Winery's Collection Network

Just like every other party, Yushi went home with you. Truthfully, you had no idea how it happened this time. All you knew was that you loved watching him squirm as you moved your hand up and down his thigh while you drove. You could tell he was trying to maintain his composure until the two of you got back to his apartment, and you were proud of the fact that your actions had such a strong effect on him.

When you got back to your apartment building, you held his hand as the two of you walked up the stairs, and somehow that felt even more intimate than your actions in the car. It made you wonder if there really was a chance of the way you felt about him leading to more than just sex. Usually, you wouldn't have entertained the thought, but something about the way his hand felt in yours made you wonder this time.

Once you were through the door, Yushi pulled your dress off and pinned you to the door as he said, “You looked so fucking pretty in this dress, made me wanna tear it off right in the middle of the party.”

You stifled a moan as he attached his lips to your neck and said, “That’s why I wore it. Wanted you to look at me like that.”

He stopped kissing and biting just long enough to say, “Well you got exactly what you wanted. Couldn’t stop staring all night.”

“Then do something about it,” you said, enjoying his desperation.

“Wanna tease you first.”

You gave him an exaggerated pout and asked, “But why?”

“Cause you're so cute when you're desperate, baby,” he answered as he started to tease you over your underwear. A quiet whine slipped out of your mouth, and he added, “See? So fucking cute.”

“Fuck you,” you said in between whimpers.

“Well, if you insist,” Yushi replied with a soft laugh as he finally moved away from the door.

Without another word, you practically dragged Yushi to your room and finally got rid of the rest of your clothes while you watched him undress. Once your clothes were out of the way, you pushed him onto your bed and slowly lowered yourself onto his cock, already struggling to maintain your composure as you adjusted to how he felt inside you.

“Feels so good,” you whined as you moved against him.

“Fuck, I know, princess. Love the way you ride me.”

As you bounced on his cock, the room got surprisingly quiet. Typically, when you had sex with Yushi, it was loud and messy. But this time, both of you were too focused on how it actually to perform for each other the way you usually did.

Occasionally, Yushi would whisper, “Just like that, baby” or “Feels so good,” and all you could think about was how beautiful he looked when he was lost in pleasure.

As your high approached, you tried to warn Yushi like you usually did, but when you opened your mouth to speak, a loud moan slipped out instead. You held him close while you fell apart on top of him, and the sounds that came out as he came inside you could only be described as whines.

Neither of you said anything while you caught your breath, with both of you lost in your own worlds. While you continued to hold him close, you thought about how badly you didn't want him to leave and how badly you wanted more than sex.

After you calmed down, you carefully climbed off of Yushi, and both of you worked together to clean up. Then, you brought him some of the spare clothes that he kept at your place for nights just like this. As you both got dressed, you caught him staring at you, and the butterflies in your stomach that you’d tried to convince yourself didn’t exist came fluttering back to remind you of how you felt about Yushi.

A slightly awkward silence settled over the room after you were both dressed, and you broke it by asking, “Do you wanna stay tonight?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, why?” you asked, confused by his reaction.

“You don’t usually ask me to stay.”

“Well, I always want you to,” you mumbled.

“I’m happy to, for the record,” Yushi answered, seeming to notice how nervous you felt. After another moment of silence, he asked, “Do you wanna cuddle for a bit?”

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” you answered, getting back into bed and finally relaxing as Yushi followed suit and put his arms around you.

“You know, this is always my favorite part,” Yushi whispered before kissing your forehead.

“What do you mean?”

“Holding you close, reminding you how much I care even when we’re not fucking.”

“It means a lot to me, you know.”

“Well, you mean a lot to me.” Yushi was quiet for a minute before he added, “Do you maybe wanna go on a real date sometime?”

“Yeah, that sounds great,” you answered before kissing him softly.

Thank you everyone for reading! If you liked this one, please make sure to like and reblog!

If you wanna check out my other works, my masterlist can be found here. If you wanna see what I'm working on, my upcoming works list is here. If you'd like to be tagged whenever I upload a new fic, my taglist form is here! You can also send me an ask or dm at any time to be added or removed.

The day that you moved in with Kuanjui, he promised you that the two of you would be married within two years. You honestly had no idea if you believed him at the time, considering the fact that you'd never known him to be good at doing things within a specific time frame. But now, standingoutside of the hall where everyone you loved was waiting for you to walk down the aisle, you realized how foolish you were to doubt him. After all, when it mattered, he always kept his word.

Your bridesmaids entered the venue before you did, signaling to everyone that the ceremony was starting. As they walked toward the altar, your favorite song played from a small speaker at the front of the room. It was a soft, romantic ballad that you felt captured your relationship with Kuanjui perfectly, and as the time for your entrance came, you silently hoped your makeup wouldn’t be ruined by the tears that threatened to fall.

When the time for you to enter finally came, you carefully stepped into the room, eyes locked on Kuanjui to keep you grounded as you walked toward the beginning of the rest of your lives together. Once you were standing in front of him, he leaned closer and whispered, “Are you ready?”

“How could I not be?”

With a smile, you turned toward the officiant, and he went on for far longer than you wanted about the beauty of marriage and the importance of having someone in your corner. Sure, it was a beautiful speech, but you got more and more impatient with every word. You really just wanted to get to the part where you could declare your undying love and exchange the rings. So, while you waited, you fantasized about the rest of your life with Kuanjui.

Your focus was quickly pulled back, however, when it was finally time for the vows and exchanging of rings. Kuanjui read his first, and when he took your hand, a feeling settled in the pit of your stomach that told you that you were exactly where you were supposed to be.

With a smile, he said your name and began, “When we moved in together, I promised you that we would be married within two years. Now, a year later, we’re exactly where I promised you we’d be. I hope that just goes to show that I do know how to get things done.” You laughed softly, and he continued, “Now, as we walk into marriage together, I promise to love and protect you for the rest of my life. I promise to always act with your best interests in mind, and I promise that you will always have a safe place to come home to for as long as I have a say in the matter. I love you.” Then, with his eyes shining, he gently slid your ring onto your finger.

When Kuanjui finished his vows, the officiant turned to you, and you cleared your throat before you said, “Kuanjui, you’ve been my rock for four years now, and I can only hope that I’ve been able to support you in the same way over the course of our relationship.” You started to tear up as you spoke, so you took a moment to breathe before you said, “It’s been an honor to love you, and I swear that I will continue to love you with everything I have for as long as I live.” After you finished speaking, you carefully put Kuanjui’s ring on his finger and said, “I love you.”

By that point, both you and Kuanjui had started to cry, your makeup and his smudging as the two of you struggled to catch your breath. Once both of you collected yourselves, however, the officiant said, “Now that you’ve exchanged vows and rings, it is with great joy that I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

The first time you kissed Kuanjui as a married couple felt like magic. You got so lost in the way his lips felt on yours, in fact, that you almost forgot that you still had the rest of the wedding to go to. You were swiftly reminded, however, when you heard your friend Haru yell, “Get a room!”

When you pulled away, you looked into Kuanjui’s eyes and saw a combination of love and awe that you swore you’d never seen before, as you took his hand to walk out of the hall, you hoped that he’d keep looking at you just like that for the rest of your life.

As you made your way to the area of the venue reserved for the cocktail hour and reception, you laughed and said, “I can’t believe we’re married now.”

“Why is it such a shock? I told you I would marry you, didn’t I?”

“Well, yeah, but-”

“No buts, my love. You should know by now that I always keep my promises.” he said as he softly kissed your forehead.

Thank you everyone for reading! If you liked this one, please make sure to like and reblog!

If you wanna check out my other works, my masterlist can be found here. If you wanna see what I'm working on, my upcoming works list is here. If you'd like to be tagged whenever I upload a new fic, my taglist form is here! You can also send me an ask or dm at any time to be added or removed.

When you walked into Jiwoo’s apartment, you heard far more banging and swearing than you expected. At first, you wondered if her roommate, Sooyoung, was working on another “D.I.Y. project,” but when you heard a sweet, familiar voice angrily yell, “Fuck!” you knew that it was Jiwoo. So, you slowly and carefully walked through her living room, looking for the source of the sound to determine if anyone was injured or otherwise in distress.

“Honey, do you need help?” you called as you walked through the kitchen toward Jiwoo’s bedroom.

“I’m fine, babe!” Jiwoo shouted back. “Just trying to get this fucking thing to stay put!” You heard more banging as she spoke, and you wondered what the hell was happening.

“What are you doing?” you asked as you entered her room.

“Oh, this!” she said, frantically turning around to show you the dresser that she’d just finished assembling.

It was small, barely fitting next to the one she already had, and it looked like it might fall apart if you touched it the wrong way, but you knew she’d put a lot of effort into putting it together. So, you smiled and said, “I’m so proud of you, my love. But, why?”

She looked shy as she answered, “You know how you’ve been spending the night here more?”

“Yeah?”

“I thought having a dresser to store your stuff in would make it easier,” she answered, fidgeting and blushing as she tried to explain. “Instead of bringing stuff with you every time like you have been, you could just keep some of your clothes here. I even got you a new toothbrush to keep with mine.”

You didn’t say anything for a minute, stunned that she took the time out of her already chaotic schedule to do something like assembling furniture just to make it easier for the two of you to spend time together. When you noticed that she looked worried, though, you smiled and said, “Thank you. It was a wonderful idea.”

“Are you upset?” she asked, clearly still nervous.

“Not at all. Just surprised, honestly. You assembled a dresser by yourself for me?”

“Well, I asked Sooyoung for help, but she had to work. And of course I did it for you. I love you.”

Without another word, you pulled her into a hug, struggling to comprehend exactly how you found someone like Jiwoo, who was always willing to go above and beyond if it meant making you happy or just making life even a little bit easier. As you held her close, you silently hoped that the two of you would spend the rest of your lives loving each other.

You didn’t know how much time had passed with the two of you silently holding each other close, but next thing you knew, you heard Sooyoung yell, “I’m home, Ji! Did you get that dresser put together?”

Jiwoo stepped away to yell back, “Yep! It was a pain in the ass but I did it!”

“That's great!” Sooyoung said as she passed by Jiwoo’s room to get to hers. “I’m going to Jinsol’s place for a girls’ night, so I'm not gonna be back until tomorrow. I'm just stopping by to grab the overnight bag I keep in my room.”

“Ok, have fun!” you and Jiwoo said at the same time.

After Sooyoung left, Jiwoo asked, “Do you wanna go get some of your clothes to keep here?”

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

With that, the two of you left to go back to your apartment. The drive was unusually quiet, with you focused on driving and Jiwoo keeping her eyes closed as she enjoyed the silence. It was common for Jiwoo to just rest whenever the two of you were in the car together, and you loved being able to give her a few moments of peace within the chaos of life.

When you got to your apartment, the two of you worked together to gather some of your clothes, as well as a few skincare products and a bottle of your favorite body wash to keep at Jiwoo and Sooyoung’s place. Once you finished packing everything, you drove back.

Once your stuff was inside, you worked together to fill the new dresser while Jiwoo showed you her newly expanded vinyl collection. As you decided where you wanted to put the clothes that you’d brought with you, she showed you each album and told you a little bit about it, like when it was released and fun facts about the songs.

“This one came out in 2019!” she said, her eyes sparkling as she showed you Miracle Pill by the Goo Goo Dolls. “I still can’t believe I managed to find it at a thrift store of all places.”

“I remember when you sent me some of the songs right after we started dating,” you said as you folded a pair of pants to put them in the dresser.

As you listened to Jiwoo talk about her favorite songs and all of the reasons they were significant to her, you thought about how much you loved it when she shared the things she loved with you. Every time she showed you another piece of her world, you fell just a little harder, and all you wanted as you put the last of your things away was to continue falling for her every day for the rest of your life.

After your things were put away, you pulled Jiwoo into a hug and said, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For doing this for me. For everything you do for me.”

“You know I do it because I love you, right?”

“I know. That’s exactly why it means so much to me.”

Thank you everyone for reading! If you liked this one, please make sure to like and reblog!

If you wanna check out my other works, my masterlist can be found here. If you wanna see what I'm working on, my upcoming works list is here. If you'd like to be tagged whenever I upload a new fic, my taglist form is here! You can also send me an ask or dm at any time to be added or removed.

So that’s what the last decade has been, pretending as if everything is okay. It’s even worse now. One of his best friends got married to your younger sister a couple of years back and it was even more impossible to ignore your name. He sees you often, sometimes with a boyfriend who never lasts very long.

"It's been like what, ten years, and you still can't get over her?" Dongwoo says, taking a gulp of beer.

"Shut up, will you?" Myungsoo groans.

"If you had stopped her from going on that plane, you'd already be married and have mini-Myungsoos and Y/Ns running around," Sungyeol smirks. Myungsoo could punch him right now.

"And how is things with your current girlfriend? The model, right? How's that going?" Myungsoo questions, in a childish voice.

"Jinkyung loves me, thank you very much." Sungyeol retorts.

"Okay guys, please, let's not argue," Dongwoo interferes, his voice pleading. "Y/N will be there no matter what. Eunha insisted that her sister be there."

Myungsoo still can't believe that Dongwoo got with Y/N's younger sister. They had never even interacted that much, not even at any parties or friendly gatherings. However, Dongwoo has always been a charismatic kind of guy. Everyone liked him, and when Eunha came into the picture, it was almost impossible to avoid it. You and Myungsoo couldn't avoid each other, no matter how hard you tried . You both just mastered the art of being "normal" in one another's presence.

He knew you were seeing other people, sometimes for just a few months, other times it seemed longer. He tried too, but no matter how many dates he went on or how much time he invested, he couldn't truly commit, They just weren't you.

"I'm heading out," Dongwoo waves, shouting to the male occupants in Myungsoo's apartment. "Eunha wants me home so that we can get packing."

"Yeah, yeah," Myungsoo waves, noticing that Sungyeol is grabbing his jacket and keys to leave as well. "See you guys in the morning."

Dongwoo leaves first, followed shortly after by Sungyeol who shouts that he'll call Jinkyung and convince her to come along. Sighing, Myungsoo lies across the couch, arms under his head, eyes glued to the ceiling.

Another get together with the guys and their girlfriends. Okay, he could handle it. He did it plenty of times over the years and survived. It sucks when he's the only single person, well apart from you, but hey, at least you're someone he can comfortable be around. Just a trip with friends, he could do this.

Right?

You drop your weekend bag when Sunggyu tells you that you'll be riding with Myungsoo since everyone else's cars are packed to the brim.

"Seriously, I can ride with Dongwoo and Eunha," you mumble as you hand your bags to Myungsoo, who wordlessly packs it along with his own things in his car.

Your sister elbows you softly before leaning in to whisper, "Stop that and act normal. You've been friends for all this time and now all of a sudden you don't want to be alone with him?"

Eunha knows how you feel towards your college flame. She was the only one you could turn to when things ended abruptly and without closure. It hurt, not knowing if the love you had shared was really real, or just a fleeting thing between two college students. You had both wanted different things and in the end it ended badly, not that you were expecting anything different. In those kind of relationships, that's what it was bound to be.

When you came back home from your overseas trip, she could see that something had changed, you were different, somehow, even if you were only gone for a a few years. It took weeks and lot of alcohol to confess about what happened with you and Myungsoo, how you both got into an argument on the drive to the airport, how you yelled at him that he wasn't supportive of your dream to study overseas and to travel, how he was holding you back and you were suffocating from being around him. Then, it just snowballed downwards from there and things that shouldn't have been said were thrown back and forth, and the next thing you knew, you were staring at your reflection in the plane window, trying not to breakdown while the plane taxied onto the runway.

You knew it was your fault. You should have never yelled at him in the first place, or accused him of not wanting the best for you. He loved you, after all, why would he try to stop you from doing what you had always dreamed of? Myungsoo had dreams too, and sometimes you felt selfish wanting him to choose you over it, but it still didn't change the fact that it was your dream.

When you asked him if he was going to choose you and come with you, you didn't expect the answer you heard. He didn't think about choosing, he couldn't put himself and his dreams before his family's, that's what it seemed like at least. They needed him back home, in that small town where they couldn't afford to have one less set of working hands, and it hurt so badly when he had told you. It wasn't that he wasn't supportive, it was more that he felt responsible for his family and their financial well-being. You were so wrapped up in yourself that it seemed like your own world.

Did you hate Myungsoo, after that happened? Maybe a little bit, at the beginning, but eventually, after time had past, you missed him and wished that things had been different.

You learned over time that life moved on and things happened for a reason, or for the worst. What happened with him made you stronger, or so you liked to tell yourself. You graduated school and went traveling as planned. You came back to Korea a few years later, landing a decent job at an upscale marketing firm where you stayed to this day. You learned that Myungsoo was working at a design firm in a separate part of the city, and you were happy that he was able to achieve something he loved. From what your younger sister had shared with you, he was doing well for himself and had finally bought a nice apartment. You both learned to co-exist around the others, remaining cordial and friendly, no signs of anger or tension around you or him.

Well, you aren’t cordial at this exact moment as your fingers grip the bag resting on your lap. Myungsoo stays relatively quiet throughout the first hour or so, save the few grunts and slight teasing comments. You sigh heavily, crossing your legs and arms.

"Seriously Myungsoo, can't we listen to the radio for something? This silence is kind of deafening," you whine. "Also, not sure if you remembered or not, but I'm a little prone to carsickness, so I need to stay entertained."

The raven-haired male side glances towards you before fixing his vision on the empty road in front of him. It would be another three hours until you got to the cabin and there was hardly any traffic, perfect weather to head there early. "Fine," he agrees quietly, switching the radio on. You sit for a little while, occasionally humming along with whatever song that played.

"Are you even into any idol groups nowadays or even into this sort of music?"

He lets out an exasperated laugh. "Excuse you, I keep myself updated. Actually, a friend of mine sings."

"Wow, never thought you to be the type," you mutter, stifling a laugh.

"Ha ha, so funny."

You feel anxious sitting together in the same vehicle with the person you had been avoiding for nearly a decade now. Not much has changed really, he still had those model like features, but they had matured into something sharper. The once lithe, slim frame had filled out quite a bit.

"What?" his voice fills the silence.

"Huh?"

"You were staring," Myungsoo glances sideways, giving you an awkward look, wondering why you were staring at him for so long.

"I wasn't!" You say, brushing the accusation off quickly, looking out the passenger side window. You can tell he doesn't believe you, but there’s no further comment. You hum along with the tune playing on the radio to help distract from the strange atmosphere surrounding the two of you, wishing you were already at the cabin with everyone else instead of trapped alone with Myungsoo in this car.

"Why are you nervous?" He asks, and the question comes out quiet, a little hesitant. His voice is softer than it has been the whole car trip. You swallow, turning to face the view out the windshield. It’s suddenly become difficult to put together a simple sentence.

"Me... nervous?" You swallow again, trying to get rid of the lump that had formed in your throat. "You seem a bit nervous though?"

Myungsoo does indeed seem a little fidgety, and it does seem a bit strange. "Am I?"

"Yes, you are," you nod your head. "Unless my intuition has finally lost it's touch and is just sending me false signals..."

"It's not false," Myungsoo agrees with a light laugh, as if trying to get rid of the extra tension between you. "Let's say it's real. Why would I be nervous?"

"I have no idea, but since when did Kim Myungsoo show his emotions like this? He used to keep everything bottled inside."

"You seem to know me rather well then."

"Was that a challenge?" You shoot him a challenging look.

"I know you rather well too." He flashes you a smirk. It's such an expression, one that is usually saved to throw a girl, or anyone really, off. And it works rather well.

"Okay, that is actually pretty true," you admit, trying to stay in control of your body. Control? You wanted to snort, there is no way for that when you had your first crush, on someone like Kim Myungsoo. It didn't help at all to add the fact that the man was hot, way too handsome for his own good. Even more so than his college self. "Anyways... how's life been, I know from Eunha it's been quite eventful." You struggle to think of something, anything to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"Same-old, work has been good. Well... everything has been good." A small smile dances on his lips. "How about you?"

"It's been great. Work is good," you smile, placing your right leg on top of the left, playing with a loose thread on your jacket.

"Still... single?" The word rolls off his tongue easily as he watches your body language change a little, but it’s almost unnoticeable.

"Unfortunately," you laugh, hiding the growing pit in your stomach. "You? Seeing anyone? Last I heard, you and Haesol were on and off for quite awhile." You honestly tried to stay away from that part of news regarding him, but some things couldn't be avoided, especially when friends who shared similar mutuals knew of this information and wanted to gossip about their close friends with each other.

Myungsoo looks uneasy, probably because he doesn't enjoy the topic of past flings, but it was going to pop up sooner or later, why delay it any further? "I wouldn't call it 'seeing someone'..." he mumbles quietly, glancing from the road and back towards the empty road.

"So, fuck buddy? One-night stand? Whatever floats your boat," you answer back casually, shrugging. The reaction you were expecting was him gasping, spluttering, or choking on the air as the words flowed out, however, it was not the response. Instead, you watch his gaze return onto you, and a smirk decorates his otherwise expressionless face, eyes twinkling with mischievousness.

"Jealous?"

"Hell no."

You both stare, for who knows how long, until finally, Myungsoo clears his throat and faces the open road ahead. You wished you could say you were a hundred percent lying about the whole ordeal, but damn it, he caught onto the tinge of jealousy laced in that quick reply. "Haesol and I weren't really that compatible." he continues, ignoring the small jibe. "So we split up. It was no big deal."

You nod silently, relieved that the current conversation was shifting to a safer direction. For the remainder of the drive, there’s nothing but small-talk and a few random things said. Finally, Myungsoo turns onto a gravel and dirt road that leads towards the cabin. From the back, you could see a handful of vehicles parked, and a few figures gathered by the large deck outside.

"Here we go," he comments, coming to a stop, placing the car in park.

"Good luck," you reach over to pat him on the shoulder, "You're gonna need it when the girls roast you for being single."

He laughs, unlocking his door. "You're single too. Remember?"

"Fuck," you whisper, scrunching your face into an exaggerated grimace. He lets out a chuckle, hopping out of his car, going to retrieve both his and your bags. You give a weak smile, throwing a quick wave at the approaching couples that made it in first.

Sungyeol waves first, followed quickly after with the rest, then immediately stops and scrunches his face.

"What? No hug?" Sungyeol makes an exaggerated show of making himself bigger, spreading his arms out wide.

"Nope. Not doing this. No," you smile, shoving him aside, "you can hug Myungsoo."

"Is my love not enough for you anymore!?" Sungyeol fakes being offended, putting on a fake hurt expression.

Jinkyung, his girlfriend, scoffs. "Go hug that weirdo." She smacks him across the chest, shaking her head.

"That weirdo?" Myungsoo interrupts from behind, arching a brow. "Gee, thanks, love you too."

"Did anyone pack a can opener by any chance? Dongwoo and I wanted to cook something to pass the time," Eunha hollers from inside the cabin, followed by the sounds of rummaging through the kitchen cupboards.

Sunggyu and his wife, Jinhee, tell everyone to just relax and take it easy, no plans. The married couple had made it a yearly tradition have a cabin getaway with friends and they thought it would be the perfect time, seeing that both Woohyun and Sungyeol, being part owners of a restaurant chain, were in need of a little vacation.

"I packed one!" Hyoae, Sungjong's girlfriend, pipes up excitedly, putting her hand up like a student in elementary, searching her bag quickly. She produces a can opener and presents it to her boyfriend with the widest smile, grinning with pride.

"There! We should be able to manage," Sungjong returns Hyoae's smile, patting her on the head before handing it over to Dongwoo.

"Did we pack enough food?" Woohyun pipes up, noticing the duffel bag he was carrying is heavier than it was before. "Honey, what did you pack in here?" he looks at Jooyeon, his fiance.

"I kinda got carried away," she confesses, putting her face down, slightly embarrassed. Woohyun doesn't mind at all though, laughing at his over-enthusiastic partner, finding it rather cute actually.

You stand next to Myungsoo, the both of you looking at the lovesick couples before you, almost grossed out by how cute they could be. "Gross."

"Room assignments!" Sunggyu calls out, and you look at him like he's crazy. “Rooms will pair off as follows—”

Woohyun cocks an eyebrow. “We’re literally already paired off.”

Sunggyu glares at him. “LET ME HAVE THIS.” He clears his throat dramatically. “Woohyun and Jooyeon. Dongwoo and Eunha. Sungjong and Hyoae. Sungyeol and Jinkyung. And finally—”

"Myungsoo and Y/N!" Jinhee finishes for him, waving her hand around casually, as if she was mentioning the weather outside or something of no importance. Sunggyu pouts at his wife and she rolls her eyes. "Honey, you were taking forever."

You practically gape, giving both your heads of friends a surprised look, "Wait... what?! Seriously? You want us to sleep... in the same room as each other?!"

"I thought the cabin had 7 rooms?" Myungsoo tilts his head at Jinhee, brows crinkling together as if he was thinking about something.

Sunggyu quickly chimes in, "Oh right! About that, me and the missus stored furniture and junk in one of the rooms when we were renovating the cabin, we just haven't found the time to get the old things out so that's why there's no extra room this time.."

"This sucks..." Myungsoo voices your thoughts perfectly, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'll just sleep in the living room then."

"Don't be an idiot," you smack his shoulder, giving him a deadpan look. "You'll freeze and probably catch a cold."

"But if I sleep with you..." he mumbles under his breath, more for him than anyone else, eyes diverting.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

You don't believe it for a minute but just let him be, pushing the matter aside.

"So now that's settled, let's just chill for a while," Sunggyu declares. The sun is still out, so a few people volunteer to make lunch. In the end, it’s Dongwoo, Eunha, Sungjong and Hyoae who make lunch with Hyoae also baking the cake for dessert.

"I brought a whole stash of board games, so pick whatever you want, and we'll set it all up later," Woohyun tosses the plastic bag of games to Sungyeol who digs around through the bag. "Did anyone bring extra alcohol? Truth or Drink would be a good game too."

Everyone gives a thumbs up, assuring they do indeed have their own stash, and with that, Woohyun clasps his hands together, nodding and deciding to lounge in the living room and catch up with everyone.

You find yourself zoning out during most conversations. You would have participated a lot more than usual had the idea of sharing a bed with a certain Kim Myungsoo not flashed through your mind constantly. Everyone knows that you and he had a past relationship, but honestly, it’s better to be stuck with him than someone you barely even know.

But your heart still feels weird, and you definitely can't concentrate fully. Maybe you should try and put distance between you and him? But that’s pointless. It’s just a harmless trip, friends going up for a short time away from civilization. So far, everyone seems normal, including Myungsoo, who’s engaging in an argument over something stupid. Yeah, just keep it together and it'll turn out okay. You mentally make up your mind and keep up a determined stare.

You’ll stick close to the girls for most of the trip and distance yourself from Myungsoo a little. You’ll remain friends, and there’s nothing else beyond that. You think that, but not even an hour later, you’re staring at Myungsoo's half-naked body while he frolicks with the guys in the creek behind the cabin.

"You're staring," Eunha's soft voice enters your ears.

"Huh?" You snap out of your haze, tearing your eyes from the raven-haired man, turning towards your younger sister. "No I wasn't."

"Girl," Jinkyung rolls her eyes, "even a blind person can tell you're still interested in him."

"I'm not interested!" You snap, before you catch your mistake and cover your mouth with one hand.

"Uh-huh," Jooyeon coos, rubbing her palm over yours, "If you're not gonna stare, I will."

"I'm telling Woohyun on you!" You retort.

She laughs, putting her free hands up. "Okay, okay!" she laughs, knowing you don't mean a word of the threat. "But there's nothing wrong with looking. I'm sure he worked hard for that bod being in the marines and whatnot during his enlistment service."

You find yourself stealing another glance towards where Myungsoo is. They are splashing water and pushing at each other, like a bunch of teenagers rather than grown adult men. But you find Myungsoo immediately, moving and pulling himself back up on the rocks, eyes immediately fixing on his abs. He was always muscular back in the day, but damn, Myungsoo is sporting a nice body that puts his younger self's to shame, especially with the light sheen of water droplets decorating his smooth skin.

"They look good, don't they? All wet and strong," Hyoae smiles, adding fuel to the fire, making a point of waving her finger over the six wet males. You watch as Hyoae wiggles a finger at Sungjong and laughs lightly. "My Jongie," she coos, beckoning him, and she runs straight into his arms as Sungjong holds his out and embraces his lover tightly in his wet body. You sigh to yourself, wishing you were the lucky one.

"You've been sighing a lot today. If we could translate those sighs..." Jinkyung puts a finger to her temple, "I would say something like... I really want a boyfriend, and for that boyfriend to be my hot, wet, naked crush out there, holding my body close. Oh the things I would do-"

You slap a hand to Jinkyung's mouth and narrow your eyes dangerously. "If you so much as speak another word, I will smack you."

"Oops..." Jinkyung places her hands up, but then grins wickedly. "But really though. What was Myungsoo like? Like in... bed and stuff, did he give-"

"No!" You slap a hand to your own mouth as the other girls dissolve into laughter.

"Tell me you at least got laid good when you two dated," Jinhee retorts.

"I am not going to talk about my sex life with you all," you groan and rub your face.

The ladies laugh in chorus, enjoying each other's company, unaware that the six soaked men have already exited the waters and are standing only a few feet away.

The others approach first, in various states of being dried off and Sunggyu waves, gaining the girls' attention. He wraps Jinhee in his arms, smacking a kiss on her cheek. "Oh! Ohohoho, here comes the wet, naked and hot, as promised."

"Gross," you feign a look of disgust, looking away only to catch Myungsoo standing directly in front of you, his six pack abs glistening with beads of water. You bite your lower lips, feeling your face heat up for staring way too long. "I'm going in," you quickly utter and rush inside the cabin before he can say a word.

The cabin door slams behind you, the sound echoing louder than it should. Your pulse is still racing from the sight of him — water‑slick skin, the curve of his waist, the way he looked at you like he knew. You lean against the counter, trying to breathe.

You hear the front door open behind you — heavy footsteps, the soft thud of someone drying their hair with a towel. You don’t need to turn around to know who it is. His presence hits you like heat.

“Myungsoo, don’t,” you mutter, staring straight ahead.

The footsteps slow, stop behind you. The sound of him breathing is so, so quiet. He's so quiet.

Suddenly, you turn, and you're shocked to see him within reaching distance. If either of you take one step closer, the tips of your toes will touch, your chest will graze his. You lift your gaze up, catching his dark eyes with your own. The silence stretches out before either of you can dare to speak.

"Why not?" His tone is smooth and low. The air feels charged, and you inhale deeply, licking your suddenly dry lips. It feels wrong, seeing him so exposed, almost vulnerable. He continues his torture. "What's holding you back?"

It seems wrong, talking to him so seriously while his skin is mostly bare for your viewing pleasure. He shouldn't have those muscles, not the firmness around his middle, not the ridges that disappear under his pants. And those thick arms, the shoulders that look like they could hold up the entire universe, hold it all together, shouldn't be so... kissable.

Your throat goes dry, your cheeks burn, and all you can imagine doing is pressing your palms up the sides of his stomach, kissing him like he wants. You don't even hear the thunder roaring or feel the cabin trembling because everything seems so small and insignificant now.

"Go put on a damn shirt," you snap, shoving past him to walk briskly to the bedrooms.

"Were you staring?" He calls, laughter dancing through his question.

"That was not staring!"

He laughs again and you slam the bedroom door. The last thing you hear from him is: "Cute."

"Power’s out!" Sunggyu calls from somewhere in the cabin. There is a loud crash, a sudden wave of curses, and the sound of someone hitting the wall hard, followed by the cry of pain. It's pitch black and hard to move around. "There's some flashlights and candles in one of the closets. Myungsoo, Y/N, mind looking?"

"Sure," Myungsoo replies.

There is the shuffling of clothes, followed by footsteps. Suddenly, a cold hand wraps around your wrist, "I got you."

"How'd you know it was me?" You let him lead you forward, surprised by how quickly he can find his way around in the dark.

He shrugs, opening one of the closets before you and rummages through a box of items before producing a package of flashlights. "I could tell it was you."

"Yeah?" you ask.

"Maybe," he answers, flicking on the flashlight. It glows a dim light, before dimming just as suddenly. He frowns, checking the flashlight once again. "Dang. We need the good batteries."

Somehow, the door to the closet is shut, and suddenly his arms are caged on either side of you. The dim, flickering beam of the dying flashlight does nothing to illuminate the closet; it only casts long, sharp shadows across the planes of Myungsoo’s face. The space is suffocatingly small, smelling of old cedar, rain-dampened wood, and the intoxicating, clean scent of his skin.

"The batteries," Myungsoo murmurs, his voice a low, gravelly vibration in the dark. "They're... up there."

He shifts, his broad chest brushing flush against yours as he reaches upward. You gasp softly at the friction, your back pressing hard against the shelves behind you. The movement brings him entirely into your space. Because of the cramped quarters, he can't just reach up; he has to lean his weight fully into you to stabilize himself.

"Myungsoo," you breathe, your hands automatically coming up to find purchase. Your palms land flat against his bare, warm chest. The contact is electric. You can feel the rapid, heavy thudding of his heart beneath his ribs, mirroring your own wild pulse.

"Hold still," he whispers. His voice is strained now, the playful confidence from the kitchen entirely gone, replaced by a thick, heavy gravity.

He stretches higher, his abdomen flexing hard against your stomach. Every muscle in his torso is defined, moving against you with agonizing slowness as his fingers sweep blindly across the dusty top shelf. Your breath hitches. To keep from stumbling backward into the shelving, your fingers curl into the fabric of his jeans at his waist, pulling him a fraction of an inch closer.

Myungsoo lets out a low, ragged exhale at your touch. He freezes, his arm still raised, his fingers just brushing the edge of a plastic battery pack. He doesn't grab them. Instead, his focus shifts entirely to you.

The silence between you is deafening, filled only by the sound of your synchronized, shallow breathing. In the shadows, his dark eyes lock onto yours, burning with a decade's worth of unsaid words, regrets, and starved affection.

Slowly, deliberately, his free hand comes down from the wall, his knuckles lightly grazing the sensitive skin of your neck. The touch is feather-light, a agonizingly slow caress that sends a violent shiver straight down your spine. His thumb finds your jawline, tilting your face up just a fraction. He leans in closer, his lips hovering mere inches from yours, close enough that you can feel the warmth of his breath.

It takes you a moment to realize he had already reached up and plucked down the batteries needed, the very ones you came here in search for.

"You're shaking," he whispers, his thumb tracing a slow, agonizing circle on your cheekbone.

"It's cold," you lie, your voice barely audible and your hands tightening their grip on his waist. You shouldn't want this. You should push him away. But the sheer heat radiating from him is the only thing keeping you grounded in the dark.

"Liar," he murmurs softly.

He leans just a hair closer, his chest crushing softly against yours, his hips pinning you gently against the shelf. For a terrifying, exhilarating second, you think he’s finally going to bridge the gap and kiss you—to obliterate the ten years of agonizing normalcy you both forced yourselves to endure. Your eyes flutter shut, your lips parting in silent invitation.

The plastic package on the top shelf crinkles loudly as his fingers finally hook around it.

With a sharp, sudden intake of air, Myungsoo pulls his hand back from your face, gripping the heavy pack of D-batteries. He doesn't step back immediately—he can't, and perhaps, he doesn't want to. His forehead rests against yours for one prolonged, agonizing heartbeat, his body still draped over yours, heavy and warm.

"Got 'em," he says, his voice rough and laced with a thick undercurrent of tension.

Before you can process the sudden loss of his touch, he shifts his weight, blindly reaching behind him to twist the closet doorknob. The door swings open, flooding the tight space with the cool air of the hallway and the faint, distant chatter of your friends.

Myungsoo steps out into the hallway first, the flashlight clicking completely dead in his hand, leaving him a dark silhouette. He clears his throat, calling out to the living room, "We found the batteries, Sunggyu!" He tosses two flashlights to Sunggyu and Jinhee who are still digging around through other cupboards in search of the spare flashlights.

"It is raining like hell out," Woohyun laughs, "Probably got struck with lightning. It would explain the power out."

"Fuck, it's so damn dark," Eunha announces, leaning against Dongwoo, squinting her eyes.

Dongwoo kisses Eunha's cheek and glances around the room, "I guess playing truth or dare or strip poker is out. The rest of the night will just be sitting in the dark."

Sungyeol holds a finger up, "Or, we can play 'Never Have I Ever'! We have plenty of alcohol and enough flashlights and candles going on, so why not?" He suggests, gathering the attention of everyone. "You can opt out any time or not join if it's making you uncomfortable."

"Works for me," Eunha replies.

"Me too," Dongwoo nods.

The whole room buzzes with murmurs of agreeing to the game. With everyone gathered around the living room, an array of bottles is set at the center, the circle of people forms as some opt for seats and the rest sit on the carpet floor. It wasn't anything new, and seeing how the game will proceed, most don't object when a bottle is grabbed and tossed in the center.

The usual beginning statements of rules are presented, and it isn't long after that the game starts up.

"Hmm..." Sungyeol squints his eyes, looking thoughtful. "Okay. Never have I ever gotten arrested for underage drinking!"

Everyone turned their heads towards Jinkyung who groans and grabs the nearest drink. Everyone bursts out into a series of 'ooh's and she tosses a pillow at Sungyeol, complaining the whole time.

A couple rounds pass with the questions not getting any deeper or provocative, which leads Sungyeol to getting frustrated with his questions getting called out. So then, the fun part starts up.

"Come on, these questions are so soft! Nothing naughty going on here," Sungyeol pouts his lips. He calls out with a devious glint in his eyes, "Never have I ever..." He takes a moment to think, finally his lips twitching into a smug smirk as he spoke, "been in a messy breakup!"

He totally directed that one straight towards you and Myungsoo and everyone was curious, watching the two of you grab the nearest cups and take a drink of alcohol.

"We don't talk about it!" both of you spit out.

Sunggyu claps his hands. “Okay, next—”

But Sungyeol cuts him off. “No, no, no. We’re not skipping past that. That breakup was legendary.”

You stiffen. “Sungyeol—”

“What? I’m just saying! You two were like… the couple. The couple everyone thought would get married. And then boom! Chaos, heartbreak, international flight—”

“Yeol,” Myungsoo’s voice is low. Warning. Dangerous.

It sends a shiver down your spine.

Sungyeol throws his hands up. “Fine, fine. Sensitive topic. Moving on.”

The silence that follows Sungyeol’s forced retreat is heavy, suffocating, and punctuated only by the aggressive drumming of rain against the cabin windows.

You keep your eyes glued to your drink, your thumb tracing the condensation on the glass. The word legendary echoes in your head. Is that what a shattered heart looks like to everyone else? A spectator sport? They hadn't been there for the suffocating silence of the drive to the airport. They hadn't seen the way Myungsoo’s hands had gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white, or heard the absolute finality in the sound of your suitcase wheels rolling away from him.

Across the dim, candlelit circle, you feel rather than see Myungsoo’s gaze fixed on you. You risk a glance up.

Through the flickering shadows, his dark eyes are burning, raw with a vulnerability he usually keeps locked in a fortress of indifference. He looks exactly like he had ten years ago—hurt, defensive, and fiercely protective of a wound that clearly hasn't healed.

"Alright, I think the alcohol is hitting me harder than I thought," you lie smoothly, putting your cup down on the carpet. You force a bright, practiced smile that doesn't reach your eyes. "I'm going to turn in early. Don't let me ruin the fun, though."

"Do you need a flashlight, Y/N?" Jooyeon asks softly, her eyes filled with sympathy.

"No, it's fine, I'll use my phone screen," you murmur, already pushing yourself up from the floor.

The bedroom is freezing. You don't turn on a flashlight. Instead, you curl up on your side of the queen-sized bed, pulling the heavy quilt tightly around your shoulders, staring out into the dark. Your chest aches with a physical tightness. Ten years, and a single comment from a friend can still make you feel like you were bleeding out on an airport terminal floor.

Ten minutes later, the door creaks open.

A shaft of dim light from the hallway cuts through the room before closing again. Heavy, familiar footsteps quiet as they approach the bed. You hold your breath, tensing, pretending to be asleep.

The mattress dips significantly. Myungsoo lies down on his side of the bed, keeping a strict, painful distance between your bodies. For a long time, neither of you move. The only sound is the howling storm outside and the ragged rhythm of your own breathing.

"I know you're awake," Myungsoo whispers into the dark. His voice sounds wrecked, stripped of the playful sarcasm he’d used in the car.

You don't turn around. "Go to sleep, Myungsoo."

"Did you mean it?" He asks, ignoring your dismissal. He shifts, the fabric of his clothes rustling against the sheets. "Back then. When you said I was suffocating you. Did you mean it?"

The question is an arrow straight to the chest. The angst of a decade's worth of unsaid words swells up in your throat, choking you. You roll over to face him, the darkness masking the tears welling in your eyes, though you know he can feel the shift.

"Why are you doing this now?" You choke out, your voice trembling. "It’s been ten years, Myungsoo. You didn't come with me. You chose your life here, and I chose mine there. We broke each other. Why dig it up?"

"Because I'm tired of pretending!" He bursts out, a sudden, fierce whisper. You hear him move closer, breaking the safe distance. In the shadows, you can see the outline of his face, mere inches from yours now. "I’m tired of being in the same room as you and acting like you're just Dongwoo’s sister-in-law. I’m tired of watching you date men who don't deserve you, and I’m sick to death of trying to find you in every single person I look at, only to come up empty."

Your heart hammers against your ribs so violently it’s dizzying. "Myungsoo..."

"I wanted to ask you to stay," he confesses, his voice dropping to a broken, desperate pitch. "Every single day you were gone, I woke up wishing I had crawled on my hands and knees and begged you not to get on that plane. But I was proud. And I was stupid. And I thought... I thought you wanted a world that was bigger than me."

You force yourself to meet his eyes. “I was scared. I thought you’d choose your family over me. And you did.”

His breath catches — like you hit something raw. “I didn’t choose them over you,” he says, voice low, pained. “I chose what I thought was right. I thought you’d hate me if I held you back. I thought you’d resent me if I asked you to stay.” You stare at him, stunned. He laughs once — bitter, self-directed. “I didn’t realize I’d lose you either way.”

Your chest aches. “Myungsoo…”

He leans forward slightly — not touching you, but close enough that you can feel the warmth of his breath. “You think I didn’t want to run after you at the airport?” His voice is barely a whisper. “You think I didn’t want to grab you and beg you to stay? I almost did. I almost ruined everything you worked for.” Your heart is pounding so hard it hurts. “And now,” he continues, eyes dropping to your lips for a fraction of a second, “we’re here. In the same room. Ten years later. And I still—”

He stops himself. His throat works. His hands curl into fists on his knees, like he’s physically restraining himself.

You whisper, “Still what?”

He looks at you like the truth is tearing him open. “Still want you,” he says, voice rough. “Still think about you. Still feel everything I shouldn’t.”

The air between you goes molten. You inhale sharply. “Myungsoo…”

"I don't blame you," he whispers, his thumb catching another stray tear. "I never blamed you. I wanted you to fly. I just... I always thought that eventually, you'd find your way back to me."

"I am back," you breathe, your voice barely audible over the thunder outside. "I've been back for years, Myungsoo. But you never asked me to stay. Myungsoo, I never stopped wanting you.”

His eyes snap open. The candle flickers violently. The storm roars. And for a moment, neither of you breathe. He whispers, “Say it again.”

You do. "I never stopped wanting you.”

He exhales like he’s been underwater for years. He leans in — slowly, painfully slowly — giving you every chance to pull away. His forehead almost touches yours. His breath ghosts your lips. But he doesn’t kiss you. He stops a hair’s breadth away, trembling with restraint. “Tell me to stop,” he whispers. “Please. Because if I kiss you now, I won’t be able to pretend anymore.”

Your pulse is a drum. Your hands shake. Your heart is breaking and healing at the same time. You whisper back, “I’m not telling you to stop.”

He kisses you. His mouth fits against yours, and the taste of him hits you like a blow to the chest. One hand grips your jaw, his fingers curling into the hair at the base of your neck. The other hand slides up the column of your throat until his thumb brushes over your lower lip. The movement forces your mouth open, and then his thumb is dragging over the sensitive flesh of your tongue. He inhales sharply through his nose as you suck on his thumb, and the way he looks at you with heat and hunger makes your cheeks flush.

Kissing Myungsoo is so achingly familiar and yet so different. He used to be gentler and slow, exploring, but this, the desperation, the need to just touch you is driving him wild and you respond with the same amount of desperation. Myungsoo shifts his weight so he can deepen the kiss, his tongue swiping against yours. Your senses flood with him. Your fingers trail along his thighs as his other hand, the one that had been grasping your jaw, moves lower. Suddenly, your back is against the mattress as his body cages you. His warmth surrounds you as the kiss grows hot, hungry, as if he was ravenous for your mouth, and all you could think is, more.

He breaks away suddenly, panting, resting his forehead against yours. His breath is labored. His skin is warm and flushed. He stares at you with wild, unguarded, lust-blown eyes. All his restraints are gone, you think, and he is breathtakingly, breathtaking. Your hair is a tangled mess around your face and your lips are swollen. His shoulders flex with each panted breath. His voice is gravelly as he murmurs, "Y/N..."

His tone is questioning, soft. Almost loving and filled with a thousand things unsaid. He cups your cheek, his thumb stroking you so gently, his brows are scrunched together, concerned. His thumb is still resting lightly on your bottom lip, wet and hot, making you gasp, your knees weak.

"Yes?"

"Can I... do things I shouldn't do?" He breathes, his head lowering down, a brush against your lips. "Things that maybe..."

"Maybe?" You gasp.

"Just maybe," His breath is ragged, "...I've thought about them for a very, very long time." His hand slides along the curve of your body as he whispers in a strangled tone, "Things that I miss doing with you."

Your voice is raspy, his eyes fixated on your swollen lips. "Like what?"

"Kissing," he touches his lips lightly to the side of your mouth. His touch leaves your knees weak. "Holding. Touching," his fingers trail down your sides and make your body come to life. He touches your lips, and the world melts. He whispers, "Being with you."

A thousand sparks sizzle up your arms. Your gaze goes to the collar of his shirt, the fabric pulled taut, showing how perfectly toned he is. Myungsoo closes his eyes when he feels the warm tip of your finger tracing down his neck. "Like I said," you toy with his collar, voice lowered. "I'm not stopping you."

He opens his eyes slowly, only to find that your gaze is hot. So hot it causes his breath to hitch. Your nails dig into the front of his shirt and rip it open, buttons flying everywhere, making a series of sounds when hitting the hardwood floors. You part his shirt further and sigh at his muscles, finally on display, which flex with excitement at your reaction to seeing them, causing you to swallow audibly.

Your hands skim across his pectorals, trailing to his biceps and back up to his broad shoulders as they work to slide his shirt off, leaving his upper torso bare. He hisses through his teeth as you lean your upper body in, closing the gap between you as your chest brushes against his own, nipples hard and sensitive as the fabric caresses his skin. "I can't believe how badly I miss seeing you like this..." your lips meet his warm skin, just under his jaw, "you always had a gorgeous body, but even now... damn, it makes my mouth water."

He leans his head back as your kisses travel along his jaw to his lips and pull the fabric off, throwing his shirt on the floor. "Ten years..." his fingers twine themselves in your hair as he groans softly, "did you keep yourself busy?"

His breath is warm as it spills over your lips, and it makes you think of hot summer nights, of holding your breath in the dark with his naked, dampened skin against yours and the damp, sweat-scented air. Makes you want to hold him down and press your ear against his chest just to hear the thunder of his heartbeat.

"There have been men." Your hands travel along his shoulders, pressing and digging into his skin, mapping out the way he feels. "But none of them were you," you admit, words barely audible, almost like a confession as you smile against his neck. "It was never right. None of them could be you."

And like the sun after rain, your smile makes him smile too.

He steals your lips for another deep kiss. Your mouths are relentless as they connect. Breathy moans are lost in the confines of each other's mouths. The desire rises between you until the rest of the world fades out. There is just Myungsoo, the shape and feel of his body, his touch, his warm lips, his tongue, and you want more. So much more than what is possible to do in such a short period. You both have needs that cannot be quenched, the carnal desire for one another cannot be tamed even for a small amount of time.

"Myungsoo," you moan into his mouth, and your hips instinctively roll against him, earning a shaky groan. His hands find the hem of your t-shirt, bunching the fabric up before swiftly removing it and exposing your flushed skin. He rests one hand on the bed beside your head and lets his other hand smooth over the curve of your side as he captures your lips once again. With each movement, each sensual sweep of his tongue, every tender and forceful caress, his hand climbs higher, teasing the underside of your breast. It leaves you arching, wanting, craving. It leaves you a puddle of moans as your core aches with each sensual, intimate move, the tightness knotting and spreading pleasurable heat to each and every part of your body, electrifying your nerves and lighting your senses. You inhale a shaky breath as your hands work to take off your bottoms, leaving you in panties and a bra only.

You gasp sharply as the pressure of his pelvis is now heavy against your lower regions, and the anticipation makes you swallow anxiously in addition to the hardness straining his jeans against your center, causing him to smirk. But this is how it usually plays out, the tease and denial making you melt. Like old times, he loves hearing you beg for him, but the game has changed, because now you know you hold more power.

Your fingers hook beneath the waistband of his jeans, tugging down with a possessive ferocity that catches him off guard. A low, gravelly sound tears from Myungsoo’s throat as you push the heavy denim over his hips, your palms sliding down the hard, tense planes of his thighs, committing the rigid geometry of his body to memory. He kicks the trousers away, moving with a sudden, predatory agility that shifts him back over you. The sheer weight of him, solid and unyielding, settles heavily into the cradle of your thighs. The thin barrier of his boxer briefs offers agonizingly little protection against the thick, throbbing heat of his arousal, pressing firmly against your soaking panties.

"You think you hold the reins here, Y/N?" he murmurs against your jaw, his voice vibrating deep within your chest. His teeth graze the sensitive juncture where your neck meets your shoulder, biting down just hard enough to make you arch up into his touch, a broken gasp escaping your lips. "Ten years of waiting. Ten years of watching you look at other men. You don't get to dictate how fast we burn."

His hands descend to the clasp of your bra, releasing it with a practiced, fluid motion. The cool air of the room hits your bare skin for a fraction of a second before it is instantly replaced by the searing warmth of his palms. He cups your breasts, his thumbs sweeping over the tight, aching peaks, rolling them with a deliberate, agonizing friction that sends a white-hot current straight to your core. Your hips roll instinctively, seeking a deeper pressure, but Myungsoo pins you down, his thighs locking yours in place, denying you the completion you are visibly begging for.

"Myungsoo, please," you whimper, your fingers digging into the defined muscles of his upper back, leaving faint red crescents on his skin. "Don't tease me. Not tonight."

"Look at me," he commands, his voice dropping an octave, thick with a dark, primal hunger.

You open your heavy eyes, your vision blurred with tears of sheer frustration and desire. In the dim, flickering amber glow of the dying candle, his face is a mask of pure, concentrated lust. His jaw is clenched so tightly a muscle leaps in his cheek, and his gaze is fixed entirely on your face, reading every micro-expression of your pleasure.

"I want to hear you say it," he whispers, his breath hot against your swollen lips. He reaches down, his fingers sliding beneath the lace edge of your panties, finding the drenched, burning heat of your center. He doesn't insert his fingers immediately; instead, he circles your sensitive bundle, his touch light, maddeningly soft, tracing the slick folds until you are shaking beneath him. "Tell me exactly who is ruining you right now."

"You," you sob out, the sensation driving you to the brink of insanity. You tilt your pelvis upward, forcing his hand deeper, the friction causing a slick, wet sound to echo in the small space between your bodies. "It’s only ever been you, Myungsoo. Please, I can’t—"

He doesn't let you finish. With a swift, fluid motion, he strips the last remaining pieces of clothing from both of your bodies, discarding them to the floor. The sensation of skin-on-skin contact is overwhelming, a sensory overload that makes you both shudder. He positions himself between your thighs, his thick length pressing directly against your aching entrance, teasing the threshold.

He pauses, his chest heaving against yours, his heart hammering like a trapped bird. The yearning in his eyes is palpable, a decade-long drought waiting for a single drop of rain. "If I do this," he rasps, his fingers intertwining with yours, pinning your hands to the mattress on either side of your head, "there is no going back to being just friends. There is no more pretending. You are mine again."

"I was always yours," you whisper back, your voice raw with emotion. "I never stopped."

A ragged exhale escapes him, and he drives his hips forward, burying himself inside you in one deep, unyielding thrust.

The fullness is staggering, a sharp, exquisite stretch that pulls a loud, uninhibited groan from your throat. Your eyes snap shut as your internal muscles clench tightly around him, welcoming him home with an intensity that makes Myungsoo’s head fall back, his neck muscles straining as he rides out the sheer wave of pleasure. For a long, breathless moment, neither of you moves, simply absorbing the profound reality of being one again after a decade of separation.

Then, the rhythm begins.

It is not gentle. The years of pent-up frustration, the unsaid words, the jealousy, and the profound ache of separation fuel every heavy, bruising thrust. Myungsoo sets a relentless pace, his hips slamming into yours with a rhythmic, primitive force that makes the wooden headboard thud rhythmically against the wall. The sound is loud, dangerously indiscreet in a cabin full of your friends, but neither of you cares. The world has shrunk to the perimeter of this mattress, to the slick, friction-heated heat of your bodies colliding.

You wrap your legs around his waist, locking him closer, wanting every single inch of him. Every time he pulls back, nearly withdrawing completely, you whine, pulling him back in with the strength of your thighs. He rewards your eagerness with deeper, harder strokes, his fingers digging into your hips, anchoring you to take the full force of his weight.

"You're so tight," he groans against your ear, his breath hitching as your walls pulse around him. "So perfect. You haven't changed at all."

The heat in your lower stomach builds rapidly, tightening into a hard, coiled spring. The sheer friction of his body against yours, combined with the deliberate pressure of his thumb pressing against your bundle with every thrust, brings you to the absolute edge. Your breath comes in short, ragged pants, your head tossing from side to side on the pillow.

"Myungsoo, I'm close…I'm going to…"

"Come for me, Y/N," he growls, his pace becoming faster, almost frantic, his own climax rapidly catching up to him. "Let me feel it."

With a final, devastatingly deep thrust, your body fractures. Your internal muscles convulse violently around him in a series of intense, rhythmic spasms. A loud, breathless cry escapes your lips, buried quickly in the crook of his neck as the waves of the climax wash over you, turning your limbs to jelly.

Hearing your release breaks the last of his iron control. Myungsoo lets out a low, animalistic roar, his body stiffening completely as he thrusts deep inside you one last time, holding himself there as he unloads his release inside you. The sheer force of his climax ripples through his entire frame, his muscles locking, his chest heaving as he pours himself into you, claiming you completely.

The silence that follows is heavy, broken only by the sound of your synchronized, labored breathing and the steady patter of the rain outside. Myungsoo collapses onto your chest, his head buried in your hair, still trembling slightly from the aftershocks. He doesn't move to pull away, and you don't want him to.

After a long while, he shifts, rolling onto his side but keeping you securely wrapped in his arms, pulling the heavy quilt over your damp, chilled skin. He places a soft, lingering kiss on your forehead, his arm tightening around your waist as if fearing you might disappear if he lets go.

"We're going to have to talk to the others in the morning," he murmurs into the dark, a small, exhausted smile tugging at his lips.

You press your face into his bare chest, listening to the steady, comforting beat of his heart. "Let them talk," you whisper. "I'm not going anywhere."

The morning sun filters through the wooden blinds of the cabin, casting sharp angles of golden light across the tangled sheets. You wake up to the heavy, grounding weight of Myungsoo’s arm wrapped securely around your waist, his chest flush against your bare back. For a few quiet moments, neither of you moves. The chaotic storm from the night before has completely cleared, leaving behind only the crisp, damp scent of pine and the profound reality of what has just happened between you.

Myungsoo stirs, a low grunt vibrating through his chest as his grip tightens instinctively, pulling you closer into his warmth. His lips press a soft, lingering kiss to the bare skin of your shoulder.

"Don't move yet," he mumbles, his voice thick and rough with sleep. "If you get up, I have to face the fact that we actually have to open that door."

You turn in his embrace, looking up at him. His dark hair is a messy nest, and his eyes are heavy, but the guarded, distant look he has worn for the last ten years is entirely gone. In its place is an intense, raw vulnerability that makes your heart ache with a fierce protectiveness. You reach up, your fingers tracing the sharp line of his jawline.

"We can't hide in here forever," you whisper, a small smile tugging at your lips. "Sunggyu is probably already making an insufferable amount of noise in the kitchen."

"Let him," Myungsoo growls softly. He catches your hand, pressing a kiss to your palm before his eyes darkened with a sudden, renewed heat. He shifted his weight, pinning your hand above your head on the pillow, his bare thigh sliding between yours. The friction of his skin against yours immediately reignited the embers from last night. ""You're a heavy sleeper when you're exhausted."

"Whose fault is that?" you wheeze, your voice dry. You try to stretch, but a dull, deep ache in your core reminds you exactly how relentless he was in the dark. A flush creeps up your neck.

"Mine," he admits without a shred of remorse, his eyes darkening with a sudden, wicked flash. He slides his hand lower, under the heavy quilt, his warm palm settling flat against your bare stomach. "And I'd happily take the blame again."

Before the conversation can turn dangerous, a sudden, loud thud echoes from the hallway outside, followed by the muffled sound of Sungyeol’s voice.

"Are they alive in there? The kitchen is freezing, the power is still out, and I'm pretty sure I heard the headboard trying to break through the drywall around 3:00 AM."

"Shut up, Yeol!" Eunha’s voice hisses from further down the hall. "Give them some space."

"Space? They've had ten years of space!"

Inside the room, you freeze, pulling the quilt up to your chin with a gasp. Myungsoo, however, just rolls his eyes and lets out a low chuckle, entirely unbothered. He doesn't move away; instead, he deliberately shifts his weight, pinning your leg beneath his thigh, letting you feel the heavy, rigid length of his arousal pressing against your hip.

"Let them talk," he whispers, echoing your words from the night before. His fingers tangle in your hair, tilting your face up to his. "We have a lot of lost time to make up for, Y/N. I'm not letting you hide from me anymore."

"Myungsoo, they're right outside," you whisper, your heart pounding as his thumb drags across your lower lip, pushing it open slightly.

