you had cried. you had felt guilty for taking up his precious time. you had genuinely believed him.

which was exactly why the sight currently unfolding in front of you in the courtyard felt like a literal slap in the face.

there was wonbin. and braced against his side, laughing at something he muttered, was minju. wonbin wasn't looking tired of relationships at all. in fact, he looked perfectly energized as he reached down, tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"are you kidding me?" your best friend, yunah, hissed from beside you. "he needed to fucking 'focus on himself'? is minju's name 'himself' now?"

your sadness evaporated in a single, scorching second, replaced by a wave of pure fury. your blood ran hot. it wasn't just the heartbreak anymore—it was the humiliation. he had played you for a fool, expecting you to sit around and pine while he easily moved into his next romance without missing a beat.

"he thinks i'm going to be just the sad ex who cries in the bathroom," you muttered, eyes following wonbin as he smiled at something minju said.

"what are you going to do?" yunah asked, looking at you with a mix of worry and excitement. "please tell me we're keying his car."

"no," you said, a dangerous plan instantly forming in your mind. "that gets us suspended. i need to hurt his pride. he thinks he's the best i can do? he think i'm going to spend the next month miserable? i'm going to show him exactly how fast i can move on."

yunah scoffed, "with who? every guy in our circle is friends with him. if you pick one of them, it'll just look like a messy rebound trap."

"then i won't pick someone from our circle," you responded simply.

your eyes scanned past the soccer field, past the popular kids crowding the benches, and landed on the quiet, shaded steps of the old building.

sitting there, completely unfazed by the lunchtime chaos, was yang jungwon.

he wasn't the type of nerd who hid in the back of the class making no eye contact. jungwon was the top of the class, the model student, and the president of the academic club. he was sharply dressed, his school blazer always perfectly pressed, and he carried himself with a quiet confidence that kept people from bothering him.

he was attractive, but in a structured, untouchable way. he simply didn't care about drama, which made him invisible to the popular crowd.

"jungwon?" yunah followed your gaze and gasped. "yang jungwon? the guy who corrected the calculus teacher last week? yn, he doesn't even look at girls. he looks at math equations."

"exactly," you said, a slow smirk spreading across your face. "he's perfect. no one would ever expect it. it'll drive wonbin insane trying to figure out how a guy like jungwon took his place."

"he's never going to agree to it. he doesn't do favors," yunah warned.

"everyone has a price, yunah," you muttered, turning on your heel and walking toward the old building. "i just have to find out what his is."

the old building was completely different from the loud, chaotic courtyard. it smelled like dusty book and whiteboard markers, and the hallway was dead silent.

you pushed open the heavy wooden door to the academic clubroom. the small click of the latch echoed loudly in the silent space.

sitting at the very back table, under the pale glow of the sun, was jungwon. he didn't look up immediately. he was leaning over a massive textbook, a pen moving smoothly across a sheet of grid paper. he looked like the definition of a model student.

you walked over, sneaker squeaking slightly on the floor, and stopped right in front of his desk.

jungwon capped his pen with a quiet click. he slowly lifted his head, sharp eyes blinking once, then twice, as he looked at you. there was no surprise on his face. he didn't get flustered seeing a popular student council member in his quiet room. he just looked at you like you were a minor distraction.

"are you lost?" he asked. his voice was calm and completely flat. "sorry, but this isn't the drama club."

"i'm not lost. i'm exactly where i want to be," you said, crossing your arms and trying to look confident, even though your heart was still hammering from the anger you felt. "i'm here for you, jungwon."

jungwon looked down at his watch, then back up at you. "you have exactly seven minutes left of lunch break. make it quick."

you took a deep breath, deciding to just lay it all out. "i need you to be my fake boyfriend."

the room went silent. jungwon didn't gasp, didn't blush, but stared at you for a long five seconds with his expression blank. then, he picked his pen back up, uncapped it, and looked back down at his book. "no," he answered.

"wait, what? you didn't even let me explain," you protested, leaning your hands on the edge of his desk.

"i don't need an explanation, yn," he responded, writing down another formula without skipping a beat. "playing pretend boyfriend is a waste of time. it doesn't help my grades, it doesn't look good on my college applications, and honestly, i don't care about whatever drama you have going on with wonbin."

your jaw dropped. "how do you even know about wonbin?"

"everyone knows. you guys are loud," he muttered, still not looking at you. "now, please leave. i need to finish this practice test before next period."

you bit your lip. yunah had been right. jungwon wasn't the type of guys you could just charm into doing a favor. he was like a wall of pure logic. but luckily, you had a secret weapon. you let out a soft laugh. "that's a real shame, jungwon. i guess you won't care about the student council's budget meeting next week either."

the pen paused. jungwon didn't move, but you could tell he was listening.

"what are you talking about?" he asked quietly.

"i'm the social media chair for the student council, remember?" you smirked. "i sit in on all the official meetings. yesterday, the treasurer went over the budget requests for next semester. i saw your club was on the list. you asked for quite a lot of money for a national competition and new math software."

jungwon slowly set his pen down and finally looked up. "go on."

"the request got rejected," you pouted, watching his expression carefully. "the treasurer said your club has zero student engagement. nobody joins, nobody comes to your events, and your social media page hasn't been updated since last year. the school thinks your club is dead weight. if things stay like this, they're cutting your funding completely by the end of the month."

his posture stiffened. you could tell this actually hit a nerve. he cared about this club more than anything.

"that's unfair," he frowned. "we do actual work here. we shouldn't lose our budget just because we don't throw parties like the sports teams."

"fair or not, that's how high school works," you replied, tilting your head. "but... i can fix it for you. i know exactly how to make this club look like the place to be. i can create a whole social media campaign, get people talking, and bring in new members. by two or three weeks, your engagement numbers will be so high the school won't have any choice but to give you the money."

jungwon leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. he looked at you, eyes scanning your face. "and in exchange, i have to pretend to date you so you can make your ex jealous."

"exactly," you nodded. "a simple trade. i save your club, you help me bruise wonbin's ego. it's a win-win."

jungwon was silent for a moment. you could practically see the gears turning in his head as he weighed the pros and cons. finally, he let out a soft sigh and shook his head with a tiny, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his lips. he tore a clean sheet of paper out of his notebook, picked up his pen, and began to write.

"rule number one, no real feelings. this is a deal to get what we both need," he stated. "rule number two, we don't do pda unless it's necessary. and rule number three, don't text me after ten."

he spun the sheet around so it faced you. "sounds fair?" he asked with an easygoing smile plastered on his face.

you stared at the written rules, eyes scanning his neat handwriting. It felt surreal. just ten minutes ago, you were stressing out at your locker, and now you are signing a relationship "contract" with yang jungwon.

"fair," you muttered, picking up the pen and scribbling your signature at the bottom of the page. "but i have one condition to add."

jungwon tilted his head, "which is?"

"if wonbin or any of his friends try to slide a slick comment my way, you can't just stand there and ignore it. you have to actually act like you care," you said, handing the pen back to him. "a real boyfriend wouldn't just let his girlfriend get trash-talked."

jungwon took the pen and didn't hesitate as he wrote Rule #4 : Mutual Defense Protocol at the bottom of the sheet, signing his own name right next to yours.

the bell for the next class suddenly rang through the hallways, breaking the quiet tension in the room. you smiled, taking the pen back from him and stepping toward the door.

"i'll text you tonight, jungwon," you called out with a wink.

as the heavy wooden door clicked shut behind you, a rush of pure satisfaction washed over you. wonbin wanted to see you miserable? he was in for a very rude awakening.

that night, you were lying flat on your back in bed, staring blankly at your bedroom ceiling. the anger from earlier today had faded into a dull, restless energy. your phone buzzed against your stomach, making you flinch.

[yunah] : did you talk to him? is the nerd officially on the payroll?

[you] : it's official!!!! we signed a literal contract lmao

setting yunah's chat aside, you opened a new message window. you stared at the unsaved phone number jungwon had quickly scribbled on a sticky note before you left the clubroom. your thumb hovered over the keyboard for a minute.

what were you even supposed to say to a guy like jungwon?

you checked the digital clock on your nightstand, a glowing 9:55 p.m. nearly blinding you.

five minutes before his 10 p.m. rule, you thought, a small smirk playing on your lips. you quickly type out a text and hit send

[you] : hey, it's yn js checking in to plan out first public appearance u awake?

you threw the phone face-down on your comforter, fully expecting him to take an hour to reply, or maybe just ignore it until the morning. but barely thirty seconds later, your phone vibrated.

[jungwon] : Yeah, I'm awake. Still studying. You have 5 minutes before rule #3 goes in effect.

you let out a soft laugh, sitting up and leaning against your headboard. he was unbelievable.

[you] : wow okay direct much look, tmrw morning is the real test wonbin always hangs out by the courtyard before the first bell rings so we need to walk in together

there was a pause. the little typing bubble appeared, disappeared, then appeared again.

[jungwon] : Do you want me to meet you at the school gate?

[you] : yes!! meet me by the bus stop at 7:45 we walk through the gates together oh and make sure ur uniform looks nice not that it doesn't usually js look like a guy who is happy to see his gf

[jungwon] : My uniform always looks nice. And I don't know what a 'happy boyfriend' looks like. Should I smile?

you stared at the text, completely amused. was he seriously asking for instructions on how to smile?

[you] : yes jungwon smiling seems like a good idea when ur dating someone js act natural don't look like ur walking to an execution

[jungwon] : Understood. I will adjust my expressions accordingly.

you rolled your eyes, but you couldn't stop the small smile growing on your face. he talked like a literal robot, but there was something oddly charming about how seriously he was taking this.

[you] : perfect :) see u at 7:45 don't be late!!!!

[jungwon] : I'm never late. It's 9:59 PM now. Goodnight, yn. The communication window is now closed.

you burst out laughing, staring at the screen as the clock strick exactly 10:00 p.m. you didn't even bother replying, knowing he probably wouldn't read it anyway.

you locked your phone and tossed it onto your nightstand, pulling the blankets up to your chin. for the first time in a week, you didn't go to sleep thinking about wonbin or the hurt in your chest. instead, your mind was completely occupied by a sharp-tongued nerd who was adjusting his schedule to fit you into it.

the next morning, your adrenaline was already running on high. you stood by the bus stop across from the school gates, shifting your weight from foot to foot.

you had spent an extra ten minutes in front of the mirror that morning, making sure your hair looked effortless and your lip tint was perfectly applies. if you were going to debut a new relationship, you had to look flawless.

you checked your phone. 7:44 a.m.

"right on time," a calm voice muttered from behind you.

you jumped slightly, turning around to see jungwon standing there. true to his word, his uniform was immaculate. his tie was perfectly centered, his blazer was buttoned, and his backpack was slung neatly over one shoulder.

"good morning to you too," you greeted. "you didn't sneak up on me on purpose, did you?"

"no. you were just staring at your phone like you were preparing for battle," he pointed out casually. "are you ready? i reviewed the courtyard layout. if your ex sits where he usually does, we'll walk past him."

you stared at him, a mixture of disbelief and amusement bubbling up inside you. "did you seriously map out a route?"

"efficiency is key, yn," he replied simply, but a tiny smirk played at his lips. "let's go."

as you both crossed the street and walked through the grand stone gates of the school, the atmosphere instantly shifted. the courtyard was packed with students chatting, laughing, and ragging their feet before the first bell.

and right there, leaning against the main brick arches just like you predicted, was wonbin. his arm was casually looped around minju's shoulders, laughing loudly at something a guy on the soccer team said.

"don't look at him," jungwon mumbled. "look at me."

you blinked, turning your head to face him. before you could say anything, he reached down. his long fingers slid against yours, his palm warm against your slightly cold skin. he squeezed your hand firmly, intertwining his fingers with yours without a single shred of hesitation.

your heart gave a violent, erratic thud against your ribs. your breath completely hitched in your throat. you looked down at your joined hands, then up at his face in pure shock.

rule number two, you thought wildly. no unnecessary touching.

jungwon didn't look flustered at all. he just leaned down slightly, tilting his head toward yours, a calm smile plastered on his face. "smile," he muttered. "you're supposed to happy, remember?"

up close, you noticed how clear his eyes were, and you could smell the faint scent of fresh laundry soap that drifted off his uniform. your hand in his felt steady, sending a warm tingle up your arm.

you didn't even have to fake the smile anymore—a genuine, slightly breathless laugh escaped your lips. right on cue, jungwon let out a soft chuckle too, his eyes crinkling at the corners. to anyone else looking, you two looked like a couple completely wrapped up in their own world, holding hands on a crisp morning.

"hey, isn't that...?" a voice from a distance said.

the loud laughter around the arches abruptly stopped. you risked a glance past jungwon's shoulder.

wonbin was staring directly at your joined hands. his arm had completely dropped from minju's shoulder. his jaw was tight, eyes slightly wide with utter confusion and irritation as he watched the school's top model student holding hands with his fresh ex-girlfriend. the look of bruised pride on his face was a work of art.

"target acquired," jungwon whispered, a sharp little dimple popping up on his cheek as he noticed wonbin's reaction. "he looks like he just swallowed a lemon."

you laughed out loud this time, feeling a massive wave of triumph wash over your chest. "you're a natural at this, jungwon."

"don't get used to it," he replied quietly.

even though you had completely walked past wonbin and entered the main hallway where the crowd thinned out, jungwon didn't immediately drop your hand. his fingers stayed securely locked with yours, his warm palm grounding as he walked you all the way to your classroom door.

only when you reached your desk did he finally let go, sliding his hand casually into his blazer pocket.

"see you at lunch, yn," he said with a small nod before turning on his heel.

by the time the fourth period bell rang, your phone was buzzing nonstop from the amount of notifications you received. yunah had texted you in all caps at least fifteen times, and a few people your wider social circle had subtly tried to ask if the rumors were true.

but the most satisfying notification was the one that didn't matter anymore. wonbin had posted a strangely moody quote on his private story. it was working.

you wrapped up your student council duties a few minutes early and headed toward the cafeteria. the loud room was already packed to the brim with students buying food, gossiping, and trading seats.

you scanned the room, eyes automatically bypassing the middle section where the popular kids and athletes usually crowded. instead, you looked toward the quiet tables near the windows.

there jungwon was, sitting alone at a four-person table, his back straight a neat bento box open in front of him. true to form, he had a small book propped up against his water bottle, his eyes scanning the words while he chewed. he looked isolated form the rest of the noisy cafeteria. at least until you walked over.

the moment you pulled out the chair across from him, you could feel the eyes burning into your back.

jungwon didn't look up immediately. he calmly chewed on his food, swallowed, and then closed his book with a quiet snap. "you're late by two minutes," he said.

"i had to drop off some paperwork at the council room." you explained, sitting down and setting your lunch tray on the table. you leaned in a little closer, lowering your voice. "did you see the hallway earlier? people are literally staring at us right now.

"i noticed. three different people in my homeroom asked me if i was being blackmailed. one of them asked if you were holding my grades hostage."

you choked on your milk, letting out a sudden laugh. "are you serious? what did you tell them?"

"i told them you fell for my brains," jungwon replied smoothly. "it seemed like the most believable lie."

before you could respond, a shadow fell over your table.

"yn?"

you froze, looking up to see wonbin standing at the edge of your table. he didn't have minju with him this time. he was alone, holding an energy drink, and his eyebrows were knitted together in a tight frown. he looked out of place standing near the quiet window tables.

"hey, wonbin," you said, keeping your voice steady. "can i help you with something?"

wonbin's eyes darted sharply from you to jungwon, who was currently taking a slow sip of his water, acting as if wonbin were invisible. "can we talk for a second? privately?" he asked, voice dropping as he leaned in slightly. "i just... i saw you this morning. with him. is this some kind of joke?"

"a joke?" you tilted your head, letting out an amused smile. "why would it be a joke?"

"because it's him," he hissed, pointing a finger vaguely toward jungwon. "i broke up with you last week, yn. you told me you were devastated. and now you're suddenly holding hands with the president of the academic club? it doesn't make any sense."

your blood started to run hot. the sheer nerve of this guy—who had literally replaced you—questioning your timeline was infuriating. you opened your mouth to snap back, but before a single word could leave your lips, someone else spoke up.

"it makes perfect sense if you could think logically."

jungwon's voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, cutting right through wonbin's words. jungwon set his water bottle down on the table with a firm thud. he didn't look angry. if anything, he looked entitely bored, which made it ten times worse for wonbin's ego.

wonbin snapped his gaze to jungwon. "what did you just say?"

"i said it's simple, wonbin," jungwon repeated, leaning back in his chair. "she was wasting her time with a guy who couldn't balance his own life, so she upgraded to someone who can. you told her you were too tired and busy for a relationship, right? well, i have plenty of time. especially for her."

you stared at jungwon, jaw dropping slightly. you had forgotten about the rule you had added yesterday. he wasn't just acting. he was completely shutting wonbin down with a calm precision that left no room for argument.

wonbin's face turned a deep shade of red. he opened his mouth to say something slick, but jungwon didn't give him the chance.

jungwon reached across the small table, his warm fingers gently wrapping around your wrist, pulling your hand into his. he didn't look at wonbin anymore, he just looked directly at you as his thumb lightly brushed against the back of your knuckles in a way that felt entirely unscripted.

"eat your lunch, yn," jungwon murmured, voice softening just enough to make your heart skip a beat.

wonbin stood there for three agonizing seconds, looking back and forth between your hands and jungwon's face. realizing he had completely lost this round, he let out and angry curse under his breath and stormed back to his friends.

your eyes locked on jungwon, who was already letting go of your hand and picking up his chopsticks.

"rule number four," he added quietly. "mutual defense protocol. did i do okay?"

you swallowed, heart hammering against your rips for a whole different reason than revenge. "uh, yeah. you did perfect."

that evening, after the final plan, your brain was completely fried. you packed your bags and walked down to the school library, which was mostly empty except for a few students studying for exams.

you found jungwon tucked away in the very back corner. he already had his laptop open, a neat notebook placed beside it, and, to your surprise, two plastic cup sitting on the wooden table. one was a plain iced americano, and the other was a cold strawberry milk.

you pulled out the chair across from him and dropped your bag onto the floor. "is that for me?" you questioned, pointing at the strawberry milk.

his hand reached out and lightly pushed the cup toward you. "you didn't get to finish yours at lunch because of the interruption. i factored it into my budget for the day," he said. your heart did a tiny flip. you picked up the sweet drink, the cold plastic cooling down your warm hands. "thanks, jungwon. that's so sweet of you."

"don't read into it," he looked up at you. "if my fake girlfriend looks miserable and dehydrated, the rumors won't hold up. now, show me what we're working with."

you rolled your eyes as you sat down and pulled out your tablet. "alright, mr. logic. let's look at your club's official page."

for the next two hours, the school drama completely melted away. you showed jungwon the analytics, pointing out how the club's old posts were just blocks of boring text and blurry photos of whiteboards.

"see? no one wants to read a text wall of theories on their feed," you pointed out, leaning over the table to give him a clearer view. "we need aesthetic shots. soft lighting, candid photos of you guys studying, maybe some fun short videos. we need to make your club look like a cozy place to hang out."

jungwon watched your fingers move across the screen, listening intently. you noticed how focused he was. he didn't interrupt you once. he actually respected your expertise the same way you respected his intelligence.

"i see," he mumbled. he looked up and for a second, he just stared at you. "you're actually really good at this."

"of course i am," you whispered back, suddenly feeling a little breathless from how close he was sitting. "i don't just post selfies, jungwon. i know what i'm doing."

"clearly," he said softly. he cleared his throat and leaned back, breaking the intense eye contact. "the library closes in ten minutes. we should continue this over the weekend. there's a quiet café near the subway station. meet me there on saturday noon?"

"a saturday date?" you teased, raising an eyebrow. "is that allowed under the contract?"

jungwon chuckled lightly. "it's a mandatory strategy meeting, yn. dress comfortably."

and on saturday, the café was warm and smelled heavily of roasted coffee beans. it was a rainy afternoon, the drops tapping softly against the windows. you walked in wearing an oversized sweater and jeans, scanning the room until you spotted a familiar dark-haired boy sitting by the window.

jungwon was wearing a casual black hoodie, looking different without his stiff school uniform, he looked softer, and incredibly handsome.

as you approached the table, he looked up form his book. his eyes blinked, tracking you for a second, and his usual calm expression faltered just a tiny bit. he closed his book shut with a snap.

"hey," you smiled. "have you been waiting long?"

"no, just a few minutes," he answered, voice a little softer than usual. he cleared his throat, eyes lingering on your sweater before meeting your gaze. "you... look nice today. the sweater looks pretty on you."

your cheeks instantly flared up with a sudden, warm blush. you sat down quickly, trying to his your flustered face by adjusting your bag. "oh. thanks, jungwon. i didn't think you noticed things like clothes."

"just being observant," he murmured, a tiny bit of pink dusting the tip of his ears as he looked down at his coffee cup. "you're not wearing your blazer," you noted. he squinted his eyes playfully. "it's the weekend. even i don't wear uniform to bed."

you let out a genuine chuckle. "good to know," you said. "i kind of pictured you sleeping in a three-piece suit with a calculator in hand."

his shoulder shook a little as he laughed. "i'm a regular person, yn. i don't just eat, sleep, and breathe math equations."

as the afternoon passed, your laptops surprisingly stayed in your bags. you meant to work on the social media layout, but instead, you found yourself just talking.

you learned that jungwon disliked spicy food, loved listening to indie music, and was fiercely protective of his older sister. in return, you found yourself telling him about how stressed you were about your upcoming student council elections, and how much you feared failing people's expectations.

jungwon listened to you talk, his chin resting in his hand, eyes never leaving your face. there was no audience here. wonbin wasn't around to see. but jungwon was dialed in.

"you worry too much about what everyone else thinks," he commented quietly, breaking a short silence. his voice was gentle. "you're smart, and you work harder than anyone else in that council. you don't need to prove anything to people who don't matter."

you stared at him, heart skipping a massive beat. the smile he usually had was gone, replaced by a look of pure sincerity.

"thanks," you murmured, suddenly feeling very warm despite the chilly rain outside.

he blinked, suddenly realizing how intense the mood had gotten. he swallowed, pulling his phone out of his pocket to check the time. "it's... 4:30 already. we've been here for a while."

"we didn't even talk about the social media plan," you realized, looking at your bag.

jungwon stood up, pulling his hoodie over his head a bit more as he grabbed his things. he looked down at you, that small smirk returning to his face. "that's fine. we can call it a successful team-building exercise. see you on monday."

the next monday morning brought a weird, buzzing energy. sitting in third-period english class, you kept finding your eyes drifting toward the middle row where jungwon sat for it was the only class you had with him. but every time you remembered how soft he looked with his hoodie, or the way he murmured "the sweater looks pretty on you," your stomach did a little flutter.

"alright, quiet down," the teacher called out, clapping her hands. "for the next two weeks, we'll be doing a literature analysis project. i've already assigned your partners. look at the board."

a collective groan echoed through the room. you scanned the screen until you found your name.

yn and park sunghoon.

you blinked. sunghoon was one of wonbin's close friends from the varsity sports circle. he was effortlessly handsome, highly popular, and incredibly charismatic.

before you could even process it, sunghoon slid into the empty set next to you with a charming look on his face.

"hey, partner," he muttered, leaning his elbow on your desk. he leaned in a little closer than necessary. "looks like we're stuck together. don't worry about the heavy lifting, though, i'll handle the writing if you handle the presentation. deal?"

"oh. yeah, sure," you nodded, pulling your chair back a tiny bit to create some space. "that works."

"perfect," sunghoon pulled out his phone, sliding it across your desk with grin. "type your number in. you know, so we can... collaborate after hours."

across the classroom, the sharp snap of a lead pencil breaking echoed quietly.

you didn't notice, but it was jungwon's pencil. he stared down at his notebook, jaw tight as he stared at the broken piece of graphite. he didn't understand why his chest suddenly felt tight, or why he felt and urge to throw his notebook at the back sunghoon's head.

it's just an english project, jungwon told himself. she can talk to whoever she wants.

but as sunghoon leaned even closer, laughing at a quiet comment you made, jungwon's grip on his pen tightened until his knuckles turned white.

the moment the bell rang for lunch, sunghoon stood up, giving you a wink. "text me later."

as sunghoon walked out, jungwon was on his feet. he marched right up your desk, grabbing your bag before you could even reach for it. "hey!" you gasped. jungwon didn't say a word. he only gripped the strap, face an unreadable mask of irritation as he pulled out out into the hallway.

"jungwon, what's wrong with you?" you asked, trying to keep up with his fast strides as he led you toward the quieter hallway near the student council storage lockers. "why are you acting like this?"

he stopped abruptly, turning around to face you. "rule number four."

"what?"

"mutual defense protocol," he continued. "sunghoon is wonbin's friend. he was crowding your space on purpose to test the waters. a real boyfriend wouldn't just sit there and let another guy hit on his girlfriend right in front of him."

your frown deepened. "he was just asking for my number for the project, jungwon. were you... jealous?"

"i don't get jealous, yn. it's a useless emotion," he snapped quickly, though a faint hint of red rushed up his neck. "i'm simply executing the terms of our contract with the best i could give."

"right. the contract," you mumbled, feeling a sudden drop in your stomach.

the rest of the school day passed in a complete blur. but no matter how hard you tried to focus on your remaining classes, your mind kept looping back to the tight grip jungwon had on your bag and the tense tone of his voice.

you were still trying to untangle those thoughts after the final bell rang, having volunteered to help the council organize the old sports equipment storage room. you had also offered to lock up the room.

you clicked the padlock shut and turned around, only to freeze.

wonbin was standing at the end of the hall, hands stuffed into his pockets. he had been waiting for you.

"yn," he said, stepping forward. without his friends around, he looked less confident, but his voice still carried that annoying edge. "we need to talk."

"we have nothing to talk about, wonbin," you replied coldly before trying to walk past him.

wonbin stepped into your path, blocking the exit. "come on, stop playing games. i saw how sunghoon was looking at you during class today. and then the nerd dragged you out like he owned you. are you really going to keep up this pathetic act?"

"it's not an act," you snapped through gritted teeth, temper flaring.

