Prickles (1/?)
Title: Prickles
Genre: Drama, Angst, Romance
Type: College AU
Pairing: het!JongKey
Description: Jonghyun was a rose full of prickles and Gwiboon was a reckless and clueless kid who was too curious.
Rating: PG-15 (may escalate or decrease every chapter)
Warnings: Minimal indications and mentions of mature physical contacts.
Author's note:The pointy stuff in roses aren't really thorns, they are prickles.
She walked lifelessly in some pavement she was never familiar with, nighttime briskly approaching. While her thoughts flew away with the winter breeze, she paved her way to nowhere. Reminiscing the mini scenario she and her professor caused earlier, she felt emptier, melancholic.
“What happened to you, Gwiboon-ah?” her professor said while handing over a piece of paper that drastically made her feel miserable.
“Your grades are falling apart,” she knew why, and she felt stupid for it. “You know what will happen if this goes on right?” he warned, as if she was oblivious.
Why literature does needs to be all about emotions? Why can’t I have those emotions? She asked herself once again. That was her second warning, strike-two. One more and she’s out.
The beauty of Seoul’s nightlights didn’t appeal to her; as if they were non-existent, as if everything was nothing but pitch black.
When she first saw them, of course it felt like a dream. For a country girl like Gwiboon, everything felt fascinatingly fabulous to her. Her parents sent her to a prestigious university in Seoul, with full scholarship supported by Gwiboon’s intelligence. From her first day in school up to her high school years, she never disappointed her parents when it comes to scholastic measures.
Good to be true, she topped all of those. But her professor said that, she’s lacking somewhere. Her brain is full but her heart is empty, he said specifically. Literature must not have been meant for her, even if it was her only passion, her true love-writing
6 months after her high school years, graduating with flying colors, she stepped up and tried to pursue her dreams. Her parents were lenient enough to let her choose which road to take. They believe that their daughter is smart enough to decide for herself. Moreover, they trust her to be independent enough in handling herself, allowing her to live alone in Seoul.
Her dreams are on its way to get crushed, but there’s nothing else she could do.
The reverie she was slowly falling onto got halted by an annoying sound of reality; her name was being called.
“Gwiboonie!” A familiar-well she hoped nobody ever knew her in this street and she would just get ran by a car or something-voice called from a distance. Gwiboon sighed, and then turned onto her back, fully revealing who called her.
It was her roommate for the past half year, the only one she treated as a family in Seoul. A sunbae who taught her so well, and an unnie who took care of her like she’s her own dongsaeng, Lee Eunsook.
“Eunsook-unnie.” She said with hoarse voice from nothing but internal screaming. She wanted to cry so badly, she was so mad with herself.
She ran off to the older, into her arms. Almost sobbing when Eunsook spoke up, “I heard what happened with Professor Choi.” She detached herself from Gwiboon, looking at her eyes. “Do you want to go out?” she pated her head wistfully, consoling the younger.
“Where to?” she blinked twice, trying to analyze.
“Somewhere you’ll have fun, forgetting things in a while.” Eunsook assured, pulling her away from the alleyway she’d been walking off at for too long.
Lifeless yet full of life, colorless yet colorful. That’s how Gwiboon described a night club as soon as she stepped on it. Lifeless, since people around her seemed to be insane, lost their souls, living dead. Full of life at the same time, joyful souls (pretense as she tried to see them clearly), bouncing music which was totally incoherent to her ears, new but not fresh. Dark but vibrant, in different senses, they are.
“Why did you bring me here, unnie?” she asked, obviously uncomfortable to the new environment. As if there was a whole new world within a step.
“I was about to unwind alone but I thought that you’d be sad if I left you.” She seemed accustomed to the surroundings, bobbing her head to the music. “I’ll get us some drinks, stay here.”
“But unnie-“she protested but the older left her, nevertheless. In which gave her no choice but to sit down and try to look indifferent. She mimicked their movements, moving their heads upside down. She scanned the place more, trying to learn. On one side, there was a dance floor, where numbers of bodies touch each other, a little bit too much. Everyone seemed familiar to one another, when she was pretty sure they weren’t.
On the other side, there were people kissing, or drinking, or touching each other. As if the place was not seen by the public eyes. The most natural thing people do in that place was talk to each other, a tad bit too affectionately.
So, this was the real world. She thought.
