#suho fluff

junmyeon laughs at the shocked look on your face. “what, you thought i wasn't going to marry you some day?”

you shake your head, lost for words. “you can't just—you're not supposed to be...so...casual about it.”

junmyeon takes your hand in his, thumb tracing your ring. “sweetheart, let me assure you, my love for you is nothing but casual. and there's no way i'm going to propose to you in pajamas. i'd like to think i'm a little classier than that.”

you laugh at that, feeling a little giddy when he kisses the back of your hand like the gentleman that he is.

“so, what do you like more? platinum? or diamonds?”

you pretend to think. “well...you.”

now it's junmyeon's turn to blush. “you can't just say things like that,” he groans, hiding his face in your shoulder. “that's my thing.”

The warmth from the museum is a welcome reprieve from the bitingly cold night air. As you step inside, you cast a look at the man accompanying you. He looks different in clothes other than his business professional office-wear, but that doesn’t make him any less handsome, dressed in a cozy sweater and dark trousers. Endearingly, he’s also wearing glasses that you didn’t know he needed, tortoiseshell frames that sit prettily on the bridge of his nose.

He catches you staring, and as if knowing exactly why, he pushes them up. “I forgot to put in my night contacts last night,” he says sheepishly.

“No, I like them!” you say. A little too enthusiastically. Your face burns as you try to recover, but he just grins and looks away, giving you the grace to drop the subject. 

You pick up a guide and flip through the pages, skimming through the special exhibitions in search of a worthy starting place. Junmyeon reads along over your shoulder, and the close proximity to him sends a thrill down your spine. “How about here?” you ask, pointing at one of the exhibits.

Junmyeon nods approvingly. “Sounds perfect.”

The sounds of your footsteps as you move through the halls echo just slightly above the quiet chatter of the other patrons. Junmyeon clears his throat softly. “Is this okay? I know it’s not a traditional Valentine’s date like we talked about.”

You laugh, remembering your previous conversation. You had lamented to Junmyeon offhandedly that you had never actually experienced a Valentine’s date. You’d always been single during the holiday, and the thought of going on a bad one when it was supposed to be all about experiencing love… yeah, no thanks. But with Junmyeon, the man who always saved you a seat on the bus ride home from work, even after your first meeting when there had been no other seats available… you’d be willing to try.

“I much rather prefer this,” you say. “It feels like there’s less pressure and I can actually enjoy myself rather than just think about how much it feels like a capital-d Date.”

You arrive at the exhibit you chose and the two of you stroll over together toward the closest painting on the wall. “You know, the majority of these were painted while he had cataracts?” Junmyeon says quietly. “It’s incredible.” 

He lets a few more facts slip as the two of you go through the exhibit, ever so often, always in a low, quiet tone. You notice how his eyes sparkle when you get to a piece that he knows something about, admiring the art with a careful eye.

“Will you tell me about this one?” you ask as you approach another, seeing that look appear in his eyes once again. 

His eyes widen ever so slightly. “Are you sure? It’s not too overbearing?”

“It’s interesting,” you reply. “I like hearing it from you.”

Grinning, Junmyeon launches into a passionate script about the art in front of you, his gestures growing more animated with each passing word. He even draws the attention of a few other passersby, including a museum guide who nods in approval. You are interested in what he has to say, but with each second you find yourself slipping further and further under some kind of spell, your eyes drifting from his twinkling eyes down to the curve of his lips. He’s just so… pretty, you think.

“So yeah,” he says, quieter now. “That’s how this piece ended up inspiring a bunch of modern artists.”

“Fascinating,” you breathe.

“Really?”

You nod, trying to will the tips of your ears to stop burning. “Really.”

“Are you hungry?” Junmyeon asks. You’re now in the cafe attached to the museum, standing in line for the check out counter. Your feet and your cheeks both have a slight soreness to them— your feet, because of the endless amounts of walking that you’ve done, and your cheeks, from the endless amounts of grinning. You found yourself unable to control your smiles throughout the night, charmed as Junmyeon had grown bolder and bolder, talking about the artwork in increasingly more detail.

“Not that hungry, but I’d like to stop for a minute here to take a rest.” You scan the menu, frowning when you don’t find anything you particularly like, then the counter itself. “Oh!” Your eyes light up when you finally see the ‘specials’ sign. “I’m about to suggest something crazy.”

“Okay, shoot,” Junmyeon replies, raising an eyebrow.

You point at the sign. “Gelato?” 

“Gelato in this weather,” Junmyeon sighs, but smiles when he sees your pleading eyes. “Not crazy at all,” he amends quickly.

The two of you sit side by side in the cafe booth, eating your gelato. You dip your spoon into his to taste his flavor and he does the same to you. 

“How did you get to know so much about art?” you ask. 

“Oh, I got really into it in college. When I was studying and I needed a break, I would just click through random articles online to learn about something else completely unrelated to my classes. I ended up looking through some artists’ histories and I got obsessed.”

“Wow,” you say, deadpan. “You took a break from studying with studying. You’re just full of surprises.”

“In what other ways have I surprised you?” He tilts his head, looking at you with an adorable, inquisitive look.

“Well for starters…” You reach out and tap the corner of his glasses lightly. “These were a surprise.” 

“So I have bad eyesight. Is that a crime?”

“Of course not,” you laugh. “But what would be a crime is if you didn’t wear them for our second date.”

Junmyeon sputters, choking a bit on his spoon. His face turns the same shade as his strawberry sorbet. “You want a second date?”

“Mhm.” You reach over and take another spoonful out of his bowl. “Don’t you?”

“Well… yes,” he blinks. He looks at you quietly for a second, contemplative, before he starts laughing. 

“I’m not the only one full of surprises, it seems.”

well, that was fun! want to try another?

Pairing: Kim Junmyeon x female reader

Genre: fluff, magical realism

Tropes: meet-cute, hallmark-esque

Warnings: none

Word count: 1483

Author’s Note: Welcome to Day 3 of “Twelve Days of Idolmas”. This is a quickfire writing session based off a single word from a Christmas word generator. I got the word “bells” and gave myself 30mins to write this. I hope you enjoy and come back tomorrow for Day 4.

