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cherryxbooo · 25 days ago

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Left in the past and forgotten

Summary: Seeing your ex-lover after four years wasn’t something you ever expected. The memories of your time together, flooded back, making the moment even harder to face.

Note: Hey guys! I've finally decided to update my K-pop fics. I'm planning on adding more members soon, so keep an eye out for that! Also if you want me to add other groups/actors, let me know!

Kim Taehyung x Reader

Genre: angst/fluff

Snowflakes drifted lazily outside the café window, melting the moment they kissed the glass.

The world outside was a blurred canvas of white and gray, the winter storm painting Seoul in a soft, muted haze.

Inside, the café was warm, filled with the rich aroma of coffee and freshly baked pastries, the gentle hum of conversations blending seamlessly with the faint jazz music playing overhead.

I curled my fingers tighter around the steaming mug in front of me, letting the heat seep into my skin.

Even with the warmth surrounding me, a coldness had settled deep in my bones, one that no amount of hot coffee could chase away.

I shouldn’t have come back.

The thought had been circling my mind since the moment my plane touched down, but now, sitting here in the heart of the city I once called home, it weighed heavier than ever.

Seoul was no longer just a place, it was a graveyard of memories I had buried, ghosts I had spent years trying to outrun.

And yet, they clawed their way back the second I stepped onto its streets.

Especially the one tied to him.

Kim Taehyung.

A name that had once been synonymous with love, with warmth, with the kind of happiness that felt boundless.

A name I had forced myself to forget.

But forgetting had never been my strong suit.

The bell above the café door chimed, signaling a new arrival, but I barely registered it.

My gaze remained fixed on the snowfall outside, my mind lost in the past, until I heard it.

A voice.

Deep, familiar, haunting.

“Y/n?”

My fingers stiffened around my mug.

My breath caught in my throat.

That voice.

Slowly, I turned my head, already knowing, feeling, who I would see.

And there he was.

Kim Taehyung stood a few feet away, frozen in place, his presence as effortless yet overwhelming as ever.

He wore a long beige coat over a black turtleneck, snowflakes clinging to the fabric like they were reluctant to melt.

His dark brown hair was slightly tousled from the wind, and his eyes, those deep, expressive eyes that had once held entire universes, were locked onto mine.

Shock? Regret? Relief?

I couldn’t tell.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

We just stood there, caught in the eerie stillness of an encounter that felt both impossible and inevitable.

His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but no words came.

And I understood why.

Because what do you say when the person you once loved, the person who disappeared without a word, reappears like a ghost from your past?

What do you say when the wound you thought had scarred over rips open again with just a glance?

Finally, I swallowed against the dryness in my throat, forcing myself to breathe.

“Taehyung.”

It was barely above a whisper, but it was enough to make something flicker across his face.

Something unreadable, something raw.

He took a hesitant step closer, his eyes searching mine like they were looking for answers, answers I wasn’t sure I could give.

“Is it really you?” he murmured, almost like he didn’t believe it.

I let out a shaky exhale, offering a small, hollow smile.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

His lips pressed together, his hands slipping into the pockets of his coat.

It was a nervous habit of his, one I hadn’t seen in years, but still recognized immediately.

I wanted to look away. I wanted to run.

But I couldn’t.

Not when the past was standing right in front of me.

Not when Taehyung was looking at me like I was still the person he used to know.

But I wasn’t.

I wasn’t sure if I ever could be again.

Loving Taehyung was like holding onto a fleeting dream, warm, intoxicating, beautiful, but never quite real enough to keep.

Six years ago...

I was standing in line at a small café, completely overwhelmed by the drink menu, and someone, chuckling behind me as I changed my order for the third time.

"You know, if you keep doing that, we’ll never get our coffee," the person teased, voice dripping with amusement.

Flustered, I turned around to see a man in a black hoodie and a face mask, only his sharp, smiling eyes visible.

"Maybe I just like weighing my options," I shot back, trying to sound confident.

His grin widened. "Or maybe you just don’t know what you want."

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop myself from laughing.

He was easy to talk to, effortlessly charming, and when he finally pulled down his mask, revealing who he was, my breath caught in my throat.

"You're—"

"Taehyung," he interrupted before I could say his full name, tilting his head playfully.

And you are?"

That was how it started.

A conversation over coffee turned into exchanged numbers. Then came the late-night texts, the phone calls that lasted until dawn, the stolen moments in between his busy schedule.

Before I knew it, he had become my favorite part of every day.

Two years after we had first met flew by and being with Taehyung was like stepping into a world that wasn’t meant for me, but somehow, he made me feel like I belonged.

"Come here," he would say after a long day, opening his arms as I curled into his chest.

His fingers would gently trace patterns on my back, his voice a soft whisper against my hair.

"I missed you today."

I missed him too. Always.

But I never told him how much, because I was afraid he would hear the sadness in my voice.

