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What Are We PT.2 ︱Y.JW

yang jungwon x reader

jungwon cancels on yn and she decides to go drinking instead.

cw: fluff! best friends to lovers, confessions, hugs, kisses.

wdct: 896

pt.2 ✊😝

┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉┉

Third Person POV~

"Jungwon, you're cancelling for tomorrow?" You question, disappointed that he's not coming to this art exhibition that you spent hours trying to get tickets to. He nodded with a sigh. "My group asked to meet for our project tomorrow at the same time. If I don't show they'll leave me out of everything.. Sorry, Y/n.."

"It's whatever.. I just won't go." You huff, walking away from him as he sighs. "You can just take someone else." You roll your eyes at the suggestion. "Jungwon, I can't ask someone to come with me on such short notice. I wanted to go with you." You respond.

"So you'd rather not go at all than go by yourself?" He asks as you nod. "Precisely." You realitate sarcastically and Jungwon sighs. "I told you I was sorry, Y/n.."

You ignore him, heading to your room and slamming the door. He sighs, deciding to just ignore it in hopes that you'd get over it.

The next day, you wake up and Jungwon is already gone. Your day is officially ruined, so you have no idea what to do with yourself now.

You're beyond frustrated with Jungwon to the point that you wish he wasn't your roommate and you could avoid him forever.

But of course you'd hate to stop seeing him everyday. Over the past few weeks, you've gotten more and more enamored with Jungwon, and your feelings towards him. Only, you're scared to admit it.

Most of your day was spent lazing around at home, hardly eating, and just thinking about the exhibition.

You soon get a text from a friend, asking if you wanna go out for drinks. You decide that it's better than staying at home in misery, so you say yes.

You get ready to go out, wearing some showy outfit, and doing your hair and makeup.

Your friend picks you up and then the rest is history.

Jungwon though, he felt terrible the whole time he was out, he hated that he couldn't be with you and go to the exhibition. Rather than staying even later, he left the group, promising to work on his portion of the project.

When he got home though, you were gone. He called, texted, but no answer. It wasn't until a knock sounded at the door that he realized where you went.

Your friend was struggling to hold you up when he opened the door, and you were clearly drunk. Jungwon sighed at the sight of you, taking you from you friend and holding you upright.

He thanks your friend for bringing you home before closing the door.

"Y/n.. What's up with you? You never drink this much." He drags you towards the couch, laying you down as he sighs. "What's gotten into you?.."

You immediately cling onto Jungwon, pulling him onto the couch with you as he obliges, fixing to cuddle up behind you, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist.

He's never seen you this way, and it's a very vulnerable position for you to be in. He's conflicted and he almost feels as if he's over stepping his boundaries at the moment, but he's sure you wouldn't mind too much. Especially not in this state.

"I hate you..." You mumble, and Jungwon raises an eyebrow, humming in response. "You hate me?..."

You nod sloppily. "Why do you never prioritize me?.. Am I not important to you?.." Your words are slightly slurred and jumbled together, but he understands your sentiment.

"You're very important to me.. Sorry I don't prioritize you all the time.." He apologizes as you nod. "Do I have to be your girlfriend for you to prioritize me?.." You ask as he sighs. "Y/n?.."

"I like you, Jungwon... A lot.." You divulge inattentively, and Jungwon's eyes go wide. He's not entirely shocked, but he's still perplexed at your confession.

He's always had a special feeling towards you. And even though he's known his feelings for years, he's chosen to rely on familiarity, not wanting to lose you as his closest friend. But now that you've confessed your feelings.. He should be able to share his too. Right?

And he does. He tightens his grip on your waist, tugging you closer as he nuzzles into your hair. "I like you too- matter of fact... I love you... I can't live without you, and you're so important to me.. Don't every think that you aren't.. We're soulmates and I wanna keep living with you til we die.. I know you probably wont remember all of this tomorrow, but I said it, and I mean it..."

At his words you perk up slightly, humming in content as you nuzzle against him.

"I have it on voice memo so I can play it back if I forget." You hold up your phone, smiling stupidly as Jungwon laughs. "You're something else.."

You smile, turning over to face him, cupping his cheeks. "I love you too, Jungwon.. Please don't ever leave me.."

He smiles, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. "I promise I won't.. You're stuck with me til we're grey and old.."

POV ⸺ YANG JUNGWON

genres! fluff, song fic, established relationship

word count! 489

playlist! pov by ariana grande

mimi’s note! the first paragraph is inspired by a post i read on here a while back but i don’t remember the user

Yang Jungwon isn’t the kind of person to love halfheartedly, he’ll give you everything he has: his heart, his body, his mind, his soul. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do, wouldn’t lose, wouldn’t trade or give for you and it’s this unspoken rule, this ubiquitous notion that his love for you was wholehearted and unconditional.

With Jungwon you were receiving the kind of love you dreamt of as a little girl, gifting you small trinkets that reminded him of you, always making time for you despite his busy schedule, taking on the task of doing a chore he knows you hate, handwritten love letters, giving you genuine compliments—not out of obligation but because he truly admires you, holding you in his arms as he rubs your back in hopes to melt away your stress, slow dancing in ungodly hours of the night, coming home with your favorite drink and snacks if he was out too long as a show of appreciation for being so patient and understanding with him, invariably putting you first no matter the consequences he would face afterwards because your safety and comfort is his main priority.

He was the kind of lover to unknowingly fulfill those romantic scenarios in your head you never thought would come true, his every word and every action never failing to envelop you in his deepest affections.

Loving came easy with him, never needing arguments or stimuli to keep the passion alive. A “We’ll figure this out together” kind of love, an “Are you okay? Wanna talk about it?” love, an “Let me take care of that for you” love.

He knew you better than you knew yourself at times, the way his gentle yet perceptive eyes always see right through you as though you’re made of glass, never being able to keep anything from him, he was your peace, the way his presence alone could offer you a sense of tranquility, he was your confidant, the way your lips could only admit the thoughts you didn’t want to acknowledge to his unjudgemental ears.

You weren’t quite used to all this yet, having rotten luck in past relationships had wholly convinced you love like this was simply not written in the stars for you, or worse, maybe you were not deserving of this love, but somewhere along the way Jungwon must have realigned those luminous points in the night sky because you were learning differently now, because of Jungwon you’ve learned to love yourself, be grateful for yourself, to trust yourself, be gentle and kind towards yourself like he is. You were learning to see yourself from his point of view.

Relationships can be scary and being with the right person didn’t mean it would be any less frightening but rather it would make you braver to face the daunting parts because you know you have each other, so even though you were scared you were gonna love him anyway.

© 2023 hoonven, all rights reserved. i do not give permission to alter, repost, translate, or plagiarize my works on any platform.

THEORY OF LOVE ⸺ YANG JUNGWON

genre! fluff, inspired by this article

word count! 679

synopsis! in which jungwon ponders the theory of love on a morning bus ride but his only conclusion is you

How many times can you fall in love?

While there’s no universal answer, most people believe in the three loves theory, you know, the one that says we all experience three great loves in our lifetime.

Now it's been said each one is for a specific reason, the first love, this is the love that plants the seed in the soil of your heart for all your other loves to sprout. It's the idealistic love—the one that seems like it's straight out of a generic Disney movie.

It's appealing to the eyes and we dive in head-first with the belief that this is the only love we’ll ever love, we believe this is what love is supposed to be—what it's supposed to look like—feel like but sadly some lovers do not make it through the storm we call truth, because contrary to popular belief, love is not always so amicable.

The second love, this is the love that teaches us to water our still-growing plant, bury it in rich soil, and make sure it gets lots of sunlight. This is where we learn lessons about who we are and what we need to be loved and to love others.

Similar to a carnival ride, it has its highs and lows, and like an adrenaline-rushed child at the highest point of the roller coaster, we stay in this relationship through the lows with the expectation of that sweet release of dopamine when we reach the highs, but alas it comes to a bittersweet end.

The third love, this is the love in full bloom. The love you never saw coming and it comes so easily and naturally that we question if it's too good to be true.

It takes you by surprise, knocks you off your feet, and shakes you to your core. Shatters your preconceived notions of love and becomes something that is uniquely your own. The love that keeps knocking at your door no matter how long it takes for you to answer.

But the question remains, just how many times can you fall in love?

Well, for Yang Jungwon, he'd have to say infinity, because truth be told, he fell in love with you every second of every day.

He loved you in all the ways you could possibly love a person.

Just like now as he watches you fix his tie on the city bus that he struggled with for a solid five minutes until you finally turned around, mumbling how he was giving you second-hand embarrassment, your fingers skillfully fastening the satin black fabric.

The golden glow of the early morning sun seeps through the squared windows, enshrouding all passengers in what can only be described as a heavenly luminosity, his brown eyes turn into bright pools of honey when you finally meet his gaze, his lips curved in a soft smile.

You eye him suspiciously, “What?”

I'm in love you with you. He thinks.

Before Jungwon can speak the bus comes to a stop pulling your full attention away from him, “This is our stop, come on.”

He says nothing but feels everything when you take his hand in your own as you pile out of the bus along with a few other passengers.

The crisp air nips at his skin, leaving a slight red blush on the pale complexion of his cheeks and the tip of his nose.

A mass of white blossoms tinged with pink sprinkled down along the cement pathway as you walked alongside him, the soft petals landing in your hair and he had to resist the urge to pluck them out for you although a part of him thought you looked pretty like that.

“Oh!” you look at him suddenly as if you had just remembered something. “What were you gonna say earlier?”

He stops in his tracks, looking down at you.

I'm in love with you.

He smiles with a shrug, “I forgot.”

Jungwon’s not stupid, he knows why you're asking, it's because you want to hear him say it, but he's not quite done teasing you yet.

© 2024 hoonven, all rights reserved. i do not give permission to alter, repost, translate, or plagiarize my works on any platform.

Don’t call me cute!

Jungwon x reader

Fluff

The way that the members are depicted in this story has nothing to do with how they really are or how I feel they are. It is all solely for the storyline so please bear that in mind 🫶

Summary: Jungwon isn’t very fond of his gf calling him cute… at least that’s what he wants to think

Masterlist

Since today was a (rare) free day for the boys, they invited me to come over to their dorm to have a meal and stay for the night. Of course my adorable bf Jungwon was attached to my hip the whole time and not letting me leave his side for one second.

“No Y/Nie! Jay hyung can deal with dinner by himself. Just stay here with me.”

“Hey you brat! I need at least one person to help me out and Y/N is the only one here who I can trust to not burn the kitchen down.” Jay responded. Of course he knew that there was no way of getting you from the kitty leader but it was worth the try I guess.

“Nope. Y/N will stay here with me.” Jungwon insisted with a smug grin on his face, showing off his adorable dimple.

I couldn’t help but coo at him “OMG baby you’re so cute I just wanna squeeze those cheeks of yours!” As I poke at his dimple.

However Jungwon pouted at my words. CUTE?!? He’s not cute! 😡

“Babyyy! Don’t call me cute! Call me handsome and manly!” He whined.

At his response, I looked at him with sad puppy eyes. “What do you mean?? You’re my cute baby, just like a floofy kitten.”

“Nooo you’re MY baby. I’m not cute I’m handsome!” He insisted.

“Ok then” I said with a pout and turned away from him to sulk. Obviously I didn’t take his words seriously but I decided to mess with him to see if he’d crack.

I felt him poke and pinch my cheeks

“Babyyy, bubbaaa, loveee, Y/Niiieee. Don’t be sulkyyy. Look at meeee.”

He carried on poking my cheeks and planting small kisses to try and gain back my attention.

“Don’t worry Wonnie I’m not upset! I understand and won’t call you cute anymore ☺️

He couldn’t help but feel a bit cautious but hey! He wasn’t being called cute!

Time skip

Third person’s POV:

Jungwon didn’t know how to feel after that night honestly. He could feel a slight shift in the way his gf acted around him. Even your texts didn’t seem as chirpy as before. Of course you still sent him cute messages and said ‘I love you’ frequently but he could just tell something felt different.

It didn’t help that when you were out with the boy’s, you’d be very calm around him but all of a sudden would coo at Sunoo and pinch his cheeks. He felt a slight twinge of jealousy at the sight but it wasn’t like you had never coddled Sunoo before. From the start of the relationship, you always told Sunoo how cute he was and he never minded it so how come it felt so different now?

Because the poor baby was feeling a bit down from stress of you not babying him he invited you to come over to the dorms again so he could have a nice cuddle session with his baby

Once again, Jay was cooking dinner for everyone since according to him “Instant ramyun isn’t a meal” but we can agree to disagree

Jungwon had been a lot clingier to you tonight and you were not complaining one bit. It may not have seemed like it from an outsider but you had been trying so hard to stop yourself from just going hours about how adorable your bf was. But he clearly wasn’t a fan so you’d respect that to make him happy.

Even during dinner, it took all of the strength in you to not squeeze his cheeks as he stuffed them with food. God he’s so bloody cute and I can’t do anything about it 😭😭😭

Y/N’s POV:

After we all cleared up our plates from the dinner Jay had made, we all decided to play Mario Kart (I don’t play games so this was all I could think of 😅)

So far Niki was winning with Sunoo not so far behind, followed by Jake and Sunghoon. There was so much chaos going on as each of them were so close to overtaking each other. It was a close race till before the finish line, Sunoo hit Niki with a shell and beat him for 1st place

“Yeaaaa I won! Whoop whoop” Sunoo screamed whilst doing a shimmy dance. And ofc Niki grabbed Sunoo’s feet and dragged him around in a circle 😂

Still full of giggles, Sunoo carried on doing his little dance with a bright peachy smile.

Seeing how cute he looked, it reminded me of Jungwon’s previous comment from a few days ago so I tried to see if what I said next would make him react 😈.

So I squealed “Ahhhh you’re so cute Sunoo!”

From the corner of my eyes I could see a ball of poofy hair pop up with bright round boba eyes looking at me.

I carried on giggling with Sunoo and saying how cute he is. But I can’t help it! Sunoo’s bright eye smile was to die for.

The boys carried on fighting over who’s turn it was to play and I felt a slight tug on my sleeve.

“What about me?”

I turned and saw my Wonnie looking at me with his round eyes and his bottom lip slightly jutted out.

“Of course you’re my amazing and handsome boyfriend.” I said with a bright smile

“Is there anything else?”

“Oh yeah! You’re my manly boyfie who will protect me from anything!”

He felt slightly better hearing you call him exactly what he wanted to be called. But after seeing how you reacted to Sunoo, he couldn’t help but think that maybe he liked you calling him cute… and ONLY him.

“Baby? Am I also cute to you?” He couldn’t help but ask

Ah ha! Finally!

I felt guilty for making him jealous but I just knew that he DID want to be called cute. And I’d gladly do that for my baby.

“Of course you are Wonnie! You are the most adorable little dumpling ever! My cute kitty”

From that, Jungwon’s face lit up with joy and he could feel butterflies in his stomach. He then nuzzled his face into my neck and mumbled “Promise you will only call me cute. I don’t like it when you say it to other people. I am your cute cat”

The members turned around and started teasing their leader but he didn’t care. All of his attention was on you and he wanted you to shower him in compliments while cuddling.

“Yes baby, you are my adorable, handsome and manly boyfriend”

Author’s note: Here it is! Thank you to those who voted for this fic and waited to patiently for it, I hope it was worth the wait 🫶 I think we can all collectively agree that our cat leader is most certainly very cute and handsome and so much more 🩵 I hope you guys enjoy this and thank you for taking the time to read my work!



i love him 🥲

for you.

PAIRING... barista! jungwon x gn! reader | GENRE... boyfriend! jungwon, fluff, humor, jealousy | WC... 0.2k | “i like it when you get jealous.” | jealous reader lol

you slam the spoon on the table, startling nearby customers. you breathe out deeply, closing your eyes in an attempt to collect yourself. 

but how could you? 

how could you when the first thing that greeted your eyes when you walked into the cafe was a random girl flirting with your boyfriend? 

and said boyfriend having no choice but to go along with it as the worker on duty? 

it was stupid. stupid girl, stupid coffee, stupid- 

“y/n. how about we don’t scare the other customers?” 

your eyes fly open and he visibly flinches at the look you give him. 

“how about you go back to doing your job?” 

“whoa. hey. what’s wrong?” your boyfriend softens, grabbing your hand in hopes of calming you. 

you purposely avoid his eyes but don’t shrug his hand off. “i don’t know, jungwon. why don’t you ask that girl who tried to give you her number?” 

he blanks before a surprised laugh escapes him. you shoot him a glare. 

“so that’s what it is…” he murmurs and although you don’t catch what he said, you still huff and look away from jungwon. 

yeah, you were being petty and you knew it. 

“wait for me when my shift is over?”

you really can’t stay mad at him for long. “yeah, whatever,” you grumble.

he smile grows, “okay, i gotta get back now. oh and,” you stare at him questioningly,

“i like it when you get jealous,” he comments simply before walking back to the register. 

your mouth drops open and you’re not sure but you think the people around you have the same reaction. 

jungwon only smirks as he calls for the next order. 

a/n ▸ig this is for @coffeewon ?? >3&lt; miss u >3<

MAIN TAGLIST ▸ @precioussoulofmine @lov3niki @heesterical @coffeewon @rerequire @nvertheless

send a message to be added to the taglist!

omg this was so goooddd. wonnie 😭💕💕

Crossing The Line - Y.J

P: Hufflepuff!Jungwon X Fem!Reader

Trope: Friends To Lovers

Warnings: Misunderstandings, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff

Synopsis: When you receive your Hogwarts letter and meet Yang Jungwon on the Hogwarts Express, an innocent friendship blossoms into something deeper over the years.

a/n: oh boy.. here we go!! more angst!!! fun fact! i actually reinstalled hogwarts mystery again.. heh. and i love the fact that you guys keep calling the series immersive!!

masterlist

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

The platform was bustling with excited chatter and the hiss of steam as you stood with your parents at King's Cross Station, feeling the weight of the moment sink in. Platform 9¾ stretched out before you, the scarlet train waiting to take you to a place you'd only heard about—Hogwarts. With a final hug and well wishes from your parents, you stepped through the barrier and made your way toward the train.

You found an empty compartment, pushing open the door with a quiet creak. Hefting your suitcase, you placed it in the overhead compartment before sinking into the plush seat by the window. Your fingers absentmindedly fiddled with the edge of your sweater, trying to calm your racing heart. The door slid open, and you looked up to see a boy standing there, his sharp, cat-like eyes watching you curiously.

"Excuse me, can I sit here? Everywhere else is full," he asked, his voice warm and polite.

You nodded, offering a small smile. His face lit up as he smiled back, revealing dimples that deepened his expression. You widened your eyes slightly, finding the sight unexpectedly cute.

He quickly stashed his suitcase overhead before taking the seat across from you. His attention shifted to the scenery, eyes wide with wonder as he gazed out the window. The train rumbled to life, beginning its journey, and you decided to pull out your book about Hogwarts, hoping to absorb some last-minute knowledge before arriving.

But it seemed your quiet moment of reading was the perfect cue for him to strike up a conversation. "My name is Yang Jungwon! What's yours?" His smile was wide and friendly, and you couldn't help but return it.

You introduced yourself softly, and his grin only grew wider. "Nice to meet you!" he beamed, the excitement in his voice contagious.

"Nice to meet you too," you replied, feeling your nerves ease as the two of you began to talk about anything and everything—family, Hogwarts, what house you thought you'd end up in.

Before long, a voice interrupted your conversation. "Anything from the trolley, dears?"

You both turned to see the trolley lady, her cart brimming with an assortment of magical sweets. Your face brightened as you dug into your pocket, pulling out a few coins your mother had given you. "I'll take some chocolate frogs, please," you said, and Jungwon chimed in quickly.

"Add on some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans!" He handed over his coins with a grin.

Back in your seats, you and Jungwon tore open the packages, sharing the sweets between you. You tried to keep hold of your chocolate frog, but it leapt out of your grip and hopped right out the door, leaving you with just the card. A smile tugged at your lips when you saw a witch you hadn't collected yet.

Beside you, Jungwon popped a jelly bean into his mouth and immediately made a face. "Soap…" he groaned, looking at you in dismay.

You giggled, intrigued, and picked one up for yourself. You grinned after tasting it. "Marshmallow," you said with a laugh, earning a playful groan from Jungwon as he slumped back in his seat, defeated by the beans.

As the Hogwarts Express began to slow, the familiar buzz of excitement filled the air. You and Jungwon exchanged glances, knowing it was time to change into your robes, the thick fabric a comforting weight on your shoulders.

When the train finally came to a stop, you struggled a bit with the overhead compartment, trying to reach your suitcase.

“Here, let me help,” Jungwon offered, his voice gentle as he stood up beside you. He reached up, effortlessly pulling your suitcase down and handing it to you with a bright smile. “Got it.”

“Thanks,” you said, a warmth spreading through your chest as you slung your bag over your shoulder.

Stepping off the train, you were immediately greeted by the cool night air and the sound of a deep voice calling, “Firs’ years! Firs’ years, over here!” Hagrid stood, towering over the sea of students, ushering the first-years toward the boats.

You and Jungwon hurried over to the shore, where the small, enchanted boats awaited. Without needing to say anything, the two of you naturally climbed into one together. As the boat gently glided over the glassy surface of the Black Lake, the towering silhouette of Hogwarts Castle appeared in the distance, glowing softly against the dark sky. You felt a flutter of nerves, but beside you, Jungwon was staring wide-eyed at the castle, his mouth slightly open in awe.

“This is amazing,” he whispered, his breath visible in the cool air.

You smiled, nodding in agreement, though your stomach was now a tight knot of anticipation. The boat journey felt like it lasted both a second and a lifetime, and before you knew it, you were stepping onto the shore. The grand castle doors loomed ahead as you joined the group of students making their way toward the Great Hall.

Inside, the ceiling glittered with stars, a sea of floating candles lighting the massive room. As you walked, your hand brushed against Jungwon's, and at some point, without even realizing it, you found your fingers laced together. The warmth of his hand in yours kept your nerves at bay as you both took in the majesty of the hall.

Suddenly, the Sorting Hat was brought out, and one by one, students were called forward. The tension built as you watched each name get sorted into a house, and before long, you heard your name.

Your heart raced as you stepped forward, hands trembling slightly as you sat on the stool and the Sorting Hat was placed on your head. The brim fell over your eyes, and for a moment, everything went quiet.

"Hmm… tricky. You've got bravery, no doubt, but there’s also a thirst for knowledge. A good heart, too… I know just where to put you," the Sorting Hat murmured.

When it called out your house, the hall erupted into cheers from the table. You stood up, catching Jungwon’s eye as he grinned widely, giving you a thumbs up from where he stood in line.

Not long after, it was his turn. The Sorting Hat barely touched his head before it cried, “Hufflepuff!”

The Hufflepuff table roared with excitement as Jungwon made his way over, flashing you a smile that seemed even brighter under the candlelight.

A few weeks later, you and Jungwon sat outside the Herbology classroom, basking in the warm afternoon sun. You had developed a habit of meeting before classes, sneaking moments together between your different schedules. Today, the atmosphere felt especially peaceful, the school grounds quiet except for the rustle of leaves in the breeze.

Jungwon had been oddly quiet for a while, focused on something in his hands. When you glanced over, you noticed he had woven a ring out of small flowers and grass. His fingers moved with care, and soon, he held up the delicate creation with a satisfied smile.

“For you,” he said softly, reaching over and gently slipping the flower ring onto your finger.

You stared at it for a moment, touched by the gesture. “It’s beautiful,” you whispered.

Jungwon leaned back, grinning. “I made it because… well, I wanted us to make a promise.” His tone was softer now, more serious. “Let’s always be friends, no matter what happens, okay?”

Your heart swelled at his words, and you looked at the flower ring on your finger before meeting his eyes. Without hesitation, you nodded, smiling at him with a sense of certainty. “Always.”

The two of you sat there, hands linked again, the flower ring resting between your fingers as a quiet symbol of a bond that neither time nor magic could ever break.

The years passed swiftly, and through it all, you and Jungwon remained inseparable. From attending classes to studying in the library late into the night, to sneaking off into the Forbidden Forest on dares, there was rarely a moment where you weren’t by each other’s side.

By the time you reached your fourth year, Hogwarts had become your home in every sense. The once-imposing castle corridors now felt familiar, but even after years of wandering, there were still hidden places that remained a mystery to most students.

It was on one of these afternoons, when you were distracted by a muggle novel one of your friends had lent you, that you stumbled upon a new discovery. Lost in the pages of the book, you absentmindedly wandered down unfamiliar corridors, barely paying attention to where your feet were leading you. By the time you looked up from the words, you realized you were somewhere entirely new.

The hallway was dimly lit, the paintings on the walls peering down at you with curiosity. Their whispered voices echoed faintly as they observed you, as if intrigued by the rare visitor. You hadn’t seen anyone else around for what felt like ages.

You glanced around, taking in the quiet, shadowy atmosphere and wondering how you’d ended up here. It wasn’t a place you’d passed by before, but it didn’t feel threatening—just secluded, like a pocket of Hogwarts forgotten by most. After a few minutes of cautious exploring, you managed to retrace your steps, finding your way back to the grand staircase.

The discovery had intrigued you, and your first thought was to share it with Jungwon. The next day, you brought him back to the hallway, excitement bubbling in your chest as you led him behind a griffin statue, down the winding path near the kitchens. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the hidden space.

“Woah… How did you even find this?” Jungwon asked, his cat-like eyes sparkling with amusement.

“I was just wandering around, not paying attention,” you admitted sheepishly. “But look—no one ever comes here! It’s like our own secret place.”

From that day on, the hallway became your private hideaway. Whenever you wanted a break from the busy castle or just needed a quiet moment, you and Jungwon would slip away, sharing sweets and laughing over small things. The portraits on the walls had grown fond of you both, sometimes chatting with you or simply observing in silent approval. Even the house-elves in the nearby kitchen grew used to your visits, bringing you snacks or drinks whenever they saw you lounging in your little corner.

It was nice—no, it was perfect. But as time went on, something began to change, at least for you.

At first, it was subtle. Maybe it was the way Jungwon’s laughter seemed to linger in your ears longer than it used to, or how you found yourself noticing little details about him more and more—the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, how his dimple appeared every time he laughed, how he absentmindedly played with the hem of his sleeves when he was nervous. Little things that, in years past, you would have brushed off as normal.

But now, they made your heart flutter in a way you didn’t quite understand.

You would sit together, sharing sweets or reading quietly, and you’d catch yourself watching him. Your thoughts would drift, wondering what it would be like to hold his hand not just out of comfort, but because you wanted to. What it would feel like to be closer to him, in a way that wasn’t just friendship.

It was confusing at first—how could you start to see Jungwon in this new light after being best friends for so long? You didn’t know if it was something that had slowly grown over time or if it was just hitting you all at once now, but the more time you spent with him, the harder it was to ignore the feelings stirring inside you.

One day, as you both sat in the hidden hallway, Jungwon was weaving another ring out of flowers, something he had taken to doing often since that first time years ago. He looked so focused, his fingers nimble as they twisted the stems into delicate shapes, and your heart ached as you watched him.

“I made this one for you,” he said, holding up the ring with a bright smile, completely unaware of the turmoil brewing inside you.

You took the flower ring from him, sliding it onto your finger just like you had done countless times before. But this time, it felt different. Your chest tightened, and you wondered if Jungwon could ever see you in the same way you were starting to see him.

“It’s perfect,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper as you looked at the ring, then back at him. He beamed at you, that same dimpled smile that always made your heart skip a beat.

You started noticing all the little things Jungwon did for you—the small gestures that had once been background noise now stood out, each one making your heart race in ways you weren’t quite ready to admit.

It began with the smallest moments.

One evening in the library, you were hunched over your books, trying to finish an essay on Transfiguration. The stress had built up, and your mind felt like it was going in circles. Jungwon was sitting across from you, focused on his own homework, but he must have noticed your frustration. Without a word, he reached across the table and slid a piece of chocolate toward you.

"Thought you could use a break," he said, flashing you his signature dimpled smile.

You stared at the chocolate for a moment, your heart doing an odd little flip. It wasn’t the first time he had done something like this, but now, it felt different. There was a warmth in your chest that hadn’t been there before, a growing awareness of how thoughtful he was, how much he paid attention to the smallest details about you.

You took the chocolate, feeling your face flush as you mumbled a quiet, "Thanks."

Then there were the times when he'd wait for you outside your classroom, his smile lighting up the corridor when you appeared. Even on days when you were running late or had been too busy to tell him your plans, somehow, Jungwon always seemed to know where you’d be.

It wasn’t just the small things, though. There were bigger moments that made your heart skip in a way you couldn’t ignore.

Like when he defended you during a particularly tense Quidditch match. The Slytherin team had been throwing jabs your way, trying to get under your skin. You had shrugged it off, not wanting to make a scene, but Jungwon had noticed immediately.

After the game, when one of the players made a snide comment as they walked past, Jungwon had stepped in without hesitation.

"Hey, back off," he said, his usually soft voice firm and unwavering. His eyes were sharp, protective. The Slytherin player backed down with a smirk, muttering something under their breath, but you had barely noticed. You were too busy watching Jungwon, feeling the weight of his presence beside you, the way he stood up for you so naturally.

"Thanks," you had whispered, feeling a rush of something more than gratitude. He turned to you, his expression softening immediately as he shrugged it off like it was nothing.

"Of course," he said, smiling at you again. "No one messes with my best friend."

Those words—best friend—should have reassured you, but instead, they only made your heart ache more. Because now, every time he smiled at you like that, all you could think about was how much you wished he could see you as something more.

Then came the day when you were both back in your secret hallway, hidden behind the griffin statue like always. You had shared sweets, talking about nothing and everything, the same way you had since your first year. Jungwon had pulled out his wand and was absentmindedly casting small charms on the sweets, making them float or change colors as you both laughed.

At some point, you had leaned against his shoulder without thinking, the proximity between you feeling so natural. His warmth seeped through the fabric of his robe, and you felt a sense of comfort that was almost intoxicating. You closed your eyes, listening to the sound of his steady breathing, and for a moment, everything felt perfect.

Until you realized your heart was pounding in your chest, and it wasn’t because of the magic or the laughter—it was because of him.

You sat up suddenly, your face heating up as you put some space between you. Jungwon looked at you, confused by your sudden movement. "You okay?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, his eyes filled with concern.

"Y-yeah," you stammered, avoiding his gaze as you fidgeted with the sleeve of your robe. "Just... lost in thought."

He gave you a soft smile, not pushing the subject, and went back to practicing his charms. But you couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed inside you. This wasn’t just a crush—it was more than that. The realization hit you like a wave: you were falling for him, and you didn’t know how to stop it.

From the way his smile made your stomach flip, to the sound of his laugh that made your day instantly brighter, it was becoming harder and harder to deny your feelings. Every moment with Jungwon felt like a blessing and a curse—because while you cherished every second by his side, you couldn’t help but wish for more.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

It was a quiet evening in the common room, the soft crackling of the fireplace filling the space as you sat with a group of your friends, sprawled out on one of the couches.

One of your friends, Alice, was seated next to you, idly flipping through a textbook. She glanced up, noticing the distant look in your eyes. “You’ve been pretty distracted lately,” she said with a smirk. “Anything on your mind?”

You blinked, snapping out of your thoughts. “What? No, nothing!” you replied quickly, a bit too quickly, which only made Alice’s smirk grow wider.

“Oh, really?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve been daydreaming for the past ten minutes. Who’s the lucky person?”

Your other friends, Ben and Amelia, perked up at the conversation, their attention now fully on you. “Yeah, come on,” Ben teased, leaning forward. “What’s got you so spaced out?”

You could feel your face starting to heat up, and you quickly looked back down at your homework, trying to brush it off. “I’m not daydreaming! I’m just… thinking.”

“Thinking about Jungwon?” Amelia chimed in with a grin, her voice lilting in that sing-songy way that made your stomach drop.

At the mention of his name, you felt your cheeks flush even more. You tried to play it cool, but the way your hand fumbled over the quill you were holding gave you away. “W-What? No!” you stammered, suddenly feeling the heat of all their gazes on you.

“Oh my Merlin, it is Jungwon!” Alice exclaimed, her eyes wide with realization. “I knew it! You’ve been acting all weird around him lately.”

“No, I haven’t!” you protested, your heart pounding now, but your friends weren’t buying it. They exchanged knowing looks, grins spreading across their faces as if they had just uncovered the greatest secret of the century.

Amelia giggled, leaning in closer. “You totally have a crush on him, don’t you?”

Your face was now practically on fire. “I do not!” you said, a little too defensively, which only made them laugh harder.

“Oh, you so do!” Ben said, laughing as he nudged Alice. “Look at how red she is!”

Your friends’ laughter echoed in the common room, and you felt a surge of embarrassment wash over you. “I don’t have a crush!” you repeated, but the more you tried to deny it, the more they teased you, their laughter growing louder.

Alice leaned back on the couch, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Come on, just admit it! You’re totally into him!”

“I’m not!” you shot back, but you could hear the desperation in your own voice now, and you knew it was useless.

“Look at her blush!” Amelia teased, poking your arm. “She’s so smitten!”

That was it. You slammed your book shut and jumped to your feet. “I’m not smitten!” you cried, but your friends were already laughing hysterically, darting off the couch and scattering around the common room as you stood there, flustered and red-faced.

Alice was the first to make a break for it, running toward the stairs, but you were quicker. “Get back here!” you shouted, chasing after her as she squealed in delight.

“Admit it, and I’ll stop teasing you!” Alice called over her shoulder, laughing as she dodged around a chair.

“Never!” you yelled back, lunging at her, but she was too fast, slipping away as Ben and Amelia joined in the laughter, clapping and cheering from the sidelines.

“You’ll never catch me!” Alice teased, dancing just out of your reach, her laughter infectious.

You chased her around the common room, your face still burning with embarrassment but now mixed with a strange sense of relief. Your friends’ teasing, though relentless, wasn’t mean-spirited. They had noticed something you weren’t quite ready to admit, and as much as it flustered you, there was something almost comforting in knowing that they had your back.

Finally, after several more failed attempts to grab Alice, you collapsed back onto the couch, out of breath and laughing despite yourself. Your friends joined you, all of them still grinning.

“You know we’re just teasing,” Ben said, his tone softening slightly as he gave you a playful nudge. “But seriously, you should tell him.”

You bit your lip, your heart racing at the thought. “Tell him what?” you asked, still trying to play innocent, though you knew exactly what he meant.

“That you like him, obviously,” Amelia chimed in, her voice gentle now. “You never know, he might feel the same way.”

You fell silent for a moment, staring at your hands as your heart fluttered at the possibility. The thought of telling Jungwon how you felt terrified you, but at the same time, the idea that he might feel the same way filled you with a strange sense of hope.

“Well,” you said softly, glancing up at your friends, “maybe one day…”

They all exchanged knowing smiles, and though the teasing wasn’t over, there was a new understanding between you all. They knew how much Jungwon meant to you, and now, so did you.

Despite your friends’ teasing and their insistence that you tell Jungwon how you felt, you kept your feelings to yourself. You thought that, maybe over time, they would fade, that you’d eventually stop seeing him in this new light and things would go back to normal.

But that didn’t happen.

The years continued to pass, and your crush on Jungwon only deepened. It was impossible not to fall harder with every kind gesture, every shared laugh, every late-night conversation. He was always there, by your side, his familiar smile brightening even the dullest of days.

But to Jungwon, you were just friends. Best friends, yes—but still just friends.

Right?

That thought echoed in your mind constantly. He had never treated you differently, never given any indication that he felt something more. You tried to convince yourself that maybe it was better this way. It was safer to stay in the comfort of friendship than to risk everything by confessing your feelings.

Even though each time he smiled at you, your heart felt like it might burst.

It was fifth year when you really started to notice the ache in your chest, the one that came with being so close to someone you cared about but knowing they could never see you the way you saw them. Every time Jungwon would sit next to you in class, casually slinging his arm over your chair, you’d feel a jolt of excitement—only to remind yourself that to him, it meant nothing more than friendship.

And that hurt more than you cared to admit.

One evening, the two of you were sitting by the lake, your secret spot for late-night talks and quiet moments away from the bustle of the castle. The moon reflected off the surface of the water, casting a soft glow over everything. Jungwon was lying on the grass beside you, arms behind his head, his eyes closed as he listened to the sounds of the night.

You sat beside him, knees pulled to your chest, staring out at the peaceful scene in front of you. But your mind wasn’t on the lake. It was on the boy next to you, the boy who had no idea how much space he took up in your heart.

He suddenly turned his head to look at you, his cat-like eyes catching the moonlight. “You’ve been quiet lately,” he said softly. “Is everything okay?”

Your heart clenched at the concern in his voice. Of course, he would notice. He always noticed when something was bothering you. You forced a smile, trying to push away the ache in your chest. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… thinking.”

He nodded, his gaze returning to the sky. “You think too much sometimes,” he said with a small smile. “You should relax more.”

Relax. How could you possibly relax when every time you looked at him, you felt like your heart was about to explode? How could you relax when he was so close, yet so far from seeing what you really wanted?

“Yeah,” you said quietly, “maybe I should.”

Sixth year came, and with it, a whirlwind of OWL exams and the pressure of preparing for your future careers. But no matter how busy things got, Jungwon was always there, a constant presence in your life. You spent nearly every free moment together, studying in the library, practicing spells by the lake, sneaking down to the kitchens for midnight snacks.

You told yourself that this was enough—that being his best friend was enough. But every time his hand brushed against yours, or he leaned in a little too close during a whispered conversation, your heart betrayed you, and you longed for something more.

It was one afternoon in the library, while you were both cramming for a Potions test, that it hit you harder than ever.

Jungwon had been going over notes, his brow furrowed in concentration. You watched him from across the table, the way he absentmindedly play with the end of his quill, the way his dimple appeared when he smiled at a particularly clever comment in his notes. He looked up suddenly, catching your gaze, and grinned.

“What?” he asked, a teasing lilt in his voice. “Do I have something on my face?”

You quickly averted your eyes, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. “No, nothing,” you muttered, focusing intently on your own notes, though you could barely read the words.

He laughed softly, leaning back in his chair. “You’re acting weird again. Are you sure you’re not hiding something?”

Your heart raced at the question, and for a split second, you thought about telling him. Telling him everything that had been weighing on your heart for years now. But the fear of losing him as a friend, of ruining the closeness you had, kept you silent.

“Just stressed about Potions,” you lied, forcing a laugh to cover up the tightness in your chest.

He seemed to accept that answer, nodding and returning to his notes. But as you watched him, you couldn’t shake the feeling that you were holding on to something that might never happen—that Jungwon, as kind and caring as he was, could never see you as anything more than his best friend.

By the end of sixth year, you had reached your breaking point. The weight of your feelings for Jungwon, the constant ache of wanting more than just friendship, had become too much to bear. You couldn't keep pining after him, pretending that things were fine when they weren't. Something had to change.

So you made a decision: you were going to stop. You had to pull yourself together, push these feelings down, and distance yourself from him. It was the only way to protect your heart. You told yourself that it was the right thing to do—that pushing Jungwon away was the solution. After all, seeing him less would surely make your feelings fade, wouldn’t it?

During the summer vacation, you began to put your plan into action. You kept your letters to Jungwon short, barely replying to his longer, enthusiastic ones. Where you used to share every little detail of your day with him, now you wrote only the essentials. When he suggested meeting up, you always had an excuse ready—something to do, someone else to meet, or simply that you were too tired.

The first time you met up that summer, you barely stayed an hour before making up a reason to leave. Jungwon had looked confused but didn’t question it, smiling and waving you off with a casual "See you later." You ignored the pang in your chest as you walked away from him, fighting the urge to turn around and stay with him like you always had before.

But each time you cut your outings short, it became a little easier to ignore the pain. You convinced yourself that this was the right thing to do—that it was better to let your feelings fade quietly than to risk ruining everything by holding on.

When seventh year started, you kept your distance. You made a point to sit with other friends in the Great Hall, pretending you didn’t notice the way Jungwon would search for you before sitting down at the Hufflepuff table. During classes, you were careful to position yourself far enough away that you wouldn’t have to talk to him too much. Even when you did cross paths, you kept your conversations short and casual, never letting them stray into the deep, personal talks you used to have.

At first, Jungwon didn’t seem to notice. He was still his usual cheerful self, flashing you his dimpled smile whenever he saw you in the corridors, waving as if nothing had changed. But as the weeks went on, he started to look at you with something like confusion in his eyes. He’d ask if you wanted to go to the library together or sneak down to the kitchens like you used to, but you’d always make an excuse—too much homework, too tired, plans with other friends.

It was the hardest thing you’d ever done, pushing him away like this. Every time you saw the flicker of hurt in his eyes when you turned him down, it made your heart ache even more. But you reminded yourself that this was for the best. The more distance you put between you, the more your feelings would fade. That was the only way to stop hurting, right?

But you were so focused on your own despair, on trying to suppress your feelings, that you didn’t notice how much this was hurting him.

It was nearing the end of October when the first cracks in your plan started to show.

You had just finished dinner in the Great Hall and were about to head back to your common room when you saw Jungwon waiting by the entrance, his usual bright expression dimmed. He caught your eye, and before you could slip away, he called out to you, "Hey, can we talk?"

There was something different in his voice—quieter, more serious. You hesitated but nodded, following him out into the corridor where it was quieter.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. Jungwon seemed to be searching for the right words, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he avoided your gaze.

"Have I… done something wrong?" he finally asked, his voice soft, but there was a vulnerability in his tone that sent a sharp pang through your chest.

You blinked, caught off guard. "What? No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

He looked at you then, his cat-like eyes filled with confusion and hurt. "It’s just… you’ve been different lately. Distant. You barely talk to me anymore, and when we do, it feels like you’re always trying to leave." He paused, running a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "I don’t know if I did something, but if I did, I’m sorry. I just… I miss you."

His words hit you like a tidal wave, the guilt crashing down on you all at once. You hadn’t realized how much your attempts at distancing yourself had hurt him. You had been so wrapped up in your own heartache, in trying to protect yourself, that you hadn’t seen how much it had affected Jungwon.

You looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” you said quietly, your voice barely above a whisper. “It’s not your fault.”

“Then why are you pushing me away?” he asked, his voice breaking a little. “I thought we were best friends. But it feels like you don’t want to be around me anymore.”

The words "best friends" echoed in your mind, reverberating painfully in your chest. The way Jungwon said it, so full of hurt and confusion, made your heart twist in ways you couldn’t describe. He didn’t know, didn’t understand the battle raging inside you—the struggle of wanting to stay close, but feeling like you had to let go for your own sanity.

You opened your mouth to say something, anything to make things right, but before the words could form, it was like a lifeline appeared from nowhere.

“Hey, I need your he—” Ben’s voice cut through the heavy silence between you and Jungwon as he approached from down the hall. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes flicking between the two of you. “Uh, am I interrupting something?”

The tension between you and Jungwon was palpable, and for a brief second, you saw Jungwon’s hopeful expression falter, his eyes still locked on yours. Part of you wanted to stay, to explain, but the weight of the moment was too much to handle. You latched onto Ben’s interruption like it was heaven-sent.

“No, no. What do you need?” you asked, your voice shakier than you intended, already shifting away from Jungwon.

Ben blinked, clearly picking up on the tension but choosing not to comment on it. “Oh! Right. Come!” he said hurriedly, grabbing your arm with a light tug. “Just gotta borrow her for a bit!” he called over his shoulder as he steered you away from Jungwon.

You cast one last glance at Jungwon over your shoulder, your heart sinking at the sight of him standing alone in the hallway. His face had fallen, his eyes filled with a sadness you’d never seen before. He looked like he’d just been told something devastating, the weight of it pressing down on his shoulders.

