Masterlist

Started: 26th June, 2020

Last updated: 17th March, 2024

Total Works: 19

Key: Fluff-❤️, Angst -💔, Smut- ❤️‍🔥, Favorite- 💕, Inspired by Taylor Swift's Music- 💖 (Everything I write ends by being Hurt/Comfort so no tag for that, all my stories have happy endings)

BTS

SVT

K-Pop

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

BTSVT as songs from Midnights by Taylor Swift

A/N- Just my way of combining all three lomls, here are the lyrics & songs I associate with each member . Special credits to my JK+Jeonghan biased partner in crime (you know who you are) for helping me put this together! 🌊🌙⭐

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐

BTSVT as songs from 1989 by Taylor Swift

A/N- Just my way of combining all three lomls, here are the lyrics & songs I associate with each member . Special thanks to my fellow army-carat-swiftie (you know who you are, bestie) for helping me put this together. 🌊🌙⭐

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

17 || CHS

Walking down the aisle in a white gown while keeping my eyes trained on my groom, was as easy as breathing in a hyperbaric chamber. But it shouldn't have been, not when I hated being the center of attention, not when I wore high heels that threatened to break my fall, not when breathing itself was hard with me being an asthmatic, yet against all odds, he made everything easier by simply being present. Being in love is often described as having your breath taken away but with him, it was like he gave me the breath of life. Chwe Hansol was like a breath of fresh air in my suffocating existence. Every time, I'd been gasping for air, he'd been there, keeping me alive, I still remembered the first time we'd met like it was yesterday.

Shifting to a new school was something I'd always dreaded. But I had the practice, given that my dad had a job that kept sending him on projects across the world and this was my 7th school in many years. But this one mattered more than the rest, this is where I'd do my high school, that part of my school life that was romanticized beyond my imagination. But it was nothing like the books, movies, songs had told me it would be.

Shifting to a new country meant no one spoke in English, everyone spoke in Korean even though the teaching took place in English in this so called fancy international school in Seoul which I'd been assured was the best of the best. But here I was, back to crying in bathroom stalls, eating lunch alone and being bullied and excluded by the class for being an outsider. They hated me for scoring straight A's without realizing that studying was my only constant in a childhood where I kept shifting cities and losing friends, for not being beautiful enough as per Korean standards without understanding what steroids do to a child suffering from a chronic illness and they hated me because all the adults loved me, not knowing that when they praised me for being so mature for a child my age, I didn't take it as a compliment but a consequence of having lived through trauma.

So naturally, I did the only thing that made sense to me, I studied through the day, cried myself to sleep at night. If it wasn't bad enough that I was being troubled by the students, there was a teacher who took pleasure in making my life harder. The swim coach made it her life's mission to humiliate me because I couldn't swim in the deep end like the others, though she refused to give any instructions in English, I had to not only try to comprehend and follow her Korean instructions but it also meant I couldn't explain my asthma to her because she wouldn't give me any time of her day. I was trying my best to pick up swimming, to push myself to my best but it was never enough for her. Until the day when it time for the swim practicals and despite my many refusals, she wanted everyone to swim from the deep end. None of the students helped me as I tried to explain in my broken Korean that I couldn't pull this off and the coach assumed I was just being lazy and making excuses. She ended up doing what she did with any student who she thought needed to learn a lesson, she pushed me unsuspectingly into the pool, expecting me to just swim my way out of it. And I tried, I promise you I did. But it simply wasn't enough, and sure enough I started drowning somewhere around the 9ft mark.

At first, I started flailing reflexively but somewhere in the back of my mind, the thought that it wouldn't be so bad to give up made it's home and I stopped trying. I hated my life, I wanted the pain to stop so this wasn't a bad idea was it? It would be so easy to just let go. Except just as I made up my mind to give up, I felt an iron clad grip on my wrist, refusing to let go. Next thing I knew I was coughing up water & back on dry land, the first thing I heard was his deep voice arguing with the teacher in Korean, I could barely get the gist but turned out that he was defending me in front the teacher. He seemed to have put 2 & 2 together from the class in panic had confessed that they knew I had asthma but refused to tell the teacher this because they thought it would've been fun to watch me suffer. I couldn't explain the surge of warmth I felt at the fact that someone was finally standing up for me, when I couldn't. But the next thing he did, made me break down entirely, I didn't believe in love at first sight but I was a goner right then & there.

He turned to me with his tender gaze, "Are you okay? I'm so sorry about what happened. I promise I'll speak to my father about it, he's on the school board. You'll be okay, but for now let's just get you to the school nurse okay? Do you feel okay to stand up?? Can you walk?" At first, I thought the lack of oxygen had messed up my brain, he was just speaking in fluent Korean then how was I understanding him so perfectly? Until, it struck me that he'd switched to english, the words slipping off his tongue like it was second nature. I couldn't believe it, finally, I had someone who understood me, someone who saw me for who I was. Nothing felt better than telling him, "Thank you, thank you for saving my life." Because he had, not just literally but even metaphorically. And in that moment, I could already picture our future- shaking hands and becoming friends at the nurse's office, library study hangs that soon became date nights, our first kiss after he scored the winning goal at the football match, dancing under the stars during prom night as the DJ played, "17 by Pink Sweats & SVT" and recreating that moment by playing the same song, as I walked down my wedding aisle a decade later.

To Be Continued... 🌊🌙⭐️

Layover || KTH/Conrad Fisher

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I would’ve done anything to make him happy, to make that smile of his reach his eyes, to catch that glint of sparkle in his gaze, to make his words & actions feel alive, but the man in front of me was only a shell of the boy I’d fallen in love with as a kid. His mother's illness was coming fast at us, in trying to grasp the reality of losing her, I didn’t realize I was already losing him as well. We sat there discussing whether his mom’s medications were working, the green yellow red blue pills that she popped like skittles in order to stay alive, but I wished I’d known that she wasn’t the only one who needed them, he did too. The only difference was that while His mom's sickness was visible for the world to see, his anxiety & depression were invisible demons eating him up from the inside. As I pulled him in for a hug from over the counter top in the kitchen, I wanted to close in on him & let all his worries about his mom’s health wash over onto me, but instead he turned inwards, letting the waves sink him deeper into the blues.

-x-

My favorite game was that of, “what ifs”. Whenever things didn’t go my way, I used to retreat into my world my imagination, a place where things were in my control. I let my subconscious play out the most surreal scenarios & flip them around in order to help me cope with them. A failed exam paper, a lost volleyball match, a fight with my best friend, my parent’s divorce, anything could be solved with a “what if”. One night, I went to bed, dreaming of a world where, he & I had the prom I’d always wanted. One where he didn’t forget the corsage, he smiled for the photos we clicked, we were the center of attention at prom, he twirled me around the room, we slow danced till the morning, went on to romance in a hotel room, away from the others, in our own bubble, taking our relationship to the next level that night. And we did, but not in the way I’d hoped. All it took was the shrill alarm tone on my phone to remind me of that, of the fact that dreams no matter how good, don’t come true.

-x-

My own hurtful words & actions came haunting back when I stood there in front of her at the beach.

Him- “I’m not leaving you, Belly.”

Her- “But you already did.”

Her words cut me like a knife, because even though I knew she was hurting & drunk, this was uncalled for. I tried to tell myself it was her drunk self speaking but even then, it didn’t lessen the sting I felt. If there was one thing I knew- I’d never stopped loving her, I’d not gone a minute without missing her. So what did she mean when she said that? Didn’t she know how much she meant to me? How could she have not seen it? I knew I’d messed up big time, I’d already caused her pain that I couldn’t take back no matter how much I tried. But I had changed since our break up, I knew I was able to accept & apologize for what I’d done wrong. But through it all, I never once intended to give up on us, didn’t she know that? How could she not? And if she didn’t, then where do we even go from here?

Her- “I thought we loved each other.”

Him- “We did.”

Instead of saying what I wanted, I said what the moment called for. But what I wanted to do was tell her the contrary. I wished I could tell her that I still loved her, that I still wanted to fight for her, that I remembered our first kiss on this very beach, that I wanted to make up for all the time we’d lost, to start again & do better this time. But I could see it on her face, in the tears streaming down her cheeks that maybe, just maybe I was too late in telling her that I still wanted us to find our way back to each other.

-x-

I barely made it out the door, before my body got the better of me & I sank to the floor of the motel we were at at. I was painfully aware that I was only few feet away from the room but I couldn’t control it anymore. I broke down, as I reminisced over the lies I’d so smoothly said, only a few moments before- telling her that we were friends, telling my brother & her that I’d see them over 4th July like nothing had changed, pretending that I was alright with them dating, when in fact seeing them together felt like an anchor weighing me down, threatening to bury me alive. It felt like death by a thousand cuts, knowing that we were the ones who were supposed to end up together. I wish I could’ve told her not to leave, I wish I could’ve told her that I wanted her & no one else, but I cared about both of them too much to stand in the way of their happiness- even if it meant strangling my own happiness, in the same way that my anxiety was threatening to choke me in this moment- in a mix of tears & breathlessness.

