#Zack Lee

[okaysonny]

make it like your birthday every day ╏ crystal choi

ᯓ★ summary: crystal's birthday coincides with her time of grieving.

ᯓ★ details: angst, no reader, the whole gang appears :p spoilers for 516!

ᯓ★ wc: 1.1k

ᯓ★ A/N: because i miss my diva okay?🙄 hello fellow crystal enthusiasts :3 (i said next fic would be zack and johan but i'm still working on that! enjoy this in the meantime 🙏🏽)

divider: @thecutestgrotto

crystal is used to the silence.

her house, though grand and luxurious, is eerily quiet. it's always been empty in a way — filled with the kind of wealth that couldn’t replace love. but since her father's death, the quiet had grown unbearable.

i need space. she tells herself. to think. to process. to figure out what her life should look like without her father's shadow looming over it.

so when her phone lights up with a message, her first instinct was to ignore the pings like usual. however, the words made her pause.

(1) New Message - 2:43 PM Zack Lee EMERGENCY!!! MEET US AT THE CAFÉ ASAP! IT'S IMPORTANT!

her brows furrow. strange. she barely talks to zack. if he's texting her out of the blue, it must be urgent, right?

she finds herself getting up before she considers further. if she can be of help, she should. no matter how difficult it feels right now.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

the café is bustling when she arrives, the hum of conversation and the clatter of dishes filling the air. crystal hesitates at the door, scanning the room for any sign of zack...or daniel, she secretly hopes. her chubby body always draws attention - never the good kind. and today, she feels particularly self-conscious, not bothering to dress up or brush her hair properly.

jace is behind the counter, wiping a mug. his eyes widen slightly when he spots her, but he shoots a small smile as if he'd been expecting her, before resuming back to his task. strange indeed. she spots zack sitting at a big table nearby, waving frantically.

“finally!” he says as she slides into the seat across. “we’ve been waiting forever”

“we?” crystal glances around. it's just zack. “what’s this about?”

“just wait a second” zack says, grinning mischievously - like he's in on some big secret.

crystal narrows her eyes. “if this is some kind of prank—”

before she can finish, the door swings open. daniel, jay, vasco, zoe, mira, and even eli. crystal blinks in confusion as they approach, each of them holding something — balloons, a cake, even a clumsily wrapped gift. they all look so...different from the last time she'd seen them.

“surprise!” they all shout.

crystal freezes. “what?”

“it’s your birthday, isn’t it?” daniel says, sitting down. not quite the daniel she hoped to see, but still daniel nonetheless.

crystal blinks at the sight before her, her mind struggling to connect the dots. she didn't tell anyone. she’d assumed no one would remember, let alone go to this much trouble. for a moment, she's speechless. they stand around a small cake, candles flickering gently, the faint scent of vanilla wafting around them.

eli and vasco were holding a banner spelling out "happy birthday crystal!" in uneven letters. maybe it's her imagination, but she swears she sees the slightest flush on eli's cheeks as he smiles gently at her.

"you guys did this...for me?" her voice is barely above a whisper. her gaze sweeps over the group, taking in their proud smiles.

"of course we did!" daniel grins from ear to ear.

crystal’s throat tightens. she's not used to this. people don’t usually go out of their way for her — at least, not without expecting something in return. and she certainly didn't expect it from them.

she takes a shaky breath, her fingers brushing the edge of the table as if to ground herself. "i…i don’t know what to say" she finally manages.

zoe chimes in, her eyes sparkling. "you don’t have to say anything! we just want to wish you happy birthday!"

“...happy birthday crystal” mira says softly, placing the cake in front of her.

crystal stares at it, a faint blush creeping up her face. she hadn’t blown out a birthday candle in years. it feels…childish. silly. but as she sees the faces of her friends — genuine and warm — it doesn't feel that way at all.

“...thank you everyone” she says, her own smile beginning to form.

“make a wish!” vasco exclaims, clapping his hands excitedly.

she hesitantly leans in, closing her eyes, before blowing out the candle. the group erupts into cheers, and for the first time in ages, crystal laughs. a real, unguarded laugh.

as they settle in together, sharing stories and cake, crystal feels the weight on her chest begin to lift. she hadn’t realised how much she’d missed this —missed them.

towards the end of the celebration, as they begin cleaning up, daniel leans over to her. “we want to remind you” he says softly, “that you’re not alone crystal. we’re here for you”

she doesn't respond right away, the words settling in deep. he didn't even mention her father. no "we're sorry for your loss" or anything. just those kind words.

