#pentagon fluff

You on the other hand haven’t waited around for nothing while you were away, and Wooseok knew he had no right to be upset, but the fact that you kissed other people while you were gone hurt. It also fills him with regret and a sense of self-loathing, as he watches you play around in the very same pool you kissed in at the beginning of summer. Your hair is wet and swept back and your cheeks are red from the sun or the undying laughter on your lips. He wishes to be the source of that laughter again, but you haven’t really spoken since your return. It’s weird, because it used to be so very different. You used to talk every single day and you used to play silly pranks and you used to call him your best friend. Now he is just some guy staring at you from the side of the pool, it seems. Eventually you catch him looking, a timid smile on your lips when you meet his gaze.

“Did you wanna come in?” You ask, and Wooseok knows this is your attempt to reach out to him, to try and fix the awkwardness, but all he can think of is who else you asked the same question to over the summer and if they said yes and if you kissed them in the water the way you kissed him, so he shakes his head. You press your lips together and Wooseok knows he made a mistake, knows he’s being childish, but it seems he can’t stop himself from acting foolish when it comes to you. 

“You’re so dumb,” Hyunggu comments, letting himself plop down onto the sunbed next to him, “I didn’t tell you about y/n’s summer hook up just so you could act like a depressed loser.”

Wooseok frowns at his friend, upset to be called out over behavior he is already beating himself up about, “What did you tell me for then?”

“To wake you up, obviously. Y/n isn’t going to endlessly wait for you just because you’re too much of a coward to act. And they aren’t going to run after you either. They already made the first move, more than once actually. It’s your turn to do something, or you’ll lose them. Don’t be such a fool.”

Wooseok doesn’t meet his friend’s gaze, instead staring at his bare feet, “Isn't it too late already?”

“Maybe. Or maybe not. Only one way to find out, right?” Hyunggu gives him a pat before leaning back in his sunbed, closing his eyes to enjoy the feeling of the sunshine on his skin. Wooseok can’t bring himself to do the same, can’t bring himself to relax. His eyes keep flickering back to you. Hyunggu is right, there is only one way to find out, and he’d hate himself for not at least giving it a shot.

He takes a deep breath, and then he gets up and jumps right in, the fresh water splashing around him. You turn your head in surprise.

“Actually I did want to,” Wooseok says, and although he isn’t even saying anything risky, he can hear his own heartbeat, loud and fast, as he waits for your reaction. When you smile, he feels himself flooded by the same sense of relief that he sees in your eyes. You wade over to him but you don’t say anything, leaving the ball in his court, and honestly, it’s fair enough because you’ve tried to approach him several times already. But it’s hard to muster up the courage. He stares at his hands under the water, watches the blurry silhouette of his fingers, before he finally looks back up at you. “I missed you this summer.”

You come a little closer, “Yeah, me too.”

He swallows down the little surge of bitterness that wants to crane its ugly head, because what point is there in asking why you kissed someone else then, if you’re standing in front of him right now, giving him your time and attention and no one else.

“I’m sorry for being weird before you left. And since you came back.”

“Yeah,” you nod, “you were kind of being a dick.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine if you don’t want to be anything more, but it kinda sucks you didn’t just tell me.”

“It’s not that,” Wooseok is quick to disagree, “I just—I’m an idiot.”

“So, you do… want to?”

“I do,” He reaches for your hand under the water, timidly tugging at your fingers, “I really do. I was just scared.”

“I’m scared too,” you say and your voice is soft and quiet, and your expression is so vulnerable it almost hurts to look at you, “But maybe we can tackle that fear together?”

Wooseok feels the smile spreading on his face, “I’d like that,” he leans in, resting his forehead against yours, “I’d really like that.”

You’re smiling too and your gaze flickers between his eyes and mouth, “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Wooseok reaffirms, but before the syllable has even fully left his lips, you already shut him up with a kiss that tastes a bit like chlorine and a lot like the start of something really good.

“Oh, fucking finally,” he hears Hyunggu mumble from the side of the pool, but he has better things to do than pay him any mind. After all, he finally has you in his arms, no more missed opportunities hanging between the two of you.

The first time you laid eyes on him, you were at a disco-themed club. He had a silver suit on and a large collared shirt. His strawberry-cream hair stood out to you in the midst of the crowd. You couldn’t see anyone else as he glided around the LED squares. He caught you staring and winked. And for the first time in a long time, you were flabbergasted.

Maybe it was the amount of liquid confidence you drank. But you danced up to him and asked if he'd like to dance with you. He smiled, and soon you were in each other’s arms and spinning around to the songs together. It took another song before you asked if you could kiss him, and he nodded. When you pulled away, you both were blushing red, but he initiated the second kiss as you two slowly rocked back and forth. 

When the night ended, and you parted ways, you realized you never caught his name, too caught up in the feeling of having his lips on yours. You sighed as you got into bed, and your roommate, who was still up, asked, “So, how was the disco?” You shook your head, “It was magical. Yet, I never learned his name.” He laughs, “Damn, you should have.” He looks at the time, “Shit, how long did you make out with him?” You look at the time and see it’s three in the morning, “I thought you were going to be home at one!” You laugh, “Did you base your sleep schedule on when I returned?” He huffs, “Yes, usually you have two drinks and come home.” You shake your head, “Yeah, but that was before I saw him.” He sighs, “Did you at least get his number?” You pout, “No.” He shakes his head at you, “And you say I’m hopeless.” You sigh, “You have me there.” 

