Chapter Text
Hey…can I ask you something?
Of course (Y/n). What’s up?
Is there something wrong with me?
What?
What do you mean
Like, is there a reason I can’t get a date?
Be honest…is it cause I’m fat? Because I can’t think of any other reason why I can’t find anyone who likes me.
**missed call x2**
(Y/n) please answer the phone
Chan I can’t talk right now. Just answer the question please.
Fine. I didn’t want to do this over text but…
There is absolutely nothing wrong with you Noona. You’re funny, smart, and incredibly beautiful. I don’t know why you’re having trouble finding someone, but it’s not because of your size. Any guy would be lucky to have you.
Chan…
I would be lucky to have you.
…what are you saying?
I’m saying, date me. I like you just the way you are. You don’t need to change a thing for me, baby.
Christopher Bang….
🙈🙈🙈
So? Is that a yes?
…yes 😌
Now will you answer the phone this time please?🥺
…okay 🤗
* * * * *
A moment later your phone screen lit up with a FaceTime call. Chan’s contact photo, a picture of him with his family dog, Berry, smiled up at you. You smiled back at the screen, nervous to pick up. Everything had suddenly changed. He was no longer just your best friend. There was something new and exciting about to happen, but you also felt extremely nervous. What if things got awkward? What if you tried to change the nature of your relationship and it backfired horribly? All this was running through your mind as your finger hovered over the ‘accept’ button. Finally, you took a deep breath and tapped it.
When the call was accepted, the video feed popped up and showed just the white wall of Chan’s room.
“Chan?” You asked tentatively. “Hello?”
He peaked into the camera, just showing one eye and the edge of his face. “Hiiiiiiii~”
He looked adorable, barefaced with a black cap covering his unruly black locks. You didn’t look much different, also barefaced but with your hair tossed up in a messy bun. You’d seen each other in this state more than any other throughout your friendship.
“Heyyyyyyy~” You replied as he moved his head into frame all the way, dimples peaking out briefly.
“Noonaaaaa~” Chan called shyly, biting his lip afterwards and not making eye contact. “What are you doing today?”
“Hmmmm.” You thought for a moment. It was Saturday morning, so you were off work.There were some house chores that needed to get done, and maybe a few errands, but for Chan all of those could wait until tomorrow. “I don’t really have anything planned…”
He finally looked at you, his expression shifting into a more flirtatious gaze. “Can I take you out on a date?”
You started to blush profusely. “Right now?”
“Well, in about an hour or so.” He clarified.
You felt your face fall a bit, the nerves overwhelming you. “Don’t you want some time to think about this?”
His brow furrowed. “Why would I need time? I like you Noona. I wanna go out with you.”
“Yeah but…” You hesitated, now it was you who wasn’t looking him in the eye. “We’ve always been just friends. What if you go out with me but you realize you don’t actually like me like that? That would be really hard for me, if it didn’t work out.” You admitted.
“Sweetheart, would you look at me? Please?” Chan practically cooed at you. You hesitantly met his gaze again. “I’m not gonna change my mind. I’ve felt his way about you for quite a while now. In fact, I’ve been mentally planning this date for prooooobably just as long as I’ve known you.”
“Christopher…” You were a blushing mess, missing his face twitch at the use of his full English name. “Seriously? You’ve felt this way for years?”
He nodded. “I shouldn’t have waited so long to say something, but better late than never.” He took a quick breath then leveled you with his best flirtatious smirk. “Now, how about I come pick you up in an hour. Is that enough time?”
He clearly wasn’t going to let you out of this, but you were grateful for the push. “Um, maybe…” You went over the mental list of what needed to happen before he picked you up. Shit, you had to brush your teeth, shower, shave, pick out an outfit, do your hair and makeup…
Chan knew you well enough to interpret your hesitation. “I know what you’re thinking, but you don’t need to get all dressed up for me. I’ll take you exactly as you are right now.”
“Chan, I’m wearing old sweats and I haven’t even showered yet.” You shook your head. “I’m not going out on a date with you like this.” You gestured to your hair.
“It’s totally up to you baby.” His smirk after the pet name was pure evil. “How much time do you need?”
“Probably like two hours…is that okay?”
“I’ll come whenever you want me to.” His voice radiated confidence. This side of him was so different than usual. This wasn’t your Channie… This was a man. Potentially…your man?
“U-Um, okay yeah, let’s say two hours.”
“You got it beautiful. Oh, and…” He trailed off, and you saw some of his shyness resurface. “Can I ask you for a favor?”
This wasn’t what you were expecting. “What is it Channie?”
“Will you wear that pink dress? The one with the flowy sleeves…?” He bit his lip as he asked.
You knew immediately which dress he was referring to. This one in particular he’d complimented you in several times. It was long and flowy, a beautiful baby pink color with darker floral patterns spread across the tulle fabric. It had a completely off the shoulder neckline which you always thought complimented your plus sized body in a rather lovely way. You were a very curvy woman, your hips wide and body full and supple. You didn’t always dress to accentuate this, but this particular dress that Chan had requested showed off your body in the best ways possible.
