#I've been watch kdrama again

[avampyone]

The gentleman who walks the night-

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

I am never going to get the motivation to watch squid game 2 but TRANS PERSON REPRESENTATION IN KOREAN MEDIA??? Let's goooo!! I have now genuinely seen that happen TWICE in a kdrama and I would never have even dreamed of being able to say that when I was younger

[jitterbugbear]

and i feel like i need to start talking more about my interests and media and books and stuff around here I MISS FANDOMS AND DISCUSSION there i said it

[koreandragon]

the directing on this is crazy????

[superfluouskeys]

i finished the robot boyfriend kdrama again :( yes i have watched it like 5 times at this point :( it's a good show :(

[nokhwa]

Mom was almost winning daughter back but then she had to go and talk about how hard things are for herself. "my whole day I was miserable", stop trying to justify hitting your daughter, she doesn't want to hear zour excuses. She needs to hear "I love you, I'm sorry"

[theinfinitedivides]

thank God. he's returning to us

[coqhee]

 ﹙✧﹚ YOURS, FOREVER

ALT ✷ all your life sim jake has been by your side forever. but things start to shift when all of a sudden time gets in between your once inseparable bond ∘ ∘ ∘ more

심재윤 x f!r ― fluff angst comedy && cursing parental neglect kissing ⨯ 10.4k

em's note ★ ermmm first post in a while how are we feeling!? i've had this idea for a LOOOONG time after watching the kdrama, but it can also double as my entry for @okwonyo's 'la fleur' event and it's loosely based off of family by choice the kdrama cause i love it sososo much. hope you all enjoyed <3

YOU REMEMBER MEETING JAKE THAT ONE FATEFUL DAY when you were six years old, watching him move in with his family. 

you ran up to him tugging on his arm, jumping up and down grinning ear to ear to finally have someone in your neighborhood your age. someone who wouldn’t baby you (even though you enjoyed the candy they brought you), someone who could just be a friend and just some adult. someone in that isolating small city in california. 

jake had blinked at you, wide-eyed and startled, before breaking into a grin that mirrored your own.

"hi," he had said, a little breathless from hauling moving boxes. "you live here?"

"yep!" you had chirped, still bouncing on the balls of your feet. "my dad and i live on the floor below you! that means we’re neighbors forever now, you’re going to be my best friend."

"forever?" jake had echoed, his brows furrowed confused by your excitement, with a hint of unsurety. 

“yeah!” 

“he doesn’t want to be friends with you, lets go” his mom stated plainly, tugging on his hand, leading him up the steps of their new apartment and home. 

you had stood there, watching as jake was pulled away, the excitement still buzzing in your chest despite his mom’s words.

he doesn’t want to be friends with you.

but you knew better.

because when jake had turned back—just before disappearing through the door—he had looked at you, his lips pressing together like he was holding something back.

and then, just before his mom pulled him inside, he had smiled. small, fleeting, but real.

the next day, you found him waiting outside your door, hands stuffed into the pockets of his too-big hoodie.

“hey,” he mumbled, rocking back on his heels.

you blinked. “hi?”

jake hesitated before glancing around, as if checking to make sure no one was watching. then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of chips from his hometown, holding it out to you.

“for you,” he said, not quite meeting your eyes.

your childish heart swelled, and without thinking, you grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside.

from that moment on, jake had become a constant in your life.

─── ♡

YOU COULD’VE SWORN JAKE LIVED AT YOUR APARTMENT FLOOR MORE THAN HE DID HIS OWN. not that you minded, and not that his mom noticed, too absorbed in blaming him for everything that had gone on in his life. she figured he was off being a model student.

your dad had taken him in as a son after he cried out to him at night many years ago about how his divorced parents were too busy fighting and forgot to pick him up at school. how his mom threatened to leave the house, and blamed it on him, and he heard it through the door while his parents were fighting again about who got to keep him for the weekend. how he was tormented every single day, coming home to a home where his mom gave him an upset and empty stare. 

he had set up the spare guest room as a safe place just for him, cooked warm meals, even paid for schooling activities.

at first, jake had been hesitant to accept it. hesitant to accept love in a way that didn’t feel conditional, hesitant to believe that someone would do something for him without expecting perfection in return.

but your dad never asked for anything. never demanded jake to be better, or to prove his worth. he just... let him be. let him exist in a home where he wasn’t walking on eggshells, where he wasn’t a constant disappointment.

your home had soon become his home, and the apartment floor above where his mom lived became just a visiting place whenever he needed a legal guardian signature for some stupid form.

his mom never seemed to like you for some reason, though you wouldn’t let it bother you. your dad always made sure to let you know that not everyone needs to like you. though, her glaring looks at you throughout the years growing up always irked you.

and little by little, jake allowed himself to settle in.

after a while, his mom ended up leaving him in your dad’s care, occasionally sending checks, occasionally coming back from the east coast to “checking in on her only son” before disappearing again.

but a part of him never stopped looking over his shoulder. never stopped waiting for the moment everything would be ripped away again. and when the moment finally came, neither of you were ready for it.

so there you were on the first day of senior year, tugging jake out of his bed with a grin. 

"c’mon, you’re gonna be late,” you whined, yanking at the blankets he had wrapped around himself like a human burrito.

jake groaned, burying his face deeper into the pillow. "five more minutes."

"nope, no more minutes, you’re already pushing it." you tugged harder, finally managing to pull the blanket off, revealing his disheveled hair and squinted eyes.

he let out an exaggerated sigh, rubbing his face before shooting you a glare—one that lacked any real heat. "why are you so chipper this morning?"

you grinned, rocking back on your heels. "because it’s senior year jake. i survived eleven years of this, i’m ready to start a new me and never get pushed around again,"

jake raised a brow at that, finally sitting up. "never get pushed around again? what, are you planning a revolution or something?"

you scoffed, crossing your arms. "no, i just mean i’m done letting people walk all over me. it’s senior year, jake. i refuse to go out being known as the pushover."

he gave you a long look before shaking his head with a small smile. "yeah, sure. just don’t go picking fights you can’t win."

"please," you waved him off. "i don’t pick fights, jake. i just stand up for myself."

but by lunchtime, you were already dangerously close to proving him right.

─── ♡

IT STARTED OUT SIMPLE ENOUGH. just some guy from your history class running his mouth about jake when he wasn’t there to defend himself.

you had passed by the cafeteria when you overheard his name. curiosity had made you pause, but what made you turn around completely was hearing the sneering tone in which it was said.

"he acts like his life's so hard," one of the guys scoffed, shaking his head. "like, you live in the nicest neighborhood here. quit acting like you’re some tragic hero."

another one laughed. "bet he milks that whole oh, i basically live with my friend’s family thing for sympathy points."

your blood boiled. seething with rage. it’s one thing to let people talk shit about you, but about jake was insane to you. jake, the sweetest boy who couldn’t even tattle on a kid who hit him back in elementary school because he was afraid of what would happen to him.

"you don’t know anything about him," you said before you could stop yourself, stepping into their view.

the guys turned, raising their brows at you. "oh? jake’s little guard dog," the first one said, voice dripping with amusement. "should’ve known you’d pop up."

“do not go around talking shit right now about jake,” you turned around, pointing a finger at the one who began. “you don’t know how hard he has it, zip it,”

the second guy scoffed. "please. we all have problems. he just makes his everyone else's."

"he doesn’t—"

"what, you gonna cry about it?" the first guy mocked, stepping closer. "or maybe you’ll go running to him so he can fight your battles?"

by now, a small crowd had started to form, students pausing to watch the scene unfold.

you stood your ground, refusing to back down. "i don’t need anyone to fight my battles."

"then prove it," he challenged, stepping even closer, his tone dropping. "or are you all talk?"

before you could process what was happening, a strong arm suddenly slung over your shoulder, pulling you back slightly.

"man, you guys just love running your mouths, huh?"

your whole body relaxed the moment you recognized the voice.

jake.

he had appeared out of nowhere, his expression calm but his eyes dark with warning.

the guys hesitated, the confidence in their stance faltering just a bit.

"what, cat got your tongue now?" jake said, his voice steady, controlled. but you knew him well enough to hear the sharp edge behind it.

"we were just talking," one of them muttered, suddenly less bold.

jake let out a short, humorless laugh. "yeah? funny how that talking only happens when i’m not around.”

jake turned to you then, his arm still around your shoulder. "what the hell was that?"

"i was just—"

"—picking a fight," he finished for you, raising a brow. "after this morning?"

you huffed. "i wasn’t picking a fight. i was defending you."

he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "you don’t have to do that."

"yes, i do," you shot back. "you always have my back, why can’t i have yours?"

jake stared at you for a long moment before his expression softened. with a small squeeze to your shoulder, he muttered, "next time, wait for me to be there first, yeah?"

and somehow, that sat with you longer than it should have.

─── ♡

LATER THAT FALL IS WHEN COLLEGE APPLICATIONS CAME ABOUT. though, this shouldn’t have been as much of a pain in the ass as it was.

you and jake had already talked about it, planned it out months ago—neither of you were going out of state. you’d stay local, find a school that worked for both of you, and that was that. simple. easy. no unnecessary complications.

except the counselors didn’t seem to get the memo.

“you’re seriously not considering any ivy leagues?” mr. davis, jake’s assigned counselor, asked, staring at him like he’d just committed a crime. “with your grades and extracurriculars, you could easily get into any top-tier school.”

you could see the way jake’s jaw tensed, his fingers tapping against his knee. “i’ve already decided where i want to apply.”

mr. davis sighed, leaning back in his chair. “jake, i get that you want to stay close to home, but you have options.”

you sat beside jake, arms crossed, watching as he nodded along to the same speech he’d already heard at least five times this month.

“is this to do with… her? maybe this is just a conversation we should have. i know she’s here for your comfort, but let’s have a conversation with just the two of us,”

jake's fingers stilled against his knee. his jaw tightened, but his expression remained unreadable. you, on the other hand, felt your own irritation spike.

“i’m here because i care about his choices,” you said, your tone sharper than intended. “and we’ve already had this conversation a hundred times. he’s not changing his mind.”

mr. davis gave you a tight-lipped smile before turning back to jake. “jake, i understand loyalty. but college is about your future. you shouldn’t be limiting yourself for anyone else.”

you opened your mouth to argue, but jake beat you to it.

“this isn’t about anyone else.” his voice was calm, firm, leaving no room for misinterpretation. “this is about me. i know what i want, and i know what makes me happy. i don’t need an ivy league school to prove anything.”

mr. davis sighed, clearly exasperated. “all i ask is that you think about it, at least apply and leave the option open,”

the tension in the room was suffocating, but jake was already heading for the door. you followed without hesitation, not bothering to acknowledge mr. davis as you stepped out.

as soon as you were in the hallway, jake let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair.

“maybe he’s right. just apply, doesn’t mean you have to accept, it can’t hurt right?” 

jake shot you a look, his lips pressing into a thin line. "it can hurt," he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face.

you frowned, tilting your head. "how?"

he let out a dry chuckle, leaning against the row of lockers. "because if i apply, you’re gonna be all alone, and you would hate that, i know it."