Our love lived in moments stolen from time, laughter tangled between bed sheets, whispered promises in darkened hallways, the way he would pull me into his arms just before he left and say,

"Wait for me."

And I did. I waited.

I waited when his texts became less frequent, when our dates were pushed back, when his voice on the other end of the phone started to sound more exhausted than excited.

I waited, even when it felt like I was slowly fading into the background of his life.

Then it slowly started to crack.

I felt like I was holding him back.

Holding him back from doing the things he liked.

But I was a human after all I craved my boyfriend's attention too. I wasn't going to tell him that though.

"Hey, can I see you tonight?"

I stared at his message, my fingers hovering over my phone.

I wanted to say yes. God, I always wanted to say yes.

But something inside me hesitated.

It had been three weeks since I last saw him, and even then, our time together had been cut short.

A meeting ran late. A rehearsal went overtime.

I knew that his life as an idol wasn't easy and that his life was always packed and busy.

I knew that before I started dating him but still...

He had held me for five minutes, kissed my forehead, and whispered, "Next time, I’ll make it up to you."

But next time never came.

So instead of answering immediately, I let my phone sit beside me as I stared at the half-eaten dinner on my table.

It was the third time this week I had eaten alone.

It wasn’t just the missed dates. It was the way he had started to feel like a guest in my life instead of a part of it.

When I finally picked up my phone, I typed out my response.

"I don’t know, Tae. It’s late."

He called me immediately.

"Are you okay?" His voice was laced with concern.

"I’m fine." The words felt like a lie.

"I can come over," he offered quickly. "Even if it’s just for a little while."

I squeezed my eyes shut. That was the problem. It was always just for a little while.

"It’s okay," I whispered. "Get some rest."

There was a pause. Then, quietly, "Are you upset with me?"

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "No, I just... I just miss you."

His sigh was soft, almost guilty. "I miss you too, love. Things will calm down soon, I promise."

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. "Yeah. Soon."

But I was starting to wonder if soon would ever come.

The night I decided to end things, Taehyung showed up at my apartment unannounced.

"Surprise," he said with a grin, holding up a bag of takeout from my favorite restaurant.

I wanted to be happy.

I wanted to throw my arms around him, pull him inside, and pretend that this was enough.

But something inside me cracked.

"You didn't text," I said quietly, arms crossing over my chest.

His smile faltered. "I wanted to surprise you."

"Tae... I waited for you last night."

His face fell completely. "I know. I'm sorry."

"You're always sorry," I whispered, voice breaking.

"But nothing ever changes."

The room fell into silence. He set the food down on my counter, his hands trembling slightly.

"I’m trying," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I believed him. That was the worst part, I knew he was trying.

But love shouldn't have to feel like this.

It shouldn't feel like constantly reaching for someone who is always just out of grasp.

"Taehyung, I can’t do this anymore."

His entire body tensed. He looked at me like I had just taken the air from his lungs.

"You don’t mean that," he whispered,

stepping closer, eyes searching mine for something, anything, that would prove this wasn’t real.

But I did mean it.

"I do."

His jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

"You're giving up on us?"

"No," I said, shaking my head as my eyes burned with unshed tears.

"I held on for as long as I could. But I can't keep waiting for you to have time for me."

His breathing was uneven now. "You are my world, you know that."

I smiled sadly, my heart breaking with every word.

"I don’t doubt that, Tae. But love isn’t just about words. I need to feel like I belong in your life, not like I’m waiting on the sidelines, hoping for a moment that never comes."

His lips parted like he wanted to argue, to fight for us, but nothing came.

No promises, no reassurances. Just silence.

A silence that told me everything I needed to know.

Tears burned behind my eyes as I took a shaky breath and stepped back, putting space between us.

My fingers curled around the doorknob, the cool metal grounding me.

"You should go."

Taehyung didn’t move.

His jaw tensed, his hands twitching at his sides, but he didn’t fight me.

"Please," I whispered, voice barely holding together.

"Don't make this harder than it already is."

For a moment, I thought he’d refuse.

That he’d reach for me, pull me into his arms, tell me he would fix this, that he would stay.

But he didn’t.

Slowly, he reached for his coat, movements stiff, hesitant, as if every second that passed was another piece of his heart shattering.

He lingered for a moment, standing in the doorway, his dark eyes searching mine like he was trying to memorize every detail before he walked away.

"I love you," he murmured, voice breaking.

I pressed my lips together, trying to hold back the sob threatening to escape.

"I love you too."

And then, before I lost the last bit of strength I had left, I turned away.

I didn’t watch him leave.

I didn’t listen for the sound of the door closing behind him.

But when the silence settled around me, final and unforgiving, I knew.

He was gone.

And what we had was simply left in the past and forgotten.

"Y/n?"

I snapped back to reality, blinking as Taehyung slid into the chair across from me.

