Archive of Our Own ^beta

Jeonghan has never woken up so warm before, and at first she doesn"t really remember why.

Her body recalls things before her mind does. Her legs are tangled up with someone"s under the covers, their back against her chest, plush thighs squishing against hers as her arm circles the waist of this person to hold them close. She knows exactly who it is without having to think. She knows who this body belongs to.

Seungcheol"s awake, not fully but she"s scrolling through her phone lazily because she"s the most chronically online person Jeonghan knows. So, her heart flutters at the thought that Seungcheol hasn"t tried to push her away yet. Jeonghan didn"t even know she was the type to cuddle in her sleep...

Seungcheol must sense a bit of movement because she perks up, asking a casual, "Jeonghan?" with a voice full of soft rasp. Fuck, Jeonghan"s known her for years but she"s never heard her morning voice.

Jeonghan hums and Seungcheol relaxes in her arms after hearing a reply. So liquid, so sweet. Jeonghan wants to drink her up.

"You wanna get up?"

Jeonghan shakes her head, flopping her face into the crook of Seungcheol"s neck. Seungcheol complains that it tickles but doesn"t do anything about it, and Jeonghan watches with half-open eyes as Seungcheol keeps scrolling through her phone. She laughs at something and she sounds so cute, making Jeonghan hold on tighter unconsciously. What is Seungcheol doing? What is she looking at? Jeonghan doesn"t really care, but she still wants to steal her focus away.

With the slightest shift, her lips meet the warmth of Seungcheol"s neck, and Seungcheol instantly seizes up. Jeonghan already feels victorious. She slips a hand under her skimpy pyjama shirt and Seungcheol shivers at the direct contact, letting Jeonghan knead at the skin and drag her fingers over her soft but devastatingly unmarked tummy. Jeonghan couldn’t leave it alone last night, showering it in kisses and love, but she didn’t leave a single hickey. It wouldn’t have been her place to.

"J-Jeonghan!" Seungcheol gasps as Jeonghan"s fingers eventually reach up to cup a breast, a moan almost escaping Jeonghan"s lips once they do because Seungcheol is well-endowed. One breast barely fits in Jeonghan"s hand and the way Seungcheol pushes her chest out to arch it further into her touch drives her wild. Is she doing it on purpose or is it absent-minded, solely driven by pleasure? Both options are so fucking hot.

It"s the most dizzying multi-tasking that Jeonghan"s ever done, pressing kisses deep into Seungcheol"s neck while she squeezes her breast and flicks at her nipple, making Seungcheol squeak. Seungcheol seems to love nipple play and Jeonghan is so damn lucky because she"s obsessed with Seungcheol"s boobs (who wouldn"t be?). Last night she swears she spent an hour just playing with them and she smirks remembering Seungcheol begging her to move on - but still keeping Jeonghan"s head in place via strong but shaking hands threaded through her hair.

She pinches the nipple harshly, relishing in the way Seungcheol whimpers as it hardens but Jeonghan doesn"t let up. She relentlessly keeps rolling it between her fingers and pushes her knee up to part Seungcheol"s legs and press it gently against her clothed pussy...God, Jeonghan"s so glad she had enough sense to give Seungcheol underwear to put on after last night or that might"ve just been the last straw for her. But the slight dampness that she feels against her knee through the fabric isn"t really helping, either.

Seungcheol lets out the most desperate keen when Jeonghan"s knee rubs up against her clit. "Jeonghan, n-no...down there, I"m still...swollen after-"

"I know," Jeonghan purrs, faux sympathy in her voice as Seungcheol turns her head over her shoulder to look at Jeonghan with big glassy eyes, cherry red lips parted and looking so fucking delicious. Jeonghan can"t believe she gets to kiss them now. "Does it hurt?"

Seungcheol nods, and Jeonghan pouts like she"s sorry (but she"s definitely not when Seungcheol was the one screaming for her to keep going last night). Then Seungcheol turns fully to face her, and now Jeonghan"s the one going a little stiff as Seungcheol"s stunning breasts squish right up against her chest and she curls her arms around Jeonghan"s neck, whispering shyly, "Hurts good."

Something snaps inside Jeonghan. Seungcheol"s surprised gasp is muffled when Jeonghan slots their mouths together, full and heavy. Only Jeonghan can kiss like this - languid but nowhere near lazy, her tongue fucking in and out of Seungcheol"s mouth slow but too deep for Seungcheol to keep up with. It seems to make Seungcheol crazy by the way she can"t stop moaning into her mouth and seeking more. Her boobs keep dragging up and down Jeonghan"s chest for some reason and when Jeonghan realises that she"s practically riding Jeonghan"s knee while they make out, her own pussy throbs.

"What happened to swollen, princess?" Jeonghan sings as she drives her knee up further, making Seungcheol"s mouth open over a wail so broken that it"s almost silent. "What happened to not down there?"

"Want," Seungcheol breathes out as she keeps grinding her hips down, too far gone not to tell the truth but embarrassment still paints her cheeks. "Feels too...good..."

Jeonghan loves her. So shy but still trying to be honest, letting herself lose it to pleasure and Jeonghan"s touch. She"s so fucking sexy, so fucking cute, and she"s not Jeonghan"s but right now it really feels like she is. It feels like she has a chance.

Jeonghan kisses her again, softer this time, and the way Seungcheol strokes fingers through her hair feels like she"s comforting Jeonghan without even knowing that anything"s wrong. Well, that"s best friends for you.

Jeonghan snaps out of it when she notices that Seungcheol suddenly seems wound tight, making a high-pitched caterwaul that reverberates through Jeonghan"s whole body before she shakes and collapses into Jeonghan"s arms. She"s slurring something that sounds like an apology but all Jeonghan is processing is what she feels against her knee - Seungcheol"s panties are fucking soaked.

"Now who said you could come by a little rubbing like a virgin?" Jeonghan teases, but there"s wonder in her voice that she can"t hide because she might"ve just spent a night with Seungcheol but she"s still not over how sensitive she is. Seungcheol is breathing too heavy to say anything but she still musters a pouty glower that makes Jeonghan snicker, gathering Seungcheol up closer.

It takes her a moment to take in when Seungcheol breathes against her neck, suddenly bold in the face of post-orgasm clarity, "Can I try doing what you did last night? I’ve never done it."

“Hm? I did a lot of things to you last night.”

Seungcheol flushes all the way down her chest. So pretty. “Shut up, I meant, when…you ate me out…”

Oh. Oh wow.

Jeonghan gasps humorously, even as her heart beats so fast that Seungcheol can probably feel it. "Before breakfast?"

Seungcheol"s fingers tap and trail down Jeonghan"s torso lower and lower as she murmurs, "For breakfast."

Jeonghan short-circuits, and that must"ve embarrassed Seungcheol a whole lot because she ducks under the covers so quick that Jeonghan doesn"t even get a minute to prepare herself before Seungcheol draws a shaky moan out of her. She didn"t expect Seungcheol to want to do something like this so quickly, not when she"s so new to it, but Seungcheol is enthusiastic as she mouths at Jeonghan"s lips hungrily and licks a deep stripe up between her folds. Jeonghan grits her teeth and threads a hand through Seungcheol"s hair, telling her, "S-Slower, puppy... there"s no hurry..." 

Seungcheol hums and Jeonghan tries not to jerk at the vibrations, tries to stay calm as she talks the love of her life through eating pussy. Seungcheol is very messy and inexperienced but there"s a charm to that too, the way she keeps Jeonghan locked in place with her strong arms hooked around her thighs while she loudly wolfs her down with plush lips that were made for this. She"s trying to be good through her eagerness, though, listening to Jeonghan"s words and not fighting against Jeonghan"s tugs of her hair to lead her somewhere else. Jeonghan bites back a moan every time Seungcheol pulls back for air and she can clearly see her flushed skin, swollen mouth, dazed expression, spit and other fluids gleaming from her nose to her chin. She looks like she never wants to stop...

At some point Jeonghan can"t take it anymore because this is so hot but Seungcheol needs more practice before she can make Jeonghan orgasm anytime soon, so she just lies, "I came, Seungcheollie, come up here," and Seungcheol looks a little confused but too dizzy and pleased to think much about it. She just nods and gets up onto her knees, wobbly, and lets Jeonghan lick her clean. The most embarrassing part of it all is that when she finally kisses Seungcheol and Seungcheol kisses back, leaning in so that her wet clothed pussy accidentally slides against Jeonghan"s, Jeonghan actually does come.

"Jeonghan?" Seungcheol asks worriedly when Jeonghan"s mouth goes slack in the middle of the kiss. God, she"s never been that easy before...but of course it would happen with Seungcheol. Of fucking course. 

Less than twelve hours ago

In her apartment, Jeonghan’s getting ready for a club night with friends. Jeonghan is not a club kind of girl and she has no idea how she was roped into this when she’s so good at evading these kinds of invitations, but her best friend is going and seemed to really want her there. If Jeonghan’s weak for anyone, it’s Choi Seungcheol.

Seungcheol is planning to meet Jeonghan at her apartment then they’ll go to the club together, and Jeonghan can’t help but daydream about what cute outfit Seungcheol would wear and how hard it would be not to stare all night. Jeonghan’s own outfit is simple - a red button-up partly tucked into dark trousers, sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She shakes her hair out and keeps it down, the ends bobbing on her shoulders as she pops open the first few buttons on her shirt, finds some rose earrings to put on, then deems herself ready.

She’s just putting on some dark heeled boots when she hears a ring, and she hobbles over to her door with only one shoe on to buzz Seungcheol into the building. Seungcheol comes up to her apartment a couple minutes later with a big grin on her face, and she’s clearly wearing something short because her legs are bare, but she has a jacket on that’s covering her entire outfit. Jeonghan doesn’t have to hide a nosebleed just yet.

Seungcheol’s eyes sparkle at Jeonghan when she sees how she’s dressed but she still steps forward to attempt buttoning Jeonghan’s shirt up more. “Are you trying to look sexy or something? You know you’re weak to the cold!”

“You think I look sexy?” Jeonghan sings, batting her eyelashes. She has to try not to falter when Seungcheol says an honest, “You do,” because it’s just the kind of thing Seungcheol does. Calls Jeonghan pretty 24/7 and plays with her hair and gets close enough to make Jeonghan think she’s gonna kiss her even though she would never. Jeonghan hates straight girls.

“Get a coat.”

“Aw, but my chivalrous bestie will give me hers if I need it, right?”

Seungcheol grabs her by the ear and drags her over to her jacket closet, making Jeonghan playfully yelp but she feels very loved when Seungcheol helps slip a coat over her clothes and straightens it out for her, too. Jeonghan looks at her with warm eyes as Seungcheol fusses, and thinks about a life where she could kiss Seungcheol dizzy after domestic moments like this. She thinks about that way too much for it to be healthy.

Seungcheol loops her arms around Jeonghan’s neck when she’s done, grinning at her. So- too close... “Ready to go?”

Jeonghan really does hate straight girls who act like this, but hey, she loves Seungcheol. She could never push her away.

“Ready!”

This club night is something about celebrating something their dancer friends did - Jeonghan was a bit too sleepy to listen properly when Seungcheol was telling her what it was the other day - so that means Soonyoung, Chan, Minghao, and Junhui are also going to be there. Minghao’s girlfriend should be coming too, but other than that, Jeonghan doesn’t know who’ll be there. Hopefully no-one or that would run Jeonghan"s social battery down fast.

But she stops caring about that when right before they reach the club, Seungcheol stops walking to unbutton her coat and lets it drop past her shoulders. Jeonghan braces herself when Seungcheol turns to face her and she just barely stops her jaw from dropping when she sees the gorgeous strapless red mini-dress clinging to Seungcheol’s perfect body. Fuck, it’s like it was made for her.

“When did you get that?” Jeonghan manages to say as casually as she can with the driest mouth in the world, and Seungcheol tips her head cutely as she thinks.

“Kinda recently. You like it?”

“Fishing for compliments, hm? I won’t tell you~” Jeonghan teases, and wants to laugh when Seungcheol’s mouth instantly scrunches into a pout. But then Jeonghan spots a guy outside the club ogling Seungcheol with a look she doesn’t like, and she’s quick to slip an arm around Seungcheol’s waist and tug her a smidge closer. “Yeah, you look amazing. Go in.”

“You’re so contradictory,” Seungcheol whines, but she looks happy as they make their way inside. Not before Jeonghan throws the guy a menacing look that makes him blink and straighten up.

It’s a bougie club because Seungcheol and Jeonghan are able to give their coats to a clerk near the door, and then Seungcheol’s quick to spot their friends waving at them. Jeonghan is still getting used to the loudness and bright lights so she’s blindsided when Seungcheol grabs her arm and starts pulling her through the place. At least all Jeonghan can do is follow, thinking about how romantic it would be in another context that a gorgeous girl is pulling her through a crowd at the club. How Seungcheol would take her to the heart of it to dance, or to a quieter corner before she’d turn around, give Jeonghan an electrifying smile, then pull her in by the collar.

Jeonghan sighs. She doesn’t think she’ll be coming to a club again anytime soon.

Once they reach the table that their friends are at, they don’t even have time to greet them before Soonyoung lets out a wolf-whistle. “Damn, Seungcheol-unnie, you look hot!”

“I know,” Seungcheol says proudly because of course she knows, and she slips into the booth to pinch Soonyoung’s cheek in gratitude. Soonyoung beams at her like a kid getting their head patted.

“Wow, you guys look so good together that I almost thought Seungcheol-unnie had brought a new boyfriend,” Minghao tells her when Jeonghan takes the space next to them, and Jeonghan tries hard to compose herself. She doesn’t want to hear that kind of thing, yet it still makes her so happy. It’s awful.

“When did you get here, Minghao-yah?” Jeonghan asks in a swift change of subject, and Minghao shrugs.

“Maybe twenty minutes ago? Seokmin and Chan are getting us a round of drinks, for you guys too.”

“Aw, how sweet.”

“You’re buying the next one, latecomer,” Minghao teases and Jeonghan fakes a gasp.

“It wasn’t just me!”

“You guys are here!” a sweet voice cheers and Jeonghan smiles when she looks up and spots Seokmin hurrying over with a tray of shots in her hands, Chan not far behind. Minghao perks up from beside her because they’re horribly smitten, and Jeonghan quickly realises that she’s sat in the wrong place.

Neither Seokmin nor Minghao tell her to move, though, as Seokmin just sits next to Jeonghan and squeezes her arm. “Unnie, what shot do you want? You can get first pick.”

Jeonghan grins. “Aw, thank you. They’re not all the same?”

“I got one of, like…everything,” Seokmin says with those sparkly eyes of hers, and Minghao winces as they whisper to Jeonghan, “Seokmin doesn’t come to clubs a lot.”

Jeonghan chuckles. “Got any sourz?”

After two rounds of shots, Soonyoung pulls Seungcheol off to the dance floor despite her (weak) protests and Chan and Junhui are talking about the competition their troupe won. Jeonghan’s definitely listening but she can’t help her eyes from following Soonyoung and Seungcheol which…is a mistake. Holy shit, it’s a mistake. Soonyoung pulls Seungcheol close and whispers something in Seungcheol’s ear that Jeonghan obviously can’t hear, and Seungcheol laughs brightly as she nods and tips her head back to get lost in the music. So Jeonghan has to watch, utterly mesmerised and flabbergasted, as Seungcheol and Soonyoung move against each other like water, hands on waists and Seungcheol’s chest literally pressing up against Soonyoung’s but neither of them seem to care. How can girls (and she can’t even say straight girls this time because Soonyoung’s not straight) just…do that?

“Didn’t know unnie could dance like that,” Minghao says in surprise, and Jeonghan didn’t either, because she never goes to clubs. Never gets to be the one who dances with Seungcheol like that while so many others might have. She feels a pang in her chest, but when she looks at Seungcheol and Soonyoung having fun together as they whoop and meld to the music, she also feels something very different to sadness.

Starting to feel a bit too hot under the collar, she thinks that she probably needs to go splash some water on her face. She pats Seokmin’s back which makes the girl get up to let her go, and Jeonghan finds it both sweet and a bit offensive how thrilled Minghao looks to be ‘reunited’ with Seokmin again as they immediately squish up against each other once Jeonghan’s out of the booth.

“Unnie, are you getting a drink?” Chan calls out to her over the loud music, currently in the midst of filming some kind of video with Junhui, and Jeonghan pets her hair.

“Maybe a beer. Want one?”

“Yes, please!”

Jeonghan doesn’t take too long on her little excursion. She washes her face, she walks around the quieter parts of the club like a shadow, she gets her drinks, she sees a guy wistfully eyeing some other guy across the counter so she pats him sympathetically on the back which makes him spit out their drink. She slips away before the guy turns to look for her.

She doesn’t take long at all but by the time she comes back, Chan and Junhui are God knows where and Minghao and Seokmin are full-on making out in the booth, Seokmin half in Minghao’s lap with Minghao’s hands actually under her skirt as they eat each other’s faces off. Jeonghan doesn’t know what she did to deserve this.

“Classy,” Jeonghan eventually says in amusement, and tries not to actually laugh when Seokmin squeaks and tears her face away from Minghao’s faster than lightning. Minghao sighs from deep within their soul but is actually quite amenable as they send Jeonghan a wry smile.

“You know how we get.”

“As long as you’re not fingering her at this booth then we’re good,” Jeonghan shrugs as she takes a seat. Seokmin flushes bright red while Minghao shamefully returns their hands to a safer place at Seokmin’s waist. Menaces.

They do tell Jeonghan that they’re thinking of leaving early anyway, and Jeonghan doesn’t blame them with how much of the honeymoon phase they’re still in. She still jokes, "Don"t want this old unnie as a third wheel, huh?" that for some reason comes out less teasing than she meant it to, and Minghao and Seokmin both look surprised. 

"It"s not like that," Minghao replies very seriously, eyebrows pinched together, and Jeonghan feels embarrassed now. "Just maybe outside of a hella loud club."

Jeonghan nods quickly, looking away with pink ears. "Yeah. Yep."

Chan and Junhui soon return with flushed faces and giggles and Jeonghan bets they just did some cute prank like drawing a tiny dick on the bathroom wall.

“We actually drew a vagina. No-one draws vaginas,” Chan says, solemn, and Jeonghan ruffles her hair proudly.

When Seungcheol and Soonyoung return, out of breath and sweaty and full of smiles, Jeonghan hopes Seungcheol will sit next to her and thanks the heavens that she does.

“Missed you,” is the first thing Seungcheol tells her, and Jeonghan replies fondly, “Gross.”

Chan has to step in to stop Seungcheol from dunking Jeonghan’s beer over her head. 

"Wonwoo"s not coming," Soonyoung bemoans, chucking her phone randomly so Minghao has to catch it. "She said "maybe" yesterday and apparently that meant no but I didn"t know that! I wanted to see her in a sexy dress...or a cute dress...any dress..." 

"What if she didn"t come in a dress?" Jeonghan asks, amused when Soonyoung wails with tipsy heart eyes, "She would look beautiful like that tooooo!" 

They all get more drinks then, and Junhui shows Jeonghan and Seungcheol some videos from their competition that has them ‘ooh’ing and ‘ahh’ing.

“Our next performance is at the Pride event at uni so most of you will be there, right?” Minghao says, and Soonyoung pumps her fists in the air excitedly.

“Yeah! It’s gonna be so good! Oh, wait - Seungcheol-unnie, will you be there? Be our token ally!”

Seungcheol giggles. “I’m bi but I’d still love to come.”

Wait. What?

“Called it,” Minghao says while Junhui and Chan gape like this is the most shocking news they’ve ever received. Soonyoung cheers loud enough to be heard over the music, throwing her arms in the air again.

“Twin!”

Seungcheol laughs some more but her tone is clearly veering into nervous territory, and Jeonghan can’t even comfort her. All she’s hearing is glass shattering in her mind.

As she slowly processes, she distantly notices Seokmin whisper loudly to Minghao, “Wait, you all thought Seungcheol-unnie was straight? Do you have straight friends?!” and Minghao chuckles, “Babe, you just think everyone is gay,” and now Jeonghan wishes that was her. Because then she could’ve made moves years ago. Even if Seungcheol never told her, she could’ve still assumed, or asked, or just tried.

But that’s just it. Seungcheol never told her. Seungcheol has only ever seemed interested in men, and Jeonghan makes a point to never go for straight girls when she wants more than a fling.

“I need to go,” Jeonghan says, her voice sounding fuzzy even to her own ears while she gets up and doesn’t even wait for anyone’s reaction as she moves out of the booth. She can’t seem to walk normally, steps stiff and robotic as she goes somewhere. Anywhere. She just needs to get out of-

Someone grabs her arm, and suddenly Jeonghan’s being dragged. She doesn’t even have the heart to struggle as she just lets them pull her through the throng of people and she knows who it is because this exact scene happened at the start of this night, a gorgeous girl pulling her through a crowd at the club. But this time is so much worse.

As they enter the bathroom, Jeonghan thinks that she doesn’t want to hear what Seungcheol has to say. It’s selfish but she just wants to go home, give herself one night to get over this and tomorrow she’ll be the supportive sweet best friend that she knows she can be.

No matter what Seungcheol’s orientation is, Jeonghan knows she still doesn’t have a chance. She’s so far in the friendzone by now that she could never claw her way out and somehow that’s even worse than thinking Seungcheol is straight.

“Jeonghan,” Seungcheol pleads, pulling Jeonghan out of her thoughts but she still can’t look at her. “You"re mad at me, I know, I-”

“I"m not,” Jeonghan disagrees with a shake of her head. How could she ever be upset with someone for not being able to come out to her? No, that just makes her feel mad at herself.

She snaps out of her pity party when warm small hands cup her face, and Seungcheol is suddenly so close, looking at her with the cutest frown. Her thick eyebrows are furrowed and Jeonghan"s overwhelmed by a silly urge to press a kiss between them to smoothe them out. She doesn’t, of course.

“But you look so upset.”