(Also I started reading Good Spirits by BK Borison last night, and want to be reading it now, so this piece may be influenced a little by some elements of the story)

The bells were ringing once again.

You looked up from the paperback you had been invested in, and over at the stash of brass bells. Working in an antique store came with endless quirks and little miracles, but these bells were bordering on bizarre.

Your uncle and aunt had owned Antiqued Treasures for as long as you had been alive. And whilst your parents had always encouraged you to have whatever career you wanted, no one expected you to jump into the family trade. Well, aside from Uncle Morty. He had inspired wonderment in you from a young age, and you loved nothing more than visiting his store. Even as an adult, whenever you stepped through the front door, you felt transported into another world. A place full of opportunity, ancient and weird trinkets, and, of course, your very own endlessly chiming bells.

The pair of bells that Uncle Morty had picked up last month were said to be from a few townships over, and were always rung on December 1st by the mayor, who dressed up as Santa several decades ago. Somehow, the tradition had been dropped, and the bells were discovered in an estate sale of the grandson of said mayor.

And every day since December had arrived, they had started ringing on and off. At first, you had marvelled at the impossible magic. How could something, otherwise just sitting there waiting for a new owner, ring without being moved? You couldn’t put your finger on it, and whenever your aunt came in to help you run the store, she couldn’t give you a solid answer either. Morty would wink with mischief alight in his eyes and remind you that magic was all around you within this store.

But today was the sixteenth of December. That meant sixteen days of the bells constantly ringing. And you were about done with the noise. Placing down your book, you got up and stomped over to the bells, reason leaving you as you bellowed, “Would you stop with that incessant ringing!”

They stopped abruptly, and you blinked. Had the bells just stopped at your command? Surely not. It was just a coincidence of your timing. Still, you eyed them warily as you backed away, almost colliding with Estelle, the taxidermy fox lamp you had weirdly grown fond of. Turning your back to the bells, you went to return behind the counter to your perch on the stool. However, with not even two steps away, they started again.

You spun around and eyed them sternly. “Stop it!”

They did, but then really began to chime, and you lunged at the set, holding a bell in either hand. “Honestly! What is it?!”

“They’re feeling lost,” a voice answered, and you whipped towards it, staring at an unfamiliar man. Had you not ironically heard the doorbell chime when he entered? And more importantly, had he really just listened to your argument with the seemingly sentient bells? Gods, the utter mortification.

Sensing your growing distress, the very handsome stranger stepped forward and raised a placating hand. “It’s alright.”

“They just are a little, well…” You didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t sound bonkers. For sixteen days, these bells have been ringing on and off, and the whimsy has worn off. Unless they are haunted by the Ghost of Christmas or something like that, I don’t know how to explain why a pair of bells keep ringing without a human prompting it. No, you couldn’t say that at all. You sighed heavily. “They’re sensitive, that’s all.”

He tried to hide a smile, but the amusement reached his dark eyes. “The bells are sensitive.”

“Well, you just said they’re feeling lost.”

“You’re right, I did. They’re sensitive about being lost.”

“Precisely.” You glanced down at the bells and then cleared your throat. “Can I help you with anything?”

“You might be who I’m looking for, actually.”

“Me?”

He nodded and came closer. “Are you Y/N?”

“Yes, that’s me.” For some reason, hearing your name from his mouth made you curl around the bells that you were now clutching to your chest. Shaking away the awe, you turned suspicious. Didn’t you just read a book about someone knowing the main character’s name before they ought to? You glanced down at the bells and then back at the still amused-looking man. Perhaps the bells had gotten to your head. The other day, they chimed at the most unexpected time, and you almost fell off your stool in fright. Maybe this time you had hit your head. This was all some weird fantasy or dream as a result. That was the only plausible reason this man, in his beautifully tailored coat and generous smiles, would know your name.

“Your uncle told me I could find you here when I rang about a collection. I’m Kim Junmyeon. I’m here to pick up an antique clock.”

You couldn’t help but slump. Of course, you hadn’t been using logic. Sending the bells you still clutched a glower; you then pasted on your best customer service smile and led Junmyeon to the counter. After typing in his details, you discovered the item he’d purchased to collect from the website and stepped into the small storeroom behind you to grab it.

You came back to find Junmyeon holding up one of the bells you had discarded on the counter. He shook it twice and then frowned. “Huh. There’s no noise.”

“The clapper in the middle is missing,” you said absent-mindedly, pulling the clock out of the box and protective casing for Junmyeon to inspect. He didn’t look at it; however, his perplexed expression was stuck on what you had just said.

“They were making a racket before. How can they do that without the clapper to swing back and forth?” He picked up the other one and inspected it for the missing parts.

“They’re meant to be decorative now,” you replied. “Why do you think I’ve been so frustrated?”

Junmyeon finally looked at his purchased item and nodded at you to wrap it up. “That’s so strange.”

“Welcome to the wonders of Antiqued Treasures.”

“Are there more items like them here?” he asked, eying the displays with renewed interest. You couldn’t blame him. When you were little, there was a musical box that was meant to be broken, yet would play any song you whispered for it to play. You had tried all types of music, and it would hum the melody for a minute and then stop. You still test it out now and then. After all, it had been on your nightstand ever since you were eight.

How could you tell Junmyeon that magic seemed to follow you, and you had no idea why?

“Only these currently.”

“Hm.”

“Well, you’re all set here,” you told him after taping the box closed. Pushing it towards him, you watched a range of emotions flit across his face. You frowned when he settled on a determined expression. “What? Are you going to turn the building upside down looking for more treasures?”

“I think I’ve found one already,” he murmured and then straightened. “Are you single?”

“W-What?!”

His ears burned hot. “I mean, well, what I’m asking is if you have someone else at home waiting for you. Because if you do, I won’t ask you out on a date.”

“A date,” you echoed. “I’m single but-”

“Then would you like to go to dinner? Tonight? I’m sorry to be rash, but I’m not from here, you see. Ever since I stepped in here, though, I’ve not stopped wishing I was.”

