๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฌ (แดแดสแด 42)
โ Genre: Slice of Life, Coming of Age, School, Fluff, Angst, Hurt/comfort, Idol au
โ Warnings: Mentions of depression, anxiety, self-harm (blood, slight gore), domestic abuse/abusive parents, self hatred, panic attacks, anxiety attacks, eating disorders, mentions of weight
โ Characters: Chan, Y/N (Stray Kids, Y/N's friends)
โ Word Count: 4.3k
A/N: I can't believe this is the very last part! Thank you to everyone who's been so lovely and for enjoying this rollercoaster of a ride with me ... I really hope you'll like this one too โก
A few sunny days had passed since Y/N had arrived in Australia. Spring was in full bloom, and the fragrant scent of cherry blossoms and jacaranda trees perfumed the light air as Y/N walked down the street, a permanent smile soft on her lips as she listened to Chan's energetic ramble from beside her.ย
He had been pointing out all of his favourite things to her for the best part of an hour, a contagious sparkle in his gaze as it surveyed their surroundings. There was a charm to him when he was like this, Y/N noticed. His speech was bubbly and his eyes lit up more and more with every new piece of information he relayed; it even seemed as though his hair had its own personality, with the way it bobbed up and down and side to side in time with his words. His hand was curled around a small leash, and his dog Berry pattered along at a leisurely pace in front of them both, the tip tap of her claws on the footpaths making Y/N smile.ย
โMum and dad really like you, you know,โ Chan hummed after a while, stealing a glance at Y/N. โI don't think they want you to leave.โย
Y/N started to flush. She had been incredibly nervous when Chan had asked her in a shy way of his own if she'd like to meet his parents. He had assured her that she didn't have to do anything she wasn't comfortable with, that it was entirely up to her if she wanted to or not; but she saw the way his face seemed to glow in anticipation of her answer. She saw how he shone brighter when she agreed.ย
Having had one of the worst experiences with her own parents, the idea of meeting someone else's caused anxiety to coil in the pit of her stomach - all the things that could possibly go wrong echoed in her mind in the form of distressing scenarios, making her gulp and force a smile onto her face.ย
But upon meeting them, Y/N immediately couldn't understand why she had allowed herself to fall susceptible to the taunts of her mind in the first place; Chan's parents were much like him, with their strong ethics and respectable personalities, warmth radiating from the both of them and love seeping into every corner of their carefully crafted home. It was so completely different from the house Y/N had known for the majority of her life, and tears had prickled in the backs of Y/N's eyes when they greeted her with wide smiles, Chan's mother engulfing her in a hug as if she was one of her own.
โI like your parents,โ Y/N replied quietly. โThey're just like you.โย
Chan raised an eyebrow, his nose pink under the sun. โOh yeah? How?โย
Gathering her thoughts, Y/N shrugged and watched as Berry ran around in a circle, chasing a floating cherry blossom petal. It landed onto the tip of her nose, and Y/N's lips curved up into an affectionate smile just as Chan's face crumpled with overflowing emotion.ย
โWarm,โ Y/N said simply. โAnd โฆ inviting? It's easy to feel comfortable around them.โย
Flitting his gaze to her, Chan couldn't help but grin. โYou really feel that way?โย
โSweet,โ Chan smiled to himself, looking down at the footpath. He tugged at Berry's leash with a chuckle as she nearly slammed into an upcoming streetlamp, the energetic dog pausing and looking up at Chan with her wide eyes.ย
It made him laugh, and he crouched down, dropping the leash before reaching for her instead. Berry's paws scraped across the pavement in her haste to get to him, and her tail wagged in the breeze as she jumped onto his knees, her nose disappearing into the side of Chan's neck. The man's sweet laughter filled the air as his fingers lightly scrabbled through her fur, and from beside him, Y/N couldn't keep the growing smile off of her face as she watched.ย
โFancy going to the beach?โ Chan asked a moment later. He tipped his head up to Y/N just as Berry aimed a carefully timed lick to the underside of Chan's jaw.ย
Y/N's eyebrows shot up her forehead. โWhen?โย
โNow?โ Chan suggested with a twinkling grin. โIt's not too far. Kids can come with us โฆ if you want.โย
Y/N started to giggle. โYou're obsessed with them.โ
โYeah. I am,โ Chan chuckled. โBut I'm also obsessed with you.โย
Lips twitching, Y/N crouched down beside him. Berry turned and placed a paw on Y/N's knee, and she laughed under her breath when she jumped from Chan's lap and into her arms.ย
โLooks like Berry's obsessed with you too,โ Chan dropped from his knees and sat back on the pavement with a sigh, cocking his head towards Y/N with an affectionate glimmer in his eyes. โOh watch out โฆ looks like she wants to eat you.โย
True to Chan's word, Y/N was met by Berry's tongue swiping right across her face before she could move her head out of the way. Her facial expression was one of pure comedy, and Chan cracked up with a fit of laughter just as Berry bumped her nose against Y/N's.ย
โTold you to watch out,โ Chan wheezed, watching Y/N swipe the back or her hand across her wet face. โThink she likes you more than she likes me.โย
โThat's not true - oof,โ Y/N toppled backwards as the dog collided with her face. Her voice was muffled when she spoke through Berry's fur, which only made Chan laugh harder.ย