Jeonghan musters a smile, resting her hands over Seungcheol"s with the intention to gently push them off. But she doesn’t just yet. “I"m simply sad that I didn"t know. I mean, it didn’t sound like it was something you just discovered? But you not telling me isn’t your fault, Seungcheollie, I just…”

Suddenly, some of Jeonghan"s urges decide to win out. Seungcheol blinks in surprise when Jeonghan"s hands move to find her waist, holding her close like she doesn"t want her to run away when she admits, “I don"t want to make this about me, I swear - but can you imagine how it feels when you’ve never told your lesbian best friend of three years you were bi but you were able to casually drop it when we were out with a bunch of people?”

Her voice is soft, because she wants Seungcheol to know that she doesn"t blame her, that it can only be Jeonghan"s fault that Seungcheol"s never felt comfortable enough with her to say it. But Seungcheol"s face crumples in an instant and Jeonghan almost gets knocked over with the sheer force of Seungcheol throwing her arms around her and squeezing her tight.

“I"m sorry,” Seungcheol sniffles, and Jeonghan tries to shush her but Seungcheol adamantly shakes her head. “It just came out tonight because in the moment I was feeling so giddy and happy with all our friends and you by my side but I feel like it"s been on the tip of the tongue for years. I just never knew how you"d react…I mean, we talk about hating men so-”

“Yeah, which is why I know that if you could choose not to be attracted to them then you would,” Jeonghan snorts. “And you know I"ve thought you were straight all these years, right? Isn"t that 100% worse?”

“Horrible,” Seungcheol jokes, and Jeonghan snickers, resting her face in Seungcheol"s shoulder. She"s always so warm. “But also, it- it got hard because you…you"ve actually been with girls before, you know? Obviously. And I never have.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

Seungcheol holds onto Jeonghan tighter and it almost hurts. “I know this isn’t right but, sometimes it makes me feel like a fraud. Like maybe there’s a possibility that I’m not actually bi, which is stupid because why am I invalidating myself? I know for sure how much I like girls, I"ve just never got the chance to be with one. Only men have ever looked at me like that…”

Seungcheol pulls back and Jeonghan sees the most devastating pout on her lips. “I know I"m hot but I always wonder if I"m not what attracts girls?”

Woah. No way. If Seungcheol starts losing confidence in her looks then the whole world is upside down.

“Seungcheol,” Jeonghan says with wide eyes, and Seungcheol meets them with big glassy ones. “You are literally the finest girl in this entire bar.”

Colour rushes into Seungcheol’s cheeks but Jeonghan knows she"s liking what she"s hearing by the way her lips twitch. “Y-Yeah? Says you?”

“Yeah, says me. You said it, you know how hot you are. Cute and sexy, gorgeous with a bombshell body,” Jeonghan persists, squeezing Seungcheol"s hips and Seungcheol blushes harder. “If I ever got a chance to fuck you then I"d be-”

Jeonghan stops, instantly shifting her gaze to the floor. Shit. That was way too far. They"ve both had a couple drinks and maybe they"re saying too much but if Jeonghan"s really about to reveal her crush (or at least attraction) that she"s kept hidden for three years just because she might have a fraction of a chance-

“You"d be what?” Seungcheol whispers, pressing a touch closer. Jeonghan blinks in surprise. When she meets Seungcheol"s eyes again, she almost does a double take at the way her pupils have dilated, irises darker and red mouth (Seungcheol has the kind of mouth that makes it look like she"s always been freshly kissed and it drives Jeonghan insane) parted like she"s struggling a little to breathe. Did Jeonghan"s words do that to her?

“I"d be the luckiest girl in the world,” leaves Jeonghan"s mouth before she can help herself, and the way Seungcheol perks up in her arms is so fucking cute. She"s just happy to be validated. Not even thinking about the implications behind Jeonghan"s words.

She doesn"t even care that Jeonghan wants her so badly that it kills her, and maybe Jeonghan"s glad about tha-

“So, would you,” Seungcheol asks, stepping even closer, making Jeonghan have to try not to panic as that bombshell body she was talking about presses up against her. Seungcheol"s hands are shaking where they rest on Jeonghan"s shoulders, but her voice is firm when she asks, “Would you fuck me?”

“What- what do you mean?” Jeonghan asks, trying to keep her voice light but her throat is trembling. “I already said I-”

“Not hypothetically,” Seungcheol cuts in, and Jeonghan has to hold back a humiliating noise. Seungcheol bites her lip as Jeonghan just stares in awe, waiting for Seungcheol to keep going because she needs more, she needs confirmation, she needs Seungcheol to say- “If it’s you, I…I think I’d…”

Seungcheol has turned so red, clearly too mortified to finish her words. So Jeonghan’s the one who has to push, a teasing lilt in her voice that naturally comes out even though she means every ugly insecure word she says next: “If it’s me? What’s so special about me?”

Seungcheol blinks at Jeonghan like she’s confused, all embarrassment gone now. Her arms around Jeonghan’s shoulders tighten as she insists, “Come on, you know, Jeonghan. You know how special you are to me.”

Seungcheol can’t quite meet Jeonghan’s eyes with what she says next. “...you’d take care of me. Right?”

And just like that, Jeonghan’s gone. Dragging Seungcheol impossibly closer and crushing their mouths together and taking Seungcheol home barely ten minutes later to spend all night fucking her exactly how she deserves. And the way Seungcheol seems like she wants all of it just as much as Jeonghan does, moaning under her and begging for everything Jeonghan could give her, feels like a beautiful dream.

But it isn’t, and the scary thing about reality is that there’s no going back.

Present

Jeonghan doesn’t want Seungcheol to have to go back in her dress from last night, so Jeonghan gives her clothes. She starts heading out to make some breakfast, but when she’s almost out the door, Seungcheol says in a bashful voice, “U-Uh, Jeonghan? This shirt is a bit, um-”

Jeonghan looks back and almost chokes on her own spit. Everything seems to fit fairly well, except…

Jeonghan strides over faster than she’s moved in a good while and Seungcheol’s eyes grow wide, backing up a little like a skittish rabbit. But she doesn’t stop Jeonghan from grabbing her by the waist and tugging her into her lap, dipping her head down to use her teeth to tug on the shirt button over her chest that’s threatening to pop because Seungcheol’s tits are just so fucking big. Seungcheol gasps sharply as the button comes undone making her delicious breasts spill out like water from a cup and Jeonghan instantly sucks one into her mouth, the one she neglected earlier. Seungcheol’s hands scramble to find purchase in Jeonghan’s hair and she cries out once Jeonghan’s hand squeezes her other breast hard.

“I-I never knew,” Seungcheol pants dreamily, resting a hand over Jeonghan’s on her chest, “how much of - ah! - a horndog you are? I mean I know you mess around but it"s not like I...oh God-”

I"m like this because it"s you, Jeonghan thinks, eyes slipping closed as she moans primitively around Seungcheol’s nipple that’s hard as a rock between her lips. You don’t even know how much I’ve thought about you this way.

Jeonghan could very happily do this for hours but Seungcheol’s body is probably all kinds of sore even if she’s not saying so. Jeonghan should let her rest.

But fuck, seeing her in Jeonghan’s shirt with her beautiful tits practically about to tear it apart was too much.

She leaves one last nip before she kisses up Seungcheol’s collarbone, her neck, her cheeks…but she stops before her mouth. She looks up and Seungcheol looks back with teary eyes, ragged breaths leaving her mouth - but she still smiles and strokes a hand through Jeonghan’s hair. “Hey.”

Hey. Hey. They’ve done all this and Seungcheol can still just say…hey?

Somehow, Jeonghan’s able to say it back. A throaty, “Hey,” that makes Seungcheol giggle for some reason and Jeonghan chases her lips without actually letting herself kiss her, hoping Seungcheol doesn’t notice.

“It was amazing,” Seungcheol tells her with stars in her eyes. “Last night, this morning, all of it. It felt so right.”

Jeonghan’s breath hitches. She’s happy that Seungcheol liked it and that she’s not being awkward in the aftermath, but Jeonghan can’t get ahead of herself. It’s sleeping with a girl that felt right for Seungcheol. Not specifically sleeping with Jeonghan.

“Glad to offer my services,” Jeonghan manages to quip, wiggling her eyebrows and Seungcheol smiles. There’s too much fondness and gratitude in her expression in response to a stupid joke like that, but Jeonghan basks in it. Her heart leaps into her throat when, for the first time, Seungcheol’s the one to go in for a kiss, cupping Jeonghan’s face preciously in her hands and dipping down to press their lips together. Seungcheol might be inexperienced with girls but fuck is she a good kisser. It makes Jeonghan"s eyelids flutter while she gets lost in the sweet haze of it all, hands settling comfortably on Seungcheol’s waist like they’re meant to be there.

“I should probably get going,” Seungcheol whispers when they’ve barely stopped kissing, lips still touching and Jeonghan wishes they would forever. “Can you get me another shirt that you, uh…think would fit better?”

“Sure.”

“Thank you.” Seungcheol presses a kiss to the side of Jeonghan’s nose and Jeonghan briefly closes her eyes, having to hold back a content sigh. “I mean, seriously, thank you for everything.”

God, Jeonghan doesn’t want to be thanked. She shouldn’t be thanked. This only happened because she’s selfish and greedy and couldn’t let this opportunity slide. This only happened because being in love is a drug.

“Buy me dinner then,” Jeonghan says instead, and Seungcheol laughs, making jokes about how Jeonghan’s a gold-digger but still agreeing in the same breath because she’s just dependable like that. "It"s a date," Seungcheol says, a wobble in her voice that Jeonghan doesn"t notice as she replies offhandedly, "Mm, a date~" and Seungcheol smiles so big before leaning in for another kiss. What a beautiful morning.

It’s not long before she gets off of Jeonghan who instantly misses her in her lap, and then she’s getting dressed in more oversized clothes, she’s gathering her things, she’s on her way out, and Jeonghan’s suddenly terrified of what’s going to happen next. What’s going to change.

But Seungcheol still smiles at her like she always has, still sounds normal when she says goodbye and squeezes Jeonghan’s arm. The only thing that changes is the way she easily pecks Jeonghan’s lips before hurrying down the corridor, and Jeonghan watches after her with wide eyes and her chest growing tight.

This new turn in their friendship might be the death of her.

The funny thing about all of this is that the reason Jeonghan and Seungcheol ever became friends in the first place was because Jeonghan was interested in her.

It was at a party that Minghao had invited her to that was celebrating the end of the academic year’s first round of finals. Jeonghan was in her third year of her bachelor’s degree back then, and Minghao was a fairly new friend, a first year who accidentally crashed into Jeonghan while on their skateboard and Jeonghan lorded it over them for a good few weeks even though she was barely hurt at all. Minghao was a sweetheart who actually seemed very sorry and obeyed all of Jeonghan’s wishes, but one day when Minghao was bringing her coffee, Jeonghan told them spritely, “It’s okay, Minghao, you don’t have to do things for me anymore. I just wanted a friend.”

Minghao stared at Jeonghan in utter disbelief as Jeonghan grinned back innocently. Then Minghao threw Jeonghan’s coffee out, and they’ve been the best of friends ever since.

Back then, Jeonghan was still kind of in the stage of trying to socialise, like a lot of students do, so she decided to go to this party. Minghao seemed happy when Jeonghan said yes to the invitation, at least. So when the time came, she got a little dressed up, she headed out, and not even a minute after she walked into the party, she saw the most beautiful girl standing to the side of the room. She was wearing a fitted burgundy bodycon dress with a ruched waist that left very little to the imagination (or Jeonghan"s just too good at undressing with her eyes), pearl earrings and a matching necklace accesorising her tan skin with red kitten heels on her feet. She had long eyelashes curling over her cheeks every time she blinked and a full bottom lip pulled between her teeth as she fidgeted with the cup in her hands and looked around. She didn’t look particularly nervous, but more…overwhelmed? Not sure where to start? Jeonghan could think of a thing or two she could do to help her out…

But for some reason she felt too jittery to go up to her straight away, heart beating fast. Instead, she went over to where she spotted Minghao talking to someone near the kitchen instead. Jeonghan doesn’t think of many people as out of her league, but Seungcheol might be.

“Minghao-yah, do you know who that is?” Jeonghan asked a little breathlessly, not having torn her eyes away from Seungcheol once. Minghao rolled their own eyes.

“Hello to you, too. And…” Minghao followed Jeonghan’s line of sight, squinting. “No, I don’t think so. Why?”

“I want to take her home with me.”

Minghao and their friend shared a look of surprise, and Minghao’s eyes were gleaming when they told Jeonghan, “Wow, okay, you definitely live up to your reputation. Go shoot your shot, then, I can see like three guys eyeing her right now.”

“Seriously?!” Jeonghan yelped, and Minghao giggled as they waved and their friend gave Jeonghan an excited thumbs up. Jeonghan cast them one last trepid glance before taking in a breath and finally going over, steps getting swifter when she actually noticed the guys that Minghao was talking about staring Seungcheol down like a flock of hawks.

As Jeonghan walked over to Seungcheol that night, she didn’t quite know what she wanted from her: something casual, or something deeper. She just knew that she wanted her. But things got hazy in her brain fast when the instant Seungcheol spotted Jeonghan coming over, she gave her this big relieved smile that struck Jeonghan right in the heart.

“Hey,” Jeonghan said, glad that her voice came out sounding relatively normal. “Are you okay? Want another drink?”

“Oh, no, I’m good!” Seungcheol responded, showing Jeonghan her cup which was just under half full. “Um…do we know each other?”

“We could,” Jeonghan said with a terrible wink, and felt endeared by Seungcheol’s replying bout of (kind of goofy) laughter. “Anyway, I’m the one who needs a drink actually, I only just arrived…”

Seungcheol beamed, taking Jeonghan’s arm and saying, “I’ll get you one,” before leading her over to the kitchen, which meant that Jeonghan was able to send Minghao and their friend a thumbs up on the way over. They returned it with a grin.

The two of them talked in the kitchen for a while, close together because the kitchen was small and they didn’t want to bump into anything or anyone. Jeonghan practically had Seungcheol caged between her arms, hands resting on the counter either side of Seungcheol who leaned back against it. Her perfume was strong, almost dizzying, and Jeonghan’s eyes kept falling to her lips while they talked. Luscious red, almost on the pink side. Looked like they’d taste of cherries.

“I used to love going out like this,” Seungcheol sighed, looking down at her cup, “but there was a time when it all started to feel a bit much for me, so I had to take a step back. I’m starting to feel better about socialising so I want to get out there again and that’s why I came to this party, but it was probably a pretty stupid idea to come here alone…”

“Probably,” Jeonghan agreed, grinning when Seungcheol gave her the most kissable pout. “But it’s brave! And I’ll keep you company.”

“I was so happy when you came over,” Seungcheol admitted shyly and Jeonghan’s heart squeezed. “Um…did you pity me?”

“No, I just thought you were cute as hell,” Jeonghan said bluntly and Seungcheol laughed in surprise, cheeks going rosy. Jeonghan’s hair kept falling in front of her face a little from looking down at Seungcheol (they’re pretty much the same height but Jeonghan always wears heels to things like this), and Seungcheol reached up to touch it.

“You’re cute as hell, too,” Seungcheol said with a soft smile, tucking Jeonghan’s hair behind her ear. “I like your hair. It’s so soft.”

Holy shit, Jeonghan thought, hoping she wasn’t blushing too hard. This is going so well?

That would’ve been an amazing night if not for the way it ended. They grew an accelerated sense of closeness through only being in each other’s company and pouring each other drinks, doing love shots and Jeonghan tried to build up the confidence to ask Seungcheol if she could do a body shot off her but just imagining it made her dizzy. Seungcheol has an even higher alcohol tolerance than Jeonghan (which Jeonghan still finds hot) but they were definitely both past tipsy near the end of the night, so they somehow ended up on the sofa. On their sides, facing each other, Jeonghan’s arm slung around Seungcheol’s waist as she nodded along to everything Seungcheol was telling her about. Random things like football and her professors and her family dog that she seemed to love a lot.

Jeonghan was drunk and happy and thought that even if she didn’t get to take Seungcheol home, she’d be content to just lie there and listen to her talk all night. And that’s when Jeonghan realised that she knew where she wanted this to go - she wanted more than casual. She wanted something deeper.

Seungcheol stopped talking at some point and Jeonghan didn’t know why, but she took the opportunity to lean down and rest her face in the crook of Seungcheol’s neck, nuzzling against her jaw. Seungcheol’s breath hitched, but she didn’t push Jeonghan away. Well, not until Jeonghan pressed a feather-light kiss to her neck and suddenly she was shoved off with so much force that she almost choked.

“Um,” Seungcheol said, wide-eyed and bright red as Jeonghan stared back in surprise. Fuck. She went too far too fast.

She wanted to joke. She wanted to play it off, say a teasing ‘it’s just what girls do at parties after a few drinks, right?’ to see if that would lighten the mood, but Seungcheol was looking at her like she was scared. So the only thing Jeonghan could do was say, “I’m sorry.”

Seungcheol blinked, seeming like she was snapping out of something as she quickly shook her head and sat up. She didn’t look scared anymore, just a bit…rattled? “No, it’s okay! Uh…do you think you could get me another drink?”

It was the least Jeonghan could do, so she nodded and Seungcheol sent her a smile that didn’t seem fake before she left. On the way, she spotted Minghao chatting to someone else, but this time it was a person that Jeonghan recognised.

“Jisoo? You’re here?” Jeonghan asked in surprise as she headed over and Jisoo waved, smiling. “Wait, you and Minghao know each other?”

“We didn’t before tonight,” Minghao said, and Jeonghan wondered if Minghao was more of a social butterfly than they let on. “You guys are coursemates, right?”

“For life,” Jeonghan said, hand over her heart. “We were almost ready to drop out at the end of last year but we told each other ‘I’ll stay on if you do’ and now we’re bound forever.”

“That’s…dramatic as hell,” Minghao said dismissively, making Jisoo laugh. “Anyway, how’s it going?”

“Oh yeah, Minghao was telling me you were flirting with someone, where is she?” Jisoo asked curiously, already looking around, and Jeonghan sighed.

“It was going well but I might’ve messed it up…I think I can fix it. The night’s not over yet.”

“They were getting real cosy on the sofa, though,” Minghao said with a giggle and Jeonghan winked. Jisoo furrowed her eyebrows a little, saying, “On the sofa? Only Choi Seungcheol’s on the sofa, has your girl gone somewhere else?”

Jeonghan looked over at the sofa again and it was still her girl (she loved the sound of that) sitting there, looking at her reflection in her phone and combing her fingers through her hair. Jeonghan instantly smiled at the sight of her. “No, that’s her. So her name’s Seungcheol…you know her?”

Jisoo’s eyes grew wide. “Wha- yeah, Jeonghan, I know her, and I also know that she has a boyfriend. I have no idea if she’s into girls at all?”

What the fuck.

For a moment, Jeonghan couldn’t speak. Her mouth had dried up and she was praying that she was just too drunk and was hallucinating the words coming out of Jisoo’s mouth. But she knew that she wasn’t. And before she could say a word, Minghao said quietly, “Shit, that’s him, isn’t it?”

Jeonghan spun around and watched with wide eyes as Seungcheol got up from the sofa and smiled at a guy going over to her. He didn’t look like he’d been at the party because of the big coat he was wearing for this warm atmosphere, but he soon took it off to drape it over Seungcheol’s shoulders. Seungcheol smiled bigger, reaching up to curl her arms around the guy’s neck and kiss him gratefully; Minghao, Jisoo, and Jeonghan all retched in unison.

After the kiss, Seungcheol seemed to look around with a frown on her face, and Jeonghan realised that Seungcheol might be looking for her. So she ran. She bolted off to wherever she could hide, and Minghao and Jisoo were quick to go after her out of worry but that didn’t matter. Jeonghan just didn’t want Seungcheol to see her.

She eventually stopped with her back to a wall and slowly sank down it, hitting the floor with a soft thud as she rested her head in her arms. She never wanted to go to a party again.

Jeonghan barely got any sleep that night, because every time she dozed off, she"d imagine her. The beautiful girl from the party in nothing but the red pearl earrings she was wearing, lying back on a bed as her faceless boyfriend fucked into her like Jeonghan would never get the chance to. Her thick thighs wrapped around his waist, delicious cherry red lips parted around streams of uncontrollable moans, gorgeous full tits bouncing every time she was thrust into; and her big wet eyes, darkened and hazed with lust, were staring right at Jeonghan.

When the morning came, Jeonghan just laid there staring up at the ceiling, sleep-deprived with involuntary arousal swirling deep inside her as she thought, I"m trash.

But Jeonghan’s friends from her computer science modules, Jihoon and Wonwoo, seemed to find it absolutely fucking hilarious that Jeonghan had tried to get with a straight girl. And in hindsight, after Jeonghan spent a couple days moping and getting over the fact that a bombshell babe like Seungcheol wasn’t for the girls, it was pretty funny.

“You spent all night with her and didn’t get a hint?” Jihoon wheezed, slamming a hand against the table as Wonwoo hid her laughter behind her book and okay, it wasn’t this funny. “And after all that, her boyfriend came to pick her up?!”

Jeonghan had done some thinking about that. About how Seungcheol didn’t give any kind of hint to the fact that she was going home soon, how her boyfriend arrived pretty soon after Jeonghan (stupidly) kissed her. There was no link that Jeonghan could make other than the fact that Seungcheol must’ve called her boyfriend to come get her because Jeonghan made her uncomfortable.

I’m such trash.

“At least we know now that our local lesbian playgirl can fumble like the rest of us,” Wonwoo snickered, and Jeonghan composed herself so that she could stroke Wonwoo’s hand, asking in a simpering voice, “What do you mean, Wonungie? I fumbled you, didn’t I?”

Wonwoo"s ears flushed red, eyes wide. “W-Wha- you’ve tried to genuinely flirt with me before…?”

