Ateez Fluff - Tumblr Posts
[9:33 AM]
monday mornings always suck, but they definitely suck more when you have to stand outside in the freezing weather as you wait for your bus to arrive.
lucky for you, you’ve got yunho by your side as company, but you’re both shivering and there seems to be nothing you can do about it, judging by the way goosebumps cover your skin even beneath a thick hoodie. yunho’s thick hoodie, to be more specific, because you steal them every chance you get.
he doesn’t mind at all; he actually thinks you look unbelievably adorable in his clothes that are way too big for you, but he’d never tell you that. he’s simply too shy. in fact, he’s already blushing solely because you look so small and cuddly right now.
“god, why does it have to be so cold?” you whine, jumping from foot to foot as you try to warm up your freezing body. “I’m starting to think my nose is gonna fall off!”
he pets your head as if you’re a child, or perhaps a small dog, and he laughs at your antics. “it’s not that cold,” he argues.
“yunho, I can see my breath! you know it’s real when you have to become a fucking dragon to survive the weather,” you insist, making him laugh again, and he keeps laughing every time he looks at you still bouncing around like a funky little molecule. you think it’s the cutest thing ever because his whole face seems to light up and his eyes sparkle like the pretty anime boy he is.
when he catches you staring at him, totally in a daze because holy shit he is so precious, he covers his mouth with both hands and continues to giggle. you can feel the butterflies in your stomach going haywire, and you nervously twiddle your thumbs.
“look at you, laughing at my suffering! next time you’re cold, don’t even bother asking for cuddles. seriously.” you look away and huff, but both of you know it’s just a bit of teasing - you could never resist a good cuddle session with your best friend. he’s like a big teddy bear, except he’s naturally very warm so he’s kind of like a hot water bottle, too.
“sorry, you just kind of remind me of one of those car sale noodle-arm wavy guys. you know the ones I mean?” one look at your expression tells him you know exactly what he means, and he can’t help the next round of giggles that escape him.
some times passes (though not without a few more remarks and several giggle outbursts) and your bus has still not arrived. it’s a good thing you’re not in a rush, because it doesn’t seem like it’ll be showing up any time soon.
”if I’d known we would have to wait this long, I would’ve brought my whole bed with me,” you complain, leaning your head against his shoulder - well, more accurately his arm because you can’t quite reach his shoulder. “but at least you’re comfy too.”
wordlessly, he slips his hand into yours and intertwines your fingers. you stare down at your hands, eyes wide and finally your face isn’t freezing - in fact, it’s completely burning up.
sure, you guys are pretty comfortable with each other. cuddle sessions, cheek kisses, sometimes you even fall asleep in his bed together. so really, holding hands is quite tame, but something about the way he looks around casually and pays no attention to it makes it feel incredibly domestic, and that thought is both scary and attractive to you.
scary, because you don’t know how to face your feelings for him, since you’ve been friends for such a long time and you’re terrified that making it more than platonic could ruin everything.
attractive, because there’s really no one else in the world you’d rather have this relationship with. you already trust him with everything, your heart included. taking things a step further would just confirm he feels the same way.
you stand there in silence, holding hands with your head resting against his shoulder again. maybe one day you’ll work up the courage to tell him how you feel.
[7:11 PM]
you can’t help but stare with starry eyes at the scene before you. hongjoong sits in front of his piano, face shining bright with a closed-eye smile as the familiar tune of aurora echoes around the room. the blinds let in the light from outside, a gentle golden glow that fits the mood perfectly.
he sings along and you join him, feeling the emotion and effort he poured into this song and relishing in the moment together.
maybe the typical idea of a birthday celebration is a party, or some sort of social event. usually, you'd invite some friends or your family and there'd be presents and cake.
hongjoong, however, prefers to celebrate in a different way - he likes to spend the day alone with you and enjoy the soft, quiet moments of life together where no one else is looking in and observing. the chance to let himself appreciate simplicity and express his thoughts and feelings without filtering it for the sake of anyone else is rare.
that's why you're together right now, surrounded by music and the warmth of songs written with love, and although neither one of you is speaking directly to the other, you can still feel the meaning behind his lyrics when he turns to you and smiles.
when he looks down at the keys again, you find that you still can't look away from him. his profile is gorgeous, but it's everything you can see swirling behind his pretty brown eyes that really captures your attention.
it's the way they light up when he looks at you, and that passion you see when he's working in his studio regardless of the time, and the kind, warm glow he radiates whenever he's with the people he loves.
he's just so wonderful, it's almost unfair to your poor heart. it seems crazy that you were blessed with the opportunity to meet someone as wonderful as him and fall helplessly in love.
as the song ends and he turns back to face you again, you realise that the craziest part by far is the way he returns your love with an equal amount of dedication.
the room remains silent, but that's because you both know you're thinking the same three words.
"I love you."
[6:35 PM]
“mingi, I’m really not that sick, it’s just a cold,” you croak out before another coughing fit starts and you’re writhing around in mild pain. you try to play it off like it’s nothing, but your subtle wheezing lets him know how you really feel.
mingi frowns at you from the doorway, shaking his head at your desperate attempts to convince him you’re fine.
it’s your anniversary today, and of course your cheesy (but absolutely precious and sweet) boyfriend planned a romantic night together where you’d go to a fancy restaurant and eat overpriced, tiny morsels of food while sipping even more expensive wine. it makes you both feel like young, rich CEOs for a night and it’s so lovely to just relax and talk for hours without responsibilities or interruptions.
unfortunately, the aforementioned interruptions arrived before the date did. you’re stuck in bed with the most painful sore throat of your entire life, your voice is almost gone and you cannot stop coughing. for a good minute, before he arrived to watch over you, you were pretty certain this would be the end (when you told him that, he called you dramatic but asked what your desired funeral plans were nonetheless).
mingi leaves for a moment to grab you another bottle of water and a throat lozenge and places them on your bedside table, taking a seat at your desk as your designated caregiver for the evening. he leans over to push your hair out of your face, and you can’t help but pout at him.
“don’t worry about it, muffin. you need to rest and I’m here to take care of you, okay?” he reassures you, smiling sweetly. you try to smile back, but you feel so guilty for ruining the night, even if it was something out of your control.
“but...you planned everything, mingi,” you say, bottom lip trembling a little as your eyes prick with tears, “and you were so excited about it.”
he shakes his head, gently cupping your face with his hand. leaning forward, he presses a kiss to your forehead. your hand finds his free one and you lace your fingers together, watching him silently for a few sweet moments.
"your health comes first." he smiles again. "besides, we're spending time together right now, no? who cares if we don't stick to the original plan, I'm still here with you and I couldn't be happier."
you want to add to the conversation but another coughing fit stops you when you try.
"well, maybe I'd be slightly happier if you weren't dying in my arms," he jokes and you smack him lightly.
it's still upsetting that you were unable to go out together, but you realise he's right. the whole point of an anniversary celebration is to spend time with the person you love, and even though you're falling asleep and your throat is kind of burning, mingi is still by your side tonight.
he pulls your blanket over you, tucking you in as you finally let your heavy eyelids close.
"happy anniversary, muffin," he whispers once you're asleep, "I love you."
[10:23 AM]
"hwa," you whine, trying to wiggle out of his grasp, "come on. we've slept in way too long."
he simply grumbles and pulls you back into a hug, and you sigh in defeat. you've been wiggling for a full minute, it's futile.
"nuh, you're so warm. it's too early," he complains against your shoulder, words muffled from your skin and the slurring that comes naturally when a sleepy boy is trying to convince you not to move.
he's cute as hell, but as much as you both wish it was, that's not a valid excuse for being late to your brunch date with the rest of the boys.
"babe, I'm serious. we're gonna be late," you tell him, but you probably should've considered the lack of shits he gives when he's tired, because he doesn't budge at all.
"two more minutes, love. then you can drag me out of bed, hm?" he bargains.
laughing, you absentmindedly run your fingers through his hair and he leans into your touch.
though you'd consider yourself more of a night owl than a morning person, there's always something special about spending moments like these together. light streams in through your blinds - even though they're still closed, the useless things - and brightens the room with a warm yellow glow, and it looks and feels heavenly.
or it did, at least, but the moment is over when you hear someone snoring in your ear.
"alright, that's it. you gave me permission," you say as you finally break free of seonghwa's hold, standing up and reaching for his arm, "so up you get."
with one big tug, you manage to drag him a few centimetres. you suppose it counts as progress, but you ultimately decide to try his legs instead. pulling him towards the end of the bed, you manage to wake him (and startle him, but you don't feel very sorry for it) with your efforts.
"hey, hey," he cries, "I didn't sign up for this!"
your dragging does not cease.
"yes, you literally did! come on, hwa," you laugh as he finally accepts his fate and rolls his way towards you.
sitting up, he wraps his arms around your waist and buries his face into your tummy. your hands go back to playing with his hair, and you can hear him sigh happily. he leans back and looks up at you with a sweet smile.
"alright, I'm up," he says.
you lean down and place a small kiss on the tip of his nose, causing him to giggle as a soft blush warms his cheeks.
"it's about time, sleepyhead."
[11:36 PM]
"minks, I'm ready! you can start it," you call out to your boyfriend as you skip down the hallway.
you hear a distant grumble of acknowledgement and when you enter the living room, you see mingi buried beneath the pile of pillows you'd collected in advance. he still has yet to press play on the movie despite your request, so you decide to pester him.
standing next to the couch where he's laying, you repeatedly poke his shoulder to get his attention. his head reappears from beneath the cushions and as his eyes focus on your form, they widen significantly.
"bun, are you, like, uh," he stutters, clearing his throat, "is that my shirt?"
you nod and spin around once, showing off the dark blue oversized shirt you stole from mingi's drawer minutes prior. it seems as though you've temporarily stunned him, so you do a little dance and jump around.
"it looks nice, right? I might have to steal the rest of your clothes, minkie," you joke as you bounce.
his eyes are still wide as ever and his mouth is a little 'o', but he sits up and makes grabby hands towards you. you shuffle forwards and he grabs your sleeves where they hang past the tips of your fingers, flapping them around.
"baby, you're so cute," he coos, pouting, "it's so big on you! you're so tiny, it's so oversized and I am going to cry about it."
you giggle and lightly smack his face with a sleeve. he opens his mouth in a silent scream of 'I can't handle this, oh my GOD', and stands up to squish your face with both hands.
"look at you! lord, forgive me for simping but I am so in love with you, y/n," he rants, planting small kisses all over your face while you simply stand there happily.
once he's satisfied with the number of kisses he's given you, he wraps his arms around your waist and falls back onto the pillow pile, bringing you down with him. you kiss his cheek, smiling.
“I’ll take that as permission to steal a few more shirts, yes?” you ask, running your fingers through his messy hair.
“please,” he responds, eyes closed and a big grin on his face, “steal as many as you’d like.”
[10:02 PM]
the rain feels icy against your skin, but it only serves to amplify the warmth of yunho’s hand against your waist. his other hand is holding yours, raised as you twirl and sway together.
there’s no music playing, but you don’t need it; you simply dance to the sound of the water falling to the ground and your own laughter as it fills the air.
“you look stunning, angel, even with your clothes soaked through,” yunho says, his cheeks flushed from the cold rain, “actually, especially like this.”
you giggle as he pulls you towards him, back pressed against the wet button up he’s wearing, and he kisses the top of your head before you move away again.
the moon casts a silver glow over the two of you as you dance in the light, and the droplets of water sitting on yunho’s pretty lashes give his eyes an ethereal sparkle. he looks positively magical, and his bright smile only seems to confirm that theory because suddenly, it feels like you’ve got a thousand butterflies in your stomach.
“yunho,” you call, and when he looks you in the eye, you smile back, “I think I love you. no, I know I do. I know I love you.”
though it became increasingly more obvious each day, you’d never said those three words to each other prior.
yunho’s eyes widen and he pauses for a moment, just standing there in the rain, but his hands still hold your waist and hand. he steps towards you and you let him close the distance between your lips, eyes slipping shut.
the only sounds you can hear are the rain falling and your heart pounding, and even with the cold water weighing down your clothes, you feel warmer than ever.
“I love you too, Y/N,” he whispers against your lips.
you swear you see tears in his eyes when he pulls away, but maybe it’s just the rain.
you know it’s tears, though, because you feel them pricking your eyes too as he twirls you around once more.
[5:48 AM]
"mink," you groan, rolling over and stretching your arms above your head as you feel the night's sleepy haze already beginning to wear off.
curse your responsible brain for consistently waking you up at the crack of dawn, even on weekends. you want nothing more than to experience a single night of deep sleep that carries through until late morning, or even early afternoon, but alas, you lay awake in bed.
not only are you upset about the time, you're also practically cooking beneath the sheets from the heat of a random unnecessarily hot day. isn't summer technically over now?
mingi doesn't respond verbally, still fast asleep like a normal person, but he does try to turn you back to face him and you have to pull out the expert dodging moves to prevent it. you fear his cuddles will be far too warm.
you stare up at the ceiling, totally not vibing right now. it feels much too early to be fully conscious again, and you'd be quite happy to knock out right this second, but the situation is Not Ideal™.
the light that peaks through the blinds is pale blue and slowly growing brighter, signifying that it's probably only around 6am. you sigh quietly and rub your eyes.
as a desperate attempt to return to your peaceful dream world, you roll back over and snuggle up against mingi's chest, opting to yeet the blankets off your legs to balance the temperature. he seems content now that you're close to him again, and you press a kiss to his cheek as you close your eyes.
you're not sure if he's half asleep or actually awake now, but he reaches a hand up to pet your head comfortingly and whispers unintelligible words in his deep, gravelly morning voice.
the warmth of his body against yours is admittedly not as enjoyable as it would usually be, but you find yourself curling further into his embrace anyway.
somehow, almost magically, the sound of mingi's heartbeat and gentle whispers is soothing enough to lull you back to a deep sleep full of sweet dreams again.
you suppose a soulmate can help you with anything.

[5am adventures - choi san drabble]

"god, my parents are literally going to murder me if they realise I snuck out, san," you whine, rubbing your face as the reality of your little crime begins to hit you.
granted, it's not actually a crime, but it might as well be because if your parents catch you missing from your bed then you're done for.
"they won't find out, angel, and even if they do," he says as he drops an arm around your shoulder, "I promise to visit you in hell when I get there, 'kay?"
you scoff and shake his arm off, giving him a Look™. he just smiles lazily and shrugs, skipping ahead a few steps and stretching his arms above his head.
"wait, why do you think I'm going to hell, huh? you literally call me angel!" you point out, catching up to him just so you can give him the side-eye.
he sticks his tongue out at you rebelliously, but you know that means he's got no smart retorts left, so a victorious smile finds its way to your tired face.
the sun hasn't started rising just yet, but the sky is a faint blue-grey colour as night becomes early morning. streetlights still light up your path as you walk side by side, and at this time of day, it almost feels like you're two movie protagonists exploring an abandoned neighbourhood in the middle of an apocalypse.
"doesn't it kinda feel like a zombie movie or something?" san comments, reading your mind.
"in that case, I'm happy you're my companion," you say, and just before he can coo at you, you add, "'cause at least I won't feel guilty when I use you as bait, y'know?"
"those are bold words from someone who can only run half as fast as me," he responds with an eyebrow raised.
for a moment, it looks like he’s getting ready to prove his point, but then he realises he’s too tired to put in that kind of effort and instead you both break out into laughter. he turns away from you and you loop your arm through his as you continue your walk.
leaning your head against his shoulder, you say, "I know you'd never leave me behind like that. I'm such good company, it'd be a shame to lose me."
he just scoffs and tells you you're on thin ice, but you can hear the smile in his voice.
reaching the end of the street, you realise he’s leading you to the unfinished part of the estate, decorated with random sand dunes and areas marked out for houses yet to be built. as a kid, you lived in a neighbourhood with a similar layout, and you remember the adventures you’d go on with the kids who lived next door.
you’d pretend to be vampires on a hunt for blood, or mischievous princes and princesses running through your kingdom’s village. sometimes, the adults would even join in and play a game of fantasy-themed tag with you guys, but secretly, you always preferred the thrill of sneaking away without them realising.
funnily enough, even now, it seems like you have that internal feeling of longing for fun, risks and adventures. that’s why san knew you’d sneak out with him, even if you complained about it.
“I really like this time of day,” san comments as he kicks away the fragments of brick on the path. “like, I feel like my thoughts are so much clearer, and I don’t have to think about what’s next on my to-do list, you know?”
he walks ahead to a sandstone wall surrounding a plot and takes a seat, crossing his legs. you sit beside him with your legs hanging over the edge, and he tilts his head as he thinks to himself.
you find yourself admiring his profile absentmindedly, and you can’t help but feel it’s a little unfair how lovely he looks in the pale light. when his gaze finds yours again, you immediately look away in embarrassment, but he doesn’t comment on it.
he hesitates for a moment before he finally says, “I think it’s kinda special when it’s just us two out here.”
at that, you look up again to find him watching your expression carefully, nervously. this time, it’s him who looks away first.
he picks at the jagged rocks poking out of the sandstone, and you find it cute because you know he only fidgets with things when he’s nervous about something.
“god, it’s so cliche, but you really feel like home to me. I feel like I can say anything that’s on my mind and you’ll just listen and care and, I don’t know, I can just trust you wholeheartedly and I know you won’t hurt me, and I’ve never felt that way about anyone before, and it’s so...” he trails off, sighing when he realises he’s rambling.
flicking a rock from the wall, he grows quiet again. he won’t look up at you, but you can tell he’s waiting for a response.
“I get it. it’s the same for me. you know me the most,” you tell him, and even though he’s still staring down at the wall, you see his eyes widen, so you continue, “literally, there’s no one else who I would be able to tell the things I tell you, and maybe it kind of seems like I take that for granted ‘cause I don’t thank you nearly enough, but I’m so grateful, san. seriously.”
there’s a moment of silence after that, but it isn’t awkward and you don’t feel the need to fill it. it’s like you’re both sitting there and processing the real meaning behind what you said. you have so much more to add but right now, no words come to mind, so you can only hope that he understands what you’re feeling.
you’re pretty sure he does when he stands up and reaches for your hand, intertwining your fingers casually as he gets ready to walk around together again. feeling a little braver now, you decide to speak up.
“so, I know we should probably sleep when we get back, but would you be down to go out like this again tomorrow?”

© santastic — all rights reserved. reposting, translating, copying and/or stealing is prohibited. ask permission if you wish to create anything inspired by my original ideas.
ateez | you as the female maknae

synopsis: you’re the youngest and only female member in ateez, let’s see how you get along with the boys
genre: fluff, platonic, imagines
pairing: ateez x maknae!reader
a/n: sooo uhhh yeah this is my first fanfic post on tumblr, i never really see these types of genres for in any ateez fanfic so i thought i’d try it out. i hope y’all enjoy it!
❤︎

tbh i think seonghwa be a bit distant at first, since he really didn’t know how to interact with you, not to mention the slight age gap
but then as you two started to spend more time together you gradually started getting closer
now the two of you have the cutest parent/child like relationship ever
take his babying tendencies with the other members and multiply it by 10
he always tries to take care of you in small ways like giving you water after dance practice or making sure you don’t overexert yourself
a bit overprotective but for the most part he just let’s you do whatever
also nags you a lot
whether it’s to do your homework or to eat something
he’s very worried about you all the time because of rude fans and netizens
but at the end of the day he knows you can handle yourself
even then you still depend on him sometimes
seonghwa also probably scolds the other members if they go too far with pranks/teasing
his bias towards you is very obvious
but he still sees you as a smol child that has to be protected at all costs

hongjoong is basically seonghwa’s behavior around you but 10x worse (not in a bad way tho lmao)
he definitely nags you a lot more because he’s a stressed leader
but that’s just how he shows he cares for you
definitely favors you a lot more than the boys when they are being annoying
he also makes sure you’re okay and in perfect health all the time
usually lets you help develop new tracks when you’re in the mood to help
sometimes even gives you some producing and recording tips, while also letting you listen to his most recent tracks
if you’re a foreigner that speaks english he probably tries his best to make you comfortable by speaking english to you
and both of you make a great translator duo too
even if you aren’t a foreigner but you still speak english you both probably have english conversations anyways
there’s of course those times where he scared you to death cause he’s upset
but he really doesn’t mean to scare you and apologizes afterwards
also overprotective like seonghwa, he just doesn’t want anyone hurting his precious baby
you just basically accepted that hongjoong and seonghwa adopted you

this bitch is either very soft around you or very annoying around you
depending on his mood, yunho will either baby you like you’re a toddler or tease you like there’s no tomorrow
especially because of your height too, he’s basically a tree compared to you
on vacation days he probably spends his time with you by either cooking or watching movies together
he really sees you as his little sister and he enjoys the feeling
if you’re one of the main dancers you and him probably do a lot of choreography covers together
especially bts covers
he usually teases you about certain idols you admire, jokingly saying you have a crush on them
this sometimes goes too far that even hongjoong gets involved
but at the end of the day it’s all just fun and games
whenever you’re feeling down he’s one of the members that comforts you because he can sense when you’re in a gloomy mood
he just wants you to feel happy and safe cause of the harsh idol life all of you go through
he’s also one of those friends that never lets you forget about embarrassing shit you’ve done too
but he will always be your sweet little teddy bear