-x-

I had the life I’d always dreamt of, I was finally at Stanford University. Despite all the obstacles, all the pressure my dad put on me, quitting sports, my mom’s cancer returning, taking pre-med because of her, continuing to use my work as a way to channel my grief over my mom passing away. Everthing had amounted to this moment. All those panic attacks & anxiety withstanding, I had made it here where I was at the top of my classes, in the college I wanted to study at. But I was right where she’d left me, on the campus of Brown University, watching the thrill of an exam gone well & the anticipation of telling her that I wanted to give us another shot, die in my throat as I saw her fiercely kissing my brother unabashedly on my college campus, against my car, while wearing a hoodie that still held my scent. I felt my chest hurt, it physically pained me as I clenched my teeth & took a breath in, forcing myself to breathe again because for a second, it was like my body had forgotten how to. And now here I was, in California, still waiting for her with the same ache in my chest, it was dull but never truly gone. Everything here was perfect- the weather was beautiful, profs were invested, facilities were top notch, the surf at the coast was amazing but SHE wasn’t there. I’d move to our home in Cousins in a heartbeat for her, give it all up for us. I wish I could stay with her, I wish I could give her the moon, stars & infinity.

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

To You || YJH

Y/N's POV

I had to pinch myself when I entered the house after a particularly long day of work, to the aroma of food coming all the way to the front door. Jeonghan was so busy focusing on the simmering tteokboki & ramen on the stove while he prepped for the gimbap ingredients that he didn’t even notice that I’d come home. I went upstairs and freshened up, only to come down and see him in the same position as I’d left him, with his brows furrowed in concentration as he prepared his gimbap. Earlier, he’d been chopping the veggies but now he was rolling them up carefully, as if he was on Masterchef about to impress Gordon Ramsey himself.

I chuckled to myself as I decided to lay out the table in the meanwhile, not wanting to shift his focus from the task. I put a bunch of roses inside the vase that lay in the centre of our dining table, it was our little ritual where I got him a new bouquet of roses because it was his favorite flower and it reminded us of an inside joke we had while drunk watching the bachelorette, he’s said that if he ever starred in the show, he’d win all the roses and break the competition because no man would ever stand a chance against him. Usually I wasn’t one to further boost his ego but drunk me had all but agreed wholeheartedly and since then, I’d always given him roses on date nights like this one.

As I opened the cabinet to remove a favorite bottle of red, one that he loved along with two wine glasses, I couldn’t help but get a bit distracted myself. It’s not like this was new but everytime I saw him, I couldn’t quite believe that the Angel of SVT, the man who stole the heart of Carats worldwide, Yoon Jeonghan was just standing there in our shared kitchen, making me dinner for our date night. He looked gorgeous, even as a sheen of sweat covered his forehead, a stray lock from his messy bun covered his face & he struggled to pull up his sweater sleeves to keep them from getting dirty as he cooked. I couldn’t believe this man in a bunny apron, still managed to look that sexy & that he was not a figment of my imagination but he was real, he was mine… it felt incredulous.

In my bid to not look away from him, even for a second, I failed to see that I hadn’t closed the overhead cabinet & bumped right into it. Despite the initial shock & the tiny exclamation of pain that left my lips, I felt shaked but relieved, knowing that the bottle of wine & glasses were unscatched. I had managed to hold onto them before they toppled over so there was no damage done. In the flash moment that I managed to keep the glasses & wine on the table, while steadying myself, he was there in front of me, as one hand reached above my tiny 5 foot frame to close the cabinet doors, the other hovered protectively over my head, keeping me from getting hurt again.

“Are you okay? When did you come? Why didn’t you tell me you were home?” He said, his voice laced with worry while looking me all over for any bruises. “I’m okay, it’s not a big deal. Don’t worry, I saved the alcohol, not a drop wasted!” I said, & chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Eyyy, that’s not what I’m concerned about, you know that! Look at that, you’ve grazed your head! Stay still, let me fix that, jagi." I blushed in a way that might’ve outdone the red on the table, as he traced the cut on my forehead gently with his cold fingers & despite my million protests, proceeded to put a cute animal band-aid on it.

He always kept a band-aid in his wallet, not even the first aid box, it was one of the first things I’d noticed when I’d met him. For all his aloof, savage & mischievous behavior, he was the first to come to anyone’s rescue if they were hurt, like the time Soonyoung had scratched his nose with their SVT ring & Hannie had been the one to give him the band-aid. I ended up smiling, thinking of that kind gesture as he glared at me in anger, “Yah! Where is your attention? This is no joke. What on earth has you this zoned out!? “I’m sorry, it’s not my fault that I have a visual like you as my boyfriend, it’s only human for me to get carried away.” I answered sheepishly. He tried to keep his poker face intact but I knew him too well to see the corner of his lips were turning upwards, that he was fighting the urge to smirk. “What am I going to do with you? Bubbleproof you? Sigh! The food’s getting cold, just sit down & no, I don't need your help, don't even say it. Just stay here & don’t touch anything, don’t move, don’t breathe- I’ll be back.” He said & I could swear I heard a small laugh as he went to the kitchen to bring the dishes.

I played, our song- “To you by SVT” in the background, to set the mood for our date as he gave me a plateful of food & gestured at me to begin eating. He wanted me to take the first bite & tell him how it tasted so I abided. I eagerly reached out for the gimbap, my favorite item. But when I bit into it, I tasted a mouthful of carrots, Han & I both hated carrots so it was quite the sight to see as I forcefully tried to stuff down the gimbap while he laughed his ass off. “How dare you!? Jeonghan!!” I screamed as I gulped some wine to wash down the taste. “You’re one to talk, you’re the one who gave me a heart attack a while earlier, this is just an equalizer.”

I pouted, accepting my defeat, knowing this was just his way of showing his care & affection. I’d signed up for this, not just the visuals or the kindness, but the pranks too, I loved him for all of it. “You win, Hannie-1, Y/N-0. Happy?” I replied, a smile on my face because I’d eat as many of these carrot filled gimbaps if it put a grin on the face of the man I loved the most.

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

Tu Me Manques || KTH

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I've never been to France, I've only ever lived in the little seaport of Pohang in Gyeongsang, South Korea. Yet, I'd grown up watching all those movies depicting the beauty of Paris, listening to Lolo Zoui, Carla Bruni, Angèle, Pomme, Louane, Stromae and more. I'd begun to learn French from apps on my tiny phone screen and baked Ratatouille, all in bids to make my Parisian dream come true. But I knew given my financial situation, I'd never be able to make it true. The closest I'd ever come to it was the descriptions sent by my pen pal writing to me from Versailles. When I'd signed up for the pen pal program back in school, I'd never imagined my luck that I'd be patched with someone in my dream country. Kim Taehyung and I had been writing to each other since a decade now, from the early 2000's till now. He was a Korean descent boy who's family had moved to France while he was still a kid. He wanted to stay in touch with his Korean roots and I wanted to vicariously live in France. It worked out just perfectly, especially as we grew up and switched between both languages, our letters getting longer, photos getting added to our notes, hand pressed flowers being sent inside envelopes, souveniers being exchanged across the miles. But nothing prepared us 90's babies for the technological revolution and what that would bring. I wasn't prepared to hear his deep and dusky voice especially in contrast to his boyish charm and soft demeanor on paper. It caught me off guard as did his photo, him sending me a cheeky picture where he's trying to eat a chocolate minitature Eiffel tour. Even though he knows I love chocolate and that was what should've caught my attention, I was far too distracted by him in his leather jacket and jet black tresses.

I told myself it couldn't be true, it just couldn't be possible. I mean we'd never met!! How could I be attracted to someone that I didn't even know irl, who knew what kind of a man he really was? There was only so much letters, photos & calls could reveal. Besides we were continents away with neither planning to cross the sea between us. I just told myself that I was projecting my love for France onto him, it was just me romantizing everything to make it fit like a neatly tied gift. But this want a fairytale, it was reality and Tae and I were simply not happening.

But fate had other plans, I saw all of France through his eyes. Starting with the Palace of Versailles, which was the first place he'd video called me from- he'd made up his mind to travel the country while letting me experience it through his footsteps. He'd keep his camera on, give his commentary and share every moment of his adventures with me. And so one day, when we'd run out of new places to visit, I asked him to take me to a place that reminded him most of me. Something that he thought would resonate with me, somewhere he'd take me first if I was actually able to visit there. And I wasn't ready for what he had in mind. I imagined he'd pick one of the more obvious spots like the Louvre where we'd bonded over Monet's art work all day or the vineyards of Champagne where we'd been on call all through the night. But instead he went to the Place du Trocadéro, as the sun set behind him and the stars sprinkled across the sky. This elevated and open green space nestled behind the Eiffel tower was a less visited but still tourist friendly location. With its dancers and musicians, street food carts and fountains- it's alive and the magic of Paris is visible at its best. "I chose this place because it's so alive, you can feel the excitement and passion in the air. It reminds me of you- with your bubbly energy and buzzing enthusiasm. It's filled with songs by favorite artists, the chocolate crêpes here have your name written all over them and everytime I watch couples on a date here, families taking pictures in the light of the tower, tourists videocalling their loved ones. I just knew, I had to show this place to you, not just on camera but in reality. I promise you, someday I'll find a way to get you here. I've never seen anyone treasure this place the way you do, the locals here think it's a tourist trap and sometimes I do too. But everytime I show you around, the stars in your eyes and the small O's of your mouth remind me of the beauty that surrounds me. You're beautiful... I mean it's beautiful. Isn't it?"

