horizon *ﾟ+

You’ve been up all night at Jacob’s place, studying for an exam that was happening in less than 8 hours until you saw the clock ticking close to 4am. You recalled the note he left on the small pot of plant next to your papers on the table before you glanced at it, reading his cute handwriting “don’t forget to take a break :)” 

You softly smiled, taking a long deep breath. Maybe it was time to take his reminder after sitting there for so long, with an extra idea you had in mind. You got up, drank a cold cup of water and washed up in the bathroom before turning off the lights in the living room where you had been studying. 

You headed into the kitchen where you had hidden a mini cake in the fridge for Jacob. What were the odds that his birthday would fall onto your very last exam day?

You took your steps slowly to Jacob’s bedroom door since you couldn’t see that well yet in the dark. When you reached there, you slowly opened the door and called his name. Your voice sounded playfully loud, probably from the lack of sleep that was making you a little tipsy. You closed the door and walked toward his bed. You set the cake and lighter on his desk and his name slipped from your lips again when you cupped his cheek, waking him up from his sleep. He heard your giggle before he scooted back so you could join him. 

While you hustled onto Jacob’s side, he checked the time on his phone from the desk behind him. Luckily, he didn’t see the cake there in the dark. When he set it back down, your arms curled around his body with your head snuggling at his warm chest. He chuckled weakly, wrapping his arms over your shoulders as he laid himself down with you. He fixed the blanket over your bodies as your legs tangled under. 

“You come to my room and wake up at 4am, to cuddle?” Jacob asked in a whisper, his tired voice making you drowsy. 

You nodded once, your head scratched at his chest before your words kissed it. “Anything to wish me luck on tomorrow’s exam.” 

He could feel your lips curving against his skin as he sighed with a smile. His chin snuggled over your head, taking a few seconds doing the math in his head before he giggled softly. “Silly, it’s in 5 hours. I know you’ll do great.” 

“What if I don’t wake up on time?” 

Jacob hummed, his sounds vibrating through your ear then he answered, “Then that’s the problem because I don’t wanna let you go now.” 

His arms tightened as he shook you lightly from side to side, making your sweet laugh tickle his ears. Somehow, you felt glad that you woke him up at that moment because you weren’t feeling confident about doing well on the exam despite the amount of time you’ve studied the past week. When he stopped moving and his hand began to caress your hair, you peeked up at him and sneaked a kiss onto his lips. 

“I have a surprise for you.” You whispered and Jacob hummed softly, somehow confused at your words. 

You got off from him and used his phone to find the lighter. You lit the cake with a single candle right in the middle. Jacob got up and realized what was going on. His lips beamed as he watched you lift the cake slowly to him. 

“You silly.” Jacob laughed. He knew you had a reason that you couldn’t wait until after the exam to celebrate his birthday, and it was because you feared that you wouldn’t do well enough to feel happy to celebrate it. You looked happy in this moment and he wouldn’t want you to be any less. 

You sang the birthday song quietly and once you were done, Jacob closed his eyes before he blew the candle out. 

“What did you wish for?” 

Jacob thought for a second and he confessed, “For a thousand kisses.”

You laughed in a whisper, out of words from his cute wish. “Impossible.” 

“It’s possible you believe.” Jacob took the cake from you and set it back onto the desk. He could see you better now as his eyes had gotten adjusted to the dark room. “I did wish for something else too.” 

“Yeah?” You wondered what it could be. 

“That you’ll do amazing later.” His smile shined under the moonlight as your lips beamed. 

“Thank you, Jacob.” You squeezed him in your arms before he pulled you down with him, ready to fall asleep again. You looked up at him, wishing him one more time, “Happy birthday, and I love you.”

You whispered so lovingly. Jacob’s eyes moved from your eyes to see how beautiful your smile was. 

The first half of your last year at your university was coming to an end and that means projects were in progress to completion. Eric understood that, knowing that you both would not be able to see each other as much for a while. 

As he was resting on his couch, staring at the beautiful background of you on his phone screen, his finger caressed your cheek. He smiled softly before pressing the messages icon to send you another text of “i miss yous” and reminders about taking care of yourself. 

He himself was busy too, especially with making music with his friends. This week seemed chilled as they have completed their songs and were waiting for approval to release them. His schedule was flexible, so flexible that one of them, Sunwoo, came into the living room and saw Eric on his phone. He shook his head and snickered at him. 

“You’re like this every single morning.” Eric peeked over his phone and saw Sunwoo crossing his arms. He gave him a weird look as Sunwoo continued, “You should seriously make lunch or go visit your partner in crime.” 

Partner in crime, Eric loved that title. You both usually don’t do “bad” things together (other than taking cookies from the store despite it being for kids under 12; “We’re all humans!” He would say even though he ended up buying a package of cookies after.) but when it’s time to get your shit together, you both get serious just like you were now. 

Eric wondered about if he would be a bother if he were to visit you right now. He always wondered that because morning and night texts were always a part of your daily routine since this academic year started. Even watching a movie on Friday nights at his apartment was a weekly thing, but those were so practical that he wanted to do something more than that; something more meaningful to show that he cares and loves you. 

He then got up from the couch and hugged Sunwoo out of love. 

“Thanks, Sunwoo. I’ll be back in a bit.” Eric smiled widely when he pulled back. 

As Eric walked away, Sunwoo stood there in shock. “What? So you’re not going to make lunch?” 

Art makes you feel alive. The history and the inquiry of it, you just love how tangible the tools you use were to make such beautiful pieces. It was as if your hands were magic, sprinkling invisible glitter against the white papers of your wooden easel. 

You were working on the last piece of work for your final portfolio of the semester in your personal art studio at your university. You felt so relieved to have everything done one week before they’re due. The last thing for this semester to feel complete was to see Eric. You couldn’t wait to see him soon. 

You had looked at your phone and replied to his texts before you mixed your paint to put your magic hands to work. If you were to choose the process that you loved the most, it would be the painting of the sketches you made. It makes your artwork come alive. Thinking of Eric right at that moment, you realized he had never seen your progress and rather, only your finishing touches of your work. One reason was that your hands were too dirty to take a picture and another was that Eric might distract you. 

That thought made you laugh and you continued to focus on your final piece as Eric was looking around in the hall to find your studio. With some cold drinks in a bag in his hand, he finally spotted you hidden in a small artsy room. His smile beamed against the window of your door with your back facing him. He couldn’t wait to tell how confused he was getting around your university. He didn’t realize then that he was admiring your focused figure, watching your every move against that artwork. 

Eric would call it beautiful. He could see the passion in each touch you made. It wasn’t a coincidence for the sun to be setting in your studio, making the place turn into a sunset orange. There was warmth in his eyes as they waited to meet yours when he knocked on the door. 

You turned your head around, your arms up at your side from getting your clothes wet from all of the paint. As shocked as you were, your eyes grew. 

“Eric? How did you find me?” You asked as he closed the door and walked over to you. It was a first that he’d ever visited you in your studio. You noticed the drinks in his hand as they reflected light to you from the sunlight, making you feel relaxed as you were now. Your heart was jumping to see him in this room full of your artwork, some of him that you never showed before. 

“I asked around.” Eric laughed after taking a seat beside you, which made you giggle. “I almost got lost coming here.” 

“You should have told me that you were coming. Now I’m all dirty up to even enjoy whatever you bought for me.” You frowned and showed him your painted hands. 

“That’s okay. I can help you drink.” Eric’s nose wrinkled close at you, his hands pulling you to him by the shoulder and you giggled again. 

“Why are you here?” You asked when you both moved back. You were still frowning but with a hard smile. It was like he could read your mind that you wanted to see him despite the timing being a little off with your painted hands. 

“You know the answer.” Eric replied, hoping you were reminded of his texts. “It’s because I miss you.” 

His voice lingered in your ears. You wished you could hear it a million times as you smiled so heartily, you almost cried. You whispered back, “I miss you too.” 

Eric’s lips beamed widely, his hand reaching to your hair to scribble them, knowing that you won’t be able to reject it from your painted hands. “You’re working a little too hard, I see. To even hear you say that with such love, I’ll gladly open this can for you.” 

Eric grabbed a bottle of your favorite drink and opened it. You laughed and watched his face glow in the sun. “Seriously, I can do that myself.” 

“No, this masterpiece needs you right now.” Eric’s hand pointed to the half-painted artwork beside you. “Here?” He moved the can to your face and you let your lips touch the tip of it in defeat. 

“Thanks. Now it feels a little more refreshing.” You confessed after sighing in relief. 

“When did you start feeling refreshed?” He asked, drinking your can afterwards. 

“Right when you came into this room.” You smiled cunningly and he laughed. You could tell he was embarrassed when he looked away with it. The artwork around the room caught his eyes and when he looked back at you, your eyes were locked together. 

“Why don’t you show me around the room? I can’t believe I’ve never been here before.” 

“Wait a second.” You demanded and stared at his confused face. Within a second, he leaned in and pecked your lips. You felt his eyes looking down at you when he left your lips with the sun reflecting against his face. Your eyes widened again, “Why did you do that?” 

“I should be asking you that. Why were you staring at me?” He asked as his cheeks started to turn red. 

“I just wanted to take a good look at you because I haven’t seen you for a while.” Your feet swung timidly. You didn’t realize he was distracting you again from doing your work. You shook your head and pointed a finger up in the air. “Wait, I need to get this done.” 

“Okay. I miss you but I can watch you finish your work.” Eric sunk on his seat, getting excited to see you paint in real time. 

“Just don’t say a word or you become the artwork.” You joked and playfully left paint on his nose after touching the paint pad on your side when you were going to get back to work. He gasped loudly and you shrugged with that cunning look again, “What?” 

“I am not going to chase you in this room but if I have to, I will.” Eric declared, challenging you.

Soulmate, you never liked the idea of it. That’s because all of your friends have found theirs except you, leaving you being the outcast (that was how you felt but they would never tease you about it or leave you when you needed them, considering the good friends they were). Of course, that sort of idea didn’t cross your mind until you felt overwhelmed with school work, perhaps with the fact that finals were arriving at your front door. 

