#Amended bc I forgot to add a few things

[frances-and-the-moon]

Why "Beyond Evil" is an enemies-to-partners-to-lovers story❤️, a (very) brief timeline (for those who haven't watched the show):

In the first episode, Han Joo-Won (our main lead + sweetest flower in the entire Korean police force + son prince of Deputy Commissioner to-be) goes to the little merry town of Manyang, hellbent on arresting Lee Dong-Sik (our other Main Lead), local dilf and renowned lunatic, whom he believes to be the serial killer from a string of murders that started 20 years prior;

Our Joo-Won (who also coincidentally happens to be a collector of stylish coats and has hair softer🌷than any woman in the show) is obsessed with said dilf already before the start of the series but we don't get to see that (but the obsession was definitely there much earlier than when he moved to Manyang);

Once he is in the merry town of Manyang (where everyone seems kinda sus and in need of therapy tbh) he breaks inside Dong-Sik's house multiple times, uninvited and casually making himself at home. DS is often annoyed at him but never throws him out, which says a lot about DS's already compromised + whipped state of mind™️;

In the course of the first episodes, Han Joo-Won (our boytoy) keeps accusing Dong-Sik (our crazy dilf) of having murdered his own sister (ffs Joo-Won) and other various women (without any evidence whatsoever). As he repeatedly accuses DS without rhyme nor reason he ofc thinks he's being such a clever officer - because telling the person you believe to be a serial killer he's a psycho the first time you meet him and repeatedly grabbing him by the colllar and shaking him is how investigating murders works in his seasoned police officer mind;

As JW fulfills his need for approval (stemming from Daddy Issues™️) and sense of justice, Dong-Sik taunts, manipulates and messes w/ his head and has him wrapped around his little finger, making Joo-Won think he's the killer;

Joo-Won ofc falls for that bc he has tunnel vision and can't connect shit.

BONUS:

Romantic drama tropes (x 2): (1) Han Joo-Won staring at DS under the rain (1st appearance of the Rain Trope™️) as the man whom he believes to be the serial killer smiles sweetly and shields a boy who has lost his way with his umbrella - cue longing, lustful stare from JW and the moment he falls in love w/ his partner (which he doesn't realize yet bc he's clueless); (2) Han Joo-Won disobeying DS's orders not to get involved and protecting him from a local band of thugs, potentially sabotaging his career and his relationship w/ his father - start of Protective Boyfriend Arc™️.

SECOND PART OF THE SERIES:

At some point Han Joo-Won (our clueless flower inspector who's oblivious to his feelings for DS) slowly slowly starts connecting the dots (finally) and realizes that the dilf he's been repeatedly accusing of murder is - in fact - not a serial killer (in spite of his dubious morals, his tendency to tamper w/ evidence and move amputated fingers & cellphones around town), and learns to slowly slowly trust him;

JW & DS finally pair up and arrest the killer together - beginning of Partner Arc™️.

Han Joo-Won goes berserk when Jin-Mook (local full-time supermarket guy, part-time serial killer) tries to strangle Dong-Sik in the interrogation room bc he's the only one who is allowed to manhandle his sugar daddy and wrinkle his coats;

He then decides to take a vacation (as he often does bc he's a delicate flower 🌸 who needs lots of time off) and comes back with stylish clothes and a newfound bratty attitude, flirts with Dong-Sik more than once and uses Dong-Sik's methods to manipulate him back because he has learnt from the best teacher and he is such a good student;

THIRD PART OF THE SERIES:

Joo-Won (who has now officially been adopted by the local, dysfunctional Manyang family) discovers that his bad abooji is the one who killed his boyfriend's sister 20 yrs prior; he then proceeds to drop on his knees in front of said boyfriend, whispering: "I will go to hell for you" (cue 2nd instance of Proverbial Rain Trope™️ + tears + sad puppy eyes);

He and his soon-to-be husband make a plan to ruin Han Gi-Hwan's (JW's bad abooji) career and they end up exchanging wedding vows on national television at his father's hearing to spite him (and also to take the spotlight bc they are such a power couple);

