#[ no view from the summit for me T-T ]

[despairforme]

[0cta9on]

Stuck With You

length: +2k words

Genre: Fluff

NewJeans Minji x Male Reader (OC)

(Author's Note: My first commission!! Thank you to f_r_e_s_h for purchasing a commission, I appreciate it a lot :) If you're interested in buying a commission from me, head on over to my ko-fi page!!)

【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★

 A light breeze brushes past you, relieving you of your exhaustion for a brief moment as you watch the sun set below the city of Paris from the balcony of your hotel room. The 14-hour flight from Korea was hell, but the view alone made it all worth it. It has always been part of your bucket list to visit Paris one day, it’s a shame that you won’t be able to actually experience any of it though. With the International Summit starting tomorrow, you need to be extra focused on your work as a diplomat representing your country.

A cafe sits across the street from your hotel, beckoning you with its warm and welcoming light. You watch as the people inside talk and laugh about things you can only assume, enjoying one another’s company on this chilly winter day. A nice cup of coffee sounds great right now, but you have to be ready for tomorrow. But… It’s not tomorrow yet. The night is still young, giving you a couple hours to check out the cafe and maybe even explore the city for a little bit. You did all the extra work you needed to do on the plane, so there’s no reason for you to stay in your hotel room. After the summit is over, you’ll be on a flight straight back to Korea, and when are you ever gonna have the time to come back to Paris again? Besides, you’ve been working too hard for far too long, you deserve to have a small break.

Without hesitation, you grab your coat and exit your room, beelining it straight towards the elevators as you mentally practice the little French that you learned before the trip. With a resounding ding, the elevator doors open and you walk inside, only a couple floors standing between you and the City of Light.

The elevator shifts to a stop on one of the floors, opening to reveal a girl around your age wearing a mask and a cap pulled low over her eyes. Even with the majority of her face covered, you could feel the aura of elegance and beauty surrounding her. Her outfit isn’t anything crazy on the surface - a hoodie layered with a leather jacket and a clean pair of jeans - yet something about the way she wears it is so attractive. You wouldn’t be surprised if you find out that she’s a model for Paris Fashion Week, which coincidentally occurs at the same time as the summit.

“Hello,” you greet as she steps into the elevator. She returns your greeting with a simple nod, a small gesture that makes your heart flutter. You didn’t necessarily believe in love at first sight, but you imagine this is how it would feel like.

The elevator descends in silence, save for its mechanical rumble. Due to the nature of your job, you meet a lot of important people from around the world, so your conversational skills have naturally improved over the years. However, you suddenly find yourself tongue-tied around this random girl, not even a simple “How are you?” can escape your lips. All you can do is sneak little glances at her, but now you just feel creepy. Oh well, it’s not like you’re here to meet women or anything of that sort. You just want to feel some freedom for a little bit.

Suddenly, you nearly fall to the ground as the elevator begins to jerk violently. A hauntingly loud creaking noise can be heard from outside as the elevator abruptly stops its descent. The girl trips forward into your chest, and you instinctively catch her, holding on until the elevator eventually stops swaying.

Both of you share a huge sigh of relief. Even if the elevator stopped working, at least you're not plummeting to your doom.

“T-thank you,” the girl says, her voice trembling slightly. You meet her eyes for the first time, suddenly greeted by the most beautiful shade of brown you have ever seen. They’re invigorating like the strongest shot of espresso, sweet like the creamiest hazelnut chocolate, and warming like the first cup of hot cocoa in the winter. You could spend hours, no, years just looking into her eyes, getting lost in every flicker of her irises and every flutter of her lashes.

“Um, are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, s-sorry,” you stutter nervously, finally letting her go. You turn away from her, hoping she doesn’t notice the deep red in your cheeks.

She starts pushing buttons at random, but none of them seem to work, not even the one to call the firefighters. A wave of dread washes over the both of you at the realization that you have no idea how long it’ll take to get out of this metal coffin. Maybe an hour at best, maybe never at worst. With nothing else you can possibly do, you resign yourself to the ground, resting your back against the wall. This is what you get for trying to live a little - you get trapped in a box, forced to think about the consequences of your actions. All because you wanted a cup of coffee.

The girl sits across from you, tossing her hat and mask off in defeat, ruffling her silky black hair with her fingers. Your breath hitches in your throat - she is absolutely gorgeous. You swear you’ve seen her face before, maybe she’s a model for a high-fashion brand or the daughter of a rich CEO who ends up getting in the news for trivial matters. Either way, you can’t help but stare at her, slack-jawed in awe.

“Um, did you want an autograph or something?” She asks, her eyebrows raised in judgment.

You pick your jaw up off the ground, your cheeks burning red with embarrassment. “N-no, sorry, you just look really familiar. Have we met somewhere before?”

She chuckles lightly at your expression. “No, I don’t think we have. I’m Minji.” She reaches her hand out towards you in a friendly handshake, which you accept with a smile.

“I’m Eric. It’s nice to meet you, Minji.” The two of you share a laugh despite the unconventional circumstances. “Weird question, are you Korean?”

“Wah, that’s a good guess. How’d you know?” Minji tilts her head like a curious puppy, causing your heart rate to skyrocket. You can’t fathom how someone can be this cool, cute, and pretty all at the same time.

“Your name,” you explain. “I live in Korea for work, so I’ve gotten used to hearing Korean names.”

“Really? What do you do for work?” 

“I work at the embassy in South Korea representing my country. I’m actually in Paris for the International Summit this week.”

“Oh wow, that’s so cool!” Minji’s eyes light up with wonder, her smile making you forget about the dire situation you’re in.

“Hehe, thanks! What about you, what do you do for work?”

“I, um…” She hesitates, lost in thought. “I’m here for Paris Fashion Week.”

“That makes sense, you’re very beautiful,” you suddenly blurt out. Your eyes grow wide with shock at your own words. “I-I mean, uh-”

“No, it’s okay. That’s very sweet.” A light pink hue graces her cheeks as she smirks at you. “So, is this your first time in Paris?”

You let out a sigh of relief, thankful that she didn’t take your compliment weirdly. “Yeah, it’s my first time. I was gonna go out and see the city for a bit since I’ll be swamped with work for the next couple of days, but now I’m… here.”

She nods in understanding. “That’s what I was doing too. It’s difficult to find a moment to myself because of my job. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a ton of fun, but sometimes I feel like a robot following orders, not really being able to live.”

The space between you falls silent in contemplation. You know that feeling all too well. You love that you’re able to help thousands of people every day by being a voice for the people who need it, but work can often get in the way of what you want to do. When was the last time you spent time with your family? Or sat down with a good book? Or went on a date? When was the last time you were able to breathe?

“If you weren’t stuck in here right now, what would you be doing?” You ask in hopes that it will lift the mood.

“Hmm, I don’t know. Probably walk around and take pictures of all the pretty lights. Maybe get some ice cream if there are any shops open.”

Your ears perk up. “Ice cream? In the winter?”

Minji puts her arms up in defense. “Before you go judging me, just try it for yourself first, alright?”

“No, I like it too!” You exclaim, surprised that you found someone that thinks like you. “I don’t like waiting until summer just to eat ice cream. It tastes better during winter anyways.”

“Oh my god!” Minji jumps up in excitement. “Finally, someone who gets it! All my friends called me weird for eating ice cream when it’s cold outside!”

Enthused by her energy, you stand up to meet her. “They just don’t understand that it doesn’t melt as quickly so you get to enjoy it for longer.”

“Right?!”

You suddenly find yourself inches away from her face, staring into her big, round eyes. The subtle heat of her breath brushes against your cheeks, warming your entire body. You would gladly spend forever stuck in this moment with her, watching the reflection of the universe in her eyes.

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Minji pulls away, leaving you breathless. You quickly change the subject before the air between you gets too awkward to the point of no return.

“So… Paris Fashion Week. How’d you get involved with that?”

Much to your relief, Minji eases up, leaning against the wall as she turns to you. “I was invited by Chanel to come and watch their show, and I’ve always loved fashion so there was no way I was going to decline the invitation.”

“Oh, you’re watching the show? I assumed that you were modeling for them,” you say.

She chuckles to herself, blushing slightly. “Are you sure you didn’t break the elevator on purpose just so you could flirt with me?”

“N-no, I didn’t, I swear!” You stutter, flustered. Minji cackles like a hyena at your expression, causing you to keel over in laughter yourself from the insane sound coming out of her mouth. The sound of joyous laughter from two strangers fills the small elevator, unsure of how much time has passed or if you’re ever going to get out of there. You wonder what would’ve happened if the elevator worked normally. Would you be here talking like this? Or would the two of you go about your night without a single word shared between each other? Sure, seeing the streets of Paris would have been great, but would it have been as great as this?

Both of you find yourselves lying side by side, staring up at the bright fluorescent light, your stomachs aching from laughter. Despite it being your first meeting, you can’t help but feel like you’ve known her your whole life. Maybe it’s the same way survivors of a big tragedy bond through shared trauma or something like that.

“Do you really not know who I am?” Minji asks after a long silence. You rack your brain for any possible memories of ever seeing her, but only a faint silhouette appears in your mind.

“Sorry, I really don’t,” you answer. “Oh god, don’t tell me we’re old classmates or something. I would feel terrible if we used to be friends and I didn’t know.”

Her laugh tickles your ear like spring grass brushing against your legs. “No, it’s not like that. Honestly, it feels kinda nice that you don’t know anything about me. No expectations, no questions, no nothing. You just treat me like…. a regular human being,” she sighs.

