Wings (Part 4)

Wings (Part 4)

Your debut in society was as spectacular as one could be, but nobody had prepared you for what came afterward. When you find yourself overwhelmed during your very first season and unable to keep up with the rat race to secure yourself an eligible husband, a curious mentor appears- in the form of notorious flirt and self-proclaimed rake, Mr. Kim Mingyu.

Genre: Mingyu x Female!reader. Regency!AU. You are Jeonghan's sibling so your last name is Yoon but the reader has no other physical characteristics.

Warnings: Discussions of social anxiety, one f-bomb (yes shy Miss Yoon drops an f-bomb sue me) smoking (don't smoke kids, the characters in this story are from a time when they didn't know how bad it was for their health)

Word Count: 6.2k+

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 (Part 5 coming soon!)

Series Masterlist [You WILL need to read Patience, the earlier installment in this series first in order to understand the character dynamics in this story. Reading Candle before this is also strongly recommended.]

Confessing to your sister-in-law that you were in love with Mr. Kim Mingyu somehow made your feelings for him seem more real than ever. It was as though saying the words aloud had allowed the true extent of your affection for him to finally come out of hiding. 

The idea of confessing your love to him did not come without apprehension. But the clock was ticking and you had no other viable option. You were in danger of losing Mr. Kim in any case; if you were silent and married someone else, it would still be the end of your friendship as you knew it. Once married, it would be unseemly to maintain even a close friendship with a gentleman who was not your husband. 

So you had no choice. 

You had to show him your heart and hope for the best. 

The opening of Mr. Kim’s art gallery was a spectacular event at which no expense had been spared. You entered the new building and immediately saw all the most elite members of the ton gathered in one place. The Viscount and Viscountess Hong and even the Duke and Duchess of Graham had turned up for Mr. Kim’s opening. You were impressed by Mr. Kim’s prowess in being able to gather all these high-ranking members of the ton for his grand opening.

Your mother insisted on accompanying you to the event. She was not very pleased with Mr. Kim (‘If he was seriously courting you, he should have proposed by now! What can he be waiting for?’ she often complained) but even her displeasure would not cause her to absent herself from one of the season’s most awaited events. She forced you to stay near her as you walked around to admire the displayed paintings and sculptures. Your mother's eyes, however, were on the people and not the paintings.

“If Mr. Kim is not going to propose, then I think you must focus your attention on Baron Wright instead,” your mother hissed in your ear as you tried to admire a large painting of a young woman. “The season is coming to an end. This is the ideal time for a proposal.” 

You said nothing. 

“Are you listening to me?”

“Yes, mother. Isn’t this portrait quite lovely? I love how the artist has captured the sheer quality of the lace on her gown,” you said. There was no arguing with your mother when it came to Baron Wright. You had no option but to try to turn her attention away from him. 

“Yes, yes,” your mother mumbled, barely glancing at the painting. “Ah! I see Mrs. Patty! I must ask her whether she has seen Baron Wright of late, I am so worried that he shall leave London without saying a word to us…” 

You were relieved when she hurried away, leaving you behind. You slipped through the crowd in search of Mr. Kim. He was not difficult to find. He was surrounded by a group of people who were congratulating him on the successful gallery opening. Of course. He was the star of tonight's event. 

Mr. Kim stood tall, in a particularly dashing black suit that you had never seen him wear before. He was handsome; you were not noticing that for the first time but it was the first time you allowed yourself to fully acknowledge the warmth and happiness that exploded inside of you at the sight of his smile. 

He looked up. His twinkling eyes met yours and his smile widened. You waited patiently until he excused himself from the conversation and strode towards you confidently. 

"And what is little Miss Yoon doing here all alone?" Mr. Kim asked with a playful grin as he offered you his arm. 

"I managed to slip away from my mother," you told him. You took his arm. "But never mind her. This gallery is beautiful. I never knew you had such taste for art, Mr. Kim."

Your compliments seemed to please him. He grinned down at you. "I told you I was a patron of the arts. This is nothing. My private collection at home is much more selective and exquisite."

"I should love to see it someday," you said lightly. 

"And it would be my pleasure to show it to you," he answered smoothly. "There are a few pieces here tonight that I think you might enjoy. May I?"

"Lead the way."

You found nothing more enjoyable than allowing Mr. Kim to lead you around the room and show you his favourite artwork. Some of the paintings had stories behind them- others were simply visual masterpieces. You saw portraits of kings and paintings of forests and vast landscapes. 

"This one is a particular favourite of mine," Mr. Kim said as he paused in front of a beautiful oil painting of a small grey bird inside a cage. The cage door was open; another brightly coloured bird with enormous feathers and large wings was hovering near the cage door as though coaxing the grey bird to come out. 

You stared at it for a long moment. 

"It's beautiful," you whispered. 

"I think the colourful bird can't understand why the grey bird chooses to sit in the cage," Mr. Kim said thoughtfully. 

"But his wing is broken."

"What?"

You stepped closer to the small painting and gestured towards the grey bird's wings. The wings were tucked close to the bird's body but upon closer inspection, one of them was angled differently from the other. 

"I don't think the grey one can fly," you said quietly. "So for him, the cage is safe and not a trap."

Mr. Kim was silent for a long moment. "I hadn't noticed that," he admitted. "Clearly you are more observant than I am. I thought it was a lesson on spreading your wings and taking risks."

"Or perhaps it is a lesson on communication," you suggested. 

"Or perhaps the artist simply drew a pair of birds and we are projecting our interpretations of deeper meaning onto them," he continued with a chuckle. "Well; there concludes our tour of the art gallery."

You frowned. "We have not seen that hallway yet."

