I Win (Mashiho)



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You can't remember who started it or why but it had been going on for a while now. There was an unspoken tension between you and Mashiho, one that you both tried to ignore but it was blatantly obvious to those around you that both of you had feelings for one another. Neither of you were willing to admit that, though. For you, you believed yourself to be unworthy of him by all accounts. He was famous, adorable, and beloved by everyone with the voice of an angel. You were just an employee of YG, awkward but cute, and your coworkers didn't mind you, with the voice of a cat hacking up a hairball. How could you possibly compare? And even if you did, there was a strict rule in place forbidding idols from having relationships with staff members.

So, you kept your feelings to yourself.

But then, how did it come to this ? You had no idea, but your pride wasn't about to let you lose. You already lost in every compartment when compared to him and you were determined to have at least one point in your box.

There was a knock on your apartment door and Jihoon didn't wait before entering, kicking his shoes off and rounding the corner to enter the living room. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw you, a blank expression on his face.

You were so preoccupied with the task before you that you didn't notice him at first but you got the eerie sense of being watched so you glanced over. When you saw him, you jumped a little, hand over your racing heart. " Aish ... don't just stand there like a creep, say something!"

He gave you a look, hand on his hip before his eyes slid over to the massive stuffed panda sitting before you. It easily had to be eight feet or better and it was wide, too. "Sorry, I was a bit taken aback by... whatever the hell that thing is."

"It's a panda."

"A radioactive panda?"

You frowned, looking at the pristine white and black fur. When you pictured something radioactive, you pictured it glowing a bright green. "The hell are you talking about?"

He sent you a look as if to say 'are you serious right now?' "I don't think pandas are eight feet tall, Y/N."

"Have you ever been up close to one?" you questioned, pointing at him half-heartedly. "No, I didn't think so."

Jihoon scoffed, tugging his phone from his pocket and searching for the information in question. "The Giant Panda Bear has a standing height of four to six feet."

"Eh. Six feet, eight feet, what's the difference?"

"I'm leaving."

"Wait, no, Jihoon I need you!" You pleaded, clapping your hands together.

He sighed, turning toward you. "You know this passive aggressive gift giving war is getting ridiculous, right? How is he supposed to top this, with a real panda?"

"That would honestly be dope. I would die happy.l," you paused. "You know, because it would probably eat me when I hugged it."

"I'm leaving."

You panicked, trying to think of a way to bribe him to stay. "Park Jihoon, if you don't help me I'll make sure all of your pizza has pineapple!" That most definitely was not a bribe but it did make him stop.

He turned again, eyes narrowed at you. "What did you just say, huh? Are you really threatening me right now?"

"I'm desperate. His birthday is tomorrow and I've barely got the foot wrapped!"

Jihoon pinched the bridge of his nose, taking deep, steady breaths. "Why am I friends with you..."

"Because of my stunning personality?"

"No."

"My dashing good looks?"

"Definitely not."

"Because you felt sorry for me?"

His eyes met yours, a frown tugging at his lips. "No, babo ." His gaze shifted to the giant panda then to the clock on the wall. It was getting late and he doubted this task would be accomplished in just a couple of hours. "Fine, but I'm sleeping here tonight."

"Yes!"

"On one condition."

"Crap."

"I have a schedule in the morning and I can be late, so you're going to wake up at four without complaint and take me there. Got it?"

"Four? In the morning?!" you cried, letting your body fall against the soft fur of the plush, a groan passing your lips. "That's too early, Jihoonie~"

"I'm leaving."

"Alright, fine! Sheesh, you're so stingy." You wrinkled your nose, picking up an unopened roll of wrapping paper and tossing it to him. "Work on the right side and I'll work on the left."

Jihoon looked at the paper in his hands, bright red with party hats printed on it, then to the paper you were using on the left foot, a shimmery white with kittens. "These don't even match, Y/N." His eyes flickered to the other rolls leaning against the wall. "Is that... Christmas wrapping paper?"