“thanks daniel” she says quietly.

as crystal walks home, the gift bag dangles from her fingers, a tangible reminder of today's events. her heart feels lighter, though confusion still lingers at the edges.

she didn’t confide in anyone about her grief. it's not like she doesn't trust them. she just doesn't know how. she never felt particularly close to them, or to anyone, really. relationships had always felt…conditional, built on utility or convenience. that's the world she grew up in.

and yet, they had gone through all this trouble for her. for her birthday. a day she hadn’t even thought worth celebrating.

she frowns, her grip tightening slightly on the bag. why? what did she do to deserve this kind of effort? she hadn’t been much of a friend lately. she pushed them away, didn't respond to messages, and holed herself up at home. she didn’t ask for their help. she didn’t expect it. and still, they’d shown up.

none of them can possibly comprehend the life she lives — the weight of being charles choi’s daughter, the expectations, the secrets, the overwhelming sense of isolation.

...and her two bodies. something she can never confess. how can anyone understand what it feels like to live two lives in one?

her gaze falls to the pavement, her steps slowing.

but then, maybe they don't need to understand.

maybe it doesn't matter if they can’t grasp the complexities of her life, or the bizarre, otherworldly reality of her two forms. because today, none of that matters. they had been there, not because they know her struggles, but because they care. they had shown up with balloons and cake and awkward, heartfelt words, and it had been enough to soothe the ache in her chest.

her lips curled into a small, reluctant smile.

maybe their kindness doesn’t have to be earned. maybe it doesn't have to come from a place of understanding. maybe it's enough for it to be freely given.

crystal glances up at the darkening sky.

for the first time in a long while, the silence doesn't feel so suffocating.

A/N: i will never forgive ptj for sidelining crystal like this. her new appearances better be GOOD.

[wannaeatramyeon]

Your Adventures as the Lookismverse Designer

G/N. Run-ins with Burn Knuckles, Goddog, Allied and Big Deal. Masterlists

Being in the Fashion department, you had assumed your classmates had a passion for fashion. For god's sake, it's in the name.

But no, you're wrong.

Apart from using it as an excuse to wear designer brands from head to toe, no one really gave a shit.

No one cared about the history, about design, fabrication, construction.

No one... apart from you that is.

.

.

Your first client wasn't really someone you could say no to unless you had a death wish.

When the whole of the Architecture department shows up along with Vasco, their terrifying leader, you consider running off and screaming.

It was only Jace Park, who seemed to understand a more subtle approach and how intimidating they looked, that stopped you from wanting to flee to the teacher.

(Strange. You actually don't recall seeing your teacher for months.)

"Please," Jace murmurs to Vasco and he's practically begging. "You didn't need to turn up with everyone. Just leave this to me. Please."

If you didn't know better, you would think Vasco was giving him grateful puppy eyes. But that can't be right. He's a thug.

"Sorry," Jace turns to you, looking contrite and fiddling anxiously with his big ears when you're finally on your own. "Are you the Fashion Designer?"

It should have been a stupid question, considering you're in the Fashion Department.

Except you look around at the so-called boxer who pitifully simps after the brunette all day, the rich blonde kid who never talks to anyone, the other girl who is an aspiring streamer and you sigh to yourself.

"Yes, that's me."

.

.

All things considered, the Burn Knuckles are very easy to please.

It's a design printed on some pre-made boilersuits, not exactly avant garde.

You did touch up the logo though and provided some more clothing options than requested. Boilersuits in a small selection of colours, bomber and leather jackets.

When you hand over the boxes to Vasco and Jace, the latter shakes your hand and the former stares at you with tears in his eyes and asks how they can ever repay you.

You shrug. Because he did already pay you for your time and the materials.

"Don't worry about it." You say, giving him a polite grin.

Vasco beams and you think maybe this guy isn't so scary.

.

.

.

.

Somehow your reputation precedes you.

To be honest you didn't even realise you had any sort of reputation until a guy with a messy mop head and two dogs corners you in an alleyway.

"I heard you're the Designer," he grunts.

A part of you thinks of fleeing once again. A smaller part of you thinks damn, that nickname is kinda cool.

"I am?"

"Don't play dumb. I know who you are."

You would have found him rude and menacing if not for his dogs picking that exact moment to roll around on the floor belly-up, desperately wanting some attention.

