#Senior Music Programs

[leahthedreamer]

With the JGP starting tomorrow I hope at least one dance team does a The Grass Roots rhythm dance

[numbuh-7-knd]

I'm doing my very own hyper specific poll!

And yes, all of these are true for me.

[aikastales]

i’m drunk, i love you (jk)

𝗌𝗎𝗆𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗒: with only a day before graduation, you make a promise that you will not only graduate from university, but also from your feelings for your best friend of seven years, jeon jungkook.

𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀: film student!jungkook x med tech student!fem!oc (named sola)

𝗀𝖾𝗇𝗋𝖾𝗌: heavy angst, unrequited love, jungkook as an isko agenda, set in the ph 🇵🇭

𝗐𝖺𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌: this story is fiction. it does not represent the members of bangtan or any of the idols here in real life. all resemblance to real life characters, institutions, associations, places, events, among others are either purely coincidence or depicted in a fictitious manner only. there’s really no warnings for this story other than it’s a self-indulgent fic to get me back to writing. the smut isn’t that severe. just kissing, nipple sucking, and grinding. this is based on the film, i’m drunk i love you, which i highly recommend you watch. i didn’t alter much of the plot & scenes bc i think they’re already great as it is, but i did tweak a bit here and there. i hope you enjoy! let me know what you think by reblogging/commenting. ♡

𝗍𝗈𝗍𝖺𝗅 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍: 5,784

You were never quite the believer in love at first sight, but what you felt that night was the closest thing to that feeling. 

He was one of the freshmen performers during your orientation, singing Adam Levine’s Lost Stars. Like the entire audience, you were captivated by his heavenly vocals and charisma as he performed on stage with an acoustic guitar one of the seniors lent him. Not only that, Jeon Jungkook wasn’t bad looking either—quite the opposite, really. 

However, after the orientation, you didn’t get to see much of the dark-haired handsome boy. You were studying at UP, the biggest state university in the country, and so your paths were bound not to cross. Until, your older cousin, who was a senior at that time, invited you to eat dinner with him and a couple of his buddies after seeing you strolling around campus alone. When you arrived at the eatery, you not only saw your cousin Yoongi’s friends—Yijeong and Woosung—you also spotted the boy who hadn’t left your mind since you saw him over four months ago at that time. 

You sat across from him and you tried your best not to freak out as Yoongi introduced the both of you. Apparently, he had already known Jungkook because he was the younger stepbrother of his other friend, Namjoon. During the course of your dinner, you and Jungkook didn’t really talk much. But you would muster up the courage to ask him some basic questions such as his program, why he went to UP, if he joined any orgs yet, etcetera. Jungkook was polite enough to answer your inquiries. 

He was a Film major. He went to UP because everyone in his family went to UP so it was the most obvious choice for him and he was a member of the Film society. In return, Jungkook asked the same set of questions. You were a pre-med student, Medical Technology, to be exact, and you went to UP because it was your dream school. You were also a member of the College of Arts and Sciences’ student council. 

After your meal was finished, Yoongi entrusted your care to Jungkook as they were going to meet up with some of their friends and you were both living at campus dormitories anyway. So, you hopped into his old army green Toyota Rav4 and needless to say, the ride back to UP was awkward. So, to get rid of the awkward silence, you asked if you could play some music. He said sure and handed you the aux cord already connected to his stereo. Once you had the other end connected to your phone, you played one of your favorite songs—Waltz of Four Left Feet by Shirebound and Busking. 

To your surprise, Jungkook also knew the song and just like that, the awkward silence was gone and you became inseparable ever since. 

Music became the bridge that connected you and Jungkook. Whenever you would hangout, it was always your topic—your favorite artists, songs, original scores in films, best albums, underrated artists, overrated artists, the current state of music, everything. He also became your gig buddy—seeking out mainstream and indie artists you both liked and going to their live performances downtown bars, jam packed arenas and stadiums. 

But your favorite would always be watching him perform. After his performance at the orientation, he naturally became one of the popular students at UP. He wasn’t popular like a celebrity or an influencer, but heads would turn whenever he walked around campus. Also, he still had the luxury of privacy on his side, but if you looked at the right places, you would find small accounts on social media dedicated to him. He didn’t care for the attention, though, and just went about his day as normally as possible. 

His performance did land him some gigs here and there. You found it cute whenever he’d turn to you to ask if he should accept the invitation or not, and you would always tell him to do whatever he wanted. Most of the time, he accepted, especially if it was at Route 96, a historic venue for aspiring musicians. 

It was here that he performed the first song he wrote by himself called Still With You. It was also during this performance that you began to see him in a different light—quite literally. He was performing with the bar lights off, only the lights on stage and the spotlight illuminated the entire establishment. When the spotlight on him turned purple, you felt a whole new admiration for your best friend. It wasn’t the “Oh god I’m so proud of my best friend” kind, rather it was the “Oh fuck I’m in love with my best friend” realization. 

But like every other story where someone falls in love with their best friend, you kept your feelings hidden, hoping someday it would go away. However, you soon realized, once you fell in love with Jeon Jungkook, there was no going back. It was a rabbit hole. 

The more you spent time with him, the more you fell in love with him and all of him—from the way he smiles to the sound of his laugh, how he would always annoy the shit out of you when you were supposed to be studying to how he would remember small things about you like your favorite snack at the vending machine, how you’d be the first to know his test results to how you’d be his first audience for the short film they needed to produce for that semester, how he would lend you his jacket when you ate bingsu because he knew you’d get cold easily to how he’d send you random memes he found funny out of the blue. 

It was so easy to fall in love with Jeon Jungkook. Thus, everyone else did too. For seven years, you watched on the sidelines as he dated several girls and loved them how you wished he’d love you. 

“In one day, you can finally lay your hands on Jungkook,” your best friend, Mingyu, teased as he took a sip from his beer. 

You let out a sarcastic laugh, head resting on your palm, elbow propped on the wooden table in front of you, a bottle of beer in the other hand. You were bordering on getting tipsy now as you had been drinking since you arrived at La Union with Mingyu and Jungkook in the afternoon. You didn’t even know why you agreed to your best friend’s idea of going to the province for a music festival when you had your graduation—the very graduation that was seven years in the making—on Sunday.   

“Fuck you, Kim Mingyu,” you told the honey-skinned man across from you with a chuckle. 

“What? Let this be your final test before finally graduating. Are you ready?” a lopsided grin appeared on his handsome face. 

Under the orange light, Kim Mingyu was easily one of the most handsome men you ever laid your eyes on. He was also tall, well-mannered, smart, capable, had a stable job while being a med student, and the textbook definition of a walking green flag. In another life, you could imagine yourself falling for him instead of Jungkook. But in the current universe you were in, he was one of your trusted friends who had known about your crush on Jungkook since first year. 

The waiter arrived to bring you your order of another bucket of Red Horse beer. Mingyu took a bottle from the silver bucket and opened it. “Happy horse for the happy whore,” he told you as he handed you the fresh bottle of beer. You gave him a middle finger. He laughed. “What? Am I not right?” 

“You’re the whore,” you replied. “I saw you with that cute chinito by the beach earlier. What happened to Mino?” 

He rolled his eyes at the mention of his ex—or you believed was his ex. You never really know with Mingyu and relationships. He was the complete opposite of you. While you were a hopeless romantic at heart, he didn’t believe in love—or so he says. 

“Seven years,” Mingyu mused, glancing towards the beach. “You didn’t stop falling in love with your best friend. Now, it looks like you don’t even plan to stop.” 

You sucked your teeth, tracing the water around the bottle due to the ice with your fingers. “Do I just throw it away?” You weren’t sure if you were asking Mingyu or yourself. “We make a good pair.” You laughed to yourself. 

“Except?” Mingyu pointed out the harsh reality. 

“Except,” you took in a shaky breath. “He doesn’t love me back. Maybe.” 

Mingyu sighed deeply, looking at his watch. “Time check: you still have your hopes up.” 

“It’s still early,” you argued. “I still have two days. Just give me time.” 

“Give me time?” Mingyu repeated, taking a sip from his beer. “What the fuck are you talking about, Sola? The universe has given you all the time. But you did nothing.” 

You groaned, throwing your head back as a realization hit you. “Fuck, Gyu, I just—I just realized. Is it right that we’re here? Was it the right decision to come here? My mom’s gonna be so mad once she finds out I’m in La Union.”  

“It’s all you. You’re a raging masochist,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Anyway. Let’s just play a game. Let’s enumerate all the things you did with Jungkook. Those are seven years worth of memories, Sola. Game?” 

“Game.” 

“What year did you first meet Jungkook?” 

A smile immediately creeped up on your face. “2017.” 

Mingyu waved his hand at you. “Wow! You can do math! But I just thought of something—instead of just general memories. Let’s make them specific. Let’s list down all the stupid things you did for Jungkook for seven years.” 

“The fuck are you talking about?” you let out a scoff, drinking your beer. 

“What? Now you can’t remember?” he challenged. 

You clicked your tongue. “Fine, you stupid bitch. Ask away.” 

Mingyu grinned. “2018.” 

You hummed before saying, “Jungkook was heartbroken that year. I was back at home and he was at UP. But I rushed into the city to be there for him. I remember because I was supposed to attend this baptism with my parents but I snuck out and got an earful from my mother the next day. I was completely hungover too because Jungkook and I went bar hopping the entire night.” 

“Jesus Christ, Sola.” 

“Don’t judge me. It was my decision, okay?” 

Mingyu rolled his eyes. “Okay. 2019.” 

You stared at Mingyu, laughing as you recalled the memory. “2019. Me and Jungkook walked from UP to Aurora Boulevard just to tell me how Song Areum became his girlfriend.” 

He shook his head. “2020.” 

“2020—he was sick. I had an exam that day, but I quickly answered it so I could buy him his favorite, Tapsilog from Tapsi ni Vivian, before it ran out ‘cos it runs out quickly, right?” Mingyu nodded. You licked your lower lip then let out a small laugh. “But when I got to his dorm room, his roommate already told me Areum brought him to the university hospital. And I failed my exam ‘cos I didn’t answer the back part.” 

“2021, go!” 

“I loved him for four years now and counting. Is that good enough?” 

“Okay. I’ll accept it. 2022?” 

“2022—I’ve been in love with him for five fucking years already, fucking shit!” you exclaimed, feeling the alcohol in you boosting your confidence. 

“Okay. We’re in the last year, girl. What about in 2023? What was the stupid thing you did for Jungkook last year?” 

You gulped. “I’m two years delayed.” 

Mingyu exhaled deeply. A moment of silence settled between the two of you. Then, she asked, “Sola, it all boils down to this: when will you end this?” 

You sat up straight, taking a deep breath. “You mean when will I stop with my foolishness?” Mingyu nodded. You purse your lips. “Maybe when I’m done with UP. When I’m done with UP, I’ll graduate from everything—including him. Especially him.” 

When you got back to your shared room with Jungkook and Mingyu, you were already tipsy. You almost fell face flat on the floor when you opened the door, feeling lightheaded, but luckily, your best friend was there to catch you. 

“You’re drunk, Sola,” Jungkook chuckled deeply. You could smell his expensive cologne—the one you bought for him for his birthday last year and it brought a huge grin on your face, knowing he wore it. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.” 

“I’m fine, Guk. I’m not that drunk. But I do need to sit down,” you said followed by a set of giggles as you let Jungkook walk you to the bed you shared with Mingyu, and then you threw yourself on it, back against the mattress, arms spread like an eagle. 

Jungkook sat down beside you. “Are you still mad at me?” 

The question seemed to sober you up instantly. The truth was—you could never stay mad at him. For anything. Sometimes, you’d think he could do the most painful and hurtful thing to you, deliberately, and you would still forgive him even if he wouldn’t apologize. 

“I wasn’t mad. I was just… I just wished you would’ve told me the real reason why you wanted to come here,” you replied softly, biting your lower lip. 

“Would you have come? If I told you I wanted to go here because my ex wanted to reconnect—would you have come?” Jungkook matched your tone, looking over his shoulder to look at you. 

Instinctively, your eyes also darted towards his. The lights in the room were dim, only the lamp, the light coming beneath the bathroom door, and the moonlight outside illuminated the room. Jungkook looked especially beautiful in the dim light—long black wavy hair all messy from his habit of running his fingers through it, hooded eyes staring at you like he was memorizing every inch of you, the gentleness of his features made him look like an angel in this light. 

But then you’d see his dozens of piercings in his ears, eyebrow, and lower lip; his tattooed arm and hand, and the way he looked sexy as hell with his thin white long sleeved, sleeves rolled up to his elbow, and his white beach shorts that hugged his strong muscular thighs, and you’d realize he was more of a Greek god than an angel. 

“I’ll go wherever you go,” you told him, swallowing the lump in your throat. “You know that.” 

Jungkook lied down beside you and you felt your heartbeat racing. His tattooed arm was brushing against yours. His head was tilted, close to yours. 

“Will you go with me to the moon?” he asked. 

A small smile ghosted on your lips. “I will, Guk.” 

“How about Saturn?” 

“I’ll be with you there, too.” 

“Law school?” 

You turned your head to him. He was already looking at you. “Law school? Why?” 

He brushed the hair on your face aside with his fingers, making you tense. But you kept your composure. “I passed UP LAE.” 

“But,” you began. “What about film? I thought you didn’t wanna become a lawyer like your parents.” 

Jungkook looked at the ceiling. “It’s not that bad. Being a lawyer. Besides, I like studying.” 

“You’ve always wanted to become a director, though.” 

“I’m not good enough for it,” Jungkook scoffed. “All my batchmates are already directing their films and showing them at festivals here and abroad—yet here I am. Still here.” 

You turned on your side, propping your elbow to support your head as you looked at your best friend. It was rare for Jungkook to open up. Even to you. He was always someone who kept all his innermost thoughts and feelings to himself. In the seven years you’d known him, it still felt like there was a wall around him that you never managed to climb on or punch through. For seven years, it felt like you simultaneously knew everything and nothing about your best friend. 

“It’s not the end of the road, Jungkook. So what if they’re showing their films at festivals? You can do it too. At your own pace, in your own time,” you said. You wanted to reach for his face, to make him look at you, but you were scared. “You’re a great filmmaker, Guk. The best direk ever.” 

He looked at you once again. “You’re drunk, Yu Sola. Go to sleep.” 

He sat up, carrying your legs over the bed. You let out a groan. “I’m not drunk, Jeon Jungkook. Why do you always do that?” 

“Do what?” he asked, chuckling. 

“You always cut the conversation when you’re beginning to open up. You always clamp up, Guk. I wish you didn’t do that. I’m your—,” you bit the inside of your lower lip. What right did I have to demand him to open up to me? “I’m your best friend.” 

“I don’t clamp up. I just have nothing else to say,” your best friend replied with a shrug, fixing his hair as he looked in the mirror across from your bed. “Go to sleep. You’ll get a massive headache tomorrow. I’m just going to meet with Areum and her friends.”  

Then, you blurted it out. It just happened. You didn’t even know how. You always had this grand idea in your mind to do it after the graduation ceremony, that way, you could immediately leave. That way, you didn’t have to see him all the time. You would have enough time to move on and move forward in your life. 

But nothing in life truly went according to plan. 

“I love you, Jungkook,” you confessed. Your heart felt heavy and you sat up, head hanging low as you picked on your nails. Tears were beginning to form in your eyes. “I’ve loved you for seven years now.” 

And you sobbed, burying your face in your hands. Then, moments later, you felt your hands being taken away from your face. You lifted your head and saw Jungkook kneeling in front of you, holding your hands. He let one go to wipe away the tears on your face, to tuck your hair behind your ear. 

And then, ever so slowly, Jungkook leaned in and kissed you softly. A tear rolled down your cheek. His lips were soft while yours were chapped and wet from your tears, but he didn’t seem to mind. You were still in shock. This was not the response you expected. Not even in your wildest dreams but it was happening. 

Jungkook held your face, tilting his head as he continued to kiss you more—only this time with more need and passion. Your body reacted. You began to reciprocate his kisses, hands wrapping around his wrists. He tasted of toothpaste and mouthwash. 

He pushed you onto the bed, one hand remaining on your face while the other held your waist. Your fingers curled the ends of his hair. You could feel his growing member on your stomach and feeling it was enough to make your cunt wet. His lips then traveled on your jaw, down to your neck. You were breathing heavily as he nibbled on your sensitive skin, making a soft moan escape your lips. 

His hand made its way under your shirt and your breath hitched, causing Jungkook to lift his head from your neck, and look you in the eyes. 

“You okay?” he asked softly. 

You nodded. “I’m okay.” 

“Okay,” he smiled, making your heart skip a beat. “Is it okay if I take this off now?” 

“I—,” you were at a loss for words. Was this really happening? It seemed too good to be true. But it was happening and you wanted it more than anything else. “Okay. Yes, you can.” 

Jungkook peeled your shirt off, exposing your naked chest. You didn’t wear bras; found it too much of a hassle and you always hated the feeling. Instead, you wore nipple tapes. 

“What are these, Sola?” Jungkook asked with a chuckle, making your cheeks heat up. 

“They’re nipple tapes, you dumb ass,” you replied, smacking his arm lightly. 

“Okay. Do I just take them off, like, tape?” 

He was adorably cute. “Yes, you just take them off like tape.” 

And so he did just that. The coolness of the room and your arousal instantly perked your nipples. Jungkook took your breasts in his hands, massaging and squeezing them, making you arch your back ever so slightly. Then, he dipped his head, capturing one of your nipples in his mouth while remaining to massage the other. 

The sensation was simply divine. You didn’t know if it was the alcohol in your system, your feelings for your best friend, or just Jungkook in general that made you feel so good at that moment. Your hands traced the outline of his toned biceps through his thin polo. 

You were so wet and when Jungkook began to grind his hard cock against your clothed cunt, you felt another wave of wetness. You wanted him—all of him—and so you began to rock your hips against him, making him release a moan. 

He lifted his head, staring at you with those doe eyes you have loved for seven years. “Are you sure?” 

Those three words held so much. Once you crossed the line, there was no going back, and both of you knew that. 

“I’m sure. I want this, Guk. I want you.” 

That was all he needed to hear to make love to you the whole night. Once both of you came, Jungkook laid beside you, chest heaving. For a while, the both of you lay in silence. 

“Will you be here in the morning?” you asked, turning your head on the pillow to face him. 

