Lonely St. ✧ Masterlist (hyunjin X Reader)

reader x changbin with some angst involving readers birthday (like people forgetting) and binnie comforting them

here you go anon <3 also i couldn't find matching header pics but whatever (don't look at it for too long and it'll be fine)

lamplight - seo changbin

pairing: seo changbin x reader

summary: your friends forget your birthday and changbin finds out

genre: fluff, idol! au, angsty, reader cries a lot, sad boi hours, not proofread as per usual

a/n: comments, likes, reblogs appreciated <3 divider from @wonjuii

You huff and slide down the closed door, trying to fight the tears welling in your eyes. The bedroom is dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the lamp in the corner, and a cast of warm, golden light spills onto the surfaces in the room.

It's a cool night, it's raining heavily outside, and Changbin is home with you. Your schedules are free and you're off work for the weekend too. These combined things should have made you happy, but instead you felt as if you were the most insignificant, useless person in the entire world.

Unimportant, unappreciated, unloved.

You can hear Changbin pacing down the hallway, muttering something frantically to himself in Korean. You know he's worrying about whether he did something wrong, and it only makes you feel worse; that he's upset, and that he was trying to take care of you when you got home, but you had shoved him aside and slammed the bedroom door behind you without so much as a hello to him.

You were just so upset about how your friends forgot your birthday and it made you forget about the one person who cared more about you than anyone else in the entire world.

A fresh wave of guilty tears pools up in your eyes and you clap a hand over your mouth to muffle the sobs, squeezing your eyes shut as if it'll somehow alleviate the crushing pain in your chest. How could you have hurt him like that?

There's a gentle knocking at the door and you jolt, accidentally slamming your elbow back into the solid surface. Groaning quietly, you cradle your arm in your hand and try to quieten your crying.

"Jagiya?" Changbin asks timidly from the other side of the door. "Please open the door, I can hear you crying."

You sniff and wipe a sleeve across your nose, scrunching your face up in mild disgust at the wet trail it leaves behind. "I'm not crying."

You hear a gentle sigh and the sound tweaks at your heartstrings, knowing Changbin can see right through your feeble, defenseless lie.

"Jagi, I could hear you crying from down the hallway. I didn't mean to make you upset, I just want to hold you. Please open the door?"

You sigh sadly and sniff one more time before crouching and opening the door. Changbin's knelt on the other side, the line of the threshold the only thing separating you two. You look up at him, feeling like a watery, pathetic mess, and all Changbin does is smile softly, the action making your heart flutter even through your sadness.

You lean forward and crash into his arms.

He holds you like that for a while, only moving to sit against the bed with you on his lap. He doesn't say anything, just quietly shushes you and rocks you, stroking your hair and wiping your tears. After your sobs quieten down, you look up at him.

"I'm sorry I brushed you off when I came home, it's just-"

He shushes you gently. "It's okay, I could tell you had a bad day."

You shake your head violently, feeling regretful and guilty. Changbin cups your cheeks with his warm, slightly calloused hands and kisses the tip of your nose.

"What happened, jagi?" he murmurs.

You sigh. "My friends forgot my birthday."

Changbin laughs incredulously, shifting you in his lap and sitting more upright. "Who dares forgot my jagiya's birthday, huh? I want names!"

"Binnie-"

"Jagi, if they forgot your birthday then they're not your friends, okay? Dump them," he settles back against the bed, tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear.

You frown, sniffing quietly. "But didn't you forget Minho's birthday a while ago? How come he hasn't dumped you?"

Changbin laughs again, the high-pitched cackle making your mouth tweak at the corners. "Because we're in the same group with the guys," he flexes his muscles, "and besides, I have appearances to keep up with."

You giggle and lean against his chest. Changbin leans down and kisses your forehead, speaking quieter but with a grin.

"Speaking of Minho and the guys, they're coming in half an hour to celebrate, so go and get dressed and look all pretty, okay? I bought you something, it's hanging on the back of the bathroom door."

You shoot bolt upright in disbelief.

Changbin simply grins. "Happy birthday, jagiya."

a/n: awwww

comment under this post to be added to my skz fic taglist !

my masterlist is here if you wanna take a look ><

this post will be up for a while, so also feel free to drop an ask or dm if you want to be added <3

lonely st. ✧ chapter i : invisible

pairing: hwang hyunjin x reader (y/n)

warnings: lonely reader, school!au, hyunjin is a basketballer, hinting to depression, anxiety, and isolation, some girls are mean to y/n

a/n: starting a new series. hopefully this goes well :/

series masterlist | skz masterlist

One.

Two.

Three.

Y/n carefully stepped over the cracks in the pavement, feet twisting and turning between each crack in the cement with a precise, unbroken focus. The air was cool, charged; it had been raining earlier, and the earth was covered in a light, sprinkled-wet sheen, the smell of petrichor hanging in the air.

Y/n kicked up leaves as she went, dodging the little puddles and breathing in the scent of the trees. It made her feel at least a little bit more alive; a lot more alive than she'd been feeling for a long time.

Y/n slowed to a walk, her momentary happiness fading. Viciously kicking aside a wet leaf into a murky puddle, she walked onwards, trudging a little slower than she had before. Her face set itself in a neutral, unremarkable expression.

She narrowly dodged a group of teen boys loitering outside the school gates, their ties and shirts untucked and undone; Y/n huffed ruefully as a rather disciplinary teacher stormed past her, scattering the boys and handing out detentions for uniform misconduct. Her shoulders relaxed a tiny bit; she never wore her uniform wrong, but the fear of being somehow caught out always shook her.

Stepping into the school and wiping her shoes rather unenthusiastically on the large mat, Y/n headed to her locker, weaving past huddles of girls and students running down the hallways. The corridors were rife with laughing and shouting, and Y/n found herself wondering how such energy could be mustered at the raw hour of a nine o'clock Monday morning.

Narrowly dodging a flying basketball without so much as blinking, Y/n opened her locker, mechanically depositing her books into the rack and taking her books for the first few classes of the morning. Every action felt forced and mundane, her muscles aching for no particular reason. A pretty, feminine voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Y/n, hey!"

Y/n turned, shutting her locker, slipping the lock back on. She looked up as her friend, Yeji, waved from a short distance away, her sleek, dark hair impeccably styled. As always.

Leaning on her shoulder, Yeji grinned, poking Y/n's cheek just as Ha-eun walked up, clutching a book to her chest with the poise of a ballerina.

"How was your weekend~?" Yeji drawled playfully, sagging onto Y/n. She caught a whiff of her friend's perfume; fruity and light. Yeji had always insisted it was the best scent, especially for 'attracting guys', but Y/n didn't have the heart to tell her she smelt more like a vape.

"It was good," she said monotonely.

Ha-eun tilted her head, brown hair plaited back neatly into a ponytail. Her voice was soft.

"Surely you must have done something, Y/n."

"Yeah," Yeji added.

Y/n shook her head, stepping out from Yeji's leaning. She turned to face both her friends, straightening her dark blazer.

A burst of excited chattering rose from behind them, and Yeji and Ha-eun immediately turned their heads, smiles lighting up on their face.

Sangmi.

The most popular girl in the grade; pretty, smart, helpful, a teacher's dream student. Pretty much everyone knew her.

They all love her too, Y/n thought guiltily. She quite liked Sangmi; she was kind, and a lot of fun to be around, but Y/n couldn't help the howling envy within her heart.

She was just so normal.

Sangmi joined the group, chattering excitedly and sharing her weekend adventures she'd shared with her mom; going to a cafe together, and then later getting their nails done; she'd gone out with a group of girls and studied with them the following day.

Y/n couldn't help the bubble of jealousy that rose up within her and she muttered a halfhearted excuse to Ha-eun before walking away.

Turning a corner, she ran directly into someone, who dropped their books. Apologising, she bent down and began picking them up. Brushing off the cover of a textbook, she looked up at the person.

The boy blinked back at her, slitted, dark eyes, long hair falling into his eyes, a pretty shade of dark brown. He was kind of cute, and Y/n knew who he was, though she couldn't put a name to the face.