Had you fallen into a Hallmark Christmas movie? You almost laughed. You did work in a small town antique store and had been lonely for every Christmas since your last relationship didn’t work out.

“Why?”

“I wasn’t meaning to come in and collect this today. I’m actually running extremely late for an appointment at the town hall. I couldn’t get a park close enough, so I parked outside and was planning to take a brisk walk to get there. But then I heard the bells.”

“You heard them outside the store?”

He nodded. “Granted, I was close to passing the door when I heard them. When I looked up and saw the sign, I realised I had to collect an item here later and went to walk on. But then I saw you talking to the bells.”

“Oh God,” you bemoaned.

“I had no other option than to step in and tell you they, or maybe I, felt lost.”

You couldn’t help it. You laughed. The bells hadn’t been this silent since they arrived. Sobering from the impossiblity of the situation, and yet knowing that accepting whimsy was part of this store, you held out your hand. “I think I’d like that date.”

“You would?”

“You silenced the bells. Anyone with the power to do that deserves a chance.”

_________________

Next: Skate With Me

All rights reserved © prettywordsyouleft

the impact comes fast and hard. suho squeezes his eyes shut when he loses balance. his body twists in an attempt to keep itself safe, adrenaline momentarily taking over. 

his leg hits the ground first. the weight of his motorcycle presses into his calf, sending a searing pain through his body. and then it’s his shoulder. the road is unforgiving as he slides across it, finally coming to a stop in a nearby crosswalk. 

it takes a few seconds before he comes back to reality. suho blinks, squinting up at the light from the streetlight above. a man hovers over him, hands on his shoulders and eyebrows knitted into a worried expression. “are you okay?”

suho coughs. the air has been knocked out of his lungs all at once. his muscles burn when he moves to sit up, but he can’t feel any blood. that’s good, he thinks. 

the man’s hands are on his shoulders once again, gently pushing him back down. suho wants to protest but he can’t seem to force the words out. “relax, kid,” the man says. “an ambulance is on its way.” 

an ambulance. suho curls his hands into fists. that’s not what i want.

he turns back towards the man, swiping his tongue over the fresh cut in his bottom lip. “phone,” he croaks. his voice breaks but he swallows and tries again. “a phone.” 

the man nods, frantically reaching into his pocket. his fingers fly across the screen as he opens the dial pad, holding it out towards suho. suho types in your number almost unconsciously. the numbers feel like they’ve been engraved into his mind. suddenly, the painstaking days he had spent memorizing them seem worth it. with trembling hands and teary eyes, he holds it up to his ear. 

the phone rings twice before you answer with a quiet click! your voice is soft, maybe a little unsure when it plays through the speakers. “hello?”

“y/n,” suho’s voice shakes. “i need help.” 

the world tilts.

police lights show the way when you arrive. hues of red and blue flicker in the now-empty street. caution tape stretches across the road. in the middle, suho’s motorcycle lays forgotten on its side. there’s a patch of exposed metal on the side, the paint left on the asphalt below. a small crowd of onlookers has gathered. their idle chatter fills the otherwise quiet night. 

you push through their bodies; your shoulders knock against your own and their elbows feel sharp when they meet your ribs. your chest burns as your lungs beg for air. your heart has refused to stop hammering in your ears. it’s too loud, blocking out the rest of the world like the soundtrack of a bad movie. it feels like there’s not enough air in the atmosphere. 

“hey!” two hands grip onto your shoulders, dragging you backwards. the man’s voice is gruff - loud and commanding. his nails dig into the fabric of your school blazer. “this is a restricted area! you can’t be here!” 

“i need to see him.” you’re panting now. air fills and leaves your lungs in short gasps. your teary eyes scan the area to no avail. despite your best efforts, suho is nowhere to be seen among the sea of bodies. “please - is he okay?” 

the officer scoffs. his grip tightens when you squirm in his grasp, attempting to hold you steady. “who?” 

“y/n!” your breath catches in your throat. suho raises his arm over his head, waving behind another officer. you watch as he flags a different officer down, saying something before he points in your direction. her gaze is cold when it lands on you, but you ignore it. your eyes refuse to leave suho. 

she approaches quietly, leaning in near the officer still-holding you. she stares at you for a second - suspicious and calculated. then, she says, “it’s alright.” 

you can almost feel the officer holding you flinch in surprise. he glances at her for a moment before relenting with a quiet nod. his hands slip away before he takes a step back, releasing you from his grasp. 

you scramble to push your body beneath the caution tape in a hurried, jumbled mess of limbs. suho follows your lead, rushing to your side. the police lights just barely illuminate his features. his eyebrows are furrowed, lips curled into a soft frown. thick, white bandages are wrapped around his hands. the sleeve of his windbreaker has been rolled up to his elbow, exposing a patch of raw skin on his forearm. 

suho raises a hand, resting it against your cheek. his skin feels warm on the cold night. your hands tremble. you reach up, hesitantly wrapping your own hand around his wrist. you’re not sure if you’re seeking comfort or refuge. 

you squeeze your eyes shut, leaning into the comforting feeling of his hand. “i’m okay,” suho says quietly. he brushes his thumb against your cheek. his fingertips just barely wipe away the tears that roll down your face. “it’s only road rash. i’m okay.” 

“i thought…” you sniffle. the world blurs through your teary eyes. your lips part for a second, but no words come out. you don’t say it out loud. you don’t need to. i thought you were dead. “i was so worried.” 

suho smiles - soft and sad and in a way only he could. his fingers dance along your skin as he reaches up, pushing a stray strand of hair away from your face. you move without thinking. your hands grip onto the front of suho’s jacket, curling your hands into fists. a silent plea passes between you: don’t go. 

“come here,” he murmurs. 

the dam breaks. 

a sob rips itself from your throat. tears roll down your cheeks in waves. your already shaky legs falter. suho reaches out almost immediately, wrapping his arms around your waist. he pulls you in until your bodies are pressed together. your hearts beat in tandem. 

suho leans in, burying his face into the crook of your neck. soft strands of his bangs tickle against your bare skin. you just barely register the feeling of his own tears falling before the dissipate into the fabric of your uniform. 

