#shownu fluff

You stare at the ceramic up on your bathroom vanity, the cheap blue toothbrush inside it glaring back at you. It is amongst your own teeth cleaning products, mocking you, the bright color stark against the black and white of everything else in the bathroom. Even your own toothbrush is black. Reaching out, you place your own that you just finished using in the cup and grab the blue one. Staring down at it, you aren’t sure how to feel. It had been a few weeks since it was last used, and it never would be again. You blink at it, then sigh, leaving the bathroom and stop next to the trash can right outside the door near the kitchen. Your foot rests on the paddle to open the lid, and you take a deep breath, pressing down as you exhale. Your hand holding the toothbrush lingers over the gaping bin. Swallowing a lump in your throat you don’t expect to be there, you grip the brush tighter. Emotion whelms in you, but you can’t pinpoint what kind. Anger? Guilt? Sadness? Fuck it. You harshly throw the brush in the can and let the lid slam closed as your foot leaves the pedal.

“What’s with the aggression?” Yuna calls out to you from the other side of the apartment where she’s on your couch. She’s rubbing sleep from her eyes as she sits up from her sleeping perch.

“Don’t worry about it.” You still stare at the trash can, now closed. You hear her bare feet on the hardwood floor as she comes up to you. She blows her nose into a napkin she grabbed from the counter behind the can, and you step out of the way to let her throw away the used paper.

“Oh.” Realization hits your friend, seeing the toothbrush, which is the only thing in there. You move away and into the kitchen to get your coffee ready as she takes a place on a stool at the counter.

“What even happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did you two break up?” she asks, and you exhale. Grabbing a coffee mug, you put the cup on the perch of your coffee maker and press the largest button. You don’t answer.

“What he bad in bed or something?”

“No.”

“Did he cheat on you?”

“No.”

“Controlling? Possessive?”

“No. Not really.”

“Then why? You don’t seem all that torn up about it.”

“It’s a bit of a relief…”

“A relief? Why?”

“I… I was pity dating him.”

“WHAT?!”

“Calm down. He had been in love with me for years, and I felt bad for turning him down so many times… Also, I was… frustrated without Younghoon being here…”

“So not only was he a rebound, you used him? That’s harsh.”

“Look, he wouldn’t leave me alone, kept asking me out, getting me things. Might as well make it easier and say yes…”

“So…why did you break it off then?”

“I didn’t.”

“He broke up with you?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“I told him.”

“Told him what?”

“That I was pity-dating him…”

“Fuck. That must’ve been rough.”

“Yeah.” You stare down at the swirling liquid in your cup, spoon halting its stirring.

“I felt so guilty I have to come clean.” You rest back against the counter, crossing your arms, somewhat hugging yourself.

“Why? Why not just break up with him? You had to tell him?”

“Yes.”

“What made you do that?”

“Because…” your words get caught in your throat, the truth hitting you hard now that you had to speak it out loud, “b-because I can’t lie… to those I love.” Your voice cracks from the emotions barreling you over, and Yuna’s face softens.

“You fell in love with him…”

“Y-yeah.”

“Then why not stay in the relationship?”

“I don’t want a real relationship with him built on a lie. I had to come clean.” You stand up straight, ignoring your coffee, and go to sit on your bed. You bury your face in your hands, throat catching as you swallow, your eyes burning.

“Oh, girlie…” Yuna follows you, sitting on your bed next to you, and pulls you into a hug.

“I’m such a horrible fucking person.” You start to sob as she rubs your back.

“I love him. I do. I was in denial. It hit me so suddenly and so hard… I think I must’ve felt that way longer than I really realized. God…I’m such a bitch.” You cry as she holds you. Her phone alarm goes off as your crying subsists and she goes to answer it.

“Shit. I have to get to class. I’ll message you later.” She kisses your forehead and gathers her stuff, leaving your apartment. Your cooling drink remains on the counter as you curl back up into bed, soon falling asleep.

~θωθ~

“(Y/N)!” Yuna slams her palm on the door, ringing the bell a few more times. She knows you’re home, she can see your bag and keys on the table through the window. You haven’t answered her calls or texts for three days and won’t open the door either.