"Then don't make a sound," he growls against your skin, his lips dropping to the sensitive hollow beneath your ear. His hand slides down to the crease of your thigh, parting your legs with a slow, unyielding pressure. The sheer earnestness in the way he holds you—like he’s terrified the last ten years were a dream and he’s finally waking up—melts away any remaining hesitation.

You wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him down into a deep, breathless kiss, completely surrendering to the way back to him.

Thirty minutes later, dressed in oversized hoodies and trying your absolute best to look "casual," the two of you step out of the bedroom. Myungsoo holds the door for you, his hand resting casually on the small of your back—a subconscious declaration of ownership that he doesn't even try to hide.

The power is back on, lighting up the kitchen where the entire friend group is gathered around the large island. Dongwoo is pouring coffee, Jinhee is setting out plates, and Sungjong is leaning against the counter, a mug halfway to his mouth. Sungyeol, who is sitting at the kitchen island, slowly lowers his mug, a massive, cat-like grin spreading across his face when he sees you and Myungsoo.

"Well, well, well," Sungyeol purrs, breaking the silence. "Look who finally decided to join the living. And look at that... you both managed to survive the night in the same room without killing each other."

"Shut up, Yeol," Myungsoo says smoothly, walking past him to grab two mugs. He doesn't look flustered at all; in fact, there’s a distinct, smug satisfaction in the relaxed slope of his shoulders.

Eunha walks over to you, narrowing her eyes as she inspects your face. She looks down at your neck, where a faint, rosy mark is barely hidden by the collar of your hoodie. A slow smile breaks across your sister's face. "You look... rested, sis."

"I slept fine," you lie badly, coughing into your hand and reaching for the coffee Myungsoo hands you.

"Did you?" Jinkyung chimes in, wiping sleep from her eyes. "Because I could have sworn the cabin's foundation was settling last night. Kept hearing this rhythmic thud-thud-thud against the wall. I thought it was the storm, but..."

You nearly choke on your coffee. Myungsoo calmly steps up next to you, bumping his hip against yours, completely unfazed. "The headboard was loose," he says, taking a slow sip of his black coffee. "I fixed it."

"Oh, I bet you fixed it real good," Woohyun yells from the living room couch, throwing his head back in a loud laugh. Jooyeon smacks his arm, though she’s giggling too.

Sunggyu snorts, holding a spatula like a gavel. He looks between you and Myungsoo, his eyes lingering on the way Myungsoo’s arm is naturally draped over the back of your chair as you sit down.

"So," Sunggyu says, pointing the spatula at Myungsoo. "Are we updating the group chat relationship status from 'Single' to 'It's Complicated,' or did you two finally get your brains screwed on straight after ten years?"

Myungsoo looks down at you. The teasing, playful energy of the room fades into something incredibly quiet and heavy with emotion. He reaches down, threading his fingers through yours right there on top of the table, in front of everyone. He doesn't care about hiding it anymore. The pining is over.

"It's not complicated," Myungsoo says, his voice firm and clear, looking straight at his friends. "We're done wasting time."

Dongwoo lets out a dramatic sigh of relief, dropping his head onto Eunha's shoulder. "Thank God. I couldn't take another year of you staring at her like a pathetic puppy at every holiday party."

"Hey!" Myungsoo protests, his cheeks finally turning a slight shade of pink.

The entire kitchen erupts into laughter and cheers. Sungjong raises his coffee mug in a mock toast. "To the loose headboard. May it never be fixed again."

You bury your face in Myungsoo’s chest, laughing through your embarrassment. The weight that had been sitting on your chest for the last ten years—the regret, the unspoken words, the lingering jealousy—evaporates entirely.

There were very few things that you hated more than attending charity auctions with your husband. Sure, you loved Yoongi, and you completely understood that it was important to him to give back to your community, but you hated the way he treated you when the two of you were out together. Instead of being treated like his wife, you were treated more like an ornament. A trophy for your husband to show that he’d “made it” and had the life he’d always wanted. As much as you hated it though, you went anyway, because you knew how important his image was to him. And being a loving husband was an important part of his image, no matter how inaccurate that image was to the reality of your relationship with him after ten years together.

As the night went on, you got increasingly bored. No one at the event would have known it, though, especially not your husband. After all, Yoongi was too busy talking to Miyeon, his secretary and your best friend, to pay attention to you. You’d been suspicious of the relationship between Yoongi and Miyeon for a long time, but every time you brought up your concerns to either one of them, you were told how much they both cared about you and that they would never do that to you. You weren’t entirely sure that you believed them, but you really tried to for your own sake.

Not wanting to sit at the table and be ignored by your husband anymore, you decided to head to the bathroom to touch up your makeup. After your appearance was adjusted to your satisfaction, you stayed where you were a few extra minutes, just taking a few deep breaths and enjoying the small moment of peace. Feeling refreshed by your time away from the crowd that was sitting outside and pretending to care about charity, you decided to go back to your table.

You were still walking back when you noticed someone that was standing nearby. He was gorgeous, and when your eyes met, he smiled like the two of you were old friends, despite the fact that you’d never seen him before. You knew it was wrong to look at anyone other than your husband the way that you were now looking at the stranger, but you couldn’t help yourself. You briefly considered approaching him so that you could introduce yourself, but before you could, he approached you and said, “Hi, gorgeous. My name’s Junhui. What’s yours?”

That was when you realized who you were speaking to. This was the man that was running against Yoongi for the position of district attorney in the upcoming election. The man that Yoongi took any and every opportunity that presented itself to rant about, telling you exactly why you were never to speak to him.

But one little conversation couldn’t hurt, right?

With a smile, you introduced yourself and said, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“So, are you here with anyone?” Junhui asked, acting more like he was at a club than a charity auction.

“Yes, actually. I’m here with my husband.”

“Oh, really? Then why are you all alone?”

“He’s back at our table,” you answered as you pointed to where Yoongi sat with Miyeon. “Actually, I should probably go sit back down with him,” you added, hoping your voice didn’t give away just how nervous you were to be talking to such a gorgeous man.

“What’s your rush, sweetheart?”

“I just don’t want him to worry.”

“He looks fine to me,” Junhui said, staring past you and looking like he wanted to punch someone.

You turned away from Junhui to see what he was staring at, and that was when you saw the way that Yoongi was looking at Miyeon, holding her hand and staring into her eyes the way that he used to look into yours. That was when you decided that you weren’t really in a hurry to get back to him and said, “I guess a few more minutes couldn’t hurt.”

You talked to Junhui for a while after that, and you had to admit that you liked the way he made you feel as you spoke. He asked questions about the things that you said that showed that he was paying attention, something that Yoongi never did anymore, and he looked at you like you were the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen, something that no one had ever done before. You knew it was wrong, but you would have been lying if you’d said that you weren’t at least a little bit attracted to Junhui.

When you finally got back to your table, you noticed that your friend was nowhere in sight. So, as you took your seat next to your husband, you asked, “Where did Miyeon go?”

“She left to go talk to someone. Listen, I need to go take care of a few things after the auction ends. Do you think you can get an Uber home tonight?”

“Of course, honey,” you answered, used to him leaving you as soon as he didn’t need to look good anymore. “Do you know when you’ll be home?”

“No, I don’t. Sorry, sweetheart.”

“That’s ok. Just be safe tonight. I love you.”

Your husband was too distracted by Miyeon’s abrupt return to your table to even notice that you’d said something to him. Not wanting to be the third wheel in your own relationship anymore that night, you decided that you were ready to leave. So, you got up and walked toward the exit, intending to call an Uber once you were outside. Before you got to the door, though, you bumped into Junhui again.

“Hi, gorgeous,” he said. “Where are you off to?”

“Just heading home for the night. I’m a bit tired,” you answered, hoping that you could successfully hide the complex emotions swirling around your mind.

“Without your husband?” he asked, feigning surprise. “Scandalous!”

“He just wanted to stay and enjoy the auction.”

“The auction, sure,” he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he noticed Yoongi laughing with Miyeon at your table. Turning his attention back to you, he added, “Before you go, take this,” and handed you a small slip of paper.

“What is it?”

“My number.”

“Oh, I can’t take this. I-”

“Relax, sweetheart. I just wanna be friends.”

You knew that he was full of shit, but you still smiled and said, “Ok.” There was a moment of silence before you added, “I really should go now. I’ll text you when I get home?”

“Works for me. It was nice meeting you, by the way.”

“Yeah, it was nice to meet you too,” you said, making your way toward the exit. Once you were outside, you got an Uber to take you home, and for the entire ride, you thought about the man that you’d met at the auction. You knew who Junhui was, since your husband had spoken about him to you at length, but you’d never gotten the chance to speak to him directly, or even seen his face for that matter, before the charity auction. Now that you had actually met him, though, you couldn’t help but wonder if he really was as bad as Yoongi said he was.

Was this really the same man that Yoongi had spent weeks ranting about? The man that Yoongi believed would make the seat of district attorney look like a joke if he was elected? The man known for his “shady tactics and shadier associations, who has absolutely no business in public office,” according to your husband? You couldn’t really believe it, if you were being honest. If the things that Yoongi had said about Junhui were true, though, that meant he was definitely bad news.

And yet, you couldn’t get him out of your mind.

When you finally got home, you took your time with your nighttime routine, letting the process of getting ready for bed ground you after a stressful day. Once your nighttime routine was done, you pulled the crumpled slip of paper that Junhui had given you out of your purse and texted the number that was written on it.

You: Hi, it’s me. It was really nice meeting you tonight. Junhui: It was nice to meet you too, gorgeous. I’d love to see you again sometime. You: What happened to just wanting to be friends? Junhui: Hey, I am being friendly. You: You’re being flirty. There’s a difference. Junhui: It doesn’t seem like you mind, though. Am I wrong?

Needless to say, he was completely right. You knew that you were in the wrong, but you loved how attentive and sweet Junhui was compared to Yoongi. Still, you knew better than to actually act on the attraction to your husband’s rival that was beginning to settle in your chest. So, you gently reminded Junhui that you were married, and he agreed to behave. Whether he would hold up his end of the agreement, however, was yet to be seen.

About a week after the charity auction, you got a very unpleasant surprise. You woke up to a loud knock on your door, and when you answered, Miyeon stood in front of you. You figured that something was wrong when you saw the look of pure rage on her face, far different from her typical upbeat demeanor, but you had no idea what had happened. You opened your mouth to ask her what was wrong, but before you could get the words out, she asked, “Where the fuck is Yoongi?”

“He’s not home right now. He-”

“Bullshit. He told me that he was spending the day with you. Where is he?”

“He’s not home!” you yelled. “He told me that he was going to be working all day. What’s going on?”

“I’m pregnant with his baby, that’s what’s fucking going on.

You stood there in shock for what felt like hours before you asked, “What the fuck did you just say?”

“I’m pregnant, and Yoongi is the baby’s father. After I told him, he fucking ditched me. I want some answers.”

“Well, you’re not gonna get them here. Like I said, he isn’t home.”

“Fine. I’ll come back later then.”

“No, you fucking won’t. Not while I’m here, at least.”

With a huff and a stomp of her foot, Miyeon left your house. Once she was firmly out of your line of sight, you slammed your door shut, fell to the ground, and sobbed.

You honestly had no idea how to process the fact that your husband really was cheating on you, and with your best friend no less. “Rage” and “devastation” barely even began to describe the emotions swirling around your brain like a tornado of suffering, and all you could think about was how hurt you were and how badly you wanted to hurt them in return.

Maybe that’s where the idea to call Junhui came from.

Once you finally felt like you could breathe again, you pulled your phone out and dialed Junhui’s number. When he answered, you got right to the point, asking, “Are you busy today?”

“Nope. Free all day. Why do you ask?”

“Can I come over?”

“Sure. Why?”

“I think you know why.”

“I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?” he asked with a teasing tone in his voice.

“I’m pissed off and wanna fuck.”

Junhui feigned surprise as he said, “Such vulgar language from such a classy lady. Especially one that loves her dear husband so much. What brought this on?”

“My best friend just showed up at my door and told me that she’s pregnant with Yoongi’s child.”

“Oh, so this is revenge.”

“Well, yes, but that’s not the only reason.”

“Oh really? Tell me what the other reason is then, sweetheart.”

Your voice was barely above a whisper when you responded, “Just want you.”

“Then why don’t I send someone to pick you up? How does that sound?”

“Sounds good,” you answered, sounding much more confident

“What’s your address, sweetheart?” he asked. You gave it to him, and he said, “I’ll see you soon, darling,” before he ended the call.

While you waited to be picked up, you decided to change into something a bit more appropriate for what you were planning to do when you got to his place. After some careful consideration, you ended up choosing a short white dress that showed off just enough of your body to get him excited without being too inappropriate for you to wear out of the house. As for accessories, you kept it simple, wearing small white earrings. Once you put on your favorite shoes, you were ready to go.

A few minutes after you finished getting ready, you heard the sound of a car horn. So, you walked outside, and you saw a sleek black car in front of your house. When you approached the car, the driver rolled the window down and asked who you were. After you confirmed your identity, he said, “I’m Taehyun. Junhui sent me to pick you up. Are you ready?” You nodded in response and got in the car, nervous but excited for what you knew would happen when you got to Junhui’s house.

The ride to Junhui’s house was quiet, with neither you nor Taehyun quite knowing what to say to fill the silence. The awkward silence didn’t last long, though, since within minutes, you were pulling up to one of the most luxurious mansions you’d ever seen. You honestly wondered how the hell Junhui could afford it, since Yoongi had made it sound like he didn’t make much as an attorney, but you had a feeling that you didn’t want to know the answer.

You didn’t have much time to think about the matter, though, since before you knew it, you were dropped off in front of the door. As you got out of the car, you thanked Taehyun, and he drove away. With a deep breath to calm your nerves, you approached the door and rang the doorbell.

When Junhui answered the door, you smiled and said, “Hi.”

“Hi, sweetheart. Would you like to come in?” he asked. You nodded, and he took your hand before pulling you through the door. Once the door was shut and locked behind you, he smiled at you and asked, “Still looking for revenge?”

You didn’t answer him verbally, but you didn’t need to, considering your lips were on his the second he was done speaking. The kiss was short and sweet, and you did enjoy it, but you found yourself wanting more at the same time. So, when you pulled away, you asked, “Can we take this to your room?”

“Are you sure?” he asked in response. You nodded, and he said, “So eager for me. It’s cute. Come with me, darling.” You felt butterflies in your stomach when he called you “darling,” and he pulled you up a flight of stairs that you assumed led to his room.

When you got to Junhui’s room, he shut the door and pulled you close, kissing you softly. You stayed there for what felt like an eternity before you started to get impatient again and deepened the kiss, earning a soft groan from him as you tangled your hands in his hair. He pulled away with a smirk on his face and asked, “Getting impatient?”

You nodded and said, “Want you so bad.”

“Aww,” he cooed. “Do you think you could wait just a little bit longer, sweetheart? You’re just so much fun to play with.”

That was when you decided you were done waiting, pulling Junhui to the bed and climbing on top of him. With a smirk of your own, you said, “I think we’re done with that now.”

“Fine. Get up and get on your knees, then.”

You pretended to think about his instructions for a moment before you grinned and said, “Make me.”

Before you could really process what was happening, Junhui had flipped the two of you over so that he was on top. With a soft smile of his own, he looked you in the eyes and said, “Are you gonna listen, now?”

“Hm, no. I don’t think so,” you said.

“Please, darling? For me?” he asked, moving to kiss and bite your neck.

You moaned at the feeling of his mouth on you and said, “Fuck, baby. Feels so good.” Junhui whined and started to move his hips against yours, still kissing and biting every bit of you that he could reach, and that was when you had an idea. Your hands flew to his hair and tugged as you added, “Do you like when I tell you how good it feels?”

Junhui stopped what he was doing just long enough to nod against you and said, “Like knowing I’m doing a good job.”

“Well, you are, baby. Such a good boy for me.”

“Fuck,” he mumbled.

“You ok?”

“’m fine,” he answered, clearly struggling to maintain his composure.

And that was when you realized that Junhui was far different from the man that you expected him to be, at least in the bedroom. So, with a smile on your face and a voice dripping with lust, you asked, “Do you want me to take control, baby?”

Junhui looked nervous, and his voice was small as he said, “Yes, please.”

You softened when you noticed how nervous he was and said, “That’s fine with me, angel.”

Junhui noticeably relaxed at your words, and he said, “Tell me what you want. Please?”

“I want you inside me. Please, baby?”

“Yes ma’am,” he replied, swiftly climbing off of you and ridding himself of his clothes. You stood and did the same before you pulled Junhui in for another kiss. He whined when he felt your lips on his, and you pulled away with a soft laugh.

“You’re so cute,” you said.

There was a beat of silence before Junhui said, “Can I please fuck you?”

You smiled and bit your lip before you said, “Of course, baby.”

With no further hesitation, you gently pushed Junhui back onto his bed, straddling him once he was lying down. You looked down at him with a smile, wordlessly asking for confirmation. When your eyes met, he nodded and said, “Please.”

That was all you needed to hear to carefully lower yourself onto his cock, letting out a loud moan as you felt him enter you. You held onto his shoulders as you steadied yourself, still adjusting to his size. Then, when you were ready, you started to slowly move up and down.

Junhui’s hands immediately found their way to your hips, his nails digging into your skin as he reveled in the feeling of your pussy wrapped around him. The way he seemed to lose himself in you only made you want more, and you silently hoped this wouldn’t be the only time you fucked him.

“Feels so good,” Junhui whined, holding onto you tighter as he bucked his hips up to meet yours.

“I know, baby. You’re so fucking good for me,” you said with a moan.

“Better than him?” he asked, looking up at you with desperate eyes.

You were quiet for a minute in response to Junhui’s question, the only noises in the room being your ragged breaths, his desperate whines, and the sound of your skin meeting his as you continued to ride him. But when he reached up to touch your chest, a loud moan was ripped from your throat before you said, “Fuck, yes. So much better, baby.”

Junhui whined louder as he started to move his hips faster, and you couldn’t help but think about how cute he was when he was desperate to please you. The thought that you wouldn’t mind seeing him again and maybe spending time with him outside of having sex also crossed your mind, but you didn’t want to linger on that for too long, especially when you were already so close to an orgasm.

Before you knew it, a familiar rush of pleasure washed over you, and you came undone around Junhui with a loud moan of his name. He continued to fuck up into you through your release, stilling inside of you when he reached his own. He was louder than you anticipated, practically screaming your name as he came, but you didn’t really mind that. In all honesty, you thought that it was cute.

After you both caught your breath, you climbed off of him and laid your head on his chest, and he pulled you close. Once the two of you found a comfortable position, he said, “That was amazing. I can’t believe that bastard doesn’t appreciate you.” You were silent in response to his comment, and he hurriedly added, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, it’s ok,” you mumbled, struggling to stay focused on the conversation you were having as opposed to the tornado of emotion that had begun swirling around the inside of your head once again.

“What’s on your mind, darling?” Junhui asked, his tone softer than when he’d insulted Yoongi.

“I really don’t want to go home to him tonight.”

“You could stay here tonight. If you want to, of course.”

“I can’t. He’ll wonder where I am and worry.”

“Will he?”

You were quiet for a minute as you thought about the question. Honestly, you didn’t know if Yoongi would miss you. After all, you’d lost count of how many times you’d told him that you were staying at a friend’s house for the night, gone out, and come home without any acknowledgement from your husband whatsoever. Then, you realized that even if he would miss you, you couldn’t find it in yourself to care in that moment. So, with a sigh, you answered, “Ok, I’ll stay.”

Junhui smiled gently before he kissed you again, pulling you closer as he enjoyed the feeling of your lips on his. When you pulled away for air, he looked at you with pure adoration in his eyes and said, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

He sighed softly before he said, “Being yourself.”

“You’re cute.”

“So are you,” he said. “Now, how about we get cleaned up?”

“That sounds great.”

Junhui wordlessly stood up and stretched his hand out to you. You took it and got out of bed, letting him lead you to his bathroom. Once you got there, he helped you into the shower before stepping in himself. Then, he turned the water on, and you helped him wash. Once he was clean again, he did the same for you, and the two of you talked about whatever came to mind.

Once both of you were clean again, Junhui gave you some spare clothes from his closet to put on, and you got dressed. He did the same before dragging you right back to his bed to lie down. After you both found a comfortable position, you talked about whatever you could think of, hoping to get to know each other better. You initially thought that the questions he asked you would stay superficial, like your favorite songs or what you liked to do for fun, but in a matter of minutes, the conversation topic shifted to your marriage.

“Why are you even with him?” Junhui asked, genuinely baffled by the idea of someone like you being married to someone like Yoongi.

“He wasn’t always like this,” you answered wistfully. “When we first got married, he treated me like a princess. He never let a day go by without telling me how much he loved me and how lucky he was to have me.”

“What changed?”

You thought before a minute before you answered, struggling to figure out the right words to accurately explain all of the shifts in your marriage over the years. Eventually, you sighed and said, “The changes started when he won the DA election a few years ago. He was so happy, so initially, I didn’t mind that he was ignoring me in favor of work.”

“Initially? I guess that means something else changed?”

You nodded and said, “He started forgetting the important things too. When it was just a date here and there, it was fine, but eventually he started forgetting my birthday and even our anniversary.

“Are you fucking serious?” Junhui asked, sounding more like a pissed off best friend than a guy that you’d just hooked up with.

“At first, I assumed that it was because he was busy, so I tried to be understanding. Then, when it happened again, I opened Snapchat and saw stories that Miyeon had posted earlier that night. He was with her.”

“So, does that mean that you knew about the affair when you found out about the baby?”

You nodded and answered, “I knew from the moment I got her the job as his secretary, and I saw the way he looked at her. I know that he loved me once, but even when he did, he never looked at me like that.” Your eyes started to well with tears as you wondered what she had that you didn’t, but you quickly wiped your eyes, not wanting Junhui to notice.

But of course, Junhui did notice. With a softness that you were already growing to love in his voice, he pulled you closer, rubbing your back as he said, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s ok,” you replied through the tears that refused to stop falling.

The room fell silent as you cried, with Junhui shushing you gently and rubbing your back until your tears ran dry. As you caught your breath, he kissed your forehead and said, “You deserve so much better than him.”

“I’ve thought about filing for divorce so many times.”

“What’s stopping you?”

You were quiet for a minute before you answered, “I don’t want to make him look bad.”

“He made himself look bad the moment he stepped away from his marriage and got Miyeon pregnant. You wouldn’t be ruining his reputation; you’d be ensuring it was more accurate.”

You wanted to say something in response, reassure Junhui that it wasn’t what it looked like, but you knew that he was right. So, you just said, “I guess so.”

After that, the conversation topic shifted again, since neither you nor Junhui wanted to talk about your failed marriage. Despite the change in conversation, though, your thoughts stayed focused on what he’d said about your husband and his reputation. You knew that he was right, but you didn’t want to admit it just yet. So, you tried desperately to think about anything else while you started to doze off in Junhui’s arms, relaxing for the first time in what felt like an eternity as you enjoyed finally feeling wanted again.

After that first night that the two of you spent together, you and Junhui were practically inseparable, provided that your husband wasn’t around to see you with the man that he hated more than just about anyone else. Not that Yoongi was around much, anyway. Between running for re-election and Miyeon’s pregnancy, which he still thought you didn’t know about, he had pretty much no time left for you. You weren’t necessarily complaining about that, though. After all, your husband being busy made it far easier to make time to see Junhui.

It was about a month into your time with Junhui that you started visiting him in his office. You learned a lot about him from those visits, like the types of clients he usually represented and how their “support” was what gave Junhui the opportunity to live such a luxurious life, even if he didn’t get many other cases.

There were a lot of questions that you wanted to ask about why they needed his help so frequently and why he was always so happy to oblige, but you decided not to ask them. After all, you had a strong feeling you didn’t want to know the answer. Besides, you didn’t have many opportunities to ask, considering he avoided talking about work as much as he could when he was with you. But really, the two of you didn’t do much talking at all when you were together.

To be fair, you couldn’t really talk when you were sitting under Junhui’s desk with his cock in your mouth, listening to his sweet whimpers and whines as you got him off. You weren’t sure how you got into the position you were in, really. One moment, you were sitting on his desk, kissing him and occasionally letting your hands wander as he told you how beautiful you looked in between kisses. Next thing you knew, you were climbing under his desk, telling him to be quiet, and wrapping your lips around him.

“Fuck, feels so good,” he whined, gently thrusting into your mouth.

You hummed around him as you sucked him off, loving the sweet little noises that slipped out of his mouth. God, everything about the way he looked and sounded made you want him more. His eyes were shut, and his mouth hung open while he moaned in pleasure. His hands were tangled in your hair, holding you like you were the only thing that he wanted in that moment, and you loved every bit of it.

Your activities were interrupted, however, when the phone on Junhui’s desk started to ring. You stopped what you were doing when you heard him answer and started to crawl out from under his desk. Before you could get very far, though, you looked up at him and noticed that he was staring at you with pleading eyes. When he hung up the phone, you bit your lip and asked, “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Please don’t go,” he mumbled.

“You want me to keep sucking your cock?”

He nodded in response and said, “I don’t think you’d be able to leave without him seeing you, anyway.”

You froze in place and asked, “What do you mean?”

“That was the office receptionist. Yoongi is on his way up.”

“Why the fuck is Yoongi here?”

“Said that he had to talk to me about the election? I don’t know,” he groaned. “I was too focused on what you were doing to pay attention on the conversation.”

You gave him a cocky smirk before asking, “Do you want me to keep going once I’m back under the desk?”

Junhui looked nervous as he answered, “Won’t he notice?”

“Not if I just keep you in my mouth. Would you like that, baby?”

He hesitated before he nodded, and you climbed back under his desk. Right as you took Junhui’s cock in your mouth again, you heard a door open, and an all-too-familiar voice said, “Mr. Wen! It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too. Please, just call me Junhui.”

“So, Mr.  Wen,” Yoongi said, “I just wanted to give you some advice.”

“What kind of advice?” Junhui asked, still struggling to maintain his composure with your mouth around him.

“Well, I know who your friends are, and I know what they do. I also have a strong feeling that your friends are the reason you’re running. So, my advice is this: don’t let them affect how you do your job. Do the right thing, Mr. Wen.”

“I will. Thank you.”

“You’d better. Good luck, and may the best man win.”

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

With that, Yoongi said, “I’m sure that I’ll see you soon.”

“I’m sure I will. Goodbye, Yoongi.”

“Goodbye, Mr. Wen.”

You heard the door shut, and the sound of Yoongi’s footsteps faded down the hall. When you were sure he was gone, you didn’t hesitate at all, swirling your tongue around Junhui’s tip and earning a loud moan from him as he started to thrust into your mouth again. His hands found their way to your hair almost immediately, and with a moan, he said, “’m close.”

You moaned around Junhui’s cock, and that was all it took for him to come undone with a series of soft moans and curses. You stilled around him when his release washed over him, taking care not to overstimulate him as he spilled into your mouth. Then, when you were sure he was done, you carefully took him out of your mouth, looked up at him and swallowed, feeling proud when another high-pitched whine slipped out of his mouth.

With a smile on your face and butterflies in your stomach, you looked up at him and said, “Are you ok, baby?”

“I’m ok. That was just so good,” he mumbled, still struggling to regain his composure.

You laughed softly and said, “Well, how can I not reward my baby for being such a good boy for me?”

Junhui blushed and helped you up before pulling you into a hug, hoping to hide how much he liked it when you called him your baby. But of course, you could see right through him.

While you relaxed in Junhui’s hold, you found yourself dreaming about a day that you could just stay with him instead of having to go home to a marriage that you knew was dead. Still, you weren’t sure if you were ready to walk away from Yoongi just yet, so you decided to wait a little bit longer.

As the election drew nearer, your relationship with Junhui only grew more intense. Initially, you wanted to at least try to pretend that your time with him was just a bit of fun to distract you from your disaster of a marriage and how unhappy you really were. As time went on, though, you found yourself actually looking forward to spending time with Junhui, even if there weren’t plans for sex. You hated to admit it to yourself, but you were falling in love with him.

You finally had to confront the fact that your feelings for Junhui went beyond sexual attraction the day before the election results were to be announced. You’d gone to his house for the day because Yoongi had other plans. He swore he wasn’t out with Miyeon, but you didn’t care anymore. After all, you were too busy enjoying your time doing whatever the hell you wanted with Junhui. You made out, you watched terrible movies, you played board games that neither of you fully understood, and you laid in bed together talking about anything and everything.

Your head was on his chest, and he gently stroked your hair as he asked, “Can I ask you something that might make you mad?”

“If you know that it might make you mad, why are you asking?” you responded, laughing softly.

He sighed and said, “Because I’ve realized some things lately, and I need to know where we stand.”

“Baby, you’re worrying me. What’s up?”

“Would you consider leaving Yoongi?”

You were stunned into silence by his question, unsure of what you could say. On the one hand, all you wanted was to finally get out of your miserable marriage and be with someone that treated you like you actually mattered to him. On the other hand, were you ready to take that step? You’d been with Yoongi for so long at that point, and you were worried about what your family and friends would think if you admitted that your marriage wasn’t as picture-perfect as you made it seem whenever you saw them.

You snapped out of your contemplation when Junhui said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. Don’t worry about it. I just-”

“It’s ok. I’d consider it, but I don’t know if I could go through with it. I love you, but-”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“I love you too.” There was a brief silence before Junhui asked, “What does this mean for the future?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s ok. I’ll wait as long as you need and cheer you on until you are.”

“Thank you,” you answered.

After that, Junhui just held you close, each of you taking in the fact that you really admitted that you loved each other.

When the time came for you to go home, you kissed Junhui’s cheek and said, “Thank you for today.”

“It’s no problem, my love.”

And with that, you walked out of Junhui’s house and drove back to your own, dreading the time that you’d have to spend with your husband.

When you got home, Yoongi asked, “How was your day?”

“It was fine,” you answered, upset about having to come home to your husband and missing Junhui more than you should have been.

“I’m glad,” he said, not really paying attention. “Listen, I have some things to take care of tomorrow after the gala. Can you get an Uber home tomorrow night?”

“Of course,” you said, used to his behavior.

“Thank you, my love.”

You wanted to yell at Yoongi not to call you that, but you didn’t. Instead, you plastered a fake grin on your face and said, “No problem, honey.”

For a minute, it looked like Yoongi was going to say something else. Instead, he seemed to snap himself out of it and just smiled. Not wanting to continue the conversation, you went straight to your bedroom, drifting off to sleep and thinking about Junhui.

The election results were planned to be announced at an elaborate gala, which you weren’t exactly looking forward to. You were certain that Yoongi would be paying more attention to Miyeon than you, the dress that he’d bought you for the event was uncomfortable and the exact opposite of the way that you preferred to dress, and you honestly had no idea if you were going to be able to spend any time with Junhui. Regardless, you put on the frumpy black dress and carefully applied your makeup while you waited for Yoongi to finish getting ready.

When your husband finished getting dressed and walked into your living room, he stopped and stared at you with an expression of what could only be described as confusion and guilt. After a brief awkward silence, however, he snapped himself out of it and said, “You look breathtaking tonight, love,” his voice barely above a whisper as he admired you.

“Thank you,” you mumbled, uncomfortable with the sudden display of affection that you’d been denied long enough that it now felt foreign.

After a moment of thought, Yoongi asked, “How about after the gala, we go out and celebrate together. Just you and me. What do you think?”

“I thought you said you were busy after the gala,” you replied matter-of-factly.

That was when Yoongi remembered what he’d told you and sighed, answering, “I can move that.”

“I wouldn’t want you to fall behind. It must be important if you ignored me the entire time you were planning it,” you spat, not thinking about your words or the way you said them.

“Hey, I did not fucking ignore you.”

“Don’t lie to me, Yoongi.”

“Love, can we just talk about this later? We’ll celebrate after the gala.”

“No, we won’t. I made plans since you said that you were busy.”

“Well, move them.”

“No. I’m not going to change my plans because you suddenly feel guilty about not spending enough time with your wife.”

Yoongi went silent after that, ignoring you as the two of you walked to your car and drove to the event. When you actually got to the venue, though, it was like the two of you were completely different people. The scowls that had graced both of your faces in the car turned to smiles so convincing you almost fooled yourself the second the two of you stepped out of the car. Yoongi’s arm wrapped around your waist as he guided you to the entrance. He doted on you as the two of you waited for the event to begin, constantly checking in with you to make sure that you were ok. It was strange, and you didn’t like it.

If the shift in how he treated you had come a few months earlier, before you found out for sure that Yoongi had been sleeping with Miyeon, you would have welcomed it with open arms as a sign that the man you loved still loved you. The problem with that, though, is that he wasn’t the man that you loved anymore. You were just going through the motions until you felt that the time was right for you to finally divorce him.

A few minutes after you arrived with Yoongi, you saw Junhui enter and sit down at a nearby table. As soon as you saw him, you desperately wanted to run to him, pull him into a hug, and kiss him like nothing else mattered. Instead, you stayed right where you were, silently looking forward to the plans you’d made with him for later that night.

You were bored out of your mind for most of the gala. Yoongi once again paid absolutely no attention to you, a sharp contrast to his attempt to pretend he still loved you earlier. Miyeon decided to not only show up at the gala but also spend every moment she wasn’t flirting with the other married men at the event hanging off of your husband’s arm. Your blood was boiling, but you maintained a cool exterior to avoid making a scene at an event that you knew was important to both the man that you loved and the man that you used to love.

When it was finally time to announce the results, you sat up straighter, forced a smile, and clapped as your city’s mayor approached the stage. When he reached the microphone, he said, “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for attending tonight’s gala, held to announce the results of this year’s district attorney election. Before I announce the results, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the sitting district attorney, Min Yoongi, and his contribution to our community for the last four years. Thank you.”

Yoongi stood up and waved to the other attendees as they clapped, and you started to feel sick to your stomach. You knew that it was wrong for you to think the way that you did, but you were honestly hoping that Yoongi lost the election. It was petty, and you knew it, but you wanted him to have some kind of consequence for the way that he’d treated you. In your mind, there was no better way to get that than to rip the career that made him so happy he forgot about you right out from under him.

Before you could continue wishing your husband would fail in his career, you were distracted by the mayor starting to speak again. With a clearly practiced fake smile on his face, he said, “Now, for the results of this year’s election. Our district attorney is Wen Junhui.”

 When you heard Junhui’s name, you stood and cheered, not caring who stared as you applauded your husband’s loss. Watching Junhui approach the stage, you felt nothing but pride, and as he thanked everyone for attending the gala and voting for him, you couldn’t help but think that it was time to start loving him out loud.

In between Yoongi’s shallow attempts at conversation, you stepped away from your table to find Junhui, weaving your way through the crowd of very intimidating-looking individuals that wanted to congratulate him for his win. When Junhui saw you, though, he pushed his way past all of them to pull you close, whispering, “I’m so happy you’re here.”

“Congratulations, my love,” you said. “I can’t stay, but I wanted you to know how proud I am of you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too. We’re still celebrating together after this, right?”

“Of course,” you answered before you went back to your table

“What were you doing with him?” Yoongi asked, glaring at Junhui.

“Why do you even care? I thought you were too busy with your little girlfriend,” you spat back, not caring that Miyeon seemed to deflate at your words.

“Don’t act like you know what happened.”

“Oh, but I do. I know everything.” Yoongi looked shocked at your admission, and you added, “Did you really think I didn’t?”

“It doesn’t give you the right to start fucking him of all people,” Yoongi said.

“I think it does.”

“Whatever,” Yoongi spat, standing from his seat. “I’m not letting whatever the hell you’re doing go any further.”

The moment Yoongi spotted Junhui, he practically dragged him outside, yelling about how he wasn’t gonna let the younger man take what was rightfully his. Whether Yoongi meant you or his job as district attorney, you didn’t know, but you did know that he was going to get himself in trouble if he didn't calm down.

What happened next was a blur. You tried to talk Yoongi into going back inside, but before you could get the words out, he had Junhui on the ground, throwing punches and yelling about how he wasn’t going to get away with whatever he did. Not knowing what else to do, you ran inside to get help. Initially, you tried to find venue security, but they were nowhere to be found. So instead, you found Junhui’s friends from earlier.

After you explained the situation, Junhui’s “friends” followed you outside, immediately pulling Yoongi off of Junhui. They looked like they wanted to beat your husband to a pulp, but all it took was one look from Junhui for them to back down.

After making sure Junhui wasn't seriously injured, you walked over to Yoongi and said, “What the fuck was that?”

Yoongi answered, “He started it.”

“No, he didn’t. And even if he had, it doesn’t matter. You can’t just start fights in a fucking parking lot, Yoongi.” You paused before you added, “I’m gonna go check on Junhui.”

“Do you really care more about some guy than your own husband?”

“I don’t know. Do you really care more about your secretary than your own wife?” you asked before you walked away to find Junhui.

When you found Junhui, he was talking to the police on the other side of the parking lot. You didn’t hear all of what they said, but you hoped that everything would be over soon.

After Junhui finished speaking to the officer that had shown up during the chaos, he walked up to you and said, “I’m not pressing charges.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to deal with Yoongi any more than I have to,” he answered, looking like it hurt to talk. “Besides, I’m not actually hurt. He’s not as strong as he looks.”

You couldn’t help but laugh as you said, “No, he certainly is not.” After a brief moment of silence, you asked, “Can I go home with you tonight?”

“Of course, sweetheart.”

With that, you helped Junhui to his car, and the two of you went back to his apartment. When you got there, you checked him again, and beyond a split lip and a few bruises that you were positive wouldn’t take long to heal, he was unharmed. Still, much to his frustration, you made him rest, taking care of him until the two of you fell asleep together in his bed.

When you went back home the next day, you found Yoongi in his home office, cleaning it up and gathering the files that would need to go back to city hall before his term officially ended. When he looked up and saw you, he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, you said, “I want a divorce.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why, Yoongi? What's the point of staying married if both of us are seeing other people?”

“Do you have any idea how a divorce will make me look?”

“It can't make you look any worse than trying to fight the new DA in a fucking parking lot.”

Yoongi was silent for a minute before he sighed and said, “I'm not signing any divorce papers. Got it?”

Not wanting the argument to escalate, you walked away without another word, choosing to call Junhui and ask if you could go back to his place. He readily agreed, and without even bothering to tell Yoongi, you left.

When you pulled up in front of Junhui’s mansion, he was already outside waiting for you, already looking like he was in less pain than the day before. When you got out of your car, he held his arms out to hug you and asked, “Rough morning?”

“He said he won’t sign the divorce papers. Some bullshit about his image,” you answered, collapsing into Junhui’s arms as you fought back tears. You couldn’t believe that after everything that had happened between the two of you, Yoongi refused to walk away.

“He what?” Junhui asked, his voice laced with thinly veiled rage. But before you could explain further, he said, “Go inside. I’m gonna make some calls, and it’ll all be ok.”

“Do not hurt him,” you said as you let go of Junhui. “Promise me.”

“I promise that I will not hurt him, and I promise that I will not have other people hurt him on my behalf. I’m just gonna call in a few favors.”

“What does that mean?”

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it, sweetheart.”

With a sigh, you went inside, and Junhui took out his phone. While you waited for him to make whatever calls he needed to make, you wondered what kind of favors he was owed and how he was going to use them to get Yoongi to agree to divorce you. The more you thought about it, however, the more you realized that you really didn’t want to know.

After what felt like forever, Junhui came inside, and the two of you went up to his room, ready to relax together and forget about Yoongi for a while.

You decided to stay at Junhui’s house for a few more days, occasionally texting Yoongi just to let him know that you were safe. You knew it was kind of ridiculous to update your husband about staying at your lover’s house, but as tired as you were of being married to Yoongi, you knew that you’d feel guilty if you disappeared without a trace.

Eventually, though, you got a call from Yoongi. You answered it, wondering what was wrong, but before you could ask, you heard him say, “Fine. You win. I’ll sign the fucking papers.”

“What?”

“I don’t know what the fuck he did, but I don’t want him doing it anymore. I’ll sign them.”

You were incredibly confused and concerned, but you decided not to question the fact that he changed his mind. Instead, you just said, “Thank you. I’ll call you after I make arrangements with a lawyer,” and hung up.

“Who was that, baby?” Junhui asked, coming back to the bedroom.

“It was Yoongi. He agreed to the divorce.”

“Oh, really?” Junhui said, giving you a knowing smile. “Did he say why?”

“He said that he didn’t know what the fuck you did, but he didn’t want you doing it anymore. What the fuck were those favors?”

“Oh, I just called some friends that are really good at finding information,” he answered matter-of-factly as he carefully climbed into bed next to you.

“Thank you.”

“No problem, my love,” he said, relaxing as you pulled him close. “I just wanna make you happy.”

Thank you everyone for reading! If you liked this one, please make sure to like and reblog!

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You loved your parents dearly, but you hated attending their church. Not because you weren’t a believer, and not because you disliked church in general, but because you’d completely lost any and all respect you ever had for the church’s head pastor. Reverend Yoon had a good reputation in your hometown, and most of the other members of the congregation adored him, but you hadn’t felt the same for a long time. After all, he seemed to have a very superficial view of faith, putting more emphasis on following rules than actually loving and trusting God in his sermons.

You were actually considering finding a new church to attend when you found out that Reverend Yoon was leaving. On a seemingly random Sunday, he told everyone in the congregation that God was calling him to work as a missionary, but the way he fidgeted as he spoke and refused to meet anyone’s eyes when they approached him after service told you that there was probably more to the story than he was letting on. Regardless of the reason, however, you were relieved that he was leaving.

The following Sunday, you met Reverend Yoon’s replacement. As you walked into the church with your parents and Jihoon, your longtime boyfriend, you noticed a man that you hadn’t seen before standing at the front of the room. As you watched him speak with church leaders whose names you’d stopped caring to remember, you started to wonder what this new pastor was like, so you decided to introduce yourself. Before you could, though, Jihoon pulled you to your seat, and service begain.

With a confidence that you could only wish you had, the man you’d noticed when you walked in approached the pulpit and said, “Hello, everyone. I’m Reverend Hong, and starting today, I’ll be taking Reverend Yoon’s place as he moves on to have new experiences and grow in his faith. Before we begin with the announcements and opening prayer, however, I want to say thank you. Thank you, everyone, for attending today and giving me a chance.”

Jihoon seemed unimpressed by the introduction, but you were moved by the way Reverend Hong spoke immediately. Even his simple introduction seemed to have more passion than an entire sermon delivered by Reverend Yoon, and you felt oddly hopeful. It was too soon to say for sure, but you were already considering continuing to attend services where you were rather than searching for a new church like you’d originally planned.

For the most part, the rest of the service was no different from what you were used to. The worship team sang various Christian songs that you’d heard on the radio, there were prayers for members of the congregation that had been struggling, and shiny offering plates were passed along each row of seats so that everyone in the congregation could give money to the church. When Reverend Hong started his sermon, however, you realized that he really was nothing like Reverend Yoon.

Your eyes were fixed on Reverend Hong from the moment he stepped closer to the pulpit and said, “Hello again, everyone. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming today. It is such a joy to be here with all of you to worship God.” He paused for a moment to collect himself before he continued, “Today, I wanted to talk a bit about new beginnings. Not just because today marks the beginning of my time as head pastor at this church, but also because the past few months have been a time of change for everyone. As we leave the previous year behind and start anew, it’s important to remember to trust God in all of our endeavors. New beginnings may seem frightening, but God will always have our backs, no matter how difficult life gets. As the book of Psalms says, ‘The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.’”

From the moment that Reverend Hong began to speak, you felt a wave of peace wash over you that you weren’t really used to. Sure, you considered yourself a devout Christian, but that was because of the time that you’d spent studying the Bible on your own time. You’d never been moved by a sermon before, especially so early. You were pleasantly surprised by your church’s new pastor once again.

As Reverend Hong continued to speak about trusting God in uncertain times and the joy that can come from new beginnings despite their difficulties, you continued to find yourself unusually emotional. You even started to cry at one point, something that had never happened during a church service before. As the sermon concluded with another Bible verse, you realized that you’d completely changed your mind about finding a new church.

When service was over, you finally got the chance to introduce yourself to Reverend Hong. He had a crowd of people around him that wanted to do the exact same thing, though, so you had to wait longer than you would have liked. Still, you were excited to finally speak to the man that made you tear up during a sermon for the first time in your life.

When the crowd started to disperse, satisfied with their first impressions of the new pastor, you moved closer and introduced yourself.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Reverend Hong responded as he reached his hand out for you to shake. “What did you think of today’s sermon?”

You shook his hand as you said, “I thought that it was beautiful. Today was actually the first time I’ve ever been moved to tears during a sermon.”

“Really?”

You nodded and continued, “Your passion when you speak about God is admirable.”

“Thank you very much.”

“I’m really looking forward to next week’s sermon,” you said with a grin.

“Thank you. I’m so happy to hear that.”

You heard Jihoon call your name, and that was when you said, “I have to go now, but it was wonderful to meet you. Have a blessed day!”

“I hope you have a blessed day, as well.”

You walked away from Reverend Hong to find your boyfriend, who was standing by the entrance looking slightly annoyed. When you reached him, you asked, “Is everything ok?”

“Everything is fine, dear,” Jihoon answered, though you knew he was lying.

“Are you ready to go?” you asked. He nodded, and you took his hand and walked out of the church.

Once you and Jihoon were in the car, he sighed and asked, “So, what do you think of Reverend Hong?”

“I’m not sure yet,” you answered. That was a lie, but Jihoon didn’t need to know that just yet.

“Really? You seemed to like him quite a bit.”

“I mean, he’s passionate when he speaks, and I admire that.”

He laughed softly and said, “I don’t know if I’d describe him as passionate. Melodramatic seems like a better word.”

You went quiet after that, and Jihoon continued to talk about how Reverend Hong spoke with too much emotion and didn’t seem to know the Bible as well as Reverend Yoon did. You thought that Jihoon was judging Reverend Hong far too harshly, though, especially because he’d only heard one sermon from the new pastor. However, you didn’t share your thoughts with your boyfriend. After all, what was the point of speaking if you knew he wouldn’t listen?

When Jihoon pulled up to your apartment building, you leaned over to kiss his cheek, but before you could, he moved away and said, “I’ll text you when I get home.”

“Ok, I love you.”

Jihoon didn’t respond, so you got out of the car and went into your apartment. As you went about the rest of your day, you wondered what you’d done wrong this time for your boyfriend to move away from you when you tried to do something as simple as kissing his cheek. And for him to refuse to say that he loved you? You were devastated.

It was strange, really. When you and Jihoon first started seeing each other, he was one of the most affectionate men that you’d ever met. He never went a day without telling you just how lucky he was to have you, he always had his arms around you, and he got excited to spend time with you. Now, he still acted like that sometimes, like when he wanted something from you or when you acted the way he thought a woman of God was “supposed to act,” but for the most part, you were lucky if he told you that he loved you back. He never initiated physical contact with you, and half the time, he moved away if you tried to. Attending church together and going on dates felt more like a formality than something that was done because he wanted to see you.

You loved Jihoon dearly, you really did, but you didn’t know if you could continue with a relationship where you felt like you had to constantly make yourself smaller to be treated like you were worthy of love.

After that first sermon, your admiration for Reverend Hong only grew. Each week during Sunday service, he spoke with such love and passion, whether he was advising against sinful behavior or reminding the congregation of God’s love for them. And almost every time, he brought you to tears as you pondered his sermons and noticed feelings that you didn’t quite have a name for yet blossoming in your chest.

As your respect for Reverend Hong grew, however, your relationship with Jihoon got worse. On top of his prior behavior, he was now accusing you of spending too much time with other men, even complaining about Reverend Hong whenever you spoke to him after service.

“I’m just saying, it’s suspicious that you talk to him every week after service.”

“Why is it suspicious that I want to talk to my pastor?”

“You never used to stay to speak to Reverend Yoon after service.”

“Reverend Yoon made me uncomfortable and cared too much about enforcing rules he himself didn’t follow to encourage a connection with God the way Reverend Hong does.”

“I liked Reverend Yoon,” Jihoon mumbled in response.

“That’s not the point,” you spat. “The point is that it’s not wrong for me to want to speak to my pastor.”

Jihoon sighed and said, “You know what, I’m going home.”

“Fine,” you said as Jihoon left.

Once you heard Jihoon pull away, you plopped onto your couch and sighed. He’d been so controlling lately, you didn’t think that you wanted to be with him anymore. The realization hit you like a brick, but once you had the thought, it wouldn’t leave your mind. So, you did what you always did. You prayed, and when you finally stood up to go about the rest of your day, you knew exactly what you needed to do.

The decision to leave Jihoon hadn’t been an easy one to make, but it was what you knew needed to happen. The only problem was that you didn’t know how, so you decided to get some advice after church. You arrived for service with your parents and boyfriend like usual, but instead of going right to your seat, you went to the front of the church to find Reverend Hong. When he saw you, he smiled and said, “Hi! How are you today?”

“I’m doing well, Reverend. Thank you for asking,” you answered as you tried to maintain your composure. “Can I speak to you about something after service?”

“Of course. Is everything alright?”

“Everything is fine. I just need some guidance on a personal matter.”

“I understand. Come see me after service, and we’ll pray together. See what God calls you to do after that. Then, we’ll see when we can discuss further if you need additional advice.”

“Wonderful. Thank you so much, Reverend.”

“It’s no problem.”

“I still appreciate it,” you replied before leaving to find Jihoon.

When you found your boyfriend and sat down next to him, you noticed that he seemed frustrated. You wanted to ask him why, but before you could, the service began, so you decided to talk to him after you saw Reverend Hong. In the meantime, you would enjoy another service.

After the sermon and closing prayer, you asked Jihoon to wait for you outside the church. He agreed, and you approached Reverend Hong. There were a number of people already speaking to him, so you waited patiently and thought about how you wanted to approach the conversation when you asked him for advice. You didn’t want to sound disrespectful, but you also knew that downplaying the way that Jihoon treated you wouldn’t help you, so you chose to just be honest.

You were so focused on deciding what to say, you didn’t hear Reverend Hong calling your name at first. You didn’t even realize he was trying to get your attention until you felt a hand on your shoulder. You jumped at the sudden contact, and Reverend Hong said, “I’m so sorry I startled you. Are you alright? You seemed like your mind was elsewhere.”

“I’m ok, Reverend. I was a bit lost in thought; I’m sorry I didn’t notice that you were trying to get my attention.”

“It’s alright. Now, what did you want to talk about?”

With a sigh, you quietly answered, “I’ve been struggling a bit with my relationship. I love my boyfriend, but he doesn’t act like he loves me unless I’m doing something that benefits him or behaving the way that he thinks that I should.” It was a lie at that point to say that you loved Jihoon, but you didn’t think Reverend Hong needed to know that.

“What do you mean by ‘the way he thinks that you should?’”

“Well, there are times that he tells me I’m not acting like a godly woman, and if I don’t meet his standards, he acts like we aren’t even together. The way he treats me is so confusing.”

Reverend Hong looked like he was troubled by your admission, but he quickly shook his head and changed his expression to a soft smile before he said, “Have you ever tried to talk to him about the way that he treats you?”

You nodded and said, “He doesn’t listen, but I have tried. I think I need to leave him, but I don’t know how to start the conversation.”

“Well, that’s what we’ll pray about, then. Would that be ok?” he asked. You nodded, and he took your hands in his and bowed his head. You did the same, and he started to pray that God would give you the strength to communicate your needs and walk away from a relationship that was hurting you.

Once Reverend Hong was done praying, you looked up at him and smiled before you said, “Thank you.”

“No problem. Let me know how the conversation goes, and if you need anything else, don’t hesitate to come find me.”

“I appreciate that more than you know, Reverend. Have a blessed day.”

You left the sanctuary to look for Jihoon, and when you found him, he was laughing and talking with his best friend, Seokmin. Your boyfriend looked like he didn’t have a care in the world, and you almost felt guilty for interrupting his time with his friend. So, you waited for them to notice you instead of saying something. You didn’t have to wait long though, since shortly after you made your way over, Jihoon looked at you with a smile and said, “Hi, honey. Are you ok?”

“I’m ok. I just wanted to talk to people before we left.”

“Is everything ok? You look upset,” Seokmin asked.

You smiled at your boyfriend’s friend and said, “I’m ok, ‘Min. I just wanted to ask Reverend Hong to pray with me about something.”

Your boyfriend soured immediately at the mention of Reverend Hong and said, “I think we should go. Are you ready, honey?” You nodded, and he turned to his friend and said, “Bye, Seokmin.”

“Bye, guys!” Seokmin replied with a smile. You waved in response, and Jihoon practically dragged you out of the church and into his car.

Once you were in the car, Jihoon asked, “Why the hell did you go to Reverend Hong for advice and not me?”

“I was asking him for advice because there’s something that I wanted to talk to you about, but I didn’t know how to talk to you about it.”

“What is it?”

With a sigh, you answered, “The way you treat me hurts a lot. It’s like you only love me when I’m acting the way that you want me to.”

Jihoon was quiet for a minute before he answered, “That’s not true.”

“Then I wish you wouldn’t act like it,” you mumbled.

“What was that?”

“Then I wish you wouldn’t act like it,” you repeated, slightly louder this time.

“How do I act like it?”

“I try to kiss your cheek, and you move away from me. I tell you that I love you, and you’re silent in response. You tell me what to do, what to say, and how to act, and if I don’t meet those standards, it’s like I’m nothing to you. I love you, but I’m tired.”

“And you chose to handle those feelings by going to someone else first and then telling me that there was a problem?”

“Jihoon, what is with you? I asked someone that I respect for advice because I wanted this conversation to be productive.”

“Do you respect him more than you respect me?”

With a sigh, you answered, “No.”

“Then don’t act like you do.”

“You know what? I’m just gonna say it. I’m done. We’re over.”

“Really? Because I’m not doing exactly what you want? In a true Biblical relationship, the-”

“Jihoon, I don’t want to hear it. We’re done.”

Just as you said the words, Jihoon arrived at your apartment. So, you got out of his car, went inside, and immediately blocked his number. Then, you curled up in a ball on your couch and cried. Sure, you knew that your relationship with Jihoon was long over by the time you actually talked to him, but the realization that he would never love you the way you used to love him was still painful.

The following Sunday, you arrived at church alone and once again approached Reverend Hong before service finding your seat. When he saw you, he smiled and said, “Hi! How are you doing today?”

You felt like you were about to break down in tears, but you still forced a half smile and said, “I’m doing ok. Thank you for asking, Reverend. Would it be alright to speak with you again after service today?”

“Of course. Is it related to what we prayed about last week?”

You nodded and said, “The conversation didn’t go as well as I would have hoped.”

Reverend Hong put his hand on your shoulder and said, “I’m sorry to hear that. I’m happy to help however you need me to.”

“Thank you. I should go find my seat now, but I’ll see you after service.”

You quickly turned to find your seat, and the service began. You honestly didn’t pay attention through most of it, but you immediately perked up when Reverend Hong said, “Hello, everyone. I’d like to begin today’s sermon by speaking to the brokenhearted among us. In Psalm 34, verse 18, the Bible says, ‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’ Trust me when I say that I know it can be difficult, but it’s important to remember that God is always with us, no matter how much pain we’re in. Trust Him and allow Him to carry your burdens.”

You started to tear up as he spoke, and you thought about what he said through the lens of your own recent experiences. You thought about how God had always gotten you through challenging times in your life, and you found peace in the knowledge that He could and would do it again. Sure, you were hurting, but you knew that you would heal. You always did.

When the service was over, you approached Reverend Hong and waited for him to finish talking to other members of the church that had gotten to him before you. As you waited, you couldn’t help but notice the kind way that he spoke to everyone that approached him and the gentle smile on his face as he answered questions and gave advice like it was his highest calling. When it was your turn, you moved closer to him and said, “Hello, Reverend. Thank you for speaking with me today.”

“You’re welcome. How did everything go? Did you talk to your boyfriend?”

“Yes, and we broke up,” you answered, fighting back tears as you spoke.

“I’m so sorry to hear that. Would you like to pray together?” he asked. You nodded, and he took your hands in his before he prayed for God to guide you in your healing journey and send you someone that would treat you with love and respect when the time was right, if that was what you wanted. After he ended the prayer, he let go of your hands and looked at you before he said, “If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to help you in whatever way I can.”

“Thank you, Reverend. That means a lot to me.”

“It’s no problem at all.”

There was a brief moment of silence before you asked, “Would it be possible to speak about this more another time? There are some specific things that I’m struggling with, but I don’t want them to be overheard.”

“Of course. I’m free this Saturday if that works for you.”

“It does.”

After that, the two of you discussed a time to meet at his apartment and exchanged numbers. Then he texted you his address before he said, “I hope that you find the peace and healing that you need.”

“Thank you so much, Reverend. Have a wonderful day.”

After the conversation with Reverend Hong, you found that you already felt better about the end of your relationship with Jihoon. Sure, you still sort of missed him, but you knew that in the end, everything would be ok. After all, when you left the church and got back to your apartment, you felt noticeably lighter, and you silently thanked God for sending Reverend Hong to your church.

As the week went by, you realized that you were more nervous than you thought you would be to actually go to Reverend Hong’s house. Sure, you knew that he just wanted to help you, but you couldn’t shake the anxiety that bubbled up if you thought about the meeting for too long. It was strange, really. You never felt nervous to see or speak to him at church. But, in the end, you chalked your nerves up to the anxiety that always comes with visiting someone’s home for the first time and decided to ignore it as much as you could.

When Saturday finally arrived, you felt more nervous than you’d been all week. Despite your anxiety, however, you tried to be hopeful that talking to Reverend Hong would help you feel better. After all, it was nice to have someone in your corner.

When you were ready to leave, you put the address that Reverend Hong had given you the previous Sunday into your phone’s GPS and drove to his apartment. Once you arrived, you softly knocked on the door, and he opened it with a smile before he said, “Hi. How are you doing today?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure, Reverend. How are you?”

“Please, there’s no need to be so formal when we’re not at the church. Call me Joshua.” There was a brief awkward silence before he said, “Come on in,” and moved out of the doorway.

When you walked into Joshua’s apartment, you couldn’t help but notice how cozy everything was. Bookshelves filled with different versions of the Bible as well as various comic books and novels that you didn’t recognize lined the living room. The couch looked soft and inviting, the deep brown color reminding you of coffee. Everything about it made you feel at home.