He did the same. “I will,” he promised. “Go to sleep now, Sola.” 

But he wasn’t. 

When you woke up the next day, the other side of the bed was empty. You sat up, burying your face in your hands. What the hell have I done? What the hell have we done? 

You left the bed, entering the bathroom, and proceeding to take a shower. In there, you cried, because nothing was going to be the same after last night. You couldn’t blame it all on Jungkook either. You also made it happen. You desperately wished it was just a dream—another wet dream you had of your best friend—but the traces of his cum were still on your inner thigh. 

It happened. There was no going back. Everything was going to be different now and most of all, you didn’t know if you still had your best friend. 

When you finished showering and getting dressed, you made your way down to the beach. You had texted Mingyu while getting dressed and he told you he was there with the chinito you saw him with, Wonwoo. Arriving at the beach, you pulled your phone out of your back pocket, about to text the honey-skinned med student when you saw Jungkook with Areum in the water, his strong arms that held you throughout the night, now wrapped around her waist. Fits of giggles escaped her lips as Jungkook wrestled with her in the water, a huge grin on his handsome face. 

Your heart shattered. 

You quickly looked away, a fresh set of tears forming in your eyes. As you were about to turn away, you heard Mingyu’s familiar voice which caused you to stop on your tracks. 

“Sola, hey, there you—what’s wrong?” The concern in his voice was palpable. You felt his arm around your shoulder as he pulled you closer to him. 

“I—I finally told him, Gyu,” you said, taking in a sharp shaky breath. “I finally told him.” 

Mingyu didn’t ask for more details. He knew. He led you back to your room, promising Wonwoo to text him later. Once you were back, you just cried on his shoulder. He didn’t say anything and neither did you. He just let you be until the tears finally stopped. 

“I’m sorry I pulled you away from Wonwoo. He seems like a nice guy,” you said after a while, voice raspy from all the crying. 

“It’s fine. We’ll be seeing each other often anyway,” Mingyu shared. 

You looked at him, surprised. “Really?” 

Your friend nodded, laughing to himself. “You know, all those times I teased you about your being a hopeless romantic and believing in love—I think it’s backfiring on me now with Wonwoo.” 

“You love him?” you asked. 

“I don’t know, Sola. But I know what I feel for him is different,” he answered. “It’s terrifying. How quickly someone can change your perspective on something.” 

You couldn’t argue with that. 

“What’s your plan now?” Mingyu asked. 

You sighed deeply. “I think I’m going to head back. My graduation is tomorrow anyway. Do you mind booking the bus ride home?” 

“I’m staying here, Sola. I—I want to be with Wonwoo more,” Mingyu confessed, smiling at you apologetically. 

“Gyu…” 

“Please be a friend to me now, Sola.” 

You pressed your lips tightly. Then, you nodded. You wanted your friend to be happy. 

“I’m gonna pack now,” you announced. 

“Okay. Just text me if you need anything,” Mingyu gave you a hug and kiss on top of your head. “I want you to know I’m proud of you, Sola.” 

Once Mingyu left, you began to pack. You didn’t bring a lot of clothes, but you were still biding your time. A part of you didn’t want to leave. You wanted to stay here and never graduate. But that illusion was quickly broken when you saw your mom’s contact flashing on your phone screen. 

You sucked your teeth before answering, “Hi mom.” 

“Sola? Where the hell are you? Why haven’t you been answering my texts? Your graduation is tomorrow. Everyone is looking forward to it!” she exclaimed frantically. 

“Mom, I’m sorry. I’m in La Union with Jungkook and—,” 

“What the hell are you doing in La Union?! You better get back instantly, Sola. I’m not kidding. If you don’t graduate now, I really don’t know what I’m gonna do. It’s been seven years! Please let me graduate too.” 

“I’m already packing and I’ll catch the bus home soon. I just—Mom, I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it in time for the ceremony ‘cos—,” 

Your phone was suddenly snatched from your grip. You looked up and saw Jungkook standing beside you. 

“Hey tita, it’s Jungkook. Yes. Don’t worry. I’ll take her home. She’ll make it in time. Yes. We’ll be home before the ceremony, tita. Okay. Bye.” 

He ended the call and sat down on the bed across from you, handing you your phone back. You grabbed it from him. “You don’t have to take me home.” 

“I already promised tita I will,” he answered. 

“You didn’t have to,” you muttered, folding your shirt. 

Silence. Jungkook was just staring at you the entire time as you folded your clothes and packed them inside your bag. Then, he said those two words. 

“I’m sorry.” 

You bit the inside of your lower lip. What was he exactly for? For having sex with you? For spending the night with you? For not feeling the same way as you? All of the above? 

As if reading your thoughts, he added, “For everything.” 

You nodded. “You don’t have to apologize for anything,” you told him. “It’s not your fault you don’t love me the same way.” But why did you kiss me? Why did you make love to me? 

Jungkook lowered his head. You zipped your bag. “Let’s go. I still have a graduation to chase.” 

“What’s this?” you asked, eyebrows furrowed when you saw Areum standing beside Jungkook’s car with her luggage and bag. 

“I’ll drop Areum on the way,” Jungkook announced, grabbing her luggage and putting it at the back of his car. 

You pressed your lips in a line. “Fine.” You stepped into the back passenger seat, quickly grabbing your phone and earphones from your bag, and plugging it in. 

Lowering yourself on the seat, you rested your head against the window as Areum stepped into the passenger seat while Jungkook sat on the driver’s seat. You caught him glancing at you from the corner of your eyes, but you didn’t look back. Instead, you turned the volume up. Moments later, he began to drive. 

You decided to sleep the entire ride. However, when you woke up, you immediately realized Jungkook wasn’t driving in your hometown. “Where are we?” you asked, taking one of your earphones off. 

“I’m dropping Areum first,” Jungkook replied. 

You frowned. “I’m the one chasing a graduation, remember?” 

“Shh, just go back to sleep. Here,” he threw something at you—your favorite candy, Butterball, landing on your lap. 

You grabbed it, tempted to eat it, but you threw it back at him and went back to sleep. By the time you woke up again, you were at Areum’s house. She turned to look at you, smiling. 

She was really beautiful and kind. You began to feel guilty for hating her so much the entire time. “Congrats on your graduation, Sola. I’ll see you around, okay?” 

“Thanks Areum.” 

After Jungkook walked her to her door, he came back to the car. “What are you doing there? Come here,” he said, patting the passenger seat. 

“I’m fine here,” you replied. 

“Sola, come on. Please? I drive better with you beside me.” 

For the rest of the ride to your home, you sat beside Jungkook. Unlike before, where your car rides were filled with music and random conversations, tonight it was silent. You didn’t plug your phone into his stereo and you kept your eyes closed the whole time, listening to your music. Once in a while, Jungkook would try to make small talk, but you would only give him short replies, then went back to sleeping. 

When you arrived at your family house, you stayed with Jungkook outside for a bit, both leaning against his car. 

“It’s your graduation in four hours.” 

“Are you not going to come to yours?” 

“I don’t see the point,” Jungkook replied. 

You nodded and pushed yourself off his car. “I’ll head inside. Thanks for the ride, Jungkook.” 

He grabbed your arm before you entered the gate. You stared into his eyes. You couldn’t quite place what held them right now. Maybe you never really knew Jeon Jungkook after all this time. 

“I’m sorry, Sola.” 

“Why do you keep saying sorry? I told you—it’s not your fault and I’m fine. I’m over it now. See you around, Jungkook.” 

You head back inside. Graduation was in four hours. 

You wore a traditional Filipiniana dress, a pair of white heels that were already scraping the skin at the back of your feet, your mother’s pearls, and your sablay when your name was called. You came up on the stage with your excited mother, shook hands with your Dean, and finally grabbed your diploma. You always imagined graduation to be something so spectacular, but the moment you received the piece of paper that confirmed you had, indeed, graduated—you just felt the same. 

After the ceremony, you went back to your house where almost all your relatives from your mother’s side were waiting for you. A tarpaulin with your graduation picture and the words, “Congratulations Yu Sola!” printed on it and hung outside your gate. You greeted everyone on your way, telling them thanks, before retreating in your room to change out of your dress and into more comfortable clothes. 

While you were slipping on your shirt, your phone buzzed on your nightstand. When you grabbed it, you saw Jungkook’s message on the lockscreen. 

Let’s go, it said. 

You knew it meant one thing: a beer and butterball at Route 96. There was still a part of you that wanted to go because you always went when you received a message like that from Jungkook. It was always a yes when it came to him. But now that you confessed, something shifted, whether he admitted to it himself or not. 

So, you put your phone in your pocket, and went down. But as you do so, you felt your phone vibrate again. You pulled it out of your pocket and Jungkook texted you another message. 

Please? One for the road. I’m outside. 

You bit your lower lip. Then, you made your way out. There, you saw Jungkook wearing his barong and sablay, leaning against his car like hours ago. He smiled as soon as he saw you come out. 

“You still have it,” he pointed to your shirt. 

You looked down on it and realized you had picked his shirt of all things. It wasn’t anything special; just something he bought at a boutique. But it meant a lot to you because he gave it to you after you spilled beer on your shirt years ago. 

“You attended your ceremony?” you asked, crossing your arms over your chest. He nodded. “I thought you didn’t see the point.” 

“I changed my mind.” 

You wished you were just as quick in having a change of heart. 

“One for the road?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. 

You took a deep breath and nodded. “One for the road.” 

“Shit, I forgot it’s Sunday. It’s closed,” Jungkook sighed, seeing the steel gate at Route 96. 

“It’s fine. Let’s just go,” you told him, grabbing the beer he bought beforehand and making your way up to the bar. Jungkook followed behind. 

You both leaned in the railing before you, beer in hands. Another silence. 

You couldn’t believe this was the culmination of the seven years you spent loving Jeon Jungkook. You thought, after confessing, you would never speak again. He’d distance himself from you but here you were—having a beer with him at your favorite place in the world. You wished you knew what was going on in his mind right now. You wished you could dissect his mind and learn every thought he had ever since you confessed. 

Because you never really knew Jeon Jungkook. You were just so in love with him and idealized who he was over the last seven years. Suddenly, all the stupid memories you shared with Mingyu flashed in your mind and made you laugh. 

“What’s funny?” Jungkook asked, chuckling. 

You shook your head, drinking your beer. “Nothing.” 

He nudged your side. “Come on, share it.” 

You took a deep breath and for the first time, you looked at Jeon Jungkook and saw him for who he was; not the man you have loved for the past seven years. 

“I graduated, finally.” 

↪˚ author’s note: if you want to donate to me via kofi or gcash <33 i would appreciate it a lot. thank you & see you in more fics later on.

↪˚ permanent taglist: @whoa-jo @kookieandjoonberries

all rights reserved. 2024. belovedguk.

[pepshee]

Push & Pull

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅

Pairing - toxic!heeseung x fem!reader

Summary - When Lee Heeseung, the campus it boy decides to take on a new girl expecting to just hookup and move on, but he didn't know that it would be more than a one night stand.

Warnings - idk how to write fics erm, my first fic, making out, drinking, frat parties, heeseung is a player, mentions of the other enha members, mentions of other idols no written smut but sex is implied (it didnt really fit the story to write smut sorry </3), fwb/situationship dynamic, lmk if i missed something !

Word count - 7.3k

A/N: hii so this is my first time writing fanfiction like ever.. I've been using tumblr for not that long but I have been reading fics for years on other platforms! idk if anyone actually reads these but i'm really sorry for any errors or especially grammar issues that occur in this fic. I tried my best, i'm aware it's not great but please leave me recommendations! also this fic is based off of a c.ai bot I wrote, the bot is a bit different tho, my c.ai is @/hee2eung if you want to check it out! Have fun reading! also I used Grammarly for half of this fic for some assistance but then I stopped bc it was starting to look like it was ai generated and I wanted it to seem more authentic yk

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻ੈ✩‧₊˚

Being in your second year of college hasn’t been particularly difficult, although stressful; you’ve managed to balance your social life and school. Throughout your life, you’ve loved the ocean and marine animals, so you decided to major in marine biology. The university you go to is very expensive and prestigious—so imagine high school, senior year, getting a letter in the mail offering you a full ride to Kyung Hee University—you love this university due to the fact they had recently funded new majors. 

Originally they hadn’t offered marine biology, but luckily they had added it while you were still a junior in high school, which is why you decided to apply the following year. They even had funded hands-on programs to engage students and help them learn better than just using pen and paper, or in today's world, keyboard and mouse. Implementing an on-campus aquarium was by far the most beneficial to them; although expensive, they somehow managed it. Is it ethical? Who knows. What matters is the fact it’s there, and they do have on-site professionals to properly take care of the animals.

Managing the aquarium is by far your favorite part; hell, they even let you name one of the three seals. Being still a bit immature, you went with bubbles. Anyone on campus was able to visit the aquarium during the daytime. 

On this particular day, it was your day to take care of the seals and manage the aquarium. You had just finished feeding the small fish and the jellyfish. The only semi-large animal at the aquarium is the seal; everything else consists of small fish, jellyfish, and coral. You had gotten to the seals, grabbing a bucket of fish before walking through the staff door and going over to the seal pool. However, you hadn’t expected the campus it boy Lee Heeseung and his goons, who follow his every move, to show up.

Lee Heeseung.. Where do you even start? Everyone loves him. He's a part of the schools’ basketball team although, surprisingly enough, he’s actually a music major. You hadn’t had the chance to hear him sing, but from what you've heard it's angelic like he was heaven-sent. You wished that was all there was to him, but like many others, that wish quickly died. His reputation is mixed. It's never really clear if he's a good guy, or if he's like the boys from your high school.

As for his minions—Yang Jungwon, Park Jongseong AKA Jay, Sim Jaeyun AKA Jake, Park Sunghoon, Kim Sunoo, and Nishimura Riki—They're pretty much Heeseung, but with their own little twist. They love to follow his every move. It's not like he's using them, not at all, those are his best friends. They never say it but you can tell they'd kill for each other. Heeseung is the oldest among them.

Occasionally you’ve seen the seven of them behind the school smoking some cigarettes, weed, or drinking alcohol. They're all 21-23, so they're all of age except they know with your university strict rules because it's a private school if they got caught they'd be in mass amounts of trouble with the dean. 

They’re all rich, matter of fact, 90% of the student body is rich. Which makes sense when you take into account the obvious extreme tuition. You, on the other hand, are not rich. Your middle-class family didn't even want you applying to Kyung Hee because they knew if you had gotten accepted without a scholarship you wouldn't be able to go. They didn't want you to be disappointed, but luckily that disappointment never came.

The seven boys knew smoking and drinking while on campus was a heavy risk, but they didn't care. They figured since their families are rich they could just pay off the dean like they've done time and time again.

You're brought out of your thoughts when you get splashed a little by bubbles. But now you're once again wondering why Heeseung and his six friends had come to the aquarium.

They had never come to the aquarium, they never even appeared at school events that weren’t sports-related. You decide to ignore it for now and proceed to feed the seals. There were a few lingering visitors that weren’t Heeseung. You made the seals do a couple of tricks sometimes.

Except while doing this, you noticed Heeseung’s lingering gaze on you, his expression stone cold. You had no clue what he was thinking… That is until you overhear him talking to his friends. 

 “This is what they spent so much money on?” He asked his friend, Jake, in a more neutral tone. He was so hard to read, it ate you up inside. “Yeah, I think it’s kind of nice actually,” Jake responded; he thankfully is easy to read, unlike his best friend. 

“Hey, say, who’s the girl feeding the seals?” His expressionless face now gained a slight smirk; it seemed like he was planning something.

“Why? Are you interested?” Sunghoon responds clearly, teasing him; you can tell by the grin he’s wearing. 

“Just look at her; she seems innocent,” Heeseung's smirk growing even larger now.

After the first couple of seconds of their conversation, you stopped listening; instead, you focused on finishing feeding the seals. 

After the bucket was emptied, you put it back and left the seal pool. You wash your hands, trying your best to rid them of the fishy smell—though not very successfully, at least your hands are clean and no longer slimy—you go into the back and grab your things. You head out of the staff area, and you’re about to leave; that is until… 

“Princess” You stop in your tracks as your heart immediately starts speeding up. The voice is one you know all too well, one everyone on campus knows. Did Lee Heeseung just call you princess? Slowly you turn your head to look at him.

“Do you need something?” You try your best to hide the shakiness in your voice, to which you fail.

“What's your name?” There's an unmistakable almost mocking expression in his voice. You never thought you'd be face-to-face with Heeseung and his 6 minions.

“It's Kim Y/N” You managed to keep your voice steady even though you were quite nervous.

“Haven't really seen you around before, you must like the seals don't you?” He asked you, you can tell he doesn't care about what your answer will be, but you fall deeper into his alluring facade.

You've heard all the rumors flying around campus, how Heeseung is a player, but then one that immediately contradicts that one saying he’s an angel and he can genuinely hold a relationship. 

It's so hard to tell what's real and what's not anymore when it comes to Heeseung. 

“Uhh, yeah I do like the seals, they’re really cute aren't they?” Usually, you'd be really excited to talk about the seals you adore so much, and your usual bubbly personality always makes people love you. This time however, your excitement is on pause.

“They are quite cute, now, Y/N; have you been to a frat party before?” He leans down getting closer to you.

“I went to one last year when I was a freshman and I hated it so I never went back.” Thinking of the first and last time you went to a frat party is like a nightmare.. You thought it would've been somewhat like the movies, but it was much, much worse. Nobody told you the amount of dirt, vomit, and unidentifiable substances you'd come across. Not to mention the fact a guy was all over you and wouldn't leave you alone until your best friend Julie threatened him. Where would you be without Julie? You have no clue, but you know it's nowhere pleasant. 

“Aww how disappointing, well good thing none of us are in a frat, so the party my boy Riki is throwing at his place isn't a frat party. He has a big ass house, you should come princess. I’ll make sure whatever happened at that frat party doesn't happen again, trust me,” Surprisingly, this time, it was said softly, different from the way he spoke before. 

“How can you guarantee that? You don't even know what happened last time,” 

“I don't have to know, all I know is that it won't happen again. Be there, meet at the fountain on Saturday, 6 PM. We’ll take you to Riki's house,” You thought about his offer. What if it’s different this time? Heeseung wouldn’t make an empty promise would he? Should I ask my friends for advice? Before you could even get an answer to any of those inner thoughts, you even surprise yourself with the answer you shot out. “Sure, I guess I’ll go.”

