Song: Make Up by Sam Kim and Crush

(November 27, Chanyeol’s POV)

It was the second time I did her that night.

Her moans filled the room, encouraging me to go harder and faster.

Damn, I missed her. I craved for the curves of her body and her scent so much. We’re only able to do this every once in a while, and when we do, I’m sure I’m going to have the best time.

There’s something about her. I can’t say I love her, but she brings out a different side of me, something I have not experienced with other women.

She’s…I don’t know…confident? y? Secure of herself? One thing’s for sure. She’s really good in bed.

She called for my name as she closed her eyes. I knew she’s about to reach her peak and I did her the hardest.

She had her the same timing as me. Damn, can I do her again? I don’t want to wait for another month for this. She’s definitely my guilty pleasure.

“Ah, , that was good, Chanyeol,” she panted heavily as the both of us looked at the ceiling for some time. I felt elated that she complimented my lovemaking, and I’m eager to do it again.

But she sat up and searched for her underwear.

“Wait, you’re leaving?” I asked.

“Yeah, it’s 9pm, silly,” she put on her clothes, that tiny peach dress to be exact. I wasn’t sure if she wore it specifically to seduce me.

I went for my watch on the bedside table of the hotel room we were in. “Ah , seriously?”

“Yup. You need to hurry. You’re the guest of honor,” she threw my boxer briefs towards me.

“Right. Sure,” I responded adamantly. “I’ll…see you soon?” I asked knowingly.

She was only quiet as she took the keycard from her side of the table and handed it over to me.

She didn’t look back anymore as she exited the room.

It’s like that all the time; and this has been going on for months now.

I have needs too. I’m a man, for crying out loud.

And she fulfills every single one of my desires with no questions asked and no strings attached.

It’s the perfect setup.

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(November 27, Minna’s POV)

“Surprise!!! Happy Birthday!” everyone greeted your boyfriend that evening. You arranged for this surprise party and invited his friends, but you already had an inclination that he has an idea of what you’re up to. It was held at a bar at Hongdae, where people your age frequent.

It was November 27 and it’s your boyfriend, Chanyeol’s 30th birthday.

“Thanks! Thanks! This is such a surprise!” his eyes were wide and bright as he hugged his guests and thanked them one by one.

“Please help yourself. I have overflowing drinks and food good for everyone,” you approached some of the guests and gestured towards the table. You had everything planned and prepared for this big day, trying to put your best foot forward.

While you’re not a frequent party goer and you don’t really go to those types of places, you still set his birthday there as you knew he and his friends prefer that location. If it’s purely your choice, though, you wanted a quiet evening having dinner at home with soju and some relaxing music.

You can say that Chanyeol is tight with his group, considered the most popular ones in uni. 8 years after graduating, and you being together with Chanyeol for 2 years now, you can say that you still haven’t penetrated them.

You don’t mind at all, but you simply exist whenever you’re with them. You’re not the type who initiates conversations anyways, and you don’t have the same likes and preferences with them. They don’t exert effort into getting to know you as well, so you let things be.

While Chanyeol has tried to let you get to know his friends through quick trips every now and then, his efforts remain futile as they seem to be too cliquish that nobody can penetrate their circle.

Being a field reporter to a mid-level broadcasting company, you are usually sent to different provinces near Seoul to cover anything under the sun. Typhoon, fire, flooding, earthquakes, rare-bred cats, basically anything. Your ultimate goal is to cover celebrities, but with the way things are progressing, you believe they will make you report more about serious stuff as they said it matches your image.

Truthfully, you are an ambivert—quiet towards strangers, but loud with your friends. It takes time for you to be at ease with someone, and people mistake that as you being a snob. Although you work hard to perfect your craft, and that has been fruitful as it led you to having a semi-comfortable life. Safe to say that you are an overachiever and a diligent person when it comes to your job.

Work is generally good until you realized you have less time at home, and more on the road. You even needed to file for vacation leave just so you can spend the night with your boyfriend.

