#YES FULL SONG TITLE ITS CUTE

[ilyuan]

.. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT I’M A GOOD GIRL, OFFICER !

◟⪩⪨ summary ! after finally capturing you and visiting your dorm for what seemed like eternity now, he’s realizing that he’s in love with you ; basically just a short fic of wrio being a sweetheart ^^

◟⪩⪨ warnings ! gn! reader, the title is just a reference to a song dw, wriothesley being confusing, he changes your clothes lol, fluff, no use of y/n except for once, very self indulgent, i think that’s all lmk if i missed anything <3

minutes turned into hours and hours turned into days, days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months.

that was the absurd amount of time that took wriothesley to finally lock you up.

but here he was, oblivious to your moves and acts, hiding your facade with a gentle smile, which is the reason why almost everyone in the fortress claimed that you were one of the nicest criminals here.

it was almost as if you didn’t do anything wrong at all.

tonight, the dark vibrancy of the clouds near its nightly leave, the stars beginning to take over the sky’s surface.

here he was, sitting next to you on the rough surface of the so-called “bed” that you were sleeping in, when in reality this “bed” was made of full on metal!

“how do you manage to sleep like this?” he suddenly begins.

hmm… maybe because you can’t sleep anywhere else?

“i don’t know, i used to be known for being a heavy sleeper, no matter the area.”

“so you can just flat out sleep on the grass?”

“okay, maybe not.”

he chuckled.

so that’s why everyone’s so fond of you, your gentle facade and your beautiful laughter that could be the number one thing that would top a movie off if you were in it.

as the days passed by into more interesting days that suddenly had you more motivation to even do things in the fortress, wriothesley began to notice how less awkward you were being with him, and how you weren’t as shy and hesitant as you used to be.

as soon as fun things start, they end too quickly, as well.

furthermore, some things can go bad, just like how fruits can go rotten as soon as they’re not taken care of as much.

because knowing wriothesley, he was practically the top one procrastinator in the world.

in this situation, wriothesley wasn’t really doing his job on checking up on you unless he hasn’t been seeing you in sight almost every where. sometimes, as much as he didn’t want to, every time you were not in sight near your dorm, he usually got nervous and began to scold you.

…and he instantly did what he had to do.

“where were you?” he asked in a what seemed like an aggravated tone.

“relax, i was playing in the pankration ring earlier after i grabbed food.” you replied, there you were again, acting as if everything was okay when you almost gagged and vomited at the purple appearance of the food you were served, which you practically had to gulp down in one go, if you were that hungry atleast.

and of course, there were times when wriothesley just randomly decided to be the confusing man he is and instantly switch up just to flirt with you.

he was one to make sure that you believed that he had a little something in his slightly cold heart for you.

“you still do that?” he chuckles “that’s cute.”

“what?”

…

“wanna go out today?”

…confusing guy.

you never even hesitated to say yes to him whenever he offered to take you somewhere out of the rancid mess of the fortress.

he only ever rarely did this, though.

after your little “appointment” that you had with him, you felt like you were rejuvenated once again.

but why does it still feel like wriothesley’s eyes were on you the entire time rather than just paying attention to what you two were buying in this absurdly small shop?

don’t think too much of it, though. all he wants to do is commit for his wrongdoings for you, after all.

as much as he knows how confusing he can be, he knows who you are.

he knows that you prefer cream cheese over butter, he knows that you don’t like matcha flavored tea, and he almost knows that your whole gentle facade is just an act for him to like you.

and it’s all just an act to be one of the nicest criminals in the fortress, too.

but who was he to care, when all he wanted to do was take care of you?

…and he only ever took you out to show you his empathy for you.

why can’t you just realize he’s in love with you?

on the final day, your release.

“wriothesley!” you yelp out, feeling his frozen hands pull off your dirty prison uniform’s shirt.

“what? i do this with everyone, you’re not special, sweetheart.”

now that was clearly a lie. you were the only one he had fully taken care of like this. after all, he cared for you like you weren’t even a criminal in the first place, that you didn’t even do anything wrong in the first place.

…

sigh.

“wrio.”

“i don’t wanna leave this place if it means i’m leaving you here, without me!” you frowned.

he fully knows who you are now.

that whole gentle facade you always put on quickly faded away as soon as your ego went soaring through the roof when you implied that he couldn’t live without you.

that’s the y/n he wants to see.

he chuckles.

finally.

his fingers shaking in anticipation as he clothed you into the outfit he bought for you last night when you were sleeping, he leans up to place his lips on yours.

“you won’t. i won’t leave you.”

~

@sugarmouchie - do not copy/translate/repost my works on other platforms. 🤍

[alsktudy]

— strawberries and whines

» dad!soonyoung x mum!reader

» fluff ☁️, cute little picnic at the han river, reader and soonyoung have a whiny daughter hence the title, hoshi gets called a hamster by his wife and daughter, lwk whiny and pouty soonyoung (you can see where their daughter gets it from) domestic af 😭

» warning: none

» w.c: 0.4k

» a/n: first fic, kinda nervy... and no, title is not a typo lol. fic is lwk inspired by the song "strawberries and wine" (acoustic ver bc i legit love every acoustic ver of songs) bc i had it stuck in my head. i barely read through this, sorry if there are any typos. PLEASE INTERACT 🤍 anyways, enjoy :))

you had always imagined a future where you and your boyfriend would get married, have kids and live happily ever after and had often become excited at the fact that this future is a possibility.

but its no longer is just a possibility.

you find yourself sitting with your now husband playing with your daughter, hearing her little squeals and giggles accompanied by his lower pitched ones, while the faint sound of the han river and other civilians filled the park that you were in. you took a deep breath out as you relished in the warm sunlight that peeked through the trees.

"baby? are you alright?" soonyoung asked while playing with your daughters hair.

you give him a smile and nod. how could you not be alright?

"baby, i need words." soonyoung nudged you once more, eyes worried and fingers still twirling around your daughters hair.

you give your husband a bigger smile and reach for the strawberries laid out in front of you.

"yes soonie, im fine. more than fine really, everything is perfect." you say as you put a chocolate-covered strawberry in front of his lips.

his eyes turn into crescents as he wraps his lips around the strawberry and bites it, earning a whine from your daughter.

"heyy... i want some too!" she says whining as she turns around and grabs her father's moving cheeks. her whines turn into giggles as soonyoung puffs out his cheeks while her little hands continue to grip them.

"dad... you know what you look like?"

soonyoung tilts his head in response, cheeks still full of air.

"uh... a hamster."

his cheeks instantly deflate and soonyoung whips his head around to give a 'is she being serious?' look to you, as your daughter quickly gets up and begins to run away, laughing at her dad's dramatic reaction to being called a hamster.

"she's my daughter... she should know better." he pouts and his cheeks refill with air while furrowing his eyebrows.

you chuckle and shake your head while reaching out to pat your hamster tiger husband's hair, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"dadd! you're meant to be chasing me arounddd!" your daughter yells.

he turns to you and gives you peck on the lips before saying a quick i love you and pushes himself off the ground to chase your cheeky little one. leaving you with your chocolate-covered strawberries and the sound of your daughter whining as she gets caught by her dad... again.

[itsmattchou]

have you done a zb1 with idol!reader? like how they'd react to your performances, etc. i bet it would be cute 😋

we are young and wild !

pairing: zb1 maknae line x gn!idol!reader warnings: swearing, overuse of the word "bro", english isn't my first language!!! genre: fluff synopsis: zb1 when their s/o is an idol notes: i loved writing this! school starts on thursday im not oaky to anon: i love idol!reader bc in my opinion its PEAK delulu 🤭 thank you for your request! this turned into more general headcanons, but i still hope you like it!! AND YOU'RE RIGHT IT IS CUTE

GENERAL:

you're a member of the co-ed kpop group "zumblr" (yes they have a comeback). you placed 8th in the finale of delulu planet 999 and now you're member of said 2-year project group. :D

this takes place in a reality where dating isn't a fucking scandal in the industry 🤗

SHEN QUANRUI

dating rumors in 3… 2… 1…

bro doesn't even TRY to hide that you're his s/o ong

it's not like he doesn't value privacy (he very much does) it's just that he doesn't give a fuck??? he doesn't care AT ALL let him be in love with you in peace, it's his business

apart from all these couple items he buys for you two to show off on instagram, he always. just. stares at you. all the time.

ricky doesn't realize it, but there's always a teeny tiny little smile forming on his lips whenever he sees you performing during award shows, comeback stages, concerts etc

bro doesn't even notice when he's on screen when he's watching you perform, he's just in a complete trance 🤩

he desperately wants you to teach him your dances. could he learn them on his own? obviously, he's a talented dancer. but he always insists on you showing them to him

"ricky you can learn that dance yourself, c'mon!" "no lol i can't :D"

when you two appear on the same game show like weekly idol??? bro full on flirts with you

you two were supposed to have a staring contest and suddenly he starts talking about taking you shopping????

