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saintobio · 2 years ago

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sincerely yours. (8)

↳ gojou satoru/reader

when a twist of fate led their marriage to the path of a quintessential tragic romance, two past lovers go through another series of experiences on love, heartbreak, identity, illness, and trauma along the road to a happily ever after.

genre. heavy angst, amnesia, modern au, 18+

tags/warnings. profanity, mentions of cheating, implied suicide attempt, toxic relationship, explicit smut

series masterlist -> episode nine

9:21 AM.

Tap. Tap. Tap. The sound of your index finger drumming a slow and steady cadence against the table was nearly in perfect synchronization to the tick tock of the clock above the wall behind you. An icy, uninviting atmosphere was the best way to describe the current situation inside the conference room at this time of the morning, with the gelid detachment between the boss and her employees as you built a wall—an impenetrable wall—around yourself to keep the inner turmoil you had in your head.

So, you listened. You succumbed to silence as a result.

“I’d like to present this new idea that we, along with the ecommerce team, have come up with to increase engagement on our website.” Even as the marketing manager started to speak, you remained frigid. “We did go through some feedback that people have been posting online and they’re mostly saying that the current web theme is too plain and that they’re hoping to see a more engaging website, so we would love to propose some ideas that could improve Hearte’s overall online presence. We know that keeping the brand’s look consistent is very important, especially now that Hearte is still establishing its own name in the fashion industry, and we have currently done a phenomenal job with our brand style. However, as the online website is our visual storefront, not only is its functionality critical, but we also have to ensure that the web design is in line with our aesthetics.”

9:26 AM.

You leaned back on your chair with your arms crossed, looking up to speak to the manager from across the conference room. “Let’s keep the unnecessary introduction short and just go straight to the point,” you strictly announced, receiving curious eyes in return as it was their first time seeing you becoming all stern and unamused. Such an odd sight to see from a boss who used to have the brightest of sunshines reflecting on her smile. “What’s the proposal?”

The marketing manager cleared her throat and moved her presentation onto the next slide. “Yes, Ms. Y/N. So… uh, based on the data that you can see on the screen, our online sales increased by 15% for the past two weeks, but we still have about 10% of shoppers abandoning their shopping carts. Earlier this week, we set up email campaigns and social reminders to decrease our abandonment rate and urge shoppers to return to their carts. While working with the IT team, we did some A/B testing to determine which version would drive our business metrics. We’ve also reached out to The Society Management and added Kendall Jenner to our PR list so that possibly, in the future, we can get her as a model for our landing page and attract the western market,” she continuously explained in a manner to convince you of how much effort their department was doing to increase Hearte’s sales, “But what we believe could bring a tremendous improvement on our website engagement is by introducing style guides. This will capture the interest of the audience now that they can mix and match some outfits based on their own style, and—”

9:32 AM.

Sigh.

“Ms. Ono, I have to be honest, but I expected more from you,” you cut her off by leaving a frank comment on her presentation, “Fashion brands have been doing style guides for years. You make it sound like it’s unique, but it’s nothing new. How sure are we that it will actually bring a dramatic improvement on our website engagement? I doubt most of them would even browse through it.”

“Well, uh…” The marketing manager faltered, glancing at the head of the social media team for some help, which she didn’t end up receiving. “I think it’ll work the way we want it to as long as we introduce engaging copies that make buyers fall in love with the designs.”

“You think?” You criticized her word of choice. “Ms. Ono, I gave you enough time to brainstorm with your team, so the moment you step inside of this conference room, you should have prepared whatever strategy you had in mind. I don’t settle for ambitious words like ‘I think’ or ‘I believe’. I want to hear a proposal that’s original, unique, and captivating. I want you to be a hundred percent sure that you know what you’re doing before you waste everyone’s time like this. Do you understand? Am I being clear? I want a proposal that would definitely get us somewhere and not just by assuming we will.”

Were you being too harsh? They said that the fashion industry in itself was harsh, so what was so surprising about seeing you being strict, candid, and business-like? This was the nature of your job. This was normal.

9:47 AM.

Very timidly did Nobara raise her hand beside you to chime in on the discussion. “I know I’m not in the position to make suggestions, but…” She pressed something on her laptop before carefully sliding it to your side of the table, showing you what appears to be a classic early 2000s ‘dress-up game’ with a base model and a selection of outfits that were inspired by your designs. “I just wanted to show you this, Ms. Y/N. I do agree with Ms. Ono’s idea to introduce style guides, but maybe we can do it in an interactive way. I know the dress-up game idea may look childish and unsophisticated, but I was kinda hoping that we can just make certain adjustments so that it could match Hearte’s classy and simplistic style. We can have base models in different body types and skin tones to show our brand’s diversity, then we can have shoppers try dressing them up using the outfits on our current collection. That allows them to easily visualize how the pieces would look on a certain skin tone and body type.”

The way everyone else in that conference table looked at Nobara was very obvious that they were expecting you to reprimand her for even having the guts to offer such a farcical idea. What does she know? They were probably thinking that. You’re just an intern. You knew they were saying that in their minds. On the other hand, you surprisingly liked her proposal and enjoyed the unique idea of introducing it to the website because her proposal actually did make sense. People would be curious, people would try it out by interacting with the website, and that means the engagement would rise up.

“I like that idea. We can go with that,” you said, sliding the laptop back to her while nodding at the marketing and social media managers, “I need the team to discuss Nobara’s idea further and polish it thoroughly before we can start adding it onto the website. Make adjustments as needed and ensure that everything is still in line with our brand. If you notice any flaws with this proposal, you can flag them with me and I’ll review them.”

9:54 AM.

Just as you were about to wrap up the meeting, a certain someone entered the conference room in haste—panting out of breath with her long, wavy hair and creased red pants. “I’m so sorry, I’m late.”

Her casualness made you clench your jaws tightly, fueling the fire to your already terrible day. You could no longer stop yourself from unleashing your rage as you looked up at her with a critical squint. “Ms. Hirai, what time’s it?”

“It’s ten, I know. I’m so sorry,” she repeated her apologies and paid an apologetic bow to everyone in the meeting room, “I’m sorry, everyone. I was caught up in heavy traffic today.”

You let out a silent scoff and ignored her compunctious act. “How long are we gonna keep using that excuse, really?” you questioned her, earning the intrigued eyes of your employees who were all sensing the sudden tension between you and your best friend, “As the fashion merchandiser and my second-in-command, you should’ve been here in this meeting with me, but where were you? You anticipated that there would be heavy traffic, yet you couldn’t be responsible enough in coming to work early knowing that we have a meeting? Or was it because you’re too busy doing other things so you’re no longer interested in showing up to work on time?”

Akemi shook her head, contritely. “It’s… It’s not like that.”

“Not like what?” Your icy stare bored into her. No trace of compassion was present in your eyes. “I’m sure you’re living a very blissful life outside of work and I’m glad you are, but is that also why you don’t bother with anything else anymore?”

“Y/N—”

“Miss Y/N,” you corrected, “I’m your boss, so treat me like one.”

Wide, chocolate brown eyes greeted you in response. It was clear that she was at a loss of words and could only repeat her meaningless apologies a thousand times. “I’m really sorry, Ms. Y/N. It won’t happen again.”

“You didn’t even let me know that you’ll be coming in late,” you continued and ignored the pitiful expression on her face, focusing on her swollen red lips and her dewy, rosy cheeks. She must have had a really good morning to look like a cherry blossom on a spring day. Was she so preoccupied being all lovey dovey with your ex-husband this morning? Did she sleep comfortably on the same marital bed you used to share with him? Your jaw tensed visibly. “You’re just coming in whenever you want. You don’t respect people’s time. You don’t respect my rules. You don’t respect me.”

Yes, you were overreacting by taking things too personally and it was the reason why you got up from your seat and bolted out of the conference room upon realizing your unusual outburst. You could hear the clicking sound of your stiletto echoing across the corridor as you stomped towards your office, swinging the glass door open and heading straight towards the ceiling-to-floor window to have some peace of mind. Peace? How ridiculous. How could you find peace? You couldn’t even grasp the fact that your best friend was acting like everything was normal. You couldn’t understand why she was rubbing her relationship to your face as if she wasn’t just a placeholder to somebody’s ex wife.

“Y/N?” Akemi’s voice cut you out of your toxic trail of thoughts—your mouth thinning with displeasure while you didn’t bother turning around to meet her gaze. Breathe. You had to breathe and think rationally. “I…I understand you’re really angry right now, but I was hoping we can have this much needed talk.”

You could feel her reaching for your hand at the height of your frustration and your defensive instinct led you to angrily swing your arm away, accidentally hitting her cheek as you pivoted on your heel to face her. It took two seconds for your eyes to shift from glaring in frustration to widening in surprise after seeing the small cut your diamond ring left on her cheek. “Are you okay?”

“Y-Yeah, no, it’s fine,” she insisted with her palm pressed onto the right side of her face. “I deserved it.”

Good lord. What was happening to you? Despite having all these unspoken rage and unresolved conflicts between the two of you, you would still drop everything and be concerned for her. You would still let your walls collapse. You were the villain that couldn’t stick to being a villain. Why? Why did you feel this way? Was it because you knew she wasn’t technically doing anything wrong? Or was it because you were just projecting your personal frustrations onto her? Was betrayal really the issue here? Or was it the huge possibility that she could in fact be Gojou’s one true love? You had thought of this before, but the same questions in your head never stopped. And never did they stop from invading your headspace as you made your way towards the small fridge to grab an ice pack that you soon offered to Akemi, leading her to one of the couches while finally coming into your senses.

Yet there was silence and nothing but awkward silence when you two sat at a safe distance from each other.

“I’m shameless.” She was the first one to break the uncomfortable atmosphere. “I know you’re thinking that and I do agree with you. I really am shameless to even look you in the eye right now.”

You sighed and looked away, only to keep yourself from the furnace of pain that you had been bottling inside. “Stop. You’re making me seem like a villain right now. I’m tired of seeing myself this way.”

She closed her legs and sat humbly, reaching forward to squeeze your hand. “You’re not. You’re not a villain and you never were,” said the same woman you accidentally smacked a few minutes ago, “I understand why you would feel a certain way towards me. I’d even understand if you hate me so much that you wanna murder me. I’m your best friend and I know about your history with Satoru, yet here I am seeing your ex-husband behind your back. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t plan it. I truly didn’t. Even though you’re not together anymore and I’m technically not homewrecking anyone, I’m still putting us—you and I—in a really awkward position. You didn’t deserve any of that and I’m very sorry.”