Mr. Kim rubbed the back of his neck and suddenly looked rather sheepish. "Perhaps we had better not tour that one together."

"Why not?"

"It is not… appropriate."

"What could be inappropriate about some paintings?" you demanded. You turned towards the hallway before Mr. Kim could stop you and paused at the first painting. You realised your mistake immediately. This was an enormous nude portrait of a woman looking out of a window wearing a scrap of silk that covered none of her intimate parts. 

"O-oh," you said quickly. 

Mr. Kim cleared his throat behind you. "I told you it was inappropriate."

You took a deep breath. "I-I have seen paintings such as these before," you tried to say smoothly. You turned around to see that Mr. Kim was biting back a smile as he looked at you. "It is… it is merely art."

"Indeed," he said, the corners of his lips twitching as they upwards. "Art."

Your embarrassment was becoming more difficult to conceal. "The-the human form is a commonly chosen subject for artists, and of course among polite adults there is nothing to be ashamed of and-are you laughing at me?"

Mr. Kim could not control his laughter. He gently but firmly steered you away from the hallway of nude paintings, laughing all the while as you scolded him for ridiculing you. 

"You are too innocent, Miss Yoon," Mr. Kim told you once he was able to stop laughing. "I will not allow your corruption to be on my conscience."

You frowned. "I am a lady."

"Yes, and I am a gentleman who will not encourage you to do things which are not ladylike," he replied. 

"It is a bit late for that," you mumbled. You lowered your voice and leaned a little closer to him. "You have been so busy with the gallery that I have not seen you in over a week and I am simply dying for a smoke. Jeonghan keeps his cigars locked up in his study."

Mr. Kim's eyes twinkled as he looked down at you. "Is this what my position in your life has been reduced to? I thought perhaps we were friends but it appears I am little more than your cigar supplier."

"You can be both," you replied. "Do you have one or not?" 

He lowered his voice. "Of course, I have one. Go back through that door- there are some storerooms there. I will join you in a few moments."

You followed his instructions and slipped through the door that Mr. Kim had pointed out. You trusted him implicitly; in all the clandestine smoking sessions that you had indulged in with Mr. Kim you had never gotten close to being caught by another soul. 

But this evening was far more than your usual little smoke and chat. 

This evening you would finally tell him you loved him. 

The storeroom was a small dusty room filled with large easels and paintings that had white cloths thrown over them to protect them from the elements. You took a deep breath and tried to calm your nerves as you waited impatiently for Mr. Kim. The door opened a few moments later and he entered with a smile. 

"I have your cigar," he said, holding it up. "We must be quick; I have guests waiting to speak to me outside so we only have time for one."

You glanced at the cigar in his hand. "What is that?"

"Your cigar, my lady."

"Don't you have any of the Cuban ones?"

Mr. Kim's mouth dropped open in mock offence. "The Cuban ones? What; do local cigars offend my lady's sensibilities? Does your delicate constitution only permit you to smoke imported cigars?"

"Yes," you replied with a smile. "Hand over the Cubans."

"I will not. I have spent enough money on your cigar habit already. I may have to start selling my paintings en masse if I am to continue to purchase foreign cigars for you at this rate."

"Hand over the Cubans, Mr. Kim."

"I do not have any."

You made a sudden and bold move- one that you did not pause to think through, or else you would never have dared to do it. You stepped closer to Mr. Kim so that you were right in front of him. He looked startled but did not move away. His warm, familiar scent enveloped you and you could hear his heavy breathing. 

"What are you doing, Miss Yoon?" he asked quietly. 

"Looking for Cubans."

You placed your hands on the lapels of his suit and slowly slid them down. Mr. Kim watched you silently as your fingers undid his coat buttons- first one, and then the other. Then you slid your hand into his coat and reached for his inner pocket. 

Mr. Kim stared down at you. His eyes were dark and lidded as your hands delicately brushed his torso and felt for his inner jacket pocket. Your hand finally stilled; fingers brushing the cigars. 

"Found them," you whispered. Your eyes snapped up to meet his. "You liar."

There was a brief moment of silence. Mr. Kim's eyes had an almost wild sort of hunger that you had never seen in them before. It sent a thrilling shiver down your spine. You were inches away from him. Nothing about this situation was appropriate- the two of you in this storeroom nor the cigars. 

But this closeness… the look in his eyes…

This was beyond mere social inappropriateness. Your hand on Mr. Kim's chest and his heavy breathing as he stared down at you made one thing quite clear. The delicate line that you had been dancing around for months had just been crossed. 

It was not a blatant violation. There was still a chance to step back. You could apologise for having toed the line and claim it was a mistake, that in your desperation to look for the cigars you had not thought about how it would appear-

Mr. Kim leaned down and kissed you. 

You had been kissed before (there was that innocent little dalliance with the stableboy from many years ago) but you had never been kissed like this. His lips were hot as they covered yours and his hands were hot as one of them cupped your face and the other came around your waist to pull your body flush against his. 

Every place he touched with his hands and lips set you on fire. 

You gasped into his mouth; he did not waste the opportunity to slip his tongue past your lips and his fingers into your hair at the base of your neck. 

You could not think. You could not breathe. You melted against him completely and allowed yourself to run your hands over his toned chest and shoulders while Mr. Kim continued to press warm kisses to your lips and jaw. 

He pulled back for a moment, forehead pressed against yours and breathing heavily. Your breath mingled and the room was silent except for the sound of your combined heavy breathing. 

"Mingyu," you whispered. "I-"

There was a loud noise outside the storeroom. You both froze. Mr. Kim swiftly pushed you so that you were hidden behind a large easel covered in a white sheet and out of sight of the door. 