His scent, clean and familiar, hit me instantly, making my stomach twist.

I had spent years wondering what it would feel like to see him again. If my heart would still react the way it used to.

If I would still feel that same ache, that same pull toward him.

And now, as he slid into the chair across from me without waiting for an invitation, I had my answer.

My stomach twisted, and my fingers curled around my coffee cup in a desperate attempt to steady myself.

"Taehyung." His name tasted unfamiliar on my tongue, yet it felt like it belonged there.

He studied me for a long moment, his gaze slow and deliberate, as if he were trying to convince himself that I was real.

"You look... different, still beautiful though," he finally said, his voice softer than I remembered.

A small, tight smile formed on my lips. "So do you."

And he did.

There was something more refined about him now, his jawline sharper, his presence more composed, his energy quieter.

His hair was styled in a way I hadn't seen before, and his outfit, though simple, carried an effortless elegance.

But beneath it all, the Taehyung I knew was still there.

It was in the way his fingers tapped absently against the table, something he always did when he was deep in thought.

In the way his eyes, though slightly guarded, still held that quiet intensity that had once been my undoing.

"Four years," he mused, shaking his head slightly.

"I thought maybe I'd run into you sooner."

"I wasn’t exactly trying to be found," I admitted, stirring my coffee even though I had no intention of drinking it.

"So I figured." He exhaled through his nose, leaning back slightly in his chair.

"You just… vanished."

I looked away, focusing on the steam rising from my cup. "I had to."

Taehyung nodded slowly, as if he understood. Maybe he did. Or maybe he was just pretending to.

"Where have you been?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Here and there," I replied vaguely.

"I moved for a while. Focused on work. Traveled."

"You always said you wanted to travel more," he murmured, a small ghost of a smile playing at his lips.

"Yeah," I said softly.

"And you? How’s life treating you?"

His lips twitched, but there was something almost tired in his expression.

"Busy, as always."

That didn’t surprise me.

He had always been busy. His world had never stopped spinning, and I had long accepted that I would never be able to keep up.

"I saw your latest projects," I continued, keeping my tone light.

"You’ve been doing well. Congratulations."

He let out a small hum. "Thanks. It’s been… a lot."

"I bet."

Another pause stretched between us, but this time, it wasn’t as heavy.

It was just… there. Lingering. Holding all the things we weren’t saying.

"And now you're back," he finally said, breaking the silence.

I gave a small nod. "Just for a while."

He seemed to process that, his fingers stilling against the table.

"Are you staying long?"

"Not sure yet," I admitted, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I guess it depends."

"On what?"

I hesitated. "A lot of things."

Taehyung's gaze softened for a brief second, but just as quickly, he masked it with a neutral expression.

"Are you happy?" he asked, his voice careful.

My breath caught for just a moment.

I hadn’t expected that question.

I thought he’d ask about my work, about my travels, something simple, something safe.

But instead, he asked that.

I glanced down at my coffee cup, at the tiny ripples forming from my slightly unsteady hands.

"…Are you?" I countered, finally looking up.

His lips parted slightly, as if I had caught him off guard.

He hesitated, just for a moment, before exhaling deeply.

"I don’t know."

Neither did I.

Before I could say anything else, the café door swung open, and a gust of cold air rushed in, followed by a chorus of loud voices.

"YAH! Taehyung, you were supposed to get us coffee, not disappear!"

The familiar voice sent a jolt through me.

My breath hitched as I turned toward the commotion, my fingers tightening around my cup.

Jungkook, Jimin, and Namjoon strode into the café, brushing off the winter chill.

Their laughter and complaints filled the space, but the moment their eyes landed on me, everything stopped.

Jungkook froze mid-step, his mouth parting in shock.

His wide eyes scanned my face like he was seeing a ghost. "No freaking way..."

Jimin, who had been in the middle of playfully nudging Namjoon, nearly tripped over his own feet.

He grabbed onto Namjoon's arm, his jaw dropping. "Is that—"

"Y/n?" Namjoon's deep voice carried pure disbelief.

I couldn’t move.

For a split second, I considered bolting.

The weight of their stares, the flood of memories crashing over me, it was overwhelming.

But I stayed, frozen in place as the reality of the moment settled in.

Jungkook was the first to break from his trance.

In a blink, he was sliding into the seat next to me, eyes scanning my features like he needed to confirm I was real.

"Where the hell have you been?" His voice was low, raw.

I swallowed, suddenly feeling like all the air had been sucked out of the room.

"It’s... a long story."

Jimin crossed his arms, tilting his head, his eyes narrowed in a mix of confusion and hurt.

"Good thing we have time, then."

Back when Taehyung and me used to date I had this amazing bond with the other members.

It was almost as if they were my actual brothers.

I knew that my disappearance didn't only hurt Taehyung but also the guys.