JW willingly goes into the trap his dad later sets for Dong-Sik in order to protect him and to take the blame in his stead (cue boyfriend's angry reaction "How dare you put yourself in danger for me" etc.) - continuation of Protective Boyfriend Arc™️;

In the final episode - after Joo-Won has arrested his father and Dong-Sik asks him to arrest him too (which is the main reason why JW went to Manyang in the first place, as he's been continuously reminding Dong-Sik since the start of the series) - he starts stuttering and saying "H-how could I??", all while crying like a little baby.

He finally arrests his boyfriend on charges of obstruction of justice, cries with his handcuffed hands in his hands, and they meet a year later and smile at each other and DS says goodbye with the words: "eat well, sleep well, poop well" (which is, as it is widely known, the Korean version of "I love you").

[jinpanman]

mai out here living her main character life 😌 we love to see it 😌

i am living vicariously through you and it’s bringing me so much joy to see your little updates every now and then

Ommgggg thanks;w; the mc life is so stressful tho omfg i am not built for this

should i tell you some cute things about vegan boy?<3

He let me take control of the music in the car 😍

He says "stooop" in this super cute whiny voice when i tease him about something

He walked around all new years eve day with me with a bloody ankle and never complained once (i didn't even know until the day after!😭 i felt so bad)

We shared all the food and all the drinks. Don't mind me as i go a lil delulu over all the indirect kisses hahaha (I FORGOT TO ADD BUT HIS BOTTOM LIP CAUGHT AGAINST MY FINGER WHEN HE WENT IN TO EAT THE BURGER I WAS HOLDING UP FOR HIM JSHDJSJDKS I ALMOST DIED)

He loves chocolate and hates seafood (didn't like it even before he became vegan) -- i chose the right man lol

HE LIKES TO DRIVE. Oh god. You have no idea how happy i am about this lol when i tell you liking to drive & not liking seafood are two of the top criteria for the man i end to marrying..... i got my eyes on him!!!🤣

He's super considerate of my fruit allergy 🥺 (which isn't even a big deal for me i just suffer through it bc people like fruit. HE SAID "I CAN LIVE WITHOUT FRUIT" UNPROMPTED (i'm sorry bby but i can't give up meat for u)

He thinks koi fish are cute (I do not)

He sucks at taking pictures lol

He joked about us & some friends going to hawaii for 2 weeks. I told him everyone's gonna leave him after week 1 and he said "You're staying with me!" (and then amended himself by adding on [friend here lol] 🤣)

He also sucks at singing but it's really cute when he sings lol

He sang me 2 seconds of this one hmong love song that translates to "pretty girl you're the one i like the most" AAAHHHHH

He's really easy to talk to. Like it's just so easy

He bought me this penguin pen case he saw me eyeing in a stationary shop 🥺🥺🥺

He let me shop in that store for however long i wanted to 🥺 and didn't mind waiting in line with me

He texts me about things we talked about. Like this hotel i told him i would not be able to afford bc it looked expensive. He actually looked it up a few days later and told me i was right (😍 love a man who knows when a woman is right)

He offered to take me to a shop across the street just for the bathroom bc the one in the restaurant we were eating in was really gross

He stole his cousin's clothes (bc his house was too far away) to come eat lunch with my family

Literally everyone i know loves him

He does this thing where he sniffs a lot

He's tall

He always offers to take me home after a hangout even though 1) my cousin's always around to take me home and 2)he lives on the complete opposite side of town where i was staying

Vegan pizza

He made sure to get me boba during our nye trip (i forgot all about it lol but he didn't 🥺)

He is so innocently optimistic about things that I'm so drained from. It's kind of refreshing

He gels his hair and it looks so good

He has a nice happy trail

He fed me a lot 🥺

He sat next to me at church 🥺🥺 apparently when i moved from my spot to talk with family and he didn't see me he sat somewhere else but when i moved back to my original spot so did he

(Story time: before service, some old lady behind us "whisper" asked a friend if we just got married lloooolllll and our friends being her usual self, she was all "oh nooo they just started talking! They're not married yet."💀💀 there is no way he didn't hear that either omfg and yes we both pretended we didn't hear that lol)

He also fed my family 🥺 like wtf 🥺 heart eyes 🥺

He's really cute

HE LIKES KPOP

HE DOESN'T JUDGE ME FOR KPOP bc he is also in this blackhole with me!!!!