“Perfect,” he muttered, now standing back up and no longer leaning toward you. 

“We’ll see you there,” you didn’t expect Jake to say something, or any of his friends to say something to you. Before you can even comprehend the interaction fully, the seven are already walking off.

You sigh and check your phone seeing the time 2:37 displayed on the small screen in your device. Shit. You forgot you were supposed to meet up with your friends Julie, Karina, and Jennie at the campus café—which is student-run—to study and of course, gossip. You all had agreed to me at 2:30, meaning you're 7 minutes late. Now you have to rush across campus… god that damn Lee Heeseung. 

────୨ৎ────

Finally arriving at the café, you spot your friends sitting at a table and quickly go to join them.

“Look who finally decided to show up,” Karina teased

“Jesus did you run here?” Julie laughs out, You take a moment to catch your breath before responding “I mean.. Maybe a little? I’m so sorry I got caught up talking with someone I just—”

“Y/N, it's fine we were only joking! Go order your drink and have a seat. Lucky for you we were waiting for you to get here before we started gossiping,” Jennie interrupts, letting out a small chuckle at your out-of-breath look.

“Right..” You breathe out, setting down your bag walking up to the front counter to order a drink. There's so many drink options but you always seem to order the same thing every time.

“Hi, what can I get you?” The barista asks politely ready to take your order. 

“Hi, can I get a large frozen hot chocolate with caramel sauce, and two pumps of the caramel syrup please?”

“Of course! We’ll make that right away!”

After waiting about 5-7 minutes you got your drink, you loved this drink so much. Even though there wasn't any caffeine, you loved it. You take a sip, it's pure bliss to you, although that same bliss isn't exactly shared for everyone. You walk back to your friends and sit down, you grab your books and laptop situating yourself before speaking. “So… is it gossip time now?” you ask, clearly giddy with the idea of sharing dirty rumors, insights and leaked secrets. 

Each one of you shares your own little pieces, the minutes ticking by and the studying completely forgotten. However, you perk up at the name of a boy.. A boy who was always a topic in these gossip sessions, but now, suddenly it feels a bit more… Intriguing? Why? Was it because the boy was Heeseung? The one who invited you to a party, called you princess, and spoke to you in a way that made your heart flutter in a way it never did for him.

“I heard Heeseung was making out with Wony behind the bleachers of the basketball court,” Julie leans forward while speaking knowing the topic of Lee Heeseung is quite hot and if anyone overheard would probably spread it further. Although her action is quite hypocritical cause she's currently spreading rumors that she heard from someone else, you let it slide.

“Really? Heeseung and the cheer captain? I saw it coming from the start, is it true tho?” Karina chiming in with her own input “I think so, someone said they got pretty heated, rumor has it they went to the locker room,” Julie responds back, it's clear she loves gossip. She somehow knows everything.

“Isn't this his third girl this week?” The unamused tone in Jennie's voice is prominent, obviously not his first time doing this. 

“What's weird is when he does get girlfriends he's always loyal, treats them like queens, and he can hold a relationship. I don't understand him. It's like this constant push and pull.” Karina chimes in. You've been quiet throughout this whole exchange since Heeseung became the topic. By this point you stopped listening after Karina's line. That is until you're pulled out of your thoughts by a familiar low voice.

“Talking about me with your friends Y/N?” 

Fuck.

All four of you whip your heads around to see Heeseung standing by the café entrance. He lets out a chuckle and starts approaching the table you and friends are sat at.

“I hope you're not talking any shit over here ladies,” Heeseungs huge smirk giving away the meaning of his words

“Y/N you know him? When were you gonna tell us you’ve spoken to Heeseung?” Julie's voice raised slightly due to her surprise.

You’re about to say something to reply to her but Heeseung does before you can, “Oh we’ve talked, haven’t we Y/N? She’s coming with me to Riki’s party on Saturday.” His smirk grew wider, and his tone dropped slightly.

“She’s what!?” Your three friends whipped their heads back to you looking at you with wide eyes. 

“I was gonna tell you…” You say, all the attention making you a bit timid.

“You didn’t bother to come talk to us first?” Karina explains her disappointment.

“I’m sorry.. It was an in-the-moment type thing..” You then check the time seeing its almost 3:35, you have a class at 3:40. As much as you’d hate to leave the conversation like this, you had to. “Um.. I have to go, I’ll see you guys later. I’m sorry..” You put your books and laptop away, getting up and putting on your bag. You give everyone one last glance, including Heeseung before exiting the cafe. 

────୨ৎ────

It’s now Saturday. 

You had resolved the situation with your friends and now they’re kind of cheering for you. They know you hate parties and the fact you’re coming out of your shell makes them happy for you. Currently you’re getting dressed, it’s 5:22 PM. You had just picks out a dress. A black, tight-fitted dress. The fabric has sparkles on it, and the straps of the dress are laced, and it drops into a slight ‘V’ in the chest area. It’s a bit scandalous, but maybe you like it that way. You’re not used to wearing fancy dresses. 

Finally arriving at the fountain after finishing your hair and make up you see Heeseung, Jake, and Sunghoon waiting there, waiting for you. 

You walk over to them, and they turn their heads to you. Once Heeseung sees you he starts to smirk before speaking, his voice low. “Didn’t think you’d make it princess. You look nice. Come on let’s go,” He makes a gesture with his hand before walking towards a car with his friends following beside him. You start following, having to speed walk to catch up due to all of them being tall. Once you make it to the car you all get in, Jake and Sunghoon in the back, Heeseung driving, and you in the passenger seat. It all seemed suspiciously calculated but you didn’t say anything because it was probably just your mind playing tricks on you. 

The car ride was seemingly normal, with Jake and Sunghoon being rowdy in the back, and you and Heeseung being completely silent with occasional glances here and there. You were texting your friends when Heeseung suddenly hands you his phone while driving. You look up from your phone to look at him confused before he finally says “You’re on aux pretty,” You don't know why but your heart felt like it was doing tricks in your chest. 

After a pretty silent car ride besides Jake’s yelling, Sunghoon’s babbling, and the music you had put on you arrive at Riki’s huge mansion. It’s crazy how a middle-class girl like you is even in the presence of these rich people. The four of you walk into the mansion, the music loud, rainbow lights all over the place, and the living room acting as a make-shift dance floor. Immediately you can smell all the alcohol and weed. 

You wander off on your own to get a look at the mansion, it looked so nice and you really wanted to see all the things the mysterious Nishimura had around his place. It was beautiful really, nothing you’d ever seen before. Not that you’d seen the interior of mansions before anyways.. You made your way to the kitchen only to find many, many alcohol bottles. You pick one up inspecting it before hearing a voice behind you, 

“I didn’t take you for a drinker Y/N.” The voice is so familiar to you that you don’t even need to look behind you to know it was Heeseung. 

“I’m not, Lee”

“Why don’t you try some then princess?” He starts pouring some alcohol into a cup not even awaiting a response.

“I mean I guess I can..” You were a bit nervous, never in your life had you drank alcohol. Not even at the frat party you went to years ago. He hands you the cup and you take a small sip, you feel the liquid go down your throat with a burn. You cough a small amount and make a face at the bitterness of the drink. 

“What do you think?” Once again he has that same old smirk on his.. Gorgeous face. “It’s so bitter.. How do people drink this shit?” Your face contorting into a look of disgust, it was a serious question to you. 

“Well.. I don’t know but I enjoy it. Just wait till you start to get drunk.” He pours himself a cup of the same alcohol before immediately downing it in one go. You look at him in shock, “seriously? How and why?” 

“Makes it kick in faster,” He shrugs. 

“Woah the room is spinning” You say whilst taking another sip of the alcohol. You were starting to get used to it. 

“That means it’s working,” He smirks, leaning down to get closer to you. “Come on, why don’t we go dance?” You nod and he holds out his hand for you to take, which you do. He leads you to Riki’s living room where there’s a bunch of people dancing. Heeseung leads you to the middle before releasing your hand, and placing his hands on your waist instead. Your back is against his chest, you both dance together. You’re having so much fun you don’t notice his hands travelling down to your hips gripping them before pulling them to make your ass press against his clothed crotch. You let out a small gasp at the feeling, the alcohol had completely taken over your system at this point. You begin to grind your ass against him making his grip on your hips get tighter.

He leans down burying his face in your neck letting out a groan. “Princess, what do you think you’re doing?” He says breathlessly.

“Having fun.” 

“Why don’t we go somewhere else darling?” He whispers into your ear, his voice low and seductive. You nod and turn around so now you’re facing him. He takes your hand taking you around the house to find an empty bedroom. You two finally find one and enter it, as soon as you’re both inside he closes and locks the door before immediately pinning you to it. He takes a glance at your lips, and then back into your eyes. “Can I?” He asked. You nod, and he immediately crashes his lips onto yours. 

You kiss him back moving your hands onto his shoulders gripping his shirt tightly like he’ll disappear. Your lips move passionately against each other. His hands roam your body before finally landing on your ass grabbing handfuls of it. He slips his tongue into your mouth moving it against yours as you two make-out. You can feel saliva running down your chin from the messy kisses but you don’t pay attention to it, too focused on kissing him. 

You both start running out of breath, he finally pulls away, a string of saliva still connecting your lips before breaking. You look into each other's eyes in a comfortable silence. However, it doesn't last long as Heeseung breaks it, “Bed. Now.” without hesitation you follow his command and make your way to the bed.

That night, you had the best sex of you life. You had heard Heeseung was good in bed, but you didn't think he was THAT good.. Turns out you had thought wrong. You'd only had sex two or three times before with an ex-boyfriend, but Heeseung was definitely so much better. 

That morning you found yourself waking up in a bed that wasn't yours. However, it also wasn't the room you had fallen asleep in. After having sex, you had fallen asleep in the bedroom in Riki's house, but now you're in a dorm room and it's not your own. You connect some dots and realize it's probably Heeseungs. Despite the college being extremely wealthy they still cheaped out on the dorm rooms. The rooms are thankfully spacious unlike public universities, however, they still have roommate systems so they don't have to build as many. Fortunately, Heeseungs wasn't home. You smell bacon coming from the other room and get out of bed noticing the clothes you're in clearly aren't yours. 

Walking into the kitchen you see Heeseung cooking breakfast for the two of you. Scrambled eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns. You could never go wrong with a simple breakfast like that one. Heeseung hears your footsteps and looks up from the pan to look at you. “Morning sleepyhead,” he teases.

“Shut up, Lee,” you spit back, he can tell you didn't actually mean it but it made him let out a chuckle. 

He finishes cooking and plates the food and grabbing drinks and places them at the table. You both sit down across from one another. You glance at him for a brief moment feeling your heart flutter as you remember last night. Every touch, every caress, every orgasm, it all felt so real. Or did it?

After eating you get up to place your cup and plate in the sink. You check the time realizing you had a class in 45 minutes. “Heeseung, I have to go to class. I’ll see you later okay?” He nodded, getting up and approaching you. He gives you a quick gentle peck on your lips and gives you a sweet smile. You grab your things and give him a wave goodbye leaving his dorm secretly committing his dorm number to memory. You exit the dorm building, it was the West building, you live in the North building. That’s all the way across campus, you sigh before starting to speed walk to your dorm building so you could get ready for class. 

After a long way you make it and enter your dorm to find your roommate Natty already gone. You quickly change into your own clothes, do your hair and quickly do your makeup. You grab your bookbag and exit the dorm heading to your class.

Class was boring as usual, the only class you care about is the ones that pertain to your major. Speaking of, today is your day for the aquarium again. Suddenly your day is much better and you quickly make your way to the aquarium. On your way you look at the scenery which is always really pretty. The cherry blossom trees make it seem so aesthetic. You zone out while walking thinking of various topics like K-Pop, your friends, imaginary scenarios until they're interrupted when you catch sight of something. 

Lee Heeseung, and Jang Wonyoung. Julie had mentioned they were probably hooking up or

dating, but you didn't expect to see him touching her.. caressing her.. flirting with her.. You had figured it was a rumor, but seeing him in front of you touching and flirting with another girl made you upset. Did last night mean nothing? Did those tender touches in the morning mean nothing? What about the aftercare? 

He has his hands on her waist as they're talking, under a cherry blossom nonetheless, god how icky can this get. You storm off even tho you know he wouldn't notice. You keep going towards the aquarium. If all else fails at least there's bubbles right?

Your favorite part of your day, feeding the fish, and the jellies but most importantly the three seals. The others don't have names yet but you're working on it. Your professor said once all the freshmen can actually tell the seals apart then you can name the other two, but for now Bubbles is the only named one.

You started feeding the seals until there was no more fish in the bucket. You wait till they were done before doing a hand gesture. Bubbles is the only one who knows it since you had taught it to him. He swims up to lay on the edge of the seal pool. You then go to to pet him.

Fuck Heeseung when you have bubbles right? It's not common to use petting a seal as a comfort method, but to you it is. Why would Heeseung hookup with you, do aftercare, and make you food if he didn't like you? 

You pull out your phone and take a photo of you with Bubbles. This is your favorite thing to do to pass the time. Bubbles is just a seal but to you he’s one of the only people that will listen as corny as it sounds. 

That day went as normal, you went to your classes, hung out with your friends in between them, and visited the seals every now and then.

You're getting ready for bed when your phone screen lights up, you pick it up and see a text from an unknown number.

From: 010-6200-0000

| hey y/n

| it's heeseung 

| Julie gave me your number 

| oh hey hee what's up?

| do you need something?

| ‘hee’ ?? I like it

| anyways

| can you come over to my dorm?

| jay isn't here

| your dorm? 

| yk we're not allowed in 

the other buildings after 8:30 and it's 10

| idc figure it out

| it’ll be fine

| i can pay off the dean if you get caught

| wtv

| im omw 

You put your phone down and put on a hoodie, a phone charger, your school ID, and your phone and head out the door. Your roommate Natty is already asleep so you quietly slip out. Walking down the halls of the dorm building to the elevator.

Managing to sneak past the security, you make your way to the west dorm building having to sneak past the front desk where there's security. After successfully sneaking past you scan your ID at the elevator, luckily the security measures aren't that advanced. 

After the elevator ride to the 5th floor you walk down the hall to find the door with the number 15169.

You let out a small giggle, of course the campus’ alleged “sex god” would have 69 in his dorm number.

You knock on the door and wait for him to answer the door.

It only took a couple seconds for him to answer, the door opened and revealed him. He was in a simple black T-shirt and grey sweatpants.

 Shit. Grey sweatpants. Everyone knows what happens when guys wear grey sweatpants.

You took a glance down before quickly averting your eyes to his face. Your action doesn't go unnoticed as he internally smirks before looking you up and down. “Come in”

You walk into his dorm and he closes the door after you come in. “Must be good at sneaking around, hm?” You can practically hear the smirk on his face if that was even physically possible.

“Maybe, what's it to you Lee?” He laughs lowly at your clap back, “Relax princess it was a joke, no need to get defensive,” he moves closer to you now practically in your face. You can feel his breath on your skin. Wasting no time he presses his lips to yours in a slow passionate kiss, and you waste no time kissing him back slipping your tongue in his mouth to dance with his.

One of his hands is on your waist and the other is playing with the hem of your shirt. He breaks the kiss to get your shirt off giving him a view of your lacy white bra with a pink bow, “This is quite cute, it suits you baby,” he then takes your hand and drags you to his bedroom. 

Waking up after some hardcore sex is not for the weak at all. You wake up in his bed but he’s not next to you. You sit silently waiting to possibly hear any noise but you don’t hear any. He must’ve left.. 

You get up from his bed feeling a slight sting between your legs. God.. Did you two really fuck THAT hard? You remember it but didn’t think you were going at it that hard. Is it possible you were so loud the neighboring rooms heard? God you hope not, 

You grab your things getting ready to leave his dorm before making exit, Heeseung nowhere to be found. You leave the dorm building, not having to sneak this time since it's daytime. Arriving at your own dorm building and your own dorm you put on fresh clothes. After brushing your hair and doing your makeup you grab your backpack and laptop to get ready for your class in 20 minutes. You head out of your dorm and walk to class, fortunately, you liked this class because of the research paper you were doing currently. You had to do a paper and a presentation on a marine animal of your choice, obviously, you chose seals. The only good part was the paper, you hate presentations, you get so anxious but that’s a problem for another day. You don't have to worry about that currently. 

It’s now lunchtime, and still no word from Heeseung. You see him sitting with his friends in the cafeteria and decide to go and talk to him. After walking over all seven of them look at you curiously wondering why you’re there.They know you have some sort of connection with Heeseung but they didn’t know to what extent it went. “Hee, why didn’t you wait for me to wake up? And why haven’t you texted me?”

“What’re you talking about Y/N? Why would I text you, I’d only text you if I need something. You didn’t spend the night last night what’re you even on about Y/N?”

His words shock you, is he denying last night? Is he denying the fact he knew you in any way but a friend? You don't have the energy to deal with it right now. “Oh.. right, I guess I just got mixed up or something. You look down in defeat, unable to even look him in the eyes before walking away. Suddenly, you don’t feel hungry anymore having lost your appetite. 

Even worse, is that today it wasn’t your day to feed the animals in the aquarium. You avoid your friends for the rest of the day deciding to just go to the library to do some classwork and study. You’re there until you have to go to your next class.

After finishing your classes for the day you start to head back to your dorm 

Building until you see Heeseung with Winter. Seriously? Wasn’t he just all over Wonyoung? Then you, then Wony again, and now Winter? He was being pretty touchy feely with her, and whispering into her ear while she giggles. You feel sick to your stomach and rush back to your dorm. 

After entering your dorm you put your stuff down and change into comfy clothes, shorts, and a tank top. Before you can lie down your phone lights up with a text message. 

From: Heeseung !

| come over y/n

| pls

Does he have no shame at all? You had thought for a moment to yourself. You had thought that maybe he wanted to talk about the stunt he pulled earlier. Maybe he wanted to apologize. 

You get to his dorm and he opens the door. He smirks slightly when he sees your outfit and opens the door wider to let you in. You walk in and head for his couch. You don’t even bother to ask where Jay is. Heeseung sits next to you on the couch and swings his arm around you, bringing you closer to his side. You two cuddled on the couch for hours before it escalated to making out and sex. 

