#Bora: Thank you for the tag!

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

2025 book bingo time 📚

want a completely arbitrary set of reading goals for 2025? want to try something new in your literary diet but don't know where to start? just like a challenge for the sake of a challenge? just love a good game of bingo?

boy do I have something for you!

for anyone planning to participate, please know that I LOVE attention and talking about books, so I would be STOKED to be tagged on any and all updates about what you're reading or planning to read. I'm so, so excited to see all the different ways these prompts get filled, especially if and when they bring people away from the kinds of things they normally read. not to mention snag some new reading recs myself, hopefully!

and of course, I want to know whenever somebody gets a bingo - and ESPECIALLY if somebody fills the whole board! I don't have any prizes for you, but I can offer a sense of accomplishment :)

note that this is designed to be played as 1 book = 1 space, so even if you read, say, a fantasy graphic novel published in 1923 from an indie publisher that has a bat on the cover, you'd only cross off one space. I'm not a cop and I'm not in charge of what you read, so if it sparks more joy to check off multiple spaces per book then go nuts, but I am throwing that disclaimer out there.

EDIT: the 2025 book bingo challenge is now also on storygraph, thanks to @obi-wann-cannoli!

DOUBLE EDIT: there is also now a discord server for the book bingo, thanks to @drivingmebonkas! you can join it here!

wondering what some of these spaces mean? seeking a couple recommendations to get you started? no idea what a zine even is, let alone how to make one? worry not! I have a guide to all 25 prompts, including recommendations + an example of what I'll be reading throughout the year to fulfill each space. read on beneath the cut!

Literary Fiction: I find that a lot of people are reluctant to check out literary fiction, as it’s often written off as not being about anything but adultery and divorce. If this is you, I implore you to take a chance, acknowledge that adultery and divorce are compelling sometimes, and also remember that lit fic has a lot more to offer than that. At Writer’s Digest, Michael Woodson describes literary fiction as “less of a genre than a category,” which “focuses on style, character, and theme over plot.” My recommendations include Raven Leilani’s Luster, Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, and Melissa Broder’s Milk Fed. 

I’ll be reading: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

2. Short Story Collection: You know, a bunch of short stories together in one book? It doesn’t get much more self-explanatory than that. Could be a collection of stories by a single author or an anthology—it’s up to you! I recommend checking out Mariana Enríquez’s The Dangers of Smoking in Bed (translated by Megan McDowell), Nalo Hopkinson’s Falling in Love With Hominids, and Kim Fu’s Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century. 

I’ll be reading: Your Utopia by Bora Chung and translated by Anton Hur 

3. A Sequel: It could be one that you’ve been meaning to get around to, one that’s not releasing until 2025, or the sequel to something you read to cross off another space on this very bingo sheet!

I’ll be reading: Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao, sequel to 2021’s Iron Widow 

4. Childhood Favorite: Go back and read a book you loved as a child, tween, or teen! There’s no wrong answer here; anything from a YA novel to a picture book would be just lovely, and I can’t wait to see what people pick for this option! I’m not sure which of my old favorites I’ll be revisiting yet—should I go for the warm and fuzzy Casson Family series, or straight towards the mindfucky sci-fi of Interstellar Piggy? Or maybe I’ll go see how Artemis Fowl holds up...

5. 20th Century Speculative Fiction: For those not familiar with the term, speculative fiction can encapsulate science fiction, fantasy, and anything else that falls into the unreal. You’re spoiled for iconic choices here: the 20th century gave us Le Guin’s Left Hand of Darkness, Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale, Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Kindred, L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, the beginning of Pratchett’s Discworld series, Diana Wynne Jones’ Howls’ Moving Castle, and countless others.

I’ll be reading: Dawn by Octavia E. Butler, love of my literary life 💜

6. Fantasy: Fantasy comes in a thousand different shades, from contemporary urban wizards with day jobs at the office to high fantasy spellslingers chasing dragons away from castles. Some examples I’ve adored are N.K. Jemisin’s The Killing Moon, C.L. Polk’s Witchmark, Fonda Lee’s Jade City, and Nghi Vo’s Empress of Salt and Fortune.

I’ll be reading: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty  

7. Published Before 1950: This one could not be more straightforward if I tried. You have all of human history (or at least, all the parts that have surviving literature), just not the last 75 years. Dig deep! 

I’ll be reading: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, published in 1938 

8. Independent Publisher: Did you guys know that just five publishing companies (Penguin Random House, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette Book Group) are responsible for 80% of books published in the US each year, and 25% of books globally? Break away from the big five and see what some small presses are putting out! If you need some ideas about where to start, check out this list of nearly 300 independent publishers with notes on what kind of books they put out!

I’ll be reading: Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ and translated by Lin King, from Graywolf Press

9. Graphic Novel/Comic Book/Manga: Despite my personal obsession with Batman, the world of comic books is sooo much wider than Gotham City—or anything else that DC and Marvel have to offer. If superheroes aren’t your speed, check out the Southern gothic of Carmen Maria Machado and Dani Strips’ comic The Low, Low Woods, splash around in Kat Leyh’s graphic novel Thirsty Mermaids, or stop waiting for a new season of Dungeon Meshi and go read Ryoko Kui’s manga, translated to English by Taylor Engel. 

I’ll be reading: The Fade, by Aabria Iyengar and Mari Costa

10. Animal on the Cover: Yes, yes, don’t judge a book by its cover—but do go find one with a critter on the cover and give it a read! Absolutely no other requirements here, get silly with it.

I’ll be reading: Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

11. Set in a Country You Have Never Visited: Fiction or nonfiction, doesn’t matter so long as it gives you a little glimpse of a country you’ve never visited in real life. If you’ve somehow visited every country currently recognized in the world, then I guess you get to go read something set in space.

I’ll be reading: A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon and Kim Sanho, translated by Anton Hur 

12. Science Fiction: A genre just as diverse as fantasy, with a little something for everybody! I recommend Becky Chambers’ Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet for those who want to kiss an alien in the stars and Jessamine Chan’s The School for Good Mothers for those who want a surveillance state dystopia that hits much closer to home.  

I’ll be reading: Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase

13. 2025 Debut Author: Read a book by someone who’s releasing their first book in 2025. Fic or nonfic, any genre, no further requirements. Not quite a free space, but pretty close!

I’ll be reading: Liquid: A Love Story by Mariam Rahmani, coming out March 11

14. Memoir: Per Wikipedia, a memoir is “any nonfiction narrative writing based on the author’s personal memories.” Some are funny, some are heartbreaking, some are both! I recommend Carman Maria Machado’s In the Dream House and Roxane Gay’s Hunger, because I tend to lean heartbreaking! 

I’ll be reading: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Again, I like heartbreaking!

15. Read a Zine, Make a Zine: Not familiar with zines? No problem! Check out some of these digital archives for inspiration, and then craft your own zine with this simple guide (or do it your own way, I’m not in charge of you). 

Internet Archives: https://archive.org/details/zines

Gay Zine Archive Project: https://gittings.qzap.org/ 

POC Zine Project: https://poczineproject.tumblr.com/ 

Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/collections/zine-web-archive/ 

16. Essay Collection: Like a short story collection, but it’s nonfiction now. Some of my favorites include Samantha Irby’s We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, Elaine Castillo’s How to Read Now, Aimee Nezhukhumatathil’s World of Wonders, and Cathy Park Hong’s Minor Feelings.

I’ll be reading: A Little Devil in America: In Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib 

17. 2024 Award Winner: What award? Any award you like! And boy, there are tons to pick from. Any book that won any award in the year 2024 is free game. If you need some places to start looking, check out some of these:

Lambda Literary Awards, for excellence in LGBT literature: https://lambdaliterary.org/awards__trashed/2024-winners/ 

The Alex Awards, for adult books with crossover appeal for teen readers: https://www.ala.org/yalsa/alex-awards 

Ignyte Awards, celebrating diversity in speculative fiction: https://ignyteawards.fiyahlitmag.com/2024-results/  

Women's Prize for Fiction (self explanatory) https://womensprize.com/prizes/womens-prize-for-fiction/

Others: https://www.bookbrowse.com/awards/ 

I’ll be reading: Biography of X by Catherine Lacey, winner of the 2024 Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction

18. Nonfiction: Learn Something New: I know very little about archaeology, anthropology, or any other fields that involve studying ancient cities, but Annalee Newitz’s Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age was some of the most fun I had with nonfiction in 2024, because every page brought a brand new discovery. For 2025, find a nonfiction book about a topic you don’t know ANYTHING about, and learn something new!

I’ll be reading: Cooling the Tropics: Ice, Indigeneity, and Hawaiian Refreshment by Hi’ilei Julia Kawehipuaakahaopulani Hobart

19. Social Justice & Activism: Read a book about a social issue, the history of an activist movement, or brush up on a guiding philosophy or ideology. Arm yourself with knowledge, besties, because I have a feeling we’re going to need it! if you need a good place to start, why not try Angela Davis' Race, Women & Class, Mariame Kaba's We Do This 'Til We Free Us, or Molly Smith and Juno Mac's Revolting Prostitutes?

I’ll be reading: White Feminism: From Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind by Koa Beck

20. Romance Novel: Listen to me. Fucking listen to me. I mean a ROMANCE. NOVEL. Not a novel that incidentally has a romance in it. Romance novel, motherfucker. Go check out the romance section and have some whimsy as two people fall in love through the most contrived series of events ever conceived. If you really need a romance that makes you feel smart (that’s still sexy and messy as hell), try Akwaeke Emezi’s You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty.

I’ll be reading: Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasche  

21. Read and Make a Recipe: Could be a cookbook, could be a recipe you yoinked from the New York Times, could be something your grandparents lovingly wrote down by hand. Could be as complex or as simple as you like, just make something tasty! Some cookbooks I’ve enjoyed are Sohla El-Waylly’s Start Here, Dan Pashman’s Mission Impastable, and John Wang and Storm Garner’s The World Eats Here.

22. Horror: Slashers, zombies, haunted houses, creeping paranoia, you name it! It’s time to get spooky and scary with all kinds of things going bump in the night. Maybe this is the year to finally keep up with Dracula Daily? Not for me, I'm not doing that, but you could!

I’ll be reading: I Was A Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones

23. Published in the Aughts: A throwback, but not too far back. Read something published between 2000 and 2009. Maybe it’s time to finally get into Twilight? (For legal reasons, that’s a joke.)

I’ll be reading: The Sluts by Dennis Cooper, published in 2004

24. Historical Fiction: You know, fiction that takes place in a bygone era! Please remember, this isn’t just about reading a book that’s old; we have a separate prompt for that! This is about reading something that takes place in the past relative to the time it was written. Pride and Prejudice is historical to us, but was contemporary when Austen wrote it. Think of Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half, Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, or history + a bit of fantasy in book's like R.F. Kuang's Babel.

I’ll be reading: The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

Bookseller or Librarian Recommendation: This one is fun, and something I always like to do when I’m travelling and visiting a new bookstore. Ask a bookseller or librarian to recommend something they’ve liked, and check it out! If going in person isn’t feasible, many bookstores and libraries have staff picks on their websites, and the Indie Next List is a monthly list of independent booksellers’ favorite new releases. 

I’ll be reading: The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich, which I bought at Erdrich’s bookstore, Birchbark Books, this summer :)

lastly: tagging people who asked to be tagged to make sure they didn't miss this! @thebisexualwreckoning @perfunctoryperfusions @reallyinkyhands come get your bingo sheet!

[winterzsurprise]

Change My Mind [9]: Serendipity

Pairing: BTS x reader

SUMMARY: As a make-up artist, you were expected to glamorize your clients with brushes and products that cost a week-worth of food, not to befriend them outside of work, let alone have them save you from dates yet here you are five years later as one of their closest confidants.

Being a stylist of the world's biggest boyband is no easy feat, someone is doing flips, someone can't stay still and one's asleep but its fine, you can work around their chaos but then one day, you find out they're all your soulmates, a whole different can of chaos you don't think you can handle.

