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Hakyeon imagines, if she ever becomes famous and gets caught in an interview asking her how her college life has been so far, she would describe it as amazing. Hopefully if she’s famous, she’ll come up with a more sophisticated word for it, but if you ask her now, she’s completely happy with how things are. She’s enjoying her studies – despite the hours of lectures and tutorials, her pain-in-the-butt Organic Chemistry professor, and the sheer volume of assignments, papers, and lab work she has to face daily. She’s enjoying being in the volleyball team, and hanging out with her best friend, being herself and letting loose whenever she’s wound too tight.
The only dark spot in her fantastic life is one Jung Taekwoon.
Sojin’s twin brother is the bane of her existence. When she first got to Seoul and met her best friend, they hit it off right away, and immediately Sojin invited her to her parents’ place. Hakyeon loves it there, especially because of the home-cooked meals, and how nice Sojin’s parents are to her. It eases a lot of her homesickness, plus she gets to spend as much time with her friend as she wants. Until Sojin introduced her to Taekwoon, who looked at her like she’s a piece of gum stuck at the bottom of his shoe, and never once returned her smile.
“Don’t worry about him,” Sojin told her. “He’s going through puberty. You know how slow boys are.”
Hakyeon had laughed, softly, but apparently the guy heard her, because he’d slammed the door to his room so hard the walls shook and their mother yelled at him from the kitchen. Ever since then, whenever Hakyeon comes over, Taekwoon usually gives her a wide berth, occasionally appearing in the dining room or living room looking like the world owes him something. Sometimes Hakyeon bumps into him as she walks out of Sojin’s room and he’s walking out of his. Sometimes when he does this, he’s not wearing any shirt.
Not that Hakyeon deliberately looks. He’s just there, all pale and sculpted, and maybe if Hakyeon stares a bit, his face will turn all pink and he retreats back into his room like a scared puppy.
It doesn’t happen often, seeing as how Taekwoon spends most of his time (or at least the time Hakyeon is there) holed up in his room. Hakyeon once asked Sojin what he does in there, and she shrugged, saying her family practices the don’t ask don’t tell policy when it comes to Taekwoon. He seems healthy enough (fit, if his shirtless encounters with Hakyeon is any indication) and he seems to be doing excellent at school, so their parents aren’t really worried.
So Hakyeon loves her life just how it is, until the universe decides to kick her butt and she fails her Organic Chem mid-semester paper.
/
“You know you can ask Taekwoonie to tutor you,” is what Sojin suggests, nibbling on her fries at lunch. “He took it last year and was freakishly good at it, as I recall.”
“What? Seriously?” Hakyeon gapes, the very idea of approaching Jung Taekwoon with that request, let alone survive spending that much time with him making the pit of her stomach churn.
Sojin shrugs casually. “He’s top two in his entire program, you know. Only second to that adorable friend of his, the one with the mouth.”
“The one with the mouth,” Hakyeon echoes flatly, cocking an eyebrow at her best friend.
“Luscious,” Sojin winks, a sultry smile on her lips. “I’d totally ask him out if Taekwoon hadn’t gone so cliché-protective-brother mode on me.”
Hakyeon would’ve never guessed that Taekwoon even has that mode to begin with, but what does she know about the mysterious Jung Taekwoon anyway. “No, I meant you seriously think he’ll help me?”
Sojin sobers up at her question, regarding her carefully. “Hakyeon, I only said those awful things about him because he’s my brother. Underneath all that icy exterior, he’s the smartest, sweetest, kindest boy I know.”
Hakyeon loses her words, blinking at Sojin slowly. “Should – should I ask him, then?”
Sojin nods, then pokes a fry threateningly in her direction. “If you tell him I said all those things about him just now, I’ll end you.”
Hakyeon laughs, stealing a cherry tomato off her plate. It gets her a light smack on the thigh, but Sojin also promises to talk to her brother for Hakyeon, so she guesses it’s a fairly even trade.
/
Hakyeon’s there to witness Taekwoon agreeing to help tutor her. It’s not often she gets to hear his voice, what’s with him being quiet and prone to avoid her like the plague and all, and whenever she does, it surprises her how soothing he sounds – soft and breathy like every word is fragile and precious.
“Are you going to pay me?” Hakyeon hears him asking, almost teasingly.
She sees Sojin whacking him on the chest, and the playful smile on his face amazes her even more. Objectively, she knows Taekwoon is good-looking. He has the Jung genes after all – both Sojin and their mother are gorgeous, and their father although brusque, is handsome. She just never truly realizes it before.