“I think I can make that happen.” You felt yourself gaining a bit of confidence at the excitement in his eyes, and you decided to flirt back at him. “But then I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Anything.” Chan agreed, almost too quickly, his excitement growing.
“Don’t straighten your hair.” You requested. “Leave it natural.”
He pouted, as you knew he would. He didn’t often leave his hair curly. He always said it didn’t look good, but you loved it.
“Noonaaaaa,” He whined, back to being cute and shy. “I want to look nice for you. My hair is too frizzy and wild.”
“How about I style it for you when you get here?” You suggested selfishly. You’d always wanted to get some curling gel or moose in there to see his full curl potential.
“I don’t know…” His frown deepened.
“Please?” You asked, playing dirty and batting your lashes at him. Being his best friend for years, you’d found a few methods to get your way. “I’ll do my makeup how you like.”
“You mean with the eye glitter?” He gestured to his inner eye corners and you nodded, erasing his frown. “Okay deal.”
“Are you going to tell me what we’re doing on this date?” You probed, feeling excitement starting to replace the nerves.
Chan shook his head. “Nope, it’s a surprise.”
You sighed. “Will there be a lot of walking?”
“Hmmmmm.” He thought for a moment. “You should wear comfortable shoes.”
So a lot of walking then. That put a bit of a wrench in your shoe plans. “Okay. I’ll think of something…”
“Don’t stress Noona. You’re going to have a good time, I’ll make sure of it.” He winked at you then, and you almost dropped your phone. “Now hurry up and get ready, yeah? I can’t wait to see you.”
“O-Okay, I will. See you soon.” You waved at him.
“Two hours baby, and then I’ll be there.” And before you could freak out about the ‘baby’ again, he’d winked and hung up.
You dropped your phone next to you on the bed and laid back, staring at the ceiling for a solid 5 minutes afterwards, trying to figure out if this was real life.
* * * * *
After you pulled yourself together again, you got up and got to work. You had a lot to do to get ready for this. You were still having a hard time wrapping your mind around the fact that Chan was taking you out on a date. Your cute, silly Channie. Your best friend, who’d definitely seen way more of your bad sides then good. He’d seen you at your absolute lowest and worst, on more occasions than you could count, and you could say the same of him. You’d been there for each other through thick and thin, through horrible break ups and life altering challenges and you’d only gotten closer because of it.
But you never thought you’d ever be any more then friends. In your opinion, Chan was wayyyyy out of your league. He was everything a woman could want. Charming, kind, considerate. He could be so sweet. Always such an outstanding gentleman and incredibly respectful. And on top of his amazing personality, he was incredibly handsome and cute. And typically he was shy and goofy, a complete dork, which was your absolute favorite. You’d rarely seen him angry, and he’d never raised his voice to you. You’d always thought of him as a huge softy, a big buff teddy bear, almost innocent in his gentleness.
You showered, shaved, brushed your teeth (Twice! What if he wanted to kiss you? Oh god…kissing Chan? This brought up another round of nerves.) Dried and styled your hair, and picked out your outfit before going back to the vanity to do your makeup.
Chan had never explicitly told you how he liked you to do your makeup, but from years of experience, you remembered the specific style he always had to compliment you on. It was a fairly natural look, mostly just eye makeup. A simple pink and nude shadow with small winged eyeliner and mascara, but a focal point of pink shimmery highlight in your inner eye corners, nose, chin, and across the top of your cheekbones. You filled in your brows lightly and put on a baby pink lip color that matched your dress. And that was it. No foundation, powder, or concealer. You weren’t really sure why he liked this so much, but whenever you went without foundation he always complimented your skin and your beauty marks. You thought your cheeks were a bit too red to truly be pretty, but if Chan liked you more barefaced, that was okay too. You hoped he didn’t mind your red cheeks today, because you had a feeling you were going to be blushing a lot because of him.
You were applying your setting spray when you heard a knock at your door. Your eyes shot open and you looked at the clock. Crap! He was fifteen minutes early! You were still in your robe.
“Coming!” You called from your bedroom, tying your robe tight over your white strapless bra and cotton thong. When you got to the door, your hands trembled slightly as you unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open. “Hey, sorry, I’m not quite ready—”
You stopped dead when you saw Chan. He was standing with his hands behind his back, smiling at you with your favorite dimply grin, looking absolutely stunning. He’d dressed to match you. Chan wore a cream colored knit sweater with a wide neck opening, showing off more of the skin of his throat and collar bones than you were used to seeing. His jewelry was subtle but very stylish, two thin silver chains around his neck, the one with the small pendent a gift from you for his last birthday. He had on matching silver rings and a silver watch. His earrings were two small diamond studs that glittered when they caught the light.