“i’m okay,” suho whispers. his breath ghosts against your ear. he twists his head to the side just enough to press a chaste kiss against your cheek despite the salty taste of your tears. his hands rub against your lower back, fingertips tracing miscellaneous shapes wherever they can reach. “everything’s okay.” 

notes: thank you so much for requesting!! i hope you like it :)) didn't want it to be too angsty so i decided on more of a hurt comfort fic, as someone who rides motorcycles i'd like to get on my soapbox for a minute to say please wear proper gear when you ride, not proofread!! forgive any mistakes, title from bts - serendipity, weak hero reqs are greatly appreciated!!

A wheeze left you as you stepped down onto the pale blonde sand, feeling completely changed as the warmth enveloped your bare feet. Wow. This was paradise indeed.

“How could she hide her wealth from us all this time? We all rented the shittiest apartment together when we were in university. This makes no sense.”

Mac shrugged, not feeling any sting of betrayal like you were. “And yet here we are for the wedding destination of the year. Are they waiting over there with flutes of champagne for us? I’ve never had this type of perk upon arriving anywhere before.”

“You’ve never been flown into a tiny island for a wedding like this before either.” You eyed everything a little more cynically. “We only paid two thousand dollars to attend this.”

“And?”

“Look around Mac! This is utter paradise. This is mad! This is expensive.”

“Oh no,” he lamented, shaking you gently. “You’re not going to get hung up on the details, are you? Our best friend met the woman of her dreams. Now she’s getting married. We, as members of her bridal party need to get on board with her ideal wedding. She wanted something tropical and on the beach. It can’t get any better than this for Jennie.”

You sighed, knowing he was right. You wanted the very best for Mac and Jennie, but you also wanted answers. Nodding gratefully at the flute of bubbles handed to you, you craned your neck to see if your other best friend that you hadn’t seen in six months would suddenly appear before you and settle your nerves. Maybe there was some misunderstanding, some other way you had both ended up flying halfway across the world to this little island for less than you knew something like this had to cost.

Instead, you spent the next ten minutes listening to the head of staff on the island letting you and the eight others who had flown in with you about how the island ran. Whilst they had a heavy focus on nature and serenity, it was a resort all the same, with full amenities to promote relaxation and zen.

“Maybe we need to get you to the spa,” Mac murmured to you with a chuckle. “You’re not looking very zen.”

“I want to find Jennie.”

“For those here for the Mabell-Lorne wedding, please follow me in this direction,” a staff member suddenly gestured to a small pathway and you and Mac followed her. She smiled at you both. “We are still waiting on more wedding attendees to arrive today, but the hosts are up here. You are part of the Lorne bridal party, yes?”

“We are.”

“Excellent, I will organise you into your lodgings for the duration of the week, and then we can show you where those already here are relaxing today.”

You weren’t led to a large resort building, but rather, a pod-like village, all connecting to a boardwalk that sat near the beachfront. You laughed sharply, and Mac, who was uncharacteristically quiet too, wrapped his arm around you again. “This is insane.”

“This is our private cottage colony,” the clerk mentioned, gesturing to the buildings you were heading towards. “The whole wedding party will be located over here for privacy and easy commute to other attendees. The brides-to-be are staying in the cottage up the front here, and you both have been allocated a cottage to share a row back. Allow me to show you to it now.”

Another disbelieving laugh left you when you saw the luxurious cottage. Everything was high-end. There were two plush beds facing out to the sea through a window wall, a shower with three shower heads that was large enough for you both and even Jennie to share comfortably, and a waiting goodie basket full of branded chocolates, perfume, and another bottle of champagne.

“Okay, I’m suddenly on board with interrogating Jennie now,” Mac admitted after letting out a low whistle. You let go of your purse onto a bed and then marched back out to the waiting clerk who led you both to your best friend.

You saw the back of her first. She was laughing whilst leaning into her fiancée Cassida and your heart squeezed for the genuine love between the pair. However, Mac, now having caught up to your level of stress, called out and broke up the canoodling moment. “Oi, Jennifer Marie Lorne. You have some explaining to do.”

Jennie shrieked and turned, running at you and Mac, and your annoyance dissipated as soon as the woman held you both tightly to her body. “I’ve missed you both, oh my God.”

“I’ve missed you more,” you told her, as Mac patted you both on the back, his signature hug style.

“And I’m always glad to have women in my arms, but I have to know. How the hell did you pull this off, Jennie?”

Your best friend stepped back and allowed Cassida to hug you both whilst wringing her hands together. “So, uh. There’s something I need to tell you both about my family.”

The sun was finally setting in paradise, and you had spent the last few hours finding out that your best friend for the last ten years had been born into wealth. You and Mac had heaps of questions, but at the end of it all, being rich didn’t mean Jennie wasn’t the same person you thought she was. Well, mostly. You still were trying to wrap your head around the fact that her parents actually owned multiple island resorts just like this one, and that Jennie had wanted an authentic college experience fending for herself and not living like the elite she was.

You’d taken this information on board better than you initially felt you would, and the excitement of Cassida and Jennie’s wedding returned before long. You guessed you could see this week-long stint on a tiny island as a great way to relax before returning to reality after all this. In fact, you had just woken from a small nap and gotten ready for the first night of wedding festivities.

Dinner with the wedding party wasn’t too bad. Yes, you noticed the wealth radiating off certain people gathered there, but everyone was welcoming, and you didn’t feel out of place in your maxi beach dress that you had gotten on sale and not from a branded store. Mac had already charmed his way into the graces of Cassida’s very single cousin Lydia, forever finding his way through life with a smile on his face and adapting to any situation thrown at him.

You were more reserved, however, and made polite conversation where it mattered, trying to not monopolise all of Cassida and Jennie’s attention when they were wanted by everyone there to celebrate their love story. But you were thankful when the younger members of the group decided to head off to the club on the island to continue the night. Relaxing with your best friends and dancing for a couple of hours loosened you up, as did your second drink of the night. You weren’t buzzed, but your shoulders were no longer up by your ears, and you were laughing and having a good time.