"I-it's probably just the gallery staff," he said anxiously. His dark eyes searched yours as he slowly released you and stepped back. 

A sudden emptiness flooded you as you realised, he was leaving you. 

"No, wait-"

"I will go out and send whoever it is away. Come out of the storeroom after at least two minutes," Mr. Kim said quickly before he swiftly exited the storeroom. 

You stared after him in shock. 

—-------------------------------------------------------

You could not sleep all night. Mr. Kim had avoided you for the rest of the gallery opening. Once your mother understood that Baron Wright was not in attendance, she had preferred to leave early, and you were forced to return home without a chance to speak to him again. 

Would Mr. Kim propose? Perhaps it was too soon for that. But he would come speak to you to understand your feelings and explain his, you were sure of it. That kiss had not been for nothing. Mr. Kim would not have kissed you if he did not feel the same way about you.

You waited. 

And waited.

And waited. 

Two days later, Jeonghan called you into his study while your mother was away from home. You felt anxious, not knowing what your brother wanted to discuss. Perhaps this was it, perhaps Mr. Kim had thought it was best to approach your brother before the proposal?

Jeonghan looked tired as he closed the study door behind you and turned to you with a sigh. 

"Baron Wright has asked for permission to propose to you," Jeonghan said. He noticed the instant panic that flashed across your face and lifted a hand to calm you. "I have not answered him yet- do not worry. I told him that I would discuss it with you and let him know."

You shook your head frantically. "I-I don't want to marry Baron Wright."

"I expected so. It appears your mother has been strongly encouraging him to propose. Sister- I do not want to pressure you but you know that time is running out and your mother will lose her mind if you are not engaged by the season's end."

You sank down into a chair near Jeonghan's desk and took a deep breath. You suddenly felt as though the walls of the room were closing in on you. Clearly Mr. Kim had feelings for you, so why was he sitting around while other men proposed? What was he doing with all this time? His failure to propose to you was only making things more complicated and confusing. 

"Has… nobody else asked?" you questioned Jeonghan finally. 

Jeonghan raised an eyebrow and leaned against his desk. "Are you expecting someone else to ask?"

You flushed in embarrassment. "No, no, I mean…"

"Sister, you have to tell me."

You took another deep breath and tried to calm the racing thoughts in your head. You could not figure out your next steps and the only person you trusted to guide you or help you was not here. 

"Have… have you spoken to Mr. Kim at all in the last few days?" you asked hesitantly. 

Jeonghan's eyes widened. "No. Should I have?"

"No, no-"

"Sister. Should I speak to Mr. Kim?"

"No!" you said quickly. "Not at all. I… I need some time to think. I will come back soon."

Jeonghan did not seem convinced but allowed you to leave the study. You walked out into the foyer as you considered your options. You had to marry by the end of the season and the thought of Baron Wright becoming your husband made you recoil in disgust. You wanted Mingyu and if he would not come to you, then you would have to go to him. 

It was evening; chances were high that Mr. Kim would be at either the assembly rooms or the gentleman's club. You could not gain entrance to the latter but if luck was in your favour, you might find him at the assembly rooms. 

You called for the carriage and set off immediately. 

The assembly rooms were crowded and you weaved through the people anxiously, hoping nobody would notice that you were without a chaperone and that you could find Mr. Kim quickly. 

"Miss Yoon!"

You jumped- but the voice that called out to you was not one that you need have worried about. The Viscountess Hong was smiling at you from one of the card tables. 

You greeted her anxiously. "Viscountess Hong."

"Would you like to join us for a game of cards? The stakes are not very high. We are only playing for fun," she said pleasantly. 

"Oh-thank you… no, I am afraid I must decline, I am actually looking for someone…."

"Who?" she asked quietly. 

You lowered your voice. "Mr. Kim."

The Viscountess stared at you for a brief moment. You felt suddenly ashamed under her curious gaze but she did not stare for long. She immediately turned to her husband and interrupted his conversation to ask. "Joshua- have you seen Mr. Kim this evening? I rather enjoy watching him lose to you at cards, it is very amusing."

The Viscount blinked at his wife. "Mr. Kim? No, he is not here. I believe he spends most of his time at the art gallery. I will ask him to join us one of these days."

The Viscountess gave you a meaningful look; you returned a silent smile of gratitude and left for the art gallery. 

The front entrance of the building was closed and the door appeared to be locked. The gallery closed at 5pm and it was already well past that. Hesitantly, you knocked on the large door panels and were relieved when a member of the staff opened it and peered at you. 

"I am terribly sorry, madam, the gallery is closed for the evening-"

"I was hoping to see Mr. Kim."

"Oh… yes, of course, please come in."

The staff member allowed you to enter the gallery and guided you towards a plush chair where you could sit while they disappeared into a back room to fetch Mr. Kim. Your heartbeat was thudding with anxiety. You had not prepared yourself for what to say to him, but usually speaking to Mr. Kim came so easily to you that preparation was rarely required…

Mr. Kim appeared a few moments later. His eyes widened when he saw you and he quickly dismissed the staff before walking towards you. 

"Miss Yoon," he said quietly. "It is very risky for you to be seen here-"

You cut him off, urgently stepping closer. "I had to speak to you, it could not wait. Time is running out, Mingyu. I need to be engaged by the end of the season and my mother has already encouraged Baron Wright to propose. I will have to give him an answer soon. "

Mr. Kim looked torn. You paused to notice how different he looked; his usually neatly parted hair was tousled and his suit jacket wrinkled. His face was pale. There was a heavy scent that hung around him- the usual smell of cigars combined with the pungent smell of whisky. 

"Have you been drinking?" you asked him suddenly. 

