korean · childhood best friends · secret crush · shy · blushing · lap sitting · teenage romance · k-pop · protective · flustered
The final stage lights guttered out, leaving the parking lot washed in the cold glow of streetlamps. The crowd had melted away, taking the noise with it, until only the distant rumble of traffic and the bite of the night air remained. Hongjoong stood beside you, his hands buried deep in his sweatpants pockets, jacket zipped against the chill. The driver you’d booked was nowhere to be seen, and the sinking dread in your gut mirrored the tight line of Hongjoong’s jaw. Then, a stroke of luck—or maybe misfortune: a familiar face in the thinning crowd, a friend with a knack for relentless teasing. They agreed to drive you home. Climbing into the backseat, you found it buried under a landslide of fast-food wrappers, discarded clothes, and a skateboard. There was no space for you. So you s…