It felt like you’d ripped something vital away from him.

You turned back to Ben, feeling the guilt churn inside you as he led you down the corridor. Your chest tightened, but you kept walking, even though a part of you wanted to run back to Jungwon, to take it all back.

“Thanks for the save,” you muttered under your breath once you were out of earshot.

Ben glanced at you, brow furrowed in concern. “That looked intense. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you lied, though the knot in your stomach told a different story.

But you weren’t fine, and neither was Jungwon. You could feel the weight of his sadness following you, even as you tried to convince yourself that this distance was for the best. Yet, as you walked away, all you could think about was the look on his face—the look of someone who had just realized they might be losing their best friend.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

As the days turned into weeks, Jungwon's efforts to stay close to you became increasingly apparent. He would seek you out in the hallways, casually falling into step beside you, his bright smile a beacon of warmth amidst the growing distance you’d tried to create. No matter how many times you made excuses to keep him at arm’s length, he always seemed to find a way back into your orbit, his determination unwavering.

You’d see him at the library, buried in a book, and he’d look up to greet you with that familiar grin, the one that melted your resolve. “Hey! Want to join me? I could use a study buddy,” he’d say, and just like that, your heart would flutter. Each time you locked eyes with him, the excuse that lay on the tip of your tongue would die before it could escape your lips. You found yourself nodding, feeling weak for saying yes, but unable to resist his infectious enthusiasm.

During meals, he would slide into the seat beside you, making casual conversation with a bright-eyed eagerness that made your stomach twist. “Did you finish that Potions essay yet? I need to compare notes,” he’d say, leaning in a little too close, his cat-like eyes sparkling with mischief. You’d find it hard to focus on anything else but the way he always seemed so effortless, so effortlessly perfect, in that moment.

And then there were the times you’d walk to class together. Jungwon would nudge your shoulder with his, playfully teasing you about your latest mishaps or bringing up an inside joke that made you laugh despite yourself. Every time you tried to pull away, tried to create a little space, he would find a way to draw you back in with a charming smile or a lighthearted comment.

“Come on, don’t be like that!” he’d say when you tried to sidestep him after class. “We’re best friends, right? I miss hanging out like we used to.” His earnestness cut through your defenses like a hot knife through butter.

You’d feel that familiar ache in your chest at his words, the weight of longing and guilt crashing down on you. Because deep down, you knew the truth: You wanted to be close to him too. The distance you’d tried to create only made you miss him more, and no amount of pretending could erase the truth of how you felt.

But the more he tried to bridge the gap, the harder you found it to keep him at bay. Each time he would smile at you, it was like the universe was reminding you how weak you were against his charm, how you couldn’t bear to see that flicker of hurt in his eyes when you turned away.

It all came to a head one afternoon when Jungwon approached you as you were leaving Herbology class. He was waiting by the door, leaning casually against the wall, looking effortlessly charming with the sunlight filtering through the leaves behind him.

“Hey!” he greeted, his voice bright. “Want to go grab some pumpkin pasties? I heard the house elves made a fresh batch, and you know they’re the best!”

Your heart raced at the suggestion. You wanted nothing more than to say yes, to spend time with him and enjoy those little moments that felt so comfortable. But a surge of guilt rushed through you, and the memory of your earlier resolution came flooding back. You opened your mouth to protest, to make some excuse, but then you saw his face—innocent, hopeful, and full of life.

In that moment, all the walls you had built came crashing down. The excuse died on your lips as his expression melted your defenses. You found yourself nodding, a soft smile breaking through your internal struggle. “Okay, pumpkin pasties sound great,” you finally said, your heart racing.

A grin spread across his face, and you felt your resolve weaken even further. Maybe this wasn’t so bad, you thought, trying to convince yourself that spending time with him wouldn’t be a mistake. After all, you could just enjoy his company, right? Just as friends.

But deep down, you knew it was never just that. As he fell into step beside you, a wave of warmth washed over you, and you couldn’t shake the feeling that you were only delaying the inevitable.

The more you were together, the harder it would be to keep your feelings hidden, and the deeper you would fall. But as you walked side by side, laughing and talking as if nothing had changed, you realized that resisting him felt like fighting against the tide. And for now, you were too weak to say no.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

You had finally convinced yourself that things were going back to normal. Jungwon was still the bright, carefree boy who always found a way to make you smile despite your internal turmoil. You had managed to keep your growing feelings buried under layers of friendship, convincing yourself that this was how it would always be.

It was winter vacation now, and you had packed your things to leave for home and spend Christmas with your family. You had one last thing to do before heading to the station: give Jungwon his Christmas present. You hadn’t seen him all morning, so after a quick check of the grounds, you decided to stop by the Great Hall, hoping to catch him before you left.

The hall was quieter than usual, a few students lingering at the long tables. You spotted one of your friends sitting near the Slytherin table, engaged in a heated game of wizard chess with a Slytherin boy.

“Hey, I’m leaving soon, how’s it going?” you asked, sitting beside her as she commanded her knight to move forward, knocking out a tower piece with a loud crash.

"Okay so far,” she muttered, clearly frustrated by the game. “Knight to B4."

You watched the game with mild interest but your mind was elsewhere. Your fingers nervously played with the gift you had for Jungwon. You’d picked it out weeks ago, wrapping it in a small red and gold package. You hadn’t worked up the nerve to give it to him earlier, but now, with the looming holiday, you couldn’t put it off any longer.

“Have you seen Jungwon?” you mumbled, glancing around the hall.

Your friend shook her head, eyes still focused on the board. “No, sorry. Haven’t seen him all morning.”

“Bloody hell!” she cursed as the Slytherin boy made a move that seemed to catch her off guard, sending one of her knights tumbling. You couldn’t help but smile at her frustration, though your thoughts were still preoccupied with finding Jungwon before you left.

“Have you told him yet?” your friend suddenly asked, turning her attention to you with a raised brow.

You stiffened immediately, your eyes darting to the Slytherin boy sitting across from her, trying to gauge if he was paying attention. He had a reputation for being a bit of a troublemaker, and you didn’t want anyone knowing about your secret crush on Jungwon—least of all some nosy Slytherin.

“No,” you whispered, shaking your head. “I haven’t said anything, and I’m not going to.”

Your friend groaned. “Come on! The year is almost over! You can’t live the rest of your life without confessing to him!”

“I think that’s exactly how I’m going to live, thank you very much,” you muttered, glancing down at the present in your hands.

"You can't just resolve to that! Think about Jungwon—"

Before you could respond, the Slytherin boy, clearly more aware of the conversation than you’d realized, suddenly blurted out in a loud voice, “Wait—you have a crush on Ju—?!”

Panic shot through you like lightning. Without thinking, you whipped out your wand, pointing it directly at him. “Silencio!”

The boy’s mouth instantly sealed shut, his eyes widening as he frantically touched his lips, trying to speak but failing.

You sighed in relief, lowering your wand as the embarrassment burned hot under your skin. You could hear your heart thundering in your ears, praying that no one else had heard him.

But then, like a bucket of ice-cold water being poured over you, you heard a familiar voice behind you.

“What was that?”

Your blood ran cold as you turned around to see Jungwon standing just a few feet away, an amused yet confused expression on his face. His eyes flickered between you, your friend, and the Slytherin boy with the silenced mouth.

“Oh! Nothing! Nothing!” you blurted out, your voice coming out much too high-pitched. Desperation clawed at you as you tried to think of an escape.

Without thinking, you thrust the present into Jungwon’s hands, your face burning with a mix of panic and embarrassment. “Here! Merry Christmas!” you said in a rush, not even giving him a chance to respond before you turned on your heel.

“See ya!” you called over your shoulder, barely hearing his confused response as you quickly made your way to the door.

Before he could ask any more questions, or worse—before you could see the realization in his eyes—you apparated, leaving the Great Hall, Jungwon, and your mortifying secret behind.

But even as you vanished, the feeling of dread remained, sinking deep into your chest. You had a sinking suspicion that this was far from over.

Jungwon stood there, completely baffled, his eyes darting between where you had just disappeared and the sight of your friend, now dragging the silenced Slytherin boy away.

“Merry Christmas, Jungwon!” your friend called out, giving him a sheepish wave, while struggling to keep the Slytherin from escaping her grip. The Slytherin boy looked desperate, his mouth still magically sealed, gesturing wildly like he had something extremely important to say.

Jungwon frowned, even more confused now. “Uh, yeah… Merry Christmas…” he mumbled back, though his voice trailed off as he watched them disappear out of the Great Hall.

Once again, he found himself standing there, alone, confusion swirling in his mind. His heart sank a little, a feeling that had been happening far too often recently. Why had you rushed off so suddenly? You’d barely said a word to him, and now you were gone, just like that. And that Slytherin boy—what had he been trying to say?

Jungwon let out a sigh, feeling a strange ache in his chest as he looked down at the gift in his hands. It was small but carefully wrapped, the red and gold paper neatly folded with a ribbon tied around it. He could see the care you’d put into wrapping it, and for a moment, his heart warmed. He ran his fingers over the smooth wrapping paper, caressing it gently, lost in thought.

The gift felt personal—intimate, even—and that made the confusion gnaw at him even more. Why had you been acting so distant lately? He thought everything between you two was fine, but in recent weeks, there had been this unspoken tension hanging in the air, and he didn’t understand why. Every time he tried to get close to you, you’d pull away, always with some excuse or sudden distraction. Yet here you were, giving him a Christmas present with a sense of urgency that left him reeling.

Jungwon sighed again, holding the present tightly in his hands. He was used to spending time with you—best friends, you’d always said—but this year had been different. Something had shifted, and he didn’t know how to fix it.

He glanced back at the empty space where you’d stood moments before, your rushed goodbye still echoing in his ears. A frown tugged at the corners of his lips as the confusion settled deeper inside him.

What is going on with you? he wondered.

With a heavy heart, Jungwon turned and left the Great Hall, the neatly wrapped present still clutched in his hands. As he walked back to the Hufflepuff common room, the only sound accompanying him was the soft crinkle of the gift’s wrapping beneath his fingers.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

Christmas morning was filled with the warmth of your family’s laughter and the soft glow of the tree lights. You sat with your family, unwrapping presents one by one. The room was filled with the scent of pine and hot chocolate, and the crackling fire provided a cozy backdrop to the happy chatter. As you opened your presents, your fingers brushed against one package in particular—Jungwon’s gift.

Your heart skipped a beat as you carefully peeled back the wrapping paper. Inside was a collection of small items, thoughtful things that you had mentioned to him over the years—like a special bookmark you had once admired, a cute keychain shaped like a cat, and even a few snacks you loved. You couldn’t help but smile softly, touched by how much attention he had paid to every little detail.

But then, nestled in the middle of the box, something else caught your attention—a flower ring. Your breath hitched, and memories flooded back instantly. It was just like the ones he used to make for you, back when you two would sit outside the Herbology classroom, weaving together daisies or wildflowers. You carefully picked up the delicate ring, holding it between your fingers as a bittersweet warmth spread through your chest.

Excusing yourself quietly from the festive atmosphere, you slipped away to your room, clutching the flower ring in your hand. Once inside, you went to your suitcase, still sitting by the foot of your bed, untouched since you arrived home. You unzipped it and pulled out a small wooden chest from the bottom of your clothes. With a deep breath, you took out a tiny key you kept on a chain and unlocked the chest.

Inside were all the flower rings Jungwon had made for you over the years. Each one carefully preserved, kept fresh and vibrant thanks to a charm you had created. The flowers hadn’t withered or faded at all—they looked as alive as the day he gave them to you. You stared at them for a moment, your heart heavy with the weight of the memories they carried.

You gently placed the new ring inside, its delicate petals fitting perfectly with the others. For a moment, you just sat there, looking at the collection of flower rings.

You had tried so hard to push him away, yet here you were, still treasuring every little thing he gave you. Your heart ached, and you knew that no matter how much distance you tried to put between you and Jungwon, he would always be a part of you.

Meanwhile, back at his home, Jungwon was sitting by his family’s Christmas tree, surrounded by wrapping paper and the sound of his siblings playing nearby. He had just finished opening presents from his family when he finally reached yours. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he carefully unwrapped it.

Inside, he found a selection of sweets—pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs, and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans—the same treats you two had shared over the years. He chuckled softly, remembering all the times you had sat together, laughing at the strange flavors and chasing after runaway chocolate frogs.

But what caught his attention most was a small box tucked underneath the sweets. He opened it to find a silver necklace with a delicate latch. Curiously, he opened the locket, and his heart swelled when he saw the tiny moving picture inside. It was a magical photograph of the two of you as kids, hugging each other and laughing.

Jungwon’s mind flashed back to that moment. Your faces were flushed from eating too much candy, and you had been too hyper for his grandmother to get a proper picture. You had kept bouncing around, giggling uncontrollably, but somehow she had managed to capture this one perfect moment—a snapshot of pure joy and innocence.

A soft smile spread across his face as he closed the locket and put the necklace on, letting it hang around his neck. The weight of the memory pressed gently against his heart. You had always been there for him, through every laugh and every quiet moment. Even now, despite the distance that had grown between you recently, you were still his best friend, and this gift was a reminder of that bond.

But as he sat there, his fingers absentmindedly playing with the locket, a flicker of something deeper tugged at his chest. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed between you two, even if he couldn’t quite put it into words.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

After Christmas break, you threw yourself into your studies, determined to keep your mind off everything. Spending time with your friends became a welcome distraction, and although you and Jungwon still talked, it was nothing like it used to be. The effortless conversations and shared moments now felt strained and few. You told yourself it was for the best.

You were also relieved to see that your friend had seemingly handled the Slytherin boy who had nearly spilled your secret before the break. You had no idea how she’d managed it, but he had kept his mouth shut, and for that, you were grateful. Maybe, just maybe, this would all blow over.

But deep down, you knew you were never that lucky.

It was during Potions class when it all started to unravel. A flying note fluttered towards you, landing on your desk with a light thud. You frowned, glancing around before snatching it from the air. Your heart sank as soon as you opened it.

“Have a little crush now, do we?”

You stiffened, panic creeping in as you turned your head to see two Slytherins smirking at you from across the room. Their smug faces made your stomach churn. You glared at them, trying to look unfazed, but the anxiety bubbling inside you was impossible to ignore.

Great, you thought bitterly, just when I thought life couldn’t get any worse.

The Slytherin boy had obviously snitched, despite whatever threats your friend had used to keep him quiet. Of course, it wasn’t enough. It never was.

After class, you didn’t waste time. You stormed up to the two Slytherins, heart pounding. “You two better keep your mouths shut,” you snapped, voice low and threatening.

One of them, a tall boy with a smug grin, raised an eyebrow. “And why should we do that? What’s in it for us?”

“Because he can’t know!” you hissed, your voice breaking with a hint of desperation.

“Fine, fine,” the other boy said with a dismissive wave, but you didn’t trust it for a second. Their smirks said it all—they were playing a game, and you were at their mercy.

Your worst fears came true sooner than you’d imagined.

You were sitting in the courtyard with a few friends, enjoying the afternoon. You had almost forgotten about the note, about the smirking Slytherins. That is, until Jungwon approached.

“Hey…” His voice was soft but unsure, and immediately, your stomach twisted. “Do you… do you have a crush on me?” he asked, his voice hesitant but piercing.

The words hit you like a thunderclap, and you froze, your heart thudding in your chest.

No. No, no, no.

“What!? Where did you hear that?” you asked, feigning confusion, but your voice wavered.

Jungwon looked down, fidgeting awkwardly. “Somewhere… but is it true?”

You could feel your friends’ eyes on you, their silent encouragement hanging in the air. But all you felt was dread. You swallowed hard, your palms sweaty as you avoided Jungwon’s gaze.

“I…” you started, barely above a whisper. The weight of the truth was suffocating. You looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “Yes. I do. I’ve liked you since fourth year,” you admitted quietly, your voice trembling.

The silence that followed was unbearable.

“Oh…” Jungwon began, and the moment you heard his tone, your heart shattered. You already knew what he was going to say next. You braced yourself for the rejection that was bound to come, a lump forming in your throat.

“I’m sorry…” Jungwon continued, but you cut him off, panic rising.

“No, no, it’s okay! You don’t have to say anything!” you rushed out, your voice frantic. “I get it. I mean, who would like me back, right?” You forced a laugh, but it came out strangled, your eyes burning with unshed tears.

Jungwon looked shocked, his eyes wide as if he didn’t know what to say. But you couldn’t bear to hear it. You couldn’t stand the pity in his eyes, the inevitable words of rejection that would follow.

“Would you look at the time! I—I have to go!” you stammered, scrambling to gather your things. You didn’t even give him a chance to respond. You just ran.

You ran, ignoring the calls of your friends, ignoring Jungwon’s shouts for you to wait. Your vision blurred with tears, but you didn’t stop. You couldn’t stop.

You needed to get away. Away from him. Away from the truth. Away from everything.

You stopped running when you reached the hallway, the familiar space bringing a wave of nostalgia mixed with sorrow. It had been months since you’d last set foot here, and the darkness felt heavy, almost suffocating.

With trembling hands, you pulled out your wand, your fingers shaking as you whispered, “Lumos.” The tip lit up, illuminating the dim corridor. As you made your way behind the statue, you slid down to the floor, feeling the cool stone against your back. The light flickered softly, creating shadows that danced around you, and you finally allowed yourself to cry.

Hot tears streamed down your cheeks, a mix of frustration and sadness flooding your heart. You sat there, surrounded by darkness, the only source of light your wand as you let your emotions pour out. It felt like an eternity, lost in your thoughts, until the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, breaking the stillness.

You quickly wiped your eyes, hastily muttering, “Nox,” extinguishing your wand’s light and plunging yourself into darkness. You sat there in silence, heart racing, unsure if you wanted to be seen.

“I know you’re there,” a familiar voice broke through the gloom, and your heart sank. Jungwon’s voice was unmistakable. You had hoped to escape him, but now he was here, and the reality of that made your heart ache even more.

“Lumos,” Jungwon said, and the hallway brightened again. You shielded your eyes from the sudden light, but there was no hiding from him. Jungwon stood before you, concern etched across his features.

“What are you doing here…” you managed, trying to sound indifferent, but the tremor in your voice betrayed you.

“I… was looking for you,” he answered, his expression softening. “Mind if I sit?” he asked, gesturing to the space beside you.

You shrugged, but he sat down anyway, crossing his legs in front of you. You could see the worry in his eyes, and it made your stomach twist. With a quiet sigh, you pulled out your wand again, muttering “Lumos” to brighten the area further.

“What do you want?” you asked, trying to keep your tone neutral, but a hint of sadness seeped through.

Jungwon reached under his robes and pulled out a familiar chest, the sight of it causing your heart to skip a beat. “Alohomora,” he said, and the chest clicked open, revealing the flower rings you had once cherished.

“You kept them…” he murmured, his voice filled with disbelief.

“Of course I did…” you mumbled, feeling warmth flood your cheeks. “They mean a lot to me…”

“How are they…?” Jungwon asked softly, and you knew he was referring to the charm you had created.

“I made a charm so they would stay fresh…” you said, trying to sound nonchalant, but your heart was racing.

“Wow…” Jungwon breathed, staring at the rings as if they were treasures.

You nodded, feeling the weight of the moment. “How did you find it?” you asked, genuinely curious.

“Amelia…” Jungwon replied, and you couldn’t help but groan.

“Ah, I’m gonna kill her,” you muttered, frustration lacing your words.

“Can I please…” Jungwon hesitated, searching for the right words. “You ran before I could finish,” he said, his eyes locking onto yours.

“Finish what? Your rejection? No thanks,” you shot back, the hurt from earlier surfacing again.

“No, listen,” he insisted, his tone earnest. “I wanted to say I’m sorry for letting you keep your feelings away from me for so many years.”

You blinked, taken aback by his admission. The confession hung in the air between you like a fragile thread, stretching taut with unspoken emotions. For a moment, you didn’t know how to respond.

“I—” you started but faltered. The weight of his words settled heavily on your heart. “You don’t understand…” you whispered, finally looking into his eyes.

“I do,” Jungwon interrupted gently. “I know it must’ve been hard for you, hiding how you felt. But I didn’t want you to feel like you had to. I care about you, and I always have.”

The sincerity in his voice made your heart race. The walls you’d built up around your feelings began to tremble. “Then why did you let me run away?” you asked, a hint of desperation creeping into your tone.

“Because I didn’t know how to handle it,” he admitted, looking down at the floor between you. “I was scared of ruining what we had. But running away isn’t the answer.”

You swallowed hard, heart racing as the silence stretched between you two. “Jungwon… I can’t keep pretending I’m okay when I’m not,” you confessed, your voice barely above a whisper.

Jungwon reached out, placing a comforting hand over yours. “Then don’t. Let’s figure this out together.”

The warmth of his touch sent a rush of emotions through you. You wanted to believe him, to let down your guard and embrace the possibility of something more. But doubt lingered, and the fear of losing him loomed large.

“Together…” you echoed, feeling the weight of his words.

“Together,” Jungwon affirmed, his eyes steady and sincere.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

A few weeks had passed since that moment of truth in the hallway, and things had settled into a new rhythm between you and Jungwon. Your friendship blossomed into something deeper, and though you felt the lingering awkwardness at times, you both navigated it.

One afternoon, you found yourself wandering back to that familiar hallway, drawn by nostalgia and a craving for a sweet treat. You pulled out a small stash of candy from your bag and popped a piece into your mouth, savoring the sugary goodness. The corridor was quiet, just as you remembered it, the shadows casting a cozy ambiance around you.

“Mind if I join?” Jungwon’s voice broke through your thoughts, and you turned to see him standing there, a hopeful smile gracing his lips.

“Of course not,” you said, gesturing for him to sit beside you. He settled down, close enough that you could feel the warmth radiating from him. You felt a flutter of happiness at his presence, even as you focused on your candy, a shy smile creeping onto your face.

Without warning, Jungwon reached for your hand. Your heart raced as he took your fingers and carefully placed a ring on your finger. You looked down, shock washing over you as you saw the delicate flower design at its center. “Wha—?” you started, staring at him in disbelief.

“Guess it was time to give you a real promise ring,” he said, a warm smile spreading across his face. Your breath hitched as he took both your hands in his, urging you to face him.

“I promise to stay by your side and love you forever,” he said, sincerity radiating from his every word. The weight of his declaration settled in your chest, and you felt tears prickling at the corners of your eyes.

Before you could respond, Jungwon gently wiped away the tears that had escaped. The tender gesture ignited a swell of emotions within you, and as he leaned in, your heart raced. His lips brushed against yours, soft and hesitant, and you blinked your tears away, finally kissing him back.

When you both pulled back, breathless and wide-eyed, you searched his gaze, looking for something to say. “Jungwon?” you whispered, feeling a mix of disbelief and joy.

“I’m sorry it took me so many years to realize how much I love you,” he confessed, his voice steady yet filled with emotion.

With that, a surge of happiness bubbled up inside you, and you couldn’t hold back. You threw your arms around him, hugging him tightly, your heart soaring.

Unbeknownst to you, Jungwon had fought a silent battle of his own. Every night, he wrestled with nightmares about losing you, dreams fueled by the realization of his feelings that had blossomed too late. He had watched you through the years, oblivious to the depth of his own care, often drowning in the fears of letting you slip away.

You both sat together after that when suddenly Jungwon leaned over, eyeing the colorful Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans with a glint of mischief in his eyes. “I’ll take one,” he said, grabbing a bright red bean. He popped it into his mouth, but as he chewed, his face twisted into a comical grimace. “Soap…” he exclaimed, scrunching his nose in disgust.

You burst into laughter, the sound ringing through the hallway like music. “Oh no! What a horrible choice!” you teased, leaning closer to him.

With a playful grin, you grabbed a bean for yourself, picking a pastel pink one from the pile. You tossed it into your mouth and chewed, your eyes lighting up as the sweet, fluffy flavor of marshmallow burst across your tongue. “Marshmallow!” you declared triumphantly, your face beaming with delight.

“Unfair…” Jungwon pouted, crossing his arms over his chest in mock indignation. His playful expression only made you laugh harder.

“Maybe you should be more adventurous!” you shot back, sticking your tongue out teasingly. The action made Jungwon chuckle, his pout turning into an amused grin.

“Adventurous? I think I’ll stick to chocolate thank you very much,” he replied, shaking his head with exaggerated seriousness.

“You’re missing out on all the fun!” you exclaimed, reaching for another handful of beans. “You never know what kind of delicious flavor you might discover!”

“Or what kind of disgusting one,” he replied, still trying to maintain his pout but failing miserably as laughter bubbled up inside him.

“Alright, fine! Let’s make a deal. For every bean you try, I’ll try one too!” you proposed, feeling the thrill of the challenge.

Jungwon raised an eyebrow, considering the offer. “Okay, but if I end up with soap again, I’m blaming you!”

“Deal!” You both laughed as you rummaged through the beans, the air filled with a sense of lighthearted competition.

As the two of you began to taste the different flavors, the laughter continued, with both of you grimacing at the awful ones and cheering for the good ones.

Jungwon looked at you, his eyes shining with mirth. “Okay, okay, how about this: if I try one more, you have to promise to give me a kiss after,” he said, a playful challenge lacing his words.

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh, is that the only way to get a kiss from you now?” you teased.

“Maybe!” he replied, shrugging dramatically.

“Fine, you’ve got yourself a deal!” you said, determination flooding through you.

With a flourish, Jungwon picked out a bean, his eyes narrowing as he studied it like it was a potion ingredient. He took a deep breath and popped it into his mouth, chewing with a nervous expression. After a few seconds, his eyes widened in shock. “Uh-oh….”

You leaned forward, unable to contain your curiosity. “What is it? Is it bad?”

“Ear wax!” he exclaimed, his face scrunching up in disgust as you burst into laughter, clutching your stomach.

“That was a bold choice!” you teased. You leaned over to peck Jungwon's cheek, but just as your lips were about to make contact, he turned his head, and your lips landed on his instead. You pulled back in shock, "Jungwon!" you exclaimed, your cheeks flushed with surprise. He only laughed, eyes twinkling with mischief.

Before you could think twice, you grabbed his cheeks with both hands, determined this time, and kissed him fully. Jungwon’s laughter faded as he wrapped his arms around your waist, effortlessly pulling you onto his lap. The kiss deepened, both of you lost in the moment.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted, "I always knew they would end up together!" one of the portraits on the wall exclaimed with excitement.

"You owe me 10 sickles!" another portrait chimed in.

"You blithering idiot, how can I pay you for something I never agreed on!" the first portrait argued.

You both pulled back, laughing breathlessly, resting your foreheads against each other as the portraits continued bickering. Jungwon smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, "I guess everyone knew before we did."

"Maybe," you whispered back, "but I think we’re making up for lost time."

Jungwon chuckled softly, holding you close, the warmth of the moment wrapping around the two of you like a spell.

End

╰ pink love

pairing: jungwon x fem!reader genre: fluff word count: 2985 warnings; like one super minor curse word (hell)! just some cutesy stuff for ya today! summary: jungwon and y/n go on a build-a-bear date! a/n: i really wanted to do something sweet beacuse i love fluff a whole lot, so please enjoy c:

“Are we there yet?” I pout, tugging on Jungwon’s sweater. I attempt to sway him with my best puppy eyes, but he continues walking, pulling me along with him.

“This honestly reminds me of a movie,” He laughs out, “Since when did asking a million times get us there faster?”

I’m not actually that annoyed, but it’s fun to tease him. “What if this is all a movie? Ya think we can break the fourth wall?”

“I don’t know, I’d consider us powerful enough to. If this is a movie, I’m obviously the main character. Since you’re my girlfriend, you can be my sidekick!”

“Ohh, ha, ha, ha. If I’m the sidekick, pigs can fly.”

He puts on a shocked expression, pointing up into the air. “Did I just hear an oink all the way up there?”

“Shut up!” We giggle, shoving each other with our shoulders. Our footsteps match each other as we pad through the open-air mall. Warm sunlight drifts down, encasing us in a soft bubble of relaxation.

“Hey look, I think that’s it!” Jungwon tightens his grip on my hand and we take off towards the familiar shop. As we run, the eyes of other passerbys follow us, but I don’t take the time to feel embarrassed; life’s too short for that.

My legs are shorter than his, so I nearly trip several times. The universe is totally watching out for me today though, because we manage to arrive at the store’s entrance without suffering from a single scratch or bruise.

The Build-A-Bear logo passes overhead as we make our way inside. We are still glued together, buzzing from the excitement of our date. We’re going to make bears for each other! With any other guy I might have found it cheesy, but when Jungwon suggested we do it, my heart fluttered in a strange way.

“Hello! Welcome to Build-A-Bear Workshop! My name is Kiana,” A sunny looking lady welcomes us with a large smile on her face. The cute bobble headband perched on her hair seems to wave at us as well. “Will you two be needing any help today?”

Jungwon throws one arm over my shoulder and presses me tight to his side. His dimples peek out playfully as he responds. “I think we’re okay right now, we’re gonna make some bears for each other. This is my girlfriend!” He looks so proud as our eyes meet, and my stomach twists. Even though we’ve been dating for one and a half years now, whenever he looks at me like that, it feels like the day I first met him.

We’d been at the movie theatre, not together, but coincidentally there on the same day. Jungwon was sitting in the seat in front of me with a couple of his friends, while I was there with my own. His buddies were being idiots and throwing popcorn and other snacks at each other, when a whole bucket came flying at me. Being my easily scared self, I screamed and jumped backwards, simultaneously kicking my legs out and up. It took a few seconds to realize that my feet hadn’t collided with Jungwon’s seat, but instead his head.

I’d been absolutely mortified, and my friends’ muffled laughter didn’t help with that. I’d expected a huge tantrum from him, considering his friends seemed the type to start a huge fight over it, but his reaction was the complete opposite. In fact, he was apologetic and blamed it all on the buffoon who launched the snack at me.

I immediately caught feelings when he laughed and complimented my kick; apparently he knew taekwondo, and he thought I’d be good at it. He got that from a poorly done, unaimed kick to his own skull. To this day, I think I knocked something out of place there, but what can ya do.

Regardless, we ended up exchanging numbers, which is something that confused the hell out my friends and I. A month later, we started going out. I’ve dated some questionable people, so getting the chance to be with someone like Jungwon is a dream come true for me. Another plus, I finally get to check “Build A Bear date” off of my date idea list!

“You guys look adorable together!” Kiana gushed. My cheeks heat up, but not in an awkward way. “We have all our plushes over there. You can take a look and pick one, and then we’ll get that all filled up for you.”

“Thank you!” Jungwon and I say at the same time before strutting towards the plushies.

“We should split up so our bears, or whatever we pick for each other, stays a surprise! Okay?” I’m already looking at each option, and I begin to wonder how I’m ever going to pick just one.

“Since it looks like the queen has already laid claim to this particular piece of territory, I’ll go browse the accessories so I can get your plush decked out in a gorgeous outfit.” He winks and makes his way to the rows of plushie-sized clothing.

The variety of options is amazing. There’s the classic bears, but there’s also other cute things, like lobsters, giraffes, and seals. I’m a sucker for the classics, so I want to pick out a bear for Jungwon.

Two specific bears are in a fight for my love. One is a simple vanilla color with rainbow sprinkle accents, and the other is a pink bear with heart shaped ruffles. Oh god, do I just… buy both? No, that’s be stupid. Eeny meeny miney moe, a classic just like the bear.

I’m not disappointed when my finger lands on the pink bear, meaning I made the right choice and won’t have to switch to the vanilla bear out of a previously hidden lust for it. Awesome.

I peek my head around the aisle and still see Jungwon sorting through racks of outfits. In the time I’d spent picking a plush for him, he grabbed a basket and began filling it with stuff I couldn’t make out. Comfortable with the fact that he isn’t looking, I sneak over to the filling station, the pink bear clutched tightly in my hands.

“Hi! I’d love to get this guy filled, please!” The man working at this station has a name tag that reads, “Jordan”, and he looks equally nice as Kiana.

“Good choice,” He leads me to a filling spot. “Are they for you or for someone else?”

My chuckle causes the worker to smile. I reply while he gathers a few items. “My boyfriend and I came here for a cute date, so it’s for him! This one is super cute so I had to get it for him.”

“Aww, I’ll have to write that down. I'm sure my partner would find it a great idea too!” Jordan sweeps his arm across in a grand gesture, showcasing the variety of hearts and other button-looking objects that sit before him.

“Would you be interested in adding a sound to your bear? You can pick from any of these or you can record your own.”

I pick quickly, sure of what I want to do. “Mm, I’d like to do a recording, if possible. Make it extra special, right?”

“Of course, let me grab that for you and you can record your message!” He gets the heart and let’s me know what to do. Once again making sure Jungwon is not nearby, I record my message and hand it back to Jordan. He puts it in the bear, a small smile playing on his lips. Did he hear me?

“Alright, perfect. Any scents or are you ready to stuff?”

I choose a sweet raspberry scent and get the bear stuffed. It’s fun to push the pedal and see the stuffed animal become plumper, until I finally fill them all the way up. Hugging it feels like hugging a cloud.

I thank Jordan and hide the bear behind my back as I go to the dressing area. Jungwon seems to have moved on, as I spot him at the plushie picking station. I wonder what he’ll get me. Knowing him, it’s going to be adorable.

His eyes meet mine and I suppress a squeal, making sure the bear is out of sight. My strange salute makes him smile and he turns back to picking a plush for me, but not before making sure I won’t look while he gets one.

“So, what would you wear…” I whisper to the pink bear. He seems fashionable and needs something that fits his personality.

Each outfit makes me want to curl up and scream. They’re all so cute and tiny, and I can’t help but want to grab a whole bunch. I create outfits in my head, imagining each on the plushie. Letting the bear try them on seems like a step too far. Instead, I pick up a white button down shirt, pressed pants, little shoes, and a pair of heart shaped sunglasses from my pile and get to dressing.

Putting everything on the pink bear proves to be a struggle. “Come on… tuck in your tummy!” The bear’s legs don’t want to squeeze into the pants I picked. Looks like Build-A-Bear needs more size options. After a somewhat graphic commotion involving lots of pulling, pushing, and whispered yelling, he is finally clothed.

“Jungwon better like what I picked because I don’t think that’s ever coming off.” I brush off my shirt and hope that no one was watching my heated argument with an inanimate object.

I swiftly finish up the washing part of the process, which consisted of pressured air being blown at my plush. I enjoyed seeing the bear’s fur waving around luxuriously. It really fit his vibe. I end up having to consult an employee about what to do next since my amnesiac brain likes to forget simple things: it’s naming time.

After I scan the pink bear’s tag, a naming screen is brought up. I’m given suggestions like Mr. Cuddles, Tiny, and Snuggles, but I choose to make his own name. What do I name you?

Maybe Love? Too plain. Bear? Way too basic. Pink? Pinky? I clearly don’t get around to naming things very often. If it hadn’t been for my siblings, I would have named our dog Cat.

I rack my brain for anything. At this point, the next thing that pops into my head is gonna be his name. No turning back. And my brain provides. Sir Loves-a-lot is inexplicably forged in the depths of my mind, and it shall be the name of this honorable bear.

I imagine a knighting ceremony for Sir Loves-a-lot and enter his name into the computer. It goes through and I get a printed certificate with his name on it. I’m extremely excited to give him to Jungwon and see his reaction.

Jungwon seems to be finishing up at the washing station, so I pay and wait near the entrance of Build-A-Bear. I swing around my finished bear, which is tucked neatly into a bag so Jungwon can’t see it yet. Our date is soon to reach its peak: when we get to see our finished products.

“Hey! Look what I have!” Jungwon skips over to me in a playful manner. His joy envelops me as he gets nearer. His eyes are alight with what looks to be the same thing I’m currently feeling. Is it love?

I show off my bag, my competitive side instantly coming out. “I’ve got yours right here too! If you want to see it… you’ll have to catch me!”

Adrenaline shoots through me as I take off running, Jungwon quickly shifting into a quick runner. My laughs impair my speed as I hiccup and yell, Jungwon’s voice matching my own. We both giggle like idiots while our shoes run thin on the hard ground and our bags crinkle with the whip of the wind.

“Got you!” Jungwon takes care not to throw me onto the ground, instead grabbing my shirt and pulling me to his chest. He lets out an umph as I knock into him full force, still reeling from the sudden shift in direction.

“Jungwon!” A shriek of laughter explodes out of me as we tumble to the concrete with a soft thump. No one is around as we breath off our fit of giggles, still in a heap.

“Looks like my bear made it.” He lifts up his unscatched bag. “Can I say the same of yours?”

A strike of fear hits me, but quickly dissolves when I see my bag looks fine. “I am pleased to report that Combat Bear Number 2 has survived.”

“Combat Bear Number 2? Don’t tell me that’s his name. What a mouthful!” He puts a hand to his chest and sighs dramatically.

“Don’t be stupid, I named him Sir— wait! Don’t try and cheat!” I softly whack him on the shoulder, earning a look of faux-sadness.

“Ouch. But you named him Sir… something. What a noble name! Of course, nothing but the best can come from you.” He holds out the Build-A-Bear bag. “But I’m actually dying to exchange these, so swap?”

“If that isn’t the most relatable thing ever.” I hand him my bag and he gives me his. “You can open mine first!”

“Ooh, don’t mind if I do.” He eagerly opens the bag and pulls out the tissue-paper wrapped bear. The material easily comes off and he holds it up. His eyes seem to glow with delight.

“Oh my gosh.” Jungwon swipes at Sir Loves-a-lot’s fur, fascinated by the heart-shaped ruffles. “He’s so cute! His clothes are... so tight,” His face betrays his confusion, and I snicker as he speaks, “but he looks hella fashionable! I really hope mine will live up to these standards.” He seems to get nervous so I hold his hands to try and calm him down.

“What do you think I named him?”

His mouth shapes into an “O” and he pulls out the certificate. His previously timid face transforms immediately as he reads it.

“Sir Loves-a-lot? Why?! So cheesy but so good!” He crumples onto himself, his head coming to a rest between his knees. I’m overjoyed by his reaction and I press forward to hug his side.

“I love him so much. I’ll cherish him forever.” He looks at me pointedly, almost like he’s trying to tell me something. He switches course though, gesturing to the bag that lies at my feet. “Now open yours!”

I cross my legs to get more comfortable, and I open the bag, wondering what he made for me. My heart dances when I see what he chose. It’s a blue bear with stars in her fur and white wings protruding from her back. I didn’t even see it when I was picking my bear for him.

“Woah…” I hold her up, noticing a soft scent coming from her fur. When I lift the bear up to my nose, I can detect citrus. “Jungwon, you made her smell like lemons! I love lemon… and—and look how pretty! All the stars, and the color… she’s perfect.”

I look at the certificate, all bright and new, and see her name: Mrs. Lovey. Mrs., not Ms.

Jungwon looks at me innocently. “What do you think, am I making my point clear? The future is never far away and I—”

I can’t help but turn away as I feel a prickle in my eyes. Never will I ever cry on a date.

“Awww! Don’t cry, you’ll make me cry!” Jungwon leaps towards me, catching me off-guard. I end up falling backwards with a yelp, but he throws his hand under my head and catches me before I can slam into the concrete.

We stare at each other for what seems like hours but is in actuality only seconds. The silence is loud, but Jungwon slices right through it when he whispers to me, “Is this a kdrama?”

“And… off!” I sit up, hugging my bear closer to me. I’m overwhelmed by Jungwon’s confession. He wants us to really stay together. As in, I’d be his “one”.

“Is—is that what you want too? It’s okay if not, I’ll understand if you wouldn’t be ready, even in the months it would take to get there, unless sooner is better, and I—” He rambles, more emotional than I am, before I put a finger to his lips.

“Yeah, it’s what I want too. I think we should go with your plan, um, wait a little longer since we’re so young and I don’t want to scare my parents.” That earns a laugh out of us both. “But the answer to “would I want it?” is definitely yes!”

Jungwon hugs me tightly, squealing in my ear. I squeal right back, suddenly lighter than ever.

“Dude, I want to say something. Yep, here I go. I— I love you!” Jungwon yells out to me, loud enough to wake up everyone half-way across the world. My heart expands when he says it. I want to scream it back and kiss him under the blue sky, but he continues speaking.

“Okay, look, even though I would have totally respected you for saying you wouldn’t want what I want, I’m feeling so relieved right now. Like whooh! I could jump off a plane! Ride the biggest wave! Sir Loves-a-lot here would come with me, wouldn’t you?” He high fives his bear.

I’m confused when his eyebrow raises. “Did you put a sound in him? Why didn’t you tell me?” Truthfully, I’d forgotten too. However, I smirk as I remember what I recorded.

“Press it.” I urge him to push on the bear’s paw, and he does, putting it near his ear so he can hear it better. The clear sound of my voice comes through, bringing waves of pink, soft love to both Jungwon and I.

“I really, really love you.”

~[4:34am] yang jungwon~

pairing- yang jungwon x gn!reader

genre- fluff, comfort and possibly angst???

warnings- none, let me know if i missed anything... a kiss?

wc- 494

digging your nails into your palm, your face scrunched up in confusion as you looked at the desk filled with an overwhelming amount of homework. as you let out a soft sigh, you reached over to the top of your desk where your math homework laid, untouched. mentally cursing at yourself for not studying for the upcoming test, you flicked through the book with your head rested on your palm. you had totally forgotten that your boyfriend, jungwon, had mentioned something at school about coming over. 

your phone let out soft dings every few seconds for a minute or so, causing you to groan out in frustration and turn it onto silent, flipping it face down. the tears brimming your eyes blurred your vision as you stared down at the large amount of homework. you brought your hand up from the book, rubbing at your forehead while blinking away the tears. unheard by you, the front door was being unlocked and shut, a soft padding of feet making their way up the stairs. being tugged out of your thoughts by a small knock on the door, you brought your arm up to your cheek and quickly dried the tears that had been rushing down your cheeks unconsciously before squeaking out a quiet “ come in”. the door to your bedroom almost instantly opened, revealing jungwons head first, followed short after by his body. “ y/n..? why weren’t you answering me?” he asked after stepping in, closing the door softly behind him. after you had let your head fall, he made his way over to you and placed a hand on your shoulder while his eyes skimmed over your homework. “still studying hm..?” he mumbled quietly, is thumb working at a small knot on your neck. “ lets take a break.” he says after you didn't respond again. he paused for a moment before crouching down and looking up at your face. he sighed softly, seeing a stream of tears flowing down from your eyes. tugging at your sleeve, he pulled you down onto your bed that wasn’t far behind your desk. jungwon silently pulled you on top of him so you were lying down on his chest, rubbing up and down your back while humming a quiet song. “y/n..? why do you work yourself so hard?” he asked you. “ i just want to pass my exams jungwon.. and i feel like im not doing enough.” you spoke shakily, your eyes beginning to water again. he brought his hands up to your cheeks, lifting your face. your eyes meeting his. “ you’re doing great y/n. please stop pushing yourself” he spoke, his lips latching onto yours in a small kiss. jungwon detached his lips from yours after a few short seconds, running his hands through your hair. “ try and get some sleep.. i’ll help with your work after” he spoke softly, closing his eyes after he was sure your eyes were closed too.

a/n- sorry this wasn't too long, its kind of rushed but i hope it was okay to read! <3

{12:02pm}

you smiled to yourself as you entered the bedroom you and jungwon shared, seeing him sprawled out on the bed.