Taehyung, who had been watching the interaction in silence, shot them a sharp look, but Namjoon placed a steadying hand on his shoulder.

"We’re not attacking her, Tae," Namjoon said quietly, though his voice carried an edge of emotion.

"We just... thought we lost her for good."

A pang of guilt hit me square in the chest.

My throat tightened as I lowered my gaze.

"I'm sorry."

Jungkook let out a scoff, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his hair.

"You're sorry?" His voice cracked slightly.

"Y/n, we thought something happened to you. We thought—" He cut himself off, clenching his jaw, frustration evident in his dark eyes.

Jimin's posture softened, and he leaned forward, his voice quieter now.

"Why did you leave?"

I could feel Taehyung's eyes burning into me, waiting, searching, but I couldn’t look at him.

Not yet.

My fingers trembled slightly as I exhaled. "Because I was scared."

The words felt heavy as they left my lips.

A thick silence settled over the table, stretching uncomfortably long.

Jungkook let out a slow breath, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair.

"You should’ve at least told us. We were your family, too."

My chest ached. I had always known that leaving them would hurt, but I had convinced myself it was necessary.

That disappearing was the only way to protect my heart from breaking beyond repair.

But seeing the hurt in their eyes made me realize just how much damage I had left in my wake.

I forced a small, sad smile. "I know. And I regret it every day."

Namjoon studied me carefully, his sharp eyes searching for something beneath the surface.

After what felt like an eternity, he gave a slow nod.

"You’re back now. That’s what matters."

I wanted to believe that.

I really did.

But as I finally lifted my gaze to meet Taehyung’s, I knew the past wasn’t done with me yet.

And neither was he.

My mind was still reeling from the overwhelming reunion, the weight of guilt and nostalgia pressing against my chest.

Jungkook hadn’t stopped looking at me, like he was afraid I’d disappear again if he blinked.

Jimin kept stealing glances, his expression a mix of happiness and unresolved emotions, while Namjoon sat in quiet contemplation, observing everything.

And Taehyung, he hadn’t said much, but his presence was suffocating in the best and worst ways.

"Come with us," Jungkook blurted out suddenly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I blinked. "What?"

"Come with us," he repeated, standing up and stretching as if the conversation was already decided.

"We're heading back to the dorm, and you’re coming too."

I hesitated, my fingers tightening around my coffee cup.

"I don’t know if that’s a good idea—"

"Too bad," Jimin cut in, grabbing my wrist playfully.

"You don’t get a say in this. We need to properly yell at you for ghosting us."

Namjoon smirked, shaking his head.

"Ignore him. We just… we missed you, Y/n. And the others should know you’re back."

I opened my mouth to protest, but Taehyung finally spoke, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine.

"Come with us."

I met his gaze, and for a moment, neither of us said anything.

There was something unreadable in his expression, something careful, like he wasn’t sure if he could handle me being here, but he wasn’t ready to let me go either.

And just like that, I caved.

The second we stepped inside, the warmth of the dorm wrapped around me like a familiar embrace.

The scent of home-cooked food lingered in the air, and the faint sound of a television echoed from the living room.

Before I could even take in my surroundings, Hoseok’s voice rang through the space.

"Tae, did you even get the coffee or—"

His words cut off as he stepped into view, his eyes widening as they landed on me.

"Holy shit," Yoongi muttered from his spot on the couch, his entire body tensing.

Jin, who had been in the kitchen, peeked his head out, a wooden spoon still in his hand.

"Is this a fever dream? Or did Y/n just resurrect after four years?"

Jungkook let out a dramatic sigh.

"Yep, she’s alive and breathing. Can you believe it?"

I shifted awkwardly under their stares. "Hi."

My voice came out softer than I intended, uncertain.

There was a beat of silence before chaos erupted.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

Jin practically shouted, walking over and inspecting me like I was an illusion.

"You really just disappeared on us!" Hoseok added, still in shock.

"I thought Jungkook was lying when he said you were here," Yoongi admitted, rubbing his temple.

I winced at the wave of questions thrown my way.

"Okay, okay, one at a time!" Jimin laughed, waving his hands to calm the room down.

Namjoon, ever the leader, stepped in.

"Guys, let’s not overwhelm her. She’s here now. That’s what matters."

Slowly, the tension eased.

One by one, the members softened, replacing their initial shock with quiet relief.

Jin pulled me into a tight hug, his usual playful demeanor laced with something more serious.

"Don’t ever do that again, okay?"

I nodded, my throat tightening. "I won’t."

As the night went on, the questions died down, replaced by laughter and inside jokes.

It was like I had never left.

But there was still an unspoken weight in the air, a conversation left unfinished.

And Taehyung felt it too.

Eventually, the members started heading to their rooms, leaving only me and Taehyung in the dimly lit living room.

The TV played quietly in the background, casting a soft glow across his face.