"please," he scoffed, letting out a condescending laugh. "we both know you're just using him to get back at me. yang jungwon? the guy doesn't even know how to hold a conversation unless it's about studies. he's completely dry, yn. a girl like you is going to get bored of a robot like him in a week. he doesn't actually care about you. he probably doesn't even know how to care about someone."

the words stung, mostly because a small, insecure part of your brain feared he was right. you opened your mouth to yell at him, but a heavy step echoed from the stairwell.

"i know exactly how to care for what's mine," a voice cut through the tension.

you turned your head. jungwon walked out of the shadows of the stairwell. his blazer was unbuttoned, making him look surprisingly imposing. his face was completely devoid of its usual smirk. his eyes were pure, dark ice.

wonbin narrowed his eyes. "oh, look. the bodyguard arrived."

jungwon didn't even acknowledge wonbin's sarcasm. he walked straight past him, stopping right in front of you. before you could say a word, jungwon reached out. his hand slid firmly around your waist, strong fingers gripping your hip and pulling you flush against his side.

your breath caught completely in your throat. you were pressed so close to him you could feel the thud of his heartbeat. his touch was heavy and warm.

"i told you before, wonbin. my time is completely clear for her," jungwon repeated, voice dangerously low and quiet in the empty hallway. "that means i don't appreciate you cornering my girlfriend in empty halls. and i definitely don't appreciate a guy who couldn't even keep her loyalty trying to lecture me on how to treat her."

wonbin's jaw clenched, fists tightening in his pockets. he looked at jungwon's hand securely wrapped around your waist, then at how closely you were leaning to jungwon's chest. the dominance coming off jungwon was something wonbin clearly hadn't calculated.

"whatever," he backed down as his pride took another massive hit. "have fun with your charity case, yn." he turned on his heel and stormed out the back doors, slamming them behind him.

but jungwon didn't let you go.

his hand stayed firmly on your waist, keeping you anchored against him. you slowly lifted your head, eyes meeting his. his dark eyes were wide, his breathing a little shallow.

"jungwon..." you whispered, heart hammering wildly against your chest. "wonbin's gone. you can let go now."

jungwon stared down at your lips, then back up to your eyes. his fingers twitched against your waist, tightening just the littlest bit instead of releasing you. for a terrifying, beautiful second, it looked like he was going to lean down.

then, he blinked, as if suddenly waking up from a trance. he abruptly pulled his hand back, stepping half a foot away from you. he ran a hand through his hair, looking flustered for the first time since you met him.

"right," he muttered, voice slightly strained as he stared at the floor. "i'll walk you to the bus stop."

as you walked beside him in silence, you realized with absolute certainty that rule number one—no real feelings—was dead. and the scariest part?

you think jungwon knew it too.

the atmosphere in the academic clubroom the next afternoon was heavy with awkwardness. after the hallway incident yesterday, neither of you had quite figured out how to look each other in the eye.

"okay," you clapped your hands together to break the ice and setting your digital camera on the main table. "if we want to save the club's digital footprint, we need content. and since you're the club president, you will be the model."

jungwon, who had been neatly stacking books, froze. he looked at you with widened eyes. "model? yn, i am an academic competitor. i don't 'model.'"

"you do now," you smirked, pulling out a chair. "sit down. prop an open textbook in front of you and... i don't know, pretend you're reading. but look casual. don't grip the pen too tight."

jungwon let out a defeated sigh that puffed out his cheeks, but he followed your instructions anyway. he saw down, opened a thick calculus book, and gripped his pencil.

but the moment you raised the camera to your eye and looked through the viewfinder, his entire body locked up. his shoulders went completely rigid, his jaw clenched so tightly a small muscle feathered in his cheek, and he stared down at the pages like he was trying to burn a hole through the paper.

you lowered the camera, giggling. "jungwon, you look like you're under interrogation. relax your shoulders. look up at me."

he lifted his gaze. "i am relaxed. this is my studying posture."

"you look like a statue," you teased, stepping closer to the table. you leaned down slightly, the scent of his laundry soap drifting over you. "come on, yang jungwon. where's that smirk you always give me when you're quoting the contract or correcting my data? give me a little bit of that."

and for a second, his exterior completely cracked. a sudden, genuine laugh broke through his stiff expression, eyes crinkling tightly at the corners and that unmistakable dimple showing on his right cheek.

click.

"perfect!" you cheered, pulling the camera back to quickly check the screen. "see? look how good you look when you actually smile."

curiosity getting the better of him, jungwon stood up and walked around the table to stand right beside you. he leaned in close to peer at the tiny screen, his shoulder pressing firmly against yours. you could feel the heat radiating off his uniform blazer, the distance making your breath hitch.

"i look... strange," he murmured, voice low and vibrating right next to your ear.

but when you looked at him. he wasn't looking at the camera screen anymore. he was looking down at your profile, sharp eyes tracing the line of your jaw, completely focused. you swallowed, "you don't look strange. you look handsome, jungwon. the school's going to love it."

he cleared his throat, stepping back just a bit, though his eyes remained fixed on you. "if you say so. send me the drafts tonight. we need to approve the text before publishing."

"actually," you turned to face him and tapped the chair next to you. "sit. we'll filter them together right now. it saves us time."

jungwon hesitated for a split second before sitting on the chair so close that your knees occasionally brushed under the table. for the next thirty minutes, the fake relationship and the school drama completely faded into the background.

"no, we can't use that harsh white lighting," you argued, tilting the screen toward him. "it looks cold. we need a warm tone. it makes the club look cozy, like a place people actually want to spend their afternoons."

as you adjusted the settings to the picture, jungwon stayed quiet. unbeknownst to you, he was watching you rather than the camera. his head was tilted slightly, a soft expression settling over his face.

"see," you pointed at the results. "it looks comfortable somehow."

you turned your head only to find his eyes already locked on you. your fingers froze on the camera buttons. there was no audience here. wonbin wasn't hiding in the hallway, and there were no rumors to protect in an empty clubroom. but the way he was looking at you felt entirely unscripted.

he blinked furiously. "it's getting late. we should head out before the janitor locks the building."

"uh... yeah," you broke eye contact, glancing everywhere but him. and as you packed your camera into your bag, your hands were shaking just a little.

when you walked together out of the front doors, the sky had already turned a pretty shade of orange, the evening air cool against your skin after spending time in the warm room.

neither of spoke for the first few minutes, just walking side-by-side toward the main gates. but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. your shoulders occasionally brushed as you walked, and every time they did, a tiny spark of electricity seemed to bounce between you.

"the photos really turned out well," jungwon broke the silence as you both turned onto the sidewalk leading to the bus stop. "you're smart with that stuff."

"thanks," you smiled, glancing at him. "i just know what people like to see. i'll edit the best ones when i get home and type up some caption ideas."

"sounds good," he nodded, stopping as you both finally reached the bus stop shelter. "but don't send them to me via text. the quality drops too much."

you tilted your head. "then how should i show you?"

jungwon gulped, eyes briefly darting away to look at the street before meeting your gaze again. "just... video call me. facetime. that way you can share your screen and show me the edits in real-time."

you bit your lip to hid a grin. "okay. what time? you have that ten p.m. rule, remember?"

"let's do ten-thirty," jungwon said smoothly with a playful glint in his eyes. "i'll give us an official extension for club business. don't be late."

"i won't," you laughed.

right on cue, the loud hiss of brakes signaled the arrival of your bus. the large vehicle pulled up to the curb, its door sliding open with a heavy rattle. you gripped the strap of your backpack, suddenly feeling reluctant to leave. "well, that's my bus. i'll see you on screen at ten-thirty, jungwon."

"yeah," he muttered. "get home safely, yn."

you gave him one final wave, stepped onto the bus, and scanned your transit card. as the bus pulled away from the curb, you looked out the window. jungwon was still standing under the shelter, hands by his sides, waiting for your bus to leave.

by the time you arrived home, finished showering, changed into your pajamas, and ate a quick dinner, the clock on your desk read 10:20 p.m. you sat on your bed, propping your laptop on your knees and opening the editing software. the photos from earlier looked even better on the larger screen. jungwon's genuine smile radiated warmth.

you kept glancing at the bottom right corner of your screen, watching the minutes tick by.

10:27. 10:28. 10:29.

the exact second the clock flipped to 10:30 p.m., your phone began to buzz loudly against your comforter. the screen lit up with an upcoming video call from jungwon.

a nervous flutter erupted in your stomach. you quickly shook out your hair, took a deep breath, and pressed the green button to answer.

the screen stabilized, and your breath caught in your throat. jungwon was sitting cross-legged on his bed, leaning back against a pile of neat gray pillows. he looked entirely different from his daytime self. he was in a plain, fitted back tank top that made his shoulders look broad.

but the thing that made your heart skip a massive beat was his face—he was wearing a pair of round, thick-rimmed glasses that you had never seen before.

he looked devastatingly attractive.

"hey," he said. his voice sounded deeper and a little sleepy through the phone speaker. "let's just go straight to the photos."

for the next forty-five minutes, you worked together, but it felt cozy. you walked him through the aesthetic choices, zooming in on the warm, golden filters you had applied to the photos. and after a while, you finally wrote the perfect caption.

[STUDENT MEDIA EXCLUSIVE] Big things are happening! The Academic Club is hosting an Open House next Thursday after school in the Academic Clubroom. You won't want to miss what our Club President, Yang Jungwon, had in store. See you there! (Spoiler Alert : There will be snacks!)

"it's actually not that bad," he tilted his head.

"see? i told you to trust me," you teased before turning off the screen share. you rested your chin on your hand and stared at him on your screen. "i know what i'm doing."

the line went quiet for a moment. you could hear the faint sound of your air conditioner humming. you couldn't stop looking at his glasses. "you look different with those glasses," you pointed out. "i didn't know you needed them."

he tapped the side of his glasses. "i only wear them at night when my eyes are tired from reading. do they... look weird?"

"no," you whispered honestly. "they look really good on you, jungwon. you look soft."

through the screen, you could see the tips of his ears turn red. he looked away from the camera for a second. when he looked back at you, his eyes were gentle. "thank you."

he glanced at the clock on his wall, "it's eleven-fifteen. you should sleep. we have classes tomorrow, anyway."

and the next morning, the school was quiet as you walked through the main doors. it was still early, so the hallways weren't packed yet. only a few students were standing by their lockers, talking low voices. your shoes made soft tapping sounds as you walked toward the locker area.

you turned the corner and spotted a familiar figure standing there. he was already dressed perfectly in his uniform, school bag hanging neatly.

but as you got closer, you stopped in your tracks. your eyes widened.

jungwon had turned his head to look at you, and your jaw nearly dropped. he looked normal with his school uniform, but resting on the bridge of his nose were the exact same glasses he had worn on the video call last night.

in the bright, morning sunlight streaming through the windows, he looked breathtaking. the glasses softened his sharp features, making him look less like the untouchable top student and more like... a boy you could actually reach.

"jungwon?" you blinked, staring up at his face. "you're wearing your glasses. i thought you only wore them at night in your room."

jungwon's eyes darted around the hallway for a split second, a sudden hint of shyness passing over his face. he lifted his hand and adjusted the thick frames with his index finger, a faint pink blush creeping up his neck and dusting the tips of his ears.

"well, i did read this morning," he mumbles, his voice still a little scratchy. he looked down at you, dark eyes staring into your behind the lenses. "and... someone told me last night that they looked good. i decided to test the theory in daylight."

your heart did a joyful backflip. he had actually worn them to school just because you liked them.

before you could even think of a response, the heavy sound of footsteps echoed from the stairs. a group of people were walking down, laughing loudly and talking to each other.

suddenly, jungwon stepped to you. he didn't hesitate or look back. he closed the distance between your bodies, blocking the view of your face.

then he reached out. his hand rose slowly, his long, warm fingers gently tucking a stray piece of hair behind your ear. his touch didn't pull away immediately. instead, his knuckled lingered against the soft skin of your cheek, brushing against it with a tender warmth. he leaned down, bringing his face so close to yours that you could see the tiny reflection of yourself in his lenses.

"morning, pretty," he murmured. his voice was just loud enough for the passing students to hear, making sure everyone knew exactly who you belonged to. but his eyes were completely focused on you. "did you sleep well?"

you were so flustered, he had never used a pet name before. "y-yeah," you managed to whisper, your hands tightly gripping the straps of your backpack. "i slept well. did you?"

jungwon's eyes softened, and a knowing smirk touched the corner of his lips. he clearly enjoyed how shy you had become under his touch. "i did," he whispered back, his thumb giving your cheek one last gentle pat before he finally pulled his hand away. he didn't step back, though. he stayed standing right next to you, free hand nearly touching yours as he reached out to close his locker.

at lunchtime, your phone nearly melted in your blazer due to the stream of notifications you received. the caption you and jungwon finalized the night before, along with that gorgeous photo of him smiling had gone completely viral across the school.

as you walked down the hallway to head to the cafeteria, you didn't even need to look at your screen to know it was a hit. the chatter was everywhere.

"did you see the post about the academic club? since when is jungwon that handsome?" a sophomore girl squealed to her friend by the water fountain.

"look at his smile in that picture. the lighting makes him look like an idol," another student whispered, holding up her phone. "i'm definitely going to that open house just to see him."

you bit your lip, a proud smile tucking at your lips. your vision for the club page had worked perfectly.

when you walked into the cafeteria, you spotted jungwon sitting at his usual table. he looked totally overwhelmed, shoulders tense as he stared down at his phone with a look of disbelief. every few seconds, a a girl walking past his table would look over, giggle, or wave. jungwon would give them a stiff nod before looking back down at his screen.

the second you slid into the plastic seat across him, he looked up. his eyes screamed for help.

"yn," he sighed heavily. "my phone has been ringing since first period. the club's follower count increased by four hundred percent in less than twelve hours. what exactly did you do to that photo?"

"i didn't do anything crazy," you laughed, picking up your spoons. "i just told you the truth. i know how to make things look good. people love seeing a softer side of the scary top student. look at the comments!"

jungwon looked down at his screen again, thumb scrolling through the comments sections. "someone commented that they are skipping dance practice next thursday to attend our open house."

"see! everyone loves it. it's hype," you teased. then, your eyes drifted past his shoulder. "and speaking of hype... look behind you."

jungwon turned his head slightly. across the cafeteria, sitting at the big center table, was wonbin. he was surrounded by his circle, but he wasn't eating. he was staring directly at his phone with a furious expression, jaw clenched tightly. sunghoon was next to him, teasing him abouy how much attention your "nerd boyfriend" was getting.

wonbin looked up, his angry eyes moving to you and jungwon sitting together.

jungwon didn't flinch. he turned back around to face you, the lenses of his glasses catching the bright light. a smile spread across his face.

"your marketing logic is flawless, partner," he praised. he leaned forward a bit, eyes twinkling. "you completely ruined him without saying a single word to him. i have to admit, it's great work."

"hey, we're a team," you smiled, your heart fluttering at the word partner. "we're just getting started."

jungwon let out a quiet laugh, but then he paused. he looked down at his phones, scrolling through the comments again, and a sudden look of realization crossed his face. he tapped his fingers against the plastic table, clearly thinking about something.

"right, so... we might have a bit of a problem for next thursday," he said, looking at you.

"a problem?" you raised your eyebrows, pausing with your food. "what's wrong?"

"based on the likes and comments on the post, a ton of people are actually planning to show up to our open house," he explained. he rubbed the back of his neck, looking a little embarrassed. "the club's current snack supply is only three tea bags and a half-empty box of crackers. we don't have anything to give them."

you let out a rather loud laugh. "so the genius president remembers everything but the snacks?"

"well, i didn't expect so many people to care," jungwon defended himself quickly. his voice then dropped to a whisper. "i really need your help. if i go alone, i'll probably just buy plain crackers and bottled water. i have no idea what kind of snacks people actually want. will you come to the supermarket with me after school?"

a grocery store run. it sounded so sweet and domestic—like something a real boyfriend and girlfriend would do together on a random afternoon.

"an official snack mission?" you cocked an eyebrow.

he smiled at you, the dimple yet again showing on his cheek as he nodded. "exactly. i'll wait for you by the lockers later."

true to his word, jungwon was waiting by your locker after school, already there after you exited your classroom. he had his school slung over a shoulder, his uniform unbuttoned, and those glasses were still resting perfectly on his nose. "ready?" he questioned, a welcoming smile lighting up his face the second he saw you walking up. "ready," you grinned back.

when you stepped through the automatic glass doors of the supermarket, the cool, air-conditioned air hit your face. jungwon walked over to the neatly lined rows of shopping carts. he pulled one out and pushed it over to you, gripping the plastic handle with both hands.

"alright, guide me," he said, glancing around at the brightly lit aisles. "where do we start?"

"we need sweet things and salty things," you mentioned, taking the lead and walking toward the snack aisle. "since it's an event after school, people will be hungry after classes."

as you reached the chip area, he stopped and stared at the massive wall of colorful bags, looking completely lost. he tilted his head with a small frown. "there are too many options," he muttered, reaching out to pick up a bag of unsalted potato chips. "how about these?"

"no way," you chuckled, gently taking the bag out of his hand and putting it back on the shelf. "nobody wants plain chips. we need the spicy ones and the sour cream and onion ones."

you grabbed three large bags of the popular spicy chips and dropped them into the cart. "this is exactly why i brought you," he murmured. "left to my own devices, people would have hated me."

"they wouldn't hate you. they'd just think you're some kind of robot," you teased.

"ouch," he laughed quietly, playing along by placing a hand on his chest.

as you moved over to another aisle, you spotted a specific brand of chocolate-covered strawberries in the refrigerator—your favorite treat. you lingered in front of the glass door for a second, staring at them, but decided not to grab them since they weren't exactly "club snacks."

you turned back around to help jungwon choose some juice boxes and soda cans. jungwon was focused, carefully checking the prices and quantities, making sure there would be enough. it was cute seeing how seriously he took his role as president, even when it came to buying juice.

while you were busy comparing the orange juice brands, jungwon quietly stepped aside for a brief moment. you didn't think much of it until he walked back, pushing the cart with a straight face.

you looked down into the cart and nearly gasped. right on top of the soda boxes was the exact container of chocolate-covered strawberries you had been looking at earlier.

"jungwon?" you looked at him, heart doing a flutter. "what is this?"

jungwon bit the inside of his cheek, eyes darting to the side before locking back with yours. a red tint crept up his cheeks, contrasting beautifully with his dark hair. "i noticed you looking at them," he answered softly, voice a gentle register. he adjusted his glasses, looking a little shy but sincere. "consider it an extra payment for your excellent marketing services. and... because you worked hard. you deserve it."

you stared at him, speechless. here, there was nothing and no one for him to perform for. he had bought them simply because he saw you wanted them.

"thank you," you whispered, a massive smile spreading across your face.

"don't mention it," he murmured, the corners of his lips tucking up into a sweet smile. "let's go pay."

after paying for the massive bags of chips, juice boxes, soda cans, and your favorite chocolate strawberries, you and jungwon walked back to the school. it was completely quiet now, the hallways empty and peaceful in the dim evening light.

you both entered the academic clubroom and dumped the heavy plastic bags onto the main wooden table.

"wow," you sighed, stretching your arms out as you sat down on a chair. "that was a workout. at least we won't starve next thursday."

"indeed. the inventory is now full," jungwon grinned. he began organizing the juice boxes into a straight line on the shelf, his glasses slipping slightly down his nose.

watching him look so focused, you couldn't help but think about how much things had changed. you leaned your chin on your hand, staring at him. "you know, jungwon... you're actually being really nice about all of this. aren't you tired of dealing with my school drama?"

jungwon paused, a juice box still in hand. he turned to face you, leaning his hip against the shelf. "it's part of our arrangement," he replied. "the deal is to maintain the image of a couple to hurt wonbin's ego."

"i know," you murmured, playing with the edge of your blazer. "but we've only really been seen together at school. do you think people actually believe it? wonbin looks mad, sure. but i feel like he's waiting for us to slip up."

jungwon walked over to the table and sat on the chair right next to yours. he leaned a little closer. "i've been thinking about that too, actually," he admitted. "if we only hang out before classes and in the cafeteria, it looks a bit too convenient. real couples don't just exist inside the school. they also do things on the weekends."

you tilted your head, confusion washing over your expression. "what do you mean?"

"i mean we should take this outside of school," he shrugged, looking straight into your eyes. "we should go on a fake date this saturday. like the street festival downtown. we can take some photos together, post them on your personal feed, and give the people undeniable proof."

your stomach flipped. a date? even if it's fake?

"a weekend date?" you repeated. "just for the photos?"

"for visual evidence," jungwon nodded easily, though you noticed his ears turning a little red. "it'll completely solidify the narrative. it's the most logical next step for the contract."

you smiled, seeing right through his logic-talk. he was just as nervous as you were. "alright, president. if it's for the contract, i guess i can clear my saturday schedule for you."

and that saturday afternoon, the sun was bright when you met jungwon outside the train station. the plan for the day was simple, written down neatly in your shared document. since the open house was only a few days away, you needed a few casual but cute photos of the two of you out on a date to keep the rumors alive.

you were adjusting the strap of your digital camera when you heard footsteps.

"am i late?"

you looked up, and your heart did that familiar thud. jungwon was standing there, wearing a light gray knit sweater with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, dark jeans, and clean white sneakers. and of course, not forgetting the glasses.

"right on time," you smiled, tucking your camera into your bag. "you look good today, president."

jungwon's eyes crinkled as a small smirk touched his lips. "you don't look too bad yourself, partner. let's go. the street festival is just two blocks away."

the festival was packed with people and filled with the smell of fried food, loud music, and colorful booths. for the first hour, you focused on the mission. you took photos of jungwon holding a snack, and he took photos of you smiling by a flower stall.

"we have enough options," jungwon said, leaning over your shoulder to look at the camera screen. "sure, but we need one together! come closer," you suggested, turning the camera toward both of your faces.

just as you were about to click the button, a loud voice cut through the crowd.

"wait, yn? jungwon?"

you both froze and turned around. standing there with a cup of iced tea was wonhee, a girl from your homeroom class who loved school gossip. perfect. her eyes were wide with excitement as she looked at the two of you. "oh my gosh, it is you guys! so you guys are actually dating?"

your breath hitched. but before you could panic further, jungwon moved. he didn't hesitate for a single second. he slid his arm around your waist, pulling you so your bodies were flushed together. his hand rested on your hip. "hey, wonhee," he greeted. he then glanced down at you with a gaze so sweet it made your brain short-circuit. "yeah, we wanted to spend some time together away from school today."

wonhee squealed. "wow, jungwon, ive never seen you look at anyone like that. you guys look so cute together!"

"thank you," you said, playing along. you leaned into his chest, resting your head on his sweater right over his heart. you could hear it beating fast against your ear. "we're just having a fun day."

"i won't ruin your date, promise. see you on monday!" she giggled, waving as she disappeared back into the crowd.

the second she was gone, jungwon's hand stayed on your waist for a long beat, thumb brushing against your side. when he finally stepped back, his neck was red. "that was a close call," he looked anywhere but at your face. "good acting."

"yeah," you mumbled, skin still tingling where his hand had been. "you too."

after that, your camera stayed in your bag. the "acting" had felt a little too real, and the rest of the afternoon, you both forgot about the deal entirely.

you dragged him over to a shooting gallery booth, where an adorable plush cat was hanging. "watch and learn, mr. president," you teased, confidently paying the booth vendor and lifting the plastic toy rifle. you took careful aim at the small targets, fired three times, and missed every single shot.

jungwon let out a quiet chuckle, leaning his shoulder against the booth frame as he watched you pout. "is that the social media committee technique? aiming for the wall?"

"i just wasn't focused!" you defended, face burning as you handed him the toy gun. "let's see you do it."

"easy. it's just basic trajectory," he confidently replied, a smirk playing on his lips. he adjusted his glasses, stepped up to the counter, and lifted the rifle. his posture became straight, eyes locking onto the targets with focus.

pop. pop. pop.

three shots, three perfect hits.

the vendor let out a whistle, along with an applause, and handed over the plush cat. jungwon took it with a triumphant grin, dimple popping up as he immediately tucked the plush under your arm.

"trajectory," he whispered playfully, leaning down close to your ear so only you could hear him. "you're welcome."

you hugged the fluffy cat to your chest, heart doing a foolish little flip. after that, you ate cotton candy together, laughing until your stomachs hurt when a gust of wind blew a piece of pink sugar right onto the tip of jungwon's nose.

you truly had the best time.

around five o'clock, the sky suddenly turned dark. within minutes, rain started pouring down. "shit!" you gasped, covering your head.

jungwon grabbed your wrist, his grip firm, and pulled you along as he ran toward a narrow alleyway between two brick buildings. it was a tiny, sheltered space under a concrete roof, just big enough to shield you both.

"too close," jungwon panted as you both burst into the small space. he took off his glasses, which were covered in raindrops, and used his sweater to wipe them clean.

when he put them back on and looked up, you realized just how small the space actually was. because of the pouring rain, jungwon had to be in your personal space. he was standing less than two inches away from you. you could feel the warmth of his breath and the scent of his cologne.

the world shrank down to just the two of you in the dim light.

"yn," he called. "yeah?" you murmured, heart beating so loudly you were sure he could hear it.

jungwon's eyes shifted down to you lips for a split second before returning to your eyes. his jaw clenched, as if he were fighting every single instinct to keep his distance. "it doesn't look like the rain's gonna stop any time soon."

you looked straight into his eyes. "i don't mind waiting here with you."

an unreadable look passed over jungwon's face. he leaned in as he looked out at the sheets of water splashing against the pavement, then scanned your face. "today... when wonhee saw us," he started. "i told her we wanted to spend time together away from school."

you nodded slowly, "yeah. it was a good excuse."

"it wasn't an excuse," he blurted before he could overthink it. "i really did want to. the contract just gave me a reason to ask."

your heart stopped for a beat. you stared up at him, trying to read the expression he had on. you swallowed nervously. "jungwon, are you saying...?"

"i enjoyed today," he interrupted softly. he tucked his hands into his jeans pockets, looking down at the space between your shoes to avoid eye contact. "more than i expected to. i usually find crowds a little stressful. but today, i didn't care about the crowd at all."

he didn't explicitly say 'i like being with you,' but the quiet confession hung in the air, heavier than the storm.