"Sorry," she said quietly.

The boy shook his head vehemently, smiling as he took the textbook from her. His voice was velvety.

"My bad. Should have seen where I was going."

Y/n nodded politely and moved past him, walking a little faster to her form class.

Tap tap tap tap tap-

Y/n's pencil drummed against her knuckles; staring out the window, she sighed tiredly and glanced down at her notes. The teacher had been going on for about half an hour now with no sign of stopping.

Her mind absentmindedly drifted back to the boy she'd bumped into earlier, recalling his features. He seemed quite happy, and bright. She'd seen him playing basketball a few times on the courts, always smiling and high-fiving his teammates. She was pretty sure he was on the school team too. Dully wishing she could come across as enthusiastic as he did, Y/n sighed again.

"Alright, everyone," her teacher called. "Get into groups of four, and start working through the questions in chapter three."

Y/n looked to Yeji expectantly just as her friend glanced back at her apologetically, already settling into a group with Sangmi, Ha-eun, and Aeri, another girl from their friend group. A mild feeling of hurt settled into Y/n's gut, replaced by a feeling of panic.

Glancing across the classroom, she stiffly got up and sat with a pair of girls. The popular type, too; their hair was dyed harshly, their lash extensions fluttering, and jaws smacking with gum. Y/n coiled back a tiny bit, the irritating sound ticking her off.

One of the blonde girls whined. "Can't you group with someone else?"

The other nodded dumbly, her mismatched, caked-on foundation crinkling as she frowned at Y/n.

"Um, I can't. Sorry," she finished quietly. "There's no one else to group with."

The two girls glanced at each other. Y/n heard a whisper of 'outcast' and fought the nausea rising in her gut.

Someone sat down next to her, stretching out forearms across the desk. Y/n blinked in surprise. It was the boy she'd run into earlier.

"Don't be mean," he quipped playfully at them. "She can work with us."

"Sorry, Hyunjin," one of the girls pouted. Y/n fought the new urge to throw up at their fake cuteness act.

It came as no surprise; Hwang Hyunjin was one of the most popular boys in the school. Young, handsome, talented, popular; he was the envy of many of the boys in the grade. Most of the girls liked him too, even popular, pretty Sangmi quietly admitting to her once that she thought Hyunjin was kind of cute.

Not that Y/n wholeheartedly disagreed. But she didn't agree that much either. Popular, sporty boys were always trouble.

The trouble spoke. "Y/n, can I borrow a pen, please? I kinda forgot my stuff."

Y/n blinked at him, expression betraying a hint of disapproval. "Do you just show up to classes with no stuff?"

Hyunjin chuckled, unfazed. "Yep."

Sighing, Y/n reached into the pocket of her blazer and drew out a ballpoint, handing it to him. The two blonde girls gazed on disapprovingly, glaring jealously at Y/n, who ignored it.

Hyunjin just smiled to himself and began dividing up the classwork.

The bell went off with a abrasive, repetitive ringing. The students began packing up noisily, chattering and laughing, some with their stuff already eagerly packed and ready to go.

Y/n handed her portion of the group project to her teacher, thanking him quietly before moving back to her desk and slipping her pens back into her case. The two blonde girls whispered and side-eyed her as they passed, one of them bumping her shoulder roughly as they left.

The lesson had gone smoothly enough, except for the fact that most of the class's eyes had been on her.

Mainly because of Hyunjin.

He kept asking for help, asking how to spell words, asking how to explain this and that on the worksheet, and when Y/n had rather grumpily quipped him for his inquiries, he had responded with a cheeky smile and an honest answer.

Because you're really smart, Y/n!

I'm not really, she thought to herself self-deprecatingly. Sangmi and Ha-eun are far smarter than I am.

"Hey, Y/n."

Y/n looked up, slipping her case inside her bag. Hyunjin stood in front of her, his tie slightly undone, eyes crinkled with that smile that somehow permanently graced his angelic features.

She responded so quietly she was sure he wouldn't hear. "Yeah?"

Hyunjin tilted his head. "Is it okay if I keep this pen for my next few classes? I'll give it back, I promise."

Y/n's gaze flitted to his long, slender hand, the ballpoint held elegantly between them. She narrowed her eyes, sighing.

"Fine, but don't lose it."

Hyunjin nodded eagerly before turning away with a quick smile.

"Kay. I won't. See you later!"

Y/n let out a tiny 'bye' in response, hauling her bag onto her shoulder.

Hyunjin walked casually down the hallway, effortlessly slipping between throngs of students with ease. His hands were shoved in his pockets, Y/n's pen clutched between his slender figures as he moved to enter his next class. He was surprised she'd let him borrow it; most people thought she was quite intense and cold, some thought her rather mean. Hyunjin thought she was probably just lonely.

Something like that, he thought. A hint of empathy twinged at his heartstrings. Nevertheless, he was quite pleased with himself; the lie about 'forgetting all of his stuff' had somehow unbelievably fooled her.

One slender hand came down, tucking his pencil case deeper into his bag.

He couldn't believe the lie had worked.

taglist (open) : @kozumesphone

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savage 🧚 💖  #aespa

omgomg can you please write a 9th member fic (chan x f!reader) where they attend the milan show together (the one chan is at rn) 🥹🫶

hihi sorry this took a while to answer >< it's here now tho . i liked this idea so much, i haven't written much fashion event stuff ! maybe i added a little surprise near the end, but you'll just have to see hehe . here you gooo~

fendi - bangchan x female!9th member reader

pairing: bangchan x female 9th member reader

summary: chan asks you to accompany him to the fendi event in milan.

genre: idol!au, 9th member!au, super duper fluffy and cute, sleepy channie, mentions of eating and drinking, swarming from fans, lots of mentions of camera flashes, chan almost falling over (yes that is a warning)

a/n: yuhh i'm so back guys ! div by @elleisdesigning

skz masterlist

Chan who surprises you with the biggest bouquet of your favourite flowers as he hands you the invitation to the Fendi show in Milan. Who flushes as you look up in shock and shyly explains that he wants you to be his plus-one to the event. He lets out an 'oof' as you fly into his arms, almost knocking him over and nodding over and over again to accompany him to Milan. He grins again in relief as you explain that you don't have anything half as fancy to wear and pokes your cheek, telling you that your outfit isn't something you should be worried about, and that he would handle all of it. You're unconvinced but decide to trust him anyway, and coincidentally, later in the day, he asks what your favourite colour is.

Chan who holds your hand all the way to the airport and refuses to let go, even when you're all swarmed by the photographers and fans. His leader-mode kicks in and he protects you from the swarms as you navigate through the airport. His grip is strong, warm, and steady, and he leads you skillfully through the throngs of people pressing in on both of you until you reach the terminal gate. Makes you go first and presses a warm hand to your back as he guides you down the ramp. Refuses to sit down until you've found your seat and then offers to swap places with you so you can have the window seat. He spends about half an hour gazing out at the ground falling away beneath you and then immediately falls asleep, his mouth open and hair endearingly ruffled as the plane vibrates all around you, rising higher and higher in the air.

Chan who wakes up sleepily when the plane lands and accidentally stands up too soon, almost ending up sprawled in the aisle as the plane bumps against the tarmac. He guides you through the mess of cameras and flashes and falls asleep again in the car on the way to the hotel you'll both be staying in. You wake him up and watch him drain a bottle of water as you step out of the car, heading into the lift and up to your shared hotel room. You watch him bustle around the room, making phone calls and arranging food to be delivered, and then nuzzle into his shoulder as he sits down on the bed next to you, coiling an arm around your shoulders as you both watch the city bustling with life from outside the window.

Chan who offers you his hand as he steps out of the car, letting you take his arm as you both make your way inside the stylist's room that's been temporarily set up for the event, and fights a grin as you look around in curiosity and ask what you're doing here. He leads you to a curtain and pulls it back, nodding thankfully at the designer, and jumps when he hears you gasp and then squeal in delight. Your hands trace the beautiful, flowing fabric of the gown and you throw your arms around the leader, not caring who sees. His face is tinged pink as you run over to the mannequin once more and fawn over the dress he's had custom-made for you for the event. It's sparkly and subtle and just the right colour, and you hold back another squeal as you realise, this is why Chan asked your favourite colour a few days earlier. Not that he didn't already know what it was...