At least, she was self-aware. But looking at the brighter side of things, you were getting calmer now that you were hearing her side of the story, though that didn’t stop you from feeling any less horrible. “I don’t really care who you date,” you claimed, adamantly, “And I most definitely do not care who Satoru chooses to date. We’ve been divorced for three years.”

“It’s still not right that I’m seeing him.” She let her guilt speak up for her.

And you let your resentment speak for you. “Then, why him of all people?”

“It’s…”

“Complicated?”

“Y-Yeah…”

You decided to keep a straight face. “How did this happen?”

Akemi looked as if you had just forced her to be on the hot seat because of the apathy on your visage. “It was a drunken mistake at first and we kinda just…”

“I’m not asking about when you two started fucking,” you replied, bluntly. Something you had never done before in your usual sophisticated vocabulary. “I’m asking when you realized you have feelings for him. When did you fall in love with him?”

She had trouble finding the right answer. “It just happened. I d-don’t really know. Whenever you asked me to look after him, I guess the bond he and I developed from that made me see him in a different light.”

You disregarded the pain in your chest and let the volcano explode on its own, because her answer only meant that she was already growing feelings for your ex-husband at the same time you were confiding to her about him. That was the worst part of it all.

“Why do you like him?” you questioned further, “Despite knowing what happened while I was married to him, why did you still end up falling in love with him? If that’s so hard to answer, then don’t think about us or me or our friendship. Just think about the decisions you made for yourself. Why are you with Satoru?”

Her gaze found the floor. Hesitance. Guilt. Shame. Those emotions were all dancing in her eyes in a complete roundabout. While she took a moment to fully reassess her decision, you weren’t sure if you deserved to still feel hurt when she gave you an honest answer. “When I met Satoru, I didn’t meet the toxic, cheating ex-husband that he was known for,” she said, slowly, “I met a man who holds such a high respect for his ex-wife, adores his son like his greatest gift of all, and values his marriage more than anything else in this world. I met a vulnerable man who isn’t afraid to open his heart to strangers. A man who gave me emotional support even when he’s the one who needed it the most. I… It’s hard to explain, but…”

Was there really anything left to say? Her point was clear, and your silence while she was speaking was more so because you were trying not to let the tiny pricks in your heart affect you further than it already did. The fullness of her voice and the way her eyes shined when she talked about him were enough to tell you that your best friend had truly fallen in love and you would be cruel to take that away from her. Even from him. They would not have been involved in such an intimate relationship if there had been no attraction between them to begin with, so then… Why did it feel like you were being cheated on? She was no Sera, and he was not the Satoru that only used you for his corporate ambitions. It was just Akemi and Satoru—they were each other’s right person at the right time. The only thing blocking their path to a loving relationship was you.

You. The irrational and spiteful ex-wife. The ex-wife who always played the ‘victim card’. The selfish ex-wife who wanted all the good things to only come her way.

Well, god be damned, because you were beginning to confuse yourself with the version of you that wasn’t even remotely like you at all. She was just a mirrored image of yourself that you thought people perceived.

“You can do what you want.” The moment you spoke again, you were already creating a huge wall between you and your best friend, making sure that there were boundaries that none of you should ever cross now that she had chosen to be with someone you had sincerely loved in the past. It may sound like you were letting go, but truth be told, you just didn’t think that you even had the option to hold onto anything. Satoru wasn’t yours and you weren’t his anymore. You were two individuals living separate lives. “If you wanna be with him, that’s your choice. I don’t plan on intervening. It just… just really surprised me that you didn’t have the decency to tell me at all.”

Akemi nodded, apologetically desperate. “I understand how you’re feeling and I’m sorry. I really, truly am sorry, Y/N.” Her voice and her countenance did show the genuineness in her plea to be forgiven, but you were too numb to feel anything else. “I hope we can stay friends despite everything.”

How could you even stay friends in a situation like this?

First option was to keep pretending that their relationship wasn’t bothering you. Second option was to focus on your own relationship with Toji to the point where everything else just didn’t matter anymore.

Yeah, you thought. You could certainly choose the latter.

“Our friendship isn’t my top priority at the moment,” was your straightforward response to her, “I wanna focus on my son and his relationship with his father. That’s all.”

Any regular person would have thought: ‘Wow, Y/N. You handled that well.’ ‘You’re so mature.’ ‘You’re a lot calmer than we expected.’ The thing was, you really did think that you had been way too calm about it. In spite of the scene you caused at the conference room, or the dramatic exchange you had with Akemi in your office, you still handled it much better than one would think. In TV shows or movies, the ex-wife would have dragged the best friend to the ground, slapped her face, pulled her hair, started a nasty catfight, and called her all the terrible labels you could think of. Look, part of you wanted to do that. And the other part of you—the sympathetic, altruistic part of you—thought you shouldn’t do that. You would only look pathetic.

Of all the negative things Satoru had made you feel over the course of your failure of a marriage, this aftermath was probably the toughest.

You just weren't in the right state of mind to justify why.

You also couldn’t justify why you had been looking for unhealthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety. If anyone from your family saw you standing at the smoking area near the parking lot right now, they would have given you an earful of how you must be out of your mind for even putting a cigarette stick between your lips. How exactly could tobacco be good for you? You would say, first of all, that nicotine does in fact cause pleasant feelings to distract you from unpleasant ones. You couldn’t find any other way to relax your mind any faster than one cigarette stick could. Besides, staying in the office and seeing Akemi around was getting too suffocating and you couldn’t afford to have your negative mood lingering in your mind for the rest of the day. One stick wouldn’t hurt. Another one wouldn’t, too. And another one should be fine, right?

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

The irony. You didn’t even have the time to recoil before the main cause of your stress showed up in front of you, frowning after he snatched the cigarette stick out of your lips. He was quick to throw it to the ground, stomp on it like he would do with your heart, and give you a questioning look that made you scoff at the ridiculousness of this situation. This could be a dream for heaven’s sake. Or a hallucination. There was no way Satoru Gojou would be standing right in front of you just as you were thinking about him.

“Since when have you been doing this?” he questioned again, holding your wrist this time to make you realize that his presence or this interaction wasn’t just a figment of your imagination. It would have been better that way, but the reality was, Satoru was there and he wasn’t the least bit pleased. “I know you’re mad at me and this isn’t the right time for me to chew you out like this, but…” he paused, taking your cigarette pack. “I can’t believe you’re fucking smoking right now, Y/N. Did you get this habit from Toji?”

Okay. Gojou could be way out-of-line sometimes, but this was the apex of it.

“Don’t bring Toji into this,” you snapped back, shooting him a glare that could easily kill. “What are you doing here?”

You could see how deep his inhale was just by the loudness of his sigh after it. His face showed a combination of yearning, regret, frustration, and pity as if he was deciding which emotion should dominate him more. But among the multitude of emotions that were drowning him right now like a tidal wave, he looked all the more exhausted. Whether it was dealing with you, trying to make amends with you, or simply being around you—you could tell that he wanted to drop his constant need to care for you because it was beginning to tire him out.

He didn’t really answer your question, and instead, asked one of his own. “Are you smoking because of stress?” he asked, trying to mask the sympathy in his eyes. “It’s bad for you. Set a good example for Sachiro.”

You’re bad for me, you wanted to say. Why did it even matter to him, anyway? You were nothing more than just a mother to his child. Anything outside that role was completely not his business anymore. The fact that he was even within the vicinity of your office was ridiculous, because you were already having a bad day and his presence was adding further into it. “Don’t you dare talk about setting a good example to my son like you’re so righteous yourself.”

“Y/N, come on.” He reached for your hand once more as if trying to show how much he cared or how worried he was with what you were doing to yourself because of him. “I don’t want you to—”

“Keep your fucking distance, Gojou. You’re not in the place to give a damn about me anymore,” you raged, withdrawing your wrist and breathing heavily as you tried to keep yourself from further exploding. You would have. You were so close to cursing him off, but you saw the flash of pure shock in his eyes, and that was how you realized what you just did. All these violent reactions, these unusual outbursts—these were not you. This was not the meek, soft-spoken ex-wife that he was once married to.

“Toru?”

Unfortunately, Gojou no longer had enough attention span to listen when he looked away, only to turn to his new woman with a genuinely worried expression painted on his face as soon as he saw her coming out of the building with a hand on her cheek. You realized that he was actually here to pick her up and was doing everything that a caring boyfriend would; checking every inch of her face to see how bad she was hurt and asking her what happened and whether she was okay. You didn’t know how to react the moment he turned back to you with his tired, yet passively accusatory eyes. “Did something happen?”

You knew that his question actually translated to: ‘Did you slap her?’ With your thorough knowledge about his acquired trauma from physical violence, you felt the sudden need to clear your name, but you didn’t know if you should be grateful that it was already your best friend who did the part in doing such. “Nothing happened. It was an accident.” Her tone was almost begging before she started tugging his arm. “Let’s just go, please.”

Satoru didn’t want to let it go, but decided that it was best to just leave it be as he glanced at you with a slightly detached gaze. “I’ll see you in a couple of days,” he reminded, referring to the dreaded New York trip together with Sachiro.

A conflicted look from him and an apologetic gaze from her. That was all that you received before they got inside the car and left you alone and miserable in that parking lot. You watched his car fade into view with her on the passenger seat and him probably holding her hand as he drove through the street. Just when you thought you could actually stomach the sight of him and her together, it would be a big fat lie to say that it didn’t sting. It stung worse than the times he ran after Sera than to stay behind with you. Worse than when he used to treat you like a mistress rather than a wife.

You must be going crazy, indeed. Who in their right mind would cry over her ex-husband in the middle of the parking lot? Why would you even shed tears when you were the one who wanted him to find someone else and move on? This was becoming a never-ending loop because you were letting yourself be affected by it. It shouldn’t be that way. Never.

“Toji.” You were doing your hardest to conceal the weakness in your voice as you pressed your phone into your right ear. “I-I need you… right now. Please.”

“Hey, I was just about to pick-up Sachi from daycare. Is everything okay?”

Wiping your eyes, you looked at the dull skies wondering if the universe was trying to reflect all these emotions running inside of you. “Yeah… Can you come soon?”

He didn’t really hesitate to answer, quickly understanding that he had to drop everything else right now and be with you. “Alright, I’ll be there.”