“Yuna?” A man’s voice catches her attention, and she turns to see Hyunwoo coming up the stairs to get to the second-floor apartment.

“Hyunwoo? What are you doing here?” She quiets her voice, not sure how you might react if you hear them. She knows your recent lack of activity was due to the breakup, and your realization of your feelings for the man.

“I was going to get my stuff and leave my key…” His voice is noticeably flat, and the woman can’t read his expression.

“You have a key? You have a key!” Your friend lunges forward, snagging the set of keys from his hands. She shoves the metal into the lock and opens the door.

“(Y/N)!” she shouts, storming in.

~o3o~

You bury deeper into your pillows and sheets as Yuna bangs on your door. You don’t want to see anyone, not even her. You feel you don’t deserve her comfort. You are a shitty person who did a shitty thing. You flinch when you hear a key in the lock, wondering who the hell was there. Yuna doesn’t have a key, and only your uncle does as the landlord. You had given the spare key to your ex…to Hyunwoo.

“(Y/N)!” The other woman’s harsh shout breaks the silence you have been dwelling in. You hope your uncle was there too, who else would be able to let her in? You get jarred to attention as your friend yanks your comforter off you and the bed.

“What?” you snap, and she climbs onto the bed, flipping you over to force you to sit up.

“You bitch, you left me on read!” She puts you into a playful headlock and ruffles your unkempt hair. You had showered, but a hairbrush? Who is she? You shove Yuna off, and she gets off the bed, stomping away. When she comes back, you hear another set of footsteps along with hers, too heavy to even be your uncle.

“The only way you’re going to get over this pity party you threw yourself is by telling the truth!” Yuna snaps, yanking your now ex-boyfriend into view past the half wall that separates your sleeping area from the living room. He stands there, staring at you; you won’t meet his gaze. Yuna moves into the kitchen, looking in the fridge and hastily writing stuff down on your grocery list pad.

“I am going to buy you food, you two better talk!” She points at you sternly, at him, and then leaves. You are left in silence with him.

“W-why are you here?” Your voice is scratchy, mouth dry.

“Came to get my stuff…” He nods toward the dresser drawer where his stuff still is.

“Ah.” You lick your chapped lips. You haven’t drunk or eaten much in the last three days, and he could tell; he knew you too well. He leaves your direct line of sight and went to retrieve a bottle of water from your fridge. Coming back, he juts it into your face. You take it, not meeting his eyes. Your small sips turn into big gulps, the cool liquid a sweet relief.

“What was Yuna talking about? You telling me the truth?” Luckily you swallow before he asks, because otherwise you would’ve choked. Closing the bottle, you throw it further up your bed, heaving your legs up onto the mattress, knees touching your chest. You wrap your arms around your knees and chew on your thumbnail, not knowing how to start.

“You wanna tell me why you broke my heart?” His tone is harsh, a tinge of sadness laced through it. Your breath catches, the stinging in your eyes coming back.

“It would’ve hurt less if you just broke up with me. But telling me you only dated me out of pity? I love you; I have for years-“

“I had to tell you.”

“Why?”

“I couldn’t keep lying.”

“Why not? You had been doing it for nearly seven months.” His voice is sharp with anger.

“I-I can’t…” you swallow a lump in your throat, fighting your quivering lip, “I can’t lie to…to someone I love.”

You weren’t sure what his reaction is because you don’t look up at him.

“What?”

“I couldn’t keep lying to you… I love you-“ You don’t get the chance to work up the courage to look up at him, his hands quickly going to your jaw, hauling you close and up out of the bed. His lips find yours and the kiss is different from any before, you can feel how strong his emotions are. He’s rough, domineering, barely letting you breathe. His tongue wraps around yours, sucking on it, sucking you into him even more than you already are. The man is practically bent over you, being nearly a foot taller that you, forcing your head to tip back far to make up for the rest of the distance. You whine, hands gripping his shirt from under his jacket, and he swallows every little noise you make. As he pulls away, he bites your bottom lip, the tang of blood hitting your tongue. He steps back abruptly, running his hands through his hair.

