#petersasteria

SOMETHING NEW

You lay in bed while staring up at the ceiling. You were still hurting from your relationship. After all, four years was no joke. You were numb and you were sick and tired of everyone telling you that it'll pass.

There were only so many times someone could tell you that you'd be okay before those words lost its meaning. It had been three months since the breakup. Three months since you packed the last of his things into a box. Three months since you watched him walk away. You never asked him to stay. Three months was long enough for everyone around you to assume you'd moved on.

You haven't. Not really.

You were inconsolable before, but now, you were sort of a functioning citizen. You went to work, answered messages, laughed at the right moments, and even remembered to water your plants by the windowsill. But every now and then, usually when you were alone, you'd catch yourself wondering when your heart would stop hurting.

A knock on your door echoed through your apartment, making you slowly sit up. You doubted it was him, but you still kind of hoped it was. The person knocked again and with a heavy sigh, you got out of bed and answered the door. As soon as you unlocked it, Seungkwan was already inviting himself inside with a bunch of stuff (i.e., food, drinks, care kits you might need, etc.).

"You look alive," he announced, slipping off his shoes. "That's an improvement."

You blinked. You weren't expecting him. Heck, you weren't expecting anyone. "Well, hello to you, too."

"I'm serious." He glanced around the apartment before setting everything on the coffee table and dropping onto your couch. "You've officially spent enough time moping."

"I haven't been moping."

"You reorganized your bookshelf alphabetically and by color." Seungkwan nodded towards your bookshelf.

You sat next to him. "It was therapeutic."

"It was concerning."

You rolled your eyes, but a small, reluctant smile tugged at your lips. Seungkwan noticed immediately. "There she is," he pointed dramatically. "I knew my best friend was still in there."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

He fully turned to you. "So."

You narrowed your eyes. "No."

"I haven't even said anything!" Seungkwan whined.

"You've got that scheming look on your face. What are you plotting, Boo?" You eyed him suspiciously.

"Fine!" Seungkwan said exasperatedly. He leaned over the coffee table, grabbed a bag of chips, and opened it. He grabbed a piece and ate it while you stared at him, waiting for whatever scheme he had to say. "I want you to go on a blind date. I swear, I think I've hit the jackpot this time. So much so, you'll name your first born after me."

"Absolutely not." You shook your head.

"Aw, c'mon. Don't be like that!" Seungkwan huffed, eating another chip. "He's tall, ridiculously handsome, a great cook, he's such a giver! Give him a chance!"

"Seungkwan, please." You groaned. "I'm not ready. Besides, what if he's just like—"

"Don't compare him to Jeonghan, Y/N. They're different guys." Seungkwan said, leaning back and continued eating chips. "I'm a Jeonghan anti, but I guess he's not totally evil. He's just... built different."

"The answer is no."

-

"I want you to go on a blind date. I swear, I think I've hit the jackpot this time. So much so, you'll name your first born after me." Seungkwan smiled, repeating the same spiel to Mingyu.

Mingyu looked up in thought. "Okay, but what if our child is a girl? We can't name her 'Seungkwan'."

Seungkwan's eye twitched. The different answers he got gave him whiplash. "Then name her Boo Youmi."

"Boo Youmi?" Mingyu made a face. "Shouldn't it be 'Kim Youmi'? I'm the dad, not you."

Seungkwan pursed his lips, "Boo Youmi is a cute name. 'Kim Youmi' sounds incomplete. Name her 'Kim Boo Youmi'."

"Absolutely not." Mingyu shook his head.

"How about 'Kim Youmi Boo'?" Seungkwan asked.

"Kim Youmi is final, Kwannie."

"Ugh, we're getting sidetracked!" Seungkwan exclaimed. "So, go on this blind date with my best friend. She's—"

"Sure." Mingyu said with zero hesitation. Seungkwan was expecting Mingyu to whine. He didn't expect such a direct answer.

"...That's it? You're not going to make me beg?" Seungkwan eyed him suspiciously.

Mingyu shrugged. "Yeah, that's it. Unless..." Mingyu smirked. "...Unless begging is a kink of yours that you weirdly want me to fulfill. If so, I'm honored, Kwannie."

"Ew! Shut up, himbo!" Seungkwan said, causing Mingyu to laugh. Seungkwan gave Mingyu a dirty look. He tried to keep it that way, but it's been a while since he heard Mingyu laugh. Like you, Mingyu's heartbroken, too.

When Mingyu's laughter died down, he cleared his throat and looked at Seungkwan. "I think I'm ready to meet someone."

Seungkwan gave him a small smile. "Yeah?"

Mingyu nodded. "I mean, I don't think I'll ever be ready." He rubbed the back of his neck. "But I don't want one relationship deciding what the rest of my life looks like."

"You're SO gonna love me for this, Kim Mingyu."

-

Saturday arrived faster than either of you expected. You didn't know how Seungkwan was able to persuade you into going on this date with some rando, but here you were. You stood in front of your closet with your arms crossed, staring at the clothes hanging inside.

"...Seriously?" You sighed. "So many clothes, yet nothing to wear."

Nothing looked right. You pulled out a sweater, too casual. A dress, too much. A blouse, too boring. With a sigh, you tossed everything onto your bed until half your wardrobe was scattered across the comforter. Somewhere in the pile, your phone buzzed.

[kwannie 🍊]: don't cancel.

You rolled your eyes.

[y/nie <3]: I'm genuinely thinking about it.

Three dots appeared almost immediately.

[kwannie 🍊]: no, you're not :p

-

Across town, Kim Mingyu was experiencing a crisis of his own. Three shirts were laid neatly across his bed. He held up the first one.

"...No."

The second.

"Ew, definitely not."

The third.

"...Maybe."

Unsure, he snapped a picture and sent it to Seungkwan.

[mingoo]: quick! blue or white???

The reply came within seconds.

[seungkwannie]: white.

Mingyu stared at the message.

[mingoo]: that's what I was thinking, too! [seungkwannie]: asdfghjkl then why'd you ask?! [mingoo]: for emotional support, ofc!

-

You settled on something simple. Cute enough to make an effort. Comfortable enough to leave in if the date went terribly. Standing in front of the mirror, you adjusted your sleeves before letting your hands fall to your sides. You looked... fine. Not amazing. Not terrible. Just fine. That would have to do.

-

Mingyu buttoned the last button of his shirt before taking a step back from the mirror. He frowned.

"...Maybe I should change."

Five minutes later... He was wearing the exact same shirt.

One spray of cologne. He paused. "...Too much?"

He sniffed his wrist. "...Maybe one more."

Another spray. A beat. "Okay, that's definitely too much."

-

You grabbed your bag, checked for your wallet, keys, and phone. Everything was there. Good.

You reached for the doorknob. Stopped. Exhaled. You could still text Seungkwan that you weren't coming. You could crawl back into bed. Pretend this never happened. Your phone buzzed again.

[kwannie 🍊]: you're leaving now, right? [y/nie <3]: unfortunately [kwannie 🍊]: 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

-

On his way to the restaurant, Mingyu slowed down when he spotted a small flower stall on the corner. He walked past it. Kept walking. Stopped. Turned around and walked back to the flower stall.

"Would flowers be weird?" He asked himself as looked at the wide array of flowers.

The elderly florist smiled knowingly. "First date?"

Mingyu scratched the back of his neck. "Is it that obvious?"

"A little." She laughed.

He left the stall with a small bouquet wrapped in brown paper. Halfway to where his car is parked, he looked down at the bouquet and turned back around.

The florist looked at him from across the stall. "You're not returning those, are you?"

"I... wasn't?"

The florist shook her head, "Keep them, and give it to your date. It's never too much to give flowers on a first date."

"Okay." Mingyu said, turning back to walk to his car. He turned to face the florist and walked backwards, "Thanks, wish me luck!"

-

You arrived first. Of course you did. Better to wait than make someone else wait. You sat near the window, fingers wrapped around a glass of water you hadn't touched, rehearsing all the ways this evening could go wrong.

-

Mingyu took a deep breath before entering the restaurant that Seungkwan ever-so-kindly booked for the two of you. Mingyu looked around and spotted you before you spotted him. Well, he's never seen you before, but his gut was telling him that it was you.

He approached the table with a small smile on his face while smoothing out imaginary wrinkles on his shirt. "Y/N?"

You looked up and nodded. "Mingyu?"

"Hi." Mingyu smiled.

"Hi."

A beat. Then, he awkwardly held up the bouquet he'd been hiding behind his back. "I, uh... these are for you."

You blinked.

"For me?"

"Unless Seungkwan set me up with someone else, then this could get awkward."

A laugh escaped you before you could stop it. "No, I'm definitely Y/N."

"Good," he sighed dramatically before taking a seat in front of you. "That would've been embarrassing."

You accepted the flowers carefully, fingertips against the brown paper wrapped around the stems.

"They're beautiful."

"I'm glad you think so." He said, his shoulders visibly relaxing. His eyes sparkled and you almost forgot what it felt like to be on a first date. For the first time in months, you stopped wondering how long it would take for someone to leave.

-

Dinner was... easy. Much easier than you expected. Mingyu talked enough to fill the silence but never so much that you couldn't join in. He asked questions, actually listened to your answers, and somehow turned even the most ordinary stories into something worth laughing over.

By the time the waiter cleared your plates, you realized you hadn't checked the time once.

Seungkwan wasn't lying," Mingyu admitted, leaning back on his chair.

You tilted your head in wonder.

"He said you laugh with your whole face."

"...He said that?"

"Mhm."

You looked away, smiling despite yourself. "I'll have to yell at him later."

"He'll probably thank you."

The evening stretched naturally into a walk. The city had quieted by then, leaving only the occasional passing car and the glow of streetlights overhead. Mingyu matched your pace without thinking.

"So..." he glanced over. "How bad do I rank on the blind date scale?"

You pretended to consider it. "Hm."

He gasped. "The hesitation already tells me everything."

"I was going to say you're somewhere in the top two."

"...Out of?"

"Two."

He laughed so loudly that a couple walking past turned to look. Worth it.

A cool breeze drifted between the buildings. Without thinking, you rubbed your hands together. Mingyu noticed immediately. "Here."

Before you could protest, he slipped his jacket over your shoulders.

"Keep it." He smiled while he adjusted his jacket on you. Your eyes widened in shock, "What?"

He gave you a small smirk, "I'll get it the next time I see you."

A memory surfaced before you could stop it.

"I'm freezing." You shivered. Your teeth chattering so hard, you were scared that it would fall off.

Jeonghan glanced at you briefly before stuffing his hands deepers into his own pockets. "You should've brought a jacket. You didn't even wear gloves, Y/N. You knew it'd be cold outside tonight."

The memory disappeared as quickly as it came. You looked down at Mingyu's jacket around your shoulders.

"...Thank you."

"No problem." He smiled.

By the time your apartment building came into view, neither of you seemed particularly eager for the night to end.

"Thanks for driving me home," you said.

"I was going this way anyway."

You raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you parked in the opposite direction?"

"I didn't know you paid close attention to me, Y/N." Mingyu teased.

You laughed.

"There it is again."

"What?"

"That laugh."

Heat crept up your neck. "Oh."

"I like it."

For a second, you forgot how to respond. Then your phone buzzed in your pocket, pulling you back to reality. You glanced at the dark screen before looking up again.

"...I should head inside."

"Right."

He took a good look at you and smiled. "Goodnight, Y/N. It was a pleasure being your date tonight."

"Likewise. Goodnight, Mingyu." You got out of his car, and watched him turn the corner before unlocking your apartment.

Your flowers found a home in the only vase you owned. Mingyu's jacket still carried a faint trace of his cologne. You caught yourself smiling. Then, another uninvited memory.

It was all over the internet. 'Just because' flowers are now making rounds on social media. You weren't fond of flowers yourself, but seeing all those people receiving flowers made you happy for them. You wondered if Jeonghan would buy you 'just because' flowers. After all, you've been together for so long. Surely, he'd thought of that, right?

"Hannie?"

"Hm?"

"Would you ever buy me flowers?" You asked.

He looked at you with knitted brows, "What's the occasion?"

"Nothing." You shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "It's just a question. Would you ever buy me flowers even if there's no occasion?"

Maybe it was your fault for being hopeful because your heart sank when he laughed at your face.

"Baby, they're going to die in a week or less. It's not practical." Jeonghan chuckled, shaking his head.

"But Seungkwan buys me flowers sometimes. He even bought me a small bouquet for Valentine's Day." You said.

"Then go date Seungkwan." Jeonghan said. His tone was light, but you knew it was off. You stared into each other's eyes and you knew it was time to drop the subject. You gave him a tight-lipped smile, "You're right. It'll just die. Waste of money, am I right?"

Jeonghan's eyes lit up. "See? I knew you'd understand. You're so smart, baby. Anyway, what's for dinner?"

You looked up at the bouquet sitting on your kitchen counter. Maybe the flowers would die less than a week, but they were beautiful and goddammit, you deserved it, anyway.

Your phone buzzed.

[Mingyu]: Hi!

You smiled.

[Y/N]: Hi

Three dots appeared almost immediately. Disappeared. Appeared again. Finally—

[Mingyu]: I'll just shoot my shot here 😅 Can I see you again?

You stared at the message longer than you'd like to admit. Your fingers hovered above the keyboard. Maybe this was the part where you should slow down. Maybe this was how people got hurt.

But then... you thought about the way he'd looked at you across the dinner table. The flowers. The jacket resting over your hair. The way he'd never once made you feel like you had to earn his attention.

Your thumbs moved before fear consumed you.

[Prettiest Girl]: I'd like that, actually :)) [Mingyu]: 🥰♥️

You couldn't help but smile. Maybe, just maybe, this could be something new.

STICKY SWEET LIKE HONEY

Somewhere between coffee dates that stretched well past sunset, late-night drives with nowhere in particular to go, and Mingyu insisting on driving you to your apartment every single time, the two of you had quietly become inseparable.

One month became two. Two became three.

Neither of you could remember whose idea it was to stop calling them dates and simply start calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend. Your first outing as an official couple came sooner than you expected.

"Just a few friends," Mingyu assured you while driving to the restaurant. "Nothing scary."

You chuckled nervously, "You say that now."

He laughed as he parked his car. He removed his seatbelt and fully turned to you, "I promise they're nice."

As soon as the two of you entered the restaurant, five heads turned toward your direction. Your eyes widened. You immediately leaned over to whisper to Mingyu. "You never told me your friends were all models."

"Hm?" Mingyu looked at them before looking back at you. "They're not, hon."

"Gyu, they're literally glowing!"

He let out a laugh before leading you over to the table. "Y/N, this is everyone." He gently rested a hand against your lower back. "Everyone, meet Y/N. My prettiest girlfriend ever."

A chorus of greetings followed.

"Hi!"

"It's nice to finally meet you."

"We've heard SO MUCH about you."

You smiled nervously before bowing your head slightly. "It's nice to meet all of you, too."

Then you leaned toward Mingyu again.

"Mingyu-yah," you whispered, "if I'd known your friends looked like this, I would've dressed up better."

The entire table erupted into laughter as you both sat down. Mingyu frowned, "Why?"

"Because they're all ridiculously attractive."

He blinked before looking around the table. "...Them?"

"Yes," you nodded. "them."

"Nah." He waved his hand dismissively. "They're just normal guys with normal jobs."

You looked at him. Then at them. Then back at him. There's no way these people had normal jobs. "You're telling me none of you are CEOs? Models? Nepo babies?"

"Absolutely not," Jaehyun laughed. "We hate nepo babies."

Mingyu nodded in agreement and let out a small "true" before moving his seat closer to yours and putting his arm around your shoulder.

Seokmin pointed at himself. "I'm Seokmin, an elementary school music teacher."

Your jaw dropped, and you shook your head. "No, you're not."

"I am." Seokmin laughed. "I spend my weekdays convincing eight-year-olds that the recorder is a real instrument."

Minghao raised his hand next. "I'm Minghao, and I own a pottery studio."

"Oh? You make bowls and stuff?" You asked, causing Mingyu to chuckle next to you.

"I make aesthetically pleasing bowls and stuff." Minghao corrected. He took a sip of his tea before smiling, "But thank you for assuming I'm a model. I'll take that as a compliment."

"Jungkook. I'm a physical therapist," Jungkook said, taking a bite of the appetizer.

"Seriously?"

"I help people recover from injuries." Jungkook nodded.

You looked at Mingyu, and he nodded. You looked back at Jungkook and gazed at his muscles before looking at his face, "I thought you lifted buildings for a living."

Jungkook chuckled, "I only lift patients who have trouble walking."

Your gaze landed on a quiet man, "Please tell me you at least work in fashion."

He smiled and shook his head. "I'm Eunwoo, and I'm actually a librarian."

Your eyes widened in shock, "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope." Eunwoo shook his head. "I spend most of my day reminding people to whisper."

"I'm Jaehyun, and I work in finance." Jaehyung grinned.

"You... willingly stare at spreadsheets?"

"Unfortunately." Jaehyun chuckled. "I like it, though. Besides, I handle these guys' finances. I can do yours too, if you want. Totally free. These guys just buy me samgyeopsal, or they treat me to a buffet every six months."

"Yah, she doesn't need it." Mingyu pouted. "She has me. Besides, we'll be having a joint account when we get married."

The table fell silent. You slowly turned to look at him.

"What?" Mingyu blinked innocently.

Jungkook looked at him over the rim of his glass. "It's only been three months."

"So?" Mingyu frowned. Minghao sighed into his tea, choosing not to say anything. After all, he meditated earlier that day.

Seokmin sighed. "Ignore him. He's always been like this. Once he likes someone he's all in."

"No, I don't!" Mingyu defended.

"You do," Jaehyun nodded. "It's actually kind of impressive."

You laughed as Mingyu reached for your hand.

"Anyway," he smiled sheepishly, "I'll handle everything. Don't want your pretty mind to be tired."

Seokmin lightly nudged Jaehyun. "Tell her."

Jaehyun sighed dramatically. "My parents couldn't afford college, so I studied hard to get a full-ride scholarship."

"Wow!" You nodded, impressed. "You must be pretty athletic, too, huh?"

Mingyu laughed, "Honey, he's not athletic enough to get through at least one sport. Not even table tennis."

"It's true," Jungkook nodded in agreement, cheeks full of food. "He's terrible at sports."

"I was dirt poor before I became a teacher," Seokmin said with a big grin. "Worked my ass off and everything."

"Same," Minghao nodded. "We all worked our asses off to get where we are."

"Amen." Mingyu raised his glass before drinking. "There are times when I'd hate my fucking job, though. Being an architect is a pain in the ass, but then I realized that this is literally what I prayed for, so I'd cut myself some slack."

You looked around the table once more as Mingyu fixed your hair for you. "So... no trust funds?"

Five heads shook.

"No secret billionaire parents?"

"I wish," Seokmin said.

"No hidden royal family?"

"Unfortunately." Eunwoo sighed.

You laughed. "I seriously can't believe any of you."

"Neither can we," Jungkook muttered, grabbing a piece of kimchi.

Everyone started eating, then another question popped into your head. "How did all of you become friends? I mean, I doubt you were co-workers, given that your line of work is completely different."

Silence. Everyone looked at each other.

"...College?" Jaehyun answered uncertainly.

Minghao nodded, "Technically."

"I honestly don't remember," Jungkook admitted.

"I do!" Seokmin announced proudly. Everyone turned to look at him. "I collected them... like Pokémon."

Jaehyun nodded. "You did."

Without warning, Seokmin shot up from his seat. He pointed dramatically toward absolutely nothing. "GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL!"

He even threw in a fist pump for good measure. The entire restaurant fell silent. A little kid from another table gasped excitedly, while their mother sighed.

Minghao closed his eyes. "I don't know him."

"You've known me for almost ten years." Seokmin laughed as he sat down again.

"I've tolerated you for almost ten years." Minghao corrected.

Jungkook rubbed his temples. Eunwoo offered an apologetic smile to the surrounding tables. You looked at Mingyu, "Is he always like this?"

Mingyu smiled as he reached under the table to intertwine his fingers with yours. "This is actually one of his calmer days."

"You're joking, right?"

"I wish I were, baby."