"i enjoyed it too," you offered a small smile. "especially the parts where we weren't taking photos."

jungwon gazed back up at you. the cold academic club president you knew was gone. slowly and hesitantly, he took a hand out of his pocket. his fingers hovered in the small space between you.

he didn't grab your hand this time. instead, his hand drifted closer until his pinky fingers gently brushed against yours.

you didn't pull away.

feeling your permission, jungwon slowly hooked his pinky around yours. his skin was warm and slightly trembling, his finger tightening just enough to lock yours in place. it was such a small touch, but it felt louder than any other public display of affection.

"then let's not think about the photos next time," he muttered. you smiled, blushing hard, making him giggle lightly at your face.

later that night, your phone vibrated against your mattress. you reached for it and your breath caught when you saw jungwon text you.

you unlocked the phone to see the text. he had sent an image file.

you tapped it, and a photo filled your screen. it was a candid picture he had taken of you when you were standing by the flower stall. you hadn't even realized he clicked the shutter at that exact moment. you were looking sideways, laughing at something he had said, with the sunlight hitting your hair perfectly. it looked soft, warm, and happy.

[jungwon] : I was looking through the pictures. I thought you should have this one.

a huge smile now plastered on your lips as you quickly began typing a reply.

[you] : i didn't know you took this lol the lighting is rly pretty

you watched the little typing bubbles appear almost instantly. your heart beat a little faster as you waited for his response.

[jungwon] : You look prettier.

and ever since that text message and the date at the festival, something shifted between you and jungwon. the invisible wall of the "contract" had completely melted away, replaced by a rhythm that neither of you felt the need to question.

one morning, the school's central heater was acting up, leaving the building freezing. you were standing by your classroom door, shivering slightly as you talked to a classmate. when jungwon walked past on his way to the bathroom.

without breaking his stride or even pausing his conversation with a friend walking next to him, he casually unzipped his thick jacket, slipped it off, and draped it over your shoulders as he brushed past you. it was so smooth, leaving you wrapped in his warm, oversized jacket that smelled faintly of his cologne while your classmate stared in shock.

that effortless closeness had also taken over the smallest things.

one time, jungwon walked into your classroom to drop off a flyer for the open house and found you slumped over at your desk, completely exhausted from studying for a history quiz.

he walked straight over. when you saw him and started groaning and complaining about the hard questions, he didn't say a word. instead, he reached down, long fingers gently combing through your messy hair, parting stray strands neatly away from your eyes. his thumb gave your forehead a tiny brush before he took his hand away.

even your mornings at the lockers had changed. there was a time when you walked right up to him while he was organizing his textbook. you took your hands and straightened the fabric of his collar before moving it up to tap the bridge of his glasses, pushing them up his nose where they belonged.

jungwon didn't flinch or look around to see who was watching. he only looked down at you, eyes soft and let out a happy hum.

and in the blink of an eye, thursday afternoon arrived with a chaotic rush. the post had worked entirely too well. by two o'clock, only half an hour after the last bell, the academic clubroom was packed to the brim with over fifty students. the room buzzed with sounds of chatter, laughter, and the constant crinkling of chip bags.

behind the main table, you and jungwon were moving like a single, well-oiled machine. you were frantically offering juice or soda to students while jungwon tidied the snacks.

even in the middle of the sweaty rush, the comfortable vibe you had built over the weeks didn't falter. every few minutes, jungwon would catch a quick glance down at you, silently making sure you weren't feeling overwhelmed by the crowd.

"you're doing great, pretty," he murmured quickly without the intention of saying the pet name, fingers lightly brushing against your wrist in a reassuring squeeze.

your heart did a flutter at the pet name, but you kept your cool. "we're a team, remember?" you smiled back, catching your breath as you handed a juice box to a waiting sophomore.

for the first hour, the open house was a whirlwind of activity. jungwon took the center of the room, confidently explaining the club's upcoming math and science curriculum, voice clear and steady despite the massive crowd.

he looked every bit the capable president, but whenever he made a point, his eyes would instinctively find yours across the room, tracking your reaction. you stayed busy running the snack bar and managing the sign-up sheet, watching with a proud grin as more than ten students wrote their names down to join.

but halfway through, the loud chatter near the doorway suddenly died down slightly. you looked up, and your stomach dropped. wonbin had just walked in, sharp eyes instantly stuck onto you.

a few minutes later, while jungwon was pulled away to a corner by a group of students asking about the registration deadlines, wonbin saw his chance. he strode through the crowd and cornered you with a mocking smirk. "so, you actually managed to pull off a crowd," he tilted his head, crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

you tightened your grip on the edge of the table. "move away, wonbin. i'm busy."

"i'm just saying, it's pathetic," he spat, voice dripping with venom. "i'm sure jungwon's just doing his duty as president. the second this open house is done, you guys are done. he's nothing compared to me, yn. you're nothing to him."

before you could fire back, jungwon appeared out of nowhere.

he didn't say a word as he stepped directly between you and wonbin, broad shoulders shielding you from view. the movement was so sudden that wonbin took a step back, smirk faltering. "i think you need to leave." his voice was loud enough that the room fell quiet.

wonbin scoffed, trying to play it cool as he eyed the staring crowd. "relax, dude. i was just talking to—"

"i couldn't care less about what you were doing," he interrupted immediately. the protective instinct radiating off him was palpable. "you're making my girlfriend uncomfortable. and since this is my clubroom, i am telling you to get out."

the word girlfriend rolled off jungwon's tongue so naturally that the students watching started mumbling. wonbin's face turned a humiliated shade of red. realizing he was outnumbered and stripped of any power he thought he had over you, he glared at jungwon one last time before storming out of the room.

the second the heavy door slammed shut, the crowd started whispering loudly. but jungwon didn't care.

he turned around to face you in an instant. his hands reached out, holding your upper arms as his eyes searched your face with concern. "are you okay?" he whispered, his tone of voice completely different from the tone he had just seconds ago. "did he hurt you? what'd he say to you?"

"i'm okay," you breathed, heart thumping from the intensity of the moment. "thank you, won."

by 4 o'clock, the event had finally cleared out. the open house was a success, and the clubroom was dead quiet once again, bathed in the orange shadows of the setting sun. you were slowly wiping down the tables while jungwon stacked the chairs against the wall.

you swallowed a lump in your throat, a crashing wave of sadness washing over you as you forced yourself to say the words you knew you had to say. "so... i guess that means the contract is fulfilled. the fake relationship is done. we don't have to pretend anymore."

jungwon's jaw clenched slightly. he looked down at his hands, his fingers tightening against a chair until knuckles turned white.

inside his chest, his heart was screaming at him to reject the idea. he want to tell you that he didn't want it to end. he wanted to tell you that the way his heart raced when he held your hand at the festival and the way he felt when your pinkies locked in the rain were the most real things he had ever experienced.

but as he looked back up at you, his guarded defense mechanisms kicked right back in. he became terrified of rejection, terrified that you truly only saw this as a contract to solve your ex-boyfriend problem.

"right," he forced a smile onto his face. "the contract is done. we achieved the desired outcome with maximum efficiency."

your heart squeezed painfully at his logical words. so it really was just a contract to him. a math problem he solved.

"mhm. efficient to the end," you choked out, forcing a fake smile as you reached down to grab your bag. "i should probably get going then. see you around, jungwon." you turned around and took two steps toward the door.

"yn, wait."

you stopped in your tracks and turned back to look at him, heart skipping a beat as hope bloomed in your chest. jungwon had stepped away from the chairs, taking a few paces to you. his hands were clenched into fists at his sides. he looked like he was on the edge of throwing away all his logic and telling you exactly how much he needed you.

but then, he froze. his throat bobbed as he swallowed his words, shoulder dropping as his shyness won the battle inside his head.

"never mind," he mumbled gently, a slightly sad smile touching his lips. "thanks for today. and for everything else."

your chest pulled tight at the heavy, unspoken emotion hanging in the air. "thank you, jungwon."

the transition back to your normal life should have been easy.

the contract had achieved a prefect, one hundred percent success rate. wonbin wouldn't even look in your direction when you passed him in the hallways and you heard jungwon's appeal finally got accepted. jungwon got reached his goal, and you had your peace back.

but you realized you didn't care about the peace at all.

you were sitting at your desk during recess, staring blankly at your notebook. last week, this exact time of day was when jungwon walked into your classroom to drop off a flyer and gently brushes the messy hair out of your eyes.

the classroom door opened, and your head snapped up. but it wasn't him. it was just a group of students laughing at they walked in.

a heavy ache settled deep in your chest. you slumped against your desk, burying your face in your arms. it was ridiculous. you didn't care about wonbin anymore. the only thing consuming your thoughts and your entire heart was a quiet boy with thick-framed glasses and a dimpled smile.

across the building, the library was quiet. jungwon sat as his usual desk, surrounded by calculus books and a glowing laptop screen. the exams were only a few weeks away, and normally, this was where jungwon was most efficient.

but today, his brain was offline.

he stared at the same problem for twenty minutes, the numbers blurring together on the page. his right hand was resting on the table. every time he looked at it, he was dragged back to that alleyway in the pouring rain.

he let out a frustrated sigh, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"the contract is done. we achieved the desired outcome with maximum efficiency."

he wanted to punch himself for saying those words. he had let his stupid shyness build a wall between you right when he should have torn it down. he wanted anything but for you to leave.

he pulled out his phone and opened your chat, positioning his thumbs over the keyboard.

Are you busy after school today? The clubroom needs some organizing.

he stared at the draft. it was a lie. the clubroom was perfectly clean. he just wanted a reason, any reason to see you, to hear your laugh, and to breathe in the same air as you again.

his thumb hovered over the send button for a long minute. but his throat tightened as the familiar fear crept back in. what if she's glad the contract is over? what if she doesn't want to see me anymore?

with a sigh, jungwon deleted the text, locking his phone and dropping it face-down on the table. he leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling as a sense of loneliness washed over him.

and due to the receding sighting of you and jungwon together, a rumor spread faster than a wildfire.

The Academic Club president, Jungwon, and his girlfriend, yn, broke up!

you could hear the whispers trailing behind you all day, but you didn't have the energy to care, you walked out to the courtyard during lunch break, desperately needing a quiet place to breathe away.

"hey, yn."

you stifled a sigh as you saw wonbin walking toward you, a smug grin plastered across his face. "i heard the news," he stopped a few feet away from you. "so, the nerd couldn't keep up with you after all huh? i told you he was just doing his duty as president. the second the open house was over, he dropped you."

you stared at him, realizing how insignificant he truly was compared to the boy who stood up for you last week. "get to the point, wonbin."

he took a step closer, mistaking your exhaustion for sadness. "come on, don't be like that. i'm trying to help you. now that you're single again, i was thinking... maybe we can give it another shot. i'm willing to overlook the little stunt you pulled. you made your point, and i'm ready to take you back."

he reached his hand out, aiming to rest it on your shoulder, fully expecting you to melt right back into his arms.

but before his fingers could touch the fabric of your blazer, you sharply slapped his hand away. the crisp smack echoed in the quiet courtyard. wonbin's grin vanished as his eyes widened. "what the hell, yn?"

"don't touch me," you stepped forward, looking wonbin dead in the eye. "let me make this clear to you, because apparently, your brain can't process such small and simple facts. i didn't pull a stunt. and i am never getting back with you."

"are you serious?" his pride clearly took a massive hit. "you'd rather be miserable over a guy who only cared about his club than be with me?"

"jungwon didn't drop me, park wonbin. and even if he never speaks to me again, i would still choose a single second of his kindness over a lifetime of whatever it was i had with you."

wonbin's face twisted into a hideous expression of shock and humiliation. he opened his mouth to speak, but the fire in your eyes completely choked the words in his throat. "you're crazy," he muttered as he backed away. "you're out of your mind."

"maybe i am," you whispered. "now get out of my fucking sight."

you listened to the heavy, angry sound of his sneakers stomping away across the gravel until the courtyard fell into a beautiful silence.

what you didn't know was that a couple of juniors had been sitting on the nearby benches behind the bushes, eating their lunches. within an hour, word of you declaring that you would choose jungwon over anyone else spread.

when the last bell rang, the talk had reached the entire school. and for jungwon, that was the breaking point.

the wind was breezy as you sat alone at the bus stop just outside the school gates. the street was quiet, most of the students having already cleared out. you stared down at your shoes, heart heavy with a mixture of relief from shedding wonbin, and an ache because of missing jungwon.

your face burned as you remembered your own words from earlier. it was the truth, but a nagging fear in the back of your mind whispered that you might never get the chance to tell him.

suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed. you looked up, breath hitching.

jungwon was running toward the bus stop. his hair was completely windswept, his tie was loosened, and his blazer were unbuttoned. he looked breathless, chest heaving as he skidded to halt in front of you.

"jungwon?" you stood up from the bench. "what's wrong? what are you—?"

not giving you the chance to finish your sentence, jungwon closed the remaining distance between you in a single stride. his ling arms wrapped around your waist as he pulled you against his chest.

your let out a soft gasp as your forehead bumped gently against his shoulder. he held you so tightly it almost took your breath away, his fingers digging into the fabric of your blazer as if he were trying to anchor himself to you. you could feel his heartbeat and his warm breath brushing past your ear.

"jungwon...?" you called, hands hovering in the air before tentatively resting on his back.

"i heard what you said," he muttered, voice thick with emotion. he buried his face deeper into your shoulder, grip tightening. "i heard what you told wonbin in the courtyard."

you blinked, heart fluttering. "you did?"

"every word," he mumbled. slowly, he loosened his grip just enough to pull back and look at you, though his hands stayed securely on your waist, refusing to let you step away. "i spent the last week trying to figure out how to live without you. i told myself it was what was best for you because the deal was over."

he let out a self-deprecating laugh, thumb rubbing circles against your side to ground himself.

"but i was wrong. so wrong. it was the worst assumption i've ever made in my life," he confessed. "i couldn't focus on my studies. i couldn't go to the clubroom without missing you. and when i heard what you said today, i realized i was being a coward."

you looked up at him, vision now slightly blurry. "won..."

"i don't want a contract anymore," he stepped even closer until there wasn't a single inch of space left between you. he reached up with one hand, fingers gently cupping your cheek, thumb wiping a tear. "i don't want to fake anything. i want to be your real boyfriend who can hold your hand, fix your hair, and walk you home every single day."

he breathed before adding, "yn, i am completely, hopelessly in love with you."

the confession hung beautifully in the air. a massive smile appeared on your face, heart bursting with happiness so profound it washed every single second of the sadness.

"you are actually terrible at math, jungwon," you laughed softly through your tears. "because it took you a whole week to realize something i've known since that street festival."

his signature dimple popped up as he grinned. "is that a yes?"

"it's a definitive, one hundred percent yes."

jungwon's breath caught in his throat. the last lingering bit of his restraint shattered. he didn't say anything else. his hand moved from your cheek to the back of your neck, fingers gently tangling into your hair to tilt your face up.

deliberately, he leaned down and pressed his lips against yours.

your eyes fluttered shut as a wave of electricity rushed straight to your core. the kiss was soft at first, hesitant and sweet. but as you stood on your tiptoes, wrapping your arms around his neck, jungwon let out a hum against your mouth and pulled you impossibly closer, deepening the kiss.

his lips were warm and firm against yours, filled with all the longing and unspoken feeling he had been locking away inside his chest.

the roaring engine of the bus pulled up to the curb, its headlights cutting through the twilight. the doors folded open, but neither of you moved. you were completely wrapped up in his warmth, oblivious to the world around you.

when jungwon finally broke the kiss, his forehead rested gently against yours. he kept his eyes closed for a second, a soft smile spreading across his face, simple cutting deep into his red cheeks. he slid his hand down your arm until his fingers slid between yours, locking his large hand securely with yours. "miss the bus for me?" he questioned. "i want to walk you home."

"i'd miss every bus for you, yang jungwon."

© 2026 wonarchy. all rights deserved.

you popped a piece of popcorn into your mouth, glancing down at him. "what's the big deal? just tell her you're too busy being a legendary figure skater to date."

he rubbed his forehead and admitted truthfully, "i tried that last year." he then shifted his arm just enough to look up at you with a pout. "now she thinks i'm lonely. hajoon hyung's bringing his fiancée, and hyejin's bringing her new boyfriend. i'm literaly going to be interrogated by the halmeonis."

you let out a soft laugh, shaking your head at how dramatic he was being. without thinking, you nudged his shoulder with your foot.

"well, you could always take me. i look pretty great in formal wear, don't you think?"

in your head, it was a joke — a completely random banter between two people who had known each other since middle school.

but sunghoon didn't laugh.

the room fell quiet, and you felt his attention shift entirely onto you. he slowly sat up, resting his elbows on his knees as he studied your face. the playful annoyance was completely gone from his expression, now replaced by an intensity that made your heart do a flip.

"wait," he mumbled softly, dark eyes locking onto yours. "that's actually a perfect idea."

you blinked, your hand freezing halfway to the popcorn bowl. for a second, you thought you had misheard him. but the entirely dead serious look on sunghoon's face proved otherwise. "wait, what?" you let out a breathy, nervous laugh. "hoon, i was kidding. i'm not actually going to crash your family banquet."

"it's not crashing if you're my official guest," he countered, sitting up a bit straighter. the initial surprise on his face had completely morphed into genuine excitement. "think about it. we've known each other forever. you already know miyeong imo is hard to deal with, you know how my parents are, and you're basically part of the family anyway. it's foolproof."

"foolproof?" you stared at him, your heart doing a strange flutter against your ribs. you tried to ground yourself with your usual sarcasm, but the way his eyes were holding yours made it difficult. "we'd have to pretend to be dating, sunghoon. do you really think we can pull that off? we just fought over the last slice of pizza."

"we won't be fighting. we'll be acting," he reasoned, his smirk growing. he leaned in a fraction closer, tilting his head. "what, are you worried you won't be able to handle being my girlfriend for a few hours?"

you rolled your eyes, tossing a single piece of popcorn at his chest to hide the warmth creeping up your neck. "in your dreams, park."

"then do it," he said, voice dropping into a softer, more sincere tone. he reached out, his fingers lightly brushing against your wrist to catch your attention. "seriously. just for one evening. you get a free fancy dinner, and i get to survive without being asked a thousand questions. please?"

you looked at the slight pout he always used when he wanted to get his way, and the earnest look in his eyes that you had never been able to say no to since middle school. you let out a long, defeated sigh, though a small smile slipped onto your face.

fine," you muttered, shaking your head at your own helplessness. "i'll do it. but you owe me big time."

sunghoon's face instantly lit up, his signature bright smile breaking through as he knocked his shoulder against yours. "deal. get ready, girlfriend. we have a love story to fake."

you replied with a playful roll of your eyes in response, but beneath the surface, a familiar knot of nerves was tight in your stomach.

honestly, the idea of faking a relationship with sunghoon shouldn't have felt this daunting. you were best friends.

but if you were being completely honest with yourself, the boundary between "just friends" and something more had been blurring for months. it was in the way he casually draped an arm over your shoulders while walking, how his gaze lingered on you when you weren't looking, and how your heartbeat always picked up whenever he got just a little too close.

you had always brushed it off as comfort, the outgrowth of years of shared history. but now, staring at his triumphant grin, a wave of genuine nervousness hit you.

the next few days passed in a blur of frantic text messages and late-night calls as the two of you tried to establish a believable "backstory", but nothing truly prepared you for the actual day of the banquet.

by the time saturday evening rolled around, the casual, easygoing confidence you had maintained all week completely vanished. standing in front of your bedroom mirror, you smoothed down your navy blue silk dress, hands trembling slightly. you were used to sunghoon seeing you at your absolute worst—sweatpants, messy hair, and dark circles—so the sudden transformation felt foreign.

the sharp buzz of your phone cut through the quiet of your room.

[hoon the ice prince] : i'm outside.

taking a deep breath, you grabbed your small clutch, took one last look in the mirror, and headed downstairs.

when you opened your front door, the cool evening air hit your face, but it was the sight of sunghoon that made you freeze.

he was leaning against his car, but he wasn't the casual best friend you saw every day. he was wearing a perfectly tailored dark suit that accentuated his broad shoulders, his dark hair styled flawlessly off his forehead. he looked... handsome, like someone pulled straight from a magazine.

as the door clicked open, sunghoon looked up from his phone.

the casual greeting he usually threw your way died in his throat. his entire posture stiffened, his eyes widening slightly as his gaze swept over you. for a long moment, he just stood there motionless.

"sunghoon?" you ventured softly, shifting your weight nervously. "do i look okay? is it too much?"

the sound of your voice seemed to snap him out of his trance. he blinked rapidly, a deep crimson blooming at the tips of his ears and rushing up his neck. he cleared his throat roughly, his hand flying to the back of his neck. it was a nervous habit you knew all too well, though you had never seen him do it because of you.

"no," he said, voice coming out a little rougher than usual. he cleared his throat again, stepping forward as his eyes locked onto yours with a sudden intensity.

"no, it's... you look incredible, really."

your heart hammered violently against your chest at the sincerity while the banter you had practiced in your head flew away.

"ready to go, boyfriend?" you teased weakly, trying to break the heavy tension. he let out a low chuckle, though his eyes remained on yours, warmer than they had ever been before. "ready. let's go fool my family."

the drive to the venue was filled with a charged silence that neither of you knew how to break.

every time you glanced over, his knuckles were white against the steering wheel, eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead.

when the car was finally taken by the valet service outside the grand hotel, the reality of the situation settled in. through the glass doors of the lobby, you could already see clusters of well-dressed people laughing and mingling.

sunghoon turned his head to look at you, taking a breath to steady himself. "okay. once we walk through those doors, we're officially on."

"right," you replied, voice small from the nervousness.

slowly and deliberately, sunghoon offered his hand to you. you looked down at his open palm, then back up at his face. his dark eyes were steady, watching your reaction closely. with a racing pulse, you slid your hand into his. his fingers immediately closed around yours, his grip firm and hand warm.

"your hands are cold," he noted quietly, his thumb brushing across the back of your knuckles. "blame the nerves," you muttered, leaning into his side just a little as you both began walking toward the entrance.

"don't worry," he squeezed your hand gently as the automatic doors slid open. "just stay close to me. i won't leave your side."

before you could reply, a loud, sharp voice rang out. "sunghoon-ah! over here!"

you both turned to see miyeong imo hurrying toward you, her eyes instantly dropping to your linked hands with an expression of sheer shock.

sunghoon didn't miss a beat. he smoothly drew you a little closer to his side, his arm brushing against yours as he plastered on a bright, effortless smile. "imo," he called, voice smooth and entirely convincing. "there's someone i'd like you to meet."

she stopped right in front of you. "oh my goodness," she breathed, hands clapping together. "sunghoon-ah, you actually brought someone? and you didn't warn me?"

"i wanted it to be a surprise," he reasoned quickly.

before you could even think about how to introduce tourself, sunghoon's hand left yours only to grab your waist. the sudden warmth of his hand made your breath hitch. he pulled you closer to his side, touch grounding.

"imo, this is my girlfriend, yn," he introduced. his voice carried a proud tone that sounded incredibly real it made your head spin. he looked down at you with a smile playing on his lips. "i'm sure you remember me talking about her before."

"of course, of course!" she beamed, her shock melting into excitement. she stepped forward, warmly taking your hand. "the famous best friend that is now his sweetheart. sunghoon's mother has told me so much about you over the years, but seeing you two like this... oh, you look beautiful together!"

"thank you, mrs. park," you managed to say, offering the most polite smile. "it's wonderful to finally meet you."

"call me imo, dear! everyone does," she insisted, waving her hand dismissively before turning her sharp gaze back to her nephew.

"well, park sunghoon, i have to admit, i'm impressed. you hid this quite well. how long has it been?"

"a little over three months now," sunghoon answered without a single hint of hesitation. he squeezed your side gently, "we wanted to keep it to ourselves for a bit, just to make sure we were ready for the family interrogation."

miyeong imo let out a loud laugh. "smart boy. well, come inside! your parents are near the main stage, and your cousins are definitely going to want to see this."

as she fluttered away to greet other guests, the elegant doors of the main hall loomed just ahead.

you let out a shaky breath, looking up at sunghoon. "three months, huh? you said that pretty fast."

sunghoon looked down at you, hand still resting comfortably on your waist. up close, you could see the faint pink tint still lingering on his cheeks, but his eyes were bright with amusement. "i told you, we're acting. come on, let's go make my cousins jealous."

the heavy doors of the hall opened to a room filled with the clinking of crystal glasses and the hum of a live string quartet. the grandeur of the space was intimidating, but the weight of sunghoon's hand at you waist kept you grounded as he guided you through the crowd.

it didn't take long for his cousins to spot him.

"look who finally decided to show up," a voice said. hajoon, sunghoon's older cousin, stepped away from a high-top table, holding a glass of champagne. walking closely behind him was hyejin, holding the arm of her new boyfriend.

but as they closed the distance, their teasing expressions faltered. hajoon stopped mid-stride, gaze dropping straight to sunghoon's arm draped possessively around your waist.

"no way," hyejin murmured, her eyes wide. "sunghoon-ah? is this...?"

"hey, hyung. hyejin-ah," sunghoon greeted them, voice entirely relaxed. his thumb traced a slow, absentminded circle as he shifted his posture. "this is my girlfriend. i told you guys i was bringing a plus-one."

"we thought you were just making up a lie," hajoon admitted, shaking his head in disbelief before offering you a warm smile. "i'm hajoon. it's great to meet you. honestly, we all thought sunghoon was going to marry his ice skate, so you're a miracle worker."

you laughed, the genuine humor easing some of the tension in your shoulders. "it's nice to meet you, hajoon-ssi. he's not that bad."

"oh, don't defend him yet, you don't know what he's like at family dinners," hyejin teased, leaning in. "but seriously, how did this happen? sunghoon never talks about his private life."

