#Lee's family's restaurant is great

[ghostofhyuck]

NCT Dream proposing. 

AN: This is long because I got carried away. 

Mark Lee ; Composed a song for you.

I MEAN, what else will Mark do aside from composing a love song to his future wife??? He'll make sure that his song's message is clear that he's proposing to you and he wanted to have a future with you. He has the NCT members listen to the song, Mark gotta make sure that his message is there and although it is endearing, the members ARE TIRED, "Mark, it's great and cheesy, she will love it." they repeated numerous times. That's not enough, he'll drag them in his small scheme. He'll prepare a solo stage, rent a theater place where you thought you will be watching your favorite rom-com movie. But then Mark leaves suddenly when the movie is about to end. And then after the movie end, the lights turn off, and then the spotlight is on Mark, who's on the stage, holding a mic. He'll began singing it and you're just in daze there. Then the Dreamies will appear, giving you roses one by one, and Haechan guides you towards Mark. As soon as he finishes the song, he grabs the velvet box in his pocket and then proposes to you. Of course you said yes, almost teary-eyed, and the Dreamies will celebrate with you two!

Huang Renjun ; Over a vacation.

Renjun will prepare a three days and two nights out of the country trip with you. It's a once in a lifetime experience, and he made sure he'll choose the place that you've been wanting to go, he'll rent a hotel room from a luxurious resort and made the itinerary alone. He made sure that you don't have any worries aside from packing your stuff. When the vacation arrived, you two made the most out of it, like two lovebirds on their honeymoon. Renjun envisioned it and he feels giddy about proposing to you. Then on the last night of your stay, he'll bring you to an expensive restaurant, book a private room for the two of you. It was special, and you look gorgeous in your dress. At the end of the dinner, Renjun grabs your hands and he felt nervous, even stuttering through his words, and when he popped the question, you couldn't help but cry. Holding his hands endearingly and saying yes to him. When the two of you returned to Korea, both of you are wearing engagement rings. 

Lee Jeno ; Privately, just the two of you. 

Compared to the other members, I feel like Jeno's proposal to you is very simple. It'll be just the two of you, at your shared apartment. You just finished washing the dishes, and you two decided to stay at the kitchen, talking about the future. There's a few bottle of beers opened as you two talked about what you two envisioned about the future. It'll be in the most random moment, Jeno noticed you more than the usual, have you always been this beautiful? He would randomly brush his hands to your face, surprising you. In the moment of silence, Jeno asked if you want to get married, and you became quiet for a moment. "Right now?" you asked. "I mean, not right now, but maybe in a few months?" then Jeno proceeds to explain how you two have been live-in partners for years, so it felt natural to proceed to marriage. "Of course I would love to," you answered with glee. Wrapping your arms around him and giving him a kiss, in which he reciprocates.

Lee Donghyuck ; In front of your family.

Haechan's a family man, let's be real. He'll be the type who'll propose to you in front of your family. It'll be a small private dinner party. You were wondering why he decided to host a dinner party and Haechan lies to you, telling you that he just feels like hosting a dinner. So when the party arrives, his family and your family are there, since you and Haechan have been together for a long time, everyone's acquainted with each other. In the middle of the party, Haechan suddenly grabs everyone's attention, you thought that it'll be simple speech since he's the host but then he calls you and cluelessly you approached him, Haechan proceeds to thank you for being there for him, and all the cheesy words that he could say without stuttering. BUT THEN, he goes onto his knees, that's when you started to get nervous. Haechan grabs a velvet box from his slacks and then asked you, "Will you marry me?" and you were embarrassed for a moment because your family is there, but of course, you said yes to him. Everyone celebrated your engagement that night. 

Na Jaemin ; Extravagant dinner date.

Jaemin will be the type to drop hints that something will happen. He brought you a gorgeous dress, gave you money to pamper yourself, and even told you to clear your Sunday night for a dinner. At first, you thought that it's just a normal dinner at an expensive dinner since Jaemin has brought you to those kind of dinners numerous times, but you couldn't help but still feel nervous about it. When Jaemin picked you up, he gave you a huge bouquet of roses which made you smile. You kept asking him what's the occasion but your boyfriend only gave you a smile. As you two reached the place, you found out that he rented a rooftop restaurant for just the two of you. From the top, you can see the whole view of Seoul. It was wonderful and the food was even more delicious. At the end of the dinner, Jaemin brings you to the edge of the balcony, there he confesses to you once again, telling you how much he loves you and he wanted to be with you forever. He grabs the velvet box from his suit and as he opens the box, fireworks went on display. Overwhelmed with the feeling, you cried as you said yes to Jaemin. He puts the ring on you, and you two shared a heartfelt kiss. "Oh by the way, the fireworks was just a coincidence," Jaemin said, making you laugh.

Zhong Chenle ; Where you two first met

Chenle would be a sentimental type of person. He wanted to make sure that you'll remember his proposal, so he brings you to the first place you two met. It's by a coffee shop. You were a customer and he was next to you, he rescued you when you realized that you forgot your wallet. You told him that you'll repay him, but Chenle was love-struck by you, and told you to repay him with a date instead. So when he asked you to meet him at the same coffee shop, you only smiled, remembering the first time you two met. As soon as you entered the place, you noticed the extravagant designs. It was empty. There were flowers and balloons around on display, and even the place was scattered with rose petals. From the back door, Chenle exits and approaches you. You were dumbfounded as your boyfriend started his speech, saying how this is the place where he met the love of his life, he thinks that the two of you fated for each other. He then goes onto his one knee, grabs the box from his pocket and asked you to marry him. You couldn't help but to hug him, making him lose balance. You showered him with kisses on his face before you said yes. 

Park Jisung ; On the stage. 

Jisung is a sneaky bastard with this one. Since you're a dancer, he wanted to do a collab stage with him. It was for his solo stage in Dreamies' concert. You two perfected the choreography which Jisung created. You thought that the routine is finished. Your moves were synchronized and your audience (Dreamies) can see the chemistry between the two of you. When the concert arrived, you were nervous but at the same time, was confident with your skills. One by one, Dreamies performed their solo stage, and when it was Jisung's turn, he assured you that everything's going to be fine. You two performed and the audience were in awe with your performance, they knew that you two are in a relationship but only did they realized that you two are meant for each other because of the performance. When the music stops, you two did your final pose where you two are standing in front of each other. He then smiles at you and then steps back, grabs something from his pocket and the only thing you can hear is the audience's scream. "Marry me?" Jisung whispered to you as he raised the ring so that you can see it, you hold back your tears but didn't hesitate to say yes to him. Everyone knew that you said yes when they saw Jisung's gummy smile as he puts the ring on your finger, and proceeds to hug you. 

[kpop---scenarios]

Maniac (2)

Pairing: Hyunjin x Reader x Minho

Warning: Drama, Violence

Word Count: 2.4k

Taglist: @oddracha @hyunjinhoexxx @baby-stay92 @felixleftchickennugget @skzooluvr @felixleftchickennugget @elzz123 @kayleefriedchicken @yaorzu-blog @rylea08

@vietjeb @bangchansleftbutcheek

One |

You woke up with a big stretch in the morning, letting out a small screech before you rolled out of bed to begin getting ready for the day. You knew you were going out with Minho today, but you had no idea when or where you guys were going. You were excited to see what he had planned, but part of you kept thinking back to Hyunjin and how attractive he was and how much you wanted him to do all those naughty things to you.

There was just something about Hyunjin that made you fucking swoon, and to be completely honest, you wanted to see him again today. Of course you were going to give Minho a fair chance, but you just couldn't stop thinking about Hyunjin, no matter how much you tried.

For part of the morning and the rest of the afternoon, you muddled around the house, snacking occasionally, scrolling through your phone and lounging by the pool, before you ultimately decided to begin getting ready. Butterflies fluttered around in your stomach as you began doing your makeup. If Hyunjin and Minho were friends, you wondered if they were similar, but you also wondered what the Lee’s offered your father for your hand in marriage.

Yes, you were well versed in the lifestyle your family lived, but you also knew that you weren't privy to certain information, unlike your brothers who were consulted on almost every decision your father made. And it wasn't like you didn't try to be a part of the conversation, but you were shooed out of the room so many times you just stopped trying. Maybe getting married into a different family would allow you some more information, you wanted to be more involved if you could instead of only being a pawn for merging families.

There's a knock at your door, bringing you out of your thoughts. “Yes?” You call out, putting the finishing touches on your face. The door swings open, in walking Wonho with a garment bag.

“This was delivered for you.” He smiles, laying it down on your bed. You smile as you skip over to your bed, opening the bag to see the most beautiful dress.

“Wow.” You gasp, taking the gorgeous dress out of the bag. You see a note attached to the hanger. You grab it, hanging the dress down gently as you open the envelope.

“Enjoy your date tonight, darling. But not too much. - Hyunjin.”

You felt like a schoolgirl, wanting to giggle and kick your feet. You never knew things like this could actually happen in life, and it just made you feel so happy.

“Alright, get dressed and get moving.” Wonho sighs, walking out of your room. You happily slip into the dress, which fits you like a glove. You smile in the mirror, admiring yourself in the mirror before Wonho knocks on your door again, telling you to move it. You grab your shoes, slipping them on before you grab your purse, and head out your bedroom door. Walking down the stairs, you hear your dad talking to someone, you assumed was Minho.

“Wow.” Minho smiles, holding out his arm for you to hold on to. You link your arm with his, letting him guide you out the door and into his waiting car. You get into the passenger seat, as he walks over to the driver's seat, quickly peeling out of the driveway, heading towards the city.

“So what's the plan?” You ask, glancing out the window before back at him.

“Dinner.” He smiles. “There's this great, secure little restaurant I know.” He says.

That was great, you were absolutely starving and you couldn't wait to eat. “Excellent.” You smile.

“How was your date with Hyunjin?” Minho asks.

“It was good. He's really very sweet.” You say.

“Hyunjin?” Minho asks. “Hwang Hyunjin?” He laughs. “That's surprising. The version he showed you and the version I know are two completely different people.” He laughs.

You shrug your shoulders, you really didn't care what he did when he wasn't around you, you weren't involved in any of it so there was no reason for you to be concerned about what he did on his off time.

“As long as he treats me right, that's all that matters.” You tell him.

The two of you talk a little bit more until he pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant. When you get out of the car, you see Shownu and Wonho pulling into the lot, parking near you but far enough away. You link your arm with Minho again, heading into the restaurant. The two of you are seated at a nice table, in the middle of the room. Minho pulls out your chair for you, sliding you back in before sitting down across from you. You watch the door, seeing Wonho and Shownu come inside, making sure the place is clear before Shownu leaves, leaving Wonho standing guard by the door.

You and Minho talk a little, random chit chat as you both look at the menu. You order yourself a cocktail as you browse the menu a little bit more. There were so many good dishes, you had no idea which one you were going to choose. Every few seconds, you look up to watch most, if not all of the patrons quickly leaving the restaurant, their food unfinished. It made you a little nervous how they were all scattering like there was a fire somewhere.

“I'm going to go to the bathroom.” You tell Minho, anxiety flowing through your body now instead of butterflies. You were filled with a sense of uneasiness and you couldn't quite put your finger on why. Minho smiles and nods as you walk towards Wonho.

“I'm just going to the bathroom.” You tell him, but he can tell something is off with you.

“Everything okay? Are you okay?” He asks quietly.

“Yeah, just have to go.” You half smile, walking to the bathroom. You take your time, puttering around the bathroom, washing your hands, fixing your makeup before you finally take a few deep breaths, and head back out to the table. But instead of hearing murmurs of chitchat, soft laughter, you're met with the sounds of yelling, and Wonho not around.

“Where the fuck is our money!?” You hear a man scream, holding Minho up by his collar. Minho looks over at you, his eyes wide.

“Run!” Minho screams at you, your heart and stomach both sink, fight or flight about to kick in. You turn around, trying to run for the door, but you see it's blocked.

“Get her!” The man yells, making two men chase after you.

Instead, you head for the back of the restaurant, opening a door and quietly closing it behind you. You pull your phone from your purse, dialing one number you knew would be able to help you.

You shakily put the phone up to your ear, trying to control your breathing. “Darling? Are you okay?” Hyunjin asks.

“Guys.. there are guys here.. screaming at Minho.. asking where their money is.. they're trying to find me.. Hyunjin I'm so scared.” You cry, holding your knees to your chest.

“Stay right there, darling. I'm on my way. Keep yourself hidden.” He says. You can hear him breathing, keys rustling as he runs out his front door.

“Hyunjin..” you whisper. “They're outside the door.” You whimper.

“Shh, I'm on my way. It's okay.. you'll be okay.” He says. You can hear the sound of his car speeding faster as he mutters curses under his breath.

The door rips open, scaring you as two men tower over you sinister smiles spreading across their faces.

“Please no!” You scream, trying to fight them off but it doesn't work, they're too strong. Your phone drops, all Hyunjin can hear is the sounds of your screams and pleas to be let go.

“Fuck!” He screams, slamming his hand down on his steering wheel, throwing his phone onto the passenger seat as he presses down on the gas, trying to make it to you faster.

The two men drag you out of the room and back to the dining room, where you see a bloody Minho sitting on the floor, the main man crouching in front of him, holding his cell phone, waving it in front of him.

“Either you're gonna call daddy to get me my money, or I'm gonna be taking your friend here.” He says, looking over at you.

“Leave her out of this!” Minho snaps. “I'm not calling my father. I'll get you your money, I just need some time.”

“I gave you time.” He snaps. “You're out of it now. You have 5 seconds..” he pauses. “5…4…3…2…1.”

“Grab the girl.” The man says, standing up.

“I'm sorry Y/N! Fuck, im so sorry.” Minho yells as the man delivers a swift kick to Minho in the face, knocking him out as another man grabs you, tossing you over his shoulder. You try again to fight, kick, bite, punch but nothing you do phases the man. He walks past the front door, where you see Wonho laying on the floor unconscious, badly beaten. Your cries and pleas for help are unheard and unanswered.

Hyunjin busts through the front door of the restaurant, Wonho just starting to wake up. “Where is she?” He yells, running towards Minho, who is also just waking up. “Where's Y/N?” He asks Minho, who sits up, rubbing his head.

“They took her.” Minho sighs, putting his face into his hands. “I owe them a lot of money.”

“What the fuck man, I thought you were off the gambling?” Hyunjin yells. “You knew they were after you and you still took Y/N out? You knew something like this could happen.” He yells, a little louder.

“I know! I know. It was stupid but I didn't think they'd fucking attack me on a date.” Minho yells back. “I have to find her.” He groans, trying to stand up.

“Don't bother. There's a tracker in her dress, that's how I found out where she was after she called me in a panic.” Hyunjin spits. “I'll get her back, you.” He pauses, pointing at Minho. “Stay away from her.” He finishes walking away.

Hyunjin climbs in his car, pulling up the tracker on his phone. In seconds he gets your location, kicking up rocks as he speeds off towards you.

“If Minho doesn't pay in the next four hours, we're going to have to do something more drastic.” The man sighs, looking at you, curled up on the floor in the corner of the room.

“Yeah I'm aware.” The one you assume is the lead snaps, staring out the window. “He'll pay, they always do.”

“Here we go.” The man smiles, seeing the headlights pulling into the driveway, racing to the house. Hyunjin stops the car, getting out without even turning it off, running to the door, busting inside, finding you first.

“Hyunjin.” You cry, standing up, wrapping your arms around him tightly. He holds you closely, yes he's only had one date with you so far, but he would do anything for you, protect you from anything and nothing would change that.

“It's okay.” He says, letting go of you, pulling you behind him.

“You can't take her unless you're prepared to pay off some debt.” The man snaps.

“How much?” Hyunjin asks.

“500 thousand.” The man says.

Hyunjin nods, pulling out his phone to dial a number. “Should I send it up your ass? Give me a fucking wire number.” He snaps.

The man writes it down quickly, handing the piece of paper to Hyunjin.

“Mr. Kim, I need to do a wire transfer.” Hyunjin Says. “500 thousand.. yeah, the number is..” he says. “Thanks.” He finishes the call, hanging up, sliding his phone back into his pocket.

“Happy?” He asks. “Now I'm gonna take my girl and go.” Hyunjin tells him, grabbing your hand, pulling you out of the house.

He gets you into the car, and himself, driving away from the men who took you. He reaches over, grabbing your hand, holding it tightly. “Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?” He asks, squeezing your hand.

“I'm okay.. no they didn't.” You whisper. “I just don't get why.. he wouldn't call his dad? He let them take me.”

“Minho.. has a long and hard history with gambling.” Hyunjin sighs. “His father has bailed him out on more than one occasion, and said he wouldn't do it again.. that's probably why.”

“But how could he let that happen?” You sigh. “I was expecting to be wooed, not kidnapped.” You half chuckle.

“I know.” He replies. “I'm sorry that happened.”

“It's not your fault, I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess.” You say. “But thank you so much for saving me.. I'm sorry I called you.”

“Please.” Hyunjin says. “Never apologize, I told you to call me anytime for anything. Being kidnapped counts, but I will ask you to try to not make it a habit.” He laughs.

“I can promise you that I don't ever want this to happen again.” You tell him. The rest of the drive home is driven in silence, Hyunjin’s hand firmly grasping yours.

As Hyunjin pulls into your driveway, your father is already waiting on the stoop, Shownu standing behind him with his head hung low. You get out of the car, Hyunjin also gets out as your father rushes towards you. “Honey, are you okay?” He asks, wrapping his arms around you.

“I'm fine.. thanks to Hyunjin.” You say, hugging your father back.

“Hyunjin, thank you for bringing my daughter back to me. I had it set up for her to go out with you again, and Minho again but I think I will cancel that, I'm pretty positive in my decision.” Your father says.

“With all due respect sir, I think you should give Minho another chance. He messed up, and I'm sure he'll want to make it up to you, and Y/N.” Hyunjin smiles.

Your dad laughs. “It sounds like you're wanting your rival to win.”