“Ugh, fine,” Sojin groans, flipping her hair over her shoulders. “A tray of brownies and a week of coffee.”
Taekwoon leans against the kitchen counter, tapping a finger against his chin. “Make it two weeks of coffee.”
Sojin places her hands on her hips, looking up at Taekwoon (he’s seriously so tall) defiantly. “I’m not gonna enable your sick addiction. You should cut back on the caffeine, you nerd.”
“Why? Are you worried about my growth getting stunted?” he bites back, patting her on the crown of her head. “I’m afraid it’s too late, Tiny.”
Sojin stomps her leg angrily, shaking his hand off her. “A week of coffee, or I’ll tell mom about that expensive purchase you made at the music store last weekend.”
“How did you—” Taekwoon cuts himself off, sighing in defeat. “Ten days and it’s a deal.”
Sojin beams, sticking out her hand for a shake. Taekwoon takes it, and Sojin skips over to where Hakyeon is standing with a blinding smile on her pretty face. “See?” she whispers. “Told you he’ll help.”
Hakyeon steals a glance over her friend’s shoulder to see Taekwoon with his head ducked, ruffling at his bangs like he’s bothered by it. Hakyeon looks away before he notices, trailing after Sojin wordlessly as she tugs her in the direction of her room.
/
As it turns out, Taekwoon is super smart. And, more surprisingly, he’s a good teacher. For all the grumpiness he’s shown for the past couple of years, he’s extremely patient when he’s explaining things. Hakyeon’s learned more from him in one tutoring lesson than she has in a month of lectures.
Their sessions are pretty much civil, except for when Taekwoon gets a weird twitch on his frowny face over the weirdest things.
“Can you not sit like that?”
Hakyeon scowls right back at him, keeping her legs crossed on her seat, her knees bouncing freely. Taekwoon’s sitting with his back straight, rigid, and Hakyeon sighs before imitating his posture. Not five minutes later her legs come right back up, and Taekwoon doesn’t say anything, probably figuring out that it’s Hakyeon’s most comfortable sitting position. Only now he’s apparently bothered by a whole other thing.
“Stop sucking on your pen cap like that.”
Hakyeon’s already supremely annoyed at the billion and one things she needs to memorize for her quiz tomorrow, so she snaps. “I can suck on anything I want. What does it matter to you?”
For a split second, Hakyeon’s genuinely afraid that Taekwoon would explode and take off, abandoning her and her failing Chemistry grade, but he just turns very red and huffs.
“It’s distract—” he pauses, hesitant. “It’s dirty.”
Hakyeon rolls her eyes, unwraps her lips from around her pen, and wipes the end off on her shirt. “There,” she says. “Happy?”
Taekwoon doesn’t say much afterwards other than to explain the equations to Hakyeon. Once in a while as she’s working on her problems, she peeks at what Taekwoon is doing – a mess of symbols and calculations on his notebook as he adds to them, long fingers cradling a mechanical pencil gently. His overgrown bangs are pulled back by his backward snapback and Hakyeon can see the creases between his eyebrows as he works.
She manages to finish her compulsory questions, but Taekwoon had insisted she goes through them all, and she’s in no position to argue. She arches her back and stretches, groaning, reaching up to gather her hair into a messy pile on top of her head. Taekwoon is staring at her when she’s done. She quirks an eyebrow and his gaze moves from somewhere around the nape of her neck to her face. He looks away, mouth pursed like he’s trying not to laugh, and Hakyeon supposes she does look funny with her giant pinhead and long neck.
“Hello children,” Sojin breezes through the dining room, stopping to peer at their scattered books. “Hard at work, I see.”
Hakyeon sighs, shifting in her seat to get more comfortable. She has a dozen problems left to solve. “Not everyone can sail through an honors degree like it’s kindergarten.”
Sojin scoffs and flicks the hem of Hakyeon’s short skirt. “Are you wearing your safety shorts? You’re making Taekwoonie blush.”
It’s right then that Hakyeon realizes how much legs she’s showing, and she’s smoothing the fabric down just in time to see Taekwoon flushing bright red, pretending he didn’t hear his sister. Hakyeon elbows Sojin in the side and she giggles.
“Well, have fun you two,” she says cheerily, bouncing off to the living room.
Hakyeon tucks a stray strand of hair behind an ear and adjusts her seating again, keeping her knees together.
“Do you need help with the extra questions?” Taekwoon asks quietly, startling her a bit. His cheeks are still dusky pink, but he doesn’t exactly look embarrassed anymore, only…perkier.