Tbh I'm not used to having a guy "chase after" me. Bc I'm usually the one who initiates things. So him going for all these things (INCLUDING THE BTS CLUBBING EVENT OMG) to be with me makes me not know what to do with myself lololol

Ok. I should stop now lol this got really long oops

[izzielizzie]

NATEWYN LIBRARY AU!!! NATEWYN LIBRARY AU!!!!

I KNEW YOU WERE GONNA ASK THIS. I have chosen “I work in the library and I’m a little concerned for your health bc you never stop studying” enjoy!!!

“She’s there again,” Maeve Rojas informs me as she pulls herself onto the information desk. Maeve, part adopted sister part permanent nuisance, smiles at me as I grunt in response. I know who she’s talking about of course, her older sister Bronwyn. Maeve and I started volunteering at the library around the same time. The Bayview library is the hub for teenagers who need some “life redirection” as my probation officer told me. Maeve’s not here because she was arrested for selling drugs though, that’s my reason. Hers is because she nearly died from leukemia more times than anyone should probably nearly die, and her parents enrolled her here to help her adjust to life.

Because nothing helps you adjust to life more than working in a library.

“Oh come on Nate, don’t ignore me,” Maeve says with a pout.

“I’m not,” I insist as I push her off the desk. She pulls herself back up. I’d be annoyed, but I’m too happy that she has the strength to do that. Two months ago, right when she was weaning off her chemo, she didn’t have the strength to lift up a stack of more than three books.

“Then go do something about my darling sister.”

“She’s your sister, and she’s not breaking any rules. She’s studying.”

“She studies every day, she needs a life.”

I pass Maeve a stack of books. “And you need to shelve these.”

Maeve smirks at me as she stands. “Can’t Macauley. I have a doctor’s appointment.” She waves at me as she leaves, and pauses once to point aggressively at her sister behind her back.

I don’t pay Bronwyn Rojas any mind until I pass her table to shelve some biographies. She’s hunched over a notebook, her dark curls falling like a curtain around her. Her laptop’s open next to her, displaying a textbook.

“Your sister’s worried about you Rojas.”

Bronwyn jumps and turns around. She blinks at me like I’m a mirage, her grey eyes wide and bloodshot behind her dark glasses. “What?” she croaks. She sounds like she hasn’t spoken in months. 

“Your sister,” I repeat, “Is worried about you.” I pull out a chair from under the table and sit across from her. “And I am too.”

Bronwyn narrows her eyes. I’ve known her since second grade, but it’s not like I ever talked to her, even though we live in like, the smallest town ever known to California. “It’s my job to worry about Maeve, not the other way around.” She turns back to her paper, her pen shaking slightly in her hand. She’s been here since we opened, and that was nearly seven hours ago. She must be practically asleep.

“Rojas-”

“Bronwyn,” Bronwyn interrupts.

“Fine, Bronwyn,” I amend. “What do you do other than study?”

“Normal people stuff I guess. You know, things that don’t involve selling drugs.”

Ouch. “Okay then, Miss Normal, why don’t you go do one of those things?”

“I have to study. We’re going to college next year, if you haven’t noticed.”

I noticed. “Maeve tells me you’ve practically already been accepted to Yale.”

Bronwyn glares at me. “Well, Maeve is wrong.”

Bronwyn looks like she’s about to burst into tears. I’ve never seen her like this. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m failing chemistry.”

I’m about to laugh, but maybe that would be mean, even for me. “I bet you’re not failing.”

