Snapshots
Title: Snapshots
Length: 1/1 (for now, might add more later)
Author: Kurokitsune09
Rating: PG-13
Genre: General/Romance
Focus: DongwooxSohyun
Sub-Focus: various kpop idols
Inspiration: a sailor moon fanfic on fanfiction.net :3 and Dongwoo trying to rap to Sohyun in Bouquet.
Notes: OMG! It’s all going to be het!fics. XDDD Obviously, AU. Dun' mind the weird tense changes and I hope you enjoy!! Oh and that Thirteen/Sixteen thing is not an error. Sohyun's b-day is earlier than Dongwoo's. ^^ and each chapter will focus on another pairing ^^
Summary: those little moments in life that say everything
---
Two and Six
---
Dongwoo stares at the little thing standing just outside their doorway, brows furrowing at her. She’s a tiny thing, just barely reaching his waist. Above his head, he hears the thing’s mother introduce the thing as Sohyun and Dongwoo hears his mother gush in reply about how cute she is. The thing-Sohyun-just smiles shyly in her two year-old glory before scuffing her tiny Mary Janes into the concrete steps. Dongwoo can’t seem see what his mother thought was cute about her. She’s just a girl after all.
“Say hello Dongwoo-ya,” his mother prods his back with her knee and Dongwoo grimaces faintly. He doesn’t say anything at first and since he doesn’t, she kind of hides behind her mother’s legs. Dongwoo watches her hide until all he could see is the girl’s hands clutching at her mother’s pants and her little puffy blue dress. Her mother laughs faintly, a hand dropping to ruffle her hair and to adjust the little cute clips in her dark locks. Dongwoo watches them then looks back at his mother. She kicks him discreetly and Dongwoo looked back at the mother-daughter pair in their doorway, the first family to greet them since they finished moving into the new house a few hours ago.
“’lo,” Dongwoo mumbles. Her head pokes out at his voice, large eyes staring at him and Dongwoo shifts. “’m Dongwoo.”
A few hours later, he supposes that seeing the thing’s-Sohyun’s-face brighten behind her mother’s leg at his greeting was okay. And he supposes that he didn’t mind being neighbors with them.
---
Five and Nine
---
It was Sohyun’s first day. That Dongwoo knew very well, even if his mother hadn’t told him fifty times during breakfast. Sohyun only called him the night before and reminded her best friend that she was starting school five times. She was going to start the primary school he went to and his mother, as well as Sohyun’s mother, wanted him to watch out for the younger girl. At first Dongwoo had protested until the heavens rained down. Then he opened the front door after slipping into his sneakers and he saw little Kwon Sohyun in the cute little school uniform and her hair in pigtails.
His mother waves them goodbye as they head for the bus stop and Dongwoo tries to banish her knowing grin as he holds little Sohyun’s hand in his, leading her away from his house. The walk to the stop isn’t far or long and a lot of neighborhood ahjumma smile and wave at them as they pass. Sohyun just giggles and happily waves back while Dongwoo just nods. It isn’t long before they got to the stop and Dongwoo realizes after looking at his watch that they were slightly early. It’s also kind of cold.
Two minutes later, Dongwoo’s already dropped his uniform jacket over Sohyun who’s trembling slightly in the cold late winter air. Her cheeks pink cutely and she clutches at his jacket. Dongwoo just grumbles about the school board and the fact that girls have to wear skits even when it’s cold. He knows that he’s kind of dumb (his best guy friend and hoobae Hoya’s only told him sixty thousand times since they met) but he’s not that dumb to not notice the little smile Sohyun throws at him as they wait.
When the bus pulls up, Dongwoo decides that he could watch out for little Sohyun when he had the time. Goodness knows that his best (girl) friend wouldn’t last without him. He helps her up and onto the bus and hides a smile when she trips on the first step going up.
---
Seven and Eleven
---
Sohyun hangs out daily at the dance school Dongwoo enrolls into after school. She’s one of the few girls there and the owner doesn’t really mind that she sticks around. He knows that she’s learning to dance from some of the students and Park-Saem even teaches her himself and that he’s opening a school, he should really charge her but then she smiles when she gets a popping move just right and Park-saem doesn’t really care after that. She’s too cute.
Two weeks after Dongwoo’s enrollment, he’s driving his fist into an older student’s face despite the shouts and screams for him to stop. Park-saem is almost frantic, trying to pull him off but Dongwoo isn’t listening. All he sees in his mind is that this jerk made Sohyun cry and honestly, only he was allowed to do that. He doesn’t really remember what he did but he does remember the younger girl breaking into sobs. The last thing he consciously remembers before driving his fist into Lee Kwangsu’s face is telling Hoya to watch Sohyun. He had a jerk to pummel.