Tags: Soulmates AU, Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Not Beta Read, Slow Build, Polyamory, Attempts at Humor

Words: 8.4k

HAPPY BORA MONTH EVERYONE OUR BOYS ARE COMING HOMEEEEEE

to keep the updates somewhat stable, I'll be only posting on wednesdays KST (pretend that its still wednesday, I got caught up playing grow a garden lmao)

Sorry for the late update, our capstone mobile project got scrapped mid production and we now have one month to finish it (damn u prof), with the addition of creating an e-commerce app for a diff subject. So yeah fun :D! (im about to curse them down to their grandchildren)

n e ways, here's the update. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you all for your patience and support!

Maybe it was a mistake cracking your eyes open and making space in your already minimal cubicle room but could anyone blame you for doing so when you’ve got a pouting Jimin and the ringing absence of his body heat against your skin had overcome your better judgment?

“Noona, can I bunk with you?”

It was a simple request, you could’ve said no and Jimin would’ve returned to his seat to sleep alone. But seeing him, with his hair mused from the tossing and churning he must’ve done earlier in his bed, matched with his pouty lips and barely open eyes, you couldn’t dare say no to his face.

Moving aside and inviting him without hesitation was something you never thought you'd ever do in your life—at least while sober. 

Scared of crossing boundaries with your best friends, you had stopped yourself from entertaining anything past what you deemed is platonic and acceptable. 

Sure there were times you’d let the maknaes snuggle up next to you but other than the few times you had let them do so after they had grown past their teenage years, cuddling had become rare once they were adults. 

Maybe it was because you had spent weeks sleeping next to Jimin during the times you had to stabilize the bond but it felt odd not sensing someone else’s body heat next to you, or having the mattress dip from someone’s weight—Jimin’s weight specifically. 

Somewhere, sometime during the nights you had Jimin next to you, he had become a beacon of protection and safety. In the short time you were alone in your cubicle, you had found yourself missing his presence and the soft glowing pulse of your soulmark near you. His absence rang and resonated loudly in the quietness of the flight. 

You had comforted yourself earlier, reassuring your own longing heart that you’ll get to sleep next to Jimin again once you’re both off the airplane yet.

But the heart is fickle and not easily convinced once it begins to want and yearn.

To be able to welcome Jimin into your bed without going through multiple pages of pros and cons to letting your friends momentarily cross the line, the old you would’ve had an aneurysm and you excuse it as one of your (probably) sleepy mistakes.

“Close the blinds so the stewardess won’t see us and scold us for… bunking together.”

“Just say sleeping together, noona.” He giggled. “It means the same thing, right?”

You said nothing, only moving to make space for him.

Slipping inside the already small space, he closed the slides behind him and laid next to you. Automatically, his hand seeked yours in the dark and pulled it close to his nose, making goosebumps prick your skin as his hot exhales breathed warmth and lit up the golden swirls of your soulmark into your body. 

It bloomed elegantly from your palms to your knuckles before eventually fading somewhere mid-forearm. They glowed a soft golden light, a stark brightness in the darkness of your cubicle but you couldn’t find it in yourself to feel bothered by its llight. In fact, it had begun to instill a degree of comfort whenever it gleamed behind your closed lids.

Your heartbeat then began to drum in your chest, the loud thuds resonating through every bone in your limb, rendering you weak under the cold relieving effects of your soulmark.

“Didn’t mean to bother your sleep,” Jimin had murmured softly. “I just… It felt weird not being able to sleep next to you.”

Maybe it was the sleepiness from travelling at midnight that made you put your guard down. After a socially exhausting day of having to lie to a thousand people and dealing with worried friends, you dare to let yourself enjoy the presence of your soulmate without the ugliness of insecurity.

“Me too,” you whispered.  “I missed you, Jimin.”

It felt so odd letting such a sentiment slip past your lips yet it felt so right uttering his name next to it.

He giggled and it sounded like the chimes of the sweetest of bells as a large, embarrassed smile cracks through his sleepy expression. Shy, he hid his face into the back of your hand.

“Did you really?” He asked through his giddiness. “You missed me?

“I missed you, Jiminie.” You repeated.

His giggles multiplied and with it, the radiating comfort from where you’re both connected growing warmer and brighter.

“How am I supposed to sleep after hearing that? Noona, I think my heart might explode from how fast it's going.” 

Jimin then brought your hand to his chest and pressed it against his rib. Feeling his heart race under your palm, you wondered how he hasn’t exploded from how concerningly quick it’s going. 

“The other guys are going to be so jealous. I’m so excited to brag about it.”

“You’re going to tell them?” You asked, curious.

“Rarely do I get anything to brag about. I also wouldn’t miss the chance to hold it over Jin and Jungkook’s head.” 

How is it that something you usually regard as a red flag could pale when it comes to your best friends? Telling other people of your business should’ve made you frown yet you found yourself uncaring of the fact. They’re all your soulmates anyways, you mentally shrugged.

Closing your eyes, you prepare yourself to welcome the serenity of sleep, thinking Jimin had fallen asleep already in the short time you were reflecting on your reaction to hearing they share tales with each other about you.

To your surprise, Jimin spoke again.

“Noona, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“You can say no and not tell me but,” He took a tentative pause. “I just… kept wondering why you feel so undeserving of us.” 

After you had fallen asleep after Hoseok’s celebratory dinner, Jimin had sneaked away to tell the others of what you think of the soulmate bond. He had briefly and very vaguely told you what they had talked about the next morning, saying it was just a simple discussion on how they'll proceed with you and left it at that. 

And as much as it was frustrating being left in the dark, you knew deep inside to not pry for more information knowing it might become fuel for the bald headed demon of insecurity.

“Don't you already know?”

“I might but I'd like to hear it from you personally.”

You debated on telling him, scared to hear your own faults be spoken out loud in the small space of your cubicle. For a moment, you thought to ignore his question and to talk about the interviews they had lined up on days they were to rest in between shows but don’t they deserve to hear it straight from you?

“I feel bad because not only did I reject some of you, I also talked about my other relationships and my search for a husband with you all. I ignored your feelings for a semblance of normalcy, especially Jin’s, although he'd argue that I didn't know. I still think I should be crucified for that. All I wanted was the closeness we all had before feelings got involved but it only got more twisted.” 

Hearing you say it out loud made your sins sound more evil than it should be. It echoed in the silence left by your reply. Your words bounced off the walls, seeming to gain more volume the more it reverberated, sounding more taunting and mocking as it went.

Then all of a sudden, the cold relief that flowed under the swirls on your arms grew hotter as if lava had replaced them. It stinged like dislike and burned like disgust. Panicking, you pulled your hand away but Jimin was faster, tightening his hold around your wrist.

“Noona—”

“I swear I'll try and make it all up to you somehow. It's gonna take a little bit of time but—”

“Listen to me, noo—”

“Please, I don’t 

Jimin pressed a finger to your lips and shushed you.

“You don't owe us anything, noona. Don't force yourself to reciprocate our feelings or our efforts preparing for our dates will end up being useless.” He laughed. “But seriously, let yourself feel whatever you want to feel because at the end of the day, we're all connected anyways.”

Your frown deepens and your stomach hollows itself up. It is not how it should be. Soulmate or not, they should make you work for their forgiveness, especially with Jin and Jungkook but instead the two of them had easily waved off your mistakes as if they never existed in the first place.

Normally, you’d have your partner atone after they hurt you, right?

“Why are you guys so accepting? Don't you think that I should redeem myself first? Don’t you at least resent me a little for what I did?”

Being one of their closest friends in and outside work for five years, you were introduced early on to them in their lowest, their ugliest, and them in their happiest. They could forgive betrayals and bullying but they would never forget the names and the faces of those who discredited and snubbed them. 

So for those same men to easily shrug off your sins as easily as breathing, you couldn’t help but feel unworthy of their kindness.

“It's such a cliche answer and I know you’ll kill me for saying it but it's because we like you.” You opened your mouth to refute but he shook his head and continued. “I know. I can't believe that I'm saying this too. You know how we roll but ever since the marks manifested, I just… everything doesn't matter anymore now that I'm tethered to you. Because the moment Healing Touch manifested, a new chapter has started.”

Hearing the confusion and reluctance in your silence, Jimin opened his arms for a hug and you surprised yourself with how fast you had leaned in.

“Noona, you know what I realized while we were adjusting to the bond? Love is as powerful as the movies portrayed it to be and it's scary how it can change a person.” He paused, as if he’s mulling over an idea at the tip of his tongue. “Sure, if you really want to and if it makes you feel better, you can ‘make up’ for us but don’t tear yourself down in doing so. Healing Touch could fix anything but I doubt it's powerful enough to revive an exhausted mind.”

Between the effects of the soulmark growing stronger with you both cuddling up to each other and being engulfed in the soft scent of his peach cologne and the subtle fruity scent of his conditioner, drowsiness easily finds its way to you.

Experiencing the same drowsiness brought by the calmness from the soulmark, Jimin yawns.

“Does that answer your question, noona?”

“Yes,” You say, the exhaustion of today finally overcoming your own will to stay awake. “Thank you Jimin.”

“Good night noona, I hope you dream of the sweetest dreams.”

“I hope you do too.”

_______

“Okay so, how about this one?” Taehyung enthusiastically began, showing his screen to you. “Do you and hyung share any existing scars?”

“I don't think so? If we had, the scar on my knee would be reflected on him but there's none.”

His excitement mellows down as he scrolls through the catalog of body-altering soulmate marks. 

After waking up in time for brunch, Taehyung hadn't stopped his search for the right soulmark for you and Hobi. His experimentations ranged from observing your shadow by having you hold your arm above the table to see if your shadow could reflect Hoseok's movements back home, to making you meditate and imagine switching bodies with Hoseok, and lastly, pinching yourself to see if their hyung could feel the sting from wherever you currently guys are.

Despite having their own seats to occupy on either side of you, the two men had naturally gravitated to your space and squeezed themselves into the footrest in front of your reclined chair before Taehyung eventually decided he wasn’t close enough and squeezed himself in the small space next to you while Jimin continued to occupy the footrest, taking your legs to rest on top of his thighs to idly pressed his thumbs on your calves.

You and Jimin luckily woke up before the attendants had made their rounds for breakfast. 

He was sulking when he left your cubicle with his sleep-mussed hair and jutted out bottom lip while carrying the pillow he brought. Seeing him trudge towards his seat—which is directly to your right as you’ve been placed in the middle—reminded you of a sad, wet pup whose day has been ruined by the sudden downpour of rain.

Breakfast came ten minutes and once the plates were collected, Taehyung had practically bounced from his cubicle to yours with Jimin following soon after, acting casually as if you both weren't cuddling each other barely an hour ago.

It was always odd cuddling up to Jimin with the context of being soulmates. It was awkward and embarrassing whenever you woke up to his arms wrapped tight around your waist and his breath on your skin. The irrational, overly-conscious part of you yelled at you to wake him up and tell him to return to his cubicle yet the more deprived within you demanded you stay silent.

And for the first time with a sober mind, you decided to stay silent.

What can you do against a heart that began to yearn for someone's warmth?

“How long before we land?” Taehyung asked, breaking you out of your trance.

“Three hours or less, why?” Jimin responded.

Tae pursed his lips. “I'm just thinking about something…”

You raised an eyebrow. “And what does that ‘something’ entails?”

“It'll ruin the surprise if I tell you.” 

The cheeky grin brightening Taehyung's face was enough to let you know that he's planning something devious and you shared a worried look with Jimin. 

Not noticing the shared look, the younger boy continued. “Management agreed to let us drive on our own right? I'd like to take a detour to Walmart before we arrive at our hotel.”

Jimin made a face.

“How about no?”

“Guys, I promise on my necktie collection, I think I've finally figured out what soulmark noona and Hoba got.”

Before you could push him for more information, your mother’s message popped up on your screen and you turned your attention to it.

