#Seeing all the actors preparing in the backstage threw me back to my musical theater hyperfixation.

[sskk-manifesto]

And so the big sskk shortage begins (no sskk for the next 15 episodes) (and the sskk episode coming after kind of sucks)

[couprang]

theater actor

summary: you work in a theater and you get to work with seokmin, who was famous for his acting and singing skills. when he was practicing for his upcoming play, you managed to get close to your idol.

pairing: theater actor!dk x theater staff!femreader 

“y/n, wake up!” your friend, sorin dodged you and you lazily opened your eyes, “what?” you asked, covering your face with a book. “get your ass up! we don’t wanna be late!” she said as she threw a pillow on you.

you squinted your eye, “late for what? don’t be silly it’s saturday today!” you said as you shifted from your bed, “you know what, whatever i’m going to work. if you don’t wanna see seokmin, you’re probably gonna cry.” your eyes shot open as you immediately stood up and looked at your friend.

“s-seokmin?” you stuttered “don’t you remember? irene told us that seokmin wll be havng a play on the theater we work at.” she smiles, “so if you don’t wanna come-”

“wait for me! i’m just gonna wash myself.” 

---------------- ---------------- ----------------

you tied your hair into a ponytail as you entered the ginormous auditorium. “you’re late.” irene says as she crosses her arms, “i’m really sorry, i forgot we have duty today.” irene sighs and shook her head.

“okay, everyone gather up,” irene yells, “so you all know we have a someone special coming over. lee seokmin, i’d be surprised if you don’t know him.” irene quriks an eyebrow.

“he will be practicing and will perform here on our theater. so you better behave yourselves and please i don’t care if you’re a fan of him, please don’t gather up on him asking for autographs and pictures. he will be practicing, not doing a fanmeeting.” the girl smiles.

“anyways,” she claps her hands, “let’s prepare. they should be here in a few minutes.” then everyone started their own duty.

“it’s amazing, isn’t it?” sorin mumbles, “seokmin will be here!” she silently squeals. “he’ll probably just practice and it’s gonna be a busy week for us especially there’s a play coming. and it’s seokmin! a lot of people will surely come!” you said.

after everyone prepared the necessities for the practice, everyone was starting to go down like crazy, like a drill is happening.

“the hell is happening?” you asked, “seokmin! he’s downstairs!” lia, your co-worker told you in excitement.

you sighed as you cleaned up a few mess, “aren’t you going down? you’re a big fan of him, right?” sorin chuckles, “why go down when he’s gonna go up here anyways. it’s just a waste of time.” you said, lying down on the stage, exhausted.

the moment when seokmin showed up, you felt like you were in the movies. he was surrounded by your co-workers, who were dying to hold seokmin’s hands or have a picture with him.

“guys!” irene shouted which startled you and everyone else, including seokmin. “what did we talk about?” everyone sighed sadly and parted from seokmin.

“lee seokmin, i am very honored you chose to work with us.” irene smiles, “and since i am in charge, i gurantee you that you’d want to work with us again for your future projects!” she gave a big smile.

seokmin smiled back as he put his hands on his waist, looking around the place, “thank you, ms. irene, in fact, it’s bigger than i expected and it holds more people, so i guess this project is a big show.” he chuckles.

your eyes were glued to him, it felt unreal for you. he was more handsome up close, he noticed your stare and smiled at you, even gave you a wink.

what, you thought.

am i seeing correctly?, you quietly murmured.

“alright, so do you want to practice already? read your lines or eat?” irene brought seokmin away and you sighed out.

sorin waved her hand in front of you as you came back to your senses. she chuckles, “fantasizing about him already?” you looked at her, with your eyes wide open and you grabbed her arm.

“did you see that?” you asked lowly, almost like a whisper. she smiles, “i did. he winked at you. so lucky.” you slowly let go of her hand and placed your hand on your mouth.

“so it wasn’t a dream?” sorin laughs, “let’s go! you need to focus, let’s talk about him when we get home.” sorin drags you.

---------------- ---------------- ----------------

he was on stage, looking so professional. the way he acts, looks so real and natural. you still can’t believe you’re watching him up close.