"do you wanna go shopping with me? i will pay, come with me." (his members are just like "WHAT THE HELLLLLL")

he tries to write love songs about you. he still has some trouble with writing lyrics in korean, because he obviously wants to perform them, but they're cute nonetheless 🥺

the song titles however always have something to do with you. most of them are kind of lowkey, like his song "darling" (he calls you darling)

or that song that is literally named after your representative emoji??? if your representative emoji is 🐑 for example, his song is called "sheep"

and then there's this one song he just straight up called "y/n"

bro doesn't care💥💥

loves to talk about you on vlive

"someone just asked me what my favorite zumblr song is!! it's 'old guyz on the street', y/n just slayed there!"

nobody asked that. he just wanted to talk about you and made a comment up.

a really popular ship in your fandoms

KIM GYUVIN

okay okay okay OKAY

you two are MCing together. people LOVE you two together because the vibes are immaculate, 11/10 i recommend

and it's not like it's obvious like you're in a relationship

you two may be dating in secret… but you're still acting like best friends

fans just love you two together, wether as best friends or as lovers. and it's obvious that you're close.

some fans that are against shipping always attack gyuyn shippers like "stop shipping them!! it's obvious they're just best friends!! 😡"

gyuvin and you are just laughing your asses off whenever you witness it

when you're performing songs on stage he's always singing and dancing along, having the time of his life. he's basically try harding to become the next meme😭

he really tries to attend every one of your concerts. gets really sad when he can't make it because of his schedule :(

on live? he's blasting your songs and turning into beyoncé whenever your parts come on

bro always advertises your albums and everything, also unboxes your newest album as soon as it comes out

always overdramatically falls to the ground as if somebody SHOT him because he didn't pull your photocard???? bro what's your problem with the chou pc you pulled🤬

he promotes your group more than he promotes his own LMAOOOO

^ always begs you for a signed version of the newest albums

"gyuvin why would you need me to sign the album? i'm literally your partner" "PFFFF i don't want you to sign, i want your members to sign it 🤣"

goes on dates with you in public without shame

he really loves the way most fans just believe you two are best friends, this means he can spend more time with you!!

takes SOOOO many selfies with you, bro even posts some pictures he took when on dates

you two constantly end up on reality shows and talk shows together💀💀

the IT DUO of 5th gen fr fr💪💪

PARK GUNWOOK

the cutest cutie on this planet is the only one who's actually and actively trying to fucking hide the relationship😭

he is a strong believer and lover of that certain thing called "privacy"

so if you ever mention anything about making your relationship public to him he's gonna be like "no NO NUH UH NO CHANCE DEFINITELY NOT"

he's only considering it once you're married in like. 10 years or so.

but he wants to marry you so🤭🤭🤭 a win is a win

he's so glad that both of you are still going to school & that u're in the same class

he can spend time with you without it being suspicious!!

classmates spending time together makes sense after all, especially when you're both idols!!

only problem is… bro cannot stop looking at you with those eyes

he doesn't even notice he does that 💀 but even if he wanted to he couldn't STOP

there's so much fondness in his eyes, it's a sight to cry over FOR REAL

gunwook looks at you like you're the most beautiful person in this universe, like you're the only star that matters to him in the nightsky ygm???

he also does that during your perfomances

no singing along, no dancing, his facial features do not move at all, blank face. it's just his eyes that tell the whole truth

fans be like "i want a man that looks at me the way gunwook looks at zumblr's y/n" and he's like "HUHHHHHH 😱"

other than the way he looks at u he's actually pretty good at keeping it a secret!!

acts as if you're only friends in school

he looooooves buying your albums, he's always pulling up with every single version of your newest album

he puts posters from you up in his childhood room. he'd also decorate his dorm room with pictures of you but he has to vlog in there so he can't 😔😔

cutely asks you for autographs from you :DD

"hi y/n can you please sign the photocard? 🥰" he's so adorable it makes you want to cry

he doesn't have a clear phone case SO that means he can always have your (now signed!!) photocard with him and nobody will ever see it <33

HAN YUJIN

i lied!! he also really tries to keep the relationship a secret!

but unlike gunwook he's really bad at it😭

he's so cute but so awkward at the same time

he doesn't make it obvious in a way that everybody immediately knows "oh, yujin and y/n are dating!"

he makes it obvious in the way he so desperately trying to avoid you that everybody immediately knows "there's something going on🤔"

he was on a show and was asked to dance to zumblrs newest song. he panicked and was like "who? oh uhm zumblr of course i know them hahaha! actually i don't know how to dance! uh hanbin hyung do you wanna try instead?"

somebody please save him😭

in case you didn't understand, he actually LIED on that show

he loves learning your dances

always practices them in private and later shows them to you, looking super proud

"look y/n, i actually know how to dance! i look better than you btw! >:)"

he likes teasing you a lot

whenever you post something on instagram, weverse or whatever, he's texting you about it within the first 5 minutes of you posting it

let's say you posted a selfie with a chocolate drink in the background??

he asks you if he should bring you some chocomilk to your next date

he likes to analyze and rate the pictures. is the lightning good, your posing? bro acts like he's your selca teacher

during performances he always stares into nowhere, making himself zone out because he knows he'd only stare at you if he watched your performance😭

instead he's thinking about what to eat for breakfast or the last kdrama he watched

he would really love to BUT he won't talk about you or your group on vlive

he so obviously avoids the topic of your group that it's kind of an inside joke in the fandom that he probably has some kind of beef with you💀

if you two were to be on the same show he honestly wouldn't know how to act fr

bro wouldn't say a word to you. or to anyone. he'd only stare at the ground. PLEASE SAVE HIM AGAIN

[slugtranslation-hypmic]

Hey Slug! Now that all snippets are out, what are your thoughts so far on the BB songs for the 3rd DRB? I'm especially excited for Ichiro's. It reminds me of Hiphoppia but with less intense dream vision feel and more funky back alley hip hop stuff. Jiro's sounds good too tho!

I love anon asks like this that remind me to go look at the new stuff that comes out... I would never think to do it otherwise. Thank you; it's very sweet of you.

Let's fire up the old YouTube and give them a listen.

Ichirou -- H歴維新 / The H Age Revolution

(Side note about the title: I'm using "revolution" here in a general sense, but this specific wording is evocative of the Meiji Restoration, the political revolution in the late 1800s that ended the regime of the Tokugawa shoguns and "restored" the old social order under the emperor while radically transforming Japanese society as a whole. Here, we should understand that Ichirou is tearing down Chuuouku's reign to usher in a new state of society.)

(Fifteen seconds in) YOOO this goes hard. I like this beat and the vaguely military-esque theme w/ the horns.

(At end of preview) DAMN okay. Give me a sec to get my thoughts in order.

Every time I see the language in these songs, I'm reminded of a video of an NHK presenter guy reading the lyrics of one song and announcing dryly, "They're all very good at kanji."

I love how this is much punchier than Break the Wall. Ichirou seems to be much more of an active agent in it, not just the figurehead leader of a revolution--and I LOVE that. It's great to see Ichirou embracing his individuality and not simply playing into the image of MC BB that others want him to be.

