#sangwon

"So .. she dumped you last week .. and you have already seen her around with a new guy."

You would love to read the own expression of your face because you weren‘t quite sure yourself what a mix of confusion and i-told-you looks like.

Not that the male slumped down on your couch would mind, judging from the way he was gulping down the shots like water.

"Exactly." Another refill.

„And it‘s the guy you saw her with several times."

"Yep." He lifted the glass.

„Sangwon.."

"Hm?" He put the glass to his lips.

"You felt it. You should‘ve cut her off sooner."

Sangwon paused, his head already tipped back, lips parted slightly as his gaze darted side-ways eyeing you. You could only sigh at his miserable state.

You have known Sangwon long enough to be confident about him as if he was your own persona. Seeing him down and crushed like that made you deeply upset. Being by his side for all these years had shown you that better things would be waiting for him.

Without any doubt, your best friend was one of the most good-looking persons you ever knew. With his big and dark eyes and slim yet toned figure he was an eye-candy for every gender. People of every kind would go up to him to ask him out and you were next to him for most of his yes and nos.

He was just that undeniably attracting.

It would be a lie to say your heart wasn‘t behaving like usual when he would fall on top of you after a long day of work to cuddle and fall asleep. Or when he would reach up to grab something from the kitchen cupboards because you couldn‘t reach it on your own and his already cropped shirt would scoot up, revealing his abs on his milky skin.

You blamed it all on a human‘s natural built-in pretty priviledge. Who wouldn‘t become flustered being close to a very beautiful person right?

It‘s all normal.

"I knew you‘d say that. Ah, can you not be so realistic for once. At least spare me some comf- Hey!!"

Before he downed another shot, you grabbed it from his hand, pouring the drink down your own throat. The burning sensation and the alcoholic taste hit you immediately.

"People enjoy this?" You asked, making Sangwon scoff from the way you brushed off his remarks. You knew exactly what he meant though. Sweet-talking was never your thing. He on the other hand was a pro, perfectly fitting to his alluring personality.

"Geez, you‘re such a T huh? Aren‘t you just so cool, my lady?" Giggling, the male leaned over, hovering over you and pressing a kiss to your nose before slouching on top of your sitting figure and resting his head on your chest. Instinctivly, your arms wrap around his body, one hand gently brushing his hair.

There was a moment of silence the two of you shared before Sangwon spoke again. "Life is so miserable."

You let out a little laugher. He should rather nag and complain instead of doing an unhealthy amount of shots that he wouldn‘t digest well anyways.

"You will get over her. She is not that pretty any way."

"Yeah now that you say it … what exactly was I thinking?" His voice vibrated against your skin as his lips were touching the bit of bare chest your pyjama top was giving away. His breath was warm and … somewhat wet. Heat crawled up your face and you cleared your throat awkwardly before shifting a little.

He took your movements as a signal to change positions and pushed his body sideways onto you until you were laying down completely, his body on yours, snuggled up against your chest that was even more revealed in the process of moving.

Suddenly you felt the tips of his fingers on your throat, grazing your skin softly up and down .. up and down. Your eyes fluttered shut and you inhaled deeply.

He was in a vulnerable state and he just needs a good long hug and some warmth. That will do it. He doesn‘t want anything more than that.

While your stream of thoughts were running, Sangwons fingers slid down further, touching your chest, his fingers brushing your nipple accidentally.

He took the gasp that this action pulled from you very non-chalant, but his lips moving against your skin, as a smile spread on his mouth weren‘t helping one bit. "I should have better standards."

Your hand was still patting his head the entire time. Until now when he lifted it, faced you, scooted closer till he was hovering over you, eye to eye. His gaze tied yours to him, yet you couldn‘t ignore the way his fingers snuck underneath your top, roaming around your stomach and then dangerously dancing on your breast.

"What are you talking about?" You whispered, your hands automatically reaching up to cup his cheek, stroking it with your thumb. Sangwon welcomed this gesture, leaning and nuzzling his face into your palm. His tongue darted out, giving your hand kitten licks.

You were relieved his head was no longer rested anywhere nearby your heart or else he‘d have made fun of the heavy thumbing.

"Why do I throw myself on undeserving people when I see real prettyness every single day?" You tried to bite back a smile. "You‘re sweet-talking your way into getting affection, you desperate romantic."

The clapback tickled a laugh out of him, yet something shifted in his eyes, in the way he looked .. that signalized you that you had hit him and that you weren‘t quite wrong after all. Sangwon lowered his head, a mere breath marking the distance that was standing between a kiss. "So what if I do? Is it not working? Am I not deserving?"

You didn‘t miss the ways his pupils began shaking, his view narrowing, then moving back up to meet your gaze. His large palm cupped one of your tits and at this point hiding any reaction had no point anymore. It was the first time he touched you this way, but it didn‘t feel like anything new.

Maybe the affection for each other that had always been there was built for this moment.

"I never said you‘re undeserving princess." The nickname you always used to mock him was usually replied to with the roll of his eyes. But not this time. His teeth caught his bottom lip. His flushy cherry cheeks exposed him of the way he was so fond of this conversation, the heartbreak long forgotten. "As a princess I don‘t like repeating myself then."

You opened your mouth to reply but his lips were faster, placing a chase peck to your lips as if he was testing the waters. He was swiftly searching for permission in your gaze but found his answers in your next move. Your hands pulled him down by his nape, inviting him into a slow make-out session.

This was harmony. Your lips moved together like they did this every day. Sangwons hand squeezed your chest softly, switching between pumping and rubbing his palm over your nipple. You arched into his touch, wanting him to grab as much of you as possible.