You found yourself sobbing after an afternoon class, your plate untouched in the dining hall of your dorm building. Luckily, it was past 3pm, a time when most students weren’t eating. Your heavy backpack was still hung over your shoulders, you didn’t realize (oh the irony of how you were feeling right then). You didn’t feel like bothering your friends because you knew they were probably feeling the same about the next few weeks of exams and big projects. 

You suddenly drifted into a thought of your soulmate. It was unintentional, as if you were just trying to think of something or someone that you wanted to lean onto from everything that was going through your stressful mind. Tears kept falling, but you sat there quietly, not even realizing how it was affecting your soulmate, Younghoon. 

He was just in the middle of playing some video games with his friends when he was suddenly hit by something. He couldn’t explain what it was as it was hurting him from the inside.  

“Oh my god, why are you crying?” Hyunjae, one of his friends, asked when he slapped his arm. 

“What? No, I’m not.” Younghoon touched his face, drying the unclaimed tear on his cheek before he looked at his hand, his eyes widened at the unforeseen sight. 

“Dude, you didn’t have to cry for being third place. It’s just a game.” Jacob laughed, clapping his hands at his side. 

“It’s not the game. I think something just hit me.” Younghoon protested, his eyes furrowed at his friends with a defensive look, then he looked down and away with a quieter voice. “Like, I just suddenly feel stressed and a little suffocating.” 

“Seriously, chill. We’ve played this so many times. No need to cry over it.” Juyeon grinned, a laugh filled with surprise following his words. 

“It must finally hit him.” Jacob said to himself, his hand tapping on his chin in a thinking mode. 

“What hit him?” Juyeon asked, blinking in confusion at him. 

“The stress from upcoming finals.” Jacob shrugged back. He then shook his head and placed a hand on Younghoon’s shoulder. “I feel you, man.” 

“I’m not stress though.” Younghoon shook his head, his voice was shaking as he sniffed. Then he whined at them. “I don’t know what’s going on!” 

“If it’s not stress, and that the game wasn’t helping then…” Sangyeon tilted his head and looked at Younghoon as their eyes met. All eyes watched Sangyeon before it clicked in his mind as he snapped his fingers at Younghoon. “It’s definitely your soulmate.” 

Younghoon’s eyes widened as Jacob, Juyeon and Hyunjae all went to him, pulling at his arm until they all saw the timer engraved on his wrist. 

99 days 7 hours 34 minutes 58 seconds 

Younghoon didn’t even notice it before and it was starting to scare him a little more than it should as he screamed with his friends. 

You, on the other hand, hadn’t noticed the timer on your wrist until two weeks later. Some of your friends came over to hang out one night when one of them noticed it. You were making some smoothies with the fruits you bought at the store for the hangout. Your friends thought it was unusual of you to do that since you would usually rather head back to your dorm to rest right after studying with them. While you had your hand over the spinning blender to hold it down, one of your friends in the kitchen at your side suddenly screamed in surprise when they saw the timer on your wrist. 

87 days 22 hours 56 minutes 12 seconds 

“No wonder you were so hyped about this hangout!” Your friend said, smiling in joy when all of your friends came over to you as they wondered what the fuss was about. She wasn’t wrong. Your ears turned red as you remembered inviting them over to refresh their minds from studying all day together. You were feeling pumped about it then and didn’t find it odd until just now. Your friend looked over behind you both and called to the other friends, “Yo! Remember how we always tease about Y/N being the last to find their soulmate? Well, not anymore! Look!” 

She showed your wrist at them as they all ran to you, some screaming in happiness and some in surprise. 

You smiled along with them, feeling overwhelmed from their sudden realization as you thought of your soulmate, blaming whoever that was for making you do things that you don’t usually do. 

It went on for weeks, you feeling what your soulmate was feeling and Younghoon feeling what you were feeling. You always felt his happiness while walking to class or randomly while studying alone at night in your room. There had not been a time when you felt sad from your soulmate because you were easily stressed from your school work. Of course, you wouldn’t know that it was affecting Younghoon still as he wanted to end that feeling by forcing himself to smile so you would too. 

You quickly learned that your soulmate was typically a happy person while Younghoon figured you might always needed a hand when it came to doing things you didn’t want to do. It made him want to give you hugs of comfort and maybe something sweet to drink, like hot chocolate, and maybe take you on a nice walk where you could clear your mind. 

Luckily, the day you both would meet was finally here. Younghoon had stopped crying after finals was over (he was glad because he couldn’t stand crying at the wrong place anymore; he would feel so embarrassed if you knew about you making him cry during one of his final exams) and you were still receiving his cheerful feelings (you were glad for one reason when you felt confident in doing a final presentation for a class after feeling so nervous about it; it was that good to say that it was perfect timing). 

You were walking down the street after running to the grocery store after work. You had noticed the 20 minute mark on your wrist at the store but forgot about it when you got out. You probably got lost in the heated air of the hot weather and couldn’t wait to get back to your dorm so the air conditioner would blast on your face. You sighed, looking at the evening sky when you stopped at the crosswalk as you waited for it to change. 

Younghoon was coming from a hangout with his friends at a restaurant where he headed out early because of the ending timer on his wrist while they had cheered for him as he left. He didn’t even know where he was going, but he kept walking and running until he stopped at the same crosswalk as you but on the other end. 

21, 20, 19, 18… 

He was catching his breath as he looked up and saw you looking at the side for cars from across the street. At that moment, he felt as if he knew you were his soulmate when he looked at his wrist and back at you. 

12, 11, 10, 9… 

You looked forward this time, noticing the cross lights about to change as the cars slowed down. 

5, 4, 3, 2, 1… 

Your eyes watched the lights change as you started to walk across the street until your eyes met Younghoon’s. You looked at your wrist, hanging in the middle of the street and only caught the one second mark before the timer disappeared. You looked back up at Younghoon and there was no doubt in your mind that he was your soulmate. 

You both were sitting on a bench near the crosswalk where you both had just met. It was quiet as you both were listening to the evening sounds. You thought it would usually be awkward with it being the first time you both met, but instead, you found it comforting. He did too when he turned to you and smiled. There was some sort of connection between you two, you could feel it when you looked at him too. 

After introducing yourselves and learning of some interests, Younghoon suddenly asked, “Do you want to go out for some coffee tomorrow?” 

He couldn’t help to ask. It was getting late already, and he thought using a date to get to know each other more would be a great start for you both. Besides, he wanted to know what’s been making you cry so much as he could only laugh about it now. 

As for you, you couldn’t decline his wish. After giving him your answer, you both exchanged phone numbers. You bet your friends would tease you about your soulmate even more while Younghoon bet his friends would never leave him alone about you for the rest of the night. You both wouldn’t mind it though. 

Quickly bidding goodbyes and exchanges of “I’ll text you tonight” and “Get back safely”, you both headed back to your dorms with your rushing hearts. You both constantly looked back to check if he would also look back too. That would only make you both blush away when both of your eyes meet. 

When Younghoon came to pick you up the next day, he told you the secret of why he kept crying when you did as you both went out for some coffee. “It’s because you were thinking of me.” 

“How did you know?” You asked, looking at him with a confused look. Younghoon held in his laugh, though there were funny sounds coming from his blowfish-like cheeks. 

“I heard from my roommates. I bet you found yourself happy at the most random time too.” He shrugged, a sneaky smirk formed on his face. It finally clicked in your mind that it was true and your face flushed at the thought of him thinking of you when it happened.

“I’ve been meaning to ask about that.” You laughed, looking forward but at the ground in front of your walking feet. “What were you doing then that made you so happy?” 

“Well, it’s nothing much.” He turned to see your hidden frown and he smiled. “Maybe the first time you made me cry made me realize, I should make you smile.” 

“That sounds so enduring. Thank you.” You said, bumping your elbow on his arm as he smirked. 

Younghoon looked at you with a soft smile that was filled with a pinch of regret. “I guess I probably didn’t think about you as much as I should back then. But now that I found you, you’ll be in my mind every day.” He could see your blushing face but wouldn’t tease you just yet. He smiled cheekily at the side and looked at his feet too. “What about you? You seem to think of me when you cry.” 

You turned to look at him and smirked, “Finals were killing me. I’m just glad the semester is over, and that I found you too.” 

Younghoon grabbed your hand, locking them together. You both could feel the electric shock from the touch momentary until it disappeared when it started to rain, the first few drips wetting your hands first. You looked up at the cloudy sky, Younghoon following before he pulled your hoodie over your head. He did the same with his as he started to run, pulling you with him. 

“Kevin… Kevin?”

“Yeah?” He snapped back into reality, turning his head to you as his leg stopped shaking under the table. His funny distracted face and pout made you laugh. 

“What’s up in your head that you didn’t hear me the first time?” You asked, grinning from the laugh still. His lips parted and no words were coming out. You didn’t notice because you looked down at the textbook in front of you, then you continued, “Anyway, what do you think about this idea?” 

As you tried to explain the physics of light and color, all Kevin did was gaze at you. His heart was racing, despite knowing you since the beginning of last semester. You always seemed so cool to him because everything you said made sense to him… If that even makes sense. This was your second semester together and you were glad to see him again because this physics class seemed hard and you knew no one in that big lecture room. Kevin was glad too because maybe he can finally confess to you. 

That’s only if Kevin could pull through with it. He’s been planning all week with his friends as they all waited until he decided the date because midterms were coming up. You both were partners for the group test so he thought maybe it would be okay to just do it no matter how nervous he was. The pressure from his friends was enough too because they didn’t want to wait a whole month for a small event (though it’s a big one to Kevin). 

Confessions aren’t supposed to take that long to make it happen. 

After studying together, you both were heading out. 

You turned to him after confirming another study day before the weekend and suggested, “Hey, do you want a drink? Let’s celebrate for finally understanding that damn light theory.” 

Kevin smiled as he noticed the reflected lights from the ceiling in your eyes and hoped you would understand his feelings when he finally confesses later. The thought made his cheek blush as he looked down at his feet. “Maybe next time. I have to get back soon for a show Sunwoo’s been making me watch with him.” 