You were on a romantic little island though. And there was a part of you, as you watched Mac cosy up with Lydia, and then Jennie and Cassida kissing as they danced, that made you look around the crowd. Maybe there could be someone here you could get to know. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet someone for an island fling, wasn’t it? How many of your other close friends were going to get married like this?

Searching the crowd again, your gaze snagged on a group of people who had been at another table during dinner. You hadn’t paid them much attention earlier, trying to keep up with conversation going around the table you were sat at instead, but now you were free to acknowledge the group more easily.

“What’s caught your eye?” Mac breathed heavily into your ear, wrapping a sweaty arm around your shoulders that you immediately shrugged off. “Or who? Don’t want your bestest best friend leaning over you in case you want to shoot your shot?”

“Y/N?” Jennie said with a laugh, shaking her head lightly. “There are calculated risks to everything, Mac.”

“Including dating. ‘I can’t possibly jump into anything that fast’,” he concluded, echoing words you had said years ago.

You rolled your eyes. “I can be spontaneous.”

“You over-plan everything.”

“You immediately grew cynical when we arrived here earlier,” Mac pointed out and you looked at him accusingly.

“Excuse me, but so did you!”

“Okay, so I should have told you both earlier in our friendship, but I never made friends, only people who wanted me for my status. I apologise!” Jennie claimed dramatically and you laughed whilst rolling your eyes. Jennie then grabbed your hand and pulled you to where she and Cassida were still dancing. “But we’re right, Y/N. You don’t just leap without checking what’s happening below.”

“Maybe I could here,” you announced, looking back over at the group from before. There was one man amongst them all that made your heart thud faster. Although he’d lost his jacket, his clothing screamed wealth, and you sighed a little, wondering if someone like you could still be attractive to anyone on this island. A little fun wouldn’t hurt, though. And if you could get away from your best friends, they could actually enjoy more romance themselves. You knew Mac was dying to make out with Lydia but kept near you just so you weren’t left out entirely.

You straightened your shoulders. “Actually, I know I can. I like someone already.”

“Holy shit.” Mac looked straight at Jennie, a hand coming to rest over his heart. “Is our baby bird ready to fly our nest, darling?”

“We’ve raised her well. It’s about time she wobbles on out of here.”

“I will not wobble. I can do this,” you told them both, catching the eye of the man in question and smiling at him. He looked you over from head to toe and returned his focus to your eyes, smiling back.

“Oh god.” Jennie tracked your focus. “Hey Y/N?”

“Hm?”

“That’s uh, my father’s best friend’s son.”

“Aim high baby!” Mac exclaimed with a wolf whistle.

“What’s his name?”

“Kim Junmyeon. His dad was at dinner with us. You know, the one I mentioned ran this island for my parents.”

“You mean, he lives here?”

Jennie frowned. “I think he lives here some of the year. Junmyeon helps run the place. He will take over when his Dad retires.”

You laughed lightly. “Of course, I would go for the most unrealistic option here.”

“He’s really nice,” Jennie supplied, and Mac rubbed your bare shoulders like he was warming you up for a round in the boxing ring. You guessed it was a bit like that with how your brain was already throwing punches at you to not proceed anywhere near the attractive man.

You rolled your shoulders under Mac’s hands, and he moved them to tap you playfully on the butt. “Atta girl. You’ve got this. I’ve watched you slay mediocre men in the office. Treat it like an interview.”

“Not like an interview,” Jennie breathed at the terrible advice, but you nodded decisively and started walking over to the group. Junmyeon stepped away from his friends to meet you halfway.

And of course, just before you reached his side, you did in fact wobble. How could you lose your footing when you didn’t even have any heels on or something to make you step poorly, to begin with, you didn’t know. One moment you were confidently moving towards the gorgeous man, and the next you were falling.

“Woah,” he breathed, reaching out to right you before you fell, and you gripped his forearms that were exposed by his rolled-up sleeves, sinking into the warmth of his body. They were firm, and you reluctantly loosened your hold when you felt stable enough.

“That was not how I was hoping to come over and say hello,” you admitted sheepishly, and looked up into his face. He was the brightest thing here under the stars of the outdoor club, especially when he grinned at your statement. You felt momentarily blinded, your heart thudding out three words in repetition.

I like him.

“It’s very memorable all the same. And you gave me the chance to show my chivalry.”

“I can’t take the moment from you then.”

“No, but you could tell me the name of the woman I just saved?”

“Y/N,” you said, lifting a hand away to hold out in greeting.

He slipped his palm against yours without hesitation. “Junmyeon. Are you here for Jennie’s wedding?”

“The one and only. Maid of honour, at your service.”

“You’re the best friend from college days that I’ve heard a lot about.”

You nodded. “One of them.”

“And how are you liking paradise?” he wondered, gesturing to the place around you without taking his eyes off yours.

“It’s like a dream.”

“Don’t want to wake up?” he wondered, and you smiled again.

“Definitely not right now.”

“It would be terrible if you did.”

You spent the rest of the night getting to know Junmyeon. At one point, your friends came over and joined you for a chat, and you marvelled at how easily Junmyeon fitted in with everyone. Of course, he knew Jennie and was able to share anecdotes of their childhood growing up. Not to be outdone, Mac was quick to supply your own memories, much to your horror when he talked about the time you marched into the swimming pool with your bikini top off so you could match him.

“I was six!” you exclaimed, leaning over to cover his mouth from spilling anything else. “I didn’t even have a chest to worry about covering up then.”

It wasn’t lost on you when Junmyeon tracked that you had something there worthy of keeping wrapped up now.

And when Jennie kissed you on the head and told you she would see you in the morning, and Mac declared that he would not see you until breakfast whilst following Lydia back to her cottage, you shifted further into the seat of one of the couches that lined the terrace that you had migrated to earlier.

Junmyeon leaned on his arm as he swivelled to look at you. “Not tired?”