When the fighting is over, Dongwoo’s knuckles are bleeding and he’s got a split lip, parents are screaming from the doorway, Park-saem has a bruise on his face and Kwangsu’s got a broken nose, a busted lip and one eye swelling pretty badly. Dongwoo’s kicked out of the dance school and his mother is torn between being proud at him for sticking up for Sohyun and being angry that he started a fight. She eventually just apologizes to Park-saem, Kwangsu’s parents and ushers Dongwoo, Hoya and Sohyun out of the school.
Dongwoo’s grounded for a month but it’s okay when Sohyun (and Hoya) show up and talk him out of his boredom.
---
Ten and Fourteen
---
Sohyun hates Dongwoo’s girlfriend. She’s mean, petty, a complete snob and a total bitch. But Dongwoo likes her so Sohyun supposes that she can handle that for now. Dongwoo is her best friend after all (although Class B’s Kim Hyuna two years her senior is becoming her best friend too). She also hates Dongwoo’s girlfriend because since they started dating, he hangs out with her less and less. He apologizes over and over when he ends up missing a planned lunch because his girlfriend called and her friends can’t think of anything to say when she slams her phone shut and lets it bounce on the table.
Only Hoya can think of anything but he doesn’t say a word, just opting to reach over and squeeze her shoulders because he knows Dongwoo’s skipped out again. Hoya’s a silent comfort, an older brother figure as opposed to Dongwoo’s best friend figure and since Dongwoo’s busy, Hoya temporarily takes over his spot.
He teaches her to dance, to make her body move like its art. He teaches her to rap when Dongwoo’s busy frolicking through wherever he is and he teaches her to sing. It’s a temporary thing and Sohyun’s happy that he’s there and that her friends are there.
But they’re not Dongwoo.
---
Thirteen and Sixteen
---
Dongwoo doesn’t know really what to say when he and his girlfriend meet up with Hoya, Sohyun, and a handful of their friends on the streets. It’s clear that they’ve just finished celebrating something because Sohyun’s all smiles when they come pouring out of the noraebang. He’s a little confused when her smiles drops when she sees him and Hoya, along with a member of Hoya’s dance crew are stepping in front of her slightly.
“Hoya-ya, Sohyun-ah,” Dongwoo sounds a little confused and he can’t seem to place why they were celebrating. That fact isn’t lost on their friends and Sohyun’s lips thin. Saerin (his girlfriend) is being her usual self and is asking things to the group, eager and pretty gossipy. She’s only slightly put off when Hoya gives her short, almost one-word answers.
Then he remembers.
“Shit,” He utters and Sohyun looks at him. Dongwoo winces at her stare. “Shit. Sohyun-ah I forgot. I didn’t mean too-“
“Yeah. I know. You’re busy.” Her voice is kind of flat and Dongwoo cringes. Her eyes flicker over him, Saerin then she turns to Hoya. He’s a little jealous when they seem to talk by just looking at each other and Hoya shrugs. Sohyun then waves to Dongwoo and says a curt, “Bye oppa. Have a nice date.”
She walks away, their friends following her. Hoya just kind of shoots him a disappointed look and Dongwoo feels like an ass.
It’s about 11 at night and Sohyun’s pouring over her homework when her phone rings with a text.
To: Sohyun-ah.
From: Dongwoo-oppa
Sohyun-ah, I’m sorry.
Happy Birthday.
She turns her phone off and doesn’t reply.
Dongwoo’s at her door bright and early the next morning and he looks like shit really. He hadn’t slept. Sohyun blinks at him as she slips out and they start walking. Sohyun looks at him after a few steps then lightly punches his shoulder. Dongwoo whines and Sohyun smiles. She makes him hold her bag on the way to school and by the time they get to the gates, they’re laughing and talking again.
It’s the only birthday that Dongwoo ever forgets.
---
Fifteen and Nineteen
---
Dongwoo feels as if the world’s dropped from beneath him. He’s gaping, literally gaping at the stage where the latest group of dancers is performing. Someone just kind of nudges him, mutters a, “You’re drooling hyung,” and that’s what causes Dongwoo to clamp his mouth shut but his eyes never stray from the stage. He hears a weird snort of air and he turns, blinking owlishly at Hoya. Then he looks back at the stage, watches as her long hair flips over a shoulder and then he looks back at Hoya.
“When did she-what-Hoya-ya,” his words aren’t even coherent and if it weren’t for the fact that he knew Dongwoo for years, Hoya would have been confused.
“She’s been dancing for years. Started when we were at that dance school remember? The place where you clocked Lee Kwangsu’s nose?”
He definitely remembers that. Kwangsu had made his Sohyun cry. Wait, did he just think she was his? Shaking his head, he turns back to Hoya who’s looking at him a little amused.