“he’s good.” you hear a voice next to you, it was jihoon. both of you don’t have a proper conversation yet, you also didn’t know how to be friends with him since he always looked intimidating.

“yeah.” i replied “his voice is beautiful too.” you looked at him and chuckled, “are you falling in love?” you asked, it was his turn to chuckle, “no. i’m just really amazed.”

jihoon helps enhance the beat of the songs used in the play. he sometimes does everything on his own, without a hand.

you admit, he’s a genius and pretty handsome as well. you never really saw him talk to girls. “you’re the first girl i talked to.” jihoon says.

you frowned at him, “pardon?” jihoon smiles at you, “i never spoke a word with a girl.” “should i be thankful?” you asked. “depends. i want to to be friends with you.”

you smiled and nodded, “sure.”

“okay, break time!” a man shouted.

you went back stage to fix the lightings and everything. “y/n, is it okay if i leave you here for a while? i’m just gonna get snacks.” wonwoo said, the one in charged for the props and lighting.

you nodded, “wonwoo, is it okay if you get me a bottled water and a sandwich? i’ll pay you later.” he nodded as he walked away.

“he-“ you squealed and later covering your mouth when you saw the person who didn’t mean to startle you. he smiles, “i just wanted to say hi.” seokmin says.

“oh my, i’m sorry about that. i get startled easily.” you bit your lower lip in embarrassment. “it’s fine. i just noticed you’ve been staring at me. you might melt because of me.”

you got fluttered and tried to hide it but you can’t help but smile, “i- uh... you’re amazing, honestly. i’m a fan.” you said. “is that so? wanna take a pic?” seokmin offers.

“what?” you asked, not sure if you heard the right thing. seokmin smiles and takes your phone in your hand and opens the camera.

“smile.” he says, “a fangirl like you can’t get this lucky.” he winks at you once again. you looked at the camera and smiled widely.

your phone was still in his hands and he was doing something. you were busy admiring him, he lookef so perfect. he smelled really good too.

he hands you your phone and you were awaken. you opened your phone and he set the picture as your lockscreen. “so that when your friends open your phone you can show them that you had a picture with me.” seokmin smiles.

his smile is the purest thing. “thank you.” you replied.

---------------- ---------------- ----------------

it was the day of the show and you promised seokmin to watch him. you were on the backstage, watching him on the screen. he looked really good and people seem to love it.

actually, the whole time seokmin was practicing, the song he was singing was stuck in your head and you’d sometimes hum it.

when you guys had a little talk, both of your interests got the conversation long and deep. it was about music. both of you had the same taste of music and music had a special place in both of your hearts.

you got close with him and both of you would recommend each other a music both of you would listen. he was also willing to teach you how to play the guitar even though he’s still learning.

you happily agreed. seokmin was more than a theater actor. he looks intimidating on stage but he’s actually a softie when it comes to everyone.

both of you got comfortable with each other. you somehow felt like both of you knew each other for a very long time.

when the show ended, everyone applauded. everyone’s reaction was very heartwarming. when the camera was zoomed in on seokmin’s face, he gave a smile and winked.

the moment the curtains closed, he immediately went to you and gave you a big hug. “thank you.” he whispers.

“for what?” you asked, “for everything.” he replies. you weren’t sure what he meant but you hugged him back.

when everyone left the auditorium, seokmin’s friends were inviting him to go eat hut he declined all of them. as i finished cleaning, he walked up to me.

“you’re still here? why don’t you celebrate? you’ve done well.” you smiled. seokmin gave you a big smile as he swayed his hand on your shoulder and both of you walked away.

“i declined invites so that we could talk.” you frowned at him, “we can talk sometime, you don’t have to.” seokmin pouted, “i don’t have that kind of patience.” he says.

you chuckled. seokmin stopped his tracks and so did you, you looked at him and he looked so bright even though the auditorium was a bit dim.

“here goes nothing,” he murmurs “wh-“ “would you like to go out with me?” he asks and he looked a bit tensed.

you were honestly shocked but at the same time not. you were kind of used to him flirting with you when he gets to talk to you.

you didn’t want to assume that he meant it so you always tried to shove it off. “i respect your decision, y/n.” seokmin says.