“Man, you really can’t stop, can you?” Jihoon told Jeonghan in teasing distaste. “Stop messing with our innocent Wonwoo and go out so you can pick up some other girl and get over this.”

Jeonghan sighed. “I’m not really feeling it tonight…but if my dear friends keep me company with some barbecue then maybe that would perk me up!”

Jeonghan expected them to brush her off (especially since it was barely 5pm), but Jihoon and Wonwoo immediately seemed on board, with Jihoon opening Google Maps to check for nearest barbecue places for her to rank with Wonwoo peeking over her shoulder and nodding along. Maybe Jeonghan was fine with fumbling one girl when she had friends like these.

About a week passed and Jeonghan was slowly getting over the beautiful girl in red, getting back into the swing of things with school and friends and flirting with any girl that looked her way. Well, she flirted, but she didn’t really take things further. She didn’t feel like it for some reason.

Then she saw the reason sitting at a table in a café, big headphones over her ears and kissable lips pursed in thought as she looked at something on her laptop. She had her hair up and was drowning in an oversized red jumper, so different from her femme fatale image at the party that Jeonghan felt blindsided.

She almost went straight back out. Ready to dip and pretend like she didn’t even want coffee when she was in sleep deprivation hell. But - and Jeonghan doesn’t know why - it’s like Seungcheol sensed her presence because she looked up and perked up when she spotted Jeonghan. She waved happily, clearly gesturing for Jeonghan to come over, and Jeonghan’s only human. She had to go over.

Just like that, Choi Seungcheol came into her life.

They became close quick because they just really get along. When Jeonghan puts aside how insanely attracted to her she is, she feels so comfortable with Seungcheol. Their similar alcohol tolerances made them fast drinking buddies, they have a couple friends in common which facilitated things, they’re both football fans so they spend nights at each other’s places watching matches, and they live close to each other so it’s easy to just pop by or walk back from uni together. Before Jeonghan knew it, her friends were becoming Seungcheol’s friends, she joined the university football team because Seungcheol convinced her to, and they became the closest person to each other all because of a night where Jeonghan failed to hit on a girl.

Jeonghan has always loved what she has with Seungcheol. If possible, she would let it go on like this forever. But it’s not like she suddenly stopped wanting Seungcheol in a different way. Seungcheol would take Jeonghan’s hand to lead her somewhere and it would make her blush, Seungcheol would wear something skimpy for the sake of comfort during movie nights and Jeonghan would try hard to keep her hands to herself, Jeonghan would have to make sure she didn’t ever get piss-drunk in front of Seungcheol in case she said or did something that she shouldn’t. Honestly, getting to know Seungcheol over the years and seeing how perfect she seems for Jeonghan just made her fall even harder.

Things got easier whenever Seungcheol was dating someone, because that generally meant that she would spend less time with Jeonghan. Jeonghan would miss her and hate that someone else got to be with her but it gave her time, time to be with other friends and go out to rekindle her player reputation a little, and she might date around, too. She’d keep thinking to herself, wow, maybe I’m over her. Maybe I’m done with this.

But every time Seungcheol went through a break-up and called Jeonghan up with a cracked voice, Jeonghan would drop everything and go running. Every single time. She’d concoct revenge plans like putting spiders into Seungcheol’s ex’s coffee, she’d buy Seungcheol comfort food, she’d hold her close, she’d let her cry into her shoulder and wish she could kiss her tears away. Multiple times Jeonghan has been broken up with because she seemed to put Seungcheol first but honestly, Jeonghan never cared. She"s simply the kind of person who puts friends before girlfriends - and Seungcheol is even more special than that.

So she went through this vicious cycle of thinking she was over this stupid crush then being thrown right back into it again and again until she just became sort of numb to it. So what if she’s in love with Seungcheol? Jeonghan has long accepted that she’ll never be able to have her, and being in her life is good enough.

But, the fact that she now knows how Seungcheol tastes might throw a wrench in things. 

Jeonghan has been worrying all weekend over what would happen to their friendship after that one night. Yet here they are, Monday evening, winding down after a long day with a beer at Seungcheol’s apartment. One slightly coy look from Seungcheol with her big coquette eyes meant that suddenly Jeonghan’s in between Seungcheol’s legs again eating her out slow and deep like she’s savouring the finest meal. Seungcheol’s a moaner and a thrasher, so Jeonghan pulls her legs over her shoulders. The possibility of death shifting from kicking to her head being crushed between gorgeous thighs makes her mouth water.

Seungcheol isn’t pliant for long enough after sex. Jeonghan would love to kiss her all over while she’s mushy and sweet, but Jeonghan’s the one with low stamina, and Seungcheol seems like she gets tired too as she cuddles into Jeonghan contentedly but then she’s up a few minutes later checking her face and tidying her hair. Jeonghan watches from the bed, eyes hooded as Seungcheol leans over the dressing table to get a closer look in the mirror and Jeonghan can see her fat pretty pussy glistening with come and Jeonghan’s saliva. Fuck, maybe they can go again when Jeonghan catches her breath…

“Jeonghan, you gotta go shower,” Seungcheol laughs when she catches sight of Jeonghan in the mirror looking like a melted heap under the covers. Jeonghan usually keeps some semblance of grace after fucking someone (even though girls know that she doesn’t have that much stamina and luckily most of them find that charming), but she doesn’t need to around Seungcheol.

She makes a non-committal noise, closing her eyes, but they snap open the instant Seungcheol sighs, “You won’t even shower with me?”

Wow. Jeonghan is best friends with a master manipulator. She’s so in love.

Her next noise is much more committed and Seungcheol bursts into laughter as she goes back to Jeonghan, crawling over the bed to hover over her with a smirk on her cherry lips. She’s so beautiful, eyes warm and full of sparkle, long thick hair framing her face, breasts squishing up against Jeonghan’s own, dips in her waist that are made for Jeonghan’s fingers. Jeonghan isn’t even that horny right now, she’s just in complete awe.

“You look so cute, I kinda don’t want to move you,” Seungcheol says fondly. “But we need to shower, I feel icky…”

Jeonghan playfully frowns at her, as if to say ‘we just had mindblowing sex and you feel icky’ and Seungcheol giggles, ducking down to peck Jeonghan’s lips. Jeonghan was always right about her taste. The same cherry-flavoured lipgloss that Seungcheol had on her lips when she smiled at Jeonghan three years ago at that party is what gets smudged by Jeonghan"s mouth now every time they kiss because Seungcheol never changed it. After years of watching Seungcheol apply the gloss with soft puckers and smacks of her plush mouth that make Jeonghan"s breath go short, she can"t help but discreetly lick her own lips after every kiss. 

She"s so distracted that before she can realise what’s going on, Seungcheol smoothly rolls off the bed and slips two arms under her so she can lift her up. Jeonghan’s heart skips a beat.

For the sake of calming herself down, she decides to act characteristically dramatic about it, flinging her arms around Seungcheol’s neck yelling, “WOOOAAAHHH, SEUNGCHEOLLIE’S SO STRONG?!”

Seungcheol groans, threatening to drop her, but Jeonghan knows she never would. Even if Jeonghan deserves it.

“You need to stop working out, you’re getting too sexy,” Jeonghan says as she rests her head against Seungcheol’s shoulder, and Seungcheol kicks the door of the bathroom open while laughing, “If you think it’s sexy then I’m never stopping.”

Nothing changes yet everything does. That’s the only way Jeonghan can describe it. Seungcheol is no less comfortable with Jeonghan than she ever was, but they fuck. Seungcheol gives her a goodbye kiss every time one of them leaves the other’s apartment and makes fun of Jeonghan when she lingers for more (but still gives her more). They shower together now and it’s not always innocent, with Jeonghan pinning Seungcheol up against the wall with three fingers pumping in and out of her while Seungcheol keens helplessly under the running water - but Seungcheol also washes Jeonghan’s back with care and resolve, sometimes pressing kisses to Jeonghan’s shoulders and nape that makes her shiver. They spend nights together, all cosy and tangled up, and Seungcheol just laughs and strokes Jeonghan’s hair whenever Jeonghan sleepily holds her close and nuzzles into her neck once the morning comes.

Jeonghan is happy, happier than she’s been in a long time. Minghao often eyes her with a curious but pleased look so Jeonghan must be outwardly showing some kind of glow about her, but no matter how much she wants to, Jeonghan can’t tell Minghao or anyone about this. All of the big changes to her and Seungcheol’s relationship are in private. It’s not like Seungcheol kisses her outside or even holds her hand when they’re going somewhere - because it’s not like they’re dating, right?

And Jeonghan doesn"t let that bother her at first because she’s just so happy.

They have a home football match today against another university, and Jeonghan had been considering sitting this one out because…well, she doesn’t really have any reason. The team just has so many matches and Jeonghan likes football, sure, but she doesn’t really have the stamina for all that.

However, things change when Jeonghan has the gorgeous captain of the team in her lap the morning of the match, whispering in her ear, “Won’t it be fun to celebrate together after you score some goals for me? I’ll give you something special~”

She said ‘for me’. Not even for the team like Seungcheol usually says but for her. God, she’s trying to seduce Jeonghan into scoring for them and it’s so fucking working.

“Careful what you ask for, Cheol,” is all Jeonghan says in reply and Seungcheol quirks a curious eyebrow at her, grinning. And Seungcheol really should be careful because Jeonghan would probably kill people for whatever Seungcheol will give her.

But she takes a much less violent approach by helping obliterate their opponents that afternoon. She has a nickname among her team and even others: ‘Second-Half Sinker’. It’s because Jeonghan has a reputation of being benched for the first half of a match, but at some point within the second, she’ll be subbed in and sink as many goals into the back of the net as she can. Sometimes it’s unfortunately none, sometimes it’s more, but she must be doing pretty well to get a silly nickname like that. She couldn’t stop cackling the first time she heard it because other teams must think it’s some strategy when actually it’s just a deal that she struck up with the coach so that she doesn’t ever need to play a whole ninety minutes.

Jeonghan lives up to the moniker during this match as she lounges on the bench for the first half. She’s basically a not-so-bendy cheerleader as she wiggles her arms in the chair and cheers, “GO TEAM!” so much that her teammate next to her asks, “Have you forgotten our team name again?”

“How could you tell?” Jeonghan gasps, thinking she was hiding that secret splendidly. Her teammate looks genuinely concerned.

Seungcheol is so beautiful while she plays. Jeonghan has a lot more (and less innocent) adjectives to describe Seungcheol during football matches, but beautiful is the most obvious one. She’s beautiful while she dribbles the ball like a missile down the pitch, fast and powerful like a bull (a beautiful one!). She’s beautiful when she defends with all her might, never shying away from a ball that comes her way and sliding across the ground with crazy force and precision to tackle the ball away from the opposing team. She’s the reliable cornerstone of their defence, taking every single hit that other players might be scared to or saving every missed play she can. She plays like she’d die for their team and Jeonghan is always so amazed by it. And a bit turned on.

“JEONGHAN!” Seungcheol yells as she runs past the bench, and Jeonghan waves. “YOU’RE GOING ON THE INSTANT THE SECOND HALF STARTS SO WARM THE FUCK UP!”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Jeonghan laughs, saluting. She doesn’t start warming up yet - they’ve still got an entire half-time break to get through! - but she likes the fact that Seungcheol called out for her during a game. If word gets out that Jeonghan’s fucking the captain, will their team members accuse them of favouritism?

Well, they accuse us of that anyway, Jeonghan thinks, remembering planned after-game celebrations between the two of them that have to turn into team celebrations because the others complain. That’s probably going to happen tonight even though Seungcheol promised her sexy times~ after today’s game because Seungcheol can never say no to the team - so Jeonghan settles with a peck to the back of Seungcheol’s neck during half-time that has Seungcheol yelling.

“Warn a girl!” Seungcheol scolds, cheeks still flushed from the game as sweat shines on her face and fuck, she is beautiful. Jeonghan wishes she could drag her back into the locker rooms and have her way with her before the second half starts. She could probably get Seungcheol to come in five minutes, she’s pretty sure she’s done it before…

But no, she shouldn’t use up energy before she’s even started playing. She just smiles angelically at Seungcheol who huffs, eyebrows furrowed; but there’s still softness in her eyes as she rests a hand on Jeonghan’s side and kisses her cheek. Then she runs off yelling “TEAM HUDDLE!” while Jeonghan’s left alone to short-circuit.

The second half goes smoothly. Jeonghan scores a goal quickly after she’s put on and boots in one more right before the end of the game, bringing them up to 3 versus 1. The whistle blows while everyone’s still basking in the aftermath of the goal, and Jeonghan’s just wiping the sweat off her face with her shirt when she’s tackled right to the ground. Fuck, isn’t the game over?

“You’re amazing, babe, you’re fucking amazing!” a familiar voice cheers, squishing Jeonghan’s face and shaking her head about so much that it makes Jeonghan dizzy. For a split-second she thinks ‘babe?’, but then she’s occupied with weakly raising an arm to lace around Seungcheol’s waist, chuckling, “You did great too, Cap-”

Jeonghan’s eyes widen when Seungcheol leans down and kisses her. It’s gasping and messy because they’re still out of breath and there’s too much excitement from Seungcheol’s side, but this might be Jeonghan’s favourite kiss yet. Kissing the girl she’s in love with after winning a football match with her - it feels so instinctive and right.

Seungcheol beams at her after she pulls away, so happy with sweat and mud on her face from a couple dives and sparkles in her big eyes; Jeonghan tries her best to reach out to bring her back for more, but before she can, she gets rained on by all her other team members who holler and crush her into a group hug. Jeonghan sighs, only briefly annoyed before she takes the time to hug back because she loves her teammates, too.

She ended up being right, by the way. The whole team wanted to go out to celebrate, making sure to nag at Seungcheol and Jeonghan not to go off by themselves. But Jeonghan manages to find a little bit of a loophole since Seungcheol always makes sure to be last out of the changing rooms to check that no-one’s left anything behind, so Jeonghan just stays behind with her.

“Huh? Why aren’t you changed?” Seungcheol asks with a frown when Jeonghan peeks at her from behind a row of lockers with half her football uniform on and half her normal clothes on once everyone else is gone. Jeonghan just shrugs.

“I’m slow!”

Seungcheol looks unconvinced as she crosses her arms, and Jeonghan grins, loving that she’s still in captain mode right now. It means she’s completely unaware of the subtext behind being alone in a changing room with the girl you’re fucking. Jeonghan’s dirty mind runs through the droolworthy number of options she has here: she could watch Seungcheol change like it’s a striptease because Seungcheol would be shy as hell but probably wouldn’t stop her. Or…

Jeonghan quickly finishes getting changed before going over, and Seungcheol goes on alert like a bunny who’s noticed its predator closing in, shoulders squaring up and red scattering across her cheeks. Jeonghan selfishly likes the fact that Seungcheol has become so aware of her. That it’s not just all ‘best friend comfort’ like it used to be, that now she can make Seungcheol blush and back up and remember all the things that Jeonghan’s done to her.

But despite that, Jeonghan still wants Seungcheol to feel comfortable, so she’s gentle when she rests her hands on Seungcheol’s hips and asks softly, more reverently than she means to, “Can I help you change?”

Seungcheol flushes harder, turning her head to the side shyly which just makes Jeonghan want to bite her neck so badly. “God, you’re a pervert…”

“Yep,” Jeonghan agrees easily, letting a few of her fingers ride under Seungcheol’s shirt and smooth over the warm skin there. “But you also need to be quick to catch up with the others. It doesn’t matter if I’m late, but our captain is important!”

Seungcheol shoves at Jeonghan’s shoulder. “You’re important, too.”

Jeonghan falters for a second. She hadn’t expected that. “Ahh, my captain flatters me. I should really start helping her undress, no?”

Seungcheol bites her lip, then she reaches down for the hand that Jeonghan partly has underneath her shirt and pushes it up higher. “Get this off me, then.”

Jeonghan thinks she must have a terrible case of heart eyes right now. “Aye, aye, Cap.”

She’s not usually the type to undress girls herself before she fucks them. Sure, she might do some fumbling of shirt buttons or unhooking the backs of bras but she lets the girls slip off the garments themselves. She just finds the act highly intimate, unwrapping someone as if they and the sex they’re about to have are precious gifts. Jeonghan might not treat girls like trash but she’s no saint either - she sleeps around just to have fun and let loose. Not because they’re precious to her.

She’s only ever found one person precious, and for some divine reason, she’s in Jeonghan’s arms right now.

Despite what she said about having to be quick, Jeonghan goes slow. There’s no time to fuck before they go out to celebrate with their teammates so she at least wants to savour this. She’s purposeful in the way she slides her hands up Seungcheol’s soft torso, fingers splaying over her warm skin as thumbs outside the shirt catch the fabric and keep pulling it up. Seungcheol shivers under her touch, so sensitive for no good reason other than to drive Jeonghan wild, and then Jeonghan pulls the shirt over her head. Except, for a moment she just leaves it there. Seungcheol makes an indignant noise and Jeonghan chuckles before she leans in to kiss Seungcheol over the shirt and suddenly Seungcheol falls quiet.

“Sorry,” Jeonghan sings in amusement when she finally pulls it off and is faced with an irritated Seungcheol with messy hair and a red face. So cute. She opens her mouth to say something, and Jeonghan thinks it’s probably going to be to do with telling her off. But Seungcheol whines, “I’ve been wanting a kiss from you all day and that’s how you do it?” and it makes Jeonghan freeze.

“Huh?” Jeonghan asks, eyes wide. “Eh? You’ve - all day?”

Seungcheol pouts at her. “What, you don’t want to kiss me when you see me?”

Look, Jeonghan spends an unhealthy amount of her time thinking about kissing Seungcheol (and worse), so she’s not well-equipped to answer that. But she’s not ready for Seungcheol to feel even a fraction of the same way. They made out a bit when they met up at Jeonghan’s apartment in the morning, but what, would Seungcheol have let Jeonghan kiss her before she went into her first class? What about when she noticed a crumb on Seungcheol’s lip during lunch? Or for good luck before the match, when she gave a rousing pep talk like always but Jeonghan caught her looking worried by herself afterwards, and all she could do was hold her hand?

“I’ll kiss you lots tonight,” Jeonghan promises, a raw oath without a hint of teasing in her voice because she suddenly needs Seungcheol to know that she will give her anything. Even though she’s spent years trying not to reveal the true depth of her useless devotion… “I’ll kiss you however much you want.”

Seungcheol melts a little, soft and supple in Jeonghan’s arms as she pets at Jeonghan’s hair. “Heh, where did that come from? I know, you always do.”

Jeonghan almost makes a face at that. When she sleeps with Seungcheol these days, she tends to lose herself. It’s never a show, a performance, or just an effort to make her partner feel better than they’ve ever felt (even if that’s still a big part of it because all she wants is for Seungcheol to feel good), but to her it’s making love. She wonders if that’s ever made her be embarrassing. Maybe she’s shown Seungcheol faces that no-one else has seen, maybe gotten too caught up in her dreams coming true. Maybe just…kissed her too much.

“But I don’t get a kiss now either?” Seungcheol asks faux-sadly, hands gently clasping Jeonghan’s face. “A real one?”

Jeonghan smiles, some of her worries dissipating. Just a temporary fix. “Can’t my captain take a kiss herself?”

Seungcheol laughs as she leans closer. “You sound like a pirate.”

“You love it,” Jeonghan teases before Seungcheol’s lips are on hers and Jeonghan just knows she’s been waiting for this all day, too. Not just for more, not just for what Seungcheol promised if Jeonghan did well in the match - she’s been yearning for a kiss.

It’s slow, as sensual as how Jeonghan’s hands were sliding up Seungcheol’s frame mere moments ago, as heated as Seungcheol’s skin feels, and Jeonghan opens up the instant Seungcheol licks at the seam of her lips. When she hikes a leg up to curve over Jeonghan’s waist, the way Jeonghan’s hand flies to find purchase under her thigh is magnetic, and something (to do with Jeonghan’s blind desire for Seungcheol’s fucking thighs) possesses her to reach down and pull Seungcheol’s other leg up, too. It effectively lifts her off her feet and Seungcheol gasps breathily, arms scrabbling around Jeonghan’s neck.

But it doesn"t last long before Jeonghan groans against her mouth, “I’m…not strong enough for this.”

“Idiot,” Seungcheol half-scolds half-snickers. “Put me down on the bench, quick!”

Jeonghan does, as carefully as she can, and they keep kissing for a moment like they can’t break away. It’s pretty uncomfortable for Jeonghan to do that while she’s bent over Seungcheol like this so she slowly starts lowering herself down until she’s on one knee in front of her. It’s almost blistering how much she feels like a knight, her princess on her throne (i.e. a changing room bench) holding all the power in the world over Jeonghan just from the way she licks into her mouth.

She starts tugging at Seungcheol’s skort, starting to pull her panties down with them just to tease. Seungcheol smacks at her shoulder so she lets go of them with a flick and a smile, only focusing on gliding the skort down her legs with a few squeezes of luscious muscle on the way. She can tell that Seungcheol’s getting restless, her side of the kiss becoming a little frenzied as her fists push at Jeonghan’s chest without the intention to push Jeonghan away. Jeonghan feels the need to give her what she wants, even though she knows that Seungcheol won’t ask for it. But no. She’ll be good, she’ll be patient. She’ll save it for tonight.

“You know,” Jeonghan says as she carefully lifts each of Seungcheol’s legs to unhook the skort from her feet, but for the second one she keeps lifting it until it’s on her shoulder, making Seungcheol yelp, “you were the best player on the pitch, not me. You’re the one who deserves a treat tonight.”

Seungcheol flushes, both from the compliment and out of confusion. “What…I mean, okay, but I already told you-”

“Are my fingers enough for you?” Jeonghan asks, said fingers digging into the back of Seungcheol’s knee as she kisses the first part of Seungcheol’s leg her lips can reach. “I know you’ve only been with cis men until now. Do you want something bigger?”

Seungcheol flushes harder, but it’s more anguished now. “Huh- of course you’re enough-!”