"we've been best friends for years," sunghoon answered for you. he looked down at you, and for a second, the bustling room seemed to fade away. the look in his dark eyes were intense and entirely focused. "eventually, i just realized that the person i wanted to spend all my time with was already right next to me. i got tired of waiting."

your heart did a violent, dangerous stutter. the way he said it sounded less like a rehearsed backstory and more like a confession.

because the table was crowded and family members kept leaning in closer to whisper and gossip, sunghoon kept you close. every time someone passed by with a tray of food, his hand would gently guide you closer to his chest, chin practically resting against the top of your head.

when hajoon launched into an embarrassing story about sunghoon's childhood, sunghoon hid his flustered face by leaning down, his breath warm against your ear as he whispered, "don't listen to him, he's exaggerating."

as the banquet transitioned from dinner to mingling, the hall grew even more crowded. waiters carrying heavy trays of champagne and appetizers skillfully darted through groups of talking guests, and the noise level in the room rose significantly.

at one point, a slightly tipsy business associate of his father stumbled slightly backward into your path, before you could even register the movement, sunghoon stepped into your space, his broad shoulders completely blocking you from the impact, he took the brunt of the bump, his hands coming up to rest gently on your upper arm.

"you okay?" he asked immediately, forehead creasing with genuine concern as he looked down at you.

"yeah, i'm fine. just a bit crowded," you said, your voice a little breathy from how quickly he had moved.

"come here," he murmured. he then guided you toward a quieter alcove near the edge of the hall. he stood strategically between you and the crowd, creating a small, private pocket of space just for the two of you.

he reached onto a passing waiter's tray and grabbed a glass of cold water, handing it to you. "here. you look a little flushed. you okay? we can leave early if it's too much."

you took a sip of the water, locking eyes with him. the watchful look in his eyes had nothing to do with acting for his family anymore. no one was watching you in this corner. "i'm okay, hoon," you said softly, offering him a reassuring smile. "you don't have to shield me from everything."

sunghoon let out a breath, hands sliding into his suit pockets as he leaned a bit closer to you. a tiny smile touched his lips. "force of habit, i guess. i just... i want to make sure you're safe. especially since you're here for me."

you placed your empty glass down on a small marble table nearby. "well, your family definitely bought it. hajoon told me i deserve a medal for putting up with you."

sunghoon chuckled, shaking his head. "yeah, well, hajoon hyung doesn't know anything."

as the strings of the quartet shifted into a slower rhythm, sunghoon's gaze drifted past your shoulder toward the center of the hall, where couples were beginning to move onto the dance floor. he watched them from a moment before his eyes flicked back to you, a sudden nervousness crossing his features.

"speaking of putting up with me," he started, clearing his throat as he took one hand out of his pocket. he extended it toward you, a shy but hopeful smile tugging at his lips. "dance with me?"

you stared at his hand, your pulse spiking all over again. there were no nosy imo's hovering right next to you, no cousins to impress.

"sunghooon," you whispered. "no one's looking at us right now. we don't have to fake it here."

he took a half-step closer, closing the distance between you until you could feel the warmth radiating from his chest. his expression softened, lacking the playful defense mechanisms he usually relied on.

"come on, yn. just this once?" he asked.

the words hung in the air between you, heavy and electric, as sunghoon waited for your response. before you could even find your voice, he took a gentle step forward, hand sliding smoothly into yours to pull you toward the dimly lit dance floor.

slowly, sunghoon brought his hand up, his palm resting flat against the small of your back. his touch was firm, drawing you in until there was barely any space between you. you placed your free hand on his shoulder, the fabric of his suit soft under your fingertips.

as the strings swelled into a slow, sweeping melody, you both began to move. sunghoon guided you effortlessly, his rhythm flawless from years of training on the ice. but this didn't feel like a performance for an audience for his focus was entirely locked onto you.

up close, the ambient lights of the hall caught the sharp angles of his face, softening the usual cold face he wore. he eyes searched yours with an intensity that mde it hard to breathe.

"you're quiet," he noted softly, voice a low murmur that easily cut through the music.

"i'm just..." you swallowed hard, looking up at him. "trying to figure out when you became such a great actor."

a small, genuine smile broke across his face, his eyes crinkling at the corners. he shook his head slightly, his grip on your waist tightening just a fraction as he spun you slowly away from another passing.

he tilted his head, voice dropping into a whisper. "who said i was acting?"

a sudden rush of heat hit your face. you froze in your spot, your hand on his shoulder tensing as you tried to process what he had just said.

as the last note of the string quartet faded into the applause of the crowd, the reality of what he had just muttered seemed to finally catch up with his brain.

he froze. his eyes widened slightly, the confident, intense gaze he had been holding completely fracturing.

"i—" he started, his voice cracking just a bit.

he abruptly let go of your waist as if he had accidentally touched a hot stove, pulling his hands back and fisting his hands by his sides. the effortless figure skater from two seconds ago had vanished, replaced by the flustered boy you had known since middle school.

a deep red instantly bloomed at his cheeks, clashing drastically with the cool lighting of the ballroom. he cleared his throat roughly, eyes darting to a pillar somewhere behind you that was no very fascinating.

"sorry, i... don't know what i'm saying," he stammered, words tripping over each other as he gestured vaguely at the ceiling. "the glare in here is crazy. it makes everyone look all serious and weird. i didn't mean anything by it. i think the lack of oxygen in this room is messing with my brain."

an awkward, heavy silence settled between you, the chatter of the ballroom suddenly feeling very loud. you stood there, your hand still slightly raised where it had been resting on his shoulder, completely unsure of what to say.

"right," you managed to say, dropping your hand to your side and gave a stiff nod. "of course."

"mhm," sunghoon hummed quickly, finally braving a glance at you, though his cheeks were still bright pink. he rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a forced laugh. "anyway, it's getting pretty warm in here. do you... wanna go grab some air outside? or some punch? or... literally anything else?"

"actually," you said quietly, pulling the fabric of your dress a little tighter around yourself, "i'm getting kind of tired, do you think we could just go home?"

he blinked then nodded quickly. "yeah. yeah, definitely. let's get out of here."

the departure was a blur of quick goodbyes to miyeong imo, his parents, and his cousins, with sunghoon keeping a polite but careful distance from you the entire time. by the time the valet brought his car around and you both stepped inside, the silence that followed was suffocatingly heavy.

sunghoon gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes glued to the dark road ahead. the confident banter that usually flowed so easily between you was completely gone. every tiny sound, like the low hum of the engine or even the click of the turn signal, felt magnified a hundred times.

you stared out the window. your mind was racing, replaying the moment on the dance floor over and over again.

when the car stopped at a red light, sunghoon shifted uncomfortably in his seat and loosened his tie slightly with one hand. he looked like he wanted to say something, his mouth parting slightly as he glanced toward you, but as soon as you began to turn your head, he snapped his gaze right back to the traffic light, swallowing hard.

the air in the car remained thick with an unspoken tension, the distance between two seats feeling wider than it ever had.

the car finally pulled up to the curb outside your house, the engine idling quietly in the dark driveway. without a word, sunghoon unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out, walking around to your side to open the door before you could reach for the handle.

you stepped onto the porch and turned around, holding your clutch tightly in front of you.

"thanks for driving me," you said softly. "and the dinner."

sunghoon stood on the top step, hands buried deep in his pockets. the yellow porch light cast long shadows across his face, highlighting the tense line of his jaw. "yeah. thanks for coming with me. my family really liked you."

"they're great," you replied with a small, polite smile that didn't quite reach your eyes.

the awkwardness hung heavy between you. unable to stand the suffocating tension for another second, you gave a small nod, turned around, and unlocked your front door. you stepped inside into the dark entryway and began to swing the door shut, ready to let the exhausting night finally end.

thud.

the door suddenly stopped, caught firmly by the palm of sunghoon's hand pressing against the wood.

you blinked in surprise, looking through the gap. sunghoon was standing there, his head tilted down, chest rising and falling with a heavy breath. slowly, he pushed the door back open just wide enough to look at you clearly, eyes burning with a sudden and raw determination.

"i can't just leave it like this," he said, voice dropping into a low tone that made your breath hitch. "i'm sorry i freaked out. but i wasn't lying."

you stared at him, your hand frozen on the doorknob. the cool night air slipped through the open doorway, but you could barely feel it over the sudden racing of your pulse.

sunghoon stepped fully onto the threshold, his usual cool composure completely stripped away. he rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at his shoes for a split second before forcing his gaze back up to lock onto yours.

"i panicked because i realized how obvious i was being," he admitted, voice rough. "when i said i was nervous, i meant it. i might've looked cold or something but i was about to explode. tonight wasn't just a bit for me. watching you talk to my family, holding your hand, dancing with you... it just made me realize how long i've been hiding how i actually feel."

he took a small, cautious step closer, hands coming out of his pockets. he reached out, his fingers gently brushing yours where they held the edge of the door, waiting to see if you would pull away. when you didn't, his grip tightened.

"i don't wanna go back to pretending we're just friends," he whispered, eyes filled with vulnerability you had never seen before. "i want it to be real. if you'll let me."

the silence stretched between you. you just stared at him, your brain short-circuiting as his words looped in your head. your lack of an immediate answer seemed to send a wave of pure panic straight to sunghoon's brain.

his eyes widened, and he immediately started backtracking, his words tumbling out in a rush.

"i mean— you don't have to say anything right now. i know it's a lot, and we've been best friends since we were wearing matching tracksuits in middle school, so if i ruined the vibe, i'm sorry. i just really needed to get it off my chest because i thought if i didn't say it now, i'd never—"

stepping forward, you caught the lapels of his suit jacket, tugging him down just enough to cut off his frantic rambling. you leaned in and pressed your lips against his.

he went utterly rigid. his eyes popped open wide, mouth snapping shut mid-sentence as he froze like a statue. but after a split second, his eyes fluttered shut and a soft sound escaped him as he kissed you back.

you pulled back just a few inches, your own face burning hot, but you refused to let go of his jacket. "park sunghoon, shut up for a second and let me speak."

he nodded dumbly, breath hitching.

"i was shocked because i thought i was the only one," you confessed, voice softening as you looked into his pupils that were now filled with shock and sudden hope. "i've liked you for months now, hoon. when i joked about being your date, i was terrified you'd see right through me. tonight didn't feel like acting to me either. i don't want to pretend anymore."

a wide smile appeared on sunghoon's face, the tension melting out of his shoulders. his deep dimples appeared as he let out a low laugh, his hands coming up to gently wrap around your waist.

he glanced down at you, eyes bright under the soft porch light. the nervous, rambling boy from a moment ago was gone, replaced by a version of sunghoon you were unfamiliar with—one that looked content, with a breathtaking smile that made the edge of his eyes crinkle.

"you have no idea how long i've wanted to hear you say that," he murmured, hands smoothing over the fabric of your waist, holding you flush against him. the crisp night air brushed past, but wrapped in his arms, you couldn't feel the chill at all.

"so," a playful smile tugged at your lips as you circled your arms around his neck. "does this mean i don't have to call you 'boyfriend' just for show anymore?"

he let out a melodic laugh, leaning down until his forehead rested against yours. "nope. no more acting required now."

he pulled back just enough to look into your eyes, his expression turning incredibly sweet. "i will call you tomorrow morning. and this time, it's a real date. just the two of us. no family around."

"its a deal, park sunghoon," you whispered.

© 2026 wonarchy. all rights deserved.

sure, he'd smirk sometimes, or throw out lazy comments that made them lose their minds for no reason. but nothing ever lasted. no relationships, no situationships, nothing serious enough for other girls to stop approaching him. it was a frustrating paradox — the more distant he remained, the more desperate they were to be the exception.

take recess, for example.

jay was leaning against the courtyard railing, the air biting at the back of his neck, when yuna detached herself from her group of friends. she walked over with a deliberate sway, her fingers nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "hey, jay," she started, her voice dropping into a softer, rehearsed register. she stepped into his personal space, holding out a small, neatly folded note. "i was wondering if you were free this weekend? maybe we could get coffee. or... you could just take my number."

jay didn't blink. he didn't even shift his weight off the railing. his dark eyes slowly drifted from her face down to the note, then back up. the silence stretched just long enough to be uncomfortable, the chatter of the courtyard fading into background noise. "i'm busy," he said simply. his voice was warm, but it lacked even a shred of hesitation.

yuna's smile stiffened, her hand freezing mid-air. "oh. well how about next week—"

"i don't think so," jay interrupted gently, gaze already drifting past her shoulder, utterly checked out. "but thanks."

it was brutal in its efficiency. yuna swallowed hard, stuffing the note into her pocket before turning her heel and rushing back to her friends, cheek burning a bright crimson.

"you do realize yuna's been asking for your number for three weeks now, right?" jake dropped into the seat across jay later on during lunch, stealing a handful of fries straight off his tray without asking. jay didn't even look up from his phone, thumb mindlessly scrolling through a feed he wasn't even reading. "and?" he replied, voice flat monotone.

jake chewed loudly, staring at him for a beat before narrowing his eyes in sheer disbelief. "you're actually insane. she's literally a cheerleader," he muttered. sunghoon snorted, "you should consider yourself lucky, jay. most guys would sell a kidney."

jake leaned back in his chair slowly, gaze drifting past jay's shoulder, scanning the crowded, chaotic expanse of the cafeteria. his expression slowly shifted, a mischievous spark lighting up his eyes.

"there she is."

jay's head twisted around almost instantly — a knee-jerk reaction so fast it practically gave him whiplash.

and there you were, standing near the vending machines, caught in a sliver of bright afternoon sunlight that spilled through the windows. you were laughing at something your friend had said, your head tilted back, backpack hanging lazily off one shoulder. your expression was bright, open, and completely, blissfully unaware of the way jay's stomach tightened the second his eyes landed on you.

jay didn't do crushes. not the real ones, anyway.

not the kind that had him lingering, hoping to catch a two-second glimpse of you walking to class. not the kind that made him remember completely useless, mundane details like the fact you always picked the peach oolong tea from the machine, or the way you laughed with you whole body.

he hated how often he noticed you now. it was getting genuinely embarrassing, bordering on a psychological disorder.

he noticed when you arrived late to school, rushing through the gates with half-lidded eyes, a stray piece of hair sticking up, and your headphones half-on. he noticed you always held a cold bottle against your flushed cheeks after gym class. he noticed you had this habit of pulling your sleeves over your hands whenever you laughed too hard or felt awkward.

it was so, so, so pathetic. and the worst part of this entire miserable situation? he hadn't even properly spoken to you yet.

"you're staring like a divorced man seeing his ex-wife at the grocery store," jake joked. sunghoon actually choked on his drink this time, coughing into his napkin as a muffled laugh escaped him. jay glared daggers at jake, his face heating up, and threw a fry directly at his face.

but the thing was, they weren't entirely wrong. because every single time jay tried conversing with you, his nervous system collapses.

he'd see you walking down the hallway and think, "okay. now. just walk up, smile, and say hi." then you'd look up, eyes accidentally brushing past his for a fraction of a second, and his brain would completely short-circuit. so instead, he'd abruptly lean against the nearest locker, crossing his arms and putting on his best monotone face, while internally exploding into a million pieces.

there was that one time last tuesday when your shoulder accidentally bumped his while turning a corner. the impact wasn't heavy, but he stumbled back a step anyway. "i'm so sorry!" you apologized quickly, hand scrambling to steady the stack of textbooks cradled against your chest. you gave him a fleeting apologetic smile before rushing off to catch your next class before the bell rang.

jay stood there like a statue, his mouth slightly open, completely unable to form coherent words. "you're good," he finally mumbled to the empty hallway, gaze glued to the back of your head. he replayed that very moment in his mind for three days straight like an absolute loser.

naturally, jake and sunghoon had become entirely unbearable since finding out. "just ask for her instagram," jake groaned dramatically while walking down the hallway with them after the last bell. "yeah, coward," sunghoon added, voice dripping with mock, fueling jay's irritation.

"shut up," jay snapped, pulling his jacket tighter around himself. "both of you."

as they neared the entrance, jay's steps slowed. through the glass doors, he spotted you standing near the bicycle racks, laughing with your friends. the afternoon sun caught the edges of your hair, giving you a soft, almost glowing silhouette.

jake noticed his sudden deceleration. "now i get why you rejected yuna so fast," he grinned. jay rolled his eyes, "i rejected her because i didn't like her. simple as that."

"yeah, obviously. because you like her."

jay stayed quiet, which was answer enough. it was true nonetheless. he liked you so much it was actually ruining him.

and the thing was, you probably had absolutely no idea. maybe to you, park jongseong was just another loud guy with a bad reputation and too many problems attached to his name. meanwhile, jay was over here rehearsing imaginary conversations in the shower like a psycho.

one day, he spotted you near the stairwell completely by accident after classes. you friends had already gone ahead without you, their loud conversations fading out the main door minutes ago. you were standing near the windows by yourself, looking down, completely absorbed in trying to fix a jammed zipper on your backpack.

jay stopped walking immediately. this was it — no friends around, no interruptions, no excuses. his stomach dropped so hard it was ridiculous.

for a second, the sheer panic almost won, and he considered keeping his head down and walking past. but then, you brushed your hair back behind your ear, the golden hour light catching the side of your face. suddenly, a thought hit jay with absolute clarity, "if i don't do this right now, i'm actually never gonna do it." so before he could psych himself out again, his feet moved.

your head lifted at the sound of heavy footsteps echoing. immediately, jay forgot every word he had meticulously prepared. his mind went entirely blank, like a chalkboard wiped clean.

"hey," he managed. thank god his voice sounded normal. you looked surprised for a second, your blinking eyes focusing on him. it was fair, jay had never actually approached you before. "...hi?" you said slowly, the word phrasing itself like a question.

cute. the word flashed involuntarily through his mind, making his throat feel even drier.

jay shoved his hands into his pockets, clenching them into fists so you wouldn't notice how aggressively they were shaking. "you waiting for someone?" he asked, voice nearly shaking. you shook your head lightly, a small hum escaping your throat. "nope, my friends just left already. i got held up."

he nodded, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "do you always stay late?" he interrogated more. "sometimes... you?" you adjusted your bag strap. jay leaned lightly against the railing beside the stairs, attempting to project an aura of cool indifference. it was a massive failure — he was mostly trying to ignore the way his heartbeat was hammering against his ribs, growing louder the longer you looked right at him. he shrugged, "depends."

on whether you're here, apparently. he mentally kicked himself for the thought.

the conversation hung in the air, thick and slightly awkward. jay stared at a smudge on the opposite wall, desperately gasping for a follow-up topic. but the tension unexpectedly faded when a small smile broke across your face. you started teasing him about always looking annoyed in class. jay defended himself, instincts kicking in. "what? no i don't." his brow furrowed, lips pulling into a frown.

"you kinda do," you replied truthfully. he shook his head, looking away with a scowl that only proved your point. "that's just my face."

you laughed softly at that — a genuine, light sound that echoed in the quiet hallway. jay genuinely though his knees might buckle. he felt a sudden wave of vertigo, entirely captivated by the way your eyes crinkled.

"wait... oh my god," a voice said.

a voice jay recognized far too easily. jake's.

jay's head snapped toward the top of the stairs. jake was standing there, a hand gripping the banister, his expression a theatrical mix of horror and exaggerated shock. one step behind him stood sunghoon, biting his lower lip, trying so hard not to laugh that his shoulders were literally shaking. for one full, agonizing second, both of them just kept looking back and forth between you and jay.

sunghoon finally walked down the stairs, grin growing wider and more wicked the closer he got. he clapped a heavy hand on jay's shoulder, "so this is why you suddenly disappeared?"

jay closed his eyes, dragging a hand over his face. "can you two please leave?"

you were trying so hard not to laugh, pressing your lips together. the school's terrifying, unapproachable, heart stealer currently looked one second away from turning into a tomato, the flush creeping rapidly up from his collar to the tip of his ears.

jake stepped down, putting on his most innocent, angelic smile as he looked at you. "he practiced this conversation, by the way," he whispered loudly. "sim jaeyun!" jay napped, lunging forward and smacking the back of jake's head lightly. "okay, okay, we're going!" jake laughed, raising his hands in surrender as sunghoon dragged him away by the jacket, both of them snickering loudly as they disappeared down the lower corridor.

the second they were out of sight, silence rushed back into the stairwell. a heavy, profoundly awkward silence. jay kept his eyes glued to the empty hallway, frantically reconsidering every life decision that had led him to this exact moment.

"you practiced this conversation?" you repeated carefully. jay could hear the smile forming in your voice. he groaned, refusing to meet your eyes. "don't listen to them, they're idiots." your smile only widened, eyes sparkling with amusement. seeing you look at him like that made jay feel entirely unmoored, his confidence completely shot.

"you know, this is kinda ruining your scary reputation," you commented, mimicking his posture by leaning slightly against the railing beside him. jay looked over, eyebrows knitting together. "scary?"

you nodded, "mhm. people act like you're intimidating. i don't think so, though. i think you're kind of awkward," you added, tilting your head. he stared at you in disbelief, jaw dropping slightly. "awkward?"

"well, you got caught talking to a girl and looked like your life was ending," you giggled, the sound light and teasing. "in my defense, it basically was," he mumbled, gaze dropping back to his shoes as a faint smile tugged at his own lips.

a silence fell between you again, but this time, the nervous edge had softened into something warmer. jay looked at you then, taking in the soft light on your face and the easy way you stood near him. the fear was still there, but a sudden surge of adrenaline drowned it out. before he could overthink himself, before he could let the doubts crawl back in, he spoke.

"do you maybe wanna go out sometime?"

you blinked once, the teasing smile faltering into a look of surprise. jay immediately felt his stomach drop to the floor. "too straightforward. too weird. i should've said it smoother, should've built up to it." he was fully prepared to backpedal and laugh it off as a joke.

but then, your smile returned, softer this time. "like a date?" your eyebrows raised in inquiry.

jay's brain stopped functioning for a second. his vocabulary reduced itself to a single, breathless syllable. "uh... yeah."

"okay."

jay genuinely forgot how to react. he stared at you, his mind struggling to process the lack of rejection. "i— you're serious?" his voice turned small, losing all of its usual deep and steady grit. now it was your turn to stare at him, a look of pure amusement crossing your features. "you asked me out." he rubbed the back of neck, "well... right. yeah. i know that."

you laughed softly, the tension breaking. "then yes, jay. i'll go out with you."

before he could embarrass himself further or stumble over his own feet, you adjusted your bag and stepped back slightly. "i should go back before it gets dark, though," you suddenly said, glancing at the deepening orange hue outside. jay nodded too fast, "yeah, of course. stay safe."

you took two steps toward the door, then you paused, "oh wait." you turned back around, reaching into your pocket and holding your phone out to him casually. "you should probably give me your number first."

jay nearly lost his mind right there. he stepped forward and took the phone from your hand a little too quickly, his movements clumsy. he focused entirely on the screen, typing his digits with care, trying very hard to ignore the fact that his hands suddenly felt incredibly warm. when he handed it back, your fingers brushed his for half a second. the brief contact sent a jolt straight up his arm, and it almost killed him.

you looked at the screen, nodding approvingly, and slid the phone back into your pocket. "i'll text you. bye, jay." you waved at him with the sweetest smile he had ever seen before turning on your heel and exiting the building.

jay stayed rooted to the exact same spot for a solid ten seconds after you disappeared. he let out a long, shaky breath he felt like he'd been holding it for a week. "holy shit."

that night, jay was lying across his bed, propped up on his elbows while he watched something on his laptop. but really, he hadn't absorbed a single line of dialogue for the past hour. his thoughts kept drifting back to the stairwell, over and over again. suddenly, his phone buzzed against the mattress.

he glanced at it lazily, expecting a barrage of teasing texts from jake or sunghoon demanding updates. but as his eyes locked onto the screen, he froze.

[unknown number] hey scary boy

jay sat upright so fast he almost launched himself off the bed, his laptop sliding dangerously across the sheets. he grabbed the phone, heart instantly resuming the frantic rhythm from earlier that afternoon. he reread the three-word message at least six times.

then, completely overwhelmed, he buried his face into his pillow. his entire body felt incredibly hot, a deep flush spreading across his cheeks, he groaned into the fabric dramatically, kicking his legs slightly. you teasing him over text felt a thousand times worse — and a thousand times better — than anything his friends could ever throw at him.

after a full minute of internally combusting and trying to regain his composure, he finally picked his phone back up. he unlocked it, tapped the reply bar, and stared at the keyboard.

he typed out a response, paused, read it, and aggressively hit backspace. he tried a different, cooler approach. too try-hard. he tried a casual, short reply. too dismissive. for the next ten minutes, he rewrote the exact same reply over and over again, desperately trying to find the words that wouldn't make him look entirely helpless against you.

he finally settled on something that didn't sound completely desperate, though his heart was still thumping against his ribs.

[jay] i told you that's just my face and it's jay. save my number so you don't forget

he stared at the screen, holding his breath until the little typing bubbles appeared almost instantly.

[yn] too late, you're already saved as "scary boy" :/

jay let out a silent laugh, rolling onto his back and staring up at his ceiling. he couldn't even bring himself to be annoyed.

the texting didn't stop that night. it carried on through the next few days, shifting from quick, teasing banter between classes to late-night conversations about everything and nothing. jay found out that you actually paid attention to his terrible posture in english class, and you found out that the he was incredibly passionate about guitar and easily flustered by compliments.

by the time friday evening rolled around, jay was standing outside the small, neon-lit diner down the street from school. he adjusted the collar of his flannel outer with his left hand, his right hand carefully holding a small, neatly wrapped bouquet of fresh tulips. he checked his reflection in the glass door for the fourth time.

"you're going to burn a hole through the glass if you keep staring at it," your voice called out.

jay spun around, instinctively shifting the flowers behind his back for a split second before catching himself. you were walking up the pavement, wearing a soft sweater, your hair down, and a bright smile on your face. without the heavy school bags and the crowded hallways, everything felt different.

