âAre you seriously...telling us...that we should visit a place where people have been kidnapped?â Yeonjun gawked. âDude, thatâs so stupid. What if we die or something?â
âDonât say that! I was just curious if you guys wanted to go since itâs so near and since your old friend is back home.â
âItâs a dumb move. Iâm not risking my life just so I can celebrate the return of my friend. Not worth it.â Beomgyu huffed.
âHey! Youâre worth it, right?â Soobin glanced at you, waiting for a response.
He was...defending you? His ulterior motives were questionable and you werenât sure if he was protecting you because he cared about you (cue the puking) or solely because he wanted to go to Yongsam Park that bad.
You didnât reply and chose to drown out the wailing and chaos that ensued with your friends. You clicked on a related article below, curious to learn more about this lesser-known part of the park.
[WHATâS THE HYBE?]
TWO MORE BOYS HAVE DISAPPEARED AT THE NOW INFAMOUS YONGSAM PARK
5 days ago
Park Jongseong (20) and Nishimura Riki (15) mentioned to their friends that they would be heading to âa magical placeâ, before disappearing for around a week. They were last spotted walking through Yongsam Park, according to anonymous witnesses. This is the third case of disappearances at the park and both teens are the sixth and seventh people to go missing.
Both families reported their children missing just two days after their disappearance. With this case being the last straw, local authorities forcibly shut down Yongsam Park despite protests from staff and management.
Parents of the two minors refused to respond when called for an interview and HYBE reporters resorted to interviewing the victimsâ friends instead.
âJayâs never been a bad kid. Yeah, he might be late here and there, but he wouldnât skip class or fly across the country for vacation during school. I just donât understand why heâs not here with us. He wouldnât voluntarily disappear.â Park Sunghoon (19), a friend and classmate of Jongseong (who is better known as Jay among his friends) said.
âAlthough Iâm not close with Jay, I know Riki personally and I know for a fact that both of them wouldnât run away like that. Why, Riki was gearing up for a dance competition that heâs been excited about all year, and now heâs just gone? Like that? Riki has always been like my little brother, and heâll always be. I just want him back at my side.â A teary-eyed Lee Heeseung (20) says.
Netizens have been complaining about the lack of coverage on this issue.
âMaybe Mr. Kim spent all his money on covering this story up from the mainstream public. Thatâs why he had to build the stupid park on an abandoned sketchy site.â An anonymous netizen commented.
Regardless, weâll be keeping our prayers for Jongseong and Riki, as well as the five other victims, to return home soon.
â...you guys are such wimps.â That was the first thing you heard Soobin say when you tuned in to the conversation again.
How dare he say that? How dare he have the courage to call you, someone who moved out on your own at 16 to live in the big, scary world, a..wimp?
âLook, Choi Soobin. I may be a lot of things, but Iâm not a wimp. I didnât say that I wasnât interested on this trip.â You stand up and blurt out without thinking twice.
The rest of the boys are gawking at you, their mouths open wide in awe and shock. Yes, you werenât a wimp, that was for sure, but they had known you all their life as someone who could not stand going out into the wilderness. Maybe the big city had really changed you.
âAt least someone wants to go! Perfect. We can leave tomorrow at noon, bring your camping stuff!â Soobin grabbed his things and began walking away.
âCamping?â The five of you exclaimed in unison.
Taehyun, the rational member, gasped. âI, personally, wouldnât mind going to the carousel thing..or whatever it is, but I am not staying the night. Dude, are you nuts?â The rest of you nodded your heads in agreement.
âIt says in the article that we are advised to leave before the sun sets.â You point out, trying to keep your voice as steady as possible in fear of breaking this mask of false confidence, when in reality, you were terrified of this place.
Soobin turned back and eyed you down disinterestedly. âConclusion is that weâll bring a small backpack, or whatever you guys want to pack, and weâll stay there until eight. Deal?â
âSeven.â Hueningkai timidly said.
âWhatever you guys want.â
You hadnât been able to sleep last night. It wasnât due to fear of the place you were going, rather, you werenât too excited about having to spend half of your day around Soobin.
What were you going to say to him? You were definitely overthinking at this point.
You know, they always say that the person one hates the most is the one that they also love most. And when Soobin flipped his blue hair back or cheekily smiled, showing his endearing dimples, you couldnât help butâŚ
No! You loathe Choi Soobin. You couldnât stand his smile, or his hair, or his height. That evil moonwitch.
âHey, you ready to go?â Speak of the devil (or moonwitch), you spotted a fluff of blue hair in your peripheral vision.
You couldnât even muster up the courage to look back at him, merely nodding your head while staring at the white wall.
âWhy arenât you looking at me? Are you...scared?â You could see him wiggle his eyebrows as he made that statement.
That was it. You turned back at him. âYes I am. Iâm absolute terrified. I canât stand the fact that I have to forcibly spend my precious time around you. Itâs like Iâm about to voluntarily live a nightmare.â
Woah there, calm down. You had smoke spurting out of your ears at this point.
Soobinâs once excited face fell into one of disappointment. âYeah, itâs a nightmare having to be around you too. Gosh, the immaturity.â He left the room in haste as your eyes shot lasers through his well-toned back.
Maybe you had gone too far with the insult. He hadnât been mean to you at all, really.
Then again, he had been mean. He took your place when you werenât around. Suddenly, you were determined to get it back.
âHop on the magic school bus!â
âShut up, Yeonjun.â You deadpanned before leaning your head on his shoulder. The two of you were finally falling back into routine and you couldnât help but bask in this nostalgia.
You also couldnât help but notice how Soobin kept on looking through the rearview mirror at the both of you, pupils darting away once you locked eyes with him.