You throw yourself onto your bed, and he follows suit, throwing himself on his own,  “Did you end up going on a date today?” He nods, “Yeah, it was successful.” You pout, “Fucker.” He laughs, “But I didn’t make any bases.” You do a little fist bump in the air, “I win!” He rolls his eyes, “At least I know her name.” You shrug, get under the covers, and go, “Whatever, good night, Joo.” “Good night, (Y/n).” 

---

The second time you met him, you still didn’t know he was your best friend’s older brother. You watch as his band performs at your college’s packed bar. His strawberry-cream hair still drawing you to him. But hearing his singing voice and watching as his fingers glide across the fretboard of his guitar had you enraptured. You just had to know more.

When his band leaves the stage, you return to drinking and conversing with the people around you. You're asking for a second drink. When someone asks sweetly, “Is this seat taken?” You turn your head to see him again and shake your head no, and he sits beside you. You still can't believe he came up to you, but come up with, “I didn’t know you could sing?” He grins, “It’s my major!” You laugh, and he finally tells you his name, “I forgot to introduce myself the last time we were with each other, but I’m Hoetaek, but almost everyone calls me Hui.” You grin and introduce yourself, and he says, “That’s a beautiful name.” You blush and thank him. 

You talked more than you had kissed, but you still couldn’t get enough of him. He left you starstruck. You wanted to know everything and more about him, like what his favorite songs were and his favorite kind of weather. You went back home, and your best friend was already fast asleep, having learned his lesson from last time. His name should have rang a bell, but you still couldn’t place where you’d heard his name before as you fell asleep.

You didn’t register it until you were brushing your teeth in the morning. You gasped as you brushed your teeth, “Hoetaek?” You rushed to your roommate’s photo frames, toothbrush still in your mouth. And there they stood at the beach together. Your best friend was disgruntled in the photo while Hui was smiling wildly. You clutch your shirt, not believing the coincidence. You drag your feet back and finish brushing your teeth. “No fucking way.” You had always heard about his older brother, the absolute dork, and here you were, making out with the said dork. For a dork, he certainly knew how to kiss. You went to class and shook off the thought. He probably didn’t even know you were best friends with his little brother. Just like how you didn’t realize he was your best friend's older brother. 

---

The next time you saw him, you were sitting with Joo on a blanket, studying on the campus grounds, when he came up. “Hey, did you get mom’s text?” Joo blinked at him before quickly grabbing his phone and looking, “Oh, she wants us this home this weekend?” He nods, “Yeah.” Joo asks, “Are you going to go?” Hui shrugs, “I have band practice.” You tune them out, fantasizing about what it would be like to kiss him again. You shook your head at those thoughts because he's supposed to be Joo's dorky older brother. But you couldn't help it. 

Joo interrupts your thoughts, “Oh, (Y/n).” You look at him, and he says, “I never introduced you to Hoetaek. Hui this (Y/n), and (Y/n), this is Hui.” His cheeks were red as he smiled at you and shook your hand, “It’s nice to meet you again.” You blushed as you shook his, “Yeah. I didn’t realize you were Joo’s older brother.” He laughs, “I didn’t realize you were his best friend.” Joo goes, “Ahem,” and you both immediately detach. Joo crosses his arms, “How do you two know each other?” You scramble to find an answer, and Hui says, “We met at the disco club two weeks ago.” Joo nods, “You could have told me you two knew each other.” You shake your head, “We didn’t realize who the other was.” He nods, and Hui gets up from the blanket, “I have to walk to class now, but I’ll pick you up on Friday night.” Joo nods, and when he is far enough away. Joo goes, “Tell me everything.” 

You blushed, “I um, I didn’t realize he was your dorky older brother. Firstly, he was an amazing dancer. And I… may have ended up exchanging a few kisses with him.” He groans, “Ew… He was the whole reason your night was magical?” You nod, and he squints, “Nothing further?” You shake your head, “Unless you consider that we met at his gig a week ago, too…” His jaw drops, “Holy fuck. You two left out a major detail…” You blush and hide your head in your hands, “I know.” He shakes his head, “I’ve always thought of you as my sibling, but you didn’t have to make it official.” You whine, “I know.” And he goes, “Again, you know he’s not cool unless he's in his element.” You pull your hands away, “You’ve said that, but I’ve met him in his element, and god he’s…” He deadpans, “I do not need to know.” You smirk and tease, “Are you sure? I thought you loved hearing the details?” He rolls his eyes, “Yes, I’m sure. I do not need to know whether or not he’s a good kisser.” You smirk, “He is.” He sighs, shaking his head, “Anyways… Do you like him?” You look down at your hands, “I think so.” He smiles, “Well, when are you gonna make a move?” You blush, “Joo...” And he goes, “Well, now that I have the opportunity for you to become my sibling officially. I want this process to speed up a little faster.” You roll your eyes and go back to studying. 

As you’re finishing your homework, you hear Joo say, “Hey, Mom!” You hear her sweet voice over the phone, “Oh, honey, I was wondering when you would get my text!” You look at him to see the smirk gracing his lips, “I was wondering, (Y/n) has nowhere to go this weekend… Can they come too?” You glare at him. And you hear her go, “Oh, of course, we love having (Y/n) over!” He tells her sweetly, “Thanks, mom!” And she asks, “Anything else, honey?” “No, we'll see you this weekend. Love you.” “Love you more!” When he hangs up, “You little-!” You tackle him immediately, and he cackles as you tickle him, “You brat!” He laughs even harder, “You’ll thank me later.” You roll off of him and finish your homework, refusing to talk to him. “I thought you loved my parents?” He asks with a pout, “I love them. You, however? Not so much.” He shakes his head, “If you say so.” You sigh, and you both walk back to your dorm room together. 