Hakyeon nods silently, leaning in closer while trying to gauge Taekwoon’s reaction. She doesn’t want to make him uncomfortable. He’s hyper focused on the Chemistry equations, though, slowly and kindly walking Hakyeon through them. If anything, Hakyeon is the one mildly distracted by the lemon soap scent wafting off the boy. Taekwoon asks if she’s getting it so far and Hakyeon gathers her mind again, determined.
/
She doesn’t actually die from the misery that is her Chemistry quiz, so Sojin invites her over to celebrate. It’s only a little after lunch, and they’re the only ones home, so Sojin turns up the volume of the speakers and lets Hakyeon choose the music. It’s one of the things that bind them so closely together – dancing. Sojin’s a wonderful dancer, poised and lovely, and Hakyeon’s a lot more…free-spirited. Sojin keeps telling her she’s amazing, though, and Hakyeon used to think it’s just her being nice. Until she starts dancing at parties they go to and people keep staring at her – guys flocking around to watch and girls looking at her either mesmerized or with envy. Sojin tells her she drives the boys nuts just from moving to the beats, and Hakyeon embraces that somewhere down the line, taking pride in it, almost.
She’s swaying to the heavy bass and abandoning all care right there in the Jungs’ living room, Sojin holding on to her and laughing. Hakyeon slides her eyes closed and lets loose, shimmying her hips and grinding down until she’s almost to the floor, hearing Sojin’s catcall and whipping her head up to halt completely, shocked. Sojin notices her pause and turns around, cursing under her breath when she sees what made Hakyeon stop.
“Jesus fucking Christ, Taekwoon!” Sojin cries, hand splayed over her heaving chest. “Make some noise, at least! You almost scared us to death!”
Hakyeon’s turned down the volume, and Taekwoon looks slightly relieved, not so furious and purple like he’s about to explode. His gaze skims over them both, noting how they’re sticking to each other, then moves away.
“A tank could’ve come in here and you wouldn’t hear it above that racket,” Taekwoon says flatly. “I’m working in my room. I can’t hear myself think.”
“Do you want to join us?” Sojin offers, and Hakyeon’s heart thumps erratically in her ribcage, suddenly conscious of what she’s wearing, how she looks, the moves she made when Taekwoon was watching. She never thinks about that stuff before.
Taekwoon frowns. “I don’t dance.”
“Sure you do, you robot,” Sojin taunts, reaching out like she’s about to pull Taekwoon into their space. “Oh, I know! You should ask Hakyeon to—”
Taekwoon steps back like he’s been stung, eyes steely. “I’m working. Keep it down, will you?”
Sojin grumbles but agrees, and as quietly as he appears, he’s disappeared up the stairs.
“What do you suppose he’s making in there?” Hakyeon asks just to lighten the atmosphere. “A device to take over the universe?”
Sojin shrugs, chewing on the corner of her lips. “Probably working on a song.”
“He makes music?” Hakyeon nearly gasps, unable to keep the fascination off her voice.
Sojin hums, lips curling up slyly. “My brother is full of surprises.”
Hakyeon feels her mouth going dry, a sudden sort of thrill rolling down her spine, and it’s cut off by a sharp swat on her butt.
“C’mon,” says Sojin, linking their arms together. “Let’s go bake some cookies.”
/
True to Sojin’s words, Taekwoon creeps back downstairs as soon as the cookies are done baking. The sweet, signature fragrance fills the house and Hakyeon tries not to laugh when Taekwoon sticks his nose up and sniffs at the air.
“Be patient, cookie monster,” Sojin warns, depositing the treats onto a cooling tray. “They’re still hot.”
Taekwoon’s eyes and mouth droop like a puppy’s and Hakyeon half-expects him to whimper sadly. The doorbell rings and Taekwoon goes to answer it wordlessly as Hakyeon tries to help Sojin clean up the kitchen. He comes back with another boy in tow, and from the way Sojin squeals softly and pulls at Hakyeon’s fingers nervously, she figures it’s Mister Number One in Class. The boy is cute, and his smile is already infectious as he walks in to greet them.
“Hello, ladies,” he says, grinning sweetly. “You must be the beautiful Sojin. You can call me Jaehwan oppa.”
“You’re younger than us, dumbass,” Taekwoon mutters by his side.
Jaehwan is completely undeterred, sighing as he rests his chin on one hand. “See, this is why I love biology,” he says seriously, waving his hand at the twins with a flourish. “What wonder makes it possible for these two to share a womb and come out looking as contrasting as heaven and hell?”