Chan who presses a hand gently onto your knee as the car pulls up to the carpet leading into the Fendi event. His gaze is reassuring and a little of the subtle sparkle on your cheeks come away on the curve of his fingers as he brushes a strand of hair off your face, promising that you'll do great. Not that the sparkle on his hands makes a difference; he looks stunning as always, and whispers the same thing back to you as he offers you his arm. You close your eyes briefly against the camera flash and step out of the car, letting him lead you inside. He stays with you and gracefully walks you around, greeting people, introducing you, and mingling with the crowd. As expected, he is a hit; unexpectedly, so are you. You're entirely comfortable in just an hour, and you even receive some lovely compliments on your appearance at the event.

Chan who secretly strokes your hand with a gentle thumb as both of you stand and pose for the cameras; he keeps your intertwined fingers behind the both of you, his smile warm and genuine as photos are snapped endlessly. The subtle, secret yet possessive gesture makes your heart flutter and you fight a laugh as he whispers jokes and comments to you in an attempt to make you smile harder than you are. He succeeds, and the result is a beautiful photo of the both of you on the cover of several fashion articles and websites, who all sing your shared praises, gushing over your outfits and potential chemistry (the members, who have been keeping updated on the event, cheekily start planning your eventual wedding).

Chan who's glad he brought you along; he's never seen his ninth member and secret crush looking so stunning and effortless. He thanks his stars for the rest of the night as he remembers the courage it took to ask you to accompany him to the event. He's never been prouder of you, and later, when the event ends, he takes you out on a walk, both of you licking at ice creams in the warmly-lit streets and talking about the day. His heart is fluttering as he wipes a little of ice cream off your lips and presses his mouth to yours, sweet treats forgotten as you melt immediately into his embrace, relishing the warmth and steady comfort he always manages to exude.

He couldn't be happier.

a/n: i'm thinking of starting a fic taglist, the post for it will be up soon ><

lonely st. ✧ chapter ix : healing

pairing: hwang hyunjin x reader (y/n)

warnings: mentions of panic attack, lots of crying, hyunjin collapses from exhaustion at one point, mild mentions of injuries and blood/bruises, hyunjin is kinda mean, best boy felix

a/n: one to go! thank you for all the love <3 please read this post before you open this chapter if you haven't already 💫

series masterlist | skz masterlist

Felix poked his friend on the shoulder. "You excited for the tournament games, Hyunjin?"

"W-what?"

"Are you excited for the tournament games?"

Hyunjin blinked blearily, trying to clear his fuzzy head. "Sure."

He was trying to focus on what Felix was saying, truly, but he just couldn't get the events of the past two days out of his head.

Sitting with Y/n in class, having her fall asleep on him at Felix's place; it was all constantly at the forefront of his mind, and he hadn't been able to sleep. Or focus. Or keep his head in the game.

Or do anything, really.

Coupled with the realisation of his newfound (or perhaps just realised) love for her, all in all, Hyunjin could do nothing but sleepily follow his friend to the bus stop, where their coach was waiting to take them down to the basketball tournament.

It would be seven days away from home; the tournament was a week long event, and normally Hyunjin would have been excited, but today, he felt off. Like he had forgotten something.

Maybe he had forgotten something.

Jisung had come over to help him pack his suitcase just the other night, since he'd forgotten about it in the bustle of having to finish homework, wrap up errands, and the neverending preparations for the upcoming games.

"Normally it's my job to forget to pack my suitcase," Jisung had said to him as he'd helped Hyunjin fold his clothes into his bags. "Feels strange seeing you so unprepared, Hyun."

Hyunjin sighed and pulled out his jacket, setting his duffel down for a moment to pull it on. Him and Felix were currently walking across the field to the coach, which was waiting at the stop a little further ahead. The sky overhead was a milky purple, streaked with light orange and the faintest shimmer of blue, gleaming through the clouds to highlight the early-morning sun, which was still halfway through rising behind them.

Hyunjin glanced at Felix, walking to his left; the blonde haired boy was walking with his head down, watching as his sneakers spread little droplets of dew across the freshly mowed grass. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were a little swollen; it wasn't uncommon for Felix to look like a sleepy chicken in the mornings, especially when they had to travel somewhere early for games.

Hyunjin assumed he probably looked the same way; he hadn't bothered to brush his hair that morning, vouching for a quick shower to wake him up instead. He'd turned the handle after stepping in and had been hit on the back with a flurry of cold water, and his spine still tingled as he relived the memory with a wince twinging at the corners of his mouth.

He hadn't been able to sleep that night, either; he'd been debating for several hours on whether to tell Y/n he was leaving for a week, and he had kept struggling with the decision as the stars had risen higher in the sky.

The night before...

Hyunjin lay in his bed, the sheets rumpled and messy, his hair in the same state. He pressed a hand to his chest, where Y/n had lay a few days earlier; he found he suddenly missed her warmth and the comforting weight of her body against his. A flush painted his cheeks suddenly, his ears dusted pink. But it faded as he picked up his phone, biting his lip.

He had to tell her about the tournament; would she be upset that he'd left it so last minute? He'd told Jisung and Felix not to mention it too much around her; they'd asked why, and Hyunjin found he didn't have an answer.

Perhaps he was worried that things would be different after he came back from the tournament; would she have had some sort of personality transplant by then? Would she have decided that he wasn't good company after all, or that she would much rather be friends with Jisung, or Felix?

The worries swirled in Hyunjin's mind and he opened the chat with Y/n, deciding to tell her anyway. Even if she did decide to hate him, he couldn't bear the fact that while he was away, she might be all alone and be wondering where he had gone. He couldn't do that to her; she deserved to know.

drama king 🏀: hey drama king 🏀: you awake?

He waited silently, his phone held over his face as he relaxed against the pillows, waiting for a response. His arm began to hurt after a few minutes so he rolled onto his side, eyes strained and watering as he glared at the screen.

y/n 🌸💫: hyunjinnie y/n 🌸💫: why are you awake its like 2 am y/n 🌸💫: are you okay?

Hyunjin exhaled in relief, feeling suddenly guilty for waking her with his impulsive actions.

drama king 🏀: sorry. i'm okay drama king 🏀: just, i wanted to tell you something y/n 🌸💫: which is?

Hyunjin let his cheeks puff up as he exhaled harshly, his head spinning slightly at the forceful puff of breath. He typed out a reply.

drama king 🏀: you know the basketball tournament i mentioned to you a while ago? y/n 🌸💫: yeah, what about it? drama king 🏀: it's tomorrow y/n 🌸💫: yeah? y/n 🌸💫: and

Hyunjin let out a little noise of surprise, running a hand through his hair. Was she baiting him, trying to catch him out? He couldn't see any other resolution; how could she have possibly known when the tournament was? He'd never mentioned the dates to her, not that he hadn't wanted to. Again, he found himself struggling to grapple with a conclusion as to why he had been so hesitant to tell her about it.

drama king 🏀: wait- you know about it? drama king 🏀: you know that i'm leaving tomorrow? y/n 🌸💫: of course i knew y/n 🌸💫: it was hard not to know, when it's all jisung talks about in math class with me. you know, when he's not busy listening to g-idle and drawing on my hands y/n 🌸💫: he's a lot of fun

Hyunjin's heart sank for some reason and a mild feeling of irritation settled in the pit of his stomach. Why did he suddenly feel so downcast? Was it because he'd been expecting her to not know about the tournament, and therefore be upset with him for not telling her beforehand? Had he wanted that?

But despite all of that, why was she directing the conversation to Jisung of all people?

Don't be stupid, he chided himself. She's just mentioning how she found out about the tournament. Don't be mad at her, or Jisung.