Satoru was conflicted, but he didn’t know what exactly made him feel that way. Was it because he saw you smoking in the parking lot? Or was it because he could tell that you gave Akemi a tongue-lashing after catching her half-naked at the penthouse a few days ago? Either way, both options were not very you. And he couldn’t understand why you were slowly starting to look less and less like the person he knew, which was confusing on his part because you had been adamant on telling him to forget about you. You were rigid on your decision to not let him enter your life as your husband for the second time around. He told you he still loved you, but you said you loved another. He told you he wanted to work things out and make your family complete again, but you said you were already doing that with someone else. Gojou knew his hands weren’t clean and the reason you may be acting that way was because out of all the women he could have been with, it had to be Akemi Hirai. Your best friend. Your confidante. Your business partner. She was a territory he shouldn’t have crossed, yet he did.

But, at the same time, she was the only person who had been there for him during his lowest. She was the company he needed when his heart was the loneliest. He couldn’t even remember the amount of times she came to his aid when he was crying over his memories of you, memories that he could no longer hold onto. Akemi brought peace to his heart, and if there was anyone else he could be with, it would be her.

It was becoming more and more clear to him how he felt about her.

Although, voicing that out loud was a different story. Keeping it in his thoughts was for the best because he didn’t want to lead Akemi on. She didn’t deserve that nor did she deserve to feel like a substitute for someone else. He wanted to be a hundred percent sure about being with her before he could fully confess his real feelings for her. It could still develop through time, perhaps far better and more passionate than what he was sharing with her right now, but until then, settling for what they had at this moment in time was for the better. What was important was that both parties were clear about diving into this relationship.

He wasn’t ready for commitment and she understood that. She was willing to wait for him. She was helping him move on in the least painful way. Where else could he meet such a person like her?

She was gentle, motherly, sensitive, and intuitive. She was classy and sophisticated. She knew how to dress nicely. Her nails were always clean and pretty. Her smile was very charming. Her laugh, endearing. She was the perfect woman anyone could have.

“Why’d you suddenly want to go to the mall?” she asked, intertwining their hands together as she looked up at him with her beautiful doe eyes. Her question made him cut out of his trance, remembering that they were strolling around the galleria.

He touched the small wound on her cheek as if stroking it could make it heal faster. “Nothing,” he said. “Just a last minute idea.”

Truthfully, Gojou wasn’t sure why he had brought her there. All he knew was that he had a lot going on in his mind while he was driving through the city and the next thing he knew, he was already pulling up at the galleria out of his natural instinct. But since they were already there, he might as well buy her a little something. Anything. And then his eyes caught sight of Chanel as if the high-end boutique was pulling his feet with such gravity that it led him to go inside the store while hand-in-hand with the woman next to him.

“Mr. Gojou, how are you?”

Right. The staff knew him so well, especially for the amount of times he had been there with his ex-wife when you two were still married.

“Are you looking for anything specific?” One of the familiar ladies that used to assist you approached him with a lingering stare towards Akemi. “Perhaps for your…?”

He cleared his throat. “Yeah, can you… uh,” he turned towards the rack of tweed sets, “Do you have any new collections?”

“Yes, absolutely,” said another lady, “Right this way, sir.”

It was easy to notice how the staff were exchanging glances at the sight of Satoru and Akemi together, but his mind was far too distracted by the nostalgia of being in that place alone to even care about his surroundings. All he did was look back at Akemi and encourage her to try out the newest collections that they had, thinking that she was oblivious about what was going through his head. “You go and pick whatever you like.”

Although she was clearly not used to it, Akemi did eventually try on some of the outfits he specifically had chosen for her. They were Chanel’s signature tweed sets that he always found to be very elegant, and he definitely wasn’t wrong that they would suit her when she came out of the dressing room to show him how the clothes wrapped her small frame perfectly.

He could see your smile through her face, your excitement when you tried the outfits on, and the shine in your eyes when you looked at yourself in the mirror. Except, Gojou had to remind himself that you weren’t her. That his mind was just messing with him.

No, this was wrong. Why was he thinking about you while he was with her?

He had to have some sort of distraction. Something so tangible that all of his senses would go numb.

The one way he was able to overcome that dilemma was by sharing yet another steamy exchange with Akemi later that night. He couldn’t remember who initiated first, but it must have been the equal desire that they had for each other when they dove straight into a heated makeout session the moment they stepped inside his bedroom. One thing led to another. First he was kissing her lips, then her collarbones, then her inner thighs—devouring her completely with his lust-driven actions, doing the most by pleasuring her body using his own.

She was a giver just as she was a receiver. Not that he didn’t expect her to be so experienced when it came to sex, but she definitely knew what she was doing without any guidance from him. Perhaps he just wasn’t used to it anymore. Perhaps he had just forgotten how it felt to have sex with someone who didn’t rely on him to initiate the next steps they should do. Fuck, he couldn’t even remember the last time someone stared at his eyes while putting his hardened member inside her mouth the way she did. She knew her power over him while at his most vulnerable state, ruining his masculine ego and destroying it with her own feminine pride.

And in the midst of their intimate session, Gojou was zoning out while he was sliding a condom across his shaft, ready to enter her from the back. His mind was giving him a flash of memory, not a distant but recent one from two days ago.

“I still can’t believe you did that, Mom. You’re being ridiculous.”

His mother wasn’t exactly showing the slightest hint of regret on her face despite knowing full well that sending the custody claim almost made you lose your mind. She was keeping a straight face as she sat on the barstool next to him, taking a sip of wine from her glass while he, on his own, was downing a glass of scotch. “She had it coming.”

Satoru sighed his frustration away. “Don’t do that again or today’s the last time you’ll ever see me.”

“What are you talking about?” His mother frowned. “Who was there for you when you were trying to end your own life because of the lies she told you, huh? You’re feeling bad for her now, but did she feel bad for you back then? You missed three years of your son’s life because she was being too spiteful towards you.”

He had never met someone more stubborn than his own mother, but maybe this was a clear sign for Satoru to realize where he must have acquired that one similar trait of his. After all, people always made it seem that he was more like his dad even though he despised being compared to his father. To say that his mother was a complete angel was a lie. But neither was he. “Whatever, just don’t… Just leave Y/N alone. She’s still the mother of my child and I don’t want us to keep fighting. At least, for Sachi’s sake.”

His mother finished her glass of wine before turning the stool towards his direction. There was a minute of silence that passed between them before she spoke again. “I just don’t want you to get back with her, darling. You two are toxic together.”

Funny, because he could say the same thing for her and his father. “Well, it’s not gonna happen now. Y/N’s gonna hate me forever.”

“What, ‘cause she rejected you again?”

“No,” he countered, shaking his head and chugging all the remaining liquor on his glass. “She knows about the thing I have with Akemi now.”

Her mouth fell open, gasping as she did so. “Y-You… and Akemi? Are you together?”

Satoru expected this reaction from her, but didn’t think she would actually be more fixated on his new relationship than the effect it would bring on her ex-daughter-in-law. “It’s not something to be proud of, Mom.”

“Well, I’m proud of you,” she still stressed that fact, “It’s nice to hear that you’re finally moving on, Satoru. Y/N is not good for you, but I know Akemi will be. I like her and I know she’ll make you a lot happier than Y/N ever did.”

“You’re still awake?” Gojou let out a yawn as he felt the heaviness of his eyelids telling him that it was time to sleep. He tried checking the time on his phone, but realized that he still had the photo of you and Sachiro as his lockscreen. He wasn’t planning on changing it anytime soon, but considering that Akemi saw it, he was expecting that she would have something to say, yet nothing came out of her mouth. She simply stayed silent while laying on his chest, letting him touch the slope of her naked back as she slightly raised her head to meet his eyes. He had already closed his phone and placed it back on the nightstand. “What, did I not tire you enough?”

“Shut up.” She hid her reddened cheeks and smiled on the crook of his neck. Her hand was placed on his chest, fingers tracing his collarbones. “No, I’m just thinking about how you’re gonna manage New York and all.”

Satoru’s breathing was still for a few seconds, keeping his eyes glued on the ceiling as he held her on your marital bed. “You’re scared that the infamous cheater is gonna cheat on you or something?” he joked, a distasteful one, but still meant to ease whatever was burdening her mind. “Not gonna happen even if we’re in an open relationship.”

“That’s not it,” Akemi quickly replied, denying his claims, “I’m more like hoping that you’ll be patient with her. She gets angry a lot these days and we know we’re the main cause of it, so please. Please don’t try to argue with her, okay? If she says hurtful things, learn to understand her.”

He wrapped his arms tighter around her smaller frame. Gojou was certain that he was about to doze off soon now that he had closed his eyes and let the exhaustion pull him into a good night’s sleep. “I won’t,” he spoke his words slowly, drifting off to dreamland, “I won’t make her angry.”

“Okay.” He felt her lips kissing his jaw just before the both of them gradually matched the calmness of each other’s chest. One heart, one soul, two bodies. “Good night, ‘Toru.”

…

In the middle of his sleep, he mumbled, “Good night, Y/N.”

On the other side of the city, you woke up in the middle of your slumber, facing the handsome face of your fiancé, Toji Zen’in, who had already drifted off to dreamland while holding you in his muscular arms. No wonder people were jealous of you for having such a refined man like him in your bed every night you go to sleep. The thing was, you had no reason to feel discontented with your life since you already had everything. You were wealthier than the average person, you ran a business that you were passionate about, you had an adorable son who meant the world to you, and you had Toji. There was nothing else you could ask for. And if by remembering Sera’s words back then, you would be selfish to ask for anything more because others didn’t even have half the fortune you had.

So, in that sense, you should be happy.

You had to be happy.

You were happy, right?

“Go to sleep,” whispered a half-awake Toji, stirring from his sleep as he held your waist tighter like you were his comfort pillow. “You alright?”

Sighing inwardly, you traced the scar on his lips. “You’re so gorgeous.”

His lazy, boyish smile came into view. “I know that,” he joked, closing his eyes as if succumbing into a few more minutes of sleep. “Don’t tell me you’re turned on right now ‘cause I can go all night. Doggy. Missionary. Cowboy. Reverse cowboy.”

Were you? Maybe a little. And maybe you had to have a distraction from your ‘source of happiness’.

“That’s very naughty of you, Mr. Zen’in,” you replied, cheeks heating up from his vulgar words. Your hand was finding its way to his toned chest, while his were traveling to the curves of your waist and hips. You could feel him angling his body to make sure he had access to slide your underwear just a little above your knee, gliding his hand along your thigh before letting his fingers touch your sensitive bud. “T-Toji—”

A smirk appeared on his lips. “Hm? I thought you wanted this?”

You nodded, taking a deep breath. “Y-Yeah, I…” There was no use holding back from moaning because his fingers knew how to move perfectly well, playing with your clit in circular motions before sliding two of them into your entrance. “...Fuck.”