“Not at all sir, I just want Minho to be his best, so I can prove I'm the best man for your daughter.” Hyunjin smiles. “Have a good night, sir.”

You walk towards Hyunjin, pulling him in for a hug. “Thank you again.” You whisper in his ear. “See you soon.” You finish.

“I'll be thinking about you, princess.” Hyunjin whispers, placing a kiss on your cheek before you walk back to your father, who wraps his arm around you, bringing you inside.

Hyunjin was it, you were sure about that, for now.

[imfoive]

The Youngest Son - Chapter 8

Minho x Reader (fem.) Genre: non-idol au!, Suspense, Angst, Romance, Mature Warnings: mentions of cursing, death, somewhat proofread WC: 9.6k A/N: Feedback is always welcome, enjoy! ── MASTERLIST

Synopsis: The youngest son of the Lee family was stubborn, he was arrogant, he was conniving. Hiding it all behind the mask of a calm and collected man, the youngest son was a master at mind games. Playing a dangerous game where trust is a luxury and betrayal lurks around every corner. He had sworn once, to not let family ties or any feelings hold him back. Yet, against all odds, she had him completely wrapped around her fingers, and he had no desire to break free.

Missed a chapter? - Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6 / Chapter 7

CHAPTER 8 ────────────────────

There was a stark silence in the Chairman’s dark study. Glowing slightly by the dimness of the cellphone’s flashlight.

Lee Minho had gotten himself entangled in a web of secrets he didn’t know existed.

Was he important enough for his birth origins to be shrouded in mystery?

He stared at the creased paper, his name and real birthdate glaring back at him.

Yet, the youngest son didn’t get to ponder his thoughts for long. Already finding himself snatched back to a reality where he suddenly found himself to be an enigma.

The vibrations of his cell phone broke the stillness, an incoming call from Chairman Lee causing him to clench his teeth and tighten his jaw. He let the call end, watching as the screen dimmed, leaving the room illuminated only by the flash of the phone once again.

This old man, the keeper of all these twists in his life.

Minho hastily closed the files, returning them to their original order. Yet, still hesitant fingers hovered over the small boxed compartment in the back, filled with countless flash drives, each labeled differently. 

He recalled how Secretary Cha just added another one to the pile, though was unsure exactly which one.

His brain wracked in the intensity of his snooping. It was clear that the drive labeled “Joohyun—Jae” was the one from the night Lee Jae overdosed. He was sure the chairman had already figured out the truth behind Jae’s demise.

The contents might be a copy of the yacht CCTV footage, but that was highly doubtful since Minho himself had the original footage, and had never shown it to anyone, not even his grandfather.

Then it struck him.

The dash cam footage from the car. 

The one the Chairman had pretended not to know about. The evidence Minho failed to get a hold of. Minho had fallen for his feigned deception, like a fool.

   “That sneaky old man.” Minho muttered to himself, dropping everything back into place and closing the locker. 

The cabinet shut slowly with a soft click and locked with a low beep.

Sneaking out was easier than sneaking in, but Minho left with even more questions than he had when he arrived.

He ignored the Chairman’s calls, but as he settled into his car, his phone rang again.

   “We’re on our way to the restaurant from the wineries. Pick up Haneul from the hotel on your way here.” Chairman Lee instructed through the car speaker.

Minho glanced at the dashboard, noting his route to the restaurant.

   “Is Miss Son joining us as well?” He asked, well aware of his grandfather’s intentions.

   “Yes, she’s staying at The Rose Hotel.”

The grandson covered his mouth with his hand in frustration.

Great. The Rose Hotel.

   “Yes, I got it.” He muttered instead, turning his car towards the hotel.

Sky Son was as awkward as ever. 

The young woman stuttered through her greeting yet smiled shyly at Minho, who returned the smile as she buckled into the passenger seat.

   “How are you liking your stay here so far?” Minho asked, glancing at her while pulling out of the hotel driveway.

She stole a glance, taking in his profile, but quickly looked away when he met her gaze, blushing slightly.

   “It’s good. The people here are nice…” She responded, trailing off as she looked up at him again.

He nodded, smiling once more but kept his focus on the road.

   “And The Rose Hotel?” He inquired.

   “Ah! It’s great. I actually met Miss Y/N Park the night after the party at your residence. She’s a wonderful person.”

Minho’s smile faltered briefly before he recovered, his lips stretching into a different kind of smile. “Is that so?”

   “She told me you two went to school together.”

He nodded, confirming her statement.

   “You guys must be close then.” She said, her eyes hopeful.

He glanced at her briefly before pulling his car into the venue they were to dine in.   

“You could say that.” He replied, noticing her expression fall, clearly disappointed.

But he didn’t care. He was just babysitting at this point.

Minho walked to her side of the car, opening the door with practiced courtesy. Her expression brightened at his gesture, reminding him of Y/N and how her eyes would light up at simple gestures from him. But he didn’t like that look in Miss Son’s eyes.

It made him feel gross.

Handing his keys to the valet, Minho masked his unreadable expression with a forced smile as he led Sky into the private area where their grandfathers awaited.

───────────────────────

Y/N sat at the breakfast table, between her parents. Park Hyunmin, adjusted his glasses and took a sip of his coffee.

   “I didn’t know you came home.” The older man said, surprised by her presence so early in the morning.

He grinned widely, and her mother’s face lit up with a smile.

   “I can’t miss you guys?” Y/N raised a brow, reaching for her food.

   “The house just brightens up whenever she’s here, doesn’t it, honey?” Her mother asked her husband.

Park Hyunmin nodded and passed Y/N a bowl of fruit. The daughter who’s presence apparently lit up the room, couldn’t help but notice how their affection had seemed to increase since her return from New York, but she wasn’t complaining. 

   “Ah, did you hear the news about Lee Minho getting engaged to Son Hyungdon’s granddaughter?” The mother asked suddenly, recalling the fresh gossip she had heard that morning.

Y/N froze, her throat going dry, and she found herself unable to continue eating.

   “You and your gossip.” Park Hyunmin sighed, glancing briefly at Y/N.

   “We have nothing to do with Lee Minho or Son Hyungdon outside of our business. Who cares what they do?” He muttered, bringing his coffee back to his lips.

   “No, no, I was just saying. It’s not official news yet. Possibly just rumors.” Her mother said, brushing it off.

Unbeknownst that their daughter sat with her hands clenched around her fork and knife, her eyes fixed on her mother’s cooling mug of coffee set infront.

   “Minho’s office door burst open, and Y/N stormed in, her anger evident in her expression.

An anxious team member trailed behind her.

   “Miss Park, please, you can’t—”

Minho raised a hand to signal the man to step back. Who nodded and bowed before retreating and closing the door behind him.

Y/N glared at Minho, her anger unmistakable.

   “Are you fucking around with me?” She demanded.

Minho was initially startled, slowly morphing into confusion before he ultimately came to a conclusion. He realized that Y/N had likely heard some unsettling news, perhaps the whispers had reached her ears already. He approached her, trying to calm her down.

   “Listen, Y/N, whatever you heard is not true—”

   “Did you or did you not have a marriage meeting with Son Haneul?” She interrupted, eyes locking onto his with a fierce glare.

Minho hesitated, falling silent. His lack of response was enough for her. Yet, he attempted to grasp her arms, but of course the stubborn woman would not allow him to do so. She scoffed, turning away in frustration before glaring back at him.

   “It was your idea to date secretly.” She said, jabbing a finger into his chest and pushing him backward.

He allowed her push, closing his eyes momentarily as he tried to collect his thoughts, his arms falling to his sides in defeat.

   “You’re the one who said we’ll announce our relationship when the time is right. But now this is what I’m hearing?” Disbelief dripped from her words, her face flushed with anger.

His back pressed against the wall, while her figure loomed close, voice dropping to a whisper as tears brimmed in her eyes. Y/N pressed against him, one arm across his chest, pinning him in place.

   “I won’t give you a third chance. You can’t fuck me over and expect me to sit back and do nothing.” Y/N spat, her eyes darting between his, her composure almost faltering as she searched his apologetic gaze.

   “It’s not what you think.” Minho said, hoping she’d hear him out.

But her mind was clouded with the fear of being betrayed. Despite knowing deep down that Minho would never do that, the whispers of a sudden marriage between him and Son Haneul were overwhelming her.

He had made promises. In the quiet of his bedroom. As he littered kisses down her body.

While he pushed her up against the glass of her penthouse suite back in New York. Whispering into her ears.

He swore he was hers.

Murmurs about a sudden marriage between Lee Minho and Son Haneul already began spreading throughout high society. It was only a matter of days before it would make headlines, cementing their names together. And perhaps the two would suddenly find themselves standing at the altar saying their “I do’s”, something that happened quite often in their circle.

Something that had almost been her own reality if Minho hadn’t intervened. If Jae hadn’t died.

Haneul seemed like a sweet girl. From their brief, coincidental encounter, Y/N had sensed that. Sure, she was a bit naive, but that might be due to her younger age and introverted nature. Haneul was kind, calm, and thoughtful. She was the kind of girl who would listen before jumping to conclusions.

Things that Y/N clearly was not. 

Perhaps those were the qualities Minho truly desired in his partner.

   “Please don’t tell me you were just using my love.” Y/N said, her voice breaking as tears finally trickled freely.

Minho was at a loss for words, unable to think beyond her tearful eyes. He reached out to console her, but she stepped back abruptly, releasing him from her grip and composing herself.

Without giving him another moment to respond, she nudged him back against the wall and turned to leave.

   “Y/N, please…” He murmured, reaching out to grab her wrist, his voice tinged with a sudden desperation.

   “I can’t face you before you fix this.” She replied coldly, not looking back.

Her wrist slipped from his grasp, and she exited the room. Minho stood there, feeling almost defeated, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process everything that had happened just now.

Everything that had happened in the past two days. 

He had just disappointed the one person he never wanted to hurt. 

A friendly dinner.

Hah.

The dinner the other night with those old men had been nothing but an ambush. An unofficial announcement of his engagement to Son Haneul, staged in front of just the two of them and their grandfathers.

The old men laughed, clearly delighted. Miss Son had either covered her face in shock or shyness, Minho didn’t care which. His gaze had been fixed on his grandfather, whose laughter had seemed mocking almost.

After Son Hyungdon and his granddaughter had left, Minho had confronted Chairman Lee. A glare in his gaze.

   “I see you’ve decided everything among yourselves.” Minho said, leaning into the table.

The Chairman smiled. “Son Hyung-Don is ready to invest billions in us. We should repay him well, don’t you think?”

   “By selling me off?” Minho retorted.

It felt like the same cycle all over again, but this time Minho was the one up for sale.

Chairman Lee studied the challenging look in Minho’s eyes, his lips twitching into a grin that he quickly suppressed. His demeanor turned serious as he spoke.

   “I’ve given you enough time to look through those profiles of young women. You seemed too busy, so I chose one for you.”

Minho let out a silent laugh, his lips curling as he looked down at the tablecloth. But before he could respond, the old man beat him to it.

   “Are you going to act out because of Y/N Park?” The Chairman finally asked, his tone suddenly stern.

Minho’s smile vanished at the mention of the woman he loved, his eyes shot a protective glare at the old man.

He had never underestimated Chairman Lee, knowing the old man would eventually catch onto his relationship with Y/N. He was more curious about why the Chairman had waited so long to address it. But now this sudden engagement has become an unexpected obstacle.

He should’ve considered it the moment he met Sky.

   “If you already know, why are you pushing me to choose another side?” Minho demanded, unable to understand the old man’s motives.

The Chairman laughed. “I can’t let you jeopardize the relationship I spent years cultivating with Son Hyungdon. He has connections all over Europe—”

   “And Rose Enterprises is a global name, even bigger than Son Hyungdon probably.” Minho argued.

The old man fell silent for a few seconds, studying the young man’s determined face.

   “I can’t base decisions on arguments that end with ‘probably.’ Besides, what makes you think Park Hyunmin will accept you? Have you forgotten your background?”

A cold silence fell over the room as Minho stared at his grandfather. A little stunned.

He had never heard such a direct insult from Chairman Lee before. A clear jab at his illegitimacy. 

Except now all Minho could only think about was the altered birth certificate hidden in the old man’s safe.

He didn’t even know his true background himself.

No.

Who was he?

───────────────────────

The new mother didn’t know how to feel. Her baby was born prematurely, frail, and possibly not strong enough to make it through the next few days. He had been born in a monastery but was rushed to the nearest hospital, where he was kept under intensive care. The doctors claimed it didn’t look to good.

She had named him and clung to the hope that he would survive. 

He was her only link to the Chairman, her connection to the Lee family. She had fled after Chairman Lee had threatened her, planning to stay out of the public eye until the child was born and the old man could no longer deny his existence.

The Chairman had been right about her.

She was a sneaky thing that wanted to trap him.

Why else would a young woman like her allow an old man to take her to bed if not to secure her future?

The young assistant had understood from an early age that navigating the world required powerful connections and financial backing.

And it wasn’t as if she didn’t care for her newborn. She was overwhelmed with grief, unable to stop sobbing as she watched the doctors work on her child, inserting tubes and keeping him in the NICU. The sisters from the chapel had tried to comfort her, urging her to rest and conserve her energy. She had held him for a few precious hours before the doctors had taken him away.

The Chairman wasn’t prepared for this.

He was even more shaken to learn that the child had been born a month prematurely, underweight and at risk.  

He had been devising a plan to shift the blame for the child’s arrival onto his younger son, believing it would be more plausible if everyone thought the child was the result of his second son’s mistake. This way, he could contain the scandal within the family and avoid major fallout. But now, his concern had shifted to the possibility that the child might not even survive. He couldn’t afford to lose this last chance.

The young assistant was right about one thing.

Success required money, and Chairman Lee had plenty of it.

The hospital was filled with his people, top doctors and the best nurses.

He needed his son to survive.

   “Of course a young thing like you would give birth to an unhealthy child.” He spat, looking down at the disheveled former assistant. 

   “But I’m here now. Nothing can harm my blood. Not even God himself.”

Lee Minho was born prematurely, but he had to live.

And he did.

───────────────────────

After Y/N had stormed out of his office, Minho felt frantic. He had promised himself he would never let her leave like that again, yet he had failed. Blinded by the secrets of the past, he had jeopardized his present and his future.

So he made a decision, one he should have made the moment his grandfather handed him those marriage candidate profiles.

Park Hyunmin studied the young man across from him. Minho smiled politely, leaning back in his seat.

The Vice President of L Corp. had made an unannounced visit to the head of The Rose Enterprises on a normal Thursday morning. There had been no prior appointment, no apparent reason for them to be sharing morning coffee really.

Hyunmin adjusted his glasses and leaned closer to the table between them.

“If you want to discuss The Resort Project, my daughter is planning a meeting with our partners sometime this week.” Hyunmin began, crossing one leg over the other.

The older man was aware that Minho wouldn’t have come for such a trivial reason, but it was a start to a conversation Park Hyunmin couldn’t guess

   “Actually, I’m here for something else. Though it does concern your daughter” Minho replied

The mention of Y/N had made the father raise a protective brow.

   “You asked me a few years ago if I saw myself marrying your daughter.” Minho continued.

   “Yes. And I recall you denied on the spot.”

God, was he a fool. Minho berated his past self.

But still smiled thinly and nodded.

   “I’d like to tell you that I’m going to marry Y/N.” He stated, sitting up straight with a sincere expression.

Park Hyunmin fell silent for a moment before bursting into laughter.

   “You Lee’s really take marriage for a joke don’t you? Last I heard, you’re to be wed to Son Hyungdon’s girl.” Hyunmin had tried to remain composed, though he found it difficult to suppress his irritation.

   “That was a plan that didn’t involve me.” The young man across responded honestly.

   “And you think Y/N would just jump at your proposal? You two haven’t been in contact for the past two years.”

Minho blinked, looking down momentarily before meeting Hyunmin’s gaze, who immediately got the message from his silence and sheepishly stupid gaze.

   “Of course you’ve kept in touch.” Park Hyunmin muttered, sighing as he reached for his coffee, finally understanding why his daughter’s mood suddenly shifted that morning at breakfast.

   “So why this sudden decision? Were you planning to defy your family’s plans? Or did you suddenly realize you might be cut off from the inheritance?”

The younger man leaned in, intertwining his fingers in front of him, and gazed seriously at the older man.

   “The shareholders meeting to appoint the next president of L Corp. is coming up. I know for sure that I’m one of the candidates.” Minho began, his words perking the older man’s ears.

   “With the announcement of my engagement to Y/N, I’d look better in front of the shareholders. Besides, Son Hyungdon’s investment is insignificant compared to The Rose Enterprises. This will also be good media play for your side as well.”

Park Hyunmin processed the schemes Minho had cooked up, before he laughed softly, leaning back and observing the almost sinister look on Minho’s face.

He was a Lee after all.

   “A battle amongst the successors, huh? I didn’t think I’d see this day so soon. So up close as well.” He chuckled again, sipping his coffee.

They sat in silence for a few moments.

   “If Y/N is willing to accept this challenge, I won’t stop her. It’s time she considered the future of The Rose Enterprises without my influence. But if anything goes awry, just know, I don’t give second chances easily.” He warned, the amusement from earlier long gone.

Lee Minho had lots of things to take care of, lots of things to think about. From his false birth certificate to his engagement. 

But the most important, Y/N. 

He could still picture her teary expression as she left his office a few days ago.

Minho sighed deeply, sinking into the leather of his car seat. Despite numerous unanswered calls and messages, there was only silence from her end. The few days of not hearing from her felt far longer than the years she had been away. Determined yet anxious, he dialed her number again, the phone ringing persistently in the quiet car.

As expected, she didn’t answer.

Once Y/N made a decision, she rarely wavered.

But Minho was worried she’d throw him away and stick with that decision.

No, he couldn’t let that happen. Without her, he’d have no purpose to keep going.

It was ironic. Only some years ago, it was Y/N who chased after him no matter his avoidance. 