“Fuck. D-don’t…Don’t play with me.” He shakes his head, and you stumble back to sit on your bed.

“I’m not. I didn’t…I only realized a few days ago how I really felt… How I still feel.”

“What am I supposed to do with this, huh?” He paces a bit, roughing his hair up further.

“Do whatever you want… I-I’m okay with whatever you decide…” You drift off, not sure what you want him to really do. You want him to kiss you again, but you feel you deserve him leaving and never talking to you again. You feel he should break your heart, like you did his.

“Part of me wants to walk out of here, and never think about you again.” He finally gets out and the words pierce you hard, a tear rolling down your cheek.

“Another part of me wants to give you another chance…” You close your eyes, willing the rest of your tears back.

“But there’s something else I really, really want to do.” You hear him get closer but refuse to look at him. You gasp as his fingers weave into the hair at the back of your head, tugging your head back so you look up at him.

“…what?” His lips are so close to yours, but they don’t meet, and his tongue doesn’t taste yours. He instead leans down to whisper in your ear…

“I’m going to fuck you within an inch of your life.” You gasp at his words, then find yourself briefly in the air as he tosses you back on the bed. Hyunwoo tears his jacket off and finally brings his lips back to yours. A strong thigh jams between your legs, rubbing against your core, covered only by your thin sleep shorts. His large hand runs down your thigh, hitching it up to his side and he grinds his hardening cock down against you.

“Fuck-!” You whimper as he pulls away from the kiss, a trail of saliva connecting your lips. He stares at you intensely till he dips back down, latching onto the weak point of your neck right under your jaw, almost at your throat. He sucks hard then bites at the flesh, making you shiver as you lay there and let him do whatever. You want everything he’ll give you. The man leaves scathing kisses, sucking bruises onto your skin: at your neck, shoulders -and once your shirt is off- your chest, breasts, ribs, stomach, avoiding anything covered by your tiny shorts, giving more marks on your inner thighs. Your skin is on fire, and you’ve never felt so close to cumming before from just this kind of stimulation, but you’re frighteningly close.

Hyunwoo sits back on his knees, pulling his t-shirt over his head, and you are immediately enthralled. Your type is usually pretty boys with a dancer’s body; nothing like him. He was devastatingly handsome and while you normally wouldn’t care for the taught pecs, ridged abs and sharp v-line of his hips… He truly does look like sex incarnate, kneeling over you.

You want to sit up, reach for his belt, pull his pants down and have him fuck your throat, but he’s in control, entirely. You aren’t exactly a dominant lover, never even really a switch, but you were ready to give up full control to him. Your mouth waters at the sight of him shirtless for the first time, your romantic feelings fueling your sexual desire. He undoes his belt and removes his jeans, his hard cock tenting his boxer briefs. Was he always that big?

“Something wrong, pretty girl?” You can hear the smirk in his voice, not looking away from his covered dick. Due to your previous feelings, or lack-there-of, you never really have him a good look; he was just your brother’s stupid friend. Right now, though, you’re getting a really, really good look in.

“Y-you, uh…” Your mother was literally watering…

“Wanna taste?” He grips himself over the fabric and you nod quickly, causing him to huff in amusement. Despite the fact you love a dick in your mouth, you had never done it with him; didn’t let yourself, lest you get hooked. He motions with his head for you to get closer and you crawl across the bed to where he stands at the foot of it. The bed is the perfect height to allow your face to be perfectly level with his cock. You let out a whimper and he tilts his head, watching you in amusement. With shaky hands, you reach for the waistband of his boxers and carefully pull them off. You nearly start drooling as he’s revealed to you.

“Fuck~” You exhale, watching his dick bob in the air as he steps out of his final garment. Wiggling your jaw back and forth, you thank the stars that you no longer have a gag reflex, due to various different…experiences. Looking over him, you can’t believe that he had been inside you before; it made you wonder if your stomach bulged from his girth.

“You just gonna stare?” He steps closer and you scooch the little bit closer your need to, wrapping your lips around the head of his cock. Hyunwoo exhales in relief and you groan at his taste. You roll your tongue around him like a popsicle, making him tip his head back with a sigh. Not going any further than the tip, you suck hard, then pull back. This makes him bury his fingers into your hair to prevent you from going anywhere.