like seonghwa, yeosang probably was a little shy around around you at first, probably cause you were a girl
but now he’s a ruthless and shameless little shit around you
he teases you all. the. time. there’s never a moment where he doesn’t take the opportunity to tease you
he’s the reason why you developed your sneaky and savage side in the first place
LOTS of insult battles, and it’s usually a 50/50 win too
though there’s always those petty fights about who won too and the other members just watch the chaos unfold
probably takes you out to eat chicken with him too, cause he still cares for you
and also the type to say “no one but me is allowed to call you stupid names and tease you”
speaking of stupid names, he barely refers you to your actual name off screen, he always has dumb nicknames for you
and vice versa too, you also can get pretty creative with names
but he’s also one of the members to automatically know when somethings wrong with you, like yunho he’s emotional support for you
also encourages you to push harder as well (ofc not TOO far), because he wants you to be the best version of yourself
no one can hurt you in any way or that person will get a piece of yeosang’s mind
even though he’s an annoying brat around you all the time, he still deeply cares and cherishes you cause he really does love you like his sister

he loves you so much! san thinks you’re so adorable and he just loves you so much
probably praises you for every little thing you do too. the others sometimes get tired of his antics sometimes but you find them cute
you steal his attention from wooyoung and that sometimes causes petty rivalries, but it’s all just fun and games
he’s also another member to know when something’s up with you, cause you guys were even close during trainee days
initiated a lot of skinship with you, and he likes to play with your hair too and vice versa
also a lot of aegyo between the two of you, you two are just so soft for each other it’s irresistible
san is also the type of friend to wake you up at like- 3 in the morning to play games with him or watch a movie
speaking of games, you guys also play a lot of games together
most of the time san wins though
if you speak english, he probably asks for tips and lessons on english, and you’re partly the reason why he has a smooth accent and decent vocabulary
you also probably tease him a bit, especially about his dance audition to KQ, which always results in a smack
platonic kisses on the cheek and head too off screen, there might have been a few cases where you two might have actually kissed on the lips
but probably because you lost a bet
he’s your little cheerleading puppy and you two are just such cuties together

crackhead duo, enough said
you and mingi always say and start the weirdest shit all the time, you both team up to prank the other members
mainly with seonghwa and hongjoong cause their reactions are funny. though you never dare to lay a finger on jongho
you two once started a running gag about calling seonghwa oppa (you call them hyung) and that joke lasted for a week
he also watches a lot of memes with you, and both of you have the craziest laughs ever
sometimes the other members are concerned for your mental health
if you aren’t a rapper, you probably try to imitate his rapping. it always looks very silly and he just cracks up at the sight
you two also cause a lot of chaos when it’s just you and the others without the 98 liners
also you two aren’t allowed to cook together anymore
one day when you it was just you and the 99 liners, mingi threw some flour at you while baking and it caused a whole ass war
hongjoong spent an hour wiping frosting off of the wall, and you guys got a huge scolding from seonghwa. still worth it though
you probably steals his hoodies cause they are so warm. he either doesn’t mind or gets whiny about it
probably has pasted sticky notes all over your room before in random spots, and you did the same to him too
you two are the equivalent to chaotic twin siblings and it’s just adorable

two words; sneaky bitch
wooyoung can and will annoy you to death with his stupid antics, and vice versa too
you two probably didn’t get along at first in trainee days but now you guys are the closest you can get
he’s very affectionate around you that even SAN sometimes gets jealous, san of all people! you have to be very special to make him jealous
also those petty rivalries between you and him over san never really last that long, it’s just stupid bickering
probably tags along with you and mingi to prank the other members
LOTS of flirting and stupid pickup lines
he usually wins them because you can’t beat that man’s charm, but sometimes he makes a comment a little too inappropriate that results in a scolding
both of you also do a lot of stupid dances together, and the other members just watch you guys wonder what the hell you two inhaled
if there’s a rumor/false scandal surrounding you, he will comfort you the most and protect you at all costs, even going as far to glare and call out someone who insulted you
also initiates a lot of skinship with you, though not as much as san, you just always smell good so he can’t help himself
you two also cause a lot of chaos at fansigns, whether it’s fighting over a snack or smacking each other with toys
sometimes people think you guys are childhood friends, and who can blame them? you two are so close it’s immaculate
and maybe a few dating rumors surrounded you before, but at the end of the day you guys are just really good friends

jongho is the only member who doesn’t baby you, since you guys are pretty close in age
he doesn’t really show it cause he doesn’t like showing affection on screen, but he always looks out for you
no one dares to mess with you when jongho is around cause they know they are gonna get their shit rocked
mingi and wooyoung learned that the hard way
he’s very caring for you and although he doesn’t show it by hugging or in any other physical gestures, he shows it through words
he actually was really shy to talk to you at first cause he thought you were really pretty, so you guys talked through notes
eventually he came out of his shell and now he talks to you like one of his close friends
if you’re one of the main vocalists, you and him probably sing a lot together, even when he’s breaking apples
has probably taken you to a few puppy cafes before so you could frolic with all of the adorable dogs
he just really wants the best for you, even if this isn’t super visible on screen
you also jump on his back a lot to make him carry you cause he’s a strong boi
he also just picks you up randomly and throws you over his shoulder just for your reaction
and it’s a lot of screaming fyi
overall, he brings out the more calming and quiet side in you, but it’s nothing bad, because both of you know that you care for each other
❤︎
a/n: so that’s it for the first fanfic post! i’m sorry if it isn’t that good it’s been a while since it’s been a while since i wrote a fanfic, so this is a fresh new start for me!
i might move some of my wattpad stories here on tumblr, but see will see ;) requests are still open! so drop some requests if you liked this one
this is @/krysphycookiez logging off... ♡︎
currently i have a bts 8th member writing piece in my drafts but after that idk what to post
i have a one shot idea planned with txt as well as more ateez content, and maybe a female maknae of nct au, but after that i’m blank
hand me over request ideas plz i need them

masterlist for the best boys

☘︎︎ bts
•kim seokjin
~you as the 8th member | 🎉✨🍂
•min yoongi
~you as the 8th member | 🎉✨🍂
•jung hoseok
~you as the 8th member | 🎉✨🍂
•kim namjoon
~you as the 8th member | 🎉✨🍂
•park jimin
~you as the 8th member | 🎉✨🍂
•kim taehyung
~you as the 8th member | 🎉✨🍂
•jeon jungkook
~you as the 8th member | 🎉✨🍂

☘︎︎ stray kids
•bang chan
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
~just a bit of teasing | 🎀🍂✨
•lee minho
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
~19:45 | 🌼🔮☁️
~just a bit of teasing | 🎀🍂✨
•seo changbin
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
~just a bit of teasing | 🎀🍂✨
•hwang hyunjin
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
~just a bit of teasing | 🎀🍂✨
•han jisung
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
~cuddle breaks | ✨🌹💖🎀
~just a bit of teasing | 🎀🍂✨
•lee felix
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
~just a bit of teasing | 🎀🍂✨
•kim seungmin
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
~just a bit of teasing | 🎀🍂✨
•yang jeongin
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
~just a bit of teasing | 🎀🍂✨

☘︎︎ ateez
•kim hoongjoong
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
•park seonghwa
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
•jeong yunho
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
•kang yeosang
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
•choi san
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
•song mingi
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
•jung wooyoung
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂
•choi jongho
~you as the 9th member | 🎉✨🍂

☘︎︎ txt
•choi yeonjun
~animal crossing | ✨🌸🎀
•choi soobin
(currently empty)
•choi beomgyu
(currently empty)
•kang taehyun
~animal crossing | ✨🌸🎀
•huening kai
~animal crossing | ✨🌸🎀

☘︎︎ superm
•byun baekhyun
(currently empty)
•lee taemin 
(currently empty)
•kim jongin
(currently empty)
•lee taeyong
~gemini twins | ✨🍂🌸🎀
•ten
(currently empty)
•wong yukhei
(currently empty)
•mark lee
~gemini twins | ✨🍂🌸🎀
♥︎
that’s all for the boy groups, i also have a girl group masterlist! as well as a separate one for nct!
enjoy your stay!
guns and roses.

synopsis : in which you and hongjoong make a deal to work together, for once, and yet it doesn’t go as it was planned.
pairing : hongjoong x you
themes : enemies to lovers & smut.
word count : 6.4k

“stop moving, kim hongjoong.”
“maybe if you didn’t fuck this up and got us stuck here then maybe i’d reconsider.”
“fuck you.”
“fuck me? no thank you, i’m too busy.”
Keep reading
sick but cute mingi
you’ve just come home from a long day of work, all you want is your bed and a glass of wine. as you step into your humble abode, you heard a raspy voice from your bedroom.
“y/n~ come here.”
you weren’t expecting your lover to be awake since it’s quite late and he’s been working really hard.
“ah mingi-ya, why aren’t you asleep?” you asked sweetly while removing your work clothes.
“i wasn’t able to sleep without you hun.” he says as he sits up to look at you, his hair was messy and fluffy and his cheeks were crimsoned which seemed to be because of the very warm bed he was laying in.
you chuckle softly as you slip on shorts and a bralette, “i’m sorry for coming home so late but i’m here now bub.” you murmur while moving closer to the bed.
“come here jagiya~ i missed you and your sweet voice.” mingi replied while patting the space between his legs. as you sit in between his legs, he quickly wrapped his arms around your torso and places his chin on your shoulder.
“why are you so warm bub? are you getting sick?” you whisper as you lay your head into the crook of his neck while placing your hands onto his face. mingi just shrugs his shoulders while he holds you close, “i feel fine hon-” all of a sudden he starts coughing away from you.
you slip out of bed and sigh. “ya, i knew it. come on bub, i’ll make some tea and give you medicine.” you softly said while dragging mingi to the living room.
“sit and don’t move. i’ll be back.”
you made some ginger tea and toasted some bread for him, mingi slowly walks into the kitchen and places his hands onto your hips, “thank you jagiya~ i would be dead if it weren’t for you.”

Aww so cute! I love dragons and I love reading about Seonghwa being a dragon even more.
𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞
dragon shifter!park seonghwa x f!reader
just because you're both dragon shifters doesn't mean this courtship thing is easy.
▷ 6.1k words, pg-13, f2l, dragon shifters au, urban fantasy, swearing, mentions of a big roach/insect, shoulder kiss, seonghwa goes shirtless once (1), mentions of courtship/mating traditions, the boys are implicit in shenanigans ofc, love in the form of jewelry, very mild jealousy, pining
a/n: this au idea was like ,,, 3 months in the making but i reopened the draft yesterday cuz i was tired of rotting 😭 anyways... i think shy, romantic seonghwa is cute ! (also very much hoping this isn't too boring jsfnkdnf)



Park Seonghwa was pretty sure he fell in love with you the day you met.
It wasn't something he openly admitted to, especially since his attraction had come first when he saw you across the dormitory common room, and was struck dumb by the curve of your smile and the way the sunlight hit your irises to make them glint like jewels. While it was stereotypical to think that dragons only cared about appearances, it didn't come from nothing. It was part of the reason why Seonghwa didn't like saying it was love at first sight; it technically wasn't, by all definitions. He just thought you were beautiful.
It wasn't until he finally worked up the courage (thanks to his best friend Hongjoong's encouragement (shoving)) to introduce himself to you that he realized what you were—a dragon shifter, just like him. It was no wonder he felt a pull toward you; dragon shifters were a dime a dozen, especially in the city where you both attended university. He told himself his fast friendship and bonding with you came from his excitement of being the same species, as well as learning each other's cultures and traditions, as you came from different clans.
Though, that didn't account for the amount of times he daydreamed about adorning you in his family's jewels, as it was customary in courtship traditions to wear one's mate's gems. Neither did it account for the way his heart beat faster whenever you were around, the purring from his chest after that one time you fell asleep on his shoulder… It was complicated.
“Everyone, let's load up the cars! Quick—off your asses. Let's move, people!” Hongjoong hollered like a drill sergeant, his hands cupped around his mouth before clapping too loud for six in the morning on a Saturday.
Who in their right mind would be crazy enough to wake up so early on the Saturday of their last spring break? Only one demon in particular, and his name was Kim Hongjoong.
Seonghwa was still half asleep, his eyelids droopy and his limbs even droopier. He nearly flopped face-first onto the pavement outside the apartment complex. He slung his duffle bag over his shoulder and slumped over to the passenger side of the SUV. It had taken all of his willpower to not trudge out in his Lego Movie pajama set.
“—and for goddess's sake, where is Yn?”
He jolted upright. “Yn?” He blubbered, head going on a swivel.
Hongjoong peered at him weirdly with his hands on his hips, and Wooyoung snorted, then scurried past to avoid Seonghwa's scowl. “Yes, Yn,” Hongjoong said. “Are you awake, Hwa? We literally talked about Yn coming on the trip with us last night.”
Oh. Right.
Seonghwa blinked his bleary eyes open and nodded sheepishly. Thank goodness he wasn't in his Lego Movie pajamas. “Y-yep, of course I remember!”
He glanced away, nostrils flaring as he caught onto a familiar scent coming down the street. He could pick out the smell of apple blossoms, tangerines, and your particular musk from a mile away if he was more awake.
“Sorry, I'm late!” Then there came the voice. Your voice simultaneously jump-started his heart and made his heart swoon. If he was about to faint, it probably wasn't going to be from sleep deprivation.
He couldn't believe he nearly forgot you were coming to the lake with them.
Your form came into view, your hair a windswept mess and a sheepish sort of smile on your face as you wrestled with the duffle on one shoulder, your backpack on the other, and a paper grocery bag.
Seonghwa practically fell over himself in order to drop his own bag on the sidewalk and rush over to you. “Here, I got it,” he murmured, taking the grocery bag and duffle bag away from you so he could hold them.
Your smile widened at him, and he swore the soft morning light was purposefully making your eyes glow right now. “Thanks, Hwa. Very sweet of you.”
“Of course,” he said with a humble nod, pointedly ignoring all of the looks he was getting from his friends.
“You're just on time,” Hongjoong greeted you with a small smile. “How were exams for you?”
You brushed a hand through your hair, a tired laugh falling from your lips. “They were… alright,” you opted to say. “Glad they're over now, and I'm so ready for this trip.” You gestured to the grocery bag Seonghwa held. “Oh! I brought snacks, by the way.”
Mingi stuck his entire upper body out of the passenger seat of Yunho's sedan. “Yn-ah! You're riding in our car, right?”
Seonghwa's expression molded into something sour. “Where did you get that idea from?”
“Mingi, you should just give up now,” San chuckled. He sent a wink over to Seonghwa, then glanced back at the naiad who's head Seonghwa was currently trying to glare a hole through. “We’ve already claimed Yn for our car.”
You looked on in confused amusement. “I'll split the snacks between the cars, guys. And plus, the SUV will have more room than the sedan.”
“Exactly,” Seonghwa piped up. He marched over to the back doors of the SUV to safely deposit your things within. There was no need for you to be squished between Yeosang and Jongho in Yunho's comically tiny car, when you could be in the same car as him—no, wait. That wasn't what he meant—
“Well, this is just favoritism,” Yunho jested as he slammed his trunk shut. He shot you a sunny grin that made Seonghwa glance over at you for your reaction. Yunho's being half-siren always made his voice and gestures a little more silken and sweet than the rest of them. “Are you sure it's 'cause of the extra room and not because Wooyoung's cat is gonna be in that car?”
You chuckled, shrugging. As if on cue, a lithe feline in silky black fur trotted out from the bushes. She strutted over to you, purring as she wrapped her tail around your calf. “Okay, maybe you caught me,” you said, crouching down to pet Wooyoung's cat familiar.
Seonghwa was not going to be jealous over a cat. He was absolutely not. Some sleep would screw his head on straight—yes, sleep did sound nice. He didn't know what was up with himself this morning.
“Pretty sure she loves you more than she loves me,” Wooyoung pouted as he stuck his head out of the SUV's back window.
You picked the feline up with your hands, and she gave a crooning meow as you held her up to her witch through the window. “I wouldn't mind adopting her if she wasn't permanently bound to you.”
Seonghwa's eye twitched at the same time he and Hongjoong made eye contact.
The demon's mouth curled into a knowing, teasing smile—I see you. Seonghwa could feel the heat lift to the surface of his skin as he ducked into the car. He really needed a nap.
The remainder of the time was used swiftly as everyone finished packing things into your respective cars, including your bodies. About an hour later, you were well on your way out of the city.
As this was all nine of yours last year of university, this spring break needed to be a memorable one. Yeosang had heard talk through the grapevine of a collection of interlinking caves overlooking a small lake. It was located a few hours out of the city proper, but it would pose as a peaceful getaway for the week. Each of the small caverns were open facing, peering over the water's surface, and each was designed to be like rooms in a house. There would be enough for the boys to sleep two to a bed, with you getting your own.
The drive out of the city was an easy one. Seonghwa slept nearly the entire time, only waking up to a near-quiet car, save for Hongjoong's choice of music playing softly from the radio.
“'Morning,” Hongjoong murmured, taking his eyes off the road for a brief moment.
Seonghwa yawned and turned his eyes up and outward at the world around him. Concrete jungle had become emerald green trees speared with beams of buttery sunshine. He bet it smelled glorious. “Morning,” he said back quietly. “Are they still…”
His voice trailed off as he twisted around in his seat and took in the middle row behind him. You, San, and Wooyoung were squished arm to arm, thigh to thigh; Wooyoung's black cat familiar laid fast asleep in Wooyoung's lap, with Wooyoung's head against San, San's head against you, and your head against the car window. Seonghwa cooed to himself at the sight, carefully snapping a picture with his phone, before returning to face the front.
The remainder of the drive was swift, and as you approached the site of your home for the next several days, you all slowly began to wake up. Seonghwa rolled his window down and braced his arm over the open sill, a smile breaking onto his lips as he greedily inhaled the clean, crisp air.
His eyes flickered to the side mirror, locking gazes with you. For a moment, he held your eye contact. He watched your mouth curve into that pretty smile of yours that made his insides flutter, before you looked out at the forest again.
When Hongjoong's and Yunho's cars broke out of the trees and into the next clearing, everyone's breaths stole away.
“No way we scored this good,” San whispered in giddy excitement as he shoved his body between Hongjoong and Seonghwa to peer out the front windshield.
Before you stood a wide lake, its waters so clear that one could see straight to the bottom. The caverns that you would all bunker up in were on the far shore, stacked atop one another in two layers with four openings on the bottom and three on the top. A waterfall curtained off two of the cavern rooms as it flowed from the rocky outcropping that loomed over the lake, and into the lake itself; the sound was not thunderous, but a dull sort of roar that was almost muffled.
With the sun rising higher into the sky, its beams reflected off the cascading spray of water to create a small rainbow in the mist. Suffice to say, the view in front of you deserved its own magazine.
“Let's get our spring break on!” Wooyoung hooted as Hongjoong pulled the car around the shore of the lake to reach the base of the caverns.
As the day sank from late morning to early afternoon, you and your friends transferred all of your belongings from the cars and into the caverns. Rooms were decided by an efficient round of Rock Paper Scissors—you luckily scored first, and chose the most private room behind the waterfall for yourself.
Once everyone was settled, it became a race of who could get into the water—
“WAAAAHOOOO!” SPLASH!
—first.
Seonghwa peered out from the living room cavern on the second floor to see the bodies below take a running start into the lake. He chuckled to himself, leaning his hip against the wall with a can of soda in his hand as he watched his friends break the surface of the lake, one by one.
“You're not swimming?”
Seonghwa nearly fell forward and out of the open cave, down into the water. His hand slapped against the wall to catch himself, his heart practically tumbling out of his chest anyway.
To your credit, you looked apologetic, grimacing through a smile as you came to stand next to him. “Sorry. You didn't hear me come in?”
You had changed out of your T-shirt and shorts from earlier into a cropped tank top and loose skirt, a silver waist chain winking up at him from where it linked around your belly.
The thought shoved itself into his brain—that you would look terribly divine in his jewelry.
He swallowed, dragging his eyes up back to yours. “I didn't,” he admitted sheepishly. “Guess I was too focused on watching everyone else. Have you settled in alright?”
You had chosen the cavern bedroom right next to the living room, but it was the only bedroom on this level.
With a nod, you turned your gaze outward at the ocean of emerald green trees surrounding this little oasis. “I have,” you said pleasantly. “You?”
“Same here.” He carded a hand through his hair. “It's really quite beautiful here.” But not as beautiful as you.
You glanced over at him again, and he wondered if he could concoct enough things to say to keep your attention on him. “Oh, I definitely agree; it's a perfect paradise, really. The waterfall” — you inclined your chin to your left — “I think it'll be most beautiful at sunset.”
He lifted one of his brows and pushed off the cavern wall. “Oh? Why do you think so?”
“If the sunset faces us,” you explained, gesturing your hand out to the eastern horizon in the distance, “then it'll reflect its light against the waterfall. As the sun sinks down and lights the sky on fire, so too will it set the water aflame.”
Seonghwa could envision your words in his mind's eye as he took in the waterfall careening into the lake below. Its crystal blue waters were so clear that it undoubtedly would reflect the shades of the sunset, and become illuminated as you said—where water turned to flame.
A soft smile came to his face. What a gorgeous image.
“I bet it'd look incredible from the skies.” Your words drew him back to your face. You were already looking over at him, and his heart gave a loving lurch.
Seonghwa cleared his throat. “I agree. Have you been able to stretch your wings recently?”
You hummed, tilting your head from side to side. “Not super recently because I was locked inside to study for the last week or two. You?”
“Same,” he chuckled and reached behind his back to scratch at the nape of his neck. Usually, he tried to shift into dragon form at least twice a week to keep his wings strong, but when life got busy, it was difficult to find enough time to take to the skies. “Would—would you like to take a flight with me sometime?” He stammered, fumbling over his words. “Just, y'know, like a casual thing.”
Excellent, Hwa. The spitting image of confidence.
He sipped on his soda, already hearing Hongjoong's exasperated sigh in his ear.
Your smile softened at the corners. “I'd love to. After dinner, maybe?”
His shoulders loosened in relief. “Sounds like a plan.”