You were so distracted by your admiration of Joshua’s space that you didn’t realize he was speaking until he tapped your shoulder and asked, “Is everything ok?”

You jumped at the sudden contact and answered, “I’m fine. I was just admiring the way you’ve decorated. The whole place feels so cozy and inviting.”

“Thank you. Would you like to sit?” You nodded, and he led you to the couch before he added, “So, what’s been going on?”

With a sigh, you answered, “I just don’t understand what’s wrong with me.”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Well, every relationship I’ve ever had has gone downhill at some point. When I was in high school, it was usually because I wasn’t interested in… certain activities,” you replied, hesitating when you remembered the boys you’d casually dated in high school. “Then, I started seeing Jihoon about a year and a half ago, and everything was perfect. At least, it was for the first few months.”

“What happened with Jihoon?”

With a sigh, you explained every detail of your relationship that you had hesitated to tell him before. You started with how sweet he was when the two of you first started dating and ended with how he didn’t even treat you like a friend anymore after a while, much less his girlfriend. But you noticed Joshua’s expression shifting as you spoke, so you stopped yourself to say, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overshare.”

“No, I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve any of that. Especially from someone that claimed to love you.”

“I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”

“I don’t think you did anything wrong. I think the only thing ‘wrong’ is your taste in men,” he said with a laugh.

You sighed and responded, “I guess you’re right. I don’t know what to do about that, though.”

“Well, we could start by praying, if you’d like.”

You smiled softly and said, “That sounds lovely.”

With that, Joshua took your hands in his and prayed that God would guide you in the right direction and help you find a man that would treat you with love and respect, if you wanted a relationship. Once the prayer ended, he turned to you and asked, “Do you feel better?”

You nodded and said, “Thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me. It’s my job as a pastor to provide support when someone in my congregation needs it.”

“That doesn’t mean that I can’t show appreciation.”

“I guess you’re right,” he said with a gentle smile. After a brief silence, he added, “I could also give you a few Bible verses that I think would help you, if you’d like.”

“I’d love that.”

“Wait here.”

You were puzzled when Joshua stood up and left the room, but when he came back with 2 small pieces of paper and a pen, you realized he was probably writing down the verses for you. Your guess was confirmed when you saw him pull one of the many Bibles that he owned off of a bookshelf and open it to a seemingly random page. After that, he wrote something down, flipped to another page, and started writing again. After both verses were written down, he handed you both sheets of paper. You carefully took them from him, and when you looked at the first one, you saw the following written in the most elegant handwriting you’d ever seen:

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7”

You very carefully folded the first piece of paper and put it into your pocket before turning your attention to the second. The writing on the second piece of paper said:

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10”

You looked back up at Joshua, and he smiled before he said, “I thought that those two verses specifically would be good reminders of what to look for in a partner. Someone that truly treats you like they love you and helps you when you need someone to lean on is more valuable than gold, in my opinion.”

“Those are definitely good qualities to look for.”

There was a brief but comfortable silence before Joshua asked, “Would you like to stay for dinner tonight? I’m not having anything fancy, just leftovers from last night, but you seem like you could use the company.”

“Thank you. Dinner sounds wonderful.”

With that, Joshua stood up and left his living room to reheat dinner for the two of you. While you waited, you thought about the verses that you’d been given, and you did find some comfort when you felt the two small pieces of paper in your pocket.

You were pulled out of your thoughts by Joshua’s voice asking, “Are you ready to eat?” You nodded, and he added, “Come with me,” gesturing for you to follow him into the dining room.

While the two of you ate together, you discussed your personal histories with your faith, and every minute only increased your respect for Joshua. He was clearly a man of God, and you were grateful that you had a leader like him in your community. As he shared the story of how he decided to go into ministry, you couldn’t help but get the slightest bit emotional.

Every minute of your conversation made you feel safer with Joshua. He seemed to hang onto every word as you told stories from your childhood and teenage years that solidified your faith in God, and after a conversation about your favorite stories from the Bible, he smiled and said, “You really know what you’re talking about.”

“Thank you. That means a lot, coming from you.”

The two of you continued to talk well into the night, but eventually, you did have to leave. After all, you would need to be awake at a reasonable hour the next morning so that you could get ready for church. So, after you thanked Joshua for having you in his home, you drove back to your apartment, once again silently thanking God for sending a man like Joshua to your community.

For the next several months after that first visit, you and Joshua met regularly, either at your apartment or his, to read from the Bible together and discuss whatever the subject of his sermon was that Sunday. Sure, you didn’t necessarily need his advice on anything, but you enjoyed hearing his perspective, and having something besides church to look forward to on weekends really helped your mood.

As time went on, however, you found yourself struggling to pay attention during your discussions. Instead of thinking about the words that Joshua said, you found yourself thinking about the way his voice sounded and how attractive he looked when he was focused on finding a specific passage from the Bible. You spent more time than you wanted to admit thinking about how it would feel for him to kiss you, to hold you, and to take you to places you’d never been before.

You knew that it was wrong to think the way you did, especially about your pastor, but you just couldn’t seem to stop yourself. So, you decided to pray. Every night, you begged God to help you figure out a way to get the inappropriate thoughts out of your mind, and every day, you realized that the answer to your prayer was a firm “no” for reasons you didn’t understand.

Since prayer didn’t help in the way that you’d hoped it would, you decided to try reading from your Bible more. Every day, you made time for personal Bible study, and while you were actively studying, you were able to focus on something other than the sinful thoughts of Joshua that plagued your every other waking moment. As soon as you were done, though, the thoughts would return, and you’d go right back to feeling hopeless and guilty.

Not knowing what else to do, you decided to call Joshua and ask him if you could come over the next time he wasn’t busy for some advice on a personal matter. He happily agreed, and you thanked him before you hung up the phone, ready to face the situation head-on.

The agreed-upon day finally came, and you felt like you were going to cry for the entire drive to Joshua’s apartment. Still, you knew that you had to go. After all, you couldn’t get the advice that you needed from him if you didn’t ask in the first place. So, with a deep breath, you knocked on the door. A few seconds later, he opened the door and smiled before he said, “Lovely to see you! How are you today?”

“I’ve been better. Can I come in?”

“Of course.” Joshua stepped out of the way long enough for you to step into his apartment, and once you were inside and the door was shut, he asked, “What’s wrong? You seem upset.”

“Before I actually tell you what’s going on, I just want to say that I am so, so sorry.”

“Listen to me. Whatever it is, I’m here to provide support and guidance,” he said as he took a seat on his couch and patted the spot next to him. “Now, what’s troubling you?”

You sat on the couch next to him, and your heart started to race. Whether it was due to attraction or anxiety, you had no idea. Still, you tried to take deep breaths to calm down before you looked at him and said, “I’ve been struggling with inappropriate thoughts lately.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. Why are you apologizing to me?”

You really wanted to leave and never face Joshua again, but you’d come too far to go back. So, with another deep breath, you added, “They’re about you.” His eyes widened at your admission, and you said, “I’m sorry, I know that it’s-”

Joshua softened when he heard your apology and said, “Sweetheart, listen to me. Ok?” The pet name took you by surprise, but you still nodded, and he continued, “There is nothing wrong with the way you feel. It’s normal to think that way about someone.”

Quietly, you asked, “Are you mad at me?”

“Not at all. Can I admit something to you too?”

“What is it?”

“I think about you the same way.”

“Really?”

“Of course, sweetpea. How could I not?”

“I don’t know. I just felt bad about thinking about you in that way. Especially because the thoughts usually happen during our Bible studies.”

“My dear, there’s nothing to feel bad about. If God didn’t want us to feel attracted to people, He wouldn’t have given us the ability to feel attraction in the first place. It’s ok.”

You relaxed significantly when Joshua reassured you and said, “Thank you for not judging me or telling me that I’m wrong.”

“I’ll never judge you, sweetheart,” Joshua said as he placed his hand on your shoulder. You opened your mouth to say something in response, but in the end, you decided against it. He must have noticed because he added, “What’s on your mind?”

“I was thinking about kissing you again,” you mumbled.

“Again?” Joshua asked, clearly enjoying how embarrassed you felt.

You nodded and quietly answered, “I daydream about it sometimes.”

“Well, why don’t we make those daydreams a reality?”

You nodded, and he leaned closer to you. You leaned in too, and before you knew it, your lips met his. The kiss was soft at first, with neither of you sure how far you should go, but in a matter of minutes, the air in the room shifted. The way he kissed you started to feel hungry, for lack of a better way to describe it. You knew that you probably should have been ashamed of the way you felt as he kissed you, but you weren’t. Instead, all you could think about was how good his lips felt against yours and how badly you wanted the moment to last forever.

At some point, Joshua pulled away to give you a chance to breathe. As you caught your breath, he looked at you with something you couldn’t quite identify in his eyes and asked, “Can we try something, angel?”

“What is it?”

“Sit on my lap.”

You hesitantly did as you were told, and you felt something unfamiliar rubbing against you. You weren’t upset, though, and based on the sigh that slipped from Joshua’s mouth as you settled into a comfortable position on top of him, he wasn’t either.

Once you were settled, he looked up at you and asked, “Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then will you let me help you?”

“What do you mean? I thought that you said that it’s normal to feel this way.”

“It absolutely is normal, sweetheart. I just meant that I could help you get some relief if you’d like.”

You thought about what he said for a moment before you said, “Ok.”

Joshua smiled at you and placed his hands on your hips. Then, he asked, “Are you sure that you want to do this?”

With a sigh, you nodded and said, “I’m sure. I trust you.”

“Then can you start moving your hips for me?”

You slowly started to move back and forth, with Joshua’s hands on your hips guiding you and setting a slow but steady pace. The feeling between your legs as you moved was unfamiliar, but you loved it. It was a kind of pleasure that you’d never experienced before, and as you started to lose yourself in that pleasure, you couldn’t help but wonder if Joshua would help you experience it again.

Shortly after you started, a soft moan slipped out of your mouth, and you abruptly stopped and said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

“Don’t apologize. It’s ok. I promise. It felt good, right?” You nodded, and he said, “Keep going, sweetpea. I wanna hear more of those sweet little sounds.”

Hesitantly, you did as you were told. In a matter of minutes, though, your hesitation melted away, and the only thing left was pleasure. As you rocked your hips back and forth, Joshua bucked his hips up to meet yours, groaning softly and whispering soft praises into your ear.

“You look so pretty on top of me, angel,” he said with a sigh. “I wish you could see just how beautiful you are.”

You wanted to be embarrassed by the way your body reacted to his words, but you didn’t care nearly enough about what you should have been feeling to be ashamed. All you cared about was how good Joshua made you feel and how happy you were that he thought about you the same way you thought about him. You were also more relieved than you could put into words that he didn’t think that you were wrong for thinking about him that way like you’d expected him to.

As you continued to rock your hips back and forth, an unfamiliar feeling started to build in the pit of your stomach. You wanted to ask Joshua what the feeling was and what to do about it, but before you could get the words out, your whole body tensed as a wave of unbelievable pleasure washed over you, loud moans falling from your lips as you lost yourself in the feeling.

As you caught your breath, you found yourself thinking about just how badly you wanted to do the things that you just did again and again. The desire that had taken center stage in your mind was still pretty new to you, and you were certain that if you were of a clearer mind you’d be ashamed of yourself, but you already found yourself addicted to the pleasure that Joshua gave you.

You snapped out of your thoughts when Joshua said, “Hey, stay with me, baby. Are you ok?”

“I’m ok. I was just thinking.”

“What’s on your mind?”

“I really wanna do that again.”

With a soft smile, Joshua cupped your face in his hands and kissed you again. Without meaning to, you started to move your hips back and forth again, and he pulled away just long enough to say, “Calm down, sweetheart. Plenty of time for more of that later. But first, there’s something else that I’d like to try. Would that be ok?” You nodded, and he added, “I want you to get on your knees for me, angel.”

You scrambled to follow his instructions before you looked up at him and asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“Well, how do you feel about sucking my cock?”

Suddenly feeling shy, you looked down and mumbled, “I’ve never done that before.”

“I know, dove. That’s why I’m going to teach you how, as long as you want me to.” You hesitated to respond to that, though, so he placed his hand under your chin and lifted your face so that the two of you were making eye contact again before he asked, “Do you want me to?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Are you sure, dove? We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

With a deep breath, you answered, “I’m sure. I want to do this with you. I trust you.”

“Promise me that you’d tell me if you didn’t want it.”

“I promise.”

“Good girl.”

Joshua’s words and the sweet way that he said them made you feel giddy in a way that you weren’t used to, and it made you want nothing more than to make him happy. Sure, you were nervous, but you meant it when you said that you trusted him, so you were happy to do whatever he asked, especially if you could make him feel the way that he’d made you feel.

With a loving smile on his face, he gestured to his pants and said, “Go ahead and unbutton these, dove.”

You did as you were told, and he stood up to fully remove the pesky clothing. When you finally saw him bare from the waist down, you were hit with a fresh wave of nervousness, but the same desire that had gotten you to this point was what helped you move past it. With a flirty smile, you looked up at Joshua again and asked, “What should I do now?”

“Just slowly take it into your mouth, angel.” Slowly, you wrapped your lips around him, and he added, “Good girl. Now slowly move your head up and down.”

You happily did as you were told, wanting nothing more in that moment than to please Joshua. As you bobbed your head, you found yourself struggling to not gag, but you were willing to fight the feeling for as long as you could. Especially with the sweet moans and grunts that fell from Joshua’s lips as he told you how good your lips felt around him.

“Fuck, just like that, baby. You’re doing so good for me,” he groaned as he started to gently thrust into your mouth.

Of course, as soon as you started to wonder what else was going to happen, Joshua groaned and said, “I’m close, dove.”

You briefly considered stopping and asking Joshua what to do, but before you could, he grabbed your head and held you in place while a warm, slightly bitter fluid filled your mouth, and a series of loud moans and curses fell from his. Once you were sure that it had stopped, you looked up at him as if to ask what to do next. Noticing the confusion on your face, he took a deep breath and said, “Swallow it, baby.”

You once again did what you were told, took a series of deep breaths, and said, “That was fun.”

After Joshua caught his breath, he carefully helped you up and said, “Come here, angel.” Once you were standing again, he immediately pulled you into a hug and added, “Can I admit something else?”

“Of course. Anything.”

“I really want more than this.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I want more from this, from you, than just ‘finding relief.’ I want an actual relationship with you.”

You lit up at his words and asked, “You do?”

“Of course I do, baby. I wouldn’t have done those things with you if I didn’t want something more.”

You were quiet for a minute before you asked, “Does this mean that we’re together now?”

“Only if you want it to.”

“I really do.”

“Then yes, it does.”

You smiled and kissed him again, elated that your discussion with him had gone better than you ever could have hoped. When you pulled away, you smiled and said, “Today has been a lot of fun.”

“I’m happy to hear that, angel.” There was a moment of silence before Joshua added, “Are you feeling ok? Regarding everything that we did earlier, I mean.”

You nodded and said, “I was definitely nervous, but I loved every second of it. Honestly, I kind of want to do it again.”

Joshua laughed softly before he responded, “As fun as that sounds, I don’t think it’s a good idea.” You pouted, and he added, “I just don’t want you to get overwhelmed, dove.”

You were still disappointed, but you understood. So, you said, “Ok. Thank you for looking out for me,” and pulled him into a hug.

“I’ll always look out for you, sweetheart.”

There was a brief moment of silence before you asked, “Can we cuddle?”

“Of course, baby,” he answered. “Do you wanna stay here and sit on the couch or go lie in bed?”

You hesitated before you responded, “Bed?”

“Ok. Come with me.”

Joshua let go of you briefly, and you opened your mouth to complain, but you changed your mind when he took your hand to lead you to his bedroom. With a smile, you said, “Your room looks so cozy.”

“Thanks,” he responded with a shy smile before lying down on his bed. Once he was settled, he reached his arm out to pull you into bed with him, and you laughed as you landed next to him. When he turned to see you staring at him with a gentle smile on your face, still laughing softly, the thought entered his mind that your laughter was even more beautiful than your moans, if that was even possible.

With his own dopey grin, he said, “Come here, baby,” and held his arms out to you. You moved closer, and he wrapped his arms around you while you put your head on his chest. Once you were settled, he asked, “Is this what you wanted, dove?”

You nodded and said, “This is nice.”

“Good. That was the goal.”

While you relaxed in Joshua’s arms, the two of you talked and got to know each other better. While you talked, you found yourself feeling tired, and you knew that you would probably need to go home soon. Almost immediately after you had that thought, however, you fell asleep.

The next morning, you panicked when you noticed that there was another person in your bed. You briefly relaxed when you rolled over and realized that you were lying next to Joshua, but once you started to remember the events of the day before, you panicked all over again. You rushed to get out of bed, but before you could get very far, Joshua pulled you closer before he said, “Just five more minutes, baby. Please?”

“But I need to go. I-”

“Where do you have to go?”

You hesitated before you answered, “Well, nowhere today, but I’ve never-”

Joshua could tell that you were stressed, so he started to rub your back and said, “Baby, it’s ok. Deep breaths, ok?”

You did what he asked before you said, “I’ve never spent the night at a boyfriend’s place before. I swear that I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I’m so sorry.”

“Angel, there is nothing to apologize for. I kind of figured that you didn’t mean to fall asleep. It was cute, though.”

Surprised by the compliment, you asked, “Really?”

“Of course. Everything you do is cute.”

You pouted in response to the compliment and responded, “Well you’re cuter.”

“Do you really wanna play that game with me, baby?” You went quiet after that, and he laughed softly before he added, “I love you.”

You were surprised that Joshua said that he loved you so soon, but you couldn’t really say that you were upset. After all, the way you felt about Joshua was already so much more intense than anything you’d ever felt for another person before. So, you reached out to play with his hair as you said, “I love you too.”

A few weeks after you and Joshua made your relationship official, the two of you planned for him to show up at your apartment early so that the two of you could spend some extra time together before he had to be at the church. So, you got up early and got ready, daydreaming about what you wanted to do with him while you waited for him to arrive.

Initially, you struggled to decide on an outfit, but in the end, you settled on a soft pink dress and matching flats that you found in the bottom of your closet. Once you were dressed, you admired yourself in the mirror until you heard a knock on the door.

“Hi, baby,” you said as you opened the door.

Joshua stared at you with what you could only describe as awe as he said, “Hi, angel. You look gorgeous today. Is that the dress you’re wearing to church?”

“Yep! Do you like it?” you asked, twirling to show it off.

“I really do, dove.”

With a smile, you moved out of the way so that Joshua could come in and asked, “Is there anything specific you wanna do to pass the time?” You had a few ideas when you saw Joshua all dressed up, but you weren’t sure how to ask for what you wanted. So, you stayed quiet, at least at first.

“I am too. What do you wanna do until we have to leave?”

“I’m not sure. Do you have any ideas?”

“I was thinking about a few things earlier, but I don’t want to do too much right before we have to leave.”

“Well, what were you thinking about?”

“This,” he answered before he pulled you as close as he possibly could and kissed you. You melted into his touch, and you were so distracted by the way his lips felt on yours, you almost didn’t notice his hand moving from your waist down to your ass. Honestly, you probably wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t squeezed softly, earning a gasp from you. With a soft smile, he pulled away slightly and said, “You’re so cute.”

You didn’t respond at first, but after you took a few deep breaths, you collected yourself enough to mumble, “I really liked that.”

“Oh, really?” he asked. You nodded, and he chuckled and said, “You’re so cute, dove.”

Without thinking about it, you asked, “Can I touch you?”

“Maybe later, baby,” he answered, surprised by the question. You pouted, and he added, “I just don’t want you overwhelmed before church. Besides, I don’t know if we have time for that before we have to leave.”

“What about after?”

“We’ll talk after.”

“Ok. I love you.”

“I love you too, angel.”

A few minutes later, the two of you left for church, and Joshua’s hand was on your thigh for the entire ride. You definitely weren’t complaining, though. You loved the way his hand felt as he carefully moved it back and forth, and you liked how intimate the seemingly insignificant gesture felt. The only problem was that you kept getting distracted by thoughts of him touching you somewhere else.

You were so lost in your thoughts of the things that you wanted to do after church, you didn’t even notice that you had arrived until Joshua moved his hand from your thigh and asked, “Are you ready to go in, angel?”

“I guess,” you answered, the disinterest in your voice apparent.

“What’s wrong, sweetpea?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just kinda don’t wanna do this today.”

“I understand, baby. Why didn’t you tell me? I wouldn’t have picked you up if I’d known.”

“I didn’t say anything because I still wanted to see you. I just don’t wanna sit through service today.”

“I really wish you’d said something. I could’ve figured something else out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Hey, nothing to be sorry for, dove. Just tell me next time, ok?” You nodded in response, and he added, “Thank you.”

“Are you ready?”

“Just a second. Can I ask you something, dove?”

“Of course.

“You seem a bit distracted,” Joshua said. “Is there something on your mind?”

You hesitated for a minute before you answered, “I’d rather be doing something else right now.”

“I have a feeling I know what it is that you want to do, but I still wanna hear you say it. So, what would you rather be doing right now?”

“Touching you.”

“Maybe after service, ok?”

“Ok.”

“Now, are you ready to go inside?” he asked. You nodded, and he said, “Ok, then let’s go.”

You and Joshua got out of his car and walked into the church, where everyone was happy to see both of you. It was kind of funny, really. No one cared to even say hello to you for most of the time you’d attended that church, but now that you were dating the pastor, you could hardly walk two steps without someone stopping you to say hello and ask how you were doing. Normally, you wouldn’t have minded the conversation, since you loved interacting with people, but that day, you were just so tired and really didn’t want to be there.

Joshua definitely noticed that you weren’t feeling well, and he tried to draw attention away from you wherever he could. To someone on the outside looking in, he would have seemed jealous and self-centered, whisking everyone that so much as said hello to you away and dominating the conversation. You knew better, though. In between greeting members of the congregation, he made sure to check in on you, something you greatly appreciated. He didn’t verbally ask you if you were ok, but he didn’t need to. All he had to do was take one good look at you, and he could gauge how you were feeling, at least when it came to your social battery.

By the time the service was actually ready to start, you were noticeably more relaxed. You were smiling more, your responses to questions and greetings were much less blunt, and you were more involved with conversations. As you and Joshua walked to your seats at the front of the church, you squeezed his hand, a silent expression of gratitude for looking out for you. He squeezed your hand again in response, a quiet acknowledgement that he understood.

The service itself was incredibly dull. Even Joshua’s sermon, which was about having healthy relationships as Christians, did nothing to keep you from getting bored as you waited for the socially acceptable time to leave to finally arrive. No one in the church would be able to tell that you were bored, though, except maybe Joshua, but only because you’d told him before service. As far as the rest of the congregation knew, you were the same good girl you’d always been, listening eagerly to the things that your pastor said.

When service finally ended, you immediately found Joshua, hoping to leave with him as quickly as possible. Of course, before you could go home, though, there were a number of people that wanted to speak with your boyfriend, either because they wanted to share their thoughts on the sermon or because they had a personal matter that they wanted guidance on. You wanted to be annoyed by the series of delays, but you really couldn’t find it in yourself to be upset. After all, he took such care to address every question and concern with nothing but love, reassuring everyone that he spoke to and praying with them if they asked. Even the handful of children that approached him were treated with respect and dignity, like Joshua viewed their questions as just as important as the questions the adults in the congregation had.

Every moment watching Joshua interact with the people in your community made you fall more in love with him.

You were so lost in your thoughts; you almost didn’t notice that Joshua was calling your name. Once you snapped back to reality, you turned to face him with a smile, and he asked, “Are you ready to go?” You nodded, and he took your hand to lead you back to his car.

The ride home was mostly silent, with both of you too tired to fill the empty space around you with conversation. Joshua’s hand still rested comfortably on your thigh, however, and the seemingly small gesture did help you relax.

When Joshua pulled up to your apartment, you broke the comfortable silence that had formed during the ride and asked, “Would you like to stay for a bit?”

“Are you sure?”

You nodded and answered, “I’d really like some more time with you before you have to go home.”

“I think that sounds great, angel.”

With that, you and Joshua walked into your apartment together. The moment your front door was shut, you pulled him into a tight hug and said, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

After he let go, you led Joshua to your couch, sat down, and asked, “What do you wanna do?” You hoped you didn’t sound as nervous as you felt, but considering how good Joshua already was at reading you, you wouldn’t have been surprised if he could tell.

Joshua pretended to think for a minute before he said, “I think you should pick what we do, baby.”

“Are you sure?”

He nodded and said, “I’m sure. What do you wanna do?”

You didn’t answer him verbally. Instead, you leaned closer and kissed him with everything you had. A soft noise of surprise left his mouth, but he relaxed pretty much immediately, tangling his hands in your hair as he deepened the kiss. A soft moan left your mouth, and you pulled away from him just enough to say, “I want you.”

“Oh really? What do you want from me, baby?” he asked, the teasing tone in his voice turning you on even more.

“Want you to touch me. Please?”

“How?”

“However you want. Just, please?”

“Patience, sweetheart. Do you want to do something we’ve already done, or do you want to do something different?” You mumbled something he couldn’t quite hear, so he said, “Speak up, love. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what you want.”

“Wanna try something different.”

“What do you wanna try?” You were quiet after that, so he added, “Do you want my fingers? Do you want my tongue? Do you want my cock?”

A soft whine slipped out before you whispered, “The last one.”

“Oh really, baby?” he asked. You nodded, and he gently placed his hand under your chin, lifting your head to make eye contact with him as he asked, “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Baby, I’m being serious here. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“I know. I’m sure. I trust you.”

Joshua was amazed by how much you trusted him already.

“As long as you’re sure. If you change your mind at any point, though, I need you to tell me. Ok, angel?”

“I will. I promise.”

“Good girl,” he replied before he kissed you again, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you closer, if that was even possible. When he pulled away from the kiss, you whined softly, and he asked, “Should we take this to your room, baby?” You nodded, and he laughed softly before he said, “Use your words, dove.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” you mumbled.

“Then lead the way, darling.”

You hesitantly took Joshua’s hand and led him to your bedroom. Once you were there, though, and Joshua’s lips found their way to your neck, any lingering hesitation was completely replaced by arousal. Soft moans slipped out of your mouth as he kissed and bit every inch of you he could comfortably reach, and once the desire that coursed through your veins was too much to bear, you whined, “Please do something.”

“I am doing something, sweetpea,” he teased.

“Want more,” you begged.

Joshua pretended to contemplate his options for a moment before he said, “Alright, baby. Can you take your clothes off for me?”

You nodded and did what you were asked, because of course you did. You were more turned on than you ever thought possible in that moment, and all you wanted was to make the man that you loved happy.

 Once you were standing in front of him, naked and desperate, you mumbled, "Want you."

"I know, baby," Joshua replied as he rid himself of his own clothing. "Lie down on the bed."

You scrambled to follow his instructions, and once you were comfortable, he carefully climbed on top of you. When he was sure that you were ready, he slowly entered you.

To say the feeling of Joshua's cock inside of you was jarring would have been a vast understatement. Still, you didn't exactly dislike the feeling, especially once he started thrusting.

Joshua started out slowly at first, letting you adjust to the feeling, which you appreciated. Sure, you’d had a vague idea of how sex worked before you met Joshua, but you had no idea how it was supposed to feel, really. Now that you were actually experiencing it, you couldn’t help but think that Joshua’s cock inside you was one of your favorite feelings in the world.

 Soft whines slipped out as the pleasure started to build, and Joshua kissed you before he said, “You feel so good, baby. Knew you would.”

“Want more,” you pleaded.

“What do you want, baby?” he asked as he stopped his thrusts.

“Don’t know,” you said, trying to catch your breath. “Just know I want more.”

“Aww, poor baby,” he said, laughing when you pouted. “Don’t worry, sweetpea. I’ll give you everything you want and more, I promise.”

 With that, he started thrusting again, and the room was mostly silent as both of you got lost in how good you felt. When Joshua started to pick up the pace, though? You could barely contain the sounds that started to increase in volume and pitch.

“Fuck, baby, you’re gonna be the death of me,” Joshua said with a loud groan. “I’m gonna fucking marry you one day, I swear.”

You moaned loudly and choked out, “Please,” too lost in how he felt inside you to fully process what he was saying.

Joshua fucked into you harder as he said, “Can’t wait for you to be my gorgeous little wife. Maybe one day I’ll give you a baby too. How does that sound, angel?”

“Please. Want it so bad. Love you so much,” you whined, clenching around him.

“I love you too, baby. Fuck, I’m close.”

Before you could say another word, Joshua pulled out of you, cum hitting your stomach as he moaned your name. Without really meaning to, you whined at the loss, and he chucked softly, admiring you as he caught his breath.

“I have an idea,” Joshua said as he climbed off of you and sat on your bed. “Can you sit on my lap, angel?”

You nodded as you followed his instructions, and once you were comfortable, you asked, “Like this?”

Joshua shook his head and carefully moved you so that you were straddling one of his thighs before he asked, “Do you remember what we did a few weeks ago?”

“Yes? I think so. When I was on your lap?”

“Yes, exactly. Do you wanna do that again?” he asked. You nodded, and he said, “Go ahead, my darling.”

With no further hesitation, you started to move back and forth, with Joshua placing his hands on your hips to guide you. Every moment sent sparks of pleasure through you, and you knew that you weren’t gonna last much longer.

Almost right on cue, the now familiar heat in the pit of your stomach started to build, and you knew that you wouldn’t last much longer. You tried to warn Joshua, but before you could, you came undone on top of him, holding onto the man you loved while pleasure coursed through your veins.

After you caught your breath, you carefully climbed off of Joshua, and he helped you clean up and put fresh clothes on. Then, once you were both dressed and comfortable again, you quietly asked, “Do you wanna stay the night?”

“Are you sure, baby? I don’t want to upset you again.”

“It’s ok, really,” you said. “I was just embarrassed last time." There was a brief silence before you mumbled, "I want you to stay."

 "Ok, then I'll stay."

"Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too, dove."

 With that, the two of you left the bedroom, going to the kitchen to cook an early dinner together. After you finished eating, he helped you clean the kitchen, and the two of you spent the rest of the night enjoying each other’s presence.

After your first time with Joshua, you felt like a completely different person. Not a bad kind of different, but different nonetheless. Before you met him, you never would have even considered sex before getting married. But when you were with Joshua, it was almost like you didn’t care anymore. You trusted him more than you’d ever trusted another person before, and that meant you were more than willing to test your limits when you were with him, even if you’d been told your whole life that the things you did together were sinful.

A few months into your relationship, you and Joshua found yourselves testing your limits once again at a church potluck. For the most part, everything was normal, with everyone in the congregation chatting about Joshua’s sermon earlier that morning while they enjoyed good food and good company. You enjoyed the sunny afternoon by sitting at a table outside of the church along with Joshua and a few of your mutual friends, and no one had a care in the world until you heard a disappointingly familiar voice ask, “How are you doing today?”

“I’m doing fine, Jihoon,” you answered halfheartedly as you turned toward the source of the voice.

“Do you have a few minutes to talk privately?” Jihoon asked, the nervousness he was feeling evident both in his voice and the look on his face.

“Is everything alright, Jihoon?” Joshua asked, visibly annoyed by your ex’s presence at your table.

“Everything is fine, Reverend. I just wanted to speak to her alone,” your ex answered, emphasizing the last word as he answered.

Joshua reached out and gently took your hand as he said, “I don’t believe that’s necessary.” It was a subtle gesture, but it didn’t go unnoticed by Jihoon. Or by you, for that matter. Whether it was the way he touched you with such care or the hint of frustration in his voice, or some combination of the two, you didn’t know. All you knew was that a feeling started to build in the pit of your stomach that was wildly inappropriate for where you were. Though, you had a feeling that Joshua would've loved it if you'd told him.

“Forgive me, Reverend, but I think that she should have the final say. Don’t you?” Jihoon asked before turning to look at you expectantly.

“There’s nothing for us to talk about, Jihoon,” you responded flatly. “It was nice to see you.”

Jihoon sighed and said, “It was nice to see you too,” giving you a halfhearted smile as he struggled to hide the frustration and disappointment that had replaced the nervousness he felt when he approached you. He still left you alone after that, though, which you were more grateful for than you could put into words.

Joshua, however, was clearly still angry, even after Jihoon walked away. So, you tried your best to distract him with silly conversations and plenty of touches that certainly toed the line of appropriateness but didn’t cross it obviously enough for the two of you to get in trouble. At first, you worried that you were pushing too far, but when you watched Joshua struggle to maintain his composure as you laughed at one of his jokes, you knew you had him right where he wanted you.

A few minutes after Jihoon walked away, Yewon, youth pastor Kwon’s wife, approached your table and asked, “Reverend Hong, is there another pack of paper plates somewhere? We’re getting low.”

“There should be some in the supply closet near the restrooms,” Joshua answered. “Would you like me to go get them?”

“Are you sure?” Yewon asked.

“Of course,” Joshua answered before he turned to you and asked, “Would you mind helping me look for them, my love?”

“Not at all,” you answered, happy to help your boyfriend.

“Thank you so much,” Yewon said before she walked away.

With a mischievous smile on his face, Joshua took your hand and said, “Let’s go get those plates.” That was when you started to get a feeling that something more would happen, but you weren’t sure if that was because of how he was acting or how badly you wanted him in that moment. Regardless of the reason, you stood up and let Joshua lead you into the church.

Once you found your way to the supply closet that Joshua had mentioned, he entered the cramped storage room, pulled you in behind him, and shut and locked the door. You opened your mouth to say something, but before you could, his lips were on yours.

You melted into the kiss with a sigh, and Joshua wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you closer. A soft whine slipped out as he deepened the kiss, and he pulled away just enough to look you in the eyes and say, “You need to be quiet, sweetheart. Don’t want anyone to hear us doing this, do we? Especially here of all places.” You shook your head, and he answered, “That’s what I thought.”

“Wait, are we-”

“Only if you want to.”

A million thoughts ran through your mind, but only two words came out of your mouth. “Why here?”

“Because I need you,” he answered, his voice laced with desperation.

“Won’t we get in trouble if we get caught?” you asked.

“Oh, definitely. But that just means that we need to try not to get caught.”

It would have been a lie to say that you weren’t nervous about the situation you’d found yourself in, but it also would have been a lie to say that you weren’t incredibly excited and turned on. Since meeting Joshua, you’d had all kinds of new experiences, and in your mind, this was just another opportunity to try something new with the man you loved.

“Baby, are you ok? Do you not want-”

“I want to.”

“Are you sure? You seemed hesitant.”

“I’m a little nervous about it if I'm being honest, but if you think that it'll be ok, I trust you.”

“That’s my good girl.”

 "All yours," you mumbled.

"Say it louder, sweetpea."

"I'm all yours," you said, this time with more conviction.

"Very good. Now, are you gonna keep being a good girl for me and take my cock?”

You nodded, and Joshua lifted your skirt and pulled your panties down. When you felt his tip brush against you, a soft whine slipped out of your mouth, and you heard him chuckle to himself.

"What did I say about being quiet, dove?"

"'m sorry, it just feels so good."

“I know, my darling, but we don’t wanna get caught, right?” he asked. You shook your head, and he added, “That’s what I thought.”

With a soft groan, Joshua slowly entered you. Sure, it wasn’t exactly your first time anymore, but  you still found yourself struggling to adjust to the sensation of his cock inside you. Once you were ready, however, he started to move, and you swore you could see stars.

You had no idea if it was the excitement of potentially getting caught, how hard Joshua fucked you, or some combination of the two, but regardless, it was more difficult to stay quiet than you expected. So difficult, in fact, that your lover put his hand over your mouth to muffle the sounds that slipped out no matter how hard you tried.

“What did I tell you, dove?” Joshua asked. “It’s important to be quiet. Unless you want to get caught?” Something about the condescending tone in his voice turned you on more than you expected, and when you clenched around him, he laughed and asked, “Really, angel? You want someone to see us, don’t you?”

You wanted to shake your head or try to say something to indicate that you were trying to listen to what he said. But deep down, you knew that you didn’t care if someone opened that closet to see what the two of you were doing. The only things you cared about in the moment were Joshua’s cock inside you and the orgasm that hit you before you even realized you were close.

Seconds after you came down from your high, you felt Joshua come inside of you, holding you tight as he rode out his high. Then, once you both calmed down, Joshua carefully pulled out of you and helped you get dressed again. After putting his own clothes back on, he asked, “How about we actually grab those plates now?”

 After you found the plates, you went back to the picnic almost like nothing happened. There was one minor difference, however. Every time you noticed Jihoon staring at you and Joshua, you couldn’t help but feel smug, because you knew he could see how beautiful you felt now that you were with someone that loved you with no expectations.

Before you knew it, it was almost your one-year anniversary, and you could hardly contain your excitement. You'd spent weeks searching for the perfect gift for Joshua, but with each shopping trip, you worried more and more that you wouldn't find anything to accurately show him how much you loved him.

However, you got luckier than you expected at your local craft store. You had about 2 weeks left until your anniversary, and you were getting desperate. But after aimlessly wandering through the store for what felt like hours, you noticed a skein of yarn that was baby blue, his favorite color, right next to a display of cross-shaped beads, and inspiration struck.

When you got home, you grabbed your crochet hook and searched for patterns for a book sleeve online. Once you found one that you were happy with, you got to work making a sleeve for Joshua’s favorite Bible. It took multiple tries (and even more attempts at measuring the book when Joshua wasn’t looking) to get the size just right, but in the end, you were satisfied with the results. You'd spent days assembling the book sleeve and adding small decorations that you knew he’d like, such as a beaded cross on the front, and you were proud of yourself for finishing the project in time.

The morning of your anniversary, you called Joshua and invited him over before going through your favorite cookbook to look for a recipe to cook for dinner. Typically, you wouldn’t have put so much effort into dinner, but you thought your anniversary was a fitting day to put the extra effort in.

You started dinner about an hour before Joshua was set to arrive, daydreaming about what you wanted the future to look like while you waited to properly celebrate a year with the man you loved.

Right on time, Joshua knocked on the door, and when you opened it, you pulled him into your dining room and said, "Sit down. Dinner is almost ready."

"You didn't have to cook for me, baby."

"I know. I wanted to because it's a special occasion. I love you."

“Well, I appreciate it. I love you, sweetpea.”

The familiar pet name sent butterflies to your stomach, which made finishing dinner difficult, but you got there in the end. When it was done, you fixed two plates and brought them to the dining room table with a smile.

When you put Joshua’s plate in front of him, he said, “Thank you. This looks incredible.”

“Thank you, my love,” you said, feeling giddy as you set your own plate down. Before you actually started to eat, though, you looked up at Joshua and asked, “Actually, before we eat, can I give you your gift?"

"Yeah, of course.”

With that, you grabbed the bag that you’d left under the table and handed it to Joshua. When he opened it and looked at what was inside, he looked back at you and asked, “What is it?”

“It’s a protective sleeve for your Bible. I remembered what you said about how you wish you didn’t have to be so careful to keep it from getting dirty.”

With a soft smile, he said, “Thank you,” and gently placed the bag next to his chair. With that, the two of you ate dinner in almost complete silence, focused more on enjoying each other’s company than coming up with something interesting to say.

At the end of the meal, however, Joshua looked at you with a glint of mischief in his eyes and said, “I have a surprise for you.”

“What is it?”

Joshua didn’t respond to your question verbally at first, but he didn’t need to. You knew exactly what was happening when he stood from his chair and pulled a small box out of his pocket. With a soft smile and shaky hands, he looked up at you and said, “My darling, I love you more than I’ve ever loved another person before. Every minute with you has been a rollercoaster of new emotions and experiences, and while to many it may look like it’s too soon to say for sure, I’ve never been more certain of anything than I am that I never want to get off the ride. Will you marry me?”

You nodded in response, not trusting your ability to speak without crying as Joshua stood from his place on the floor and placed the ring on your finger. You admired the ring as the diamond sparkled in the light of your dining room, and Joshua looked at you with an excited grin on his face as he asked, “Does that mean you like it?”

“I love it, and I love you.”

“I love you too, angel. I always will.”

Joshua cupped your face in his hands and kissed you with a passion that almost knocked you off your feet, and you wrapped your arms around his neck. You lost yourself in the way his lips felt on yours shockingly quickly, so distracted that you almost didn’t notice his hand slowly making its way to your ass. What finally snapped you out of it was his hand squeezing gently, which caused a soft moan to tumble from your lips.

With a smirk on his face and mischief in his eyes, he pulled away and said, “I can’t wait for you to be my wife.”

“Maybe then you’ll finally keep that promise you made the first time we had sex,” you answered with a laugh.

“What promise?” he asked. You gave him a knowing smile, and that was when he remembered everything. With a shy laugh of his own, he said, “Maybe I will.”

“You’d better.”

“I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

Thank you everyone for reading! If you liked this one, please make sure to like and reblog!

If you wanna check out my other works, my masterlist can be found here. If you wanna see what I'm working on, my upcoming works list is here. If you'd like to be tagged whenever I upload a new fic, my taglist form is here! You can also send me an ask or dm at any time to be added or removed.

Nakamoto Yuta

The Friend that You Call when You Just Wanna Have a Good Time

It all started when your phone vibrated, your phone flashing with a notification for a text from Yuta.

Yuta: You awake? You: Yeah. Why? Yuta: I found a new bar a few towns over. You wanna go? You: I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Remember what happened last time? Yuta: Nope. That’s precisely why I’m asking. I’m bored and want somebody to get in trouble with. You: Fuck it. Let’s go.

Just like every other time you went out, Yuta picked you up after your roommates went to sleep for the night and drove you to the site of your latest adventure. The bar that your friend dragged you to this time was smaller than the ones you typically went to, but you didn’t necessarily mind that. After all, you weren’t there to socialize. You were there to drink until you could barely remember your own name in an attempt to numb the pain. Sure, you would barely remember what happened the next day, if you remembered anything at all, but maybe that was for the best, considering the things you liked to do when you were drunk and hurting.

Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul

The Fuck Buddy that Says He Loves You because You Let Him Do Whatever He Wants

“I fucking love you,” Ten said with a loud groan as he pounded into you.  You were certain that he didn’t mean it when he said it, despite how many times he insisted he did, but you honestly couldn’t find it in yourself to care. Not when he fucked you hard enough that every ounce of pain that filled your heart was replaced by pure desire with every thrust. Sure, you knew that it was a temporary relief, a band-aid over the bullet holes that destroyed your sense of self and left you relying on empty distractions to get by, but you’d always thought that temporary relief was better than none at all.

Soft whimpers and moans fell from your lips as Ten continued to fuck you, and you held onto him for dear life. After all, you knew he wouldn’t stay after he was done. He did sometimes, mumbling soft promises that he wanted more than sex, but more often than not, he was gone as soon as the aftercare was done. You really didn’t know what was going to happen, so you were determined to keep him close for as long as you possibly could. Anything to feel something other than pain for once.

Lee Donghyuck

The Player that Thinks You'll be the One to Fix Him

Of course, you knew when you went home with Donghyuck that he only wanted sex from you. Did you care, though? No, you didn't. At least, not at first. You were just like him, looking for a good time and a little bit of attention with no real commitment. And for a while, that was exactly what you got.

Then, about a month after you started sleeping together, he started trying harder to keep a conversation going before he left for the night. As he helped you clean up, he asked you about your day, your dreams, and the things that made you happy. You really tried to dodge the questions, not wanting anything beyond a surface level connection, but he kept pushing.

"Seriously, what do you want more than anything?" he asked, looking at you differently than usual.

"I don't know," you answered once again. "Why do you even care anyway? I thought we were just fuck buddies."

"Well, I changed my mind about some things."

There was a moment of silence before you cautiously asked, "What things?"

"You," he answered, staring at you like you were the center of his world. You were silent in response, just shifting nervously in your spot, so he continued, "I wanna be more than just your fuck buddy. I don't know what it is about you, but you make me feel like I could be something better, and I like it."

"Yeah, sorry, but this isn't gonna work."

"What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely surprised by your reaction.

"You're not gonna use me to be a better person. That's not what this is."

"I'm not-"

"Get out."

Donghyuck stormed out of your apartment after that, and you collapsed into your bed and sobbed, asking yourself why you couldn't find someone that actually listened and respected you.

Lee Taeyong

The Pretty Boy that Makes You Wish You Were Beautiful

The first thing that people said about Taeyong when they saw him was that he was gorgeous. His eyes seemed to sparkle when he laughed. His voice was sweeter than even your favorite love song, the one that hadn’t been soured by years of feeling like love was too far out of your reach. His smile was like a personal ray of sunshine, always making the world around him a better place.

That was why it baffled you that Taeyong was willing to even be seen with you. You felt like you were everything that he wasn’t, and every day you wondered what made you so special. The fact that someone like him, the man that looked like Aphrodite herself crafted his smile, wanted someone like you, the person that couldn’t look in the mirror too long for fear of being driven insane by self-hatred, made no sense in your mind.

Maybe the differences that you saw between the two of you were why you walked away after a measly three dates. Why you told Taeyong that you didn’t want to see him anymore. As you told him that you didn’t think that the two of you were a good match, you considered telling him that it was nothing personal. That you just couldn’t ever see yourself measuring up to what he deserved.

Did you, though? Of course not. Instead, you gave a half-hearted explanation about incompatibility, which he could tell was a lie. He didn’t exactly try to stop you though, and you appreciated that. After all, if he did, you knew you’d break and tell him everything. And you couldn’t stand the idea of him seeing that you were just as weak as you were ugly.

Wong Kunhang

The Lovable Idiot You Only See Once

You could hardly believe how truly happy you felt when you met Kunhang at a party. He was funny, telling jokes that sounded ridiculous but never failed to make you laugh, and he was attentive, his focus never leaving you the entire time you were on the dance floor. In all honesty, it was strange. Was this the connection that you were so desperate for? Did you finally meet someone that could make you feel just a little bit less alone?

You never got to find out the answer to your question, since you heard someone call Kunhang’s name as you walked to the bar together. You tried to ask him for his number before he left, but before you could get the words out, he was lost in the crowd.

You wanted to be upset that you’d had another failed date, but in the end, you just couldn’t find it in you. Even though you were alone yet again, you still had fun with Kunhang, and you still had a silent hope in the back of your mind that one day you’d run into him again.

Kim Dongyoung

The Lover that You Want but Won't Allow Yourself to Have

Dongyoung was the one person that you hooked up with that you actually wanted a deeper connection with. The problem with that was that something felt off in a way that you couldn’t quite explain. You had no idea whether something really was off about him or if it was just your brain convincing you that you were unlovable again, though. Regardless, you still chose to keep your distance, refusing to let him get any closer than what was required for him to fuck you.

You knew that it was counterproductive to push Dongyoung away when he clearly liked you and wanted to get to know you better, but you couldn’t seem to stop yourself. That didn’t mean that you stopped yourself from hooking up with him, though. After all, he was pretty fucking good in bed, and whenever you were with him, you felt loved in a way that you just didn’t most of the time. And that made the uncertainty and confusion over what you wanted worth it.

Huang Renjun

The One-Time Lover that Sees Right Through You

After you and Renjun were dressed again, he gave you a knowing look and asked, “So, does this mean that you’re gonna leave now?”

You were surprised by his straightforwardness, but you still managed to say, “I mean, yeah. If that’s ok with you?”

“Oh, yeah, it’s fine. I figured you would, honestly.”

Surprised and offended by his completely correct assumption, you asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’ve hooked up with girls like you before,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“Girls like me?”

“I could tell exactly what you were doing from the second you walked into that bar and started looking at every man that gave you the slightest bit of attention like they hung the moon.”

“Oh really? What exactly was I doing?” you asked, frustrated by the almost-stranger that acted like he knew you better than you did.

“You go out to bars and hook up with people you barely know because you’re alone and can’t handle it. But every time somebody starts to get close, you push them away because you think you’re not worth loving, no matter how much you crave that feeling of loving someone and being loved back. Sound about right?”

“I-”

“Look, I’m not trying to judge. Just wanted you to know that I understand.”

His ability to read you like a children’s book stunned you into silence. With a defeated sigh, you sat back down on his bed and started to cry, suddenly overwhelmed by the complicated feelings floating around your head.

Renjun softened immediately when you started to cry, pulling you close and mumbling soft reassurances and apologies while you tried desperately to regain your composure. Eventually, you did, but even after you’d stopped crying, he begged you to stay the night, too worried about your wellbeing to feel comfortable with you leaving. You agreed, but you also swore to yourself you’d never sleep with Renjun again, no matter how much you loved the feeling of finally being understood.

Jeong Yunoh

The Friend that Thinks He Wants to be More

Every time you saw Jaehyun, he made a point to tell you just how beautiful you were and how happy he was to see you. Normally, you’d appreciate the compliment from your friend, since he was known in your friend group as the “king of cheering people up.” However, the almost seductive tone in his voice and the way he fidgeted whenever the two of you made eye contact made it clear to you that his intentions weren’t exactly platonic.

The problem with that was that you only saw Jaehyun as a friend, and you were certain that if he actually took the time to try and get to know you instead of just staring at you whenever you wore a skimpy outfit, he’d feel the same. But you knew that if you tried to tell him that, he wouldn’t listen, so you decided to just accept the compliments. After all, it was nice to feel wanted sometimes, even if you knew that it wasn't real.

Zhong Chenle

The Coworker that Thinks He Knows Better than You Do

You really tried to tune out your coworkers arguing, especially because you felt the argument was completely inappropriate for the office, but it was difficult with their loud volume and condescending tones.

“I’m telling you,” Chenle said from his cubicle. “Women like that don’t care about anything or anyone.”

“What do you mean by ‘women like that?’” you asked, butting into the conversation because you were sick of the bickering.

“The ones that go out to a different club every night to hook up with whatever poor sap is too distracted by how they look to think properly,” Chenle answered, uncharacteristically venomous.

“Don’t you think that’s a bit much?” Minhyung chimed in.

“No, I don’t,” Chenle said before turning back to his desk, signaling that he was done discussing it, even though he was the one that started the conversation by ranting about “women of today.”

You knew that you weren’t the only one tired of listening to Chenle’s rants at work, so you decided to take the logical next step and reported him to HR. Once you left for the day, though, you felt unbelievably drained. Sure, you knew that what he said wasn’t about you specifically, but it still bothered you. You wondered if it was because you knew that you were doing exactly what he was describing, but there was more to it than that. After all, it just showed how little he knew about the world and the people in it.

Na Jaemin

The Boy Next Door that Only Cares on the Surface

When you got back to your apartment building after work, you literally bumped into your neighbor, Jaemin. You tripped on one of the stairs and fell into him, and when he caught you, he asked, “Woah, you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you said, collecting yourself. “How are you doing, Jaem?”

“Great, actually,” he answered, completely oblivious to the fact that you were trying to get around him to get to your apartment. As he talked about his work and relationships, you tried to pay attention, but your mind frequently wandered to the cleaning that would need to be done once you actually got into your apartment.

After Jaemin finished talking, he moved around you and walked down the stairs, not even bothering to say goodbye. Part of you was relieved, just wanting to get home, but the other part of you was a little hurt that he couldn’t be bothered. In the end, though, you tried to tell yourself that you didn’t actually care about how alone you felt when no one even had the time for small talk.

Park Jisung

The Brother's Best Friend that Promises Not to Tell

When Taehyun told you that Jisung would be picking you up from the bar at the end of the night instead of him, you were far from thrilled. You loved your brother dearly, but you’d always hated his friends, particularly Jisung. He had the kind of arrogance that got under your skin like very little else could, he constantly spoke down to you and treated you like a dumb little kid, despite your closeness in age, and he was insanely gorgeous. Of course, the fact that he was one of the most attractive men you’d ever seen wasn’t why you hated him, but it did make being around him more frustrating than it had any right to be.

Still, even though you hadn't had anything to drink that night, you hated driving, so you were grateful that Jisung agreed to pick you up. So grateful, in fact, that you decided to set aside your frustrations for the night. You even repaid his kindness by taking him home and giving him “the best blowjob he’d ever had,” as he described it once you were done. After helping him clean up, you smiled and said, “Thanks again.”

“No problem. I’m always happy to help a friend out.”

There was a moment of silence before you asked, “You’re not gonna tell Taehyun about this, right?”

“Of course, not. I’m not that kind of person.”

You breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Ok, thanks,” before leaning in to kiss him again.

Xiao Dejun

The Lover that Should Be Perfect for You

Every moment with Dejun should have been magical. He treated you like a princess every time the two of you went out together, never leaving your side unless you needed something or explicitly asked him for space. Not that you ever asked for space much, though. He also made a conscious effort to listen when you spoke to him, taking in the details of every story you told like they were the only thing keeping him alive. He loved you, and that was plain for anyone with eyes to see.

So why did you feel so empty when you were with him? Why did every moment feel more like checking boxes and maintaining a routine than spending time with someone that you cared about? You had no idea, but you did know that there had to be something wrong with you, since everything about Dejun radiated love and warmth. The exact opposite of your heart that had frozen over because of years of pain and heartbreak.

Maybe that was why you ran, to avoid freezing his heart too.

Lee Jeno

The Gym Rat that Makes You Feel Like You'll Never Be Enough

Unlike your other potential lovers, you didn’t meet Jeno at a club or bar. Instead, you met him at the gym during yet another failed attempt at getting your life together. He’d been using the treadmill next to yours, and when you both finished up, you exchanged numbers. You tried not to think about it, but a small part of you was hopeful as you walked away with promises of a date.

When you finally went out with him, though, it was a disaster. You tried to suggest dinner at a restaurant, but he declined. When you asked him why, he said that none of the places in town that weren’t “mass produced garbage,” in his words, had any healthy options that were actually good. You wanted to tell him that you thought he was wrong, but you held your tongue while the feeling of inadequacy threatened to follow you whole.

Instead, Jeno suggested going back to the gym to “work off the day.” You were exhausted from work, though, so you tried to suggest something that required less energy so that the two of you could just chill and get to know each other. His response to that was, “I’m not gonna sit on my ass just because you can’t keep up.”

Needless to say, you never went on that date, and the hope that you’d felt when you first met him was squashed like a bug that didn’t make it across the sidewalk in time.

Dong Sicheng

The One-Time Lover that Thinks He Understands

“I know why you’re doing this,” Sicheng had said as you gathered your things to go home after your first night together.

“Oh really?” you asked, trying to sound playful instead of worried. “Why am I doing this, then?”

“You think I don’t wanna see you again.”

There was a beat of silence before you asked, “What?”

“Oh come on, it’s obvious,” he said. “I saw the way you looked at me before you grabbed your bag.”

“That’s not-”

“It’s ok. I’m not offended. But, for the record, I would totally be down to see you again.”

“Thanks, but I think I’m good,” you said as you finally walked toward the door.

Once you left Sicheng’s apartment, you breathed a sigh of relief. When he’d told you that he knew why you behaved the way you did, you expected him to analyze you the way Renjun had, leaving you stripped bare in a way that felt vulnerable instead of exciting. But in the end, it was nothing more than an assumption that you wanted something from him that you hadn’t allowed yourself to want from anyone in a long time.

Maybe he was right in thinking that deep down, you did want more of a connection with him, but you never let yourself see him again to find out. After all, even misplaced attempts at vulnerability could be painful.

Kim Jungwoo

The Friend-of-a-Friend that Just Wants to be Close to You

Technically, you’d known Jungwoo for about three years through mutual friends. but you weren’t sure that you considered him a friend, too. After all, he’d barely spoken to you beyond basic greetings at group events, and you knew next to nothing about him.

Maybe that was why it was such a surprise when he walked up to you at Shotaro’s birthday party, threw his arms around you, and said, “Hey! I missed you. How have you been?”

You stiffened at the contact but still said, “Fine. How are you?”

“I’m good! Just wanted to catch up a bit because it’s been a while.”

“Jungwoo, we saw each other three days ago.”

“So? I can’t ask how you’re doing?”

“I mean you can, but it feels a little weird. We’re not friends, so I don’t understand why you’re pretending we are.”

Jungwoo deflated at your comment and walked away. He was immediately replaced by Shotaro, who asked, “What the hell?”

“I’m sorry! I was caught off guard!”

“You didn’t have to be such an asshole about it! He just wanted to get closer to you.”

“Well closeness is a gradual process. You don’t act like someone’s your best friend right out of the gate.”

Shotaro sighed and said, “Look, just be patient. Please. And try to talk to him. He wants to be friends, but doesn’t know how to reach out.”

As Shotaro walked away, you considered what he said. He was right, now that you were really thinking about it, and you started to feel guilty. Jungwoo had never done anything with malicious intent, so you decided to find him and ask for his number. After all, the process of getting closer had to start somewhere.

Liu Yangyang

The Party Boy that Pretends He's Never Felt Your Pain

You walked into Yangyang’s living room with Seulgi and Joohyun trailing behind you, and it didn’t take long for the prolific party host to catch your eye. After all, he had the kind of confidence that looked like it came easily, weaving through the crowd of guests like he was walking around puddles on the sidewalk. As you watched him, you found yourself envying his easygoing nature.

When Yangyang finally made his way to where you stood chatting with your friends, however, all it took was one look in his eyes for you to know that he was in the same boat as you. Sure, he did a good job of hiding his hurt from a distance, but actually seeing him face to face meant that you could see the hint of pain in his eyes and the small nervous habits that you’d caught yourself in hundreds of times.

When he actually introduced himself to you after speaking with Seulgi and Joohyun, though, it was like a switch flipped. He was all smiles as he pulled you into a hug and said, “Hi! Seulgi told me that she was bringing some friends. What’s your name again?”

You introduced yourself with a hesitant smile of your own and replied, “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” he said.

The two of you continued to talk much longer than you expected, but you didn’t mind. It was nice to distract yourself from the pain for a night. And if you were right about the way Yangyang acted, he probably needed the distraction too, no matter how badly he wanted to pretend that he didn’t.

Qian Kun

The Well-Meaning Friend Whose Methods are All Wrong

“You can’t honestly tell me that you think this is healthy,” Kun spat.

“I never said it was healthy,” you countered. “I said it’s effective. There’s a difference, you prick.”

“There doesn’t have to be, you fucking dumbass.”

“In my experience, there does.”

“You’re never gonna listen to me, are you?” he asked, quickly losing patience with your insistence on self-destruction.

“Why should I? We both know you do the same shit that I do. At least I have the balls to admit it.”

“Do you really think that?” he asked. You were silent in response, so he added, “Whatever. I’m leaving. Good luck.”