“besides, you know our college has a med program that’s just fine, and i’ll get a good job and pay your dad back, and make sure he can retire from his restaurant in good condition,” he continued on. you didn’t know what to say. every fiber of you itched for him to stay, but what if you were holding him back despite the teasing in his tone.

you swallowed hard, shifting on your feet. "jake, you don’t owe my dad anything."

he sighed, shaking his head. "i know. but he did so much for me, and i want to make sure he’s taken care of."

your chest tightened at the sincerity in his voice. you had no doubt jake meant every word—he’d always been like this, always putting others first, always thinking about everyone but himself.

“but what about you?” you asked softly. “what do you want?”

he hesitated. "i want to stay." his voice was steady, unwavering. "i want to go to school here, be around the people who matter to me. that’s not me settling, it’s me choosing."

you bit your lip, the weight of his words settling over you. you wanted to believe him. really believe him. but there was still that gnawing feeling in your gut—the fear that maybe, just maybe, you were being selfish for letting him.

"jake…"

he bumped his shoulder against yours, a small grin tugging at his lips. "stop thinking so hard. i already made my choice."

you exhaled, forcing yourself to nod. "okay."

"okay?"

"yeah," you said, more certain this time. "okay."

because if jake was sure, then you would be too.

─── ♡

THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER SOON AROSE, with exams wrapping up in a hurry, in order to get seniors prepared for their college applications. 

the hallways were buzzing with stress—students clutching test papers, muttering formulas under their breath, or frantically comparing essay notes. teachers weren’t any better, pushing deadlines and grading late into the night.

you and jake had slipped into a quiet routine, spending late nights at the library, sharing snacks over half-finished personal statements, and quizzing each other on random trivia. despite the chaos, there was a strange comfort in it—something about knowing you weren’t going through it alone.

“i swear if i have to write one more paragraph about my ‘defining moment in life,’ i’m dropping out,” you muttered, pushing your laptop away and slumping onto the table. “i’m sick of writing scholarship essays,”

for a moment, the two of you sat in silence, the buzz of the library filling the space between you. jake tapped his fingers against the table, staring at his own laptop, before speaking.

“i applied,” he said, voice even.

you blinked, caught off guard. “what?”

“to yale,” he clarified, glancing at you. “figured it couldn’t hurt to have something in my back pocket. though, my mom called last night, she asked about college, for once. told me i should apply just to see”, he took a pause to sip from his can of chilled soda. “my mom said she’d be proud to have a son who went there, and i don’t know, maybe i should just apply to see. ”

and with that your heart sank a little bit. not even to hear that he would consider yale, but to hear him still hoping for his mom’s approval even after the many nights he’d spent under her mental torment. 

“though realistically, even if i get in, i don’t think that’d even be good enough. state college is still 1000x better than that rich snobby college. it’s you and me forever, don't worry.”

with that you put together whatever coherent thoughts you had appropriate for the situation and stifled out a laugh, “yea, you’re too good for them anyways, this town needs a doctor that’s as wicked smart as you anyways,” 

“what’s your plan after college?”

you stretched your arms above your head, leaning back in your chair with a satisfied sigh. “after college? i’m opening a dessert café.”

jake blinked, caught off guard. “just like that?”

“yep,” you said, popping the ‘p.’ “i’ve thought about it for a while, and honestly, it’s perfect for me. no strict deadlines, no corporate misery—just good vibes, good desserts, and a cozy little place for people to escape for a bit.”

he smirked, sipping his soda. “so, you’re really committing to the soft life, huh?”

“obviously,” you shot back. “why stress myself out when i can spend my days baking cute pastries and making people happy?” you leaned forward, eyes gleaming with excitement. “picture it, jakey. chiclighting, comfy seats, shelves lined with little trinkets and plants. the smell of fresh strawberry chiffon in the air. a menu that changes with the seasons—strawberry shortcakes in the spring, spiced apple tarts in the fall. maybe even special limited-edition desserts for holidays.”

jake chuckled, resting his chin on his palm. “you’ve really thought this through.”

“of course i have.” you grinned. “that’s a real surprise that you have anything planned, even better that you remember it,” he smiled.

“hey! i’m getting better.”

jake gave you a flat look. “you called me yesterday because you thought you left your keys at the library, and they were in your bag.”

“okay, well, no one’s perfect.” you crossed your arms, huffing. “besides, that’s what you’re here for. to keep me from falling apart.”

his teasing expression softened just slightly. “yeah,” he murmured, more to himself than anything. “guess i am.”

the weight of his words lingered for a beat, a quiet understanding hanging between you. but before you could dwell on it, jake suddenly stood up, ruffling your hair in the process.

“c’mon, let’s go,” he said, grabbing his bag. “it’s late, and if you pass out from exhaustion, i’m the one who’s gonna have to carry you home.”

you groaned but followed him anyway, falling into step beside him.

“you wouldn’t actually carry me,” you teased.

“guess we’ll never know,” 

you shoved his arm lightly, and he shoved you back, a playful push-and-pull that felt like second nature. and as you walked out of the library together, the world outside dark and quiet, you realized that no matter where the future took you both, jake would always be there.

just like he always had been. forever.

─── ♡

WINTER SOON CAME AROUND, with your birthday always being a prominent date marked on the family calendar with a bright neon pink star surrounding the date each year. jake for some reason always seemed to make it a bigger deal, buying you gifts from his hard earned money from his part time, though you weren’t one to say no to birthday gifts.

the three of you gathered around the family dining table with a homemade cake, filled with joy, always being a fond memory growing up.

winter break soon came, and with that, just like the two of you spent it like you did every break. 

by day the two of you were inseparable—wandering through the small town, finding whatever new adventure awaited the two of you. by night, jake was buried in his textbooks, meticulously studying for exams, while you sprawled across his bed, scrolling on your phone or sketching rough ideas for your future café.

he never told you to leave, and you never tried to.

it had become routine—jake staying up until ungodly hours, highlighters scattered across his desk, while you dozed off in his bed like it was your own. and every morning, without fail, he would wake you up with a sigh, nudging your shoulder.

"alright, time to go back to your actual room,” he’d say, pulling the blanket off of you.

you’d groan, burying your face into his pillow. “five more minutes.”

"that’s what you said yesterday, now get off my sheets,” jake grumbled, but there was no real annoyance in his tone—just the usual exasperation laced with something softer.

eventually, he’d give up and let you sleep for a little longer before finally shoving you out with a mutter, “another day of fun awaits, let’s go.”

winter break always felt like a time capsule—like no matter how much things changed, this part of your life never did. it was comforting, knowing that even as college applications loomed over your heads, even as the future felt like a moving target, you still had this.

but then, almost without warning, the last winter break the two of you would spend ended and school started again. occasional three day weeks were spent with the two of you wasting no time, and when valentines day came around, the two of you began your annual tradition of trading homemade chocolates with each other, because really. who else were you gonna spend stupid holidays like this with?

winter melted into spring, and soon enough, april arrived. college decisions had come out, and the marathon of opening your college acceptance letters in one night was fun. the two of your life long plans to go to the same college and even dorm together were finally coming true.

you still had him.

until suddenly, you didn’t.

the news came in the middle of one of your usual nights. jake was at his desk, flipping through notes, and you were curled up on his bed, doodling in the margins of your café concept notebook when his phone rang.

you barely paid attention at first—he got calls sometimes, usually from his dad, sometimes his older relatives. but this time, his whole body tensed when he saw the caller ID.

his mom.

he hesitated before answering, his voice clipped when he said, “hello?”

you couldn’t hear what she was saying, but whatever it was, it wasn’t good. jake’s grip on his pen tightened, his shoulders drawing inward. his responses were short—"okay," "yeah," "I understand"—and you had never seen him look so distant.

when he finally hung up, the silence stretched too long.

"jake?" you sat up, worry creeping into your voice.

he exhaled, staring down at his desk like he was trying to burn a hole through it. “my mom heard that i got into yale and she wants me to move back to east coast, finish high school there. then go to yale,”

the words hung in the air like a slow-building storm.

"what?" you blinked, swinging your legs off the bed. “why—why now?”

jake shook his head, fingers gripping the edge of his desk. "she said it’s time. that i’ve had my fun playing house, but i need to be with my real family now." his voice was tight, bitter, and you knew him well enough to recognize the anger simmering just beneath the surface.

your stomach twisted. "but we are your real family," you said quietly.

he let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair. "i know."

“when does she want you to move?”

“end of this month.” 

you swallowed when you heard no joke in his tone. you waited, hoping, praying to see him burst out into laughter and say “just kidding,” but there was nothing.

silence settled between you, thick and suffocating. the two of you had spent years carving out a life together, one where he wasn’t just a guest, where your dad never made him feel like he owed anything. but to his mom, it had always been temporary.

─── ♡

YOUR DAD HAD COME TO TERMS that he was basically losing his son. you on the other hand? it was like losing your other half. the other half of what made you, you. 

the person by your side through all the trouble you had gotten each other in when you were younger, gone in a snap.

jake put on a smile trying to finish off his last days in california with you, but each night shutting you out so you wouldn’t have to see him packing his belongings, because he knew that would hurt you more than it hurt him.

the morning that he left, you weren’t even awake. you had your alarm for 6am sharp, ready to see him off, but he was gone at 5am. this time protecting himself from hurting more so than you. 

you couldn’t lie and say you didn’t feel hurt when you didn’t even get to say goodbye that morning. though you knew you would’ve done the same thing. if you had said goodbye that morning, it would’ve made it all too real. more real than he was willing to accept.

the rest of the school year felt numb without jake. of course you had other friends to hang out with, but it was never quite the same. the only thing keeping you sane were the nightly video calls with him that made it feel like he was still an inch closer home. to your home. 

the two of you graduated on your own times, facetiming on the day of since you couldn’t fly to see each others. jake cheering the loudest for you through the phone your dad held up, and you cheering for him through the phone held up by whatever new friends he had managed to make in that time.

in the summer, the two of you made plans to meet up, jake could come back for the summer and spend fleeting time with you, but plans abruptly got shut down when his mom signed him up for yale’s incoming freshman program.

the news hit you like a ton of bricks. you had made so many plans for that summer, imagining long days spent catching up, hanging out in your favorite spots, reliving those memories that felt so far away. but suddenly, those plans felt as fragile as paper, ripped apart by the weight of jake’s mom’s decision.

"she's doing it again," you muttered to yourself, the phone pressed tightly to your ear as jake’s voice crackled on the other end.

"i know," he said, his tone weary, like he had expected this would happen, but still couldn't quite accept it. "i didn't even get a say in it. i was looking forward to coming back, but now it’s like... i don’t even have a choice."

the months that followed were a blur. as fall crept in and the school year started, you found yourself caught in the rhythm of classes, assignments, and all the usual chaos. the early mornings and late nights became a routine—until a message from jake would light up your screen, just enough to remind you that he was still out there, still a part of your world, even if it was through a phone screen.

his texts started off strong, even on your birthday during winter, which was the first time you’d heard from him in what felt like weeks.