“i understand if you don’t wa-“ “i’d love to.” seokmin’s eyes widened as he looked at you “what?” he asked, “i said i’d love to!” you replied.

seokmin had the widest smile than before as he hugged you tightly with a smile on his lips. the moment he let go of you, he held your hands and you can’t help but form a smile on your lips.

“let’s celebrate! my treat.” seokmin says, “i should be the one to treat you!” you pouted. “oh come on we have two things to celebrate today!” he whines.

“what is the other one?” you asked.

“you said yes to me. i can’t wait to receive that in the next few years.” he smiled.

[saltine-kakyoin]

OH SHIT!!!! my clown ass never saw that u rb'd those ask posts, i was Looking at my notifs to see if u would so i could send u some but SOMEHOW I MISSED IT??? clown hours.... ANyways for the emoji one have 🤗💙💘🍀😇 and 👍 (tried to not do repeats from your ask 2 me cause they all apply anyways but, Regardless) and for the questions post, maybe 5, 11, 12, 17, 20, 23 and 25? ;__;/ ily so much and i hope u have a rlly lovely night!!! and that this coming week is kinder 2 u!!!! 💖💖💖💖

ahhh, it’s no worries!!! idk about you but for me, tumblr has been having the Time of Its LIFE lately wrt notifications and most disconcertingly, unfollowing people! D: so i completely get it, it’s no worries!!! ;w;/ i already know for a Fact i’m going to write so so much, so i’m gonna put this under a readmore >w< ruth 🤝 sarah respectful lesbian moments

edit: so I finished writing it and it’s Insanely Long- just in case you don’t make it to the bottom, thank you mein broth-er!!!! ; O; i hope you have a wonderful night too!! writing all of this out made me reminisce on some really nice times, and I’m having an a1 night! ^^ ilysm! it’ll probably be daytime when you read this, so i hope you have a great day! <3

🤗 given the chance I would gladly hug you

on god!!!! ;___; i think i would frfr dissolve if a got a Ruth-Certified hug, things have been so overwhelming lately

💙 you are my closest friend

the feeling is mutual!! <3 we don’t always get to talk often, but fhdhshg when we do we talk about like All of the Madness in Sarah’s Mind^tm, and you are so patient + tolerant of my incoherent ramblings which is something i don’t think i’ve ever fully experienced? anyhow, after a year (more than a year?) of having these kinds of convos and going through the general madness of life together, I totally agree ;w;

💘 I love you so much

i love you too!!! so so much!!! 💃🕺 i don’t think words will ever be able to express how much i love and appreciate you! 💜💛

��� i’m lucky to have met you

i know we talk about this often, but seriously i feel the same way! it’s a little crazy that we met, technically, because Joseph Joestar tm deserved more than to be a cheater... there is something hilarious about this wild friendship rooting from him!! of all jojos!! 🤢 but i’m so grateful that we met, it’s been such a wonderful ride ;w; <3

😇 you’re a sweet cinnamon bun

🥺🥺🥺🥺 bro i- fhdhghdhgh thank you!!! ;o;

👍 you are fun to be around

ahhh, thank you!!! i am glad you feel this way bc whoo boy, i think some other people would look at the madness i tell you about and go 👁️👁️ that’s a no for me, luvs. remember last year when i was losing it tryna prepare for ren faire + i cut my palm on that one glass bottle? bc a- i barely do and b- i feel like that moment encapsulates the nicki minaj roman holiday-ness of my life XD i’m really grateful you’ve stuck around through it all 🤗💕💖

now buckle in bro!!!! the essays are incoming!!!

5. Name a movie that makes you genuinely laugh.

i swear on my life the Mortal Kombat movie from 1995 is a national treasure, it is SUCH a solid movie and has so many funny moments. Robin Shou makes such a 🥺🥺 Liu Kang, and jesus fuck he can be so savage when the script calls for it!! there’s one part where he takes Johnny Cage’s luggage and straight up fucking chucks it into the ocean + then bullies him about it later! honestly the Ballad of Johnny Cage and His Luggage is one of my favorite parts from the movie <3 if you haven’t seen it + you like cheesy, old school movies, i really recommend it!!!