"Fuck's sake," he mutters though he squats down anyway to pat them. "So?" he continues, trying to regain his previous threatening aura even as the pups wriggle around under his touch.

"So what?"  you ask, not able to stop the smile creeping over your face at this adorable sight.

"I need some clothing."

.

.

Perhaps the Burn Knuckles gave you a false sense of bravado, thinking everyone would be as easy as them. Unfortunately, this guy is a goddamn headache.

He wants hoodies, which isn't an issue but he wants matching dog-sized ones and he wants you to design the logo from scratch too.

"But I don't do graphic design," you cry and he pretends he can't hear you.

On your twelfth iteration, he doesn't glare at it and praise the heavens; he's finally happy.

Well, happy is an overstatement. He doesn't exactly look happy but he's no longer glaring at you, so you assume in Johan Seong's world, that means he's exhilarated.

The hoodies fit, both Johan and the dogs, and the logo looks good too.

You wave goodbye to the back of all three. Your bank balance is healthier except you hope they never darken your doorstep again.

.

.

(You have no such luck. He returns, months later, requesting tracksuits.)

.

.

.

.

It's a sorry state of affairs when three of the members of Allied are part of the Fashion Department, and come to you asking for help.

"Why don't you design it yourself?" you ask Daniel Park, Zack Lee and Jay Hong.

They look at you like you've grown two heads.

.

.

You will be eternally grateful that Jay Hong is mute, that Vasco is actually the sweetest cinnamon roll, and Daniel Park is pretty easy-going because having Vin Jin and Zack Lee constantly bickering and criticising your design is bad enough.

Apparently these men are very adept fighters. Caught up in some gang shit. It didn't matter. You still wanted to ram your pen through their skulls.

Then throw in someone else called Hudson Ahn who also seems to like giving rude, overly critical comments concealed as constructive criticism -

You threatened to quit more than once.

.

.

Eventually, after staying awake for 46 hours - you all agree on a logo.

"Here." You thrust the USB drive with the files at Daniel Park.

"What do I do with this?"

"You're in the Fashion Department too." You rub at your tired eyes, patience long gone with these morons. "Find a clothing printer yourself. Search for it on the internet. You know what that is right? The internet?"

Somewhere to your right, Vin Jin bursts into laughter.

.

.

.

.

You can't decide if this guy is trying to sell you something or if you're actually falling in love with him by the second.

Hell, he could sell you some snake-oil and you're so charmed you don't mind.

"So, you'll do it?" he asks, holding your hands in his larger gloved ones and you feel yourself simpering like an idiot at the contact.

"Sure thing, Mr. Kim."

"Jake," he says, giving you a toothy grin. "I'm Jake. And this is Jerry."

"Who?"

"Jerry Kwon," A large hulking man steps up besides Jake, offering you a handshake.

What? How did you miss him? You didn't notice him at all.

"Oh. Uh. Of course. Nice to meet you too Jerry."

"Come here, guys." Jake signals for the other men hanging back to come forth. "Ths is Brad and Jerry and Lineman."

Shit. Damnit, you've been so fixated on Jake Kim that you ignored everyone else.

Hell. You didn't even realise there was anyone else.

"Hi," you say, wanting the ground to swallow you up and blushing furiously.

Jake catches your eye and gives you a wink.

.

.

Being completely honest, the Big Deal tracksuits aren't your best work.

You're not too sure on the logo design (though hey - that's not really your handiwork). The placement is a little awkward and the design is sort of plain.

You added gold elements to at least make it a bit more cohesive, and sourced extra durable fabrics with lots of movement as apparently the guys have a tendency to damage clothing during fights.

"What do you think?" Jake says, modelling your finalised version.

From the smile on his face, you could tell he's very much satisfied with your work.

"Looks great," you say and you're telling the truth. Although it's not really the tracksuit that looks great, but the man wearing it. His broad shoulders and tight waist, long muscular legs and-

Oops. You silently apologise for objectifying him.

The way your eyes rake over his form isn't subtle, though it's definitely flattering. Jake playfully throws another wink your way.