This routine went on for multiple nights for months. You’d have sex, or cuddle all night, sometimes both, you’d share tender and soft kisses as if you were both a couple. Then the very next morning you’d see him all over another girl, he’d pretend he didn’t know you in front of his friends, but be all lovey dovey in private. You were so fed up with it, but the pull Heeseung had on you was irresistible. 

He’d push you away;

Just to pull you back in. 

Every morning after you two had cuddled all night or had sex he never stayed, you'd always wake up to an empty bed just to leave and find him all over another girl. The girls usually changed all the time, but one remained constant. You. Even when he noticed you watching he wouldn't back away from the girls. He’d ignore you and your texts all day, would pretend you were nothing but acquaintances but at night he’d treat you like you were the sun to his moon and occasionally even took you to fancy restaurants. 

In fact now that you thought about it, he did say he'd text you if he needed something from you. Clearly he just “needed” to have sex with you. You’d also noticed how you two actually barely knew each other, the most you could recite was surface level things about each other like his favorite color, or movie and he knew about you and Bubbles and you even showed him pictures of you with Bubbles,. Most importantly, neither of you ever confessed feelings, you had just assumed this was exclusive with a side of fan-service? 

Tonight you two are cuddled on his couch, at this point you'd become a mast at sneaking past the campus security. While you're both cuddling on the couch Heeseung is watching tiktok's and you're watching his screen as well. He occasionally would place kisses on your forehead, the top of your head, your lips, your cheek or your hand. 

The longer you two sit here cuddling, his arm around you, the more your mind starts to wander to everything that's happened with Heeseung recently. You finally decided to ask him a serious question.

“Heeseung, what are we?”

He freezes for a moment seemingly surprised by your question, but it also looks like he had almost expected you to ask this at some point. 

“We? Y/N, you're one of my best friends of course,” he didn't even really seem to bat an eye at his hurtful response. Your heart drops to your stomach at this answer, it’s clearly not what you wanted. Your eyes start to gloss over but he doesn't notice it, you manage to keep your voice steady, “That's it? Don't you think we're more?”

“Why would you think that?” 

What's his problem? Is he serious? Surely it's a cruel cruel prank right?

“Heeseung you treat me like I’m your girlfriend already, are you leading me on? Toying with me?” You can't stop the tears from flowing now, and your voice raises slightly as you clap back. “No, it's just all in good fun. it's not my fault you took it the wrong way.”

You couldn't even fight back anymore. You just got up, grabbed your things and left with tears in your eyes. Were you a fool? Did you really interpret his actions wrong? Is this your fault? Or his? There were so many questions going through your head, you knew Heeseung was in the wrong, but why was your brain telling you otherwise? 

Upon arriving back to your own dorm quietly you see Natty sleeping in her bed, and you quietly go to your bed and climb in it to go to bed. Your tears eventually subsided as you couldn't cry anymore, you were too tired. You close your eyes before finally drifting off to sleep. 

The next morning you wake up in your bed with sore eyes. It was a Saturday so you didn't have any classes today luckily. You get dressed, and grab your phone to head to the café with your friends. You walk across campus to the café seeing your friends at a table and you sit down. “Hey, Y/N what's wrong? You look like a wreck,” Julie was always concerned about you she could always tell when something was up. “It’s nothing Julie don't worry about it, okay?” You really weren't looking forward to having to explain everything but you knew your friends wouldn't back down.

“No, tell us, there's clearly something wrong,” in that moment you wished Karina wasn't good at reading people. Somehow all your friends could read you like an open book. “Fine.. I’ll tell you,” you explained the whole situation with Heeseung to them and tell them what happened last night. You hadn’t been talking to them because they were all really busy so they had no idea about any of this. “Y/N.. I’m so sorry that happened to you.. I thought you knew he wasn't a good person though?” Je nnie's question makes you think for a few moments trying to come up with a response. The truth is that you did know he was a player and not a good person, but the fact he could hold a relationship when he was in one was what influenced your decisions to get closer to him.

“I know but, I don't know, I thought it'd be different. He was so sweet to me, and you know whenever he gets a girlfriend he’s the sweetest to her and he's loyal.”

“Y/N you can’t just base your trust off of that alone. He’s known for flirting with a new girl everyday. He never even told you he liked you Y/N,” Jennie's disappointment was clear. She knew it wasn't fully your fault, and Heeseung is a dick but you still fell for his tricks. 

“You're right:. I’m an idiot, but I can't let him go. I really like him, should I just talk to him?” You were optimistic that there was something between the two of you even though the others believe he made it clear that there was nothing., “That’s up to you Y/N, but we don’t know if the outcome will be the one you want,” Julie chimed in, and that's all it took for you to get up and go look for him. 

After walking around campus for a bit you found him with his friends at the basketball court. You hesitate for a moment before walking over to them almost getting hit with a ball in the process. His friend Jake notices and goes over to Heeseung to talk to him.

“Yo Heeseung, Y/N is walking over here.” Heeseung immediately looks over to see that you are, indeed, walking over to them. He starts to smirk as he remembers what happened between the two of you last night. He walks away from his friends and starts approaching you, meeting you halfway now face to face with you. He doesn't say anything waiting for you to speak first. “Heeseung we should talk,” He nods and walks over to a tree that's near the basketball court but where nobody passersby could hear you two. 

“Look, I really don't appreciate what you’ve been doing to me, Heeseung. I feel like you've been toying with me, I feel like you've been just using me for sex. You treat me so well in private but ignore me in public. I really have feelings for you Hee. I’m an idiot for thinking we had something, I knew about the rumors yet I still would sneak into your dorm whenever you asked me to. I really like you, and it's okay if you don't feel the same, I know you don't actually,” You pour your heart out to him expressing every thought and feeling you've felt over these few months that you two have been in this ‘friends with benefits’ type dynamic. 

You hear him let out a sigh before he cups your face with his hands making you look up at him. “Y/N. Look.. I’m really sorry. Yesterday a lot of shit went down and I got drunk and took my anger out on you when you asked that ‘what are we’ question. The details aren’t important but I’m really sorry. I really like you too, I’m just not used to feeling this way. I know I've had previous girlfriends but those were from high school, I was different back then. Please forgive me Y/N,” this response was probably the last one you were expecting. Had Heeseung really revealed his feelings to you, and he reciprocated?

This is like a complete 180 to what he was like before. Is this really the same Heeseung from last night? Did he really like you? “Do you really?” You were in disbelief almost at his words. “Yes Y/N. I’m really sorry. I really like you. I’m not good with my feelings ever since college,” you really didn’t expect him to actually have feelings for you. “I forgive you Heeseung,” the words slipped from your mouth before you could even think about it. “You do?” He wasn’t expecting you to forgive him that easily. 

“I thought I didn’t want a girlfriend after my high school girlfriends fucked me over which is why I slept around so much, but when I met you that all changed. It’s been a while since I had felt this way and I didn’t know how to express it. Y/N. I really want you to be mine.. Please?” You nod immediately and he wraps his arms around you to pull you into a hug, and you hug him back. 

After a minute he pulls back and kisses you passionately. The kiss is full of emotion, and feelings. Just as the kiss starts to become heated you both start to hear cheers coming from the basketball court. Heeseung pulls away and looks over, he had completely forgotten that although they couldn't hear you, they could still see. They had just watched the tender moment and are now cheering about it. You’re a little embarrassed at first but then you laugh a little. 

Heeseung takes your hand and takes you back over to the basketball court where his friends are. 

“So..” Heeseung starts, “Obviously you know this is Y/N, but now she's also…” he hesitates for a moment, the words seeming foreign on his tongue.

“My girlfriend.” His words felt so good to hear, finally ending his game of push and pull.

[kr-starz]

Modern Highschool Arcane AU headcanons !!

(Vi & Jinx)

Jinx and Vi are still teenagers, their age gap would be like 3 years in this AU, so when it's Jinx's freshman year Vi's already a Senior.

People were genuinely surprised finding out the little chaotic science geek and the sports-minded athlete were SISTERS since they were so different friend group and personality wise.

(Cait & Vi)

Vi is a jock! She does winter wrestling and she's the best in her weight group. She's also involved in fall and spring sports. Baseball and football are her other seasonal sports.

People know Vi to be just a sports junkie, she has pretty good grades but nothing exceptional.

She's not so great at science , which forces her to be tutored.

Vi and Cait met in their sophomore year, she needed some help improving her grade in order to be eligible for the spring season sports since she was failing history at the time, so Caits assigned to help her out.

Caitlyn’s a goody two shoes icl, like she’s apart of the student council and her mom’s the superintendent. She’s in ROTC and she’s so very loud about it, she’s basically the FACE of the program.

Cait and Vi get close because Vi keeps seeing Caitlyn around and she’s become sort of a hallway crush, but with her fuckboy attitude Vi tries to flirt the second she realizes that she’s somehow managed to get Caitlyn as her tutor!

Cait is used to people flirting with her, she usually brushes it off since she’s a man magnet. Vi on the other hand, is weirdly making her flustered? It’s strange, really.

Cait and Vi start getting closer and eventually start dating the year after.

(Ekko & Jinx)

Ekko and Jinx are the same age but Ekko's older by a few months so he brags about it.

Ekko D&D nerd. He dragged Jinx into it, she only complied since Ekko asked so nicely (he threatened her kindly)

Jinx isn’t into extracurriculars, did track in middle school so she’s exceptionally fast and she’s in the track and field team in high school but she skips practice A LOT but the coach lowkey needs her so she doesn’t get punished.

Jinx has straight A’s but she skips classes and has days where she just can’t attend class so she does some of her work online (it’s like 70/30) in person-online; she has accommodations in her 504 plan that lets her listen to music all the time and lets her leave class whenever.

Jinx is just a nickname that was given to her while she was a kid since every sports team she cheered for ended up losing (she only ever went since she wanted to see what Vi was up to) and she was Jinxing every game which DID hurt her feelings when she was like 6 but now it’s kind of funny since she doesn’t care for sports.

She’s slightly uncomfortable letting random people call her Powder now since she introduces herself as Jinx, only her closer friends call her Powder.

She no longer Jinxes games now though but it was funny while it lasted.

Ekko and Jinx have this weird rivalry-friendship-situationship where they ARE childhood best friends who back each other up but they refuse to pair up together when working on projects since they wanna see who can get better grades or impress more people.

Ekko and Jinx is like “the boy/girl next door” trope since they’ve been casually hanging just whenever since they were little itty bitty kids. So people kind of know Jinx as “that girl friend he’s always around” and Ekko as “that boy friend Jinx is always around” to their respective classmates and acquaintances.

Ekko and Jinx used to get the “wait you guys aren’t dating” comment at least once a month. (They’re not dating just yet)

Ekko is in the art club and has never considered doing a sport (Ice hockey has intrigued him more and more every year though) and he’s in a bunch of clubs to compensate. He established the D&D club, being in a little “green thumb” club for plant parents, afterschool computer-science club which is run by Viktor and Jayce. He’s got a pretty decent variety of friends because of it and larger social circle. He’s known to be this friendly little nerdy guy and people either love him or think he’s weird.

When Ekko doesn’t have extracurriculars to focus on he’s out practicing new skate tricks,

Ekko is the plant dad of the CENTURY, he has like 20 plants in his room, he’s nurturing a garden in his backyard and he has the prettiest bushels of flowers in the house. He’s got the greenest of thumbs.

Jinx has a black thumb and kills every plant in a 20 mile radius. No but seriously, when Ekko tried giving Jinx a plant to take care of as an attempt to bond, it DIED within a week. (She drowned it) and when he gave her an easier plant to take care of, she fed the thing rubbing alcohol and didn’t notice until it was DEAD.

Ekko asks Jinx to Hoco, that’s when they started dating. Everyone calls it like “oh my god finally” “you weren’t dating before?” Etc. it’s really cute but there’s minimal changes!! They just start like, kissing or something.

[cryinggirlnamedhelen]

Content: Theater Kid!Chrollo x Theater Kid!Reader, modern era, no Nen or crazy stuff, the Troupe members are just kids who grew up in the same neighborhood and had happy childhoods🥹, SARASA IS ALIVE!!!, female reader (I’m so sorry😭), mentions of different musicals and plays, mentions of séx, mostly fluff

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────••─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

Theatre Kid!Chrollo, who’s known you ever since you were both only 6. Your parents both brought you to the same youth theater program 2 towns down just to see how the both of you would be as actors. Chrollo is staring at you doing the improv, impressed by how quickly you can snap back with such an emotional line right after the person in front of you starts the scene with no context at all.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who falls in love with you because of how talented you are in acting, your angelic voice, and hardworking attitude. Whenever you’re both performing a show together, even if the director cuts a scene or adds a scene within a day’s notice, you’ll have it mastered within that very day. He can’t help that the admiration turns into romantic feelings!

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who’s ecstatic whenever you’re both cast as some sort of romantic duo. Whether it’s the Phantom and Christine, Cady and Aaron, Gabriella and Troy (which you weren’t particularly happy about), Ben and Mal, Marius and Cosette, or Alexander and Eliza (Chrollo wasn’t too happy about that one)

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who is perfect at acting JD from the Heathers. His acting is so impeccable and realistic, but when you’re cast as Veronica and Chrollo is singing Meant To Be Yours, his reaction seeing your “dead” body doesn’t really seem like acting anymore, especially not the small sobs that he lets out

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who acts so well with you whenever you’re in a romantic duo together that the entire school ships the both of you. Especially in the curtain call, when you and Chrollo walk out together, everyone is cheering for the both of you to kiss, in which Chrollo playfully “pretends” to plant his lips on yours until you walk away, fanning your bright red face. You tell him it’s just the bright lights shining on you that makes you feel warm—yep, it’s totally not the fact that Chrollo almost kissed you. Yep, totally.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who is always the one paying for your food at the after parties. Whether the party is at a steakhouse or sushi restaurant, he will always take out that damn wallet before you do and pay for whatever you want to eat or crave that day.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who finally kisses you during the last curtain call of your senior year. You can see Shalnark, Bonolenov, and Kortopi cheering, Franklin and Pakunoda clapping, and Phinks, Feitan, and Nobunaga seemingly talking about bets, and Nobunaga taking out his wallet in annoyance to give Phinks and Feitan both 500 dollars.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who goes to the same elite college as you to pursue an acting career. You’re both dating, though unlike your child and teenage days, you’re not constantly acting in the same shows anymore. You both get role offers often, with mind blowing auditions.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who only ever talks about you during interviews. Social media and paparazzi go crazy over the both of you, making so many edits of the both of you to all sorts of songs. The amount of edits you’ve seen of the both of you with people calling you both “mother and father” or saying “help bi panic rn” is honestly funny.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who proposes to you at age 24 at the Oscars after he won the best actor award. Everyone on the internet and the awards ceremony is going crazy, and when you say yes, all you can hear are screams, cheers, and clapping—but all you can feel are Chrollo’s strong arms holding you close and his lips on yours.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who cries when he sees you in the white dress. After all those times the characters that you both act get married, the actors acting those married roles are finally getting married themselves.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who is always joking about “consummating your marriage” right in front of the paparazzi and media, in which you always pretend that you don’t know him, much to the internet and your fans’ amusement.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who is always shielding you from the paparazzi. The moment Chrollo sees one, he instinctively walks with his arm looped around your waist, other hand holding yours as he stares at the paparazzi trying to take a picture of you. Whenever someone asks a weird question about you during an interview, Chrollo isn’t afraid to shoot right back with a snarky yet still polite reply.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who is infinitely more protective of you while you’re pregnant. You have some insane pregnancy glow, and he’s aware of that. So whenever you’re on the red carpet and all sorts of people are taking pictures of you and your bump, Chrollo makes sure that they don’t get too close and make you uncomfortable.

Theater Kid!Chrollo, who isn’t a kid anymore. In fact, he has kids. He’s always making sure that your twin son and daughter never have much information given about them to the media, and that the media won’t get many pictures of them—if any at all. After some incidents of invasive paparazzi taking pictures of your kids and posting them on social media, both you are Chrollo are pretty damn close to quitting acting just to make sure something like this never happens again. Finally, after much coaxing from your managers, agents, and publicists, you both finally decide not to after setting some ground rules.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────••─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

bro why was i using the word “internet” like im a millennial or something😭 guys im gen z i swear

[starseungs]

i'd weave words with every chord you strum. hjs.

han jisung x gn!reader — under the disguise of being part of your department’s documentation team, you aimed to get front row seats at your university festival's battle of the bands competition. what they didn't know was that instead, it was a matter of seeing a certain guitarist’s performance in the best view you could manage.

GENRE/S — fluff, a sprinkle of light angst, battle of the bands au, college au, band guitarist!jisung x student journalist!y/n, crushing from afar • 3.0k words

WARNING/S — y/n tends to worry too much, one-sided romance (for now?), jisung is an engineering student (specialization not specified), y/n is a mass communications student, in the same universe as "the subtle art of cliche confessions. ksm"

( ✒️ ) I FINALLY POSTED A FIC !!! WE CHEERED !!! so sorry if this took too long to those who waited ever since i said i was writing guitarist!jisung 🙇‍♀️ i had trouble trying to complete this fic as well as i could but i still i hope you all enjoy <3

2024 ⓒ starseungs on tumblr. do not steal, repost, or edit.

Okay, maybe this wasn’t the most sane thing for you to do.

The realization may have settled in late, but it seemed like your brain had already practiced the needed precaution unconsciously. Why else would you willingly slip away from your friends just to risk your life in what was practically a free-for-fall fight for the front row seats of your university festival’s battle of the bands competition this year? Under the disguise of being part of your department’s documentation team, you told your friends you were going to need closer seats in order to do the task your seniors oh-so-graciously gave you.

And it was true—to some extent, at least. The only instructions actually given to you were to attend this year’s program, or more specifically, watch your department’s representative band perform so that you had a better grasp of what you were supposed to write for the short feature post to be posted the next day. It didn’t particularly matter where you were going to be watching, as long as you were there. If anything, you could’ve stayed with your friends in the top-floor seats overlooking the stage and still done your job just fine. But no, this wasn’t just a matter of absolute commitment to the role you inhibited.

It was a matter of seeing a certain guitarist’s performance in the best view you could manage.