Taekwoon rolls his eyes as Sojin giggles into her hand, offering the freshly baked cookies to the boy, blushing prettily.
“Ooh! Did you make this?” Jaehwan exclaims, popping one into his mouth and moaning out loud at the taste. “Oh my god, marry me.”
Taekwoon smacks him on the back so hard he chokes a little, and Hakyeon can’t help but laugh.
“You’re such a disgrace,” Taekwoon comments, and Hakyeon laughs even harder at that.
“Wow, someone who laughs at Taekwoonie’s horribly unwitty words,” Jaehwan says, full of amazement. “And such a beautiful laugh, too. I must know your name, pretty unicorn fairy.”
Hakyeon thinks it’s a compliment. Sort of.
“This is my friend, Hakyeon,” Sojin says.
Jaehwan’s eyebrows shoot up and disappear beneath his bangs. “You’re Hakyeon?” he gapes, like he actually knows her from somewhere. “Oh, Taekwoon told me how hot – ah! I mean how he’s been helping you with Chemistry.”
“Ah, yes,” Hakyeon nods, smiling coyly. “He’s been very helpful.”
“Is that so?” Jaehwan grins, ignoring Taekwoon’s incessant tugging on his shirt. “I’m a Calculus whiz myself, so if you guys need me to – ow, dude!”
Taekwoon keeps pulling on his friend’s ear until he stumbles after him to the stairs, mumbling about violent tree creature, but not before he manages to wheedle Sojin into saving him some of the cookies for later.
“Isn’t he adorable?” Sojin sighs dreamily, tucking her head into the crook of Hakyeon’s neck.
Hakyeon watches as Taekwoon releases Jaehwan’s ear, patting him on the head like a puppy, smiling so wide his eyes curve into crescents. “Yeah,” Hakyeon agrees faintly. “Yeah, he is.”
/
After a year and some months, it’s literally a tradition for Hakyeon to swing by Sojin’s place after their volleyball practice or a game. Hakyeon’s dorm is much closer to the university sports centre, of course, but her dorm doesn’t exactly come equipped with a fully stocked kitchen and a massive bathroom to shower in. Sojin had to insist for several months before Hakyeon comes over voluntarily.
She’s rifling through the Jungs’ fridge for something to drink while Sojin takes a shower, humming softly to herself. A caramel-colored can catches her eyes on the bottom shelf and she bends over to grab it, startling at a muffled thump of something hitting the kitchen floor. She looks up to see Taekwoon, slightly flustered, picking his soccer ball up from where it’s rolled by the kitchen island. Their eyes meet when he straightens up, his eyes glazing over with something Hakyeon can’t identify. Hakyeon imagines she looks pretty gross, still in her volleyball shorts and top, sweaty and dirty from the game.
“Can I drink this?” she asks, holding up the coffee can.
Taekwoon’s not exactly looking at her now, gaze probably somewhere above her head. “That’s mine,” he says, almost too quiet to hear.
“I know. That’s why I’m asking.”
Hakyeon’s moved away from the fridge door enough for Taekwoon to swoop in, broad shoulders filling up the space as he speaks into the cold air. “Go ahead. Wait – is that the last one?”
Hakyeon beams, lifting her arm up high as if Taekwoon can’t reach the drink easily. “No takebacks,” she says, dancing away even though he isn’t actually trying to take it away from her.
She forgets how intelligent Taekwoon is, unfortunately. “I’ll trade this with you,” he proposes, holding a plate of oozing blueberry cheesecake that Hakyeon somehow misses during her forage.
Hakyeon shrugs, and hands over the coffee, noticing how Taekwoon’s face brightens once he has it in his hand. She feels no regret as she places a forkful of cake into her mouth, sighing happily as she swallows. She’s worked on three quarters of the slice when she realizes that Taekwoon’s watching her, leaning against the marble island. She tilts her chin up in question.
Taekwoon shakes his head, smirking a little. “I don’t know where you put all that away.”
“Are you saying I eat too much?” Hakyeon asks indignantly, narrowing her eyes.
The smirk on Taekwoon’s face softens into a smile. “I’m saying you’re small.”
“I’m not small! You’re just huge!”
“Kids,” Sojin interrupts as she enters the kitchen. “Would you please take your erotic foreplay elsewhere? I need a smoothie.”
Hakyeon splutters, coughing mildly, causing Sojin to rub her back soothingly. Taekwoon grabs a bottled water out of the fridge and puts it on the counter in front of her, silently escaping to the stairs. Hakyeon sips at the water thankfully, her chest blooming with embarrassment at having choke on a dessert in front of a cute boy.