---

You don’t see him again until Joo opens the door and lets you in behind him. You kick off your shoes and turn to look towards the living room to see him sitting there playing guitar. If you didn't have no way back to the college, you would have taken your belongings and ran for the hills. Why is he already here? You thought you'd at least have an hour before you had to face the music. Your brain is unraveling fast, and you do everything to lie low. 

But with Joo talking to you in the hall, it was enough to be spotted by him. You gulp as he stops strumming and waves to you, and you wave back. Joo turns at that, and he smiles, “Hui! You’re home!” He grins at his brother as he gets up and hugs him. Joo whines about his hug but accepts it anyway, “I thought you were going to be late because of your band practice?” Hui shakes his head, “No, I told them I was heading home for the weekend.” Joo hums and tries to wiggle out of the hug, and Hui whines, “I thought you were happy to see me!” And Joo goes, “I was!” And he mutters, “Until you kept hugging me.” Hui laughs before he lets him go, and you both awkwardly smile at each other before he goes back to his guitar. 

You both give a quick hello to his parents before dragging your bags up the stairs to Joo’s room. As you walk to his door, you can’t get the sight of Hui out of your head. The memories of kissing him play in the back of your mind, ruining your resolve of a peaceful weekend. Joo and you take time to set up your air mattress, and he giggles, “You sure you want to sleep in my room?” You gasp, “It is my best friend privilege!” He smirks, “Yeah, but don’t you wish to sleep next to your crush?” You squint, “Oh, so that's how it is.” He smirks, “I’m teasing you forever for falling for my brother.” You groan, “I should have never told you!” He smirks, “But you couldn’t keep a secret like that from your best friend and roommate, could you?” You groan again, “I’d try.” He continues smirking, “I’d find out anyway.” You sigh, “I’m starting to see how you’re the little brother.” He pouts, “Hey, that was mean.” You roll your eyes, and with the mattress finally filled, you cap it as he unplugs the blower, and you both head downstairs. 

When you reach the kitchen, their dad looks away from the pot he's stirring, “Oh, (Y/n)! Have you ever met our eldest, Hui?” Hui, who is currently wearing an apron and cracking eggs, causing your heart to burst into a million pieces. You smile, scrubbing the heart-melting moment from your mind, “Yeah, we’ve met.” Hui turns around and smiles at you. His dad grins, “How did you two meet? I know how you met Joo. You both are roommates.” You turn red as his dad flips the vegetables in the pan, and Joo nudges you to say something. And you go, “We met at a disco night.” His dad gasps, “You know disco?” You laugh as you nod, “Yeah, I love it.” He sighs in relief, “Ahh good, you can move in forever if you’d like.” You cackle, and Joo goes, “Where’s Ma?” And Hui says, “Back in the garden.” Joo grins, “Okay, later!” 

He exits the kitchen, and you’re still standing in front of the island. Hui asks, “You’re not joining him?” You shake your head, “I know better than to leave when food is about to be served.” Hui laughs, and his dad asks, “Can you get the plates out?” You nod, walk around the island, open the first cabinet, and pull out five plates. You set them out, head to the silverware drawer, and grab utensils for everyone. They finish what they’re making as you get a seat for yourself as you do. Their dad comes over, “I’m sorry I would have gotten that out sooner! I forgot you were coming.” You shrug, “It’s okay, Mr. Lee. It’s just a chair.” He pouts, “But you’re our guest.” You shake your head, “It’s okay.” And he sighs, “Okay.” 

Hui comes over, and you ask, “When did you get here?” He looks at the clock, “About an hour and a half before you two.” You nod, and he places his dish in the middle while his dad calls for the other two to come in for dinner. Your heart is hammering out of your chest, but you try to be cool about it. He opens his mouth to say something. And before he can get a syllable out, the rest of his family returns. Joo sits beside you, and Hui sits across from both of you. You speak minimally throughout the dinner, just focused on eating and trying not to think about the man across from you. 

---

While Joo snores peacefully on his bed, all cuddled up, you can’t help but roll to your side again. Even after begging to whatever’s up there, you’ll fall asleep. You can’t. You sigh as you get up, deciding to get a glass of water. You fill up your glass, drink a few sips, and head back towards Joo’s room. You hear music coming from the basement with nothing better to do. You decide to investigate. You shut the door behind you and start walking down the steps. 

And that’s where you see him again. He’s playing guitar along to the radio and humming the tune. He hears your footsteps as you come down the creaky old wood and looks back at you, and you ask, “Do you mind if I join you?” He shakes his head no, and you come in further, and he goes, “I come down here when everyone’s sleeping, so I don’t wake them up.” You nod, and he gestures for you to sit beside him, “Can’t sleep?” You softly tell him no as you sit down next to him. It felt awkward to be alone with him again. Because the last time you were perfect strangers making out in a bar. And now you were in an odd dynamic of him being the older brother to your best friend. Not knowing what to say, you sit there and listen to him play along to the radio.