Han Jisung was a force to be reckoned with. As the star of the engineering department’s performing arts talent pool, his name was a staple in any event with a performing aspect to it. Adding the fact that he comes from the largest and most successful department in the university, opportunities to shine practically fell out of the sky. With easy access to an abundant budget and a vast network of connections at his disposal, there was nothing holding him back from being one of the campus’ golden students. In other words, Han Jisung always had the stage set for him in a snap of a finger.

Sometimes, you thought it was a shame he didn’t pursue music academically. Being part of the fine arts and communications’ student council, there was undoubtedly a greed to have him on your rosters. Your department was the smallest one among the others, so you could only imagine how much exposure could be gained from having him as a representative at performing arts events. It’s embarrassing enough to admit that you were often beaten by other departments in that aspect despite actually being the house with students studying it professionally. But once you saw how Jisung also thrived in his major subjects, all you could do was grit your teeth and agree that he was better off benefiting from the engineering department’s perks.

Curse the guy for being too perfect.

You haven’t even gotten to the fact that he was also unnecessarily attractive to the bone. His big expressive eyes paired with his wide, endearing smile successfully merged together to create what you could describe as the most charming, boyish aura you’ve ever encountered. Though you haven’t actually talked to him even once to cement your claims, his staggering amount of friends across the student body already spoke for itself. How’d he even meet all of them, anyway? And why were you somehow one of the skipped demographics?

Well, perhaps it was fairly believable. The first time you saw Jisung was during both of yours’ freshmen welcoming ceremony, where he joined the last day’s talent showcase with two of his friends who were also entering the engineering department. Now, you didn’t think you were the type to fall so easily with people you haven’t even had a conversation with, but the moment his guitar solo started in the middle of their impromptu band performance, you were smitten. Like Buddha after being enlightened, you suddenly couldn’t be in the same area as him without your eyes automatically steering towards his direction.

At first, it bothered you a bit to be so hyper-aware of someone who you basically knew nothing about aside from the fact that he was in one of the engineering programs and played guitar. You didn’t even know his name—your attention was elsewhere when their group was being introduced during the talent showcase. The only reason you even paid the slightest attention was because you noticed they were going to play instruments, which peaked your interest. And maybe that was what prompted you to go on a detective work spree, trying to figure out who the guy was online. 

Yet, despite finally being successful after a couple tries, you never gained the courage to strike up a conversation. Objectively, there was no reason for the two of you to interact in the first place. You weren’t in the same classes, department, or even forced proximity in events. He was destined to be one of the people up on stage, while your place was always going to be in the shadows of the spotlight, gazing as you wrote all about their glory.

That should have been enough for you. It was the area of your goal expertise anyway. A journalist witnesses and informs—similar to how a star like Jisung should focus on shining. But instead, you were here. Just a few feet from the stage you had just described as if it was some sort of promised land for the deserving. And up there under the flashing stage lights was the one person you were here to see.

Jisung’s performance was enthralling as usual. You didn’t know if this conclusion came from his own desire to dominate the stage with each strum or from your eyes that couldn’t seem to tear away from his form. Perhaps it was both—seeing that you barely even registered the band’s lead singer using a section of the set to create one of the most memorable confessions this university will ever see in a lifetime. No, your attention was solely on the one donning an electric guitar, happily laughing with the bassist as they coo at their bandmate’s display of affection.

You felt the need to capture the moment. In an instant, the small digital camera you carried around during important events was raised up to your eye level, ready to take some snaps. You didn’t even realize that your little session continued until the end of their set, leaving your gallery filled with photos. After blinking away the daze from what you had just done, you hurried to check on them.

Heat immediately creeped up to your face upon seeing the state of your camera’s gallery.

Of course, the majority of them just had to be of Jisung. As if your crushing from afar wasn’t enough, the world just had to upgrade you to a wannabe stalker to emphasize your infatuation with the man. Quickly browsing through the rest of the remaining photos, you examined the extent of the damage done. There was no way you would be able to make use of any of them, so you decided on deleting them at home—for both you and Jisung’s sake.

However, before you could even run away from the scene of the crime, an enthusiastic voice called out to you. “Hey! You with the camera! Wait up!”

You froze in your tracks, looking like a dear in headlights. When you finally gained the courage to look back and face the person who called out to you, a terrified squeak spilled out of your mouth. It was one of Jisung’s close friends you’ve seen with him at times around campus. Unable to function due to the raging storm of worries inside your head, you resorted to just giving up the luxury of running away and apologize if you had to. Still, you hoped that he hadn’t seen you take what looked like a hundred photos of his friend.

Forget celebrities; apparently normal university students have fansites now.

“Hey, sorry for stopping you like that!” The guy said while huffing, trying to catch his breath from the trip over. When he eventually managed to straighten up, he beamed a friendly smile. “The name’s Felix. It’s just that I saw you take some photos of my friends earlier during their set, and I wanted to ask if we could get a few copies? I’m sure they’d really appreciate having some documentation of the moment!”

If you could, you would’ve already passed out because of stress. This was definitely going to be on your list of the top ten worst moments in your life. Luckily, Felix didn’t seem to notice that your camera was mostly focused on Jisung. Even more so, you were very thankful that you had a few photos taken of the whole band and some other members at your disposal, despite practically going autopilot earlier. Yet, you were sure that the world was out to get you today because you couldn’t even respond back to Felix before another voice entered the conversation.

A very familiar one, at that.

“Yo, Lix!” The figure jogged up to the two of you lightly. “We were looking for you in the waiting room. The lovebirds are already together over there, so we were wondering where you fled to. Show’s over, so we need to head over to the dinner place.”

On any other occasion, you would’ve focused on the fact that the event appeared to be already over without you noticing. Except the current situation involved Han Jisung, in the flesh, standing an arms length from where you were positioned. You watched his eyes catch sight of you for the first time since he approached, then proceeded to give you a small bow of greeting. Like a puppet on strings, your body moved on your own accord to reciprocate.

“Damn, my bad. But hey, I saw them taking some photos of you during your performance and thought you might be interested in having copies.” Felix shrugged, gesturing over to you. You didn’t think it was possible for your heart to beat any faster, but now it was almost in cardiac arrest. 

Did he really have to say that? To the guy you took endless photos of like he was a celebrity, nonetheless?

You were on the verge of bursting into tears from the anxiety of the situation. The other two couldn’t see that, though. “Oh, sweet!” Jisung exclaimed, suddenly excited. Your breath hitched from his outburst. “Would it be alright for me to ask for them? It’d be really nice to have a remembrance of the moment—right, I’m Han Jisung, by the way.”

What? “I, uh—” You stammered for a quick second before managing to spit out your name. “Y/N.”

Jisung nods as if pleased by your answer. Then, his eyes furrowed in thought. “Wait, your name sounds really familiar. But I don’t think we’ve met before?” You shook your head almost frantically.

“We haven’t.”

“Exactly!” Jisung snapped his fingers. “So where—Ah!” 

For heaven’s sake, what is it now? Any more of this torment, and you were sure a hole six feet deep was guaranteed for you. Heck, you’d even be willing to be burried alive if any of the two men in front of you found out about what was actually the state of your camera’s gallery—that is, if you don’t accidentally expose yourself first. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a far-off thought at all. As long as whatever Jisung says doesn’t trigger it, you think you would be just fine.

“Don’t you write articles for the fine arts department?” Well, that wasn’t what you were expecting. Instead, your eye twitched involuntarily at the incomplete mention of your department.

“It’s actually the fine arts and communications department, but yes—” You started, placing emphasis on the ‘and communication’ before fully realizing what he has just said. “—Hold on, I beg your pardon?”

Jisung tilted his head a bit in confusion. “Huh? What for?” He chuckles. “Shouldn’t I be the one apologizing for the department name thing?” You gaped at him like a fish. 

There was no way that Han Jisung, the university’s golden boy, knew of someone like you. Not to mention that he allegedly knew you from your little articles for the department of all things. It defied all existing logic in your mind. After all, what was he even doing on your department’s online page? And paying attention to the journalists' names, no less?

“No, uh,” you cleared your throat. “I just—yeah, wasn’t expecting you to know me from that.”

Jisung raised a questioning brow at you, as if he genuinely believed the situation was a given. You stayed silent, mulling over the possible implications that still hadn’t settled in your mind. The conversation only defrosted again with a low whistle. “Well, that’s my cue to leave,” Felix chuckles nervously. “Bye guys. Jisung, I’ll head to the waiting room.” The latter only sees him off with a hum before directing his attention back to you.

“But why not?” He asks in earnest. “I love your articles! I’m not typically a newsreader kind of guy, but the ones you write always make it seem so interesting that I get really invested in the topics. Most especially the ones you do for your department’s performances.”

You couldn’t believe your ears at what you were currently hearing. It already felt surreal to talk to Jisung like this after almost a year of simply watching him from afar—yet, now he was even going beyond your wildest dreams with the way he sang your work praises. “Wow,” was your breathless remark. “That’s a bit—”

“Surprising? I guess I could see that. There’s a certain appeal to it for us performers, though. Reading stuff like that is our own version of feedback, so it makes us feel like what we did made some sort of impact at least,” he explains, crossing his arms in thought. “Sometimes, I actually get jealous of your department’s performers since they could always get articles centered around them. My department posts photos of us with a short spiel and calls it a day.”

You couldn’t help the small snicker that spilled out of your mouth. Jisung’s eyes widened for a bit when he realized how strongly worded he must have sounded. He turns to face you full and defends himself with full force. “I don’t blame them for it, don’t get me wrong! Even I don’t know how to write articles like that, so who am I to demand them for it? Most of us are here for the structure of physical components, not words. I mean, there’s also the school publication, but they focus more on the event itself rather than the participants.”

Meanwhile, you were just entranced. It was unfair how the setting sun of dusk painted him with justice, enhancing the features that you had once brushed over to admire in passing. His black hair was now tinted with a soft orange undertone, mirroring the last rays of farewell by the sunset. Beautifully paired with his honey skin almost glowing, coloring him in the hues of life. Your eyes unknowingly traveled down to his soft plump lips, moving in harmony to bring forth strings of intricately sounded words as his voice laced it in melody. 

This man was just too much for you to handle in all his glory. Would it be alright to say he was probably born a demigod?

“Uh, did I talk too much?” He scratched his nape awkwardly, his other hand fumbling around his pockets to find his phone. “You could just get my number and contact me if you’re willing to let us have some soft copies of the photos, but it’s totally fine if not either! I just think they’d be really cool and—”

“Do you want an article?” You cut him off despite being incredibly endeared. Maybe it was just a part of you that wanted to take back after not being given a chance to speak for two times a few minutes back. Either way, it felt refreshing, taking away some of your nerves. The guy really had a talent for making people comfortable.

Jisung blinks. Confused, he asks, “What about?”

“You. I’ll write you an article with the photos.” Was your surprisingly confident reply. “I have photos of your band too, so we could include them if you wanted.” Jisung looked at you incredulously. 

“This isn’t a joke, right?”

“No, not really.” You shook your head to further emphasize.

“But we aren’t from your department.”

You lightly laughed at his concern. “I can release it independently. I have my own account too, you know.”

“Is that allowed?”

“With your consent and proper wording,” you started while hosting a small smile. “I don’t see why not?”

“Then I’m sold!” Jisung grins—the same one you could have only imagined being directed at you for some time now. “This is amazing, thank you so much! From what I’ve observed from the articles, isn’t there usually an interview portion? I’ll give you my number, and we’ll see how we can adjust to your schedule—”

You simply watched as he rambled on, excitedly tapping on his phone as he told you how stoked he was for the article. Earlier this day, you would have never expected to be chatting with Han Jisung like this, but the world works in weird ways. In a single moment, you were now part of the sun’s solar system, even if it was just in the form of an orbiting asteroid. But you made a mark.

And that was already a victory for you alone.

“No takebacks, yes?” Jisung teases, on the process of saving your own number after you offered to also give it to him. You scoffed good-naturedly, now feeling at ease.

“No takebacks.” You promised back, a silent meaning echoed through the space that only you could hear.

Someday, you hoped that he would too.

MASTERTAG ━ STATUS: OPEN — ASK OR COMMENT 🫶

@fairyki @hysgf @euncsace @comet-falls @starlostseungmin @ameliesaysshoo @hyunverse @wnbnny @xocandyy @minluvly @moon0fthenight @estellaluna @hanjsquokka @starlostastronaut @minsueng @l3visbby @myjisung @thecutiepieme @yaniiiiism

[knnichs]

STEM MEETS HUMSS

your teachers have planned a collaboration between the three strands for the christmas event on the 18th. you've gotten quite close with a certain top student in stem–and it seems that you have caught his attention too.

c. tighnari x gn!reader

t. strangers to friends, no romance YET, reader has a crush on tighnari, filipino school culture, cursing, innacurate depictions of senior highschool, not proofread we die like ... like .. sweats um. wc: 3.1k

taglist. @pneumosia @gladiolus-nyx @snobwaffles thanks for brainrotting abt this with me chat && @thestarswhisper @tragedy-of-commons @azuresaqua @writingandmusing @usagiarchives @hanniejji -> join the taglist here!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KING!!! author notes at the end, as always :D

“And as for the letter delivery event,” Albedo opens a file on his laptop to present on the tv screen–the draft proposal of your class for this holiday. “How do you plan to do that?” 

You doodle mindlessly on your paper, faking the scribbles made from the ballpoint pen as ‘taking notes.’ Honestly, if the senior high faculty didn’t decide on making a semester end project, you wouldn’t even have to stress about this. At least it was a collaboration between subjects so it meant there was less work to do, although you do have to worry about the different rubrics. 

You sigh, quite deeply at that.

“It’s actually pretty self explanatory. They order through an online form, write a letter and choose a bundle of gifts, and we deliver it to the recipient. Whether the sender wants it to be an anonymous thing is up to them,” Navia, your section's representative, answers. The bell rings right on time, cutting Albedo off right before he was about to say something.

It was already 4:30, you’d have to commute back home so–you’ll be back by what, 5:30? Considering the rush hour too… Oh god, absolutely nothing could make you like the rush hour. The train is always packed, the buses feel like you’re sardines packed in a can–a very hot, sweaty, and humid can, and you’ll be stuck with the bass of the music just blasting in your ear every few seconds. 

“Okay, before you all leave–ensure that each strand representative assigns you all a role. As for Stem, everything is already.. well, almost, set.” Albedo starts packing up his things, unplugging his laptop and taking his pen. “I still have to assign someone to lead the graphics later, but Kinich will handle the research team, please note that down.”

“Is this only for our donation drive, or for… everything?” Kinich asks, crossing his arms. 

“Only for our donation drive and for the actual seminar itself before the party. Ah, well actually–you reminded me of something.” The blonde nods, gesturing for Navia and Chiori to come forward to the table. You groan, slumping down on your desk–face all squashed up on the wood. You check your watch; 4:35, when will this end? “Okay, this is the last one, I swear.” Navia smiles. “Then you can all go home, it’s quick, I promise you.”

“There are two different things we will work on: The first would be each strand’s event–like the donation drive, the delivery service, and the raffle. The second would be the seminar itself, this is the one we will all work together on.” She continues, “We agreed on having Humss and Stem lead the presentation itself. ABM will host the program, is everyone okay with that?” 

“That’s it, you’re free to leave.” Chiori nods, “Turn off the lights and the AC. Thank you, everyone, and goodluck.”

This is going to be a hellish three weeks.

A part of you silently hoped that Navia would assign you to the presentation. Not only is research something you despise, it strains your eyes to stay glued to a monitor for 20 hours. Well, you’ll still technically be doing the same thing if you’re editing the presentation–but that’s besides the point. Graphics means less thinking, more doing (and going on pinterest to ‘look for inspiration’) (which is also short for doom scrolling)

Your phone flashes on, a notification snapping you out of your silent prayer. Navia had messaged your group chat accompanied with quite a long series of mentions. Yes, she tagged you almost 20 times already, and she’s still going.

4:59 PM | YOU : ??????? yes?? Navia : DO U REMEMBER THAT HALLWAY CRUSH U KEPT TALKING ABOUT

Ah yes, your infamous hallway crush. The one your friends had labelled as boy number 10 with how much you fell in love with the most random group of people. You knew three things max about him. One, he helped you fix up the classroom when you were assigned as the class cleaner along with three other people. Said three ditched you and went home early, you were lucky enough to still be there even a few minutes after because if it weren't for that–you probably would have never met this guy at all. He helped you clean up the random bits of paper on the floor, and your dumbass forgot to ask for his name. Two, a few days later you see him go inside the stem classroom. You were too shy to actually ask for his name–even if you did have a few acquaintances in their class, you’re scared that news might reach him and that he would start avoiding you. And finally…

– HUMSS, except we’re the patient

5:00 PM | Navia : IM LITERALLY ASSIGNING YOU TO THE GRAPHICS TEAM RN. HES LEADING THE PRESENTATION Mualani : girl u didnt even mention his name yet Navia : wait dont they know already ???? YOU : NO? 5:01 PM | Mualani : OH BOY. his name is tighnari btw one of the top students in stem Mualani : u hit jackpot with this or something cause like. WOW. top student thats insane Mualani : wonder how hes going to deal with your stupid ahh 😭 YOU : this is literally slander. not you speaking as if you didnt get a 5/25 on the math test earlier YOU : also, the block button looks so good rn 5:02 PM | Mualani : WHAT Mualani : DONT YOU DARE Mualani : YOU MEAN TO SAY THE TIME WE SPENT TOGETHER MEANT NOTHING TO YOU???? Navia : WAIT SHUT UP IM ADDING U TO THE GC

You shortly get added to an almost 20 person group chat titled PRESENTATION, no creativity whatsoever, you grade the originality a 2 out of 5. Only one text has been sent – and Navia was not lying when she said your hallway crush was leading the graphics team. After a bit of research (visiting his profile,) you come to realize that yeah, she was right, and you are doomed.

– HUMSS, EXCEPT WE’RE THE PATIENT

5:05 PM | Navia : trust me when i say that i got your back on this Navia : navia for best wingman when YOU : ill literally do your reviewer for the exams if u help set me up YOU : arent you close with albedo PLEASE TELL HIM TO DO SOMETHING YOU : without mentioning my name. ofc 5:06 PM | Navia : 👍 Navia : LIKE I SAID, I GOT UR BACK YOU : ILY

Two weeks have passed since the original planning for the event. Your plate has been so full you didn’t even realize there have been an additional three new projects you need to work on–and they were all due next week. Thanks to the absolutely soul crushing curriculum your school decided to follow, you are now going to school at 6 a.m, going home at 5 p.m (if you’re lucky enough,) and have even more things to worry about at home. You don’t even get to sleep until 12.