“What-?” He tilts your head back to look up at his face.

“Fuck me. My mouth…down my throat~” You bite your lip, and he blinks in shock before a devious smirk breaks out on his handsome face.

“Really? You sure?”

“Please, pleasepleaseplease-“ You open your mouth as wide as you can, and he slowly thrusts his dick into your mouth. The deeper he goes, the more saliva builds up in your mouth, literally dripping from your lips. His cock reaches the back of your throat, and he moves to pull back his hips, but you stop him when your hands fly to his thighs, pulling him closer and further into your mouth.

“Fucking hell, (Y/N).” His voice has a hint of a whine to it. He’s the perfect length, your nose hitting his pelvis as his cock buries in your throat, but not too deep; you would still be able to breathe when he pulls back. You feel your cunt clench, aching to be filled as well. You shuffle, splaying your knees more to lower yourself, angling his cock in your mouth just wright. You look up at him expectantly and he practically growls, beginning to thrust into your mouth. Tears spring to your eyes and you aren’t sure if it was from what he’s doing or the fact that it’s happening at all. Drool was dripping down your chin, tears down your cheeks, and wet from your cunt. You wouldn’t be surprised if when he cums -down your throat preferably- that you would as well. His thrusts pick up some, getting shallower as his grip pulls at your scalp. The slight sting from your hair, the fat head of his cock battering your throat, and the taste of his precum is quickly sending you into overdrive. You’re not usually one for sado-masochism or bondage, but a little pain can be nice. In the back of his mind, Hyunwoo marvels at the fact that you haven’t gagged yet, but he’s much too focused on the wet vacuum of your mouth to think about it too much. The sight of your lips swallowing his swollen cock over and over is orgasmic in itself, but the look in your eyes is what sent him over the edge. They’re glazed over in pleasure; you already look so fucked out.

“(Y/N), can I come inside?” He grunts out and you moan, wanting nothing more.

“Ah, fuck-“ His hips stutter and you feel his hot, thick cum start to flow down your throat. He’s so deep you almost can’t taste his release, which…Just. Kept. Going. You swallow what seems like over and over to get it all down before he was even done.

Hyunwoo pulls out slowly, his cock still half-hard as you catch your breath, finally getting a normal amount of air. Your core’s quivering and you know you came as well from the amount of wetness stuck to the fabric of your shorts, that, and your head was still swimming.

“Oh, pretty girl~” He shakes his head, breathing hard himself. You peer up at him with a dazed look and he has never seen you quite like that. He had seen you close, once, but now your true submissive nature is blooming forth. He knows you’d let him do anything he wants, and man there’s a lot he wants to do to you. He had promised to fuck you within an inch of your life, and he’s going to make good on it.

“What do you want me to do to you now, sweetheart?”

“Anything~” You whine, and he groans, before remembering something. While you had never said it before, he knows you have a thing for hands. You’d told him once he’s not allowed to wear rings because it made his fingers look too good. He wonders how easily you could fall apart on his fingers…how many times he could make you cum tonight.

“You still on the pill?”

“Yea.”

“Good.” He didn’t bring any condoms, not thinking anything was going to happen when he left his apartment this morning.

“Scoot up.” He runs the back of his finger over your cheek, still damp from tears and you scurry up the mattress. You lie back as he climbs over you; watching you watch his hand move to your core. He raises an eyebrow as he strokes over the fabric of your shorts. You always tend to get very wet very easily, but this was much more than usual.

“Did you cum~?” Hyunwoo asks and you nod sheepishly.

“Oh, my god.” He dives in, latching onto your lips, not caring that you’d just sucked him dry. Your teeth clack against his from the messy kiss. His kisses move from your mouth, down your neck, and he settles on your throat again. You’re already littered with hickeys, but he wants to leave more. As he marks you further, he pulls your shorts off roughly, a slight ripping noise coming from the seams. He tosses the last piece of your clothing away; you never sleep with underwear on. Finally, his fingers touch your bare pussy, making you whine.

