I73mj - Z

spoiled!

pairings: sugar-mommy!karina x college-student!yn

warnings: kitten kitten kitten, rough sex, use of strap, bulge?, sex in bathtub

a/n: gosh i should really keep track of what i wrote for the warnings😓 also not proofread but there'll be part 2 after i finished my exams🤟😎 special tag btw!! @intermixforyou

the door clicks shut gently—well past midnight—karina went straight to her room with her body ached from back-to-back meetings. the only thing she wants to do is run a warm bath and change into a more comfortable clothes after running on caffeine and impatience.

she took off her coat and throws it somewhere, did the same with her heels. she reaches for the beer in her fridge while unbuttoning her crinkled shirt. she took a deep breath and releases it full of stress as she walk towards her room when she find a pleasant surprise on her bed.

you, all dolled up in one of her lingerie (that's a little too big for you, especially the chest area), snoring softly. you were waiting for her to come home but sleep got the best of you. still, karina chuckled as she made her way to kneel beside the bed you are sleeping on.

”kitten, wake up,” she puts down her beer on the nightstand and tucks a few strands of your hair behind your ear to expose the soft line of your cleavage. no answer. you are still snoring softly and only snuggles to karina's cold hands as a response. karina lets out a low hum, lips twitching into a fond, amused smile.

”mm, look at you,” she murmurs, thumb grazing the corner of your mouth. ”you really put this on for me, didn't you, baby?”

you haven't yet respond, of course, still lost in a dream. you just breathe deeper, lashes fluttering a little as her cold fingers trace down your jaw, then lower—skimming down your neck and over the silk strap that's fallen off your shoulder.

”you’re such a good girl,” she whispers, voice just above a breath now. ”waiting for mommy like this... in my favorite set, no less.”

her hand slides under the loose cup of the lingerie, cupping your breast, thumb stroking slow circles around your nipple. your body shivers, but you’re still not awake—not really.

karina leans in, kissing just below your ear. ”don't worry, kitten. i'll be gentle—just enough to take the edge off... for both of us.” her other hand trails down your stomach, slipping past the hem of the lace.

”you're warm,” she mutters against your skin, eyes dark with something feral. ”so soft, so ready for me even in your sleep.” she flips you gently to lay on your back, uncovering your thighs and slowly trails kisses from your ankle to your inner thigh.

”mmh...” you let out a soft whimper, slowly waking up when karina finally kisses the top of your mound, ”m-mommy?” karina lets out a soft sigh.

”aww, i was just having fun,” she coos, gently helps you to sit, ”had a nice nap?”

”mmhm… missed you…” you mumble, voice hoarse and small. cheeks still flushed, eyes barely open as you lean into her touch like a kitten seeking warmth.

karina smiles, brushing your hair back and kissing your temple. ”i missed you too, baby. you looked so pretty—how could i not touch you a little?”

you squirm in her lap, immediately getting sensitive from her teasing earlier, your thighs pressing together instinctively. she notices, of course.

”shh,” she soothes, cupping your cheek, ”want to join me in the bath?” before you can answer, she's already picking you up, one arm under your knees and the other behind your back. you hide your face in her shoulder, letting her carry you like you weigh nothing.

***

the bathroom is warm with steam, lit only by the soft golden glow of the vanity light. the tub is being filled, karina sets you down on the bath mat and strips what little is left between you two, eyes never leaving your flushed face.

”get in first, sweetheart,” she murmurs, placing a sweet kiss on your forehead, ”i'll join you in a sec,” you step in, the water hugging your skin like silk. when she finally sinks in behind you, her short hair dampening at the tips, you instinctively scoot back to her, letting her craddle you.

for a while, it's quiet—her hands rubbing innocent circles on your hips underwater, her lips brushing your shoulder as the scent of lavender swirls around you both.

then she sits up slightly, handing you a soft sponge.

”baby,” she says softly, ”be good and help mommy wash her back?” you blink up at her, dazed and pliant, ”okay...” you shift behind her as she leans forward, baring the elegant curve of her back to you. you run the sponge along her spine, slowly—up, then down again—watching the way her muscles move beneath her skin. her sighs are soft, content.

but your hands get greedy. they stray lower, from her waist to the side of her ribs... then forward—just a little. you glance at her face in the mirror. she doesn't stop you.

so you keep going.

your hands sneak over her stomach, then up to cup her breasts under the water, the sponge floats, long forgotten. her breath hitches.

”kitten,” she warns gently, a teasing note in her voice, ”that's not my back.”

”but you feel so good...” you murmur, fingers brushing over her nipples, watching them harden under your touch. ”wanna make mommy feel good.” she chuckles, low and dangerous, tilting her head to the side.

”such a naughty little thing, i was trying to behave tonight. you got classes tomorrow right?” instead of nodding, you lean in, kissing the nape of her neck.

”you started it.” you whisper, getting more and more brazen, as your hands knead softly at her chest, thumbs rubbing gentle circles over her nipples until she exhales a shaky breath.

karina chuckles, head falling back slightly to rest against your shoulder, ”God, you're such a little brat.” but she doesn't stop you.

the water sloshes quietly as you shift closer behind her, pressing soft kisses down her neck, your bare chest flush against her slick back. you can feel her heartbeat—steady, strong—but quickening under your touch.

”does it feel good, mommy?” you ask, voice syrupy and teasing.

”mmh,” she hums, rolling her hips just slightly under the water, ”feels like my baby's trying to take care of me.”

your hands slide lower, ghosting down her stomach until your fingertips slip between her legs. she parts them for you without a word.

”just like that,” she whispers, breath catching as your fingers explore slow, gentle circles against her folds.

”fuck, kitten...” you smile into her skin. she's so warm, so soft, so wet—maybe not just from the bath.

”want you to relax,” you murmur, slipping a finger inside her, earning a low, chocked moan, ”mommy worked so hard today... let me help.”

she turns her face slightly, just enough to capture your lips in a slow, open-mouthed kiss—messy and deep like she's trying to breathe you in.

”don't stop,” she pants against your mouth, ”don't you dare stop.” she breathes, voice already threadbare—but you don't respon. just give her that soft, sinful smirk and dip under the water, letting it rise over your shoulders as you sink between her thighs.

karina lets out a breath, chest rising with a gasp as your tongue drags slow and deliberate up her folds. you taste her—really taste her—and fuck, it's addicting. sweet and heavy on your tongue, warm even through the bathwater.

you grip her thighs tighter after lifting karina up to make her sit at the edge of the tub, spreading her just enough to bury your mouth deeper, and that's when karina loses it.

”fuck—baby—” her voice breaks, eyes fluttering shut as her hips jerk up, trying to chase the pressure of your mouth. ”just like that, yes—right there, oh god—”

you moan into her, the sound vibrating against her clit. she feelts it, sharp and electric, and you feel her clench around nothing. she's trying so hard to hold still, but her thighs tremble as you suck her swollen clit into your mouth and roll your tongue around it in tight, wet circles.

her hand slaps weakly against the side of the tub, ”you're gonna—fuck—make me come, baby, you want that? want mommy to come all over that pretty mouth?”

you hum again, hungrier now, tilting your head to get even closer—diving in like you've been starving for days, tongue lapping at her with an obscene slurp. she tastes like salt and lavender and her, and you want every last drop.

karina tries to move herself, but your grip pins her down.

”oh my god,” she whispers, her whole body shaking, ”you're fucking insatiable—”

then she breaks.

her thighs clamps around your head, a chocked sob tearing from her throat as her hips grind helplessly into your face. her orgasm crashes down hard and fast, her body shuddering as her slick coats your tongue, thick and hot, mixing with bathwater as she writhes against you.

you stay kneeling, licking her through it—slow, worshipful strokes, like you're savoring dessert. only when she slips back inside the tub, twitching and breathless, do you finally let her go, lips swollen and chin dripping with her.

she stares at you with glassy eyes, cheeks flushed, breath still shallow.

”you—” her voice cracks, ”you filthy, perfect little thing.”

you blink up at her, eyes innocent and lips parted, ”did i do good, mommy?”

she just laughs—wrecked, loving, feral.

”get over here, mommy's not done with you.”

***

oh, and she really mean it.

”c'mere,” she murmurs, tugging you into her lap. the water sloshes as you straddle her thighs, hands pressed to her chest for balance. her skin is flushed and warm, breast slick and rising with each breath.

”sit still,” she whispers, and you do. obediently. perfectly. thighs parted just enough as her hands slips between them. the first touch of her fingers against your folds makes you whimper. your hips jerk, eyes fluttering shut. she chuckles darkly and kisses your neck.

”so soaked...” her fingers slip through your folds again, slow and teasing, parting you open. your breath catches as one finger dips inside, then two—pressing in with that practiced curl that has your thighs quacking.

”shhh,” she coos against your shoulder. ”let mommy take care of you. just sit there and feel me, okay?” you choke on a moan when she starts moving—slow but deep, knuckles brushing your walls, palm nudging your clit with every stroke.

”such a needy little thing,” she murmurs, lips brushing your ears as her fingers thrust deeper.

”look at you, grinding on my hand like a slutty little doll.” you can't help it—your hips move on their own, chasing the pressure, chasing the edge. her other hand grips your waist, keeping you grounded while she fucks you open.

”mmph—m-mommy, please—” you cry, burying your face in her neck.

”please what, baby?” ”please don't stop. need it. wanna cum for you—wanna make you proud—”

karina moans softly at that, her own thighs clenching, ”you always make me proud, kitten,” and just like that—she speeds up. fingers pumping fast, slick and loud in the water, your moans echoing against the bathroom tiles. her thumb finds your clit and rubs tight circles, fast and relentless. your body arches. toes curling, mouth falling open, voice breaking.

”m-mommy—i'm—i'm gonna—” ”cum for me.” she growls against your throat, ”be good, cum all over mommy's fingers.”

and you do—shattering in her arms, body jerking and crying out as your orgasm crashes down hard and wet. her hand never stops moving until you're twitching and boneless, clinging to her like a lifeline.

”good girl, my perfect little angel,” after your orgasm, karina lifts you out of the tub with steady arms, wrapping you in one of her plush towels. your body's limp against her chest—shaky and warm, cheeks flushed, eyes barely open. she kisses your temple as she carries you out, water dripping down both your bodies.

”you did so well,” she lays you down gently on the bed and kneels beside you, drying your skin with slow, careful hands. you hum sleepily, nuzzling into her touch. your lashes flutter, barely awake, and you reach out—fingers curling around her wrist like you don't want her to leave.

”mommy,” you whisper, voice hoarse.

”m'sorry...” ”sorry for what, kitten?” karina stills. your eyes blink open, watery and hazy, lips trembling, ”for making you tired. you had a long day and i—i wanted to make you feel good but i... i'm so selfish-”

”hey, no,” she cuts in softly, brushing damp hair from your face, ”you made me feel amazing. don't ever say that.” you nod, but your hips roll-just a little—just enough to press yourself against her palm as she cups your cheek.