11. Describe the memory of the last time you felt true happiness.

So I can’t remember the last time I did, bc my memory is horrifically terrible + probably getting worse as time goes on?? but i will tell you about one of the more recent times I remember! :D There is one crucial expository note for this memory- my brother-in-law makes THE best chili in the entire world. my brother and I were trying to recreate it because it’s such a simple but delicious + filling meal- I think this was our first time trying to create it? and it was SO chaotic, the tomato sauce and stuff kept popping and burning me and we weren’t 100% certain that we’d gathered the right ratios for the ingredients and it was just. madness lmao. Chance’s chili is one that you leave alone for multiple hours at a time (I think this is the case for all chili but i don’t cook often enough to know ;__;), and we were kinda 👀👀👀 because we weren’t sure it’d turn out right? But it did!!!! I vividly remember when it was finished and we taste-tested it + went oOOH FUCK! it wasn’t quite the same as chance’s but ohhh my god it was so good 🥰🥰🥰 but yeah!! we ate it all up and I think this was around the time I started my playthrough of Esteban for Dragon Age 2? which was one of my favorite playthroughs for the entire franchise... he’s just a simple ig beard model mage ;w; i wanted to show you what he looked like in this post but the formatting went wonky so ig i’ll just post him separately?? it’s 1000% in-character for him to infiltrate my jojo blog 😔

12. Name a song that makes you feel ethereal.

hm...I’d say it’s between Forget About or Feet of Clay! They’re both such light and tenderhearted songs, and when I listen to them I feel like I’m in an apartment kitchen slow-dancing with a love, and it’s so dark except for the slowly rising sun. I don’t know if that feeling could be described as ethereal? but it’s close enough for me

17. What is something you own that is important to you? What makes it so important?

I have a small collection of scripts from the shows I’ve been in, and two of the most important ones are from the plays my high school put on during my sophomore and junior years, The Nit-Wits and The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, respectively! The Nit-Wits has a ton of sentimental value to me because it was the last show I genuinely acted in, and it was a show we had to pull together in 2 or 3 weeks!! We were originally going to do a murder mystery play for the fall, but none of the cast was feeling it and it just wasn’t going to come to life in time (honestly this speaks volumes for how much we weren’t vibing with it, because all of our shows came together at like.. the final dress rehearsals if not opening night lmao). I vividly remember we took a vote during rehearsals about whether or not to switch the show, and then we did and it was SO fun + chaotic!! My character was one of the only regular characters in the show, but I think everyone else had a lot of fun acting as actors who were hired to be maniacal, and that made acting off of them so fun! I remember there was also a night my friend Adonis almost tore the entire set down because he ran through a door and tripped over a set brace in his haste!! The Nit-Wits is hugely important because it was a really fresh acting experience for me, and again, my last time genuinely on the stage and not behind the scenes!

MCM is important to me because it was the first play I ever stage managed! I’d stage managed our musical the spring prior, but that was a huge undertaking and involved many different people and moving parts. Stage managing a play, at least at my high school, was a calmer and more intimate experience, and one I really enjoyed! Another huge reason I treasure MCM’s script is because it is one of the last shows I had with my friend I told you about- he was a senior. I have little notes and doodles from the cast and crew scattered throughout my book for this show, and I remember being so irritated by this because it meant I was losing space for stage directions, cues, and notes. Now, I’m super grateful to have these scribbles- it’s one of the only things I have left of him. 

On that note, relating to him, MCM is also the show which birthed my most horrific theater horror story!! During one of the performances, I guess he forgot his line?? idk. But he ended up jumping six pages ahead of where the current scene was (I knew this bc I was following along in my book backstage + was frantically trying to figure out where he’d gone), which threw the entire cast, who were all tragically onstage, way off-track. This resulted in the most frightening game of script ping-pong I’ve ever seen: he’d skipped six pages ahead, so Adonis ended up saying a line from two pages after the six-page skip, and somehow someone else went!! oh I have a response to that line! And then said something like 9 pages back! I think the lead actress tried to ground everyone back to the lines they were supposed to be saying, but she ended up just saying a lot of their lines? And one of those lines that was supposed to be said by someone else was supposed to cue a black-out that someone got murdered in, but my lighting techie was SO fucking lost (we were both huddled over the script next to the breaker trying to figure out WHERE the hell we were! i think i had a flashlight in my mouth so I could flip through the book with both hands and thus faster??), so ofc the lights stayed up! I remember getting through this scene being the most painstaking endeavor of my entire life, but thankfully intermission was right after it! We actually extended intermission because the cast needed a hot second to fuckign RESET for Act 2 bc sweet jesus that was so bizarre...Needless to say, after that show we never messed that scene up again + everyone who acted in the show became super anal about knowing their lines as the years went on. The Six Page Skip became a legendary part of our hs theater Canon (like biblical canon ;w; although I don’t think anyone’s talked about it since my class graduated) alongside the times one of our ensemble dudes had to break through the roof of the girl’s dressing room to retrieve the keys to the theater + i got stuck on stage!