I also love all the callbacks to previous songs, quite literally going back to basics. ペンは剣より偽りがない ("The pen is mightier than the sword, and that's a fact!") goes all the way back to Hypmic's very first song's ペンは剣よりヒプノシスマイク ("The Hypnosis Mic is mightier than the sword")

Can't wait to get the full version and learn the lyrics. Seems like a hella fun song to rap.

Jirou -- Sunshine

(Five seconds in) Getting "This Means War" vibes.

(Fifteen seconds in) Bro what is this autotune... This sounds like the opening of Rhyme Anima season 2.

(Forty-five seconds in) "I'm ready; the wind's pushing me along; I'm flying with the wings Ikebukuro's given me" Hell YES Jirou you get that identity independent of Ichirou

(Fifty seconds in) "I can't shake the past. I take my scars with me off into a future--a future that's still unknown." Yo this is bars. (I'm butchering its lyricism but whatever) I love that Jirou is actually acknowledging his past and his struggles instead of pushing it away. You notice how his comments on the past are always either "Ichirou was so cool" or "Saburou used to be such a cute kid; what happened?" ? It's good to see him finally being honest enough to touch on his hurt feelings.

(End) Hmm... I don't know how I feel about this one at first liston. I really like Jirou's voice actor's singing voice, so I'm kinda not feeling the autotune. On the other hand, his singing voice definitely has more of a sweet/young flavor, and I can see the authors wanting to lean away from that to make him sound more adult. I think my issue is this song sounds... idk, a bit too idol pop rock to my tastes. I don't mean that idol pop rock is a bad thing; it's simply not my personal preference.

Here's a selection of people in the comments having a normal one:

"Wtf he's hot now"

"I'm picturing Jirou going to school the day after this song drops and his friends being like 'EYYY' and he's like 'Aw, you listened to it? Thanks, guys!' Then a bunch of girls swarm him and he deadass has no idea what they're on about it"

"Say it isn't so... Not my sweet baby boy dumbass Jirou... They made him hot af..."

"I feel like a mom watching my widdle Jiro-chan grow up"

Saburou -- 朱夏 / Maturity

(Side note about the title: Japanese borrows some terms for stages of life from ye olde Chinese (<- very technical term) wherein stages of life correspond to colors and seasons. You may know the word "seishun" (blue spring) or have seen blue = youth as a recurring piece of imagery in Japanese media. (BSD's Blue Period, anyone?) "Shuka" (red summer) is the stage that encompasses most of adulthood; it's the summer or prime of a person's life. The word conveys a sense of energy and a greater understanding of the world than in the youthful seishun period. Sounds like the Hypmic authors want to convey that our baby boy is growing up! *sobs into a hankie*)

(Five seconds in) Chill lofi hip-hop beats for studying

(End) Hmm... Musically, I liked the piano as a consistent piece of imagery for Saburou. It was a little too chill for me, but I always say this and always warm up to Hypmic songs over time lol.

Lyrically, I kept thinking throughout the video "This would be easy to translate" because Saburou monologues for most of it haha. Apart from the imagery related to seasons and the BB's heat/energy "firing" him up to reach the hot summer of adulthood, most of the song is surprisingly literal and straightforward. Saburou states in plain terms that he wants to go be his own person (seems to be the running theme of this album), but it's a departure from his usual style of complex imagery and vocabulary. I would guess that's on purpose, as the song opens with "All through my childhood, I could never wait to grow up. I'm a better rapper than Ichirou, but no one ever sees me as anything but an accessory to him. At least I'm better than Jirou in every way-- oh, who am I kidding? Look at me going on like an edgy middle schooler. I'm always smart, collected, calm--but on the inside, I'm NOT okay!" That is, Saburou is purposefully throwing away his attempts to look smart and mature for his age. He's allowing himself to be rough and emotional like any fourteen year old.

Really fun start to an album; can't wait to hear all the songs! Thanks again for sending this ask, anon.

[stardustrebels]

This Love Will Carry- A Marcus Pike x f!reader One Shot

Pairing: Marcus Pike x f!reader New Year’s Eve/ Hogmanay One Shot Rating: T/ PG-13. WC: 1k

Tags: Fluffy fluff, Epic NYE kisses, No use of Y/N, No physical descriptions of reader. 

A/N: I had the urge to write something cute for New Year's Eve. I didn’t quite get round to my planned Marcus Pike- in- Edinburgh story I wanted to write this year, and following the news that the Hogmanay Street Party has been cancelled this year due to the weather, I wanted it to live on in spirit through the rose-tinted romanticisation it deserves. I hope you enjoy this hastily written fluffy fic set at Hogmanay! The title is from my favourite Dougie MacLean song, if you fancied a lovely song to accompany your reading! Happy New Year to you when it comes- Lang may yer lum reek! 

The air was crisp, tinged with the unmistakable scent of burnt out sparklers as the clock ticked ever-closer to midnight. The city of Edinburgh had outdone itself for Hogmanay. Thousands of revellers filled the streets, their laughter and cheers blending with the distant strains of music echoing from Princes Street Gardens. Above them, the imposing outline of Edinburgh Castle stood proud, bathed in a soft golden glow. 

Marcus Pike adjusted the scarf around his neck, a nervous habit as much as a shield against the biting cold. You stood beside him, soaking in all the excitement from the other people around you who’d climbed to the top of Salisbury Crags to get a better view of the fireworks, your breath misting in the air as you gazed across the city. 

“I always forget how beautiful it is up here,” you said, looking up at him. He didn’t respond immediately, but his eyes lingered on your profile, illuminated by the glow of torchlight around you from people who had been much more prepared than you two- you’d decided to climb up here impulsively an hour before the bells, encouraged by Marcus on a whim after you’d shared stories about watching the fireworks from there as a child. 

Your cheeks were flushed, whether from the climb in the cold or the whisky you’d shared earlier as you rushed up the hill, he wasn’t sure. 

Marcus managed a small smile, but any words he was about to say caught in his throat at the sight of you. Instead of speaking, he took a moment to let his gaze wander across the scene: the city sprawled below, its lights twinkling like scattered stars. The distant hum of celebration rose to meet the rocky outcrop of the hill. It was breathtaking, yes, but none of it compared to the way you looked right now- he was certain the moment would lose all of its magic if you weren’t in it. 

“Yeah,” he finally said, his voice low and soft, “It’s beautiful.” 

Below, the crowd began to cheer as the countdown to the New Year began, their voices rising in unison, the crowd around you joining in as the sound reached the top of the hill. 

Ten. Nine. Eight.

Slightly out of sync in the most endearing way. You laughed at the sound; a carefree laugh, full of unbridled joy. It was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. You joined in with the count, glancing up at Marcus, the flickering torchlight bathing your face in a gold glow, your eyes reflecting the distant shimmer of the city lights. 

Seven. Six. Five. 

Marcus reached out silently and took your gloved hand in his; any sound would be lost in the swell of the crowd’s excitement. You looked back at him, brows lifting in question. 

Four. Three. 

His free hand cupped your cheek and you leaned in instinctively, breath catching as his thumb brushed against your skin. 

Two. 

Your eyes darted between his, taken aback by the adoration in his gaze. He closed the gap between you, trying to steady himself against the nervous flutter in his chest. You smiled, your breath hitching as you closed the gap. He was so close you could feel his breath, the warmth chasing away the cold against your cheek. 

One. 

Your lips met his as the fireworks burst in to life above you. The sky exploded in a riot of gold, red and green, the light cascading the hilltop in a bright wash of colour, illuminating the crowd that had gathered there. They faded in to the background as you leaned in to the kiss. All that mattered was the warmth of Marcus’ mouth on yours, soft and searching. 

His hand on your cheek steadied you, the scratchiness of his glove a sharp contrast to the tenderness of his touch. The other slid to your waist, tentative at first, then firm as you leaned against him. You could taste the lingering traces of whisky on his lips, the peat and honey mingling with the faint hint of peppermint from the gum he’d obviously been chewing moments before. 