"i wasn't staring," jay lied automatically, the familiar warmth already creeping up his neck. he stepped forward and awkwardly but gently extended the bouquet toward you. "here. these are for you."

your eyes lit up as you looked at the flowers. "jay, these are beautiful. thank you." you stepped up beside him and cradled the flowers. you looked at him, your eyes taking in his outfit before meeting his gaze. "you look nice tonight."

his brain threatened to shut off again, but this time, he managed to hold your gaze. he offered a small, genuine smile. the kind that he rarely showed around school. "thanks. you look nicer."

the date itself was surprisingly easy, once the initial nerves settled over a shared plate of fries, the awkwardness faded into comfortable conversation. jay didn't have to pretend to be the aloof, unapproachable guy everyone thought he was, and you didn't treat him like one. you laughed at his jokes, and he listened intently whenever you talked about things you loved.

as the night wound down, the diner grew quiet, the vintage jukebox in the corner playing a low, mellow tune.

you traced the rim of your milkshake glass with a straw, looking over at him. "so... did this live up to the conversation you practiced in your head?"

jay paused, a faint flush hitting his cheeks, but he let out a soft chuckle. "honestly? not even close."

you tilted your head, an eyebrow raising. "oh? was it that bad?" you asked. "no, he answered softly, voice dropping to a deeper, more sincere tone. he leaned his forearms on the table, looking right at you. "it was way better. i didn't plan for you to be this easy to talk to."

a slight blush colored your own cheeks this time, and you looked down with a shy smile. "good answer, scary boy."

when he walked you back to your bus stop later that night, the air was cool, the streetlights casting a glow over the pavement. you stopped near the bench, holding the tulips carefully against your chest as you turned around to face him. "thank you for tonight, jay. i had a really good time," you said, looking up at him.

"me too," he replied, hands back in his pockets, but his posture was completely relaxed now. "we should do it again. next week?"

you smiled, stepping just a bit closer into his space. "it's a date."

before he could process how close you suddenly were, you leaned in on your tiptoes. your hand rested lightly on his shoulder for balance, and you pressed a quick, soft kiss directly to his cheek.

jay froze entirely. his breath hitched in his throat, and he was certain his heart stopped beating for three full seconds. the warmth from where your lips touched his skin instantly flared across his entire face, turning him a brilliant shade of crimson.

you stepped back, your eyes crinkling with amusement at his completely stunned expression. you reached out, your fingers gently tapping his pocket where his phone was. "text me when you get home so i know you didn't get intimidated by the dark."

"hey..." he complained weakly, but his voice was practically a squeak, his cool facade entirely shattered.

you waved, turning to step onto the arriving bus with a delighted laugh, holding the flowers close. jay stood under the streetlight, completely paralyzed, a hand rising slowly to touch the exact spot on his cheek you had just kissed.

he watched the bus pull away into the city traffic. and as the bus finally disappeared around the far corner of the street, jay let out a heavy exhale. he looked around the quiet, empty pavement, making absolutely sure no one from school was anywhere in sight.

slowly, the stunned look on his face gave way to a sharp, triumphant grin. he brought both elbows down to his sides, clenching his fists in a silent, lowkey victory pump. he let out a quiet, breathless "yes!" to the empty street, a sudden surge of excitement making him bounce slightly on his feet.

© 2026 wonarchy. all rights deserved.

you had been scrolling for what felt like hours. the soft glow of your laptop illuminated your tired face as you sat on your bed, finger lazily flicking on the touchpad. retail, cafe barista, convenience store clerk, receptionist. over and over again, different titles but the same image in your head — you standing behind a counter, forcing polite smiles, counting hours by the ticking of a clock that never seemed to move.

it didn't feel right.

you sighed and were about to lock your phone when that exact listing caught your eye. it wasn't flashy. there were no emojis, no exaggerated promises. just straightforward. you thought about it for a moment and eventually clicked on it.

name : park jongseong address : 23 riverside residence, seoul, south korea number : 010-****-**** (text if you applied)

in need of : - a trustworthy and organized individual. - preferably a woman. - can be of any age.

you bit your lip, thinking. babysitting wasn't new to you. you'd done it before — neighbors' children, your cousin's toddler during summer breaks, even a part-time daycare assistant job in high school. you remembered sticky hands tugging at your sleeves, tiny giggles echoing in the living room, the strange but comforting responsibility of watching over someone small and fragile.

it wasn't easy, but it wasn't soul-draining either.

you entered the page. your fingers moved quickly at first, then slowed as doubt crept in. you carefully typed your name, your age, your previous experiences. you reread everything. once, twice, then a third time. your heart pounded as you pressed submit. you opened your messaging app afterwards and stared at the number.

you inhaled deeply and began typing.

[jang yn] : good afternoon, my name is jang yn. i assume this is mr. park jongseong. i found your number on a job application website. it said you needed a babysitter for your daughter. i have applied for it.

you stared at the message for a long second. before you could overthink further, you hit send. immediately, panic settled in. you locked your phone and tossed it beside you as if it had burned you. your stomach twisted with nervous anticipation. what if he already found someone? what if he didn't like your resume? what if—

buzz. your phone vibrated against your bedsheets. your eyes widened. that was way too fast. you slowly reached for it, bracing yourself.

[park jongseong] : hi, yn. please, call me jay. thank you for reaching out. i would like to interview you beforehand to see how you work. are you perhaps free tomorrow at 4 p.m.? we could meet at my address.

you blinked — an interview, tomorrow, at his house. you swallowed, reading the message again. his tone was polite and direct, not overly formal, not cold either. you sat up straighter, fingers hovering above your keyboard.

[jang yn] : yes, that sounds great.

you pressed the send button with a thumping heart. and right after, three dots appeared on the side of the screen.

[park jongseong] : perfect. see you then.

the next day, you arrived ten minutes early. the house wasn't huge, but not too small either. a neat one-story home with clean white walls, wide windows reflecting the afternoon sun, and a soft greenery lining the walkway.

your gaze dropped. a pair of tiny pink shoes sat neatly beside the door. that made your nerves worse.

you took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell. a faint shuffling sound echoed from inside. "coming!" a voice called out, slightly muffled. the door opened eventually.

jay looked different from you imagined. he was simpler — navy shirt that fit him well, jeans, hair pushed back slightly like he had run his hand through it. no accessories, no effort to impress — yet somehow it worked. his shoulders were broad, posture relaxed, and when he looked at you, his eyes were steady in a way that made you suddenly aware of how fast your heart was beating. "hi," he greeted first, offering a small smile. his voice was lower than you expected, steady and almost grounding. "you must be yn."

you nodded quickly. "yes, i am." you hoped your voice didn't sound as nervous as you felt. he stepped aside, opening the door wider. "come in."

you slipped off your shoes carefully beside the pink pair. the house smelled like fresh laundry detergent and something sweet, like baked goods. as he led you to the living room, you took in everything without meaning to.

a small rack filled with colorful, petite shoes next to a second rack holding darker, larger ones. photographs were framed neatly on the wall. a little girl with bright eyes and pigtails. the same little girl sitting on a man's shoulders — him. a picture of the two of them on what looked like a beach, her laughter frozen mid-moment. there were no other family photos. your chest tightened slightly at the realization.

the living room was warm. a fireplace, a television, a tall bookshelf with both adult novels and children's picture books, and toys scattered in organized chaos.

and then, a small blur ran across the room. tiny footsteps padded against the wooden floor, and a little girl collided gently with the man in front of you, hiding behind his leg almost instantly. she peeked at you with wide, cautious eyes. jay glanced down, tone shifting to something softer immediately. "seoyeon. say hi."

she didn't. she only stared. instead of forcing anything, you crouched down slowly so you were closer to her height. "hi seoyeon," you said quietly with a small smile. "i'm yn."

she blinked, then hid again. you noticed a drawing book open on the coffee table, pages filled with colorful scribbles of flowers, stick figures, and what looked like a purple cat. "i heard you like drawing. i'm not very good at it," you admitted dramatically, lowering your voice like it was a secret. "maybe you can teach me?"

there was a small pause, then she peeked again. this time, a little more of her face showed. you took that as an accomplishment.

jay lifted her into his arms. up close, you noticed how easily he carried her, one arm secure around her like it was the easiest thing in the world. "appa needs to talk to yn first, okay? you can color while we talk." seoyeon nodded lightly before he set her down again. she waddled back to her spot, glancing at you once more before sitting.

"please," he gestured toward the couch. you sat on the edge of it, posture straight. "so," he began, resting his hands together loosely. "i read your application. you've done this before?" he asked. you nodded, "yes, i have. mostly for relatives, and i volunteered at a daycare for a few months."

he listened carefully — not distracted, not checking his phone.

"are you currently studying?" he implied. you shifted in your seat, "no, i'm not. i graduated just a few months ago."

he asked more questions on discipline, emergencies, routines, and you answered as clearly as you could. but something felt slightly different. you couldn't pinpoint it exactly but maybe it was the way he watched you as you spoke — not rude, but attentive. or maybe it was how he held eye contact for a second longer than necessary every time after you finished answering like he was trying to read you beyond your works.

in the middle of the interview, you saw seoyeon take her small little steps to her father. she stood beside him, clutching a stuffed bunny to her chest. "is she your favorite?" you asked gently. she acknowledged and nodded this time. "what's her name?" you raised an eyebrow. "...mimi," she mumbled, voice low and shy. you gasped softly, hand over your chest. "mimi? well, mimi is very cute," you said seriously, leaning in slightly like it was official business.

that made her smile. a real one. jay noticed it. he leaned back slightly, observing the interaction carefully. you didn't rush her, didn't reach out without permission, didn't try to win her over loudly.

"you like coloring, don't you?" you questioned. she nodded again. you frowned and hummed as if thinking, "maybe next time you can show me your drawings."

"okay."

jay cleared his throat. "she's usually really shy with new people," he said, impressed. you glanced at him, "that's okay. i don't mind going slow." you turned back to seoyeon, face automatically going softer. "as long as this sweetheart gets comfortable."

she grinned, scrunching her nose slightly. you mirrored her expression without thinking. at that very moment, jay studied your face — really studied it. the way your eyes softened when you spoke to his daughter, the quiet patience in your voice. "you're patient," he commented. you shrugged a little. "kids need time," you responded. his gaze gentled slightly at your words because he realized that you understood what you were doing.

seoyeon stepped a little closer to you. she gazed at her dad, then back at you. "are you coming tomorrow?" the question surprised the both of you. you instinctively looked at jay. he met your eyes for a brief second before turning to her. "we'll see, princess. yn can be busy too."

after a few more practical details about hours and payment, jay stood. you stood too. "i'll let you know by tonight," he said. "thank you for considering me," you replied.

when you walked toward the door and slipped your shoes back on, you heard small, light footsteps behind you. you turned to see seoyeon. she held out mimi up proudly. you bent down just a little, "bye mimi. bye to you too, seoyeon." the small girl gave you a rather wide smile before waving her hands enthusiastically. you returned it.

before you shut the door, you looked back up and found jay already looking at you. you gave him a small girn, a little more relaxed now than when you first arrived. he returned it — softer this time — with a polite nod, though his gaze lingered just a second longer than necessary.

then, the door closed softly. behind it, jay remained still for a moment, hand resting on the doorknob. he exhaled slowly. he walked back to the couch, and seoyeon climbed onto his lap. "is she nice?" jay asked casually and seoyeon nodded without hesitation. "she's really nice, appa," she added. jay hummed, melting into the soft cushion.

he had interviewed others. some were too loud, some tried too hard to impress, some even looked distracted. but you? you didn't rush, didn't even try to win her over. he rubbed his hand over his face lightly. he didn't like trusting people easily — usually couldn't. but something about you felt correct. seoyeon shifted on his lap. "i like her."

jay looked down at her with a cocked eyebrow, "that fast?" and she nodded again. he stared at the ceiling for a moment. then he muttered quietly to himself. "she'll do."

that night, after seoyeon had fallen asleep, the house fell into a deep, comfortable silence. jay sat at the dining table with his phone in his hand. he opened your contact and typed.

[park jongseong] : hi, yn. it's jay. i'd like to move forward if you're still interested.

then, he added.

[park jongseong] : seoyeon likes you. said you're really nice.

he set his phone face down on the table immediately after, leaning back in his chair like it didn't matter. five seconds passed, then ten. he flipped it over again, but there wasn't a reply yet.

another minute passed, then— buzz.

[jang yn] : yes, i'd love to. thank you so much!

and the next day, you stood in front of the same door. it felt different from the previous day because this time, you were staying rather than only visiting. you adjusted the strap of your bag on your shoulder and knocked softly.

the door opened almost immediately. jay stood there, already dressed for work — dark slacks fitted neatly, a simple button-up tucked in, sleeves rolled just enough to show his forearms. his hair was styled, sharp but effortless, and he smelled faintly of clean cologne and coffee. "morning," he said. you blinked. "...morning." you stepped inside with a small gulp.

seoyeon was sitting cross-legged on the living room floor, surrounded by a kingdom of toys. when she saw you, she paused mid-play, eyes widening slightly, then she waved. you grinned immediately, "hi, seoyeon."

jay cleared his throat, "okay. so. before i leave..." he walked toward the kitchen and you followed. "she already ate breakfast. but if she says she's hungry again, there are cut fruits in the fridge," he mentioned first.

then, he hit you with many of them.

"she's not allergic to anything, but don't give her too much sugar." "sometimes, she takes a nap around two, but that depends on her." "she sleeps at nine. i'll be back before then." "there's a small first aid kit in the cabinet above the microwave."

finally, he let himself breathe. you blinked slowly, trying not to smile. "okay." you could tell he wasn't doubting you. he just wasn't used to not being the one in control of every tiny detail. letting someone handle them felt foreign.

seoyeon padded into the kitchen and tugged on his pants. "appaaa." she mumbled. jay melted instantly, "yeah, princess?" his voice softened without effort.

"are you leaving now?" she pouted sadly, eyes glossy and round. he nodded slowly, "mhm. soon." he crouched down to her level, "i'll be back before bedtime, okay?" he patted her head gently. she looked between you and her dad, weighing her options. "okay," she decided.

jay stood, adjusting his watch. "if anything happens, call me. even if it's small. i just... like to know," he confessed. you gave him a small nod, "it's okay, i understand." and that seemed to ease something in him.

he grabbed his keys from the counter. before leaving, he looked at seoyeon once more, then at you. "thank you," he murmured. it sounded more sincere than yesterday. you nodded, "you're welcome."

and like that, the door closed and the house became quieter.

you looked down at seoyeon, she looked up at you. "appa talks a lot," she declared bluntly before running back to the living room. you laughed softly, the awkwardness fading.

it surprised you how easy it was to befriend her. all you had to do was step into her world — mimi had dramatic backstories, barbie dolls had complicated lives, coloring books required serious artistic discussion. somehow between the imaginary tea parties and emergency doll hospitals you had to run, you and seoyeon had practically become best friends.

and by the third day, you didn't have to ask where anything was. you knew where the cups were, which drawer had the extra hair ties, and that she absolutely despised bread crusts.

that morning, jay was getting ready for work while you crouched to help seoyeon put on her shoes for the park. "she didn't finish her milk," he called from the kitchen. "i know. she said it tasted weird today," you explained. he froze, "it's the same brand..."

"maybe it was just too cold. i warmed it a little and she finally drank some," you replied lightly. soon, you finished tying seoyeon's shoelaces. "there, all done."

jay observed quietly but was interrupted by seoyeon jumping up and hugging his leg. he absentmindedly rested his hand on her head, but his gaze was still on you.

later that afternoon, he came home a little later than usual. you were sitting on the floor with seoyeon, building a tower out of blocks. the living room was slightly messy with toys scattered around and cushions out of place. seoyeon burst into laughter as one of the pieces wobbled dangerously. "careful," you whispered dramatically as if the lightest gust of air could push the building, but the tower collapsed anyway. seoyeon gasped and clapped her hands like it was the most exciting event of the day.

that was when you looked up and noticed him. "oh. you're back early," you said, brushing hair away from your face.

he nodded, "yeah, meeting ended sooner." he stepped inside, his eyes drifting back to the half-destroyed tower. seoyeon was laughing loudly. "look, appa!" she shouted. "we made a castle!"

jay walked closer and knelt near you. "that's... really tall," he anticipated. "it fell three times," you admitted "four!" seoyeon corrected proudly. you both laughed, and jay found himself smiling without realizing it.

that night, something even stranger happened. seoyeon brushed her teeth without being reminded. "did you tell her to?" jay questioned. "about bedtime? no, she remembered," you shook your head. he glanced toward the bathroom, stunned. that almost never happened.

a few minutes later, seoyeon walked out in her pajamas. "i'm sleepy," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes. the clock read 8:52. he looked at you, "you didn't tell her to go to bed?"

"no," you said. "she just started rubbing her eyes." you created the motion.

after seoyeon went to bed, the house felt calmer. jay leaned against the kitchen counter while you washed your hands. "you're adjusting very quickly," he praised. you glanced at him, "is that bad?"

"no. it's just... i'm used to reminding her about everything." he explained. you dried your hands with a towel. "everything's easier when there's two people, right?"

he didn't answer right away. because that was the thing. he wasn't used to there being two people. for years, it had only been him — managing, scheduling, remembering every detail so nothing slipped through. now, without even trying, you were sharing the weight. he looked at you again, "thank you," he said after a moment. you chuckled, "you don't have to thank me every day."

he almost smiled back. "i probably will anyway." and he did. he never once forgot to mention those words after every visit. and you always chuckled to yourself whenever he did.

the first week with seoyeon wasn't all that difficult. there were cries, of course. also some dramatic tantrums, the kind that started in her toes and worked their way up until her whole body trembled with injustice. and one particularly impressive floor-flop in the middle of the living room that would've earned a standing ovation from broadway.

but overall? normal and manageable. you handled it well — suspiciously well. and jay started paying attention more than he thought he should've.

one morning, you arrived at the house like usual. seoyeon ran to the door before jay could even turn the knob. "yn's here!" she announced proudly to absolutely no one and everyone at once. you laughed when the door opened. "i'm here seoyeon!" you echoed with equal excitement, crouching slightly as she barreled into you.

jay leaned against the doorway, watching the way she immediately grabbed your hand like it was the most natural thing in the world. like you had always been part of her routine. "hey," jay said, quieter. you gave him that small, polite smile, "hi."

and for a moment, he forgot what he was about to say.

not even an hour into the shift, the first storm rolled in. seoyeon stared down at her drawing, lip trembling. "it's not a butterfly anymore," she whispered. jay saw the warning signs instantly. the shoulders rising, breath hitching, fingers tightening around the crumpled paper.

here we go.

but before he could step in, you slid onto the floor beside her. you studied the page carefully. "you're right," you agreed thoughtfully. "it doesn't."

jay's mouth parted slightly and seoyeon hiccupped mid-cry. you only tilted your head. "it looks like a butterfly that's flying really, really fast. maybe that's why the wings look like that. they're moving too quick."

a sniffle, "really?" she blinked. "mhm," you nodded. "fastest butterfly i've ever seen."

seoyeon stared at the drawing again. her breathing slowed, tiny brows furrowing in consideration. then, as if the universe had reset, she scrambled. "i need a magnet!" and five minutes later, the "fastest butterfly in the world" was proudly displayed on the fridge. jay stood in the hallway, arms crossed, equal parts confused and impressed. he glanced at you. you were smiling so casually, like the whole situation had been nothing. he shook his head slightly to himself.

how were you doing that?

that afternoon, the three of you headed to the grocery store. originally, jay had planned to go alone. but seoyeon insisted on going along with you, which meant the trip became a group event.

the candy aisle was inevitable. "yn, yn!" seoyeon gasped, clutching a bag of gummy bears like it was a life-or-death discovery. "i really, really want this! can i have it pleaseee?"

jay stepped in smoothly. "not today, princess. we have candy at home." and there it was. the face scrunch, the inhale, the rising tremor. you saw it too. her wail echoed dramatically through the aisle that a couple turned their head. jay braced himself.

but you simply knelt down, lowering yourself to her level. your voice stayed soft and steady — too quiet for him to catch every word. "you really wanted those, huh?"

her cries softened into shaky breaths. you continued, "do you want to help me pick a snack for movie night instead? something we don't already have?" you offered. she sniffed. you added, "and next time we plan for candy, we can put it on the list together."

then slowly, she nodded. she placed the gummy bears back on the shelf herself.

jay stared at you. when you resumed walking, he leaned closer, "how are you doing this?"

you glanced at him, confusion plastered on your face. "doing what?" you huffed. "this," he gestured vaguely at the now calm child inspecting crackers like nothing had happened. "you're not even stressed."

you shrugged lightly, "she's just communicating the only way she knows how." you looked at him like it was an obvious point. he let out a disbelieving laugh. "communicating? that was a full emotional hurricane."

"yeah," you smiled. "but hurricanes pass, right?"

you grabbed a box of cereal from the shelf and added it to the cart. "thing is, jay, i pick my battles. and i remember she's not giving me a hard time... she's having a hard time."

the words hit him harder than he expected. he thought about the nights he'd snapped a little too quickly. the times exhaustion blurred his patience.

seoyeon turned around suddenly, beaming at you. "can we get the star pasta?" her eyes brightened. you tapped her nose gently. "is it on the list?" you asked. she slapped her forehead, "i forgot!"

you whispered dramatically, "mission impossible." she giggled and ran ahead to fetch the crumpled paper from the cart's cup holder. jay watched the exchange quietly. he had expected exhaustion from you by now. or at least a crack in the calm. maybe even a frustrated sigh when you thought he wasn't looking. but instead, you moved through it all with steady hands and softer eyes than he'd ever seen.

even later that evening, when seoyeon refused to put on pajamas because "the clouds on them looked sad," you didn't argue. you asked her why they were and you suggested maybe they needed a bedtime story too. somehow, the pajamas were on within minutes. jay leaned against the hallway wall, arms folded, pretending he wasn't watching. pretending he wasn't thinking about how different the house felt lately.

after you tucked seoyeon in, you stepped into the kitchen to grab your bag. jay was already there, rinsing a glass. "you don't get overwhelmed?" he asked out of the blue. you considered the question honestly, "of course i do."

"i just don't let her see it when she's overwhelmed too," you added. "she needs someone steady, not someone sinking with her."

he swallowed. "you're kind of amazing," he muttered, almost to himself.

you couldn't hear him, too busy adjusting the strap on your bag. "sorry?" you leaned. he shook his head quickly. "nothing. drive safe."

that was that. but one night, everything took a turn.

jay had been in his room for hours, laptop open, spreadsheets blurring into one another as he answered emails and finished up reports. at some points, the numbers stopped making sense. he didn't realize how much time had passed until his eyes burned and he finally glanced at the clock in the corner of his screen. it was past seoyeon's bedtime.

his brows knit together. the house had been quiet for a while — too quiet, now that he thought about it. usually there was some last-minute protest, a request for water, s mall voice calling his name, a dramatic declaration that she wasn't sleepy at all.

he pushed his chair back and stepped out of his room, loosening the sleeves os his shirt absentmindedly as he walked toward the living room.

that's when he saw it. seoyeon was asleep on the couch. one small arm dangled off the edge, fingers limp and curled. her hair fanned messily against the pillow, cheeks warm and flushed. an episode of peppa pig played softly on the tv, bright animated voices murmuring into the otherwise still room.

and you. you were kneeling beside the couch. you didn't notice him, you were too focused on her. carefully, you lifted her hanging arm and placed it over her stomach. your movements were slow and deliberate like you were afraid the air might wake her. then you pulled the blanket up to her neck and tucked the corners in, smoothing the fabric with your palm.

jay didn't move. something about the scene held him there.

the lamp in the corner was on, casting a warm light over the couch, softening the edges of everything it touched. your hair fell slightly forward as you leaned closer to adjust the pillow beneath her head. you brushed a small strand away from seoyeon's face with the back of your finger. "sweet dreams, princess." you used the nickname jay usually did.

you looked natural there. the thought hit jay so suddenly that his chest tightened. he stood there longer than he thought, just staring. the house didn't usually look like this. it was usually quiet in a different way — empty, functional, clean but cold.

but right now? it felt warm, and you were at the center of it.

you stayed kneeling for another moment, eyes tracing the toddler's face. only then did you lift your head and froze slightly when your eyes met his. you stood up slowly, brushing your hands against your jeans. "she fell asleep while watching," you explained with a low voice, almost like you didn't want to disturb the silence too much.

he cleared his throat, "you could've just told me."

"it's okay, really. she looked tired," you replied gently.

he glanced at seoyeon before back at you. you didn't look tired nor annoyed. you looked calm and comfortable like this wasn't hard for you. and that realization unsettled him.

"i'll carry her to bed," he said finally. you nodded and stepped aside. he bent down carefully, sliding one arm beneath seoyeon's knees and the other around her back. she stirred lightly, nose scrunching, but didn't wake. her hand instinctively grabbed onto his shirt.

as he walked toward her room, he felt your eyes on his back. or maybe he just imagined it. he laid seoyeon down, pulled the covers up, and pressed a quiet kiss to her forehead. when you came back to the living room, you were already grabbing your bag. "i should go," you announced softly. he hummed, "yeah."

he walked you to the door like usual. you slipped your shoes on, "night."

"goodnight." the door clicked shut and the house was quiet again. but it felt different. jay stood there for a moment too long. his jaw tightened slightly, running a hand through his hair. it was ridiculous, nothing happened. you tucked his daughter in. that was it. so why did the image keep replaying in his head? you kneeling by the couch. the way it looked like—

"stop." he exhaled sharply. but the thought kept reciting itself and it irritated him more than anything. he had spent years building his life in a careful, controlled way — just him and seoyeon. it was manageable and safe. and now you were slowly becoming part of that picture without even trying.

trust was one thing, relying too. but letting himself get used to this was dangerous. but a small part of him didn't want to push the thought away. somewhere in that mind of his, mini but noticeable, he liked how it looked, how it felt. and that was exactly why he shouldn't.

he closed his eyes for a second, back against the door now, but the image didn't leave — refused to. "get a grip, jongseong."