“Is this a sign to drop out?” You grumble, laying your head down on the desk. 

“If you are–I am definitely joining you.” Mualani draped her jacket over your shoulders, giving you a pat on the back as a way to comfort you. “How’re things with you and guy number 10?”

Oh, right. You haven’t mustered up any courage at all to start talking with him. Everytime you get the chance to approach him, you cowardly run away internally screaming you weren’t ready for commitment just yet. You were just going to talk to him–not start a relationship immediately!

“I mean, it’s… nothing special happened. I haven’t gotten to talk to him.” Brushing off some of the hair that was on your face, you look at Mualani’s grim expression. She faked a sniffle–kneeling on the ground on some dramatic act. Reaching a hand out to the board and her left arm on her heart.

“Oh, gods! You’re going to die alone at this rate!” The girl cries out, and you cringe at her–she stands straight up again, brushing off some of the dirt that got on her skirt. “On a serious note though, when do you plan on actually trying to befriend him? This is your chance, just take it.”

“It’s not like my life depends on this situation. It’s just a crush, it’ll pass.” 

“Woow–” Mualani drags off, quite sarcastically. “Look at you all grown up! Did your frontal lobe develop overnight or something?”

“Shut up!” 

A blank canva screen is all you’re greeted with once you got home. Nothing has really popped in your head–no amount of doom scrolling on pinterest was able to help your… predicament. You technically volunteered for this–the presentation. You’ve thought about tugging your hair off your head out of frustration again, but you already did that earlier the first time you opened the canva file. How you wish it could just put the elements on the screen by itself already, you’re too exhausted to really deal with this.

Your phone buzzes as it lights up, a notification on the graphics team pops up on your homescreen, and you click on it to open the group chat.

– PRESENTATION

6:14 PM | Tighnari : Good evening! We will have a meeting at 6:30 PM. It’ll last around an hour or so, it’ll be a quick discussion with everyone so we can all settle on a common theme for the flow of events. Tighnari : [google meet link] Tighnari : If you cannot attend, react to this message so I can relay what happened here.

About 10 people reacted with a sobbing emoji. You debated if you even wanted to join yourself, but you eventually just set your phone back down and opened the link, waiting for it to open.

“Oh, you’re quite early.” A voice comes out of your laptop's speakers. You almost jump out of your seat, hovering your mouse to the tab of the meeting only to realize it was boy number 10 talking to you. “We’re starting in like, 10 minutes from now. Did you have a question?”

Wow, the timing. What a coincidence. 

You turn your mic on, “No, I just joined so I wouldn’t be late.”

“I see.”

Mualani’s words from earlier echoed in your head. She’s right, this project is an excuse for you to get the chance to talk to him. This is bad. You can’t think of anything to continue the conversation–

“You’re the one who was left behind in the classroom, right?” 

“What?”

Someone dig a hole and bury you in it now. He remembers? You remember you were close to tears that time! That might just be the most humiliating thing you’ve ever experienced and you were upset over everything that day–you were late to class because you woke up quite late, your food was already burning while you ironed your clothes, you ended up burning a part of your uniform because you didn’t get rid of the plug, you left your lunch on the table because you were in a rush–it was truly the most hectic day you’ve ever experienced. 

“I mean–yeah, the cleaners thing? Thanks for… helping me out, by the way.” You replied.

He hummed, a hint of amusement in his voice. Does he find this funny? 

“I can only guess that you weren’t having the best day. I just had some extra time and noticed your classmates had left you behind, it’s no problem.”

You fall silent, unsure of how to continue this.

“I forgot to ask for your name,” wait, that just sounds odd. “for the–uh, presentation. Since we’re working together, right?” you mumbled.

“Tighnari, what about you?” 

“[Name].” 

“I’ll keep that in mind, then. Since we’re working together.” He chuckled. It didn’t take too long until a few other people started joining the meeting. 

It was already way past midnight and you were still working on the stupid presentation. It didn’t help that you felt like you were really the only one working on this–save for Navia. Mualani hasn’t touched the file at least once and only really gave criticism on the placement of the random elements. There’s really no way you can actually drink alcohol, so you choose to drown your sorrows away with yet another cup of coffee, and the damned presentation. 

You go on the last blank slide with a dark blue color for the background and some random low quality star in hopes to make it the least bit interesting. You click on the text button and start typing away, wondering what setting you clicked on to mess up the arrangements and text positioning that you had already fixed. Shortly realizing it was in fact–not a setting, but another person in the presentation. 

So you get a new block of text and type out: “can u like, not mess this up. im tired, thx”

The green cursor would stay still for a few seconds before disappearing and coming out with another block of text: “its ugly. im fixing it”

What a response. You glance at the top right of your screen and recognize the profile picture–Tighnari, who knew you’d be such a bitch? 

You’re too tired to deal with this. It was already 3 a.m, you’ve had your fourth cup of coffee, and you’d rather jump than have to deal with any kind of attitude. You still have to get up at 6 tomorrow–no, later. You’d have a total of THREE hours of sleep! That’s a new record.

You delete all the previous text you had and start ranting on your side of the slide.

“who asked. like literally”

“well im just fixing it. unlike you, i dont want to present something like…” The text pauses, the line blinks for a few seconds and continues. “...something as creative as this, on the actual seminar”

“who do u think u are anyway??? thags quiet rude.”

“thats* and quite.* seems like you should get your rest for the day, its 3 anyway. ill take over, no worries.”

Oh, the nerve of this guy! First he comes stomping into your part of the presentation–you’ve already done everything in your style, it’ll be weird if the design somehow clashes midway the seminar just because this entitled guy decided to “fix” things. 

“clearly this is MY slide. why are u here anyway”

“my name is on the left side and the data *you* are typing is my part of the research. technically, this is my slide.”

“smartass”

“thags quiet rude.”

That’s it. You’ve had enough. It’s too early to be worrying over this anyway, so you delete your past message and the whole slide entirely. 

“fine then. u do it. im going to bed.”

On the other side of the screen, Tighnari smiles. 

“You look like your soul just got sucked out of ‘ya.” 

“Navia, please, I am way too tired for this.” You raise your hand as you bury yourself deeper into your arm. The past week of you staying up is certainly catching up to you now, and you have to deal with the consequences..

“You couldn’t even focus during comm-arts. I’m actually quite glad Mr. Zhongli is understanding–he let you sleep the whole period.” She replies, looking at Mualani.

“I am so done with this presentation thing. When will it end?” You sigh, facing your friends. 

Navia only smiles softly amidst your suffering. “Don’t worry, it’s tomorrow.” 

“Wait, are you being serious?” 

She nods, looking at the board and reading the date out loud– “It’s the seventeenth, so, yeah. Tomorrow. Eighteen.”

“...Is something wrong?” Mualani asks, crossing her arms.

“I mean, Tighnari and I have talked for a total of two times the entire time we were doing the project.” Dragging your fingers down your face, “In one of them, I quite literally called him a smartass.”

“That’s rough,” Navia murmurs.

A voice calls for Navia and she eventually bids goodbye to the two of you. The realization just dawns on you–you’ve wasted all your chances of getting to know boy number 10–sorry, Tighnari, better. Now you’re going to go into the new year knowing that you fumbled quite badly. 

“You know what they say,” Mualani pats a hand on your shoulder. “There are plenty of fish in the sea. Knowing you, you’ll jump back from this no problem.”

“Yeah, well, right now there is only one fish and he’s probably trying his best to run away from me.” 

She giggles at your comment, “You’ll be okay. Don’t cry over a boy, it’s just not worth it.” 

You nod, thankful for the two most supportive friends you have. Mualani, too, gets ready to leave the school already. The bell rang a few minutes ago and you decided to spend time mulling over the decisions you made that led you to your situation right now. 

Sitting in the empty, cold classroom with earphones on playing a Silent Sanctuary song–how many times have you seen this kind of scene happen in those cliche love movies? 

Sige na please, wag na’ng mainis, bumalik ka na sa’akin.

Come on–please, don’t be annoyed, come back to me. 

Your music briefly lowers its volume as you hear a ping come from your phone. You glance at the contact–an unknown number. Who could be so entitled as to ruin your weekly “drown in your thoughts?”

Only one person, apparently. 

You were shocked to realize it was indeed not a notification about your parcel being delivered (since you went online to buy something to cure your “sadness” over this technically-a-rejection,) but a message from someone. 

4:31 PM | Unknown Contact : “I feel bad about what happened yesterday, I didn’t mean to give you an attitude that late at night. Do you wanna go to a cafe tomorrow, after classes?” Unknown Contact : “This is Tighnari, by the way. Save it.”

You open the chat quickly, typing a response.

4:32 PM | YOU : “Who gave you my number?” Tighnari : “Your friend did, I’ve already thanked her.” Tighnari : “So… Do you want to go? If you want to invite your friends, that's fine too.” Tighnari : “You seem like a nice person and I want to get to know you” Tighnari : “If you’ll let me.”

@ knnichs 2023 ﹑ do not repost, republish, translate, feed to ai or modify any of my works. doing so can and will result into me blocking you.

chat will u believe me if i said i crammed writing this . its probably really obvious i didnt think about the plot too much ALSO there might be a part 2 to this . because i barely scratched the surface me thinks NYWAY im going to go sleep im too tired

[rabidline]

Japanese Skaters' Favorite Shoma Uno Programs and Their Reasons

This was in the Figure Skating Team Japan Fan Book for the 2024-2025 season, which had Shoma on its cover along with both a pretty substantial Shoma interview and Stephane interview about Shoma.

For Shoma's retirement, the magazine made a special column to include the active Japanese skaters (and Satoko) messages to Shoma, as well as their favorite Shoma programs. A friend helped in sharing and translating just the favorite Shoma programs part:

Sota Yamamoto: I love so many programs. Loco is the best for me because it’s unique and cool. Turandot 2.0 (2017-2018), when I had a difficult season because of my injury, this program encouraged me. Stairway To Heaven... brushing his hair upward is so cool. Great Spirit and Dancing On My Own (2019 Nationals) He graduated from Grand Prix Tokai and struggled but he could be National champion. I was so moved and almost cried. I love Bolero. Gravity and Air On The G String, he could perform not only powerful but loss of strength and I could learn from him.

Yuma Kagiyama: I love so many programs. Loco is the best. I love Great Spirit so I chose Believer last season (2022-2024 SP). I watched and watched Great Spirit on YouTube and I can skate its step sequence.

Shun Sato: Of course I love Ladies in Lavender. And Great Spirit.

Kazuki Tomono: I love Legends (2015-2016) so much because it’s first SP as a senior skater. His image as a skater changed a lot and it was impressive.

Koshiro Shimada: I love Loco at Helsinki Worlds (2017) the best. And Everything Everywhere All At Once and Bolero. At first Shoma mentioned about Bolero, “It’s so difficult and I can’t.” Finally he could do great performance and win at Worlds (2022) and it was what Stephane wanted to see I think. I was so moved and I almost got goosebumps.

Kao Miura: I love Loco the best because the balance of powerful and sensitive movements is good. I love Bolero because he seems to reach his limits. Not only jumps but each movement were so great and the last he seems to collapse because he skates so hard. I love it so much.

Nozomu Yoshioka: I love 2019-2020 season Great Spirit and Dancing On My Own. Nobody skates for such a number like Great Spirit and it’s so exciting. I like a stop before step sequence and before 3A and it’s so cool program. He struggled first half of the season so I was so moved to see Dancing On My Own at (2019) Nationals.

Tatsuya Tsuboi: I love Turandot 1.0 the best. When I was novice skater I saw his senior debut GPF (2015) and he got a bronze medal. It was so impressive and I was so moved.

Kaori Sakamoto: I love Moonlight. This season he won 4CC title. Second year 4th place, third year 3rd place, fourth year 2nd place, and finally he got gold medal. He seemed very happy on the podium and both program and costume were great. Everything was perfect.

Mone Chiba: I love the last season’s SP, Everything Everywhere All At Once, because I love the atmosphere. His step sequence expresses powerfulness and gracefulness. It’s great program so I feel it too short.

Rinka Watanabe: I love Moonlight because I’d like to express like that. His skating is like a clear (not hazy) night and it’s great.

Rion Sumiyoshi: I love many programs. I love Air On The G String because I sometimes skate it for skating lessons. It’s a very simple music but he can tell a story and he can bring a joy to audience. His technique is great.

Mai Mihara: I love many programs and each has a charm. If I choose one program, I’ll choose Turandot 2.0. Especially cantilever is really great and I was so moved and I almost got goosebumps. Both skating and expression were great.

Hana Yoshida: I have two programs in my mind. If I choose one program, I’ll choose Bolero. I forget the name… small pattern…Great Spirit? I love the step sequence and I’d like to rewatch it.

Yuna Aoki: Turandot 2.0 is so impressive because I love princely costume and I feel his powerfulness from this program. I love it so much.

Wakaba Higuchi: I love Bolero and Turandot so much. I could see Bolero at ice shows many times and it’s impressive.

Satoko Miyahara: I love Bolero the best. Turandot 2.0 is impressive. I also love gala program Padam Padam and I always think it great.

Rino Matsuike: I love Bolero. I used to skate Moonlight, so It’s so special for me. When Mihoko-sensei choreographed this program, she said “When the music started, audience was so focused on his performance from the first moment. (He could bring audience to his world.) When I am training, I think “I’d like to perform like him.”

[what-even-is-thiss]

Hey if you’re over 18 and have time this summer and can make it to Fresno, CA and you wanna take a niche class in acting, animation, writing, music, visual art, design, or dance you should see if CSU Summer Arts has something you want. The deadline to apply is May 15.

I’m not getting paid to do this or anything. It’s just that one of these classes like literally changed the trajectory of my life a few years ago and they’re so fun and idk if even one person out there decides to check the program out because of this post I’ll be happy.

You can get college credit too if that sweetens the deal for you lol. I did Summer Arts to substitute for my senior intensive seminar for my English degree when I took a writing class there.

And they accept international students fyi

[katyswrites]

put on your records (and regret me)

PART 1 | SERIES

Pairing: Steve Harrington/fem!reader

Warnings: asshole!Steve, rivals-to-lovers, swearing, alcohol references, no use of y/n

Wordcount: 2.5k

Playlist

You love WAMC-Hawkins, Indiana’s top college radio station. It’s your safe space, your niche. It’s where you’ve made your friends, your favorite place to be when the rest of the world gets to be just a bit too much. Well, with one exception.

Steve Harrington is a thorn in your side. And just as well - he thinks you’re a royal pain in the ass. But in your senior year, you’re both on the e-board, so you have to work together. You love to hate him. So why can’t you get him out of your head? And, why do you find yourself going to see his band, each and every weekend?

Underground basement concerts, spinning old records, and screaming matches in the vinyl library with the boy you love to hate. An enemies-to-lovers college radio station 90s AU.

TRACK 1

April 1994

“So, all votes are in?” Katie asked. Everyone in the room nodded, and you sat forward in your seat.

The current General Manager of the radio station, Katie, ran a tight ship. Still, nobody could deny that they were sad to see her leaving - graduation was claiming too many people this year. She glanced down at her clipboard, adjusting her glasses.

General Manager would be read first, you knew that - it was the closest position the station had to President, the person who ran the whole thing. And after the last three years, all signs pointed to Katie's successor being you. Most people didn’t want the job - it was pretty thankless, all on a volunteer basis, and the election is often more of a formality to the most obvious person. But, you were passionate about the radio station - you always had been. Running it wouldn’t be easy, but you knew you were the right person to do it.

You love WAMC-Hawkins, Indiana’s top college radio station. It’s your favorite place, your niche. There’s nothing you loved more than spinning some records on-the-air, hanging out in the station lounge, and being a part of something. It’s where you’ve made your friends, easily able to bond over your love of music, making it your safe space when the rest of the world gets to be just a bit too much. Well, with one exception.

You could feel Steve Harrington’s eyes on you from where he sat across the room. You pointedly ignored him, your clasped fingers growing clammy with anticipation.

“Drumroll, everyone!” she said, resulting in a cacophony of pats against legs, tables, or any available surface. When Katie read your name, the room broke into a smattering of applause.

“Congratulations!” Nancy cried from where she sat next to you, throwing her arms around your shoulders.

“Thanks,” you laughed, giving your friend a tight squeeze. 

Despite the fact that you had expected this, a wave of relief washed over you. There was no glamor in keeping this place running, you knew that. Still, you cared too much about it, and now it was in your hands… just as you had hoped.

Your joy could only last so long, though - you were almost too caught up in your personal celebration to notice. Almost.

“Okay, and for Program Director… Steve!”

This time, a few whoops and hollers were let out - probably from Steve’s buddies, large in number and often loudly enthusiastic. But, you were just frozen, feeling your fists clench.

The Program Director coordinates a lot of things - new DJ training, events, stocking the music library… and works most closely with the General Manager. Meaning...

“Looks like we’re gonna be spending a lot of time together, sweetheart,” he said later with a smirk. 

The meeting was long over - positions had been announced, congratulations given, goodbyes for the semester bid on the way out. You had sat there for the last hour with a rage steadily bubbling under the surface. You had tried your best to listen, relieved to find out Nancy was working as the Media Director, and your friend Eddie working as the Training Director. That, at least, offered some comfort - if you’d be running your favorite place with your friends, how bad could it be?

The answer, apparently, is still pretty shitty.

You can’t put a finger on exactly why Steve Harrington bothered you so much. But, from the moment you had met, he had been a thorn in your side. He knew it, too - it seemed to be his life’s mission to get on your nerves, just to get a rise out of you.

But he was blocking the exit, arm leaning casually against the doorframe. So, you took the approach you usually tried to - not letting him see that he was getting to you.

“Looks like it,” you said, words measured and careful. “But until then… have a good summer, Harirngton.”

You tried to shoulder past him, but he wasn’t budging. You sighed, meeting his gaze again and straightening up a bit.

“Do you mind?”

“I just thought you were gonna try to stick around - let me guess, you already have a 20-step plan for what we should do next year? I mean, I’m surprised you didn’t just jump all the new E-Board members to tell them how you’re going to run things. You know, in your insane and anal-retentive way.”