With that, Kun walked out of your apartment, leaving you alone with your thoughts once again. You knew that he was just looking out for you, but you hated his condescending attitude. Especially considering the fact that he had his own less-than-healthy coping mechanisms that he leaned on a bit too much when the weight of his past felt like it was going to crush him. Still, you knew that he was right, so you decided to call him in the morning and apologize. But until morning came, you’d curl up in a ball on your bed and sob as you thought about what your life had become.

Johnny Suh

The Potential Lover that You Know You Could Never Have

Sometimes, running into Johnny at the bar made you want to cry. Not because he’d ever done anything to hurt you, or because you missed some prior connection, but because you knew that he could never want you the same way that you wanted him. After all, he looked like he was sculpted by the gods themselves, his voice sounded sweeter than even your favorite song, and the way that he carried himself made it clear that he knew just how attractive he really was. What reason could he possibly have to want anything more than a quick fuck from someone like you?

You couldn’t think of one, really. So, you kept your distance, at least emotionally. Sure, you still hooked up with him from time to time, but that was where your relationship with him stopped, no matter how badly you wanted more. Of course, sometimes he’d ask you why you never stayed the night after the two of you had sex, but you were a master of excuses by the time that started. You had to be to keep him from figuring out that you were slowly falling in love with him.

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Watching Y/N slowly limp around. Their hair growing longer somehow, but their voice sounded like he as in pain. Chan had to try and stay still. Hyunjin pulling his pants up while holding out his hands with his dark blue flames. Lee Know kept his steady while looking at the floor. Just watching them trying to come back but also looking lost. The burns were healing, but also coming back. It was like watching him trying to split from himself but also stay glued together. Chan didn't say much, he just stayed focused while making sure they weren't missing anything. The Fire was getting darker, but there was a light hue surrounding it. Furrowing his brows and trying to keep his hands steady, he knew if he messed this up somehow the impact would knocked them all out, or at least have them on the floor actually feeling weak in their own home, something they try to make sure no one could ever see.

"Hyung, this seems too strong for that. It's being absorbed, it's going to blow back. All three flames are being absorbed into him and we need to get ready for a blow back."

Chan could only make an angry face while grabbing the two of them. Using his black feathered wings to shield them from the white flames, and the dark blue and black flames circling around. The windows shattered from impact, the garden being shaken and the torture chambers could even feel them. Just feeling the shaking while hearing the loud screaming before Y/N just laid there. Chan's wings slightly glowed, but they burned slightly as well, letting his wings slowly move back so they could check on Y/N. They stayed still, laying there and seemed to be stable. Their eyes slowly going back to normal while slowly closing, their chest rise and fell like they were sleeping. Chan walked over slowly, Lee know behind him carefully and Hyunjin swaying his tail as he slowly got closer. Felix ran up the stairs, nearly flying through the hall and opened the door. Despite the door slamming open, they were still asleep while the windows slowly closed back. The glass shards flying back up in place, like nothing even happened.

"What the hell was that?!"

He ran over, making sure Y/N was actually asleep, watching their hair shrink back to normal while they curled up to sleep on the floor. everyone slowly relaxed but it was still worrying. Chan looked more concerned, even though his face didn't say much, his face stayed neutral, but the look in his eyes. This wasn't just a normal human they turned into a demon, this was something else. Have they always had their angel side and no one knew about it? given how they acted before there was no way they knew, but there was something else they had to know, but this also made him curious. Hyunjin still looked worried, he was still hungry, but he was happy to see that Y/N was still okay. At least from what they can tell and see for now. But Felix was still more worried about everything since he could see the slowly fading marks on hyunjin's body, so he knew that there was something else that happened and no one was telling him the answer.

So he asked again when he knew everyone was listening more, bringing them back to reality while Hyunjin let out a soft sigh before explaining everything. Soobin attacking, the sudden fire, his words, the shock and reaction. The threat of Angels getting involved. Chan was there, he heard those words, and everything was slowly coming into place. but even then, he seemed to be acting alone so it was clear that Soobin was trying to hide something or was trying to keep things hidden for someone else to take their husband and go back to heaven. Which would make no sense for them but there was hardly ever any sense when Chan really thought about it. So he knew that he needed to start his own research, before the others but he also knew that there was no way for any of them to know until that day.

Felix could only nod his head, he kept checking Y/N's head to see if he could feel anything. But he felt nothing, just Y/N being confused but trying to understand whatever was going on. Maybe a bath in the hot springs can help. listening to the sounds of screams to become background noises.

"They can't be down here for much longer. Their body might need a reset. Felix and Hyunjin can take them home, if anyone wants to go with them they can, just be careful please. No chaos, I don't know if any angels are going to be watching closely."

"I'll bring Changbin with us, maybe I.N. too just to have an extra pair of eyes."

Chan only nodded towards Felix words. But he was going to stay, along with the others, Lee know knew something was going to be planned, something would work in his favor. Trying to get closer felt almost impossible. But he knew things were doing to only get more chaotic until they could get better. Would they get better? And if they could then for how long? But Lee know stayed quiet and waited till everyone was gone, or at least those who wanted to go. Taking what they could and they can handle and figure out the rest when they get there. They just need to take things slow and steady and keep an eye out, leave when they can and avoid causing fights unless pushed. Something Changbin always wishes could happen and he can fight the way he wants to.

"We'll report back when Y/N goes to sleep or we're all back inside, don't stay up working for too long, that'll make you more paranoid."

Chan only raised a brow slightly, his way of saying he hears them and will keep their words in mind, now will he listen to those words? Depends on how close he is and where he can go with it. He stayed there and watched Felix, Hyunjin, Changbin, and I.N. all leave with Y/N, vanishing since leaving through the long way was their least favorite part. And Y/N didn't have a bathtub full of blood in his home and wasn't ready for that step yet, so vanishing and appearing seemed to be one of the best options for now. Something that everyone knew Chan always did because he got to smirk seeing their confused face while trying to get up with that metallic taste. He watched them leave, his hands staying behind his back while he waited till he knew there was no coming back. He walked out of the room, slightly destroyed still but the windows were still fixed, but the floor still had the fresh prints. He didn't go to his room, he made sure to only have things that relax him in there, right now he needed to go downstairs.

His foots echoed through the empty hallways while he just stared straight ahead. But hiding behind the pillars keeping the ceiling up high, two demons were following him because they could sense something. Although the sin of wrath seemed to be the leading one, he smelled the anger slowly growing but he kept walking behind him silently. The doors opened but he didn't bother to close them while he twirled his hand around. lighting up the torches and fire to light up the entire room. papers were stacked and laid across every desk he had in there with markers while he sat there just trying to put things together. He wanted to know why, every time they were given someone suddenly an angel suddenly had an issue with it. Most were detailed notes when he's noticed something, sometimes it's about his own members despite knowing they couldn't keep much from him. But right now he was looking back at his notes on Soobin. Slowly Sitting in his chair, his tail curling around his right leg out of a focused habit as he slowly opened the binder. Reading all the old notes from when he first fell and the taunts he would hear, to every bride he took in while slowly collecting other sings to rule hell and bring some kind of order to the chaos under.

He still had papers to write, he new his pen was waiting for him right in front of him, he just wanted to write and make sure he wasn't fully losing his mind and he had things under control. he looked up to grab it, only to see Seungmin standing there, trying not to lean on the papers stuck to the wall but also knowing better then to touch his pen. But he was staring like he was curious, hungry but curious. Something Chan knew was dangerous if he really got to find it, but he knew Seungmin wouldn't try to pull it out fully. That would only end badly for the both of them, mainly him and Chan didn't like using force on them, not when he knows he can handle and control it. But that didn't make it any more surprising to see both him and Lee know just standing there, though lee know was more calculating then nosy. but he didn't want to leave Seungmin alone. Though they knew they shouldn't exactly be back here.

"What are you two doing in here."

"You smell pissed off, I got curious since everyone was huddling around Y/N like he broke something, but I got there too late and I know Lee know-hyung isn't exactly going to tell me why."

He had that same smile, it wasn't fully big yet, but it was almost there. He was enjoying this because he got to smell it, but he was always nosy. What happened up there that he missed? he just got back from watching a torture session and suddenly this is what he misses? Something that would've been better, but he knew there was something behind it, or rather someone and Chan didn't want to tell him it yet so he was just trying to figure out what was happening before he got to tell anyone else that information. yet he stood there just watching Chan set the binder on the desk and start to write carefully, not looking up while his pen begun to move with careful strokes.

"Soobin attacked y/N and Hyunjin technically yesterday. But it triggered something inside of him. He managed to hurt Soobin from what I heard from hyunjin, but when they got back here because hyunjin needed to, they lost control of something a human shouldn't have to worry about. And I'm pretty sure this means Soobin is planning something again, although what and why I don't have the answers to either of those."

"He doesn't like leaving you alone it seems. If heaven is so great according to him, why is he down here messing with us? Doesn't that get him in trouble if he gets caught doing it?"

Lee know only watched the two of them. watching Chan stay focused as his pen moved faster, the words remaining clear on the paper while he flipped from back and forth. Making sure to add his own thoughts and questions that maybe he could answer on different pages but they always lead to the same question everyone had. Why was Soobin going out of his way to mess with them thinking he would be free from the consequences that followed? Any flaws or sins would have him falling and as far as anyone knew, there was no going back to heaven if you fell from the gates. you were left to either become fallen and fade away, or you became a demon after being tortured for what felt like decades with no end unless you could prove yourself useful to a sin. If they didn't need you, thatch where you stayed until there was nothing left to break from you. And in this case it would either be very easy to break him, or very fun to watch him stand firm while every little thing about him broke till his old self was nothing more then a memory.

"I'd like to add something of a thought to this, if that's okay."

"I'm not stopping you from speaking your mind, what would that gain here."

Slowly shifting his weight to stand up, he watched Chan look over quickly before looking back down at the papers. Despite watching Lee know steady himself while Seungmin kept to the side, but he was only slightly closer to him. Leaning in as if he was hearing a whispered secret and he wanted to make sure that he was getting every detail before pulling away.

"I think Soobin is taking all of pour brides to see if he can have one himself. Knowing if he finds the right one, he might be seen as a savior. But the only way for that to happen is if a human falls for him and he's been hiding his grace so the angels can't track for certain periods or find him. Which would explain why he fled when he got hurt, if him attacking hyunjin and Y/N was an order, there would be more to ensure Y./n got away, didn't remember anything and he got to handle hyunjin himself. it would explain why he only comes for the ones we pick. We all agree there's something special about one of them, and he wants to know why and if he can take it. I think after that attack he'll only get more curious and try to get closer. But he'll have to be creative since Y/N knows what he looks and sounds like. And we're always around and can tell when somethings off."

He watched Chan stop writing, just slowly looking over too Lee know like he just solved a puzzle within 30 minutes without any help. But he had an point, this happened every five years they all agreed to pick one, it was safer this way. Someone who could be turned into a demon, no one fighting over anyone, risking someone running away or acting like they know better. It was something they all came up with to stop the endless search and watch it all play out, though it took them a while to come up with rules and times for everyone so no one would feel jealous and try to steal one from each other. it always took a while, but they were able to figure it out and continue on with what they were doing. but there was something special about all of them, and clearly with who they have here. This was something soobin would want to find and see what he could do with it. but that begged another question, why not just look for his own? Why not find an angel who could be arranged to not sin? If he wanted someone, why not just talk?

It made Chan lean back in his Chair while seungmin gave his fake thinking gesture. his hand on his chin with his eyebrows lifted like he was trying to form another thought to ad done, but really he just wanted to hear lee know add more to the conversation. And he almost always had something to add on one way or another.

"I think that's why he always shows up despite us being behind and the angels probably getting worried about the timeline because this would be the last before the clock reset, another wave of death and angels having to guide souls. He wants to see what he's missing that makes all of us agree on one person. Clearly hyunjin picked a good one without knowing, which is our right to and he can't stand it because y/n might've been exactly who he's been looking for. But he would've had more trouble keeping them as an angel because he would have to change them while still trying to keep things interesting, and he'd fail unless he was hanging onto the last hope."

"So what your saying is he's experiencing envy, but that he also found a way to hide it from the watchful eyes and he's basically running an experiment till he finds the perfect result. But doesn't that just make it harder from him? He'd have to show y/n why heaven would be worth it. And with the amount of rules, restrictions, and being watched, he'd fall every time and there would be nothing he could do about it."

"Unless he finds a way to make them forget us and plan false memories for it to seem like the best option. But it's clear that whatever protected and well, fought y/n for control he'd have a hard time because it's clear there's no controlling it. He'd have to fight control over that and there's no telling if he'd like who'd he get after that, and he's chasing that. He might not want them., but the thrill of having something not in his control. And if he can show it to the others, they'd see him as guiding a devil to the light, and he'd be held to a higher regard."

Tapping his pen, Chan pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek. watching how even Seungmin looked surprised but the wheels were slowly turning to make sense. And it wasn't something either of them liked. Because this meant they needed to move up their plans to keep Y/n down here, but that would also make it harder, but would that also remove the experience they could always ear? What was the point of hiding when this could be the thing they needed to expose him to the others. It would make it harder for him to try and switch this around to tell the truth in a different light, which would basically be a lie with very little evidence.

But Lee know knew he wasn't far off, because what other reason could he possibly have messing with them so many times. But he knew that right now that Y/N was safe. Changbin was a heavy hitter that didn't bother with being considerate unless he needed to let one of the others know he was throwing someone that way and they needed to get out of the way unless they wanted to become one with the wall. But he know they were safe, he still had things to figure out and so far these were the only two who had an idea.

"When the others get back, don't tell them about this. Changbin will want to fight and get paranoid, I don't end him ready to lash out and accidentally break something. I need them calm until know for sure and that I have somewhat of a plan that's ready. "

Seungmin could only hum, since the anger was slowly fading away and becoming something he nor Lee know could eat. it was building back up to pride, and they knew it was their time to leave since most of the papers here still contained things about the others they had no idea he even had. He likes having labels on everything and everyone. Though it's getting to the point he will need to expand this, more shelves, all organized for each demon. he watched them leave and the door slowly closed behind them. Going back to his notebook, closing it since this wasn't the one he needed for his planning. He was careful with how he placed things away before grabbing the black leather notebook and sat back down. He needed to get to writing and he needed to make sure everything planned out. He wasn't taking any chances when it came to an angel that always seemed to be held in higher regards.

This was dangerous and they knew it. But they needed to walk around alone, they needed to thinking without knowing they were being watched and followed like a helpless animal needing a protector. They needed to walk around and sort their thoughts out alone with no one else putting thoughts in their head. There's something inside of them, something strong and now there's this angel after them? And for what, curiosity? Greed? Jealousy? Wanting something they can't have or haven't earned through actions? Something was off and nearly every answer felt like the wrong one.

"Something's going on, and it only started when he tried to kill me. But it's never been there before, I've known I've nearly died before, and this has never happened. So what could be different about it this time?"

Rethinking old, buried memories. Trying to find something t hey could've missed, anything that makes sense but just thinking of those thoughts were painful. Feeling stings they haven't felt in years and words they thought they could get over. Even remembering how they died and why they died in the first place didn't seem to help. Because something has always been missing even during those times, an answer no one could or would've given even with screams and cries for help, for answers that never came and reasons that sounded too fake to be true.

The walk seemed to stretch on for hours before Y/N finally came to a stop. Noticing there was no longer any background noise to stable most thoughts with something else to hear. No one talking, no cars driving by, there was just street lights and an empty road. It was unsettling, like there's a warning but there's no noise about said warning coming around. What could one even do about that? Just stand there and wait to hear something? There was no waiting around no matter who was near. So they looked around, slowly, wanting to make sure they didn't miss anything. Their ears seemingly opening up more just to hear the faintest sound because even a pin drop would sound loud. Loud enough to draw attention.

"You were given the others for a reason, walking away from them isn't exactly smart."

Looking up at one of the light poles. Chan was standing right there, his hands in his pockets, but his face still serious like stone. He looked down at Y/N, who just looked up at him confused with a slow blink of confusion. Wanting to say something but what was there to say? At Least not without coming off wrong, but it was clear something needed to be said here, but just what was it? Crossing their arms with a slight sway to their side. They stared at him like all their thoughts and questions just lined up instead of being scattered around like papers that were dropped out of order.

"I needed to think without noise or eyes on me, I'm not that helpless even if I can't use a weapon yet. Besides weren't you still down in hell thinking of something?"

He raised his eyebrow slightly, letting his tongue click before vanishing, only to appear right in front of them. On the ground still having to slightly look down, but the point was still there. He always looked down, if he had to look up at someone, they earned his respect, not because they were taller then him. His head tilted to the side like a curious cat watching their human do something they aren't sure about or when a new toy comes their way. his face stayed the same but his eyes showed thinking, calculating something. maybe his words, his actions or how he should say them.

"I'm always thinking but being the ruler of hell doesn't mean I get to stay there and think about thinks. I have to listen, to watch, and to maintain some form of order with my own demons. That now includes you. You're the queen in waiting and in training, it's our job, especially mine, to make sure you're still safe and learning accordingly."

"Then why did that angel try to stop it by killing me? Well, he went for hyunjin but still. If you have to maintain some form of order why was he there?'

Chan started to rock on his feet before slowly walking around in a circle, his head leaned back while he stared up at the night sky. Almost like he expected someone to look down at him just to come and answer the question, but no one would come, he made sure of that before getting here. At least before someone noticed something was wrong and they had to send someone down there to handle it once gain. But he looked jut as curious if not more. That question always wad to several others, all with answers that never sounded good or fun to begin with or learn on their own. It sucked.

"That has many answers that would confuse you before making sense. You haven't fully learned about those angels, let alone all of hell before even started that."

"That doesn't answer the question, what if he finds the hotel me, Felix and Hyunjin live at? Then what, we have to fight for our own home on the surface too?"

"He couldn't get past the barriers those two have set up. He'd start sweating and his human form would get too sick before making it to the elevator.""

His words came out with chuckle at the end. His eyes scanning around still bit more in like a memory then surveillance. He was slightly, although rare, enjoying himself. Looking at the curious look on Y/N's face, watching the way their eyebrows slightly rose before he let out a sigh, knowing there was no way to get around this question. Not without making Y/N want the answers more and looking for those answers themselves and that might get them hurt more before they could get the answers.

"Now the question is do you want the quick answer or the long answer?"

"The Long answer works. Unless you want me to find out the holes you leave and watch me maybe make things slightly worse for everyone, but I'd have no regrets."

He let out a satisfied hum, liking the answer. But since he didn't want to take the chance and ruin things more, which would've brought more answers then questions later down the road. Something not everyone would have answers that would've been acceptable.

"Soobin is an arch angel, I used to be one but that's a story you don't get to hear yet. But he's been using his trust and position to come down here since unlike most angels, he can maintain a human form without being traced. But he wants you. He's done this with every bride we had before you because he was curious. But he made them into angels and they lost what made him so curious, but he thinks he can outsmart the ones in charge and thinks chaos won't happen either way since Heaven made a deal with me. We keep demons in line, we get a bride in return and they can do their job. but you made him curious, not only are you a man this time, but clearly you have something the others didn't. I don't know what hurt him, but I know that made him more curious ion you, the fact tat you're not a female, or the fact you could hurt him and stand up against him without running away."

"What happens if he did try to take me?"

"Then the deal we had with heaven isn't upheld and we create chaos, which would fill up their gates with people who aren't supposed to be killed but there would be nothing they could do, even if they offered the angel responsible for it. But you're different in a good way for us, bad for him."

Slowly walking around, back and fourth for a while. Y/N slowly took in the information, but making a plan was something. Messy for a while, but it was going to get done/ But talking about it now wasn't smart because there's still things he needs to learn. What else is everyone's abilities and how can that help? What can they use as a weapon, their still technically a young demon with no control of themselves or who knows what else? He has to learn from the demons in front of him and understand everything they can do. Something that most would hate because they want to prove themselves without help, but this isn't something pride can truly help him right now, not when he's staring at the Sin of Pride himself.

"So, when are you guys going to stop treating me like a dying flower and let me fight?"

No one ever talked about how hard Changbin can punch when you tell him to be serious. Not to be treated like a scared person, but someone fighting for their life. But standing there trying to keep up with him was another thing. The way he moved like he had every attack route planned out. There was almost no dodging any attacks without getting hurt in the process. And he would use that to his advantage and there was no getting around that. But Y/N didn't stop, because using a weapon is useless if you can't fight using a weapon. Others are more so trained with weapons then fist, or their legs which tends to hurt more then a punch to the side does. Standing toe to toe with the man himself isn't easy, but it's also helpful because he isn't fighting fair, how most people would fight in his shoes. They would fight dirty to get a win, and not care about the outcome, as long as their on top is all that matters to others trying to fight.

But Lee know was leaning against the wall, giving them tips and wondering if they could hear the tips while focusing. But this was the best he could do, not without taking over the spotlight although the two if them do often spar together. But before stopping, Y/N managed to get a good punch on his jaw. It was enough to make him stumble back while trying to regain his balance while holding his jaw. At first it was shocking. there stood Changbin holding his jaw while slowly looking over to him. He was proud, because despite the pain he can see, they still got to it. Looking proud with a slight smirk on his face. Watching how y/n look slightly surprised, but also proud of himself for at least getting one punch on his face. But they had a long way to go but also needed to get used to eating souls. Another thing the others didn't do with the others when they didn't want to force it since that could ruin their mind and body more then dying and being reborn ever could.

But there was something different about how determined Y/N looked. Even after fighting with changbin. he still needed to eat and human food wasn't cutting it anymore. he had to learn to eat like a demon, fight like demon and basically become a demon. There was no stopping this process once it got past the soul point, something that could very much make it harder for Soobin to get closer without getting caught and getting sloppy. But that was Y/n thinking too far ahead. Although nervous about the taste and feeling, it was this or nothing else and slowly going insane. But also stunting their journey before doing any of this. Lee know held the bag, there was only one soul inside, it wasn't too big, but big enough to feel full and get more energy before diving into anything else. But that didn't stop him form walking over to the panting man. He was standing there just trying to get used to the feeling, but not even bar fights used to get this bad. Even when he strippers and the men were bad but this was horrible.

"This is a older one, it's bland but it will get you used to the texture and will be introduced to taste. You'll get more in time, but if you taste too much you'll become addicted and just eat souls for the thrill. We like having you sane."

Holding the floating soul, the dimly light red of a damned soul. The fact this was still was someone, but it still had some weight to it. He slowly ate it, pushing the entire thing inside his mouth before slowly chewing it somehow had a taste, and a texture to also be chewed but he was right, there was no flavor to it, not much anyways. But he still stood there and let his body shake, letting the feeling get used to his bones while he slowly stopped. His eyes glowed the dim red the soul was before slowly going back to normal. His body slowly got healed, though it wasn't much but the bruises and scratches were gone, a little but not the big ones. But those would be handled with time and maybe the others. Depending on who got there first. Although Felix was already running with green flames before lee know could muster his own, the sin of Envy as he says.

"Does he always fight this hard or was it because I told him don't treat me like a flower?"

"you haven't seen him fight with Lee know or Bang Chan, now those get bad and the reason why there's a field in the front of the house so they can fight."

"Think I can see that happen or is that way too soon?"

"Depends, you want to be proud of your first punch or would you like to realize how far you have to go before getting there first?"

"Fair point I like this moment first."

Changin smiled after that, because he knew it was making them think what else could he possible do the more they fought? he could do anything really but right now he was happy with the hand to hand combat he was getting to try. Since most of everyone was able to keep up with him and he had to give more effort. But he also missed seeing the progress from everyone else, seeing them go from getting overwhelmed by him fighting to being able to keep up with him. But it was clear they still had a long way to go, and now it was lee knows turn to do some teaching. Mainly about the other demons and why every sin was created and why they do sometimes have to work with heaven. How souls get judged and why there's different rings but they all live together most of the time and leave for their own rings sometimes.

despite being tired, being able to sit down and use their hands to write again might actually be more helpful then nothing. And after that they can take a hellfire bath, which will help them get used to the fire and the burning feeling and learn how to use it without burning their fingers. Someone will be there to help them get out so they don't get hurt too easily. But that also comes within time and will happen when it happens. Right now Y/N had to walk, although slow and offered help. they were standing tall and walking behind Lee know with just a little distance. It made Chan smile from the room he was in because he felt that tingle in his spine, not wanting to ask for help and making a statement, not with words but with actions. But no one really knew where he was and would see him later. Since Y/N still had to go to the surface and ensure that he was fully erased from others memories, like the penthouse they stayed in, not remembering what they look like, but now as someone else and any other places they were know to frequent and people would recognized them.

Sitting down on the rather comfortable chair, he liked up to see Lee knows chalkboard, it had some drawings of the demon body as a male, with some details but most of it was coming from the books. He wanted a quiet place to handle this and made sure everyone knew it, even though Felix did have a pout on his face when hearing that but he knew it was for the best. Maybe he could watching changbin fight someone or listen to Hyunjin plan out his plans for tonight since it wouldn't be his time with Y/N right now. And that's okay with him since he is getting hungry.

"We can either start with why heaven and hell rarely work together, or we can talk about why the sins were made."

"Let's start with the Sins, I want to hear your take on it at least."

Crossing his legs as he sat on the large office chair, lee know held his hands together while thinking. He watched Y/N grabbed their pencil and the notebook that was already laid out on their desk and made sure to write down any notes and questions. But he wanted to wait till after Lee Know talked about it and started to explain it, even just a little bit.

"Because you can't always have good things in a paradise, that's just how humans started to evolve, and trying to only have good things makes it stale, boring because after a while everything becomes the same. you never have to worry and that, in my opinion, is annoying. But there has to be something bad in a way to challenge that and reveal what someone would do. Like for example, when you didn't let Felix or changbin carry you even though it's obvious that your legs were tired. It's pride, which in some eyes means you always think your right, you can handle it and there's no need to help you. Or when someone isn't satisfied with everything they have and still want more. Something a lot of humans want because it gets to a point where it's all so boring, where your used to it and the value and meaning of everything you have loses it's value and purpose and you crave something more. Everyone has a little sin, Pride, greed, Envy, gluttony, Lust, wrath and sloth. Although sloth is a part of everyone's lives, because they don't want to get up. Some don't see the point of getting up and would lay somewhere while everyone and everything else changes around them. Sure it happens to everyone, but it also depends on what that person does with it."

"Well if Chan is pride, Felix is Envy, what does that make you?"

"Greed. I always wanted more because I could everything I wanted and I was never satisfied what I had. Though it's rare I almost ever am and that depends on the value and purpose. Before you ask, I still want more from you, but right now you can't give that and I'm not about to rush you. Since it's clear we have other things to worry about. Sometimes I get confused with Felix or Changbin, but there's a difference between the three."

"What is the different between Changbin and Felix?"

"Felix will want something because someone else has it and their happy about it or they love it, he wants that too regardless of what he already has. Changbin is like a bottomless pit, he wants more but Felix wants the attention of everyone, with gluttony it mainly comes from food, not just everyday foods but things people can't afford. Like rich food or like how some kings and queens used to eat when others were wondering when their next meal would be. But they would keep eating. Despite his frame and how h looks, he could keep eating and still look the same, at first he sued to hate it because of people, but he realized what it meant when he died and became the Sin of gluttony, since a lot of people have it, mainly those who filmed themselves eating for views even despite the risk involved. Sure it can be for the money, but it's still consuming food the body can't always handle. But sometimes it doesn't stop them even if they get a heart attack or learn that their heart can't keep up."

"So Did everyone die to become Sins? Well everyone but Chan?"

"In a way yes, though Hyunjin was born for human sexual desire. He was created that way long ago, well, more like decades ago. I was there and so was Chan and Changbin, we smelled someone new and he was there. Sucking the desire out of an entire brothel, though he was naked and was basically a baby. We had to teach him basic things while helping him learn to control his own desires since if he ate too much he'd go into a frenzy, and those differ between the sins and demons."

"What's a Frenzy? Like losing their mind? Is it the same for every Sin or is it different for the rest of you?"

"I'll use Hyunjin as an example. When he goes into a Frenzy it's either because he's starving or he ate way too much. Mainly when he's ate too much. it's like getting high or extremely drunk. He isn't in control of his actions but he wants more. The last time it happened he drained someone to the bone and they died and we had to basically dunk him in hell fire to snap him back. If jeongin did then everyone would fall asleep, and we'd have to fight the urge to sleep just to get to him. He hates his stomach being tickled but waking him up would also be the hard part. If Changbin did so he'd eat everything, even if he isn't supposed to. People, buildings, animals, nature, everything. He hasn't done that yet. Seungmin would burn or make everyone mad over little things, which would make worse and a lot of people will die, most likely along with Felix if he ever did again, everyone would feel extremely jealous, he'd want to take everything if he could that meant a lot to people. No matter what it was or what it looked like, he'd take it all and destroy it so no one else could have it. Me and Chan haven't gone into one yet. Hyunjin used to be at a high risk but he's learning how to hold and not go though his food supply so much."

"How come you or Chan haven't gone into one? Isn't greed and pride one of the most used Sin's in human life? I know at least for me and the people I grew up around it was."

"We have higher limits, because if we didn't then humans would be in danger and we'd create chaos. Greed would take everything and someone would start to become prideful of stealing and taking something while others got angry and killed, which depending on the person and their own hidden desires, they'd enjoy it. If all of us did so together then it would be chaos and heaven and hell would basically have to create humans once again from scratch. Which if we take into consideration of the angel, he probably thinks it's an exaggeration, which will only ruin things for him. But that's for us to know and him to learn the hard way."

"he seems more Arrogant then prideful, I don't date types like him."

"That's for him to learn and for us to learn and figure out what to do, but now back to the demons and Sins. I couldn't care less about what he has planned right now because he can't get down here without burning, there is no loopholes to work in his favor."

Lee know continued to talk and explain things for the next 30 minutes, watching Y/N fill in the pages back and fourth while his pencil stayed moving around. Lee know waiting till he got the Okay to keep talking or if he needed to repeat something. He offered books to read but only in hell, since Soobin could feel the energy since most of it was stronger without training to conceal them. But it would give them information. But Y/N was free to walk around and do whatever they wanted within reason.

"Could I start looking for my own room here? It gets lonely and boring up there when I wait for everyone else to get up there."

"I'd have to ring Chan since that has to go into records. And he is very particular about keeping files, and in order."

"Does he have a whole room of files?"

"So far, about 3 full rooms but almost no one gets in there. Just give me a second and he'll let you pick some from some options."

Knocking 4 times on the chalk board, there was only the faint sound of footsteps walking. Each step got closer till he was right there, his hands in his pockets with a curious look on his face. Until he got the reason for the visit, looking for a room. But that also made him question, which would be a good room for him? Was now really the safe time to get comfortable down here? But he looked into his eyes, the way he looked curious but also ready. Not wanting to be treated like a flower, not like they needed to be protected all the time with someone right there and in his ear to say what he should want or do. But he was making his own way and handling things in his own way and there was nothing most could do to stop him. He didn't want Y/n finding rooms they weren't strong enough to walk into so he gave a nod. He knew there was a room that had a view, but also windows that kept the screams outside and made the others walk around, but there was also a secret room in there, the only person that knew about it was Chan.

"There's a room I think you'd like, it's bare and as you learn. you can create what you want with flames. Though the bed in there isn't the best."

"I'll take it, it'll help me get used to being here, that's really all i need."

Chan did a motion, he walked down the wall and listened to Y/N's footsteps behind him. He kept his hands in his pockets while he walked down the halls, the windows being shut but hearing the faint screams, they weren't getting louder. Chan being used to that and just kept walking, softly humming till he finds the double wooden doors, stepping aside to allow him to get inside.

Soojin promised to do everything to protect and hide her, keep her from Taeho. She and her husband are loving people who would treat her like their own child.

And even if the pain hurts, Jongho's support gives you the strength to see each new day come to pass. You and Jongho have agreed to keep your daughter a secret to prevent him from having more leverage than he already has. The thought of your children being kept apart sickens and angered you both, but if Taeho finds out that he had a daughter too, you would be signing away any rights you could have possibly had and guarantee the loss of both children.

And if losing one baby is bad enough, you can't imagine how the loss of both of them would crush your entire soul, decimating everything it once was into a fractured husk.

Taeho was out for a business trip as usual and Jongho was at Soojin's, spending time with his daughter when you hear an incessant banging sound coming from downstairs. Your baby boy was tucked into bed for a nap when you had been cleaning up the room and a deep frown etches onto your forehead when he wakes up and lets out a small whine.

"Shit," you hiss when the banging gets louder. Pulling Jongseok into your arms, you make your way downstairs in the dim lights of the mansion. "It's okay, sweetheart. Don't cry, mommy's here," you assure him softly. The boy latches his fist against your chest, settling against you and the banging rings throughout the house. "What the hell?"

When you open the door, you're met with a face of an older woman that looks like Jongho. His mom, perhaps? She sees you cradle Jongseok in your arms and her lips are tugged into a strained frown, mixed emotions written on her features.

"Ma'am?" you hesitantly greet her, glancing at the men behind her, looking more like guards than just visitors. 

"The little one looks like you both," she straightens and lets her mouth lift in a gentle smile. "I'm Jongho's mother."

"Um...please," you sigh and stand away from the entrance, letting her and her team inside the house, leading her and the others towards the living room. "Forgive the state of our house, but-"

"Oh please, darling," she smiles, reaching a hand to touch Jongseok's head. You feel his breath calm and a soft sound escapes the baby's throat. "Don't worry, I understand you've got other priorities rather than taking care of the house," she soothes, her motherly smile blooming at the sight of her grandson and the affection he returns with a giggle.

You settle onto the sofa, pulling a light blanket around the baby. Mrs. Choi sits in the opposite chair, observing you silently, eyes examining Jongseok. Her silence lingers too long and you finally breathe out, gazing into the other woman's eyes.

"Mrs Choi," you begin softly, "not to be rude, but...why are you here?" you ask quietly. The air between is tense, stagnant. You want so badly to cry, scream, rant. Why couldn't anyone see how trapped, miserable, and dehumanized you had become over the years of being married to your own jailer?

"Please, just call me Mina. I’m no longer Mrs Choi," she announces firmly, causing you to pull back a bit in surprise, the newborn squirming. “I'm here to help you.”

"Help me?" You shake your head. "But-"

"I know very well what you're going through," she presses, leaning forward to grasp your hand and squeeze gently, then reach out a hand and runs her fingers along Jongseok's cheek. "You've been trapped under his control. I know all too well what he's capable of."

"I envy your freedom," you exhale a choked sob, a hand covering your mouth. Jongseok wiggles and mewls against your chest, his little hand tugging the collar of your sweater. "You were able to escape from his clutches and gain freedom from Taeho, yet I-"

"Listen, my dear," Mina interrupts, squeezing your hand again. Her eyes turn to steel as the emotions build up in the depths of her chest, a burning flame igniting and spurring her on. "I came here because you're not alone anymore." Her words echo in the darkness. "Let me help you, Y/N. My son, Jongho...he's...my boy," she stutters as a lone tear streaks across her cheek. "He's filled with so much joy, happiness and love every time he visits me. When he talks about you, or his children, his whole world seems to brighten and illuminate like nothing I have ever seen before. Y/N, you and the children are Jongho's light."

"I feel the same way about him," you admit, closing your eyes and allowing a small smile form.

"That's good. But I hate to be the bearer of bad, or maybe it's good news, but there's something more," Mina pauses, letting your eyes flicker up to her face, curious. "Jongho isn't Taeho's son, in the most literal of senses."

"What are you-?" you ask slowly. Your brows furrowed in confusion and curiosity. "What do you mean? Of course Jongho is Taeho's son."

The elderly woman sighs deeply and shakes her head, rubbing your hand between hers. Her eyes were sympathetic and when her attention moves from you, they glistened, a soft hue reflecting from unshed tears.

"I'm going to tell you a tale. A story, so to say, about my past," she utters. "One I had tried to keep buried. I was foolish to think that this could ever truly fade or be kept from the past. Especially with someone as conniving, power hungry, and deceptive as Taeho."

There's a lump growing steadily, heavier and thicker in the back of your throat and you swallow, listening in fear of what horrors she would unveil.

"The thing with Taeho is that he never stopped to question if Jongho was truly his son," Mina muttered. "Jongho is Taeho's brother. Half-brother. I slept with Youngho, Taeho's father, weeks before I got married to Taeho," she tells you, staring at your son as his eyes flutter close. "I know it was stupid of me but Youngho gave me love, understanding and kindness, so different from the man I was supposed to marry."

"You loved him." The truth is already there and your voice doesn't need to say it for it to be a fact. "You and Youngho," you said softly.

"I still do," she confesses, "as much as I hate to admit it. I fell in love with a man I couldn't ever have. Youngho is gone now. Dead and gone," she clears her throat. The baby sighs, small huffs of breath fanning against your collarbone and a faint smile traces the corners of Mina’s mouth. "Taeho never suspected me to be unfaithful. The day Jongho was born he looked just like a copy of Taeho, and no one questioned. Not even I could tell the difference between him and his brother.

"I raised Jongho to think that Taeho was his father. How can I tell him that a man that he calls father is his brother? That the man he calls grandpa is actually his father? I kept a lot of secrets from my son to keep him safe, but now I can see that it's done him no good," Mrs. Choi concluded, "or you."

"Did Youngho ever find out that Jongho was his?"

"Youngho didn't even know that Jongho was his until after I divorced Taeho. And the time for telling Jongho about the truth was too late since Taeho shipped him off to a boarding school."

"This is..." your eyes search hers, brows knit. "This is insane. How─"

"Mother?" a shocked gasp cuts through the air, silencing any other question you might have had, and your body tenses. Jongho rushes over to you, hurried, urgent. A streak of pure panic seeping through the façade when his eyes find hers.

"Jongho, it's okay," you soothe. Reaching out, you take hold of his hand. It's like an instant jolt of electricity races through your bodies, hot and sizzling, electrifying your nerves in mere moments and warming your frozen heart. "Your mother was telling me a story. She has some rather important news."

He turns from you to her, swallowing the lump. Mina takes his hand, wrapping both hers around his trembling one.

"Jongho, darling. You are a strong, and kindhearted young man. And I could not be prouder," her soft words ease his anxiety. "Your father would be proud to see the man you've grown up to be."

"Him, proud?" Jongho scoffs. "All he ever does is give me criticism and demand so much from me and when I do meet expectations...it's never enough," Jongho laments, a scoff falling out with a sigh. "He looks at me with disdain and now he wants to take my children from me? What kind of father does that?"

"Not him, Jongho, not him," his mother denies. "I never meant to keep things a secret but after marrying Taeho... I wanted to keep you safe, protect you. You weren't old enough to understand," she tells him, resting a hand over his chest and patting his arm. "Taeho isn't your father, Jongho."

"What are you talking about?" He frowns deeply, shaking his head. "Of course Taeho is my father."

Mina pulls out an envelope from her pocket. "Here. Your biological father left this for you. It may be painful to read," she cautions him with a sympathetic gaze, "but it will shed a little more light."

Confused, he opens the paper, unfolding the crinkled sheets. "A paternity test? What the..." Jongho falters as the information settles in, a jagged breath choking him. His eyes move between the papers and his mother's face as he whispers. "So grandpa was actually...he was my-"

"Yes," she interjects, "You're Youngho's son and you have just as much right to take over the company and claim everything." Mina squeezes his hand and rises to her feet, clasping his neck and pulling him down for a loving kiss to his forehead, sighing with relief and pressing her forehead against his, peering into his glistening eyes and whispers, "You can finally be free, Jongho. You, Y/N, and your children can finally have your peace."

For once you felt like the weight had lifted from your shoulder, seeing a glimpse of light and hope, of freedom. But the ever-growing problem was what you and Jongho have been dreading the most, his return in two days' time.

Even with the evidence, Jongho wasn't going to take chances on presenting everything in a proper order. Soojin and her husband, Yeongtae, an attorney by profession, assured the two of you that they'd do anything in their power to help and when the time comes, to act swiftly.

Now you're laying awake at three in the morning, the clock ticking loudly against the walls. Jongseok is asleep in his nursery and Jongho is just slipping into bed beside you. A soothing hand presses against your spine, drawing delicate circles against your skin, pressing a kiss to your hair.

"You're home," you whisper, turning to face him.

He hums softly, caressing your cheek, looking into the depths of your tired eyes, peppering you with affection as his lips wander all over. "Yes. I came straight after I talked with the others," Jongho breathes, cradling you with a firm yet gentle hold, feeling you trembling ever so slightly in the cool room, goosebumps forming across your naked skin.

Your eyes wander over his handsome features, a rush of calm warmth overtaking you. His gentle stare meeting yours makes you feel safe, warm, and the fear that had been bubbling starts to subside. He presses his forehead to yours, taking in a slow inhale and murmurs quietly, "You'll get to see Jieun again. I'll keep you three safe, just like I promised."

It doesn't come off as a surprise when you start to weep silently, melting against him in overwhelming happiness, heart surging, hands reaching out and latching into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him against your frame. His lips descend against the apple of your cheek, pressing to kiss away the tears, smiling faintly against your damp cheek.

"Thank you, Jongho," you cried in utter relief, gratitude swelling as the last of your defenses collapses. The waterfalls begin flowing nonstop as all of your pent-up emotions and fears and struggles break forth and your heart was aching painfully in your chest, heavy with your guilt, remorse, and everything in between. "I'm so glad that you're not Taeho's son," the words blurted out quickly as you gasped. "I'm glad that I'm not your stepmom, and─"

He cuts your rambling short with a bruising kiss and the motion, the sudden shift has your heart throbbing loudly, pounding hard and fast in your chest, dizzying. You grasp his nape and pull him closer, opening your mouth wider, greedily accepting every touch, desperate for more of the flames burning between.

"So am I," he groans low and heavy against your parted lips. Jongho eases on top, balancing his weight on his elbows. He nudges one of his strong legs between yours, hiking your thigh up against his own. The scorching touch has you panting heavily. "If anything, I'm just a tiny bit relieved that I can call you my lover, instead of my stepmother," Jongho chuckles hoarsely, nuzzling against your neck, languidly dragging his wet muscle against the column of your throat. The burn from his kisses has your stomach tying into knots, skin erupting in waves of butterflies and you moan, hitching the sound around a hiccup. "I don't want anyone else. Just you."

His firm, insistent hands explore your exposed curves, caressing every inch he can reach, wandering along your skin. He's achingly slow in the way he runs his palm underneath the soft curves of your breast, your soft stomach marred with stretch marks and lingering flabbiness. "I can't believe my children had the chance to grow within you. Right here," Jongho rasps in amazement. His palm presses against the gentle curve of your womb and something inside your soul twists and grows warm with love, making you shudder with intensity and awe.

"How can a beautiful, charming young man like you like someone as old as me, Jongho," you inquire, heat creeping into your cheeks.

"You know very well, how and why, my sweet," Jongho's deep voice was low and velvety, burning against your neck. "And you're not old, Y/N. Not old at all," his hot lips press a flurry of feather light kisses in the crook of your neck, a jittery feeling rushing up and down, your body pulsing, hot and alive, his other hand wandering across your arms, and slowly venturing up, rubbing gentle and soft against the sensitive undersides, "not for me, you aren't. You're just the right amount of everything," Jongho whispers. 

Your bones quiver with emotion and desire as his smooth, honeyed voice vibrates throughout, piercing and pinching like tiny needles of arousal, sharp and sparking in the core of your center. The feeling surges intensely when the flat of his thumbs brush against your nipples and roll them in light touches. 

"Never forget that, you hear me?" He leans close, hovering above you and you see how he swallows, Adam's apple bobbing and when you nod he dives for your parted mouth, invading. Jongho licks between the seam, suckling your lower lip between his own.

You can only breathe out a little yes and tug him back to you, pushing against his broad frame, holding him as tightly as you can muster, your breath shallow. Jongho groans, hands eagerly trailing down until he's clutching your rear and the tops of your thighs.

"Baby, tell me that I can make love to you, Y/N," he whispers, thumb teasing your hip, watching your breath stuttering. You close your eyes and allow his sinful, passionate touch to burn against your sensitive skin and exhale a ragged puff. "You're my forever and always."

"Please," you manage to beg, before his mouth is back on you, tasting, nibbling, licking. One of his palms trail further down, smoothing his fingers along the bare expanse of your stomach, the supple swell of your thighs, touching wherever and however he desired, wherever you let him. Your blood roared through your ears, thumping wildly in the wake of his searing lips, moving up and down along the curve of your shoulder and nape, igniting little flares of sparks underneath the flesh. His thick, warm fingers made slow work, rubbing between your quivering thighs, teasing you until your slick coated him.

When he pushes himself into you, it feels right. More than that. He's a perfect fit, filling every inch and spreading heat through you with every slow movement. 

"Fuck, I miss being inside you, Y/N," Jongho muffles, buries his head into the curve of your shoulder, "so damn much."

"You say that as if you weren't inside me when I was pregnant," you retort.

"Yeah but I was being gentle back then," he growls, rutting his cock even deeper and angling, hitting all the perfect points, leaving you a whimpering mess underneath his devious, quick mouth.

"I love you," you breathe out shakily.

"I love you too," he mouths. "With all my life, my soul."

He moves in earnest, pulling out and thrusting in so deep, kissing all the right spots. In the midst of passion, he whispers sweet nothings and promises, vowing his heart and soul, giving everything away for your safety.

For the first time in months, you drift off with peace of mind, falling into a blissfully, serene rest, without worries or fears, knowing that you would get your daughter back as soon as possible. And that when this is all over, you, Jieun, Jongseok and Jongho, would finally have a chance to live the life you've always deserved, without restraints.

"How is Jongseok?" You bit the inside of your bottom lip as Taeho takes a seat, glass in hand and eyes flickering at the squirming baby in your arms. He leans back and swirls his drink around. "And Jongho? I'm surprised that he's not by your side," Taeho muses, flashing an ugly grin, sipping on his tumbler of amber alcohol.

"Jongseok is very well, thank you," you force a polite smile, smoothing the light, embroidered blanket against the baby's small body and bringing him closer, nestling his tiny form against your body protectively. "As for Jongho, well...there is an issue at the company."

Which was a lie since he was with Yeongtae and a handful of his trustworthy attorneys at his mother's office, strategizing for the lawsuit he was about to present Taeho.

Taeho just lets out a low chuckle, setting the empty glass aside and nods slowly. "Good. He knows how to behave after all," the elder man spits, sitting up. He rises slowly, ambling towards you. With careful steps, Taeho is just a mere couple feet away. He's still staring at the baby as he crosses his arms behind his back.

Now that you know that Jongho is Taeho's brother instead of his son, your viewpoints have completely switched. The man that stands in front of you now, intimidating and vicious, is just another person who wanted to crush and control everyone under him. A pathetic bully, hungry for power and greedy to the core.

"We'll have to go see your parents soon with the little one," Taeho comments. "Your parents would be overjoyed to welcome their grandson."

You tilt your chin a tad bit higher, a forced smile plasters itself across your face, tone strained. "We'd love that," you choke. "Especially since it has been so long since we last saw my parents."

"Glad you agree." Taeho smiles. His eyes darken. It's just a subtle shift of expression and the older man pivots to face you, stalking forward and stopping just as he's a few inches away. "But the moment you misbehave or even tell your parents that Jongho is his father," he hisses under his breath, reaching a hand and grasping your chin roughly between his forefinger and thumb, "I will make both of your lives a living nightmare. Both you and my idiot son," he threatens in a low, chilling hiss.

"Yes, Taeho," you answer. The tip of your nails press against the cushiony armrest. Your spine tingles in alert. Fear swells in your heart.

Taeho lets your jaw go. But he continues to loom, a dominating glare and a self-satisfied smirk gracing his features. "Good girl."

The baby lets out a small cry, curling against you.

The small action has Taeho moving away. "Is he hungry?" he inquires. You nod mutely. He reaches over and strokes the top of your baby's head with the back of his fingers, before you turn Jongseok away from the harsh touch.

"Of course," the older man states, standing at the edge, glancing down. "Well, go ahead. Feed our child, dear," he says, waving his hand nonchalantly as he begins striding across the room.

Our. Child.

The venomous words have you grimacing, tightening your arms around Jongseok.

With a reluctant heart, you slip out the clasp to your dress, allowing the fabric to slide away, freeing your breast. His little head comes into you as you nestle the baby's body comfortably. His mouth opens against your nipple, taking in your offering eagerly, suckling with soft sounds of content. Your body releases the tension when Jongseok nuzzles even closer.

It's at that moment when Jongho enters the parlor, stopping to gaze at you in adoration as you feed your son. When his eyes notice Taeho's presence in the room, you see him stiffening, the corded muscles in his shoulders tense.

"Welcome home, father," Jongho greets stiffly. Calling Taeho 'father' after finding out the truth over the last few days, almost made him gag. "How was your visit in Japan?"

Taeho hums nonchalantly. "Business as usual," the older male answers and slings the wine tumbler by his side, standing at the rim of the sofa. "Your stepmother was telling me that you were dealing with an issue at the company?"

Jongho shoots you a quick glace and catches your swift nod. He exhales a tense breath. "That's correct. But everything is now taken care of so that's no longer a problem."

"Well done," Taeho congratulates. Jongho swallows, fidgeting in his shoes. Taeho stands motionless at the rim of the couch. He nods toward the empty seat beside you and beckons him, "Join us, son."

With a curt, yet respectful nod, he moves to settle next to you, allowing him to watch Jongseok's peaceful, silent sucking. You allow Jongho to take Jongseok's hand in his, gently running his thumb over his pinky.

"What a sight," the older male comments with a small smirk, "watching my son with his own child." Taeho lets out a small snort and swirls his beverage around before taking a hefty swig. "For once I'm proud of what you've done even if you did sleep with your own stepmother," he remarks.

A sour expression settles over Jongho's face for a fleeting second and when you touch his leg, his chest floods with warmth and affection.

"Well, well..." Taeho muses after another drawn silence. You feel your blood run cold and you exchange a nervous look with Jongho who smiles encouragingly.

"Here's to a great future, for all of us," Taeho exclaims happily and tips his head back, gulping the last few sips of his drink, swishing it in his mouth. A dry, crisp sound of amusement slips past his lips. He sets the empty glass onto a silver tray and gets up to leave.

You watch him walking out the double-winged doors, stepping towards his office. As soon as the door closes, you turn to Jongho, caressing the baby's hair, "Did you give the lawyers everything?"

He nods with a small, but reassuring grin. "Yes, everything should be going into court as soon as we finalize all the papers, get your statement," Jongho confirms. His gaze falls to Jongseok, peacefully nuzzled against you. He smiles briefly as the baby holds his finger. "We should tell your parents soon."

"About?" Your brow quirks in question.

"Us. The twins. Taeho," he says, turning his face toward you. "Everything, so that they know about all the shit that went down, in case if... anything happens."

He didn't even want to entertain the thought of losing you, and especially the twins, because of Taeho and his wicked games. It was the one thing that kept him up at night, his biggest fear. Losing you forever.

"I want to but Taeho's threats─"

"I'll tell them. I want to," Jongho replies firmly.

"They might not listen," you begin but he places a finger over your lips, hushing your rebuttal.

"They will," he assures you, "whether or not, I'll make sure they understand the entire situation. I'll bring my mother and Yeongtae too, just to add credence." His thumb strokes your cheek and his eyes become intense, burning with purpose. "No more lying. No more secrets. Let's just tell your parents and get this over with," he pauses, exhaling, his voice smooth. "Do you trust me?"

"With all my heart," your voice is steady, even with your nerves tingling all over.

Jongho presses a kiss onto Jongseok's cheek. "Daddy is going to keep you safe, my little treasure."

Your heart wobbles from the depth of the sincerity in his voice and when he pulls you into a tender kiss, you cling onto him, soaking in the strength his arms give, hoping and praying that Taeho could just get the hell out of the picture so that you can finally live the peaceful life with your little family.

Taeho was called back to Japan due to an urgent matter. According to his assistant, there were some matters with the shareholders that he had to address and his departure could not wait any longer.

Bidding you goodbye in the wee hours of morning, you stand at the foyer with Jongseok cradled in your arm. Jongho is right behind you as you watch him rolling his luggage out the door, followed by his assistants.

You wave at his retreating form, watching the limo disappear down the paved lane before Jongho closes the doors. His hand circles the top of your arm and leads you towards the staircase.

"Let's meet with your parents today," Jongho breathes, pressing a kiss onto the top of Jongseok's head before cupping your cheek and running his thumb across your skin. "We'll go visit your parents and I'll have a team sweep the mansion for any bugs or cameras so nothing will reach his hands."

You swallow, nodding in apprehension, and his chest aches. "Hey," Jongho breathes, touching your waist, drawing lazy patterns, massaging the flesh, trying to relax you. "It's going to be okay, you hear?"

"I hope so," you whimper softly. Your lip trembles ever so slightly, fear crawling into your nerves, twisting the strings taut. His hand comes around, slipping into yours, lacing.

"Y/N," he tilts his chin down, bringing his forehead to yours, a gentle smile dances across his mouth and his eyes hold your worried ones, staring intensely, "you are my light, my everything, my one and only. As long as I am here with you and the twins, everything is going to be okay, trust me."

And for once, you believe those words of comfort and feel relief from the tension in your soul, believing whole-heartedly that he'll keep those promises of peace and safety and of happiness.

A little while later, you're at your parents house and after an entire hour of explaining everything that has happened for the past year, there's utter silence that descends within. The twins are cooing softly, Jongseok making gurgling sounds, eyes opening and looking up to watch, studying intently. Your father and mother glance at each other.

"Why didn't you come to us immediately?" Eunhee, your mothe, asks with a sad look appearing in her eyes. Your heart breaks a little more when you see your mother weeping, tearful, and in her saddened gaze lies disappointment and betrayal. "Oh my sweet girl...is this why you never came by often? Because of that monster?"

You can only manage a weak nod, because of the growing lump in your throat, causing your own tears to brim. Your eyes downcast, your lip quivers. "After fifteen years of being married to him...he threatened...he threatened to ruin everything, if I ever went to you," the dam breaks. Uncontrollable, hot streams leak and stream down your cheeks, drips into a puddle, an endless flow. "Your mayoral campaign, the firm, and I just...I couldn't... I couldn't, mom," you hiccup, sniffling as you cry your heart out. The lump grows and grows until it's hard to breathe, letting out ragged, shallow breaths.

Jongho is just beside you, comforting, hand gently rubbing your lower back. His mother and Yeongtae whisper soft words to the two toddlers as they clap and kick excitedly.

"Fifteen years of trying to have a child with him," you continue to spill the contents of your bleeding heart and sob, "fifteen years of watching him with other women. Fifteen years of being constantly berated for things he didn't like, of being kicked down," you're falling, falling and falling, the memories and emotions weighing heavy. "All I wanted was someone who loved me, unconditionally. And then Jongho came along, and I just..." you inhale shakily, feeling your lungs shudder, "I couldn't stop. I kept falling and falling, so hard, I couldn't even bear to stop and by then I had fallen so in love with him."

"He's Taeho's son," Minghyun, your father, says. He sounds drained and distraught, wiping at his face. The air shifts, gloom and despair looming dark and suffocating. His shoulders sink, a bitter grimace, pulling down the lines of his cheeks. "What did we do to deserve this pain? All these secrets..." Minhyun sighs heavily, heart throbbing when a sharp pang pierces at the muscle, painfully, almost crippling.

"Minhyun," Mina intervenes, interrupting and pointing to her son. "Jongho isn't Taeho's son. He's the product of a love affair I had with Choi Youngho, Taeho's father."

"What...?" Minhyun breathes, dumbfounded. His wife has an equally surprised look on her face, eyes blinking in shock. "Are you... Are you certain, Mina? It was Youngho?"

She smiles weakly, eyes welling with sadness. "The love of my life. My greatest love. My only," she whispers wistfully and draws the sleeping little boy closer, as if she were in a trance. "Jongho is Taeho's brother," she admits softly.

"Is that true?" Eunhee cuts in, brows furrowed.

"Yes Eunhee, it's true," Mina confirms gently. "My only mistake, the biggest, is the fact I should've told Jongho the truth as soon as I could," she sounds broken. Crushed. Tired, with no more strength left to continue fighting. "I just wanted to protect him, his future," she turns, taking the small fingers from Jieun's hand. The little girl's sleepy eyes blink a few times and Mina pats the little girl's curly locks, softly brushing aside stray strands. "But instead, I lost my only son to Taeho, just as I had lost his father many years ago. For that, I will never, ever forgive myself."

"No." Eunhee shakes her head fervently, rising. "You did everything for him and protected him when you could," your mother's voice is thick, raw, coming from the bottom of her aching heart. "That's all we want to do for our children and their wellbeing. Mina," she steps forward and pulls her in an embrace. "No parent should have to feel like they've failed their child in such a manner. Do not blame yourself any further."

When Mina reciprocates the gesture, you glance to the side, eyes softening at the way Jongho holds Jieun and Jongseok carefully, rocking from side to side, humming under his breath. 

"Daddy, I love Jongho," you look at your babies before meeting your parent's gaze again. You wipe your tears away. "You're probably disgusted and mad and disappointed...but I love Jongho. I can never be with anyone but him."

"I love Y/N sir," Jongho confesses and hands both the sleeping babies to your mother before bowing, facing your father, head lowered, hands fisting his pants. "I love her and the twins to pieces. I love her so much, it hurts to think about living without her. The thought of being apart from her or losing her..." Jongho rises from his bow, eyes locked with your father's, a burning sense of determination burns deep within them. "...scares the hell out of me. And it makes me sick, the idea of her being married to my half-brother."

Minhyun's features settle in resignation and he sighs wearily. "Well...this is quite the turn of events." His hands fall flat against his thighs, sighing once more. He studies you, quiet, mulling and pondering on the words you have spoken to him. You're stiff in your spot, fidgeting at the edge of the cushions, eyes flicking between him, Jongho, and your mother. She simply looks resigned, pursing her lips in thought as your mother runs a hand over Jieun and Jongseok's foreheads. "The circumstances surrounding the three of you have been twisted beyond redemption..." He drags a hand over the swell of his forehead, ruffling through his thinning hair.

"But all I want is the best for my daughter and my grandchildren. I suppose I'll have to adjust and adapt as time goes on," he stands, a frail smile twitching into existence. "Despite all of this...family, after all, is the most important thing and," your father looks to the side, catching his wife's melancholic gaze, "I believe you did all you could, in protecting our baby girl," your mother laughs quietly, snuggling the bundles into her arms. Your father glances at the babies and reaches, taking their little feet into his hands, bouncing them happily, smiling wide.