“So,” Sojin breaks through her thoughts. “Strawberry or banana for yours?”
/
Sojin’s parents left for China on a business trip for a whole week, and naturally Hakyeon’s invited to stay over for the weekend. They’re both free on Friday, so they spend it lazing around on Sojin’s bed listening to music and reading, then eventually lazing around on the couch watching movies and snacking on popcorn. It’s almost dinnertime when Sojin convinces Hakyeon to let her paint her toenails.
Hakyeon gathers her knees to her chest, resting her head on them, and watches idly as Sojin paints her toes pink, the pastel of it stark against her tan. She wiggles them when Sojin’s done with one foot, earning a swift poke in the forehead.
“Quit moving,” Sojin chastises, tongue poking out the corner of her mouth as she concentrates. “This looks so cute on you.”
Hakyeon sighs, rubbing her cheek against the frayed rips in her jeans. She hopes Sojin doesn’t expect her to return the favor because she absolutely sucks at painting nails. The front door chimes open and Hakyeon lifts her gaze to meet Taekwoon’s – sideways, because her head is still propped on her knee. He’s in his soccer gear, hair tousled and cheeks pink, and when he leans his weight on one foot the muscles in his thigh ripple.
“It’s your turn to cook dinner, Taekwoonie,” Sojin says without looking away from Hakyeon’s feet.
Taekwoon doesn’t look at his sister either, because he’s looking at Hakyeon on the couch, lips parted like he’s about to say something. Hakyeon hides her face behind her legs and pretends to be fixated on Sojin’s handiwork, only hearing the answering grunt from Taekwoon and the soft sound of his footsteps up the stairs.
“It’ll be pasta,” Sojin remarks, lips tilted up in amusement. “It’s the only thing he can cook.”
Hakyeon doesn’t respond to that, feeling her heart skittering around in her chest and not really knowing the reason why.
/
Sojin takes Hakyeon shopping on Saturday, on the hunt for the perfect outfit for the party at one of the dorm buildings on campus that night. She mentioned it at dinner while they were enjoying Taekwoon’s pasta – which was pretty delicious, and it was suspicious how Sojin was trying to sell her the idea: come on, it’ll be fun! We’ll dance and there’ll be cute boys and they’ll all be a drooling mess at your feet!. Hakyeon wanted to ask what about Jaehwan, but Taekwoon was listening to them, so she didn’t. Also, Sojin isn’t really the boys are so cute and parties are fun type, but she had seemed extremely elated at the idea so Hakyeon agreed to go.
What she didn’t agree to is walking for miles around the mall and spending hours trying on clothes at every store they pass by. Sojin finally decides on a deep red top and leather miniskirt, and deems the flowery dress Hakyeon picks worthy for the party, and they head home with enough time to get dolled up.
Hakyeon slips on the dress after her shower, letting her hair tumble loose over her shoulder before checking the time. They still have over an hour before they need to leave, and Sojin is still in the bathroom, so she runs downstairs to get something to drink, jolting when she runs into a solid chest as she turns the corner. Taekwoon’s clutching at her shoulders, large hands warm and firm, dark eyes fixed on hers. She’s about to apologize when he speaks.
“Are you going to that party?”
Hakyeon nods, feeling conscious enough to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear nervously. “Sojin’s still getting ready. We’ll be out by—”
“Don’t go.”
At first Hakyeon thinks she’s misheard, Taekwoon’s voice so soft even in the silence, but he says it again – low and almost begging, and Hakyeon’s staring at his mouth shaping the words. There’s no mistaking what he’s asking of her. “I promised Sojin, I—”
“Please don’t go,” he murmurs, leaning in so close their noses are brushing, and Hakyeon’s breath catches in her throat. “Can you – can you please not go?”
Hakyeon wants to ask him why, but the torn look in his hooded eyes and the broken sound of his harsh breathing manage to convince her enough to stay. It’s not like she’s completely looking forward to going, anyway.
/
She tells Sojin that she has a headache. Sojin coos at her and pets her hair, then offers to stay behind, but Hakyeon insists that she goes, especially since she’d spent so much time getting her hair and makeup done. Sojin agrees after a promise that she’ll call if anything comes up, then Hakyeon watches as she trudges across the hall to knock on Taekwoon’s door. Hakyeon overhears her giving specific instructions to keep Hakyeon company, and to get her anything she needs whenever she needs it.
“I’m not stupid,” Taekwoon grumbles.
