#THEIR VERY FIRST COMEBACK STAGE WITH THIS TITLE TRACK

[songmingisthighs]

ateez : work

ateez's outfits : hobo

[thealtoduck]

Dream of You

Bodyguard!Reggie Mantle x Idol!Male Reader

Kpop Idol AU (Idol x Bodyguard)

Y/g/n = Your Group’s Name

Y/c/n = Your Company’s name

Warnings: Smut, bottom!Reader, top!Reggie, bick dick!Reggie, secret relationship, anal sex, unprotected sex, rough sex, age difference (Reggie is a couple of years older than you), blowjob, cum in ass, maybe ooc!Reggie (idk i haven’t watched Riverdale since Season 3), motel sex…

Summary: You’re a famous idol from a beloved kpop boy group and after a night of winning an award at music show you meet up with your secret boyfriend Reggie…

(A/n: Hi… )

(Special thanks to @roses-r-rosie3 for pre-reading this a while back 🫶)

——

You were a member of a six membered group called Y/g/n under the relatively unknown company Y/c/n. Just last year your group had started gaining traction for your amazing skills in singing and dancing as well as your lighthearted but loud dance music.

You even managed to get your first win on a music show a couple of months ago. Leading to most of you crying as you accepted your first trophy and sang your encore stage. Now you were back with a new mini album, which sales numbers had steadily gone up since your last comeback. And as you attended another music show to promote.

”And the winner is Y/G/N!!! Congrats!” The music shows M/C announced as confetti cannons went of making you and your members jump in both fright and excitement. The six of you now had 3 wins on your comeback title track.

You excitedly sang your encore stage and waved to your fans as you held up the trophy. Once you finished you went backstage towards your dressing room. Once you got there you were met with your security team waiting inside to escort you out.

You went to walk past one of your guards to go change but he grabbed your arm making you turn to him. It was Reggie. ”You were great out there” he said softly with a smile. ”Thanks” you said as his comment gave you butterflies.

You and Reggie had been secretly dating for a couple of months, ever since a passionate night a couple of days after your first win where he had ended up taking your virginity. The two of you would often go on sneaky dates together at night to draw attention.

You and the others went and changed out of your stage outfits and got ready to go home. Security grouped up around you as you prepared to leave, Reggie standing himself next to you, you’re hands sligtly grazing each other.

They escorted you past the fans and to a minibus that would take you home from the music show venue. You smiled for the pictures the fans took and blew them a kiss. Reggie smirked at your antics.

Reggie was quite popular within your group fandom because they thought he was very handsome and also because of his close friendship with you and your members. He always seemed extra protective of the six of you when he was on duty compared to the other guards.

You entered the minibus along with your members and sat down in one of the seats putting on your seatbelt. The others were excitedly talking about your win as your driver drove you back towards your dorms.

Your phone lit up as you got a text notification from Reggie, you opened your phone and read:

Reggie: I’ll pick you up in an hour

Y/n: Okay, i’ll wait outside the dorm building

Once the minibus stopped outside your dorm building you followed your members inside. When you got to your shared apartment the others didn’t waste anytime before collapsing on the couch and turning on the tv.

You went in to the room you shared with your group leader ”Hye”. You changed in to a black hoodie and a pair of dark jeans to not draw attention, you also packed a change of clothes in a backpack. You joined your members in front of the tv for a while.

They were watching a new popular drama about a female idol dating her bodyguard and you couldn’t help but avoiding looking dircetly at the screen the context of the show making you feel awkward. The ficitional idol’s relationship with the bodyguard had been revealed to the public causing huge scandal.

Her and the bodyguard were now arguing about the strain their relationship took on her career and if their relationship was even worth continuing. You frowned at the scene playing out on the tv and distracted yourself with your phone.

You looked at the time, wanting to get away from watching the drama. You saw that it was finally time to meet up with Reggie. ”Guys, i’m gonna go sleep over at a friend’s house, i’ll see you at practice tommorow” you told them. They all each gave you a goodbye hug before you got up and you walked out the door.

It was nice feeling as the cool air hit your face when you stepped out of the building. You didn’t have to wait long until Reggie’s car pulled up beside you. You opened the door and sat down next to him and as soon as you closed the door you immediately felt his soft lips press against yours.

You kissed back passionately and once you both pulled back for air he uttered a ”I’ve missed you”. ”We were together a little more than an hour ago” you commeted. ”I meant i missed being able to kiss you” he corrected as he started the car and drove in to traffic. One hand on the steering wheel and one softly holding your thigh.

As he drove you through nightime Seoul you told Reggie the plot of the drama the others had watched but you intentionally left out the part where everything went wrong for the couple.

He was driving towards the outskirts of town where you had managed to find a good subtle rendezvous spot that gave the two of you the privacy you wanted. It was a sleazy motel. No one would expect to find an Idol there.

Reggie pulled in to it’s parking lot and parked the car outside the small motel. The two of you got out and made your way in to the building and walked to the front desk that was being run by a middle aged man. Reggie asked him for a room for two with one bed, which caught the man off guard at first but he handed Reggie a key.

As you both turned to leave the man called out ”Hey!”. Making both you and Reggie turn back, the man was now focusing his attention at you, studying your features. ”Are you somekind of celebrity? I feel like i’ve seen you somewhere” he asked.

You shook your head and lied casually ”No, i just have a recognisable face”. Before the man could get another glace you and Reggie made your way out and towards your room.

You entered the small motel room and kicked of your shoes and threw your backpack on to an empty chair. You went and laid down on the soft bed spreading yourself out. Meanwhile Reggie closed the door and checked that the curtains were fully covering the windows so no one could spy in on you.

”Come on Reggie, i’m waiting” you said needily. Reggie then turned to you and came over and layed down on the bed next to you. You quickly engaged in a hungry kiss, lusting for the other. You climbed on top of Reggie and stradled him as you made out.

Reggie’s hand slipped down to your ass, squeezing it through your pants. You let out a soft moan against his lips making him smirk, he moved his hand to your front and started palming at your crotch, making you grow hard from the pressure he applied.

You touched Reggie’s large pecs over his shirt feeling them up. Reggie liked the feeling and started unbuttoning you pants, as if you were in competition to see who could make the other moan the most.

Reggie slipped his large hand inside your underwear taking your dick in his firm grasp. You groaned quietly from his grip of your cock as he slowly moved his hand up and down your shaft. While Reggie touched you, you started unbuckling his belt and unbutton his pants, wanting to make him feel good.

You climbed between Reggie’s legs and started pulling off his pants, you pulled them all the way down and pulled them off, throwing them aside. There was a huge tent in Reggie’s underwear, thin fabric concealing his throbbing manhood.

You layed between his legs your face hovering his awaiting dick, you pulled down Reggie’s underwear setting his thick cock free in front of you. You gave a lick up his shaft making Reggie’s bite his lip at the touch of your warm wet tongue.

When you got to the tip you teased him by putting your lips around it, giving small licks on it but not fully going down on him. Reggie made an awating groan, trying not to give you the satisfaction of giving in to your teasing.

Once you realised he wouldn’t budge you took more of his manhood in to your mouth, your mouth felt stretched out as you tried to take his fat cock. Reggie reaching down putting his hands on the side of your head as you accepted more of him.

Reggie moaned in low tone, as the warmness of your mouth felt amazing around him as your saliva coated his dick. ”Fuck��� Reggie swore quietly in pleasure as you took as much of him in your mouth as it would allow you.

You then started moving up and down on his cock. You set a steady pace that drove Reggie crazy as you worked his length. After a couple of minutes Reggie felt himself getting close, but he didn’t want to cum yet.

”Stop” Reggie said lightly lifting your head as you brought your mouth off him. ”My turn” he said sittng up in the bed. You laid down on the bed a Reggie’s body hovered over you. He stripped you both of your shirts. Revealing his own meaty muscles to you.

As you made out Reggie started pulling your pants down, once he got them off you were naked beneath him, your own cock hard in anticipation. ”So beautiful” Reggie uttered stroking your thigh. He stood up and went to his own bag and picked up a bottle of lube, spreading some on his fingers.

He got back on the bed and spread your legs to give him access to your tight awaiting hole. Reggie started teasing his fingers over your enterance just like you had done to him. ”Reggie, please” you said in a lustful begging tone.

That was all Reggie needed to start pushing a finger in to you, prepping you for his thick length. He added another finger to stretch you out further, and then another. Once he had loosened you up he slowly pulled out his fingers.

Reggie fully took of his underwear and smeared more lube on his monster length and positioned himself at your enterance and started pushing himself in to your ass. You moaned loudly as Reggie’s huge cock split you open. ”Taking me so well” he said comfortingly had he held your legs spread.

Reggie only just managed to fit his whole manhood in your tightness. You gripped the sheets in a sensation of pain and pleasure as you tried to adjust to his large size. ”Reggie, you’re so big” you whined making him smirk.

”That’s right, and you look so beautiful taking me” Reggie gloated to himself. Once you were adjusted to his size he slowly started moving in and out of you with a slow pace. Reggie loved how warm and tight your hole felt around him.

As Reggie moved inside you, you let out breathy moan as he took your ass. You gripped at Reggie strong chiseled body, squeezing his big juicy chest. ”I love seeing you like this” he said lustfully.

”Your fans could never see you the way i see you” he bragged to himself as he started rolling his faster as he plowed your hole, making you moan even louder. You swore in pleasure as you felt Reggie’s cock deep inside you.

Your bodies glistened with sweat as Reggie powerfully thrusted in to your heat toching against your prostate making your mouth gape in bliss. Reggie placed kisses to your neck as he whispered praises in your ear.

Reggie then swiftly pulled out of you and flipped you on to your stomach with your ass in the air, showing your loose gaping hole. He gripped your hips and thrust his cock back in your ass as you moaned Reggie’s name loudy in to the matress.

”That’s good baby, such a nice warm hole ” he said as pounded his hips against your beautiful round ass. In your bliss you felt your climax getting close as Reggie monster cock pummeled your prostate.

”Reggie- I’m gonna-” you said breatily but was unable to finish as shot ropes of cum on to sheets below you. The sight of you so undone and sweaty made Reggie long for his own release.

He grabbed you around the chest and pulled your upper body towards him, your back against his chest as his meaty cock fucked into you, leaking his pre-cum inside you close to his release.

”I’m close” Reggie said as he relentlessly took you. ”Cum inside me” you told him needily and with a only few rough thrusts in between Reggie buried his manhood inside you, flooding your insides with his cum.

You both panted heavily in exhaustion. Reggie slowly pulled out of you and let you lay down on the bed. Then he went to the bathroom where he wet a towel in the sink and came back and started cleaning your leaking hole. He then layed down next to you and pulled the covers over the two of you.

He pulled you close to him and you cuddled. ”I don’t know how i’m supposed to be albe to walk tommorow, much less dance” you said as you both let out a small chuckle. ”Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out” Reggie said with a smile.

He then held you close as you both drifted off to sleep…

[seoul-bros]

Jikook Week 44 Complete (08/10-15/10/2024)

Their 44th week in the military is now complete. It's time to celebrate with a look back at this week in 2014.

This was the Dark & Wild era and in researching this post I was drawn back to Beyond the Story to reread what the members and particular J-Hope & V said about promoting Danger, the title track.

"All those performances for "Danger" were really exhausting. When we had that comeback with "Danger" releasing the Dark & Wild album, we'd done about twenty music show pre-recordings and then went to a different program where they announced first place. We were told we had to be there, so we went up there live, completely out of it. Then, it turned out we weren't even candidate for first place, which I think was a big shock." J-Hope

"It's fine if other teams are named as candidates for first place. We just need to work harder. But at the broadcasting stations, we'd always be the first to say hello and greet everyone, the seonbaes and the hubaes alike, but some people just ignored us and passed right by. Or mocked us for not being candidates for the top place.