In one swift motion you removed his shirt, forcing to break the kiss. The male whined softly, lacing his fingers through your hair to immediately get back to work. Your fingers caressed his soft arms so tenderly, you could feel his goosebumps all over.

"You‘re such a baby ... Sangwon." Another whine.

"You‘re such a tease." He breathed out his reply and sank his hips down further against your body. You felt his hard-on through his sweatpants as he started rubbing himself on your clothed core.

"W-well.. just be direct and tell me what you— ah .. need." Your voice betrayed you as you couldn‘t hold back your moans between your sentence. A strong pair of hands grabbed your face, nails softly digging into your cheeks.

"I need .. ngh .. you. Your warmth .. y-your touch, your body."

Neither of you was able to hold the eye contact steady. All of this from just a bit of kissing and humping?

His face was filled with so much lust and desire and desperation. Most importantly it was all written over his face that these feelings were for you.

You felt flustered and the friction between your lower regions was making thinking even more complicated than it already was.

"Baby, please. Just touch me more, hm?... Touch me more, please." As Sangwon spoke, he continued to rub himself on you, grind on you, hump you. His expression resembled nothing more than a wrecked bunny. You gulped at the sight. The male on top of you looked absolutely divine, edible and delicious and you read him to tell that he was thinking the exact same thing about you.

Need pushed your hands down to grab the hem of his bottoms and took them off. Obediently, Sangwon raised his hips and kicked his clothes and underwear down the couch. He was quick to do the same to you, stripping you of every piece of fabric that would get in his way of feeling you.

You exchanged another kiss that was more hungry than those before. His tongue tasted every inch of your mouth as he ate up all of your moans and whines just like you ate his.

He parted from you with a string of your mixed salivas connecting your lips.

"So perfect. So good for me." He whispered and left a chase kiss on your lips, your chin, your neck. He kissed a trail down to your tits, taking one of your nipples between his lips. The wet noises he made as he sucked drove you absolutely insane.

"You're the good one.. Such a good boy." Sangwon moaned at your compliments.

"I can be even better than that… The best boy you have ever met."

The anticipation from his words made your toes curl and your core even hotter and more wet than it already was. Through hooded eyes you observed how he kept kissing his way down further. He had his eyes closed, endulging into this meal that you served.

Sangwon nipped on your hip bones, grazing them with his teeth. Your hands found their way into his soft hair, tucking the short strands behind his ear so they wouldn't get in the way of his actions. Your pleasure.

He shifted, kneeled between your legs that spread automatically, making space for him. He spit down onto your clit, using two fingers to rub the liquid in between your folds. "Holy shit, you're so nasty."

The way his fingers slid into your wetness had you throwing your head back, your eyes roll, your chest heaving. You didn't saw it coming when his tongue joined his delicate hands.

"Nasty .. but so so amazing, no princess? You're literally dripping on me." He inserted his fingers into your hole as he spoke, scissoring you open. "Say something. You haven't said anything in a while. Am I not doing a good job?"

You already had your hand covering your mouth. Embarassement was spreading over your entire body in form of flushing and sweating. Incoherent noises were the only thing coming from your mouth. You let out a desperate whine as you felt his tongue in your opening, the way his lips latched onto your clit as if he was making out with them.

"Y-you're good. You're doing so so wel- aah." His fingers hit that soft sensitive spot of yours, you barely even finished your sentence. "Hm.. just well? Just good? That sounds disappointing."

Over and over again, he made sure to touch your g-spot continously. You were melting into a puddle underneath his touch. It was so much to handle. His thrusting digits, his tongue that was exploring your insides, his spit pooling down to your buttcheeks .. or was it your cum? Not sure. Your mind was blank, close to seeing stars.

Just when you thought there couldn‘t be more, Sangwon stuck his thumb between your folds, searching for that one sensitive bud. Lord.. he was really trying to edge you.

"Sangwon, o-oh my god. P-please don‘t stop."

"Are you close? Are you coming, princess?" He managed to ask in between his slurps and whimpers.

"So close, oh fuck .."

One last lick, one last kiss, one last push on your clitoris was the last straw that brought you to your climax. Your whole body shivered in pleasure, your arms hugging your own heated body as a reflex.

Sangwon lifted his head, flashing you a lazy grin with his mouth glistening from a mix of your different body liquids. The sight was so so dirty, drawing a soft moan from you even in that worn out state. You stretched your arms out towards him, signalling the male to come closer.

"You did so well, baby. You did so perfect … and amazing. Your pleasing was divine." Your thumb swiped across his lips, cleaning the mess the both of you made. Sangwon chuckled and leaned in for a long and warm kiss. "Yeah, did I?" He spoke against your lips.

You fluttered your eyes open, hands in his hair as you kissed, bit and licked his swollen lips over and over again. Nodding you watched his face twitch in pleasure with every of your actions. "Mhm, you did. I should take care of you .. princess."

This reply had Sangwon‘s cock harden in excitement. His hands held you by your sides, his head bopping eagerly in agreement. "Yes yes yes. Yes, please take care of me."

You slid your hands from his head, to his nape, down his shoulders, to his chest, placing them on him flatly as you gave him a gentle push, making him sit up. His gaze stayed focused on you as you carefully got up from the couch, waiting for you obediently.

The sensation of the climax was still hitting, making you stumble as you tried to sit on top of him. He caught you and smiled. "Are you ok, my lady?"

"I‘m all good, don‘t worry." You returned his warm expression and climbed on his lap, hands steady on his shoulders. Immediately, his hands were on your hips, pulling you close to his chest. His chin rested on your shoulder as he peppered soft kisses on your ear and on your neck. One of your palms slid down from his shoulder, taking your time to feel his whole body and take in this moment of tenderness.