The sweater was quite fitted, the muscles of his shoulders and arms bulging out underneath the fabric. It hugged his body so, so well. He’d paired it with blush colored pleated slacks, also well fit, but not as tight as his shirt. You’d never seen these pants before, but they were the exact same shade of pink as your dress. His shoes and belt were brown leather, matching the aesthetic perfectly. He tied it together with a matching leather crossbody bag, slung across his chest. He was totally and completely put together, minus the black cap that covered his hair.
You stood in the doorway staring at him for an embarrassingly long moment, completely struck dumb by how fucking good he looked. He was…absolutely mouthwatering.
“Sorry I’m so early, I couldn’t wait any longer to see you, and I also figured I’d give you some time to do my hair…” Chan trailed off when you didn’t move or say anything, still just staring at him standing there. “Noona?”
“Huh?” Your head snapped up to meet his gaze, feeling dazed.
“Can I come in?” He smirked at your expression.
“Oh! Yeah, of course, come in.” You cleared your throat, stepping back so Chan could slip through the doorway. “S-Sorry I’m not quite ready yet.”
“Don’t worry, like I said, I’m early.” He stopped just inside the door, and you noticed he was holding something behind his back with one arm. When you were done locking the door you turned back around and he revealed what it was: A bouquet of blush pink flowers. “For you.”
“You got me flowers?” Your eyes lit up, reaching for the bouquet as he handed it over. It was gorgeous, and had an assortment of blossoms: roses, lilies, carnations, peonies, and several other kinds you couldn’t immediately identify. You closed your eyes as you inhaled the bundle, sighing at the intoxicatingly pleasant aroma. When you looked at Chan again he was biting his lip. “Thank you so much Channie. No one has ever gotten me flowers before.”
“Seriously?” His brows shot up in surprise. “I’m the first one?”
You nodded, sniffing them again as you started to make your way to the kitchen. Chan followed behind you comfortably, having been at your place many times. “Let me put these in a vase, then I’ll do your hair.”
“Sure, sure.” He stopped just inside the kitchen, leaning against the counter as you set the flowers down, going for a cabinet above the sink. You opened it and looked up, realizing the vase you needed was on the top shelf, just out of your reach. You stood on your tippy toes and reached, hearing a sigh from behind you after a moment of struggle. “Let me get that, Noona.”
You were going to step back out of the way so he could reach up, but before you could move, Chan was sliding up right behind you, pressing your body into the counter with his as he reached up and easily grabbed the vase.
You gasped quietly before he stepped back letting you turn around to face him. He handed you the vase with an evil smirk.
“Th-Thanks.” You stuttered, scared to look him in the eyes, afraid you might melt on the spot.
“Anytime, love.” He brushed your hair off your shoulder as he said it, flustering you even more. Your face was on fire, and Chan’s eyes were honed in on your cheeks, surely bright red. He brought his thumb across your cheek so lightly it made you shiver and your eyes flutter shut for a moment. When they opened again he dropped his hand and cleared his throat. “Want me to fill that up for you?”
You looked down at the vase, momentarily forgotten in your grasp. “Oh, no I got it.”
Chan gazed at you fondly as you quickly filled the vase and put the flowers in it, all the while trying to calm your racing heart. Your date hadn’t even officially started and you were already feeling overwhelmed. How were you going to survive the rest of the afternoon?!
“These are really beautiful, Chan. I love them.” You gazed fondly at the arrangement.
“I told the shop about your dress and this is what they arranged.” He explained, reaching out and stroking a rose petal.
“They’re perfect.” You met his eye then, tilting your head in the direction of your bathroom. “Should we go do your hair?”
Chan sighed heavily but nodded. “If you insist.”
“I do.” You replied, taking a chance and reaching for his hand. He let you take it and lead him out of the kitchen, waddling behind you like an excited little penguin. He also interlaced your fingers as soon as he could, squeezing your hand tight.
You got him into the bathroom and had him sit at the counter on your makeup chair. You’d already pulled out the products you’d planned to use on his hair, and he started looking through them after he sat down, refusing to let go of your hand through all of it.
“What are all of these?” Chan eyed the assortment suspiciously, his thumb tracing across the back of your hand he’d trapped.
“Curly hair treatments.” You explained, trying to pull your hand free, but Chan held on tighter, pulling you closer to him instead.
“You’re gonna use all of these?” He raised his brows at you, wary.
“It’s not that much Chan, you’ll see.” You said, lifting your intertwined fingers again, waving them in front of him. “Now can I have my hand back?”
He pouted, but finally let go of you, giving you use of your appendages again. He made a show of holding his hands carefully in his lap, intending to behave himself for now. You reached for his cap then and pulled it off, revealing his apparently ‘untamable’ hair. Sure, right now it was a frizzy mess, but you saw the potential. You could fix it.
“What’s in your hair right now?” You asked, reaching for the spray bottle on the counter.
“Nothing.” He said, taking his cap back from you and holding it in his lap. “I just washed it this morning.”