And in that moment as he bit his lip realizing his mistake, that he accidentally called me pretty instead of the scenery. I couldn't help but come to a huge realisation myself. I wasn't looking at the scenery any longer, I was looking at him. Him in his cozy and furry sweater that I wanted to cling onto, him with his shoes half worn knowing that he hated wearing footwear even when he knew he'd be walking all day, him with his large fingers easily gripping the phone even as he was being pushed through the crowd, him with his nervous laughter as his tipsy self slipped secrets he otherwise wouldn't share. What mattered to me wasn't the shine that shone behind him but the sparkle in his eyes. Even though France was and would always be my first love, I had fallen in love once again. And this time, I could tell it was stronger than before because even though I was visiting the most gorgeous place in sight, as he'd rightly described- I was consumed by him. I was in love not with the city of romance but with the man who'd introduced me to it.

"Tu me manques." I told him, knowing that he'd know what I meant. French was known as Aphrodite's chosen language for a reason. It was so much more than just me saying, I miss you like what the words translated to English or Korean meant. It was me telling him that "he was missing from me, that he was a part of my body, something that was integral to my existence, like the only way I'd be whole was if he was here next to me." And that's why this one phrase was more powerful than any amount of I love yous said in any other tongue and I knew he understood that. Because in that moment, I could see his eyes tear up as his boxy smile graced his face and he leaned forward to press his lips against the phone screen. Sending me a kiss, across the world as the winds in the sky and the glowing moon above us, passed on his love to me.

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

Bangtan Village: Pregnancy Series || Hyung Line: 1

Unlike most couples, Namjoon and his wife had the baby talk even before they were married, or rather on the day that they ended up becoming engaged to each other. It went all the way back to that day when she’d told him that they needed to “talk” just as things were getting serious and he worried that he’d lost her even before things had become official. Here, he sat with a ring in his pocket while she looked so pale and serious, with her feet rocking constantly under the table, that he was certain she was going to break up with him. He thought that the fame had caught up, the curse of it all was finally going to end up with him losing yet another of his simple joys. Another loss for Kim Namjoon even as RM of BTS peaked. He wanted to speak, to make a last ditch effort to salvage this, to do whatever it took to convince her to change her mind but she wouldn’t allow it, she put a finger on his lips, “Please, don’t. You’re far too much of a smooth talker and I’ll fall for your charm all over again and lose my will to do this. I need to, I have to do this. You don’t understand…” Even as he struggled to fight the words at the tip of his tongue, something in her gaze told him to swallow his pride and listen. Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked at him and said, “I have been hiding something from you. I never wanted to, I wanted to tell you right away but it was never the right moment. It was too soon, then things were going so well that got swept away in the romance of it all and now it’s too late to fix it, but I have to come clean. I know you brought me here to propose to me, I heard you talking to the waiter as I stepped out of the washroom, but don’t. We can’t do this, not until you know what you’re signing up for. Icanthavekidsican’tbeamom.” She said without a single breath between the words, knowing that it was the only way to get them out without them dying in her throat. “I know you want kids, I do too. And I know your parents want them too, I know you’re old enough and you want to settle down more than ever. But… now you see why we can’t? You’d make a great father and I’d want nothing more but to raise children with you, I can’t imagine doing it with anyone else. You want a house full of kids, I’m not even sure I can give you one. So I’d understand if you change your mind, you haven’t even given the ring yet. It’s not too late, think it through.” But to her utter shock, he sighed and smiled like she hadn’t just given him the most devastating news of his life. He reached out to squeeze her hand as he got out of his chair and went down on one knee, pulling the ring out as he said, “It doesn’t matter. I love you. I want to marry you. If there’s anyone I want as my life partner, my best friend, my companion, it’s you. Mother of my children or not, that’s just one of the many roles. We could adopt, try IVF or surrogacy, or we could just not have kids altogether. I’m okay with whatever we decide, just as long as I get to decide with you beside me. That’s my only deal breaker, not this. Never this. So will you, do me the honor of being my wife and grow old with me by your side?” And as tears of joy and relief streamed down her face, she nodded her head off as he slipped the ring on. And on the day they signed their marriage certificate, they also decided to file their paper work for adoption, knowing that it would take it’s own sweet time to come but they were ready. They had a head start to baby planning, afterall. And he’d never given up on the hope that she would be his baby momma. 🌸

Jin was on video call from set, as he rejuvenated himself from a busy day at work by watching his sister in law and you play with his nephew & nieces. As the phone got passed around the house like a hot potato with everyone wanting to talk to him, the one person he wanted to speak to the most was busy with the youngest addition to the family. She was putting the littlest one to bed, rocking his cradle with her eyes trained on the rosy cheeked infant and even as Ahreum passed the phone to her, before he could say a word, she shushed him. “Yaaaah! He’s sleeping. Keep it an octave lower.” The same person who had fallen in love with him for his high triple notes and silver voice was now telling him to be quiet. He found it hilariously ironic but followed her lead. How could he not? She had him wrapped around his tiny little pinky, even though it had been 3 years since they had gotten married and way past their supposed honeymoon phase. “Jagi, I know he has my genes and he’s cute and all, but you do remember, I’m world wide handsome right? I have to be back in 2 minutes, spare me a second, wont’ you?” He exclaimed and her cheeks matched the colors of her blush as she turned to him sheepishly and said, “Hi, Jinnie. You’ll always be my number one, you know that! How’s your day going, love? Have you been hydrating? Please take care, it’s been a long day. You look exhausted, when will you be back? What do you think will help you relax? I’ll keep myself free when you return, we’ll do whatever you want.” She bombarded him with questions as he cut her off and retorted, “Whatever I want? Do you promise? Then let’s make a baby tonight.” “Yes, sure.” She replied without even registering what he asked. Until it sank in a moment later. “Wait what?” She asked with a “o” framing her face as he grinned till his ears turned red and replied, “I know we we both wanted to focus on our careers and take things slow so we could enjoy each other’s company but don’t you think it’s time, jagi? Seeing you with him? I don’t think I can wait any longer. And I think hyung and noona are done having kids, if we start now, they’ll be able to grow up together. Won’t that be wonderful?” “You know I always wished I had a sibling, like you and your brother, I think you’re right. The baby fever is at an all time high and usually, I used to hold myself back because it wasn’t the right time, the right place, the right finances, always something or the other. But the way in which my body is reacting to this little bundle of joy, I think it’s time. This a sign, let’s do it.” She affirmed with a nod and he flashed her one of his trademark kisses and ended the call, fervently anticipating what was to come. 💐

Min Yoongi & his wife were the kind of couple to plan everything down to the dot. They had a timeline for everything, from first kiss to living in, to getting married & down to the time when they'd start trying for kids. 2 years into their marriage, they'd promised each other. And as expected, as the date drew near, they had already mapped out the changes that were to be made accordingly- work schedules to be cleared, his wife had to stop consuming alcohol, he had to eat healthier & exercise, they wanted the best chance at conceiving. Yoongi carried a bottle of wine, the last one he knew his wife would have before they started officially trying. And she'd called him over to have a meal of his favorites at her restaurant, knowing that his diet would change too. This was a night to let go & mark the end of their honeymoon phase & enter the new era of their married life. As he got near the restaurant with a spring in his step, excited to get some quality time with his wife after a long day at work for both of them, he was surprised to see the number of light's on & cars parked outside. She'd called you after working hours & usually, you both would have the place to yourself but it seemed as if the staff hadn't left yet. To his utter shock, when he opened the door, what he didn't expect to see was you being paraded around the restaurant while the staff lifted you up on their shoulders as you made everyone around drink from a popped bottle of champagne. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits & celebrating that they didn't even realize you had entered.