I sat on the couch, pulling my knees up as he settled beside me, his presence close but not overwhelming.

For a while, neither of us spoke.

Then, finally, he broke the silence.

"Why did you really leave? I mean I knew I wasn't the best boyfriend and didn't give you all my time but still. I know you and I know that there is more to it."

I exhaled, my gaze dropping to my hands. "I told you. I was scared."

"Scared of what?" His voice was gentle, but there was something else laced within it, something raw.

I swallowed, gathering my thoughts.

"Scared of losing myself in your world. Scared of becoming someone who was always waiting for you, always watching from the sidelines. You had so much ahead of you, Tae. And I felt like I was just… holding you back."

He let out a shaky breath, his fingers curling slightly against his knee. "You never held me back, Y/n."

"It felt like I did." I finally turned to face him, my heart hammering.

"I loved you so much, and it hurt. It hurt to watch you get further and further away from me. And I knew, eventually, I’d become someone you’d have to choose between. And I didn’t want that for you."

Taehyung’s jaw tightened, his expression unreadable.

"That wasn’t your choice to make."

I blinked at the quiet frustration in his voice.

"I know," I admitted softly.

"But it was the only way I knew how to protect myself."

He looked away for a moment, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

"Do you regret it?"

I hesitated. "Yes. And no. I think… I needed to leave to understand what I wanted. But I hate that I hurt you."

Taehyung exhaled sharply, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

"You did hurt me, Y/n. A lot. I spent years wondering what I did wrong. Wondering why you couldn’t at least tell me."

His voice cracked slightly, and my chest ached at the vulnerability in his words.

"I’m sorry," I whispered. "If I could take it back—"

"You can’t," he interrupted, but there was no malice in his tone. Just quiet acceptance.

I nodded, my fingers gripping the fabric of my sleeves.

"I know. But… I’m here now. And if you’ll let me, I want to make it right."

Taehyung turned to face me fully then, his dark eyes searching mine.

"Do you still love me?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

I sucked in a breath, my pulse thundering.

"I never stopped."

His shoulders slumped slightly, like he had been bracing for a different answer.

For a long moment, he didn’t speak.

Then, finally, he nodded, a small, tired smile tugging at his lips.

"I’m not ready to just jump back in, Y/n." His voice was careful, measured.

"But… I don’t want to lose you again."

I nodded, understanding completely. "Me neither."

He reached for my hand then, hesitating for just a second before intertwining his fingers with mine.

"Let’s take it slow," he murmured.

"Okay," I whispered back.

It wasn’t a perfect ending.

But it was a new beginning.

The days that followed felt like stepping into the past, only this time, it wasn’t clouded with uncertainty.

Taehyung and I weren’t rushing into anything, but we were gravitating toward each other again, rediscovering what we had lost.

We took it step by step.

One night, Taehyung showed up outside my apartment, leaning casually against his car, hands tucked into his coat pockets.

"Come on," he said with that familiar glint in his eyes.

"Let’s go for a drive."

It was something we used to do all the time, no destination, no plans, just music and the city lights.

I didn’t hesitate.

With the windows rolled down and the cool night air brushing against our faces, we drove through the empty streets of Seoul.

The radio played softly in the background, and Taehyung hummed along, his deep voice making my heart ache in the best way.

"You still sing along to every song," I teased, smiling at him.

He smirked, flicking his gaze toward me.

"And you still stare at me when I do."

I rolled my eyes, looking away, but the warmth in my chest only grew.

Another afternoon, Taehyung showed up with a picnic basket. "We need fresh air."

We spent hours at the park, lying on a blanket under the shade of a tree.

I watched as he tossed crumbs to the birds, his eyes crinkling when a small flock gathered around him.

"They trust me," he said proudly.

"That’s because you’re bribing them with food," I laughed.

But I couldn't deny it, watching him interact with the simplest things, the way he found joy in moments like this, made my heart feel lighter.

At one point, he turned to me, resting his head against his arm.

"It feels like old times, doesn’t it?"

I nodded, my fingers playing with the edge of the blanket.

"Yeah… it does."

One evening, it started pouring just as we were leaving a café.

"Shit," I muttered, looking up at the sky.

"We’re gonna get soaked."

But instead of running for cover, Taehyung stepped into the rain, tilting his head back as water dripped down his face.

"Come on, scaredy-cat," he grinned, reaching for my hand.

I hesitated, but then, just like before, I let him pull me into the downpour.

We laughed as we splashed through puddles, our clothes drenched, hair sticking to our faces.

He spun me around like we were in some cheesy movie, his eyes never leaving mine.

"You’re ridiculous," I giggled, breathless.

"And you love it," he shot back.

I didn't deny it.

That night, we ended up back at the dorm.

The other members were out, leaving the place unusually quiet.

Taehyung handed me a towel, both of us still damp from the rain. "Here. Dry off before you get sick."