After the broadcast, we all got into the van together...... Someone was crying, someone was getting really mad, and someone just couldn't speak. The unspeakable disappointment and that tear-jerking emotion was too much

That's when we thought, 'Hey us, let's do really well. So that no one will ever look down on us again.' Looking back, I'm glad we at least got a hold of ourselves back then (laughs). Because we all found our resolve, we had that determination and we all came together as one, swearing to become a really awesome group together" V

That belief that they were in this together and they only had each other comes out very strongly in their SM posts of the time and can perhaps be best illustrated by vmin's TwiX posts. These two romantic & sensitive 95 liners were also ambitious & determined to succeed together with their team.

"Let's go for a long time, I only have you V"

Let's not forget this night view, Jimin

Ah, I see now, Let's be friends for life

Jimin Post 1, Jimin Post 2, V Post 1

This week in 2014 was the tail end of the Danger promo period and images and videos from previous performances were released.

Twix Link

For their Music Bank show there was a mission challenge to make a heart for the audience during the performance.

It's such a complete contrast their gentle laddish camaraderie in the dressing room compared to the tough macho attitudes they were portraying on stage.

JK "Are you kidding me? What am I to you?, Am I easy? Uh, are you playing with me?" JM "You're in danger now, Why are you testing me? Why are you testing me?, Don't make me confused

Even with the difficulties facing them off stage as soon as the lights went up they delivered smash performances EVERY SINGLE TIME.

This week was also countdown to the the Red Bullet Tour (17-19/10/2014) and the release of War of Hormone (21/10/2014).

Look at these countdown gifs - V (D-6) is taking me out!

And look at these jikook cuties. JK in particular was so so young.

Finally, this week it was Jimin's second birthday after debut and he spent it in the practice room.

Post Date: 15/10/2024 in SK

[venusvity]

                   DO YOU REMEMBER EMPHASIS? A few people do. They fall into the "nugu but not nugu disbanded girl group" category. They were famous during their short year of activity.

Initially, Emphasis acted as a sister group to Angelico's first and smash-hit boy group, Priority. It was meant to be a collaborative project, with Emphasis and Priority meant to come together once a year and make an album together.

This would never end up happening.

Shortly after Emphasis' debut in 2014, the group fell inactive before disbanding in 2016 after a year of inactivity and two releases to their name. 

Emphasis has effectively been wiped from Angelico's history, erasing all their content with the exception of their official music videos. The erasure of Emphasis has always left a sour taste in people's mouths.

What happened? Why did they disband so early and so quietly? Where are the girls now? 

͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏͏ ͏ ͏ ͏͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏͏ ͏ ͏𝆹 🌐. ˚  . . ࣪. BASIC INFO ?!

DEBUT DATE: January 12th, 2014.

DISBANDMENT DATE: March 21st, 2016.

FANDOM NAME: SWEETPEAS.

YEARS ACTIVE: 2014 - 2016

DISCOGRAPHY:

EMPHASIS would release TWO mini albums in their short time as a group. They operated on a dual-concept system where they would have a "Cool" song and a "Cute" song, promoting them both simultaneously to show off their versatility and milk the mini album for all it's worth.

Their debut mini-album would feature the tracks "Feel Special" and "Du Du Du!" as well as the b-sides "White Lotus" and "Hot Stuff!" which were not promoted but performed on occasion. The mini album, tilted EMPRINTSIS, would perform decently, and the girls would garner a small but dedicated fanbase within Korea as well as Australia.

Their final mini album would be titled "EMFACT" with the title tracks "FANCY" and "LOVE BOMB!" accompanying the three b-sides: Singled, Interlocked, and Sugar Sweet. Fancy and Love Bomb were hits. Literally, the success of their first comeback is every Kpop company's dream. These girls were talked about everywhere and they were everywhere. Everyone wanted a part of Emphasis and to see what the girls had in store.

What did they have in store, you might ask? A year-long hiatus.

Then what?

Disbandment.

Upon the announcement of the disbandment of their now-deleted fan cafe, Emphasis announced that it would release a farewell single that would not be promoted anywhere but would act as a gift to their Sweetpeas. "Pinky Swear," though a beautiful and heartfelt ballad, is one of those songs you never listen to unless you want to cry. Leaving Emphasis on a depressing and hollow note.

͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏͏ ͏ ͏͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏͏ 𝆹 🌐. ˚  . . ࣪. THE LINEUP ?!

SUZUKI AKIKO, 96' LINER ; LEADER + MAIN RAPPER

JUNG YOONAH, 98' LINER ; MAIN DANCER + CENTER

PIPER JEON, 98 LINER ; LEAD DANCER + LEAD VOCAL

KANG YEONA, 91' LINER ; LEAD VOCALIST + VISUAL

NA CHAEWON, 98' LINER ; MAIN VOCALIST + LEAD DANCER

KITAGAWA SUKI, 97' LINER ; LEAD DANCER + LEAD VOCALIST

KURODA MIRAI, 99' LINER ; LEAD VOCALIST

ACHARA "STAR" SHINAWATRA, 97' LINER ; LEAD RAPPER

IM LUCY, 99' LINER ; LEAD DANCER

KIM "JOOE" MIJOO, 00 01' LINER ; MAIN DANCER

͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏͏ ͏ ͏͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ 𝆹 🌐. ˚  . . ࣪. WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?!

AKIKO would be the first member to terminate her contract with Angelico, but rumors still circulated she had her contract terminated by Angelico instead of leaving like the other girls. She would return to Japan within the same month as Emphasis' disbandment, retiring from idol life and becoming a producer and director. It would later be revealed in 2020 that Akiko was blacklisted from Korean entertainment after she had to explain why she rarely worked with KPOP artists. Though she will never work in the KPOP industry again, she recalls her time in Emphasis very fondly and takes any chance she gets to call Son Jinhwa a creepy loser.

YOONAH re-debuted in 2018 under the stage name BAEBI, one of the two Emphasis members to stick with Angelico. She would debut as the group's leader, main dancer, and main vocalist. Baebi is one of the most successful female soloists in KPOP and is often referred to as an "icon" and "it girl" when brought up in conversations. It's very rare for Yoonah to mention Emphasis, whether because of contractual reasons or because she doesn't want to is unknown, when she does bring up "her first group," she speaks fondly of them and often gets emotional. She always posts something on Emphasis' debut anniversary and wishes things could've been different.

PIPER is the leader, main vocalist, lead dancer, and visual of Mydol entertainment girl group Sugar n' Spice. She has also become known for her solo projects (solo releases, OSTs, acting, MCing, etc.) and her influence in the fashion world. Even though her time in emphasis was clouded with negativity, Piper saw the group as her first official home after leaving Australia, and she remembers it as a time that should be treasured despite everything that went wrong. despite being very aware of everything horrible that went down during that time period, it took until very recently for Piper to take off her rose-tinted glasses to see how truly awful the girls were treated and to fully process everything they went through.

YEONA is on her way to pursuing an acting career as she thinks the idol community causes a lot of suffering and criticism. Yeona felt that being with the group was like growing up in a household of sisters as they fought, they laughed and they had fun with each other. She says the group was there for her despite her temper when she first joined, so she can't say she doesn't miss the group, but she's glad they've gone their own ways

CHAEWON signed with STARBORN CREATIVE in early 2018, shortly after leaving Angelico, and trained there for another two years before debuting again in the girl group PRIMADONNA in 2020. She views her experience in Emphasis as just a fond memory. She prefers to look back at the good times she had with the girls, as well as at the girl she was back then before the group unfortunately disbanded.

SUKI is the leader, visual, and main vocalist in the Fearful Entertainment group, FEMME. She feels very bittersweet about it. She's happy that it lead to her having a career, but doesn't want to go back to that era, ever, because of how toxic it was for everyone involved.

MIRAI is mainly an actress now, and she's a very successful one at that! She's been in dramas such as Hotel del Luna, Stranger Things, A Tale of the Nine-tailed, Alice in Borderland, Squid Game, live-action remakes of Kakegurui and Kimi ni Todoke. Mirai also went solo while in AKB48 in 2017 and recently returned to the K-pop market this year. She views her time in the group as a learning experience and something she doesn't really regret. It just told her that maybe the Korean idol market wasn't entirely for her, which is why it took so long for her to actually return to it. Overall, though, Mirai treasures the connections she made with the other members, but she would rather not feel that insecure or unsure again.

STAR is the main rapper and lead dancer of La Vie under Prismatic Entertainment. The group has had its own turmoil, but she refuses to let her career end in a dumpster fire like Emphasis did, even if it's the last thing she does. She views it as learning from mistakes. Her time in Emphasis was a few very high ups and many lows. She doesn't generally like to talk about it unless it's a brief positive comment in an interview. The long hiatus almost made her believe her dream was over, but getting a second chance only made her dig her claws deeper into what she has now.

LUCY became a streamer after leaving Angelico. She would keep up with her YesImLucy account and do various comedy streams. In 2023, she decided to go back into music. She would debut as a soloist under Dream Media with the album "LOVE AND ...". Her music was well received by her current fans, but she was cursed to nugudom by netizens. She thought it was a waste of time. Lucy loved being in the group and spending time with the other girls, which gave her little experience. They felt more like a group of YouTubers singing together than an actual K-pop group.

MIJOO made her third, and hopefully final, debut in the girl group JelliB under Poser Records back in 2023. Her positions are that of main dancer, lead vocalist, and face of the group. Mijoo has since been deemed "the idol's princess" due to the huge amount of love and support she's garnered over the years, not just by her fans but also by people in the industry. Mijoo's experience in Emphasis will always be seen as positive. They were and forever will be her first home. Even when she was being overworked to hell and back and often found herself growing frustrated and empty from the extensive training, she knew that the moment she stepped into the practice room, she was going to be smothered in adoration. Their love pushed her to work harder, and even though they didn't last long, they remained the best part of her time in the group.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL THESE AMAZING CREATORS WHO GAVE ME THEIR OCS FOR THIS! 🤍 ; @fearfulent + @luckycnes + @lcmonriize + @ofmanycol0rs + @snspice + @shoujog1rl + @ratedstar + @starbcrnes

[ateez-himari]

ATEEZ AT THE ELLE STYLE AWARDS

Nyang-Teez members steal an entire nation's attention after both received awards

October 19, 2024 (11:09PM)

The Elle Style Awards ceremony held in Seoul offered awards to two members of the performance powerhouse group ATEEZ, with Best K-Pop Icon being handed to main dancer Choi San and Artist of The Year going to lead vocalist Min Himari. The masters of ceremony praised the bandmates for their numerous achievements in the past year alone, ranging from the unforgettable Coachella performances that carved them in the industry's history to their influential fashion.

The older member is known for incredible duality between his soft everyday demeanor and the demonic stage persona that seemingly takes over his entire body, contrasting with a golden voice that reverberates through one's soul. San's visuals look crafted by the most skilled sculptor and have taken over the internet more than its fair share of times along with a simplistic sense of fashion that somehow seems like high couture on him. The dancer released an unforgettable performance to the song 'Warriors' by Imagine Dragons which showcased his incredible acting talents and bodily control, prior to co-choreographing the group's most recent comeback 'Work'.