“C’mon, Cheol. Who do you think you used to always gush or complain about your boyfriends’ dicks to?” Jeonghan pulls on Seungcheol’s leg so Seungcheol slides forward a little on the bench with a strangled gasp. Now Jeonghan’s face is suddenly torturously close to her crotch that’s only clothed by simple red panties, and getting just a hint of her musk is making Jeonghan"s mouth water. “I know how much of a size queen my captain is.”

Seungcheol is blushing so hard that it’s actually kind of a miracle she hasn’t passed out, her big eyes going glassy from how aroused but embarrassed she is. “Hey, I-I- whenever I told you about that, I never predicted we would end up like this…”

Jeonghan smiles despite the sudden pang in her chest. “I know. But I’ve got a solution.”

Jeonghan hooks a finger under the hem of Seungcheol’s panties, and before Seungcheol can tell her to stop, Jeonghan sits up on her knees and leans in to whisper in her ear, “I assure you that I’ve got straps bigger than any cock you’ve ever taken.”

Seungcheol seizes up, face so warm near Jeonghan’s as a small whimper leaves her mouth. Jeonghan smirks, opening her mouth to say more but her eyes widen when Seungcheol suddenly shoves her away with so much force that Jeonghan slams against the lockers on the other end of the room. She winces, dizzy and confused - it didn’t actually hurt that much but it’s knocked all the wind (and lust) out of her. And while she’s wrought with whiplash, Seungcheol is pulling her clothes on with lightning speed until a minute later, once Seungcheol’s gathered her things as well as Jeonghan’s with ease, she holds an arm out to Jeonghan. She’s still red, eyebrows furrowed and tears in her eyes but she seems adamant on helping Jeonghan up.

Jeonghan knows Seungcheol’s not actually mad. But she still might’ve done too much.

“I’m sorry, Seungcheollie,” Jeonghan says as she takes the hand, and once it’s helped her up, she uses it to draw Seungcheol closer, resting her free hand on her hip. Seungcheol turns her head to the side when their faces start getting close, and Jeonghan worries. “Did I go too far? I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

A fist beats against Jeonghan’s chest. “Stop it, all you do is tease me and now you ‘don’t mean to make me upset’?”

“That’s not why I do it!”

Seungcheol allows herself a small smile, almost a smirk, and Jeonghan realises she’s messing with her. “I know. You’re being silly anyway, I’m obviously not upset, I was just-” Seungcheol shivers. “-t-trying to stop you from making me come in my underwear just from fucking dirty talk…can we go now?!”

Oh. Oh?

“Hmm? I got Seungcheol all hot and bothered?” Jeonghan wishes she got a closer look at Seungcheol’s panties, fuck, she wonders how wet Seungcheol is right now…

“Ugh, pervert, you look a second away from drooling,” Seungcheol groans, pushing Jeonghan’s face away. “Now come on, I bet everyone’s ditched us!”

Jeonghan happily follows as Seungcheol drags her along by the hand, and the others are all still outside even though they complain about how long the two of them took. Seungcheol apologises and offers to pay for any drinks anyone gets which quickly appeases everyone, and Jeonghan watches her with a smile all the while. Her dependable beautiful strong captain. Jeonghan should probably take her things back from her.

But Seungcheol seems adamant to keep hold of them as well as Jeonghan’s hand even once they’re out of the building, and it was easy for Jeonghan to say all those dirty things earlier but this is what finally makes her blush a little. When Seungcheol squeezes her hand absent-mindedly, it gets so bad that she has to cover her face.

“You okay?” Seungcheol asks her at some point, and Jeonghan just nods. She can’t ever answer that question truthfully.

They had barely been able to keep their hands off of each other near the end of the celebration. It was a bad idea to even sit together because they kept gravitating closer as time went on, Jeonghan’s hand on Seungcheol’s knee under the table and Seungcheol leaning against her arm. Then it became Jeonghan’s hand creeping up Seungcheol’s skirt, Seungcheol whispering filthy promises in Jeonghan’s ear, doing love shots to get just tipsy enough to feel a pleasant buzz then a quick bathroom break where Jeonghan pressed a thumb into Seungcheol’s navel and asked into the curve of her neck whether it could be a body shot next time. Seungcheol was too busy stifling her moans to reply coherently but Jeonghan knew it was a yes.

So once they made sure everyone would get home safe, they shared one look, grabbed each other’s hands, and started running.

Now Jeonghan’s finally got Seungcheol where she needs her, in her lap on her bed in nothing but her underwear, squirming and keening into Jeonghan’s mouth. She’s making good on her promise, having kept her lips attached to Seungcheol’s since the moment they entered the apartment no matter how out of breath she was. It"s crazy how pent-up and turned on Seungcheol is as she frantically rubs her clothed cunt back and forth over Jeonghan"s leg. Jeonghan really must"ve done a number on her back in the changing rooms.

“Show me,” Seungcheol breathes out when she seems to have finally gotten her fair share of kisses, lips swollen and slick with spit. “The-” Seungcheol suddenly goes shy, hips stuttering and face burning. “The straps you were talking about…”

Jeonghan"s eyes gleam. “As you wish, princess.”

She reaches down to open the drawer under her bed, and points to a small pink storage box to the side. “Take your pick.”

Seungcheol’s mouth falls open in anticipation before she slowly shuffles off Jeonghan, moving to kneel in front of the drawer and open the box. She looks so cute and small like that. Jeonghan stretches out over the bed like a languid cat and watches her, amused by the way Seungcheol"s eyes widen in a mix of horror, confusion, and awe. Seungcheol suddenly looks up at her, and Jeonghan smiles back innocently. “Hm?”

“So the girls you"ve slept with are all monsterfuckers.”

Jeonghan bursts into cackles. “Don"t judge them! Ridged, barbed, dotted, they"re all the rage these days. You telling me you"re not even a little bit curious?”

She can clearly see the arousal (and fear) swimming in Seungcheol"s eyes as she picks up a thick red ribbed dildo. “Uh. Maybe…one day…”

Jeonghan smirks. “One day.”

“You really do have all kinds of sizes in here,” Seungcheol mutters as she sifts through them. “Sure hope you wash them. Woah, there are other kinds of toys too, why have you never shown me thi-”

Suddenly Seungcheol cuts herself off with what sounds like a small choke, eyes blowing wide. Jeonghan watches intensely as Seungcheol squirms a little, pressing her thighs close together. “What is it, Cheol? You found something you like?”

Seungcheol is practically drooling over whatever she"s found, one of her hands absent-mindedly pushing between her legs but Jeonghan isn"t having any of that. “Seungcheol. Grab the one you want and the black harness in the box then get back here.”

Seungcheol snaps out of it, looking up at Jeonghan. “The black one? Why not the red one?”

“Because I"m pretty sure I know what dildo you"ve chosen and that"s the one that fits,” Jeonghan chuckles. “But I can buy a red one that fits for next time if you want.”

Seungcheol looks confused but nods, taking the things and getting back onto the bed. Jeonghan grins when she sees the sizable curved dildo in Seungcheol"s hands that Seungcheol is still looking at with true love in her gaze. “I fucking knew it. That"s my biggest one.”

Seungcheol finally tears her eyes away from it, blushing hard. “R-Really-”

“You imagined it inside you and that was it for you, huh?” Jeonghan asks sleazily, curving a hand over Seungcheol"s waist to get her closer as she takes the harness and dildo so she can fit them together. “Such a fucking size queen.”

Seungcheol shivers. “Don"t call me that, I just-”

“Why not?” Jeonghan questions as she raises her hips a little to click the harness around her, Seungcheol"s eyes widening at the sight of the dildo standing tall and hard from Jeonghan"s body. “Be proud of it. And not just because I find it really fucking hot.”

“You do?” Seungcheol asks, and Jeonghan opens her mouth to answer ‘obviously’ but she gets distracted when Seungcheol suddenly clambers fully back into Jeonghan"s lap, raised slightly so that her tits smush into Jeonghan"s face while she gently rocks, sliding the dildo across her panties over and over. “Oh God…”

Knowing that Seungcheol is a cockslut is very different from witnessing Seungcheol being a cockslut. Jeonghan’s heart is beating out of her chest and, less innocently, something"s throbbing under the harness, too.

“What do you want, Seungcheollie?”

“In,” Seungcheol moans, her movements speeding up. “Want it in me, I- fuck me, Jeonghan, please.”

Jeonghan hums into the space between Seungcheol’s boobs as the hand on Seungcheol"s waist slides down to her plush ass. She squeezes hard, making Seungcheol"s thrusts falter. “But Seungcheol is so pretty like this. Can"t she ride me instead?”

Seungcheol stops suddenly, dazed. “Yes, yesyesyes yes-”

Jeonghan licks her lips. “Good. Get the lube from the first drawer of my nightstand.”

“Wha- Jeonghan, I"m so wet right now that I could take anything-”

“Just to be safe,” Jeonghan interrupts quickly before Seungcheol says anything else unintentionally crazy sexy. Seungcheol looks at the dildo, considers for a moment, then reaches over to the side to rummage through the nightstand. She uncovers a small bottle of cherry-flavoured lube which almost makes Jeonghan blanch because she only bought that because it reminded her of Seungcheol - but Seungcheol looks none the wiser.

“Is this it?”

“Mm, good girl. Get some on my cock for me.”

Seungcheol does a full-body shudder, making Jeonghan raise an eyebrow. Was it the ‘good girl’ or ‘my cock’ that got to her?

Seungcheol focuses on drizzling lube over the dildo, Jeonghan muttering low praises all the while that keep Seungcheol"s ears red. Then when she"s done, she just stares for a moment. Jeonghan doesn"t know what"s running through her head but she blinks when all of a sudden Seungcheol bends down and licks a thin stripe up the dildo, eyes closed in some kind of primal satisfaction. Jeonghan watches her suckle at the tip once she gets there, pressing pecks and kitten licks, and as much as a surge of envy goes through her that she can’t feel what Seungcheol"s doing, there"s still some phantom feeling there. A coil in her stomach watching Seungcheol drool over dick, her red lips that Jeonghan has always thought would be perfect for both cock-sucking and pussy-eating (the latter definitely proved to be true, and seems like the former too) stretching around the dildo. Jeonghan abhors every guy who ever got to have Seungcheol like this.

“Cheol,” Jeonghan says, her voice coming out more breathless than she would"ve thought, “you"ll lick all the lube off at this rate.”

Seungcheol hums, pulling her mouth off wetly and just nuzzling her nose against the length. “Tastes good…”

“I know. My girl likes cherry, doesn"t she?”

Seungcheol looks up at her, eyes glazed over. “Did you buy cherry lube for me?”

Jeonghan almost laughs. There"s no point hiding it. “Was it that obvious?”

Seungcheol"s eyes sparkle, then she slowly straightens back up and curls her arms around Jeonghan"s neck, kissing her. Jeonghan hums contentedly, kissing back soft and taking the opportunity to unhook Seungcheol"s bra.

“Take this off for me, princess.” She can"t seem to stop calling Seungcheol that.

Seungcheol doesn"t seem to like breaking the kiss but she"s quick to do as she"s told, the bra falling behind her on the bed. Then her hands go to her panties before she seems to think for a moment, then just pushes them to the side so her pussy is exposed and kneels up with her knees either side of Jeonghan"s waist. “Okay. Are you ready?”

“Am I ready?” Jeonghan laughs in surprise, running a hand up Seungcheol"s side as she looks up at her in reverence. She"s got such a determined look on her face, like she’s about to go into a match or defeat some zombies in her video games, but the added arousal settled in her glassy eyes and flushed cheeks and parted cherry-slick mouth makes it too fucking hot for words. “I"m not the one doing anything, are you ready?”

Seungcheol nods, breathy when she says, “I"ve been ready since the changing rooms. Haven"t stopped thinking about it…wanted it…wanted you…”

It feels like something feral is let loose inside Jeonghan, her nails digging into Seungcheol’s thighs. “Then take what you want, baby.”

Seungcheol keens quietly, lowering herself down until she can slide the tip of the dildo through her folds, eyelashes fluttering and a soft gasp escaping her when it glides over her clit. Jeonghan’s hands go to her waist for support, even though she"s not sure how much she"ll be able to support, and one of Seungcheol’s hands go over one of hers as the other holds the base of the dildo. Then, with tears in her eyes, Seungcheol slides it back until it finds her entrance and rolls her hips until the tip pops inside. Seungcheol mewls, and Jeonghan’s hands massage her sides, murmuring, “You can do it,” and “My good girl,” into her ear constantly as Seungcheol slowly feeds inch by inch inside her.

“How’s it…still going…t’so big,” Seungcheol slurs, slack-jawed even as she starts taking the inches faster and faster. Then when her ass finally meets Jeonghan’s thighs, she"s staring up at the ceiling, eyes blown wide and mouth permanently open. Jeonghan swipes her thumb through the mess of drool gathering at her chin, kissing her throat.

“You’re fucking amazing.”

Seungcheol whines at that, finally starting to move as she rolls her hips around the dildo without moving up and down just yet. “I-I can"t ride this thing-”

“Hm?” Jeonghan presses her lips under Seungcheol"s ear, wishing she could sink her teeth in. “I personally think Seungcheollie can do anything.”

Seungcheol whimpers, messily reaching out for Jeonghan"s face to pull her up into a kiss. Jeonghan gladly obliges, taking charge and sucking on Seungcheol’s limp tongue since Seungcheol seems too cock-dumb to kiss properly. Then Seungcheol shifts, raising herself up so that Jeonghan gets a faceful of lovely boobs again - but she"s not prepared for the way that Seungcheol slams back down, so hard that Jeonghan shakes and feels more sweet pressure against her pussy through the strap than she thinks she ever has. Seungcheol moans so loud that Jeonghan feels the pretty noise pulse right through her, and she can’t believe it when she sees Seungcheol already lifting herself up again.

Well, she"s no virgin even if she"s never taken a cock this big, and her movements are skilled just as much as they"re instinctive. The muscles in her thighs constricting, tits swinging without uniformity, hands braced against Jeonghan’s shoulders, eyebrows furrowed in concentration but mouth hanging open and eyes hazed in pure pleasure - watching her process is mesmerising.

Jeonghan"s so turned on that her pussy is positively aching, but she still can"t help being a little mean. When Seungcheol takes a little bit of a breather after sinking down another time, Jeonghan smacks her ass just sharp enough to make it jiggle, whispering in her ear, “Bounce faster, bunny.”

The sound Seungcheol lets out is in gasping indignation, brow furrowed like she doesn"t know whether to be mad at Jeonghan or insanely aroused. Jeonghan pulls back and smiles at her angelically, as if to ask ‘what?’, and Seungcheol makes a growl that goes straight between Jeonghan"s legs before she does what Jeonghan says - she bounces faster. She throws her head back in pained ecstasy as she keeps driving up and down, way up, way down, drooling so much that it slides down her chin between her tits and makes a trail all the way down to where they"re connected; Jeonghan"s quick to lap it up.

“God, look at you,” Jeonghan murmurs, licking a stripe up her abdomen until she can mouth at one of Seungcheol’s nipples, loving the way it makes Seungcheol spasm. “Taking this mammoth cock so well. This is what you were made for, huh? Should’ve been splitting you open with these since the start.”

Seungcheol whines. “B-But I like your fingers, too…your mouth…like all of you, Jeonghan, I- ah!”

It hasn’t been long, but there’s no doubt that a dildo this big would be hard to ride for longer than this. Seungcheol’s already done so well, so strong and determined even when Jeonghan can see that her shaking thighs are about to give out, so Jeonghan runs her hands up and down them soothingly. Then, the next time Seungcheol has sank down fully with sweat beading at her forehead, Jeonghan finally pushes forward and knocks Seungcheol onto her back.

Seungcheol is barely coherent whenever the dildo is filling her fully but she still opens her hazy eyes to stare up at Jeonghan in subdued confusion, slurring, “Jeong…?”

“You did amazing, Seungcheollie. It’s my turn to give it to you now,” Jeonghan coos, pressing a kiss to Seungcheol’s perpetually parted mouth. “You know what they call me?”

Question marks are written all over Seungcheol’s face as Jeonghan slowly pulls out, then sinks in just as slow, wanting Seungcheol to feel every excruciatingly delicious inch as it slides into her. Seungcheol gasps and quivers, arching off the bed in such a gorgeous way. Jeonghan takes the opportunity to slip a hand under her to rest against her back, leaning close so she can murmur hot and heavy in her ear, “Second-Half Sinker, right?”

Seungcheol seems to choke around half a laugh, half a moan. Jeonghan watches fondly as Seungcheol squirms in delirious breathy laughter, taking the time to raise one of Seungcheol"s legs over her shoulder and press her mouth to the warm flushed skin under her knee. “O-Oh my fucking- Han, that’s - terrible-!”

“And you…” Jeonghan pulls out with a smirk, fucks back in so deep that Seungcheol screams. “...love it.”

It doesn’t take long for Seungcheol to orgasm like that, writhing under Jeonghan’s slow thrusts and crying out the instant Jeonghan flicks a finger against her untouched clit. She massages the nub between her fingers, over and over, so amazed at how it’s throbbing so hard that she barely hears Seungcheol telling her to slow down. She only stops when Seungcheol winds up tight, clenching around the dildo and gushing slick with a long drawn-out moan. It’s rare for Seungcheol to squirt this much and Jeonghan watches in awe, running a finger through the mess. Seungcheol looks at her dizzily, eyes barely open, and when Jeonghan stares back as she slowly brings the finger to her mouth and sucks on it, Seungcheol starts breathing heavier. Jeonghan moans (genuinely moans, this isn’t even for teasing purposes now) after, feeling drunk. Tastes like Seungcheol and cherry...

She"s lightning quick to tear the harness off her so she can get one hand between her own legs and duck down, spreading Seungcheol’s knees further, tugging her panties down in one swift motion, and diving headfirst into her crotch. Seungcheol is all soft and pliant now, only letting out cute little moans and short breathy ‘ah’s as Jeonghan laps her up like a starving woman, running her tongue up and down her folds and suckling at her clit gently while rubbing her own. She dips into Seungcheol’s entrance sometimes, tonguing out cherry and sweet noises from Seungcheol’s mouth, and she’s in as deep as she can go when Seungcheol shakes again, tightening up around her and pushing another smaller wave of juices right onto Jeonghan’s waiting tongue. God, that does it for her. She fucks her tongue in one last time, pinches her own clit between her thumb and forefinger, then she’s unravelling, too.

“I think,” Seungcheol says in a daze when Jeonghan collapses beside her, “you’re some kind of sex god.”

Jeonghan’s replying spurt of laughter is more breath than laugh. “You’re silly.”

“Did you-?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. You were almost about to make me come untouched honestly.”

Seungcheol sighs dreamily. “That’s hot…”

Jeonghan snickers, watching Seungcheol slowly roll onto her side to face Jeonghan. She looks a mess right now, sweaty, hair unkempt as it sticks to her skin which is shiny and flushed. It’s stunning.

“Do you use those dildos on yourself?”

Jeonghan shakes her head. “Nah. Never.”

Seungcheol mouth drops open. “Wha- you literally only have all of those for other people?!”

“You’re the one who called me a sex god, Cheol, need to keep up a rep,” Jeonghan says with a wink, making Seungcheol scrunch up her face. “Yeah, it’s not really my thing and no-one’s ever wanted to use them on me either. Nothing’s really been inside me other than my fingers. Your lovely tongue, too, of course.”

“Woah,” Seungcheol says in what seems like awe, shuffling closer to Jeonghan who props herself on her side, too. “I mean, that makes sense, I guess, because you’re…um…” Seungcheol’s turning red for some reason, averting her eyes. “...you’re a top?”

“Getting all shy over queer lingo?” Jeonghan laughs as she slings an arm over Seungcheol’s back. “I’m whatever you want me to be.”

Seungcheol looks at her again, something hopeful (and something suspiciously darker) in her big eyes. “So you’d let me fuck you with a strap like that?”

Jeonghan freezes. She doesn"t love lacking control in sex, but she also hates the thought of riding. But her brain starts conjuring up images. Seungcheol is strong enough that she could fuck Jeonghan stupid against the wall, or even bounce Jeonghan in her lap without Jeonghan having to do anything. Jeonghan thinks about it, her ass meeting Seungcheol’s thick thighs every time she’s slammed down, Seungcheol’s built arms safe around her, letting Seungcheol manhandle her, completely take over her until her brain turns to mush. Seungcheol would be the type to constantly call her pretty the whole time she"s pounding into her with an unrelenting pace because she"s so fucking fit, mouthing into her neck "taking your first cock so well, my pretty Jeonghannie"...ah. Jeonghan feels a dull throb between her legs as she thinks she could definitely stand to lose some control to Seungcheol. Maybe all of it.

“Yes. Yeah,” Jeonghan answers in a hoarse voice, making Seungcheol light up. “But, uh, maybe not with a strap exactly like that.”

Seungcheol giggles. “You scared?”

Jeonghan balks. “Of course I’m fucking scared, we’re not all size queens with the resolve of steel!”

Seungcheol bites her lip, looking down before she takes Jeonghan’s hand and brings it to her chest. “But it was really good, you know. So big, fit so well. I could feel it right-” Seungcheol draws their hands down before pressing them in just above her navel, the ghost of a moan escaping her lips like she’s remembering exactly how it felt. “-here…”

Jeonghan’s breath hitches sharply. “Seungcheol.”

Seungcheol just smiles, pressing harder and gasping. “W-What? You gonna fuck me again?”

Jeonghan wants to, God, she so fucking wants to. But she also thinks her limbs have entirely liquefied.

“Give me an hour…”

Seungcheol bursts out laughing, then crawls over to hover above Jeonghan and kiss her sweetly, pulling the covers over them at the same time. “Heh, I could use some rest, too.”

Seungcheol slots into her arms under the covers, higher than Jeonghan is so she can tuck her head under Seungcheol’s chin and curl her arms safely around her waist. She holds Seungcheol close, like she’s scared she’ll leave, and it’s warm when Seungcheol cards her hands through Jeonghan’s hair and kisses the top of her head.