“That sounds fun.” You said sarcastically. You chuckled afterwards, reaching the café where Changmin works as he smirked at Kevin behind the counter. You shrugged sadly then you patted his back, “Then here’s pat on the back for not dismissing my crazy ideas about it. See you soon then?” 

“Thanks. We can text each other if we have questions about anything.” Kevin added. Changmin rolled his eyes at the side and mocked his words. 

“Okay.” You smiled at him and before you pushed through the door, knowing you both were going separate ways, you wished him a “Good night.” 

He said the same back and once the door closed, Kevin heard Changmin’s slow claps behind him. 

“Wow, just wow.” Changmin commented, sarcasm filled. It was such his character that Kevin couldn’t stand him for watching everything he’s been doing. 

“What?” Kevin was offended and only turned his head back. 

“You can do better than that.” Changmin teased and his arrogant smile appeared on his lips. 

Kevin blinked a few times, looking around quickly. “I-I am doing better. We’re meeting up again on Friday, you know that.”

Changmin nodded, acknowledging his words quickly. “Of course. It’s finally happening.” 

“Then get it ready, and see you at the dorm later.” Kevin felt attacked as he left him with a tiny pout before walking out. He didn’t see the sneaky smile Changmin had. Of course, he was just playing around. 

At Kevin’s dorm, some of his roommates, Jacob and Chanhee, were cutting the heart papers for Kevin to write on. They made a pink petal mess on the floor as they fooled around with the hearts by putting them over their eyes and laughing. Sunwoo was in the kitchen, heading over to them with a bowl of ramen since the TV was there. 

Kevin arrived back and saw the mess. 

“Hey!” He whined as they all turned to him. What were the odds of having this much roommates? He walked over to them with his annoyed feet. “Why is it such a mess?” 

“You should be thankful we’re helping you get your babe.” Chanhee murmured, turning away quietly. Sunwoo chuckled at his comment, almost choking on his food while Jacob smiled and set the hearts down. He got up and patted Kevin’s back. 

“Kevin, you’re back! You don’t have to worry about the mess. We’ll take care of it.” Jacob smiled and let him go as he continued. “All you gotta do is write on the hearts for the hunt then you’re good to go.” 

“I don’t think my heart is ready.” Kevin frowned and sat down on the couch next to Sunwoo. He sulked into it while Jacob sat back down on the floor in front of Chanhee. 

“I think you’re gonna do just fine.” Jacob tried to cheer him up. 

Then there’s Sunwoo, eating without thinking about what he’s saying as his eyes stay stuck on the TV screen. “Yeah, it’ll be bad if you stutter, l-like t-t-this.” 

He earned a punch to the arm as he held over it, crying from the pain. 

“Better shut up before I steal all of your food.” Kevin threatened as everyone laughed. His frown was still there though. 

“Hey!” Sunwoo laughed, moving his food away. “Do you want us to be there with you or what?” 

“Of course not!” Kevin argued back. 

Changmin came back into the shared dorm and laughed quietly at them. Juyeon, who had been sleeping in all day since he was only taking online courses, came out of his room half-naked and laughed along. It was just another crazy night with Kevin’s roommates. 

Kevin was going to pull through as he wanted. Your study session for Friday was set so all he had to do was to be there earlier than usual. He got his little minions to help so now he was just waiting for you to arrive.

You were in one of your classes and as soon as you set your book down, Sunwoo, who was sitting beside you, opened your book and set a heart in there while you turned away to look back into your bag. He sighed in relief when you didn’t catch him. He smiled at you as you squinted before looking at the professor. 

Throughout the class, you didn’t see the heart until you got bored and flipped through your book and stopped at the page. Sunwoo peeked and cheekily smiled back at the front of the room as you read the first heart-shaped note. 

Hey, I like you. Can you guess who I am?

You gave a look at Sunwoo and he laughed quietly. He shook his head as he waved his hands at you because he knew what you were thinking. 

You tried to get this note out of your head and just went on with the day when you suddenly stepped on another heart-shaped paper, much like the first one. 

Thank you for picking me up. You almost blew me away.

You shook your head, chuckling at the funny joke. You waited until you got to your next class to put the note away when you found another one in your backpack. 

Ah… I wasn’t trying to hide. I’m slowly opening up to you.

This time, your heart really started to beat faster. Your face was flushed and all you could wonder was who it could be. For that, you decided to get a drink at the café beside the study area where you meet with Kevin frequently right after. You needed something else to distract you from these sudden confession notes.

Changmin happened to be there, though the plan was him having to call for you to give you a “free drink that someone already paid for ” but you walked up to him yourself. He grinned nervously as you seemed out of breath. 

“You alright?” He asked, looking down at the drink he just prepared. He wiped the bottom of it to steal some time before he could let you go. 

“Yeah, no. I keep getting these love notes and I have no idea who it’s coming from.” You sighed. 

Changmin chuckled and handed over the drink to you. “Well, here. This can cool you down hopefully.” 

“Thanks.” You took a sip from it then you flashed a look at back. “Wait, you’re giving this to me for free?” 

He smiled with a nod. “It’s on me. Well, kinda.” 

Changmin scratched his head slowly with an awkward smile. 

“Okay… Thanks, still.” You smiled, thinking how this was part of a plan or something but you brushed it off. “See you later!” 

You headed toward the table that you and Kevin would meet to study. You saw him sitting there from the distance, looking down at his book then you felt something weird on the cupholder of your drink so you turned it around. There was a heart note there again so you stopped at your tracks. 

We’re meeting soon. I’m getting nervous. Are you too?

When you looked up, Kevin was already looking at you. Your cheeks blushed upon his smile. It can’t be him, right? You walked up to him slowly, distracting your head again with the little conversations around you, and when you sat down in front of him, you couldn’t look at him in the eye. 

“You’re here.” Kevin greeted you with the same smile. He wiped his hands on his pants under the table, wondering if you noticed anything on the table. 

“Yeah.” You chuckled, nodding your head as you closed your eyes. Of course, you did. All of the little pieces on there matched the shape on your cupholder and it took you long enough to realize what he was trying to do. You looked up at him, showing your drink to him. “Is this you?” 

“Ah, I got caught, huh?” He whispered, looking back at you from the drink. 

“Kevin!” You whined softly then you sighed. “Were you trying to confess to me?”

“Why? Was it bad?” He asked with a small pout. His shoulders were closed up toward his chest and you could almost imagine his sweater paws curling under the table. 

“No, it’s just-” You paused before continuing. “You didn’t have to do all of that. I would have been okay if you confessed simply, like saying you like me.” 

“Really? I wasn’t done with it though.” His voice got quiet before you gasped.

“Don’t tell me you were planning to play on the piano too?” There was a piano in the study area you both were in and sometimes, there would be someone playing there. His smile told you it was part of the plan. You laughed, covering your face as you continued, “Kevin, seriously. You seemed like you went through a lot to get here, but please just tell me you like me instead.”

“Okay.” Kevin smiled shyly then after a quiet moment, he finally confessed, your name slipping through his lips first. “I like you.” 

You didn’t know how long your heart had been beating this fast today, but you wondered if he could hear it. Wait, it didn’t matter because you could hear his. 

“Great.” You smiled. “I like you too.”

He leaned over the table quickly after hearing your words back. “Really?!” 

“Why are you so shocked? I thought you knew.” Your hand came up to the table when you were about to face-palm yourself. Your smile formed even more from your tiny giggle. 

“I mean- I couldn’t assume so.” He looked away slowly in such a shy manner that you couldn’t help to shake your head. 

“Well, then… We confirmed our feelings. Can we study for that midterm now...” You asked, trying not to go so fast with this feeling. “After cleaning this table?” 

“Yes, we can.” Kevin chuckled but he wasn’t starting to clean nor you. He was looking at your drink and hesitantly asked, “Can I have some of your drink by the way?” 

“What?” 

“I ordered my favorite drink so I thought you might like it too.” 

You squinted at him as you slid the drink over to him. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about doing an indirect kiss already.” 

“Well…” He took your drink and sipped on it with his cheeks turning red. He smiled softly behind the straw and continued, “We can have real kisses later when we’re ready.”

You were blushing way more than before so you started gathering the heart-shaped papers on the table so he wouldn’t notice them. “Okay, let’s get going with studying.” 

Rolling your eyes, you knew Jacob had gotten out of your shared dorm before you could beat his ass when you pulled an empty bag out of the last cereal box. Like his loud music playing at 2AM wasn’t enough. It’s been a few months being roommates and you always try to avoid switching to a different room because you already had too much on your plate but there were some things that ticked you off; things that Jacob does. Some of your stuff always goes missing, him being too loud at bedtime, his room being too messy to walk around in, and him walking around the room naked. 

You tried to hold it in but once you see him, you’d usually complain right away. You mumbled underneath your breath as you texted to buy some cereal on the way back after class. Luckily, you didn’t have class today. It was canceled for some odd reason but it gave you time to catch up on some other work as you didn’t want to go out for errands if Jacob was already out. 

You quickly searched the fridge to make a quick breakfast before heading back into your room to study. It was about an hour later, keeping your head in the books when you got a text back from Jacob. 

Jacob: :P  You: you ate all of the cereal, please get some more  Jacob: you already told me Jacob: also i have a date tonight  You: yes peace thank you  Jacob: :P 

That last reply ticked you off as you flipped your phone over, rolling your eyes again. At least you’d be alone for a while, which was something you needed if it’s worth focusing on your missed work. 

The day went by quickly as you went to shower near sunset. When you walked out, you saw Jacob standing by the couch with a huge smile on his lips. He was laughing as you dried your hair with the small towel in your hand. 

“Why are you standing there?” You asked, slightly offended. 

“You have such a nice voice.” He complimented, giggling again. He was blushing but you couldn’t tell because you were too. 

“Wait, what? You heard me?” You almost stuttered, pointing back with a thumb to the bathroom behind you. 

Jacob nodded with a grin. “I guess you do that when you’re happy.” 

“Don’t make me feel bad.” You put out a hand at him, hoping he wouldn’t be hurt. “Because I don’t.” 

He laughed as you wondered why he kept smirking. “I mean, it’s fine. You’re actually pretty good.” 