“Great, a fresh canvas.” You teased, already running your fingers through his hair. Chan rolled his eyes at you, but you also saw the underlying pleasure in his expression as you played with his hair. You held up the spray bottle. “First I have to wet your hair again.”
“Good luck making me look presentable for you.” He sighed, looking up at you through his lashes.
“Oh hush.” You smacked his shoulder and he winced dramatically, making you roll your eyes.
You went about fixing his hair in a meticulous manner. After you’d made sure it was thoroughly wet, you put in a keratin spray and combed through the locks until his natural curls started forming. Next you added a bit of shine oils and massaged that into his scalp. He liked that a lot, closing his eyes and letting out little sighs. (Clearly Chan liked having his hair played with.) This was news to you, since he never let you do it before, always complaining you’d ruin his carefully styled (straight) hair. Next you squirted some moose into your hands, scrunching it into this hair and shaking out the curls as you went. He kept his eyes closed as you did so, his dimples peaking out again as he softly smiled. After the moose you picked up your hair dryer with the diffuser attachment and gently dried his curls, scrunching as you went. They listened to you now, forming up into ringlets and framing his head in a dark, black crown. After the hair was dry, you applied a few bursts of hairspray to seal the look and prevent frizzies before feeling satisfied with your work.
“There.” You said, fluffing his hair and admiring your skills. “All done.”
“Really?” He asked, finally opening his eyes again and looking up at you. “Already?”
“Mmhm, take a look.” You gestured for him to turn around and look in the mirror.
Chan did as you requested, spinning around in the chair and looking at himself in the mirror. He did a quick surprised double take, his brows shooting up and his smile spreading in astonishment. “Wah~”
“See? I told you I could fix it.” You kept fluffing his hair, unable to help yourself from playing with his curls. You’d always wanted to do this for him.
“Noona…” He trailed off, meeting your eyes through the mirror. “I look…kinda good?”
“Kinda?” You said, your brows shooting up. “Um, you look better than good.”
“Oh?” Chan spun around again to look up at you with mischief. “I do?”
You cleared your throat but nodded. You couldn’t deny it, nor should you at this point. He should know how much you like this look on him. “This is the best you’ve ever looked, actually.”
Chan burst into excited giggles then, genuinely blushing and surprising you when he pulled you to him by the waist, hiding his face in your tummy. “Stooooooop~”
You laughed too, hugging him back for a moment, just as giddy. When he was done giggling he pulled back and looked up at you with shiny eyes, sending your heart into a flutter.
“Will you let me go now so I can get dressed?” You asked, moving your hands to his shoulders.
He sighed but let you go so you could step back, his eyes watching you the whole time. “I’ll go wait for you in the living room.” He stood up to leave, but before stepping out of the room, he leaned down and kissed your cheek, sending a rush through your body. You watched him walk out, a hand on your cheek over the spot where his lips had brushed your skin. You couldn’t be sure, but you thought you saw a smirk on his face as he disappeared around the corner. This day was going to be very interesting.
Once he left you went back into your room and shut the door, pulling off your robe with trembling fingers. You hung it on the hook on your door before going over to your closet and pulling on your dress. It still fit nicely, although snug in places, hugging your curves in a complimentary way and giving you a bit of confidence. You pulled a matching tule scarf out of your drawer, tying it up in your hair like a headband, adding a little bow at the top. Next you pulled on your favorite frilly socks, the kind with lace at the top. Now you just needed shoes.
You’d been going back and forth about what shoes to wear since Chan had first asked you out this morning. He said you needed comfortable shoes, implying a bit of walking, but this particular dress was really meant to be worn with heels of some kind. And you had the perfect pair in mind, white silk, pointed toes with fluffy feathers on the straps, and even a chunky heel for stability. But you knew they wouldn’t be comfortable enough to walk everywhere all day if that was Chan’s intention. You sighed, setting the heels down and reaching for a pair of white sneakers you had. They were cute and comfortable, but they just didn’t tie the outfit together right.
You decided to ask Chan’s opinion. You pulled on the sneakers and opened your door, heading for the living room.
“Channie?” You called for him as you came around the corner.
“Yeah baby?” He called back, looking up at you from his spot on the couch, scrolling on his phone. His eyes lit up when he saw you in the dress.
“Do these shoes look okay with the dress?” You asked, frowning down at the sneakers.
“Wah, you look incredible (Y/n).” He bit his lip as he openly ogled you. “The shoes are cute.”
“Hmm.” You sighed. “Okay.”
“Why? What’s wrong with them?” Chan asked, confused.
“I don’t know, they don’t really look right with my dress…” You looked back up at him. “There’s another pair of shoes I really wanted to wear, but they’re not as comfortable.”
“Well it’s more important for you feel comfortable, right?”
You bit your lip, thinking. “Can I at least show you the other pair?”
He chuckled. “Of course Noona.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back!”
You went back to your room quickly, kicking off the sneakers and reaching for the heels. You strapped them on over the frilly socks, smiling in satisfaction when you saw how perfectly they fit with the outfit. You went back to to show Chan.