“ come on wonnie, you need to get up my love” you said softly, walking up to his cam figure before placing a hand over his shoulder.

he whined, rolling onto his back before opening his eyes just enough to see you. “ see, we’re already halfway there” you said, jungwon instantly closing his eyes.

with one swift movement, jungwon entangled his arms around your waist and pulled you down next to him. “ don’t say anything. just lie down with me.” he said, closing his eyes once again and stuffing his face into the crook of your neck.

as much as you wanted to deny that you liked it, you eventually gave in to his small protests and ran one hand up and down his back while the other tangled itself in his soft hair.

he deserved it.

falling in love all over again.

pairing: y.jw x older fem!reader. ( roommates to lovers )

warnings: nightmares

genre: fluff, comfort

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

“noona..” jungwons voice creaked out, stirring you around in your sleep. repeating it again, he placed a soft hand on your shoulder, careful not to startle you. “ noona, wake up..” he muttered, a little bit louder this time. letting out a small groan, you had woken up from your sleep rubbing your eyes with a frown tattooed on your face. already, jungwon had already started to mumble out apologies for waking you up until you had stopped him with a small tap on his sweaty hand that still rested on your shoulder.

“what’s wrong wonie?” you asked gently, sitting up while peaking your eyes to open. the state jungwon was in almost crushed your heart. his eyes were red and puffy, hair messy and cheeks stained with previous tears. “ what happened?” you asked, this time with more urgency in your voice. jungwon wasn’t the type to have nightmares but when he did, they were really bad. he explained that he had a nightmare and you opened your arms immediately. cooing, you wrapped your arms around his figure that had placed itself next to you. he let out another quiet sob, burying his face in your shoulder. “ shhh… it’s okay, you’re safe now.” you whispered, hoping it would somewhat comfort him. “ sleep here tonight, okay?”, laying yourselves down while rubbing comforting circles on his back.

he had seemed to somewhat calm down and his previously wide eyes had grown tired and sleepy. allowed him to continue to rest against you, you brought your hand up to his hair, gently playing with it. something you did ever movie night which seemed to make him sleep in an instant. a few minutes pass and jungwons head grew heavy against your shoulder, meaning he had fallen asleep, you following him into dreamworld not soon after.

+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

feeling limbs untangle with yours mixed with the sunlight seeping out of the window pulled you out of your dream. you felt a pressure lift off the bed next to you, making you open your eyes, only to squint straight after. “ go back to sleep noona…” jungwon said softly, padding over to your side of the bed. his eyes weren’t puffy anymore but his cheeks were sure rosy. he looked so cute, it was almost as if you could k… no that would be weird… “ y/n noona, thank you for last night.” he said, sitting down next to you on the bed just as he did last night.

he leaned over, leaving a small kiss on your cheek. now his face was much more than rosy and you were sure your face was too. he let out a tiny giggle, standing up before kissing your other cheek, ruffling your hair, and walking out of the room.

…did that all really just happen?

——————————————————————————

a/n!! i know this is pretty short but i’ve noticed that my short drabbles do better than my long writings! also please leave requests! i suck at writing without a guideline to follow to requests really help. thank you!!!

Helloooo how are you?? can I please request late night walks with a jealous jungwon?? I love your works btw! Luv ya 💕

pairing: yjw x reader

genre: fluff

warnings: jealousy, weird man, night time, angry jungwon.. lmk if i missed anything!!

a/n: hi my love! for sure, i hope you enjoy :) it’s not anything too long!! just a short drabble while i wait for my bus!

the cool breeze blew against you and jungwon as you ran down the road with laughter spurring out of your mouths. “ i won the race!” you called out, teasing him with your tongue out while he simply stared at you, love strucked.

unbeknown to you, jungwon could’ve easily beaten you if we wanted to but he enjoyed seeing you so happy, even if that meant he would get teased. he groaned in fake despair, waddling over to you to pull the both of you off the road as a car could be heard approaching from somewhere down the street.

this wasn’t the first time you and jungwon had gone on a walk together but it was definitely something new every time you went.

you had starting walking along the sidewalk, jungwon intertwining his hands with yours, a light blush on his cheeks. hearing a whistle from besides the two of you, jungwon turned to his to look at a younger guy, leaning against a fence.

“ her pretty lady! i can treat you better than that guy. come over here” he called out, eyeing you up and down. jungwon scowled at the man, standing on the side where he was, trying to maintain distance between you and the guy.

he didn’t say anything but you could tell her was fuming. jungwon simply glared at the man, scoffing when the man had stood up and walked away. you sighed, watching him walk away before tugging on jungwons arm

“ jungwonnie, i love you. i won’t leave you.. ever.” you mumbled, making sure the guy was out of sight before getting up on your tippy toes to give jungwon a peck on his nose.

and just like that, he was back to his normal, cheery self.

WAAAA THIS IS SO CUTE

when you do enhypen’s makeup 🩰﹒✩

— — — — — — — — —

warnings: none.. maybe just so much fluff, you might die !!! （＾ν＾）

enhypen x gender neutral reader fluff <3

also the photo is not mine! i got it off pinterest so all credits to them <3

lee heeseung.

honestly, he only wants you to do his makeup because he wants to feel the softness of the brushes on his skin. (IS IT JUST ME WHO LIKES IT TOO :( ITS SO CALMING .) but other than that, he also loves the idea of you close to his face and the gaze when you’re focused.

“hee baby, PLEASE close your eyes. im trying to do your eyeshadow.” you sigh and cup his cheeks. “sorry love. i can’t help but look at your lovely face. wait a second, ARE YOU PUTTING BRIGHT LIPSTICK ON ME ?!”

park jongseong.

he’s letting this happen because he loves you so much. if someone ever asked him if they can do his makeup, he won’t even let them finish the sentence. but when it comes to you, it’s a quick YES. he gives you the brushes for you so you can do his makeup </3

“babe.. that’s the wrong brush .” he quickly puts the brush back in your makeup bag and tries to find the right brush. “is this the right one, darling ?” he holds it up for you to see. “thank you love, this is the right one.”

sim jake.

omfg this baby would love it sm, he wants you to do his makeup everyday now 🙁 forget about their makeup stylist, you are his personal one now !!! honestly he would love how you gently put your hand on his face because you’re trying to put makeup on him </3

“ooohh !! what are you gonna do next ?!” he questions you while smiling. “well my beloved, all i need to do is just to do your blush and to touch up your soft lips.” you peck his lips, making him feel giggly inside.

park sunghoon.

he literally does not want you to do it but, he folds so quickly that he’s okay with it :(( seeing you happy makes him happy like CMONN ?!! he couldn’t live a day without seeing you smile or at least laugh once in a while T_T

“okay so, im gonna put on some lip tint on you.. maybe eyeliner and im gonna put mascara on you !” he rolls his eyes but he smiles afterwards because he loves when you just talk to talk <3 “you’re so lucky i love you sweetie.”

kim sunoo.

you’re so funny to think that you’re gonna do his makeup.. NO HE WILL !!!!!!! he literally wants to experiment all these different kinds of makeup styles, he even wants to do your hair too :(( he is so adorable GOODBYE !??!!!! he would let you sit on his lap for sure while he does your makeup :,)

“baby oh my god..” his eyes widen. “what ?! did you mess up ?? it’s okay if you did honey .” you say but he shakes his head and smiles, leaving you confused . “no no, not at all . you’re just so mesmerizing to me .” he grins at you ☹️

yang jungwon.

honestly from all the rest of the members, he would be so calm and chill about everything :,) jungwon lets you do all the work while he just sits there, as your little experiment to do makeup because he doesn’t know what else to do 😭 i can see him being so awkward but he secretly enjoys it ^^

“wonie.. are you okay ? you’re a bit stiff …” you question him but he’s just staring at you, admiring your features. “hello ?? earth to jungwon, are you there ??” he quickly kisses your lips, leaving you speechless. “can we.. hurry please?”

nishimura riki.

this little rascal- /j omfg he would just laugh the whole time, making you mess up because his laugh is so contagious </3 he would make funny faces which would make you laugh, and then him </3 most times he would try hiding his laugh, which made him laugh even MORE CRIES

“please HA- my stomach hurts i need to stop laughing !” he looks at you with a weird face and it makes you both laugh. “ rikiii stop i wanna do your makeup pleaseee !!” he closes his eyes and says, “go ahead i’ll stop i promisee !” you start doing his highlights near his nostrils, which made him laugh AGAIN.

thank you so much for reading my reaction! this is the first one i ever done so.. if you wanna read more, just tell me or request <3

@ tag list :: none rn :(

Happy Valentines Day - Y.J

P: Yang Jungwon X fem!reader

Genre: Fluff - Tooth rotting Fluff, jealousy if you squint

Synopsis: Valentines day with Jungwon as your bf

♡♡

You wake up to the soft warmth of the late morning sun spilling through your curtains, casting a golden glow across your room. Stretching lazily, you reach for your phone on the nightstand, rubbing the last traces of sleep from your eyes. The screen lights up as you unlock it, and your heart skips a beat when you see a new message waiting for you.

It's from Jungwon, your boyfriend.

“Good morning! Happy Valentine’s Day, baby! I love you!”

A smile spreads across your face, the familiar warmth of his words wrapping around you like a hug. You can almost hear his voice, soft and sweet, as you tap a reply.

“Good morning! Happy Valentine’s Day, love! I love you too 🫶”

You hit send, feeling a wave of happiness wash over you. Even though he’s not with you right now, his message feels like he’s right beside you, making this quiet morning feel just a little more special.

Your phone buzzes again almost immediately, another message from Jungwon lighting up the screen.

“Be ready in an hour. I have a surprise for you.”

When the doorbell rings right on time, your heart skips a beat. You open the door to find Jungwon standing there, a radiant smile on his face. He's holding a beautiful bouquet of red roses in one hand and an adorable teddy bear in the other. But what catches your eye the most is the large poster he's holding, the words written in bold, colourful letters:

Excitement flutters in your stomach as you jump out of bed, suddenly wide awake. You rush through your morning routine, your mind racing with possibilities. After picking out your favorite outfit and making sure every detail is perfect, you check the time. Just a few more minutes until he arrives.

"Will you be my Valentine?"

Your eyes fill with happy tears as you look up at him. He steps closer, placing the flowers and teddy bear in your arms before wrapping you in a warm hug.

"I know it's cheesy," he says, his voice soft and full of love, "but I wanted to make today special for you."

You laugh, wiping away a tear. "It's perfect," you say, your heart swelling with joy. "Of course, I'll be your Valentine."

He pulls back just enough to look into your eyes, his smile widening. "Great, because I have the whole day planned out. Ready to go?"

You nod eagerly, slipping your hand into his as you step outside. The day is just beginning, but with Jungwon by your side, you know it's going to be unforgettable.

Jungwon leads you to his car, still holding your hand, and opens the door for you like the gentleman he is. You climb in, clutching the roses and teddy bear to your chest, feeling giddy. He hops into the driver’s seat, throwing you a quick smile before starting the car.

“You’re going to love the first stop,” he says, eyes twinkling with excitement.

As Jungwon starts the engine, you rummage through your bag, feeling a rush of anticipation. You had been waiting for this moment all week—the perfect surprise for him.

“Hey, before we hit the road, I have something for you,” you say, your voice bubbling with excitement.

He turns to you, curiosity dancing in his eyes. “For me? What is it?”

You pull out a neatly wrapped gift—a small white bag that you had carefully decorated with little doodles and hearts. You hand it to him, unable to suppress your smile.

When he finally pulls out the white baggy hoodie, his eyes widen in surprise. It’s soft and cozy, and what catches his attention is the unique design—your kiss marks splattered playfully across the front in various shades of pink.

“Open it!” you urge, watching as he takes the bag, his fingers gently tearing through the wrapping paper.

“Baby! Did you make this?” he asks, his voice a mixture of disbelief and delight.

“I did! My lips got so sore after making all those kisses, but I thought it would be a cute gift,” you explain, feeling a blush creep across your cheeks.

With a swift motion, he pulls off his sweater, revealing a simple T-shirt beneath. You can’t help but admire his physique for a moment before he slides the hoodie over his head. It swallows him slightly, but the sight is undeniably adorable.

“I love it, babe! So much so that I’m gonna wear it now!” he declares, a wide grin spreading across his face.

“How do I look?” he asks, turning to you with a playful tilt of his head.

“You look handsome as always!” you respond, your heart fluttering at the sight of him. The hoodie fits him perfectly, accentuating his charm while still showcasing your affectionate gesture.

Without thinking, he leans in and captures your lips in a gentle kiss, one that speaks of his appreciation and affection. You melt into the moment, feeling the warmth of his body next to yours and the soft fabric of the hoodie brushing against your skin.

He beams at your compliment, his cheeks flushing slightly. In that moment, everything feels perfect—just you and him.

When you pull away, he chuckles, his smile infectious. “I think I’m going to wear this all day.”

You laugh, nodding in agreement. “Good! It’s a reminder of me, and I want you to feel my love with you everywhere you go.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll wear it every chance I get,” he promises, giving you one last quick peck before shifting back into driving mode.

As the car pulls away, the two of you chat easily, like always. Even though it’s Valentine’s Day and there's a certain sweetness in the air, being with Jungwon is comfortable. There’s no pressure, just the effortless joy of being together.

After a short drive, he pulls into a quiet park, the trees lining the path swaying gently in the breeze. The sun is high now, warming the crisp February air. You step out, Jungwon by your side, guiding you along the path. The peacefulness of the park feels perfect, but then you spot something in the distance.

A beautiful blanket is spread out under a large oak tree, covered with all your favorite foods. There are neatly arranged sandwiches, fruit, a bottle of sparkling juice, and—your favorite—a plate of homemade sweets that look suspiciously like they’ve been made by Jungwon.

A picnic.

“You did all this?” you ask, eyes wide in disbelief.

He grins sheepishly. “I may have had some help with the setup, but yeah, I wanted to make this Valentine’s Day special.”

Jungwon leads you over to the blanket and you both sit down, the air filled with the scent of roses and freshly made food. You can’t help but lean into him, resting your head on his shoulder for a moment.

Your heart swells even more as you take in the thoughtful details, from the carefully chosen food to the way the spot was tucked away in a quiet corner of the park.

"This is perfect," you murmur softly, feeling the warmth of the sun.

He chuckles and presses a soft kiss to the top of your head. "I'm glad you think so, because this isn't even the best part."

You sit up, looking at him curiously. "There's more?"

He reaches into the picnic basket and pulls out a small box, his smile turning a little shy. Opening it, he reveals a delicate silver bracelet with a tiny charm—a heart, engraved with both your initials.

“I wanted to get you something you could keep with you, even when we’re not together,” Jungwon says, his voice quieter now, filled with sincerity.

You look at the bracelet, then back at him, your heart racing. "It's beautiful, Jungwon."

He takes your hand and gently fastens the bracelet around your wrist, his fingers brushing against your skin. The moment feels intimate, like time has slowed down just for the two of you.

“There,” he says softly, admiring the way it looks on you. “Now you’ll always have a little piece of me with you.”

As the afternoon rolls on, the picnic nearly finished, Jungwon suddenly reaches into the basket again, his eyes glinting mischievously. “Okay, don’t laugh,” he says, pulling out a box and setting it in front of you.

You smile, feeling overwhelmed by how much thought he’s put into everything. “I don’t need the bracelet to feel that,” you say, leaning in to kiss him softly. "You're always with me."

♡♡

You raise an eyebrow, curious. “What’s this?”

“Something fun. Open it.”

You carefully lift the lid, revealing an assortment of art supplies—colored markers, scissors, glitter glue, and a stack of construction paper in different shades of pink and red. You can’t help but giggle, feeling a wave of playful excitement.

“Arts and crafts?” you ask, grinning.

“Yup,” he says, popping the ‘p’ and looking ridiculously proud of himself. “I thought it would be fun to make some DIY Valentine’s Day cards. Something we can keep.”

Your heart melts at his thoughtfulness. “You really thought of everything, didn’t you?”

Jungwon laughs, pulling out a sheet of red paper and folding it in half. “Of course! Now, let’s see who can make the better Valentine card.”

Challenge accepted, you think. Grabbing a pink sheet of paper and a handful of markers, you dive in, the two of you working side by side, teasing each other as you draw hearts, write silly messages, and add way too much glitter. Laughter fills the space around you, mixing with the warmth of the sun and the soft rustling of the park's trees.

Jungwon leans over, sneakily trying to peek at your card. “Let me see! You can’t be done already.”

After a few more minutes, you both exchange cards, laughing as you see each other’s designs. His card is full of hearts and a little doodle of the two of you, while yours is filled with cute notes and inside jokes. You hold up his card and grin. “This is adorable.”

You cover it with your hand, pretending to be secretive. “Not yet! You’ll have to wait.”

As you set the cards aside, Jungwon’s face lights up again, and he reaches into the picnic basket one more time. This time, he pulls out a small tray of perfectly ripe strawberries and a little container of melted chocolate.

He chuckles. “I had a good model to draw from.”

You gasp in delight. “Jungwon, no way! You even brought strawberries and chocolate?”

“I know how much you love them,” he says, popping open the container of chocolate and dipping a strawberry into it. “Here,” he says, holding it out to you.

Jungwon leans back, watching you with a soft smile on his face. “I’m glad you’re having a good time.”

You take a bite, the sweetness of the strawberry and the richness of the chocolate melting together perfectly. “This is amazing,” you mumble between bites.

You meet his eyes, the warmth and affection in his gaze making your heart flutter all over again. "How could I not? This is the best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had."

He reaches for another strawberry, this time taking a bite himself before offering you the rest. “Well, I wanted it to be special. You deserve that.”

You share the strawberries, your fingers sticky with chocolate as you laugh and feed each other.

As the last strawberry is devoured and you both wipe your sticky fingers on the picnic napkins, Jungwon sits back, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. The soft rustling of leaves in the breeze, mixed with the distant hum of nature, makes the world feel like it belongs to just the two of you.

“So,” he says, standing up and offering you his hand. “Ready for the next part of the day?”

You raise an eyebrow, curious but already excited. “There’s more?”

Once everything is packed, he leads you back to his car, and you climb in, the air between you buzzing with anticipation. Jungwon turns the key in the ignition and pulls out of the park, giving you that teasing smile again. “You’re going to love this next spot.”

“Of course there’s more,” he chuckles, pulling you up and gathering the remnants of the picnic. “We’ve still got a whole Valentine’s Day ahead of us.”

As he drives, you watch the world outside the window change from suburban streets to something more urban. After about twenty minutes, he pulls up to a spot you recognize instantly—a charming botanical garden that you’d been wanting to visit for ages.

“Surprise,” he says, parking the car with a grin.

You gasp, eyes wide with excitement. “The botanical gardens? How did you know?”

“I’ve heard you mention it a few times,” he says, hopping out of the car and coming around to open your door. “I thought it’d be the perfect place to visit on a day like today.”

As you stroll through the garden, hand in hand, the two of you pause every now and then to admire the different flowers. Jungwon stops to point out some of the more unique plants, making little comments and jokes that keep you smiling.

You step out and take his hand, and together you enter the garden. Immediately, you’re greeted by the sight of vibrant flowers, lush greenery, and winding paths that lead through stunning landscapes. The air smells sweet and fresh, and the sound of trickling fountains in the distance adds to the peaceful atmosphere.

At one point, you pass through an archway covered in ivy, leading to a secluded section of the garden where a large fountain sits in the center, the water sparkling under the fading light. Jungwon pulls you closer, his arm draped around your waist as you both sit on the edge of the fountain, watching the water ripple and shimmer.

“This place is beautiful,” you murmur, leaning your head on his shoulder.

“It really is,” he agrees, his voice soft. “But you’re still the most beautiful thing here.”

You roll your eyes playfully, but your heart skips a beat at his words. Before you can respond, Jungwon stands up, holding out his hand again. “C’mon, there’s one more thing I want to show you.”

Curious, you take his hand and follow him further into the garden until you reach a small glass greenhouse. Inside, the air is warm, filled with the heady scent of exotic flowers and the soft hum of nature. Jungwon pushes open the door, leading you inside, and your eyes widen as you take in the sight.

The greenhouse is filled with delicate orchids, rare tropical plants, and hanging vines. A small path weaves through the space, leading to a cozy bench tucked away in the corner.

“Jungwon,” you whisper, touched by the gesture. “You planned all of this?”

You walk over to the bench, admiring the flowers as you sit down. He joins you, wrapping his arm around your waist, pulling you close. The soft light filtering through the glass roof casts a warm glow over everything, and for a moment, you both sit in comfortable silence, surrounded by the beauty of the greenhouse.

He shrugs, a little sheepish. “I wanted today to feel special, from start to finish.”

“Thank you,” you say quietly, looking up at him with a smile. “This day… it’s been everything I could’ve asked for.”

After spending a little more time in the greenhouse, enjoying the peace and quiet, you leave the botanical gardens as the sky turns a light shade of orange. But Jungwon isn’t done yet. As the two of you get back into the car, he shoots you a quick grin. “Ready for the next part of our day?” he asks, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

Jungwon leans in, brushing a soft kiss against your forehead. “Anything for you.”

You sit up, curious but eager, “There’s more?”

He laughs, “Of course there’s more! This is just the beginning.”

After a short drive, Jungwon pulls up to the first surprise: an adorable little café that you’ve been dying to visit for ages. The fairy lights wrapped around the entrance glow warmly, making the place look magical in the early evening light. The windows are fogged up, and inside, you can see people sitting at cozy tables, sipping coffee and enjoying decadent desserts.

He parks and turns to you with a grin. “I know you’ve been wanting to come here, so I made us a reservation.”

Your heart swells. “You remembered!”

“Of course I did. How could I forget? You’ve been talking about this place for weeks.”

After finishing the croissants, Jungwon leans forward, a glint in his eye. “Alright, ready for the next stop?”

He leads you inside, where you’re greeted with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and sweet pastries. The hostess leads you to a corner table by the window, where the two of you can see the twinkling city lights outside. As soon as you sit down, Jungwon orders your favorite hot drink and a plate of chocolate-covered croissants.

The two of you settle into the cozy atmosphere, talking and laughing over the warm drinks. The conversation flows easily, as it always does with him, and you find yourself lost in the moment, completely at peace.

♡♡

You raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “ More?”

“Just you wait,” he says with a wink, standing up and helping you with your coat.

You’re back in the car, the city lights reflecting off the glass as Jungwon drives you to your next destination. You look out the window, wondering what he could have planned next. Soon, he pulls into a quiet street lined with quaint little shops, all closed for the night—except for one. A warm glow spills out from the windows of a tiny art studio, its sign twinkling under the streetlights.

When you step inside, you’re greeted by the smell of paint and fresh canvas. The room is filled with easels and paint supplies, and at the center of it all is a table reserved just for the two of you. There’s a soft, calming music playing in the background, and the instructor welcomes you both with a warm smile.

“We’re doing a paint and sip class?” you ask, eyes wide with surprise.

Jungwon nods, smiling. “I figured we could make some art together, especially after our little arts and crafts session earlier. Plus, I know you love trying new things.”

Jungwon’s tongue sticks out slightly in concentration as he paints, and you can’t help but giggle at how focused he is. “What?” he asks, looking at you with a playful smile.

The instructor hands you each a canvas, a palette of paints, and a glass of sparkling juice. You sit side by side, brushes in hand, as the instructor gives gentle guidance on what to paint. The two of you start with a simple idea—a sunset—but it quickly turns into something more personal. You add little details that remind you of each other: inside jokes, tiny symbols of your favorite memories, even a little doodle of the teddy bear he gave you earlier.

“You’re so cute when you’re concentrating,” you tease, leaning over to nudge his shoulder.

He laughs and dips his brush into some paint, making a quick swipe across your canvas. “Hey!”

After thanking the instructor and leaving the studio, Jungwon loads your paintings carefully into the car before turning to you with a soft smile. “One last stop.”

You gasp, feigning shock, and dip your own brush into paint, swiping a playful line across his. Before you know it, you’re both giggling like kids, splashing tiny bits of paint on each other’s canvases, but eventually, you settle back down and finish your masterpieces. By the end of the session, you’re both proud of what you’ve created.

The final destination turns out to be a rooftop garden overlooking the city skyline. The air is crisp, the stars twinkling brightly above as he takes your hand and leads you up the stairs. When you reach the top, your breath catches in your throat.

Candles are scattered around, their soft glow illuminating a small table set up with blankets and pillows. There’s no one else around—just you, Jungwon, and the endless stretch of stars above. A small portable speaker plays your favorite song in the background.

Jungwon pulls you into a gentle embrace, swaying with you to the music. “I wanted to end the night somewhere special. Somewhere quiet, just us.”

You wrap your arms around him, resting your head against his chest as the two of you sway slowly under the stars. “You’ve outdone yourself,” you whisper, your heart overflowing with love.

He smiles down at you, his eyes soft and full of warmth. “I just wanted to make today perfect. You mean the world to me.”

You pull back slightly, gazing up at him, your heart fluttering. “It’s more than perfect. I’ll never forget this day.”

He leans down, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips. “Neither will I.”

As the gentle hum of the night surrounds you, you find yourself lost in Jungwon’s gaze, the moment feeling incredibly intimate and precious. You caress his cheek softly, your thumb brushing over his skin, feeling the warmth radiating from him. His dimple pops out as he blushes, an adorable shade of pink painting his cheeks, making your heart flutter even more.

“I really do love you, you know,” you whisper, the words flowing from your heart like a sweet melody.

His eyes widen slightly, a mix of surprise and joy illuminating his face. “I love you too,” he replies, his voice almost a breathless whisper, the sincerity in his tone wrapping around you like a warm embrace.

You can’t help but smile at him, your heart swelling with affection. “I mean it. You make every day brighter, and I’m so grateful to have you in my life.”

The words hang in the air, heavy with meaning and promise. You nod, your heart racing as you hold his gaze.

Jungwon leans into your touch, his eyes softening even more. “You’re my everything. I never want to lose this… us.”

He brings his hand up to cover yours, still resting on his cheek, and you feel an overwhelming sense of love wash over you. “No matter what happens, I want you to know that I’ll always be here for you,” he says, his voice steady and full of conviction.

“Always,” you affirm, a smile spreading across your face.

Bonus!!!

The soft glow of the TV screen flickered across the room as you settled into the couch, Yang—the plushie Jungwon had gifted you for valentines —snuggled comfortably in your arms. You glanced around the room, the familiar faces of Jungwon’s friends surrounding you. Sunghoon sat to your left, his focus fixed on the game, while Jay was on your right, equally engrossed.

The sounds of the boys laughing and cheering filled the air, but despite the lively atmosphere, you felt your eyelids growing heavy. You hadn’t slept well the previous night, a mix of excitement and nerves keeping you awake. You fought to keep your eyes open, but the warm, cozy embrace of the couch combined with the rhythmic sounds of the game made it harder and harder.

“Are you okay?” Sunghoon asked, glancing over at you, concern etching his features.

“Just a bit tired,” you replied, stifling a yawn.

Jay chuckled softly. “You should’ve taken a nap before coming over. You look like you could use one.”

You didn’t notice when Heeseung quietly picked you up, carefully cradling you in his arms as he made his way to a vacant guest room in the house. He laid you down gently on the soft bed, tucking Yang beside you. Your grip instinctively tightened around the plushie, pulling it close to your chest.

You gave him a small smile, but the effort was too much. Before you knew it, your eyes fluttered closed, and you succumbed to the pull of sleep, the sounds of the game fading into a gentle background hum.

Time passed, and you remained blissfully unaware of the world around you, lost in a peaceful dream. You didn’t hear Jungwon arrive, nor did you notice the way he paused at the door, taking in the sight of you sleeping peacefully.

“Look at her,” Jungwon muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing slightly at the sight. He felt a twinge of frustration—that plushie wasn’t him.

The moment felt surreal as he stepped into the room, a small smile creeping onto his face at the sight of you curled up with Yang. But then a wave of jealousy washed over him, stirring an unfamiliar feeling in his chest.

Why was Yang getting all the cuddles?

Jake, who had followed Jungwon into the room, nudged him with a knowing smile. “You bought it for her, Won. If it really means that much, take its place.”

Sunoo, standing a bit behind Jake, added softly, “Yeah, she wouldn’t mind if you swapped places for a bit.”

Jungwon’s gaze shifted back to you, taking in the peaceful expression on your face. You looked so content, clutching Yang like it was the most comforting thing in the world. He felt a mix of warmth and possessiveness at the sight, his heart softening as he walked closer.

“Maybe you’re right,” he said quietly, a smirk forming on his lips as he knelt beside the bed. Gently, he reached out and moved Yang just enough so he could slip into your space without waking you.

He settled next to you, wrapping his arms around you and resting his chin on your head. The moment he made contact, you instinctively nuzzled closer, sighing contentedly. Jungwon chuckled softly, realizing that, even in your sleep, you craved his warmth.

“Guess she loves me more,” he whispered, his heart swelling with affection.

With a satisfied sigh, Jungwon closed his eyes, letting himself relax as he held you close, feeling as if everything was just as it should be. Yang may have been the plushie that kept you company, but he knew he’d always be the one you truly cherished—and that thought filled him with joy.

It was clear as day that Jungwon belonged right there next to you, sharing the warmth of your love.

♡♡

a/n: OMGGG! Thank you all for the rise in popularity for my Ni-ki fic!! I never expected it to blow up overnight. xD Truly happy!

Crossing The Line - Y.J

P: Hufflepuff!Jungwon X Fem!Reader

Trope: Friends To Lovers

Warnings: Misunderstandings, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff

Synopsis: When you receive your Hogwarts letter and meet Yang Jungwon on the Hogwarts Express, an innocent friendship blossoms into something deeper over the years.

a/n: oh boy.. here we go!! more angst!!! fun fact! i actually reinstalled hogwarts mystery again.. heh. and i love the fact that you guys keep calling the series immersive!!

masterlist

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

The platform was bustling with excited chatter and the hiss of steam as you stood with your parents at King's Cross Station, feeling the weight of the moment sink in. Platform 9¾ stretched out before you, the scarlet train waiting to take you to a place you'd only heard about—Hogwarts. With a final hug and well wishes from your parents, you stepped through the barrier and made your way toward the train.

You found an empty compartment, pushing open the door with a quiet creak. Hefting your suitcase, you placed it in the overhead compartment before sinking into the plush seat by the window. Your fingers absentmindedly fiddled with the edge of your sweater, trying to calm your racing heart. The door slid open, and you looked up to see a boy standing there, his sharp, cat-like eyes watching you curiously.

"Excuse me, can I sit here? Everywhere else is full," he asked, his voice warm and polite.

You nodded, offering a small smile. His face lit up as he smiled back, revealing dimples that deepened his expression. You widened your eyes slightly, finding the sight unexpectedly cute.

He quickly stashed his suitcase overhead before taking the seat across from you. His attention shifted to the scenery, eyes wide with wonder as he gazed out the window. The train rumbled to life, beginning its journey, and you decided to pull out your book about Hogwarts, hoping to absorb some last-minute knowledge before arriving.

But it seemed your quiet moment of reading was the perfect cue for him to strike up a conversation. "My name is Yang Jungwon! What's yours?" His smile was wide and friendly, and you couldn't help but return it.

You introduced yourself softly, and his grin only grew wider. "Nice to meet you!" he beamed, the excitement in his voice contagious.

"Nice to meet you too," you replied, feeling your nerves ease as the two of you began to talk about anything and everything—family, Hogwarts, what house you thought you'd end up in.

Before long, a voice interrupted your conversation. "Anything from the trolley, dears?"

You both turned to see the trolley lady, her cart brimming with an assortment of magical sweets. Your face brightened as you dug into your pocket, pulling out a few coins your mother had given you. "I'll take some chocolate frogs, please," you said, and Jungwon chimed in quickly.

"Add on some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans!" He handed over his coins with a grin.

Back in your seats, you and Jungwon tore open the packages, sharing the sweets between you. You tried to keep hold of your chocolate frog, but it leapt out of your grip and hopped right out the door, leaving you with just the card. A smile tugged at your lips when you saw a witch you hadn't collected yet.

Beside you, Jungwon popped a jelly bean into his mouth and immediately made a face. "Soap…" he groaned, looking at you in dismay.

You giggled, intrigued, and picked one up for yourself. You grinned after tasting it. "Marshmallow," you said with a laugh, earning a playful groan from Jungwon as he slumped back in his seat, defeated by the beans.

As the Hogwarts Express began to slow, the familiar buzz of excitement filled the air. You and Jungwon exchanged glances, knowing it was time to change into your robes, the thick fabric a comforting weight on your shoulders.

When the train finally came to a stop, you struggled a bit with the overhead compartment, trying to reach your suitcase.

“Here, let me help,” Jungwon offered, his voice gentle as he stood up beside you. He reached up, effortlessly pulling your suitcase down and handing it to you with a bright smile. “Got it.”

“Thanks,” you said, a warmth spreading through your chest as you slung your bag over your shoulder.

Stepping off the train, you were immediately greeted by the cool night air and the sound of a deep voice calling, “Firs’ years! Firs’ years, over here!” Hagrid stood, towering over the sea of students, ushering the first-years toward the boats.

You and Jungwon hurried over to the shore, where the small, enchanted boats awaited. Without needing to say anything, the two of you naturally climbed into one together. As the boat gently glided over the glassy surface of the Black Lake, the towering silhouette of Hogwarts Castle appeared in the distance, glowing softly against the dark sky. You felt a flutter of nerves, but beside you, Jungwon was staring wide-eyed at the castle, his mouth slightly open in awe.

“This is amazing,” he whispered, his breath visible in the cool air.

You smiled, nodding in agreement, though your stomach was now a tight knot of anticipation. The boat journey felt like it lasted both a second and a lifetime, and before you knew it, you were stepping onto the shore. The grand castle doors loomed ahead as you joined the group of students making their way toward the Great Hall.

Inside, the ceiling glittered with stars, a sea of floating candles lighting the massive room. As you walked, your hand brushed against Jungwon's, and at some point, without even realizing it, you found your fingers laced together. The warmth of his hand in yours kept your nerves at bay as you both took in the majesty of the hall.

Suddenly, the Sorting Hat was brought out, and one by one, students were called forward. The tension built as you watched each name get sorted into a house, and before long, you heard your name.

Your heart raced as you stepped forward, hands trembling slightly as you sat on the stool and the Sorting Hat was placed on your head. The brim fell over your eyes, and for a moment, everything went quiet.

"Hmm… tricky. You've got bravery, no doubt, but there’s also a thirst for knowledge. A good heart, too… I know just where to put you," the Sorting Hat murmured.

When it called out your house, the hall erupted into cheers from the table. You stood up, catching Jungwon’s eye as he grinned widely, giving you a thumbs up from where he stood in line.

Not long after, it was his turn. The Sorting Hat barely touched his head before it cried, “Hufflepuff!”

The Hufflepuff table roared with excitement as Jungwon made his way over, flashing you a smile that seemed even brighter under the candlelight.

A few weeks later, you and Jungwon sat outside the Herbology classroom, basking in the warm afternoon sun. You had developed a habit of meeting before classes, sneaking moments together between your different schedules. Today, the atmosphere felt especially peaceful, the school grounds quiet except for the rustle of leaves in the breeze.

Jungwon had been oddly quiet for a while, focused on something in his hands. When you glanced over, you noticed he had woven a ring out of small flowers and grass. His fingers moved with care, and soon, he held up the delicate creation with a satisfied smile.

“For you,” he said softly, reaching over and gently slipping the flower ring onto your finger.

You stared at it for a moment, touched by the gesture. “It’s beautiful,” you whispered.

Jungwon leaned back, grinning. “I made it because… well, I wanted us to make a promise.” His tone was softer now, more serious. “Let’s always be friends, no matter what happens, okay?”

Your heart swelled at his words, and you looked at the flower ring on your finger before meeting his eyes. Without hesitation, you nodded, smiling at him with a sense of certainty. “Always.”

The two of you sat there, hands linked again, the flower ring resting between your fingers as a quiet symbol of a bond that neither time nor magic could ever break.

The years passed swiftly, and through it all, you and Jungwon remained inseparable. From attending classes to studying in the library late into the night, to sneaking off into the Forbidden Forest on dares, there was rarely a moment where you weren’t by each other’s side.

By the time you reached your fourth year, Hogwarts had become your home in every sense. The once-imposing castle corridors now felt familiar, but even after years of wandering, there were still hidden places that remained a mystery to most students.

It was on one of these afternoons, when you were distracted by a muggle novel one of your friends had lent you, that you stumbled upon a new discovery. Lost in the pages of the book, you absentmindedly wandered down unfamiliar corridors, barely paying attention to where your feet were leading you. By the time you looked up from the words, you realized you were somewhere entirely new.

The hallway was dimly lit, the paintings on the walls peering down at you with curiosity. Their whispered voices echoed faintly as they observed you, as if intrigued by the rare visitor. You hadn’t seen anyone else around for what felt like ages.

You glanced around, taking in the quiet, shadowy atmosphere and wondering how you’d ended up here. It wasn’t a place you’d passed by before, but it didn’t feel threatening—just secluded, like a pocket of Hogwarts forgotten by most. After a few minutes of cautious exploring, you managed to retrace your steps, finding your way back to the grand staircase.

The discovery had intrigued you, and your first thought was to share it with Jungwon. The next day, you brought him back to the hallway, excitement bubbling in your chest as you led him behind a griffin statue, down the winding path near the kitchens. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the hidden space.

“Woah… How did you even find this?” Jungwon asked, his cat-like eyes sparkling with amusement.

“I was just wandering around, not paying attention,” you admitted sheepishly. “But look—no one ever comes here! It’s like our own secret place.”

From that day on, the hallway became your private hideaway. Whenever you wanted a break from the busy castle or just needed a quiet moment, you and Jungwon would slip away, sharing sweets and laughing over small things. The portraits on the walls had grown fond of you both, sometimes chatting with you or simply observing in silent approval. Even the house-elves in the nearby kitchen grew used to your visits, bringing you snacks or drinks whenever they saw you lounging in your little corner.

It was nice—no, it was perfect. But as time went on, something began to change, at least for you.

At first, it was subtle. Maybe it was the way Jungwon’s laughter seemed to linger in your ears longer than it used to, or how you found yourself noticing little details about him more and more—the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, how his dimple appeared every time he laughed, how he absentmindedly played with the hem of his sleeves when he was nervous. Little things that, in years past, you would have brushed off as normal.

But now, they made your heart flutter in a way you didn’t quite understand.

You would sit together, sharing sweets or reading quietly, and you’d catch yourself watching him. Your thoughts would drift, wondering what it would be like to hold his hand not just out of comfort, but because you wanted to. What it would feel like to be closer to him, in a way that wasn’t just friendship.

It was confusing at first—how could you start to see Jungwon in this new light after being best friends for so long? You didn’t know if it was something that had slowly grown over time or if it was just hitting you all at once now, but the more time you spent with him, the harder it was to ignore the feelings stirring inside you.

One day, as you both sat in the hidden hallway, Jungwon was weaving another ring out of flowers, something he had taken to doing often since that first time years ago. He looked so focused, his fingers nimble as they twisted the stems into delicate shapes, and your heart ached as you watched him.

“I made this one for you,” he said, holding up the ring with a bright smile, completely unaware of the turmoil brewing inside you.

You took the flower ring from him, sliding it onto your finger just like you had done countless times before. But this time, it felt different. Your chest tightened, and you wondered if Jungwon could ever see you in the same way you were starting to see him.

“It’s perfect,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper as you looked at the ring, then back at him. He beamed at you, that same dimpled smile that always made your heart skip a beat.

You started noticing all the little things Jungwon did for you—the small gestures that had once been background noise now stood out, each one making your heart race in ways you weren’t quite ready to admit.

It began with the smallest moments.

One evening in the library, you were hunched over your books, trying to finish an essay on Transfiguration. The stress had built up, and your mind felt like it was going in circles. Jungwon was sitting across from you, focused on his own homework, but he must have noticed your frustration. Without a word, he reached across the table and slid a piece of chocolate toward you.

"Thought you could use a break," he said, flashing you his signature dimpled smile.

You stared at the chocolate for a moment, your heart doing an odd little flip. It wasn’t the first time he had done something like this, but now, it felt different. There was a warmth in your chest that hadn’t been there before, a growing awareness of how thoughtful he was, how much he paid attention to the smallest details about you.

You took the chocolate, feeling your face flush as you mumbled a quiet, "Thanks."

Then there were the times when he'd wait for you outside your classroom, his smile lighting up the corridor when you appeared. Even on days when you were running late or had been too busy to tell him your plans, somehow, Jungwon always seemed to know where you’d be.

It wasn’t just the small things, though. There were bigger moments that made your heart skip in a way you couldn’t ignore.

Like when he defended you during a particularly tense Quidditch match. The Slytherin team had been throwing jabs your way, trying to get under your skin. You had shrugged it off, not wanting to make a scene, but Jungwon had noticed immediately.

After the game, when one of the players made a snide comment as they walked past, Jungwon had stepped in without hesitation.

"Hey, back off," he said, his usually soft voice firm and unwavering. His eyes were sharp, protective. The Slytherin player backed down with a smirk, muttering something under their breath, but you had barely noticed. You were too busy watching Jungwon, feeling the weight of his presence beside you, the way he stood up for you so naturally.

"Thanks," you had whispered, feeling a rush of something more than gratitude. He turned to you, his expression softening immediately as he shrugged it off like it was nothing.

"Of course," he said, smiling at you again. "No one messes with my best friend."

Those words—best friend—should have reassured you, but instead, they only made your heart ache more. Because now, every time he smiled at you like that, all you could think about was how much you wished he could see you as something more.

Then came the day when you were both back in your secret hallway, hidden behind the griffin statue like always. You had shared sweets, talking about nothing and everything, the same way you had since your first year. Jungwon had pulled out his wand and was absentmindedly casting small charms on the sweets, making them float or change colors as you both laughed.

At some point, you had leaned against his shoulder without thinking, the proximity between you feeling so natural. His warmth seeped through the fabric of his robe, and you felt a sense of comfort that was almost intoxicating. You closed your eyes, listening to the sound of his steady breathing, and for a moment, everything felt perfect.

Until you realized your heart was pounding in your chest, and it wasn’t because of the magic or the laughter—it was because of him.

You sat up suddenly, your face heating up as you put some space between you. Jungwon looked at you, confused by your sudden movement. "You okay?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, his eyes filled with concern.

"Y-yeah," you stammered, avoiding his gaze as you fidgeted with the sleeve of your robe. "Just... lost in thought."

He gave you a soft smile, not pushing the subject, and went back to practicing his charms. But you couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed inside you. This wasn’t just a crush—it was more than that. The realization hit you like a wave: you were falling for him, and you didn’t know how to stop it.

From the way his smile made your stomach flip, to the sound of his laugh that made your day instantly brighter, it was becoming harder and harder to deny your feelings. Every moment with Jungwon felt like a blessing and a curse—because while you cherished every second by his side, you couldn’t help but wish for more.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

It was a quiet evening in the common room, the soft crackling of the fireplace filling the space as you sat with a group of your friends, sprawled out on one of the couches.

One of your friends, Alice, was seated next to you, idly flipping through a textbook. She glanced up, noticing the distant look in your eyes. “You’ve been pretty distracted lately,” she said with a smirk. “Anything on your mind?”

You blinked, snapping out of your thoughts. “What? No, nothing!” you replied quickly, a bit too quickly, which only made Alice’s smirk grow wider.

“Oh, really?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve been daydreaming for the past ten minutes. Who’s the lucky person?”

Your other friends, Ben and Amelia, perked up at the conversation, their attention now fully on you. “Yeah, come on,” Ben teased, leaning forward. “What’s got you so spaced out?”

You could feel your face starting to heat up, and you quickly looked back down at your homework, trying to brush it off. “I’m not daydreaming! I’m just… thinking.”

“Thinking about Jungwon?” Amelia chimed in with a grin, her voice lilting in that sing-songy way that made your stomach drop.