You couldn't help but laugh. And just like that, the nerves you'd carried into the restaurant quietly disappeared. As all of you fell into casual conversation, a memory resurfaced again. As much as you want to shake it off, it started playing in your head.

The first time you'd met Jeonghan's friends. Joshua and Seungcheol had welcomed you politely enough.

"It's nice to meet you."

"You too."

For a moment, you'd thought the night would go well. Then the conversation shifted. University stories, military enlistment, old classmates. Inside jokes that had everyone at the table laughing.

You smiled whenever everyone else did, hoping it looked natural. Every now and then, Joshua would glance your way with an apologetic smile, almost as if he realized you'd been quiet for a while.

Seungcheol tried once. "So, Y/N, what do you—"

Before you could answer, Jeonghan interrupted with a story of his own. The conversation drifted away again. You spent the rest of dinner pushing your food around your plate, wondering if anyone had noticed you'd barely spoken at all. By the time you got home, you couldn't remember if Joshua and Seungcheol knew anything about you other than your name.

"Y/N, you're coming next week, right?" Jaehyun asked.

"Sorry, what's next week?" You asked, turning to Mingyu. He smiled and held your hand, "We do this every week, baby. It's okay if you don't want to go, but just know that the invitation is always open."

"You're so whipped." Jungkook teased, handing his card to pay the bill.

Seeing this, you quickly grabbed your wallet, but Mingyu stopped you. "Don't. Jungkook is paying this week. Next week is on Seokmin." He turned to Jungkook and said, "Also, I don't care. She's my person."

You smiled to yourself, quietly slipping your wallet back into your bag. It wasn't just the way Mingyu said things. It was how naturally they came to him.

"My prettiest girlfriend."

"She's my person."

He never hesitated; not once. Never second-guessed himself. If there was one thing you'd quickly learned after dating Kim Mingyu, it was that he loved loudly. Within an hour of making things official, his lockscreen had changed. By dinner, his profile picture followed. By the end of the night, his Instagram bio proudly read: ♥️ @yourusername.

Seungkwan kept telling you that you shouldn't compare Mingyu and Jeonghan, but you couldn't help it. They were just... different. Seungkwan would argue that they both loved differently and the way you love is just more in tune with Mingyu. He'd often tell you, "You and Hannie hyung are just way too different."

"What if we matched profile pictures?" You asked Jeonghan.

Jeonghan glanced up from his phone. "...Why?"

"I don't know." You shrugged. "It'd be cute. Besides, everyone would know that we're together."

"Y/N, I don't really see the point." Jeonghan huffed. "I mean, everyone knows we're dating. There's no need to publicize it on Instagram. I'm barely online, anyway. What matters is I love you, and you love me, right?"

Not wanting things to escalate, you gave him a small smile and decided to tease him, "Okay, Barney the Dinosaur."

Jeonghan laughed. "Wow!"

You were dropped off by Mingyu an hour ago. You were just grabbing a snack when you received a notification that Mingyu changed his profile picture. To your surprise, it was a picture of the two of you at dinner a while ago. The picture was taken by Jungkook, and it was a great candid shot.

[Prettiest GF]: Kim Mingyu [Handsome]: ♥️♥️♥️♥️ [Prettiest GF]: You're unbelievable. Can't believe your pfp is a candid photo of us 😭💀 [Handsome]: HAHAHAHA, but I'm YOUR unbelievable, though. I'll pick you up at work tomorrow, okay? Get some sleep, pretty. Good night. I love you so much ♥️

Your smile slowly faded. Then, before you could stop it, another memory surfaced.

It had only been a few months into your relationship with Jeonghan. You'd spent the entire evening convincing yourself to say it. When he walked you to your apartment, you took a deep breath.

"Jeonghan?"

"Hm?"

"I... I love you." You stuttered.

The words slipped out before you could lose your nerve. Jeonghan looked at you. Then, he smiled. A small, almost amused smile.

"You do?"

You felt your cheeks warm and nodded. "I do."

He tucked his hands into his pockets and looked down for a second. "I think," he started, searching for the right words. "it's still a little early for me to say that."

Your smile faltered for the briefest moment. "Oh."

"It's not that I don't like you." He was quick to clarify. "I just don't say things unless I'm completely sure."

You nodded. "Right."

"I don't want to tell you I love you because it feels like the right time." He reached over and gently squeezed your hand. "When I say it, I want to mean it."

You smiled. "I understand."

And you did. You really did. It just didn't stop your heart from sinking when you got home.

You stared at your phone. Your thumb hovered over the keyboard. I love you, too. The words came so easily in your head. Your fingers, however, refused to type them. Instead...

[Prettiest GF]: Good night, Gyu ♥️

HERE'S TO HOPIN'

Being loved by Kim Mingyu was easy.

He'd show up outside your office with an iced coffee before work because he'd remembered you mentioning you were tired the night before. If you forgot an umbrella, he'd somehow already have one waiting in his car. When you complained about skipping lunch, he'd quietly drop off your favorite food with a sticky note that simply read: eat ♥️

He loved loudly. Somehow, that scared you more than you'd ever admit. It wasn't because he was too much. It was because every day, he gave you another reason to believe he'd stay. And a tiny part of you kept wondering what it would feel like if one day, he didn't.

The following Friday came around quicker than expected. Like clockwork, Mingyu was waiting outside your office building. The moment he spotted you walking out, his face lit up.

"There she is." Mingyu smiled, jogging over to you.

You smiled despite yourself. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Nah." Mingyu shook his head, grabbing your bag from you.

You took a good look at him, squinted your eyes suspiciously. "You've been here for twenty minutes, haven't you?"

"Hm," Mingyu scratched the back of his neck. "maybe."

You laughed before slipping your hand into his. "You're unbelievable."

"But I'm your unbelievable." He grinned, swinging your hands as you walked, making you laugh.

Dinner with the boys felt as chaotic as ever. Seungkwan somehow invited himself this week. No one really minded. They all liked Seungkwan, anyway. He was their gossip dealer, and what's life without any gossip?

"I'd just like everyone to know," he announced proudly while taking a seat, "that this relationship exists because of me."

"Here we go," Jaehyun sighed.

"I changed two lives." Seungkwan said, pretending to cry.

"You set up one blind date, Seungkwan-ah." Jungkook corrected. "You didn't cure cancer."

Minghao took a sip of his tea. "The Nobel Peace Prize committee must've missed your email."

"I deserve a medal!" Seungkwan exclaimed, while grabbing some food to put on his plate.

"I'll buy you dinner, Kwannie," Mingyu offered.

"I want a statue." Seungkwan said, taking a bite of food.

You laughed, looked at Mingyu, and then at Seungkwan. "I'll name our first born after you."

Seungkwan gasped dramatically, giving Seokmin whiplash. Seungkwan was practically shaking in his seat. "You mean it?"

"No." You said. The table erupted into laughter. Mingyu quietly placed another piece of grilled meat onto your plate.

"You haven't eaten enough," Mingyu said quietly.

"You worry too much." You chuckled lightly. Mingyu pouted, "I know. Sorry."

You looked at him and cupped his face with your hands. "Don't apologize for caring. I appreciate that you worry about me."

His smile returned instantly.

After dinner, the two of you sat on the hood of Mingyu's car overlooking the Han River. The city lights danced across the water. Neither of you spoke. It wasn't awkward. It never was.

Mingyu was staring at the river. "Can I ask you something?"

You turned toward him, and nodded. "Of course. Ask away."

He stayed quiet for another moment. You waited patiently. He took a deep breath and looked at you. "Do I... love you more than you love me?"

Your stomach dropped. "What?"

He laughed softly. "I know how that sounded, and I'm not asking because I'm upset."

"Mingyu..."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I've just been thinking." He looked over at you. "You never say that you love me back. I mean, you smile, you hold my hand, you kiss me, you call me when you get home, you do all these things..." He smiled. "but you never say it."

Your chest tightened. You didn't know what to say, truly. He quickly shook his head. "I'm not keeping score, I promise. I just..." His smile faded. "Sometimes it feels like you're always waiting for something bad to happen."

"Gyu, I..."

"Honey, I don't know how to convince you that I'm not already halfway out the door. I feel like you're already grieving something that hasn't happened yet, like you're waiting for me to leave before I've even gone anywhere." Mingyu said sadly.

Your eyes immediately welled with tears. "No, Gyu..."

He reached for your hand instinctively. "I know you care about me."

"I do."

"I know." Mingyu gave you a small smile before he looked away. "I just... sometimes I wonder if I'm loving you too loudly."

The words shattered something inside you.

"No." Your voice cracked. "It's not you, Gyu."

He looked back. You took a shaky breath. "It's me."

He looked at you and patiently waited for you to explain your side.

"I know you're not Jeonghan."

His expression softened immediately.

"I've never compared you to him because I wanted to." You said, another tear rolled down your cheek. "I compare you because... I'm scared. So, so scared."

You laughed weakly through your tears. "I didn't think I'd survive that. I barely did. I mean, that was four years of my life."

Mingyu nodded in understanding.

"Then you came along." You smiled at him. "You loved me so easily, so openly, so fearlessly. It's all so new to me because it wasn't like that with Jeonghan."

You looked down at your intertwined hands. "Every time you tell me you love me, a tiny part of me keeps thinking, 'what if this is the last time?", and I don't want to know how you'll leave me. I don't ever want to know what you'll look like when you leave."

Your voice was barely above a whisper. "I love you a lot, Mingyu. I've been too scared to say it out loud."

For a long time, Mingyu didn't say anything. He simply looked at you. Then, he cupped your face with both hands. His thumbs brushed away your tears.

"I'll stay with you," His forehead rested against yours. "for as long as you want me to be."

You closed your eyes.

"I can't promise that we'll never fight. I can't promise I won't disappoint you. I can't promise that life won't get hard." A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "But I can promise you one thing..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm not looking for an exit."

A sob escaped your lips. You wrapped your arms around him. "I love you."

You felt him smile against your hair. "I know."

You pulled back just enough to look at him. "No, you don't."

His eyebrows lifted as you laughed through your tears. You took a deep, trembling breath, "I love you so much."

For the first time since you'd known him, Kim Mingyu was speechless. He simply pulled you into another hug. Holding you as though you had all the time in the world.

"For the record," he smiled. "I also hope I never see what you look like when you leave either." He gently tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

"I mean, the Lord knows I've memorized your face so well, and I'd search for it everywhere until my next life." A tiny laugh escaped him. "You're it for me, honey."

a/n: tysm for all the love you've sent my way for the hoshi installment of this series! i hope you give mingyu's installment the same love i gave while writing it xo

DELUSIONAL Y/N FAN

There was a rule in the barracks. Well, an unspoken rule at that. Newbies have been warned, and seasoned soldiers are alert. The rule? If you left your phone unattended and it buzzes, everyone looks.

"Jeon."

Wonwoo didn't bother looking up from the novel in his hands. "Hm?"

"You've got a notification."

Across the room, Mingyu craned his neck dramatically toward Wonwoo's bunk before gasping loud enough for the entire platoon to hear.

"Oh, my god." Mingyu's jaw dropped.

Wonwoo sighed. "What?"

"It's her!" Mingyu exclaimed. That got everyone's attention.

Seungkwan sat up from where he'd been lying on his bed. "Y/N posted?"

Mingyu nodded solemnly. "Yup."

Wonwoo reached over for his phone. The movement was small. Casual, even.

"You have post notifications on?" Chan asked, genuinely horrified.

"...No," Wonwoo muttered.

"You picked up your phone before you even checked who it was." Chan pointed out.

Wonwoo unlocked his screen and opened Instagram. Just as Mingyu had confirmed, Y/N had posted. His thumb lingered over the screen. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Seungkwan saw the smile on his face, and he was amused.

"Oh, he's sick," Seungkwan laughed. "He's actually sick."

Wonwoo ignored him. The first photo was exactly what he expected. Another stadium, another sea of lights, another sold-out show. The second was backstage. The third—his smile grew bigger without realizing it.

"Wonwoo!" Soonyoung called.

"What?" Wonwoo echoed.

"You smiled." Soonyoung teased. Wonwoo looked at him and said, "...Did I?"

"You did!" Soonyoung chuckled.

"Oh, he smiled," Chan confirmed, pointing accusingly. "I saw his teeth!"

Wonwoo looked back down at his phone. "It was funny."

"What was?"

He hesitated. "...Nothing."

Mingyu lunged across the space between their bunks. Wonwoo tilted the phone away just enough.

"Lemme see," Mingyu said.

"No," Wonwoo replied.

"Why not?" Mingyu pouted. "I just wanna see."

"It's my phone, Mingyu. Check your own phone." Wonwoo scoffed.

Mingyu squinted his eyes, "You're being suspicious."

"It's not suspicious."

"It is when you're guarding Y/N's Instagram like it's classified information." Mingyu rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

Wonwoo locked his phone with a quiet click. "I'm going to finish my book."

"Oh, he's embarrassed." Mingyu snickered.

"He definitely left a thirsty comment." Soonyoung chortled. "I didn't know you were that kind of fan, Wonwoo."

"I didn't leave a nasty comment," Wonwoo said, busy reading his book.

"You thought about it," Soonyoung said.

"Nope."

"You've thought about marrying her," Jihoon said from his bed.

Wonwoo blinked. "Probably."

The room fell silent. Then, the room erupted in loud laughter. Chan nearly fell off his bunk laughing. Seungkwan slapped his knee. Even Vernon looked up from the crossword puzzle he'd been pretending to solve. Mingyu wiped imaginary tears from his eyes.

"Our boy is never beating the delusional allegations." Mingyu ruffled Wonwoo's hair.

-

Training that afternoon was merciless. By the time they were dismissed, Wonwoo's shoulders ached, his boots were caked in dirt, and the only thing he wanted was to shower. Unfortunately for him, he found himself cornered outside the barracks by the self-proclaimed biggest Y/N stan, Boo Seungkwan, who had his phone out.

"Look!" Seungkwan said giddily.

Wonwoo glanced over. It was another clip from Y/N's tour. Shaky. Blurry. Someone had clearly filmed it from halfway across the stadium.

"She changed the acoustic section tonight," Seungkwan said. "Nobody saw that coming."

Wonwoo watched the first few seconds. "She wasn't feeling it."

Seungkwan frowned. "What?"

"The other song," Wonwoo answered, looking at Seungkwan in the eyes. "She wasn't feeling it."

Seungkwan huffed. "And how do you know that, Jeon?"

Wonwoo shrugged. "She always switches when she's tired."

A pause. Then Seungkwan pursed his lips, "You always say 'she always'."

"What?" Wonwoo tilted his head.

"Like," Seungkwan sighed. "'she always switches songs', 'she always wears that color', 'she always laughs like that'. Bro, you talk like you've known her your whole life."

Wonwoo only shrugged. In fact, he never argued. Arguing never helped, anyway.

That night, after lights out, the barracks settled into silence. Or as close to silence as six grown men could manage. Someone snored. Someone muttered in their sleep. Mingyu rolled over with enough force to make his bunk squeak.

Wonwoo reached beneath his pillow for his phone. One earbud. Volume low. He opened a fan-uploaded video. The quality was terrible. The audio peaked every time the crowd screamed. Still, he watched.

The camera shook violently as Y/N ran across the stage, waving at eighty thousand people like she had enough love for every single one of them. Wonwoo smiled.

"Careful," he whispered to the screen before she jogged down a staircase.

The person filming nearly dropped their phone. The video ended. Suggested clips appeared. He clicked another. Then another. Then another. A knock sounded against the metal frame above him.

"Jeon."

Wonwoo paused the video. "Yeah?"

"Go to sleep," Seokmin said sleepily. "I can see light from your phone."

"In a minute," Wonwoo said quietly.

"You said that an hour ago." Seokmin yawned.

"Mm."

Seokmin sighed and eventually dozed off. Wonwoo stared at the paused frame. She was laughing at something someone off-camera had said.

He wondered what it was. He wondered what city she'd wake up in tomorrow. His thumb hovered over the message icon before stopping. The time difference. She'd be onstage by now. He locked his phone. Rolled onto his back. Closed his eyes.

"Good night, Mrs. Y/L/N Y/N." Mingyu teased while his eyes were closed.

"Good night," Wonwoo said softly.

I SWEAR I'M TELLING THE TRUTH

Military life had a funny way of making days blur together. Wake up. Train. Eat. Train again. Sleep. Repeat. Some days went by so quickly that Wonwoo barely had time to think. Those were the good days.

Then, there were days like today. The kind where his thoughts wandered despite himself, and he moved around half-dead like a zombie.

The cafeteria had run out of coffee that morning. 'She would've complained.' Wonwoo thought.

Training had been pushed back because of the rain. 'She hates getting caught in the rain.' Wonwoo stared out the window.

Seungkwan had nearly slipped face-first into the mud. 'She would've laughed until she cried.'

Wonwoo sighed quietly. It was exhausting. No, loving her is easy. Missing her was exhausting. His brain had become annoyingly predictable over the past year and a half. Everything somehow circled back to her: the weather, a song, coffee, a dumb joke, a bird that looked like one she'd once spent ten minutes trying to photograph.

Aside from turning rotten as days go by, what else could he do but think of her?

"Jeon!"

Wonwoo blinked. "Hm?"

"I've been calling your name." Mingyu frowned.

"Sorry."

"You zoning out again?" Mingyu huffed. Wonwoo shrugged. Mingyu grinned. "Were you thinking about your girlfriend?"

Laughter rippled through the room. Wonwoo didn't even bother correcting him anymore. "Yeah."

Another round of laughter.

"So honest," Chan wheezed. "Bro's embracing the delusion now."

Wonwoo simply shook his head and ate kimchi.

By afternoon, the rain had stopped. The sky was clear. Training had finally ended. Wonwoo had just started untying his boots when someone called his name.

"Private Jeon."

He looked up. A staff sergeant stood outside the barracks holding a medium-sized cardboard box.

"Package for you."

Wonwoo frowned. He definitely wasn't expecting anything. "For me? Are you sure?"

The sergeant nodded. "Sign here."

He did. By the time he turned back around, seven heads were already at him. Mingyu pointed dramatically.

"Who's sending you packages?" Mingyu lifted an eyebrow.

"No idea." Wonwoo shrugged.

"Liar." Mingyu crossed his arms.

"I'm genuinely not," Wonwoo said.

Chan leaned forward. "Your parents?"

"Maybe." Wonwoo sighed as he sat on his bed.

"Open it." Vernon piped up.

"I'm tired," Wonwoo said, putting the box next to him as he continued to untie his boots.

"Open it." Seungkwan clapped.

"I'm showering first."

"OPEN IT!!" Soonyoung exclaimed excitedly. Wonwoo stared at him, then at everyone else, before sighing, "Fine."

Soonyoung, Jihoon, Seokmin, Mingyu, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Chan gathered around Wonwoo curiously. Wonwoo never received packages before. He barely got any visitors, too.

The tape peeled away with a soft rip. Inside, there was nothing flashy. Just neatly packed things. Coffee, instant ramen, protein bars, a new pair of insoles, and a small tube of hand cream from Yves Rocher that he loved.

Seungkwan tilted his head and pursed his lips, "Your family knows you too well. I mean, even my eomma doesn't know the hand cream I love."

Everyone nodded in agreement with their own anecdotes of how their parents don't know small things about them, too.

Wonwoo reached deeper into the box. His fingers brushed against thick paper. He pulled out a stack of Polaroids. His expression softened. Mingyu noticed.

"Aha!" Mingyu exclaimed.

"What?" Wonwoo asked.

"You did the smile." Mingyu teased.

"What smile?" Wonwoo played dumb.

"You know," Mingyu said. "The smile."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Wonwoo shook his head.

"But you DID." Mingyu huffed.

Wonwoo ignored him. The first Polaroid showed a sunrise over an empty stadium. The second is a blurry picture of a stray cat. The third, a paper coffee cup with her messy handwriting that read: Too bitter. 2/10.

The corners of his mouth twitched upward. "She still hates black coffee." He mumbled.

Silence. Wonwoo froze. 'Oops...' Wonwoo thought.

Seungkwan looked up. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing."

"No, you definitely said something." Seungkwan eyed him suspisciously. "You said, 'she still hates black coffee'..."

Jihoon folded his arms, "You talk like you know her."