It was only when his wife made eye contact with him that she quickly instructed her staff to put her down on the ground & dismissed everyone, they scampered away not wanting to bear the brunt of their head chef. They knew that the same jolly person celebrating with them was also capable of being a strict boss in a split second if needed. Yoongi loved that about her, knowing that while you were one of the most kind hearted & positive people in real life, when at work- you took on an alter ego that went hard & didn't compromise in the slightest. It helped him realize that there were others who'd understand the duality he himself faced both as Yoongi, BTS' Suga & Agust D. Although he loved her, that would never change but in this moment- all he could feel was anger & a sense of betrayal. He had no intentions of being the first one to make a move, seeing as she was the one who had ruined their night, not only had she decided to include others in what should've been their night alone, but moreover she had celebrated even without feeling the need to have him there. It was more like she had forgotten all about him, maybe this date wasn't as important as he'd assumed, perhaps she had changed her mind about wanting to start a family with him. He knew that her career was important to her, as was his to him. But if he could drop everything as per their planning & their timeline, couldn't she? It was something they had both agreed to before their marriage, so wasn't he only being fair in asking for that same effort to be reciprocated? As the room emptied out, with just the both of them left gazing at each other from a distance, she felt her legs go weak. They felt like jelly, she wasn't sure whether if it was the fact that she was been lifted around & now the floor didn't feel stable anymore or if it was the alcohol that was messing with her balance or just the way Yoongi was staring at her which caused her lose her mind, but she tripped over her own feet & stumbled forward. Yoongi rushed ahead out of instinct as he grabbed her before she hit the ground, lifting her up & making her sit on a chair. She was drunk, that was so unlike her that he felt another flare of anger but he swept it aside, knowing that she needed him right now & this would be better dealt with at a time when she was sober.

"Here, drink this. You'll feel better. Have you eaten yet?" He gave her a glass of water & noticed her stomach rumbling. He knew only too well how ironic but common it was for chef's to be the ones to be surrounded by food but constantly neglecting their own hunger pangs. He knew how often you worked full shifts without managing to eat yourself, sustaining a kitchen at one of the most popular restaurants in Itaewon wasn't an easy job, after all. He sighed & entered the kitchen himself, looking for food that he could give her, even though he hadn't eaten dinner either. He grabbed a pack of bread sticks with butter & gave them to her, intending to go back to the kitchen & cook them a meal. But her hand caught his wrist, holding him back from going back in, as she whispered,"Yoongs, please don't go. I'm sorry... I can explain." "Y/N, let me go... I need to get some food in you. Some real food! Let me cook us some pasta quickly, & then I'll be back. I'm not going anywhere." "You're mad at me, I can tell. You called me by my name, you only do that when you're upset with me. I'll cook you a meal, I'll make this up to you." She exclaimed as she got up from her chair & felt dizzy a minute later, seeing stars before her eyes as she tried to make it to the kitchen. Yoongi shook his head & took matters into his own hands, quite literally- as he lifted her up in his arms, even as she protested & took her to the kitchen, placing her on the counter top. "Okay? Now you can see that I'm not leaving you? I'm right here, I'm going to cook while you sit there quietly, alright? Please, baby?" He included the last bit for emphasis, knowing that she wouldn't be reassured without it otherwise. As he handed over the bowl of pasta to her, she gave him the first bite & he took it begrudgingly when she added, "You must be hungry too, you always say we shouldn't take our anger out on our food, so please eat with me?" When they'd finished eating, both of them feeling an improvement in their moods with their bellies full, she decided to break the silence by getting straight to the point, knowing that he wouldn't have any patience for her stories. "We know from unofficial sources that we're getting a Michelin star! I know what today means & I had all the plans to focus on that, on us but... you know how huge this is? I just got swept away in..." "Wait.. what? You're now a Michelin star chef? OMG, I'm so proud of you, love." He said immediately, cutting her cut off & catching her off guard. "You are?" She asked, as she pinched herself on the arm, checking if this was a dream or not. He let out a whoop of excitement & did a little dance around the kitchen, as if to show his happiness. "Baby, I know we had plans & yes, I was a little bit agitated but now that I know why... it doesn't matter. None of it matters. I'm so overjoyed for you, I'm proud of you! We can put everything else on hold while you focus on this yeah? Don't worry, I'm on your side, I'll support you in every way you need." Tears glistened in her eyes as she heard him express his love, & she smiled as she reached out to hug him tight & he lifted her through the air, getting her off the table onto the ground. "I appreciate what you just said, what you're offering me is something that I could only dream of. But as kind as you're being, I can't take it. I don't want this to change our timeline, today was an exception. But none of this success matters if I don't have you by my side to celebrate. I want to grow in my career but only if I also get to come home & share my wins with you & our kid... And before you object to what I'm saying, I'm going to quote you- you just said that you'd support me through anything I need- well, this is what I need. So are you in, you did promise you'd be on my side?" She said as she tilted her head & gave him her best puppy eyed look, which she knew would work.

Sure enough, he nodded in the smallest possible way, "I still don't think it's a great idea but we can think it through & if that's what you really want, then I guess we can make it work..." His lips betrayed him as they turned upwards to form a smile when he saw her fist pump into the air as she grinned from ear to ear at his answer. This was a strange turn of events despite all your planning, but if anyone knew of how life can turn out unexpectedly, it was him. And despite all the possible pain & loss he'd been through, he was also a firm believer that good things would come his way too- after all, that's how he'd found BTS, how he'd come across you.🌼

Hobi was the first of the Bangtan brood to have a kid with his fashion designer, wife who he’d met through his sister-Jiwoo. Geum-hee was the first child in the family and rightfully spoilt with love by everyone. His daughter who’s name meant brightness, had truly brought light into the family with all her Samchuns & Imos doting on her, never leaving her alone for a second. She was pampered in a way that she wouldn’t even sleep without someone rocking her in their arms & as she grew up- she had Jimin’s eldest daughter, Ae-Cha who was the same age as her, alongside to do everything. However, in the recent times with the birth of Jimin’s second daughter, Mi-Cha, their attention had shifted & play time with Ae-Cha had reduced drastically. Even as adults kept her company at all times, she missed having someone younger who could keep up with her speed & interests. And today was no different, as soon as Hobi picked Geum-hee from pre-school, Geum-hee’s slouched & sulked in the back of the her car even as Hobi tried to get her to frown to turn into a smile. Usually singing alongsider her dad in the car, cookie dough ice cream from her favorite parlour, some cuddles from her dad & painting her nails were enough to distract her & make her happy but it had been hours since Hobi had been trying but all in vain. He’d been clinging to her, desperate to not leave her side as she moped around but she took that split second of his distraction to run into her room & close the door behind her. The sound of the slammed door shook both parents, Hobi’s wife widened her eyes at him, wondering what could’ve gone so wrong in her absence. “You try, I’ve done everything possible but nothing. She hasn’t said a word since she got back. I don’t know what’s wrong.” Hobi said as he tried to appear calm & nonchalant but it was obvious in the way that he clenched his jaw & paced around that he was anything but relaxed. The only thing that kept him going was the reassuring smile of his wife as she made her way to her daughter’s room, he trusted her to get through when he couldn’t. She knocked softly on her daughter’s door, only to be answered by the soft sobs that quite frankly broke their hearts. Hobi was one step away from knocking the door down, hearing his daughter’s wails pierce the silence at home. But his wife stopped him, gesturing at him to be patient until she’s tried. Geum-hee’s mother knew her daughter well enough, she saw the flutter of shadows from the cracks beneath the door. She knew that even if her daughter didn’t speak, she was here, she was listening. And so she sat down with her back to the door, hoping that her daughter would do the same on the other side & give her a chance. “It’s okay to cry, sweet girl. I know bad things happen, and it’s better to get it off your chest than to hold it in. I’m sorry you had a rough day, little one. Mommy & daddy have those too… but you know what keeps us going? We know that we’re not alone in it, as long as we’re together, everything will be alright… we have Hope on our side, how could it not?” Hobi admired the way his wife spoke to their daughter like she was her own person, not like a child who didn’t understand nor like an adult that was in a smaller body, but like someone who was young & yet who had her own choices to make & voice to be heard. “That’s the thing, I don’t have anyone. Everyone has someone or the other, mommies & daddies are together, siblings at school are together, I always get left alone.” Their daughter mumbled, as both parents train their ear to the door, to hear her soft words. “But you have us, cutie. You know appa would never leave you alone…” Hobi prattled anxiously but his daughter, hoping she knew that he’s always put her first. It was his wife & his rule that no matter what, Geum-hee had to come first. “But that’s not fair, appa. You shouldn’t have to choose between your girls. At the rollercoaster, you sat with me but even mommy was scared but she was all alone.