"Do you have a plan to take Taeho down?" Minhyun turns to face Jongho, his smile melting into a hard grimace. "Whatever plan you have in store, I'll gladly assist to bring him into his knees, and never, ever mess with my little girl and our grandchildren ever again."

Jongho nods slowly. His own hardened face fills with hope. "Thank you," he bows his head once more. "And yes, we're putting together an incredible legal plan, we will not lose against him. We can't. Not when so much is on the line." Jongho straightens, flashing a quick, warm, reassuring look towards you. "Please, give us a little bit of time to see this lawsuit through."

A weak smirk cracks across your father's face. "Well, I hope that you don't mind a little help, now do you?"

"Help?" Jongho frowns.

"Yes!" Minhyun lets out a guffaw, voice ringing out. "It'll be much more fun this way, wouldn't it?"

"Darling, please, don't cause a scene." Eunhee chastises him, although a faint smile can be seen pulling at the corners of her lips, reaching a hand and patting his forearm.

"Oh Eunhee, please! For once, let's just help our poor daughter in her hour of need, eh?" he asks her, beaming excitedly, like a child on Christmas Eve. "For her, for Jongho, and our beautiful grandchildren, we need to stop Taeho as quickly as possible. Every second is another moment for him to manipulate the evidence, we can't let that happen. So," Minhyun huffs, clearing his throat. "In the meanwhile, it seems that I should dig a little deeper and go under the surface to pull some strings, hm?"

Eunhee sighs and pinches her brows. A smile dances at the edge of her lips. "Alright, fine."

"Perfect! I'll meet with my team in no time," Your father's grin grows even wider and he turns to look at Jongho and then back at you, pride dancing in his gaze. "Leave the rest to daddy, and his political friends! Jongho, Yeongtae, we have much to plan so let's not dilly dally!"

As Yeongtae and Jongho follow your father down the hall, his joyous laughter echoing off the walls, a heavy burden that's weighing on your chest alleviates and in its place, warmth sweeps over, relieving you of all those pent up emotions.

"Silly, silly man," your mother says in an exasperated, yet affectionate tone and hands you your babies before pressing a loving kiss on the top of your head.

"How did you end up finding such a great, albeit a bit weird and eccentric guy?" Mina chuckles, still smiling from hearing the man laugh boisterously.

"Hah," Eunhee lets out an airy snicker, "if you only knew Mina," the older woman pats the smaller woman on the back. "If only you knew how incredibly hilarious that man is," and with that, both women giggle away, heading toward the kitchen to fetch a couple glasses of fresh lemonade.

But now, everything has finally taken shape and come together in its complete form and you pray, wishing from the bottom of your heart that, at the very least, Taeho gets what he deserves.

"What the fuck is this?!"

The summons thrown carelessly onto the table lays, unfettered. Your eyes stare at the paper, words written clear, words of summons, words of court and words of attorneys and the names of lawyers. You're bouncing Jongseok, facing Taeho who is red and vibrating in fury and disbelief.

"That's a summons," you state matter-of-factly. You sound too calm, too steady.

"I fucking know what a goddamn summons is! But, why?!" His face contorts, baring his teeth, turning feral, looking completely wild, disturbed, a vile rage simmering low.

He moves and takes a menacing step closer toward you. You move away, bringing your baby further away from Taeho's immediate reach and behind you.

"For divorce, of course, and...as it happens," you sigh nonchalantly, "custody for Jongseok and the financial restitutions."

"Divorce? You think the courts would let you divorce me? What will they say when they find out that you've been sleeping with your own stepson for over a year now?" he sneers, seething and clenching his fists.

"Oh that, about that..." you trail off, as if you were simply discussing the weather, and wave a noncommittal hand, "that's nothing. You see," your lips crack a humorless smirk. "Jongho isn't your son."

His eyes flit with confusion. His mouth drops. "What...? Did you say─"

"As it happens," you raise a brow, repeating your previous words, "Jongho is the result of the affair your ex-wife had with another man, Choi Youngho. Your father, Taeho."

Taeho snickers incredulously, huffing. He grits his teeth and presses his tongue, nostrils flaring. He inhales and his voice comes out husked with hatred. "Stop playing, Y/N. It's not funny," he warns dangerously. "How the hell would you have found this out?"

"Because," a different voice, familiar, pleasant, interrupts from behind. Taeho turns around, a hardened look on his face. Mina enters with a few folders in hand. Your father is in tow, and so is Jongho. All of their expressions are the same: serious, dark, grim, angry. "I told them everything and I have the documents to back it up. It's nice to see you again, Taeho."

His gaze falls upon his ex-wife's and for the first time, something in him falters. Uncertainty washes over, slowly, then all at once. He scrunches up his nose, a feeling of confusion rising into his gut. "I don't understand. This doesn't make any sense..."

"I had an affair with your father, Taeho." Mina's voice remains level. "Weeks before our marriage. By the time we had tied the knot, I just found out that I was pregnant. Jongho isn't your son; he's the son of Youngho and mine, not yours."

There is something lurking in the depth of her eyes, something sinister, and something he can't quite pin down. "Stop this nonsense, Mina." He flails a hand, turning toward his ex-wife, cold, a thread of hate and jealousy tightening his vocal cords. "You're saying that he's my brother, not my son? Have you lost your goddamn mind?! It doesn't make a shit ton of sense!"

"Doesn't it now?" she breathes, shoulders held taut, angled, stiff. "Like I said, you've got the documents right there if you want to take a peek. All the dates, medical records, and letters exchanged by the two of us, especially his."

Taeho flicks his tongue along the seam of his teeth, glancing between the file and her. Something in her expression never falters, as if the calmness, the sheer level of it is irritating.

"All the tests we ran and the reports and notes in Jongho's medical history has been fully confirmed and thoroughly verified, right down to a T," she continues and brings her shoulders further back. "And even if you try to get rid of it, I have the originals and backups saved and stored everywhere, with trusted sources who can also provide and confirm that fact." Her eyes are like slits. Hard, pointed, looking directly at her ex-husband.

"Not to mention," your father says, arms crossed against his broad chest, "I also looked into your company and all the financial activities surrounding you, and sure enough," his tongue flicks his lips, eyes rolling, sighing, "the hundreds and thousands, almost millions in dirty cash transactions were nothing but illegal business deals," and that seems to turn Taeho's gaze. He appears to be taken aback, blinking slowly, gaping and peering as if he were a dumb fish. "Is this how you funded my campaign, Taeho? Bribes, rigged biddings, and money launderings?"

"Minhyun, that is all slander, you have nothing to prove─"

"Oh I certainly do," he scoffs and reaches behind, plucking a thick folder out. He fans the content open with a slight thwack, displaying photos, paperwork, and affidavits. "And by god, it makes me absolutely ill. How long do you plan on trying to save your neck? You made my daughter's life a living hell and for what? Pride? Greed? It's beyond despicable and low, even for a cold blooded piece of shit like yourself."

Taeho splutters, inching toward the taller, but more powerful man. "You─!"

"Furthermore," he ignores his angered shout, "considering I found evidence to warrant and sue you, with enough evidence to put you away in jail for good," he continues, now sporting a smug grin, "for tax fraud, embezzlement, bribery, sexual harassment and the list goes on...I would very strongly urge you to be cautious of what you will say from now on, before I put you six feet under."

And his facade crumples and withers, falling, falling and shattering at the ground below him. His eyes are widened, disbelieving and breathless, barely being able to utter another word. His pupils have blown, face draining and blanching, stunned and shaken to the core. He lets out a shaky inhale and his grip tightens, reddening his knuckles, squeezing harshly. "No...This is not... this isn't possible..." He whispers, furious, angry and disordered.

Jongho is now holding onto your shoulder, careful to let his arm around your waist and to be quick and quiet in taking your baby from your arm. You can feel Jongseok moving, head turning and snuggling deeper into Jongho's broad shoulder.

"It's over now, brother," and Jongho's eyes are set on Taeho, watching him flinch violently at the moniker. His eyes flash with anger, pain, and he gazes right back at Taeho, "The things you put Y/N through? For fifteen years? All the bullying and harassment? For your own sick pleasure and delusional need to hurt her and tear us apart?" Taeho's expression falls to a mix between repulsion and anxiety.

"She didn't deserve a single drop of cruelty you subjected her to," Jongho narrows his eyes, drawing himself to full height and, now, he is towering over his half brother. Jongho looms over the older, more intimidating, a steely edge to his words. "You think it's okay for you to hurt her in this manner, treat her as your own plaything just because she was married to you? Because she couldn't give you children?" He snorts, shaking his head, lip curled, disgusted.

"Have you ever thought about why you couldn't father your own children, Taeho?" you speak, glancing up at Jongho before facing him, "You always blamed me for being barren and not being able to get you what you wanted. You put me on constant fertility pills, IVF, all kinds of medications. You isolated me from everyone until I was vulnerable enough for you to just strut around, fucking other women left, right, and center."

"Despite all your whoring, none of them conceived either, now did they? Did you ever wonder why I ended up pregnant when we haven't slept in the same bed for years? How I had two healthy babies with Jongho?" You click your tongue, shaking your head once again and biting the inside of your cheek.

"Two? Pft," Taeho waves his hands dismissively, snarling.

"Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you about my daughter," you muse airily and an almost crazy-like grin begins pulling at the corner of your lips. "Oops! Must've slipped my mind for a bit." Your smirk is wide. Sharp. Twisting your expression. "I hid my own daughter for weeks, fearing that you'd somehow be able to rip her from my arms too. I hate you. I fucking hate you, Taeho! I always hated you."

Jongho flicks a glance at your side, brushing his fingers against the small of your back, causing you to relax, calm and settled. "Darling, enough... Just calm yourself down, please." And you take in deep breath after deep breath, easing and steadying your nerves.

Taeho watches the brief exchange. Something about that sparks a greater wrath, greater ire and resentment. Taeho has half the mind to grab hold of his fist and hurl it into his half brother's face. His gaze drifts downwards, body rigid, jaw locking.

"Now the problem remains," your father remarks, scanning Taeho and raising a brow. "Should I have you thrown into jail or should you come quietly? Save yourself the pain and humiliation of having to drag all of this to the media."

There is the briefest, a millisecond pause. Nothing registers, yet everything happens at once. One second Taeho is standing still, as though petrified in space and the next, in one swift move, he is reaching behind, hand clasped around something thin and metal. In the distance, someone, you can't tell who, is shouting for him to stop and all of a sudden, there is the harsh sound of the gun going off, a blast ringing and deafening your ears.

Weeks go by and slowly, you are settling back into routine.

After Taeho had attempted to injure or even worse, kill anyone there and managed to flee the scene, he ended up jumping off a cliffside. A suicide, the officials had claimed. The search teams managed to retrieve the body in several weeks and an autopsy report showed the cause of death as severe head trauma from his fall off.

The police and the media had gotten wind of the ordeal, swarming your front yard, bombarding you with questions and wanting you to say something, anything, about the situation. Your parents stepped forward, a hand laid flat against the lower part of the microphone and assured that you will have a press conference at a later date.

Once it was confirmed that your husband has been legally declared as deceased, his estate, business and remaining finances were willed over to Jongho as the last living relative of Taeho, making him the new president of his company. A heavy, massive responsibility, to which Jongho, without any reluctance, had gladly accepted.

You and your family finally release a statement, answering every question they ask and shedding light to a lot of truths, clearing any doubt that may still be left. The press was having a field day when they found about Jongho's birthright, how the two of you fell in love despite the complications and kept your babies safe and out of reach, hidden from your abusive husband, Taeho. It was not an ideal way to start, and even now, it hasn't completely settled down, but, it is a step forward nonetheless, and one that has already shown some improvement.

Now, your company has been relocated and expanded and everyone is settled back in. Jongho had opted for a new apartment, one that had bigger spaces, to which you readily agreed and have been getting things arranged, making room for each and everyone, decorating and arranging, throwing out and purchasing new furniture. You were finally able to reunite with your baby girl Jieun as well and life is progressively growing more and more fruitful with every passing day, all with the twins and Jongho by your side.

When your parents asked when you and Jongho would have a wedding, both of you confessed that you hadn't had the time nor did you wish for such an extravagant affair. But, if your parents wanted a small ceremony, you had told them, just for immediate family, you were fine with that. So, in due time, Jongho asked you to marry him, you said yes and before you knew it, a nice, casual, low-key wedding was prepared in your family home's backyard, inviting the most intimate circle of people; only family and a handful of friends.

And now you are walking down the hall to see the father of your two kids and your husband at his brand new desk and working tirelessly, like a proper boss would. The thought draws an affectionate grin out of you, footsteps light and quickening in speed the nearer you get. Jongho has been immersed in his work, arranging projects, reassigning duties, meetings, all sorts of things and when the knock comes at his office door, he barely pays any mind to it.

"I take it you haven't found a replacement yet, President Choi."

He lets out a small smile when he looks up upon hearing your voice. "I can't seem to find anyone competent enough," he laughs at your pointed stare and rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed.

"And it's only been a week," you chuckle and place Jieun and Jongseok's carrier against his mahogany desk before coming around to the other side and embracing him from behind, planting a tender kiss at the small of his back.

"Did I not choose the right people?" his eyes squint shut and a blissful expression passes over him, cheeks a flushed rosy hue, dimples dipping.

You release him with a warm smile, draping your arms around him and bringing your palms across his chest and leaning on him. "You did...don't worry," and he hums in agreement.

"And as a bonus," your eyes linger on his and then your mouth follows his to touch lightly, gently, so sweet and soft that Jongho's smile crumbles at the feeling, "the new president of this company also gets free babysitting services!" and he laughs wholeheartedly, pressing a fluttering kiss at the apple of your cheek.

"I might be a little bit bias since I'm married to her, but," he steals another chaste smooch and his lips finally connect with yours and your breath hitches, pulling away with a deep sigh, "my wife is, honestly and truly, the best. A damn good babysitter."

You look up, smiling, sighing softly and cupping his face. "Just a babysitter?" you mutter coyly, thumb running circles against his flushed cheek. "Is there nothing more than just a plain babysitter, to the amazing, talented, smart, and handsome company president?"

His eyelashes lower and he nudges his nose at yours, his breaths puffing out and warming you completely. "Hmm... she is a good mother too. Although..." Jongho taps his chin, grinning and leaning into you even more, wrapping an arm around you and nuzzling you, kissing along your brow, your cheeks, everywhere he could reach. You laugh quietly, flustered and taken aback at his boldness. "She should keep her hands to herself in the middle of the night."

"Mm," you lean into him, dragging your fingertips across his abdomen, and smirk up at him, a look filled with longing, lust, desire and admiration. "But you like it."

"But I like it," he admits, wrapping a strong arm around you, pulling you up and peppering kisses on your nose, your cheeks, your jaw. He moves close to whisper against your mouth. His lips press slow, firm to yours, the caress languorous, a silent promise. "How's moving into the new place going, anyway? Any problems?"

"Not at all," you lean back into the curve of his broad chest, exhaling long and slowly and listening to the soft rustles of Jongho's touches, lulling you further and further away. "Your assistant is a gem and is incredibly efficient."

"Yes, he is," Jongho agrees. The corner of his mouth tugs downwards, humming slightly, holding you close and caressing the small of your back in soothing motions. "It's a pity Yeongtae declined his position, though. It would have made a lot of things so much easier."

"Yeongtae is at a firm that is putting his skills to good use. After having a glimpse of it, he wasn't sure he'd fit well within those corporate walls, he says," you elaborate and tap a finger to his shoulder.

"He could have been in charge of the legal team here," Jongho heaves a dejected sigh.

"It's not so bad," you smile and lift his downtrodden spirits, a finger trailing a line from the ridge of his cheek, then the corner of his plump lips. He looks like an adorable, grumpy cat, brows puckering at your lighthearted laughter. "At least I won't have to hear Soojin complain about you being his boss."

Jongho returns a toothy grin and his dimples show, kissing the top of your head. "This, at the very least is true. Small blessings," and the two of you join into a breathless giggle.

You stay, embraced in the comforting warmth of your lover, watching Jieun and Jongseok both continue napping peacefully, deeply in their slumber. Jongho places a chaste, loving smooch upon your forehead and you crane your head toward his, leaning and pushing up with your tiptoes to touch his lips with yours once more, two times. Three times.

"I love you, Jongho. Very, very much."

"I love you even more."

And the two of you exchange a string of chaste pecks, coy smiles and giddiness bursting, bubbling deep in your throats.

For better or for worse, you, him and your children are happy now. Together. That's the way it should have been from the start, you think, heart and soul soaring, fulfilled, satisfied, content, knowing that, no matter what the future has in store, you will be okay. More than just fine. And the man you've fallen in love with, the person who captured your heart is right here, loving you in return and will catch you when you fall.

"Prayers to the great Goddess as she blesses you all in good health," the High Priest greeted the growing congregation inside the stone sanctuary. "The light shines over our humble kingdom as her eyes stare at the sinners, guiding their steps to redemption, may we be spared of misfortune and..." He looked at the royal banners and said with an almost sardonic smile. "Imbalance, oh Holy Kingdom."

Joshua Hong looked down at the congregation of the devout on the lower levels. There were nobleman dressed in splendid capes, soldiers of the banner regiments lined up row on row, merchants who frequented with the Temple every day to plead and prostrate and last but not the least, the common people. All eyes glinted with a mixture of love, worship and a pinch of fear when looking up at the High Priest.

"This evening, I wish to touch upon the true nature of sin..." He started his speech as he always had, reciting the texts written by the ancients and preaching them for all to hear. He spoke in an eloquent, persuading voice that could touch even the coldest heart. He used it as a tool, to carry out his own agenda while lulling all men and women under the belief that he was truly preaching the words of the Goddess Luna herself. "For to fight off this wickedness, it begins with acknowledging your own darkness that lives within you!"

Little did people know of the darkness that consume him as well. His entire childhood, all he knew was being passed on like an object from master to master. His heart had closed shut, too traumatized with the life he had lived so far. All it knew, was hatred and cold-blooded violence. He wanted to be free of this chain that bound him and never cared about anything or anyone else. All men, all women and children were the same.

A waste of time.

Nothing but filthy humans that deserved nothing but to have their lives ripped away. It didn't take him long to know what kind of power he possessed, one that wasn't gifted but rather, bestowed by the Heavens. Being able to read and interpret the divine scriptures at such a young age, his talents were something nobody could overlook. His mastery of magic and wisdom exceeded even his teachers.

What made him truly outstanding however, was his unique ability to command and lead the faithful masses. That in itself was a power no lesser than any king that sat upon the thrones of the kingdoms. With him at its forefront, the Temple of Luna gained political influence that matched the kings, allowing him the ability to twist it to his own gains.

Joshua knew however, that this was still far from what his heart sought for. All these were mere stepping stones in the process towards attaining that power. All his hard work to get as far as the High Priest was well worth its weight in gold, for his goal lay further above where he currently stood.

What better position can there be besides to sit in the seat of the most powerful?

To be able to step into a world where only he reigned?

To watch all living creatures crawl and tremble in fear under his feet?

And finally, to be worshipped and feared for not being a man... but an Almighty GOD.

Finishing up the last of his sermon, he watched as the first few were walking out of the temple after giving their generous tithe. Giving the two acolytes behind his robes an approving nod, he heard their rapid footsteps towards the exits as well, tasked to accompany and guide those to donate their valuable gifts to their pious Goddess.

Taking a sip of water, he swept his eyes across the now empty temple and noticed a woman kneeling before the altar. Looking down upon her, she appeared to be a young lady who came alone to pray and lit three prayer candles. He couldn't help but watch her, captivated by the graceful curve of her body as her shoulders swayed softly back and forth. Even her voice, as it whispered her earnest prayers, seemed angelic.

He shouldn't have been distracted in the slightest by her, for there were matters that required his attention back in his study. He was a man of faith, people often discussed him as such, and shouldn't be concerned about worldly needs. Oh, but they didn't know, did they? That all this pious image he built over the years, was a mere ruse. For him, that girl, would just be yet another broken and twisted thing beneath his feet. He couldn't control his own desires, how much more for others who claimed themselves wise?

There was no question that she was an extremely attractive female and her youthful body did indeed stir up the dark desires he'd harboured deep in the bottom of his cold heart. Oh, how he wanted to corrupt and take her.

Placing his goblet upon a marble table, Joshua descended from the podium. He took note of his acolytes ushering the final group of congregation towards the door and left without looking back. They never failed him anyway. Walking closer towards the lone figure in the middle of the temple hall, he made sure his steps weren't heard so she could finish up her devotion and leave, relieving him of her alluring presence.

But as he approached and his eyes focused solely on her back, his blood ran cold, and he froze. Her aura didn't resonate that of a simple girl. She was brimming with a strong divine power, something so sharp and thick it would send most lesser men trembling before her.

"Oh, I'm sorry for being the last to leave! You must be exhausted from the long day..." Her voice drifted up as she got up on her knees and turned towards his direction.

Immediately, Joshua straightened himself, for fear that if he was caught staring too intensely she might suspect him. Feigning a surprised face, he held a hand to his chest and exhaled loudly.

"Goodness, child, forgive my rude actions. You're quite the quiet one," Joshua laughed nervously and said. "But not at all. It's a blessing that you continue to have such passionate prayers."

"Indeed, I'm sorry for surprising you like this!" she apologized once more as she hurriedly got up on her two feet. "Praise be our merciful Luna, I've come here hoping to express my gratitude that the Kingdom is saved from the malice that had befallen us."

Joshua was very perceptive towards every individual and could tell almost immediately that something was amiss about that child. He could tell just by looking that she wasn't a villager and certainly was someone important, judging by the intricate design of her attire. He could be wrong of course but why did something about her not ring true. Her pretty face betrayed no secrets.

Ah. He knew exactly who she was.

The Saintess. The last pure saint in the Kingdom, the Saviour herself. What a surprise.

His curiosity and suspicion rose further, which was something he needed to put an end to immediately.

"Thank you for all your deeds in the name of the Holy Kingdom. May the light of our blessed Goddess shine upon you forever," he chanted the traditional line used to bid adieu, yet his eyes weren't averted away.

She answered him with a wide smile and took her time before saying. "Thank you, Your Holiness. I am relieved that there are no signs of any monsters left. How fortunate we are. Also... are you unwell?" she asked, tilting her head and looking concerned.

His brows knit together and immediately straightened up, thinking that perhaps he's too obvious in revealing his strange behavior towards her.

"I assure you, I'm fine. Tired, perhaps. Not as young as you think. The temple isn't an easy place to run," he chuckled in a casual manner, hoping that will brush her off and forget the matter entirely. "My, and I haven't asked for your name?"

"My apologies!" She gasped and lowered her eyes, "I am Y/N, Your Holiness."

Ah, Y/N. Didn't the Knight-Commander, Choi Seungcheol, have a sister with that very same name?

"Very well, Lady Y/N." A smirk appeared on Joshua's handsome visage, before changing the expression and making an apology. "Forgive my inability to converse normally today. I'm feeling a little bit tired from all that happened recently," he explained and flashed an innocent grin.

Y/N let out a soft 'oh!' and then bowed quickly. "Of course! It's understandable. I won't bother you any longer, Your Holiness. May we meet again during good health and times. Please accept my best wishes and-"

Her sentence was cut short by a gentle clearing of his throat and he gestured, "No need. I wish you a pleasant night."

With a bright smile, she bowed before turning away, her footsteps echoing in the silent and cold interior of the temple. Joshua Hong could barely contain the triumphant smirk threatening to spill upon his mouth, knowing that despite the fact that he would like very much for that lovely girl to turn back, that couldn't happen until he fulfilled his own selfish agenda.

From now on, her fate was in his very hands.

As soon as the temple doors closed behind you, you let out a scoff of annoyance. To say that you felt discomfort in the presence of the High Priest would be a major understatement. Perhaps because he seemed to recognize you, his stare was the least of your problems. He radiated an intense aura, cold, violent and dreadful that made goosebumps erupt along your arms.

How could a Priest possibly have such terrifying vibe?

Not that it wasn't supposed to be the case but something told you, he wasn't to be trifled with. When he feigned being kind to you, it made your skin crawl with discomfort, sending you a chill down the back and you couldn't stop rubbing your arms to make the goosebumps go away.

You hated the fact that you were the Saintess. Often times, you found yourself wishing that you were never the chosen one for the position, seeing as you weren't as pious as they all thought you would be. Sure your brother was Choi Seungcheol, the Knight Commander and captain of the Serenity Knights, but being constantly on the spotlight was something you just couldn't avoid. It didn't matter if it wasn't a celebration or ball or award ceremonies, people's eyes were always watching, taking note of everything you've done as the esteemed Saintess.

All you wanted was sleep right now.

Feeling a heavy sigh escape your lips, you forced the Priest out of your mind for the time-being as you ventured into the path leading out of the Royal Square, thinking that a cup of tea should help in soothing your nerves before heading home. Perhaps if it wasn't so late and chilly out, you'd appreciate the city more at this hour.

Unlike earlier during the ceremony, the Royal Square was virtually silent, illuminated by the large standing torches burning in their bronze bases along the pathway. Your knights trailed close behind you but not too close, letting you walk in your own leisure, your dress shimmering slightly under the warm hues from the lights as your legs carried you slowly.

Everything was just so quiet. You wanted the peace to engulf you, let it soothe your body and take away the tiredness from this day. Tomorrow would mark a whole new week and the preparations had started but, of course, everything was taken care of. You would be making your rounds again in the local villages with the knights and provide food, clothing and healing. It was an obligation you did ever since your healing powers were awakened by the Goddess Luna a year ago and made you her Saintess.

You didn't even know why she chose you. You weren't as innocent and pious as many of the populace saw you, in fact, you were as normal a person as anyone. Perhaps more depraved and sinful compared to most women out there but nonetheless a good soul. But maybe, the reason was more than just that, like... destiny and predetermination. A scripted fate as the storybook said, perhaps.

Having such strong, healing powers would bring many advantages to an entire Kingdom like Carat. With such divine powers comparable to the High Priest and the Grand Mage, Wen Junhui, you would be invaluable to the Kingdom. Of course, there are others with similar powers as yours. The Ducal House of Xu, though not of high magical capacity, did possess skills with the swordsmanship comparable to that of the knights, making them skilled combatants as well.

Before long, you've entered the Royal Plaza, its magnificently towering water fountain was filled with several copper coins people wished to donate for the blessing of the Goddess, with you acting as her oracle and her servant. This was a common site, really, but a sight worth appreciating for all your effort for the past year. The beauty of this country, its lush lands and green environment, its prosperity was a source of pride for everyone in the Kingdom of Carat and what you would protect until the end.

Once you've arrived in the street where the restaurant and cafe are, you smiled to yourself, pleased. Several passerbys nodded at you in respectful reverence. Most had stopped on their tracks when they realized who you were. Uncomfortable as it was, you still smiled and acknowledged each and every single person that did so and returned the greeting with a sincere smile. Your knights had paused around you and let you converse with the townsfolk before standing closely to you after.

After a while, you decided it was time to head home, your energy was drained and all you wanted was a hot bath and your bed. You'll get to have the afternoon to sleep in but you had to get through breakfast, of course, first.

It was getting late, the moon was up, the sky darkened. The lanterns have been lit and the lights shone over the city. On most nights, you would see that there was some entertainment happening; performers or minstrels on the main streets; people and families gathered around taverns to hear stories of old heroes and how life was a year ago. Some of the establishments like the bakery and the grocers would have open air set-up but since everyone were still afraid of the monster attacks, the people were instead scattered, only a few visitors along the street.

That was until you've heard someone scream, and then everyone started panicking.

"Lady Y/N! Stay put!" a knight yelled and drew his sword, followed by his brethren. "Get behind us! Lady Y/N!!"

Something dark was in the middle of the street. That wasn't normal at all. Its very presence seemed to radiate darkness and sinister intent. Even from a distance, you felt a chill up your spine and could almost hear its growl and the threat of danger. The knights shielded you, leaving a gap to let you observe the beast that appeared before you.

What in the world...?

It looked like an enormous, wolf-like beast, standing as high as three feet. Its fur was a pitch black, mane dark blue. Its teeth protruding out of its sharp mouth glinted under the moonlight. Its eyes stared at you. There was a mischievous glint in its yellow eyes, full of malice. And hunger. It was starving and it set its sight on you.

The knights didn't hesitate and immediately, the six of them charged. Swords raised. Some men charged forward and attacked from the left side, others flanked from the front.

Just like with the creatures, however, their weapons merely bounced against the skin, doing no damage as the creature barrelled over the knights and almost pushed them over. It charged towards you, snarling with its razor sharp teeth.

"My lady!" The knights shouted but the deafening roar of the monster seemed to be drowning their cries. One thing was for certain. You didn't want to die, not yet. There were so many things that you still haven't finished yet!

"Shhhh... I got you," a calm, silky voice soothed in your ear as a hand stroked your hair. For a moment, it seemed familiar. "Hush, you have nothing to worry about."

Before you had the chance to think or process, the large furry body of the creature flew towards you but crashed straight into a blinding white light instead, vanishing right into the air with a soft pop.

The knights paused in their actions. You froze. Everyone's eyes grew large as the creature disappeared into thin air with only the stench of sulphur filling the streets.

"Lady Y/N!! Are you hurt?!" the captain of the knights screamed, and reached for you, hands wrapping around you firmly as his large fingers inspected you carefully. You only let out a slow sigh once it dawned on you. The man with the calm and deep voice, stroking your hair, was... none other than the High Priest, Joshua Hong.

And when you eyes met his, you fainted in his arms.

"Thank you for saving my sister, Your Holiness."

You let out a small groan as you heard your brother's deep voice. Slowly, you opened your eyes and realized that you're lying on your bed. 

Seungcheol rushed towards the couch and knelt beside you. "Don't strain yourself, Y/N."

"What happened?" you whispered, wincing at how sore your body felt.

"That damn thing appeared suddenly!" One of the knights explained, wringing his hands together. "There's been no sign of such vicious beasts nearby. And for it to show up in the capital, without a reason..." he stopped himself, before looking apologetic and dropped his head.

"That creature, it vanished," you mumbled in disbelief. "As soon as the High Priest appeared."

Seungcheol gave you an affirming nod and then his attention turned towards Joshua, who was watching you from the side, arms crossed over his chest.

"Well, that's not an ordinary wolf," the High Priest finally spoke and strode towards you. Seungcheol got up to his feet and moved aside to give Joshua space and allow him to have a proper view. "I felt a dark presence and as soon as I heard the screams, I ran out of the temple immediately." He shook his head slowly, an air of frustration about his handsome features.

You gulped, suddenly conscious that Joshua was there. Your eyes traveled to the rest of the knights in the room, the looks on their faces worried, confused and relieved all at the same time.

"If His Holiness did not show up, you would have been gone, my lady," one of the knights spoke up.

"We've failed you, Lady Y/N!"

"It is not your fault," you replied and then shifted your gaze towards the High Priest. "We couldn't have known that a monster such as this would appear."

"It shouldn't be wandering this close to the city," Seungcheol started, pacing in front of your bed. "Duke Xu would have informed us of the unusual happenings."

"Just what is this all about...?" you asked quietly, staring down at the back of your trembling palms.

Joshua suddenly leaned over and wrapped his warm, long fingers around your wrist gently. You didn't have time to move away and stare as his brows furrowed while studying your arm carefully. "As the Saintess, you're important to the people. But with powers like these, you're a prize for those that thrive in the dark. It would be in your best interest to stay at the temple while we investigate further. For your safety," he murmured calmly.

You're not sure why you couldn't speak up and refute his statement, as much as your brain was telling you that something was off. It was highly unusual for him to arrive so suddenly after hearing the commotion.

And this... this was not good.

You had a really bad feeling about this.

"Indeed," Seungcheol's reply made the knot in your gut twist further, "you'll need protection. If it's alright with you, I would prefer to post three of my best knights by your side."

Joshua released your arm and shook his head. "No need. The templars will be guarding the premises around the temple."

"It would be in order if our men assist and report back should any suspicious activities happen, Your Holiness," Seungcheol answered politely but the way his hands balled into a tight fist showed his disapproval of the Priest.

The exchange continued back and forth, your mind wandering elsewhere as you contemplated what to say next to avoid this ridiculous exchange of power. Your brother was strong, he was the Knight-Commander after all, and had immense power and authority second after the King and the Crown Prince. However, with him being in such a high position, he also had an enemy in the form of the High Priest, despite being a spiritual head of a religion.

Joshua Hong. Just what sort of person was he really? He exuded such a strange energy around him but with a face and an appearance that almost seems too kind and angelic, it would be easy to believe he would not do wrong. Even his voice, as smooth as his gentle manners and handsome features were, also had such a soothing timbre that one couldn't help but trust him entirely.

But was everything all an act?

From your recent exchange in the Temple, the nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach refused to be ignored. And even the presence of the demon beast bothered you deeply. Perhaps there's a connection to this monster appearing here in the royal capital.

With a slight, aching pain as you moved your upper limbs to ease your muscles, you placed a palm on Seungcheol's shoulder to stop the heated debate and turned to Joshua with a grimace.

"I understand your concern, your holiness. But I would feel at ease if I had my trusted knights watching me in close vicinity," you started, your voice coming out as small and weak. "If it's alright with you, a middle ground can still be decided."

Joshua studied your face and gave a minute nod. "Of course, you can come and go as you please in the holy temple, and your guards are allowed to be present with you. They must adhere to the temple rules, however. Please choose knights that have been disciplined and wise in their ways to conduct," he replied, albeit with a hint of displeasure.

Satisfied that he agreed to a truce, Seungcheol shot you a grateful smile and told his knights to set up and arrange your things. "And please be more careful, sister. Rest for now and I'll escort you later," he instructed. "His Holiness and I shall attend to urgent matters."

You felt the High Priest's gaze still on you even after the men in the room have filtered out, his presence unnerving you more than anything you've experienced before.

"Sleep well, my lady. We will see each other later when the sun is up." With a smile that sent an uncanny chill down your spine, Joshua Hong turned around and left the room, closing the door gently behind him.

You shuddered and buried yourself back inside the blankets, not quite ready to move just yet. As you listened to the noise beyond your door and walls, it grew muted and far away, and you struggled to keep your eyelids open as exhaustion won, the nightmares taking control.

Skin brushed against yours, slick and damp with desire. The smell was familiar but faint, only the scent of desire and arousal remaining. Hands, hot and soft, running down your sides and tracing the outline of your figure as lips pressed gently onto yours.

His kisses were almost feather-light. His lips brushed yours, teasing, then traced the contours of your neck. His tongue snaked out to taste the moisture on your skin, and he flicked it gently against your ear. A whimper escaped your lips, a noise filled with longing for the ecstasy only he could bring you.

For a dream, it felt incredibly real and sensual.

Who was this mystery man? All you felt were his kisses on your skin, trailing down the length of your neck. Soft moans came from your throat and echoed in the vast expanse of nothingness in the void you were in, which only seemed to fuel his desire even further as he proceeded to grab a breast and cupped it gently, a thumb moving circles around the nipple.

When you turn to look at his face, however, it was as if you could not see at all. Or more precisely, there were shadows obscuring his figure and his features. Who was it? Just whose hands were it that was groping your breasts, sending waves of electricity and jolts down your thighs that made your body shiver in delight?

You caught sight of a pendant swinging back and forth against his chest. It was a crescent moon. And it's brilliant, silver surface glittered even in this obscurity of a void of a dream.

And as the seconds ticked by, his touches felt more intense, fingers grazing your folds and sinking…

You woke with a startle, jolting up from the bed, sweat peppering your forehead. It was still the middle of the night and everything around you was dark save for a sliver of moonlight spilling in through your curtains. There were no sounds, no noises beyond the heavy pounding of your heart and the uneven huffs of your breathing.

"Calm down, Y/N. It was just a dream," you hissed under your breath, an attempt to soothe your nerves after the hauntingly vivid sensuality you experienced. A dream so intense, even now you could feel the stickiness between your thighs. Your nipples were erect and they were rubbing against the smooth silk of your nightgown as you rolled off the bed and headed for the window.

Just a nightmare, yes.

It had been a few days since you entered the temple grounds, the scenery no different from your own manor. Aside from the massive garden full of rare blooms, it was relatively quiet. Only a few female acolytes and elderly women were walking, doing their own prayers, kneeling in reverence towards the Goddess statue that stood proudly at the center. Everything was illuminated by the beautiful glow from the nightlights.

A knock broke the silence, your mind jerking back to reality. Who could be awake at this hour?

"Yes?" You replied and turned towards the entrance of the guest quarters.

The door opened, and Joshua strode in. Clad in simple white garments, his shirt slightly open, his collarbones peeked through. He looked ever so ethereal in the soft, pale light and it reminded you of a celestial being. It was an absolute sin for a priest to be this handsome.

His eyebrows rose, surprise written on his face as he glanced up and stared at you. Something flickered in his gaze.

You were only wearing a thin robe with an equally sheer, see-through gown underneath and the High Priest certainly had gotten a generous eyeful. "Your holiness! What- um-" you gulped, aware that his eyes trailed over your barely covered curves. A small smile ghosted his lips when you retreated, further, away from him and backed straight against the glass window.

Joshua raised an elegant hand, a sign for you to cease further speech. "I heard a scream so I came to make sure you were safe," he explained and paused before tilting his head and studying you intently. "Did you have a nightmare?"

You nodded, ashamed to tell him about the salacious details and bit your lip. A heat crept up your face and surely, it was going red as a tomato by this point. He did not need to know the explicit things you've dreamed about, even more so that they were vivid and felt real, even to you.

"Did something terrify you?" He asked again, his voice lowering into a gentle whisper, as if lulling you to sleep.

You tried not to tremble as the blush on your face reached your ears. "Ah, yes. Yes, I had a nightmare and... perhaps something happened that made it so real," you whispered, covering a hand over your lips. "I am fine. I apologize for bothering you."

"You did not trouble me," Joshua replied with a slow shake of his head, "Come. Let's get you back in bed and perhaps, I can chant a prayer to ease your mind and sleep."

Earnestly, you held back the urge to decline and force yourself to give a nod instead. You silently crawled onto the large bed, smoothing the sheets and laid flat against the silken mattress, suddenly, very aware of your heavy breathing and the sound of Joshua's footsteps following closely after.

After he finished reciting his prayer, you felt your body sink deeper into the plushness. Your breathing steadying and heart rate slowing to a normal pace, calm once more as the darkness of sleep beckoned.

And when he turned to leave, you caught a glimpse of the pendant around his neck swinging back and forth in a familiar fashion. A pendant that resembled a crescent moon.

Joshua had to stop himself before he loses control.

Earlier, when he arrived at your sleeping quarters and saw how undressed you were, wearing a slip dress that clung so perfectly against your curvy body and oh... oh Goddess. The sweet view of your breasts bouncing, your taut nipples showing through the sheer fabric, was making his arousal throb.

Just who had you been dreaming about, dear Saintess? Was it him perhaps? How sinful.

He chuckled and closed his eyes to clear his mind as he began walking towards his chambers.

He knew setting that Dark Creature loose in the city was an effective enough plan to lure the woman into his den, and having her live in the temple meant having her and her powers completely at his command. Once she was within his vicinity, it meant having her under his thrall and thus his complete control. And with no one suspecting that a highly influential priest of the Luna religion, as powerful and holy as Joshua was, had sinned and turned into a wicked entity, no one could thwart his plan.

Yes, this was certainly going well.

One step closer, the promise of gaining immense power to establish an order that suited his needs, of gathering followers that could make the dream reality, and the promise of riches he desired so much...

They would pay, and he will claim what should rightfully be his. The weak king, the foolhardy prince, and his damnable Knight-Commander who had been standing in the way for so long.

"Really? The Saintess is here?" a voice rang out from a corner of his chamber.

"Do you have a problem with that, Jihoon?" Joshua turned and scoffed at the dark mage that appeared out of the shadows, a tiny smirk playing on his lips.

"She won't cause any problems will she?"

"Why would she? She's just another woman," Joshua snapped back in irritation.

"A woman that you want to have all to yourself. Interesting indeed," Jihoon commented. "Careful now, your holiness. If her brother, the Knight-Commander, catches wind of anything happening to his sister, he wouldn't hesitate and retaliate."

Joshua clicked his tongue and waved a dismissive hand, striding towards his desk. "Seungcheol will be occupied soon. I heard that there's a foreign princess due to arrive soon for a political marriage."

"Ah, is that so...?" Jihoon commented, interested now. "Will a political marriage not cause an uproar?"

"It doesn't concern me as long as it diverts the King and the Knight Commander's focus on my affairs and takes their guard down," Joshua replied, turning around. "As long as the Saintess's power hasn't fully awakened, I have plenty of time."

"And if you fall for her? What will you do then?" the mage teased, raising his brow.

"Never." The response came immediately with a hiss. "Nothing will keep me from having the power to destroy them all. Nothing."

"We'll see then," Jihoon grinned and slipped back into the darkness.

With an exasperated sigh, Joshua continued to arrange the scrolls and parchments on his desk and began studying each one carefully. A letter from one of his loyal supporters within the castle... a reply from a trader of rare goods and resources from beyond the mountains... some news about the Hero Mingyu and his adventures in the southern part of the Kingdom...

The woman, though. She's the only piece of the puzzle he's yet to figure out. He shook his head at the thought of her writhing beneath his large palms, mewling under him with the moonlight, or her bending over the altar for her holy blessing...

No, not now. Later perhaps, when the time is right, she shall be mine.

But not now...

He poured himself another glass of wine and gulped a generous sip.

There was still a long night ahead. And his job as High Priest required him to look like a shining paragon and someone worthy of trust and devotion. A difficult task especially when there's a far larger agenda to accomplish.

He still has to feign his loyalty to the church of the Goddess, to his followers and everyone around him who still worshipped the idea of an angelic man who showed no other signs but true goodness, loyalty and virtue.

An image and persona that he had meticulously honed and carefully maintained... all a mere facade for his actual plans.

Patience was crucial, he knew.

He needed patience now more than ever, as he gazed out the window towards the sky, the twinkling of the stars and the bright moon guiding his next moves in this chess game against the knights and the royal family.

Soon. Soon he'll have everything.

...Right after he makes the Saintess succumb and be his.

The sun rose the next morning and despite not waking up due to any other nightmares or terrifying dreams, you felt more energized and alert than ever, so early in the morning.

Since your arrival, Joshua was constantly busy with work, only visiting you at your quarters and escorting you personally if he can, or when there were audiences for certain occasions where a spiritual presence was necessary. Other than that, it was mostly his subordinates, the Sisters and the Acolytes, that attended to your needs during your stay at the holy temple.

Today however, was different.

You were seated inside a room, decorated sparsely but quite clean and spacious. An empty bookshelf, a desk with various papers and trinkets stacked on top, a simple couch by the window, and the hardwood floor beneath your shoes, which made little to no noise as you paced and waited.

"Apologies, we took some time," Joshua appeared, entering the room with two acolytes trailing behind him, one carrying a set of papers, while the other wheeled in a small cart filled with tea and snacks.

You gave him a polite smile as you sat and returned your attention towards the young acolytes once they set up everything on the table, pouring you a cup of freshly made tea.

"Please, no need for formality, your holiness," you uttered and returned the cup after giving it a careful sip and nodding to them in approval. The tea, rich and flavorful, slid easily down your throat and was quite soothing to your body. "I am already indebted to the Temple and you are such an accommodating host for having taken me in."

"As I said, it's all for the safety of our Saintess," Joshua spoke softly, flashing you a kind smile and proceeded to set his stack of documents to the side of the table. Dismissing the other two, he patiently waited and folded his hands together on the surface.

You were surprised at how good looking he looked today. Even with the usual dark robes he was always wearing, his ebony-black hair, his handsome features, his sharp, hawk-like gaze; it was always like looking at a heavenly angel, straight from the heavens that no mortal would ever have the luxury to see or get a taste of.

You notice the crescent shaped pendant hanging over his chest, which glinted from the early morning rays of light spilling in through the window. The same object from your dream, it seemed, though that could mean absolutely nothing as well. You had seen people in the city who wore necklaces or brooches that had moon motifs attached to it.

Perhaps the design, or the shape of it, was already making you draw the connection to the odd encounter from your sleep. Yes, that could be it.

"Are you not worried?" The sound of his voice broke your reverie and made you jump.

"About?" You managed a reply, settling your now cold tea down.

Joshua raised a curious brow, his face unreadable. "Everything that has transpired since your arrival here. We are yet to investigate the presence of the Dark Creature from days ago and its sudden appearance...and you don't seem to worry or even be concerned of the prospect that it was close to attacking you. Were you not scared?"

A pause.

You purse your lips and think of an appropriate answer, as your own eyes hardened with resolve. Yes, you were afraid. The Dark Creature had sent a deep, seething chill crawling down your spine as you came face to face with it. Your divine powers haven’t been awakened yet, and aside from the occasional healings and prayers, it has only remained dormant. 

“Of course I was scared,” you finally replied, exhaling sharply. "I've yet to fully awaken my divine powers so fighting isn't something I'm skilled at doing, which also scares me more. I feel as if I failed as the Saintess for being unable to fight back."

"There's no need for haste," Joshua pointed out, leaning back onto his chair with a slight hum. "In due time, you will learn more about yourself. Be patient and know you aren't alone."

The faintest hint of a blush rose upon your cheeks, and you swallowed a lump in your throat. You lowered your gaze down to stare at the surface of the table instead, not wanting to see his intense, focused gaze, piercing and smoldering and turning you into a blithering mess.

"I understand, your holiness. Though I cannot help but feel worried that my lack of power would burden the kingdom and your safety as well."

The room fell silent and you lifted your chin only when you saw that Joshua had approached and kneeled before you. His gaze softened as a hand touched your cheek, fingertips grazing against your skin gently. The way his eyelids droop in a half lidded gaze sent another wave of heat between your legs.

"I am sure the Goddess would not have chosen you without reason. But, if you allow, I can protect and teach you the ways to wield your divine powers better. Not only do I have vast knowledge and knowledge on the scriptures but I, too, have unique gifts to share with you."

Unique gifts, as he said. What sort of unique abilities did this man possessed, you wondered as his thumb pressed onto the corner of your lip. Your mouth went dry and suddenly all that heat rushed to your ears and spread towards your face.

His scent was pleasant and masculine, a strong hint of sandalwood, lavender, and sweat. All so masculine and intoxicating. It should be criminal how you almost melt from his simple touch.

You unconsciously leaned forward towards his inviting warmth, giving the impression that you crave his skinship as your own body betraying every bit of modesty and purity you had left. His touch and his nearness were suffocating, almost too overwhelming for the mind to process.

When was the last time a man had caressed your cheek, held your hand or simply given you affection and even a bit of attention? It's been years since someone had touched you. No one would dare touch Duke Choi's sister unless they wanted an iron fist around their necks. 

Even so... this is... this is...

"Thank you for understanding," Joshua interrupted and pulled back. He cleared his throat and shot you an innocent smile that held more danger than it did charm.

With a soft, airy chuckle, he stood and turned his back on you.

"Come to the back gardens later when the moon is high for a blessing," he murmured softly. "Preferably without your knights."

He then strode across the room and swung the door open, and in his wake, all that he left was an odd warmth from the contact of his skin and the subtle jarring silence.

The rest of the day passed without much trouble, and no one batted an eye as the Sister escorted you across the Temple grounds. Your knights were told that you would be taking a bath with the new medicinal herbs from the mountains and would be accompanied only by Sisters who had been trained in the act of cleansing rituals.

Afterwards, you changed into your plain, yet beautiful white robes and brushed out your damp, untangled tresses.

"Now that the sun has set, the High Priest is waiting in the back gardens so that he can properly perform the blessing for you, Saintess Y/N," the Sister announced when she and her assistants began filing out of the bathhouses, heading towards the exit. "Shall we?"

You blinked once, then twice, and proceeded to follow quietly behind her with a slight nod of assent, the heels of your shoes clacking along the polished flooring as the cool night breeze swept inside your quarters through an open window.

And there at the back garden stood the High Priest himself, dressed simply in casual attire, looking all relaxed as the moonlight gleamed from behind him, making him seem almost otherworldly. His slender hands were clasped together behind his back, and the scent of summer flowers drifted toward you as you drew closer to his figure.

No one was present. Not a single Sister was found around the gardens or even sitting on the bench under the moon-goddess, who looked on, solemnly and proudly, from her majestic spot, overlooking the area.

It was just you and him.

"Is there to be no one else for this blessing?" You asked, as your eyes trailed over the many night blooms that have emerged to life from the shadows and their vines that swayed ever so gently, dancing against the air.

"This blessing is for you and only you," Joshua explained as he stopped before the bench and beckoned you to come.

With a soft breath, you closed the distance between the two of you as well, ignoring the sudden hammering in your chest the moment you met his eyes. A shudder rippled down the length of your body from the intense scrutiny, making the hairs rise from the nape of your neck as it spread outward.

Joshua closed his eyes. You can practically hear his soft sigh of contentment, or was it delight, perhaps. The aroma of night jasmines mingled with roses, the scent surrounding the two of you was nothing short of erotic, despite the clear serene nature.

With your pulse rising with every beat, you watched, eyes flickering and trained on him closely. He inched closer and closer, slowly, gently, carefully placing his hand over your hair, before letting his fingers fall on your right ear.

It felt surreal as he took the simple gesture to let you hear his prayer in person, the sound of his silky soft murmuring making his voice as smooth and inviting as honey itself. Each word flowed like a sweet river of sweetness and his breathing, oh, his breathing. Every word uttered from those soft lips of his was pure poetry in itself.

For a moment, he was silent. You fought the urge to move away when he smoothed your tresses to a single shoulder and placed a featherlight kiss upon it. His lips and his breath were scorchingly hot against the skin of your shoulder, leaving traces of wet kisses until he stopped halfway on your back.

"Now that you're in my grasp," he spoke huskily, "you must surrender your heart, soul and body to me."

A faint gasp escaped your throat, as the memory of that dreadful, yet sensual encounter from the depths of your imagination returned, running over the scenes and feeling as if everything was being brought back to life once again.

"Surrender everything that you have and everything that you are," he spoke into your ear once again, with a deeper and even hushed tone than earlier. A firm, yet reassuring command. "Your sacred soul and power. Your desires, your devotion and passion, everything and anything..."

It was then when you felt his arms wrap around your waist and pull you against him. The sheer proximity made a stifled whimper, mixed with surprise and something you cannot even explain or name, escape your trembling lips.

"You had dreams of a man, am I not correct?" He questioned, his lips caressing your nape, still trailing butterfly kisses that ran goosebumps down the entirety of your body. "A man kissing your neck, cupping your breasts, rubbing his fingers against your soaked folds... a man who wore a crescent-shaped pendant like I do?"

"Howー" you managed a rasp, unsure if you heard him right as his soft laughter mingled with the sound of crickets chirping and rustling grass and wind in your ears.

"It is said that the full moon is sacred to the goddess of Luna. That its magic can bring about blessings and prosperity for many years to come," Joshua whispered in a seductive manner. "And so, she welcomes and bares her sacred body under the moon. She and her lovers become one. To consummate such a ritual, to make this dream become reality, the blessed needs only a lover and a source of magical power."

"And you want to be that lover?" You trembled with every passing word, trying your hardest not to look away or shift from his body pressing tightly against yours. "My source of magical power?"

"Willingly," he whispered, "if I were to be, would you welcome me with open arms?" Joshua was moving behind you, almost hovering, as you turned to look at him, his eyes dark with lust and a strange glint of hunger for something you could not fully decipher or comprehend.

"But how could you, a holy man, offer such a thing?" The words spilled out before you could control them. How was he going to become an 'active' participant in this ritual when his status and his holy status prevented him from any kind of acts, even when they were merely sacred practices.

Joshua's smile grew a little more and then chuckled lightly. "Because I'm not a holy man..." he lowered himself and tightened his hold onto your hips, his mouth poised, hot against your ear. "Not entirely..." he whispered the next words slowly and deliberately. "I am also known as a man who embraces the darker things in life, the kind who revels in sin. A man who enjoys every bit of forbidden passion and carnal pleasures... and I would give them willingly to you. All of it and much more."

You shuddered from the sincerity behind the promise and the utter conviction of it all.

"In return, I seek only a part of the divine powers which you possess, Lady Saintess," he continued, drawing you flush against the lean planes of his muscular build, his heated and wandering gaze piercing straight to your soul. "Allow me to take everything that you have, consume every fiber and morsel of your essence. Let us drown each other with ecstasy, where our powers will mix, bind and seal the bond of darkness and light. Isn't it a tempting idea?"

"That dark creature from days ago... were you the one behind it? How were you able to summon it?" You managed a tiny voice.

"If I answer you, my dear Saintess, would it change your perspective about me? Would it make you see me differently? A man with sin and virtue," Joshua tilted his head and the question, sincere and playful, danced from his lips, with a hint of amusement and anticipation. "I had planned this a long time ago, for so many years I yearn to take back what is mine," he confessed, tracing circles on your knuckles with a hand. "Once I saw you arrive at the temple with my own eyes and heard the sound of your voice for the first time, I knew I had to have you... to make you mine. And I would use any means to do so."

"What are you saying? Who... are you?"

"You shall learn later," Joshua gave you an indulgent smirk as he captured your hand, his eyes taking a lustful gaze as it dipped lower, fixing at your legs, towards the hem of your robes. "Perhaps then you'll truly understand... once we become one."

You grew more aware and awake with every touch from him, the blood coursing through your veins running hot. His arms snaked around your waist and brought you even closer into his chest, the press of his fingertips searing through your clothing and reaching towards your spine.

"What happens if..." You faltered, swallowing thickly at how fast and erratic your heart was beating as you glanced towards his sharp gaze and the smile adorning his handsome face. "If I say no to this?"

"It's your decision," he answered with another flash of teeth, flashing you a smile. "To join me in the union or walk away and pretend none of this ever occurred and continue living life the same way," the corners of his lips tugging upwards into a mischievous grin. "And I wouldn't judge you, of course. Though I fear the consequences may be a bit too grave, depending on what you choose to do."

Your brow twitched, while trying to figure out an alternative way. One option would be for the two of you to forgo the ritual but the dangers of not accomplishing it and possibly risk the future safety of the Kingdom... You may also choose to have this union, whatever it may mean, however dangerous or unknown the consequences could be.

There must be a reason why Joshua revealed this hidden side of himself to you. A man of both light and dark, with an affinity for wicked pleasures of the flesh. How odd that someone, whose image was that of the highest celibacy and devotion to the Church, would actually practice rituals of ancient moon magic, tainted and steeped in ancient eroticism and lust.

As if reading your mind, his expression softened to an innocent gaze and his smile was sincere and innocent, enough to make even the most holy woman faint. "I know that holy men cannot partake in worldly affairs or temptations but I don't care for such conventions or what society thinks of me. The darkness is a part of me, like a curse, and I accept it completely." He gazed down at your hand, gently intertwining and slipping his fingers between the gaps of your own. "Though I'm curious. Would you dare break the conventions as well, my dear Saintess? And invite this sort of...sacrilegious affair with me, a supposed holy man of the temple?"

Every bit of the image, his persona of a holy priest shattered. Shattered and reduced to the primal needs and hunger for the forbidden, and the dark aura and tendrils of energy which spiralled and danced around you, licking at your form as if enticing you.

His question, so sincere and dangerous and, if you were honest with yourself, beckoned to an instinct within your core that no mortal or spiritual woman had ever thought to experience or see.

You took another steadying breath and lifted your chin to meet his eyes. He's dangerous. Very, very dangerous. Your conscience, every ounce and speck of it screamed, whispered, warned you in so many ways not to take part of his madness. But... you wanted to protect everyone. From the shadows, from the monsters lurking. If this could save them, save them from the misery and endless battle, wasn't that the right thing to do? 

"Will everyone be safe?" You murmured quietly. "If I accept, is everything guaranteed that my actions can prevent danger and evil forces from roaming in this place?"

He was quick to answer, a charming smile curling on his lips as he reached out to brush a lock of hair from the side of your face. His warmth radiated against yours as he breathed.

"Yes," he murmured in your ear. "No more nightmares. No more terrors. No more dark creatures. Just... peace. Prosperity. Harmony. Embraced by the safety of the light."

"Even if the light is darkened by the presence of a corrupted soul and power like yours?"

"Will you really stop me then?" Joshua pulled back to meet your gaze, his brow raising up with amusement. "My darkness exists in the same realm as your light. One could not be without the other. I've accepted my role as a corrupt soul, Y/N. And, after tonight, when the ritual has ended and consummated, you would know everything. Every secret of mine, every story. If I'm a bad man. If I'm a villain." He paused. "If I'm a hero and savior who chooses to embrace the darkness to slay those creatures that should not roam the world of men. All will be answered."

You locked eyes with the high Priest, shivering under his penetrating stare. At the surface, he seemed so pure. Good and innocent. An unblemished image of a holy man and yet here he was, inviting you, daring you to get a closer look at that mask and the darkness and turmoil underneath.

Afraid yet intrigued, and no matter how much you try, there was still a magnetic pull that kept pulling and yearning to learn more. Who was he behind this mask? Behind this face he portrayed in front of everyone? What exactly was he like? How did he survive with a darkness consuming him?

With every moment and second that passed, he felt more and more familiar. It was as if your paths had crossed before. Like destiny bound you two. An undeniable connection to Joshua. Perhaps, as an old flame and kindred spirit. Two people from two very different worlds who shouldn't even mingle in the first place.

It made you wonder, wonder and just let loose whatever reservations left inside you, giving into a more exciting thrill of possibilities.

"If..." you gulped and licked your dry, bottom lip and caught him doing the same. "If I go along with this, you wouldn't hurt or kill me right?"

"No," he murmured, pressing closer. "That, I can guarantee."

"Okay then,” your voice shook and your face was burning red. "Let's proceed with it then."

A flutter of a kiss pressed against the shell of your ear, hot breath drifting over the small hollow of your throat. His voice grew darker and richer, laced with something heavier than what he originally displayed to you. The timbre of it is almost unrecognizable.

"Are you absolutely sure, Y/N?" he asked, his lips featherlight against your skin, teasing, brushing, tugging a smile upon your own. "I will have no hesitation to claim you as mine. And, after we're finished with the ceremony, your divine powers will belong to me."