Or maybe, deep down, it was he who had been obsessed with her, allowing her to break down his walls because his desire to have her was so painful. Or maybe he was afraid to be alone, and knew Y/N would never allow him to feel so.

It was ironic, but he couldn’t even laugh.

He hoped that his conversation with her father reached her ears as quickly as his engagement news had.

And it did.

The incoming call from her flashed brightly on the dashboard, one he swiftly accepted.

   “Hello—”

   “Where are you?” Her voice was urgent, almost demanding.

   “The parking lot of Rose Enterprises.” He replied.

   “Stay there.” Y/N commanded abruptly before ending the call.

Minho listened to her, like a good boyfriend.

Not even five minutes later, he saw her figure emerge through the automatic doors leading to the indoor parking lot. Instinctively, he got out of the car, closing the door with a thud that caught her attention. Y/N strode toward him with an expression Minho couldn’t decipher.

Her steps quickened until she was practically running. Her arms reached out, and she almost leapt into his embrace. Startled, Minho instinctively caught her, stumbling back against the car door. She clung to him, exhaling sharply.

   “I didn’t think you’d ask for my hand in marriage.” She mumbled into the fabric of his jacket, gripping him tightly.

His tension melted away as he held her close, a smile spreading across his face as he hugged her back, inhaling her scent.

   “You said to fix it. So I did.” He murmured against her.

Y/N pulled back to look at him, her eyes meeting his.

   “I’m sorry for not letting you clear up misunderstandings. For bombarding you with questions that day.” She whispered, her face contorting into a guilt-ridden expression.

He smiled instead, shaking his head before leaning in to capture her lips in a soft kiss. Relaxing into her arms, he pulled back with a contented sigh. His eyes suddenly lit up, the wide grin she loved seeing, spread across his face.

   “Look in my left pocket.” He whispered, watching as her eyes momentarily reflected confusion, hands slowly rummaging through his coat, while his fingers still gripped at her arms lightly.

Her fingers fished out the velvet box, eyes automatically shooting up to meet him, widening in surprise.

   “How could I propose without a ring?” Minho chuckled softly, the kind of sound that always made Y/N’s stomach tingle.

She slowly opened the box, and the sight of the diamond sparkling in the light made her cheeks flush, unable to contain her smile. Truly rendered speechless.

   “Please Marry me, Y/N.” He said softly, his eyes full of love as he waited.

Her lips quivered with joy and excitement, truly touched by the warm gaze he held. She nodded, pulling his face toward her for a deep, passionate kiss. 

A proper heated kiss that lifted her off her feet.

Chairman Lee stared at the photographs taken by undercover reporters, showing Y/N and Minho kissing openly. The images had already made headlines, catching high society by surprise.

The old man was angry and upset that Minho, who had always heeded his advice, was now acting on his own. 

Yet, at the same time, it was fascinating, too.

The father in him felt a strange pride that his son had made such a bold decision. 

His brows narrowed at the images again.

The businessman in him, however, was less impressed. The schemes Minho had orchestrated were not just disobedient, they were disruptive to his own meticulously planned strategy.

   “Sir, Mr. Son is calling again. He seems to have heard the news.” Secretary Cha announced, breaking the Chairman’s daze.

Chairman Lee’s eyes flicked to the television screen, which displayed more news about his youngest son and the Park heiress. 

   “That bastard.” He muttered.

The emotions Minho stirred in him, even in this brief moment, were… exhilarating. 

For the first time, Chairman Lee felt genuinely challenged. He had gotten a taste of it the night Minho had glared at him after finding out about his arranged engagement.

But this was something entirely new and thrilling. For the first time, he felt like a father whose son had truly lived up to his expectations. A new sensation of seeing his son assert himself so dramatically.

Despite the underlying pride, Chairman Lee had no intention of letting Minho get away with this newfound boldness. He had to remind his son who held the reins.

   “Get Lee Minho here, now.” He coldly instructed.

Y/N stared at the glistening ring on her finger, her eyes twinkling and her lips stretched into an uncontrollable grin.

   “We had everyone fooled, right? Our relationship hit the news with a bang, and the stocks are doubling as we speak!” Y/N gushed, crossing one leg over the other, turning to Lee Jihoon who stared at her unfazed.

They were sitting at the same bar where they had last fought. Minho had to leave abruptly for a meeting with Chairman Lee, and Y/N needed someone to share her excitement with.

   “Mmmm, I don’t think anyone really cared to notice.” Jihoon said, glancing around the place.

Y/N made a face, rolling her eyes at his response, then began surveying the room herself. 

   “I was surprised when you called me here. We’re not even friends.”

Y/N looked back at him before taking a sip of her drink. 

   “I’d like to think we’re business friends.” She smirked to which Jihoon chuckled, shaking his head.

   “I’m not even interested in business.”

   “Then I guess we can be just friends.” She said, raising her glass to his new drink.

The older man considered it for a moment before clinking his glass against hers.

   “I’ll think about it.” Jihoon laughed, downing his drink as Y/N rolled her eyes once more.

While his new fiancée celebrated, Minho found himself under the intense scrutiny of his grandfather’s gaze.

Chairman Lee observed his youngest son with a mix of emotions. There was a new, almost defiant aura around Minho, as if he had finally become his own person of some sort.

A bittersweet realization for the patriarch who had always had control of every aspect of the family’s affairs.

But deep down inside, he always hoped for a day like this to come, where he had to stand against a son that he raised to be just like him. 

He was tired of cleaning after the messes his useless children made. For once, he wanted to worry about something other than a mess. 

Though this wasn’t less of a mess, it was something that could be twisted into a good thing as well. 

The Chairman was upset for various other reasons.

He had to risk his ties with Son Hyungdon, though he didn’t really care much for the headache.

He had to control the rest of the family, who were always slow when it came to doing a good job, but first to bark when they felt threatened.

No, he was truly frustrated that Minho had chosen to act independently, without consulting him. His father.

It was a challenge to his authority that he hadn’t anticipated.

   “You’ve grown a lot. I didn’t think I’d have to worry about you this soon.” Chairman Lee said, pouring tea into the empty cups in front of them.

Minho watched the steam rise from his cup, his gaze steady as he met his grandfather’s eyes.

   “I remembered your words again. The ones about not trusting any businessman, no matter how appealing their promises are. I realized the moment you brought up my background, grandfather. I’ve forgotten for a moment that you are also a businessman.” Minho said, reaching for his tea.

The atmosphere between them was charged with passive-aggressive tension. Chairman Lee studied Minho, who now seemed markedly more mature. He chuckled softly before he leaned back, crossing his legs.

   “What are your plans now? I recall telling you that a good businessman doesn’t put all his eggs in one basket.” Chairman Lee asked.

Minho raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the older man’s tone, wondering what else was this old man planning in that mind of his.

   “You’ve burned the Son bridge. How far do you think the Park bridge will get you?” Chairman Lee continued, picking up a cookie and savoring its sweetness.

   “I plan on becoming president of L Corp,.” Minho stated confidently.

The old man’s delight was evident, though he masked it behind a facade of composure. He cleared his throat, maintaining a serious demeanor.

   “What makes you think it will be that simple? You’ve forgotten about your brothers. Jungshin has the elder shareholders in his pocket, and Joohyeon has been building those overseas connections.”

      “A good businessman doesn’t reveal his plans too readily, grandfather.” Minho replied with a smile.

Chairman Lee’s expression momentarily faltered before he burst into laughter, absolutely amused by Minho’s bravado.

   “I have a slight inclination that I might expect you to side with me during the selection, won’t you?...Unless my background bothers you.” Minho said, his sly smirk, both irking and amusing the old man at the same time.

   “I’m not like you son, I don’t put all my eggs in one basket. You’ll just have to see at the next meeting.” The old man chuckled, sipping his tea again.

Placing the cup back down, he sighed. A pointed sound that stated he’s moving on from this conversation.

   “What’s done is done. Son Hyungdon will have to suck it up. The news of the engagement is actually benefiting us, especially with The Resort Project. Let’s not dwell on future problems just yet.” Chairman Lee said, clapping and offering Minho a plate of cookies.

Minho smiled but politely declined.

   “How about a round of golf?” Chairman Lee suggested with a doting smile.

   “I need to get back to my fiancée.” Minho declined again, rising from his seat.

   “Ah, very well. Don’t disappoint her now, otherwise, you might have to burn that Park bridge after all.” The old man laughed.

Minho bowed and began to leave, casting a final glance at the safe cabinet before turning. He nodded to Secretary Cha at the door as he exited.

Chairman Lee called his secretary over and leaned back, taking another sip of his tea. A low snicker escaped his lips before he erupted into another loud laugh.

   “This is much more entertaining than I anticipated. I haven’t felt this alive in ages.” He said with a grin.

Looking at his secretary, he asked. “Who am I meeting next?”

The secretary checked his watch. “Your elder son wants to discuss the sudden engagement news. Your second son, will likely want to do the same—”

   “Turn them away,” Chairman Lee cut him off coldly. 

   “They just want to complain. That’s all they ever do.” There was a bitterness in his tone.

He dusted his hands on his napkin, thinking for a moment. 

   “Get my lawyer on the phone. I believe it’s time for me to do some charity work.” He said with a chuckle.

───────────────────────

The second grandson of the Lee family was puzzled. No, he was in denial. He stared at the names of the contenders in line for the title of L Corporation’s next leading President. Many different emotions flowing through him. 

His name was not amongst them.

Lee Joohyeon was the oldest son from the second branch within the Lee family. How could he not even be considered?

How was it that the person standing against Lee Jungshin wasn’t him, but the youngest son of the family? 

Joohyeon has spent all his life fighting for second place, and now he was painfully made aware that even that spot did not belong to him.

It would have been the ideal scenario. 

The eldest of Lee Mooyoung stood against the eldest of Lee Doyoung. It seemed like a fair battle. 

But Lee Minho swooped in like a shadow, his name in bold next to Jungshin’s. Minho was making his way up the ladder, getting tied to The Rose Enterprises, something he pretended to never be interested in, now made sure his name was in everyone’s mouth. While Joohyeon sat here in Japan, exiled under the pretense of managing L Corp. subsidiaries. 

He was guilty. Once upon a time. The face of Jae lying still on the cold yacht floor still haunted him in his dreams from time to time. 

But he wasn’t guilty enough. 

He wanted to go back to where he was. Even the spot of second best was more than enough for the older brother who now seemed to equal to nothing in the ranks within the Lee family.

Minho’s name left a bitter taste in his mouth. He couldn’t just let that young boy reach any higher than he was. But his grandfather was always particularly drawn to the youngest, shielding him. And his father was delusional, under the spell that Minho had cast, like his maid mother.

He knew his uncle, and the first branch within the Lee family wouldn’t sit still either. Especially with Jungshin being one of the candidates for President. This was their only chance to control the reign of L Corp. in the coming generations.

The only person who would be on Joohyeon’s side, the only sane person the oldest of the second branch could think of was his mother. His mother didn’t have favorites amongst her children. But with Jihoon being a self-appointed outcast, and Minho’s existence itself disgusting her, she had no choice but to hold Joohyeon high on a pedestal.

Even then he was just the default. But it was better than sitting thousands of miles away from his goals. He needed to find his way back.

No. He had to go back.

───────────────────────

The sudden attention from everyone around Y/N filled her with an unexpected delight. It was as if she was finally basking in the glow of something she had always wanted. Although she wasn’t exactly an attention-seeker, the fact that everyone now knew Lee Minho was hers made her squeal with excitement. Her teenage self would have never believed that the cold and indifferent Lee Minho, who would practically leap out of a window whenever she entered a room, was now completely captivated by her.

Gone were the days of secret meetings and indoor dates. They were now free to publicly display their relationship. While her fiancé wasn’t particularly fond of pda, maintaining their status as a hot topic among elite families was crucial. He needed the attention to boost his public image. Perhaps even impress shareholders who would heavily influence the decision on who to elect as the next President of L Corp.

Minho had made a promise to Y/N. If he was going to rise, he’d rise with her. 

Lee Minho had always managed to stay under the radar, keeping a low profile and avoiding any specific attention. His sudden emergence into the public eye only added to his mysterious persona. To the news outlets, he was like a present waiting to be unwrapped, a promising businessman and the youngest of the Lee family. His growing positive image only fueled his desire to reach for the stars, forget the sky.

But he also knew he was putting everything at stake. If he fails, he would only fall, fall hard. 

So he told himself. He couldn’t fail. He wouldn’t let anything hinder him, no matter how difficult the obstacle in his path was. Whether that was his father, Lee Jungshin, or his grandfather himself. Minho was going to run them all over.

He toyed with the glass paperweight on his desk, spinning it absentmindedly as he pondered his next moves. He had already handled his engagement and established his position in the so-called “battle amongst the successors,” as Park Hyunmin called it. Joohyeon was no longer a threat, leaving Jungshin as his remaining challenge.

He knew the eldest grandson had something brewing, a big scheme to make Minho fall in the eyes of the shareholders and the public, Minho would have if he was him. The youngest was just waiting for the right time to play dirty. He had to thank his grandfather when it came to things like this. The unwritten handbook to the perfect businessman was all in Chairman Lee’s mind, and he made sure he embedded it into Minho as well. 

However, a lingering concern gnawed at Minho. The thin file tucked away in Chairman Lee’s safe, containing information about his mother.

No, about Yoon Sooyeon, who might or might not be his mother.

He was torn, a part of him impatient to uncover whatever the hell the old man was trying to conceal. While another part whispered to him not to pry further, he wouldn’t be able to handle the aftermath.

Minho had dug up on the former maid that was dismissed from his family a year before he was born. The moment the doubts of her being nothing more than just a stranger to him, formed in his heart, he began looking into it. But of course with his sudden engagement to Haneul, to proposing to Y/N, and now being thrust into the public eye, the young man could only do so much to keep up with everything that was happening. 

Or everything that already had happened.

His grandfather acted as though their last tense meeting had never occurred, treating the engagement between the Lees and the Parks as if he had always been in favor of it. He didn’t even mention Son Hyungdon anymore.

But that didn’t mean Son Haneul got the message. She should have. It was all over the news. The photos of Y/N and Minho kissing in a parking lot were easily accessible, and Y/N’s public social media was filled with their relationship. 

Yet, the young girl chose to ignore it, mistaking Minho’s kindness for genuine interest.

Minho sat across from her in the lobby of L Corp., observing as she fiddled with the buttons of her fur coat. Her troubled expression was evident, and he studied her with a detached calm.

   “W-why did you break our engagement?” She asked, her eyes betraying her hurt.

Minho wanted to laugh. She was young, but he hadn’t realized she was this naive.

   “Our few days of encounters don’t really count as an engagement, do they? It’s a bit ridiculous, don’t you think, Miss Son?” He said with the polite smile that had charmed her when they first met.

She blinked, unable to smile back, hurt by his use of her formal name instead of just Sky.

   “Yes, but our grandfathers—”

   “Our grandfathers aren’t here. And frankly, don’t you think we’re past the age where we let them dictate who we marry?” He leaned in slightly. 

   “You should find someone who genuinely likes you, not just someone your grandfather approves of.” He flashed her a pleasant smile, ignoring her tears, before standing up and walking away.

God did he hate pathetic people like her.

      “Bring the new secretary to my room.” Minho instructed one of his team members as he walked to his office.

A young man in a crisp suit-and-tie stepped into the vice president’s office, his demeanor calm but his lack of experience evident compared to the seasoned members of the Secretary Department. But then again, maybe Minho had judged too quickly. Maybe this was how the older executives looked at him when he entered a room.

The young secretary bowed respectfully before standing straight in front of Minho’s desk.

   “Good afternoon sir, I’m Kim Yongguk, your new personal secretary.”

Minho studied him carefully. Every influential person had a good secretary. Take Secretary Cha, for instance, who had faithfully served his grandfather for decades.

   “Secretary Kim…how old are you?” The superior inquired.

The young man adjusted his posture, clasping his hands behind his back. “I’m twenty-five, sir.”

Minho nodded, picking up the glass paper stopper he had been playing with all day.

   “Do you plan on sticking around for a long time?” 

Yongguk straightened, his earlier confidence wavering slightly. “Yes, sir. I plan on being loyal to L Corp. for as long as I’m allowed to work here.”

   “See, that’s where you’re mistaken. I don’t need you to be loyal to L Corp.” Minho shook his head, leaning back in his chair. 

   “I need you to be loyal to me. Not L Corp. You’re going to do anything I tell you to do…no matter how sketchy you find it.”

Yongguk’s eyes narrowed sharply with a slight confusion.

   “If you think you can’t do that, you can back out now.” Minho added, his tone neither harsh nor reassuring, rather even.

   “N-no sir, I will be able to follow your orders.” The young secretary responded rigidly.

Minho’s fingers stilled, setting aside the paperwork he had been holding.

   “Even if there’s a risk of you getting into trouble… or worse?”

Yongguk paused, feeling the weight of Minho’s scrutiny. 

   “I’m not pressuring you. You can choose to walk away if you prefer.”

Minho’s intention wasn’t to intimidate the young man but to ensure that anyone who worked closely with him was prepared for the risks involved. He wanted someone loyal, someone who could handle the weight of secrets and tough decisions. 

   “I’m willing to be loyal to only you sir.” Yongguk responded after a moment of silence, his tone firm.

Minho fell silent for a moment. Thinking, observing.

He then let out a chuckle, startling his young secretary.

   “You can relax. I’m not asking you to sacrifice your life for me. You won’t have to, and I won’t let that happen to one of my people.” He stated.

Yongguk’s tension eased at the sudden reassurance.

   “I’ll give you your first task right away then.”

The Vice President reached into the side drawer of his desk. There was a pile of papers tucked into a thin file, whatever information Minho could collect over the past two weeks.

   “I need you to look into Yoon Sooyeon.” 

Secretary Kim reached forward and took the file off of the desk, eyes looking intently at it.

   “She’s apparently my ‘dirty-birth mother.’” Minho smiled up at his secretary who stared at him in shock for a brief second.