He would not make eye contact with you. Something was wrong and you had a sudden awful, foreboding feeling wash over you as Mr. Kim sat down on one of the plush chairs and ran his fingers shakily through his hair. 

"I'm sorry," he said, trembling. "I made a mistake."

Your heart sank. 

"What?"

"I should not have kissed you that evening. I-I took advantage of the situation and crossed the boundaries of friendship and propriety. You are a lady and you did not deserve to be treated like that, I would understand if you hated me…"

"But I do not hate you," you whispered. "I love you."

He visibly flinched at your confession. 

"You don't. You shouldn't."

"Why?" you demanded, confused.

"Because I do not deserve it. My intentions were impure from the moment I laid eyes on you. If I had truly wanted to help you find a husband, I would not have done half the things I did. I was playing a secret game- a game where the end result was you falling in love with me rather than finding you a husband."

You stared at him. The gallery was silent. You could hear nothing but the sound of your own heartbeat. 

"That can't be true…" you said quietly. "You… you were the only gentleman who was not performing this entire bloody pantomime, who spoke to me so naturally and honestly without ulterior motives…"

Mr. Kim looked up at you. His eyes were bloodshot and the corner of his lips curved up in a humourless smile. 

"That you still can't see it means that you are too innocent, too sweet, too trusting for your own good. I saw that- it was so deliciously tempting and I took advantage of it."

It did not make sense to you. Took advantage of what? No matter what he said, you did not feel taken advantage of. You had wanted to kiss him, you had wanted everything that he did and said to you. Not a single thing Mingyu had done had ever been unwelcome. 

"I can't understand what you are saying," you whispered. 

He ran his fingers through his hair again in frustration. "It was all calculated, Miss Yoon. Everything I did was calculated. Do you want a list of the techniques I used on you? I encouraged you to tell me about your deepest fears and used them to make you trust me. I stayed by your side constantly so that you would come to depend on me, and eventually my absence would feel hollow. I encouraged you to smoke cigars so that we would have a shared secret, something thrilling we shared that no other people could know of. Are these not the things that made you fall in love with me?"

"Y-yes, but…"

"Then I successfully manipulated you."

Your legs felt weak. Yes, yes, he was describing everything that had made you fall for Mingyu but why did he have to make them all sound so malicious? How could he take these feelings, these genuine feelings that you had for him and say that they were the result of some clever tactics he had used? 

"You manipulated me into falling in love with you?" you demanded. "So… to be clear, you do not think that I am truly in love with you?"

Mr. Kim shook his head. "How could you be? I have only ever shown you the parts of me that I intended to show you. Do you even know what I am like when I am not with you?"

"Why should I care what you are like when you are not with me?" you asked, bewildered. 

"You are naive to even ask that question."

Something inside of you broke at his harsh words. This was not the man you knew. A dark, ugly whirlpool of self-loathing and regret in your stomach suddenly emerged as you looked down at this man- this man that could stand here so calmly after you had exposed your most vulnerable thoughts to him and tell you that your love was merely the result of his manipulations and scheming.

You suddenly wanted to end this conversation. 

"Fine," you whispered. "So, I am naive, foolish and I fell for some trap that you set to intentionally ruin my life- is that all? Is that what I am to understand from all this?"

"Yes," he croaked. 

"Congratulations, Mr. Kim. If that is what you truly feel then I will leave you to celebrate your victory alone," you told him quietly. 

You walked towards the exit of the gallery before Mr. Kim could see how your hands were trembling, how your throat had closed up and your chest felt so tight that you thought it might explode. 

"I warned you that I was a rake," he said softly. 

You paused, hand on the door, and turned to look at him. "Then tell me one more thing," you choked out. "Did you love me?" 

He did not look at you. 

"I don't know."

—--------------------------------------------------------

You felt numb as the carriage brought you back home. It was as though your mind and body had shut down completely due to their inability to process the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm you. 

The carriage driver had to tap on the door thrice to inform you that you had arrived at the Yoon manor and needed to descend. 

You entered the foyer and walked towards the stairs, barely noticing that there was a commotion coming from the adjoining drawing room. Loud voices were arguing; the door opened in front of you and you had no choice but to go in. 

"There you are!" your mother cried furiously as she saw you. She grabbed your arm and pulled you into the drawing room further. You limply followed her, lacking the energy to resist. "Where have you been? How could you leave the house without saying a word to anybody?"

You opened your mouth to respond but she cut you off immediately. 

"Never mind that! Look; look at what this boy has done now! Baron Wright has approached your brother for your hand in marriage and he will not grant his permission!"

Jeonghan had his fingers pressed to his temples, as he often did when conversing with your mother. "I am not refusing to grant anything, madam, I am only waiting for my sister to make up her mind."

"About what?" your mother screeched. "What is there to make up her mind about the man is a Baron and he wishes to marry my daughter! There is nothing to discuss! We have already angered him by making him wait so long-"

Jeonghan frowned. "If he cannot wait even a few days for a response to his proposal-"

"He is a Baron!"

You flinched. Your head was aching so badly that every word you mother yelled felt like a knife in your flesh. She continued to yell at your brother and finally something inside of you snapped. 

You had had enough. 

"Will you shut up?" you yelled. Your hands were shaking. "Can you all shut up for one bloody second, do you not see that I am suffocating? Are you so blinded by your selfishness and hatred that you cannot even ask me if I want to marry the Baron? I can't breathe, mother, but that does not matter to you! You would drag me lifeless to the altar if I happened to die before the wedding!"

Your mother looked as though you had slapped her. 

"My dear, I-"

You wrenched her arm out of her grasp violently.