At the mention of his name, you felt your cheeks flush even more. You tried to play it cool, but the way your hand fumbled over the quill you were holding gave you away. “W-What? No!” you stammered, suddenly feeling the heat of all their gazes on you.

“Oh my Merlin, it is Jungwon!” Alice exclaimed, her eyes wide with realization. “I knew it! You’ve been acting all weird around him lately.”

“No, I haven’t!” you protested, your heart pounding now, but your friends weren’t buying it. They exchanged knowing looks, grins spreading across their faces as if they had just uncovered the greatest secret of the century.

Amelia giggled, leaning in closer. “You totally have a crush on him, don’t you?”

Your face was now practically on fire. “I do not!” you said, a little too defensively, which only made them laugh harder.

“Oh, you so do!” Ben said, laughing as he nudged Alice. “Look at how red she is!”

Your friends’ laughter echoed in the common room, and you felt a surge of embarrassment wash over you. “I don’t have a crush!” you repeated, but the more you tried to deny it, the more they teased you, their laughter growing louder.

Alice leaned back on the couch, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Come on, just admit it! You’re totally into him!”

“I’m not!” you shot back, but you could hear the desperation in your own voice now, and you knew it was useless.

“Look at her blush!” Amelia teased, poking your arm. “She’s so smitten!”

That was it. You slammed your book shut and jumped to your feet. “I’m not smitten!” you cried, but your friends were already laughing hysterically, darting off the couch and scattering around the common room as you stood there, flustered and red-faced.

Alice was the first to make a break for it, running toward the stairs, but you were quicker. “Get back here!” you shouted, chasing after her as she squealed in delight.

“Admit it, and I’ll stop teasing you!” Alice called over her shoulder, laughing as she dodged around a chair.

“Never!” you yelled back, lunging at her, but she was too fast, slipping away as Ben and Amelia joined in the laughter, clapping and cheering from the sidelines.

“You’ll never catch me!” Alice teased, dancing just out of your reach, her laughter infectious.

You chased her around the common room, your face still burning with embarrassment but now mixed with a strange sense of relief. Your friends’ teasing, though relentless, wasn’t mean-spirited. They had noticed something you weren’t quite ready to admit, and as much as it flustered you, there was something almost comforting in knowing that they had your back.

Finally, after several more failed attempts to grab Alice, you collapsed back onto the couch, out of breath and laughing despite yourself. Your friends joined you, all of them still grinning.

“You know we’re just teasing,” Ben said, his tone softening slightly as he gave you a playful nudge. “But seriously, you should tell him.”

You bit your lip, your heart racing at the thought. “Tell him what?” you asked, still trying to play innocent, though you knew exactly what he meant.

“That you like him, obviously,” Amelia chimed in, her voice gentle now. “You never know, he might feel the same way.”

You fell silent for a moment, staring at your hands as your heart fluttered at the possibility. The thought of telling Jungwon how you felt terrified you, but at the same time, the idea that he might feel the same way filled you with a strange sense of hope.

“Well,” you said softly, glancing up at your friends, “maybe one day…”

They all exchanged knowing smiles, and though the teasing wasn’t over, there was a new understanding between you all. They knew how much Jungwon meant to you, and now, so did you.

Despite your friends’ teasing and their insistence that you tell Jungwon how you felt, you kept your feelings to yourself. You thought that, maybe over time, they would fade, that you’d eventually stop seeing him in this new light and things would go back to normal.

But that didn’t happen.

The years continued to pass, and your crush on Jungwon only deepened. It was impossible not to fall harder with every kind gesture, every shared laugh, every late-night conversation. He was always there, by your side, his familiar smile brightening even the dullest of days.

But to Jungwon, you were just friends. Best friends, yes—but still just friends.

Right?

That thought echoed in your mind constantly. He had never treated you differently, never given any indication that he felt something more. You tried to convince yourself that maybe it was better this way. It was safer to stay in the comfort of friendship than to risk everything by confessing your feelings.

Even though each time he smiled at you, your heart felt like it might burst.

It was fifth year when you really started to notice the ache in your chest, the one that came with being so close to someone you cared about but knowing they could never see you the way you saw them. Every time Jungwon would sit next to you in class, casually slinging his arm over your chair, you’d feel a jolt of excitement—only to remind yourself that to him, it meant nothing more than friendship.

And that hurt more than you cared to admit.

One evening, the two of you were sitting by the lake, your secret spot for late-night talks and quiet moments away from the bustle of the castle. The moon reflected off the surface of the water, casting a soft glow over everything. Jungwon was lying on the grass beside you, arms behind his head, his eyes closed as he listened to the sounds of the night.

You sat beside him, knees pulled to your chest, staring out at the peaceful scene in front of you. But your mind wasn’t on the lake. It was on the boy next to you, the boy who had no idea how much space he took up in your heart.

He suddenly turned his head to look at you, his cat-like eyes catching the moonlight. “You’ve been quiet lately,” he said softly. “Is everything okay?”

Your heart clenched at the concern in his voice. Of course, he would notice. He always noticed when something was bothering you. You forced a smile, trying to push away the ache in your chest. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… thinking.”

He nodded, his gaze returning to the sky. “You think too much sometimes,” he said with a small smile. “You should relax more.”

Relax. How could you possibly relax when every time you looked at him, you felt like your heart was about to explode? How could you relax when he was so close, yet so far from seeing what you really wanted?

“Yeah,” you said quietly, “maybe I should.”

Sixth year came, and with it, a whirlwind of OWL exams and the pressure of preparing for your future careers. But no matter how busy things got, Jungwon was always there, a constant presence in your life. You spent nearly every free moment together, studying in the library, practicing spells by the lake, sneaking down to the kitchens for midnight snacks.

You told yourself that this was enough—that being his best friend was enough. But every time his hand brushed against yours, or he leaned in a little too close during a whispered conversation, your heart betrayed you, and you longed for something more.

It was one afternoon in the library, while you were both cramming for a Potions test, that it hit you harder than ever.

Jungwon had been going over notes, his brow furrowed in concentration. You watched him from across the table, the way he absentmindedly play with the end of his quill, the way his dimple appeared when he smiled at a particularly clever comment in his notes. He looked up suddenly, catching your gaze, and grinned.

“What?” he asked, a teasing lilt in his voice. “Do I have something on my face?”

You quickly averted your eyes, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. “No, nothing,” you muttered, focusing intently on your own notes, though you could barely read the words.

He laughed softly, leaning back in his chair. “You’re acting weird again. Are you sure you’re not hiding something?”

Your heart raced at the question, and for a split second, you thought about telling him. Telling him everything that had been weighing on your heart for years now. But the fear of losing him as a friend, of ruining the closeness you had, kept you silent.

“Just stressed about Potions,” you lied, forcing a laugh to cover up the tightness in your chest.

He seemed to accept that answer, nodding and returning to his notes. But as you watched him, you couldn’t shake the feeling that you were holding on to something that might never happen—that Jungwon, as kind and caring as he was, could never see you as anything more than his best friend.

By the end of sixth year, you had reached your breaking point. The weight of your feelings for Jungwon, the constant ache of wanting more than just friendship, had become too much to bear. You couldn't keep pining after him, pretending that things were fine when they weren't. Something had to change.

So you made a decision: you were going to stop. You had to pull yourself together, push these feelings down, and distance yourself from him. It was the only way to protect your heart. You told yourself that it was the right thing to do—that pushing Jungwon away was the solution. After all, seeing him less would surely make your feelings fade, wouldn’t it?

During the summer vacation, you began to put your plan into action. You kept your letters to Jungwon short, barely replying to his longer, enthusiastic ones. Where you used to share every little detail of your day with him, now you wrote only the essentials. When he suggested meeting up, you always had an excuse ready—something to do, someone else to meet, or simply that you were too tired.

The first time you met up that summer, you barely stayed an hour before making up a reason to leave. Jungwon had looked confused but didn’t question it, smiling and waving you off with a casual "See you later." You ignored the pang in your chest as you walked away from him, fighting the urge to turn around and stay with him like you always had before.

But each time you cut your outings short, it became a little easier to ignore the pain. You convinced yourself that this was the right thing to do—that it was better to let your feelings fade quietly than to risk ruining everything by holding on.

When seventh year started, you kept your distance. You made a point to sit with other friends in the Great Hall, pretending you didn’t notice the way Jungwon would search for you before sitting down at the Hufflepuff table. During classes, you were careful to position yourself far enough away that you wouldn’t have to talk to him too much. Even when you did cross paths, you kept your conversations short and casual, never letting them stray into the deep, personal talks you used to have.

At first, Jungwon didn’t seem to notice. He was still his usual cheerful self, flashing you his dimpled smile whenever he saw you in the corridors, waving as if nothing had changed. But as the weeks went on, he started to look at you with something like confusion in his eyes. He’d ask if you wanted to go to the library together or sneak down to the kitchens like you used to, but you’d always make an excuse—too much homework, too tired, plans with other friends.

It was the hardest thing you’d ever done, pushing him away like this. Every time you saw the flicker of hurt in his eyes when you turned him down, it made your heart ache even more. But you reminded yourself that this was for the best. The more distance you put between you, the more your feelings would fade. That was the only way to stop hurting, right?

But you were so focused on your own despair, on trying to suppress your feelings, that you didn’t notice how much this was hurting him.

It was nearing the end of October when the first cracks in your plan started to show.

You had just finished dinner in the Great Hall and were about to head back to your common room when you saw Jungwon waiting by the entrance, his usual bright expression dimmed. He caught your eye, and before you could slip away, he called out to you, "Hey, can we talk?"

There was something different in his voice—quieter, more serious. You hesitated but nodded, following him out into the corridor where it was quieter.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. Jungwon seemed to be searching for the right words, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he avoided your gaze.

"Have I… done something wrong?" he finally asked, his voice soft, but there was a vulnerability in his tone that sent a sharp pang through your chest.

You blinked, caught off guard. "What? No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

He looked at you then, his cat-like eyes filled with confusion and hurt. "It’s just… you’ve been different lately. Distant. You barely talk to me anymore, and when we do, it feels like you’re always trying to leave." He paused, running a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "I don’t know if I did something, but if I did, I’m sorry. I just… I miss you."

His words hit you like a tidal wave, the guilt crashing down on you all at once. You hadn’t realized how much your attempts at distancing yourself had hurt him. You had been so wrapped up in your own heartache, in trying to protect yourself, that you hadn’t seen how much it had affected Jungwon.

You looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” you said quietly, your voice barely above a whisper. “It’s not your fault.”

“Then why are you pushing me away?” he asked, his voice breaking a little. “I thought we were best friends. But it feels like you don’t want to be around me anymore.”

The words "best friends" echoed in your mind, reverberating painfully in your chest. The way Jungwon said it, so full of hurt and confusion, made your heart twist in ways you couldn’t describe. He didn’t know, didn’t understand the battle raging inside you—the struggle of wanting to stay close, but feeling like you had to let go for your own sanity.

You opened your mouth to say something, anything to make things right, but before the words could form, it was like a lifeline appeared from nowhere.

“Hey, I need your he—” Ben’s voice cut through the heavy silence between you and Jungwon as he approached from down the hall. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes flicking between the two of you. “Uh, am I interrupting something?”

The tension between you and Jungwon was palpable, and for a brief second, you saw Jungwon’s hopeful expression falter, his eyes still locked on yours. Part of you wanted to stay, to explain, but the weight of the moment was too much to handle. You latched onto Ben’s interruption like it was heaven-sent.

“No, no. What do you need?” you asked, your voice shakier than you intended, already shifting away from Jungwon.

Ben blinked, clearly picking up on the tension but choosing not to comment on it. “Oh! Right. Come!” he said hurriedly, grabbing your arm with a light tug. “Just gotta borrow her for a bit!” he called over his shoulder as he steered you away from Jungwon.

You cast one last glance at Jungwon over your shoulder, your heart sinking at the sight of him standing alone in the hallway. His face had fallen, his eyes filled with a sadness you’d never seen before. He looked like he’d just been told something devastating, the weight of it pressing down on his shoulders.

It felt like you’d ripped something vital away from him.

You turned back to Ben, feeling the guilt churn inside you as he led you down the corridor. Your chest tightened, but you kept walking, even though a part of you wanted to run back to Jungwon, to take it all back.

“Thanks for the save,” you muttered under your breath once you were out of earshot.

Ben glanced at you, brow furrowed in concern. “That looked intense. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you lied, though the knot in your stomach told a different story.

But you weren’t fine, and neither was Jungwon. You could feel the weight of his sadness following you, even as you tried to convince yourself that this distance was for the best. Yet, as you walked away, all you could think about was the look on his face—the look of someone who had just realized they might be losing their best friend.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

As the days turned into weeks, Jungwon's efforts to stay close to you became increasingly apparent. He would seek you out in the hallways, casually falling into step beside you, his bright smile a beacon of warmth amidst the growing distance you’d tried to create. No matter how many times you made excuses to keep him at arm’s length, he always seemed to find a way back into your orbit, his determination unwavering.

You’d see him at the library, buried in a book, and he’d look up to greet you with that familiar grin, the one that melted your resolve. “Hey! Want to join me? I could use a study buddy,” he’d say, and just like that, your heart would flutter. Each time you locked eyes with him, the excuse that lay on the tip of your tongue would die before it could escape your lips. You found yourself nodding, feeling weak for saying yes, but unable to resist his infectious enthusiasm.

During meals, he would slide into the seat beside you, making casual conversation with a bright-eyed eagerness that made your stomach twist. “Did you finish that Potions essay yet? I need to compare notes,” he’d say, leaning in a little too close, his cat-like eyes sparkling with mischief. You’d find it hard to focus on anything else but the way he always seemed so effortless, so effortlessly perfect, in that moment.

And then there were the times you’d walk to class together. Jungwon would nudge your shoulder with his, playfully teasing you about your latest mishaps or bringing up an inside joke that made you laugh despite yourself. Every time you tried to pull away, tried to create a little space, he would find a way to draw you back in with a charming smile or a lighthearted comment.

“Come on, don’t be like that!” he’d say when you tried to sidestep him after class. “We’re best friends, right? I miss hanging out like we used to.” His earnestness cut through your defenses like a hot knife through butter.

You’d feel that familiar ache in your chest at his words, the weight of longing and guilt crashing down on you. Because deep down, you knew the truth: You wanted to be close to him too. The distance you’d tried to create only made you miss him more, and no amount of pretending could erase the truth of how you felt.

But the more he tried to bridge the gap, the harder you found it to keep him at bay. Each time he would smile at you, it was like the universe was reminding you how weak you were against his charm, how you couldn’t bear to see that flicker of hurt in his eyes when you turned away.

It all came to a head one afternoon when Jungwon approached you as you were leaving Herbology class. He was waiting by the door, leaning casually against the wall, looking effortlessly charming with the sunlight filtering through the leaves behind him.

“Hey!” he greeted, his voice bright. “Want to go grab some pumpkin pasties? I heard the house elves made a fresh batch, and you know they’re the best!”

Your heart raced at the suggestion. You wanted nothing more than to say yes, to spend time with him and enjoy those little moments that felt so comfortable. But a surge of guilt rushed through you, and the memory of your earlier resolution came flooding back. You opened your mouth to protest, to make some excuse, but then you saw his face—innocent, hopeful, and full of life.

In that moment, all the walls you had built came crashing down. The excuse died on your lips as his expression melted your defenses. You found yourself nodding, a soft smile breaking through your internal struggle. “Okay, pumpkin pasties sound great,” you finally said, your heart racing.

A grin spread across his face, and you felt your resolve weaken even further. Maybe this wasn’t so bad, you thought, trying to convince yourself that spending time with him wouldn’t be a mistake. After all, you could just enjoy his company, right? Just as friends.

But deep down, you knew it was never just that. As he fell into step beside you, a wave of warmth washed over you, and you couldn’t shake the feeling that you were only delaying the inevitable.

The more you were together, the harder it would be to keep your feelings hidden, and the deeper you would fall. But as you walked side by side, laughing and talking as if nothing had changed, you realized that resisting him felt like fighting against the tide. And for now, you were too weak to say no.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

You had finally convinced yourself that things were going back to normal. Jungwon was still the bright, carefree boy who always found a way to make you smile despite your internal turmoil. You had managed to keep your growing feelings buried under layers of friendship, convincing yourself that this was how it would always be.

It was winter vacation now, and you had packed your things to leave for home and spend Christmas with your family. You had one last thing to do before heading to the station: give Jungwon his Christmas present. You hadn’t seen him all morning, so after a quick check of the grounds, you decided to stop by the Great Hall, hoping to catch him before you left.

The hall was quieter than usual, a few students lingering at the long tables. You spotted one of your friends sitting near the Slytherin table, engaged in a heated game of wizard chess with a Slytherin boy.

“Hey, I’m leaving soon, how’s it going?” you asked, sitting beside her as she commanded her knight to move forward, knocking out a tower piece with a loud crash.

"Okay so far,” she muttered, clearly frustrated by the game. “Knight to B4."

You watched the game with mild interest but your mind was elsewhere. Your fingers nervously played with the gift you had for Jungwon. You’d picked it out weeks ago, wrapping it in a small red and gold package. You hadn’t worked up the nerve to give it to him earlier, but now, with the looming holiday, you couldn’t put it off any longer.

“Have you seen Jungwon?” you mumbled, glancing around the hall.

Your friend shook her head, eyes still focused on the board. “No, sorry. Haven’t seen him all morning.”

“Bloody hell!” she cursed as the Slytherin boy made a move that seemed to catch her off guard, sending one of her knights tumbling. You couldn’t help but smile at her frustration, though your thoughts were still preoccupied with finding Jungwon before you left.

“Have you told him yet?” your friend suddenly asked, turning her attention to you with a raised brow.

You stiffened immediately, your eyes darting to the Slytherin boy sitting across from her, trying to gauge if he was paying attention. He had a reputation for being a bit of a troublemaker, and you didn’t want anyone knowing about your secret crush on Jungwon—least of all some nosy Slytherin.

“No,” you whispered, shaking your head. “I haven’t said anything, and I’m not going to.”

Your friend groaned. “Come on! The year is almost over! You can’t live the rest of your life without confessing to him!”

“I think that’s exactly how I’m going to live, thank you very much,” you muttered, glancing down at the present in your hands.

"You can't just resolve to that! Think about Jungwon—"

Before you could respond, the Slytherin boy, clearly more aware of the conversation than you’d realized, suddenly blurted out in a loud voice, “Wait—you have a crush on Ju—?!”

Panic shot through you like lightning. Without thinking, you whipped out your wand, pointing it directly at him. “Silencio!”

The boy’s mouth instantly sealed shut, his eyes widening as he frantically touched his lips, trying to speak but failing.

You sighed in relief, lowering your wand as the embarrassment burned hot under your skin. You could hear your heart thundering in your ears, praying that no one else had heard him.

But then, like a bucket of ice-cold water being poured over you, you heard a familiar voice behind you.

“What was that?”

Your blood ran cold as you turned around to see Jungwon standing just a few feet away, an amused yet confused expression on his face. His eyes flickered between you, your friend, and the Slytherin boy with the silenced mouth.

“Oh! Nothing! Nothing!” you blurted out, your voice coming out much too high-pitched. Desperation clawed at you as you tried to think of an escape.

Without thinking, you thrust the present into Jungwon’s hands, your face burning with a mix of panic and embarrassment. “Here! Merry Christmas!” you said in a rush, not even giving him a chance to respond before you turned on your heel.

“See ya!” you called over your shoulder, barely hearing his confused response as you quickly made your way to the door.

Before he could ask any more questions, or worse—before you could see the realization in his eyes—you apparated, leaving the Great Hall, Jungwon, and your mortifying secret behind.

But even as you vanished, the feeling of dread remained, sinking deep into your chest. You had a sinking suspicion that this was far from over.

Jungwon stood there, completely baffled, his eyes darting between where you had just disappeared and the sight of your friend, now dragging the silenced Slytherin boy away.

“Merry Christmas, Jungwon!” your friend called out, giving him a sheepish wave, while struggling to keep the Slytherin from escaping her grip. The Slytherin boy looked desperate, his mouth still magically sealed, gesturing wildly like he had something extremely important to say.

Jungwon frowned, even more confused now. “Uh, yeah… Merry Christmas…” he mumbled back, though his voice trailed off as he watched them disappear out of the Great Hall.

Once again, he found himself standing there, alone, confusion swirling in his mind. His heart sank a little, a feeling that had been happening far too often recently. Why had you rushed off so suddenly? You’d barely said a word to him, and now you were gone, just like that. And that Slytherin boy—what had he been trying to say?

Jungwon let out a sigh, feeling a strange ache in his chest as he looked down at the gift in his hands. It was small but carefully wrapped, the red and gold paper neatly folded with a ribbon tied around it. He could see the care you’d put into wrapping it, and for a moment, his heart warmed. He ran his fingers over the smooth wrapping paper, caressing it gently, lost in thought.

The gift felt personal—intimate, even—and that made the confusion gnaw at him even more. Why had you been acting so distant lately? He thought everything between you two was fine, but in recent weeks, there had been this unspoken tension hanging in the air, and he didn’t understand why. Every time he tried to get close to you, you’d pull away, always with some excuse or sudden distraction. Yet here you were, giving him a Christmas present with a sense of urgency that left him reeling.

Jungwon sighed again, holding the present tightly in his hands. He was used to spending time with you—best friends, you’d always said—but this year had been different. Something had shifted, and he didn’t know how to fix it.

He glanced back at the empty space where you’d stood moments before, your rushed goodbye still echoing in his ears. A frown tugged at the corners of his lips as the confusion settled deeper inside him.

What is going on with you? he wondered.

With a heavy heart, Jungwon turned and left the Great Hall, the neatly wrapped present still clutched in his hands. As he walked back to the Hufflepuff common room, the only sound accompanying him was the soft crinkle of the gift’s wrapping beneath his fingers.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

Christmas morning was filled with the warmth of your family’s laughter and the soft glow of the tree lights. You sat with your family, unwrapping presents one by one. The room was filled with the scent of pine and hot chocolate, and the crackling fire provided a cozy backdrop to the happy chatter. As you opened your presents, your fingers brushed against one package in particular—Jungwon’s gift.

Your heart skipped a beat as you carefully peeled back the wrapping paper. Inside was a collection of small items, thoughtful things that you had mentioned to him over the years—like a special bookmark you had once admired, a cute keychain shaped like a cat, and even a few snacks you loved. You couldn’t help but smile softly, touched by how much attention he had paid to every little detail.

But then, nestled in the middle of the box, something else caught your attention—a flower ring. Your breath hitched, and memories flooded back instantly. It was just like the ones he used to make for you, back when you two would sit outside the Herbology classroom, weaving together daisies or wildflowers. You carefully picked up the delicate ring, holding it between your fingers as a bittersweet warmth spread through your chest.

Excusing yourself quietly from the festive atmosphere, you slipped away to your room, clutching the flower ring in your hand. Once inside, you went to your suitcase, still sitting by the foot of your bed, untouched since you arrived home. You unzipped it and pulled out a small wooden chest from the bottom of your clothes. With a deep breath, you took out a tiny key you kept on a chain and unlocked the chest.

Inside were all the flower rings Jungwon had made for you over the years. Each one carefully preserved, kept fresh and vibrant thanks to a charm you had created. The flowers hadn’t withered or faded at all—they looked as alive as the day he gave them to you. You stared at them for a moment, your heart heavy with the weight of the memories they carried.

You gently placed the new ring inside, its delicate petals fitting perfectly with the others. For a moment, you just sat there, looking at the collection of flower rings.

You had tried so hard to push him away, yet here you were, still treasuring every little thing he gave you. Your heart ached, and you knew that no matter how much distance you tried to put between you and Jungwon, he would always be a part of you.

Meanwhile, back at his home, Jungwon was sitting by his family’s Christmas tree, surrounded by wrapping paper and the sound of his siblings playing nearby. He had just finished opening presents from his family when he finally reached yours. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he carefully unwrapped it.

Inside, he found a selection of sweets—pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs, and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans—the same treats you two had shared over the years. He chuckled softly, remembering all the times you had sat together, laughing at the strange flavors and chasing after runaway chocolate frogs.

But what caught his attention most was a small box tucked underneath the sweets. He opened it to find a silver necklace with a delicate latch. Curiously, he opened the locket, and his heart swelled when he saw the tiny moving picture inside. It was a magical photograph of the two of you as kids, hugging each other and laughing.

Jungwon’s mind flashed back to that moment. Your faces were flushed from eating too much candy, and you had been too hyper for his grandmother to get a proper picture. You had kept bouncing around, giggling uncontrollably, but somehow she had managed to capture this one perfect moment—a snapshot of pure joy and innocence.

A soft smile spread across his face as he closed the locket and put the necklace on, letting it hang around his neck. The weight of the memory pressed gently against his heart. You had always been there for him, through every laugh and every quiet moment. Even now, despite the distance that had grown between you recently, you were still his best friend, and this gift was a reminder of that bond.

But as he sat there, his fingers absentmindedly playing with the locket, a flicker of something deeper tugged at his chest. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed between you two, even if he couldn’t quite put it into words.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

After Christmas break, you threw yourself into your studies, determined to keep your mind off everything. Spending time with your friends became a welcome distraction, and although you and Jungwon still talked, it was nothing like it used to be. The effortless conversations and shared moments now felt strained and few. You told yourself it was for the best.

You were also relieved to see that your friend had seemingly handled the Slytherin boy who had nearly spilled your secret before the break. You had no idea how she’d managed it, but he had kept his mouth shut, and for that, you were grateful. Maybe, just maybe, this would all blow over.

But deep down, you knew you were never that lucky.

It was during Potions class when it all started to unravel. A flying note fluttered towards you, landing on your desk with a light thud. You frowned, glancing around before snatching it from the air. Your heart sank as soon as you opened it.

“Have a little crush now, do we?”

You stiffened, panic creeping in as you turned your head to see two Slytherins smirking at you from across the room. Their smug faces made your stomach churn. You glared at them, trying to look unfazed, but the anxiety bubbling inside you was impossible to ignore.

Great, you thought bitterly, just when I thought life couldn’t get any worse.

The Slytherin boy had obviously snitched, despite whatever threats your friend had used to keep him quiet. Of course, it wasn’t enough. It never was.

After class, you didn’t waste time. You stormed up to the two Slytherins, heart pounding. “You two better keep your mouths shut,” you snapped, voice low and threatening.

One of them, a tall boy with a smug grin, raised an eyebrow. “And why should we do that? What’s in it for us?”

“Because he can’t know!” you hissed, your voice breaking with a hint of desperation.

“Fine, fine,” the other boy said with a dismissive wave, but you didn’t trust it for a second. Their smirks said it all—they were playing a game, and you were at their mercy.

Your worst fears came true sooner than you’d imagined.

You were sitting in the courtyard with a few friends, enjoying the afternoon. You had almost forgotten about the note, about the smirking Slytherins. That is, until Jungwon approached.

“Hey…” His voice was soft but unsure, and immediately, your stomach twisted. “Do you… do you have a crush on me?” he asked, his voice hesitant but piercing.

The words hit you like a thunderclap, and you froze, your heart thudding in your chest.

No. No, no, no.

“What!? Where did you hear that?” you asked, feigning confusion, but your voice wavered.

Jungwon looked down, fidgeting awkwardly. “Somewhere… but is it true?”

You could feel your friends’ eyes on you, their silent encouragement hanging in the air. But all you felt was dread. You swallowed hard, your palms sweaty as you avoided Jungwon’s gaze.

“I…” you started, barely above a whisper. The weight of the truth was suffocating. You looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “Yes. I do. I’ve liked you since fourth year,” you admitted quietly, your voice trembling.

The silence that followed was unbearable.

“Oh…” Jungwon began, and the moment you heard his tone, your heart shattered. You already knew what he was going to say next. You braced yourself for the rejection that was bound to come, a lump forming in your throat.

“I’m sorry…” Jungwon continued, but you cut him off, panic rising.

“No, no, it’s okay! You don’t have to say anything!” you rushed out, your voice frantic. “I get it. I mean, who would like me back, right?” You forced a laugh, but it came out strangled, your eyes burning with unshed tears.

Jungwon looked shocked, his eyes wide as if he didn’t know what to say. But you couldn’t bear to hear it. You couldn’t stand the pity in his eyes, the inevitable words of rejection that would follow.

“Would you look at the time! I—I have to go!” you stammered, scrambling to gather your things. You didn’t even give him a chance to respond. You just ran.

You ran, ignoring the calls of your friends, ignoring Jungwon’s shouts for you to wait. Your vision blurred with tears, but you didn’t stop. You couldn’t stop.

You needed to get away. Away from him. Away from the truth. Away from everything.

You stopped running when you reached the hallway, the familiar space bringing a wave of nostalgia mixed with sorrow. It had been months since you’d last set foot here, and the darkness felt heavy, almost suffocating.

With trembling hands, you pulled out your wand, your fingers shaking as you whispered, “Lumos.” The tip lit up, illuminating the dim corridor. As you made your way behind the statue, you slid down to the floor, feeling the cool stone against your back. The light flickered softly, creating shadows that danced around you, and you finally allowed yourself to cry.

Hot tears streamed down your cheeks, a mix of frustration and sadness flooding your heart. You sat there, surrounded by darkness, the only source of light your wand as you let your emotions pour out. It felt like an eternity, lost in your thoughts, until the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, breaking the stillness.

You quickly wiped your eyes, hastily muttering, “Nox,” extinguishing your wand’s light and plunging yourself into darkness. You sat there in silence, heart racing, unsure if you wanted to be seen.

“I know you’re there,” a familiar voice broke through the gloom, and your heart sank. Jungwon’s voice was unmistakable. You had hoped to escape him, but now he was here, and the reality of that made your heart ache even more.

“Lumos,” Jungwon said, and the hallway brightened again. You shielded your eyes from the sudden light, but there was no hiding from him. Jungwon stood before you, concern etched across his features.

“What are you doing here…” you managed, trying to sound indifferent, but the tremor in your voice betrayed you.

“I… was looking for you,” he answered, his expression softening. “Mind if I sit?” he asked, gesturing to the space beside you.

You shrugged, but he sat down anyway, crossing his legs in front of you. You could see the worry in his eyes, and it made your stomach twist. With a quiet sigh, you pulled out your wand again, muttering “Lumos” to brighten the area further.

“What do you want?” you asked, trying to keep your tone neutral, but a hint of sadness seeped through.

Jungwon reached under his robes and pulled out a familiar chest, the sight of it causing your heart to skip a beat. “Alohomora,” he said, and the chest clicked open, revealing the flower rings you had once cherished.

“You kept them…” he murmured, his voice filled with disbelief.

“Of course I did…” you mumbled, feeling warmth flood your cheeks. “They mean a lot to me…”

“How are they…?” Jungwon asked softly, and you knew he was referring to the charm you had created.

“I made a charm so they would stay fresh…” you said, trying to sound nonchalant, but your heart was racing.

“Wow…” Jungwon breathed, staring at the rings as if they were treasures.

You nodded, feeling the weight of the moment. “How did you find it?” you asked, genuinely curious.

“Amelia…” Jungwon replied, and you couldn’t help but groan.

“Ah, I’m gonna kill her,” you muttered, frustration lacing your words.

“Can I please…” Jungwon hesitated, searching for the right words. “You ran before I could finish,” he said, his eyes locking onto yours.

“Finish what? Your rejection? No thanks,” you shot back, the hurt from earlier surfacing again.

“No, listen,” he insisted, his tone earnest. “I wanted to say I’m sorry for letting you keep your feelings away from me for so many years.”

You blinked, taken aback by his admission. The confession hung in the air between you like a fragile thread, stretching taut with unspoken emotions. For a moment, you didn’t know how to respond.

“I—” you started but faltered. The weight of his words settled heavily on your heart. “You don’t understand…” you whispered, finally looking into his eyes.

“I do,” Jungwon interrupted gently. “I know it must’ve been hard for you, hiding how you felt. But I didn’t want you to feel like you had to. I care about you, and I always have.”

The sincerity in his voice made your heart race. The walls you’d built up around your feelings began to tremble. “Then why did you let me run away?” you asked, a hint of desperation creeping into your tone.

“Because I didn’t know how to handle it,” he admitted, looking down at the floor between you. “I was scared of ruining what we had. But running away isn’t the answer.”

You swallowed hard, heart racing as the silence stretched between you two. “Jungwon… I can’t keep pretending I’m okay when I’m not,” you confessed, your voice barely above a whisper.

Jungwon reached out, placing a comforting hand over yours. “Then don’t. Let’s figure this out together.”

The warmth of his touch sent a rush of emotions through you. You wanted to believe him, to let down your guard and embrace the possibility of something more. But doubt lingered, and the fear of losing him loomed large.

“Together…” you echoed, feeling the weight of his words.

“Together,” Jungwon affirmed, his eyes steady and sincere.

/ᐠ > ˕ <マ ₊˚⊹♡

A few weeks had passed since that moment of truth in the hallway, and things had settled into a new rhythm between you and Jungwon. Your friendship blossomed into something deeper, and though you felt the lingering awkwardness at times, you both navigated it.

One afternoon, you found yourself wandering back to that familiar hallway, drawn by nostalgia and a craving for a sweet treat. You pulled out a small stash of candy from your bag and popped a piece into your mouth, savoring the sugary goodness. The corridor was quiet, just as you remembered it, the shadows casting a cozy ambiance around you.

“Mind if I join?” Jungwon’s voice broke through your thoughts, and you turned to see him standing there, a hopeful smile gracing his lips.

“Of course not,” you said, gesturing for him to sit beside you. He settled down, close enough that you could feel the warmth radiating from him. You felt a flutter of happiness at his presence, even as you focused on your candy, a shy smile creeping onto your face.

Without warning, Jungwon reached for your hand. Your heart raced as he took your fingers and carefully placed a ring on your finger. You looked down, shock washing over you as you saw the delicate flower design at its center. “Wha—?” you started, staring at him in disbelief.

“Guess it was time to give you a real promise ring,” he said, a warm smile spreading across his face. Your breath hitched as he took both your hands in his, urging you to face him.

“I promise to stay by your side and love you forever,” he said, sincerity radiating from his every word. The weight of his declaration settled in your chest, and you felt tears prickling at the corners of your eyes.

Before you could respond, Jungwon gently wiped away the tears that had escaped. The tender gesture ignited a swell of emotions within you, and as he leaned in, your heart raced. His lips brushed against yours, soft and hesitant, and you blinked your tears away, finally kissing him back.

When you both pulled back, breathless and wide-eyed, you searched his gaze, looking for something to say. “Jungwon?” you whispered, feeling a mix of disbelief and joy.

“I’m sorry it took me so many years to realize how much I love you,” he confessed, his voice steady yet filled with emotion.

With that, a surge of happiness bubbled up inside you, and you couldn’t hold back. You threw your arms around him, hugging him tightly, your heart soaring.

Unbeknownst to you, Jungwon had fought a silent battle of his own. Every night, he wrestled with nightmares about losing you, dreams fueled by the realization of his feelings that had blossomed too late. He had watched you through the years, oblivious to the depth of his own care, often drowning in the fears of letting you slip away.

You both sat together after that when suddenly Jungwon leaned over, eyeing the colorful Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans with a glint of mischief in his eyes. “I’ll take one,” he said, grabbing a bright red bean. He popped it into his mouth, but as he chewed, his face twisted into a comical grimace. “Soap…” he exclaimed, scrunching his nose in disgust.

You burst into laughter, the sound ringing through the hallway like music. “Oh no! What a horrible choice!” you teased, leaning closer to him.

With a playful grin, you grabbed a bean for yourself, picking a pastel pink one from the pile. You tossed it into your mouth and chewed, your eyes lighting up as the sweet, fluffy flavor of marshmallow burst across your tongue. “Marshmallow!” you declared triumphantly, your face beaming with delight.

“Unfair…” Jungwon pouted, crossing his arms over his chest in mock indignation. His playful expression only made you laugh harder.

“Maybe you should be more adventurous!” you shot back, sticking your tongue out teasingly. The action made Jungwon chuckle, his pout turning into an amused grin.

“Adventurous? I think I’ll stick to chocolate thank you very much,” he replied, shaking his head with exaggerated seriousness.

“You’re missing out on all the fun!” you exclaimed, reaching for another handful of beans. “You never know what kind of delicious flavor you might discover!”

“Or what kind of disgusting one,” he replied, still trying to maintain his pout but failing miserably as laughter bubbled up inside him.

“Alright, fine! Let’s make a deal. For every bean you try, I’ll try one too!” you proposed, feeling the thrill of the challenge.

Jungwon raised an eyebrow, considering the offer. “Okay, but if I end up with soap again, I’m blaming you!”

“Deal!” You both laughed as you rummaged through the beans, the air filled with a sense of lighthearted competition.

As the two of you began to taste the different flavors, the laughter continued, with both of you grimacing at the awful ones and cheering for the good ones.

Jungwon looked at you, his eyes shining with mirth. “Okay, okay, how about this: if I try one more, you have to promise to give me a kiss after,” he said, a playful challenge lacing his words.

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh, is that the only way to get a kiss from you now?” you teased.

“Maybe!” he replied, shrugging dramatically.

“Fine, you’ve got yourself a deal!” you said, determination flooding through you.

With a flourish, Jungwon picked out a bean, his eyes narrowing as he studied it like it was a potion ingredient. He took a deep breath and popped it into his mouth, chewing with a nervous expression. After a few seconds, his eyes widened in shock. “Uh-oh….”

You leaned forward, unable to contain your curiosity. “What is it? Is it bad?”

“Ear wax!” he exclaimed, his face scrunching up in disgust as you burst into laughter, clutching your stomach.

“That was a bold choice!” you teased. You leaned over to peck Jungwon's cheek, but just as your lips were about to make contact, he turned his head, and your lips landed on his instead. You pulled back in shock, "Jungwon!" you exclaimed, your cheeks flushed with surprise. He only laughed, eyes twinkling with mischief.

Before you could think twice, you grabbed his cheeks with both hands, determined this time, and kissed him fully. Jungwon’s laughter faded as he wrapped his arms around your waist, effortlessly pulling you onto his lap. The kiss deepened, both of you lost in the moment.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted, "I always knew they would end up together!" one of the portraits on the wall exclaimed with excitement.

"You owe me 10 sickles!" another portrait chimed in.

"You blithering idiot, how can I pay you for something I never agreed on!" the first portrait argued.

You both pulled back, laughing breathlessly, resting your foreheads against each other as the portraits continued bickering. Jungwon smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, "I guess everyone knew before we did."

"Maybe," you whispered back, "but I think we’re making up for lost time."

Jungwon chuckled softly, holding you close, the warmth of the moment wrapping around the two of you like a spell.

End

ENHYPEN WITH A S/O WHO BAKES !

L.HEESUNG

STOP HE'S SO CUTE

he makes sure the dorm has whatever u need to bake so u can do it there

has whole playlists that are made specifically for you stress baking, holiday baking, sad baking, happy baking, or just baking

back hugs you the whole time

mumbles sweet things in ur ear OR SINGS

prob tried to help you but ended up spilling 3 different ingredients in a span of 4 minutes so he yelled, causing you to spill a little too, he then proceeded to fuss over you cause some flour or smth got on ur clothes

does all the dishes <3 <3 <3 while complaining LMAOOO

he demands kisses as payment

def takes a bunch of pictures of you baking

proudly shows off ur baked goods

once they come out of the oven he immediately eats it with no hesitation

and u have to watch him go " ha WUT HA Wt"

P.JONGSEONG

he would start cooking dinner or lunch while you bake

he would start rambling abt whatever and u would talk abt ur day

it's honestly one of his favorite things to do with u cause its so domestic

he would find things at the grocery store in the baking section and buy them

definitely would show u recipes that he thinks u would like

u two clean together and switch off roles

share the food with the rest of enha

ITD BE SO CUTE

u all eat the food together and it's vv wholesome

GIVES U THE BIGGEST PORTION OF FOOD

AND U GIVE HIM THE BEST PART OF WHATEVER U MADE

my man is LOVESICK (0x1=lovesong)

S.JAKE

THIS MAN

head in hands he makes a pillow fort and sets up a movie while u bake so u can eat it in there

ITS SO HOME-Y homey? home like?

creates a whole ambiance

sits in the corner and listens to u talk abt ur day

if u ran out of something u need he is out the door and buying it

prob takes the bowls and utensils once ur done using them and washes them

IM SORRY THIS IS SO SHORT

P.SUNGHOON

HE BOTHERS U SM

puts flour on u

screams when u put some on him

u two always have a flour fight

Once u threw some in his face he stood there frozen for a minute and wordlessly wiped his face

then moved towards u til ur back hits the counter and puts his hands on the counter on either side of u and is like

"don't do that, it's mean " in a deep voice

and ur blushing cause whAT

then he does his cute little smile and throws flour in ur face

ends up running away giggling

wipes ur face when u two are done throwing flour at each other

as u keep baking he cleans up the giant mess u two he made

if ur counting out loud how much u put in he'd start saying random numbers

you: 1...2....3

sunghoon at the same time: 48..29..30

actually keeps count tho cause he'd feel bad if he messed u up

eats the baked goods and exaggerates his reaction to the food to make u laugh

he wants to mix the batter so he can show off his muscles

K. SEONWOO

he puts on a kdrama in the background

got u two matching aprons

eats the batter

sunoo: *eyeing the batter*

you: don't even

sunoo: don't even what? I don't even know what ur talking abt

*silence*

sunoo, at the speed of light: dips his finger in and puts it in his mouth

you: sunOO NO

sits next to the oven waiting for it to be ready

u two do rock paper scissors on who is cleaning what

pretends he's gonna have the first bite then gives it to u

Y. JUNGWON

he's so *sobs*

if u stress bake when it's exam season he makes sure to take some butter out every weekend so it can become room temp just in case

constantly looking over ur shoulder to see what ure doing

u don't even see the mess u makes because jungwon got it

u spilled? it's already wiped

u just used that bowl? already washing it

PREHEATS THE OVEN CAUSE HE KNOWS U WILL FORGET

pls jungwon would sometimes purposely wipe flour or smth on u so he can wipe it for u

he just wants to be close to u leave him alone

makes sure no one bothers u while ur in the zone

finds recipes and shares it with u

eats whatever u make no questions asked

one time u gave him something Niki made and he slowly nodded and made a face of pure disgust

jungwon: ....you made this...?

you: yes, do u like it?

jungwon: ummmmmmmmmmmmmm

you: I spent hours making it just for you!

jungwon: that's so interesting ahhahhhahhahha

jungwon looked so disturbed HELP HE DIDNT WANA HURT UR FEELINGS BUT HE ALSO WANTED TO BE HONEST

jungwon: you know I love you, so sos oso sso much, right?

you: I love you too wonnie

jungwon: so don't take this the wrong way but this tastes like I ate expired cheese

you: ....

jungwon: IM SORRY ILL EAT ALL OF IT IM SORRY

you: haAHAHHAHHAHHAH

jungwon: ?

you: Niki made it

jungwon: oh.. I knew that

when u gave him what you actually made his face lit up

he had the biggest smile HES SO CUTE PLS

N. RIKI

bothers u the whole time pt. 2

constantly asking if ur done yet

dances while u bake and tries to get u to dance too

don't even think abt sharing what u made with everyone else cause Niki would eat it all

another one who would eat the batter

would also put the batter on u

and u would put some on him

and he would start talking abt how ur trying to ruin his career

Niki: I cant believe u would do this... you RUINED me.... MY GORGEOUS SKIN YOU-YOu RUINED IT!

you thought he was reenacting a drama LMAOOO

u just stood there waiting til he was finished

BUT HE KEPT GOING

so u cut him off saying

you: lets break up

Niki: what

and u just kiss him and keep baking

Niki gets so confused

he's all like I'm not complaining but WHAT WAS THAT

he gets over it

Niki's the type to make random tiktoks while u bake LMAOOO

ur mixing the batter and all of a sudden Niki is next to u and doing the anti fragile dance

u do a staring contest to see who does the dishes and who cleans the counter

he always ends up laughing so u get to choose what u clean

A/N!