"I need your touches so bad, baby." He spoke directly to your ear. You turned your head to catch his lips between yours, giving him soft kisses to his mouth and to the corners of his mouth. His head was craddled in one arms of yours as you sat up on your knees, your hand getting ahold of his cock as you positioned it so that your hole was hovering right above it.

The male was a whimpering and moaning mess, feeding you with those pretty noises as you kept exchanging breaths, mouth to mouth. "Are you feeling sensitive, princess?" You asked, switching to look at his member in your hands, back to his beautifully bliss-wasted face. Sangwon‘s eyes were shut while he nibbled on every inch of your mouth that he could catch.

"I‘m so sensitive .. I think I‘m not gonna last long .. inside you.." His grip on your hips tightened and you felt the way he was gently pushing you down. The head went in, causing you both to moan at the same time.

"I‘m so sensitive too .. Sangwon .." His name from your lips was one of the sexiest things he had heard that night. And he would continue to desperately look for various ways to make you say it over and over again. "Come on, t-take me already. All of me."

You gulped at his words, sinking down on his length. He may look like a dainty boy, but the way he filled you up was incredible. The gentle roll of your hips drew the most beautiful noises out of his throat. You cupped his face in one hand, steading yourself on his shoulder with the other as you searched for rhythm.

"You make the prettiest noises .. you know that?" You asked.

His chest felt sweaty against yours, making the friction between your skin deliciously uncomfortable. Sangwon opened his eyes slowly, the tiredness overcoming him but you felt from the way he was leaking inside of you that there‘s no way he‘d want to stop any time soon.

"Your voice is so much prettier than mine. Please give me more of that, princess." He replied, sinking his fingers into your cheeks again, making you unable to turn your head away from him. He had to make sure to catch every of those sensual expression of yours.

Your thrusts were slow and hard. You took your sweet time lifting yourself off his cock and letting yourself fall back on his lap in one hit. The way your buttcheeks clapped on his thighs, his pretty whimpers and begging in your ear, his hands that shook as he gripped you. You were breaking him through and through. And he was breaking you.

The both of you kept holding onto each others faces as your pace started quickening. Hungry for pleasure, he met each of your thrusts with the lift of his own hips. His moans were as much a sign of pleasure as they were a call-out for help. He needed to get satisfied, he couldn‘t take it any longer.

You felt a sting in your thighs, yet you just couldn‘t stop. On and on, you kept riding him in the angle that brought you closer to your climax. Your butt felt sticky from the leakage that was forming a puddle on Sangwon‘s legs. Every time you sank down on his length, you let out sounds of the deepest pleasure.

"Nghn.. m-more. Please .. more." He moaned, your bounces sending vibrations to his voice. Tears formed at the rim of his eyes. You lowered your head, cleaning them off with your tongue, brushing his fringe from his forehead and placing a kiss on there too. "You feel s-oh .. good Sangwon.. my prince- Ah!"

Suddenly you were lifted off the couch. In a matter of seconds you were placed on your back as you did before. Lustful eyes met yours, pretty hands finding their way back to get ahold of your face, drool dripping on you that he attempted to suck back in too late.

"I‘m so sorry .. let me finish it, yeah?"

You only nodded immediately. There were no other words needed.

He lifted one of your legs, folding it close to your body and nudging the other leg with his knee, commanding to follow his movements.

Sangwon wasted no time in finding the right pace. It was wild, fast, needy and clearly marked that he was chasing his high. Alongside with you.

"Sangw-on .. oh my god .. yes, fuck yes."

"Right t-there, just like this?"

"Mhm, just like t-that aaah-".

His face dropped to your shoulder, his hands sliding to grip you by your sides. You kept your legs folded with every bit of energy that was left in your body. Every thrust pushed you against the armrest of the couch.

"I‘m c-coming."

"Yeah, come inside me .. just let it go, baby. Let it go princess." You spoke in between pecks to his temple. Your arms wrapped around his shoulders, letting him ride his climax out as he came, shivering and whining at his release.

You came shortly after, softly whimpering as he slowly rode out his orgasm, catching his breath as he humped against you until his movements came to a full stop.

Your legs dropped down on the couch. Your entire body was sticky, wet and glistening from the mess you had just created.

"Hey .. are you still with me?" He let go of your sides and placed them on the armrest, your head in between.

You giggled in response, pulling his head down to your chest and hugging him deeply. He inhaled your scent that carried the traces of your doings.

"I should be the one asking, you really took it out on me."

"I did not do it to take it out on you. I did it because at the end of the day, no one treats me better than you do."

You heard and felt his smile as he spoke, his eyelashes tickled you as they fluttered shut.

That was true. You always treated him well. He was a person very dear to you.

Maybe this was the biggest treat you‘ve ever given him.

Your hand patted his back as his breath became more slow and eventually Sangwon fell asleep in your embrace.

"Rather than that, I think I‘m spoiling you princess."

“Miss Y/N?”

You turned your head to the right, catching sight of your neighbour, Na Bora, gently rocking her four-month-old baby in her arms. Her husband, Poong Woonho, had likely slipped in earlier to unlock the door and set down the groceries so that he could return to help her inside.

“Yes, Aunt Bora?” you asked. Though she wasn’t nearly old enough to warrant the title, the habit of addressing her formally had long been etched into you— an inheritance from the strict cultural etiquette instilled by your family.

