Stray Kids | oneshots

Fate | IN

The first time Y/N met IN was at a college party, one of those wild nights where everything felt hazy but electric. They had barely known each other then, both swept up in the energy of the evening. The music was loud, laughter echoed through the house, and the air was thick with possibility. Y/N had caught sight of IN across the room, their eyes meeting in a way that made her pulse quicken. A few drinks later, they found themselves leaning against the kitchen counter, talking about nothing and everything.

"You're not from here, are you?" IN asked, his voice teasing, though his eyes stayed on hers.

"Nope," Y/N smiled, her fingers playing with the edge of her cup. "Just here for the semester. You?"

"I've been around," he shrugged, flashing a grin that made her stomach flip. "But I'd stick around longer if every party was like this."

Before they knew it, one thing led to another, and they were in his dorm, wrapped up in the whirlwind of that night. Neither of them was looking for anything serious; it was clear from the start. When the morning light crept through the blinds, reality settled in.

"I guess we're both just... not ready for anything more," Y/N said, pulling her clothes back on, a smile tugging at her lips despite the awkwardness in the air.

IN chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, no commitments. We'll just leave it here. It was fun, though."

And with that, they parted ways, no numbers exchanged, no promises made. Just a memory they both assumed would fade over time.

Years passed, and life took them in different directions. Y/N had long since tucked away the memory of that night, until fate intervened. They met again in a place neither of them expected—an exchange program in Indonesia. Y/N had been sitting at a crowded street café, the heat of the day pressing down, when she heard a familiar voice.

"Y/N?" IN's voice cut through the noise, and she looked up to see him standing there, just as surprised as she was.

"No way," Y/N laughed, standing to greet him. "Of all the places..."

"Of all the places," IN echoed, a smile spreading across his face. "You here for the program too?"

"Yeah," she nodded, still in disbelief. "You?"

He grinned. "Guess we're stuck together for the next six weeks."

It didn't take long for the connection between them to reignite. The sun-soaked beaches, the late-night walks through markets, the easy laughter—all of it brought them back together.

"You know," IN said one night as they walked along the shore, the waves crashing softly beside them, "this is starting to feel like some kind of pattern."

"What do you mean?" Y/N asked, glancing at him.

"I mean, this is twice now," he said, his eyes lingering on her. "Fate keeps throwing us together."

"Or maybe we're just bad at goodbyes," Y/N teased, nudging him lightly.

They spent the rest of the program tangled up in each other, unable to stay apart. But as the end of the six weeks approached, so did reality.

"So, what now?" Y/N asked one evening as they sat in a small café, their last few days ticking down.

IN leaned back in his chair, a sad smile tugging at his lips. "We go back to our lives, I guess. Like last time."

Y/N felt a pang in her chest but forced a smile. "No promises, right? That's how we do this."

"Yeah," IN agreed, though his eyes told her he wasn't so sure this time. "No promises."