“ LOVE OR DIE. ” ft. kim gyuvin

you felt so bad, awful, your heart constantly squeezed in your chest, as if an invisible force were pressing hard against your ribcage. your breathing must have been far too irregular to be normal, but you didn't care. sitting on the edge of a desk, staring into space, tears threatening to roll down your cheeks : it was traumatic, having your friends' blood on your hands, droplets on your clothes, and the bitter taste of iron on your tongue. you were still wondering why you, of all people on earth, had to find yourselves in this appalling situation. what had you done wrong to have to kill each other, with no chance of staying alive in the end? the whole thing felt like a sci-fi movie in which you were trapped, the only difference is that blood is real, and hearts stop beating.

swallowing back a sob as you heard the office door open, you quickly glanced around before lowering your head, hiding your tear-streaked face. « so you were there all along.. » gyuvin's voice was soft, comforting, probably the only reason your heart remained so warm despite all the pain you'd accumulated. pursing your lips together, you nodded positively, wiping your cheeks with your sleeve before turning your gaze back to him. he smiled tenderly, hands tucked into his trouser pockets as he approached you. « mh, i needed to be alone for a while. » you say in a small voice, which stops gyuvin in his tracks, his finger suddenly pointing to the door he had previously passed through, « do you.. do you want me to go back? »

shaking your head negatively, you offered him a slight smile in return, you turned your gaze to an invisible point in front of you, « no. it's also nice to be alone with you. » — you didn't get a chance to see the shy but satisfied smile that gyuvin gave you after your answer, the boy coming to sit beside you the next second. under the outside light of the frozen world in which you were trapped, his fingers brushed yours in a cottony caress. you can't explain why gyuvin has always had a comforting aura : he's the kind of person who can instantly put you at ease, the kind of person you can cry in front of and who'll do anything to dry your tears, the kind of person who makes you feel like summer sunshine in the middle of winter. since you've met him, you've always tended to rely on him, but now that your lives are in constant danger, the fear of waking up one morning to find him dead eats away at your stomach. you don't want to lose him. you don't want to lose him like you lost hao, hanbin, yeojin, haseul, and so many others of your schoolmates. you still don't understand how, or why, your classmates, considered to be the mafia of this game, could have attacked them. killed them. do they feel remorse? did they hesitate before doing so? you can't tell. and not knowing, but imagining the constant fear that everyone must feel, kills you from the inside.

a long sigh left your lips, and the next second, gyuvin's warm voice rose in the silence. « what's on your mind? » he asked, his gaze fixed in front of him in the same way that your empty eyes stare at the grayish-blue computer screen. « i can’t do this anymore, » you began to say, your voice muffled by a sob rising in the back of your throat, « i can't stand seeing them die one after the other. » — gyuvin, who usually knew what to say to comfort you, found himself trapped by his words. how could he soften your pain, when his heart was bleeding the same way as yours? obviously, he was trying his best to put on a brave face in front of you and the others, but the truth is, he was scared to death inside that he couldn't save you. what was happening seemed far too unreal for any rational reasoning, he felt powerless, he didn't understand, and that only tormented him more.

but he had to reassure you, he had to find the right words to warm your heart chilled by fear and grief. without looking away from the invisible point in front of him, gyuvin's warm hand moved slightly closer to yours, his long fingers overhanging yours against the cold surface of the desk. « i will die beside you. i won't ever leave you. » he declared, in the most nonchalant but sincere manner possible, swiveling you around so that your tear-streaked gaze falls on the undeniable beauty of his face. the cut on his cheek still looked fresh, blood threatening to spill at any moment, but you put that aside for the moment, far too disturbed by the words he had just uttered. « i won't let any danger even touch us, » he continued, this time turning his gaze from the wall to yours, his black irises piercing your soul, « touch you. »

why couldn't your heart stop beating so quickly? why did you feel your stomach churn at such a dramatic moment? why did the desire to kiss him come to titillate your mind? people are dying around you, and all you can think about it's your feelings for gyuvin, that keep growing despite the circumstances. and you hated yourself for that. « yah, kim gyuvin, » you say suddenly, the crack in your voice making the boy in front of you raise an eyebrow, « you must save yourself before thinking of me. »

a soft chuckle left his mouth, his gaze turning away from yours for a moment. although you were watching him carefully, you didn't see it coming when he suddenly found himself standing in front of you, your knees pressed against his thighs, and his hands clasped to the desk on either side of you. your eyes locked on his, lost in the beauty and sincerity of his gaze, and gyuvin took the opportunity to speak again. « this is probably not the time or the place, but i have to tell you something, » he almost whispered, as if the walls had ears, and he wanted to confide in you the most intimate of secrets, « y/n, if i die i want you to know that i love you, i really do. »