You clenched your jaw, grimacing as the notebook that you knew was buried in your backpack, containing your ideas for next year’s agenda.

"That's a pretty big word for you, I'm impressed," you mocked. Before he could come up with a clever reply, you continued:

“You know, I was surprised you ran for a position,” you said sweetly. “I mean, last I checked, you haven’t shown up to a single volunteer event. Were you even at the Spring fundraiser?”

“I was busy.”

“Funny way of saying hungover,” you retorted.

You took a deep breath, taking a moment to regain your composure.

“Look, we’re going to have to work together, so - can we just start over? Bury the hatchet, or whatever?”

He just grinned.

“Yeah, sure thing, sweetheart,” he said, voice lower. “You’re the boss.”

You had given up on asking him to drop the sweetheart thing long ago. So instead, you gave him a sharp nod, muttering have a good summer, Harrington.

He stepped aside enough to let you through, but still crowded the doorway enough that you had to brush past him as you did. 

You ignored the way his breath caught as you did.

Maybe you could both be mature adults about this… maybe.

*******

September

“Harrington?!” You cry, stomping into the booth. Steve sits in the chair, switchboard alight as Head Over Heels plays through the speakers. He barely hears you enter, thanks to the headphones he’s wearing. When you slam your hands down on the desk, he jumps in his seat.

“Jesus - the fuck are you doing here?” he cries, yanking the headphones off to let them fall around his neck.

“You booked studio space without going through me,” you say angrily.

His face shifted then, from confusion to smugness.

“Oh - well, you were unreachable, and I only needed two board members’ approval. And, I count as a board member.”

“Who the fuck was the second person who approved it?”

“Eddie.”

You groaned. Of course - Eddie probably didn’t even know -

“So your band just happened to book studio space to go on-air during my show’s time slot?”

“Oh… it’s during your show?” he asks, voice saccharine with feigned innocence. 

You rolled your eyes.

“Cut the act, Harrington. There are a ton of empty time slots that your little band could play during, you know.”

He sighed, crossing his arms and spinning the chair around to fully face you.

“If you’re so hurt about it, why don’t you come by? We need an emcee, and if you’re already usually here…”

“As if I’d waste my time coming to listen to you guys. I don’t even listen to your show.”

“So you’ve said. I thought your boyfriend was in the band too, last time I checked.”

You scoffed. “Eddie is not my boyfriend. And, not that he’d ever tell you, but he’s filling in as a favor. He’s only playing with you guys because Corroded Coffin broke up.”

Something unreadable flickers across Steve’s face, then he shakes his head. 

“Yeah, okay - keep telling yourself that, sweetheart. But, we’ve got the time next Thursday - so, come by, don’t come by… I don’t give a shit. Just let me know by the weekend if you are - it’s only protocol, after all, and I know you’re a stickler for that.”

He pulls the headphones back over his ears, turning the volume of the music up a bit.

“Now, if you don’t mind - I’m about to go on-air, and I’d hate for everyone to hear your hissy-fit through the radio waves, you know?”

He returns his attention to the microphone, ready to turn down the music and start speaking - but you’re not giving him the satisfaction of sticking around to watch. 

You just huff, crossing your arms and stomping out with even more fury than you came.

Your drive home is full of frustration that grows to rage. You grumble under your breath over the hum of the radio, cursing Steve Harrington’s name at every red light, every sharp turn. It’s only when you pull up to your apartment and park that you realize what’s even playing through the car’s speakers.

It’s WAMC - what else would you have on? You always have your radio tuned to 98.9, doing your best to listen to your friends and support the station you hold so dearly. But, of course, the person on the air right now is him.

You had taken a personal vow a while ago to not tune into Steve’s show. You know it’s stupid - one listener doesn’t make a difference, and you know Steve Harrington certainly doesn't have trouble sleeping at night knowing that you don’t listen to whatever crappy music he plays over the air. But, he’s driving you crazy - he’s so arrogant, so smug, and everyone else eats it up. Nobody dislikes Steve Harrington… it seems like everyone on campus who knows Steve either is in love with him, or wants to be him. You’ll never understand the hold he has over people. 

But, maybe you should try to - it’s only fair to get a sense of what all the fuss is about, you reason. So, you turn up the volume dial, letting the music flow through the stereo and over the din of your still-running engine.

It’s about what you expect - mostly Top 40 hits, some classic rock sprinkled in. It’s not bad, necessarily - just, like nearly any other station you could tune your radio to. It’s not a hard and fast rule to play lesser-known music - it’s just encouraged. But, everyone tunes into Steve’s show, ask him for advice on how to plan a slot… it makes your blood boil.

You tell yourself that you’re only going to listen for a few minutes. When Steve’s voice comes on the air, you roll your eyes - he’s cracking jokes, giving anecdotes about the songs, and unfortunately, he’s nearly charming. You don’t realize a full hour has passed until he signs off. You quickly kill your engine and dart into your apartment, doing your best to try not to dwell on the slight disappointment in the show being over.

Double-booking your radio slot was only the most recent of a string of things Steve had been doing to piss you off - showing up late to meetings (if he even shows up at all), calling out of his radio show, making snide remarks under his breath at the meetings he does show up to… you’re basically doing two jobs at once. Any false promise of civility between you two is a thing of the past. He’s making your life a living Hell - but, you’re not one to back down. Two can play dirty, after all.

******

October

You and Steve spend the next few weeks doing a delicate dance, going back and forth not-so-subtly sabotaging one another. His band tried to book a gig at the local venue, which you conveniently “forgot” to sign off on. He tells incoming freshmen that they don’t need to go through you when applying to be a DJ, causing an enrollment nightmare. You pay Jonathan Byers $20 for the equipment to “break,” only for the two hours that Steve is scheduled to do his radio show. But, throughout it all, you barely actually see one another. It’s nearly a month later that you actually encounter him again.

The moment you set foot in the vinyl library, you groan. He looks up from where he’s perusing the records on the shelves, grinning as soon as he locks eyes with you.

“Fancy seeing you here, sweetheart.”

Fuck off, you think.

“Hey, Harrington,” you say, exhibiting what you consider to be an exorbitant amount of restraint. After your blowup last time, the last thing you need is to continue to give him the satisfaction of having the upper hand.

You march straight ahead, going right to the shelf next to him. You pointedly stare forward, running your fingers along the spines of the albums, pulling out the ones you’re looking for as you find them.

You hear Steve scoff next to you, and you roll your eyes - practically an involuntary response with him at this point. 

“Do you have a problem?” you asked, your tone biting.

He just shrugs. “No. You’re just… predictable.”

“How so?”

“If you asked me to come in here, and pick out the records for your radio show for you… it’d just be too easy. Let me guess… The Smiths… Talking Heads… R.E.M…Sonic Youth…and some European band whose name I can’t pronounce, probably. Am I close?”

You clutched the records close to your chest, arms crossing to obscure them.

Steve just grins smugly.

You hold your place, not breaking eye contact. He simply shrugs, tongue pushed to the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing.

Pleased with himself. Too cocky. A challenge. 

“That’s what I thought.”

You straightened up, keeping eye contact.

“You act as if you’re any better, with your Worst 40 bullshit -”

“You only pretend to not like it to be different -”

“I don’t pretend to not like your music! I’m just trying to make us sound different from any other station people tune into -”

“So you do listen to my show?” he asks. He’s still wearing that shit-eating grin, but for just a moment, you swear he sounds surprised.

You open and close your mouth a few times, debating what to say. You’ve been caught. And he’s just staring at you, so blatantly self-satisfied, that you want to punch him.

“Shut up,” you say quietly.

“You gonna make me?” he asks.

You feel your face heat. The vinyl library is too cramped, its narrow walls making Steve stand just a bit too close to you. You swallow, straightening up a bit. He’s blocking the only exit, a habit he seems to reserve especially for you.

“Can you let me leave, Harrington? Or do I have to answer a riddle or something first?”

“I’m having a party on Friday,” he blurts out. “You should stop by. Everyone else from the station is coming.”

You shake your head. 

“Um - I don’t think -”

“C’mon, sweetheart - show me that you know how to have a little fun!”

You shrug.

“Maybe. Whatever, I’ll see.”

He grins. “Okay - 36 Hamilton Street, by the way. Friday night, 10pm.”

Then he’s gone, leaving you alone in the darkness of the record library. You try to ignore how fast your heart is beating in his wake.

Fucking Steve Harrington.

author's note: Hi everyone! Here's the first part of a brand new fic - ta da! In general, I think the plan for this fic is to have shorter chapters, but more total chapters, so the word count will be... whatever it ends up being. Keep in mind that there will be smut down the line, so only engage is 18+, please. Likes, replies, and reblogs are always appreciated! Also, this was barely edited, so if you see a mistake... no you didn't.

[luxyue]

knife boots — part vi.

xiao x reader, figure skating au

masterlist | previous | next

➥ NEW VOCAB ❝ lutz ❞ a toe jump, taking off from a backward outside edge, and landing on the backward outside edge of the opposite foot.

vi. through his lens

[2 YEARS AGO: GRAND PRIX FINAL, WOMEN’S FREE SKATE]

SCORES AFTER WOMEN’S SHORT PROGRAM:

Y/N (SNE) | 81.35

SHENHE (LIY) | 73.25

AYAKA (INA) | 70.59

EULA (MON) | 67.59

GANYU (LIY) | 66.72

FURINA (FON) | 64.78

...

Xiao’s gaze floated around the arena. Xianyun and Zhongli sat at the kiss-and-cry with Shenhe, awaiting her scores. The next and final skater entered the ice, starting her warm-up.

A quick look at the short program standings told him that Shenhe had a nice margin between herself and the skater in third place after her skate yesterday. As expected of Zhongli and Xianyun’s student. After her clean free skate, she could definitely stay ahead. But there was still one skater left in this event, and her eight-point lead from the short program could easily put her in first place, even with a few minor mistakes.

Speaking of which, the final skater was still warming up with some swizzles and crossovers. She certainly didn’t look special. Anything but that, really. Xiao could spot the tremble in her knees even from his spot at the very top of the stands. She looked nervous and unsure of herself, but he supposed that was to be expected. It was her first Grand Prix Final, after all. But even he knew that she had to have an impressive set of jumps in her arsenal.

Xiao had heard of the girl that landed a triple axel during the women’s short program yesterday. It was impossible not to, considering it was the hottest topic among all the skaters at his hotel. In fact, he couldn’t stop hearing about it. First, during breakfast, from a few of the Mondstadter junior skaters that had finished their events already and were sticking around to watch the seniors compete. Then again, during lunch, from two Inazuman coaches discussing the best performances of the day. Apparently, they had actually coached the girl herself before. At dinner, the triple axel girl was mentioned yet again, this time by his own teammates. Shenhe had come in second after the short program yesterday, but she was still eight points behind the girl who was in first. With no triple axel or quads, she was steadily coming to terms with the fact she probably would not be taking home the title of GPF Champion.

This better be good, thought Xiao, considering that he couldn’t go a single meal without overhearing discussions about this girl. There were even talks that she would attempt a quad lutz in the free skate.

“And the scores, please, for Shenhe of Liyue. Her free skate score is 132.11, making her total score 215.76. She is currently in first place!”

Not bad, he thought. But would it be enough?

“Representing Snezhnaya, please welcome Y/N L/N!”

Xiao turned his attention back to the ice. Y/N circled back around and presented towards the judges. She then hit her starting pose, one foot behind the other, her toepick pressed into the ice while her arms were gracefully flexed behind her back.

He watched as Y/N’s demeanor changed with the flick of a switch. As her music began to play, any hint of her anxiety seemed to melt away as she began her program, setting the atmosphere for what was to come.

Just from her first crossovers, he could tell she was good. Sure, Snezhnayan skaters were always praised for being some of the best of the best. But her? She gained speed almost immediately, naturally covering all of the ice with her movements. Not only that, her edge quality was simply divine.

Xiao followed her movements as she prepared for her first jump. As she did a three-turn across the shorter end of the ice, bending her knees softly before launching into the air with no trouble at all, Xiao knew at once that she would land that triple salchow.

But she didn’t.

It wasn’t a triple, after all—she landed a quad. A quad salchow. If Xiao remembered correctly, that jump had only been landed a limited amount of times within the last decade or so.

She’s…..incredible.

Xiao never watches competitions, especially not the night before his own. But this? He’s secretly thanking the archons that Zhongli forced him out of his hotel room to support his teammates.

He watches her breeze through her triple jumps and combinations with ease, and her spins looked pretty solid. Although he had a few things to say about her toe jump technique, her edge jumps were nothing short of beautiful.

Entering the second half of the program, he figured most of the difficult elements were finished, unless she was going to attempt another triple axel. He watched as she turned backwards and skated towards a corner of the ice, ready to launch into a lutz.

Quad lutz. Apparently the rumors were right, and Xiao was wrong.

Skaters receive a ten-percent bonus for elements completed in the second half of a program to account for fatigue. Some could choose to backload their difficult jumps in order to maximize points, but it was also risky to do so, especially on tired legs, which is why many opted not to. She, apparently, did not care, because Xiao’s train of thought was broken as she completed her final jump—a triple axel.

She started on her final spin, but he didn’t have to stick around to know that she had definitely won the competition. And yet, he stayed anyway. It was a night of firsts for him.

He was right, of course. With a free skate score of 160.41 and a combined score of 241.49, she set a new record and finished a whopping 26 points ahead of Shenhe, earning her first place and the title of women’s singles Grand Prix Final champion.

As he got up to leave the arena and head back to the hotel, he couldn’t help but think to himself—

Wow. I need to up my game for tomorrow.

…

Xiao won his event, of course. One could not expect anything less from him.

“…..I wasn’t aware that you wanted to switch the quad lutz and quad flip to the second half,” spoke Zhongli, who stared at him questioningly.

“It doesn’t matter. I knew I could land them both, I just wanted to see how it could affect my score,” Xiao responded, brushing it off.

“That wasn’t my concern. Just don’t be so afraid to discuss these matters with me next time. You did well, I’m very proud of you, Xiao,” said Zhongli, a soft smile gracing his face.

Although he didn’t show it, Xiao was beaming with pride on the inside. But instead he said, “…..Thanks. Although I know my artistry was lacking in the second half—I started to neglect my presentation skills because I was too focused on the jumps.”

Zhongli frowned. “I felt that it was fine—fatigue is normal, and you did well regardless. Your component scores reflected that. Honestly, Xiao, you always seem to find more critiques about yourself than I do.”

“But I—”

“You’re the Grand Prix Final champion. You still have over a month before nationals, and while I hate to put it this way…..you don’t have much competition there. Rest, Xiao—take some time off for yourself. I don’t want to see you at the rink for at least a week after we get back to Liyue.”

“I—fine. But just this once.”

He sighed. “That’s good enough for me, I suppose. You should go—explore the town. Meet some other skaters. A lot of the juniors seemed to be big fans of yours. Make some friends before the exhibition and banquet.”

Zhongli was referring to the exhibition performances and closing banquet that always took place at the end of these kinds of events. Xiao would love to skip out, of course, but it wouldn’t reflect well on his nation or his teammates, so he had to oblige.

“…..Alright. I’ll see you at the airport.”

He walked off without another word.

…

He should’ve skipped the exhibition. He was dragged into the group dance performances, and let’s just say he did not enjoy it one single bit.

Although, he had to admit, Y/N L/N put on a good show. He watched her solo, doing a fun performance to a trending pop song, and it seemed like she was every bit as natural of a performer as she was a naturally elegant skater. She seemed happy, much unlike the way she was two days ago right before her free skate.

That’s why he found it odd when he overheard her and Tartaglia, otherwise known as Childe, engaging in a heated conversation outside the locker rooms. Although no match for him, he had competed against Childe for a few seasons, but he wasn’t competing this season for an unknown reason. Instead, it seemed that he had taken it upon himself to be a part of Y/N’s coaching team, given that he had accompanied her at the kiss-and-cry along with Arlecchino, a well-known coach with the Harbingers.

“What do you mean, they ‘don’t want me to attend’ the banquet?” she said with exasperation. Childe hushed her, looking around for potential eavesdroppers.

“I don’t know—I think Arlecchino told them you were actually having fun, and I bet they don’t want you actually socializing with too many other skaters right now.”

Y/N didn’t seem to be satisfied with his answer. “Why? It’s not like they ever stopped you. I already won for them, it doesn’t matter if I—”

“Quiet, Y/N, we don’t want someone listening. And it does matter. To them, you’re still too young, too impressionable. They can’t risk you telling—”

“Psh. What, that they make me—”

“Shh—Y/N. Not. Here. I’ll try to convince them to let you go to the banquet, but keep a low profile for now, okay? Not because I don’t want you to have fun, but because it’s for your own good.” He lead her through the other side of the hall way and they headed for the exit of the building.

What the hell was that?

[silentscrying]

🎸 meet CURSED TECHNIQUE !

four of the five members of cursed technique had been messing around playing small gigs together for years before nobara showed up. she was the last piece of the puzzle, exactly what they needed to lead their indie rock stage presence, and now they’re going into their first battle of the bands strong. they’ve also got a house off campus, just down the street from ino’s, which was intentional on nobara’s part because she’s good friends with yuji and megumi.

nobara kugisaki, LEAD VOCALS & GUITAR

she might be the youngest member of the band as a sophomore, but she commands the stage. she’s studying marketing and will probably use the degree to go into fashion or music communications. she’d really like a career where she gets to look hot and boss people around.

yuta okkotsu, GUITAR

a senior international relations major, yuta always knows what’s going on in the world—just like he always knows what’s going on in the house and in the band. unless he and toge are in the middle of some shenanigan, he and maki are usually the responsible ones.

toge inumaki, KEYS

toge is a junior communications major who loves three things: his keyboard, rice bowls, and causing mass chaos. he has a habit of coming into your room and just making himself at home on the rug, whether you’re home or not.

maki zenin, BASS

maki is a senior anthropology major who was thrilled to get away from her family for college. you’re pretty sure she’s never turned in an assignment late, and she’s even more dedicated to her friends than she is to her work, which is saying something.

you, DRUMS

you’re a junior who chose jujutsu university because of its journalism program (and because you wanted to go somewhere crazy for college, not somewhere a half-hour drive from your childhood home). you and your bandmates are ride or die. during one of your first jam sessions, pre-nobara, you asked who would be who if the band were the penguins of madagascar. maki was kowalski. toge was rico. yuta was private. you were skipper. most people don’t even remember how the nickname came about, just that it stuck.

out of my mind ! masterlist

jjk taglist open: just send me a message!