[firstaffiliatepatient]

[redninjaaaaa]

the yapper:

the listener:

[sscarletvenus]

lookism tweets to keep the populace entertained

[dood-itsradical]

LOOKISM 531 SPOILER

ALL MY BEBES HAS GROWN SM IM CRYING

NOW THAT'S BIG DADDY ELI AWOOOO

GITAE 🗣️‼️‼️‼️

MANBUN VASCO‼️ I REPEAT MANBUN VASCO ‼️‼️ + Vin Jin😋

JAEGYEON APPRECIATE POST 💥💥💥 AHASAAHDH I LOVE MY HUSBAND

—— ✧ ——

[trueebeauty]

IGNORING THEM - lookism men

how lookism men react to you giving them the silent treatment...

Confused and Concerned; He is gentle and nurturing to you. He might not even realize you're ignoring him because he wouldn't intentionally cause you to be upset. He genuinely cares about your feelings and wants to make sure you're okay. He might be worried he did something wrong and wants to fix it.

"Hey, is everything alright? You've been awfully quiet all night." Places a hand on your shoulder gently.

"Did I do something wrong? You seem upset." Looks worried with furrowed brows.

Cooks your favorite meal and sets the table. "How about we eat and talk about what's bothering you?"

 ➥𝐆𝐔𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊, 𝐕𝐈𝐍 𝐉𝐈𝐍, 𝐄𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐄, 𝐉𝐀𝐘 𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐆, 𝐇𝐔𝐃𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐇𝐍.

Slightly Upset and Needy; He might be a little insecure and craves your attention. He might feel rejected or unimportant when you ignore him. Using playful tactics is his way of trying to win back your attention and affection in a lighthearted way.

Sighs dramatically. "Come on, (Y/N). The silent treatment? Really?"

Pouts and gives you the puppy-dog eyes. "Is this about [something minor you might be disagreeing on]?"

Whines playfully and nudges you. "Alright, alright, I'll stop. But you gotta tell me what's wrong, babe."

 

➥𝐆𝐎𝐎 𝐊𝐈𝐌, 𝐗𝐈𝐀𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆, 𝐑𝐘𝐔𝐇𝐄𝐈 𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐀, 𝐙𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐋𝐄𝐄, 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐋 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊, 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐆.

Giving You Space (But Still Worried); He is respectful and understands that sometimes you just need some time alone. He trusts you and your ability to communicate when you're ready. He offers support without being overbearing, hoping you'll feel comfortable opening up to him.

Kisses your forehead softly. "I'm here if you want to talk. Otherwise, I'm going to watch some TV in the living room."

Sits beside you silently, offering a supportive presence without pushing.

Makes you a cup of tea and leaves it on the table next to you. "This might help." Gives you a small smile.

 ➥𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐈, 𝐆𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐈𝐌, 𝐉𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐌, 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐔 𝐇𝐀𝐍, 𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐊𝐖𝐎𝐍, 𝐄𝐋𝐈 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐆, 𝐉𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐖𝐀𝐊, 𝐒𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐉𝐈 𝐘𝐔𝐊, 𝐓𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐎 𝐌𝐀. 

Annoyed and Frustrated; He might have difficulty with indirect communication. He might find the silent treatment immature or manipulative. He could feel disrespected or dismissed by your lack of communication.

Crosses his arms and leans against the doorway. "Look, If you're mad at me, just say it. Ignoring me isn't helping anything."

Raises his voice slightly. "Seriously? This is childish. Talk to me like an adult." 

Storms out of the room, muttering to himself. "Fine. Be that way."

Feels the energy and leaves, not wanting to deal with you right now.

➥𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐋𝐄𝐄, 𝐄𝐔𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄, 𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐄𝐎, 𝐓𝐀𝐄𝐉𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐎𝐍, 𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐆, 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐄, 𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐒𝐄𝐎𝐁 𝐉𝐈, 𝐉𝐀𝐄𝐆𝐘𝐄𝐎𝐍 𝐍𝐀, 𝐆𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐌.

[mystery-hood]

Some illustrations of characters that are part of the new Lookism merchandise (ID photo stickers). 🩵

[koiiiji]

random nsfw headcanons

tw ; nsfw, maybe a little ooc (esp with Jonggun, but idc we need to comfort him after shiro oni arc 🤓🙂‍↕️)

starring ; Jonggun, Gongseop, Jinseong

Jonggun is a really passionate lover. as soon as he fall in love he doesn’t let it go. he is fervent and a little too persistent. as he had you in his hands in his bed don’t expect him to let you go. he is passionate and ardent during sex. his hands wander over your body, from your ribs, sliding higher, forcing you let go of blankets, interlacing his fingers with yours, making his bigger palm press your hands into mattress. he catches your every sigh, moan and squeak, giving you sloppy kisses, so a thin thread of saliva connects your mouths. Jonggun is giving you your time to adjust to his rough hands, to his harsh touches — he is not used to soft and delicate skin like yours. his hands are for distraction and fights, so he would pause when he feels you flinch under his hands. he always starts from being gentleman like this, but it always ends up with both of you being cock and pussy drunk, already over enough orgasms but you two just can’t have enough of each other! Jonggun is passionate and warm lover, but god bless you if you are just one night stand…