“This is for you.” Bora stepped just past the threshold of her apartment before retreating again, extending a paper bag toward you. When you accepted it, your breath hitched. Inside was a bouquet of your favourite flowers, wrapped with neat precision, a small note tucked delicately alongside.

“Your boyfriend left this yesterday,” Bora said with a knowing smile.

Your brow arched at the unexpected word: boyfriend. Since when did you have one?

You glanced back at your neighbor, uncertainty flickering across your face. “My boyfriend?”

Bora nodded without a hint of doubt, adjusting her daughter into a more comfortable position before replying matter-of-factly. “Yes. The one who’s always visiting your apartment. Dark hair, light eyebrows?”

Oh.

“He came over?” you asked, your voice edged with disbelief. Bora answered with another simple nod.

“He didn’t tell you…?” she pressed gently, but your silence was an answer enough. She caught the fleeting shift in your expression before Woonho reappeared, relieving her by taking their daughter into his arms.

“I don’t mean to pry, but…” Bora leaned in slightly, her voice softening into a conspiratorial whisper, the kind reserved for crowded gatherings, though here it was only the two of you standing in the quiet hallway. “...he’s been coming here every day.”

It had been weeks since you severed ties with Sangwon. No explanations. No confrontation. Not even the courtesy of letting him speak his side. Just a single text, short and decisive, declaring it was better to end whatever it was you both shared. And before he could respond, before his words could sway you, you blocked him from every corner of your online world.

Because you knew yourself too well. One tender phrase, one carefully chosen promise, and you would have crumbled right back into his orbit.

You missed him— of course you did. But this was the only choice that felt right. Better to cut the thread cleanly now than to let yourself sink further, only to drown in the weight of your own expectations.

“Did he… say anything?” The question scraped out of you, held together by the last threads of composure. You swallow against the heavy air lodged in your throat, forcing yourself not to unravel over a gesture that might only serve him more if you let him back into your life.

“Not really.” Bora gave a small shake of her head, then glanced toward the living room where her husband had gone. “Actually, it was Woonho who received the paper bag. He was taking out the trash when he ran into your boyfriend in the hallway, standing right outside your door.”

She paused before finishing softly, “He handed it over, asked us to give it to you… if we happened to see you.”

Your lips pressed into a thin line, the sudden dryness making every breath feel brittle. After offering your neighbour a final word of thanks and a polite bow, you slipped into your studio, shutting the door firmly behind you. Your steps felt heavier than usual, dragging you toward the couch until you sank onto it, leaving the paper bag on the coffee table.

The flowers peeked out from their wrapping— white oxeye daisies threaded with soft pink gerberas, arranged with deliberate care.

He remembered.

A sting bloomed in your chest, sharper than you wished to admit. How were you supposed to move on when he still carried the smallest fragments of you so precisely in his memory?

You leaned forward, fingers brushing against the edge of a small envelope tucked inside the paper bag. With a hesitant pull, you slid the letter free, Sangwon’s familiar, meticulous handwriting unfolding before your eyes.

If you ever accept this, please contact me. Let me make things up.

A sigh broke past your lips before you could stop it. You bit down on your lower lip, head falling back against the couch as your gaze fixed blankly on the ceiling above.

It was a war waged in silence. Your mind against your heart, reason against the ache of longing.

Your mind betrayed you, tugging you back to the last time you saw Sangwon— when he had invited you to the apartment he shared with his close friend, Lee Leo, under the pretense of watching a classic movie.

He’d claimed he had never seen The Notebook and coaxed you into joining him with the excuse of improving his English, reminding you of the offhand comment you once made about your supervisor urging you to polish your language skills.

Well, it never crosses your mind that learning a foreign language with Sangwon would end up with you giving him a blowjob.

The film had been long forgotten, Sangwon’s laptop abandoned on the edge of his bed. He leaned back against the headboard, head tipped, fighting to keep control while you drew dangerously close, each motion unraveling the boundaries between you. He used his all mighty to not grab you by your hair and force you all the way to the base of his dick— not when your tongue dangerously laid under his cock, tracing each vein that popped out. 

“Fuck,” Sangwon groaned, eyes squeezing shut as the heat surged through him. The muffled sounds you made, broken moans tangled with soft, wet gurgles, blurred into the soundtrack of the movie still playing faintly in the background, nothing more than a flimsy disguise against the world beyond his door.

His fingers slid into your hair, gathering the strands into his grip for a makeshift ponytail, guiding you in a rhythm that left his breath unsteady. Each vibration of your voice sent shivers racing through him, the warmth of your tongue under his cock pulling his composure apart thread by thread that caused his eyes to roll to the back. A low growl escaped him, rough with pleasure, as his head tipped back.

Sangwon almost reached his climax like a teenager having his first time sex the moment your lips eased up, teasing only his tip, causing his breath to stutter. Your tongue swept slowly, deliberately, while your hand tightened around what remained untouched, coaxing his body closer and closer to the edge— raw, consuming, unstoppable.

“Sto..Stop— Fuck, princess—” Sangwon’s grip on your hair tightened, his other hand instinctively trying to pull you away. But you refused, holding firm, determined to take all of him. His thoughts were a haze, reason slipping through his fingers as release took over. With one final thrust and a guttural sound tearing from his chest, he spilled into your mouth, and you swallowed down every last drop.

A soft pop followed as you finally pulled back, your gaze lifting through lowered lashes. From your place at his knees, you caught the sight of his features slowly unclenching, the tension in his jaw easing as his chest rose and fell with ragged breaths.