Bobbing her head back to the dance floor-they were much bearable to watch-she noticed a man standing on a podium. His floor was higher than the dance floor, as if it was his own stage. He spun disk with his fingers, controlling music in his hands. For the first time since she went in to that place, she found someone genuinely interesting.
He was wearing a white lose-sleeveless top, neon-orange headphones hanging on his neck. The cockiness his smile gave away left Gwiboon breathless, mesmerized. The smile was such a turn on for Gwiboon, regardless.
He looked at her way, she flinched then looked away.
As if on cue, Eunsook came back with drinks in hand-alcohol, mostly. “Doing great?” She asked, finding her way to a seat next to Gwiboon. “Barely.” She replied honestly and looked back at her new point of interest.
“He’s hot, right?” the older giggled, and the comment made Gwiboon flustered. She reached for the nearest drink and gulped it down; despite with its bitter taste-noting that it was Gwiboon’s first alcohol intake in her life.
“What are you talking about, unnie?” she defended with a hiccup.
“Well I can see you’re interested in him. Let me tell you something about him.” And she carried on, Gwiboon making mental notes of what she was saying.
Jonghyun, your favorite resident DJ-a 21-year old, hot blooded male. Every night, you would see him in the club, spinning some disk or sometimes, hitting some notes too. He works in a club found in the heart of bustling city of Seoul. When days are drifted to nights, when parties starts to wander everywhere, when music starts to burst off the speakers of clubs.
A free-willed bachelor who lives alone, Jonghyun he is. He never ran out of friends, of parties to go to. Every night, he would jump off from places to places, uncertain of the road ahead of him- happy-go-lucky, if you would like to classify him into something.
He survives for himself; he feeds himself, he never dependent on anybody since he departed home away from his parents’ financial support.
By the time Eunsook managed to finish her story, Gwiboon was barely conscious, considering that she drank a lot for a beginner.
“How did you know about those things, unnie?” she asked tipsily. “Are you interested in him, too?”
“Too.” Eunsook repeated.
“For once, I’m not interested in him. I just knew everything because that bartender-” she pointed halfway the club, presenting a young-looking, handsome guy. “-who is called Taemin, is interested in me. And so, he told me everything about the people he knows of. While stuttering, of course.” Well, he looked like the timid kind, no surprise in there.
No wonder it took her so long to come back.
“Tell me about it.” Gwiboon retorted, getting up from her seat, ineptly.
“Where are you going?”
“Bathroom. I feel like throwing up.” And she did, like everything she ate that day was opting to go out from her mouth.
After much stumbling and tripping, Gwiboon-fortunately-safely made her way to the bathroom, but realized it was packed with bunch of girls shoving off some color on their faces, as if they were five and they’re faces were actually thick papers of coloring books.
But that didn’t upset Gwiboon, she’s too inebriated to be (well if she wasn’t that wasted then she would have commented on how they look like clowns and then she’ll make fun of them in her mind). Everything around her felt blissful. So blissful that it felt like nothing was wrong, as if she was not grieving over her essay paper hours ago. But that feeling wasn’t inherent, they weren’t permanent.
Unknowingly, she was already shuffling towards the dance floor. She never had the intention to dance; instead, she squished herself forcibly, trying to reach the other end of the dance floor. The pandemonium made her head hurt but she was too urged reach the podium, to reach Jonghyun who she wanted to learn more about.
After much struggling, she learnt that Jonghyun was not there. His retreating figure, on his way to the back door, was spotted by Gwiboon. Her feet dragged her away from the chaos and followed her little crush.
The door suddenly felt heavy. She shifted the weight of her whole body to the door’s handle and when she pushed it open, different sceneries flashed before her eyes: the city lights, the blinking constellation stars, and Kim Jonghyun who’s leaning on the rooftop’s bar, lighting a cigarette.
It was quiet. No words of why are you here and who are you were exchanged. The lessened booming of speakers was ringing on Gwiboon’s ears and her head was spinning but none of them mattered. The indubitably handsome and almost infallible creature, standing in front of her, was the only one who did.
It was only a matter of seconds when she started feeling tired, her legs wobbling. She rested her body on the door, fully closing it.
He inhaled the poisonous stick once more then threw it to the ground, killing its fire. Still, wordless staring contest was partial, no one wanted to lose.
He’s moving closer, making the tension in the air grow bigger. Every step he was taking was making her more and more curious, wanting him more.
One, why are you staring at me?
Two, do you know why I’m here?