You were introduced at a party of his good friend, Kim Rowoon, who happens to be the ex-boyfriend of your own best friend, Son Naeun. It was like any other getting to know you then slowly falling in love story, nothing fancy about it, really.

As expected, Chanyeol approached you with his eager eyes and the deepest dimples. “Thank you. Thanks so much for this. I love you so much, Minna,” he showered you with kisses on the face and lips after.

You giggled underneath his kisses. “You’re welcome. I love you too, Chanyeol.”

You gave him a hug right after while smelling his neck. “Did you change your perfume?”

“Huh? No. Why?” he smelled himself.

“You kinda smell different.”

“Oh, I changed my fabric conditioner, maybe that’s it?” he wondered with you.

“Ah yeah, that’s it. Smells good, huh.”

The both of you entertained your guests, him with his crew, and you, with your best friends Kibum and Naeun. With the messy breakup of Rowoon and Naeun, you dare not invite your groups to the same gatherings, save for this one.

“You guys okay?” you put your glass of whisky on the high table and greeted your friends.

“Yeah, getting bored by the minute, I can say,” Kibum rolled his eyes.

“Huh? How come?” you awaited his answer.

“We don’t jive with Chanyeol’s friends, that’s why. We’re like outsiders here,” Naeun whispered. “And that Rowoon. Ugh, I hate him,” she eyed her ex from where she stood and shook her head.

Naeun caught him cheating with a woman 5 years his junior, hence the messy breakup. She threw all of his things from her apartment window from the third floor, including his most prized possessions, his Rolex and Omega watches which he asked her to safekeep. Easy to say that they want to kill each other up until this day.

“Aren’t you bothered?” Naeun glanced quickly at Chanyeol’s group as she asked.

“With?”

“Look at what The Powerpuff Girls are wearing,” she whispered. “Ugh, I hate those girls.”

The Powerpuff Girls refer to the women in Chanyeol’s circle. This is the codename that Naeun gave to those whiney, princessy yet overly confident and y women.

There’s Park Jiyeon, this smart, alpha female who gets what and who she wants at the snap of her finger.

Kim Seolhyun, this tall, curvaceous woman who doesn’t commit and lets men run after her killer looks and physique.

And Ahn Yura, who seems cute and angelic but is the nastiest one of them all.

You are careful when it comes to these women, and even dread your get togethers only because you hate being in their overbearing presence.

“What’s wrong with what they’re wearing?” you pretended you didn’t know.

“Uhm, it looks like they’re at a beach, and it’s clearly winter already,” Kibum was unimpressed.

“Let them be. Their bodies, their rules,” you tried defending them, but you can’t help but compare your own outfit with theirs.

While you have your own sense of style, you try your best not to show too much skin as you’re simply not comfortable with it. You do go to the gym regularly to maintain your weight as your job requires it, but aside from that, you don’t exert too much effort, unlike them who work out to maintain their killer abs and toned arms.

“Look at your boyfriend, being extremely comfortable with the ladies,” Naeun’s doubtful mind tried influencing you. Ever since her breakup with Rowoon, she had become this cynic, although you can’t really blame her for it.

Truthfully, the women would take turns to chat with the men and stand close to whisper whatever nonsense they’re thinking. In Chanyeol’s circle, there’s Rowoon of course, Yukhei, and Yuta, all ridiculously good looking.

“They’ve been friends for more than ten years, Naeun. It’s fine,” you reassured her. You aren’t the jealous type in the first place. Must be because you’re too busy as well to be bothered by those things?

“When will you guys break up?” Kibum asked out of nowhere.

“You have asked that question a million times, Kibum. And no, we aren’t breaking up.”

“Chanyeol is a good guy, Minna. But you can do so much better,” Naeun added. “Remember that actor who made a move on you?”

“I don’t. You’re the only one who keeps reminding me,” you .

“How about that chaebol son who asked for your number at a party?” Kibum asked.

“He only asked for it because he wanted the station to cover his product launch.”

“And he will course it through you? Come on, you’re too naïve, Minna,” Kibum scoffed. “You have let these good men pass.”