“Now I’m kinda scared to ask who you are,” you quip, catching a smile from her. “Maybe I don’t have it as bad as you, but I can relate to you somewhat. There’s a lot of people depending on me to make the right decisions and if I miss up even a little bit, so many people get affected by it. If I get recognized in the streets, sometimes they’ll outright tell me what to do, talking about how their families would suffer because of me or outright threatening me to do what they want. It feels like I’m constantly walking on a tightrope being held by two sides that hate each other. No matter what I do, someone is always unhappy.”

Minji meets your eyes in mutual understanding. “That sounds really tough. I’m sorry, Eric.”

Such a simple gesture, yet one that you desperately needed. Talking to her feels like a massive weight is being lifted off of you. The amount of silent suffering you’ve had to endure over the years is finally being unloaded without judgment. With how many people’s lives you affect every day, you never truly realized just how lonely you feel. Thanks to Minji, you feel a little less alone.

“So, what is that you do?” You ask to lift up the mood. “I’ve been dying to know. I’m assuming you’re a celebrity of some kind?”

She smirks at you. “Have you ever heard of New Jeans?”

And then it clicks. You’ve seen her face plastered everywhere in Korea, billboards, ads, commercials, less than 24 hours ago you walked past her face in the airport right before you left. While you aren’t the biggest Kpop fan in the world, you would be lying if you said you didn’t have Hype Boy in your playlist for a solid month.

“Ah, so that’s why you looked so familiar. I’m glad you’re not a classmate I forgot about,” you joke.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we were friends in another lifetime. You’re very easy to talk to.” Minji meets your eyes, casting that warm smile that makes you feel at ease. You forget that you’re in this tiny box with no way out but patience. You forget that in less than 24 hours, you’ll be surrounded by the most important figures in the world, attending a conference that can impact billions of people across the globe. You forget about your feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and stress that you’ve been feeling recently. As you look into Minji’s eyes, all you can think about is her. Her kindness. Her radiance. Her laugh. Just her.

The elevator begins to shake around you, rumbling to life. Your eyes shut, bracing for impact, but all you feel is the gradual descent of the elevator before it lands on the first floor. You and Minji stand up, not a word exchanged between the two of you. Is this… it? Is it over? Are you just supposed to go your separate ways now?

The doors open to reveal the owner of the hotel on the other side, relief and guilt painted on his sweaty face. “I-I am terribly sorry about the elevator, are you two alright?” He asks.

As you reassure him of your safety, you notice Minji quickly slipping past, donning her mask and hat. You decline the owner’s offer of a free spa day and chase after her.

Minji is an idol. Intimidatingly gorgeous, held to an impossibly high standard that she somehow manages to exceed at every turn. Despite that, she’s also kind, humorous, and down to Earth, nothing like many of the celebrities you’ve seen on social media. Even in your brief meeting, she understood you. She wanted to understand you. You can visit Paris again sometime in the future. But Minji? You’ll never meet a person like her again.

You push through the doors, hit by the frigid winter air as a gentle dusting of snow falls upon Paris. Minji stands at a cross walk, her silhouette covered by unmistakable, and you quickly catch up to her. “H-hey, hi, um…” The words get caught in your throat as nervousness overwhelms you. Can you really do this? Would you be able to make this work with your busy schedules? Maybe, maybe not. But you’ll never know if you don’t try.

“Would you want to get a cof-”

“Yes,” Minji interrupts you, her voice lilting with enthusiasm. “I would love to have coffee. With you.” The snowfall catches in her eyes, glimmering with hope and excitement.

All the nerves you felt moments ago completely wash away, replaced by disbelief and an indescribable happiness in your heart. Minji intertwines her fingers with yours, warming your body against the cold as the two of you cross the street towards the cafe and the rest of your lives.

[sungbeam]

SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW — act I, scene v

nonidol!hwang intak x f!reader

when summit poster boy hwang intak's car breaks down in the school parking lot, it sets off a chain of events that leads to you, someone he was perhaps always meant to find. the only problem is that the two of you are far from the ideal couple, and your peers are apt to keep that status quo.

▷ genre, chapter warnings. s2f2l, classism and discrimination, forbidden romance au, minimal swearing, angst, humor, mentions of grief and terminal illness, written in third person pov

▷ word count. 2.8k

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a/n: whenever i come back to this series, i remember how hard it is to write it

SUMMER (RISING SENIORS).

Yn had not sent a picture back to Intak. In fact, she hadn't even opened his messages. Intak couldn't decide which was worse—being left on "read" or on "delivered." Both were equally quite horrible, but as the day went on with radio silence from her end, he continuously had to remind himself that she had responsibilities and a life. She couldn't be at his beck and call, and she certainly wouldn't ever entertain the idea of being so.

But one little text would have eased his mind. Just one, little text.

Intak flopped onto the couch in the living room of his house, the entirety of which remained just as cold and empty as it always was. In a way, the quiet was good because it meant that his father wasn't home, taking with him that thick, haunting presence of his. Intak sometimes imagined that he walked around with a massive cloud of fog clinging to his legs and feet, and that image had engraved itself into his head since he was an adolescent, more so now that his father's murky fog would soon consume Intak in all of those heavy expectations.

He lifted his phone up to catch a glimpse of the time. He would have to leave for that one dance class soon, the one that he and his friends had signed up for together to occupy themselves during the summer. If Intak wasn't forced to take over the company after his schooling, he would be dancing, or maybe even reading shit, like proper literature, and writing poetry about dead older brothers and forbidden friendships with strangers who felt closer to him than his own family.

He was tempted to text Yn just to check in. Something like 'hey bff i'm bored as hell and sad as fuck hbu' or 'miss u and worried about u text me back?' or god forbid, 'i've been trying to imagine what u look like but i have a feeling a picture won't do u justice.' God, he really needed to stop watching those cursed romcoms when he was bor—

Bzzzzz. Bzzz. Bzzzz.

Intak leapt out of his skin in surprise.

He reached into his pants pocket to withdraw Jaehyuk's phone. The notifications from Yn came in rapid succession at the top of the screen:

yer a wizard yn!: sorry i went mia for like a day

yer a wizard yn!: smth came up

yer a wizard yn!: cute pic btw :') ig i owe u a pfp too

yer a wizard yn!: *sent a photo*

Intak held his breath, then forced himself to turn away from the phone screen. Was he ready for this? Was he ready for her reveal? This felt like an invasion of privacy, especially with how carefully she kept her identity hidden the first few weeks they'd been texting each other. It hadn't been until recently that Yn had begun to let him learn things about her.

It wasn't like he forced her though… right? It was out of her own want and will. It was her choice and he—

He was going to fully indulge in that.

Intak finally opened up the full chat to view the messages she'd sent.

And lo and behold, there she was. It was a casual selfie, seeming to be taken in front of a window by the way the sun shone over her face in a gold-colored glow. She wore a dark T-shirt with a logo Intak couldn’t quite make out from the way her arms and hair were positioned. In fact, he could only see about half of her face from the way she hid the lower half behind her pulled-up knees. But her eyes crinkled enough that he could see that she was smiling.

The soft smile on his face was a stark contrast to the sharp palpitations of his heart in his chest. Before, he could never imagine the face he was speaking to across the phone—rather, it had always just been a person with blurred features. Now that he could put a face to the name, and the voice, and the character…

Intak saved the picture and set it as Yn’s contact photo. He wondered if he should have even been doing this since Jae didn’t even have a contact photo saved for her. (But now that she had sent it, it wasn’t like Intak was going to resist setting that photo as her contact, especially since it was an excuse to stare at it while he was texting her.)

jae’s phone: that photo is not fair that’s like… half ur face dude >://// /j

jae’s phone: but thank uuuuuuu i KNEW u were cute

He chewed on his bottom lip, quickly adding onto his previous texts since it seemed like Yn wasn’t going to reply back any time soon.

jae’s phone: ik ur the one who suggested swapping photos, but i hope u didn’t feel obligated to. ik u were never super comfortable w sharing personal info abt urself w me, but i’m genuinely really happy to get to know u better

jae’s phone: lol idk y that got kinda sappy ? but i hope everything’s good on ur end!!

jae’s phone: i’ve gotta go to a dance lesson rn tho so ttyl ynieee!!!!

Intak sighed as he forced himself to click out of his and Yn’s direct messages, and to haul his ass off the couch. He had, at multiple instances, contemplated why he felt so attached to Yn. Perhaps it was because she was so close to his brother and this truly was just his own kind of closure. Or it was something else, too.

Yn's eyes burned holes through the notifications that sat at the top of her phone screen. It had been several hours since Intak had sent them, and she knew exactly what they said. She'd even mentally written out and sent several replies, but never physically carried them out. She just couldn't bring herself to do it.

The heavy weight that had settled on her chest from a day ago still rested there. Usually, privileged shit Summit kids did to her and in front of her were annoying, but she'd learned to grow thick skin. She didn't know why this time affected her so poorly. Then again, the fact that neither Jongseob nor Shota had gotten over it could have contributed to her own mood, too.

Her brothers in arms had been quiet since then, barely speaking unless necessity prevailed. The shop had never been so quiet before, and even when customers and neighbors came by with a friendly word or joke, they would force a smile onto their faces or a laugh from their throats. She could hear the strain, the grudge and emotions tugging at the corners of their mouths.

"If I had the money…" Yn remembered hearing Jongseob muttering under his breath the night of the incident. She knew exactly what he was thinking then and there. All the bitterness in the negative space.

They'd all grown to have thick skin, but it was bound to crack at some point. They weren't made of steel, after all.

After a long, grueling day at the shop, Yn, Shota, and Jongseob returned to Yn's house to wash up for the evening. The walk home had been quiet, and she'd been itching to reach for her phone and finally open up Intak's messages…

She cleared her throat. "Go get cleaned up and meet me in the living room," she voiced aloud to the two of them as she unlocked the front door.

Jongseob grunted, "Why?"

"We're watching Clueless."

