慈しみの愛 💖❕

a soft laugh bubbles from hannah at his statement and she answers him, "a lot of patience from handling difficult clients, husband dearest," her eyes meet his, her smile remaining on her lips and she cocks her head toward him. hannah reaches her hand toward daniel, waiting for him to take her hand in his. "you weren't too bad yourself — i'm impressed you lasted as long as you did!" truly, the stylist is very proud of daneil for this minor thing, because she knew he cared not for these type of events.

for  a  moment  he  just  looks  at  her,  taking  in  the  details  he  has  seen  a  hundred  times  before  and  somehow  still  notices.  a  loose  strand  of  hair  catches  his  attention,  and  he  reaches  up  without  thinking,  tucking  it  back  into  place.  his  fingertips  brush  her  cheek  in  passing,  brief  enough  to  be  accidental,  slow  enough  that  it  doesn’t  entirely  feel  that  way.  when  his  hand  drops  again,  his  eyes  remain  on  her  a  little  longer  than  necessary.  “ that  dress  is  beautiful, ”  he  says  after  a  pause,  the  compliment  arriving  without  the  polished  ease  he  usually  hides  behind.  there’s  no  audience  here,  no  expectation,  no  performance  to  maintain.  just  the  quiet  night  around  them  and  the  rare  absence  of  anyone  asking  something  from  him.  his  thumb  traces  idly  across  the  back  of  her  hand  before  he  tilts  his  head  slightly.  “ did  you  pick  it  yourself? ”

Her gaze turns to briefly look at the man when she hears his question, and she nods. "I did. I would have come last night but... They didn't let me." And by they, she means the resident directors who wanted the rooms to be ready before new students arrived. "How about you?" She inquires. If she recalls right, his door wasn't open, and she didn't see any boxes. Miyoung quickly glances at her phone again, and without really thinking about it, tugs the sleeve of his shirt to guide him to the right direction. "Aaaahh... I don't know." She sucks air between her teeth, pausing to take a second to look at their surroundings again. "I first thought I would, but then I started to think I don't want to go alone, so..." She lets the words hang in the air, hoping he has, over the years, learned how to read her mind. She doesn't usually say no to parties; they're great places to get to know people, but she thought with all the unpacking and stuff, she would be too exhausted to go. But if he goes, she might go as well.

he  turns  his  head  toward  her  with  visible  surprise.  “ what? ”  he  says,  eyebrows  lifting.  “ well,  that’s  an  easy  problem  to  fix. ”  a  grin  appears  almost  immediately,  bright  and  effortless.  “ i’m  going  too.  i’ll  keep  you  company,  you  keep  me  company.  then  neither  of  us  has  to  be  alone. ”  the  offer  comes  naturally,  without  a  second  thought,  and  somehow  the  idea  of  the  party  becomes  more  appealing  than  it  had  been  a  minute  ago.  “ what  do  you  think? ”  he  asks,  holding  her  gaze  for  a  second  before  looking  away  again  with  a  quiet  laugh.  “ or...  i  don’t  know.  if  you’re  too  tired  today,  we  could  do  something  else  another  day. ”  his  voice  softens  slightly  at  that,  carrying  a  warmth  that  feels  different  from  his  usual  easygoing  charm.  “ i  mean,  we’ve  got  time  now,  right? ”  a  smile  tugs  at  the  corner  of  his  mouth.  “ we’re  neighbors.  i’m  pretty  sure  it’d  be  harder  to  get  rid  of  me  than  to  run  into  me. ”

the other guy is somewhat of an enigma to him. but no matter what, june feels a strange feeling of familiarity and camaraderie when it comes to the guy. they are usually the ones being paired up together when people are supposed to work with whoever they want to, the two that always sit together in buses and during lunch. " today nothing special either, " he sighs as he nudges the food around the plate. " listen, uhm. i was wondering about something. do you want to pair up for the upcoming biology project? " it sounds silly, because they are usually the ones who end up together anyway, but this time he wants it to be just because they want it to. not because there is nobody else. well, june kinda wants to each time but he is not really sure about lucas.