“Feel good?” His hot breath tickled your neck, moving his mouth from your collarbones down to the valley between your breasts. “Wish you knew how delicious you are.”

Another moan, much louder this time around, escaped your lips when he attached his mouth onto your breast, sucking the round mass with his tongue doing God’s work. You were so high into sexual desire that your back arched on its own, dominated by the pleasing sensation all over your body. You could barely even respond to him when he started asking why your mood had been so down when he picked you up after work or why you still wouldn’t tell him whatever happened back there.

“It’s nothing,” you replied, disregarding the painful encounter you’ve had with your ex-husband and your best friend. “...Just work stuff.”

As you closed your eyes, you could feel Satoru’s fingers entering deep inside of you, deep enough to have reached your g-spot and have you moaning wildly. It felt unreal. It felt goddamn out of this world. But since Satoru was familiar with every inch of your body, his touch alone could easily send you to seventh heaven. He was heavenly. He was saintly. That mesmerizing gaze of his paired with his sky blue eyes and messy white hair. His beautiful, beautiful face, watching you beg for him to do more. More. More…

“Satoru…”

The intense feeling suddenly stopped, awakening you back to your senses as you opened your eyes and saw the dark, animalistic gaze of Toji Zen’in. “What’d you say?” he asked in a deep voice.

Out of panic, you slightly pulled away and shook your head. “N-Nothing. What did I say?”

“I thought I heard you say his…” he trailed off, pulling his fingers out of you and instead, placing a tight grip on your hip. “Did you?”

“No, no. Not at all.” Your voice came in a hushed tone, looking at his eyes intently. “Why would I do that?”

He let out an exasperated sigh, falling back into the bed with one arm under his head. “Don’t play games with me, Y/N.”

Desperation led you to climb on top of him, sitting on his crotch before encasing your lips with his soft ones. “I’m not,” you mumbled, kissing him again. “I never did. I promise.”

Yet, despite your attempts at inviting him for an open-mouthed kiss, he had already lost the interest to engage in sexual activities with you. He didn’t say anything nor tried to argue about the shit that you said, but he did stay silent for a couple of minutes, simply holding you on top of him without another word to utter. It scared you to think what was going through Toji’s mind, but this was also all your fault. Why, in the first place, did you even let your mind imagine that white-haired toxic ex-husband of yours when you had Toji Zen’in in front you?

Perhaps in this relationship, you were the toxic one.

You were the poison that could kill the life out of the man who only wanted to love and heal you.

“Toji, I’m sorry…”

He held his breath. “Should I be concerned that you’re going on a trip with him?”

“No, it’s…” Pulling away, you gave him a look of combined sincerity and denial. “We’re just gonna fix Sachiro’s papers, you know that. We won’t even be staying in the same room.”

Fixing Sachiro’s papers. Dealing with his dual citizenship. Changing his last name to Gojou. Solidifying your son’s identity as the son of Satoru Gojou. That’s all there is to it. All the technical matters.

“Is he staying at a hotel or are you letting him stay at your apartment in Manhattan?” he asked, although there was no hint of suspicion in his voice. Or at least, he must be good at hiding it.

You chose to be honest. “I have to let him stay at my apartment,” was your answer, leaning your head on his shoulder. “Only because Sachi wants his dad around all the time. We’re just trying our best to co-parent.”

Toji’s dry humor took over. “You sure you’re not gonna let him fuck you senseless?” His tone was laced with resentment. “And then you’ll come home to me crying about how he got you pregnant for the second time. You’d better kiss our marriage goodbye if that happens.”

“What kind of person do you think I am?” you retorted, annoyed by his word of choice as if you were a cheating scumbag. “If he’s gonna get someone pregnant, that won’t be me.”

His eyes sparked with curiosity. “What do you mean?”

Deciding between telling and not telling, you figured that the latter would only cause more drama to bounce back at you like a boomerang. “He’s with Akemi.”

It looked like Toji didn’t hear it right. “Akemi? How’d that happen?”

“I don’t know what kinda relationship they have, okay?” you snapped, no longer wanting to keep up with this topic further. “I just caught them. They said they’re seeing each other, but it’s complicated or whatever—I don’t really give a damn. But he’s with her is all I know.”

Toji went silent for a few minutes, unable to determine whether he should find the situation pitiful or humorous. One thing for sure though, was that he found it unbelievable. “That son of a bitch,” he muttered under his breath, smiling in disbelief, “So this is what’s ruining your mood these days, huh?”

Your eyebrows furrowed in response. “It’s not.”

“Your ex-husband slept with your best friend. Yeah, I’d be mad, too.” His comment wasn’t really meant to irk you, but he successfully did so. Minus the intention. “Getting mad is understandable, getting jealous is questionable. Which one are you?”

Fuck it. “I said I’m not jealous. Will you stop now?” You sunk yourself under the covers, turning your back on Toji. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Now that he knew and you saw his reaction, you wondered what it would be like if Gen and Ian knew. Or if your dad knew. What would they think of Satoru? What would they think of Akemi? No, nevermind that. What would they think of you? Another fool in a deck of cards? Another game that was played with?

You didn’t want to know.

Ideally, you and Satoru really shouldn’t have gone to this New York trip together as if your family was still intact, because as much as you wished that that was true, you were far from that. You were only playing house for the sake of your son, but that also meant putting you in a painfully awkward situation together as ex-spouses. He had a girlfriend back home and you had a loving and loyal fiancé who proved the whole word that he was loyal to you. And although your respective partners were supporting the whole co-parenting situation, you knew by yourselves that this was nowhere to near to being comfortable for them, too.

“Everything okay?” You heard the familiar voice of your past, only to see his dull, blue eyes taking a peek at you.

“Yeah,” you replied, almost inaudibly. You just boarded the plane while Satoru was talking to the pilot, and found your spot on one of the beds in his private jet. It took a few minutes for him to get to where you were now. “Why?”

He shrugged, eyeing a sleepy Sachiro next to you. “Just wanna make sure you and Sachi are comfortable.”

You didn’t know what else to say, so you just looked back at your peaceful son who was hugging his elmo plush like the cute angel he was. Even though he was growing so fast, you could still remember how he was just as small as a puppy in your arms when he was first born. The memory of it caused you to press your lips on his forehead, caressing his soft, white hair. At some point while observing the scene, your son’s father thought it would be a good idea to slide the blanket further up your shoulders, acting as though he was only doing it to keep Sachiro warm. And later, he sat on the reclined airplane seat, drinking the coffee that was served to him by the stewardess.

It was crazy.

Crazy that Toji could be lying next to you and you would feel nothing. But Gojou was meters away from you and your mind was on a never-ending race.

Just before noon, the airplane landed safely at JFK airport and Satoru’s driver took you straight to Central Park Towers, treated like a V.I.P. by security just because your ex-husband was Japan’s third richest person and second most influential businessman. At times like these, you would almost forget the power Satoru held even before he was the chairman. You two were almost royalty. Now that he was leading the Gojou Group, his reputation only grew more despite the scandal of your broken marriage. He knew not to share his relationship publicly anymore nor did he expose Sachiro to any of his social media. It was a mutual decision for you to keep your son away from the spotlight knowing the scrutiny and the lack of privacy that would enter your lives once again—all the unnecessary noise, the unwanted comments, the unruly attention. Besides, for safety reasons, Sachiro had to be hidden from the public since he would become the sole heir to his father’s conglomerate, inheriting his parents combined assets that could one day make him the richest and most sought after bachelor in Japan.

“Mamaaa!” A lively Sachi came running to you as soon as he entered the lobby of the apartment suites, his father following him behind.

“Careful, baby!” you said, standing at the lobby while talking to your housekeeper, “You might trip.”

Satoru decided to carry his son after noticing your worried expression and immediately walked towards you. He was all smiles as he looked at Sachiro’s cheerful blue eyes. “He seems a little excited, isn’t he?”

“He lived here for almost three years,” you answered, signaling a quick ‘thank you’ to your housekeeper before guiding your boys to the elevator. “He must’ve missed the place. Did you, Sachi?”

“Yes, mama~”

It was a little bittersweet for your ex-husband, though. Especially the moment he stepped inside the apartment, looking at every corner and realizing that it was the same place you had lived in back when he was suffering from emotional distress on the other side of the world. This apartment was where his own child grew up in and he had no idea he had even existen then. Not only did that make you a terrible ex-wife, but it also made you a heartless mother. You had separated them and now you were taking him to the place where you had his son hidden from him.

That wasn’t your intention. That was never your intention.

“I’m glad you chose a nice place,” he complimented, acting as casual as possible. “Does your father own this place or?”

“Gen loaned it to me,” you said, holding Sachiro’s hand while letting Satoru follow you closely. You stopped at one of the guest rooms and urged the tall man to feel at home. “You can stay here for the meantime.”

“I don’t wanna make things uncomfortable for Akemi.” He looked away, avoiding your eyes. “I can just stay at a hotel—”

“Dada!” His mini-me tugged at his hand along with yours. You already knew that those puppy eyes would look back at the both of you. “Sachi wants Dada to stay.”

Frankly, you weren’t upset a while ago, but since he had to bring up Akemi and make it seem like her feelings were his priority, you lost all the will to be kind. Was their relationship that deep for him to act like such a loyal, righteous partner? Where was that same loyalty when he married you? “Do whatever.”

Noticing the tension between his parents, Sachiro’s eyes started to well up with tears and that was all it took for you two to completely focus your attention back to your 3-year old.

“Sachi…” Satoru tried to reach for his son, but you (spitefully) beat him to it.

“It’s okay, my baby. Don’t cry,” you comforted your son, picking him up and carrying him in your arms, “Daddy will still visit you every day even if he's staying at a hotel.”

Satoru, as guilty as ever, shook his head and wiped his son’s eyes. “No. I’ll stay here for Sachi, okay? Don’t cry anymore.”

It felt like hours sitting on that enormous sofa, staring at the television screen even though your mind was miles away. You had already texted Toji good night and reassured him that everything was fine, but you still couldn’t stop thinking about what he was doing back home. Sachiro had fallen asleep almost half an hour ago, and how you wished you could also enjoy your slumber while snuggling under those heated blankets, but how could you? How could you be comfortable in the presence of an ex-husband who was coming out of his room, freshly showered in his low-waisted sweatpants and tight-fitting black shirt? Not to mention how he was obviously flexing his arms while drying his mop of messy, white hair with a towel. Ridiculous. A little seductive, but definitely ridiculous.