"Don't touch me. This has never been about me or my sister or Jeonghan. This has always been about you and your bloody selfishness. I will not marry the Baron. I am sick of being pushed about and doing things to make others happy and if you have a problem with that, mother, you can marry the fucking Baron yourself." 

The room was silent. For a moment even you could not believe what you had done- your mother gaped at you wordlessly, and even Jeonghan was stunned into silence. 

You turned and fled upstairs. 

It was too much; the combined emotions of the evening had overwhelmed you. The tears were streaming down your face but somehow it was incredibly important that nobody saw them. You ran up to your bedchambers, sank down on the floor next to the bed, pulled your knees up to your chest and cried. 

The sobs racked your body violently and it was almost a relief, because the physical pain of holding them in had been too difficult to bear. 

You cried because the man you thought you loved was lost to you. Because somehow, you had failed everyone- your sister, Jeonghan, mother… you had failed them all. Everything had gone wrong and it was all your fault. The way Mingyu's bloodshot eyes had looked up at you, the things he had said- innocent, naive, trusting….

You felt disgusted with yourself. 

He was right. You were stupid, naive and trusting. But despite all the misery you were going through, there was perhaps one very important, very crucial and painful lesson that Mingyu had, intentionally or not, taught you. 

You would never trust again.  

There was a knock on your door. Jeonghan's voice called out to you gently from the other side. 

"Sister?" he said as the door creaked open. His tone was gentle. "Are you here?"

"Yes," you choked out. 

"That was quite a scene you made with your mother," he said with a chuckle. "She hasn't spoken a word since you left. I thought her discovery of our sister's affair was bad, but I think you have broken her far beyond that."

You said nothing. 

Jeonghan came around the side of the bed. He saw you curled up in the corner with your tear-stricken face. He sighed and kneeled beside you. 

"Is there anyone I need to speak to?" he asked gently. 

You shook your head. "No."

"What shall we do?"

"Let's please just go home."

—-----------------------------------------------

The words ‘innocent’, ‘naive’, and ‘trusting’ rang like bells in your head and you heard them in Mr. Kim’s voice in your waking dreams and nightmares. You heard them constantly, over and over, chanting in a rhythm that matched the hoofbeats of the horses that pulled your carriage away from London and back towards your countryside home. 

They pierced you so deeply because they were true. You had been warned- every single person you met had told you that Mr. Kim was a notorious rake. Even your sister-in-law had brought him in to mentor you because he was the best at the game. 

You had stumbled blindly into a game that you barely understood and tried to take on a man who had been the ace, the savant for years. What had you been thinking? You may as well have walked up to Mr. Kim Mingyu and handed him your heart on a silver platter. 

No, you thought. There is no use crying over it now. Mr. Kim was right. You had been innocent, naive and trusting. And despite all the pain you were going through, there was one very important lesson that Mingyu had taught you. Like a fledgling bird pushed out of the nest too soon, you had landed on the ground but you were prepared for your next flight. You would not allow yourself to be pushed around and used and manipulated. You would not be taken under anyone’s wings. 

You would find your own wings. 

And you would start with the woman who had been suffocating you from the moment you were born- your mother. 

Your sister was waiting at the front entrance of the manor as the carriage rolled up to your familiar countryside manor. She ran towards you- she had received letters from Jeonghan and heard everything that he knew, including that you had refused to marry Baron Wright. The anxiety on her face was evident. 

“Oh my dear sister!” 

She embraced you warmly; you took a deep breath and inhaled her familiar scent and hugged her, blinking back the tears in your eyes. You had missed her deeply. You pulled back and gave her a gentle, watery smile. 

“Are you all right?” she asked you nervously. 

You nodded. “I am excellent, sister. And I have wonderful news. We have to prepare for a wedding this winter.” 

Her eyes widened. “But I thought… Jeonghan said you turned down Baron Wright…” 

You shook your head. 

“The wedding we are preparing for is yours.” 

—------------------------------------------------------------------

Your mother gave up expressing her displeasure after it became clear to her that not a single person in the Yoon household, least of all her precious youngest daughter, cared two bits for what she thought. She walked around the house bemoaning her lot in life and how Jeonghan had turned both her daughters against her. You felt no sympathy. You were tired of living under your mother’s reign of fear and anxiety- indeed, she was partly to blame for your proclivity to anxiousness and nervous breakdowns. 

You refused to allow your failure- no, your decision- not to marry to stop your sister from attaining her own happiness. 

“Are you sure?” your sister asked you anxiously as the modiste fussed about her skirts and fitted her wedding gown. “Are you quite sure about this, sister? It will be very difficult for you when you go into London next season and the entire ton associates you with me.” 

You shook your head. “I do not care.” 

“But you do not understand how difficult it is to enter society when everyone is gossiping about…” 

You gave her a firm look and she fell silent. Your sister knew you too well not to notice the change in you; you were not the same shy, innocent girl who she had sent away to London a few months ago. There was a mixture of sadness and understanding in her eyes as she nodded and turned her attention back to her wedding gown. 

“We will need to tuck this part in here…” the modiste murmured. 

You frowned. “Hurry. The wedding is in barely two days.” 

“I can get it done in time.” 

There was a knock on the door and one of the modiste’s assistants poked her head into the dressing room anxiously. “Mr. Choi is here, madam. He is waiting outside the shop.”

You stood up quickly before your sister could speak. “He cannot see my sister in her wedding gown. I will go speak to him.” 

You hurried outside and saw Seungcheol standing anxiously near the entrance to the shop. His son- little Jiwoo with his father’s eyes and smile- was standing with him and he beamed when he saw you, waving his hands in greeting eagerly. You smiled back at the boy. 

“Jiwoo! You have grown so tall!” you told him brightly. 

Jiwoo blushed proudly. 