There’s a pause, then, “I know you’re not, genius,” Sojin says, a peculiar lilt to her voice. Hakyeon wonders if they’re doing that weird twin telepathy she’s seen them do a couple of times. “I’m going, Hakyeon. Take care, okay?” Sojin shouts from the top of the stairs, waving at her.
Hakyeon doesn’t see Taekwoon going back into his room, but his door is left ajar as she closes the one to Sojin’s bedroom. She tries not to think about what is really going on between them.
/
It takes Hakyeon barely an hour to run out of things to do. Sojin’s bedroom is always kept tidy, and she’s stayed there often enough to go through her best friend’s things anyway, so she squares her shoulders and set out to get some answers.
The soft knock on the door makes Taekwoon’s head jerk up from where he’s slouched over a keyboard, eyes partly veiled behind his hair. “Do you need anything?” he asks gently.
Hakyeon shakes her head, staying by the open door, fingers clasped together nervously. “I’m just bored,” she says. “Can I come in?”
Taekwoon nods, turning away from his work and gesturing for Hakyeon to take a seat on the bed. Hakyeon does so, smoothing down her dress over her thighs and keeping her hands folded on her lap. Taekwoon looks as nervous as she feels, gnawing on his lower lip as he stares at their bare feet, inches apart on the carpet.
“What are you working on?” Hakyeon asks to break the silence.
Taekwoon looks genuinely surprised that she cares enough to ask, answering softly, “Just a song.”
“Do you mind playing it for me?”
Hakyeon’s so sure he would refuse, but then he nods and turns around, fingers poised above the keys. It’s a ballad, lovely and haunting at the same time, and Hakyeon’s eyes widen in amazement when Taekwoon’s voice swoops in. He sings a few lines, the sweet tone of it sending Hakyeon’s heart racing, and then hums through the unfinished parts, finishing with gentle notes.
“It sounds better on piano,” he says, head ducked shyly.
Hakyeon realizes that she’s leaning forward, her voice tinged with admiration. “It’s really pretty.”
“Thanks,” Taekwoon murmurs, keeping his head down as he turns back to her. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to go to the party.”
“It’s okay,” Hakyeon assures, even as her heart leaps into her throat. “Why didn’t you want me to go?”
Taekwoon’s head snaps up, his dark eyes stormy before they cool down into clouds of worry. “I’m –” he stumbles, undecided on whether to look at Hakyeon or avoid her eyes. Hakyeon shifts closer, wordlessly coaxing him to go on. “I need – I want you. For myself.”
He looks so sorry, but there’s affirmation in his gentle voice that causes pleasure to pool in the pit of Hakyeon’s belly. Her breathing stutters, shuddery and anxious, and she palms at her stomach, trying to keep her calm.
“I like you a lot, Hakyeon-ah,” he continues, finally fixing his adoring gaze on her. “You’re so beautiful and sweet. I like the way your nose scrunches up when you laugh, and how you blush and fan your face whenever you’re embarrassed. When you play volleyball or when you dance, you’re so passionate and I’m – I just want to be with you so much.”
Her face burning hot, Hakyeon gathers whatever little courage she possesses and places her hand on top of Taekwoon’s. “Hey,” she says shakily. He looks stunned that she’s touching him, but he doesn’t pull away. “You’re beautiful too, you know?”
Taekwoon’s face turns crimson, cringing. “I’m not.”
“Yeah, okay. You’re mostly cute, but I still like you,” Hakyeon teases.
Taekwoon’s too smart to play dumb, and Hakyeon watches as the corners of his mouth curl up slowly but surely. He flips their hands over and he’s cupping hers, now, large ones dwarfing her own. “Sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I was—” he trails off.
“Shy?”
“Stupid,” he chuckles, short and breathy.
“Then we both were,” she points out, mesmerized by the way his long fingers trace idle patterns against her palm. “Have you been watching my ball games secretly, Taekwoonie?”
His fair skin colors again, and he chews on his bottom lip fretfully. “Some of them. I pick Sojin up from practice sometimes, remember?”
“Oh, and you came early to watch me play?” Hakyeon continues teasing, their joined hands now swinging between them playfully. “And you think I’m sexy when I dance.”
“Passionate,” Taekwoon insists, his eyes darkening over almost instantly. “But, yes. Sexy, too.”
Hakyeon’s heart pounds against her ribcage. There’s a palpable charge in the air and her skin buzzes from it, heating up her cheeks. Taekwoon’s hand comes up to cradle her face, his fingers brushing her unruly bangs away from her eyes, and Hakyeon leans into the touch gladly. It might be seconds, but it feels like hours as he slowly leans down, touching his lips to hers, pressing lightly.