He typed a response, thumbs flying over his phone screen.

drama king 🏀: oh y/n 🌸💫: just 'oh'? y/n 🌸💫: what's wrong

Hyunjin switched his phone off for a few minutes, pondering her question. What was wrong? He'd been feeling so different lately, and not just because of the fact that he'd discovered his true feelings about her.

No matter how hard he tried, there was always some sort of feeling or thought just out of his reach, and it was beginning to tick him off. Usually he was composed with his feelings; he hadn't even been feeling this stuck after he'd cut Yeji off for saying nasty things about Y/n to him. No, he felt worried.

Why am I worried? Is it about the tournament? It could be. Is it because Coach told me after the last practice that I'd have to step my game up if we wanted to win the championship? Or am I doubting my skills even though I've practiced till I ached?

Am I just worried about leaving her?

y/n 🌸💫: hyunjinnie?

Her notification snapped him out of his spiraling, confused thoughts.

drama king 🏀: yeah, sorry drama king 🏀: i just drama king 🏀: i'm gonna miss you

Shit!

He hadn't meant to type that! Frantically, he propped himself up on his elbows and fumbled to navigate to the settings icon, where he switched the wi-fi off. If he was lucky, the message wouldn't go through...

Of course, no such luck.

The 'delivered' icon sat proudly on top of the risky message and Hyunjin fought to keep his phone by his side even though he felt like throwing it out the window. Y/n's typing bubble popped up and he clamped a hand over his mouth, trying to fight the urge to scream and wake everyone else in the household.

y/n 🌸💫: i'll miss you too y/n 🌸💫: but i'm not going anywhere y/n 🌸💫: you can still text me even when you leave for the tournament, you know, if you have time...

Hyunjin stared at the messages, mouth agape in disbelief. Another message popped up under the previous ones.

y/n 🌸💫: if you want to, of course

Hyunjin let a soft, relieved chuckle escape his lips. He could almost hear her frantic, shy tone as she hurriedly reassured him there was no pressure in the matter.

Even though she was saying something that was completely a choice to him, Hyunjin found it endearing that she was making sure he knew he had a choice in the first place.

He typed a response quicker than his fingers could coordinate it.

drama king 🏀: i'd like that. y/n 🌸💫: good y/n 🌸💫: now go to sleep, you maniac

Hyunjin laughed at her response, his eyes crinkling cutely at the corners as he clutched his phone tighter.

Y/n reacted to his previous message with a little black heart, signaling the end of the conversation. Hyunjin froze for a couple seconds before tossing his phone onto the bedside.

Burying his face in his pillow, he kicked his legs, unable to keep the increasingly widening smile from stretching his face til he felt it would split from the force of his happiness.

The butterflies in his stomach fluttered up and out of his throat in the form of a light, bubbly laugh that he hardly recognised as his own.

She really was sweet.

"Alright, boys, line up and I'll count you onto the coach..."

Felix took Hyunjin's arm as they lined up behind the other boys waiting to get onto the coach. They were all dressed in the same, dark tracksuit, with the school logo on the back and white stripes running down the sides of the sleeves and pants.

Hyunjin felt so sleepy he though he would drop where he stood. He looked up the front, where his basketball coach was counting on the boys in pairs.

Everything had been loaded onto the bus; in his daze of reliving the memory of Y/n the night before, Hyunjin hadn't realised that Felix had taken his stuff to be loaded, realising that he was too tired to do it for himself.

He turned and lifted Felix's hand to his mouth, pressing his lips to it in a soft, affectionate gesture. Felix smiled sleepily at him just as Jisung wrapped his arms around Hyunjin's shoulders.

"Hi!" He grinned, nuzzling into Hyunjin's neck.

Hyunjin groaned despite himself. Jisung was about the only one who was awake at the moment; Felix nodded to him subtly and sneaked the half-empty can of Monster from his bag, taking a sip and wincing at the strong, caffeinated flavour. He waved the can in Jisung's face.

"You shouldn't drink this stuff so early, Ji," he chided lightly, handing the can back to his friend, who shoved it into his bag, apparently unaware of the possible dangers of drink spillage.

Hyunjin sighed and looked ahead as Jisung whined a reply to Felix; normally, his friend's boundless energy and comedic antics would have cheered him up.

But for some reason, the pang of irritation he'd been feeling in his gut since he'd found out that Y/n had been sitting with Jisung every math class began to settle in, and this time, it was a lot faster than it had been previously.

But he wasn't sure why.

Hyunjin clenched a fist as Jisung accidentally knocked him in the back harmlessly as he re-enacted something to a friend behind them, sending him forward a step. Their coach was still counting the boys onto the bus, and Hyunjin turned just as Jisung spoke.

"Lixie pixie, wanna sit with me?" Jisung poked Felix's cheek, grinning.

"Sorry," Hyunjin cut in suddenly, aware of the suddenly brusque, cold tone in his voice. "He's sitting next to me."

Felix looked at Hyunjin in surprise, then looked back at Jisung, who had paused, his grin fading a little.

"Oh," he said, his smile returning. "That's okay. I'll sit with Innie instead."

He dropped behind them to clutch at Jeongin's arm, and began talking with him about the latest update to the game they played together, apparently unaffected.

Felix nudged Hyunjin's shoulder just as they were counted onto the coach.

"Jinnie, what's wrong?" He whispered.

Hyunjin gritted his teeth as they walked down the coach aisle, and he settled into the back corner next to the window. Felix sat down beside him, touching his knee worriedly. He made to speak, but was interrupted as their coach called out a few instructions, some of which included 'No sticking your hands out the window to flip passing strangers off' and 'No throwing chewed gum at each other'.

"Standard procedures, really," Felix murmured in Hyunjin's ear. "I wonder if the other boys' basketball teams at the tournament get instructions like that."

Hyunjin smiled despite himself, and propped an elbow against his knee as he tucked it up to his chest. Letting his head rest against the window, which was vibrating slightly with the movement of the bus, he closed his eyes.

Felix stared at him pointedly, eyes flitting to Jisung before fixing themselves on Hyunjin's figure.

"Jinnie."

"Mmm."

"What's wrong? Why'd you snap at Jisung?"

Hyunjin opened his eyes, glaring defensively at his friend. "I didn't."

Felix's voice was low. "Yeah, you did. What happened?"

Hyunjin sighed in exasperation. "Are you gonna laugh at me?"

Felix shook his head vehemently, swaying with the motion of the bus as it headed onto the freeway.

Hyunjin sighed and adjusted himself so he was more comfortably facing his friend. "It's just- I found out that Jisung sits with Y/n every math class."

Felix tilted his head. "So? I thought you didn't mind."

Hyunjin sighed again. "I didn't mind. But- now they're so close, Felix. What if- what if Y/n decides she likes Jisung more than me?"

Felix leaned his head against his friend's shoulder, tucking his knees up to his chest as he rested. "Why would she like him better?"

"Because he's funny, and easy to talk to, and a better basketball player than me, and Y/n gets along so much easier with him-"

"That's not true," Felix looked at him, taken aback. "Y/n gets along well with you. Why are you so worried? You were fine a couple days ago, Jinnie..."

"Because I like her," he blurted out suddenly.

Felix hurriedly clamped a hand over his mouth as a couple of the boys in front of them looked back at Hyunjin in interest, smirking to each other. Glaring at them, Felix waited until they turned back to the front, and lowered his voice, moving closer to Hyunjin. His eyes were wide.

"Took you long enough, man."

Hyunjin tugged on a strand of his blonde, messy hair, pouting. "Don't be mean."

Felix rolled his eyes in response, sighing dramatically. "I knew the second you started talking to her you liked her. Everything was confirmed after you both fell asleep on my couch a couple days ago."

Hyunjin whined, shoving him, trying to tone down the scarlet flush on his cheeks. "Felix!"

"It was cute!" his friend protested. "Besides, you two are adorable together."

Hyunjin groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Do you think she knows?"

Felix shrugged, looking at him pointedly. "Do you think Jisung really likes her?"

"I don't know, but he draws on her hands all the time, which has to mean he likes her, right?"

"Jinnie, he draws on your hands too most days."