Wonwoo looked at the Polaroid for another second before placing it gently on his blanket. On a normal day, he'd let those comments slide. Today was different. He was missing Y/N more than usual. All the colors around him are dull, and his tasks are mundane. Against his better judgment, he said, "I do."

The room erupted into laughter. Chan laughed so hard, he had to sit down. Mingyu pointed at Wonwoo while laughing.

"Wow, he actually thinks he knows her!"

"Bro actually committed THAT hard!"

"You know what? Respect."

Seungkwan shook his head, grinning. "You're unbelievable."

Wonwoo didn't argue. He never argued. He simply reached back into the box. At the very bottom, a folded envelope. No sender's name. Just his. He unfolded the letter. The handwriting made his chest ache immediately.

My Dearest, Wonwoo,

Paris was loud. Portugal was louder. I still think Tokyo had the best crowd, but if you were here, you'd probably disagree.

He chuckled lightly.

I'm sending you stuff that I've picked up for you along the way. I hope you like them! I also hope you like the Polaroids :>

The coffee was insanely bad istg. The cat followed me for three blocks. The sunrise reminded me of you. We used to watch them all the time. I miss you so much, my love. I hope giving you this package can ease the pain of missing me too.

His grip tightened on the paper.

I love you, Wonwoo.

P.S. Please, please, please send me anecdotes of ur life in the barracks!! I hope they're feeding you enough bc I'll fight them lol jk. I'll see you soon (hopefully).

P.P.S I'm taking a hiatus after this long-ass tour. I'll travel the world with you... or maybe just chill at home with your buldak addiction. Maybe get married in secret and start a family? I don't know, but the possibilities are endless. I love you!

Yours always,

Y/N, writing from Amsterdam <3

For a moment, the barracks disappeared.

A private terminal. One week before enistment. The engines of her private jet hummed in the distance. She hadn't let go of his hand once.

"You know, I should stay." Y/N said to him. "I mean, I can wait until I send you off to your military service."

Wonwoo smiled. "No."

"I can postpone the first show fr you, love!"

"You won't do that." Wonwoo said softly.

"I would."

"You shouldn't," Wonwoo said, cupping her face with both hands. Tears brimmed in her eyes.

"I hate this."

"Me, too." Wonwoo smiled sadly.

She laughed weakly. "You're supposed to make this easier."

"I'm trying." Wonwoo chuckled lightly.

"You suck at it."

"Probably."

She hit his arm lightly. Just enough to make him smile. Then, she stepped closer and wrapped both arms around him, held him like she was trying to memorize every part of him. "I'll be back before you know it."

Wonwoo closed his eyes. "I know."

Neither of them believed it. A voice called her name. Five minutes. She looked toward the jet. Then back at him. Then back again. She kissed him. Once, twice. A third time after, she'd already started pulling away. The security staff politely looked everywhere else.

"Okay." She laughed through her tears.

"This time?"

"Yeah."

She made it halfway up the stairs before turning around one last time. Wonwoo lifted his hand. She mirrored the gesture. Then she disappeared inside. He didn't leave, not until the jet became nothing more than a white speck against the sky.

"Jeon?"

Wonwoo blinked. The barracks came back into focus. Mingyu was waving a hand in front of his face.

"Dude, you've been staring at that letter for, like, five minutes," Mingyu said.

"Sorry," Wonwoo said.

"So?" Seungkwan leaned forward. "Who sent it?"

Wonwoo carefully folded the letter. Placed it back inside the envelope, then looked at the six men staring at him.

"She's busy," was all Wonwoo said, completely disregarding Seungkwan's question.

HONORABLY DISCHARGED

The morning of Jeon Wonwoo's discharge was surprisingly... anticlimactic. No dramatic music. No grand farewell. Just paperwork. Sign here, initial there. Return your equipment. The military had a funny way of reducing nearly two years of someone's life into a stack of forms and a firm handshake.

"Congratulations."

Wonwoo bowed politely. "Thank you.

"Dismissed."

Wonwoo bowed one last time before heading back toward the barracks. His duffel bag sat neatly on the edge of his bunk, packed the night before. Wonwoo checked his stuff before he zipped his duffel bag shut and slung it over his shoulder.

"Well," Seokmin said, breaking the silence. "I guess this is it."

"So sentimental," Soonyoung teased, nudging Seokmin with an elbow. "You gonna cry?"

"I might," Seokmin said.

"You absolutely are."

"I'm definitely not crying because I'm gonna miss Wonwoo-hyung." Seokmin huffed.

"Oh, now you call me 'hyung'." Wonwoo laughed. A quiet laugh rippled through the room.

Wonwoo smiled. "Take care of yourselves."

"Look who's acting like a dad now," Mingyu snorted.

Chan crossed his arms. "Don't forget us when Y/N notices your comments."

"She notices," Wonwoo said. "Sometimes, I tell her in person."

The room erupted in laughter.

"There he goes!"

"Last delusion before discharge!"

"Never change, Jeon!"

Wonwoo chuckled. "I won't." He reached into his duffel bag and pulled out a small paper bag. "I almost forgot." He handed it to Seungkwan.

"What's this?" Seungkwan eyed the bag suspiciously.

"Snacks." Wonwoo shrugged.

Seungkwan peeked inside. His eyes widened. "Wait... these are imported!"

"They're your favorite," Wonwoo said casually.

"Hyung-" Seungkwan said.

"I wasn't going to finish them."

Seungkwan looked strangely touched. "Thank you."

Wonwoo nodded once. He pulled out another bag. "Mingyu."

The tall man pointed at himself, "For me?"

"You kept stealing my instant coffee."

"Allegedly..." Mingyu said.

"I bought you your own." Wonwoo handed the bag to him. Mingyu opened the bag.

"You actually remembered?"

"Mm."

For a second, nobody joked. They just looked at him.

Jihoon cleared his throat. "You're annoyingly thoughtful."

"So I've been told."

Vernon finally spoke up from the corner. "You know..."

Everyone looked at him.

"If you ever somehow meet Y/N..."

Mingyu laughed. "Here we go."

"...Can you ask her for a video message?"

Seungkwan immediately pointed at Vernon. "You're not even sure if Sofia's a fan!"

"...Who said it was for Sofia?"

The room dissolved into chaos. Wonwoo shook his head, unable to stop smiling. "I'll see what I can do."

"See?" Mingyu sighed dramatically. "He still thinks he's gonna meet her!"

"He really committed to the character."

"So inspiring."

"Screw all of you," Seungkwan said. "I believe he'll meet her, and I'd also like a video. I also want to meet her."

"Seriously though," Mingyu said, "if you somehow meet Y/N... tell her hottest soldier from the military, Kim Mingyu, says hi."

Wonwoo could only stare at him. How could he tell his lovely girlfriend that the 'hottest soldier' says hi? Wonwoo can manage.

"And tell her Boo Seungkwan is her biggest fan, and I can do all the dances."

"Okay..."

"And get us signed albums." Chan chimed in.

"We each want video messages!" Seokmin shouted excitedly.

"Can I get a hug?" Soonyoung asked.

Wonwoo looked at him. "...No, I don't think so, buddy."

Wonwoo simply adjusted the strap of his duffel. "I'll see what I can do as well. Bye, everyone. It was nice knowing all of you."

"Take care, hyung!"

"We love you!"

"Stay healthy!"

"Don't marry Y/N without us."

Wonwoo paused with one hand on the door. "I'll keep that in mind."

The laughter followed him all the way down the hallway. It lingered even after the voices faded into the distance. Wonwoo glanced back only once.

The barracks looked exactly as they had the day he'd first stepped inside—rows of bunks, neatly folded blankets, and seven men who'd somehow turned into family over the course of nearly two years.

He shook his head with a quiet smile. They were loud. Annoying. Unnecessarily invested in his love life. But somewhere between endless drills, sleepless nights, and terrible cafeteria food, they'd made the days a little easier to get through. They just... didn't know it.

Adjusting the strap of his duffel bag, Wonwoo walked toward the front gate. One step. Then another. The weight on his shoulders felt different now. Lighter. Not because the bag weighed any less. Because he no longer had to count down the days. The guard at the gate gave him a polite nod before handing over his identification.

Wonwoo stepped through the gate without looking back. On the other side, his family was already waiting.

His father pulled him into a tight hug before he could even say hello. His brother gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, smiling in that awkward way brothers often did.

"Welcome home, son," he said.

"It's good to be back."

As they walked toward the car, Wonwoo's phone buzzed.

[Y/N my love ♥️] good morning over there, soldier. congratulations ♥️ i'm sorry i couldn't be there, but just know i'm in your heart all the time.

A smile found its way onto his face. After nearly two years, he finally got to type the words he'd been waiting to say.

[my wonwoo ♥️] Good morning, love. Thank you. I love you so much. See you soon :)

A typing bubble appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again.

"So," His father smiled knowingly, "when's your flight?"

"Tomorrow." Wonwoo smiled.

His father nodded once. "Go ahead."

"What? That's it?" His brother blinked. "He just got out!"

"Well, she's waited long enough." His father laughed.

"We both have."

-

The flight felt longer than military service. Not literally. Just emotionally. He barely slept. Watched clouds drift by instead. Every few hours, he'd unlock his phone. Not to text her. Just to check where she was. London.

Tonight's show. The last stop. He smiled. Perfect.

-

Meanwhile, backstage was chaos.

"Five minutes!"

"Mic check!"

"Where's wardrobe?"

"I need someone on stage left!"

Y/N sat quietly in front of the mirror while her stylist adjusted the last few details. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm just tired."

"Sure?"

She laughed weakly. "It's just..." She looked down at the bracelet around her wrist. The one Wonwoo had given her before enlistment. "Today's our anniversary."

Her stylist's expression softened. "I'm sorry."

"Eight years and going strong." She smiled. "I miss him so much. He's the reason why I keep going on every show. I keep thinking that the better I do on stage, the quicker I come back to him."

"That's sweet."

"Wonwoo's my everything, Jia." She said softly. "He's amazing. He inspired me to write and perform."

"How did you meet?" Jia asked.

"We were nineteen..." She smiled.

Y/N was already a household name, juggling interviews between college classes, while Wonwoo was just another university student who happened to be paired with her for a group project. He never treated her like a celebrity, and she loved him for it.

What started as shared notes, late-night study sessions, and coffee runs slowly turned into movie nights, bookstore dates, and a friendship neither of them realized had become something more. One evening, after walking her back to her apartment, Wonwoo stopped her before she could head inside.

"I don't think I'll ever stop liking you," he admitted with a nervous laugh. "Would... would you let me be your boyfriend?"

She smiled so brightly that he forgot every word he'd rehearsed. Instead of answering, she stepped forward, kissed him, and whispered, "I thought you'd never ask."

-

The concert was everything the internet expected. Fireworks. Costume changes. Surprise songs from her very first album. A sold-out stadium with fans singing every word. Y/N gave them everything she had because she always did. Then, the final song. The last note echoed through the stadium.

Confetti exploded. She bowed. "Thank you for coming tonight! Thank you for supporting me throughout my career, ever since I was a young teen until now. I'm so blessed and grateful to have fans like you. I love you all and good night!"

The crowd roared. She looked around with the biggest, most genuine grin and gave a final wave before disappearing behind the curtain.

Backstage erupted into cheers.

"You did amazing!"

"Last show!"

"We survived!"

Managers hugged each other. Dancers cheered. Someone popped open a bottle of champagne. Y/N laughed as people congratulated her. Then she saw him standing quietly in the hallway, hands tucked into the pockets of a hoodie she'd stolen years ago and never given back. For a moment, neither of them moved.

"Wonwoo?"

He smiled and waved.

She didn't think. She ran straight into him, hard enough that he stumbled back a step before catching her. "You idiot."

"Mm." He wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"You said you were staying home."

"You are my home," Wonwoo said.

"That's too cheesy, even for you."

"There's a first for everything."

She buried her face against his neck. "I hate you."

"No, you don't."

"I don't." Her voice cracked. She pulled away just enough to cup his face. "Your hair is shorter."

"Military things."

"I like it." She smiled. "But I missed your long hair."

"Me too."

She laughed through fresh tears. "I've cried enough over you."

"Sorry," Wonwoo said sheepishly.

"You better be." She kissed him before he could answer.

The crew, to their credit, became incredibly interested in literally everything else. The floor. The ceiling. A stack of road cases. One lighting technician suddenly discovered a deep passion for checking cables. Nobody interrupted.

-

The hotel room was unusually quiet. Not because there was nothing to say. Because after nearly two years apart, silence no longer felt empty. Y/N lay beside him, lazily tracing circles across his bare arm while the city lights spilled through the curtains. Somewhere below, traffic hummed, people laughed, and life carried on as if nothing monumental had happened. Wonwoo watched her for a long moment.

"What?" she asked, catching him staring.

"You still do that."

"Do what?"

He glanced down at her hand. "The circles."

She smiled. "It's very comforting, and I know you like it."

"True."

Another comfortable silence settled between them. Y/N shifted closer until her head rested against his shoulder. "I still can't believe you're here."

"I'm here." Wonwoo smiled, and kissed the top of her head.

"If this were a dream, I never want to wake up."

"I'd say 'don't', but," Wonwoo said. "I would never want to experience a time when you never wake up."

She looked up at him. "I fucking love you."

"That's intense." Wonwoo grinned. "I fucking love you, darling."

She laughed softly. Wonwoo brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Can I tell you something?"

"Anything, my love."

He looked toward the ceiling for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "There were days when training was so exhausting that I forgot to miss you."

She looked up.

"And there were days when," he smiled to himself. "I'd see coffee, or it would rain, or someone would say something stupid."

A tiny chuckle escaped her.

"And I'd think..." he paused. "'Y/N would've complained about the coffee.' or 'Y/N would've forgotten her umbrella.' or 'Y/N would've laughed at that.' I couldn't stop."

Her expression softened. "Wonwoo..."

"I was going crazy." Wonwoo shook his head as he laughed quietly. "The guys thought I was obsessed with you."

"You kind of are."

"I am." He nodded without shame. He reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. "But I had nothing to do except think of you the whole time."

His thumb brushed over her knuckles. "I had maggots for brains, my love. I was like a zombie out there."

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then Y/N laughed. Not because it was funny. Because it was so painfully him. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I know."

"You do?"

"I had that feeling, too."

He smiled. "You?"

She nodded. "I'd finish a show and immediately wonder what you would've thought. I'd see a bookstore and think about dragging you inside. I'd order room service and accidentally ask enough for two."

Her voice grew quieter. "I kept forgetting you weren't there."

Wonwoo closed the distance between them, resting his forehead aginst hers. "We're making up for lost time."

"We are."

"No more fan cams." Wonwoo said and she laughed.

"No more grainy livestreams." He added.

"No more letters." She said.

"I liked your letters." Wonwoo said.

"I liked yours better." She smiled.

"I only sent three."

She nodded. "And I re-read all three."

His heart skipped a beat. "You kept them?"

She looked at him as if the answer should've been obvious. "They're in my suitcase."

A beat.

"Your Polaroids are in my suitcase." Wonwoo said, then he laughed—a full, warm laugh she hadn't heard in far too long. "I guess we're both a little crazy."

"No." She cupped his face. "We're just in love."

He kissed her gently. This time, there was no departure gate waiting for them. No boarding call. No countdown. No wondering what city she'd wake up in tomorrow. Tomorrow, when the sun rose, he'd be there to see it with her.

BONUS

The hotel room was still half-asleep. Sunlight filtered through the curtains while the shower ran somewhere in the background. Y/N sat cross-legged on the bed, scrolling through her phone when Wonwoo's voice carried out from the bathroom.

"My phone's on the nightstand."

"Mhm?"

"Can you call Seungkwan for me?"

She blinked. "Seungkwan?"

"I promised them a video message."

Y/N grabbed his phone and marched towards the bathroom, not caring about him showering. Hey, they've been together for eight years. They've seen everything.

"Are you serious?"

Wonwoo glanced at her through the foggy glass of the shower. "Yes."

"Okay, okay." She laughed to herself. "What will I say?"

"Just... say hi or something. Oh, and Mingyu says hi. Vernon would also like a video message. Seungkwan is also your biggest fan and he's so bummed that he's not able to go to your show because he's in the military. He's always watching the reels of your surprise songs." Wonwoo said.

"Really? Well, I'll be sure to give them all a special pass when I have my concert in Korea."

"But you don't have a Korean stop."

"I do now." She chuckled before exiting the bathroom.

Meanwhile, back in Korea, it was nearly lights out. Seungkwan had just finished brushing his teeth when his phone lit up.

Wonwoo Hyung is calling...

His eyebrows shot up. "Wonwoo hyung is calling!"

Within seconds, the rest of the guys popped up from around the barracks.

"Put it on speaker!"

"No, it's a video!" Seungkwan said.

"Oh my god. Video?" Seokmin asked.

"Yah, answer it!" Jihoon said impatiently.

Seungkwan accepted the call. "Hyung!"

The screen flickered.

"Hi!"

Seven of them froze. Y/N waved cheerfully from the hotel room somewhere in London.

"So, um," she laughed awkwardly. "I know you guys asked for a video message, but I figured a video call would be more fun and interactive? Maybe even more memorable."

Silence. Complete utter silence. Behind Seungkwan, Mingyu slowly lowered the cup of instant noodles he'd been holding. Chan's jaw physically dropped. Vernon blinked once. Twice.

Soonyoung whispered, "No, way..."

Y/N tilted her head. "Anyway, Wonwoo's in the shower. He told me to call..." she glanced down at the phone. "Seungkwan?"

"That's me!" Seungkwan exclaimed. "I'm Seungkwan."

"Hi!" her face lit up.

Mingyu moved to the side, off-camera, and shouted, "Oh my god, it's actually her!"

Y/N burst into laughter. "You must be Mingyu."

His eyes widened and walked back in frame. "You know my name?"

"Wonwoo may have talked about you guys when he got here." She chuckled.

"So he wasn't lying." Chan said and Vernon nodded.

"So you're..." Soonyoung scratched the back of his neck. "his girlfriend?"

Y/N proudly nodded. "Yes. For eight years."

"Eight years?!" Jihoon shrieked.

She nodded and smiled sweetly. "In fact, it was our eighth anniversary yesterday, and he surprised me here in London."

"You guys are practically married at this point." Vernon said.

She laughed. "Yeah."

Mingyu covered his face with both hands. "We've been bullying Y/N's boyfriend for two years."

"You called him delusional," Jihoon reminded him.

"I know!"

Seungkwan suddenly remembered something. "Wait..." He pointed accusingly at the screen. "So all those times he said, 'she doesn't like black coffee', 'she changes the acoustic set when she's tired', 'she notices my comments'..."

"All true." She confirmed.

The bathroom door opened. Wonwoo stepped out wearing a bathrobe. He smiled and waved at the guys. "Morning."

Y/N turned the phone toward him. "They have questions."

Wonwoo looked at the seven dumbfounded faces on the screen. No one spoke. Finally, Mingyu sighed dramatically. "Hyung..."

"Mm?"

"I owe you the biggest apology of my life."

Wonwoo thought for a moment. "You do."

"So you're really together?" Soonyoung asked again.

"Very much together." Wonwoo nodded, putting on his glasses. "Eight years is no joke."

"I won't be getting that hug, then." Soonyoung said quietly.

"I can still hug you!" Y/N exclaimed. "Wonwoo's not the jealous type, and he's not immature. I really got lucky."

Wonwoo blushed, causing a round of teasing from the guys. Y/N looked completely amused. "I like you guys."

Seungkwan shook his head, "I can't believe we spent two years making fun of your boyfriend."

"Now you know it's real and he's not delusional." She smirked. "Oh, before we hang up, I want to say hi to Mingyu and I want to tell Vernon that I promise to make a video greeting right after."

"Can we all get one?" Seokmin asked shyly. She chuckled and nodded. "Sure."

"Oh, and Seungkwan?" She called.

"Yes?" Seungkwan smiled excitedly.

"I know you know all of my dance steps and Wonwoo may have told me in passing that you do TikTok challenges of my songs. I'll happily do a TikTok with you when I have my concert in Korea." Y/N smiled.

"But... you don't have a concert here. It's done." Seungkwan said.