Marcus exhaled against your mouth, although you couldn’t hear it over the sound erupting around you, it felt like a reverent sigh, like he couldn’t quite believe he was kissing you. You felt the tension in his arms ease, the weight of long-standing hesitant longing dissolving in to the kiss. He wasn’t rushing- he kissed you like he had all the time in the world, like the moment could stretch forever if you let it. 

Your hands found their way to the lapels of his coat, clutching the fabric to anchor yourself. When you shifted slightly, deepening the kiss, you felt the faint hitch in his breath. A soft, unspoken plea for more. 

The fireworks above grew louder as the display reached its crescendo, their booming echoes providing the bass drum to the tenor beat of your heart thrumming in your ears. 

When you finally pulled apart, it was only because you needed air. Your foreheads rested together, breaths mingling in the cold, both of you unsteady on your feet. Marcus’ eyes fluttered open, his dark brown eyes meeting yours as he pulled away to look at you properly. 

His gaze was soft, like you were the only other person in the world, the bustling crowd and fireworks forgotten. The torchlight around you flickered across his face, casting shadows over his strong jaw and highlighting the faint pink that dusted his cheeks. His lips were parted, flushed from the kiss. He looked at you like you were something precious, something fragile and irreplaceable, and for a moment, it felt as though the entire city had fallen silent, just for you two.

“Happy New Year!” You exclaimed, joy bubbling over as you kissed his cheek, looking up at him with a smile that was so wide your cheeks were starting to hurt. 

Marcus laughed, his hand still resting against your cheek. He showered your face with kisses until you squealed for him to stop, laughing as out-of-time choruses of Auld Lang Syne began around you. 

“Happy New Year,” he yelled over the singing, pulling you close.

As the fireworks continued to light up the sky around the city, Marcus tightened his hold on you, watching as the pops of colour reflected in your eyes as you smiled up at him. For the first time in a long time, it felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be.

[itsvivace]

— VIVACE . . THE DISCOGRAPHY . . !

VIVACE is a fictional thirteen-member girl group formed by the survival show I-Doll, where seventy contestants competed for a chance to debut in a group under the company I-Teen Media. VIVACE is split into three active sub-units, but today, we’ll be talking about the main group’s music, which has captured the hearts of fans worldwide and solidified them as one of the best Kpop acts of the current generation. VIVACE has stated that they want their music to be reminiscent of the older generations in Kpop and music for girls all around the world to feel empowered by.

— 2019 - 2020 . . ORIGINS OF A SUPERSTAR . .

After the finale of I-Doll, I-Teen Media announced that VIVACE would debut in mid-September, leaving fans in anticipation of their upcoming debut. VIVACE officially debuted on September 17, 2019, with the self-titled mini album “VIVACE” consisting of five tracks, including the title track “Gee!”. VIVACE debuted with 63K album sales and Gee! charted #22 on the global charts within the first 24 hours. Gee!’s cute sound and second-gen influence attracted even more attention to the group, and by the end of the first week, both the title track and album topped the charts at #1.

With their debut a huge success, many waited for VIVACE’s first comeback, announced to be released in December of the same year. On December 12, 2019, their first single album, “QUEENDOM,” was released consisting of three tracks, including the title track, “Royalty.” Royalty captivated fans for its themes of self-love and upbeat lyrics but wasn’t enough to get it to more success than “Gee!” with Royalty charting #48 on global charts and QUEENDOM earning 15K album sales, a lot of netizens were saying VIVACE was one-hit wonders and would end up flopping after this comeback.

VIVACE would take a small break and focus on their sub-unit releases until they came back on July 5, 2020, with their second mini album, “SUMMER VACAY,” which consists of five tracks, counting the title track “Drunk In You”. Despite the low reception of “QUEENDOM”, SUMMER VACAY instantly trended for its catchy songs and fresh sound, which earned the album 98K album sales, and the entire album charted in the top ten on the global charts. SUMMER VACAY was known as the uprising of VIVACE and the start of their international stardom.

By their next comeback, VIVACE had become one of the biggest Kpop acts of 4th Gen, especially with all of the popularity their sub-units were getting. Their third mini album, “PAPARAZZI”, was released on October 24, 2020, with the album consisting of six tracks, including their breakout title track, “RUN”. RUN was a darker, more mature sound than what VIVACE usually did, but it ended up going viral just from the teasers alone, earning the album 283K sales and 8 million views in just the first 24 hours. Fresh off RUN's success, VIVACE released their first digital single, “Ladies Night”, on December 25, 2020, as a Christmas gift to fans. The song charted #2 on Melon and went #1 on global charts.

— 2021 - 2023 . . LIVIN’ IT LIKE A STAR . .

VIVACE took an almost year long hiatus as a group to further focus on sub-unit releases until they finally made a comeback with their first full album, “CELESTE”, on September 17, 2021. CELESTE is a two year anniversary album with thirteen tracks, including the title track, “YES, YOU”. CELESTE introduces a retro theme, which, despite not having done so before, fans say sounds authentically VIVACE. CELESTE sold 1.4 million copies, a huge jump from PAPARAZZI, after gaining an insane number of fans during the group’s hiatus. The entire album charted within the top 20, and the top 5 spots on the charts were all VIVACE. Fans refer to this era as the start of VIVACE’s prime.

With VIVACE releasing only CELESTE in 2021, fans went into 2022 hoping for a release sometime soon; they got their wish when VIVACE released their second full album, “MY IMPACT”, on April 19, 2022. MY IMPACT is an album consisting of 11 tracks along with the title track, “The Boys”, where VIVACE talks about their impact on the kpop industry and also empowers women not to let gender discrimination hold them back from their dreams. MY IMPACT sold almost 9 million copies, the most copies VIVACE has sold to this day, and most of the songs off the album charted within the top 10. MY IMPACT ended up being the most successful era they had so far with them winning Song Of The Year, Artist Of The Year, and almost winning Album Of The Year for 2022.

On November 13, 2022, VIVACE released their fourth mini album, “ALL I ASK”, consisting of six tracks, including the title track, “SAVE ME”. The album has a slower, elegant sound than some of their previous releases, earning the album 7 million album sales and the title track charting #3 in Korea and #9 internationally. ALL I ASK is known as one of VIVACE’s forgotten eras, a lot of fans even think VIVACE themselves don’t remember the album.

As a collaboration project with the Barbie Movie, VIVACE released “Barbie Girl”, their fifth mini album, on June 10, 2023. The album consists of five tracks, including their first English title track, “VALENTINE”. VIVACE promoted the album completely in the United States, and the album sold 7.8 million copies and charted #1 on iTunes. VALENTINE ended up being the end credits song, which attracted even more international fans to the group.

VIVACE’s most recent release, “1-800-LOVERGIRL”, is their second single album, released on December 29, 2023. It consists of three tracks, including the lead title track, “YOUNG LOVE.” 1-800-LOVERGIRL sold 6 million copies, and the title charted #2 on Korean charts and #5 on global charts. As of July 2024, VIVACE has not made any news on a comeback, including with any of their sub-units, leaving fans wondering when VIVACE will make a comeback.

[seospicybin]

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

And happy Alentine's Ay to to anyone who didn't get any V or D on this special day. Eitherway, I have just the 8 fics to make your heart fluttering. (Also, as an effort to beat the allegations that I only write sad fics!)

I curated a playlist of my favorite love songs here 💘

THINNING. Bangchan x reader. (s,f)

It's a classic friends-to-lovers. I surprised myself because I personally thought Chan wouldn't fit that trope. Why? Because I would catch feelings right away without being his friend first. fyi, this fic is inspired by a Reddit thread.

Fave quote: "But people oftentimes hide behind the 'actions speak louder than words' and that makes them okay with love left unsaid. No one is a mind reader. If you love someone, they want you to verbalize how you feel. This is real life, not a chess game."

PEACH. Lee Know x reader. (s, a whole lot of f)

The idea was born from the fact that Minho likes strange smells (e.g gasoline, concrete, etc) and he likes them because they hold certain memories for him. It's a one-shot with a sprinkle of breeding kink. One of my favorite old works of mine and there's a cameo from Soonie.

Fave quote: “You are one ripe, juicy peach,” he said against your lips, “and everybody wants a taste.”