“I don’t know, these just look so much better to me…”
When you looked up and saw his expression, you stopped dead. His eyes had turned dark and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he shamelessly looked you up and down. His voice took on an authoritative quality you’d never heard before. “You’re wearing those.”
“O-Okay.” You felt your face heat up at the change in his tone, your knees slightly trembling and your mouth going dry. “I will say though, they’re not ideal for a lot of walking, so if you’re planning on having me trek across Seoul…”
“We’ll call a cab if we need to.” Chan said, getting up off the couch and slipping his phone into his pocket. He stalked over to you and reached for your hand as he got closer, pulling you to him. “Hell, I’ll carry you around myself.”
“You will not.” You scoffed, but Chan ignored you as he had you spin around for him, taking in your full outfit. “I’ll be fine.”
“God, you look gorgeous.” Chan raved, carding a hand through your hair and brushing it off your bare shoulder, his fingers lingering on your exposed skin, then playing with a small string of pearls around your neck. “Thank you for wearing this dress.”
You met his eyes and smiled, your confidence swelling at the adoration and, dare you say, desire in his eyes. You reached up and tugged on one of his curls. “Thank you for letting me do your hair.”
He reached for your hand again, interlocking your fingers and pulling you towards the door. “Alright, you ready for our date?”
“Let’s go.” You agreed, letting him lead you out the door, snagging your purse on the way out.
* * * * *
Chan led you out of your building and down the block to the train station, getting you both on the right line. Chan was in full date mode, and you were taking notice. The two of you had spent plenty of afternoons and evenings together, whether out on the town or at home lounging. But today was a completely different vibe. Chan couldn’t keep his hands to himself. As soon as you were out the door he had your hand in his own, interlocking your fingers and pulling you along. On the train he made sure to keep you close, a hand on your waist as you stood against the railing, keeping you upright and balanced as the train started and stopped. He kept a hand on the small of your back as you navigated through the crowded terminal and as you climbed the stairs back up to the street level.
You emerged into a small shopping district, people and couples walking around while cars, cabs, and busses passed on the busy streets.
Chan took the lead again, wrapping an arm around your waist and casually leading you through the street market, both of you looking around with curiosity. You smelled so many wonderful and delicious scents, and Chan, who was paying all his attention to you, immediately noticed your stomach rumbling.
“Do you want to get a snack?” He looked over as you strolled along.
“Mmmm…” You bit your lip as you felt your stomach growl. You were starving. “I don’t want to mess up whatever you’ve planned…”
“Did you eat today?” Chan scrutinized your expression, and you must’ve given it away. “Noona, it’s the afternoon already and you haven’t eaten?!”
“I was too nervous to eat this morning…” You admitted, and Chan stopped walking, turning to face you.
“Do you still feel nervous?” He asked softly, brushing his fingertips across your cheek again.
You held his gaze for a moment, holding back a shiver at his touch. You bit your lip. “A little bit…”
Chan smiled at your admission. Before either of you could say something else, your stomach growled again, louder than ever.
“Come on, let’s get you something to eat.” Chan lifted your hand in his and kissed the back of it, sending a thrill through you.
“Am I ruining your plans?” You asked sheepishly.
“Not at all baby. We’ll get a snack and then we’ll start ‘phase one’.”
“‘Phase one’? How many phases are there?”
Chan just laughed as he tugged you along further into the market.
* * * * *
As it turned out, there were several phases to Chan’s ‘big date plan’.
After the two of you stopped for a snack (a wonderful egg toast stand run by the sweetest little ajumma who would not stop telling Chan how handsome he was, much to his embarrassment), Chan revealed Phase 1 as he walked you both down a few blocks to a cafe. You were ecstatic as soon as you walked through the door. Not only did it have an all matcha themed menu, it was a cat cafe!
“Oh Channie look at all the kitties!” You cooed as soon as you saw them behind the little gate. Chan knew you so well! Two of your favorite things were kitty cats and matcha deserts. You immediately started to wander around and pet and play with the cats as Chan watched you fondly.
At first Chan watched from his place in line, but you were so caught up in your cat playtime he had to go over and try to pull you away. “Noona, don’t you want something to drink? We can come back and play after we order.”
You looked up at him with wide shining eyes, cradling a purring grey tabby in your arms. “Can you order for me? Please?”
Chan couldn’t stop from giggling excitedly at how adorable you were, lost in your love for the cuddly little felines. “What do you want?”
“Anything. Everything! You pick. You know what I like.” You smiled up at him, completely content.
Chan shook his head, leaning over to kiss your forehead, totally smitten. “Alright, I’ll be right back.”
While Chan ordered drinks and desserts to enjoy in the cafe, you went back to your little world with the kitties. The cafe wasn’t crowded, only a few others around, so you got to play to your heart’s content.
It turned out Chan didn’t have to worry, because once he read the menu he knew exactly what you wanted without asking. By the time everything was ready, you’d migrated to a table and had a different little friend in your lap, also purring contentedly in your arms. Chan came over with the tray of goodies.