[Today, 10:23]            [10:23] Mom: Have you guys arrived in the states yet?            [10:23] You: not yet            [10:23] Mom: Always be careful when walking around with those two boys, people can get a little bit crazy even if they know you as their make up artist            [10:23] You: dont worry too much, im strong enough to handle them💪💪            [10:23] Mom: Strong my foot, you can barely book a doctor's appointment without me            [10:23] Mom: Anyways, the reason why I messaged you was because I had a talk with Guwon’s aunt and found out you used to go to the same high school as him             [10:24] Mom: Our town really small is for the two of you to be in the same school before             [10:24] You: really? I dont think I remember seeing him at all. Did she tell you which batch he was from?            [10:24] You: also im shocked she didn't ignore you after guwon and I ended things on a bad note            [10:24] Mom: She said she's not fond of the boy, saying he gives her goosebumps.            [10:24] Mom: I honestly don't get why, that boy seems nice            [10:24] Mom: But that glistening peach face of his became a squid to me when he said all those things to you            [10:25] Mom: However, I won’t deny how kind he was to us before. Did I tell you that he had climbed our trees to pick us fruits after I introduced him to you?            [10:25] Mom: Also she didn't tell me what section he was from, only that you used to go to the same school            [10:25] You: maybe I'll take a look at the yearbook when I visit            [10:25] Mom: Alright. Don't forget to buy me those biscuits you bought me last time, okay? Me and your dad loved those            [10:26] Mom: Say hello to the twins for me and your dad😄            [10:26] Mom: Stay safe, alright?            [10:26] You: always, I love youu😘            [10:26] Mom: Stay safe and come visit soon with your nexus alright?

Double tapping on her message and sending a quick reply to her, you then notice the obvious interest the boy beside you has over your conversation.

“You used to be schoolmates with Guwon?” Taehyung asks, his eyes shamelessly connecting with yours as if he wasn’t reading your messages not a second ago. “Was your town really that small?”

“Yeah but the thing is, I couldn't remember him. If his stories were anything to go by, he was his batch’s president from start to finish. I was the vice representative of my class so I would've attended council meetings with every class rep from every junior and senior high section. ”

“Wait, how are you schoolmates with Guwon when he's five years older than you?” Jimin chimed in, confused.

“Our town was so small they put elementary, middle school and high school in one place.”

It was to cut costs, the municipal mayor had reasoned. Having all the grade levels in one place not only saved space but also meant the small number of teachers from your town could cycle through the classes from different grade levels in one place, cutting off the time allotted to walking from one school building from one part of the town to another.

Jimin furrowed his eyebrows as he processed the words and grimaced but before he could say his piece, Tae spoke.

“I don't want to hear anything about a shit stain like Guwon anymore. Past is past so let's focus on the future, are we all in agreement? Yes or yes?”

With no one going against his wishes, he smiles and shows you his screen once more.

“Now that's done, I found another one! Hear me out on this, noona—”

_______

Despite Jimin’s best attempts to take the car key from Taehyung, who had practically tackled the guy handing it off to them, the fate of your hair is unfortunately now in the hands of the boxy-smiled boy who swore his plans would never hurt you; not even a sting, he had promised and crossed his heart too.

Never had you thought that approaching a vehicle could feel so daunting now with Taehyung as the driver. You expected this for Namjoon and maybe Jungkook and Hobi but never the rest.

“Stop looking like you guys are walking towards your inevitable death, I swear that what I have in mind is far from harmful.” Taehyung reassures as he tugged along your luggage with his before stopping in front of the trunk to open and load your baggage in. “Besides, I've checked with Joo hyung and he said that he's been planning to bleach Hobi’s hair at some point anyways.”

You broke the speed of light with how fast you spun around.

“We’re going to bleach my hair?!”

Taehyung nodded enthusiastically. “Yup! I’ve been asking our hair stylists’ for permission these past few weeks and they finally gave me the green light earlier!”

“Hobi and the others must be on their way to the airport right now, should we really risk bleaching noona’s hair and in turn, change his hair in public?” Jimin asks, trying to deter the boxy-smiled boy.

Taehyung hummed thoughtfully as he finally lodged the final bag into the truck.

“I know it'll be bad but it'll be so funny.” He huffed out a laugh. “I mean imagine, they'll be leaving early in the morning, Hobi would still be sleepy and as he heads into immigration wanting nothing but to board the plane and finally sleep, his hair color changes and he's suddenly being pulled to the side for questioning which forces him to stay awake a little longer.”

Jimin blankly stares at him for a while, as if his mind is recreating the scene in his head before a small giggle escapes him.

“...Ok, I won’t lie. It’s kinda funny.”

“Right? So, is my dear Jiminie going to help me with my plan?”

“We’ll be sentenced to months long dish washing and house sweeping chores.”

“I know but don’t you want to get back at Hoba for putting us through hellish dance routines?” Taehyung knew what words to use. Years of being friends with Jimin had given him the PhD to understand what stokes his twin’s interests. 

You see the shift in Jimin’s opinions as soon as Taehyung said that. You saw it in the way a mischievous light found its way into his eyes and the subtle quirk in the corner of his mouth.

Despite knowing the consequences of their actions, Bangtan's maknaes will always be maknaes. They wouldn't miss the chance of getting back at their Hobi hyung who had made them dance till the soles of their feet melted away from the friction. 

Soon enough, you find yourself standing behind the twins under the broken overhead light in the haircare aisle at Walmart after a quick drive-thru—which Jimin had begrudgingly ordered your food despite Taehyung being the driver. 

It was a wonder how nobody had figured who they were when they're giggling loudly like devious kids at the hair care section. You had been nervously looking over your shoulders to make sure no one who could recognize them was near as they whispered mischievously to each other. 

There’s a woman at the far end of the aisle who’s busy comparing two conditioners and a busy mother with two fussy children trailing behind her going down the aisle. Focusing on the former, you swept over her sling bag for any keyrings and badges that might indicate her being an AMRY and when you found none, you turned your attention back to your soulmates.

Being in public with worldwide superstars is going to turn your hair white.

Should you start mastering SFX makeup to change their appearances?

TUG!

You looked down at the string on your pinky to see it half tangible with a soft glow of red. Wrapping your fingers around it, Yoongi's concern bleeds into you.

‘Okay?’

‘Nervous.’

It was odd how you could feel his eyebrow raise from so far in the temporary absence of his reply.

‘Why?’

‘Twins. Mischief.’

The string thrummed a low tune as if to replicate the sigh he must've let out from hearing it.

‘Good luck.’

Turning your attention to the twins, you find them now debating on what brand is best with Jimin reading reviews out from his phone and Taehyung insisting he had seen people use the dye in his hand more therefore is much better.

‘How are you?’

‘Preparing. Jungkook just woke up. Seokjin screaming. Hoseok stressed. Namjoon lost’

You smiled as the image of Seokjin, possessed by the spirit of an airport dad, ordering and rushing their youngest whose face is contorted into a frown with eyes barely open to gather his essentials while Hoseok sits in the living room with his arms crossed next to Yoongi who’s sitting next to him and both scrolling on their phone. 

Namjoon is probably running around for anything he must've forgotten to pack or put into his bag, a hunt Hoseok had purposely put him on to distract him from stressing over his bandmates.

Mind wandering to Namjoon, you closed your eyes to try and focus on his heartbeat. It has faded into the background hours in the flight earlier but it had always been there, although required high concentration to hear.

“Should we try a bold hair color too? I wanna know how he'd look in blue.” Jimin asks his friend in a low voice, unaware he's speaking rather loudly for you to hear. He holds up a box dye and you narrow your eyes at the item in suspicion. “Oh, toxic green sounds good, no?”

Tae tilts his head. “Will noona even let you?”

You didn't have to imagine yourself with the vibrant shade of green for you to interfere.

“Noona will not let you, actually.” You said, letting go of the string as you took the dyes off of his hand and returned it to the shelves. “Bright colors would not look good on me.”

“Then let's stick with bleach but having fully bleached hair is a bit standard, a bit on the boring side so—how about we just bleach your ends for a change?” Jimin suggested, eyes looking up at you and it felt like he’s shooting you puppy eyes even when he’s not trying to.

“If we’re going to only dye the tips, then wouldn’t having a fire-like effect look good?” Taehyung chimed in, holding up an orange and a red dye in both hands while his eyes continued to scan the shelves. “Oh wait! If you really want something that isn’t too eye-catching, how about ash grey tips?”

“As much as I appreciate your confidence in me pulling a red orange ombre, I really don’t think it will, in all honesty.” You say and Taehyung practically wilts, his hands falling to his side yet his eyes continue to scan the shelf for another color to suggest with the eyes akin to a kicked puppy. “I’ll consider the ash grey, though.”

Immediately, Taehyung brightened up.

“I think you underestimate yourself noona, you’re very pretty.” Jimin says with a sheepish smile.

Suddenly feeling shy, you averted your gaze and cleared your throat.

“Thank you, Jimin.”

You don’t even know how a compliment from Jimin, something you get from him weekly, could elicit such a reaction from you. It took everything in you to not widen your eyes in realization when you noticed how bashful you had become.

One night of deep talk and you’re already flushing. You don’t even want to imagine how you’ll react once the relationship deepens.

“What the fuck.” 

Taehyung’s eyes bounced from you and Jimin, incredulous with a hint of betrayal.

“Did you guys do it on the plane?!”

“What?” you and Jimin squawked.

“No cause you guys didn’t act this way before! What did you guys do while I was getting my beauty rest?! ‘Cause that would be so disgusting I was literally a few inches away from you!” Taehyung exclaimed and you have never been so grateful he wasn’t screaming in English.

What a scandal it would’ve been. BTS Member Kim Taehyung revealed his co-member Park Jimin had FREAKY SEX in the PLANE with his MAKE UP ARTIST?!?! 

“Whatever you might be thinking, we didn’t do it!” Jimin exclaimed, scandalized.

“Then explain what I just witnessed there!”

“You’re hallucinating!” 

“That's just the jetlag!”

_______

Due to Taehyung’s excitement, he had made the trip to the hotel a quick affair; moreso the trip to your room when he practically vibrated in front of the desk and snatched the key from the hostess and crossed the distance between where he stood to the elevator with five steps.

The hotel bathroom is too small to fit three people, you think. While not physically a tight fit, your heart seems to beat twice with every tick and expand to fill your entire chest and spread the jittery nerves of anxiousness throughout your entire body.

With Jimin taking out the hair dryer from the cabinet and Taehyung eagerly mixing the solution together in the black bowl they bought next to him, you find yourself sitting on the edge of the bathtub silently relishing the feeling of foreboding doom as you watch the twins flutter around preparing to dye your hair.

“Are you sure you know how to do this?” you asked, fingers fiddling with the hem of the shirt Jimin had randomly picked out to wear while having your hair bleached.

Hair dying has always been the hair stylists job while the idols sit idly in front of them, moving only when the dye is going to be washed off or while waiting for the colors or bleach to set in. 

And you’re putting your full trust on these idols who haven't bleached their hair themselves.

Where’s Jin when you needed him?

Taehyung grinned. In a different setting, you’d think his square-shaped smile endearing and cute but with the tint brush and comb tool, and the plastic bowl full of bleaching solution in both hands, he never looked more menacing than he does right now.

“How hard can it be? We’re just going to dye the tips.”

“Remember, if you mess up my hair, you might also mess up Hoba’s hair and an angry dance instructor and second leader is not something you’d want,” you reminded as Taehyung approached you.

Jimin, ever the supportive soulmate, placed his hands on your shoulder and led you to the chair he dragged in from outside. “We know, don’t worry, noona. We had someone teach us how to dye it earlier.”

“Who?”

“I forgot his name but we saw him on YouTube and he’s got a pretty big following so that must count for something, right?”

Hearing that, you began to pray to every divinity out there who could hear your pleas for a successful hair bleaching.