“Damn, (Y/N)~” He chuckles, burying two fingers into your hot cunt, his thumb finding your swollen clit. You release a long, shaky moan, clenching around his fingers as he finds your weak spot quickly, forcing your hips to tilt up as your back arches. You want desperately for him pull his fingers out and fuck you with his delicious cock already, but you refuse to say anything. This was for him; he can do whatever he wants to you, and you would thank him for it. How had you not realized sooner that this man is the sexiest one on the face of the earth? The pads of his fingers rub against your g-spot in just the right way, and it’s driving you crazy. His fingers move separately; the way they curl and thrust making the sensations unpredictable. He adds a third and spreads them, getting you ready for his huge cock. You feel the strength in his hands, his knuckles rubbing against your walls, and his palm grinding against your clit.

“H-Hyunwoo-!” Your hands land on his chest, your nails digging into the skin, your release building faster than either of you expect.

“Cum for me, sweet girl.” And you do. The breath is knocked out of your lungs, flashes of white dotting your vision. You hear him chuckle, but it sounds like he’s far in the distance, rumbling through the air and cutting through the ringing in your ears. When you come down from your high, your vision sharpens, and you see him smiling down at you. He leans closer, bumping his nose against yours, touching his forehead to yours.

“I love you.” He whispers, and your breath hitches, nearly ready to cry as you reach up to cup his jaw. Your thumbs stroke the arch of his cheekbones.

“I love you, too~” He kisses you softly, his fingers leaving your pussy. His hands cup your thighs, hitching them up to wrap around his waist. You pull back from the kiss with a gasp as he strokes his cock against your cunt, fully hard again. Hyunwoo knows he’s teasing you, rutting against you like that, covering his dick in your wetness but refusing to enter you.

“Please, please, please-“ You begin to beg; you aren’t even close to being ashamed about it either. You need him inside of you, rearranging your insides, carving himself into you, ruining you for anyone else. His hands come up to yours, still on his cheeks, wrapping his fingers around yours, then pin them up by your head. With great dexterity, he shifts his hips and began to slip inside you, still holding your hands. His lips hover over yours, not quite meeting, your mouth hangs open in a silent moan as he splits you in half. Not only has it been a while since you two had sex; you hadn’t gotten yourself off either. No fingers, no vibrator, nothing. Hyunwoo groans as he settles deep inside of you, the head of his cock touching your cervix, your walls gripping him tighter than they ever have before. Your legs hold him close, ankles linked; it seems your body refuses to let him go. He just sits inside of you for a bit, giving you small kisses and lets your walls get used to the stretch. His cock’s so deep, it feels like he’s in your throat, and the delicious burn of the stretch is addicting. It never had felt this good before, and you used to think the idea sex feels better the more you love the person was bullshit. No. You’re in euphoria and he hasn’t even moved yet.

“Can I move?” he asks, resting his forehead on your collarbone. He really just wants to fuck you into the mattress, but he wants this to last as long as possible.

“Yes-“ you gasp out, preparing for him to knock loose a kidney, but he barely pulls out and then slowly thrusts back in, grinding his pelvis into yours. Even this slight movement knocks the wind out of you. The next thrust is a bit faster, but just as shallow and his breath mixes with yours as he hovers over you. Not pulling out any further, his hips pump hard, and you throw your head back. Hyunwoo moves his hands from holding yours to wrapping one around your wrists so his free hand can move to your back, then shifts you some. With your legs still wrapped around his waist, when he sits up on his knees more, your butt leaves the bed; he’s man-handled you into a near mating press. Somehow, he gets deeper and you if it’s a thing, that your cervix was going to get bruised.

“I don’t think I can hold back…” He grunts; his eyes closing in concentration. What the hell are you in for? You’d never been taken quite like this before, by anyone, least of all him; you ‘made love’. This though, you’re in for him fucking you stupid, like he promised.

“Do what you want~” You plea; he’d stopped moving and you desperately need him to keep going.

“You have anywhere to be the next few days?”

“No?”

“Good, because I don’t want you to be able to walk when I’m done with you~” He gives you a devious smirk, pulling away, resting back on his heels. His strong hands dig into the flesh of your thighs where they rest at his sides, holding him to you. You let him move them and exhale harshly as her forces your knees to your ears, completely and easily folding you in half. Still not moving his hips, he leans down so he can speak right into your ear.