“Don’t try to move me when you shouldn’t be touching my cereal.” 

“Our cereal.” He corrected you before you crossed your arms. “I already put some up in the cabinet but just a warning though, I bet the people next door are this close to be giving you a piece of their mind.” 

“Ouuu, I feel threatened.” You hissed, squinting. 

His silence actually made you feel threatened when his eyes moved to the side, as if you should. He was smirking again before handing over a bag. 

“What’s that?” You asked, an eyebrow hopping onto your forehead. 

“Bubble tea. I wasn’t thinking of you though.” Jacob shrugged. 

“Your date didn’t show up?” You asked, peeking a smirk back at him when you took the bag with your bubble tea cup. 

“I’m not even hurt.” He hit the woah as he explained. He smiled at you before walking by you to his room. “Well, now that you’re done with the bathroom, I’m gonna take over.” 

“Just don’t clog up the sink again.” You reminded him. He waved his hand without looking back at you and closed the door. 

You were blushing again when you looked down at the bag in your hand. He bought an extra bubble tea home and you hated how thankful you were, even if it weren’t for you. His little gesture was going to make you blush all night. You just know it. 

The next day, you got up earlier than usual, finding yourself in thoughts of Jacob while eating the restocked cereal. While leaning onto the counter as you ate, you thought how crazy it would be to see him walk around right now naked in the living room. 

Your thoughts weren’t lying when he suddenly appeared in his boxers, scratching his head with his sleepy eyes still closed. You almost shouted, covering your eyes as you chewed your food. 

“Jacob! What did I say about walking around the damn room like that?” You groaned in anger as he jumped at your loud voice. 

“Oh my god, I thought you weren’t up yet.” He defended before he chuckled, his hands rubbing onto his chest. 

You quickly finished your bowl and washed it before taking your bag as you headed toward the door. “Ugh, you better have some clothes on when I get back!” 

Jacob laughed quietly to himself before sleeping on the couch. He got up about an hour later and got some clothes on. When he walked into the kitchen afterwards, he saw that you had left without your ring on the counter. You were the type to always wear an accessory before you go out but since you forgot about the ring, he took it and played with it with his fingers as he headed to your room. 

He left it on your desk and wondered what he should do now, other than study. He stretched in your room as if he was still sleeping on his bed then he sighed, walking back into the living room to find something to watch. It was Friday anyway. He was going to do whatever he wanted since he didn’t have classes today. 

When you got back, you were stomping from the door. It literally woke Jacob up from the couch where he stood up from the noise you were making. 

“Jacob! Where is it?” You shouted across the room as you passed by him. You walked into the kitchen, finding your ring nowhere to be seen, then you walked into your room to set your things down, only after glaring at him, who was rubbing his eyes like the millionth time today. When you came out of your room, Jacob finally understood the situation but you beated him to his words. “Jacob, where did you put my ring? I know you touched it.” 

“I found it over there and-” 

You were staring at him with widened eyes before you saw his hand rubbing at his pants pocket. You didn’t hesitate to reach into it as he was taken back at your touch. 

“I know you have it! Give it back!” 

He scoffed and tried to pull your hands off from him as he tried to stop you. “Are you crazy? Seems like you haven’t slept at all to be harassing me like this.” 

“I’m not harassing you, I’m just taking what’s mine back.” You argued and as you continued to fight, he was feeling as weak as waking up in the morning. Your push made him fall onto the couch where you landed on top of him. 

One of your hands was stuck in between your thigh and his when you accidentally brushed it against his bulge. That woke his brain up entirely as he started to feel hot. You were staring into his eyes, hiding your blush before you crashed your lips onto his. His eyes widened as you crawled over him, fixing yourself when he held onto your upper arms. 

You were surprised when he moved his jaws with yours, intensing the session as he took a breath when he moved to the other side of your cheek. You couldn’t believe this was happening. It didn’t take long before Jacob flipped you both over where he was gliding on top of you now. You gasped when he teased his bulge with your hips. 

He kissed down from your lips to your chin then lingering at your neck and your exposed collarbone when you gripped onto the cloth of his shoulders. You could feel your stomach twinkling when his hands latched onto your thighs. 

”Holy fuck, Jacob.” You managed to moan out. He was smirking when he rubbed you again with his hard crotch. It wasn’t even helping that you could almost feel his fullness because he wasn’t wearing thick pants. 

“So it wasn’t the ring that you wanted.” He played, pulling all of your bottoms off. He hovered over you and before he pulled your shirt off, he whispered, “You wanted me.” 

“Shut up.” You hesitated, now watching him take off his shirt too sexily. It was turning you on badly that you just wanted him to touch you. 

“Watch it.” He warned, getting back over you when he got all of his clothes off. He slipped his fingers over your core as you moaned. He attacked your neck again, his other hand roaming at your side. 

“Just fuck me.” You pleaded while your hands gripped onto his hair and skin from behind. He smirked again, not expecting such words to come out of you. He got up from you and slipped a condom on as you watched. “Shit, you do this often?” 

“No, but maybe I will now with you.“ He got back over you, hovering as you tried to sneak down more on the couch. It wasn’t working as your arms slipped over his shoulders slowly. 

“I thought you do that every time you go out.” You explained, eyes blinking away in surprise. 

He almost smacked his lips into a sound when he whispered right against your lips, his breath kissing you. “I’m not a fuck boy.” 

“Now I know why I hated you.” You whispered back before he took your lips into his. His fingers fiddled at your jaw, tickling it as he devoured you up. 

Jacob guided his dick, wetting it at your core before he slipped into you. He adored the way you gasped against his lips and how your hips popped up at the savory connection. You swore once more, sounding hot to him as he kissed down to your neck again, wetting the back of your ear as he pounded into you. 

Both of his hands slowly ran over your chest and stomach until they landed at your hips, gripping there to help you push him deeper into you. One of his hands moved and played over the penetration, causing you to moan louder and your hips to roll again. 

His name slipped from your lips as he thrusted into you deeper. He was groaning at each pound because you were taking him too good. He got up and held onto your thighs, still pounding hard into you as you gripped onto the cushion of the couch, your pleasure hitting close. You still called his name until the stars in your stomach reached their high, causing him to groan loudly and repeatedly. 

Jacob cursed this time and you thought about how sexy he sounded, especially if his voice kept ringing in your ear. His thrust became messy but still deep as he came through, squirting his strings inside of you, still hidden under the rubber protection. 

Your hearts were racing together when he rested over you with him still inside of you and his hot breath kissing your neck. 

You were still catching your breath when you covered your forehead with your eyes closed. “Oh my god, it’s weird now that I fucked you. Now everyone’s going to think we’re dating.” 

He managed to chuckle. “We can.” 

“What did you say?” You were shocked at the answer, then you cursed with a shiver when he teased his dick at your wetness. 

He was giggling close to your face when he asked, “Does that mean I can still eat all of your cereal?” 

“I’m going to literally kill you if you do that. You owe me a ton." 

 “You can do that after sleeping some more.” He suggested, knowing how tired you must be that he would see the bags under your eyes. If he knew it was because of him, he would literally eat you out. He was going to save that for next time when you found your hands slipping through his hair again. 

You smooched his perky lips and sighed, closing your eyes. “If that includes us eating cereal at dinner then… okay.” 

You smiled before you gasped when he pushed his dick deep into you while it was still in you. Jacob smirked, “Alright. Take your nap. I’ll wait for you then.” 

˗ˏˋ scenarios ˊˎ˗

sangyeon this is how you fall in love | 1k words   ↳ wednesday becomes your favorite day of the week

 hyunjae come to me | 2.7k words    ↳ hyunjae may be the (annoying) key to your heart

juyeon the race is on | 3k words   ↳ you and juyeon are car race rivals. there’s nothing more than that, right?

universe | 2.3k words   ↳ juyeon can see your past and you can see his future, yet he always wonders about the fallen tears in your eyes

kevin what’s your secret? | 4.3k words   ↳ sometimes, you wonder if kevin knew how there’s always something more than just this crazy mission from the way he looks at you

sunwoo coffee and you | 1.7k words    ↳ after meeting sunwoo, all you could think of was him (and coffee)

Watching the clock, you stumbled through the kitchen with your backpack on as the last resort, getting the warm toast in the toaster before heading out of the door. Your hair was a mess but you didn’t want to miss today’s class and get a tarty mark. You were ready to fail another class because you couldn’t get up early enough. 

With the toast hanging in your mouth after you closed your door, you heard Hyunjae, your next door dormie, walking out of his apartment room at the same time too. He looked like he just got out of bed, like the usual, when you both stared at each other for a second, hands still on your own door knobs. 

There wasn’t a chance to let him beat you as you both scrambled down the hall, shoulders bumping into each other through your paced walk. You took out the toast from your lips and held onto it when you suggested, “Hey, why don’t you take the stairs today?” 

“Ha, nice try. The elevator fits more than one but if I get there first, bye bye.” He waved at you while your race was still on. 

You huffed, “I’m gonna get there first, don’t you dare.” 

“Try me.” Hyunjae took your toast from your hand and took a big bite before your eyes widened. He handed it back and smiled before he saw the elevator door opening. 

You took it back and ran into the door with him, getting stuck on the edges. You gave him a glare and pushed him on his side to give yourself room to go through before he whined in pain, covering his mouth or the food would fall out. 

“Tried, and I won.” You smiled in victory, taking another bite from your toast. 

“Not really.” He chuckled and clicked on the main floor button. He made a face at you, shaking his head along. “Because I’m already in here.” 

You squinted another glare and crossed your arms as the door closed. He was definitely more annoying than last semester. It took you days of seeing him on your apartment floor a few weeks ago before you realized he was the TA in one of your old classes. He was so strict and such a smartass that seeing him in his regular lazy outfits made you wanna clown him, but that wouldn’t work because he would just clown you back and you would lose. Again. Luckily, you didn’t have any classes with him except with the fact that he’s now your next-door mate, and everyday, it would cross your mind of the damn chances. 

The elevator door finally opened and Hyunjae stuck out his tongue at you before walking out first. You almost threw a punch but held it back. You hoped you wouldn’t meet him here again when you come back later. 