Three, did you know It was because of you?
Four, are you fully aware that I’m following you?
And on the fifth step, she mentally asked, why aren’t you asking me as of why I was following you?
By that step, their eyes met, acknowledging each other’s existence. “Why did you follow me?”
One more step, the sixth step, and she thought, are you interested in me?
He opened his mouth to ask again, “Are you interested in me?”
She gulped down, both because of the somehow-telepathic skills he practically acquire and by the enclosed distance between them. “How did you know?”
“So you really were.” He figured. “I was watching how you watched me.” It sounded weird, they perceived each other, and the very thought made her heart race.
She looked away, trying to hide her flustered face. She can feel the blood rush through her face.
“Sweetie, keep on looking at me.” He challenged, tilting her head back to his direction. “What’s your name?”
“Gwiboon.” She muttered, voice trembling, as if she was being interrogated.
“Lovely. “ He smirked. “You’re an interesting kid, aren’t you?” She boldly stared into his eyes by the statement, trying to know what the hell was going on in his mind. That was the first time she wished she had mind-reading powers. Jonghyun was the mysterious type, the kind of person whose whereabouts are always intriguing.
“Now sweetie, tell me.” He moved to her ears, teasing. “What do you want from me?”
She shook her head, since can’t tell a virtual stranger that ‘I’m so interested in you; please tell me everything about you.’ And besides, she’s too dizzy to think.
Jonghyun pressed his hands on the door, leaving her head in between. She closed her eyes with the intensity, and when she fluttered her eyes open, Jonghyun was already closing the distance between their faces.
When he placed his lips on hers, gentler than she thought he would, Gwiboon’s thoughts were divided- about how her first kiss being stolen by a stranger and how Jonghyun tasted of nicotine and cotton candies. In the end, she decided to concentrate on the latter.
Her instincts made her arms snake over his neck and his experiences made his arms slip down to her waist; both aiming to get closer.
He decided to nibble under her lips, intensifying the kiss. When he noticed that Gwiboon didn’t know what to do, he smirked against her lips. Nonetheless, he didn’t break away. Instead, he taught her little by little until she was familiar to it.
They unanimously ceased the light contact when their lungs opted for air. They stared for a little bit longer before Gwiboon passed out.
Genre: Drama, Angst, Romance
Type: College AU
Pairing: het!JongKey
Description: Jonghyun was a rose full of prickles and Gwiboon was a reckless and clueless kid who was too curious.
Rating: PG-15 (may escalate or decrease every chapter)
Warnings: Minimal indications and mentions of mature physical contacts.
Author's note:The pointy stuff in roses aren't really thorns, they are prickles.
She walked lifelessly in some pavement she was never familiar with, nighttime briskly approaching. While her thoughts flew away with the winter breeze, she paved her way to nowhere. Reminiscing the mini scenario she and her professor caused earlier, she felt emptier, melancholic.
“What happened to you, Gwiboon-ah?” her professor said while handing over a piece of paper that drastically made her feel miserable.
“Your grades are falling apart,” she knew why, and she felt stupid for it. “You know what will happen if this goes on right?” he warned, as if she was oblivious.
Why literature does needs to be all about emotions? Why can’t I have those emotions? She asked herself once again. That was her second warning, strike-two. One more and she’s out.
The beauty of Seoul’s nightlights didn’t appeal to her; as if they were non-existent, as if everything was nothing but pitch black.
When she first saw them, of course it felt like a dream. For a country girl like Gwiboon, everything felt fascinatingly fabulous to her. Her parents sent her to a prestigious university in Seoul, with full scholarship supported by Gwiboon’s intelligence. From her first day in school up to her high school years, she never disappointed her parents when it comes to scholastic measures.
Good to be true, she topped all of those. But her professor said that, she’s lacking somewhere. Her brain is full but her heart is empty, he said specifically. Literature must not have been meant for her, even if it was her only passion, her true love-writing
6 months after her high school years, graduating with flying colors, she stepped up and tried to pursue her dreams. Her parents were lenient enough to let her choose which road to take. They believe that their daughter is smart enough to decide for herself. Moreover, they trust her to be independent enough in handling herself, allowing her to live alone in Seoul.
Her dreams are on its way to get crushed, but there’s nothing else she could do.
The reverie she was slowly falling onto got halted by an annoying sound of reality; her name was being called.