Hyunjin looked down at his hands and sighed; true to his friend's word, there were faded, inky doodles of anime characters and cutesy hearts and stars all over the backs of Hyunjin's hands, worn by hand-washing and natural wear.

"Okay, fair point, but still-"

"Jinnie."

Hyunjin threw his hands up, digging through his duffel for his water bottle. His throat had gone suddenly dry. "Okay, fine. Even if Jisung doesn't like her, how am I supposed to fix this?"

"Tell her how you feel, pabo."

Hyunjin spluttered and drew the water bottle away from his mouth, water running down his chin. He thwacked himself in the chest repeatedly.

Glaring at Felix, he protested, his voice suddenly pitching several octaves higher than before. "I can't do that!"

Felix deadpanned at him. "Why not?"

"Because, then it might ruin everything-"

Felix pressed his fingers and thumb together and apart repetitively in a talking motion, rolling his eyes.

Hyunjin flicked his neck, his friend recoiling dramatically, clutching at himself.

"Oh, I am wounded-"

"Shut up." Hyunjin settled back into his seat, crossing his arms. "I just have to wait until I'm ready to tell her. If I tell her."

Felix stopped his dramatics suddenly, poking Hyunjin's shoulder. "Jinnie, if you wait til you're ready, you're gonna be waiting a long time. And who knows? Maybe she feels the same way."

Hyunjin shook his head. "She doesn't. Well, I don't know."

"Do you know that for sure?"

He shook his head again. "I don't know that either."

Felix sighed, settling back into his seat and moving his shoulders, getting comfortable. He slipped his sneakers off and tucked his feet further underneath himself.

"At least talk to Jisung about it. He'll understand."

"And what if he likes her?"

Felix grinned. "Fight to the death."

Hyunjin groaned and let his head thud against the window. The passing scenery outside faded and blurred as it began to rain lightly. A sudden downpour drew surprised explanations from some of the boys, and Hyunjin closed his eyes, hoping to try and catch up on some sleep before they arrived. It was a long bus trip anyway. He'd have plenty of time to sleep, and think over what Felix had said.

Glancing across, he noticed Felix had plugged in his headphones, and was busy listening to some sort of music video he'd downloaded on his phone.

Turning back to the window, Hyunjin traced the droplets of rain sliding down the glass pane, and thought hard. The last championship game was back at school; sort of like the finale of the tournament. Their opponents would travel to the school to verse them in a final game of basketball.

It was during the school day, too; it went from the lunch break to the end of the day. If he had time after the game, maybe he could catch her and tell her how he he felt about her.

But she'd have to show up, he reasoned. She's never not at school, though. I don't think I've ever seen her take a day off. Maybe she just likes being at school better...

He bit his lip. Could he possibly tell her over text? No, he couldn't do that. She might misunderstand something and take it the wrong way. Then everything would be ruined.

Or maybe, he could tell her over a phone call, when he got a chance alone. But there was always a risk that she would forget about the confession once he returned.

Why is this so hard?!

Hyunjin sighed and rested his head on his folded arms, moving so he was leaning onto Felix. He was far more comfortable than the window sill anyway. He lightly scratched Hyunjin's head before resuming the video on his phone.

Hyunjin shut his eyes and made a plan.

First, he would try and focus on the first few games of the tournament; that would surely guarantee an easier path to the championship title.

Then, when he had a free moment, he would find out somehow if Jisung liked Y/n.

Then, he would talk to Y/n over text when he had time, just to sus out whether there was a chance of her liking him.

Finally, he would decide whether to confess to her.

Foolproof plan, he thought to himself sarcastically as his eyelids began to droop.

What could possibly go wrong?

The dorms were wide and spacious; the boys were split into groups of four and sent off from the bus with their things. Hyunjin stopped to help Felix take his suitcase down from the bus well; in his other hand, he held the schedule for the rest of the day.

There was a long, outdoor corridor with a corrugated roof that led down to the boys' dorms; most of the schools in the prefecture had already settled into their respective rooms. There were about 20 schools competing in the tournament, but Hyunjin and Felix didn't see anyone walking around besides a couple of rowdy teenage boys bouncing a basketball.

Most of the teams had arrived several days before, and Hyunjin figured they were most likely out practicing in the main courts behind the dormitory buildings. The sun had finally risen fully, though it was hidden behind a sheen of grey, overcast clouds.

Jisung and Jeongin were already inside when the boys entered. The room smelt faintly of wood and fresh linen, and Jeongin was busy rifling through the cupboards for fresh sheets as Felix set his bag down on the nearest bunk.

There were two bunk beds, set on either side of the wall, and a door one side for the bathroom, the other door being the one they had just entered through.

Hyunjin pressed a finger to the frame of the bunk beds; it was hard steel, set in black. He shivered slightly; the room was cool.

Jisung and Jeongin had already claimed the top bunks, and Felix had sat down on his bed under Jeongin's, leaving Hyunjin the other bottom bunk under Jisung's. Not that he minded; he much preferred the bottom bunk anyway, since he was so tall. He'd had a few extremely close, unfortunate encounters with the ceiling more than once when he'd claimed a top bunk for himself in the past.

The pang of irritation he felt towards Jisung settled down for the time being as Felix handed round the schedule. Jeongin had finished making his bed and he moved to sit beside Hyunjin, reading over his shoulder and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Hyunjin relaxed into the much needed comfort.

They had two hours off to unpack and freshen up, as well as explore the campus. Then they'd eat quickly in the main hall and begin stretching, warming up, and training for the rest of the evening. He looked sideways at Jeongin, who already looked exhausted.

"Today's gonna be so long," he murmured, pouting.

Hyunjin chuckled and ruffled the younger boy's hair, making him squint like a fox. "It's okay, Innie. It'll be over before you know it."

Jeongin pointedly glanced across the room at Felix, who had fallen asleep on the bed. Jisung moved and climbed off the top bunk, settling down next to Felix and wrapping an arm around his torso. They looked as tired as Hyunjin felt, but he knew that if he fell asleep, he ran the risk of missing the practices scheduled for tonight, and he knew Coach would be upset.

So he stood up, with some effort, and moved to the small bathroom to splash water on his face. It was a simple little room; with a bathtub and shower in the corner, hidden by a sliding frosted glass door, and two sinks with a large mirror hanging above it, a towel rack to its left. There was a smaller door to the right, which Hyunjin assumed to be the toilet.

He leaned over the sink, letting his hands dangle in the cold stream of water, attempting to wake himself up a bit more. He looked at himself in the mirror; he was tired and pale, the bruised colour under his eyes prominent and speaking measures to how hard he'd worked in the past few weeks, or how little he'd slept. Turning the tap off with great effort, he touched his lips with a wet finger; they were chapped and split.

"You look like shit," he told himself quietly.

"Innie, pass!"

Felix caught the ball and weaved his way down the court, effortlessly evading the blockers. The thumping of the basketball and the squeaking of shoes reverberated around the court as Hyunjin took his spot near the hoop.

His eyes flitted to Felix before checking both sides for any attackers, and he caught the ball effortlessly, years of muscle memory kicking in. He looked up and leaned onto the balls of his feet, ready to shoot; the blinding white lights overhead glared off the court and made his eyes water, like the sun was coming closer to greet him.

He jumped and shot into the hoop, his palm slapping the net. Flicking his wrist, he watched in satisfaction as the ball slipped through the net, landing on the ground with a pleasing thud.

He high-fived Felix and let Jeongin tackle him in a side hug; looking straight past Jisung, he glanced at his Coach, who nodded and turned away.

Things were looking up.

The rest of the evening practice went smoothly enough; Hyunjin managed to shoot a few more hoops and he was beginning to feel stronger with each resistance drill they went through. He tried to control his breathing as Jeongin held his feet while he did situps.

They were supposed to do forty in four sets; by the third set, Hyunjin began to feel a little dizzy. Jeongin had already done his sets, and Hyunjin could see his chest heaving as he leaned forward, holding firmly onto his sneakers as he bent his middle up and down. His abdomen ached but he pushed forward.

Just a couple more...