”baby...” she warns, though her voice is more fond than firm.

”i can't help it,” you breathe, rubbing your thighs together, desperate but still sleepy ”i'm still... still so empty, mommy. want you again, but you're tired. i'm sorry, i'll be good-just a little, please?” and before she can answer, your body moves on instinct—grinding into her hand like a kitten in heat. soft little whines escape your lips with every rut, your face scrunched with guilt and need and desperation.

karina watches you, entranced. you're warm and flushed, pupils blown, still glistening between your thighs. even like this—fuzzy and limp in her arms—you're insatiable.

”fuck, baby...” she groans, gently pushing your legs apart with her knee. ”you're gonna be the death of me.”

”want mommy to use me. just use me until you're not tired anymore,” you nod eagerly, barely catching her words. karina slides her fingers back between your folds, feeling just how wet you still are. your hips jolt. your lips part with a needy moan.

”you wanna make it up to me?” she purrs leaning down until her breath fans across your lips.

”then lie back and let mommy fuck the apology out of you.” your breath hitches as she rises off the bed, towel slipping from her hips. she walks—slow, deliberate—to the drawer by the closet. you watch her through half-lidded eyes, dazed and soaked, thighs clenching at the anticipation.

when she turns around, she's holding it—the strap. black. thick. intimidating. the one she rarely uses. the one that leaves you wrecked for days. your lips part, a soft gasp catching in your throat. ”m-mommy..”

karina smiles, slow and sinful. ”what? too much?” she climbs back onto the bed, looming over you like a god.

”but i thought you wanted to make mommy feel better. don't tell me you're backing out now, kitten.” you shake your head, biting your lip as you spread your legs wider.

”want it. want all of you, mommy. please...” she growls-low and approving—and presses a knee between your thighs dragging the tip of the strap through your folds. your whole body twitches, breath caught, hands fisting the sheets.

”so fucking wet already,” she huffs, lining up with your entrance. ”all that whining and grinding—this what you were begging for, hm? to be split open on mommy's biggest cock like a needy little toy?”

you let out a broken moan, head tossing back.

”use me mommy. please.. want to feel full. want you to ruin me...” ”atta girl.”

and then she pushes in.

inch by inch, slow and relentless. the stretch burns—delicious, overwhelming, perfect. your mouth falls open, eyes wide and glassy as she fills you up, deeper than ever before.

”that's it,” karina breathes, gripping your thighs, and forcing them wider. ”take it all, i know you can—my greedy baby, always begging for more.”

your back arches. your nails dig into her arms. every breath you take is a whimper, a sob, a plea. once she's fully inside, she pauses—just to watch you tremble around her, cunt clenching, mouth babbling nonsense.

”look at you,” she murmurs, brushing your tears away with her thumb. ”already crying and i haven't even fucked you yet.”

”f-fuck me, mommy,” you gasp, ”need it so bad—need you to break me, please...”

”then hold on, kitten.” she pulls back, slow and sinful—then slams back in, hard enough to make the headboard crack.

you scream.

and karina just laughs, low and breathless, already setting a brutal pace—fucking into you like it's the only thing keeping her sane, like you belong to her (which you do).

she fucks you into the mattress, her grip unrelenting—hands planted on either side of your head, driving her hips down into yours with brutal, punishing thrusts. the strap's so deep inside you, every stroke punching gasps out of your lungs, making your legs twitch and your stomach flutter.

you're not even forming real words anymore—just sobs, cries, moans of mommy and please and so good all tangled up in your throat.

”you wanted this, didn't you?” karina growls, lips grazing your ear. ”wanted mommy to ruin your cute little hole? stretch you out until you can't take anything else?”

you nod—frantic. tears spill from your lashes as you paw at her back, trying to pull her even closer, bury her deeper.

”yes, yes, yes—fuck, mommy—don't stop-i'm gonna—”

she doesn't slow. she can't. your body clings to her, soaking, sloppy, walls fluttering like you're seconds from snapping again. she leans back just enough to watch the strap disappear into you, your tummy bulging slightly from the pressure, her jaw tightening at the sight.

”look at you,” she pants, grabbing your thighs and pushing them up toward your chest, folding you in half. ”taking me so fucking well. this hole was made for mommy's cock, wasn't it?”

”yes—yes, please—m'so close—mommy please let me-”

”then cum, baby,” she whispers, droppingher lips to yours in a bruising kiss. ”make a mess on mommy's cock. show me how much you love being used.”

and just like that—you break.

your back arches off the bed, a raw cry leaving your throat as you cum hard, soaking her, soaking the sheets, entire body trembling. karina doesn't stop—dragging it out, fucking you through every twitch and jolt until your limbs go limp, mouth parted, eyes glassy.

but even then-especially then—you keep whispering it, barely there, barely conscious: ”m'sorry, mommy... sorry for being needy... just love you so much... want to make you feel good...”

karina's heart aches.

she leans down, brushing hair from your sweat-slicked forehead, her thrusts finally slowing down.

”shh, baby. i know you do," she whispers, ”you're mommy's perfect little girl. and mommy's not done with you yet.”

ice cream!

pham hanni x fem!reader

synopsis: summer break have always been special to you, but this time it's different. who knows that the little fairy that have always stayed by your side managed to steal a kiss?

warnings: messed up grammar (english is my second language pls bear with me); harsh language/jokes; no other than that ig

a/n: okay i don’t even know what is this, i found this in my notes app. they’re just two dorks in love🤓 in my productive writing era😎

sweat beads drops from your shin as hanni ran away with your ice cream deeper into the woods, swaying the plastic packaging.

“get back here, you little– ugh!” you groan, nearly tripped to a pretty big puddle of dirty water. you could hear hanni's laugh starting to echo from afar.

“try to catch me, big fucking giant!” she laughs even louder, completely oblivious of you that were hiding behind a big tree nearby. when she passes by the tree, you jumped in front of her whike mimicking the sound of a tiger–resulting in her falling back onto a soft lumps of moss. you quickly took away your ice cream from her hand, finding it barely has a shape and completely mushed up (you ate it anyways). after stuffing the ice cream into your mouth, you reach hanni's arm, mumbling ‘are you okay’. hanni's eyebrows furrow as she looks at you cutely angrily, patting the dirt and mosses that were on her short. she received a big laugh from you as the both of you walked side to side back to the campsite by the lake you were glamping together.

summer break nearly ends when you two decided to do something else other than lazily lay down in hanni's bed, with the summer breeze blows once or twice, watching movies while snacking. hanni suggested glamping, you couldn't refuse but to nod. it was the umpteenth time you spend your summer break with hanni. you were friends since first grade, when hanni decided to greet the nerdy-bitchy-and-ignorant-looking transfer child to be exact. you weren't very friendly at first, almost defensive, but when you see the brightest smile you've ever seen you immediately replied with another smile–unconciously. ever since, you two are insepareable; eating lunch, learning to read and write, even one time you refused to leave hanni in the bathroom. you treasure your one and only friend so much and she knows it, never leaving your side either–well, except in the bathroom.

hanni grew into a social butterfly, you on the other hand prefer your own company–and hanni's, of course. eventually, hanni found herself a friend group–which doesn't mind that you always tag along with them. although while the other chat and exchanging informations, you quietly sat beside hanni. one hand holding a book, the other oftenly find itself holding hanni's.

“aren’t you tired bro?” you sat beside hanni, taking your cup of tea. the latter shook her head, leaning against you. the night sky are bright with infinite amount of stars reflected in the body of water, you're glad you're able to share the moment with hanni.

“have you ever thought about marriage? wouldn’t it be great if were able to watch this kind of beautiful scenery with our partner?” you hummed in response, feeling a shiver down your spine.

“i wish i could stay here foreverrr.” hanni streches her back. getting up to pick a flat rock, throwing it against the water surface, the rock bounces a few times before it finally sinks down. you, with your own thoughts stared at her short and slender figure (that didn't go unnoticed by hanni, she always knew whenever you stare at her). she smiled, taking your hand to get you on your feet and started to hum a song you two have always liked since you were ten, once upon a dream. she rested her head on your shoulder, you two started to sway to the melody coming out of hanni's mouth. naturally, you put your right hand on hanni’s waist and close your eyes.

(“hello scary new girl! i’m hanni, do you want half of my orange?” the shorter girl in front of you streched out her palm, revealing a weird looking half of an orange, “i cleaned the yucky white part for you too!”

“no, t-thank you.” you refused at first, but seeing the frown on hanni's cute face made you change your mind, “it looks delicious though, i can eat it.” you took a piece and put it inside your mouth, “my name is y/n, by the way.”)

“it’s midnight, we should probably go head back before it’s too dangerous.” hanni’s voice snapped you back to reality, “are you okay? you look... ugly....” hanni earned a slap on the shoulder.

“yeah, we should probably go back. where’s the flashlight?” you watched as hanni’s face turned pale when her hand reaches her pocket, “fuck.”

"you left the flashlight in the cabin," on point. your face looks concerningly tense, but loosen up as soon as you realize that you can *ekhm* act brave to take care of hanni, “okay, i believe i still remember the path we took earlier. just don’t go too far from me. if i die, we die together.” keyword: believe. to be honest you still remember the route you took to come here, it’s just the dark forest floor could be dangerous and with the wolf howling in the distance, it just adds up the tension—you took your time pretending to search for the way back to take advantage of the situation, you knew hanni easily gets scared especially in the dark.

“you okay pham? we're almost there,” you took a look around for a few minutes, eyes finally lit up to a sight of a giant tree you know you came across earlier, “see? we’re near, i left my ice cream packaging right in... this tree!” no answer from hanni who were sitting not far away from you. you started to get concerned, checking if the girl is still there.

“god damn, y/n. how can you be not tired and afraid?” she raised her head, face just inches away from you. you back up almost immediately, a burst of pink tint grew on your cheeks while hanni sit down quitely.

“well, uh- i mean, we’re together. now let's go it's getting a lot dangerous to be out here without any weapon.” you took hanni's arm awkwardly (you still wanted to keep her safe after all), the latter just follow along quietly, not letting out any sound anymore.

after what feels like forever, you two finally all clean (you slipped on the moss hanni fell on before) and warmed up inside. your and hanni's cheek were both still burning from what had happened earlier, busy with each of your own thoughts. you both could barely sleep that night.

the next day, you didn't find hanni on her side of the bed, instead finding her stepping inside the cabin with wet hair and fresh new clothes. you sat up looking dishelved, throwing you her wet towel.

“wake up, sleepyhead. we’re going home tomorrow, i still want to explore a lot of parts of the forest.” you groan, stretching your body and taking a freshly dry towel before going to the bathroom.

“do you have a spare shirt? mine’s dirty from yesterday,” you come back from the bathroom wearing only ribbed sleeveless tops that emphasized your body shape, “if you don't have one i can just use this top. it's actually feels great having the wind blows directly to my skin.” you left hanni drooling at the sight, she think people must've eyed you the moment you stepped out of the bathroom.

“here, use this.”