“Still up?” His sky blue eyes met yours as soon as he looked up.

You adjusted your position on the sofa and leaned on the corner, pulling a small cushion to place above your thighs. “Can’t sleep.”

And the night went on just like that. You, sitting on the couch. Him, sitting on the other end as if going near you might suffocate him. It didn’t help that the silence was beginning to be too uncomfortable. You couldn’t tell what he was thinking of. Perhaps Akemi? Perhaps you? You doubted the latter.

“I think…” You cleared your throat to escape from the awkward tension. “I think I’m gonna go for a night swim. You can go to sleep next to Sachi tonight, just make sure not to wake him up.”

Satoru’s curious gaze trailed on you as you got up and tightened your robe. “It’s a little too late at night to go for a swim, no?”

You couldn’t even face him as you responded. “I need to clear my mind off some things.” And by things, you meant him and this whole mess of a situation that you had put yourselves together. Two divorcees staying in the same living space wasn’t exactly a brilliant idea to begin with.

“Want me to join you?” asked Satoru, and he himself could not believe he asked that question. He may have asked it out of his innate care for you, probably worried for no damn reason. What he didn’t realize was how wrong his suggestion was, especially that you two were dating other people now.

If only you were such a cruel person, how ironic would it be if you allowed Satoru Gojou to join you for a quick night swim?

How ironic would it be for you to feel each other’s warmth under the crystal pool, getting carried away by the romantic lights that lit the city?

How ironic would it be if the intense sexual tension ended with you doing things under the sheets, completely disregarding the fact that the both of you had respective partners who were overthinking this exact NYC trip?

How ironic would it be if, for once in your life, you became the cheater?

Thankfully, you didn’t have the mindset of a cheating person.

However, it was Satoru who took back his initial offer. “Never mind. Forget I even asked that,” he muttered, sounding annoyed more so to himself rather than at you.

You offered a nonchalant shrug. “Okay.”

And as you were heading to the poolside, you could sense Gojou’s presence behind even though he just very clearly rejected the idea of going on a swim with you. He was still the same confusing man that you married before. Only now, he was ten times worse. “Wait, Y/N.”

“What?” You turned around, annoyed at his push-and-pull behavior. At this point, you didn’t really care what he was thinking of anymore. All you did was to take off your robe, leaving yourself with only your underwear on before you slowly got down on the pool.

Gojou, on the other hand, was ridding himself of his shirt and sweatpants to join you in the pool with just his boxers on. What even was this situation? You two had that same question in your head despite swimming at the edge of the pool to stare at the cityscape. “I only asked to join you because I wanted to talk. That’s all.”

You wanted to laugh at how he was clearing his intentions to you.

“Why do you sound defensive around me?” He couldn’t see it, but you were rolling your eyes as you leaned against the pool coping. “I never knew Akemi would be the jealous type.”

Satoru looked surprised by your claim, seeming as though he didn’t recognize the kind of person you were anymore. You were never this unreasonably sarcastic nor acidic with your words during your marriage even at the height of his affair with Sera, yet you had just become the worst version of yourself. “She isn’t,” he muttered, finding his spot next to you, “But I don’t wanna give her a reason to be.”

You huffed. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. You make it sound like I’m gonna make a move on you or something.”

“I never said that.”

“You were thinking about it.”

“Says who?”

What is it about Satoru Gojou that makes him so irritating? Was it the way he talks? The way he thinks he’s always right? The way he acts like he’s such a clean person?

“Please,” you retorted, bitterly. “Toji isn’t comfortable having you around me, either. Just so you know.”

“Can we just—” There. His last string of patience finally snapped and his true colors came to show when he grabbed your wrist and made you face him. The spiteful Satoru. He was back, even just for a second. “Y/N, I’m not trying to argue with you here. I’m trying to talk to you like a civilized person. You’re the mother of my child and I respect you. I’d still care for you and will always protect you, but I want you to at least act like a fucking person around me. You’re a grown woman.”

Wasn’t it bad that he, of all people, was basically telling you to grow up? Memories of your marriage and all the back-and-forth arguments that you had with him flashed before your eyes. He should be the last one to say such a thing. “You’re the one who’s been crossing the fucking line with me since day one, Gojou. Don’t tell me to—”

“And do you wish I had just killed myself for you to forgive me?!” The ridges of his neck became prominent, making his anger much visible now. He was staring down at you intensely, backing you against the edge of the pool, trapping you in between his arms. “I’d have probably done that. But you…You did unforgivable things to me and look how easy it was for me to forgive you.”

You looked away, not trying to have this conversation again. Not trying to have your guilt eat your heart out. Maybe your behavior really had become too much and it was about time you take a step back and realize how ridiculous you had been acting because no way was this man trying to make a better point than you.

“I slept with Akemi, I know. She’s your best friend, I fucking know. But I never did that to get back at you,” his voice bore so much authority in them. “I begged on my knees just to be with you again. Swallowed my pride just for you to be my wife again!” His breathing became ragged. “But you chose to move on. You said you love Toji. You said you’d be happier without me, so why don’t I deserve to be happy without you?”

The inability to speak wasn’t because you were at a loss of words. The problem was choosing the right ones. Words that wouldn’t put you in a disadvantageous position. Words that wouldn’t make you look like an unreasonable person.

“You wished me well when you first found out about Akemi and I. You said you don’t care who I choose to date even if that choice is her,” he said, much calmer this time. He was placing his forehead against yours, body pressed against each other. “If that was true, then why are you still so angry with me?”

Your heart raced as you locked eyes with him. His eyes were the same kind of blue that reflected off of the surface of the pool. Anyone could easily get lost in it, but you knew where to place yourself in order not to. “I’m… not angry…”

“Baby, you and I both know that’s not true,” he said with a serious gaze, lifting your chin with his hand.

But you swatted it away, averting your eyes. “Don’t call me baby. You’re being ridiculous.”

With a loud sigh, Gojou gave up and simply placed his forehead on your shoulder, letting you feel the weight of his head and the warmth of his breath. “If you were still my wife, I’d have kissed you right now,” he declared, breathing heavily as if stopping with all of his will to do what he just said. “I’d touch every inch of you, tell you how much I love you, carry you back into that room, and make more beautiful babies with you…”

“Satoru,” you warned just as he pulled away, smiling despite the sorrow in his eyes.

“…But I won’t do that. I’m not gonna do that,” he claimed and sounded like he was convincing himself rather than clearing it up. “Akemi doesn’t deserve a partner who can’t move on from his ex-wife, so I’m doing my best to forget about you.”

Your breathing took a halt. You weren’t sure where those tiny pricks in your heart came from. Toji needed the same. He deserved a wife who wasn’t pining for her ex-husband. Satoru was just being true.

“Then, forget about me,” you gave a barely audible reply.

Gojou pulled away and kept his distance now, showing that he was indeed trying to stick to his words. “I will.”

Why did it hurt when it shouldn’t have?

“Good.”

He looked at you with eyes that carried a million emotions. But what was most visible was him seeing the light, probably realizing that he truly was doing the right thing and that he was proud of himself for being able to resist you. Because then, that only meant he was only a few steps away from the path of moving on. That if he could let you go, then he could live a better life.

It only made sense why he pulled that little stunt back there—being close enough to you was probably his way of differentiating how his body reacted to you versus how it reacted to Akemi. And now that he was able to determine whatever difference that might be, it would be easier for him to know what exactly to avoid.

After all, you two would be spending the rest of your lives as a present mom and dad to Sachiro. Co-parenting was your only connection and the only way to make that work without falling for each other was to rid yourselves of any kind of attraction towards one another.

Good for him.

“Let’s be good parents, Y/N.” Satoru looked at you from across the pool. “Let’s set a good example for Sachi and show that divorced parents can still be good parents. Let’s not be toxic to each other, especially not in front of him.” His words were coming from his personal experience and as you knew the whole history behind the mess within his family, you were truthfully considerate of his words. His traumatic experiences were what shaped him to become the problematic man you once married, and he was doing his best not to let his own son be the same. “I’ll provide Sachiro with everything he needs and I’ll always be present in his life, so please let me have as much time with him as possible. I’m making up for the three years I lost with him.”

You nodded. “I don’t have a problem with that.

As the established relationship you had with Gojou became more professional and strictly transactional, the distance between you two also grew more and more. There was no longer any space for love and intimacy. There was only familiarity and acquaintanceship.

“Go to sleep soon,” he said without sending another glance your way, climbing out of the pool and reaching for his clothes, “We have a long day tomorrow.”

#gojo satoru x reader #gojo satoru x you #gojo satoru x y/n #gojo satoru angst #gojo angst #jjk angst

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fuck-customers · 7 months ago

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This situation truly felt like the closest I've ever gotten to reenacting the L vs. Light from Death Note battle lmaoo I kept my cool and plausible deniability, but I was dying laughing internally.

(I think I've won the battle, btw. I'll have to wait and see. There's more to this war, though)

So, for background (and I've complained about this on this blog several times...sorry) my moron boss refuses to put price tags/signs on the products in the store, especially at the register. Considering I work in a retail store...this is obviously a problem. So I've made several attempts to get products priced, in varying degrees of extremity.

1. I made handmade signs/tags out of receipt paper/scratch paper and put them on the products around the register. (Candy, toys etc.) Braindead manager took them down.

2. All but 4 of the shopping carts at work are broken, but customers are stupid and still try to drag them halfway through the store and then abandon them or somehow blame me personally for them being broken. So I put signs on the broken ones and blocked them off. Dumbshit managers keep unblocking them and then customers try and fail to use them and abandon them throughout the store, rinse and repeat daily.

3. I then got the idea to go over my manager's head, but without having it fall back on me. Write to corporate. I originally started snatching receipts to leave negative reviews on the store survey, but that seemed to be a dead end, as the SM and DM are the ones who are supposed to read the surveys, but appear not to, as not a single thing was fixed in over 6 months of "customers" complaining weekly. (Usually at least 1 every 2-4 days)

4. I found a clearance price gun and tagged everything with it, even if it wasn't clearance. One way or another, it had a price on it, right? Of course the braindead moron took them off.

5. I then found actual price tags that were technically for different products, but had the same prices as our current candy, so I tagged the items with that. (For example, we'd have a tag for chocolate that we no longer carry that was $3.99 and we have some current chips on the shelf that are $3.99, so I'd just put the old tag for the current candy, since all customers need is the dollar amount and blacked out the old product description) These lasted longer than the previous attempts, but were ultimately taken down, but this is (hopefully) the turning point.