“This is your chance! It's a sign!”
Seonghwa frowned at his reflection in the vanity mirror as he played around with his dark curls. Tied up? Kept down? It really didn't matter; he was literally going to be a dragon for the majority of the time, but it never hurt to appear well-groomed before a potential… ahem, friend. A friend.
Hongjoong slumped down on the foot of their shared bed, a deadpan on his face when Seonghwa continued to ignore him. “Park Seonghwa, so help me, I will plant one of your anklets in her jewelry box—”
“And if you do that,” Seonghwa drawled as he gave up on his hair and reached for the tube of lip gloss on the vanity top, “I will tell that elven girl you've become so fond of about how you—”
“Okay, I got it,” Hongjoong cut in with a scowl. “Aish, so touchy. I'm just saying that this trip is the perfect opportunity to let her know how you feel, and to court her.”
Seonghwa knew that; of course, he fucking knew that. The thing was that if anything went poorly, you would practically be stuck here with him until the end of the trip. He cringed to himself at the mere awkwardness of that potential outcome. “It's just a wing stretch,” he reasoned aloud to himself. He grabbed one of the bottles of cologne on the table to spritz around his scent glands. “It's not like I'm going to offer her a necklace.”
“Yes, because you need to smell nice for a wing stretch.” Hongjoong fell back onto the bed with a grumble under his breath at Seonghwa's stubbornness.
Dinner had finished up about fifteen minutes ago, and while everyone departed to do their own activities, you and Seonghwa agreed to reconvene at the tops of the caves in five minutes for your planned flight together. The days were growing longer as spring waltzed toward summer, and thus, the sun reigned the skies for a lengthier period of time. The two of you would ideally circle back in time to watch the sunset hit the waterfall.
Seonghwa left Hongjoong to their quarters as he made his way up to the rocky outcropping at the top of the waterfall.
You were already waiting for him, your bare feet standing in the shallow end of the river leading down to the waterfall. You still had on the top and skirt from earlier, and as a light breeze wafted past, it blew through your hair and your clothes like a dream.
You glanced up at him. “Ready?”
“Whenever you are.” He grinned as the anticipation and excitement of breaking his wings free slowly bubbled up into his chest. It wasn't only being able to spend time with you, but simply the thoughts of being his dragon self that made him so giddy.
You hopped out of the river and padded across the soil toward him.
Once you were in line with him, Seonghwa flashed you a wide smile and sprinted toward the cliff edge. Your laughter followed him as he dove off toward the water below, eyes falling closed as he relished in the wind whipping past his skin.
When he opened his eyes, he skimmed the water's surface with the edge of a veiny, membranous wing, before swooping back up toward the ripening sky above. His humanoid features had fully transformed into that of a creature nearly five times his human height. Scales of obsidian, gleaming a dark blue in the light, rippled across his back, his skin. He huffed steam from his nostrils and searched for you.
A body of iridescent white, so pearly that you appeared a shade of light purple in the burning gold light, blurred in his periphery.
He whipped his head in your direction, watching you soar around him in a loose circle. You wrapped around him and grazed the end of your tail against his, a caress.
He didn't want to think too much about that.
And then your irises, blue-purple in this form, were blinking at him. Northward? Your snout gestured in that vague direction.
Seonghwa huffed his agreement, and the pair of you took off into the skies.

A dragon shifter's courtship traditions were different from other shifters’ cultures. For one, the value of wearing a potential mate's jewelry was equivalent to acceptance of courtship; additionally, wearing one another's jewels essentially spelled out a long-term partnership. It was similar to humans’ exchanging of rings.
Dragons dressed their mates in their own jewels as dragons were ruthlessly protective of their hoards of treasures, and a mate was even more precious than any jewel one could acquire. There were other rituals, too—such as dousing one another in dragonfire, performing a certain mating dance, consuming meals made by their mate—but the jewels had always been emphasized in Seonghwa's clan.
It was why he stiffened when he saw a slim, silver chain wrapped around your ankle this morning.
The piece of jewelry looked awfully similar to something he owned, except the one you wore was studded with an amethyst on the tail, whereas the one he owned was studded with sapphire. He struggled to swallow as he stepped into the kitchen, eyes pinned to your ankle.
The way the light refracted off the gem made the article appear so much like his own jewelry; his heart could not take a scare like that so early. Perhaps scare wasn't such an accurate word—he simply hadn't had the time to mentally prepare.
It didn't matter how long he'd fantasized about it. Seeing the real thing would likely bring him to his knees regardless.
“Hwa,” your amused chuckle greeted his ears as you peered at him from over the rim of your coffee cup. “Good morning.”
He tried for a smile and forced himself to look at something, anything, other than your ankle. “Hi. Good morning.” Seonghwa grabbed a cup of his own to pour a helping of the brew into. “Sleep well?”
You rolled your shoulders back, followed by your neck. But as he blew on the hot coffee, he failed to notice the way your eyes watched his movements regarding the coffee. “Mhm, way better after we flew last night.”
Seonghwa hummed warmly. “Yes, same here.” Last night was a blissful night of deep sleep. The tension between his shoulder blades had lessened considerably.
He took a gentle sip of his beverage, and the rich bittersweetness hit him as an alluring wakeup call. You were still watching as he took a larger gulp.
His eyes met yours. “Something wrong?” He asked, licking his lips.
Your eyes widened. “Nope,” you squeaked out. You coughed, setting your mug on the table to lace your fingers together. “Uhm so… thoughts on kebabs for lunch? I was gonna go hunting later.”
“Mmh.” Seonghwa drained his cup of coffee. “That sounds good. I can go with you—if you'd like,” he added swiftly. Sometimes hunting could be a therapeutic solo trip and he hoped he wasn't encroaching. Though, going hunting just the two of you sounded nice, too.
“I'd love the company,” you said. When you smiled, his own widened.
The brief moment of peace the two of you shared shattered as two bodies barrelled into the room, followed by another set of thundering footsteps behind them.
“YAH! Choi Jongho, I know this was all your idea!” Wooyoung appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, drenched from head to toe with dark and damp bangs hanging in his seething eyes. A puddle was beginning to form beneath him as he glared at the two giggling imps cowering behind the opposite end of the counter.
You and Seonghwa connected gazes across the chaos. Good grief.
From behind Wooyoung's calf, another creature poked her head out to hiss at the perpetrators. Wooyoung's cat familiar looked akin to a wet rat, the poor thing.
“Seonghwa hyung, do something!”
Seonghwa's eyes drifted over to Jongho and Yeosang, who flashed him a pair of sheepish smiles. “Aye… both of you. Now.”
“We didn't get water on San,” was what Yeosang offered with a shrug.
That seemed to not be the answer Wooyoung was looking for. If the witch was a dragon instead, Seonghwa was sure he would be blowing steam out of his ears. “Are you kidding me? I am going to hex you so badly, you will never know a day of peac—”
Jongho suddenly yelped, startling everyone as he leaped a couple feet in the air and ran to crouch beside you at the breakfast table.
“What, what? What is it?”
Yeosang's eyes had widened to the size of globes, too, as he scurried backward to the edge of the cavern. His stare was still pinned to something on the other side of the counter.
Seonghwa peered over the ledge and swore sharply. “That is the biggest fucking bug I have ever seen in my life,” he said with his hand pressed to his face, stressed.
Wooyoung had magically disappeared, and his cat had retreated alongside him. If even the cat didn't want anything to do with the big hunk of insect—
“AH-AH! HYUNG, IT'S MOVING!” Jongho screeched and grabbed the back of your chair to hide behind you.
Seonghwa paused at that action, but snapped out of it when he saw the legs peek out from around the corner. “Can someone get Yunho?”
“Ohhhhh, I'm too young to die,” the youngest whispered toward the ceiling, his face contorted in fear and anguish; it was a rare thing to see from Jongho. “Yn, please, flame its ass or something!”
You sputtered, curling your feet up onto your chair with you in case the bug came scuttling toward the table. “Uh no. Yunho would literally flame me if I did!”
“Screw what he thinks. He's not here right now.”
Seonghwa clambered up onto the counter and peered over the edge again. He slapped a hand over his mouth after seeing the bug for another time. “Okay,” he said carefully, “on the count of three, we're all going to run for the edge and jump into the lake.”
Three nods from around the room.
“One…” Everyone shifted an inch toward the cave opening. “Two…”
The fuckass bug moved.
The countdown was abandoned—Jongho ran for the opening and tackled Yeosang into the water. Seonghwa leaped over the remainder of the countertop in time to swan dive into the lake beside you. His body sliced into the water like a hot knife through butter, and the lake's cool temperatures engulfed him in a refreshing embrace.
Your head popped up right beside him and you shot him a laughing grin. “Well, that's definitely one way to start off the day.”
He laughed alongside you, slicking his wet hair back and out of his face. “I mean, we were gonna end up in the water at some point,” he mused.
“True.” Your eyes zeroed in on something just below his jawline. You swam a little closer, and Seonghwa's heart catapulted into his throat. “You have a little, uhm, watercress…”
Your fingers brushed over his collarbone as you gently plucked the strand of watercress out from the links of the necklace sitting on his sternum. You lifted the plant up as if to say, 'Ta da,’ before pausing at your physical proximity.
Seonghwa watched as a drop of water dripped down the middle of your face, down the slope of your nose, and slipped over your plush lips. Woah…
He had half the mind to reach out and thumb it away.
“Two dragons, a fae prince, and a water mage couldn't handle a fucking roach?”
You and Seonghwa jolted away from each other like similar poles of a magnet, heat rushing up to the surface of your skin. You both tilted your gazes up to the caves and saw Yunho appear at the mouth of the kitchen, a wide grin on his face as he held the bug up between his two fingers.
“That sounds like a joke I've heard before,” San laughed as he walked up next to Yunho. He waved down at the lot of you in the water, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.
Wooyoung peered out from behind San. “Instant karma!” He hollered.
“Come down here, and we can talk about instant karma,” Jongho threw right back up at him. He flicked his wrist and sent a jet of lake water up to the cave mouth, hitting Wooyoung square between the eyes with scary accuracy.
San howled in laughter as his friend hissed from the friendly fire.
Seonghwa loosened a warm chuckle before turning toward you—wait. Where did you go? He twirled around in the water, eyes scanning the lake for where you'd gone.
“Hwa!” You were by the far shore, raising your hand up to wave him over.
He didn't hesitate to swim over toward you. The two of you swam over to the furthest edge of the lake, far from the others. The morning sun had not yet crested high enough to penetrate through the trees here, and that left you both in a patch of dreamy shade where long leaves dripped into the water like Mother Nature's curtains.
Seonghwa clambered out onto the bank and yanked the hem of his shirt up and over his head. The material had stuck to his skin like glue, and he was a lot more comfortable without it on.
Behind him though, he swore he heard your breath hitch.
The corner of his lips curled upward in satisfaction. He continued to feign ignorance as he wrung his wet shirt out, arm muscles flexing as the water trickled out of the fabric. “You coming up, love?” He asked casually, peering over his shoulder at you lingering in the water.
You cleared your throat as you pulled yourself onto land. “Y-yeah,” you said, covering your stammer with a breathy laugh.
“Cold?” He teased, finally turning his body to face you in full.
You passed him an expression of playful exasperation. “Freezing,” you jested back. It was difficult for dragon shifters to be cold; the amount of heat either of you generated on your own was enough to keep you warm all the time. After all, you did spew fire from your mouth on occasion.
Seonghwa whipped his shirt out in front of him and blew a breath of steam through it. The fabric dried up fast, but instead of putting it back on, he slung it over his shoulder.
An idea plunked itself into the forefront of his mind. “Shall we hunt?” He asked and extended a hand out to you.
He saw the flicker of blue-purple in your irises—like lightning—as you brushed a lock of hair from your eyes. You took his hand, your fingers and palms slotting together like matching clasps of a chain. “We shall.”

Seonghwa sat at the vanity table in his and Hongjoong's room. The world beyond the mouth of this cavern was a dark sapphire, embroidered with small diamonds in its fabric—the night sky and its stars. The muffled rush of the waterfall nearby played in the background as he sifted through his traveler's chest of jewelry and gemstones. Hongjoong had half fallen asleep in the hot spring somewhere behind him, so Seonghwa was taking this time to pick out what he wanted to wear to… tomorrow…
His hand movements stilled as something caught his eyes in the chest of shiny stones. He held his breath, carefully withdrawing a silver chain out by its amethyst stone. There was no question about what it was and that it didn't belong to him.
Your fragrance still lingered on the metal, though cool from being away from your body heat for a while.
Seonghwa breathed out loudly through his nose as he stared at the article in his palm.
He could hear Hongjoong emerging from the hot spring pool. “Something wrong, Hwa?”
“Did you” — Seonghwa's brows furrowed and he twisted around on the vanity stool — “steal her anklet?”
Hongjoong frowned, wrapping a towel around his waist before coming to stand beside his friend. He peered down at the article, reaching out to touch the anklet.
Seonghwa moved his hand away and his chest rumbled with a low growl.
A soft huff of amusement fell from Hongjoong's lips, and he settled his hand on Seonghwa's shoulder instead. “No, I wouldn't dare. I don't want to face a dragon's wrath for stealing from their hoard, thank you very much.”
“Hmph.” Seonghwa considered the article in his palm once more. If Hongjoong wasn't pulling his leg, then the logical answer was that you put your anklet in his jewelry chest. But why would you do that, and when did you? He would have smelled your scent lingering in this room if you had, and he couldn't pick up on any of his friends’ scents either.
A flower of hope blossomed in his chest as he thought about the implications of this gesture further. Maybe it didn't matter how it got here, only what you thought about it being here in his possession.
“It's a sign,” Hongjoong giggled, squeezing his shoulder. He trudged away to go find his sweatpants to sleep in. “Your move, Park!”
Seonghwa slowly wrapped his fingers around the chain, a small smile flitting onto his face. In the mirror, his cheekbones burned the color of the rubies in his jewelry case.
His move, indeed.
In the morning, Seonghwa rose before day broke the dawn.
It had come to him like a strike of lightning last night as he laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling, weighing the option of wearing your anklet like a lovesick fool or returning it to you in the morning. What he'd remembered, instead, was something you told him about your clan's traditions.
While his family held a lot more emphasis on adornment for mating traditions, your family clan put more importance on the act of making a meal for a potential partner. Consuming said meal was an acceptance of courtship and love.
As he hunched over the kitchen countertop pouring over a recipe on his phone, he marinated on how to go about this. Presenting you with breakfast—that he only made for you, might he add—was not a subtle move in the slightest. Perhaps slipping your anklet into his things could be interpreted a couple ways, but it wasn't a glaring neon sign like this gesture was going to be.
Nonetheless, Seonghwa got to work. He was counting on his friends to stay the fuck asleep.
About an hour later, he was just finishing up when he picked up on the sound of your bare feet padding across the hallway toward the kitchen. Your perfume followed next, carrying into the room on an invisible breeze. Seonghwa drummed his fingers against the countertop as you strolled into the room, eyes wide and bright when you saw him there with food made.
“Well, something smells yummy,” you said warmly. “Should I go wake the others?”
“No!” He laughed nervously, breaking into a bashful smile. “No need. This—this is just for you. I mean, I made breakfast for you.”
Your eyes seemed to grow even wider. “Break—breakfast for me? Just me?”
He nodded and wrung his hands in front of his body. “Just you… if that's okay.”
“Of course, that's okay. More than okay, really,” you murmured, eyes turning shy. The implications were too blatant not to miss or deny.
Seonghwa gestured for you to take a seat at the breakfast table and presented you with the hot and fresh plate of breakfast he'd just made. He claimed the seat across from you with his own plate, but didn't touch it yet. His nerves made his hands shake beneath the table as he watched you take your utensil and fork a bite into your mouth.
Something warm burst in his chest as you swallowed, then took another bite.
“It's really good,” you said to him between bites. Your mouth was pursed into a wide smile, a tenderness swimming in your gemstone irises. “I think though,” you murmured after swallowing, “that we need to talk.”
Seonghwa's stomach tightened, but he nodded. “Agreed. I, uhm, I found this in my jewelry case last night.” He pulled out the strand of silver and amethyst from his pocket. The metal and jewel glistened in the soft morning sunlight pouring into the open cavern.
“Oh, you didn't wear it?”
He went doe-eyed. “I wanted to—I just wanted to be clear about intentions first, just because if I wore this…” He stammered, “Then you'd be mine and I'd be yours.”
The wording of it made your pulse skip, but it was exactly what you wanted. All of this stumbling around each other, falling over yourselves, was for this purpose.
“Is that right, love?”
You nodded, as the two of you shared a smile in the glow of early morning. “That's right.”
He would be yours, and you would be his.
Breakfast was dined upon in peace with quiet murmurings exchanged between the two of you, accompanied by light laughter and loving gazes. It was a marvel none of it was interrupted by the other occupants of the lakeside getaway.
There was another thing that had to be done in order to seal the deal, however.
When breakfast was finished and cleaned up after, Seonghwa barged back into his and Hongjoong's shared bedroom. His demon best friend was nowhere to be found, but it was no matter. Seonghwa went over to the vanity table and carefully picked up the necklace he had laid out last night. It was white gold studded in fat, glistening rubies—his prized possession, and one of the few pieces he had saved for only his future partner to wear.
That giddy excitement curled in his stomach again as he took the necklace with him up to your bedroom on the second floor. You were there waiting for him, your foot braced on the vanity stool to fix his sapphire chain onto your ankle, as your amethyst one laid around his.
“This,” he murmured as he came up behind you in the mirror, “I've been saving for someone special.” He locked eyes with you in the looking glass, a sweet smile playing on his lips as he draped the heavy gems over your sternum.
Blood rubies were precious and harder to come by these days, which was why Seonghwa coveted them. It only made sense that they should rest now on a person he would also come to value even more. They sat perfectly upon your collarbones, like a tiara upon your head… like it was made for you. You were yourself a treasure.
Seonghwa could hardly contain his contentment at the sight. He wrapped his arms around your middle as he pressed a kiss to your shoulder, smiling against your skin. “Perfect.”

a/n: don't forget to reblog + comment if u enjoyed!
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spring in our hearts | c.s