“Okay, we have hot matcha lattes, matcha and strawberry crepe cake, matcha ice cream with sweetened condensed milk aaaand of course your favorite…matcha tiramisu.”
Your mouth started to water as he set the deserts down, pushing the tiramisu towards you. “Channie! You got so much…”
“Don’t worry, I know we’ll finish it all.”
As he was setting the dishes and drinks down, you admired him again, unrestrained. This sweater was doing god’s work, the way you could see his muscles tense and flex through the material. Was this a dream? Could this strapping and sweet young man truly be interested in you? You couldn’t stop smiling with how much thought he’d put into this date. After years of friendship of course he knew you well, but this was a testament to just how much he truly, actually cared about you.
When Chan sat down and looked up to find you smiling brilliantly at him, he flushed slightly. “What?”
“Nothing.” You bit your lip but shook your head slightly. “You’re very thoughtful. And very handsome.”
Chan did a little bashful, happy shake, cocking his head to the side in the cutest way. He pointedly ignored the compliment as he passed you a fork and gestured to the treats in front of you. “What do you want?”
You took the fork with the hand that wasn’t stroking the cat in your lap. “We’re sharing, of course.”
You both dug in, doing happy dances as you ate the sweets and continued to chat, kitty’s crawling lovingly into your laps the whole time. You were so happy, having a wonderful time, and as you spent the afternoon in this cafe with your best friend, your nervousness finally slipped away and was replaced by such joy and fun. In fact, you fell into your normal dynamic so easily with Chan that when you two were done with the food and drinks, you’d gotten your kitty fill and it was time to leave, you instinctively pulled out your wallet to try and pay him for your half of the food. Chan’s face fell slightly and he refused to take it.
“Noona, you’re not paying for anything today, are you crazy? This is a date, and I’m the one who asked you out.” He smiled through it, but he seemed hurt by your offer, and you felt you had to reassure him.
“I’m sorry Chan, you’re right, I just…” You hesitated but then admitted to him, “I forgot we were on a date for a minute.” His frown deepened but you quickly reached out for his hand and held it to your chest while you elaborated. “But only because I’m so used to us spending time together as friends!” His eyes softened a bit as you lifted his hand to your mouth and kissed the back of it, like he had earlier.
Chan’s ears flushed as he thought for a moment. “So…you’re saying you forgot because you’re so comfortable hanging out together?” You quickly nodded and he finally smiled. “Well then…I guess I should make sure you’re feeling the romance then, yeah?”
As Chan led you out of the cafe by the hand, you were still worried you’d hurt his feelings, so you pulled him to a stop just outside the door. “Hey, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that, seriously. I’m having a great time on our date.”
Chan met your eyes and saw the sincerity there, returning your gesture and kissing the back of your hand this time. “Good. So am I, Noona.”
The way he was looking at you after that left no room for your ‘friendship’ dynamic to resurface. Chan made it his mission to woo and fluster you for the rest of the date.
Phase 2 was a slow, very romantic walk along a park bridge over water, an incredible view of the city and sky all around you. Chan refused to keep his hands to himself, but at this point you were getting accustomed to the feeling, and happily welcomed it. Actually, indulged in it would be more accurate. You were quickly becoming intoxicated by him and the way he made you feel.
As the two of you strolled, Chan started taking pictures. First of the views, then of you, much to your embarrassment. Every time you blushed today, he’d touch your cheeks, his eyes shining bright each time. Eventually you turned the tables on him and started making him pose for pictures as well and telling him how good he looked. He was so shy when the camera came out, but you loved seeing him flustered just as much as he liked seeing you blush.
While you were trying to get a good selfie together with the water and city in the background, another couple was passing by and offered to take your picture. You and Chan exchanged a nervous look but you both nodded, letting the couple take some shots of the two of you on the bridge. Chan made sure to hold you close to his body, almost possessively, and just when you thought the photo session was over, he planted a kiss on your cheek, making you giggle. When you were looking through the pictures after the couple was gone, you had to admit that this was the best one. You couldn’t stop smiling after that.
It turned out Phase 3 was a stop at a bookstore. As you were walking up, Chan made it explicitly clear that he wanted you to pick out whatever you wanted, and he’d be buying it for you.
“Chan, no, you’ve already paid for everything else…” But you trailed off as he leveled you with a smolder.
“Are you telling me I can’t treat for my baby?” He cocked an eyebrow at you and you could only gulp. You couldn’t even respond, simply shaking your head as he reached for your chin, holding your eye contact. “That’s what I thought. Now, what books are on your T.B.R.?”
It was hard at first, because you didn’t want him to feel obligated to pay for things, but after you were let loose in the store your excitement got the better of you, and Chan was ever so fond as you picked out books you’d always wanted, as well as one’s you’d never seen before but sounded amazing. Chan was very clear he wanted you to pick out as many as you wanted, taking things out of your hands and adding them to the basket, admiring your blush the whole time, and even picking out some things for himself in the music section. You were there for a while, both browsing and exploring the multi-floored store. After over an hour or so of browsing, the two of you left with a bag each. However, Chan refused to let you carry anything, no matter how much you insisted.