That always happens, you always take my side, never mommys.” The color left Hobi’s face when he heard that & realized the message he had been passing onto his daughter, he lip synced a “sorry” to his wife & his face sank into his palms, in regret. His wife quickly tried to repair the situation as she said, “But baby, omma doesn’t mind. Appa always asks omma if she’s okay, & only when I say yes, does he do that. Your appa loves me a lot & he takes care of me, you don’t have to worry.” “I know that but I don’t like you being alone. And sometimes, when you & I have girl’s nights- appa is alone. When we travel, we’re alone in the compartment with the other women, when we shop, he’s never there in our section, he should have a boy to give him company too.” Geum-hee shared & Hobi’s heart melted at the concern in his daughter’s voice for him, he lifted his face from his palms & leans against the door frame, as if willing the door to disappear so he could touch his daughter. “I know dad has his brothers from BTS, but they’re not always here. You both are not always with me. So the best solution is if we get me a brother. That way, everyone has someone- just like Jiwoo Imo & Appa.” She added, her voice getting louder & firmed, as if she was proud at having landed at this solution all by herself. “Is that what would make you, happy? If you had a sibling?” Geum-hee’s mom asked with bated breath & her loud resounding, “YES” made the answer quite clear. It was a split second decision, Hobi & his wife spoke soundlessly as he arched his eyebrow, asking her if she agreed with their daughter’s demands & her shrug as if to say that she had no choice but to do what their daughter asked. They both loved their daughter more than anything & although it was far from the right time to have a kid, they had gone back to using protection & birth control, their careers were in full swing, a 5 year gap wasn’t even ideal, until now they’d been of the opinion that one child was more than enough. But this changed everything, she changed everything. “Baby, if we say yes, will you open the door?” Hobi asked gently & his chest heaved in relief as he heard the click of the lock opening & his daughter put her arms around him & his wife. “Geum-hee, even if we have a baby, it may not be a brother… that’s not something appa & omma can decide, it’s upto luck. Is that okay?” Geum-hee’s mother tried to explain, not wanting there to be any misunderstanding. She knew how big of a decision this was for her family & wasn’t willing to go ahead until she got full clarity & in this case, approval from her daughter. “Does that mean I’ll have a sister? Like Ae-Cha has Mi-cha? That’s okay too!! Daddy will be still be alone but atleast you can give him company while I enjoy with my little sister… or brother. I don’t mind, I’m just excited to be a big sister!” Geum-hee squeeled & her parents smiled warmly at her answer & kissed her senseless, surprisingly happy at the turn of events. 🌻

To Be Continued... 🌊🌙⭐️

Bangtan Village: Pregnancy Series || Maknae Line: 1

Jungkook and his wife had already had a baby conversation before they were married, one where they’d both decided they were more than happy being pet parents- Jungkookie with his dog named Bam and Hae-rin with her cat named Haru. Although they were opposites called Night & Day, the Doberman had learnt to get along with house cat since they had been introduced back when she was a kitten. And this gave them the chance to have company at home while the other was busy with their career, their schedules often clashing as two idols at the peak of their stardom. Though Jungkook had the security of having a group and hence, could take more time off, unlike Hae-rin for whom being a solo artist meant she had no stand by to rely on. And yet by some miracle, today they had both taken time off work to attend a dear friend’s baby shower.

Fellow 97’ liner, Eun-woo, the host of the event had taken a moment away to greet Jungkook while Hae-rin congratulated his wife. “Are you sure, you can’t stay for longer? It’s so rare that we get to see the both of you together and spend time. Once the baby comes, it’ll be much harder, why don’t you stay, Jungkook-ah?” Eunwoo tried to persuade Jungkook but he just shrugged his shoulders with a defeated sigh & replied back, “You know I’m really happy for the both of you, right? I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t have to… I just need to go…” “But why, Jungkook-ah? You’re always the most excited one at all our baby showers, be it for Mingyu, Jaehyun, Bambam, so what’s wrong today? I can see it on your face that something is really bothering you. Tell me, friend. You know I’m here for you…” Eunwoo reassured Jungkook, a hand on his shoulder as his friend broke down at his touch & replied, I won’t lie to you, it just hurts too much to be here. And that’s why I need to go… I can’t see any more of these baby showers, knowing that I’ll never host one of them myself. And it’s worse today because she’s here and I’m scared she’ll see through me, that I’ll ruin this for both of us because I’m the selfish one that wants kids when we decided we wouldn’t have any.”

“You made that decision years ago, why don’t you speak to her once again? She’s so good with the kids, whether the 97’ liners or Bangtans, maybe she’s changed her mind?” Eunwoo offered hopefully but Jungkook pursed his lips as he said, “It’s not that she doesn’t like kids, we both do. But it’s one thing for us to enjoy with our nieces and nephews, it’s another to actually have children. And for all the women around us, it was easier for them to have children, it’s different for her. They aren’t celebrities in their own right, they have ordinary lives and jobs that allow them to do both side by side. And your wife, even though she’s from the industry- she’s an actress who’s allowed to take a maternity break and get back. The roles might be different but the fame remains untouched, the success does too. But it’s not the same for an idol, our careers are short spanned as it is and this is akin to self-sabotage. Stamina, reputation, fan following, everything takes a hit and I couldn’t do that to her, not while BTS continues to thrive. I can’t pull the plug on her career, that’s the most self-serving and sexist thing I’ll ever do and I refuse to be that man.”

“And what about husbands that hide things from their partner and mislead them? That doesn’t make you a misogynist, Nampyeon?” A voice said from behind and Jungkook almost dropped the glass he was holding in his hand, as he saw his wife standing there, having heard their conversation. Eunwoo slipped away, after a quick pat on Jungkook’s back, wishing him luck as he gave the couple privacy to discuss what had just gone down.

“Who were you to decide what I should do? Whether I choose my career or my family life, it’s my choice to make. Not yours! Why have you never once told me this? I thought you genuinely didn’t want kids, so I never brought it up. Sure, I’m indifferent about being a mom, I wouldn’t mind either ways. But I’m not indifferent to you! If this is part of your dream, then why would you just let it go? You’ve let me put my dreams first, since day one. You welcomed me into Hybe as my sunbae, you recommended my debut song to armys and catapulted me to success, you stood by and watched as I ranked #1, won awards and went on world tours, you even pushed our marriage so it wouldn’t affect my prime. And you think I wouldn’t want to do the same for you? Give me the chance to do for you, what you did for me, love. Please?” She implored him to listen as he asked, “Are you sure? I don’t want you to regret it, it’s not just your career, it’s your body, things won’t be the same again… you’re doing the heavy lifting, it’s not me…” “You think I’d ever regret creating something that’s a sign of our love? To bring a child that’s part you into the world, that’s the easiest idea to get on board with. How could I ever not love someone who is a mini you?” She said with a wide smile on her face as she gazed into his eyes, and he broke into a grin, “You make a good point but truth be told, I’ll be rooting for our child to be a reflection of you.”🌷

There was no deciding about when to have a kid, with Taehyung and his wife. She’d been writing a baby diary filled with poetry, letters, life lessons & more since she was 18, he’d been craving wanting to be a dad ever since he’d grown up raising his younger siblings. With them, they’d just left it up to faith, they just wanted to be pregnant, they’d be preparing all their lives and the when didn’t matter. Everything had been blissful after their marriage, until the day when Taehyung came home to find his wife curled up on the sofa, crying her eyes out. He rushed to her side, his heart constricting in his chest as he felt her heaving sobs and tried to contain her grief in his arms. He wasn’t sure of what to do to help her feel better, being a therapist- comforting others & helping them through their emotions was more her department than his. In fact he couldn’t remember the number of times, she’d motivated, validated & held space for him.

Still, he knew what words couldn’t say, his actions would so he hugged her tighter as he whispered, “Yeobo, what’s wrong? I’m here, whatever it is. It’s okay, we’ll figure it out. Just please, look at me…”. Despite his pleas, she couldn’t meet his eyes, her gaze trained at the piece of paper on the coffee table of him. It was stained with her tears but he picked it up, he saw it was a medical report from a local fertility clinic. It had been barely a year into their marriage but they knew something was amiss when they still couldn’t get a positive test. Though his way of coping had been to deny it all along and bury himself into work, clearly she’d had enough and decided to go looking for answers.

“They… they said… I would never… be.. a mot…” She tried to whisper but he cut her off, “No, don’t say that. They’re lying, they’re just being insensitive and stupid. You will be a mother, I promise. They don’t know shit, they’re just a small suburban clinic, I’ll take you to the best doctors, to the biggest super specialty clinics, adoption centers, we can go abroad, whatever it takes okay? We can do whatever we want, the options are endless.” She shook her head and stepped back from his embrace, the fury and hurt painting her expression as she cried out, “It’s hard enough to adopt ONE child, you always wanted our kids to have siblings, you wanted 5 children!? And we wanted a child before we were even married, how long are we going to wait? Do you know how long medical procedures take? It could be YEARS because we even have a child, are you really going to be able to wait that long? Can I? I wanted to be young, I’ve seen what happens when there’s a huge generational gap between kids and their parents, I never wanted this… it’s the one thing we’ve always pined for… and I’m going to break that dream for both of us.”

He cupped her face in her palms, forcing her to make eye contact with him, “Y/N! Stop. I won’t allow this. As long as you and I are together, the dream is alive. We’ve made the impossible come true before, we can do it again. You were a preemie kid who wasn’t going to survive but you did! Bangtan defied the odds with our success. We’re fighters, we don’t give up, okay? We’ll find a way, we always do, love. Why wait? I’ll make an appointment tomorrow and this time, no doing it alone, I’m coming with you. I’ll take the tests, I’ll be there for your follow ups, whatever it takes, we’re in this together. What do I always say, huh?” “Teamwork… makes the dream work.” She replied gingerly, her voice getting stronger with every syllable as he gave her a kiss on the forehead and felt the tension exit her body with his gesture. 🌺

Park Jimin was the only Bangtan member to already have 2 kids, his childhood sweetheart turned wife from his dance school had given him two daughters. It was obvious to anyone that he loved them more than life itself- that’s why their names were Ae-Cha, which meant loving daughter and Mi-Cha, which meant beautiful daughter. He had the biggest smile on his face when he came home from work to watch both his daughters, aged 5 & 3- sit together at the dining table playing, having a fake tea party with their dolls. They were so engrossed with the pretend play that they didn’t even notice that their dad had come back home. But even though part of him wanted to swoop them up into his arms, he held himself back, watching in admiration while leaning against the door frame of the living room.