First fic done B) hope u liked it !

Oh sweet innocent love 🥹 im a sucker for these lol also Such a cute fic! I loved it 💜

A PIN STRAIGHT TO MY HEART

PAIRING: jungwon x fem!reader

GENRE: high school au, classmates to lovers, acquaintances to lovers, fluff

SYNOPSIS: the famous decelis academy confession board is where students pin their written feelings on an anonymous sticky note in hopes of their crush reading it. for y/n, this is the perfect opportunity to finally come to terms with the feelings she has for her classmate--yang jungwon. she has everything planned out, from the color of the sticky note she would be using (blue, it's jungwon's favorite color) to the location she would pin it on the board (smackdown in the middle of the decorative heart the student council put up for valentine's day ages ago). but what happens when y/n sees jungwon pinning his own confession note mere seconds before she planned to?

WARNINGS: mutual pining, little jealousy, swearing, reader is a little oblivious, reader uses she/her pronouns, mentions of other idols (sunoo, niki, wonyoung, minji, rei, intak, minjae)

WC: 5.3k

NOTE: hello everyone! here's my first fic, sorry that it took so long! i hope that the wait from the teaser wasn't bad! and ofc i'm open to any and all feedback :) pls enjoy the read!

"should i do it?"

wonyoung sighed for the nth time. "y/n, you ask me this every ten minutes and i give you the exact same answer. do it! there's nothing to lose since it's anonymous."

"yeah, but i want him to know it's from me," y/n mumbled, picking at the food on her lunch tray.

"then put your name on it."

"but what if he rejects me after that?"

"then don't put your name on it."

"but i need him to know that i like him!"

"goddamn it, y/n!" wonyoung groaned, massaging her head with her hands. "at this point just confess in person. you're really stressing me out here."

y/n rolled her eyes. "but i have like a 99.999999999% chance of rejection if i do that."

"and that's why we decided to do the confession board!" wonyoung retorted. "look, we're getting nowhere with this, so i suggest that you take my advice and- you're not even listening to me."

wonyoung was right--y/n was indeed not at all listening to her. not when the yang jungwon just entered the canteen in all his glory.

crisp uniform, broad shoulders, fluffy hair, and those gorgeous eyes. yang jungwon was just as attractive as he was yesterday. and the day before. and the day before that. scratch that, since freshman year.

the first time y/n met jungwon was in freshman biology, where they were partnered up to dissect a frog. it had been a few months since they had been in the same class, but y/n never interacted with him until they were paired together for the lab. in spite of her ridiculous comments and irritatingly loud reactions, jungwon has completed the lab calmly and with ease, even caring to explain everything she had missed while revolting at the sight of their frog.

once freshman jungwon handed in their neatly written lab report and shot a reassuring (and adorable) smile to his lab partner, y/n knew that the heat rising in her face and the rapid beating in her chest meant that she had taken a liking towards this boy.

and since then, y/n had reserved her heart for the one and only boy who managed to make her tummy flutter with giddiness.

of course, that was from way back in freshman year. has she made any progress since then? absolutely not.

even though the famous decelis academy confession board had been a temptation every single year, y/n simply could not bring herself to pin her feelings on it. but after reading hundreds of anonymous confessions, y/n had decided to finally get over her hopelessness and muster up the courage to post a note of her own. she had an intricate plan set in stone:

step one - purchase blue sticky notes (because blue is jungwon's favorite color) and dog stickers (because y/n found out that he has an adorable dog after stalking his instagram)

step two - write out a heartfelt confession that does not give away y/n's identity but still shows some hints to who she is (this would take several trials)

step three - arrive at school at exactly 8:25 AM on thursday, which is when everyone is trying to get to homeroom and will not be around the confession board located next to the art studio

step four - pin the note right in the middle of the heart from valentine's day so that it's extremely hard to miss

step five - pray that yang jungwon reads it and feels the same and asks y/n out and starts dating her and proposes to her and marries her and they live in a nice house with two kids and a dog until they grow old together

well, step five was pretty unreasonable but the rest of the plan would work! as long as y/n stopped staring at jungwon and actually started to listen to her friend, who was trying to get her to even begin step one.

"if you don't do this, some other girl might snatch him away," wonyoung commented, picking up her chopsticks and pointing them at y/n accusingly. "so you better get to work."

"okay okay, i'll do it!" y/n replied with a soft sigh following her words. "i just hope he reads it."

"he will. as long as you actually make the note," wonyoung added. "you do this every single wednesday. make this one the last time this happens."

"okay, jesus. i will. oh my fucking god."

wonyoung's lips curved into a smile. "good."

8:25 AM on a thursday. y/n was already at school, looking around the arts building for the confession board with her note in her hand. she had spent three hours crafting the perfect confession note for jungwon (the pile of crumpled sticky notes in her trashcan is enough proof of that), neatly writing out each word and carefully decorating it with little dog stickers.

she mentally crossed out step three of her plan as the wood border of the bulletin board came into her sight. it was perfect. an empty hallway with the lights dimmed down and no sounds of other students. this was her one chance to finally pin her confession to the board.

she smiled while looking at the board that was mere steps away. the spot smackdown in the middle of the large pink heart was empty, just as planned. the universe was most definitely on her side.

suddenly, y/n could hear footsteps coming from the opposite end of the hallway. panic rushed to her head as she quickly hid behind a wall near the board, stuffing the note in the pocket of her school blazer.

she peeked her head out to observe whoever was passing by. maybe it was just a teacher. or the janitor. or the theater director. either way, she needed the coast clear for her to pin her note.

the person turned around the corner, closing in on the confession board. y/n squinted her eyes, trying to catch any noticeable features. school uniform, broad shoulders, styled black hair- wait, was that yang jungwon?

y/n's eyes widened as she swallowed down the anxiety in her throat. why was yang jungwon at the confession board at (now) 8:26 AM on a thursday?

jungwon approached the confession board, his back facing y/n from her hiding spot. she could see him pull out something from his pocket and reach over to the container of thumbtack pins to the left of the board. was yang jungwon really posting a confession note?

y/n's suspicions were confirmed when he pushed a red pin through a pink sticky note, right in the empty space in the middle of the pink heart. she could feel her heart beating rapidly as she watched him walk away leisurely, fear creeping into her head once again.

she paused for a minute, unable to calm the pounding in her chest as she slumped against the cold wall. taking one last glance at the board, y/n pushed herself off of the wall and turned around, deciding to head to class.

a million questions were running through her head, but only one overshadowed any other thought she had: did yang jungwon just post a confession to another girl?

y/n felt her frown tugging even further down her face throughout the day. of course, the confession board was a hot topic every single day--especially when someone adds a new sticky note to the board. but y/n didn’t expect that the identity of the author who wrote the latest pink sticky note would be revealed so soon.

“jungwon apparently told a classmate that he wrote it, but he won’t say who it’s to,” a student said while passing y/n’s desk.

and there was that. the mystery recipient. the person who ruined all of y/n’s plans. all she wanted to do was finally confess her feelings with the hope that they could be returned. but what was the point of doing that now when her crush had already confirmed that he has feelings for another girl?

“i think it’s to minji, she’s been talking to jungwon a lot recently.”

y/n let out a frustrated huff after hearing that. she wasn’t in the mood to listen to people talk about possible candidates for jungwon’s mystery crush, especially when she barely had any chance of filling that spot.

wonyoung could only frown sympathetically, watching her friend's gloomy state. she knew how much this confession meant to y/n, but neither of them could have predicted that things would turn out this way.

“do you wanna get food, babe?” wonyoung asked, gently rubbing y/n’s head that was face-planted on her desk. “maybe a snack will help.”

“nothing can cure what i’m feeling right now,” y/n grumbled.

“you need to get up. you’ve been stuck at your desk for almost all of our break.”

“i don’t feel like getting up.”

wonyoung sighed before standing up and stretching her arms. “come on, let’s go get you something to eat. i’ll treat you.”

y/n groaned while sliding out of her seat. “i’m only doing this for free food,” she muttered as wonyoung linked arms with her.

“yeah, yeah. whatever.”

wonyoung practically dragged y/n by the arm to get to the snack shop, trying to avoid lingering in the hallway when everyone was talking about jungwon’s note.

"did you hear that jungwon confessed to someone? he confirmed it himself!"

"i think he likes rei, she's close with his friend niki."

"it has to be to minji, she's literally the only woman he'll look at."

y/n huffed at the comments flying around her with an uneasy feeling at the pit of her stomach. it upset her to imagine jungwon with another girl, staring into her eyes with love glassed across his own. she squeezed tighter onto wonyoung's arm as they swerved through the crowd, reaching their destination as quickly as possible.

unfortunately, luck was not on their side. the person y/n least wanted to see at the moment was standing at the drinks shelf, surrounded by some of his friends--and minji.

"yang jungwon!" y/n sharply hissed at wonyoung, pulling on the sleeve of the taller girl's blazer. "yang fucking jungwon is here! with minji!"

her friend turned to glance at the said boy and girl and rolled her eyes. "ignore him, let's go get our food."

y/n allowed wonyoung to drag her to the shelf stocked with savory snacks, shooting a small glare at minji before turning her head around.

what she didn't notice was that yang jungwon had recognized her presence the moment she turned around. he held the cold watermelon soda closer to his chest in an attempt to calm his racing heart.

"i don't know why people think it's me, i'm already in a relationship," minji sighed, fiddling with the strawberry milk in her hands.

"well, you do spend a lot of time with jungwon," niki reasoned, leaning against a nearby wall. "at least in terms of girl-space-friends. he doesn't have a lot of game."

"but some people think it's rei and she doesn't spend a lot of time with jungwon," minji countered. "actually, i don't think i've seen them interact since they've been introduced to each other."

"so if it's not minji or rei, who is it?" sunoo questioned.

all three students turned to look at jungwon, who slowly snapped out of his daze. "huh?"

"who'd you write the note to, won?" minji asked.

"i don't think i can answer that," jungwon mumbled, clenching the soda can tighter. "i'd prefer to keep that private."

"come on, we're your closest friends!" niki groaned, frowning at jungwon's response. "you can tell us--in exchange, we'll help you get the girl."

jungwon paused, pondering over niki's offer for a moment with his friend's eager stares fixated on him. he let out a brief sigh before answering, "fine. i'll give you a small hint."

his friends gasped, anticipation evident on their faces. jungwon took another quick glance at y/n, who was searching for seaweed-flavored chips, and felt the fluttering feeling in his stomach once again.

"she's in this room with us. right now."

his friends looked at each other with confused expressions. "it's just us four and the cashier...and intak..and minjae...and wonyoung...and y/n," sunoo listed, scanning the entire snack shop.

"the cashier? be so fucking for real right now bro," niki scoffed with a disgusted look on his face. "she's like, 70."

"no, what the fuck?" jungwon grimaced. "i mean someone our age. who do you take me for?"

"oh, i think i know who it is!" minji exclaimed with a smile. "it's y/n, isn't it?"

jungwon widened his eyes. he could feel a sharp rush of heat to his cheeks as he gulped at the mention of her name. minji let out a small chuckle at the boy's obvious reaction.

"really? you haven't talked to her since, like, freshman year," sunoo said, judging the reaction he just witnessed.

"yeah, but she's just so- ugh, you wouldn't understand. did you know that she braids her hair when she's stressed?"

"you're such a creep," niki sighed disappointedly. "no wonder you were always staring at her in class."

"look, she was doing it in first year history during our mock exam and i asked her about it," jungwon explained before glaring at niki. "i am not a creep."

"does she know your note's for her?" minji asked.

"no, i don't think so," jungwon replied with a small frown forming on his face. "i don't even think she likes me back. i mean, i don't really talk to her so i probably just seem weird."

"a creep," niki corrected, poking jungwon's shoulder harshly. "you seem like a creep."

"shut up."

"well, we can help you talk to her again so that you can show your interest," sunoo offered while tucking his phone into the back pocket of his uniform pants. "like right now."

the pink-haired boy whipped his head around to where y/n and wonyoung were standing, who had moved onto the bakery section.

"wonyoung! y/n!"

jungwon smacked sunoo immediately after the two girls' names left his mouth. "what the fuck are you doing," he muttered, trying to clench his lips together to seem like he wasn't talking.

"uh, helping you? duh," sunoo replied with a roll of his eyes.

meanwhile, the two girls stood across the snack shop, frozen with multiple bags of snacks in their arms.

"why did jungwon's friend say our name?" y/n questioned, also clenching her lips in fear that her crush would notice her talking about his friends. "and how does he know we exist?"

"the question is actually how does he know you exist," wonyoung responded before pulling y/n's arm. "come on, let's go see what he wants."

"no!" y/n whisper-yelled. "i can't...he's there...and minji's there..."

"you'll survive," wonyoung sighed. "we're going and that's final."

ignoring her friend's protests, wonyoung dragged y/n over to the group of four. "hi sunoo, what's up?"

"nothing, jungwon just wanted to tell y/n something," sunoo replied with a grin, causing jungwon's eyes to widen in concern.

"he did?" y/n mumbled.

"i did?" jungwon whispered, shooting a glare at sunoo's smiling face.

jungwon glanced at y/n but quickly looked away, swallowing down the nervous bundle in his throat. he didn't know if he could contain himself if he looked one second longer into her curious eyes.

he cleared his throat for an unnaturally long time, causing his friends to send questioning looks towards him. "um, yeah, uh...i, well, i was wondering..."

y/n found herself slightly leaning towards the anxious boy, which only caused jungwon's heart to beat faster.

"uh...do...do you have history next?"

niki rolled his eyes while minji felt the need to facepalm herself.

y/n shot a glance at wonyoung before responding, "um, yeah. why?"

"well, uh..." jungwon felt himself breaking out in a sweat, panicking to make up an excuse. "i was...uh-"

"he wanted to offer his notes to you since he just had history," sunoo quickly covered. jungwon blinked before nodding, swallowing down his anxiety once again.

y/n's eyes widened. it was common for jungwon, an intelligent and diligent student, to offer help to people in academics. but what shocked her was the fact that he offered her his history notes--as if he knew that it was her weakest subject.

she didn't hesitate to accept the offer, sending a wave of relief over jungwon. "uh, i'll drop them off once i get back to my classroom."

"yeah, no problem. thanks for the notes!" y/n replied, shooting a small smile at the boy before allowing wonyoung to drag her to the register.

once the duo was far enough, jungwon turned around to face his friends with an excited smile curled on his face. "did you see that? she smiled at me!"

"yeah, no thanks to yourself," sunoo grumbled. "i did all the work. for free!"

"you're too awkward, jungwon," minji sighed, a pained expression on her face.

"i think you should stick to being a nerd," niki commented. "it...suits you better."

niki spent the rest of the break running away from said nerd.

y/n slumped in her seat, resting her cheek in her left hand and tapping her foot on the ground. she checked the clock above the blackboard. 10:27 AM. three minutes left for jungwon to fulfill his promise.

she let out another sigh. she didn't expect herself to anticipate much from the exchange--after all, he was just offering her his history notes. but she found herself rushing back to her classroom, waiting (and struggling to wait) for his presence at the doorframe while each minute dragged on.

10:28. a frown etched onto y/n's face. the day seemed to just get worse and worse. first, her confession was ruined by her crush himself. next, her crush proceeded to post a confession to another girl. now, her crush failed to complete a promise two minutes before her least favorite class.

another moody sigh. y/n lazily reached into her bag, pulling out her history textbook and her pencil case. she should've known to never trust men, like her mother said. all men are liars.

she slowly flipped through her textbook, feeling her frown drag down even further. the classroom was bustling with chatter, savoring the last couple of minutes before another hour long class. but here she was, slouching in her seat with a gray thundercloud above her head. she could practically visualize wonyoung looking at her pathetically from across the room.

the room came to a sudden silence. y/n sluggishly raised her head. was their history teacher here early?

there he was. yang jungwon, frozen at her classroom's doorframe with a notebook in his hand. his cheeks were flushed with a light pink as he weaved through the students, approaching y/n's desk.

y/n felt herself stop breathing. he did come to fulfill his promise, after all. huh. maybe not all men are liars.

jungwon bashfully smiled at her, gently placing his notebook on her desk. he wasn't hard of hearing, he could tell that everyone was whispering about him--more specifically, about his confession note. all he could hope for was that his crush wasn't super obvious, but he was sure that what he was doing at the moment actually made it 10x more obvious.

"um, here's my notes," jungwon said in a hushed voice, conscious of the sudden volume change. "hopefully they're useful."

"thanks..." y/n mumbled, making eye contact with the boy for a mere second before glancing away. it was too hard for her to contain the pounding feelings in her heart, especially when the yang jungwon had his eyes on her (and only her).

she could only imagine a world where he would stare at her, eyes filled with love and adoration.

"no problem," jungwon replied, noting to himself about how cute she looked today. if only he could sit next to her, one arm around her shoulder and another guiding her through the history material. he would never forgive the administrator who put them in separate classes.

"um, aren't you going to be late?"

y/n's comment snapped him out of his trance, suddenly realizing that he was still standing in front of her desk with students around him still whispering about his confession note. awkward.

jungwon shut his eyes close for a second. she probably thinks i'm a creep. niki, i guess you're right.

"uh, yeah. i'll just...i'll go now."

he mustered up a little courage to send a small wave before rushing out of the room, eyes glued to the floor in front of him.

y/n let out a quiet snicker, finding the boy's awkwardness humorous (and extremely cute). unfortunately, she realized too late that everyone's eyes were still on her and coughed unnaturally loud to cover up her previous reaction.

the sound of heels clicking caused all the students' eyes to rip away from her and immediately slide into their seats. their history teacher was finally here, ready to lead another sleep-inducing lecture.

"good morning class," the history teacher, ms. choi, announced. "please turn to page 127 of your textbooks. we're picking up where we left off from last class with the silla dynasty."

y/n reached for jungwon's notebook as the students around her searched for the page in their textbooks. she easily found the respective page of notes due to the sticky note jungwon had marked the page with.

such a cute pink, y/n thought, brushing her thumb over the familiar-colored sticky note. too bad he used it for a different girl.

it was twenty minutes into the class and y/n found herself extremely bored. although jungwon's notes were perfectly organized and super helpful, y/n couldn't help but feel her attention span slowly decreasing. the textbook was boring, the content was boring, and ms. choi's voice was boring.

she decided to flip through jungwon's notebook. as expected, all of his notes were neatly written with key ideas highlighted and citations to textbook pages. what else could she expect from him?

y/n closed the notebook, running her thumb along the edge of the pages like a flipbook. the glimpses of blue highlighter partially satisfied her boredom, along with the flash of pink at the very end of the notebook. wait, pink?

y/n's curiosity got the best of her as she turned to the end of the notebook, revealing multiple pink sticky notes with lengthy paragraphs and words scratched out in black ink. being the nosy person she is, she decided to read the notes, tuning out ms. choi's monotonous voice.

i've liked you for a long time, but i haven't had the courage to confess.

oh. they were drafts of his confession note.

y/n pursed her lips, taking in a sharp breath. she swallowed down the discomfort she felt and continued to read the notes.

ever since freshman year, i've been attracted to you in so many more ways than i can describe. that sweet smile you show off to your friends. the laugh you let out at small jokes. the tenderness in your eyes as you talk with the cashier in the snack shop. i see why she said that you remind her of her granddaughter.

y/n bitterly smiled. he really likes her, huh?

i like am in love am pathetically in love with you. i feel like a lost puppy, hoping for the smallest interaction with you every single day. i wonder if you can feel my stares from across the lunch room, desperately hoping that you would happen to notice me and look back. i know we haven't talked much since freshman year, but i can't help but imagine us together.

y/n quickly diverted her eyes to a different sticky note, chewing on her lip harshly. she didn't know why, but she couldn't stop reading them, even if his words only caused her more pain.

i hope you can accept this confession, but if you don't like me back i hope we can become friends again. from, your freshman bio partner (p.s. i'm glad that we were paired up for that frog lab)

wait, frog lab? y/n's eyebrows furrowed. the only partner jungwon had for the frog dissection lab in freshman biology was...her.

y/n's heart pounded against her chest. she needed to read whatever note jungwon posted on the confession board, right fucking now.

the moment the bell rang, y/n shoved all of her history materials in her bag. she didn't want to spare a minute from reaching that damned confession board that she had been avoiding since morning.

grabbing jungwon's notebook, y/n joined the crowd of students rushing towards the canteen, forgetting about wonyoung who appeared behind her.

"let's eat with rei today, hm?" wonyoung suggested.

"can't talk right now, won. i need to be somewhere," y/n responded before pushing her way through the crowd.

"y/n, wait!"

y/n ignored her friend's concerned voice, mentally making a note to apologize to her later. she ran through the halls, opposite of all the students heading towards the canteen. hugging the notebook close to her chest, she made a beeline towards the arts building, feeling the beating in her chest increase every single second.

once she arrived, she slowed down her pace, allowing herself to catch her breath and wipe off the light sweat on her forehead. there she stood in the same position she was in at 8:25 AM, right in front of the confession board littered with colorful sticky notes.

a couple of students lingered around the board, checking for any new confessions before heading to lunch. as y/n's breathing slowed down, she approached the center of the board, eyes locked on the pink sticky note posted mere hours ago.

she took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself to read the note she had been avoiding all day.

to my freshman year crush, i've liked you for a long time, but i haven't had the courage to confess. that is, until now. ever since freshman year, i've been attracted to you. your smile, your laugh, your kind personality. it's no wonder the cashier at the snack shop says that you remind her of her granddaughter. grandparents only say that to people they know have the purest, sweetest souls on earth, and you are one of them. i am utterly, pathetically, and desperately in love with you. i feel like a lost puppy, hoping for the smallest interaction with you every single day. i wonder if you can feel my longing stares from across the lunch room, hoping that you would happen to notice me and meet my eyes. i know we haven't talked much since freshman year, but i can't help but imagine us together. i wish that i had the courage to confess in person, but i'm afraid of rejection. i hope that this confession comes off well to you, and i 100% understand if you don't like me back. i just hope that we can be friends again, at the very least. from, your freshman bio partner (p.s. i'm glad we were paired up for the frog lab. as taylor swift said, i guess i was enchanted to meet you)

y/n felt her breathing stop as she finished reading the note. it was too good to be true. she needed to talk to him, to confirm with him, and to confess to him.

she wasted no time running to the canteen, earning questioning stares from the students she passed by. the canteen was busy per usual, bustling with student chatter and silverware sounds. y/n skimmed the room, eyes landing on the one person she wanted to talk to.

she rushed towards his table, avoiding the mass of lunch trays around her. "jungwon!" she called.

the said boy looked up from his table, curious round eyes meeting hers. "could i talk to you for a minute?"

jungwon nodded, standing up to follow y/n. what she didn't notice was sunoo winking at jungwon, niki mouthing a "go get her, tiger!", and minji softly smiling with pride.

jungwon followed y/n to the hallway outside of the canteen, trickling with the last students getting their lunches. y/n faced jungwon, feeling her cheeks heat up at the sight of his curious gaze.

"um, i wanted to return this to you," y/n began, handing over his notebook.

"oh, thanks," jungwon replied, taking it into his hands. he felt himself grow a little disappointed--was that all she wanted to tell me?

y/n softly cleared her throat before deciding to continue. "so, uh, this might be in invasion of privacy but i got really bored in history and looked through your notebook and i might have found your sticky notes and i might have read them...without your permission?"

"notes? what notes?" jungwon mumbled, flipping through his notebook. it only took a second of him skimming the sticky notes in the back for him to shut the notebook closed, a furious blush spreading across his face.

"and, uh, i read one that ended with 'from your freshman bio partner' or something like that and it mentioned the frog lab. and then i remembered that i was your partner during that lab but i wasn't sure if you wrote that for sure so i went to check the confession board and it said the same thing so...yeah."

jungwon was frozen, cheeks bright red with panic-stricken eyes. "so...uh, i just wanted to confirm if-"

"yes," jungwon whispered, not daring to meet her eyes. "it- it is about you..."

he squeezed his eyes shut at the sound of silence, preparing himself for rejection. he could already feel the weight in his heart getting heavier, thumping against his chest.

"i, uh, i- i like you too, jungwon."

the boy opened his eyes, shock evident on his face. he whipped his head up, now seeing a y/n with an equally flushed face not meeting his eyes.

"y- you do?"

"yeah," y/n mumbled, a shy smile spreading on her face. "i really, really like you."

jungwon couldn't help but smile back, trying his best to contain the butterflies practically swarming in his stomach.

"so, um, i was actually planning to confess to you today," y/n admitted, earning a surprised reaction from jungwon. "but i saw you post your note on the confession board first and i got scared because...well, i thought that you confessed to someone else."

y/n reached into her blazer's pocket, pulling out the crumpled blue sticky note that she had been hiding the whole day. "i guess i'll just give it to you now since...well, yeah..."

she quickly flattened out the sticky note before handing it to jungwon, who gently took it with a small smile.

to jungwon, i've liked you for so long but i've finally decided to confess. since freshman year, you've been nothing but kind to me. i felt myself melt into a puddle every single time you shot a smile at me or offered your help with something. i can’t help but admire your charming appearance, your charismatic leadership qualities, and the smile that you give to every person alike. you’re loved by so many people and i happened to fall into that same crowd. i know you most likely do not feel the same but i hope that we can talk more, the way we did back in freshman year. from, anonymous

jungwon couldn't help the shy grin growing on his face. every word written completely erased all the anxious emotions he had in his head. this is what it feels like, he thought. this is what it feels like to be loved back.

jungwon didn't need to say anything. he simply took y/n's clammy hand into his, intertwining their shaking fingers together. no words were needed after they had spent hours of their lives writing out their feelings for each other. they shared a smile, feeling secure together and lovingly gazing into each other’s eyes.

for the first time for the day, y/n was glad that jungwon had interrupted her confession, pining his heart on the board so that she could give him hers.

© snwpcktz

taglist: @jngwnlvs

Whispers From My Heart (pt.2) - Won (양정원)

Do you believe in fate? If you were asked this question 2 years ago, you would've said no. But now, you're not so sure. ꒰ wc: 5.5k ꒱

[pairing] brother's best friend! jungwon x fem! reader [genre] brother's best friend trope, unrequited love, coming-of-age, fluff, slow burn [warnings] cursing

read part 1 here

your bookshelf 📓✧˖°.

“I have a secret.”

〰

When people think about their job, the first things that come to mind are their demanding boss, the clock on the wall that drags on, and that coworker who always gossips and never works. To sum it all up: stress.

But it was different for Jungwon. 

While people around him would hate having to wake up at 6 am every day to get ready and drive to work in the heavy, bumper-to-bumper traffic or have to get squashed against the window like sardines in a crowded train, Jungwon didn’t mind.

He loved getting up in the morning to water his plants, feed his Birman cat as she curled up around his ankle, and eat breakfast as he scrolled through the daily news. Most of all, he loved his job. 

Making desserts and pastries started as a way for Jungwon to take his mind off his family situation when he was younger. But as time went on, it evolved into something more than that. It became a hobby that eventually blossomed into a dream. 

He had been working at his current job for a little over a year now. It was a cute family-owned cafe near his old job that he came across one day while he was scarfing down his lunch on the side of the street. The sign on the door that read “hiring!” was practically screaming at Jungwon. 

He had been in desperate need to find a job since his monthly rent was almost due, and his last job was a total nightmare. Working 13-hour shifts, seven days a week, delivering food on a motorcycle proved too much for Jungwon. Paired with the constant mistreatment from his boss, making him work overtime with no compensation, and the difficult customers, it was too much to handle. 

The final straw for Jungwon was when a customer threw a scalding bowl of soup at Jungwon because he had gotten there too late. He had tried to explain that there had been an accident in the middle of the road and that was the reason for his delay. Not only did Jungwon get his clothes dirty and burnt, but his boss screamed at him for 30 minutes while he bowed continuously. The cost of the meal was even taken out of Jungwon’s hard-earned paycheck that could barely get him by.

Even though Jungwon desperately needed money, he had dignity and self-respect. So the next day, he called his boss, telling her that he was done. Enough was enough. 

Now his dream is to save up enough money to open his own cafe so that he can do the thing that he loves forever. 

Out of his right back pocket, Jungwon pulled out his phone to check the time, 6:31 am. Right on schedule, he had about ten more minutes before he had to walk to the nearby subway station to catch his train to work.

With a hint of hesitation, his finger hovered over the messaging app before giving in and tapping on it. He swiped down past his coworkers and boss, skipping over Sunoo’s name, and finally stopped. It hadn’t been long since he changed your contact from little sis to Y/N, although the alteration feels somewhat pointless since you had stopped replying to him or even reading his messages. But even still, he found himself lingering over your contact every single day. 

Today was no different. His message from 6 months ago was still left unread, much like with the 20 other messages before that. 

A sharp pang of disappointment jabs at his heart, he should be used to it now, but it never gets easier. 

Jungwon wondered what had happened. 

From what he remembered, you guys left on a good note. He never went back to your house to visit after he moved back to his hometown to take care of his family problems, but it wasn’t like he vanished without a word. He had called your family to deliver the news, and he remembers saying goodbye to you. But you only responded with an “Okay, take care.” 

Back then, Jungwon hadn’t thought anything of it, but now, thinking back, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he might have offended you in some way.

Over time, you had become a very close friend to him. You comforted him when his father was diagnosed with cancer. You showed genuine care and concern without any judgment about his background or circumstances and didn’t pity him like his other classmates. Your whole family was his savior, and it really saddened him that you two were no longer in contact. At some point, you had stopped replying to him, not even responding to his birthday or holiday wishes to you.

Jungwon accepted it, but he still found himself checking, just in case. 

〰

The walk to the subway today felt different. There was an indefinable shift in the atmosphere that Jungwon couldn’t quite put his finger on. Everything seemed a little brighter, and the people around him seemed a little happier. It’s like that feeling you have when it’s a national holiday, and everyone is excited to participate in the festivities of the season. 

But today was no holiday. It was a weird feeling, but Jungwon shook it off and continued walking towards the subway station. 

It was a normal occurrence for the subway to be crowded with people, especially around 7 am, with everyone trying to get to work or school. 

But, yet again, today was different. If Jungwon moved one step to the left, he would accidentally step on the grandma next to him, or if he stepped back, he would step onto the wheels of a child stroller. 

The subway was jampacked, filled with the usual commuters hurrying to their destinations, but Jungwon also saw new faces. Ones that looked around, some in awe, while others in confusion. 

Jungwon turned to the elderly lady standing next to him and asked, “Good morning, Grandmother.” the older woman turned towards him slowly with a nod and a gentle smile, which Jungwon returned before continuing, “Do you happen to know what’s happening today? Why are there so many people?”

The grandmother’s face scrunched up in confusion, suggesting she might have a hard time hearing him, which prompted Jungwon to kindly repeat his question, leaning a bit closer this time to ensure she could hear him clearly.

“Ah! Yes! We’re having a conjoined parade with the city next to us because we recently helped them fix that one big bridge that broke…what was it called again?” The grandmother’s face once again scrunched up in confusion as she turned her brain inside out, trying to remember. “The…uhh…I’m afraid I don’t really remember,” she concluded, looking away while scratching her head. 

Jungwon smiles, offering a slight bow of gratitude to the kind lady before turning his attention back to the front. Now it made sense why there were so many people who looked confused. They’re probably lost. Jungwon would be, too, if he were stuck in the middle of a crowded subway in a new city. 

Amidst the hustle and bustle, the loudspeaker suddenly blared, a woman’s voice ringing through the station. Jungwon strained his neck to hear her announcement over the crowd.

“Train 2A arriving at station 3 at 6:57 am. Train 2A arriving at station 3 at 6:57 am.”

Jungwon heaved a sigh of relief as he moved with the crowd. They moved like currents in the ocean, pooling into the open doors. In the midst of the chaos, someone behind Jungwon accidentally stepped on the heel of his shoe, causing Jungwon to stumble slightly before finally crashing onto a seat by the window. 

Jungwon wraps his arm around his bag protectively as he settles in, ignoring the rest of the people still scrambling to find a seat. 

Looking out the window, Jungwon can see that the crowd had slightly dissipated a bit after the arrival of the train. Those who were once confused were now determined after finding out the way to their final destination. It was starting to look and feel like every other Tuesday morning. 

Resting his head against the cool glass window, Jungwon allows his gaze to drift downward, observing the passing scenery. The sound of the train doors closing signals its impending departure, and for a moment, the world outside appears to be in motion, just like his thoughts. 

Would things have turned out differently if he hadn’t looked up at that moment as the train was pulling away? Maybe someday in the future, he would’ve regretted this thing that he didn’t even know was about to happen.

But as fate would play out, Jungwon would lift his head up at the last moment. And the world around him seemed to slow to a crawl as he locked eyes with you. 

〰

“Do you believe in fate?”

If you were asked this question two years ago, you would’ve confidently said no. 

But as you stood amidst the bustling crowd, eagerly waiting for your train inside the subway station, your life took a drastic turn. You locked eyes with someone sitting on the train, and at that moment, everything changed. 

The encounter lasted a mere two seconds, but in that fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still. As the train swiftly picked up speed and moved away, you couldn’t tear your eyes away, your mouth parting open in shock. There was no denying it; the boy staring back at you with wide eyes was undoubtedly Jungwon. He had the same innocent look on his face with his big round eyes and cute dimples. 

All of the feelings that you had carefully stored away in your heart came back to the surface the second you saw him again. It was like you never stopped loving him. 

Your heart felt heavy, and a flood of emotions washed over you like a tidal wave as you watched the train become smaller and smaller before finally disappearing from view. The impulse to chase after Jungwon tugged at you, but you quickly gave up that thought. There was no way you could outrun a train and get to the next stop before it. It also wasn’t guaranteed that Jungwon even recognized you. It had been two years. Even if he did recognize you, who’s to say he would get off on the next stop? The doubts and uncertainties weighed heavily on your thoughts, making your desire to pursue him seem utterly ridiculous. 

Plus, the thought of seeing Jungwon and approaching him again left you paralyzed. What would you even say to him after all this time? Admit that you purposely didn’t reply to his messages even though you read every single one over ten times? Maybe if you were stupid enough, you would even accidentally confess your love for him. The thought of that possibly happening made you cringe so hard; you’d rather finish your 20-page research paper on prehistoric art. 

You were a part of the crowd that was visiting for the day for the celebration. After hearing about this event, you finally had an excuse to be in Jungwon’s hometown. At least that’s what you convinced yourself. There were many times in the past when you were close to dropping everything and calling up Jungwon to meet up, but a part of you was always hesitant. And as time went on, it became harder. You lost a reason to even talk to him, let alone meet up and confess your feelings. 

A violent buzz in your pocket snaps you out of your daze. Your hand reaches into your pocket, pulling out your phone. Upon seeing the screen, you smile softly. The picture on the screen was taken 4 years ago when you were still 18, and Jungwon was 23. You both had on a beanie, your noses red from playing in the snow, and you were chucking snowballs at each other. 

A tinge of sadness crept into your smile. You guys were so close, and now here you are, turning off your phone, shoving it back into your pocket, rejecting Jungwon’s call. 

“Call me a coward, but I’m not ready to face this,” you whispered to yourself, taking in a deep breath.

〰

Nothing significant happened after your short encounter with Jungwon at the subway station. Seeing him again felt odd. You were expecting him to look completely different. You had imagined him looking like a middle-aged workman who was unkept because he was too busy worrying about his job. Maybe he would have some slight facial hair and a half-done tie. 

But he looked the same, maybe even better than ever. You hated that. Your heart still raced at the sight of him, even now, as you sat in the lecture hall, thoughts of him lingering in your mind.

Jungwon had texted and called you nonstop in the past few days, but you hadn’t responded to any of them. His text messages were all along the lines of “I know that was you I saw at the subway,” or “Why won’t you talk to me?” and “Did I do something wrong?”

At one point, you thought to yourself, “Heck, what’s the big deal? Why can’t I just tell him that I love him?”

But thank goodness you didn’t let your impulses take over. The consequences were too large, and the risk was too great. After all, Jungwon was your brother’s best friend ever since middle school. Admitting to him that you fell in love with his best friend was asking for a death sentence. Sunoo was already so protective over you. If he found out the guy you liked was his best friend, it would be disastrous. Though Sunoo usually radiated sunshine and rainbows, his anger could make the world feel like it was coming to an end.

As you were lost in your thoughts, you noticed the students around you starting to pack their things as the class came to an end. Letting out a sigh, you began organizing your binder and stowing away your laptop in your backpack. As you zipped it up, you pulled out your phone and dialed your friend’s number. 

The dial tone rang twice before a cheerful voice rang out. “Hey!”

“Hey, Jake. Where are we meeting up later again?” you inquired.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ll meet you outside your dorm around 5,” Jake replied cheerfully, his thick Australian accent adding a friendly touch.

“Sounds good! Also, don’t forget-“ you started.

“-your melona popsicle,” Jake interjected with a chuckle. “Yeah, yeah, already got it!”

With a giggle, you blow a playful kiss toward your phone, “You’re literally the best.”

“Very funny, Y/N,” came Jake’s sarcastic reply. “The only time you say that is when I bring you food.”

“Ha ha…you know I’m only joking…” you playfully pouted. 

“Love you too,” Jake laughed. “Okay, I’ll see you later. Remember to put on sunscreen.”

“Yessir!” you playfully saluted, even though he couldn’t see it over the phone. 

After hanging up, you took your usual five-minute walk through the park to get to your dorm.  The weather was fair today–sunny but not overly heated. The distant chirping of birds and the cheerful chatter of students filled the campus atmosphere.

Since finals had just ended, you and your friends had plans to go roller skating later in the day. So you had to get ready. Wearing a skirt to go roller skating was not ideal. 

Upon opening the door to your dorm, a soothing silence greeted you. Your two roommates were still in class, leaving you to enjoy some quiet time. Glancing at the clock on your desk, it read 4:13. Okay, good, you still had a good chunk of time before meeting up with your friends.

After changing into suitable attire and applying sunscreen as per Mr. Jake Sim’s request, you settled back into your chair. Nervously picking at your nails, you read and reread Jungwon’s last message to you, “Y/N, please. I have something I need to tell you.”

Your eyebrows knit up in confusion. What was there that he so desperately needed to tell you? It’s not like you had any common topics you could talk about. It was probably his witty way of tricking you into talking to him–Jungwon was always a sly one. 

With a heavy sigh, you let your head roll back, allowing the chair to rotate slowly as your mind wanders. Your eyes fixated on the spinning ceiling, and before you knew it, your eyelids fluttered shut as you drifted off into a light slumber. 

〰

“Come on, Y/N! You’re so slow!”

Grumbling, you roll your eyes and retort, “Sunghoon, unlike you, this is my first time skating!”

The tall boy only lets out a laugh as he skates near you, reaching out to grab your arm. “Come on, grandma, let’s get you standing at least.”

Using your sleeve, you wipe across your forehead, collecting all the sweat that had accumulated there. “You liar, you said this would be fun.” 

“It is!” Sunghoon whined. “You just have to get the hang of it. You’re almost there!”

Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Sunghoon trying to hold back a cackle. You shoot him an annoyed look, “Fuck off, do I look like I’m getting the hang of it?!”

Currently, you are bent over with one hand on your shaking knees while Sunghoon holds your other hand. As you struggled to gain balance, you watched as a little girl skated expertly past you two, and you let out an embarrassed grumble as Sunghoon doubled over in laughter. 

“What’re you two laughing about?”

Sunghoon’s eyes brightened at the sight of Jake. “Nothing, just complimenting Y/N for her vogue-worthy pose here,” he snickered. 

Jake raised his eyebrows at you, to which you returned with a glare. 

“You better not start laughing at me, too,” you warned.

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Jake responded, trying to look offended. 

Before you could retort, you winced slightly from the discomfort coming from your feet. Twisting and turning on the wooden floor to gain balance has taken its toll, and now your ankles are burning from the friction caused by the skates. 

Sunghoon noticed your pained expression and gently asserted, “Okay, that’s enough for now,” as he gently tugged you towards a nearby table. “Rest for a bit. We can continue later.”

Relief surged through you as you gratefully sat down, finally relieving the tension off your aching feet. From your seat, you watched as Sunghoon chased after Jake around the skating rink, both of them laughing as Jake was eventually tackled. You smiled fondly at the sight of your friends. Letting out a sigh, you rubbed your hands on your sore ankles. 

As you winced in pain, a shadow suddenly appeared on the ground next to you. A person approached, their form towering over you, catching your attention. The figure kneeled down, and your eyes widened in shock when you realized who it was. 

Jungwon gently loosened the laces on your skates while murmuring, “Be careful. Your skates are too tight.” 

His unexpected presence left you momentarily speechless, but you managed to find your voice, “J-Jungwon? What are you doing here?”

He looked up with a sad smile, his eyes filled with years of unspoken emotions. “Were you ever going to talk to me if I didn’t approach you?” Jungwon asked softly, his vulnerability evident in his voice. 

His question caught you off guard, and you found yourself grappling with your feelings. At that moment, you realized how much had changed since your last interaction, and you couldn’t help the pang of guilt that was eating at your heart. 

Taking a moment to gather your thoughts, you took a gulp before replying, “I…I don't know. Jungwon, I really don’t know.” Your mouth felt dry, and you silently cursed at yourself. That was not what you wanted to say. 

The weight of your unspoken emotions seemed to hang in the air, creating an awkward tension between you. You prayed that Jungwon couldn’t hear your heart panging against your ribcage. 

Jungwon’s sad smile remained, his eyes searching yours as if trying to decipher your thoughts. You looked away because it felt like he could see all the secrets you had kept hidden for all these years. 

“I just…I want things to go back to how they used to be,” you finally managed to add, your voice tinged with vulnerability. “But it’s so much more complicated now.”

Jungwon’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. “What do you mean? It doesn’t have to be complicated. We can go back to how we were,” he pleaded softly. 

Rubbing your hands over your face, you let out a frustrated sigh. “Let’s talk about this outside,” you suggested, wanting to be in a more private area. 

You noticed that Jake and Sunghoon were making their way toward you and Jungwon with a concerned look on their face. Despite your inner turmoil, you managed to shoot them a reassuring smile and a thumbs up, signaling that you were fine and there wasn’t a problem. 

Jungwon followed after you in silence, and the awkwardness seemed to linger like an invisible cloud. Once outside, neither of you knew how to break the silence that had settled between you. 

You winced and absently kicked your foot against the concrete, watching as a rock skipped two times before coming to a stop. The sound of the rock hitting the ground echoed in the air, mirroring the uncertainty in your heart. You knew there were things that needed to be said, feelings that had to be acknowledged, but finding the right words was proving to be a challenge. 

How do you casually tell Jungwon you are in love with him without risking him hating you?

Finally, Jungwon took a deep breath and spoke softly, “I’m sorry if suddenly appearing in front of you caught you off guard. I didn’t mean to make things awkward between us.”

“It’s fine,” you mumbled, unable to meet his gaze.

“So…uhm, how have you been?”

You took a moment to compose yourself. You were being rude, and Jungwon didn’t deserve this. “I’ve been okay,” you said, keeping your tone neutral. “Life’s been busy with school and everything.” 

“I can imagine. College was so rough, finals and assignments all chasing after my ass.” Jungwon laughed, his eyes crinkling up into crescents. 

Your heart couldn’t help but ache at hearing his laugh again, the sound bringing back a flood of memories and emotions. 

