Wild thoughts | Stray Kids Imagines

Friends with benefits | Yang Jeongin

You sat on the couch, scrolling through your phone absentmindedly when you got a text from Jeongin. It was the same as usual: "Want to come over tonight?" You knew what it meant, and a part of you lit up at the thought of seeing him. Another part, though, felt a familiar twinge of sadness.

Your arrangement with Jeongin had started a few months ago, a spontaneous decision born out of a night of too many drinks and lingering looks. It seemed simple at first—two friends finding comfort in each other without the complications of a relationship. But now, as you stood in front of your mirror, fixing your hair and putting on a hint of makeup, the feelings you'd been trying to suppress bubbled to the surface. You'd grown to care about him, more deeply than you intended.

When you arrived at his place, Jeongin greeted you with that easy smile, the one that made your heart skip a beat. The evening unfolded like it always did: casual conversation, laughter, and eventually, tangled sheets. But this time, as you lay beside him, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing, you couldn't ignore the ache in your chest. You knew you couldn't continue like this.

You decided, there and then, that it had to end. The next morning, you got up quietly, gathered your things, and left without waking him. The text you sent later was brief, devoid of explanations: "I can't do this anymore. I'm sorry."

Jeongin called and texted you repeatedly over the next few days, but you ignored it all. You knew he deserved more of an explanation, but you couldn't bring yourself to give it. It was too painful, and you weren't sure you could get through it without breaking down.

The next few weeks were a blur. You threw yourself into work and other friendships, trying to fill the void that Jeongin's absence had left. It wasn't easy, but you were determined to move on.

Then one evening, you were out with friends when you saw him. He was with a girl, and the sight stopped you cold. It wasn't just any girl—it was Hyejin, the one person you couldn't stand. She was loud, brash, and seemed to take pleasure in making others feel small. You'd had your share of clashes with her, and Jeongin knew it.

You watched as he laughed at something she said, his hand resting casually on her waist. Your heart clenched, and you felt a wave of emotions—hurt, anger, and betrayal. It felt like he was doing this to spite you, to rub salt in the wound. The way he glanced over to you all the time made you furious. It was like he wanted you to see everything. He wanted to make you mad. He wanted to hurt you.

You managed to avoid him for the rest of the night. You walked to the bar, and someone stepped up next to you. When you saw him, your emotions spilled out before you could stop them.

"Why her?" you demanded, your voice trembling. "You know how I hate Hyejin."

Jeongin looked at you, and for a moment, you saw something flicker in his eyes—guilt, maybe. But then it was gone, replaced by a cool detachment. "It's not about you, Y/N. I like her."

You wanted to believe him, but something didn't add up. You knew Jeongin well enough to see through his façade. He was doing this to get a reaction out of you, to make you jealous. And it was working.

"Is this what you wanted?" you asked quietly. "To hurt me?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't want to hurt you. Maybe next time I just send you a text when I get a new girlfriend and ignore you after. Would that hurt you less?" He sounded angry.

The words stung, and you swallowed hard, trying to keep your composure. "I hope she makes you happy, Jeongin."

You walked away before he could respond, tears blurring your vision. It was over. You did the right thing by ending things, but it didn't make it hurt any less. You'd move on eventually, find someone who loved you the way you deserved. But for now, you allowed yourself to grieve for what might have been.

You walked outside of the bar when someone grabbed your wrist. You turned to see Jeongin. "What else do you want?" you asked, poison in your voice. But you couldn't pull your wrist away. His touch after all that time felt too good.

"I'm sorry. I was petty back in there," Jeongin said, "it's just... you really hurt me, Y/N. Breaking things off over text... after all we had?"

"After all we had? We had nothing but sex, Jeongin," you said. "We made it clear: no feelings. I broke it off when I started to catch them."

"Why didn't you just tell me? I would've told you that I feel the same," he whispered.

You sniffled. "Well, now you have a girlfriend so I guess it's too late," you whispered.

"We're not together. I asked her out because I knew you would be here," he confessed. "I wanted to make you jealous."

The confession hung in the air between you, raw and honest. You stared at him, processing his words. "You did all this just to make me jealous?" you asked, incredulous.

Jeongin nodded, looking genuinely remorseful. "I know it was stupid and childish, but I didn't know how else to get your attention. I miss you, Y/N. Not just the... physical part, but everything. The way we talked, laughed... I miss you."

Your heart softened at his words, but the pain was still fresh. "You really hurt me, Jeongin. Seeing you with her... it felt like you were trying to punish me."

He stepped closer, his eyes pleading. "I was hurt too, Y/N. When you left, I felt like I lost a part of myself. I didn't handle it well, but I never wanted to lose you."

You took a deep breath, weighing your options. You could walk away, let the hurt fester, or you could take a leap of faith. "This can't be like before," you said slowly. "If we do this, we need to be honest with each other. No more games."

Jeongin nodded eagerly. "I promise. I want to make this work. I want to be with you."

You looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of insincerity. All you saw was the boy you had fallen for, the boy who was now asking for another chance. "Okay," you said softly. "Let's try."

A slow smile spread across his face, and for the first time in a long while, you felt a spark of hope. He pulled you into a gentle hug, and you let yourself melt into his embrace, the familiar warmth reassuring you. He slightly pulled away and leaned in, placing a kiss on your lips that was so sweet, you almost fainted. And in that moment you realised, you didn't want to move on. It wasn't possible. Jeongin stole your heart and he was keeping it somewhere in a safe place. You will never be able to get it back