“Oh, so in your world a d minus isn’t a failing grade?”

Wow. That most definitely is failing. “No, it’s not,” I say.

Bronwyn snorts and mumbles something that I’m pretty sure is along the lines of “that explains a lot.” I can feel my temper flare. “I came over here because your sister was worried about you, and since I care about her I wanted to make sure you’re okay because your sister has been through some shit, okay Rojas? And the last thing she needs to see is her sister killing herself over a couple letters. I didn’t come here to be berated by a girl who’s so lost in her own world she can’t see when someone cares about her. Sorry I bothered. Have fun going to Yale and breaking Maeve’s heart.” I push my chair back as Bronwyn stares at me. As I pass her chair, she reaches out and grabs my wrist. 

“Nate, I’m sorry. I’ve been frustrated lately and I took it out on you. Please don’t be angry.”

I can feel my anger dissipate as I look at Bronwyn’s upturned face. It’s weird how you can know someone your entire life and not realize how pretty they are until a few months before they leave your life forever. “It’s okay.” I say. “But really, I’m worried about your health.”

“My parents are too,” Bronwyn admits. 

“And Maeve,” I add.

“And Maeve,” she agrees.

“Wanna get lunch?” I ask.

Bronwyn looks at me with a frown. “Nate it’s four in the afternoon.”

“Fine, want to get dinner?”

“It’s too early for dinner.”

I sigh. I forgot how frustrating Bronwyn can be. We haven’t been in the same classes since fifth grade. “Fine, would you like to go to Glenn’s diner and share some fries?”

Bronwyn grins. “Sure Nate.”

Two hours later, Bronwyn and I walk through the doors of the library, where we can see Maeve at the information desk, spinning around meditatively in the swivel chair. Bronwyn smiles when she sees her sister. “She’s so adorable.”

“She is,” I agree. 

Bronwyn turns to me. “Thank you for looking out for her. No one asked you to but you did it anyway.”

I shrug. “No problem. She’s great.”

Bronwyn nods in agreement. “I see a lot of you in her.”

“Rojas you hardly know me,” I say. 

Bronwyn gives me a sly smile. “You don’t know that. As you pointed out, I’m here a lot. And you’re probably the most interesting person in this building.” She pauses. “And I like interesting people.” Bronwyn stands on her toes and presses a kiss to my cheek before scurrying away to her sister, leaving me standing as still as a statue, trying to figure out what she just said and why my face feels like it’s on fire. 

[booklovingturtle]

Jude Teaches Cardan to Fight (pt 1)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Summary: The High King’s Senechal decides that it’s important for him to learn how to defend himself. During their first training session, things go about as well as could be expected when Jude and Cardan are in a room with pointed weapons.

AN: It’s super late and I have work tomorrow so I’m uploading this as two short fics instead of one long one bc I’m really excited for y’all to read it! It doesn’t really follow TWK but it’s set around then.

Cardan couldn’t help but feel ridiculous in the loose-fit training gear. The clothes were mind-numbingly boring with their neutral colors and dull fabrics. A sneer of disgust curled his lips thanks to the memories these clothing brought. Nights full of wasteful lessons and days drenched in the fear of Balekin’s incessant beatings. The feeling of the sword strapped to his side made Cardan’s skin crawl. He had learned numerous dances during court life but the intricate steps of swordplay were danced to a rhythm unheard by him.

Despite Balekin’s slanderous words, there was a time when Cardan had yearned to learn to fight. His long pointed ears were still too large for his childlike face at the time. Whenever he would miss a blow or falter midstep Balekin would hiss and curse at him. The desire to train quickly went out after just days of being under his older brother’s care. As he advanced in his lessons outside of the Hollow Hall he was even less enticed to pay attention to the mechanics of battle. The irony of it all was that as Balekin beat him bloody to strength his ire, he only succeed in softening the young prince’s heart.

It was thanks to him that Cardan had sworn to himself to never use a blade the way Balekin had. Self-defense was one thing but to hurt another creature beyond was repair was unacceptable. Just the thought of it made Cardan’s stomach roll.