Your heart swelled at seeing his smile again. 

You couldn’t do this anymore. You couldn’t continue pretending like everything was fine. 

“Jungwon,” you began, palms sweating from the nerves. “What’s the meaning of all this? What’s the point in coming all the way to this city to find me?”

Jungwon’s laughter subsided, and his expression shifted to a look of hurt and confusion. “Y/N,” he started, his voice tinged with frustration as his tongue poked at the inside of his mouth in annoyance. You were shocked. You had never seen Jungwon so visibly angry before. 

“You can’t be serious, right? You’re the one that threw our friendship away. Now, I’m here trying to fix it, and this is all you have to say?” His words cut through you like a dull knife, slow and painful. 

His raw emotions left you feeling exposed and vulnerable, causing you to instinctively bite the inside of your mouth, “It’s just…it’s complicated,” you said, your voice wavering. “It’s not like that,” you tried to explain. “I…I was scared…” your voice trailed off. 

Jungwon’s eyes searched yours, waiting for you to elaborate. When it seemed like you weren’t going to continue, Jungwon whispered, “Scared of what?”

Tears welled up in your eyes, blurring your vision. “I-I’m sorry,” you stammered, “I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to lose you as a friend,” you choked out. 

At the sight of you crying, Jungwon felt a tug at his heart, prompting him to step forward and wrap his arms around you. In his embrace, the realization of how much you missed him hit you like a tidal wave, and you clung to his shirt.

“I’m so sorry,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. It was more like you were talking to yourself, but Jungwon heard it nonetheless. “I should have been brave enough to risk it all and tell you how I felt.” 

“What?”

At this point, you didn’t really care anymore. You were too tired of this game you were playing with yourself. “I shouldn’t have kept it a secret,”  your voice cracking. 

It felt like Jungwon was hit by a truck. At that moment, he was hit with a sudden realization that this was so much more than you feeling regretful for ruining your friendship. Oh my god. This was so much more than just that. Jungwon’s thoughts raced around as his heart pounded in his chest. 

He opened his mouth to respond, to say something, anything, but you were already talking. Your words were spilling out like a floodgate that had finally been opened.

“I love you,” you let out, the words escaping your lips with a mixture of relief and fear. “I’ve loved you for so long, and I’ve been denying it to myself, to everyone. I didn’t know what to do with my overwhelming feelings, so I-I hid them,” your voice broke as you said the last part.

Jungwon started to speak, his voice gentle and caring, “It’s okay, Y/N. We don’t have to talk about th-”

“No, let me finish,” you interjected. “If you don’t let me say this now, I’ll never get the courage to do it again. Taking a deep breath, you continue, “I don’t know when I stopped seeing you as an older brother or a friend. You’ve always been there to help me, and I cherished our friendship more than anything,” you said, your voice softening. “But the truth is, I wanted more.”

There was only a deafening silence after you finished, and that scared you. “I’m really sorry, I should have told you.” 

“I wish you had,” Jungwon said, his voice low and thick with emotion, “I wish you had told me sooner.”

Oh. 

The words hung in the air like a heavy cloud, and panic filled your chest, making it hard to breathe. You ripped yourself away from Jungwon’s arms, the warmth of his embrace now feeling suffocating.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Why hadn’t you thought about that? Jungwon probably had a girlfriend already. To him, you were just a little girl crying about her silly little crush. You felt like a fool for thinking that he could even see you as more than just a friend. 

Jungwon reached out to touch your arm, secretly holding back a smile. But you didn’t see it because you were too ashamed to look him in the face. “Y/N, wait,” he said. “What are you thinking? Talk to me.”

But the panic had taken hold of you, and you couldn’t bear to face the possibility of rejection. Your heart was pounding in your ears, drowning out everything else.

“I-I should go,” you stammered, barely able to get the words out. “I’m sorry for…for everything, but don’t come find me anymore.”

You turned away, your walk breaking into a sprint as you hurriedly make your way through the crowd. You wished you could turn back time and keep your feelings hidden, but it was too late now.

In the midst of your inner turmoil, you didn’t notice Jungwon following closely behind you, his footsteps matching yours. He called out your name, his voice laced with urgency.

“Y/N, please stop,” he pleaded, finally catching up to you and gently grabbing your hand, forcing you to face him.

Tears streamed down your cheeks, and you couldn’t bring yourself to meet his gaze. “I can’t do this, Jungwon,” you spit out. “You don’t have to tell me. I know already.”

The only thing you hear is Jungwon let out a sigh, followed by a slight chuckle. Only then do you slowly look up, and you’re confused. Really fucking confused. Why was Jungwon grinning at you?

“What’s so funny?” you ask, your voice accusing, feeling humiliated. Does he think this is some type of joke?

Jungwon’s chuckle softens, “I’m not laughing at you, Y/N,” he says, his voice tender. “I’m just…relieved, I guess.”

Relieved? Your confusion deepens, and you can’t comprehend what he’s trying to say.

Jungwon smiles brightly as his thumb draws small circles on your hands, “I have a secret too.” 

〰

“Kim Y/N!” Sunoo’s voice rang out through the phone.

“What?!” 

“Hurry up!”

You rolled your eyes as you unlocked the frontdoor to the house, “I didn’t know you missed me that much,” you said sarcastically, walking up the stairs and stopping outside Sunoo’s open door.

Sunoo glared at you through slitted eyes, “Not me,” he grumbled, jabbing his thumb towards his bed. “Take your boyfriend away, he’s been whining this whole time about how you wouldn’t take him on your little hangout.”

You pouted at the boy that was now running towards you, engulfing you in a tight embrace, “I told you already. I was hanging out with my college friends.”

“I missed you,” Jungwon whispered against your lips.

“Get out!” Sunoo yelped. “It’s weird seeing my best friend and my sister together, let alone kissing,” he whined. 

The two of you only laugh as Jungwon picks you up, causing you to let out a squeal, and he carried you to your bedroom. 

“Close my door!” was the only thing you heard from Sunoo before you were gently thrown onto your bed, Jungwon crawling in after you. 

You nestled into Jungwon’s arms, feeling the comfort and warmth that came from being in his embrace. 

“You know, I never took you to be the clingy type,” you said, a mischievous grin spreading across your face.

Jungwon rolled his eyes playfully, a hint of amusement dancing in his smile. “Oh, come on,” he teased, pulling you closer and wrapping his arms around you. “Can you blame me for missing my adorable and amazing girlfriend?”

You let out a mock sigh, feigning exasperation. “I guess I can’t blame you,” you replied, resting your head on his shoulder. “After all, I am pretty amazing,” you grinned. 

Jungwon chuckled softly, his breath warm against your ear. “You’re right. How did I get so lucky?” he whispered, his voice filled with affection. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever met.”

You blushed at his words, feeling your heart skip a beat. It was moments like these that made you fall in love with him all over again. He had a way of making you feel special, of making you feel cherished. 

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” you teased, lifting your head to meet his gaze. 

He grinned, his eyes sparkling as he smiled. “Oh, I know,” he said, leaning in to press a gentle kiss on your lips.

The soft touch of his lips against yours sent a delightful shiver down your spine. It was a tender, affectionate kiss that spoke volumes of the emotions he held for you. In that simple moment, your heart swelled with joy and love for him. 

As the kiss lingered for a moment, time seemed to slow to a crawl, and you felt like you were in your own little world. The gentle caress of his lips moving against yours sent sparks flying, and you found yourself clinging to his shirt, not wanting to moment to end.

Jungwon's arms, which were circled around your waist, began gently tickling your sides, making you gasp into the kiss. You let out a squeal of laughter, trying to squirm away, but Jungwon held you firmly in his arms.

"Jungwon, stop!" you giggled, squirming and laughing uncontrollably.

He grinned mischievously, his eyes shining with amusement, but he didn't relent. Instead, Jungwon intensified the tickling, knowing exactly how to make you laugh even more.

"Please," you breathed out in between laughs. "I can't breath," you laughed.

When he finally pulled back, a soft smile graced his lips as he pressed his forehead against yours. "You're adorable when you laugh like that," he whispered.

Blushing and still giggling, you playfully swatted at his chest. "You're just saying that to distract me from the tickling," you stuck your tongue out.

Jungwon chuckled, his eyes softening. "Maybe a little," he admitted, "but I mean every word."

You bit the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from smiling wider and snuggled closer to Jungwon. You could hear the beat of his heart, and you were happy that it was beating as fast as yours.

“You’re everything to me,” he whispered, his voice barely above a breath. “And I wouldn’t trade anything for you.”

Your heart pounded against your chest, and a million butterflies erupted in your stomach in the best way possible. You couldn’t help but return his affectionate smile. “I feel the same way,” you mumbled into his chest. 

“Thank you for telling me your secret.”

“Thank you for telling me yours.”

౨ৎ

tagging : @kcluv @jungwonismybias @mrchweeee @jwsszi @jhopesucker @ashgodash @luvbinniee @en-dazed @aishigrey @luvuwn @silentkarnival @fakeuwus @markerloi @abcdeonu @wonies-princess @aloloveswonie @amanda-archives @chaengswife @yukxin @kpopstanmeg (bold couldn't be tagged!)

a/n : hi guys! tysm if you read till the end! sorry for not releasing this earlier, i went through a rough writer's block and to be honest, i'm not that satisfied with how this turned out, but i thought you guys still deserved the happy ending that you were waiting for! hopefully this filled the void of the sad ending i left in part 1 (sorry about that again) but now yn and jungwon are happier than ever hehe. tysm for all your love and support! and like always reblogs, comments, and likes are vvv much appreciated! thank u for reading this story!

pew ~♡︎

This Hogwarts AU is soooo GOOD 10/10 please give this a read 🫶🏻

in my head - yjw

; pairing - jungwon x fem!reader

; synopsis - you’ve hated jungwon ever since you two met on the train to hogwarts back in first year; he’s self-centered, lazy, and always coming out for you. now in your seventh year, you’ve been named head girl (woohoo!). unfortunately, the head boy position was given to the one and only yang jungwon (boohoo…). with no other choice, you’re forced to face the annoyingly attractive boy and work with him for the rest of the year - if you can even last that long.

; tags - fluff, angst, crack, ravenclaw! headboy!jungwon, slytherin! headgirl!reader, rivals to lovers, enemies to lovers, hogwarts au (with a modern twist), bc they have tablets and stuff

; warnings - a little bit of swearing, a lot of hostility between yn and jw, lmk if i missed anything!

; wc - 12.9k words (umm.... have fun!)

teaser

everyone’s eyes are on you as you stand up at the front of the great hall while the headmaster - professor bang si hyuk - introduces you as this year’s head girl. looking at all the students staring back up at you, you almost feel proud of yourself (keyword: almost). 

you’d think someone would be overjoyed at being acknowledged and recognised enough to have been given such a high position, but you aren’t. 

instead, you’re silently fuming, just barely keeping your temper in check as you plaster a fake smile on your face. your eye twitches as you hear a low chuckle from-

“the head boy, yang jungwon!” the headmaster announces. cheers erupt from around the room, all clapping for their new heads. 

“i can feel the waves of anger practically radiating off of you,” he murmured quietly.

yang jungwon. 

the boy you despised so much. 

listen, you don’t really hate anyone, but you’re pretty sure that what you feel towards the boy you called ‘yang’ is close enough.

in all your six years at hogwarts, you two have constantly been at each other’s throats. arguments often broke out between you in corridors; fights wherein one would end up stupefied or thrown against the wall; even little sabotages against each other that were subtle enough that teachers could pass off as an accident or your own fault rather than the other’s. 

for example, back in third year, yang had tripped you on your way into the great hall after everyone got off the hogwarts express. you had flashed everyone behind you and scraped your knee when you landed on the ground.

although no one saw him do it, you immediately knew who the culprit was, especially when he smirked down at you over his shoulder as he walked ahead. oh how badly you wanted to slap that smile off his face in the moment.

you retaliated the next week by mixing his white laundry with red clothes, so he was forced to attend his classes with pink uniform until he got new shirts. nothing satisfied you more than the glares he sent your way throughout the first day of his pink week, you could feel him boring holes into the back of your head even when you weren’t looking.

making your way back to the slytherin table, you thought back to when you got that fateful letter a few weeks back.

you slid the window open after spotting an owl from afar flying towards your house.

the bird flew in gracefully, and dropped your letter from hogwarts on the kitchen island counter, accepting the treats offered from your hand.

“y/n, please. close the window, would you? it’s so windy outside - it’s blowing away my papers!” your mother scolded from her seat at the table.

“sorry, my bad! i just got my grades.”

“ah really? let’s see it then.”

you scanned the letter, satisfied to see an O on all your subjects. although they weren’t your final NEWTS grades, they were an indication of how you did throughout sixth year according to teachers’ assessments. 

you’d been nervous at seeing anything below an O, but your friends had told you not to worry all summer.

“you’ve never dropped from the top rank in our year ever since first year, why would you now?”

“hiyyih, it’s only because of how much i’ve studied, but what if the expectations this year are higher? what if it’s not enough? what if i spent too many free periods sitting with you guys by the lake instead of-“

“be for real, you only did that twice! you’re the only person who’s actually spent their free periods studying,” rei said.

“well that’s what they’re supposed to be used for!”

“who actually does that! besides you, of course.”

“rei’s right, even yang jungwon often spends his frees with his friends.”

“that’s why he’s number 2,” you roll your eyes. “maybe if he studied during his frees, he’d finally get that number 1 spot he's been telling me he'd get for years.”

“it’s the fact he doesn’t have to study as hard to easily get second top student in our year. besides, weren’t you just worrying about not being first this time ‘round?”

that set you off into another episode of wailing and worrying about your results.

reading the letter, your eyes zeroed in on a shiny gold badge attached to the bottom.

  dear kim y/n,  we are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen as head girl for this upcoming academic year. you will be working alongside the head boy, yang jungwon, and all prefects across the four houses. you and the head boy’s duties will be relayed to you after the sorting ceremony. congratulations once again, you are well deserving of the title. sincerely, headmaster bang si hyuk

you still remember your mother questioning you after watching your figure suddenly go from jumping around the kitchen all giddy, to sulkily dragging your feet to the table.

of course, you were honoured to be picked, but did they really have to choose your enemy as your partner? i mean, the whole school knows about your rivalry, and you guys have been told off countless times by teachers! so was this really a smart idea?

when the ceremony ended, one of the professors led you and yang to the head dormitories.

(a “benefit” of being one of the heads was getting your own room, separate from your own house dorms. but you’d still be sharing the common room with yang, so that wasn’t exactly the biggest plus in your books.)

“as you can see, you will have separate private rooms, each with their own bathroom,” the professor pointed at the doors on opposite sides of the common room.

“but you two will share this living space. there’s a little library in the corner as well. 

“now for rules..." he started listing a bunch of obvious rules - like what's allowed in the head dorms and what isn't, when you can bring your friends, etc.

“and last but not least, you aren’t allowed in each other’s private quarters,” he paused before glancing at both students. “although, i don’t think that’ll be a problem.” 

he’s right there, you thought bitterly.

the idea of even sharing the common room with the boy irked you, let alone entering his own room. you could only imagine all the stupid tricks he was planning on you right now - but you were doing the same.

after the whole ordeal, the professor finally left you two alone, but not before telling you that you should start planning out the prefects’ patrolling schedules so that you could meet up with them as soon as possible.

you and yang stared at each other for a moment, apprehension hanging in the air. this is the first time you two have directly looked each other in the eye tonight.

“so… i guess we should get to sorting out those schedules,” he breaks the silence, gesturing to the scroll of names in your hands, which the professor had left with you.

nodding, you followed him to the large table in the middle of the room, where you’d hold a meeting with the prefects tomorrow morning.

“here’s the list of all the prefects, plus their student ID numbers.”

“okay, we can use those to add them all into a group chat on hog-messages and inform them of the meeting tomorrow.”

one of the newer developments at hogwarts in recent years was the addition of electronic tablets given to every student, so they’d be able to communicate faster with each other. it had an app programmed within it called ‘hog-messages’ where students could message each other or their teachers, and create group chats, all activity being monitored by staff.

the tablets also allowed the students to be able to write notes down on it, but most teachers often preferred all homework to be written on paper scrolls anyway. 

all this was provided by yang enterprises.

yup. yang was the son of the wizard who introduced muggle electronic devices into the wizarding world, instantly boosting their family into riches and success.

the world was given to him on a silver platter, so he’s always had it easy. and unfortunately for you, the boy not only grew up snobby and privileged, but was smart too. 

coming from the muggle world, you entered the wizarding world with an open mind. despite this, you hated the ravenclaw almost as soon as you met him. 

his ego was high up through the roof way before he’d even been placed in the house, and he emanated a strong intimidating aura. as soon as yang saw you on that hogwarts train, he turned his nose up at you like you were dirt before you’d even spoken a word to each other.

nonetheless, you managed to work out a schedule together smoothly. but the lack of clashing heads for once put you on edge, you felt like something was just wrong.

“alright, i’ve sent a message to the group,” he said, staring at his screen.

“okay…” you trailed off, unsure what to say. “um, let’s be civil this year, yang,” you say instead, putting a hand out.

the boy looked up at you, before glancing down at your hand then laughed in disbelief. as if you had said you were going to run 100 laps around the castle.

“duh, i knew that when i got the letter. that doesn’t need to be said. are you an idiot?”

now it was you who stared at him in disbelief. there’s the yang you know.

lowering your hand, you scoffed and stormed into your room, which was luckily closer so you didn't have to spend another second looking at his pretty face.

you should have known nothing would ever change. you can’t believe you almost thought that yang had changed. of course he’d never grow up, maybe he was just made this way. 

on the other hand, the return of his ugly personality brought you some comfort. it was just something you were more familiar with. you weren’t used to the driven and focused attitude he had on earlier when sorting out the schedule, and you’d prefer to keep it that way. 

unpacking your bags and showering before changing into pajamas, you set an alarm for 6:30am, so you’d have time for the meeting at 7:30 and can end it before classes began at 8. you went to bed feeling prepared for tomorrow.

the next morning however, you woke up late. 

the sunlight seeped in through the curtains, and after a moment, you checked your phone for the time.

8:34am

crap.

you practically jumped out of bed and began to frantically get ready, pulling on the first shirt and skirt you could grab from your closet.

why hadn’t your alarm woken you up? you set the alarm two hours earlier. had you accidentally typed 630 into the calculator app instead from a tiring day?

however, when you check your alarm clock, you saw that it had been turned off. although, you clearly remember pressing save and checking that it was on before tucking yourself into bed.

you pause as you brush your hair, your thoughts coming to a stop.

it was yang, you realised. 

is this his idea of civil? you wonder what he's on as you slip on your uniform in panic. 

quickly brushing your teeth, you put on your tie as you ran out the room, a chill hits you when you remembered the prefects’ meeting you were supposed to have this morning.

oh my god, they probably think i'm an irresponsible head girl. there’s no doubt the bad impression being late on your first day as head girl would leave on not only the students, but the teachers as well. 

will they revoke your position? will they give the badge to another, more responsible girl? who preferably doesn’t have beef with the head boy? 

you cringed at the thought you might be punished because of something entirely yang’s fault, and he’d get away with it. as he always does. 

you ran down the moving stairs, almost slipping off the edge when it suddenly changed paths, towards your first class as you cursed out the head boy in your mind. 

but soon enough, nervousness took over as you neared the classroom.

there was only about 15 minutes left of the period, so was it even worth it to go? and besides, yang was in this class too. you’d hate to see the gloating smirk on his face when you enter and get scolded by the professor.

before you could decide however, the door opened, revealing the very boy you’d been planning revenge on all morning.

yang didn’t look surprised to see you there, evident by the grin on his face.

he faked a shocked tone though, when he announced your presence to the professor (and the whole class).

it goes without saying that you definitely had a bad morning, being held back in class for another half hour to make up for what you missed that morning. 

thankfully, you had a free period next, so you weren’t missing your next class this time.

although you hated yang jungwon with every fibre of your being, you weren’t a snitch. you wouldn’t dare expose him - mostly because it would be useless. who would really believe you, when you were already messing up so early in the year? and certainly not when it accused the school’s beloved heartthrob. 

so you took your punishment on without a complaint, pointedly ignoring yang the rest of the day, who didn’t even try to hide his smile.

you sighed as you made notes on griffin claw substitutes, all alone in the potions classroom.

september and october rolled by; even though you and yang continued your little pranks and tricks on each other, you guys managed your head duties just fine. he did his work and never slacked, so you were satisfied.

you had gotten your revenge on yang by charming his wand to vibrate uncontrollably two days later. you remember barely being able to hold in your laugh as you watched him struggle to conjure a flock of birds, an explosion of feathers popping from the tip instead.

from what you heard, he also struggled in his other classes you didn’t share, which delighted you to no end. 

“what are you skipping around all giddy about?” hiyyih asked you sceptically.

“just that yang seems to be struggling in herbology class, according to jang wonyoung.”

“what did you do?” rei eyed suspiciously.

“how could you accuse me of doing something?” you gasped.

“it’s pretty obvious - head boy and student #2 wouldn’t just struggle in a class he’s always done well in,” minji shrugged.

you rolled your eyes at your friends, but then smiled cheekily when you admitted how you’d snuck into his room that morning and cast a charm on his wand with a spell that would only stop after twenty-four hours.

“okay, that’s pretty funny. i’m gonna have to ask wony about it later,” rei laughed. 

your phone buzzed, and upon checking it, you were surprised to see a text from the one and only yang jungwon.

Hog-Messages YANG JUNGWON (ID: 78395) professor kim wants to see us

“speak of the devil,” you tell your friends and show them your screen. 

you watched as the three glanced at each other, equally surprised.

“wow, a text! from yang jungwon! and it’s not some evil curse or cryptic message!” hiyyih remarked, which you nodded to in agreement. 

rei laughed. “you guys act like he’s incapable of simple communication; he’s just relaying a message.”

“sometimes rei, i think he is,” you joked.

YANG JUNGWON ID: 78395 professor kim wants to see us

KIM Y/N ID: 78384 when?

YANG JUNGWON ID: 78395 after classes today at his office

KIM Y/N ID: 78384 ofc it’s at his office, you think he’d want to meet us in the restrooms?

YANG JUNGWON ID: 78395 i hope u fall off your broom on the pitch also come un-charm my wand or something right now.

KIM Y/N ID: 78384 can’t 🤷‍♀️  sux 2 b u

"honestly, if i didn't know better, i'd think you two had a hate-love relationship," minji teased.

"ew, anything above dislike is something i will never feel for yang jungwon," you scrunched your nose in distaste. how could minji even think something like that?

"whatever," she snickered.

arriving in front of the professor’s office door, you opened it to find jungwon already inside and seated on one of the chairs opposite the teacher’s desk. you bowed in greeting before taking the other empty seat.

“so,” professor kim started. “we need to talk about your behaviour as the head students.”

you gulped. had you done something wrong? were those threats to revoke your position on the first day real? 

looking over at your co-partner, his face was unreadable, as always. he looked perfectly calm, which infuriated you.

“as head boy and girl, you two are setting the standard for the rest of the school. you guys are supposed to be role models. but i’m sure you already know this.” professor kim paused and looked at both of you intently before continuing.

“so why is it i’m finding out that you two have not been doing your patrols together?”

oh. so that’s what this is about.

you and yang had completed one patrol session together on the first week of school, and it’s safe to say that it was… horrific. without going into too much detail, you guys had practically argued the whole two hours that night; although it was unlikely, if there were any couples making out or young students causing trouble, they probably heard you two from a mile away and hid before they were caught.

at the end of the night, you both agreed that you’d just swap your schedules and patrol with other prefects - possibly the only thing you two had ever agreed on.

“we weren’t aware that we had to patrol together,” you replied when the head boy was clearly not going to speak up first. what a pussy.

it was a lie; you guys obviously knew that head students were supposed to patrol together. having been prefects in previous years, you knew how things worked. it was why you had done the first patrol together after all. 

but you figured that since it wasn’t a specifically given instruction, you didn’t actually have to do it together.

professor kim stared at you two incredulously for a moment, his expression somewhere between exasperation and disbelief. a pool of anxiousness swirled in your stomach at the way he sighed and pinched his nose bridge frustratedly.

“listen, i don’t know what si-hyuk was thinking when he had chosen you two as the heads, given your history and all. but he chose you. so please show that you’re worthy of the title - let go of your childish rivalry. otherwise, we may actually have to find new head students.”

“you could just let go of her, professor. i’d be able to work with any other girl,” yang finally spoke up. of course the first thing he'd say is an insult.

you gasped and glared at him. 

“clearly, you’re the one who’s childish and immature here. maybe you should be the one to get replaced.”

“enough!” the teacher slammed his hands on the desk. “if you two keep this act up, we will not hesitate to replace you both.”

and so with that, you and yang left the office in uncomfortable silence. not a word was spoken between you until just before you parted ways.

“guess we’ll use the old schedule again,” he said. you nodded.

being the end of the day, you were both too tired to argue. the heavy workload that comes with NEWTS in addition to the responsibilities of your positions, you both left for your own common rooms without sparing another glance.

the dreaded patrol round came sooner than you would have liked, and you found yang waiting by the castle doors. you always seemed to be the later one, as if he’d placed a curse on you with that trick at the start of the year.

he kicked himself off the wall he’d been leaning against when he saw you, and began to walk without so much as a ‘hi’ or ‘let’s go’. you had to quickly jog to catch up to him.

the air between you two as you walked around was silent and tense, so thick that you could probably cut it with a knife.

surprisingly, yang was the first to break the silence.

“i was thinking - we should plan the first hogsmeade trip for this term.”

“mhm,” you hummed in agreement. “i think it’s best to have it after the quidditch match in november.”

“yeah, at the end of the month. and people would be able to go before the winter break.”

you fished your phone out from your pocket and opened the calendar app.

“when should we have it?"

yang leaned over your shoulder to look at your screen. “let’s have it on the twenty-seventh," he says, pointing at the date on the calendar. "it’d be good to have the week between the match and the trip free so we can prepare.”

you nodded as you listened, typing up a reminder to speak with the professors about it. 

“hey!” the head boy suddenly shouted, causing you to jump. “what are you kids doing here?”

you looked up to find he had opened a classroom, in which three students in around 4th or 5th year were standing. they stared up at the pair of you with wide eyes, like a dear in headlights.

“what are you doing?” you asked, regaining your composure. looking at their ties, you realised they were in slytherin, like you.

the students glanced at each other worriedly and slowly backed away from the two of you. you noticed them hiding something behind them on the desk.

pointing your wand at the items behind them, you summoned it nonverbally, yelling ‘accio!’ in your mind. the items flew into your arms.

“you all better go back to your common room. it’s way past your curfew,” yang warned them. “20 points from slytherin.”

the group shuffled out of the room and quickly ran back to the dungeons.

“isn’t 20 too many?” you grumbled. maybe you were a little biased since they were in your house though.

ignoring you, yang sighed as he turned back to look at the contents in your hands.

“what is it?” he asked.

upon closer inspection, it seemed to be the plannings or blueprint of a large snake puppet that moved on its own, the quote ‘slytherin slays’ painted along its body.

you held back a giggle as you read the notes on how to make the snake glare and breathe flames out when faced with a ravenclaw. yang snorted as he read them as well.

“you slytherins are always so immature when it comes to quidditch matches.” you rolled your eyes and glared at him, imagining you were breathing flames like the puppet snake.

“at least we have a strong sense of support for our house. what’re you birdies doing? painting little flying banners that the players won’t be able to read on the pitch?”

“my team doesn’t need to read our house’s support. we’re good enough and know if.”

“sounds like there’s just no house spirit.”

“say that to me when your team loses,” he challenged.

“you’ll be waiting forever then,” you retorted.

“let’s place a bet. 20 galleons that ravenclaw wins.”

“fine! if we wins, i want you to pay my monthly subscription in an online game for a year."

“what?”

“i need money," you huff, crossing your arms indignantly.

“you need muggle money.”

“well, yes. but i mean, you can convert your wizarding money into muggle money, then pay for my monthly subscription in a game so i get game money.”

“that sounds useless; for a kids’ game? and you called me the childish one?” he raised a questioning eyebrow.

“i wouldn’t need to find peace in an online game if you didn’t bother me all the time, you know," you complain. "you’re like a piece of gum i can’t get off my shoe.”

“you could just cast a spell to get the gum off,” he shrugged.

“you’re right, i’ll just cast a spell on you!” you smile brightly. “stupe-“

“oh my god, okay! i’ll pay for your stupid game - if slytherin wins, which you won’t.”

you smiled to yourself, a skip in your step for the rest of the patrol.

soon, the day of the match arrived; ravenclaw against slytherin (because of course it was). 

the morning of the match was lively as usual, everyone split between green and blue. 

you watched the large snake float above everyone’s heads in the great hall, breathing (harmless) flames into every ravenclaw’s face. 

just at that moment, you bumped into the trio of students who’d been planning the little surprise. you sent them a discreet smile.

“20 points to slytherin,” you awarded for the clever trick, but also to make up for the twenty that yang had taken.

suddenly, you screech when a flock of small origami birds flew and pecked at your hair, ruining the braid you’d put your hair in for the match. 

looking up, you noticed the small paper birds flying about the hall, pecking at every slytherin-supporter. this was definitely ravenclaw’s idea; no doubt yang had gotten inspiration from the those students you two had caught.

“you good, kim?” a familiar voice greets you. you turn to see the devil himself smirking at you, pleased with the mess you are.

“i was, until you got here.”

“maybe it’s a sign that you’ll lose today.”

“maybe it’s a sign you should shut up.”

the match started without a hitch. 

you scored the first 10 points of the match within 6 minutes, and by the first half hour, slytherin was ahead by 30 points. 

you enjoyed the thrill of being a chaser, trying different ways to get the quarrel past the keeper. in fact, you enjoyed flying in general, and being on the pitch.

that is until, you started getting pestered by the other team’s seeker.

you noticed yang seemed to be flying around you after a few laps, and sent him a questioning look.

“what are you doing, yang?”

“looking for the snitch, it’s my job.”

“well, i’m not the snitch. so keep looking!”

“well i’m certainly looking at a similar word.”

it took time to process what he meant, but when you realised, you glared at the boy.

“focus on the game- if you keep your eyes on me, you’ll be paying for my subscription soon!”

yang scoffed and looked away, searching the pitch for the snitch, sending you a glare before zooming away.

the game ended in slytherin’s favour, your team’s seeker barely clutching the golden ball in his hands before the head boy could reach it.

cheers roared across the stadium when it ended with your team’s success, students running onto the pitch in excitement to congratulate you and the other players.

“seriously, the way you threw the quaffle into the hoop while gliding through the air - it was so smooth!” minji gushed as rei nodded in agreement. 

“let’s go, there’s going to be a congratulatory party in the common room!” rei says, taking your hand to drag you.

“can i come?” asked hiyyih excitedly, who was a gryffindor.

“duh!”

you laughed as you followed your three best friends, when you caught sight of a certain person in the corner of your eye.

“wait, i have to do something real quick,” you pause to tell the girls. they stopped as well and looked at you curiously.

“what is it?”

“wait for me. i just need to talk to yang - head stuff,” you tell them off-handedly, before running off to the ravenclaw team.

“it’s definitely not about ‘head stuff’,” hiyyih nudges rei, who nods as they watch you leave.

you make your way to the losing ravenclaw team, even congratulating some of them on a good game. 

when you reach your target, you tap on his shoulder to get his attention, before smiling triumphantly up at him (wow, you never realised how much taller he was than you until now).

“what is it, kim?” he drawled with an eye-roll.

“the bet. i won.” you gloated, the smile never leaving your face, widening instead when he wore a look of disbelief.

“oh, right.” he sighed before scratching the back of his head, looking around thoughtfully. “let’s sort it out tomorrow, at patrol.”

“okay! don’t back down from your end of the bet.” 

“i may hate you, but i’m not a sore loser. see you tomorrow night, kim.”

“with my monthly subscription payment!” you say, waving tauntingly as you ran back to your friends.

“what did you need to talk to him about?” minji asked, putting her hand out to hold yours as you four made your way to the slytherin dungeons.

“we’re making monthly plans to help a student who needs it,” you say smugly.

“sounds like you’re twisting the truth,” rei laughed.

“but it is the truth!” you protested.

you found yourself happily scrolling through the game's catalog, looking to spend your newly-bought robux.

ever since your deal on the match, you found yourself slowly warming up to yang.

well, not to the point you’d consider each other friends, but you acknowledge each other in passing with a nod or quick wave instead of pointedly looking the other way like usual.

you also argued less, much to the relief of the entire school. however, they were still apprehensive, waiting for something to blow up eventually. it was simply too suspiciously calm and quiet without your voices yelling down the hall or in the corner of a classroom.

as the weeks went on, you two learned to get along better and better everyday, even willingly becoming partners in potions once.

sometimes, you would walk to the great hall together for lunch or dinner after a meeting. you even spent your free periods with yang, which you told your friends was because ‘they didn’t have any frees with you’ so you ‘might as well spend it productively’ with the head boy who coincidentally shared the same free periods schedule.

you did lots of stuff together, as expected of the head girl and head boy.

yet, you always avoided studying together.

others might think it’s because of your rivalry; how one might copy off the other’s or something.

sure, you laugh to yourself. let people think what they want.

but the idea of studying with yang again brings back memories of fifth year.

you didn’t tell anyone about it, not even your own friends. 

at the end of the year, you’d been practically glued to the library for two months, studying for your OWLs.

“mind if i sit here?” 

you turn up to see a familiar face.

“yang?”

“there’s no other free space in the library,” he rolled his eyes, making up an excuse.

looking around, you realised he was right. the only other free spots were next to students that were notoriously weirdos who everyone avoided. maybe he doesn’t want them to copy off his work, you think to yourself.

“um, okay,” you agreed hesitantly while sucking on a sugar quill, moving some of your books to make space for him. those sweets often helped you focus.

yang pulled the seat out and sat down, before beginning to study himself.

you tried to continue as you were, but had lost focus. not even the green apple-flavoured sweet in your mouth could help you concentrate.

you were hyper aware of his presence - the way he hunched over the table with his hair falling over his face. you watched him from the corner of your eye.

why had he chosen to sit with you? were there seriously no better places to go? what about his room? the astronomy tower? the little corner window by the potions classroom downstairs?

“relax. i can feel how tense you are from here.”

“does your oh-so-precious pure-wizard blood give you the ability to sense emotions like a dog?” you scoffed. he looked up sharply and gave you a serious look.

“i just want to revise for my OWLs; let’s keep our disputes outside the library, where we won’t get hexed by madame park over there.”

you rolled your eyes and kept your head down, going back to your own business.

over the course of the month, a routine slowly began wherein you would often study together in the library. 

sometimes it was you joining him instead, and you would just wordlessly take the seat opposite him. even when there were other spaces to sit, you two always chose to sit together in the corner table, hidden from the rest of the school.

a word was never spoken between the two top students. and you never told your friends about the little arrangement either.

his presence quickly became something of a comfort for you - it was easier to focus on your studies when he was there. and if you ever needed help with something, he’d give you a few pointers when you finally begrudgingly asked.

he never asked you for help though, which always reminded you why he was number 2. it infuriated you how you had to work twice as hard than him just to barely surpass the boy.

whenever you heard people talking of him in passing, he was always nicknamed ‘the prodigy boy’. what were you called? ‘the girl that was good for a muggle-born’.

he was your rival, but you weren’t his. and he’s made that clear since the day you met.

and yet, despite all the resentment you held for him, you enjoyed his company. OWLs were stressing the life out of everyone, but it felt like you could get through it with him sitting across you.

maybe it’s because he motivated you to keep working harder, to try more so you could widen the gap between your ranks. seeing him everyday reminded you of why you tried so hard. maybe you wanted to show him (and everyone else) that being muggle-born doesn’t mean you’re any less than those born in this world. 

at least that’s what you told yourself. 

but it doesn’t explain why you began to glance at his lips every time he sat across you. 

it doesn’t explain why butterflies began to flutter in your stomach when you felt the warmth of his body close to yours as he’d lean over your shoulder and point at the book when you asked for help. or why you felt giddy when you’d play with each other’s feet under the table.

until one day, he’d dropped his smart-quill on the floor, and you were quicker to kneel down from your seat to get it. 

“here,” you said, handing him the quill, still on your knees on the floor.

as you faced him, you realised the close proximity only then. 

you stared into his eyes that pulled you in, keeping you locked and unable to escape from his gaze. he stared right back, the quill forgotten in your hand, which now lay on his left knee.

you didn’t even realise the way he slowly leaned down until he cupped your cheek.

his touch was soft; you leaned into it. 

“is this okay?” you could barely hear him whisper over the rapid beating of your heart. all you could do was nod.

your eyes fluttered shut as your lips finally connected. a mix of pretty emotions burst in your stomach, filling you with a giddiness you never knew before.

it might have been just a few seconds, or it could have been hours - you didn’t know. that first kiss was everything you ever imagined it to be.

you pulled away first, finally running out of air. but he chased after your lips, kissing you again. 

the memory of your first kiss will forever be cemented in your memory. you were just two 16 year olds, softly holding onto each other in the corner of a library, hidden from the rest of the world.

you scrunch your nose at the bittersweet memory. who would’ve thought your first kiss would be with the person you hate the most in this world. 

when you returned to school for sixth year that september, yang acted like nothing happened between you two. 

he ignored you for the first month of school, not even bothering to taunt you like he used to. everyone had been stumped, including you, but he eventually went back to his usual tactics, albeit with a noticeable lack of ‘stupid muggleborn who can never be on our level’ comments. soon you two were back to your regular bickering as if he didn’t ignore your existence for the first month of school. 

as if you hadn’t shared a kiss just three months before.

now, your developing friendship scared you. you didn’t want a repeat of last time; his actions had really hurt you back then.  

you remember all the nights you spent in the library, waiting. waiting for him to come, to explain why he was acting like that. waiting for something.

thoughts ran through your mind, trying to reason why he might do this. maybe he realised he didn't feel for you the way you felt for him. maybe he went back to his room that night and wiped all the muggle germs off his face. maybe he realised he was too good for you.

you remember all the times you cried yourself to sleep, eyes puffy for weeks that even your teachers asked if you were okay. if maybe you’d eaten something bad or been cursed. that maybe you should go to the infirmary to fix it.

hiyyih, rei, and minji had no idea how to help you, because you refused to tell them what was wrong. 

and you never did. it’s simply too embarrassing. explaining that you kissed your number one enemy and then he ignored you for month and acted like nothing happened between you two was humiliating. you knew your friends wouldn’t, but surely if other students found out, they’d laugh at you.

yang probably laughed with his friends about it. you were just waiting, dreading to hear the rumours of how you’re a bad kisser and how no one should ever want your muggle-born, good-for-nothing ass. 

every time you walked past him and his friends, you’d walk faster and look everywhere but their direction. you imagined their snickers and smirks as they watched you run by like a pathetic loser.

the rumours never came however. 

no one ever looked at you weirdly, or laughed at you. you ended sixth year with a big sigh of relief, releasing a breath you didn't realise you'd been holding the whole year.

now, you found yourself standing next to the very boy who you had spent the end of your 5th year with, walking a big group of students towards hogsmeade.

you sigh as you think about your astronomy test on monday, which you’d rather spend the weekend studying for.

unfortunately, as the heads, it’s you and yang’s duty to chaperone the students on their trip to the village. 

you sigh and pull on your strap, hiking your heavy bag higher up your back. you think of the long day ahead, studying in the corner of one of the quieter cafés, freezing your toes off. it’s not preferable, but it’ll have to do.

yang watches you, eyeing your heavy bag of books.

“what the hell? don’t tell me you’re spending this trip studying.”

“alright, i won’t,” you roll your eyes at him as you two trudge behind the large crowd of students. it was 9 in the morning, and you were too tired to reply.

“wouldn’t you rather spend your time with your friends? you somehow have those,” he teased.

“well yeah,” you huff, a little irritated at his care-free attitude. “but not everyone can pass an astronomy test without needing to study like you. some of us actually have to work our butts off for good grades.”

yang stopped in his tracks, causing you to follow and look back at him questioningly.

to your surprise, he wore a serious expression, glaring forward and refusing to look at you. you must’ve struck a nerve.

“stop acting like you’re the only one in the world that has to fucking work hard,” he fumed. you’ve never seen him this mad, even in all your arguments throughout the years. 

“you’re always going on about how much you have to study this, how you need to work harder than me that - blah blah blah. 

“why do you always feel the need to undermine my work? always downplaying my accomplishments to ‘mere talent’. what about the tens of hundreds of hours i’ve poured into my own studies? the hours i’ve spent sat by a tutor since i was 6?”

surprised by his outburst in combination with your own irritation and jealousy, you couldn’t help but retort.

“are you serious right now? do you have to make everything about yourself?”

“oh because the world revolves around you? you are so fucking entitled!”

“me? entitled?” you laugh in disbelief. “you’re talking about how i undermine and downplay your work, when you’ve always been the one to yell out to the whole world how i’m a ‘stupid, pathetic muggleborn who’s lacking and can never fit in this world’!” students were beginning to notice your argument and were looking behind as they walked at you two now.

“so that’s what this is about? some shit i said two years ago?” he scoffed.

“some shit you threw at me for 5 years!” you throw your hands up in frustration.

“well maybe you’re proving me right with all your talk about just how much you need to study because you’ll 'never have it as easy as us'!” he yelled right back, mocking you. “you don’t know a thing about me.” 

you stared at him, panting heavily. everyone’s attention was now on you two, people watching instead of walking.

“kim y/n! yang jungwon!” you hear the booming voice of professor kim shout over the crowd. 

he stormed to you two, face red and veins popping out his neck.

“this behaviour is incredibly inappropriate of role model students! you two are supposed to be guiding the students towards the village, is that such a difficult task?” he scolded you and yang in exasperation.

“could you at least keep your feud behind closed doors? it’s incredibly selfish to ruin everyone’s day with your constant fights!”

you looked down ashamedly as your friends took this as their sign to finally drag you from your spot. jungwon’s friend, nishimura riki from 5th year copied their actions.

professor kim looked at the crowd which had now completely stopped to watch the show. 

“keep moving kids!” he sighed, shaking his head in disappointment.  

“park gunwook,” he called. the gryffindor jogged towards the teacher. “pham hanni.” the hufflepuff followed. “you two will take over the role of chaperoning the students, since our head students are clearly unsuitable for the job,” he instructed, throwing you a dirty look. 

the two 6th year prefects nodded and began to walk behind everyone, feeling a little awkward at being put on the spot. 

you glared at yang one more time, but was met with a different expression instead.

yang met your stare with concern written on his face, as his tall friend dragged him away. it confused you; just a moment ago, he’d been furious with you, and now he looked worried? what was he worried about? what’s with the switch up?

you couldn’t ponder on it any longer, what with your own friends shuffling you away from the crime scene.

the rest of the day was spent tucked away in a little corner of a small café you found, one people didn’t go to as much.

the girls had tried to convince you to join them on their fun, but let you go when you told them you had star charts to memorise for your upcoming test. they seemed hesitant, but after witnessing your recent fight with the head boy, they reluctantly allowed you to go off on your own with promises of saving you a butterbeer.

you busied yourself with your books, not wanting to think about the weird events this morning. from your first disagreement in a while, to yang’s mood swing - it was better to spend your thoughts on what was more important.

eventually, you woke up in the late afternoon, only realising then that you had fallen asleep. the rays of light from the sunset seeped through the window, waking you up with its blinding brightness. 

how long had you fallen asleep? you could have been revising in the time you dozed off. astronomy was your weakest subject, so you really needed that precious time.

you groan in frustration, sighing as you sit up to straighten your back. but something falls off your shoulders as you do. 

you look behind you and realise it was a jacket, which had been left on your shoulders by someone. but who?

bewildered, you pick up the jacket (which had an oddly familiar scent to it) and turn back to your table of books. but before you can return to your studies, something catches your eye.

there, on top of a pile of textbooks, lay a green sugarquill. 

had my friends stopped by while i slept?

it didn’t particularly make sense though, since you agreed to meet up with them later tonight when you headed back to the castle. 

you picked it up, then noticed the note it had been sitting on.

sorry, i shouldn’t have said any of that earlier.  found you sleeping, don’t beat yourself up. you can do this. i remember sugarquills help you focus, right? don’t worry, it’s not poisoned or anything… goodluck on monday.

your heart squeezed painfully. his short message spoke volumes.

yang jungwon wasn’t one to apologise, seeing as he either never felt bad, or never really did anything wrong (in the eyes of everyone else).

you felt guilty too, seeing as it was your fault as well. you made a mental note to apologise to him in person later.

secondly, this was the first time he ever acknowledged the time you spent together in 5th year. it surprised you, because at this point you wondered if he had forgotten about it, or if it was all some sick dream you had.

heat rushed to your face and you had to put considerable effort into keeping your composure and not kick your feet and screaming right then and there. somehow, he’d remembered such a small detail about the sweet he left for you.

maybe the whole 5th year incident affected him more than he let on. maybe there really was something that happened between you guys.

or maybe you’re just being hopeful again. 

one thing you’re sure about though, is that yang jungwon is most certainly crazy.