He is the very first idol originating from Namhae and was later selected to be its public relations ambassador in 2021, undoubtedly inspiring young people from small towns such as his to pursue their dreams through hard work just as he has. While there had not been an official announcement from the fashion house yet, he made his fashion debut at the Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda show and later went on to attend Fashion Week with them.

The maknae without doubt embodies the word artist itself, having several paintings on permanent display in galleries along with the series Death's Game using her largest artwork in a pivotal episode all the while obtaining the valued title of Ace in reference to her mastery of the industry's every facet. Holding the position of lead vocalist with an angelic voice gifted by the heavens themselves the young woman gives life to their tracks and even simple covers, though she is also able to deliver sharp raps riddled with flow changes. Performance cannot be overlooked as her ease in various dance styles makes every movement of her body impossible to look away from, the powerful stage presence from such a delicate looking idol made her the last 'Demon Line' member, known for hypnotizing the audience akin a siren.

The acting scene saw her impressive debut alongside bandmate Jeong Yunho the previous year in the drama 'Where We Fall', her performance shattering the heart of many while her vocals on the original soundtrack brought tears to viewers' eyes. House Versace also recently released the Ephemeral Collection designed entirely by their global ambassador, and most jewelry pieces along with exhibition dresses were made by her hand after nearly a year of intensive learning.

The painting 'Red Cloud';

Image Source: Death's Game, Episode 5

At the mere age of twenty two, the vocalist has accumulated over 200 KOMCA credits to her name, surpassing production giants such as 3Racha, Woozi, Zico, and rapidly approaching RM, which makes her the youngest artist in the site's top 10 list. Himari's contributions to the music industry are so significant that four years into her career, in 2022, she became the first fourth generation idol awarded full membership and many prominent artists have already expressed wishes to work with her in the future. Suga was given the title 'Hand of Midas' for exceptional musical skills, which was later passed down to his younger sister as people began noticing their shared lyrical genius and carefully crafted harmonies that intertwined perfectly with each track without ever overshadowing it.

Please congratulate these hard working idols warmly and we hope to see more recognition for ATEEZ in the future as every single member holds unique qualities worth an entire nation's attention, creating what feels like perfect synergy. Remember to cast your votes on the the MNet Plus app for Worldwide KCONers' Choice and Fan's Choice to give the group the appreciation they deserve!

Share This Post

[perfectsunlight]

summer bummer

𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝘅 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁: 𝟲,𝟴𝟰𝟵 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱: ✔

𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆: 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 - 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘆

being an intern at SM entertainment was a dream come true in itself. you never would have thought that you, as a foreigner, would even have the opportunity to be employed at such an organization. thankfully, you struck the jackpot, and landed a year-long internship position that would be eligible for renewal. 

SM operated like a colony of ants. different people had different roles, and even though some roles may be seen as more important, everyone was needed to help the company operate smoothly. without the idols, there was no SM entertainment. without the employees, there would be no SM entertainment. it was a mutual understanding that came with mutual respect as well.

you learned to respect the idols and their space. you made sure to bow every time, and sometimes even twice just because you couldn’t remember if you had the first time. your work mainly dealt with the production team, so naturally you came into contact with almost every idol signed under the company. 

however, with aespa having a comeback soon, you were told that you would have to work with them more often and more closely. you didn’t know much about the group other than their names and concept. you actually only met aeri once, and that was because she was the one who helped you find your way to the recording room on your first day. 

today you would be having your first meeting with the girls to discuss logistics and other things regarding the title track that you were tasked with producing. it was a big job, but the fact that SM trusted you enough to handle it just gave you the motivation to do your absolute best.

your fingers flipped through the pages of previously scrapped songs, doing your best to analyze the lyrics and what they were trying to portray that didn’t end up showing. you wanted the best for the girls, and you wanted to do your best because your job did depend on it. 

the door to the recording room suddenly opened, and you smiled at the sight of the 4 girls making their way inside. 

“hi y/n,” aeri flashed you a smile to which you mirrored. she stepped sideways before motioning towards her other members. “this is ningning,” she pointed at the brunette who waved. “and that’s karina and winter.” she finally pointed at the two girls whose hands were interlocked with each other.

you had heard about karina and winter being close, so it wasn’t a surprise once your co-worker spilled the beans and mentioned that they were dating. just from the first introduction, you could tell that the two had a very loving relationship.

minjeong and jimin’s relationship was the envy of many. even when they were just merely being shipped together, everyone wanted someone to look at them the way the two women looked at each other. their chemistry on and off the stage proved how much they loved each other. they were perfect for each other.

“it’s nice to meet you all, im excited to work with you and i hope we can create something amazing together.”

the meeting went on without any issues, and each of the girls had mentioned what they wanted in the upcoming title track. eventually, you managed to map out a set schedule for recording and writing. it was a highly productive meeting in your eyes. however, the entire time you could only focus on someone else’s pair. 

for some reason, karina couldn’t keep her eyes off of you. the idol felt drawn to you, even though she had just met you. periodically, winter would often graze her thumb over her hand. she didn’t notice it, really. her attention was entirely set on you. 

from the way your eyebrows furrowed, to the way your wrist twitched when you wrote, karina was analyzing every micro and macro detail about you. the meeting was about their group’s title track, but she would have much rather spent the time talking about you.

you had to be really good for SM to entrust the title track to you. she knew that you were new, but she didn’t think much of it until she walked into the room with you. she wanted to know everything about you.  jimin wanted to know just how special you were. 

by the time the next meeting had rolled around, the aespa members had all decided on their parts for a song you all decided to try experimenting with first. the order of recording went from youngest to oldest, with karina being the last to record. 

the other three had done just fine, not struggling much except for a few spots. surprisingly, the leader of the group seemed to really struggle with her parts. 

“you three can head back if you want, ill head home once im finished here.” jimin called out with her head poking out from the door. giselle and ning nodded and got their things to leave, but you could clearly see that winter was pouting and not wanting to leave without her girlfriend. 

jimin, being ever so attentive, made her way out of the booth and planted a soft kiss on the blonde’s head. “i’ll be home soon, i promise.” she whispered, watching the pout on minjeong’s lips disappear into a smile. 

once winter left with her other members, you were left alone with the aespa leader.

“i think you need to use more air in this part here,” you pointed to the lyric sheet in front of her while you gently tried to explain what she could do to improve. jimin’s eyes were trained on you the entire time, not on the paper. karina was an excellent vocalist, of course she knew what she needed to fix.

 as a matter of fact, she knew exactly how to read her lines. she just wanted–no, needed an excuse to be alone with you. 

“y/n,” 

your ears perked up at her voice, and you turned to face her fully with your head tilted slightly. the sight of your attentiveness to her made heat rush to her face. she prayed you wouldn’t be able to tell in the lighting of the booth. 

“yes?” you asked, a small smile on your face. “do you want me to show you how to do it?” you added, wanting to do anything to help the idol so she could do her best. 

before she could respond, you began singing the lines with ease. jimin swore she felt her entire nervous system stop working once her ears heard the sound of your voice.

if winter’s voice was like air, yours was like water. 

your voice alone could easily pass for one of an idol, and she didn’t notice it, but her jaw had dropped. you took note though, and simply flashed her your signature smile.

“you look like you’ve seen a ghost, karina.” 

a smile mirrored the idol’s lips as she felt the blush on her face heat up again. you were so adorable, and she couldn’t help but feel weak in the knees at the sound of her name rolling off your tongue. 

“jimin,” she said slowly, earning a look of confusion from you. she licked her lips before she continued speaking. “you can just call me jimin.” 

the two of you finished wrapping up her lines after what seemed like forever. it was dark outside, and jimin was starving. she could only imagine how hungry you had been, especially since you mentioned how you had been in the studio all day.

“hey y/n, lets go grab something to eat. it’s on me, consider it a thank you.” karina offered, earning a hesitant smile from you. you had heard that jimin was a kind woman, and practically the epitome of a disney princess, but to feel her kindness directed towards you made you feel shy all of a sudden.

“no need to thank me, jimin. i’m just doing my job.”

a scoff left the raven haired girl’s lips as she wrapped her arm around your shoulder. “come on, i’m not letting you leave just like that. you and i both need to eat, so let’s go.” she smiled down at you, and you couldn’t help but smile back and agree. 

besides, who couldn’t say no to her? after all, she was yu jimin. 

the two of you chatted away, getting to know each other better while you sat on the sidewalk in front of the dorms, eating takeout in the middle of the night. jimin was so caught up in her conversation with you that she didn’t realize how late it had been until you checked your phone and started apologizing. 

“thank you for tonight, jimin. i’m so sorry i didn’t see the time, i didn’t mean to keep you up.” you rambled, immediately scrambling to get your things to leave as soon as possible. 

the older girl stuck her hand out to hold your wrist, giving you the most genuine smile she had probably ever given. 

“i could talk to you for hours, y/n.”

your words got caught in your throat as you stared into her midnight eyes. jimin’s hair was down and undone, blowing softly in the night’s breeze. you would be lying if you said she still didn’t look gorgeous. she was a beautiful woman. you envied winter at that small moment for dating such a woman.

your recording sessions with aespa got more frequent, but your midnight dinners with karina seemed to be happening more often as well. you and jimin had gotten much, much closer. you considered her a good friend, but you two had yet to share any emotional moments. 

however, that all changed after one specific night.

it was technically not your day to record anything, but you found yourself in the studio playing around with a few new tracks. you wanted to potentially change something in the chorus of the title track, but you didn’t decide on anything yet. it was close to 1 in the morning, and you were just about to head home when the door to the room flung open.

you nearly fell out of your chair because it caught you so off guard, but what caught you even more off guard was the person who was standing in the doorway.

“jimin? are you okay?”

the idol closed the door behind her before she sat down on the couch with her head in her hands. she sniffled, and you didn’t bother pushing her to respond. instead, you simply moved over to sit on the couch with her and rub her back comfortingly.

“i didn’t know where else to go, im sorry.” she whispered softly, but from the hoarseness of her voice, you could tell she had definitely been crying. 

“you’re always welcome here, don't worry.” you hesitantly wrapped your arms around her shoulders, but you felt better once she visibly relaxed in your arms.

the two of you sat that way for a while, but the silence was comforting to jimin given the screaming match she just had mere hours ago.

“minjeong and i got into an argument,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper. 

your head turned to face her, noticing her tear stained cheeks and the way her eyelashes were wet from crying. “do you want to talk about it?” 

jimin’s head hung and she shook her head, trying her best to keep herself composed somewhat. you nodded in understanding, respecting her decision and the underlying reasons for it.

 “is there anything else i can do for you?” you asked gently, removing your arms from her shoulders and letting them fall in your lap.

jimin turned to look at you, and for the first time that night, she managed to smile. “do you have any soju?”

around an hour had passed and you two were pretty tipsy to say the least. since the recording room was naturally soundproof, you two were able to laugh and talk freely as loud as you wanted. you were pretty sure you were on your second bottle at this point because you were starting to feel a bit more fuzzy than before.

you don’t remember how it happened or whose idea it was, but somehow you and jimin agreed to mess around on the vocal tracks. you just kept pressing the record button while she started singing “black mamba” but the “drunk version” as you two called it. 

karina insisted on you being apart of the song too, which was how you were hugging each other while screaming into the microphone. you couldn’t take her seriously though, and not even halfway through, you couldn’t stop laughing. 

“yah! y/n,” jimin laughed and rolled her eyes playfully. “you’re messing up the song! it has to be good.” she whined while shaking your shoulders. 

“sorry, but i can’t take you seriously when you’re yelling.” you reasoned, doing your best to not start laughing again. 

the aespa member groaned before leaning her head on your shoulder. “you’re lucky you’re cute.”

even in your drunken state, you knew you weren’t hearing things when her voice reached your ears. she had to mean it platonically, right? after all, she was with minjeong. she had a girlfriend. 

