it reminded me of you

All the Ways I Let You Know

“Your boyfriend dropped something off for you earlier.”

Haewon’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. “What?”

Joohyun tilts her head to the dinner table and the wrapped box on top of it. “Sehun dropped that off about an hour ago. Said something about knowing you’d be whiny if he straight up gave it to you.” Joohyun gives her housemate a pointed look. “From the look on your face, I think he made a good choice.” She turns back to the stove before continuing, “Dinner’s in half an hour, give or take ten minutes.”

“Thanks, Joohyun.” Haewon holds the box under her left arm and readjusts her shoulder bag before padding off to her room. After toeing the door open, Haewon flicks on the light with her elbow and drops her bag on her bean bag chair. She flops onto her bed after placing the present on her desk. The day’s events run through her mind, from the unapproved floorplans to the countless unanswered emails she had yet to reply to, and she lets out a groan. Rolling onto her side, Haewon tucks her arm under her head and stares at the box on her desk.

After thinking for a few more seconds, Haewon slides off her bed and crawls to the bean bag chair and curls up on it. She plucks her phone out from her bag and unlocks it. Her finger hovers over the Facetime button but she settles on sending a text to Sehun instead.

What is this?!?!!?? she sends. She snaps a picture of the present on her desk and sends an angry sticker for good measure.

Sehun replies with a closeup picture of his face from an unflattering angle. A present for my gf?!?!?!?!?

Haewon snorts at his attempt at mocking her texting habit of adding too many punctuation marks to everything. It’s not an anniversary? Or my birthday? Or anything that would warrant a present????

I just wanted to get you something??

Haewon bites her lower lip to stop the smile from getting too wide. Call me before I shower? She barely sent the text when Sehun’s face pops up on the screen.

“Hello, how was your day?” Sehun asks.

“Hi to you too.” Haewon wiggles around, turning the volume up a bit when the bean bag makes noise. “It was okay, tiring as always.”

“Do I need to fight anyone at work for you?”

Hearing Sehun’s deep voice, even if it was through the phone, made everything feel better. “No, silly. There’s just a lot to do.”

“That’s good. Wait, no, not the lot to do part.”

Haewon laughs. “Yeah, yeah, I get it, Sehun.” She closes her eyes. “How was work for you?”

“Fun, fun, as always. Missed you though.” Haewon hears rustling from his side, like he’s turning under his blanket. “Did you eat yet?”

“Not yet, Joohyun is cooking right now.”

Sehun hums. “Did you open it yet?”

Haewon opens one eye. “Right, the present.”

“Did you honestly forget?” Sehun teases.

“Can you give me a good reason for why you bought it?” Haewon gets off the bean bag chair and stretches her tired limbs as she holds the phone between her shoulder and cheek. “What is it?”

“Hae, just open it,” Sehun whines.

The box isn’t heavy and after some shaking, Haewon concludes that it’s either another handbag or clothes – nothing else would fit in a relatively flat box and be that light. Sits down on her chair and puts Sehun on speaker. Her nails slide under the tape and she begins to slowly peel it off.

“Hae, just rip it. You don’t need to save that wrapping paper, oh my god.”

Haewon can imagine the exaggerated eye roll her boyfriend just gave her. “It’s pretty!” she argues. She slides the box out and folds the white and gold wrapping paper. “Sehun, are you serious?” It’s her turn to roll her eyes as she uses her nail to puncture a hole in the tape. Sehun’s laughter brings a smile to her face though. “You draw like a kindergartener.”

“Hey! I tried my best!”

After pulling out, and folding, the tissue paper, Haewon lets out a soft gasp at the sight inside.

“Do you like it?”

“Sehun, what the heck?”

“Hey, hey now. Before you start declaring your eternal devotion to me, let me explain how I’m such a great boyfriend.”

Haewon decides that she can let that one go, as she takes out the dress and holds it out.

“I saw it on my way back from work today. It reminded me of you. I even got you matching heels!”

“Sehun.”

“Yes, yes, I will take your praise and affection now. Shower me.”

“Sehun. Seriously.”

“What?” After a short pause, “Wait did I get the wrong size? You’re a small right? You’re tiny, there’s no way you’d fit a medium, though you’d look cute and all–”

“No, it’s the right size,” Haewon giggles. “The heels too.” She folds the dress and places it on her lap as she presses her cheek on her desk. “I love it, thank you so much.” Her hair is falling into her eyes, but Haewon is in too much of a good mood to let it bother her. “Thank you,” she repeats.

Sehun lets out an audible sigh of relief. “I promise I won’t buy you presents anymore until our half-year anniversary. I know how much it bothers you, but I just couldn’t resist buying this one.”

Haewon feels her insides flutter. “Did you know I had this dress on my to-buy list for the longest time? I was going to get it so I could wear it to the banquet you’ve been talking about at your work.” She pulls the phone closer to her face. “You’re great.”

“Damn right I am.”

“Don’t let it get to your head,” Haewon warns playfully. She rubs the soft fabric of the dark red dress between her fingers. “I really appreciate, Sehun.” She hesitates. “I–” Her mind is telling her that this would be the perfect time to say it, but her stomach twists and all of a sudden, there’s thousands of thoughts bombarding her head at once.

Sehun’s voice is soft when he speaks again. “Don’t worry about it, okay?” It’s like he knows.

“Okay.”

“Go eat, Hae. I’ll call you later.”

“Bye, Sehun.”

“Enjoy your dinner!”

Sehun is the living manifestation of “actions speak louder than words” and Haewon knows that she’s fallen completely.

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imageekx #1
hi i miss this fic so much:(
imageekx #2
Chapter 9: i cANT :((( sho cute
HaraD #3
Chapter 8: They are both so cute!! Really loved this
MiruMaroMo #4
Chapter 8: It's so refreshing to read just a simple but really nice story. I really like it. :)
bubblegum-
#5
Chapter 7: Omg what a simple and beautiful story this is! Absolutely love it ♡
mr_galaxy #6
I loveeeeee it. ♥️
imageekx #7
Chapter 3: THIS IS SO CUTEEEEE:((( hearts hearts