The sun was setting as you left the bookstore, and you stopped to admire it for a moment, absently lifting each of your feet separately and rolling your ankles. Chan noticed immediately.
“Are your feet okay? Do you need a break?”
Your feet were starting to ache a little, but t wasn’t anything you couldn’t handle. “I’m doing okay.”
“Are you sure?” He swung your intertwined hands absently. “Our evening is far from over. We’re only on phase three.”
“How many phases are there?!” Your brows shot up, but Chan only chuckled.
“How about we take a cab the rest of the evening? That sound okay?” You nodded, and he stepped to the curb to start looking for one.
Once you were securely snug in the backseat of a cab, Chan revealed his Phase 4.
“Karaoke?!” You exclaimed, a bit too loud for the confines of the cab.
“Yeah, is that okay? You’re not feeling too tired? We’ve been out for hours already.”
You shook your head as you looked down at your intertwined hands in your lap. The two of you were leaning into each other, enjoying the close proximity of the backseat. “I’m not tired at all!” You’d been trying to get Chan to go to karaoke with you for years. “You’re finally gonna do karaoke with me?!”
He nodded, chuckling at your enthusiasm. “Yes I am.”
“It took me agreeing to go on a date for you to sing with me?”
“I guess it did.”
“Well shit, if I’d have known that I would have asked you out a long time ago!” You were laughing, but Chan was suddenly serious.
“Noona…” He trailed off, and you looked up at him at his change of tone. “I know I’ve made it very clear that I like you, and that I’ve felt this way for a while.” He traced his thumb across the back of your hand. “Before you texted me this morning, did you…” He was really struggling to put the words together, which was so unlike him.
“What is it Chan?” You reached for his face and held his cheek, making him look at you.
“Did you have feelings for me, before this?” He bit his lip, nervous for your answer.
“Of course I did.” You saw the relief flash across his face. “But, before this morning, I never let myself really…go there.” You admitted.
His brow furrowed. “Why not? We could’ve been together…years ago.”
“Chan, I never in a million years would’ve said anything if you hadn’t confessed first.” You sighed.
“But…why not?”
“Well, so many reasons.” You explained, looking down at your lap again. “I could never do anything that would ruin our friendship. Losing you would destroy me.” You swallowed thickly, hating the thought. “And I mean, look at you. You are so far out of my league. I’d never in a million years thought you could like someone…like me.”
“Oh sweetheart,” Chan cooed, pulling you closer to him. “You’ve never seen yourself the way I do, have you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m out of your league? We’re not even in the same universe!” You frowned, but then he shook his head and elaborated. “(Y/n), you are so far beyond me I’ll never understand how I got so lucky. Just being your best friend was a gift I could never repay, and now? You going out with me? Looking like this? There’s never been a luckier man in the world.” He held your chin gently. “You are so incredibly gorgeous. The way you look tonight is like you walked right out of my wildest dreams.”
“Chan…” You felt yourself tearing up at not only his words, but the sincerity behind them. “I—” You stopped, overcome by emotion, and felt a few tears spill over. When Chan saw that, he panicked.
“Oh, baby, no don’t cry!” He wiped the tears away hastily. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry, and on our first date of all times!”
“N-No, I’m not sad.” You swallowed thickly. “I feel so h-happy.” He pulled you into his chest then, chuckling as you sniffled. “And so un-undeserving of you.”
“Oh hush baby.” Chan cooed. “You deserve so much. Everything. All that I can give you.”
You cried just a bit harder at his words, but as his hands ran up and down your back and side, you felt warmth take over and radiate throughout your chest. You calmed back down, breathing and wiping your face, glad your makeup and setting spray were waterproof. When you looked up at Chan again, he smiled so softly down at you, wiping his fingers under your eyes, getting the last stray tears.
“I’m sorry.” You apologized, but Chan was already shaking his head.
“You never have to apologize for being emotional around me, you know that.”
As you met his gaze, his hand cupped your cheek. You felt yourself leaning closer to his face, and his gaze flitted between your lips and your eyes. You held your breath in anticipation, wounding if it was finally going to happen, if he was finally going to kiss your lips this time…when the car abruptly stopped.
“Okay, we’re here, sir.” The cabbie called, making the two of you jump.
“Oh, great. Thank you.” Chan responded, both of you red in the face as you leaned back. You’d completely forgotten you were in a public cab with a driver sitting three feet away the whole time.
Chan paid the man and got out with your bags before turning back to help you out of the car. You paused on the curb as the car drove away, looking up at Chan. “How weepy do I look?”
“Hmm.” He hummed, brushing your cheek in his new favorite gesture. “You look perfect, Noona.” Your brow furrowed and he booped your nose, erasing the frown immediately. “None of that. No more frowns, yeah?”