"I'm Y/L/N Y/N, Seungkwannie. I can make it happen, and I'm giving you all special passes and seats." She smirked as the guys cheered. She glanced at Wonwoo and he only shook his head with a small smile on his face.

The call ended a few minutes later. One by one, the guys climbed back onto their bunks, still trying to process everything that had just happened.

No one spoke. No one really knew what to say. Finally, Mingyu broke the silence. "We've been calling Y/N's boyfriend delusional for two years!"

"We really have," Chan muttered. "I even laughed the loudest, for fuck's sake."

"So..." Seokmin said. "are we terrible people?"

Jihoon didn't even look up from his book. "A little."

"I apologized!" Mingyu pouted as he defended himself.

"After two years." Jihoon answered back.

"I still said I was sorry!" Mingyu frowned. "Doesn't that matter?"

Before anyone could tease him further, a buzz came from Seungkwan's phone. He looked down and his eyes widened.

"Guys..."

No one answered.

"Guys!" Seungkwan said a little louder.

"What?" Vernon said.

"She followed me on Instagram."

Six heads whipped towards him.

"What?" Soonyoung asked.

Seungkwan turned his phone around.

@yn started following you.

"No way..." Soonyoung's jaw dropped. His phone buzzed, too. He quickly checked. True enough, he received the same notification as Seungkwan. "Yah! She followed me, too!"

Chan looked down at his screen. @yn started following you.

Vernon frowned at his own notification. @yn started following you.

Soon, every phone in the barracks buzzed one after another. Mingyu stared at his screen like it had personally offended him. "She's real."

"She's not AI, Mingyu-ya." Jihoon retorted.

Seungkwan scrolled through Instagram and refreshed the app. Y/N posted a few seconds ago. He quickly gave it a like before swiping through the photos.

The first few photos were from the final show. The confetti. The crowd. The dancers.

He swiped again and stopped. It was a more intimate, yet private photo. It was Wonwoo on what he assumed was their date after the call.

Wonwoo was across Y/N, and his face was strategically hidden by the cup he was drinking from. To the rest of the world, that's how Wonwoo was shown on her profile for the past eight years. Always protected, but never hidden.

The caption read: the last concert day was a blast! now, I'll be spending my days with my man. happy 8th anniversary, my love. you're the best surprise I've ever gotten.

Seungkwan bit back a squeal. He was too happy. The other guys had seen the post, too.

"So Wonwoo hyung really wasn't crazy." Mingyu sighed.

"No," Chan smiled as he looked around the room. "He just has someone worth going crazy for."

a/n: i think we all got maggots for brains while wonu's away. pls pls pls lmk what u think of this one! gosh, i'm so nervous abt it. i hope you guys don't mind me switching it up for a bit xo

MAIN CHARACTER SYNDROME

Life is great if you're living in Joshua Hong's shoes.

He's handsome, ridiculously wealthy, charming, funny, effortlessly polite, and one of the most sought-after faces in fashion. Ask anyone who's ever worked with him, and they'll only have good things to say. So when Prada announced that Joshua Hong would be headlining their latest campaign in Milan, the entire production team couldn't have been happier.

Upon his arrival on set, everyone erupted into cheers. Joshua's eyes lit up with excitement. His grin widened. Being greeted so warmly never failed to brighten his day. He hugged everyone and even greeted interns who were seeing him for the first time.

"That's Joshua Hong. Take care of him." The makeup artist said to the intern, who nodded quickly.

"Oh, Maria. Don't scare the poor girl! I'm not a monster." Joshua chuckled lightly and turned to the intern. "Hi, I'm Joshua. What's your name?"

"S-Sophie," the intern said nervously. Joshua smiled gently and shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you. No need to be nervous, okay? I'm just me." Joshua said.

As soon as he walked away, Sophie accidentally dropped a clipboard. Joshua immediately bent down to grab it for her. "I got it. Is it your first day, Sophie?"

She nodded, embarrassed. "Yeah..."

"Mine, too." He handed the clipboard back.

She blinked. "...Really?"

"No," Joshua grinned. "But now you're smiling. Please relax, Sophie. I promise to make it easy for you on set. Nothing to be nervous about."

"Oh, Joshua Hong. You are not just you." The creative director rolled their eyes. "Everyone wants you!"

"Yeah!"

"You're THE Joshua Hong, after all!"

"I saw your Jaeger campaign last week!"

Joshua looked around and smiled at the people praising him. He basked in the attention they gave. After all, life is great being in his shoes.

He waved them off shyly. "Oh, stop it." Joshua looked at everyone and smiled, "Well, keep going."

The room burst into laughter before everyone drifted back to their stations, the usual pre-shoot jitters replaced with easy smiles.

"Has everyone eaten?" Joshua asked with a slight frown. He noticed that the crew looked tired. A chorus of "no" broke Joshua's heart. He immediately turned to his assistant. "Giovanni, let's order coffee for everyone."

Giovanni's eyes widened. "Everyone?"

Joshua only nodded in response. Giovanni quickly pulled out his phone and called the number to Joshua's go-to cafe in Milan. It wasn't unusual for Joshua to order in bulk, but it still surprised Giovanni from time to time.

When the coffee arrived, everyone began to feel energized. Within minutes, the studio transformed.

Conversations died down. Stylists made their final adjustments. Makeup artists stepped away. Assistants scattered to their assigned positions.

The easygoing man who had been cracking jokes with the crew moments ago melted away, replaced by the model every luxury brand wanted for their campaign.

"Places, everyone!"

Joshua slipped into position as the final touches were made to his outfit. The photographer barely had to direct him.

"Chin up."

Click.

"Perfect."

"Turn your shoulder."

Click.

"Beautiful."

By the fifth frame, the photographer simply lowered his camera with a laugh. "I forgot how unfairly easy you make my job."

Joshua pressed a hand against his chest dramatically. "I do what I can."

The crew laughed before the camera shutter started clicking again. Before everyone knew it, twelve hours had flown by, and the shoot was over.

"Only Joshua could make a twelve-hour shoot feel like six."

Joshua laughed and waved him off. "Enough with the flattery, Matteo. You still owe me coffee!"

"Thanks for this amazing shoot, Joshua!"

"No, thank you!" Joshua smiled. "Oh! Before I forget..."

Everyone looked over.

"I booked Da Vittorio for tonight. Please come if you're free."

Joshua was met with silence, making his smile slowly drop. He blinked. "Is something wrong?"

Maria pinched the bridge of her nose. "Joshua."

"...Yeah?"

"You rented out an entire Michelin-star restaurant." Maria pointed out.

"Yeah? Were there not enough seats?"

"Joshua," Maria started. "Normal people don't solve problems like this."

"Oh," Joshua said. "Well, it's already booked. It's easier than making reservations one by one."

"First coffee, now dinner? He's so kind."

"Joshua Hong is my favorite model."

Joshua put a hand over his heart. He loved treating people. "I hope you all enjoy."

Joshua laughed at everyone's reactions. "It's just dinner."

"No, Joshua. To you, it's 'just dinner'." Matteo deadpanned.

Joshua smiled. "Unfortunately, I will not be joining you. However, I'll make it up to you at the Prada fashion show. Dinner AND after party on me."

Everyone cheered. Joshua turned to Giovanni and said, "Join them for dinner. It's already been paid for. If it exceeds the bill, let me know. Have the rest of the night off, and also tomorrow. I'll see you at Pagani's auto show."

"Sir, that's a few days from now. What will I do then?" Giovanni asked just as Joshua was about to leave.

He turned around. "Oh, right. Well, have a few days off, then. It's well-earned, Giovanni. Buy yourself some clothes. This is all paid, anyway." He smiled. "Thank you for your hard work."

Giovanni's jaw dropped. "Thank you, sir! See you at Pagani!"

"See you!" Joshua smiled and left after waving goodbye to everyone.

Joshua exits the building with a smile on his face. He loved his work and he loved working with different people. It makes him cherish everything around him.

The crisp, evening Milan air hit Joshua as he started walking. He didn't even notice that it was 6:15 already. Hearing his stomach grumble, he decided to look for a place to eat that only a few people go to. He didn't like crowds due to a childhood trauma.

As he walked, he glanced up at a billboard. Instantly, a smile made its way to his face. He took his phone out to take a quick picture of it. It was one of the billboards he loved seeing, for it was you and him on the campaign. He remembered when it was taken.

Your relationship with Joshua was fairly new, and so was your career. After working with you on the Marc Jacobs fashion show, he took a liking to you. You've been dating since then. Naturally, a lot of brands that wanted Joshua wanted you, too. Many of them thought that it'd be nice to have a couple do a campaign.

Prada was one of those brands. They were so happy that they put the campaign on a billboard. Joshua wasn't one to brag, but when it came to your relationship, he loved you loudly.

That's why it hurt him when you decided to end your two-year relationship.

As if pulling a prank on him, the workers on the billboard peel away his Prada campaign with you. His smile started fading as we watched the vinyl fall. The new billboard sort of made his blood boil, but not really. He couldn't. After all, it was still you on the billboard... just with another man that he grew to... dislike, or tolerate, rather.

Yoon Jeonghan.

He's a new model, but he gained traction for his Yves Saint Laurent campaigns. Everyone praised his face, and everyone always mentioned how they were amazed that he could be pretty and handsome at the same time. It made Joshua feel sick.

He knew you could never cheat on him, but he was suspicious of Jeonghan because he seemed to swoop in a little after your breakup. The billboard made him remember the night you broke up with him.

"I'm sorry, Joshie. I just think that we're not right for each other anymore."

"Is there someone else?" He asked, eyes turning red from the tears he held back.

"Of course not. You know I love you, Joshie."

Both of you hugged and cried. Then you smiled through your tears as you pulled away. Joshua cupped your face and wiped your tears with his thumb.

You sniffed. "Can we still be friends, at least?"

Not able to resist losing you forever, Joshua answered yes. He always will. He meant it, too. At least he thought he did.

Joshua kept walking. Then his phone buzzed. A smile appeared on his face when he saw that you liked his recent post. Not able to resist, he clicked open your Instagram and smiled when he saw your recent post.

You were in Greece for Jacquemus, and his heart soared as he swiped through your photos. You didn't like taking behind-the-scenes photos from your shoots. Rather, you like taking pictures of the places you're in. Your Instagram is more like a photo diary. The last photo made Joshua's mood sour. It was a picture of Jeonghan sitting across from you.

If his sources (read: Giovanni) were correct, Jeonghan is on a modeling hiatus for reasons that were never disclosed. Seeing his face on your Instagram made your relationship with Jeonghan official, and Joshua wasn't a fan at all.

Joshua remembers the dating rumors between you and Jeonghan around five months after the breakup. He heard from Giovanni that you were in London for Burberry with a rising star in the industry named Yoon Jeonghan.

By the time Joshua reunited with you for fashion week, he had overheard you talking to other models about the "ridiculously handsome model who kept making everyone laugh at the Burberry set".

Soon, you and Jeonghan confirmed your relationship by hard-launching each other at events. Both of you rarely posted, so walking into events hand in hand made more sense.

Against his better judgment about Jeonghan, he took a deep breath and smiled to himself. After all, every day is a battle between choosing to be cruel or kind. Time and time again, he'd choose kindness because that's just who he is.

With kindness in mind, Joshua left a nice comment on your recent post.

@j.hong: It must've been really fun there! You both deserve a relaxing Greek getaway 😌

Instantly, you gave his comment a like. Joshua swore his stomach had butterflies. You even left a reply.

@yn.yln_: Thanks, Joshie! You always have kind words to say. Take care ♥️

Joshua stared at the heart and smiled. He stopped walking and glanced up. Your billboard with Jeonghan was still in view. He opened the camera app and took a quick picture of your campaign with your new man.

He quickly posted it on his Instagram story with the caption: Look what I saw on my stroll in Milan! Both of you look absolutely stunning. Congrats on the campaign @yn.yln_ @yoonjeonghannn ♥️

What he wrote in his caption wasn't ill-meaning at all. In fact, he meant what he said. Despite his feelings toward the man, he couldn't deny that his face definitely belonged on billboards. He also couldn't deny that your taste in men was... admittedly excellent. His face and Jeonghan's face were actually very lethal. If given the chance, he'd want to work with Jeonghan just to see how their dynamic would play out.

Joshua arrives at his hotel around eleven o'clock at night. After doing his night routine and changing into comfier clothes, he sat at his hotel room's desk, opened his personal notebook, and started writing.

When he finished writing, he smiled to himself. He read what he wrote over three times before taking a picture of it and sending it to you.

[Joshie 💫]: Thought you'd like this poem I wrote just now! Milan has been inspiring :) [Love♥️]: Hi, Joshieee! I'll read it when I get back to the Airbnb. Hannie and I are just taking a midnight stroll. Will get back to you soon, I promise! Excited to read it, though <3

Joshua smiled as he read your reply. He leaned back in his seat, feeling hopeful about everything. After all, the main character always gets the girl, right?

U AIN'T SLICK, JOSH

Yoon Jeonghan had never intended to fall in love. That was the funny thing about his line of work.

Spending life surrounded by beautiful people had made beauty stop meaning much. Faces blurred together after enough campaigns. Compliments became part of the job. Chemistry could be manufactured with the right lighting and a talented photographer.

Love, however, couldn't. Jeonghan believed that love is something unexpected; something worth waiting for. He was also the type of person to separate love and career, which was why the last person he expected to fall for was you.

He'd seen you before, of course. The entire industry had. Not only were you a top model, but you were also one half of fashion's favorite love story. Everyone knew about Joshua Hong. More importantly, everyone knew about the way Joshua Hong loved you.

He thanked you in interviews. Mentioned you in acceptance speeches. Talked about you during behind-the-scenes interviews as if loving you was the easiest thing he'd ever done. Even people who'd never met either of you rooted for your relationship.

Which was exactly why asking you out felt laughably impossible. Not because he thought he wasn't good enough. But because, in his head, there wasn't much of a competition when your predecessor was Joshua Hong.

Booking YSL was a dream come true for Jeonghan. After many side gigs, odd jobs, and cheesy photo shoots for department store posters, he finally got his big break. He didn't know what he was in for, but when he saw you, his world stopped. No one told him that he'd be in a shoot with you.

You were ethereal and effortlessly gorgeous. You were getting your hair and makeup done when he arrived. He honestly thought he was late, but you were just very early. When you glanced at him, he knew it was game over for him.

Since that successful YSL shoot, you've worked together a few times before he built up the courage to ask you out. Though he wasn't sure if you'd say yes because he got wind that you and Joshua had only been broken up for five months. Regardless, he decided to try. There was no harm in that, right?

After another successful photo shoot, Jeonghan approached you and rubbed the back of his neck—a nervous habit of his.

"Hi, Jeonghan!" you greeted. "Great job today."

"Thanks, Y/N. You did a great job, too," Jeonghan said and bit his lip. "Um, listen, there's something I want to say..."

"Mhm?"

"I know I'm no Joshua Hong," Jeonghan looked down with a shy smile, "but—"

"Is that your way of asking me out?" You tilted your head.

His ears turned pink. "Maybe."

"Okay." You laughed. "Yes, I'll go out with you."

Jeonghan wasn't sure what he had expected after that.

Maybe awkward first dates. Maybe long pauses. Maybe the occasional uncertainty that came with getting to know someone.

Instead, loving you felt... easy.

His first date with you wasn't at a Michelin-star restaurant or some rooftop bar overlooking Seoul. It was at a tiny café tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, where you insisted they made the best tiramisu in the city.

"I thought we'd go somewhere fancy," Jeonghan admitted after glancing around the cozy cafe.

You looked up from the menu with a grin. "Why?"

"I don't know," He laughed. "You're Y/N. You've probably been in better places, tried better food."

"So?"

"So..." He gestured vaguely. "You're... you."

You rolled your eyes playfully. "Coffee tastes the same whether you buy it at a small cafe or an expensive coffee house in Paris."

Jeonghan couldn't help but smile.

The dates kept coming after that.

Sometimes you'd end up at museums after shoots because neither of you wanted to go home just yet. Other times, you'd wander convenience stores at midnight, still dressed in designer clothes, arguing over which instant ramen brand was objectively the best.

The longer Jeonghan spent with you, the more he realized that the version of you the fashion industry knew and the version he was lucky enough to know were completely different people.

The world knew you as one of the industry's brightest stars.

Jeonghan knew you as the woman who stole fries off his plate after insisting she didn't want any because she needed to 'keep her figure' for Victoria's Secret.

Fashion Week only made you closer.

Schedules overlapped more often than not. If Jeonghan landed in Paris before you did, he'd wait at the hotel lobby with your favorite drink already in hand. If you wrapped a campaign before he did, he'd always find you waiting backstage, leaning against a wall with that familiar smile.

"You look nervous," you said, quietly fixing the collar of his blazer moments before he stepped onto the runway.

"That's because I am," Jeonghan laughed nervously, hands shoved deep in his pockets. He didn't want to show you how sweaty his palms were.

"You'll do great, Hannie."

He searched your face for a second. "How do you know? I'm just new in this job. I'm not in your caliber."

"Stop that. You wouldn't be here if you weren't capable." You smiled at him. "You're always doing great, alright? Please believe me."

Before long, airports became more familiar than apartments. One week you were in Milan. The next, New York. Then London. No matter where you ended up, you somehow found time for one another.

Sometimes it was only thirty minutes between fittings. Sometimes it was sharing overpriced airport sandwiches while waiting for delayed flights. Sometimes it was nothing more than a sleepy phone call before bed from opposite sides of the world. For Jeonghan, it was enough.

It didn't take long before the media caught on.

Fashion's New Power Couple

The Industry's Sweethearts

Move Over, Joshua Hong: Y/N Finds Love Again

Joshua vs Jeonghan: The Battle of the Two Js

Jeonghan groaned every time another headline appeared.

"Welcome to my world," you joked. "They're going to keep doing this every time we pose for a campaign."

"Jesus Christ."

"You hate it," you laughed.

Jeonghan shook his head. "I don't hate it. I just think calling every model couple a 'power couple' is ridiculous."

"Well," you pursed your lips and nudged his shoulder. "I kind of like it."

Jeonghan sighed dramatically. "Fine." He turned to you and gave you a sly smile, "If we're going to be a power couple, at least let me pick the matching airport outfits."

You laughed so hard you nearly spilled your coffee. Jeonghan decided right then and there that he'd spend the rest of his life trying to hear that laugh again.

Falling in love with you was something he would never regret. Falling in love with you was as easy as walking.

There was only one issue. Jeonghan realized that loving you also meant learning to live with one constant.

Joshua Hong.

At first, Jeonghan didn't care. Joshua Hong is Joshua Hong, after all. He's his senior, his idol ever since he saw Joshua on the cover of his little sister's favorite magazine.

Then, he started caring a little. Joshua was everywhere. Literally. Jeonghan thought of Joshua as a fly at this point. Always hovering, always around.

Exhibit A: Paris Fashion Week "Y/Nie!" Joshua greeted you as he hurriedly jogged towards you.

"Joshie!" You grinned and pulled him in for a tight hug. Jeonghan waited patiently next to you. In truth, he was a bit starstruck to be near his idol. He also didn't care that Joshua didn't see him or pay him any mind.

When you pulled away, Jeonghan watched with a small smile on his face as you quickly caught up with Joshua. He observed that Joshua's eyes lit up the more you spoke. There was something he was feeling in his gut, but he couldn't pinpoint what exactly was wrong. He shook his head and continued waiting. Your conversation ended, and you hugged each other goodbye. Joshua glanced at him quickly and smiled politely before leaving.

Exhibit B: Gigi Hadid's Birthday Party He noticed Joshua as soon as he entered. Joshua had a special talent for making people look his way without even trying. It wasn't arrogance. It was simply Joshua Hong being Joshua Hong.

It didn't take long for Joshua to spot you.

"Y/N, darling!" Joshua beamed as he made his way over. "It's so nice to see you."

He greeted everyone at the table with the same warmth before looking around. "Mind if I steal a seat for a bit?"

"Of course!" someone answered before anyone else could.

Joshua settled into the empty chair beside you, and before long, the entire table had fallen into easy conversation. He told stories from a campaign he had just wrapped in Milan, congratulated another model on booking Valentino, and somehow remembered the name of someone's assistant whom he'd only met once months ago.

