?????? ???. go hyuntak

❝ ── chapter three
BRIBERY.❞

YE SEUL KICKED OFF her sneakers like she owned the place, stepping inside without even sparing a glance back at the actual owner of the house or the flabbergasted Hyun Tak still standing at the door.

Honestly, she was more familiar with this house than her own. To her, this small apartment with its scuffed walls and lived-in warmth felt more like home than any place her last name was registered to.

She barely made it past the hallway when she paused, frowning. There were only two slippers by the door which is his and the guest one she usually stole. The usual three slippers that was his mom's bright pink ones, his dad's ratty old pair, and his little brother's dinosaur ones were gone.

"Oh?" Ye Seul blinked, staring at the empty space like it had personally offended her.

"They went to our hometown to visit my dying great grandma," Hyun Tak said casually behind her, like he was talking about the weather.

Ye Seul whipped around and smacked his arm without mercy.

"Yah! You insensitive jerk! How can you say it like that? Your great-grandma is dying and you sound like you're announcing a sale at the convenience store?!"

Hyun Tak winced, rubbing his arm. "Ow! Chill, woman! It's not like I wished for her to die!"

"You don't wish, you pray she gets better, dumbass!" she snapped, jabbing a finger at him.

"Okay, Gandhi, calm down," he grumbled, stepping past her toward the living room.

Ye Seul threw her hands up in exasperation. "Seriously, how do you even survive outside? Who let you be born without a single sensitive bone in your body?!"

Hyun Tak rolled his eyes, flopping onto the couch. "Why do you even care? It's not like she's your great-grandma."

The words weren't meant to hurt but they landed harder than he realized.

Ye Seul's whole expression shifted, gone was the playful scowl, replaced by something colder, more brittle. Her patience already snapped.

Without a word, she snatched his phone right out of his hand and marched straight toward his room. The door slammed just a little too hard, making a frame on the wall shake slightly.

Hyun Tak sighed before dragging a hand through his messy hair.

Nice one, idiot.

Inside his room, Ye Seul had thrown herself on the bed, pretending to be way more focused than she actually was.

A YouTube video about their math lesson played on his phone screen, her hand moving absentmindedly as she scribbled notes. But her mind kept drifting to home, to school, to everything she hated thinking about.

A soft knock interrupted her train of thought. The door creaked open hesitantly, like the person behind it wasn't sure if they were about to get murdered.

She glanced over her shoulder and froze. There was Hyun Tak, holding a tray awkwardly in both hands like it was about to explode. On top sat a steaming bowl of rice and a glistening plate of galbi-jjim or her ultimate weakness.

Ye Seul's eyes narrowed immediately. She knew exactly what this was. Bribery.

Still, her heart betrayed her. Because she knew for a fact that Hyun Tak couldn't even cook rice without burning it if rice cooking didn't exist. And here he was standing there like a kicked puppy who just wanted to be forgiven.

"Seul-ah..." he called softly, placing the tray carefully on the bed in front of her. She stared at the food, then at him. Then back at the food. Then back at him.

"Did you poison this?" she deadpanned.

Hyun Tak snorted. "Please. If I wanted you dead, I'd have tripped you on the stairs." She smirked despite herself.

". . . I'm still mad," Ye Seul said, crossing her arms.

"I know."

"But I cooked. With actual fire and everything. You should be honored."

Ye Seul squinted at him. "I should call the fire department just to be safe."

Hyun Tak huffed, but there was no real heat in it. He knew her attitude too well by now.

"Come on. Eat before I change my mind," he muttered, pushing the chopsticks into her hand.

They ate together like that withbickering between bites, Ye Seul occasionally stealing meat from his bowl, Hyun Tak pretending not to notice.

By the time they finished, exhaustion had crept up on both of them so Ye Seul rummaged on his closet and stole his hoodie and shorts after taking a bath.

Without much thought, Ye Seul crashed onto his bed, curling into the blankets like she belonged there. Hyun Tak tossed a pillow at her, grumbling half-heartedly, but ended up laying down next to her anyway.

"Stay on your side," he mumbled.

"No promises," she said through a yawn.

Minutes later, they were both fast asleep. Ye Seul was sprawled out like a starfish, one hand smacking him in the face occasionally.

Hyun Tak, meanwhile, had somehow curled protectively toward her, one arm slung loosely over her waist like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He would've been mortified if he was awake.

But right then, in that small messy room that smelled faintly of laundry detergent and galbi-jjim, it felt a little like the safest place in the world.

AUTHOR'S NOTE
hello hello hii how are y'all? i can't get enough with them so filler chapters of them was longer than i planned to but i promise y'all that next chap would be where they will meet pookie bear Jun Tae amd Si Eun! i also cant wait to write her scenes with Hu Min :3

i edit sometimes for my oc and their love interest and if you're interested to watch it check out my tiktok acc ( @/irenicadex) also don't forget to vote on my chaps! ty for reading this <3