the world seemed to crumble around you, your trembling hands tightening on the desk beneath your fingers. your breathing suddenly becomes jerky, your gaze juggling from one eye to the other in panic, as the words remain stuck in the back of your throat. you wanted to cry, to burst into tears, to shake him in all directions for daring to tell you this kind of thing, but you remained frozen in place, your body no longer responding to your instructions. and despite the fact that you wanted to yell at him, you couldn't help but want to hold him against you, feel his warmth beneath your fingers, feel his heart beating against your chest.

« i wouldn't get over it if anything happened to you, » he confided, his blood-spattered hand coming to caress your cheek, brushing your skin in the most tender way, chasing away the tears that had just escaped from your eyes, « i'm afraid i'll lose my mind if i even lose you. » — gyuvin tried not to show you that he was scared to death, and that the mere idea of losing you was driving him crazy. he had to keep his cool, he had to keep doing everything he could to unmask the killers and save as many of his classmates as possible. but knowing that, at any moment, he could face your lifeless body, made the task so much more complicated. deep in thought, his eyes filling with tears without his realizing it, surprise overcame him when he felt your cold fingers on his cheeks, electrifying his entire body. his glassy gaze locked with yours, and pink flushed his cheeks at your next words, « i love you, » you say softly, your voice a little breathy, « i love you too, gyuvin. please don't you dare imagine another scenario in which you're not alive, » and at that moment, the pressure of your hands enveloping his face became firmer, albeit delicate, « please don’t leave me alone. »

gyuvin watched you for a long time, lost in the beauty of your eyes, love fluttering in his stomach after your confession. he didn't know whether to feel happy or scared — he was happy to know that his feelings were shared, but even more afraid of losing you. he would do anything to keep you close to him, do anything to save you and make sure nothing happened to you. and if he has to sacrifice himself to keep you alive, gyuvin will do it without hesitation. your frightened eyes seemed so sparkling, perhaps because of the tears that kept running down your cheeks, but gyuvin found himself transported to a world where death was not around every corner, where you can feel secure and live your student life with peace of mind.

gyuvin wanted to believe that a happy ending awaited you at the end of this nightmare, even if it seemed impossible. he wanted to be able to take you out on a date, officially ask you out, kiss you under the blossoming trees — he wanted to get out of this horrible game and bring everyone back to life, he didn't want to lose another single friend. he didn't know how to save everyone, but he was determined to do it.

as he seemed far too silent, your eyes searching for his to bring him back to you, the course of time took a completely different turn : in a fit of sadness, fear, joy, and euphoria, the boy completely closed the distance between you both, suddenly pressing his lips to yours. gyuvin was kissing you, and that was real. the exchange was desperate, slightly hurried, a slight taste of blood on your tongue, messy, clumsy, a little hesitant at first. but when you closed your eyes for good, gently tilting your head to one side, you felt one of his big hands clasp your waist, the kiss intensifying under the simple sound of your breaths echoing in the room. it was now warm, passionate, much more controlled than before, but above all, it was comforting, as if it were something you'd desperately needed for a long time.

suddenly out of breath, gyuvin left your lips, his jerky breathing crashing into your face. the poor boy didn't dare open his eyes again, for fear that it was just another of the many dreams that haunted his nights — but when he felt your thumb caress his lower lip, gyuvin knew it was all real, he had just exchanged a kiss with the person who had made the last few days a little less nightmarish. opening his pupils slowly, he instantly planted his gaze in yours, flickering his eyes to get used again to the light around him. out of the corner of his eye, the smile on your lips created a gentle warmth in the hollow of his heart. it was just what he needed : the warmth you brought him, that devastating smile that made him melt with love. he never wanted to see another tear roll down your face, another drop of blood leave your veins, another trace of fear in your eyes. he was going to save you, no matter what.

« gyuvin, » your voice drew his attention back to you, and his previously unfocused gaze, lost in thought, was once again focus in yours, concentrating on your next words. « promise me not to do anything stupid. »

he wanted to promise you sincerely, he really did. but it was inconceivable for him not to do something to protect you, to save you, if the opportunity arose. and if by something stupid you mean not putting his life in danger for you, then he was bound to break that promise. so, in order not to have to answer you, and not to disappoint you too much, gyuvin ignored your insistent gaze, encircling your waist with his arms and capturing your lips once more, more deftly. by diverting your attention to something else, gyuvin gave himself the opportunity to get around this promise, which he will never have made, because he knew very well that he could die to save you. you were his priority, and right now, all he wanted to do was help you forget, just for a moment, all the atrocities you'd been through recently.