“Then when you starting dating that one girl she started learning with me and the crew. She’s really good isn’t she?” Hoya’s got this proud little smile and Dongwoo can really nod dumbly, his eyes jerking back to the stage where little Sohyun’s finishing up. When she notices him watching, she smiles and waves. Dongwoo waves back.
Not for the first time, Dongwoo feels as if Sohyun’s out of his reach. It probably doesn’t help that she doesn’t really need him anymore. She’s not the little girl who needed help getting on the school bus and she’s no longer that girl who needs him to fight for her. She’s got enough strength herself to fight on her own. Dongwoo’s proud, he really is. Especially since he’s got a pretty big decision sitting on his shoulders and on top of his desk back home. But seeing her the way she is, on that stage, Dongwoo makes that decision.
So the next week, Dongwoo takes the first train out of town and towards Seoul. He’s got few things, clothes, some books, and a few keepsakes mainly. He starts University the following Monday.
---
Eighteen and Twenty-Two
---
The bell above the door to the café he’s working at chimes and Dongwoo doesn’t really pay any mind to it, knowing that noon is probably the busiest time of day. And the morning. It’s not the best job in the world but Dongwoo doesn’t really mind. It helps him pay his college stuff and he gets free coffee. It helps that his customers are all really nice too. He’s making a caramel macchiato for another customer but he calls out, “Be with you in just a second kay?”
“Take your time oppa.”
“We’ve got all day really hyung.” the voices ring out lightly just as he’s sliding the macchiato to the person. Surprised, because the voices were ones that he hadn’t heard in about three years, he turns as that person says thanks. He blinks a few times to make sure he’s not dreaming and he’s approaching in quick strides.
“Well whaddya know,” Dongwoo says grinning. Hoya returns his grin and Sohyun waves. It takes a moment before he recognizes Sohyun because she’s lost her baby fat and her hair’s shorter, and cuter. “What brings you both to my neck of the woods?”
“C’mon is that how you greet old friends you haven’t seen in three years since you moved your ass out here?” Sohyun asks and Dongwoo moves close to give her a one armed hug. She hits him when he squeezes a little hard. He backs away with a sheepish smile.
“We’ve a dance comp in town. You’re welcome to join us.”
Dongwoo doesn’t say no.
They let Dongwoo join on the fly because they can see how bright his eyes are shining when he takes in the stage they’d be dancing on. He kind of protests because he doesn’t know their choreography and that they could actually lose the competition. Hoya rolls his eyes and Sohyun just slaps his shoulder good-naturedly.
“Dun worry about oppa. Hyuna-unnie can cover for you if you fail on stage kay?”
The rest of the dance crew are showing up, Kim Hyuna, Kim Kibum (Hoya’s friend if Dongwoo remembers correctly) and a few new faces that Dongwoo doesn’t really know and they’re staring in surprise as Dongwoo headlocks Sohyun. She flails in his arms and Hoya and Hyuna shake their heads. As she flails, Dongwoo is pretty aware that she’s as grown up as he is and he pushes that though to the back of his head.
“Yah, Dongwoo-oppa, Sohyun-ah’s going to suffocate if you headlock her any harder.”
They win with a standing ovation and Dongwoo gives a happy holler, slinging an arm across Sohyun’s shoulders, pulling her to his side. The person dj-ing for the competition says it’s because of the chemistry Dongwoo had with Sohyun on stage. The two just kind of smile and say nothing else.
They’re celebrating hours later because of their win. Hyuna’s sucking face with a rival dancer and Dongwoo thinks that all the alcohol she consumed has nothing to do with the fact that this Yong Junhyung has his hand up her shirt. She had been oh-so-obviously attracted to him and he, her during the competition. Hoya’s teaching a tall lanky guy his trademark scorpion move and Dongwoo’s watching as Hoya and the stranger fall over in a tangle of limbs, laughing.
“Oppa,” and Sohyun’s sitting next to him. He smiles at her and hugs her fondly. She doesn’t drink because she’s under aged and he’s not drinking because well, someone’s got to be the driver. He’s not sure if Hoya’s actually drinking or not but just in case. He can’t guarantee that Hoya’s car’s going to be in one piece though.
“I missed you Sohyun-ah.”
“Missed you too oppa,” Sohyun says lightly. Hands intertwine, fingers grazing and they leave it at that.
---
Twenty-Two and Twenty-Six
---
The world’s dropped from underneath her Sohyun decides as she’s staring in disbelief in through the window in front of her. Her hands are shaking and she doesn’t want to believe it at all. There’s a Lee Joon standing somewhere off, just a little bit away and his arm is in a sling, a bandage strapped across his cheek. Hoya’s sitting somewhere behind her, staring at the floor and Lee Sungyeol, the lanky fellow from 4 years ago is holding his hand. Hyuna’s moved from her seat to drop a hand and rub soothingly at her shoulders. Sohyun doesn’t feel it.