6. Just to really make sure something would change, a month or so after reusing old price tags, I (simultaneously, while also putting up old tags) made several fake emails posing as disgruntled customers and emailed corporate complaining about the lack of prices and the broken carts (among other things) at my specific location. (I did not name any specific employees or throw anyone under the bus. I just complained about the appearance of the store and any mention of employees was simply left at "the cashier" "the manager" etc. with no personally identifying info) I did this on the feedback section of the company website as well.

This all came to a head today when the braindead's mini-me (the ASM) pulled me aside before I clocked in today to basically call me out. She said that she knew that I was the one who put the handmade tags and also put "broken" signs on the broken carts and blocked them off. I, of course pretended not to know about it, because I'm not THAT stupid. But I'm not in trouble, because she has no real proof. (It was very much "I know that she knows and she knows that I know she knows lol) Anyway, she says (and we'll see about this) that new carts have been ordered and are on their way and also that she had to go around and undo all the tags (oh boohoo, she had to do her job, poor her) and will be putting real, correct tags on the products.

We'll see. In the meantime, "customers" are still going to leave bad reviews and contact corporate until changes are actually made for real. There are still other issues that need to be fixed, but are not as important as the lack of price tags and carts. (Such as the lack of price checkers, the shit radio music, the lack of employees, the dysfunctional inventory system, the bare shelves, the disorganized store, etc.)

Posted by admin Rodney

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bakerstreethound · 7 months ago

Text

Single Dad Corinthian - New Beginnings | Chapter 2: Simple Joys

Chapter 1: A Walk in the Park

Relationship: Single Father!Corinthian x OC Aspen Reeves

Warnings: brief mention of losing a child, absent parents, flirty Corinthian, pining, sensual undertones, mentions of past abusive relationship for Aspen, and supportive Corinthian

Summary: A week after Aspen meets the mysterious Corinthian and his son Levi at the park, they take a chance and start talking to Corinthian. Soon enough a kinship and something more unfolds. How will it go and can Aspen tread through the waters of flirting all while tending to some still fresh wounds of loss from their younger years? How will they possibly get through a first date? Corinthian has his doubts and he finds himself falling for Aspen, been if he's not actively trying. How can he not? What happens if Aspen sees him for who he truly is? A monster on the inside and out?

All writings belong to me @bakerstreethound (Do NOT claim, copy, repost, or translate my works to other sites. I only publish here and on A03 under the same username)

Word Count: 4.4k+

A/N: It has been months, but I am so excited to present chapter 2 of this little snapshot mosaic series of single dad Corinthian and my OC Aspen Reeves. Both of them deserve a hug and Levi is adorable. Many thanks to @novaracer for beta reading and cheering me on as I wrote. I hope you enjoy! Graphic by @firefly-graphics Comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated!

It had been a week since your run-in with the man who called himself Corinthian, but you shortened his name to Cori in your contacts (you would be lying if it didn’t make you smile). The park meeting had been one of the most unexpected adventures in your life the past year.

You fiddled with the card he left you on the bench that fateful afternoon and it pestered you for days until you gave in and said hello. You felt so stupid reaching out. Would he think you were a creep? A lonely creep was not much harm unless you became a stalker. You blanched at the thought.

When you did text him, you realized the appointments you had to keep and he had the same, with his work and needing to take care of Levi. You did not mind waiting, but you found yourself looking forward to life, looking forward to seeing him and Levi sometime. If a week had to pass for the outcome to be that way, you would take it.

Having someone to talk to was nice and you were eager each time you heard the ping of your phone, instead of the dreaded pit of worry and anxiety that accompanied them.

Ever since your child Sam had been admitted to the hospital two years prior in the months before his passing, the messages, texts, and emails had caused nothing but sickness and heartbreak for you and your partner.

You cringed at the thought of your partner Kai, who had all but abandoned you, leaving Sam’s care and bills up to you. You loved your child, you did, you missed going to the parks, and taking him to school. You often wondered what he would have become if he decided to go to college or learn a trade.

You wondered a lot of things, then, but now you grasped at the possibility of wanting to be with someone new, at least entertaining the company. Your heart was not perfectly mended, albeit bruised after the divorce, but it did not matter in the slightest. You had left the apartment and donated a majority of Kai and Sam’s things except for the minimal keepsakes.

Your new place faired better for you with large windows to filter in the sun and wash your darkness away on those days when it felt nigh impossible to get out of bed, bundled in copious amounts of blankets.

Regardless, you found solace these days between texting Corinthian through errands and hobbies like cooking, writing, and your art. The easel in your studio apartment held a blank canvas, and your cart was full of acrylics and watercolors stashed away in your art box.

Looking at them brought up memories of Kai and Sam, making your heart twinge. The passion, though, that did not fade, but your irrationality had overridden it. That was months ago, but you felt ready enough for it, but it would wait for another day.

Your phone pings, the smile crossing your face of its own accord.

Found this new shiny beauty at the pawn shop today, though it is not as bright as your smile. He sends accompanied by the attachment of a shiny knife. Though dull, it’ll be quite the beauty when sharpened and polished.

I don’t have many reasons to smile, you know.

Well, perhaps I might have to be one of them.

You roll your eyes . Perhaps you might. I have been debating trying that new pizza shop down the street. Have you had it, yet? You breathe a sigh of relief, having dodged the flirt. You are still new to it all.

Oh, darling, I have not had enough of you. But I would like more

Is that so?

I’d kill to see that smile again, the one you flashed to Levi in the park before we officially met.

Your heart thumps faster as you send another text. Would you now?

Only if you asked nicely.

What, do I have to be nice about it?

There are ways I could make you behave if you prefer.

You pause. Are you certain about that? I might bite.

I like it when they bite (:

******

The remaining weeks fly by at a steady pace, much of your interactions with Corinthian brief and flirty, with debates about the best restaurants in between. You bickered about the best brick oven pizza, thin or stuffed crust, iced or hot coffee and tea, and the most random nonsense.

You voted for the regular homestyle crust while he vies for the thin crust when it comes to a Margherita pizza. Regular crust he likes for pepperoni or meat lovers, you find out.

This easy back and forth becomes the normal and your darker more dreary days turn brighter with the chime of a text and call. Those sounds that once spelled doom now ring with a brighter tune.

The tune of hope.

You do not want it to disappear but approach it with caution.

That is the day he asks you out on a date, your first official date together. You remember the confidence he exuded on the phone.

“Aspen, darling, he drawled. “Would you like to join me on a picnic at the park? It would be me and you only, under that nice shade tree.”

Your name on his lips sounded utterly delightful and you did not hesitate to tell him yes.

******

You have not made a trip to the park in some time, but the memories of meeting Levi instantly hit you on the stroll over. The clouds in the sky accentuate the sun and you feel a warmth spread inside you.

Yes, you can be happy and not dread every moment of your existence wondering if you were an awful parent, if you could have done more to save Sam, could have given Kai a reason to stay.

You shake those thoughts from your mind. Shush, Aspen. You’re here to meet Corinthian on your first date.

First date.

The word feels foreign on your tongue and in your mind. You barely remember your first date with Kai, but it was likely a rushed one at a cheap ramen bar, the only thing starving artist college kids could afford.

The rest of your relationship flew by in a blur and suddenly Sam was born, your pride and joy, then he vanished too soon. Five years was not long, a life cut too soon. Such is the unfairness of the world.

Yet, the world in all its cruelty has given you a new gift, a fresh start, hope. Hope you scarcely allow yourself to feel anymore,

It’s the feeling that flutters in your chest when you recognize him there under the old oak tree, one you admire countless times from your park bench picnics, a sandwich in hand, your satchel next to you, filled with your wallet, books, and other essentials.

He looks impossibly heartbreaking and more devastatingly gorgeous than you remember. When you first met him, he wore white suit pants and a simple T-shirt.

Now, he is dressed in navy blue slacks, a pale blue shirt, with a simple gray sweater over it, the collar edges peaking out from it. His signature sunglasses sat perched on the bridge of his nose. His brow rose in greeting.

Shit, you have been staring too long, more like gawking and you snapped your jaw tighter, determined not to let him get to you.

You can do this.

It’s a picnic another normal day.

Who are you kidding? This is more than you could fathom or deserve.

“Hello, darling,” He rumbles, the breeze softly swirling around you. A few leaves tumbled around you, crunching beneath your sneakers as you met him, standing fully in front of him, appreciating the view a while longer.

He reaches for your hand, pressing a kiss to your knuckles before leading you to a place beneath the tree.

You gasp, a giggle bursting from your lips. “You didn’t Cori.”

He smiles. “Of course I did. It is all for you.”

Before you are a simple picnic blanket, a simple wicker basket filled to the brim with drinks, snacks, and an assortment of fruit. In addition, there is a charcuterie board of cheeses, ham, and two loaves of bread, meticulously laid out on a simple wooden board.

It is more than you could have hoped for. You eagerly sit on the blanket and Corinthian joins you, carefully brushing his fingers along your arm and handing you a plate. He chuckles when your hands brush as you reach for some cheese and meat and he carefully slices up some bread for you, which you gratefully accept.

The flavors burst on your tongue in a delightful manner, a low moan passing along your lips. Corinthian stiffens next to you his slice of cheese close to his mouth, jaw slack.

Hell, he loves the noise you made, and he briefly finds his mind wondering to what other noises he could possibly get you to make. He shakes these thoughts from his head as he asks, “Enjoying yourself?”

“This is probably the best meal I have had all week.”

He cocks a brow, his signature move. “Really?” That surprises him. What the heck have you been eating then?

“Yeah. The best I can do for myself sometimes is cereal, some taco meat on occasion, and sandwiches when I am in a pinch. It’s not the worst thing.”

The way you shrug this off nonchalantly rubs Corinthian, prying an itch from his skin. He wants to make you good warm meals, that is the least you deserve. He wants to hold you against the cruel world, and kill those who harm you, bother you, or stand in your way.

He reaches out to you to stroke your face with his hand, thumb dragging along your lip. “You had a bit of something there.”

Your face warms at his touch, and you lean into him more, your gaze transfixed on him beyond the sunglasses. You wonder what emotion he conveys behind his eyes. Curiosity getting the better of you, you reach out to his glasses, but he veers out of your way.

“Not here, darling,” he snaps, sending you shrinking. What did you do? You didn’t mean it. Panic and worry crawl along your skin. So you have been too foreward and he hates you now.

Great, Aspen, look what you have done, ruined your once chance of something exciting in your life. Get it together you can make this work.