As the next song starts, he grins, “I haven’t heard this since I was in high school.” He starts playing along effortlessly, and you smile, “It’s Led Zeppelin.” He smiles, “Dazed and Confused.” As the song nears its end, he asks, “Did Joo invite you?” You scrunch your nose, “No, rather, he asked his mom to let me come over in front of me.” He hums, “He’s always been an odd one.” You laugh, “What about you? You never skip band practice.” He smiles, “I finally had a reason too.” You blink at him, and he says, “I heard you were staying here.” You blush, and he asks, “Do you always stay here on breaks?” You nod, “Yeah, ever since I’ve become best friends with Joo.” He nods, “Interesting.” After a moment, you ask, “Do you remember the first time we met?” He smiles, “I couldn’t forget it.” You blush, “Me neither.” He asks softly, “Is that why you can’t sleep?” You hum, “Something along those lines.” 

He stops playing and puts his guitar on its stand. He turns towards you, “Is it because my brother is your best friend?” You tilt your head, “Well, no.” He waits for you to continue, “It’s more so the fact that we’re under the same roof.” He holds his hand out to you, and you carefully take it in yours, and you ask, “Is it weird because I’m your little brother’s best friend?” He shakes his head, “No. But maybe it's a little awkward that we’re in my parent's house, though.” You laugh, “Yeah.” He smiles and squeezes your hand, “It kinda reminds me of being a teenager again.” And the two of you laugh. 

The radio starts playing a slow song by Smokey Robison, “Would you like to dance with me?” You smile, “I’d love to.” He pulls you up, and you both sway to the music, but instead of kissing, you talk. You ask, “Is it true that you’re out of your element outside of music?” He blushes, “Yeah. If you met me in the florist shop I work at, I would have shriveled up and asked Hyunggu to run the cash register.” You laugh as you softly tell him, “I would have still found you dreamy.” His cheeks are red as he asks, “Really?” You smile, “Yeah.” 

He twists you under the recessed lightning, and you two giggle as you spin around. You can’t help but get lost in his eyes and wonder what it would be like to kiss him again. You ask softly, “Would it be bad to say I really want to kiss you right now?” He giggles as he says, “No, I want to kiss you too.” You tangle your fingers in his hair as you place your lips on his, and he reciprocates. You both slowly sway to the song as you kiss. When you both pull away, he leans his forehead on yours, and you play with his pink locks. He looks into your eyes and asks, “Would you want to get breakfast with me tomorrow? Like as a date?” You can’t help but grin as you tell him, “Yes.” He kisses you again, and you both giggle into it. 

When the song ends, you sit back on the couch closer than before. You both stay up the whole night talking. As the clock reaches five in the morning, you yawn. And he smiles, “You should probably head upstairs to bed.” You yawn again and agree, “Yeah.” You get up off the couch before looking at him again, “I can’t wait for our date.” He smiles, “I can’t wait either.” You hear him yawn as you round the couch to the stairs, “Good night, Hui.” He smiles, “Good night, (Y/n).” You head upstairs, open the door, walk to the kitchen, clean your empty glass, and head to bed. When you finally rest your head on your pillow, you fall asleep. 

You wake up to Joo loudly stretching, “Dude. You’re so loud.” He rolls his eyes before he stares at you, “You weren’t here when I rolled over at one in the morning.” You look at everything but him, “I got a glass of water.” He hums, “Is that why you weren’t back until 5 am?” You sigh, “Nothing can get past you, can it?” He laughs before he asks, “So?” You sigh, “I just wanted to investigate where the music was coming from.” He leans his chin on his hand, “Yeah?” You blush, “And then we danced and talked until then.” He tilts his head, “Did you not confess?” You smile as you move the blanket away, “Something better.” 

He gasps in horror, “Not underneath my roof!!” You shake your head, “No! That’s not what I meant! And this is your parent’s roof!” He cackles, “So, what is it?” You smile, “We kissed a few times throughout the night, and he asked me to go to breakfast with him.” He gasps, “Omg?! We have to get you dressed nicely!” He pulls you up fast, and you both dig through your travel bag and find something nice to wear. “Okay, go to the bathroom! If he comes up before you’re ready. I’ll distract him.” You laugh and high-five him, “Thanks, Joo!” You rush into the bathroom and freshen up, and you hear outside Hui coming up the stairs. 

Joo asks, “So, was it you or (Y/n) that asked first?” Hui blushes as he rubs the back of his neck, “Well, we were dancing in my room, and they asked if it was bad if they wanted to kiss me. And I told them ‘No,’ that I wanted to kiss them too.” And Joo goes, “And?” Hui turns bright red as he says, “They kissed me first.” Joo smirks, “That’s my best friend!” Hui laughs, “Then I asked them to go to breakfast with me.” Joo claps his hand on his shoulder, “You know, for being a musical nerd, I didn’t know you had it in you. But man, I can’t be prouder.” Hui wrinkles his nose, “Ouch. But thanks. So, how did your date last week go?” Joo nods before telling him. 

The two talk for a few more minutes before you return from the bathroom. Joo leaves you two to head downstairs to the kitchen and sits at the table as his parents make coffee. His mom asks, “Are (Y/n) and Hui joining us?” He shakes his head no, “You’ll see.” They both draw their attention to the stairs, waiting for the two of you to appear. 

In the quiet hallway, you tell him softly, “I like your black and white striped sweater.” He grins as he tells you that he likes your outfit. After another beat of silence, Hui asks if you’d like to hold hands on the way cause the diner is just a block away, and you smile as you agree. You walk down the stairs hand in hand, and his parents gasp as Joo grins. They whisper and ask him, “Oh, they’re going on a date?” He nods, “Yeah!” You walk over, and both bid them goodbye, and Hui tells them where you’re going before leaving. 