   “Sir…” He whispered, overwhelmed by the gravity of the secret he figured out.

   “If you’re going to be at my side, you should know some of my secrets don’t you think?”

Minho didn’t know he was going to disclose this to a man he just met. It was something he never said out loud to anyone, not even to Y/N. But the look of doubt in this young secretary’s eyes irked him, and he needed to show him that he was willing to let Yongguk into the deepest secrets in return for his loyalty.

   “Now that I’ve shared one of my secrets, let’s hear one of yours.” He tried to ease the tension, eyes awaiting for the dumbfounded young secretary to compose himself.

   “I…I cheated my way through school.” Yongguk admitted, attempting to match the severity of his secret to Minho’s, though nothing could compare.

   “So you might not even be qualified to be my secretary?” Minho laughed, absolutely amused.

He was laughing at such a situation. Like a maniac.

Like his father.

Though Kim Yongguk had expressed doubts about his own competence, he completed the task faster than Minho had anticipated, impressing the vice president. Yongguk’s eyes twinkled with pride at the compliment, and Minho knew immediately that the young man would be just fine next to him. 

However, Minho’s amusement was short-lived. The information Secretary Kim uncovered was far from pleasant. The doubts in Minho’s mind were put to rest. The youngest son of the Lee family always had great instincts.

Yoon Sooyeon was nothing but a former maid at the Lee Residence.

A former, dead maid.

She had no connections to Minho. As he thought.

It felt like a maze of lies. The deeper he went, the more puzzled he became. Minho didn’t think that there were so many secrets behind his birth. Minho didn’t even know what to believe anymore. 

Was he not really a son of the Lee family? 

Was he just some kid that was picked up from an orphanage and put into cruel ties? 

But no one else seemed to question Minho’s presence within the family. Everyone accepted the Chairman’s narrative of him being an illegitimate child between Lee Doyoung and Yoon Sooyeon. Perhaps even a doctored DNA test had been used to solidify his connection to his father.

The only person who held answers was his grandfather, but extracting information from him wouldn’t be easy unless Minho were to offer something in return.

───────────────────────

The oldest grandson of the Lee family was livid. He felt disrespected. His name, his title, was being compared to the illegitimate Lee Minho by the media, shareholders, and clients.

By their family.

Lee Jungshin had always watched Minho with a mix of intrigue and disdain, recognizing early on that the youngest son would eventually surpass others. Unlike Joohyeon, who had underestimated Minho, Jungshin knew better. Yet, the debate over who was the more capable leader, Jungshin or Minho, was infuriating. He had always considered himself the true heir, a crown prince in the family hierarchy. The prospect of being compared to Minho was both bewildering and insulting. He wasn’t sure if he should laugh, or if he should get mad.

Jungshin had that confidence in himself that he’d win against Lee Minho. But the recent announcement of Minho and Y/N’s engagement had thrown him into turmoil. Unlike Joohyeon, Lee Jungshin had the core values of a competent businessman. 

He knew when he had to step up and take care of the thorns in his path. He knew exactly when to play dirty.

After the night of his nephew’s celebration party, Jungshin realized that the Chairman who had always sung the song about choosing the best businessman to hand over his entire estate and fortune to, might have been biased.

   “My favorite grandson.”

The words rang in the eldest grandson’s ears. He had never heard those words from the old man’s mouth.

He had never sat with him for long hours drinking coffee, tea, whiskey.

They had never played golf.

Jungshin wasn’t going to deny that he was envious of the youngest who was able to weasel under the wings of the Chairman. It was a smart move, something Jungshin should have gotten a head start on, but didn’t. 

Granted, Minho only took solace under the old man’s authority for protection from his own parents growing up. But Jungshin was still the old man’s grandson. 

His eldest grandson. 

Of course Jungshin had a plan for Lee Minho, for the title of President of L Corporation to be handed to its rightful owner, himself.

   “The presentation for the shareholder’s meeting is complete.” Jungshin looked up to Mooyoung who sat across from him, brow raising.

   “Lee Minho won’t realize what hit him.” Jungshin laughed, crossing his fingers into a clasp.

   “He’s too busy in his love bubble with that Y/N.” His father added.

The name of Y/N leaves a sour taste in Jungshin’s mouth. Though his courting for the young girl was a brief thing, he hated how she never even looked in his direction. It was the first time he had tried so hard to get someone’s attention. And he hated the fact that she was so unamused. 

But then again, who knew she was climbing into Minho’s bed at the end of the night, while pretending to hate his guts to fool everyone.

It was amusing, and perhaps a bit humiliating. Jungshin didn’t usually fall for such things, or maybe he didn’t want to admit that both Y/N and Minho had outwit him. 

The eldest grandson didn’t like being outwitted. But Minho was extremely good at doing just that.

───────────────────────

Y/N observed Minho intently, her gaze lingering on him as he worked diligently on his laptop at the kitchen counter. Taking in the sight of his focused expression, lit up by the bright screen in front of him, the sleeves of his button-up pushed back to his elbows. The unkempt sight of Minho was something only she got to see, but then again, there were other forms of Minho that only she got to see. The thought of it makes her cheeks flush, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by the laser visioned man across her.

   “What kind of dirty thoughts are you thinking?” Minho’s teasing voice broke through whatever she was thinking, his fingers not missing a beat on the keyboard as he glanced up at her with a smug smile.

   “Let’s get married tomorrow.” Y/N blurted out instead, her lashes batting in front of his taken aback expression.

Minho’s initial surprise slowly melted into a low chuckle as he processed her words. His gaze softened with affection and amusement.

   “You sure?” He asked, seeking confirmation.

Without hesitation, she nodded, her hand shooting up to rest over her heart.   

   “I can marry you whenever you’re free. Morning, day, or night.” She affirmed, her grin widening.

Minho leaned in closer, a thoughtful look crossing his face. 

   “I don’t think the marriage bureau is open at night.” He teased gently with a chuckle.

She opened her mouth to say something in return, perhaps even convince him that it was something they needed to do first thing in the morning, but he beat her to it and spoke out first.

   “I think your father will kill me if we do that though. Are you okay with that?” He asked, still smiling.

Y/N paused, momentarily at a loss for words. Straightening on the high chair, she cleared her throat. 

   “I heard you met Son Haneul yesterday.” She changed the subject with a curious tilt of her head.

His smile fell as he slowly pushed the laptop aside, signaling that he was fully attentive.

   “She was acting as if you had stolen me from her.”

Y/N laughed, finding his words amusing. It was ironic. She was the one who should feel as though Minho was about to be stolen from her.

   “I bet you’re loving that you’ve got two women cast under your spell.” She said, rolling her eyes as she leaned on the counter, resting her chin in her palms.

He chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. 

   “I’ve got more than two women under my spell. But the only one who has me completely bound is right here in front of me.” He confessed softly, his eyes locking with hers in earnest.

Y/N was momentarily taken aback by his candidness her heart swelling with love for him. Unable to find words to respond to him with, she chose to laugh instead.

   “As long as you’re aware.” Her fingers reached over to the laptop, turning it to see what he had been working on. 

   “Presentation for the shareholder meeting?” She asked, glancing up at him.

Minho nodded and gestured for her to continue reading. She did so with a serious gaze, nodding along as she went through the document.

   “You know, someone let it slip to Jungshin that the man who marries me would get ten percent of shares in Rose Enterprise.” Y/N said, looking up at Minho, who furrowed his brows in surprise.

The man in front of her was clearly caught off guard by the revelation. A detail he hadn’t been aware of. But it made sense. In their world, such stakes were significant, even if they seemed trivial at first glance. Though ten percent might not sound like a lot, it was. And of course Lee Jungshin didn’t want to miss out on that. 

Made it even more obvious why he had tried so hard to chase Y/N.

Minho was silent, as if he was in deep thought.

   “You had a golden ticket the whole time, and you didn’t even know it huh?” She laughed, bringing him out of his thoughts.

Instead of laughing Minho reached over to grasp her hand in his, thumb caressing her skin.

   “Jungshin isn’t a good person. Who knows what he could do for that ten percent.”

Y/N’s smile faltered, seeing the look of concern, he didn’t find her joke funny, nor that the situation called for it. But she was aware Minho wouldn’t allow Jungshin to do anything for that ten percent.

   “That’s why I have you. My big bad protector.” She laughed again, trying to lighten the mood as her other hand clasped over his grip on her.

And of course he only nodded, smiling slightly in response before bringing the laptop back to him.

But what Park Hyunmin had said last time played in his head. 

   “But if anything goes astray, just know, I don’t give second chances easily.”

The first branch of the Lee family had something brewing against him. And they were going to give it their all. If Minho failed…

With Minho out of the way and Jungshin as President, he could easily marry into the Park family if Park Hyunmin saw it fit, and Y/N wouldn’t be able to do anything about it besides comply. 

Minho couldn’t let that happen. Minho wouldn’t let that happen. 

Y/N was his. 

Even if he fails. Even if she suddenly decided she no longer loved him.

No one could have her.

His eyes flickered up to take in the sight of Y/N treading around the dining table, busying herself while he worked.

Minho wasn’t a dancer, but he danced effortlessly to her tune. She had him completely tied.

───────────────────────

The chairman reviewed his re-written will for the third time this month. Though the beneficiary remained unchanged, various details had shifted.

   “I think this might be the final version. Tell Attorney Goh he can relax now.” The old man said with a chuckle, handing the document to Secretary Cha nonchalantly.

Secretary Cha examined the document once more, as he always did, before sealing it in the confidential envelope designated solely for the lawyer's eyes.

Secretary Cha asked, his tone neutral.

The chairman dipped his biscuit into his coffee, taking a quick bite of the soaked treat. 

   “Of course. Who else is competent enough to become Vice President at such a young age?” He said, his voice rising with pride. 

   “Only my son is capable of that.”

Secretary Cha cleared his throat, drawing the chairman’s attention back from his thoughts.

   “What about your other sons?”

The mention of his older sons soured the chairman’s mood. His smile fell, replaced with a stern expression.

   “They’re lucky if they’re even named in my inheritance distribution.” He grumbled, brushing crumbs from his fingers.

“Doyoung was never able to surpass his brother. And his sons are just like him. Mooyoung was always a conniving one, never achieving anything without sticking his nose into dirty business. And we all know Jungshin is doing exactly that as we speak.” He continued, frustration dripping from his words.

His hatred for his older sons was palpable.

   “But my youngest.” Chairman Lee’s tone softened.

   “My youngest is just like me. He’s observing. Cautious. He understands their nature and will always come out on top.” The old man’s favoritism was evident and unabashed.

Secretary Cha placed the envelope into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and stood at attention, as if he had more to convey.

The chairman glanced at his loyal secretary, curiosity piqued. “What is it?”

   “Your youngest son is looking into Yoon Sooyeon.” Secretary Cha reported.

Chairman Lee’s expression softened at the mention of the name he hadn’t heard in decades. 

   “His new secretary has uncovered something. I’m certain Vice President Lee is aware that she is not his birth mother.”

The information was less dramatic than the chairman had anticipated. Minho had only scratched the surface, yet his determination was evident. The chairman was impressed by how quickly he was pursuing this matter. The rumors about the Lee family hound was right, once he bites, he doesn’t easily let it go. 

And Minho was only going to dig deeper.

   “He wants to tackle everything at once, doesn’t he?” Chairman Lee mused.

Which he had guessed correctly. The youngest son wanted to get rid of all his problems, his curiosities one after the other. Ticking them off a check-list.

   “He’s always been too eager.” The chairman said with a serious tone, glancing at Secretary Cha once more. 

   “The truth can either make or break a man…Do you think my son will break after discovering the truth?” Chairman Lee asked, though it was more a rhetorical question. 

The intensity of his gaze made Secretary Cha shift slightly.

   “It’s about time he learns the truth, isn’t it?” 

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ to be continued.

── ask to be tagged! - @minh0scat, @qwonyoung23, @tsunderelino, @thecutiepieme, @candyquokka

[thoughtfulchaos773]

A show about Self-hatred, Love, & Connection

TW: Self-hatred, Suicide also Sydcarmy warning for the antis

Carmy's self-hatred is a big part of his character and it's his biggest hurdle in getting past his trauma. His self-loathing becomes apparent in the first season, particularly in the episode "Hands," where he tolerates verbal abuse. This inner critic is rooted in familial and complex trauma, existing long before his experiences in NYC.

The Familial Pattern

Those experiencing self-hatred may or may not, be in a situation that requires them to be in contact with someone from their painful past, causing distress and a tendency to withdraw to avoid experiencing painful memories and emotions...

Jodi Clarke, MA, LPC/MHSP

The Berzatto family has a history of self-loathing, with Donna's mental barriers and emotional and verbal abuse, not just from her but from extended family members, who made an impression on the Berzatto siblings.

The episode Fishes dives into Donna's inner critic that's similar to Carmy's, she says no one would care or miss her, we see the reasoning for self-hatred from the berating of Carmy, to Uncle Lee vehemently telling Mikey he's nothing, to the unforgiving nickname for Natalie, such abuse and extreme criticism is to the point that it becomes ingrained in their thoughts.

Mikey unfortunately succumbs to the pattern, but Natalie breaks the curse by attending Al-Anon meetings and loving those who instills confidence in her.

Her own actions in seeking comfort lessen the impact of Donna's self-loathing influences, as she asks for an embrace from Steven. I believe that this moment shows us how connection can help calm down our extreme inner critic.

Also Natalie's connection with Pete helps her own self compassion and feeling deserving of the good things in life. Pete tells her how great the restaurant is. He easily gives compliments to Carmy. This treatment is foreign to the Berzattos but is embraced by Natalie as she breaks the cycle.

Connecting to those who make you feel good is also foreigner to Carmy, he struggles with Pete's compliments and receiving it, he pushes those away from fear of the unknown territory of feeling good.

Feeling undeserving is one of the reasons he avoids emotional intimacy with Claire. Not only does she remind him of a past filled with ridicule from Richie and Mikey but he can't understand why someone could love him. If he could open up and allow intimacy, he would be on the path towards acceptance.

Solace in Sydney

Theres one significant moment of self-acceptance and that happens in 2x09. Carmy's character growth is clear as he chooses to listen to Sydney's words and affirmation instead of ignoring them.

I want to note that it frustrates me when people comment that Sydney's voice only contributed to Carm's work-life when his self-hatred shows up in his personal life.

From "Let It Rip" to "You Were the Most Excellent CDC," we take a look in Carmy's potential to overcome anxiety and self-loathing. The difference between "Let It Rip" is that Sydney's voice and his bond with her and it gives Carmy moments of feeling good about himself like Natalie feels with Pete. That moment of acceptance is a big step in his relationship with himself and Sydney's love for him serves as one of the remedies for his self-hatred.

I want to emphasize that Sydney can't fix Carmy, but her company, talents, and aspirations help him feel good and encourage self-compassion and confidence. Sometimes, loving someone helps you fall in love with yourself more, as long as this person also supports you in the same way.

To beat loneliness and self-loathing, Carmy needs to open his heart and contribute to filling his own cup, then he could receive love when someone pours into him.

But it's funny because he's already doing this with Sydney. He allows her love to wash over him, and even through mistakes, he tries to believe in her the way she believes in him.

Carmy will experience true love for himself and others when he moves forward and strives toward a genuine connection (forgiveness, compassion, etc.). When Carmy receives that love, he will finally feel deserving of something good happening in his life.

[autistic-crunchwrap]

I watched all of The Bear Season 3 and I have so many thoughts... SPOILERS BELOW

TL;WR: It was not all bad... There were high points and low points for sure, and I did enjoy the high points! but the stress and chaos this season brought was not worth the few and far between moments of goodness we saw.

First, the good:

Liza Colón-Zayas. Oh my god. A true standout, as always. If her episode doesn’t win her an Emmy, I will be fucking furious. Ayo also deserves an Emmy for directing that episode. Every second of the episode was beautiful and moving and added significantly to the overall plot and character development of the show (as every episode of a 10-episode season show should… but more on that later)

Abby Elliot, I love you. I am a Nat Berzatto stan through and through. Ice Chips was my favorite episode of the season. AE’s chemistry with Jamie Lee Curtis is unmatched. I was so genuinely touched by this episode. This episode was family therapy for me, I think. Thank you Abby Elliot, very cool.

Richie gets some great family time with his daughter and Tiff this season, and it’s genuinely so good to see him continue to grow and support his family even when it’s really hard for him. I see how hard he’s trying and I love him for it.

Ted Fak gave some really great energy that really worked this season. Him and Neil were consistently funny and entertaining to watch. I enjoyed their bit about haunting that came up several times throughout the season

JOHN FUCKING CENA being a Fak was an INSANE choice but I loved it. This show has gone off the rails and goddamn it I need more John Cena immediately

Joel McHale is back and as bitchy as ever! I love the havoc he wreaks on Carmy. His line from episode 10, “I don’t think about you” (paraphrasing, I’m not going back to watch it for the exact quote) made me gasp watching it. If Carmy wasn't such a prick, I would feel bad, but Season 3 Carmy deserves the shit Chef David deals him.

Olivia Coleman. That is all.

"You can go fuck" is my favorite Bear quote, especially when Nat says it

Always happy to see Will Poulter as Luca. His lil mullet is adorable and I love him. I hope he and Syd connect even more in Season 4

Pete asking Syd if different foods make different levels of noise was the funniest bit the whole season. Protect Pete at all costs.

Now for the bad…

Where’s the fucking character development??? Carmy and Syd in particular felt very stuck this season. The whole season is very stuck in the past and pays a lot of lip service to 'working through your shit'... but no one ever works through their shit this season (save for Richie, sort of) and it annoyed the hell out of me.

The whole first episode felt like a waste of time. Almost no narrative development, 20+ minutes of montage and fancy shots of cooking? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the food porn in The Bear. I live for that shit. But the narrative went NO WHERE in Episode 1 because of how much fancy cooking footage was there instead. Gurl, get on with it. I’m bored.