I love you, Jeonghan thinks. Mouths it over and over into the swell of Seungcheol’s breast, making Seungcheol squirm a little and tell her it tickles. Jeonghan closes her mouth around a patch of skin and sucks, deeply, making Seungcheol let out a quiet airy sigh. In another world, the pink mark it leaves would mean she could call Seungcheol hers. In this one, it means nothing.

Jeonghan moves to make more hickeys, but then Seungcheol lifts her head in her hands and presses their lips together, soft and dulcet as honey. Oh, right. Seungcheol probably doesn’t want to be marked by her. It’s why Jeonghan’s spent this whole time holding back from doing it.

But it’s hard to think about upsetting things like that when she’s being kissed so warmly, no tongue, just lips moving languidly to keep them connected in another way. Seungcheol feels so much like home, and even though there’s always a voice in Jeonghan’s head or a twinge in her chest that tells her this is wrong, it feels right. Being with her like this…it feels so right that she can pretend it is.

So Jeonghan gives up and presses closer, letting herself get lost in this.

It"s been just over two months into this whole thing, and Jeonghan and Minghao are lounging in a common area in the university because they’re between classes. They don’t feel like doing anything other than being in each other’s company, they’re not even talking - Minghao’s scrolling through their phone and Jeonghan’s taking a half-nap (a term she coined where you’re only half-asleep for a period of time), but they’re sharing Minghao’s knockoff airpods and it’s comfortable.

Seokmin is apparently going to come soon after fetching some drinks from a nearby vending machine, and Seungcheol texted Jeonghan asking where she was so Jeonghan assumes that she might be coming over, too. Jeonghan can’t wait to see her and have it charge her right up for the rest of the day.

Jeonghan’s leaning back with her arms on the back of the couch and sitting like a full douche because she knows Minghao hates it. Minghao does indeed give her a fed-up look. “Stop manspreading.”

Jeonghan brings her hands up to her mouth like a makeshift megaphone and claims, “You wouldn’t say that to a MAN!”

Minghao wrinkles their nose, threatening to throw their wallet at Jeonghan who just smiles and raises an eyebrow, daring them. They both have a heated staring contest for a minute before Jeonghan blinks heavily on purpose and Minghao chucks the wallet at her; but Jeonghan catches it. Minghao suddenly goes pale.

Jeonghan raises the wallet menacingly and Minghao looks ready to bolt - but then Seungcheol and Seokmin are suddenly appearing, with Seokmin instantly cuddling up to Minghao’s side which steals Minghao’s attention away, and Seungcheol just…takes a seat between Jeonghan’s douchey spread legs. Jeonghan goes stock still for a moment.

“So hot,” Seungcheol complains, flicking open the can of Red Bull in her hands and Jeonghan’s about to jokingly ask where her one is; but the instant after Seungcheol takes a sip, she holds the can back to Jeonghan without even looking. Jeonghan loves her. “Had a good day so far, babe?”

So yeah, seems like Seungcheol calls her babe sometimes now. Jeonghan’s cool with it. She"s literally so chill.

“Mhm.”

“Seungcheol-unnie found me at the vending machine!” Seokmin tells Minghao, and Minghao smiles back fondly, replying, “Yeah?”

“Yeah! She surprised me so much that I dropped the drinks so yours might be dented…”

Minghao kisses her cheek as they take their drink from her. “Don’t worry. Thank you for getting me one, love.”

Seokmin visibly melts, and Jeonghan thinks they’re adorable but there’s still that other less positive feeling swirling around inside her which makes her have to look away. Good thing that she has her own girl in her arms to worry about, leaning back into Jeonghan’s chest and looking up at her from her shoulder so sweetly. Jeonghan wishes she could kiss her in public, too.

“Hey, I’m wearing red for the thing tonight,” Seungcheol tells her, and Jeonghan furrows her eyebrows because…what thing? “You know your red shirt, the silk one, we’d match so well if you wore that! But if you’ve already picked out another outfit, can you try to wear something red with it? Just an accessory is good, I’ll come over before and-”

“Wait, wait, Seungcheol. Are you talking about that soirée your department’s having?” Jeonghan asks in confusion, and feels even more confused when Seungcheol just nods like it’s obvious. “Why would I be going to that?”

Seungcheol blinks, wide-eyed, before she swivels around in Jeonghan’s lap so fast to face her that it kind of burns Jeonghan’s legs a little. “What? But- I talked to you about it!”

“Yeah, like twice in passing, and I told you that I hope you have fun,” Jeonghan says slowly. “I’m sorry, Seungcheollie, if you actually invited me then I must’ve missed it.”

“Oh,” Seungcheol mumbles, deflating. “I mean, I guess I didn’t actually ask, I just assumed, I…have you made plans tonight?”

Jeonghan doesn’t have shit to do tonight, and she opens her mouth to say that because sure, she wouldn’t mind having a gorgeous girl on her arm at a stuck-up fancy event because she remembers only having fun on nights like those when she’s been with Seungcheol. But then, before she even gets the time to blink, something smacks her in the face with the force of finding out your perfect Sylvanian family got chewed up by your aunt’s fuckass dog.

Seungcheol is treating Jeonghan like she treats a boyfriend. Isn’t she?

Fuck, that explains everything. The pecks on the lips for no reason. Shared showers. Wearing Jeonghan’s clothes when she comes over to spend the night. The pet names. Celebration sex after winning matches. Casually sitting in Jeonghan’s lap like she owns it. And now assuming that Jeonghan’s her date to a fancy event just because she’s mentioned said event a couple times?

God, that’s not fair. Shit. She knows that Seungcheol"s never really done this before, that she"s a committed relationship person through and through and rarely ever sleeps around like Jeonghan does (or did), but this is obviously for fun. It"s just a chance for Seungcheol to fool around with a girl. How could it possibly be fair for her to treat Jeonghan like a hidden lover when it’s never ever going to become something real?

It’s ugly and petty, the way Jeonghan decides to lie and say, “Yeah, sorry, I’ve got plans.”

Seungcheol droops even more and Jeonghan needs to stay so strong against her big sad eyes. “Really? What are you doing?”

“Uh…” Jeonghan scans the room and her eyes quickly fall on Minghao who’s whispering something in Seokmin’s ear that’s making her laugh, and Jeonghan says loudly, “Me and Minghao are going to a kung fu match! Long overdue, honestly, Minghao’s always made martial arts sound so interesting to me.”

Seokmin and Minghao both snap out of whatever cute thing they’re doing to stare at Jeonghan in surprise, and Minghao opens their mouth but the instant Jeonghan shoots them a look, they seem to get it. “Oh, yeah! I always said I’d take unnie to a game but we always kept putting it off.”

Every time Minghao - connoisseur of morals and ethics who honours honesty and trust more than anything - lies for Jeonghan, it honestly makes her want to tear up a little. She’ll definitely pay them back for this.

Seokmin paws at Minghao’s arm, looking at them with sad and confused eyes, but Minghao murmurs something in her ear that instantly seems to make her feel better. Then Minghao gets up and says, “I’ll see you then, unnie. Seungcheol-unnie, see you later.”

Jeonghan smiles at them while Seungcheol and Seokmin both say their goodbyes too, then Minghao and Seokmin are leaving hand-in-hand and it’s just Jeonghan and Seungcheol in the entire study room. Seungcheol still looks upset, but seemingly not at Jeonghan since she’s still in her lap and kind of leaning into her for comfort. That makes Jeonghan feel like trash yet again.

So Jeonghan tips her face up gently with knuckles under her chin, making Seungcheol look at her in surprise, then she carefully draws her into a kiss. Tender, way more tender than it should be, and something uneasy coils up in Jeonghan’s stomach when she remembers that this would be the way Seungcheol’s past boyfriends kissed her to comfort her. It’s such a relationship-like thing to do.

But when Seungcheol kisses back, Jeonghan’s mind goes blank. For a little while she’s just blissfully happy again.

“I’m sorry, Seungcheollie,” Jeonghan tells her kindly, squeezing Seungcheol’s side. “I’ll try to make it if I can, yeah? I’ll let you know.”

Seungcheol smiles at that, happy and adoring which just makes Jeonghan feel even more sick because there’s no way she’s coming to that soirée at all. She just has a terrible habit of simply saying anything to make the people she loves feel better.

Seungcheol pecks her lips, telling her sweetly, “You don’t even have to wear red,” and Jeonghan laughs.

So, because she has to spend the night sad and lonely just because she can’t suck up her pride and go to a stupid fancy party with Seungcheol, Jeonghan decides to actually spend the night with Minghao. Which turns out to be unceremoniously crashing Minghao’s and Seokmin’s date night at Minghao’s apartment. Now Jeonghan gets why Seokmin reacted to Jeonghan’s lie like that.

“Can you leave,” Minghao grumbles for the hundredth time when they and Seokmin come back from the kitchen after getting water (they didn’t both need to go, they were probably making out or something) to find Jeonghan completely sprawled out against the sofa seats so that there’s no space left for anyone else. Jeonghan blankly gasps in offence, turning on her side and propping herself up on an elbow.

“Why are you a hater, Minghao! Seokmin wants me here, doesn’t she?”

“I’m fine with it, Minghao, seriously,” Seokmin giggles, looking all kinds of amused when Minghao frowns in betrayal at her. “Unnie is fun!”

“I’m fun,” Jeonghan repeats, winking at Seokmin gratefully and Seokmin beams in return. Jeonghan decides to move to make space for at least Seokmin because Minghao can get fucked, but they still end up being all romantic with Seokmin sitting on the sofa and Minghao sitting between her legs on the floor, pillowing their head with Seokmin’s lap. Gross.

“What happened while we were gone?” Seokmin asks Jeonghan, referring to the movie playing on the TV. Jeonghan says a sprite, “No idea!” and Minghao snaps again, “Literally what are you here for?”

Jeonghan just smiles sweetly while Seokmin pets Minghao to calm them down, and Minghao closes their eyes, nuzzling their face into Seokmin’s thigh. Jeonghan watches them with her chin in her palm, watches the way Seokmin easily strokes her fingers through Minghao"s hair and Minghao smoothly pecks the tip of one. Seokmin keeps her hand there which leads to Minghao kissing it all over and Seokmin lets out a smitten stream of giggles.

Jeonghan doesn"t think that Seokmin and Minghao mean to make her feel lonely. They"re just so in love that they"re doing it anyway, and Jeonghan is in love too but it isn"t a love that she can have like this. She hates how she can’t just be happy for them, or happy for herself that she’s finally doing everything she ever wanted with Seungcheol even if it’s not under a relationship label. She hates how any happiness she has always seems tainted and conditional.

“I think you two are very sweet,” Jeonghan murmurs, hoping she doesn"t sound as sad as she feels. Seokmin looks delighted, while Minghao tilts their head to look at Jeonghan with an unreadable look on their face, eyes soft and considering. Jeonghan sure hopes there isn’t any pity there, too.

Minghao squeezes Seokmin’s hand before getting up to take the seat on the sofa between her and Jeonghan, throwing an arm around Jeonghan’s shoulders and saying quietly, “Well, we’re pretty sweet, too.”

Jeonghan grins, holding up a piece of popcorn and Minghao rolls their eyes but does indeed open their mouth to let Jeonghan feed it to them. Jeonghan loves Minghao. Quite a lot.

They all kinda cuddle up together for the majority of the movie, Minghao the unwilling holder of all the snacks since they’re in the middle while Seokmin and Jeonghan swipe at them. Seokmin starts off seeming pretty into the film, but she’s nodding off well before the end, head lolling onto Minghao’s shoulder. Minghao kisses her temple, then tells Jeonghan with a sigh, “I don’t know why but Seokmin’s been losing sleep these days.”

“Maybe she stays up thinking about you,” Jeonghan sings, smiling when Minghao goes pink and mumbles, “Shut up.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised, you know. You’re the first person she’s ever been with, right?”

“Yeah…but she was the one who hit on me first.”

Jeonghan gasps in delight. “No way.”

Minghao chuckles. “Way. Her first time at a gay bar and she somehow decides to hit on the crying loser sitting at the counter.”

Oh. When Jeonghan thinks about it, Seokmin started showing up around Minghao not even three months ago (yet they’re already the most sickeningly sweet and strongest couple Jeonghan knows, that’s lesbians for you), but another thing that happened about two to three months ago was…Minghao getting into a big fight with their parents. Jeonghan thinks they’re still not on talking terms.

“So Seokmin’s the reason you didn’t call me until the next day, huh?” Jeonghan asks, laughing a little. “You found a cute girl to comfort you instead. Good for you, seriously!”

Minghao rolls their eyes. “I didn’t plan on it. Enough about me, though. What’s going on? Why did you lie to Seungcheol about going to a kung fu match of all things with me?”

Jeonghan pouts, slumping down the sofa. “Do we have to talk about that? Can’t you just let it go because you loooove me?”

Minghao sighs. “I’m not letting it go because I love you.”

Jeonghan covers her face like she’s bashful (maybe she is a little bit), lightly slapping Minghao’s arm. “You charmer.”

“Are you guys fighting or something? Are you mad at her for something she doesn’t know about so now you’re just going to pettily avoid and lie to her?”

Oh, ouch. Jeonghan almost physically winces from all that. “You don’t have to be so meanie. Is it such a crime to want to wallow in hurt for a little while?”

Minghao blinks in surprise. “Wait. I was right?”

Jeonghan stares at them in disbelief. They said all that so specifically and they didn’t even think they’d be right?

“I mean. Of course you’re free to take time for yourself,” Minghao says, looking like they’re reconsidering some things in their head. “Just, not too much, maybe? You’re both usually so good at making up with each other that I kinda don’t know what to say right now…”

Well, that’s because Jeonghan learnt long ago to put aside stubbornness when it comes to people she holds dear, and Seungcheol is too reliable to hold grudges that get in the way of things. They’re like that with everyone they know, not just each other.

But Jeonghan knows, deep down, that Seungcheol is different. They’ve had big fights before, fights that sometimes involve things they shouldn’t say and aggressive pillow-throwing and feelings they would never show anyone else. Fights that tire them out so much that they realise they’ve solved everything, they’ve said what they need to say, and they can smile at each other again. It happened when Jeonghan was careless and hurt herself at a snowboarding range after a minor football injury just the week earlier. It happened when Seungcheol didn’t tell her about a break-up once because she didn’t want Jeonghan to worry. It’ll probably happen again.

Because of the guilt that weighs Jeonghan down from hiding something as big as the true nature of her love, she has always made sure to be upfront and truthful with Seungcheol about everything else. But it’s not just because of the guilt, maybe? Seungcheol means more than any of Jeonghan’s stupid feelings, or at least she means enough for Jeonghan to get through her stupid feelings. For her. She’s always done it for her.

“Minghao, what time is it?” Jeonghan asks, straightening up, and Minghao looks confused but checks their phone anyway.

“8:30?”

Over an hour since the soirée started. Jeonghan can roll with that. “This might be a tall order, but can you dress me up?”

There’s a glint in Minghao’s eyes that used to scare Jeonghan but now she’s fond of it. “How long do I have.”

“ASAP? Please?”

“Got it.”

Minghao makes quick work of putting all the snacks they’re holding back on the table, and Seokmin wakes up from the shift with a confused groggy look on her face. Minghao immediately takes that face in her hands and kisses Seokmin, telling her after, “Rest here, love, I’ll be back in a moment.”

Seokmin nods agreeably, sleep-soft and a little dumb from the kiss. Minghao looks tortured to have to part from her - seriously, do they have to do this in front of Jeonghan? - but they just kiss Seokmin again before grabbing Jeonghan’s wrist and dragging her over to their room.

“This is for the soirée, right? Good for you,” Minghao says as they already start rifling through their wardrobes. “I already have a vision but do you have any requests?”

Jeonghan doesn’t have to think too hard about that. “Red.”

She makes it with probably less than an hour to spare, slightly out of breath while she rushes inside the hall then quickly tries to compose herself. She almost twisted an ankle running here on heeled boots, and the satin red shirt Minghao lent her is gorgeous but not good for sweat. She had to do a whole thing with the clerk at the door to confirm that she was a member of the university and she realises with a start that she has no idea if Seungcheol’s even still here - this isn’t going well at all.

She starts taking her phone out to contact Seungcheol as her eyes paint over the hall trying to find her…and just when she brings the phone up to her ear, that’s it. Jeonghan catches her at a standing table talking with someone that Jeonghan doesn’t recognise, a man in a neat suit. Seungcheol looks gorgeous, obviously, in one of her never-ending red dresses. This one is low cut, the skirt billowing out just slightly even with a slit to the side and it’s floor-length which is rare for her. Damn, she looks like a sexy princess…

But, unwillingly, Jeonghan catches something else. The guy Seungcheol is talking to is wearing a red tie.

Is it a coincidence or did…did Seungcheol find a last minute date? It wouldn’t be difficult for Seungcheol to do, a massive percentage of the university’s male population is head over heels for her. Jeonghan’s not special. Never has been. 

Fuck, she thinks. Am I even wanted here?

She slowly brings her phone down, ending the call without even looking. She’s ready to turn around and not look back, but suddenly Seungcheol jolts a little like she felt the ringtone in the short amount of time it went on for and takes her phone out of her purse. Jeonghan doesn’t know why her legs aren’t working as she watches Seungcheol’s eyes widen at her screen, then she’s looking up, out, like she’s sure that the reason Jeonghan was calling is because she’s here. When their eyes meet, Jeonghan knows she’s screwed.

She meekly stands there as Seungcheol seems to say a quick goodbye to the guy she’s talking to, but Jeonghan startles when Seungcheol pretty much starts running over. It’s no sprint but it’s still too fast for a greeting, the dash of an excited puppy running to her favourite person as Seungcheol grins at her, calling out, “You came! You’re wearing red!”, and Jeonghan feels like she’s drowning in pure love.

Yet the jealousy somehow still burns bright and ugly.

Something takes over Jeonghan, and the instant Seungcheol gets close enough, Jeonghan cups her face in her hands and kisses her. Hard. It’s a selfish act of possession that she’s not entitled to because she knows Seungcheol will hate it, she knows Seungcheol will shove her away and stare at her in betrayal since Jeonghan has broken their unspoken rule of keeping this private…wait. Uh. Why is Seungcheol kissing her back?

She’s enthusiastic about it as well, a smile (a smile?) on her lips as her hands press into Jeonghan’s waist and suddenly she’s in control, Jeonghan’s eyes popping open in surprise when Seungcheol slips her tongue into her mouth with ease. Seungcheol’s fingers hook into the belt loops of Jeonghan’s trousers to pull and drive their hips together and Jeonghan thinks okay, fuck, this is about to get too inappropriate for a public space. What’s going on?

She manages to break the kiss before she loses any semblance of restraint, and just stares into space in disbelief for a second as Seungcheol’s eyes gleam at her.

“You kissed me,” Seungcheol says, looking so happy and Jeonghan is so confused. “You kissed me in front of-" Seungcheol looks around for a moment. "I mean, I guess no-one really saw but they could"ve so - does this mean-”

“I’m sorry,” Jeonghan blurts out as her hands fall away from Seungcheol who freezes. “I didn’t go to a kung fu match with Minghao. I lied.”

Seungcheol’s face quickly drops. Jeonghan hates it.

“What…why-”

“I didn’t want to come here,” Jeonghan admits, squeezing her eyes shut. “I wasn’t feeling good, I don’t know, I was getting in my head and I know that doesn’t excuse me lying but- I’m sorry, Seungcheol, I’m so sorry.”

Seungcheol doesn’t say anything for a moment. Jeonghan’s hands are starting to tremble, and she doesn’t know why she’s spiralling like this. One lie wouldn’t mean the end of their friendship. Of course it wouldn’t. Would it?

Jeonghan suddenly realises that she’s probably spent this entire two months waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting for when something would go wrong, for when things finally go too far. For the end of the best thing in her life. 

Then her eyes snap open when hands clasp her face gently, and Seungcheol is looking at her with a frown and furrowed brow, a little bit of hurt in her eyes but it’s mostly drowned out by confusion and…worry. “Jeonghan, it’s okay.”

Jeonghan stops holding her breath. “What?”

“Sure, I don’t like that you lied but you seem really sorry…like, too sorry,” Seungcheol says, her frown deepening. “Are you okay? You shouldn’t have come if you weren’t well.”

Ah. Seungcheol thinks she’s feeling sick. “Sorry.”

“Stop saying that,” Seungcheol scolds, slapping one of Jeonghan’s boobs which makes her yelp. Who just slaps boobs?! “And hey.” Seungcheol brings Jeonghan’s face closer, telling her softly, “I’m the last person who’d judge you for not feeling like going to a social event. Just tell me next time, Han, how don’t you know already that you can tell me anything?”

Yeah, Jeonghan knows that. Or at least, she used to know that. But nothing’s the same as it used to be. She finally has Seungcheol in her arms, in her bed, on her tongue; but it’s clear to see that she’s hurting more right now than she ever has in the past three years that she’s been in love with Seungcheol. She"s somehow pining even more, she"s anxious all the time, she"s consumed with jealousy over someone she doesn"t even have and she"s distancing herself from her friends all because she"s keeping something so big from them. The only person she really talks to these days other than Seungcheol is Minghao, and that"s probably because of some unhealthy desire she has to make sure Minghao stays by her side even if they have a girlfriend and keep being a rotten third wheel just because she"s so fucking envious.

This isn"t good for her. Her or Seungcheol.

So, even though she came all this way, even though she got future renowned fashion designer Xu Minghao to dress her up just to make Seungcheol smile, Jeonghan whispers before she can stop herself, “I don’t think I can do this anymore.”

Shit. She really said it.

The look on Seungcheol’s face in reply is haunting. Her expression is frozen but her wide eyes fill with a rush of emotions, from disbelief to pain to denial to pure unbridled anger, and then suddenly she’s grabbing Jeonghan’s arm and dragging her out of the hall. Jeonghan can only follow and try not to trip over her two feet, but she almost falls anyway when Seungcheol shoves her against the nearest wall outside before scrunching her shirt collar up in her hands.

