ANKLET - YEONGYU - Force Marriage

8 - Anklet

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The sunlight peeked through the curtains, slowly warming the room as Yeonjun stirred awake. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the soft morning glow. Stretching his arms above his head, he climbed out of bed and padded to the bathroom. After a quick, invigorating shower, Yeonjun dressed in his basketball practice uniform. His mind was already on the day ahead, but first, there was something—or rather, someone—he needed to take care of.

He walked over to Beomgyu, who was still fast asleep, curled up under the blankets. A soft smile tugged at Yeonjun’s lips as he knelt beside the bed and gently shook Beomgyu’s shoulder. “Anklet baby, time to wake up,” Yeonjun whispered teasingly.

Beomgyu groaned, his eyelids fluttering as he rubbed his eyes. “Jjunie… tired,” he mumbled, still half-asleep.

Yeonjun chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair from Beomgyu’s forehead. “You’ve got cheer practice today, babe. No time to sleep in.”

With a reluctant sigh, Beomgyu slowly sat up, blinking at Yeonjun with sleepy eyes. “Do I have to?” he pouted, earning another soft laugh from Yeonjun.

“Yep, you do. Now go take a shower,” Yeonjun said, pulling Beomgyu to his feet. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

As Beomgyu dragged himself to the bathroom, Yeonjun couldn’t help but smile at his boyfriend’s adorable morning grumpiness. While Beomgyu showered, Yeonjun prepared breakfast—simple but satisfying. By the time Beomgyu came downstairs, now dressed in his cheerleader uniform, the table was set with food.

Beomgyu sat down, giving Yeonjun a grateful smile. “Thanks for making breakfast, Jjunie.”

“Of course,” Yeonjun said, sitting across from him. “You’ll need the energy for practice.”

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At school, the duo walked together through the entrance, where Beomgyu’s face lit up upon spotting two familiar figures. His older brother, Soobin, stood by the gate with his arm around Huening Kai’s shoulders.

“Hyung!” Beomgyu called out, running over and throwing his arms around Soobin. “I missed you so much!” He turned to Huening Kai and grinned. “You too, Kai!”

Soobin laughed, hugging his little brother tightly. “Missed you too, Gyu. How’s my favorite little brother?”

“I’m your only little brother,” Beomgyu replied with a giggle, but the warmth in his tone was undeniable.

Yeonjun strolled up behind him, exchanging a casual handshake with Soobin. “Yo, Soobin.”

“Yo, bro,” Soobin greeted back, smirking.

Huening Kai, watching the interaction, grinned. “You two are closer than ever, huh?”

“Yeah, we’ve been hanging out more,” Yeonjun said, giving Soobin a playful nudge.

Beomgyu observed them with a curious tilt of his head. “You guys are a lot closer now, huh?” he asked, his wide eyes darting between the two.

“Yep,” Soobin answered with a smile. “We’re practically family.”

Yeonjun’s expression suddenly became serious as he remembered something. He turned to Beomgyu, his tone firm. “Gyu, there’s something you need to know before practice. There’s a girl in the cheer team who’s… kinda obsessed with me. Just ignore her, okay?”

Beomgyu’s brow furrowed in concern. “But what if she makes fun of me?” he asked, his voice soft and unsure.

Soobin immediately pulled his brother into a side hug, reassuring him. “Hey, if she gives you a hard time, you come to us. We’ve got your back. You don’t need to worry.”