“happy birthday, yn!! i hope today’s amazing, even though i’m not there to celebrate with you. i’ll make it up to you when i’m back. promise.”

you smiled at the message, feeling a bittersweet warmth settle in your chest. it wasn’t the same as having him there, but it was something. you knew he was still trying, still holding onto the connection you two had. or at least, that’s what you told yourself.

but as days turned into weeks, the calls grew shorter. the messages were spaced further apart. every time you reached out—asking how he was doing, or if he was settling in okay at yale—his replies became more curt, more distant.

you tried not to think about it too much, tried to keep yourself distracted with school and everything else that came with being a senior. but whenever your phone buzzed, you couldn’t help but hold your breath, half-hoping it was him, half-fearing it was just another empty promise.

it hurt. it really did.

you kept texting him, kept hoping that something would change, that he’d realize how much you missed him, how much you needed him to stay just a little bit closer.

“hi jakey it’s been a hot minute hru?”

he replied after a few hours, as usual.

“yeah, just a lot of work. i’ll text you later.”

you stared at the screen, willing your heart to stop aching. it wasn’t that he didn’t care—it was just that... he wasn’t the same person you used to know. or maybe you weren’t the same person either.

you ran your fingers over the screen and typed out another message, then deleted it, not sure how to even begin anymore. you couldn’t keep chasing someone who was already slipping away, but you weren’t ready to let go either.

as the months faded into each other, you realized you had been holding on to something that wasn’t really there anymore, at least not in the way you had imagined. you weren’t ready to admit it to yourself yet, but the truth was starting to settle in.

maybe some things, like people, just weren’t meant to stay forever.

─── ♡

SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, both of you stopped trying. even the ‘family’ groupchat between your dad, jake, and you went silent. every once in a while your dad would text the groupchat with a random facebook meme essentially saying he missed the two of you, with you ‘haha’ing the message and jake not even responding.

as soon as the school year started, it ended. then summer came about and that’s when jake would text bits and pieces about his life on the opposite coast with his new friends.

when you found out your birthday fell during winter break this year, you were ecstatic. for once, both of your breaks aligned perfectly, and it felt like fate giving you one last chance to reclaim what had been slipping away. you had texted the group chat immediately, excitement buzzing through your fingertips.

your dad had been thrilled, already talking about how he couldn’t wait to see jake again, and for the first time in a long time, jake seemed genuinely excited too.

“booking my flight home i promise i’ll be there”

it felt like a weight had lifted. things weren’t the same, but maybe—just maybe—this would be the thing to bring you back together.

but as the weeks crept closer to winter break, something shifted again.

jake started taking longer to reply. the excitement in his messages dulled. and then, a few days before he was supposed to fly back, you got the text.

"i’m so sorry, yn. something came up, and i don’t think i can make it."

when the day came around, with your dad and you at the now empty family dinner table with a white frosted chiffon cake, candles lit, it somehow felt gloomier. you stared at your phone, waiting for even a text. yet after a few minutes, nothing. 

you a wave of tears waiting to form, but you promised yourself yourself cry on your special day. your nose stung, and your throat burned. your dad quickly taking notice and keeping the thoughts away by playing his rendition of happy birthday on the guitar he’d been picking up ever since the two of you had left for college.

a year passed. then two. you sent messages here and there—updates about your life, little things you thought he’d still care about. but replies took days, sometimes weeks. eventually, you stopped trying so hard.

by the third year, you realized you didn’t even know what his life looked like anymore. you weren’t sure what his favorite food was now, if he finished his undergrad like you had or when he had free time, if he ever thought about coming home.

by the fourth, you stopped checking if he had seen your messages. by that time you moved back to your small town and opened that dream dessert cafe at the old building unit that used to house the noodle house you and jake used to always go to.

by the fifth, you didn’t text him at all, though it was easy not too when your days were caught up taking care of the business and catering to the younger generations that would come in to take photos with the constantly rotating seasonal menu.

your dad asked about him sometimes, still talked about jake like he was family, like he would come back one day and things would be the same. you just smiled and nodded, but deep down, you knew the truth.

jake wasn’t coming back. not really.

by the sixth year, the memories of him started to blur. you still thought about him sometimes—when you heard a song that reminded you of those summer nights, when you passed by places you used to go together. but it didn’t hurt the way it used to. it was more like remembering a dream you had a long time ago, one that had faded at the edges.

and by the seventh year, you had phased him out completely.

you didn’t hate him. you weren’t even angry anymore. he had simply become a part of your past—someone you used to know, someone who had meant everything to you once.

but that was a long time ago. and you had learned how to live without him.

─── ♡

“CAREFUL WHEN CLOSING OUT TONIGHT, there’s been some shady white lexus that hangs around at this time, call me if anything happens,” your co-manager giselle calls out as she shuts the door behind her. 

it was the fifth year of owning your business and you really couldn’t have been any more proud of yourself. things were falling into place for the business, and you were to beat that five year mark for when small businesses go bankrupt. 

you smiled hearing her concern and began prepping the cakes and tarts for the next day. 

the quiet hum of the fridge and the soft clatter of trays filled the cozy bakery as you worked, hands moving on autopilot as you piped delicate swirls of frosting onto a batch of cupcakes. the scent of vanilla and caramelized sugar lingered in the air, comforting in a way that reminded you why you had built this place from the ground up.

five years. it still didn’t feel real sometimes.

you had spent so many sleepless nights wondering if you’d make it this far, worrying over finances, suppliers, and keeping up with customer demand. but here you were, not just surviving—thriving.

the quiet of the shop was peaceful, but giselle’s warning echoed in the back of your mind.

a white lexus. hanging around.

you weren’t the type to get easily paranoid, but something about it left a strange feeling in your gut. shaking it off, you turned your focus back to the tray in front of you, finishing up the last batch before stepping back and stretching out your arms.

just as you were about to wipe down the counter, the soft chime of the front door startled you.

you glanced up at the clock—11:15 p.m.

too late for customers.

your heart picked up speed as you reached for the rolling pin beside you, gripping it tightly as footsteps echoed through the shop.

"we’re closed," you called out, keeping your voice steady, though your fingers curled a little tighter around the wooden handle.

the footsteps paused. then, a voice you hadn’t heard in years filled the space.

"yn?"

your breath hitched.

there, standing under the dim glow of the bakery lights, was jake.

older, different, yet somehow still the same.

he looked like a stranger in familiar skin. his hair was slightly longer than you remembered, and he carried himself differently—more put together, but with an air of hesitation, like he wasn’t sure if he belonged here anymore. 

his suit, unbuttoned once from the top, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, gave him a polished yet tired look, like he had come straight from a long day of work. but what unsettled you the most was the way his eyes softened when they met yours—like he had been searching for you all this time.

he took a step forward.

“do not take another step closer.”

your voice came out sharper than you intended, laced with a warning that made him halt immediately.

jake’s brows furrowed, confusion flickering across his face. “yn, I just—”

“if you take another step, I’ll file a police report for harassment and stalking. giselle told me about that white lexus and i swear to god if that’s yours i’ll actually just go ahead and file it.”

to say that your dad was very shocked and concerned to be called to the police station by you to watch you attempt to file a police report on the boy he’d once called son was beyond an understatement. 

eventually he managed to talk you out of it by bribing you with your favorite homemade meals and a promise to at least hear jake out before making any final decisions.

begrudgingly, you let it go—for now. but that didn’t mean you were going to make it easy for him.

─── ♡

THE WEEK AFTER, YOUR PHONE BUZZED AND YOU picked it up to be met with disappointment.

“i got ur new number from dad, can i come pick you up after your work with dinner? what time do you close at?” the text rang in. you showed it to giselle with a groan,

you showed it to giselle with a groan, setting your phone down on the counter as you wiped your hands on your apron. she glanced at the message, raising an eyebrow as she sipped her coffee.

“that’s… bold,” she said with a half-smirk. “you’ve got to be kidding me. after everything?”

“i really don’t know what he wants now,” you muttered, rubbing your temples. “i should just ignore it, right?”

giselle hesitated before speaking. “i mean… it’s up to you. but i’ll say this—he’s not the same person who left all those years ago. he looks different, talks different. maybe this is his way of trying to make things right. i don’t know.”

“gigi it’s been 7 years. who actually chooses to disappear and reappear after 7 years?” you sigh taking a sip from your hard worked iced apple tea. 

“apparently sim jake that’s who. i heard he’s a doctor doing his residency and the hospital nearby. yunjin texted me saying theres a new cutie who transferred into her team,” she hummed pulling up her phone showing a screenshot of jake’s instagram. 

“go figure, of course he’s finishing out his dream of being a doctor,” you absentmindedly mumble as you look through his instagram feed from giselle’s phone. and if there’s one thing to take away when looking at it, is that he’s been having one hell of a lot of fun in the years where he never reached out to you.

you stared at his instagram feed, feeling an odd mix of frustration and sadness. his life had clearly moved on in the way he always wanted, but it was like he’d completely forgotten about the part of him that once belonged to you.

you leaned back against the counter, not knowing how to respond. you felt like you had to answer jake's message. you weren’t the same person who would’ve waited around years ago, but still, that old familiarity tugged at you. "i guess i’ll meet him, but definitely not today," you said quietly, more as an attempt to make sense of things than a decision to rekindle anything.

“i close at 7, don’t wait on me”

throughout the day, meeting back up with jake was all that lingered on your mind. meeting up with him after all this time is crazy. it’s been 7 years of him barely contacting you and all of a sudden he wants back in?

after you had closed up shop, you began getting ready for the new day ahead, whipping up the batter for a new set of fresh cakes, preparing fillings, and testing out new drinks recipes.

by the time you finished preparing everything for tomorrow’s orders, the sky outside had grown darker, and you were about to head home for the night. you locked up the bakery and stepped outside into the crisp night air, breathing it in like it might clear your mind.

as you turned the corner, your heart skipped a beat. there, just a few steps away from the entrance, was jake. sitting on the cold concrete outside your bakery. but what struck you most was that he wasn’t just sitting—he was asleep, hunched over with his head resting on his knees, his body curled up against the chill of the night.

your steps faltered, your breath catching in your throat. you didn’t know what to think. part of you felt an irrational rush of concern, but another part of you wanted to shake him awake and ask what the hell he thought he was doing.

you walked closer, your feet moving on their own. when you stopped just a foot away from him, you let out a soft breath, too startled to speak.

jake stirred slightly, his head lifting for a moment before he blinked up at you, eyes half-lidded with sleep.

"jake? what the hell are you doing out here in the cold?" you asked, your voice coming out more accusatory than anything. you hadn’t expected to see him like this. you hadn’t expected anything from him, really.

he yawned sleepily, “i thought you said you closed at 7?” 

“yeah and then i have to prepare stuff for the next day, i told you not to wait for me,” you said sternly, though at this point it was pure concern that he had been out in the cold with a box of food beside him.

“oh, well i’m here now,” he smiled, with sleep in his eyes, just grateful to be seeing you.

“come inside,” you finally said, voice quieter. “it’s freezing out here.”

the two of you sat in silence at two of the chairs you pulled out. you could feel the tension in the air, thick and heavy, as you set the chairs down, motioning for jake to sit across from you.