“Jeonghan. Jeonghan, explain exactly what you meant by that-”

“I don’t want this,” Jeonghan says, voice trembling. “I don’t think I ever wanted this.”

Jeonghan knows she’s practically signing their friendship’s death note but now that she’s said it out loud, she knows it’s the truth. She can’t pretend she’s okay anymore.

“What do you mean?” Seungcheol pleads, her eyes quickly glassing up. “You’re lying. If- if you never wanted to be with me, why didn’t you say something earlier? Why did you let it go on this far?”

“Because I love you,” Jeonghan croaks out, feeling like her lungs, heart, every single one of her organs are about to give up on her. Her own eyes are welling up with tears and yet she’s filled with self-hatred at making Seungcheol cry. “But I can’t. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Seungcheol’s anger flares up again, eyes blazing as she opens her mouth probably to tell Jeonghan to stop apologising again, but then those eyes are scanning Jeonghan’s face. She must look a right state because whatever Seungcheol sees makes her hard edges soften, her hands in Jeonghan’s shirt loosening. “Why do you…what did I do to make you look so…”

Seungcheol lets go then, taking a few steps back. It’s horrible, how Jeonghan still instinctively wants to reach out for her. “Fine, do whatever you want. But you need to tell me why one day. You can’t just do this without explaining yourself, I-I know you’re not feeling good but if you change your mind when you feel better then-”

Jeonghan expects Seungcheol to tell her to fuck off, that she’d never take Jeonghan back even if she grovels. But instead, Seungcheol comes back to her, closing the gap between them again. She bows her head so that Jeonghan can’t see her face as she rests trembling fists on Jeonghan’s shoulders, whispering hoarsely, “Please change your mind…”

And before Jeonghan can even think about holding her, Seungcheol pushes Jeonghan away, turns on her heel, then marches right back into the venue. Jeonghan knows her breathing is getting hard, laboured, but she can barely hear it. She looks down at her hands, shaking and wishing Seungcheol was in them, but she’s fucked it up. Everything’s over all because she doesn’t know how to stop being pathetically in love.

It’s cold, and she didn’t bring a jacket, but she doesn’t want to go home. She doesn’t want to go back to a place that had Seungcheol in it a hundred times but maybe never again.

Jeonghan barely even registers lowering herself to her knees. She wants to cry but no tears are coming. She doesn"t know how long she stays like that but soon something wet hits her head, and when she looks up, she winces at water droplets starting to spatter into her eyes. So she closes them. She just kneels there with her face up to the sky, thinking that maybe raindrops messily streaking down her face can feel cathartic enough to seem like she’s actually crying.

Jeonghan’s pathetic little telenovela moment in the rain has her catching a cold (serves her right), and she has to take the next week off uni. She can barely think straight through the phlegm but her head is still swimming with thoughts of Seungcheol, only Seungcheol. She keeps checking her phone but there aren’t any texts or calls from her, and Jeonghan has no right to contact her first. Not when she’s not ready to provide the closure Seungcheol asked for.

Minghao checks up on her every now and then, bringing cold medicine and things they think Jeonghan might need. Jeonghan always wants to ask them to stay, tell them that she can’t be alone right now, but Minghao has their own life to deal with, their own girlfriend, and they probably think that Seungcheol’s taking care of Jeonghan like she usually does.

But, oddly enough, Minghao never asks about what happened at the soirée. Jeonghan never said anything, so Minghao didn’t either. They just wordlessly come by, give Jeonghan things, make her food, stroke her hair a little, then leave. And Jeonghan is a little baffled but immensely grateful to have even that.

Her phone’s been blowing up all week with messages from her friends, but she hasn’t had the heart to answer any. When she’s finally better, though, she tries her best to get round to it before she gets ready for school. Minghao texts her a ‘👍?👎?’ and Jeonghan texts a ‘👍~!’ back.

All day, she gets people coming up to her and greeting her like she’s been gone for months. It’s a bit tiring, she won’t lie, but it’s nice to see them. She didn’t actually know she was on friendly terms with this many people, but she guesses she has a tendency to randomly talk to anyone in class or get-togethers…yet for every person who says hi that’s not Seungcheol, she feels worse and worse.

It’s not that she actually wants to see Seungcheol, though. Not when she might be waiting for Jeonghan to explain why she ended things, or ask if she changed her mind. Jeonghan can’t change her mind, no matter how much she wants Seungcheol in her arms again. She just can’t.

All she hopes, desperately, is that they can be friends again one day. Maybe not as close as before but she’ll take anything she can get.

God, Seungcheol, Seungcheol, Seungcheol. This is driving her insane. Sure, she used to think about Seungcheol all the time, too, but that was in happier, lighter, lovestruck ways. Even the darker feelings never felt this dark, this…overwhelming. She can’t focus in class. She can’t focus in conversations, she has to keep asking people to repeat themselves. She can’t sleep. She catches herself feeling stressed, irritable, wanting to lash out at people who have done nothing, and it makes her feel horrified. This isn’t who she is.

What makes it worse, too, is quite a few people keep asking her where Seungcheol is. It"s weird. Jeonghan knows that most people in their year are probably aware that they"re close, but it"s not like they’re attached at the hip since they have different courses, and no-one’s ever expected Jeonghan to know Seungcheol"s schedule before. It takes everything in her not to snap at these people and just leave.

One Thursday when Jeonghan’s head is aching and she’s finally on her way home after a long day, she catches a familiar someone leaning against the wall of the Arts department as she taps happily at her phone, clearly texting someone. Jeonghan eyes her for a second, and even though she knows it’s not a good idea to talk to anyone right now, she goes over anyway.

“Seokmin.”

Seokmin looks up, startled, but she quickly brightens at the sight of Jeonghan. “Unnie!”

“You texting Minghao?” Jeonghan asks, and something coils in her gut when Seokmin nods happily. “You meeting up with them?”

“Yeah! Their class finishes in fifteen so I thought I might wait somewhere close by.”

“You two really can’t stay away from each other.”

Seokmin blushes, averting her gaze shyly as she scratches her cheek. “Heh, I guess so…do you think I’m being too clingy?”

“I think Minghao’s being more clingy than you are,” Jeonghan snorts a little bitterly, but Seokmin doesn’t seem to pick up on the tone as she gasps, “Really?”

“Mhm. They were never like this with any other girls they’ve been with.”

Seokmin blinks, looking just like a deer caught in headlights. “Other…?”

Jeonghan raises her eyebrows. “What? You thought you were Minghao’s first girl?”

“No, no!” Seokmin backtracks quickly, waving her hands about. “I figured that they’re way more experienced than me but I, um…we’ve never talked about it, so…”

“Right.” Jeonghan waves a dismissive hand. “Well, I won’t bore you with the details. It’s nothing compared to me.”

Seokmin looks confused. “What?”

Interesting. “You don’t know about me, Seokmin? My reputation?”

“Oh, yeah! I know you’re super popular. It’s ‘cause you’re pretty and nice, right?”

Jeonghan lets out a short laugh, a humourless sound that makes Seokmin flinch. “Oh, darling, that’s nothing. I should’ve known, a sheltered little lesbian like you would’ve come to me ages ago if they knew about my rep, they all do. I can’t believe Minghao got to you first.”

Seokmin flares up, eyebrows furrowing like she’s getting mad but she’s not quite sure what to be mad about. “U-Unnie, I don’t know what you mean-”

“I might be pretty,” Jeonghan says, voice lowering as she steps closer, “but I’m not nice, Seokmin. I eat girls like you for lunch, half this school’s female population are on my body count. So maybe I’ve only been nice to you because Minghao’s always around. Maybe I’ve been waiting to feast on you the instant they leave.”

Seokmin’s eyes have gone so wide. “B-But-”  

If Jeonghan"s lost Seungcheol, then it shouldn"t hurt too much more if she loses Minghao, too. Maybe she"s just meant to be alone.

“I know you’d want me if Minghao wasn’t in the picture,” Jeonghan murmurs, pressing her knuckles under Seokmin’s chin, thumb brushing over her cheek. “But we don’t have to tell them. Would you kiss me if I said I’d take it to my grave?”

Seokmin seems to have lost control of her vocal chords, but she still wildly shakes her head. Jeonghan sneers cruelly, removing her hand. “Of course you wouldn’t. And if I kissed you, you’d go running straight to Minghao, because you’re such a good girl, because you’re so in love, because you two have every fucking thing that I could ever-”

Jeonghan stops then, when she finally takes in Seokmin’s expression. She’s shaking like a leaf, her lips trembling even as she purses them tightly, and her eyes, fuck, they’re filled to the brim with tears even though she seems to be trying so hard not to let any escape. Jeonghan"s hurting her.

Why is she even doing this?

“Go, Seokmin," Jeonghan mutters, taking a big step back and looking away. "I’m sorry. Just get away from me.”

But Seokmin is the biggest fucking sweetheart who can clearly tell something’s wrong with Jeonghan, and she says even while she’s in tears, “I-It’s okay, unnie, we- we can talk-”

“Please just go!” Jeonghan affirms, squeezing her eyes shut. She hears Seokmin sniffle before footsteps run away from her, and when Jeonghan opens her eyes again, Seokmin is nowhere to be seen. Thank God.

She needs to go home. She needs to go the fuck home and sleep until she can pretend none of this ever happened. Now not just one but maybe two of her closest friends in the world might never speak to her again, but she won’t think about that right at this moment or she might go insane.

Even if she deserves it, she doesn"t want to imagine leading a life without them. 

Sleep, a kind voice says in her mind that sounds familiar, warmer than any of the voices that have been in Jeonghan’s head lately as she eventually gets to her apartment and stumbles over to her bed. Even trash need to rest.

Somehow, Jeonghan gets the best sleep she’s had in a very long time. When she wakes up the sun is shining, she’s not unnecessarily angry, her head isn’t throbbing. The world seems brighter.

Then that all comes crashing back down when the instant she opens her front door to leave for class after getting dressed (yeah, wow, she seriously slept all the way until 8am), a fist comes flying out of nowhere and sucker-punches her right across the face.

The force is so strong that Jeonghan crashes straight to the floor, too shocked for even a single noise to leave her mouth. The pain doesn’t hit until a second later, but she gets distracted when the mystery person crouches down, grabs Jeonghan by the collar to pull her up, and seethes right in her face, “If you ever fucking speak to my girlfriend like that again, it won’t end with one hit.”

Jeonghan stares at Minghao for a moment, and Minghao stares back, teeth gritted and eyes ablaze with fire. They genuinely look like they want to kill Jeonghan right now, and yet all she can think is: Minghao’s still talking to me after what I did.

For the first time since what happened with Seungcheol, Jeonghan’s eyes fill with tears.

“Minghaoooo,” Jeonghan sobs, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around Minghao tight, sniffling and snotting into their shoulder. Minghao seizes up in the embrace, utterly confused as they let go of Jeonghan’s collar and kind of awkwardly hold their arms up in the air.

“Wha- what the hell? What’s going on, unnie?”

“Too much,” Jeonghan admits through shaky breaths. “Thank you, Minghao…thank you for coming…thank you for punching me...thank youuuu…”

“You’re so weird,” Minghao mutters, but it’s not long before they’re hugging Jeonghan too, rubbing a hand up and down her back and holding the back of her head safely. It makes Jeonghan cry harder, so so hard, and Minghao holds her like that on the floor the whole time.

They let go the instant they make sure Jeonghan’s fine after she’s stopped crying, though. It makes Jeonghan want to cry again, but it’s to be expected - Minghao’s probably overwhelmingly mad right now. They just pushed it aside for a moment because they saw Jeonghan cry when Jeonghan never cries, and goodness, Jeonghan seriously loves Minghao so much that it hurts. She wants to say that, but it’s not the time.

Minghao shuffles away from her, pressing their back to the door that they must’ve closed at some point during Jeonghan’s fit. Jeonghan stares at the floor, suddenly feeling so cold.

“I think I’m kind of done with you,” Minghao says eventually, and that terrifies Jeonghan so much until Minghao keeps talking. “As in, I need you to make some changes. I need you to have better coping mechanisms. I need you to stop acting like some tortured fuckboy when you’re just a sex-positive lesbian who likes to have fun now and then. And I need you to start telling me what’s wrong.”

“I always wanted to tell you,” Jeonghan says weakly. “I’ve spent the last two months constantly wishing I could talk to you.”

“Two fucking months,” Minghao mutters under their breath like they’re completely and utterly fed-up. But then they say, louder yet gentler, “Then talk to me, unnie. Please.”

Jeonghan raises her head, and when she’s met with Minghao’s warm encouraging eyes, she breaks like a dam. It’s beyond words how freeing it is just telling them everything, from how she’s been in love with Seungcheol from the start and how things culminated after Seungcheol said she was bi at the club and everything that followed. Minghao inches closer with each sentence, seeming to know that Jeonghan needs them close. Even when Jeonghan self-loathingly admits that she’s been harbouring some twisted hatred towards Minghao’s and Seokmin’s relationship because of how sweet it is, Minghao takes her hand and squeezes.

“I’m sorry,” Minghao says softly, even though they don’t need to apologise for anything. “I think if I knew you were going through this, I never would’ve acted so couply with Seokmin around you.”

“But I love you two together,” Jeonghan says miserably. “Yeah, sure, it wasn’t good for me to be around a couple so much, but she makes you so happy, Minghao. I’ve adored seeing you like that.”

“And yet you still tried to take her away from me, huh?”

God. Jeonghan wants to say that yes, she was an absolute asshole, but no, she wasn’t trying to take Seokmin away. Because she knew one hundred percent that Seokmin wouldn’t let herself be taken away. It’s so obviously clear that Seokmin is completely head over heels for Minghao and would never look another person"s way - Jeonghan’s been subject to them enough to know that for sure.

“I’m just an envious wench, witnessing young love is like poison to me,” Jeonghan sighs. “I’d never truly hit on your girlfriend, you know.”

“Yeah, I thought I could count on that,” Minghao scoffs, though it seems light-hearted. There’s a short pause before they say, “Seriously, though, Seokmin’s really shaken up by what happened. I kinda don’t want you to ever talk to her again.”

Jeonghan hangs her head despondently. “Yeah, I get it-”

“But I"ve always wanted to have you as my maid of honour, and I’m pretty sure she’s the girl I’m going to marry,” Minghao continues way too casually, and Jeonghan snaps her head up in surprise. “So you better give her an incredible apology because I’m not letting someone my bride hates be part of my wedding.”

“Minghao,” Jeonghan says in pure awe, starting to choke up again. Sometimes Minghao is just too cool and romantic for words. “Yes, I- of course I’ll be your maid of honour, of course I’ll apologise, I-”

“It has to be in public.”

“Okay!”

“I have to be there.”

“Absolutely.”

“If Seokmin wants to leave, then you let her leave.”

“Yessiree.”

“But first,” Minghao says, wrapping Jeonghan’s hand up in both of theirs. “I need to tell you something. About Seungcheol.”

Jeonghan’s heart sinks. “W-What is it? Is she okay?”

Minghao shakes their head. “No. She’s apparently been holed up in her room, hasn’t gone to uni in weeks, and here’s the thing. It seemed like a rumour, but then I heard from Jisoo herself that Seungcheol told her she’s been through a break-up.”

Jeonghan blinks. Then she blinks again. “What?”

“We were all confused, too. We didn’t even know Seungcheol was dating anyone. I didn’t talk to you about it because I assumed you guys fought at the soirée and then you got sick, but after everything you just told me - isn’t she talking about you?”

“But we were never together?” Jeonghan says dumbly. “We didn’t break up. I just said I wanted to stop the sex and kissing and stuff…I was kinda dramatic about it but I’m always dramatic about Seungcheol.”

Minghao shrugs. “Then maybe that’s what she was talking about, it’s probably just easier to tell an outsider that it was a break-up. But I think she’s really sad about this, Jeonghan. I honestly haven’t seen her around in ages.”

Jeonghan’s chest feels tight. Why does Seungcheol seem to be doing her break-up routine over Jeonghan? She"s good at sex but she can’t be that good. The only thing that seems to make sense is that Seungcheol is treating this like a friend break-up. That she thinks her and Jeonghan will never be friends again…

Back when the pain was still fresh, Jeonghan remembers accepting that that might be the case. That she’d hold onto hope that Seungcheol might want to be her friend again, but she wouldn’t bank on it. But now she’s appalled. How the fuck could she even consider that she could live without Seungcheol by her side without at least fighting for her?

“Shit,” Jeonghan breathes out. “Why am I on the floor. I should be out there trying to win her back.”

“Obviously,” Minghao says with a roll of their eyes. “Talking about your feelings is good, too, though-”

“Minghao, read the room!” Jeonghan yelps as she gets up and dashes over to her kitchen, and Minghao sighs, waiting for her. Jeonghan emerges with her arms full of ice-cream and any snack she had in her cupboards, stuffing them into her bag. Then she crouches down, squishes Minghao"s face in her hands, tells them, “I adore you, I"ll apologise to Seokmin as soon as I can,” and sprints right out of the apartment. Minghao yells after her, “STOP RUNNING, SHE LIVES FIVE MINUTES AWAY!”

Minghao’s right, and Jeonghan really shouldn’t tire herself out before seeing Seungcheol, but her legs won’t stop. She reaches Seungcheol’s apartment building in record time even if her lungs are on fire and she’s about to smash the button of Seungcheol’s flat on the intercom by the door when…when she hesitates. She almost goes down a spiral again, until some random guy moves past her, buzzes himself in, and goes inside. Jeonghan blinks for a long moment before she snaps into action and slips inside just before the door closes.

Jeonghan knows where Seungcheol’s apartment is. Obviously. She’s been there a million times over the years, for movie nights and games and cuddles. For sleepy kisses and morning sex and feeding each other breakfast…

Jeonghan snaps herself out of it. She has more important things to do than yearn, even if sometimes that feels like the only thing she knows how to do.

She doesn’t want to surprise Seungcheol too much (even if it’s a bit too late for that), so she shoots her a quick text that simply says ‘I’m here’ before getting to her door, and raising a fist to knock. But all it takes is a moment, a split-second of hesitation where she waits there and wonders if she’s doing the right thing, before the door is wrenched open. Jeonghan’s eyes widen.

“Jeonghan…?” Seungcheol says, quiet and disbelieving. Like she can’t be sure that Jeonghan’s actually there. Jeonghan wants more than anything to wrap her up in her arms, press warm kisses into her neck and reassure her that ‘I’m here, I’m here, I’m here’ over and over again but…Seungcheol looks terrible. She’s wearing old worn pyjamas with ice-cream stains on them, her hair’s messy and tangled, and her eyes are grey and puffy. Jeonghan’s seen her like this before, multiple times, and the urge to take care of her makes her forget everything else.

She’s careful as she steps closer, but Seungcheol doesn’t stop her, doesn’t move away. It almost seems like a sense of relief starts to come into her expression as Jeonghan rests a gentle hand on Seungcheol’s side, a gentler one on her cheek, and Seungcheol closes her eyes while she just melts. Melts closer, melts into Jeonghan’s touch, and Jeonghan has missed her so much that it hurts.

“Jeonghan,” Seungcheol says again, a heavy whisper this time as she blinks her eyes open and reaches out for Jeonghan’s face. Jeonghan lets her, nudging her jaw into Seungcheol’s hands, and Seungcheol’s eyes soften. Her fingers lightly trace over the angry red bruise from Minghao’s punch earlier, gentle and worried, and Jeonghan just shakes her head and tells her softly, “I’m okay.”

But when Seungcheol flicks her eyes down to Jeonghan’s lips, leans in with her plush cherry lips parted, Jeonghan wavers. She’s not here to kiss Seungcheol. She’s just here to get her friend back.

She jerkily turns her head to the side, and Seungcheol stops just before her lips meet Jeonghan’s cheek. Then suddenly she lets go and moves away, making a part of Jeonghan die inside. She has to let her arms fall back to her sides no matter how much she wants to keep holding on.

“Why are you here, Jeonghan?” Seungcheol mutters, crossing her arms so tightly that it’s like she’s hugging herself. “I know I said I wanted closure but I-I’m not really in the mood right now-”

“Did I really make you this sad?”

Seungcheol pauses, and when she looks up, her eyes are piercing. “What the fuck do you mean?”

Jeonghan tries not to flinch at Seungcheol’s unexpectedly harsh tone. “I mean, I…I heard that you haven’t gone to class since. Or like out, anywhere. This is how you usually act after a break-up, I know, but - can’t we still be friends?”

Seungcheol looks like Jeonghan just told her that vampires are real. “You’re insane. I’ve never in my life been able to be friends with an ex and I doubt that’ll start now. It always hurts, but I’ve never felt pain like when you broke up with me, Jeonghan. You couldn’t tell me why, you acted like you’d been suffering while being with me when I was the idiot who spent the whole time being so happy…God, you made me so so happy only to tear it all away without any warning. Even just seeing your face hurts when I know that you’re not trying to take me back. Instead you’re asking if we can still be fucking friends?!”

“Seungcheol, stop,” Jeonghan says, voice trembling. “Stop saying that I broke up with you.”

Seungcheol scrunches up her face. “But you did.”

“No, I didn’t!”

“Jeonghan, how the fuck else am I meant to take you saying you can’t do this anymore-”

“I was obviously talking about the sex, Seungcheol!” Jeonghan yells, making Seungcheol freeze up. “Well, not just the sex, the kissing, the touching, just everything that started happening after that night at the club. I didn’t want it anymore because it just wasn’t fair, not when you were treating me like you treat your boyfriends when you’d never actually want me like that. I was just a tool for your experience with girls and honestly I would’ve been okay with that if you didn’t start calling me babe or kissing me all the time or thinking I’d be your date for some fucking soirée-”

“Oh my God,” Seungcheol interrupts thickly, hoarse and broken. “You didn’t think we were dating.”