I took it, rubbing my hair, watching as he did the same.

He looked so soft in that moment, his usual sharp features relaxed, his warm eyes full of something I couldn’t quite name.

"Tae," I started, my voice quieter now.

He looked up, waiting.

I hesitated, but then let the words spill.

"I’m really happy we’re doing this again. I was scared that too much time had passed, that we wouldn’t fit the way we used to."

He walked over, sitting beside me on the couch.

"You’re not the only one who was scared, Y/n."

I turned to him, my heart hammering. "You were?"

He nodded. "I thought I lost you forever. And even now, I keep wondering if this is real. If you’ll leave again."

I reached for his hand, squeezing gently. "I won’t."

His gaze flickered down to our intertwined fingers, then back to me. His voice was softer when he spoke again.

"Then prove it."

I swallowed, nerves buzzing under my skin.

"How?" I whispered.

His eyes searched mine, and before I could think too much, his fingers brushed my cheek, tucking a damp strand of hair behind my ear.

"Stay."

And just like that, the space between us disappeared.

His lips met mine in a slow, lingering kiss, one that spoke of lost time, of years of longing, of a love that had never really left.

When we finally pulled away, my forehead rested against his, both of us catching our breath.

"We’re really doing this, huh?" I murmured, smiling.

"Yeah," he whispered back.

"But this time, we take it slow. We prove it to each other."

"Deal."

A moment of peace settled between us until the sound of a loud thump broke it.

We both turned toward the hallway, where muffled whispers and scrambling footsteps could be heard.

Jungkook’s voice came first. "I TOLD YOU THE FLOOR WOULD CREAK!"

Jimin hissed back. "Shut up, you were the one leaning too close!"

Namjoon sighed. "I swear, you’re all children—"

Taehyung groaned, rubbing his temples. "Are you seriously spying on us?"

The door swung open slightly, revealing Jin with a smug grin. "Not spying. Just… confirming suspicions."

Yoongi peered over his shoulder. "Took you two long enough."

Hoseok beamed. "So, are you guys official now, or do we need to suffer through more slow burns?"

Taehyung threw a pillow at them. "GET OUT!"

Laughter erupted as they scattered like kids caught doing something bad.

I shook my head, laughing as I leaned into Taehyung’s side.

He sighed dramatically. "This is our life now."

"Yeah," I grinned, squeezing his hand. "And I wouldn’t have it any other way."

The end

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earthstellar · 1 year ago

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Brave Bang Bravern!: A Review for Transformers Fans

I've seen so much about this on my dash that I had to give it a try, and I gotta say, as someone who hasn't watched any new anime series since around 2008 at the most recent and I also hate the fucking military, this is a pretty good show.

THERE WILL BE SOME MILD SPOILERS. Nothing major. I'm not gonna spoil anything critical or mention characters that are introduced later etc. At of time of writing, only 6 episodes have been released.

Understanding Genre: The Trailer is A Lie

Now, while there is a trailer here, I want you to largely disregard it.

Why is that? Well, we need to talk about the "big two" robot show genres in Japan, which are as follows:

Real Robot -- This refers to a typically military setting or other serious setting, in which robots are handled as realistically as possible in terms of how they work and how they are applied. There tend to be less individual/sentient robots and more "suit" type mechs right along side human-made, more realistic machinery and mech designs, although that isn't entirely unique to this genre. Usually this stuff is labelled as sci-fi/action outside of Japan.

Super Robot (THIS IS THE SHIT TRANSFORMERS FANS GENERALLY WANT) --Essentially borderline seemingly magical robots with their own rules and in universe backstory for how they work, which isn't necessarily tied to realism. Usually this stuff is labelled as sci-fi/fantasy or space fantasy outside of Japan, since a lot of these tend to be space robots. They can be "driven" by pilots or just straight up sentient robots who are vibing with some human companions, although it's not exclusively that. It can be both, it can be neither, but no matter what, Super Robot shows are less about strict realism and more about really cool shit with robots that are basically their own people and exist according to their own rules.

Now, the trailer for BBBB (the acronym for the show is based on the Japanese title, which is Bang Brave Bang Bravern) is a COMPLETE FUCKING LIE.

It wants you to think this is going to be some dumbass GI Joe shit.

While there are elements of dumbass GI Joe shit, this is largely just to set up the premise for why shit is happening in the first place, and to help introduce the main threat (alien space creatures with fucking light beam lasers) as well as bring in our main characters under the premise of everyone having to work together to address this alien threat to Earth.

What we care about here amongst Transformers freaks is gay space robots, and this show delivers.

Getting Into Bravern: First Episode, Mild Plot Spoiler Summary

It wants you to think this is a Real Robot show.

The first episode sets things up as though it will be a Real Robot show.