there  was  only  one  person  who  never  seemed  interested  in  keeping  that  distance.  lucas  still  did  not  understand  why  june  kept  seeking  him  out,  slipping  past  bad  moods,  silence,  and  sharp  edges  as  though  none  of  them  existed.  somehow,  he  never  seemed  bothered  by  lucas'  messy  appearance  or  his  lack  of  patience,  and  although  lucas  could  not  explain  it,  he  had  stopped  trying  to  push  him  away.  there  was  something  unexpectedly  nice  about  being  treated  like  a  person  instead  of  a  problem.  so  when  june  sat  across  from  him,  lucas  only  glanced  up  briefly,  studying  him  for  a  second  before  returning  to  his  food.  " biology  project? "  he  asked,  only  now  remembering  there  had  apparently  been  an  assignment  after  all.  he  had  skipped  the  last  class  to  attend  ballet  lesson  and  had  not  given  school  much  thought  since.  a  small  frown  tugged  at  his  features.  " yeah.  weren't  you  going  to  be  my  partner anyway? "  the  confusion  was  genuine.  it  had  never  occurred  to  him  to  work  with  anyone  else.  not  due to  the lack of  options,  but  because  june  was  the  only  company  he  actually  wanted.  " when  is  it  due? "

gaze  traveled  back  over  to  the  male,  noticing  that  perhaps  it  had  been  heartless  to  not  take  his  feelings  into  considerations.  however,  jina  had  the  impression  that  he  was  doing  his  rounds,  at  least  that  was  what  rumors  were  whispering  in  the  crooks  of  school.   “ jongin,  i  just  don't  understand  why  you'd  get  this  upset,  i'm... ”   eyebrows  furrow,  disliking  the  words  on  her  tongue  before  she's  even  pronouncing  then.   “ i  would  just  be  another  girl. ”   words  are  spoken  more  hushed,  suddenly  showing  why  she  had  her  walls  built  up  around  her,  the  very  reason  she  hadn't  allowed  him  close,  nor  been  very  open  to  the  idea  of  the  two  getting  closer. eyes drift downward then, avoiding eye contact as other worries started to race through her mind.   “ plus,  i  can't  afford  distractions... ”   additional  whisper,  primarily  made  underneath  her  own  breath with digits mindlessly pinching underneath her upper arm out of sight.  the  secret  of  her  family  being  in  debt  meant  winning  tournaments,  her  name and face  being  known around the country  —-  earnings  going  to  help  her  family.

but  it  was  what  came  next  that  finally  made  something  inside  him  snap.  jongin's  head  turned  back  toward  her  immediately,  disbelief  written  plainly  across  his  face.  “ what? ”  he  asked,  brows  drawing  together.  “ who  said  that? ”  he  knew  the  rumors.  he  knew  what  people  assumed  because  he  smiled  too  easily,  flirted  too  naturally,  because  it  was  simpler  for  strangers  to  turn  him  into  a  caricature  than  an  actual  person.  still,  hearing  it  from  her  stung  more  than  he'd  like  to  admit.  “ is  that  really  what  you  think  of  me? ”  his  voice  remained  calm,  but  the  hurt  beneath  it  was  impossible  to  miss.  “ that  i'd  make  you  just  another  name  in  some  imaginary  collection? ”  he  swallowed  hard  before  continuing,  quieter  now.  “ i  can't  expect  you  to  know  the  truth  about  me  when  you  don't  know  me.  i  get  that.  but  i  thought  you  at  least  didn't  assume  the  worst. ”  his  tongue  brushed  briefly  over  his  lower  lip  before  he  exhaled  and  gave  a  small  nod.  “ it's  fine.  i  understand  now.  you  don't  have  to  worry  anymore. ”  another  pause.  “ i  won't  keep  trying  to  distract  you  from  anything. ”

with  the  morning  brief  being  wrapped  up,  mason  had  the  chance  to  go  grab  a  cup  of  coffee.  finally.  usually  this  was  done  before  he  came  in,  but  the  morning  had  been  completely  lost  to  him,  a  complete  rush.  he  barely  came  in  on  time  as  it  is.  the  shop  he  preferred  was  luckily  right  around  the  street,  so  mason  took  the  opportunity  to  make  his  way  there.  the  line  was  its  usual  length  —  the  place  was  pretty  popular  in  the  neighborhood  so  there  was  a  consistent  flow  of  customers  coming  in  and  out.  when  he  got  to  the  register,  he  couldn’t  help  but  be  taken  back  for  a  moment.  he’d  definitely  seen  her  around  this  area  before,  which  made  more  sense  considering  she  obviously  worked  here,  but  it  had  always  been  in  passing.  looking  at  her,  her  features  were  soft,  though  the  expression  was  harsh.  he  gave  her  his  order,  a  flirtatiousness  in  his  tone,  throwing  on  as  much  charm  as  the  situation  permitted.  he  squinted  as  he  read  her  name  tag  —  nabi.  “so,  nabi,”  he  began,  elbow  leaning  against  the  pastry  counter.  “let’s  say  I  wanted  to  sit  and  have  a  coffee  with  you..  when  is  your  shift  over?”