Seungcheol smiled down at his son for a moment before turning to you. There was a certain anxiousness in his kind eyes. He had been anticipating this wedding for a long time, and it was evident that he was just as nervous, if not more, than your sister inside. 

“Have you not heard that it is bad luck to see the bride in her wedding gown?” you scolded Seungcheol. 

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I only wanted to be sure everything is going well.” 

“Everything is going perfectly. I am taking care of things so you, Mr. Choi, can wait at your home,” you told him firmly. “Unless you are having second thoughts about the wedding. In which case I shall be obliged to inform you that I know where Jeonghan keeps his hunting rifles and I am not afraid to use them.” 

He chuckled. “There will be no need for that.” 

“Good.” 

Seungcheol gave you a small smile. “Your sister has informed me that any mention of postponing the wedding until next season makes you incredibly angry so I will not suggest it to you. Instead-let me say thank you. Thank you for doing this for us.” 

You shook your head. “No- I am sorry that you had to wait because of me.” 

“That was not your fault.” 

“Perhaps not,” you said quietly. “Perhaps I did not ask for it, but it was decided that way for my benefit. I have allowed other people to decide things for me for too long. It is time I chose what makes me happy and nothing would make me happier than seeing you marry my sister.” 

Seungcheol reached out to clasp your hand in both of his. His words were warm and genuine. “You will always be welcome at our home.” 

You bit your lip and smiled. 

“Thank you.” 

—----------------------------------------------

ok but tell me why a part of me thinks that mingyu has a corruption kink like I know we all assume he’s a switch/sub but imagine him knowing you don’t have much experience in well said field and that raises the dom side of him and he wants to show you the ways of we’ll everything lol

Ok so...first of all, apologies for this being in my asks for a while but, corruption kink is one of my favorite things to exist when it comes to Mingyu. Let's play around with why, shall we?

cw; mingyu x f reader, teasing, dirty talk, reader smaller than mingyu, reader wearing a skirt, fingering, pet names, the insinuation of sex and big dick!gyu

Hi loves! Just a quick interruption -- Please check out How to Support Me. I would really appreciate that so that I can continue to hang out with you guys here and create content regularly ♥

Mingyu is a gentle giant. He loves how small you can be compared to him in every single way, including your personality. The man's personality could fill a room. But, what Mingyu loved the most was how his wink could make you melt from across the room.

His sweet innocent baby. He could see had you watched his teeth getting caught on his bottom lip as he watched you with a drink in his hand. Mingyu had been ready to leave that party the moment had stepped into the room.

Now here you were laid out on his bed, your skirt pooled around your waist, your panties hanging from Mingyu's wrist. You were a vision to behold and most importantly his to ruin. Mingyu watched you nibbling at your lips nervously as your eyes peeked between your legs to watch his fingers run along your inner thigh.

"Such a pretty baby for me. I'm gonna take such good care of you. Keep your legs spread for me, yeah? Let me see this pretty pussy?"

His words were so dirty but they sent a fire right to your core causing you to feel even wetter. Whining out an "Okay..." you swallow hard and drop one leg to the side making Mingyu smirk at you as he trails his fingers over your folds, ghosting them over your warmth.

"There you go. So polite. Are you my good girl?"

Mingyu watches you nod causing him to grin, that big, wide smile that makes you feel like jelly just as you feel his index finger pressing into your tight entrance.

"Oh...oh God. Yeah...yeah I can be. I wanna be for you, Mingyu."

You were saying and doing all the right things to make Mingyu feel like he was going to go insane. You didn't realize how hot you were. You had no idea how much he wanted to bury his face into your wet little pussy and lose every bit of his sanity.

"Fuck, of course, you do. You already are, baby. So damn tight. Gotta open you up for my cock, huh? Don't wanna split my cute little angel apart do I?"

Your cheeks burn, your hips lifting to roll down over Mingyu's fingers as he slips a second finger next to the first. A soft high-pitched moan escapes from your lips along with a breathy, "I--no, I please?"

Mingyu groans leaning down to press a kiss to your plush lips, rolling his hard-clothed cock against your thigh as his fingers scissor into your soft walls.

"Please what?"

Whimpering against Mingyu's lips, you only speak when his kisses move to your neck, your eyes closing to the overwhelming feeling of your orgasm building quickly.

"Please, Gyu. Fuck me."

Mingyu smirks against your neck, his teeth grazing your perfectly unmarked skin before he changes that fact leaving a deep red spot and causing you to whine his name.

"Don't you worry your sweet little head. I'll fuck you so good you won't need anyone else."

𝙈𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚/𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙬𝙤𝙣 𝑭𝒊𝒄 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒔

♡ Fluff || ୨୧ Angst || ★ Smut || ꗃ SMAU || ⌗ Series ||✿ Drabble || ♤ Mature (No smut) || ✹ Humor

[ These do not contain ship (Mingyu x wonwoo) fic recs. (Maybe slight unless stated in fics) ]

(Contains poly, love triangle, and others)

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Glitch ୨୧♡★ -> @gamerwoo

Summary: After your boyfriend goes missing and you can all only assume he’s dead, your boss assigns you a new partner. But considering you don’t want to get close to anybody again in fear of something going wrong again, living together is a lot easier said than done. However, you don’t get hurt the way you think you will.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ A break ♡★ -> @smileysuh

Synopsis: You and Mingyu live a perfect life. He’s an idol by day, and a doting husband by night, who showers your new baby with adoration. Life is easy- but when Mingyu starts paying more attention, he realizes why things are so easy: because it’s not just the two of you raising your baby, there’s a third person involved, and your baby has no concept of what differentiates a dad from a baby sitter. 