“welcome back everyone!” you greeted.

it’s the first prefect meeting of the term, everyone who left for the winter break having just returned two days prior.

“we have quite a bit to discuss today,” you started, before looking at jungwon to continue.

“let’s start with the more interesting news first.” he paused, looking at everyone before going on.

“me and the head girl have been planning something this winter, and with the approval of the headmaster, we can finally reveal it to you: the spring ball.”

you watched proudly as the prefects began whispering amongst themselves excitedly. you were so hyped up to be able to plan and make the event come to life.

“we wanted to give the students something more exciting to look forward to. you know- before OWLs and NEWTs completely take over our lives,” you joke, pulling chuckles out of everyone in the room.

“the idea is a formal, floral-themed event that’ll take place in the great hall. it’s only for 5th years and up, but younger years may attend if invited as a date.”

“since you guys are prefects, we’re asking for your help setting up the event. let’s talk ideas for decoration,” you say, pulling out your tablet to take notes.

as you wrote down the prefects’ thoughts and input, you were already drafting a schedule in your mind for preparations. that was until, you felt someone lean over your shoulder.

forcing yourself to keep writing, you tried to ignore the way your shoulder brushed against yang’s chest. one hand holding onto the backrest of your chair whilst the other lay on the table, next to your arm as you wrote on autopilot, your mind circuiting at the proximity. straightening your back in an attempt to compose yourself, you only push yourself against the boy more.

you were sure your face was as red as a tomato. your heart was beating so hard you were scared jungwon could hear it.

judging by the way he huffed in amusement, he probably realised the effect he had on you. 

“focus, kim,” he whispered so only you could hear, leaning lower to your level. you could imagine the smirk on his face.

“i am,” you tried to say with as much nonchalance as you could.

honestly, the moment was really reminding you of all those times he’d helped in the library. deja vu was really hitting you hard right now.

the rest of the meeting went smoothly - at least, as smooth as it could be with yang constantly flustering you as he subtly kept grazing your skin. 

now that you think about it, jungwon’s been acting strange lately. more… bold? that’s the best way you could explain it.

you don’t know how it happened, but ever since the hogsmeade trip, you two got closer. after you apologised to him, the incident in question was never spoken of again, never referred to. but it’s clear something shifted in your relationship with the head boy.

gradually, he began to fill up your everyday life, seeing him more often in the day than you used to.

in the mornings, you’d bump into each other in the common room after getting ready, and go down to the great hall for breakfast together. or, if one of you seemed to be running late after breakfast, you’d make sure to save some food and leave it in the common room for the other.

in the day, you two shared free periods, and so spent it lounging in the common room, simply doing work at the coffee table or reading a book on the couch. music would play in the background as you two sat in comfortable silence, basking in each other’s company.

in the evenings, you might come back from a late class to find him napping on the couch. so you’d shake him awake with a “jungwon, let’s go get dinner.”

you could be studying in the library corner of your shared living space, and he’d always remind you to eat. even when it was past any meal time, he’d drag you off the chair for a trip to the kitchens, where he’d get a house elf to make you two a snack. he often asked for eclairs, noticing it was your favourite.

but yang jungwon didn’t just take up your daily activities, he was always on your mind too.

thoughts of how he wouldn’t like the cold dim lights of the slytherin common room, or seeing students that he’s told you he isn’t particularly fond of floated in your mind when you visited your friends.

you even found yourself comparing him to characters in whatever series you absorbed yourself in. you seriously couldn’t stop thinking about him.

the fights stopped completely, but you two continued your flirting friendly banter all the time.

once, you managed to find time in your busy schedule to sit down and watch barbie movies. jungwon (when did you even start calling him that?) had walked in to the common room to find his bag which he had left there, only to see you huddled up in a blanket while watching barbie as the island princess magically projected onto the wall.

“what’s this?” he’d asked.

“muggle movies from my childhood. this girl here grew up on the island when one day, she was found by a prince who was intrigued by her, and brought her back to the city, where she finally learns who she really is,” you explained while keeping your eyes trained on the projection.

“and who is she really?”

“why don’t you sit down and watch, kitty?” you’d always called him by that nickname during your petty fights, since his face reminded you of a cute cat. now though, it became more of an endearing nickname for the boy.

“i have to write 10 inches on the use of the lumos solem spell by tuesday.”

“that’s 5 days away! come on, don’t you wanna know? it’s really good, i promise. we can watch from the start, and i’ll help you with that charms essay, since professor song assigned it to us to, and i already got started on it,” you asked, twisting to face him with the best pleading look you could muster.

“fine, but only because you begged," he relented with a playful smile.

so that’s how you ended up binging barbie movies into the wee hours of the morning, sharing a blanket with your proclaimed enemy on the sofa.

“you honestly look more like serafina,” you tease him.

“what? but she’s a girl! wouldn’t wolfie be a better fit?”

“but serafina has more cat-like eyes! you guys have similar eyes.”

“are you serious right now? they’re both cats!” he gestures to the movie, paused at the last scene.

“but you really look like her!” you insist, using both hands to point at each corner of his eyes, shifting closer to him. “they’re upturned.”

“didn’t realise you knew that about me, babe.” he wrapped his own hands around your wrists, as they hovered above his face. “if i’m serafina, you must be wolfie.”

“why? because we’re partners in crime?” you snorted at his suggestion. “they get married at the end and have a bunch of little kitties too. you want that?”

“if that’s what you’d like,” he shrugged, his lips pulling into a downwards smile.

you stared at him incredulously, heartbeat suddenly pounding as you looked into the growing smug look on his face. his eyes that managed to shine even in the dark never failed to root you on the spot, unable to look away.

what were you feeling? you've looked at jungwon so many times over the past 5 years, but the boy's gaze never made you feel like this way before. like you were floating on air; like you could do anything with him by your side, looking at you like that.

in fact, thinking back to all your years of knowing him, it's funny how much things have changed in the past several months.

you actually giggle a bit, sitting back, further from his warmth. you immediately miss the soft touch of his fingers around your wrists.

"what are you laughing about?" he asks, but he's laughing too.

"you. me; us."

"are we comedians now or something?"

"no, but we're definitely clowns of the circus." jungwon grinned at your statement, an amused huff escaping his lips.

"penny for your thoughts?"

"i was just thinking... how did we go from having wars in the middle of DADA in 3rd year, to watching muggle barbie movies at 2am on a saturday?" you think out loud.

"when you put it like that... we do sound like the comedy act of a show," he admits, scratching the back of his neck.

"at least i do."

"what do you mean?" you ask, shifting your position on the couch to sit up. you move your cold feet so they rest between jungwon's ankles, soaking in their warmth.

"our little feud - you know, the fights, the hexes, all that. it was all because of me."

"what? no it wasn't - i instigated a lot of them too," you say, trying to reassure him. was he feeling guilty and blaming himself?

"but, it was! honestly, if it wasn't for my stupid shallow thinking, we might've been friends way earlier." you looked at him patiently, nodding for him to continue.

"i used to think that muggle-borns were stupid and would fall behind in everything - school, work, just because you had no idea of how our world worked. honestly, i pitied and felt sorry for you guys, because i thought you could never be on our level. i know now how ignorant i was, obviously," he scoffed at himself.

"so when i met you, i thought you were an idiot. you are, don't get me wrong-" he teased you, causing you to roll your eyes, although smiling lightly. "but even though you're muggle-born, you always managed to do better than me.

"you were constantly the best student in our year- no, our school. you were faster at understanding concepts than i was, immediately getting things right on the first try. hell, even when i would go flying on the pitch to relieve my stress and then got recruited into the ravenclaw team in third year, i finally thought i was better than you at something. and then you joined your team in 4th, and was called the 'ace' of slytherin. what a blow all of that to was to my ego."

"i joined the team to annoy you," you shyly admit. "but why did you even think that in the first place?" you asked, not angry. you wanted to hear him out and finally get answers to questions you've asked yourself for so many years. you wanted to understand, and know the boy in front of you.

"well, you know that my father's company is successful. so growing up, i was given the best. my parents hired the best tutors for me, so i'd be ahead of everyone else when i started hogwarts. my teachers said i was their best student, my parents showed me off to their friends as their 'pride and joy' or something dumb like that. other parents compared their kids to me, i was that kid.

"i knew i was privileged though - that i had money and could afford to have this good education. so i made the best of it and constantly told myself that others would be lucky to have my life, so i wanted to prove i was worthy of it by working hard and pushing myself all my life.

"but with that, i developed the mindset that people who don't have money like i do can't have as much knowledge as me since they don't have access to it - and that included muggle-borns. you had zero knowledge of this world, which works incredibly different to yours. we have different moral compasses; notions of common sense; understanding of how things worked.

"so imagine how surprised i was to find that you were doing better than me in school. me, who had sat beside a tutor since i was 6, who was learning OWL content at 12. all this only for a girl who didn't even know magic existed until a month before to top me in school.

"that's why i was always angry; i was angry with my tutors for not teaching me better; at you for being better. but most especially at myself. for deluding myself into thinking that way." you two were silent for a moment.

"what changed?" you asked.

jungwon breathed in, preparing himself.

"5th year. i was finally learning to respect you, so when i walked into the library that was full of students, you seemed like the best option to sit next to."

"really? still hadn't gotten over that 'i'm better than everyone blah blah blah' attitude?" you asked, smugly tilting your head to the side.

"shush," he hid his face. "but... i got to learn how hard you really worked back then. i used to think you just had some gift for learning. but watching you with your head down for hours, i felt like i was discrediting all that with something like 'innate talent'.

"i went back home that summer confused and having a mid-life crisis at 16. my dad talked to me though, knocked some sense into me.

"he said that just because muggles don't know magic, doesn't mean they can't do anything. i mean, the whole idea of smart devices that our company is literally known for was taken from muggles! without you guys, we wouldn't have that in our world either. you created it, we just used magic to expand it.

"i was pretty shaken up after that, and was in a daze when 6th year started. it took me a while to sort my thoughts out and gather myself."

it was silent for a while, now nearing 3am.

jungwon just spilled out his guts to you, in the dim atmosphere of your common room. now you were the one collecting your thoughts.

"i'm sorry too."

"what? you never did anyth-"

"but i basically did the same thing as you. you studied for years and years, and i just always thought you were also naturally smart; that you never needed to study like i did because you already knew it all."

silence enveloped the two of you once again.

"...so i guess we're more similar than we thought, huh?" he smiled softly at you. you felt like you were floating again.

"i guess so."

jungwon unfolded his legs and opened his arms out as a gesture, which you gladly accepted and fell into his embrace.

"so, are we good now?" you asked.

"hmm, i still feel like you owe me something for all those years of endless anger and feeling like shit."

"you mean for enlightening you that we stupid muggles aren't so stupid?" you asked, face still buried in his chest, your voice muffled against his sweatshirt. "shouldn't you owe me? for teaching you a lesson?"

"but i want something," he pouted, pulling on your wrist.

"what is it? as long as its affordable."

"is going to the spring ball with me affordable?"

you turn your head to look up at him, who's looking down at you with shy eyes, waiting for your answer.

"i don't know... how much does it cost?" you play along. you already know your answer anyway.

"it'll cost you about..." he pulled out the calculator app on his phone, pretending to add up a total. "one kiss."

you laughed at him, finally pulling away from his arms.

"was that at the end of 5th year not enough?"

"no," he pouted, eyebrows knitted. so cute, you thought.

"alright then, but is it okay if i pay you that hefty price later at the ball?" jungwon sighed dramatically, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"i guess... but the price might increase to 10."

"that's okay, i'll give you as many as you want, as long as the first one is special."

"i didn't know you were sentimental like that," he smirked at you, kissing your cheek. you shrugged nonchalantly, smiling at him.

"i didn't know you were so needy for kisses like that."

"touché," he laughed, dragging you in for another hug, cuddling you until you both fell asleep in each other's arms.

since that night, you and jungwon gradually learned to be comfortable each other. and with the ball preparations, there was lots of opportunities to do so.

you realised that - without the hostility between you two, it was much easier to find compromises when you disagreed on something. jungwon did things differently from you, but listened to your thoughts and offered his too.

as the weeks went on, you found yourself looking forward to meetings with him, missing his presence when he wasn’t with you.

something in the way he’d nudge you lightly when you were worried about something, wrap his arm around you and squeeze your shoulder, or simply smile at you brightly with those cat-like eyes of his - they were all comforting.

the change in atmosphere didn’t go unnoticed by your friends either.

"what was that??" rei interrogated you when jungwon pulled you aside for the nth time this week.

"oh, he just wanted to talk about putting up decor later," you answer nonchalantly, taking a bite out of your toast.

"he has the same conversation with you practically every day," minji rolled her eyes.

"yeah, and i'm more surprised that you don't come ranting to us about every interaction you two have," hiyyih agrees, eyeing you suspiciously.

"well, i just grew up and matured," you try to defend yourself.

"if growing up and maturing means developing a crush, then yeah. you sure did." rei pauses before continuing. "is there something you aren't telling us?"

technically, yes. you weren't telling them about the development between you and jungwon - at least not yet. but you didn't exactly have a crush on the boy, in the sense that it was a one-sided thing and you were too shy to confess. but you didn't really want to tell them what was going on between you two, because you didn't know yourself.

were you and jungwon friends(-ish)? yes. but were you dating? no, definitely not. there's no doubt though that your strange, blurry, undefined relationship will develop soon enough, and you'd rather wait until everything's clear before telling your friends.

"she's not saying anything - something is definitely up!" hiyyih gasped excitedly, causing rei and minji to giggle, and you to shake your head.

you had noticed that jungwon seemed to always find reasons to talk to you, even if it's little things you've already discussed before, or silly simple questions like 'how's your day going?' or 'what barbie movie are we watching tonight?'

yeah, you two often found yourselves watching barbie movies late into a friday night.

you also ended up cuddling on the couch almost every evening after a long day of duties, particularly on patrol nights. after your rounds, you two would head back up to the head dormitories, where you'd flop onto the couch, and he'd jump onto you soon after.

the others would go crazy if they ever found out, you laugh to yourself.

the next day would be the night of the ball, so you were pretty wrapped up in helping out throughout the day.

"everything's set up," haerin, a 5th year gryffindor prefect told you.

"it looks really good," you tell her, looking at the great hall. it looked great now, and you were excited for how it would turn out in the dark of the night later.

"did you manage to complete the spell?" she asked curiously.

"i did, but i'm only 89.7% sure it'll work," you say, biting your lip. you hated not being completely sure about something, like an answer, or in this case - a self-made spell.

you turn when you hear a laugh behind you.

"i like how you have a specific percentage even when it comes to feelings," jungwon says through a grin. "your brain works weirdly"

"whatever, kitty," you roll your eyes light heartedly at him.

facing the great hall again, you take a deep breath as you cast the spell on the great hall, chanting the incantation as you wave your wand.

in a moment, the hall was filled with falling petals of different colours, though they didn't litter the ground messily, simply disappearing when they reached the ground. vines reached out from between the tiled floor, wrapping around table legs and growing bright vibrant flowers of their own. small orbs of light flickered throughout the ceiling, like fairies illuminating the scene.

"wow, it looks amazing, y/n!" one of the professors helping around praised.

"it really does," jungwon says, snaking his arm around your waist, his hand clinging onto your side snuggly.

"thank you," you mumble, as you both look up at the pretty scene in front of you.

soon, night falls and you're running down the staircase with your friends, holding up the ends of your dress to avoid stepping on it.

"careful y/n! or you might trip!" you hear hiyyih call out from behind you.

"she's just excited to see her prince charming," minji laughs, but the three of them are also running, holding up their own dresses.

the doors of the great hall open, revealing the breathtakingly decorated room, some guests already having arrived at the scene.

"wow, this is amazing..." rei gasped, enchanted by the way coloured lights perfectly illuminate the hanging wisteria flowers, and butterflies fluttering throughout the room.

"you seriously outdid yourself. how did you even do this?" hiyyih asked.

"only y/n could make a spell as complicated as this," jungwon's voice says, announcing his presence. "you look good, by the way," he adds when you look at him.

a quick one-over of his look tonight does not do him justice. so you find yourself staring unashamedly at his figure.

the way his waistcoat hugs his figure emphasises his broad shoulders, something you didn't even realise you found attractive until you saw it on him. a red tie lazily tucked into the waistcoat plus the rolled-up sleeves - it all made your mind go haywire.

"you would know, having been subjected to all the spells she's made over the years," hiyyih laughs at the memory.

"didn't know you spent so much time thinking about me, kim," he goaded.

"oh trust me, she def-" you cut rei off by covering her mouth with your gloved hand.

"thanks, jungwon," you say quickly, giving him a smile and pushing your friends away.

"he was flirting with you!" rei loudly whispers into your ear.

"and what do you want me to do about it!" you say, making sure your friends couldn't see the deep blush on your face.

"flirt back!" minji huffs out exasperatedly. "i'm sick and tired of whatever has been going on between you two for years!"

"yes, please just end it tonight! whether you get together or never talk about it again," rei rolls her eyes.

"what?" you stop, looking at them.

"rei's right, although i'd prefer for you to finally get together."

"wait wait wait, what do you mean?"

"are you being for real right now? you two have clearly had a thing for each other this whole time!" rei says like it was obvious. "we've known it for years."

"go get your man!" hiyyih sighs, turning you by your shoulders and pushing you away this time.

you try not to dwell on the thought of your friends betting on your relationship with jungwon, and pretend you never heard a word come out of their mouths.

soon, the headmaster calls for everyone's attention.

"welcome students!" his voice echoes throughout the hall, the music quietening for his speech. "first and foremost, i want to thank this year's head girl and boy for organising such an event for us. give it up for kim y/n and yang jungwon!" he shouts, a spot light highlighting your two figures in the room. you quickly turn to look at jungwon, who looks back at you with a smile, as everyone claps loudly, some even whistling supportively.

"and with that, may the spring ball begin - with the spring dance, kicking off with the head boy and girl leading the first dance," professor si-hyuk ends his speech.

everyone cheers and makes way for you two on the dance floor, which magically raises up in the middle of the hall.

music begins to play as you face the head boy, who inches closer to you every second.

time slows as he places his hand on your hips, guiding your hand to his shoulders. all other noise is drowned out by the sound of your heart, pounding so hard it might come out your chest. you don't see anyone but yang jungwon.

and he's looking at you like he sees no one else but you either.

it's crazy, how you're here, dancing, in the arms of the person who you've hated since 1st year - who motivated you to work hard during all these years.

you think back to your first meeting with him.

you could imagine the sparkles in your eyes as you stare at everything in awe, still in disbelief.

last month, a weirdly-dressed person knocked at your front door, and told your parents that you were a witch.

of course, you hadn't believed her at first, until she pointed her wand at a decorative figurine and made it float upside down. you and your family had been absolutely floored and confused. how could something like that even happen?

last month, the weirdly-dressed lady described to you a world that sounded fictional, of magic and creatures you could never even imagine. she explained why you had all these weird happenings growing up, things that were simply unexplainable.

your world was turned upside down in a few moments, and now you were here, on a train, to a magical school.

of course, you were incredibly sad to be away from your family for the first time in your life, but you were assured that you still had many ways to connect with them. and so, you set off into a new world completely alone, but with a lot of excitement.

you walked around the compartments as the train set off, peering and saying hi to other students.

until, you bumped into a boy who had the prettiest eyes you've ever seen, and the cutest little dimple that had 11-year old you's heart melting.

"be careful and look where you're going," he says nonchalantly.

"i'm so sorry! i was just so excited - i mean, aren't you? could you ever believe magic exists? i won't until i try it for myself!" you ramble enthusiastically.

you trail off when you see him looking at you with a mix of pity and boredom.

"oh, so you're a muggle-born, huh?"

"what do you mean?" you ask confusedly.

"well, whatever you think, i'm not like you. i already know what you just learned, and i already know what you still have to learn," he shrugs, picking at his nails like he ha better things to do than talk to you. "sorry, i think you're going to struggle a little bit here," he simply says, and leaves you alone in the middle of the train corridor.

what the hell? you ask yourself.

snobby rich kids isn't something you thought you'd experience in the wizarding world, but i guess somethings are just universal, huh?

something about the way he looked at you; talked to you like you were below him though - it bugged you.

"i'm gonna struggle?" you ask yourself in disbelief. absolutely not, you didn't want him to be right. you'll make sure of it.

and so, you ran back to your own compartment and pulled out your books, making a resolution to study everything and make sure you knew all the content. you wanted to show whoever that kid is that he's wrong, that you're better than him.

and so, the rest of the long ride and even your first night was spent catching up on what you missed out on, making sure you were prepared for whatever this extraordinary world would throw at you.

and most especially, preparing for whatever trouble the boy, who's name you learned was yang jungwon would give you.

gradually, more people join the dance, but you're so entranced by the boy in your arms, you don't notice how he's whisked you away from the main dance floor.

now towards the side of the room, away from all attention, jungwon looks down at you with all the love in his eyes.

it's overwhelming, you can't escape your emotions anymore. you like jungwon, possibly even more. you feel like all these feelings are about to burst out of you, and jungwon's arms are the only thing keeping you together.

"y/n, i think you still owe me something," he whispered, his face dangerously close to yours.

"and what would that be?" you naturally retort, having developed the instinct to talk back when it came to him.

"don't play with me, please let me kiss you."

"i don't think so." you pause teasingly, trying not to giggle at his pout, his dimple coming out. "let me kiss you," you say, finally leaning in, sealing your lips.

it felt just like the one back in 5th year, but better. jungwon held you impossibly closer by the waist, as if fearing you would run away. but you won't, and you never will. because in his arms, you never felt as safe and comfortable in your own skin as you did then.

you finally part for air, but jungwon's eyes never strayed from your face.

"i lied earlier by the way, when i said you looked good." you raise your eyebrows at him questioningly, before he smiles cheekily at you. "you look like the stars that put me to sleep every night."

"i didn't know you were poetic like that," you laughed lightly, leaning your forehead on his chest. "you look like my boyfriend."

"that's because i am," he says pulling you in for another kiss.

you don't think you'll ever get tired of kissing him. it's an unforgettable moment, and an unforgettable night.

you never knew you were missing something until you met jungwon, and you think you can finally breathe with him next to you (and your friends passing riki 20 galleons each two tables away). 

; author's corner! hii this was inspired by all the jily fics i've read over the years (whew i didn't even realise how long i've been reading fanfiction...) LMAO anyways may irls never find out this acc belongs to me bc my realistic self barfed at what i just wrote but my delulu self was kicking and giggling while editing but i hope you enjoyed!

; taglist @wonuslust @enhacatalog @makiswrld @forjungwons @yebin14 @lovelovelovebts @amanda-archives @beomgyusonlywife @bbinwrld@em-asian @enhamysunshines @ahnneyong @jungwonscafe bold couldn't be tagged!

Pulling at my heartstrings 😫 this was sooo good

closer.

PAIRING ▸ ravenclaw! jungwon x ravenclaw! reader

GENRE ▸ hogwarts! au, fake dating! au, f2ls, romance, angst, fluff, humor

SUMMARY ▸ your house’s prefect, yang jungwon, is the textbook definition of a ravenclaw. as a fellow housemate and friend, you’re certainly willing to help him out when he needs it. but when jungwon asks you to be his date for the yule ball, you don’t expect the trouble that follows.

WORD COUNT ▸ 4.7k

AKA you and jungwon are the definition of dumb and dumber. 

NOTES ▸ mentions of food, not proofread ???

part of the charms and chasers miniseries.

“WILL YOU BE MY DATE TO THE YULE BALL?”

certainly a great start to your breakfast in the great hall. you choke on your orange juice, not expecting those nine words to leave your house prefect’s mouth. you’re not sure if you’re lucky that your friends hadn’t arrived yet to witness such unexpected words or unlucky that they weren’t there to help you. 

“e-excuse me?”

yang jungwon shuffles around nervously, glancing around before he repeats his words. “listen, i’m really desperate. you’re the first person i saw who was available-“

your eyebrow quirks up at that. 

“-and this year they’re making the prefects dance the opening and I don’t have anyone to-“

you zone out. 

sure, you thought jungwon was a really nice and responsible prefect slash housemate. and sure, you thought he was literally the textbook definition of a ravenclaw, but you weren’t sure what to make of this. 

you would even consider jungwon a friend- if someone you only talked to a couple times a week for schoolwork counted as a friend. blinking, you return back to focus when you see jungwon staring at you with a half-desperate and half-embarrassed? look on his face.

you fumble, “uhm….”

it comes out utterly confused, your mind scattered at the abrupt confrontation. with his eyes boring into you, you look everywhere and anywhere but at jungwon. you just wanted a peaceful breakfast, not a massive heart rate spike in the early hours of the day. give credit to your social anxiety and personality to please everyone that made you stutter out a weak, “sure,” and shoot jungwon a half-grimace, half-grin. 

he practically deflates in relief, clasping his hands together tightly and thanking you countless times. biting your lip, you watch as he leaves and your friends come into view, making their way over to you. truly, you have no choice but to wonder what you just got yourself into. 

you find it awkward to talk to jungwon after the confrontation. should you say something to break the ice? after all, he was the one who asked you to be his date. 

or was he waiting for you to make the first move? 

you shake your head, overthinking really sucked. 

“did you finish the assignment for potions?”

you jump at the familiar voice, turning around in your seat to see jungwon looking at your expectantly, although the jittering of his knee below the table catches your eye. 

“oh. yeah. uh… did you?” 

“yep,” he nods shortly. silence overcomes you and you bite the inside of your cheek. 

why were you acting like this? jungwon was your friend (right?), so you shouldn’t be feeling afraid to hold a conversation with him, let alone look in his direction. 

“listen, about the other day,” he starts off and your body tenses. 

“i just wanted to apologize for asking you so out of the blue. i was kinda freaking out since i had to find a date really soon, so i’m sorry i put you on the spot like that. if you don’t want to go with me, that’s fine, i’ll just have to-“

again, jungwon starts rambling and a tiny smile makes its way onto your face. 

“jungwon. i said i would go with you, right?”

he pauses and nods slowly at that. 

“yeah, and i don’t go back on my word. as long as you’re good too, there’s nothing to worry about. how about we just stay as comfortable as we have been?” 

you attempt your best to give a reassuring smile and you think it works judging by jungwon’s sigh of relief. 

“o-of course. thanks y/n, a lot. i mean it.” 

you’re not sure but maybe that conversation broke down a wall and unlocked something in jungwon. because after that day, you felt a noticeable shift in your relationship. 

no more of the friendly surface level conversations about school- you came to learn much more about the ravenclaw yang jungwon. 

entering your house’s commonroom during a break, you’re pleasantly surprised to find jungwon sitting at a corner, looking focused as he scribbles furiously on a sheet of parchment paper. 

there was no harm in sitting with your friend, right? that thought crossed your mind as you strolled over and took the seat across from him. 

for a couple of seconds, jungwon doesn’t even seem to notice your presence. you watch with amusement at the way his eyebrows furrow. what could he be so focused on? 

the sound of your name being called out questioningly brings you out of your thoughts. you look up to find jungwon studying you with wide eyes, a sight unexpectedly cuter than you thought. you internally slap yourself. 

“y/n! what are you doing here?”

you shrug, “wanted some peace and quiet during break. just happened to see you here so i…” your voice begins to falter, “thought it was okay to join you?”

jungwon smiles his trademark prefect smile and you almost choke. “yeah. i don’t mind at all.”

coughing, you glance around the empty room before looking at him again. “what are you working on?”

he lets out a exhausted sigh, and as a ravenclaw yourself, you’ve heard that too many times to count. 

“well, the riddle to enter the common room changed so i had to go around telling all the clueless first-years what the answer was. then i finished the herbology research and had to go on patrol. finally i guess i came here for peace and quiet, like you.”

an eyebrow of yours raises. “and yet you look like you’re still working hard?” 

he glances at you sheepishly, “helping complete a third-year’s defense against the dark arts homework?” 

“helping or struggling?” you snicker, and jungwon pouts. 

“not struggling entirely,” he defends himself and you send him a look, scooting closer to see the sheet better. 

you squint at the questions, faintly remembering the content on the page. as you explain to jungwon, you see his eyes light up as he begins to remember. 

while watching him write down the answer, you smile to yourself. 

“you have a lot on your plate, yet you always seem to be so on top of things still. it’s crazy. i really admire you for it.” 

the sound of scribbling stops. 

his lips purse together as he stares down at the half-filled paper in front of him. 

“thanks, but it’s not exactly ideal when that’s what it only seems like. in all honestly, i don’t know what i’m doing half the time. finding you as my date for the ball lessened half the load on me.”

perhaps there was much more to jungwon that you didn’t know about. you suppress a laugh, “was it really that hard?” 

“it was so bad,” he whines, and you resist the urge to reach out and pet his top of his fluffy hair. 

“then, i’m glad i was able to help you, mr. ravenclaw’s perfect prefect.” 

you can only laugh as he protests to no avail. 

as you leave charms, you pat jungwon’s shoulder. 

“good luck on your test- and don’t worry. you always overthink.”

he sticks his tongue out at you, “shouldn’t i be the one telling that to you?” 

with a huff and a shake of your head, you bid him goodbye. your friends are left on the side to watch your interaction with the boy, eyes zeroing in on you. 

“what was that about?” wonyoung sneakily slides in, giving you the side-eye. you give her an innocent look in response, “what was what about?”

“don’t try me. you know, the budding relationship between you and yang jungwon?” 

you roll your eyes at that. “what budding relationship? we’re friends. we’ve been friends. you know that.” 

she hums, “yes, but i’m also your friend. so,” she drawls on, “i’m telling you right now to tell me what the deal is. there’s obviously something going on.” 

at that, you’re not sure what to say. you have no clue if the ‘situation’ between you and jungwon was public knowledge or not. 

that being you as jungwon’s date to the ball.

the yule ball hadn’t become a huge topic amongst the school yet, mainly because it wasn’t announced to the student body yet. 

jungwon knew early as a prefect and asked you, so you figured you had to keep everything a secret. even to your friends. especially to your friends. 

who knew the amount of teasing you would be succumbed to for having jungwon as your date? 

you shiver. not exactly an ideal situation after all. 

what you didn’t realize, was that the news would be released during breakfast the next day. 

once the yule ball’s exactly details were announced, the great hall erupted in conversation.

“y/n!” kazuha calls your name from across the table with a gleam in her eyes. you turn to her with an easy smile, kazuha was like an older sister to you and you loved her. 

“are you going with anyone?” your friends turn to you expectantly, and your palms begin to sweat with all the attention. 

“w-well, you see-“ you glance around desperately for help but there appears to be no one. you’re not sure why but something in your chest tightens. 

you just can’t tell them the truth. it was so simple, yet something was keeping you from saying that you were going with jungwon. 

“er, i’m so sorry but i have somewhere to be- you know, i have to water my homework!” you blurt out quickly and grab your stuff before basically flying out of the great hall, leaving your friends to share confused looks. 

you turn the corner to an empty hallway and place a hand on your pounding chest. great job y/n, great job running away indeed. 

you take a small breather, closing your eyes and laying against the wall before blearily opening them again. your vision focuses on a clock in front of you, and you suddenly come to. 

“shoot, i’m late!” 

you just barely manage to make it to the ballroom. chest heaving, you noisily push past into the room, attracting everyone’s attention. you can only stare back, in a daze and gasping for air. 

the professor turns to you. 

“oh, wonderful! you must be mr. yang’s date to the ball!” 

as gasps fill the air, you almost collapse right then and there. 

“-jungwon’s date?” 

“does that mean they’re dating?”

“they have to be! did you see the way jungwon looked so worried when y/n didn’t show up?” 

amidst the mess, you find jungwon staring back at you with an apologetic gaze. as awkward as it is, you drag your feet over to your rightful spot next to him. while the professor goes over the details, you quietly apologize for being late. 

“i’m so sorry, i totally forgot what time you told me-“

“hey,” he interrupts, a hand reaching out to squeeze yours quickly. “it’s okay. at least you’re here now. that’s all that matters.“

curse jungwon for getting you into this mess and being so nice about it. you refocus on the task at hand, and as the words fill your ears, you feel the blood drain from your body. 

of course, the whole ball was about dancing. 

another thing you didn’t know about jungwon. he’s freaking good at everything. besides being smart, kind, attractive- you slap yourself once more- 

he’s also good at dancing? 

you can’t count the amount of times you had to apologize to jungwon that day, whether it be for stepping on his feet or literally existing. 

you shouldn’t have been surprised, honestly.  after that day of rehearsing, you couldn’t catch a break. 

you were still nursing your sore legs later when wonyoung quite literally attacks you in the courtyard. you were contentedly studying on a bench, papers in front of you. that is, until she practically leaps on you and makes all your notes blow off into the surrounding air. 

your lips purse into a thin line. what could it be now? 

“you’re dating yang jungwon?” 

your jaw drops as if she wasn’t just talking about you. 

“what did you just say?”

she grabs you by the shoulders, pupils blown. “it’s been spreading everywhere, y/n! why didn’t you tell me? or-“

her words fall on deaf ears as you stalk off with one mission in mind. 

it isn’t hard for you to find jungwon, you already knew what his next class was. but to see all the eyes on you as you drag him away and to the room of requirements for privacy was something else. 

jungwon doesn’t even get a word in as you force him to sit in an empty chair, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. 

“what is-“

“you tell me. what in the name of dumbledore is going on, jungwon?” you stare at him accusingly. 

when he avoids your eyes, you know your hunch is confirmed. 

"you see…”

“i see?” you prompt.

“all my friends kept teasing me about you… so i kinda forgot to mention that i asked you out on a whim, a-as a friend,” he manages to fumble out. 

it’s not hard for you to put two and two together. you pinch your nose bridge, “so you chickened out and said we were dating?” 

he visibly deflates. 

“yeah. basically.” 

you bite your lip, “but why would you do that? it’s not a bad thing for two people, who are friends, to go to the yule ball together. is it?” 

jungwon sighs and just says, “it would be embarrassing if my friends found out that i couldn’t find anyone and asked you randomly. literally i would never hear the end of it. i know already embarrassing enough for the both of us, and it’s all my fault, but can you please go along with it until the ball‘s over?”

you hesitate, and he stares at you with those pleading eyes again. curse yang jungwon. 

“we can just pretend for a short bit. it’ll be harmless, and after that we can just go back to normal.” 

harmless? normal? 

you weigh your options in your head. wouldn’t it be situation escalate even more if you denied the rumors after he confirmed them? maybe you should have thought about your answer more, but it was too late. 

“fine,” you exhale, “but you owe me a favor. history of magic tutoring because it’s literally the most boring class.” 

“o-of course. i really owe you one.” 

it was a long process coming up with a story. but surprisingly easier than you thought. 

“can’t we just say we were friends and then i asked you out?” jungwon frowns. 

you scoff, “really now? how realistic does that seem to you?”

he clears his throat. “fine. we’ll say that you asked me out and things just went on from there.” 

facing your friends was the hardest part. you had to give them the fake apologetic look and explain. 

“we wanted to keep it a secret at first. you know, since it was so new to us…” 

“you know, i’m honestly not that surprised. I could definitely picture you guys being together before anyone said anything,” haerin chimes in. 

you swallow your spit a little too harshly. before long, sounds of agreement fill the air and you actually want to transfigure into a fly and escape out the window. 

you let out a strained laugh, “really? i’m surprised.” 

wonyoung frowns, “i’m still mad you kept it from me but i have to agree. you guys look good together.” 

you splutter, “you haven’t even seen us together!” 

she shrugs innocently, “i’ve always been watching you two.” 

“creep.”

“whipped.” 

some ground rules were established between you and jungwon. rules never to be broken within your expected duration of (not) dating. 

first, no kissing, obviously. hand holding was fine, hugs were fine, just nothing too far. second, no cheesy nicknames (merlin’s beard, never). you settled on won for jungwon and he settled on- you pause- what did he settle on? after you suggested won, he seemed to be too preoccupied (with reddened ears) to focus on making one for you. 

third. walking to class together was necessary to keep the act up and study “dates” in the library (aka your side of the deal) were every thursday. 

“I think that settles it,” you glance at your list in satisfaction. 

“wait-” jungwon says abruptly before faltering. 

“what?” you glance at him curiously. “are we missing something?”

he mutters something under his breath and you lean in closer. 

“you can just say it,” you shake your head in amusement, “it’s not like this is a strict, by the book set of rules.” 

“clothes!” jungwon manages to get out, “like- don’t couples share clothes and stuff like that? but if you’re not comfortable with that-“ 

you fall silent. 

jungwon takes note of your lack of reaction and rubs his hands nervously. 

“o-or not, we don’t have to-“

“okay,” you say quietly, all of a sudden your fingers seemed much more interesting to look at than the boy in front of you. was it just you or did the room feel a bit too hot? 

you found jungwon’s scarf to be a bit big and a bit itchy, but comfortable. the first thing you noticed when you put it on was that it smelled like him. 

jungwon smiled softly, “it looks good on you.” 

you blink, almost feeling the soft material tug at your heartstrings. “oh. thanks.” 

“see you later at lunch,” he waves and you wave back with a soft smile.

besides the teasing from your friends, you found it to be quite nice- including the extra tutoring from smartie jungwon. 

“i don’t get it. who cares about who started the goblin rebellion of 1289?”

jungwon chuckles in amusement, “the professor does, that’s who. and you will too since your marks depend on it.”

you groan, planting your cheek on the wooden library table. habitually, jungwon pokes your cheek. 

“come on. we won’t finish until 12 if we stop now.”

you let out a muffled protest.

“y/l/nnnn-“ he drags out the last syllable. 

you turn your head so your cheek rests on the table, but you can still see him staring back at you with a fond expression. 

“don’t want to.” 

sighing, jungwon puts the textbook aside and puts his head down so he’s directly facing you. your breath hitches at the close proximity.

at this closeness, you can every speck of light in his eyes. the moles on his face, the eyebags that you’re sure you share as well. 

“i’ll make an excuse so you don’t have to attend the next dance lesson,” he says softly, and his breath tickles your cheek. 

“deal,” you whisper back. 

and yet neither one of you can seem to get up from your position. 

“you guys are sickeningly cute.” 

at this point, it was becoming a regular. after the shock of you and jungwon “dating” had subsided came the admirers and fans.

you laugh dryly, dropping jungwon’s hand and ignoring the look of confusion and protest he sends your way. to make up for it, you lean in and give him a kiss on the cheek.  only for a split second do you see the surprised look on his face before it’s wiped away with an easy smile. 

“see you later, won.” 

“bye, baby.” 

again, you pretend not to hear the cooing and awwing from your friends behind you. 

“you even have nicknames?” 

“he’s such a nice boyfriend to walk you to your classes.” 

you shift uncomfortably in your position. “yeah…” 

what was bad was that you had gotten a little too used to it- acting as a couple with jungwon. what was worse was that you were starting to like it. 

he comes to pick you up after class is over. and walk you to lunch. usually jungwon would drop you off at your designated seat with your friends and go to his friends, but today he was stopped by some third years. 

“hey prefect! could you help do my research paper for potions?” 

at the first sign of jungwon’s uneasiness, you frown. it wasn’t the first time you witnessed his stress and exhaustion of being a prefect- and simply a kind person. 

you knew he always tried to help out whenever he could. that was his duty, and his personal values. but the days spent observing him literally pulling his hair out over other people’s issues wasn’t making it any better. 

“excuse me,” you step out in front of jungwon, “but my boyfriend here isn’t your homework machine. he’s a human, and he’s perfectly willing to help you guys out- not do you work for you because of your laziness.” 

jungwon’s eyes widen, mouth opened to object, but you angrily take his hand and drag him out of the great hall to a quieter place. 

“y/n- you didn’t have to-“

“they were taking advantage of you. they always do. you have your own problems and those kids need to learn how to do things for themselves.” you were internally fuming and not about to hear jungwon defend them. 

“but it’s my job as-“

“i don’t care about your prefect duties, i care about you!” 

he freezes and your voice noticeably loses its strength, “you’re my friend. of course i care about you.” 

“yeah… right,” he manages to whisper before stalking away, leaving you alone and confused. 

you hadn’t seen jungwon in a while. it’s like he was personally avoiding you, but you had no idea why. 

he stopped walking you to class, showing up for tutoring on thursdays- completely and utterly avoiding you without a single word. 

you couldn’t even approach him, it’s like you didn’t even exist. you replayed that days events in your mind over and over, picking apart each and every interaction. 

what did you do? what did you say? 

“don’t worry, y/n. he’s just going through a tough time probably and wants to be alone. just give him time,” kazuha reassures you. 

wrong, you think bitterly but don’t voice your thoughts. jungwon wasn’t the type to do that, or so you believed. 

the yule ball was still coming up and now you had to practice dancing alone, rehearsing every step in the dark with an imaginary partner. 

you didn’t even know if you were still going with jungwon, but something in you made you feel obligated to at least get the moves down. if any tiny hope in you still said so. 

the day before the ball, one last practice, you thought you heard a sound but when you looked, there was no one. it was probably just your imagination hoping jungwon would show up out of nowhere. 

sweaty and breathless, you lay down in the middle of the ground. and let the sadness wash over you. 

“are you sure you’re not going?” 

you smile sadly, curling up tighter under your blue covers. “nah, i’m good.” 

“but-“

“really,” you insist, “i’ll join later.” 

as the door clicks shut and silent fills the room, you stare up at the highlighted ceiling, sprinkled with stars. stars alike the ones you saw in jungwon’s eyes. 

you rub a hand over your face, throwing the covers off you. 

screw it. 

you need to do this. 

scrambling out of the room with one heel on and the other untied, you hastily managed to dash over to the ballroom. soft music floated over through the doors, and you curse. 

were you too late for the introductory dance? 

releasing a heavy breath, you push past the doors and stumble to a halt. 

your eyes fall upon the familiar prefects positioned in the middle of the room, all students surrounding on the sides. 

and finally, you spot jungwon next to the dance professor. 

everyone’s eyes are on you, but for once you only seem to care about one person’s. 

the professor silently sighs in relief, 

“thank goodness. prefects and respective partners, take your places!”

blood rushing in your ears and adrenaline effectively coursing through your veins, you take each step carefully towards jungwon. 

he has an unreadable expression on his face, which makes your stomach churn. you take your positions as practiced, and your hand tingles when his touches yours. 

it’s silent at first, the period of waiting for the music to start, but once the music begins, jungwon speaks under his breath. 