“you heard me, y/n.” karina whispered, leaning her head on your shoulder. it was as if she had read your own mind. “i think you’re cute.”

maybe it was the mix of the alcohol and emotions she was on, but jimin couldn’t help but say how she felt about you. relationship be damned, she couldn’t deny the way she felt about you. it was never her intention to fall for you, but she wasn’t going to stop. 

you don’t remember the rest of the conversation that followed, but what you do remember were bits and pieces of jimin kissing you against the wall, as well as some very vague images of her on top of you on the couch. 

still, you didn’t need the full recap to know what had happened between you two. it only made it worse once you had to see the girls again a few days after it had happened.

you couldn’t face minjeong properly, or even stare at her for longer than a few sentences. you felt immense regret, and even though it wasn’t just your fault, you couldn’t help but feel terrible for basically helping jimin cheat on her girlfriend.

thankfully, it seemed like karina and winter made up. however, you had a feeling that the younger girl didn’t know what happened between the two of you. and in all honesty, was it even your place to say anything either?

recording ended early, and you bid the members goodbye before turning to save everything you guys had worked on before hearing the door shut behind you. you nearly jumped out of your skin when you felt a pair of arms snake around your body. 

“hi,” jimin whispered, feeling her body relax against yours naturally. your head turned to face her, jaw agape and eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. was she still intoxicated somehow? 

the black haired girl couldn’t help but laugh at your visible confusion. “what’s wrong?” 

“what are you doing?” you hissed quietly, eyes quickly snapping towards the door as if minjeong or any other one of the members would walk in at any moment and witness the current situation.

“i missed you.” she whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to your temple. you would be lying to yourself if you said it didn’t give you tiny butterflies in your stomach. however, they were most definitely the bad kind of butterflies. 

“jimin,” you swallowed the lump in your throat. “we can’t do this, you have a girlfriend.”

karina’s dark eyes remained locked with yours, making you seem a bit uneasy at the way she started smiling after. “you’re so adorable, y/n/n.”

she cupped your face in between her hands, running her thumbs gently across your cheeks. she simply admired your confusion laced features, committing them to memory in case you would disappear right there on the spot. 

“do you know why minjeong and i got into an argument?”

you shook your head, recalling that jimin didn’t want to speak about what exactly went down between the two of them. 

jimin’s lip twitched into a wider smile before she leaned in closer to your face, your noses touching lightly.

 she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, “because i moaned your name and not hers.”

ice ran through your veins as you froze on the spot. jimin’s drunk actions were indeed sober thoughts. yu jimin, aespa’s karina, was infatuated with you, despite having her girlfriend. jimin wasn’t lying either. she and minjeong had been in the middle of a makeout session, but all the black haired girl could think about the entire time was how your lips would feel instead. as a result, she accidentally said your name, and the argument that followed was the reason for her running to your studio later that evening.

your silence caused the raven haired girl to grin even more. you didn’t know it yet, but you had been the object of her desires since the moment she met you. somehow, you had managed to make jimin fall so hard to the point where she could care less about her and minjeong. 

their years of history meant nothing to her anymore. sure, she cared about minjeong’s well being, but not in a romantic way anymore. she hadn’t cared about anything regarding her own relationship from the moment you introduced yourself to the group. the way you spoke, the way you sang, the way you wrote, the way you walked. every single detail that made you up, made her more impossibly infatuated. 

your sophistication was enough to make jimin want to leave winter, and as a matter of fact, she had already tried to. 

after the night she ran to the studio with you, she told her managers that she was going to break things off with minjeong. however, they refused to let her. she told them that she was in love with someone else, but despite her pleas and protests, they told her she had to stay with winter. it would be bad for publicity if they broke up, so she had to deal with loving you in secret for now.

your eyes met hers once more, and before you could process everything happening, she pressed her lips against yours. this time, a sober kiss, but she wanted to make sure you knew without a doubt that what she felt for you was real. 

her scent was intoxicating, and the way her chapstick tasted sent shivers down your spine. you knew you felt something towards the other girl as well, but unlike her, you had a guilty conscience about it. minjeong was someone you still admired too, and even though you weren’t too close, you still respected her as a person. 

you pulled away and jimin chased your lips, but stopped once she saw your flushed face. “what about minjeong?” you hesitantly asked, still trying to fully comprehend everything. 

“she’s not the one i want. don’t worry about her,” karina’s nails gently ran down your sides as she pressed her body against yours. “i want you, y/n. not her.”

she kissed your forehead, and you couldn’t help but feel conflicted. on one hand, you didn’t want to play any part of this messed up situation. jimin had feelings for you too, and you maybe had some for her as well, but she was in a relationship. you didn’t want to be that kind of person. 

however, on the other hand, you technically already had played a part in this mess. you and jimin crossed that line already, and you had crossed it together. there was no way you could go back now, so why stop now?

that latter was the logic you kept once things got more serious with karina. it had been over a month and a half since this all started, and truthfully, you still didn’t know how to feel.

you undid your shoelaces, taking your hightops off and setting them by the door before you made your way inside your apartment. the midday summer sun shone through your windows and illuminated the place with natural light.

you began rummaging through your mail, sorting what was important and what was not, until your phone began buzzing.

INCOMING CALL FROM: J <3 …

of course, you answered without hesitation.

“hi, princess.” 

your eyes rolled playfully at the nickname, but a smile formed on your lips. jimin always made you smile, even if she was being extra. “hi, stranger.”

a scoff escaped her lips, and you heard it clearly. “stranger? interesting.”

“when are you coming over?” you asked while you mindlessly threw out some of your junk mail. 

you heard her hum on the other end of the phone before she answered. “she thinks im going home tonight and spending the weekend with my parents, so i’ll see you later tonight once i take her out for dinner.”

at this point in your “relationship” there wasn’t much spoken about minjeong anymore. sure, you knew that she and jimin were still very much together, and that jimin had to make it seem like everything was fine.

except, sometimes it did hurt you a little. you were falling for the other girl in the process of all of this mess, so naturally it made you feel a little jealous whenever jimin would do things with minjeong. 

of course, you trusted the girl, but you also understood that minjeong was very much still her girlfriend regardless. 

a hum in approval was all you gave before speaking. “alright then, i'll see you later.” jimin heard your tone shift but before she could even mention anything about it, you heard the muffled voice of minjeong in the background.

“see you later.”

the call ended, but you knew how this went because it always happened like this. since it was summer, your sessions with the group were not as often since they were filming for their next season of synk road and fulfilling their ambassador duties.

this meant you didn’t see jimin as often as you wanted, but she still called and texted every day because she missed you. you knew she missed you, but for whatever reason, you seemed to feel more insecure about your alleged position in her heart. 

jimin was cheating on minjeong with you, but wasn’t jimin also technically cheating on you too? 

then again, it wasn’t like the two of you had established any formal relationship together. all that you two knew, and had mentioned, was that you shared mutual feelings for each other. nothing more, and certainly nothing less.

you decided to distract yourself by showering and turning on some tv. moonlight crept into your apartment, and as you sat on your couch in your (jimin’s) comfiest clothes, you couldn’t help but notice the sinking feeling in your stomach once each minute passed.

it was already half past nine, and still no sign of the other girl. your scowl only grew more, but there wasn’t much you could do except move in closer to your couch cushion and grumble to yourself. 

as if on cue, not even 10 minutes later, you heard jimin come through the door. she saw your curled up figure, and noticed your attention was on the TV. she was a little bummed that you weren’t seemingly excited to see her. usually, you would run to greet her, especially since she hadn't seen you for a few days. 

“jagiya?” 

karina set her bag down and made her way towards the couch. you were still feeling a bit upset, and she knew something was wrong with your lack of energy, but she didn’t know why. the older girl moved to sit next to you and wrapped her arms around your torso. 

“hi.” you mumbled, keeping your eyes trained on the screen in front of you. 

a small frown etched onto the idol’s face, and she couldn’t help but feel worried about your behavior even more. “what’s wrong, baby?” she leaned down to press a kiss to your lips.

“nothing.” you muttered, but jimin’s frown only deepened once you turned your head and she only managed to kiss your cheek. she whimpered, looking like a kicked puppy at your sudden cold shoulder. jimin didn’t like it, and she didn’t like how you also weren’t telling her why you were acting this way. 

“did i do something wrong?” 

your silence was deafening, and if it wasn’t for the ambience of the random TV show playing, it would have been much more quiet. you didn’t want to potentially argue with karina, but you also were dying to have some sort of reassurance from the idol.

“what are we, jimin?”

the dark haired girl’s head snapped up and her eyes widened a little. she wasn’t expecting to have this conversation with you. maybe with minjeong, but definitely not with you.

“i don’t know what this is, or if this is just some game for you.” you added, fiddling with your fingers while you tried your best to be honest with her.

you were the only person jimin cared about in the world. had she not done a good enough job of showing you that? obviously she hadn’t, considering you were feeling insecure about yourself in the moment. she used her hand to cup your face, turning it to face her entirely. she scanned your face, concern etched into every feature.

 “you’re the love of my life, y/n.”

your gaze softened at her honesty, and part of you felt guilty for even doubting her feelings for you. karina took your softened gaze as an opportunity to continue speaking.

“from the moment i laid my eyes on you, i knew you were special. i knew i needed to have you. everything i feel for you, its real.”

to be honest, this was the most you two had talked about your feelings since her confession. and it did reassure you somewhat, but you had one important thing to get off of your chest.

“what about minjeong?”

jimin’s gaze never faltered, she simply pulled you into her lap and wrapped her arms around your back and waist. she leaned down to press her lips to your temple, and you instantly relaxed under her soft touch. 

“i feel nothing for her. every single time she kisses me, its only you i see. whenever she tells me she loves me, i can only say it back if i pretend its you. as a matter of fact,” she ran her hands up your shirt and caressed your back with her fingertips. the action combined with her sweet words sent shivers down your spine. “i was late tonight because i was arguing with my managers again. i tried to break it off again, like i always do. i’m always fighting for you, for us.”

the power you held over her was beyond her, and you had no idea what it was doing to the young idol. she was entirely in the palm of your hand, and you could do as you wished with her.

“what do you want me to do, baby? tell me, and i’ll do it.” the idol’s lips met your neck as she left the softest and lightest pecks at its base. truth be told, karina would do anything for you. if you told her to jump, she would say how high. if you said to run, she would ask how far. 

“you don’t have to do anything, jimin.” you whispered, not noticing the pout that formed on her lips. 

she stared up at you with her darkened eyes, “no. my baby doesn’t understand how much i care about her, so i  need to do something.”

“there’s nothing that can be done about it.” you said softly, pulling your neck away from her lips. the action made her face fall, but she was able to connect the dots and figured out immediately what the issue at hand was.

jimin’s hands moved to gently, but firmly, hold your waist. “look at me, y/n.” she quietly demanded, and you complied, of course. you would always do whatever she wanted, that was no question.

her gaze never left yours as she spoke, sending a flush to your face in the process. “i love you.”

karina’s lips kissed your forehead, then your cheek, and then the tip of your nose. the realization of her statement made your stomach flutter. you two had never said the words to each other; this was the first time you had heard her say it.