There is a threat to Earth, a mystery space alien mechanical enemy, and nobody knows what the fuck to do. A military exercise between multiple nations using Titanostriders (which look very much like Shiro Masamune Appleseed-style mechs, human made in nature) to practice battle drills who are now instructed to swap over to real ammunition and go to fucking town.

Nobody knows how to do that.

They're skilled with the Titanostriders, sure, but it turns into a shit show. The alien mechanical enemies are using fucking space laser shit, it's a disaster---

--And then Bravern drops in from the fucking sky and it IMMEDIATELY TURNS INTO A SUPER ROBOT SHOW.

There's a "get in the robot, Shiji" moment where one of the Titanostrider operators, Isami Ao, is encouraged by Bravern to get inside of him.

He does. And immediately has no idea what the fuck is going on, Bravern is largely in control, and starts to blast his own theme song inside his cockpit as diegetic music while Isami is generally losing his shit, as one might do.

Humanity's reaction to Bravern is Real Robot genre type, where it is handled seriously by all the characters and organisations involved in universe, however Bravern is very much a Super Robot genre character who brings more of a Super Robot energy to the show at large.

The serious elements are mostly balanced by how fucking silly Bravern is, and there are some excellent moments in this show (currently only 6 episodes have been released) which make it entirely worth a watch.

Fun Things About Bravern Himself

Braven is very, very, very gay for his pilot.

Chances are, you've seen the screenshots of some of these moments on Tumblr already, but the delivery of these lines is magnificent.

Bravern sings his own theme song. It's the voice actor for Bravern doing the vocals, and the song itself is reminiscent of 1970s orchestrated big band energy mecha themes. For Transformers fans, it has a very Transformers Victory theme kind of vibe to it.

You gotta hear it, it fucking rules. The album cover shows Bravern holding a giant microphone.

Bravern is generally light hearted, doing his best to motivate his pilot while not hesitating to enter the action and try to defend humanity.

Now, why does Bravern care about humans so much? We don't know, but we'll talk about some mysteries in a later section below.

He is surprisingly insightful at times, while also fucking around and enjoying himself. (You may have seen screenshots going around Tumblr of Bravern with a loop of hot dogs strung around one of his chevron points on his forehead. This follows a scene in which he wants his pilot to take a break and associate with his peers for once, as a way to relieve stress. So they go to a bar, it turns out reception is positive and someone even brings weenies out for Bravern since he's too big to fit inside, lol.)

Generally, he's a very interesting mech, because we have so little information about him. He's fun, and clearly vibing, but he's also borderline if not outright obsessed with his pilot and has unknown origins, which has lead to some darker interpretations and audience discussion.

A lot of people have compared Bravern's energy to Rodimus, and generally I would agree with that. He has his high-energy silly moments, and his more serious personal moments (primarily with Isami, but also with Smith), and I think these aspects of his character work well to create a fun mech with the potential to be deep in a believable and effective way, with an equal capacity for being a doofus.

Bravern is obviously the number one reason to watch the show for most people, and I would say that if you're purely here for a giant gay space robot, then this is going to be a decent watch.

The Military Sucks: There Are Militaries Involved Yet Somehow This Is Still Watchable

I hate the fucking military, so at least the military here is depicted in an acceptable way (so far, at least). In episode 2, they waterboard Isami to interrogate him for information he doesn't have regarding Bravern, which is a realistically shitty and awful thing for the military to do-- They don't sugarcoat how fucked up the military is. These people very much have the capacity to harm their own staff, and they will do so if it means they might get an edge over the enemy.

At the same time, the actual characters in the military are depicted as primarily doing this shit out of a genuine personal desire to defeat these horrendously destructive space entities, which have attacked at least some of their home towns and home countries, so it's more personal rather than purely being a military directive that people are being forced to follow.

In this way, it's not really realistic, but everyone is on board for their own largely humanitarian aid type of reasons (there is a mission which is basically just locating survivors of an attack and then getting the fuck out) which makes the military context feel less oppressive and shitty.

Part of why this is more OK than other military depictions is because the military forces involved here are international (collaborating to defeat a global threat rather than kill each other's civilians) and because the military is clearly losing this war.

Because it's an international effort, this brings more diversity to the show-- There's a surprising amount of English interspersed between dialogue in Japanese here and there, and the military board consists of representatives from multiple nations, including some Germans who at first believe Bravern is some kind of secret American operation, lmao.

Bravern calls the military out on its shit, and essentially tells the military board to stop with the suspicious infighting bullshit and drop the internal tension because otherwise they'll all die to this mechanical nightmare creature threat.

They actually listen, which means this is an unrealistic portrayal of the military, lmao. I think they struck a good balance so far between showing that the military sucks and has problems, while also making sure that you're not really cheering for any given military force, but rather, you cheer for individual characters who just happen to be stuck doing this military shit as a premise for anything to be going on in the show at all.