“I’m sorry,” you eventually find yourself saying after an agonizing ten minutes, as you and Corinthian continue your meal, the park filling with more people. Children are playing on the playground, a group of teens starts a pickup soccer game, parents run with their children, a couple walks with a stroller built for twins from the look of it.

You find yourself smiling as Corinthian reaches out for your hand, squeezing it gently.

“I am sorry for snapping at you, Aspen. My eyes are sensitive and I don’t like exposing to the sun more than necessary, hence why I wear these. Should have explained sooner.”

“Oh.”

Corinthian swallows, watching you intently. Shit he scared you off, you hate him for his outburst. He understands if you want to get up and leave, but…you don't, you stare at him longer then reach for the bottle opener, picking up the bottle of wine and champagne he bought.

He was not sure which you preferred, but champagne is usually in style, especially for a celebration and wasn’t this a celebration?

A celebration of a colossal win or a massive failure.

He had found you and wanted to know you more. What little part of his heart however misshapen by his creator beat stronger in your presence, filling him with a curious warmth, a warmth different beyond his bloodlust for killing.

He cared, that is what he feels when he watches you pilfer through the wicker basket, your face brightening when you produce a Honeycrisp apple.

Without a word, Corinthian reaches out to take it from you, sliding a knife out from his holster and cutting it up in an expert fashion. Your eyes remain glued on him in morbid fascination, perusing his biceps, down to his forearms, then focusing on his hands.

You wonder how they would feel on your sides, squeezing you gently, holding you close to his chest where you can hear the thrumming of his heart.

“Something on your mind, darling?”

You shrug, swallowing another bite of cheese before replying. “Not really. I was considering going to the bookstore later. I need something else to stimulate my mind while at work.

“Ah I see, work can get slow?”

“Being a receptionist has its ups and downs throughout the week, but my boss gives us enough downtime to sneak in reading time throughout the day. It is good for our productivity.”

“Ah, so I see,” Corinthian hums thoughtfully, interrupted by the ping of his phone. “Shit.” He glances down at his phone, mouth pulled into a thin line.

“What’s wrong?” You take a sip of your champagne.

“The sitter texted me saying their plans fell through so they can’t watch Levi for the following two hours. I told Matthew I needed him for longer so Levi wouldn’t disturb us.”

“Oh, I see. Well, would it be that bad if Levi joined us?”

“I had planned for us to go bowling.”

“He can join us.”

“Wait, you don’t mind?��

“Not at all,” you smile.

“I wanted this to be a pleasant experience for the both of us with no distraction and people are hesitant when I mention I have a child-”

“Hey,” you squeeze his hand. “There’s no need to explain yourself. I understand how it can be, the unsurety of how people treat you being a single parent.”

“It is not easy.”

“It never is, but we love our children regardless.”

Corinthian at least wanted to continue pleading his case so he hurriedly explained his sitter Matthew had to rush off on an extended errand for his demanding boss, and his bosses’ assistant Lucienne who was Corinthain’s fallback was overwhelmed with administrative duties it was not feasible and Merv, well Corinthian wanted Levi to not be surrounded by dangerous equipment - equipment Merv was certain to allow Levi try out all in good fun.

“Say we skip bowling and get ice cream as a treat for Levi. Would he like that?”

“Darling, you are wonderful. I am sure he will be delighted.”

******

With a bowling date falling through, Corinthian set his apprehensions aside when he saw Levi running to you for a hug after opening the apartment door. “Pretty person is back. Look dad!”

“Yes Levi, I can see you’re having fun. Hopefully, you were not too much trouble to Matthew. Also, that pretty person is Aspen. Can you give them a proper hello?”

Levi beams at you as you twirl him in your arms, giggling hysterically. “H-hii Aspen!”

“Hey bud, you have a good day today?” He giggles when you set him back on the floor, chuckling in amusement as he steadies himself on his legs. He quickly makes a beeline for the kitchen where he climbs up on the table to watch Corinthian.

You join him and Corinthian sets down a glass before you from which you take a sip, thanking him all the while.

“I have a few more things to pack then we can go get ice cream.”

“Wait, we’re getting ice cream?” Levi’s eyes widen and he almost falls out of his chair with excitement.

“Woah buddy hold your horses. We will get some after we run a few errands. You can be patient, right?” Corinthian raises an incredulous brow.

Levi giggles, nodding furiously. “Yes, Dad!”

“Wonderful, buddy. How about you run along and show Aspen some of the books you got from the library this week.”

“Yeahh!!”

******

A few hours later, you find yourself back in the ice cream parlor you eyeballed weeks ago, one you thought of going to before settling on your park bench. It was the decision that changed the course of you life, leading you to meet Levi and his father. You find yourself enjoying their company their laughter, their conversation and warmth.

You forgot that is how a family could be, how humanity could be. Laughter, joy, the simplicity of running errands. Levi is surprisingly well-behaved and jovial, staying close to Corinthian and holding your hand to not lose you in the slew of people in the aisles and sidewalks.

Soon enough you’re laughing, full from the ice cream at the parlor, and head back to the park after dropping off the groceries. Corinthian insisted all the while that he is making you dinner sometime after hearing you adore a good spaghetti and meatballs and a variety of American cuisine like cheeseburgers and BBQ.

*******

He can’t stop watching you, your smile as you guide Levi down the sidewalk, turning your head to be on the lookout for any strangers or creeps who would follow you back to his apartment. He likes your smile, the way laughter flows through your entire being. It lights you up from the inside out and it is a beautiful sight.

You are beautiful, he realizes, has known it since the moment he met you in the park, a well-worn book next to you on the bench, the half-eaten sandwich you likely saved for dinner or lunch the following day.

His heart seizes at this realization, the grocery bag almost slipping from his shoulder and he almost freaking trips- trips on the sidewalk barely avoiding a yipping dog whose owner rolled their eyes at him.

You and Levi couldn’t contain your laughter and you were even more stunning then. He wants to reach out and hold your hand, hold Levi’s hand too. He can picture the life you could have together in his simple two bedroom apartment, the one he was lucky enough to find in a pinch soon after he rescued Levi, desperate to escape the confines of the dreaming world.

Levi who changed his world in an instant and vowed to protect and would riot if Morpheus ever found him and tried to separate them. He needs Levi as much as Levi needs him. He cares for him so much more than he can express and he does not want to lose you either. If he could pull himself into some semblance of a better person for the good of his son, he can do it for you.

He wants to be by your side for as long as you will have him. He says none of this as your walk into the library, his grocery bag full of library books to return. Levi had insisted on another outing to one of the few places he felt save, practically begged Aspen on the phone to join him and his dad again.

Aspen complied, falling under his spell but Cornthian hopes it is because you want to see him as much as he wants to see you. The weeks have slipped away in the blink of an eye when your both near each other and he can’t explain how much more time he wants in your presence.

The late night killing sprees he completes do not hold a candle to the shine of your smile, the thrill of it all. Hell, he loves to make you smile, the easeful way your hair falls, warm and streaked with sunlight, makes you all the more alluring and he wants your smile to fall upon his face longer.

******

The time at the park passes in a blur and you're on the way back to Corinthian’s apartment, Levi in tow, sitting atop his father’s shoulders, eyes bleary in exhaustion. The long day had certainly caught up to him between the grocery shopping, ice cream parlor, and additional park time.

You can’t blame him as you stifled back another yawn, yearning for the comfort of your bed. You almost sigh in relief when the apartment door opened, Levi murmuring sleepily that he wanted a popsicle, and Corinthian chuckled good-naturedly.

You collapse onto the couch after taking your shoes off, relief sinking into you when the soft cushions meet your back.

“Now this is nice.” You sigh and stretch.

Cori smirked, Levi yawning on his shoulders as he pulled him down.

“Time to get ready for bed, little buddy.”

“Dad…”

“Now, now Levi we’ve talked about this.”

“But dad…”

“Now now son, you know right and well you need to go to bed early tonight.”

You smiled, continuing to listen in to their back and forth, soothed by the steady rhythm of their nightly routine, and your mind drifted, falling into thoughts you kept tightly concealed, ones that you hoped would never surface, let alone in the house of the person you have come to enjoy the company of for the past week, no month.

How time flew when you were together with him and Levi. You felt a certain kinship to Levi, healing the broken parts of your soul. You shifted adjusting yourself unconsciously, bumping up against something, or rather, someone next to you.

Your heart raced. You try not to panic. Your heart is thrumming faster, certain you are in a dream until your eyes fly open, greeted with a room with soft light akin to a candle.

Something, or someone stirs next to you and your first instinct is to get the hell out of there but your mind screams at you to take it slow so you do.

Breathe. Kai isn’t here. You are safe.

The mantra steadied you, and now that your eyes adjust to the light you can see you are in a large bedroom with a view overlooking the city, a gentle breeze blew through the room ruffling your hair. A soft sigh and groan followed from the figure next to you. Blonde, no almost platinum hair upon the bedsheets, and a nightmask around his eyes.

Corinthian had tucked you in bed, his bed, and had fallen asleep next to you. You’re uncertain how you feel, then, but find the comfort of a warm body nice.

You liked that it was Corinthian there protecting you, watching over you, caring for you enough to let you stay. Though you had a panic about it you still find the gesture kind. In fact he was so kind you decided to return the favor and trailed your arm along his sleeping form, grasping onto his bicep.

“What is it now, Morpheus. I have been good! Please.”

“Corinthian? It’s me, Aspen.”

You jostle him and still nothing. Nothing in the room made a sound, the breeze frozen on its journey through, almost stealing the breath from your lips.

Your bones felt cold, yet you can’t break away from Corinthian, his Adam's apple bobbling, lips pleading, forming words that don’t fall from his lips, until he croaks softly, “No…please don’t. Not him. Not Levi.”

Dread falls into the pit of your stomach, awakening your irrational fears, but you shove them down, focusing on the man beside you. You nudge him again.

“Cori? Wake up. I’m here. It’s me, Aspen,” You speak into the silence of the room, darkness convalescing down the walls, shadows playing on the cracks of the walls.

They laugh at you forming faces of your failures; you can’t save them, but you are the one who has to be saved. Can’t you do anything right? They taunt. You scream at them to leave you alone, just as Corinthian’s form jolts upright, breathing hard, a cold sweat chilling him to the bone.

“Aspen?” Your name is a whisper on his tongue, tentative, unsure.

You reach for his hand, squeezing tight in reassurance. “Yes, it’s me.”

A few moments of silence pass, frozen in the low light of the room, moonlight streaming in.

“Could you still care for me, even knowing I am a monster, an abomination?”

“Cori we’ve known each other, have been talking for two months, now even if we only recently had our first date. You haven’t scared me off, yet. I do not think that will happen.”