“i only love you, y/n.” 

she repeated herself, emphasizing each syllable as she pulled you in closer to her. she scanned your face for any sign of a reaction. her revelation was something she had always known herself, but she figured that by finally saying it out loud to you it may give you reassurance.

you wrapped your arms around her neck and pressed your lips against hers. jimin reciprocated immediately, letting a sigh escape from her mouth as she melted against you. you were her only true weakness, but also her only true strength. it was a beautiful balance; one that she was hell bent on keeping.

once you pulled away, your foreheads rested against each other. the two of you remained like that for a moment, simply relishing in the intimate moment. karina loved you, and you now knew that without the shadow of a doubt. despite her history with minjeong, she was so certain of her feelings for you. she had told you countless times how winter was not the one she had feelings for, and that it was only ever you.

for her it was always, and only ever going to be, you. for you, it was always, and only ever going to be, her. 

“i love you too, jimin.”

from that moment on, your relationship was more established. you two both knew that you were only each others, despite what the media thought. your relationship had to be secret, especially since minjeong or her other members didn’t know. however, despite keeping everyone in the dark, you two felt no regrets whatsoever.

especially in situations like now, when you two were making out in the practice room that her members had been in just mere minutes before. 

jimin was on top of you again, a sight that you saw often, but you would never get tired of it either. your back pressed into the wooden floor beneath you, which was freezing earlier, but since jimin pounced on you the moment you came through the door, your body felt anything but cold.

the idol’s hands dug into your waist, making you moan into her mouth. your secret lover grinned into the kiss, relishing in the effect she had on you. jimin was in the palm of your hand, but you were equally in hers as well. 

the two of you halted your movements once you heard footsteps echoing down the hall. however, jimin didn’t care about getting caught. she just didn’t want someone interrupting you two right now.

“shh,” she whispered against your lips, pecking them once more before she pulled herself off of you. she still hovered over your frame, but her body wasn’t pressed against yours. her midnight hues scanned your face, something she always had a habit of doing. she loved memorizing your features and committing them to her memory. you were a masterpiece, a true work of art. how could she not admire you?

“beautiful.” 

jimin’s hands intertwined with yours, her lips meeting your knuckles in a sweet gesture. a shade of crimson flushed your face. even after all this time, her compliments seemed to always have the same effect on you. 

“says the idol on top of me.” you replied, chest still slightly heaving as you attempted to catch your breath. you never fully understood how someone like her feel completely in love with you. especially since her relationship with her band member was seen as the epitome of every relationship. however, you never thought too long about it, especially when your lover was always so quick to reassure you. 

the mentioned idol leaned down and kissed your lips once more, slowly but firmly. she was insatiable, naturally. but she couldn’t help herself. you were practically the definition of perfection in her eyes. she would never be able to get enough of you. she wasn’t complaining, though. 

“marry me, y/n.”

she whispered against your lips, but before you could even say anything in response, she pressed another quick kiss to your swollen lips. “marry me and we won’t have to hide. then they can’t force me to do anything anymore.”

“jimin,” you warned, thinking she was somehow joking, but one glance at her and you knew she wasn’t. she had the same attentive expression on her face as always. you could practically see the wheels turning in her head. “let’s not do anything stupid.”

karina kissed the crown of your head gently, treating your body as if it was the most delicate thing in existence. “i’m tired of hiding. aren’t you?”

“your contract would be in jeopardy, my love.” you tried to reason, hoping that you would remind her of her job’s responsibilities. she was bound by her contact to her idol duties, and she was also the leader of aespa. she couldn’t exactly abandon that just for you, and you wouldn’t ask her to do such a thing anyway. 

karina whined and you kissed her temple. “i’ll threaten to leave, then.” your brows furrowed as you looked at her in disbelief once more. “you will do no such thing, rina.” 

the idol groaned once more, but chose to ignore your logical reasoning by kissing you fervently again. you tried to push her away to continue chastising her, but she kept chasing your lips. the older girl was about to attack your neck, but the buzzing of your phone caught both of you off guard.

reluctantly pulling away from your lover, you reached for it and answered without looking. 

“hello?” 

“y/n, what’s with this audio file?”

your brow furrowed as you gently moved jimin off of you. “which one?”

“the one you sent me wasn’t the one for the title track.”

your face met your forehead as you groaned, mentally trying to figure out which one you accidentally sent. fortunately for you, your boss jogged your memory.

“y/n, i don’t know what you…you and karina do…but uh, you definitely sent the wrong one.”

the color drained from your face and your gaze met jimin’s. her brows furrowed, since her close proximity, she could hear the conversation going on. however, she was just as lost as you. the two of you kept everything you did private, including your intimate moments. so how on earth would someone else know?

“ill uh, ill look into it. sorry, again.” you replied, still just as confused. you moved your phone to your other ear before mouthing something to karina. “what is he talking about?”

she only shrugged, standing up and reaching over to grab her phone from her bag. your attention was brought back to your conversation.

“yeah, i don’t know what you’re going to tell the other girls though. just send me the track by tonight.”

he ended the call once you exchanged farewells, but once you turned to jimin, you finally realized what audio file you had accidentally sent.

it was from the night you two got drunk in the studio. you had accidentally left the record button on in the booth, which picked up every single sound and word that was exchanged.

your face flushed red, and as you turned to face jimin, she stared at her phone with a smile on her face.

“what?” she asked, tilting her head at you once she made eye contact. 

you swallowed the lump in your throat, trying your best to calm your racing heart. your boss had heard you and karina, basically reliving the moment you two shared with a front row seat. “jimin, he heard the recording of us from the night we got drunk in the studio.” 

the idol’s smile only grew wider, making you feel significantly more confused. why was she smiling at a time like this? 

jimin held her phone to your face, showing you her screen. it was her conversation with minjeong. 

it was text after text of minjeong cursing at jimin, numerous amounts of “fuck you” and “how could you” messages. the realization suddenly hit you once you read the final message: “we’re done.” and your manager’s words echoed in your mind once again.

“yeah, i don’t know what you’re going to tell the other girls though.”

shit. they heard it.

“we don’t have to hide anymore, baby.” jimin grinned and kissed your face over and over, practically bursting at the seams with energy. you looked at her like she was insane. the smile on jimin’s face was the brightest you had ever seen. she swayed you in her arms, holding you close and forgetting about her phone and her extremely upset ex. 

however, she didn’t care. and truthfully? neither did you. the only thing you cared about was getting the title track sent in by your deadline. 

you suddenly felt a smile growing on your face, mirroring hers. you didn’t have to hide anymore, and with minjeong knowing as well, things would definitely look different with their management. jimin wouldn’t have to threaten anyone, and she would get to have her relationship with you. 

“i’m going to show everyone that you’re my lover, the real love of my life.” jimin whispered in your ear.

your smile never faltered, and you could only feel butterflies in your stomach at the thought of being able to go out and do public dates with your girlfriend. “we can go on dates,” she continued, pressing a kiss to your cheek and then again on your lips. “i don’t care what people will say,” karina’s eyes glinted with happiness. “i’m yours, and you are mine.”

you wrapped your arms around her neck, looking up at her with the same lovesick look she shared with you. “let’s go on vacation somewhere, just you and me.” she proposed as she wrapped her arms around your waist. 

“i’d like that,” you answered with a giggle, feeling ticklish as she nuzzled her nose into your shoulder. with a deep breath, she inhaled your scent and pressed a kiss to your shoulder. “we can leave once the title track is released.” 

“how about hawaii?” karina asked, pressing her lips to your neck gently. “i’ve heard their black beaches are gorgeous.”

you hummed in thought, recalling the numerous times you two had mentioned traveling somewhere together just to get away. but with the comeback preparations and summer ambassador activities, your plans were often squashed. 

“hm, i don’t know jimin. we have a lot to clean up here.”

she groaned into your neck, “come on, don’t be a bummer, babe.”

however, now that your schedules were going to be much more free, you decided now would be the best time to go. 

“fine, lets do it.”

the photos of you two making out on the sandy black beaches in hawaii made headlines the next weekend, but neither of you cared anymore. you didn’t care about hiding, she didn’t care about what people said about her and minjeong. she didn’t care because now she got the girl she wanted, and she wasn’t afraid to show it. 

karina’s face was plastered all over media outlets, and aespa gained a lot of attention from your relationship. even though most people didn’t know who you were, once karina publicly mentioned your name in an interview the amount of attention you received was enormous. she had always defended your name though, making sure to come for anyone that dared taint your name. she was fine with people taking her name through the mud, but yours? 

she would rather burn her own hands than let someone else harm you.

minjeong and the others were still very upset with their leader, but it wasn’t like they could do anything about it. it wasn’t like the two of you were going to stop.

your once secret, undercover love was now in the light, and the only thing that mattered to you was the success of aespa and your girlfriend’s well being. 

but for karina, the only thing that mattered to her was you. that, and what style of ring she was going to buy you after the comeback was over.

after all, weddings were often better in the spring, but this summer was not a bummer at all. the only bummer was how she was going to get her members to forgive her and be her bridesmaids, but that was a problem for later.

-

a/n: to the anon who requested this...thank you so MUCH 😋

[thatsofic]

BEST COMEBACK (FEMALE) IS A GRAND PRIZE AKA DAESANG AWARD!

Who had the song of the summer? Meet the seven stunning female artists who are nominated for BEST COMEBACK!

STARDOLL - SUMMER OF LIFE ! ... SUMMER OF LIFE is the second full album from STARDOLL. It was released by NEWTRO MUSIC on July 7th 2024, and contains thirteen tracks. They performed "#TooSPICY" for three weeks in music shows and received seven music show wins. \\ @stardollism

HIJINXX - MY WORLD ! ... following the low perception of their debut single, HIJINXX seemed to take the hit personally, returning back to the scene on october 4th with their first mini album MY WORLD. a six track project leading with the title track MAKE YOU CRY, it follows the girls on their journey towards finding the tear in their universe and exploring the newfound xverse, meeting their otherworldly lookalikes. \\ @hjnxx

VENUS - VENUS VICTRIX ! ... Venus Victrix is the third full album of the fictional South Korean girl group VENUS. The album was released by Angelico Entertainment on December 18th, 2023. Before the release of the highly anticipated album, the girls released two pre-release singles, "DRAMA" and "I AM THE BEST," both getting two weeks of promotions and being met with widespread praise. With a total of twelve songs, VENUS would promote "THE BOYS", "UNTIE", and "BYOB (bring your own bestie)" for three months. \\ @venusvity

STUPID CUPID - TRUE VALENTINE ! ... STUPID CUPID, a dynamic force in the music industry, made waves with their latest release, the 10th mini album, TRUE VALENTINE (LET'S TALK LOVE!). this captivating collection of seven tracks, launched in may, showcases the group's unique concept and musical style. \\ @stcpidcupid

BAD GIRLS CLUB - HOT ISSUE ! ... HOT ISSUE is the first extended play released by fictional girl group Bad Girls Club. The EP features 5 songs, two being title tracks, one being a pre-release single, and the final two being side tracks. The EP did well, exploring a new concept for the girls, retro futurism and old Hollywood. The albums contents including the music itself, was criticised due to provocative imagery and sexual innuendos through out it. \\ @badgirlswrld

VIVID - MIDAS TOUCH ! ...  "Midas Touch" features signature sounds and synthesizers from the 2000s whereas "Nothing" is a medium-tempo R&B song inspired by the same era. "'Midas Touch' sings about love at its very early stages, while 'Nothing' is about the love reaching an end — love that changed and the lack of emotion in relationships" \\ @alwaysvivid

JUDY - FALL IN LOVE ! ... The extended play features twelve tracks, including the title track FALL IN LOVE (with you). The EP was released on July 12, 2024, containing ten tracks, including the title track. The single debuted atop the South Korean music charts, keeping the number-one spot for nearly two months. \\ @anqelsweep

  ┈─★ ⠀⠀⠀CLICK HERE TO GET TO VOTING!