She’s staring, staring and it feels like forever before her feet allow her to move. Sohyun trips the first step and Hyuna’s beau from the dance competition 4 years ago, Junhyung, catches her elbow before she face plants into the ground. She shoves him off with a weak whimper-like sound, reaching the window. Someone calls her name and Sohyun doesn’t answer, hands trembling as she raises her fingers to touch the window glass, as if she could touch him from behind it.
Dongwoo never actually told them what he was majoring in. It had never come up during the off little dance meetings that they had planned in the last few years. It turns out it was Criminal Justice and he had been planning to actively join the police force or some defense-slash-bodyguard team. He was doing well. At least, that was what fellow rookie officer Bang Yongguk and his senior in the force, Lee Joon, tells them when they arrived at the hospital. It’s his first week on the force.
Sohyun feels the corners of her eyes burn as she’s looking in at the pale figure on the bed in the room. There are nurses bustling in and checking machines that Sohyun knows that are monitor his heart rate, his oxygen level and the like. It makes her feel sick and her heart is clenching painfully in her chest, as if there was a hand squeezing it. She doesn’t think that she can breathe but her breath fogs up the glass and proves her wrong.
“He’ll be alright Sohyun-ah,” Hyuna’s voice rings out at her ears and she can feel Hoya next to her, rubbing her shoulders.
“He should be. The doctors said he was stable and the bleeding was easily taken care of. He took a few shots but we’re expecting him to make a full recovery.”
Joon’s voice rings from the side and Sohyun’s legs almost buckle. She catches Hyuna’s arm and Hoya’s telling her to go to a chair, that she should sit down. She shakes her head, not trusting her voice and she’s reaching out for the window again.
The glass is cool to touch and a tear races down her cheek.
---
Twenty-Five and Twenty Nine
---
Sohyun’s staring in not quite disbelief at the person in their doorway. She can hear Hyuna twittering in the background and a few their fellow teachers are pressing eagerly in from the sides of the doorway, watching, anticipating. Sohyun can imagine Hyuna grinning or smirking or something. Sohyun kind of blinks blankly and he grins, teeth glinting in the hallway light.
He’s filled out a little bit, not that he was thin or anything the last time she saw him but he’s definitely got more muscle now. His shirt clings generously, beautifully to his torso, the muscles in his arms flexing slightly as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans. His hair is a little more tamed that she last remembered, a vague birdnest do if Sohyun remembers correctly and it’s a nice dark brown, different from the ash blonde he had a few years ago. He’s also a little tanner, healthier looking and Sohyun is aware that he looks hot. Especially for someone pushing thirty.
“Annyeong Sohyun-ah.”
And that breaks the ice. She doesn’t care that the most gossipy of gossips of the school she teaches dance at are staring at her and him but Sohyun gives a happy squeal sound and tackles Dongwoo from the door. He gives a throaty laugh and catches her, giving her a tight squeeze before stepping back, to get a good look at her. Sohyun blushes a bit at the attention, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She’s suddenly self-conscious in her pastel blue flower printed sundress. He then grins wider, give a playful whistle and hugs her again.
“How’d you find me?” she asks once he lets go and there’s a light cough from the side. Sohyun looks over and Junhyung grins and waves. Sohyun doesn’t actually get a word out because Hyuna is squealing and she’s tackling her fiancée, kissing him. Dongwoo laughs a bit and Sohyun giggles. Then she hugs Junhyung and says, “I guess I should say thank you. It’s been too long since Dongwoo-oppa and I’ve met.”
“We should be saying thank you Sohyun-ah,” and Sohyun blinks, confused. Junhyung ruffles her long dark locks. “Hoya’s called being his best man although since Hyuna-ya wants to be your bridesmaid, I want to be the best man because then we’d match, Hyuna-ya and I.”
“Wha-“ and she turns, hair flying over her shoulders just as happy squeals ring out in the apartment. Her eyes widen, a hand rising to her lips and Dongwoo’s smiling, a little nervous and there’s a small little box in his hands. Sohyun swears she’s not breathing as he opens the box and nestled in it is a beautiful diamond ring. Her voice trembles. “D-Dongwoo-oppa?”
“Sohyun-ah,” he licks his lips. “Spend the rest of your life with me?”
She starts tearing and Dongwoo looks a little panicked. In seconds, he’s pretty much scrambled to his feet, crossing to stand next to her. He’s thinking of a million things at once and then she swoops in and kisses him, uttering a shaking, “Yes,” against his lips. Dongwoo holds her close as they pull apart, breathless, and elated and he slides the ring out of the box and onto her finger before kissing her again.
“I love you,” he whispers amongst cheers and Sohyun smiles, lightly tapping his nose.
“I’ve been waiting years for you to say that.”