“Because I am already with someone else. And I don’t have plans of breaking up with him, are you crazy?” you were louder than you intended, so you looked around to check if someone is listening.

“You should consider your friends the next time you’ll date,” he stressed. “This is sooo awkward.”

“Thirty more minutes, okay? Then you may leave already. And can you not talk about Chanyeol that way?”

After some time, Chanyeol approached you and held your waist. “Let’s dance?” he started nibbling your ear.

“Chanyeol,” you grinned, but stopped as you saw Kibum rolling his eyes. “I’ll be back,” you told your best friends.

Your loverboy led you to the dancefloor and only had eyes for you. The music was loud, EDM, but you slow danced to your own beat.

“This is…corny,” you giggled.

“Why?”

“We don’t dance like the rest,” you eyed the people around you who are hooking up and dirty dancing.

“And so? We’re chill like this. Don’t you like it?” you felt him hugging you tighter on the waist. “Again, thanks for arranging this. I really appreciate it.”

“Anything for you, Yeol,” you studied his facial features carefully. That time, you were already past the honeymoon phase in your relationship, so these simple gestures of his make you so giddy.

“It’s us forever. I’m sure of it,” he said as he kissed your nose, cheeks and eyelids.

You grinned, definitely feeling the same.

There was nothing special as to how you and him got together, but you can say that Chanyeol went after you hard as he tried to win your heart back then. He would show up outside the station every night to pick you up and still bring you out on dates. You weren't looking for someone and not really interested to date. You haven’t been with anyone for the longest time too as you prioritized your career, but he was the refreshing change that you thought you needed that time. So slowly, you opened up and fell for him hard.

He leaned close for a kiss, of which you hesitated. He was intoxicated already; of course, he will, it’s his birthday.

“Why?”

“There are…people here…” you laughed shyly.

“It’s just a kiss, Minna,” Chanyeol hissed, but smiled still.

“They might recognize who I am,” you reasoned out. You are no celebrity in any way at all, but you still wanted to be on the safe side.

You felt him loosening his grip on your waist. “Fine. You win. It’s my birthday, but okay, you win.”

“Wait,” you let out a sigh. “Okay,” you put your arms around his neck and rubbed your noses while giggling, just so you can put him back to the mood.

He hissed, and pursed his lips before going in for the kiss.

You felt his hands roaming on your back. You fidgeted when he started grabbing and squeezing your so openly, but you calmed yourself down after some time. You knew of the things he will do if you were left alone in a room.

You are just…fine in bed. You like the basics whenever your schedule permits and shy away from the stuff Chanyeol would propose from time to time. While you have explored a lot of those in the past, you talked to him seriously about it afterwards to air your discomfort. Since then, it’s all vanilla, missionary or woman on top only for the both of you, if your schedule can manage.

Him kissing you aggressively on the dancefloor felt awkward with the people looking, especially your best friends and The Powerpuff Girls, but you let him be. Being polar opposites and Chanyeol being the hyper, eager one, these things are already a given.

You then felt something vibrating that you broke the connection. “Is that yours?”

He shook his head, clearly disappointed that your moment was cut short. “My phone’s on silent.”

You took out your phone and whispered a curse word when you saw who was calling.

“I’ll…step out for a while,” you told your boyfriend apologetically.

“Let me guess, it’s Heechul, the person who owns you?” Chanyeol hissed.

You looked at him disappointingly before turning around and walking towards the restroom so you can hear your boss clearly.

“Seonsangnim,” you answered his call.

“Minna, dear…”

“Yes?”

“Where are you?”

“Mapo-gu,” you gave a limited answer.

“Good…good!”

With his tone, you knew what will come next.

“Uh, there’s huge fire at an arcade in Dongdaemun, and I want you to go there to cover.”

“I’m on vacation today, seonsangnim,” you said.

“But this is an emergency, Minna. We can’t be the only network not covering this.”

“Why can’t Sooyoung go there instead?”

“She’s not picking up.”

“Seonsangnim…” you whined.

“Come on, after this I won’t bother you anymore. It’ll only be for an hour. Tell me where Jongin can pick