Shota let out a snort as Jongseob threw his head back in a loud groan. "You're shitting me. Any other movie than that one, Yn. We've watched that, like, fifteen times."

With her back still to them, she could let herself smile just a little. All she had been looking for was that reaction from him. "Okay, well, if you can be on the couch in fifteen minutes, then you can choose a different—"

She hadn't even finished what she was saying when the two of them bolted past her, exclaiming at each other as they raced for access to the closest bathroom. Yn laughed under her breath, nudging the door closed behind her with the toe of her shoe. She hadn't even been sure whether or not the two would stay here with her or not since they basically stayed shut up in the old extra bedroom instead of hanging out. Though they would have been in the house, it had sounded like no one else was home.

But now? Yn made her way into the kitchen to get dinner started. Hopefully she could get something on the stove by the time one of them hopped out of the shower. Knowing Jongseob though…

She estimated that it was about five minutes later that Jongseob's elephant stomps sounded down the hall, nearing the living room and kitchen at high speed. Seconds later, a blur of orange and white launched himself over the back of the couch. As she expected, it was Jongseob with that freshly showered glow, damp hair, and a white towel hanging around his shoulders.

Her amused gaze clashed with his, and though his face was pressed into a deadpan, she saw the glimmer in his irises. He told her, "We're watching Star Wars."

Yn grinned. "Deal's a deal, kid."

Right on cue, Shota came sliding into the living room with his dampened locks tied up and out of his face with a Hello Kitty hair tie he no doubt found in the drawers of the bathroom. She wondered how he found stuff like that, stuff that she had ditched so long ago when she was much younger. She raised her eyebrows at him. “I’m starting to think that neither of you actually use soap when you shower.”

“I’m productive when I’m given motive,” Shota replied, collapsing onto the couch next to Jongseob. She could already hear the tell-tale explosion of sound that was the Star Wars main theme.

It was several hours later when dinner was eaten, dishes were washed, and the lot of them were one and a half Star Wars movies in that Yn stared at her notifications again. Intak hadn't sent anything else since those last messages, and there was a distinct feeling of guilt stewing in the back of her brain. At this point, it overpowered any feelings of annoyance or bitterness from the other day's incident. It was always at evening hours when the overthinking started.

Intak had been good to her thus far, though, and it wasn't fair that she took out her annoyance on him. He had done nothing bad—a part of her countered with “yet.”

She could see the start of his messages: That photo's like half your face dude… I've got to go to a dance lesson though so…

It was all completely harmless, and yet, her heart pounded in her chest from not being able to fully read his reaction to her face reveal. Of course she cared what he thought. She chalked it up to the fact that Intak himself was a pretty face, and it was perfectly normal to be self conscious.

Yn raised her head for a moment when she caught a flash of quick movement from the TV, then felt a pair of eyes on her.

While Shota was curled up at the far end of the couch, Jongseob was seated next to her and saw who's messages sat at the top of her screen. The two of them connected gazes; he said nothing, showed nothing.

A different type of guilt rushed into her head.

Jongseob turned back to the screen, and she was back to square one.

The house was quiet by the time Yn tucked her friends beneath quilts on the couch. Her mom had come home sometime between Return of the Jedi and The Phantom Menace, then crashed immediately after disappearing into her room, leaving Yn to haunt the hallways of her house in the dark and silence by herself.

She perched on the edge of her bed with the light of her phone screen illuminating her face. There were those unread messages at the top of her screen again, yelling at her to just take a peak. There was no harm in seeing what he said—but there was. He would see the Read sign beneath his messages and think the worst.

With nothing else stopping her but her own thoughts, she tapped the notification.

The text chain opened up before her in full. There was nothing out of the ordinary, as she expected. He was just being his bright, sweet self here. Her lips pursed into a slight smile as she read over his sappy talk at the end; it was appreciated though.

But now it was a matter of replying.

He probably thought she was busy all day again, but the guilt of “punishing” him for something that people from his community did and not him personally was eating her up inside.

“Ahem.”

She stopped, eyes widening as her head shot up like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. A drowsy Jongseob stood in her doorway with his eyes at half-mast and his mouth widened in a yawn. Sometimes she forgot that her friend was still a kid—that they were all just kids. “Hey,” she whispered to him. “Did I wake you up or something?”

He shook his head and suddenly looked a lot more awake. “The text messages you got earlier,” he drawled, inclining his chin at her phone.

“Oh.” She glanced down at the screen, then back up at him. “Seob, I—”

“He's gonna hurt you, Yn.”

Her chest felt so hollow all of a sudden. What?

He folded his arms in front of himself, cupping his palms under his elbows. Jongseob's eyebrows furrowed together as if in thought or in an attempt to look firm. “He's gonna hurt you like Jae did.”

No, the hollow feeling was because her heart fell into the pit of her stomach. Everything felt like it was falling out from under her with that statement. Yn said slowly, gently, “Jongseob, Jae didn't mean to hurt us. He didn't mean to get sick. He couldn't control it, Seob. You know that that's not fair.”

Sometimes it was hard to not let the anger seep through into blame and misunderstanding. That was just the grief talking. When those thoughts resurfaced, it was just as difficult to deal with the resulting guilt of ever blaming them later on.

Losing someone was just devastating.

Jongseob sniffled though, and she backtracked on her previous thought. But this wasn't that, was it? “Yeah, well—it seems whether they do it on purpose or not, that's all they do up there: hurt people.”

Her mouth felt so dry then, so helplessly wordless. Her throat was just as voiceless. These kids—her friends—had gone through all that pain just as she had. She couldn't blame them most of the time because she knew where they were coming from.

Jongseob poked his tongue in his cheek. “I know you miss him.”

Yn's fingers curled around the edges of her phone, like she could hold onto whoever was on the other side.

“I miss him, too,” he said.

A stinging sensation erupted in the corners of her eyes and she reached up to staunch the tears like they were cuts, and they were bleeding.

“But no matter their intention, a ghost can only haunt,” he muttered. He let that thought simmer for a second before citing his source, “Got that one off of Pinterest.”

The last comment made a laugh sputter out of her mouth, wet but touched. She sniffled at the same time he did. “I was gonna say,” she said, her voice watery, “when'd you get so smart?”

“I've always been smart,” he scoffed. He exhaled, still lingering on the threshold before waddling over to where she was perched on the bed. Awkwardly, he brought his arms around her upper body and gently patted her back. “Is this helping?”

Yn wrapped her arms around him to reciprocate. “Yeah.”

“Thank god.”

A ghost can only haunt. Maybe it was how fast it had all happened that none of them really got proper closure or got to say goodbye. They would never get a chance to see him ever again, to tell him they felt something for him close to love, and enjoyed his company despite his being from the Summit. There was no chance they'd be invited to the funeral, and there was little possibility of ever visiting his grave. There were only memories and a phone number.

One day he was here, and the next… well the next, Yn was texting Intak. Was this history repeating itself, or would this ending turn into a new beginning entirely?

When they both pulled back from their embrace, Jongseob poked her cheek. “You know I never know what to do when you cry, right?”

She reached up to swipe her palm across her dampened cheeks. “Yeah. You did good, kid.”

That made the corners of his mouth curl up a bit. “I just don't want this guy to be another reason you cry.”

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[nihongoseito]

today's random vocab

(ft. me trying to figure out the difference between a bunch of different words lol)

山頂（さんちょう） = summit, mountaintop

ご来光（らいこう） = sunrise viewed from the top of a mountain

とうとう = finally, in the end

いよいよ = more and more; finally

ついに = finally; in the end (something never happened)

〜とされる = is considered (to)

英雄とされている美少女戦士たちが... = the bishojo senshi, who are considered heroes...

〜ように思える（おもえる） = to seem, appear likely (with a feeling of subjectivity)

うさぎちゃんはセーラームーンのように思える。 = it seems [to me] like usagi is sailor moon.

〜と思われる（おもわれる） = to seem, appear (with a feeling of objectivity)

うさぎちゃんはセーラームーンだと思われる。 = it is generally thought [based on personal judgment] that usagi is sailor moon.

〜と考えられる（かんがえられる） = to be thought

うさぎちゃんはセーラームーンだと考えられる。 = usagi is thought to be sailor moon [based on evidence].

〜と考えられて（かんがえられて）いる = to be thought on a wide scale, considered

うさぎちゃんはセーラームーンだと考えられている。 = it is widely assumed [= thought by all] that usagi is sailor moon.

(sources below the cut!)

sources:

[bsenvs3000w25]

Blog #2 Essential Skills for Environmental Interpretation

An environmental interpreter is a passionate and knowledgeable individual who engages diverse audiences. In my opinion, an environmental interpreter should possess the following skills:

Strong Communication Skills -Able to use vivid and descriptive language to engage audiences -Must be able to answer any questions one should have

Creativity -Incorporates props, visual aids, and storytelling to engage individuals with various learning preferences

Leadership and Confidence -Confident in the information being presented -Is able to lead with enthusiasm and confidence

By embodying these qualities, an environmental interpreter can create impactful, and memorable experiences that inspire all participants to develop a deeper appreciation for the environment.

Different Learning Styles As mentioned in Unit Two, "Teaching Learners," everyone has a unique learning style, which can be auditory, visual, tactile, or kinesthetic. This week's content describes visual learning as a style where the use images is preferred, while auditory involves learning through listening, and tactile through hands-on experiences. After completing the course link quiz I found that I am a visual learner. I usually learn best by studying for tests using images, graphs, and charts, or by visualizing concepts when someone explains them to me so this was not a shock for me. Adapting to different learning styles is key for interpreters; as mentioned in the textbook, "Interpreters can benefit from an understanding of how different people most effectively take in and process information" (Beck et al.,  2018).