“I’m not risking going to sleep just yet. It might disturb this dream I’m having.”

He laughed. “We don’t want that. How about we take a walk on the beach? Somewhere quieter than here?”

If you were back home right now, you wouldn’t dare go somewhere secluded with a man you had only met, but you didn’t think about it as you slipped your hand into Junmyeon’s, allowing him to pull you up and lead you away from the club.

There was an easy quiet between you both as he swung your linked hands back and forth whilst taking you down to the beach from a small trail marked between the trees and bushes. The ocean was calmly rolling in and out along the shore and you sighed with content. “How do you find living here? I wouldn’t be able to believe it’s real every day I woke up.”

“When I’m away from here for a while, it’s like that for a bit when I return,” he admitted, staring out at the sea. “I find cities hard to bear because of it.”

“The noise,” you replied, and he nodded.

“And the smell. I’m very lucky to live in such a natural environment.”

“Does it get lonely?”

He nodded softly. “We have guests all year round. So, it’s not that I’m only seeing the same faces. And the people who work for us do come and go. Paradise long-term isn’t for everyone.”

“Fancy things lose their shine, I’m sure.”

“It gets all very much the same. People who come here are generally from the same circles. They expect certain things from the people here.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s never real. The rich, they can be very ridiculous.”

You shot him an amused look. “Says someone wealthy.”

“Touche.”

“I work with people like that though. The façade of the office is exhausting.”

“Thankfully, you get to leave it behind at the end of the day. When you live in paradise, you don’t quite get to escape it.”

“Do you want to?”

“I just want something real. I want to feel more than I do.”

“I relate to that,” you admitted, taking a seat on the sand and Junmyeon dropped down beside you. “I’m not normally this forward.”

“No?”

“Gosh no. Back home, I’m pretty guarded. Mac can approach anyone and make a friend within five minutes. Not me.”

“You chose to come to me tonight.”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“I felt… something.”

He quirked an eyebrow. “Like?”

“My heart picked up.” You couldn’t face him as you continued your confession, staring out at the ocean instead. “I thought this is someone I could like.”

“Huh.”

“And then I went and fell on you.”

“You sure you didn’t do that on purpose?”

“You do have impressive arms,” you replied with a laugh, and Junmyeon scooted closer.

“In this dream of yours, the one you don’t want to wake up from. What happens next?”

“Well,” you said, moistening your lips. “In dreams, you’re the bolder version of yourself, right?”

“Definitely.”

“Then I’m not going to be afraid to take your hand, like this.” Reaching out to take the hand that had held yours all the way down to the beach, you smiled when he rubbed his thumb over your skin softly.

“And I’ll tell you that I’d very much like it if you kissed me.”

Junmyeon’s lips were still smiling when they touched yours, but not for long. The kiss was slow and searching, both of you looking for more than the spark of attraction that had brought you together tonight. He tasted decadent, like chocolate melting in your mouth, and you moaned lightly when his tongue slipped in to meet yours, your free hand slipping up into his hair.

Eventually, he sat back, catching his breath. You noticed he still held your hand and smiled.

“Was that a good first kiss?”

“Probably the best I’ve had.”

“Well, I confess, I don’t just go around kissing anyone.”

“You mean, you don’t take a chance with every new group on this island here?” you teased, and Junmyeon nudged you playfully.

“Definitely not. I’m very glad you came over to me.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve been looking at you all night and was about to move over to you when you did.” The moon lighting up his face in the night helped you see the pink tinge to his ears. Without thinking, you reached out to touch one of them, and Junmyeon sighed heavily.

“One week.”

“Don’t break the dream yet, Junmyeon.”

“Who’s to say that you’ll want to leave paradise too easily?” he wondered, and you leaned in so you were a breath away from his lips again.

“I really fancy you.”

“Good. Because the night isn’t yet over. I’m hoping I can make you keep telling me just how much you like me that after this wedding, there’s more than just one love story to share.”

_________________

All rights reserved © prettywordsyouleft

That night in particular she had promised her best friend that she would do everything she could to have a little fun and forget about the crack that had lodged itself in her heart since then, well either it was that or her friend would have dragged her by force to “live a little ”, in her friend’s words she should stop being so miserable.

Of course, not even her friends or family knew why she broke up with him, or else things would get worse.

But going to the club reminded her of all the nights she went out with him, especially the night they met. So even though she was fighting not to think about him, the memories came.

She took a deep breath as she got out of her friend's car, smiling lightly at her to assure her she was okay, or at least pretend like she was.

As soon as she entered the club, she felt an icy wind and a chill down her spine, she hugged her body and swallowed hard as she tried to shake off the clouds of memories that invaded her head.

She had barely arrived and she already knew it was a bad idea to go there.

She and her friend went to a high table that was empty, they talked a little while observing the place, Y/N's anxious eyes looked for a single person and her reason said that it would be better if he wasn't there.

As time went on, the music got slightly louder and the place got a little more crowded.

“Tae!” Y/N's friend called a boy with her hand, as soon as he turned and found her, he smiled widely.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he approached her to hug her, he was accompanied by another boy. “This is Jinyoung, my friend.” he introduced and the boy extended his hand to shake both of them.

“This is Y/N, my best friend.”

Y/N smiled at the two of them and when she shook Jinyoung's hand her eyes stopped at his neck.

“Are you a soldier?” She asked, curious.

She recognized the ID necklace anywhere.

“Yes, army lieutenant.” He smiled, proudly.

"Really? My brother is a sergeant, but in the navy.” she explained and he smiled slightly at the answer.

“Y/N comes from a long line of soldiers.” Her best friend commented, smiling when she finally saw her talking.

“And you’re a soldier too?” Jinyoung asked, interested.

She laughed, shaking her head.

“No, I’m the only one who has a boring job.” She joked and got a laugh from the soldier.

Y/N had a lively conversation with Jinyoung, her best friend and Tae left them alone with the excuse of going dancing.

Jinyoung was pleasant to talk to and had a captivating smile, he didn't take his eyes off her and even though she was shy, she wasn't uncomfortable. Although her initial plan hadn't taken into account going out with a guy that night, she wasn't depriving herself of wanting to get to know him better.