---

His dad smiles, “So, do you have all the details?” And Joo grins as if shining an apple on his shirt. He blows his hand and wipes it on his shirt, “Of course I do. They’re my brother and best friend couple.” He tells them how you two met at his gig, and his dad says, “We knew that, though.” He smirks, “Did you know the two kissed?” His parents gasped, “No, did they know each other then?” He shakes his head, “They didn’t know until after they met at his gig.” He shares a few more details before his mom asks, “How did they end up going on a date then if neither of them confessed to their feelings?” He smirks as he gets to rat them out, “They were in his room last night, and they danced to classic rock songs. And Hui finally confessed.” His mom grins, “Oh, that’s so sweet.” 

---

You walk hand in hand down the block, swinging your arms, talking about various things. You open the door for you two, and you both walk in and sit down across from each other at a table for two behind the interior wall. You look at Hui, admiring him as you wait for your waiter, his black beret making him look even cuter than before. You smirk, “Loverboy? Is that true?” He blushes as he remembers the branding on his hat, “For you, yeah.” You blush and look down, “Hui…” He grins, his cheeks red as he lifts your chin and winks, “You’re cute when you’re blushing.” You shake your head, “You’re cuter.” He pulls his finger away as the waiter comes over, hands you each a menu, and asks what you'd like to drink. You tell him, and he comes back shortly with the drinks and gives you time to figure out what you want for breakfast. 

He returns and gets your orders before putting them in the kitchen. Hui puts his left hand up on the table, and you smile as you catch onto what he means and place your left hand against his before interlocking your fingers. He grins and moves your hands back and forth happily, and you can’t help but grin and squeeze his hand in yours. He asks you questions about yourself, and you ask them back after answering. You smile as you realize you’re learning more about Hoetaek, the kind and silly, than Hui, the older musical nerd in the family. And you can’t help but feel endeared. 

The waiter brings your food, and your hands part to eat. He makes you laugh as whipped cream coats his lips, and he laughs as you get some on your nose. He licks his lips, and before you wipe the whipped cream from your nose, he grabs his napkin and swipes his napkin over your nose. “All better.” You shake your head and smile, and he’s grinning right back. 

You finish up your breakfast, and before he has a chance to pay, you do. And he pouts, “But I asked you out on this date. I should have paid.” You wink, “There’s always next time.” He gasps before he grins, “You’re right.” He wraps his arm around your waist, and you smile as you do the same, wrapping your arm around his. You grin, and as you walk through town, he softly hums along to the songs playing, and you can’t help but smile and do the same. You both walk-in time at each other’s pace, strolling around before heading back to his house.

When you reach the front door, he asks, “So, when we head back tomorrow. Will you attend my gig as my special guest?” You grin, “I’d love to.” He smiles and kisses your cheek before unlocking the door and letting you in first. Joo sits on the couch, watching TV. He looks at you two, “So how was it?” You blush, “It was nice.” And Hui goes, “I’m glad I got the courage to ask.” Hui asks, “You don’t mind if we’re together for the rest of the day?” Joo shakes his head, “Nah, I hang out with you two too much. I need some alone time, too.” You cackle, “As if you aren't texting people twenty-four-seven in there.” He rolls his eyes, “Yeah, but it’s hard to text people when someone is talking about how handsome my brother is.” You gasp, “Mean!” 

He cackles, “Yeah.” Before he shoos you two away, “Go have fun. You can tell me all about your date later!” You both smile, and he leads you to the basement door, “What do you say to me, you, and my favorite records?” You grin, “Well, considering your taste in music… Hell yeah.” He smiles, and you both walk down the stairs. And you dance and talk until its dinner time. 

“We organized it so it’s more comfortable for us to eat!” His dad says all cheerily, and he has you sit at the end of the table while Hui is on one side and Joo is on the other, and he happily sits across from his wife. You immediately say, “You didn’t have to.” And he shakes his head, “I was going to do this the other day, but I didn’t get time to.” The five of you laugh, and underneath the table, Hui holds your hand, rubbing his thumb against the back of your hand, and you can’t help but smile as you eat. 

Hongseok

After you lick food from his face, he’ll keep eating like it’s a normal occurrence. Which it probably could be. He’ll even go as far as saying, “You missed a spot,” and point to his cheek. He wants you to give him a little kiss because he likes the little moments between you two. Even if others think it’s gross or too much pda, he thinks it’s cute.

Shinwon

If you just suddenly licked food from his face, it would scare him so bad, he would react as if he’s about to dropkick a fly. Man’s got fisticuffs at the ready and a mouth full of food. It’s the stuff comedy’s made out of. If you don’t fall to the floor laughing at his ridiculous reaction, you’re dating the wrong guy. If he doesn’t start choking on his food after being scared so bad, it’s pure luck. You’ll have to apologize through your laughter and make sure he’s okay.

Yeo One

At first, he’s a little embarrassed. Not because he got caught with food on his face or that you licked it up out of all methods. But he’s embarrassed because the roles should be reversed. He’d rather be the one to lick food off your face because he’s the one who’s supposed to take care of you. His chivalry is comical because he’ll take the next chance to smear something on your face instead so he can return the favor. “Babe, please, just let me.” I can hear his pouty voice now.