his  elbow  rested  against  the  counter  she  had  cleaned  only  moments  before,  and  irritation  flared  instantly.  nabi  reached  behind  his  arm  and  pulled  it  forward  just  enough  to  throw  off  his  balance,  the  movement  quick  and  unapologetic.  " move.  i  just  cleaned  that. "  the  growl  in  her  voice  lingered  behind  her  as  she  turned  away,  already  done  with  him  before  she  even  started  making  his  order.  she  handled  the  drink  with  minimal  care,  doing  only  what  was  necessary  to  finish  the  task  before  dropping  it  onto  the  counter  in  front  of  him.  " here. "  for  a  second  she  looked  at  the  cup  rather  than  at  him,  as  though  even  eye  contact  would  require  more  effort  than  he  deserved.  then  her  gaze  lifted,  sharp  and  unimpressed.  " now  get  out. "

and so here he is, standing with the prettiest bouquet of flowers that he managed to find — blue with hints of yellow, because it made him think of lucas when he saw it — standing in front of his changing room. after some pleading and begging, and letting the guard know that yes, he is definitely not a weird stalker (even though theoretically maybe he is), he knocks on the door, waiting until he is let in. " hey... " he feels a little bit sheepish, half hiding behind the flowers which must be a funny sight because he is a tall and big guy. " maybe you don't recognize me anymore. well, i dunno! but, uhm, yeah, it's june. you know, from high school? i saw you the other day... and today too. so i wanted to congratulate you! and, uhm, give you flowers? and catch up? " he says it all as a question, as if he wasn't sure, even though he definitely does want to do all that.

the  words  vanished  before  they  could  form.  for  a  second  everything  inside  him  seemed  to  stop  and  then  rush  forward  all  at  once,  memories  breaking  loose  with  enough  force  to  leave  him  almost  breathless.  if  he  had  been  anything  less  than  completely  lucid,  he  might  have  thought  he  was  imagining  it,  but  the  figure  standing  there  belonged  to  reality  as  surely  as  the  floor  beneath  his  feet.  he  did  not  to be remembered,  the name  escaped  on  a  breath  caught  somewhere  between  relief  and  surprise.  “ june. ”  confusion  only  deepened  when  his  gaze  dropped  to  the  bouquet.  flowers.  he  had  received  plenty  before,  anonymous  gifts  from  admirers  whose  faces  never  mattered,  but  this  felt  entirely  different.  after  a  brief  hesitation  he  accepted  them,  stepping  aside  in  a  silent  invitation  before  glancing  once  at  the  empty  hallway  and  closing  the  door.  everything  felt  too  sudden,  almost  unreal.  he  set  the  flowers  on  the  table,  pulled  on  his  shirt  while  trying  to  make  sense  of  the  moment,  then  looked  back  at  him,  still  visibly  stunned.  “ how  did  you  find  me? ”

escapism  —  something  zeke  had  been  familiar  with  from  a  very  young  age.  control  had  always  been  at  the  forefront  of  his  life.  his  family  had  expectations,  exhausting  ones,  and  he  had  always  found  an  outlet  to  escape.  that  was  brought  into  his  adult  life.  whenever  there  was  too  much  going  on,  too  much  control,  too  many  restrictions,  his  body  craved  at  least  one  night  to  escape.  that  was  tonight.  zeke  found  himself  at  one  of  the  his  usual  spots  in  the  city.  lively  but  not  packed  enough  to  be  uncomfortable.  his  usual  drink  in  his  hand,  he  scoped  the  place  to  see  if  there  was  anything  (or  anyone)  that  caught  his  eye.  nothing  stood  out  for  most  of  the  night,  until  he  spotted  her.  something  about  her  almost  felt  familiar.  maybe  it  was  the  look  on  her  face…  the  way  she  moved,  as  if  she  was  finally  at  a  place  she  wasn’t  running  anymore.  what  was  she  escaping? zeke  waited  until  she  had  went  back  to  the  bar  with  an  empty  drink  in  her  hand.  he  couldn’t  deny  that  he’d  tried  more  than  once  to  catch  her  eyes  across  the  space,  and  they’d  done  so  briefly,  only  solidifying  that  he  had  to  say  something.  know  her  name  at  the  bare  minimum.  he  made  his  way  to  the  bar  and  leaned  against  the  counter  beside  her.  he  nodded  towards  the  bartender  before  turning  to  the  woman  occupying  his  mind  tonight.  “what  are  you  drinking?”  he  asked  casually,  turning  so  his  torso  faced  her  and  flashed  a  smile.  she  was  even  more  beautiful  this  close.  he  waited  for  her  to  answer,  “then,  can  I  buy  you  another?”

