Jiseok Short Story Collection

Our own countdown

The very instant I stepped into the living room, a thunderous, simultaneous pop filled the air. Clouds of multicolored paper confetti rained down over my head, and blinking through the glittering streamers, I spotted Chanyeon, Hyunjin, and Jiseok standing in a proud single file in front of the TV.

They were all wearing matching couple T-shirts with my face printed huge and front-and-center on them, insanely hilarious ones. Around the face frame, it said this:



"Congrats on 100 days!!" Chanyeon shouted, grinning so wide his eyes practically disappeared as he shook a party horn violently.

"We made a cake too." Hyunjin said with a mischievous smile, stepping aside to show the low living room table. In the center sat a custom mini fresh cream cake, beautifully messy, with candles shaped like "100" burning brightly. "I talked Chani hyung out of doing the decoration, so you can eat it without worrying."

"Hey!" Chanyeon yelled indignantly, jabbing Hyunjin in the side with his elbow.

I clapped a hand over my mouth, unable to hold back my laughter, and looked from one to the other. Jiseok stood slightly off to the side, looking down at me with an easier, warmer posture. A uniquely handsome lopsided smile curved his lips, and his dark eyes were on my reaction, radiating pure affection.

Before I could even get a word out, Hyunjin slipped into my space and proudly handed me a small velvet jewelry box. Inside were four smooth silver friendship rings lined up side by side. Each ring was delicately engraved with our dorm's coordinates. We all sat together on the carpet, laughing and chatting as we slipped the rings onto our fingers. It was the moment we officially celebrated our chaotic, precious pseudo-family having somehow survived a mad 100 days together.

Soon, the high-energy chaos from the start began to slowly die down. Chanyeon let out a jaw-cracking yawn, then dragged sleepy-to-death Hyunjin by the hem of his clothes toward the hallway so he could finally crash after a long week of practice.

"Don't eat all the cake!" Chanyeon called with a wink before the bedroom door shut, and the living room instantly fell into a deep, suffocating silence.

I leaned back against the sofa and lifted my left hand under the lamp's soft amber glow. I wanted to admire the new silver ring shining on my skin.

A shadow fell across the carpet. Jiseok slowly climbed down from the sofa cushion and slipped onto the floor beside me. The festival-like noise that had filled the apartment was gone completely, and his sudden closeness made the dim room feel breathlessly cozy and intimate.

"Noona," Jiseok said. His low, hushed baritone cut through the room's silence in an instant.

"Mm?" I said, lifting my head from the floor and tilting it slightly to show I was focused entirely on him.

He looked down at me and smiled gently. His large, warm hand reached out and slowly brushed my stray hairs behind my ear. His fingers skimmed my flushed skin with a light, careful touch, and the sudden intimacy I hadn't expected made my breathing hitch for a moment.

"Actually, I have one more gift for you, noona," he whispered, shyly slipping a hand into his pajama pocket. His ears turned bright red almost immediately, unable to hide it. He popped open a second, much smaller velvet box, and inside were two elegant silver rings, matching couple rings meant only for the two of us. "I want noona to have one. One for noona, one for me."

Curious, I carefully picked up the ring under the lamp's soft amber light. As I tilted the metal band toward the light, I noticed a tiny, intricate design engraved on the inside. The moment I leaned closer to read it, I caught my breath. There, in very delicate lettering, it said:



When I looked back up at him, my face was flooded with a beautiful mix of confusion and belated realization.

"I want to start another 100-day countdown," he confessed softly. His usual sturdy, unwavering confidence had melted completely into adorable shyness, and his gaze dropped to his lap. "Just the two of us. As lovers."

My heart hammered beneath my ribs in a wildly happy rhythm. "I... I really want that too." I answered, a sincere smile I couldn't hide blooming wide at my lips.

Jiseok snapped his head up, and unmistakable, radiant joy burst across his handsome face. His reason seemed to evaporate in an instant, completely overwhelmed by the heat of the moment. He surged forward and stole my lips in a kiss so sudden it took my breath away. Before I could react, he pulled back by a handspan. His widened eyes were full of flustered panic, and he started stammering apologies, saying it had all been too abrupt.

"It's okay, you dummy," I interrupted his flustered words with a gentle smile. Deciding to show him exactly how serious I was, I crawled forward and climbed onto his lap, letting my full weight rest against him. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and pulled him back into a much deeper, far cozier, more passionate embrace. Jiseok let out a low, satisfied sigh against my lips, then used one large hand to grip my waist tightly and press me close to his chest like a human shield.

Just as the kiss was growing tender and deep, a faint, metallic camera shutter sound rang out from the dark hallway, followed by a hurried burst of suppressed giggles.

I didn't even need to look up to know Chanyeon and Hyunjin were plastered to the doorway right now, furiously snapping photos of us on their phones like paparazzi. Jiseok's shoulders stiffened for a split second, and an embarrassed groan caught in his throat, but I just smiled against his lips and pulled him even closer.

Our first 100 days as a family were officially over, but the moment his arms tightened possessively around my waist in the quiet living room, I knew our countdown of just the two of us had finally begun.