That evening after your busy day, you were at ease, a relieved smile squirming through your face when you reached your floor. There was no one in sight as you hopped through the hall, hands in your pockets as you hummed a happy tone. 

Once you reached your door, you realized you didn’t grab your keys before you left that morning. You hit your head before you sent a text to Jacob, the residential coordinator of the building, before sighing with your head against your door. You whispered and shook your head, “The perks of living alone.” 

Minutes later, you heard the elevator door open. You jotted your head up and turned it toward the sound but you had a disgusted look when you saw Hyunjae. His laugh echoed through the hall as you turned back to your door, setting your head there again with your eyes closed. You wished he would just ignore you but you knew he wouldn’t. 

“Got locked out again?” He questioned, a lofty smirk painted across his face as he grabbed his keys out from his pocket. 

“Get lost.” You demanded, soft-toned though filled with irk. It only made him chuckle with his lips closed. You barely heard it, other than the shuffling breaths from his nose. 

“If you’d like, you can come over until Jacob gets here.” He offered but you sent a threatening squint. 

Right then, Jacob reached your floor and called out your name, giving you and Hyunjae a wave. You smiled in relief and gave him a wave back. You looked at Hyunjae once more before sticking out your tongue. He shook his head with a tiny smile before he opened his door and left the scene. 

Days went by without seeing Hyunjae much. You only recalled seeing him in the library, studying prettily with his coffee and hearing him through your door when he left his place or when he came back. The only weird thing was that he was the first thing in your mind when you woke up this morning. You got up earlier than usual and fixed yourself a good breakfast before you leaned onto the kitchen counter with a cereal bowl in your hands. 

A good thought of his determined face when walking out of your rooms made you laugh. Right before you took a spoonful, you slipped out a ”Sure, he’s pretty cute-” 

You stopped chewing, realizing what you just said, and you knew how much this meant to you when it shouldn’t. Your heart was racing and you couldn’t comprehend what your words were telling you. You got up and took a million bites of your breakfast before you set the bowl in the sink. 

“I don’t like him, I don’t like him.” You repeated to yourself when you gathered your things and left your place. You were whispering them as you walked through the hall, pacing up just like when you did with Hyunjae almost every day. 

Once you got to the elevator, staring straight at your door after going through the doorway, Hyunjae suddenly came out of his room, looking like the usual mess he was. You had already stopped chanting but once he saw you and started to run toward you, you repeated the words as you tapped on the close button so he wouldn’t make it. 

Your heart didn’t feel at ease still, when Hyunjae screamed your name in defeat as the door closed. 

Even later when you came back first, waiting by the main floor elevator, you didn’t expect Hyunjae to stand next to you when you got lost in your crushing thoughts. 

You jumped, holding your chest when he stood there, glaring at you because he wasn’t going to fight you this time. You fixed yourself and glared back before facing the elevator door, noticing your shared reflection. 

“I’m gonna beat you next time.” Hyunjae whispered loud enough just for you to hear before you glared at him through the door. 

When the door opened, you both walked in without fighting and stood in silence. Your hand was holding onto the strap of your backpack and it brushed against when it came down. The quietness got awkward as both of your eyes widened. Your face blushed with your fingers curling into your palm while he held in his breath. You peeked at the floor number and wondered why it was so slow. It didn’t beat your racing heart as you cursed in your mind. 

Once the door opened up on your floor, you ran off first, whispering to yourself in a chant again, “I don’t like this feeling. Please make it stop.” 

Hyunjae was still standing in the elevator, his hand holding his heart before hitting it, wondering why it wouldn’t stop. 

Nights later, Hyunjae came up to his room and found you standing in front of your room, a deja vu to him because your head was on the door. You slowly turned to his direction when you heard his keys jingling. 

Upon seeing his face, your cheeks bloomed. You remembered seeing him in the same cafe you were studying in today, realizing how awkward interacting with him was then, other than his sneaky tongue two days ago. His laugh was admirable as you saw him smiling with his groups of friends but you quickly looked away, denying that the sunlight behind him was blinding you and not him. He didn’t catch you staring but little did you know, there had been a soft touch from his lips when he looked at you. 

It almost seemed desperate, wanting to see Hyunjae close just to kick his ass again but you held back, inhaling to perhaps start a conversation but he beated you. 

“Last chance to come into my apartment room.” 

You lost as he let you in. You followed him, eyes gazing through the room that mirrored yours. You looked back at him when he offered some snacks, leading you to the kitchen. You quickly complied and leaned your back against a counter. When he turned away, you couldn’t help to stare at him and as if he could tell, you looked away again and crossed your arms awkwardly. 

You cleared your throat, “Don't think I’m staying long.” 

Hyunjae smirked. It wasn’t cocky but somehow it ticked you off. He shrugged and set some snacks on the counter next to you. “Just until Jacob gets back. I heard he’s taking care of some deep secret business.” 

You scoffed at his sneaky voice and thanked him quietly for the snacks when you opened a bag. Hyunjae did the same, watching how quiet you had gotten. He cleared his throat too, to lure the awkward air away and leaned onto the counter beside you. 

“Anyway, you live alone?” He asked and flashed a smile. 

“Yeah. You too?” 

“No. I have a roommate but he’s barely here. I only see him on the weekend.” 

“Weird.” You commented, not knowing what to ask next. It’s even weirder that you just realize it now. 

Hyunjae smiled at your single word and turned forward. There was something tingling in his heart but he couldn’t pick it out. 

“I think it’s time for me to ask Jacob for another spare key.” You sighed.

"Why? You might lose it again anyway.” He bickered, his voice in a tease. You glared at him but he continued to bother you with that smile. The second you looked away from him, he suddenly softened his tone. "I mean, you can crash at my place if it ever happens again.” 

“What? Are you asking me to sleep over?” You stared at him in disbelief. He was more annoying than before but deep down, you could tell, he was sincere, for once that was. For a second, you knew what he meant but you weren't so sure too. You hated implied requests, despite the gush of warmth running through your touching arms but all of a sudden, you felt like you wanted him. Being this close, your stomach had already lit a bubble needing to be filled. 

The evening didn’t seem so cold when Hyunjae heard your laugh afterwards. It's not weird at all, having such a normal conversation with you because you both would always bicker at each other. He's thinking too much that you shook your head, discarding the question when you turned around. 

"Anyway, where are your cups? I need a drink." You opened a cabinet above you as Hyunjae smiled. 

He got up and walked around you to open the cabinet next to you. He grabbed a cup and handed it to you. "Here you go." 

"Thanks." You quickly turned away so he wouldn't see your blush. He hummed as you could feel him staring as you poured the drink into your cup. You took a sip and set it down before slowly turning to meet his eyes. No, actually, your eyes were lingering at his lips that you had to ask him, "Can I kiss you?" 

"W-what?" Hyunjae was taken back, not expecting that to come out of you. He laughed, "(Y/N), why would you-" 

His eyes widened at your tight kiss. Your hands were lapsed on his shoulders for a good five seconds before you pulled back, lightly gasping for air. Right before you could apologize, he moved in and connected your lips together. His arms wrapped behind you to pull your body to his and his lips were moving in desperation, wanting you more than ever. 

The session intensified as he pushed you against the counter, your cup tipping over as the drink spilled. It didn't take long before he pulled you up onto his hips with the help of the counter. Your legs tangled behind him when you felt your butt getting wet. 

Hyunjae walked you over to his room, your every part still touching as the door closed. He fell over you on his bed before gazing at you in a sneaky smile. 

"Tell me this is what I came over for." You whispered, catching your breath underneath him. Your arms were tangling over his shoulders as your hands ruffled his hair. 

"You keep forgetting your damn keys." He argued, obviously playing around when he tilted his head. 

"Fuck those keys. Just fuck me." 

Hyunjae loved the sound of that. Your lips danced against each other as you both took your clothes off, giggles whispering through as he got back over you. He planted kisses all over your body. He could smell the juice that soaked through your pants where it left a sweet smell on your butt cheek. You giggled when he planted a wet kiss there. Quickly, he got up to put protection on when you sighed, taking a deep breath from your racing heart. 

You gasped when he pulled you by the thighs, making you fall your head over his pillow. He hovered over you and kissed your lips with his moving jaws, sliding his bulge against your wetness below. You moaned softly and long, feeling weak against his mouth then he looked down and guided his dick into you, one deeper push at a time. 

Your moans went over your head as your hands gripped on his bedsheets. You thought it was sexy of him to cover your lips with his where your moans sang together. His thrusts were slow but when he left your lips and held his hands on the head bed behind you, he went faster and deeper, shaking the bed as you grip behind his hips. 

You were blazed up all over, buckering your hips for a better hit from him and you rolled them against his pound, causing him to groan. He leaned beside your ear, whispering as it shivered down your spine. "You're good at this." 

"Should of done this sooner." You teased back before reaching up to kiss him. 

Hyunjae continued to push into you as your lips glided down to his shoulder and neck, leaving marks as he held a hand at your butt cheek to maintain the glorious thrusts. You were going to come through but you cursed instead of telling him. 

"Holy fuck." He didn't slow his pace and tried to thrust harder into you and repeatedly as he chased his high. He held onto your hips with both of his hands and his strings shot out, one at a time into you. He threw his head back as he was shaking. You were still rolling your hips as you moaned at the tipsy feeling in your stomach, letting him finish before he breathed hotly. 

Hyunjae gazed at you as you lied there, a chuckle shared before he kissed your lips. This time, softly. He slipped out of you and rested beside you. He held onto your hand as you both were catching your breath the millionth time today. 

“Do you want to study together sometimes?” He asked. It sounded like a date as you shook your head and got over him to fix his hair and plant a big smooch on his lips back at him. 

You had walked into the bathroom of the restaurant that your racer friends usually meet up at after your car race competitions when you couldn’t keep that memory of Juyeon from earlier off your mind. 