But she had one small problem. The ex that wouldn't leave her sober mind.

That's why she decided to do what anyone in her position would do, drink until the image of her ex's eyes evaporated from her mind along with all the walls she had built around herself since the breakup.

She excused herself from Jinyoung, telling him that she would go to the bar and come back soon, he quickly patted her arm.

When she arrived, she looked at the drinks. She wasn't that big a fan of alcohol but she knew that the only way to forget about him was to do it.

“Double whiskey, please.” she asked the bartender who nodded before leaving to get her drink.

“Whiskey?” Y/N felt every hair on her body stand up and her legs trembled. “I always thought you preferred wine.”

She swallowed hard and the bartender returned, holding out the glass which Y/N quickly took, feeling her hands go cold.

Without any courage, she turned around and saw him standing next to her. She had to lock her jaw so a sigh wouldn't escape her lips.

He was still intoxicating.

His slightly wavy dark hair didn't fall entirely into his eyes, his face was hard and serious with his eyes fixed on her, he was wearing a white silk blouse with the first few buttons open that left a part of his chest exposed so that the necklace he wore sparkled. The necklace she had given him.

He wore a black vest and she couldn't resist continuing to analyze, her eyes went down to the black pants he wore and the expensive shoes.

It wasn't possible for a man to be as beautiful as him, it must be a crime.

Although he knew very well about crimes…

When her eyes returned to his face, he saw the slight smile that threatened to break.

“Not everything is what it seems.” She spoke quietly, unable to control how weak her voice sounded. “You know this better than me, Suho.”

She wasn't used to calling him by that name, he would always be Junmyeon to her.

Her Junmyeon.

But Suho was his battle name and since she discovered that, she used the name a few times just to speak to all the hurt she felt for having been betrayed.

Feeling the world around her spin in a spiral, she left without waiting for his response and returned to the table feeling watched.

Jinyoung greeted her with a smile and she did the same before downing the glass, drinking the whiskey in one gulp, making the poor boy next to her get a little scared.

The liquid ran down Y/N's throat but nothing was as strong and intense as Junmyeon's eyes staring at her from the other side of the club.

She didn't want to be the worst person in the world but she couldn't follow what Jinyoung said, she also didn't want to return Junmyeon's gaze but it was an impossible task.

Mainly because he divided the attention of his eyes between her and Jinyoung, as if he was reading what was happening between them.

During their relationship, he was never jealous because Y/N always assured him that her eyes were always on him, that no other boy would take her focus away from him.

But now they were no longer together and there was a slightly strong soldier beside her.

Yes, he had identified that he was a soldier before even noticing the identification necklace he wore.

People like him had training to recognize soldiers and police from miles away.

And when Y/N didn't look back, she lost the chance to see the fear in his eyes.

Y/N has always been a very correct woman, she was taught to be like that by her family, war heroes who had respect and principle.

And Junmyeon was the opposite of all that. He wasn't honorable and definitely not a hero, he was nothing that she really deserved it.

It was clear that after she had broken up with him, when she discovered the illicit work he did, he was afraid of losing her for good.

Not because his enemies could go after her, firstly, he would never let that happen, secondly, he had some of his  men protecting her in secret to prevent that.

But because he knew she could find someone better than him easily, she just snapped her fingers and a line of men would form.

Because, after everything that had been said between them, he imagined that she would look for someone with the same principles as hers.

Someone very different from him.

And well, a soldier was exactly what he imagined she would find.

He just didn't think it would be so difficult to see her around a man other than him.

But Junmyeon didn't even know what was going on in her head, even though she was looking at Jinyoung attentively, she wasn't listening to a word he was saying.

What was happening inside her was a real battle.

She knew it was wrong and dangerous, but seeing him there only concluded what her heart already knew, she was still crazy about him.

Even if his work or business, she still didn't know how to say it, went against everything she believed in, it was impossible for her feelings not to speak louder.

Jinyoung was a correct and honest man, from what little they talked she concluded that, she only had one problem: he was not Junmyeon.

Even though he was just as handsome, knowing that her ex was there watching her nullified any less friendly thoughts she might have had with Jinyoung.

Y/N felt her head spinning, there were many reasons, and the alcohol she had spilled wasn’t the only one. In fact, she had only made her situation worse because she had been drinking to forget her ex-boyfriend and here she was, remembering him more vividly.

“Y/N is everything okay?” Jinyoung asked, worried, seeing her face suddenly turn white.

She took a deep breath, nodding.

“Yeah, I just…” she looked at the bar where he was, Junmyeon didn’t even blink when he looked at her. Even from afar she felt how intense his eyes still were. “I need some air.” she confirmed, looking away from Jinyoung.

“Do you need me to…” he let the sentence die in the air and she smiled slightly

She brought her hand to his arm and gently stroked it.

“It’s okay, I just need 5 minutes alone.”

He nodded, placing his hand over hers, understanding what she was saying.

Y/N left feeling the air running out of her lungs as if she had run a marathon and when she finally found the exit of the club, she closed her eyes feeling the first tear run down her face.

She had promised herself that she would try to be strong, she even tried to convince herself that she didn't feel what she felt for Junmyeon - a failed attempt to forget him - but she didn't count on finding him there.

In fact, she didn't even imagine one day meeting him again. After the harsh words she used, she thought he would never talk to her again.

Y/N looked for a corner to sit down, hugging her legs to cry in silence.

It hurt her to be away from him, more than she had imagined. But it hurt even more to be so close and at the same time so far away from him.

She was so wrapped up in her own pain that she didn't notice when he crouched down beside her.

"Don't cry, please." he pleaded and she sobbed. “You know I can’t stand it.”

Y/N lifted her head with her face soaked, looking to the side and seeing him grimacing in pain.

She kept her eyes fixed on him as Junmyeon raised his hand to dry her face with his fingertips, making Y/N close her eyes at the gentle touch.

She had missed that. Much more than she should have.

"I can't."