"Okay, look," you scowled at him. "Wrapping paper is expensive, especially when you're buying them individually instead of in a set. We can't all be moneybag idols. We poor not-idols gotta work with what we got, understand?"

"You say that, but I know this thing was expensive..." he heaved an exasperated sigh, regretting his decision to answer his phone when you called earlier that day

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Mashiho was excited when he headed into YG. It was his birthday which was exciting enough on its own, but he also knew what was coming to him - your present. He felt confident that there was no possible way you could outdo what he had gotten for your birthday - a set of handmade Daruma dolls imported from Japan. Each one held the likeness of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. You had loved it so much that it left you speechless, though he knew you denied that fact.

Jihoon was already in the practice room when the rest of the group arrived, performing his morning stretches. The group didn't technically need to arrive until 6:30, but making you get up at four to bring him to the studio was his little act of revenge for the nonsensical situation he had dragged you into. He smiled when he saw Mashiho. "Happy birthday!"

"Thank you, hyung," Mashi bowed, a bright smile on his lips. He found himself unconsciously scanning the room for any sign of you, but there was none. He knew Jihoon had gone over to your place last night and hadn't returned home, so shouldn't you be here with him?

Jihoon noticed this, of course, but he said nothing, a knowing smile on his lips. He had to admit, he was looking forward to the younger boy's reaction when he saw the panda. "Something wrong?"

He realized what he was doing. "Ah, no. Nothing at all!"

With a chuckle, Jihoon patted him on the shoulder before grabbing his phone off the bench. He knew you had returned to bed and he ordered you to text him when you woke up again but you hadn't. Shaking his head, he set his phone back down and got to practice.

As the day wore on, Mashiho was growing more and more restless. Where were you? Why hadn't you shown up with your poor attempt to beat his gift? At first, he thought you might have thrown in the towel and accepted defeat, but that thought made him sad. He enjoyed this little pseudo-war the two of you had. Plus, did that mean you just wouldn't give him anything for his birthday anymore? As night approached, the sun slowly sinking across the horizon, he felt himself growing worried. What if you had gotten hurt? Or what if you were sick? He bit his lip, glancing at Jihoon. The male didn't look the least bit worried. He was your best friend so surely if something was wrong with you, he'd be showing it to some degree, right? But every time Jihoon would notice the younger male's eyes on him, he would just smile.

His mood had fallen considerably by the time they left the studio and he opted to sit in the back of the van, his head leaning against the glass as he watched the scenery pass by. His heart felt heavy and he didn't like it. He just wanted to see you, with or without a gift, yet he couldn't bring himself to say it. All he had to do was ask Jihoon to text you, but the words died on his tongue.

"Hyung, are you okay?" Doyoung asked softly, not wanting to be heard by the other boys, though they were loudly singing to the radio. He was sitting on Mashiho's right.

In response, Mashi smiled brightly, not wanting to worry the younger boy. "I'm fine."

Doyoung frowned. "Are you sure? You keep sighing and... you look kind of sad."

He hadn't even realized. His smile turned sad. "To be honest, I... I'm a little disappointed."

"How come?"

Mashi didn't answer, he just stared down at the ring on his finger. It had been one of the first gifts you had given him when the battle between you started and he cherished it.

Doyoung followed his gaze. "Oh... because Y/N-ssi didn't show up today?"

He nodded. "Maybe they forgot..."

Doyoung hummed. "No, I don't think that's possible, hyung. Maybe something just came up. You could always ask Jihoon hyung, I'm sure he'd know."

Maybe he should, but could he handle the teasing smirk from his hyung? He wasn't ready to admit that he had feelings for you and the knowing look in Jihoon's eye always killed him.

When the group arrived at their dorm, they stopped to wait on the elevator, their voices excited but soft enough that they didn't disturb the other residents of the building. Mashiho was standing at the back with Jihoon, trying to work up the nerve to mention you when they both heard a loud thud coming from the stairwell. No one else seemed to have noticed it but they exchanged a look.