Juyeon had taken off his helmet when he got out of his racecar after your victorious win. He smirked as if he had won the race and you knew he would do that just to piss you off. You wouldn’t lie if you like it though, and somewhere in between, he’s definitely hot. Like when he messes his hair up after that helmet comes off then he pulls it back with that big leather-gloved hand of his. Sometimes, you wondered how that hand would feel like around your neck and–

Juyeon appeared in front of you as you walked out of the single bathroom. An eyebrow of yours heightened, wondering when he had gotten here and forgetting that he meets his friends frequently at this restaurant too. It had become a hot spot for car racers because of the new arena nearby. Juyeon didn’t move though, his hands in his pockets and a smirk sticking at his face. You sucked in your breath, realizing that he was in a black t-shirt tucked in black jeans because you usually don’t get to see his bare arms. His arms had always been covered in his race gears so you tried to keep your cool and crossed your arms. 

“Get out of my way.” You said before you moved to one side so you could walk back to your table. 

Juyeon followed and had you stop. He could see how annoyed you were but you copied his smirk and moved to the other side but his step stopped you again. 

“No.” Juyeon played, then he stopped you again and again. 

“Don’t tell me you’re still upset about losing earlier.” You teased, face expressing fake pity. 

Juyeon hummed in question and you took a step just to be stopped again by him before you pushed him against the wall behind him. Your hand was placed on the wall beside his face and his lips parted, a smirk still lingering there. Your faces were close as you could feel his breath against your lips and you hadn’t realized your knee fell between his thighs. He hoped you would notice how much he likes being in this position if you could just press on him some more. 

“You better stop or I’ll keep making you lose.” You threatened but it sounded sweet to Juyeon.  He had always lost to you whenever you found yourself in a race with him but little did you know, he doesn’t really care about that. 

“You’re scaring me.” He smiled in an obvious tease. 

“You should be scared.” You sighed, annoyed that you could literally punch him in the face. You smiled quickly and blinked a few times as you continued, “Try me again or your rank will be at risk.”

“Oh, I’ll try you again.” He said and in a flash, you found yourself on the wall this time. His cologne washed over your nose when he continued. “Any time actually.” He chuckled then he winked as he invited you, “Come watch my next race and maybe you’ll want something else too.” 

You knew what he was thinking because that was exactly what you wanted. 

“Okay, let’s bet then.” You challenged. 

“Oh really?” 

“If you lose your race, you do what I want but if you win-” 

“You’ll do what I want…” Juyeon nodded and it caught you a bit off-guard at how quickly he agreed to this. “Sounds like a deal.” Juyeon moved away from you and started walking away. Before he left you there, he peeked back with that annoying smirk. “Hope you don’t regret this.” 

As you watched him go, he made you feel like you were the one who lost the race earlier. You ended up following him anyway so you could go back to your table. You hoped that his table wasn’t near yours or you might actually lose your mind about who the real winner is today. 

You went for a race run in the morning and came back home to a nice hot bath. Somehow after a race competition, you always find yourself too tired to really do anything other than rest. You thought the morning race would help but you realized going fast wasn’t enough to calm the rush you felt since feeling Juyeon up on you the day before. 

You recalled the conversation and remembered that his next race was in a few days. You were always checking his schedule though because that’s what rivals do, not because you were obsessed with winning over him or something. You didn’t even know how long this has been going between you two, this rivalry competitiveness but you think it started because he’s been ranking up quicker lately and you wanted to stop him from reaching you. In a way, you also didn’t want him to stop too. Feeling embarrassed at your own thought, you sank into your tub. 

You found yourself sitting at the bar in the club one night as the shots didn’t seem to help calm your mind about Juyeon. The music was loud but low, and the beats pounded like the rush in your chest as you closed your eyes, head resting on your palm with an elbow on the table. Nothing was helping when Juyeon suddenly appeared next to you. 

“What are you doing here?” Juyeon asked and you wished you could answer that question truthfully because he’s clouded in your head. 

“Just to drink.” You said without even looking at him. You pretended he’s just an illusion but you knew that the moment you saw him, you might do the unknown of your bet. 

“A few shots already, I see.” Juyeon noticed a few empty glass cups in front of you and his concerned face did not fail to please you. You must have been drunk when he asked, “Will you be alright?” 

“Don’t you worry about me.” You words sounded drunk and you happened to realize that he was hiding a laugh in his smile. You frowned and sighed deeply before he took a shot from your glasses, groaning at the satisfying bitter taste. 

“Why aren’t I if I want you to come see my race tomorrow?” Juyeon asked. 

“Do you want me to be there or do you need me to be there?” You turned to him when you asked. Juyeon smiled softly at your drunk state. In a way, he wanted to take care of you and in a way, he wanted to see how far you can go with your words tonight. 

“I need you to be there so you can watch me win.” 

“What do you want if you win?” 

“I can’t tell you until I win.”

You scoffed into a pout. “This is boring. I’m gonna go dance.”

Juyeon followed you and you didn’t realize he was holding your hand so you didn't fall. He pulled you to the dance floor and he started to dance. He watched you stand there and his head nodded for you to follow his movements. He didn’t seem like a good dancer but then you also didn’t know a lot about dancing. Despite that, it was easy to blend in when you have someone dancing with you, so you started to follow your words. 

Juyeon came in close to you, more than he should have when he said into your ears. “Can I hold you?” 

You nodded in a smile. You couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol that told you to or if you actually did that consciously, but you gasped softly when Juyeon turned you around and wrapped his hand over your ribcage. Your back latched onto his chest, his body heat burning through your clothes. His head hovered over your shoulder as your bodies swayed along to the music. 

Your ears felt like they got caught up by the loud sound and you closed your eyes like before. Your hand brushed over his at your abdomen before Juyeon grinded down against you. It wasn’t just one time. He continued for a few more times before you shot a look over your shoulder, like does he realize that you’re about to lose your mind over him? Strangely, you were enjoying it. You wanted to feel him even closer than now, and to undress him, bite him. 

Meeting his eyes from the glance, your other hand reached up and gripped onto his upper sleeve. “Juyeon…” 

His hum vibrated behind you, his hips still moving along and you wished how badly you wanted him to pin you down. Definitely not in here though. You tried to think of a place to hide right now but your mind just went all white. 

“Tell me why you’re here again.” You managed to ask as the music shifted to a softer beat. 

His grinds slowed as he wondered if you’re doing okay. With a smile, he peeked at your face and answered, “To see you and how you’re putting up with the bet.” 

“W-what? That doesn’t really make sense.” 

Juyeon knew. He just wanted to play with you. He chuckled lightly and this time, it was his turn to ask you a question. “What did you want for the bet?” 

“I want…” Your head felt heavy as you closed your eyes. You couldn’t help to lean back onto him and softly, your voice whispered, “you.” 

Juyeon turned you around again, and this time, your chest connected and his arm still wrapped behind you. Your arms found their way behind him too, almost subconsciously. You noticed his wondrous eyes, seeming hungry yet lost, and the softness his lips shone under the colorful lights in the room as if they wanted to say something more. His bulge pressed between your legs and you felt weak. What the hell was running in his mind to hold you this close? 

He gazed into your eyes and you wouldn’t mind at all if he does anything else to you right now. 

Your bodies continued to sway along to the music. The rocking wasn’t really helping with how heavy your head was feeling and you couldn’t hear a word Juyeon was saying. Your head leaned onto his chest and before you knew it, your mind went all black. 

You woke up the next day, the room unrecognized. You were still in the same outfit from the night before, not recalling how you got here and you felt light-headed. Getting up with a hand on your head, you found a cup of water at your side and a note. You picked it up and soon, the hangover wasn’t going to pass if you don’t get yourself out of there as soon as possible. 

See you at 1PM :)        - Juyeon

You didn’t have time to prepare when you left his place because it was already past 11AM. You cleaned yourself up after getting to your place and quickly getting a cap on, along with an oversized jacket and sunglasses, you made your way to Juyeon’s race feeling like a mess. 

When you got there, hair still damp from the morning shower, Juyeon had reserved a front row seat for you. It was the best view as you were still trying to process whatever happened last night. You leaned forward onto the railing in front of your seat, slowly picking up the scene at the bar and how Juyeon showed up in a white shirt and loosened tie. He had taken a few of your drinks and you were dancing with him, and then you gasped. 

It wasn’t an illusion. 

And you made it obvious that you had wanted him. 

You could see the four cars at the starting line, all in red and black. Juyeon and his opponents came out, exchanging ‘good luck’ handshakes before they all headed to their race cars. Juyeon’s was red and to tell the difference between the other one, his looked like it was Lightning McQueen with the yellow fire on the front and side of his car. With a helmet in his hands after he stopped at his car door, he saw you there. 

You noticed his smile before he got into the car. 

What did that mean? 

Your heart raced. It always did when it came to racing, though you think this time was different. You couldn’t deny it. 

Juyeon’s seat was warm as he was all geared up and ready. His hands, covered in leather gloves, wrapped at the wheel as the announcer continued to talk and his foot pressed on the peg below him, the engine roaring along with the crowd. It was a sound he was familiar with. The thrill ran through his body before the countdown started. 

3, 2, 1. 

The flags swung and the four cars shot through the race tracks. 

It was quite a scene, watching Juyeon leading the race. You hoped that he would win after he got through a few rounds of the tracks but soon, the other red car jotted faster behind him. He hadn’t checked his rearview mirror and before he knew it, the fresh red appeared at his side window. That opponent nodded along at how well this race was going and Juyeon scoffed. 

He didn’t panic but you definitely did. You couldn’t watch it. You turned away for a second then you headed down to where he would be when he crossed the checkered lines on the tracks. 

Running in the familiar arena, you knew exactly where to go. Passing through some people in the concourse, you entered the ground floor and through the hall that led to the tracks. The crowd cheered when you saw Juyeon’s car zooming through the opening of the hall. Your feet raced towards him as the other cars flew by. They all had stopped and Juyeon hadn’t gotten out of his car when it was announced that Juyeon had won. 

The racers got out of their cars and gave compliments to each other before they saw you there. A few waves were exchanged because you all knew each other as racers but you still ran toward Juyeon’s car. They didn’t realize that he hadn’t gotten out and continued their conversations as they waited. 

You were out of breath once you reached his window. He pulled it down and his helmet had been taken off. His hair was wet from sweat he had pushed them back. He was smiling from ear to ear like he was proud then his lips parted, showing his teeth in his smile when he turned to you. 