[disneyprincemuke]

the seeker and the unreached

[fast times and fast nights]

it’s simple. in 2021, seeing the retirement of lewis hamilton, mercedes signed the woman giving mclaren win after win in a car that was not even a title contending car.

and then it gets complicated. sonnet pham continues to drive for the mercedes-amg petronas f1 team. her boyfriend, mick schumacher, does not. after haas didn’t renew him for a third year in the sport, he had to settle for the sidelines.

-> pre-season testing, 2023

❝do you think it’s gonna be weird that you’ll be driving on the track while mick is in the garage with toto all year?❞

sonnet scrunches her nose, looking off to the side slightly. “i hope not. we’re both adults — there’s a certain level of maturity and understanding with our position in the sport. i hope nobody twists that.”

it’s still weird, right? by some degree of expectations. here you have son of the racing legend, and a woman that climbed her way up the ranks by being simply… talented on the track.

— ❝sonnet pham continues to show how ruthless she is on the track; i reckon that overtake she did on jupiter nightshade will be talked about for weeks to come. she crosses the chequered flag here in australia to take her first win of the season.❞

— ❝here in the mercedes garage, ladies and gentlemen, that’s sonnet pham and mick schumacher cozied up in the corner for a nap while the marshals are fixing up the track.❞

— ❝welcome to the stage, current leader of the driver’s championship, mercedes driver: sonnet pham.❞

— ❝there goes mick schumacher out of the mercedes garage in his girlfriend’s car, for tyre testing to collect data for the race on sunday evening.❞

sonnet continually proves her rightful spot in the team, scoring point after point and podium after podium in the messy season that mercedes had in 2023. there’s no way her seat is gonna be taken from her, right?

— breaking: mick schumacher departs mercedes-amg petronas f1 team to race for alpine in the world endurance championship

— ❝there’s simply very little opportunity in formula 1 right now for mick to get a seat in the next year or two.❞

❝driving with wec gives me a chance to stay competitive and gives me a chance to, hopefully, make a comeback to f1 in 2025. but for now, it’s s good opportunity.❞

❝it’s a good opportunity, i’d say. we talk about him returning to f1 a lot but like toto said, with the talented drivers on the grid and the rookies making numbers, it’s hard. if the wec is what he thinks is the right step to take, then i’ll be supportive of him. i’m his girlfriend; not his talent manager.❞

both mercedes’ drivers contracts are up by the end of the 2024 season. but do you think mick and sonnet know that they’ll be fighting for the same seat for the 2025 season to stay in f1 — or, in mick’s case, to continue his father’s legacy?

@cashtons-wife @darleneslane @angsthology

[puppetshcw]

ILYMORE  is  the  9TH  MINI  ALBUM  released  on  july  15th  by  MIGHTY  DEVIL’s  girl  group,  STUPID  CUPID.  the  group  promoted  their  title  track,  JUST  DANCE,  for  four  weeks  and  an  additional  one  for  their  b-side,  BE  THE  ONE.  on  june  25th  STUPID  CUPID  dropped  a  pre-release  single,  CUPID  IS  DUMB,  announcing  their  summer  comeback  and  beginning  the  new  cupid  era  called  CUPID’s  RHYTHM.  it’s  no  wonder  that  the  album  was  a  complete  success  with  CHERUBS,  although  there  have  been  other  fandoms  who  confidently  say  they  enjoyed  the  songs  and  have  been  using  them  for  their  own  edits. 

CUPID’s  RHYTHM  era  brought  more  than  just  a  mini  album.  MIGHTY  DEVIL  announced  a  short  mini  reality  show,  WITH  CUPID,  whose  purpose  is  to  show  what  STUPID  CUPID  members  do  when  they’re  not  promoting  and  have  time  to  de-stress.  the  show  aired  once  a  week  and  was  finished  after  only  NINE  episodes. 

track  list. 

CUPID  IS  DUMB 

JUST  DANCE 

BE  THE  ONE 

SUNNY  SIDE  UP! 

BABY  SO  CHAOTIC 

MAKE  ME  SAY 

CUPID  IS  DUMB  (  ENGLISH  VER.  ) 

album  content. 

ILY  VERSION  :  outbox  (  210  x  150mm  )  +  photo  booklet  (  80p  )  +  folded  poster  (  random  one  out  of  2  )  +  sticker  (  1ea  )  +  accordion  lyrics  poster  (  1ea  )  +  love  letter  (  150mm  x  100mm  /  random  one  out  of  5  )  +  keyring  charm  (  1ea  )  +  member  photocards  (  55mm  x  85mm  /  random  2  out  of  5  )  +  group  polaroid  (  distributed  randomly  for  first  print  only  /  random  one  out  of  5  ) 

MORE  &  MORE  VERSION  :  outbox  (  210  x  150mm  )  +  photo  booklet  (  80p  )  +  folded  poster  (  random  one  out  of  2  )  +  sticker  (  1ea  )  +  accordion  lyrics  poster  (  1ea  )  +  love  letter  (  150mm  x  100mm  /  random  one  out  of  5  )  +  keyring  charm  (  1ea  )  +  member  photocards  (  55mm  x  85mm  /  random  2  out  of  5  )  +  group  polaroid  (  distributed  randomly  for  first  print  only  /  random  one  out  of  5  ) 

era  notes. 

the  summer  girls  are  here  and  clad  in  denim! 

the  girls  promoted  JUST  DANCE  &  BE  THE  ONE  simultaneously  for  one  week  near  the  end  of  promotions  and  even  ended  up  competing  against  themselves  at  m  countdown  for  that  whole  week.  no  one  could  stand  in  their  way  during  this  era!!

JUST  DANCE  received  SIX  music  show  wins,  along  with  FOUR  from  BE  THE  ONE  promotions,  making  it  EIGHTEEN  in  total  with  CUPID  IS  DUMB  wins. 

compared  to  CUPID  IS  DUMB,  JUST  DANCE  received  a  little  less  attention,  yet  the  music  video  still  managed  to  get  more  than  70  MILLION  VIEWS  in  the  first  24  hours! 

during  one  of  the  encore  stages,  VIVA  received  a  lot  of  attention  for  successfully  doing  the  high  note  that  is  originally  TOMIE’s!  netizens  complimented  her  voice  and  asked  if  she’ll  receive  high  notes  in  the  future. 

CHERUBS  got  into  a  bit  of  an  argument  with  ZE_ROSE  due  to  their  song  being  titled  BE  THE  ONE,  which  is  in  ZEROBASEONE’s  greeting.  a  lot  of  the  other  people  who  are  not  in  either  of  those  fandoms  have  said  that  the  argument  is  pointless,  and  they’re  reaching;  that  it  was  all  just  a  coincidence.  the  fights  were  mostly  on  twitter,  so  it  was  easy  for  others  to  miss  out  on  them  or  straight  up  not  even  see  them. 

the  members  confirmed  that  they  all  got  creative  freedom  for  this  album.  CHESKA  said,  “GLOOMY  called  us  all  into  his  studio,  and  he  said  ‘the  album  is  yours.  do  whatever  you  want  with  it’,  so  we  did.  it  was  very  fun  to  have  the  reigns  in  our  hands,  but  also  nerve-wracking.  GLOOMY  still  helped  but  from  the  sidelines,  most  of  it  was  us”.  the  other  girls  confirmed,  saying  it  was  tough  but  felt  satisfied  once  the  album  was  finished.  in  the  end,  ILYMORE  feels  more  special  to  both  the  girls  and  their  fandom. 

era  style. 

[xxstraykidsaikoxx]

Friendships w/ other idols

• 𝔽𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕖 𝕀𝕕𝕠𝕝𝕤

➷ JISOO (AiSoo)

Mother-Daughter

Vocal Duo

Ai's contact name: Aiko🩵

Jisoo's contact name: Sooya-unnie🩷

Aiko has always idolised Jisoo ever since she was a trainee at YG. Jisoo helped her with her vocal training and in turn Aiko offered to help Jisoo with her english. It was a very beneficial system for the two idols, which eventually helped grow their relationship. Even when Aiko debuted in SKZ, the two still kept in contact whenever they could and both STAYs and BLINKs had begun to notice how close they were. Some fans have named Aiko 'Jisoo's daughter' due to the mother-daughter relationship between them, and how much Aiko resembles Jisoo in little ways, such as her vocals and visuals.

➷ JENNIE (Jeniko)

Mentor-Trainee

Savage Duo

Ai's contact name: Aini🩷🩷

Jennie's contact name: Jenduki🐻

Same with Jisoo, Aiko looks up to Jennie and is inspired by her in a lot of ways. The way Aiko carries herself is very similar to Jennie, some calling Aiko the 'Jennie of 4th gen.' While not as close as Ai is with Jisoo, Ai and Jennie still have a cute and sweet friendship, especially since their collaboration on BLACKPINK's title track 'Lovesick Girls.'

➷ SHUHUA (ShuKo)

Maknae Besties

Iconic Duo

Ai's contact name: Koko🐈‍⬛

Shuhua's contact name: Shushu🐞

Aiko and Shuhua's friendship is one that seemed to come out of nowhere, but was very fitting in a way. The two are known to be iconic maknaes, have a similar stage presence, and have a similar sense of humor, so it was almost destined that they'd be friends. It was when Aiko and Shuhua did the 'Queencard' challenge together when their friendship became known and since then their small interactions became something to look forward to.

➷ EUNCHAE (AiChae)

Instant Besties

Gossip girls

Ai's contact name: N/A

Eunchae's contact name: N/A

Aiko and Eunchae was also another pair that seemed to be fated besties. The friendship started when at an award show, Eunchae had accidentally bumped into Aiko, causing a very cute interaction with Eunchae profusely apologizing and Aiko trying to tell her it's okay. The reason Eunchae was apologizing this way was because she had actually looked up to Aiko and so she was slightly embarrassed, but everything turned out okay and the two became good friends. While they might not have each other's contact info due to company restrictions, they still talk when they can.

➷ YUNJIN (AiJin)

American Idols

Sarcastic Duo

Ai's contact name: N/A

Yunjin's contact name: N/A

These two was another one that came out of nowhere. They'd actually been friends for a while, even before Yunjin's debut in 2022. They had met at a concert in Seoul and became friends after some time talking, but since Aiko had been busy with SKZ schedules, they couldn't exchange contact info. So when Yunjin debuted, the two got to interact more at award shows and dance challenges, which has become somewhat a tradition for them, to do their first comeback dance challenges with eachother before anybody else.

➷ KAZUHA (Kaziko)

School besties

Childhood friends

Ai's contact name: Aiko♥︎

Zuha's contact name: Zuha🩷

During Aiko's short time in middle school, she had met Kazuha. While they didn't talk alot they were still pretty good friends. In present time, Zuha and Ai don't have many interactions due to schedules but they catch up through text sometimes. Whenever they can they'll do dance challenges together and go out together.

➷ KARINA (KarinKo)

Visual Beauties

Pretty Duo

Ai's contact: N/A

Karina's contact name: N/A

Karina and Aiko are a pair that recently became friends. They had met at MusicCore for their respective comebacks, and engaged in conversation. Fans were excited to see the two idols interact and quickly called them the 'Pretty duo' since they were both visuals of their groups. There's not many interactions since their friendship is still new, but the thought is still there.