“you really didn’t have to wait out there,” you said quietly, unable to keep the frustration from your voice. “i mean, it’s been so long, and you just show up like nothing happened?”

jake shifted in his seat, and he let out a long sigh. “i know,” he started, his voice heavy. “i didn’t think this through, okay? but i... i couldn’t leave without talking to you. i thought if i came here, if i just showed up, maybe i’d have a chance to explain. to make things right.”

“so what now?” you asked, your voice quieter than before, the sharp edge of anger softening a little. “you just expect me to open up and let you back in? like nothing ever happened? jake, i moved on and got a life, the one i always wanted back when we were in high school just this time it’s without you.”

jake shook his head quickly. “no. i don’t expect that at all. i don’t expect you to just forget everything and pretend like things are fine. but i want to try. i want to show you that i’m not the coward that ran away and prioritized my mom over you.”

you stared at him, torn between wanting to push him away and wanting to hear more. you hadn’t realized how much of your anger had been a shield to protect yourself from the hurt. the hurt of losing someone you thought you’d never have to lose.

“i don’t know what you want from me,” you muttered, your hands tightening around your cup of coffee. “you disappeared without a word for years, jake. that’s not something you just get to erase with some apology. i’m not sure i can just forgive you that easily.”

jake nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving yours. “i don’t want you to forgive me easily. i know it’s not that simple. but i’m here, and i want to prove to you that i’m not going anywhere this time.”

the silence stretched between you two, and for a long moment, neither of you spoke. you both just sat there, the past years of hurt and confusion hanging heavy in the air. but despite the weight of it all, there was something oddly comforting about having him here, even if just for a moment.

“you’re gonna have to earn the forgiveness back you know that right?”

jake looked down, nodding solemnly. "i know. i’m not asking for it to happen right away, or even for it to happen easily. i just... i want to show you that i can be someone you can trust again. that i'm here, for the long haul, this time."

you leaned back in your chair, crossing your arms as you observed him closely. "trust is earned, jake. not given just because you show up one night after disappearing for seven years. you can’t just expect things to go back to the way they were."

“i swear, i have my shit sorted, im back for good. im not gonna leave again. i swear.”

─── ♡

JAKE WAS SEEMINGLY MORE COMMITTED TO PROVING IT THAN EVER FOR SOME REASON. jake, the typically patient man, hell he went through years of schooling and is still in it to become a doctor, was on the edge of his seat. itching to find time to make it up to you.

jake knew he couldn’t rush this. he couldn’t just show up and expect everything to be okay, like the years of silence didn’t matter. he knew it mattered. and it wasn’t just about the hurt—he had spent the last seven years replaying the mistakes he’d made, wondering if he could’ve been better, if he could’ve done more. what gnawed at him the most was how much he had missed out on—how much he still felt for you.

he had always liked you. always. but back then, he was young, impulsive, and reckless. he had his dreams, his priorities. and at the time, he chose his mom’s expectations over the one person who had always been there for him—you. he realized now how selfish that was, how blind he’d been to the feelings he had for you, to the connection that had been right in front of him.

now, though, he wasn’t going to make that same mistake again. he was older, more aware of the weight of things. he wanted to do it the right way this time, take it slow, show you that he could be the person you needed, not just the person who had hurt you.

it was a rainy evening when jake showed up again. he had just finished a long shift at the hospital, his scrubs wrinkled, his eyes tired. he had been trying to sneak in an hour or two of sleep whenever he could, but it was always on the backburner. he didn’t care about sleep anymore. not when there was a chance to make things right.

he had something for you this time, something different.

"hey," he greeted, standing just outside the bakery as you worked behind the counter. "sorry I’m late... busy day."

you didn’t look up immediately, still focused on the dough in front of you. “it’s fine,” you said, your voice distracted but not cold. 

jake smiled to himself. the small talk was almost comforting. "actually, i have something for you," he said, stepping into the shop and placing a small bouquet of flowers with a torn out notebook page tied to it.

you eagerly untied the note to see what was inside, and as you unfolded the torn page, you felt a rush of nostalgia hit you. it was a told out page, the edges faded and crinkled yet the picture in the center an old drawing from when you first became friends, with text on the bottom reading ‘yn and jake bffs forever.’

you paused, your heart catching in your chest as your fingers traced the faded lines of the drawing. the memory of that day—of the two of you sitting in the corner of a school cafeteria, laughing and drawing together, sharing secrets and dreams for the future—came rushing back.

“you kept this?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper as you looked up at jake, trying to process it all.

he shifted uncomfortably, his eyes tired but soft. “yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “i guess I thought it was important. i didn't really know what to do with it... but i wanted to bring it to you. remind you of who we were before everything got complicated.”

"why now?" you asked softly, your gaze lifting to meet his. "after all this time?"

jake shifted again, his fingers tracing the seam of his scrub jacket. there was a quiet hesitation in his eyes, like he was choosing his words carefully, or maybe deciding how much of the truth he should let slip. “because it was always there. i’ve just... been too stubborn to see it until now.”

you didn’t know what to say to that. it wasn’t a full answer, but there was something in his tone—something more than regret—that made your chest tighten. a part of you wanted to call him out for waiting so long, but another part of you—one you hadn’t expected to resurface—was just glad he was here now.

as much as you wanted to be upset at him, yell at him, continue telling you off, you couldn’t find it in yourself to be upset any longer. at your core, all you wanted was the jake you had known forever, returned back to you.

you let the thought hang there, not quite sure what to do with it. instead, you reached for the bouquet he had brought, lifting it slightly as if to change the subject. "these are nice. thank you."

jake’s smile softened, and he shrugged, though there was a spark of something more in his eyes. "it's nothing. just... thought you'd like them."

you nodded, the conversation drifting into an easy, comfortable lull. but there was a change in the air now—something tentative, something that neither of you was fully ready to acknowledge yet. the space between you was different, as if a new kind of understanding had started to form, and neither of you was quite sure what it would look like in the end.

you glanced at him, and for a moment, you didn’t know whether to smile or look away, but you couldn’t help the soft pull of something—maybe hope, maybe curiosity—lingering in your chest.

─── ♡

IT ALMOST FELT NORMAL the way the two of you went back to being stuck at the hip. not in the way you had been before, when everything was simple and effortless, but in a new, tentative way. like you were both testing the waters, unsure of where the boundary lines were anymore, but unwilling to let go of the comfort that came with having each other around.

oftentimes jake would drive to visit during his lunch hours even if it meant for 5 minutes.

you found yourself, surprisingly, looking forward to his visits, even when they came after long, exhausting days. sometimes, you’d catch him just watching you while you worked, a look in his eyes you couldn’t quite decipher but didn’t mind. he didn’t rush to fill every pause with words. instead, he seemed content to sit beside you, a quiet presence.

and as much as you tried to avoid it, you couldn’t deny the way your chest seemed to tighten whenever he glanced at you that little bit longer, or how your thoughts would wander to him long after he left, even when you tried to focus on other things.

"you know," jake said one evening, his voice breaking through the comfortable silence, "i was thinking about that one cake design you drew when we were kids. the one with the little animals? you said you were going to make it someday. for your bakery."

you paused mid-icing a cake, your hands stilling at the memory. it had been a simple sketch—a tiny bear holding a cake on its back, with frosting and sprinkles that looked more like magic than reality. "yeah, I remember that," you replied, your voice soft. "I always thought it would be cute to make a little collection of those—cakes inspired by childhood drawings."

jake smiled, leaning back in his chair. "well, you’ve got one customer here. whenever you get around to it."

one afternoon, as you wiped your hands on your apron, you noticed jake standing by the counter, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. there was something different in the way he looked at you today. maybe it was the way his eyes lingered just a little longer or how he seemed more relaxed than usual, despite the chaos of his busy day.

"you're looking more tired than usual," you commented as he set his coffee down, wiping his hands on his pants. "when’s the last time you actually rested?"

he gave a tired chuckle. "a few days ago. but, you know, sleep doesn't exactly fit into a doctor's schedule."

you raised an eyebrow, crossing your arms. "maybe you should make it fit, for your own sanity."

jake shrugged, but his eyes softened. "yeah, yeah. I’ll get around to it. but honestly, I’d rather be here."

the words caught you off guard. you glanced up at him, trying to gauge whether he was being serious, or if it was just the exhaustion talking.

"here?" you asked, a little surprised. "you're a little crazy if you'd rather be here than... well, anywhere else. you're a doctor now, jake. you've got a lot on your plate."

he met your gaze steadily. "i know. and I'm not complaining about it. but being here, with you, even for a few minutes, makes it all a little easier."

"well, I appreciate the visit," you said, breaking the silence, the familiar comfort of your banter returning. "but I still think you need some sleep."

he laughed softly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "i'll sleep when I can. but for now, I'm good. besides," he paused, as if deciding whether to say the next part, iI'm just glad we’re talking again."

there was something in his voice—something unspoken but deeply felt—that made you pause. it wasn’t the usual playful tone jake had when he teased or joked around. it was more sincere, more serious. and for a second, the line between friendship and something else felt thinner, more fragile than ever.

you gave him a small smile, a little unsure of how to respond, but grateful for the quiet honesty between you. "me too," you said softly.

─── ♡

IT HAD BEEN A FEW DAYS SINCE YOU LAST SAW JAKE. he hadn’t visited as often, and every time you sent him a message to check in, he would always respond with a quick "busy at the hospital" or "swamped with work." you didn’t think much of it at first—he was, after all, a doctor, and you knew how demanding his job could be. but when his responses started getting shorter, and you noticed he didn’t show up during his lunch break like he normally did, something in your gut told you that something was wrong.

you hoped the same thing wouldn’t be happening once over again, praying that he didn’t just up and leave like he did before.

it wasn’t until your dad texted in the group chat that you pieced it together.

“siri text jake only, i’m coming over with soup jake.”

you stared at your phone, rereading the message a couple of times. something felt off. jake hadn’t mentioned anything about being sick, and you hadn’t heard from him in days—not even a quick visit during his lunch break like usual. a creeping sense of concern twisted in your stomach.

why didn’t he want to tell you that he was sick?

you rushed over to his apartment which you had only seen once after he moved in, hesitant to visit after everything had happened in the past.

you unlocked the door with the spare key he gave you, telling you to come visit whenever, even if he wasn’t home, and took a deep breath before swinging the door open.

“jake?” you called out, flicking the light on from the switch in the doorway.

from the living room, you heard a soft groan, and there he was, sprawled out on the couch, covered in blankets, looking like he hadn’t moved in hours. his face was pale, and there was a noticeable flush on his cheeks, evidence of the fever that had kept him away.

"you’re not supposed to be here," jake muttered, his voice hoarse, barely louder than a whisper. he tried to sit up but winced, his body clearly protesting the effort.

you couldn’t help but smile despite yourself, shaking your head as you made your way to the couch. "well, tough luck," you said, sitting next to him, brushing a few strands of hair from his forehead. "you’re stuck with me now."

his eyes softened, and he let out a quiet chuckle, though it quickly turned into a cough.

"you’re such a pain," you teased gently, settling under the blankets next to him, your shoulder brushing his.

jake glanced over at you, the edges of his lips twitching as he let out a slow breath. "i didn’t want you to see me like this," he confessed, his voice quieter now. "didn’t want you to think i was weak."

you smiled softly, leaning your head against his shoulder. "i’m not going anywhere, jake," you whispered.