“That pill better work good because I’m going to pump you full of my cum.” He thrusts, hard, and if your breath didn’t leave your lungs, you’d scream a moan. It’s not a shallow hard thrust like before, no; he pulls out nearly all the way before slamming back in. You can even tell how tight your walls are clenching him, desperately trying to hold him in. You’re not able to tell what part of you wants him more -your psyche, your heart, or your cunt- you just know you don’t want him to ever stop.

“Hyunwoo-!” You aren’t sure if you can say anything but his name already, but his next thrust stops all thoughts.

“I want my hand shape to be bruised into your skin-“ He clenches your thighs under your knees tight.

Another thrust.

“I want to brand you with the feeling of my cock in your cunt so only I can every satisfy you.

Thrust.

“I want to fuck you on every surface of this apartment.” As he recites every filthy desire he has right into your ear, he pounds his fat cock so hard into you, you think he might just split you in half.

“I want to paint your skin with my cum and then fill you back up again in shower.”

Thrust.

“I want to fill every part of you that I can: your pussy, your womb, your mouth, your throat, and, if you let me, I’ll even bury my cock in your ass and paint you white there too.”

Thrust.

Your head swims with each word. He was always so sweet and soft before now, but this was different, he had turned into an animal, and he’s determined to fuck you like one.

Thrust.

“I’ll do it all, everything I want, and I promise, I will fuck you within an inch of your life.”

Hyunwoo frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as he got up on one elbow, scratching his ear with his free hand. For a moment, there was silence.

Then it started again and he thought to ignore it and continue with his plans for an early night - chopping wood did take lots of energy after all and he needed every last wink. Yet he He couldn’t shake this nagging feeling that it wasn’t something to let fade into the background. Hyunwoo wasn’t the kind of man to have things that irked him be left unattended.

So, with a half sigh and half grunt, he swung his legs out from his bed and sat up, his lips pursed before he pulled on his slippers and left his bedroom. This was where the sound became louder, no longer hindered by the wooden door and instead it wafted in through the slightly ajar windows, pausing again before picking up.

He wouldn’t say that he was someone that was easily spooked, and he wasn’t really scared but he did feel a little uneasy. This was worth investigating; he’d sleep well knowing it was nothing in the end.

Grabbing an oil lantern, he lit a match and turned it on, stepping out of the back door that was situated directly on a path to the forest. During the day it was beautiful, a vast expanse of greenery that spoke volumes on the wonder of nature and its intricacies. It stood tall against the azure of the sky, dwarfing his cottage that stood alone on the outskirts, and that difference was only more stark at night where the trees turned to gnarled limbs that swayed in tune with the wind, the shadows twisting into something more evil than delicate.

But Hyunwoo paid no mind to that. Honestly, it hardly bothered him anymore. Everything in the forest was easily recognised and he knew it inside out from his years of exploring both with his parents and unaccompanied.

Rubbing his eyes, he closed the door behind him and began making his way down the path, entering the forest’s domain. Here, the sound was the loudest and it seemed to echo around him, bouncing off the barks of various trees and travelling around him. The lamp’s light was bright, having recently been filled with more oil, and he was able to use it to efficiently navigate the darker routes.

With every step he took he got closer to the source and the sounds seemed more alive, like something was weeping from pain. A pang of concern rushed through him and he went closer, pushing throughthe bushes before he reached the area where it was coming from.

It was hard to see from this distance but it seemed to be something white that had curled up into a ball.

Hyunwoo held out the lamp, letting it illuminate the creature - only to have the shock of his life.

For it was no animal, but a human woman that was crying, her face hidden by her hands before she looked up upon the shine of his lamp, confusion clear in her eyes.

Oh. This was… definitely not normal.

"Are you okay?" He asked, not knowing what else to say in this situation. Animals were more his area of expertise. "Are you hurt?"

Her lips pursed and she looked down at her feet, the fabric of her rather intricate dress covering them up. Then, with great care and trembling hands, she moved the material to reveal the true cause of her pain.