Yanan

He’ll actually notice the food smudged on his face and go to reach for a napkin. Of course before he can wipe it off, you lean over and give it a good lick. This sweet man will giggle and still habitually wipe his mouth with the napkin. I swear to god he’s so cute, you guys. He’ll thank you and ask if there’s anything else on his face.

Yuto

The man would literally be too stunned to speak. He’d be lucky if he doesn’t choke should he be in the middle of chewing his food. The way his head snaps in your direction after you lick his face is almost comical, and he’s completely wide eyed like he can’t believe you just did that. Which he can’t. He just stares at you, completely frozen, for a good two minutes while you continue eating with a smirk on your face. He might pat his face and feel for any more crumbs around his mouth before he keeps eating. He’s not sure what to say or if he should say anything at all, so it’s best for him to just pretend nothing happened.

Kino

Geez the smirk that would just appear on this man’s face. He’ll take his fingers to his mouth where you just licked him. So when he finds nothing, he just assumes you did it to get a reaction out of him. He’ll lean over and lick the corner of your mouth the same way like it’s a game. You may or may not laugh, but you protest halfheartedly like “what the heck.” He tries to keep kissing you after that and you have to convince him to let you finish eating before you get up to any other activities.

Wooseok

**TW: Mention of break-in/pet death (it was a fish.)**

.

"And do you know anyone who might want to act maliciously against you?" the police officer asked, his gaze solely focused on you.

"I-I don't," you stuttered, completely overwhelmed. How did they expect you to answer all of their questions when your world was crashing down around you?

"Can we have a minute?" Hongseok asked, tucking you further into his side.

"We need to-" the officer began but immediately halted their words as Hongseok leveled them with a glare.

"I'm asking for a minute," he insisted. "Not the whole night. Let them calm down."

The officer sighed before flipping his notebook closed and motioning for the two of you to stand off to the side. You finally looked up from your shoes and to your apartment door that was now marked as a crime scene.

"Hongseok-" you croaked, shaking your head.

"Shhh," he hummed. You were positive that if he could pull you any closer he would. "I know. Let's have a sit."

Bringing you toward the staircase, he held the bulk of your weight as your slumped toward the carpet. Taking a deep breath as soon as you were seated, you allowed Hongseok to position you to lean against him. For a moment, you were frozen with dismay. Were you being dramatic? Was your reaction too over the top? You knew they were just things...but they were your things.

After Hongseok informed the production crew as to what was going on, you had gone numb. You wanted so badly to get into your apartment, but he was right. The best thing to do was to wait until the police arrived. Once they did, the area was secured and you were allowed to do a quick walk-through of the place you called your home.

It didn't feel like home anymore. What was left could only be described as a shell of what you once knew. Everything had been either destroyed or stolen. Every nook and corner were somehow haunted, the memories of your happiest moments cycling against one another in an attempt to cover up the reality of what was happening.

Whoever had broken in had stolen the most important things, your comfort and security. Aside from that, your furniture was trashed, stabbed, and sprayed down with paint. Vulgar messages were scrawled across the walls in English AND Korean. Your laptop was missing, as was your tablet and several other electronics. The staff had instantly begun tasking you in trying to recall anything that was taken and could be used as blackmail. Luckily, you didn't think you had any. Living in a day and age where things were so easy to be hacked, you tended to avoid keeping anything scandalous lying around. Plus, they employed excellent social media trainers when this whole thing started and you had done a grand deletion of anything questionable then.

The heaviest blow though, had to have been Jinki.

You knew he was just a goldfish, but he didn't deserve to be strung up in your living room as if his life never mattered.

And yes, you had named your goldfish after a member of Shinee, what of it?

"Drink," Hongseok said quietly, handing you a bottle of water that had seemingly materialized out of no where.

You looked at him moodily. "Jinki will never drink again."

"Jinki would want you to be hydrated," he encouraged, pressing the drink into your hands. "And he didn't drink water, he breathed it."

"This is just so messed up," you muttered, humoring him and doing as he said.

"Who would do this?" he whispered, rubbing his forehead. "I understand there are sasaengs, but to go to this level?"

Judging by the words written across your walls, it was definitely a "fan" that was responsible for the crime.

"The online hate was one thing," you said quietly. "I expected it to a certain degree, but I didn't think it would escalate."

"K-pop is such a global and attainable thing now," Hongseok nodded. "There are more fans than ever. I know it's silly not to think any of our supporters capable of this, but..."

"Has the lineup been announced publicly at all?" you asked, tilting your head. The dates were meant to be a surprise for you, but you knew details were commonly leaked online.

"Not that I know of," he sighed. "I mean, of course there's been rumors in the industry of what groups would be participating, but is that really enough to make someone snap?"

"I don't think it takes much to make any given person snap," you muttered. "We could try to reconcile it all day, but really, it's just senseless."

"We can't continue the show," Hongseok said slowly, side-eying you. "Your safety is more important than this."

You hadn't had time to give it much thought, but you figured he was right. The sensible part of you agreed that it was time to shut it all down, but the obstinate part of you pushed in the other direction. You didn't want to give up. You couldn't let the people who did this run you off, but how were you supposed to move forward?

First your apartment...what was next? When would a fan show up at filming and do something even more drastic?

How were you supposed to feel safe ever again?

.

Picking up the pieces of your broken life was one of the hardest things you had ever done.