It’s over in a blink of an eye, chaste and dry, but they’re not moving apart, breaths mingling. It’s not a grand gesture, but Hakyeon can feel Taekwoon’s eyelashes fluttering against her skin, sees his throat bobbing as she moves away, so she kisses him back. It seems to break the thin wall, or more like open the floodgates, because Taekwoon delves deeper instantly, mouth moving over hers. His tongue slips inside as soon as she lets him in, and Hakyeon’s dizzy from the sensation and lack of air, clutching at his shirt desperately. He tastes of coffee and something distinct, and when he shifts, crowding her, she goes easily, anticipation tripping up her spine.
He hovers above her on the bed, soft pink lips already starting to bruise, hair in his eyes as he tries to catch his breath. “Is this – is this okay?”
Hakyeon doesn’t trust herself to speak, a plea at the tip of her tongue, so she nods, albeit fervently. It’s enough for Taekwoon to go on, taking her mouth again, draping his long body over hers. Hakyeon’s fingers dig into the fabric on his back, and she’s never felt like this before in her entire life, like her want and adoration for the boy are piling higher by the second, amounting to this urgent need to be closer, to drink each other in. Taekwoon trails kisses to the side of her face, pressing one to her cheek, the mole on her ear, the ones on her temple and neck, mapping them with his lips. He’s murmuring words to her, praises and reverence, and Hakyeon grows more and more breathless, whimpering into the tiny space between them.
“Do you want me to continue?” Taekwoon breathes, eyes roving over her, straps of her dress falling off her shoulders, the hem of it ruffled around the top of her thighs.
She’s shaking, and that seems to worry him, so she smiles a little and nods. “Yes, do it.”
He positions himself between her legs, lifting one up to mouth at her ankle, going up steadily pressing kisses to the inside of her thigh, breathing hotly onto her skin. She shudders with pleasure, hands fisting into the sheets underneath, searching his face when he stops at the top. He touches the edge of her panties and looks at her questioningly, hiking her dress up at her nod. His lips part at the sight he uncovers, and Hakyeon’s face burns with inhibition, inhaling sharply when he teases the tiny red bow at the waistband. The lace catches on the pad of his fingers as he pulls the fabric down, and Hakyeon can hear him breathing a little faster as she’s stripped of it, waiting with baited breath.
Taekwoon kisses the soft inside of her thigh again, and with a short heated look into her eyes, he dips his head between her legs. He uses the flat of his tongue to wet her folds, humming when she chokes out a moan, then his tongue is curling inside her, making her jolt. Taekwoon’s big hand is splayed across her hip, the other holding her thigh open, and Hakyeon’s own are now knotted in his hair as he drives her crazy with lust. He alternates between licking her open and tugging on her clit, relentlessly edging her closer and closer to the precipice, taking delight in her broken cries and sobs by tonguing faster and sucking faster, until she shatters apart with a soundless scream. Hakyeon pants through her climax as Taekwoon continues lapping at her, trembling thighs pressed against his ears reflexively.
She realizes how hard she’s been yanking at his hair and pets it in apology, laughing breathlessly. “You’ve done this before.”
His head jerks up, brows furrowed as he shakes his head. “No! I haven’t – I’ve never—”
She grins, stroking his jaw in a placating manner. “Okay, I’m just saying you’re very good at this.”
He blushes, but moves up to kiss her again as she sits up. Hakyeon sighs when she realizes his chin is wet with her slick, pleased, and he breaks the kiss to take his shirt off. She holds his gaze as she slips out of her dress, and he stares at her so longingly that she surprises him as she reaches out to take off his pants. He’s hard, the tip of his erection peeking at the waistband of his underwear, and Hakyeon’s helplessly looking at it, completely transfixed. Taekwoon hunches down and takes her with him, licking and kissing her neck, gently cupping her breast in one hand.