“Gwiboonie!” A familiar-well she hoped nobody ever knew her in this street and she would just get ran by a car or something-voice called from a distance. Gwiboon sighed, and then turned onto her back, fully revealing who called her.
It was her roommate for the past half year, the only one she treated as a family in Seoul. A sunbae who taught her so well, and an unnie who took care of her like she’s her own dongsaeng, Lee Eunsook.
“Eunsook-unnie.” She said with hoarse voice from nothing but internal screaming. She wanted to cry so badly, she was so mad with herself.
She ran off to the older, into her arms. Almost sobbing when Eunsook spoke up, “I heard what happened with Professor Choi.” She detached herself from Gwiboon, looking at her eyes. “Do you want to go out?” she pated her head wistfully, consoling the younger.
“Where to?” she blinked twice, trying to analyze.
“Somewhere you’ll have fun, forgetting things in a while.” Eunsook assured, pulling her away from the alleyway she’d been walking off at for too long.
Lifeless yet full of life, colorless yet colorful. That’s how Gwiboon described a night club as soon as she stepped on it. Lifeless, since people around her seemed to be insane, lost their souls, living dead. Full of life at the same time, joyful souls (pretense as she tried to see them clearly), bouncing music which was totally incoherent to her ears, new but not fresh. Dark but vibrant, in different senses, they are.
“Why did you bring me here, unnie?” she asked, obviously uncomfortable to the new environment. As if there was a whole new world within a step.
“I was about to unwind alone but I thought that you’d be sad if I left you.” She seemed accustomed to the surroundings, bobbing her head to the music. “I’ll get us some drinks, stay here.”
“But unnie-“she protested but the older left her, nevertheless. In which gave her no choice but to sit down and try to look indifferent. She mimicked their movements, moving their heads upside down. She scanned the place more, trying to learn. On one side, there was a dance floor, where numbers of bodies touch each other, a little bit too much. Everyone seemed familiar to one another, when she was pretty sure they weren’t.
On the other side, there were people kissing, or drinking, or touching each other. As if the place was not seen by the public eyes. The most natural thing people do in that place was talk to each other, a tad bit too affectionately.
So, this was the real world. She thought.
Bobbing her head back to the dance floor-they were much bearable to watch-she noticed a man standing on a podium. His floor was higher than the dance floor, as if it was his own stage. He spun disk with his fingers, controlling music in his hands. For the first time since she went in to that place, she found someone genuinely interesting.
He was wearing a white lose-sleeveless top, neon-orange headphones hanging on his neck. The cockiness his smile gave away left Gwiboon breathless, mesmerized. The smile was such a turn on for Gwiboon, regardless.
He looked at her way, she flinched then looked away.
As if on cue, Eunsook came back with drinks in hand-alcohol, mostly. “Doing great?” She asked, finding her way to a seat next to Gwiboon. “Barely.” She replied honestly and looked back at her new point of interest.
“He’s hot, right?” the older giggled, and the comment made Gwiboon flustered. She reached for the nearest drink and gulped it down; despite with its bitter taste-noting that it was Gwiboon’s first alcohol intake in her life.
“What are you talking about, unnie?” she defended with a hiccup.
“Well I can see you’re interested in him. Let me tell you something about him.” And she carried on, Gwiboon making mental notes of what she was saying.
Jonghyun, your favorite resident DJ-a 21-year old, hot blooded male. Every night, you would see him in the club, spinning some disk or sometimes, hitting some notes too. He works in a club found in the heart of bustling city of Seoul. When days are drifted to nights, when parties starts to wander everywhere, when music starts to burst off the speakers of clubs.
A free-willed bachelor who lives alone, Jonghyun he is. He never ran out of friends, of parties to go to. Every night, he would jump off from places to places, uncertain of the road ahead of him- happy-go-lucky, if you would like to classify him into something.
He survives for himself; he feeds himself, he never dependent on anybody since he departed home away from his parents’ financial support.
By the time Eunsook managed to finish her story, Gwiboon was barely conscious, considering that she drank a lot for a beginner.
“How did you know about those things, unnie?” she asked tipsily. “Are you interested in him, too?”
“Too.” Eunsook repeated.
“For once, I’m not interested in him. I just knew everything because that bartender-” she pointed halfway the club, presenting a young-looking, handsome guy. “-who is called Taemin, is interested in me. And so, he told me everything about the people he knows of. While stuttering, of course.” Well, he looked like the timid kind, no surprise in there.