A wolf trap.

"Oh no," he uttered to himself, eyebrows furrowed. Who had left this inhumane device behind? It certainly wasn't him! He never hunted the predator animals that passed by.

Blood seeped from the puncture marks, the sharp, metal teeth buried in the soft flesh of her ankle and rendering her immobile. Purple inflamed skin surrounded the broken tissue, bruising forming around the fresh wound and he spied the cuts on her crimson coated fingers - likely from trying to pry it open.

No wonder she was crying, he thought, these traps were made to capture large, wild animals. She would be lucky if she didn't have any sort of permanent scar.

"I'll get you out," he reassured, setting the lamp down and inspecting the trap. It was an older model that was triggered by the slightest touch, the spring recoil made to be harsh and powerful to stop the animal there and then. Such a thing would only spell disaster for a delicate human ankle. Had it been a bear trap then the only mode of removal would have been to sever her foot from her leg.

Hyunwoo kneeled beside her, mindful of the fact that she was likely scared and exhausted. His hands, while calloused and hardened from manual labour, were gentle as they touched swollen skin. It was tilted to the left to allow him a clearer view of the mechanism but she hissed in pain despite clearly trying her hardest to contain her exclamations. "Oh, I'm sorry," he mumbled, thumb rubbing the uninjured skin in apology.

The lamp was pulled closer, eyes narrowed to get a better view and he saw that there was a small button within. It had a faded symbol that had rusted over, making it illegible.

His left hand pushed into the small gap, fingers patting around the confined space to reach it when his index finger brushed over it. The placement was purposefully inconvenient, not intended to be undone by the animal or until the owner was sure that their kill had parted ways with this world. He wasn’t an advocate for these types of traps simply because of how inhumane they were, making the animal suffer until its last moments or it was desperate enough to bite off its own leg in order to escape.

He pursed his lips in concentration, pressing down harder on the button despite the awkward angle and the way the edge of the metal dug into his skin. Then, a few seconds later, it popped open and she sighed in relief. The damage was done and it was worse than he had initially thought, the teeth of it having torn almost all the way through the meat and into the muscle with blood dribbling from the now exposed wounds. Honestly, he wondered how she hadn’t passed out from shock.

“Thank you,” she murmured, voice shaking and thick with congestion. Hyunwoo simply nodded, trying to give her a comforting smile despite wondering what on earth he could do now. There was no feasible way for her to walk on that ankle and he would never leave anyone to die in the woods.

“Is it okay if I take you home? It’s down there, the cottage by the road.” He pointed in the general direction but it was dark and the only light was that of his lamp. This woman had no choice but to trust him and he wouldn’t dare to betray it.

“...Yes, it’s okay.”

Lifting her wouldn’t be a problem for him; Hyunwoo would easily lift upwards of 200kg with the work he did. No, it was the fact that he had to be incredibly mindful of her ankle and any other injuries that she might have sustained.

“Please tell me if this is uncomfortable.” With his voice barely above a murmur, he reached around her back and under her knees, lifting her as though she were a doll. The lamp was cradled in her arms, held for them both and her leg dangled uselessly. “I’ll walk us back now.”

She nodded and said nothing else, body tense in his hold though he couldn’t blame her. It was with great care that he made his way to his cottage again, feeling guilt ebb through him when her leg grazed against his side and she tried her hardest to contain the gasps of agony.

It did confuse him in the moments that he could think about something other than this woman’s safety and injury, that someone wearing such expensive and silken clothing would be out in the middle of the forest. The fabric intertwined with his fingers was made with care and quality - the kind of thing that he would only buy after saving for years upon years.

But Hyunwoo had more important things to worry about than this, and he continued on the path home.

Kihyun

Will happily and confidently tell you as soon as he realises. If it feels a bit early to you and you aren't ready to say it back, that's fine. He will assure you he isn't going anywhere, and you don't need to say it until you are comfortable too. Just know that he loves you and will be there for you anyway.

Hyungwon

Introvert energy. Even if he feels it really early on, he's hesitant to say it. Probably wants to say it a lot, but takes too long to hype himself up and the moment passes. When you inevitably end up saying it first, he's a little surprised and super happy. "Really? Oh good, because I love you too, I just didn't know how or when to say it." After a little assurance from you he is much more comfortable to say it again.