“ DRUNK OF YOU. ” ft. zhang hao

never in your life had you liked going out too much, especially at some random student parties where the watchword was to end up completely drunk. shuffling your feet as you entered the house, where the smell of alcohol mixed with cigarettes tingled your nostrils, the loud music quickly assaulted your ears. squinting and sighing, ready to turn back and run to your house, a hand suddenly and firmly grasped your wrist — pivoting on yourself, ready to strike violently the person who had dared to touch you, your gaze fell on your best friend's face, her eyes bloodshot and a silly grin hanging on her face.

« y/n, you're here ! » she shouted over the music, her voice destabilized by the alcohol she'd been drinking since she'd arrived. a worried look appeared on your face : who could have let her drink so much and not look after her in your absence? her boyfriend was definitely really a good-for-nothing. rolling your eyes as you hooked your arm around her waist, despite your selfish self wanting to leave her here and go home, you follow her into the madding crowd. « i'm so happy, we can have fun together ! follow me ! » she shouted again, jumping up and down as she spilled half her drink on the floor. you loved her very much, but you hated it when she got into a state like that. but you didn't even have time to say anything to her, she was already pulling you into another room without asking your opinion.

letting your eyes wander here and there, taking care not to step on anyone, your pupils came into contact with a face that was all too familiar for your liking. in one of the corner of the living room, a glass in his hand and a smirk that made you want to unscrew his head, the one who could best be described as your rival, stood in the violet-blue light of the room. zhang hao seemed to be enjoying the party, but he didn't seem drunk at all — maybe he hadn't been drinking, just like you. not like you're interested anyway. but the boy with freshly red-dyed hair must have felt a lingering gaze on his silhouette, as he caught a glimpse of your face before you disappeared from his field of vision. finally something interesting, he thought, pulling his best friend's arm to try and catch you in your tracks.

arriving in the second room, your best friend handed you a glass of alcohol she'd just served, before pointing to the ping pong table in the middle of the room. « i want to play beer pong with you, » she explained, giving you the sweetest eyes in the world as you were already shaking your head negatively, « please y/n, please ! pleaseeeee ! »

« i'll play against you. » a voice behind you made you sigh quietly, pinching the bridge of your nose, knowing full well who had just spoken. leaning forward slightly while you turned your head to face the boy, a shocked expression painted your best friend's face, « oh hey hao ! are you here to play too? » — the boy's eyes never left yours, even though you weren't the one who asked the question. instead, he simply crossed his arms over his chest, nodding positively before approaching the table when the previous game had just finished. « i'm sure hao can drink more than y/n anyway. » you heard to your right, which made your blood boil and awakened your competitive spirit. you'd chosen to remain reasonable, but the urge to wipe that damned smirk off his damn lips was stronger than you. so, more determined than ever, you swallowed the content of your red cup in one gulp before settling down on the other side of the ping pong table, your determined gaze sending a chill down some people's spines.

« alright, moron, i hope you're ready to take the shame of your life, because i don't intend to stop drinking before you do. » you declared, warming the ping-pong balls between your fingers and not taking your eyes off your opponent. hao let a mocking laugh leave his lips, his gaze even darker and more defiant than before, with his index finger pointing at you, « you're going to go home begging me to forget about this night, y/n. i guarantee it. »

and that was the start of a long, long night of competition, with beer pong and line-shots, each more treacherous than the last. at first, everything went well, as you expected, you won. a first play, a second, then a third... but by the fourth, your hand no longer seemed to want to aim the cups correctly, while a group of attentive spectators formed around you. hao seemed jubilant to see you lose so easily, despite the rosy color that had settled on his cheekbones after a few drinks in one go — but you weren't about to let him get you down, and decided to change places so you could swallow shots of vodka against him.