“Alright, I’m gonna start now, noona.”

You watched cautiously as Jimin allocated a bunch of hair into the aluminum foil and Taehyung started his work on dyeing the tips of your hair. 

The twins stayed silent throughout the process, as if they’re also holding their breath like you are doing.

It wasn’t the act of having your hair dyed by the twins that had your leg restlessly jumping—you could have the ends cut off if you ever decided it didn’t look good on you—but rather the prospect of facing Namjoon’s disappointment when the sudden change in Hoseok’s hair is noticed by the TSA and delay them. 

Yoongi and Jungkook would laugh, Seokjin would feign disappointment and try to lecture you until people turned their backs and he’d shower the twins with praise. But Namjoon, the man is far too stressed from the multiple roles he has to take in as they enter foreign soil, to have their first day in America to start off with one of the members being held off at customs would add unnecessary weight onto his shoulders.

You don’t want to add more to the weight pressuring him down. Not to mention, you also haven’t atoned for your mistakes yet but what can you do against the unstoppable force that is Jimin and Taehyung?

With the final piece of hair being covered in the bleaching agent and foil, the two then stepped back to admire their work.

“See? Nothing to worry,” Jimin says, almost as relieved as you are while picking up one of the foil-wrapped strands and securing them.

Taehyung rotates around you, searching for a strand he had possibly missed.

“Alright, we just need to wait for a couple of minutes before we wash it off.”

But even after those words had fallen out of his lips, he continued to flutter around you as if his hands, who had just learned how to bleach and felt the rush of chemicals from doing great at it, itched to add the alarming amount of leftovers onto your hair. Taehyung pursing his lips solidifying your guess. 

Jimin who had finally turned back around after searching the sink for his phone, saw this and placed a hand on Taehyung's shoulder.

“I know that look, don't do it.” Jimin said as he reached for the black bowl.

“I'm not even doing anything, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Cause I know you.”

Taehyung laughed incredulously and waved his hand at the man. “Of course you do, silly. We've been together for six years now.”

“Don't do it.”

“I'm not doing anything!” The younger man pouts. “Matter of fact, I'm not even thinking about doing anything!”

Letting the boys chatter in the background, you open your phone to see messages from Jungkook flooding your notifications.

[Today 15:12]            [15:12] Ggukie: NOONAAAA            [15:12] Ggukie: namjoon hyung told me to inform you first as courtesy            [15:12] Ggukie: but I'll be your first and only handsome date for the weekend :D            [15:12] Ggukie: dont tell jin hyung but i definitely cheated to go first            [15:12] Ggukie: he just didn't notice HA!            [15:13] Ggukie: for our magnificent date, wear something comfortable but also a little elegant☺️            [15:13] Ggukie: just a smallll bit 🤏            [15:13] Ggukie: not that you even need to style urself much tbh            [15:14] Ggukie:  you'd look cute even if you're wearing garbage bags and those stupid colorful feather accessories😁            [15:14] You: what time are we gonna leave?            [15:14] You: what do you have in mind for our date? o.0            [15:16] Ggukie: telling you would ruin the surprise            [15:16] Ggukie: so no😁            [15:16] Ggukie: but we'll go after lunch            [15:16] Ggukie: is that good for you?            [15:17] You: of course            [15:17] You: how elegant do you want me to be?            [15:17] You: like fancy candlelight date kind of elegant? Or an attending an important social event kind of elegant?            [15:17] Ggukie: haha            [15:17] Ggukie: nice try noona            [15:17] Ggukie: i was raised by seokjin and namjoon, you can't fool me that easily             [15:17] Ggukie: just wear something comfortable with a hint of elegance😁

The conversation ended after Jungkook's last reply and you finally turned your attention back to the oddly peaceful twins now discussing what food to order with Jimin looking over Taehyung's shoulder and navigating the man's phone.

Soon enough, it was time to wash your hair and you find yourself bent over the bathtub as Taehyung rinses the bleach out.

Since the moment the bleach had started to take effect and begun to lighten the tips of your hair, the twins had been giggling to themselves nonstop as they unwrapped the foil, murmuring scenarios of how the rest of the nexus must be reacting seeing the tips of Hoseok’s hair changing a different color. 

(“We’re not even sure if this is our soulmark, we could just be dyeing my hair for no reason at all.” You chime and Taehyung shrugged.

“Even if nothing were to happen, at least you got yourself a good hairstyle out of this, no?”)

Once the dye was washed off, Taehyung fit a towel over your shoulders and gently placed them behind you before leading you to the chair in front of the vanity sink where Jimin is plugging the hair dryer in before switching it on to try the strength of the air on his hair.

“Is it good, Mr. Park?” Taehyung asks in a formal accented tone as he sets you down on the stool.

“All good here, Mr. Kim. It’s working fine and well! Just set down our pretty client so we can start drying off her hair.”

Before you could offer to do it yourself, Taehyung draped the heavy towel over your head, patting and mushing your face instead of your hair. With a slap on his forearm, he laughed and tugged the towel back to properly dry your hair.

It didn't take long before the three of your phones on the far end of the sink began to vibrate, screens flashing as message after message floods in from individual chats of the members and the group chat. Jimin looks over to see who's getting the most notification before giggling to himself as he picks up his phone.

“Congratulations noona.” He says, making Taehyung stop drying your hair to jog towards Jimin and look over his shoulder.

Taehyung began to gloat about how he ‘knew it’ but it all faded into the background as Jimin turns his phone towards you to show a flustered Hoseok, smiling shyly with the ends of his hair bleached as a hand that seems like Jungkook’s buried into his sleep-mused hair as he looked away.

“I knew it! I told you all it was twin mirror in the first place and nobody believed me!”

“You were telling them to cut their hair or get injured, of course no one would listen.” Jimin deadpanned.

“If you had only trusted my intuition!” Taehyung chided.

Jimin continued to scroll on his phone and you reached for your own phone to face the chaos happening in the group chat when Namjoon's voice echoed in the small space of the bathroom.

“You three better prepare an explanation later when we get there and I better hear something good from you all.”

_______

Namjoon really doesn't know what to do with you.

It has been weeks since Jungkook's birthday and the soulmarks’ manifestation yet he seems to always find himself either awkwardly hovering behind you or staring at you for an inappropriate amount of time as he pondered over the words he wanted to say.

(Not that they mattered anyways, he always ended up tongue tied in front of you.)

They could demand him to convince a businessman to stop running his factories that's effectively harming the environment or to convert an iPhone enthusiast into a Samsung user, yet all of those would be miles easier than knowing how he should treat you.

Should he follow the footsteps of the men in romance novels and movies with the bouquet of flowers, lingering touches and constant reminders of their love for their woman or should he be normal?

But what is the definition of normal in the context of relationships and how you treat your soulmate anyways? 

What even is considered as normal in something that sounded so impossible to be real like a fated spiritual connection between people?

Suddenly, he was reminded of the night the mark manifested. 

The chaos and the raised voices as his brothers clamoured over each other's opinions on how to proceed with the newfound connections. Namjoon could almost feel the rattling headache he had back then, could even remember the sobering realization as he watched as the rest of the original four soulmates—not including him, he was busy massaging his forehead as a bad headache formed at the front of his skull—actively debated against one another.

He recalled thinking how no man would fight so valiantly for a woman this passionately if they weren't interested in them romantically. 

He saw this behavior from the men surrounding him growing up from his friends, his teachers, his classmates to even his cousins and uncles. Namjoon has read of the bloody wars waged for rare beauties and love before then. To be greedy and wanting to capture and have something shiny is human nature, it's ingrained into man’s programming.

Even then, seeing it happen before him surprised him.

Seeing his brother clamor over each other—while more respectful than you'd expect from four guys being tethered to one girl— he remembered thinking: Am I the only guy who never thought of you as a romantic partner?

Namjoon had always thought of you as one of his dearest and closest friends. If he was to put you in a tier, you'd sit next to his family, and the group. You've always been someone he could trust with his worries about fame and the pressure from leading six men and their company to the top. You might be one of his friends but you were special to him, just a little like his brothers, if not more…

Special? Would that be the correct term to describe how he thinks of you?

Sure he had found himself subjected to your warm hugs and a couple forehead kisses—and maybe cheeks too—but all of them were platonic.

At least, that's what he thinks.

Women hugged and gave each other cheek or forehead kisses, it was to show their appreciation through actions. Surely it can also apply to male and female relationships without the romantic context like they do too?

(Namjoon would think back to this day later on and scream profanities into his pillow, embarrassed by his stupidity)

Having to see you sit on the floor next to Taehyung and Jimin had distracted him more than he wanted to. Even when he had scolded the twins from your trips before, he never had to sit you down to reprimand you for encouraging or letting them do all the mischief their heart could ever want. 

He’s seen how his dad treated his mother, and he sure as hell hasn't seen his father ever scold his mother.

So when one of their bodyguards, Beomseok, came and said you needed to pick your and Jin’s dinner, he was relieved. He didn’t want to show any favoritism towards you just because of your spiritual connection with him—not that anyone would be upset by this but he’d like to make it fair for everyone in the nexus.

Namjoon waited until you were out of the room before turning back to the troublesome twins who just raised their hands above their heads once again.

“Hyung.” Tae began.

“I don't want to hear your excuses, Tae.” Namjoon sighed, massaging the space between his eyebrows. “While I appreciate you all for helping Hobi to figure out what soulmark he has with noona, would it hurt for you three to do it while we're all in the hotel?”

This soulmate thing atop of his duty as the group's leader might be enough to make him volunteer for a cryogenic sleep pod experimentation. He could use a decade or century long sleep to heal from the heavy mental toll from leading six men and a company to where they are now.

Be a leader, they said.

Being a leader would be mentally stimulating enough, sure! he had replied, stupidly.

“We learned something from noona earlier.” Tae said, effectively catching his attention. When Namjoon said nothing, he continued. “Apparently, she and her ex used to go to the same school together but the weird thing is, they never saw each other despite being in the council at the same time.”

“What are you getting at, Tae?” Namjoon asks.

“Doesn't it feel like a drama-esque cliche where he followed her through adulthood then struck when the opportunity came?”

“I think you've watched too many dramas and read too many comics, Tae.” Jimin giggled lightheartedly. “Your imagination is getting a little creative.”

“No but seriously, I have a bad feeling about this.” Tae insisted and Namjoon almost believed the determined sheen of his eyes if it wasn't for the steadily slow descent of his raised arms. “I’ve always said that he's got the facial structure of a manipulator, even got those hollow and tilted eyes of a creep!”

As much as he likes to entertain every absurd and out-of-the-box idea of Taehyung, there still exists a line where his imagination reaches the point of impossible and frankly, nonsensical. Coincidences exist, and are unpredictable and sudden, there's nothing he can do much about it.

Jimin rolled his eyes. “You're still hung up on that?”

“Let's not speculate, it's most likely a coincidence.” Namjoon interrupts before the twins can begin their banter.

“Of course I am! There's definitely something off about that guy!” Taehyung insisted.

Namjoon sighed, already noticing the boxy-smiled boy’s hand slowly fall to his sides. “Tae, don't think for one second that I'm not noticing you slowly letting your arms down.”

“Can I put my arms down, hyung? I was the one who suggested bleaching the tips of noona's hair instead.” Jimin asks with his bottom lip jutted out and his eyes rounded and glossy as it stared back at him. “Could you imagine if I had let them—”

“No, keep those arms up and repent.”

_______

Staring at the burly man walking in front of you, you began to wonder if his excuse has any credibility behind it.

Beomseok, although a new hire, has quickly become one of your close work friends when he had saved you from an insistent visitor in the BigHit building back in August. It was easy to feel endeared towards a man who looks all intimidating with the tattoos, muscles bulging out of his shirts, and a buzz cut but in actuality has a heart softer than a well-oiled machine and carries the scent of coconuts with him. There is no doubting how safe you feel with him but Seokjin would never ask to save you from Namjoon’s scolding, if anything, he'd be scolding Namjoon for even including you.