“hello kitty...?” you furrowed your eyebrows in disagreement but decided to wear it anyways and as expected, the fabrics pressed against your body since hanni is smaller than you, “oh shit, i think i streched it out a little bit.” you once again left hanni drooling at the sight of your abs and biceps.

“i’m sorry.” you held your palms together while bowing at a 90 degree angle, “i’ll get you another tee once we're back.” hanni left you unanswered.

“hanni? you’re ready to go out?” your swift movement of pushing her glasses up snapped her back to reality.

“huh? oh– yes. let's go.” you nod cheerfully before grabbing a rosy-cheeked hanni.

***

“this felt different,” you poke a mushroom when hanni's busy taking pictures of the beauty (you), “especially with the fact we're graduating high school next year.”

“what does?” hanni stopped taking your picture to actually look at you, curious and a little confused as to what you mean.

“high school. it feels like it's going by so fast don't you think?” hanni took a seat beside you, knowing when you're thinking and being all melanchonic like this, there must've been someting you wanted to say.

“uhuh, but we got to spend it together and i promise you'll never forget this last year of high school.” i won't let you forget it when all you do is stay by my side.

“i just– i want to be in a relationship too y'know. all our friends have at least fucked someone while even my lips are still virgin...” hanni almost let out a loud ‘what the fuck’ but managed to keep it inside her mouth, thinking how adorable and innocent you look right now.

“hey, i haven't had my first kiss too, you know.... i think its should be done with someone special, someone you’ll want to spend the rest of your life with,” like you, hanni thought as she brushes your bangs she trimmed a while ago, “now would you be the object of my photograph again, ms. y/n?”

the night fell and you’re both finally back in the cabin again—this time safely—sitting in the fields with a few other people while sipping a cup of tea under the stars after dinner, enjoying each others company. you can see some lovers a couple miles ago from where you’re sitting starting to make out. has no shame, you thought.

“i have never seen something so beautiful before.” you lay on your back to get a better view of the constellations, truly immerse yourself guessing the which constellation is which. hanni’s not sure whether you talk to her or to yourself, but one thing that hanni's sure of she wants to kiss you.

“neither have i.” hanni leans in as you almost said you've found the libra constellation—even though it was july—completely shutting you up with a kiss on your lips. no one can see you two since hanni picked the farthest place to have more privacy, but you didn't expect for hanni to kiss you. however, engrossed in the moment, you lean closer to hanni to return the kiss. eagerly kissing back—putting all the kissing scene you've watched to practice—slowly making your way to her neck, yet while you hear a soft moan escaped hanni's pretty pink lips you immediately pull back due to embarassment. as the night grow larger, the two of you sit in complete silence, doesn't dare to let out a sound.

“hanni?” after sitting in complete silence for a good 30 minutes, you finally gather enough courage to talk, “can you, uhm, explain? oh but– before that i know i have an explanation to do too but–”

“i love you.” and hanni succeed to shut your mouth again by saying those three words you've heard countless times before, but this time it's different.

“i love you too,” you were surprised by how effortlessly the words flow out of your mouth, hugging hanni after saying it once, “i love you too, han.”

maybe aquariums aren’t so bad after all

pt. 1 > pt. 2

kim minji x fem!reader x uchinaga aeri

synopsis: y/n thought she had moved on. but when aeri—her enigmatic first love, returns after five years of silence, old feelings resurface, threatening to disrupt the relationship she's built with minji—the person who now holds her heart. as y/n navigates an emotional storm of unresolved tension and buried memories, she is drawn back into aeri’s world, seeking the closure she’s always needed.

warnings: minji and reader kissed; not proofread; messy and cringe(?) at some parts.

a/n: there’s actually so much potential for this fic but i’m just in the mood to post somehow so, yeah.

after the lecture ends, you and minji stayed in the completely empty lecture hall in silence.

“what were you saying?” you asked minji again even though you heard her the first time, you were too frightened with the thought of telling her abour aeri. what would she say? what if she decided to stay away from you? you couldn’t risk it, she’s the most important person in your life.

“who really is ms. aeri? you look very angry when we meet her yesterday at the aquarium, and now you’re drooling all over her...” she played with the hem of your sweater, looking down.

“i’ll tell you when i’m ready okay? until then, stay by my side okay?” you give minji a reassuring smile though your mind panicked when you catch a glimpse of aeri outside the lecture hall.

you still have a few classes today so minji went home first—preparing the things to bake a cake. you didn’t meet aeri for the rest of the day and minji picks you up when all of your classes are done. linking arms together, you two walked to the parking lot while discussing your tasks for the baking session—yet again, you catch a glance with aeri, she was there with one of her old friend in her office that’s just by the parking lot.

***

“why are they suddenly so close?” aeri asked her friend, walking together to a nearby cafe.

“aeri honey, you were away for five years. what makes you think that y/n would wait for you that long?” karina’s confused voice answered her question with another question.

“i don’t know... perhaps, this promise ring?” aeri put up her left hand, a cartier ring perfectly coiled there.

“well, did you see she still wear her’s?” checkmate, she doesn’t know. aeri bit the insides of her cheeks in frustation, she’s anxious again, “you guys seriously need to talk aeri. resolve the old feelings y’know.”

“how?” aeri played with the ring on her finger, she thinks you must’ve hate her.

“i’ll tell you what, i’ll arrange a dinner with her family for opening. i still keep in touch with her mo–”

“deal!”

while aeri and karina talks about the plan to resolve the old feelings, you and minji were busy falling in love. well, at least the chemicals in your body produces lots of oxytocin when minji helps you decorate the cake and her lips were inches away from yours.

“minji,” she turned her face to look at you and you swear it almost give you a heart attack, your heart is beating so loud and your face started to get red you’re afraid minji might notice it.

“y-you, you’re too close...” you quickly focuses back to the cake to distract the fact that you can feel her breath against your lips.

“o-oh, sorry.” she pulled back from the kitchen counter, rubbing the back of her neck—internally screaming.

“yeah, i don’t mind.” you managed to keep your cool and flirty demeanor and slightly smirked towards her, the cake is almost done. after some finishing touches, a cake with a cute and pretty impressive decoration is placed on the dining table.

“who’s gonna have the first bite?” you asked, giving minji a fork.

“how about we just feed each other at the same time so we could have the first taste together?” minji suggest and idea that you quickly agreed to. you both laughed after tasting the chocolate cake, tasty.

“woah, we should probably open a bakery look how talented we are...” minji laughed so cutely, suddenly you don’t know what made the cake so sweet.

after some more eating and cleaning up the mess that were left, you and minji tucked in yourselves on the couch and turn on the good old classic romcom, The Notebook. you both stayed quiet and really pay attention to the movie despite this is the 17th time you watched it together until near the end of the movie. you snuggled closer to minji, resting your head on her arm. she looked down for a moment and thought, ‘she looks so good right now i can kiss her...’ then just out of sudden rush of courage and impulsive act, she tilts your chin up and before you can ask her what is she doing or calculate what might happen, she pressed her lips onto yours. you can almost taste the strawberry chapstick she always use while instinctively recipocrating her kiss, you both smile into the kiss, only pulling back when you two run out of breath.

“w-whaaat?” you sit back up on the couch, wiping the excess saliva left on your lips.

“i’m– i just did it out of impulsiveness and i’m sorry but,” minji paused to wipe her lips too, “i didn’t know that you’ll kiss me back.” she continued with a flirty tone.

“so, uh, you-you like me?” you don’t know what kind of expression you should put but you’re sure it must be so chaotic.

“since 8th grade...” she answered with a nod and you two just sit face to face on the couch, cheeks still red and lips still swollen.

“so are girlfriends now or what?” you finally break the silence, still trying to gain composure.

“if you’d like to.”

“oh please, i nearly couldn’t form a coherent sentence right now and you’re asking me if i want to be your girlfriend?” you hugged minji and you picked another movie to watch after—decided to do a marathon of ghibli films.

minji spend the night after—as you promised earlier. and almost like a routine, you wait for her to fall asleep, scutinizing every single movement of her breathing and traced her features before going to sleep. you’ve always put your phone on do not disturb mode whenever you’re with minji, so the next morning when you wake up, you’re quite surprised seeing dozens of texts from your mother inviting you to dinner with aeri and karina.

as you watch minji sleep last night, you’ve decided to let go of the past and choose to focus on your relationship with minji. you do want to hear an explanation from aeri though, you replied to your mother, asking is aeri spent the night there. she didn’t but your mother gave aeri your number. lucky for you, aeri messaged you first when you’re still contemplating on asking your mother for aeri’s number.

( aeri: hey

aeri: are you free today?

aeri: i hope we can resolve the things between us

aeri: say, let’s eat lunch together at the new restaurant that just opened downtown? )

***

as soon as minji wakes up, eat breakfast and shower, you explaines to her about aeri. her expression was... normal? but when you tell her you’re going to eat lunch with her and possibly resolve things, she pouts incredibly cute—clinging to your arm.

“do you have to meet her today?” you give a peck on her pouty lips, you rarely sees the clingy side of minji.

“the sooner the better, sweetheart.” you caress her hands, give her one more assuring words and lots of kisses before going out to the said restaurant.

you drive to where the restaurant is located—which turned out to be stone’s throw from the aquarium you visited yesterday. instead of playing your playlist and sing your lungs out like you used to did, you started to construct the conversation you’d possibly have with aeri. you take confident steps towards the entrance, but as soon as you see her wrapped in an elegant but casual black dress, red rosy lips, holding a glass of martini the memories flows back in. you gulped before walking up to her, cracking the best (awkward) smile.

“ms. aeri? have you been waiting long?” you take a seat in front of her, still using the honorific, “did you order yet?” your eyes darted across the room, unable to directly look into her eyes.

aeri hummed in response, “i ordered you a ceasar salad too.” you quitly say thank you, you both stayed quiet until your plates are empty and aeri orders another glass of martini.

you silently contemplate in your seat, heart beating faster than you’d like to admit. the memories of your relationship with her, the good times, and the heartbreak flood your mind, but you keep your composure. this isn't about falling back into old habits; it's about getting answers.

aeri takes a sip of her martini, her eyes scanning your face, as though gauging how much has changed in the time they’ve been apart. she begins to talk. “i know i owe you an explanation,” she begins, her voice calm but a little hesitant. “i didn’t come back because... i thought i could offer you more by staying away.”

“you thought leaving me for five years without a word would somehow be better?” you frowned, fingers clenching around the water glass in front of you. your gaze were still on the other side of the room though.

aeri sets down her drink, leaning forward. “at the time, yes. i wanted to become someone you could be proud of. someone who wasn’t just your father’s assistant. i thought if i could establish myself, we could finally be on equal ground.”

“that’s not what I wanted, aeri.” your voice shakes, “i didn’t need you to be something else. i needed you to be here.”

