a/n: i just noticed i've had this vague timeline throughout this story, so i'm popping in to say it's october lol. next chapter will be november, then december in eight, and drama starts... :)      Also, short filler-esque update. 

 

After watching the performance, they all went out for pizza. It was a little weird, Jaebum thought, hanging out in such a friendly way with his ex and her new boyfriend, but then again, it's probably weird for Nayeon too. It'll probably remain weird for a bit, but something finally clicked for Jaebum. After kissing Seulgi, he caught Nayeon smiling at him, as if she was happy for him? It was clear then, that she's truly moved on, and there's not a possibility that she would come back to him.

Jaebum's not a hundred percent over her, but he's accepting of it. It's not about him and Nayeon anymore, that chapter is officially closed. It's time for a new chapter, and this time it's about him and Seulgi.

He's about to drop Seulgi and Seungwan back off at Seulgi's place, before he and Mark head over to Jinyoung's for a boys' night. As he pulls into the driveway, he tells Mark he'll be back and walks the girls to the door. Seungwan thanks him for a ride, and disappears into the house, giving him a moment with Seulgi. "So... I'll text you later?" Seulgi begins, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, sure."

"I had fun tonight! Seola is pretty cool, she's going to get her nails done with us tomorrow." Right, the girls are doing their own thing tomorrow. Jaebum makes mental note to remember this so he won't sulk over it later when it takes her longer to reply to his messages. "Have fun on your boys' night, doing whatever you all do."

"We sit around, play video games, eat more junk, and then work it all off tomorrow morning."

"Sounds exciting." Seulgi giggles, and Jaebum pulls her into a hug, Seulgi immediately hugging him back.

"Have a goodnight, Seulgi."

"Goodnight Jaebum." He decides to be bold again, and tips her chin upwards to give her one last kiss.

"Gross!" Mark calls out from the car, and Jaebum rolls his eyes. Seulgi squeezes him once more and then pulls away, waving goodbye before disappearing into her home.

Boys' nights are always fun, and this one came at a perfect time. Mark's bursting from the seams about how wonderful his date with Seungwan was tonight, and Jinyoung is soaking it all up, just as excited for his friend. Jaebum's happy for him too, and he hopes it shows on his face, though his mind is elsewhere. He's still going over everything that happened tonight.

He and Seulgi have officially entered new territory, ever since their first kiss that night. This is real for him now, there's no more pretending for the sake of getting back with Nayeon, because there's no more getting back with Nayeon. However, relationships aren't one-sided. This has to be real for Seulgi too, and Jaebum's not sure if that'll come if she's still avoiding the elephant in the room. She's going to have to talk to Bogeum and her older sister, and it scares him a bit.

He's emotionally invested now. He has a great time with Seulgi. It feels effortless. It feels like how all the movies and storybooks portray love to be. He wouldn't say he was in love with Seulgi, it's way too soon, but he does have feelings that can easily develop into being in love. They're young, so who knows how this will truly pan out, but for now... and for the foreseeable future, Jaebum feels they can and will have something truly great. If it was to all end, he'd be crushed, and that's something he's not ready to put himself through again.

"Yo, Jaebum!" Jinyoung calls out, catching his attention, "How was being around your ex all night?"

"Did you even notice Nayeon was there? You were practically making out with Seulgi all night." Mark teases, making Jinyoung's mouth drop.

"I was not!"

"At first, he and Nayeon exchanged some 'we've both moved on' and 'we're happy, right', and then he like didn't talk to her again."

"I feel bad you had to witness that." Jinyoung coos at Mark, "I feel bad Seulgi has to be in the middle of that. Do you still have feelings for Nayeon?"

"Well...yeah, but I do like Seulgi more."

"They have couple rings." Mark then spilled, Jinyoung cackling in response.

"You gossip more than Yerim." Jaebum whines. "Can we play some video games now?"

The boys spend hours playing each other in various video games and gorging on junk food and cup noodles, before turning in for the night.

The next morning, Jinyoung's mom made them a healthy breakfast and then they were off to the park to do some exercise. Jaebum's laughing at Jinyoung, because today is not his day and all his shots keep missing the baskets, when his phone buzzes. He looks down at it, guzzling down some water. "Amber's throwing a Halloween party this year." He announces, after reading the group text.