“What a surprise. You’re in the training room before me,” Jude's voice fractured Cardan’s melancholy.

He hated everything about the idea of training except for her. Jude sauntered into the room, looking as confident as ever. She wore the same kind of training gear as he did but somehow Jude made them look like royal robes. She was nothing more than human ward brought to his land by pity. Had it not been for Madoc’s reputation, she would have been sold to the highest paying faerie as another dull-eyes, lifeless servant. No matter who she stood in front of, though, she never played the part of a frightened human.

One of the first things that Cardan had noticed about Jude was how her pride pulled her shoulders back and straightened her spine. Right after that was realizing how unlike other humans she was. She didn’t lower her gaze when he walked past. At least not without a nudge from Taryn. Nor did she hide the frequent glares she shot at his cohorts distractions during lessons. Despite her obvious hatred of them, she always stayed silently beside her milder twin, scribbling notes by soft lantern light. Cardan had often caught himself watching her in those moments of quiet rebellion.

Knowing that she was mortal had not made Cardan blind to her beauty. Her hair was mixed with shades of walnut and chocolate. Her skin was pale from living by moonlight but her decorated with blemishes that couldn’t be found on faeries. Even the curved shell of her ear distracted him from the fact that she was far more beneath him that either of them could ever really reach.

“Cardan,” Jude, his seneschal, crossed her arms in front of him.

It took him a second to realize that he hadn’t responded to her jab at his surprising punctuality. He had gotten distracted by the planes of her body that were visible under the clothes. This was yet another reason sparring lessons had been difficult to focus on before.

“It is not like I had much of a choice, Jude dear,” Cardan’s words recovered before his mind truly had. “You pull my strings and I do as you say, remember?”

Jude rolled her eyes. “I didn’t command you to train with me.”

Cardan shrugged. “It was implied.”

“An implied demand is not the same as a forced command,” she narrowed her eyes at him.

Cardan could see that he was starting to toe the lining of banter and arguing. He was too nervous for these lessons to risk annoying her so early on. “I suppose you are correct in that,” he amended. “Well, now you have me alone in a room just like you wanted. Go ahead. Have you’re way,” he spread his arms opened and barred his throat at her.

She scoffed at his words. Jude, to his surprise, neared him. She pressed her body against his and Cardan was distracted by the warmth of her soft body. Jude reached toward his belt and for a second, his heart jumped into his throat and clogged his airways.

He heard the sound of metal and realized that she was yanking his sword out of its place at his side. She shot him an arrogant smile and with two quick moves, Cardan was pinned beneath her.

“Oh, I plan on it, High King,” she said from above him.

Cardan’s head was spinning from the fall and from her. He was relieved beyond words when she finally lifted herself off of him and tossed his sword beside him.

“Up,” she demanded. “Playtime is over. Let me see your stance.” She stood a few feet away from him and regarded him with the cold eyes of an instructor.

Cardan groaned, rising to his feet and trying his best to remember what he had been taught. Something about balancing his weight on both feet and bending his knees. He felt like a child playacting the role of a soldier. The High King was actually fighting with himself to keep from blushing under Jude’s intense gaze.

“No, like this,” she came beside him and used her hands to guide his torso into the proper position. Her foot came out and separated his feet a bit. She stood back to admire her adjustments.

“If you wanted to get your hands on me there were much easier ways of doing so,” there was a tightness in his throat that Cardan tried to swallow down.

She ignored him completely. “Pick up the blade and prepare yourself for an attack. Show me how you would defend yourself.”

He stared at her through narrowed eyes. “You want me to pretend that I’m being hit?”

“No, the goal is to not get stabbed. I want you to pretend someone is trying to hit you,” she sounded exasperated.

“Why don’t you just hit me yourself?” He must have been out of his mind. Madness is the only explanation for why he was asking her to attack him.

“You couldn’t defend yourself against me even if I was blindfolded,” Jude laughed. “Need I remind you of the Summer Tournament?”

