ATEEZ imagines

J.Y.H | A Path to Trust

!!Warning! : mention of abvse!!

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Lee Y/N had never imagined that her life in Korea would be so different from the one she had known in the United States. For years, she had endured a turbulent existence marked by her father's abuse, which had cast a dark shadow over her formative years. When her mother finally gathered the strength to leave, it was a relief, but it also meant uprooting their lives and starting anew in her grandparents' small town in Korea.

Her grandparents' home was a quaint, traditional house that was worlds away from the bustling cityscape she had known. As she walked into the house for the first time, the scent of jasmine and old wood filled the air, mingling with the warmth of familial comfort she had been missing. Her grandmother welcomed her with open arms, while her grandfather, though kind, was a figure Y/N found intimidating due to her past experiences with male authority figures.

Her new school was small compared to her old one, but the transition was daunting. Y/N, who had always been a quiet, introspective girl, struggled to fit in. She kept to herself, partly out of shyness and partly out of fear. However, her striking beauty did not go unnoticed. Her delicate features and graceful demeanor made her stand out, even though she tried her best to blend in.

Soon, she made friends with two extroverted girls, Kim Siyoon and Jeong Suhyeon. Siyoon, with her infectious laughter and boundless energy, and Suhyeon, with her warm and approachable nature, became Y/N's first real friends in Korea. The trio quickly became inseparable, with Siyoon and Suhyeon helping Y/N navigate the complexities of her new life.

Despite her growing friendship with Siyoon and Suhyeon, Y/N remained wary of boys. Her past experiences had led her to believe that all men were the same—untrustworthy and potentially dangerous. She observed her classmates from a distance, noting how some boys seemed to date girls for popularity rather than genuine affection. This reinforced her belief that she should keep her distance.

Her relationship with her grandfather was a slow process of rebuilding trust. It took over a year of small gestures and quiet conversations before she could fully open up to him. He was patient and understanding, never pushing her, and eventually, his kindness began to heal some of the wounds from her past.

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As the years passed, Y/N's trust in her new surroundings grew, but her skepticism about boys remained unchanged. Senior year arrived, bringing with it the familiar anxieties of impending adulthood and future uncertainties. Despite her growing confidence, Y/N's wariness of relationships persisted.

Suhyeon's older brother, Jeong Yunho, was a senior at the school. He was well-known and well-liked, possessing an effortless charm that seemed to come naturally. To Y/N, he was just another boy in the background—someone she noticed but didn't think much of.

Unbeknownst to Y/N, Yunho had harbored feelings for her since her first year at the school. His feelings had grown deeper over time, but he kept them to himself, not wanting to risk disrupting the harmony of his sister's friendships or his own social circle. His closest friends, Mingi, Wooyoung, Yeosang, and San, were completely unaware of his secret affection.

It was Suhyeon who first noticed the subtle signs of her brother's feelings. She observed Yunho's lingering glances and the way he would often mention Y/N in passing. Initially, Suhyeon was unsure of how to handle the situation. She was protective of both her brother and her friend and feared that revealing Yunho's feelings might complicate things.

One day, Y/N casually mentioned to Suhyeon that she had developed a crush on someone. Suhyeon's heart raced as she realized that Y/N's crush was on her brother. The two friends shared their feelings and, to Suhyeon's delight, found that their sentiments matched perfectly.