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Bittersweet ୨୧♡★✹⌗ -> @number1mingyustan

Summary: your priorities have always been surrounding your education. but what happens when you ask your neighbor to help you let loose a little and just maybe catch the eye of his best friend?

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Rules ♡★ -> @smileysuh

Synopsis: Morning sex with Mingyu is always really amazing- but it comes with rules. 

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Eggs, Bacon & Sausage sandwich ♡★ -> @bitchlessdino

Summary: Mingyu being the common denominator for the strained acquaintanceship of both you and Wonwoo, he's determined to make this friendship work.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Anteric ♡★ -> @smileysuh

when you bump into the guy that ghosted you, your model best friend and roommate, Mingyu, steps up to be your fake boyfriend for the night... and when the asshole is hired at your workplace, your other roommate, twitch gamer Wonwoo, is roped into the charade too - “polyamory exists dude, get over it.”

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Roomies ♡♤ -> @fairiewonu

summary: you suggest an idea for your two bickering roommates wonwoo and mingyu

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Besties ♡✹★ -> @smileysuh

Synopsis: Your best friend drags you to a frat party despite your budding relationship with a man named Mingyu, and your best friend even convinces you to let loose, after all, you might not be single for much longer... however when he tells you to let your freak flag fly and kiss randoms- neither of you can foresee the massive blunder you make when ‘some random’ ends up being the best friend of your new ‘boyfriend not boyfriend’. 

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Between heaven + hell ♡★ -> @beahae Kiss her once for me , Two is better than one

Summary: Two of your hot friends get very into their halloween costumes. But when they said they were going to be an angel and a devil, this is not what you expected.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Class project ★ -> @smileysuh

synopsis.  You’re less than enthusiastic about being paired with notorious frat boys Mingyu and Wonwoo for a class project. They make it a point to change your opinion of them... by being the ultimate meanies. 

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Good to us ★ -> @multi-kpop-fanfics

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Celebrated ★ -> @smileysuh

synopsis: after a long week working overseas, mingyu calls you and wonwoo to make sure you still miss him. And, because he’s the ‘breadwinner’ of the day, supposedly- he’s going to get to call more of the shots ;)

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Getting closer ★♡✹ -> @milfgyuu Part 2

Summary: As it turns out, you could learn a few things about yourself from your roomies who are far more attuned to your needs than you thought.

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Hazed ★♡ -> @smileysuh

synopsis: tensions have been high for a while, but an edible becomes the catalyst to a trio’d ascension to cloud 9, being a little hazy has never felt so good

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Midnight appetite ★ -> @writeformesinpie

Summary - You have found yourself in possession of an invite to the exclusive host club The Midnight Appetite. Within moments of walking into the establishment, one of the hosts sinks his claws in, staking his claim on you for the night. It isn’t long, though, before he adds another to your table. This isn’t how you thought your night would go. 

❙❘❙❙❘❙❚❙❘ ⌕ Call him bestie in bed ♡୨୧★ -> @luxekook

summary: you realize you’re in love with your best friends. chaos ensues.

[ More meanie Recs will be updated ]

Want more Seventeen fic recs? -> Click here

loser neighbor!chan that wolf-whistles at you every time you visit back home.

somehow the timing is always right despite the weird rivalry/dislike his parents have with yours. the feeling is mutual between children, who even as they've grown up, still don't get along.

that's what you lead them to believe, nobody except you and chan knowing who each other's first kiss was. and boy, does he hold that over your head.

you'd think after fifteen years, that memory would've left his singular brain cell rattling in his head by now but no - he's constantly puckering his lips when you turn to flip him off when you hear the telltale, sleazy whistle.

of course, common sensibly - you could ignore him. sometimes you don't even turn around when you give him the middle finger.

but one day, when you pull up to your parents' house accompanied by a young man and don't even give the time of day to the house next door, you learn your lesson.

when he spies you taking out the garbage, chan is quick to grab your hand and pull you behind the large tree between the properties. it holds your childhood treehouse that you used to play in together, the same tree that hid your first kiss.

and now it hides you down on your knees, sucking chan's big fat cock greedily like the freezer pops you used to share back in the day. the grand oak also hides chan's shaking frame and the beads of sweat that line his forehead as he watches and drools over you batting wet eyelashes up at him while choking on his cock.

even the leaves and branches are kind of enough to rustle in the wind, just barely hiding the nasty gags you're making and chan's strained whines. you hope they also hide the mix of praises and mockery that falls from his lips when he holds down your head and cums down your throat, whispering how he'll always be your first (and hoping to be your last).

little did he know that "young man" you were with earlier was your cousin who you picked up from his college campus on your way home. but you don't think you'll tell chan just quite yet, the jealous and possessive glint in his eyes causing your panties to dampen.

"i'm the first one that kissed those pretty lips of yours and look at them now, stretched around my dick and swallowing my cum. mine. what would you say if your parents saw you like this? oh yeah, you can't talk - can you? they'll just have to see what a slut you are for the neighbors' loser son they can't stand."