"Would it be lame to go as a zombie basketball team?" Mark questioned.

"Probably, but who cares. I'd be a zombie basketball player with you." Jaebum states, his phone buzzes again and he looks down to read it. "...Or maybe vampire basketball player? Seulgi wants to be a vampire."

"So you're going to be her victim?" Jinyoung teases.

"Yeah, I am." Jaebum agrees, not even ashamed.

 

Amber's party is the talk of the school for weeks leading up to it. Couples are looking into matching costumes, friends try to coordinate, while singles are trying to go for memes and funny outfits. Seulgi is serious about being a vampire, drags Jaebum to the local shop for her special effects makeup and colored contacts. He's agreed to match her, going to sport a bite mark on his neck and cheap fangs. It's a cute idea, though she won't let him wear a stereotypical cape. 
 

Things have been good between them ever since their first official kiss as a couple (Jaebum totally counts when Seulgi jumped him to make Bogeum jealous but she still says it doesn't). However, they both are just ignoring the main detail of it all. They're not really an item. They're pretending.

But they're too comfortable right now. They're both in too deep to stop and it's going to leave someone hurt, and Jaebum has a hunch that he might be the one burned after this because it was his idea in the beginning after all. 
 

Every day he tells himself he should come clean, and tell Seulgi that the chase for Nayeon is over but he doesn't want this to end. He should come clean, and tell Seulgi how he feels about her, but he doesn't want to be rejected. She's a good actress, better than he'd imagine and it's killing him.

It's easier to bury it all under the metaphorical bridge than to confess. It's easier to ignore the feeling crawling up his spine that this is the calm before the storm.

So he holds her hand more, hugs her tighter, and kisses her with more passion each passing day to savor these moments before they end. 

The day of the party, they coordinate and dress at his home. Seulgi's cute, with her hair slicked back and the scary crimson contacts, and lips smeared with fake blood. His own hair is styled up, only one contact on, fake fangs, and a bite mark that Seulgi learned how to do from YouTube, painted onto his neck. They're straight out of a movie scene:

Extremely beautiful female vampire lures in hot jock to feed off of, injecting some of her venom, and getting him to turn slowly. At least, that's their story if anyone asks, but Jaebum doubts anyone will. It's obvious by looking at them what they are. 

Before they leave his home, they take a photo together, posting it to both of their Instagram feeds and then carry on. Jaebum doesn't have to drive for once, Mark doing the honors of picking them up after he picks up Seungwan. Jaebum holds the door open for Seulgi, letting her scoot in first before joining her in the backseat. He's removed his jacket, giving it to her so she could drape it over her legs for modesty in a dress that exposes too much thigh when seated. She thanks him, reaching out to hold his hand through the ride, and he responds by placing kisses on her fingertips. 
 

Mark and Wendy are matching zombies and they arrive at the party to find more zombies, witches, bumblebees and ladybugs, a cat or five, and Amber running around in a pikachu onesie. Jaebum's also sure he saw someone come as 'netflix and chill', which was so last year, but whatever.
 

They're getting drinks when Seulgi beckons him to bend down to her level. "The last Amber party we went to we were only together for like, what, a week?" She speaks directly into his ear, giggling. 
"Yeah, crazy right?" Crazy how times have changed, how feelings have changed. 
"Is Nayeon here?" Seulgi wonders and Jaebum shrugs, not bothering to tell her that he did spy Nayeon earlier dressed up as a bunny. He doesn't want to give her the impression that he wants to be here with someone else, because he doesn't. 
"Who cares? Let's just have fun tonight."
"Okay, do you want to dance?" She asks, pointing to wear Jackson and Youngji, both dressed as clowns, are. Jaebum nods, pulling Seulgi by the hand towards the impromptu dance floor. 

It's not until the end of the night, after Seulgi's home and all makeup is washed off, does he check his phone and Instagram again. He discovers two things: one, Seulgi's sister Joohyun has requested to follow him and two, Nayeon's single again. He could feel the storm brewing stronger.