He was joined by his wife who slipped her hand, across his waist and leaned closer & whispered, “Can you believe we actually made it past the terrible twos & threes? I can’t believe they’re our girls? That the same kids who once turned the house upside down are now both sitting quietly, the house is clean, I actually had time to have a cuppa without being interrupted, it’s surreal!” “Yes, that’s why I dare not disturb them. I thought my eyes were deceiving me, they’re really grown up, huh? Where did the time go? It feels like yesterday that we got married & here we are already… At this rate, they’ll be in college soon & I’ll have to walk them down the aisle!?” He said incredulously, while she responded, “You’re forgetting the hormone crazy teenage phase, where they’ll hate everything we say & do, rebel & go out at night, you’re gonna have to give them a talk about safe sex, & not murder any boy they decide to bring home. I’d pay good money to see that!” She chuckled as he glared at her, as she relunctantly stifled her laughter.

“Stop it, you mean woman! I’m not even slightly ready to go there, not even in my mind. And you might hit me for saying this but… I actually miss the chaos? I miss tripping over legos, wearing mis-matched shoes, having spit-up on my clothes, knowing that they’re tiny enough to be safe in their cribs or even better, inside you.” He sighed & told her as she agreed, “Yeah, you’re right, I actually miss the time, it felt like everything was slower when they’re not born yet, almost like you can control how fast they grow up. 9 months of time, where it’s just us & nothing & no one can get in the way of that.” “If you didn’t hit me then, you’re definitely going to hit me now but I’ll take my chances… would you, consider doing it all again? Having one more kid? I don’t think I’m ready to let go of them being babies just yet.” He softly muttered as her eyes widened in surprise at the proposition. “I’m not going to hit you, trust me. In fact, I think you’re right. That must be why I haven’t been able to part with any of their baby supplies, I’ve held onto them- they’re still in the attic, you know? Even though I was supposed to give it away to charity ages ago. As much as I want to jump right into this, are you certain we can do it? 3 kids is a lot. What if we bite off more than we can chew?” She asked, a hint of anxiety in her tone as he pulled her closer to him & said firmly, “We’re a power couple, we’ve always been. With you, nothing is too much trouble. I have full faith in us, jagiya.” 🌹

To Be Continued... 🌊🌙⭐️

La Dolce Vita || JW

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11.15am (Grocery Shopping)

Dating Jackson meant that you treasured every moment you had together. Owing to his busy schedule, even having him to yourself for an hour felt like a luxury. But often he had chores piled up that needed to be done in that same one hour. And so you'll had made it into a habit to do the most routine things together- from visiting the laundromat to cleaning the house. And he loved doing these domestic things with you, as he was able to shed the skin of being the famous star- Jackson Wang and instead was just Wang Jiaer around you. It meant doing most things together- with puppy Wang following you around everywhere you went. But grocery shopping was the one time you'll split up completely. He turns to the left aisle, you to the right aisle.

Clearly, one could see how your food choices could be simply described as veg-junk-spicy and his as non veg-organic-bland. You'll were poles apart, in your palates and had made your peace with the fact. With you, wearing a mask everytime he cooked something that gave off a pungent smell while he rolled his eyes & refused to kiss you when you'd just eaten something spicy that led to your skin feeling on fire.

But before you made it to the cash counter, you smiled at the oppositely laid out carts as you noticed some things in his cart that belonged to you & vice versa. Snacks & desserts held the key to both your hearts. In his cart were your all time favourites- choco pie, lindt & nutella. And you'd curated a list of his childhood treats from China such as rabbit milk candy, shanzha & sunflower seeds.

You knew each other's preferences perfectly & had managed to rub off the taste on the other as well. You could tell in the way he smiled, a grin stretching from ear to ear that he was pleased with your decisions & you chuckled fondly, seeing that he had managed to remember your cravings.

"You do realize we've both picked the cereal and ice cream?" You giggled & said.

"Never too much of those, am I right?" He replied as he shrugged & walked forward to pay the bill as you shook your head & followed him, interlinking your hand into his as he squeezed your hand tight. And while he made small talk with the cashier, you captured a mental snapshot of this perfect little outing, for this was just as joyful and memorable as any other grand date you'd been on. Life with your boyfriend was truly "La Dolce Vita"- a sweet boy, with a sweet tooth & a shopping bag filled with sweets.

"Why so impatient, princess?" He asked as he noticed you tapping your feet & nudging him with your elboe to rush things along. So you smirked & whispered softly in his ear, "I'm just eager to go home & eat some ice cream. Preferably off your abs, like that genius Ahgase suggested in the BuzzFeed thirst tweets video."

"Should've known it was you!! Why go to such great lengths when you could've just asked babe." He crooned back, his gaze so sultrily that you were worried he'd devour you right then & there. And you stood there frozen, as red as the Hawthorne berries in your hand. Waiting & bidding the time, till you finally got home.

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

SURRENDER || HHJ

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Y/N's POV

I'd been a K-pop idol for 5 years now, by now I was well versed with the industry and even though I'd gotten here through alot of hardship, I'd persevered and let nothing and no one come in the way of be achieving my goals. We were now one of the most respected girl groups, to a point where we'd not only broken countless records but wherein our hoobaes came to us for guidance. Being the leader of my group, I'd slipped into the role of being sunbaemin, quite easily. I was used to being empathetic and helpful, knowing that I'd never gotten that in my journey from trainee to now and I wanted the next generation of idols to have it better. I know that picking a favourite isn't what a mentor should do, but I couldn't help but have a soft spot for one of my mentees- Hyunjin from Stray Kids.

He was from the same company as me and it had all begun when he'd come to me asking for help regarding one of the girl group covers he had to perform. Being the main dancer of my group, I gladly accepted to help him out as the steps were not just difficult but quite feminine in nature, something that boy groups rarely dared to attempt. But this boy's enthusiasm and hard work won me over. He had a pretty face but there was so much more behind it. It has taken me just one performance of him dancing to, "psycho" to know just what potential he was harbouring within himself. He was insecure about his talents, wondered that he'd always be seen as the visual and nothing more. So I sat him down and told just how brilliant of a rapper and dancer he was, and that if I could see it then so would the world. His eyes sparkled and a wide smile lit up his face the moment I said that. He told me he found it hard to believe but that he knew I wouldn't lie and so he had no choice but to take the compliment. It turns out, he was a huge fan of mine, having studied my performances as a trainee and used plenty of my endment speeches as motivation when to help him get to debut. I was used to hearing praise but only rarely did it catch me off guard, I couldn't help but blush at his flattery. He'd even mentioned it on variety shows and interviews countless times that I was his celebrity crush. Even though it was wildly inappropriate, firstly we weren't allowed to date amongst the company idols and secondly, I was 3 years older than him, something that our society would never allow. But it was cute little idea, hypothetically speaking.

He'd never shied away from casually confessing his love for me while I always laughed it off without taking him seriously. I trusted myself, I didn't want to lose such a good friendship and mentorship over such a thing. So far, I'd kept myself on a straight path- while so many other idols from my generation had veered off course by getting into relationships, drugs, money, greed.. I hadnt. If I could resist all that and stay true to my career and self, what was this boy going to do?

But I was wrong, I was so faulty in my impression of him. Or rather in my assumption of my self control. Because I fell in love with him over a series of days and months but I can tell exactly the moments that it happened -

But my final straw was when he invited me to watch his performance for "Red Lights". As it was a sub unit with Bang Chan and him, even though I tried to decline the invite and said I was busy. Bang Chan was a dear friend too, as leaders we'd always bonded with each other. And I didn't want to hurt his feelings by not showing up and so I begrudgingly did. But it unleashed a side of me that I never quite expected. The chains, the red string of fate, the raw sex appeal of it and the lyrics didn't help at all. And the worst part was that he chose to do it while making eye contact with me the entire time.

And last time I'd left but this time, I was transfixed in the spot. I was out of control, and I couldn't leave him alone. I had to make him feel my love, there was simply no other choice. Because the voice in my head kept growing louder and I knew it would keep me up at night if I didn't follow through.

I went over to Bang Chan and congratulated him over the song, I told him it was their best yet and he was beaming at the compliment. Hyunjin was looking over me expectedly, waiting for similar praise but instead I whispered to him to meet me at the back door, in my merc which would be standing outside in precisely 10 minutes. That way no one would suspect we were going together and I couldn't risk us doing anything together in the building which was teeming with so many people today. I could tell he wanted to ask questions but he nodded nonetheless, trusting me with whatever I had in mind. And those 10 minutes seemed like longest of my life but the moment the door latched open, and he sat down.