When his eyes opened, they found yours. A rough chuckle escaped him before he reached down, guiding you up to straddle his thighs. His lips captured yours in a heated kiss, the faint taste of himself lacing the press of his tongue against yours. When you broke apart, a thin string lingered between you, your palms pressed flat to his chest through the soft black of his T-shirt— one that did little to hide the firm lines of muscle beneath.

“When did you get this good at giving someone a blowjob?” Sangwon’s voice was lighter now, teasing, though the air still clung with the scent of sweat and sex.

You chuckled, tilting your head at him with a glint in your eyes. “What? Did you really think I’d stay a rookie forever?”

The memory of your earlier attempts flashed between you both. The first time had ended in awkward laughter after your teeth had grazed his cock, making him hiss more in pain than pleasure as he quickly pulled you away. The second time was better— until your fingers unknowingly gripped his balls too harshly, forcing him to stop again with a near-panicked groan about his chances of ever having kids.

Not that it was entirely your fault. Your education had come from stolen glimpses of 18+ clips online through Twitter. Still, determination has driven you further. Eventually, you found yourself subscribing to whole sites, not to indulge but to study. Every spare moment became practice in observation, watching how the women there drew out gasps and eye-rolling bliss, taking notes in your mind, intent on mastering the art rather than merely imitating it.

“You’re crazy, hah.” Sangwon’s laugh was low, his forehead dropping against your shoulder as both hands clutched your sides through the thin fabric of your shirt.

The truth was, he had intended to watch the movie with you. But that resolve scattered the moment you’d appeared at his door, dressed in a striped shirt that traced your curves with every line of gray and white, paired with a black pleated skirt that swayed lightly around your thighs. You had come straight from a casual dinner with your university friends, unaware of the effect you had when you stepped into his space.

Now, with your skirt fanning out against his bare skin, his pyjama pants discarded carelessly on the floor, his restraint frayed further. You felt it in the way his body shifted beneath you, his throbbing cock grinding against the thin barrier of your panties, pulling a raw, involuntary moan from your lips.

“Won.” His name left your lips in a breath, and that was all the permission he needed. With hurried fingers, Sangwon slid your damp underwear aside, baring you to him. His other hand fumbled into the bedside drawer for a condom, rolling it down over his dick full of girth in a rushed motion before pressing into you. The stretch stole a grunt from his chest, echoed by the sound you made as he filled you.

Your arms instinctively wound around his neck, your face burying against the curve of his shoulder. Each breath you released against his skin only drew deeper groans from him, his hips snapping upward as yours met them in perfect rhythm. The sharp slap of skin against skin filled the room, becoming a melody that belonged to the two of you alone.

Sangwon’s low, guttural grunts grazed your ear, his thrusts unrelenting as he chased the growing tension between you. “C-close,” you gasped, the word breaking as the heat in your body coiled tighter. He already knew every part of you too well, each sweet spot studied with the same precision as if he were preparing for an exam. And under his touch, it didn’t take long before you began to unravel.

You didn’t know what possessed you— only that the words slipped out before you could stop them. “I… I love you,” you breathed against his neck, the syllables trembling in the quiet.

Something shifted instantly. The air between you seemed to tighten, and Sangwon froze for a heartbeat before drawing you even closer, as though the confession had cracked something open inside him. He increased the speed, almost moving like an animal in heat.

His hands slid to your hips, firm but gentle, spreading your hole even wider as his hips rolled upward, matching with your downward thrusts. He buried his face in your hair for an instant, his breath catching, before lifting his head to whisper near your ear, “L-Look at m- hah, look at me please—”

It took every ounce of courage you had to meet his gaze. And when you did, the sight of his eyes: raw, vulnerable, alight with something more than desire, made your heart twist. Despite the uncertainty trembling through you, you held his gaze, letting the truth of your feelings linger unspoken in the space between you.

There was something about his eyes that always drew you in. Those wide, soft, boba-like eyes could shift in an instant, turning stormy and intense when emotion swelled between you. You’d memorized the way his pupils widened, how his brows would knit together when he was on the edge of climax, and the subtle tug of his lower lip caught between his teeth.

Somehow, without you even realizing it, moments spent facing each other— sharing a kiss, holding a gaze, had become the most intimate thing of all. For most people in arrangements like yours and Sangwon’s, closeness wasn’t part of the deal. Friends with benefits wasn’t supposed to feel tender.

And yet… somehow, with him, it did.

How did something as simple as kissing, something as fleeting as holding another’s gaze, become so important to Sangwon? Especially for someone who, at least on the surface, seemed to use you to fill the hollow left behind after his breakup. 

To claim you, even if only temporarily.

Your thoughts scattered when a rush of emotion tightened in your stomach, and a soft, helpless sound escaped you as Sangwon drew closer, his breath warm against your skin. Instinctively, your body leaned into the familiar comfort of him. His right hand rested firmly at your hip, the other steadying at your waist.

“Please… say it again,” Sangwon whispered near your neck.

You blinked, confused by the plea. Say what again?

But before you could ask, his voice, low and unguarded, broke the silence once more. “Say that you love me.”

You were too stunned to respond when his words reached you. Confusion and the overwhelming rush of feeling tangled together, leaving your mind reeling.

“Pl–Please… princess,” Sangwon whispered, his breath hot against your skin. The warmth of it sent a flush creeping up your ears, and the vulnerable edge in his voice. Those fragile, aching whines were impossible to ignore.

“I… I love you, Sangwon…” The words slipped out, carried by all the courage and clarity you had left. Your voice wavered, breaking into muffled sounds as the world around you blurred into the dizzying storm of emotion he’d stirred within you— deeper, fiercer than anything you’d known before.