Phase 4 at the Karaoke place was probably your favorite part of the date so far. Chan had rented a room, and not only did they have a full bar, but the food menu was extensive. You jumped right in immediately, singing three songs by yourself right off the bat while Chan ordered food and drinks. When the beer and soju arrived you served Chan as he sang his first few songs, going full r&b and surprising you with his amazing range. The more he drank the looser he became, and you felt like you finally saw Chan’s mask fully fall away, all the stress and nerves and hardships he always carried with him evaporating. You absolutely loved whenever you could see this side of him. It made you feel truly happy.
You ended up singing together as well, Chan knowing an incredible number of duets. After the 5th one, you sat back to take a break. “Chan, how do you keep coming up with songs we both happen to know?”
He reached across the small couch you’d collapsed back on and played with your hair. “I may or may not have been making a list for a while now.”
“A list for us to go do karaoke together?” You clarified and he nodded. “You were going to take me to karaoke anyway? Even if this morning hadn’t happened?”
“Actually, I was going to ask you out on a date anyway.”
You were shocked.
“Are you serious?”
“Yep. I’ve been building up the nerve for a few weeks now, and you gave me the perfect opportunity today. So I took it.”
You couldn’t come up with anything clever to say, so you grabbed his hand and kissed his palm. “I’m really gad you did.”
You had the room for another hour, and you both sang to your hearts content, drinking enough to feel tipsy and relaxed, but not full on drunk. Neither of you wanted to get sloppy or forget any moment of what went on that night. When the time was up you collected your things and left the place hand in hand. Neither of you seemed capable of staying more than a foot away from each other anymore.
The night air was chilly now and you shivered slightly as you paused on the sidewalk. Chan looked over at you. “Are you feeling up for one last phase? Or are you ready to head home.”
You were feeling completely contented and if you were honest, you never wanted him to leave your side again. But that was too much to admit tonight. “I’m up for it. Let’s go.”
You expected him to call another cab, but instead he took your waist and turned you both to head down the street. You walked a few blocks, and you were about to ask him how much further you had to go, feet starting to ache, when you rounded a corner and found a park with a crowd full of people.
Chan led you over to a small bench off a path, sitting you both down. “What are we doing now?”
Chan looked down at his watch before answering. “Actually…”
Before he could elaborate, you jumped slightly when a firework suddenly flew up and went off overhead. “Oh!”
The crowd suddenly made sense as a beautiful fireworks’ show began. Chan pulled you close to his side as you both stared up at the night sky, ‘oo’ing and ‘ah’ing at he elaborate and bright displays overhead. He nuzzled you close, aware of the cool breeze and worried you might get cold. But Chan radiated heat, and enveloped in his embrace you felt not only comfortably warm, but completely and utterly safe.
Chan wasn’t as interested in the fireworks as you were. It had nothing to do with the quality of the show or anything like that. He was simply too absorbed in you to pay attention to anything else. While you stared up wide eyed watching the beautiful colors explode, Chan watched the light reflect across your face. He saw the starbursts shine in your eyes, the shimmer of your makeup on your skin, the sparkle of your excited smile at each new shape. He couldn’t believe he was here, holding you this close, watching the fireworks together on an actual, real date that he had been mentally perfecting for months now. He couldn’t have asked for a better person to be with or a better setting for your first date.
The display ended with a huge flurry of colors and flares, and the whole crowd cheered and clapped as the bright lights fizzled into the night sky.
“Wah~” You exclaimed, clapping too and turning to look up at Chan with a huge smile. “That was beautiful!”
He returned your smile, only thinking about how you looked right now when he replied, “So beautiful.”
The people started to disperse around you, and as Chan rubbed your side to make sure you were still warm, you let out a huge yawn. Chan looked at his watch again and realized how long he’d kept you out today.
“Are you ready to head home?”
“No more phases?” You questioned him with a raised eyebrow after swallowing your yawn.
“Nope, this was it.” Chan confirmed, and before you could say anything else, you yawned again. Chan chuckled and started to get up. “Come on, let’s go.”
You let him pull you to your feet, finally feeling the fatigue of the day. Chan gathered your things and walked back over to the street, safely getting you both into another cab.
The ride back home was much longer then before, and at first you were very sleepy. You leaned into Chan’s side, tucking up into his chest and neck, drifting in and out of a sleepy daze. Chan was absently tracing patterns on your skin, which at first you found soothing and made you sleepier. However, as he moved from your hands and wrists up to your arms and shoulders, you started to awaken again. His fingers started to feel like fire on your skin. When he traced over your shoulders and across your collar bone you shivered and erupted in goosebumps all over.
“Are you cold Noona?” Chan asked in a very soft voice. You hummed, not really confirming or denying, and Chan leaned down to kiss the top of your head.
Was he aware of how he was driving you crazy? Or were his touches totally innocent? What on earth was going to happen when you got back to your apartment?!
_____