Jeonghan pauses, having to take a long, long moment to process that. But she doesn’t have the luxury of time because soon Seungcheol’s turning and running away, and Jeonghan’s body moves before her brain to follow.

“Seungcheol, woah, wait-”

“No, fuck, get away from me!” Seungcheol shouts, barrelling into her bedroom and trying to shut the door behind her. It doesn’t have a lock, though, and by the time Jeonghan opens it, Seungcheol is buried under her covers, a shaking lump on the bed. Jeonghan can hear her sobbing and it shatters her heart to pieces, but there’s also another feeling bubbling up inside her right now. Something alien, something good - something that feels like hope.

Jeonghan carefully goes over, taking a seat next to the lump and resting a tender hand on it. “Seungcheollie. Please talk to me.”

“I’m s-so - so stupid,” Seungcheol sniffles, shaking even harder under Jeonghan’s hand. “All this time, I thought- and you didn’t- y-you thought we were f-fucking friends with benefits?!”

“I…I guess, but could you blame m-”

“I should have expected it,” Seungcheol continues. “I-I gave you the benefit of the doubt because I was thinking of you as my best friend who was always lovely to me, not the fucking player you are, I-” Seungcheol suddenly lets out a sharp sob. “God, you were probably still sleeping with other girls the whole time. That strap you fucked me with was probably in another hole just days earlier - or hours-!”

“No, Seungcheol,” Jeonghan says miserably. “I haven’t been with anyone else since we first slept together. I would’ve never been able to do that.”

Seungcheol doesn’t say anything for a moment, just sniffling quietly as Jeonghan keeps petting her over the covers. Then she slowly starts peeking her head out, like a cute bunny coming out of her hutch, and she’s all messy hair and big wet eyes when she tells Jeonghan, “I wasn’t treating you like my boyfriends, Jeonghan. I was treating you like my girlfriend.”

Jeonghan’s breath hitches, her heart suddenly beating so fast. Seungcheol’s girlfriend. She called Jeonghan her girlfriend. She wants to hear it again, a million times over, she wants Seungcheol to say it against every part of her body - but instead of saying any of that, she just opens up the covers and slips in beside Seungcheol’s warm familiar body, wrapping an arm around her even as she leaves a little distance between them. Seungcheol looks at her with shimmering eyes for a moment, before she looks down at Jeonghan’s shirt collar and starts playing with it.

“I’ve always been attracted to you, you know?” Seungcheol continues quietly, hands so close to Jeonghan’s heart which starts beating even faster. “It started getting easier to deal with the longer we were friends, but at the start, you made me so nervous. In a good way. You were pretty and sweet and paid so much attention to me, and I’ve stared at your lips, like, a lot. I think I spent years trying to forget how much I wanted to kiss you…so when you kissed me on that club night, it felt like everything slotted into place. It felt like that was how we were supposed to be, that maybe it had taken a while but we’d finally got there, and it felt like-”

Seungcheol stops for a second, hands clenching into trembling fists against Jeonghan’s chest. “I thought it felt like you thought the same thing. I was happy, and scared, and nervous, and so excited at the thought of dating you. Never once did it feel like something I didn’t want. You weren’t talking about picking up other girls anymore or flirting with any in front of me so I thought ‘oh my God, we’re exclusive’. I assumed that we were keeping the relationship private so we wouldn’t shock our friends too much but I kept getting greedy, kept wishing I could show off that you were mine, I was yours, but I knew I could wait if you didn’t want that. And I used to always wonder why you’d never give me lovebites because like all my exes used to really love giving them; I’ve never really cared about them personally but I was used to it. Then one time you marked me, just once, and when I saw it in the bathroom mirror the next morning, I just couldn’t stop staring at it. It made me feel like jelly. I wished it was higher, more visible - a-ah, I’m going off on a tangent but…I really love the thought of being yours, Jeonghan. I think I already was long before we even started this.”

Jeonghan thinks this might actually kill her.

“You spent even more time with me than you used to, and you let me kiss you whenever I wanted, and you touched me with so much desire and care, it was like you wanted me in so many more ways than one and I-” Seungcheol pauses to catch her breath, tears threatening to spill from her eyes again. “Maybe…maybe the first night was about an experience with a girl. But I was only able to do it because it was with you. The instant it went further - the instant you let it go further, it was not just me - it wasn’t about that anymore. It was just about loving you.”

Seungcheol gets a determined look in her eyes as she gets closer, scrunching Jeonghan’s shirt in her hands. “I’m bisexual, Jeonghan. That’s something I already knew before I had sex with you, you didn’t confirm it for me or anything and I don’t want you to define me by the fact that I’ve only been with guys. Not when I’m pretty sure I love you more than I’ve loved anyone I’ve ever dated.”

Jeonghan smiles, stroking a thumb over Seungcheol’s hip. “My captain speaks so well. I’m in a-awe. Oh-”

Jeonghan didn’t even know she was crying until she spoke, until the words seemed difficult and too thick to get out. She honestly thought that she’d cried enough to last a lifetime back with Minghao this morning. Seungcheol seems to melt at the sight of her, caressing Jeonghan’s face and reaching up to press gentle kisses to the corner of her eyes, the tear tracks. She’s so wholehearted and unhesitant in her love that it"s overwhelming and Jeonghan has to stop her for a moment, resting a hand on Seungcheol’s wrist.

“Do you remember the party we met at three years ago? When we were still undergraduates?” Jeonghan asks throatily, and Seungcheol looks confused but nods. “Did you know that the reason I went up to you is because I was trying to hit on you? And fell head over heels for you within, like, five minutes?”

Jeonghan gets her answer when Seungcheol’s eyes blow wide. “Wait, wait - what?”

“All these years, I’ve been wondering if you knew that I was at least flirting with you. I mean, it seemed like you might’ve caught on but then again, I wouldn’t try to become friends with someone who hit on me while I had a boyfriend. You seemed happy to talk to me the instant you saw me again, though, so I was never sure.”

“Oh God,” Seungcheol groans, ducking her head in utter embarrassment. “Oh God.”

“Hm? What’s wrong?” Jeonghan asks carefully, not sure why Seungcheol is having this big of a reaction. Seungcheol looks back up with a pained grimace and replies, “I…no, I didn’t know you were hitting on me, but I remember thinking you were so hot.”

A thrum of shocked delight goes through Jeonghan. “Really now?”

“Ugh, yeah, I was still trying to come to terms with my bisexuality while keeping it a secret from my boyfriend back then and suddenly a gorgeous masc comes up to me at the first party I go to in months and she smells nice and she keeps getting close to me and-” Seungcheol groans again, bright red in humiliation while Jeonghan watches her in awe. “I thought that you were just being really nice, and I was the terrible one who kept wondering what it would be like to kiss you. So when we were on the sofa, and your lips brushed against my neck, I knew it was an accident but I suddenly wanted you so badly that it terrified me.”

“It wasn’t an accident,” Jeonghan admits, not happily. Although she feels her neurons throwing a party inside her because holy shit, Seungcheol wanted her that night. “But I still wish I never did it. You looked so scared of me.”

“No, Jeonghan, I was scared of my own feelings,” Seungcheol sighs. “I was scared of what it all meant, you know? How you were making me feel. But I was probably scared of cheating the most. I think if I didn’t have a boyfriend back then, I might"ve ended up letting you fuck me right there on the sofa.”

Jeonghan’s jaw sets tight. “I’m killing him.”

“Nooo, come back!” Seungcheol says between laughter as Jeonghan actually tries to get out from under the covers but Seungcheol pulls her back down. “You know that I broke up with him pretty soon after that.”

“So then why didn’t you get with me,” Jeonghan complains, and Seungcheol’s smile is poignant when she answers, “Because I didn’t know if you liked me like that. And I also started to love being your friend.”

Jeonghan is just so fucking stupid, isn’t she? “I’ve been in love with you since day one, Seungcheol. Well, I’ve been obsessed with you since day one, maybe in love with you since, like, day six. Doesn’t matter. I’m so sorry that I didn’t know you thought we were dating these past couple months. I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

Seungcheol brushes her knuckles over Jeonghan’s cheek. “I think I’ve hurt you even more. All these years without knowing that you…" Seungcheol pauses like she can"t say it, still can"t believe it. "…and thinking I was in a friends with benefits situation with the girl I love would wreck me.”

Jeonghan shakes her head, dipping further into Seungcheol’s touch. “My feelings aren’t your fault. Nothing’s your fault. We just needed to talk.”

Seungcheol brings her face close, so close, whispers millimetres from Jeonghan’s lips with a pleading voice so wrought with hope, “You’re really in love with me?”

Heat rises up Jeonghan"s cheeks, but it"s not fair for her to be shy right now when Seungcheol needs her reply. So she takes one of Seungcheol’s hands and lays a lingering kiss on her knuckles, answering sincerely, “More than you could possibly imagine.”

Seungcheol’s eyes well up again, a shaky but beautifully happy smile spilling over her lips before she’s nudging close to press them against Jeonghan’s, kissing her like it’s air. Something that was wound so tight starts to loosen inside Jeonghan’s chest, and it definitely helps that Seungcheol keeps breathing, gasping, whispering, ‘I love you’s like she knows it’s exactly what Jeonghan needs to hear. It makes Jeonghan shake, tears slipping from her closed eyes as she drinks in the confessions like nectar and clutches Seungcheol so tight.

“Can you call me your girlfriend again?” Jeonghan asks dizzily and Seungcheol laughs like she finds Jeonghan cute.

“Oh, so we’re actually girlfriends, now?”

Jeonghan panics for a second. “Only if…if you want to-”

She jolts when Seungcheol suddenly smacks her ass. “Why are you acting so unlike you, of course I want to be your girlfriend!”

Jeonghan breathes out in relief. Hearing Seungcheol call Jeonghan her girlfriend is almost just as good. “I’m sorry. I’ve cried too much today, and I just recovered from a bad cold, and I thought Minghao would never talk to me again but then they punched me so-”

“Wha- this was Minghao?” Seungcheol asks in horror as she pads over the bruise with light fingertips again. Jeonghan sniffles, nodding.

“Yeah. It’s a long story, all my fault. But Minghao’s amazing.”

“Okay…?”

“They want me to be maid of honour at their wedding.”

“Oh wow.” A pause. “Wait. Minghao’s getting MARRIED?!”

“Yeah. Not now, though. One day.”

“I-” Seungcheol furrows her eyebrows. “Jeonghan, I think you need some rest.”

Jeonghan feels confused. “But I thought I slept really well last night…”

“Maybe but I think you’re, like, delirious from happiness. Or dehydration,” Seungcheol says in amusement. “C’mon, babe. My girlfriend can rest with me.”

Jeonghan sighs dreamily. That’s what she wanted to hear. And in no time, they’re wrapped up under the covers with their legs tangled together and Jeonghan’s head pillowed by Seungcheol’s boobs, the best headrest in the world. “I’ve missed these girls so bad,” Jeonghan moans against them and yowls through giggles when Seungcheol tugs on her hair.

It doesn’t take long for Jeonghan to fall asleep when she feels so warm and full of love, in the strong arms of her girlfriend who’s stroking her hair and keeping her safe. She doesn’t think she’ll have a lot of sleepless nights anymore.

Minghao tells Jeonghan that Seokmin’s decided on a café for them to meet, one on campus, and Jeonghan shows up the following Saturday feeling a little nervous. It’s mid-morning so there aren’t many people in, and it’s easy to spot Seokmin and Minghao sitting at a table near the back, Seokmin looking worried and fidgety while Minghao holds her hand and seems to be telling her something. Jeonghan takes a deep breath, steels herself, then goes over.

“Hey, guys.”

Seokmin’s posture suddenly goes pin-straight, and Minghao nods at Jeonghan. “Hey. Take a seat.”

Seokmin looks at Minghao while Jeonghan sits down, and Minghao smiles softly at her, squeezing her hand. It’s insane how Jeonghan doesn’t feel an ounce of bitterness anymore. She finally has the love of her life, and now she can focus solely on the lovely proud feeling that comes from seeing one of her best friends being head over heels.

“Seokmin, I-”

Jeonghan blinks when with barely two words, Seokmin suddenly bursts into tears. Minghao sighs.

“Unnie, I-I’m sorry,” Seokmin blubbers, “i-if for some r-reason you don’t like m-me-”

“I already told you it’s not like that,” Minghao tells her gently and Jeonghan reiterates, “It’s really not!”

“Then- then maybe I-I did something wrong that made you h-hate me-”

“Seokmin, you might just be the loveliest person I have ever met,” Jeonghan says squarely, and that shuts Seokmin up in an instant, staring at Jeonghan with the biggest of eyes. “You are cute and pure and loveable and you make my dear friend smile so much. I’ve always adored you. I’m afraid I’m just a bitter old hag who’s ready to apologise to you forever.”

“You are two years older than us,” Minghao mutters.

Seokmin sniffs, and when Jeonghan instinctively reaches for Seokmin’s free hand, it’s a relief that Seokmin lets her even if she looks away. "I...I was just really sad because, I really like unnie."

Jeonghan smiles poignantly. "You do?" 

"I do! Minghao really cares for you and you seem to care for them too, and you"ve always been so nice to me, and you"ve always made me feel comfortable when I hang out with you and Minghao"s friends, so I like unnie so much." Seokmin hangs her head, frowning. "I...when you did all that, the other day, I was scared for a moment that you were only good to me because of ulterior motives like you said but I knew that couldn"t be true! You don"t treat me like you have feelings for me or that you..."

Seokmin trails off with her face bright red before Minghao finishes for her with an icy glare, "Want to fuck her," and Seokmin squeaks, "Y-Yes, that! You never seemed to treat me like that, no, it was just...it really felt like a warm welcome from my girlfriend"s super nice friend." 

"I"m glad you felt that way, Seokmin," Jeonghan mumbles. "And I"m sorry that I ruined that illusion for you." 

"It wasn"t an illusion!" Seokmin disagrees loudly, snapping her head up to stare at Jeonghan with wide insistent eyes and cheeks brushed an angry red. "I think you"re lovely and you lashing out when I could tell you were hurting won"t change my mind! Even if...even if..." Seokmin pulls back, looking down again. "...it scared me a lot..." 

Jeonghan closes her eyes for a short moment, pinching between her eyebrows. She"s truly terrible. She made Seokmin feel safe in a new space with new friends only to tear it all down. "Then all I can say is I will do anything I can to make sure I don"t scare you ever again, Seokminnie." 

"It"s not like that, unnie," Seokmin says softly. "I just don"t want you to be upset, and I don"t want you to do things that will upset Minghao, either." 

Minghao blinks. "This isn"t about me-"

"Yes," Jeonghan agrees with Seokmin, ignoring Minghao who narrows their eyes. "You see, Seokmin, I believe I love Minghao very much, and they"re always so good to me. At first I think I was secretly scared that you might take them away from me, but that never happened throughout the course of your cute relationship and those feelings just morphed into bitter jealousy of your love. Recently I"ve been feeling so low and believed I"d messed up enough to lose something so dear to me that I think I decided to lash out with the idea that "I should probably make myself lose Minghao, too, I don"t deserve them". Only to instantly regret it, of course." 

"Unnie," Minghao says, voice muted in soft surprise, but Jeonghan keeps ignoring them as she musters a smile at Seokmin.

"I"m so unbelievably sorry that I ever even thought to do something like that to you. I"ve been having a hard time for a long time, I think. And I just really wanted what you have."

Seokmin looks so utterly sad for Jeonghan, big eyes full of tears. "You could probably get any girl in the world!”

“Not my girl,” Minghao growls, and Seokmin blushes while Jeonghan cackles.

“I spent a very long time being in love with a girl that I thought I couldn’t get," Jeonghan sighs. "It’s twisted me a little, made me jaded. Made me even hate a relationship like yours that included two people that I like so very much. But, I think it’s time for some overdue healing.”

Minghao grins. “You got her, didn’t you?”

Jeonghan takes the hand that Minghao holds out to her and squeezes both theirs and Seokmin’s. “We’ll talk about it later.”

Jeonghan tells Seokmin that she can go to her for anything, and by anything she means literally anything - help with schoolwork, getting her bubble tea, convincing any of her professors that Jeonghan has connections with to boost Seokmin’s grades, and even if she just doesn’t have money and needs Jeonghan to buy her groceries or dinner. Seokmin giggles and tells Jeonghan she’s silly, and Jeonghan’s just glad that Seokmin can still laugh around her. She’s hyper-aware of the way Minghao is watching them fiercely from the side and she thinks it might be a long time before Minghao ever lets them be alone together, but that’s okay; Jeonghan will make sure to earn her spot in their bridal party.

When Seokmin heads to the bathroom at some point, Jeonghan shuffles closer to Minghao in the booth and rests her head on their shoulder. Minghao relaxes their posture to make it more comfortable for her, and they stay like that in silence for a moment.

“Thank you,” Minghao tells her, “for making such an effort.”

Jeonghan hums. “I’d do anything for you, Minghao. I think I’d do anything for your girlfriend, too. But you shouldn’t thank me for atoning for my sins.”

“You’re the weirdest.”

“Hey, hey, I’m Seungcheol’s girlfriend now.” Saying that leaves such a good taste in Jeonghan’s mouth.

Minghao laughs. “Thought as much. You look really happy.”

Jeonghan gasps, touching her face. “What? Why didn’t you tell me! I should be looking super apologetic right now!”

Minghao rolls her eyes. “Yeah, you did, but you"ve apologised, Seokmin"s forgiven you. So your happiness is coming out.”

“I see…”

“I wish you told me,” Minghao mumbles. “Or someone. Just, I hate the thought of you going this long without being able to confide in anyone, and I hate that you think you don"t deserve me? I love you, unnie. I think you"re incredible. I’ve always thought you’re a strong person but you don’t need to be all the time, not when you’re the one who always listens to my troubles. I"m sorry about not asking you about yours more, I just- I-” 

Minghao waves their hands about a little as they struggle for words while Jeonghan watches them dearly. "I saw your moods changing and I wanted you to tell me yourself, because maybe it was something you couldn"t say or maybe you needed time and I hoped you knew I was there for you without me having to tell you, I...I always want to be there for you. And I"m sorry I wasn"t."

“My sweet Minghao,” Jeonghan coos, patting Minghao’s hand. “Don"t ever apologise for my silliness, I’m sorry for worrying you. To tell you the truth, you were there for me without words. You gave me your time and it made me feel very loved! I will do my utmost to tell you about what ails and plagues me in the coming future, though, because I think I always want to but for some reason I never end up doing it.”

“You can trust me with anything.”

Jeonghan happily cuddles closer to them. “Gosh, would you look at us. We used to be the cornerstone of heartthrob bachelorette lesbianism in this godforsaken uni and now we’ve fallen headfirst into the throes of unadulterated devotion…”

Minghao retches. “That was genuinely horrible to listen to. Also, don’t try to act like we were some kind of hey mama duo, you’re the only insatiable one here.”

“All cute girls deserve a little love, no? And every girl is cute!”

“Well, you"re right, but leave that to someone else now. Or do it without fucking them?" Minghao suggests wryly, making Jeonghan choke on a laugh. "You’ve got your own cute girl to spend all your love on.”

Jeonghan smiles. “Yes. That’s exactly right.”

That very cute girl comes to meet Jeonghan after Minghao and Seokmin leave, poking her head into the cafe and making feel Jeonghan instantly at ease at the sight of her. Seungcheol lights up when they catch eyes and jogs over in the cutest outfit ever, a red high-waisted pleated skirt with long white socks and a cropped but oversized-style white knitted jumper to match. Jeonghan wants to eat her whole in the least horny way possible for once. For all her vulnerability at the moment, when Seungcheol gets close enough, Jeonghan can"t stop herself from reaching out and tugging her into her lap. 

"Ah- Jeonghan, we"re in public!" Seungcheol yelps, scrabbling a little as Jeonghan leans forward to rest her head on Seungcheol"s chest, mumbling a muffled, "Sorry. Need this right now."

"...alright," Seungcheol digresses softly, settling and carding her fingers through Jeonghan"s hair. "But only a little. We can continue this somewhere else." 

Jeonghan just hums, burrowing her face further. Seungcheol asks in a careful tone, "It didn"t go well?" 

"No, it went great. Well, Seokmin cried and I didn"t want her to cry. I think I wanted to cry, too." 

Seungcheol gently pushes Jeonghan"s head back just enough to press a kiss under her eye. "You can." 

Jeonghan smiles, closing her eyes briefly as she nuzzles into Seungcheol"s hand. "I think I"m all cried out. I just...don"t think I"ve felt this bad about something I did in my entire life. The mean girl rumours about me are kinda real." 

"There are mean girl rumours about you?" Seungcheol asks in amazement, grinning so big that she"s probably going to tease Jeonghan about this for the rest of her life. Jeonghan snorts, explaining, "Yeah, goes hand-in-hand with the pretty masc thing, I guess. Jisoo used to get mad on my behalf about it but she"s not here anymore and I don"t really care personally." 

"Wow. I would"ve gotten mad too but I only ever hear people saying nice things about you." Seungcheol pecks the tip of Jeonghan"s nose. "I must only surround myself with good people who know how good my girlfriend is."

Jeonghan raises her eyebrows. "Didn"t you beat up that one dude who said I"m lesbian because I must be "too much of a bitch for any guy to want me"?" 

Seungcheol blinks like she"d completely forgotten about that. "Oh shit. Do you think that"s why people don"t say bad things about you around me?"

"Might be." 

"But that made me so fucking mad! I should"ve done even worse-" 

"You got suspended." 

"Do you think I care?" Seungcheol grumbles, crossing her arms petulantly, and Jeonghan giggles as she smoothes her hands up and down Seungcheol"s thighs to appease her. Seungcheol is no doubt her princess but things like these make Jeonghan feel like she would love to read a fairytale where a princess always ends up saving her silly knight. 

"Let"s go home, Seungcheollie."