“C-Close,” you gasped, voice trembling. “Fuck Won, I’m so close—” His name left your lips in a desperate mantra, your breath catching as the rush of release overtook you, leaving your body trembling and weak, lubricated his dick with your cum.

Your limbs felt boneless, yet Sangwon didn’t falter. He held you steady, supporting you against him as he chased the crest of his own need, determined and unrelenting even as you sagged against his hold.

“I’m close too, hngh—” he breathed through gritted teeth, his voice rough, threaded with strain. You could feel the tremor running through him, the tension coiled tight between you as your legs quivered under the weight of the moment.

You leaned in, ready to press your lips to his, a small, intimate gesture amid the chaos— when his next words shattered everything. 

The sound of his voice brought the world to a standstill. It was as though gravity itself had turned on you, the air heavy, your chest tightening beneath an unseen weight.

“I… I, hah… I love you too,” Sangwon breathed, his fingers digging into your skin as the last word slipped out on a trembling exhale— just as he shuddered with release. “...Ahreum.”

The name struck your ear like a cruel echo, reverberating in a loop you couldn’t silence, no matter how desperately you wished to. It carried on that same low, breathless voice you’d grown to cherish. The tender, needy tone he only ever used when he was on the edge.

But now, that sound, the one you had adored, curdled into something sharp and bitter. The sweetness you once loved became the very thing you wished you could forget.

A low, breathless chuckle slipped past Sangwon’s lips as he rested his forehead against your shoulder, the sound almost tender in its exhaustion. “Fuck, princess,” he murmured, the words brushing warmly against your skin.

His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, each inhale and exhale evening out as he cradled you in his arms. He didn’t offer another word, content to let the silence settle like a fragile truce between you. Two bodies still tangled, skin still humming from the aftershocks.

But the stillness wasn’t comforting for you. Not when the memory of him moaning his ex-girlfriend’s name rang louder than the sound of your own heartbeat.

After the quiet ritual of cleaning up, Sangwon draped an arm over your body, drawing you close beneath the soft weight of his new blanket. His voice had been a low, soothing hum against your ear, gentle coos meant to lull you to sleep. But you knew better. The comfort wasn’t for you; it was for him. And the proof came quickly, in the steady rhythm of his breathing as he drifted off first, leaving you awake with the echoes of everything unspoken.

You shifted just enough to study his face. Even in sleep, Sangwon looked impossibly perfect— the sweep of long lashes resting on his cheeks, the flawless angles of a face that seemed carved by some patient, loving hand. Once, that beauty alone could have undone you, could have made you believe in every fragile fantasy you’d built around him.

But not now.

Not after tonight.

Your heart ached to surrender, to love him in the way it used to. But pride sat heavier in your chest. And pride, this time, refused to move.

You peeled the blanket from your body, its warmth suddenly oppressive, and slipped out of the bedroom on silent feet. The air outside felt cooler, easier to breathe. In the dim light spilling from the kitchen, you were dressed in one of Sangwon’s old t-shirts and a pair of his loose pyjama pants. Soft cotton that fits more like a refuge than the clothes you’d worn earlier.

“Might as well tell the whole world you both are fucking.”

The voice shattered the fragile quiet, sharp and low. You nearly cursed, your heart leaping to your throat.

Turning toward the sound, you found Leo sprawled on the couch, legs crossed casually. His right hand scrolled lazily across an iPad screen, while his left cradled a mug that sent out delicate wisps of chrysanthemum tea. The floral aroma reached you, oddly gentle against the bite of his words.

He didn’t even glance up at first, the soft glow of the screen reflecting in his glasses. But the corner of his mouth lifted— just enough to show that he’d been waiting for your reaction all along.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” you asked, your chin tilting toward the wall clock. Its hands hovered lazily over two in the morning, not that the exact minute mattered.

Leo didn’t even look up. The dim light traced the sharp line of his jaw as he flicked through whatever held his attention on the iPad.

The three of you had been tethered to one another since high school. Sangwon shared your class back then, while Leo had been the charismatic president of the broadcast club. You’d only joined that club on a whim during your second year, hoping to pad your co-curricular record after your friend warned you about the grueling options on the list. Then, as if fate had whispered through the school’s speakers, you’d heard the club announcement and felt an inexplicable pull. Soon enough, Sangwon had followed, and the three of you became a fixture in each other’s lives.

Leo had cheered at your graduation. He’d dragged you and Sangwon out to his grandparents’ farm just to celebrate life, mud still clinging to your shoes from running through fields until dusk. The three of you had shared every triumph, every failure— there had never been secrets. Not even about your so-called exclusive relationship with Sangwon.

“Oh, lord.” Leo’s laugh cut through the quiet, warm and teasing, as he arched a brow at you. He finally looked up from his iPad, catching sight of you padding toward the dining room for a glass of warm water. “Tell me, how am I supposed to sleep when my friends are going at it like a pair of rabbits?”

“Blame your friend for his insane hormones,” you shot back with a dramatic roll of your eyes, taking deliberate steps toward the couch. You dropped onto the cushion beside him, the upholstery sinking slightly beneath your weight.

Leo’s lips curved into an amused grin. “My friend and his hormones, huh?” He leaned back, teasing, lacing his tone. “Funny. You talk like Sangwon isn’t your friend to claim.”

“Now, what about my friend and his hormones?”

Your fingers tightened around the cup, eyes tracing the small ripples as you stirred gently, quietly, as if the motion alone could steady your thoughts. The silence between you spoke louder than words ever could. Leo seemed to notice, setting his own cup and iPad on the coffee table before shifting his body just enough to face you fully. One arm rested casually along the back of the couch, the other hugged a pillow against his thighs— a silent offer of attention and comfort.