ᴍᴀsᴛᴇʀʟɪsᴛ

[batsplat]

watched donington 2005 bc of your rec and loved it! do you have any more recs for interesting (and/or messy) wet races?

sure do! we're going to take a broad definition of 'wet' race here... there's also been some major rule changes this century, like bike swaps didn't used to be a thing - plus I'm not particularly inclined to check how each race was actually categorised. so for our purposes here, any race where I remember the track being wet playing a significant role counts

in honour of being incredibly inconsistent with the asterisk system, this time I've added * or ** by how much of a definite recommend it is as a wet race (also to be complete I'll include donington '05)

donington 2000*: valentino's first premier class win and a very valentino way to do it. absolute horror show of a start that drops him to thirteenth on lap one, and he picks his way through from there on the damp track. lovely little comeback ride as they wobble around - crucially at a time when vale did not have a good reputation as a wet weather racer. fun 3-way fight for the win

suzuka 2002**: the first ever motogp race in nasty nasty conditions, and features an unexpected starring performance from japanese wild card rider akira ryo who was very familiar with the track and where all the puddles were. valentino sticks behind him for much of this race, watching and learning. showcases valentino's approach rather nicely

le mans 2003: this one isn't wet for most of the race, and when it starts raining the race is interrupted. that being said, the sete/valentino duel in slippery conditions after the race resumes is fun and fiddly enough to justify its inclusion. banger of a last lap

mugello 2004: same as above - interrupted a few laps before the end for rain. the conditions are very uncertain when they resume, and the last few laps involves a multi-rider scrap between riders on slicks on a track that is very much not dry. fantastic race

shanghai 2005: conditions proper nasty start to finish, crazy amounts of spray. vale does the thing where he gives himself a bit of work to do and is 6th at some point during the first lap, though he's soon up to 2nd and goes about hunting down kenny roberts jr. in the end he disappears out front, so it's up to everyone else to make it exciting (mostly by struggling to stay on track)

donington 2005**: this one's a go-to pick for a reason. horrendous conditions, high attrition rate, lairy saves, a tense fight for the lead before valentino eventually feels comfortable enough to pull a painful margin on the field. classic race all round

phillip island 2006*: first ever bike swap race! late in the season so it's all very dramatic with the title fight - you've still got several different contenders at this stage with constantly changing fortunes. drama up and down the field until the very very end

donington 2007**: proper wet race and exactly what you want from these things, with the run order constantly chopping and changing. the winning rider spends a lot of time in a lot of different positions, great ride to fight his way through

sachsenring 2008: dani's leading the championship, vale crashed the last time out at assen before recovering to 11th, casey's won the last two races... all three of them have very different races in the full wet conditions. incidentally the last race before laguna

indy 2008*: proper fun scrap in appalling conditions! the usual suspects and also some more unusual suspects (that year anyway) scrapping it out at the sharp end of the race - and they really are going for it given the conditions. once stopped, there isn't a restart, though there's still that fun bit where casey joins valentino to (presumably) tell ezpeleta that they are not going back out there

le mans 2009*: my pitch for this one is that it has a claim to being the most embarrassing race of valentino's career. everything that could possibly go wrong did go wrong. I laugh every time I think about this race, but I suppose you have to admire his perseverance

mugello 2009*: yeah, this one's fun! bike swap race right after le mans so Certain Riders are playing it a bit safe... some great tussling and mixing it up and odd run orders in this one, just what you're looking for. incidentally the last race before catalunya

donington 2009*: another one for people who sometimes want to watch some very talented athletes embarrass themselves. casey has the mystery illness excuse for making a ridiculous tyre choice, but the others? lemme not speak. great chaotic shenanigans

sepang 2009: valentino's first matchpoint race, but he has a horrendous first lap (after qualifying well for once) that makes it look like the championship might not be quite done yet. great race out front from casey, though a lot of this one is about tracking vale and jorge's progress through the field. good fun!

le mans 2011*: plenty of talking points post-race, with some riders perhaps not balancing risk/reward quite right on the slippery track. a fierce fight for the final two podium spots behind casey

silverstone 2011*: the signature casey wet weather performance, and it's just too good from him to be exciting out front. still, the conditions are nasty enough there's plenty of peril behind - which two riders in particular discover while attempting to take on dovi

valencia 2011*: unpleasant first corner pile-up, but it's a nice little race from there in tricky conditions that get worse at the end. an extended dovi/dani duel that has real stakes for championship standings and pride. also you get a really dramatic ending out front, kinda out of nowhere? worth sticking with this one

le mans 2012*: jorge's in that stage of his career where he's a decent wet weather racer, and he very much disappears out front as battle rages behind. valentino fights with casey, fights with dovi/cal, fights with casey again... the last vale/casey duel featuring a last lap overtake

assen 2014: wet to dry bike swap, with more rain threatening. it features the first real dovi/marc scrap (doesn't last long, but they have a 2nd go at it as marc hunts dovi down). plus there's also an impressive comeback ride from vale after a poor tyre choice

aragon 2014: rather a nasty valentino crash close to the start - but once you're through that, you're in for quite a silly one. let's just say the dominant rider that year does not have a particularly dignified day in the office. dry to wet bike swap race, which some perhaps grasped a little too late

silverstone 2015**: first race in which valentino lost the championship lead, but this is the bounce back race in the soaking wet. marc puts a lot of pressure on valentino here, it's 2015, what more do you want? late pressure from other riders too, a signature valentino wet weather ride

misano 2015*: big twists, big turns, massive title fight implications. a flag-to-flag race where both title contenders perhaps don't get it quite right... a lot of chaos where bike swap timing makes all the difference. a truly excellent performance from the winner

sachsenring 2016: no prizes for guessing who won this one, but way more jeopardy than the average visit to the circuit. marc just got these flag-to-flags bang on so often, and it's fun watching him secure what at one stage looked like rather an unlikely victory

brno 2016**: if you can, go into this one without being spoiler-ed, because I promise you that you will not be able to guess the podium combination after the first few laps. a lot of this race ends up being about tyre choice. a slow burn but a goody

misano 2017**: in that stretch of 2017 where every race is a Big Title Fight Race, which makes it so fun 2017 had so many of those in the wet. a fun race throughout, but the last lap is particularly daring and memorable. a signature marc performance

motegi 2017**: a race that gradually builds to a dovi/marc duel - and the additional jeopardy added by the conditions makes it something special. one hell of a last lap

sepang 2017**: first match point race, just to add a little extra drama to proceedings. a lot of tense wobbling about as dovi attempts to navigate his way back to the lead of the race - including past his rather stubborn teammate. excellent performance under high pressure from dovi

valencia 2018*: the conditions get so poor you do get several crashes that just make for unpleasant viewing... when they finally red flag it, the field is severely depleted, then it's broadly more of the same. defo a good race if 'chaos' is what you're looking for

le mans 2020*: entire race on wet track. I don't remember the 1st half of this being all that exciting, but once it gets going it's just SUCH dumb chaos, in a title fight that's all about dumb chaos

austria 2021**: a race that will be remembered more than anything because of the crazy way in which it was won. the whole race is fun, but the last few laps are kinda unforgettable

motegi 2023*: quite fun to have a flag-to-flag this late in the championship fight! the title contenders feature heavily in this one and there's enough shake-ups in the order to keep things interesting. psa: this race doesn't get restarted. pretty short

honourable mentions: valencia 2001, estoril 2002, jerez 2004, estoril 2005, le mans 2007, assen 2011, phillip island 2011, assen 2016, le mans 2021, argentina 2023

[b3alm1ghty]

One and All is the 1st mini album by Boys Almighty under Rainbow Entertainment. It was released on Febraury 5, 2024. The album features 5 tracks, Hello, Future being the title track. It is available both physically and digitally.

BAM! promoted the album for 3 weeks in total. Hello, Future peaked at 10 on the Circle Chart while pre-release single Girl Almighty peaked at 14. The single also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 28. BAM! won 6 music show awards for Hello, Future, including their first ever music show win.

ੈ✩‧₊˚  i. the tracklist !

✦ .   Hello, Future ( title track ) produced by Minwoo

✦ .   Polaroid Love produced by ROZE + HOWL

✦ .   Daydreaming produced by DAY1 + CHASER

✦ .   Graduation produced by Oliver Song

✦ .   Girl Almighty ( pre-release single ) produced by ROZE

find minwoo at @intoloopin, HOWL at @idiishowl, and oliver at @plasticflwrs !!

ੈ✩‧₊˚ ii. buy the album !

✦ .   Future version

. cd, photobook ( 130 p ), photocards ( 10ver. 2ea ), sticker sheet ( 1ver. 1ea ), tracklist ( 1ver. 1ea ), lyric book ( 1ver. 1ea )

. pre-orders only ; poster ( 5ver. 1ea ), polaroid card ( 5ver. 1ea ), signed polaroid ( 5 ver. 1 ea. random units )

✦ .   Memory version

. cd, photobook ( 130 p ), photocards ( 10ver. 2ea ), sticker sheet ( 1ver. 1ea ), tracklist ( 1ver. 1ea ), lyric book ( 1ver. 1ea )

. pre-orders only ; poster ( 5ver. 1ea ), polaroid card ( 5ver. 1ea ), signed polaroid ( 5 ver. 1 ea. random units )

✦ .   Member versions ( digipacks )

. cd, photobook ( 80 p ), photocards ( 5ver. 2ea ), stickers ( 5 ver. 2ea ), group mini-poster ( 2 ver. 1 ea )

. pre-orders only ; member key tag ( 5ver. 1ea ), polaroid card ( 5ver. 1ea )

✦ .   get your photocards here !

ੈ✩‧₊˚ iii. the styling !

The styling for this era was generally casual or school themed, reminiscent of how they were portrayed in the music videos from this album. In one special stage, each member dressed up as what they wanted to be when they grew up ( pictured ; kitae as a zookeeper ).

ੈ✩‧₊˚ iv. the reception !

ੈ✩‧₊˚ iv. the notes !

✦ frankly, no one behind the creation of this album, from the company to the members themselves expected it to perform as well as it did

✦ thanks to the renown garnered from the pre-release single, girl almighty, the album was an instant hit

✦ the physical copies flew off the shelves, selling nearly 600 thousand in the first week

✦ a fun title track complete with exciting stages and a mv setting up the group's intriguing storyline captured the industry's attention instantly

✦ this comeback earned the group their first music show win since their original debut in 2020, resulting in a very emotional acceptance from the original 3 members of the group

✦ a video of kitae sobbing into the shoulder of a misty eyed but still smiling bo as sammy thanks the crowd through his own tears made rounds online

✦ the resentful old malos had a field day with taeyoung and kiho's less emotional reactions in comparison, but were largely drowned out by the overwhelming congratulations from all around!

✦ the title and lyrics of the title track became rather controversial, especially malos from before their redebut, believing that rainbow is promoting the idea that they saved them from their failing career by entirely overtaking and rebranding their image

✦ they released a 4 part variety show, MISSION MIGHTY, where they dedicated themselves to learning a new skill each episode to help them in their future

✦ it was clear from their vlog content, variety show, and other interview schedules that kiho and taeyoung were not quite as close as the other three members, but many brushed it off as to be expected from a (relatively) newly formed group

✦ polaroid love became super popular on tiktok, sparking a live recording rendition to be released on the group's youtube

✦ their fame only grew exponentially from their surprise pre-release, their visuals, concept, and talents capturing the hearts of millions upon millions of brand new fans

[nctangelz]

— ꣑୧ PREMIER : WINGS is the debut mini album for NCT ANGELZ. released on may 5th, 2023, the album consists of six tracks, with the title track PANORAMA. the album was promoted across various music shows for FOUR WEEKS, and earned a total of THREE WINS.