Length: 1/1 (for now, might add more later)
Author: Kurokitsune09
Rating: PG-13
Genre: General/Romance
Focus: DongwooxSohyun
Sub-Focus: various kpop idols
Inspiration: a sailor moon fanfic on fanfiction.net :3 and Dongwoo trying to rap to Sohyun in Bouquet.
Notes: OMG! It’s all going to be het!fics. XDDD Obviously, AU. Dun' mind the weird tense changes and I hope you enjoy!! Oh and that Thirteen/Sixteen thing is not an error. Sohyun's b-day is earlier than Dongwoo's. ^^ and each chapter will focus on another pairing ^^
Summary: those little moments in life that say everything
---
Two and Six
---
Dongwoo stares at the little thing standing just outside their doorway, brows furrowing at her. She’s a tiny thing, just barely reaching his waist. Above his head, he hears the thing’s mother introduce the thing as Sohyun and Dongwoo hears his mother gush in reply about how cute she is. The thing-Sohyun-just smiles shyly in her two year-old glory before scuffing her tiny Mary Janes into the concrete steps. Dongwoo can’t seem see what his mother thought was cute about her. She’s just a girl after all.
“Say hello Dongwoo-ya,” his mother prods his back with her knee and Dongwoo grimaces faintly. He doesn’t say anything at first and since he doesn’t, she kind of hides behind her mother’s legs. Dongwoo watches her hide until all he could see is the girl’s hands clutching at her mother’s pants and her little puffy blue dress. Her mother laughs faintly, a hand dropping to ruffle her hair and to adjust the little cute clips in her dark locks. Dongwoo watches them then looks back at his mother. She kicks him discreetly and Dongwoo looked back at the mother-daughter pair in their doorway, the first family to greet them since they finished moving into the new house a few hours ago.
“’lo,” Dongwoo mumbles. Her head pokes out at his voice, large eyes staring at him and Dongwoo shifts. “’m Dongwoo.”
A few hours later, he supposes that seeing the thing’s-Sohyun’s-face brighten behind her mother’s leg at his greeting was okay. And he supposes that he didn’t mind being neighbors with them.
---
Five and Nine
---
It was Sohyun’s first day. That Dongwoo knew very well, even if his mother hadn’t told him fifty times during breakfast. Sohyun only called him the night before and reminded her best friend that she was starting school five times. She was going to start the primary school he went to and his mother, as well as Sohyun’s mother, wanted him to watch out for the younger girl. At first Dongwoo had protested until the heavens rained down. Then he opened the front door after slipping into his sneakers and he saw little Kwon Sohyun in the cute little school uniform and her hair in pigtails.
His mother waves them goodbye as they head for the bus stop and Dongwoo tries to banish her knowing grin as he holds little Sohyun’s hand in his, leading her away from his house. The walk to the stop isn’t far or long and a lot of neighborhood ahjumma smile and wave at them as they pass. Sohyun just giggles and happily waves back while Dongwoo just nods. It isn’t long before they got to the stop and Dongwoo realizes after looking at his watch that they were slightly early. It’s also kind of cold.
Two minutes later, Dongwoo’s already dropped his uniform jacket over Sohyun who’s trembling slightly in the cold late winter air. Her cheeks pink cutely and she clutches at his jacket. Dongwoo just grumbles about the school board and the fact that girls have to wear skits even when it’s cold. He knows that he’s kind of dumb (his best guy friend and hoobae Hoya’s only told him sixty thousand times since they met) but he’s not that dumb to not notice the little smile Sohyun throws at him as they wait.
When the bus pulls up, Dongwoo decides that he could watch out for little Sohyun when he had the time. Goodness knows that his best (girl) friend wouldn’t last without him. He helps her up and onto the bus and hides a smile when she trips on the first step going up.
---
Seven and Eleven
---
Sohyun hangs out daily at the dance school Dongwoo enrolls into after school. She’s one of the few girls there and the owner doesn’t really mind that she sticks around. He knows that she’s learning to dance from some of the students and Park-Saem even teaches her himself and that he’s opening a school, he should really charge her but then she smiles when she gets a popping move just right and Park-saem doesn’t really care after that. She’s too cute.
Two weeks after Dongwoo’s enrollment, he’s driving his fist into an older student’s face despite the shouts and screams for him to stop. Park-saem is almost frantic, trying to pull him off but Dongwoo isn’t listening. All he sees in his mind is that this jerk made Sohyun cry and honestly, only he was allowed to do that. He doesn’t really remember what he did but he does remember the younger girl breaking into sobs. The last thing he consciously remembers before driving his fist into Lee Kwangsu’s face is telling Hoya to watch Sohyun. He had a jerk to pummel.