My ideal role as a Nature Interpreter

My ideal role as a nature interpreter would be a tour guide. A tour guide leads groups of people on excursions, providing information and insights about specific destinations, attractions, or experiences. As a guide its important to keep participants engaged throughout the tour by sharing fun facts and interesting stories.

During my trip to Alberta, we did a tour where our guide took us up the Banff Gondola for a breathtaking view of the Canadian Rockies. I remember him sharing many historical facts about the area, including little comments about how high up we were, the name of the mountain, and how long it would take to reach the highest point.

Banff Gondola 698 meters (2,292 feet)

The textbook emphasizes the TORE model, which is essential for effective communication to enchance a persons overall experience. The four qualities thematic, organized, relevant, and enjoyable are crucial for any tour guide aiming to keep the audience engaged (Beck et al.,  2018).

T- (thematic with a foucs on the main message conveyed) O- (organized to provide structure and meaning) R- (relevent for audience) E- (enjoyable for the audience)

Interesting Fact: The Banff Gondola was first bi-cable gondola in North America and the first gondola of any kind in Canada.

More info below if you are interested!

Reference: Knudson, Larry Beck, Ted T. Cable, Douglas M. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Available from: Sagamore Publishing LLC, Sagamore Publishing LLC, 2018.

Thanks for reading!

Biona 🏕🌷🏔

[thorsenmark]

Years Ago I Encountered an Image of You on the Internet I knew I wanted to visit, hiking and exploring your wonder The wind carried the scent of volcanic remnants as I ventured into your wonderland A sky devoid of any clouds, stretching endlessly above A distant mountain peak, once with fiery volcanic eruptions To me, it is a land of undiscovered enchantment Curiosity and reverence fill me as I step forward On a path that leads ahead

Another work of short poetry or prose to complement the image captured one morning in Lassen Volcanic National Park. This is while hiking along the Cinder Cone Trail with the namesake feature to my front and looking to the south-southwest. I’d come across a similar image several years prior from a blog post (https://www.sfgate.com/california-parks/article/Don-t-make-the-same-mistake-I-did-Go-to-Lassen-15620578.php) describing different things to hike and explore in this national park. This setting is one that I had promised myself that I would attempt to capture when I came across it. The view is looking to one of the paths leading to the summit area. I chose though to take the path that goes behind and follows a different direction with the return coming down the trail to the front on the image right.

The rest of the image was attempting to align myself with the peak and some of the evergreen pine trees as foreground interest. I later worked with control points in DxO PhotoLab 8 and then made some adjustments to bring out the contrast, saturation and brightness I wanted for the final image.

[sylvia-forest]

[CN] Shaw's 6th Anniversary event - Day 2

⚡ Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an Event which hasn't been released in EN yet!⚡

[Day 2]

MC: What exactly is it? Can you give me some hints? MC: Why are you always so mysterious! Shaw: Don't bother trying to test me; I won't tell you. Shaw: Just carry your curiosity to the next stop, and you might find some clues.

—

MC: Even though driving these past few days has almost driven me crazy QAQ... MC: But seeing the heavy snow here makes everything worthwhile. MC: Now I'm going to build a super giant snowman! The colossal kind! Shaw: I know you're eager, but don't be in a hurry. Shaw: Haven't you noticed that your hands and feet are freezing now? Shaw: Come on, let me take you for a hot pot to warm up. MC: Food is still more tempting for me. Let's go quickly before we have to wait in line.

—

Shaw: You have two choices now: one, challenge the snowy mountain, two, go to the skiing town for some "retirement."

In front of the registration desk of a snow club, Shaw presented me with a multiple-choice question.

MC: ...

I looked at the two brochures in my hand. One displayed the magnificent sea of clouds, while the other depicted cozy wooden cabins in the small town.

Although both were attractive, the snowy mountain was a local feature. When planning the route, I frequently encountered related travel videos—

The panoramic view of the world from the mountaintop was irreplaceable in the skiing town.

MC: Hmm, the scenery on the snowy mountain seems more unique...

Shaw: Okay, let's go with that. MC: Wait, wait a minute!

I quickly grabbed his arm and pointed to the brochure's description.

MC: The entry-level altitude of this snowy mountain is 5000 meters... Considering my sedentary office lifestyle, I should...

Sensing the hesitation and melancholy in my tone, Shaw turned back.

Shaw: How would you know if you don't try? MC: But still…. Shaw: Have some confidence in yourself. You've been doing sports for a while, you should be in better shape than a few months ago, right? MC: Well, that's true. I do feel that my fitness has improved a bit.

Encouraged by his rare words of motivation, I rallied some determination and headed to the front desk.

MC: Hello, we'd like to sign up for the snowy mountain trek.

The staff member handed out the materials, and one of them was a liability waiver that made me hesitate for a moment.

MC: Do we need to sign a liability waiver? Staff member: Yes, but the guides are very professional. As long as you follow their instructions, there won't be any risks.

Seeing Shaw's expression of "Are you scared?" I decisively wrote down my name.

MC: Oh, by the way.

Thinking of not wanting to miss out on anything, I put down the pen and looked at Shaw.

MC: Don't forget to arrange for the skiing town; I want to go there too. MC: Only boring people make choices, so I want both.

Guide: Everyone, we will first hike 11 kilometers to reach the base camp at 4000 meters and camp overnight. We'll start the ascent to the summit early in the morning.

After changing into the professional mountaineering equipment provided by the club, the guide led us along the horse trail on foot.

The mountain tops around us were already covered in white snow, and I envisioned myself standing at the summit, becoming more excited as we progressed.

But everything changed after a "watershed" appeared in the trek, about four kilometers into the hike.

The mountain road became even more rugged, and despite resting many times, each step felt as heavy as if my feet were filled with lead.

MC [panting]: So tired... How much longer?

Gasping for breath, I checked the step count on my watch—it was still a long way to the base camp.

This time, Shaw laughed and covered my eyes.

Shaw: Don't look, the more you look, the more desperate you'll feel. Besides, regrets won't help now. You've already boarded the "thief's ship," and you can only grit your teeth and keep going. MC: Aren't you tired? Still have the energy to tease me... Shaw: It's okay, at least better than those who sit in the office all day.

While saying this, Shaw intentionally slows down his pace, gently pulling me to a relatively flat mountain path.

Shaw: So don't think about how long it will take to reach the destination. Just look ahead. The process is always more interesting than the destination.

For the rest of the journey, Shaw didn't rush me. However, from time to time, he used some provocative methods to make me take a few more steps with determination.

When we finally reached the base camp, after dinner, we were instructed to go inside and sleep.

MC: Shaw, do you know what time it is now? It's only 6:30! How can I sleep at 6:30!

I tossed and turned in my sleeping bag, and finally rolled over to Shaw's side.

Shaw: If you can't sleep, then don't. Shaw: But let me remind you, it's still several hours away from the mountaintop now, and it's only going to get steeper at night. MC: But I really can't sleep!

Before I could finish speaking, he pressed me into his arms, and the warm breath on top of my head felt especially comforting in the night.

Shaw[sighs deeply]: Close your eyes and shut up. No talking from now on. Whoever breaks the rule will get their head bumped. MC: Huh? Shaw: Once.

He tapped my forehead and closed his eyes, not giving me a chance to retaliate.

Feeling a bit helpless, I raised my fist toward the empty space, but he skillfully caught it and placed it in front of himself.

Shaw: Try any tricks again, even if it's just twice for you. MC: I...

As he slightly opened his mouth, I quickly pulled back my neck and closed my eyes.

—[Flashback starts]

But soon, the continuous mountain ranges in the daytime and the bright and lively Shaw under the sunlight began to appear in my mind.

Traveling together is said to be the best test of a couple's compatibility. Although we argued along the way, everything we did was remarkably harmonious.

[Flashback ends]—

Thinking of this, I secretly opened my eyes, only to meet his gaze directly.

Neither of us spoke, the dim light flickering, allowing the tranquility of this moment to linger gently.

Finally, I spoke softly.

MC: Didn't we agree not to open our eyes? Why are you looking at me?

Before I finished speaking, he lightly tapped my forehead.

Shaw: Eyes open, time for a penalty. MC: You clearly opened your eyes too, don't try to escape! Shaw: Why should I be penalized? If you don't open your eyes, you won't know that I did. MC: Shaw!!

I was about to give him a playful response, but he once again held my hand in check.

Shaw: Seems like you're not tired enough during the day. Let's just forget about sleeping. I'll keep you company until you're exhausted.

When I woke up again, it was already 2 a.m. We quickly packed up and followed the guide to continue our journey.

The high mountains that were bright in the daytime now appeared as dark shadows, overlooking numerous climbers facing the challenge.

The latter part of the journey was indeed steeper than during the day. I stumbled over rocks, feeling my energy rapidly depleting.

Not only me, but some fellow travelers even gave up on reaching the summit, brushing past us and heading back.

MC [panting heavily]: Huff …..

Shaw: I know you can still persist, but rushing won't help. Stick to the pace we had during the day.

He slowed down our pace, and gradually, we became the last ones in the group.

The wind and snow continued to blow, stealing the already thin oxygen. I could only breathe heavily, gripping the climbing rope and moving upward.

Until a faint light illuminated the foothills, I belatedly looked up, realizing the snowy summit was still far away.

I instinctively took large strides forward, but my knees went soft, and I was supported by Shaw.

Shaw [sounding concerned]: Hey, holding up okay? MC: I-I can still go on.

As I stood panting, Shaw walked in front of me and crouched down, patting his own shoulder.

Shaw: This snow mountain is a bit more challenging than I imagined. Come on, I won't count it as slacking off.

Feeling a warm surge in my heart, I made an effort to catch my breath and smiled at him.

MC: Some people always say you should experience things for yourself, so I want to climb up step by step on my own.

Shaw smiled and turned to brush off the snow on my knees.