“What’s going on, sunshine?” he asked softly, using the nickname he had given you years ago, back when your boundless enthusiasm during interviews had made him smile. You had been so bright then. So unshakable in the face of seniors’ pressure, so fearless even when others tried to bring you down. That same warmth lingered in his voice now, a tether to the version of yourself that still believed in trust and honesty.

But as much as you wanted to tell him, the words lodged in your throat. Leo and Sangwon had lived together after graduation; their bond was deep, quiet, and constant. How could you speak freely about Sangwon, his closest friend, without feeling exposed? What if Leo, well-intentioned as he might be, told Sangwon? What if your vulnerability became gossip? What if… everything you felt was suddenly not yours to hold?

“Sunshine?” Leo’s gentle voice reached you, cutting through the swirl of overthinking that threatened to pull you under. His tone was patient, steady, an anchor in the storm of your mind. Summoning every last ounce of courage, you lifted your gaze from the cup and met his eyes— eyes that waited for you, without judgment, without hurry.

“He… called his ex’s name,” your voice wavered, trembling with the weight of the confession. The mere sound of it drew concern from Leo, his posture shifting subtly, his expression softening. He understood without needing every detail.

“He knows I like him, and he… he still says someone else’s name.”

A single tear hovered at the corner of your eye before sliding down your cheek. Your carefully constructed facade, the mask you’d worn for so long, cracked under the strain, letting the raw truth of your hurt show.

Just like your heart.

The late night stretched on with Leo quietly listening, his presence steady as your words spilled out in fragments. He watched each tear trace its path down your cheeks, saw the way your shoulders tensed as you fought to muffle the sobs, careful not to be loud enough to wake the man sleeping behind the other door. You weren’t sure how long it lasted, but you remembered the clock on his car’s dashboard when he finally drove you away from the apartment: 4:34 a.m. The soft glow of the digits seared itself into your memory, the exact moment he guided you back to your own space, hoping the distance might ease the ache, or at least dull the memory of what had happened.

From that day forward, you cut yourself off from Sangwon. Every call went unanswered, every text remained undelivered. He had knocked on your door once, twice— and then no more. Sangwon was never the type to force his way into someone’s discomfort, and he must have understood that repeated knocking would only deepen the wound.

In the quiet that followed, you taught yourself to breathe again. To compose the pieces of your heart. To remember, over and over, that whatever you and Sangwon shared was never meant to be permanent. It was only a fleeting chapter, a story that began without a clear beginning and had already written its own ending.

In the days that blurred into weeks, Leo never once forgot you. He checked in quietly, his calls and texts arriving like small lifelines— gentle reminders that someone still cared. Sometimes a deliveryman would appear at your door, holding a steaming container of tteokbokki or a box of hotteok, the warm, familiar scents coaxing you to eat even when your appetite had abandoned you. He never pushed to see you in person, never pressed for conversations you weren’t ready to have. He understood that time, not words, was what you needed most.

Months slipped by. To say you had moved on from Sangwon would’ve been a lie, but the sound of his name no longer summoned butterflies that fluttered recklessly in your stomach. The memories of him didn’t sting as sharply anymore, and even the ghost of his scent didn’t send your mind spinning… or so you convinced yourself.

The alumni party for your high school’s broadcast club rolled around. A two-day, one-night gathering at a rented Airbnb tucked in the quiet countryside. You agreed to go, but only after confirming with Leo that Sangwon wouldn’t be there. Yet the moment you stepped outside and caught sight of Leo’s car pulling into the gravel driveway, your chest tightened.

Because there he was. Sangwon. Stepping out of the passenger seat like a memory you weren’t ready to face, sunlight catching in his dark hair as if no time at all had passed.

“Sangwon changed his mind,” Leo explained quietly, guilt flickering across his features as though the choice had been his own. He offered a sheepish smile, an unspoken apology lingering between you. And though disappointment tugged at your chest, you couldn’t stay mad at him. Not at Leo, the one who had been your lifeline through the wreckage Sangwon left behind.

The reunion unfolded around you with an easy warmth: alumni of every graduating year gathered under string lights, laughter spilling into the night air. Old stories were retold, glasses of soju clinked in cheerful toasts, and the scent of sizzling meat rose from the grill where a handful of volunteers busied themselves at the patio.

Except you.

You excused yourself and slipped back inside, using the excuse of fetching more snacks for the crowd. The warm murmur of laughter dimmed behind you, replaced by the faint hum of the refrigerator and the soft creak of the old floorboards.

Your fingers stretched toward the high cabinet in search of extra plates when a familiar scent curled through the air— clean, subtle, achingly familiar. A presence drew near, so close you could feel the heat of him at your back. Masculine fingers brushed against yours, just barely a whisper of contact, as they reached past you to open the cabinet door.

You spun around too quickly, heart lodging in your throat. And there he was— the face you had missed against your will, the body whose memory still lingered like starlight on your skin, the lips you’d once believed could silence every restless thought. 

Though, he was the very reason your thoughts had become a storm.

“Here,” Sangwon said, voice steady, almost casual. But the sound of it rang in your ears, deep and devastating, sending an involuntary shiver down your spine. He held out a plate, waiting for you to take it.

You didn’t. 

Instead, you turned back, rose onto your toes, and reached for another plate without a word. The space between the countertop and the island felt too narrow, too full of unsaid things, and you stepped through it, a bag of chips tucked under your arm.

“Y/N—”

His voice cracked like a plea, but you kept walking. Out of the kitchen, out of reach— refusing him the chance to rewrite what he’d broken.