When the fighting is over, Dongwoo’s knuckles are bleeding and he’s got a split lip, parents are screaming from the doorway, Park-saem has a bruise on his face and Kwangsu’s got a broken nose, a busted lip and one eye swelling pretty badly. Dongwoo’s kicked out of the dance school and his mother is torn between being proud at him for sticking up for Sohyun and being angry that he started a fight. She eventually just apologizes to Park-saem, Kwangsu’s parents and ushers Dongwoo, Hoya and Sohyun out of the school.
Dongwoo’s grounded for a month but it’s okay when Sohyun (and Hoya) show up and talk him out of his boredom.
---
Ten and Fourteen
---
Sohyun hates Dongwoo’s girlfriend. She’s mean, petty, a complete snob and a total bitch. But Dongwoo likes her so Sohyun supposes that she can handle that for now. Dongwoo is her best friend after all (although Class B’s Kim Hyuna two years her senior is becoming her best friend too). She also hates Dongwoo’s girlfriend because since they started dating, he hangs out with her less and less. He apologizes over and over when he ends up missing a planned lunch because his girlfriend called and her friends can’t think of anything to say when she slams her phone shut and lets it bounce on the table.
Only Hoya can think of anything but he doesn’t say a word, just opting to reach over and squeeze her shoulders because he knows Dongwoo’s skipped out again. Hoya’s a silent comfort, an older brother figure as opposed to Dongwoo’s best friend figure and since Dongwoo’s busy, Hoya temporarily takes over his spot.
He teaches her to dance, to make her body move like its art. He teaches her to rap when Dongwoo’s busy frolicking through wherever he is and he teaches her to sing. It’s a temporary thing and Sohyun’s happy that he’s there and that her friends are there.
But they’re not Dongwoo.
---
Thirteen and Sixteen
---
Dongwoo doesn’t know really what to say when he and his girlfriend meet up with Hoya, Sohyun, and a handful of their friends on the streets. It’s clear that they’ve just finished celebrating something because Sohyun’s all smiles when they come pouring out of the noraebang. He’s a little confused when her smiles drops when she sees him and Hoya, along with a member of Hoya’s dance crew are stepping in front of her slightly.
“Hoya-ya, Sohyun-ah,” Dongwoo sounds a little confused and he can’t seem to place why they were celebrating. That fact isn’t lost on their friends and Sohyun’s lips thin. Saerin (his girlfriend) is being her usual self and is asking things to the group, eager and pretty gossipy. She’s only slightly put off when Hoya gives her short, almost one-word answers.
Then he remembers.
“Shit,” He utters and Sohyun looks at him. Dongwoo winces at her stare. “Shit. Sohyun-ah I forgot. I didn’t mean too-“
“Yeah. I know. You’re busy.” Her voice is kind of flat and Dongwoo cringes. Her eyes flicker over him, Saerin then she turns to Hoya. He’s a little jealous when they seem to talk by just looking at each other and Hoya shrugs. Sohyun then waves to Dongwoo and says a curt, “Bye oppa. Have a nice date.”
She walks away, their friends following her. Hoya just kind of shoots him a disappointed look and Dongwoo feels like an ass.
It’s about 11 at night and Sohyun’s pouring over her homework when her phone rings with a text.
To: Sohyun-ah.
From: Dongwoo-oppa
Sohyun-ah, I’m sorry.
Happy Birthday.
She turns her phone off and doesn’t reply.
Dongwoo’s at her door bright and early the next morning and he looks like shit really. He hadn’t slept. Sohyun blinks at him as she slips out and they start walking. Sohyun looks at him after a few steps then lightly punches his shoulder. Dongwoo whines and Sohyun smiles. She makes him hold her bag on the way to school and by the time they get to the gates, they’re laughing and talking again.
It’s the only birthday that Dongwoo ever forgets.
---
Fifteen and Nineteen
---
Dongwoo feels as if the world’s dropped from beneath him. He’s gaping, literally gaping at the stage where the latest group of dancers is performing. Someone just kind of nudges him, mutters a, “You’re drooling hyung,” and that’s what causes Dongwoo to clamp his mouth shut but his eyes never stray from the stage. He hears a weird snort of air and he turns, blinking owlishly at Hoya. Then he looks back at the stage, watches as her long hair flips over a shoulder and then he looks back at Hoya.
“When did she-what-Hoya-ya,” his words aren’t even coherent and if it weren’t for the fact that he knew Dongwoo for years, Hoya would have been confused.
“She’s been dancing for years. Started when we were at that dance school remember? The place where you clocked Lee Kwangsu’s nose?”
He definitely remembers that. Kwangsu had made his Sohyun cry. Wait, did he just think she was his? Shaking his head, he turns back to Hoya who’s looking at him a little amused.