"Hyung, you heard that, right?"

"Yeah, I did..."

"Should we... check it out?"

Normally, Jihoon would have said no. It could be dangerous and as idols, they needed to be more careful, but there was this feeling in the pit of his stomach, something urging him toward the door at the end of the hall. Mashi glanced at the others, completely oblivious to the situation before he nervously followed after his hyung. Jihoon paused at the door, listening for any sign of life and he heard a soft groan. A very familiar, frustrated groan. He turned the knob and pushed the door open, quirking a brow at the sight before him.

You were sprawled out across the floor, a frustrated look on your face as you glared at the panda. It was halfway up the stairs, wedged between the wall and the railing.

"Y/N?"

You lifted your head, sending your best friend a pitiful look. "Jihoonie~!"

He sighed, folding his arms over his chest. "Things didn't go according to plan, I'm guessing?"

You pushed yourself up, frowning at the panda. "Not even close! I used your key to get into the building but I didn't think it would be so hard to get this damn thing to the fifth floor..."

"Why didn't you take the elevator?"

"I was going to! But the woman that lives on the second floor scolded me. She threatened to have me arrested for disturbing the peace if I brought it on the elevator," you huffed at such a ridiculous idea. "So I thought I could just push it up the stairs and -"

"You should have pulled it, not pushed it."

"I'm sorry we can't all be geniuses like you, Park Jihoon."

He hummed, knowing full well that Mashiho was hidden beside the doorway, listening in on the conversation. "How long have you been trying to get Mashiho's gift up the stairs?"

"Five hours..."

Mashi's eyes widened in surprise and he stepped forward, peering around the doorway to find you sitting pitifully on the cold ground, looking at a giant object on the stairs with contempt. It was wrapped in several different types of wrapping paper, looking like a creation of Frankenstein himself. What the hell was it? He couldn't even tell, but that wasn't really a concern for him at that moment. He stepped past Jihoon, chewing on his lip as he tried to think of what to say. Meanwhile, the older male

"This is all your fault, Jihoon. It was your idea to bring it he -" your words died when you turned your head, locking eyes with the birthday boy. "Mashiho..." You scrambled to your feet, stepping between him and the panda as if you could possibly block his view. "Uh... this isn't what it looks like..."

He chuckled, hands behind his back as he stepped closer. "It looks like you're having trouble."

"...okay, fine. It is what it looks like." You ran a hand through your hair in frustration before giving him a weak smile, holding your arms out as if you were showcasing some expensive item. "So, uh... happy birthday!"

With a bright smile on his lips, he closed the distance, placing himself in your arms. You stiffened beneath him. That certainly wasn't what you had been implying when you held your arms out to him, but you'd be lying if you said it didn't feel right. He was warm and smelled like vanilla on a spring day. You melted into his embrace, your arms finding their place around his waist.

"I thought you forgot..." he murmured softly against your neck.

Feeling his lips brushing against your skin made goosebumps rise on your arms and your breath catch in your throat. "How could I?" you replied softly, fingers curling around his shirt.

He pulled back enough to look into your eyes and you were surprised by how bright his eyes had become. " "Thank you, Y/N."

"For what?"

"Making my birthday special."

Your face heated up and you felt like you were suffocating under his gaze, so filled with love and warmth. "I-It's nothing... I have to win the war, after all!"

He nodded, pulling back and looking at the object on the stairs. "What have you got for me this year?"

"Open it."

Curiously, he approached it, his fingers tugging at the wrapping paper only to find that every inch was covered with a layer of clear tape. "You used too much tape," he pouted, tugging at the tape but it wouldn't budge.

"Ah, yeah, about that... The wrapping paper kept ripping so I kinda had to." You then muttered under your breath, " Cheap ass dollar store with your thin ass wrapping paper ."

He heard you, barely suppressing his giggles at your obvious frustration.