"What?" He caressed her face for a longer time, making her open her eyes.

“I can’t look at you and forget everything I know.” she admitted, hurt.

Junmyeon gave in, fingers retracting to cease the caress.

Y/N sighed and stood up, pushing him away completely. Ready to get out of there, she just didn't expect him to step in front of her, stopping her from going.

“I'm still the same.”

She laughed in disbelief and tried to pass, but he held her arm without hurting her and brought her closer so she could look into his eyes.

“I’m still who I’ve always been with you.”

Y/N felt her breathing became labored for two reasons, he was too close that she could feel his breath against her face, and because his eyes didn't lie.

And that disconcerted her, broke all the arguments she could have and that she had rehearsed in her head.

“You have a side that I never imagined and that I don’t agree with!” She tried to speak a little more firmly, her rational side was being drowned out by her heart at that moment.

She was finally where she wanted, in his arms.

“This is just business, Y/N.”

"Business?" she asked, frowning. “A mafia is not a business, Junmyeon, it is a sect. One from which you will never be free because you’re the boss.”

"You’re right!" he agreed, seriously. “But look into my eyes.”

She looked away, shaking her head. That was why one of his hands released her arm and went to her chin, making her look at him.

“Look into my eyes and say you don’t see how much I love you.” he begged and she was silent. “If you say that you don't see how much I need you then that's fine, I'll let you go into the arms of a guy who has the same principles, who is your hero.”

Y/N felt her eyes water.

He was her hero long before she found out where his money came from.

"I cant do it." She spoke quietly, shrugging her shoulders.

"And why not?"

“Because I would be denying the whole truth, including that my love for you also exists.”

The corners of his lips threatened to lift into a sad yet happy smile, all he needed to hear was how much she still loved him, the rest they could take care of later.

He could find a way out as long as he was with her.

Without having anything to say, Junmyeon put his hand on the back of her head, making her goosebumps rise from head to toe, she knew what was coming and didn't stop it.

He brought his face closer to her, without taking his eyes off her because he wanted to make sure she wanted it so much as him and when he didn't see any sign to the contrary, he sealed their lips.

Y/N sighed, resting her hands on his chest as she closed her eyes at the feeling of his warm lips once again against hers.

Junmyeon's hand went down her arms to her waist, hugging her with a certain desperation as he moved his lips slowly, as if he was discovering her again.

Junmyeon tilted his head to the side as he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, all Y/N could do was grab the vest he was wearing tightly as their tongues met, eager for the sensual dance they were in accustomed.

Y/N's entire body seemed to light up, she felt so warm and so alive, it was as if she had awakened from a deep, cold sleep.

Their kiss became more desperate, causing him to press her against any surface he could find in the dark, which ended up being the club wall itself.

Completely panting, they separate, he even takes her lips in one last kiss before touching their foreheads.

“I've been thinking about you every second.” he spoke quietly and Y/N kept her eyes closed, her legs still wobbly. “I can’t live without you, Y/N.”

She smiled sideways, put her hands on his shoulders and then opened her eyes, looked at his red and swollen lips before moving up to his eyes, Junmyeon looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes.

“I could be making the biggest mistake of my life.” She sighed, reaching up to caress his face when she saw him frown. “But if I had to choose you a thousand times, I would.”

He smiled restrainedly.

“It was always you, Junmyeon. Always."

“You’re my eternal love,” he said firmly. “And you always will be.”

She smiled before pulling his face for another kiss that wouldn't be the last that night.

And praised him on your social media!

It was enough for you to follow each other on social networks

And become "Instagram friends"

While Suho sent you copies of his solo or exo's albums

You shared with him about the work you did in different countries

You both kinda "slide into each other DM"

And well, it wasn't that hard for you two to develop a crush on each other

Suho is a great person to talk to so it was easy for you to get close to him

And you followed all his preparation for the musical

So it wasn't really a surprise when he asked you to go to the premiere

But that doesn't mean you weren't nervous

Not just because you were nervous for him, but because it was your first time seeing each other in person!

And well, he was considerate enough to give you a front row invite

Unfortunately you couldn't go backstage before the musical so you end up having to go straight to the show

Without being able to talk to him, or try to calm him down

Because yes, he was more nervous than usual. Especially knowing you would be there

But when the show started and you saw him for the first time, you didn't even notice that he was nervous.

In fact, he totally captured your attention!

You knew what a good singer he was, but seeing him so close, giving himself body and soul to the character made your heart beat even faster

And when he found you in the audience and smiled almost imperceptibly, your legs were gone!

It was then that you admired the way he shone on stage, how his steady, smooth voice filled your ears

Suho was fascinating to see

You were so immersed in the emotions he was going through that the time of the musical passed in the blink of an eye

And the next thing you know, you're on your feet applauding him tirelessly with a wide smile

And anxiety took over you when he left the stage and one of the staff came up to you, asking you to go backstage to meet him

Your hands were sweating so much that even rubbing them against each other didn't stop

But all nervousness or anxiety went away when you saw him

Suho was sweaty, still with strong makeup but suddenly you were shy

He quickly went to greet you and knowing how cold Koreans were considered, you expected a handshake or something

But man… he went straight hugging you

And you were like 😳🤯😧

But you reciprocated because he was so warm, it was hard not to reciprocate

And then you couldn't help but praise his performance and what a great singer he was

This made him smile shyly, but he was very grateful that you were there and watched him

You engaged in such a lively conversation, it didn't even seem like you'd never seen each other before

Okay, you had already talked several times on the phone, but it was different!

He was even funnier in person and you didn't even notice when you put your hand on his arm

The conversation would have lasted all night if not for the staff interrupting to take a photo

And you two readily accepted

He got even closer to you and without letting it appear in the photo, he rested a hand on your back and made a soft caress, almost imperceptible

It was enough for you to smile widely during the photos

And then afterwards, you thought it was time to say goodbye even though you didn't want the night to end

As if he read your thoughts, he asked if you would like to go out to dinner

And you denied? Of course not!

You would happily wait all night so he could change and take off his makeup if it meant being in his presence for a few more hours