The night unraveled in laughter and hazy nostalgia, the patio heavy with the scent of grilled meat and the sharp tang of soju. The alumni, once teenagers with headsets and cameras, were now adults with stories of deadlines, marriages, and mortgages, yet for a few precious hours, they were the same reckless dreamers they used to be.

Most had already surrendered to sleep, some stumbling inside on unsteady legs, others slumping over the patio chairs until friends nudged them toward their assigned rooms.

You remained outside, rooted beside Leo— the quiet constant who had been your anchor when the world had felt like quicksand. His warmth at your side was familiar, unintrusive. Your colleague, Jiheon, her empty seat on your left made the space feel wider, lonelier.

Your fingers found your glass again. You tipped back the last of the soju in a single gulp, the liquid scorching a path down your throat, as though burning might somehow cleanse what you still couldn’t forget.

The edges of the night blurred, your eyelids growing heavy. And then—

That scent. 

That cruel, familiar scent that slipped beneath your defenses and pulled you back to a place you didn’t want to revisit.

“You should stop drinking, Y/N.”

The voice was low, deliberate— Sangwon’s. A voice you had sworn you’d buried, now dragging you back to the surface.

When Sangwon’s fingers brushed your arm, you recoiled harder than you intended. A quick, sharp yank that left his hand hanging uselessly in the cool night air.

The movement stunned him. It wasn’t just a rejection; it was a wall slammed shut. He froze, watching you as if seeing a stranger where the girl he once held had stood. The weight in his chest deepened, confusion twisting with a sting he didn’t want to name.

What had he done? Why did you look at him now as if he were something discarded— unworthy of touch, unworthy of words?

“I’ll go to sleep now.”

Your voice was directed only at Leo, soft but distant, and you didn’t wait for any reply. You turned and walked, your steps unsteady, your frame swaying just enough to betray the alcohol coursing through you. Sangwon’s gaze followed you, helpless, as though his eyes alone could keep you from falling.

But you didn’t look back. You didn’t even hesitate.

Sangwon’s hand lingered at his side, fingers curling into a fist as the door closed behind you, cutting him out once again.

It was a small miracle you managed to slip past the sliding doors without help. But perhaps you celebrated too soon— your foot caught on nothing, the floor tilting beneath you— until a pair of familiar hands steadied you, firm and unyielding.

The touch burned. It hurt to realize that even now, even after everything, your body still betrayed you, still leaned into Sangwon’s grip when you needed saving. As if his return had reminded you that you weren’t as independent as you pretended to be. And you hated yourself for it.

You tore your arms from his grasp, the absence of warmth feeling colder than you expected. Not even a whispered thank you slipped from your lips as you pushed forward, determined to reach the stairs without crumbling.

Then his voice— pleading, raw— broke the air.

“Y/N, please!”

Your steps faltered. One hand gripped the railing as you froze mid-motion, your heart thundering louder than the distant hum of laughter outside.

“Why did you ignore me? Did I do something wrong?” Sangwon’s voice carried no anger, only bewildered hurt, a quiet plea that twisted somewhere deep in your chest.

“Please tell me, Y/N.”

Your fingers curled tighter around the railing, the cold metal biting into your skin as though you could tear it from the staircase and escape with it. The weight of unspoken words crowded your throat, pressing harder, harder… So many things you wanted to say, all of them jagged and trembling, but none willing to cross the gap between you.

His voice lingered, echoing inside your skull, stirring every memory you’d tried so hard to bury. And as always, whenever Sangwon spoke like this: soft, desperate, familiar— you froze. Your heart lurched forward, but your tongue betrayed you, trapping every confession just at the edge of your lips.

The silence stretched between you like a fragile thread, one tug away from snapping.

You had barely lifted your foot to flee when a sharp clatter split the quiet. A sound that seemed far too loud for the dimly lit living room. You spun around, and your breath caught.

Sangwon was on his knees.

His head hung low, shoulders curved inward as though the weight of the moment had finally crushed him. The soft light from the hallway haloed his frame, but there was nothing graceful about him now— only brokenness.

It was the first time you had ever seen him like this: stripped of composure, of the easy arrogance he always carried, of everything that once made him untouchable.

Vulnerable. Desperate.

And you… you couldn’t tell if he wanted you back because he truly couldn’t bear to lose you—or because he had simply lost the comfort of someone to share his bed with.

“Please, Y/N…” His voice fractured on your name, the sound trembling with something perilously close to fear. “Let me make things right… For you. For us.”

“There’s no such thing…” Your words slipped out in a breath, so soft they almost dissolved into the shadows. But they were sharp enough to make him lift his head, his face bare and unguarded beneath the fragile light. “…as us.”

You steadied yourself against the railing, fingers tightening until your knuckles ached, using the sting to anchor you— to keep your emotions from overruling your reason yet again.

“There was never an us to begin with,” you said, each syllable trembling yet deliberate, “so there’s nothing here to fix.”

The words pierced Sangwon’s chest like a bullet— 

One he couldn’t dodge, or maybe one he hadn’t wanted to. 

He stayed there, silent, his eyes locked on yours, begging for even the smallest flicker of what used to be. He waited for you to crumble under his gaze, to seek shelter in his arms like you always had when the world felt too heavy.

But tonight, your eyes betrayed him. They didn’t flicker or shy away. They didn’t widen in flustered surprise or soften with affection. They were steady, cold, and unbearably empty.

When you turned and walked away, your steps echoing up the stairs, Sangwon stayed on his knees in the dim light, the silence pressing down on him like a weight he couldn’t bear. That was the moment it sank in— everything had stopped.

The story between you had ended.