“You won.” You announced. 

“How are you feeling today?” Juyeon asked, smiling at your acknowledgement. He was thinking about last night and his concern seemed to touch your heart as it had been racing all day. 

“Could be better.” 

Juyeon leaned onto the lower part of the window, arms over one another as he tried to look through your eyes. His smile softened. “How can it be better?” 

“You won so,” You paused and thought about the bet again. “What do you want?” 

“I want…” 

He dragged the silence between the two of you and it was killing you inside. You wanted him to finish his words or you might end up walking away. Your tiredness really got you this impatient. 

“...You.” 

You watched how his smile was still there, recalling those exact words you said last night to him. Was he just playing or was he serious? 

“Did you hear me?” Juyeon asked. “I want–”

“I heard you.” You turned away, wishing this headache could go away. “You don’t need to repeat it.” 

“I thought you might want to keep hearing it because sometimes, hearing it once isn’t enough.” Juyeon shrugged and when you weren’t saying anything, he switched the conversation. “How did I do?” 

He hummed in question after another silence from you and with just that sound from him, you had shivers running down your back. 

“You did great, like usual.” 

“Does that mean I did great too when I lost to you?” 

You could hear his laugh in that question and you couldn’t help to glare at him. “Yes.” 

Admitting was one thing but being real was another that you didn’t expect to come out of you. 

“Thanks.” Juyeon chuckled like the night before when you were dancing against each other. 

You took off your sunglasses, trying to get a good look of him when you couldn’t find the words to say next. He suddenly got up, bringing half of his body out through his opened window. A hand reached over behind your neck as he pulled you toward him. Your hand rested at his shoulder as your eyes widened when he pressed his lips onto yours. 

His cologne washed over you once again before you realized he’s kissing you. You almost stumbled back but his strong hand held you well enough as your hand gripped at the collar of his jacket, pulling him closer to you. Your eyes closed and your lips moved along with his, a smirk of his appearing in the gap of your parting mouths. You loved every part of this: his nose poking your cheek, his lips never ending, his delicate gloved hand pressing on your skin. Your other hand tucked into his wet hair before you pulled back. 

“What was that for?” You asked. 

“You wouldn’t let me out of my car?” Juyeon smiled, tilting his head because you’ve been blocking his side of the car since you got there. 

Your face burned up in embarrassment before you groaned, walking away from him. 

“Wait, come back!” Juyeon attempted, laughing at your funny stomps. 

You were in your car, your thumbs tapping Eric a million texts of when he’ll arrive at the parking lot where you both decided to meet to watch a play. You both were going to go together in one car to save gas but he suddenly wanted to bring a friend along. It would have been okay if Eric had told you beforehand and not right when you were in the middle of getting ready for it. 

There were a few reasons why you were excited to see the play. One was that one of your friends, Juyeon, will be acting in it. Another was that Eric will be treating you out for dinner afterwards (seriously, who doesn’t want free food from your best friend?). You hoped that meeting that tag-a-long friend of Eric’s won’t ruin this for you. 

But then somehow, that friend just ticked you off when you found Eric’s car being parked a few cars in front of you before you set your phone away and headed their way. 

“Why did you drag me along? Don’t you know I already have plans?” Sunwoo complained, pushing his hands into his pockets. Eric made him wear a nice fancy blazer and all Eric could say was how hot he looked on the way there. Sunwoo snickered with a small glare before Eric punched his shoulders lightly. 

“Come on! It’s called supporting your friends. Let’s watch Juyeon forget his lines.” Eric laughed, his breath making a smoke of air as he turned forward. That was when he finally saw you walking toward them. “Hey!” He waved at you and you stopped right in front of him, your arms crossed. “Ready to see Juyeon blink on stage?” 

“If that’ll make up the one bar of gas on my car.” You snapped your lips at him and turned around so you all could start walking there together before it starts. “You’re paying for dinner tonight so.” 

“Whatever you say, my dear.” Eric teased, leaning forward to see your face. “Anyway, this is Sunwoo, the one I keep blabbering about today and this is Y/N, my friend who I met during my first year.” 

“Nice to meet you.” Sunwoo smiled. He looked different from when you saw him getting out of Eric’s car. He seemed a bit calmer than that jolly look when he got out of Eric’s car. You reached over a fist to him and got a confused look back from him. 

“Nice to meet you too.” You smiled back, waiting for him to respond. 

Eric whispered to Sunwoo, “It’s their way of ‘shaking hands’ when meeting someone new. Don’t worry, they don’t bite. Just go for it.” 

Sunwoo’s lips beamed after pounding with your fist. In your mind, you wondered why you’ve never heard of this “Sunwoo” friend of Eric’s. Did they just meet recently? You shrugged that thought away and walked with them into the building with the fire inside of you finally burning off. 

The next morning came as you remembered learning more about Sunwoo from the dinner treat with Eric. Sunwoo actually tagged along and you learned about how the two met, which was when they joined a soccer club around the same time a few weeks ago. Eric wanted to show that he was the best at soccer when Sunwoo beat him in a quick match. You laughed about the funny encounter because Eric had never mentioned about him. Now you wondered how Sunwoo actually looks like when he’s playing. Probably amazing.

Your mind was suddenly distracted by a text from Eric, which said: That makes up the dinner I gave you. Thanks :^) 

You didn’t get what he meant until you reached into your kitchen cabinet to find all of the instant coffee gone. You cursed loudly in your little apartment, knowing Eric had sneaked in and stole the last coffee bag of yours. 

That means you would have to wait in the neverending line at the coffee shop before heading to class, which was the worst. You went anyway if it would keep you up in your boring lecture class. You were still cursing under your breath when you heard someone calling your name. You met a familiar pair of eyes before you realized it’s Sunwoo. 

“Can I get you some coffee?” Sunwoo asked when he saw you waiting in line close behind him. He laughed a little, seeing your irritated face. 

“You don’t have to.” You shook your head, hoping he wouldn't but he shrugged. 

“I want to, and you look like you’re in a rush.” He flashed a smile and you knew you couldn’t refuse. 

You got out of line and waited with him at the pick-up counter. You looked up at him from the side and asked, “Where are you heading to?” 

“Class. Might skip it though.” Sunwoo smirked. 

“Wow, I can’t believe I just met another Eric.” You shook your head, lips reflecting us. He’s the definition of a true college student. 

“You can’t compare me to him. I’m a much better student than he is.” 

“For example?” You tilted your head before you both heard his name being called to pick your orders. He walked over, taking both cups before handing yours to you. You both started heading out of the coffee shop and he looked at you with confidence. 

 “Buying you coffee.”  

You were shocked and nodded nonchalantly. A good student buys their friends coffee when they need it. You found your eyes back at him where his lips were shaped like the crescent of the moon. 

“You treat next time?” Sunwoo’s voice rose and you smiled in a yes. 

You and Sunwoo exchanged phone numbers before you headed to your class. You suddenly felt excited to text him as you headed to the library to study, your usual time before resting for the night. 

You sat down at your usual spot and took out your phone to send Sunwoo a text but you heard him whispering your name in front of you. Your eyes widened as you gasped. You covered your lips and whispered loudly, “I was just going to text you!” 

“Really?” Sunwoo chuckled softly. How odd to find him here all of a sudden you wondered but you didn’t let that stop you from getting your things out to study. 

In honesty, you would just study quietly by yourself if you were around people you didn’t know but with Sunwoo, you somehow knew you were going to get distracted despite just knowing him yesterday. 

“What are you studying for?” He asked, noticing you both using the same textbook. 

“Oh, it’s one of my lecture classes about globalizing cities. I haven't fallen asleep in that class yet.” You smirked sarcastically, popping the lid of your pen off. 

“No way. You wouldn’t believe this but I’m taking the same class.” Sunwoo shook his head, smiling. He was surprised that he did not even see you on the first day of lecture AKA the only day he would go other than the exam days. Besides, attendance wasn’t going to be part of the grade. 

“What?! You can’t be serious?” Your eyes widened again as Sunwoo tried to hold in his quiet giggles, hoping it wouldn’t end up getting you both kicked out of the library. 

The next thing you know, you found yourself thinking about him a lot. It became normal for you to be sneaking laughs at your phone with Sunwoo blasting it with messages. He stocked up your instant coffee bags and started to study with you at the same spot in that library after learning about him skipping that one class. He began to send good morning texts, so early in the morning that you felt something was up. 

You: why don’t we use this time to study together instead? 

Sunwoo: why?

You: idk i find it peaceful to have someone who understands the science of time 

Sunwoo: the science of time?

You: yeah… you up for another play tonight? i wanted to ask Eric bc he decided to ditch me for some party 

Sunwoo: this is a date? 

You: if you want call it that way

Sunwoo: i’ll be at your place at 6pm then :)

You hated yourself with your play of words. You definitely have feelings for him and you knew you just had to tell him soon. 

You and Sunwoo were walking hand-in-hand, admiring how spacious your campus looked under the beautiful night lights with coffee in your other hands. Your cheeks turned red as you thought about the enjoyable time you both spent discussing the play on the way back to your place with an unplanned stop at the coffee shop. It was perfect for this cool weather; even in silence at the moment, you loved how you both found it comfortable to only hear your unspoken breaths.

“Well, here we are.” Sunwoo said when you both reached the front door of your apartment building. 

“Thanks for coming tonight.” You smiled, your lips still stained in red. 

“My pleasure.” He smiled back, not wanting to let go of your hands just yet. “Did you enjoy tonight?” “I should be asking you that.” You laughed, knowing that you were the one who invited him. In fact, you thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to invite him to your apartment for the night. Perhaps for a movie or even a late night dinner because you’re in love with this feeling that you were feeling for him right now. “Did you enjoy tonight?” 

“A lot. It was great, so great that I want to ask you something.” Sunwoo held onto your hand tighter before he continued, “Do you want to go out with me?” 

“I do want to go out with you, since a while ago.” You confessed, your rosy cheeks blistered in the cold air. 

“Since when?” 

“When you got me coffee.” 

“Which one? I think there’s too much.” Sunwoo’s tiny laugh came out as he grinned at your playful smile. 