Your body and its yearning was a foreign sensation that even you have long forgotten. As if he was making you feel as if you haven't had sex since the dawn of time itself. He smelled of expensive, spicy perfume with a subtle hint of vanilla and soap. He smelled good, delicious and delectable even as you took in his scent. You closed your eyes. "Claim me then," your soft whisper drifted, just as the crescendo of his heartbeat thudded faster, slamming against his rib cage, a steady drumming in tandem.

It wasn't long until you found yourself straddling his thighs, the position both vulnerable and lewd as he seated you over his hardening length, the material of his pants no barrier as he sucked hard onto the crook of your neck and collarbone. "Good girl," he whispered, breathing ragged, nuzzling into the mess of locks upon your head. "Good fucking girl. Ohh you don't even know how badly I need a taste, to consume you like this. To devour, drink you in and leave a mark."

With a smooth motion of his hand, he carefully nudged aside a lock of hair and snaked the material of your robe down until one of your breasts bounced free from their confinement. Joshua leaned forward to swirl his wet tongue across the budding peak, his lips suckling onto your sensitive nipple until it stiffened into a pointed tip.

You groaned at the feel of his mouth around the hardened nub, the wet suction of his mouth enough to make your blood boil, skin flushed and suddenly too feverish as he continued to move his hips forward, up, up, up in a teasing rhythm, meeting the warmth and dampness between your trembling legs.

"Your Holiness..." You whimpered, shaking your head as he worked the peak of your breast, pulling and sucking and running his thumb over the tip. A breathless chuckle erupted, his palm caressing the curve of your ass to squeeze firmly.

"Joshua," his low, husky timbre was punctuated by the hot caress of his breath. "Tonight, just call me Joshua..."

"Joshua…" You muttered once and choked the next when his fingers sneaked beneath the gapping folds of your robe, and started working its way inside the fabric, quickly finding your clit, teasingly prodding at the bundle of nerves.

"My fingers have been itching to touch and sink into your pussy the entire day," Joshua said, sounding as if he were whispering in a sinful prayer. "Your wet, hot little cunt. Fuck," his thumb circled the bud a few times and finally, oh, it was finally granted mercy and relief when the pad pressed harder, rubbing and squeezing the hood and stimulating the bundle.

Your back arched beautifully when you cried out. Every nerve and fiber screamed and pulsed with pleasure and he hasn't even penetrated inside you, his fingers rubbing on you relentlessly, keeping up an even, fast pace, every stroke coaxing a mewl and wanton sound out of you. "My fingers feel so good, hmmm?" he hummed in his throaty timbre. "I don't care how we do this. My cock in this pretty mouth. Your tongue lathing every inch of my throbbing length. My face buried in your wet cunt. Maybe I could fuck you with my tongue. Hmm." 

He paused for a short while. "Though, I would prefer using my thick cock," he husked, driving a finger deep into your passage until his knuckle reached inside, curling upwards. "Imagine my cock buried deep. Drenching the walls of your clenching pussy with my seed, watching it spill over."

He pulled his mouth away and pressed a series of warm kisses up the crook of your neck, pausing to lick and languidly taste. You trembled with every touch. Every caress and suck. The sheer way his tongue lapped, licked and his voice... Dear heavens. He was a fucking menace. The wet slide of his tongue circling around your nipple was downright erotic. 

"Ah," you breathed, tilting your head up when he picked up the pace, the sound of your slick cunt squeezing around his thrusting, probing digit, filled the silent space of the gardens. "Don't..." you muttered, breathing growing erratic as his thumb toyed and pressed against your clit, pulsating, circling, giving you the greatest feeling. "Don't stop, please..." you found yourself panting, begging him, clutching tightly against his body as he slipped another finger and rubbed the tender spot inside you that drove you mad. "Don't stop..."

"Yes," Joshua growled. "Just like that..." His fingers made filthy noises, your arousal dripping out and making a mess upon the bench as he quickened his pace, shoving hard inside your walls and curling his digits, hitting that sweet bundle of nerves. "When was the last time a man touched you, Y/N?" he managed hoarsely, grunting, rutting his hardened length against you in need of sweet friction, sliding, gliding between the inner curve of your thighs.

You moan breathlessly as he stretches you further with the insertion of the third finger. The thrusts are rougher than before. Spread wide over his lap, the position leaving you nothing else but to brace your hands against his shoulders.

"When was the last time you had a woman, Joshua?" The question came out shaky, a mixture between a plea and moan as your clit throbbed harder from the sight of him watching you. There was a sheen layer of sweat starting to appear in droplets upon his forehead, and he was smirking, breathing just as heavy as yours.

"Since a long while," he said, grinning, reaching for the rim of his shirt to peel off his clothing, pulling his fingers free in a manner that left you to shudder and pout at the emptiness inside. You caught a glimpse of the lines and the grooves of the planes of his muscles, chiselled and lean, firm and taut. "I haven't had any woman who would entice me," he purred, "not until I've laid my eyes on you."

His mouth met yours. His tongue lapped the seam, tasted and explored. And soon you felt your fingers itch and weave through his raven hair. Moaning when his teeth nibbled at the edge of your lips. "You're not so innocent, are you my little Y/N? I answered your question so it's your turn to answer mine. Tell me. When was the last time?"

His tongue sought entrance as his hand wrapped around your nape and brought your lips flush against his own. Sweet and oh-so intoxicating. Tasting. Exploring the expanse of the curves and planes inside your mouth, thrusting, rolling. 

You drew back with a moan of relief and, "Before I was proclaimed to be the chosen Saintess." You whimpered again, eyes blown with lust as you glanced at his flushed cheeks. "But it was only with one man I laid with. It was a brief fling, a hidden affair. It only happened once and that was a very long time ago."

He captured your lips again and dipped his tongue inside your parted ones, feeling the gentle glide against your teeth, coiling and swivelling. With one final swirl, the slick flesh retreated. Your hand moved up the sharp edge of his jaw and cupped the back of his neck, savouring the heat of his mouth.

He dragged his mouth away and leaned towards your ear, "Do you regret giving into carnal pleasure with him?" he asked in a breathy whisper, as he left a trail of open-mouthed kisses along the expanse of your jaw, your throat and the curve of your shoulder. "Did you enjoy that night?"

"I was... a virgin that night, Joshua..." you revealed, blushing furiously, embarrassment creeping its way up inside you and, as always, there was the unwavering rush of anticipation and adrenaline flooding into your veins. "I tried to enjoy the moment..."

Your confession earned a low rumble in the high priest's throat. A growl that made you jolt in your place. The noise sounded like a cross between surprise, hunger and satisfaction.

"And are enjoying the moment with me?" he rasped against your mouth, catching your chin between two fingers and tilted upwards until he stole another heated kiss, sucking in a long breath from your lungs, nibbling the edge of your lip and pulled it tight between his teeth, the suction sending another round of goosebumps.

"Yes..." you answered honestly, unable to stop the word from spilling, moaning softly when he caught your bottom lip with his teeth and tugged. He pressed you closer until your chest touched the muscles of his torso and ran his large palms down the length of your spine and around the flare of your hips, travelling along the sides of your waist to palm your ass and squeezed the two plump mounds. You whimpered, his mouth giving attention to a taut, stiff nipple, your head tossing back and whimpering, holding the back of his head, brushing your fingers through the dark locks.

"Good," the word was murmured against your mouth, sucking gently as he swept his tongue across the rosy nub, coating the peaked nipple with his saliva before shifting to the other.

When he leaned in for another kiss and proceeded to unwrap himself in front of you, he groaned softly at the heat, the slick between your legs. "Shall we proceed?" He muttered as he tossed the rest of his clothes, his trousers aside. The entirety of his glory. Fully naked and in front of your eyes. Thighs corded with lean muscle. "Come and seat yourself."

Breath caught in your throat, you didn't expect the sheer size of his length, the thickness of his cock. Straining, weeping with a pearl of moisture beaded upon the head of his engorged head. God... you wanted it inside you. Pressed, pushing, splitting, ramming its way deep until he filled you full.

Heat pooled inside your core, desire washing over you as his lips brushed your own. Slowly and easily, you eased yourself above him, and rubbed the damp, slippery head of his cock over your glistening pussy.

"Look," he rasped as he encouraged you, his arms gripping tight upon your hips. He glanced up at your flushed, disheveled face as he held your hips, poised just above the head of his erect length. "Look at us, Y/N, see how fucking beautiful you look as you take every inch of me," he whispered.

Joshua felt hard and pulsing as you sank down, and it was you, swallowing his mouth and gasping a moan that made his eyes drift half closed. You placed your hands upon the broad expanse of his chest to push and work the upper part of your body, pulling him close in an embrace as your breasts bounced each time your hips rose and slammed back down in a lewd and sinful rhythm.

A flood of desire and ache spilled hot onto the base of his length, coating every ridge and surface and his eyes were so dark they practically blended with the darkness of the shadows and stars and moons themselves. The sweet friction sent shivers down your spine as you watched him groan. 

"Ride my cock, sweetheart," Joshua growled through his teeth. "Take what you need." He licked the corner of his mouth, leaning up to meet you for another kiss. "Fuck yourself silly. Dirty little angel. Take it..."

The rhythm was slow at first. Taking him. All of him. There was an ache and, on a rough thrust, his hips bucking, arching and his thighs hit against yours, the impact causing an erotic sound of your bodies meeting, wet, slapping against one another. His hands slid along the flesh of your ass, clawing at your skin as you rode his cock.

And then his palms went to your waist, coaxing and thrusting upwards to meet your slow rhythm. Soon his voice filled the night air with husky grunts.

He reached behind and palmed the small of your back and he guided you gently, encouraging you to move with him, deeper, faster. "How does it feel to have the Goddess watching you getting fucked silly by me right now?" he murmured, nosing the smooth column of your neck, tasting the sheen of sweat along the line of your skin and swallowed heavily, a bead dripping off his brow. "Is she proud that one of her chosen Saintesses is fucking herself on the High Priest's cock?"

He lifted his hand to grope and fondle your bouncing breasts, rubbing your swollen nipples, pinching, grazing, taking one in his mouth and sucked on the stiffened bud as you rocked, circled and gyrated your hips.

"Oh god, I think I'm cumming..." you squealed and clutched the base of his skull, and his tongue shot out of his mouth and dipped, lavished upon the nipple before leaving the wet, pebbled peak with his wet, sticky saliva, gliding and brushing in swirls. "Joshua..."

"Not yet," he huffed. "Hang on..."

With a swiftness that had you whimpering a cry, he gripped your arms and flipped your position so that you were bent over, leaning, bracing your palms upon the edge of the bench. Your knees slightly planted into the ground, and the angle of his hips, the arching of his spine had him pounding at an upward pace.

"Thank you, oh Goddess Luna. For gifting me this holy being tonight," he breathed roughly, his hand curled over your shoulder while his free hand secured onto your hip and rammed into you from behind. "For blessing this wonderful night," his cock plunged deeper, deeper. In and out. "and, bless Y/N..." a deep-throated groan rattled past his throat, his palm moving to stroke the silky mass of your hair, stroking, playing. His skin slapped against yours, so slick and loud, echoing amongst the quiet peace of nature. "For giving me her divinity."

"Yes..." you gasped, his words just enough to send you off the edge as his cock pumped hard, drawing his hips and slamming so delicious, so fucking deep. Again. Again. "Fuck... more, Joshua, please."

You kept asking, pleading. The two of you. Matching the primal rhythm of the ritual. Joshua leaned over your body, his mouth brushing against the lobe of your ear. "Let go, Y/N. Fuck you're doing good... let go."

And you did. It happened when Joshua bit, kissed and nipped the tender flesh along your shoulder, and with one, two, three rough thrusts. He let out a bellow, burying the entire length of his pulsing cock deep inside, feeling your walls tighten, milking his shaft until he throbbed and his orgasm burst with thick spurts of warmth and cum inside you. He buried his nose at the crook of your neck, marking the dip and grooves of your skin in the process.

All that existed around was your shared labored, harsh panting.

And the quick, steady beatings of a joined heart.

He slipped his softening, pulsating length and filled his palms full of your flesh as he leaned towards your ear, breathing raggedly as his eyes drifted close and brushed the side of your face and nuzzled the sweat-slicked flesh of your neck. "You're all mine, Y/N..." Joshua breathed, pulling you in an embrace. "Every divine being of your existence belongs to me."

"My lady, are you okay?"

"Hmm?" you let out a soft mumble as you looked at the knight-captain, giving him a perplexed, dozed expression. It had been weeks since that night and no matter how you tried not to let it bother your thoughts, you failed every single time, the recurring moment replaying itself repeatedly in your head. "Yeah I'm fine, Sir Mark. What was it again that you're asking? My apologies. I'm just a little tired today."

"Of course my Lady Saintess," he replied. "You have been busy with healings and blessings lately."

That was true. Since that night, your powers have gradually increased, far beyond anyone's expectations. People have noticed the significant change, and you've been occupied with tons and tons of requests of blessings for fertility, health and abundance of crops. With that, and with your regular duties, your fatigue was a result of your never-ending schedules.

"Ahh yes, indeed I am," you said with a smile. "Thank you for checking up on me."

You were traveling to the eastern parts of the region, to one of the territories that needed healing and a purifying blessing in their lake. You were told that the land had been slowly drying out for many years. No rain. No harvest. The people suffering from a deficiency of food supplies. Many had already left to decide to take their chances and moved elsewhere, others tried their best to make do with their lands but sadly, every year, they seem to get worse.

Since you would be here for days, you were accompanied with an entourage of guards including the knights-captain and a few others who would assist the Saintess in any needs she may require. It was not the first time you would be venturing somewhere new but, unlike other times, something about this place was different, there was something strange and the eerie air of the lands gave you the unpleasant, unsettling sensation you should stay away. Nevertheless, duty calls and the people depended on you to do this task and your divine role.

"I know this land, Lady Saintess," the knight-captain told you. "We could reach the nearest inn before the night comes and it will be safe."

Safe. For whatever reason, it just doesn't seem like it. It was as if you had stepped into the gates of purgatory itself. It was dark, brooding. Chilling and terrifying. The land was so unearthly, mysterious and your instincts were screaming at you to escape this place immediately. Yet, for the sake of your calling and duty, you had to push aside the gut-wrenching warning.

When you arrived, there were villagers who waited, all hoping to receive your assistance. Some requested to bless their farms, others were requesting some of your mana to help with the drought, and, of course, there was a certain nobleman's wife who requested you to help cure her of an incurable disease.

Days have passed with healing after healing. You had to stretch your energies to the max every time until your entire being became drained. There was a price that comes with having such a gift and one has to understand that you were not like others. And because of that, it was a price, a toll upon your well-being.

As you promised, the lakes needed a special cleansing. Upon arrival, you already knew that there was something odd in the water. Something dark, corrupt, and foul and, even though it was miles and miles away, you were already feeling it's strange effects, a dark, tainted aura and power you can never shake off. You felt a sudden heat around, a burn as if you were being fried under the sun as soon as you went close to the water. 

"Are you sure, Lady Saintess?" the knight-captain asked upon the sudden turn of events. "These waters are toxic, I can't allow you to proceed any further than this."

"She'll be alright, Sir Mark," a voice muttered. When you turned to see who had spoken those words, there stood Joshua in casual clothes with some temple knights trailing behind.

"Your Holiness, we were not aware that you're here," the knight-captain declared, putting a fisted hand upon his chest, bowing.

"There's no need for such formality, Sir Mark," Joshua said. "I was in the next territory over to bless the new child born from Earl Park and his wife. The temple knights and I were heading back to the capital when we heard the news of your entourage coming this way." 

His dark irises quickly glanced over the eerie waters before locking them with your own. "As for these waters," the high priest took another glance before shifting his gaze back towards you. "A corruption of such wickedness is impossible for even the chosen Saintess to handle such evil presence alone."

Joshua stepped closer, approaching where you stood. As soon as he did, something started to emerge and it was something dark and familiar. You felt the immediate change within and as the Priest kept inching forward, the effect that was lingering and slowly eating inside your bones and nerves amplified.

"In that case, is there a chance you could assist us?" the knight-captain asked, looking hopeful.

Joshua placed his right hand in front of his mouth and proceeded to look over the lake one more time. "Hm..."

"Well?" you mumbled as the High Priest let out a deep sigh.

"Yes, I'll have to purify it but I need your help, Saintess," he took another look. His brow furrowed with a displeased expression. "This used to be a fertile land. Crops and nature were abundant but, look at it now," he uttered. "The lake is corrupted and so it has killed off all forms of life." 

Joshua inhaled a long breath through his nostrils, and held his hand above the still, dirty, murky waters. "No life exists because of this malevolent energy."

You can see the look of anguish upon Joshua's expression and his eyes had grown hazy for a second, almost as if his mind was somewhere far, far away and in another place and time altogether. A mix of sadness, guilt and a whole load of remorse were written on his face as the Priest knelt beside the waters. 

"I need to do this." Joshua tilted his head slightly. "Will you give us the space we need to do it, Sir Mark?"

"Of course," the knight-captain's head inclined respectfully before backing away to join the rest of your entourage and the temple knights.

"Y/N," the high priest mumbled, the corner of his lips turning up slightly into a soft smile as his gaze met yours. "Come."

And come you did. As you walked a step closer towards him, you sensed his presence, a strange, unearthly sense of calm washed over you. Unlike the chilling sensation you felt before, this one was oddly warming, almost comforting.

"You've used up a lot of your magic, didn't you?"

"I... I've had a few challenges but I'm fine," you confessed.

"Don't force yourself," Joshua uttered with a slight, concerned frown. "After we cleanse the lake, I'll replenish the mana you used with mine."

You know what he means when he says 'replenish'. Ever since the night of the full moon where you laid with him, it has been repeated on a handful of occasions after the events in the garden. After using your powers to heal or perform a ceremony, your body would grow exhausted and weary, and his mana, along with his physical touch would rejuvenate you.

Since then, you notice that Joshua felt different somehow. It was as if the darkness in him seemed to lessen. It still remained a portion of its black aura but, somehow, you can tell there was a positive shift. Maybe it was the alignment of the stars or, maybe, it was because the two of you spent the nights, each time, reaffirming your divine duties and sacred responsibilities through sin and lust and a healthy dose of pleasures.

The two of you neared the banks of the waters, both of you taking deep, lengthy breaths before immersing yourselves deep and further into the lake until your torso was swallowed with water.

"What happened to the lake that caused the water to become like this?" you asked softly, carefully moving until you stood right beside the priest.

"Darkness happened," Joshua uttered, keeping his voice to a whisper, careful to speak softly so that no one can hear, leaning slightly, letting the wind carry the flow of his soft murmurs. "My darkness."

"Joshua?" you spoke quietly, trying to comprehend his confession.

"I'll tell you after we cleanse this," he uttered, lifting a palm in front, his features twisting in discomfort. "This is why I have to purify this lake with you," he whispered in an inaudible tone, clasping his hands upon your palms. "If you're by my side, you're able to overcome my darkness. And it's easier for me to cleanse the taints that I created."

As you two linked fingers, the darkness became visible to both of your eyes. Corruption began spreading fast across the waters, rapidly climbing onto your legs, and further upward. As soon as the corruptness reached, you immediately felt your legs seizing and weakening. Your palms upon his felt his began shaking and quivering. But, as Joshua locked his fingers on top of yours, it was enough to calm the chaos. To absorb the poison, take the darkness and purify it.

In the corner of your eye, you noticed the entire party and knights flinching, gasping for air upon witnessing the sudden movement of the waters. You could feel them stare, astonished at the sight, wondering what it was that was happening.

"You're light," Joshua uttered as his hands moved and gestured, forming a symbol and circle as if to perform a ceremony. "And I'm darkness."

"That is true," you agreed as you copied the priest's actions in a matching stance. "But, the light can never be without the darkness, nor can the dark exist without the light."

"Two opposing forces working in harmony," he breathed, drawing his brows down and close his eyes tightly. A power and strength emanated and surrounded, radiating from within you. And for a brief second, everything went still and silence, the world came to a stand-still. "One cannot live without the other."

After a brief moment of holding and harnessing the pure energy of the light, Joshua signaled to you. "Now!" he breathed, his voice filled with the raw sound of an authoritative command and, as you clasped your hands tightly with one another, the sound of his voice rang throughout the vast plain of the water's edge, spreading further, echoing, and vibrating its entirety.

And then you let loose of the magic swirling inside you and the water around the two of you started to glow. The dark energy swirling across the span of its depths and its surface soon shifted into the beautiful clearness of crystal blue.

"The lake! It's purified!" a man shouted.

"The waters have become clear once again!" a woman screeched.

You watched as the villagers gathered by the shore, excitement and joy evident on the faces. You couldn't help but to smile at the scene. You've brought so much happiness to these people who needed your assistance. In addition to that, the tainted waters, free from the corruption, means that life would resume. People could continue to work their farms. Women could once again do laundry without any worries and the health-crisis from the poisonous air was finally at ease. You were happy at how everything ended. It was a job well done and, now, there's no more reason for the people to fear.

Both you and Joshua got out of the lake and shook yourselves to rid the remaining water from your robes and skin. Joshua, however, wasn't too preoccupied with the state of his clothing, he was busy examining the state of your well-being. "Y/N are youー"

Before you could say a word, your vision grew dark. Your last sight was of Joshua's worried face and his arm, stretched to keep your body from hitting the ground.

"Wake up, Y/N," you heard a quiet murmur, your ears adjusting as soon as your vision started to open, the haziness beginning to vanish. You were awake, yet not conscious enough for you to sit up and properly move. In a state between awakening and drowsiness, your blurry vision focuses. You found yourself lying on a bed, blankets pulled over your chest, arms and torso.

"Here," Joshua sat beside, leaning and reaching for the cup on the side table before helping you lift your upper half off the pillows behind your head. "Drink some water. You fainted after we cleansed the lake."

It took you a few sips before your throat became soothed and hydrated. When you have finally woken fully, he removed the cup and gently laid your weight back to the bed. "Feeling better?" the man asked as a hand stroked your cheek.

"Where is this place, Joshua?"

"The territory lord's mansion," the man revealed, stroking the damp locks sticking upon the skin of your face with his fingers. "His family offered this place for us while we finish our remaining task here in this territory."

"My knights? What aboutー"

"Rest assured," his fingers stilled in their movements as they skimmed your features. His hand moved to the crown of your head, soothing, smoothing. A serene and tranquil motion. "They're all fine. Sir Mark and the others are spending their time in their own accommodations within the mansion, awaiting further orders of their duty. Only you and I are staying here," Joshua replied, continuing to caress, giving the same gentle touch on your temple and jaw.

You couldn't help but blink slowly, nuzzling your face in his hand. And once again, the two of you looked deep into each other's eyes. It wasn't until Joshua leaned forward to meet you halfway and his lips met yours. "You did well today, Y/N."

"Was it enough?" you asked against his lips, sighing and you felt the vibration of his quiet groan as your mouth parted his.

"More than enough," Joshua responded with an understated, coy, a hushed hum. 

"Joshua?"

"Hmm?" his mouth was at your earlobe, kissing and sucking the smooth, tender skin and gave your body the shivers and tingles, the pit of your stomach, a heat pooling once again as a familiar sensation swelled, tingling and aching below your tummy.

You managed to release another sigh and turned towards his direction. "About your darkness..." you swallowed heavily. "About you telling me earlier..."

He leaned back, his expression growing sober. His eyes shut tight as his features began twisting with sadness and regret. And when his gaze flicked open, his dark orbs shone with guilt. "I'm a monster, Y/N."

There were long moments of silence between the two of you as you settled, not moving and stayed still for a good couple of minutes. Your irises moved from staring upon the wall behind Joshua to him, eyeing him silently, observing every movement and detail. His shoulders slumped, eyes cast down and a face of remorse. His features appeared defeated and ashamed.

You bit at the inside of your lower lip before reaching for his wrist. With the movement of your fingers, you slid them along the warm, taut, bare skin and then laced your fingers with his, gripping tightly. When the man flicked his orbs and fixed them upon yours, his irises glistened and the familiar emotion of uncertainty reflected. "It's not your fault."

"How can it not be?" his eyes closed tight. The tips of his brows creas inward as the memories flooded, a heavy exhale passed and passed his lips. "This was my home, Y/N," he revealed. "This whole land used to thrive under my family's care. I was never meant to be born into this world. A blessing bestowed from the Goddess to my parents that longed for a child," a strained smile curved his lips. "Such a beauty of the gods yet, I was born with so much darkness and evil in me.”

"And because of my birth, all these calamity and tragedy fell. My people... my parents... all innocent and pure," a shaky exhale rumbled. "All I see is the suffering, and my nightmares torment me of their anguished screams as they fell one by one because of my mere existence," his grip was firm and firm, tighter than usual and his palm were getting wet and clammy and cold and, slowly, the room's air, its ambiance darkened, as if the energy, its atmosphere were getting heavy.

"What happened to your family? Your people?"

"What else would happen?" He asked with a dark, scornful laugh. "All of them are dead. The townspeople threw me out. Left me to rot and starve. They chased me with rocks and shovels and anything they could grab and, in the end, no matter where I went," a scoff. "Darkness surrounds me, brings me nothing but chaos, destruction. Then the taints, the darkness grew stronger. More powerful, corrupted until... " his head shook. "I hated them. I wanted to become powerful. To reign over them. Hurt and punish them for what they did to me," his orbs flickered towards the large open windows of the chambers, the cold winds from the night, carrying the evening sounds of the peaceful town. "But, I hate myself the most."

"When did you join the temple, Joshua?" you asked quietly.

"My teacher, an Elder of the temple, found me while I was at death's door," he began. "It was then he knew I had something unique. My aura was strong. Unique. Filled with powerful magic like none have ever known. He trained me and gave me a new purpose, to control and discipline that darkness within. Told me that Luna gave me this gift for a reason, so that I could find my role and true destiny."

He shifted the weight of his body upon the edge of the bed before carefully crawling up. He hovered over your frame and nuzzled the side of your neck, his nose brushing gently, carefully across the soft tendons and veins. "From there I set out to train myself, use the darkness in order to control the monsters and dark mages of these lands. For a time, I thought I've found my calling, my true reason to be, yet it wasn't enough. My powers and the darkness kept on growing more and more. And then all that consumed me was the need for power. I wanted to use the temple's position for my own sake. My wants and needs and, not those of the people's."

"What changed you? I sense something's different." you questioned further. "It's likeー"

"You. It's you, Y/N," the confession made, his lids opened once more and you felt his hand, resting at the flesh of your neck. "Somehow, the darkness began lessening whenever I'm with you," his thumb rubbed at the soft flesh of your neck before sliding it upwards, your chin tilting as he continued the movement of his digits, caressing the tip of his fingers against the tip of your cheekbone. "Your light, the warmth I get from being with you..." his gaze peered directly into yours. "... my soul, and everything I am. You consume me, Y/N."

His eyes were unflinching, penetrating in their stare. "At first I just wanted to use your power for my own needs. That was the initial plan, use your power and use you but..." his thumb stroked, then dipped over the fullness of your lips. "But it's getting more and more complicated. This need to have you," a swallow. "To be with you," you felt the beating of his heart against your breast. "To be bathed in your light," he uttered and leaned closer, burying his nose into your hair. "Everything about you overwhelms me, and I..." he sucked in a deep inhale of breath before releasing a frustrated sigh. "I want to change... to not want the power... to not crave, yearn, hunger for the darkness. I..."

The desperation, the frustration were clear. He has gone through so much and was so tormented. Even though you have had the strangest first meeting, you began to see the side he kept from others. This wasn't a side meant for anyone to see except for you.

"Joshua..." your palm reached for the smooth skin of his face, thumb rubbing against the rough stubs on the square plane of his cheeks, carefully smoothing the area above his jawline. The moment your palms touched the skin and flesh of his face, you felt something familiar stirring within. 

"My powers," you said in an inaudible whisper, almost barely a sound. "My light. It helps keep the dark away when I'm with you and it affects you so strongly, right?" you asked, watching his face, noting the changes, studying them in every moment, every second. "Maybe the Goddess gave me this gift and a divine calling not just to heal and bless, maybe she wanted you and I to guide one another's souls," your hand rubbed across the firm muscles of his pecs, moving over his left shoulder, sliding up his arm until your hand reached his wrist and you brought him and his knuckles against your lips, planting a warm kiss.

"I didn't want to be the Saintess. I didn't ask for such gifts or powers," you closed your eyes briefly before reopening them, peering deeply in his orbs. "I just wanted to be a normal girl," an almost shaky exhale shuddered from you. "But, now I understand," you gave the gentlest touch of the tips of your digits across his features. "You need me and, maybe..." the hint of a small smile curved your lips. "Maybe... I'm beginning to need you too," your orbs continued to glisten, meeting with the intensity of his.

For a moment, there was complete silence, as the two of you focused and watched. Both not letting the other's face go out of your sight. "If we were normal, if we had the normal kind of lives, we wouldn't have crossed paths," Joshua mumbled quietly, brushing a thumb to trace at the line of your throat and down your chest, palming the ample mounds, a quick brush over and around, flicking the flesh between your breasts with the tips of his fingers. "It's destiny, isn't it?" his lips started at the soft plumpness of your lips, giving a faint, warm, passionate, brushing kiss. "What the Gods have planned for us both?"

And with the taste of his lips upon yours, your eyelids, closing, the only response and acknowledgement you can give was, simply, to meet his movements and return the action and taste of his kiss upon the flesh and tongue of yours.

He whispered against your lips. "Y/N." And kissed you once again with a hint of sweetness as his tongue swiped your own. "Do you want to go on a journey with me and help get rid of the darkness of this kingdom?"

You released a soft moan against the man's mouth and, pulled apart momentarily, enough for you to give an answer. "I'll do my best but, can the two of us really take down every creature, demon, and monster in these lands?"

"With the darkness I've acquired and your light," his hands splayed possessively over your body and squeezed firmly at your waist, moving downward, gathering the fabric of the robes in his palms, until he was able to lift it above your thighs. "We could do a great deal of good for this Kingdom."

"And the temple? Won't they need you?" you asked curiously, thinking about the possibility and complications.

"Not if I resign as High Priest," he admitted, his palms were caressing and soothing the curve and hollow of your waist. "We'll start out traveling, with the knights and everyone but," a kiss, then another, his teeth nipping at your lower lip. "Then, if you'll let me, after a while, it'll only be the two of us, together."

"Traveling. Us two together," you repeated his words and then sighed as you felt his tongue and teeth suck at the sensitive and vulnerable side of your neck. "Until this kingdom is free from all of the darkness?" you asked, your heart swelling as you noticed his expression lighten upon hearing your acceptance of the terms and his plans, his orbs, once dark with guilt and torment, were beginning to show the familiar glints of mischief, desire and sin. "This could work..."

And before you knew it, he pressed a finger upon your mouth to silence you.

"Rest," he replied. "You used too much magic at the lake earlier." His fingers, playing with the ends of the ties that bound your garment, loosened the topmost bow. "Unless you want my attention instead of sleep?" He began to nibble at the line of your bare shoulder and tugged, then gave a playful bite. "Because, to be quite honest, I have other plans in mind."

"Yes," you answered in the simplest form, a request for a simpler answer and nothing more. "Joshua. Please."

That was all the permission the man needed.

When his lips pressed firmly into yours, there were no other questions left unsaid, or hesitation, or regrets. It wasn't a kiss for show. No. There were more to it. Much more. There was something beyond the sensation, beyond his taste. Your bodies melted together like a fine hot flame. Something real and honest between the two of you has sparked. Something that ignited a passion that neither of you were ready for.

He took the initiative by cupping a hand on the nape of your neck to pull your chin downwards to meet his, the hard and gentle heat and passion in his mouth. There were no boundaries in your actions anymore and this kiss... this touch, every movement, every minute and every second was sincere and real. And for once, despite your past apprehensions, despite your hesitations and doubts, you were more than eager to return the heated sensations, the hunger and want of him upon the flesh of your mouth.

"You've really changed, Joshua," you replied against his mouth, your hands busying themselves with removing his clothes. "When I first met you, you terrified me. You had this strange aura that I couldn't put my finger on, and my instincts told me to not trust you." You bit at your lower lip before giving a tilt, smiling.

"And now?" he asked, his breath fanning upon your lips as he spoke.

"Now, I feel a very different Joshua from then," you closed your eyes, concentrating to listen. "Although I'm still mad that you sent that dark creature at me," you teased in a mild joking tone, looking up to his face. "There's good in you. You just need someone to keep the dark at bay," your lids closed halfway, your hand reaching the back of his head. "Or maybe a little dark is good?" you suggested as his lips neared yours and your orbs fully closed shut, lips parted for what is soon to come. "Only a bit."

His chuckle reverberated through the chamber, his forehead touching, pressing, tilting against yours. "Just a little bit?" his tongue traced the outline of your lip before pushing its tip and sliding across the wet flesh. "For this, right?" a kiss and the teasing hint of his tongue flickered within. "And this," his hands, sliding up your hips, his tongue swirling around your lower lips. "I think this is good. Just a little."

A long sigh escaped from the back of your throat, hands pulling at the silken strands of his hair. And without another word, without any more pauses in between, you allowed yourself to fall, to willingly succumb and surrender to the desire, to his needs. The heat and warmth within as your fingers clung to him and your bodies melded, completely erased the lingering, cold numbness.

The sheets ruffled against your movement as the priest's weight, a comforting warmth, hovered over you, pushing you gently against the pillows. He held your hip with one palm, caressing the flesh of your hip bone as the other remained secured against the headboard.

And he, looking so handsome, his eyes bore directly to yours, observing every detail, memorizing every crease and wrinkle in his thoughts, in the memory of the way you appeared under the flickering dim light of the moon and candle, admiring the image, burning every detail.

Joshua tilted his head and pulled a strand of your hair, placing it behind your ear, "Beautiful," he breathed before leaning his face down towards yours, kissing you on the mouth, a whisper escaping his lips.

His voice was like the lull of a melody that entranced the depths of your being. There was something captivating about the way the Priest and you acted toward each other and the atmosphere changed every time. Your trust and understanding for him has evolved greatly and there is now a form of vulnerability in the air. Something has formed, created and bloomed. It was something more than simple attraction, more than lust. And it scared you how easily you became attached.

"Y/N," Joshua murmured. "You're in my heart. You're under my skin. And if I don't have you, I don't know how I'm going to live anymore." He gave a lingering look and the blue pools bore the sincerity, the sincerity in those words and then he gently kissed the shell of your earlobe. His kisses trailed slowly and made their descent as your breathing grew heavier and the need intensified.

His face brushed close to your ears. "Y/N." 

The brush of his lips felt so intimate, so personal as he whispered and breathed and it was something so innocent and honest. His touches, his gaze, were filled with admiration and wonder. How his lips could move and make you shiver with the simple vibrations that formed words as he praised. It was amazing how easy it was for you to submit to him. You were not only trusting your body, your heart and soul, but every ounce of yourself to him.

"Joshua," you said, clinging tightly to his strong and sturdy shoulders. The feeling of his warm palms, running across your waist, moving down the curve and slope of your tummy as the soft fabrics fell to the bed was new and strange to your skin, a chill crawling down the pit and caverns of your core, the ache of hunger and crave, intensifying in the low parts of your belly. 

"Joshua, please," you could not contain the breathy exhales and sighs, barely suppressing the whimpers and quiet, tiny groans and squeals. "Please," the touch and weight of him, his arms wrapping, hooking around the hollow of your thighs and calves, clutching, pressing your legs close to his naked and firm frame.

Joshua planted his face along your bare shoulder and slid himself forward. Your breasts were pushed and squished against the plane of his upper abdomen. Your belly, nestling against the expanse and lean muscle of his own tummy. Flesh meeting bare, untouched, heated skin. His rough hands kneaded the generous curve of your hip and moved lower and lower. And his palms clutched on either side of your mounds and gripped.

"Are you sure," a lick along the area and shell of your ears. "Because, with the amount of screaming you're about to do," the wet trails of his tongue, the flicks and nips and nuzzles. "You're going to alert the whole mansion and the knights will surely rush to the room."

"It'll be fine," you gasped, toes curling. "As long as your lips are on mine to swallow all the sounds."

"Naughty girl," a smirking Joshua licked, sucking and biting, giving a harsh nibble. "You like making my job difficult, don't you?"

"It'll keep your full attention on me, that's all," you remarked as a cheeky response, bringing the back of his head closer to deepen the contact and warmth of his kisses upon the mouth. You let out a sharp gasp as he pushed himself deeper, fully seating and filling your depths. "Joshua," the whisper of his name sounded like a beautiful song to his ears.

His movements were slow, calculated and precise, easing in and out in measured movements and rhythms, and his pace, a controlled steady thrust, unlike the fast, fumbling and heated fucking you usually have. This time was much different, slow and deep and much, much deeper. He leaned down to capture and swallow any noise of yours to stifle the sounds, his fingers interlocked with yours as he plunged into you.

As much as it was delicious, and arousing, it was driving you crazy as he purposely brushed and nudged and scraped and stimulated the tender flesh. "Close. Joshua. So close," the man could see your desperation, as your legs wound tight, toes digging and clenching in, clasping and keeping the man's figure close.

You could hear his breaths grow labored as his pace picked up slightly. "Almost there," Joshua assured, holding a few strands, framing your face, pressing the locks and tresses away to reveal your expression. "Almost there," he said again, watching your mouth parted and close to a tight shut. 

"Together," the man, giving your hand a squeeze. "Do not hold back."

The moment you opened your mouth, he immediately captured and locked his lips with you to prevent the sounds from coming out as you climaxed in unison. You clawed and pulled at his muscular shoulders and felt the wave of orgasmic relief and ecstacy wash over you. Your breasts felt heavy and sensitive at the force of the man's plunges and thrusts. It took some time to come back down as the after waves gradually lessened. The two of you catching a breather, finding solace within each other's arms.

"No regrets?" asked Joshua, his arms still coiled around your body. You felt a tender touch of his fingers, lifting the strands and hair falling upon your face. "I know it's too late to be asking you this, now but," a beat and, a moment as his orbs softened, the shade of blue melting and becoming gentler. "No regrets?"

You sighed as you sank onto the comfort of his chest. The heartbeat was strong and steady. Loud. Warm. You rested your cheek comfortably on top of him as your fingertips played with the ends of his hairs at his collar. "Not a single regret," you answered, gazing deeply at him. "Do you have any? Regrets?"

"Plenty," he shifts and grabs a bunch of blankets, shifting and draping it over your waists and hips and the soft fabrics bundled and covering you two. "But," the man chuckled as he held you close in a gentle yet possessive hold and embrace, the position had you lying completely on top of the solid man, your nose resting on his chest. You looked up, a smile tracing the edge of his lips. "They all seem to vanish when I'm with you, Y/N. Strange. How life changes."

"How life changes indeed," you echoed, placing your face onto the top of the planes of his chest. "If someone were to tell me the things that would have happened in the past few months. I would never, ever have believed them." 

You lightly laughed, leaning upwards, until the tip of your nose and tip of his nose touched, a light nuzzle and breath shared, mouths and breaths ghosting, sharing a sense of intimacy.

Joshua smiled and shifted, carefully maneuvering himself and your bodies under the sheets and soft blankets. He rolled you carefully on your side until your face met his, allowing you both to maintain your stare and connection with one another. And as his palm cradled your head and slid across to caress the small of your waist. With a slight tug, the both of you lay on your sides and nestled yourselves into each other's bodies, warmth. "Get some sleep. We've got a big journey ahead tomorrow. One of our greatest adventures."

"First we need to tell the others of our decision and our future plans," you reminded him, glancing and studying his handsome features.

"Fine. After we tell your brother, which I'm not looking forward to, and the others," his eyelids closed shut as he listened to your breathing, a calming and a soothing sound as your digits wrapped loosely over his torso. "Our adventure begins."

"I am and I know you're Y/N," he grins, showing off sparkling pearly white teeth. "I'm happy to meet you, Taeyong's other best friend."

You laugh, "If you want me to argue with you about who the top friend is, you're going to lose."

"That's exactly why I came here," he chuckles along with you. "Just joking. I'm actually starting to move into the business here and am building my portfolio," he smiles, adjusting his heavy and large bag slung across one shoulder. "I've done other kinds of jobs before but he told me that you were looking for someone to take some photos for a personal project?"

"Did he really say personal project?" You ask, rolling your eyes. Taeyong, your best friend, is wonderful at getting information from you, but is an absolutely unreliable source of the truth. He knows how much you like keeping a wall around your life's most intimate details and, like the good friend he was, he had conveniently failed to mention a couple of things when he made the call to hire a photographer to take pictures.

"He did," Johnny laughs. "He said it was very hush-hush. But I'm guessing from the shoot location, the outfits and all the props," he eyes the lingerie and other gear scattered in your living room, a confident twinkle shining from his bright eyes, "that it's, maybe, more along the lines of a boudoir shoot?"

You purse your lips in a mixture of bashfulness and amusement, shy, but not completely caught off guard, "You're perceptive."

"Heeey, no shame here," Johnny puts his hands up in mock surrender. "No judgments. It'll be my first boudoir job but..." He flashes a brilliant grin, obviously happy and completely unfazed by the possibility of capturing someone else's sexy secrets on camera. "It'll be fun," he enthuses, rubbing his hands together as he shrugs off his leather jacket and tosses it to the side, revealing muscular forearms. The way Johnny says 'fun' makes your heart beat a little faster in your chest. 

"And between you and me," Johnny leans in with a conspiratorial whisper. His tone drops, voice pitched lower, full of mischief and sincerity, his fingers dancing lightly against his lips. "You'll make one hell of a sexy muse for any guy."

There's no hint of the leer or innuendo that normally accompanied lines of that sort. Just pure, unfiltered honesty in the compliment as Johnny flashes you that killer smile.

"Who's the lucky person who gets to see all these?" Johnny gestures towards the gear on the floor and asks while crouching down to the array of props and get his camera gear organized. His fitted t-shirt is struggling with the task of containing the huge expanse of broad shoulders and thick biceps that flex as he shifts the heavy bag of camera equipment down beside him, his back muscles bunching as he stretches. You try not to ogle his ass, hugged so tight in form fitting jeans, and find yourself blushing at how effortlessly hot he is.

"No lucky person," you try not to sound disappointed as you grab an armful of sheer black nylon and lace off the floor and carry it into the bedroom as Johnny's gaze follows your movement, tracing your body. His eyes lock on you from behind and it's as if there's heat from the fire in his stare searing onto your skin. Your lips quiver slightly as you shift them into a smile before you turn away, Johnny's eyes burning, still roaming and exploring your body in appreciation as the bedroom door slowly closes between the two of you. "There is no lucky person."

"That's a damn shame," Johnny's voice floats under the gap, deep and warm. A thrill races down your spine, that thrill of possibilities, wondering just how hot this guy could get. How hot he could make you get. "Nothing hotter than a woman that's confident in her sexuality," you hear Johnny exclaim through the bedroom door. He doesn't try to hide the obvious admiration in his voice.

"Can I ask you something?" you call out, trying to hide the shiver that danced in your voice.

"Shoot," Johnny's reply floats under the door and hits your ear in a warm baritone.

"Why did Taeyong ask you to do this?" There's a hint of laughter in Johnny's answer, as if the question had hit right on target and amused him greatly. "I thought he would have asked his fiancee since she's a photographer herself."

"Haseul? Nah," Johnny's voice rises and falls, muffled by the wooden door between the two of you, though you're picturing him lounging against the other side. You bet his arms are crossed and he looks so dashing and adorable while thinking of the right words to reply. "I mean, she could probably do this shit blindfolded," he continues, a boyish lilt in his voice. "But," and the word stretches long and soft in the space, a tender vowel that forms an indescribable pause, "she's not me."

"Arrogant, are you?" you tease, slipping on the long, silk robe and running your hands along the sleeves, enjoying the feel of cool smooth fabric on skin.

"Confident," his reply was instant.

"Those sound like the same thing," you laugh, pushing open the bedroom door.

There's Johnny, still bent over his camera equipment, his back muscles stretching against his t-shirt, thick bicep flexing and teasing you with the slight peek of a dark tattoo hidden underneath the edge. 

"I guess confidence has many faces," he murmurs, peering over his shoulder and giving you another heart stopping smile. Your heart quickens just a tick as his eyes trace your form, slow, indulgent, appreciating every inch of you. "Go ahead and get comfortable," he turns his body towards you as you stand there in your robe, and that glint of interest in his eyes makes heat bloom and pulse between your legs. "You're in charge here. We can do whatever you're most comfortable with and see what we come up with. Just let me know if you wanna take a break or if you change your mind about anything, 'kay?" 

He sounds so calm, so unbothered, as if he had no problem photographing naked women all the time and you couldn't even believe that his breathing isn't staggered at all when you could barely believe yours.

"That'll be great, thanks," you beam at him, settling onto the couch, drawing a leg up underneath your body, fluttering the robe so it falls away a little bit to reveal more skin. You're rewarded with his eyes slowly trailing from the exposed line of your neck, where you pretend to lazily finger a couple of stray strands behind your ear, to the subtle swell of your breast and finally lingering on the glimpse of thigh.

"Perfect," Johnny licks his lips and, for a brief moment, you can't help the urge of imagining those thick, glistening lips against your hot flesh. "So why a boudoir shoot?" Johnny casually asks, and you take a moment before responding. There was something about the tone of his voice that felt so soothing, so easy to open up with him, so honest.

"To remind myself that I'm still sexy and confident even if I haven't had a chance to date anyone for a while. My last boyfriend cheated on me, and I just need a way to remind myself that, regardless of the messy relationship, I'm still a sexy and strong woman and I deserve better," you say matter-of-factly.

Johnny gives a low whistle as you rattle off the info, as if the ease with which it all left your lips was shocking. Maybe you were too candid, too upfront. Too forward with all the pain you've endured and just how shitty it has been for you emotionally, the strain that it took and the toll it placed on the rest of your life. There's a quiet huff of amusement from Johnny. 

"Damn straight," Johnny holds his camera at waist height and squints, one eye closed, through the camera, clicking without hesitation, capturing the moment your mouth hangs open in response to his approval, the shutter speed steady and silenced. There's a slight smirk on his lips, soft and proud, as you tilt your head at him, the twist of his mouth almost suggestive, and he clicks again. "Any man that cheats on a gorgeous woman is either out of his mind," and the flash goes off again and you see his face lit in the slight glow, lips pulling up at the corners and into a big grin, "or incredibly stupid." And you can't help but chuckle lightly with him.

You pose a few more times, the light from Johnny's camera flashing with each click, and you see the joy dance behind the lens, his grin widening.

"That's great. That's really great," he says approvingly, then setting his camera down for a moment and leaning forward to give you some quiet direction. "Okay, so if you want to play up that 'sexy, but confident' look we can make this a lot of fun," he coaxes, placing a heavy hand on your bare thigh and leaving it there, and there's no need to see his face to feel the warmth radiate off his eyes and smile, "how about, you open your robe up just a touch, get a little peek of lace," Johnny squeezes lightly, feeling the plump of muscle under skin as you sigh, watching his eyes take you in, "maybe a little hip? Get that sexiness, that confidence, just a bit more teasing," Johnny continues, hand drifting further up your thigh, creeping closer and closer to where you're already burning.

"How about..." you inhale deeply, gathering your confidence in a deep breath, fingers hovering near the tie to the robe, feeling Johnny's eyes burning into yours. "I take the robe off?" 

Johnny's eyes widen just a touch, before quickly relaxing and a gleam dances behind them, a lustful sheen to the dark brown that leaves your spine tingling. "If you're comfortable with that, I'm ready when you are," he breathes, voice slightly husky as his fingers deftly start to move his camera to a new angle.

You shimmy out of the robe and throw it on the floor, revealing the beautiful, barely-there lacy lingerie. Johnny's breathing is staggered and the glint behind his eyes is burning even stronger. You raise an arm, hands threading through the loose strands of your hair and run down the side of your neck and arm, imagining an imaginary trail of eyes looking down your body and enjoying every minute of the sight of your form. You pause there, hand against the swell of breast, your thumb grazing across a peaked nipple and can't stop your breath hitching for just a second and a gasp escaping from your throat.

The clicking of the camera intensifies, rapid shutter as Johnny starts snapping picture after picture, the slight tingle and prickling of hair rising on skin as Johnny continues clicking, eyes roaming, the intent obvious.

"Can you turn and face the couch? Hand on the back and give me the back view," Johnny's instructions are husky, heated, and you make eye contact before moving and catch him unconsciously biting his lower lip, hand caressing and making adjustments to his lens and camera settings.

There's no embarrassment, only anticipation, as you slide into position, bending over the back, turning back and bending your back ever so slightly, giving that perfect glimpse of ass. The moment seems to draw out and Johnny's not quite taking the picture just yet. There's something off. You crane your neck and check over your shoulder and see Johnny still standing there, still setting the camera, his eyes raking over your figure.

"Damn," Johnny mutters under his breath, just loud enough to be heard. It's low and breathy and sends a wave of desire to course between your thighs. The next click of the camera rings a bit louder.

"Spread those legs. Get them wide," Johnny says. "And arch that back more," and as the words leave his mouth, he presses a large, flat hand on the small of your back and slowly pushes down, gentle, yet insistent, as if savouring the way the curvature of your spine pressed into his palm. His hand is warm, strong, solid and thick.

"Hold it right there," Johnny's hand lingers. "That's real good," he whispers appreciatively, and you swear you can feel his breathing hasten. You wait just a beat, maybe two, enjoying his hand on you, imagining those rough palms rubbing and massaging against more intimate and sensitive areas. The next click of the shutter sounds so sexy you couldn't stop yourself from closing your eyes to listen to its soft echo and imprinting into your memory.

"Fuck yeah,” his voice, husky, deep, needy, sends a wave of pleasure to dance within you, that anticipation bubbling and simmering. "That's a perfect fucking shot." 

"Johnny?" you breath, testing the name out on your lips, loving the way it rolls so effortlessly.

"Yeah?" His tone is soft and oh so sensual.

"Do you...want to get a bit closer?"

"Fuck," is the answer. He closes the gap in a second, body flush to you, the hard, muscular body sandwiching yours between him and the couch back. It's hard not to enjoy the sensation of hard, delicious heat. He leans forward, his breath, soft, quick and hot, fanning across the side of your cheek. 

"Is that what you want?" His voice lowers a few notes, dripping with seduction as his hot mouth closes around the edge of your earlobe and captures it, sucking softly. "Closer?" He pulls back and you're missing the heat, but not for long, his voice just as warm as his breath caresses your neck, soft and needy and greedy and so demanding. 

"You want close?" He licks at the soft, sensitive flesh of your ear and it is as hot and wet and perfect as the words. "Because we can get really close," he promises, mouth going back to tasting the side of your neck and his hips push against your ass in promise. It's Johnny's turn to gasp this time, the quick intake of air followed by a throaty groan as you push back, rolling your ass hard against him. 

"Oh my god...we can definitely get super close," the moan that escapes from his throat sounds so delicious that you feel a spasm as if someone had touched you directly in the soul.

Johnny pulls back before plopping on the couch, legs spread, dragging your body on top of his lap. A hand caresses the side of your face, pulls at the loose hair, twisting the soft locks between thick fingers, gently angling your head and the camera snaps another shot. You grind against him, enjoying the thickness trapped beneath his jeans pressing against the front of your sheer panties and you wiggle and sway.

"Sexy." Click. "Very sexy," and the shutter flutters.

He leans back to place the camera onto the couch and starts pulling off his shirt. He laughs, eyes wide and brilliant and shakes his head, "Look, I never sleep with my clients." He shrugs his shoulders. "Never. And I have enough respect to keep my dick out of this shit," he trails his fingers down the valley between your breasts, and pauses as you let out a gasp. "But fuck," his voice lowers into a needy growl and he shudders as you drag his hand onto your panties and press his fingers onto your clit. You're already soaking and he can feel it. "I'm changing my rules for you." His voice hitches into a breathy groan. "And only you."

"We're going to keep seeing each other a lot, I'm hoping?" You ask, shifting and slipping off his lap to your knees before him and start to work on the buckle to his pants. You can feel your pulse hammering within, an over-arching hunger and want and need rippling through your limbs.

"Every goddamn chance we fucking can," he grunts, lifting his hips and pushing pants down just enough for his hard cock to spring up and smack against his stomach. He's huge, thick and already dripping with pre-cum and it's hard not to salivate. "And when can we start?"

You flash a smile up to him and a glimmer from between your teeth reflects the light. "How about we start right now?" Your tongue is immediately out and against the glistening tip of his throbbing cock and, although his legs jerk slightly, he remains perfectly still, as if afraid to interrupt.

"Fuck yeah," the curse spills out, and the camera comes into his view, raised at eye level as it snaps, and you lick along the underside of his dick.

Click.

You pop his cock into your mouth, tasting and sucking and tonguing against the leaking flesh and the shutter keeps going off as it catches his expression.

Click.

There are hisses and the snap of the camera. His legs spread and your fingers graze the length of his shaft.

Click.

A hand grasps at the back of your head, caressing, pushing you lower. The camera captures you taking him deeper and deeper.

Click.

"Look up," he urges and you do. There you are, a dark mess, cock stuffed between your lips, the camera aimed directly down as you drag your tongue up, slowly, tortuously. Your saliva strings, sticky, wet, glistening from your mouth to the tip of his dick as he sloppily takes another shot.

"And who are those photos for?" You ask, flicking your tongue against the slit of his tip.

"Those," there was a deep throbbing growl, the hand pushing the back of your head and his thick, meaty dick forcing his way into the back of your throat, "are definitely for you."

"For me?" You pull back and stroke his saliva covered cock.

"Unless you want other people, say our friends, to see you gobbling down my dick?" He jokes with a wicked smirk.

"Nope. Not sharing or showing your dick to anyone," you laugh, smiling and enjoying the sweet taste left behind by the tip of his dick.

"Perfect answer," he moans. "Now get up here," Johnny groans, patting at his empty lap. "I wanna fill you," he insists. "I need you sitting on my cock right this second."

You pull the sheer panties to the side and raise up, sinking down on to him slowly. With his girth and length, the sensation is both a familiar ache, stretching and filling, and a burning need, slow but precise. Johnny tosses the camera back onto the couch beside him as both hands latch onto your thighs and push you down further onto his shaft.

"Fuck," you sigh, fully seating yourself on him and taking a moment to adjust. "So big."

"That's it," his voice is a ragged purr of encouragement. "Fucking take it."

And you did. Hands flat against the thick expanse of chest before you, the muscles corded, taut. Nails rake against his flesh, dragging red marks and Johnny responds in turn, jerking up, hips pushing as deeply as he can reach. You lean forward, capturing his lips against your own, drinking in his guttural moan as you rock, circling your hips. Johnny pulls away, and you admire the sinful smirk, a sense of pride and smugness in it. A shudder hits hard when his hands find their way onto your waist and squeeze, fingers pressing against your hip bones, squeezing the generous thickness.

"Goddamn, girl," Johnny laughs, the sound and sensation tickling as it hits your ribs. "Never thought a photoshoot would wind up like this."

"Am I hearing a complaint?"

"Nope," Johnny snaps up, mouth sealing over yours again, licking past your lips, hungry and impatient. His teeth graze at your lower lip and sink, lightly and you moan into his mouth. "Not in the least."

It's been months since you and Johnny hooked up and neither of you have spoken to your friends about the relationship. A boudoir photoshoot ended up as a spontaneous fuckfest that blossomed into something deeper. At first, the hook ups were just once a week. Quick. Thorough. Nothing fancy. You could go without it and didn't need the relationship, and neither did he. Just casual and stress relief and that was all there was to it.

After weeks, though, you found yourself looking for him more often. During gatherings and parties, you'd be watching the room, knowing full well Johnny would be a few feet away, feeling his eyes tracing your curves. Little secret glances and eye fucks that could fill a lifetime. Sneaking off, making up an excuse about the bathroom, waiting five or ten minutes until the coast was clear, running down the hallways to find a quiet and vacant spot and a quick fuck. 

"So you and Johnny..." Taeyong asks one day, perched on a stool at the breakfast counter of your kitchen as he and Haseul came over for breakfast. There's an amused interest to the question, but genuine curiosity all the same.

"Spill," Haseul stands in front of your oven, eyes narrowing at you as she's flipping a couple pieces of bacon and setting them back in the pan.

"Nothing is going on between us," you point the end of a rubber spatula at them and shoot a suspicious glare.

"Deflecting, are we?" Taeyong returns an even firmer look.

"Hmmm," Haseul purses her lips and squints. "You've been hanging out with Johnny a lot and you're saying nothing went down? Why the hell not? He's hot. You're hot. If I wasn't with Tae, I'd definitely bang him." She turns to Taeyong and pinches his cheek teasingly. "Sorry babe."

"If I was into men, I'd bang him too," Taeyong shrugs, grinning happily as he nabs a piece of crispy bacon out of the frying pan and dodges the playful swat that's aimed in retaliation.

"We're just friends," you say again, pretending to look anywhere else, busying yourself at the coffee maker, keeping your voice a forced indifferent, trying hard not to betray any interest with the mere mention of his name.

Taeyong tilts his head and eyes you quizzically. "Yeah, I got the feeling you're lying."

"You can think what you want, Tae," and he narrows his gaze at your evasive answer, watching your actions.

"Anyway," Haseul changes the topic, and you think the matter has been dropped for the moment. "You never showed us those photos from your boudoir session. Can we see? Or are they too racy to have any friends see them?" She teases, wagging her eyebrows. "Y/N, it's been months. Come on and let us see. Pleaseeeeee?"

"Hold your horses," you laugh and set a dish of food down. "Close your eyes, Tae. No peeking," you wag a finger at him and he pouts, obediently pressing the palms of his hands over his face and Haseul giggles.

You grab your tablet, unlock it and access the drive where Johnny sent the photo shoot. The photos appear, row upon row, each one somehow better than the last. A warm, tingling sensation sweeps over your body at the thought of each photo, each pose, each camera flash that had brought so many vivid and steamy images to life, not to mention the fond memory of how his hands had felt. 