So it's not the worst when it comes to the military shit; At least so far, it's watchable, which as someone who passionately hates the fucking military, is surprising to me.

It's less GI Joe and more "we just needed a reason for these characters to be involved in this situation".

Of course, your mileage may vary, but personally I found it easy to tune out or just skip through any military shit that got grating and I didn't miss anything important by doing so. At the very least, you can skip around and ignore a lot of this stuff and get right to the gay robot if that's all you want to do. It becomes clear pretty quickly what's going on if you skip around a bit, so no worries there.

Fun Speculation: What is Bravern?

Only 6 episodes are out at the moment, so there's tons of shit we don't know yet.

Bravern has a notable resemblance to a type of enemy in the show, called a Death-Drive.

Death-Drives are mecha who are distinct from the "minion" type enemies (which almost resemble flying saucers with laser gun arms and light shields), and have their own unique character designs and names.

Why these things are here, how they are here, why they are interested in Earth, and everything else is currently unknown.

Bravern looks like he could possibly be of the same mechanical species, although we don't know if that's true (yet). He has abilities that the other mecha don't seem to have, but how far this goes and what it might mean is not yet clear.

Bravern also seems to have knowledge of human media (he references The Abyss at one point and he likes 3D printing figures of sentai show characters lmao), and was immediately able to speak to the humans using language they would understand, so it's unclear if Bravern may have been studying Earth for some time before his arrival or why.

He is obsessed with his pilot and cares for him so much that he extends some care towards others purely based on their relation to Isami as co-workers; Why? What makes Isami special?

How does Bravern know seemingly every human language? How does his piloting system work? How similar is he to the Death-Drives-- Are organic beings critical to them in some way? If so, why are the other mechs killing so many of us? (These are big questions especially by the end of episode 6, due to some spoilers and a spoiler character who shows up later.)

We know little to nothing about a lot of the key elements of the show, including any motivations for the Death-Drives or what they are, what's up with the fucking UFO looking laser things, etc.

There's more to speculate on, but that would be getting into deeper spoiler territory so I'm gonna hold back on that for now.

Summary: It's Gay and Cool and Has Interesting Ideas

Bravern's not the sole source of gay vibes in this show, but it's fun that he is also a source of gay vibes in this show.

The designs are great, the Titanostriders remind me of Appleseed style mechanical suit designs which is nice, the Death-Drives are super interesting, Bravern is fucking fabulous but he's not too goofy to take seriously, and the military is unfortunately present but it's clear that they suck and are generally losing (and since the conflict is not between different groups of humans but rather is about human collaboration to defeat a non-human shared threat to our entire planet, this goes a long way to make the military shit tolerable).

It pretends to be a Real Robot show but has so much Super Robot show sprinkled in that you might as well consider it a little bit of both which the show balances pretty well.

I haven't watched an anime since around 2008 at the very latest, so I don't know how this might compare to any other robot animes since then and I am certainly not an anime expert by any means LOL, but this has been a fun show to watch so far.

It does have its problems, of course, but if you can get past the setup for the first episode (when it's still pretending to be a Real Robot show), from the moment Bravern arrives towards the end of that first episode, the show gains momentum and starts to get interesting very quickly.

It has some issues. But we're only 6 episodes in, so at the moment, they have plenty of time to potentially address those issues and we'll see where things go.

I'd recommend it if you want to give it a try!

I think there's enough here to appeal to the usual Transformers crowd and you might end up liking it, or at least having fun while watching it in the background.

If you end up wanting to to tap out then no worries-- I think it's worth giving it a shot and if it's not your thing, no problem.

Each episode is around 25 - 30 minutes, so while the first episode might feel like a slog to get through because fuck the military, once Bravern shows up the show actually gets started and I wouldn't blame anyone for just skipping to that point in the first episode and going from there, because there's nothing in that opening that you won't be reminded of or be able to figure out. It mostly just sets up the intro to the human characters and the collaboration training session, introduces the Titanostriders as a thing, and you can always go back and watch that part later if you want to.

All in all, pretty decent! Obviously we're Transformers people so we're here for the robots, and the robots are interesting and fun, and that's all I need to have a good time.

Hopefully this was a useful summary if you're interested or have seen Bravern stuff on your dash! :)

Thanks for reading!

BONUS: I forgot to mention this somehow, but there's a lot of overlap between Transformers and other Brave shows involving actual Transformers re-used in Japan for these shows; There's a good video about it here on YouTube which explains some of this, but if anyone's wondering, yes Bravern has a grounder alt-mode and it's pretty cool. Will we get a transforming Bravern figure??? We can hope!

There's another video here which mentions some of the Transformers elements in other Brave shows/Yuusha, which might be interesting for those of you who are unaware. :)

#maccadams #maccadam #bravern #bbbb #ba #bang brave bang bravern #long post #bravern review #transformers

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