Joohoney

A bit nervous about it. Will wait a while into the relationship before saying the words aloud, even if he knows he means it earlier on. He's just worried if he says it too early, he'll scare you off. There is a chance you'll beat him to it and get the first 'I love you' in, but once it's been said, he isn't going to stop. Will literally tell you every chance he gets from then on.

I.M.

Kind of says it by accident. You are just being you, maybe reading or drawing or watching nature, something simple, and he finds you so endearing that it just slips out. His muttered "I love you" makes you look over, and he becomes flustered. "Wait - I mean - fuck it, I mean I love you. You're amazing and I'm so pleased you're mine"

“How are things going today?” he smiled at you, sweat glistening across his brow under the moonlight.

“Not so good, can’t find many of my friends today,” you huffed, obviously disappointed.

“You want some help?” he offered, already wading into the water.

“Ah! No, NO your shoes!” waved your hands at him in a panic.

“Ah, that’s not important,” Shownu squinted in the light of your headlamp, “But if you could point your light at the water, that would be good. I’m going blind here,” he laughed.

“Ah, shit, sorry!” you blushed, redirecting your light toward the water.

    For about fifteen minutes, the pair of you muddled around the water, searching for crabs, but mostly failing. You had already been soaked from several failed attempts. You hadn’t been expecting Shownu to be so all-in, but he was somehow wetter than you after a few falls into the water. At the end of it, you had no more specimens to show for it, but were in an infinitely better mood.

“Well, I gotta get going,” Shownu announced, wringing out one last section of his shirt before continuing his jog down the beach.

“Bye!” you laughed heartily before returning to your field work.

…

“Ooh! Another one!” you jumped up and down giddily, dropping yet another crab into your bucket. The weather had warmed up lately and it either made the crabs incredibly relaxed or sleepy, because it was easier than ever to collect specimens.

“Ah! You’re back!” Shownu’s now-familiar voice greeted you.

“Yes!” you turned to beam at him.

“Good day today?” he asked, taking in your bright smile.

“Yes, very,” you nodded enthusiastically, showing him your bucket.

“Hello!” he saluted the crabs before returning his attention to you, “What are you working on with them anyways?”

“Ah, it’s for my graduate research,” you explained, “I’m monitoring population density compared against environmental factors.”

“Huh, that’s cool,” Shownu nodded with a mildly impressed expression on his face.

“It’s not, but you’re kind to say so,” you laughed, “What do you do for work, Shownu?”

“I’m a firefighter,” he answered simply.

“Isn’t that a bit too much of a cliche?” you chuckled heartily.

“What is?” he asked, staring at you blankly.

“Handsome firefighter runs on the beach in the morning?” you’re suddenly overcome by a fit of giggles at the absurdity of it, “It doesn’t seem real!”

“Hm, it doesn’t seem that funny to me,” Shownu grumbles. It’s not until he’s several meters away that he realizes you called him handsome.

…

    Screaming in silence, you think about pulling your hair out for a third time as you process data. As much as you loved science, you certainly would not complain if it involved sitting at a computer and parsing through numbers just a little less. Every so often, as you were entering in crab counts, your mind wandered to the handsome firefighter that had become your fieldwork friend.

    While you’d been absent from the beach, Shownu had kept to his daily routine. At first, he hadn’t been surprised to see you missing as you occasionally missed a day here and there. Towards the end of a solid week without you, he had to admit he both missed and hoped that nothing bad had happened to you.

…

“You’re back!”

    You look up in time to see Shownu pick up the pace as he closes the last few yards between you.

“Oh, yep!” you smile, balancing your bucket against your hip, “Good to see you again.”

“I was worried I wouldn’t see you again!” Shownu laughed.

“Ah, can’t keep me away from these crabs,” you joked, heart fluttering a bit at the way Shownu was looking at you.

“Well, before you actually finish up with your project, can I get your number? I’d love to see you not on the beach. Or on the beach, but not like this,” he tripped over his words, ears reddening.