summary: the spring where you finally fall in love and experience everything that comes with it; the good and the bad
pairing: choi san x f!reader
genre: angst, slice of life, slowburn, romance, fluff?
word count: 21.4k
pink.
everything outside is turning pink. the petals fallen from the cherry blossom trees sweeping the streets as the wind carries it away with the cold chill, making the arrival of spring feel so much realer.
pink has always reminded you of love though your best friend tells you to not think about it often. he believes you're horrible at it and has a shallow view on it.
you wouldn't say you're horrible if you don't exactly have the experience for it, your only romantic relationship ever was freshman year of college with a boy from english who found you cute but broke it off after only 3 months because he thought you weren't interested.
yeosang still brings it up occasionally because only texting a boy when they texted you and telling them you could only hang out once a week isn't the way to show someone you do like them.
you thought it was quite the statement coming from yeosang because he wasn't much of a prize either before his current relationship that finally managed to last longer than 6 months.
but he think he has finally found the one. he's sure of it. and maybe he's right about you being horrible to some extent because you wouldn't understand or know the feeling of when someone is just right.
you still don't get how your uncle was willing to move halfway across the country for the 'love of his life', leaving everything he knew behind in hope of making it work, or how your mother married your father against her parents wishes although you know him to be a great man.
even the compromises both yeosang and grace have to make can be hard to wrap your head around, but yeosang always says every time that once you meet that person, you will understand.
"this seat taken?"
your thoughts are broken and your neck snaps away from the window and its petal shower to the voice beside that takes your breath away momentarily because though he's just standing there in his morning hair, grey hoodie, and sweatpants, he looks absolutely out of place in this small cafe.
you shake your head, a knot forming in your throat the longer you stare at this stranger.
"i'll take it, if that's okay with you."
"go ahead," you assure, no idea why you're so captivated by this stranger you've known for less than a minute, eyes unable to leave as he removes his backpack to place in the seat next to him and finally takes the seat across from you.
you clear your throat, scanning the surrounding and just noticing how packed it has gotten within the few minutes you were out before looking back down to the half finished sketch on the table.
"you go there?"
the question pulls your head back up, meeting eyes once again with this stranger who has now comfortably seated himself, confused as to what he's talking about until he points with his chin to the sweater you're wearing that has your school logo plastered all over it.
you let another second of silence slip through before answering in your most friendliest tone because you don't usually get people trying to start conversations often, or at all.
"oh, yes," you say. "it was a shirt my friend didn't want."
you regret the words as soon as they leave, feeling like you wanna smack ur head onto the table because you don't know why you needed him to know that.
you really are not big on school spirits or whatever, but yeosang had offered it to you after he bought a size too small.
and this stranger is probably able to sense your nervousness just now that he attempts to giggle it off, dimples emerging from his cheeks all of a sudden that you can't keep your eyes off of.
you've seen a fair share of good looking guys in your lifetime, but this dude might just be at the very top and you're thinking the only obvious reason he'd even wanna sit with you is because all the other seats were taken.
"well that's nice of them," he says with a warm smile. "it's a well designed shirt."
you nod slowly at that.
"i guess so."
"i just transferred the beginning of this year so i just thought it was cool to run into someone alike."
"oh?" your pitch piques with a unique kind of interest. "y-you also go there?"
"yes. junior, going onto senior next semester. you?"
"same..." you answer, fighting the tiniest smile that wants to break out because what were the chances the two of you are the exact same age, and it's not like you plan on seeing him after this, but to hear how big the possibilites are is a little crazy.
he chuckles, one hand running over his disheveled hair as you're sure the same thing is also going through his mind.
"and then what?" yeosang asks, after you finish the retelling of your encounter with the incredibly cute and kind boy from the cafe.
"what?" you repeat, one eyebrow raised.
"what happened after?" he states, as if asking the obvious while spinning around in the computer chair that belongs to his girlfriend.
"i had to go to class," you answer, unfazed and oblivious much to yeosang's frustration which is why he wanna facepalm right then and there.
"you didn't even ask for his number?"
you shake your head. "no."
"i bet you don't even know his name," he says only sarcastically but he would be right.
"i don't."
you watch in bafflement as yeosang continues to sigh and complain before grace comes bursting through the door with the two boxes of pizza.
"you won't believe what your girl just told me," yeosang opens his big mouth and tells on you the second he can, prompting grace to hum in curioisity because she's just as equally nosy.
"what happened?" she says, placing the boxes on the stand next to the door.
"little miss over here had a cute boy actually talk to her and didn't even ask for his number nor his name," yeosang spews, accusation in his tone like you just committed a crime. "and worst of all, she lost the pen i got her for christmas."
grace gasps in response and plops down next to you as her weight makes the bed sink.
you roll your eyes, dismissing the last comment but going on to defend your name, "okay. you're being dramatic. it's not like i want him to be my boyfriend. i just happened to meet someone pleasant and i'm okay with the idea that nothing more will come from it."
your best friend shakes his head in disapproval and mutters, "you anti-romantic."
"and where did you meet this boy again?" grace asks.
"the cafe i usually go to."
"maybe you'll run into him again." she shrugs.
"maybe," you utter lowly. "but it's ok. like i said, i just thought it was a nice encounter and had to tell yeosang about it but if i knew he was gonna make a big ass deal, i would've just told you."
"excuse you," yeosang chimes in, "i was just looking out for you. you need to get yourself a boyfriend or at least a friend of your own so you won't be cockblocking all the time."
"first of all, i did get myself a friend," you say, your voice a type of snarky, "but you had to go and make her your girlfriend."
yeosang scoffs, the topic making rounds once again and proceeds to stop spinning himself to churn out another comment to annoy you.
"well maybe she became your friend because she was always meant to be my girlfriend."
you met grace as soon as you stepped foot onto campus given she was your literal roommate, and it only took a couple days to become comfortable with each other because the girl was so friendly and welcoming unlike anyone you've ever met before.
it wasn't until a week later that you considered the two of you actual friends, taking in the fact she was someone you saw yourself sticking by even in the far future.
but it only took another month for yeosang to see what you saw in her and snatched her away, recalling how fast their relationship went from friendly to romantic, you were so annoyed with yeosang because if anything went awry, it would've costed you the first friend you've made besides him.
but here's to them going on 2 years and a half so you really hope yeosang doesn't fuck it up because you think with his track records, you're in the right to have some doubts.
ignoring his response, you go on, "and second of all, your bitch ass invited me so how am i cockblocking?"
grace lets out half a chuckle and stands up to head for the boxes earlier, turning to the both of you.
"you both are hangry. pizza?" she offers.
yeosang takes a slice while you shake your head, telling her you're not hungry right now.
"my point is," yeosang continues, "it was the perfect chance and you completely missed it, but it's whatever now. i summoned you today because i've only seen your hermit ass like three times ever since the start of the term."
"well, yes. i wanted to focus on my studies."
"you need to learn how to relax once in a while," he says, with actual sympathy this time, "which is why i think you're gonna love what i have to say next."
but it just mellows out into an almost sarcastic-like tone, as if he knows you're gonna hate the idea but he's still persistent to go through with it.
"what?" you say, unamused.
he adjusts himself in the chair and puts the barely bitten pizza on standby as grace stares in anticipation because you're sure she already knows exactly what he's gonna say.
"so like, remember yunho?" he squeaks.
it takes a raised brow and maybe two seconds, but you manage to remember, blurting, "jeong yunho?"
"yes!" he nods way too excitedly.
all you really know about jeong yunho was that you've met him probably only twice and had less than a conversation when you did, though not failing to recall how soft-spoken and kind he also was.
"it's his birthday... well, technically his birthday already passed, but he's gonna be holding a late party to celebrate it and i might've maybe told him you're gonna come," yeosang announces, ending the ment with a stupid goofy smile like that's gonna lessen the impact.
"what the fuck, yeosang?"
you scowl, and grace jumps in, "i told him not to but he didn't wanna listen."
"it's a great opportunity!" he cowers back, high-pitched and all as he tries standing his ground.
"you know how much i hate parties!" you yell back just as loud.
"you've been to one!"
"one too much!"
"oh come on, y/n!" he slumps back in the chair staring at you like a disappointed parent. "you only have a year left after this semester. do you really not even wanna have some fun?"
"no. i really don't," you deadpan, much to an eyeroll and sigh from him while grace just sits by idly watching.
"it's not gonna be one of those crazy weird frat parties, i promise. just a house party with close friends, yunho said. plus, there's gonna be plenty of cute guys there."
"good for you. maybe you can find someone there," you say unseriously much to a giggle from grace but to an unamused yeosang because he seriously mean it.
he wants you out of your comfort zone at least just once and go and talk to people you might potentially like, having stayed in your own bubble for so long.
"please?"
the desperation makes you fight the urge to give in but you're losing, only huffing in annoyance.
"what happened to 'you're horrible at this romantic shit'?" you cite him word for word, throwing it back in his face.
"that's cause you really are. plus, you were being annoying at the time. but still doesn't mean i don't want you to try."
you think you're gonna regret. you know you're gonna regret it, but a part of you want to do it just for your best friend so you cave.
"i'll go. but if someone pukes on me again, i'm making you clean that shit with your own mouth."

the party starts at 7 p.m. sharp but yeosang's late birthday gift run leaves you guys almost an hour late, lightly knocking on yunho's door at 7:54 p.m. expecting for the house to be flooded with even more people you don't know but you're surprise to see a couple familiar faces in the background when the door comes apart.
"hey!" the tall birthday boy greets all of you, a lady by her side and arm wrapped around his who you can only assume to be his girlfriend sends a friendly smile the same time.
"come in, come in," he ushers, the three of you stepping inside to the much humble and comforting interior, nothing alike a stereotypical party setting and it's already managed to be the better party you've attended.
it's homey, a bit classy, and you should've expected it because the house is also in a relatively safe part of the neighborhood.
"you guys made it!" yunho welcomes again, his voice loud and excited, eyes traveling between your friends before it eventually stops on you.
"y/n, right?" he says, your name almost foreign sounding coming from him.
you nod in response and the taller boy smiles in relief, not typical of him to forget names but also not wanting to mess up and offend you.
"glad you could make it. i was afraid you couldn't because yeosang went on and on about how much parties scares you."
you narrow your eyes at your best friend and his habit of oversharing before a loose chuckle escapes.
"did he now?"
"he did," yunho says, also a small giggle out of him as if trying to ease the mood and make you comfortable. "but don't worry about it. it's not gonna be crazy, i'm sure of that."
"i appreciate it," you thank him, touched by the kind gesture of assurance although the man barely knows you. "i'll try to enjoy myself."
again, you've only seen yunho on two occasions before this and you can barely even recall the second one, only seeing him in passing along with others currently at the party when you'd go seek out yeosang inbetween classes.
yeosang smirks from beside you, happy and impressed from how you're already easing yourself into the situation, clearing his throat and deciding it's his turn.
"this is for you, birthday boy," yeosang says, presenting the gift in his hand proudly as if he didn't panic just almost 2 hours ago when you brought up if he was gonna get yunho something.
"appreciate it, man. i'm gonna put it with all the other gifts to open later."
he takes it into his hold, attention shortly pulled away by another knock at the door.
"i'm gonna get that. you guys make yourself at home," yunho says, excusing himself with his lady still at armrest.
"see, that wasn't so bad," yeosang takes the first chance he gets as soon as yunho's out of earshot, nudging you by the shoulder much to an eyeroll in return.
"don't speak so fast, we haven't even made it past 10 minutes."
"it's gonna be awesome," he states, convinced of his own words. "you, grace, and all the other girlies can hang out or something while i'm gonna go chat it up with the boys."
a visible annoyance paints grace's expression as she huffs, "if that's the case, i'm coming with. you seem to get stupider with every party."
a couple minutes later and a banter between the lovebirds about how reckless yeosang gets when he's drunk, you wind up in the downstairs bathroom of yunho's house, regretting that you didn't take grace's advice of peeing before coming.
at least the bathroom's nice but you don't wanna have to go out of your way and look for your friends in midst of all staring eyes. you already had enough of those making your way here.
the two had said they wouldn't leave you and it's best you guys stick together, but when you finally spot yeosang, he's already chatting it up with someone new when he was talking to wooyoung before--someone you also don't know well except the fact he's loud and extroverted the last time you met him.
grace is nowhere to be found and you're thinking whether you should just go look for her or insert yourself into the conversation yeosang and this stranger who's only visible from the back of his head, is having.
you don't get to make a choice because yeosang is quick to make it for you, sneaking over this person's shoulder and locking eyes with yours, one hand in the air motioning you to come as if you're his pet while his other is now occupied with a red cup.
you can hear him spewing from a distant as you make your way there, telling the person before him, "oh right, san, this is--"
"--strawberry peach?" the voice not belonging to yeosang says, so strange but familiar and recent at the same time, it stops you dead in track once you meet his eyes.
"strawberry peach lemonade?"
you pick your head up at what sounds like a question, following his gaze to your drink on the table, answering a mere, "yes."
"you came to a cafe to get lemonade?" he tease, delivery a type of amused that would've offended you if not for the smile on his lips.
"what's wrong with that?"
he snickers lowly and shakes his head before going back to his book and muttering, "nothing."
"oh?" yeosang is as confused as the both of you. "you two know each other?" because very rarely do you ever know anyone before he does.
"we met the other day," san tells your friend, your lips tight and body too in shock to answer properly. "at a cafe. she got the strawberry peach lemonade."
"oh. oh!" yeosang's volume turns an octave, a realization hitting him and making the corners of his lips go up because this is the guy you were going on about who was so cute and left such an impression you had to tell him when he knows you to not even look twice a guy's direction.
"thank god," you friend says. "i was afraid she went by some alias on the internet i wasn't aware of."
the comment makes both you and san freeze in place before a chuckle comes hurling out of him though he was fighting to bite it back.
you don't blame him because why would you when your best friend just implied he thought it was your possible camgirl name.
"you're fucking stupid," you hiss, a mix between laughing it off and feeling extremely embarrassed in front of the sole person you didn't think you'd ever meet again and this is how you're officially reintroduced.
"well," yeosang exhales, quick to brush off the remark because he has other things in mind, "i'm gonna go look for grace."
you knew it was coming and that he was gonna try to get the two of you alone but you didn't think it'd come this fast, your palms already starting to sweat and your feet feels like it's gonna make a run for it.
"i'll catch you guys later. you two have fun," yeosang bids goodbye as san returns one while you're just standing and thinking of all the ways to get back at him if this doesn't go well.
"a bit crazy, isn't it?"
that soft, melodic tone pulls you away from yeosang's walking figure and to his eyes that could almost melt you on the spot, that strange sensation settling in the pit of your stomach from his lingering gaze.
"definitely a bit crazy," you manage to say after composing yourself, because you do wanna talk to him and not scare him away, but you're feeling a lot more self-conscious than usual.
but whereas you cave easily under stressful situations, san treads through them with confidence, breaking the ice by asking a question.
"that guy, yeosang, you guys together?"
and if you were in the middle of drinking something, you would've spat it right out at such question.
"definitely not," you deny passionately, though it wouldn't be the first; you and yeosang getting the accusation from time to time because you two happen to be of opposite sex and are actually just friends.
"i'd rather lose an arm before picking to settle with him," you add.
you love your best friend, you do. he's always there for you when needed and has been with you through everything, but he's also messy, lazy, and probably the most disgusting person you know.
grace is a soldier for putting up with it for almost three years now and you don't know how she does it.
san chuckles at the response and the pure offense on your face.
"why not? sounds like an overall decent dude."
"i've known him since middle school. he's more a friend than anything and sometimes like a brother. plus, he has a girlfriend, grace."
"ah," san coos, "so you're the friend. he did say he came with his girlfriend and a friend but he thought his friend was trying to hide."
you shouldn't have expected any better from yeosang but you still wanna kick when you do see him, opting to calmly explain yourself, "was just taking a while in the restroom, that's all."
though you're not sure if it was necessary to address that, your cheeks burning a light pink after that san takes notice to.
he giggles it off and you're glad it made him smile at least.
"if i knew i was gonna meet you here, i'd bring your pen, but i don't think neither of us were expecting such coincidence."
your eyes swell a kind of surprise, almost stuttering when you finally speak, "you got my pen?"
you had quickly packed all your things, afraid you were gonna be late for the next class and you were so sure you got everything. it wasn't until you got back to the dorms that you noticed the stylo sketch pen yeosang got you for christmas was missing.
it didn't take long for it to be considered lost forever because there wasn't much hope of finding it even if you went back, but you didn't think it'd wind up in the hands of the boy you met that day.
"yeah, sorry if you came back looking for it. i had noticed you left it and thought it was rude if i didn't do anything. maybe that's why fate sent me here today," he says, snickering at the last comment, though at this point blaming it on fate doesn't seem so crazy.
"thank you," you tell him quietly, moved by the consideration but volume falling behind the progressing loud music though he can still make out your lips.
"no problem." he smiles.
and you don't know how it's possible but he looks even better than last time, the black attire and slicked back hair a contrast to the other day but when you speak to him, it all still feels the same... the slightly mischievous but easygoing personality turning away your initial worries and nervousness until you can't even remember why you had them.
the only thing left to weigh heavy is his usage of 'fate', the impression that you two meeting today was because of destiny and something already set in stone, but you might be overthinking.
"do you wanna go outside?" he asks, practically shouting at this point because the music has completely drowned out his voice.
he can tell you didn't hear him by how you confusingly squint your brows and unintentionally lean closer, to which he returns, whispering into your ear that shouldn't have sparked whatever it did.
you pull away to nod hesitantly and follow him out the backdoor, your throat clogged and body almost frozen if you weren't walking, glad he isn't looking because never in your life has a man smell that good before.
it's probably not the best idea to be away from your friends with someone you barely know, but you also don't have any reasons not to trust san... for now.
the spring air hugs your skin and you shiver slightly, only a thin cardigan to protect from the cold that makes san second guess coming out here.
"if it's too cold, we can go back inside. i just thought maybe you'd prefer somewhere where we could actually hear each other."
you shake your head but throw in a small smile to show you appreciate the consideration.
"it's okay. it is definitely way too loud inside there."
"yeah," he agrees, "and whoever's phone is connected to the bluetooth has a horrible taste in music." the now muffled audio a rock song you cannot make out the lyrics to even back at the house.
you laugh at the remark, the both of you staring into nothingness but yunho's backyard fences, yet it feels nice. safe. comfortable.
"i bet it's yeosang. he puts on the shittiest songs," you talk bad behind your friend's back, getting a giggle from san that makes it worth it.
"by the way, what did yeosang say your name was again?" he asks, turning to you with his full attention after realizing this whole time he doesn't even know your name.
"y/n," you tell him, locking eyes and ignoring the sensation in your stomach again from being this close and alone to someone who looks like that.
"y/n." you listen to him repeat your name under his breath. "you definitely look like a y/n."
the comment makes the corners of your lips turn, telling him he sounds so silly.
"it's san, right?" it's your turn to ask, sure you got it correct because yeosang's voice is loud, annoying, and hard to miss.
"yes," he confirms. "san choi, or choi san."
"choi san," you mumble, "it definitely has a beat to it."
and you're both laughing together the next, it doesn't feel real how easy being with him is. how, you were so hesitant about showing up and not being able to talk to anybody and now you're actually enjoying yourself, the state of your friends completely forgotten.
you don't usually wanna know many people but you wanna know more about san, every expressions he makes and any words he says paid attention and listened to carefully, you hope you won't scare him off just yet.
the conversation taking place after feels never-ending from him telling you about the transfer process to sharing majors and learning he specializes in math, you don't even realize you've both been standing in the cold for a while until a voice calls out to you.
"y/n!"
you look over your shoulder to find grace standing there, only half her body out the door and moving her eyes from you to san, the slight surprise when she sees you're with someone.
"there you are," she says. "i thought you had left without telling us."
you're now fully facing her with san following, watching from the side as you two carry on.
"what happened?" you ask.
she sighs before telling you it's yeosang, not to anyone's surprise.
"he's stupid drunk already and picking fights," she adds, getting second embarrassment again just thinking about how mad her boyfriend had got when he found out wooyoung had gotten yunho the same gift.
it wasn't anyone's fault; yeosang just loses half his braincells when he's under the influence.
you shake your head unamused and swipe san a glare, apologizing and telling him you have to go.
"wait," san stops you before you could completely leave him standing alone in the cold. "your pen. can i still give it back to you?"
you're standing there almost starstrucked-like and nodding your head, stuttering at the fact he wants to see you again.
"y-yes."
"perfect." he smiles. "how about the cafe again? we're both familiar with the place."
"that'll work," you say. "this monday?"
"this monday."
"cool. i'll see you then, san."

"what? no way!" grace yells, after you finish telling her about san and how crazy the coincidence is.
"yeah... i didn't really think i'd see him again," you say softly while settling down on the edge of your bed with grace across in hers, your heart doing a turn just thinking about the exchange between you and san again.
"you're blushing," grace snaps you out, meeting her gaze and batting your lashes.
"what? i'm not," you deny, adjusting yourself in the seat like that's gonna make her less suspicious.
"no. you are." she giggles. "you like him."
the bold statement makes your eyes go wide, shaking your head and denying the accusation on the spot because you can't possibly like someone you just met.
"i don't even know the guy," you tell her, trying to convince her as much as you are to yourself, hoping she won't catch how tense you're sounding at just the mere topic of this guy.
"so?" she shrugs, leaning back with her hands to the sheet. "you can't know a person within one night. finding out about the person is all part of the journey to eventually, a relationship."
you just learned the guy's name and now she's already bringing up the possibility of a relationship.
"believe me, y/n." she sits back up, intensely locking eyes with you and voice stern as if schooling a child. "the almost 3 years i've known you, i've never seen you look at anyone like that."
"you're being dramatic," you say, but the girl is still persistent, repeating herself and assuring you san is special.
"you're meeting him monday, right?"
"yes." you nod, a part of you still nervous but also excited to be seeing him again.
"tell me how it goes!"
when monday rolls around, you don't wanna think grace is right, but from how your heart is pitter pattering in your chest and you even glanced an extra time at the mirror before coming, you're afraid she just might be.
you don't have class till noon, and though he didn't specify the time, you just assumed it was around the same as last time, making yourself comfortable and occupied by scrolling through your social feeds.
the opening of the cafe door is missed and you don't fully comprehend he's here until a small 'hi' pulls you from the screen, looking up as he smiles down at you and you're reminded of why it's so hard to look away from this man.
"hey," you greet as calm as your nerves allows you to.
he takes the seat across and settles his backpack the same as he did before, the smile on him never having left his face the entire time.
"no drinks or what?" he says, the slightly teasing tone lightening up the atmosphere.
"i wanted to wait till you get here," you tell him. "i thought it would be rude if i ordered ahead of time."
he chuckles and shakes his head.
"no worries. i would've understand, but i appreciate the consideration." there's a split second of silence before he continues, "tell me what you want, i can go order."
you hum and think as if you don't get the same thing everytime; san jumping in when you can't seem to make a choice.
"strawberry peach, right?" he asks, an eyebrow raised.
"strawberry peach," you confirm, reaching for your bag to give him the change. "here's--"
but he kindly interrupts you, waving it off and assuring he got it
"are you sure?" you ask, a kind of worry in your voice because you feel slightly bad he has to pay for your $3 drink.
"of course. i'll be back."
and he goes off with a smile; you catching the dimple poking out of his cheek before he left and you think it just might be your favorite thing about him... not that you're keeping track of others.
you thank him quietly when he returns, mind suddenly empty when it comes to topic although you two were just talking a few days ago like you were never gonna run out of things to talk about--then you remember.
"right... so my pen," you bring up, hoping it's not too straightforward but you really wanted to say something.
his face lights up, the realization hitting him as well.
"oh, right right. give me a sec," he says, pulling his backpack and digging through it before pulling out the sketch pen yeosang got you almost two christmas ago. "your pen."
he hands it to you and you accept it with the sincerest 'thank you' you could let out, playing with it in your hand because you did think the old thing was lost for good.
"don't forget it this time," he teases; your head picking up to let out a snicker.
"i won't."
he nods, staring at the pen you've still yet to put away and thinking back to what you were doing the last time you were here.
"you're an artist?" he asks, the question casting your eyes with a twinge of shyness at such wording.
you've never considered yourself an artist. if you did, you think it'd be an insult to actual artists.
"i draw and major in arts but i'm not an artist," you tell him with a shake of your head and a dry snicker this time.
"then you're an artist," he says, shrugging with the most nonchalant expression painting him.
you chuckle, continuing to deny such bold claim.
"just because someone cooks that also doesn't make them a chef."
"that's fair," he agrees, thinking the logic makes total sense. "but i'm sure your arts are amazing."
here's to sitting with probably the cutest guy you've ever met, and he's telling you you're amazing at the one thing you're passionate about and you're not sure how to feel about that.
"you haven't even seen my work," you say, the mischievous tone in this back and forth feeling more like a banter at this point.
"no. but i saw a glimpse," he defends, really set on the fact he thinks you are totally good at what you do even if you are correct about him not having seen the whole thing, "and i'm sure the actual work is amazing."
you reframe from rolling your eyes and bite at your lips instead so the smile doesn't slip, moving the discussion along because you're more interested about him than your unsatisfactory artist journey.
"so what do you do with you know... math?" you ask, trying to not sound ignorant on the topic but that's exactly how it came off.
thankfully, he finds it cute and laughs it off.
"i went into it because the people around me said i was good at it," he says, a bit unfazed and dull. "that's pretty much it, i guess." and ending it with a smile when he catches your gaze again.
"but do you enjoy it?"
there's a quick silence and san tilts his head slightly, quirking his lips to the side before answering.
"it's not bad. if anything, it's been easy, so i'm glad for that at least."
you nod, smiling in return.
"that's good. only one more year and we'll be done."
"yeah," he says, letting out a loose chuckle after. "i can't wait. there's something i want to do after, but for now, we'll have to see what happens."
and you wanna ask him more about it; what is it that he wants to do after and just more about him in general, but you have taken notice of the clock sitting behind him and the fact you only have 20 minutes to get to campus.
you kindly thank him again for returning the pen as well as the drink, and in the midst of all turmoil and conflicted feelings because you don't know how to ask if you're gonna see him again, he's the one who fortunately suggests you guys exchange numbers.
you leave the shop with one last wave to him and his handsome smile ingrained in your head for the rest of the day.
but you're still not sure you like him just yet. not until summer.