“I’ll tell you if you kiss me.” 

Your words called the sirens and without hesitation, Sunwoo pulled you close by the hand, his lips clashing onto yours as if it was meaning to for a long time. The taste of his vanilla latte roamed against your lips as he left you breathless, your grip on his arm showed that you were responding to it perfectly. 

Juyeon had sneaked out of the palace grounds, wearing out of his royal attire as he walked into the crowded street market. He smiled, watching the harmonious business running smoothly in his town and the bargaining conversations filled with laughs and the birds chirping above. There was a proud look on his face before he walked past a jewelry stand, him taking a few steps behind to look at the persian blue bracelet that caught his attention. 

As if it was calling his name while the owner of the stand smiled silently, Juyeon reached for it as his hand brushed against another. He didn’t realize you were standing next to him, a stranger who he felt he had seen before. He became breathless, seeing your past run through his mind like he knew everything about you. 

For you, you could see his future. He was in a royal attire, holding your hand as he took you through the white flower fields. Your smiles were exchanged, your cheeks flush in red as your heart rushed throughout your veins. 

“You must be…?” Juyeon broke the silence, catching you staring still at him. He wanted to continue but he couldn’t leave your eyes too, astonished to find you, his soulmate, in such a crowded place. 

“And you must be… Prince Juyeon?” You assumed, knowing he’s really the prince of your town. There was a pause before he laughed. He never thought he’d hear his name being mentioned outside of the palace. He was fond of your small smile and his lips grew, quite amused at everything that was happening in just a matter of seconds. 

It didn’t take long for the day to turn to night when you both spent time together after that first moment, learning about each other more. You both were walking on the beach that night, your thoughts filled with just him as your heart calmed at the breeze. His hands were always on his back, one holding the other; you noticed. It must be the way of the royalties, you thought. It must be why he’s quiet. You stole a look and wondered what’s going on in his mind. 

Juyeon looked over at you, catching your gaze and it made him smile away when your smile grew as big as the shining moon. He wasn’t used to it, falling so easily that his heart kept racing at the sound of your breath. He didn’t even have the courage to hold your hand so he took a deep breath, stopping at the edge of the waves. Watching you go, he didn’t know if he was ready to take you into the royal walls.

It took you days to figure out Juyeon’s quiet nature. He was the next prince to be wedded and he must have been careful with his choices as a royal descendant. In fact, that was why it took a few weeks before he finally brought you in, meeting his father and mother, the king and queen, as well as the other important royals roaming in the walls. 

The visit was welcoming yet, a little off. All eyes were staring, like you weren’t invited; an intruder who wasn’t approved of. All wonderings about who you may be became real when Juyeon announced to them that you were the one he’d wed. 

Arrangements were made right away that you’d be living in the palace until the wedded day, which was in a few days. 

While the palace hustled, Juyeon sneaked into your room one night. He must do that often, you wondered when you were on the balcony of your room. The stars were dancing along beside the moon in the dark sky, as if they were whispering love secretly. You counted his steps to you until his arms wrapped around your waist from behind. You didn’t say a word and cupped his hands with yours. He planted a light kiss on your temple, somehow comforting enough that you didn’t have to turn around to look at his sweet face. 

“It’s hard, isn’t it?” Juyeon whispered, a sigh following when he looked up at the sky. Your light pat against his hand was an answer and when he turned to look into your beautiful eyes, he was smiling. It made you wonder how he could be so loving even at this moment of tension within the walls. “I can read it on your face.” 

It’s harder because of how comfortable his touches had become. Your lips peeked a smile then you turned yourself around so you could hug him back. Your hand found its way to his cheek, your thumb rubbing lightly there. Your feared eyes gazed in his as you whispered to him, “It’s not at all if you’re here with me.” 

Juyeon slowly kissed your lips, his lingering there in softness as if he never wanted to leave yours. He led you inside and laid you down on your bed. 

The way he touched you tonight, you knew you didn’t have to be scared of anything. 

The next morning, you woke up to a bad dream, a dream of him going through a course of losing you. You honestly thought all of those future scenes you kept seeing were over when you saw all of the happy moments of Juyeon’s life. They all seemed to vanish when all you could remember was you dying in his arms to what it seemed like the day of the wedding and the tears in his eyes, calling for you. 

Your outfits were hung in your room beside the vintage dresser and you remembered Juyeon slipping the bracelet that you both had reached for, onto your wrist last night. You thought it was silly of him to get a matching set and he had reasoned it was to remember your first meeting. That memory attempted to calm the tension in your mind as you held him tighter in your arms. 

You felt him moving, a guess that he had woken up at the sound of your beating heart. You faked a smile, looking up at his tired face that was so handsome. 

“Were you even allowed to sleep in my room?” You asked, which made him giggle, his voice vibrating ran through your chest. 

“Of course. I can do whatever I want.” 

“Really? Then I can do whatever I want too.” You planted a good morning kiss on his forehead. You could feel him smiling when he brought his hand up right behind your ear, giving you a kiss on the lips instead. 

There was a moment of silence when you both pulled back. Juyeon, of course, loved finding the sparkles in your eyes; they’re irresistible yet you found yourself seeing a blur. He caught it, his hand now at the edge of your eye to prevent any tears from falling. 

“Should we visit the beach today?” 

You enjoyed a nice breakfast with Juyeon before you were given a short tour around the palace. Quickly after, you both headed for the beach visit, like how you both had done the first time you both met. 

You both were walking, hand-in-hand, along the edges of the waters as he reminisced that night he couldn’t hold your hand. It’s amazing to him that he could now. 

You, on the other hand, haven’t asked him how his relationships were with the people of the palace, but instead, you were distracted by the way he smiled just now. He was in his head, you could tell and it made you smile too. 

“I have to wake up early tomorrow. The maids said it’ll take a while to get me in my outfit and makeup before we can meet.” Your arms swung together in unison as your bracelets brushed each other. 

“All of that just for me?” His smile turned into a grin and you were surprised that you almost laughed. 

“You mean, us.” You looked away at your walking feet, feeling them sinking into the sand in every little step as your laugh tickled his ears. 

“Of course.” Juyeon stopped in his tracks and pulled you to him so you could face him. The breeze was blowing against his hair while the sunset casted its orange light on the side of his face. Your eyes began to tear up, you’d blame the wind. His hand reached your cheek, caressing it, and he assured you, “And if anything happens, I’ll make sure to protect you.” 

You saw the softness in his eyes as he was probably thinking about what you’ve been through. Smiling was all you could do if you knew what would happen tomorrow. 

The next morning, Juyeon woke up to you not at his side. He recalled your conversation from the night before, seeing your white outfit gone. He couldn’t wait to see you. 

A few hours after he had gotten his black suit on, there was a knock on your door. He turned around from the mirror, not expecting a visitor, especially if he had been sleeping in your room. 

A messenger had relied on an order from the King, asking him to visit. Juyeon headed over to his father’s chamber, finding him looking out the window. It wasn’t a good sign, Juyeon sensed, and it must have something to do with you. 

The king turned around, expecting Juyeon there. 

“What is it that you had called for me, father?” Juyeon asked, his head lowering with an arm over his abdomen. 

His father cleared his throat and looked away. “I believe you knew about (Y/n)’s escape.” 

“They would not.” Juyeon looked up. His voice became stern, as if he was determined to fight for your life. “We are meant to be together, father. You know that.” 

“Your stars do not align, the fortune said.” His father had not given his son a look and he continued as he looked out the window again. “Even if they do, I do not allow you to marry someone I do not approve of.” 

“You know that’s not fair.” Juyeon took a step closer to his father though still so far. “What about you and mother? If you were able to be together, knowing you were meant to be, then how could you not allow me to face the same? Isn’t that the rules of life?” 

“You, my son, do not disobey my words!” His father finally looked at him when he raised his voice. 

“I must if you had taken away my happiness.” Juyeon confessed in a stern yet soft sound, making his father speechless. 

“You-” 

“Where have you taken them?” He interrupted and as he left the room, he had his sword in hand. 

On the way back to your room, Juyeon saw his mother walking, fast-pacing through a hallway. He followed her, noticing the locked door where she had walked away from and he knew you were in there. 

Unable to open it by hand, he had to kick it a few times before the doors opened. The room was dark as soon as the doors closed from behind. Looking in the distance, there was a glimpse of you in your wedded outfit but as he ran to you, he stopped at the sudden mirrors of you. His eyes widened, staring at each of them in confusion as if it was an illusion. 

It was a trap. Juyeon knew you were in one of them somehow, and he had to be careful when breaking these mirrors with the sword in his hand. Hurting you was the last thing on his mind as he took an attempt, breaking one after another successfully until there was only one of you. Seeing the real figure of you, last standing a few feet in front of him, clinched his heart. He was out of breath, watching how beautiful your tears wet your cheek. He walked up to you before you fell off your feet. He caught you in his arms before you could reach the floor. 

Slowly falling onto his knee with you in his arms, he whispered your name, in hopes that you’d open your eyes. The light from the little window at the end of the room casted a perfect round light against the both of you when you exhaled, eyes barely meeting his. 

“Sorry.” You managed to say. 

“For what?” Juyeon’s voice aspirated quietly because he didn’t want you to know he was crying. Your soft smile made his tear drop onto the side of your cheek where he was caressing. 

“I saw this scene yesterday, you using your sword on me… me dying in your arms.” You took a breath as he shook his head, his lips getting smaller. 

“You’re not dying, my love.” Juyeon whispered, his voice slow and shaking. He pressed a kiss onto the side of your lips then his arm found its way below your legs before he carried you up into his chest. 

Juyeon took you out of the palace walls through a hidden alley and into the forest where a treehouse was hidden within that you both only know. 

You heard the birds chirping the next day, finding yourself in his arms again. You realized how different what happened yesterday from the dream you just woke up from. You saw Juyeon walking on the beach with you, smiling like there’s tomorrow to look forward to and the presence of your bracelets for the first time in your dreams. When you looked up at him, you knew that this would be the last future vision you would ever see, seeing how happy he looked. There wasn’t a worry anymore about what would come.