It was like someone had switched him off. He collapsed back onto the court, bringing a hand up to shield his eyes from the blinding white court lights. His chest heaved and his torso ached, his abs burning. Suddenly, he felt like he couldn't get up, the energy draining out of him like a broken sandglass.

"Hyunjin, you okay?" Jeongin asked in concern, letting go of Hyunjin's shoes and moving to his side. "Captain?"

He could do nothing but heave; everything hurt so badly and all he'd done was a few situps. He could see Felix and Jisung looking on in concern to his left, and he hated the sympathetic looks the other boys gave him as his coach moved to assess his state.

Stupid, he thought, tears welling in his eyes. You're so weak. Innie did the set just fine. Why can't you?

He moved to get up, gritting his teeth, and pushing Jeongin's hand off of him. But it was replaced by the larger, veiny hand of his coach, who pushed him back down onto the courts, pressing a cloth to Hyunjin's forehead.

"Take it easy," he said. "Just give yourself a couple minutes. Might need to sit tomorrow's game out."

"No," Hyunjin gasped, struggling.

Jeongin rested his hand on the captain's shoulder. "Please, Captain. You've been at it all day, even before the tournament."

Hyunjin sighed and let himself be helped up with some difficulty. He felt humiliated being helped off the court by his coach, Jeongin under his other arm.

Like he was incapable of doing it himself.

But he grudgingly accepted the waterbottle one of the other boys passed to him and he found he was glad to be sitting down, even though he'd much rather have been on the court, shooting hoops and working hard.

It felt strange to sit on the bench and watch as his teammates coordinated perfectly with each other, passing and shooting and communicating, and a strange feeling of affection and pride settled in his stomach, quelling the nausea rising in his throat and the ringing in his head.

Hyunjin knew he was prepared; he'd checked the game strategies over and over, practicing layups and his evasive techniques until he had felt like he would drop. He knew it would bear fruit, but even still, he couldn't help feeling like he could have worked harder. His teammates seemed to be doing fine in regards to the physical exertion, and he was one of the fittest on the team, so why had his body just given up on him all of a sudden?

"Jinnie, you good?"

Felix sat down next to him on the bench, gently bumping his knee with his own. He was sweaty and there was a towel around his neck.

Hyunjin hummed, not taking his eyes off the floor. "Yeah."

"You just sort of- collapsed."

"I didn't. I just felt so tired all of a sudden."

Felix took a swig of his water, exhaling. "You look really pale, man. Give yourself a break."

"I want to play."

Felix leaned back on his hands and laid one over Hyunjin's hand, which was gripping the side of the bench. "I know you do, but if you keep working so hard, you're gonna give out even worse. What are we gonna do if you drop to the floor in the middle of the game?"

Hyunjin grumbled. "The team can play without me then."

"We need our captain."

"No, you don't."

Felix looked taken aback, and perhaps a little hurt. "Jinnie, come on. Is this all because of Jisung?"

He scoffed. "No."

"Then what?"

Hyunjin gritted his teeth. "It's nothing."

"Hwang Hyunjin."

"I just don't know whether I'm good enough!" He threw his hands up. "Okay? I don't know. I haven't been doing my best."

Felix looked sad. "Hyun, you've been working harder than any of us."

"I just don't know whether it's enough."

Felix put a hand on his shoulder. "It's not about how much you can do. It's about what all of us can do. Together. You can't play basketball solo, or do anything else alone for that matter."

Hyunjin sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Then what? I know you're trying to help, but I still feel so- stuck."

Felix's voice was soft as he gazed at his friend. "Coach gave you the rest of the evening off. Take a walk or go back to the dorm and rest. Or go and talk to Y/n. Maybe she can help."

"Do you think so?"

Felix nodded. Hyunjin made to get up, nodding once to his friend in sincere thanks.

He dialled Y/n's number as he left the gym.

"So, how is it?" Y/n's voice was teasing through the phone. "Is it everything you ever dreamed of?"

Hyunjin scoffed and leaned against the railing. He was on the upper floor of the boys' dorms, leaning over over the metal bars and letting the evening breeze ruffle his hair. The lights were off too, currently, so he was bathed in a dimness that brought a strange comfort to his heart, relaxing the ache he felt in his muscles and blanketing a sense of peace over his being.

Or maybe that was just Y/n.

"Yeah, it's good."

"Just good?"

"I feel so tired for some reason," he said quietly, switching his phone to speaker mode. "I'm just worried I'm not doing enough."

Y/n's voice floated around him as he replied. It was like a warm hug. "I mean, you are captain. That comes with its own burdens and responsibilities. But you have the rest of your team to rely on too, if things go wrong."

"Felix said the same thing."

Y/n's tone became insistent. "And he's right. You don't have to do it alone."

Hyunjin scoffed again, blurting out something rather nasty. "You're one to talk."

He regretted it as soon as he'd said it; his eyebrows creased at the realisation of his own stupidity and he noticed the line had gone silent. He bit his lip.

Y/n's voice came through, softer this time. "I'm not alone. I have you, and Felix, and Jisung."

"I'm sorry, it came out so harsh, just-"

"I know, you're exhausted. You sound exhausted too. It's okay. Have you slept?"

"Not much," he said quietly, running a finger along the edge of his phone.

Y/n let out a little chuckle. "Do me a favour."

"Yeah?"

"Are you in your dorm, or your room or whatever?"

Hyunjin glanced out over the railing, the night breeze lifting his hair from his forehead and providing some much-needed relief. "No."

"Go to your dorm."

Hyunjin did as she said, letting himself fall silent save for the sound of his footsteps as he headed to his room. Shutting the door behind himself, he glanced around the dark, empty room. He switched Jeongin's little portable puppy lamp on, bathing the room in a soft, golden glow.

"Okay, I'm here."

"Open your bag. The red and black one."

He did so.

"Go to the left pocket."

Hyunjin paused, feeling suspicious. "There better not be something alive and kicking in my bag, Y/nnie."

She laughed, the sound high and pretty, though a little manic. "Nah, you're good. Go ahead, open the pocket."

Hyunjin put his phone down beside him and unzipped the inner pocket. Inside was a sleek cardboard box with a pull tab at the top and a paper of some sort. He could hear Y/n giggling away on the line.

Bringing both the items to his face, Hyunjin realised what they were. A box of Y/n's trademark colourful bandaids and a little note. He unfolded it and set the bandaid box down gently.

Good luck with the basketball tournament, Hyune! Cheering for you, just make sure you don't fall over too much. The bandaids are just in case you do. For the love of everything, make sure you take care of yourself too.

Y/n

Tears welled up in Hyunjin's eyes. "Are these for me? How- how did you do it?"

Y/n chuckled. "I got Felix to sneak them into your bag for me. Do you like it?"

"Yes, I love it. Thank you so much. I lo-"

He froze. Taking a deep breath, he fought to stay composed. His voice had gone quieter.

"I really miss you, Y/n."

"It's been a day, Hyune. Can I call you that?"

"Yeah, but still. And sure."

There was a pause on the other side of the line. Then Y/n spoke in a quiet, hesitant voice.

"I miss you too, Hyune."

Then she ended the call.

Hyunjin blinked for a few seconds, stunned. He sat down heavily and picked up the bandaid box. Y/n had doodled his signature little ferret next to the brand label and drawn a tiny heart and star next to it.

Hyunjin sat in the lamplight and cried.

"Lix, time to get up."

"Nauhh.."

Hyunjin sighed, adjusting his feet on the steel ladder of the bunk bed, and leaning over the top to look at Felix. All he could see of his friend was his fluffy, messy head of blonde hair and a stray foot poking out the bottom of the bed. He tugged lightly on a strand of Felix's hair and climbed onto the bed entirely.

Laying down next to his friend, he ignored the shouting and whining coming from the bathroom, most likely Jeongin and Jisung fighting over who got to use the bathroom first.

"Lix," he murmured, pulling the covers away. "Come on. First game of the tournament."

"I don't want to.."

Hyunjin sighed. "Would you rather stay here and sleep?"

"Duh."

