DANBI
VOICEMAIL
Soobin 09:33
"Hey baby, I guess I just missed you... How are you gonna send me a text like that and not pick up? Call me when you get a chance, okay?"
Soobin 12:47
"Hey, I know you're in class right now but I was looking at your pictures and wanted you to know I miss you. I'll call you tonight when I get home."
Soobin 15:17
"Hey baby, sorry I missed your call, but I got your voicemail. I know you're nervous about your final, but you'll do great! You'll see. We just finished dance practice... I'm so tired. But I keep thinking about you and seeing you this weekend. I just want to hear your voice... call me when you finish your test, okay?"
Soobin 23:30
"Hey, I know we keep missing each other but it's been really busy. I'm sorry, baby. I'm back at the dorm now, laying in bed with your shirt next to me. It still smells like you, your perfume... it's almost like you're in bed with me... I keep thinking about you. Call me?"
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I lay down on the sofa, grinning from ear to ear, getting lost in the sound of his soft, breathy voice. We haven't talked all day, but it almost feels like we have.
"Are you still up?"
I text him, not wanting to call him in case he's already sleeping. But almost as soon as I hit send, his picture appears on my screen and I pick up.
"Hey Binnie," I say, smiling like an idiot as I curl up into a ball. "I'm sorry I missed your calls... I had a lot of errands to run between classes."
"It's okay," he says, his voice soft and sweet. I hear some shuffling on his end and I figure he's now laying down in bed. "How did your test go?"
"It went well actually," I sigh, feeling relieved. I fidget with the hem of my shirt, folding it between my fingers.
He giggles and I start giggling with him. "You see? I told you!"
"I know! But I've been so distracted lately... I don't know- I thought I would bomb it..."
"You? Bomb a test? You were my tutor for a reason-" he says, the smirk clear in his voice.
"I think I tutored you for other reasons too," I giggle, my cheeks getting red.
He laughs but gets silent suddenly, his soft breathing echoing in my ear. "I miss you, Danbi..."
"I miss you too, Binnie," I whisper, frowning as I gaze down at the sofa. "But I'll see you on Friday, right?"
He lets out a quiet laugh, the kind that makes his smile go wide. "Yeah... I can't wait, baby."
I feel the butterflies in my stomach thinking about seeing him again after two weeks of being apart. His lips, his hands, his scent...
"Danbi?" he asks suddenly. I hum in response, wondering what he'll say. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yes, Binnie- anything," I respond, pulling my knees up to my chest.
"How, um-" he starts, swallowing back for a moment. "How are you feeling about us?"
But I stay quiet, chewing my lip.
"Danbi? You still there?" he asks, breathing softly into the receiver.
"Yeah, I'm here," I answer back, picking at the fuzz on my sock.
"What's wrong? Are you mad at me?" he asks, his voice soft but tense.
I flick the fuzz off my finger. "No, I'm not mad at you..."
"Then what's the matter, baby? Talk to me..."
I swallow back the knot at my throat, sighing out softly. "This is hard- I miss you..."
"I know, baby..." he whispers back. I hear shuffling as he sits up on his bed. "I'm trying really hard-"
"I know you are, Binnie," I say, swiping my bangs back away from my face. "I just wonder sometimes if I'm cut out for this long distance thing..."
He stays quiet, just breathing. The silence between us feels heavy, like the 200 miles between us is 200 pounds.
"I'm just being honest, Soobin... you asked me, so I'm telling you," I say, trying to get my voice to be a little clearer.
He sighs. "I understand, Danbi..."
We both stay quiet again, listening to each other's breathing.
"How can I make it easier on you, baby?" he asks, his voice soft and sweet again.
I feel the knot in my throat. "I don't know, Binnie... I just want to have you here..." The tears well up in my eyes, but I don't want to cry. I've cried enough for him. I don't want to anymore. I gave us a chance again because I want to be happy.
I signed up for this.
"I'll be there in four days, baby," he says sweetly. "Can you wait for me for four more days?"
I nod silently, swallowing back my tears. "I can..."
"Good," he smiles. "Do you have my hoodie there?"
"Yeah, it's right here-"
"Okay, hug it- real tight," he says, his voice bright and sweet. I do as he says, hugging his black hoodie to my chest. The scent of the cologne I gave him back when we were in high school brings me back to afternoons spent in his room, tangled in each other's arms. "Are you hugging it?"
"Mhmm," I nod, closing my eyes, just focusing on his voice.
"Okay, now imagine I'm there, caressing your hair..."
I hug my knees tighter to my chest, doing everything I can to feel his warm hand on my head. I know he's not here, but I feel him here with me.
"I kiss your forehead and you lay your head on my chest... I put my arm around your shoulder and hold you close..."
I smile, leaning my head on the sofa as if it were Soobin's chest. "That's nice... I can't wait to see you..."
"Just four more days," he says softly. I can picture his dimpled smile. "And then I'll kiss you for real..." his voice gets soft and breathy again,
I smirk, hearing the suggestion in his voice. "Is that all you'd do?"
He giggles, getting shy all of a sudden. "No-"
"Then tell me..."
He swallows, laughing nervously for a moment.
"It's okay, Binnie- I live alone, remember?" we giggle together as I sit back on the sofa and relax, sliding my hand between my legs. "Should I start?"
"Yes, baby..." he says, exhaling softly.