“Then when you starting dating that one girl she started learning with me and the crew. She’s really good isn’t she?” Hoya’s got this proud little smile and Dongwoo can really nod dumbly, his eyes jerking back to the stage where little Sohyun’s finishing up. When she notices him watching, she smiles and waves. Dongwoo waves back.
Not for the first time, Dongwoo feels as if Sohyun’s out of his reach. It probably doesn’t help that she doesn’t really need him anymore. She’s not the little girl who needed help getting on the school bus and she’s no longer that girl who needs him to fight for her. She’s got enough strength herself to fight on her own. Dongwoo’s proud, he really is. Especially since he’s got a pretty big decision sitting on his shoulders and on top of his desk back home. But seeing her the way she is, on that stage, Dongwoo makes that decision.
So the next week, Dongwoo takes the first train out of town and towards Seoul. He’s got few things, clothes, some books, and a few keepsakes mainly. He starts University the following Monday.
---
Eighteen and Twenty-Two
---
The bell above the door to the café he’s working at chimes and Dongwoo doesn’t really pay any mind to it, knowing that noon is probably the busiest time of day. And the morning. It’s not the best job in the world but Dongwoo doesn’t really mind. It helps him pay his college stuff and he gets free coffee. It helps that his customers are all really nice too. He’s making a caramel macchiato for another customer but he calls out, “Be with you in just a second kay?”
“Take your time oppa.”
“We’ve got all day really hyung.” the voices ring out lightly just as he’s sliding the macchiato to the person. Surprised, because the voices were ones that he hadn’t heard in about three years, he turns as that person says thanks. He blinks a few times to make sure he’s not dreaming and he’s approaching in quick strides.
“Well whaddya know,” Dongwoo says grinning. Hoya returns his grin and Sohyun waves. It takes a moment before he recognizes Sohyun because she’s lost her baby fat and her hair’s shorter, and cuter. “What brings you both to my neck of the woods?”
“C’mon is that how you greet old friends you haven’t seen in three years since you moved your ass out here?” Sohyun asks and Dongwoo moves close to give her a one armed hug. She hits him when he squeezes a little hard. He backs away with a sheepish smile.
“We’ve a dance comp in town. You’re welcome to join us.”
Dongwoo doesn’t say no.
They let Dongwoo join on the fly because they can see how bright his eyes are shining when he takes in the stage they’d be dancing on. He kind of protests because he doesn’t know their choreography and that they could actually lose the competition. Hoya rolls his eyes and Sohyun just slaps his shoulder good-naturedly.
“Dun worry about oppa. Hyuna-unnie can cover for you if you fail on stage kay?”
The rest of the dance crew are showing up, Kim Hyuna, Kim Kibum (Hoya’s friend if Dongwoo remembers correctly) and a few new faces that Dongwoo doesn’t really know and they’re staring in surprise as Dongwoo headlocks Sohyun. She flails in his arms and Hoya and Hyuna shake their heads. As she flails, Dongwoo is pretty aware that she’s as grown up as he is and he pushes that though to the back of his head.
“Yah, Dongwoo-oppa, Sohyun-ah’s going to suffocate if you headlock her any harder.”
They win with a standing ovation and Dongwoo gives a happy holler, slinging an arm across Sohyun’s shoulders, pulling her to his side. The person dj-ing for the competition says it’s because of the chemistry Dongwoo had with Sohyun on stage. The two just kind of smile and say nothing else.
They’re celebrating hours later because of their win. Hyuna’s sucking face with a rival dancer and Dongwoo thinks that all the alcohol she consumed has nothing to do with the fact that this Yong Junhyung has his hand up her shirt. She had been oh-so-obviously attracted to him and he, her during the competition. Hoya’s teaching a tall lanky guy his trademark scorpion move and Dongwoo’s watching as Hoya and the stranger fall over in a tangle of limbs, laughing.
“Oppa,” and Sohyun’s sitting next to him. He smiles at her and hugs her fondly. She doesn’t drink because she’s under aged and he’s not drinking because well, someone’s got to be the driver. He’s not sure if Hoya’s actually drinking or not but just in case. He can’t guarantee that Hoya’s car’s going to be in one piece though.
“I missed you Sohyun-ah.”
“Missed you too oppa,” Sohyun says lightly. Hands intertwine, fingers grazing and they leave it at that.
---
Twenty-Two and Twenty-Six
---
The world’s dropped from underneath her Sohyun decides as she’s staring in disbelief in through the window in front of her. Her hands are shaking and she doesn’t want to believe it at all. There’s a Lee Joon standing somewhere off, just a little bit away and his arm is in a sling, a bandage strapped across his cheek. Hoya’s sitting somewhere behind her, staring at the floor and Lee Sungyeol, the lanky fellow from 4 years ago is holding his hand. Hyuna’s moved from her seat to drop a hand and rub soothingly at her shoulders. Sohyun doesn’t feel it.