Jeonghan understood why everyone adored him. Hell, he adored him, too. That was the problem.

Then someone asked Joshua about an old campaign.

"Oh!" Joshua laughed, pointing at you. "Y/N was there for that one. Remember when the wind machine nearly blew us off the cliff?"

You burst into laughter immediately, adding details Joshua had forgotten. Before long, the two of you were reminiscing about old shoots, impossible call times, and stylists you'd both sworn never to work with again.

Jeonghan smiled politely as he listened.

Then an event photographer approached the table.

"Joshua! Y/N! Could I get a quick photo of you two?"

Joshua blinked. "Oh... shouldn't Jeonghan be in it, too?"

The photographer laughed. "No, no. We want the reunion."

Joshua glanced toward Jeonghan for a split second before offering him an apologetic smile. "If that's alright with you?"

Jeonghan only nodded. "Go ahead."

The photo was taken. By the time Jeonghan got home that night, it had already gone viral.

Fashion's Favorite Exes Reunite at Gigi Hadid's Birthday.

If anyone zoomed in closely enough, they'd notice Jeonghan in the background, pretending to be very interested in the drink in his hand.

Exhibit C: Everything Else Because you and Joshua agreed to remain friends after the breakup, Jeonghan tried his best to understand. He really did.

At first, he told himself he was overthinking things. Then he started developing theories. The biggest one? Joshua Hong definitely had your post notifications on. There was simply no other explanation. The second you uploaded a photo... 'liked by @j.hong'. Every. Single. Time.

The comments came just as quickly.

"Great shot! Proud of you."

"Paris suits you, dear."

"Missed seeing you this week :("

Then came the phone calls. The texts. The poems.

Jeonghan had no idea what the two of you were talking about half the time, but every conversation ended the same way.

You laughed. You smiled. You promised to call him back later. He wasn't upset that you and Joshua were still friends. He wasn't even upset that Joshua still occupied a place in your life.

What bothered him was something much smaller. Joshua never seemed to realize that every hour he borrowed from you was an hour taken from someone else. It confused Jeonghan.

Joshua remembered birthdays. He bought coffee for the entire production team. He flew across continents just to support his friends' runway debuts. He had a reputation for making everyone around him feel seen.

Yet somehow, the one relationship he never seemed to acknowledge was yours.

Jeonghan tried not to dwell on it. Most days, it was easy. Especially on days like today. For once, neither of you had a flight to catch. No runway rehearsals. No campaign meetings. No fittings that somehow always ran three hours longer than scheduled.

Just the two of you.

The movie playing on your television had long been forgotten. "…And then," you giggled, trying to catch your breath, "the stylist accidentally glued the heel of her shoe to the runway."

Jeonghan chuckled, though he wasn't entirely sure he'd heard the whole story.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You weren't listening." You pouted.

"I was!" Jeonghan exclaimed.

"No, you weren't."

"I heard the important parts."

You narrowed your eyes. "Really?"

"Mhm."

"What happened, then?" You challenged.

Jeonghan pretended to think. "...There was a shoe."

You burst into laughter. "Oh my God, you are unbelievable."

"I was distracted."

"By what?"

He looked at you as if the answer were obvious. "You."

Your expression softened immediately. "That's a horrible excuse, Hannie."

"Are you kidding me? It's a fantastic excuse."

"No, baby."

"It worked, didn't it?" Jeonghan smirked. You tried to suppress another smile, but failed miserably. Jeonghan grinned triumphantly. "I knew it."

"You're so annoying," you rolled your eyes and crossed your arms.

"And yet..." He leaned closer. "...you still said yes."

Your cheeks warmed. "I think I made a mistake."

He nodded, "You definitely did."

"Oh?"

"The biggest one of your life."

You laughed and shoved his shoulder. He caught your wrist before you could pull away. For a moment, neither of you said anything. His thumb absentmindedly traced circles against your skin. You looked at him. He looked back. Then, quietly, you closed the distance.

The kiss was soft. Familiar. Comfortable, like coming home after weeks away. Jeonghan smiled into it. "I missed you," he murmured.

"I saw you yesterday," you muttered.

"I missed you yesterday."

You laughed against his lips before kissing him again. Somewhere between teasing smiles and stolen kisses, you found yourself settling comfortably onto his lap. His arms wrapped around your waist as naturally as breathing.

"You know..." he whispered.

"Hm?"

"I think this is my favorite city."

You blinked. "We're in Seoul."

"I know."

"You said Paris was your favorite." You raised a brow.

"My favorite city is wherever you are." He said lovingly before leaning in for another kiss. This one lingered longer, slower.

Jeonghan's hand rested against your waist before carefully slipping beneath the hem of your shirt, his fingertips brushing lightly against your skin. A quiet shiver ran through you.

His fingers caught the hem of your shirt. Just as he started to pull, your phone rang. Jeonghan didn't even acknowledge it. "Ignore it. It'll stop," he mumbled against your lips, his hand resting lightly against the small of your back.

The ringing didn't stop.

"It could be important," you mumbled between kisses.

"Just leave it, baby." He said, voice raspy. "They'll call again."

The phone continued ringing. You sighed apologetically. "I'm sorry."

You slipped off his lap and reached for your phone on the coffee table. Jeonghan groaned dramatically, letting his head fall against the couch. "...Whoever that is owes me an apology."

You answered your phone without even looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

As you listened to whoever was on the other end, Jeonghan quietly reached for your waist again, pulling you back onto his lap. He rested a hand on your hip and absentmindedly pressed feather-light kisses along your neck, hoping—perhaps delusionally—that the conversation would only last a few seconds.

"Oh!" You smiled brightly. "Hi, Joshie!"

Jeonghan stopped. His lips hovered against your neck. One second. Two. Three. Slowly, very, very slowly, he pulled away. He looked at you. Then, the phone pressed against your ear. Then back at you again. Without saying a word, he leaned back until his head hit the couch with a soft thud.

He stared blankly at the ceiling. Silence. A muscle in his jaw twitched. His eye followed shortly after.

Meanwhile, you remained blissfully unaware. "Oh! Really?" you laughed into the phone. "No way. Wait, tell me everything."

Jeonghan closed his eyes. "Hong Jisoo. You couldn't have called thirty minutes later?"

"Count your fucking days." Jeonghan thought.

Joshua had been keeping you occupied for days, and Jeonghan began going insane. When Joshua got back from Florence, he wasted no time hanging out with you. Fortunately for Jeonghan, Mingyu just got back from New York.

"So..." Mingyu stabbed a cherry tomato with his fork. "What's wrong with you?"

Jeonghan looked up from his salad. "What do you mean?"

"I've known you for years." Mingyu shrugged. "You only eat your tomatoes last when something's bothering you."

Jeonghan blinked. "You... notice that?"

"Yah, don't change the topic!" Mingyu pouted, mouth still full of food.

Jeonghan chuckled at the younger man. Using his fork to push around the cherry tomato, he sighed. "It's Joshua..."

"Hong?" Mingyu frowned.

"Unfortunately," Jeonghan rolled his eyes.

"As in," Mingyu swallowed his food. "the Joshua Hong?"

"Bro, who else?" Jeonghan deadpanned. "Unless another Joshua Hong is walking around New York Fashion Week."

"Huh." Mingyu leaned back in his chair. "That's weird. Are you sure we met the same Joshua?"

Jeonghan frowned. He didn't know if he wanted to flick Mingyu's forehead or fling him around. He knew it'd be impossible to fling around a man who is six foot two. He'd find a way anyway.

"Dude's awesome!" Mingyu grinned as Jeonghan stared at him in disbelief. "We worked together for Givenchy last year."

A smile spread across his face at the memory. "We hit the after-party right after the show. He introduced me to photographers, bought everyone drinks, and somehow remembered the names of assistants he'd only met once."

"It was fucking rad," He laughed. "Too bad you were in London for Burberry."

Jeonghan sighed. "We definitely met different Joshua Hongs."

"But he's nice."

"I know he is."

"So, what's the problem?"

Jeonghan set his fork down. "He doesn't get the message." Mingyu waited. Jeonghan exhaled. "He calls."

"Mhm." Mingyu nodded.

"He texts."

"Mhm."

"He's always the first person to comment on Y/N's Instagram."

"Mhm."

"He writes poems."

"...Poems?" Mingyu furrowed his brows.

"Poems." Jeonghan nodded once.

"Damn." Mingyu said. "I didn't peg him for a poetry guy."

"And last week," Jeonghan rubbed a hand over his face. "He interrupted us."

"Interrupted?" Mingyu looked even more confused.

"We were making out." Jeonghan got more frustrated as he recalled the moment.

Mingyu blinked. "Okay. Nevermind."

"And then Joshua called."

"Yikes," Mingyu shook his head. "That's rough."

"It was." Jeonghan sighed. Another silence settled between them. Mingyu looked down at his plate. His lips slowly formed into an exaggerated pout.

Jeonghan frowned. "What are you pouting for?"

Mingyu poked a cucumber slice with his fork. "Why are we eating sad salad?"

Jeonghan stared. He was too stunned to speak.

"Hyung." Mingyu looked genuinely betrayed. "I just got back from Calvin Klein."

"Yeah."

"I've been eating grilled chicken and broccoli for weeks!" Mingyu frowned. "Now I'm back in Korea, and you're making me eat leaves?! I didn't survive Calvin Klein just to come home and eat lettuce."

Jeonghan sighed. "We're models."

"I know."

"Your abs are your moneymaker." Jeonghan nodded towards him.

Mingyu immediately pats his stomach and grabs the collar of his shirt slightly to look down at his abs. "They'll understand. They've worked hard enough."

"Hyung," Mingyu crossed his arms. "I deserve pork."

Jeonghan pinched the bridge of his nose.

"And I want a lot of it." Mingyu pouted even more.

The sound of sizzling pork belly filled the restaurant. Mingyu looked infinitely happier. "Now," he said proudly while flipping the meat, "continue."

Jeonghan couldn't help but laugh. "I invited you here to listen to my problems."

"I am listening," Mingyu said.

"You just needed pork first." Jeonghan rolled his eyes.

"I process emotions better with grilled meat."

Jeonghan rolled his eyes. "So, anyway..." He picked up where he left off. By the time he'd finished recounting every interaction with Joshua, Mingyu had wrapped him three ssams and grilled two more rounds of pork.

"Yeah," Mingyu finally admitted. "He really doesn't get the message."

Jeonghan leaned back with a relieved sigh. "THANK YOU."

"But..." Mingyu pointed at him with his tongs. "You're stronger than me."

"Why do you say that?"

"I would've kicked his ass by now," Mingyu said in a serious tone.

Jeonghan laughed. "I don't have any attachment to Joshua."

Mingyu pursed his lips. "Sure."

"What?"

"I don't think you're attached to Joshua." He placed another strip of pork on the grill. "I think you're starting to have an emotional attachment to him through your girlfriend."

Jeonghan blinked.

Mingyu shrugged. "Think about it," He trailed off, flipping another slice of pork. "You know his schedule, you know where he is, you know what campaigns he's booking, you even knew he was in Florence!"

"Shut up," Jeonghan said, looking down at the table.

Mingyu smiled to himself. "Bingo!" He wrapped another ssam and happily popped it into his mouth. "You're paying."

"Screw you, Kim Mingyu!"

"Love you, too," Mingyu said with his mouth full.

-

Jeon Wonwoo had never liked being the center of attention. Which was ironic, considering he'd chosen a career where people constantly stared at him. Modeling was easier. The cameras never expected him to make conversation.

It was different with people. People expected a lot of things.

Tonight marked Wonwoo's official debut as one of South Korea's newest runway models after months of editorials, lookbooks, and campaign work. His agency had insisted on throwing a small celebration to commemorate the milestone.

Note: small.

No media. No reporters. No influencers. Just a handful of close friends and colleagues from the industry. Preferably men. He specifically typed it on the e-invite:

Subject: JEON WONWOO'S DEBUT CELEBRATION A small gathering to celebrate my official runway debut.

📍 Maison Noir Private Dining 🗓️ Saturday, 8:00 PM

Hi.

Thank you for supporting me throughout the beginning of my modeling career.

I know I don't usually say things like this out loud, but I genuinely appreciate everyone who has guided me, encouraged me, and believed in me. If it weren't for any of you, I'd just be a pro-gamer who's too shy to be a streamer. I'd like to celebrate this milestone with the people who helped me get here.

Dinner and drinks are on me. Please come if you're free.

Dress code: Smart casual

Best regards, Jeon Wonwoo

P.S. Please don't bring gifts. Your presence is more than enough. P.P.S This is a guys-only gathering. I have nothing against women. I'm just more comfortable this way. I'm very introverted, and I would not want to deal with a dating rumor, please. I just started my career. Please don't overthink it. Thank you for understanding. :)

Wonwoo wasn't built to socialize with too many people at once. One room full of men already sounded exhausting enough.

Jeonghan stood in front of the mirror, buttoning the cuffs of his shirt. You peeked into the bedroom with a small pout. "I really can't come?"

Jeonghan chuckled. "Sorry, baby." He reached over to straighten the collar of your oversized hoodie before gently pinching your cheek. "Wonwoo specifically wrote 'guys only' on the email."

"Seriously?" You blinked. "Why?"

Jeonghan laughed under his breath. "Apparently, he's too introverted for girls."

You immediately covered your mouth to stop yourself from laughing. You've met Wonwoo. He's a nice guy, and it wouldn't be very nice of you to laugh at him.

"That's so on brand for Wonwoo," you said. "I mean, I worked with him for Salvatore Ferragamo two months back. He could barely say 'hi'."

Jeonghan laughed as he fixed his hair. You leaned against the doorway dramatically. "I would've behaved."

"I know you would've." Jeonghan snickered.

"I would've stayed in one corner."

"I know."

"I would've only talked to you."

"Mhm."

"So..." you gave him a mischievous grin. "Should I pretend to be a guy? This is my 'She's The Man' moment, baby!"

"Babe, you have boobs. It'd be obvious!" Jeonghan cackled. He couldn't believe he was actually thinking about your plan.

You pouted and crossed your arms. "Mingyu has boobs too, and he doesn't wear a bra. I've seen his Calvin Klein ads!"

At this point, Jeonghan was bent over, laughing. He thought you were the funniest person ever. "I'm telling Mingyu when I see him later."

You let out the most exaggerated sigh imaginable. "At least tell Wonwoo I said congrats."

He walked over and wrapped an arm around your waist before pressing a kiss to your forehead. "I will. I shouldn't be too late."

"Oh, and tell Mingyu to stop eating the food before everyone gets there."

Jeonghan snorted. "Oh, please. We both know his abs wouldn't suffer one bit. Besides, I don't think anyone on earth is capable of stopping Kim Mingyu from eating."

"Fair," you giggled.

He leaned down to steal one last kiss before heading toward the front door. "Love you."

"Love you more."

"Nuh-uh," Jeonghan shook his head. "Love you most."

You rolled your eyes and fought back a grin. Jeonghan smirked, "I'll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise. I'll even buy you two desserts."

"Looking forward to it. Drive safe, baby, and text me when you get there!"

"I will!" Jeonghan waved before walking out and getting in his car.

Jeonghan's phone buzzed the moment he pulled into the parking lot.

[My YN]: Did you drive safely?

He smiled to himself before replying.

[My Hanniebunch]: Already here. [My YN]: Have fun! Don't forget to tell Wonwoo I said congrats! ♥️ [My Hanniebunch]: I will! Love you.

Satisfied, he slipped his phone back into his pocket before making his way inside.

The celebration was already well underway by the time Jeonghan stepped into Maison Noir. He hadn't expected such a turnout. Judging by Wonwoo's invitation, neither had Wonwoo.

The private dining room buzzed with conversation as familiar faces from across the fashion industry filled nearly every table. Models exchanged stories from Paris, Milan, London, and New York as though they hadn't seen each other in years.

For someone who'd insisted on a small gathering, Wonwoo's definition of "small" seemed surprisingly generous.

Jeonghan smiled to himself. He was genuinely happy for Wonwoo. They'd met almost a year ago during a Burberry campaign in London.

Wonwoo had barely spoken to anyone throughout the shoot. Every break, he'd disappear into a corner with his Nintendo Switch while everyone else networked over coffee.

Jeonghan found it amusing. Every model he'd met had spent breaks networking with editors or introducing themselves to photographers. Wonwoo, on the other hand, was trying to catch Pokémon. Jeonghan couldn't help himself. He wandered over.

"What're you playing?" Jeonghan asked, hands in his pockets.

Wonwoo looked up, startled. Oh. Someone was talking to him. His palms immediately grew clammy. He wasn't sure where to look. At Jeonghan? At his Switch? Somewhere in between?

"Um... Pokémon." Wonwoo gulped, awkwardly holding up his Switch.

Jeonghan racked his brain for anything he recalled about Pokémon games. Mingyu wasn't the type to play that much. In the end, he decided to tell the truth.

"I don't know much about Pokémon," Jeonghan admitted. "Who's your starter?"

That single question somehow turned into an hour-long conversation. By the end of the campaign, they weren't just coworkers anymore. They were friends. Wonwoo even gave him an awkward side hug before leaving the shoot, which was honestly more than enough for Jeonghan.

This explained why he wasn't surprised when Wonwoo sent him an e-invite for his debut party.

"Jeonghan-hyung!"

Jeonghan turned just in time to see Wonwoo making his way over.

"Congratulations." Jeonghan smiled warmly before pulling him into a quick hug. "I'm proud of you."

Wonwoo smiled sheepishly. "Thanks."

"You've earned this."

"Oh, I don't know about that." Wonwoo chuckled awkwardly.

"I do."

Wonwoo scratched the back of his neck awkwardly before glancing around the room. "I genuinely thought only five people would come."

"Five?" Jeonghan laughed. "Give yourself some slack, Wonwoo."

"I invited thirty."

"And you expected five?" Jeonghan looked at him like he had three heads.

Wonwoo nodded without a hint of irony. "Maybe seven if Mingyu was hungry."

Jeonghan burst into laughter. Before Jeonghan could reply, another guest called Wonwoo's name from across the room. Wonwoo sighed almost imperceptibly.

"Duty calls."

"Go," Jeonghan chuckled. "It's your night, Wonwoo-yah."

Wonwoo bowed his head once. "Thanks for coming."

As Wonwoo disappeared back into the growing crowd, Jeonghan couldn't help but smile. He'd come a long way from the quiet guy hiding in the corner with a Nintendo Switch. Now he was the reason everyone had gathered tonight.

Just then, someone threw an arm around Jeonghan's shoulders.

"There you are!"

Jeonghan rolled his eyes. He didn't even have to turn around. "Mingyu. You're late."

"Only for three minutes," Mingyu pouted.

"Still late," Jeonghan sighed and faced his friend. "You made me wait so long. I hate you."

"No, you don't," Mingyu teased as they walked to the bar to grab drinks.

"No," Jeonghan admitted with a reluctant smile. "I really don't."

Mingyu handed him a glass of champagne. "To our new, hot friend Wonwoo."

Jeonghan chuckled, "To Wonwoo."

The two clinked glasses and drank.

Across the room, Wonwoo laughed nervously as another model congratulated him. For the first time that evening, he looked comfortable. Jeonghan smiled.

Then, the restaurant doors opened. No one announced his arrival. No dramatic fanfare. And yet, conversations slowed. Heads turned one after another, as though someone had started a domino effect. Even Mingyu paused mid-sip. "Huh?"

Jeonghan frowned. "What?"

Mingyu looked toward the entrance with an amused expression. "I didn't know he was coming."

Jeonghan followed his gaze. A familiar figure stepped through the doorway. Perfect posture. An apologetic smile. Tailored black suit.

Joshua Hong.

Jeonghan blinked once. "Oh, my god."

Mingyu frowned. "What?"

Jeonghan watched Joshua apologize to the hostess for being a few minutes late, then bowed politely to every member of staff who greeted him. The hostess laughed at something he said. Joshua laughed with her.

"It's Glinda," Jeonghan muttered under his breath.

"Who?" Mingyu looked at him, brows knit together.

"Glinda," Jeonghan answered as he watched Joshua's every move. "The Good Witch."

Mingyu looked between Jeonghan and Joshua and sighed. "Hyung..."