There are several secrets being kept this season. Syd being offered another (possibly better) position and never talking to Carmy about it, Cicero not telling Carmy that he's now broke and can't help pay for the restaurant anymore, and the details of the restaurant review being kept a secret from the audience (and the characters) for most of the season. And like, we just never really get any payoff from it?? We barely see the restaurant review at the end, Syd doesn't tell Carmy about the other job, and Cicero doesn't tell Carmy about being broke. We ended the season where we started. Re: a waste of time!

Another waste of time was the slight of hand/magic trick theme thing they tried to do but didn't fully develop. I was confused as to what the point of all that was, but it was never fully resolved. Don't give me that 'to be continued' shit because you didn't tie up your loose ends this season. I know bad writing when I see it.

Cicero was especially difficult to watch this season. More antagonistic than usual (which, fair, The Bear is a very expensive shitshow) but it makes a big deal about saying he wishes he would've shown up for the Berzatto kids more, but for what purpose? He says this twice, only for it to be revealed to the audience that he's basically lying to Carmy about having money. Bad writing makes this character more scummy than I think he needs to be.

The Claire subplot went absolutely nowhere this season. I think the only time we actually see Claire in present day (and not just in Carmy's blue-tinted 'Supercut' by Lorde memories of her...) is when Neil and Ted Fak are fucking with her at work about Carmy. She was a major trigger point for Carmy this season, but he never does anything to make amends to her, which I found strange considering there's a WHOLE EPISODE about Carmy "considering apologizing." Shut the fuck up. Apologize to her or don't, but she is not haunting you, Carmen. Goddamn.

Speaking of Carmy never apologizing, this season is SO full of callbacks to previous seasons and makes such specific references that the audience is expected to remember, but there are giant plot holes and references that are all but forgotten. The "I'm sorry" sign that Carmy taught Syd to do on the line when they're upset at each other is never brought up once this season, which feels lazy. Carmy did that sign when he was being an asshole last season, and it felt like that was missing. Also, some of the motifs this season just didn't make sense to me.

Finally, Carmen Berzattto is a grade-A asshole the whole season. Like, just a massive prick with no character development, no arc, no interest in healing or working through his shit or connecting with other human beings in really anyway, and honestly? He was antagonistic and demanding and harsh in a way we've never see him before, and I don't think it was for the better. I understand that it's because he's lost this humility and is turning into Chef David, which is the worst thing in the world to Carmy, but he shows 0 remorse for being an asshole this season. Him 'not being able to say sorry' isn't a good enough excuse for how truly grating his character was the entire season. I didn't enjoy watching him on screen. My favorite moments this season were the ones where Carmy was no where to be found. I loved Carmy in Seasons 1 and 2, but I wanted nothing to do with him this season. That's just bad writing.

PHEW, that was a lot! Okay my loves, thanks for sticking through all that. Please let me know your thoughts and hot takes too!! Anyway, stan Natalie Berzatto, and pick up some fucking C-folds, yeah?

[desi2go]

Case 143

part 1 part 2 part 3

pairing: werewolf!lee know x reader

Warnings: fluff, angst

Author's note: Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. I hope you enjoyed this mini series ;-)

Your life was great, really. Your exams turned out good and you could finally relax a bit. The cold and rainy spring turned into the warm sunny summer that was already awaited because of the bad storms in the last weeks.

But most of all, your relationship with your now boyfriend Minho went smoothly and was like a dream. Wherever you two met, there were butterflies in your tummy and a wide smile on your lips. After catching him in the hallway that day, everything has changed. He has changed. Well, his behaviour towards you at least. He was soft and caring to you while teasing you became his favourite thing.

The moment of walking together in one of your classes, hand in hand, was burned into your memory. You remember Wooyoung sitting on your desk, a knowing smile on his face and wiggling eye brows that made you laugh and at the same time growing red.

He congratulated you two and pulled you into a tight hug. You remember the way Minho pulled you away from the boy that was glued to you and took you into his arms protectively.

Innocent, Woo held his hands up and laughed. "Pull the claws in kitty. I don't wanna take her away from you" You chuckled at his comment and lean into your boyfriends touch.

Even if Minho didn't like the smell of the other male on you, he knew that he must accept it. He was your friend and maybe, if he admits, wasn't so bad at all. But that doesn't mean that Woo should be all over you all the time. You were his, and only his. You should smell like him and not like the other wolf.

The day you kissed, was now three months back in the past and you two got to know eachother better than before. The relationship was fragile at first. Both of you feared to overstep or to make mistakes but that faded away really quickly and you became overly comfortable in the presence of the other one.

After class, he waited for you to bring you home or to eat something with you in the cafeteria. On weekends, you both met eachother. Sometimes, he took you out on a fancy date to the cinema or to a restaurant but usually you two would spend an evening on your couch with cute pyjamas and a big bowl of microwave popcorn, too tired to go out or dress up from the exhausting week.

...

At first, he was anxious with you meeting his pack members. What if you don't like them? They were his family but you as well. But you didn't pressure him and after some time, he brought you to his house. But not without stating to his pack members that they will sleep in the garden if they don't behave and scare you.

Your first impression of the boys were that they were super chaotic. You just went through the entrance door when you were swarmed by two boys. One had long blonde died hair who introduced himself as Felix and the other one was Han. You've met the brown haired in the hallway after you had dropped some important sheets of paper and he had helped you.

Felix was a totally sunshine. His personality was bubbly and kind. Within the first few minutes he gave you a hug and offered you some brownies. The curly haired man, Chan, pulled him softly away from you to give you space and bid you hello.

The other members introduced themselves as well as you all sat on the big couch in the living room. You sat between Minho and Han while your boyfriend draped an arm around your shoulders and drew lines on your skin. You leaned into the touch and listened to the conversation, from time to time answering questions or adding something.

Everything went well. Minho saw that you liked his family and we're comfortable around them. It made his heart swell and now he could spend time with you and his friends together.

...

As time went on Minho pushed his confession that he is a werewolf more and more in the background. He knew that someday he needed to tell you the truth. You deserved to know. And you must know as his mate. Hell, he must tell you that too. That you two were bond together even when you couldn't sense the pull of the mate bond as strong as he can.

Especially now, when he would go into his rut soon. Twice a year he will be controlled by his hormones and his instincts to reproduce. It would be too dangerous to be near you since you didn't even know about the existence of werewolves.

You're smart. So, he must come up with a really good excuse. He hates to lie to you but he would loose you if you found out and he isn't going to let you go now. Even if it meant to hide that side for a little longer.

He can feel it. The upcoming rut. It's getting worse and worse for each day that passes. And your sweet scent just drove him insane.

In the morning he wakes up sweaty and needy. He sighs when he tried to move out of his bed because of his sore muscles. Just like the ruts before, he will stay at home and just hope that it will be over soon. He hates the feeling of the rut. Especially after he had met you. His entire body wants to be near you, to love and breed you. His inner wolf couldn't think of anything else than you and your perfect body. He forces him to be near you. He knows that you can make the burning and the heat go away.

You on the other hand sat at that time already in class, wondering where you boyfriend is. He didn't show up. Maybe he is sick, you thought. Your suspicion was confirmed as he texted you only minutes later that he won't come the next few days because he got a cold. You immediately replied.

Get well soon. I will visit you in the afternoon with some medicine and food! ~ y/n

Shit, Minho thought. You can't come near him. Not now. He couldn't control himself right now and he doesn't want to hurt you.

You don't need to come, love. I don't want to infect you ~ Minho

I know, but you won't. Sleep now, you need to get better ~ y/n

He chuckled. As if he could sleep now with a hard one. That will be long days.

...

After class, you quickly got home and changed into comfier cloths and headed out to buy some medicine. You weren't the best cook but you will try to create a chicken soup that hopefully will help him. With all the ingredients, you walked to his house and grabbed the key from under the doormat to let yourself in. You learned that Felix and especially the youngest Jeongin forget their keys and the key under the mat was especially for these accidents.

It seemed to be only Minho home. The house was quiet which was a rare occasion because whenever the boys are home it's loud and laughter can be heard everywhere. They are a bunch of happiness and chaos.

You quickly walked into the kitchen and started cutting the ingredients. You had found a good recipe a while ago when you were sick and now you could finally use it again. As the soup was cooked, you decided to look after your boyfriend and bring him some medicine. With the bag with the medicine in one hand, you headed to his room.

Minho thought that he was hallucinating. He could smell your scent. Maybe his now even more sensitive nose tricked him. He panted and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he suddenly heard footsteps. Maybe one of the boys is back. Jisung promised him to cook him something to eat and went to buy food. Definitely it's him. Or maybe Hyunjin who should be currently at his art class.

But the footsteps were lighter and not so loud. And there was your scent again. The door opened and you stepped into the dark room.

"Minho?" You whispered because you didn't want to disturb him if he was sleeping and closed the door behind you. In the dark you could see Minho coming towards you with a fast pace.

He trapped you between the wall and him, both hands leaning on the wall next to your head. He looked exhausted and sweaty and you realised that he wore just his boxers. He leaned his head at the crook of your neck and inhaled deeply.

"Shit, Minho. You're burning!" You said as his hot skin met yours. "Y/n, what are you doing here?" He asked with a hoarse voice. "I wanted to help you get better. I brought medicine and I cooked you a soup." You explained.

Minho murmured something. Then he got louder. "Go. Go. Please go!"

Minho fought against his instincts to rip your clothes and to nibble at your skin, to mark you. He couldn't do that for longer, he will loose control if you won't go away. His inner wolf became stronger and stronger with each second that passed. He wanted to be near his mate as close as possible. For him, you were willing to help so that the terrible burning inside him would stop.

And on top of that he could smell that you were ovulating. His instincts told him that he should breed you and to give you his baby. Soon he will do something that he'll regret.

"What? Why? What do you mean?" You ask confused. You stood there shocked. You should go? You just wanted to help. He lifted his face and looked you in the eyes. His weren't the usual brown, they were golden.

Then, he opened his mouth and showed you his teeth but they seem longer and sharper. Like the teeth from a wolf or a dog.

His arms held you by your shoulders. His face dipped down to your neck again and you could feel his mouth kissing you there and even his tongue glided over that spot. "Minho, what are you-" you couldn't even finish the question before his teeth bit into your skin.

Immediately, pain went through your body and you yelped and wanted to flee but he had trapped you.

You let out a yell and tears welled up in your eyes because of the stinging pain. You heard the door open and Minho was pulled away from you.

It was Han who pulled you out of the room and you could hear Minho desperately call out for you. He sounded broken and his voice was uneven.

Slowly, Han brought you into the kitchen and sat you down on one of the chairs. He then searched for the first-aid kit to look at your wound. Your mind was blank. Just some minutes ago, you were happy to help your boyfriend get well soon and walked to his room as you thought he was just ill. You never thought that he would bite you painfully. Well, how things could change.

You didn't understand it. Why? That was the question that kept twirling in your mind. Why? Did you do something wrong? What happened to him to act like that?

Han slowly touched your shoulder. You were deep into your thoughts and hadn't noticed that Han had found the first aid kit and stood in front of you. Fortunately, he was home in that moment when he heard you scream in pain.

He left his bags of food at the hallway and sprinted to Minho's room. He had pulled you away and looked at his best friend who didn't understand what happend just seconds ago.

As Han touched you, you flinched and finally focused on him. "Let me see the wound"

You leaned you head to the other side and exposed the bloody mark. Without wanting to harm you further, he cleaned the wound with a disinfectant cloth. You flinched again as the disinfection stung. Now, he could see how deep the mark truly was.

Han was relieved to see that it was not deep. If he would have gotten home just seconds later, the bite would be deep enough to be a permanent one, a mating mark that would have bonded your souls together forever. He removed the last bloody spots that was already drying. Then, he threw away the dirty cloth into the trash and put a plaster over the wound.

Han kneeled down in front of you so that you both could look each other into the eyes.

"Why, Han? What happened to him?" Your voice sounded broken and hurt. He knew that Minho didn't tell you that he was a werewolf. Now, he could slap himself for not dragging his best friend to tell you. At all wouldn't have happened if you knew from the beginning.

"Everything will be okay Y/n" he said with a calm voice. "Come, I'll bring you home"

You just nodded and followed him quietly. He brought you home and in front of your door, he stopped and turned to you. "Everything will be okay Y/n" He repeated his words from half an hour ago.

"Minho isn't himself right now. He'll explain everything to you, I promise. But please forgive him it wasn't completely his fault. Give him another chance."

"What do you mean with that. Isn't himself at the moment?"

"It isn't my right to say something to you. You should hear it from him" You sighed and nodded. Then you bid him goodbye and walked into your apartment.

...

Jisung shut the front door of the pack house with a thud and sprinted up to Minho's room. Without knocking, he threw the door open and saw his best friend sitting on his bed. Anxious and angry with himself, he ran his hand through his already messy hair. Minho knew that he had fucked up royally.

"How is she?" He asked Han slowly. His best friend sighed.

"She's confused and hurt. Man, what was wrong with you? Usually, you're not so uncontrollable during your rut."

"I don't know! Just her sweet scent made me crazy. Shit, I fucked up so bad"

"Yeah, you did. And you need to tell her about the whole werewolf thing as soon as possible"

"I know" After Han had saved his mate, he quickly got control back and immediately regretted what his wolf made him do. It was like someone else, his wolf side had taken over in the heat of the moment since that side was stronger in the rut. He paced through his room, thinking about what to do next. Should he follow you? No, that would be risky if his wolf got control again.

After some time he didn't know how to approach you or if he should approach you at all. Then, he heard Han and you walking to the front door but he kept silently in his room. The door closed and he was alone in the house again. Was that the last time he saw you?

He never thought that he would say that but he loves you with every ounce of his body. He wouldn't survive it anymore if you won't let him near you again. Not after experiencing that, even short, time with you as his girlfriend.

So, he must wait for his rut to be finally over and then he'll hope that you give him a chance to explain everything. And hopefully, you won't run away after that, claiming that he is crazy and scary.

...

The following days feel like dream. Well, to be exact like a nightmare, a pretty bad one. The next day after that accident was blurry. You couldn't concentrate on anything. You covered the wound with a scarf to avoid the curious questions when you where at the college. All you wanted was to stay at home and hide between your soft blankets of your bed, suppressing the past day. But you couldn't allow yourself that.

It was like Wooyoung immediately saw that wound even though you tried your best to hide it. He knitted his brows and pushed your scarf away to examine the plaster. "What happened to you?" He asked concerned.

"Nothing" you replied and pushed his hand away that touched it.

It wasn't nothing. Woo smelled it. The change of your scent. At first he thought that you must have spent the whole night with Minho and smelled that's why so much like him but he only could perceived your scent when he exactly concentrated on it. Then it hit him. He realised that your boyfriend must have marked you.

But he knew that then, your two scents would be mixed and most parts would be healed by now due to the bond. That idiot must have bit you only that deep to end up with a non permanent one that will indicate to other wolves that you are claimed, not mated but claimed. He was furious. And your red and slightly swollen eyes showed him that you weren't a fan of it either.

...

You waited another three days for any kind of symbol that your boyfriend lived and wanted to meet you. At that point you didn't even know if he would call you at all. But he did. He texted you.

Hey Y/n. I'm so sorry for what happened. I want to explain everything to you. Please, let me meet you at our favourite café. ~ Minho

You read that message again and again. Should you go? He seemed to want to fix things.

Okay, I'll be there in 30 ~ Y/n

You quickly threw over a light jacket and made your way to the café. It was the same café in which you both had worked on your project months ago and now, you loved to meet eachother there and to have a simple date there.

Surprisingly, Minho was already there and looked nervous. His always calm eyes travelled through the room and seemed to search for you. As he saw you, he jumped up from his stool and wanted to pull you towards him but he stopped himself. Instead he rubbed his neck.

"Hey Y/n"

"Hey" you said and took place in front of him. He looked really nervous.

"I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. You must believe me" He stated with a pleading look.

As you didn't say anything he continued.

"But I wasn't myself anymore. And the truth is-" he took a deep breath. "I'm a werewolf"

Well, you hadn't expected that explanation.

"What? You're what?" You asked with a questioning look. You didn't know if you should call him crazy.

"Believe me, please. I'm a werewolf. And well, I'm an alpha and every alpha goes through a phase twice a year where his instincts are heightened and uhm they urge him to breed or to reproduce. I know it sounds crazy but it's called rut and I had my rut some days ago" Blood rushed into his cheeks as he explained rapidly what had happend to him.

"Rut? You mean that's why you were different then?"

"Yeah! My plan was it to keep you away from me because I didn't want to hurt you but then you stood there and everything in me went wild"

You sighed. He looked like it was his full seriousness. Should you believe him? But he sounded like he was saying the truth.

"So, shouldn't you be more hairy if you are a werewolf?"

He chuckled relieved. "Well, I can change into a wolf. Then I'll be hairy" he said cocky with a smirk.

"Of course. And I turn into Darth Vader every full moon" you replied simply not believing that. Minho, a wolf? Yeah right. That's it. Now, you need therapy. And maybe some alcohol. Much alcohol.

"Really? I didn't know you that a talent like that in you" he teased. "But I can prove you that I really am a werewolf"

"Okay, alright. Mr. Wolfie. Show me then"

He guided you out the café after he stated that he couldn't change in front of the people in there. They would go crazy. Then, he directed you to his car to drive you back to the pack house. Next to the house, there was a big forest.

His parents bought that house not without a reason. So, they could easily change without fearing that somebody would see them and call the police out of fear. The whole ride was silent. Nobody dared to say something. Minho concentrated on driving while you just observed the world outside the window.

...

He turned off the engine and got out. You followed him into the forest to a small clearing where the warm sun broke through the treetops. You fiddled with your hands and stood there, waiting that Minho did something.

Minho rubbed his neck and took a deep breath. He hoped that you wouldn't run away after he showed you his other side. The werewolf side. He took off his jacket, the one that you loved, and began transforming. You heard his bones cracking and rearranging.