PIED PIPER. Changbin x reader. (s,f)

I think I created a dangerous Changbin in this fic but do I regret it? Not at all. Think of campus bad boy Changbin who knows how to seduce you just right. Seductive and a little messy, just how I like it.

Fave quote: "One more look in the mirror and he gets the assurance that he doesn't need to be insecure about his body, he knows he'll never fit into everyone's standard but he feels good about himself. That's why girls are crazy for him. He is so sure of himself and it shows."

ONE DANCE. Hyunjin x reader. (s,f)

I never wrote a fic this fast. It's smut with a simple plot and not going to lie, I loved it so much. I'm writing the full fic on this from the mc pov, hope I'll be able to release it soon. And oh I recommend listening to Frank Ocean's Pyramid as you read it.

Fave quote: "His worry replaced with the guilt of ever doubting your feelings for him, but on top of that, he feels the happiest to know that you are his. He's indeed so lucky to have your love for free."

DOTING. Han x reader. (s,f)

It's dorky, awkward, and bizarrely cute (?) I got inspired by an episode of Black Mirror that I come back to from time to time. I promise you it has no grim ending, but you'll learn a lot of new random facts from reading it.

Fave quote: "If humans truly are made of star stuff, he believes you are made from the brightest star in the universe because he refuses to believe that he is made of the same thing. As he stares at your body he changes his mind almost immediately, he believes you are made of outer space and he wants to explore."

GODSPEED. Felix x reader. (s,f,a)

It tells about a relationship that forces one to be out of its comfort zone. I tried to capture every bit of Felix in it and it's my favorite Felix fic second close to Twin Flame. I know there's angst in it but trust me, the pain is worth it in the end.

Fave quote: "You can’t stay stagnant in a relationship just because it feels comfortable. You were too comfortable and that was why the space scared you both."

ONE PROPOSITION. Seungmin x reader. (s,f)

Do you also think that love is just... yuck??? If yes, then let Seungmin change your mind. It's cute but not on the cringe side (or I hope so) it's rom-com worthy and Seungmin is so Seungmin in it with his square shoulders and he's a good kisser and and and...

Fave quote: "Love is some hocus pocus shit, got you completely bewitched."

MILK. I.N x reader. (s,f)

Just like the title itself, a love story that is so simple and sweet. It doesn't have, let's say, 'the happiest of ending' but I like it how it is. A love that asks nothing, it's as pure as milk.

Fave quote: "They remind me that there are still some innocence and purity in this world. And the way they see the world with so much curiosity and full of wonder, I wish I could relive that again,” he said with a sigh.

“To experience everything for the first time all over again,” you added while looking up at the blue sky."

-

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Remember that the greatest love of all is the love you have for yourself, or that's what the one Celine Dion song taught me. ily 🤟🏻💘

[amaryria]

Since we all voted for countryhuman stuff from me.. i.. feel awkward making it but a playlist of songs, and specifically for austria? Anyday everyday yes (calm down we are ADDING OTHER COUNTRIES TO THE MIX. calm down)

Behold. A fridging playlist of songs that i gave to some random countries who i made inaccurate lore—countryhumans (but, always you can imagine im yapping in hetalia(n))

things might be changed + added or removed but take it for now, and indulge in AHHHHH VOCALOID AHHHH PROJECT SEKAI AHHHH

Twilight Light: now i feel like erm. austria, germany, switzerland, poland and hungary :3 i mean, therapy songs for the win!

Jackpot Sad Girl: oh boy. I havent listened to thjs in decades but i think it'd be reflecting austria's TERRIBLE FATHER being a big ahh harming him (forcing to med school?!??) and hungary probably trying to protect him(?) so. yeah

Usseewa: oh. Easy one im gonna give it to germany and austria—overworked woman and tired man?? i meannn.. ahahah :3

Odo: hungary, for some reason i guess?? he really likes pop music in my au.. and maybe poland could be in this YEAHHHH

Cantarella: now this one i've thought for a while, perhaps austria and serbia or bavaria (because princess sisi) and theyre waltzing YEAHHH (i like the miku symphony one tbh)

Cute Girlfriend: serbia and austria. immediately. and bavaria probably i think its self explanatory

(in my au austria-hungary is a political marriage of austria and hungary, except hungary exists in the mind, austria married to bavaria but hungary is SINGLE AS fridge :3) and then, after 1914 and stuff and.. like too many ages serbia was dating austria; bavaria acknowledges their relationship; and serbia doesnt rlly care but yk

Samsa: It's based off Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis (i havent read it), and since it features apples in the pjsk 2dmv.. why not germany? I guess snow white being emo

Kimi no Yoru wo Kure: I debated this for a while, but its between switzerland and poland.. its therapy song number two again

Bitter Chocolate Decoration: switzerland has been dumped so much so ill hand this over to her, only because it says chocolate in the song title LOL

Shoujo Rei: switzerland again, because in my au she reincarnates and during her first life ie old swiss confederacy she was treated terribly. but hey habsburg netherlands was dating her (switzerland cant remember him and so, yeah shes kind of lovesick LOL) and also, maybe austria and liechtenstein are in this

[dustedmagazine]

RXM Reality — No 1 in the World (Hausu Mountain)

Somewhere at the core of No 1 in the World there is pop. Chicago producer Mike Meegan, aka RXM Reality, buries it deep beneath slabs of distortion, glitched out percussion, processed vocals and meatgrinder effects. Still, it wriggles and writhes through the cracks to lie exhausted on the surface, grains swept into semblances of songs besmeared with dirt. A punishing record for punitive times. 24 short pieces mashed into an hour’s worth of hell’s radio with Meegan as host, toaster and deconstructor in chief. Ill, angry, ugly as sin? All that, yes, and as thrilling for its brutalism as for the compositional and conceptual intelligence at play. As you listen to what at first feels like an onslaught of noise, shapes begin to form. Snatches of metal, industrial, indie and punk coalesce across the electronic demolition site. Meegan places his voice to the fore, positing himself and his guests Fire-Toolz on “So Little Relief” and Deli Girls on “American Pie” as anti-heroes of an alternative musical universe.

Meegan toys with rock signifiers and cliches both in his song titles and music. The aforementioned “American Pie” for instance sounds like one of Jim Thirwell’s early efforts under his Foetus moniker. A deliberately viscous deconstruction of an already confrontational music. The vocals fried and screaming against drums that smash like piledrivers teetering then toppling. No graceful meandering mythmaking here. “Blackout” plays out like a classic “got so pissed last night” punk song as sung by a particularly gnarly Al Jorgenson. The guitars churn like a gut full of booze, the drums are a pounding headache and yes, it sounds like another hungover morning. “I want to send you every cute thing I see” finds Meegan in 1990s indie mode albeit with a fuzz of distortion that might well scare off his intended. Lovely.

No 1 in the World may not be for everyone but its invigorating to listen to someone just go for it with faith in what they’re doing. RXM doesn’t not give a shit what you think but he demands you come to him. He tosses out a few filthy crumbs as marks but it’s up to the listener to follow. So go on. As the French kids used to say, “Beneath the cobblestones, the beach!”

Andrew Forell

[ru-bwee]

PROJECT SEKAI 4TH ANNIVERSARY NEWS UN-LIVE REACTION / WARNING THIS IS EXTREMELY LONG

there doing it on stage at the thanks festival?? my cod i dont really care about the winning costumes so supernova . hi miku yuri

SO BURN MY BURN MY HEART!! (news intermission started)

large crowd of people screaming wondahoi, life is beautiful

BRAND NEW YOUR WORLD!! I LOVE YOU PROJECT SEKAI!!

NEW CAMPAIGN INGAME STAMP THINYG??? I SEE A LEONEED WISH JEWEL??? UNIT ONLY WISH JEWELS?? RAINBOW SKILL BOOK??? ALSO THIS IS OUTFIT IS SO SO PRETTY

develop reading skills for free gacha tickets?? yes ma'am!!!