"I'm serious."

As Joshua made his way into the room, conversations dissolved into excited greetings. People waved. People stood. Someone called his name from across the restaurant. Joshua smiled at every single person as though they'd known each other for years.

And, against Jeonghan's will, his brain betrayed him.

🎶 Let us be glad...

Joshua stopped to shake hands with Wonwoo's stylist.

🎶 Let us be grateful...

He congratulated Jean-François for his Hermès ad.

🎶 Let us rejoicify...

He remembered the name of Wonwoo's stylist's assistant.

🎶 ...that goodness could subdue...

He complimented Błażej's latest campaign before asking about his mother's cataract surgery.

🎶 ...the wicked workings of...

Joshua's eyes landed on Wonwoo. His face immediately brightened. "Wonwoo-yah!"

🎶 ...you-know-who.

Jeonghan closed his eyes. 'Absolutely not.'

His brain had assigned No One Mourns the Wicked to Joshua Hong. And, infuriatingly enough, it fit. To make matters worse, the man had the audacity to wear pink.

Joshua made a beeline toward the guest of honor. "Wonwoo-yah!"

Wonwoo turned around. The moment he realized who had called his name, his eyes widened. "Joshua-hyung?"

Joshua had plastered a smile on his face. and opened his arms. "Congratulations, dear!"

Wonwoo stepped into the hug almost automatically.

"You worked so hard," Joshua patted his back before pulling away. "I'm really proud of you."

"I..." Wonwoo blinked several times. He couldn't believe it. "I didn't think you'd actually come."

Joshua frowned as if the idea offended him... because it did. "What? Why would you think that way?"

"I mean," Wonwoo laughed awkwardly. "You're always out of the country. I didn't think you'd have time for a... rookie like me. You're a busy man, hyung."

"So are you." Joshua said, determined to boost Wonwoo's confidence.

"But you're Joshua Hong."

"And you're Jeon Wonwoo." Joshua smiled as Wonwoo stared at him. "I don't see the difference."

The tips of Wonwoo's ears turned pink. "I..." He laughed awkwardly. "Thank you."

Joshua noticed the crowd forming around them and gently nudged Wonwoo forward. "Go on."

"Go where?"

Joshua laughed. "Tonight isn't about me, dearest." He rested a hand on Wonwoo's shoulder before lightly tapping a knife against his champagne glass.

Clink.

The conversations gradually quieted. Joshua looked around the room. "I promise I'll keep this short."

A few people laughed.

"Watch." Jeonghan took another sip of champagne. "He's about to make Wonwoo's debut about himself."

Mingyu pursed his lips and shrugged. "Probably not."

"I just wanted to say how proud I am of Wonwoo," Joshua said. He looked over at Wonwoo with the warmest smile Jeonghan had ever seen. "I've watched him grow over the past year. He's one of the hardest-working people I've ever met. He never asks to be noticed. He never asks for praise, but he's earned every bit of tonight."

Joshua lifted his champagne flute. "So," He smiled. "Let's toast to my friend..."

Wonwoo blinked. "Friend?"

Joshua looked at him, equally confused. "Well, of course. How could you not be my friend?"

Wonwoo looked seconds away from passing out. The room erupted into applause. Someone whistled. Someone yelled, "Speech!"

Wonwoo looked horrified. Joshua saw this and laughed lightly. "Easy now." He patted Wonwoo's shoulder. "One milestone at a time."

Instead of remaining beside him, Joshua quietly stepped to the side. Just enough. Just enough that every eye naturally returned to Wonwoo. Jeonghan noticed. Of course, he noticed.

He redirected the attention.

Even now. Even when the entire room wanted to celebrate Joshua's arrival. He somehow made it about Wonwoo.

"You've got to be kidding me," Jeonghan mumbled.

"Hm?" Mingyu glanced over.

"Nothing."

Before Wonwoo could be swallowed by another wave of congratulations, Joshua finally looked around the room again.

His eyes landed on Mingyu. "Mingyu, darling!"

Mingyu immediately broke into a grin. "Hyung!"

Joshua pulled him into a tight hug. "It's been ages! We last saw each other at Givenchy, right?"

"Yeah!" Mingyu laughed. "We should go clubbing again."

"Oh, we absolutely should!" Joshua exclaimed excitedly. "I believe it's your turn to buy everyone drinks. I'll get the food."

"I think it's only fair," Mingyu chuckled.

Joshua stepped back, looking Mingyu up and down. "You look incredible."

"So do you," Mingyu grinned. "Pink is your color."

Joshua waved him off. "Enough about me. I loved your Calvin Klein campaign! Very, very sexy of you."

Mingyu rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Thanks, hyung."

Only then did Joshua's gaze shift toward Jeonghan. His smile never faltered. "Jeonghan."

This time, he walked over properly. "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise," Jeonghan said with a tight-lipped smile.

"I've actually wanted to tell you something."

Jeonghan blinked. "...Me?"

Joshua nodded enthusiastically. "I still remember seeing your photo for the first time."

Jeonghan laughed awkwardly. "My first YSL campaign?"

"What?" Joshua chuckled. "No." He shook his head. "You did a Lotte Department Store campaign years ago."

"The... mall poster?"

"Yes!" Joshua pointed at him excitedly. "That's the one."

Jeonghan froze. Not everyone knew about that. Not even you or Mingyu. Not even his agency talked about it. It was a job he'd quietly buried years ago.

It was his first shoot after deciding he wanted to pursue modeling. He was never really good academically, anyway. In truth, he pursued modeling because of Joshua. He was so intrigued by him when he saw his face in his little sister's magazine. He wanted to look just as good.

Booking a Lotte Department Store campaign seemed right at the time. Sure, the studio location was sketchy, and there was little to no staff at the shoot, and he had to do his own makeup, but it went alright.

"I was shopping with my mom." Joshua smiled fondly. "I remember seeing this huge poster of you." He laughed. "You looked so awkward."

Joshua copied the pose from memory, and Mingyu snorted into his champagne.

Jeonghan deadpanned. "Gee, thanks."

"But," Joshua continued quickly, "you were far too handsome to be stuck on a department store poster. So, I took a picture of it and sent it to your current agency." He was so casual about it.

Jeonghan's eyebrows shot up. "You... what?"

Joshua nodded. "I told them, 'I don't know who he is, but you should find him'. Oh, I was so happy when they told me they found you!" He looked at Jeonghan with a fond smile. "They tracked you down a few months later, didn't they?"

"Yeah," Jeonghan muttered. Mingyu was too stunned to speak.

"I knew they would. I've been rooting for you ever since," Joshua's smile widened. Then he gestured proudly toward Jeonghan. "Now look at you; YSL, Burberry... I absolutely loved your Paolo Roversi editorial."

Joshua's eyes sparkled. "It was so artistic, darling. So raw. I don't think anyone else could've done it the way you did."

Jeonghan stared. He didn't know what to say. Because rookie Jeonghan would've cried hearing those words. Present-day Jeonghan, however...

Present-day Jeonghan wished Joshua had been a worse person.

It would've made all of this so much easier.

YOU'RE IN MY WAY

Jeonghan had never been in many relationships because each relationship he had with his ex-girlfriends lasted quite a while before the inevitable breakup. Now that he was with you, he was determined to see your relationship until you both die. You were the last girl for him; he was sure of it.

He was never the jealous type. No, he was very understanding. He never yelled to get his point across. He was in tune with your feelings, and he made sure he was attentive to everything while juggling hectic schedules.

He was very patient, too. In fact, he was so patient that he let everything with Joshua Hong slide. The straw that broke the camel's back? The award show.

Joshua can call you, text you, like your posts, and comment all he wants, but saving you a seat at an award show when everyone knew you'd be attending as a couple? Absolutely not.

'Has he gone insane?' Jeonghan thought to himself.

"Oh, I appreciate it, Joshie," you smiled politely. "I'm sitting with Hannie tonight, though."

"No worries," Joshua smiled. "I hope you guys enjoy the night. Perhaps I can ask someone else to sit with me."

"Trust me, a lot of people would want to sit with you," Jeonghan said in a tone that neither you nor Joshua picked up on.

Joshua's eye lit up, "That is so nice of you to say, Jeonghan! I sure hope it's true. I think I'll ask Wonwoo. He's comfortable with me." He glanced at Wonwoo and waved him over. When Wonwoo walked over, Joshua immediately invited him to sit with him. Of course, he agreed.

You caught up with Joshua and Wonwoo for a while before you and Jeonghan went to your seats. He didn't want to ruin your night, but he had had enough of Joshua.

A few days after the award show, his head had already cooled down. During those days, he decided it was best to talk to Joshua. Enough was enough.

"Babe?" Jeonghan asked.

"Mhm?"

He took a deep breath and gave you a tight-lipped smile. "Can I... have Joshua's number?"

You quickly looked up from your laptop in disbelief. "Really?"

"Yeah."

You smiled. "I've been waiting for you to ask!" You quickly pulled out your phone, "You two have so much in common! I think you'll get along."

"Yeah," Jeonghan forced a smile. "I hope so."

After sending him Joshua's contact, you quickly sent him a text.

[Love ♥️]: Joshieeee! Hannie asked for your number!! I think he wants to be friends, and he wants to talk and hang out 🥹 [Joshie 💫]: Really?? 🥹 [Joshie 💫]: That makes me so happy, darling! [Joshie 💫]: I've always wanted to get to know him better!

Jeonghan wasted no time in shooting Joshua a text. To his surprise, Joshua replied immediately. A part of him fanboyed. He understood how Wonwoo felt when he saw Joshua walk into the restaurant. He also understood how Mingyu felt when Joshua bought drinks for everyone at the Givenchy thing.

[Joshua Hong]: Hi, Jeonghan! 😊 [Joshua Hong]: Y/N told me you wanted to talk! [Joshua Hong]: I'd love that. [Joshua Hong]: Coffee?

Jeonghan stared at his phone in disbelief. Jeonghan thought, if Glinda the Good Witch had a phone, she'd text like Joshua Hong.

[Jeonghannie]: Tomorrow? [Joshua Hong]: Perfect! [Joshua Hong]: My treat 😊

Jeonghan thought that was it, but Joshua had texted him again.

[Joshua Hong]: Maru Lounge at Four Seasons, 2:00 PM tomorrow? If you'd prefer somewhere else, just let me know. I'd be happy to change it for your convenience. 😊

Jeonghan stared at the messages.

A reservation. At Four Seasons. With Joshua Hong.

Somewhere deep inside him, rookie Jeonghan screamed.

"Oh, my god! Joshua Hong invited us to Four Seasons!! He made a reservation for us! THIS IS NOT A DRILL."

Present-day Jeonghan pinched the bridge of his nose. He's not doing this. He will not give in to his rookie self.

But rookie Jeonghan ignored him completely.

"WE'RE HAVING COFFEE WITH JOSHUA HONG! AT FOUR SEASONS! DO YOU KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE FOUR SEASONS IS??? WHAT ARE WE WEARING?! WE HAVE TO WEAR THAT YSL COMBO THAT YOU GOT IN YOUR CLOSET!"

"We're not dressing up for Joshua Hong."

"HE'S GOING TO NOTICE IF WE DON'T MAKE AN EFFORT! WE'RE MEETING HIM AT THE FOUR SEASONS!!!"

"That is literally the opposite of the point."

"I bet he'd be dressed head-to-toe in Prada..."

"You know what? He probably will be."

Present-day Jeonghan absolutely did not want to indulge the voice inside his head. Besides, it didn't matter, right? Joshua Hong is just a regular person. It shouldn't matter.

"It matters to me, present-day Jeonghan. Please, please, PLEASE don't embarrass us! Ask him for a photo or an autograph! TELL HIM YOU LOVED HIS GIVENCHY ERA!!! His Armani era was scrumptious, too!"

Since when did his rookie self describe Joshua as "scrumptious"? He'll never know. He was torn, if he were being honest. He's literally about to tell Joshua to fuck off.

"Can you at least compliment his suit? I bet he'd style his hair in that slicked-back hairstyle and have shades on his head as a makeshift headband."

Jeonghan let out a long, exhausted sigh before typing his reply.

[Jeonghannie]: Sounds good. See you tomorrow, Joshua!

The next afternoon arrived much faster than Jeonghan would've liked. He stood in front of his closet for far longer than necessary. Rookie Jeonghan had somehow taken over.

"Not the hoodie."

Present-day Jeonghan sighed. "I'm not dressing up for Joshua Hong."

"You absolutely are."

"In case you forgot, I'm confronting him to, like, stay away from our girlfriend."

"Yes, but you're confronting Joshua Hong... at the Four Seasons. At least wear the YSL jacket."

Present-day Jeonghan pinched the bridge of his nose. Against his better judgment, he wore the YSL jacket.

Maru Lounge at the Four Seasons was exactly what Jeonghan imagined Joshua Hong's favorite place would look like.

Quiet. Elegant. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked Gwanghwamun, letting warm afternoon sunlight spill across polished marble floors. A pianist played softly in the corner while guests spoke in hushed voices over afternoon tea.

Jeonghan checked the time. 1:56 PM.

He was early. Then he looked toward the corner of the lounge, Of course, Joshua was already there. Fifteen minutes early, if Jeonghan had to guess.

He wasn't scrolling on his phone. He wasn't taking calls. He wasn't even working. Instead, he sat by the window with a pot of tea already poured, occasionally thanking Gerard whenever he came by to refill his teapot. As if sensing someone watching him, Joshua looked up. His face immediately brightened.

"Jeonghan!" He stood so quickly that his chair nearly slid backward.

"You made it!" Joshua smiled, waving him over as though they've been friends for years. "I hope traffic wasn't too bad."

Jeonghan was glad he listened to his inner voice because Joshua was wearing a cream knit polo beneath a light beige blazer, and a pair of sunglasses rested on top of his head like a headband. He was sure that Joshua was drenched in Prada.

"It was fairly quick to get here," Jeonghan said softly as he approached.

Joshua extended his hand. "It's nice seeing you again."

Jeonghan shook it. "You too."

Joshua looked almost relieved. "Oh, please sit. I'm so happy that we're finally having this opportunity to bond. Perhaps we should invite Mingyu and Wonwoo next time. I like their company as well."

The two of them sat down across from each other. The moment they sat down, Gerard approached with an easy smile.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hong."

"Good afternoon, Gerard." Joshua smiled back as though greeting an old friend. "You're looking great!"

"Thank you, Mr. Hong," Gerard smiled politely.

"Thank you for accommodating us," Joshua said easily. Jeonghan just watched as he interacted with Gerard. It wasn't his place to join the conversation. Besides, Joshua did all the talking.

"My pleasure, sir." Gerard placed two menus on the table. "The usual?"

Joshua glanced at Jeonghan. "I might switch things up today." He looked back at Gerard. "We'll need another minute."

"Of course," As Gerard walked away, Joshua turned back to Jeonghan.

"I hope this place is alright for you," Joshua said with a hint of nervousness in his voice. Gosh, he just wanted to make friends. If he only knew what Jeonghan was here for.

"It's... nice."

Joshua smiled. "I like coming here whenever I need some peace and quiet." Then he paused. "Oh."

His eyebrows knitted together. "Y/N never told me if you were vegan… or pescatarian."

Jeonghan blinked. "What?"

"I wasn't sure what you ate." Joshua looked genuinely apologetic. "I had ordered a few things to snack on while waiting. Just... safe snacks for sharing."

Then Joshua's eyes widened. "Oh, dear."

Jeonghan raised an eyebrow. "What now?"

"You're not allergic to anything, are you?"

"No."

Joshua visibly relaxed. "Oh, thank goodness. I was worried I'd accidentally kill you before we even had coffee."

A laugh escaped Jeonghan before he could stop it. "I'm good."

"Wonderful," Joshua smiled. Right on cue, Gerard returned with several small plates.

"Falafel with chickpeas, coriander, quinoa, lime juice, lemon juice, and yoghurt dressing."

"Our Premium Cheese Platter with crackers, dried fruit, nuts, and honey."

"And our Seasonal Sliced Fruit Platter." Gerard smiled. "Enjoy."

"Many thanks, Gerard," Joshua smiled. "We'll call you when we're ready to order."

Jeonghan stared at the food before him. "Josua..."

Joshua was browsing the menu before he looked up. "Yes?"

"There are two of us," Jeonghan said. "Do you usually feed an entire runway cast?"

Joshua laughed softly. "Oh, I may have overestimated." He smiled sheepishly, "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I ordered the safest options."

"Please forgive me if it's too much," Joshua looked almost embarrassed.

Jeonghan looked at the spread again. "Too much?"

Joshua gestured at the menu beside Jeonghan's plate. "But please order whatever you'd like. Personally, it's been a while since I've had a cheat day, so I'll be having the Maru Burger. I'll call Gerard once you've decided."

Jeonghan looked up. "Gerard?"

"The gentleman who greeted us."

"You know the staff?"

Joshua smiled fondly. "I come here rather often when I want some peace and quiet." He glanced toward Gerard. "He's usually assigned to my table."

Silence.

Jeonghan slowly looked around the lounge. The pianist. The marble. The crystal chandeliers. "Peace and quiet."

Joshua followed his gaze.

"This..." Jeonghan gestured vaguely around the room. "...is where you relax?"

Joshua blinked. "Shouldn't I?" He tilted his head. "If you ever have the chance, you should try the spa here."

His face brightened. "They have a spa treatment called Gangyeong. It's wonderful. They start with a warm foot-and-hand ritual, then a relaxation massage. Then they do a thermal ear ritual and an inner beauty facial. Afterwards, they do a scalp treatment…"

He smiled fondly. "I always fall asleep."

Jeonghan stared. "You have a favorite spa treatment."

Joshua blinked. "Yes...?"

Then realization slowly crossed Joshua's face. "Oh." He laughed at himself. "I'm doing it again, aren't I?"

Jeonghan didn't know what to say. He didn't want to offend the man. "No, it's..." He looked around again. "...Very nice."

Joshua smiled apologetically. "I probably should've asked if you were comfortable meeting here. I didn't think about it. I just come here whenever I need to clear my head."

Silence. Then, Gerard returned once more. "May I get you gentlemen something to drink?"

Joshua looked toward Jeonghan. "What would you like?"

"I'll just have water," Jeonghan said as if he had said it a million times. Well, because he had.

Joshua blinked. "Just water?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure?"

"Would you like sparkling?" Gerard asked.

Jeonghan frowned. "I'll have... water-water."

"What is water-water?" Joshua asked, genuinely curious. "Extra purified, or extra distilled?"

"Just regular water," Jeonghan said. "I'll be having regular water."

"Is that final?" Joshua asked.

Jeonghan nodded. "It's free."

Joshua paused. "Oh." Something clicked. He smiled to himself, "You're a water type."

"I'm a what?" Jeonghan frowned.

"My parents used to joke about it," Joshua chuckled. "There are water people and soda people. Water people always order water. Soda people never even look at the drinks menu."

He pointed gently between them. "You order water because it's practical. I order whatever sounds nice because I don't think about the price." He laughed at himself. "I've always been a soda person."

Jeonghan stared at him for a second before letting out a quiet chuckle. "...That might be the most old-money sentence I've ever heard."

Joshua blinked, then scrunched his nose. "Was it?"

"It absolutely was." Jeonghan chuckled.

"Oh, dear," Joshua hid his face behind the menu for a second. "Please don't tell Y/N."

Jeonghan frowned. "Why?"

Joshua sighed dramatically. "She keeps telling me I have no concept of money."

"Yeah," Jeonghan snickered. "She may have a point."

Gerard returned a few moments later with their drinks. "One still water," he said as he gently placed the glass before Jeonghan. "And a blueberry yoghurt smoothie for you, Mr. Hong."

"Many thanks, Gerard," Joshua smiled.

"My pleasure," He stepped away, leaving the two men alone once more. For a while, the conversation remained pleasantly light.

Their orders arrived not long after. Joshua asked about Jeonghan's recent Burberry campaign, complimenting the Paolo Roversi editorial once again. Jeonghan, despite himself, found himself asking Joshua about Milan Fashion Week. Joshua happily shared a few stories, mostly about getting lost in the city and accidentally ordering enough pastries for an entire production team because he couldn't decide which ones looked best.