"don't make it too tight," seoyeon complained as you gathered her soft hair into a small ponytail. you smiled, adjusting your grip. "okay, okay. tell me if it hurts."

she squinted at you through the mirror on the wall, dramatically suspicious. "it always hurts," she rolled her eyes. "it does not," you gasped lightly. "you're accusing me."

behind you, a door clicked open. jay stepped out his room, hair still slightly messy from a previous shower. he paused when he saw the two you. morning light spilled through the window, soft and golden. you stood behind seoyeon with quiet concentration, tongue pressed lightly to to the corner of your mouth as you tied the hiarband. seoyeon sat on the stool swinging her legs, wincing every few seconds like she was undergoing a life-threatening procedure.

you noticed him first and gave a small nod. "good morning." he gulped, "morning." his voice was normal and steady. like he hadn't spent hald the night replaying the image of you kneeling beside seoyeon's bed, brushing her hair back, whispering "good night" soft enough that he almost couldn't hear it.

he grabbed his coffee and leaned against the counter, pretending to focus on the steam rising from it. seoyeon suddenly twisted around to look at him, "yn's picking me up today, appa!"

you blinked. "only if that's okay," you added quickly. jay paused for half a second, cup hovering near his mouth. "...that's fine," he said after a second. your shoulders relaxed slightly and seoyeon cheered as if she had won something monumental.

later that afternoon, you stood outside the preschool gates. the sun was a little too warm. children ran in every direction like unleashed confetti. parents chatted in clusters, some glancing at you curiously — you looked young compared to most of them. you shifted your weight from one foot to another, scanning the doorway.

"yn!" your head snapped up. seoyeon burst through the gate the second she saw you, backpack bouncing wildly against her back. you crouched instinctively so she wouldn't crash too hard into you. but she still did. you laughed, steadying her. "hey, princess. how was school?"

"i painted a frog today but it looked like a blob," she declared. you tilted your head, "blobs are very artistic, you know?" she narrowed her eyes at you, unconvinced.

without thinking, you slipped her backpack off her shoulders and carried it yourself. she immediately grabbed your hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

jay arrived a few minutes later. he told himself he was nearby, that he had finished work early, that traffic was light — all reasonable excuses. he spotted the two of you near the small playground outside the school. seoyeon was talking non-stop, her hands moving dramatically as she narrated her day. and you were listening like every word mattered.

you noticed jay a few steps away and waved. "thought you were gonna arrive later."

"finished some things." he glanced down at seoyeon, "did you behave?" he squinted. "yes," she mumbled quickly. you raised an eyebrow playfully. "mostly," you corrected. jay's lips twitched before he could stop them.

the three of you began walking toward the parking lot. seoyeon walked between you. she grabbed your hand first. then, after a second, she grabbed his. so the three of you walked like that — seoyeon swinging your joined hands back and forth, humming something off-key.

a mother passing by glanced at the three of you and smiled warmly. "you have such a sweet daughter," she said to you. you froze slightly, fingers tightening around seoyeon's hand for just half a second. "oh— i'm not—" you began.

"thank you," jay said smoothly.

the woman nodded and continued walking. you looked at him immediately, he avoided your gaze, staring straight ahead like nothing unusual had happened. seoyeon kept swinging your hands, blissfully unaware.

when you finally reached the car, you let go first like you were putting distance back where it belonged. jay noticed that too.

the following days began to blur into something comfortable. you picked seoyeon up regularly now, remembered she preferred apple juice over orange, that thursdays exhausted her because of outdoor play, and she would get quiet and clingy around dinner,

you no longer waited for jay to give instructions. he stopped giving them, anyway — he didn't even realize it. he would come home to find the two of you on the floor surrounded by puzzle pieces. or hear seoyeon whispering secrets into your ear, her tiny hand covering her mouth like it was classified information.

once, he watched you both while drinking a cup of coffee. seoyeon was giggling uncontrollably while you dramatically pretended to misunderstand her drawing. "this is clearly a dinosaur, seoyeon," you insisted.

"it's a cat!" she insisted. you frowned, "it's a very ferocious cat," you joked. she gasped loudly. "it's not ferocious!"

you laughed at her reaction, and for some reason, jay's heart echoed loudly in his own ears.

one evening, as the sky turned soft orange, you knelt near the front door helping seoyeon put on her shoes. "other foot," you demanded gently. she leaned heavily into your shoulder while trying to balance.

"you're coming tomorrow, right?" she asked suddenly. you nodded without hesitation, "of course."

she wrapped her arms tightly around you before you could stand up. you froze for just a second — then hugged her back naturally. your hand rubbed her back slowly. "it's okay, princess," you mumured when she didn't let go immediately.

jay saw how easily she clung to you, how easily you responded.

seoyeon finally pulled back. "promise?" she lent out her pinky. you entangled it with yours. "promise."

you stood up and reached for your bag. jay walked you to the door like he always did now. it had become routine at this point.

your eyes met his. there was something unspoken lingering there. something neither of you named. as you slipped your shoes on, you felt his gaze again. "you don't have to walk me every time," you said softly. he leaned against the doorframe. "i know," he replied. you smiled with a shake of your head before stepping down the porch.

since then, it was like the universe had developed a quiet sense of humor. nothing dramatic, nothing loud. just small, accidental collisions that felt anything but accidental.

seoyeon's "castle hospital" took up the entire living room floor — plush bears with twisted imaginary ankles, dolls suffering from mysterious fevers. mimi tragically injured from a staircase incident that, according to seoyeon, involved "too much hopping and not enough holding the rail."

you were sitting cross-legged on the floor, sleeves pushed up, fully committed to your role as doctor yn. "doctor yn is on the scene," you declared. "we will save everyone."

seoyeon beamed, entirely serious. jay watched from the couch, tie loosened, one arm draped lazily over the backrest. he looked tired from work but softer here. he caught his eyes drifting back to you more than the stuffed animals.

"mimi fell down the stairs," seoyeon repeated gravely. you gasped, "not the stairs. that's the most dangerous place in the castle."

jay let out a low breath that betrayed him. you pointed at him, "sir, please. this is a hospital." he grinned, dimples faint but unmistakable. "apologies, doctor."

a moment later, seoyeon demanded a bandage. the toy medical kit was just within reach. and without thinking, both you and jay leaned forward at the same time. your fingers brushed. it was barely contact, just the faintest graze of skin against skin. but both of you stopped. your hand hovered under his. his breath shifted — so slight it might've been imagined.

you pulled your hand back first, "sorry."

"it's fine."

later, soeyeon suddenly promoted to "castle architect," demanded structural renovations that required moving cushions, chairs, and tables. "appa, hold this!" she commanded, handing jay one end of a blanket. he obeyed immediately.

you climbed onto the couch to drape the other side over the bookshelf. the cushion dipped under your weight more than expected, and your balance faltered for just a fraction of a second. jay stepped closer immediately. "careful," he murmured.

you felt him behind you before you fully registered it. his hand hovered near your waist, not touching but there.

you stepped down carefully, turning in the narrow space between the couch and coffee table. there wasn't enough room. as you moved, you almost bumped straight into him. his hand came up instinctively and this time, it did touch. his palm brushed the side of your waist through the thin fabric of your shirt.

your breath caught. you were close enough to feel the steady rise and fall of his chest behind you. close enough that if either of you moved an inch, it would mean something.

"appa, it's falling!" seoyeon cried from inside the half-built fort.

you stepped away fastly with a gulp. jay cleared his throat softly and moved to the other side, "right. sorry, princess." but his voice wasn't as steady anymore.

seoyeon, blissfully, oblivious, declared the fort a success and insisted both of you sit inside. it was cramped — very. jay sat across from you, knees almost touching yours in the dim blanket-filtered light. seoyeon nestled between you both, narrating an elaborate story about royal doctors and brave kings.

you didn't miss the way his gaze lingered a second too long when you laughed at something seoyeon said. and he didn't miss the way your eyes flickered to his mouth before you caught yourself.

the rest of the day, none of you spoke about it. but there was an obvious shift in the air. you thought it'd been just that, but another moment happened as you were cooking dinner.

the house was dimmer now, evening settling in comfortably, the fort half-collapsed but still standing proudly in the living room. you were cutting vegetables while jay stood beside you, making himself a cup of tea. you walked over to the fridge, there was a small toy car near it that you didn't notice

your heel caught it and your balance tipped backward. you didn't fall, though. because jay stood up quick enough and his hand landed at your waist instantly — holding you, steadying you. your hand flew up in instinct and grabbed his forearm. you felt the muscle tense beneath your fingers.

you were far closer than before. you could feel the warmth of his palm fully against your waist now, steady and sure. the faint scent of his cologne mixed with clean laundry and something unmistakably him.

your eyes lifted carefully. his eyes were already on you. "i'm okay," you said softly. but you didn't let go immediately. his gaze dropped briefly to where your hand was still holding his arm, then back to your eyes.

his hand slid away slowly — too slowly to be accidental. fingers trailing just enough to leave a line of warmth behind. "watch your step," he said quietly. it sounded like it meant more than the floor. you nodded, but neither of you stepped back right away. and somewhere behind you, in the living room, seoyeon's small voice floated down the hallway.

"appa? doctor yn? the king needs help!"

jay exhaled softly — almost a laugh. but his eyes never left yours. "duty calls."

you both walked back as seoyeon rushed you, insisting the king required immediate surgery. jay ended up sitting cross-legged on the living room floor, holding a plush lion while you wrapped it in gauze with the seriousness of an attending physician.

you could still feel the warmth of his fingers from the hallway. you were both pretending you couldn't.

"is he going to live?" seoyeon asked gravely. you glanced at jay, "that depends. has he been eating his vegetables?"

jay blinked once, then caught on. "terrible diet. refuses broccoli," he played along. you laughed, soft and unguarded. jay watched you and nearly smiled to himself.

later, after seoyeon was tucked in and the house had gone still, the quiet settled in layers. the dishwasher hummed softly and blended with the muted city sounds outside, the hallway light cast a dim amber glow across the wooden floors.

you stood at the kitchen sink, rinsing soap from your hands when you felt it — that awareness of someone still there.

he usually retreated to his study once seoyeon was asleep. but tonight, he lingered. he leaned against the kitchen counter, sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to his forearms, tie loosened but not removed. "can i ask you something?" he said.

you reached for the towel, drying your hands slowly. "you just did," you joked. a faint smirk appeared on his face, but it faded quickly.

"she's been refusing to sleep in her own bed lately." his tone shifted, quieter now. "she ends up in mine every night."

you turned to face him fully. "that's not new."

"no," his jaw flexed. "but she used to at least try first." he stared at the marble countertop instead of at you. he continued, "i don't know if i should push her to sleep by herself or just let her be with me."

you tilted your head, "what do you think she's afraid of?"

he hesitated. "that i'll disappear." the words came out flat and controlled, but they hung in the air heavier than he meant them to. you stepped a little closer. "then forcing her won't fix it."

his jaw shifted again. he already knew that, of course he did. jay researched everything, prepared for everything. but this wasn't something you should spreadsheet your way out of. "stay with her until she falls asleep," you added gently. "consistency builds security. if she sees you're there every time she opens her eyes, eventually she won't be afraid you won't be."

he nodded slowly, like he was filing your advice somewhere permanent.

and ever since that moment, jay found himself seeking and caring for you more. you realized it too.

the next night, your phone buzzed at 9.47 p.m.

[park jongseong] : running late. don't let her stay up waiting for me.

you were sitting beside seoyeon on her bed while she carefully arranged her stuffed animals in a very specific order. you typed back right away.

[jang yn] : okay! she already brushed her teeth. i'll read one book for her. drive safe :)

three dot appeared almost immediately, stopped, then appeared again.

[park jongseong] : did you eat?

you frowned, fingers pausing above the screen.

[jang yn] : yep

a pause.

[park jongseong] : okay. just asking.

you leaned back against the headboard, staring at the screen. because he had never "just asked" before.

something happened two days later when he came home with grocery bags. seoyeon bolted toward him the second the door opened. "appa! did you bring treasure?" she skidded across the floor in her socks and collided with his legs. jay crouched, setadying her with one arm while ssetting the bags down with the other. "snacks," he corrected.

she immediately dug through the paper bag with dramatic intensity. "but i don't like those crackers," she declared, nose wrinkling. she took out a box of cheese crackers — the ones you loved.

jay didn't look at you when he replied. "you used to, princess."

"no, i didn't" she shot back stubbornly.

he cleared his throat, suddenly very focused on rearranging the contents of the bag. "well, um... we have them now."

then, his eyes lifted and your eyes met over seoyeon's head. there was the briefest flicker of realization in his. he hadn't bought them for her. he had bought them because one night, while cleaning up after dinner, you casually mentioned how those crackers reminded you of residency nights — vending machine dinners and hallway trips at 3 a.m.

you pretended not to notice. but after that day, small things kept happening. things that were easy to dismiss individually but harder to ignore together.

"should i sign her up for piano or let her choose?" "do you think i'm being too strict about screen time?" "she said you're coming tomorrow. is that still okay?"

and every time, he phrased it like he was just checking, gathering a second opinion. but he waited for your answer. and when you disagreed with him once — gently — he went quiet for almost a full minute before nodding. you suggested that maybe seoyeon didn't need two structured activities on weekends. "she's five," you said softly. "let her rest sometimes."

he went still, then nodded. like he trusted you more than he intended to.

one evening, you went out of the bathroom to find him already home. seoyeon was sprawled on the living room floor with crayons scattered everywhere, tongue peeking out slightly as she focused on her drawing. jay sat on the couch, elbows on his knees, hands loosely clasped, staring at nothing. he looked tired. emotionally. he glanced up when you stepped inside, and something in his shoulders loosened. it was subtle, but you saw it. "rough day?"

he huffed a soft breath. "board meeting."

you nodded, settling into the armchair across from him. a few seconds passed, then he surprised you. "they want expansion. two new branches. but i don't think it's stable yet," he continued. "cash flow projections look fine on paper, but market conditions aren't predictable. if it fails..." he paused. "it affects employees, even families."

he never talked about work like this.

you leaned back slightly, "then don't expand."

he finally looked at you properly. you held his gaze. "if you're hesitating, there's a reason." you said, calm and steady. the room was quiet except for seoyeon humming to herself. jay's eyes didn't leave yours. you could almost see the internal shift — the way he weighed your words instead of automatically countering them. he exhaled. "okay."

later that night, after seoyeon was asleep and you were gathering your things, he walked you to the door like he always did. but he stood a little closer than usual. you spoke first as you slipped your shoes on, "you don't have to answer every time. you know that, right?"

his brows drew together. "answer what?"

"every doubt."

his jaw tightened slightly. "i'm not doubting," his voice was nowhere above a whisper. you gave him a look, a soft one. he held your gaze for a long second. then, quieter than you'd ever heard him, "it's easier when you're here." it wasn't a confession, but it was dangerously close.

you only nodded slowly. you finally reached the door. "i'll see you tomorrow, jay."

you walked to your car, heartbeat a little unsteady. and as soon as you slid into the driver's seat, your phone buzzed. you didn't have to look to know who it was. still, you did.

[park jongseong] : text me when you get home.

the kitchen was dim except for the soft amber glow of the stove light. it was well past midnight and the whole house felt like it was holding its breath. seoyeon had fallen asleep on the couch an hour ago — curled into the corner cushions with the blanket half-dragged to the floor, one sock missing, and a children's book open against her chest. you carried her to bed carefully. she didn't even stir.

now the house was quiet again. you stood at the kitchen counter rinsing strawberries you didn't actually need to wash. the faucet ran in a gentle stream, water tapping against the sink in a rhythm that filled the silence just enough to keep it from feeling too heavy. it gave your hands something to do.

jay stood beside you. he didn't say anything when he first walked in. he had simply leaned against the counter next to you, sleeves pushed up to his elbows, arms folded loosely across his chest. you didn't look at him, but you could feel him.

"she talks about you a lot." his voice broke the silence. you glanced at him in surprise before a smile tugged at the corner of your mouth. "does she?" you murmured.

he nodded once, pushing himself slightly from where he had been leaning. "yeah," he exhaled faintly through his nose, the smallest hint of amusement in it. "all the time."

you tried to hide the warmth that spread across your chest. "what does she say?" you questioned curiously. he huffed a small, almost amused breath. "that you listen." and added, "that you don't treat her like she's... small."

"she hasn't been this comfortable with someone since..." he stopped. the unfinished sentence lingered in the air like a thread left hanging. you saw it happen — the split-second shift in him, the wall rising halfway. his jaw tightened just slightly, like he had bitten down on something too sharp. the openness in his expression pulled back just a little.

you didn't push, though. you just looked at him. and this time he noticed it. he lifted his eyes to meet yours, and for a brief moment, something passed between the two of you that felt different from anything before. there was something there that you had never seen before. not anger, not deflection, not that easy sarcasm he used like armor. more like getting exposed.

"she's just..." he ran a hand through his hair before letting it fall back to his side. the movement looked more frustrated than casual. "it's been a while since she's let someone in like that."

your voice softened, "that's a good thing, no?"

he nodded again, though his gaze drifted to the floor. "yeah."

the refrigerator hum grew louder in the quiet. you didn't know what to say — not because there was nothing to say, but because it felt delicate. like if you had moved too fast, he would snap shut again. you turned off the faucet and reached for a towel.

he studied you for a moment. "she used to—" he cut himself off. his throat shifted as he swallowed the rest of the sentence. your heart tugged a little.

he looked away. "i just..." he exhaled slowly. "i don't want her getting attached to someone who—" he cut himself off again. when he realized what he said, you saw it — the way his jaw tightened, the flicker of regret crossing his eyes like he could physically pull the sentence back into his mouth.

the silence stretched before he exhaled slowly. "when we decided to separate," he said quietly, not looking at you. "i thought she could handle it." he rubbed a hand over his face, fingers dragging down slowly like it exhausted him just from remembering. "i told myself it was better this way. that seoyeon wouldn't grow up watching two people who don't... love each other properly."

he rubbed his forehead. "i wasn't scared about losing her," he continued, voice lower. "i was scared about failing her." the vulnerability in the sentence was almost raw.

"the first night she stayed with me alone..." he huffed a humorless breath. "she cried for her mom. and i just stood there in the hallway outside her room thinking—" for a moment you could almost see it. a younger version of him standing in a dark hallway, one hand braced against the wall, listening to a toddler cry on the other side of the door.

"i didn't know how to do it by myself," he admitted. "i didn't know how to be both parents. i didn't know if i was enough." his throat tightened. "i still don't."

something in your chest ached. you stepped closer, more deliberately. close enough that you stood directly in front of him. "jay."

he lifted his head then, finally looking at you fully. his eyes were glassy. the guard he usually wore so carefully was lowered — defenses loosened in a way you had never seen before. "it was so messy," he continued. "the divorce, lawyers, custody schedules... seoyeon asking questions i didn't know how to answer." he shook his head slightly. "i felt like everything stable in her life was breaking because i couldn't make my marriage work." the guilt sat heavy across his expression.

your hand moved before your brain could stop it. you reached for his wrist gently, fingers wrapping around it with quiet certainty. "you didn't break her life, jay. you protected it." you comforted, making his brows pull together slightly. "you chose something healthier instead of something convenient. that is not failure."

his eyes searched yours like he tried to decide whether he was allowed to believe that. i was terrified," he added. "terrified she'd resent me one day. terrified she'd think i'm an awful father. terrified i was an awful father."

your hand slid slowly from his wrist to his hand. he didn't pull away. his fingers were warm, slightly tense. "you stayed," you whispered. "you learned. you showed up every single day." his grip then tightened around yours unconsciously. "she smiles," you carried on gently. "she feels safe. she laughs. she sleeps through the night. that doesn't happen by accident."

you exhaled. "i don't think you realize how much she looks at you like you're her whole world."

that did it. his composure cracked just a fraction more. he looked down at your joined hands, then at you. his thumb brushed lightly against your knuckles. "i really meant it, you know?" he said. you frowned in confusion, "meant what?"

"when i said it's easier with you."

your breath caught. his eyes moved slowly over your face — neither hurried nor reckless, just taking you in. like he was seeing you differently for the first time. like something had shifted inside him and he doesn't know what to do with it just yet.

"i didn't think i'd let anyone this close again," he said softly. jay's eyes dropped to your lips for half a second before lifting it back to your gaze. his hand still wrapped around yours, thumb still resting lightly against your skin.

the air felt too thin. for a moment, it felt like something was about to happen — something quiet but undeniable, the kind of moment where the world narrows until there's only the two of you standing in the same breath of space. but your heart panicked. you pulled your hand back quickly. "uh—" you glanced toward the hallway, toward the front door, anywhere but at him. "i should probably head home. it's kind of late."

he straightened immediately. the softness in his expression shutters halfway, confusion flickering across his face. "right. yeah, of course," he stuttered. you grabbed your bag from the chair near the counter, fumbling slightly with the strap because, for some reason, your hands felt extra clumsy.

why did you act like that?

"sorry, i didn't realize how late it got." you added, a little breathless. "it's fine." his tone was calm, but there was something underneath it — something unreadable. "i can walk you out." but he had already moved toward the door.

at the door, you slipped on your shoes, avoiding his eyes. the vulnerability from minutes ago hung between you like something fragile that neither of you knew how to pick back up. he opened the door for you, the cold night air rushing in.

you stepped onto the threshold, then hesitated. you turned back. he stood there, one hand still on the door, the other resting against the frame. his expression wasn't guarded anymore, but uncertain. like he was replaying the last five minutes and tried to figure out where the ground shifted.

"goodnight, jay."

he studied you for a second too long. "night."

the next evening, the air was cooler than it had been the night before. you noticed immediately when you stepped out of the car — the faint chill brushing against your arms, the smell of grass and damp pavement lingering after the sun had gone down, the soft rustling of leaves somewhere overhead.

the park lights had just flickered on, casting warm yellow circles across the walking paths. the playground glowed softly in the distance. seoyeon was already halfway across the playground before you had even finished closing the car door. "seoyeon—!" you called.

too late, she was gone. her small sneakers slapped against the rubber ground as she sprinted toward the jungle gym like she had been waiting all day to burn off energy. you shut the car door with a sigh, but there was a smile tugging at your mouth anyway. "seoyeon!" you tried again.

she turned around briefly while running, hair bouncing wildly. "no!" she yelled back with absolute confidence, then ran faster. you groaned, "oh, come on."

behind you, jay locked the car with a soft beep and leaned casually against it for a moment, arms folding across his chest as he watched the scene unfold. a quiet smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, but his eyes drifted back to you. the way you had already started after her without hesitation, sleeves pushed up, hair slightly messy from the breeze. he caught himself watching for a second too long before he looked away.

somehow, after last night, everything felt slightly different. the kitchen conversation still lingered in your mind like an echo that hadn't faded yet. the way his voice sounded when he admitted he didn't know if he was enough. the way his hand had tightened around yours. the way his eyes looked at you like something inside him had shifted.

now here you were, standing a few feet away from him like nothing had changed. except it had, even if neither of you said it out loud.

"are you going after her or just letting her escape?" he called lazily from behind you. you glanced over your shoulder at him. his expression was relaxed, but his eyes lingered on you just a second longer than necessary. "i'm going. someone has to," you said, starting toward the playground. you pointed at him, "and i know it's not going to be you."

you jogged across the grass toward the playground. the moment seoyeon saw you coming, she gasped like a tiny criminal caught in the act. "noooo!" she darted behind the slide, disappearing from sight. you slowed down dramatically, placing your hands on your hips and pretending to look around. "hm, i could've sworn there was a tiny human here a second ago."

you walked slowly past the slide, a giggle echoing from behind it. "oh no..." you murmured. "i think she might be hiding."

another giggle burst out. you crept closer. "i hope she didn't disappear forever," you continued, playing along. her father would be very upset."

suddenly, seoyeon exploded from behind the ladder and ran straight past you. you gasped in exaggerated betrayal, "oh! there she is!" you chased her again, arms outstretched as she shrieked with laughter.

jay had wandered over to the benches by then, hands resting in his jacket pockets as he watched the two of you run circles. he didn't realize he was smiling. there was something about the way you treated her. not only playful, but also patient and easy, like being around her didn't feel like a responsibility to you. and when you laughed — breathless and bright — something in his chest tightened unexpectedly.

seoyeon finally ran out of steam near the swings. she bent forward slightly, breathing hard, hair messy from the wind and running. "appa," she called between breaths, pointing at the swing. jay pushed himself off the bench. "yes, princess?"

"push me."

you arrived a second later, trying to catch your breath. "she tricked me into cardio," you muttered. jay snorted, "rookie mistake."

seoyeon climbed onto the swing and grabbed the chains tightly. jay stepped behind her and gave the seat a gentle push. the swing moved forward slowly, then back, then forward again. "higher," the toddler demanded. jay pushed again, slightly harder this time. "you always say that."

you leaned against the metal frame of the swing set nearby, watching them. jay's movements were calm and familiar. there was something about him when he was with her. you noticed it more clearly now than you had before. your chest softened slightly.

seoyeon eventually dragged her shoes against the ground after a few minutes, slowing the swing until it stopped. then she hopped off as if she had finished an important mission, "okay!"

jay blinked. "that's it?"

but she had already grabbed both your hands before either of you could react. her tiny fingers wrapped tightly around yours and jay's. she started marching down the paved path that circled the playground. "walk with me."

seoyeon swung your arms as she walked proudly between you. the three of you moved slowly under the glowing park lights. the sky had turned deep blue, the first stars just barely visible between the tree branches.

for a moment, everything felt peaceful. then suddenly, seoyeon stopped so abruptly that you and jay nearly bumped into her. she looked up at the both of you with narrowed eyes. "why don't you two hold hands?"

your brain completely blanked. "i— what?" jay cleared his throat, "that's not really—"

seoyeon frowned, "you guys are walking weird. like this—" she exaggerated two stiff arm swings while still holding your hands. "like robots."

during the demonstration, she had shifted slightly. now your hand and jay's were only a few centimeters apart. your fingers brushed lightly when she swung your arms again. both of you stiffened. seoyeon looked between you suspiciously. "just hold hands."

neither of you moved, making her sigh dramatically — the kind only toddlers somehow perfected. "you're adults." then she suddenly dropped both your hands. before you could do anything, she ran several steps ahead down the path. "you two catch up!"

and just like that, the buffer between you disappeared. now you were walking side by side. your hands hung awkwardly near each other, the space very noticeable — too noticeable. your hands brushed again accidentally when your steps matched.

jay hesitated, a small pause in his movements. like he was deciding something. then, his hand reached out. his fingers wrapped gently around yours. "for balance," he said quietly, like he was explaining it to himself as much as to you. you looked up at him. he kept his gaze forward, jaw tight. but the tips of his ears were faintly red. your chest fluttered. and this time, you didn't pull away. your fingers shifted slightly in his hand instead — fitting more naturally. something in your shoulders relaxed without you realizing it.

ahead of you, seoyeon turned around when she realized you weren't immediately behind her. her eyes dropped instantly to your hands, and her entire face lit up. "there! see? not weird anymore!" she pointed out proudly. jay laughed quietly under his breath. your fingers tightened around his slightly. and as you continued walking down the path together.

seoyeon marched ahead of you both like she was leading an expedition, hopping from one crack in the pavement to another with the full seriousness of someone balancing over lava. "careful, princess!" you told her. "i know!" she shouted back. her arms stretched out like a tightrope walker, lips pursed in concentration. "if i fall, i die!"

jay chuckled softly beside you. "that's dramatic," he said. "hey, those are the rules," you spat with a quiet laugh. seoyeon leapt across a wider gap, landing with a triumphant little hop before continuing down the sidewalk.

jay walked beside you, close enough that your shoulders brushed occasionally when the path narrowed. your hand was still in his. for a while, neither of you spoke. but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. if anything, it felt careful — the both of you aware of something new between you and didn't want to move too quickly and break it.

the air carried quiet sounds of the evening. leaves rustling, a distant car passing, seoyeon humming to herself as she chased her own shadow further ahead. you watched her with a faint smile tugging at your lips. then you said it without really thinking. "well... enjoy it while it lasts."

jay glanced at you, brow lifting slightly. "hm?"