No wonder it took her so long to come back.
“Tell me about it.” Gwiboon retorted, getting up from her seat, ineptly.
“Where are you going?”
“Bathroom. I feel like throwing up.” And she did, like everything she ate that day was opting to go out from her mouth.
After much stumbling and tripping, Gwiboon-fortunately-safely made her way to the bathroom, but realized it was packed with bunch of girls shoving off some color on their faces, as if they were five and they’re faces were actually thick papers of coloring books.
But that didn’t upset Gwiboon, she’s too inebriated to be (well if she wasn’t that wasted then she would have commented on how they look like clowns and then she’ll make fun of them in her mind). Everything around her felt blissful. So blissful that it felt like nothing was wrong, as if she was not grieving over her essay paper hours ago. But that feeling wasn’t inherent, they weren’t permanent.
Unknowingly, she was already shuffling towards the dance floor. She never had the intention to dance; instead, she squished herself forcibly, trying to reach the other end of the dance floor. The pandemonium made her head hurt but she was too urged reach the podium, to reach Jonghyun who she wanted to learn more about.
After much struggling, she learnt that Jonghyun was not there. His retreating figure, on his way to the back door, was spotted by Gwiboon. Her feet dragged her away from the chaos and followed her little crush.
The door suddenly felt heavy. She shifted the weight of her whole body to the door’s handle and when she pushed it open, different sceneries flashed before her eyes: the city lights, the blinking constellation stars, and Kim Jonghyun who’s leaning on the rooftop’s bar, lighting a cigarette.
It was quiet. No words of why are you here and who are you were exchanged. The lessened booming of speakers was ringing on Gwiboon’s ears and her head was spinning but none of them mattered. The indubitably handsome and almost infallible creature, standing in front of her, was the only one who did.
It was only a matter of seconds when she started feeling tired, her legs wobbling. She rested her body on the door, fully closing it.
He inhaled the poisonous stick once more then threw it to the ground, killing its fire. Still, wordless staring contest was partial, no one wanted to lose.
He’s moving closer, making the tension in the air grow bigger. Every step he was taking was making her more and more curious, wanting him more.
One, why are you staring at me?
Two, do you know why I’m here?
Three, did you know It was because of you?
Four, are you fully aware that I’m following you?
And on the fifth step, she mentally asked, why aren’t you asking me as of why I was following you?
By that step, their eyes met, acknowledging each other’s existence. “Why did you follow me?”
One more step, the sixth step, and she thought, are you interested in me?
He opened his mouth to ask again, “Are you interested in me?”
She gulped down, both because of the somehow-telepathic skills he practically acquire and by the enclosed distance between them. “How did you know?”
“So you really were.” He figured. “I was watching how you watched me.” It sounded weird, they perceived each other, and the very thought made her heart race.
She looked away, trying to hide her flustered face. She can feel the blood rush through her face.
“Sweetie, keep on looking at me.” He challenged, tilting her head back to his direction. “What’s your name?”
“Gwiboon.” She muttered, voice trembling, as if she was being interrogated.
“Lovely. “ He smirked. “You’re an interesting kid, aren’t you?” She boldly stared into his eyes by the statement, trying to know what the hell was going on in his mind. That was the first time she wished she had mind-reading powers. Jonghyun was the mysterious type, the kind of person whose whereabouts are always intriguing.
“Now sweetie, tell me.” He moved to her ears, teasing. “What do you want from me?”
She shook her head, since can’t tell a virtual stranger that ‘I’m so interested in you; please tell me everything about you.’ And besides, she’s too dizzy to think.
Jonghyun pressed his hands on the door, leaving her head in between. She closed her eyes with the intensity, and when she fluttered her eyes open, Jonghyun was already closing the distance between their faces.
When he placed his lips on hers, gentler than she thought he would, Gwiboon’s thoughts were divided- about how her first kiss being stolen by a stranger and how Jonghyun tasted of nicotine and cotton candies. In the end, she decided to concentrate on the latter.
Her instincts made her arms snake over his neck and his experiences made his arms slip down to her waist; both aiming to get closer.
He decided to nibble under her lips, intensifying the kiss. When he noticed that Gwiboon didn’t know what to do, he smirked against her lips. Nonetheless, he didn’t break away. Instead, he taught her little by little until she was familiar to it.
They unanimously ceased the light contact when their lungs opted for air. They stared for a little bit longer before Gwiboon passed out.