20. What’s the sweetest thing someone has done for you?

I really had to wrack my brain to answer this one, as I’m generally not the person people do things for, you know? This answer goes wayyy back, to 8th grade :O but so! there is mild exposition for this- when I started middle school, I lived in North Carolina, but we moved to Florida right before 7th grade bc my grandma is ill. We lived with my uncle while we were looking for a house, so I went to the local middle school bc why wouldn’t I? but in November, we finally found a house + my mom was like....So... are you going to switch schools or...I’d struck up some really solid friendships in this time, so i was like Mom I’d Rather Die OAO. So, we struck up a deal that I’d get to stay at that school on a zone waiver + that she’d drive me to school everyday. Sometime closer to the end of eighth grade she was like, yeah so.. I can’t do this for high school, it’s too much gas- which was valid! I was really sad about it, but I sucked it up.

Anyhow, fast forward to the last day of eighth grade, which was perhaps the saddest day I’d lived up until that point, mostly bc I knew I was probably never going to see all my friends again. My best friend, who I was like hardcore v close to + the person I shared all my wacky AUs and OC’s and headcanons with, was waiting with me for my mom to come pick me up, and then!!! When my mom pulled into the school she suddenly whipped out this lengthy letter she’d written to me about how much she enjoyed my friendship and how grateful she was that we were able to have lunch together (lunch was.. tragically ;__; the only time we really saw each other that year), and that she would never forget me! And she’d drawn me a ton of fanart from all the things I was obsessed with back then!! it was so much so fast, but then my mom was yelling at me to get in the car and I had to go :(

We kept in touch through email freshman year + fake-dated bc a senior was stalking me? ;J; and then we went to Megacon together! but I became really heavily involved in choir and theater after that, and we just kind of drifted apart :( we do follow each other on ig tho! It’s insane to think about her and that letter because on GOD ruth, that was a thinly veiled love letter and I never like... wrote her anything back that was as worthy as what she wrote me. But, she’s doing really well in uni now, so I guess it’s all okay? idk! ; o ;

23. What’s your zodiac sign? Do you think you fit the general characteristics of that sign?

I’m a Cancer!! and also a metal dragon by the Chinese Zodiac, which I’ve always thought was pretty sick! :3 I am 10000% your stereotypical Cancer, super emotional and introspective + often prone to tears ;u; My mom always said that dragons are steadfast and loyal people, and I think this also applies to me, to a fault. I checked around some websites to see what characteristics were often applied to metal dragons specifically, and it seems they are pretty strong-willed, ambitious, and generous? I don’t know if you could call me strong-willed or ambitious, but it’s all good ig.

25. What’s a song that gives off good vibes anytime you listen to it?

Ohh man, I went in on this question for Shannon, but bc I was digging around my library for Jules, I actually found an old fave! This song is from one of my all-time favorite musicals, Once on This Island- it’s The Human Heart! This song is so sweet, and god between the writing for the orchestra + the writing for the ensemble, this song is a straight masterpiece <3 I love love love the line, “Through your love you’ll live forever”, and although I am Hardcore Terrified of getting a tattoo, I really want that line tattooed on my body. if you have time, I recommend giving Once on This Island a listen!! I’ve never heard a show that uses its instruments and singers the way OoTI does (and holy FUCK it is so breathtaking live!!! I got to see it on Broadway and bro.... 🥺🥺 it was transcendental..)