"i mean this." you gestured toward seoyeon, who was now trying to walk along the edge of the curb again like a balance beam. "the park trips. the chaos."

jay tilted his head slightly, amused. "you're acting like we're moving away tomorrow."

you laughed softly, shaking your head. "i just mean... eventually. i won't always be around to do this stuff with her."

the words were meant to be casual — an offhand comment. but the moment they left your mouth, jay stopped walking. your hand was still in his so when his steps halted, your arm tugged slightly. you turned toward him, "what?"

he was staring at you. not confused. it was something sharper than that. "what do you mean?" your smile faded a little. "oh— nothing," you said quickly. "just... you know. life." jay didn't move. the warmth of his hand around yours suddenly felt tense. "what life?" he pressed.

"i meant like... that's how life works," you replied with a small shrug. "people move. careers change. i might take opportunities somewhere else eventually."

the moment the words left your mouth, jay let go of your hand. "you're leaving?" he asked. you frowned, "i— i didn't say that."

"but you're thinking about it."

"i'm thinking about my future," you defended, confusion creeping into your voice. he dragged a hand through his hair, pacing a few steps forward before turning back toward you. "that's not the same thing, yn." you were confused. lost. you couldn't pinpoint what he meant. "jay, it's normal to have plans."

"plans that don't include us?" the words slipped out before he could stop them. "us?" you repeated slowly.

he looked away immediately, jaw tightening like he wished he could talk it back. ahead of you, seoyeon was still kicking a small rock along the pavement like it was a soccer ball, completely oblivious to whatever storm was unfolding behind her. "why are you reacting like this?" you asked in a whisper. "why does it matter so much to you?"

"you remember what i told you last night?"

your chest tightened slightly at the memory. the kitchen, the quiet house, the way his voice cracked as he spoke about standing in the hallway while seoyeon cried. "i remember," you said softly. jay nodded. "then you know why." he stepped closer, lowering his voice instinctively even though seoyeon was far enough. "do you know how long it took her to trust someone after everything with her mom?"

your stomach twisted. "jay—"

"i spent two years making sure she felt stable again. making sure she didn't think people just... disappear like that," he continued. "and now she's attached to you. more than i've seen with anyone in a long time."

you swallowed, "i care about her too."

"i know you do."

you shifted your weight. "then what's the problem?"

he looked at you like the answer should have been obvious. "the problem is that you're important not only to her." he inhaled before continuing. "you think it's easy for me? pretending i don't feel anything?" his frustration spilled just like the previous night. you stared at him. "what?"

jay let out a breath like something inside him had finally snapped loose. "do you have any idea how hard it is for me to act normal around you?" his voice was tight. "after everything i told you last night?"

"i was terrified of letting someone into my life again. everything got messy. it hurt seoyeon so much." he said. "and then you walk into our lives and suddenly everything feels different again." he gestured vaguely toward the street, the quiet neighborhood, the direction seoyeon had run. "the house feels lighter. she laughs more."

he added, "damn it, i even start looking forward to seeing you like some idiot."

"and now you're casually talking about leaving," he finished, voice dropping.

the silence between you stretched tight. you crossed your arms slightly, biting the inside of your cheek. "you think you're the only one struggling here, jay?"

he blinked.

"you think this, whatever this is, has been easy for me?" you continued. your voice wasn't loud, but it was slightly shaking now. "i've been trying to keep distance for months," you admitted. "trying to act like i don't notice the way you look at me. or how things feel when we're around each other."

"you're the one who said you didn't want anyone close again. you made it clear," you muttered. "so what exactly was i supposed to do with that?"

his expression faltered. the question hit him harder than anything else you had said. your voice lightened despite the ache building in your chest. "i care about you, jay." the admission settled into the night air between you. "I care about seoyeon too. and that's exactly why i've been careful."

his gaze dropped to the pavement. "i know. i was just scared."

your heart thudded painfully in your chest. after everything he told you last night about his marriage, about the divorce, about feeling like he failed, about everything — his reaction made sense.

seoyeon's voice suddenly floated back toward you from near the car. "are you guys coming?" she was standing near the car now, hands on her hips, impatient.

neither of you answered. jay's gaze lifted back to yours. you blinked, a tear slipping free. you wiped it quickly with the back of your hand. "coming, princess!" you forced your voice bright.

you turned and started walking toward her. but as you passed jay, he gently caught your wrist. his voice was quiet. "i don't want you to leave." the words were simple, but they carried everything he hadn't said before.

seoyeon groaned dramatically from the car. "if you guys are kissing, i'm telling grandma!" she tested. you let out a startled laugh through the leftover tears. jay rubbed the back of his neck, muttering under his breath, "unbelievable."

the next few days felt different. not dramatically different. nothing obvious enough for anyone outside the house to notice. the routines were still the same — the same breakfast table, the same afternoon cartoons, the same quiet evenings after dinner.

but the air between you and jay had shifted. it was the kind of change that lived in small things — the way conversations ended a little too early, the way both of you suddenly found something else to look at whenever the other walked into the room, the way a thin and fragile silence lingered longer than it used to.

on tuesday noon you were at the dining table beside seoyeon, leaning your elbow on the table as you helped her with her homework. or... tried to help.

she sat cross-legged on the chair, a pencil wedged between her teeth, cheeks puffed slightly as she stared down at the worksheet like it had personally insulted her. you watched her for a long moment before finally speaking. “you’re not even reading the problem,” you said gently. her eyes stayed on the paper, “i am." the words came out muffled around the pencil.

“you’re staring at it," you corrected. “that’s part of reading.” she frowned, looking up at you. you tried very hard not to smile.

across the table, jay sat with his laptop open. a spreadsheet filled the screen — rows and rows of numbers and documents layered behind it. a small bowl of grapes rested beside the laptop. normally by now he would've said something — like some sarcastic comment about seoyeon negotiating with basic math like it was a business contract. or maybe even tease you for being too patient with her.

today he didn’t. he just kept working. the quiet tapping of his keyboard blended with the soft scratching of seoyeon's pencil. you felt his presence in the room the same way you had for months. but now it made your chest tighten so easily.

your eyes stayed glued to the sheet. “so,” you said, tapping the page with the end of your pen. “if there are twelve apples in a basket and you eat four of them—”

seoyeon immediately shook her head. “i would never eat only four apples," she protested. you let out a slow breath. “okay. let's say you heroically eat six apples.”

she considered that carefully, then giggled. “better.”

“how many apples are left in the basket?”

she placed the pencil down and began counting on her fingers with intense concentration. her lips moved silently while she counted. "...six," she announced proudly. you narrowed your eyes. "princess, if you eat six out of twelve— oh." you blinked once, then twice in defeat. she pouted. “still six.”

you couldn't help it — a quiet laugh slipped out of you. "you're right. still six," you nodded solemnly which made seoyeon smile smugly.

out of the corner of your eye, you saw jay glance up from his laptop. the moment was short — barely a second — but it was enough for your stomach to twist. because the second your eyes started to lift, he looked away. and your heart sank a little.

later that evening, you stood on the back porch with your arms loosely wrapped around yourself, leaning your shoulder lightly against the wooden post. seoyeon ran across the grass, kicking a soccer ball that was a little too big. every few steps the ball bounced too far away from her and she chased it with frantic determination.

"careful!" you called half-heartedly. "i am careful!" she shouted back before kicking the ball too hard again.

through the sliding glass door behind you, you could see jay moving around the kitchen. he wiped down the counter slowly, one hand holding a dish towel while the other steadied himself against the marble.

it felt strange. just a week ago, you would’ve been standing inside with him — leaning against the counter, talking about something stupid, teasing him about the way he always looked overly serious while doing the most mundane things. now, it felt like there was an invisible line neither of you wanted to cross.

the memory of the evening at the playground had been replaying in your head on a constant loop. the quiet moment, the conversation, the words that hovered in the air between you. and your own words right before it.

i might take opportunities somewhere else eventually. you groaned quietly to yourself, pressing your fingers against your forehead. why did you say that? why did you make it sound like you were already halfway out the door?

the door suddenly shifted open behind you with a soft sound. your shoulders instinctively straightened. jay stepped outside, the cool air brushing past him as he closed the door. neither of you spoke right away. he walked over to the railing and leaned his forearms against it, his hands clasped together. his gaze drifted toward seoyeon running across the yard. “you’re gonna break something!" he called out to her. “i won’t!” she shouted back instantly before kicking the ball again — it flew sideways and nearly hit a garden pot — and jay could only sigh quietly under his breath.

he shifted slightly beside you. “you don’t have to stay out here,” he said after a moment. your brows knit together, “i know.” another pause settled between you.

god, this was painful. you used to talk so easily. now every sentence felt like stepping on unstable ground. you rubbed your arm absentmindedly, brushing your hand over your sleeve. jay noticed, “are you sure you’re not cold?”

“i said i'm fine.”

seoyeon suddenly kicked the ball too hard. it rolled straight toward the porch and bumped into the steps. she sprinted after it, slightly out of breath when she reached you. “did you see that?” she asked, pushing hair out of her face. “very impressive,” you smiled. jay nodded. “future professional.”

she beamed. then her eyes bounced between the two of you. her expression slowly changed, brows now scrunched. “why are you guys weird?” she asked. jay frowned slightly. “what do you mean weird?”

seoyeon planted a hand on her hips like a tiny detective. “you don’t talk anymore.”

you opened your mouth. nothing came out. jay shifted beside you. “that’s not true,” he said gently. “yes it is," she insisted right away, then pointed at both of you accusingly. “you used to laugh together, and now you don’t,” she added. the bluntness of it hit harder than you expected.

you crouched down in front of her. “we still laugh,” you said softly. she shook her head without hesitation. “no you don’t.” then, her voice grew smaller, “did you fight?”

your heart squeezed. “no,” you responded.

she looked unconvinced. her gaze shifted to jay. “appa?” jay hesitated for a moment, then he crouched down too, meeting her eye level. “we didn’t fight,” he said.

“then why aren’t you two smiling together anymore?” the question hung in the air. it was heavy. jay didn’t answer right away, neither did you. seoyeon looked between the two of you again, clearly waiting for a real explanation. jay rubbed the back of his neck in deep thought. “sometimes adults just… think too much,” he said.

“that’s a dumb reason.”

a chuckle escaped out of you. jay huffed out a quiet breath that might’ve been the beginning of a laugh too. seoyeon brightened immediately. “there!” she shouted suddenly, pointing. “you did it! you smiled at the same time.”

your chest tightened again. jay’s eyes lifted to yours for a brief moment. and this time neither of you looked away immediately, but the weight of everything unspoken was still there — lingering, quiet, and unresolved.

seoyeon kicked the soccer ball again. “okay,” she declared. “you’re both coming to play.” she grabbed your hand, then jay’s, and started pulling both of you toward the grass. jay sighed under his breath, but he let her drag him forward anyway.

the “soccer game” lasted longer than either of you had expected. mostly because seoyeon kept inventing new rules every five minutes. at first, it had been simple enough — kicking the ball back and forth across the yard while she ran wildly between the two of you, giggling every time she managed to steal the ball.

but at some point, the game stopped being soccer entirely. the rules had evolved into something closer to chaotic running, dramatic flopping, and occasional ball kicking. jay jogged after seoyeon as she attempted to run across the yard with the ball clutched under her arm. "hey! no hands, princess!" you yelled playfully. she stopped and gasped at herself, "oops." then she tossed the ball back down and kicked it again.

jay jogged past you with a quiet huff of laughter. "this kid is impossible," he groaned. you looked at him, "you're her dad, jay."

by the time seoyeon finally wore herself out, the sky had turned fully dark and the yard lights cast soft yellow circles across the grass. seoyeon flopped dramatically onto the ground, breathing hard. “i’m done,” she groaned, starfishing on the ground. jay nudged the soccer ball toward the porch with the tip of his shoe. “go grab some water.”

“i can’t move.” her chest heaved up and down rapidly as she tried to catch her breath. jay squinted suspiciously. “you can run ten laps,” he mentioned. seoyeon shook her head in disagreement, “no. i can run one lap ten times.”

“that’s still ten laps.”

seoyeon groaned louder but pushed herself up from the grass anyway, trudging toward the house like she had just completed a marathon. “i’m getting juice!” she shouted as she opened the sliding door. the door slid shut. and just like that, the yard fell quiet again. the sudden silence was noticeable. the distant hum of crickets filled the space where seoyeon's constant chatter had been seconds before.

you leaned your hands on your knees slightly, catching your breath. “she’s going to sleep well tonight,” you said. jay hummed. “one can hope.”

you were both watching the closed door, waiting to make sure seoyeon didn’t immediately reappear with another rule... or a snack she definitely wasn’t supposed to have. when she didn’t, jay finally stepped closer to the porch railing and rested his forearms against it. you joined him a second later.

jay rubbed the back of his neck slowly. your stomach tightened slightly — you knew that gesture. he was thinking about something. “hey,” he said quietly. you glanced over at him. “yeah?”

he didn’t look at you right away. instead, he watched the dark yard like the answer might be somewhere out there. “about what i said the other night," he started. your chest tightened immediately. of course. you tried to keep your voice steady. “which part?”

“…the part where i told you i didn’t want you to leave.”

your fingers curled lightly against the wooden railing. jay finally looked over at you. “i didn’t mean to scare you.”

you turned toward him a little more. “then why did you say it?”

he didn’t answer just then. the porch light cast soft shadows across his face. his jaw shifted slightly the way it always did when he was choosing his words carefully. “i didn’t plan to.” he rubbed his thumb across the railing absently. “for the record, i wasn’t trying to pressure you.” he said quietly. “i just…” he paused, searching for the right words. “i reacted.”

“to what?”

he finally turned his body toward you. “to the idea of you not being here.” the honesty in his voice made your stomach flip.

“like… you could wake up tomorrow and decide that a job somewhere else makes more sense,” he continued. “or that being tied to… this situation isn’t what you want long-term.” he gestured faintly toward the house — toward the life inside it, toward seoyeon.

your chest tightened. “that’s not fair.” jay looked deep into your eyes. “i know. but it matters to me.”

jay took a step closer, closing the distance enough that you could feel the warmth of his presence more clearly now. “you asked earlier why I reacted like that,” he said quietly. “this is why.”

your pulse thudded loudly in your ears. “jay…”

“i spent a long time convincing myself that i didn’t need anyone like that again,” he continued, his voice remained steady. “but then you showed up.” your heart was beating way too fast now. he carried on, “and suddenly everything I worked so hard to keep simple got complicated again.”

you let out a quiet breath. “you make it sound like that’s a bad thing.”

he shook his head slowly. “that’s the problem, yn.” he looked down for a second before lifting his gaze back to you. “it's not.”

he took another small step forward. now the space between you was barely a couple of feet. “do you know how many times i’ve almost said something to you?” he said quietly. your lips parted slightly. “what kind of something?”

his mouth twitched faintly, “exactly the kind you’re thinking.” your stomach flipped hard. his gaze dropped briefly to your hands resting against the railing, then slowly lifted back to your face. “i really tried not to. because i know that the moment i say it out loud, things will change.”

he studied you carefully. he inhaled like he was finally about to say the thing he’d been circling around for days. “yn, i—”

“appa!”

seoyeon’s voice burst through the open sliding door. the both of you jumped a little before turning toward the house. she stood in the doorway holding a bottle of juice. “i can’t open this!”

jay closed his eyes briefly, a quiet and defeated exhale escaping him. you couldn’t stop the small laugh that slipped out. the timing was almost unbelievable. seoyeon waved the carton impatiently. “hello?!”

jay rubbed his forehead. “coming, princess.”

he glanced back at you. then, seoyeon shouted again. “appaaaa!”

jay shook his head with a quiet sigh and started walking toward the door. but before stepping inside, he paused. his gaze flicked back to you once more. and even though he hadn’t finished what he was about to say… you were almost certain you already knew what it was.

that night, the kitchen smelled of garlic and sesame oil. the scent had slowly filled the apartment over the last twenty minutes, warm and savory, drifting down the hallway and curling around the living room like an invitation to come closer. the overhead light above the stove cast a soft golden glow across the countertops, reflecting faintly against the stainless steel pots and the glossy tiles behind the range.

jay stood at the stove, one hand gripping the handle of a pan while the other stirred slowly with a wooden spatula. every few seconds, the pan hissed quietly, the sound sharps but comforting in the otherwise calm kitchen.

you sat at the small dining table helping seoyeon arrange chopsticks beside the plates. the table had already been set with plates and napkins, but she had taken it upon herself to handle the chopsticks like they were the most important responsibility in the house. she approached it with the seriousness of a tiny event planner.

each pair had to be perfectly parallel. she placed one down, leaned back slightly to inspect it, then leaned forward again to adjust it by barely half a centimeter. then she frowned, then moved it again.

you rested your elbow on the table and propped your cheek against your hand, watching her reposition the exact same set for the third time. "princess," you muttered lazily, voice quiet but amused. "they were fine the first time."

"they're not," she replied stubbornly. she nudged one of them again, then the other.

you exhaled a quiet laugh through your nose. "you're very particular for someone who just spent thirty minutes making up illegal soccer rules," you murmured. "that wasn't illegal!" she protested, placing both hands on the table as she defended herself.

jay let out a quiet huff from the stove. he was still focused on cooking, shoulders relaxed while he stirred the pan again, but the corner of his mouth twitched faintly like he was fighting a smile. seoyeon noticed it. "see?" she pointed a finger toward him. "appa agrees with me."

"i didn't say anything, princess," he replied without looking up. she shrugged sassily, "you didn't have to."

you snorted softly, shaking your head.

the quiet comfort of the kitchen wrapped around the three of you after that, the argument dissolving into easy silence — the clink of dishes, the scrape of the chair leg against tile, the low hum of the range hood above the stove.

jay reached forward to turn the heat down slightly, stirring the vegetables once more before adding a splash of sauce from a small glass bowl. the pan hissed louder for a moment as the liquid hit the hot surface. the smell immediately deepened. seoyeon sniffed the air dramatically. "it smells so good," she announced. jay nodded, "that's the goal, princess."

a minute later, jay turned off the stove. the sudden quiet after the sizzling stopped made the room feel calmer somehow. "dinner's ready," he stated simply. seoyeon immediately climbed onto her chair at the table like she hadn't been the one pretending to be exhausted twenty minutes earlier after the so-called soccer match. you carried the last bowl over while jay set the pan down in the middle of the table, steam curling upward in thin ribbons.

the three of you settled into your seats. jay sat across from you. seoyeon sat beside you, swinging her legs under the chair while she picked up her chopsticks. for a few minutes, the only sounds were chopsticks tapping lightly against bowls and seoyeon happily chewing her food. then— "appa, i have something important to say."

jay glanced up. "that sentence never leads to anything good," he said. seoyeon's eyes widened, "it does!"

she then sat up straighter in her chair, clearly preparing for something dramatic. you glanced between the two of them with mild curiosity. "i have a performance next week!" she cheered. you raised both eyebrows, "really? what kind of performance?"

"dance!" her eyes sparkled with excitement. jay wiped his mouth with a napkin. "the one you mentioned yesterday with the sparkly shoes?" he cocked an eyebrow. she nodded vigorously, "yes!"

seoyeon then turned her full attention toward you. her expression suddenly softened into something hopeful. "yn?" she pouted. you blinked, "yes?"

"will you come?"

the question caught you a little off guard. your eyes flickered briefly toward jay. "i—" you hesitated for a second before answering carefully but warmly with a grin. "i would love to." her face immediately lit up. "but," you added, lifting a finger. "only if your appa says it's okay."

seoyeon turned her entire body toward jay so quickly her chair squeaked against the floor. "appa, you have to say yes. you're going to say yes. pleeeeeease."

he narrowed his eyes slightly as he studied her, leaning back in his chair slowly. "why are you negotiating like this?"

"because this is really important."

jay looked at you. you tried to seem neutral, suddenly very interested in your rice. seoyeon leaned across the table toward him. "she has to come," she practically threatened. jay frowned slightly, "why?" he questioned. seoyeon looked like the answer was obvious. "because." she uttered. jay tilted his head in mild amusement, "that's not an explanation."

she thought for a moment. then pointed at you. "because she's my person." the words landed softly but heavily in the space between you. your chest tightened a little, warmth flooding up into your throat. you stared down at your plate, blinking quickly as you felt the slightest sting behind your eyes. across you, jay went still for a mere moment.

seoyeon continued, completely unaware of the emotional bomb she had just dropped. "and everyone's parents will be there," she explained. "and some people even bring their grandparents and cousins and stuff."

jay rubbed his temple. "you'll already have me there."

she crossed her arms stubbornly. "yeah, but that's not the point." she leaned closer, lowering her voice like she was revealing a top secret mission. "i want both of you there."

your heart skipped a beat. jay stared at her. "...both of us."

seoyeon then slid out of her chair. she marched around the table and planted herself beside jay, wrapping her arms around his arm dramatically. "appa," she pleaded. jay looked down at her, "you're emotionally manipulating me."

she only squeezed tighter. "please?" she begged over and over. jay sighed quietly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "you know she doesn't actually need my permission to attend a public school performance," he explained, glancing toward you. you shrugged lightly. "she asked you."

"appaaaaa," she sang. jay looked at her again. her eyes were wide, hopeful, completely determined. he stared at her for a long moment, then his gaze shifted toward you. something thoughtful passed through his expression. "...fine."

seoyeon gasped like it was a miracle. "really?!"

he nodded, "yes." when the words left jay's lips, she immediately launched herself into a hug around his neck. "you're the best appa ever!" she celebrated. he chuckled, patting her back, "i know."

she spun around toward you with pure excitement. "you're coming!" she jumped up and down. you laughed softly, "i guess i am."

and the next week arrived quicker than you expected. the days seemed to blur together in a strange mix of routine and anticipation. every morning started the same way — seoyeon reminding both of you about her performance like it was a national holiday. at breakfast, before school, after school, during dinner, and once while brushing her teeth with toothpaste foam still clinging to the corners of her mouth.

"you're coming, right?" she had asked for what had to be the fifth time that morning while tugging on her backpack straps. jay stood near the door holding his car keys, already half prepared to drive her to school. "yes," he said patiently. "we're coming."

seoyeon narrowed her eyes slightly, studying him like she was checking for signs of dishonesty. she looked at you next, "you too?" she interrogated. you nodded, "i said i would."

she puffed her cheeks out slightly and tilted her head up toward you, eyes wide and suspicious in the most adorable way possible. "promise?" she inquired. you nodded with a chuckle, "promise."

the sky was gray by the time you and jay arrived at the school that afternoon. clouds hung low overhead, heavy with the kind of rain that felt inevitable. the parking lot buzzed with parents arriving, umbrellas tucked under arms just in case. children ran through the front gates laughing, their voices echoing across the courtyard.

jay walked beside you toward the gymnasium, one hand shoved into the pocket of his jacket. he looked somewhat tense. not obviously, but you noticed the small things. like the way his jaw shifted slightly, the way he kept checking the time on his phone, the way his fingers tapped lightly against the side of his leg as you walked.

"you look more nervous than she does," you murmured. jay glanced at you. "i'm not nervous," he claimed but his voice was slightly shaking. you hummed quietly. "right, of course."

he sighed under his breath. "it's her first performance," he said defensively. "and she worked really hard on it. so i just want it to go well." he looked ahead toward the gym doors, gulping. your lips curved slightly. "it will."

his eyes scanned your expression. "you sound very confident," he raised one eyebrow. you squinted, "she's literally seoyeon, jay." and that seemed to satisfy him more than any detailed explanation could have.

inside, the gym was already filling with families. rows of folding chairs stretched across the floor facing a small temporary stage decorated with colorful paper stars and balloons. soft music played from speakers near the stage while teachers hurried around organizing the children.

you and jay found seats about halfway back. the seats were close enough that your shoulders brushed occasionally when either of you shifted. neither of you commented on it.

jay leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on his knees while scanning the stage. "do you see her?" his leg bounced anxiously. you squinted toward the curtain where a cluster of small dancers stood waiting in glittery costumes. "third from the left," you spotted. he followed your gaze. seoyeon stood near the edge of the group, wearing a sparkly blue outfit and matching hair ribbon. she was bouncing lightly on her feet like she physically couldn't stand still. jay let out a quiet breath. "god, she looks tiny."

you giggled, "she is tiny."