Shaw: Quite determined. I'll follow your lead this time.

I nodded and then held his hand.

MC: But you still need to hold my hand, just like you always do.

Shaw tightened his grip on my hand and took on most of my weight as we ascended together.

Silently, the sun had poured all its light onto the vast white mountains, creating a dazzling golden glow.

Even though we hadn't reached the summit yet, I no longer felt in a hurry. Instead, I held the hand of the person beside me tightly, savoring every step of the journey.

Until I saw the monument marking 5025 meters close at hand, excitement surged within me.

MC: Shaw... I did it! We reached the summit!

All the determination finally relaxed at this moment. I rested on my knees, looking down at the sea of clouds bathed in golden light.

But in the next moment, my vision flickered, and Shaw lifted me high.

Strong arms securely held me, widening my perspective at this moment.

Shaw [in a cheerful voice]: The scenery is undoubtedly better the higher you go. How about it, can you see clearly now? MC: Mm!

The smiling voice reached my ears through the wind and snow. I took a deep breath, looking around the endless snow-covered expanse.

The entire world seemed to be covered in a pure white blanket, with the lazy sun lying on top, casting extremely dazzling light.

In the face of nature, humans are so tiny, yet I was fortunate to stand at the top of the world under its gaze.

MC: Experiencing things for yourself is indeed essential. The scenery in videos is not even one-thousandth as beautiful as what I'm seeing with my own eyes! Shaw [softly]: That's why, if there's a next time, don't dismiss yourself beforehand. Otherwise, you won't know how much you've missed.

After Shaw put me down, I naturally hooked my arms around his neck.

MC: Then I'll continue to engage in sports, because I want to see many more beautiful sceneries with you.

I paused, smiling at him.

MC: Consider it my way of adding a little extra beauty to the future~

He smiled and looked around the mountains before shifting his gaze back to me.

Shaw [chuckles]: Next time, when I ask you to go skateboarding, you better not chicken out, or I'll have to tie you down and take you there.

—

🚐 Day 3

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Andrew Doyle

Published: Apr 20, 2023

I am at the home of a psychopath. Here on the easternmost point of the island of Capri, the ancient ruins of the Villa Jovis still cling to the summit of the mount­ain. This was the former residence of the Emperor Tiberius, who retired here for the last decade of his life in order to indulge in what Milton described as “his horrid lusts”. He conducted wild orgies for his nymphs and catamites. He forced children to swim between his thighs, calling them his “little fish”. He raped two brothers and broke their legs when they complained. He threw countless individuals to their deaths from a precipice looming high over the sea.

That these stories are unlikely to be true is beside the point; Tiberius’s reputation has done wonders for the tourist trade here on Capri. The historians Suetonius and Tacitus started the rumours and, with the help of successive generations of sensationalists, established a tradition that was to persist for almost two millennia.

All of which serves as a reminder that reputations can be constructed and sustained on the flimsiest of foundations. Suetonius and Tacitus were writing almost a century after the emperor’s death, and many of their lurid stories were doubtless echoes of those circulated by his most spiteful enemies. Or perhaps it’s simply a matter of prurience. Who can deny that the more lascivious and outlandish acts of the Roman emperors are by far the most memorable? One thinks immediately of Caligula having sex with his siblings and appointing his horse as consul. Or Nero murdering his own mother, and taking a castrated slave for his bride, naming him after the wife he had kicked to death. For all their horror, who doesn’t feel cheated when such tales turn out to be false?

Our reputations are changelings: protean shades of other people’s imaginations. More often than not, they are birthed from a combination of uninformed prejudice and wishful thinking. And we should be in no doubt that in our online age, when lies are disseminated at lightning speed and casual defamation has become the activist’s principal strategy, reputations are harder to heal once tarnished.

I am tempted to feel pity for future historians. Quite how they will be expected to wade through endless reams of emails, texts, and other digital materials — an infinitude of conflicting narratives and individual “truths” — really is beyond me. At least when there is a dearth of primary sources it is possible to piggyback onto a firm conclusion. “Suetonius said…” has a satisfactory and definitive air, but only because there are so few of his contemporary voices available to contradict him.

As the culture war rumbles on, and I have found myself ostracised by former friends who now interpret even minor political disagreements as evidence of malevolence, I have learned that reputation is invariably a form of fiction. One such friend used to complain endlessly about a certain conservative commentator, asserting that he was a mendacious hatemonger whose every action was motivated by contempt for marginalised communities. These ideas were so frequently repeated in conversation, and confirmed by others within our circle, that I had no doubt they must be true. Imagine my confusion, then, when I eventually became well acquainted with this man, and found him to be both generous and empathetic. It’s like meeting Beelzebub and finding that he has been secretly baking cupcakes for the poor.

The same sense of bewilderment has struck me whenever I have happened upon bad-faith critics attempting to summarise my views. I have been variously described as “far-Right”, “bigoted”, “racist”, “sexist” and even “homophobic”. Of course, I would not expect total strangers to know my mind, but given that my actual opinions are freely available to anyone with a search engine, it does feel odd to be so wildly mischaracterised.

I am not alone in this. That false narratives can be more powerful than reality is, of course, the reason why our opponents so readily resort to distortions and smears. A colleague recently alerted me to one of the more bizarre hit pieces that has been written about me in an online magazine. The strategy was at least novel: the writer had contacted former students from my time as a teacher in order to trawl for unflattering anecdotes. According to one account, I had sent a pupil out of the classroom because he dared to disagree with me about the use of metaphorical language in Of Mice and Men.

But perhaps funnier than the story itself is that the author of this article was gulled into repeating it as though it could possibly be authentic. It is a reminder that reputations are often cultivated by those who must first suspend their critical faculties. This kind of nonsense is harmless enough, of course. It falls far short of defamation and, as RuPaul so neatly put it: “what other people think of me is none of my business.”

For all that, more serious attacks on people’s reputations can be devastating. Three years ago, I lost a friend to cancer after he had been falsely accused of sexual assault. In his final days he told me that he had no doubt that the years of intense anxiety following the trial had exacerbated his illness. The source of his distress wasn’t even so much the initial accusation, which was easily disproved in court, but rather the gossip that continued to reverberate and the loved ones who no longer picked up the phone.

In the past, I have often made the mistake of assuming the worst of my detractors, simply because a scurrilous lie has seemed more appealing than a complicated truth. Few of us who have been dragged into the deranging ideological skirmishes of the past few years will have avoided making these mistakes, but these days I like to keep in mind Philip Roth’s remark in The Human Stain: “our understanding of people must always be at best slightly wrong.”

No doubt it is hopelessly optimistic to assume that this approach will become the default. Our brains are hardwired to take mental shortcuts — known as heuristics — and we are generally more willing to believe the worst of others than make the effort to consider that we may have been misinformed. Worse still, the inherent appeal of scandalous and titillating tales means they will be propagated at an accelerated rate, so that even outright lies can quickly become received wisdom. We tend to accept that there is “no smoke without fire”, when more often than not it’s just a few troublemakers with a dry ice machine.

So perhaps we ought to give Tiberius the benefit of the doubt. In that spirit, let us consider one of Suetonius’s more flattering accounts. While living on the island of Rhodes, Tiberius remarked that he ought to visit all the sick people in the town. His servants assumed that this was some kind of decree, and the local invalids were hastily summoned. Rather than turn them away, Tiberius took the time to speak to each one and apologise for the misunderstanding. This story may not satisfy our appetite for murder and depravity, but at least it might be true.

[depressedhatakekakashi]

Can I ask your opinion on two topics that some uwu fans were talking about? The truth is that I would have liked to ask them but I don't want conflict and they don't seem very friendly to me since although I love S I also love Kakashi, that's why I wanted the opinion of someone more open minded

The first thing was that these fans were saying that Kakashi never supported S*suke and he always treated him as if he was an evil, dangerous hatred bomb about to explode or something. For me this is not true since in Zabuza's fight we see that he calms him down by saying not to worry since he was not going to let anything bad happen to him, besides two reasons that make me say that this is false is that Kakashi would never have entrusted him with the chidori (dangerous jutsu that can kill you) if he felt that from S, and also if this were real, Kakashi would not have been surprised by the change of mind that S had regarding revenge, since it would have seemed to him a normal attitude in him

The second thing they were talking about is the scene where Kakashi ties him to a tree claiming that he won't listen willingly, and they were wondering what past experience could have led Kakashi to believe that tying S*suke to a tree was even necessary? And when did S*suke not listen to him or run in the middle of an argument?. Well.. for these questions I don't have a clear answer beyond the fact that Kakashi didn't have much time to think about it and also S*suke, a moment before, had left the hospital roof (I think jumping a fence) when Kakashi was disappointed about what happened, so I don't think S would have listened to Kakashi's words if Kakashi didn't tie him up.