That made Cardan flinch despite his best efforts to hide it. He needed no reminder of the humiliation he had felt that day. The way Jude had stood before him, looking like Heaven’s awful glory with her blade whirling this way and that. Then the way Balekin had broken stick after stick on his back for Cardan’s incompetent sword skills.

A look of shame passed over Jude’s face when she noticed the way his eyes darkened. “Fine, if you want me to hit you then I will. Try to block my blows.”

All he could do was nod. Against his better judgment, Cardan lifted his sword.

Tags: @ourbooksuniverse @notyourclassicshadowhunter (this is my first time doing tags so let me know if you would like to be added to the list and/or if I forgot to add you!)

[dimsummandu]

Seeing Shadows (Part One)

Requested by my Markson Anon! hiii, so i had this idea for a Mark fic. so like Mark and reader have been best friends since they were kids (she could be the same age or like a year or two younger.) and she started having problems with her vision when they hit their early teens and she ended up losing most of her vision other than shadows. like Mark being so supportive and fluffy and she didn’t get to see how he changed from being a young kid to how he is now. eventually would lead to like very fluffy (accidental smut bc reader wanted to be able to feel how he had physically changed and was feeling how defined he had become over the years and with practicing with GOT7 and she ends up feeling his torso/stomach also which made him v flustered.😂) and he's just so nervous about it and she's just like "oh wow." - Markson Anon

Type: Scenario (Mark / Reader) Genre: Fluff (some Angst found its way in there at the end as well) Warnings: Uhm, nothing you need to be too concerned about. The next part will contain some suggested smut. The girl in the story is blind (or just about) so if that’s something that bothers you then there’s that. Notes: I don’t type in second person POV (using YOU pronouns) because I just freaking can’t, okay? That’s some god awful grammar right there and I just can’t do it. I typically write in third person, occasionally first if the situation requires it, and I don’t write (Y/N) as the girl or boy’s name. So if I don’t avoid the issue outright then I’ll come up with a name...because bad grammar is bad.

In the few years it took for Megan to lose her vision almost completely she had realized a few things about life. The first major one being that she might be blind but at least she had a grip on what was real and what wasn’t. She found that for the most part people were blind to reality and only saw what they wanted to see in the world. Megan didn’t really have the luxury of being that naive. The second most important thing she had to learn was to let go. Not just of her vision, but of her perception of the world around her. To be honest, it was a day to day struggle. She wouldn’t say she was angry at her condition (though she had certainly gone through that phase a year after her diagnosis) but she couldn’t help but feel helpless. Megan was twenty-three years old could only see shadows - by thirty she wouldn’t have any vision at all. It was different than being born blind (though Megan agreed that struggle was difficult as well, just different) in a sense that Megan got to see the world as a child and couldn’t do anything but watch as it slowly disappeared.

There were images she clung to, images she would always be able to recount in her memory in vivid detail no matter how bad her vision got. Megan supposed she should be grateful for that. She could remember her mother’s smile, the crinkles around her father’s eyes, the color of the fur on her teddy bear, the way her best friend’s smile would light up his face. She was grateful that she could still remember these things, and yet she couldn’t help but feel saddened by the fact that she’d never be able to see them again.

Megan took in a deep breath of fresh air as she listened to the sounds around her. Her other senses had obviously gotten a little better as her vision worsened. She liked to joke that she might be blind but she could hear everything that was going on from half a block away. As of now she could hear a few other people in the park, a few couples and families with their kids. It was a bright and sunny afternoon and Megan had decided to meet up with her best friend since he had finally gotten some time off from his job. Marley, the chocolate brown Labrador that was her service dog rolled from his side and onto his belly, yipping at Megan a little.