“sorry i didn’t tell you im sick,” he mumbled, his voice low and tired. "i didn’t want you to worry, and i thought it’d pass. but guess i was just avoiding all the things i should’ve said."

you frowned slightly, shifting so you could look up at him more clearly. "jake, you don’t have to hide things from me, especially not something like this. you’re not alone. not anymore."

his eyes met yours, and in that moment, there was a quiet understanding between the two of you. the kind of understanding that came from years of friendship, of shared silence and unspoken words.

"i know," he said softly, squeezing your hand, the warmth of his touch grounding you. "i’m just… i’m still figuring things out, you know? everything’s different now, and i’m scared of messing it up again. scared of losing you, yn."

you tilted your head, considering his words for a moment. "you’re not going to lose me," you replied, your voice gentle but firm. "so no more running anymore okay? not because of your mom or being sick or whatever okay?"

he nodded, swallowing hard, his eyes never leaving yours. "i’m not going anywhere this time," he promised, his voice a little stronger now, though still hoarse. "i’m staying right here with you, through all of it."

there was a moment of quiet, where all the noise of the world outside seemed to fade into nothing. just the two of you, tangled up in blankets, close enough to feel each other’s heartbeats.

you smiled softly, a warmth spreading in your chest. "promise?"

“i promise i’m yours, forever,”

─── ♡

TO SAY YOUR DAD WAS SHOCKED WHEN HE WALKED IN holding a container of his soup in a takeout bag to see the two of you cuddled up on the couch was an understatement.

you both heard the door open, and jake immediately tensed, his eyes darting toward the hallway where your dad stood, frozen in the doorway.

"uh…" your dad started, blinking rapidly, clearly unsure of what to make of the situation. "this is… a surprise."

you quickly sat up, pushing the blanket off you as you tried to keep things from getting too awkward. "dad, it’s not what you think—"

"no need to explain," your dad interrupted, raising a hand in mock surrender, his face breaking into a grin. "i just brought some soup. figured i’d drop it off since jake's feeling under the weather."

"you’re not mad?" you asked, the words slipping out before you could stop them.

your dad chuckled softly, walking over to the coffee table and setting the soup down. "mad? no, i’m not mad. just surprised, that’s all." he shot a glance at jake, who was sitting up straighter, looking mildly embarrassed. "honestly, i’m just glad to see you two working things out."

you gave your dad a wide-eyed look. "working things out?"

he shrugged, unbothered. "it’s been obvious for a while, you know. you two have always been like this, just needed to figure it out on your own." he smiled and shut the door behind him allowing the two of you your space.

over the next weeks things between you and jake felt effortless again, but in the best way. it was like a quiet understanding settled between you two—like you had both stepped back into your rhythm, only this time, there was something more to it.

it was a saturday morning when he showed up at your cafe, a little earlier than usual, with a grin plastered across his face.

"morning, pretty girl," he said as he leaned against the counter, eyes soft and playful as he watched you work.

you rolled your eyes at the nickname, but your lips curled into a smile anyway. "you’re here early. don’t tell me you’re getting sick again."

"nah," jake replied, shaking his head as he leaned in closer stealing a quick kiss from you across the counter. "just wanted to see my angel before the day gets crazy. plus, i thought you could benefit from seeing me,” he smirked with confidence.

it was a simple moment, one that felt like it belonged to the two of you alone. the noise of the cafe around you seemed to fade, leaving only the warmth of the moment, the quiet understanding between you two that you had found something real and lasting.

as the day went on, the customers came and went, but you and jake were content just to be near each other. every glance, every word, every touch was a reminder of how far you had come—together, at your own pace, but now, with no hesitation in sight.

every second with him was a lingering reminder that he was yours, forever.

@ coqhee 2025. all rights reserved.

[shanastoryteller]

Hi Shana!

Do you watch any Korean dramas? You pulled me into several fandoms so I generally trust your taste in TV.

I've been trying to learn Korean, but Duolingo only has like four voices and I'm at the point where it's been recommended that I start watching kdramas.

I'm not far along enough to understand anything they'll be saying, but subtitle translation exists and it would be nice to get used to the sound of the language spoken by actual speakers.

I don't trust my own ability to find a kdrama I'd like, on account of every TV show I've gone hmm I wonder if I'll like that? I've hated.

Do you have any recommendations?

i love kdramas!

my favorite is absolutely hands down mr. queen. that show was made in a lab for meeee. gender fuckery, politics, identity porn my beloved. really fantastically written women. just wonderful

goblin was the first kdrama that really pulled me in. really wonderful fantastic characters who all have such great chemistry with one another. really hilarious when it's not breaking your heart. also once again identity porn my beloved

crash landing into you is very good but you've gotta just. disassociate from the north korea of it all. and accept that the north korea of it all makes it so stunningly unrealistic, even for a kdrama (in my personal opinion). but the main couple has incredible chemistry and the support cast is hilarious

hotel del luna is also a fave but it's pushed forward almost entirely by the amazing presence and acting of chemistry of IU alone. not that the rest of the cast isn't good and interesting, it's just that she's such a standout and really what makes it worth watching. i love a complicated woman

under the queen's umbrella is famously historically inaccurate (the whole premise of the plot makes no sense and would never happen) but it's really sweet, well acted, and! had such a wonderful and compassionate depiction of a trans woman struggling to be herself in old timey korea, which was pleasant surprise

kingom is a very good, well plotted zombie show. phenomenal acting, great story, but not enough in the way of interpersonal relationships in my personal opinion

business proposal is a classic, cute take on a trope done a million times but done very well. great chemistry, so cute, probably the one out of all my recs that's really just cute fluff. the side couple is also really cute with great chemistry, enough that you're rooting for them just as much as the main, which rarely happens. also, again, identity porn my beloved

[absolutebl]

10 BLs That Shook Me

@trribledelight asked for "BLs that made you think or learn smthg or shook you culturally? Eg the political considerations in Not Me..."

Let's get the rough ones out of the way first, shall we?

1 2gether

Green. One of the most egregious reps for punching down humor against femmes in BL (and there sure are a lot out there). Seriously GMMTV? Must you?

At the time we all watched this because there wasn't anything else to watch, and it's been a long time since I bothered with a rewatch, but Green is one of the reasons I just can't with this series.

I'm not knocking the actor, but the character and how the other characters behave around him, and the director with regard to this aspect of the plot and portrayal was rough going.

What shook me was how casually homophobic 2g was. It was just so odd to watch a gay romance gloss over and degrade queerness. I was like, wait, aren't they supposed to me on our side?

(Ah, the before times.)

2 Fish Upon the Sky

Shall we address the head wrap in the room? This BL has some of the most shockingly racist content I've seen in a long time. Also punching down humor. I fast forwarded through it and I still don't want to think about it. GMMTV should be throughly ashamed of themselves... Again. I was shook, but in a bad way.

Okay, now for the ones that shook me in a good way.

3 Until We Meet Again

I watched this early in my Thai BL journey (while it was airing) and I had no idea what to expect. Frankly, you could watch it now and still not know. It's just very unusual for a Thai BL.

The plot twist about how they each ended up reborn. Just so brilliant. I still can't get over it. So simple. SO CLEVER. So punishing for the families.

Fantastic!

4 Secret Crush On You

This one kinda shook me all along but that Daisy & Touch scene. It lives on in my head rent free forever. Just because it was so beautifully sweet and genuine and kindly towards a femme character.

I still don't like this BL.

But I love that scene in it.

5 My Beautiful Man

I went on a JOURNEY with this show. Mostly because I didn't think Japan had it in them to land something this complex. But they managed it beautifully by not shying away from the delicious messy ugliness of it all.

Possibly the greatest final episode in all BL.

And from Japan. Usually so bad at endings.

I remain gobsmacked.

6 Unknown

I shouldn't have been shooketh by this one but I really was.

The style of it while staying so down home and gritty.

How old school Chinese BL it felt yet it still managed to be very modern BL about it.

The execution and quality of the acting.

How it was aired (available in YouTube?! we NEVER get that from Taiwan!)

Also the pair branding. We haven't gotten this level of pair brand from the leads in a Taiwanese BL since SamYu.

I'm was absolutely riveted by everything about this show and its production.

I loved seeing it. I hope we get more BLs like this from Taiwan as a result.

But I ALSO hope they realize that a big factor in the popularity and the success of this show was in distribution.

It's what's for dinner.

Along with the stepbrother trope.

KOREA'S SUPRISES

I watch a lot of Kdramas as well as BL, and have done for a really long time. I'm riveted by Hallyu, from an entertainment industry perspective (what I wouldn't do to get my hands on some of their proprietary data). I also listen to a ton of Kpop.

Therefore, Korea dominates the P'ABL gets shooketh list because I had (and have) more expectations firmly in place around Korea's media product sfyle than anyone elses. Even before they started to make a big play into the BL scene.

My favorite BLs from Korea, like Semantic Error and Light on Me are EXACTLY what I expect from them, manufactured perfection. But I was also shook more times by Korea than other BL nations because I had such rigid expectations.

7 Color Rush

Yeah yeah. But it starred an idol. It started out pretty and stiff and everything I was expecting and then the concept hit me up side the head and I never recovered from the CLEVER of this show. I'm not used to my Kdramas or my BL being this high concept and SMART about their sanitized perfection.

8 Blueming

What with the 8th Sense and others since, Blueming seems to have been somewhat forgotten about. But at the time, I was shook by the down home grit of this show. By the actual pain from the characters. By the higher heat concept. By Korea actually going THERE.

And then these babies came along...

9 The 8th Sense

I just didn't think Korea had it in them. Yes, I realize now that it was a bit navel gazey, and we were weighted heavily towards the seme and his pain. I would have liked a better balance between the leads, but that's in retrospect.

At the time I couldn't believe it. A KBL dealing with mental health?

And can we talk about those sex scenes? How insanely comfortable the actors were with each other? How easy in each other's personal space? I've not seen anything else quite like that from Korea. It's super rare. I had assumed they, culturally, just didn't do casual intimacy, or if they did, it wasn't allowed on screen.

Of course now I know the CAN do it, I want more.

10 Love for Love's Sake

Okay, lots to unpack with this one. A genuine isakai BL, in the original sense of the term. The death twist didn't shake me up, but the execution, acting, open gayness, and a couple other things did. Enough to make me still think on this show with fond surprise and affection, despite its undercurrent of darkness.

I like to be shooketh.

(source)

[not-goldy]

Do you think Jikook's bond (whatever it is) is a goldmine to HYBE and they are trying to profit off it?

Thanks for such an intelligent question, having had one such mentally stimulating ask in a while.

Is Hybe overtly exploiting the chemistry that BTS has and that each pair has within the band, absolutely. I mean that bit should be so easy to wrap your head around.

Romance, bromance is one of the top selling genres of all time. The idea of BTS having a super strong fated bond between them is so commercially viable literal movies and songs have been written about them. 7 dates, bullet proof, and their recent Kdrama series etc to be exact.

And ships sell. I've said this since day one. The commercial viability of ships is just an offshoot of the commercial viability of bands as discussed above.