NO WAY. THERE ADDING ALL THE MISSING ONES IN ONE GO. ALSO NEW KIZUNA TITLE!! MIZUKI AND MAFUYU FAN!!!!

there gonna announce mizukis been exploded and is gonna be removed from the game or something 140 GACHA TICKETS FOR FULL COMBOING? ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTY??

AUTOLIVE FOR CHALLENGE LIVES I LOVE EVERYTHING. ALSO RAISING THE CHALLENGE STAGE YOU CAN REACH BEFORE EX IS EVIL.. I WANNA SEE MIZUKI EX RANK :(

project sekai online crystal store no way LOL

character rank raise..!

LIVE BONUS ENERGY CAP TO 999 I LOVE YOU PROJECT SEKAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

more exp.. lets go mizumafu rank 66

bloomfes members get 70% event bonus. lets all kill ourself NOBODY WANTS THESE CHANGES??

LIM GACHA STAMPS FOR 50 GEMS. IM SO BACK. (person who has like 40 of them)

oh god there merging the birthday gacha reprints in 2025...

WHAT IS THISSS?

PROJECT SEKAI HOUSING OH MY GOD LOL

PROJECT SEKAI ANIMAL CROSSING

THEY JUST CASUALLY ANOUNCE PROJECT SEKAI ANIMAL CROSSIN BASICALLY?? WHAT THE HELL??

you ask "how can they top the 3rd anniversary it was so good!!" Game. Whole game inside a game.

YOU CAN DISPLAY UR CARDS IN THE HOME!! IM JUST GONNA HAVE A MIZUKI FILLED HOUSE

MIZUSAKI KIZUNA!! LETS GO PINKS!

we can now gamble for items in pjsk with the new tickets ive always wanted to gamble more

FIVE FOUR STAR TICKETS FOR BEGINNERS??

you cant make this stuff up theres a chance if enough people vote for it you can get 30 L cans for free

MORE MORE JUMP HAVE LITTLE PUPPIES ON THERE COSTUMES HEAD. OH MY GOD. SO CUTE!!

ARE NIGHTCORDS OUTFITS ALICE IN WONDERLAND THEMED??

RUI BLOOMFES!! NENE FOCUS??????

MY MIZUMAFU CRUMBS I WIN

THE REAL LIFE SHOWS ON YT FOR A LIMITED TIME..

MESMERIZERRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MEIKO 15TH ANNIVERSARY SONG!!! WXS REINCARNATION APPLE!! GOD THEY NEED A 2DMV FOR THIS IMMEDIATLY.. THE REINCARTIONS AS PAST SHOWS.. BLACKJACK!!! MOVIE TRAILER? OH MY GOX ITS THE SONG ITS THE SONG

I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THAT IS!! BUT IT RINGS A BELL!! ALSO OH MYGOG THE TEASERS MIZU5 MIZU5 MIZU5

THE FIRST TEASER SONG SOUNDS SO GOOD BUT THE NUMBER COLOR SEEMS LIKE EMU...

(JUST TRANSLATED IT) OH MY GO D ITS CAMILLIA??????/ THEY COMMISSIONED CAMILLIA

mizu5 oh ym go gofkgnifjMZIUK5I 55 MIZU 5 MIZU 5 MIZU 5

Its akito again NO FUCKING WAYY

OH MY COD AN WE STILL HAVE THE MOVIE TRAILER

oh my fish is she the miku of painful feelings..

AND THERE GETTING CUSTM OUTFITS?? HELLO??

SHES SO PRETTY AHAHh

MIZUMAFU ARE NEXT TO EACHOTHER

(with head in hands) i am so normal

[livvyofthelake]

now that we’ve been sitting on it for four months i need to rank the tortured poets department for real… it means nothing to rank an album two days after it comes out like that’s pointless fr let’s take this seriously

guilty as sin. this is an insane song. unfortunately i read a book the week this album came out and this song is permanently attached to that book in a small part but as we all know i did my absolute best to remain chill neutral and only weird about tsc at the time of this album drop so it all balanced out in the end and none of the songs are particularly associated with anything cringe. except two. but not this one i only brought up the book because it’s a little bit associated. you understand. the song is a slay of epic proportions on its own of course. i’ve mentally made this one about so many fictional guys it’s crazy… we have fun huh

my boy only breaks his favorite toys. this one was my instant favorite she’s not going anywhereeeee

but daddy i love him. some people don’t understand it but i do… i love her…

the alchemy. honestly? who are we to fight the alchemy…. literally!!!!

the albatross. sort of like who’s afraid of little old me if it was a song i liked more!

so high school. what more is there to say than truth dare spin bottles you know how to ball i know aristotle brand new full throttle touch me while your bros play grand theft auto it’s true swear scouts honor you knew what you wanted and boy you got her brand new full throttle you already know babe…

florida. cunty! florence + the machine!

the black dog. aforementioned two songs. well we knew this would be one. like we knew that the whole time. what could i possibly have done to save this one… genuinely what could i possibly have done. we saved the album in time i know but i mean. we all knew this track was a goner. nothing to be done. it’s a great song though like genuinely let’s be honest… one out of 31 is a great ratio. april 18th me was expecting a much worse percentage tbh

down bad. i just like it :)

who’s afraid of little old me. mildly over saturated. but kinda deserved the hype she slays

fresh out the slammer. one of aforementioned two songs that kinda got ruined. this song is about cbs drama fire country forever there’s nothing to be done. it’s not a huge loss this song is a little mid if i’m being honest. i think it’s too short i don’t fuck with it heavily

fortnight. my husband is cheating!! i wanna kill him!!!!

the prophecy. song that makes you cry…

the smallest man who ever lived. crazy ass bridge. rest of the song. well.

i can fix him (no really i can). i like that this song title is formatted like a fanfiction title that’s a lyric to a taylor swift song…

imgonnagetyouback. like. cute fun song sure yes. cannot get it out of my head that me personally if i had asked for writing credits from olivia rodrigo on a song that sounded nothing like my song, i personally would not have released this. me personally…

how did it end. crazy song that makes you go damn her life suckssss for real… yikes!

i can do it with a broken heart. not even a bad song it’s just the popular one with swifties and i hear it all the time without my consent.

the tortured poets department. can i be honest. sometimes taylor swift writes songs that would be awesome if not for one utterly batshit ridiculous lyric that embarrasses me so bad i can’t even fuck with the song. this has happened many times she’s an embarrassing celebrity to like everyone knows this. it’s not even the “you smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate we declared charlie puth should be a bigger artist” that’s actually fine. it’s what comes directly after that. “i scratch your head you fall asleep like a tattooed golden retriever” taylor. 😐 i can’t. i can’t even talk about this actually. also i can’t stand the lucy dacus and jack antonoff name drop lyrics at all like taylor please stop embarrassing me….

i do not actively listen to any of the other ones anymore so i just didn’t include them because why would i rank songs i don’t even listen to let’s take this seriously… they’re fine. the only one i might describe as a song i actively dislike is chloe or sam or sophia or marcus. like i do not care for that one at all

[crowdvscritic]

round up // JUNE 24

This post is late 'cause I'm a writer, Though Austin Butler's cute in The Bikeriders, Who didn’t have time for post creation Before my big summer vacation. And it marks the 12th year Of this little blog now. With a 283rd post, I’ve know I got it down. Too bad anxiety don't do it for ya, John Wayne, he dream came trued it for ya, Bad Boys rebooted up for ya. Now I’m singin' Sabrina all night, oh, Is it that sweet? I guess so. Type it up, down, left, right, oh, Switch it up like Nintendo. Crowd vs. Critic, I know That's that me espresso

June Crowd-Pleasers

1. Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

The fourth Bad Boys is functioning on three levels: 

It reminds us just how fun buddy cop comedies can be.

It’s a soft reboot of the franchise. 

It’s testing the waters for Will Smith’s future.

Read my full review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10

2. “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter (2024)

It may be technically too early to call the race for Song of the Summer, but it’s going to take a major earworm to dethrone Sabrina Carpenter’s caffeinated pop hit for me. I’ve started playing it on repeat and daydreaming dance routines while driving—is it that sweet? I guess so.