« are you sure you don't want to give up? » he whispered in your ear, his hand clasped around your waist as you filled the glasses with vodka under the applause of the other almost-too-drunk students. turning your gaze towards him, your eyes plunging into his, you offered him a smile as false and provocative as possible, before handing him one of the twenty-four shots you had just served. « good luck hao, you know that vodka is my specialty, right? » — the innocent tone you used caused the boy to press his tongue against his cheek, his eyes riveted to the glass he grabbed without waiting, making the liquid run down his throat for the next second. and without waiting, you imitated his movements, swallowing your twelve shots of vodka in quick succession. and again. and again. and again.

then suddenly, the world began to spin around you, and you felt the sudden need to isolate yourself and drink a large glass of water. the people around you had dissipated — finally, you thought, and before you could muster all the strength you had left to walk upstairs to reach the bathroom, the only sight that interested you was a certain red-haired boy, face asleep against the bar.

caught up in an uncontrollable fit of giggles, feeling the walls under your palm to stay on your feet, you finally reached the room you were interested in. raising your arms to the sky and hopping slightly after opening the door, you watched your reflection in the mirror, a big, victorious smile occupying your whole face. « i win ! i win ! i win ! » you shouted to yourself, laughing even harder. obviously completely drunk, you did a little victory dance, congratulating yourself on your exploits — even if the reward was a terrible headache the next morning.

approaching the sink to keep yourself upright, you turned on the tap to splash some water on your face, praying that you'll be able to sleep it off quickly and be home in an hour. a long sigh left your lips, and you straightened up before hearing a heavy crash against the door, forcing you to turn around to see where the noise was coming from. putting your hand against your mouth to prevent yourself from bursting out laughing, your gaze fell on hao's silhouette, who had just smashed his face on the floor trying to get into the bathroom.

you didn't even try to pick him up — the boy was already on his feet before you even had time to pull out your phone to take a picture of him. « are you laughing at me? » he asked, between a hiccup and a falsely annoyed tone, which made him much less credible. laughing as you crossed your arms against your chest and leaned back against the sink, you grinned as you watched him clear away the dirt on his clothes from his fall, « yeah, i am. what are you going to do about it? »

gently raising his gaze towards you, you noted the sudden change of atmosphere in the room. the air was warmer, tenser — and it wasn't because there was no air-conditioning in the room. why does hao seem so much more attractive to you now? you've always found him handsome, there's no point in lying : he has irresistible charm, pretty brown eyes and a mouth that's perfect for kissing. but you'll never admit such a thing out loud — you'd rather die.

« i'll come over there and make you shut up then. » he finally declared, putting his shirt back on in a nonchalant way that still let you catch a glimpse of the well-defined line of his abs. he definitely knew what he was doing when he did it, there was no way he couldn't feel the tension in the air under the subdued bathroom light. especially when a wry smile suddenly appeared on your pretty lips, the same smile that haunted his thoughts day and night. « you can always try. » you finally answer, running your hand through your hair without ever taking your eyes off him. and that's all it took for hao to put his words into action, hurrying his heavy steps towards you before grasping your lips with his.

your eyes opened wide, your hands fumbled in the air without knowing how to react : was he really kissing you to stop you talking? it was rough, a bit too rushed, but warm, so warm. after long seconds of hesitation, your eyelids closed to let you enjoy the madness of the moment — kissing the person you so despised was definitely not on the list of things to do at this party. but under your drunken mind, under the subdued light and the mad desire of your heart, your body began to act on its own : your hands slipping around his waist, until your cold fingers brushed his skin, his ribs shivering at your touch. hao hurriedly ran his hands over your cheeks, your skin burning under his fingers from the alcohol, manipulating your face to tilt it to the side and kiss you harder, with more brutality, sliding his tongue against yours in a moment of inattention on your part.

but despite everything that was happening inside you, the feelings and sensations racing through your body, which seemed to be losing all its equilibrium, and the desire to continue as everything seemed so good to you — something definitely seemed out of your control. how could you have ended up in such a situation? breathless, hao pulled away from your mouth for a few seconds, his breath crashing against your lips, just to easily lift your thighs and sit you on the edge of the sink. « was that supposed to happen? » you sighed breathlessly, your chest rising and falling at an abnormal speed, your breathing jerky, « that felt like a crime against humanity. »

a chuckle left hao's bruised lips, your lipstick now smeared on them. you must have looked like two beautiful messes by now. even though your head was screaming at you that this wasn't a good thing, your hands clutched at his top, the fabric crumpled under your fingers. « oh yea? » he whispered, brushing your lips with his, falsely nibbling the lower part without ever kissing you again, even if you were dying to feel him against you again. « hao.. » you say almost pleadingly, your fingers pressing desperately on the small of his back to hold his body against you, and you swore you saw a wry smile take possession of his mouth before he lost himself against your lips a second time.

your stomach was strangely warm, your muscles numb and your heart racing, as if you'd just run around the soccer pitch five times. you could blame it all on the alcohol, like the side effects of all the vodka currently coursing through your veins, but the truth was that no one but hao was responsible for all those sensations. « this is so wrong.. » you murmured, against his swollen lips, even though you were pushing them away to feel them as close to yours as possible.