I would like to know if I'm wrong or if they are the ones who, being mega fans of S*suke, can't see things clearly (I tried to censor S*asuke's name to avoid trouble for you). And sorry if I'm bothering you, you're not obliged to give me your opinion

Ok so i’m going to start by prefacing, i’m not a fan of Kakashi tying Sasuke to the tree. It was an extreme measure that he took that i don’t feel was necessary even though i understand why he did it

Now for the questions

As you said, Kakashi showed throughout the og series he cared about Sasuke. He supports Sasuke, calms him down when he’s clearly panicking but also lets him take down the enemies that he knows he can handle no issue because he can see Sasuke needs to release some pent ho energy

He also put himself between Orochimaru and Sasuke and threatened to take orochimaru down with him to save Sasuke, even though as we clearly see he has a pretty healthy fear of orochimaru. If Kakashi did not care about Sasuke he simply would not have done that

Kakashi also never thought of Sasuke as a ticking time bomb. I think they’re taking how Hiruzen viewed Orochimaru and applying it to Kakashi and it doesn’t work

Kakashi knew and expected Sasuke’s thirst for revenge and had zero problem with it until Sasuke turned his anger onto his teammate. It was only when Sasuke almost killed Sakura while trying to use Chidori (the move Kakashi taught him) that Kakashi put his foot down because Revenge was no eating away at Sasuke so much he was willing to cut the bonds he had managed to make. (And before someone gets on my case about Kakashi not talking to Naruto about using Rasangan, he did get on Jiraiya’s case and Jiraiya should have gotten on Naruto’s case since HE taught him rasangan. Jiraiya simply didn’t care and dismissed Sasuke as a lost cause as soon as he left the village)

Now lets go into shippuden

If Kakashi didn’t care about Sasuke why would he take Naruto out of the village during a Kage summit after stating point blank ‘no shinobi is allowed to leave the village during a kage summit’? Something he did specifically so Naruto could beg for Sasuke’s life to the Raikage. Kakashi broke rules and disrespected the authority Danzo now has as Hokage by taking Naruto out of the village AND asking Sai to lie to Danzo, and a large reason he did this was so Naruto could bouch for Sasuke and try to get his life spared (not that it was really in danger but still)

If Kakashi didn’t care about Sasuke, why would he tell Sasuke after saving Sakura that he didn’t want to fight? If Sasuke was really a ticking time bomb Kakashi expected to explode, why would he even try at all to reach out to him? That makes no sense

Kakashi did care about Sasuke

He wanted to help Sasuke, he simply wasn’t equipped to give Sasuke the help that he wanted (well, he could have trained sasuke still and sasuke would have gotten stringer, but orochimaru had a short cut to more power sasuke took)

As for the tree scene

Kakashi did that because he just saw Sasuke try and use Chidori against Naruto, which resulted in him and Naruto almost killing Sakura

He had every right to be cautious and to hold Sasuke down so they could actually talk. Espeshally given that when he showed up and stopped Sasuke and Naruto from hitting Sakura, Sasuke didn’t stick around

He left as soon as he could without even speaking to Kakashi, Naruto or Sakura

At this point it’s 100% valid to think Sasuke might not sit and listen to him, so Kakashi felt he needed to make him sit and listen

Was it the best way to do it? Absolutly not.

But he had a set amount of time to talk to Sasuke and make him listen. If he’d had more time he may have actually taken Sasuke out to a training field to spar and talk because Sasuke obv had some anger to get out that a spar might have aided with

Kakashi did not have time to do that, so he did what he could to make Sasuke sit and listen

[i-am-still-bb]

#1

"But now this room is spinning while I'm trying just to fill in all the gaps." | Safety Net | Swooning | "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Fili/Kili, T Modern AU 770 words

--

A/N: Incredibly mild whump via altitude sickness (ie headache, nausea, dizziness) with caretaking.

--

“Wow! Kili, look at this!”

Kili does not look up from the trail precisely 2 feet in front of his boots. He hears the excitement in Fili’s voice, the awe, but all Kili can focus on his the harsh sound of his own breathing and the continuous loop of “Don’t fall. Don’t fall. Don’t fall. Don’t fall.”

“Kili?”

Kili hooks his thumbs through the shoulder straps of his backpack and forces himself to take another step and another before looking up. Fili has stepped off to the side of the trail. Back straight, hands holding his phone in landscape mode, arms making small adjustments to get the perfect photo. His chest rises and falls as he takes deep breaths, but his cheeks are pink and his eyes bright. Kili tries to keep the scowl from his face. He feels like he is about to fall down. He wants to go back to the hostel and take a nap. But he also does not want to ruin what should be (and is, for Fili) a good time with a scowl.

Kili stops next to Fili. He looks out over the edge where Fili’s eyes are trained. Bursts of gold amid the green fir trees, mist rising from the lake, the peaks of mountains sliding in and out of view as the fogs and clouds thicken and thin on a whim. 

“It almost doesn’t feel real.”

“Yeah,” Kili forces out before he yawns again. He winces when the yawn makes his head throb again. 

“Are you okay?”

Kili straightens. “I’m fine. Just tired.” 

Fili’s eyes are now fixed on Kili instead of the breathtaking view. “We can take a break here,” Fili says, “Have a snack; whatever.”

Kili unbuckles the chest and waist belts of his pack. “You don’t have to wait for me.” 

Fili’ rolls his eyes, “If I wanted to hike alone then I could have just saved those credit card points that I used for your seat on the plane for something else.” He has his bag off and is rifling through its contents for snacks before Kili even slips his bag from his shoulders. “Besides, this is a great spot to take a break. We have this view,” he gestures to the view of the peaks in the clouds and their snow speckled slopes, “the sun, and a bit of a breeze.”

Kili bends over to set his bag down. His head throbs; his vision darkens;  he stumbles. Fili grabbing a fistful of Kili’s brightly patterned fleece jacket while making a startled noise keeps Kili from falling down.

“What was that?” There’s a concerned note to Fili’s voice that he most certainly got from their mother. 

“I’m fine. I just got a little dizzy, that’s all,” Kili says after he straightens. But Fili does not let go of Kili’s jacket. 

“Do you have a headache?” Fili’s gaze is now fixed on Kili.

“A bit,” Kili shrugs, “But it could be from the turbulence on our flight, I—”

“Dizziness?”

“Not right now.”

“Nausea?”

Kili shrugs again.

“If I gave you a granola bar would you eat it?”

“Probably not,” Kili admits. He looks past Fili.

“Okay. Sit down.” Fili guides Kili to a flat-ish rock. He only lets go of Kili’s jacket once Kili is firmly seated. “We’re going to have a snack. You are going to drink as much water as you can stand. We’re going to rest a bit while we do that. And then we’re heading back down to the car.”

Kili sipped from his hydration bladder. “I can go down by myself,” he protested.

“Not a chance,” Fili said, ripping open a package of chocolate-covered almonds and shoving them at Kili.

“I can wait here for you. There’s no reason you shouldn’t get to enjoy the summit.” Kili stared gloomily into the bag of almonds.

Fili leaned over and rested a hand on Kili’s knee. “We’re going down together. We’ll find something else to do. Maybe check out that ziplining place we saw advertised in the drive up here. After that we could get some Himalayan food from that one place you found online.”

“Fine.”

“Don’t think I won’t tickle you if that’s what is necessary to make you smile,” Fili threatens with a smile.

Kili flicked an almond in Fili’s direction.

“Hey!” The almond bounced off Fili’s chest and landed on the ground somewhere.

“I’d like to see you try.”

“After I find that almond. Chipmunks don’t need to be eating that.”

“Mhm.” Kili takes a small handful of the almonds and crunches away while Fili continues to hunt for the missing snack food.

[streamedge12]

Best Places to visit in Sakleshpur

Nestled amidst the lush greenery of the Western Ghats, Sakleshpur is a charming hill station in Karnataka, India, known for its mesmerizing landscapes, pleasant climate, and a myriad of attractions that appeal to nature lovers, adventure seekers, and history enthusiasts alike. Whether you are planning a short getaway or a long vacation, Sakleshpur offers an array of experiences that promise to rejuvenate your mind and soul. In this blog, we'll take you through some of the must-visit places in Sakleshpur, ensuring your trip is filled with unforgettable memories.

Before we dive into the exploration, let me introduce you to Streamedge Sakleshpur, renowned for offering the best accommodation in Sakleshpur. This serene retreat provides a tranquil ambiance and comfortable stays, making it the perfect starting point for discovering the beauty of this picturesque hill station.

1. Manjarabad Fort

One of the most iconic landmarks of Sakleshpur, the Manjarabad Fort, stands as a testament to the region's rich history. Built by Tipu Sultan in the 18th century, this star-shaped fort offers a glimpse into the past with its unique architecture and strategic location. Perched at an elevation of about 3,240 feet, the fort provides panoramic views of the Western Ghats and the surrounding landscape. A visit to Manjarabad Fort is not just a historical journey but also a visual treat, especially during the monsoon season when the fort is enveloped in mist.

2. Bisle Viewpoint

For those who crave breathtaking views and a sense of adventure, Bisle Viewpoint is a must-visit destination. Located about 35 kilometers from Sakleshpur, this viewpoint offers an unparalleled view of the meeting point of the three mountain ranges – the Kumara Parvatha, Pushpagiri, and Dodda Betta. The journey to Bisle Viewpoint itself is an adventure, with winding roads and dense forests. Once you reach the top, you'll be rewarded with stunning vistas of the lush greenery and cascading waterfalls, making it a perfect spot for nature photography.

3. Hemavathi River

The Hemavathi River, a tributary of the Kaveri, flows gracefully through Sakleshpur, offering numerous opportunities for water-based activities and serene picnic spots. The river is surrounded by dense forests and coffee plantations, creating a tranquil environment for visitors. You can enjoy a leisurely boat ride, try your hand at fishing, or simply relax by the riverside, soaking in the natural beauty. The Hemavathi Dam, located nearby, is another attraction worth visiting, especially during the rainy season when the water levels are high.

4. Green Route Trek

Adventure enthusiasts and trekking lovers will find the Green Route Trek to be an exhilarating experience. Also known as the Railway Track Trek, this trail runs along the railway tracks from Sakleshpur to the Subramanya Road Station. The trek spans approximately 52 kilometers, passing through dense forests, tunnels, and over bridges, offering trekkers an immersive experience of the Western Ghats' pristine beauty. The trail is dotted with numerous waterfalls and streams, providing refreshing breaks along the way. While the entire trek can be challenging, shorter segments can be undertaken for a less strenuous adventure.