“i see that now. but back then, i thought i was doing the right thing. i worked hard, hoping that when i came back, we could pick up where we left off... but time passed. you grew up, and i was still stuck in the past, holding onto something i wasn’t sure you even wanted anymore.” a familiar chuckle flows through your ears as aeri’s expression softens, regret seeping into her features.

you felt the weight of those words. part of you had been waiting, even if you didn’t want to admit it, but the more time passed, the more you found yourself leaning on minji. the more minji filled the gaps aeri had left behind.

“you’re right,” you said quietly, finally meeting aeri’s gaze after so long, “i did grow up. i’m not the same person i was when you left. and i think… i needed you to come back sooner if we ever had a chance.” a familiar chuckle flows through your ears, a small smile tugging on her lips—though it’s bittersweet.

“i really missed my window didn’t i?” aeri sighs, running a hand through her hair, “i know. but i had to tell you, y/n. i couldn’t just let things end the way they did, without you knowing that i never meant to hurt you.”

“i appreciate that,” you replied with a softer tone, finally being able to relax, “i think i needed to hear it, too.”

for the first time in the conversation, there’s a sense of peace between you two. it’s not the kind of peace that rekindles a relationship but the kind that offers closure—a finality that allows both of you to move on.

“I’m glad you found someone like minji.” after a brief silence, aeri reaches across the table and squeezes your hand.

“i’m sorry for everything. i hope this gives you the closure you need.”

“it does,” you admit, “and i hope you find happiness too, with karina perhaps?” you laughed along with her.

you exchange a final, lingering look before stands up to leave, a weight lifted off your shoulders. you know that this chapter with aeri is finally closed, and as you stepped out of the restaurant and into the sunlight, you feel ready to fully embrace the future—with minji.

back at home, you returned to minji’s side, her heart lighter. you wrapped your arms around minji, pulling her close. when Minji looks up at you with those bright eyes, there’s no hesitation in your mind anymore. you know who you want to be with, and you’re ready to give minji all the love she deserves.

“so... how did it go?” minji asks, her voice a little shaky but curious.

“it’s over,” you replied softly, kissing minji’s forehead, “i’m with you now, and that’s all that matters.”

minji smiles, burying her face in your chest, and for the first time in a long while, you felt at peace, ready to build a future with the person who was there all along.

someone from twitter said this looks like a clitoris and it baffles me AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA😭😭😭

i can finally read poems and listen to music in peace while thinking about minji omg🤓

panties: ruined

oh my god. i need pt. 2 of stepmom aeri

*sigh* i guess we back to grinding💪

bad things come at midnight

vampire!haerin x fem!reader x vampire!minji

synopsis: yn’s escape from a cruel orphanage leads her to the grand castle of two mysterious sisters, minji and haerin. as secrets unravel, yn discovers she is the reincarnation of minji’s past lover, a revelation that ignites dangerous desires and bitter jealousy. caught in a web of immortal love and betrayal, yn must decide if her new life is truly a blessing—or a curse that comes with the night.

warnings: mention of blood; mild violence; past character death(?); implied past trauma; slightly suggestive; intended lowercase; not proofread i ain't have time for that🤪

a/n: should've made this into a two part series but meh🤷‍♀️ i didn't have a lot of time to write so it may be great at some parts but shitty at some parts😔😔

it was a stormy night, the wind howling as the rain lashed against your body. cold seeped into your bones with each step, your hands trembling as you made the final delivery of the night—a warm meal from the restaurant downtown. you shivered as you fumbled with the heavy iron gate of the grand gothic castle, a place that looked like it had been frozen in time since the 16th century. the owner had been a regular for months now, ordering the same meal at the same time, always asking for it to be left on the table in the center of the lobby.

you knew the routine by heart: the towering arches, the dim lighting, a few candles flickering amidst weak bulbs, and that unsettling dust-covered tarp draped over a massive portrait you’d never dared to look under. tonight, however, something felt different. your instincts prickled, the hairs on your neck rising. you couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.

as you set the mushroom soup down, the steam rising in comforting curls, you felt it—a pair of unseen eyes scrutinizing your every move. high above, hidden among the shadows of a grand chandelier, a bat stirred. its sharp gaze traced over the bruises and cuts littering your arms and legs, remnants of your life outside these walls. it noticed everything.

you flinched, your mind flashing back to the orphanage. the place you had called "home" for as long as you could remember. ever since the kindly former owner had fallen ill and her cruel sister had taken over, life had become unbearable. you and the other children had been turned into unpaid laborers, your meager earnings siphoned off to fund the new owner’s lavish lifestyle. as one of the older children, you took it upon yourself to steal bread from the restaurant where you worked, enough to share with the youngest in the orphanage, ensuring they didn’t starve.

but tonight, as you prepared to slip out and head back to the orphanage before curfew, you froze. a voice—a voice like silk draped in steel—cut through the air.

“you, child.” you whipped around, your heart leaping into your throat. standing before you were two women—no, not women. their pale skin gleamed in the dim light, their eyes too sharp, their bodies too still. one was tall, almost statuesque, her beauty cold and regal. the other, shorter, with an air of restless energy, her feline-like eyes gleaming in the shadows.

“sit,” the tall one commanded, her voice smooth yet laced with authority. instinctively, you took a step back, but her piercing gaze seemed to hold you in place, compelling you to obey. you felt the chair beneath you as if it were a trap, pulling you closer to them.

“good girl,” the shorter one smirked, her voice carrying a playful menace. “it’s much easier this way.”

you glanced at the table where you had left the soup, your mind racing. “what do you want?” you managed to stammer, your heart pounding like a drum in your chest.

“we want to know about you,” the tall one replied, her eyes studying the bruises on your arms. “i’m minji, and this is my sister haerin. we’ve been watching you.”

“watching me?” you echoed, disbelief mingling with fear. “why?”

“because you’re interesting,” haerin purred, tilting her head. “you’ve got spirit, and we admire that.”

“and you’re alone,” minji added, her tone softening slightly, though the chill in her eyes remained. “you don’t belong in that orphanage. it’s a wretched place, isn’t it? we can offer you something better—a life free from suffering.”

the weight of her words hung in the air, thick and suffocating. you recalled the nights spent huddled with the younger children, stealing bread to stave off hunger, and the feeling of despair that often settled in your chest. “what do you mean by ‘better’?” you asked cautiously, curiosity creeping into your voice.

“you’d be safe here,” minji said, taking a step closer, her presence both alluring and intimidating. “we have everything you could ever need. food, shelter, freedom. no more curfews, no more cruelty. just… comfort.”

“comfort?” you scoffed, still wary. “how can i trust you? you’re… different.”

haerin chuckled softly, her laughter echoing in the empty hall. “different, yes, but we are not monsters. we’re offering you a chance to escape a life filled with pain. think about it. the choice is yours.”

“i don’t want to be a prisoner in some castle,” you shot back, but doubt crept into your mind, nagging at you. “what’s the catch?”

“no catch,” minji reassured you, her voice almost hypnotic. “just the opportunity for a new beginning. you’ve survived alone for too long; let us show you what it’s like to be cared for.”

as the weight of her words settled, you felt a flicker of hope—a tantalizing possibility of belonging. it was so tempting, and yet…

“why me?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

“because you’re resilient,” haerin replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “and we like resilience. you’re not like the others, are you? you’ve got a fire in you that deserves to be nurtured.”

“imagine it,” minji urged, her gaze penetrating. “you could be part of something extraordinary, a life filled with adventure and mystery. we’ll teach you everything. you won’t have to hide anymore.”

you hesitated, feeling the storm outside rage on, a mirror to the turmoil within you. the allure of their offer was strong, yet fear held you back. “what if i regret it?”

“you won’t,” haerin said, a smile playing on her lips. “i promise you’ll never look back. we’ll protect you. besides, if you don’t like it, you can always leave.”

“but where would i go?” you replied, your voice barely audible as reality settled in.

“that’s the beauty of it,” minji said, a hint of a smile creeping onto her face. “you wouldn’t need to go anywhere else. this could be your home.”

the warmth in her words felt like a balm to your weary soul. you looked at them, their expectant gazes piercing through the darkness. the thought of escaping the orphanage, of finally finding a place to belong, was intoxicating.

“i… i don’t know,” you admitted, wrestling with your fears and hopes.

“take your time,” minji said gently, her demeanor shifting to one of patience. “but we’re here, waiting for your decision. whenever you’re ready.”

as you sat there, the flickering candlelight casting shadows on the walls, you realized that this might be the chance you had been yearning for—a chance to escape a life of pain, to embrace something unknown yet enticing. but as the thought settled in, doubt gnawed at the edges of your mind. was it really that simple? could you just walk away from everything—into the arms of two strangers who seemed far too perfect, too predatory?

your eyes darted to the chandelier, the bulbs dying to light the room. everything about this place screamed danger, from the eerie silence to the sisters’ unnervingly graceful movements. and yet, beneath that fear, a different emotion stirred. curiosity.

"how do i know you're not just trapping me here?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper, but the words heavy with the weight of your mistrust. "everyone promises something better, but it's never real. how are you any different from the people who made me promises before?"

minji’s expression softened, her gaze turning almost empathetic. "you’re right to be cautious," she said, her voice like velvet in the air, soothing but still sharp enough to cut. "the world has been unkind to you, but we’re not here to offer empty words. we offer something real, something tangible."

"and what is that, exactly?" you countered, your suspicion hardening again. "you talk about a better life, but what do you even want from me? people don't offer kindness for free."

haerin’s lips curved into a smirk, her sharp eyes gleaming in the dim light. "you're clever. i like that." she leaned forward, resting her arms on the table, her movements feline and calculated. "we’re not asking for much. just… loyalty. you’ll find that in time, it’ll be mutual."

"mutual?" you repeated, the word sounding foreign in your mouth. "and what happens if i decide i don't want to stay?"

"then you leave," minji answered smoothly, her voice a serene melody, though her eyes flickered with something darker, more possessive. "but trust me, after you’ve seen what we offer, you won’t want to."

their words draped over you like a fog, thick and seductive, but still, something nagged at you. you had learned the hard way that promises often concealed something sinister. every adult in your life had betrayed you in some way, from the orphanage owner who claimed to take care of you, only to bleed you dry, to the people who pretended to care, only to vanish when it mattered most.

"i'm not like the others who come through here, am i?" you asked, testing the waters. "you’ve had other people… visitors."

minji’s smile thinned slightly, but her composure remained flawless. "none like you."

"what makes me different?" you pressed, leaning forward. "why me?"

for a moment, silence stretched between you. haerin’s eyes narrowed, assessing you, while minji seemed to be weighing her next words carefully.

"because you're already part of our world," haerin finally said, her voice lower, more dangerous. "you just don’t know it yet."

the hairs on the back of your neck rose, a shiver running down your spine. "what do you mean?"

"you’ve been surviving on scraps and shadows your whole life," minji added, her tone delicate but firm. "the world you’ve known is just a sliver of what’s out there. you’re different because you’ve been forged by hardship. we see potential in you."

"potential for what?" you asked, your voice trembling slightly. "to become like you?"