“You drive me crazy, you know that?” he groans, kissing the spot underneath her jaw, sucking bruises along her neck. Hakyeon moans in reply, and he grows bolder, mouthing at her tit, licking at a peaked tip through the thin lace. Hakyeon feels his nimble fingers undoing her bra and she arches off the bed, skin meeting his mouth and crying out when he proceeds to suckle at first one, then both breasts, holding her close. His dick is wet and big against her thigh, and he moans when she presses up into it, nosing at her chin. “Fuck,” he grits, and that single expletive is shooting sparks through Hakyeon, her legs falling open for him. “I don’t have any—”
“My purse,” Hakyeon says, cradling the back of his head. “Sojin’s bed. I wasn’t planning – I mean, I just always have it ready—”
He doesn’t wait for her explanation, kissing her urgently before he’s leaping off the bed and out of the room, leaving time for Hakyeon to breathe through the haze of desire. Her breath catches again when he returns, anyway, naked and dripping, fumbling with the condom packet. She waits breathlessly, watching as he sheathes himself, biting on his lip in concentration. She props herself on her elbows, waiting for him to be close enough to pull him into another kiss. He’s just as shaky as she is, and Hakyeon smiles up at him happily, stroking his hair. Taekwoon breathes out and presses his cock against her, inching in gently, his face tight with pleasure. Hakyeon keens, because it’s Taekwoon and he’s big and sort of perfect, and he’s shivering with the effort to make her feel good. He lets her get used to the stretch, making small pleased noises into their kiss, hips slowly rocking once she tells him to move.
The first few strokes leave her arching for more, Taekwoon’s face buried in her chest, sharp nose and hot mouth branding her skin. He screws into her a couple more times before changing the pace, throwing her off, and her heels dig into his ass, clenching.
“God, please, Taekwoonie. I’m – please, please more.”
He does as she wants him to do, pumping faster, bitten-off moans driving her insane and she claws at his broad back. “Oh, fuck,” he swears again, and she responds with a breathless whimper. “Feels so good. Hakyeon – I need, need to—”
She’s babbling now, telling him to go faster still, to take whatever he needs. He changes the angle and she feels like she’s about to burst like a firework, the pressure of orgasm coiling tightly inside. He’s thrusting faster, cursing and praising her all in the same breath, and Hakyeon holds him close as she teeters over the edge. She comes with a surprised gasp, trembling in his arms, and Taekwoon nearly collapses with her, sobbing at how she flutters tightly around him. He fucks her through it, chasing his own release, and it hits him long and hard, hips stuttering against hers, exhaling sharply in bursts.
He makes a small sound in the back of his throat and gently lowers himself on top of her, kissing and nuzzling, until they’re both off the high. He eases out of her, leaves for a few seconds, and comes back to press his mouth against her belly, making her giggle. She cards a hand through his hair as he keeps kissing the spot beneath her navel, resting his head on her stomach when he’s done.
“Sojin is going to kill me when she finds out,” Hakyeon says, laughing.
Taekwoon’s head comes up, his mouth turned down. “I won’t let her.”
She laughs harder, ruffling his bangs. “Yeah, okay.”
/
“You smell like sex.”
Hakyeon’s eyes widen, and she nearly drops the slice of pizza she’s holding. “What? I do not!”
Sojin smirks, scrunching her nose. “Yeah, but you smell like my brother’s shower gel and that’s just as bad.”
Taekwoon coughs from next to them, busying himself with shoveling pizza into his mouth and trying to ignore the conversation. It’s hours later, and Sojin’s back from the party with their supper, and Hakyeon doesn’t know why she thought a shower and change of clothes could ever fool her best friend.
“This is good,” Sojin says, tilting her head in consideration. “Lots of blackmail material for me.”
“I’ll tell dad you went to a party,” Taekwoon warns.
Sojin grins. “Nice try. I told him about the party and he said I could go. That’s it, for being the first one to recognize the epic frisson between the two of you and actually doing something about it, I demand to be able to date Jaehwan.”
Taekwoon chokes on his water, his watering eyes narrowed. “Why? He’s annoying.”
“And you’re a dork,” Sojin shoots in return. “What’s your point?”
“Maybe if you buy me a month’s worth of coffee.”
Sojin gasps. “You would trade off your only sister for a few cups of coffee?”
“I would sell my sister for a coffee bean,” Taekwoon scoffs. “I have no use for you.”
“Seriously?” Sojin snorts. “This coming from a guy who cried for three whole days when I got my appendectomy because he thought I was dying. Mom and dad couldn’t pry you off my hospital bed, you were clinging so hard.”
Taekwoon splutters. “I was a baby!”
“You were eight,” Sojin rolls her eyes, telling Hakyeon, “He wanted to stay with me at the hospital for as long as I was there.”
Hakyeon laughs, watching as the twins bicker back and forth, Sojin eager to spill Taekwoon’s most embarrassing childhood happenings.
She may not know a lot about Jung Taekwoon for now, but she’s happy to know she’ll have all the time in the world to discover him, and something tells her it’ll just make her fall more and more.