I motioned to the driver to begin driving and shut the partition between him and us. Hyunjin raised his brow at me, perplexed and I responded by touching my hand to his, my fingers grazing his. I tilted my head ever so slightly, looking up at him earnestly waiting for a sign that he was okay with this and he wet his lips with his tongue, sending me over the edge. I jumped him, my hand combing through his long locks, his hands on my backside, digging in. Our lips engaged in a battle of their own, our tongues ravaging each other's landscape and our breaths hot on each other's skin. As he tugged at my dress and pulled it over my head, I pulled the knot at his waist, then hastily untied the ropes and undid the buttons, until we were both unabashedly naked.

All the while, our lips hadn't left each other, it was only then that we pulled away for a hit of oxygen before resuming. But that was enough to stop me in my tracks. Everything had happened so fast, I so consumed by him, as he was by me- it was like fire to a moth. But I was the fire and I couldn't help but pause as I realized how much trouble we could get in for this, especially him. "Do you want me to stop? What's wrong, Y/N?" He asked, all the roughness seeping away, a gentle touch to his voice without any hint of frustration even as I'd stopped him in the throes of passion.

"Are you sure this is worth it? That I'm worth it? This will ruin you. You're far too precious for me to step all over you like this. You can have anyone you like. You..." But he put his finger to my lips, nodding side to side as he said, "Yes, I can have anyone I like but you're the one I want. You're the one I've always wanted. And I'm done living for others, I no longer want to play by the rulebook, I want to do this for me, for us. Don't we deserve to be happy just this once? Without thinking of any consequences whatsoever? If you and I want to make love then why does it matter what the others think? Don't get me wrong, if you still want to stop right here I will. But if you want this, even ever so slightly, then let's surrender to this feeling."

And I felt a wave of security, safety and warmth wash all over me as he said that. He was right and all I had to do after months of pining and sleepless nights, was simply give in. And I did. I gave myself upto him and he welcomed me into his embrace, just as our defences crumbled and we truly became one with each other. I remembered a random fact I'd read about him in a magazine, he'd told the author that he'd always said his ideal partner was someone who understood him, who was empathetic and looked out for him. And I guess, I should've known right then that we were meant to be.

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

THE PERILLA LEAVES SCANDAL || MYG

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Y/N's POV

Having finished a busy day as a professor or History, full of lectures and grading test papers. I knew I should take a break and energize myself. My recent fainting spell was still fresh in my mind and as adorable my students and the nurse at university were while taking care of me, I'd rather not have a repeat of that. I hadn't eaten since morning and should head out for a hearty meal. I decided to treat myself by going to my favorite Korean restaurant- it had become my frequent joint ever since I'd been there with a friend. They'd be playing my most liked k-pop songs and some japchae always lifted up my mood and spirits.

It was such a popular joint that they made guests share tables on busy days. I often had to share seeing as I was went alone, this time was no different. I sat down next to a guy, whose face I couldn't see quite clearly, he had a cap on. He was having gimbap and tteokbokki. Usually, kimchi and salad were a staple at the restaurant, it came with every dish. I guess the ahjumma had a soft corner seeing as I was a regular here, so she added an extra side dish to the table- perilla leaves.

I enjoyed eating it but my one problem with it was picking up the leaves that often stuck to one another. I remember getting so frustrated with it last time that I never bothered to finish it. I tried my luck again but in vain, my chopsticks just came up empty everytime I tried to have a bite. I sighed in annoyance and even banged my chopsticks a bit too angrily at the table without meaning to. I just pushed the side dish onto the other side, atleast someone else should get to eat what I couldn't. It's a shame to let food go to waste, I thought to myself.

Yoongi's POV

I usually prefered to have my peace and quiet above all else. The only reason I forgoed it in this case, was because I loved the food here far too much to let it keep me away. I knew that I'd likely have to share a table and make unnecessary small talk with a stranger but it was a small price to pay for ahjumma's cooking. She had a local business and refused to deliver things home or use those "apps". I'd had my fair share of terrible dinner mates- the last one not only chewed with their mouth open but also proceeded to drop soju all over my shirt.

I was halfway through my meal and there was still no one in the other end, I was hoping it stayed that way but just as I thought that in my head- a petite girl with wavy hair, twirly earrings and a radiant face sat down in front of me. At first glance she reminded me of my friend- Hobi's sister. And this in itself made me soften to her appearance. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad, I wondered to myself.

It turns out I was right- she didn't even engage in conversation or disturb me in any way. She ate quietly and in an orderly manner, without taking her phone out for photos or needlessly ordering more food only to waste it. I saw her enjoying the music playing around us, her face lit up when this bubblegum pop song by a group named Astro came up. As a producer, it made me smile seeing that kind of a reaction to music. For most people, it's just background in a setting like this one- the ambiance, people watching and the food would take precedence. But for her, she was focused on the music and mindful about the food- enjoying the experience as a whole.

I found myself poking idly at my empty plate just in a bid to sit here for longer. I ended up finishing the kimchi even after finishing my main and as I worried about her not getting to eat a side because I completed it, the ahjumma came and gave us some perilla leaves as a bonus. As much as I loved them, I thought she ought to take some first, since I had shamelessly eaten the kimchi. That's when I saw her struggle with picking them. Under usual circumstances, this would've annoyed me to no extend. Firstly, she was keeping me from eating the dish and secondly, I was of the opinion that if you don't know how to eat something then you don't deserve having it at all!

But still, watching her brows furrow in concentration as she tried to pick up the perilla leaves and the way she bit her lower lip in effort made her look even more endearing than before. She banged her chopsticks onto the table and her anger made her appear cuter than ever. I felt my heart go out to her and if that wasn't enough, she pushed the dish to me as if gesturing at me to have it. And so, I picked up the perilla leaves in my chopsticks and kept it neatly into her plate. Her mouth turned into a little o at this development and this continued until the dish was all but empty.

I decided that watching her eat was far more satisfying than my need to eat the perilla leaves myself. And just like that, I realized that I enjoyed her company more than anything else. More than the ambiance, the food, everything else that once drew me to this place. I enjoyed her presence more than the annoying things around me- like the crowd of others around me and the noise of traffic from outside or the stifling heat in this room. The good, the bad, it all tilted in favour of her. I knew she was the one for me, right then and there. And come hell or high water, I'd make her mine.

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

THE PERILLA LEAVES SCANDAL || JHS

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Y/N's POV

I'd come to my boyfriend's office canteen so that we could spend his break time together. He has been so busy in the past few weeks that it had been to get even a proper conversation together forget a date. So we decided to get together for our meal times as we anyways ended up wasting time in our breaks so why not make the most of it. I entered the canteen but Hoseok wasn't here yet. I went and sat alone at the table, with others staring at me, wondering who I was and why I was here. I felt intimidated being an outsider in this huge place all by myself when suddenly, I spotted Namjoon who waved at me from a distance. He was my boyfriend's best friend and I immediately smiled widely, feeling much better seeing someone I knew there.

He sat down at the table, sensing how awkward I was feeling. He ordered us some food, insisting that just because Hobi wasn't here yet didn't mean we had to starve. It was sweet of him but I still just had my juice, leaving my plate spotless instead choosing to wait until Hobi got here. But unlike me, Joon couldn't resist the smell of the delicious food infront of us and dug in. He was impatient with his food and quite clumsy with it too. He ended up dropping the perilla leaves he'd meant to eat and I chuckled as that happened not once but thrice. So I finally held his wrist, told him to stop and helped him pick them up with my own chopsticks. Just as he had a mouthful of perilla leaves in his mouth, his eyes shifted to gaze behind me and there was Hobi.

I saw what it must look like from a distance, not only was I at the table without him, but it seemed like I was eating alongside Namjoon and that too rather intimately. I instinctively shrunk back in my seat even though I'd done nothing wrong. I'd just watched far too many kdramas to know what this would appear like. With a racing heart, I opened my mouth to explain myself but before I could do so, he leaned forward and hugged me tightly. He leaned near my ear and whispered- "Hi Jagiya, you look so gorgeous I want to kiss you. It's criminal that I can't do that over here."

I blushed red fiercely and even as I was distracted by what he's just said, Namjoon went ahead and asked said the truest words ever uttered, "Don't worry, Y/N. This man is so head over heels for you, he'd never let anyone else take over. And I know how much you love him, so there's nothing that can get between the two of you lovebirds. Not even charming men like me. In some other universe, we'll be together but in this one- you'll belong together."

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

THE PERILLA LEAVES SCANDAL || KTH

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Y/N's POV

I couldn't believe my luck, I'd been in love with Kim Taehyung since I was a starry eyed teenager and as much as every song, fanfic and dream of mine revolved around him... I'd never once imagined that we'd actually meet in person, forget the fact that we'd end up dating. He was THE Kim Taehyung, member of the biggest musical act in the world, winner of handsomest face in the world and the bias of millions of people across the globe. And somehow, I'd found my way to him and he'd found his path to me. I worked in the k-drama industry as a writer and all it had taken was him singing an OST for my show, one which was led by one of his best friends - Choi Woosik to serve as our meet cute.