“Did Seokjin really call for me?” You asked Beomseok.

The man shook his head. “Someone did call you, but it's not Seokjin. Yoongi had asked me to retrieve and walk you to your room. Said it was better to have Namjoon face a stranger than his band members so he'd let you go without question.”

“Guess I'll be thanking him then?”

“Not a thanks for me?” He asked with a playful lilt in his voice.

Stopping next to him, you then bowed low at the man with hands folded over your abdomen, surprising the man who had jumped at the sudden action.

“Thank you o’ benevolent god Beomseok for saving a poor soul like I from the impending doom that is Namjoon's scolding.” 

“Stop that! Oh my god!” Beomseok says as he wildly motions his hands for you to raise your head.

When you looked back up again, the man had a flush of pink dusting his cheeks as he looked away and scratched his nape. Seeing Beomseok, with his muscles proudly bulging out of the black uniform shirt he's wearing and skin designed with loud and bold tattoos, acting shy and faint-hearted, you laughed.

It was unreal how a man almost thrice your size could easily remind you of a shy kid.

“Are you seriously getting shy over that? What's so embarrassing about me expressing my gratitude?”

“I-I don't even know myself.”

“How else can I express my gratitude towards you then?”

He stops and you finally realise that the both of you had finally arrived at the door of your room.

“Buy me lunch tomorrow? I heard they're serving pizzas and carbonara tomorrow.” He offered, voice weak as he shyly scratched his cheeks.

“Deal!”

_______

Your night had continued on with no more excitement for as long as you and Jimin could last without being in the presence of each other. So for a long while after today, the energy winds down to a calm and you find yourself scrolling through your naver feed to catch up on news and celebrity gossip you had missed earlier while you were getting your hair dyed.

It wasn’t until the last minute before the effects of soulbond strain kicked in did Jimin stroll into your room with a pillow in tow and dressed in a hoodie dwarfing his figure matched with a Red Bulls basketball shorts. 

Closing the door behind him, a soft smile grows on his face. “Hi noona.”

“Hello Jiminie.”

“I need my noona time before Jungkook follows, I think he wants to start his day a little too early.” He says before throwing himself to the empty spot next to you and pulling up his phone to scroll through his own feed like old time.

It takes him a minute before he's linking his arm with yours, another to have him throw his leg on top of yours before he eventually molds into your side. Healing touch thrummed happily under your skin from the proximity and you find yourself melting in his arms not a second later.

This was the position Jungkook and Hoseok found you both in when they eventually entered the room. Without hesitation, they joined you both with Jungkook taking your other side while Hoseok had snuggled up behind Jimin. 

“Look at how cute you and Hobi are with the matching hair!” Jungkook points out, twirling a strand of your hair with his finger before he reaches for the hand holding your phone where the music note tattoo is engraved to the side of your finger. “Can I borrow your hand for a little while, noona? I miss feeling connected to you.”

Switching your phone over to the other, you took his hand in yours and entangled your fingers with him. Cold shivers racked through your body as two soulmarks resonated within you, catching the attention of your soulmates.

The Bangtan pile only grew when the rest of the boys poured into the room with Seokjin tugging Namjoon inside.

Seokjin occupied the spot behind Jungkook, but not without the maknae teasing him when the bed had creaked while Yoongi pulled the chair by the large window pane to sit next to the overflowing bed before opening his laptop and putting his headphones on. 

Namjoon followed the older rapper's actions when he had occupied the floor next to the bed, and Taehyung threw himself in the space between Seokjin and Jungkook, to the dismay of the two men.

There's not a single word in the English nor any language’s dictionary that could ever describe the comfort and security you felt being surrounded by your soulmates. No matter how much the ugly head of insecurity whispers about how you don't deserve any of them, it was futile to deny the bond you shared with the boys. 

You had begun to get used to the electric sensation Taehyung and Jimin's touch evokes, the constant feeling of Yoongi's presence lingering in the background through the red string, and the faint pulse of Namjoon's heartbeat yet you couldn't even imagine how you had lived for so long without the pulls and the sensations having soulmates has given you.

To be parted from your soulmarks would be like tearing an organ out of you. 

It might be overwhelming with all the information your mind and body is receiving from having seven soulmarks but you couldn't trade for the word. 

Come the day you lose the calmness from their touch and the constant reminders of their presence in the background, you might find yourself a husk of a human with no more purpose to live in the world.

With Namjoon's calm heartbeat in your ears, the thrum of Jimin and Jungkook's soulmark, and the one-sided activation of your and Yoongi's red string of fate, you let the newfound drowsiness take over you. The sound of your friends’ hushed chatters fade into the background as your eyes fall to a close, the romance comic on your phone blurring.

Someone took the phone from your hand and you vaguely felt a pair of plush lips pressed into your temples before you last heard a sweet whisper in your ear.

“Sleep well noona.”

TAGLIST: @wildestdreamsblog @canarystwin @prettywheenicry @jmnscutie @sassy-snassy @misuguru @11thenightwemet11 @yoongibaybee @rinkud @bri602 @igetcarriedawaywithyou @marvel-potter-1d-korea @comingupwithacoolnameishard @sooha-neul @juju-227592 @coffeewanderer @x-uno @diamonddia-mond @eggsysstuff @dearmyfavoritepeople-bts @sld88 @katsukis1wife @bjoriis @btsgangleader @butterfly-lover

[bullet-prooflove]

Three thing event for Terry Silver - chocolate, Hawaii, swimsuit.

Thanks

Tagging: @kmc1989 @thedeadsingforme @eddieslut69 @mia1653 @kimbergoldess

Companion piece to:

Sick Day - Terry knows something is wrong when you don't pick up his call.

Love Story - Terry questions your taste in literature.

Health Care - Terry takes care of your healthcare siutation.

Recovery - Terry plays an active role in your recovery.

Bill of Health - Terry and you discuss money matters when he suggests a break in Bora Bora.

So I switched this to Bora Bora as that kind of fits in with the storyline we have going at the moment.

Bora Bora agrees with you, Terry can see that as he sits on the veranda watching as you collect sea shells on the private beach with a bucket. You’re wearing a yellow bikini top that laces at the back and navy blue bottoms with lemons printed on the fabric. A pair of  red heart shaped sunglasses rests upon your pretty features. Your skin is sunkissed, your hair flowing loose in the breeze as you smile to yourself before picking up another seashell.

Terry’s supposed to be working but his tablet rests in his lap instead because you, you captivate him, you always have.

That night you sit at the table as he cooks dinner, arranging your treasures into different colours and sizes.

“What will you do with them?” He asks you, tilting his head to one side as he surveys your project.

“I don’t know yet.” You tell him, the edges of your mouth tipping up as your fingers caress the indentations of a chocolate brown shell. “That’s the fun of it.”

It’s the next day that you ask him to source you some tile, adhesive and resin. They’re delivered within a couple of hours and you spend the evening arranging patterns, fixing shells onto the tiles in complex formations. If there’s a methodology to your work, he can’t see it, you just go with the flow, seeming to know where each piece fits.

“It’s beautiful.” He tells you once you’ve finished the design.

You crafted nine tiles with the seashells from the beach, placing them in a square formation on the table and the result, it’s stunning. This, he thinks, is one of the reasons he fell in love with you, the way you see the world, the way you immerse yourself in it, it’s breath taking.

It’s a month later you return to Los Angeles, the tile art carefully packed away into the baggage hold of Terry’s private jet.

You’re scrolling through the pictures of your trip with your boss from the gallery when his eyes fasten on the tile art you've created. He falls in love with the design immediately, telling you he’s been looking for something with this level of authenticity for his beach house in Malibu.  

When you return to Terry's that night, you’re walking on air. You launch yourself into his arms as soon as you step through the door and he gathers you up close, planting light kisses on the top of your head.

“What brought this on?” He asks you and you tilt your face up to look at him, your eyes bright with exhileration.

“I sold something.” You tell him and suddenly Terry understands the joy in you. “I sold my first piece.”

Love Terry? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Interested in supporting me? Join my Patreon for Bonus Content!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[ghostoffuturespast]

Get To Know Your Mutuals

Tagged by @elmknight! Thank you!

Favorite color: Yellow and orange

Last song (that wasn’t lofi): Cruel Power by The Happy Fits

Currently reading: Your Utopia by Bora Chung

Currently watching: Daredevil: Born Again, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Currently craving: Ramen (always ramen)

Coffee or tea: Coffee. Though I like tea as well, coffee is my ride or die

Last song I sang out loud: The Addams Family Theme Song

Favorite chip flavor: Salt & Vinegar

Last book I opened: Cyberpunk 2077 - The Complete Official Guide - Collector’s Edition (which is now out of date with the new updates lol. Opened it because I pulled out some pressed flowers.)

Earbuds vs. headphones vs. nothing: Headphones. I don’t typically listen to anything while I’m out and about. I need to be able to hear the rattlesnakes and anyone trying to sneak up behind me.

Last place I went to other than home: Also the grocery store lol. I did get myself a matcha latte at a coffee shop as a treat beforehand.

A color that looks good on me: Pumpkin orange!

Last trailer I saw: (Also) Stranger Things Season Five (It’s like we have similar interests lol)

Tagging with no pressure: @techrotting @baublekute @breezypunk @shimmer-like-agirl @velmesh @leota-nexus @mynonsenseistingling @electronictheoristactivist @slayerdurge

[medleymisty]

9 people I want to get to know better

Let's see, I was tagged by: @penig, @gumbiesim, @simmreaper, and @necile! Yay thank you awesome people!!!

🎵 last song: I gotta shout out this band! We went to see them two nights in a row not too long ago. They came to our city and we went and we liked it so much that we slept a couple of hours and then we got up and drove four hours to the next city on the tour. :)

Rolling Quartz, an all female Korean rock band. My favorite song of theirs: Azalea.

At both concerts when they played it I jumped around and screamed and had so much fun! :)

🌈 favourite colour: Green is the color, there is no other, and if you don't like then uh....your mother! :)

📺 currently watching: So in late 2019 I saw something about a Korean show, Love Alarm, on here. It sounded ridiculous so I suggested we watch it. My husband became obsessed with kdramas and Korean culture in general and that's still going, so tonight we watched an episode of The Haunted Palace and an episode of When Life Gives You Tangerines. Which we combined into Haunted Tangerines and that reminded me of A Yellow Submarine so I've been singing "We all live in a haunted tangerine."

🎥 last movie: Sinners! We went to see it a week ago. It was AWESOME and I loved it!!! Have to admit though I'm freaked out by how so many people in the tag on here are stanning the white vampire. Like, dude. I'm not a weird person about fiction and morality, I have a poster of Heath Ledger's Joker on my side of the bedroom, but yeah, there were themes there and meaning and stanning the white vampire is telling the world a lot of unpleasant things about yourself.

🍜 sweet, savory, sour: Uh....yeah, those are words people use to refer to tastes? Personally though I don't quite understand them. I guess I get sweet and sour kind of but I'm not sure what savory is supposed to be.

I can say that my husband makes two or three teas each night that he drinks while we watch kdramas and he gives me sips, and all three of tonight's teas tasted like the three different swimming pools in my hometown. It was weird. One was like the bathroom at the Y, one was like the water at Beechnut, and one was like people wearing suntan lotion at Homeplace.

📚 currently reading: Tonight I started a collection of short stories my husband bought for me, Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung. I finished the first story, about a being made of excretions that comes up out of the toilet and pushes the woman whose excretions made it down into the toilet. It was gross but I appreciated the writing style.

❤️ relationship: In September we'll have been married for 23 years and have been together for 26. :) He's the most awesome best cutest human who's ever existed and I get to live with him and our cats, yay!

