✓ UNDERNEATH IT ALL ━ nakamoto yuta

🎭 . . chapter fourteen.

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SONG OF THE DAY                :
underneath it all  -  no doubt

. . . . . .

the next morning, yuta woke up uncomfortably curled up on the couch, the first thing he heard being moonyoung bickering with someone over the phone on loudspeaker as she treated herself with a trip to the kitchen.

although the conversation was quite unclear from his distance, he assumed it was the executive secretary's promotion as ceo from their few audible choices of words.

raeil whined, "you just got a boyfriend and now you're passing your burdens to me? now i regret making you go to him."

"what kind of bestie would i be if i just passed my burdens to you? i'll still be your co-ceo. you'll just be like, networkly's frontwoman. with your skills, i think you can handle it more."

"i mean, okay. that does sound intriguing."

"it does! besides, being ceo means you have your solo office where you can invite anyone at any time. invite doyoung!" moonyoung said. "and when he's finally there, you can reenact the r-rated office wattpad aus you've been reading."

"i do not read r-rated aus."

"whatever you say."

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when he heard how the call with raeil ended, yuta decided to walk towards poor moonyoung who desperately reached for the box of splenda packets located on the uppermost shelf.

"good morning!"

she was very, very startled after the sudden extension of his arm from behind, placing a hand on her chest as she panted afterwards. "jesus, you scared me."

"by the way, you never told me you were an excellent kisser," the man decided to bring up amidst the stirring of coffee.

"we won't talk about that."

he pouted. "but it's true!"

knowing the perfect timing was already there, he spun moonyoung around, her leaning on the edge of the kitchen top for support.

there and then, they simply exchanged glimpses of noticeable appreciation. the silence was still there, except this time, it had lessened awkwardness. it was ideal.

"god, you're beautiful."

she rolled her eyes. "oh there you go again with your flattery."

"flattery? honey, i could never lie to you."

using her renowned expression ('honey') brought him a tinge of satisfaction for some reason.

i should use it on her more often, he thought before continuing to speak.

"you're seriously really beautiful all the time, but today it hits different because, you know, you're you. no faked smiles or frowns, or the need to impress. none of that. just you. your sincerity is perfect. uh, well, not that kind of perfect because perfection is truly pressuring but, yeah. it's perfect in a way that it doesn't need change even if it has a few flaws here and there. i— should i even call that perfection? anyways, i think i'm fumbling over words right now, bu— hey, wh-why are you turning away? did i say something wrong?"

almost immediately, yuta hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. not being able to resist, he planted a kiss on her cheek, noticing a difference with her eyes.

"are those tears? again?" he chuckled. "i didn't know you cry so much."

"it's your fault."

she indeed was deprived of people's sweetness, causing her to unexpectedly tear up from yuta's words alone.

(the things he does to her are all honestly unmatchable.)

"my honey," he spoke with the cheesiest tone he could project, "like today, i promise i'll only make you cry happy tears as i spend a lifetime with you."

"alright, honey." she attempted to match his energy, causing her to display a face indicating pure cringe. that surely didn't fit her 'image'. "and from now on i promise . . . . you'll be the only person i'll call honey."

her remark made him break into a smile. "nice to know i'm special."

moonyoung knew she was lucky to have him.

she knew it ever since, starting from the way he looked at her like he had all the affection locked in his two eyes, then to how he holds her in his arms, treating her as if she was the world's most precious thing (which, to his own world, was factitious).

she knew it through his willingness.

and it made her come to the conclusion that maybe— wait, scratch that— surely, yuta really does love her underneath it all.

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