Rolling his eyes and feeling no irritation whatsoever, Hyunjin brushed a gentle finger down Felix's cheek, whispering sweet nothings to him until he woke up entirely. He really did look like a sweet, sleepy chicken.

Once Felix had climbed down from his warm nest on his bunk with some gentle coaxing and promises of a biscuit from the breakfast in the main hall, Hyunjin freshened up himself, slipping on a plain dark shirt and shorts. Jisung had already left to catch them all seats and Jeongin was busy making a phone call to someone outside. Hyunjin took Felix's hand, gave it a gentle squeeze, and told him go ahead to Jisung at the main hall.

"I have something to do," he said quietly to him.

Hyunjin shut the dormitory door and sank down against it, the floor cold against his bare feet. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could do this. All he had to do was get through the day and do his best in the game.

He was the captain and the star player.

He could win one basketball game.

Exhaling, he stood and took his jersey from his bag, slipping out of his plan shirt and pulling his shorts on. He took his sneakers from their bag and opened the door of the dormitory. He began walking down the hallway, letting his bare feet pad against the concrete, socks shoved in his pocket. He rounded the corner and immediately ducked behind it, almost hitting his head on the wall. His heart pounded as he processed what he'd just seen.

Felix was standing next to the entrance to the gym, talking to a girl.

A girl.

What the heck? I thought it was just the boys' tournament here!

Peeking around the corner, he stared curiously at the girl. She was of average height with long, sleek, dark hair and a blonde streak through it. She was wearing a sleeveless jersey and a pair of shorts. There were black arm and knee pads on her joints, and some of the blonde streak in her hair was falling into her face.

She must a volleyballer. Jeongin told me a while ago that their tournament included a short stop here. Maybe that's it.

Hyunjin watched on nosily as the girl teasingly hit Felix on the shoulder, nothing more than a testing touch. He smirked as his friend blushed, laughing and responding in what looked like a shy, shaky way. The girl laughed in the same manner.

Awkward idiots, Hyunjin thought with a grin. He checked his watch; he had a couple minutes before the game commenced. Hopefully Felix would come to his mind and realise he had a team waiting for him.

Hyunjin turned and took the long way around to the court.

The gym was a hustle and bustle of different teams and coaches in a variety of different colours of uniforms, some on the court, some off. Most of the teams were split amongst their assigned courts, most training and warming up with their respective coaches. Hyunjin navigated to the back court, where his own team was, and began to help the younger members stretch and go over game tactics.

Felix came in just as everyone began to line up to bow to the other team, skidding into place next to Hyunjin, who shook hands with the other team's captain before stepping back into place.

"Forgot about the game, hmm?" He murmured, smirking.

Felix scoffed. "Forgot about breakfast, did you?"

Hyunjin rolled his eyes, keeping them then trained on the opponent's captain. "Shut up. Make sure your little girlfriend doesn't make you late next time."

Felix went red, not looking at Hyunjin as the referee went through the standard procedures for the game. "Could say the same thing about you and Y/n. But sure, I won't be late next time. Sorry, Captain."

Hyunjin playfully patted Felix's back as they took their positions on the court. Hyunjin stood, poised and knees bent, eyes fixed on the ball that the referee held between him and the opponent's power forward. He'd done this plenty of times; the ball toss was one of the reasons he was the star player of the team.

The whistle blew and Hyunjin leapt, almost feeling his opponent's chest brush against his own. He slapped it out of reach and Hyunjin landed lightly, sprinting after it and beginning to weave his way down the court with Jeongin.

Four hoops and thirty minutes later, Hyunjin sat down on the bench, congratulating his team members on their performance so far. He took a swig of water and wiped his face with a towel. The note from Y/n was tucked into the pocket of his shorts, zipped up, and Hyunjin reached a finger inside to touch it lightly.

It was like his little lucky charm.

The red numbers on the clock read five minutes left as the game resumed.

Four.

Hyunjin passed to Felix, who ducked from an opponent and passed to Jisung, who made his way down to the hoop, where Hyunjin was sprinting.

Three.

Eyes fixed on his friend and ready to receive the ball, Hyunjin took a step back, almost crossing the boundary line.

Two.

Stumbling, he ducked under his opponent's arm and stepped in front of him, eyes fixed on the ball as it flew through the air to him.

One.

Catching it and almost slipping, he leapt and shot into the hoop above him, his torso twisting awkwardly to accommodate the shot.

The buzzer rang loudly as the ball fell through the hoop. Landing, Hyunjin slipped as his opponent shoved him harshly in the ribs.

He fell hard on his side and found a smile gracing his sweaty face, though he felt winded. Trying to suck air into his lungs and almost laughing at their first victory, he struggled into a sitting position, cradling his left forearm.

Felix and Jeongin tackled him in a hug, Jisung lifting him up. Hyunjin didn't even notice, overwhelmed by the realisation that they'd won the game and the slowly increasing throbbing pain in his forearm.

Ten minutes later, Hyunjin sat in the gym infirmary, cradling his arm as the nurse wrapped a bandage around it, throwing the bleeding tissues in the bin. He'd fallen and scraped it, resulting in a nasty friction burn and an even nastier bruise. His wrist hurt a little but the nurse assured him it would fade.

Felix sat grinning in the corner, having walked him to the infirmary in the first place. He was as sweaty and exhausted as Hyunjin felt, though a disapproving glare twinged his features.

"That guy shoved you really hard," he stood and stretched after the nurse had left.

"Yup," Hyunjin grinned. He wasn't even angry, flushed with the sheen of victory. "Oh, well."

Felix peered at the bandage. "Gonna use one of Y/n's bandaids?"

Hyunjin nodded, turning his forearm over and stroking a finger along the interior, feeling the rough bandage under his fingertip. It had looked pretty bad and had bled even more, but he knew he could push on til the end of the tournament. Until he saw Y/n, he was going to work as hard as he could.

He could hold out til then.

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NONONONONONOOOOOO NO SIRREE YOU CANNOT JS LEAVE US W STUPIDLY PERFECT LIKE THAT NUH UHHHHHH PART 2 PART 2 PLSPLSPLS OR AT LEAST JS TELL ME IF SHE DIED I NEED TO KNOW SO I CAN MOVE ON 😭😭

hahah we'll see lol . . .

might release a part 2 once the first part hits 150 notes. that's how i usually decide whether to write a part 2 ><

recipe - yang jeongin

pairing: yang jeongin x reader

summary: you and jeongin try and bake something together

genre: non-idol! au, crack, domestic vibes, too much flour, disgustingly sweet fluff warning

a/n: innie... please stay out of the kitchen

The kitchen was already in chaos.

Flour dusted the countertops, and a mix of ingredients cluttered every available surface. You stood next to Jeongin, both of you staring down at the cookbook with furrowed brows. What was supposed to be a simple recipe had quickly turned into a confusing puzzle.

“Are you sure we’re supposed to add this much flour?” Jeongin asked, scratching his head as he peered into the mixing bowl. The dough looked… questionable, to say the least.

“I don’t know, but that’s what the recipe says,” you replied, unsure yourself. You flipped through the pages, hoping you had missed a step, but everything seemed to be in order—well, mostly.

Jeongin hesitated for a second before dumping more flour into the bowl. “I mean, how hard can it be, right?”

It turns out, it was much harder than either of you expected. The dough was either too sticky or too dry, and at one point, the two of you were covered in flour, laughing uncontrollably at how much of a mess you had made. The kitchen had become a battleground, with ingredients scattered like casualties.

Jeongin tried to salvage the situation by kneading the dough, but it stuck to his fingers like glue.

“Uh, I think it’s alive,” he joked, shaking his hands to try and free himself from the sticky dough. You couldn’t help but burst into laughter, grabbing a towel to help him out.

“Maybe we should’ve just ordered takeout, Innie,” you teased, watching as he finally managed to get the dough off his hands.

But despite the disaster unfolding, there was something fun about it. Jeongin’s laughter was contagious, and even though the two of you were terrible at following recipes, it didn’t seem to matter. You were just enjoying the moment, trying to cook together and making memories (very messy memories).