🗺️ current obsession: Actually right now I'm thinking a lot about social expectations and conformity. Like why would you do something just because it was "expected" or because "other people are doing it?" Even my own mother told me she married her first husband because "that's just what you did back then." I don't get it at all, and it's fascinating because it's this whole other way of being that is completely alien. Or I don't know, maybe it's just that what my mother expected and wanted me to conform to was so different? The only things she repeatedly told me were "You can always come home if a man ever hits you." and "You always take care of your animals." And I am very invested in taking care of our cats.

🔎 last google: I don't use Google anymore because it sucks now, but the last thing I searched was "why do people judge people who get married in their 20s" because we were 21 when we got married and I was reading a thread on another site where someone was wondering why people would get married in their 20s and being all judgy about it. It seems tied to the social expectations and conformity thing, which is why I was searching about it. Both because some people seem to think that getting married in your 20s is "what's expected" and "what other people do" and then other people seem to judge it and performatively yell about how they aren't going to do it because they want to be seen as different from the groups where it is expected and they want to fit in with the groups where the expectations for conformity go the opposite way and it's not cool to get married in your 20s? Personally I think everyone's life and situation is different and everyone should make their own choices and live however they see fit, but I want to understand why other people make such a big deal about what other people do.

🖥️ currently working on: Honestly my husband's kdrama habits mean that I have a lot less writing time now. But maybe I'll work up to it again at some point, I don't know. Today I took a first step. I just did the daily endeavors in ESO and then I logged out and read that short story instead of doing dungeons and playing more. So trying to not just play games with my free time and also do literature-related things like read and maybe eventually write. :)

I really don't like tagging people in these things because I worry that people will feel left out if I don't tag them, but on the other hand I know that being tagged can feel good and make people happy, so arrrgggh.

I will tag @changingplumbob, @cliosimming, @ethicaltreatmentofcowplants @hazely-sims @sharona-sims @purplesimmer455 AND....anyone who reads this far down and wants to do it! :)

[tunglryk]

thank you bora @stillfebruari for the tag 😘

shuffle your "On Repeat" playlist and post the first (10) songs, then tag (10) mutuals to do the same!

see you in hell – yves

mr.mr. – girls generation

doar cu tine – activ

loonatic – odd eye circle

kom terug – spinvis

thinkin of u – mona yim

untouchable – everglow

tildesu – T'OI

ufo – f5ve

girl feels good – fka twigs

no pressure tag: @l1veleak @goyangi @apricot1999 @homoerotisch @gotinterest @mobiused @cupidjoy @gogumagirl

[three-drink-amy]

Thanks to @kiwiana-writes @strandnreyes and @orchidscript for the tags!

“Okay,” Henry says, not sure what else to say. “So I shouldn’t feel a bit ridiculous asking for tighter security?”

Alex shakes his head as his fingers tangle through Henry’s hair. “No. In fact, it’s not even going to be something you ask for. We’re just going to do it.” Alex shrugs, looking down at Henry with a half-grin. “So, there you go. It’s not you asking for it. It’s me. I’m tightening the ranks and I’m going to tell Shaan that for the time being, you don’t need to be doing any visits.”

“I don’t know if that’s necessary.”

“You don’t like them anyway.”

Henry smiles to himself. Alex does know him so well. It’s almost mind boggling at times. He didn’t realize he’d given so much of himself to Alex before he even meant to. “True,” Henry admits, chuckling. Alex laughs with him. “But it would get me out of Kensington.”

The comment sobers Alex’s expression. He rubs his hand along Henry’s chest. “Well, then I’ll leave that up to you. But, Henry, right now you probably have more say in what happens than you usually do. If you want to avoid your duties or whatever,” Alex says in a mocking voice, “then you probably have the power to make that happen right now. If you want to fuck off to Bora Bora or somewhere remote where no one can reach you, then we’ll do that. But if normalcy is what you want, we can make sure everything is safe and you’re protected.”

“Well, Bora Bora sounds good. I’m assuming my bodyguard would have to accompany me?”

Alex laughs, his head tilted back. “You bet. Just you and me in one of those little huts over the water? Sounds pretty fucking perfect.”

No pressure tagging: @everwitch-magiks @indomitable-love @clottedcreamfudge @indestructibleheart @cha-melodius @rmd-writes @welcometololaland @liminalmemories21 @dumbpeachjuice @bonheur-cafe

[yutasbimil]

Distant

slytherin!jaemin x fem!hufflepuff!reader x gryffindor!beomgyu | txt ft. nct dream ff. ✦ (5/8) [series fic] !!! also posted on my ao3 acc! { here } tags: hurt/comfort cw: friendship/love, bestie-lovers energy, frenemies vibe, friends to lovers, lots of bantering, tutoring, teasing, crushes, confessions, jealousy, tension, slow burn, unrequited love, love triangle, hurt-comfort, eventual smut lol, break up, eventual happy ending, FLUFF!!! ! not that comfy w/ 2nd POV, but hope 3rd POV is good for y'all ♡ word count: 3.6k

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8

do not repost © yutasbimil (2024)

It’s already been an eyesore (not at all from crying, swear) for Beomgyu for the couple to be all over each other. But at least in making me jealous, do things right?

“You know, she doesn't like watermelons that much.”

“Oh shit, sorry, bro. Yumi… I didn't know.” Jaemin is frantically looking at Yumi, which raised a brow for Beomgyu, why was he apologizing to me?

If anything he has other things to apologize for… Aish, that's for another day to be petty.

Jaemin just pouts at Yumi, getting her hand. “Really, I can get you fruits you'll like, hmmm?”

“Grapes, berries… any of that kind for that sweet tooth of hers.” Beomgyu asserts, he angrily fumbles to get the fruits.

“Beomgyu, I can speak for myself, you know.” Yumi pouts, mindlessly drawing the forked fruit by Jaemin’s mouth.

Jaemin attempts to catch it but it misses inches away from his mouth. 

He waves his wand to get a small bowl of fruits for Yumi, levitating it then placing it in front of her.

“Thanks, Jaeminie.”

She seems very fascinated at every little thing the Slytherin does.

Basic.

“Dibs on the melons!” As if on cue, Soobin and Yeonjun wrestled over the watermelon plate.

Yumi just playfully rolls her eyes, this has always been a drill for them.

It made Bora snicker, eating off her own share of fruits. “I also have two of those, Soobin, and much more sweeter.” 

The insinuation made Soobin choke himself, especially when his eyes inadvertently drew at the Ravenclaw girl’s chest.

Yeonjun and Beomgyu gagged in sync, seeing how quickly sullen Soobin lowered his head in shame, focusing on his plate.

Just Soobin and Bora were enough��

Beomgyu just drawls and sneers at how the new couple is so close and skinship-y. With Jaemin's arm around Yumi’s shoulder, she even leans in closer to him.

“Geez, get a room.” Beomgyu spats, as if the sight is an additive for making his food the least appetizing served in front of him.

Yumi sticks her tongue out like a kid. “Hater.”

“You bet I am.”

“Ya! Why don't you two put your mouth to a different use, eh?” Soobin cuts in, who finally recovered from earlier bashfulness.

Yumi blushes as Soobin reinstates that they make out somewhere.

Talk about such implications.

Jaemin laughs, whispering something to Yumi’s ears, making her giggle. “Yeah. Later, Nana, not now.”

In these instances, the mild touching of his hand on her legs, with them being touchy and gross under the table is quite noticeable for the others.

Like, don’t rub it on us how skinship-y you guys are.

Sighs. The soreness of the honeymoon phase. Blergh—

Beomgyu turns away to roll his eyes. He just quiets down and eats to put his darn mouth to use. Cause, as if he has someone to kiss it wit—

“Just when I thought y’all shut up after finding someone to kiss your mouth with.” Soobin rants. Seeing how he and Bora are casual now, he seems to be braver to tease back. 

“Wow! Same goes for you,” Beomgyu retorts. “Stop yapping and use those pouty lips of yours. Bora, kiss this dumbass for us to have some quiet time.”

“Ya! I’ll bash your mouth if you don’t shut up.” Bora, who is still tired from her Herbology class, starts threatening Beomgyu with a fork.

“Geez, talk about waking up and choosing violence.” Yeonjun looks at them with such a grimaced expression as he eats.

“I thought having a high school sweetheart would produce a world filled with love.” Taehyun winces, shaking his head. He takes a bite of his chicken satisfyingly. “No thanks then.”

 “Psh, seriously…” Beomgyu lets his palm support his chin, turning with a longing look towards Yumi and Jaemin.

-

“Bora-yah. How come Beomgyu has been cold lately?” Yumi rants, slumping herself on the tabletop, hands plopped down. It made the Ravenclaw turn to look at her, putting down her book. It just so happens that Jaemin is busy with Quidditch practice so their usual study date session is postponed. 

Is this what got her quiet since earlier? Bora thought it was because of the lack of Vitamin Jaemin in her presence.

Bora shakes her head at the cheesy and corny thought. She sighs, putting her fingers to glide across her chin, in deep thought. To be honest, she doesn’t know either. If anything, if Lee Yumi can’t even decipher Choi Beomgyu, they’re doomed. Them being the duo who know each other the best.

And for the two of them and the gang to be clueless about his actions lately. They’re set up for impending doom.

“Ahh… maybe he’s busy with stuff lately?” Bora suggests. “Perhaps studying?”

“Eh??? That Idiot; studying? It can't be.” It’s as if instinct, Yumi covered her mouth at the usual slander and kidded around. Ahem. They’re serious here. “Sorry, out of habit. But ahhhh… I’m lost, Bora.”

But really… Beomgyu's an idiot for making me feel this way.

She internally wallowed.

It’s just… she’s so used to their usual witty bantering, the boisterous voice filled the white noise in her day with TXT. So it being shifted to a more straightforward exchange between them… is entirely bland. 

It’s strange.

Yumi felt a slight ache in her chest.

“Honestly too, Yumi… I can’t even pinpoint what the hell he would be focusing on. Is there?”

Maybe Quidditch? 

Nah, can't be…

Beomgyu could’ve shown enthusiasm since their earlier years.

For all I know, OWLs? Maybe he’s aiming for a brighter chance of being an Auror or whatnot. What even is his plan in the near future?

Being a prefect is out of the question… They're already in their sixth year.

The best friends speculated on the possibilities, exchanging what appeared to be a circle as they kept going back and forth.

The heavy huff filled the room with stillness. They’re both stuck.

“Damn, do we even know the boys?” Bora worried over her lower lip, biting off her finger as she shook her head.

“We're already in our sixth year, Bora-yah. Things are bound to be changed.” Yumi’s words came out heavier in her chest… right.

Well, part of Yumi is torn, like yes, of course, she’s happy now that she’s got Jaemin around.

But even so, she’s allowed to sulk over her best friend right? 

She just doesn’t get it, Beomgyu told her that “they’re okay” but how is it the opposite of how he’s being distant? 

It’s not the same!

“Maybe it’s his time of the month,” Bora puts it out there but quickly retracts her joke. “I'm kidding but why are you affected? Just curious.”

“It’s different…” Yumi tries to contemplate over her thoughts, sinking in further on why it's bothering her. Coming from her own mouth, she elaborates. “But I know either way it will be different, with dating and friendships and all that. Things will change, but still…”

“Maybe he’s also adjusting now that you have a boyfriend?” Bora inclines but even so, she's reluctant. “Of course, your attention is no longer fully invested in us.”

“But still Bora, if that’s the case, Hyuka should be whining alongside him in protest!”

Her friend perfectly rebutted her uncertainty, Bora could only shrug along.

There’s no difference in treatment, per se, it’s the same with adjusting and balancing with friends and a new relationship. 

But then again, Yumi’s connection and bond with Beomgyu stands different.

“Urghhh, why is Beomgyu such a baby!” Yumi buries her face in between the pages of her Potions book. She sulks, looking at it keenly.

She used to be able to read Beomgyu like an open book. So how is it he's hard to decode lately?

Yumi's well aware that she's going through another phase in her life, so her surroundings are bound to change along with her.

But damn! It wasn't this dramatic when it came to Soobin and Bora dating, or is it that much of a deal for Beomgyu?