"perhaps," minji said, her eyes glinting. "in time. if you choose to. but for now, all we offer is safety, shelter, and a way out of the life that’s been choking you."

you could feel your heartbeat in your throat, each thud echoing louder than the last. the weight of their offer pressed on you like a storm cloud, and yet… there was still a small voice inside, warning you, screaming at you to run. but run where? back to the orphanage where starvation and abuse awaited? back to a life where your only escape was through stolen bread and the brief, bitter moments of freedom when you were alone in the streets?

you stood, your legs shaky, but you didn’t back away. “i don’t want to be a pawn in someone else’s game,” you said, voice firm despite your pounding heart.

minji rose as well, graceful and composed. “you won’t be,” she promised, stepping closer, her hand reaching out but stopping just shy of touching you. “you’ll be a part of something greater, something far beyond what you can imagine.”

haerin stood, moving to the side like a shadow. "the question is, do you trust yourself enough to take that step?"

your breath caught in your throat. trust yourself? did you? every instinct in you screamed not to trust them, not to believe in the honeyed words of two ethereal creatures who barely blinked. but beneath that fear, there was a whisper, a tiny voice asking—what if this is real? what if you finally had a chance to escape?

you glanced from minji to haerin, their eyes fixed on you, waiting. the candlelight flickered, casting elongated shadows that danced on the stone walls, and you realized there was no clear answer, no certainty in either path. but the thought of going back to the orphanage, to that suffocating misery, was enough to make the decision for you.

with a slow, shaky breath, you nodded. “fine. i’ll stay.”

minji’s smile returned, soft and triumphant. “good choice,” she said softly.

haerin’s eyes gleamed, her smirk deepening as she let out a low, satisfied laugh. “you won’t regret it. welcome to your new life.”

after showing you around the house and talking about each of your backgrounds while sipping warm tea and nibbling on cookies, minji and haerin finally asked you to choose one of the rooms you liked. "just pick one, it doesn’t matter. i’ll ask someone to send you clothes and other things you need."

you frowned when minji mentioned 'someone,' but quickly brushed it off. while you were weighing which room suited you best, haerin excused herself to head to her own room.

"ah, don’t worry about her. she’s an introvert, probably ran out of energy for interaction," minji shrugged, gently placing a hand on your shoulder. "so, have you decided?"

you nodded, pointing to the room across from minji’s—not too large, but its window facing the garden stretched beautifully upwards. "aha! a good choice, i think we’ll make great partners."

though you had many questions about minji’s choice of words, you didn’t dare voice your curiosity. minji left you alone in the room after wishing you goodnight. "welcome to your new life, yn."

after cleaning yourself up—getting out of your rain-soaked clothes, taking a warm bath for the first time in years, you finally went to sleep. that night, you dreamt of a fragment of your past. your parents came to pick you up from the orphanage, taking you for a bike ride in the city park, and then sharing your favorite chocolate ice cream. you smiled in your sleep.

***

the next morning, your body's automatic alarm kicked in. just as the clock struck 4 a.m., you woke up. you turned to the window; the day was still dark—of course. rather than continuing to sleep and lazing around, you decided to get up, clean the dust and cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, and maybe even make breakfast. minji and haerin hadn’t shown their faces yet; they were probably still deep in slumber in their respective rooms.

after the brief tour minji and haerin gave you last night, you were fairly familiar with the layout of the grand castle. ‘turn right, then go straight,’ you repeated in your mind as you walked toward the kitchen. upon arriving, just as you suspected, the kitchen was a mess—it seemed minji and haerin had never cooked before since there was only a lump of bread that looked like it had been made ages ago and a… dead rat? you jumped slightly as you mentally mapped out how to clean this cursed kitchen.

with nothing else to do, you decided to head to minji's reading room—she had allowed you to read any book you liked, except for one red leather-bound book protected by a glass case as clear as water.

as you entered the grand library, time seemed to stand still. the books in this library looked more extensive than those in the city library! wow, from one end to the other, all you could see were books! you cheered inwardly, the doubts that had lingered in your heart last night vanished. even without the luxury they offered, you would want to stay here, surrounded by your favorite things: books.

without you realizing it, the sun began to rise. its bright light made you squint. you hurriedly closed the book, returned it to its place, and rushed back to the kitchen—you needed to start tidying up; you couldn’t act like an unruly child.

“oh, so you’re up, I see? i was just sending haerin to wake you,” minji said, wearing a knee-length floral dress, her hair down, illuminated by the warm glow of the hanging lamp as she prepared an omelet in the once-messy kitchen. even the latest modern tools were neatly arranged.

“do you like it? haerin and i just ordered it, but it arrived so quickly, right?” you nodded at both questions, walking over to minji—her tall figure towering over you. “do you need help?”

“you can set the plates on the dining table.” her gentle gaze met yours, and it took just a moment for you to nod, promptly carrying out her request.

as you carefully placed the plates on the long, ornate dining table, the distant sound of minji humming from the kitchen filled the air, her soft voice weaving through the silence of the grand castle. there was something strangely comforting in the way she moved through the house, her presence always bringing a sense of calm. you finished arranging the silverware, trying to focus on the task, but the scent of freshly cooked eggs and the warmth of minji’s voice were hard to ignore.

minji emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray with practiced ease. her movements were graceful, almost too perfect for such a simple task. “you’ve set everything so beautifully,” she remarked, her dark eyes meeting yours briefly before she set the tray down. there was an intensity in her gaze that made your heart quicken, though her tone remained gentle.

you busied yourself with adjusting a plate, your fingers fidgeting under her watchful eyes. “thank you... you make everything look so easy,” you murmured, trying not to let your voice tremble. minji chuckled softly, her eyes never leaving you. “i’ve had a lot of time to perfect the little things,” she said with a cryptic smile, her words hanging in the air. time—what did she mean by that? the question lingered, but before you could ask, she gestured toward the chair beside her. “come, sit with me.”

as you sat down, your thoughts still swirling with uncertainty, haerin appeared at the entrance of the dining room, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in the scene. “i was looking for you earlier,” she said, her voice low but pointed. you glanced at her. “sorry... haerin-unnie,” you mumbled, eyes downcast. she approached, her fingers brushing lightly over your shoulder, a fleeting touch that sent a shiver down your spine. “don’t do it again,” she whispered, her lips barely curving into a smile before she turned to join her sister at the table.

with both sisters seated on either side of you, the tension in the air was palpable. minji’s calm, steady presence contrasted sharply with haerin’s quiet intensity, leaving you caught between their different energies. as minji served the food, her movements so close you could feel the warmth of her arm, you couldn’t help but wonder—how long could you stay balanced between them?

you tried to steady your breath as minji poured tea into your cup, the delicate clink of porcelain breaking the silence between the three of you. her movements were elegant, precise, like everything she did was part of some silent performance. you found yourself staring at the way her fingers wrapped around the teapot handle—long, slender, but there was a quiet strength in them that both unsettled and intrigued you. she caught you looking and smiled faintly, a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“you don’t have to be so nervous, you know,” she said, her voice low and smooth. “you’re safe here, yn. as long as you follow the house rules.”

haerin, who had been quietly watching from across the table, let out a small huff, leaning back in her chair with an amused smirk playing on her lips. “minji, you always scare them with that ‘house rules’ speech.” her tone was light, but there was a sharpness behind it. “besides, it’s not like we bite… at least, not without permission.”

your eyes darted between them, unsure how to respond. minji shot haerin a brief glance, her expression unreadable, but you could feel the tension simmering just beneath the surface. haerin's teasing words lingered in the air, and though you laughed nervously, you couldn’t shake the feeling that there was truth hidden in her jest.

minji reached out, placing her hand lightly on your wrist. the touch was gentle, but it held you in place, drawing your attention back to her. “don’t mind her,” she said softly, her thumb brushing over your skin. “you’re our guest, and we’ll take care of you. isn’t that what you wanted?”

the question caught you off guard, pulling at the thoughts you had been trying to suppress since you arrived. was this what you wanted? the quiet luxury, the sense of safety, the promise of something more? your life had been nothing but chaos, a constant struggle to survive, and now here you were—caught in the orbit of these two enigmatic sisters, both offering something you hadn’t known you craved. and yet, the unease remained. could you really trust them?

before you could answer, haerin stood, her chair scraping softly against the floor. “i’m going for a walk,” she announced, casting a final glance at you. “if you decide you want some fresh air, come find me.” she didn’t wait for a response, disappearing down the hallway with her usual silent grace.

left alone with minji, the air felt heavier, more intimate. she still hadn’t let go of your wrist, her touch lingering longer than necessary. when she finally withdrew her hand, her gaze softened, as if she could sense the storm of emotions churning within you.

“take your time adjusting,” she said, standing and gathering the empty plates with practiced ease. “this place… it’s not for everyone, but i think you’ll come to appreciate it. and us.”

she smiled again, that same enigmatic curve of her lips, and with that, she disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

***

after a few days living there and wanders through all the rooms, you found yourself with nothing left to do. the silence of the house felt strange and a little unsettling after the business of the orphanage. you weren’t used to having free time, and you weren’t sure how to spend it. at first, you thought about going back to the library, where you felt comfortable, but the nice weather outside caught your attention.

a walk in the garden sounded nice.

then, a new idea came to you—flowers. the garden could use some color, and maybe minji would like that too. feeling excited, you decided to skip the library and instead made your way to minji’s room. you knocked on the door gently, a little nervous but hoping she’d agree.

"come in, i didn’t lock the door."

you stepped inside, and the sight before you took your breath away. minji was in her room, draped in soft fabrics that hugged her form in all the right places. her hair cascaded around her shoulders, framing her face in a way that made your heart race. the dim light filtering through the curtains created a warm glow, emphasizing her delicate features. she looked ethereal, almost otherworldly, and you couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement at the sight of her.

“what brings you here so early?” minji asked, her voice smooth like velvet. there was a softness in her gaze that made you feel both comfortable and exhilarated, as if she could see right into your thoughts.

you hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. “i was thinking... the garden could use some flowers, and i thought you might want to come with me to pick some.”

minji’s expression shifted slightly, her playful demeanor softening. “oh, sweetie, that sounds lovely,” she replied, her tone warm. “but i really need to rest and i have to be ready for... other things.”

you felt a pang of disappointment, but you understood. “right, of course. you need your rest.”

“but,” she said, leaning closer, a teasing smile playing on her lips, “you’re welcome to go on your own. who knows, maybe you’ll find something beautiful out there.”

you swallowed hard, feeling a rush of warmth at the way she was looking at you. “maybe I will,” you replied, trying to sound casual even as your heart raced.

“just remember, if you find something special, you’ll have to show me when you get back.” her gaze held yours for a moment longer, a spark of something electric passing between you.

“i will,” you promised, your voice barely a whisper. as you turned to leave, you couldn’t shake the feeling of her eyes on you, a lingering warmth that stayed with you as you made your way to the garden.

stepping outside, the fresh air washed over you, but the image of minji lingered in your mind—her beauty, her laughter, and the way her presence made everything feel just a little more intense. you took a deep breath, determined to find the perfect flowers, even if it meant doing so alone.