after almost six hours, a few rest stops, and long stretches of desert roads, the heat of the much southern california is felt along with the sight of palm trees spread out everywhere.
"we've arrived, ladies," yeosang announces, finally parked into the hotel's parking lot after missing at least two turns before he found the place.
as soon as you step out, the summer air is annoying and you wish you hadn't wore long sleeves. but you like summer because it always marked the end of a semester and then the beginning of a new one--the fact you're so close to almost graduating.
you were planning to not do anything all summer, just eager for some rest and break away from the stress that came with school and your part-time job, but yeosang was quick to scrap all plans and make some of his own.
said his friends were gonna go down south and out of town for a whole week and invited him, and he wanted you and grace to come along since it would be the last summer break you all would share before graduating.
you told him you would come as long as he would be driving and he didn't have any problems. he thinks you and grace are terrible drivers though you would say otherwise.
"and who are these friends of yours again?" you ask, taking your luggage out of the trunk and staring up into the hotel you guys would be staying at, amazed at the amount of floors the building holds.
"you know," yeosang replies, shutting the trunk after he's made sure nothing's left behind, "yunho, wooyoung, and some others at the party."
you hum at the vagueness of the answer, following both your friends to the hotel's lobby that has a mix of modernness but also slight tropical and beach vibes, the color scheme a combination of white, woodsy brown, and green.
after being given your room keys, you don't wanna do anything but lay down and rest for a bit though yeosang should be more tired than you, he still has enough energy to roam the rest of the hotel when grace asked.
your room is a single queen bed and has almost the perfect view to beach if not for the huge palm tree that happens to sit in front.
yeosang and grace had initially wanted just one room together to save on cost but you didn't wanna be that person, and especially the third wheel to everything, so you cut your losses.
it's gonna be hefty on your wallet but it's only for a week, and plus, you get your own privacy and space away from the eyes of your friends.
the late preparations and long drive left almost no free time, so instead, the night is spent on the rooftop restaurant of the hotel where grace wanted to eat at, and after finishing your meal, you excuse yourself to go shower and sleep first because you want to wake up early for breakfast.
--
you wind up in the dining room alone at 7:30 in the morning because both your friends moaned and groaned about it being too early.
your breakfast consists of two pancakes, scrambled eggs, a banana, and a cup of coffee; choosing to settle on a table in the far corner.
you watch the many guests go in and out of the dining room, also keeping yourself occupied with your phone while eating hoping to finish fast enough so you'll be able to go back upstairs to do your makeups and pick out an outfit since your friends want to go sightseeing later.
and you were doing pretty good keeping your eyes to the entrance of the dining room, but you must've missed their arrival, because as you go to shove a piece of pancake down your throat, the slight tap on your shoulder makes your head turn.
"san..." you say his name so naturally, it just instinctly rolling off your tongue.
you haven't seen him in a while, but now he's standing in front of you although you're almost 6 hours away from home.
"hey, y/n," he greets, the smile you also haven't seen in a while making all of that strange sensation come back as he takes the seat across from you.
"hey," you say, your shock now morphing into actual joy at the fact he's here. "what are you doing here?"
"wooyoung invited me," he answers, nodding off in a direction that your eyes shoot to, seeing wooyoung, yunho, and a couple others from the party just as yeosang said, huddled around an area of the room you can't believe you missed.
"oh," you mumble, as if all of this should've been expected and it's no surprise san is here too.
"and where are your friends? what are they doing to be leaving you alone like this?" his voice a mix of teasing but also concern, it's hard to tell which one is louder.
but you laugh, telling him your friends stayed up way too late last night and didn't wanna get up this early.
"i see." he nods. "well, good thing i found you." he smiles again, every single time making your heart strangely tight.
you didn't see san much after the cafe meeting, or at all. the both of you busy with either school, work, or other responsibilities, most of the interactions were limited to texting, and even then, it was hardly a daily occurence.
though you guys did exchange instagrams and he poked fun of you because your profile picture was a digital painting you did of yourself and you had 3 posts only--all of them also of art works, he at least complimented you.
said you have an amazing gift and all that even if you're still trying to believe it yourself, you appreciate the kindness.
"yeah," you say. "kind of crazy we were going on the same trip and didn't even know it."
the realization makes the both of you giggle in sync, the conversation and atmosphere so easy flowing, it's hard to believe you haven't talked to him face to face for a few months now.
"but again, we were kind of occupied with our own thing and all that," he tries reasoning. "but i'm glad you're here. it will be fun, you know. wooyoung they're all a little loud but i'm sure you got a friend to match the energy."
you nod, a smile on your lips almost the whole time and your food going cold because san just said he's glad you're here.
"oh for sure. we will fit just right in with yeosang."
it was a night where you and san texted for much longer than usual when he told you how him and wooyoung became friends. the boy younger than him by a few months but so much more extroverted and chaotic in every other way.
nonetheless, he said wooyoung is a great friend to have and he's grateful for the wonderful people he's met through him.
you were mostly focus on the initial surprise and shock of seeing san here, you didn't even realize he's sat down with you the entire time before he's even got anything to eat.
"you should probably go grab something," you tell him, your tone sweet and concern even if you've yet to really become close to this man.
he briefly checks over his shoulder to find his friends still occupied and not seated, shaking his head.
"i'll wait for them. besides, if i go, i'm afraid you're gonna try to run away."
you can't help the squint that takes over one of your eyebrows, the line between teasing, being friendly, and flirting blurring into one and you feel you're giving yourself too much credits for even thinking of the possibility of the last one.
but before you can say anything, a rather familiar and nice-sounding voice beats you to it.
"hey, y/n!"
it's yunho, face and body language as kind and welcoming as ever, and with his girlfriend wrapped around his arm who you've also learned from san, prefers her korean name, jiwon, over her american given one.
"hey!" you try to be enthusiatic as much as you allowed yourself to without the help of yeosang. this is usually his field of expertise.
they ask about your friends whereabouts the same as san, and you give the same response as they hum and nod in understanding.
"well it's perfect we ran into you here then," yunho beams. "we're thinking of hitting the pool this evening, you guys care to join?"
you're probably the worst person to ask out of your group, swimming not really being your thing and all, but you give yunho your words that you'll ask yeosang and grace first, guaranteeing the fact the two are gonna say yes.
they eventually excuse themselves and bid you goodbye, the process catching some of the other guys attention as they take notice to you and give out small waves before disppearing to get breakfast.
"awesome. i guess i'll see you then."
san snaps you back, meeting his gaze and throwing a smile that could melt you on the spot.
"we'll see," you mumble.
"i should probably leave you to finish your food then. you leaving soon?" he looks down at your plate and you follow, feeling almost embarrassed at the mess that you've only half ate.
"yeah. i think i'm good for breakfast." you chuckle lightly.
he pretends to pout, quirking one side of his lips.
"aww i'm sorry for distracting you. yeah i really should get going."
"oh no you're good. i'll just be on my way."
"alright. i'll see you later?"
"yeah, i'll see you later."
and with that, after watching him walk away as he bids one last farewell, you clear your table and head back upstairs; the encounter heavy on your mind as you start rummaging your luggage for an outfit.

"no no. you don't understand. you need the perfect swimsuit!"
grace's voice ring throughout the tiny store at the beachfront and you're regretting telling her san's gonna be there at all. because now, she's dead set on impressing san and making sure you wow him tonight.
currently, she's trying to convince you to give in to a black two piece that has the bottom hiked so high up your waist with barely any coverage for the buttocks, you think your father would disown you if he sees you in it.
yeosang distracts himself by the glass and hat sections, leaving you girls to talk amongst yourselves, though he doesn't shy away from passing snide remarks because he knows you even better than grace and that you're shopping way out of your comfort zone.
"girl, i'm looking for clothes to swim in, not to seduce him," you say annoyingly when she won't give up.
"you don't know that!" she squeaks, giving the two piece another once over. "you're gonna look totally hot in it!"
"then buy it for yourself." you cross your arms, narrowing your eyes at her. "i'm not wearing that in front of like what? 8 or something guys."
she frowns before dropping a loud, "fine!" placing the piece back on its rack and turning to you to mimick your posture. "you are such a pick me."
the comment makes you scoff, rolling your eyes at your best friend's antics.
"excuse you. just because i'm a lot more reserved and hesitant doesn't mean i want to be different or whatever society wants to paint us more shy girlies."
"yeah yeah," she brushes you off, waving in the air. the topic one you two already had one too many times. "but i won't need it for myself because i already brought a cute swimsuit from home."
"well that's great. then maybe we can just head back to the hotel," you say, delivery a type of sarcastic to play along but she clearly isnt very amused, pouting and scoffing at you the entire walk back.
"i don't wanna be the only one in a swimsuit!" she yells at you in the comfort of your hotel room, having came down a few minutes ago because she wanted to know what you're gonna wear.
but you dismiss and excuse her complaints with a roll of your eyes. "you'll be fine, grace. and even if, more power and attention to you."
little did you know you'd end up being the odd one out, finally showing up to the pool with your friends and seeing everyone in appropriate attire while you're out with a pair of gym shorts and a black t-shirt, having told your friends you're probably not gonna swim.
"hey guys!"
the voice just now belonging to hongjoong, who you recognize and remember the few occasions you happened to see him with yeosang. he's a year older and already graduated but is definitely the backbone of the group, yeosang said.
everyone already there greets all three of you, friendly smiles and welcoming body languages, the amount of people is quite overwhelming but you try your best to hide it, returning the gestures with a smile of your own.
some's sprawled on the lounge chairs, some already in the pool, and some sitting idly in the hot tub.
but you don't see him anywhere.
you didn't come for him in particular (if you did, you would've bought the two piece your friend so hard tried pushing). you came for your friends and the kindness of his other friend group, but your eyes do naturally search for him and you notice his absence immediately.
but you don't wanna ask. it just doesn't feel right to.
"well don't just stand there! get your butts in the pool!" wooyoung splashes the three of you as you flinch and instinctly try to protect the sketchbook you broughtly along in case your friends get pulled away by their extroverted activities and you don't have anything better to do.
"jung wooyoung! i'm gonna get you for that!" yeosang shouts, the boy's teasing doing exactly what he wanted as your friend jumps in the pool and chases after a giggly wooyoung.
grace chuckles beside you, pulling you by the wrist. "come on, let's go." but you're quick to stop and tell her you're gonna sit for a bit first.
she sighs but lets it go, threatening to get you wet and soak the sketchbook if you don't get in after a while.
you watch your friends and even if you're not the one having all the fun, the fact they look like they are makes you happy enough, shaking your head and giggling when you see grace and yeosang attempt to do a breath-holding contest or tries submerging the other's head into the water.
you made sure to choose the chair furthest from the pool because you don't want yeosang pulling anything funny.
a couple doodles and swimming competition between wooyoung and yeosang for the 4th time, the sudden voice in your ear makes the hair on your skin raise, flinching slightly to turn and meet his gaze.
he goes from expressionless to a smile that you almost want to poke his dimples for having the guts to show up this close.
and when he pulls away, asking what you're doing, you barely register his words because you're too busy trying to not drool over this man being shirtless and looking like the best art you've ever seen, making anything you've ever created pale in comparison.
but fortunately (or unfortunately), you don't get to dissect him for too long because you're more curious who the lady standing beside him is and why you haven't seen her before.
she's in a ruffle yellow swimsuit with sunglasses and a sunhat that goes perfectly with whatever aesthetic she was going for. and you think she looks like what grace probably had in vision for you when she wanted you to wow san.
"san! ashley! get over here!" you all snap to the call of hongjoong as he waves in the air from the pool, the water stopping at his armpit.
ashley.
"you coming with us?" san asks, his tone welcoming and inviting, but you're gonna sit this one out.
"i'm good," you answer with a small smile, and he quirks his lips to the side at that, dropping his shoulders at the answer before nodding.
"alright," he says. "but you can always join us whenever. if not, i hope you'll have fun," he refers to the sketchbook in your hands and you feel it sinking deep into your chest, a bit embarrassed by the fact but he just laughs it off.
"i'll see you," he bids, making his way to the others and guiding the new girl (to you) by the small of her back.
and you really try to focus on the sketch, your inspirations drawn from people, places, and things around you. the current sunset absolutely beautiful in its orange hue, but you can't miss the laughters and fun san is sharing with the new girl, and you don't miss how the more you're with this man, the more a type of longing blossoms.
how, everytime he's in sight, your eyes just naturally follows him. settles on him. like you just wanna look at him all day.
you shake the thoughts off, which becomes quite easy once yeosang and grace along with a couple others decides they're done for good, and seonghwa, the oldest of you all, suggests to end the night by sharing dinner together.
it's on him and hongjoong, he said.
the rooftop restaurant feels different this time in the company of others. you stick close to your friends and observe everyone else like a lost little puppy when you have nothing better to do.
it's loud and chaotic and you're struggling to keep up with everyone and everything, but you manage to catch the smile of san when grace starts going off about something embarrassing you did in freshmen year as revenge for not getting in the pool.
you shout and defend your name and dignity but it doesn't help much with yeosang jumping in, leading to a long night of teasing and bullying from your friends in the face of everyone as they laugh at the 'endearing' friendships you guys share.
and by the end of the night, you almost forgot about san or the fact you guys barely interacted. not until you're fresh out the shower and recovering your social battery that you get the first text from him in a while.
san: it's true the story your friend told?
you can't even help the chuckle that escapes, catching yourself and going on to reply.
y/n: 😭 i hate grace lmfao
san: it's okay😅 we all just casually poop our pants in the middle of the night
y/n: 🙄
san: kidding 😁
san: hey. i was thinking if you'd like to get breakfast together tomorrow?
san: im sorry we didn't get to talk a lot today. you looked so uncomfortable during dinner 😅
the comment flusters you, thinking about the fact san was watching and saw how out of place you really looked.
y/n: just not used to big crowds lol
san: i can see that
san: but it's okay. it'll just be us tmr 🙂
y/n: won't your friends be there?
san: nope. they dont like the food lol
san: how about urs? will they be coming?
y/n: most likely not. those two don't wake until almost noon
san: perfect lol. i'll see you then?
y/n: maybee 😀
and he probably didn't push too hard because it's almost like he knew you're gonna be there; waking up before it's even 7 and sitting at the same table from before, watching guests go in and out of the room hoping to catch the boy that sent you the text last night.
his face lights up the same as you when he enters, waving in the air and heading your direction, you really shouldn't feel so nervous but excited at the sight of him walking.
"hey!" he greets cheerfully, sliding into the seat across with a smile.
"good morning," you return, hands curled in your lap and happy he can't see them because you wonder what he'd think.
"how you'd sleep?" he ask the same time he combs over his morning hair, never in your life has someone looked so good doing so, you didn't even think it was possible.
"good," you manage to answer with composure. "and you?"
"alright." he shrugs. "wooyoung was just mostly drunk and annoying from last night's dinner."
a small giggle also laced with empathy escapes from you. "well i'm sorry to hear. i hope today will be better."
he nods. "hopefully." then realizing you haven't even gotten your food, talking in a concerned tone, "don't tell me you were waiting for me."
"i was," you say. "don't worry about it. i'm not that hungry. the dinner last night kept me filled plenty."
"if you say so..." he lingers a bit before continuing, "should we go now?"
"sure."
you also get close to the same thing you got last time, with the exception that they've switched out pancakes for waffles, getting a question from san after sitting down about your food choices.
"well, i really only eat korean foods," you tell him. "i'm not too fond of anything else besides what's on my plate right now."
"ahh. so you're a picky eater?"
"somewhat. that's why yeosang hates going out to eat with me."
san lets out a quiet snicker, something more mischievous bubbling in his eyes that you don't read into.
"you talk about yeosang a lot... does yours and his relationship ever bothers your other friend?" he asks, the question stopping you from sipping your coffee.
the friendly and harmless tone still in the air but you can't hide the fact the question flusters you a little.
"well, me and yeosang have known each other for a while... even before grace, so she understands that we don't see each other like that at all."
san quirks his lips and nods, taking your words for it.
"why?" you speak again. "do we give out that kind of vibe?" you ask worriedly, because you would never want to unintentionally (or intentionally) hurt grace in any ways. on your life you have never seen yeosang for more than the annoying middle schooler you couldn't get rid of.
but as san shakes his head, you feel a sense of relief, watching as a light smirk creep up on his face.
"just wondering," he says, so calmly but eerie at the same time, you can't quite grasp the intention. but then something else comes over, and you forget all about deciphering san's answer; not really wanting to but letting the intrusive thoughts win.
"and that girl you were with yesterday? you guys together?" you ask, no menance in your voice; just a natural curioisity because you wanna know... not for any reasons deeper.
"she's a friend," he answers fast and casual. "i know her from my previous school because we were under the same program and have similar interests and whatnot."
"i see," you mumble, a light smile anyone would've missed because you don't wanna admit to anyone why the fact brings you a sense of comfort.
but it doesn't cut it with grace.
"that's what they always say!" she cries dramatically, after storming into your room when she was finally done sleeping past noon and the events of yesterday hit her.
but you don't have any reasons to doubt san, even if you love your best friend and wanna take her words for it, you don't think it's fair to assume someone you barely know is trying to take your man that isn't really your man.
"for all you know, they could be fucking behind doors."
"grace!" you yell your friend's name at such accusation, your ears turning red at even the thought of it.
"sorry," she mutters, but barely meaning it, only shrugging off what needed to be said.
"i just don't want you to be hurt in the end," she says, voice a kind of sympathy you didn't even know you need.
because yes, you think san is handsome. he is kind and unusually attentive to you for whatever reasons, and seeing someone else by his side made your stomach queasy all for the wrong reasons... but you don't feel justified in feeling a certain way just because your friend says you should.
you're not with him and you still don't even know if you wanna be with him.
“trust me, grace,” you assure her, a confident smile settling on your lips that she only frowns to. “i’ll be fine.”
and as much as she wants to believe it, it’s hard not to doubt knowing the way you are.
how, though you’ve navigated through life barely getting romantically involved with boys, it wouldn’t be difficult for someone like san to get you wrapped around his fingers if he wants to.
the guy way too charming; how he just casually checks all criteria from looks to personality, the girl herself rooting for you and him initially, but quickly rethinking the choice after last night.
yet, you don't let what your friend says get to you. or at least you try not to, but it's loud and it bothers you through the day... if someone as likeable as san would be able to hurt you.
if he could lie and deceive you and not even feel bad about it.
but when he pops by your side at night; yours and his friend group having the want to go clubbing, and he stays with you almost entirely, neglecting the girl grace said you should be worried about, you can't even remember why you doubted him in the first place.
not when he'd ask questions about you all night long as if he really wants to know you, so interested in the arts and work you do and accompanying you when everyone else is busy enjoying themselves.
and especially when he'd get breakfast with you every morning until the trip is over, a part of you glad but another saddened by the fact because you know you won't get to see him everyday anymore.
you'll have to go back to the old routine of working and assignments, no more butterflies or feelings of tightness in your chest and stomach, uncertain when you're gonna even get to see or talk to him again.
but one thing you know for sure, is that by the end of summer, you're positive you like choi san.