After the police had finished up at your place, you salvaged what you could and packed it up in a few boxes before the My Idol crew whisked you away to the nearest hotel. To their credit, it was a very nice one that you could never have afforded yourself, but it didn't lessen the sting of the cause for your visit.

And for Hongseok's part, he didn't leave your side until the staff had forced him...into a hotel room down the hall.

To both your delight and horror, the entire show's operation was locking down. You would still be going off the premises for dates (with heavily increased security) but any time a contestant appeared, they would be shipped off to the safety of what had become the My Idol compound.

There was no shutting down production under any circumstances.

You had signed a contract after all, with no escape clauses for this type of situation.

Sighing to yourself, you pulled on an oversized sweatshirt and a pair of shorts. Grabbing the ice bucket, you shuffled to your door and gave three knocks. That was the "code" if you needed to leave.

Instantly, you heard the click of your lock (that you weren't allowed the key to) and the door swung toward you. Smiling in the hall was the security officer for the night shift, Insu. "Going somewhere?"

"Ice," you sighed, smiling sadly up at him. Although you had known this man for less than 24 hours, he was already a comforting presence. Standing at least a foot taller, and broad enough to take over half the door way, he was a force to be reckoned with.

And it may not have mattered, but it was worth mentioning...of course he was good looking.

"Optimal time for a late night stroll," he grinned, motioning at you to step into the hall. Walking past him, you tried not to look too long, but it was difficult. While his face was generally unmarred, a long scar was evident from the corner of his left eye, all the way to his jaw. It didn't make him any less handsome, obviously, but added a certain amount of character you weren't expecting. You weren't rude enough to stare or ask, but you were curious of the backstory.

"How's your day going?" you tried, ambling in the direction of the small room that held vending machines and the like.

"Great," he answered calmly, nodding at another security officer stationed by a different hotel room door. You wondered to yourself if Hongseok or Jungkook were locked inside. "I would ask how your day is, but I have a sneaking suspicion I already know the answer."

You felt your lips tug up at this. "It's going better than it was a few hours ago. I think I'm still in shock, honestly."

"That's understandable," he agreed. "Even before today, this world was new to you."

You hummed in response. He was right. Since this show had started, you were trying to navigate new ground, but today had completely upended everything you thought you knew. "How long have you been in security?"

"I did similar work in the military," he acknowledged. "Once I got out, this is what made sense."

"So that means..." you trailed.

"Seven years," he chuckled. "Including the two while I served."

"No way," you gasped, pausing to turn toward him. "How old are you then?"

This startled another laugh from him. "Twenty five."

"Oh," you said quietly before beginning to walk again. "So you joined right after high school then?"

"I did," he confirmed. "I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life and I thought it would be nice to have another two years to consider it."

"Sorry if I'm prying," you winced, worried that you were pestering him while he was just trying to do his job.

"That's not necessary," Insu said. You weren't going to look over your shoulder, but you were certain their was a smile hidden in his deep tone. "It's important that you know who is protecting you."

Turning into the room with the ice machine, you placed your container in the appropriate area and waited. After some loud crunching and getting ice nearly everywhere around your feet, it was time to head back.

"Let me," he insisted, taking the small bucket from your hands.

"It's not heavy," you laughed, glancing up at him.

"Did I say it was?" he hummed, a spark of something playful in his expression.

"Just being a gentleman then, got it," you hummed, allowing him to fall behind you again.

"It's quite literally my job to make this a little easier for you," he affirmed. "But I'll take the compliment."

Walking back down the hall, he turned the conversation your way. After answering a series of questions about schooling and your career, it wasn't long before you were at your door again.

You weren't expecting to feel so...disappointed.

"Get settled in for the night," Insu advised, handing the bucket back over to you. "Hyuk will be taking over in the morning."

"Right," you nodded. "Goodnight then."

"Sleep well."

Closing the door between you felt much louder than it should have. Shaking your head, you tried to clear your thoughts. It had been a long day. It was natural to try to find comfort in anyone that had crossed your path.

"Of course," you whispered to yourself. That's exactly what it was.

..

Hyuk was not nearly as graceful as Insu.

"Sorry," he grumbled, shouldering open the stairway door. He wasn't much taller than you and was likely old enough to be your father. "This building must be old."

"Right," you laughed nervously, stepping around him and toward the lobby area.

Being in one central location wasn't so bad, but you weren't sure how transportation would work.

"He's already at the destination," Hyuk said, as if reading your thoughts. You nodded absently at him as you saw the My Idol SUV already parked outside. Admittedly, you were exhausted. After the day and night you had, it was nearly impossible to fall asleep. The PD's you worked most closely with tried to push today's date out a few times, but scheduling simply wouldn't allow it.

Climbing into the vehicle, you plopped into the backseat, your eyes quickly catching on what was going on outside of the vehicle. Across the street, barricades had already been set up to contain the fans who had evidently found out what hotel you were staying in.

"What?" you hissed, angling yourself to look more closely.

"We've got the situation handled," Hyuk reassured. "They're being kept as far from the building as possible."

"Across the road is as far away as possible?" you whispered, your stomach dangerously close to vomiting what little contents you had in it. "How did they find out?"

"In this city, if you want to know something bad enough," he grumbled. "You can usually find someone willing to give it to you for the right price."

Turning toward him, you knew he saw shock plain on your face.

"Welcome to celebrity life, Mx. Y/N," he sighed.

After a quiet car ride that only took about ten minutes, you felt anxiety begin to crawl up your spine as your driver pulled into a large parking lot. Looking out of your window again, you saw the location for today, the Han River.