At one point, Jeonghan laughed so hard he had to set his fork down. "You actually bought all of them?"

"They looked lonely." Joshua looked almost embarrassed.

Jeonghan stared. "The... pastries...?"

Joshua nodded earnestly. "They deserved a chance."

"You're unbelievable," Jeonghan laughed under his breath.

"So I've been told."

Lunch drifted by surprisingly easily. The food disappeared. The conversation never really stopped.

When dessert arrived—a Basque cheesecake for Joshua and a dark chocolate tart for Jeonghan—the silence between them no longer felt awkward.

It almost felt comfortable. Which only made what Jeonghan came here to do even harder.

Joshua set his fork down first. "I'm glad you reached out." Jeonghan looked up. Joshua smiled. "I've always wanted to get to know you better."

There it was, the opening he needed. Jeonghan quietly placed his fork beside his plate. "I actually," He hesitated. "Didn't ask you here because I wanted to be friends."

Joshua's smile faltered. "Oh..." Then he hummed. "I figured."

Jeonghan blinked. "You did?"

Joshua gave a tiny nod. "Not at first." He looked down at his untouched smoothie. "But..." his fingers absentmindedly traced the rim of the porcelain cup. "I started wondering why your laugh never reached your eyes." His smile became smaller.

Silence.

The pianist continued playing softly somewhere across the lounge. Outside, afternoon sunlight poured through the windows, bathing the room in gold. Inside, something shifted. Joshua straightened slightly.

His voice remained gentle. "Whatever it is you wanted to tell me..." He folded his hands neatly together. "I'm listening."

Jeonghan stared at the half-finished desserts between them. The words he'd rehearsed on the drive over suddenly felt much heavier because he genuinely enjoyed Joshua's company.

"Can I ask you something first?"

Joshua nodded. "Of course."

Jeonghan took a deep breath and met his eyes. "Do you... Do you still love Y/N?"

The pianist continued playing somewhere behind them. Joshua didn't answer immediately. He looked down at his tea. Then, quietly— "Yes."

Jeonghan felt something tighten in his chest. Joshua looked back up almost immediately. "But she doesn't love me. I know that. I accepted that a long time ago." He smiled sadly. "I've made peace with that, Jeonghan."

Jeonghan leaned back in his chair. "Have you?"

"I believe so," Joshua blinked.

"You believe so?"

Joshua frowned slightly. "Yes."

Jeonghan let out a humorless laugh. "Joshua."

"Hm?"

"You're... whimsical," Jeonghan began. "But you're not stupid."

He let out a breath and stared intently at Joshua, keeping his emotions at bay. "I know you're not. And I know that you know you're not."

Joshua's expression grew more serious. "I don't think I understand."

"No," Jeonghan nodded slowly. "I think you do."

He leaned forward. "You saved her seats, you call her, you text her, you comment on everything she posts, you invite her to dinner, you still call her 'darling'."

Joshua waited until Jeonghan was finished. Then he answered softly, "She's my best friend. I only wanted her to know she still had someone she could rely on."

"That's exactly the problem." Jeonghan shook his head. "She's your ex."

"I know." Joshua gulped.

"Do you?" Jeonghan raised a brow.

"...Yes."

"Then act like it." Jeonghan snapped. "I don't think you're aware of how you're acting, Joshua."

"You keep saying you're her best friend. You keep saying you've accepted the breakup, but every single thing you do..." Jeonghan gestured helplessly. "Says the exact opposite."

"I—"

Jeonghan's frustration spilled over, not giving Joshua any room to speak. "You're not aware until after you do it."

His voice carried farther than he intended. A few nearby guests glanced over. Gerard paused for only a second before quietly continuing with another table.

Joshua noticed immediately. "Jeonghan..."

Jeonghan shut his eyes. Ran a hand over his face. When he spoke again, his voice was lower. "Sorry. I'm not trying to make a scene. I just..." He exhaled sharply. "I'm frustrated."

Joshua nodded once. "Thank you."

Jeonghan looked up. "What?"

"Thank you for telling me," Joshua said gracefully. Jeonghan hated it. "I'd rather hear it from you than unknowingly continue hurting you."

That somehow made everything worse. Jeonghan laughed once. Short. Disbelieving. "You know what the worst part is?"

Joshua stayed silent.

"I respect you." Jeonghan sighed. "I respected you before I even met you."

"I became a model because I looked up to people like you. I thought rookie Jeonghan would've lost his mind knowing he'd one day have coffee with Joshua Hong, his idol; his everything."

Joshua looked crestfallen.

"But present-day Jeonghan is having a really hard time liking you," Jeonghan said. "I don't hate you. I don't dislike you at all. I wish you were an asshole because this would've been so much easier."

Another pause.

"But you're kind. You're generous. You mean well all the time, and that's exactly why this is so difficult."

Joshua's eyes began to glisten. Barely.

"I respect you with every fiber of my being," Jeonghan continued. "Which is why it hurts that I don't feel respected as Y/N's boyfriend."

Joshua immediately straightened. "I'm so—"

"No," Jeonghan shook his head. "Don't apologize yet. I want you to fuc— listen. I want you to listen."

Joshua nodded.

"I drew a map when Y/N and I started dating," Jeonghan said. "My relationship. My boundaries. My responsibilities." He looked Joshua directly in the eye. "And you've crossed lines you probably didn't even know existed."

Joshua didn't interrupt.

"So let me tell you where they are," Jeonghan took a slow breath. "Call her less. Stop saving seats for her. Stop behaving like the person she'll naturally turn to first."

"I never asked her to," Joshua said quietly.

Jeonghan finally explodes. "YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO!"

Everyone looked over.

Silence.

The pianist keeps playing. Jeonghan immediately realizes where he is. He pinches the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry. I'm not doing this here."

"You shouldn't have to," Joshua whispered.

Jeonghan took a deep breath. "She chose me, and I need you to respect that choice."

"Thank you," Joshua said quietly, "for telling me. I genuinely realize I'd crossed those boundaries. Words cannot express how awful I feel. For that, I deeply and sincerely apologize."

He looked up. There wasn't a trace of defensiveness in it. Only regret. "I'll stop."

Gerard approaches. "Whenever you're ready, gentlemen."

Joshua looks up. "Oh." He smiled softly. "The bill, please."

The bill arrives, and Gerard leaves it on the table. Jeonghan reached for his wallet, but Joshua gently stopped him. "Please, allow me."

Jeonghan frowned. "After everything?"

Joshua smiled softly. It was the same warm smile he'd worn all afternoon. It simply didn't reach his eyes anymore. "It was my invitation."

He paid the bill and signed before Gerard handed back his card and left.

Jeonghan had imagined feeling relieved. Victorious, perhaps. Instead, there was only an uncomfortable heaviness settling somewhere beneath his ribs.

Jeonghan meant for his relationship to be respected.

Joshua understood that he should remove himself from your lives.

Jeonghan stood up after a moment of silence, and he put on his coat. He looked at Joshua one last time. "Just stay away from my relationship."

Joshua simply bowed. "I understand."

Joshua remained in his seat as he watched Jeonghan walk away. Jeonghan never looked back.

Jeonghan didn't feel victorious when he stepped out of the Four Seasons.

He expected relief. Satisfaction, perhaps. He had finally done what he'd wanted to do for months. He had stood up for his relationship. He had drawn the boundaries that should've been drawn long ago.

Instead, he felt strangely hollow. He resisted every urge to look back. He didn't.

When he arrived home, he found you exactly where he'd expected. Curled up on the couch with your laptop balanced across your knees. The moment you heard the front door open, your face lit up.

"Hannie!" Setting your laptop on the coffee table, you hurried over excitedly. "How'd it go?"

Jeonghan managed a small smile as he slipped off his shoes. "...It went well."

"It did?"

He nodded. "We talked."

You clasped your hands together. "I knew it! I told you you two would get along."

"Yeah," Jeonghan laughed quietly.

You immediately reached for your phone. "Joshi hasn't texted me yet." You frowned. "That's weird. He always tells me how things went after meeting people."

Jeonghan looked away. "Maybe he's still driving."

You nodded, accepting the answer without another thought. "Probably. Maybe he's on a phone call with Versace. He told me that he's expecting a call from Donatella. He'll probably call me later so he can update me all at once."

That night, however, your phone received no notifications from Joshua, but Jeonghan did. It buzzed just before midnight. You fell asleep with a hint of hurt, but Jeonghan was wide awake.

[Joshua Hong]: Good evening, Jeonghan. Thank you once again for taking the time to meet with me today. I sincerely appreciate your honesty and the respect with which you expressed your concerns. After reflecting on our conversation, I now understand the boundaries you entrusted me to respect. Please accept my deepest apologies for the discomfort I have caused you throughout your relationship with Y/N. Going forward, I will ensure that my actions reflect our discussion. I wish you both nothing but happiness. Respectfully, Joshua Hong

Jeonghan stared at the message for a long time. He typed. Deleted it. Typed again. Deleted it once more. Eventually, he locked his phone without replying.

Joshua kept his word. Painfully so. The comments beneath your Instagram posts disappeared first. Then the daily texts.

Then the late-night phone calls after fashion week, whenever he wanted to complain about quick changes, impossible schedules, or how Prada insisted on making him walk every ten seconds.

He stopped saving you seats at award shows. Stopped waiting after campaigns. Stopped inviting everyone to dinner after shoots. Whenever your schedules crossed, he greeted everyone with the same warm smile. Congratulated them. Finished his work.

Then quietly excused himself before anyone could ask him to stay. No one questioned it at first. Models grew busier. Campaigns overlapped. People traveled. Friendships naturally drifted apart. At least, that was what everyone told themselves.

The first person to notice was Mingyu. "Shua-hyung didn't invite us out after Givenchy."

Wonwoo shrugged. "Maybe he's tired."

Then came another campaign. Another fashion week. Another after-party, Joshua politely declined. Then another.

Soon enough, even Wonwoo stopped making excuses. "That's unlike him."

You noticed next. At first, it was little things. Joshua stopped calling you. Stopped sending reels. Stopped sending pictures of stray cats he'd seen on morning walks. The nicknames disappeared, too. The first time he addressed you by your actual name during a group chat, you stared at your phone for nearly a minute.

[Joshie💫]: Thank you, Y/N.

You frowned. "Hannie."

Jeonghan looked up from the kitchen. You held out your phone. "Look. I'm not 'Y/N'." A small laugh escaped you. "I'm always 'darling'."

Jeonghan forced himself to smile. "Maybe he's teasing you, love."

"I don't think so," You looked down at the screen again. "It feels weird."

Then came your birthday. Your apartment overflowed with flowers, laughter, and familiar faces. Mingyu somehow convinced half the industry to show up. Wonwoo brought wine. Seungcheol complained about traffic and his BOSS photo shoot ending late before hugging you anyway.

Every few minutes, your eyes wandered toward the entrance. Jeonghan noticed. "You okay?"

You smiled. "Yeah." Another glance toward the door. "I just thought Joshie would've been here by now. He's usually the first one here."

"He didn't RSVP."

"Oh," Your smile faltered. "That's, um, that's new. He didn't RSVP?"

"No," Jeonghan shook his head.

"I hope he's okay," You looked down at your untouched drink. "I can't read him lately, which is ridiculous because he's my best friend." A quiet laugh. "We know each other so well. Now, I don't even know what's happening."

You looked at Jeonghan. "Did he tell you anything?"

Jeonghan hesitated. "No."

"I don't get it. If he has so much free time," you swallowed. "why didn't he come to my birthday?"

Jeonghan looked around the room. Everyone else was laughing. Celebrating. Completely unaware.

He took your hand. "Can we talk somewhere?"

That night, he told you everything. From Maru Lounge. To the conversation. To the boundaries. To the apology. To the final words.

You listened without interrupting. By the end, you were crying. Not because Jeonghan had spoken to Joshua. You understood why. Not because he had drawn boundaries. You agreed he should have.

You cried because you thought that Joshua thought you wanted him gone.

A week later, Joshua Hong announced an indefinite hiatus from modeling. His agency cited "personal reasons". His comments disappeared. Interviews stopped. Fashion weeks continued without him. For the first time in over a decade, Joshua Hong simply vanished.

No one knew where he had gone. Only three people knew why.

BONUS

ONE YEAR LATER.

Photo shoots were always chaotic.

Stylists hurried between racks of clothing, photographers tested lighting, makeup artists called out for models, and production assistants sprinted across the venue with clipboards clutched to their chests.

The Valentino shoot was running twenty minutes behind schedule.

Mingyu leaned against the catering table with a coffee in one hand. "I'm telling you," he sighed dramatically, "after this shoot, we're going clubbing."

Jeonghan looked up from his phone. "It's only eight in the morning."

"So?"

"So no."

Mingyu rolled his eyes. "You've gotten boring ever since you started dating."

"Hey!" You exclaimed.

"I've gotten old," Jeonghan said.

"You're only thirty."

"Exactly."

Before Mingyu could argue back, the studio doors opened. One of Valentino's producers hurried inside. "He's here!"

Several staff members looked up at once.

"The Joshua Hong?"

"I heard he accepted!"

"I thought he retired?"

"I haven't photographed him in forever!"

The room buzzed with excitement. Jeonghan frowned. "Joshua?"

Mingyu blinked. "I thought Valentino booked you because he wasn't available."

"So did I."

The producer looked around. "Where's Joshua Hong?"

Then, the doors opened again. Silence swept across the studio. Joshua stepped inside. He wore a simple black coat over a white T-shirt and trousers, a garment bag slung neatly over one shoulder.

No entourage. No sunglasses. No dazzling entrance. He simply walked in. He looked thinner, not unhealthy. Just quieter. The room still reacted the same way.

"Joshua!"

"It's so good to have you back!"

"Oh, my god!"

"Welcome home!"

Photographers smiled. Stylists waved. Hair and makeup artists hurried over to greet him. Joshua returned every greeting with the same gentle smile he'd always worn.

"Thank you. It's nice seeing you again. I hope you've all been well." Then, his eyes found Mingyu. Then Jeonghan. And finally, you. Time seemed to stop.

Your face lit up immediately. "Joshie!" You instinctively took a step toward him. Joshua froze. Only for a second. His smile remained. "Y/N."

It was the first time he'd ever called you by your name. You didn't seem to notice. You closed the distance between you and wrapped your arms tightly around him.

"Oh my gosh," You laughed. "I missed you."

For one fleeting moment, Joshua almost hugged you back. His hands lifted then stopped. He gently rested them against your arms instead. Carefully. Respectfully. Creating just enough space to step away.

When you looked up, he was still smiling. It simply didn't reach his eyes. "It's nice seeing you again."

Confusion flickered across your face. "Joshie?"

Before you could ask him another question, Joshua looked toward the producer. "I'm terribly sorry." His voice remained as polite as ever. "It appears Valentino may have booked us under the assumption that I would be unavailable."

He glanced briefly at Jeonghan. Then lowered his eyes. "I have somewhere else to be regardless." A small bow. "Perhaps I may be considered for the next campaign instead."

The producer looked horrified. "No, no, Mr. Hong—we can make this work—"

Joshua smiled gently. "I wouldn't want to inconvenience anyone." His gaze returned to Jeonghan for only a moment. "Nor do I wish to make anyone uncomfortable."

Jeonghan's chest tightened. "Joshua..."

Joshua looked up. Jeonghan gulped. "Stay."

For the first time that morning, Joshua hesitated. The studio had gone almost completely silent. Even Mingyu, who normally always had something to say, simply watched.

Joshua offered the smallest smile. "Thank you, but I do not wish to be in the way."

The words hung in the air. Only Jeonghan understood what they meant. Only Jeonghan knew where they'd come from. He watched Joshua turn toward the exit. Something inside him twisted. This wasn't what he'd asked for. It had never been what he'd asked for.

"Joshua."

Joshua stopped walking. Without turning around. Jeonghan spoke before he could think. "Will you be at Cheol's party?"

A long silence. Then Joshua answered quietly. "I don't think I should attend." He smiled to himself. "It's best this way. Please take care."

The doors closed softly behind him. No one moved. No one spoke. Finally, Mingyu looked around the room in complete disbelief.

"What was that?" He frowned toward the now-closed doors. "What the hell happened to Shua-hyung?"

a/n: aaaaahhh IM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY BUT i hope you guys liked the switch up! i often read stories abt women being so persistent or crazy ex gf fics, so i thought i'd change it! i hope you guys dont mind. please lmk what u think! see u in purple with minghao! <3

STUPID FRIENDS

Vernon was way too excited for his own good. Who could blame him? Vernon wasn’t supposed to inherit his childhood apartment this early. The apartment that he and his sister grew up in was finally being transferred to his name because the rest of the family will be moving to the Upper East Side. After signing the papers, he immediately called his friends back in Seoul to invite them over and christen the place with booze and good vibes.

That's why everyone's at the airport now. Seungcheol was holding everyone's passports and boarding passes, Jeonghan made sure everyone was together, and he even made a buddy system. Joshua packed snacks for everyone in his carry-on ("airport snacks are pricey, okay??" Joshua said.), Jun was playing Genshin Impact with Wonwoo, Jihoon was listening to music, Seokmin was scrolling through his phone, Minghao was reading a book, Seungkwan was giving Vernon updates, Mingyu and Chan were doing TikTok challenges, and you and Soonyoung were walking around the airport.

Jeonghan sighed and crossed his legs. Joshua turned to him, "What's wrong?"

"Are Y/N and Soonie back yet?" Jeonghan asked. "Cheol will get pissed if he wakes up from his nap and finds them still gone."

"Nope. They're not back yet." Joshua said. "That couple should really come back now." He pulled out his phone and began texting.

Just then, Seungcheol woke up from his nap. He adjusted his sitting position and rubbed his eyes. "Where's the crazy couple?"

"Not back yet." Jeonghan and Joshua said in unison, prepared for Seungcheol's wrath, but were shocked when he didn't react. Just then, they heard familiar laughter.

"Yah! It's about damn time that you came back!" Jeonghan raised his voice, earning looks from the rest of the group.

"Well, we weren't going to leave. We just roamed around." You shrugged as Soonyoung fixed your hair before handing you a bottled water that's already been opened.

"Drink some water. It's good for you. You had so much candy." Soonyoung said, earning you a small, appreciative smile before you drank.

Mingyu and Dino, who stopped their TikToks, looked at the two of you with their jaws dropped before turning to look at each other.

"They're such a cute couple," Mingyu said. "I'm happy for them."

"Me too. It makes my single ass lonely, though." Chan shook his head.

-

Vernon's apartment was full and lively. He didn't need to invite anyone else over for his housewarming party. After all, you guys were all he had. He didn't have any friends from New York before he left for Korea. So, seeing all of you made his heart swell.

"Ugh, they're so annoying." Seungkwan rolled his eyes. Vernon gave him a look, "Who?"

"Y/N and Soonyoung." Seungkwan shook his head and took a sip of his beer. "Like, oh my god, he's not going to leave you. He'll just buy some more beer with Wonwoo."

Vernon looked in the direction Seungkwan was looking and nodded, "Ahh, I see it now. Since when were they together?"

"I don't know, and I don't care, but they better cut that out, or I'll lose it," Seungkwan said, earning a chuckle from Vernon.

"I'll be back, Y/Nie." Soonyoung cooed, squishing your cheek. "The sooner I leave, the sooner I'll get back."

You smiled, "Okay! Go on."

Wonwoo watched the whole thing with a disgusted look on his face. He couldn't bear the clinginess. So much so that he told Jun and Jihoon to join them in buying more drinks and snacks.

At the convenience store, Soonyoung was looking around for snacks that everyone wanted. Wonwoo, Jihoon, and Jun were just following behind him.

"I swear, they're so tiring to look at," Wonwoo sighed, crossing his arms. "We get it, you're dating. Shut up now."

"For real." Jun nodded in agreement.

"I mean, they're happy, so," Jihoon shrugged. "I don't really care, but I can see why you're annoyed... well, everyone's annoyed."

"You just haven't been stuck with them, that's why." Jun defended.

"Thank god for that, then." Jihoon snickered.

"Guys, do you think Y/N's in the mood for Buldak? Their choices vary all the time when we drink. Last time, they wanted donuts. Before that, they wanted buffalo wings and pizza. Usually, Buldak is their go-to, but I'm not sure what they like tonight." Soonyoung pouted.