3. Inside Out 2 (2024)

This sequel works because t’s a logical next step for Riley’s growth, but also because of its precision in identifying the competing emotions of middle school. That’s a lovely subversion of the neat endings in most family entertainment, and like most every Pixar entry, it did make me cry. Read my full review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

4. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (2019)

The narrator—a cousin of Arrested Development's—informs us this is a story about a bank robbery gone wrong. It’s also a story about realtors, falling in love, rabbits, therapy sessions, bedroom closets, police work, bridges, and strange coincidences. It’s a laugh-out-loud ensemble (with some scenes so non sequitur I could imagine them in the best Adam McKay movies) and a sentimental rom-com (with some scenes reminiscent of Nora Ephron’s tone). 

5. Behind Enemy Lines (2001)

This action movie based on a true story more than lives up to its title. When Owen Wilson’s cocky Navy pilot gets caught, yes, behind enemy lines, he then, yes, has to go through a Top Gun-inspired arc. But neither Wilson nor Gene Hackman are phoning in what could’ve been a paint-by-numbers war film, which makes it both thrilling and poignant. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 7.5/10

MORE JUNE CROWD-PLEASERS // House Rules by Myquillyn Smith (2023) isn’t the restricting guide the title suggests but a collection of 100 decorating inspirations // Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) make me miss Adam McKay’s true comedy days, when his political views made his jokes more poignant instead of overwhelming the intent of his script // Poms (2019) is a fun entry in the recent trend of Older Screen Lady Legends Doing It For Themselves subgenre (See also: 80 for Brady) // I.S.S. (2023) is more thoughtful than a junkie space thriller needs to be // In the Land of Saint and Sinners (2023) is a classic Western that just happens to be set in Ireland // Snack Shack (2024) is more crass than I prefer, but what works has American Graffiti vibes

June Critic Picks

1. The Bikeriders (2024)

It’s like Austin Butler overheard Robert Redford say, “Paul Newman and I are the handsomest white men who have ever been on screen,” and he said, “Hold my comb.” Butler knows he’s beautiful, and so does writer/director Jeff Nichols, who based The Bikeriders on a book of photography. Nichols also knows how cool guys in leather jackets look while smoking and riding motorcycles (even if we consciously know all of those things are dangerous clichés) and that it takes someone as gorgeous as Butler to make us believe a skeptical woman like Jodie Comer’s Kathy would sell her soul to have him. It’s one of best films of the year so far, and you can hear more thoughts in my review on KTRS's Carney Show. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 9.5/10

2. Double Feature - ‘40s Rom-Coms With With Political Twists: Without Reservations (1946) + State of the Union (1948)

In Frank Capra’s State of the Union (Crowd: 7.5/10 // Critic: 8.5/10), Spencer Tracy is considering running for President of the United States with the help of lover Angela Lansbury and to the chagrin of wife Katharine Hepburn. In Mervyn LeRoy’s Without Reservations (8/10 // 8.5/10), famous author Claudette Colbert is road-tripping incognito (much like she did in It Happened One Night) after falling hard for returning soldier John Wayne. In both romances, politics are the force driving apart the couples we’re rooting for, and in Reservations, you also get a perfect rom-com BFF in Don DeFore. 

3. The Cross of Lorraine (1943)

About the same time Casablanca came out, Peter Lorre played a supporting role in another World War II adventure filmed as people were escaping the Nazis in real life. This French POW drama (also co-starring Gene Kelly) walked so that Steve McQueen could jump that motorcycle in The Great Escape. Crowd: 7.5/10 // Critic: 8/10

4. Broadcast News (1987)

What’s a girl to do when she has no time to write a valedictorian speech? And what’s a girl to do when she has to choose between two terrible love interests while working in the world of TV journalism? In ep. 140 of SO IT’S A SHOW?, Kayla and I are digging into the ‘80s romantic dramedy Broadcast News and trying to figure out what the hey it has to do with Rory’s graduation in Gilmore Girls. Why is Lorelai comparing Rory to Holly Hunter? What ethical controversy (if you can even call it that) could make Holly Hunter break up with a dreamy news anchor? And how much do we love The Incredibles? Listen in for a special report on all of these stories.

5. Fancy Dance (2023)

Part mystery, part character drama, all Lily Gladstone star power. Fancy Dance overlaps in plot and theme with Killers of the Flower Moon, but Gladstone has created a completely different character stuck in a world of crime and custody battles. Watch my full review on KMOV. Crowd: 7/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

Also in June…

I reviewed Janet Planet for ZekeFilm, which was the opposite of Snack Shack: On paper it's a film I should've loved, but I didn't care for the execution.

Photo credits: Anxious People. All others IMDb.com.

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals: Moana Medley

For the second part of this series of mine, we're going with Voiceplay's most popular video on YouTube (and Facebook) ever: their Moana Medley! Released on the 19th of August, 2017 (just a few days shy of Geoff's 37th birthday), it currently has over 44 million views on Youtube, and it truly is impressive in its arrangement and vocal performance. But I'm not here to talk about vocals, I'm here to talk about the visual stuff! So let's go!

Group shot! I love how Rachel is wearing a cute red(?) tropical dress, and the others... barely even try with their outfits 😂

Layne is wearing long pants (or three-quarters at least), but he's at least wearing a "surf Cali" shirt, so there was at least some thought in it. Earl I will allow, as he's just kinda got Beach vibes here ngl (I think it's at least partially the hair). Eli kinda looks more like he's ready to go play golf, and Geoff is wearing a hoodie! Geoff, dude... 😅

I was thinking about this video a while ago and was like "wait, who did J play again?" and then I had to remind myself "oh right, this was before he had become a full-time member (for about 3 or 4 years) (but after Tony left the group to focus more on Pattycake Productions and behind-the-scenes stuff)

Kind of a lucky coincedence that this video was the one that introduced a lot of people to Voiceplay (before Oogie Boogie's Song at least), since they actually tell you in the video who everyone is and who they're representing from the movie.

"How many pounds of sand did we use to create our fake beach?" Voiceplay asks in the description. I don't know, but i'm guessing Quite A Lot.

Consider the COCONUT! (the WHAT?) Consider its treeeee!

(Voiceplay assured fans via video description that no coconuts were harmed in the filiming of this video 😋)

I said in another post that I was really tempted to do a thing studying the way Geoff's hair has changed over time and the various styles it has taken, and screw it, I'm doing it via this series! And this is what I mean by it:

A quick trace over a screencap (using a drawing app I have on my laptop), plus a few colour-picks from his hair (because I swear the shade of brown changes a lot just from the lighting alone). Anyway, we continue onwards!

Shoutout to Geoff's expression on "that's right!" from the opening song, Where You Are, love this boy

Who did the waves? Was that Kathy? (She's done puppeteering for other videos, such as Get Back Up Again). It's very cute, love the dedication

Rachel as Moana? Yeah nah yeah you don't say! 😂

"HEY!"

(Okay yes a lot of this is just going to be me pointing out amusing moments, but Voiceplay really know how to be funny, and I'm having fun, so eh)

Eli is underrated when it comes to comedic moments tbh, and also the king of Eyebrow Game (Geoff's a close second)

Well that answers my question about Earl's upper arm tattoo from the This Is Halloween video, anyway! (I.e. it is apparently real)

Layne was in charge of both the music arrangement and the video for this cover, so like, did he cast himself as Hei Hei? 😂 He could have been "Mini Maui", who is another nonspeaking character, but would have made more sense for his singing/rapping bit, but hey, don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing! He makes a great Hei Hei 😁

(Also the fact that Layne's character card thing is orange, and this was before he earned the title of Carrot Lord! The foreshadowing!)

Geoff just deadpan handing a coconut to Layne, love that (also what is it with Voiceplay and nearly every single video screencap looking like a great Draw The Squad/Tag Yourself prompt? 😂

"Get the hook! Geddit?"