"Isn't this too open?" you asked, trying to tap down your panic. "So many people are around."

"We have a specific area cleared out," Hyuk said, his voice more gentle than it had been before. "We will keep you safe."

You swallowed hard and gave a curt nod. If you were going to do this, you had to trust the people around you no matter how difficult it was proving to be.

"Don't let them win," you whispered. Maybe if you repeated the mantra, it would make this whole thing easier.

Hyuk looked at you with a lifted brow. "Good call."

Easing out of the car behind him, you were disheartened. The usual rush of butterflies and anxiety that came before a date were a bit dampened. Of course, it was understandable given the situation, but it also wasn't fair to your date. Or yourself.

Taking a deep breath, you set your feet on the pavement and looked up at the grassy knoll beyond. Surrounded by security and the camera crew, a man stood before a small pop-up tent. Holding a slim box in front of his face, you only assumed it was a man by his build. Broad and muscular, he was dressed in dark, ripped jeans and a black t-shirt. As you drew closer, you narrowed your eyes at what he was holding.

"What's this?" you mused, shaking your head in disbelief.

Your date pulled the box away from his face and gave you a large smile. "Hi, I'm Ateez's San, and this, is a gift from me to you."

Pushing the item away from himself and into your hands, you looked down and chuckled softly. "A new laptop?"

"I heard you've had a rough few days," he hummed, securing his hands behind his back. You glanced up at him, his handsome face wearing an easy smile. "And lost a lot more than anyone deserves to."

"San-," you whispered, on the verge of crying. The gift was expensive, there was no way you could accept it, especially from someone you had only just met. "I can't-"

"Nope," he said, cutting you off immediately. "Getting back to normalcy in a time that's anything but normal is hard. You gotta start somewhere, right?"

"I swear if this starts a chain of dates bringing me household appliances," you teased, looking at him with gratitude.

"Then we'll all be taking our turns making life a little easier on you," he grinned. "One step at a time."

In Loving Memory:

↳ hongseok: your "date" would be so sweet and domestic because hongseok just gives me homey vibes. like, you'd both go to the grocery store to get ingredients for dinner and a dessert you both like. idk it would be the cutest thing and then you'd head back home and he'd start cooking while you worked on the dessert and you'd definitely catch him staring at you every few minutes with a goofy smile on his face and he'd wiggle his eyebrows playfully. you'd step away for a second to back-hug him and hongseok would smile to himself before he'd turn around to kiss you and he'd pull away to say something really cheesy but it would still put a smile on your face.

↳ yeo one: i think changgu would plan the cutest little picnic in the park for both of you. he'd pack some of your favorite foods and snacks and would even get you flowers or something. it would be the cutest thing and he'd take a flower and put it behind your ear and you'd do the same to him and then you'd go back and forth about who's the prettiest lol then the two of you would lie down and cloud gaze. idk i can see a really adorable dog running over to the two of you and it would really like changgu and it would be such a cute moment that would lead you to discuss the possibility of adopting a dog after the wedding. once the sun would start to settle below the horizon, you'd head home and would probably spend the rest of the day watching a show or movie.

↳ shinwon: both of you would agree on going to a spa and maybe a little shopping. i could definitely see him goofing around with you while in the sauna by making weird faces and telling you funny stories. then, he'd have you rest your head on his shoulder and he'd smile to himself. then, he'd tell you about how he was so nervous to propose to you. after a few minutes he'd realize that you weren't talking only to find you asleep. so, he'd make sure that you would be comfortable and would relax too. i think he'd love to spoil his s/o so he'd really enjoy going to the spa with you and it'd be a nice break from all of the wedding prep. on the way home, you'd both decide on ordering in bc neither of you would want to cook after being at the spa.

↳ yanan: he'd wake up extra early to get your favorite breakfast foods and coffee. when he'd make it back to your apartment he'd be met with you half asleep on the couch and would quickly put everything down to cuddle with you for a few minutes and then you'd eat breakfast together. afterward, the two of you would get ready to go and yanan wouldn't tell you but it would all make sense later. so, the two of you would go to multiple places throughout the city and you were thankful that they wouldn't be too far and at each stop, you and yanan would talk about what happened at each, like, one place was where he took you for your first date and another would be where you both said you loved each other for the first time. looking back on all of the memories would make both of your hearts feel so full.

↳ yuto: i think you'd go to an aquarium or botanical garden and it would be on a day when it wouldn't be so busy and the two of you could goof around and take funny pictures of each other imitating the animals. throughout the date, you'd both feel like little kids on a field trip again. both of you would stop every few minutes to stare at something you'd find interesting and the look on your faces at that moment would be so adorable and you'd have to capture the moments. after that, you would go get something to eat and then walk back to your apartment. on the walk, you'd both reminisce about how you met, your first date, and how he proposed to you.

↳ kino: i feel like hyunggu would go all out but it would still be a pretty laid-back date idk if that makes sense but he'd sign you up for a couples' dancing class where you'd learn how to tango and it would be so romantic and fun, even if you're not much of a dancer. after that, you'd go back home to shower and then he'd take you out to a really nice restaurant for dinner. the two of you would be so impressed with your meals but the highlight of your would be getting ice cream or your favorite dessert from your favorite place but then on your way back home it'd start raining and you'd have to wait it out inside a nearby cafe with steaming cups of tea. the whole situation would be pretty funny to both of you and it'd make for a nice moment to look back on.