you're positive you like san, because every time your phone rings with a notification, you can't help but wish it's him--replying to a meme you've sent a few hours ago, or asking how your day has been.
that when grace commented on how your art style has changed, as if they've been pulled and inspired by someone or something, she wasn't just trying to tease you.
grace also being the same person to explain the feelings in your chest and stomach, and why your breath is taken away each time whenever you see him.
even if she was skeptical a few months ago and yelling in your face he's gonna hurt you, seeing the way he is around you has calmed her mind to some extent.
the way he actually treats you with interests and and respect, listening and nodding when you talk and asking you about everything, managing to convince your friend somewhat he might take a liking to you and that you won't come out of this wounded.
he's even become closer with yeosang; the craziness of just how different but also alike these two are, able to carry a conversation on for hours and making grace and you feel forgotten.
"so you guys are coming, right?" san asks the three of you in a corner of the library, quick to associate the spot with you and your friends after asking about your whereabouts one day.
"uh--"
"of course!" yeosang beats you to it, both you and grace narrowing your eyes at the boy in the middle. "we wouldn't wanna miss it."
grace sneers and throws yeosang another look.
"right, because the other two parties where you made a clown show of yourself wasn't enough." she shakes her head and lowers it back to her notebook, mumbling under her breath, "i'm not babysitting."
yeosang pouts immediately, putting on an act and a voice to go with it that makes you wanna throw a punch his way.
"babe, please..."
"no."
"it'd be the last college party before we graduate."
"no."
then he turns to you and hopes you'll take pity.
"y/n?"
you fume under your nose and follow grace as you start scribbling so he gets the hint, because you also don't wanna go to this party. even if wooyoung's the one throwing it and you're all gonna be graduating soon.
you'd rather just end your college career in peace.
"san's going so you're already automatically going anyway," yeosang says, losing his patience and throwing you under the bus to be petty, receiving a kick to his ankle from under the table in return.
"you really should think about coming," san brings it up one more time on the walk to your next class, after leaving the lovebirds in the library to talk it out between them.
you come to a stop when you've both reached the building, standing before him with your textbook curled in your arms and quirking your lips to the side.
"i'll think about it, but if grace don't wanna come, yeosang probably won't."
"why not come by yourself?" he suggests, like it's the easiest thing in the world. but he knows you well at this point, adding, "i know it's probably scary going without your friends, but trust me, you won't be alone. i'll be there so you won't ever have to worry about it." he smiles.
and his words. his body language. his smile. they all come off so sincere and genuine, you just wanna believe him and everything he says.
that he won't ever hurt you. make you feel inadequate and question everything about yourself, because liking someone isn't supposed to feel painful and it isn't supposed to make your heart ache.
but when you show up to the party without your friends, the people you recognize doesn't do anything to ease your anxiety, especially when the number pales in comparison to people you don't recognize.
and by now, you're more than sure you like san because despite his efforts to make you feel welcomed and comfortable amongst the sea of strangers he knows scares you, it doesn't matter when the girl beside him makes you feel uneasy all night.
when butterflies and a beating heart are replaced by the wish to run, liking someone is no longer fun.
"what! you are such a liar!" ashley squeaks with a giggle, pushing san's shoulder lightly in a friendly banter. the kind that makes you feel like you're intruding and disrupting something confidential by following san all night like a lost puppy.
"no! i'm forreal," san defends himself from the girl's teasing, his cheeks flushing pink even in the bad kitchen lighting.
"you were messing with her!"
he chuckles and you're wondering why you're still even here--or how the conversation of san and another girl not you or ashley even started.
"i promise, we were just friends," he says.
ashley shakes her head, smirking the same time she drinks from the cup in her hand, and when she looks san in the eye, she isn't just the girl san's friend with anymore.
because if grace were to yell in your face again about this girl and all the reasons you should be worried, you would agree with her.
even if you still don't feel justified... you like san now, and you can't help but think she's a threat.
"cute, isn't he?" she turns to you, her gaze burning and making you feel small on the spot. her confidence something she walks with proudly and with an aura you hate yourself for even admiring, "but unfortunately a hard one to tie down."
her words and tone cryptic, you can only blink as you try to digest what she said just now and if it was meant to be a dig at you.
you clear your throat, not feeling any bigger with the volume but excusing yourself either way to use the restroom.
just sit in there and think of any excuses in order to get out of here, regretting not staying with yeosang and grace to watch alice in borderland for the 5th time while eating wingstop.
because if you did, you wouldn't be feeling this way. out of place and with the boy you like slipping right by the palm of your hand.
your phone buzzing in your lap takes the moment away, looking down to see the one person you wanna hear from, even if he's also responsible for the doubts in your head.
san: hey. you good?
san: im outside the bathroom. i don't wanna knock though bc im scared it might not be you in there lol
you don't respond, instead going to open the door even if you should be contemplating about a valid reason to go home, chest and face nearly knocking into him, you can only gulp.
"hey." he smiles.
"hey," you mumble, wondering if he can even hear especially with the amount of bodies littering the hallway, but he does judging by the reaction.
"you okay?" he asks, voice concerned the way it always is.
"yeah..." you answer, your stance so awkward. "just needed some space." you try laughing it off, to which he returns one much to your relief.
"i see. well, should we go somewhere quieter? with less people?"
"actually..." your volume simmers, afraid he's gonna take it the wrong way. "i was thinking of going home."
he stares at you a second too long before responding with a simple "oh." the wheels going off in his head until an idea comes over. "that's fine. i can take you home."
"no, you're good. yeosang said he'd pick me up when i'm ready."
"no, let me. i want to. plus, i invited you so it's only fair."
and you weren't gonna argue with him; not when he was already pulling out his keys and telling you to follow him out the house and into his car.
"aren't you a little drunk?" you tease, after watching him pull at the seatbelt.
"a little." he smirks, turning to you. "but i'm good for the most part. i didn't drink that much."
right. because he was mostly engaged and immersed in conversations and banters that you weren't a part of, with the girl you're still wondering what happened to.
"where did your friend go?" you ask, as casually as possible.
"ashley? she got pulled away by some pool table game wooyoung they wanted to play."
you just nod, though the many unanswered questions about this friend bothers you, moving to look ahead and admire the size of wooyoung's house the same time san starts the engine. and that's when you realize, this might be the first time you and san are actually alone.
without hotel guests, nosy friends, partygoers, or people that frequents the cafe, but more importantly--without being behind the screens of your phones.
"the university's dorms, correct?"
"correct."
as he drives you back to the place, he can't stop asking questions.
"how'd you like it there?"
"pretty good. i have all i need, and the best part is i get to room with grace, so."
he sends a small smile your way in midst of driving, and you think he looks so attractive doing so. his hands on the wheel and his relaxed stance as he listens attentively like the boyfriend you never had.
"that's great," he says, coming to a stop at a red light, looking your way immediately. "that's a nice outfit by the way. i can't believe i didn't tell you earlier."
and you really wanna blush and grow shy at the fact he pays you this much attention, but you really just giggle instead.
"well thanks. you look pretty great yourself."
he steps on the gas at the green and scoffs but the corner of his lips pulling into a small smile.
"you're just saying that to say it."
you wanna tell him he don't even know how much you mean it. how unbelievable it is-- the fact he just walks around looking like that all the time.
but you chuckle it off and you're sure he's just playing with you, the drive weaving through the fall weather and city lights as an air of fresh and relief come over, you can't believe you were so apprehensive not even 40 minutes ago back at wooyoung's party.
"here we are," he says, pulling into the dorm's parking lot you had to help him find.
"thanks," you tell him. "i appreciate it."
"no problem," he replies, a silence lingering after and an expression on his face that something's clearly bothering him. "hey..."
"yeah?"
"i'm sorry about tonight... if anything made you uncomfortable."
you only smile, though the reminder makes your heart heavy with today's events, you're happy he noticed and care.
it seems to just be how he is; eyes and ears always attentive and sometimes a little too curious.
"it's okay," you assure. because even if you are upset, it doesn't feel like you have the rights to. as if you're just making all of this up in your head to ruin the night. "i think it was mostly because yeosang and grace wasn't there," you lie.
"i understand. would've been a lot better if they had made it."
"yeah, but it's okay. you going back after dropping me off?"
he nods. "i have to, unfortunately. wooyoung would want me to."
you hum lowly in acknowledgment, your legs closed together and your throat tight all of a sudden.
"well i hope you'll have fun the rest of the night. i'm sorry i couldn't stay longer."
"i'll try to," he says, a quiet giggle leaving. "won't be the same without you but probably should've picked a better place, you know."
"it's all good," you say with a smile, head whipping around to the darkly lit dorm building and its entrance. "i should probably get going."
"should i walk with you?"
you look at him while unbuckling your seatbelt, shaking your head. "i got it. i'd rather you get back to your friends."
he opens his mouth to say something but quickly takes it back, trying again.
"hey," he says so softly, you can almost melt into the look in his eyes, staring at you with blinking lashes.
"yeah?"
"so i thought this was really nice, you know... the car ride and all." he stops for a second to find his words. "i was wondering if you'd like to do it again? i think the cafe's nice, but this is a good change of scenery."
and you wonder if san can hear the beating of your heart especially in the quiet of his car, but you quickly pick yourself up to answer, "i'd love to do this again." you smile, and san returns one.
"perfect. i'll text you."
"i look forward."
which is why even if you didn't have the greatest of time; most of the night spent in self-doubts and regrets, you also don't beat yourself up for what he could be doing after he dropped you off.
what he's doing at the party or who he's having fun with, because afterall, he asked you out.
said it with a sweet look in his eyes and a tone to match, you'd rather look forward to what went right than what didn't; sleeping under your sheet in the dark of the night, sacrificing any uncertainty for restful sleep.

"these fries are way too salty."
you listen to san complains, his posture relaxed but face scowling at the fast food he just shoved down his throat a few seconds ago.
a laugh bubbles out of you and you shake your head, munching on the fries you protested on getting, but san way too stubborn to convince otherwise.
"you're right. maybe we should've gotten burgers," he says, looking at you and placing the food back in the bag. "never again."
"maybe," you mutter with a quiet giggle.
san had texted you exactly two days after the party, the reminder cracking the biggest smile on your face that grace took notice to and immediately wanted to know the cause of.
"it's totally a date!" your friend says, squealing after you tell her of why you wanna blush just now.
"it's not a date."
she sighs and rolls her eyes, prying your phone right from your hand that gets you up from the bed to fight her.
"he even put a smiling emoji. what else would that mean!?" she continues squeaking and dodging your attempts, until you manage to snatch it back.
"i think he's just being nice."
he picked you up, asked for suggestions on what to eat (and didn't listen), and paid for everything before pulling into the parking lot of a store opened 24 hours.
"so..." he starts speaking, hands cleared of salt from the fries and now looking at you through his car's lighting. "excited to graduate soon?"
you nod. "of course. and you?"
"for sure," he answers, attention pulled away to the front merely before meeting your eyes again. "any plans yet?"
"not much luck. kind of figure i'll think about that after," you answer with a dry chuckle. your bleak future not something to laugh about, but it's a way of coping. "you?"
and you asked out of pure curiosity and interest, but at the way his face falls, you would've thought you insulted him. watching his eyes go dark and almost nervous, the atmosphere shifting when he just sits in silence for too long.
"sorry," you mumble apologetically, bringing light to his eyes once more when he just shakes his head.
"no, you're good. i'm sorry. i was just thinking."
"it's okay," you assure, "if it's still something you're thinking of."
"yeah." he smiles, the act almost forced, but you try to not linger on the thought. why he tends to shut down when you ask too many questions and want to know too much... the same he does to you.
"hey," he attempts to revive the atmosphere he was responsible for killing. "can i ask you something?"
you tilt your head slightly at that, placing the empty bag of fries back where it came from and nodding in response.
"we talked about this briefly, but i really wanna know how you felt about the party. you didn't look like you enjoyed it at all." and it wasn't because yeosang nor grace were there.
you swallow, unprepared for the topic to make it back around, but answering with honesty to the best of your ability; just slightly leaving out what really shattered your confidence that night.
"it's just hard for me in general to really enjoy myself in that kind of setting." though you tried and was having some fun, until you weren't.
"i understand, and i appreciate you for trying. i just still feel bad for pulling you along when it was clearly out of your comfort zone, so i have to make sure."
it's the way he speaks and acts, always asking about you and caring about your wellbeing more than he should--that makes it hard to want to be upset when he doesn't want you to do the same in return.
when he closes himself off, always with the invisible barrier you shouldn't cross because he doesn't wanna tell you more than what you should know.
"it's just more so i also didn't really know anyone there. everyone else were occupied, and you were uh... talking to your friend," you say, mumbling the last part because you think you might be pushing it, but san doesn't seem fazed. he just shifts in his spot.
"yeah," he answers coolly, "hard to get her to stop talking once she starts." a light smile curls up at his lips and you try to not let it bother you.
but it's like he can read your thoughts; knows exactly the concerns running through your head and the apprehension overtaking your face when he spits the next sentence, "there's nothing going on between us, if that's what you're wondering. when i said she's a friend, i mean it."
and you don't know whether to be relieved or embarrassed he knows you a little too well.
"though she did like me at one point, that's the past," he adds, searching you for any signs of a reaction, and he gets one he also knows too well.
when your lips goes into a pout and your eyes swell with a type of curioisity in them, eager to poke your nose where it doesn't belong.
"and did you... like her back?" you ask timidly, knowing it isn't your ground but unable to help it.
san's snicker leaves you in confusion, and even more when he just shrugs.
"we're better off as friends. that's what matters."
the answer doesn't lessen the knot in your stomach nor does it bring you any form of relief, even if san doesn't particularly owe you any.
"what's with the face?" his voice snaps you out of your thought and to puppy eyes and blinking lashes staring right back almost mocking you as if he knows exactly what's making you so upset right now.
"nothing," you say, faking a smile. "just thinking."
but there's a shift in atmosphere again, whether you and san wanna acknowledge it or not. something tense that makes you a little on edge, but in a way different from before--the food and drinks and being parked in a public space forgotten at this point.
"have you ever been in a relationship before?" he asks abruptly, the question making you swallow the tension as you try your best to keep the composure.
"i've been in one," you answer, not disappointing him when you return the question, "how about you?"
he smirks, one eyebrow raising when he simply says, "two."
"two?" you repeat, voice raising like you don't believe it. "you look like you'd have a lot more experience."
the comment makes him laugh, his body falling and head thumping against the car seat while his gaze never leaves you.
"what makes you think that?" he says, the smirk once again creeping to his lips as he stares at you in amusement, the scene and tension having switched up so fast, you don't even remember when it ever felt like this in the presence of san.
when all friendliness and formality were gone and replaced by something else that makes you wanna be bolder and get closer to him.
you shrug lightly. "guess it's the way you carry yourself." that makes it so hard to believe.
"either way, if i'm gonna get into a relationship with someone, i have to know them well first and i'd have to be sure it's something i want."
you nod in agreement, though san never particularly striked you as the type to think so much about these kind of things... but again, you feel he's also just barely letting you into a certain part of him he haven't ever.
"that's fair. i would agree," you say, only to a chuckle from him that makes you squint in confusion. "what?"
both his hands are now behind his head and he's looking so entertained for whatever reason.
"you just seem more like the kind to go out of your way to avoid any romantic interactions," he says, giggling after with dimples you can't even admire because you're more flustered by the comment.
"it's more like... i find those things hard unless i'm attracted to someone," you clarify even if you know he's right to an extent, "and it's not often i am attracted to someone, so."
and how funny that when you finally are, he's sitting right across from you with a smirk and unaware of how he's making you feel just being in the same perimeter--or so you think.
"the first guy i was with, i always found intimacy difficult... especially kissing," you add, unsure if you're stepping over the line but you and san are old enough for this.
you're sure he even enjoys it, if the mirth in his eyes and the widest smile on his face says anything.
"maybe you didn't like him that much?" he suggests, tone thrilled like it's some form of fun guessing game. "or he was probably just a sloppy kisser."
"no, like... he was good but i was the one who couldn't kiss for shit," you defend your ex's name, feeling like you have to because he wasn't a bad guy.
"i see," he mumbles, the smirk settling into a soft smile. "at least it was enjoyable for you."
"yeah," you answer, the conversation getting so much more awkward for you. "how was your first kiss like?"
"it was okay." he was anticipating such response by how fast he replied. "it was both of our first time and i did it at the time because i really thought she was the one, but funny to think about it now."
there's a quick silence after as you just stare, the next question already at the tip of your tongue.
"and did you also thought the same for your second relationship?"
he nods to it, gaze now locking yours right back and the even longer silence makes you think he's gonna kiss you. with only the two of you in the car and the moon high in the sky, it's the perfect setup.
but instead, he takes you back to the dorms after moving on and forgetting about the whole conversation and drops you off with a sweet and friendly smile.
he doesn't kiss you. not this time or any others when he could've.
even if it would've been nice if he did. if he was sure it was something he wanted, and that you were the one. but it's okay, because you've convinced yourself that being with him is enough.
happy and content he still sends good morning texts, and still wants to hang out once in a while. that he still comments under your instagram posts that happens once in a blue moon, and he still sends you stupid memes.
because you're just the slightest afraid that if you try pushing your feelings onto him, he might not wanna do any of those things anymore.
so you keep him close; even if not in the way you really want, he's still beside you. that's what matters.
"he likes you, y/n!" grace preaches while pacing back and forth.
you were just enjoying your day off and with a book in your hand when your roommate and best friend came back from a date--with the first thing on her mind somehow being you and san.
"he doesn't," you answer, annoyed at this point and already having put down the book after losing your place at least three times due to her.
"no." she pouts and plops down on her bed facing you. "i've seen the way he looks and act around you. my instinct has a 90% accuracy."
seen how san's eyes would always linger on you whenever you're in the room, and having caught the smiles that would usually decorate his lips when you do something clumsy or endearing.
going above and beyond to do and say things that if yeosang was to do and say to another girl, she'd drag him by the ear and make him sleep outside.
but the statement's only met with an eyeroll from you.
"your instinct said san and ashley were fucking and they weren't, so?"
"that was the other 10%," your friend yaps, calming one second after. "i want you to just trust me on this one. if he doesn't like you, he wouldn't do what he does for you."
but you just can't help but to grow more irritated even if it's done out of good intentions. you're already frustrated and confused and grace isn't helping.
"maybe because he's just a nice person in general," you tell her, never having witnessed san be rude and unkind to anyone ever.
your friend sighs, her shoulders dropping but still wanting to encourage and give you some form of hopes, because she knows how much you like san. how much you wish he'd ask you out.
"he might be just as scared of rejection or messing up the friendship," she says, then pauses because it's gonna be out of your comfort zone but you have to try. "why don't you ask him out?"
your eyes go wide and you cringe at even the thought of it, telling your friend she's crazy for even thinking of it.
san doesn't like you and you're sure of that.
if he did, he probably would've told you by now, and he would've kissed you all those times when he had the chance. when it was just you and him in his car, in your dorm room, and back at the restaurant.
so you didn't plan on telling him, because you didn't think you could like san even more than you already did.
like him so much to the point that keeping it in was actually painful; when it felt like the only form of relief was to tell him.
at least not until spring again.

"what are you doing?" san's voice pulls your eyes from the sketch and to his face as he stares at you amusingly, your posture incredibly funny to him since you're trying to hide what you're working on.
feet planted on the cushion of the cafe's chair and elbows on your knees with your sketchbook just below your eyes, gawking and peeking at him for the last hour or so.
"i'm making art," you tell him, a giggle bubbling out after that san shakes his head to.
spring has returned. the petals once again fallen from the cherry blossom trees with the wind carrying it away in the streets as the cold chill from winter quiets down even if you still shiver and need a sweater.
you and san are seated at the same table in the corner and he's currently watching the spring show, his eyes following lone petals when they're still attached to the root until they become nothing but scatters on the streets.
his grey hoodie and sharp features a sight to see, especially when it's next to a big glass window with a view to match, though you think san is more beautiful. more than any spring blossoms or art.
feelings of butterflies and a fast heartbeat now replaced by something else--not that you still don't get them once in a while, but everything feels more natural. comfortable.
you find yourself caring for him in ways you usually didn't before. whether he ate, slept, or is genuinely feeling okay--you wanna know and hear all about it.
when he's happy, you're happy with him. but when he's sad or dejected, you also can't help but to feel the same. the last couple of months a ride of events that really tested just how strong the bond and friendship between you and san really is; never would you have predicted you'd grow to care so much about anyone else besides yeosang and grace.
"you shouldn't really be doodling. instead, use the time wisely to really think about what you wanna submit for the exhibition," he says, arms now crossed and eyes away from the window.
"don't worry. i already got an idea," you assure, a playful smile on your lips.
among other things san has helped you with, he was the biggest advocator in you entering the student art exhibition that will be taking place shortly just after the end of the semester.
you've always felt self conscious putting your work out, always choosing and picking carefully even when it came to posting on social media. and even then, your account is privated so only those close to you could see.
art is the only thing you've ever felt truly good at, letting your creations define you more than necessarry, and you're so afraid you'll be told one day that what you do and love isn't good enough.
"i want to but i'm also really not sure," you say, in the peace of the library with san across; the distress and conflict on your face as clear as day.
"why not?" san frowns. "i've seen your work. they're good enough to go in a museum, y/n."
the compliment makes you roll your eyes the same time you let out a scoff. "you're just saying that."
he shakes his head. "i'm so forreal. you're the best artist i know."
"i'm the only artist you know."
"that's not true. i also know uh... leonardo da vinci."
you laugh at that. "but i don't have an artwork worth at least 800 million, so unfortunately i am not better."
"i really don't think the mona lisa's all that great. any of your work would blow it out of the water easy."
there's a second of silence before you start laughing again, prompting san to giggle in return, but he starts, "i'm serious. you should really do it. plus, you'll be graduating soon. i think it's a great opportunity."
"when is it again?" he ask.
"june the 18th," you say, placing your sketchbook and pen down. "you'll be there, right?"
he nods at first, a simple smile settling on him. "of course," he answers, "i'll be there. i promise."
and as the day goes on, sitting in the comfort of the cafe with san as you continue the sketch you started and he occasionally switches between sipping his coffee and the assignment on his laptop, it gets harder to ignore the even stranger feeling that encloses you almost completely.
when the blooming of flowers and trees are fresh, along with the soft, gentle breeze of spring--you think you might be in love with san.