« if so, then stop me, darling, » he replied, pulling his lips away to place a wet kiss against your neck, his fingers grazing the sensitive skin of your thigh, « you tempt me, y/n, » he continued, in a more suave tone that made you lose all your composure, with light, barely audible sighs escaping from the back of your throat, « ..and you drive me insane. »

under normal circumstances, you'd be more than surprised to hear such words coming from the mouth of the one and only zhang hao, the one that made your college years so much more stressful than they needed to be. but you'd be lying if you didn't dare admit to him that your heart was constantly racing because of him. from the start, even if his favourite pastime was to drive you completely mad, hao had always been able to make something resonate in you, in a way that no one had ever done before. it was very cliché to say that your rival was making you fall into a spiral of love that you should never have touched in the first place, but the truth was there, and against all odds, it was mutual. even though it was probably the alcohol that had helped him admit it to you.

« fuck it. » you suddenly let go, your hands leaving his shirt to grip his cheeks with determination. deflecting his face from your neck, you crushed your lips against his, with much more desire than you would have liked. and you felt him smile against your lips, his hands moving gently up to grip your hips and encircle your waist firmly. he was right after all, you were probably going to beg him to forget about this night when you've come back to your senses and are no longer under his charms because of the alcohol you've swallowed.

“ I SEA YOU. ” ft. kim gyuvin

ever since you were little, you've always considered the sea your comfort zone, your escape. the sound of the waves and the feel of salt water on your skin had a way of dissipating all your worries, help you avoid drowning under pressure and stress. you've long believed that nothing else in the world could give you a similar sensation — not even the hottest summer sun, not even the most beautiful spring blossom tree, not even the tastiest winter hot chocolate, not even the reddest leaf on an autumn tree. nothing could compare to the comfort of the sea in your heart.

that's why you've continued to visit this beach, which means so much to you, every week. this little beach, almost always deserted, where the clear horizon offers you all the splendour of the sky living side by side with the ocean. the palette of blue inked in your memory is enough to soothe you on rainy evenings, but you need the sound of the ocean coming out of a giant shell to soothe your mind. and even if you have to travel miles from your student apartment to get to what makes you so happy, you'll do it without hesitation. but no longer alone.

on the long river of your quiet life, a little boat named kim gyuvin decided to follow a stream to reach the blue ocean of your heart. it was no mean feat — even if you have to admit that the sincerity of his smile made you sink delicately to the bottom of the well of love. he crossed your path by chance, and kept crossing it. again and again. until you accept him on your raft. he hadn't been that insistent, but what really wins you over is feeling that gentle warmth in your heart every time he looks at you with all the goodness in the world in the corner of his eyes, accompanied by the most beautiful smile on the planet. the same warmth you get from watching a sunset reflected on the ocean's blue expanse.

« shall we go? » you suddenly heard, in a voice as gentle as a summer breeze, bringing you out of your deepest thoughts. turning your head to the right, your absent gaze fell on gyuvin's peaceful face, you smiled tenderly, gently grabbing the hand he was holding out to you to get up and follow him out the door.

the trip to the beach didn't seem as long as it used to be, now that a warm hand was keeping yours company. you no longer had to show him the way, as he now knew the route by heart — even better than you. but today, something seemed to have changed inside your heart. maybe it was because of the way his freshly dyed black hair swept across his forehead in the same way that grains of sand move across the beach in the wind. maybe it was the way numerous shivers ran through your body every time his shoulder brushed yours, like when cold sea water touches your feet on autumn mornings. maybe it was simply the beauty of his face that easily equalled the beauty of a sunset shining on the surface of the ocean.

a ton of maybe trotted through your mind as you struggled to stay focused on the road, far too busy watching the slightest feature of gyuvin's face. even his profile was perfect. unconsciously tightening the grip of your hand around his, gyuvin turns his soft gaze on your face, his pretty brown eyes instantly locked in yours. he was surprisingly so calm — usually, he couldn't help being an overexcited puppy, and you liked that about him. he contrasted with your far too calm personality — he was like the tsunami of your life, shaking up your habits for the better, of course.

but gyuvin knew that these seaside escapades were important for you, that they were necessary for the proper functioning of your mind, they were made to soothe you. so he knew how to stand still and give you the chance to recharge your batteries in peace, even though he had to admit that having the privilege of accompanying you was the greatest accomplishment of all.

