𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐃𝐄; boysnextdoor

one of his girls; taesan

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

The late afternoon sun streamed through the living room windows as Y/N sat on the couch, pretending to be engrossed in the book she was holding. In reality, she was paying more attention to the voices filtering in from the backyard. Her brother and his friends were back for their weekly hangout—an event that had become both the highlight and the bane of her week.

Ever since Y/N could remember, her older brother’s friends had been around, filling the house with laughter and playful banter. They had always been like an extended family to her, big brothers who teased her, made fun of her crushes, and always watched out for her. But as she grew older, something changed, especially when it came to Taesan.

At first, Y/N had thought it was just a phase. A silly crush on her brother’s best friend. He had always been kind to her, flashing his easy smile whenever she crossed his path, treating her with the same warmth he showed everyone. She had tried to convince herself that her heart didn’t speed up every time he looked her way, that his laugh didn’t send a shiver down her spine.

But as the months passed, those feelings only intensified. Taesan had become more than just her brother’s best friend—he was the person she wanted most, the one who consumed her thoughts more than she cared to admit. He was just... so effortlessly handsome. His dark hair, the way it fell into his eyes when he laughed, the way he carried himself, confident but not arrogant. And his smile—God, that smile.

The problem, though, was that he was completely out of reach.

Her brother had made sure of that.

Y/N scowled at the thought. It wasn’t enough that her brother treated her like a fragile little thing who needed constant protection. No, he had to go the extra mile and make sure every one of his friends knew she was off-limits. Anytime one of them so much as joked about her, her brother would step in with that infamous “talk,” threatening to cut off their balls if they so much as looked at her the wrong way.

It was infuriating.

Her brother trusted Taesan the most out of all his friends, and that was what made everything worse. While he kept his guard up with the others, Taesan was different. He was allowed to be around her, to talk to her, to hang out with her. If her brother wasn’t so confident in Taesan’s “good intentions,” maybe, just maybe, Y/N would have a chance.

But as it stood, she was stuck in the worst possible position—always close to Taesan but never close enough.

Y/N shut her book with a frustrated sigh and tossed it onto the coffee table. She couldn’t sit here any longer, pretending to read while her mind wandered to thoughts of Taesan. She needed fresh air.

When she stepped outside onto the porch, the cool evening breeze greeted her. Her brother and his friends were gathered around the firepit, talking and laughing, but it was Taesan who caught her eye, as always. He was sitting on the edge of the bench, casually tossing a small stick into the fire, his face illuminated by the warm glow of the flames. He looked up at her as soon as she stepped outside, his eyes catching hers for a brief moment. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“Hey, Y/N,” he called, waving her over. “Come join us.”

Her brother turned to see who Taesan was talking to, and his face softened when he saw her. “You’re not bothering us, are you?”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “Not unless my mere presence is a bother.”

“Of course not, kid.” Her brother chuckled, though the overprotective edge to his voice never fully disappeared. “You’re always welcome. Just don’t expect us to let you in on all the secrets.”

She smirked. “Don’t worry, I know all your secrets already.”

The others laughed, and Y/N felt herself relax slightly. She took a seat on the bench beside Taesan, trying not to let her heart race too much as he shifted to make room for her. The warmth of the fire was comforting, but the tension between her and Taesan was always simmering just beneath the surface, like a secret only she knew.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the fire crackling softly as the conversations drifted around them. Y/N found herself sneaking glances at Taesan, studying the way the firelight flickered against his skin, the way his lashes cast shadows on his cheeks. He was so close, yet so far away.

“You okay?” Taesan’s voice broke her thoughts, and she realized he had been watching her watch him.

“Yeah,” she replied quickly, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. “Just... thinking.”

“About what?” he asked, tilting his head slightly, his eyes narrowing in curiosity.

Y/N hesitated. How could she tell him the truth? That she was thinking about how unfair it was that he was right here, within arm’s reach, but still miles away? How her brother had unknowingly built an impenetrable wall between them, one she didn’t know how to climb?

“Nothing important,” she said finally, shrugging.

Taesan didn’t press the issue, but the way he looked at her lingered, as if he knew there was more she wasn’t saying. He had always been perceptive like that—quiet, but always paying attention.

A part of Y/N wanted to blurt it all out. To tell him how she felt. To ask him if he ever thought about her the way she thought about him. But the larger part of her, the cautious part, knew it wasn’t that simple. He was her brother’s best friend, after all. And if things went wrong... Well, she couldn’t even imagine how much worse that would make everything.

The fire crackled louder, sparks flying into the air, and her brother’s voice broke through the silence. “Hey, Taesan, don’t forget the rules, okay?” he said jokingly, though there was a warning hidden beneath the humor.

Y/N’s stomach dropped. She knew exactly what her brother was referring to.

Taesan grinned, his eyes flicking to her for the briefest second before he turned back to her brother. “Don’t worry, man. I know.”

And that was it. Just two words. But they were enough to make Y/N’s heart sink. “I know.” It was like an unspoken agreement between them, a silent contract that no matter what, she was just her brother’s little sister. Off-limits.

She clenched her hands into fists, frustration bubbling inside her. It wasn’t fair. Why did her brother get to dictate who she could or couldn’t have feelings for? Why did he have to put that barrier between her and Taesan?

As the night wore on, the others gradually began to leave, and soon it was just Y/N, Taesan, and her brother left by the fire. Her brother yawned, stretching his arms above his head. “Alright, I’m heading in. You two coming?”

Y/N glanced at Taesan, half hoping he’d make an excuse to stay outside with her. But to her disappointment, he stood up, brushing off his jeans. “Yeah, I’ll head in too.”

Of course, she thought bitterly.

But just as Taesan turned to follow her brother inside, he paused, looking over his shoulder at her. “Hey, Y/N,” he said softly.

She looked up at him, trying to keep the hope out of her eyes. “Yeah?”

For a moment, he looked like he was going to say something important, something that might change everything. But then he just smiled, that easy, infuriatingly perfect smile of his. “Goodnight.”

Y/N’s heart sank. “Goodnight,” she mumbled, watching as he disappeared into the house with her brother.

Once again, she was left with the bitter reality: she was just his best friend’s sister. No matter how much she wanted him, that fact was never going to change.

As she stared into the dying embers of the fire, she made a silent vow. One day, she’d find a way to break free from the invisible chains her brother had put on her. One day, she’d make Taesan see her as more than just the kid sister. But for now, she was stuck in this maddening limbo, waiting for a moment that might never come.