So yes, within that context, Hybe definitely would gravitate towards the two members with the most chemistry, who also happen to be two of the most liked members of the group, two of the most popular members and the most influential members of the group.

You don't go to war with your weakest soldiers.

Jikook is a very strong ship. We all know that.

They've had the most running in the group with some of the ships rising and falling over the years in terms of chemistry and popularity.

There's a lot to do with a pair like that. Reality shows, travel shows, documentaries, memoirs, tell all, cooking shows.

I watch a lot of reality TV and it's not hard to see how Jikook would fit right into that realm.

If BTS was love Island 🏝 Jikook would get their own spinoff after the season ended.

Fans love them, they get the most votes, the camera adores them and producers have so much they wanna do with them.

Am I making sense???

Going off with the Love Island analogy, just because Jikook are fan favorite, and the crew likes to follow them every where with a camera, and they are getting a spin off show of just the two of them don't necessarily mean their bond is fake that they are only existing for fan service or that the company is exploiting them.

There's just so much to do with them. They are fun entertaining adorable and a pleasure to work with.

So to answer your question I'll say yes and no.

Yes, they definitely a Goldmine for hybe in as far as content production goes.

No because they get to kill two birds with one stone. They can make money off of them, but also they create a safe space for Jikook to have that longevity to explore and nurture their relationship. They love being together. They love doing what they do. Hybe simply allows them to live their dreams and relationship much longer.

I've always said, if any queer pair in kpop were real you'd find them in a ship because ships would be their perfect cover for it. And we've seen jikook use this card very often to get out of trouble. Everything they do would be chalked down to fan service no matter how egregious they were. It can be invalidating and frustrating but In a way, it's also safe for them that way.

If I got paid to cozy up to my girlfriend, travel the world with her, eat as much as we can, hike, experience all and any culture- yall could call us anything you want I'm taking that offer🤣🤣🤣🤣

But we gotta give credit where credit is due because to me it's Jungkook that lay the foundation for all of this to be possible when he put of his first GCF with Jimin and later Jimin lay on top of him on a couch talking bout how they ought to do it again and how he would even model for him if filming is what he wanted to do.

I think they gave Hybe the idea of what it can do with them.

You can tell these things are things they both naturally want to do and have already done. During Run, they come up with a team name, they work well together, during rehearsals they stay behind and work on their routines tweaking it a bit, they come up with cooking shows to do, stay up all night doing nothing.

They are by themselves very creative and adventurous.

So like I said, I don't think this is hybe mining them but more so amplifying and giving them the production value to do what they already have been doing which they love, fans love and the company loves.

I'm sure if any other pair had this same organic pull towards eachother and wanted to be around eachother all the time too hybe would be just as curious and invested in them but as it turns out there isn't.

We are not stupid, we see them. And we see how some members act like they can't wait to get out of set when others keep it going even after they yell cut.

We see them all.

[samoankpoper21]

JJK Men Proposing 💍

A/N: Bonus points to whoever gets the kdrama reference in Suguru's proposal aslkf;saj Enjoy~!!

Content Warnings: mid smut, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!, some cursing

Kento Nanami:

"Love?"

"Yes?"

"Let's take a trip this weekend"

"Ooh ok. What did you have in mind?"

"Malaysia." Your typing coming to a pause you peered at him from above your glasses. "Malaysia? That's so random babe. Why there?"

"I've always wanted to go." Taking one last glance at him you noticed his restlessness. 3 years being together you've learned to read Kento Nanami; his face may be stoic, expressionless to others, but you picked up on the way he gulped, his fingers clenching and unclenching. Choosing to ignore his restlessness, knowing in due time he'll eventually come around to letting you in to his inner monologue, you warmly smiled stretching your pudgy, stout arms above your head. "Sure Ken, let's do that. We both could use a break."

The plane ride there you noticed his restlessness increase. "Ken?" you wrapped your smaller hand over his much too large hand. "What's wrong babe? You've been restless since we got on the plane."

"I'll be fine."

"You sure?" Leaning forward to kiss your forehead he hummed a "Mhmm."

He grabbed both of your bags escorting you to the rental area. Driving to the hotel resort he placed his hand on top of your left hand giving it a squeeze. "What part of Malaysia are we staying at?"

"Kuantan."

"Ooh ok. Sounds cool. Wait...you didn't bring me all the way out here to kill me right?" Staring at you in his peripheral he chuckled shaking his head. "You watch too many 'true crime' documentaries."

"But it's true babe! Most serial killers upon their first kill get anxious and after they've killed their victim it's like a high to them." Pressing a kiss to your hand he chuckled again. "You need to go back to watching Korean dramas or anime or something," Squeezing your interwoven fingers he suggests, "Take a nap love. It's going to take almost 4 hours to get there."

"No, no I'm ok! Really!"

15 minutes later Nanami glanced your way chuckling at your head nodding, trying to fight sleep. "Sleep love."

"You sure babe? I don't want you to be up alone."

"I'll be fine."

"Mmkay. Just know I tried." He chuckled as you stifled a yawn, kissing his hand before leaning your chair back to rest.

After having checked into the resort, Kento had planned a spa day for the both of you where you both enjoyed full body massages, clay mask treatment, and the jet bath to yourselves. "Ngh! Ken," you shuddered, the water sloshing over the sides as he gripped your full hips guiding you up and down his throbbing length, his half lidded eyes going back and forth between your fucked out expression, full breasts, and pudgy tummy. "What if -ngh- w-we get caught?"

"Shh," Nanami shuddered as your gummy walls involuntary tightened around his cock. "Seems like you don't mind us getting caught pretty girl." Biting your lip trying to suppress your moans as Nanami's cock hit that sweet spot you groaned, your eyes rolling to the back of your head. "F-fuck Nanami, yes, yes, right there love." Nanami rolled his hips against yours hitting that sweet spot. Biting down on his shoulder you came your legs twitching as Nanami kept thrusting up into you. "Fuck," he growled, he too biting on your neck as he released his hot, sticky seed into you.

After dinner walking in hand in hand on the beach you stopped just short of where the waves could reach you, marveling at the sunset. The sky was painted in pretty hues of pink, orange, and purple. Closing your eyes inhaling the scent of the sea, reveling in the moment, the moment was briefly shattered with whizzes and whistles of fireworks. Looking up into the sky you gasped. "Nami, look! They're hearts!" turning to search for him you gasped upon seeing your boyfriend on one knee, small, red velvet box in hand. "Y/N, Kuantan has a special meaning to me. This is where I want to settle, build a home. I can't imagine building a home, my future, without you in it. Will you continue to build with me towards our future? Together?"

"Yes!" you shrieked, tackling him in the sand laughing. "Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times yes!"

Toji Fushiguro:

"Fuuuuck daddyyy 's too much." Toji had already made you cum three times, the first and third being from his tongue, the second from his fingers. You found yourself with your ass up, a mean arch in your back as Toji pounded into you. He loved fucking you from the back: watching the way your ass rippled every time his hips slammed against it, the way his balls swung hitting your folds and clit, your wide hips that he currently had a tight grip of, the stretch marks that adorned your thighs and belly, how loudly you were moaning at him hitting your g-spot, and how you always took him so well. With the way Toji was slamming his hips into your sopping cunt you felt yourself slowly slipping off the bed. Clawing your way attempting to move forward Toji slapped your ass, gripping the reddened flesh. "Stop running." Moaning you plead. "I-I'm gonna fall daddy."

"Then fall. As long as you stop running from this dick." He groaned as your tight walls clenched around him. "Fuck you're such a good slut fa' me. Getting turned on just 'cause I'm tellin' ya tah stop runnin'. Fuck momma bounce that ass back." Keeping your arch Toji stilled his thrusts watching the white ring around his cock slip in and out of your fat, juicy pussy, a slow steady plap plap plap sound filling the room, Toji grabbing a handful of your generous ass. He stilled you leaning over, his chest against your back, reaching into the drawer. Shuddering you knew he brought out the vibrator he graciously named 'Clittie'. "Gimme your left hand." Pushing yourself to balance on your right forearm you offered your left hand where he slipped a ring on. "T-Toji?"

"What? You gonna be with me or what?" Peering behind you locked eyes with him causing him to groan at your blissed out face mixed with light and love. "Your timing is so off." you chuckled. Grabbing your hips he slammed into you once again stating, "Fuck momma looks like you're stuck with me now. Whad'ya say huh?"

"Yes, yes, yes daddy! I'm all yours. Fuck I'm all yours daddy!"

"Good girl."

Choso:

He must be exhausted was your initial reaction upon meeting him at the dog shelter. Your manager tasked you with training the new, quiet hire, his baritone voice making your pussy clench. After working together you came to realize that (1) ain't nothing wrong with his eyes, (2) you grew fond of his sleepy eyes, finding them alluring, sexy even and (3) he reminded you of a big -lost- puppy. He would follow behind you closely, the heat from his body emanating, as you explained the tools and showed him the dogs.

Working together allowed you to build the rapport needed, learning and falling for the ins and out of Choso Kamo. Closing together one night the power went out, PG&E updating you both that it would take at least 3 hours before the power came back on. You found him in the play pen, all the dogs and puppies sleeping peacefully around him. Attempting to discreetly take his picture you cursed when the shutter sound went off, his eyes snapping open. "Sorry," you sheepishly offer. "You just looked too cute surrounded by all the dogs sleeping peacefully."

"Delete that."

"Whaaat? Come on Cho it looks really good though." you tease. Surprising you with his speed you found him in front of you smirking holding your phone above his tall frame. Jumping trying to reach your phone you whine. "Not fair dude. You're like 6 feet."

"Grow some inches then."

"Or you could put some in me."

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

Attempting to cover your moans Choso bit your plush inner thighs, his tongue following shortly after. You looked to the sleeping dogs figures. "Ch-Cho," he swirled his tongue around your entrance, moving his way towards your clit. "Y-you think the dogs will mind?" Chuckling darkly he asked, "Now you're worried about the dogs? Where was all that cockiness from earlier?" Sucking your clit a moan ripped from your chest. "Choso please."

"What do you need baby girl?" he asked, spitting on your clit, watching it trail towards your clenching entrance. "Fuck me daddy."

A year later not much has changed except the constant fucking you and Choso did. Whenever Choso was in the mood your panties were pulled to the side as he stretched you out on his fat cock, his hot breath fanning your ear.

It was another closing shift but the rest of the team were there. You found it weird that everyone was still here considering it was only supposed to be you and Choso. "Y/N," your manager called out to you. "I need help in the play pen."

"Sure." Making your way to the play pen you were greeted by hordes of fur, giggling at the yapping, some of them jumping up to greet you. You noticed your manager and 2 of your coworkers sitting there giddy with anticipation. "What did you need help with boss?" She let a black chow chow puppy named Bo run to you, picking Bo up you noticed a red velvet box tied to its neck. Untying the red satin ribbon, opening the box you gasp recognizing his writing. "Will you marry me?"

"Turn around dummy." his baritone voice rang out. Quickly turning you found your boyfriend on one knee blushing furiously. "Aside from animals you were the first person to see me as a person. You make me feel welcome, warm, and loved. You have been like a light to my world and I can't see myself doing this life thing without you. Will you marry me Y/N?"