"I'd kiss all the way down your belly..." I whisper, hearing his breathing get heavy. "Stop at the edge of your boxers... drag my tongue down below your belly button-" his breath hitches and I know he's touching himself.
"I'd pull your pants all the way down... and kiss up your thigh.."
His soft moans travel inside my ear, turning me on. I rub my clothed center, listening to his heavy breathing. "Take your cock into my hand... rub my lips around the head..."
"Fuck, baby-" he groans, hissing at my words. "But my dick is too big for you-"
"It's okay, we'd take it slow... inch by inch... little by little..."
He whimpers and I hear the sound of his hand beating into his pants as he jerks himself off.
"I'd be a good girl, Binnie... Take you good like I always do..."
"Fuck-" he moans through clenched teeth. But just then I hear someone knocking on his door. Soobin sighs, groaning loudly into the room, his voice deep with annoyance. "Yes?!"
"Soobin-hyung, I just-" I hear Beomgyu on the other side.
"Is it urgent?" Soobin asks loudly.
"It's Odi- he's in my room and he won't let me pick him up."
"Okay, I'll be right there-"
I giggle, listening to the whole thing. Beomgyu's embarrassed voice, as if he knew he had interrupted something, and Soobin's annoyed complaints as he gets up from the bed.
"Baby, I'm sorry- Odi got out again," he says to me softly.
I giggle. "It's okay, Binnie-"
He stays quiet, putting his slippers on before he checks himself in the mirror. "You're gonna go to sleep soon?"
"Yeah, I probably should- I haven't been sleeping well on the sofa," I pout, pulling my blanket back over my legs.
"Aw, baby..." he coos. "When is your bed being delivered?"
"On Friday."
He chuckles softly. "Oh good, just in time!"
"Soobin-hyung! He's in the kitchen now!" Beomgyu's voice echoes in the background.
"You should go get your son," I say, laughing softly as I lay my head on my knees.
He laughs too. "Yeah, I will... sleep well, baby. I can't wait to see you."
"Can't wait to see you too, Binnie."
"I, um-" he says suddenly. "Actually, nevermind."
I laugh. "What? What is it?"
"No, it's nothing-" he laughs timidly. I'm picturing his cheeks getting rosy as he looks down at the floor. "I'll text you tomorrow morning, okay?"
"Alright..." I giggle, wondering what he was going to say. "Sleep well, bunny."
SOOBIN
"KTX train Gyongbu No. 101 to Busan now arriving on Platform 12"
My head buzzes with excitement as I see the bullet train approach the station, its sleek white and blue design appearing in front of me. I pull out my phone to call Danbi. It rings a few times but then it goes to her voicemail.
I guess we're playing phone tag again.
It's late, almost 10 pm. Maybe she's sleeping?
I put it back in my pocket and look up as the passengers start filing out of the train. Middle-aged businessmen commuting back home after spending the week working in Busan. Tired-looking tourists pulling large suitcases out of the small doors of the passenger car.
They glance at me in my black face mask and backpack and I wonder if they're putting me into categories too:
Lonely college student going home to visit his parents.
Rich kid too fancy to take the regular train.
Nervous 20-something wondering if he'll finally get it right this time.
Yeah, that's the one. That's me.
Or Lucky guy who got a second chance with the girl of his dreams.
I like that one better.
Just then my phone rings. Danbi's smiling face appears on my screen. "Hi baby."
"Hi Binnie," she says, her voice sounding a bit muffled. "I'm sorry I missed you earlier... I was assembling my new bed."
I laugh, picturing her in the middle of her room, pieces of her bed frame all around her. "It's okay, but you could've waited for me to get there to help you-"
"No, it's fine," she laughs, sighing softly. "I can do it- it's not my first time putting furniture together on my own..."
I purse my lips into a smile and gaze down at my shoes. "So is the bed big enough for the two of us?"
"Yeah..." she says, giggling quietly. "We'll have plenty of space..."
"Perfect- I can't wait, baby..."
"Now boarding passengers to Busan! Passengers to Busan, please have your tickets in hand," the conductor announces to all of us on the platform.
I look up and see people starting to board already. "Looks like I have to go, babe..." I reach behind me and pull my backpack to the front to find my tickets. "I'll be there in two hours, okay?"
"Okay, Binnie," she says, her voice sweet with excitement. "Have a good trip!"
I pull out my tickets and hold them in one hand. "Thank you, baby..." I gaze up and step forward to the line of people waiting to board. "I'll see you soon, love you!"
Shit. I didn't mean to say that.
My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. She stays silent on the other end.
Shit.
I laugh nervously, looking down at my shoes as we shuffle forward towards the entrance. "I-um, I'm sorry, I-"
"It's okay," she says, her voice nervous as she giggles to herself. "I'll see you soon!"
And she hangs up.
"Sir, your ticket please?"
Soobin, you idiot.
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so for this one i really had to tap into those days when my current relationship was long distance 🤧 the days without seeing them, missing each other's phone calls, counting down the days til we saw each other, and the b u t t e r f l i e s you get when you're finally on your way to see them 😩🤚🏼🦋 it's all very intense 🤧 but in a good way?
anyway, i hope y'all like it 🥰 soobin and danbi are quickly becoming my new favorite couple to write about. i love their story and dynamic, and i hope y'all do too ❤️✨