She smiled down at where he was next to her and ran her fingers through the fur on his belly, giving him a few scratches as well. She loved Marley to death. He was a great service dog and Megan had grown really attached to him quickly, something she wasn’t really expecting to happen. At first she resented needing a service dog, as it she felt it was something that just signified her blindness. But Marley grew on her before she really had time to stop it and now she couldn’t imagine not having him. Megan had almost started paying attention to the sounds of the kids playing across the way again until she smelt something extremely familiar approaching her. She smiled and looked over her shoulder, raising up a hand and waving.

“Mark!” she called. Marley shifted onto his belly and let out a welcoming bark; Megan could feel his tail smacking against her leg every other second in his excitement.

“I swear that is the weirdest thing ever,” Mark told her as he approached.

Megan tilted her head to the side in confusion. “What are you talking about, Tuan?”

Megan couldn’t really see him but she could see the darkness of his shadow versus the darkness of the scenery and she could tell when he sat down next to Marley. “You know, you claim you’re blind. Yet every time I try to sneak up on you...” he trailed. Megan bit back a smile and rolled her eyes.

“First of all, shame on you for wanting to sneak up on a blind person,” she started. Megan didn’t have to see his face to know that Mark looked completely shameless at her statement. Mark loved pranks, plain and simple. Didn’t matter who the victim was. “Secondly, I can smell you coming from a mile away.”

“You trying to tell me I stink?” he asked, sounding vaguely offended.

“I’m not gonna answer that. I’m just gonna let you stew.”

“Okay, now that’s just rude,” Mark told her, leaning back on his hands after giving Marley a full rub down. Marley happily rolled between the two of them and settled in nicely, his tail still flicking against Megan’s thigh and his head resting on Mark’s hip. “Your dog is so weird.”

“Now who’s being rude?” Megan asked, sticking her tongue out at Mark. “At least I’ve got a big dog. How’s your rat doing?”

“You did not just call Coco a rat.”

“Did I say rat? My bad,” Megan amended falsely, waving her hand as if to dismiss the whole thing.

“Youngjae would smack you,” Mark told her seriously. The pair looked at each other for a minute before they both broke out in giggles, Mark’s sounding awfully loud to Megan’s ear. She would say it was because her ears were more sensitive, however it was also true that Mark just had a unique laugh. She could identify him from it even from a distance.

“How was practice?” she asked him after they stopped laughing. Mark let out a groan and she heard him flop onto his back in distress. “That sounds promising,” she commented.

“Nah it’s totally fine,” Mark started. “I have no idea when I’ll be able to actually sleep again. But it’s fine.”

“The life of a kpop idol. Poor Mark can’t sleep for fifteen hours a day anymore,” she teased. She could see the shadow of Mark’s outline pop back up and she knew he was looking at her with pursed lips and his eyebrows furrowed. She knew her best friend very well.

“I’ll have you know it was usually only twelve hours,” he started. “I think I only slept for fifteen hours the one time. That might have been too much.”

“You think? I thought you were dead.”

“I felt like I was dead too,” he agreed, laughing a little. “I can’t remember the last time I slept for twelve hours. I can’t remember the last time I slept for eight.” The smile slipped from Megan’s face and she quickly felt concern instead.

“Seriously? How much do you usually sleep?” she asked him. He was quiet as he thought about it.

“Four? Maybe five. I think the most I can get away with is about six if I go to bed the second I get home.”

“Mark,” Megan chided. “How are you supposed to do anyone any good if you work yourself into the ground?” she asked. For the most part, Megan kept away from Mark’s idol life. For one it was just easier on him. He didn’t have to answer any awkward or uncomfortable questions, nor did he have to feel like his privacy was being invaded. Megan just didn’t like the heat it brought to her. She knew his fans were aware of her existence, and to be honest that was enough for her. She supported Mark as much as she could and was always the first one to buy their merchandise when it came out to show that support, but she was aware that being an idol was physically and emotionally grueling. It really worried her sometimes.

“I’ll be alright. We’ll get a break eventually, don’t worry about me.” he told her quickly. That was another thing about Mark. He didn’t like being a burden no matter what situation he was in. Megan would chalk it up to him not wanting to add onto the burden of being blind if she hadn’t known Mark since he was just a kid, before she lost her vision. He was the same way then, too. She liked that about him...except for when it frustrated her.