It doesn't make sense either, this wasn't the first time that she explored around in the realms of dating.

So what's the big deal Choi Beomgyu?

“You know what… I think haaa… I shouldn't say something about this as I am not sure myself.” Bora breaks Yumi’s trail of thought. It piqued the Hufflepuff’s interest. “I was also speculating, and even Soobin told me something about Gyu the other day. And…”

“And?”

“It led to an interrogation with one then the other.” Bora's hand clasps, pointing to Yumi. “It's just, maybe it's something odd? Because Argh! Even I got curious about how dodgy Soob was.” Bora makes a face as she messes the temples of her head. “No amount of pinching and pleading made him break loose for him to tell me details. So I was left to ask the others.”

“Their ‘bro code’ is strong I can tell.” Yumi rolls her eyes.

“Right?!” Bora’s raised pitch showed her annoyance. If it weren't for such inconvenience, she would have been done. But nothing her Ravenclaw wits can't handle. “Anyways, okay… just pure speculation, the conclusion is, all I'm getting is the weird-ass vibe between you and Beomgyu.”

Yumi blinks at her, Bora shrugs as yeah, it's not a new profound clue to be known.

Bora even discussed her game plan that she even went to the boys 1-on-1 so it's naturally not suspicious. They're not caught off guard either, but it just led to more questions than answers about how the guys are acting when the topic of Beomgyu and Yumi is asked.

How is it that they're just asking something simple… yet, why the need to be filtered in the answers?

The vagueness of it all.

Like no shit of course they're gonna say that they're “acting normal”.

This further confirms that it's not only Bora noticing the oddness of the group now that Yumi is here ranting it to her.

So what the hell is going on?

“Those weirdos…” Yumi massages her scrunched forehead, sneering more at how ridiculous this is. “Bros Before Hoes huh?”

“Those bastards…” Bora mumbled to herself.

“Even from your bae?” Yumi reconfirms.

“With Soobin… I did hear him slip off something, but he took advantage of my goldfish brain and distracted me by being petty. By complaining and demanding “Me Time”  like “Bora-yah, I want your undivided attention!” that I got sideswept off as he told me I shouldn't be asking about others when it's finally our “Us Time”. This doesn’t help with the tantamount homework we have so I gave in.”

Forming an image of a whiny six-footer Soobin in Yumi’s head wasn’t the most pleasant to think of your friend. She grimaced. “Eww… you guys are sappy when in love.”

“I can't help but feel guilty,” Bora reasoned further, not minding the comment. “And I can't be that mad at him for dodging the question, as he made sense!”

“I get it, I get it… and he didn't lie but he didn't answer directly either.”

Bora nods profusely. “See?! Just when I had him!”

“That smartass.”

They huffed under their breath.

Apologetic and frustrated, Bora just puts her head down on the table along with her notes. “All he said was, he's not sure either but ‘it's better coming from Beomgyu himself’.”

“What a generic, plain-ass answer, Soob.”

The blind leading the blind.

So they're back to square one.

But despite the collected speculations, something is still not connecting. It's not enough to suffice Beomgyu's actions towards Yumi. What is not adding up?

Perhaps it's something so simple that we're complicating it?

Bora shakes her head.

Knowing Beomgyu and the group, of course, it's in their best interest to be happy for their friend. They're happy for Yumi in their relationship as she's happy.

As to why she does not think that Beomgyu will get up to that point of ruining their friendship.

Not thinking of that at least.

It never crossed Bora's mind and did not even entertain the thought that Beomgyu might like…

“Maybe we're overthinking it,” Bora says wearily. Almost giving up with her tone as she's growing more frustrated.

They can't help but go through the final move to confront Beomgyu.

Beomgyu got a head start on the game plan.

But not in a way he liked or consented to, writhing in pain, he finally pulled through the last stitches on his leg before being wrapped with bandages. And he thought he could get away through this with magic?! It’s still hurts like hell—

Hyuka worries over his lower lip. “You know, I have a creepy feeling you’ve been talked about so much lately that it led you to end up in the Hospital Wing.”

Yeonjun hits his shoulder, nodding frantically. “You were practically choking loads before ending up here!”

“Idiot! I was in the Quidditch fields, how—”

“Beomgyu, you idiot! What did you do to get yourself into this time?!” Out of breath, the voice of their Hufflepuff friend was almost echoing across the whole room as Yumi came barging into the cubicle.

“Who the fuck told Yumi?” Beomgyu huffs, he knows how much of a worrywart this girl could get. He wanted to spare her the worry.

“And you’re planning to hide this from me?” Her knuckle hits the crown of his head. Beomgyu winced, louder as he managed to budge his leg. It still hurts!

As if an act of rapid betrayal, Yeonjun, and the others left one by one, excusing themselves for the two of them to have some privacy. And for what?

They didn’t even spare him to explain what happened and how he got injured in the first place.

“Breathe in first, Yumi, relax—”

“That’s hard to do, Gyu. And knowing you, you almost never seem to get yourself in these types of situations…”

“I get it, but I’m fine… I’ll be fine.” He points out his tended foot, but the glazed eyes of the girl hitting his wavered his heart that it meant something else… wounding deeper.

This is the first time after a long while that they met each other’s eyes.

“Why are you looking at me like that as if I’m on my deathbed?” he joked. But it is to subside the effect of her gaze on him.

She mutters nothing.

Beomgyu stares at her, but tries not to look back with such depth that his thoughts will be see-through. But this is his best friend Yumi we’re talking about.

He knows that she’s already perceiving something.

Yumi buried herself in his stomach, avoiding his leg by any means. Beomgyu thanked the abrupt break of their eye contact, but it shifting to skin contact…

‘I’ve only held up for too long to avoid being alone with her…’

‘Cause he knows that it will lead to them opening up one way or another. 

‘But I’m still hurt.’

He lets out a sigh.

“I’m fine, Yumi, I’m your badass best friend. I got this. Now you can go back to whatever you’re doing…”

“Why do you keep pushing me away?” The tears in her eyes changed to somewhat anger, the frustration in her shaky lips had Beomgyu shudder.

His chuckle came off skittish. “Am not—”

“Don’t you dare lie…” she croaked.

His eyes widened momentarily, and he swallowed a bit of the formed bile in his throat.

“I don’t know.” And that’s his honest answer. Maybe because I’m hurting… but I can’t tell you that. Beomgyu quickly repositioned himself. “I’m just mindful that Jaemin-sshi might mind us hanging out too much, Yumi.”

That made Yumi’s brows knit together. “There’s barely anything for him to mind as we’re no longer hanging out, what do you mean?”

Beomgyu shrugs, finding himself slowing down to come up with any means to retort.

That further confirms that’s not the problem they have; with her and Jaemin…

“You barely hang out with the group, your presence is practically so noticeable that there’s a blackhole of silence on your side of the table.”

Yumi’s getting ahead of her emotions, the girl is also aware that she’s lashing it all out on him. With everything piled up for the last weeks, it just so happens everything is directed to Beomgyu after not talking for so long.

Even with her and Jaemin is not fine at the moment, and Yumi is not being okay as a person at the moment. She’s carrying a lot right now, and it’s not helping exactly now that Beomgyu got into an accident. So imagine her swirling range of emotions.

At least now with Beomgyu at the moment, she at least expects she can have some sort of resolution and reason for the mess of a state she is in right now.

She just wants to find answers…

At least give me some of it, Choi Beomgyu.

Beomgyu puts his arm over his eyes, to at least cast out the expecting eyes of the Hufflepuff on him. And to block the tears from daring to gush out.

“I’m just not okay right now, Yumi, to be honest…”

“And can’t I at least help you with that? We can lend you an ear, hmmm?” Yumi had known the opposition in his actions these past few weeks. Noticing his distance, even his gazes. It just hurts for a friend to act this way around you. So she knows there really is a problem. “Do you not trust us that we can help lessen your load? What even is it, Beomgyu? At least tell me, Beomi.”

“It’s not that I don’t have the trust. I guess a phase with me where socializing is tiring. I want to be alone, that’s all. Hopefully, it’s a phase.” The last sentence is more of said to himself. 

Still not looking at her, it made Yumi more worried. This is a “new phase” with him if that’s the case.

“It’s just so sudden, Beomi, of course, I’m concerned… I want to be there for you, and I want to tell you shit when I’m down or silly things when I’m happy. I miss hearing your voice even though we bash into each other for the most part. You know?”

“You got Bora with that, right?” he says. “And at least now… you get a better input than my usual ear-grating bantering.”

Yumi’s expression straightened. “That’s not the point, Beomgyu.”

Slowly reverting back to his usual mischievousness at the minimum, he at least lets his hand lightly hit her arm. “I at least now know my presence is missed, hmmm? Even if it was annoying you so much.” 

“I didn’t say you were ever a hindrance…” She sighed heavily in defeat after realizing there was no use retorting. Yumi tries to massage away the creases of her forehead, getting increasingly stressed despite wanting to see this Beomgyu after so long. Just not in this state, Lord. 

It’s just a huge abrupt tangent. “God, I don’t get you, Choi Beomgyu.”

He doesn’t get himself either, he nods back. “But going back, I’m fine. It just hit me like a truck that I should be serious and mature now at this point. Maybe your aura influenced me and pressured me to change, hmmm?”

He gestures back to her as if he’s not at all bedridden due to his injury. Yumi can’t comprehend any of it.

“And I’m supposed to be proud of that… why?”

“At least be assured that I am thinking of my improvement now.”

Yumi blinks, it’s truly unlikely hearing these words come off Beomgyu’s mouth. Was a few weeks all there was to it for him to do this drastic change?

“Putting us all through that and just to tell me ‘you’re fine’?” Yumi controlled every bit of herself to hold back from flicking his forehead. “You’re getting worked out for nothing. Please at least have your brain checked. Maybe you bashed yourself somewhere weeks ago. Pabo.”

“Sorry, I won’t be as distant. I know that got you most worried.” He raised his hand as if as a pledge, but Yumi was not having any of it.

“You still didn’t answer me clearly, you idiot.” Her brows furrowed once again seeing his current state. “Gosh! You shouldn’t have done it at all in the first place if you knew that fact too well!” 

Beomgyu pouts. “Still not enough that it’s all for character development?”

“I don’t buy it.” Yumi slumps her head down the blanket, holding back a scream. She slightly leaves some space ajar for him to hear her talking. “But thank the gods, I know you’re some bitchy kind of weed, it’s not easy for you to be wiped off the face of the earth.”

“Relax, I still haven’t done my purpose in this world to annoy the fuck out of you to the grave.”

“And I don’t know if I like that.” Yumi had her head down, stiff and not inviting to be budged at all.

He felt hot dampness through his clothes, her back along her breath hitched. 

Beomgyu knows she’s crying already.

“Geez, you’re such a crybaby ‘till now.” Beomgyu pats her head lightly.

Yumi cries more at the gesture, maybe it’s because of all the piled-up worry and being down for this stressful week… that it amplified any warmth coming her way. But this type of comfort coming from her best friend? She dearly missed this annoying prick as much as she denied it.

The ending, it’s Beomgyu comforting her instead of the other way around.

Beomgyu can’t help but feel sorry seeing her like this, she didn’t even deserve that kind of treatment. But he did need the space. It’s gonna be fine for now… He can cope better and be assured knowing she’s still there to consider him as a friend.

His words came off with double meaning.

“Give me some time to heal, hmmm? I’ll make up to you even after I recover… sorry for acting like an idiot.”

Her head remained down the sheets, her voice muffled. “You truly are an idiot.”

Till the end, he puts her happiness first over his.

I can hold on longer…

※ my masterlist | #enjeiwrites ※

[the-marron]

nine people I’d like to get to know better

Tagged by @dual-domination, thank you!

