Y/N couldn't quite remember when her feelings for Soobin started. Maybe it was sometime in high school when she'd notice him and her brother laughing together, his face lighting up when he'd crack a joke. Or maybe it was the time he'd stayed over late helping her brother with his homework and had stayed to help her out with her math, too.
Growing up, he'd always been around, like an extra part of her family. But now, things felt different, at least for Y/N. Soobin wasn't just her brother's friend anymore—he was the one person who could make her heart race with a simple smile.
For a long time, though, Y/N kept her crush to herself. She was sure Soobin thought of her as his best friend's "little sister," and she didn't want to risk embarrassing herself. But recently, she'd been catching little looks from him, noticing the way he'd laugh a little harder when she was around or how he'd look over at her with a certain softness in his eyes.
One evening, her brother invited Soobin over to study for their finals together. They had been in the dining room for hours, surrounded by textbooks and notebooks, going over notes and reviewing formulas. Y/N was in the kitchen making a snack, stealing glances at Soobin when he wasn't looking.
After a while, her brother, exhausted from studying, drifted off to sleep right there at the table. Soobin was still awake, scribbling some last notes, and Y/N felt this might be her only chance to finally talk to him alone.
She walked over to him, trying to keep her voice steady. "Soobin, thanks for helping him out tonight. I know he really appreciates it."
He looked up at her, smiling softly. "No problem, Y/N. You know I don't mind."
Y/N hesitated, feeling her cheeks heat up as she carefully chose her next words. "I just... I always wonder why you do so much for us. Is it really just because you're my brother's friend?"
Soobin's pen stilled on the paper, and he blinked, looking up at her with a hint of surprise. "Well... not really. I mean, your brother's my best friend, yeah, but..." He trailed off, running a hand through his hair, looking a little nervous. "I don't mind being here for you too, Y/N. You know that, right?"
Her heart fluttered. Did he really mean that? Y/N looked down at her hands, trying to summon the courage to say what she'd wanted to say for so long. "Soobin... if I told you I wanted to see you for more than just... my brother's friend, would that be okay?"
He stared at her for a moment, as if he wasn't sure he'd heard her right. Then a slow, shy smile spread across his face. "Y/N... I didn't know you felt that way."
Y/N's heart was racing, her palms suddenly sweaty. She couldn't believe she'd actually told him, but now that she had, she couldn't stop the words from coming out. "I... I do. I have for a while. But I just thought maybe you'd never see me that way..."
Soobin stood up, stepping a little closer, his expression warm and kind. "You're wrong. I always noticed you, Y/N. But I never wanted to make things weird or... mess anything up."
His voice was soft as he took another step toward her, close enough that she could feel his warmth. "But if you feel the same way... I'd really like to see where this could go."
Y/N's face broke into a smile, and Soobin's hand reached up, gently tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered, and he looked at her with a question in his eyes. "Can I...?"
She nodded, her breath catching as he leaned in. The world seemed to melt away as his lips met hers in a gentle, soft kiss. It felt like a dream, like something she'd only imagined in her mind.When they finally pulled away, both of them were smiling, and Soobin's hand remained in hers. They didn't need to say anything else; the unspoken feelings between them finally had a voice. And for the first time, Y/N knew she wasn't just her brother's "little sister" to Soobin. She was someone he'd noticed all along.