“Don’t worry about me,” she mimicked him with a whiny voice. “Do you even hear yourself right now?” Mark laughed and stood up, stretching a little.

“I’m gonna pretend like you aren’t being mean to me right now,” he started. “Come on, let’s go grab some food. I’m starving.”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” she teased while holding her hand out. Mark’s appetite was no joke, even as a kid. Even as scrawny and tiny as he was the kid could eat enough food for a small village. Mark’s enveloped hers as he pulled her up and a thought struck Megan. It was such a distracting thought that as she stood she put a little too much momentum in her step and lost her balance, tumbling forward. Marley was up in a second but Mark, already standing, reached both arms out and caught her, pulling her to him and steadying her.

“Okay, I know you’re blind but I didn’t know that meant you forgot how to use your feet!” he joked. Megan’s face heated up as she whacked Mark in the chest and was surprised by what she felt. The thought hit her again and she placed her hand over his chest, this time keeping it there and feeling him breathe. “Megan?” he asked, confused. “Are you okay?”

“Sorry,” she murmured. “It just...occurred to me that I don’t really know what you look like anymore.”

Mark was silent for a beat, considering her words. “What do you mean?” he asked quietly. “You saw me before you lost your vision. You know what I look like,” he told her.

“You were a kid,” she corrected. “We were both kids....” she trailed off with a frown. She should probably take a step back and just ask where he wanted to go for food. For one thing, bringing the topic up usually just made her sad (which would upset Mark she was sure) but it also brought up another uncomfortable topic she didn’t want to think about. Not with him so close to her. She began to pull her hand away and step back, but the arm around Megan’s waist tightened. His left hand closed around her wrist and placed her hand back on her chest.

“This is how you see now, right?” he asked her gently. “With your hands?” The hand that was on her wrist slowly covered her own hand and Megan realized his hand was much bigger than hers now. They used to be a little smaller. She barely nodded but Mark saw it - she knew he did. “Megan, I want you to be able to see me. To know what I look like...it’s important.” he told her.

Megan frowned a little, confused. “Why? It doesn’t matter all that much,” she told him. She shook her head and stepped away, Mark finally letting her go. She heard his hands drop to his side as she felt some kind of weird tension in the air between them. She didn’t like it one bit. “I’m actually starving, too. Where do you want to grab food?”

“Megan...” he trailed off. She smiled at him and reached out for Marley, who came to her immediately.

“Can you grab his harness? I set it behind us somewhere,” Megan asked. Mark was quiet for a few moments before he let out a quiet sigh. It sounded like disapproval, Megan wasn’t sure, but she didn’t want to think about it. She told her self a long time ago when Mark started his career that she couldn’t think about him like that. It was too complicated. She wouldn’t. She could hear Mark shuffling behind her as he grabbed Marley’s harness and then next to her as she knelt down and adjusted it onto the dog. Marley helped him along, trying to lick at his face the entire time.

“Have I ever told you that your dog is really weird?” Mark asked. Megan pursed her lips.

“I think you mean affectionate and cute.”

“I think you’re talking about Jackson now,” he joked. Megan adjusted the sunglasses on her face and shook her head.

“You know, Jackson would probably super offended if he was even remotely normal. I think he likes being referred to as a dog.”

Mark laughed as he stood and placed Megan’s hand on the handle of Marley’s vest. “Puppy,” he corrected. “Pretty sure he wants to be a puppy. Where do you want to eat?”

Megan pursed her lips, pretending to think about it before shrugging. “How should I know? I’m blind. You lead, Marley will follow.” She could almost hear Mark rolling his eyes at her. This was easier to deal with, the joking and the banter. This Megan could handle. She guessed Mark had walked off because Marley started forward as well, Megan finding a comfortable stride as he led her through the park.

“Making me do all the work,” Mark muttered. “Just because she’s blind...seems wrong.”

“I can hear you, Tuan!”