let's go back up the creek into the reverse river, to revisit the first time gyuvin's curious eyes landed on your hair floating in the ocean breeze. he must have been in his fifties, where adolescence made him want to escape far away from everything. it was an afternoon when the late summer wind kept reminding him that school was just around the corner, after running aimlessly for an hour, his footsteps led him to this hidden, deserted small beach, where only the sound of the waves crashing on the sand disturbed the tranquillity of the place. it was so beautiful, so pleasant — he felt as if he were floating, his mind carried away by the waves. and that's when he saw you, like a dream. as pretty as a mermaid, your soft face so serene.. he was so jealous of you. you were approaching the serenity he so desperately sought, and it upset him. but that didn't stop him from continuing to look at you with curious doe eyes, as if you weren't capable of feeling a insistent gaze burn your skin. he suspected you must be around his age, because of your youthful facial features glistening in the sunlight. as he watched you without saying a word, without moving an inch, his heart fluttering with lightness at the mere sight of your devastating but peaceful smile. you seemed so far out in the ocean — that intrigued him and led him to appreciate a little more the benefits of the sea. you intrigued him.

so.. to say that he approached you by pure coincidence would be a lie, because when he recognized you, wandering the halls of his high school, he wondered why he'd never noticed you before. with hindsight and a bit of imagination, it was probably because your mind was always stuck in the middle of the ocean and no boat had ever managed to reach your soul — until he decided he was going to make it, even if he had to swim for it. which he did, with flying colors.

« you're okay? » he asked, softly, in a voice that sounded like a siren call to your ears. falling for kim gyuvin was, once upon a time, something inconceivable for you. your head was too much in the clouds, your mind too much in your dreams, and your heart far too rambunctious to consider loving anyone other than the ocean. but he managed to get you to change tack — him and his beautiful sun-kissed brown eyes. shaking your head negatively with a barely visible smile that only he could see, you finally looked away to the horizon, where the entrance to the beach wasn't far off. « we're here. » you announced, tugging a little more firmly on his hand to guide his steps, despite the fact that he knew this road by heart, having travelled it with you so many times.

as you carefully descended the stairs to the beach, the fresh ocean breeze was already tickling your fragile skin. gyuvin was careful not to let go of your hand to prevent you from falling, but this impulse of benevolence caused him to miss the moment when you stopped dead in your tracks to observe the landscape in front of you, his body colliding with yours. « oh.. » was the only thing he was able to say when his chest hit your back, and the next second his gaze was unconsciously fixed on your face, which, once again, seemed so tranquil at the mere sight of waves washing up on the sand eternally. a smile tugged at his lips, his free hand slipping to your hip to hold you close, and his heart racing at the simple knowledge that you were perfectly fine right now. « it's pretty, isn't it? » you finally commented, your words mixing with the wind to reach his ears, and gyuvin nodded positively, his loving gaze lost in the ocean of your eyes.

advancing through the sand, taking care to draw him along with you, you didn't give him time to dream about whether you could be his little mermaid, the one who could save from drowning the prince he could have been. the same one you might abandon on the beach, as you did previously with the fifteen-year-old boy who first saw you a few years earlier. gyuvin liked to think your story would be so pretty to tell — he was one hundred percent sure it would be his little sisters' favorite love story, the one that would make them dream by night and hope by day. yeah, gyuvin was convinced that your love story would inspire many.

now sitting next to each other on the warm sand, gyuvin's fingers quietly played with a lock of your hair, twirling it around his finger, with his tender, benevolent gaze fixed on you. his heart seemed filled with happiness, because he knew that there, right now, right here, sitting in front of that vast blue sea, your heart was soothed, at the height of the happiness you so preciously cherished. and he was perfectly right : sitting on the sand, you held your knees to your chest, your star-filled eyes exploring the ocean you seemed to know by heart. the beauty of the light reflected on the surface of the water, the waves breaking against the shiny sand of the beach, the sound of the latter disturbing the tranquillity of the place, with only a few people strolling by, each looking happier than the next. not far away, a little girl running with her feet in the water, followed by a little boy who seemed to be laughing out loud as he tried to catch up with her. the sun seemed to embrace their skin with its warmth, under the watchful eyes of their parents who were standing not far from them, a light, benevolent smile decorating their faces.