And soon, instead of your boyfriend, there stood that huge from head to toe black wolf. His eyes were golden, the same colour you noticed from time to time in his human eyes. Your breath hitched. He looked really terrifying and you stepped back to bring more distance between you and him. But unfortunately, you tripped over a small tree trunk and fell into the soft grass.

You heard steps and then the wolf stood right in front of you. He came closer and closer until he was only centimetres away from your face. The werewolf whimpered and slowly laid down with his head on your lap. Minho could feel how tense you were as he laid there, trying to show you that he wouldn't hurt you. Never.

You kept your hands pressed against your chest but slowly you calmed down and touched his fur on his head. His black fur was silky and soft. As you grew more comfortable, you brushed through his hair and he began wagging his tail with excitement. Minho's inner wolf was satisfied and purred happy.

You stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each others presence. But you felt guilty that you didn't trust him. "Minho?" You tried to turn his attention to you and stopped petting him. He lifted his head and touched with his wet nose your fingers. So, you continued with speaking.

"I'm so sorry that I didn't believe you. I should have trusted you" Slowly, the tears that brimmed in your eyes fell down on your cheeks and dropped on your hands. Minho whimpered at the sight of you and pushed his nose in your face and licked the tears away with his tongue. It probably would be the best if he would transform back.

He trotted a few feet away and once again his bones cracked which caused you to lift your head just to see Minho standing there in his whole glory. Naked.

Well, it wasn't the first time you saw him naked but still the blood rushed to your cheeks. The clothes he weared before were ripped due to the transformation. He picked up the jacket and tied it at his waist.

"I am sorry Y/n. I hurt you and I should have told you from the beginning" He explained and leaned down to cup your face in his big hands. One hand slid down your face, brushing a wild hair strand behind your ear and travelling to the place where the bite mark is.

Slowly, he pulled the scarf away that hid the mark. Then, he could see it. It wasn't so swollen anymore and the red bruisings were fading away. His eyes burned with both tears and guilt. He had hurt his mate. The one he was supposed to protect. He failed.

"But I was an idiot. I feared that you wouldn't want to see me again after. Y/n I'm so sorry"

You looked in his now brown eyes and closed the distance between you two. At first, the kiss was timid but soon it turned into a passionate one. His soft lips against yours while his nose brushed against you cheek and his hair tickled your forehead.

"I love you Y/n" he murmured against your lips, catching breath. Your breath hitched and you gave him another kiss. "I love you too, Mr. Wolfie"

He chuckled. "Is that my nickname now?"

"Maybe?" You answered and smirked playfully.

He shakes his head amused and gave you a peck on your forehead. "But I still need to tell you something. You are my mate"

You knitted your brows. Mate? What was that? "What do you mean with mate?"

"You know. Each werewolf has a person that he is destined to spend his whole life with. A soulmate."

"And I'm your mate? How do you know?"

"Well, we feel a pull towards the person. It's like every second you're without them your heart aches" He told you and grabbed your hand.

"And why don't I feel a pull? Is it because I'm a human?"

He nodded and stroked his thumb over your fingers lightly.

"Does that mean, you respect me as a werewolf?" He asked carefully as his shoulders tensed again. You chuckled. "Of course Wolfie. I need to get comfortable with the idea that my boyfriend is a big dog though"

"I love you Y/n. But if you call me a dog one more time I need to tickle you to death!" He threatened and his soft lips brushed against yours.

You smirked and simply teased him further. Both of you enjoyed the presence of the other one. Neither of you wanted to separate for longer after the week of distance.

Something in the underwood crashed and Minho tensed next to you. He growled slightly and wanted to protect you from whoever might come towards you. You are his. Only his.

Jisung shot out of the woods while a knowing smirk plastered his face. In his hand was a bag with clothes for Minho. He had seen you two walking into the forest, so he assumed that Minho might need new clothings.

He threw the bag over to his best friend who caught it effortlessly. "Keep going lovebirds. I'm already on my way back" he said.

...

"One more question. Is Han a werewolf too?"

Minho focused back on you after he had changed and now walked to the pack house hand in hand with you.

"Yes, he is an Alpha like I am. Well, everyone in the house is a werewolf. And you know what? Wooyoung and his friend are wolves too"

You gasped. "Really? I never noticed"

"Because we like to keep our identities hidden darling." He stated. It was nice to finally be honest with you. He hadn't noticed how guilty he was for not telling you before the accident.

And now, he could slap himself for thinking that you wouldn't love him the way he is. You are his mate for a reason and he wouldn't want someone else to be it. You were his one and only. Even though you need to learn so many things about werewolves, you made it clear that there was no difference. Werewolf or not. Minho is the love of your life.

[ericdeggans]

My List of the Best TV in 2023: An Abundance of Quality Even in Adversity

What’s the surest proof that there truly is too much television available these days?

The fact that, even though 2023 featured historic performers and writers strikes in Hollywood which crippled film and TV production for months, there was still enough great series and projects to fill an entire notebook page.

Way too many, in fact, for me to cover in my small part of NPR’s awesome annual listing of the best TV and film of the year, compiled among six different critics. It’s one reason the strikes went on so long in the first place – for fans of great TV, it didn’t really seem like much changed, as streaming services kept dropping cool stuff, thanks to their long production lead times.

Ironically, viewers may notice the strikes’ impact more next year – in part, because a lot of cool TV shows left us in 2023 (pour one out for Barry, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Crown, Reservation Dogs, Succession, and, possibly, Ted Lasso) and also because the streamers will spend some time rebuilding lineups which got depleted.

Here, where I have a lot more room is my highly subjective and surprisingly long list of the Best TV of 2024:

TOP PICK - Succession – A show which perfectly captured how the dysfunctions of wealthy families can impact the world delivered a note-perfect finale that surprised – though I did predict Tom would win out – and yet felt completely inevitable. All while the world was second-guessing and writing their own endings. Masterful.

The Last of Us – Who knew reinventing the zombie apocalypse story was simple as coming up with a new cause – fungus, eww! – and the willingness to hand big chunks of the story over to compelling, fully drawn supporting characters. Doesn’t hurt to have ultimate zaddy Pedro Pascal and precocious acting genius Bella Ramsey on the case, either.

The Bear - Speaking of compelling supporting characters…this show’s second season sparkled by giving the other employees in Carmy’s greasy spoon-becoming-a-great-restaurant lots of narrative room. But it took flight with unexpected, brilliant cameos from Jon Bernthal, Olivia Colman, Oliver Platt, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, and the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis.

Reservation Dogs – Proof of the amazing, authentic, original stories which come from letting indigenous people tells their own stories, smashing together a crushing realism with the sense that a jarring visit from the spirit world is always around the next corner.

Fargo – Not sure I love the ultimate message on the healing power of suburban, white, upper middle class Midwestern family life (or what happens to the one major Black character). But crackling performances from Juno Temple, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Jason leigh and Dave Foley make this year’s installment the best version in many years.

Shrinking – An emotional and truly funny comedy that reminds us how hilarious Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams can be while not making us spend too much time on Jason Segel’s angsty privileged white guy shtick.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The TV series which scored the most by taking the boldest swings, leaning into Trek’s original heritage as an adventure-of-the-week which told the most ambitious stories on the small screen.

(The dancing, dubstepping, boy band-style Klingons on Strange New Worlds powered my favorite TV scene of the year.)

Star Trek: Picard – Yeah, I put TWO Trek series here, because everyone else in critic-land seems to be sleeping on the fact that they made more than one excellent season of a new Trek series filled with nods to what came before, including this show, which reunited the Next Generation cast in a storyline basically about old people saving the universe from young, clueless, mind-controlled pawns.

Barry – Wasn’t thrilled about how grim this series’ finale eventually became. But respected the fact that co-creator/star Bill Hader never shied away from the fact that the show was going to be his laboratory for all the directing and storytelling tricks he ever wanted to try, and a dark comedy about a hitman-turned-actor has to be seriously dark to mean something.

Beef – A road rage incident becomes a crackling, entertaining look at everything from Asian family culture to Elon Musk-level mogul dysfunction while also proving my girl Ali Wong can act her ass off.

Still: A Michael J. Fox Story – While other celebrities are executive producing documentaries to show how legendarily cool they are, Fox helped create an up close look at his struggle with Parkinson’s disease which show how hard it is to put on socks and take a walk on a new York street without crashing to the ground right in front of a concerned fan.

Only Murders in the Building – A comedy about over-privileged crime podcasters in an Upper West side apartment building should not stay entertaining over three seasons. But this show pulls it off, tossing in against-the-grain cameos by Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep that provide the best icing on a very fine cake.

Slow Horses – This show about a department filled with failed British intelligence agents not only subverts the spy genre, it subverts the satires which originally subverted classic spy dramas, like Get Smart. Topped by mesmerizing performances from Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas, I would have subtitled this one, Get Smarter.

Happy Valley - This series about an experienced, ball-busting divorced single mom of a police sergeant in a mid-size town in Britain notched an underappreciated series finale featuring the amazing Sarah Lancashire as Catharine Cawood, finally confronting the man she blamed for her daughter’s suicide and her grandson’s emotional turmoil.

BS High – A great documentary often tells a story which keeps going deeper and better, like a descent into a spellbinding madness. This film achieved that by giving center stage to master manipulator/football coach Roy Johnson, who got ESPN to air a game featuring his Bishop Sycamore High School team; the film contends their crushing loss eventually exposed that the school didn’t really exist.

I’m a Virgo – Creator and activist Boots Riley made an urban parable where Black excellence became superpowers and the world’s exploitive class came for a 13-foot-tall Black teen played by the always compelling Jharrel Jerome. Always inspiring to see how Boots turns mainstream media’s tropes and expectations against itself.

[bp-zb1fics]

Can you do "cuddles and kisses with lee jeonghyeon", i'm glad if u do something suggestive like lap sitting maybe?? thank youu!!

Ridiculous but you're mine~

pairing: leejeong x reader

genre: fluff, suggestive themes (pls see tags!)

tw/tags: flirting, kisses, making out, hand-holding, lap sitting, non-explicit/implied s*x acts, korean pet names, leejeong being the biggest simp and pretending to hate it (spoiler: he doesn't)

wc: 1592

summary: jeonghyeon values a lot of things but he’ll make an exception for you

a/n Hi anon~ I may have gotten a little carried away with the suggestive part but I hope it's somewhat similar to what you had in mind and it's not too much. Kind of played with a different format writing this fic, idk if it works or not but I am very proud of how it turned out. Any readers for this, please, please do let me know what you think and if I should add additional tags to this, ty!

Check my pinned for more fics~

Jeonghyeon wasn’t a touchy person. Not at all. No thank you.

He’ll accept skinship if he’s feeling indulgent, he’ll freely offer a hug if someone needs it but aside from that, he generally likes to keep his personal space, well personal. 

Until you, that is. 

You don’t even need to do anything. It’s a little infuriating actually. 

You look at him and his brain completely short-circuits.

__________________________________________

“Leejeong-yah~”

He really regrets letting Mun Junghyun tell you about their “leejeong, mungjung cross.” God, that was embarrassing. And it was even more embarrassing because of how cute you thought it was and how cute he thought you were and now he has the displeasure of becoming even more flustered by his own damn name.

“Hmm?”

He’s putting his socks on, getting ready to go out because you wanted sushi and god forbid Jeonghyeon doesn’t give you what you want. It’s a little chilly so he throws on the black hoodie that you like because of how soft it is. 

He reaches for his earrings and his eyes meet yours in the mirror as he looks up to put them on. Jeonghyeon nearly drops the damned earrings. 

Don’t ask him to explain why. Literally no thoughts, head empty. He’s only beginning to recover when you walk over and give him a back hug, burying your face to the fabric of the hoodie while he just stands there, frozen like the idiot he is.

“Wahh so soft.” Your voice is muffled but Jeonghyeon is desperately fighting back the blush that threatens to bloom on his cheeks.

“We should go.” He manages to get out, glad that his voice didn’t crack.

__________________________________________

You hold his hand and any rational thought is reduced to ash.

__________________________________________

As soon as you get outside, the cold hits and Jeonghyeon immediately shoves his hands into his hoodie pocket. Before he can check on you, you’re already linking your arm with his and sliding your hand into your own pocket. Seriously, how can his heart take this?

“Are you cold?”

You shake your head, bouncing up and down a little. It’s very cute and really not great for his health.

“Sushi, let’s get sushi~”

You make your way to the restaurant. Jeonghyeon can’t help but look at you, glancing around occasionally to make sure you were following the right directions but eyes always coming back to you. And he can’t help but wonder what he had done right for the universe to decide to send you his way. Someone who loved him with all his scrappy imperfections and flaws.

Suddenly a gust of cold wind tickles the back of your necks and you yelp, one hand slipping out of your pocket and into his. Jeonghyeon freezes as you wiggle your fingers between his, pressing yourself closer like you want to sink into his side.

“It’s cold.”

You say in the way of justification, not like he even needs one. For the rest of the way, you walk like that and he can only ever feel your hand in his.

__________________________________________

You pout, just a little, and whatever values he has, personal, moral, family values, all out the window.

__________________________________________

The restaurant is a sushi train. You’re directed to a booth and left alone with a tablet in case you wanted to order something that wasn’t on the train.

Jeonghyeon begins taking plates. And it was only after you had a sizable serving in front of you that he realised he took all your favourites. Really, when did he become like this? When did it become an instant serotonin boost to see your face light up like that? 

“Leejeong say ahhh~”

He mindlessly opens his mouth and lets you feed him. It’s good. Any food that’s given by you is automatically better than any other food. He’s never been one for public displays but you look at him expectantly, your bottom lip protruding ever so slightly.

It’s like he’s been hypnotised, carefully picking up a piece and feeding it to you. And no, he’ll never admit to anyone how endearing it is to watch you eat, your cheeks puffing out as you chew.

He’s a weak, weak man. And it’s all your fault, seriously it is.

__________________________________________

It’s ridiculous. 

__________________________________________

You stumble back home, bellies full. Kicking your shoes off, you tug him towards the couch and switch on that one drama you insist he watch with you. Both of you started off seated. He sits cross legged while you tuck your feet to the side, his arm resting around your shoulder.

It’s not a new drama you’re watching. No, it's one of those that you like to come back to, one of those you watch without needing to think too hard or wonder what to expect. 

Junhyeon sighs as you lean against him, comfortably pressing against his side. He watches you fondly as you mimic the dialogue on screen, the audio almost like white noise at this point. Suddenly you’re reaching up, fingers skimming feather-light across his jawline leaving little sparks in their wake.

“So handsome~” You murmur, letting your thumb ghost below his bottom lip. Jeonghyeon’s breath stutters. 

“My Leejeongie, naekko!”

He’s going to die. You’re going to kill him. Belatedly, he realises that you’re just imitating the drama. Still, his stupid heart is ready to pound its way out of his chest. Before he can think twice, he gently grabs your hand in his and presses a kiss to your knuckles. You go quiet. Before he can drop your hand, you pull yourself closer, nudging at him until you’re kneel-sitting between his thighs, his legs stretched out on the couch. 

You drop his hand in favour of resting your palms on his shoulders to balance yourself. His arms are limp by his sides. Jeonghyeon almost stops breathing as you lean forward, your noses nearly touching, trying to keep his cool. You peck the corner of his mouth. He’s an absolute goner at this point. 

For the next few minutes, he lets you litter kisses all over his face, sweet on his forehead, making his cheeks flush hot, his teeth clenching as your lips brush a trail along his jaw. You chip away at his sanity every time you bring your lips to his and pause just before they touch, leaving his mouth a little more dry every time. The last straw is when you bite playfully at his collarbones, giggling at the look of utter distress that washes over his face as you tease up his neck. By the time your lips once again ghost against the corners of his, his hands grab needily at your waist.

“Dammit aegiya, please.”

Jeonghyeon breathes out shakily and you flash him a coy little smile that does bad, bad things to his heart before you finally kiss him. 

__________________________________________

God, you’re ridiculous. 

__________________________________________

Jeonghyeon can’t stop kissing you. 

His teeth scrape slightly against your bottom lip and you gasp. Your tongue flicks out to drag across the roof of his mouth and something so good just bursts in his brain. Hands squeeze your waist again, you squeak and they stroke your sides as if to soothe, sliding down to rest on your thighs. You shift, gripping to the front of your boyfriend’s hoodie and just like that, you’re fully on his lap, straddling him.

If nothing, Jeonghyeon only gets needier.

He’s mouthing at your neck, tongue teasing mindless patterns at the places he knows are sensitive. The little noises that escape you set off tiny firecrackers in his head. Your hands clench uselessly before finding their way to his hair and tugging. Heat blooms at the pit of his stomach and he bites a little harder than he meant to. The strangled noise that it draws from you is delicious and your hips jerk forward, creating friction that has him groaning. His mind is empty, save for the thought of you, how desperate he is for you.

Fingers slip under this hoodie to fidget with the waistband of his pants, every touch against bare skin has him inhaling sharply, his eyes dark and pupils blown out, staring at you in a way that has heat coursing through your whole body. He’s become bold enough to rest his palms over your ass, slipping them into your back pockets and squeezing. Your hands go a little lower and he bites back a curse, resting his forehead on your shoulder, eyes fluttering shut. Any sense of composure is tossed aside, neither of you bothering to see where it’s gone.

It’s all shaky breathing, gasps swallowed up by lips on lips, fabric rustling and the desperate repetition of each other’s name like a plea to the universe to mould your bodies together so that you’d never be apart from each other.

Jeonghyeon’s basking in the afterglow, both of you struggling to catch your breaths. He’s as boneless as you are, languidly draping yourself on top of him, sprawling almost, limbs loose and liquid-like. You giggle and that’s when he notices the drama still playing in the background.

Hands reach for his own, and he swears he can see the stars in your eyes. You’re absolutely going to be the end of him. His heart and his mind and his body and his soul, dangling into the precipice that is you. It’s absolutely idiotic, letting himself drop in so deep, not caring about when he’ll have to hit the ground, running.