5. Jenukal Gudda

Also known as the Honey Stone Mountain, Jenukal Gudda is the second-highest peak in Karnataka and a favorite among trekking enthusiasts. The trek to Jenukal Gudda takes you through coffee plantations, lush forests, and rocky terrains, culminating in a breathtaking view from the summit. On a clear day, you can even catch a glimpse of the Arabian Sea from the peak. The trail is relatively moderate, making it accessible for both novice and experienced trekkers. The serene environment and panoramic views make Jenukal Gudda a must-visit for anyone seeking an adventure in Sakleshpur.

6. Coffee Plantations

Sakleshpur is renowned for its extensive coffee plantations, which contribute significantly to the region's economy and charm. A visit to one of the many coffee estates is a delightful experience, offering insights into the coffee-making process, from bean to cup. You can take a guided tour of the plantations, learn about the cultivation and processing techniques, and enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee amidst the lush greenery. The aroma of coffee beans, coupled with the scenic beauty of the plantations, creates a memorable experience for all visitors.

7. Betta Byraveshwara Temple

Perched atop a hill, the Betta Byraveshwara Temple is a spiritual retreat surrounded by stunning natural beauty. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this ancient temple is believed to be over 600 years old and is a significant pilgrimage site for the locals. The trek to the temple is relatively easy and offers splendid views of the Western Ghats. The peaceful ambiance and the panoramic views from the temple premises make it a perfect spot for meditation and relaxation. The temple is especially beautiful during the monsoon season when the surrounding hills are covered in a blanket of greenery.

8. Agni Gudda Hill

Agni Gudda, meaning "Fiery Mountain," is a popular trekking destination known for its unique landscape and panoramic views. The hill is named so due to its fiery red soil and rugged terrain. The trek to Agni Gudda is relatively short but steep, making it an exciting challenge for adventure seekers. Once you reach the summit, you'll be greeted with stunning views of the surrounding paddy fields, plantations, and hills. The picturesque scenery and the thrill of the trek make Agni Gudda a must-visit for anyone looking to explore the adventurous side of Sakleshpur.

9. Sakleshpur Lake Park

For a more relaxed outing, Sakleshpur Lake Park offers a serene environment perfect for families and nature lovers. The park features a beautiful lake surrounded by well-maintained gardens, walking paths, and seating areas. You can enjoy a peaceful boat ride on the lake, have a picnic with your loved ones, or simply take a leisurely stroll while admiring the scenic beauty. The park is an excellent spot to unwind and enjoy the tranquility of nature without venturing too far from the town center.

10. Hanbal Falls

Hanbal Falls, located near the village of Hanbal, is a hidden gem that offers a refreshing escape into nature. The waterfall is surrounded by dense forests and coffee plantations, creating a serene and picturesque setting. The falls are at their most spectacular during the monsoon season when the water gushes down with full force. A short trek through the forest will lead you to the falls, where you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the cool waters or simply relax and soak in the natural beauty. Hanbal Falls is an ideal destination for those looking to explore off-the-beaten-path attractions in Sakleshpur.

Conclusion

Sakleshpur, with its stunning landscapes, rich history, and diverse attractions, is a destination that promises a unique and memorable experience for every traveler. Whether you are trekking through the Western Ghats, exploring ancient forts, or simply enjoying the serenity of coffee plantations, Sakleshpur offers something for everyone. As you plan your visit, make sure to explore the best places to visit in Sakleshpur, from breathtaking viewpoints to historical landmarks.

And as you plan your adventure, consider making Streamedge Sakleshpur your base, ensuring a comfortable and peaceful stay amidst the natural beauty of this charming hill station. Book your stay now at Streamedge Sakleshpur, one of the best Sakleshpur resorts, and experience the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure.

So pack your bags, set your sights on Sakleshpur, and get ready to create unforgettable memories in this hidden gem of Karnataka. Happy travels!

[robpegoraro]

Weekly output: Boost Mobile, AI at BT, digital privacy, Elon Musk's X agenda, Salt Typhoon breaches T-Mobile

I have more than enough practice at traveling to the other side of the Atlantic, but this week’s trip to Lisbon for Web Summit had me sandbagged by jet lag almost every night. It appears that I never got my head into Western European Time, to judge from my not feeling wiped out in a “do not operate heavy machinery” way after I got home Friday night. 11/11/2024: Boost Mobile Touts 5G Network…

[me-gusta]

Feelings unveiled Part 1

The early morning sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink as Kirito and Asuna set out on their trekking trip. They had chosen a remote trail, away from the city`s hustle and bustle, seeking solace in nature's embrace. Kirito had meticulously planned this trip for weeks, not just as an adventure but as the perfect opportunity to express his feelings to Asuna.

Asuna, dressed in comfortable trekking gear, adjusted her backpack and looked at Kirito with a smile. “Ready for the adventure?”

Kirito grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Absolutely. This trail is supposed to have an amazing view at the summit. I can`t wait to get there.”

They began their ascent, the path winding through dense forests and over rocky outcrops. The air was crisp, and the only sounds were their footsteps and the occasional call of a distant bird. Kirito stole glances at Asuna, his heart racing with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. He had planned everything meticulously, but now that the moment was approaching, he found himself second-guessing his courage.

Asuna, oblivious to Kirito`s inner turmoil, was enjoying the hike. She admired the lush greenery and the way the morning sunlight filtered through the trees. Every so often, she would point out a beautiful flower or an interesting rock formation, her enthusiasm infectious.

The trek was more challenging than they had anticipated, with steep inclines and uneven terrain testing their stamina. But Kirito and Asuna were determined, pushing forward with a shared sense of purpose. They took occasional breaks, sipping water and catching their breath.

After several hours of trekking, they reached a clearing that offered a panoramic view of the valley below. The sight was breathtaking—rolling hills, meandering rivers, and a patchwork of fields stretched out as far as the eye could see.

“This is incredible,“ Asuna said, her eyes wide with wonder. She turned to Kirito, her smile reflecting her awe. “Thank you for planning this. It`s amazing.”

Kirito nodded, his heart swelling with affection. “I`m glad you like it. There`s more to come. We`re almost at the summit.“

They continued their ascent, their pace slowing as the trail became steeper. The air grew thinner, and they could see the peak of the mountain looming ahead. Kirito`s nerves were on edge; he knew that the time for his confession was drawing near.

As they approached the summit, Kirito decided it was time to rest. He found a flat rock near the top, offering a perfect spot to sit and take in the view. “Let`s take a break here,“ he suggested, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies in his stomach.

Asuna sat down beside him, removing her backpack and stretching her legs. She looked at Kirito with curiosity. “What`s on your mind? You seem a bit distracted.”

Kirito took a deep breath, his heart pounding. This was it. He turned to face Asuna, his expression serious yet tender. “Asuna, there`s something I`ve been wanting to tell you.”

Asuna looked at him, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern. “What is it, Kirito?”

Kirito struggled to find the right words, his emotions a tumultuous mix of hope and fear. “I`ve been thinking a lot about us—about how much you mean to me. This trip was my way of showing you how special you are and how much I care about you.”

Asuna`s heart skipped a beat. She could sense the gravity in Kirito`s voice and the earnestness in his eyes. “Kirito…”

He continued, his voice steady despite his racing heart. “I realized that my feelings for you go beyond friendship. I love you, Asuna. I`ve loved you for a long time, and I wanted this moment to be perfect, just like my feelings for you.”

Asuna`s eyes widened in surprise, and her breath caught in her throat. She looked at Kirito, her heart pounding with a mix of joy and disbelief. “Kirito, I… I don`t know what to say.”

Kirito`s face fell slightly, a hint of worry crossing his features. “You don`t have to say anything right away. I just wanted you to know how I feel.”

But before Kirito could say more, Asuna reached out and took his hand, her eyes shining with emotion. “No, Kirito. You don`t understand. I`ve been feeling the same way. I`ve loved you for so long, and I was just waiting for the right moment to tell you.”

Kirito`s eyes lit up with a mixture of relief and joy. “You mean it?”

Asuna nodded, her smile radiant. “Yes, I do. I love you, Kirito. You`ve always been special to me, and I`m so happy you feel the same.”

Overwhelmed with emotion, Kirito pulled Asuna into a tender embrace. The world around them seemed to fade away as they held each other, their hearts beating in sync. The sun continued its descent, casting a golden glow over the summit as if nature itself was celebrating their newfound love. Asuna looked up at Kirito, her eyes sparkling with tears of happiness. “This is perfect. I`ve never felt this way before. Being here with you, on this beautiful mountain… it`s everything I`ve ever wanted.”

[amywaymee]

Pen y fan

I first walked Pen y fan in 1978 - or tried to.... I had joined the Asian Soc during freshers week - and against my better judgement allowed Harry - a very charming young man to talk me into joining the society on a walk (I was not a walker). I agreed on condition that there would be other girls there. Turn up a week later - no ladies in the mini bus. Harry grinned cheekily - but admitted none of the girls had any interest in walking up a mountain - they obviously had more sense than I did. So there I was minibus full of young men and me. We walked up the mountain - Harry in T shirt and clogs, me in trainers and probably my leather coat....

Got up to the top of a slope, we looked across and I was informed that actually Pen y fan was the next peak across. Suffice to say - I declined to walk any further and went back to the minibus. We had just climbed Corn du unbeknown to me.

Over the next 46 years I have walked up Pen y Fan numerous times, and it surprises me each time. I have been up there in beautiful sunshine, in dense fog, bitter cold, gales and snow deep enough to sink into. I started out loving it and when the crowds moved in, hating it and now loving it again. Away from the crowds mid week - the views are spectacular and it changes everytime I visit. I now try and walk it at least once a year - just to remind myself that even on the busiest mountains you can find solitude..

Looking up at Corn Du

Llyn Cwm Llwch in the distance as I struggle up Corn Du.