then, as you watched them tenderly, your thoughts suddenly began to wander, taking you to the back of your mind that never stopped thinking. after careful consideration, you began to think that maybe, just maybe, you didn't have to make weekly trips to the beach. because you'd found another way to feel good and happy when the world seemed to be crashing down on you.

looking away from the blue expanse in front of you, your pupils finally meet those of gyuvin. your boyfriend offers you a pretty smile — light, but filled with all the sincerity in the world, his eyes overflowing with love. in your chest, your heart began to race, furiously, warmly, pleasantly, like the first time you fell in love with the sea. gyuvin's love was as deep as the ocean, his hands as soft as water, his eyes as radiant as the sun reflecting on the surface. he'd come into your life by chance, and had been making you want to drown in his arms ever since. he cracked the shell of your heart and slipped inside and never left. and now, he brings you the same warmth and comfort as an afternoon spent observing the ocean. it was strange, a new feeling for you — in your whole life, no one has ever been able to fill the void inside you, to calm the storm that was sometimes your mind, when, with just one little smile, gyuvin made you forget all the ills of your life, as the sea was so adept at doing it. so maybe now, kim gyuvin was the ocean's main rival in your heart.

hooking your hands around his arm, you drew him gently towards you, feeling a certain shyness rise up in you after having spent long seconds staring at him without saying anything. laying your head against his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin against your cheek, his hand slips against one of yours, gently caressing your fingers. « i don't think i need to come here so often anymore. » you say suddenly, attracting the attention of the boy at your side, who raises an eyebrow at you. he wasn't used to seeing you refuse a trip to the seaside, especially knowing perfectly well your love for this beach so dear to your heart. so it was only natural for him to ask you why or how you'd come to think such a thing, his little why floating in the air for a moment without any answer escaping your lips.

tightening your grip around his arm, closing your eyes as the ocean breeze hits your face, a perfectly relaxed smile, the most sincere he'd ever seen, took place on your lips. « i found someone better than the ocean. » you replied, so naturally that gyuvin felt the tips of his ears redden furiously. he wasn't stupid — he knew, he understood that silently, and in your own way, you had just confessed to him that he was like the ocean in your heart. and for him, those words were more powerful than a simple i love you.

gyuvin knew that nothing meant more to you than the sound of the waves and the beauty of the ocean's expanse, which you cherished more than anything else. so, the mere thought of him being superior to the sea in your heart could only make him fall even more in love with you than he already was. his rebellious teenage heart of a few years ago was definitely not wrong : you were the mermaid who kept him from drowning. without answering you orally, gyuvin decided to simply close his eyes in turn, resting his head against yours, enjoying your stroll by the sea which managed to open your heart to him.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀i follow the waves to the MASTERLIST ,

𓇼 kim jiwoong ,

𓇼 zhang hao ,

𓇼 sung hanbin ,

𓇼 seok matthew ,

𓇼 kim taerae ,

𓇼 shen ricky ,

𓇼 kim gyuvin ,

𓇼 park gunwook ,

𓇼 han yujin ,

𓇼 zerobaseone ,

“ WE'RE SO CLICHÉ. ” ft. ot9

kim jiwoong ♡⃗ exes to lovers

just imagine ... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀« oh y/n ! i'm happy you're here ! » says your childhood friend as she welcomes you into her home with open arms. a smile on your lips, you embraced her, checking on her, recalling fond memories of the past. but as your eyes drifted over the other people in the room, they focused on one particular figure : your ex-boyfriend from highschool. apologizing to her, you walked away to gently approach jiwoong, who in turn laid eyes on you. he was always the same, but taller, more masculine, more mature, but always with the same deep gaze and prince charming smile. grabbing two glasses of champagne, he finally approached you, handing you one with a smirk that caused your heart to miss a beat. « hi y/n, it's been a long time.. » you nodded gently, watching him for a long minute, trying to understand why your heart was suddenly racing so fast. old memories resurfaced in your head as the evening progressed, until it was time to leave, finding the two of you in the entrance to the building. and when he placed a warm kiss on your cheek, innocently slipping a piece of paper into the palm of your hand, you thought that maybe, just maybe, the flame of your love wasn't totally extinguished.

other members under the cut !

yvjin → kkongdakz

“ ONE BED. ” ft. park gunwook

« this can't happen. » you say defeatistly, letting your bag fall to the floor and staring at the room's only double bed. why the bus driver had to decide to stop for the night, letting you run around in the downpour turning into a flood to this shabby little hotel. only to discover that the hotel has fewer rooms available than expected, and on top of that, you end up sharing a room with the one person you can't stand.

and obviously, this room has only one bed.

not wanting to deal with your bad temper, your teachers quickly slipped away to their respective rooms, locking their doors, leaving you soaked to the bone, staring at the bed in front of you.