"Oh my god yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

"Are we almost there babe?" you huff out.

"Yup."

"That's what you said an hour ago."

"You're so dramatic." He chuckled.

"Babe you literally woke me up at the ass crack of dawn."

"I thought you liked how I woke you up." Your cheeks burning at the memory of Satoru and you cuddling when in your sleepy daze you felt him lifting your leg up thrusting into you, groaning at how wet you were for him. "Morning love," his morning voice sending shivers down your spine as one of his hands found purchase on your breast, the other on your plush hip as his hips rut into you sharply. Catching up to him you lightly smack him. "That's beside the point."

"Oh look you caught up." Holding his hand out to you you deeply inhaled the cold morning air, your lungs expanding. "You could see all the stars from up here." he gently observed. "Babe look! It's Orion's belt! Oh and the big dipper too!" Gently smiling your eyes continue scanning the starlit sky in search of familiar constellations. "Look down hunn'."

"Huh?" Peering down at the circular rooftop you exclaim. "Babe it's a heart!"

"What else do you see?"

"Ummm," you continue to scan the rooftops reading aloud. "W-I-L-L Y-O-U M-A-R-R-" gasping you turned to see him smiling widely. "First let me give you this." Handing you a certificate you saw that he had purchased a star near the edge of Orion's belt naming it after you. "Gojo," feeling your eyes tear up.

"I wanted to gift you the North Star but NASA said some bullshit 'bout how that star can never be bought. Y/N, I wanted to gift you the North Star because to me you shine the brightest, even on the days you don't feel like it. I have watched your light shine and transcend to others and I want to continue being part of that journey. Y/N, will you continue to be my north star while I continue being like the sun?"

"Only if you shine with me for thousands of years."

Geto Suguru:

"Love," Suguru called from your shared bathroom. "Babeeee." Standing in the doorway he watched as the blanket barely covered your naked sleeping form. You could sleep through anything. Light bulb going off in his head Suguru lay on his stomach, settling himself between your legs. Prying them open slowly he groaned at your glistening cunt. Pressing wet, open mouth kisses in your inner thighs he blew at your entrance watching you shiver. Teasing your already wet cunt he kissed around your opening. Laying his tongue flat, he parted your lips swirling his tongue around moaning at the taste of your essence, your musk scent mixed in with cocoa butter. Sucking, his mouth slowly moved up engulfing your clit giving it a tug. Moaning awake from your body heat you stir. "Babe?"

"Oh good! You're awake." He peeled his face away, your eyes growing dark at the sight of your arousal evident on his lips, chin,and nose. Trying to bring him closer he scooted away causing you to pout. "Sug?"

"Come on love. We have to go."

"But it's still dark out."

"I know but where I'm taking you you can only see this picture when the sun hits a 6."

"How you gonna leave me turned on?"

"I promise I'll make it up to you but we have to hurry. We only have 50 minutes and I don't want to get stuck in traffic." Groaning you reluctantly peeled yourself from the warmth of the bed throwing on jeans and a hoodie.

Quickly parking the car he grabbed your hand and ran with you towards the elevators of a merging company. Scanning your surroundings you were taken aback, a bit uncomfortable at how under dressed you felt. Getting off at the 17th floor he pulled you towards the staircase pulling you along the remaining 3 flights. Shouldering the door to the rooftop open you made it with 3 minutes to spare. Panting you ask, "Why didn't we just take the elevator all the way up?"

"For memory sake?"

"The fuck Sug." Quickly grabbing your hand he led you to the edge, heart hammering in his chest, he covered your eyes. 6AM hit, the rays of the sun slowly peeking over the city, it's warmth slowly seeping into your skin. Lowering his hands from your face he whispers, "Open your eyes love." Peeling your eyes you watch as the sun hit two billboards, turning them towards your direction; the first billboard reading, "Y/N let's continue making memories for eternity."; the second being, "Will you marry me?" Your hands clasping at your mouth you turn already crying. "Is that a yes?"

"Oh my god yes Sug! I love you! I love you so much!"

Ryomen Sukuna:

Sukuna's grip on your plump hips were sure to leave a bruise. He couldn't resist you especially since you were panting on his weeping cock, trying to fit all of him in. "You're a big girl I know you can do it."

"'s too big daddy."

"Oh?" Adjusting his hips he slammed into you causing your back to arch into him, your mouth agape in a silent 'O' shape. He chuckled licking, sucking, and biting at your neck making sure to leave a trail of hickies in his wake. Continuing with his rough pace you let out a garbled noise as you clung onto him, your head falling into his neck. "Come on pretty girl, can't do all the work myself." Peeling back to look at him, water decorating your lash line, he licked his lips shivering at the sight. He liked this sight of you, how pathetic you looked around his cock. Smirking and slowing his pace, his stroke still hitting deep he teased, "What? Dick got you dumb?" Surprising him, yourself included, you pushed against his chest laying him flat. Planting your feet on the bed, your fingers slowly trailing down the expanse of his chest, outlining his abs, you lift yourself a little more than half off of his deck and slam back down. "Fuck woman!"

"Who's the dumb one now?" You continue with that pace, Sukuna gritting his teeth. This was one of the many reasons he fell for you, you were the only one who was willing to challenge him to gain dominance, although he was always the victor. "Fuck baby just like that." he instructs with his eyes closed. The sound of your voluptuous ass smacking against his thick ,muscular thighs were making him go feral, wanting to empty his balls deep into your sweet cunt.

"Fuuuuck daddy your dick's so good."

"Yeah? You like getting fucked by this big dick?"

"Fuck yes! I wanna have your kids fuuuck."

"Let's get married first."

"Yes, yes, yes!" In the midst of your riding he procured a ring placing it on your finger. Gasping you squeal, "You were being for real?"

"Woman if you don't accept me-" leaning forward capturing his lips you say, "I'd be honored to be your wife Ryomen Sukuna."

[kanmom51]

Public service notice

Remember how I said I haven't blocked you just yet @chaotickoalacat ?

Well, got your reply ask, and let me tell you this:

I'm really tempted to do it right now.

I am not going to answer this ask, more so because I know how you will be literally crucified in the comments not only for the utter nonsense you are spewing but the way you are doing so.

I will address a couple of things you are saying though. Because seriously dude, I'm in utter shock as to how you are actually able to come up with this stuff.

You believe MHJ? Really?

You tell me that because she created NJ then her saying that Illit are copying her then that's it? It must be true? She also said that BTS copied her concepts in the past, that true too? You are aware of the fact that she is all about the visuals and has nothing to do with the music part of things, right? Just checking.

And in the same breath you are also full on acknowledging that she was the one behind the BTS leaks, including the damaging leak of JM's private info.

So, let me get this straight, you have no issue in believing a person that is untrustworthy and moved to hurt your fave, as long as it suits your current agenda? Seriously? I kind of think that once untrustworthy always untrustworthy. Or in your world is it once untrustworthy sometimes trust worthy as long as what's coming out of their mouth is what I want to hear?

Btw, you most definitley showed your true colours with the whole "JK's fling" idiocy. Prey tell me what does it say about JM, or more so, what does it say about what you think about JM if he sticks by JK's side while JK, in your warped mind, is an untrustworthy copy cat cheater? You must think so highly of JM for sticking by JK's side when JK treats him like shit (according to your warped views).

And let me make my views clear as day here. JK did not copy JM nor is JK an asshole cheater that can't keep his dick to himself. Balloon busted for you, I guess.

And yes, we are both BTS fans (or are we? cause you seem to be a solo stan and not a fan of BTS the band and all it's members), but clearly you lack the basic emotional intelligence that someone who is mature enough and with some life and long term relationship experience has. Either you are very young and inexperienced or for some reason lack that healthy relationship experience. Because thinking so low of JK and yet believing at the same time that JM would stick around someone like that, yeah, there is something lacking in your life experience. Maybe no experience, maybe bad experience, maybe too much Kdrama watching experience. Whichever it is, please, do not try and compare us.

There is NO comparison.

You say that you don't view JM as a damsel in distress, that he is a strong person, stronger than JK seeing how well he did in the army. Let me start by saying what a load of bull (not the him being strong part, but the part where you claim you aren't out to 'save' him). He's strong when it suits you, which is when you want to prove he's better than JK and/or the others (I'll get into how disgusting and disrespectful that comparison you are making is in a second). But at the same time he, supposedly in your fantasy world, allows JK and the company to step all over him, to copy his ideas and creativity and to scorn him and mess around with others, and continues to play along with their game, of showing up for JK, going on trips with him, enlisting with him even after he's supposedly, again, been mistreated, disrespected, cheated on. I would kind of suggest that you make up your mind which is it?

As for this constant comparison with the others when it comes to their army service, I've been vocal about this in the past and I will say it again. It sickens me how disrespectful you are towards not only the other BTS members, each and every one of them doing their utmost best within their army placement, but it's disrespectful towards every single other SK young man that is doing their compulsory military service. How easy it is sitting on your comfy chair in the safety of your own home or wherever it is you are sitting, which isn't an actual war zone, behind your screen and keyboard, grading these young men that have left their lives behind for 18 months to enlist into active duty in a military that is at war with another country. Please have more respect not only for every single one of the members (each serving at their utmost best within their assigned duties) but also for all the other young men that are doing just the same. JM is amazing, he's assigned duties are utilizing his high level of intelligence and mathematical abilities. Kudos to him for excelling at it. But why is it so hard for you to say that and at the same time say the same about each and every other member? Why is there this need not only to uplift one, but to do so at the expense of the other, diminishing what the other is doing? This whole attitude is just so childish and stupid. And you know what? Like I said, it's disrespectful not only to the other members and to every single other soldier, but also to JM, who doesn't need to bring down the others to show just how amazing he is.

This is it. Let me make this as clear as day that even if I end my sentences with a question mark, it's a rhetorical question and not an invitation for your response. I will not reply to any more asks you might throw my way. Obviously you are intrenched in your ideas and opinions, as warped and unhealthy as they may be.

Good luck trying to save JM from the one person he is showing us all that he wants to spend every second, every minute, every hour with.

And good luck with it all when Jikook Karma strikes, cause it's coming and it's coming strong, and when it does come well, all those that lack the respect to either JK or JM, those who are willfully closing their eyes and ears to what they have been showing and telling us for years now...

...the day is coming when it can no longer be ignored.

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

It's the start of the jql drought and I'm not doing well friends. March is gonna be a month of jbl rewatches for me.

QL - Currently Watching

🇹🇼 Exclusive Love [4/12] - Once again, I'm here for the sides. I can't help it, I love a pining bestie, and I got two here. I'm not really connecting to the mains for some reason. It seems to be a thing with me and Taiwan lately.

🇰🇷 FC Soldout [7/8] - This show is not great. But honestly, they are all so endearing. And I love that Gang Jae finally told him. That was a very nice moment. And of course we are watching a show with gay footballers so a kiss on the field was obligatory, but in the middle of the game? In front of everyone? Also, is there really only one more ep? I think we need more. Just keep changing some players every once in a while and we could have this show on forever.