Johnny really knows how to take a good photo, the composition, the angles, the framing and perspective. Just enough of your face is caught in a closeup, sultry, intimate, enough to make your mind race wondering just who's at the other end of that stare and who those lips belonged to. The rest is the ideal mixture of silhouette and teasing curves. Enough for the mind to wander, to wonder and to guess just what's under all that darkness. The desire in the photos was raw, wild, unbound and exposed, everything you've imagined but somehow even better, the hint of emotion and sensuality a little stronger. There was no hiding your personality, and it had come off as perfectly sultry, charming, beautiful. And if he made you feel sexy in these, god only knows how sexy he could have made you actually feel in real life.

Haseul stares and gasps and sighs as she looks at the photos. Each flick to the next photo has an amazed look plastered across her face, jaw almost to the ground.

"These are, honestly, pretty damn gorgeous," she exclaims. "He's got talent," Haseul looks up. "Oh, he's got lots of it," she smiles.

"Tell me about it," you beam.

Taeyong holds a hand over his closed eyes, waiting impatiently. "Come on. Is it safe for me to look?" his voice whiny and teasing as you slide your fingers on the screen and swipe to the next photo, "Or is it gonna be just too racy for me?"

"Shush, you," you laugh and run the finger pad over the tablet and go to the next image. A happy little giggle erupts out of you. "Okay. I think you're safe. One eye open. Just one. Hold on, wait for it…" you smile, enjoying the cute and dramatic reveal. You tap a few more times and swipe through the next couple of photos. "Here we go," you nod.

Taeyong is immediately speechless, jaw dropping and staring open-mouthed at the screen, even though a hand still covered a good portion of his field of view.

"Holy fuck," is all Taeyong can mutter.

"Breathe baby. Don't forget to breathe," Haseul is snickering beside you while taking a big bite of toast, watching her fiance's jaw flop open and close, and no sound coming out. She reaches across the table and snaps her fingers. "Hello? Doofus?"

"Haseul, I need you to do a boudoir shoot for me," Taeyong mumbles, glancing at Haseul. She laughs and throws him the crust of her bread, and they bicker back and forth, half playfully as the conversation spirals into something decidedly not PG. 

"Okay lovebirds, why don't we finish the rest of breakfast and plan your wedding while we're at it?" You pick at them good naturedly and stick your tongue out when Haseul wrinkles her nose in mock disgust. "And seriously, thanks again for the introduction. Johnny has real talent," you say.

"What'd I tell you," Taeyong points out. "I've seen his work, but god damn you really look stunning in those pictures," Taeyong enthuses, breaking his glance away from the pictures only when Haseul smacks him hard on the butt. "Not that my girl doesn't already look gorgeous," he quickly kisses her on the temple, placating her fake anger.

"Ahem, what I wanna know," and Haseul makes eye contact and purses her lips and raises her eyebrows with a mischievous look, "is why you didn't bang him? I mean," she nods and looks back and forth between you and Taeyong as if speaking to a child, "he's clearly into you. He'd be a fool not to be."

There was no way that you'd tell your best friend and his fiancee that you and Johnny already did the deed and made sweet sweet love in your living room...multiple times. Or that you hooked up multiple times at events, after parties, and a handful of other secret rendezvous. 

"Maybe the universe is telling us that it's not the right time," Taeyong ponders, absently stirring sugar into his coffee, "Maybe the both of you will fall madly in love with each other a decade down the road." Taeyong grins. "Oh that would be so great," his eyes widened comically as he clasped his hands together, voice sounding dramatic and dramatic. "You can tell your future children that their Uncle Taeyong helped introduce their parents. What a hero."

"Spoken like the romantic that you are," Haseul smiles, stealing a sip from her fiance’s cup.

The rest of the lunch passed quickly, Haseul and Taeyong dropping the boudoir talk for a time and filling you in on their travel plans and the possibility of having the wedding up near their parent's houses so they could have a nice summer party.

You give Taeyong and Haseul the hugs as they leave and spend the remainder of the afternoon cleaning up the mess.

"Alright," you mutter out loud, cleaning up the dirty plates and turning the kitchen tap on. "You're a strong and independent woman, so don't wallow, wash these damn dishes and stop thinking of that hunky man named Johnny," you mumble, getting lost in your thoughts and letting the rhythm of the water and clinks of china calm your nerves. "Time for me to hit the shower and turn the fan on high." You continue to lecture yourself, closing your eyes. "Maybe even take care of that itch before doing some work tonight."

There's a sudden buzz of vibration against your countertop, knocking you out of the brief reverie and your eyes snap open, focusing and adjusting to the soft, hazy sunlight that's pouring through your windows, its warm rays lighting up your kitchen, giving you that quiet feeling of calm and warmth.

You dry your hands off quickly on a dishtowel hanging off the oven and scramble to look at the message on your phone.

Johnny: Hey Johnny: Got a favor to ask

Your heart stutters the moment you see his name, flutter in your chest with hope, butterflies beating and thumping inside with anticipation. The idea of getting to see Johnny again is sending those damned endorphins off.

You: Yes? Johnny: Any chance you're available next week? You: Maybe. Why? Johnny: Hoped it was a definite yes and not a maybe You: I'm a busy and a popular gal. Gotta work late, then date some. Johnny: Killing me here, haha You: Just tell me why and let me decide

You're waiting there, leaning against your countertop, waiting, hoping, eagerly waiting for a response that feels like an eternity, trying to swallow down the giddiness and butterflies and stupid smile.

Johnny: You and me. Yuta’s wedding. What do you say? Johnny: There's gonna be free food, booze, and a handsome guy by your side all night

It takes all your self-restraint not to giggle into the kitchen tile at Johnny's charming humor and effortless good looks. The man could melt glass and the butterflies start to stir again, warming your tummy and bringing a lovely glow of delight over your entire body.

You: And who is this handsome guy?

Johnny replies with a selfie of himself, leaning his head down low, pretending to look up like a school kid, all puppy dog eyes. You save it immediately, because goddammit, he's adorable and sweet and already sending a blush of pink to your cheeks.

You: Lol. Guess now I have a copy of your photo. You: Gonna put it to good use ;) Johnny: Glad it found a good home Johnny: Enjoy my pretty face

You laugh, hard and full, Johnny's words tugging at your insides as a strong pulse of affection begins to creep and swell inside. You can't keep the smile off your lips and for the first time, you're looking forward to the days ahead.

You: And yeah, I'd love to go with you :)

Johnny smiled, gently turning his phone over, the happy chat with you continuing and he laughs out loud at the adorably smug text you've sent. He really, really, liked this woman. The pictures of her are sexy and amazing and show a tantalizing, intriguing glimmer into a whole world he'd love to see. Her. All of her. Her body and heart and soul.

Johnny lay on his back in bed, sheets all crumpled beneath his frame. The afternoon sun poured through the blinds, hitting his back and shoulders. The apartment is quiet, with only the soft hum of the fridge and air conditioner on low. Johnny sighed happily, relaxed, stretched his body. He closes his eyes briefly, thinks about the pictures of you and that confident, sexy, smolder you give to the camera. He lets his thoughts linger on the feeling of your naked skin beneath his fingertips, the smoothness of your thigh, the strong curves and muscles. 

He thinks of the sensations of your lips, of the sharp sting when you bite his shoulder and then followed the pain by softly kissing the marks left behind. Think of your heavy pants, the throaty, gasping moan you had uttered out while on his dick. The taste of you lingering on his mouth, and his tongue flickers at the corner of his lip, remembering just the tiniest hint of salted caramel sweetness.

His dick's rock solid. Johnny groans to himself, freeing his hard length and gently wrapping a large hand around and gives himself a testing squeeze. He closes his eyes and smiles again, already replaying that moment where your nails scratched against his flesh and that electric bolt runs down and brings him back to full attention. Johnny thinks of your softness and the silky slide of you sheathing his dick with your warm, tight, wetness. The tight heat of you sinking around him. He jerks himself slowly and loosely.

Fuck, he needed more. But that had to wait for later.

Right now, it is going to have to be quick and easy work. Something to tide him over until he could feel you around him again.

He works his cock, thoughts drifting in a fantasy to the idea of having you ride him, of spreading you across his lap and watching that ass of yours bob up and down as you're getting slammed into from behind.

His hand starts moving faster, harsher, a fist pumping and tugging his shaft. There's the slick noise, the wet heat of his fist and the intense ache inside.

Just the thought of you being wet was making his legs quake. He pictures how you would arch your back for him and those strong thighs flex as you come.

The precum dripping down his shaft coats his fist and he moves faster, fisting the slick skin and jerking with fervent strokes.

Your hips move faster and he thinks of the way you'd say his name when you're nearing your peak. The idea of you bent forward, ass thrust high, his palm covering a whole ass cheek and kneading and grabbing, urging, caressing as he slams into you, rutting desperately.

"Fuck," he breathes out loud, thrusting up and burying the heel of his hand deeper into his palm. "Fuck," his voice hoarse, breathing getting harsh and raspy.

With a jerk and a gasp, he finishes, spilling hot ribbons of seed over his fingers and his toned abdomen and groans, deep and slow.

Johnny lies there a while longer, the need and hunger that had been simmering within, temporarily sated. The sticky cum on his stomach is thick and hot, cooling rapidly in the room. Johnny gets up eventually, towel in hand and washes himself.

His phone buzzes. Johnny picks it up quickly, hopes it's another text from you.  But it's just Taeyong, calling him with the inevitable questions about how it went with the photoshoot.

"Hi, buddy, what's up," Johnny asks, pressing the phone between his ear and shoulder, fishing through a drawer for some boxers. He slides them on and a pair of shorts after.

"Don't act like you don't know why I'm calling," Taeyong says accusingly, yet warmly. "You and Y/N. What's going on?"

"Just friends, TY."

"Oh, just friends..." Taeyong sounds unconvinced, suspicious. "I had breakfast with her this morning and I saw the bruises on her neck that she tried to deny, saying it was just an allergic reaction. I KNOW WHAT HICKIES LOOK LIKE, SUH. I see a woman naked once or twice a day. I KNOW."

Johnny laughed quietly into the phone, holding his laughter back for a second. It came out eventually as a quick chuckle, before taking a few deep breaths. "Okay," Johnny laughs a second time and takes a breath, "we're fucking. Have been for months. Happy?"

"You break her heart and I'll break you, bestie or not," Taeyong warns sternly. "I know you too well, asshole," Taeyong threatened, half playfully, half serious.

"No breaking anyone's hearts, alright," Johnny agreed, rubbing the back of his head and feeling awkward, and even worse, a tingling sensation of hope and nervousness. "I like her Taeyong. Like. A lot," Johnny confesses, smiling. "I don't want to fuck anything up, and god knows I'm pretty good at screwing up relationships," Johnny mumbled, flopping onto the sofa in a depressed heap, remembering his last ex.

Taeyong pauses for a moment and he hears a long sigh. "Johnny. Don't play this one light. Y/N's not like the other girls. She's different. Sweet. Amazing." Another pause and the muffled sound of a phone changing hands. "Johnny. If you play around, I'm telling you, this time I WILL kick your ass," Taeyong growled out threateningly, low voice rumbling in a growl. "She's one of my best friends and if you-"

"We're going to Yuta's wedding together," Johnny waits for a beat. "I was planning to tell her how I feel after the wedding."

There's the slightest intake of a surprised breath on the other side, and then the moment of surprise turns into Taeyong's amused laugh. "Congrats, fuckwad," Taeyong's laughing.

"Too soon to celebrate. Just wanted your blessing, asshole," Johnny laughs back.

"Sorry. Okay, sorry," Taeyong snickers into the phone, still slightly out of breath from the initial surprise, "My congratulations. You have mine and Haseul's approval."

"Great," Johnny drawls, still laughing. "I'm hanging up. Go bother someone else."

"Tell me you love me first."

"No." Johnny finishes his phone call to Taeyong. By the time he's hung up the phone, it's early evening, the sky growing a bit darker. He goes through a few chores around the apartment and makes dinner, takes a few other calls, and eventually settles in front of his laptop.

He opens his photography software, pulls up the photos of you, a mix of the soft, intimate shots he managed to get and the other sensual pictures he'd taken. Johnny took his time selecting a few, narrowing it down, combing through thousands of images and setting the good shots into their own separate file. When he finally got down to a dozen or so, his gaze lingers a bit too long on one of you sucking his soul out through the camera.

The picture was an ideal shot, the background dark, your body beautifully in focus, an alluring glow surrounding you and you giving the camera a gentle, provocative stare and biting your lower lip. A perfect little hint of seductive coyness. It's got his mouth dry, lips parting slightly, jaw going slack.

There's no way he's ever letting these photos out of his possession. No goddamn way. If it were up to Johnny, he would've claimed and hoarded every last drop of film he took with you, hidden each image under a lock and key. Johnny's saved every last moment into his memory and it's still not enough, still wants more.

"You're screwed, Suh," he mutters to himself, shaking his head slightly, still transfixed at the laptop screen and his beautiful muse. He feels himself begin to grow hard, pants tenting. Again, he's rock hard, fantasizing about all the things he wishes he could do and be. Your teasing wink and smile and your impossibly smooth thighs and soft hands and...god he couldn't get his mind off you for too long. It was frustrating yet equally exhilarating. 

"Screwed," he mutters out loud.

Dressed and ready to leave, you wait patiently for Johnny to knock at your door. You run a quick check in the mirror, touching a stray piece of hair, the very last strand of effort you make towards your appearance. It was an easy decision to make, hair pulled back in a loose bun, leaving a couple of wisps on your forehead, the rest curling against the exposed neck and falling against the shoulders. It's an effortless style that goes with the floral, tiered summer dress and light, tan shawl draped over your shoulders. The fabric and dress are light and airy, perfectly casual enough for an outdoor summer wedding.

The doorbell rings. You give yourself the once over one more time before looking through the peephole. Even though you already know who's waiting on the other end, you have to force yourself to stop giggling like an adolescent teenager with their first crush.

You're not disappointed one bit with your handsome, tall man standing there. Draped in his own smart suit, the charcoal fabric looks incredible and crisp against his broad, large frame, the vest highlighting a slender, yet muscular physique.

"Looking handsome there," you grin, a blush creeping into the cheeks as Johnny gives you a big, radiant grin and steps close and cups your face, then brushes his lips against your cheek in an innocent kiss. You breathe him in, that all too familiar cologne and a hint of body soap and aftershave and delicious smell that was wholly Johnny.

"Well aren't you lovely," Johnny smiled and gazed intently, looking at the way your soft curls fell, how your eyes twinkled and danced, the curve and stretch of your beautiful smile. "You ready?"

"I was born ready," you reply. "We're meeting Taeyong and Haseul at the venue right?"

"Yeah," Johnny chuckles and offers an arm for you. You gladly link arms, allowing your frame to be enveloped and pressed against his large body, grinning with affection. "He wanted to carpool with us but I shot that idea down fast. I wanted to be alone with you."

There's a bright sparkle in Johnny's eyes. "Yeah?" Your heart leaps up and you feel the happy giddiness bubble over and you smile in return and chuckle.

"What?" Johnny feigns offence. "You've got a problem with being alone with me?"

"No! No, no, no," you laugh and squeeze Johnny's elbow, stroking a thumb over the crisp suit fabric, pretending to primp him, fuss and tease. "Not a problem in the least bit," you snort.

"Good," he nods, smiling broadly. He wraps an arm around your shoulders, squeezing them tightly for a moment and you see the fondness and delight dancing in Johnny's deep, dark brown eyes.

It doesn't take long before you're packed in your vehicle and rolling along on the main road, chatting lightly with Johnny, singing to songs on the radio, laughing, making goofy faces, all the typical first-date jitters and fun.

Johnny holds your hand, fingers tracing delicate patterns, circling the digits in a slow caress as your conversation continues. He rubs your soft skin, caresses the knuckles. And just like the night at the photography studio, there's an intensity between you, sparks flying between your touch.

"You know..." Johnny starts off slowly, not wanting to break the peacefulness but needing to fill the gap. "I know you'll probably smack me in the arm, but I kinda, might have possibly, revealed everything to Taeyong," his voice is cautious, non-threatening and mellow, even though it's unsure. There's an audible sigh at the end of Johnny's admission and you see the tips of his ears grow pink.

"Everything?" You turn around and make eye contact. "Define everything," you probe.

"That we've been hooking up," Johnny murmurs and steals a quick glance at your reaction.

"Nooo..." Your eyes bulge and you laugh incredulously. "Not Haseul and Tae!" You start giggling and clutch Johnny's hand tighter. "So cat's out of the bag, huh? And what else did he say?" You continue to smile.

"You're not mad?" Johnny looks more relieved than usual.

"It was bound to happen anyway," you snort and roll your eyes, not all that bothered and huff in slight indignation. "Besides," you reach a free arm out to lightly punch Johnny in the bicep, "we're both adults who know what we're doing."

"Oh really?" Johnny winks and bites the inside of his cheek, keeping a careful eye out for the next exit and turn.

"Mmmhmm. I know what I want," your voice is coy, hinting, purposely tempting Johnny and feeling the warm weight and curl of his fingers clasped tightly around yours.

"So do I," Johnny hums, stroking a thumb across your knuckles.

"If it's not clear enough," you nudge his strong frame lightly with your elbow and smile cheekily, "I really like you, Johnny."

"Good," he rasps, feeling a heat burning through and lighting up his skin as Johnny returns the grin, "'cause I really, really, like you too."

The wedding is lovely, outdoors under a warm, gentle, sun and pleasant breezes. The wedding officiate speaks his piece, saying words of love and loyalty, sharing a small portion of poetry and positivity. Yuta and his bride have sweetly heartfelt vows written for each other. Haseul tears up and clings to Taeyong, bawling. Taeyong teases her and passes an extra handkerchief over.

The reception has all the pomp and circumstance as any other party and you are free to sit and eat where you want. Food and booze flows and soon enough the happy couple takes to the dance floor for a beautiful dance, twirling and hugging, whispering and touching as their first dance ends with a kiss.

With the food, laughter and music, it's an exceptionally fine evening. Johnny takes random pictures of you on his phone camera when he thinks you aren't aware. Shots of you talking to your mutual friends, dancing, smiling. Every time you look away or glance back at the camera, he shoots.

"Quit stalking me," you tease when the sixth or seventh picture goes off.

"It's for future reference," he shrugs. "So, when you're not around, I have pictures of your smile and those sparkling eyes to think back on and daydream about you," he teases softly.

"Fine, fine, shoot away," you muse. "Do whatever you want." You lift your glass to take a sip.

"Any other comments or requests?" Johnny jokes, fiddling with his camera to prepare for the shot.

"Maybe later tonight," you lick your lips and give him a provocative smile, all sensuality and raw magnetism. "You can take pictures of me in your bed."

"Don't tempt me."

"Why?" You raise your chin slightly in defiance.

"Because I'm happy to leave right now and go do exactly that." Johnny grins mischievously, an eyebrow raising up with playfulness. "The photos will end up on my bedroom wall."

"Good," you wrapped your arms around him, chin on his chest as you looked up at him. "You should be lucky that your girlfriend is an incredibly sexy muse and can pose perfectly for all your artsy pics."

"Girlfriend, huh? So, what you're saying," he hums low in his throat, pleased that your relationship seems to finally have a new direction and path laid before him, "I can do this now?" Johnny tips your chin up and draws your lips close and kisses them, softly yet confident. You press yourself flush and return the kiss, adding pressure to the kiss.

"Yes," you nod and press a few smaller, fluttering kisses over Johnny's lips and part ways, eager to return to the event but savouring the feel and memory of the sensation of his mouth on yours. "Now my handsome boyfriend," you're a tad breathless, "should we go give Yuta our gift and congratulations before leaving?"

"Absolutely," he's equally eager to be leaving and eager to be holding you, kissing you and enjoying time with you. He links his hands with you and together, hand-in-hand, you walk to meet Yuta and his lovely bride.

Johnny has you in his apartment within an hour. The moment the apartment doors closed and locked, Johnny pressed your smaller form up against the entrance wall and began running his fingertips along every square inch of your skin.

A finger traced a shoulder.

Another brush past the collarbones.

Softly touching and exploring, a gentle finger resting just against your sternum, feeling your chest rising and falling rapidly as you inhaled sharply.

His fingers ghosting, lingering against your abdomen and ribs. His thumbs rolling over your clothed nipples, rubbing small, tight circles. The whole while Johnny stared straight into your gaze, transfixed on you and your reaction and responding in return.

"Let's take this," his words are low and slow and deliberate, "somewhere else."

It doesn't matter who started it or who made the first move, just that your clothes are rapidly stripped and flung to the sides. Mouths collide again, sloppy with passion. Johnny kisses the corners of your lips, tongue darting out to trace, tasting the soft flesh. His arms lift you, cradling your hips and lower body as he effortlessly hoists you up, legs wrapping and arms clinging and your naked torso pressed close to his.

His warm, solid body is smooth to touch against the bare breasts and thighs, a heady thrill courses through. Hands trace over the muscles and sculpted bones, squeezing the firm flesh. Johnny nips and places wet open mouthed kisses over your shoulders and jawline, pauses at the crook of your neck and sucks deeply, bringing up bruises in his wake.

He dumps you in the middle of his large bed, hovering above as he gives you a long, deep kiss before retreating to rummage through his drawer and fished out a small camera. You giggle in the low light and Johnny takes the opportunity to sneak a shot, and then another, and another of your nudity, open and sprawled against the sheets, laying like a Greek statue. You give the camera a sultry smile and stretch your arms above your head, showing the round curves of your chest and hips in silhouette.

"Tease," Johnny snaps another photo and presses a few kisses on your shoulder, cupping a bare breast with one hand, thumb kneading a nipple, softly teasing at first and rolling the nub harder as you start to pant, small, breathless noises coming from you.

"What are you going to do with these photos? Hang them on your wall like you told me back at the wedding venue?" You whisper, reaching a hand out and caressing Johnny's cheek as he crawls over you again.

"I'll hang it on the ceiling so that when I lie in bed, I get to be greeted by a sight of a goddess," he gives you a little pinch of the nipple and another shot with the camera. He looks into the camera display and sighs, clearly aroused and already hard.

"Cheesy and corny but," your breath hitches as you watch the way he is looking at you, the way your body arches to his touch, your chest heaving, body quivering, aching with pleasure as he works. "Adorable. And hot. Very hot, babe."

He moves, crawling down the bed, away from your embrace and your touches and parts your legs. Johnny settles on his stomach, the camera in one hand and his other resting gently against your inner thigh. You whimper softly and clutch the sheets.

"Smile, baby," Johnny winked. He pressed the camera shutter and you smiled, heart hammering. 

"At this point, you might as well just film us having sex," you hummed. He placed a kiss to your thigh before a soft nip, hands reaching and stroking.

"Amateur porn's not really my style," Johnny murmured into your flesh, sucking and drawing blood into the surface and pulling his mouth back to admire his creation, then pressing another deep suck, a kiss to your inner thigh. Your fingers find a handful of his hair. "But something about taking photos, catching your most intimate moments," he pulls a leg to his shoulder, positioning your frame to his liking and snaps a picture, admiring the result, "this is way more erotic for me."

"How so? Explain it. Tell me." A wet tongue glided over the sensitive lips of your sex, drawing a startled gasp.

"Anyone can make a sex tape. Amateur porn's a dime-a-dozen these days, and almost everyone has access to making their own content and sharing it," he spread your legs open, another camera click. "It's an age of social media, TikTok and Snapchat and Facetiming and sending naughty videos back and forth. But with photography?" 

Johnny blew cool air over your core, causing you to shudder. Another camera click and his mouth lowered, drawing his tongue down the entrance, giving you a long, delicious, thorough lick and pulling off with a satisfied, obscene pop. "With photography, every frame and angle is a meticulously planned shot. Each moment needs to be studied and explored and thought through. There's a composition, a scene, an artist's inspiration." 

Another lick, the tip of his tongue focusing on the most sensitive of nerves and dipping inside briefly. "Porn? One person can make a porno, and a few people can make it into a movie. Photography takes time and effort. There's a personal drive, motivation, inspiration that sparks an entire project. I feel a million times more satisfied at creating a book full of sexy photos and scenes, than releasing a 3 minute clip to the internet. I want to reimagine and reshape each image over and over. I want to keep shooting these erotic pictures for a lifetime of inspiration. Even after my career is over and the camera retired and stored away," his lips lock around your sex and he sucks and kisses deeply, pausing to finish his statement, "your pictures will keep me going."

"So poetic," you moan as his tongue finds purchase deep inside again. "Are we ever going to do the naked deed?" You reached a leg over his broad shoulder, calf slipping up the length of his back. "Put the camera away and fuck me, please?"

"Alright," Johnny raised an eyebrow with amusement, chuckling deeply. "Haven't seen you quite this demanding," he murmurs, smirking as he begins to kneel upright, abandoning the camera on the nearby side table, "It's kinda hot."

"Stop laughing at me and let's bang already, dammit," you're giggling at the stupid exchange and reaching and tugging his torso down.

"There's that seductive language I like," Johnny chuckles again. The weight of his strong, large body sinks you into the mattress as he presses you and sinks down to capture a kiss, sloppy and tasting of sweat and arousal. "So impatient."

"And needy," you gasp out between breaths. You sigh into the kiss, Johnny's tongue grazing your bottom lip. You run the pads of your hands and fingertips over the rigid expanse of muscle and bone, committing the sensation, the warmth and movement to memory. "C'mon, please."

He settles between your legs, feeling the tip of his hardened cock line against the entrance, teasing a bit. A sharp intake of breath. The sensation of being full and filled and connected, your bodies connecting, and your moans and gasps fill the silence.

He stretches and fills you so well, perfect in shape, the tip of his cock barely grazing against that most sensitive spot and your legs cling tightly against his strong frame, heels digging against the dimples on his lower back as the movements begin and escalate, climbing higher and higher.

"Fuck Johnny," you swear and he breathes your name in response. His powerful body stretches and arcs against yours, skin slick with perspiration as he groans and thrusts, pounding his cock in you, again and again.

"Harder," you beg and he complies, hitting against your most pleasurable and sensitive spots and watching your eyes screw and roll back, mouth falling open in the heat and intensity.

Your cries reach higher. Moans and groans mingle and bounce off the bedroom walls. Skin slapping, and wetness, the obsceneness of the situation sends shocks of electric arousal and you pant and claw harder at Johnny's back, breaking and leaving scratches, and marks.

You grip his strong arms, big and bulging with muscle as they pin you in place, gripping and clinging for life as your peak approaches, all-consuming and overpowering.

"Fuck fuck fuck, please," you pant and Johnny lets his hands rove, exploring and caressing your curves and shape. One large palm captures a full breast and his fingers brush and pinch at your nipples, caressing the undersides as your body arches and curls at the sensations. "Please, oh god, right there..." Your breath hitches, rising higher and faster as he continues to rut and grind in, making the bed sheets shift, the furniture rocks and bangs against the nearby wall.

His mouth trails from your lips down to your jaw and ear, peppering hot, searing kisses and murmuring dirty and sweet and romantic. You thread your fingers through his messy black hair and grip his face, moaning and muttering his name, muttering gibberish, barely coherent. You look into his dark chocolate-brown eyes, his dark hair hanging messily over the sweat slicked forehead, expression twisted, intense yet dream-like as he continues to pound.

"Yeah," he rasps, cock pushing deeply within your sopping and tender sex, rubbing at the ridged, sweet spot deep inside and coaxing more and more cries. "Look at me." His gaze is firm, unyielding as your eyes connect with each other. The look is enough to trigger and send your orgasm washing through your entire frame, bliss spreading from toes to head, a low cry escaping your lips.

"C'mon baby, look at me," Johnny coaxes, groaning as your body pulses and shakes, spasming and tightening as the orgasm roars through, "c'mon... yeah that's it." He sighs, relaxing his jaw. Your moans reach high and you clutch at the thick forearms, mouth dropped open.

He leans down and holds you close, feeling the aftermath, feeling your sex twitching around his cock still buried deep and his hips work again, dragging his throbbing length within your sensitive pussy. He rests and groans in the curve of your neck, feeling you beneath him as his pace grows harder and quicker, chasing the euphoric release.

He leans down and holds you close, feeling the aftermath, feeling your sex twitching around his cock still buried deep and his hips work again, dragging his throbbing length within your sensitive pussy. He rests and groans in the curve of your neck, feeling you beneath him as his pace grows harder and quicker, chasing the euphoric release.

You clutch his shoulders as the motions escalate, sweat dripping from his hair, onto your frame. "Oh... God Johnny..." you whimper, sensitive as the movement escalates and grow sloppy and loose, irregular, growing higher and harder, rising like a tsunami, wave crashing through his own body and the bed shakes, banging against the wall. "I'm close, please please please..."

"Right, with you, baby," Johnny's words come out jumbled as he rocks his hips down, pounding against you again, dragging his teeth against the delicate collarbone. "You feel so good..." he mutters and groans low in his throat. "You feel so fucking good and so hot around me."

"Johnny, oh god, please, right there, yes..." You rake a hand over his sweat slick back, a trembling breath. Your second orgasm rolls and builds up again, surprising yet unsurprising. You tighten a leg around Johnny's back, whimpering his name and shuddering hard.

"Shit," he grunts, your name hissing from clenched teeth. He goes quiet, only soft moans and throaty groans escaping as the pace turns frantic and rough. His abs contract as his release spurts, spraying and coating the insides in warm fluids. Johnny stays in and holds you close as his body calms and relaxes. He remains soft and comforting, letting you cling close and rubbing small circles.

A moment or two passes before you breathe in deep, inhaling the scent of sweat, and skin and hair and sex. "Don't move, stay right there." Johnny whispers, trying not to let your limbs or position unhinge.

"Yeah?" You mumble, words sleepy and slow. "Okay."

Johnny shifts, reaching to pick the camera off of the nearby nightstand. He puts it to his eye, aiming the lense towards your shared bed and presses. There's the faint click and flash as he holds his pose for another half second and finally lowers the camera.

"One last sexy photo." He presses another kiss to your swollen and moistened lips. "One last photo, just like this," Johnny grins cheekily and rolls on his back, drawing your exhausted form close against his solid body, "tangled in sheets, laying together, messy. One last photo and then we can sleep."

He draws you in for a kiss, camera clicking and recording the post-coital bliss. He lingers on you and looks into the display, eyes drifting shut.

"Beautiful." He chuckles and sets the camera back down, wrapped close around your frame. You shiver as he presses kisses on your temple. "Go to sleep, baby."

Finals are over and done with, and summer is well under way. Your best friend Wooyoung invited you to the annual summer road trip that he and his other friends from the ATZ frat take every year. They rented a pretty decent sized SUV and would spend the weeks on the road, ending back on campus in time for the school's end of summer party. You always wanted to join them, since you were good friends with all 7 of Wooyoung's other friends, but you've been busy working and saving up money to get your own place off-campus. This year is the first year you find yourself free.

Everyone is super excited at the chance to finally go camping on the coast. Usually, they spend their time at amusement parks, small attractions and malls along the route. Hongjoong took charge of booking their cabin, and it would be big enough to accommodate everyone, even if some people might have to share a room.

There are plenty of ways this is gonna suck, namely being trapped in a moving vehicle, for hours on end with 8 guys. And by "guys," you mean idiots, whose idea of fun included pranks, drinking, and vulgarity. They are quite a wild bunch, but who are you to complain? You're just as rowdy as the rest of them, if not more. They never let you live down that one time you got shit-faced drunk and streaked the quad during finals week last year. The eight of them spent a majority of the trip retelling the story between laughs, much to your disdain.

You watch as Jongho, Hongjoong, and Mingi race against Yunho, San, and Yeosang to a spot towards the pier, dropping their things. The waves roll up against the sandy shores, creating a soft ambiance as you soak the sun's rays, inhaling the ocean air into your lungs. Wooyoung jogs up to join you at the bottom of the hill and catches the smile tugging at your lips.

The way the bright summer sunshine shimmers in your eyes is truly enchanting. How many times had he passed you in the hall on his way to class, secretly thinking about how much the way your whole face lit up resembled sunshine? You were friends with many of his friends, but you'd always been his best friend, ever since middle school. 

He has an embarrassingly long memory of you two on your first school trip, sharing a room at the hostel and staying up late after everyone had already gone to bed. He was the first person you told that you had a crush on his older brother, and you were the first person to console him after his first heartbreak. The two of you spent your whole high school years together; every game, every class, every important milestone... you were always the first one he shared them with. You would always be the first one he sought out when he had something exciting to tell someone. You've seen a lot together over the years, and even though he wasn't totally ready, the possibility of something developing between the both of you has always lurked at the edges of his mind.

"Don't you guys dare throw Y/N into the water!" Seonghwa’s shout interrupts the thoughts in his head. Wooyoung watches San and Yunho trying to sneak up behind you, waiting to snatch you and dive into the freezing cold water. You have absolutely no time to prepare as Yunho and San sweep you up and launch you over their shoulders. Your screaming is quickly drowned out as you land right in the chilling sea, coming right back up a few seconds later for air.

"Oh, you're dead meat! Get back here!!" You bellow. Your friends erupt into hysterics at your dramatic reaction to your unplanned swim. While the rest of the boys continue to laugh their asses off, Wooyoung swoops in and helps you out of the cold water. "I'm cold, Woo. Ugh."

"I'll help you get payback, later," Wooyoung reassures you as he wraps an arm around you and leads you towards Seonghwa, who has a towel at the ready. "Let's get settled into the cabin first, and then we'll figure out how we can exact revenge on the two clowns."

"Sounds good," you huff, still grumpy. Once you've finished getting dried off, Wooyoung picks up your small duffel bag and makes his way into the direction of the cabin. His hand meets yours, briefly, and he opens his palm. A slight jolt runs up his forearm when you interlace your fingers. 

Wooyoung also has an embarrassingly long list of memories involving how warm your palm feels when clasped together with his own. For some reason, he always remembers the feel of them better than all the other things. He knows his brain is playing tricks on him, trying to convince him that the way your palms perfectly fit together is because your body was made for him. In those fleeting moments of intertwined hands, a heat blossoms within the depths of his soul. If he was just a little bit braver, he would have closed his fingers over your hand, squeezed it, and refused to let go until there was no more fight left in you.

...But he wasn't that brave yet.

"Jongho, being the winner he is, wants a room to himself," Hongjoong explains after you enter the door of the cabin.

"I won fair and square," Jongho's eyes gleam at his friends, a toothy grin spreading across his cheeks, reminding the group that he demolished almost all the others at an impromptu arm wrestling competition before the trip. They really should've seen this outcome coming.

Everyone paired off in the room they chose. Hongjoong and Seonghwa choose the room closest to Jongho's, Yunho and Mingi claim the other room on the lower floor, Yeosang and San choose the room closest to the top of the stairs. You and Wooyoung take the room furthest down the hall and it overlooks the beach from the window.

You have your reservations about this part of the trip, mainly because you’re the only girl traveling with eight boys. You often share a room with Wooyoung and vice versa. It makes  perfect sense. The two of you know each other's boundaries and aren't afraid to bring each other down a peg when it comes to annoying the other. After dropping your bags next to the door, Wooyoung surveys the room with its king size bed.

"Shit," Wooyoung curses at the sight of the single mattress. "I knew there was a reason Hongjoong gave us that look..."

"Hongjoong has some issues and needs a swift kick in the head," you laugh. Your friends would often joke about you and Wooyoung hooking up, despite the fact that there was absolutely nothing going on between the two of you, much to the others' amusement. You and Wooyoung often fanned the fire with the way you flirted with each other and teased the others, but never did it ever come to anything real. 

But what if it did?

A loud stomach grumble disrupts the air of contemplation. Wooyoung erupts in laughter after hearing your stomach's announcement. "Let's go get some food in you," he sniggers and throws an arm around your shoulder to direct you out of the room. "Sounds like your stomach's ready to eat me at this point."

"At least you'll be a tasty meal!" You chirp before wrapping an arm around his waist and following him down the hall. Wooyoung hopes you can’t feel the slight tremble beneath his skin, caused by the excitement coursing throughout his body. The way you fit perfectly into his side causes a spark deep down in his gut. There’s no better feeling than that, in his opinion.

When you make your way into the dining room, the whole group is discussing what their first activity should be for the day. You're eager to take advantage of the summer season and soak in the sun and salt air, so you vote on finding a secluded spot for everyone to have a picnic. Since you'd rather spend your time in the great outdoors, the others agree to take advantage and spend the day playing sand volleyball and swimming in the ocean.

As the others are sorting through their belongings to get ready, you go to grab your bag with your bikini inside. You put on your bikini, and before you're able to grab a coverup, Wooyoung emerges into the room and announces his presence.

"Are you almost done? I've got a towel, my sunscreen..." His eyes meet yours in the full-body mirror, and he trips. "Shit," he hisses and nearly tumbles forward, just catching his balance before the two of you collide. A scarlet hue coats the tips of Wooyoung's ears and spreads onto his cheeks.

It's not like he hasn't seen you in a bikini in all his years of knowing you. His mom often threw pool parties during the summer, and the two of you spent an exorbitant amount of time together during childhood. But you look nothing like how he remembers, all these years later. Growing up, you'd been just like him, skinny and awkward. Wooyoung noticed you changing, slowly, as if nature itself had molded your curves carefully to perfection. It started when your clothes became too tight in places Wooyoung had no business looking at.

"Wooyoung? Hello, earth to Wooyoung," your hand appears in front of his face, fingers snapping to capture his attention. 

Wooyoung looks at the bikini, immediately averts his gaze and scrambles over to where his duffel bag is. "Uh yeah, I'm- uh, almost ready. Shit, uh... fuck I'm-"

"You're acting so weird," you mumble quietly. Wooyoung slips back into the bathroom to gather his composure. Even though he felt his soul nearly depart, his best friend shouldn't see him break, especially because it's only her wearing a bathing suit.

Once you're both ready to go, the whole group walks over to a secluded spot near the cove. There were some families out and about enjoying the sunshine and ocean breeze, but the stretch of beach you and the gang find yourselves in is mostly unoccupied. Hongjoong unravels the beach blanket, spreading it out for everyone to get comfortable. The others pass around the bottles of beer and snacks that everyone brought. The delicious scents of grilled meat fills the space, and the clinks of ice floating in their drinks compliment the lazy sound of the ocean breeze.

"Wooyoung! Can you put sunscreen on my back?" You ask as you sit down and hold out the bottle.

"We're in the shade. What good will that do?" He argues as he takes the bottle.

"Come on! Better safe than sorry!" You huff and pout a little in Wooyoung's direction. "Do it for me, please!"

"Fine. Fine," he relents and scoots himself up behind you. To be fair, he'd rather be the one doing this instead of any of the other seven hooligans. Wooyoung probably wouldn't forgive himself, had they gotten even the chance to run their hands over any part of your soft skin.

"Let me undo the straps so you can apply sunscreen there too," you mention as your hands trail to the back to loosen the knots. You're holding up the front of your bikini, and the image alone makes his mouth dry.

"Uh... um..." his breath is taken away, like how a gust of wind carries the strength to sweep the air from his lungs.

"Woo? Hello?" your giggle rings across the otherwise peaceful coast as you tilt your head to face the source of your amusement. "Help a friend out? I don't want to get burned, even if it is just a little sun."

Wooyoung blinks away and starts working the cool cream against your neck, focusing hard on keeping his touch as light as he could, before spreading it lower to the parts that are going to be most exposed to the sun. He makes his way down from your shoulders to your upper back and downwards. All the while, his senses were working overtime, registering the silk-like sensation of your skin, memorizing the precise way his fingers dragged along, but most of all, Wooyoung is hyper-aware of the intimacy of the moment. Had anyone watched the interaction unfold, they might assume that he was just helping you apply sunscreen, like friends often did, but Wooyoung wasn't naive enough to completely deny the slight charge to his fingers at their first brush across your spine.

He's not in his right mind when his sunscreened fingers are reaching around your front and when his fingers brush against the bottom of your ample breasts. Your sharp intake of breath nearly short circuits him, sending a bolt of electricity directly through his cock, stiffening him in a second.

"Wooyoung...?" you voice quietly, letting the ends of the syllables hover in the space between you, "I think I'm all good now." You swallow as the hairs on your neck rise and a shiver rocks up from your belly, lingering on the delicious feeling of Wooyoung touching you like that, and the realization that something might happen, "I think I'd rather...put the rest myself." You offer gently.

"Ah yeah. Umm..." Wooyoung slowly slides his arm back, "Sorry I uh, slipped a bit," he smiles nervously and hopes that you can't read his thoughts as you face him once again.

"No harm done. Thanks, though!" you laugh and pat Wooyoung on the leg a few times.

You're not sure how, but the two of you manage to behave around one another and keep your feelings from showing throughout the rest of the afternoon. This might be hard, however, since whenever Wooyoung closed his eyes, all he could remember was the feeling of your hot skin.

What in the heck was that? As you walk away from Wooyoung in the direction of the shore, the space between your legs warms considerably as your heart rate picks up. You swallow at the memory of his featherlight touch grazing just beneath your breasts, as his front brushed up against your back. Your body reacts of its own accord, and your legs wobble and threaten to buckle. How the hell are you going to stay cool like this? Your blood boils with the heat rushing through your body, spreading, taking over. You turn the corner of a rock and dip beneath a shaded spot where you can catch your breath.

His hands were warm, so damn warm. And he was close. so damn close and... and his scent is making your brain a mushy, confused mess. As much as you would love to deny the warmth spreading between your legs and your fingers aching for you to take yourself over the edge, you're unable to. Fuck, fuck. If this keeps up... If he were to kiss you right now... you would let him.

Fuck.

You sigh out, try to calm the fuck down, and steady yourself against the cold stone of the cliffs. Once you've gathered the resolve, you make your way toward the group of your friends, who are currently deciding between a round of volleyball or a dip in the sea, or both. They are in various stages of removing clothing, eager to start their day at the beach. Wooyoung chooses that exact moment to join you guys and remove his shirt, making you falter a little before regaining your balance. The sharp angles of his face contrast the gentle waves of his bangs as they dance along his forehead, blown about by the ocean breeze.

You know your body is in deep shit the moment you see that his skin is flushed from the sun. 

Fuck. He's hot. 

With that revelation, a tiny bit of doubt rises up. This man isn’t anything like he was when you were teenagers, and it's suddenly glaringly obvious. Wooyoung isn't the kid you remember him being and neither are you. You're very clearly adults now and yet somehow... the feelings you had as a girl haven’t gone anywhere. Maybe Wooyoung isn’t aware of them yet, or perhaps he is, but you suddenly get a really strong sense that maybe you and Wooyoung are walking around with the same feelings, even as grown-ups now. It's incredibly unnerving, knowing what you know now, and knowing what's ahead, should he return your affections. It'd be really cool if someone told your stomach that, because it seems to be doing everything possible to throw your system out of whack right about now.

The sun, while merciful thus far, is nevertheless unkind in its attention to the lot of you. Mingi is the first victim, and boy was he a sight to see with a cherry red back, but before long, the group has endured its own round of sunburns. Ha, serves them right for not wearing sunscreen. 

Wooyoung hasn't really taken his eyes off of you, except to laugh at his suffering friends, and you really think about what it would be like if things went further and wondered if... well, if he had the same ideas about the two of you. If so, and you two ended up together, could things turn out okay between the both of you? You feel so lost when it comes to stuff like this because you and Wooyoung are essentially starting over from a zero base with each other, and honestly, it’s pretty overwhelming to be faced with the reality of that right now, and also what this summer holds for the both of you.

Your mind is swarming with ideas, when all of a sudden Seonghwa screams "DON'T YOU DAREー" as Wooyoung tackles you into the shallow waters, throwing you over his shoulder like a sack of rice and running for a short bit before splashing into the water himself. 

"Not again!" You scream but a shriek quickly turns into hysterical laughter as the sea engulfs the both of you. He surfaces first and grabs hold of you as soon as you resurface as well. You're grateful the water's hiding your tears from his little stunt.

"Your hair's all messed up!" Wooyoung laughs, and then begins untangling some pieces of hair stuck between others. A rush of embarrassment washes over you, but is immediately cut short when he brings a strand up to his nose and smells it. His smile gets softer and warmer after. "Hmmm, you smell good."

"It's the sea, you dummy," you giggle.

"You smell like the sea, and your shampoo, and summer," he says simply, then continues combing through your hair until he's satisfied that he’s removed all of its tangles. "Okay, perfect!"

"Is Wooyoung a stylist too? He sure does know how to treat the ladies right!" San remarks loudly, catching the attention of the rest of the gang. 

You see their smirks, and it makes you groan out in annoyance. You really can’t give them any more kindling to encourage them to meddle with you and Wooyoung, or god-forbid... actually intervene, because who knows what type of matchmaking shenanigans your idiot friends are capable of?

Wooyoung laughs, a hand splayed across your back as you both make your way back out of the water and onto the beach. "She's an old lady and needed assistance in fixing her hair." 

"I am not old!" you complain. "My bones and back creak sometimes, though," you mumble under your breath.

"See? An old lady."

"Oh my GOD shut up," you shove Wooyoung as the group erupts into a laughing fit and you hurry towards Seonghwa who is offering a towel to you. "At least someone isn't mean!" you stuck your tongue out.

"Ready to go back?" Hongjoong asks and stretches, offering to help roll up the blanket. The sky is starting to turn a multitude of colors as the sun is setting on the other side of the ocean. As much as you all want to watch the sunset on the beach, the gentle breeze in the air turns cold in the evening, and the thought of sitting in a wet bathing suit is less than ideal.

"Can we swing by one of the convenience stores first? I think my stomach just started rumbling again," you pout.

"What kind of hunger monster is she?!" Mingi shouts, earning him a solid flick against the forehead from you.

"I promise I won't let my stomach bug you guys," you rub your belly, "but this monster will not be quelled until it gets its meal!"

"Greasy food it is. Let's go!" Seonghwa orders, effectively ending all complaints. Everyone heads in the direction of the road, grabbing their stuff and locking up the cabin.

As you're walking, Wooyoung presses his body up against your own, knocking his hip into your side a couple times. You'd been joined at the hip ever since you were kids; everyone around you used to say that the two of you were as thick as thieves. So when Wooyoung slides up next to you like this, it isn't weird. You wouldn't want it any other way. The only thing you would wish for is the ability to know what he's thinking when you catch the tail end of a soft smile adorning the handsome curve of his lips, and a dusting of a blush that graces the tips of his ears.

The gang piles into a family van and races towards the closest convenience store on the roadside. "No dawdling!" San screams as he hops out the sliding doors. "Get your food and then go back to the cabin!"

"Don't forget to pay!" Hongjoong screams through the open windows as you and the other boys hop out. Everyone grabs what they came for and rushes to the registers. As you're making your purchases, Wooyoung meets you at the register and begins laying out his own items, clearly giving the impression of two people on a date, making dinner together.

The cashier gives the both of you a smile, the corners of her mouth stretching further as she watches how Wooyoung interacts with you. You notice the way she keeps looking between you and him, the growing interest in how closely Wooyoung places his hand on your wrist to prevent you from grabbing your wallet out of your bag. 

"You two are on a date, tonight?" she questions.

"I don't know if I'd call it a date when we have those hooligans waiting for us," you giggle and point towards the van. Wooyoung joins in laughing as Hongjoong turns back to flip the two of you the bird, and Seonghwa slaps his arm to reprimand him.

"My mistake!" The girl beams brightly and smiles wide at the pair of you, "You two just look really cute, so I got my hopes up a little."

Wooyoung softly thanks her and intertwines his fingers with yours as he pulls you towards the parking lot to join your other friends. You don’t have a chance to hear the response that Wooyoung mumbles, but you do notice that his grip is a tad tighter.

"Took you two long enough. Sheesh!" Seonghwa complains as you climb back in.

"But now we can get to eating and eating!" Yunho says excitedly, "Back to the cabin!"

Dinner consists of beef bulgogi and white rice, with an assortment of kimbap rolls to share. No meal is complete, especially not around here, without alcohol, though, so you grab everyone a glass and pour the chilled beer. In the evening, it's often a comfortable warmth in your chest that spreads and blooms the longer you all spend time talking and laughing.

Everyone is well fed, and more importantly, they are buzzed after several glasses. The only thing that hasn't waned is how warm you feel deep inside, the fire stoking within your belly. You realize it's getting late, the hour growing later by the minute.

"Is anyone ready for the main event?" Yunho sings as he stands from his chair, setting aside his glass on the table. He's also a lightweight, and giggly drunk at that. "Truth or dare? Spin the bottle, truth and dare edition. When the bottle lands on you, either choose truth or dare, or drink. Got it?"

"Fuck. Why not? Bring it, Yunho," Yeosang says. The others are either cheering in excitement or groaning in frustration.

"How 'bout you, Y/N? In or out?" San questions as the group looks over at you, eagerly awaiting your response.

"Let's do this," you breathe out a little and crack the bones in your neck and stretch your fingers, getting ready to take whatever's thrown at you.

A few turns in and you've landed with a couple shots, a couple questions and a dare. Thankfully, no one has tried to take advantage of your current, inebriated state and went all out with questions. Most were pretty generic, if not a little boring. Seonghwa has a huge crush on their philosophy professor. Jongho secretly collects pornographic literature and owns a few magazines. Even though Mingi won a hand-stand competition, he can't keep his balance. Hongjoong has a list of every man, woman, and gender-neutral creature that has caught his attention. Yunho would wear a skirt, if someone asked him nicely. San once hooked up with their librarian in the supply room. Yeosang was actually dating one of the phys ed girls and it's going pretty well. And lastly, Wooyoung...

"Dare," Wooyoung chuffs out, proudly showing that he wasn't afraid of any of their stupid dares.

"Hmmmmm..." San, Yunho, and Yeosang immediately put their heads together. Wooyoung, unfazed and knowing them for too many years already, waits calmly as the three brainstorm what his fate will be.

"Make out with Y/N for a full minute!" they all shout simultaneously, each pointing to their victim.

"You shitheads are gonna be in big trouble next round," he grouches. The boys all howl with laughter as they watch the color rise on his cheeks, dusting his ear tips pink.

You know it's just a stupid little kiss. So what if your heart's beating fast? So what if your palms are already sweaty at the mere thought of touching his mouth? Wooyoung is attractive and has always had girls falling over themselves to catch a date with him. So you would never understand the magnetic pull that drags you closer, leaving a lingering uncertainty over exactly how close you should get to his lips.

But even now, his hands slide through the thick strands of your hair to gently pull your face closer. The warm sweetness of his breath grazes over your lips, and as the last strings of courage fade, the drunken haze slips away. You close your eyes, and when your lashes flutter, you're startled back into reality when the wet warmth of a hot tongue slips against your lips. Wooyoung makes it look easy, this kissing game. His fingers are tracing small circles on the nape of your neck, and you melt. The instant spark that flew up your spine and ricochets up against your skull leaves you weak. You sigh, the moan dying in your throat, and you fall deeper under the spell of his kiss. It's in that moment, you can sense something building between your bodies, creating an energy so palpable you'd swear your clothes could've ripped in an instant.

A cacophony of groans and exaggerated sounds of disgust infiltrates your moment, effectively bringing back everyone from your trance.

"Go to your room if you're not going to stop it there," Yunho pouts and turns his back on the two of you, covering his eyes for extra effect.

"Yeah, please continue somewhere where none of us have to see it," San waves his hands. The both of you are still staring at each other, your hand gripping tightly to his wrist as you scramble back into the space behind you, putting as much distance as possible between you and your best friend.

The game continues on, and you are able to laugh everything off. No one really pays you any mind, and the rest of the evening is just spent laughing and singing with some drinks. There are a couple of card games and a lot more truth-or-dares thrown around. By the end of the night, you find yourself already sleepy. The boys, all together, decide to continue their silly game a little longer while you excuse yourself from the table.

When you're almost in the bedroom, Wooyoung comes up behind you and grabs you. "So?" he asks, with his warm body enveloping you, arms and legs spread on either side of your frame, wrapping you up.

"Yes? What's up?" you whisper quietly, surprised he came to you, instead of staying with the others. He wants to ask you something but hesitates. He needs to get it off his chest, he thinks to himself, otherwise Wooyoung won't be able to sleep at night. "Wooyoung, do you want to go further?"

He doesn't answer and tightens his hold. The air grows warm and heady, swirling the longer the two of you stay stationary. Finally, you take his hand in yours and lead him through the threshold. It's dark, but there is still just enough light filtering through the slats of the window to give the two of you a vague idea of what you are seeing.

But before anything can really happen, you were both snoring into the pillows of your shared bed.

The van is loaded up, and you are heading towards the next destination on your road trip. After several hours, the group is collectively losing their minds. 

"Okay, let's switch. My butt is sore," San groans and pops his joints as he exits the driver's seat, turning it over to Yunho. The exchange doesn't last long, and before you know it, it's only noon and everyone was antsy as fuck and impatient and frankly, driving Yunho to the brink of his sanity.

It’s your turn to drive the rest of the way, and the boys are clearly anxious about letting you take the wheel. "No no, come on, Y/N, I think Yeosang will want another go at it."

"No, it's my turn to take the wheel," you flash the biggest smile and snatch the keys out of his hand. "Any complaints, speak now or forever hold your peace." You laugh evilly as the boys quiet and silently file into the vehicle. "We'll vroom vroom!"

"If you get a speeding ticket, I won't defend you. Just so you know," Jongho shouts at you from the back as you're peeling away at the highway.

"Yeah, yeah!" you shout back and set up the GPS before pressing play on your favorite driving playlist. "We'll be safe. Now, strap up and shut up. Time for the fun part!" You step on the gas pedal, and the tires squeal a little bit as the boys scream out their disapproval.

In the time that you drive to the next town, the group settles into their respective spaces for the remainder of the ride, occupying their phones for entertainment and keeping each other company, taking occasional detours from the car to use the restrooms and stretching out their legs at the stop areas along the way. At some point, the others in the back start to drift off and snore softly, and you smile fondly to yourself.

It’s already been a long day and everyone is so tired out that once they finally get a taste of peace and quiet, they fall asleep, heads swaying on top of shoulders or curled up at the window side, wrapped in the plush coats. Even Seonghwa's head has rolled to the side, his own jacket being used to prop himself upright and his mouth hung open in slumber.

Not that the quiet bothers you, because it’s soothing having your favorite music playing quietly in the background as you drive. Wooyoung is sitting in the passenger seat and isn’t quite asleep, but the relaxed state that his shoulders have eased into assure you that the journey to his next destination hasn't been an unpleasant one.

There’s no sound except for the snoring and the love song that’s playing in the background, the mellow voice soothing your souls.

Wooyoung takes your free hand and intertwines your fingers. "Is this okay?" he asks quietly.

"Yeah, it is," you hum gently in affirmation, and he tightens his grip, letting out a small content hum of his own.

As you continue to drive, Wooyoung remains wide awake, occasionally lifting the cup to sip on his iced coffee that has mostly melted by now. His eyes scan the landscape, watching as the horizon speeds past him. At this point, you can feel the slightest pressure at your core building again. But this time, it feels different; more powerful somehow. 

He notices and breaks the silence first. "Are we... gonna talk about it?" His tone is even and careful, and there are no hard edges to his voice like before, just a gentle prod.

"What's there to say, really?"

"Don't play that," Wooyoung mutters, shooting you a look that says 'Really?'

You sigh and wipe your palms, shifting your grip on the wheel as the conversation turns heavy. "I honestly have no clue where we even stand," you admit. It's not a lie, but it sure does feel like one. "Where do you think we are?"

"Honestly..." Wooyoung answers carefully, making it obvious he’s trying hard to choose the right words, "Honestly, I don't know where we are going. I don't know. Not anymore." He waits, leaving a weighty silence to settle between you both, before speaking again. "But I really, really like you." He pauses for another beat, waiting as if expecting a response, then carries on. "Like, not as a friend," he explains quickly, then swallows thickly before starting again, "not as just... not a... as someone I grew up with."

"So..." you start, unsure how exactly to proceed. "Does that mean you have feelings for me?"

He considers the question for a second, but then responds bluntly. "I've never not had feelings for you," he mutters quietly. His reply is both unexpected and surprising and also, oddly reassuring.

"Good to know," you whisper, lips quirking upwards. "And I don't wanna sound corny but..." you start but trail off, not knowing where to go next. How do you express that what you really feel is that maybe there's a possibility that you and him have always belonged to each other without sounding lame as hell? "I really, really like you too."

There's an awkward pause, and you're glad the others are all asleep in the back, unaware of the confession of feelings happening in the front row seat. You wait as Wooyoung clears his throat and looks up at you. Your eyes dart to the rear-view mirror for a quick sweep to check the others again. Thankfully, everyone else seems to still be sleeping and completely oblivious. 

"Our next rest stop, and I'm going to kiss the absolute life out of you. Fair warning," you mutter so quietly it's barely audible, and you can almost feel the blush bloom across your cheeks.

He raises his eyebrows at you, but his mouth ticks up with mirth. 

"No complaints here," and he chuckles, the sound comforting you. Then, he throws his feet onto the dashboard, crosses his arms across his chest, closes his eyes, and settles in for a little while, to rest and dream of nothing but you.

Soon, you pull into a highway diner and wake the gang to stretch their legs and grab some food to snack on until the next full stop, giving you ample time and privacy to settle what needs to be addressed between you and him.

Wooyoung waits patiently as the group mills about, wandering inside and grabbing the table.

"Thank fuck, I needed a toilet. Like, so bad," Jongho complains loudly as he sprints straight towards the facilities at the corner of the entrance.

You head inside as well, getting a big smile on your face, already thinking about what you are going to eat for lunch and where your next adventure will begin. After a half-hour of chatting and scarfing down your food, and taking a good amount of time to relieve yourselves in the restrooms, the group makes its way to the parking lot once again.

"Whose turn is it to drive next?" you call out to the guys, who all groan in unison. "I can go again but this time I'll actually vroom vroom!" You rev the engine to emphasise your point and you hear laughter erupt out of the pack.

"No vroom vroom," Hongjoong laughs and steps up towards the steering wheel. "My turn, little monster. Hand it over." 

He reaches a hand towards you and pries the key from your grip. The rest of the crew pile into the van, and the radio plays loudly as Hongjoong races out the parking spot and swerves onto the road, successfully startling everyone within the vehicle and sending them toppling over each other.

"Oh, so I can't vroom vroom but you can?" you cross your arms in defiance in the third row, Wooyoung laughing next to you.

"I'm a great driver!" Hongjoong boasts from the driver's seat as he navigates out of the busy lot and into the rush hour traffic.

"I love you, but you drive like a demon possessed!" San shouts from beside him.