« there is no way i'm getting in a bed with you. » you declared, pointing a finger at the mattress, your gaze pivoting towards gunwook, who rolled his eyes and sighed. the boy didn't care about your reaction, adjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder as he walked around you, infiltrating the bathroom, « you're welcome to the floor. »

with a fake, provocative smile, he finally slammed the door of bathroom, locking it, only for you to hear the shower running a few minutes later. a long sigh left your lips as you decided to leave the room to find something to munch on until you can warm up with a nice hot shower. wandering around the motel, you finally came across a vending machine, taking the time to observe what it was offering. after a few moments of reflection, you simply took a packet of bear jellies and a can of coke, before dragging your feet back to your hotel room.

opening the door, you came face to face with gunwook, who had just come out of the shower room. as he wiped his hair with his towel, you placed your purchases on the bedside table before grabbing your bag to take his place. there's no feeling more satisfying than throwing off your wet clothes for a hot shower — which you did without further ado.

after long minutes of enjoying the warmth, you put on your pyjamas and made your way to the main bedroom. unsurprisingly, gunwook was on the bed, scrolling through his phone, completely ignoring you. you didn't wait long before sitting down at the end of the bed, looking around you — there was really nothing to do. on top of that, it probably didn't have a heater because of the way the hairs on your arms stood up from the cold. « woah, it's really cold. » you whispered, pulling your legs up to your chest.

until something hits you square in the back.

ready to turn around and howl at him like a ferocious beast, your fingers came into contact with the object he had thrown at you : a sweatshirt. probably his sweatshirt. frowning, gunwook gestured to you to put it on silently, just then returning to his own business on his phone. without bothering to thank him verbally, you slipped it on without further ado, enjoying the softness and warmth of the fabric against your skin.

not mentioning the fact that his scent on it appealed to your nostrils.

swivel for crawling on the mattress to get under the blanket, your gaze landed on him, attracting his attention. lying down as far away from him as possible, you put on a falsely threatening face before speaking : « touch me and die. »

a scoff leave his lips, probably due to the nerve you showed, when he had just sacrificed the warmth of his sweatshirt for you. paying no further attention to him, you turned your back on him and closed your eyes, praying that sleep would come to you as soon as possible.

which obviously didn't happen.

a long sigh left your lips as you didn't dare turn over in bed, pulling as hard as you could on the blanket to cover your frozen body. which drew yet another long annoyed sigh from the boy next to you. moving slightly to stare at the dark ceiling, you nibbled your lower lip as you pondered. should you talk? perhaps the best idea for you both is to have as few altercations as possible, but it was going to be a long night if you kept getting cold like that.

so you decided to talk, « you're not sleeping? » you asked, trying not to turn your gaze to gunwook, but simply glancing out of the corner of your eye, « nope. »

his voice seemed to fade into a sigh, though his answer was short. « why? » you continued, wrapping your body a little more tightly in the warmth of the blanket. « don't want you to stab me the second i close my eyes. » he declared in an amused tone, which gave way to a small smile at the corner of your lips, as you rolled your eyes. so you decided to look in his direction, just for a few seconds, without thinking that your pupils would be planted in his.

« i won't. » you finally whispered, trying to ignore the cute smile that had just appeared on his lips when you said those words. the moonlight passing through the thin curtains of the motel room illuminated his face, which you noticed had just softened.

suddenly, gunwook's hand came out of the blanket and slipped around your waist, drawing your body closer to his. you looked at him incredulously, unsure of how to react — but the warmth of his hand against your back made you want to snuggle up to him. « you're cold right? » he said in a whisper, pulling you completely against him, and in an instant your body felt warm again. nodding slightly and muttering an inaudible reply, you pulled yourself up against him, keeping your arms against your chest. finding a comfortable position, you ignored the acceleration of your heartbeat as you closed your eyes, praying that the sandman would pass quickly to put you to sleep.

« this never happened? » you say softly, camouflaging yourself a little more against him, seeking the slightest ounce of warmth from his body. « deal. » he replied, tightening his arms around you, placing his cheek against the top of your head while closing his eyes, ready to fall from exhaustion.

maybe in the end, this night wasn't going to be the worst of all.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “ START OVER? ”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ CH. 6 — GYUVIN'S BROTHER? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ warning : none.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📩

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀masterlist — ch. 5 ⿻ ch. 7