__________________________________________

And yet, he’s the one who’s ridiculous enough to fall for you, over and over and over again.

[the-badger-mole]

The Volunteer: Part 4

As the weeks drew on, Azula's attitude towards her mandated service hours didn't change. Mai, at the very least, managed to resign herself to the point of simply choosing to power through. She still complained, but kept it to before or after their shifts. Zuko, for his part, had begun driving himself. If Azula and her friends had bothered to ask why, he had been ready to say that he planned to go to the library after his shift to work on one project or another. None of them asked, though Zuko still made a point to not get home until a few hours after Azula.

Volunteering at Hama's Haven was becoming a bright spot in Zuko's week. Where his classmates had always held him apart, afraid of him and his family's reputation, the workers and volunteers at the Haven had embraced him. He had in-jokes with Due, and Kuyan gave him advice for his college applications. After the painting was done, Zuko was assigned to sorting through donations, where he was teamed with Haru and Ty Lee. He watched bemusedly as they flirted and got to know each other. It was a side of Ty Lee he hadn't seen before. Not that she hadn't been flirty- she had been an accomplished flirt since kindergarten- but it was much more affectionate with Haru. Zuko could tell she really liked him, and without Azula or Mai around to judge her, Ty Lee was a lot more confident about her feelings.

The biggest boon, though, was spending time with the Imiq siblings. Before, Katara had existed on Zuko's periphery. An over achiever who he often found himself in academic competition with, but who'd never actually bothered to get to know. Now, though, he understood why she was so popular at school. She was witty, charming, and on occasion, hilarious. She cared about the people at the Haven, and unlike Zuko, she really had voluntarily given up her time to serve them. She treated them like extended family, and the long time residents and the staff all treated her like their own in return. The children all clambered for her attention, and she made sure to divide her time equally among them all. She had an easy, friendly smile with everyone. Even Zuko had become a lucky frequent recipient. It was strange to think of Katara and Sokka and all of their friends as his friends now, but Zuko was glad now that Sokka had insisted on him joining them for lunch that first week.

"Hey, Splotchy!" Zuko groaned, biting back a smile as Katara bounced up to him.

"What do I have to pay you to stop calling me that?" He asked. Katara smirked at him.

"I'll stop calling you that when you stop making that funny face you make," she said. "What are you doing after this?"

"Nothing in particular," Zuko shrugged. He was sorting through a bag of recently donated winter clothes, dividing the ones that could be washed on site and the ones that needed dry cleaning. It wasn't difficult work, but Hakoda had told him to take his time so he could fill out his full shift.

"Great," Katara said. "Do you want to go for noodles?"

"Noodles?" Zuko looked up in surprise.

"I've been craving them all week," she told him. "But Sokka's got a date with Suki, Toph's out of town, and Aang has a big project due. I don't want to go to the restaurant alone. Do you want to come?"

"I-er...just-" Zuko stammered. Katara's brow drew down a bit.

"Do you not like noodles?"

"I-um...yeah," Zuko said. "I love noodles. Noodles are great! Um...sure, I'll join you."

"Great!" Katara beamed at him and Zuko felt his heart lodge in his throat. "I'll see you in a couple of hours. Do you mind driving?"

"Sure. I'll- I'll see you later." Katara smiled at Zuko and waved as she left. A sweater hung forgotten in Zuko's hands as he watched her go.

"Ahem!" Zuko jumped, and spun around to find Ty Lee and Haru peeking from around the corner with twin smug smirks on their faces.

"What?" he grumbled, sourly, resuming his task. Ty Lee and Haru slid up beside him and picked up clothes from the pile.

"Is it just me, or did Zuko just get asked on a date?" Ty Lee asked Haru.

"Sound like it to me," Haru said. He grinned at Zuko and nudged him with his elbow. "And just look at him blush. That's adorable!"

"It's not a date," Zuko snapped. "She didn't have anyone else to go with her." Haru shrugged.

"Maybe she's just in a different mood tonight," he said. "It's not out of the question that she just doesn't want to eat alone, but I've known Katara for years and she has never had a problem doing things alone."

"If it's worth anything," Ty Lee added, "I think you two would be really sweet together."

"It's not a date," Zuko insisted. Ty Lee shrugged.

"Okay," she relented. "But, I don't think you should rule it out altogether."

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

[nardos-primetime]

Some Happy Things for the Clone Turtles in my Draxum's Side of The Family AU because my one friend is always like "CAN YOU GIVE THEM ANY NICE THINGS EVER" Yes. Yes I can!

(Let's ignore that fact a lot of these end up ruined or bittersweet later on alright? Alright.)

Most of this is in the Big Mama Era of the AU! It's basically like... the middle section of the au, so a bunch of shit happens

Big Mama is a good mother to them sometimes. She often gives them praise and works to keep them safe when she initially gains ownership (for lack of a better word) of them. They start off almost always having guards with them and such. She's also the one that properly lets them tap into training in a much healthier way than Draxum ever did (especially since they were physically like TODDLERS when Drax was pushing them). They learn pretty fast because of how they were made and because most of the time, their training is when they choose.

She calls them turtily-dees instead of turtily-boos to differentiate (they love the nickname differenceit majes them feel better than the ogs).

The clones, (even Rage), like to put on little shows for guests when not working. Unlike the originals the clones can actually sing and perform, it's one of the only consistent ways Rage speaks verbally (though he is noticeably silent or just huming in some acts).

Mic is head chef! (Half honorary) He helps come up with new dishes in the kitchen and spends most of his time in the restaurant locations Mama owns. Along with this, beforehand Mama often (and still does) let them be the first taste testers for most meals, they had previously been starving, so this was a very nice change of pace.

The boys are friends with a good bunch of Mama's workers, and they mess around with them a lot. It's kind of like bring your kid to work day but basically every day for them. Sometimes, they even help the boys sneak out when they want to try and do regular kid stuff.

Such as- sneaking out to the arcade or just taking walks at night without worrying where they're going to sleep or hide for the day. Or where they're going to get food. Lee starts really admiring stars at this point, and his room and part of their little area connecting their rooms are decorated with stars after he mentions them to Mama (a pleasant surprise).

I must reiterate, the clones REALLY DO love each other. So finally being able to see each other even feel safe enough to actually have fun is a positive on its own.

They're really close friends with a bird yokai around their age. She often comes in because her dad has work with Big Mama. Sometimes, they even sneak her out to hang out, too!

Some of the workers like to give the boys little quests once they notice their bored, like telling Donno to deliver something to someone on another floor (even if it's not that important). The clones are still a little mentally stunted because they're clones that physically grew up too fast (Along with trauma messing with it), their mental only somewhat caught up, so these little games are really fun for them.

Rage picks up wood carving. That's it. Don't know why, but I thought it was nice. He's not great at it, but it's nice when he isn't doing anything.

The clones set up their own little meetings where they share what they've done/are doing for the day. It lets Lee be more of a fun leader for once, like "aaaaand Mic, what has our head chef cooked up for today!?" Really excitedly for the others to start rambling

Donno makes the other's weapons once he perfects making them. He actually modifies Rage's the most to handle a little more than the others.

They do have a little fun!

Sadly, Big Mama isn't the best the other half of the time. And the fun is what happens to keep them there until it's too late and they can't really leave. Or they're too scared to leave.

[zoeyloves-you]

red hair | hyunjin✓

warnings: hair play, degradation, name calling, cum playing, semi public sex, exhibitionism, sub!hyunjin, I think that's it but please tell me if I'm missing any warnings! First and third pov!!

Word count:928

a/n: god I'm a slut for red hair hyunjin😣😣

you were getting ready for your monthly dinner with the boys, they just had their comeback so this was a pretty big deal to you. you already took a shower and you were now putting on lotion on your freshly shaved legs. You made sure to make the lotion match with the perfume you wanted to wear.

After a few minutes you finished doing all of your body care putting on your undergarments . you went to your closet grabbing the black sparkling dress. it had a long slit up the leg and a deep v neck.

around 30 minutes you were all ready. Hyunjin texted you telling that he was entering you apartment building. You smiled grabbing your black heels. I heard a knock at the door, walking quickly over, you opened the door to hyunjin with his red hair.

Your eyes widened not knowing his hair was going to be red. "do you like my hair?" He asked innocently. You nodded, words stuck in your throat. He emailed happy with the answer. " you look beautiful" he said hugging me. I wrapped my arms around him after a few moments. " you look lovely " he grabbed your hand. " ready? The guys are already there" you nodded grabbing your hand bag.

you both arrive about 10 minutes. You rushed out of the car, already feeling bad for taking forever. you walked in, hyunjin right behind you, having a hand on your waist. God this man. Felix had saw hyunjins red hair waving you both over. You smiled when you got a close up of his face. You had missed them all very much, you haven't seen them in around a month due to their comeback. "lixxie I missed you" you said excitedly. he wrapped his arms around you " I missed you too y/nn" you waved to everybody saying hello.

You sat next to Felix and hyunjin, being in the middle. " you look very pretty tonight y/n." seungmin said sipping his cola. You smiled "thank you minnie! You all look handsome tonight." You said " I proud of all of you for the album, I've already listened to it a hundred times." They all smiled feeling great ful for their friends kind words. they all said thank you continuing dinner.

In the middle of your conversation you were having with lee know, hyunjins hand started creating up your thigh. You looked at him with surprised eyes. you tried to keep your vision on lino, ignoring hyunjins hand. He only went higher rubbing the cloth right below your clit. You gasped as soon as you felt his fingers rubbing your clit.

Everybody looked over at you with concerning looks on their faces. "Are you okay?" bang Chan was the first to speak. " I'm alright, just hit my hand onto the table that's all" you nodded trying to seem convincing. "alright if you say so" lee know said with a sassy look. You chuckle slightly. You tried to pull his hand away but he forced it to stay. "Hyunjin move your hand or I swear" you whispered looking at him with a slightly mad look on your face. he looked at you innocently nodding. You turned back around talking to your friends

A few minutes go by and hyunjins hands try to sneak up your legs. You snap your head over to him once again. " you think this is funny you slut?" You harshly whispered. He just slightly wined rubbing his legs together, you look down knowing that sign meant he had a boner. You started to get mad that he wanted to act like this now, when you both were with your best friends at a fancy restaurant.

you looked around no body really focused on either of you. " I need to use the rest room guys, ill be back soon" you said knowing since you had to deal with hyunjins behavior. They all nodded. You stood up and went to the restrooms. Luckily they had a family shared bathroom. You waited a few moments before hyunjin came to the restrooms. You grabbed him harshly pulling him into the restroom locking the door.

"You think that's funny don't you? Huh slut?" You asked. He stove there not giving you an answer. You grabbed his hair pushing him onto his knees. " not giving mommy an answer? embarrassing me with our friends just seems sooo funny to you? Doesn't it?" You pushed him closer to your body. He only wined. " if you want me to help you with your problem you better answer me? Got it?" He looked down slightly " yes ma'am" you nodded "good boy" you pulled him up pushing him on the counter and unbuttoned his painted along with his zipper.

You stroked his cock in your hand getting him ready. You pulled you dress up, not wanting to get it dirty. You started to suck his cock gagging on it. He pushed your head down slightly, you looked up at him with tears already in your water line. "fucking hell" he muttered. You felt him started to shake meaning he was about to cum. " holy shit, mommy can I cum please?" He whimpered grabbing your hair. You nodded. His white ribs of cum went down your throat. Your mouth popped of his cock.

" come on we need to go back out there, their probably already think were fucking" you said as you fixed your hair and dress pulling up your boobs. He only nodded looking at your boobs.

"Baby wait till we get home, you can suck mommy's boobs later." You opened the door, swaying your hips.

"Fuck, I'm hard again."

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

Four Funerals and a wedding two weddings

Predictions & theories

We might even get a 5th funeral... Either Cicero's or Donna's. 🔗🔗

And we may have a 2nd wedding, not just Tiff's, which will be the opening of S4 probably aired in one of the first 3 eps, but also, going forward, a Sydcarmy wedding... and even if the Sydcarmy wedding is not "classic" it will DEFINITELY be symbolic (agreement) so that 2nd "wedding" is a fact no matter what, and it's gonna be Sydcarmy´s. And that agreement will be signed pretty much as the season starts, definitely within the first 3 or 4 eps.

Gingerpredictions about Tiff's wedding

Guest list

People who we know for sure are gonna be at the venue:

Carmy

Syd

Donna

Richie

The C person

Neil Fak

People who we know might be at the venue:

Luca

Theo Fak

Francie Fak

Uncle Lee

Plus ones

Syd

Syd is potentially gonna be +1 of only 2 characters: Either Carmy OR Luca. Out of those 2, I think Carmy has better chances because neither Syd nor Luca are considered friends or family by Tiff, so what would they be doing there together? And it would be a 2nd chance for Carmy to fix this piece of shit +1 opportunity he RUINED.

Richie's +1 will be Jess

Not gonna explain that one but WILL SAY that I can't believe there are ppl in the fandom saying Syd is gonna be his +1. I mean what about this scene? What about them exchanging phone numbers (RIGHT ONES, CARMY, RIGHT NUMBERS!) and talking about life as Storer showed in S3? What about Forks 2x7? Seriously? Anyway... BUT if I'm wrong, which is always a possibility, Syd being Richie's +1 could be a great plot device for JELLY CARMY so YAY! Also, she could be the mediator for Richie and Carmy's reconciliation at the wedding, or right after, which I would LOVE.

C Person

If Syd is not Carmy's +1, then either Carmy is gonna fly solo and run into the C person at the wedding and probably apologize or attempt to, while his eyes wander to Syd who's looking ravishing OR the C person will be his +1 and his eyes will wander to Syd who's looking ravishing. I say: Let's brace ourselves for any of these potential scenarios.

Donna

She will probably go with Lee.

Why do I think so? Because he was at S3's premiere and I think that means Bob Odenkirk's already shot all his S4 scenes when S3+4 were being shot back to back. We know, via FX's Chairman, that so far 6 outta S4's 10 eps have been shot, and only 4 are yet to be shot next year. So he will probably be part of the wedding.

Shoutout to @inthemoodforlove4eva who saw my vision when I shared my potential Donna's funeral theory a few days ago

and pointed out the pattern of how Death is a theme throughout the show that I have been talking about in my meta for months, but death is dealt with in a way that is actually AUSTENIAN, so it serves the story moving it forward and also serves the character's redemption arcs.

Bonus track: Syd's FASHION!

Syd is still guarding her ❤️

Not sure if you noticed but her outfit choices cover her chest, no cleavage whatsoever. I'm surprised she's not wearing an actual shield or armor and I'm sure that unconsciously/symbolically speaking it has a lot to do with Carmy being there. She's guarding her heart. IK we can argue that she always dresses like that, even when Carmy is not around because that's her style, and that's also true. BUT IMO: The wardrobe department is following Storer's orders though, so when Storer greenlights Syd's skin and specifically her cleavage area in the outfits she wears outside the restaurant when she knows Carmy is gonna be around, AKA: dates, it's gonna be Sydcarmy showtime!

Remember to follow my tag #Gingerpovs 💋

[starfirewildheart]

Chapter 8

Scars and Souvenirs 

Summary: Sy and his lady both retire from the army but not before tragedy befalls Sy. He slowly tries to adjust to life again on their ranch.

Pairing: Sy / OFC

Word count: 1500

Rating: smut, smut and smut. NO ONE UNDER 18, NSFW 

Sy opened the truck door and offered Deb his hand to help her out. They headed into the diner called “Tommy's” and looked around for Walter. When they didn't see him Sy led Deb to a booth toward the back and they took a seat.

“So, is this a place you used to come to a lot?” She asked. The diner was small and quaint, clearly a family owned establishment that had been in business for generations. It was clean, the food smelled wonderful and the decor was what she would call farmhouse chic.

Just as Sy was about to answer an older woman, their waitress arrived. “What can I get you folks today?” She asked as he placed silverware on the table and took out her order pad. 

“Mrs. Mabel?” Sy's eyes lit up.

Mabel looked closely at the man for the first time and gasped, clutching her hand to her cheek. “No, it can't be! Austin Syverson?”

“Yes ma'am.” Sy stood up and hugged her.

She turned her head toward the kitchen. “Earl! Come here!” Turning back to Sy, “My goodness, look at you! Last time you came ‘round here was just after basic. We knew you went for special forces trainin’ then your momma told Lindi May that you were shipped to Iraq.”

“What in blazes you hollerin’ about woman?” A gruff, gray haired old man dressed in Jeans and a plaid button up asked. 

“Look who it is, Earl!” Mable turned to her side so he could see.

“Sy! It's good to see you home safe son,” he shook his hand. 

“Thank you, sir,” he nodded. “This is my girlfriend, Debbie. Deb, this is Mrs. Mabel and Mr. Earl. I used to work for them as a kid.”

“Nice to meet you,” She smiled at them. 

“Where did you two meet?” Mabel asked.

Deb looked up at Sy allowing him to answer. “Deb is from Texas but we met in Iraq,” he explained. 

“Oh? Were you an aid worker?” Mabel asked.

“Austin Lee Syverson is that you?” A twangy voice rang out from the kitchen. A slender, short blonde woman came rushing out and over to you before he could respond. She jumped into Sy's arms, climbing him like a monkey, clinging. “You just get more and more sexy, you hot hunk a man!” 

Debbie had to bite her lip to keep from roaring with laughter. The look on Sy's face was a look of total helplessness as he kept his hands somewhat lifted in the air. Deb finally took pity on him and squeezed out of the booth behind him and tapped the woman on the shoulder. “HI, I'm Debbie, Sy's girlfriend. You are?”

The woman glared at her over Sy's shoulder but climbed down. Sy quickly put his arm around Deb, moving her so that she was sort of in front of him. “This is Lindi May, Earl and Mabel‘s daughter.”

“Sy's lover,” She mock whispered to Deb. 

“Lindi!” Earl and Mable both scolded. “You have to forgive her,” Mabel smiled. “She was head over heels for Sy when they were kids.” 