You tugged a pocket knife from your pocket. "Here, use this but be careful."

" Hai ~" He replied to you in Japanese on instinct, taking the knife from your hands before getting to work. He loved to cook so he definitely knew how to use a knife properly while remaining safe at the same time and he had the wrapping paper open in no time at all. The face of a panda looked up at him from the hole he had created and his eyes widened, heart fluttering in his chest.

You shifted your weight, clutching your elbow nervously as you waited for him to say something, anything. Even if he hated it, you were sure that would be better than the silence that now permeated the stairwell, pressing down on your shoulders.

Mashiho gently brushed his hands across the soft fur, unable to contain his smile. " Kawaii !"

You knew enough Japanese to know that he had just called it cute and that was enough to release the tension from your shoulders. "It was really hard to find, you know," you explained proudly. "Apparently there's only ten of these things out there which honestly makes sense. It's so huge and really inconvenient, it took up almost my entire living room! But it's a really grandiose gift and super rare so I'm proud I was able to secure it."

Mashiho listened to your rambling, feeling his heart swell with love at every word that passed your lips. And then he realized something important. "I'm ready."

You paused, looking at him in confusion. "Ready for what? You better not be ready for next year because I'm definitely not gonna let you wi -" Your words died when he closed the distance, his soft lips pressing against your own. Your eyes widened in surprise, but you quickly melted, kissing him back with as much passion as he was offering you. You don't know how long the two of you stood there like that and you honestly didn't care, but you hated it when he finally pulled back.

"I'm ready to admit I have feelings for you," he explained, locking eyes with you. "Are you?"

Your lips parted but no sound escaped. You thought again about how different the two of you are, how you both live in two different worlds, but did it really matter? You didn't know. What you were sure of, though, is that Mashiho made you happier than anyone else could. He was the first thing you thought of when you woke up and he was the person you fell asleep thinking about with a goofy grin on your lips. Could you say it? Everything would change depending on your response, you knew that, but hadn't it already changed the moment he kissed you?

Mashiho waited patiently for your response, his thumb rubbing gentle circles against your side. He wanted so badly for you to say you felt the same, but he didn't want to force that on you if you weren't ready. He wanted to know your feelings on your terms, not his.

"Mashiho..." you called softly, bringing your hand up to rest against his cheek. Though the Japanese members had taught you various words in Japanese, one had always stuck with you. It was the one word you never forgot, the word you could always recall with no effort at all. And that's because it reminded you of Mashiho. " Aishiteru, Mashiho."

His eyes lit up, turning glassy as he fought back the urge to cry. He felt overwhelmed by the emotions he felt within his chest, making him feel like his heart was going to burst. You understood this quite well because you felt the same way. With a smile, you took him by the back of the neck and brought his lips to yours again, this time with more fervor. You wanted him to understand just how deep your feelings ran for him, how deep they had always been. You were both breathless when you finally parted, foreheads resting together.

"I think I win," you commented with a cheeky grin, earning a chuckle from the blonde.

"Hm, I think I won."

"How do you figure?" There was no way he could top a giant, eight-foot panda!

"Because," he answered softly, upping your cheek. "I get to spend every birthday with you."

You ignored the heat coming to your face. "Oh... that was smooth. We've still got a problem, though."

He tilted his head to the side, a cute expression of confusion.

You nodded toward the panda and he followed your gaze.

"Jihoon hyung~" Mashi called cutely, turning toward the door where the male had been standing, but he was nowhere to be found. "Ah, he's gone."

You clicked your tongue. "That damn Jihoon, always running away instead of helping his best friend."

"Hm, I guess we'll just have to do it together, then~"

You nodded, grinning. "I call pushing!"

He pouted, watching as you bounced over to the bottom of the steps. He honestly didn't know which would be the harder job so he let you have your way, carefully climbing up on top of the panda so he could get in front of it.

"Ready?" you called out, unable to see him around the panda.

"Ready!"