"Just send them a text so we can go." Wonwoo huffed.

"We need to buy some ice, too." Jun reminded.

"This basket's getting heavy with the drinks. Call them now." Jihoon sighed, putting the basket on the floor.

"Great idea!" Soonyuong grinned and pulled out his phone before stopping. Seeing this, Jihoon groaned, "What now?"

"I'll just buy them everything they might like: Buldak, pizza, donuts, buffalo wings, and pizza. It's no biggie. Let's go." Soonyoung grinned.

"Jesus." Jun closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

-

Soonyoung came back from the convenience store like nothing had happened, arms full of snacks and drinks, as if he were personally responsible for feeding everyone in New York.

"You guys bought A LOT!" Seungcheol exclaimed. "How many people are we feeding?"

"Yeah, there's only fourteen of us here," Jeonghan added.

Wonwoo grunted as he put the stuff he carried on the counter, "Soonyoung is to blame."

"I got everything," he said proudly, setting the bags down on the counter. "Just in case Y/N changes their mind again."

You were already sitting on the floor by the couch, knees pulled up, scrolling through your phone. Soonyoung immediately dropped beside you anyway. Close. Too close. Like it was the most natural thing in the world. He nudged a bottle of water toward you. "Drink."

You did.

Across the room, Seungkwan groaned. "I'm going to lose my mind."

Joshua didn't even look up this time. "Just let it happen."

Mingyu laughed under his breath like he was watching a show he'd seen before and still found entertaining. Jeonghan was quiet, eyes flicking between the two of you for a second too long before he looked away. Seungcheol just leaned back on the couch, arms crossed, like he'd already accepted whatever this was supposed to be.

Meanwhile, Soonyoung was still talking.

"I got you Buldak, donuts, the chips you like, and—oh, I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I just got everything,” he said, turning slightly towards you. "I also ordered pizza and buffalo wings for you. You can pick later."

You hummed in agreement, like this was normal. Like he wasn't hovering like that. Like everyone wasn't staring. Soonyoung smiled anyway, satisfied, and leaned back beside you like he belonged there.

WE'RE STUPID

Seungkwan was getting tired. Not in the dramatic, I-need-a-break-from-people kind of way. More like the slow, creeping realization that something everyone else found funny had started happening a little too often.

It was Soonyoung again. Of course it was.

He was fixing your jacket even though it wasn’t cold, leaning in too close while talking like personal space was optional, laughing at things that weren’t even jokes if they came from you. And you—you just let it happen.

Seungkwan frowned into his drink. At first, it had been annoying. Then funny. Then something to tease them about. Now, it was just... consistent. Like a habit, nobody bothered correcting anymore.

Morning came loudly in Vernon's apartment. If he wanted his apartment christened, it definitely was.

Too many people had stayed up too late, too many drinks had been opened “just one more time,” and now the entire living room looked like it was negotiating peace with gravity.

Mingyu was half-dead on the couch. Jun was asleep, sitting upright. Jihoon looked personally offended by the concept of morning. Someone had lost a slipper, and no one knew who.

Seungkwan, unfortunately, was awake.

He stood in the kitchen, staring at the mess like it had personally wronged him. "Absolutely not," he muttered to himself.

From the hallway, shuffling footsteps approached. You appeared first, hair a mess, blinking like the world had loaded incorrectly. Of course, Soonyoung followed right behind.

“You didn’t drink enough water last night,” he said, voice already annoyed in a way that sounded suspiciously like concern. He reached past Seungkwan without acknowledging him and placed a bottle in front of you. “Drink.”

You squinted at it. "I'm alive."

"That's not the point."

"You're not my mom," You mumbled, but still took the bottle.

Soonyoung looked offended by that for exactly half a second before softening again. "Just drink it. Please."

Seungkwan stared into the distance. This was worse in the morning. Did he somehow gain superpowers overnight and become invisible? Shaking his head, he stormed to the living room.

"I'm not doing this," Seungkwan said to himself before waking Mingyu up. "Get up."

Mingyu groaned.

"Wake up!" Seungkwan hissed. "I need you, or I'll go crazy."

Mingyu groaned again as he slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What's the matter?"

"That." Seungkwan pointed vaguely toward the kitchen.

"Oh," Mingyu said, now fully awake. He saw it, too.

Soonyoung was now making Y/N sit down like they were fragile furniture, pushing a glass of water into their hands while checking if they needed food. Y/N was protesting weakly but doing none of the work to stop him.

Mingyu watched for a second. Then he stood up. Seungkwan wanted to rip his hair out.

“Where are you going?” Seungkwan asked.

Mingyu grabbed his phone. “Waking up, Dino. I refuse to be the only sober witness to this relationship again.”

“I knew I hated you,” Seungkwan muttered.

Mingyu shrugged. “Guess I'll have to live with that.”

Mingyu disappeared down the hallway. Seungkwan stayed where he was, staring at Soonyoung hovering over Y/N like it was the most natural thing in the world.

You leaned back slightly, exhausted, letting Soonyoung fuss over you without resistance. Soonyoung looked completely normal doing it.

Seungkwan exhaled through his nose, "I need better friends."

-

Wonwoo didn’t understand why everyone insisted on going out when they were hungover. But Seungcheol had said something about groceries, Jeonghan had called it “fresh air therapy,” and somehow that translated into all of them being outside in New York before noon like it was a reasonable decision.

Spoiler alert: it wasn't.

The city was too loud for how little sleep they’d had. People were walking fast, always had somewhere to be. Cars were honking. Wonwoo was tempted to ask Vernon if it was really like this in The Big Apple, but he didn't want to seem rude or ungrateful. In truth, he was just hungover, sleepy, and he wanted to play the new game on his Nintendo Switch.

Mingyu was walking slightly ahead, still complaining about Seungkwan yelling at him earlier. Jihoon looked like he regretted being alive. Jun had sunglasses on indoors and didn’t bother taking them off. Wonwoo stayed a step behind. Unfortunately for him, Soonyoung was there, too.

He was walking beside you without thinking about it, matching your pace like it was automatic. You looked like you were surviving purely out of spite and water intake.

Soonyoung had already given you a bottle. More than one, actually. “You need to eat something,” he said, like it was a fact he was personally responsible for enforcing.

"I will," you muttered. "Later."

"That's what you said an hour ago."

"I'm still alive, aren't I?"

Soonyoung didn't answer that. Instead, he adjusted the strap of your bag without asking, as if his hands already knew what to do.

Wonwoo watched it happen. Again. Not new. Not surprising. Just... continuous.

The group stopped at the crosswalk. You leaned slightly toward Soonyoung without noticing. Soonyoung shifted instantly to match, making space for you while taking up none at all. Slowly, you held Soonyoung's hand, and he interlaced your fingers.

Wonwoo blinked once. That was new. Leaning towards each other was old news, but holding hands with interlaced fingers? Definitely hadn't happened before.

This wasn’t affection in the way people usually thought about it. There was no performance to it. No awareness. That was the problem.

Jihoon spoke in a hushed voice beside him, "That's new."

Wonwoo glanced at him, "Hm?"

Jihoon nodded at your intertwined hands, "That."

Wonwoo nodded before sighing to himself. Soonyoung was now pointing at a café like he was negotiating terms. You were shaking your head. Soonyoung looked personally offended by the idea of them not eating.

Wonwoo watched Soonyoung lean slightly closer to hear what Y/N was saying, like the world outside them didn’t matter.

"Are they even dating?" Jihoon asked. "I know we joke around a lot, but this isn't funny anymore."

Wonwoo didn't respond immediately. He stood and observed you and Soonyoung until it was time to cross the road.

-

The next morning came more slowly. Less chaotic, but heavier in a different way. Soonyoung was already awake when Y/N found him. That wasn't unusual. What was unusual was that he didn't say anything immediately.

You leaned against the kitchen counter. "Soonie."

He looked up.

"Can I... have a break from you for a while?"

The words didn't land loudly. They didn't need to. Soonyoung blinked once.

"Oh," he said.

It wasn't dramatic, but something in his expression shifted slightly. It was as if he hadn't considered the idea before it was already happening. Actually, he had never thought of the possibility of you being away from him for a second.

Y/N softened a little. “It’s not like that. I just— I’m gonna go out with Hannie and Joshua today. I promised we’d go shopping around the city.”

“That’s fine,” Soonyoung said quickly. Too quickly. Then, after a beat, “But you can go shopping any day. We’re here for a week. Besides, I wanted to go to Central Park with you because I know how much you love 'Enchanted'.”

"That's so sweet of you, Soonie," you said softly. "I'll come back, don't worry."

That seemed to quiet him a little, but not fully.

Jeonghan appeared at the kitchen entrance like he'd been summoned by tension. "Oh!" he said brightly, glancing between you two. "Perfect timing."

Joshua was right behind him, dressed like he was going to do a street photo shoot with Vogue magazine.

Jeonghan clapped his hands once. "Shua and I are so looking forward to our shopping spree! We didn't pay extra for check-in for nothing. Let's go, Y/Nie."

"Wait, now?!" Soonyoung exclaimed.

Joshua nodded immediately. "Yep. Clothes aren't going to shop themselves, so..."

You hesitated for half a second, then grabbed your bag. Soonyoung straightened slightly. “Wait—”

Jeonghan didn’t let the moment breathe. “Okay! Let’s go,” he said, looping an arm through Y/N’s and gently steering them away from the kitchen. Then, over his shoulder, “We’ll be back later!”

Soonyoung glanced at Joshua and said, "Hyung, make sure Y/N eats, okay? They've been skipping meals, I just know it."

Joshua gave Soonyoung a small, polite smile that didn’t really say anything at all, and followed. The door clicked shut behind him.

The apartment was quiet again. Soonyoung stayed where he was for a moment longer than necessary. Then he looked toward the door. Then away.

He told himself that nothing had changed, that it was just shopping, and that you'd be back in no time, but the space beside him stayed empty a little longer than he liked. And for the first time, he didn’t fill it immediately.

-

By the time you left the last store, you had bags hanging from both arms and a smile that had finally stopped looking forced. You were like Cher Horowitz after she went shopping.

Jeonghan had somehow convinced you and Joshua to try on multiple outfits you didn't need, but ended up buying. Joshua bought something for Vernon's apartment and more clothes for himself ("I'll be donating some of my clothes to charity because I'm preparing for the Christmas Drive even though it's so far away," Joshua said.). All three of you had lost track of how long you'd been out.

Joshua glanced at the time on his phone, then paused. "Oh," he said.

Jeonghan looked over. "What?"

"I forgot something Soonie told me," Joshua stated.

You immediately narrowed your eyes. "Why are you two talking about him?"

Joshua smiled. "He asked me to make sure you eat today."

Jeonghan stopped walking and fully turned to Joshua. "He did?"

Joshua nodded. "Apparently, you skip meals when you're busy."

"He's so dramatic," you groaned.

"Maybe," Joshua shrugged. "But he sounded worried."

Jeonghan hooked an arm through yours. "Okay, then. We're eating before we go back."

"I was going to eat anyway."

"Sure," Jeonghan said easily. "But we're making it an event."

You ended up in a small restaurant a few blocks away, squeezed into a booth with your shopping bags piled beside you.

The server had barely placed the menus on the table before Jeonghan picked his up, scanned it once, then looked up. "Excuse me," he called, already raising a hand.

You stared at him. "Hannie."

"What?" Jeonghan asked innocently.

Joshua looked down at his own unopened menu. "We just got here."

"I know what you both like," Jeonghan said, completely unfazed. Then, when the server returned, he started ordering enough food for all three of them without asking. You and Joshua exchanged a look—appalled, but not really. Jeonghan finished, handed the menu back, and smiled like he’d done everyone a favor.

"There," he said. "Now nobody has to think."

Joshua laughed softly. "You’re impossible."

"And yet," Jeonghan replied, leaning back in his seat, "you’ll eat everything."

Joshua took a sip of his water, then glanced at your plate when the food arrived. "You’re actually eating," he said, sounding quietly pleased.

You looked up with a raised brow. "Um, yeah? I'm, like, starving."

"I'm just saying." Joshua smiled. "Soonie would be happy."

You sighed. "He'd be happy if I drank water, ate food, wore a jacket, slept eight hours, called him when I get home, texted him in the morning, video-called him during my lunch break, went out with him on the weekends..."

Jeonghan snickered and picked up his fork. "He's very attentive, and he wants attention."

"Well, he's like that with everyone," You said.

Joshua and Jeonghan exchanged a look. Then Joshua asked, "Is he?"

You paused. Jeonghan leaned back in his seat. "He cares about all of us, sure. But with you, it’s different."

"Different how?"

Joshua thought for a moment. "He notices things before you say them."

"Your food," Jeonghan added. "When you’re tired. When you’re cold, even when you insist you aren’t."

You looked down at your fork, trying not to smile. "He's just... Soonie," you said.

"That doesn't answer anything," Jeonghan said lightly.

"What are you even asking?"

Joshua smiled into his drink. "Do you like that he's like that with you?"

You blinked at him. Jeonghan tilted his head. "Because you always let him do those things, Y/Nie."

You opened your mouth, then closed it again. "I don't know," you said eventually, though it came out softer than you meant it to.

Joshua nodded, leaving it there. "That's okay."

"We're not trying to make you confess," Jeonghan said, finally reaching for his food. "We're just curious."

"Why?"

"Because from the outside," he said, smiling, "you two are very obvious."

You groaned, covering your face for a second. "You're both annoying."

Joshua laughed softly. Jeonghan grinned. "And yet, you're smiling."

You lowered your hands, still smiling despite yourself.

-

Somewhere back at Vernon's apartment, Soonyoung was probably wondering whether you had eaten yet. And, annoyingly, you liked that Soonyoung cared enough to tell Joshua to make sure you ate.

By the time Soonyoung checked his phone for the nth time, Vernon had stopped pretending not to notice. The apartment had settled into a quieter afternoon. Seungcheol and Jihoon were watching something on the television with the volume too low to follow. Jun was asleep again. Mingyu and Chan had disappeared to the kitchen with a camera, some food, and a terrible mukbang idea.

Soonyoung sat on the couch, staring at the message you sent an hour ago.

[y/nie 🥰💕]: still shopping! don't wait up :)

He had reacted with a thumbs-up. He debated with himself on whether or not he should send a message to ask if you've eaten.

Vernon sat next to him, taking a sip of his iced tea. "You know they're just shopping, right?"

Soonyoung looked at him. "I know, but it's taking too long."

"Well, they're in one of the fashion capitals. Of course, they'd take their time shopping." Vernon said as he leaned back.

"I'm not worried, if that's what you're thinking," Soonyoung said.

Vernon nodded slowly, not believing it for a second. "Sure."

Soonyoung frowned at that. "What?"

"Nothing."

Oh, it was definitely something. Soonyoung looked back down at his phone, then toward the bags of chips on the coffee table. He had picked up your favorite chips earlier without thinking. They sat beside a bottle of water he’d put there, thinking you'd be home earlier than expected. Vernon followed his gaze.

"You saved those for Y/N?" Vernon asked.

Soonyoung glanced at the chips. "They like those."

"Right."

"Y/N will probably be hungry when they get back. They like to eat chips after a tiring day, you know." Soonyoung said, all dazed and distracted.

Vernon turned to look at him for a moment. Then he said, "Y/N's so easy to love, no?"

Soonyoung blinked. The question sat between them longer than it should have. "Yeah," he said eventually, voice softer. "They are."

Vernon watched him carefully. Soonyoung realized, a second too late, what he had just said. He laughed and looked away. "I mean, everyone loves Y/N. They're easy to be around."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

Soonyoung’s smile stayed on his face, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Vernonie," he said, half-warning, half-embarrassed.

Vernon only shrugged. "I'm just saying."

"So am I."

"Are you?"

Soonyoung opened his mouth. Nothing came out. From the hallway, the front door unlocked. Soonyoung looked up immediately. Too quickly. Your voice floated in from the entryway, followed by Jeonghan complaining about shopping bags and Joshua laughing at him. Soonyoung stood before he even seemed to realize he was doing it. Vernon watched him go, and this time, he didn’t say anything.

STUPIDLY IN LOVE

Vernon stood in the middle of the living room with a drink in one hand and an expression that told everyone he had been forced into this.

The apartment was louder than usual. Empty bottles crowded the coffee table, someone had connected their phone to the speaker, and the skyline outside the windows had turned a deep shade of blue.

"Okay," Vernon said, raising his glass. "Before anyone gets too drunk, I have something to say."

The room quieted almost immediately. Seungkwan narrowed his eyes. "Why do you look like you’re about to announce something?"

"I’m not announcing anything," Vernon said. "Just listen."

Jeonghan leaned closer to Joshua. "He practiced this."

"I did not," Vernon muttered. Then he looked around the room. Everyone across the couch and floor. The bags were half-packed by the door. The people who had filled an apartment that had felt too quiet for too long.

"New York's looking so blue," he began, glancing toward the window, "and I'd like to think that it's mirroring what I'm feeling now."

There was a beat of silence. Mingyu’s mouth dropped open. "Whoa."

"Who are you?" Chan asked, staring at him.

Vernon ignored them. "It's bittersweet to let you guys go, and I'll definitely miss all the noise," he continued, a little faster now, like he wanted to get it over with. "But I hope you enjoyed your stay, and I hope I was a decent host."

For a second, nobody said anything. Then Seungkwan sniffed loudly and walked over to hug Vernon. "Oh my god," he said. "That was actually sweet."

"I hate that I liked it," Jihoon added from the couch.

Minghao smiled warmly. "You were a great host, Vernon."

Seungcheol lifted his glass. "The best. Even if your apartment is now permanently haunted by twelve people's laundry."

"Fourteen," Jeonghan corrected.

"Exactly," Seungcheol said.

Laughter filled the room again, warm and messy and familiar. Vernon smiled despite himself, lifting his drink a little higher. "To New York," he said.

"To New York!" Everyone echoed.

Beside you, Soonyoung's shoulder brushed against yours. Neither of you moved away.

The night went on in a blur of music, laughter, and Seungkwan arguing with Mingyu over the playlist. You stood by the fire escape for a moment, looking out at the city. New York City really was blue tonight.

Naturally, Soonyoung found you. "Cold?" he asked, already taking off his jacket.

"I'm okay."

He still draped it over your shoulders. You looked at him. "Soonie."

He paused. For once, he didn't laugh it off. He looked into your eyes, and instantly knew what you were about to say.

"I know," he said quietly. The music inside faded behind you. You held the jacket closer. "Everyone keeps saying things."

He nodded, "They do."

"And you never correct them."

Soonyoung looked down at the floor, then back at you. "Do you want me to?"

Something about whatever you and Soonyoung were made you hesitate. It felt right because he knew you so well, but wrong because he was your friend.

Still, lately, every stupid love song seemed to make sense whenever Soonyoung looked after you like you were the only person in the room.

"No," you replied, almost too softly to hear.

Soonyoung moved closer, not close enough to touch, but close enough that you could feel his warmth. "I don't want to either," he confessed. "I think I've been pretending it's normal because I didn't know what would happen if I said it out loud."

You gave him a small, nervous smile. "We're stupid."

Soonyoung laughed under his breath. "Yeah," he said. "But I really like you."

You looked at him for a second, then reached for his hand. "I really like you, too."

For a second, neither of you said anything. Soonyoung's smile came slowly, as if he were trying not to make how relieved he was too obvious. Then he carefully reached for your hand, like he was still expecting you to pull away at any second.

You didn't. Instead, you laced your fingers together. From inside, someone cheered at something on the television, followed by Seungkwan yelling about the playlist again. The noise made you laugh.

"So," Soonyoung said, squeezing your hand once, "are we going back in?"

You looked at him, then at the apartment full of your friends. "Yeah," you said. "Before everyone realizes they were right, and they definitely told us so."

Soonyoung could only laugh.

When you went back inside, your hands were still intertwined. Seungkwan noticed first. He opened his mouth, probably ready to say something dramatic, but Jeonghan covered it with his hand before he could. Across the room, Vernon only smiled.

This time, when someone called you a couple, you'd only smile.

a/n: ahhh stupid song is finished! hope you guys had fun reading this as much as i had fun writing it