She’s staring, staring and it feels like forever before her feet allow her to move. Sohyun trips the first step and Hyuna’s beau from the dance competition 4 years ago, Junhyung, catches her elbow before she face plants into the ground. She shoves him off with a weak whimper-like sound, reaching the window. Someone calls her name and Sohyun doesn’t answer, hands trembling as she raises her fingers to touch the window glass, as if she could touch him from behind it.
Dongwoo never actually told them what he was majoring in. It had never come up during the off little dance meetings that they had planned in the last few years. It turns out it was Criminal Justice and he had been planning to actively join the police force or some defense-slash-bodyguard team. He was doing well. At least, that was what fellow rookie officer Bang Yongguk and his senior in the force, Lee Joon, tells them when they arrived at the hospital. It’s his first week on the force.
Sohyun feels the corners of her eyes burn as she’s looking in at the pale figure on the bed in the room. There are nurses bustling in and checking machines that Sohyun knows that are monitor his heart rate, his oxygen level and the like. It makes her feel sick and her heart is clenching painfully in her chest, as if there was a hand squeezing it. She doesn’t think that she can breathe but her breath fogs up the glass and proves her wrong.
“He’ll be alright Sohyun-ah,” Hyuna’s voice rings out at her ears and she can feel Hoya next to her, rubbing her shoulders.
“He should be. The doctors said he was stable and the bleeding was easily taken care of. He took a few shots but we’re expecting him to make a full recovery.”
Joon’s voice rings from the side and Sohyun’s legs almost buckle. She catches Hyuna’s arm and Hoya’s telling her to go to a chair, that she should sit down. She shakes her head, not trusting her voice and she’s reaching out for the window again.
The glass is cool to touch and a tear races down her cheek.
---
Twenty-Five and Twenty Nine
---
Sohyun’s staring in not quite disbelief at the person in their doorway. She can hear Hyuna twittering in the background and a few their fellow teachers are pressing eagerly in from the sides of the doorway, watching, anticipating. Sohyun can imagine Hyuna grinning or smirking or something. Sohyun kind of blinks blankly and he grins, teeth glinting in the hallway light.
He’s filled out a little bit, not that he was thin or anything the last time she saw him but he’s definitely got more muscle now. His shirt clings generously, beautifully to his torso, the muscles in his arms flexing slightly as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans. His hair is a little more tamed that she last remembered, a vague birdnest do if Sohyun remembers correctly and it’s a nice dark brown, different from the ash blonde he had a few years ago. He’s also a little tanner, healthier looking and Sohyun is aware that he looks hot. Especially for someone pushing thirty.
“Annyeong Sohyun-ah.”
And that breaks the ice. She doesn’t care that the most gossipy of gossips of the school she teaches dance at are staring at her and him but Sohyun gives a happy squeal sound and tackles Dongwoo from the door. He gives a throaty laugh and catches her, giving her a tight squeeze before stepping back, to get a good look at her. Sohyun blushes a bit at the attention, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She’s suddenly self-conscious in her pastel blue flower printed sundress. He then grins wider, give a playful whistle and hugs her again.
“How’d you find me?” she asks once he lets go and there’s a light cough from the side. Sohyun looks over and Junhyung grins and waves. Sohyun doesn’t actually get a word out because Hyuna is squealing and she’s tackling her fiancée, kissing him. Dongwoo laughs a bit and Sohyun giggles. Then she hugs Junhyung and says, “I guess I should say thank you. It’s been too long since Dongwoo-oppa and I’ve met.”
“We should be saying thank you Sohyun-ah,” and Sohyun blinks, confused. Junhyung ruffles her long dark locks. “Hoya’s called being his best man although since Hyuna-ya wants to be your bridesmaid, I want to be the best man because then we’d match, Hyuna-ya and I.”
“Wha-“ and she turns, hair flying over her shoulders just as happy squeals ring out in the apartment. Her eyes widen, a hand rising to her lips and Dongwoo’s smiling, a little nervous and there’s a small little box in his hands. Sohyun swears she’s not breathing as he opens the box and nestled in it is a beautiful diamond ring. Her voice trembles. “D-Dongwoo-oppa?”
“Sohyun-ah,” he licks his lips. “Spend the rest of your life with me?”
She starts tearing and Dongwoo looks a little panicked. In seconds, he’s pretty much scrambled to his feet, crossing to stand next to her. He’s thinking of a million things at once and then she swoops in and kisses him, uttering a shaking, “Yes,” against his lips. Dongwoo holds her close as they pull apart, breathless, and elated and he slides the ring out of the box and onto her finger before kissing her again.
“I love you,” he whispers amongst cheers and Sohyun smiles, lightly tapping his nose.
“I’ve been waiting years for you to say that.”