🎶 Last song I listened to: Rocky IV Soundtrack Mashup - Training Montage & Hearts On Fire - Epic Version

📺 Currently watching: ermmmmmm... the list is long and very glacial-paced, but let's say I am watching The Spirealm and The Legend of Mi Yue. Yes. How long have I been watching these? Irrelevant 😌

🌶️ Sweet/Savory/Spicy?: Spicy and savory

❤️ Relationship status: Married and still happily annoying about it

🤩 Current obsession: Guardian and Weilan Derivs still haven't released me from their clutches, but I also fell back into my book reading bender and discovered Bora Chung 😍 And, as usual - tea. My favourite tea shop had a huge sale recently so unwise financial decisions have been made.

Tagging: @chaosgene, @tricksterkat209, @fightingfortheusers, @elfiepike, @kittenwithclaws007,

@theworldisabrokenbonebutitishome ,

@mejomonster ,

@fandoms1reality0

and @baiyubai because I do know some of the answers but I love tagging you in stuff 😌❤

[godzilla-roars]

mid year book freakout tag 2025

many thanks for the tag @selkiestudies there's a few on here that i don't know what to answer with 😭

Best book you have read so far in 2025

it's got to be babel - r.f. kuang or annhilation - jeff vandermeer. babel hit too hard for me, the themes are so so important, especially nowadays and i'm still thinking about it 3 months later. annhilation was just so cool, loved the atmosphere and discomfort i felt whilst reading it

Best sequel you have read so far in 2025

ruin by john gwynne (fiathful and the fallen series) is my highest rated sequel, though my gut feeling was to go for artificial condition by martha wells (murderbot diaries), because the latter was just some really good fun. i love the universe wells has built, and murderbot is such a joy to follow. but i reread the hunger games a few weeks back and that trilogy...suzanne collins your MINDDDDD 5 stars all across the board

New release you haven't read yet but want to

the starving saints - caitlin starling. seen a couple booktubers i watch say they liked it, and it seems to appeal to me! i also really liked the luminous dead by the same author so i'd love to get my hands on starving saints :-)

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

katabasis by r.f. kuang, honestly it's the only new release later this year i can think of, i don't really follow releases like that!

Biggest disappointment

do androids dream of electric sheep - philip k. dick. look i know i know a man who wrote sci-fi in the 70s i shouldn't have been disappointed but i remember this book being SO much better than it was. turns out that shit is ass!!!!!! i hated it

Biggest surprise

the toymakers by robert dinsdale. dnf'd this book a few years ago and tried it again recently, it wasn't perfect but i enjoyed it more than i expected to!

New favorite author (debut or new to you)

martha wells? fyodor dostoyevsky? depends on how pretentious i want to go but again there's so many books i want to get through, i haven't read multiple works from a lot of authors to dub them as my favourite like that

Newest fictional crush

i don't have an answer here 😭

Newest favorite character

Anequs from to shape a dragon's breath by moniquill blackgoose! wonderful wonderful character!!

Book that made you cry

...babel. had multiple head in hands moments. actually i am still grieving

Book that made you happy

black beauty by anna sewell. haven't read this since i was a little kid, so it was a pleasure to re-experience it as an adult :-)

Favorite book to film adaptation

LOTR eats

Most beautiful book you have bought this year so far

it's not outright stunning but i got this hardcover of hans christensen's fairy tales from the 70s and it's very nice

What books you need to read before the end of the year?

oh BOY

the shock doctrine - naomi klein blood over bright haven - m.l. wang the mountain in the sea - ray naylor gideon the ninth - tamsyn muir cursed bunny - bora chung blindsight - peter watts authority - jeff vandermeer a man called ove - frederik backman

there's so many more and i probably won't even read the above because there's so many books on my physical tbr (only three of the above are books i own 🥲)

tagging @sluttypatrickstar @ben-learns-smth @slasherstudies @byrons-simp and ofc it's always open to anyone else who wants to do it :-)

[hippotooth]

Nine people I want to know better tag 💜

Tagged by @darkurgetrash and @tealfling , thank you!!

Three ships: Roman/Gerri (Succession), Durge/Gortash (BG3), Laios/Kabru (Dungeon Meshi)

First ship: probably Han Solo/Lando (Star Wars) but I was young enough to not really know what shipping was fully. First time I was officially involved in ship fandom would be Dean/Castiel (Supernatural)

Last song: Boyfeel by Destroy Boys

Last movie: The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001)

Currently reading: The Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung

Currently watching: My Adventures with Superman (2023) and a number of my favorite shows on repeat

Currently eating: a very unsatisfying bagel

Currently craving: CAKE! Always cake. Lemon in particular at the moment.

If you’re at all interested in playing, consider yourself tagged! I’d love to get to know you all! Here are 9 no pressure tags in the spirit of the game:

@bluememoriesandacoffee @an-drawer @rasqael @ferindencadash @laserlope @kawareo-main @olivedrop @kororobus @bleecake1

[the-lightbulb-and-the-octopus]

25 in 2025

I was tagged by @logarithmicpanda as usual! Thank you!

I've decided that this list in going to be full backlog because I don't follow new releases anyway, so I might as well try to clean up my shelves, both physical and virtual. It will be colour-coded like this: physical backlog, ebook backlog, nonfiction backlog.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Tallstar's Revenge by Erin Hunter

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

Le Quatrième Roi mage by Antonio Exposito

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

Mon Mari by Maud Ventura

L'empreinte du Dieu by Maxence Van der Meersch

Le casse du continuum by Léo Henry

Les morts intérieures by Martine Cadieu

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Roaring by Lindsey Duga

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Clotel: or the President's Daughter by William Wells Brown

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung

In Search of an Inca: Identity and Utopia in the Andes by Flores Galindo Alberto

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan

Foreign Devils on the Silk Road: The Search for the Lost Cities and Treasures of Chinese Central Asia by Peter Hopkirk

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

I don't know anyone to tag, but please don't hesitate to consider this an open tag if you want to do it too!

[labyrinth-guy]

i did a lot of reading this past year, which is remarkable because i spent a lot of time submerged in a grad school writing sample deep dive/spiral, and found a lot of books i really enjoyed

some superlatives, pictured above:

favorite read of 2024: Greasepaint by Hannah Levene (about a butch jewish socialist dyke piano player's union)

most enjoyable nonfiction i have ever read: Park Cruising by Marcus McCann

best haunted house book/book i wish i wrote: Brat by Gabriel Smith

best fiction book about covid lockdown i have read yet: Back in the Land of the Living by Eva Crocker

best trans novel that reads like memoir: Some Strange Music Draws Me In by Griffin Hansbury (bonus points for wmass nostalgia)

favorite unhinged young queer woman moves to the woods alone during an identity crisis (in translation): Mammoth by Eva Baltasar

best grad school reading/your new favorite under-appreciated land artist: Nancy Holt Inside/Outside ed. Lisa Le Feuvre

thanks @insaneclownpussi for the tag and for often listening to me describe weird books i'm reading

some honorable mentions/not pictured:

best fucked up little short story collections: Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, She is Haunted by Paige Clark

best queer horror: cuckoo by Gretchen-Felker Martin, Diavola by Jennifer Thorne, Model Home by Rivers Solomon

best queer roadtrip book/book that makes you feel like making art maybe is worth it: Housemates by Emma Copley Isenberg

most playful approach to genre: My Lesbian Novel by Renee Gladman (thank you to @northwindow 's substack for finally making me go track down a copy)

i have two reading goals for next year (unrelated to total quantity because ideally i will be starting grad school... fingers crossed). i would like to read more non-fiction than fiction, and i would like to write down/keep track of my thoughts about what i read with more consistency.

to start the year, i am currently reading: Still Life by Katherine Packert Burke and Women by Chloe Caldwell

[boraxquinn]

{ Meet the Muses}

Follow (for a starter) / Reblog / Like

(Mun and muses are +18. Some Nsfw will appear and be tagged. Please read my about info before interacting. Thank you.)

{I DO NOT join groups chats unless they are for special events. If you want to make a discord chat for our characters let me know. } 

~Yoon Bora~

EX-SISTAR, Actress, MC, designer, choreographer

December 30, 1989

S/O: Bisexual

Multi-ship (2/2)

purple queen, very nerdy,fangirl, loves fashion and will use any excuse to dress up. 

She loves being a motherly figure.

She has two dogs named Seolie and Po.

Verse;the moon prince: ( @wwhxyouknow )  *main blog: @multixkpopxrp * Engaged 10/29/2022, Married 7/9/2024

Kim Aurora Jangmi, her daughter was born February 8th 2025

Verse;Taeminie: Married. 11/14/2020 ( @sassytae )*Main blog: @sparklytimebun *

~Fukutomi Tsuki ( 福富 つき, 츠키 ) ~ 

September 21, 2002 (age 22)

She is a member of Billlie and a former member of the Japanese girl group MAGICOUR.

Fanclub color: Red 

multi-ship (3/3) 

S/O: bisexual 

verse;cutiefoxinnie ( @fox-bread-friend ) Engaged 10/23/24

verse;princehyunjin ( @hyunsace )

verse 3; pending

birthplace: Osaka, Japan

loves bunnies and gets told she looks like one 

She moved to Korea when she was in middle school, at around 14 years old

Her nicknames are Taru-chan,moon bunny, and best Kim Tzuki.

Her hobbies are watching cartoons, drawing/painting, and playing games

she loves Twice and Girls Generation

Her favorite colors are red and pink.

{Any Questions, please DM!!!!}

{Banned faceclaims (meaning I won't follow back or interact with)}: Blackpink, Bigbang, Hyuna, Lucas, Moon Taeil, Kiss of Life. If you send hate about any of these bans you will be blocked.

[honeyilovejoo]

bias check~ list 10 groups you stan and your bias from each, then tag 10 people!

tagged by the lovely @taengoo ❤️ thanks, kass! 💛

1. monsta x - jooheon 2. seventeen - dk 3. apink - bomi 4. block b - p.o 5. got7 - jinyoung 6 btob - ilhoon 🥲 7. izone - nako 8. sistar - bora 9. cclown - kang jun 10. news - masuda takahisa

tagging: @eggheons, @babieken, @bebecue, @kewpiie, @yeahbutdidyouchecktheph, @imcks, @joo-han, @hozierbyrne, @bangzchan, @the-makingsofgreatness

[fairyjiu]

every month of 2023

i was tagged by @ninqz 🩷

rules: link your favorite and/or most popular post from each month this year.

alright time for part 2, let's go. once again will have to rely on friends for most things made before september so thank you for the support <3

January

My fave: miss Jeewon, love the colours.

February

My fave: this set of Sihyeon covering almost is never enough. I was really missing everglow.

March

ah yes Eunoia and P.O.W double feature era, I really did a lot during that time. I even learned how to use vapoursynth for billlie.

Most popular: This Sheon during Enchanted Night, I get it.

My fave: I mean, pretty much everything I did that month, I was on a roll. But this Haeyoon set and the choreo vid for billlie. Oh and this Haram set, collective slay from both of us.

April

Most popular: Haruna ending fairy

My fave: I love a sparkly moment, we know this but have you seen Suhyeon?

May MIJOO TIME

Most popular: yellow dress mijoo moment

My fave: this mijoo

June

Most popular: my top10 release post

My fave: i agree, i quite like how these turned out.

July

yeah july was not it, we don't talk about it.

August

Most popular: lovely miss Jiwon

My fave: miss Elkie for having the best post clc music but also that time when i thought i could do a song of all time series and it flopped.

September

Cignature and Ropun double feature, we love to see it.

Most popular: Chaesol ending fairy

My fave: Boom mv set and boom ending fairies

October

Most popular: Queen Bora

My fave: I quite like the gifs I made from this performance so here's Jiu too but also the Honey of Spice mv set

November

Most popular: Miss Yerim

My fave: I do love the yeri gifs but also the ones I made for rolling quartz

December

Most popular: Kwon Eunbi doing Queen shit

My fave: that one but have you seen Yukika too?

Tagging: @souladies, @pixypunch, @pinktaeyeon & @flops