"Dramatic," Hongjoong chuckles. "Alright, settle in folks," he smiles over at the group. "The road's ahead of us, it's gonna be a looonnngg ride!" He floors the gas and merges onto the highway.

You settle closer to Wooyoung's warm body, and his hands pull you closer, cradling your shoulders. He places a featherlight kiss on your hairline. "Later," he mumbles.

A small sigh escapes as the warmth envelopes you whole. This would have to do. "Later," you whisper, nuzzling deeper into his embrace.

Night has already begun to descend as everyone was falling in and out of sleep. The adrenaline from the early start and subsequent stops is finally waning, leaving a nice sense of calm and security blanketing the entire crew.

Everyone seems relaxed. 

"Y'know..." Yunho suddenly begins, rousing from a long snooze. "I gotta take a piss."

"Yunho... We're in the middle of nowhere," you sigh, slightly amused but also quite annoyed, "can't you go for a few more miles?"

"A few more miles my ass! I gotta pee, like, RIGHT now!" Yunho continues whining. "Come on, man, please pull over at the rest stop coming up!"

"I gotta go too. We'll stop," Hongjoong acquiesces to his demands and pulls over at the next rest stop available.

Everyone piles out, and as they stretch their limbs, they go their separate ways to tend to their respective business. You and Wooyoung shuffle over towards a bench to sit down and relax, tiredly. "When we get back to Seoul," you huff out as you plop your ass down next to him, "I'm taking the longest nap known to humanity."

"We can nap together," he smirks, leaning in and letting his lips press against yours tenderly. The way his mouth fits yours perfectly leaves a shudder running all over your body.

"Just a nap?" you whisper into his lips.

"Just a nap," he promises, smirking harder now. "Unless you have another idea?"

"Oh, I'll tell you soon," you hum thoughtfully, wiggling your eyebrows teasingly.

A deep laugh reverberates in his chest, filling the cold air around the two of you, and for a brief moment, the two of you could forget the reason that you even met for this trip and focus only on each other. His mouth opens to continue, but another voice cuts through the serene tranquility. 

"We're about to hit the next town. Is anyone hungry?" Seonghwa stands before the both of you, clueless and unaware of the tension you both shared. "We're gonna spend a few nights at the next town and do some sightseeing and what-not." He grins at the both of you expectantly, awaiting a response.

"Oooo," you exclaim, genuinely excited to visit the next location, "yes, I'm starving."

"You're always starving!" Jongho yells over, and the others all laugh and agree with him.

"This will be interesting," Hongjoong chuckles heartily before announcing, "Look alive people, because the show is back on the road! Hustle your asses back into your seats, and fasten your belts tight!"

"Is it me or is he turning into a worse version of me every time he drives??" you blurt out, incredulous at how much of a reckless driver he’s becoming. "Who are you and what have you done with Hongjoong?!"

Hongjoong lets out a full body cackle at your remarks, shaking his head at your nonsense, "Settle in, crazy."

It isn't the town. It isn't the culture. It isn't the people. You have only one desire... and only one goal... to touch Wooyoung.

Or rather, let him touch you.

"Hurry back to the hotel room," you mutter through clenched teeth as the two of you ascend in the rickety elevator.

You know how you sound, desperate and thirsty and weak for him, but you honestly couldn't give a fuck. This has been going on for far too long; all this lust and frustration and pent-up desire that has built within the both of you. There was only one way to find release now. And it started by going back to your room and fucking like you meant it.

You and Wooyoung had to find the perfect opportunity to escape. While your friends were busy playing games and drinking themselves silly, the two of you snuck out of the room and booked it back to your shared space and fell into bed, panting and giggling and falling harder.

And now, here the two of you are, staring hungrily, heatedly, lustily into each other's eyes, breath ragged and bodies heavy with want. Wooyoung quickly puts up a Do Not Disturb sign outside the door before pushing his way back into the room and locking it behind him, and then the two of you meet, your fingers grasping his soft tresses tightly, pulling him closer.

"Are you finally going to kiss the absolute life out of me, now?" he whispers huskily, hands tangling through your locks.

"Maybe I'll do even more," you answer quietly, leaning in until your foreheads bump together gently.

"Yeah? Whatcha gonna do, huh?" he challenges, wrapping one strong hand around the back of your neck and the other cupping your jaw, thumbs pressing firmly on either side, a sensation so delicious you almost pass out.

"Fuck the fuck outta me, fuck me til I can't breathe anymore," you sigh and lean into him. You stare at his face and you can see that your words are really affecting him. But your mind isn't focused on what's happening anymore; no, all you can think of now is getting that cock between your thighs, buried in you.

"Yeah?" Wooyoung mutters. He slides his palm across your cheek and slides a thumb over your lips. It's such an innocent movement, but the implications send blood racing throughout your whole body, setting your skin on fire. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" His thumb presses harder, testing you. Your mouth falls open and he slips his thumb inside, your tongue laving at the digit eagerly, your breath becoming more shallow. "Yeah, you'd really, really like that."

When his gaze meets yours, it's hot. Desperate. Lustful.

But most importantly...

Devoted.

"And I would want that too," he whispers and when his lips press onto your burning skin, they are so soft you don't notice his touch is the same. Everything changes then. His kisses are sweet. They leave a trail of butterflies in your stomach, goosebumps rippling in their wake. He bites your earlobe. His grip tightens on the nape of your neck and holds your gaze steady.

A moan catches in the base of your throat, spilling over his lips. It makes your knees go weak and your heart pound in anticipation. He eases your shirt off and drops it on the carpeted floor. His fingers caress your sides as if you were the most precious piece of art he had ever seen. When he cups your breasts and rubs the hardened peaks between his thumb and forefinger, it's enough to push you over the edge, leaving you weak and wet in need.

"Do you have any idea how hot you're making me right now? Just seeing you in that bathing suit the other day... It took everything in me not to rip them off you and take you right there in front of everybody," he hisses, breath hitching, and kisses your neck, his teeth grazing along your throat and earlobes, his thumbs still circling your nipples.

"You sure can talk big, Woo," you laugh breathily, raising your chin just enough that he can bite on it, your spine shivering in delight. "You can promise that I'll never need anyone else after tonight?"

"Trust me," his voice is raw, raspy even, dripping with arousal.

"What would that entail, hmmm?" you wonder aloud.

A chuckle vibrates his whole chest as he shakes his head and purrs, "I can show you better than I can tell you."

That's when things begin to escalate. That's when his hands slide down your belly, fingertips teasing at the hem of your jeans. He leans his head close to yours, lips brushing softly over your lips, tongue trailing along them before darting in and out, drawing the outline of them with precision, mapping each curve, tracing a line over every crease. His hands caress up and down your torso, caressing everywhere, while his tongue explores and savors you.

Your knees buckle as his hands drop lower, fingertips brushing the waistband of your panties, rubbing slow circles. A soft, blissful moan escapes from between his parted lips. He bites lightly on your neck, his hot tongue probing, teasing, licking along the sensitive flesh there. He tastes the sweet salty skin, taking it between his teeth, giving a light nibble to the point you'd feel it every time the pleasure inside you increased, the tension increasing between your thighs.

He pushes down your jeans and panties together. They drop heavily around your feet. As soon as your clothes fall onto the floor, your back hits the mattress and you find yourself pinned underneath Wooyoung. The sheets are cool but he's warm and the heat radiating off of him feels incredible.

His mouth travels down your torso, moving further and further lower. Every touch sets off fireworks through every nerve ending in your body, each wave more intense than the last, building slowly.

Your hips arch when he gets near your pussy, eager to have him taste you. "Wooyoung, please." 

You don't mean to beg. But that doesn't stop the pleading words escaping from between your lips.

He growls appreciatively, "Tell me how bad you want me."

Your voice is almost a whimper, "Really, really fucking bad." 

You bite down hard, swallowing the urge to shout out loud, as he parts your thighs and settles his shoulders between them, spreading them even wider. His lips hover dangerously close and all of the muscles in your stomach contract violently, anticipating his next move.

"Want me to eat you up, baby girl?" He teases.

A little, "Oh yes," is all you can get out. Your thighs squeeze tighter together.

And that's all he needs to hear. His fingers part the soft folds and dive straight for the most intimate part of you. When his mouth closes over your wet slit, you swear to god you've died and gone to heaven. His tongue flicks out and probes your aching entrance. He sucks greedily, greedily drawing all of your juices into his waiting mouth as your fingers tighten their grasp on his head. A choked sob escapes from your chest as he devours you, drinking up every last bit, and it sounds like a fucking symphony.

Your hips writhe in response, your clit swollen, aching to be touched, begging to be rubbed against his tongue. His mouth is pure fucking bliss, and when the tip of his nose finally bumps your engorged nub, it sends electricity dancing through you. Your body jerks involuntarily, a string of incoherent pleas tumbling from your lips. He spreads your legs even wider now, so far apart your ass lifts a couple inches from the sheets. Your heels dig hard into shoulder blades as his tongue flattens and runs the length of your slit.

You begin rocking, your hips undulating, trying desperately to get a rhythm going, but Wooyoung pulls away, removing himself. "Now, now. You have to learn to ask nicely if you wanna get fucked." A predatory grin flashes across his face. His finger ghosts along your mound and slides between your folds, gathering up some moisture from the tip, before teasing its way to the tip of your swollen clit.

"Please... please," you choke, thrusting up desperately, your back arching off the mattress.

"Say 'pretty please.'"

You moan, "I'll say anything you want, as long as you put your mouth back where it belongs." Your hand reaches blindly for him and pulls his face back against your pussy, running fingers through his hair, digging nails into the back of his skull and tugging sharply to bring him closer. "Pretty please."

Wooyoung grunts happily, sinking his chin against your slick pussy, your sticky sweet juices coating his chin. Then, with his other hand he runs his index finger lightly, feathering, stroking, feeling along the length of the hood of your engorged clit. With the tip he strokes circles over your tip, running his nail lightly over the hood before circling round, then moving it from side to side, creating friction, sliding it back and forth, coating it in wetness.

As your body writhes uncontrollably, his free hand begins circling your stomach, his fingers curling, exploring, dancing lightly up and down between the sides and center of your hips. They glide gracefully, caressing, playing a tune over and over again, rolling along every curve and contour of your torso, worshipping every inch, memorising, cherishing, loving the shape of every valley and hill, the plushness of every surface. He rubs along every indent and slope, down the insides of each thigh.

One finger, then two, then three plunge deep inside you, curling in a come-hither gesture and setting a brutal, pounding rhythm that has you panting, gasping for breath. Every flick of his tongue sends a jolt of pleasure rocketing throughout every part of your body. Your eyes squeeze shut and your toes curl as your thighs clench, trapping him against you. The bedsheets twist tightly under the ferocity of your grip. A storm of ecstasy builds within you. It rages wild and fierce and violent and hungry. Your brain shuts off. Your vision becomes hazy. The blood rushes in your veins like molten lava, bubbling hot, scorching, threatening to melt everything away. You lose all coherent thought except one single thing:

Let him eat the fuck out of you.

"Ohhhh yes..." You murmur into the sheets. You feel Wooyoung's lips curling into a smile. He teases you, withdrawing from you, the tip of his tongue stroking the smooth wet flesh of your swollen clit. "Fuckkk." Your hands fist his hair and pull his head deeper into your mound, grinding his face against your pussy. "Cumming..."

His tongue strokes every inch of skin possible. And every second brings another surge of euphoria. Each one is growing more intense. Each wave washing over and leaving behind nothing but pleasure. Nothing but euphoric bliss. Every. Single. One. And it seems like nothing but seconds pass until your orgasm finally crests and crashes over you.

The sounds of your moans and grunts fill the entire room as you writhe under his tongue's relentless assault. It feels like heaven and hell combined. You can barely see a thing; your vision blurs and streaks across everything around.

After he eats his fill, Wooyoung returns above and kisses you deeply. Tasting your sweet slick all over his lips. Sliding a tongue in your mouth and kissing you so filthy that your moans are getting trapped.

"Did you like how you tasted, baby girl?" he croons, and your nod vehemently, a giddy smile on your flushed face, your core throbbing in delight and pleasure, your mind completely hazed with the delightful sensations he'd elicited from your body.

Wooyoung grasps the neckline of his t-shirt, tugging it off with ease before carelessly tossing the garment off the edge of the bed. Your eyes dart upwards to the wall before you. He's stripped in a matter of seconds.

Now shirtless and very much naked, Wooyoung swaps positions with you and plants you on top. Straddling his hips, your eyes instantly fall on the tattoos embedded onto his skin. Hands slide up and down your thighs, squeezing gently, and Wooyoung runs his fingers over his own abdomen. 

"Go ahead. Enjoy the view," he winks, looking like the smuggest fucker ever.

You trace the lines etched over his ribcage, outlining every symbol inked into his skin. You explore his chest with your mouth, mapping every line, exploring every dip, and leaving marks upon marks in the wake of your lips and tongue and teeth. Your eyes don't miss a detail as you admire his broad shoulders and lean biceps, which flex as his hands grip your thighs.

"You act like you've never seen my tatts before," he scoffs, running his hands through your hair, stroking your head affectionately.

"Not this close and detailed before, no," you respond, eyeing him lovingly.

Wooyoung is all gorgeous, beautiful tattoos and chiseled muscles and every other aspect you've ever fantasized about. He looks like something carved by the hands of god. Everything about him exudes pure power and domination, from his striking eyes to his handsome features to his hardening cock between your thighs. It is everything, and you cannot resist sinking lower, hips rolling and sliding against the hard shaft and velvety sack.

"Why are you torturing me," he hisses as his teeth catch at his lower lip, biting down.

You bite your lip, trying not to laugh. It wasn't intentional. Okay, maybe a little.

"Well," you start, eyeing him in contemplation. He shifts himself on the mattress, hips thrusting, impatiently, but his arms are limp at his side, his body limp and languid, relaxed. He's absolutely content at letting you do as you please. And so, you decide it was time to please him. "Maybe you deserve it," you say, hand snaking its way into his hair, fisting his black locks roughly, while your other hand glides its way over his abs and toned belly. 

Your fingers dance up and down the grooves in between the toned muscle, memorizing the feeling and contour of his body. Your nails rake, teasingly, over his chest, stopping just below his collar bones. You give them both a light pinch and a tweak and enjoy watching him groan quietly in response, before continuing downwards, towards the protruding length below.

"Maybe you need someone to teach you patience. How does that sound?" Your fingertips caress downwards, traveling over his pelvis until you reach the base of his manhood. You wrap a fist firmly around the rigid organ. It throbs, twitching, pulsing. Wooyoung inhales sharply. He shudders and his teeth dig painfully into his lip, preventing any further noise escaping him. You look at his face and wait for him to meet your gaze. When his eyes land upon yours, they are dark, molten fire and hunger burns hot behind them.

"Maybe I do," he chuckles darkly, his hands trailing from your legs to rest atop of yours on his chest, a strong, possessive and reassuring hold.

"And you'd deserve it?" you add, moving a bit more closer to him, sliding your sex more closely towards his erection.

"Maybe," he breathes out, lips parting in anticipation, tongue darting out to lick and wet them.

You move to straddle his hips. Your eyes lock with his again, burning, melting. He raises his hands in surrender, silently giving consent, urging you to carry on with whatever you had planned. So you slide your hips towards him and the head of his cock slides up your dripping lips, and you know it will only be moments until his entire girth is fully sheathed inside you, stretching and filling you. You roll your hips again and gasp. And Wooyoung responds with his own soft grunt.

"Can't believe it... Are we really doing this right now...?" he gasps out, mouth open, cheeks flushed pink and eyelids heavy.

"We'll stop if you want," you respond, teasingly.

"Oh hell no, don't stop," he shakes his head, grip getting even tighter on you and cock harder underneath your warmth. "Keep going, keep going. We've gotten this far... let's just... continue..." he croaks out, breathy, chest heaving.

Slowly, you begin rocking your hips into him, and as you do, his cock eases deeper and deeper. Every movement sends electric bolts coursing through your body and leaves you tingling in sheer excitement. You build the momentum as his length plunges further and further inside you, creating an incredible sense of bliss and euphoria to rise within. The tight friction coupled with the exquisite sensations create a whirlwind inside that threatens to drive you wild, and it is not long until you find yourself lost. The sound of heavy panting fills the room, mingled with the soft slapping of wet skin on skin.

Wooyoung flips you onto your back, and he drives his hips harder and faster and rougher. And you welcome every strike eagerly, holding on to his powerful muscles, and basking in the immense ecstasy of the moment.

"Holy hell, woman, are you trying to fucking kill me?" he groans out through gritted teeth and the sweat trickling down his forehead as he continues pounding and pushing deeper inside of your clenching warmth.

Your hands tighten their hold on his back, clinging onto his form desperately, "Only a little bit, Woo. Only a little bit."

A snort escapes from the deep depths of his lungs, "Hilarious. This is the second best experience of my life."

You decide to mess with him, "Second best? Then what was first?" you can't help the giggles threatening to escape the confines of your throat as you watch his face soften.

"Loving you."

"Ugh, cheesy motherfucker," you playfully admonish, burying your face into the crook of his shoulder, stifling the grin threatening to spread across your face. "Love you too," you say, peppering a couple of sweet pecks along his face and neck.

The bed squeaks and you're sure whoever is sharing the wall next to you can probably tell you are getting laid. But none of that matters. All that mattered was the pleasure. You reach for his hand and lace your fingers together as you feel his thrusts become harder and faster.

The pleasure is unreal. Never before have you felt like this. Not once. Every sensation seems magnified as the pleasure rises within you. You revel in his touch. How he makes you feel loved, worshipped.

"I think I'm..."

"Me too, love," he whispers as you lock gazes again. "Together?" he asks breathily.

You can only manage to nod fervently, cheeks stained red and heart pounding rapidly.

And with the next roll of your hips and the deepest push that Wooyoung provides, your walls tighten around his cock. His fingers dig into the flesh of your hipbones. There's no turning back. You allow the sensation to fill and explode and burst forth from every crevice of your being. Everything stops moving, falling, falling... The room swirls. A bright, sparkling white consumes you, and for a brief moment the universe bursts forth and you swear that you have seen the beginning of time and space within these walls.

And then reality hits, and you lay spent, sweaty, satisfied and wrapped in Wooyoung's loving embrace.

And nothing would be the same after.

When you wake up in the morning, Wooyoung is already awake and gazing down at you in awe and wonder.

"This has been such a long time coming," he confesses, caressing your cheek lovingly.

You take his hand in yours and squeeze lightly. "Couldn't agree more, loverboy," you beam up at him, sending the warmest smile he's ever seen radiating on your glowing face.

"God, I feel so great right now," he laughs joyfully, leaning back onto the mountain of pillows behind him. "Just laying here and staring at you is bringing me an insane amount of happiness."

"Aw, come here, you sappy fuck," you motion him forward and he gladly complies, arms circling around your waist as you sit upright beside him, nestled snuggly against each other's frame.

It doesn't matter what you are wearing or what your hair looks like, you are radiant, perfect and stunning no matter what, and the thought brings the largest smile onto Wooyoung's face, because his feelings were reciprocated. And you both found that solace in knowing that you were all each other ever wanted, needed, wished.

"This vacation could not have been any more perfect," Wooyoung sighs contentedly, eyes falling close for a few beats of silence before he looks over to you.

"Maybe we should go on a road trip every summer," you suggest, shrugging your shoulders. "Just you, and me, and a whole bunch of endless highways and a destination in mind... how does that sound, Woo?"

"It sounds like a plan," he beams at you, grinning brightly.

You cuddle close to him and nod your head. "A plan indeed," you agree and kiss him lovingly.

"Just the two of us..." he trails off dreamily as you caress and cradle him close to your chest, the slow rhythm of your beating hearts lulling you both into a sweet slumber.

Mark Lee had been your brother’s best friend for as long as you could remember. Your feelings for him hadn’t always been what they were, though. When you were a kid, he was just your annoying brother’s annoying friend. As you grew up, though, you started to see him differently. He was kind, creative, funny, and of course incredibly handsome. It was only a matter of time before your crush on him grew into something that you didn’t dare put a name to, even if you really wanted to.

As far as you could tell, Mark liked you too. He made little comments about how pretty you were constantly, staring at you like you were made of diamonds whenever you entered the room and taking every opportunity to go out of his way for you. As certain as you were, though, you were still hesitant to actually make a move. After all, what if you were wrong? You’d been treated the same way by others before, and their intentions had turned out to be completely platonic. Just the thought of things going the same way with Mark was so humiliating, you kept your mouth shut to protect yourself.

Mark wanted nothing more than to tell you exactly how he felt about you, from how much he loved the way your eyes seemed to sparkle when you were excited to the fact that on the days that he felt like he was nothing, you made him feel like he was something in a way no one else really could. The only problem in his eyes was that he would be risking his friendship with Renjun by asking you out, and he didn’t want to do that. After all, Renjun had been his best friend for most of his life, and he didn’t want to lose that. So, he kept his mouth shut to protect that.

Of course, despite the fact that you and Mark both told yourselves that you’d never act on your feelings, neither of you put much effort into stopping yourself from flirting. You told yourself constantly that it was a joke, a lighthearted bit between friends that would never mean anything more, but after a while, it started to get more serious than you could ever have imagined.

Your resolve to not let your feelings for Mark get the better of you snapped during a movie night. He’d come to the apartment that you shared with Renjun to binge watch terrible horror movies and eat snacks, and your brother had hesitantly agreed to let you hang out too. You thanked him profusely, trying to pretend that you were actually excited about the movies rather than making excuses to spend more time with Mark. Of course, Renjun knew that you were full of shit, but he let you hang out anyway.

As the hangout began, you actually found yourself interested in the movies you were watching, which you didn’t expect in the slightest. Still, you watched the screen intently, laughing at the ridiculously over the top acting in every film until you could hardly breathe. You were so focused on the movies themselves; you almost forgot that Mark was sitting much closer to you than you were used to. Almost.

Mark was far too focused on you to enjoy the movies that Renjun picked. He felt like an idiot for falling for you as hard as he did, but when he watched the way your eyes lit up when you laughed, he just couldn’t help himself. For a brief moment, he even considered actually telling you how he felt, despite his concerns that it would negatively impact his friendship with Renjun.

About halfway through the second movie, Renjun loudly announced that he was going to get more popcorn and left the room, leaving you and Mark alone. At first, the room was filled with awkward silence, since Renjun had paused the movie before leaving the room, but you started to relax a bit when Mark turned to you and asked, “So, which one do you like more so far?”

“Well, I don’t particularly like either of them, but The VelociPastor is a lot more entertaining than Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey,” you answered with a laugh.

“That’s true,” Mark answered with a goofy grin on his face.

There was a beat of silence before you asked, “What are you smiling about, dork?”

“You,” he answered without really thinking about it.

You felt your face heat up, but you still tried to play it cool by saying, “Oh yeah? What about me?”

“Well, right now I can’t help but think about how pretty you are when you’re nervous.” You laughed softly but didn’t respond further, so he said, “What? Can’t take a compliment?”

You were silent for a minute before you said, “I can take a compliment. I just don’t usually get them from guys that look as good as you do.”

“Oh, really?” he asked, moving slightly closer.

“Really,” you said, mirroring him. “Confidence looks good on you.”

All Mark wanted in that moment was to bridge the gap and actually kiss you, but before he could, Renjun yelled, “Popcorn incoming!”

You’d never jumped away from someone so quickly. Your brother gave you a puzzled look when he entered the room and saw how fidgety both you and Mark were, but you just said, “Thanks for getting the popcorn!”

Deciding that he didn’t want to know, Renjun placed the popcorn on the table and sat back down on the couch, restarting the movie. Nothing else happened between you and Mark after that, with neither of you wanting to risk upsetting your brother or ending up in another awkward moment.

When the movie ended, Mark left, and you found yourself missing him more than you expected. Though, to be fair, you were closer than you’d ever been to actually having the kind of relationship with him that you wanted. The fact that an awkward moment had ruined your chances stung a little, but you were determined to talk to Mark next time you saw him.

Your plans of talking to Mark about the almost-kiss changed when he brought a girl over about a week after the hangout. Her name was Yuqi, and Mark looked at her like she was everything that he’d ever wanted. The smile on his face when he looked at her made your stomach turn, so you excused yourself to your room almost immediately after he introduced her.

Once you were alone in your room, you let the tears fall. You tried to be quiet, not wanting to ruin Renjun’s plans with Mark and Yuqi. But of course, your brother knew something was wrong from the moment you walked away, so within minutes, there was a soft knock on the door as he asked, “(Y/N)? You ok?”

You quickly wiped your tears and said, “I’m fine.”

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah.”

Renjun opened the door and sat down on the end of your bed before he said, “I don’t know if this helps, but I don’t like her much either.”

You laughed softly and said, “Well, he does.” You were silent for a minute before you added, “I feel so stupid.”

“Why?”

“Because I know I have no right to be this upset. We never had anything going on, so why am I crying right now like we did?”

“Because even if there was never a relationship, the feelings are real, and you still need time to heal.”

“Thanks, ‘Jun. That actually kind of helped.”

“No problem. Do you need anything?”

“I think I just need to cry it out. Thanks, though,” you answered with a smile.

With that, Renjun said, “If that changes, let me know.” Then, he left the room, silently planning to talk some sense into his friend.

Over the next two weeks, Mark would introduce two other girls to Renjun, and by extension, you. Their names were Tzuyu and Jiwoo. At least, you were pretty sure those were their names. But considering how short-lived the connection with Yuqi was, you didn’t put much effort into learning their names. That didn’t change that you spent those two weeks more depressed than you’d been in a while, though, with your brain constantly reminding you of everything they had that you didn’t.

After three days of Mark acting like Jiwoo was his everything, she ghosted him, with her plan to use him to get her ex back having been successful. A few days later, he was at your apartment yet again, hoping to hang out with Renjun and forget about both being ghosted by Jiwoo and his feelings for you that he’d tried so desperately to ignore.

After about an hour of Mark sulking on your living room couch, Renjun decided it was time to step in. “Dude,” he said, “What the fuck is going on with you?”

“What do you mean?” Mark asked, voice and hands shaking.

“You’ve gone out with three different girls in the last two weeks.”

“So? Maybe I just wanted to have some fun for once.”

“I know you. You’re not the type to just have some fun. All throughout college, you refused to go to a single party just because you didn’t want Yerim to think you were cheating on her. Then when she cheated on you, you were planning to stay with her until (Y/N) gave you a lecture about understanding your worth.”

“What’s your point?” Mark asked, clearly growing frustrated.

“You’ve never acted this way before. Did something happen?” Renjun asked. Mark didn’t answer, though. Instead, he looked down at his feet and sighed. That was when Renjun’s expression changed from one of concern to a knowing smile before he asked, “Ok, who is she? Who are you trying to get over?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mark answered, suddenly standing up straight and trying to look more confident than he actually was.

“Ok, so there definitely is someone. Come on, dude. Just talk to me.”

And that was when Mark sighed and said, “You’re gonna kill me for this. I just know it.”

“You’re worrying me.”

With another exasperated sigh, Mark said “The someone is (Y/N).”

“Oh my god, you’re such an idiot,” Renjun said with a laugh.

“What the fuck, dude?”

“She likes you too, you know.”

“What?”

“Did you honestly believe that she didn’t?”

“I mean-”

“No, dude. I don’t wanna hear any of your self-deprecating bullshit. Go talk to her. Now,” he said. Then, he lowered his volume and added, “She’s been sulking since she met Yuqi.”

Mark hesitated before he asked, “Wait, you’re not mad at me for having a crush on your sister?”

“Dude, we’ve been friends since we were in diapers. I know you well enough to know that you’d never do anything to hurt her on purpose, and if you did do something to hurt her accidentally, I know you’d do anything and everything you could to make up for it.”

Mark visibly relaxed and said, “Thank you. I swear that I’m gonna love her the way that she deserves to be loved and never-”

“Why are you telling me this and not her?”

“I just wanted you to know that I’m gonna treat her right.”

“I know you will. Now, go talk to her before I set her up with Jaemin to spite you.”

“Ok, ok,” Mark said with a laugh. “Thanks, dude.”

“No problem. Now, I’ve gotta go. Just talk to her, dude.”

With that, Renjun called your name and said that someone was in the living room to see you. You made yourself look presentable and walked out to your living room to see Mark waiting next to your brother, looking guilty and clearly trying to keep calm.

When Mark saw you, though, he smiled and said, “Hey. Can we talk?”

You smiled back and said, “Yeah, sure. What’s up?” With that, Renjun gave Mark a knowing smile and left. Once he was gone, you added, “Is everything ok?”

With a sigh, he said, “Yeah, everything is fine. There’s something I have to tell you.”

“What is it?” He hesitated to answer your question, so you added, “Come on, Mark. You’re worrying me. What’s going on?”

Shifting nervously, he looked down at the floor and said, “I like you. A lot. I always have. You make me laugh when all I can do is cry. You’re one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Every moment with you makes my heart feel like it’s on fire. I don’t expect anything to come from this; I just needed you to know how much you mean to me.”

You were quiet for a few minutes as you processed that Mark just confessed that he felt the same way about you that you felt about him. Then, with a frustrated sigh and a roll of your eyes, you said, “You are such an idiot.”

“What the fuck!” Mark exclaimed, feigning offense. “I just poured my heart out to you, and you’re calling me an idiot?

With a soft laugh, you said, “Because you are one. Did you really think that I didn’t know?”

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure. I tried not to be too obvious about it.”

“When I say this, I need you to remember that I care about you a lot. Ok?”

“Ok,” Mark said hesitantly.

“You’re as subtle as a neon sign,” you said with a laugh.

Mark rolled his eyes and said, “Then why didn’t you say something?”

“There was still a little voice in the back of my head telling me I was crazy, and when you started going out with those other girls, I thought I could never measure up.”

Mark softened at your explanation and said, “I only started seeing them to try to get over you.”

“But why try to get over me in the first place?”

“I was so worried about messing up my friendship with Renjun, I thought there was no way anything would actually happen.”

“I don’t think Renjun cares.”

“I just talked to him. He doesn’t. That’s why I’m here telling you now.”

You stepped closer to him then, and you felt the same butterflies in your stomach that you did when his face was inches from yours a few weeks before.

Unlike the last time, however, you decided to actually do something. Before you could stop to process what you were doing, your mouth was on his. Your arms found their way around his neck as his found their way around your waist, and both of you noticeably relaxed at the contact. You finally felt like you were right where you wanted to be.

You honestly had no idea how long you stood in your living room kissing Mark. All you knew was that when he pulled you closer and deepened the kiss, you wanted more. When you pulled away to breathe, you looked at him and said, “Come with me.”

“Where are we going?” he asked, letting go of you and tilting his head to the side.

“My room,” you answered matter-of-factly as you took his hand and practically dragged him down the hallway. When you finally got to your room, Mark turned to you and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, you pulled him over to your bed and said, “Sit down.”

Mark did exactly as you asked, and you wasted no time, straddling his lap and kissing him again as soon as he found a comfortable position. Every movement of his lips against yours increased the arousal that had firmly planted itself in the pit of your stomach, and when it got to be too much to bear, you started to slowly roll your hips against him.

A soft groan left his mouth as he bucked his hips up to meet yours, and you pulled away from the kiss just long enough to whisper, “Patience, baby.”

“But you-”

“Do you want me to stop?” you asked. He shook his head, and you said, “That’s what I thought. I promise you’ll get exactly what you want. I just wanna have a little bit of fun with you first. Can you stay still for me?”

Mark rolled his eyes at your question, but he still nodded and said, “Yes, ma’am.” It almost sounded like he was joking, and you would have believed he was if it wasn’t for how he responded to everything else you said and did.

“Good boy.”

Mark moaned at your words, and you captured his mouth in a kiss as you resumed your agonizingly slow movements against him. Every roll of your hips drew another soft moan out of him, and you couldn’t help but think that there was nowhere else you’d rather be in that moment than on top of him.

Well, maybe there were a few things that you wanted to change.

When the arousal between your legs was too much to bear, you pulled away from the kiss and looked into his eyes while you caught your breath. Once you felt the air return to your lungs, you smiled and said, “You did so well for me, baby. When I get up, can you strip for me?”

He nodded and said, “Yes, ma’am.”

With that, you carefully climbed off of Mark’s lap, watching as he scrambled to follow your instructions. While he stripped, you did the same, feeling more confident than you had in months because of the face that his eyes never left your body.

Once your clothes were out of the way, he stared at you with a look of what you could only describe as awe as he said, “You’re so beautiful.”

You felt your face heat up at his words, and with a shy smile, you asked, “Can you get back on the bed for me, baby?”

Mark got back onto your bed, choosing to lean against the headboard. Once he was comfortable, you carefully climbed back into his lap and lowered yourself onto his cock. The sounds that left his mouth when he felt you wrapped around him better than the sweetest song you’d ever heard, and you almost decided to go easy on him. Almost.

With the sweetest smile on your face that you could possibly muster, you cupped his face in your hand and said, “You sound so pretty.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said, his voice slightly softer than usual.

That was when you started to move slightly faster, loving the broken moans that slipped out of Mark as you fucked yourself on his cock. Once you found a steady rhythm, you cupped his face in your hands and said, “Such a good boy for me. So polite.”

Mark didn’t respond verbally. Instead, he let out a whine and started to thrust his hips up to meet yours, losing himself completely in the way you felt. Though, to be fair, he’d waited to feel you for a long time. Who could blame him for drinking you up like a man that finally had water again after being in the desert for too long?

In a matter of minutes, Mark felt his high start to approach. With a loud groan, he asked, “Can I please cum for you, ma’am? I’m so close. Please?”

You slowed your movements as you pretended to consider his request, earning a whine from the man underneath you. With a smirk on your face, you answered, “Go ahead, baby. You’ve been so good for me.”

That was all Mark needed to hear to still inside of you, his release washing over him. You continued to ride him through his orgasm until you reached your own, clenching around him as you rode out your high.

Once you caught your breath, you pulled Mark closer for another kiss. This one was different, though. Unlike the kisses earlier that felt almost hungry, this one was much more relaxed, like you each knew that the other wasn’t going anywhere. When you pulled away, he cupped your face in his hand and looked into your eyes as he said, “It’s you. It always has been, and it always will be. I love you.”

“I love you too,” you whispered, worried about saying the words too soon but knowing that it was the perfect way to describe how you felt.

With that, you climbed off of Mark’s lap and helped him stand before leading him to your bathroom to shower. The two of you helped each other clean up while you talked about the little moments that made you realize you loved each other. Every second made you feel safer and more loved than you ever had, and you could only hope that he knew just how much he meant to you.

Once you were both clean, you went to your room to get dressed, while Mark went into Renjun’s room to find the spare clothes he kept in his best friend’s drawer for impromptu nights spent on the couch. While you were getting dressed, though, you heard your front door open and close, followed by footsteps, your brother’s bedroom door opening, and Renjun’s voice yelling, “What the fuck!”

Thank you everyone for reading! I hope that you all enjoyed reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, please make sure to like and reblog! And don't forget to show the other writers that were part of this collab some love! If you wanna check out my other works, my masterlist can be found here. If you wanna see what I'm working on, my upcoming works list is here. If you'd like to be tagged whenever I upload a new fic, my taglist form is here!

When you got a call from Tzuyu at 10 PM on a random Saturday, you knew immediately that she was going to ask you for a favor. That was basically the only reason she ever called you, and it made you wonder if maintaining a friendship with her was even worth it anymore. But that was a concern for another time. First, you figured you should probably answer the phone and see what she wanted this time.

“Hi!” Tzuyu said, far too chipper for the time of night.

“What do you want?” you asked.

“I just need a teeny tiny favor,” she said quickly.

“What is it?”

“So, you know Junhui?”

“The new legal intern?”

“Yeah, I guess. So, he’s looking for a place to stay, and-”

“No.”

“Come on, (Y/N), please?” Tzuyu begged. “He really needs a place. And he already works in the same office! You guys can carpool to work.”

“I don’t even know him that well,” you said. But after thinking about it for a minute, you let out a sigh and asked, “Can I at least have a conversation with him before agreeing to let him live with me?”

“I’ll call him and see when he’s free. Then I’ll call you to schedule something. You’re a lifesaver,” Tzuyu said. “Thank you so much.”

“I didn’t even agree-” you started to say, but before you could finish your sentence, she hung up.

Once your phone was back on your nightstand, you thought about Tzuyu’s request again. Sure, you wanted to help, but you didn’t understand why she didn’t go to someone else. After all, you’d only spoken to Junhui once, when you were introduced by your boss on his first day. Still, you were nothing if not optimistic, and you hoped that if you chose to let Junhui stay with you that it would go well.

When you actually did meet Junhui, it wasn’t a scheduled hangout with Tzuyu like you originally thought it would be. Instead, you bumped into him, literally, as you were walking into work. He slipped on a piece of paper that had fallen onto the floor and took you down with him, spilling your coffee all over the office floor in the process.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, scrambling to regain his footing and help you up. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you said with a dismissive wave of your hand before looking up to see one of the most gorgeous men you’d ever seen. You tried not to stare, you really did, but he had the sort of presence that drew you in immediately, so it was really hard not to.

“Are you sure?” he asked, a teasing grin spreading across his face. “You look a little out of it.”

“I was just distracted; I’m fine. Junhui, right?”

“Yeah. You’re (Y/N), right? You work with Seungcheol?”

“Yeah, I do. Do you want some help cleaning up, by the way?”

“That would be great. Thanks.”

With that, you left Junhui where he stood, returning a few minutes later with a mop and bucket. When you saw him again, he had an apologetic smile that made your heart flutter, and you started to rethink your initial “no” to Junhui moving in with you. Sure, you still didn’t love that Tzuyu had brought up the idea of a surprise roommate that you barely knew, but if the guy she had in mind was this sweet and charming, not to mention gorgeous, you figured it really couldn’t be that bad.

A few weeks later, when you formally met Junhui at the café that Tzuyu suggested, you found yourself even less hesitant to let him stay with you. He made you feel at ease when he spoke, the two of you had very similar expectations for roommates, and you genuinely enjoyed his company. By the end of your first café hangout, you were definitely ready to at least consider letting him move in.

Junhui was hesitant to move in with you, to say the least. He barely knew you, and he’d never lived with a roommate before, transitioning right into living on his own after moving out of his parents’ house. As he got to know you better, though, he couldn’t help but think that living with you could actually be fun. The two of you shared a love of music and literature, and you talked endlessly about just about everything, completely forgetting that Tzuyu was even there a few times during your time at the café.

After a few more café meetings with Tzuyu, and a few more with just Junhui, you decided that you were comfortable with the idea of him moving in with you. So, one day after work, as you saw him walking to the bus stop, you approached him and got his attention before asking, “Are you busy tonight?”

“Not really. Why do you ask?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to come to my apartment with me. I could show you around, and we could discuss you moving in.”

Junhui seemed genuinely surprised but quickly schooled his face back to a neutral expression as he said, “That sounds great.”

With that, you and Junhui walked back to your car together, talking about your days at work. When you got in the car, however, the conversation shifted.

“So,” Junhui said, “How long have you lived in your apartment?”

“About three years,” you answered. “Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering. What’s the neighborhood like?”

“Surprisingly peaceful, actually. When I first moved in, I was really nervous because I’d just moved out of a rough neighborhood, but I haven’t had any issues here.”

Junhui visibly relaxed at your answer, and the two of you continued to chat about what your neighborhood was like as you drove back to your apartment. When you got there, you showed him around, and when the tour was done, you sat down on your couch and asked, “So, what do you think of the place?”

“It’s really nice,” he answered. “I love the way you decorated it. It feels cozy. Makes me feel a lot more at ease.”

“Thank you. That was the goal. I always want people to feel at home in my home.”

“That’s beautiful.”

There was a brief but comfortable silence before you said, “So, what do you think about moving in?”

“I think that I’m nervous, if I’m being completely honest, but I also think that we’d be a good fit for each other.”

“I think that I agree.”

After a brief discussion about ground rules, you and Junhui decided that he’d move in with you in a month. In the meantime, you’d rearrange your apartment, gradually helping him transfer his things along with his friend Minghao, who he’d been staying with temporarily until he could find better living arrangements. Tzuyu was also a huge help during the entire process, which you greatly appreciated, considering it was her idea in the first place.

A month later, Junhui moved into your apartment with you, taking the spare bedroom that had been unused since your previous roommate moved out. It took a bit of time to adjust to some of his habits that you didn’t know about, like whispering to himself when he read a book or playing music louder than you were used to when he cleaned, but overall, the two of you got along well. You even started to look forward to spending time with him after work, scheduling weekly game nights and watching movies together when the two of you weren’t busy.

Junhui truly loved living with you. Sure, it took time to adjust to having another person around all the time, something he wasn’t used to since he’d lived alone for most of his adult life, but your game nights were the highlight of his week, and your laugh every time a movie character did something stupid made him feel like he could fly. It was just a matter of time before he developed a crush on you.

As you settled into a routine with Junhui, you couldn’t help but start thinking of him in less than platonic ways. Sure, you knew that it was a bad idea to get romantically involved with your coworker, especially when the two of you lived together, but that didn’t stop your mind from paying extra attention to the way he spoke to you and making connections that you were sure didn’t actually exist, like thinking of the joking flirtation between the two of you as anything but playful banter between friends.

Honestly, you weren’t quite sure when the flirting started. All you knew was that you really liked it and that Junhui probably didn’t mean the things that he said. You also knew that it was incredibly reckless to flirt so shamelessly with someone you knew couldn’t possibly want you the same way you wanted him. But your knowledge that it was a bad idea certainly didn’t stop you from telling him how badly you wanted to show him what was underneath the outfits you wore to work whenever he complimented you on your way out the door in the morning.

A few months after Junhui moved in with you, something happened that surprised you, to say the least. It was one of your weekly game nights, and the two of you flirted just like you always did. This time, however, the end result was very different.

It started with Junhui, who was frustrated that he’d lost a game of Uno, looked at you and said, “Fuck you!”

“Please, you wish,” you retorted.

“Yeah, I kinda do,” he said in response, hoping that you wouldn’t hear or that if you did, you’d take it as a joke.

“Sorry, what was that?” you asked.

“Nothing,” he said, clearing his throat. “It’s nothing.”

“Then why do you look so nervous?” you teased.

“Not nervous. Just mad that you won.”

“Well, get over it because we’re playing again,” you answered, still thrilled that you were victorious.

“I’d love to wipe that smug look off your face,” Junhui said, growing more frustrated than he would have cared to admit, both by your gloating and how adorable you were when you were excited about winning.

“Oh yeah? And how exactly are you planning to do that?” you asked, sensing the change in the energy of the room immediately.

“Maybe with a kiss? What would you say to that?”

You pretended to think for a minute before you said, “I’d say get over here and find out.”

Upon realizing that you also seemed genuinely interested, Junhui panicked, his concern about going too far outweighing his desire to kiss you. Without stopping to think about what would happen, he hurriedly said, “Are you sure?”

Confused by the question, you asked, “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know. I’m honestly not,” he answered with a laugh, hoping to ease the tension with humor.

“Then don’t fucking say it,” you snapped.

“Fine. I won’t,” Junhui said. A brief awkward silence followed, and when it grew to be too much to bear, he asked, “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, of course,” you answered, not really believing your own words.  “I’m going to my room.”

“I thought we were playing another round of Uno.”

“I’m not really feeling up to it anymore. Maybe next week,” you said as you went to your room.

Living with Junhui was awkward after what happened during game night, to say the least. The two of you didn’t talk nearly as much as you used to, even cancelling previously planned movie nights with whatever lame excuse you could come up with so that you didn’t have to pretend everything was fine when it very clearly wasn’t. Truthfully, you could hardly stand to be in the same room as him, too frustrated with yourself for pushing too far, but you hoped that with time, the two of you could be close again. Maybe not as close as you were before, but still close.

One of the things that helped when you were still upset about how your friendship with Junhui had changed was spending time with your other friends, like Seungcheol. He’d been a dear friend for years, and you trusted him more than anyone else in the Carat Corporation office. After all, in all of his time as your boss, he’d never given you a reason not to.

Before your argument, you spent most of your time in the office with Junhui. After you two started to grow apart, though, you spent even the time that you weren’t busy with your boss. A lot of your coworkers thought that you were trying to sleep your way to a better job, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. All you wanted was to spend some time with your friend and avoid your crush that wouldn’t go away, even if it was just a temporary fix.

Watching you with Seungcheol made Junhui feel sick to his stomach. He knew that he had no right to get jealous when the two of you weren’t actually in a relationship, but every minute watching you smile and laugh with someone else made him wish that he wasn’t such an idiot. If he’d been honest from the beginning and owned up to how he felt about you, maybe he would be the one that made you laugh like Seungcheol did whenever the two of you were together at work.

For weeks, Junhui watched you and Seungcheol laugh and smile like old friends, which you were, but he couldn’t help but wonder if there was something more between the two of you. After all, the way Seungcheol looked at you seemed like more than just a friendly smile, and the fact that he took basically any excuse to touch you in some way made Junhui suspicious, to say the least. Still, he knew he had no right to say anything when he’d ruined his chances with you over an inability to actually be honest about how he felt.

It was a seemingly ordinary evening when your relationship with Junhui, if you could even call it that, changed. You were walking out of Seungcheol’s office with him, and he was laughing at some stupid joke that you’d told him a thousand times before. With a smile on his face that made your soul feel warm, he said, “You’re such a dork.”

“So are you,” you retorted, laughing at both your joke and his response. “You laughed after all.”

“Maybe it’s just because you’re so funny.”

“Thanks, Cheol.”

“No problem. Now, go home and get some rest. I need you to come in early tomorrow.”

With a laugh that came from deep in your gut, you said, “That’s the funniest joke you’ve ever told.”

Seungcheol started to laugh at your reaction and said, “Come on! What if I actually need you to come in early?”

“If you did, you would have said something earlier today. Not right as we were walking out the door.”

“That’s true,” he said with a chuckle. “Have a good night, (Y/N).”

“You too, Cheol.”

You laughed as you walked away from Seungcheol, but your laugh faded when you saw Junhui in the same spot where he always waited for you after his shift, staring at you like you’d murdered his firstborn.

“You didn’t take the trash out last night,” he said flatly.

“Can we talk about this when we get home?” you asked. “I’m fucking exhausted.”

“You didn’t seem exhausted talking to him,” Junhui said, glaring at your boss as he left the office.

“We were just laughing about something funny that happened in a meeting today. It doesn’t mean I’m not tired.”

“Sure, whatever.”

“Junhui, what is with you?” you asked. He was silent in response to your question, so you said, “Answer me. What the fuck is going on with you?”

“You’ve been ignoring me in favor of your little boyfriend weeks now.”

“Seungcheol?” you asked. He looked at you expectantly, so you said, “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my friend and my boss, for fuck’s sake.”

“You could have fooled me,” Junhui mumbled.

“Why do you even care anyway? Who I date is none of your business,” you said.

He was silent for a few minutes in response, but eventually, he took a deep breath and asked, “Well, what if I want it to be?”

You wanted to scream at Junhui’s question, enraged by his audacity to act like he wanted you when he’d given you the cold shoulder weeks before. Instead of escalating the argument, however, you took a deep breath and asked, “Why the fuck would you want it to be your business?”

In that moment, Junhui had two options. He could chicken out again, afraid of pushing too far, or he finally be honest with you about how he felt. In the end, he chose the latter. With a shy smile on his face, the same one you’d fallen for in the first place, he said, “I want who you date to be my business because I want to date you.” With another deep breath, he stood up straighter and said, “Look, I like you. A lot, actually.”

You’d never felt dumber than you did in that moment. All this time, you’d been avoiding Junhui because you wanted to try to get over him, when a simple conversation could have alleviated your fears of going too far and brought the two of you together sooner. In the end, though, you couldn’t be too mad at yourself, since Junhui’s inability to communicate was what started the whole thing.

Regardless, you were done wasting time. Without taking the time to worry if it would be too far, you pulled Junhui into a kiss that you swore you intended to be soft. The end result, however, was anything but. By the time you stopped for air, Junhui was as close to you as he possibly could be and still trying to pull you closer, the mutual desire apparent to anyone that would have seen the two of you in that moment if the office hadn’t been empty.

After he caught his breath, Junhui looked at you with desperation in his eyes and said, “I need you.”

“You have me,” you replied softly, still dazed by the kiss.

“No,” he started, looking down at the floor. “I need you,” he repeated, emphasizing the word “need” in a way that made what he wanted abundantly clear.

Hearing the desire in Junhui’s voice was all it took for you to practically drag him to the nearest employee bathroom and lock the door, silently thanking whatever higher power was listening that you and your roommate were always the last ones to leave the office. After the door was locked, you turned to him and asked, “Are you sure about this?”

He nodded quickly and said, “I’m sure. Want you so bad.”

Without any further hesitation, you sank to your knees in front of Junhui, undoing his belt and pulling his pants down with a smile. Once the only thing between you and where he wanted you most was the thin pair of boxers that he’d chosen to wear that day, though, you started to worry. What if this changed your relationship with him for the worse? What if the two of you went too far and realized that you weren’t actually compatible? You really didn’t want to risk ruining your relationship with him again, especially because of something stupid like a blowjob in the office bathroom after hours.

But when you looked up at Junhui again and saw the desire in his eyes, the combination of lust and something deeper that you didn’t yet dare put a name to stirred something in the pit of your stomach, and you realized that trying and failing was better than not trying at all and wondering if the two of you could have had something beautiful. So, you turned your attention back to his boxers and pulled them down, watching as his cock finally came into view.

With a flirtatious smile on your face, you asked, “Are you sure you want this?”

“I’m sure. Please?”

You didn’t acknowledge Junhui’s request with words. Instead, you carefully took him in your mouth, moving slowly at first to avoid overwhelming him right away. Even the slight stimulation that you provided seemed to drive him crazy, though, with a stream of soft moans already falling from his lips as you sucked him off.

“Fuck,” Junhui whimpered as he gently thrusted into your mouth. “Feels so good. Wanted this for so long.”

His words went right to your core, and you couldn’t help but pull away and ask, “Oh, really? How long have you wanted me, baby?”

“Since the café,” he admitted, too lost in the way your mouth felt around him to even think about not looking as desperate as he was. “Thought you were so beautiful,” he added between soft whines.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? We could have had so much fun together,” you teased.

“Was scared of going too far. Didn’t wanna lose you.”

“You won’t lose me, honey,” you said, looking into his eyes and finding a sincerity that you honestly didn’t expect.

The two of you were silent after that, taking in the sudden shift, until you heard Junhui whine softly. That was when you remembered why you were in the bathroom, and you went back to sucking his cock.

In a matter of minutes, Junhui felt his release start to build. He opened his mouth to say something, but instead of a warning that he was close, a loud groan came out as his orgasm washed over him. You carefully continued sucking while he came down from his high until the noises of pleasure were replaced by noises of pain. At that point, you swallowed and jokingly asked, “How was that?”

“Really good,” he mumbled after catching his breath and putting his pants back on.

“How about we go home now?” you asked, your tone softer than before.

“Yeah, sounds good,” he answered.

As you stepped out of the bathroom and back into the office’s main lobby, Junhui pulled you into a tight hug and kissed your forehead before he said, “You know that I want more than this, right? I don’t just want to fuck you and then act like nothing happened. I wanna spend every day with you, getting to know you and treating you with the love and respect that you deserve.” You nodded in response, too overwhelmed to say anything.

Instead of speaking, you kissed him, and the desire that got you to where you were reignited itself, refusing to be snuffed out by trivial matters like the fact that you were still at work. Junhui pulled you closer, his hands sliding down to your ass as he kissed you, and a loud moan escaped your mouth when he squeezed. He laughed softly at your reaction, and you pulled away just enough to catch your breath and say, “You fucking tease.”

“Oh, come on,” he said, still laughing. “You love it.”

“Yes, I do.”

The room was silent for a moment as the two of you stared into each other’s eyes, each of you daring the other to say what you both knew you wanted to hear. In the end, it was Junhui that spoke up, whispering, “Still want you.”

“What is it that you want, baby?” you asked. He looked away from you and mumbled something that you couldn’t hear, so you pressed, “Come on. I can’t give you what you want if you don’t tell me.”

“Wanna fuck you. Please?”

You pretended to consider his request for a minute or two before you asked, “Oh, really?”

“Really. Wanna feel you. Please?”

Junhui’s newfound boldness honestly surprised you, but you weren’t complaining in the slightest. With a small smirk on your face and your voice dripping with lust, you said, “Come with me,” leading him toward the front door of the office.

Junhui, however, had other plans. Instead of following you to the exit, he pulled you toward one of the chairs in the office lobby, pulling his pants and boxers down before plopping into the seat and looking up at you with pure desperation in his eyes as he mumbled another lust-filled plea.

“Are you sure about this?” you asked. He nodded in response, so you said, “Ok. Whatever you want, baby.” You would have been lying if you’d said that you weren’t nervous about what you were about to do, but all it took was one look in Junhui’s eyes for all of your anxiety to be replaced with pure desire.

With no further hesitation, you slid your skirt and panties down your legs before climbing into Junhui’s lap and slowly lowering yourself onto his cock. A soft moan slipped out as you felt him inside you, and after a few deep breaths, you started to slowly move up and down.

“Fuck, feels so good,” you said, holding onto Junhui for dear life as you fucked yourself on his cock. Junhui only moaned in response, shocked by how good you felt around him.

As you found a rhythm, the pleasure built to a point that you’d frankly never experienced before. Whether it was the thrill of fucking Junhui somewhere that you could easily be caught, the soft whines that slipped out of his mouth as you moved, or the way he held you as he thrusted his hips to meet yours, you had no idea. All you knew was that you never wanted the moment to end.

It didn’t take long at all for Junhui to get drunk on the way you felt wrapped around him. As he fucked into you, he couldn’t help but think about what had led you to this point, including seeing you with Seungcheol. As the memory played in his head, he felt a new determination to claim you as his once and for all. Sure, if he was thinking logically, he would have remembered that there was never anything more than a friendship between you and Seungcheol, but in that moment, he wasn’t thinking logically.

“Mine,” Junhui said with a whine as he continued to fuck into you.

“What was that, baby?” you asked, slowing your movements slightly

“Want you to be mine.”

“I am, honey. All yours.”

And that was all it took for Junhui’s second release of the night to start to build, his pace growing erratic as he tried to match your movements. As he got closer to his high, he started to move you up and down faster, mumbling the word “mine” with nearly every thrust until he stilled inside you. Feeling his release starting to fill you was the last little push that you needed, and before you knew it, you tumbled over the edge right along with him.

As the two of you came down from your highs, you pulled Junhui closer, and he leaned his head on your shoulder as he caught his breath. Once he was breathing steadily again, he looked up at you and said, “Wow.”

“What do you mean, ‘wow?’” you asked, a teasing tone in your voice.

“That was incredible.”

“Yeah, it was.”

“So, does this mean that we’re a thing?”

“Well, I’d hope so. Otherwise, we might need to talk about some of the things that you said,” you answered with a laugh.

With that, the two of you cleaned up as best you could and got dressed again, laughing at the fact that the two of you really just had sex in the middle of the office lobby. Once you were dressed again, you walked back to your car together, holding hands the entire way.

As you got into the car, you said, “I think that we can both agree that fucking in the office was too far.”

Junhui laughed in response to your statement and said, “Definitely. But I don’t think that telling you how I felt was,” before leaning over to kiss your cheek.

“No, I don’t either,” you said as you pulled out of the parking lot and drove home.

Thank you everyone for reading! I hope that you all enjoyed reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, please make sure to like and reblog! And don't forget to show the other writers that were part of this collab some love! If you wanna check out my other works, my masterlist can be found here. If you wanna see what I'm working on, my upcoming works list is here. If you'd like to be tagged whenever I upload a new fic, my taglist form is here!

"They're so excited," your husband chuckles as he stands up, only to join you on the floor, and kisses you on the cheek.

You can't believe he's yours. From hooking up with each other back in college, to being apart for years and then reuniting again, he's made your life incredibly fulfilling, happy, and pleasant. You got married and he gave you the cutest kids. What did you do in your life to deserve such bliss?

He brushes some of your stray hair behind your ear, gaze unabashedly fond as he watches the twins babble in your ears, demanding your attention and affection. This time, he doesn't lean in and kisses you. He simply observes and is silent. But the love in his eyes is obvious. He looks like he's memorizing every detail, drinking you in, treasuring you in his mind. It makes your stomach flutter with butterflies.

"Mommy," one of them begins. "Are you tired, mommy?"

"Is that why you're sleeping on the floor, mommy?" the other questions, brown eyes worried and small fingers stroking the side of your face.

"Mommy's tired," the oldest nods solemnly.

"Yes, yes, my babies," you coo, pinching their adorable cheeks and rubbing their tiny noses. Their giggles ring beautifully throughout the room, a harmonious tune. Their smiles make it feel like a ray of sunshine has been painted across their faces. You cup their tiny jaws, fingers gentle on their skin, and gaze tender as you peer up at the people you cherish the most in this life, and the next. "I'm very, very tired. Help mommy get up?"

Kevin, the oldest twin, eagerly jumps up to assist you to your feet while James follows. You thank them and peck their foreheads. Your husband has stood up with his arms around his chest, watching the whole interaction silently, with a quirked eyebrow and a crooked grin.

"What is that face your making, John Suh?" You playfully tease him. "Why are you not helping?"

Johnny shrugs. "I'm not gonna waste any muscle strength when you have your two strong boys right here."

James huffs at the praise. "Strong just like daddy! And I am going to grow big and tall like daddy."

"Really now?" Your husband chuckles, turning to grab James, before lifting him up with both arms. The small child bursts into peals of laughter and clings to his father's muscular frame. "That'll take years and years, buddy!"

Kevin doesn't want to be left out, and tugs at his dad's pants for attention. So, with an effortless shift, Johnny secures Kevin with an arm too and spins them around. This causes the brothers' laughter to mingle. You beam up at them and go back to the kitchen to clean up the mess the twin made.

Kevin and James are Johnny's mini-mes, with his brown eyes, nose bridge, and dimples. Sometimes when you wake up or watch them sleep, it still feels surreal that they're yours. That he's all yours, his big, loving heart, his thick muscles, his kind smile.

All. Yours. Forever.

"Your cookies were amazing!" His compliment echoes from the other side of the kitchen.

You peek your head over the wall, catching him walking towards you with a grin. He's effortlessly holding both children with an arm wrapped around their small bodies, the boys' faces on either side of his broad, wide neck.