after  finishing  the  last  sip,  naeun  let  out  a  quiet  sigh  and  returned  to  the  bar,  deciding  one  more  drink  would  be  enough  before  heading  home.  she  noticed  the  presence  beside  her  almost  immediately,  though  she  kept  her  attention  on  the  bartender  for  a  moment  longer,  pretending  his  movements  were  far  more  interesting  than  the  man  standing  there,  as  if  the  faint  trace  of  his  cologne  was  not  pulling  at  her  attention.  " french  martini, "  she  replied  casually,  only  then  turning  toward  him,  her  expression  calm  as  she  studied  him  more  closely.  a  small  smile  appeared  at  the  corner  of  her  lips.  " you  can. "  after  giving  her  order  to  the  bartender,  she  looked  back  at  him,  resting  lightly  against  the  counter.  " are  you  going  to  join  me,  or  are  you  planning  to  admire  me  all  night? "  she  asked,  the  invitation  tucked  neatly  beneath  the  ease  of  her  voice.

her name is called, breaking the spell that had settled over them. a nod, though he's reluctant to watch her walk away. just once he'd like to see her disobey, not come when she's called. it's not the time nor place for that now. he knows that and so he doesn't do much but watch her step away. "i guess i should pick out my seat before they fill up completely then." lips quirk upwards, his own feet turning towards the dining table, zeroing in on the aforementioned empty seat with intent to claim. head tilts, a glance tossed over his shoulder in an attempt to keep her for only a few moments longer. "i hope you won't keep me waiting too long." words tease. "some of us haven't eaten all day, saving room for the main event."

unfortunately,  her  mother  has  other  plans  for  her.  within  minutes  naeun  finds  herself  greeting  one  of  the  church  families  that  has  just  arrived.  a  familiar  couple,  along  with  their  son,  seongwoo,  who  happens  to  be  her  age  and  exactly  the  sort  of  young  man  her  parents  wish  she  would  pay  attention  to.  polite.  devoted.  endlessly  involved  with  church  activities.  as  she  exchanges  greetings,  she  already  knows  where  this  is  going.  ‘ why  don’t  you  take  seongwoo  to  sit  with  you,  naeun? ’  her  mother  suggests  brightly.  naeun  smiles  the  way  she  always  does  when  cornered,  pleasant  and  agreeable  while  her  mind  fills  with  less  charitable  thoughts.  she  leads  him  toward  the  table  anyway,  finding  danny  already  seated  where  she  had  hoped  he  would  be.  “ seongwoo,  this  is  danny.  a  friend  of  my  brother’s.  danny,  this  is  seongwoo.  a  friend  from  church. ”  the  introduction  is  flawless.  practiced.  exactly  what  is  expected  of  her.  and  yet  her  hand  settles  briefly  on  danny’s  shoulder,  completely  unnecessary  except  for  the  fact  that  she  wants  it  to.  then  she  slips  into  the  empty  chair  beside  him  before  anyone  else  can  claim  it.  “ shall  we  eat? ”  she  asks  sweetly,  as  if  the  entire  evening  is  unfolding  exactly  according  to  plan.

he  stops  in  front  of  toni,  offering  a  playful,  mock - salute  as  he  tries  to  diffuse  the  impending  lecture.  “ so,  captain…  sorry  for  missing  practice.  i’ll  make  up  for  it  this  afternoon,  i  promise, ”  tone  dipping  into  that  familiar,  teasing  cadence  that  suggests  he’s  never  taken  a  serious  moment  in  his  life. lets  out  a  light,  practiced  chuckle,  rubbing  the  back  of  his  neck  as  he  avoids  toni’s  searching  gaze.  “ i  woke  up  late,  and…  well,  that’s  it.  i  woke  up  late. ”  he  spreads  his  hands  wide,  his  grin  widening  into  something  charming  and  entirely  insincere.  “ they  did  say  honesty  is  the  best  policy,  right ?  so  that’s  gotta  count  for  something?  i  mean,  look  at  me.. not  making  up  excuses,  just  living  the  truth. ”

the  sound  of  familiar  footsteps  pulling  up  beside  the  field  made  his  eyes  flick  over  immediately,  expression  tightening  the  second  he  saw  oliver  grinning  like  being  late  was  supposed  to  be  charming.  usually  toni  would  have  laughed  first,  maybe  thrown  something  back  just  as  stupid,  but  not  now.  not  during  training.  his  jaw  shifted  once  before  he  spoke.  “ you  know  what  matters  more  than  that?  showing  up  to  practice  on  time,  oliver. ”  the  frustration  came  out  in  a  long  sigh  right  after,  fingers  dragging  briefly  through  damp  hair  before  he  shook  his  head.  “ and  it's not even worth  saying  anything,  you  think  this  is  funny. ”  he  turned  away  before  oliver  could  answer,  calling  out  to  the  rest  of  the  players  that  morning  practice  was  over,  voice  carrying  easily  across  the  field.  only  after  the  noise  started  breaking  apart  around  him  did  he  finally  look  back  again,  expression  calmer  but  still  hard  around  the  edges.  “ i’m  going  to  get  lunch.  try  showing  up  for  afternoon  practice,  yeah? ”