it seemed like it was just yesterday that you were talking graduation with yeosang and grace, but not even a year later, it's become a reality with your cap and gown sitting on your bed and the graduation ceremony merely a week away.
you think, even if with barely any plans after but to move back with your father and see where life takes you, you're still excited.
excited for the next step and for what's to come.
but san on the other hand, never seems too thrilled whenever you bring it up.
you know him to be an open person, always willing to talk about anything and everything; not a single mean bone in this man, except when it comes to talking about himself.
who he really is and who he wants to be after... he never wants to talk about it, so you try to not push it. be understanding and figure that maybe he isn't ready, yet.
that when he wants to tell you and wants you to know, he will.
but it's been a year since you've known him, and with each passing day, what you feel for him only grows gradually; so much that being friends just doesn't cut it anymore.
the feeling of love both exciting but also suffocating, you didn't even know.
you don't mind being friends with him, but staying that way means stopping what could be, and for some reason, the confidence that san feels the same also grows with every moment spent with him.
you didn't use to think so. dismissed grace's "instinct" and all that, chalking it up to san's natural personality to be kind and treat everyone with respect. but you started to see what she was talking about a while ago. you'd like to believe it.
how he's been a lot more touchy and sentimental these past few days; a look always in his eyes like apprehension that you can't quite read into but know something's on his mind. like he wanna say and tell you about it but can't.
then when he texts you the day just before graduation, asking if you two can talk later on in the evening, you certainly feel like this is it.
that he didn't do all of those things for you just to be nice or to be a friend. why else would he had asked to talk if it isn't something significant that he couldn't annouce through text?
you enter san's car that evening with a beating heart and a tight stomach, feeling so nervous and sick, you feel the food you ate just an hour ago coming back up.
and though it's a scene you're all too familiar with--you and san in the parking lot of the university's dorm building, there's an air in tonight's meeting you can't quite gauge.
something tense that makes the both of you sit in silence for a few seconds too long, nervousness gnawing at you once more while you start to doubt if the same is what's causing the current discomfort on san's face.
"hey," you start, trying to lighten the atmosphere that has gotten so awkward already, and you haven't even confessed. "how has your day been?"
he finally lifts his head up to look at you, his hands off the steering wheel and settling on his lap as he try to smile forcefully, you can tell.
"it was good, yeah..." he answers, tone dull and tired, you wonder if maybe he didn't get enough sleep. "you?" he asks in return but it doesn't sound like any other times.
like he didn't ask because he's genuinely interested, but because he has to.
"it was also good. yeah..."
you swallow down the knot in your throat, another long silence engulfing the car as you and san listen to footsteps and chitters of students having just arrived.
"i have something to tell you," you both say and turn to each other at the same time, the scary coincidence of the timing has both your eyes wide as echoes of giggles let loose temporarily.
despite the unpredictability of the other person and the possible turmoil after, you both can laugh for now.
"you go first," he says, nodding his chin your direction and sitting with a beating heart just a tad lower than yours that to you, fills your ears and the entire car.
you take a deep breath, your fingers naturally finding each other in moments of distress and finally uttering the words you've been wanting to tell him for a few months now.
"san, w-we've known each other for about a year now and i know this might be dramatic of me, b-but you're probably the best thing to happen to me," you speak so fast, another habit of yours when under pressure, barely looking him in the eyes to even notice the look in them, "and, and... i think what i wanna say is i like you. i really really like you and i wanna tell you that."
and when you finally level his eyes again, so relieved it's out now, but when you only see the cold, indifferent reaction, nothing like you predicted, you fear the worst.
and when san breaks your heart for the first time, you know you messed up majorly.
"i'm sorry," he mumbles, almost murmuring and keeps his head down as if ashamed to say such thing, "really really sorry."
messed up by letting feelings get in the way of a wonderful friendship with a wonderful person, and let his act of kindness get to your head because how could san ever possibly feel the same?
"no. i'm sorry," you say, volume barely above a whisper and voice between crying and staying strong in front of him. "i-i shouldn't have said that."
"no. it's okay. don't feel bad," he tries assuring in his usual calm and collected tone, but even he knows you don't believe him. but he means it, because he has way more to feel bad and be sorry for. "it's just..."
he can hardly look you in the eyes, your expression of heartbreak and guilt something he should be going through instead.
"i'm gonna be leaving in two days."
it suddenly feels like the world stopped at the drop of those words. your chest constricting and your breath hard to catch, the rejection nothing compared to the realization.
the hard reality that you're gonna be losing san. one moment as if he's right in front of you, you could almost grab him, and the next he's slipping right out of your grasp. just like that.
loving someone is such a horrible, awful feeling.
"w-where to?" you ask, the crack in your voice makes san wince and he can't wait for the night to be over with. for him, and for you.
"seoul, south korea," he answers lowly, pausing before adding, "that's what i wanted to tell you tonight."
and suddenly, everything makes sense. like having found pieces of puzzles you couldn't ever; it all hits you at once.
the first time you met him.
“i went into it because the people around me said i was good at it,” he says, a bit unfazed and dull. “that’s pretty much it, i guess.” and ending it with a smile when he catches your gaze again.
“but do you enjoy it?”
there’s a quick silence and san tilts his head slightly, quirking his lips to the side before answering.
“it’s not bad. if anything, it’s been easy, so i’m glad for that at least.”
you nod, smiling in return.
“that’s good. only one more year and we’ll be done.”
"yeah," he says, letting out a loose chuckle after. "i can't wait. there's something i want to do after, but for now, we'll have to see what happens."
the party.
“cute, isn’t he?” she turns to you, her gaze burning and making you feel small on the spot. her confidence something she walks with proudly and with an aura you hate yourself for even admiring. “but unfortunately a hard one to tie down.”
and all those times he'd dodge your questions and never want to answer anything concerning what it is he actually wants to do, or even how he grew up.
simply because san never planned to stay.
he was always meant to go after... even if he got to know you. he never wanted to be anything more with you.
you can't help the sense of betrayal that blooms from deep within, never wanting to have any ill feelings toward san but the hurt is so strong, you don't remember a time in your life you've ever felt this way before.
being mislead for so long and kept hidden in the dark. but even then, you can't seem to bring yourself to hate him.
a tear pricks your eye and you attempt to wipe it away, voice hoarse when you speak again, "that's what you always wanted to do, right?"
san just nods, unable to see him clearly through the tears multiplying and his gaze that has turned away.
"hey," you say, a soft call that san responds to, his fox eyes staring back that you're gonna miss. "i hope it goes well." you smile, a mixture of bitter and sweet.
"i know it will," you say once more, swallowing the knot dying in your throat and searching san for any reactions.
maybe you don't know who he was before or who he's gonna be after, but you know him right now. the boy you met a year ago and made you feel so many things; butterflies down to heartbreak--who, you're still so madly in love with, you don't even have it in you to wish him anything but well.
why would you wanna keep him in the small palms of your hands when there's a world out there much bigger waiting for him. a world that could make him so much happier and content.
you would never be upset about that.
when it looks like san isn't gonna say anything, his mind continuously in thought but lips unable replicate, you're the one to break the tension yet again, figuring he just needs time.
even if he's had time... to prepare all of this and for what he was gonna say, yet he's drawing nothing but blanks in the actual presence of you.
"i should uh, i should probably go," you announce when the silence sits for too long. "graduation is tomorrow and grace wants to wake up early in preparation."
he nods just as he's done cowardly before.
"i'll see you there?" your voice squeaks slightly for the first time tonight; some kind of hope and excitement in them.
you don't know whether he nods or hum, or if he even answers. just a vagueness to his expression that you take for a yes, because why wouldn't he be.
but if you knew at the time, that when you go to search for the familiar head of black in the crowd during the ceremony and you wouldn't find him, you would have said more
if you knew that even during the celebration after; a restaurant across the streets your friends wanted to go to, that he still isn't gonna come, you would've stayed longer last night.
tell him everything and wish him all the good in the world... if you knew that was the last time you would see him.
act like you're not constantly checking the door of the restaurant in hope he'd show up even for one last time so you won't feel so dejected and have all of yeosang, grace, and wooyoung look at you with pity.
say you're just tired and continue acting like your heart didn't do a flip at the drop of his name when yunho asks about his whereabouts and wooyoung tells the group he's busy packing up for tomorrow morning.
none of them seem to be aware he was leaving, besides wooyoung and your friends (for obvious reasons).
hold back your tears and attempt to not crack when you finally get wooyoung to yourself, telling him if he could give something to san.
something you've been planning to for a while but wanted to wait till it was finished, and when it was, you kind of forgot about it. until suddenly.
assure wooyoung it's okay when he tells you he's told san on plenty of occasions he needed to let you know.
and finally, when you get back to the dorms, you allow yourself to cry in grace's arms but also assuring her you're gonna be okay and she doesn't need to stay up with you
when it's past midnight, hugging your knees on edge of your bed in the dark watching as the trees sways outside the window, you wonder if this was how your uncle and mother felt.
why your uncle decided to move halfway across the country and leave everything he knew behind just for love, and why your mother still married your father despite everything against them.
a part of you finally starting to understand all the sacrifices and compromises yeosang and grace makes.
love is so strange.
you give into the events of today and curl up in bed, pulling the blanket over and closing your eyes.
before the blooming of flowers and trees, and the soft, gentle breeze of spring could even pass, san leaves you.

a month later
"don't be so nervous. you look great."
grace turns you by the shoulders to the mirror and you can hardly recognize yourself. the short black satin dress hugging your body and skin adorned in jewelries that doesn't even belong to you, nor are the heels on your feet.
you really didn't even think you'd be going, let alone have your work accepted for the exhibition among hundreds of other submissions.
have your work out in the open and on display for people other than your friends to see and judge. it's nerve-racking, but grace think you should at least dress for the occasion.
"yeosang said he'll be here in 15," she tells you.
you're nervous just sitting around, and even more so on the way to the gallery, the awful music yeosang has blasting not helping a bit.
"cookie points to whoever finds y/n's art first," grace says from the front, her lips turning upward as she challenges her boyfriend.
"that's easy. we can probably see the watercolor and blue from a mile away," he teases, prompting grace to smack him lightly by the arm; his comment making a scoff leave your mouth.
they don't know what you submitted. you didn't want them to, saying you wanted to really surprise them and get an honest opinion as it was the piece you probably took the longest on and put the most thoughts to.
the arrival doesn't make you feel any better, more cars than you predicted lined up at the front and in the parking lot, you have to take a deep breath.
"hey," yeosang says, his head peeking over the car seat with a small smile, "tonight's gonna be great. you go in there and get familiar with everyone and we'll meet you soon?"
you nod, unbuckling your seatbelt and undoing the wrinkles on your dress, ready to head out.
"good luck!" grace squeals just before you're out the car, waving to your friends as they grow further away to find parking.
you've been here a couple times before but never for your own work, of course. making way inside and glad that the first face you see is one of your professors from a class you had, his smile welcoming and you keep yourself close until it's time for the showcase, your natural tendency to stick close to people you know.
you finally spot your friends halfway into it, the two shamelessly standing in front of your work and shooting you looks they know is gonna make you flush in embarrassment.
the night goes on and that feeling of nervousness and anxiety easing the more other students also talk to you and compliments your work with you doing the same in return because everyone here is truly talented.
each and every artwork telling a different story and probably held closely by the artists themselves.
"see! that wasn't so bad," grace says, having ran to you the second you're free from the circle of students and professors, pushing you playfully by the shoulder and getting a giggle in response.
"i guess so."
"by the way, love the art!" she squeaks, so much happier and excited than you.
"and it definitely wasn't because your name was written on top that we knew, but your style is just too distinct," yeosang adds, "only thing different this time is it's pink."
you smile, the process of having to come up with something you'll be okay with everyone else seeing all coming back. how, it took a while, but once you knew, you wanted it to be as perfect as possible.
the pink cherry blossom tree next to a body of lake and the field next to it decorated in countless dandelions, all painted in the style you're best at--the watercolor really bringing life to the picture.
it's not often you can say you're proud of your own creations, but you can say you really like this one.
"well thanks, guys," you tell them, a laugh bubbling out at the end. "really appreciate you two coming out tonight."
"well, duh." grace rolls her eyes dramatically, her lips turning to a smile after. "we know this means a lot to you."
"for sure," yeosang says, checking the surrounding briefly before continuing, "you should probably finish up things here with everyone else first. me and grace are gonna head out to a shop nearby and we'll come pick you up when you're ready?"
"yeah. i probably should." because seeing the rest of the students and professors stuck in conversations, it doesn't seem right to just up and leave. you need a proper farewell at least. "i'll let you guys know."
you spend the next couple of minutes out of courtesy attempting to talk to anyone you could until the place mostly start clearing of visitors.
saying one last farewell to the professor you're most familiar with, you turn a corner to head out with the plan to call yeosang when you're stopped in your track by a figure suddenly emerging from the walls and now in your way.
when you meet his gaze and take in the fact he's dressed for the occasion, the suit he's wearing clad onto his body too perfectly (though when does he not look good in anything), you almost want to be angry it looks like he planned to come here tonight.
"san..." his name falls off your lips. a name you haven't said since a month ago and didn't plan to any time sooner.
"hey," he greets, awkwardly and quietly, his hands shoved into the pockets of his suit pants that shows off his legs you didn't even realize were so long.
but you're mostly just thinking and wondering why he's here. he isn't supposed to be here. he left a month ago to go chase his dreams, so why is he all of sudden standing in front of you in such a small gallery.
"w-what are you doing here?" you ask, no anger or pain in your voice though he thinks there should be; only curiosity the way you always sound.
"i promise i'd come, remember?"
“when is it again?” he ask.
“june the 18th,” you say, placing your sketchbook and pen down. “you’ll be there, right?”
he nods at first, a simple smile settling on him. “of course,” he answers, “i’ll be there. i promise.”
he did. but he also left.
you feel you might be going crazy, like this is all a dream and he's only a figment of your imagination because he wouldn't come back just for this. not for you.
"san," you say, a knot on the horizon, "you left. you left a month ago." like you have to remind him of the fact as if speaking to a ghost.
"i know i did..." he hangs his head in shame and you can only stare, the situation so unreal, you wanna try slapping yourself to see if you'll actually wake up. "and i want to apologize for doing so."
such words bringing upon a web of emotions, both you and san still standing smack in the middle of the public gallery and you're trying to keep your composure.
heck, you're still trying to process the fact he's really here.
"can we talk about this outside?" you say, voice soft and timid, alluding to the current scene that san takes a hint to. the walk out the most quiet and awkward as you both try finding some form of seating, settling on a bench not too far from from the entrance.
a couple seconds that feels like an entire minute passes before you start again, san's heartbeat loud and hammering from beside you.
"you don't have to apologize. you went after your heart, why would i be mad about that?" you mumble, but the volume still loud in the quiet night, the air of spring about to be summer soon.
san exhales in preparation, his chest rising and falling to what he knew you were already gonna say because that's just how you are. all of what makes you so likeable and easy to fall for. though right now, he doesn't need forgiveness or even an ounce of your kindness.
he doesn't deserve any of it.
"because i lied to you," he breaks it, straight and clear, and the reminder throwing you back to the month before that you wanted to forget so bad.
you don't wanna cry and you didn't plan to cry tonight but the tears you're currently trying to blink away says otherwise.
"you didn't lie... you just kept things from me," you try justifying, part of it to console your own self. because you'd like to think that though san omitted details, he never said anything that wasn't true.
"and that makes it any better?"
there's a quick, uncomfortable silence before you speak, eyes down on your lap. "i'd like to think so."
it would be a lie if you say you don't think back to that night often. the conversation and then the awful realization in the car that gave you one of the most most awful case of a heartbreak. nothing in comparison to your mother's death, but a different kind for a different lesson.
how, you've tried so hard to not linger because the longer you did, the more sick it made you, creating doubts in your head that you were certain could never be answered because san left.
but you do think about it. if san simply struck up a friendship with you and did everything he did knowing you were exactly the kind he could never develop romantic feelings for.
that the reason he never seemed to really want any of that, or even gave into advances from other girls was only because he was leaving. but if he wasn't, would he have given any of them a chance? would he have given ashley a chance?
but you don't really wanna ask him any of that.
"so, are you visiting, or? what really brings you here?" because you don't believe that he came back just for this. just for you.
he told you leaving was what he always wanted to do, and now he's suddenly back here, and you can't think of any good enough reasons to do so only after a month of being gone.
he takes a deep breath and for the first time after sitting down, you turn and look at him, even if he's avoiding your gaze to look ahead into nothingness.
"you know, i probably moved more in the span of 4 years than you have in your lifetime," he speaks, face in eternal concentration, you just wanna listen. "i don't know. it's complicated i guess... but it was difficult to really feel like i belonged anywhere." he shrugs, the same time the bittersweet smile at the corner of his lips is visible.
"wasn't ever that close to my family members and i try to not stick with the same people for too long. ashley and especially wooyoung were just more persistent than your average person." he pauses, then continues almost hesistantly, "because i knew if i did, i'd end up hurting them."
and how funny and hypocritical of him because you're the person he ended up hurting the most. the one he completely shut out and gave no closure to, because he didn't think he'd grow so attached to you in the matter of just a year.
"but that's just how it works, right? there are things you have to sacrifice in order to find happiness," you say, at this point still trying to excuse his actions although you still remember feeling hurt and betrayed not that long ago.
"but i wasn't happy over there." he squeezes his eyes shut and his lips curl together in frustration, as if trying to get through you because you're failing to understand the point. "i came back because i was the happiest while i was here. i came back for you."
he knows it's selfish. how beyond hurt you must've felt when he left, and now all of a sudden showing up asking for a chance, the turmoil of mixed emotions you're probably going through at the confession.
just a month ago, he literally ghosted you. and just a few months before that, he made you think he was gonna kiss you... when it was not kissing you that he had a hard time with.
he wanted it be as quick and painless as possible, and kissing you was only gonna do the complete opposite. if he kissed you, he would've wanted to stay. but given how everything turned out, he should've just not pushed the friendship at all.
should've never texted you, never invited you out, and he especially should've never talked to you to start with. but again, he's a bit selfish by nature and couldn't help but to be intrigued by you when he shouldn't have.
but he especially shouldn't have opened the door to wooyoung that night of the graduation, still able to recall the exact outfit he was wearing as the boy glared at him with a certain look of disapproval before he could even say a word.
"y/n asked me to give you this," wooyoung says, sounding tired from the day or maybe he's still just mad at san and doesn't really wanna talk.
san sighs and hesistantly takes the pink envelope, wooyoung's gaze burning into his before the boy says his final farewell.
"you know, you're really an asshole."
and it was almost like wooyoung showed up at 1 in the morning after a long day just to give it to san out of spite in hope he'll feel guilty, and it worked.
because the content in it played a big part in san ultimately deciding to come back, the sketch of him that day in the cafe with his grey hoodie watching the petal shower along with a short note attached to it haunting him day and night.
Because of you, I had one of the best years of my life. I hope things are better in Seoul, and thank you truly for being the greatest inspiration - y/n
so he came back for you, and he means it... though you don't look like you believe it the slightest and he doesn't blame you. he's done nothing but fed you doubts.
he hears a hard swallow from you that he finally turns to, your eyes glossy and lashes fluttering to hide it.
"san, you shouldn't be saying things like that. you know how i feel about you," you say, sniffing due to a clogged nose because you're not doing very good at not crying.
san's scooted next to you, his leg brushing yours and hands on your jaw as you look up at him, never this close or intimate before, butterflies in your stomach that you wish wasn't there.
"it's true. i mean every word of it. i've liked you for so long, you have no idea."
he's not sure when he started liking you, his guess is probably during the summer trip. but he remembers looking forward to your texts and thinking how pretty you are and how he wanted to get closer to you, even if he shouldn't have.
"then why did you leave?" you ask, your eyes vulnerable and lips pouting that he wanna kiss and soothe.
you understand him chasing his dreams, but if he liked you; if he came back afterall, why did he leave in the first place?
"because i'm not used to staying in one place for too long." his thumbs drawing circles and tending to your cheeks. "i want to travel. i want to see the rest of the world... find a purpose in life and see what else is out there waiting for me."
you open your mouth to say something but it's like he already knew, cutting you off before you could even start doubting again, "i don't see it as having to make sacrifices in order to find happiness, more so just putting it off for the time being. the rest of the world can wait because right now, i want to be happy with you."
he can still be happy with you and achieve his other dreams when the time is right. he don't wanna have to choose one or the other when he can make both work with efforts.
"so you don't have to think about it now, but when you do, i just want you to know i like you. really really like you, and i'd love to give it a shot if you're willing. only when you're ready, of course."
and yes, the man quite literally ghosted you and broke your heart in such a short amount of notice, you could barely process it at the time. but you also can't deny the way he makes you feel.
how, whenever he's near, your stomach still feels funny and your heart wanna do flips. and with him this close, you definitely still wanna kiss him.
it's not possible to get over such a man in just a month, but you were healing slowly and ready to accept the fact you won't ever see him again. and then he comes back and is inches away from your face, telling you everything you've ever wanted to hear.
the sudden sound of your phone going off at a notification makes the both of you jump as san pulls away and clears his throat.
you quickly search your purse for your phone and see a text from yeosang on the screen.
yeosang: u ready?
"it's yeosang,'' you tell san, locking eyes with him briefly and awkwardly. "he wanted to know if i'm ready to be picked up."
san nods, the air going quiet until an idea comes over. "i can take you." and when you don't answer, he tries testing if he can lighten the atmosphere even if just a bit. "i am renting the car so just don't make a mess."
but when the silence drags on and san can't read your expression, he thinks you don't want anything to do with him at this point, and rightfully so.
"yes," you say, the response picking san's head up to see a small smile you're trying to fight, "yes we can give it a try, and yes, you can give me a ride."
there's something shy but also daring in your tone, san sees the blush raising to your cheeks that brings out the widest smile from him, jumping in your arms to give you the biggest hug.
when he finally pulls away, the look of surprise on your face has him apologizing but you only shake your head with a smile.
"thank you," he whispers, "for giving me the chance. i promise i'll make it up to you."
you nod to his words, the smile still on your lips but unable to say anything due to the overwhelming (good) feelings.
then he goes to scratch the back of his head, a look of awkward and hesitant crossing him before finally saying it, "can i uh, can i kiss you?"
"yes," you actually answer, a giggle that cannot be contained leaving shortly.
and when he does kiss you, his lips just as soft and gentle as you imagined, the kiss even better than you had in your head, you're glad that your friend's instinct was right.
that san does indeed like you and everything he did wasn't just out of kindness and respect.
when you're both pulling away and indulging in a fit of laughter after and shaking your heads at the turn of events, you know he kissed you because it was something he wanted. because he thinks you might be the one.
when the blooming of flowers and trees are fading, along with the soft, gentle breeze of spring that finally passes, you're still in love with san, and you're sure he feels the same way.