After what felt like an eternity, you both managed to get the dough somewhat under control and into the oven. You exchanged glances, a mixture of pride and amusement on your faces as you cleaned up the flour-covered countertops.

“Next time, we’ll nail it,” Jeongin said, a playful smirk on his lips. “But I’m pretty sure this time… we’re getting cookies that taste like bread. Or worse. I'll call Chan-hyung to tell him to keep the hospital on hold. We'll probably get food poisoning.”

You grinned, swatting him, knowing he was probably right, but that wasn’t what mattered. What mattered was that the two of you had fun.

Cooking disasters and all.

a/n: jeongin should join the seunglix dorm

hello. 😊 if it's not a bother, could i please request stray kids celebrating their 9th member’s birthday with her (please leave her age unspecified)? 🥰 no pressure, it's okay if you don't do this! 🤗

hiyoooo this was such a cute request . . . i didn't do a traditional fic bc i know everyone likes to celebrate differently >< i'm def more a lowkey type of person but i know others who like to go all out <3 here you goooo

skz and celebrating their 9th member's birthday

pairing: ot8!skz x 9th member!reader

summary: how skz would celebrate your birthday !

genre: fluff, idol! au, chaotic skz, reader celebrates their birthday, age left unspecified (though they're the youngest of the group), cute innie, big brother skz agenda all the way, mentions of forehead kisses, mentions of eating, mentions of chan's back pain

a/n: happy birthday to anyone who's celebrating lol

skz masterlist

so how skz celebrates your birthday definitely depends on whether you're a big, grand gesture sort of person or not

if you are

then expect half the company to be there at the party

or a big fancy event in one of the halls

lots and lots of singing and dancing, if your birthday happens to fall on a skz concert date, they'll definitely perform 'happy birthday' and sing one of your favourite songs

lots of gifts

i mean lots

they could be the most random things too

we all know how leeknow gifts things

so expect anything from a new nachimbong to a cucumber

skz would def be the type of people to surprise you at the dorms too, with a whole massive spread of food and sweets

felix would def be baking for you too

and there'd be a cake in your favourite colour with your name written on slightly messy icing on the top

when you look closer you notice your name is spelt wrong

jeongin excitedly points out that he wrote your name on the top and you kiss his forehead anyway in thanks

bc he's cute and you would never point out the fact that he spelt his only younger member's name wrong

oh well

you appreciate the gesture anyway

then it's gifts

most of them are good and you love them

but there's a select few that make you laugh

like a matching horse mask from jisung or a singular messed-up paintbrush from hyunjin

you keep them anyway for the memories

(and make a mental note to scare chan with the horse mask later, alongside jisung, who already has one of his own)

shhh !!

then it's opening the cards from each member

again, super cute messages from the members, aside from seungmin's card

he's just written in sparkly blue gel pen 'you survived another year'

'good job'

and that's it

slightly menacing but you thank him for it anyway, watching him grin as you place it down

and then it'd be a night out at the mall or the arcade

or anywhere you want to go

expect to be spoilt by your eight older brothers

they spare no expense to make you happy

whether you choose to take advantage of that or not is up to you

changbin or chan would def let you climb on their back as a once-off

and they'd carry you through the streets while you giggle in their ear

changbin doesn't even feel you

while chan is wishing he'd stretched his back earlier

you all end up falling asleep in a heap as soon as you guys get back to the dorms

no one has bothered to undress either so you all wake up looking like you did the night before

if you're not a grand gesture sort of person

or you just get a little shy on your birthday

skz will def be a little more lowkey

some of the members, especially the maknaes, don't really understand why you don't want to go all out for it

but they try to make you happy anyway

personally i feel like they wouldn't make too much of a fuss in fear of upsetting you

so you'd wake up as per normal and go to the kitchen

and minho has cooked breakfast for you

your fav obviously

and the other members just kind of go about their business and wish you a happy birthday

chan def stops to kiss the crown of your head bc you're like his little sibling and felix does the same

bc he's sweet like that

your day then goes as per normal

maybe with a lot less schedules and practices bc no one wants to do work on their birthday

unless you're super productive i guess

but yeah

and then you get home and walk into the living room

the boys have set up a blanket fort and a mess of cushions and pillows on the lounges

netflix is already loaded on the screen and chan and hyunjin have ordered takeout for everyone

so you all dress down into comfy clothes and pyjamas and sit and eat while watching a movie

your pick ofc

they do bake you a cake, or buy one for you if you're not into that

but they don't sing happy birthday bc they don't want to embarrass you

the maknaes def try and burst into off-tune song

you just let them bc it's funny

'you guys are literally singers how do you massacre 'happy birthday'...'

anyway

you all fall asleep in a heap with frosting-flavoured lips and sticky fingers

when you end up waking up, you decide to go to your bedroom

there's gifts from all the members on the bed and cards too

which makes you tear up

bc they were considerate enough to determine that you might be uncomfortable opening them in front of everyone

you make sure to thank them all the next day

skz loves you so much and will do anything to see you happy <3

a/n: i want cake now

snake - yang jeongin

pairing: yang jeongin x reader

summary: you come home to jeongin after a long, exhausting day

genre: fluff, idol! au, comfort, soft innie, reader had a tough day, the snakes are just a metaphor i promise

a/n: this is super rushed. divider by @atsubie

You trudge down the pavement, brushing past pedestrians and groups of chattering students. A man with his phone to his ear shoves roughly past you and you sway where you're standing, a feeling of hopelessness settling into your stomach like a dark, writhing snake.

These past few weeks have been horrible.

First, one of your close friends at work told you that some of the other coworkers have been spreading nasty rumours about you. You spilled your drink this morning on the way to the building and had to run back and change quickly.

Then when you did show up, your boss shouted at you for being tardy in front of your entire division. You elected to work a couple more hours as compensation, and Jeongin is actually at home for once instead of at the company, so you missed out on an evening with him.

You had texted him earlier in the day, saying that you couldn't come home, and he'd called you. He hadn't minded, his tone casual and slightly teasing as per normal, but you knew him well enough to know he was disappointed at not getting to finally spend some time together.

The coiling snake of guilt, shame, and exhaustion in your stomach has been writhing all week long, and honestly, you're just fed up. Pressing a hand to your midriff, you sigh and pick up the pace, weaving between people, muttering sorry and my bad without so much as a second glance.

You shove the door open and run directly into Jeongin with an oof. His hoodie pillows your face in a refreshing wave of fading cologne and fresh linen. You groan and stand there, sagging into him, the door still flung open in the wake of your frustration.

Jeongin blinks down at you, seemingly unsurprised. He wraps his long, firm arms around you, letting you lean against his chest. It's so warm and so comforting it brings tears to your eyes.

"Hi," he murmurs. "Long day?"

You nod mutely, face still shoved into his hoodie.

Jeongin chuckles, picking you up with little effort and carrying you over to the couch. There's a movie playing. He must have been watching it while waiting for you to come home, and your heart twinges guiltily for having made him wait.

"Innie," you whisper tiredly. "It's so late, why aren't you asleep?"

He's kneeling in front of you, gently undoing the buttons of your shirt so you can breathe, then slipping off your socks and shoes. The look of caring focus on his face doesn't go unnoticed in your current overemotional state. When he finally speaks, Jeongin's voice is soft, gentle, firm.

"You know I can't sleep without you, and I didn't want you coming home to silence."

You nod, unable to do anything.

"Besides," he continues, "You always wait up for me, even when I spend hours and hours at the company for dance practices."

He moves to sit beside you, tugging you gently into a side hug, the solidness of his chest against your chest a comforting anchor. You sit like that for a while, the movie muted and faint in the background.

Jeongin's presence is so warm, so comforting, that all you can do is close tired, strained eyes and lean into him further, inhaling his scent, relishing the solid weight of his arm around you. The burden finally lifts and the sharp, dull tension behind your eyes begins to dissolve, leaving you feel more relaxed and cosy than you've felt in a long time.

The coiling snake in your gut settles and disappears.

a/n: no snakes were harmed in the making of this fic