Gongseop not only fake monk, but also pervert monk. you and him used to know each other for quite awhile. not like your relationship was the warmest, and you never was frequent guest in his temple, you still had your things to do, but every time you happened to be in his bed things became more and more hot. just like the last time, when you saddled his hips, and your own body was moving so smoothly, like snake, searching for more friction, pursuing only your own pleasure. your hands roving over his chest, running his hair through your fingers, lightly moving up to his neck and the back of his bald head, digging your claws into his skin, and hissing softly when his own hands squeezed your firm ass too tightly. Gongseop could try to convince people that he had changed since the first generation, but you could recognize the same nasty smirk when you nipped at his bottom lip in response to his slap. you could recognize it just by his look, a little pitiful, when his lips were open, and hoarse grunts spread throughout the room, and you pulled another orgasm out of him. yes, he could convince people that he had changed, as much as he wanted, but you knew him and his body better than you would like.

who is sexually concerned? Lee Jinseong. the amount of unreleased adrenaline and arousal after his box trainings are insane. and his hormones are not playing on his side too. he is ready to fuck almost 24/7, yet he have his romantic side so he desperately trying to take his time with preparing and making out, but his cock is aching so badly and his balls are just too heavy so he needs your help as soon as possible. you understand his state right? you won’t say no to this desperate puppy, right? but don’t tease him or think he is wrapped around your finger. sure Jinseong is gentle, but during the sex, especially when he is spurred on, he won’t tolerate your brat behavior, and will turn you on your tummy just to mercilessly pound you into his bed, murmuring dirty words (he will turn red if you remind him about this in the morning)

[amphitriteswife]

IDC THE CHARACTERS LOOKED AMAZING OML

Mary. Mira.

Zack. Daniel.

Vasco. Vin jin.

Eli. DG (james lee) .

Jay. Jaegyeon na.

[nepentheseeker]

"Together we are Lookism" Ahh picture

Source: PTJ instagram - ptj.comics

[blessedbygookim]

LOOKISM 517

😜

amen.

I love him.

This bitch be beefing with everyone. 😭😭

Thank God he lived.

[starlightstare]

Re-reading lookism and here are some out of context panels.

[ventivente]

We better get a Lookism side story named Johan’s study chronicles or smth or I will blow up PTJ’s house

[sscarletvenus]

one thing about ptj's writing that always leaves a bad taste in my mouth is sometimes i feel he doesn't completely grasp the issues of abuse and sexual trauma, mostly and majorly for the female characters, but the male characters too.

take for example mira getting sexually assaulted by the cult leader and camp instructor, zoe's transaction with logan, club vivi, vin'mom being raped and killed by the shaman, sujin being abused and preyed upon and sexually assaulted before getting beaten to death by taejin... ALL of this feels so catatonic, almost unnecessary in its cruelty. this is a horrible world no doubt. but whatever he inflicts to his female characters seems to be done purely for the sake of shock value, almost like an indelible grief or hurt or helplessness a MALE character has to overcome in his path to nirvana. it is never shown what the woman feels about her own violation, no impact of it can be seen on her own life before she dies or simply forgets and moves on (kinda telling of the author's attitude towards how victims ought to react...).

then lets talk about the male victims. daniel gets stalked, goo and gun and eli were all minors who trained under a man who unironically touches people's genitals and brags about doing so, olly gets raped, eli gets groomed (i will not argue here about this one), sinu is shown naked often with the woman who brainwashed him. not mentioned in the comic but should be pondered upon is the fact that jake and jiho were in juvenile prison, a place with alarmingly high rates of sex crimes. dg is an idol who deals with invasive fans (sasaengs in real life are legitimately terrifying). seongji and vin were the ritual vessels for a cult. but this aspect of their trauma gets completely brushed under the rug, as if even alluding to it would take away from their strength and uhhh, masculine nature.

much to be thought about his treatment of his own characters...

[bxksstuff]

ah yes, the three genders! male female and johan