Seungcheol must have thought that there"d simply be more comforting going on once they reach Jeonghan"s apartment, and seems caught completely off guard when Jeonghan kisses her the instant they get inside, shucking her hands up Seungcheol"s cute jumper and playing with the back of her bra. Not quite unhooking it. But Seungcheol is always quick to match her and instantly becomes at home in her arms, resting her hands on Jeonghan"s sides so surely. Jeonghan watches her with half-lidded eyes all the while, mesmerised by Seungcheol"s long fluttering eyelashes. She bites down on Seungcheol"s bottom lip enough that she"s sure it"s going to bruise, and Seungcheol lets out a small pained whimper so Jeonghan sucks it into her mouth after, soothing her tongue over it apologetically. 

"Seungcheol," Jeonghan murmurs lowly just after she breaks the kiss, a thin line of saliva still connecting their lips while Seungcheol looks like she"s in a daze. There"s fire inside Jeonghan when she sees the angry red spot on her lower lip. "I"m going to the bathroom. When I come out, I want you on my bed completely naked."

Seungcheol"s eyes widen, a pretty flush rising up her cheeks; but she still challenges, "W-Why would I just go along with that?" 

"Because," Jeonghan leans close, nips at Seungcheol"s ear, "I"ll give you something I know you want." 

Seungcheol shivers. "What is it...?"

"Five minutes and you"ll know." 

Seungcheol bites her lip, conflicted, but winces when her teeth hit the spot Jeonghan bit. That doesn"t seem to deter her from agreeing with a slow nod. "Okay." 

"So good," Jeonghan dotes, squeezing Seungcheol"s hips lovingly. "Go get ready for me." 

Seungcheol leaves (in a not very straight line) and Jeonghan watches her until she disappears into her bedroom, heart beating a little fast. She doesn"t actually need to go to the bathroom but she ducks in there anyway, splashing her face with water and steeling herself. She knows this was her request but thinking of all the ways Seungcheol might look while she obediently waits for Jeonghan with nothing on whatsoever is driving her more crazy than seems possible. This wasn"t even her intention, it"s just that Seungcheol being naked from the start would be better for what Jeonghan"s planning to do...

She lifts her head, gives herself a determined look in the bathroom mirror, then marches out. Her steps are purposefully loud so that Seungcheol will know she"s coming, and she almost feels like she hears some kind of squeak. Jeonghan takes a beat when she gets to her door, then she manages to push it open and instantly, fervently rakes her gaze over the bed. There Seungcheol is. She"s lying right in the middle of Jeonghan"s thick duvet, entirely immersed in it as she keeps her face turned into a pillow with a telltale bright red ear showing. Her dark fluffy hair falls over her shoulders, curving around her breasts that are pushed up by the arm she has under them. Probably a matter of trying to hide her tummy which she knows Jeonghan"s obsessed with anyway, but Jeonghan kind of can"t complain when it makes her tits impossibly look bigger than they are. Her legs are together, shy and tight but she"s turned on her side slightly, back arched to show off her perfect plump ass and Jeonghan knows that"s on purpose.

She can"t believe this. Seungcheol is literally soaked head to toe in shyness but she"s still trying to give Jeonghan a show. 

Jeonghan must be silent for too long, because Seungcheol starts slowly moving her head to peek. When she meets Jeonghan"s fiercely hungry gaze, her eyes catch a glaze and her knees lift a little while she rubs her thighs together discreetly. Well, she must think it"s discreet, but Jeonghan can see every little thing she does when she"s spread out like this. Completely vulnerable, completely beautiful, and completely Jeonghan"s.

"Perfect," Jeonghan croaks, barely managing to clear her throat before she goes over and takes her rightful spot between Seungcheol"s legs, pulling them apart despite Seungcheol"s fruitless complaints and settling them loosely around her waist. "So fucking perfect, God, I love that you know how gorgeous you are, how gorgeous I"d find you. Thank you, princess." 

Seungcheol preens silently under the praise, eyelashes fluttering while she puffs her chest up closer to Jeonghan. She would do anything to suck a breast into her mouth right now but she has other plans, and when she notices that the one mark she ever made on Seungcheol has long faded, it spurs her on even more. "Now just sit back and let me paint you, love." 

"Paint me...?" 

"Mhm." Jeonghan leans down, and lets her mouth latch onto Seungcheol"s neck. Seungcheol sighs in breathy contentment like she usually does at neck kisses, but that familiar comfort falls away when Jeonghan sucks skin between her lips hard and bites. Seungcheol instantly gasps, hands flying up to clutch Jeonghan"s shoulders, and Jeonghan smirks. She hums an innocent "hm?" against skin that"s already throbbing but she feels Seungcheol wildly shake her head more than she sees it, her grip tightening around Jeonghan.

"Keep going." 

So Jeonghan keeps going. It"s so thrilling, places that she"s only allowed herself grazes of her teeth on or licks and kisses with a conditional depth before now being marred by her mouth, ravaged with long messy sucks and teeth sinking in so harshly that someone will think Seungcheol"s dating a vampire. Seungcheol is starting to get loud, legs squeezing Jeonghan"s waist so hard that it hurts (but it"s Seungcheol"s thighs so she could not care less). Moan after sweet strangled moan leaves her lips while she angles her neck closer to Jeonghan"s mouth, pushes Jeonghan"s head closer, gives up everything as she lies there with every inch of her ripe and willingly exposed for Jeonghan"s waiting mouth. Jeonghan would be a complete and utter fool not to bite.

Time slips by fast under Jeonghan"s excruciatingly slow but fervid mouth, and soon Seungcheol is leaking and writhing and begging under her because she"s spent the last half hour decorating Seungcheol"s formerly pristine skin with hickey after hickey. Five more minutes on her neck, five on her collarbones, five on her shoulders, fifteen on her tits. All of it was bliss but nothing will ever compare to going to town on those, biting rings around her nipples, suckling on the sensitive skin of her areolas, teeth grazing down the valley between her breasts before mouthing at their undersides. At this point Jeonghan is so lost in it that there"s nothing in her brain but "mine, mark" and she can"t stop moaning breathlessly into Seungcheol"s skin. Time might be going fast for her, but it"s been half an hour of Seungcheol being so good for her and letting herself be eaten alive that it must feel even slower to her than it actually is. 

"H-Han," Seungcheol babbles, her first word since the start of this as she keeps rubbing her legs together no matter how much Jeonghan keeps pulling them apart, thighs jiggling. "I love this - want this so much but please, please touch m-"

"You"re allowed to touch yourself, puppy," Jeonghan murmurs, closing her mouth over the gentle swell of her abdomen. God, she loves her strong but soft girl. "I"m not trying to keep pleasure from you. I just want to put all my focus into this." 

Logically Jeonghan could probably still finger Seungcheol while marking her up and be good enough to make it pleasurable, but it"s an indescribable feeling putting every single one of her senses into just this. Nosing at her flushed skin to drink in her scent, smoothing her fingers over Seungcheol"s quivering sides, hyperaware of every sound Seungcheol makes, staring at the pretty picture she"s painting and every reaction Seungcheol has to her lovebites, and of course everything her mouth is doing no matter how much her jaw is starting to ache. Seungcheol mewls, shakes under the weight of no new attention on her pussy that"s dripping onto Jeonghan"s trousers, but still stammers, "I-I can wait." 

She knows Jeonghan"s about to come to her lower half now so she"s holding back so Jeonghan can still mark her up there. Such a good girl, the best girl. Jeonghan is overwhelmed by love for her, and she needs to make sure Seungcheol gets the best orgasm she"s ever had once she"s done. 

Jeonghan takes a long time at Seungcheol"s stomach, too, kneading soft rolls between her needy lips and dipping her tongue into her navel. She"s especially adoring to the stretch marks running up the sides, remembering days with Seungcheol leaning against her complaining about them and wondering if her diet isn"t good or she"s working out too much; but Jeonghan would hold her close, run her fingers over them even before they were dating or fucking (Christ, how didn"t Seungcheol realise how Jeonghan felt about her?) and tell her that she could do whatever she liked but she personally always felt safe behind her big strong best friend.

"You"ve got this dependability that I"ll never have," Jeonghan would tell her. "It"s veeeery sexy, you know?" 

"Shut up," Seungcheol would whine, thwacking her arm. "It"s your fault that I never end up changing anything!"

"But what"s making you think about it now?" Jeonghan"s eyes suddenly turned steely. "Your boyfriend didn"t say anything, did he?" 

Seungcheol would stay silent, and that was answer enough. A handful of Seungcheol"s boyfriends didn"t like muscles or stretchmarks (especially the latter), it"s like they didn"t understand them and didn"t want to try to. Jeonghan herself doesn"t have many if any at a given time, but aren"t they technically battle scars? Shouldn"t they be admired, pampered?

Jeonghan remembers brushing her thumbs over Seungcheol"s stretchmarks and hoping that Seungcheol would get a boyfriend who would appreciate them one day.

Well, she never will now, Jeonghan thinks giddily as she presses a wet kiss to one straining up Seungcheol"s hip. She smiles when she looks up and sees Seungcheol peering down at her with glazed over heart eyes. 

Seungcheol starts crying when Jeonghan gets to her thighs. Stunning, thick thighs...Jeonghan accidentally drools on them before she even gets her mouth on them. She focuses on the outside first, relishing in the strong muscle that ripples under soft layers of fat she feels when she bites down hard enough. The insides are so delicate, Seungcheol gasps for air when Jeonghan nips and suckles there where the skin gets darker. Seungcheol"s habit of crushing Jeonghan"s head with her thighs while she eats her out rears it"s head now, and somehow it"s even harder than usual as Seungcheol sobs and trembles. Jeonghan worries her teeth at the space just under her crotch before she chuckles dizzily and practically into Seungcheol"s humid mound, "Seungcheollie, I"m losing air, it"s sexy but I-I can"t mark your thighs if they"re around me-" 

Seungcheol suddenly wails, loud and high. Jeonghan doesn"t know what"s going on partly because the thighs crush her head even harder and she"s this close to passing out in the hottest way ever...but then, a moment later, they loosen up. Seungcheol hums, goes jelly-limbed around her as she melts into the bedsheets with a soft satisfied sigh. Jeonghan blinks, and keeps blinking as she tries to think through the melted goo that her brain is right now.

"Did you just...?" 

"I was getting so close without even touching myself," Seungcheol murmurs, voice so airy and bathed in afterglow that it sounds like she"s moaning her words. "Then...then I brought my hand down to my clit at the exact same time you spoke into my cunt and I was gone."

Holy fuck. Holy. Fuck. 

"Hey, Seungcheol," Jeonghan says in pure awe as she slowly raises herself onto her knees. "Let"s finish this another time, okay?" 

Seungcheol opens her eyes to give Jeonghan a confused look. "W-Why? Did I do something wrong?" 

"No, no, fuck, puppy, you were so good," Jeonghan affirms quickly. "I didn"t give you any conditions, you could"ve done whatever you wanted and you still would"ve done everything right - and yet somehow, you managed to be the most good you could"ve been." 

Seungcheol moans softly, arches a little, cups her pussy like she"s still feeling something but just leaves her hand there as she nuzzles into the covers. "I was good..."

Oh no. Jeonghan might"ve broken her a bit. She looks up to check the time on her clock and when she reads that it"s been well over an hour that she"s practically been edging Seungcheol, she curses herself. 

She properly gets the covers over Seungcheol and slips in beside her, where Seungcheol rolls over to face her, gives her a sleepy smile and a lazy kiss. Jeonghan watches her in amazement, thumbing over the myriad of red marks painting her neck and making a trail all the way down, down…she"s smothered. Basted and simmering in Jeonghan"s hard work that didn"t feel that hard at all, looking like the epitome of…well. She looks like she belongs to someone. 

She still has her hand cupped between her legs, unmoving, so Jeonghan slips her own hand down to replace it. Seungcheol moans breathily, happily. “Yeah, just- just hold me there. My pussy just feels so…ah, I don"t even know-”

Jeonghan rests her free hand on her back, asking worriedly, "Are you okay?" and Seungcheol nods, closing her eyes and sighing, "Felt so so good, I swear..."

Okay, that"s a decent sign. "What was good about it?" 

"Your mouth on me...the way you looked at my body, oh, it made me think "she"s...she"s eating me alive but...with so much love’...and that was so hot..." 

"Well, I do indeed love you," Jeonghan agrees, smiling. "And after what you said about hickeys that one time, I wanted to give you a hundred reminders that-" 

"I"m yours," Seungcheol finishes softly, and Jeonghan falters. All of a sudden there"s a lump in her throat, and she thinks that after so long feeling like Seungcheol could never be hers, it"s going to be difficult believing that this is real. It"s going to be difficult not to cry every time she thinks about it. But it"s going to be a beautiful kind of difficult.

"Yeah," Jeonghan chokes out, bowing her head forward as if that would hide anything. It clearly doesn"t by the way Seungcheol laughs so lovingly and starts sweetly licking and kissing away her tears. And when she"s close to stopping but one tear tracks down her neck, Seungcheol follows it with her tongue, making Jeonghan shiver. She catches it at the junction between Jeonghan"s neck and shoulder and then she stops, mouth connected to Jeonghan"s soft unblemished skin - before she finally takes the opportunity to sink her teeth in. Jeonghan yelps, clutching her tighter, and Seungcheol"s laugh rumbles against her neck. 

“Pretty,” Seungcheol murmurs with hooded eyes as she pulls back enough to be able to run her fingers over the red mark, the skin quivering under her touch. Seungcheol looks up at her, adoring, but alight with hunger even if she might be too tired to act on it. “My girlfriend is so so pretty.” 

“You can do what I just did to you any day,” Jeonghan blurts out hoarsely, and Seungcheol"s eyes sparkle. “You can bite me - any time.” 

Seungcheol smiles, brushing a hand through Jeonghan"s hair and bringing her into a kiss. Jeonghan hums softly, rubbing her thumb into dips in Seungcheol"s back. She never did get to her back…probably wouldn"t be good for backless dresses but…

“What are you thinking about?” Seungcheol asks while she"s still so close, nose brushing against hers. Jeonghan hums, says absent-mindedly, “It"s not like I think about anything other than you.” 

“Then kiss me like you mean it!” Seungcheol complains, pulling Jeonghan"s free hand onto her waist. Jeonghan chuckles, assures, “Aye, aye, Captain,” before she"s pushing close, pressing Seungcheol down into the sheets and slipping her tongue into a wanton waiting mouth belonging to a beautiful blemished body that wraps around her like it never wants to let her go. 

It seems like when word gets out that Jeonghan and Seungcheol are together (probably because they can"t stop being lovey-dovey in public), no-one knows whether to be surprised or not surprised. Like sure, Seungcheol and Jeonghan have always been extremely close, maybe closer than most friends are, but they"ve also always been seeing other people and apparently there was a rumour that they"d hooked up already a while ago.

“Maybe they saw us at that party,” Jeonghan sighs - she"s going to forever think of that as a lost opportunity. Maybe she really will just go kill Seungcheol’s then-boyfriend, without Seungcheol knowing of course. Can"t be that hard.

There are some people who aren"t surprised at all, though. Namely their football team who tease them like crazy and seem to adore the thought of their captain and ace together. Mingyu, their star forward, bakes them a "HAPPY RELATIONSHIP!" cake so big that barely even a football team of seventeen people can get through it. And this doesn"t make the team any more lenient about making sure Jeonghan and Seungcheol come to group celebrations and socials (well, Seungcheol would always go, such a reliable captain), but if they get too tipsy and start drunkenly making out near the end then their members just cheer them on. Or pretend to throw up. It"s a mixed bag.

But everyone who is dear to them is happy for them, that much is true. Jisoo makes them couple bracelets and makes sure to give them personally despite her busy office job. Jihoon seems horrified but also says, “I"m so going to you two for songwriting inspiration.” Soonyoung posts them on her insta stories whenever she catches them being too cute in public with a cheery caption of ‘GET A ROOM!!!!!’.

“If I was, hypothetically, also maybe realising that I might be in love with a good friend,” Soonyoung asks them one time, unprompted, “how d’you think I should go about it?”

“Oh God, just don"t go about it like we did,” Seungcheol groans, and Jeonghan chirps, “As long as it"s not Wonwoo or something, I think you"ll be just fine, Soonyoungie! You"re so charming!”

Soonyoung turns a little red. “W-Why can"t it be Wonwoo?”

“She is too sweet. Too pure. It hasn"t been long since she"s come out of her shell and I think I might kill anyone who goes after her,” Jeonghan says solemnly, and Seungcheol scoffs, “I"m like one hundred percent sure you"ve hit on her before.”

“It wasn"t serious, I just had time to kill!”

Soonyoung excuses herself with her entire face tomato red now, practically sprinting out the room. Jeonghan and Seungcheol share a look. Maybe they should unpack that later.

Jeonghan"s working on her dissertation that she"s sorely been neglecting lately at a booth in the sports science department one afternoon while waiting for Seungcheol to get out of class. She looks up briefly only to spot someone making their way over to her, waving. She doesn"t think she"s seen Wonwoo in ages.

“Hello, darling,” Jeonghan says sweetly when Wonwoo finally reaches her. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I just wanted to say hi,” Wonwoo says with a smile, hitching her bag higher up her arm. “It"s been a while, right? I haven"t been seeing you around. I know we don’t have classes together anymore but we still had lunch together sometimes, or I’d see you at get-togethers…”

Jeonghan feels bad. Her head"s only been filled with Seungcheol for the last good while so she"s been likely to leave school early or turn down hang-out offers to be with her…or wallow about not being with her. “Mhm, sorry, Wonungie. I"ve been quite preoccupied as of late but I"ll be better.”

Wonwoo blinks a little, as if she didn’t expect an apology. “Oh, no, it"s okay, I think it"s a busy time for everyone right now.”

“Very true.” Jeonghan opens an arm across the back of the booth, gesturing to the space next to her. “You don"t want to sit down?”

Wonwoo shakes her head. “Thanks, but I"m on my way ho-”

Wonwoo freezes when someone moves past her in a blur, slipping into the booth and then climbing into Jeonghan"s lap with ease. Jeonghan"s eyes grow wide and she"s barely able to get out, “Seungcheol-?” before lips crash into hers and Jeonghan"s lost. God, it"s unbelievable how addicting this is, the feeling of Seungcheol’s stunning body pressing up against hers that Jeonghan’s allowed to touch, allowed to slide her hands over her waist, under her thighs, squeezing her hips, feeling the strong muscles in her back pop while she kisses Jeonghan with all her might and pulls her closer, too, fingers threading deep into her hair. Jeonghan moans softly when Seungcheol uses them to tug Jeonghan"s head back, making her have to lean forward in Jeonghan"s lap to keep the increasingly rousing kiss going.

Someone clears their throat and Jeonghan whimpers weakly when Seungcheol pulls away, eyes still dark with fervour and cherry lips slick and slightly swollen. Then she looks to the side, and her femme fatale image instantly drops as her jaw does, too. “Wonwoo?!”

“Yes, unnie, it"s me,” Wonwoo says with a hand over her eyes, looking and sounding very miserable. “Please continue when I"ve left. Actually, I should just leave right now, I can"t believe I didn"t already-”

“Wait, no, Wonwoo, I"m sorry!” Jeonghan stops her with a breathy laugh, and Wonwoo brings her hand down to send her a fed-up look. “Let"s have lunch together tomorrow, yeah? Where are you off to now?”

“Um, just home,” Wonwoo says, fiddling with her hands suddenly. “I need to get ready because…I think Soonyoung asked me on a date. Maybe. I"m not sure.”

“Wow, that cute punk didn"t listen to me at all,” Jeonghan says gleefully, and Wonwoo stares at her in surprise. You know what, this is fine - maybe quite lovely, actually. Soonyoung is a bit of a firework enigma, and the two of them are very different people, but for some reason Jeonghan has no doubt that she"d treat Wonwoo well. What a season for love. “Have so much fun, tell me all about it tomorrow!”

Wonwoo smiles down at her hands, actually looking a little excited. “Yeah, I will.”

“Fuck, I"m so embarrassed,” Seungcheol groans after Wonwoo"s left, resting her head morosely on Jeonghan"s chest. “I can"t believe I did that in front of Wonwoo…”

“You thought she was some random girl, huh?” Jeonghan giggles, rubbing Seungcheol"s back comfortingly. “Don"t worry, I love my cute hot possessive girlfriend. Even if we should probably start dialling down the PDA before we get complaints. Not that I want to...”

“I knew you wouldn"t do anything,” Seungcheol mumbles, which makes Jeonghan really glad. She"s been worried about whether Seungcheol would want her to prove her loyalty because of the rep she has. “It"s just, if someone ever flirts with you from now on, I need them to know you"re mine…”

Jeonghan coos, dropping a kiss into Seungcheol"s hair. “I will always tell them exactly that.”

Seungcheol raises her head, unwaveringly earnest and honest when she looks into Jeonghan"s eyes and tells her, “I will, too.”

Oh. It"s quite dangerous, how easily Seungcheol makes her heartbeat pick up speed. It"s even more dangerous how utterly happy Jeonghan is right now, when she"s spent the last however long always placed in the battlefield of her overwhelming feelings and trying to fight to keep alive all on her own. Now it feels more like a field of bright blooming flowers, and she would never keep something so beautiful all to herself. But perhaps, even during the less beautiful seasons, she might start letting some people in.

“I think we need to go home,” Jeonghan says a little brokenly. “I really need to do some things to you right now.”

Seungcheol grins, a twinkle in her eye as she nods to the laptop and says, “You"re not doing work?”

“Fuck work. And you. Please.”

Seungcheol laughs, loud and goofy, before she"s kissing Jeonghan once more then shimmying off her lap before Jeonghan can fully kiss back. “Come on, then.”

Jeonghan gladly takes her outstretched hand and has a bit of a hard time packing up her things with only one free hand, but she does it anyway. The power of love. Seungcheol kisses her cheek when she"s done, and they manage to catch up to Wonwoo who"s getting something from the vending machine outside and looks like she wishes she could pretend she doesn"t know them.