He'd come on set multiples times- to meet his friend, to watch us incorporate the song into the show, sometimes to suggest storylines for the show itself. But by the end as the wrap party came near, he came up to me and made it clear that he was just finding excuses to be on set so he could spend more time with me. And just like that, I happened to show him, the 4 o clock tattoo I'd had on my flesh, since I was in university. It was his song, it was proof that I'd fallen in love with him way before he'd fallen for me. And just like that, we began our lives together.

Tae's POV

I'd just begun dating Y/N but it felt like I'd known her a lifetime. And it felt so unfair that she had years to get to know me but I'd met her only so recently. I'd taken it up to spend all my free time with her so I could catch up on knowing more about her life, the same way in which she knew everything about mine. Ofcourse, that meant my friends and others began to complain that I'd all but forgotten them because I had a girlfriend now. So to appease them, I decided that this weekend I'd have a joint dinner with the Wooga squad and her. It seemed like a safe and easy bet for her to meet them before she met the members or anyone else as she already knew Wooshik and was acquainted with the television industry.

I was far more worried she'd faint the moment one of the Bangtan members walked in, she was a huge army of us and I wasn't certain she was still ready to face them one on one outside of a concert setting. It amused me to no end, seeing how flustered she got around them even though her work routinely involved meeting celebrities. It just showed how this professional and calm headed 20 something, turned to a decade younger version of herself the moment she thought of BTS. But that was an exception, apart from that she amazed me at how she stayed calm in any situation. I'd always worried about how someone would fit into the glamour and yet pressures my lifestyle provided but halfway through the meal as the 6 of us sat down and ate grilled meat and drank baekju, I knew she was born for it.

It was like she's fit right in without any effort at all. But just as I was happy about how comfortable she was with everyone, I bit my tongue wondering if I'd spoken far too soon. Maybe it was far too cozy and I shouldn't have let it get this far, atleast that's what I thought to myself as I saw her help Seojoon pick up and seperate the perilla leaves on his dish when he struggled with it. It was probably the fact that I was drunk but something about that set me off.

I got up from the table and left the place, with the door banging behind me without bothering to give any explanation even as they asked me for the same. I went out for a breath of fresh air to cool myself down, as minutes she followed. She tried to get me to tell her what was wrong even as I insisted I wanted to be left alone. But she kept pushing and I couldn't stop myself anymore.

I cornered her against the wall, our eyes gazing into each other's ferociously, my hands pinning her from both sides keeping her from escaping as I growled softly under my breath and said, "You really don't know what's wrong? I'm your boyfriend, you do remember that right? Or do you need reminding? Me. Not the other members of bangtan that you blush over every time a new music video drops and certainly not any of my hyungs in there who you're happily serving drinks and peeling perilla leaves for. They can get their own bloody girlfriends but you're mine, you wanna be all kind and helpful then do it for me. Pick me, choose me and love me. Not them. I can't tell you how my blood boils when I see you being that close to someone else. I know that neither of them nor you would ever betray me but still... You don't know how amazing you are. It would be so easy to get swayed, so please just downplay your charms and keep them close to your heart. For me? Please? I can't bear the thought of losing you. I thought I had everything I ever wanted with my career and family but until I met you, I didn't know what I was missing. And now that I have you, I can't imagine life without you. Am I making any sense at all?"

Y/N's POV

I wanted to be mad at him, so badly for creating such a scene. But there was something about the way his pout made my heart ache, that all I wanted was to see his boxy smile return to his face. He was jealous, the man who could have anyone in the universe wanted me and was insecure about our relationship? I laughed despite myself, unable to process how this was happening. I couldn't be angry at him, I loved him too much to not give in.

So I cupped his face with my palms, steadily staring at him at eye level as I said firmly, "Taehyung, you are the love of my life. You have been for more than a decade. And I promise, nothing and no one could ever come in the way of that. I hated the color green, I didn't know a single thing about art galleries, I had never heard good jazz music but I now that's changed. And it's all because of you. I've always wanted to go to a BTS concert, always wanted someone who'd not take me for granted and prioritise me, I always wanted a house full of children but I thought all of that was impossible until I met you. So do I have to keep going or do you understand how much I love you? And why me pouring a drink or peeling perilla leaves is an absolute non issue?"

He nodded and sighed in relief as leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead, leaving me weak in my knees. Once again, I couldn't believe his duality, the fact that he was capable of going from that angry to upset to this soft and caring in a split second. And wrapped my hand around his waist and pulled him close as smiled and walked back into the restaurant, together- the perilla leaves scandal left behind us.

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️

THE PERILLA LEAVES SCANDAL || JJK

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Y/N's POV

I was out for a meal with my school friends and I'd invited my boyfriend over as well. My friends had been wanting to meet him and I couldn't wait to introduce him to them. I thought back to my high school days and smiled fondly seeing how far I'd come since then. Back then, I was overthinking about everything. I thought things would never get better- that I'd never figure out what path I wanted to take in my career, I'd never be able to stay in touch with my friends once I got to university, I'd never find the right guy to date. And here I was, all of those worries turned to dust, a decade later. But even as I was happy about the other outcomes, finding Jungkook was the most unexpected and best thing that had happened to me.

My friends always called me stupid for believing in true love. They thought my standards were way too high and that I thought of a far too romantized idea of love. Whenever I gushed over some movie where music started playing at the couple's meet cute or when I fawned over a book where the hero confessed his love for the heroine with a grand gesture, they rolled their eyes at me. And then he entered my life with his doe eyes, earnest gaze and a strong determined and innocent kind of love that proved me right on all accounts.

Even now, months into our relationship, my stomach still fluttered with butterflies everytime we made eye contact. And even before the bell on the restaurant door started ringing, signalling his entry, I could swear without looking that it was him coming in. It was like there was an invisible string tying me to him and I planned to hold onto as tightly as possible.

Jungkook's POV

I believed in the red string of fate, one that bound lovers together. My parents had a love marriage against all odds and I'd grown up seeing what a healthy and happy married life looked like. I'd wanted to same as I'd grown up but as I grew older, I felt that slipping away. The opposite person never felt quite right, it was good but never as magical as my parents love seemed to be. I kept meeting and dating multiple people, hoping I'd find that spark that I was searching for but in vain. That was until I met, Y/N as we both got stuck in the elevator at work as it stopped working between two stories on that ill-fated or rather fateful day.

And yet for all my talks of nothing being a coincidence and us being fated to be together... I couldn't fathom what was happening as I stepped into the restaurant. I expected her to turn around, enthusiastic to see me and greet me. But she had her back to the door was passing perilla leaves to the boy in front of her- her friend from school who she'd known a whole decade longer than me. I saw her hand brush against his, the smile on his face as he thanked her for the gesture and the way the air in the room seemed to turn still and freeze as I realised what was happening.

It was like sirens going off in my head, even as a rational part of my brain tried to explain to me that she was just a kind person who was probably helping him, that I trusted her with my life and more, that this was nothing and that I shouldn't care. Yet, there was another side of my brain that leaped ahead with its conclusions and brought up the stuff of nightmares- taking me through their hypothetical but seemingly real date, first kiss and wedding, all in the span of next 5 minutes.

And it was only when she called out my name, that I snapped back to focus and to reality. To my surprise, she was now right in front of me, her hands clasped around mine and her eyes boring into mine with confusion and concern. "Are you okay? You look so pale, it's like you've seen a ghost." She asked me gently and I can feel her love emanating from her body. I feel it in the way her warm flesh is on mine, in the way her thumb is tracing circles on my palm to calm me down, in the way her eyes are staring into my soul so honest and wide that they couldn't hide a thing, in the way her entire body is angling towards me with her standing on her toes just to be closer to my height, in the way her voice is low enough only for my ears to hear. She was here in front of me, she was present for me and in a second, all my doubts went poof.

I knew it in my heart, that she couldn't do any wrong and that she'd never leave my side. No matter how many idiots with perilla leaves tried to get in the way. That was just an irrational fear but this... We were as real as it gets. And as jealous as her being around him made me feel, I'd surpass that just so that she could be happy and she could do what she wanted.

I leaned forward to kiss her, my lips meeting hers briefly just enough to leave a lingering taste of her strawberry lip tint on my palate and my breath on her lips. I didn't do it because I wanted to remind her of our love nor because I wanted to prove something to the others in the room but just because I was grateful to have her in my life. Simple as that. "I love you, jagi." I said to her as I placed my hand around her waist and we crossed over to the table.

Even as she ended up sitting next to him, continuing to help him which I later realized was because he had injured his hand and was unable to use the chopsticks deftly. And I shook my head, glad that I'd averted a perilla leaves scandal by acting calmly and keeping my wits about me.

On a different day, I might've held her by the wrist and dragged her out of the restaurant or I might've punched the guy in the face but today, I was choosing to be better. She made me a better man and I would live upto those standards because that's what she deserved- the absolute best.

THE END. 🌊🌙⭐️