"i know, but still," he muttered. you could see the pride written clearly across his face.

when the lights turned off and the music finally started, the chatter in the gym quieted. the children ran onto the stage. seoyeon spotted the two of you almost immediately. her eyes widened and she waved enthusiastically. jay lifted his hand in a small wave back. "focus," you whispered, slapping his hand lightly. he dropped it quickly.

the dance began. it was a chaotic mix of enthusiastic arm swings, slightly delayed steps, and occasional confusion about where everyone was supposed to stand. but seoyeon danced like she was performing in front of a stadium. she spun dramatically, clapped off-beat, and at one point she looked directly at you and jay again just to make sure you were still watching.

jay leaned closer to you just a little. "is she supposed to be that far to the left?" he scratched the top of his head. you licked your lips, "...probably?"

"she's not following the line," he mumbled. you shook your head, "it's interpretive."

he huffed quietly and answered many questions, but the widest grin ever never left his face.

when the music ended, the entire gym erupted into applause. seoyeon bowed enthusiastically with the rest of the group. then the moment the curtain started to close, she bolted off the stage. you both barely had time to react before she came sprinting across the gym floor straight toward the two of you. "appa! yn!"

jay stood up just in time to catch her, carrying her into his arms. she crashed into him at full speed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "did you see me?!" she had the widest smile you'd ever seen. "yes! you were amazing, princess." he pulled her into a tight hug and landed a small kiss on the top of her head. she immediately turned toward you next. "did you see my spin?" she beamed. you leaned to hug her, "i saw everything."

without really thinking about it, the three of you ended up wrapped together in one tangled hug. seoyeon clung to both of you proudly. for a moment, none of you moved. it felt... natural. like something that had happened a hundred times before.

a voice suddenly spoke nearby, "oh! there she is."

you turned slightly. one of the teachers walked over with a clipboard in hand. she smiled warmly at the three of you. "she did wonderfully, didn't she?" she raised her eyebrows. jay nodded instantly, "she did."

the teacher looked between the two of you. "you must be very proud," she exclaimed. "we are," you said.

she tilted her head. "are you seoyeon's parents?"

your brain froze for a second. you wanted to deny it, the words were on the tip of your tongue. but before you could answer, jay spoke first. "something like that."

the teacher smiled kindly. "well, you two make a very supportive couple," she didn't forget to mention. you instinctively glanced at jay. he didn't correct her, didn't clarify, he simply held seoyeon in his arms while looking down at her with twinkling eyes. "thank you," he responded calmly.

the gymnasium slowly began to empty after the performance ended. parents gathered their children, teachers stacked folding chairs, and the low hum of conversation filled the space again as families filtered toward the exits. the stage lights dimmed, leaving the colorful paper stars hanging above the curtain swaying slightly.

you and jay walked toward the front entrance while seoyeon bounced between the two of you, still wearing her sparkly blue costume and ribbon. the tiny dance bag hung loosely from jay's shoulder as he followed along beside you.

jay glanced down at the two of you and shook his head softly when seoyeon couldn't stop talking and asking questions to you. "we created a monster," he said. you nudged him lightly with your shoulder and corrected, "you created a star."

by the time you reached the front doors, the sky outside had darkened noticeably. the heavy gray clouds that had hovered all afternoon had finally given in. it wasn't pouring yet, but a soft drizzle had started falling across the parking lot. seoyeon pressed both hands against the glass doors and peered outside, "rain!"

"we should run to the car," jay frowned. before he could even reach into the bag for an umbrella, seoyeon had already pushed the door open and darted outside. "what— seoyeon!" you said.

she skipped straight into the drizzle, tilting her face up toward the sky while raindrops dotted her ribbon. you laughed quietly and followed her out into the cool air. "hey, hey. you're going to get soaked, princess," you called, jogging a few steps closer to her. she stretched her arms out as the light rain fell around her, "but it feels nice!"

behind you, jay was still fumbling through the bag. by the time he finally found the umbrella and stepped outside, he noticed the two of you already several steps away in the rain. he sighed then jogged toward you.

you had just brushed a small raindrop off seoyeon's cheek when footsteps splashed quickly behind you. "seriously?" jay said as he reached you, slightly out of breath. you turned just in time to see him open the umbrella over his head. "i leave for five seconds and you two start a rain festival."

he then instinctively grabbed your wrist and pulled you under the umbrella with him. the movement was quick and automatic, and suddenly, you were standing directly beneath the umbrella with him — very close.

the umbrella wasn't very large, which meant your shoulders nearly touched. rain tapped softly against the umbrella above you, the steady sound filling the quiet space.

a few stray droplets had caught in jay's hair before he opened it. one slowly slid down along his temple before disappearing into the collar of his jacket.

you noticed it. and apparently he noticed you noticing.

the world suddenly felt a little quieter. seoyeon's splashing in a nearby puddle echoed faintly somewhere behind you, but the sound felt distant. jay cleared his throat softly. "you'll catch a cold," he murmured. you looked up at him, and he was already looking at you. there was barely any distance between your faces.

jay inhaled slowly, his chest rising and falling beneath the damp fabric of his jacket. the faint warmth of his breath mixed with the cool rainy air between you. rainwater slid off the edge of the umbrella and dripped steadily onto the pavement beside your shoes.

his hand brushed lightly against yours. your heart began beating just a little faster. jay's eyes flicked downward for a brief second — just long enough for you to notice — before returning to yours. his grip tightened slightly around the umbrella handle. another inch closer and—

splash! cold water exploded across the front of your shoes. both of you jumped. seoyeon stood there beside a large puddle, staring at you proudly. "look!"

the moment shattered instantly.

seoyeon stomped again and again. jay dragged a hand down his face with a quiet groan, "princess..."

you burst out laughing. jay turned to look at you, his expression caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement. "you're encouraging her," he accused. "i'm not," you protested through your laughter.

seoyeon grabbed your hand suddenly, "come jump with me!" she grinned. not giving you a chance to object, she tugged you toward the puddle. "hey—" jay began.

too late. splash! water soaked the edge of your pants as seoyeon jumped again, giggling loudly. jay stood there for a moment watching the two of you. then he sighed quietly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "unbelievable." but instead of stopping you, he stepped closer and tilted the umbrella so it covered the both of you again. "if you get sick, i'm not explaining to the doctors that you caught penumonia because you joined a five-year-old puddle gang."

you laughed again, breathless. jay watched you for a second longer than necessary. rain dotted the sleeve of your jacket, and you hair started to curl from the moisture. and for a bried moment, he thought — you looked really good like this. he cleared his throat quickly and looked away before the thought lingered too long. "alright, car. now."

by the time you returned home, night had settled quietly. the rain from earlier had faded into a softer drizzle that tapped lightly against the windows. inside, everything felt calm again after the excitement of the performance. seoyeon had changed out of her sparkly costume and into her pajamas, though the blue ribbon still hung slightly crooked in her hair because she refused to take it off. "i'm keeping it!" she declared, and jay didn't bother to argue.

now the three of you sat around the small living room coffee table. seoyeon laid on her stomach on the floor with a box of crayons scattered around her while she worked very seriously on a sheet of paper.

jay leaned back on the couch behind her, absently scrolling through his phone while keeping one eye on whatever she was doing. you sat nearby, legs tucked beneath yourself, watching the quiet little scene unfold.

"done!" she suddenly announced as she popped up onto her knees. "look!" she held the paper up proudly. you leaned forward immediately and jay lowered his phone. the drawing was exactly what you'd expect from a five-year-old — uneven stick figures, bright crayon colors, and a large yellow sun floating in the corner.

three figures stood in the center holding hands. "that's me," she said, tapping on the smallest one in the middle that had a blue ribbon scribbled on top of its head. then she pointed to the taller one on the left, "that's appa," she said. jay smiled faintly. then she pointed to the third figure, "and that's yn."

she beamed, "it's our family picture."

you breath hitched slightly. then you smiled softly, "it's beautiful," you told her. jay nodded slowly, though his eyes lingered on the drawing longer than yours did. "yeah, it is," he murmured. seoyeon happily hung the drawing on the fridge with a magnet before running off to brush her teeth, still humming the dance music from earlier.

the moment passed — or, at least it seemed like it had. later that night, the house was dark and still. seoyeon had fallen asleep almost instantly after jay carried her to bed. the hallway light glowed faintly under her door while rain continued to fall softly outside.

you were in the kitchen, rinsing a glass when you felt someone step into the room behind you. you dried your hands and turned to see him eyeing the fridge — seoyeon's drawing. something in his expression looked tight. "don't do that." his voice was quiet, but it cut through the silence.

your forehead bunched. "do what?" you queried. jay exhaled slowly, running a hand over the back of his neck. "don't make her get used to you if you're planning to leave."

the words hit harder than you expected. you stared at him for a moment, trying to process what he had just said. "i'm not planning to leave," you assured. his jaw shifted slightly, and he started rambling. "she's a kid and she gets attached. and if you one day just decide to leave—"

"i'm not planning to leave, jay," you repeated, now with a much louder voice. a long pause followed as he looked at you with his lips parted. then your voice softened, "...unless you don't want me to stay."

he froze. for a moment, the only sound in the room was the rain hitting the windows. "why would you say that?" he asked quietly. you crossed your arms, "because you're acting like i'm temporary. but what about you?"

his expression shifted, "what about me?" he blinked. you held his gaze, "if i left tomorrow, would that really just hurt seoyeon?" silence stretched between you. then he looked away, "no."

you hadn't realized how close you had stepped until you noticed you were standing only a foot away from him now. "she already sees you as a family," he said. you nodded once, "and you?" your voice barely rose above a whisper. his shoulders rose with a slow breath. with a rougher voice, he answered, "i tried not to. but i started looking for you too."

your heart thudded painfully in your chest. "you think i want to walk away from that?" you chuckled like it was ridiculous. jay looked at you again, the tension now thick enough to touch. "you have no idea what you've become to us."

you swallowed. "then stop acting like i'm going to disappear," you added. jay stepped closer without even seeming to realize it, and something in his expression broke then. he reached for you like it was reflex. his hand wrapped around your wrist before sliding up your arm, pulling you toward him.

the kiss happened before either of you could think twice. it wasn't gentle — weeks of tension crashed together in one breathless moment. his mouth found yours with a kind of urgency that made your pulse spike. jay's other hand slid around your waist, pulling you flush against him. the kiss deepened quickly, now hungry and desperate. all the words you'd been holding back poured into it instead.

when you finally broke apart to breathe, his forehead rested against yours. the both of you breathed a little harder than before. jay's hand was still resting at the back of your neck, fingers lightly tangled in your hair like he wasn't ready to let go. "you shouldn't have said that you'd stay," he murmured quietly.

your brows knit together, "why?" you asked as you tried to catch your breath. his thumb brushed slowly along your jaw, gaze searching yours. "because now i'm going to hold you to it."

the way he said it made your stomach tighten. "good," you said softly. something in his eyes flickered at that. his hand slid down to your waist and pulled you closer again. this time the kiss started slower and much deeper — like he was taking his time learning the shape of you.

jay backed you a few steps until your hips bumped lightly against the kitchen counter. his hands settled there, gripping while your arms slid around his shoulders. he paused just long enough to look at you again. "tell me to stop."

you didn't. instead, you pulled him down into another kiss. that was all the answer he needed.

he exhaled softly against your mouth, one hand sliding from your waist to rest against the small of your back. the warmth of his palm pressed you closer against him. your fingers slid into his hair, tugging lightly. he groaned when you did. "god..." he muttered under his breath, like he couldn't quite believe it was real.

he broke the kiss once more, both of you gasping for air. his breath came in ragged puffs. "i've wanted to do that for so long," he managed to breathe out. you chuckled to yourself, earning a smile from him.

you leaned back just a little, enough to see his whole face. you brushed his hair with one hand, then moved it to his cheek. your thumb rubbed lazy circles on it, jay unconsciously leaning to the warmth of your palm. for a moment, jay just looked at you, chest rising and falling, eyes dark and unreadable. then he let out a slow breath and muttered, "are you... willing to try something real?"

your heart skipped. the words carried so much weight, so much meaning, that it felt like the air itself had grown heavier. your gaze deepened, feeling the vulnerability and honesty behind his question. "yes. i want to try. i want... this."

a slow, relieved smile spread across his face, and he exhaled quietly, as if the words themselves had been holding him hostage. "you mean it?" he asked, caressing your hip.

you nodded, pressing closer, resting your head on his chest. his arms engulfed you in a warm embrace as he placed his head on yours.

"appa?" the small, high-pitched, and all too familiar voice cut through the moment. jay's arms tightened instinctively before he slowly pulled away, turning toward the source of sound. you peeked past his shoulders to see none other than seoyeon, mimi clutched in hand, hair tousled and eyes half-lidded.

jay coughed, clearing his throat. "hey, princess... why are you awake?"

the little girl rose on her tiptoes, eyes landing on you. "yn?" she called. you straightened and plastered a bright grin on your face, "hi, seoyeonnie."

seoyeon yawned. "what are you guys doing?"

jay inhaled sharply, you could practically hear the gears in his head turning. "we, uh—" he hesitated, then scratched the back of his neck.. "appa was just grabbing something behind yn."

seoyeon stared at him for another beat, unimpressed. then she rolled her eyes and turned away. "you could just say you were hugging." she walked back inside her bedroom, closing the door behind her, not forgetting to mumble a small "good night" as she did so.

your mouth hung open right away, a small chuckle of shock leaving your lips. jay stood frozen in front of you. "did she just—" he said, turning around to face you.

you placed a palm on your mouth to stifle your laugh, only to fail right away as you burst out laughing. jay only looked at you, clearly not amused. "you cannot be laughing in a situation like this."

"i'm sorry," you nearly choked on your own words as giggles kept coming out of you.

he rolled his eyes with a groan and dropped his forehead against your shoulder. "i hate you," he murmured. you only laughed harder, knowing his words meant anything but that. "right," you teased softly, "of course you do."

you were still laughing when he let out a long sigh, his breath warm through the fabric of your shirt. "unbelievable," he mumbled. "i just confessed my feelings, almost died of embarrassment, and my daughter decides to humble me." you bit your lip, trying to compose yourself, but a grin kept tugging at the corners of your mouth, "she's too smart."

he straightened, expression now softer and less guarded. "stay."

you blinked, "tonight?"

he nodded, a little hesitant. "not for anything like that," he added quickly. "just... stay. in case she wakes up again. in case i mess up explaining things in the morning." a small pause, then, "in case i need you."

your heart warmed. "i wasn't planning to," you smiled. relief flickered across his face, followed by something quieter and deeper. he glanced at your lips for a second, and you took that as a sign to lean in, lips locking with his again. he moaned, the sound muffled.

your hand travelled down to his chest, then lower to his toned stomach. you felt him shiver under your touch. he leaned back with a small whine escaping his lips, "fuck, yn." you only managed to smirk before he crashed his mouth onto yours yet again.

this time, his hands travelled under your top, landing on your waist and gave it a small squeeze. you whimpered and gripped his hair, inching closer to his body, leaving little to no space in between the two of you. he caressed the soft skin with his thumb, making you melt more each second. he managed to slip his tongue inside your mouth, his spit now mixing with yours. and when the kiss was broken, a string of saliva connected you. you panted lightly, catching your breath. he sighed. "my room?"

you had never accepted to an invitation to bed so fastly, but you didn't (and don't) regret it. honestly, how could you when he was such a gentleman even in an intimate situation?

you laid on the bed, now bare, with jay hovering above you, clothes stripped off as well. "no condom? you sure, baby?" he reassured once more, looking at you with eyes full of care. you nodded once, "i'm so sure, jay. i'm on the pill." and jay mumbled an "okay." you split your legs apart on instinct, a silent call for him to scoot closer.

he looked down, lining up his shaft with your folds. he moved his hips, dick sliding on your slicked pussy. the pressure on your clit made you roll your eyes, "jay... please."

and without further delay, his cock slipped inside you in a painfully slow motion. it felt too good, how his cock slowly and surely filled you up inch by inch. you covered your mouth with a hand, stifling your moan. "ngh!" you muttered, back arching slightly.

jay was no better. god, the feeling of your tight pussy hugging and pulsing around him — he had never felt so much pleasure. "shit, so fuckin' tight," he groaned, voice small, careful not to wake up seoyeon next door.

bottoming out, he asked you, "can i move? do you need a moment?"

you shook your head, and jay immediately got to work. he pulled out more than half, only to slide in again with the same painful amount of force. you moaned along with him, walls now clenching harder around his shaft. "my god, jay—" you cut yourself off with a gasp when he grinded deeper. - he dropped his body on top of yours, pleasure too much to take. he whined beside your ear, "mmh, pussy's practically gripping my cock."

you wrapped your arms around his neck. "jay, more. please," you begged. he thrusted in and out of you with a faster pace then. he latched his lips onto your neck, suckling and leaving marks. "ah—!" you yelped when you felt his teeth nibble slightly on the skin under your ear.

"god, you drive me crazy, yn. you don't know," he muttered between wet kisses on your collarbone. "wanted this for so long." his hand moved up to your breasts, fondling then flicking a nipple. you whined at the feel of it.

he then propped into a slightly different position before continuing his movements. his cock brushed deeper with the new angle, making you moan louder than intended. "jay, fuck—! so deep!" you scratched his back, leaving a red line on his skin. he groaned at the sensation, "y'like that?" and you couldn't form any words, moaning as an answer instead. he chuckled, "yeah, you do, don't you?"

he straightened back up, eyes scanning your body under his. he nearly let out a sound at the sight of you — face contorted in pleasure, hair all messy, sweat glistening your skin, breasts bouncing with each thrust, pussy swallowing his cock whole. "so beautiful, yn. prettiest girl ever," he praised.

your hands fell to your sides, fingers gripping the sheets. your mouth parted, eyebrows scrunching. "jay, i—" you tried to speak, only for the air to be knocked out of you with a hard thrust. "hm? what is it, pretty?" he tilted his head.

"gonna— cum!" your pussy tightened unconsciously, making him groan. "wanna cum, baby? all around my cock?" he teased with an annoyingly attractive smirk on his face. you nodded, "mhm."

"cum for me, then."

and when you let go of the knot in your stomach, you nearly screamed from the feeling. your eyes rolled to the back of your head, body arching more than it ever had. above you, you heard jay curse, "oh, fuck— you squirted, baby, shit—" you looked down to see a liquid covering jay's abdomen. his pace started to falter, his grip on your waist also loosening now that he is closer to his climax. "ngh— gonna fill you up. you want that? want me to fill you with my babies?"

you whined in response, "please."

"shitshitshit—!" he chanted. you felt ropes of warm liquid filling you full from the inside. you looked up at jay whose head was thrown back, mouth opened with a loud moan following it, abs convulsing. he gave one last thrust, burying himself to the hilt.

he then fell beside you, breath heavy with his chest heaving up and down. you turned your head to look at him, and he did the same. a small laugh broke the tension. "come here," he murmured after a second, quieter now.

you shifted closer, resting your head against his chest like you had earlier. his time, he didn't tense. his arms came around you naturally, settling you against him like you belonged there. his fingers traced absent patterns along your arm, slow and careful, like he was memorizing the moment. "that was..." he questioned softly. you nodded against him, "crazy."

you both giggled. you looked up at him, eyes staring deep into his. he leaned down to plant a kiss on your forehead. you beamed, smiling widely. and slowly, your eyes closed and you drifted to sleep with the sound of his steady heartbeat beneath your ear.

morning came with sunlight slipping lazily through the curtains and the unmistakable sound of small footsteps racing down the hallway. you had barely stepped out of jay's room when the door across the hall flew open. "appa!" seoyeon stood there, fully awake now, hair still messy but eyes bright with energy. jay, who had just come up behind you, froze instantly. "morning, princess," he said, voice still rough with sleep.

she tilted her head, eyes bouncing between the two of you, suspiciously observant for someone her age. "hi yn," she greeted more calmly. "good morning, seoyeon," you smiled.

there was a pause. a very loud, very telling pause. "did you guys hug again?"

jay choked. you pressed your lips together, already feeling laughted bubbling up. jay turned to you, eyes wide in silent betrayal. "why is that your first question?" he demaned. seoyeon shrugged, completely unfazed. "i'm curious. it's also because you lie weird, so i'll know if you are."

you couldn't hold it anymore. you laughed, turning away as jay groaned and dragged a hand down his face. "i do not lie weird," he muttered. "you do, appa. you say too many words," she insisted. you leaned down slightly, lowering your voice as if sharing a secret, "i agree with you, seoyeon." she giggled while jay pointed at you. "stop encouraging her."

seoyeon gasped softly, "so you did hug."

"no— yes— i mean—" jay stopped, exasperated. "we're not having this conversation." jay blinked furiously in embarrassment. she crossed her arms, looking entirely unconvinced.

you reached for jay's hand then, lacing your fingers with his before he could overthink it. he stilled for a second, then glanced down, a quiet smile tugging at his lips despite everything. seoyeon notice immediately, eyes widening. "ohhh," she dragged out, pointing at your joined hands. "that's not just hugging."

jay closed his eyes, "i'm never speaking again."

and judging by the way his fingers tightened around yours, he didn't really mean that. not even a little.

© 2026 wonarchy. all rights deserved.

but do you listen? no — of course not. you know what they say : rules are meant to be broken.

does it feel wrong? oh, yeah, totally.

do you regret it, though? hell no.

especially not when his soft lips plastered kisses all over your body.

especially not when his tongue lapped up your juices so skillfully.

especially not now, with your ass up and face down while he thrusts into you from behind.

"ngh— feels good, angel?" he groaned as his hips met yours each thrust, the movement hard enough to make the bed shake. he bit his lip, composing himself.

you moaned loudly. "fuck, yun! yes, feels so good—!" you whined out, cutting yourself off with a louder moan when you felt his cock brush deeper.

he chuckled to himself, "ssh, don't be so loud, baby."

"wouldn't want to wake your brother, right? he's sleeping next door."

your eyes shot open. not because of panic, but because the thought of it — your brother catching you and his friend doing the deed — it turned you on more than you thought it should.

you gritted your teeth, letting out a strangled sound.

"what's that? you like the thought of him catching us, don't you?" he asked, voice full of tease and heat.

"mmh! jake—" you rolled your eyes.

he then circled his elbow around your neck, headlocking you, and pulled you up, bare back now flushed against his chest as he continued to pump himself in and out. "answer me, baby," he growled.

you inhaled, hand reaching up to hold his arm. "shit— yes, i... like it," you mumbled.

your words were nearly incoherent but jake heard it anyway. he smirked, "yeah? imagine he comes in right now, seeing his sweet baby sister being fucked relentlessly by his own best friend."

the thought only made your brain melt as you cried out.

you clawed on his arm when you felt your release reaching closer. "yunnie—! i-i think i'm gonna—" you cut yourself with a gasp.

"you gonna cum?" he asked, earning a nod from you.

he then set a much faster pace, making himself groan. "cum for me, angel."

you threw your head back against him as you released around his cock, clenching around him unconsciously. jake moaned, "shit— 'm gonna cum too." and he did. you felt liquid gush inside you as jake slowed down his movements.

he let go of your neck, making you drop onto the mattress, body limp, as his cock slipped out of you.

as you steadied your breath, you heard him say. "come on, angel. one more round," it sounded more like a statement rather than a question.

but you'd say yes anyway.

he held your waist before turning you around, body now facing him. "gosh, you're so beautiful," he praised as his eyes raked over your body.

you smiled at him, "shut up, jake." you covered your face when you felt it get hot.

"are you seriously getting shy while we're doing this?" he laughed lightly, pulling your hands away. and before you could complain, he leaned down to give you a peck on the lips.

he leaned backwards enough to lay his forehead on yours. "you okay? this is the last one, promise."

he'd said this three times already. not that you're complaining, though.

you nodded and wrapped your legs around his waist. he then lined himself up with your folds before finally sliding in slowly. he took no time to bury himself to the hilt, making you both moan.

he was deeper than before due to the change of position. "yun— so fuckin' deep," you strained.

"i know, baby," he replied.

he started moving, gently and slowly at first, grinding his hips whenever it met yours.

you whined. "wan' it faster, yunnie. please."

jake smirked, satisfied. "wish granted," he said before gripping your thighs and thrusting quicker. you threw your head back in ecstasy, nearly screaming when you felt his cock brush a sensitive spot. you gripped the sheets around you, knuckled turning white.

"shit—! oh, angel, you feel so good around my cock." he looked down to see where you both met and his mouth hung open.

when he looked at the state of you — your face contorting from pleasure, tits moving along with the thrusts, the curve of your hips — jake thought you had never looked better.

"mmf—fuck, these pretty titties got me crazy, baby."

he reached out to fondle with one before flicking and squeezing a bud. you groaned and arched your back at the feeling, searching for more. jake chuckled with a deep voice, "love your noises so much."

he leaned down and captured your lips in a hot kiss. it quickly turned into a messy, sloppy make out as your spit mixed with his. and when he let go, a string of salive connected your lips.

he met his forehead with yours. "you love my big cock, don't you?"

you whined and writhed in response, but jake wasn't happy with that. he smacked the side of your thigh, making you jump and unconsciously clench around him. "use your pretty little words, angel," he spoke.

you cried, "yes! fuck, yes— i love your cock, yunnie!"

he smiled and decided to go further, "whose pussy is this baby? 's all mine, right?"

you nodded aggressively, jake was worried if your neck hurt from it. "'s yours, yun— shit, it's all yours. i'm yours—!" you blurted.

"damn right."

he straightened his back and held onto your hips. "you close, baby? wanna cum with you," he said. you shut your eyes as you felt your release nearing and nearing, "mhm, 'm so close."

jake threw his head back for a second before looking at you again, "yeah? wanna cum inside you, fill you up all over again. you want that?"

you gritted your teeth, "yes, yunnie— yes!"

jake grunted, "come on, baby. cum with me."

hearing his words, you moaned — the loudest one that night. — unable to hold it in anymore. your climax washed over you, making you arch your back in pleasure as you felt jake push in harder.

jake was none better. he groaned and groaned, giving one last thrust as his semen spilled all inside you. "shit—!" he cried out.

his body fell onto yours. you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him in. his cock was still in you, you could feel it pulse as it softened. the room was hot, your and jake's breath heavy.

and when you were both calm enough, you spoke, "we're in trouble, aren't we?"

he laughed. "can't give a shit anymore."

© 2026 wonarchy. all rights deserved.