***

the path to the market felt very familiar. back at the orphanage, you were often sent by the chef—who still had a conscience and didn’t report you when you stole some snacks from the kitchen—to shop. your mind wandered again. is this really okay? leaving them suffering in that orphanage alone? but you quickly pushed those thoughts away. when an opportunity arises, you must take full advantage of it.

you encountered a few acquaintances—the market vendors—who were taken aback by your appearance. “uh, yeah. someone rich adopted me!”

upon arriving at the flower shop, you spent a while selecting and inhaling the scents of the flowers. you approached the owner and asked them to send someone to plant flowers in the castle garden—with minji and haerin's permission, of course. you settled on white peonies and cherry blossoms for minji, and black dahlias with dark purple orchids for haerin.

you hummed softly on the way back, deciding to stop by the bakery you used to visit with your parents when you were little. ha… the interior of this bakery hadn’t changed at all, and the smell was exactly as you remembered. after ordering a pain au chocolat and a cup of cappuccino, you chose to sit by the window, watching people go by.

your family used to be very wealthy until a problem caused your parents to divorce, losing their fortune and abandoning you on the streets. you pushed those memories far away, even though you still lived in the same city as them—wondering if they still remembered you after the issue ended five years ago. maybe you could visit other places with minji and haerin later. this time, you went straight home after finishing your food and drink.

as you made your way back to the castle, your mind raced with thoughts of minji. the flowers in your hands felt like a bridge between you, a gesture of gratitude for the kindness she had shown you. but beneath that gratitude lay a hint of confusion. could it be that minji saw you differently than you intended? you shook your head, dismissing the notion. she was a figure of strength and beauty, almost like a maternal presence, someone who offered you solace in a world that had shown you little kindness.

when you entered the castle, you found haerin in the living room, her feline grace contrasting sharply with the imposing architecture. she looked up, her gaze assessing. “where were you?” she asked, an edge of concern lacing her tone.

“the market,” you replied, holding up the bouquet as if it would validate your actions. “i got flowers for you and minji.”

her expression shifted slightly, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face. “you didn’t tell me you were going out. you should have asked first.”

“i—”

“it’s not about that,” she cut you off, her voice softening. “just be careful. you never know what could happen out there.”

your mind raced as haerin’s words sank in, but something still didn’t add up. the timing, the way she spoke—there was more to her confession. you weren’t naive; it wasn’t just a warning. something darker, something bitter, lingered beneath the surface of her words. jealousy. you could feel it, even though she hadn’t said it outright. haerin wanted something—no, someone—that wasn’t hers.

you took a shaky breath. “why tell me all of this now, haerin? if you’re trying to protect me, why make it sound like you’re... bitter?”

she gave a small, sharp laugh, her eyes narrowing slightly. “you think i’m bitter?” her tone was mocking, but there was a flicker of something real behind it. “maybe you’re right. but it’s not because i’m jealous of you.”

a chill crept over you. “then what?”

haerin stepped closer, her voice low as she spoke. “it’s because you’re not who you think you are, yn. you’re playing a part you don’t even know about. this isn’t some fairytale where you get adopted by a rich woman and live happily ever after. you were brought here for a reason.”

“what reason?” your voice came out sharper than you expected, frustration edging into fear. “what are you talking about?”

she hesitated, her gaze hardening as if weighing her next words. then, with an almost dismissive shrug, she dropped the bombshell: “we’re vampires.”

the room seemed to tilt for a second, your breath caught in your throat. it couldn’t be. vampires? it sounded ridiculous, impossible—but the look in her eyes said she wasn’t lying. the blood drained from your face, your hands shaking slightly.

you backed up, trying to process the words, but before you could respond, the door swung open with a force that made your heart lurch. minji stood there, her usually calm face twisted in fury. “haerin,” she growled, voice sharp as ice, “what the hell did you just do?”

you saw it then—minji’s eyes, no longer just a deep brown, now gleaming with something unnatural. anger. hunger. her gaze flicked to you, and for the first time, you felt fear crawl up your spine. she was taller, more imposing in that moment, her presence dominating the room.

“you weren’t supposed to know yet,” minji hissed, stepping toward you, her movements too fluid, too quick. “you weren’t ready.” the rage in her eyes flickered with something else, something primal. you stepped back, your heart pounding in your ears.

“i—i didn’t—” you tried to form words, but they wouldn’t come. your back hit the wall, and suddenly, minji was inches away. her eyes darkened, and you could feel her breath on your neck, the air shifting as she leaned in closer, too close.

you froze, terror gripping your chest as you realized what she might do. her lips brushed your skin, cold and soft, and for a moment, the world narrowed to just her touch. then her teeth grazed your neck.

“minji!” haerin’s voice cut through the tension like a whip, snapping minji out of whatever trance she was in. she stepped back, blinking as if waking from a dream. for a second, her face softened—then the fury returned, but this time it wasn’t directed at you.

“you did this,” minji snarled, turning to haerin, her voice low and dangerous. “she wasn’t supposed to know yet.”

you gasped, stumbling away from them, your hand clutching your neck where you could still feel the ghost of her touch. the fear and confusion twisted inside you, but there was something else—a deep sadness, a realization that maybe this great opportunity wasn’t what it seemed. everything was unraveling so quickly.

as you backed away from them, memories of your past flooded back—your family, the life you had lost. it was all connected, somehow. the reason you’d ended up in the orphanage, the secrets your parents had kept from you. they hadn’t abandoned you because of money or misfortune. no, it was something more twisted. your parents had once been part of a world like this, a world of power and darkness. you were caught in the middle of something far older than you had known.

you clutched the side of your head, the memories flashing too quickly. your mother’s distant eyes, the arguments late at night when they thought you weren’t listening, the day they left you at the orphanage, telling you it was for your own safety. everything clicked into place.

“i should’ve known,” you muttered under your breath, looking back at minji with wide, terrified eyes. “this wasn’t a coincidence. i look like him, don’t i? your husband.”

minji’s gaze softened, but the sadness in her eyes was undeniable. she didn’t deny it.

and in that moment, you realized this was much bigger than you could have ever imagined. maybe you were just another piece in their long, immortal game—used to fill the void of their eternal loss.

as the warmth of minji's bite coursed through your veins, the world seemed to shift. a flood of memories that didn’t belong to you rushed into your mind—fragments of another life, another time. you staggered slightly, clutching minji’s arm as flashes of faces, voices, and emotions overwhelmed you. one face in particular stood out—a man’s, someone who felt strangely familiar. his voice echoed in your head, filled with love and devotion... for minji.

“i remember him,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. “i remember... being him.”

minji’s eyes widened in shock, her grip tightening around your arm. there was a flicker of recognition, of something deep and ancient between you. “it can’t be,” she murmured, her voice trembling. “you’re... you’re him, reincarnated.” her words were barely above a whisper, but the weight of them crushed you. the memories, the feelings—they weren’t just fragments; they were yours.

it made sense now. the pull you’d felt toward minji, the unexplainable connection, the way her face had felt so familiar, like something out of a dream. you had been her husband, a lifetime ago. the man who chose mortality over immortality.

“he didn’t want to live forever,” you muttered, piecing it together. “he refused to become what you are.” the revelation hit you hard, and you looked up at her, searching her eyes for answers. “that’s why he left, isn’t it?”

minji’s expression shifted, sorrow filling her eyes as she nodded. “he couldn’t bear the thought of eternity. he chose to live a normal life, to die. but he promised... he promised he would find me again, somehow.”

the air in the room thickened with the weight of those words. you had been brought back to her, against all odds, against time itself. and now, you were standing in front of her once more, caught in the web of fate.

haerin’s gaze flickered with a mix of emotions—jealousy, frustration, and something deeper, a bitterness that had built up over years. “you always win, don’t you, minji?” her voice cracked, the mask of coldness slipping away to reveal the hurt beneath. “even after all this time, even after everything... you still get what you want.”

minji looked at her, pain in her eyes, but there was nothing she could say to soothe her sister’s wounds. “haerin…”

“no, don’t,” haerin cut her off, her voice hollow now. “i need to go.” she turned away from the two of you, her steps deliberate but heavy. “i can’t stay here anymore.” she paused at the door, her silhouette framed by the dim light of the castle’s hallway. “take care of her,” she whispered, almost too softly to hear. then, without another word, she disappeared into the night, leaving the castle quieter than it had ever been.

you stood there, unsure of what to say, unsure if there was anything to be said. but minji’s hand found yours, squeezing gently, grounding you in that moment. her eyes, once filled with rage and hunger, now only held a quiet sorrow.

“i’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, the weight of her confession heavy in the air.

weeks passed, the castle settling into a new rhythm without haerin’s presence. and soon, everything started to fall into place—your memories, the truth of your past. you weren’t just some random girl caught in their world. you were the reincarnation of minji’s husband, the one who had chosen death over the curse of immortality. you had been given a second chance, a chance to live again, but fate had brought you back into the very world you had tried to escape.

and yet, this time, you didn’t run.

three months later, the castle felt more like a home. the cold, stone walls were softened by the warmth of life within them. the garden bloomed with the flowers you had planted, a mix of color and life that mirrored the changes in your own heart. the past no longer felt like a burden—it was part of you, and part of minji.

one evening, you sat at the long dining table, minji by your side, your parents across from you. the room was lit by soft, golden light, the warm glow of candles filling the space. laughter echoed through the halls as you shared stories and memories, the tension of your earlier days here forgotten.

minji’s hand rested on yours, her touch familiar and comforting. your parents, who had been lost to you for so long, had accepted this strange, new life you had found. the weight of the past had lifted, replaced by a new beginning.

you looked at minji, and she smiled—a smile that carried a hundred years of longing and love. and for the first time, you felt truly at peace. this was where you were meant to be, not just as minji’s eternal love but as part of a family once more.

and haerin? wherever she was, you hoped she found her own peace, away from the shadows of the past.

as the night went on, the warmth in the room grew, not just from the fire crackling in the hearth, but from the love shared around the table. for the first time in your life, you felt truly whole.

and in that moment, everything felt right.

clementine&fiji

girlfriend!karina x fem!reader

synopsis: yn joins karina and her family on their first vacation together. as they explore osaka and share playful moments, yn finds herself falling for karina. a heated kiss in a hot tub takes their connection to the next level, but their moment is hilariously interrupted, leaving them both embarrassed yet closer than ever.

warnings: they make out and got caught; the tension is craaazyy; intended lowercase; mild choking.

a/n: i'm bored in class so here i am writing a fic about two dorks in love🥰 (i'm single af)

the airport buzzed with excitement as travelers hurried to their destinations. you stood nervously, scanning the crowd for familiar faces. this trip was a first for you—your first vacation with karina and her family. your own family was far too busy to join you, making this a chance to step out of your comfort zone.

finally, you spotted karina, her radiant smile lighting up the room. she waved enthusiastically, and your heart skipped a beat. as you approached, you noticed her family was with her, looking just as welcoming.