[minors dni] [read part 1 and part 2] [no one asked for this it's just been plauging my mind despite my mixed feelings on this series]

you scowl at your refection as your look yourself over in the mirror

your thighs and your chest are both scattered with a surplus of dark angry marks and you know you won't be able to wear shorts or any low cut shirts for at least a couple weeks

lately whenever you and wonwoo are fucking, he acts like it's his life goal to cover you in as many hickies as he can, you think it's part of his weird territorial thing. not that it matters, it's not like you're sleeping with anyone else (you still don't know if that's a good or bad thing)

recently you and wonwoo have fallen into a kind of...situationship. you guys aren't dating but you're not not dating, you honestly don't even want to think about it

it doesn't mean you're not just as grossed out and annoyed by wonwoo as usually are, it's just now that when you are he fucks your brains out or does something relatively nice for you like finally cleans all of the dishes out of his room

he's taken to finding new ways to annoy you though, like covering your whole body in purple bruises for his own weird satisfaction

you don't even bother to put on a shirt or pants as you storm across the apartment in just your undergarments and burst into wonwoo's room

you hate being in wonwoo's room and you nearly trip over the clothes that cover his floor as you open the door but you don't let that distract you from the goal at hand

"wonwoo" the man in question is sitting at his desk, headphones on over his hair matting it down. you cringe at his posture and the way his desk is littered with emtpy cans and bottles

wonwoo turns in his chair to face you and smirks when he sees your form

"look at me, this is honestly ridiculous"

wonwoo presses a key on his keyboard and then takes his headset off "if you're trying to seduce me right now, i'm in the middle of a game, give me like twenty mintues and-"

"i don't wanna have sex! i want you to stop chewing the fuck out of me"

wonwoo walks up to you and pulls your body into his and you scrunch your nose up in disgust at the way you can tell wonwoo hasn't taken a shower in a couple days and has attempted to cover it up by wearing cheap body spray

"but you look so pretty like this, all mine and for nobody else" wonwoo twirls a strand of your hair around his finger and you bat his hand away, not wanting his greasy fingers on your hair

"wonwoo i'm not joking-"

"i'm not either. don't you like it baby? belonging to me, being my pretty little fuck toy. admit it, it's a little hot"

you hate wonwoo and you hate him for knowing your weak spots. your thighs rub up against each other and wonwoo catches it and knows he's got you trapped

wonwoo cups your face and pulls you into a kiss and you allow him. this has been a growing problem where you keep giving in to wonwoo and his odd charm that makes you so angry you just have to fuck him

wonwoo guides you back to his gaming chair so you straddle his lap as he sits down. neither you nor wonwoo seem to want to pull away from the kiss so you continue to class your lips together as wonwoo reaches behind you and unhooks your bra

when your tits are free, wonwoo reaches up and gropes at your breasts. you moan into his mouth from how tender your chest is from all of the hickies

"are you gonna let me fuck you now?"

"y-yes, please"

wonwoo smirks and reaches between your bodies to pull his cock out of his pants. it only takes him a few pumps to get it up to full size and he rubs at your pussy for a few seconds before lining himself up and thrusting into you

it's definitely not enough preparation and it burns when wonwoo enters you, but instead of cussing the man out you just dig your fingernails into his shoulders

wonwoo is only in you for a couple seconds before he stops his movements "shit, my game!"

with you still in his lap, wonwoo turns to his pc and slides his headphones back on

"wonwoo, you cannot be serious right now i-"

"shhh, just be a good girl okay, it won't take long, you can't be that needy can you?"

"you are unbelievable"

"ah, ah, you better be quiet, i'm playing with your brother and you don't want him to hear you when i unmute now do you?"

that's all it takes for you to shut up and wonwoo smirks as he unmutes his mic and goes back to playing his game. if you listen hard enough you can hear your brother through wonwoo's head set and you want to gag at even acknowledging your brother's existence while his best friend's cock is buried inside of you

a shiver is sent down your back when you feel wonwoo's hand trail down your spine and you have to bite down on your lip so you don't whimper outloud

you're starting to get impatient and you starts to rock your hips against wonwoo, trying to get more of something

wonwoo tuts at you, but doesn't stop you. in fact, his hand moves to your hip to help guide you as you start to fuck yourself on his cock

"yo wonwoo, you good over there?"

"i'm fine, just a bit distracted" wonwoo's voice sounds a bit tense and you hope it's not obvious what you two are doing "might have to hop off soon"

"bro if you have a boner right now i'm going to kill you"

"nah i just have to talk to y/n about something" you glare at wonwoo, why is he bringing you into this

"oh gross, i forget you two live together, i should have never set that up, i don't want you corrupting my little sister"

"you can say what you want, but i think the arrangment is going pretty well" at that wonwoo bucks his hips up into your particularly hard and you gasp

"dude are you sure you're okay?"

"i'm sure, don't worry about me" wonwoo seems checked out of his conversation with your brother now as he steadily bounces you up and down in his lap

"whatever, i'll let you hop off but you better play me again later"

"yeah, yeah, sure whatever" with that wonwoo slides his headphones off and turns off his mic again before grabbing your hips "you're a dirty girl, you know that? do you want your brother to know about us? or are you just such a little slut you couldn't be patient?"

wonwoo meets your pace with small thrusts and you bury your face into his neck

"hey, answer me" wonwoo flicks at your clit

"too needy" you mumble into his neck "needed you"

"that's what i thought, desperate little thing"

"woo, wanna cum"

"my pretty little slut wants to cum?" you nod "fine, but only on one condition"

"anything" you tell him, too desperate to think properly

"i get to mark you, on your neck this time"

"yes, yes, anything, please wonwoo i need to cum" you barely even hear his demand before you're agreeing

"that's my good girl, cum all over my cock" wonwoo's fingers play with your clit as his mouth attaches itself onto your neck, sucking and nipping at the skin

the combination of his fingers, mouth, and cock drive you crazy, pushing you over the edge. you let out a filthy porn star level moan as you clench down on wonwoo, your hands gripping onto his biceps

while wonwoo is still marking your neck, he cums inside of you, pulling your hips flush against his as he does. when he's finally milked dry he finally pops his mouth off of you

you came here to yell at wonwoo about marking you all up and the only thing that's come out of it is another hickey, this time on your neck

"i knew you liked being marked as my property"

fuck