@shutuppeter @mikikkoo @reactwithjan @theclassbookworm @lilactaro

[kaleidodreams]

Updated 100 Memorable Skating Programs

Back in 2018, I created the original version of this list. (You can find the master post here.) Since 2024 marks my 30th year as an official fan of figure skating and there have been some more great programs created since the last time, I thought it was about time to update the list in honor of World Ice Skating Day. Same rules apply as last time:

Only senior competitive programs starting from the 1993-1994 season are eligible, since that's the first season I really started watching figure skating.

Each skater may only be listed once, unless a partner/discipline switch is involved.

Choice of music may also not be repeated. (Yes, there are two James Bond programs on the list, but Yuna and Wakaba use different music for the most part, so I'm letting it slide.)

I debated long and hard about whether or not I should still include programs from skaters who have proven themselves to be not so great people. I'm someone who has little difficulty separating the art from the artist, so in the end, I decided to keep them listed (although most of them got knocked down a few pegs). This list is more about the choreography than the skater anyway, although there are certainly some problematic choreographers out there, too. (Looking at you especially, Morozov!) So, just because a skater is listed doesn't mean that I'm a fan of them or that I condone their actions! I just think certain programs are still great regardless of the skaters' terrible behavior off the ice.

Choreographers are noted if known. If you know who choreographed the programs without a choreographer named, please let me know!

I've also created a handy playlist on YouTube if you don't want to click on all these links.

Ashley Wagner - Moulin Rouge (Shae-Lynn Bourne) 2016 Worlds

Jason Brown - Melancholy (Rohene Ward) 2023 Nationals

Patrick Chan - Phantom of the Opera (Lori Nichol) 2011 Canadian Nationals

Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje -Je suis malade (Pasquale Camerlengo) 2012 Worlds

Meryl Davis/Charlie White - Kajra Re/Silsila Ye Chahat Ka/Dola Re Dola (Marina Zueva, Igor Shpilband, and Anuja Rajendra) 2010 Olympics

Mao Asada - Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 (Tatiana Tarasova) 2014 Olympics

Sui/Han - Rain, In Your Black Eyes (Lori Nichol) 2019 Worlds

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat - Romeo & Juliet 1998 Olympics

Cain/LeDuc - W.E. (Pasquale Camerlengo) 2022 US Nationals

Daisuke Takahashi - Blues for Klook (Pasquale Camerlengo) 2012 Worlds

Kurt Browning - Casablanca (Sandra Bezic) 1994 Olympics

Michelle Kwan - Salome (Lori Nichol) 1996 Worlds

Alexei Yagudin - Winter (Tatiana Tarasova and Nikolai Morosov) 2002 Olympics

Jamie Sale/David Pelletier - Love Story (Lori Nichol) 2002 Olympics

Jeremy Abbott - Exogenesis (Jeremy Abbott and Yuka Sato) Nationals 2012

Oksana Grishuk/Evgeni Platov - The Feeling Begins 1997 Worlds

Yuzuru Hanyu - Seimei (Shae-Lynn Bourne) 2015 Grand Prix Final

Chock/Bates - Egyptian Snake Dance (Marie-France Dubreuil, Ginette Cournoyer, and Sam Chouinard) 2019 Grand Prix Final

Javier Fernandez - Guys and Dolls (David Wilson) 2016 Worlds

Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres - Sound of Silence (John Kerr and Silvia Fontana) 2017 Euros

Evgenia Medvedeva - Anna Karenina (Daniil Gleichengauz) 2018 Olympics

Nathan Chen - Philip Glass medley (Shae-Lynn Bourne) 2021 Worlds

Gabriella Papadakis/Guilliame Cizeron - Elegie (Saxon Fraser and Marie-France Dubreuil) 2022 Olympics

Aljona Savchenko/Bruno Massot - La terre vue du ciel (Christopher Dean) 2018 Olympics

Kevin Aymoz - Bolero (Brice Mousset and Kevin Aymoz) 2023 Skate America

Julia Lipnitskaya - Schindler’s List (Ilia Averbukh) 2014 Olympics

Elena Berezhnaya/Anton Sikharulidze - Lady Caliph 2002 Olympics

Yu-na Kim - James Bond medley (David Wilson) 2010 Olympics

Shoma Uno - Buenos Aires Hora Cero (Mihoko Higuchi) 2016 Grand Prix Final

Michal Brezina - The Way You Look Tonight (Jeffrey Buttle) 2016 Skate Canada

Shae-Lynn Bourne/Victor Kraatz - Riverdance 1998 Olympics

Adam Rippon - O/Fly On (Benji Schwimmer) 2016 Trophee de France

Jeffrey Buttle - Bells of Moscow (David Wilson) 2005 Worlds

Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier - Vincent (Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs) 2019 Canadian Nationals

Rudy Galindo - Swan Lake (Sharlene Franke) 1996 US Nationals

Sasha Cohen - Malaguena (Tatiana Tarasova) 2004 Worlds

Aljona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy - Pina (Ingo Steur) 2011 Grand Prix Final

Samantha Cesario - Carmen (Inese Budevica) 2013 Trophee Eric Bompard

Tatsuki Machida - East of Eden (Phillip Mills) 2014 Worlds

Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao - Turandot (Lea Ann Miller, Renee Roca, and Gorsha Sur) 2003 Worlds

Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker - Liebestraume (Pasquale Camerlengo) 2018 Nationals

Olga Mikutina - My Nocturnal Serenade (Rostislav Sinicyn) 2023 Europeans

Lu Chen - The Last Emperor (Toller Cranston) 1995 Worlds

Giada Russo - Red Violin (Edoardo de Bernardis) 2016 Europeans

Junhwan Cha - Fate of the Clockmaker/Cloak and Dagger (Shae-Lynn Bourne) 2022 Olympics

Han Yan - La La Land (Yuka Sato and Kurt Browning) 2019 Chinese Interclub League

Wakaba Higuchi - Skyfall (Shae-Lynn Bourne) 2018 Worlds

Kazuki Tomono - Die Fledermaus (Misha Ge) 2022 Japanese Nationals

Yuma Kagiyama - Believer (Shae-Lynn Bourne) 2024 Worlds

Karen Chen - On Golden Pond (Karen Chen) 2017 Nationals

Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani - Coppelia (Marina Zueva and Cheryl Yeager) 2016 Nationals

Yuko Kavaguti/Alexander Smirov - Manfred Symphony (Peter Tchernyshev) 2014 Skate America

Philippe Candeloro - The Three Musketeers (Natacha Dabadie) 1998 Olympics

Alexander Abt - Songs from the Victorious City 1998 Nations Cup

Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir - Prince medley 2017 Worlds

Ekaterina Gordeeva/Sergei Grinkov - Moonlight Sonata (Marina Zueva) 1994 Olympics

Satoko Miyahara - Madama Butterfly (Tom Dickson) 2017 Japanese Nationals

Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha - The White Crow (Romain Haguenauer and Ginette Cournoyer) 2023 Four Continents

Anjelika Krylova/Oleg Ovsiannikov - Masquerade Waltz 1997 Worlds

Alena Kostornaia - The Departure, November (Daniil Gleikhengauz) 2019 Grand Prix Final

Nelli Zhiganshina/Alexander Gazsi - Two from the Grave (Ilia Averbukh) 2013 Worlds

Ksenia Stolbova/Fedor Klimov - The Man and The Shadow (Nikolai Morozov) 2015 Grand Prix Final

Stephanie Rosenthal - Rockit (Stewart and Christi Sturgeon) 2006 Nationals

Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue - Across the Sky, Caught Out In The Rain (Marie-France Dubreuil) 2018 Nationals

Mikhail Kolyada - The Nutcracker (Ilia Averbukh) 2021 Gran Premio d'Italia

Sinead Kerr/John Kerr - The Landing/Turn Around/Gravity of Love (Evgeni Platov) 2008 Worlds

Kaetlyn Osmond - Sous le ciel de Paris, Milord (Lance Vipond) 2016 Grand Prix Final

Carolina Kostner - Ave Maria (Lori Nichol) 2014 Olympics

Karina Manta/Joe Johnson - Sweet Dreams (Christopher Dean) 2019 Nationals

Gracie Gold - Firebird (Lori Nichol) 2016 Nationals

Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri - Atonement/Song For A Little Sparrow (Barbara Fusar-Poli and Corrado Giordani) 2022 Europeans

Keegan Messing - Singing in the Rain (Lance Vipond) 2018 Worlds

Elizabeth Punsalan/Jerod Swallow - Astor Piazolla medley (Igor Shpilband) 1998 Olympics

Rika Kihira - A Beautiful Storm (Tom Dickson) 2018 NHK Trophy

Mariah Bell - Chicago (Rohene Ward) 2016 Skate America

Brian Joubert - Rise (Evgeni Platov) 2009 Europeans

Stephane Lambiel - Poeta (Antonio Najarro) 2007 Worlds

Kaori Sakamoto - The Matrix (Benoit Richaud) 2020 NHK Trophy

Akiko Suzuki - O (Pasquale Camerlengo) 2012 NHK Trophy

Qing Pang/Jian Tong - The Impossible Dream (Shae-Lynn Bourne and David Wilson) 2010 Olympics

Takahito Kozuka - Io ci saro (Lori Nichol) 2014 Japanese National

Smart/Diaz - Mask of Zorro 2022 Europeans

Matt Savoie - Ennio Morricone medley (Tom Dickson) 2006 Nationals

Deniss Vasiljevs - Puttin’ On The Ritz (Benoit Richaud) 2016 Worlds

Caroline Green/Michael Parsons - Violin Concerto No.1 Eso Concerto, Clouds, The Mind on the Wind (Elena Novak and Alexei Kiliakov) 2022 Four Continents

Tara Lipinski - The Rainbow (Sandra Bezic) 1998 Olympics

Denis Ten - SOS d'un terrien en détresse (David Wilson) 2017 Shanghai Trophy

Valentina Marchei/Ondrej Hotarek - Tu Vuo Fa L'Americano (Massimo Scali) 2018 Europeans

Krisztina Czako - The Addams Family (Igor Bobrin) 1997 Europeans

Cheng Peng/Yang Jin - My Drag (Lori Nichol) 2016 GPF

Bradie Tennell - Mechanisms, Chronos (Benoit Richaud) 2020 4CC

Evgeny Plushenko - Tribute to Nijinsky 2004 Russian Nationals

Vanessa Gusmeroli - Rats D'Hotel 1999 Worlds

Julianne Seguin/Charlie Bilodeau - Monde Inverse (Shae-Lynn Bourne and Shae Zukiwsky) 2015 Skate America

Isabeau Levito - Dulcea Și Tandra Mea Fiară (Yulia Kuznetsova) 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy

Elizaveta Tuktamysheva - Batwannis Beek/Sandstorm (Tatiana Prokofieva) 2015 Europeans

Kana Muramoto/Daisuke Takahashi - Soran Bushi (Marina Zoueva, Ilia Tkachenko, and Koyo Yanai) 2021 NHK Trophy

Amber Glenn - This Time (Kaitlyn Weaver and Randi Strong) 2024 Lombardia Trophy

Ivan Righini - You Raise Me Up (Ivan Righini) 2016 Europeans

Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte - Life is Beautiful (Liudmila Vlasova) 2017 NHK Trophy

[irisintheafterglow]

alright @mididoodles since you're so determined to absolutely annihilate my psyche every time you press post, here's wonderwall hockey player!satoru x skater!reader

it couldn't be that bad to go a little later to the rink, right? right?

wrong, so very wrong.

on top of sleeping through your alarm, you couldn't find your skate guards after you carelessly tossed them on your desk the night prior. you ended up having to wrench them from your dog, nearly dropping your car keys in the trash in the process. by the time you were through the double doors and shivering against the frigid air, someone's already occupied your usual timeslot. sure, it was a free skate before doors officially opened, but years of going to the same rink established that you were the one on the ice at the asscrack of dawn. the ticket sellers knew it, the zamboni drivers knew it, even other skaters knew that you had first claim. everyone was aware of your seniority, it seemed, except for the lanky hockey player swinging pucks into a net on the far side of the ice. you lace up your skates and pray for him to leave, grimacing when he doesn't and hopping onto the rink anyway. if he hit you with a puck, the lawsuit would certainly pay for your next program's costume.

you tune him out the best you can and try to ignore the way his muscles stretch against his compression long sleeve, something much too light to be wearing for a typical hockey player. you don't skate close enough to see his face, but the corded muscle on his back was enough to have your face heating. his hair was nearly the same color as the ice, and he flipped it back every so often to get it out of his face. in another world where you weren't sharing the rink with him, you'd have found yourself with a little crush on him. the music in your earbuds isn't enough, however, to drown out the sound of the stick hitting the puck over and over and over again, not to mention the times when he misses the net and the puck ricochets off the walls of the rink. your jumps become messier than usual, as are your spins, and you can only accredit it to the other occupant of the rink. after barely a few minutes of trying to share and run through your drills without using half your space, you give up and make to leave. you'd just have to come back tomorrow and hope he wasn't there.

"hey, wait! i was just leaving," a vaguely familiar voice calls to your back. it's melodic and incredibly confident, borderline arrogant. "sorry i stole your spot; i have a game tonight and i wanted to get some extra practice goals in before class." the crunch of skates sprinting across the ice and power-sliding to a halt floats into your ears and you look at the perpetrator from the corner of your eye, turning fully to look at him when your brain clicks into place who he is. "oh, shit!"

"satoru?" he mirrors the surprise in your tone, throwing his head to the side with a lopsided smile as he states your name tenderly. "oh my god, what are you doing here?" your mouth breaks into a grin, grateful to be free from the scowl you were wearing a few minutes prior. your eyes flick down to his lips as his tongue runs absentmindedly over a sparkling canine.

"i had to come in a little earlier than i usually do; i didn't know that it's during the time you're here. it's really good to see you," he says warmly and you feel your face warm. "you went pro, yeah?" you nod, casually leaning a shoulder against the plexiglass walls of the rink. he crosses his toned arms across his chest and you fight the urge to stare. it's rude to ogle the arms of your childhood crush turned hot hockey player bad boy, you scold yourself. "how's that going?"

"mmm, i just got back from russia a few weeks ago. holiday intensives and such."

"wow, that's incredible. not like i'm surprised, though. you were always the best skater in our group."

"not true. i had to use you as a walker a few times when we were first starting out," you remind him and he laughs at the memory. "you made me hold your hand while i shimmied around the perimeter."

"and you asked if i was born with skates on my feet, i remember."

"how's suguru?"

"he's great. he's usually here with me but i couldn't drag him out of his house this early in the morning."

"in true suguru fashion, really," you joke. you feel like you're seven again, staring up at satoru's bright blue eyes absolutely lovestruck. he still makes you feel butterflies, even over a decade later. "you said you had a game later?"

"yeah, here at 6:00. you should come if you're free. watch me kick ass on the ice for old time's sake."

"i'll do my best. i'm meeting a new ballet teacher who's coaching us on musicality later this afternoon."

"i don't know what any of those words mean," he states plainly and you snort. "i never understood your world."

"and i never understood yours," you confess. "yet, here we are."

"here we are, indeed," he murmurs, looking at you with an expression you've never seen on his face before. it has your heart racing like an idiot. "well, i'll let you have your rink back. thanks for letting me borrow it." he carefully steps past you and heads for the benches, throwing back his snowy hair in a way that has you gripping the edge of the wall for stability. it takes all of your willpower to keep your voice from shaking.

"i'd say come use it anytime, but i am very protective of my timeslot." he sends you a smile over his shoulder. holy shit, were his shoulders always that broad? and was he always that tall? was he always this fucking hot?

"i'll respect it, though i might pop in to watch you skate. you're mesmerizing, you know?"

"careful, any more sweet words and i'll think you have a crush on me." the words slip from your mouth faster than you can stop them and he looks at you curiously, and you'd be lying if you said he didn't look amused at your jab. you'd learned to flirt from him, after all.

when he's slipped out of his skates and re-approached you, you're barely tall enough to look him in the eyes. "it was good to see you," he murmurs.

"feeling's mutual." he's close enough that you can smell his shampoo and you resist the urge to touch his undercut.

"i missed you." his three words have you feeling weak in the knees and slightly breathless. "a lot." despite the chill, you feel your palms start to sweat.

"i missed you too."

"keep your eyes on me tonight?" you roll your eyes at his familiar, comforting self-assurance.

"like i would look at anyone else." his eyes are sparkling and time seems to slow down to a honey-covered crawl. "what number should i be watching?" he cracks a mischievous smirk, shrugging and walking to the exit. you're speechless on the ice until he turns back a final time.

to tell you that his number is your birthday.

I CALL WRITING THE GAME I'M GONNA WRITE THE GAME I WANNA WRITE THE GAME SOON I JUST FEEL SO AWKWARD WRITING WITHOUT ANY FIRST MEET/CONTEXT

if you enjoy my writing and would like to support me, you can buy me a coffee on my ko-fi! you can also check out my full masterlist here :)

[gothamswords]

We are super excited to announce to the HEMA-sphere that our friends at the Haitian Machete Fencing Project have released a book!!!  

You can order this beautiful book over on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Haitian-Machete-Fencing-Family-Method/dp/1948529246 

Written by Michael Dylan Rogers & Reginald Turnier Photography by Charles Espey

“Explore the heart of Haiti's cultural heritage through Haitian Machete Fencing: The Avril Family Method-a unique blend of history, art, and combat technique, passed down through generations. Haiti is a country rich in culture, though economically poor. In the countryside, where time-honored traditions thrive, a legacy of African ancestry continues in music, dance, spirituality, folk medicine, and-perhaps most intriguingly-martial arts.”

“In case you couldn’t tell, we adore these folks here at Gotham.  As many of you know we hosted Michael and Reginald this past August for an intensive two-day workshop.  It was an absolute blast, and ultimately encouraged me to refine our Bauernwehr program in new and exciting ways.  I highly recommend picking up a copy of this amazing book and support this important project today!” — Peter Haas, Program Coordinator, Senior Instructor, Gotham Swords.