🇹🇭 GelBoys [3/7] - Oh the teenage angst... They are too young to know better so I can empathize, but they are also so mean to each other. I loved the change in pov, although there were more similarities than they were differences. I said it before but I'm so grateful I didn't have to go through any of this in this technology era. It looks exhausting. Can't wait to see more of Baabin tomorrow.

🇹🇼 Impression of Youth [8/9] - I'm just not vibing with this one. The pacing is weird, it feels rushed at times, it feels disconnected, and I just don't find any the couples all that compelling. I'm just not feeling it.

🇹🇭 Ossan's Love Th [8/12] - It's bonkers, it's funny and it's cute. Since I haven't seen the original, I can only judge by what is there. And it's fun. I love EarthMix and they deliver the couple moments like few others. And Mix is as perfect as ever. But it's not without its issues. Which for the moment I'm choosing to ignore. Thor is so pretty.

🇹🇭 Perfect 10 Liners [18/24] - Faifa and Wine are one of the most interesting pairs I've seen in a while. It was funny to see a boy entering the bubble in real time. And Faifa. He's such a kinda soul, and trying so hard to keep it all in for the benefits of others. I'm liking this final arc so far.

🇹🇭 Reverse With Me [4/8] - I'm liking this one a lot. The leads are really good together, for now the fantasy element is solid, and the visuals are stunning. I hope this one can keep it up till the end.

🇰🇷 Secret Relationships [2/8] - I'm a sucker for the kdrama look. It's so minimal and clean and shiny. As usual, I have my doubts this kind of messy setup can be done well in 8 eps but I wanna believe. Seong Hyun is very endearing and I really hope Da On can fall for the nice guy. Waiting to see more before I can say anything else, but I hate a bunch of these people already.

🇹🇭 The Boy Next World [5/10] - It's really parallel worlds, uh? I think the funniest thing about this is how I was genuinely surprised by a 'twist' that was revealed in the first episode. I don't expect a lot from this show, so I'm gonna refrain from saying much about it until the end.

🇹🇭 Thame·Po [12/13] - Please please please, stick the landing. This episode felt like a bridge, to hopefully deliver a solid finale. I like the group went to Po. It feels very full circle moment. Now. Thame, come here! You need to pick up that phone. Please. He didn't read the letter before. He didn't know. You are wanted, you are loved. 😢

QL - Finished

🇯🇵 Call Me by No-Name - That was a pretty show I watched.

🇰🇷 Heart Stain - I feel like I missed something cause to me this was just incredibly banal. And time skip my beloathed. I just didn't feel anything.

🇨🇳 I'll Turn Back This Time - The world building was a mess. It was mostly whatever served the moment. It made no sense. And even the happy ending didn't really feel good.

🇹🇼 A Perfect Match - I can't believe I watched this.

🇹🇭 The Heart Killers - Joong was really great.

🇹🇭 Sangmin Dinneaw - Final thoughts here.

🇯🇵 When It Rains, It Pours - This could've been great, but what I'm left with is a show that wanted to tell a complex and layered story but didn't have the time to actually tell the whole story. So it told bits of a good story. There's a lot I could say but I'm don't really wanna dwell on it atm. It was a big disappointment.

QL - Dropped / On Hold Waiting to hear - 🇹🇭 Us | Waiting to binge - 🇹🇼 Eternal Butler

Non QL - Finished

🇰🇷 The Trauma Code | 🇯🇵 Tokimeki Bakudan | 🇰🇷 Study Group | 🇯🇵 Red Blue

Upcoming - March 02/03- 🇹🇭 Last Meal Universe MDL | Trailer 12/03 - 🇹🇭 My Golden Blood MDL | Trailer 12/03 - 🇹🇭 Lost in the Woods MDL 20/03- 🇹🇭 Top Form MDL | Trailer 28/03- 🇹🇭 Heesu in Class 2 MDL

Well, that's it for now. Happy carnival to all who celebrate, and to the rest, have a wonderful weekend. My ask box is always open. Also if anyone reads this and makes edits of any of the shows I'm watching please use my tag #rosytracks. Thanks💜

[kpopscatterbrain]

Kdramas i've watched this year

Some of these are older dramas but i'm a procrastinator

Black Knight (2023): Loved this one! I have watched it probably 5 times now. Kim Woobin kicking ass is all i need!

Under the Queen's Umbrella (2022): I didn't watch this when it aired (no idea why). I was worried that the plot would be overrun by romance but thankfully i was wrong. Loved Kim Hye-Soo's performance (i cried a little).

Island seasons 1 & 2 (2022-2023): Honestly i only started this one for Kim Nam-Gil. I loved the cast, but the flow of the plot was a little off (don't know how, i can't put a finger on it). Was positively suprised by Cha Eun-Woo's acting, i think he needs more roles like this! Hot villain alert no.1! Sung Joon as a bad guy is either a blessing or a curse. Cgi could have been better.

Taxi Driver season 2 (2023): Loved the first season so of course i had to watch the second one. Love Lee Je-Hoon. Love the main characters. Love the plot and the message of this drama. A masterpiece. Waiting for season 3.

Weak Hero Class 1 (2022): Only heard of this drama wayyy after it aired (thanks tiktok) and god does it deserve every award there is! I was a bit hesitant because Park Ji-Hoon was the main lead, but boy was i wrong because his talent got me speechless (weren't we all). I cried, i cheered, i shadowboxed, i cried a little more and in the end i called my therapist. Thankfully season 2 is coming.

Bloodhounds (2023): Woo Do-whan and Lee Sang-Yi in the same drama beating people up? Yes please! The plot wasn't mindblowing, but sometimes just simple ass kicking is enough. Bromance was bromancing. Park Sung-Woong with another great villain character.

Revenant (2023): After dropping Mr.Sunshine i wanted to see Kim Tae-ri in other dramas, so when this aired i gave it a go. Her range is phenomenal! I have only seen couple spookier dramas, so i made a mistake and watched this at night (slept with the lights on). The eerie vibes and plot twists were well made. Hong Kyung had great chemistry with Kim Tae-ri and his cop role was refreshing to see after his performance in Weak Hero Class (if you know you know).

Flower of Evil (2020): Okay, this is one of the dramas i procrastinated hard on. It's been sitting on my "have to watch" list since it aired and i'm the only one to blame (i hype up a drama in my mind, then don't want to watch it because now i'm afraid it doesn't go the way i think it does and then i get disappointed blaablaablaa). This year i finally got over myself and why. didn't. i. watch. it. sooner!!!! It is all i ever wanted in a kdrama. 1. serial killers 2. a psychopath (but is he really?) w/ an effed up childhood 3. mindgames 4. marriage problems (but has a lot of soft & cute scenes) 5. Lee Joon-Gi. Also as a plus (hot villain alert no.2) the bad guy is kindaa (i'm sane i swear). I would be lying if i didn't say that i found the wife slightly annoying (might be me, but she went too much back & forth and sometimes i had to take a breather while watching), but all in all this drama will be hard to top and i fell in love with Lee Joon-Gi.

Moving (2023): Honestly one of the best dramas of the year. I don't usually really go for plots that have a lot of romance in them (if you haven't noticed), but i found this one to be really well balanced and the romance scenes weren't "cringy". Although Bong-Seok and Hui-Soo were great and had great chemistry, i looooved the background stories of the parents. Park Hee-Soon also pops up as kind of a non-villain villain. I hope there is a season 2.

Song of the Bandits (2023): Kim Nam-Gil again. 1920s Korea and gunslingers... what more could i need? After Mr. Sunshine left me with a disappointment (this might be an unpopular opinion) i craved for a drama set around the same time period, but with a little less romance (i know, i am defective). I think dramas should explore this time period more, but i understand it might still be a touchy subject. The skills of the cast were obviously great, Kim Nam-Gil killed his role like always, but Lee Ho-Jung as Eon-Nyeon shined with her performance (i am now a new fan). Hot villain alert no.3! I have seen Lee Hyun-Wook in Remarriage & Desires and seeing him as a villain made me feel things. If there isn't a second season i will cry.

The Killing Vote (2023): A "serial killer" in a dog mask making the public vote on punishing criminals and everyone suspects each other? Cyber crime? Chemistry between two cops? Major hot villain (no.4)? Sign me up. I love when crime dramas make you question your people reading skills (i have the tism so i really got none) and have all kinds of theories flying around. I liked that even Kim Mu-Chan and Joo Hyun had obvious chemistry between them it didn't overshadow the main point of the plot. I liked Seo Young-Joo's delivery and i hope he gets more bigger roles. Kim Kwon.... why does the psychopath have to be hot? He also needs more bigger roles. !spoiler! Also Park Sung-Woong killing (heh) yet another morally grey character.

The Worst of Evil (2023): Okay, first of all i have to say... the wife ruined everything (some agree and some don't). We get another bromance duo of the year with Wi Ha-Joon and Ji Chang-Wook. Loved the crime organization infiltration plot, heavily despised the romance plot (sorry Bibi baby). I was constantly on the edge of my seat and the characters started to get so morally grey that in the end everyone needs group therapy. Action scenes were chefs kiss. A honorable mention goes for Lee Shin-Ki as Seo Jong-Ryul (or Chief Seo, knife guy, the man has many names) and Bibi for her performance as Lee Hae-Ryeon.

Evilive (2023): Heavily underrated. Kim Young-Kwang doing what he does best, playing a psychopath. This combined with a bromance plot with the one and only bromance master Shin Ha-Kyun? I'm sold. The dramas literal title "villain story" really sums up the plot. Sometimes you are not sure who to cheer for. Sometimes you are not really sure about your own sanity. But to be fair, so aren't the main characters.

Vigilante (2023): Love it. Currently re-watching it. Needs more attention. Needs more episodes. I'm in love with Nam Joo-Hyuk. The best crime drama of the year, the title is all i needed to hear. Beating up criminals in well made action scenes is my favorite genre. No romance. One sided bromance? Morally grey characters (am i repeating myself now?). Yoon Ji-Tae as a beefy cop and Lee Joon-Hyuk as a slightly insane admirer? If we don't get a season 2 i will start a riot.

[oneuldoh]

This news surprised me last night.

Lee Changsub graduated after 80 episodes. Kai will be the new MC.

I've been watching Jeongwaja since it first aired back in November 2022. I happened to find this by chance too, when I was on my kdrama slump and had nothing to watch on Netflix. After the first season, I already knew this series will become big— but not to the point where classes were also held internationally, had its own merchandise and mascot, and made impact on universities and students’ life too. This is one of the most successful Youtube series out there.

It made me realize that there were lots of majors out there. Also made me want to study again.

This series got me into liking Changsub, and later on got me into listening and loving BTOB as well. I never thought an idol could be so funny and very idol-like.

I’m going to miss our og ex-convict 🥹 I always loved seeing him get surprise on how the staff introduce their PPLs, or do surprise interviews to students, or see him struggle in class and eventually get the hang of it. Thank you for your hard work, Lee Changsub! You’ve done very well. Thank you for making me laugh.

Welcome to Jeongwaja, our Kai! 🧸

I know you’ll do good! Have fun! Please know it’s okay to make mistakes or if you don’t know anything. That’s the charm of this series. Fighting!!!

Also, not the 팬티 안에 두 글자 개 caption for Kai 🤣