a/n: ty 2 anyone who made it to the end. truly didn't think it was gonna b this long. but anyway, miss sabrina's new album just altered my brain chemistry. how r y'all doing lmfaoo
Love this! Lowkey sad she didn’t actually end up with Yeosang but a nice ending overall.
broken | c.s (series m.list)


» summary: your life has been a tragedy... to put it simply. moving; you're always moving. one place to another; from your mother's home, to your father's, to your aunt's and uncle's, and now to a new city--always trying to find a place to belong. your parents didn't want you, your aunt and uncle definitely couldn't stand you, and you weren't good enough to make the one and only guy who has ever given you a chance, stay. but maybe here, things will be different.
» pairing: choi san x reader
» genre: fuckboy!San, angst, romance, fluff?, smut, toxic men (the usual), love triangle, etc
» status: complete
» word count: 105k
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» chapter one | chapter two | chapter three | chapter four | chapter five | chapter six | chapter seven | chapter eight | chapter nine | chapter ten | chapter eleven | chapter twelve | chapter thirteen | chapter fourteen »

Piña Colada

Kim Hongjoong x fem reader
a/n: it is unbelievably hot right now and i have romantical feelings for hongjoongs arm tattoo : thus this came to life
" But his hands are like sandpaper, His eyes are dark and dull, Months of dehydration have really taken their toll " -Popsicles , Emily Kinney
✫彡wordcount: 800
(¯ ³¯)♡genre: fluff
ಠ_ಠwarning/contents: none, enjoy it freely ! not proof read
Another sigh leaves his chapped lips as he turns on the bed to face you. Both of your sweat soaks the sheets from the unbearable heat outside. Even with the large fan you have propped up to blow right on you, the heat is sweltering in your apartment.
"I can't sleep." He states.
"I can tell." You chuckle, pulling at his shirt. "Don't be a prude, get comfy."
You leave the room while he sits up. He has to essentially peel the shirt off his flushed skin. He throws it to the basket as you return, a plastic wrapped popsicle in each hand.
You kneel on the bed beside him, handing him the 'blue punch' flavored sweet. You peel open the piña colada flavor and take it for yourself, a mischievous smile as you drink the little amount that's already melted. "Piña colada is my favorite..." He whispers as he nibbles at the blue punch.
"Mine too, and I got up and got them. I ventured into hell for these!"
"Ventured int- Baby, it's ten feet away!"
"Yeah! Ten feet of pure, un-air conditioned, hell!"
He holds the plastic between his teeth as he grabs you by your sweaty waist and tosses you to the middle of the bed, climbing ontop do you. "Ah, mercy! Mercy, Joong!" You yell as he tickles your sides.
"Can I have some?" He asks as he halts his assault, voice muffled as his teeth hold his popsicle. When you shake your head with a pout, he continues to tickle you. He leans into your neck as he laughs, listening to your breathless giggles like it's the sweetest sound he's ever heard.
"Uncle! Uncle! I give up, you can have some!"
"Yay!" He plops next to you and opens his mouth with a grin, smiling fondly as you let him bite off a small chunk of the flavored ice. "Thank you, Princess."
"Yeah, yeah, my pleasure," you say, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Totally not mad about you stealing my piña colada..." You pout dramatically as you take the next bite, sucking the flavor out of it as it cools down your throat and soothes your weather induced fever. He pouts right back, looking down at the popsicle in his hand.
"C'mere," he drapes his arm and lets you cuddle close, unbothered by your added warmth. You rest your head just above his elbow and sigh as he lowers the cold treat to your temple. He pets back a few sweat soaked stands of hair that have fallen into your face and smiles as your eyes flutter shut.
You can feel him staring and open your eyes as you take another bite. You offer it up to him and hold it as takes one himself. "What?" You ask as he chews quietly.
"I'd share my piña colada with you forever..."
"That's so sweet... I would hoard them and keep them all to myself."
He laughs loudly, sweaty hair thrown back as he tilts his head back. He takes the popsicle off your temple as he shakes his head. He offers you a bite before he takes his own. You sit up and kiss all over his bicep with your cold lips. He shivers slightly, watching as you trace his tattoo.
"I'll share my piña coladas with you, Joongie." You say before you leave a long kiss on the ink. "But I won't be happy about it," you tease.
"Come lay down, Princess," he whispers as he runs a calloused finger over your hunched back. You readjust yourself to lay across his stomach, your naked skin sticking to his.
He looks down at you with dull, love filled eyes. "Can't wait for this heat wave to go away so we can really cuddle. I can't sleep well without being all over you." You laugh quietly, taking a mouthful before handing over the last of the popsicle. He hands it back and he gestures for you to have it, and you gladly do.
Bathed in the summer moonlight, empty popsicles in hand and fan blowing on your near naked bodies. Listening to his deep breaths as he falls into sleep slowly, his rough hand slowing it's movements on your stomach until it stills completely. You look up and see his eye lashes fluttering as he falls deeper into his slumber, holding you close and muscles relaxing as he feels you.
You would share your piña colada popsicle with him forever too.
—
The Garden
Chapter One

❥Prince!Park Seonghwa x fem reader
☆ feat. ateez, tomorrow x together, and others
➯a/n: i've had this idea in the drafts for a very long time and it's gone through a million iterations of characters and love interests and something about hwa in the skirt and sword clicked in my brain. i'm still recovering but this idea hit me hard and fast so i decided i'd put something out. i promise i'll stop starting new stories 😭 (shoutout to my gf again for helping this come to life)
✃"I will give you the happy ending you've always wanted."
✫彡wordcount: 2.7k
(✯◡✯)genre: historical fantasy au, drama
ಠ_ಠwarning/content: mentions of violence, anxiety, and loved ones passing, briefly proof read
⁂taglist: @stvrfir3 @tunaasan
MATURE UNDER CUT MDNI

𖢌
I hope this letter has found you well.
The wheels crunch the gravel road. Horses hooves clap against the ground loudly. The waves crash just feet way. The sounds echo through the carriage.
I know it's short notice.
The sun is casting down from a clear sky. The grass is healthy, green and lush. The ocean is vast and blue, foam from the waves clings to the pure white sand.
Taedemere is in jeopardy. We are at war. Lord Hwang declared it silently.
It was a bumpy ride. A long one. But you don't seem to mind. You keep your sisters entertained and keep your brothers minds off of the impending war. Doing so, you can almost manage to distract yourself from your own future.
He's already posted spies. Spies in the castle. Gods knows how long they've been here.
"The dragon fell from the tower. It's shrieks echoed through the kingdom!" You read with enthusiasm, looking at the twins who look back with wide eyes.
It's not safe for them here. We had to sneak them away through the tunnels.
"Did the prince kill it?!" Seunghee asks, holding tight to your skirt. "He must have," Soojun is entranced by the story, "right?"
There was an attempt on my life. An attempt on the girls in the garden. Another on Kai and (Y/n). They are everywhere.
You launch forward and scream, spooking the girls back into Kais leg. He's holding back a laugh as he pats their heads. "The dragon soars up from the fog, the princes sword still lodged into its scaly side!"
They are threatening us with no words at all. Lord Hwang is coming for the Taedemere crown.
"Must you scare them with such stories?" Yeonjun sighs as he tugs the young girls back up to the seat, sandwiching himself between them and his brother.
You must forgive our absence. I have to keep the crown secure until we have a more solidified plan.
You simply ignore him, "the creature perches itself on the ledge, it's jaws reach for the prince. He backs into the wall and draws his dagger. 'Foul demon! I send you back to hell!' he yells as he dives at it. They tumb-"
It's time.
The carriage halts. You snap the book shut and lean back to get a look out of the foggy window. Yeonjun slides into the seat next to you and does the same. Kai strains his neck to look out of the window behind him.
Take care of our children. Our future.
The gates are iron, shining like they were scrubbed everyday. The castle beyond them seems to be endless.
-King Choi Seungcheol
As the gates open, you can feel your heart beat in your ears. Seunghee climbs on your lap and peeks out of the window, her eyes widen with every second she inspects the castle.
Yeonjun seems to notice your dismay as the carriage grows ever closer.
He can feel it to. The feeling that your future is being written in stone with every inch you grow closer.
"When I last saw him," he hesitates as he gets your attention. "Prince Seonghwa seemed to be the same. He hasn't changed, he's still your old friend."
You manage a nod with a small smile, and although he can tell it's forced; it helps comfort him. It doesn't comfort Kai, however. He never liked the idea of you marrying someone so far away. He still doesn't. You're attached at the hip.
Everyone knows Choi (Y/n) doesn't want to marry for security or position. You made it very clear. It's a miracle that you've been able to avoid it this long. You figured if you put up enough of a fuss, your oldest brother would simply give up. But you are equally stubborn. And now he's King.
A loud horn startles you, and you instinctively pull Seunghee closer. Your breathing hitches until you realize it's just the castle welcoming your entourage.
As you come to a complete stop, all of your demeanors change. Yeonjun wipes his caring expression away and straightens his back. Kai lets go of Soojuns hand and fixes his blouse. The twins try their best to hide their awe at the beautiful and vast architecture.
And all you can do is hide your growing anxieties with a polite smile.
The door squeaks as it opens. Yeonjun is the first one to exit. Soojun eagerly follows, and Seunghee is right behind her. The remaining siblings can hear the fuss from the bystanders outside.
The middle siblings sit silence for a moment before he speaks up. "You don't have to be afraid."
You look up and let the faux smile fade the second you see his sincerity.
"Don't I?"
"No."He shakes his head. He's sure. His sister has nothing to be afraid of. Because- "if that Prince hurts you; I'll be the one to personally whip some senses into him."
You can't help the small chuckle that leaves your lips, and motion for him to leave the carriage first. He does, leaving you alone for a single moment before someone peeks in.
"Your highness?" You smile at the man in uniform, standing slowly.
"So impatient," you roll your eyes playfully and take his hand as he helps you step down. "Thank you, Yeosang."
He bows slightly before leading you to your place in between your brothers and sisters. Your eyes are still adjusting to the bright light, but you can see the large doors open in front of you.
Yeonjun kneels, Kai follows his lead, you follow his, Seunghee following you; and Soojun stands upright just staring at the royal family until you notice and pull her down by the back of her neck without even lifting you head. You can all hear a small snort of laughter, and Yeonjun worries your family managed to already offend them until the King speaks.
"Please, rise."
The Choi family does so and Yeosang, the knight, steps forward. He bows deeply before turning to the siblings. "The Prince Choi Yeonjun. The Princess Choi (Y/n). The Princess Choi Seunghee. The Princess Choi Soojun. Huening Kai."
A man steps up from behind the other family, introducing them like Yeosang had just done for your family. "His Royal Majesty Park Kyujun. The Prince Park Seonghwa. The Princess Park Bongcha. The Princess Hayoon."
Your family bows, greeting him in unison, "Your Majesty." Yeonjun continues. "Thank you for your hospitality, sire. We are forever grateful."
Your eyes are fully adjusted when you rise from your bow. The king is older than you remember, but it has been a long time. Princess Bongcha has grown so much that you briefly wonder if you've found yourself time-traveled. There's an unfamiliar little girl beside her. The prince, your fiancé, has changed just as much as you have. You contemplate if he even remembers you. But those wonders are cleared when he addresses you directly.
"Princess (Y/n)," he has a bright smile and dark hair, that much has stayed the same. "Your highness," you smile back and lower your head.
Whispers echo through the crowd that's held back by the guards: and it's becoming hard for you ignore them. You wrap your arm around Soojun when she cowers closer.
"Please, come," King Kyujun motions for you all to follow him, and you gladly do.
It's been a long journey, but it's only just begun.
𖢌
King Kyujun leads the Choi family down the great hall and they can't help but marvel in its greatness. To the twins, it's a new world to be explored, coming up with their own stories that go along with the stain glass windows. To the older siblings, it brings back memories of childhood, a time when they didn't have such worries that plague their minds these days.
Yeonjun can remember his first kiss behind a delicately painted pillar during the dead of night. Kai can remember learning a dance with his mother in this hall, the feeling of belonging. (Y/n) can remember running away from the tutor with Seonghwa beside her.
As you look over to him, you notice it. "You still have that goofy smile," you've dropped the titles and politics. You're just a girl reunited with her child hood friend and fiancé. "I though you may have outgrown it."
"I'm starting to think I may not," he laughs a bit.
"I'd hope not. It's one of your few redeeming qualities," you joke, hiding your smirk as you look up at the new chandelier you pass under.
He feigns a gasp, a hand on his chest. "I'll have you know that I have many good qualities."
You hum, turning to him, "such as? Sparring with a squirrel?" He slaps a hand over his mouth to swallow his laughter. Your laughter rings free in the empty hall.
"That squirrel was a menace! It startled me!" He argues in a low voice. "It had no right jumping next to me like that," he says with an exaggerated frown.
"Unnie!" Soojun hollers, catching your attention quickly as you see that your little sisters have fallen behind. You make your way to them quickly, scolding them that they shouldn't yell in the presence of the King. "Look, Unnie," she points as she ignores your scolding.
Your heart speeds before it stops abruptly, face to face with the intricate stained glass window. The sun shines through it, casting colorful lights on you all. It's a beautiful collage of colors. Every tiny piece is fit together perfectly to tell a story.
You flinch when a hand is placed on your shoulder. The King apologizes, retracting his hand. "You probably don't remember this..." You shake your head and look back to the art. "I remember, sire."
He sighs deeply, and you can feel his energy apologizing even if he says nothing.
"Come on, there's food waiting." The twins cheer quietly, following the King to the room where everyone else has vanished to.
Seonghwa joins your side and looks at the window, basking in the colored light as he looks over the picture for what must be the millionth time. In his lifetime, he hasn't been able to find a single flaw.
He looks down at you. Your skin is painted in a range of blue and yellow, pinks and greens. There's a patchy scratch on the majority of your cheek that's slipped his notice until now. Your eyebrows have screwed themselves up and your lip quivers.
"Don't cry," he was essentially begging, "please, don't cry, (Y/n)."
You sniff in response, rubbing a stray tear away from your cheek. It's silent between you as you have a staring contest with the glass. "Fuck," you mumble as tears start to fall more often. "Ah, (Y/n)," he coos, moving to block your view of the heartbreaking image.
"I... It's just, I haven't seen them since they passed, Cheol put away their portrait... It breaks his heart to see them, but it breaks mine not to. I almost forgot what they looked like."
He doesn't say anything, simply opening his arms and letting you fill them. After so long, it feels the same. You're still shorter, but you've both grown. He's still strong, but now you caught up. You still turn your head to the left and place it on his chest. He still wraps one arm around your back and places the other on your shoulders. After all these years, you remember how secure he feels when your arms link around his waist. Even with the time that's passed, he can recall the fact you love when he rubs his thumb over your shoulder.
So much has happened to each of you and yet you both still have memorized each other's hugs. You used to be each others safe place. And though you're older and have met again in such pressing circumstances, it remains the same.
"Your highness," the familiar voice is just loud enough to startle you. "Yes, Yeosang?" You questions calmly, and it's a stark contrast to Seonghwas glare at the man. "Your brother asks for you, ma'am." You nod to dismiss him, and turn back to Seonghwa when he's gone.
"How do I look?"
"Look like you've been crying."
You tut your tongue and gently slap his shoulder with the back of your hand. He smiles as you do. "It'll be okay," he assures you as he fixes a stray from your neat hair, "it's dark in the dining hall."
He takes your hand and pulls you away from the image of your passed parents lazing in the garden.
𖢌
His footsteps are heavy. He's forcing his breathing to be slow. His heartbeat is going wild as he gets closer to the Kings quarters.
He steps in front of the guards and they knock on the double doors. "Prince Yeonjun, your majesty!" The Kings response is muffled by the walls, but clear enough for the guards to be confident in opening the doors.
Yeonjun steps in and looks over his shoulder as the doors close behind him, anything to keep his eyes away from King Kyujun. The doors slam shut and he finds a tapestry to inspect.
"Please, sit." He follows his voice and finds himself sitting across from the King on the large balcony, a round table littered in papers separates them.
"Thank you, your Majesty," he eagerly takes the wine he offers, hoping it would soothe his dry throat. He can't remember being so thirsty before the King called for him.
"How do you find your quarters?"
Yeonjuns lips are still occupied with the glass when the man speaks up, and he takes his time before speaking shortly. "Very nice, sire. Thank you."
"And your siblings?"
"I'm sure they're adjusting well, sire. We thank you, again, for your hospitality while we discuss our plans."
When he finally has the courage to look at the man, it calms his nerves. His crown is gone. His blouse is astray. His nose and cheeks carry a rosy hue from the frigid weather. He looks much more human.
"This is, of course, why I've asked you here."
"Of course."
Kyujun leans back into the wooden chair and lets out a sigh. "Once (Y/n) and Seonghwa are married, we will put our combined efforts against Lord Hwang. He's a vicious man," he tuts his tongue, annoyed at the mere mention of the Lord of Kherhai. "I've heard of the attacks on your family. I'm sorry for you loss and... rest assured, we will not let anything happen to you at this court."
"Thank you, sire."
"Your sister," he hesitates just a bit, "I've looked into quite a few people to help her plan the wedding. They'll meet with her tomorrow. I know she doesn't agree with the circumstances, but that doesn't mean it must be unpleasant."
"I'm sure she will appreciate it, sire. She's been hesitant to do any planning on her own."
Kyujun nods in response. He already knows this. He's kept close tabs on his only sons fiancée.
"Sire, may I ask when the wedding is supposed to be taking place?"
"This week, if all goes well. Lord Hwang is no doubt sending men this way as we speak to get rid of the rest of the Choi family lineage." Kyujun doesn't seem to notice Yeonjuns pained expression, and if he does: he doesn't say anything about it.
He, instead, hands the young man a map of Kherhai: diving head first into strategy.
𖢌



gn!reader x boyfriend!san
non-idol au; fluff, little angst?
summary: with winter starting soon, it means more cold and gloomy days but what better way to spend it than snuggling with your warm and comforting boyfriend?
author's note; I'm so sorry for how late this is. I hope it reaches you.
It's the end of another week at the campus, with long lectures, little sleep and lots of coffee. You couldn't wait to get back to your dorm. Not just to see your cat or to have a moment of rest on your comfy cream coloured couch but something more. Your boyfriend San.
Walking out from the fairly warm building into the icy winter evening, you tried to think of millions of things to distract yourself from your shivering body and remembered it was movie night.
Since you started dating your boyfriend of two years, you had made it a tradition to have movie dates every Friday, regardless of whatever projects either of you had due the following week with exceptions for exam season. It was a way to bond and destress. Something you both needed to do every once in a while.
"Sannie, I'm home!" you shout from the kitchen. You hear a door open from your shared bedroom and footsteps fast approaching. "Hi baby, how was today?" he asked, not forgetting to place a small peck on your lips. "Tiring as always but lucky for me I have an amazing boyfriend to come home to." you smiled pulling him in for a lazy hug. He smelled good, he felt good, rather warm which was a large contrast to your cold figure.
"Baby, you're shivering," he pulls back from a hug to search your body in concern. "and your fingers are all puffy and frozen." he takes your hands into his to warm them up. "Wait here, I'll be right back." He hurries back to your room and after a few beats of silence, you hear water running. You can't help but smile at how caring he is and how lucky you are to be able to call him yours. Your daydream is interrupted by San calling you from the other room. "Y/N! It's ready." You scurried in a hurry to feel the warmth of a bubble bath to melt the little icicles you were sure had started to form at the tip of your toes.
"Get in quick, I'll go make the popcorn in the meantime." he smiled his million-dollar smile that made your heartbeat rapidly every single time, giving you a quick kiss before leaving the room. "San," you called out to him, stopping him dead in his tracks. "Thank you for this and just, everything." you exhale. "You're welcome my love." he says blowing you an air kiss before closing the door behind him.
The bath helped melt away everything from your stress to the frost that had formed at your fingertips. Making your way to the lounge in a warm sweater with its matching sweatpants, or as San liked to call it, "uniform" (because of how often your wore sweatpants and sweaters) you smell the popcorn. You swear the aroma must have made you float your way to the kitchen because of how fast you headed towards it. "Ah, you're back just in time. The popcorn and movie are ready, go get under the blankets." before you can even protest, he sends you out like a mom does to her child,
"Alright, popcorn is served." You clap your hands in excitement and hurry to grab the remote and press play. Just as the entering credits play, you give San a peck one last peck on the cheek. "I love you." you whisper, he turns his head to return your display of affection.
"I love you more."




Stories for the group: ^
Hongjoong:
nothing to see yet :)
Seonghwa:
nothing to see yet :)
Yunho:
nothing to see yet :)
Yeosang:
nothing to see yet :)
San:
keep me warm
Mingi:
nothing to see yet :)
Wooyoung:
nothing to see yet :)
Jongho:
nothing to see yet :)