Geoff with not-yet-shoulder-length hair (i.e. Younger Geoff) is a different vibe to long-haired Geoff honestly. I very much love him as he is today, of course I do, but I still very much enjoy him here too <3

It's a freaking crime that they cut away from Geoff on the "I can't" part of the "I'll never hide, I can't, I'm too shiny!" line tbh /j

Geoff wears a watch a lot in videos (and since the last few years at least, he usually has something on the other wrist too), but for this video he apparently decided to not wear a more regular black or brown watch, and instead went with something a lot more, well, Shiny! (low-key drama queen vibes ngl, love that for him)

The "Know Who You Are" section is absolutely beautiful in every single way, 10/10, no notes

Love Rachel's dancing, she's a brilliant performer, both on mic and in front of the camera!

This might not be one of the biggest displays of "hey check out what I/we can do!" for any of the Voiceplay members out of all their videos, when it comes to vocal ranges and stuff, but it's still a great one to watch, and I'm happy that it did so well on social media! It's got the playfulness and silliness that has always been and continues to be part of Voiceplay's overall "brand", while still being a really good production and arrangement.

[sollucets]

@troubled-mind's 5 ql songs tag ✨

When you get this, list 5 songs from the Asian QL shows that you actually listen to. 🎶They do not have to be custom-made for the series. 🎶Non-western tracks only. Let's support Asian music and languages! 🎶Feel free to tag anyone who may be interested in participating. 🎶Add #5qls tag to your post for others to find the new favourites!

i'm not sure who to tag (maybe @hoppipolla my other Music Mutual; no pressure 💜) i hope i've done this right; let's go!

boun - your smile / between us

actually all of the between us osts they released post-series & their mvs slap, so it was really really hard to pick one. (regular ost good also,💜 u boy sompob). please also consider prem's it's always you & yacht&o's unexpectedly (yacht is such a good singer?????) but this one's my favorite. it's just so peppy and cute :')

coldin - romantic devil / semantic error

i went into this tag game knowing it'd ruin any chance of people thinking i am an Obscure Music Liker:tm:. yes my choices are popular but it's okay. romantic devil slaps so hard you guys there's just no getting around it. i highly recommend it for pretending u are in a music video while shopping, it's a really good soundtrack for that (also this live clip??? 💜💜💜)

khaotung - over the moon / the eclipse

look. look what did you expect

(to be clear my favorite khaotung song is actually never too late, but i haven't seen 55:15, so i can't in good conscience put that on here. listen to it it's so good)

i listened to over the moon prior to watching the series actually, courtesy of my spotify recs, and i do just really like it. there's a pretty decent chance it's gonna be in my top 10 in spotify later this year, i'd say. i love how echoey & vibey it is

gemini - hook / my school president

this is the best msp song don't @ me. sorry rock & star it is pretty close, but not that close. i always like a song like this that is about other songs (hozier's almost / sweet music too, ex); it suits tinn's character and the themes of the episode it's introduced in and it's just a very pretty song. gemini has such a nice high singing voice

beverly - andante hourglass / our dining table

i don't think i've seen it like, listed as that english title, but that's what sunadokei means. the ending theme of bokushoku is on kat's original list and also very very good, so a secondary add here, but i really like this op. her voice is very pretty & the song is bouncy and cute, and the lyrics meaning is so..... soft. about a slow-moving hourglass and the precious, dreamlike time we have, and that even when it runs out itll be okay. share all your sorrows and happiness as much as possible [cries a little]

bonus: gawin caskey's cover of bird thongchai's fog or smoke / dark blue kiss

gawin is the only bl guitar boy i'll defend to the death. ill defend some others but not to the death). this scene in dbk.... i actually stopped & went hunting for the original song (a banger!) bc i just really enjoyed his voice & how well the song & the ensuing conversation suited mork.

here's a full cover from a fanmeet with podd (although beware the audio quality and, bless him, podd joining in)

(also ALSO dbk's opening has such memorable violins i had to say something. its so catchy)

[toomuchracket]

I love the angst but flatmate au has sooo much domestic potential.. movie nights where they cuddle up bc the flat is so cold, its just smarter to not run up the heat!! Making dinner together and dancing around the kitchen, matty being annoying and stealing bites of everything before the food is actually done… accidental sleepovers where the two stay up late in your room listening to a new record and then waking all tangled up together in bed ……….. im so normal about this (also youre so right this is DEF self titled/2013 matty)

absolute yes to all of this... matty runs like a furnace and you're always freezing so snuggling up together is literally the best thing in the world for both of you. also speaking of saving money, matty has absolutely suggested in total sincerity that the two of you should shower together - platonically - and use up less hot water (but then he thought about you all naked and soapy and it nearly killed him), to which you (also nearly dying thinking about watching water droplets run down his chest) responded by saying that the amount of hair you guys both have would clog the shower drain so badly that neither of you would be able to shower ever again, so that was that idea shot down. with dinner, i think you guys have quite a good system going on with knowing who's doing what and when, but matty definitely chances it when he gets impatient and hungry and starts fully eating the food when you ask him to taste it, dancing away from you with the spoon to whatever song you have on (but he's so cute that you can't really be angry at him. besides, he offers to do the dishes).

accidental sleepovers are my absolute fave like he comes into your room one night with an ipod (tbt) full of the band's demos and offers you an earbud to listen and give feedback and it's just so so special for him to see you appreciate and be a bit in awe of these songs he's written (a few of which are about or inspired by you!) and playing with your friends (because of course you know and love the guys). and like after you've listened you just snuggle into him and say "i'm really proud of you, you know" and fall asleep on his chest and he thinks his heart might burst and falls asleep there too. and it isn't really even that awkward the next morning because you're both just so enamoured by the really special time you had the night before that you both kinda just go "aww that was cute" and go about your day as normal (but yearn for it to happen again) <3

[ghostfacetheballfondler]

Gonna send these as full questions and not just emojis bc ik its annoying to keep looking back to answer them lmao :3

💛 - Let's hear an opinion that is either unpopular in the community or not talked about at all in the community!

🤍 - Do you have any other disorders or neurodivergencies? Do they affect how you experience NPD?

💝 - Tell me something interesting about yourself!

💖 - Are there any characters, shows, songs, etc that are NPD moods?

🫀 - Do you have any misdiagnoses or other disorders that therapists originally thought your NPD presented as?

🦷 - Do you have any stories about your experience with the medical field that are funny, interesting, or frustrating that you'd like to tell?

❤️‍🩹 - What coping skills, tips, tricks, or therapy techniques have you found most helpful?

ty for the ask

💛 - unpopular opinion? uhhhh fuck this is hard. i'm super conflicted on recovery for my npd. like on one hand yes this is hurting me but on the other hand "i am not giving up my superiority complex so i can live a lie" (that "lie" is that i'm *not* superior to 99% of people, lol). so would i like healthy coping mechanisms? of course. but idk if i would ever want some parts of my npd to ever go away

🤍 - yup, have 'em in my pinned post. they all affect my npd a lot, sometimes npd vs. autism vs. adhd is impossible to distinguish between eachother lol. my MaDD is super funny cuz i'll spend days on end daydreaming about being rich and famous and ect. while refusing to take care of my basic needs lol

💝 - i have so many fun facts about myself it is unreal, i'll go to my favorite one. i almost had to get jaw reconstruction surgery when i was 11. i had such an overbite that none of my teeth touched. but i ended up getting headgear instead. i still have an overbite, albeit way less noticeable, but i think it is cute

💖 - goro akechi from persona 5 is so relatable. he's like my cousin <3 there's a song i really like that i associate with npd (i wrote a fanfic with the lyrics as the title, said fanfic was my npd awakening), which is possum kingdom by the toadies, but idk if it counts as an npd mood to anyone but myself

🫀- uhhh nope. never been diagnosed with any mental disorders

🦷- when i was 11 i got therapy for social anxiety but i stopped going for 2 reasons: going to therapy triggered my anxiety and i felt like my therapist was a dumbass who couldn't understand my more superior brain. and then my social anxiety just kinda vanished when i was 12 (no idea how that happened)

❤️‍🩹- don't think i'm the best at coping tbh lol. i mean i'm very good at preventing narc crashes, if i feel one coming on i just go get some praise via discord vent channels or go through old dms with my friends (so i can remember how awesome and perfect i am lol)