“We need to get back to work,” Earl gave Lindi a look. “It was great seeing you again Sy.”

“You too, sir” he nodded.  

Walter rushed into the diner just in time to see Earl more or less dragging Lindi into the kitchen. Looking toward the back of the restaurant he caught the look Sy cast his way. “Sorry I'm late,” he said sheepishly before giving Mabel a hug and taking a seat. 

Mabel took their drink orders and left menus before giving them privacy. Sy shook his finger at Walt. “You set me up!”

“No, I swear she’s never here during the week. I've been eating here since I got back in town and only ever see her on Saturday and Sunday.”

Sy half growled but believed him. “You mean you didn't want to see your lover?” Deb asked Sy, trying to keep her face serious. 

“She didn't?” Walt groaned and facepalmed.

“She climbed him like a tree,” Deb explained. This time she’s the one who shook her finger at Walter. “That’s two I owe you for, officer,” arching her brow at him. 

Mabel chose that moment to bring their drinks and get their orders. Once she was gone Sy chuckled. “You better start telling us about this case before she decides to kick your ass,” he winked at Deb.

Walter laughed then pulled a file out of his messenger bag and handed it to them. “Read over that and then I'll fill in the blanks.”

They both poured over the file with military precision each making mental notes and questions. “So What exactly do you want from us?” Sy asked once they had finished the file.

Walt took a deep breath. It had been hard for him to ask for help but in this small town he was the only true detective; everyone else in the force were just beat cops and he needed help. “I know they are working with a Mexican drug cartel to be a distribution hub but I think there may be more. I don't have the knowledge to do detailed surveillance so I'm struggling to get intel.”

Mabel brought their food and they thanked her. “So these,” Deb points to three photos with multiple cases displayed around the areas in the photos . “These are Russian made RPGs, these are Korean surface to air missiles and these are good ol’ American AK47's.”

“Drugs, arms and ammunition, you got a bad thing here man.” Sy studied one of the photos for a moment. “Have you had a lot of people go missing lately or a rise in the sex trade?”

“Y…yea,” Walt stammered. “A lot more prostitution, male and female lately and more overdoses.”

“This,” Sy pointed to a small hand drawn symbol on one of the box trucks that to the untrained eye looked like a bit of graffiti. “This is the S17. We were briefed on them in the sandbox. They are a huge organization involved in almost every illicit crime there is including torture. S17s worked with the insurgents and trained them on how to ‘interrogate’ soldiers, sold them weapons and gave them tech. They are bad news.” Sy explained. 

“In all honesty, I hope you don't take offense to this but this is bigger than you, even with us. This is ATF and FBI territory. These people are dangerous people and they won't hesitate to cut you down,” Deb warned.

Walter paused when he saw Mable approaching with their food when they were alone again he spoke. “ATF is aware but they want us to gather Intel and try to make a case against them. I've tried the typical things and they seem to be prepared for every event which is why I'm asking for help.”

“We can help with surveillance technology and stuff,” Deb agreed. “But both of you have to promise you're not going to do anything stupid.” She held up her hand to stop them as they both started shaking their heads. “ And to clarify, by stupid I mean dangerous, risky, edgy, or anything else that could get you in trouble.”

Sy chuckled at her protectiveness. “We'll be good,” he assured her. “Have to keep you outta trouble and that's a full time job.”

“Hey!” She pouted and they both laughed.

After lunch h they went to the police station to read in the chief on what their plan was and got the all clear and Sy and Deb got temporary permission to work on the case in a consultant capacity.  Once all the I’s were dotted and t's crossed Walter was walking them out. 

As they were moving through the squad room a couple uniform officers were dragging in a young man, who looked to be about fifteen or so. He was giving them hell, struggling and trying to fight back. “Let go of me you asshole! What? You have to cuff me up before you heath the hell outta me?” He hit the floor with an oof when the uniform cop shoved him.

“I caught you trying to fuck my little sister!” Gains roared.

“Woah,” Walt rushed over and pulled the kid to his feet. “What the hell Gains?” He growled as he looked the boy over. His nose and lip were bleeding and his right eye was red and bruising. Pushing the kid into a chair he turned on Gains shoving him out of the room yelling at him. 

Gains partner grabbed a first aid kit and was trying to tend to the boy's wounds but he was fighting him at every turn.

Deb stepped over to try and help. 

Tag list

@shellyshellshell

@enchantedbytomandhenry

@mrsevans90

@summersong69

@mollymal

@warriormirkwood

@bloodyinspiredme

@kneelforloki

[consumeronionbulletin]

Marry My Husband (2024)

This show is not perfect, and it is certainly not Perfect Marriage Revenge, but it does have its charms.

What Worked

Like that other show about a time traveling wife who was betrayed by her family and goes back in time to get her revenge, this show was good because of its villains. Song Ha-yoon who plays the evil best friend Jung Soo-min was the most fun to watch of the baddies. She was believably bad while pretending to be nice, and watching her spiral out of control over the course of the series was a treat.

The show also made the most of its side characters, giving them interesting plots and bringing in a solid cast. I especially loved watching young actor Choi Gyu-ri bring this delightful manic energy to Yoo Hui-yeon (the younger sister / bestie). I could have used more scenes with her, and hopefully she'll break into a lead role in a future series.

What DIdn't Work

Though it had a solid final two episodes, the show sagged a bit in the last third. They brought in an evil-ex fiance character that just wasn't interesting to watch.

Also, there were a few moments where the show went from "Over the Top" to "Completely Unbelievable". Like the end of episode 13 (aka the "slowest truck of doom ever") and the end of episode 14 (aka "WTF Ji-won, don't just stand there, Kick him in the nuts, FFS!").

The Performances

Park Min-Young as ("Time Traveling Wife") Kang Ji-won. I've been kind of disappointed in PMY's choices lately, so it was nice to see her in a somewhat better role. There were moments when I felt pathos, or enjoyed the romance, but not that many. Mostly, it was the moments in the show where she got to be angry—and even a little ruthless—that I remember. Which is part of the appeal for any good revenge show.

Na In-woo as ("Future CEO") Yoo Ji-hyuk. I think he was a little wooden in this, but alot of that was the writing. The show was really focused on the FL and on her relationships, and it didn't have much space for him. I didn't really mind that, but it did make those few moments where he got to cut loose a little (like the ice cream scene) more memorable.

Lee Yi-kyung as ("The terrible ex-") Park Min-hwan. This guy was great at playing a mediocre man completely out of his depth. He was like one of those clown punching bags that just pop right up after you hit them. And it was fun watching him get beaten down and come right back up for more.

Song Ha-yoon as ("The evil bestie") Jung Soo-min. I liked watching her slowly get more evil and more crazy as the show went on. The actor did a great job making her contemptible, while pretending to be kind and thoughtful.

Lee Ji-kwang as ("The chef") Baek Eun-ho. Probably the most sympathetic character in the show. He just wants to run his restaurant and feed all his friends and get a cute girlfriend and all of these crazy people keep coming in and messing with things. Would have liked to see more of him, and his loveline, but what we got was nice.

Choi Gyu-ri as ("The Best Sister in the World") Yoo Hui-yeon. This actor had golden retriever energy and it was so much fun watching her in the middle of this craziness. I want to see an entire show with her just running around living her best life. We needed more of Hui-yeon and chef's story than we got, for sure.

Gong Min-jeung as ("Sad boss") Assistant Manager Yang. I've seen this actor a few times and I always enjoy her, though they rarely give her a good loveline. She got a pretty decent one here, despite all the other crazy stuff that happened, so that was nice. Again, could have used a few more scenes with her and Lee Seok-joon.

Ha Do-kwon as ("The Salaryman") Lawyer Lee Seok-joon. He did a good job bringing some gravity to this crazy show. Was able to be funny too (in a Butler Jeeves kind of way). Not enough time spent on him and Manager Yang's story, but what we got was good.

BoA as ("The Evil Ex-") Oh Yu-ra. This character felt more like a plot device than anything. There were a few moments where she could have felt menacing or crazy, but I don't think the actor was quite up to it. They needed to cast a real Mean Girl, but they didn't have enough story for that kind of character.

Ha Do-kwon as ("Bad Manager") Lee Seok-joon. They brought in a really good character actor and this guy made the most of the part. He felt like someone I could have met in real life, and I despised him. Which means the actor did a great job.

Everyone Else. The high school bully girls were fun to watch. Yang's husband did an okay job being despicable. The judo teammates were funny. Even the grandfather had a couple of good moments. Show did a good job taking care of its minor characters.

TL; DR:

If you liked Perfect Marriage Revenge, you'll probably like this too (and vice-versa). It's different enough that you don't feel like you're watching the same show twice. It's also not quite as good as that other show, which means people likely judged it a little harder than they otherwise might have done.

[orangesaek]

Hii! I’m new to your blog and I love your writing sm!! 🫶🏻 I was wondering if I can request a felix fluffy scenario of both of you being really affectionate towards each other infront of the other members and they’re teasing both of you and you’re the blushy/awkward one. (I imagine their reactions to be like how they reacted to felix in the ‘your eyes’ mv 😭

hiii 👋 thank you so much, and i'm glad you like my work ♡ really appreciate it! 🤍 i hope you see this and let me know if you liked it 🥰

note: although most people (stays) already know the names of felix's family members, i left them out on purpose because i just felt a bit uncomfortable using their names in a fanfic 😅

also, merry christmas and happy holidays, everyone! 🎄

a/n: slightly proofread. lowercase intended. image not mine.

december 24. it was finally christmas eve, and felix couldn't wait for christmas to come for three reasons:

one, his family flew over a few days ago just to spend the holiday with him. two, once the group's schedule for the day is over, he'll get about 2 weeks to rest. and three, he looks forward to spending it with you (and with his members before they leave for the holiday to see their own family).

"oh, it's finally over!" felix's mom exclaimed in delight, clapping her hands happily in the process. you smiled at how cute she looked.

you were already waiting with his family at the hotel they were staying at, watching gayo daejeon together on the tv in their room. the place was also pretty convenient since the restaurant where they were able to book a private room was just a couple of floors down.

"eonni, your boyfriend's calling~" his younger sister said, handing you your phone from the coffee table. felix called you up to let you know that they are getting ready to leave and will be at the restaurant in 30 minutes.

"that's great. we should get ready as well," his dad said. "i'll call the restaurant to let them know we're coming down in a few."

it was actually the first time you have met felix's family in person, but they were just as nice and welcoming as he was. it was clear to you then that felix really grew up in such a wonderful family.

everybody was getting ready to leave when his mom rushed to your side and gently turned you around to face her.

"dear, put some of this on," you stood there as she quickly dabbed some lipstick on your lips.

"there you go!" she smiled in content. "this shade looks so good on you!" she was practically squealing at how nicely the shade complimented your overall look.

"thank you, mrs. lee" you gave her a shy smile before leaving the room with her.

you were now at the restaurant, laughing and having a good time with felix's family as they shared some of their favorite moments with him during childhood when the door to the room slid open.

all 5 of you whipped your heads to see felix by the door, smiling your guys' way as he gestured for the rest of the members to come inside first.

after all the greetings were said, felix finally sat down beside you, smiling so widely after giving you a brief hug. you were seated between him and his older sister, with the other members seated on the other side of the table.

"you look extra beautiful today, babe" he complimented. you looked at felix with a shy smile.

"o-oh, really? thank you," you replied. "your mom actually helped me put on some lipstick, so that's probab---"

you paused when you noticed how felix was just staring at you with a big smile plastered on his face.

"is... everything... alright...?" you quietly asked, worried that there might be something stuck on your teeth or something that he found funny.

felix let out a light chuckle before taking your hand and kissing the back of it, still keeping his eyes on you.

"yeah, it's just that you look so beautiful tonight."

after hearing that (plus the gesture felix just made), you couldn't hide the blush that was showing on your face anymore and turned your face away from him.

this time, felix let out a laugh at how cute you looked, finally catching the attention of everybody else in the room.

"what's going on?" felix's dad asked. he turned to look at his dad, still smiling.

"nothing," he answered. "my girlfriend's just really adorable right now."

bang chan let out a giggle before looking at the other guys beside him.

"get your fingers ready coz things are going to get cringey real soon," he teased. the room was then filled with laughter and some more light-hearted teasing.

"babe," felix called. "ahh~" he said as he raised a fork in your mouth in an attempt to feed you with a small piece of meat.

you looked between him and the fork in his hand. you were about to open your mouth to take the food when you heard the other guys teasing you and felix again.

"ahh~" bang chan, changbin, and hyunjin said in unison while lee know, han, seungmin and i.n. tried to suppress their laughter.

felix turned his head to them and stuck out his tongue playfully. his family could only shake their heads and laugh at the silliness of the group.

unfortunately for you, felix seemed to enjoy seeing you all flustered and shy. and of course, the more he did it, the more his members would playfully tease the two of you. although felix didn't mind it at all, you were feeling so shy to the point that you just wanted to curl up into a ball.

you were peacefully eating a cream puff, quietly listening to the conversation going around, when felix called your attention. you turned your head to face him, waiting for him to say something.

"you really make me want to take care of you more," he sighed quietly.

you weren't sure what he meant by that until you felt his thumb swipe gently on the side of your lips, realizing that he just wiped some cream off.

you were about to thank him for it but was left speechless and embarrassed when you saw him licking the cream off of his thumb and gave you a playful wink.

"OH MY EYES!!!"

you heard hyunjin scream as he dramatically covered his eyes and slowly slid off of his chair, 'collapsing'. the other guys have started playfully pretending to gag, with some of them curling up their fingers from cringing so bad. even his sisters have started joining in their antics.

"i can feel the chicken i ate come to life," lee know said as he put a hand on his belly, feigning the horror in his eyes.

felix and his parents were just laughing wholeheartedly from the chaotic antics of the guys, while you laughed awkwardly in embarrassment.

he was still laughing at the guys when he turned to look you. he gave you a soft smile before asking you if you were feeling alright.

"yeah, but just a bit embarrassed," you quietly admitted.

you have known the rest of stray kids for a while now, and although you were already used to their playful teasing (especially about your relationship with felix), there are still times that you just couldn't think of an equally playful comeback and just end up blushing furiously — tonight was the perfect example.

the guys have now (slightly) calmed down from cringing and have started talking amongst themselves (still about what happened) when felix cupped your cheeks gently.

"i love you," he suddenly said as he looked deeply into your eyes with a soft smile.

despite feeling a bit embarrassed from all the playful teasing from the guys, you still couldn't stop the growing smile on your face.

you looked straight into his eyes before leaning in to give him a quick peck on the lips, not caring anymore if somebody saw it.

"i know, and i love you, too." you quietly said with a shy smile on your face. felix grinned sheepishly right after.

and just as expected, another round of playful teasing from the rest of stray kids ensued, with seungmin jokingly commenting, 'for the sake of our mental health, just please get a room!'

- end.

requests are OPEN ♡ holiday break just started, so i have a lot more time to respond to requests now 😊

[icanseethefuture333]

Hello, how are you? I hope that everything is doing ok and life is treating you well.

I saw the reading that you did on Felix and Chan’s relationship and thought it was actually really accurate (despite how quickly it escalated towards the end). Both Felix and Chan, but especially Chan, have always given me the vibe of people who work really hard and play really hard too. Anyway, I was wondering if you could do the same friendship reading for Minho and Jisung , who are also in skz? I feel like their dynamic would either be really similar to Chan and Felix’s or wildly different lol.

Thank you for saying that :)! I actually got curious the other day wondering if that type of dynamic was going on with the other members and I heard Han say "Eww" first, so he might not be into that sort of thing but we can see LOL 😂!

What does Lee Know think of Han?:

I heard "I don't think about him. Why would I think of him? Ask me about what I think of myself instead 😏😌🙄." (💀) Minho doesn't like to get all sentimental about his friends. He finds it embarrassing, but if he had to be honest. Minho thinks Jisung is someone who is prosperous and emotionally abundant. "He has a lot of love to give." Minho believes that Jisung shows great care to his friends but could neglect to do it for himself. Jisung could also push Minho towards his limits. He could find him annoying and pushes his buttons sometimes. I also think Minho is grateful for Jisung for providing him with financial wealth and the strength to keep going when working. (Clarified by Princess of Swords). Minho thinks Jisung is a chatterbox and it's too much for him to deal with on a daily basis 💀. He could tell him to go away when he doesn't feel like talking but when they do talk they are the most talkative people in the room.

What does Han think of Lee Know?:

"MY WIFE :D!" So if anyone had a work wife or work husband, it'd be these two lol. Jisung considers Minho like family. They could have had similar upbringings as well or like to bring each other around their own families. Jisung thinks Minho is a tsundere. He is affectionate with him sometimes and other times he hates him 😂. Jisung likes to annoy him and pretend he's gonna give him kisses but when Minho matches his energy he gets grossed out 😭. (Clarified by Temperance) I think Han finds Lee Know's patience and kindness admirable. Despite his sarcasm and witty sense of humor, Minho can be a softie deep down. Jisung finds Minho someone he can look up to and is appreciative of his wisdom. He also thinks he's very forgiving? Perhaps, Han did something to hurt his feelings or his behavior stresses him and the other members out? Minho gave him the chance to prove himself to become a better person and Jisung is glad he did that because he wouldn't know where he'd better today without it.

What's the dynamic between Han & Lee Know?:

I heard them both say "ewwww 🤢" so the answer to your question on if they like to "share" is no, anon lol. Although... There is is something else going on... They do not wish me to disclose it, so out of respect I'm not gonna say anything and let you guys speculate on what it could be 😂.

Anyways, they are both risk takers and like to travel together. They could like try new restaurants together or watch a movie no one really talks about. They like to explore their options and see what the world has to offer them. They could also enjoy being at home together and just watching TV.

Overall, in their dynamic, quality time seems to be a big theme in here in their friendship. I think the company pushes them into doing fanservice and it makes things awkward for them? So that could explain the push and pull between them.