Perhaps doing a disservice to Pen y fan but this is what the summit is like - but the views are amazing.

The Black mountains and Sugar Loaf - view from the summit.

[mibeau]

[Travelog] Subhanallah, I’m Amazed by… The Cloud Formation at the Peak of Gunung Datok

The year 2010 to 2013 was my active period as a member of the Adventure Club. And Gunung Datok was the last mountain I climbed, in Malaysia, to date. My first was Gunung Arong, back in 2008.

If anyone ever said, “All mountains are the same”, they could never be more wrong.

Yes, like any shopping mall, their appearance and concept may seem similar. Yet, what it contained, is full of wonders. Even an experienced hiker may get lost the second time they enter the same trail. A mountaintop is not the same as a hilltop. Even the popular ones. It is more than just height differences. Things you see from the summit of a mountain vary each time. Each mountain has its very own wonders and characteristics. And today, I’m going to share why going up Gunung Datok is my best experience so far. The first view that ever blew my mind away. I almost prostrated. I wish I did.

Gunung Datok is located in the Kuala Pilah and Rembau districts of Negeri Sembilan. With an elevation of 884m(2900ft), it is part of the Titiwangsa Mountains.

We took the school bus from Nilai, as early as 5am-ish. It was a little drizzling. Luckily, by the time we reached the mountain foot, it had stopped. We had a light breakfast and quick briefing before heading up, in a group of five or so. There were about 30 of us in total, I think.

Along the way, I met 3 decent youngsters who wore only slippers, which the grips seemed questionable.

They jumped in out of nowhere. I was slightly startled. One, it was raining the night before, so the soil was still wet and slippery. How did they manage to land on a standing position with those slippers on? Two, they were neither heading up nor going down. They jumped from a level above me, on my left and crossed me horizontally to my right. So, I asked, “ Eh, where y’all from? Didn’t see y’all coming. And where y’all heading?” One of the boys answered with a chill attitude yet still respectful, like this occurrence was an everyday thing, “Oh, we’re actually from the neighbouring mountain. We wanted to go to the other side. Simply, “short-cut”. That is why we crossed here.” Another boy said, “Yeap, he’s right. Okay, kak, we go first. Assalamualaikum!” Followed by the other two greeted me salam before they swiftly made their way past me. I paused for a few seconds.

Then it dawned on me that, those boys probably were locals. Either they lived within the mountain itself or, from nearby villages. What boggled me was, that apart from their slippers, they wore tracksuits and some sort of school’s co-curricular t-shirts. I initially thought they were on some field trips and perhaps they followed a different trek that I was not aware of. I was curious. Also, they were well-groomed and didn’t look like Orang Asli. So, I wasn’t expecting those answers from them. Yes, I was stereotyping, back then. Forgive my ignorance.

My fitness level was, adequate. So, my stamina was not as good as others in my convoy.

It took me about 3 hours to reach the sub-peak, where people camp, and then climbed up the Big Stones, to reach the top. I may not be the first one up, but I was happy that I was the last one, haha.

Side story, I was from a private university, and seeing any cute Malays there is a rarity. So, once I reached the first peak; the camp-site area, I took my time strolling through, heading to the Big Stones. I saw many others from different universities setting up their tents. I still remember thinking, that most of the boys from UiTM are good-looking. I was checking them out, before I recollected myself, face down and made istighfar. Youth and Temptation.

Back to our main agenda. We had to take turns to go up the peak, there was not much space up there. If I remember correctly, there were only ropes and ladders back then. But, recently I saw online, that they already built scaffolding stairs for hikers to climb on. Good for everyone, better safety measures taken. The thing about hiking up is, I’ve always told myself, “That’s it. This will be the last time I’ll ever climb a mountain. I’ll just be settled with hiking the hills. This is exhausting, I’m dying!” Yet, once I reached the top, in this case, once I stood on the Big Stone, all the fatigue melted away, gone.

Up there, of course, the first thing I saw was the magnificent view of lustrous greenery and blue skies, wide open, as far as the eyes can reach.

Drones were not easily available back then. If it were today, definitely, one of our members would have brought it with us. I closed my eyes for a moment and embraced the Sun rays showered on me. I opened my eyes and looked forward, That was when I saw it; clouds literally forming right before my eyes.

I thought to myself, “Is this real?” “Am I too tired that I’m seeing things?”

Indeed, it was real. Have you ever watched any tourism advertisements, where one of the snippets was a visualisation of cloud formation from afar and everything moved so fast? Or a scientific documentary where the show educates us on how evaporation leads to rain, condensation and so on? Pardon me, I’ve always assumed that those clips were sped up at least 3 times their original speeds. I was wrong! I saw right in front of me, that baby clouds were moving from left and right, at extremely fast speed, towards the centre and merged, forming bigger cotton clouds. Underneath those clouds, I saw mists. It was probably raining somewhere afar. I actually put my hands over my mouth; that’s how unbelievable the situation was for me. After a few minutes, I felt droplets on my hands, so decided to get down from the Big Stone. (But it didn’t actually rain that day, just cloudy)

I blinked my eyes a few times. As if my eyes would capture a few shots of the skies and carefully store them in my mental memory.

Then, I turned my back away from the view. On my left, which is towards the opposite side of the Big Stone, away from the campsite, I noticed, there was a small bulge for you to step down, if you want to. Supposedly a flat opening, that can fit a maximum, of only 5 adults on it. I saw a family of four, sitting down there, by the edge and giggly eating their packed sandwiches for lunch. “Wow, daredevils. How wonderful. Will I ever be as brave as them?” I was amazed because as much as I enjoy heights, I fear them as much, too.

It is finally time to head back to reality.

Normally, descending any mountain will take me at least one hour less than the time taken for me to climb up. But, the journey down this time, took me about 2.5 hours. Remember, it took me about 3 hours to reach the first peak. So, I was expecting myself to reach the bottom in less than 2 hours or so. And usually, I tend to follow the same route, up and down. Tried not to steer away too far. But here, halfway through, I went off-trek, a rough one.

Again, going down, whenever the route is difficult, I sometimes cursed myself saying, “Why do you love torturing yourself, Nisa? Not only you’ve finished all the drinks, your whole body will definitely be sore for the next few days, haih.” But, once I reached the foot mountain, I was relieved. I reminisced back what I saw at the top, and realised, it was all worth it. I will do it, all over again. Just maybe, not tomorrow.

And the person who suggested we come here, since it was his third time there, got lost, and we only managed to contact him after he got out to the other side of the mountain, right next to the highway, hmm… weird, but not really. Obviously, we did not camp out. It was a day trip. After having a late lunch and some rest for about an hour or so, we head back to Nilai. Thank God that the ranger managed to reach him 30 minutes after everyone in our convoy had touched down at the bottom. We picked him up on our way back. And he was in one piece, safe and sound.

Until today, the memory is still freshly imprinted on my mind.

Alhamdullilah for the sights to witness His Magnificent creations, alhamdullilah for allowing me to breathe in the fresh air, alhamdullilah for my sense of touch, that I was able to sense the breeziness and dampness of the forest. Alhamdullilah for the Sun rays that warmed my skin when we reached the top. Alhamdullilah for letting me live and experience all these. Thank You, Ya Allah.

---

Photos credited to afiqhalid , catchingtravels and upl-dwa .

[emptyingthebucket]

Day 60. Hiking in Big Bend.

My goal today is to take a hike. I want to see if I can find the view that is often depicted on the souvenirs, magnets, t-shirts and the like. I ask at the office where the trail head is. They direct me to the NP campground next door. We walk the dogs to the campground. This is where we didn't have reservations. It is nearly empty, but a sign at the entrance says it is full. Hmmm?

Barry doesn't want to take the hike, so after our dog walk and breakfast, I take off to see what I can find. It is poorly marked, but stubborn me, I walk til I can find it.

I come across some camp sites that are being refurbished. The construction sites are messy.

According to the NP map, the trail is .75 miles round trip. I told Barry I would only be a little while. So I start on the trail and quickly come to a swampy area.

Very adequate boardwalks cross this area but they are not well maintained. Much of the vegetation is overgrown.

Finally I find myself on solid, dry ground. I begin to walk up hill and then down. I discover 2 places where there are hand-crafted items sitting next to a donation can. Take an item and donate some cash for what you think it is worth. I really don't need any of these things, so I pass by.

The path has steps made of the local wood. This is the same wood the Navajo used to make their Hogans. I love it.

I hear talking in the distance and a family of about 5 people walk by me. They have been to the river and are now making there way back to camp. I continue on and see a man in the distance behind me, checking out the donation spots. Are they his?

Finally I see the river, The Rio Grande. Yes, I rafted on this very river up in New Mexico. But this is at the border. I'm seeing Mexico across the river. I see the iconic mountain top depicted on the souvenirs. But this isn't the right perspective. I'm not in the right place yet!

I enjoy the vegetation all along the trail.

I'm walk beyond the brush, now it's almost all sand.

I walk a couple of hundred yards across sandy soil and make my way to the rivers edge.

I touch the water. It looks clean, smells clean, and is a perfect temp. A few photos and I begin to walk back.

Every thing looks the same so I am glad I took photos along the way to be sure I entered the brush in the same spot I left it. It's nearly 45 minutes since I left camp. Will Barry be worried? Hope not. I come to a fork in the trail. One way is back to camp, the other is "The Overlook Loop Trail."

I haven't seen THEE VIEW yet, so I take The Overlook Loop Trail. I am rewarded by my effort, THEE View is at the summit of this trail.

I see a man on horseback crossing from Mexico to the US. I can't see his clothes clearly. Is he a Ranger? I don't know.

I return to camp. Yes, Barry was worried. I was gone for an hour and 15 minutes for what was reported to be a three-quarters of a mile hike. It was over 2 miles.