— ꣑୧ TRACKLIST

01. OUR WINGS

02. PANORAMA

03. I’LL BE THERE

04. EASY

06. SORRY FOR MY YOUTH

06. DANCE ON MY OWN

— ꣑୧ STYLING (PANORAMA)

the styling for panorama was very classy and elegant! the girl’s were looking like royalty on every stage, and earned the title of “korea’s princesses” … nctzen’s loved every stage because everyone was able to show off their beauty, and they really got to see all of them shine 🥰

this comeback allowed everyone to recognize the girls for their talent and separate them from their controversy of being girls in a predominantly male group. nctzens also got to see the special bond between all of the girls!

panorama was able to get five wins!! the girls were SO excited because they were terrified they were gonna flop 😭 … this comeback really let it set in that they actually had fans of their own and not just fans who ship with the boys :((

members who ate this song up :: obv all of them - but sooyoung and ningning ATE THIS UPPP

— ꣑୧ STYLING (EASY)

easy was the 2nd the girls promoted - they promoted this song on their last week of promotions! easy ended up getting one win - everybody LOVED the chill and chic song

members who ate this song UP :: monique and nika really SLAYED, the vibes of the song fit them sooooo well, especially nika.

— ꣑୧ HIGHLIGHTS

this was leia’s first PERMANENT debut AND SHE WAS SO EXCITED. when they got their first win she was the first one to cry, and monisooka all ran up to her and just ENGULFED her into a big group hug. leia felt SOOOO loved!

this comeback unlocked SOOO much content for the girls, they finally got out of the basement 😮‍💨

the girls started a podcast called “ THE ANGELZ SECERT ” where each of the girls shared their experiences as trainee’s (subtly hating on SM) and shared memories from their time as idols 🥺. all very precious and emotional

they also uploaded SO many vlogs. this is where nctzens learned that the girls (minus nika) no longer lived in the dorms even though they moved out like a year prior 😭

and with all the excitement - there was MANY “scandals” … basically netizens making a big deal out of nothing….so stay tuned for the drama 😁 fans ate it up and trolled everything though 😮‍💨

[itzymidzy]

DAZED

Favourite title track

Yeji: We can’t choose

Lia: All the members have different picks.

‘Imaginary Friend’ has a style that we haven’t tried before, and ‘Gold’ is a song where we can show a lot of energy, performance-wise. It was really hard to drop one and pick another. Since ITZY is all about showing different sides, we thought it would be nice to include them all.

Lia return to group

Lia: At first, while preparing the album and being back on schedule, I was kind of nervous. But then, as soon as I got into [it] with our members, I realised how comfortable I am. It didn’t really take much time to get used to it again. I really missed our members and our [fans], MIDZYs. I’m very happy that I could be here, included in this comeback.

"Five"

Yeji: Shows our bond from the first meeting to the present, the process and feelings, so I think it’s really special.

"Vay" (ft. Changbin of Stray Kids)

Ryujin: I was really happy to get this song from him, because he said that he wrote it just for us. Since he knows us, what we can do best and what are each member’s [strongest] points, it was very comfortable and also very fun to record with him.

Yeji: He said that it was much better than the recording guide.

Album concept video

Lia: I think it somehow relates to all of us. We didn’t intentionally pick the characters, but it turned out that [they were] very relatable, so it was easy to get into the character and express it out.

Changes what members went through

Yeji: I thought I was closer to the members from the beginning, but as time goes by, I feel that we can get closer than this. I think what’s different is that we cherish each other more.

Ryujin: Better and faster on stage, recording the songs, and memorising the choreographies.

Loving yourself is acceptance

Lia: Everyone is different, and realising and accepting [that] leads to loving yourself for just who you are. At the same time, you [learn] to respect other people [because they] are different too.

Respect

Ryujin: I learned that people are all different while doing team things. So, I learned how to respect others and how to cooperate with someone you don’t really match.

We mostly vote. We don’t want to argue with each other and get in a bad mood.

Ups and downs

Chaeryeong: Things never go as expected. I have to think in many different directions, and practise more and more to be prepared.

New Era

Chaeryeong: I wish that our music will always give people strength and energy, this has never changed. I wish our hard work and health will never change too.

Yuna: I wish I will never lose hope, and to keep moving forward with hope.

Time

Yeji sees time as "a precious thing", and she hopes that every moment spent with members and fans “will always be meaningful”.

Lia: Our members have very different charms and different styles, but at the same time, together as a team, we go along very well. I want them to see us as a whole package.”

[venusvity]

˚˖𓍢ִ໋🍒✧˚.⋆ UR MY BABY! HELLO, I'M BAEBI!

cw: sexualization + controlling company

  JUNG YOONAH took on the stage name BAEBI in 2018 upon her debut with VENUS and the world was never the same.

Baebi would take the world by storm with her solo debut the same year Venus would debut, sparking much discussion among fans over favoritism, a debate that still rages today. But who cares about favoritism when the music is good? Bubble Pop! Would take the Kpop world by storm, becoming the song of the summer.

It peaked at number two on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart and charted atop the US Billboard World Albums. As of 2023, it has sold 560,000 copies in South Korea. 

Bubble Pop! 's commercial success was the main contributor to Angelico Entertainment's leading music sales. The song peaked at number one in South Korea, where it has sold over 2.5 million digital units. To accompany her solo release, Baebi held a series of small concerts called Baebi's Summer Splash. She was awarded Best Female Artist at the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards and at the 2019 Golden Disk Awards.

Chart data is boring. Let's talk about something else.

Returning just a few months later with the mini album "Tell Me More" and a title track of the same name, fans grew slightly more concerned over Yoonah's concept as a soloist. According to her most dedicated fans, her sound and look were very mature, very sensual, and bordering on sexual, which didn't really match Yoonah's character.

No one would be shocked at the music and content Baebi would be releasing when looking at her creative team:

The Son Brothers, Jinhwa and Roan, would be the proud creative directors behind all of Baebi's solo work. Bubble Pop! would be Son Roan's, later turned CEO of Angelico after his brother departed from the label to become CEO of Mydol, Angelico's now parent company, first project in the Kpop realm.

"I like working with Baebi because she's something different than what you're used to seeing from the other idols out there. You can do things with Baebi you can't normally do with other idols and I find that very exciting." – Son Roan when asked about the Baebi brand in 2020.

2020 Baebi hit a career-high with her mini album "Glassdoor" and the lead single, Gashina. This song was everywhere, but even more to an extent, no Angelico artist had ever seen. Baebi was an international sensation. She'd go on a mini world tour as a soloist, the first and only Venus member to do so, promoting internationally, being the first soloist under Angelico to do so internationally.

A point of contention in Baebi's career is the botched release of her first full album, "Hello Baebi!" with the poorly promoted single, Hello. When Baebi was coming back, you knew about it, your friends knew about it, your mama knew about it, hell, even your grandma knew about it. For Hello Baebi? Not a peep. Even Baebi fans were confused when Ktown4u posted a pre-order poster for the album before Angelico even posted teasers. Which, mind you, she only got four photo teasers and a single video trailer for a full album.

When the comeback happened, promotions only lasted for two weeks, something unheard of for Baebi and the outfits? Fresh off the Forever21 rack. The stages? Bare. Nothing. The MV? Budget cut in half. Something wasn't right...Then when you looked at the album credits, neither of the Son brothers were anywhere to be seen. The entire album was made by Baebi herself, something she shared often on her Instagram or during the few interviews she did during this era.

Either way, Hello Baebi, her one cute era completely controlled by her, was deemed a flop and the Son brothers used that to their advantage, taking full creative control over Baebi's image again.

Which is where Touch came in.

Touch was noted for its overtly sexual music video, on-the-nose sexual lyrics, and latex outfits Baebi would promote in. The single, which was, of course, promoted ions better than Hello Baebi!, was phenomenally on the charts and in sales, "proving" that the mature concept is what people wanted from Baebi. At least, that's Jinhwa's belief.

Baebi's release after Touch would be a mini album titled "Stupid B—" with the promoted track TWIT. Fans that worried for Baebi would be soothed by this less sexual yet mature concept and the actual look of enjoyment on Yoonah's face when performing the song, something that seemed to be lacking when she was performing Touch.

After a year break from solo activities, Baebi would come back swinging in 2024 with her second full album, "Choke On It," and the title track LIPLOCKER, which was a hit, of course. Though the concept was leaning more toward sexual than mature, Baebi seemed more comfortable performing and actually had fun during this promotional period. She'd go on to say that LIPLOCKER was her favorite comeback since Hello Baebi!, which fans are hesitant to believe, but whatever makes her happy!

[ateez-himari]

MCOUNTDOWN: ATEEZ TAKES THE SPOLIGHT

Incredible stage presence sparks dating rumors.

October 16, 2023 (6:10PM)

Once again ATEEZ electrified the crowd and stayed true to their hard earned title of 'Performance Kings' during MCountdown in France, turning this simple stage in what resembled a full concert. While the focus was on their incredible abilities to light up the venue with every performance, heated interactions between certain bandmates did not go by unnoticed. Although the group is no stranger to rather close exchanges, the ones shared by main rapper Mingi and lead vocalist Himari left certain attendees with speculations of their own.

During the dance break in 'WONDERLAND (Symphony No.9 “From The Wonderland”)' the maknae took over the second half with mesmerizing movements and while in other showcases of this song the rapper stands back before his verse, the choreography seemed to have undergone some changes. For the last few beats containing the kraken's roar from their 'Kingdom: Legendary War' stage, he stepped forth to mirror her steps and snuck his hand up to his bandmate's neck, the two nearly brushing lips before pulling apart.

In the choreography for their recent comeback title track 'Bouncy (K-Hot Chilli Peppers)' they share the beginning of a verse and although this segment is well known to be quite flirtatious, it was noticed that Mingi's hand was resting on her hip, a form of skinship quite discrete yet intimate enough to leave fans thinking. Though the song they released as KQ Fellaz called 'From' did not have any of these quite intimate interactions, a series of heartwarming stolen glances were caught by the event's cameras.

With their main vocalist's recovery the group finally stood on stage as 9 members for the first time in a few months and while all were visibly thrilled, the maknae's overwhelming happiness pulled at many people's heartstrings whether fan or not. The physically demanding choreographies left very little room for interactions during songs but it apparently did not discourage Himari, who made the most of their short break following the opening performance.

During a brief game called 'ATEEZ x Your Name' the energetic idol's hand took a hold of Jongho's, not letting go for a single moment as they walked around the stage greeting fans and searching for name tags. Even though he is well known throughout the fandom for rejecting any form of physical affection, it became clear that only she could get away with it when he did nothing but bring her closer to his side and interlace their fingers.

We can safely say that '9 makes 1 team' is much more than a simple catchphrase, that it is a testament to these artists' undying bond.

The group's social butterfly caught people's attention until the very end of the event as a certain side of the audience captured a rather amusing moment between her and a younger idol. When came time for artists to walk around the stage in order to greet attendees, Ricky, a member of rookie group ZEROBASEONE, seemed oblivious to the fact he had been separated from his bandmates and was now following ATEEZ. When Himari was walking back up to her friends after a lively conversation with several other idols, she took notice of the unusual addition to their group and was quick to approach her junior. Whilst he clearly seemed flustered that a senior he expressed a strong admiration for had noticed him, the vocalist gently lead him back to the center where the other boys looked visibly concerned about his sudden disappearance.

It isn't often the maknae gets to show such a mature side of herself due to her position at the bottom of her group's age order so it is refreshing to see that while she enjoys being pampered by her bandmates, she can also take on the role of a caring senior.

Share This Post