“hey, yn! i’m so glad you could come!” karina exclaimed, pulling you into a warm embrace. the warmth of her hug made your worries melt away, and you felt your cheeks flush slightly. you returned the embrace, feeling a sense of belonging in this moment.

the journey to osaka was filled with laughter and chatter, with karina sharing stories about her family and her favorite places in the city. as you strolled through the streets, your heart swelled with happiness at simply being with her. you admired the way her eyes sparkled with excitement, each smile making you fall a little harder.

the days in osaka were a whirlwind of adventure. the aquarium was a highlight for you, and you found yourself lost in wonder as you marveled at the vibrant sea life. your eyes lit up every time you spotted a colorful fish or a playful otter. karina noticed, her own face lighting up at your enthusiasm. she leaned in closer, her voice a soft whisper as she pointed out the creatures swimming by.

you exchanged glances, and in those moments, words felt unnecessary. the joy in your hearts filled the silence.

after a few days, you made your way to fujinomiya for a day of fruit picking. the fresh air invigorated you as you approached the apple orchards. the sight of the towering trees filled you with anticipation, and a playful pout formed on your lips.

“i want to pick apples, but that gorilla got to have you on its lap before i did,” you teased, crossing your arms dramatically and pretending to sulk. karina chuckled, her laughter like music to your ears.

“oh, come on baby. it’s just a silly gorilla.” she replied with a playful roll of her eyes. you both continued to joke and laughed as you spent the day picking apples, but you couldn’t really focus on the job when karina reached up an apple at a higher place, towering over you. nearly fell, you quickly catches your hat, holding onto karina’s arm.

“ooh, careful baby,” karina replied as she placed your hat back on. after a fun-filled day in the orchard, it was time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. you and karina sat side by side on the edge of the gazebo, while karina's family gathered in the middle.

"first to peel 5 clementines wins!" karina announced without warning. but watching her furrow her brows in concentration made you pause. this girl had so many sides that made you fall in love with her over and over again. karina's mom captured the moment on her phone—karina would tease you about it later, but both of you knew she was just as down bad for you.

when you arrived at the cozy accommodation—where you and karina shared a room—you decided to relax in the hot tub provided. after only 10 minutes of closing your eyes, you feel something heavy on your lap. "see? you got to have me in your lap with this gorgeous swimsuit." after karina said that, you didn't dare to look down—you can be sure that your cheeks are tinged with red.

"this is nice," karina leaned her head against your shoulder, her lips coming into contact with your neck briefly as she bobbed her head. you nodded in response. with the hot steam evaporating into the air, the desire to kiss karina grew even greater.

you shifted slightly, making karina move her head away from your shoulder to look up at you. "you're so beautiful," tension filled the air between you before you inched closer, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. it started soft, a brush of warmth, but as you melted into the moment, the kiss deepened. your hands found their way to her waist, pulling her closer. karina responded with equal intensity, her fingers trailing up to your neck—squeezing it lightly.

the kiss grew more heated, the sensation of her pressed against you sends a jolt of electricity all over your body. you pulled back for a breath, only to have her lips follow yours, hungry and eager. you both laughed softly in the midst of it, caught up in the moment.

just as things were getting even more intense, you heard a throat clear from behind you. your heart nearly stopped as you quickly pulled away from karina, eyes wide with shock. standing at the doorway was karina’s mother, her arms crossed put a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “well, well, what do we have here?” she teased, clearly hiding her amusement.

“i was just coming to see if you girls wanted to join us for the movies, but it looks like that you’re... occupied.”

“we were just... uh, talking.” you stammered, though karina’s swimsuit, the redness on both of your face, and the way you were still sitting close in the tub told a different story.

karina’s mother just laughed lightly, shaking her head. “relax, i’m not mad.” she glanced at karina, still hiding her face in embarrassment. “just try not to drown while you’re... you know, ‘talking.’”

“mom!” karina groaned again, finally peeking out from behind her hands, looking mortified beyond belief.

“okay, okay, i’m going. just wanted to check in on you two,” her mother added, clearly enjoying the situation far more than karina did. “have fun, girls. but don’t stay out too long.” with that, she gave a knowing smile and walked away, leaving you both in stunned silence.

karina slowly sank down even further into the water, her entire face still flushed. “oh my god. i can’t believe that just happened.”

you, still recovering from the shock, let out a nervous laugh. “i guess... at least she wasn’t angry?”

karina let out a groan, her head dropping against the edge of the hot tub. “i’ll never live this down.”

“well, it could’ve been worse,” you offered, nudging her lightly. “at least she didn’t, like, sit down and start giving us advice.”

karina shot you a horrified look before both of you burst into laughter, the tension dissolving into a shared moment of humor. even though the embarrassment still lingered, you could feel the closeness between you growing, the awkwardness of being caught somehow making the moment even more memorable.

“next time,” karina mumbled between giggles, “we need to lock the door.”

i miss home (but this is home)

kim minjeong x fem!reader

synopsis: when you step into the house, the smell of your mother’s cooking greets you, as if reminding you of all the memories long buried. but behind your warm smile, there’s a voice in your heart whispering, ‘this isn't the home you wanted.’ even though you’re here, your soul longs for the place you left behind—a place where you felt free and full of hope.

warnings: implied cheating; angst; mention of food; i wrote this in 5 hrs and i’m sleep deprived so it may not make sense at some parts; the story is set in japan (mostly) but i didn’t know much japanese idols so please ignore my character selection🙏; i forgor abt amari at the end.

a/n: i actually proofread this one once yay👍 actually got this idea while listening to NIKI’s split a d reading tbhk comic volume 8. #i'm grindimg yoo🔥🔥🔥 forgot to say that the story is mostly taking place in japan😭

exactly four years ago during winter, after you’d finished your daily task of shoveling snow from the driveway, a silver sedan parked at the house across from yours. that house had been empty for a long time; its last residents were an elderly couple—mr. and mrs. jones. your family had become quite close to them after being neighbors since the day your parents moved into the house. by the time you and your sister were born, they were like a third set of grandparents, often inviting you over to play. unfortunately, they decided to spend their old age in europe when you were nine.

though you were curious about the new residents, you decided not to watch the movers unload boxes—or their child, gleefully carrying their own box—after hearing your mom call you for dinner. only after everyone had gathered—your parents, your older sister karina, and the family’s beloved doberman, amari—did you mention what you saw earlier. “hey, did you know someone moved into grandpa jones’ house?” everyone turned to you in confusion.

“yn, sweetheart, did you forget or were you not listening to what i told you yesterday, huh?” karina playfully pinched your cheek, which you allowed. after a moment of thinking, you slapped your forehead.

“ah! i totally forgot. it’s, uhh, mr. and mrs. jones’ son and daughter-in-law, right? when are we visiting them, dad? i want to give their kid a present!” without waiting for a reply, you said enthusiastically, “oh, they have a kid?” your dad replied in the same cheerful tone.

“yeah, looks to be about my age.”

and that’s how you found yourself in this situation, punching the face of a school bully notorious for picking on new kids—especially the ones who looked timid and helpless.

“wow, wow. looks like someone wants to be a hero…” yunjin, their leader, sneered at you, wiping the blood dripping from her lip. she ordered her twin, yujin, to fight back, but before she could swing, you grabbed the new kid’s wrist and took off running.

after escaping through the school gate—the guard was stupidly asleep—and stopping once you felt safe, you let go of her wrist. you went in search of the nearest convenience store for drinks, and she followed you quietly.

“pick anything you like, it’s on me!” your positive energy seemed to surprise her a little, but she didn’t say much after you both chose drinks and you paid.

“thank you..” she said softly after you both sat down on a swing in the park just a stone’s throw from your house.

“no problem! uh...”

“minjeong. my name’s kim minjeong..” her soft voice spoke again.

“ah! so you’re korean too! i’m yn, kang yn! nice to meet you, minjeong.” you switched to speaking korean, extending your hand. and in that split second, you both somehow knew you’d quickly become inseparable friends.

“don’t go anywhere without me, okay? yunjin’s gang is known to be… well, you saw, right?” you shrugged, making sure minjeong was safely inside her house before heading back home.

“whoa, dropping off your girlfriend, huh?” your nosy sister (who was about to leave for her evening class) teased when you got home.

“no! just a friend. besides, i’m old enough to get mom’s permission to date, right, mom? i’m fifteen this year.” your mom just hummed in agreement.

the next day, as you requested, minjeong waited for you in front of her house to walk to school together. “morning, minjeong!!” you waved your hand energetically with your full energy at the early hour.

at school, you didn’t run into yunjin’s gang; your classes were on completely different floors. they were in class F, while you were in class B—not bad for someone a little lazy. unfortunately, minjeong hadn’t taken her class placement test yet and was temporarily assigned to class F. when you learned this, you were worried to death, but minjeong assured you she’d be fine, so, reluctantly, you let go of her arm—and you swore you heard yunjin’s gang’s mocking laughter.

at lunch, you let your friends know not to wait for you in the cafeteria since you’d brought lunch from home, and then you sprinted to minjeong’s classroom. “minjeong-ah! let’s eat lunch together!” you yelled unashamedly, causing a teacher passing by to jump a little. you both picked a spot under a big tree near the soccer field to have lunch together. “how’s class? did yunjin’s gang bother you?”

“no, i threatened them. told them i’d make them pay if they messed with me. i told them i was actually a taekwondo expert, and they didn’t dare touch me.” you burst out laughing at minjeong’s story, “ha! oh my god! my stomach hurts! they’re so gullible?” wiping tears from your eyes.

and so went your high school days, with minjeong—who quickly became close to your group—you, ningning, and kazuha, though you ended up closer to minjeong because of how close you lived. sleepovers, movie nights, and study sessions filled your evenings—and your sister’s pranks. you didn’t realize it then, but your understanding of home started to change because of the person eating ice cream beside you.

winter passed by quickly, and summer came with all its love stories. minjeong, who was once calm and gentle, began to pick up some of your traits, cheerful and spirited. once again, you found yourself in minjeong’s room.

“got any plans for summer break?” you asked, lying on her bedroom floor while she sat on her bed, playing her nintendo.

“uhuh, spending it with you.” it happened again, your heart rate suddenly spiking, and your face flushing red, “i mean— to, uh… what are you planning to do?” you stopped fanning yourself.

“i dunno, whatever you wanna do, i’m in.”

turns out she wasn’t lying. you decided to help at a local eel farm for harvest season! minjeong, who absolutely hates eels, hesitantly dipped her feet into the muddy pond full of eels, and as soon as one coiled around her ankle, she screamed and fell right in (in the end, you were the only one helping with the harvest, but at least minjeong agreed to forgive you and keep you company under the shade of a tree after you bought her two handfuls of ice cream). with clothes full of mud, you two spend the rest of the day cycling through the entire village—with minjeong being your passanger princess. a few days later, you both visited some high school festivals with food stalls and arcades before attending the big event together with your families—the tanabata star festival.