“you look beautiful.” 

your heart skips a beat and slowly, your eyes flicker to his face. he doesn’t look at you, instead focusing on executing the moves perfectly. 

“you look handsome,” you whisper back. 

the dance proceeds smoothly in the beginning, as if you had practiced a hundred times. but nearing the end, you falter at one move and bite your lip, hoping not too many people noticed. 

“you’re doing good. three… four…”

you look eyes with him, surprised, and in that moment, your breath is taken away. time pauses and the music fades. everything else doesn’t matter in the moment, 

it’s only you and him.  

with jungwon’s encouragement, you’re able to finish the routine without another mistake. and when the dance ends and applause begins, you quickly take his hand before he can run away again, grip desperate. 

“can we please talk?” eyes pleading, he has no choice but to listen. 

finding an empty corridor, you face him on the other side, leaning against the wall. it’s completely silent, so you clench your fists. 

“could you explain why you ignored me for the past week? please explain what i did to you?”

“it doesn’t matter,” he shakes his head, “after today, we don’t have to do this anymore. everything i put you through will be over, because that’s what you want, right?” 

you groan in frustration. 

“who said i want that? what if i say i don’t want it to be over? what if i want answers from you so we can go back to how we were? fake lovers, real lovers, i don’t care! i can’t keep acting, i just want you back in my life,” your voice cracks at the end. 

his hands fall to his side. 

“what do you mean?” he responds shakily. you can barely see him in the darkness, so you take a few steps closer. 

“are you that dense? because i don’t think so.”

another step. 

you realized, and you knew. thursdays became your favorite day of the week. no, any day spent with jungeon was your favorite day. you had become too comfortable supposedly acting with him for all of it to be a lie. and it wasn’t. your feelings weren’t a lie. 

“i think i should be asking you that question.” 

you stop, head cocking to the side. 

“what-“

he pushes off from his spot on the wall, and you feel the action. blinking, you didn’t realize how close you had gotten. 

the newfound confidence seems to fade when jungwon fiddles with his tie, “i wouldn’t have asked you to be my date if i didn’t like you…” 

you clear your throat awkwardly, “so the whole you’re the first person i eyes on and was available was a lie?” 

“somewhat,” he defends himself, “i didn’t know what would happen, but you really were the first person that i was comfortable enough with to ask. it just so happened that i liked you as well. i dunno- things just happened and we got closer.”

“then why did you push me away?”

he sighs, “because i thought you didn’t feel the same way. i got too caught up in being your fake boyfriend so i tried to prepare myself to go back to the way we were before. just friends.” 

you lean in, just a barely. “but now we both know- that’s not what we want.” 

his face was just an inch apart. you could feel his nose tickle the side of your face. 

“what do you want?”

“this.” 

and you proceed to smash your lips on his.   

bonus :) 

“you’re just lucky that i practiced.”

“alone too,” you add with a fake dramatic turn of your head (jungwon internally melts at the sight of you acting like a little kid), “like a maniac in the ballroom during the wee hours of the night.” 

jungwon lets out a melodious laugh, squeezing your hand and sending you a guilty smile. 

“i know.” 

you straighten up, "excuse me?” 

“i saw you during patrol that night,” he explains, “technically no one is allowed there past hours, but i let you stay.”

you frown but suddenly gasp at the recollection, “it was you back then!”

he blushes. 

“you were watching me?”

“of course, i always was.” 

a/n ▸ hehe as a ravenclaw i had to do this :>

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Wowowowow! Soo good🥹 got me cryin buy in the best way possible lol💕

when I think of love (I think of you)

genre: soulmate au, college au, fluff and angst

pairing: yang jungwon x f reader

word count: 8.9k

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

There’s a word for it, something that’s whispered behind closed doors, shunned like a bad omen you can’t quite shake. 

Glitch. A cruel twist of fate. A failed soulmate match. 

Something you’ve been since the countdown on your wrist ticked to 00:00 two long years ago and left you just as lonely as ever. Something you’ve been fighting since destiny carved itself into your skin with a dull, lifeless shade of gray. 

But fate is a funny thing. And love, as you’ve learned, is often found in the most unexpected places. 

or, 

In which fate, in all its cruel, incandescent scheming, leads straight to Yang Jungwon. 

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

The overhead fluorescents in this particular lecture hall always manage to leave you with a pounding headache that even a strong dose of Advil can never quite seem to mitigate. 

“And with time, these bonds only strengthen, until a point is reached in which both parties would experience immense pain were they to be separated, willingly or not.” Well, it’s either the lightbulbs or the sound of your professor’s droning. Today, his words are slightly muted where they reach your ears, as if you’re hearing them underwater. It’s information you should be taking in, or at the very least be taking note of since it’s sure to appear in course content later on, but you can’t get your mind to cooperate.

Intro to Soulmate Theory. An absolute joke of a class. The very foundation your society is built around. A nagging reminder of the deficiency that stains your left wrist. 

Unwittingly, you tug your sleeve down further. There’s no need, not really. You made sure it covered the mark fully before you left your dorm this morning. Just like every morning. But long standing habits are rarely broken, and the last thing you need now is yet another reminder of what makes you different, what makes you wrong.  

But there’s little time to ponder this particularly cruel stroke of fate before your professor is pushing forward, unconcerned with the fact that his students may be affected by his lecture on more than an academic level. 

“As per the syllabus, you’ll be completing projects with an assigned partner on a topic of your choice. I encourage you to use a wide variety of resources to reflect and encompass several points of view and ideas surrounding soulmate theory.” 

Several points of view. Yeah, right. In your experience, any arguments against the traditional soulmate model have been met with nothing short of anger and ridicule. 

Although it makes for a frustrating life, it makes for a simplistic assignment. No matter how incompetent your assigned partner, you’re sure it will be easy enough to meet up once or twice and regurgitate common sentiment on how the soulmate system is nothing short of a wondrous gift to humanity. 

Glancing at the clock one last time, you silently thank whatever cosmic forces caused your professor to wrap up class fifteen minutes early. You’ll have enough time to grab a coffee before your shift. Tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, you slide your laptop into your bag before standing up from your seat. No matter what bullshit this particular class dragged you through, today will be a good day. You’re sure of it. 

With one final scan of your area, you head to the front door of the room without a glance back. 

In the very back corner of the lecture hall, tucked neatly out of both sight and mind, Yang Jungwon exhales a long sigh before gathering his things. 

…

“Oh, you are an absolute goddess.” 

Playful frown tugging at your lips, you ask “Why is it that you only praise me when I come bearing gifts?”

Alina takes a moment to respond, too engrossed in the matcha latte you just handed her to concern herself with your question. 

Despite her inclination to only offer compliments as payment for caffeine, she’s hands down your favorite coworker. With Alina, even the slowest of shifts have a way of passing quickly with lots of laughs to fill the silence. 

Sliding into your seat next to her, you turn on your desk computer. “Any new applications to process today?”

“Nothing yet,” Alina glances at the empty inbox to confirm her answer. “This time of year is usually fairly slow. We tend to get more applications at the beginning of the semester and around the holidays.”

“Right.” You nod. “That makes sense.” Times when people are new to campus. And times when people are lonely. 

You had been the latter when you submitted your application. Last year was your first year of university, and although the writing on your wrist had already faded to black by the time you enrolled, living on campus meant you were away from your family and friends for the first time. 

You pushed it off as long as you could. It hurt something in you, pride perhaps, to seek help from the Student Support Center over something that you’d been grieving in private for the better part of a year. 

But loneliness is what finally did it, what finally pushed you to seek support from the university for your condition. For the permanent reminder of cosmic cruelty etched into the soft skin of your left wrist. 

For the second time in the span of an hour, you find yourself tugging at your sleeve. 

You suppose it’s the same thing—injured pride, a deep sense of shame, that has you wearing long sleeves even in the summertime. It’s not like you’re unfamiliar with the failure etched into your skin. You know what you’d find if you looked. A matte gray 00:00. A reminder of what could’ve been, what should’ve been. 

You remember when there was a different number displayed there, one that got smaller and smaller with each passing second. One that glowed a bright, glossy red instead of the dull, lifeless gray it is now. 

Just like everyone else, you’d been born with red numbers on your left wrist. There was no sign then, at your birth, that you were different, that you were a glitch. 

Just like your family, just like your friends, just like your classmates, your number was normal, albeit a bit smaller than most. 

As a child, you’d reveled in it—the comparative smallness of your countdown. It wasn’t unusual for people to have to wait well into their twenties or even their thirties to find their soulmates. But a quick calculation revealed that your countdown would tick to 00:00 just after your seventeenth birthday. 

It feels stupid now, like some sort of cruel joke, that you ever thought yourself lucky. 

Because two years ago, with just seconds to go, you had been waiting in a park close to your school. It was that cosmic energy again, that divine sense of something, that told you this particular park was where your life was destined to change, where you were going to meet your fated soulmate. 

Like everyone else, your timer had run out, and he was there. Handsome and a year or two older than you, if you had to guess. A perfect stranger that you felt like you already knew. A soulmate destined only for you. 

But unlike everyone else, your completed countdown, that ever coveted 00:00, didn’t transform into a glossy, shiny deep violet that signified the successful completion of a soulmate match. 

No, instead it had turned to the same faded gray that mocks you now. 

Confused, your brow drew together as you locked eyes with the man that was supposed to be a culmination of everything clicking into place. 

At a second glance, the wrongness of it all began to sink in. The way he walked toward you with slow, reluctant steps. The way his mouth pulled tight at the corners like he wanted to prevent any words from escaping. 

The wedding ring wrapped around the finger on his left hand that you thought would belong to you. 

It was an accident, he told you. A drunken mistake between him and a girl he met at university. One he wasn’t serious about, but damage had been done nevertheless. A single night that was meant to be a blip, a passing moment in time, but turned into a child. One that the two of them decided to raise together. 

A child that had them both decide to forgo the fate written on their wrists and forge a new life of their own. 

It hurt, he told you, to see you, to know that he was causing you pain. 

But his mind was made up and you knew better than to plead with a man who had fought and forsaken destiny itself. 

It wasn’t your fault. He’d told you that day, and you’ve heard it countless times since then. From your parents. From your closest friends. From your own tear-stained reflection in your bedroom mirror. 

But blame with nowhere to go always had a way of ending up on your shoulders, and reassurances never stopped you from pondering possibilities on sleepless nights. 

What if we had met sooner? What if he never met her? What if they never had a child?

In the end, it was pointless. Fate had been written and rewritten. The stars had aligned and shifted and still remained terribly out of reach. There was nothing you could do, nothing to be done. 

But it didn’t stop the loneliness from seeping in. It was loudest during the quiet moments, but it never truly left. It didn’t matter where you were—in class, with friends, surrounded by people, or completely alone. There was always an overwhelming sense of loss, of loneliness that followed where you went. 

And when the burden of it all felt too heavy, you’d bitten the bullet and applied to your university's support program for glitches, although none of the staff dared to use that word. 

It’s where you’d met Alina. And although she had a bright red number still ticking evenly on her wrist, she’d had a friend who shared your fate. Who let the loneliness consume her instead of accepting help. 

Even if it wasn’t through firsthand experience, Alina knew the pain of failed matches intimately. After a handful of weeks, you’d found genuine friendship in her and she was the one to recommend you for a job on the support team. 

You’re grateful beyond words for her, for all of it. For the people and the friendships and the moments that remind you life is worth living, even on the hard days. 

So you’ll take her compliments with a smile, even when they come at the expense of a matcha latte from her favorite campus cafe. You’ll take the hard days and the good days and all the little moments in between, and at the end of it all, you’re confident there will always be something to smile about, even when your heart feels so heavy you’re afraid it might sink right out of your chest. 

“The matcha’s good?” You ask, even though you know the answer. And if you didn’t, it would be apparent from the fact that it’s already half gone. 

But something in you still smiles, still feels a little lighter when Alina turns to you with a grin and says, “of course.”

…

If there’s one place you still find it difficult to extend optimism towards, it’s your damn Intro to Soulmate Theory course. Although an important element of sociology and objectively relevant, it does more to remind you of your abnormality than just about anything else. 

Thankfully, your professor’s cadence is beginning to slow, a surefire signal that class is wrapping up. You glance up at the clock. Could you really be so lucky as to get out early two classes in a row?

At the front of the lecture hall, your professor peruses his notes one final time. It’s all you can do to suppress a groan when he starts speaking again, and not to dismiss you.

“Before we end for the day, as I mentioned last class, you’ll be completing your next assignment in partners. The instructions, rubric, and due date can all be found on the syllabus, and you’re welcome to email me or attend office hours with any additional questions you may have. I’ve already taken the initiative to pair you, so please listen for your name.

“Kim Sunoo and Lee Heeseung.”

As he moves through the seemingly endless list of names, you begin to tune out. Have there always been this many people in this class?

When you finally hear your name, your attention snaps back into focus. 

“... and Yang Jungwon.”

Yang Jungwon. 

It’s a name you’ve heard in passing, maybe, but he’s not someone you’re familiar with. Standing, you begin to look around the hall. You figure it might be easiest to exchange information now, but if you can’t find him, you could always look up his email on the class list later.

Ultimately, it’s him who finds you.

“___?” At the sound of your name, you turn to face him. Dark hair and eyes, you’re surprised you don’t recognize him more. As it turns out, Yang Jungwon has the kind of face that makes you want to keep looking. The kind of face you’d search a crowd for. 

“Yeah,” you affirm, somewhat breathless. “Yang Jungwon?”

“Just Jungwon is fine.” He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Do you want to go ahead and exchange information? I get my final training schedule later today, so I can message you when I have a better idea of when I’ll be able to meet up.”

“That sounds good.” Nodding, you hand over your phone for him to input his information. As he types, you watch a strand of hair fall over his eyes. “Training schedule? Are you an athlete?”

If he’s put off by your probing, he doesn’t show it. “Mhm,” he nods. “Taekwondo team.”

“That’s cool.” Accepting your phone back, you type your name into the newly created chat. “Here, I’ll send you a message so you have my information too. I work in the afternoons, but I have a pretty consistent schedule. Once you have your training times, we can figure out when we’re both free.” 

Checking the message that comes through with a ding, Jungwon nods. “Perfect.” He hikes his bag further up on his shoulder, pausing for a moment before turning his gaze towards the door that the rest of the class is heading towards. “I’ll see you around, then,” he says before turning to do the same. 

And if you let your gaze linger just a little too long on his retreating back, you’ll be grateful that no one is paying you enough attention to notice.

…

Dinner cleaned up, skincare completed, and the events from the day blurring into a sleepy haze is when his first message reaches you. 

9:36pm Yang Jungwon I got my final training schedule. Looks like I should be free Tuesday and Thursday afternoons after 4 if that works for you?

Double checking your work schedule, you type a reply. 

9:38pm You I work on Tuesdays until 6 but I can do Thursday at 4. 

9:39pm Yang Jungwon Let’s plan on Thursday then 👍 Meet you at the library? I’ll reserve a study room on the first floor. 

9:40pm You Sounds good, see you then!

With the semester well underway, Thursday is quick to roll around. A handful of minutes before four finds you wandering through the first floor of the library, working to locate the study room Jungwon texted you the number of earlier. 

After a minute of searching, you find it, half surprised that he’s arrived even earlier than you. 

Early and straight from practice, you assume, if the still drying strands of hair that indicate a recent shower are anything to go by. 

“Good call on the study room,” you add after your initial greetings. “I always forget how packed the library is once the semester really gets going.” 

“Right?” Jungwon agrees. “I have a friend who swore by them last year, and now I’ll never go back.”

“Sharing the study room secret?” You grin. “That’s a true friend right there.” 

“Yeah,” something softens in Jungwon’s gaze, a distinct fondness in his eyes that tells you he’s thinking of more than just study rooms. “He is.” 

“So,” you continue, not wanting to waste time getting started. “I glanced over the instructions on the syllabus, and it seems pretty straightforward.” Switching to the open tab with the syllabus, you confirm. “Looks like we just need to pick a topic in soulmate theory with some kind of recent research developments and explain why the new research is significant and how it has changed, challenged, or confirmed existing theory.” 

Swallowing the lump in your throat, you force yourself into the familiar state of detachment you always revert to when discussing this particular topic. 

“I don’t know if you have a topic in mind already,” you shrug. “I’m pretty much open to anything.”

He pauses for a moment before answering. “What about—” Dropping his thought into silence, Jungwon seems to reconsider. “Never mind.”

“Is there something you’re interested in?” 

“No.” Jungwon shakes his head. “I doubt there would be any recent research, anyway.”

“Okay.” Part of you wants to push further, but you don’t want to make him uncomfortable. “I just looked up some recent research topics, and it looks like there’s been some more development in theory related to countdown colors and location-based soulmate matches.” Ignoring the way the gray on your wrist suddenly seems like the most prominent thing in the room, you mold your voice into an even tone. “Do either of those sound interesting to you?”

He considers for a moment. “Maybe location-based matches?”

Releasing a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, you nod. “That sounds good to me.” Turning back to your computer, you add, “Let’s both find a few publications to reference and then we can take notes on them before we meet up next week. The final paper is due in four weeks, so we can outline next week and then start the actual writing.”

“Yeah,” Jungwon agrees, “that works for me.”

In the minutes that follow, a silence settles around you. It’s not horribly awkward, but part of you is still itching to fill it with something. 

Finally, you bite the bullet. “Would it be okay with you if I put some music on? Just something instrumental.”

“Sure,” Jungwon nods. 

Grateful, you open your study playlist and begin it on shuffle. The first notes play out, an easy piano melody that cuts through some of the stagnance. 

A handful of songs and journal articles later, Jungwon breaks the rhythm. “Clair de Lune.” A small smile turns the corners of his lips up. “This is on my study playlist too.”

You offer a small smile in return. “You like this song?”

“Yeah.” He nods. The quiet melody sings through the air, floats around tentative glances, delicate breaths. Lands lightly on two sets of shoulders. “You know, you’re better than me. I always end up turning on my regular playlist and then singing along to the songs instead of actually working on anything.”

That earns him a full blown smile. “Believe me, I do that more than I probably should, too.”

A shared grin later, the two of you are back to your own laptop screens. 

Despite the fact that you don’t switch your playlist, you find yourself distracted for the rest of the session. Not by the music, but by the fact that it’s all too easy to picture Jungwon in the comfort of his dorm, headphones on as he sings along with whatever’s playing in his ears, forgotten assignments scattered across the desk in front of him. 

…

Despite your newfound fondness of your project partner, you have a feeling that Intro to Soulmate Theory will continue to be your most dreaded class until the end of the semester releases you from its twice-a-week morning monotony. 

Life seems determined to prove you wrong, though, because just as the professor is settling into his position behind the podium, a body slides into the usually empty seat on your left. 

Startled, you glance up. 

“Jungwon?”

“Hey,” he smiles. “I’m glad I made it on time. I thought for sure I’d be late.” 

He finishes settling into his new seat before sliding something onto your desk. “I brought this for you, by the way.”

Eyes catching on the iced coffee in front of you, you try to do anything but balk. 

“I noticed you have one sometimes in this class. I wasn’t sure what your order was, so I had to guess based on color. And I mean, light brown can be just about anything with iced coffee, so I hope you like it.”

“I—thank you.” The fondness in you swells. For just a moment, it feels like something bigger, something more. Something you haven’t felt since… Since an afternoon you’ve worked hard on forgetting for a long time. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Jungwon shrugs.”I was stopping by the cafe anyway.” He gestures to the coffee on his desk. “Besides, it’s what a partner’s for.” 

“Well thank you,” you repeat. “I—” Whatever you’re about to say is interrupted by the beginning of the lecture. 

You’re not sure if it’s the caffeine or the boy at your side, but something has today’s lecture flying by. You’re not sure if you’ve even blinked once before the professor is dismissing you for the day and you leave Jungwon with an unfamiliar lightness in your heart and a promise to see each other on Thursday.

…

Thursday afternoon finds the pair of you back in the same study room, laptops open and project outline halfway formed. 

This time, the drinks on the table in front of you are courtesy of your wallet. It’s too soon to say for sure, but you have the feeling a tradition of sorts may be blooming. 

You can’t say that you mind. It’s nice to have something to look forward to, to have someone to share it with. It doesn’t matter if it’s small, if it’s nothing but an unexpected coffee to make a study session pass just a bit faster. It feels nice. It feels… special. 

The same instrumental study playlist filtering through your laptop speaker, you both share a small smile when Clair de Lune begins to play. 

It’s pleasant, you realize. A project that you were dreading has become something you look forward to, and you’re sure it’s because of him. 

Despite the fact that you’re poring over research that would sting like a slap in the face under any other circumstance, Jungwon’s presence soothes the ache, keeps the reminders of a fate lost to time and circumstances at bay just by occupying the seat next to you. 

You’re not sure what it is, not sure why it seems to reach you somewhere that’s remained untouched for years, but the more time you spend with him, the more you start to like it. 

That odd sensation that almost feels like butterflies in your stomach. The stilted rhythm of a heartbeat that almost feels like it’s running a little faster. That warmth that sits high on your cheekbones almost like a flustered blush whenever he catches your eye for a little too long. 

A million little almosts. A million little possibilities. A million little somethings you thought ended with the dead countdown on your wrist two years ago. 

You don’t let yourself voice these thoughts, don’t even let your mind linger on the connection for too long. 

If it does, it will twist and tarnish whatever is taking flight into something ugly, something rotten. Will convince you that your happiness is borrowed, that it will only come back in the form of future misery. 

That the semester will end, the class will wrap up, the project will be submitted. 

Yang Jungwon will be nothing but a moment in time. A blip on a radar. Time will continue on with its incessant march and the countdown on your wrist will remain unchanged. 

That it doesn’t matter how many almosts the two of you share. Your fate was written in the stars and unraveled by a man who didn’t want you. 

You’re a failure. A glitch. 

Pretty words and sideways glances and unexpected gestures of kindness won’t change that. 

Yang Jungwon will move on from this project, from this class, from you. 

His countdown will keep ticking if it hasn’t turned to a shiny violet yet, and you will be nothing but a forgotten memory. 

You’re not sure why it’s so upsetting in this moment, this series of truths that have been both apparent and unavoidable since you first made eye contact with Jungwon. But something about the way they swirl in your mind now has you desperate for air, for space. 

You try to offer some halfhearted excuse about stepping out for a moment, and you barely note the concern that flickers across Jungwon’s features in your panic induced stupor. 

You hear your name. Hear it followed by the gentle question, “Are you okay?” 

But it’s muffled. It’s all wrong. 

In your haste to escape, you knock over the gift, your gesture of goodwill in the form of the coffee you brought Jungwon. 

You watch, horrified, as it seems to fall in slow motion, hot, dark liquid spilling over the table. 

“It’s okay,” you think you hear him say. But it’s not. It’s not. 

He reaches for his bag, pulling out a handful of napkins. Instinctively, he rolls up his sleeves to wipe up the excess liquid. 

And that’s when you notice it. The inky 00:00 on the inside of his left wrist. 

It’s not violet. It’s not shiny. It’s a dull, muted, lifeless gray. 

A reflection, a twin, a copy of your own. 

His eyes fall to the same spot as your own, and he’s pulling his sleeve down just as quickly as he rolled it up. But it’s too late. You’ve already seen. 

Shared pain. Shared shame. 

It grounds you. Reaching out a hand, you take a handful of napkins off the top of the pile. 

“Here,” you offer, voice unbearably small. “I can help.” Hollow words and a hollow sentiment. As luck would have it, spilled coffee is the least of your shared concerns. 

Nonetheless, the two of you wipe up the remainder of the spill in silence, a gentle piano melody weaving its way around the silence, wrapping itself around both of your wrists, threading an invisible string between two lost souls, two shared fates. 

“It didn’t get on your computer, did it?”

“No,” Jungwon shakes his head, reaching out his hand to grab the soiled napkins from you before discarding them in the trash can. “Just the table.”

“That’s good.” A moment passes. Two. “I’m sorry.” You’re not sure what you’re apologizing for, what you should be apologizing for, but you take the easy way out. “I should have paid better attention to where your cup was. You can finish mine, if you want.”

“It’s okay.” Running a hand through his hair, he adds, “I usually only drink it hot.”

“I can get you a new one—”

“Really, it’s okay.”

And it is. You can tell that he’s not upset, not about the coffee. But the tension is still there. 

You saw it. You have the sinking suspicion that he knows you saw it. 

And you’re at a crossroads. You can act as if nothing happened, pretend that you saw nothing and return to your half finished project outline. 

But you’ve had friends and family tiptoe around you, and it never left you feeling anything but more empty, more unwanted, more of an anomaly. 

You don’t want Jungwon to feel those things. So you try your best, in a steady voice, hiding the shake in your hands underneath the cover of the table. 

“You know,” you nod towards his arm, taking care to keep any signs of judgment clear from your voice. “I actually work at the Student Support Center. I know it’s rare, but there’s a whole department dedicated to helping people that… struggle with soulm—”

“I think we should just work on the project.” Jungwon is tight lipped where he avoids your gaze. The way he tugs on his sleeves has you wanting to press matters further, to push just a little further until he knows that he has you on his side, but you’ll respect his wishes. The last thing you want is to increase his discomfort, and you have the feeling you’ve already done just that. 

“Okay, yeah.” You take a deep inhale. “I overstepped. I’m sor—”

But Jungwon just shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it.” 

…

But you do. 

You worry about it when you head home for the evening, accidentally leaving the oven on long after your dinner is finished cooking. 

You worry about it as you try to fall asleep, unsettled by thoughts of Jungwon suffering the same pain, the same shame you’ve been hiding the last two years. 

You worry about it when you arrive at class the next day, two coffees in hand. 

Your worry turns to dread when Jungwon never comes, coffee going cold where it sits untouched on your desk.

You worry when you arrive at work, the handful of messages you’ve sent still unanswered no matter how many times you check your phone. 

10:47am You Hi Jungwon, sorry if this is annoying but you weren’t in class today and I just wanted to make sure you’re okay

10:58am You I’m really sorry about the other day at the library. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.

1:32pm You Hey let me know when you see this. I just really want to make sure you’re okay. 

You’ve typed and deleted a million more, unsure of how to best approach the situation. You don’t even know if he considers you friends, really. 

Your shift passes in a blur until Alina asks if you’d be up to pull a double, since someone on the evening shift called out sick. 

Usually you’d be hesitant, but right now you’re desperate for any sort of distraction and agreeing comes easy. 

But you’ve forgotten one key thing. In your old schedule, evening shifts were always your favorites. Primarily because they’re significantly  slower than the rest. Most students preferred to schedule their visits during the day, which left you with plenty of time to catch up on assignments between tasks. 

It’s an especially slow night tonight, the near torrential downpour tearing through the campus an added deterrent to anyone wanting to venture outdoors. Unfortunately, this only leaves you with more time to ruminate over Jungwon, whose name has yet to light up your phone screen. 

You wish you knew more about him. Wish you knew who his friends were so you could reach out to one of them to check in on him. 

You’re halfway convinced you should just go through everyone on your class list and send emails until someone knows something when the sound of a bell chimes out, signaling the opening of the center’s front door. Peering over your computer, you squint, trying to make out the person who’s just entered. 

As they draw nearer, a familiar form begins to solidify. 

“Jungwon?” You brow furrows in confusion as you stand up out of your seat. A million emotions flicker through your mind. Annoyance that he’s been avoiding you and your messages. Confusion as to why he’s here. Above it all, relief that he seems to be okay.

 But then you take him in fully. 

He’s absolutely soaked, down to the bone, rain matted hair falling over his eyes while his clothes cling a little closer to his frame with the added weight of precipitation. There’s a frantic look in his eye, a panic that you recognize all too well. 

“Jungwon,” you repeat, letting your strides eat up the group as you close the distance that still separates you. He’s shaking, you realize, once your hands reach up to smooth some of the hair away from his eyes. Trembling like a leaf and dripping onto the floor. He still can’t match your gaze, still has yet to breathe a single word to you. 

“You’re shaking.” You can’t help but point out the obvious. With determined movements, you reach for his hand, finding no resistance as you envelop it in your own. Tugging slightly, you pull him into a nearby room, stopping only to grab a warm blanket and to begin brewing a warm cup of tea. After a moment, you wordlessly offer him both. 

A million questions bubble in your throat. You breathe life into none of them. Silence settles around the both of you. Not entirely unpleasant, but brimming with something heavy.

“I just,” he finally breathes and you feel your heart clench in your chest. Seize like his pain is your own. “I couldn’t be alone.” There’s a tremble in his breath when he adds, “Not tonight.”

“You’re not.” You shake your head, drawing closer as you take a seat to his right. “I promise you. You’re not alone.” 

And you won’t let him be. Not after the time for your shift to end comes and goes. Not when the sun starts to peek its head over the horizon, painting the sky in the pastel watercolors of a new day. 

You don’t move until he does. Until he asks in a small voice if you’ll meet him in an hour at the coffee shop you now both frequent. 

Until you honor his request with a nod and a promise to see him again soon. 

…

The coffee shop is mostly empty this early in the morning. The corner table the two of you occupy feels private, secluded. A place fitting for revelations. 

Jungwon begins all at once, coffee warm between his hands. 

His match was supposed to be in a park, too. 

It’s interesting—the research you’ve been reading supports claims that soulmate bonds tend to prefer open air, areas surrounded by nature. 

Jungwon’s fate was set in stone later than yours, only a year ago today. Shared fate. Shared pain. Shared shame. 

A park, his favorite one. A place he went often, a place he loved. He hasn’t been back since. 

Not when that eerie, cosmic, magnetic pull of destiny tugged at him until he was sitting on a bench, next to the rose garden in full bloom. 

Not when his breath stopped the second she arrived, not when he knew, he knew it was her. His destiny. His soulmate. 

Not when he stood up to greet her, to meet his future with a wide smile and open arms just as the numbers on his wrist drew closer and closer to zero. 

Not when he watched, with a distinct sort of dread building in the pit of his stomach, as someone on the opposite side of the garden emerged. Not when time ticked on, revealing with every steady second that this stranger had the same intentions, the same plan, the same countdown, the same fate. 

Not when he watched this stranger meet her first. 

Not when he watched in abject horror as smiles lit up both of their faces. 

Not when he looked down at his own wrist, vision blurred through the onset of tears, as the bright, ruby red faded to gray instead of the violet it was meant to be. 

Not when he was a failure, a miscalculation, an unfortunate needle in a haystack of perfection, of success stories. A glitch. 

Not when he watched the love of his life fall into the arms of another man and leave him. Alone. Lonely. Forgotten. 

Even now, in the seat across from yours, you can see the toll it takes on him. 

So you reach for comfort in the only way you know how, in the unique twist of fate that led two unlucky circumstances to cross unlikely paths. 

Laying your left arm on the table, you pull the end of your sleeve up. 

It’s not a lot. But for now, it’s enough. 

…

There’s an odd sort of balance, a sense of comfort that comes with understanding and being understood. It’s not like before, but you and Jungwon fall into a new kind of easy rhythm. One that both understands the most intimate pain and shame of the other while still keeping them at an arm’s distance. 

It’s not solace. But it’s something. 

You’re off tiptoes and on solid ground. And when you meet Jungwon for your next Thursday study session, there’s a new kind of fire in his eyes. 

“I think we should switch our project topic.”

It takes a concentrated effort not to spit out the drink of water you just took. “What?” At this point, your outline is finished and you’re well into writing your report. The thought of redoing all that work with a week and a half to go is nearly unbearable. “Why?”

He doesn’t falter. “I think we should do our project on glitches.”

You recoil as if you’ve been slapped. 

Glitch. It’s a word people tiptoe around, whisper behind closed doors. Not meant for respectable society and certainly not in a university research paper. 

You don’t even need a second to consider. “No.”

“What?” It’s Jungwon’s turn to look surprised. “Why? I mean, we’re both—”

“I said no.” The shock on his face has you supplementing. “Look, I’m just not comfortable with it. Besides, we’ve done so much work on this topic already. It doesn’t make sense to switch.”

Only a fraction of what you’ve said seems to resonate. “Not… comfortable,” he echoes, twisting the words like they’re indecipherable. 

He doesn’t continue, but you can sense the urge to press further in the tense set of his shoulders. It’s a sensitive subject made even more so by the way he tiptoes around it.

“I can tell you have something else to say.” Annoyance creeps in, like an old friend, like a dangerous reminder. 

“It’s nothing.” Jungwon shakes his head. “I guess I just don’t…” He trails off for a moment. “How can you not be comfortable? I mean, you’re a glitch like me. Aren’t you curious at all? About why we glitched? If there’s anything we can do to fix it?”

And there it is. The lingering fear you’ve been working for two years to overcome. The deep seated insecurity that it’s your fault. That something is fundamentally wrong with you. “Fix me, you mean.”

“I mean, I guess you could look at it that way, but I’m more curious about what kind of solutions there are. I did some research the other day, actually, and there’s this one scholar who thinks that all glitches happen for a reason, that you can still meet your soulmate and get your countdown to turn violet if—”

“Stop!” Your voice is too loud for the small room. “Please,” it’s a whisper now, but somehow just as poignant. “Just stop.”

The crease doesn’t leave his brow. He still doesn’t get it, and he tells you as much. “I don’t understand why you’re so against it. I mean, we finally have a chance to look into why we gli—”

“I said, stop.”

Jungwon looks as if you’ve slapped him. Dumped ice cold water over his head and left him out to dry. There’s an accusation in his words when he says, “I thought you would understand.” And you do. You know how flowers wither when they go without water. You know how love blossoms and blooms and dies all within the span of a single breath. You know what it feels like to have a constant reminder of your most intimate pain seared into your skin, your soul. 

He won’t match your eye. Just aims for the heart instead. “You’re the only person I’ve ever met who understands. Who knows what it’s like. To lose the only thing in life that really matters.” Jungwon’s voice is small, but it’s teeming with frustration, with anger. There’s an unmistakable fury in his eyes when he finally lets his gaze fall on yours. But where he expects to find an apology, or perhaps some sort of agreement, he is met only with a fury to rival his own. 

“Fuck you.” It’s barely decipherable under your breath, but he catches it, even if just barely. 

“What?”

“I said fuck you, Jungwon. How dare you. You think you’re the only one that’s ever been hurt, that you’re the only person that this stupid fucking system screwed over?” And now your anger is rising, ebbing and flowing like waves against a shore, weathering over all the sharp pieces and jagged edges that time hasn’t yet managed to erode. Spilling over onto the table like his forgotten coffee from weeks ago.

“Why do you think I work at the support center? Why do you think you’ve never seen me in a short sleeve shirt?”

You’re angry and you’re hurting and you understand his pain. Feel it reflected in your own, under your skin like an itch you can’t scratch, an ache you can’t get rid of. You don’t know why he wouldn’t just listen to you. 

“At least you get to wonder what might have happened.” You don’t mean to do it, to throw his hurt back in his face. To compare pain, to stack your scars against each other and measure them like there’s a winner and a loser in this game. “I met my soulmate. I met him and talked to him and fell in love with him and he still didn’t want me. It doesn’t matter what some scholar says. You can’t fucking fix that.”

You’re halfway to the door before you can find it in yourself to add, “You’re hurting and you’re lonely and I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. You don’t deserve that pain and you never will. But I refuse to do this again, to spend the rest of my life thinking there’s something wrong with me, that it’s my fault, that I can fix myself if I just try hard enough. My match glitched. I’m a glitch. But I refuse to let that be the only thing I am.”

The door shuts behind you too loud. Your footsteps feel too heavy as they eat up the ground between you and the library entrance. The air feels too cold as you walk back to your dorm. 

The silence is too loud as you sit alone in it. 

And the mark on your wrist is too gray no matter how you look at it. 

…

Jungwon is antsy. Even with the space of a day between him and your argument, he’s brimming with a sort of uncontained energy that will only spell trouble if he doesn’t find a way to clear his head. He needs to talk, needs to process, but he’s not sure who to go to, who to talk to. 

It’s then that he comes to the startling realization that under any other circumstance, the person he’d want to reach out to, to spill his hearts and guts out to, is you. 

It’s been weeks, a handful of days, a smattering of hours, since you became a name in his mind. A person with an identity outside of the pretty girl that sits in the sixth row of the lecture hall, and yet. 

And yet. 

He’s suddenly overcome with the urge to reach for his phone, to send a message, make a phone call that would land home. But that’s where his better judgment catches up. 

Because he’s not sure what he’d say. An apology is in order, surely. He still sees the way pain etched itself into your features, the way your shoulders caved in at his suggestion for a topic change. 

He’s not sure if it’s something that can be remedied with words, but he is certain he never wants to see that look on your face again. 

An apology it is, then. But for what? And why?

If he’s honest with himself, he still doesn’t understand. 

So he lets his confusion carry him to the only place he thinks he might find an answer. 

The girl smiles, a generic greeting falling from her lips before she looks up at the sound of the bell over the door ringing, signaling a visitor. 

Alina, it must be, if your descriptions are anything to go by. Another person that Jungwon’s become familiar with in the past few weeks, albeit only through secondhand accounts. 

And you must have done the same for him, because she’s quick to make the shock that flickers over her features with something careful, guarded. 

“Hi,” she says then, standing from her seat. “I’m Alina.” She looks him over one more time, something akin to a sigh escaping. “You must be Jungwon.”

Alina, as it turns out, is surprisingly easy to talk to. He understands why you like her so much. 

In a matter of minutes, an account of your last library session has been reconstructed, laid bare in front of eyes that know you best. 

Alina is silent for a moment, turning over arguments from an invisible debate in her mind. Finally, she says, “It’s not my story to tell.” He figured as much. “But I think she would, if you asked.”

Jungwon nods. It’s permission. From an indirect source maybe, but hope flutters through his chest all the same. 

There’s a pause before she speaks again. “What I can say is that she’s done a lot of work to move on. To find meaning in her life outside of the number on her wrist. To stop feeling… incomplete, like a problem to be solved.”

And I threw those fears back in her face. 

The despair must play out on his features, because Alina is gentle when she says, “I won’t pretend to know what it’s like, but I do know how it feels to grieve for what could have been. It’s easier sometimes, I think, to let that consume you. To spend your life trying to get as close to that lost future as you can, even though you know it will never be quite right. Even though you know you’re chasing ghosts.”

Alina folds her hands across her lap, lacing her fingers together. 

“She made the decision to let those ghosts rest, to let that part of her life go. To find something else worth living for instead. For the small moments, maybe. For joy, for love. All those things that she still gets to feel.” That you still get to feel. Alina doesn’t say it, but Jungwon hears it all the same. “Those things that nothing, not even fate, gets to take away.”

Jungwon glances at his wrist. It’s covered, but he can feel the weight of it, of the gray numbers that he knows, deep down, will never fade. Will never change. 

And for the first time in a long time, they don’t feel so heavy. 

“I… Thank you.” For telling him. For helping you. For being here. “For all of it.”

“Of course.” Alina smiles. Lets her fingers fall to her sides as she stands, brushing invisible dust off of her lap. “Joy is even better when it’s shared, no?”

Joy is even better when it’s shared. 

For the first time in a long time, Jungwon smiles. A real smile, a face-splitting, uncontrollably wide smile. One that reaches all the way to his eyes. 

It’s still there when he’s walking back to his dorm, when he sits down at his desk, when he turns on the last playlist he was listening to earlier just for something to fill the silence. 

After a handful of moments, a familiar melody lilts through his speaker. 

Clair de Lune. 

Looking at the computer in front of him, he thinks fate just might be a tangible thing. 

He feels it in his throat first and then the base of his nose. That telltale sting that comes at the first sign of tears. 

He lets it. Lets them fall. Hard, long sobs that wrack his body and leave him gasping for air. Sorrow and grief and anger and joy all tangled together in one. 

Because Jungwon is done mourning himself, the ghost of a life that has haunted him for the last year. The weight of possibilities that time cannot undo, that sheer will alone cannot change. 

Joy is even better when it’s shared. 

And he thinks he’ll start with himself. 

…

The unexpected knock on your front door comes just too late at night for you to feel entirely comfortable opening it on your own. Footsteps padding as silently as possible towards the entrance, you run through the short list of people you think could possibly be at your dorm at this hour and come up blank. 

Against your better judgment, you undo the latch, opening the door slowly like that will somehow deter any unwanted visitors. 

The sliver of space reveals not a threat, but someone that has your brow pulling downwards, relief quickly replaced by confusion. 

“Jungwon? How did you—”

But explanations are not at the top of his priority list. “I’m sorry,” he breathes, releases all at once. “I don’t…” a pained expression crosses his features. “I’m not good with words, and I don’t know what the best thing to say is, but I’m sorry. I never should have said those things about you, about us. I—we’re not glitches.” He pauses, frowning. “I mean, we are, but that’s okay. We’re okay. There’s nothing to fix, and I’m sorry that I made it sound like I think otherwise. I…” He trails off again, swallowing a lump in his throat. “You have to know that I think the world of you. I would never, never want to say or do something that makes you—oof.”

His words die with the sudden impact of your head on his chest, arms wrapping tight around his shoulders. Shock renders him immobile for just a moment before he’s melting into your touch, returning your embrace with one of his own as his arms twine around your back. 

It’s all there, wrapped up in this moment. A solid foundation. A warm place to land. Things that futures can be built upon. Things that can breathe life into possibilities, into almosts. 

“Thank you,” you whisper, and it’s lost somewhere against the skin of his neck. 

“For what?”

“For being here.”

You mean it. He knows it. 

“It’s the only place I wanted to be.”

He means it. You know it. 

…

“Where are you taking me?”

“You know, the more you keep asking that question, the less inclined I am to answer.”

“We’ve been walking for thirty minutes,” you argue. “Don’t I deserve some kind of explanation?”

“That’s what the coffee was for.” Jungwon grins, one of those real ones that lights up his eyes. One that has you returning a smile of your own, despite your complaints. “To distract you through the physical labor.”

“Well, we can’t all be on the taekwondo team.”

Jungwon just rolls his eyes. “We’re almost there. I promise.”

And despite it all, you believe him. Because it’s been months since you turned in your project, since your class ended, and he’s still here. Still a permanent fixture in your life. Still responsible for so many moments you look forwards to, so many moments you look back upon fondly. 

Because despite the gray numbers on your wrists, you’re both dressed for the weather. Welcoming summer heat with short sleeves and smiles to match. 

Because there’s no one else you’d walk thirty minutes towards an undisclosed location for. 

Because there’s no one else that understands you the way he does, gray soulmate marks aside. Because to him, you’re just you. A person capable of joy and anger and grief and love and all of the beautiful, wonderful, messy things that come with being a human. Not something to fix, not a person to mend. 

Because you think you might love him for it. 

Because you know you do. 

And when you finally arrive at an oasis of a park ten minutes later, sprawled on a picnic blanket overlooking a pond, you’ll turn to him and whisper some nonsense about recent studies showing that soulmates often find each other surrounded by nature. 

He’ll roll his eyes, brush a strand of hair off your forehead while he tells you that he doesn’t care, that it doesn’t matter, that it’s all a bunch of nonsense anyway. 

And it will feel like coming home, like resting after a long day, like basking in the first rays of sunshine as winter finally spreads its wings into a glorious spring when he intertwines his fingers with yours and tells you that he thinks you’re beautiful. 

Fate is a funny thing, you’ll think to yourself as his breath tickles your neck, sends shivers down the length of your spine. And no matter how many nights we’ve spent berating it, resenting it, cursing it, I’ll always be grateful that it has led to this. Or maybe we led it, grabbed fate by the collar and forced it to bend to our whims like the masters of destiny we are.  

Whatever it may be, I’m glad it brought me here. 

To joy. To love. 

And most of all, to you.