“are you ready?” your dad's head popped in from the front door. he and your mom were wearing matching yukatas, as was your sister with her girlfriend giselle, and you...

“minjeong!!!” after getting out of your respective cars, you quickly returned to minjeong's side, linking arms with her.

“remember, you need to be back by 9 sharp if you don’t want to walk home alone,” your mom reminded you again.

and so began the great snacking adventure at the stalls with minjeong! you started with classic food, takoyaki. the steaming, round snacks tempted you to eat them, and you devoured them hot. minjeong reached out her hand, and you reflexively spit a round piece of takoyaki into her palm. she tossed it into the nearest trash can and washed her hands three times with soap before you both bought melon soda at the adjacent stall. after that, the tanabata star festival wouldn’t be complete without playing goldfish scooping and shooting games! you successfully got the teddy bear you wanted, but seeing minjeong's disappointed face when she couldn’t win the bunny plush she desired, you decided to trade yours for it.

“what did you write for your wish?” the night grew late, and the fireworks show was about to start. even though it was already 9:30, you and your sister agreed to go home together in your dad's car after your parents were too tired to continue and headed home first. “you better not turn on do not disturb!” your sister shouted before her girlfriend pulled them away for a photo.

“...it's a secret.” minjeong covered her tanzaku paper.

“hey, i gave you my red tanzaku!” ah, there it was; your childish side hadn’t fully faded yet.

“fine, but show me yours too.”

bingo. minjeong wrote, ‘i hope i can always be with yn,’ and you wrote, ‘i hope minjeong can always be with me.’ you quickly exchanged your papers and then laughed awkwardly—at least you got the green light. after hanging your tanzaku on the large bamboo tree, you climbed a hill a bit away from the crowd, spread out a blanket, and laid out the food.

you sat under the starry night sky, enjoying the scattered lantern lights around the festival. minjeong glanced at you, who was busy finishing the takoyaki you had earlier—both of you had agreed to eat while sitting. after a moment, minjeong smiled and began to tell a story.

“you know, yn?” minjeong started, her voice soft, almost like a whisper. “this tanabata festival actually has a really romantic story. it’s about two stars, ori-hime and hiki-boshi… they are a couple living in two different worlds, separated by a great river called ama-no-gawa—which we know as the milky way.”

you paused from putting food in your mouth and looked at minjeong; of course, she knew. your siater’s japanese girlfriend had told her about it at the tanabata star festival three years ago. but you tried to maintain a look of amazement.

“they can only meet once a year, on the night of the tanabata festival,” minjeong continued, gazing at the sky as if searching for the two stars. “that’s why people like to write their wishes on tanzaku, hoping their love can be as strong as ori-hime and hiki-boshi’s. even though they’re separated, they keep looking for each other… they believe that one day in a year is enough to strengthen their love.”

you smiled softly, a bit shy. “that sounds like an unforgettable love story.”

minjeong nodded slowly, then looked at you with a gentle gaze. “yeah… there’s something beautiful about people who are willing to wait, right? they both remain strong and faithful, even though they have to be apart for so long.” minjeong paused for a moment, as if savoring her own words. “maybe true love doesn’t always have to be together every day. sometimes, just waiting for each other and believing that in the end, they will meet again is enough.”

you felt your heart race at minjeong’s words. slowly, you smiled as if you understood the hidden meaning behind the story. you both looked up at the sky again, each with a wish tucked away in your hearts (which were actually the same).

as the moments leading up to the fireworks display drew closer, the atmosphere around you became increasingly tense and filled with anticipation. the sound of people whispering filled the air, while the lanterns flickered in the night breeze. minjeong looked at you with sparkling eyes, as if she wanted to express something that had long been buried.

“yn,” she said softly, her voice almost drowned out by the crowd around. “i… i feel like there’s something more between us. ever since the first time we met, my heart has raced whenever i’m with you.”

a gentle smile formed on your face, your heart beating faster. “i feel it too, minjeong. you make me feel comfortable and happy like never before.”

time seemed to stand still as minjeong leaned closer, the distance between you narrowing. the fireworks began to adorn the night sky, bursting forth in stunning colors. in that magical moment, you locked eyes, ignoring the commotion around you.

“do you want to share our wishes tonight?” minjeong asked, her face trembling with hope and tension.

“of course, i do,” you replied, feeling your heart race with excitement. before you realized it, the fireworks exploded above you, casting bright lights that made the night even more dazzling. amidst the cheers and awe surrounding you, minjeong leaned in and gently touched your face before her lips found yours in a soft, heartfelt kiss. as the fireworks erupted in the sky, their colorful lights created the perfect backdrop for that moment—the moment when two hopeful hearts finally united.

after that night, you officially became the subject of teasing in your household. returning home with slightly messy lip tint, both of you were immediately put on the spot by karina and giselle in the car. “did you just kiss?” checkmate. no one dared to speak, but your flushed cheeks answered their question. your parents of course knew right away because the first rule in the house was: ask for permission if you want to date! and it shouldn’t affect your grades.

but oh, it’s true that summer and seventeen are inconvenient times to fall in love. your dad was reassigned to the us after spending 19 years in japan. three months before your departure back to the us, he finally told you. it was the first major fight.

after hearing the news about your father's move to the us, you feel worry creeping into your heart. mixed emotions fill your mind—happy for newfound love, but also afraid of loss. that night, you decide to talk to your mother in the kitchen, a place that has always felt comfortable for you.

“mom,” you say, your voice soft. “what should i do? we're leaving, and i… i don’t know what will happen with minjeong.”

your mom pauses for a moment, looking at you gently. “honey, i know how you feel. love can be strong, even when separated by distance. i experienced something similar with your father back then.” she reminisces, a nostalgic look filling her eyes. “we had to communicate, trust each other, and do our best to stay connected. love won’t disappear just because of distance.”

her words offer a little relief, but the worry still lingers in your mind. after that conversation, you feel a bit calmer. and surprisingly, minjeong doesn’t even cry when you tell her about the news—or perhaps she’s just accustomed to staying calm in all situations.

the night before your departure, minjeong takes you to your favorite spot, where the night sky is filled with stars. there, she has a little surprise for you.

“yn, i want to give you something,” she says, pulling out a beautifully decorated tanzaku paper. “this is our hope for the future.” you open the paper and read: ‘may we always be together, no matter the distance that separates us.’

your heart races as you see it. “minjeong, this… means so much.”

minjeong then gives you a small bracelet made of colorful threads. “this is a reminder for you, so you know i’m always with you, no matter where we are.”

you both exchange warm hugs, feeling the emotional moment as the stars shine above.

“can we write letters to each other? even though we can also text every day...” you suggest, the idea making you feel more at ease.

“of course,” minjeong replies with a smile. “every month we’ll exchange letters. it’ll be our tradition.”

as you write down your hopes and dreams on the paper, the atmosphere feels full of warmth and love. when the letters are exchanged, you feel the bond between you grow stronger. even though distance will separate you, you believe this love can endure.

but oh, you are wrong again. in the early years, you and minjeong did exchange messages every day, writing to each other every month, but suddenly all that stopped. you both got busy with your respective studies, especially with graduation day approaching. you, studying law, were busy helping to handle cases at the firm where you interned.

time passed, and the messages that once filled your days began to dwindle. at first, you hoped everything would be okay, but without realizing it, distance and busyness gnawed at your relationship. the longing was there, but no words came out. one day, as you returned to the city where you first met during your semester break to visit your sister who continued her studies and lived with her girlfriend there, you decided to visit the famous tanabata festival again. the atmosphere felt nostalgic, reminding you of all the beautiful memories with minjeong. you almost wanted to call her but changed your mind, wanting to surprise her by picking her up on the bicycle you used to ride to the eel farm. even though your relationship over the past two years was unclear, your status was still girlfriends—or at least that’s what you thought, and you hoped to see her (hoping those feelings still existed).

upon arriving at the festival, the lively and festive atmosphere reminded you of the moments with minjeong. you strolled around, observing the lanterns shimmering in the night, hoping to feel her presence. suddenly, your ears caught sound of a familiar chuckle.

minjeong.

she stood near the bamboo tree, surrounded by a crowd, but something was different. as you approached closer, your heart raced. minjeong looked radiant in a beautiful dress, her face is still pretty as ever but the lines of her face have grown to be more... mature.

“i feel like i’ve known you forever! you’re so easy to be around.” she said as she laughed with someone standing beside her, your heart felt a deep ache. it felt like time stopped for a moment as you stared at her. however, as her gaze shifted to the person beside her, you felt something was off. when she reached out for the person’s cheeks, you finally noticed the sparkling ring on her finger. ah, you were too late, it seemed. you’re pretty sure that the tanzaku you and minjeong once wrote were still hanging at the tree because look, you are together right now. how funny, you should’ve been more specific. you turned around with a chuckle, decided to go home and pack for the earliest flight to US. unbeknownst to you, minjeong catch glimpses of you when you were stopping by the kiosks. she made a mental note to visit you after she’s done with her date.

as minjeong and her ‘date’ wrapped up their evening, her thoughts kept drifting back to that glimpse of you she'd caught at the kiosks. she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was left unsaid, unfinished. after parting ways, she decided she couldn’t wait any longer and headed straight to your place.

meanwhile, you’d already started packing (karina was at her girlfriend’s). the memories were overwhelming, and each item you placed in your suitcase felt like a little piece of the life you were leaving behind. just as you zipped up your suitcase, you heard a familiar knock on your door. surprised, you hesitated, debating whether you should ignore it. but then you remembered her smile, the tanzaku you’d both written, and the promises whispered under the stars. with a sigh, you opened the door.

there she stood, slightly out of breath, eyes searching yours. she seemed hesitant, almost as if she was second-guessing herself.

“are you…going somewhere?” she asked, her voice soft as usual.

you nodded, trying to keep your composure. “the earliest flight to the US,” you replied. a moment of silence passed between you, filled with all the things neither of you had said. her gaze dropped to the ring on her finger, then back to you.

“look, i…didn’t know how to tell you,” she whispered, the weight of the moment evident in her tone. “but when i saw you today, something just…clicked. i couldn’t stop thinking about us, and how we were—”

you cut her off gently, a bittersweet smile on your face. “you don’t owe me anything, minjeong. i’m happy for you. really, i am.”

but she stepped closer, not letting you finish. “maybe not, but i owe myself the truth. and the truth is…there’s been someone i’ve been seeing since you left-” she glanced down, biting her lip as if debating whether to say more.

“then why did you…” your voice faltered as you glanced down at her ring, a painful reminder of how things had turned out.

“i was- i love you yn, but it’s hard for me to consistently giving love to someone who’s not present.” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. her eyes searched yours, guilt and longing all wrapped into one.

frankly speaking, you wanted to beg for her to love you one more time, you want to throw that ring across the continents but you two remained silent. your gaze fell down as you told her, “i loved you too, kim.”

kim minjeong was your home after all.