He gaffes before a bitter laugh follows. “Yet. So you will leave eventually, they all do.”

Will you at least let me look at you? You do not sound okay” You reach for his eyemask and he turns his face from you. You’re not sure from fear, shame, or something worse.

“I can’t let you or Levi see me this way.”

“Levi is fine, you put him to bed four hours ago, see?” You check the clock on the nightstand which chimes midnight, signaling a new day. “What’s really going on Cori? I know I have no right to prod into any more of your business. We haven’t known each other long, but would it help to talk about it?”

He huffs, shifting before curling up. Why did you care? He is a monster, and doesn’t want you to see the true horrors he encapsulates.

Sure, he has done some things in the past that weren’t befitting of his station, but he had to claim his right. Surely Morpheus didn’t dare to track him down, yet the fear was always present, the thought of Levi being abandoned, left for dead, forgotten.

Corinthian does not want to face that shame, so he pulls you close, taking a deep breath before replying. “Can you turn the light off, please?”

You oblige, turning back the sheets, holding back a chill running down your spine. You hate to admit your fear of the dark but you can do this for him. A soft rustling comes from the bed and you hear the clicking of teeth, faint and rhythmic.

Your stomach turns in knots, thinking you stepped on something but eases as Corinthian feels for you, his mouth pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead, before pressing a gentle kiss to the top of your hand, then your palm, and the inside of your wrist.

“Would you stay the night with me? I know you fell asleep earlier so I couldn’t ask and I want you to be alright.” He ignores the lump that forms in his throat as he speaks, hoping you will agree and keep his racing thoughts at bay.

You smile, despite the pitch-black darkness as you whisper, “Of course,” all the while falling into his hopeful, waiting embrace

******

#the corinthian #corinthian x reader #the corinthian x reader #the corinthian x oc #the corinthian fanfiction #the sandman fanfiction #the sandman fandom #the corinthian sandman #netflix sandman #my writing #my alleyway #New Beginnings Series #Simple Joys #chapter fic

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lelopatienceklaas-blog · 3 months ago

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Email Marketing: Still Cool, Still Relevant, and Still One of Your Best Friends in E-commerce

Photo by BM Amaro: https://www.pexels.com/photo/gmail-logo-on-smartphone-20716656/ So, you’re running an e-commerce business and you’re probably wondering, “With all the new shiny marketing tools out there, is email marketing still the king of the digital world?” Well, let me tell you, the answer is a resounding YES. Email is like that trusty old friend who’s always there when you need them.…

#call to action #cart abandonment #cost-effective marketing #customer engagement #e-commerce #email marketing #lelo Klaas #leloklaas #mobile-friendly #personalized emails #ROI #sales boost #subject lines

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gowns · 2 years ago

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stupid little discount tricks, since people are asking

when shopping online: sign up for the email newsletter. there's usually a signup discount code for 5-15% off. (you can unsubscribe later)

search "website" + "discount code" "coupon code" etc

have a credit card plug in like the one i have that automatically searches for coupon codes

fill your shopping cart then "abandon it" and you might get an email offering you a discount

check social media, because every once in a while a company will advertise a sale or code on an instagram graphic and nowhere else.

keep track of when companies do their seasonal sales and the amounts (kind of playing the long game here). but for instance, when hanna andersson was having a 20% off sale a couple months ago i held off because i knew there was a 40% spring sale coming up. at the end of every season, they do big sales to try to offload things to make room for the new season's inventory.

search for items on reselling sites e.g. poshmark, ebay, etc, and watch the prices and how they compare to retail. depending on the item you may also want to scope out craigslist, fb marketplace. you know that 40% off hanna andersson sale i mentioned? it still won't be as dirt cheap as finding those clothes on facebook.

you know the junk mail you get? that also has coupons... you can play the long game here with some "extreme couponing," comparing the different discounts that come out from different stores at different times.

never buy anything full price, unless it's urgent or some kind of everyday purchase

(this one i learned from my bastard stepfather, it's not great for retail workers but you will usually get a discount): when shopping in person, find a dumb little flaw in an item then bring it up to the cashier and be like "oh there's a button missing (or what have you) can i have a discount?" usually the retail workers are like "ughhhh horrible little man. sure. have a discount." this does not always work and fills me with shame whenever i do it but when it does work. hey. discount!

if you combine all these things you will find yourself never paying full price for anything. discounts forever.

more saving money tricks:

join your local buy nothing group - this is a facebook thing but they're also trying to build up the website. post an "ISO" (in search of) whatever you need and you'd be surprised at what you can find. we got a lot of our furniture and rugs from the buy nothing group when we moved. for freeeeee

(this one sounds like an ad but it's not i just like my service:) to save on your phone bill, use a service like twigby, which will buy out your phone contract and then you pay a discount for the same cell plan / cell towers. i pay only $25 a month for a lot of data and texts. i used to pay like $100 a month for the same. i've had it for years now, nothing shady about it.

keep receipts for everything, you can return most things. if the return policy is strict, begging and pleading works sometimes.

speaking of begging and pleading. you guys know about like, gym memberships and dance classes? i used to do customer service for a ballet studio that used a popular fitness CRM. if people emailed me like "hey my classes expired, can you please put them back :(" i would do it. it's very easy to do it - i'd just go into their account and adjust it. so like, imagine: people who didn't email customer service would just have expired classes. people who DID email me with a sad email like "hey my classes expired can you help :(" would usually get extended classes, refunds, trades for comparable services, etc.

remember all the secondhand sites mentioned above? whatever you buy, you can later resell. it takes a little bit of time to take pictures and write out the details in the reselling posts, but if you're hurting for money it's not a bad way to get $. people will buy random things. computer parts. old video games. furniture. clothes and shoes are very easy to resell on a site like poshmark or depop, but you can also search facebook for certain clothing brands and find B/S/T (buy sell trade) groups. also search for your town + "swap meet" / "classifieds" "resell" / "buy sell trade" etc groups.

(another tip from the bastard stepdad, i do not fully endorse this but hey, it works in times of desperation): to maximize value at a restaurant, you can take things that are out on the table, like sugar, pepper, jam, etc. if you want to get real silly about this you take advantage of free bread / free chips by scooping them all into a tote bag. (i was rattled with shame when my stepdad did this when i was younger but you know what. it's a thing you can do.)

grocery-specific tips:

always look at the number next to the retail price, with the unit price. you want the cheaper unit price 95% of the time. it only doesn't make sense to buy the cheaper unit price when you're buying something for a really limited use. look around the item for similar items and make sure you're getting the best value. this was drilled into me at a young age but not everyone knows about this

always scope out the corners of a grocery store, they usually have a rack of discounted / about to expire food that is usually fine.

there is also dumpster diving which is also usually fine. i don't have too many tips about this because it's not my forte but the tips are out there; when grocery stores are closing they want to just get rid of stuff. so take advantage. weird tip here: go to a farmer's market when they're about to close. a lot of the purveyors just want to go home and will totally sell you their stuff at a cheaper rate so they can pack less into their truck. this works especially well for bread products at the farmer's market because they won't be able to sell day-old bread at the next day's farmer's market.

when you're living high on the hog from all your discounts, make sure you give freely in return. i donate food to food pantries and community fridges; i give away stuff on my buy nothing group + shelters; i put books in the free little libraries; etc.

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iocheckout · 10 months ago

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How to Create Abandoned Cart Report in Iocheckout

Are you losing customers because of abandoned carts? Check out this guide to using IoCheckout to generate detailed abandoned cart reports, identify trends, and increase sales. It's perfect for Magento store owners who want to improve their checkout process!

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fictionsoul · 11 days ago

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Tipsy chit-chat

Fem!reader x Yesung

Synopsis: All day long Yesung tries to get close to you but you're so distracted that you don't notice what's going on around you. Your carefree attitude towards his feelings tests him at every turn, causing his jealousy to come to the surface at unexpected moments.

Warnings: The correct amount of grammar mistakes (sorry for that), a few use of "(Y/N)", written with femmale pronouns, reader is clumsy, little angst for Yesung but with a happy ending ;)

w/c: 4.1k

Tipsy chit-chat

SM's offices were on fire. The press wanted them to talk about the recent controversy surrounding your founder and the sale of his shares in the agency.

Your staff was tired, they had spent three days working non-stop, sleeping just enough to stay alive. And yet the press continued their harassment as if you were keeping in touch with the former CEO and he was going to tell you about his plans for the future.

Lately you had been more distracted, your concentration was on the records of the movements in the idols' schedules, on the upcoming dates they had to cancel or postpone in order not to affect the safety and image of the singers.

Although the atmosphere among the workers was hostile, Yesung had managed to help you in any way he could. Not wanting to abuse his generosity you gave him some easy work, simple things like color-coding some file cabinets or sending messages to some of the managers inside the new work centers.

Yesung had helped you in time and now during this chaotic third day of work at full speed. He was there printing some reports and event calendars. He had gone from being your assistant to being THE assistant to your entire work team.

While waiting for the copier to finish its work, Yesung looked at you. The shadows under your eyes had reappeared with a deeper shade of violet, your once bright eyes now looked dry.

For a moment he felt the urge to take you in his arms and carry you to the nearest sofa to force you to take a nap. But those thoughts would live forever in his mind, he was your friend and he was there to support you in your work and not to take care of you.

As his gaze continued to rest on you, he saw the exact moment when you reached out to grab some documents and complained about a pain in your shoulder.

Instinctively Yesung moved around the tables to get to you, but one of your companions was quicker and came up behind you, placing his hands on your shoulders to give you a little massage.

Your eyes closed and you let him continue. You had been stiff in front of the computer all day, the calls to the office phone and emails kept coming in and your body was paying the consequences of the lack of sleep. The massage came to an end and you sighed with relief, you didn't know you needed it and now you were grateful.

Yesung's hands closed tightly over the documents he held in them. If only he had arrived earlier then that smile would have been for him and he would not have witnessed the way that worker put his hands on your shoulders.

The singer tried to contain his fury, took a deep breath to keep his emotions at bay and as he exhaled he decided that he would look for other ways to be of service and lighten your workload.

"I've already finished printing what you requested (Y/N), is there anything else I can help you with?" He offered again, gallantly putting the documents on your desk.

How you envied his life. You bet he had enough time to spend the day going out with friends or attending the art exhibitions he loved so much; and yet there he was, stuck next to you trying to catch up on seemingly endless activities.

"Could you help me carry these boxes to the warehouse? The cart we are using broke down and we can't have it repaired," you asked, feeling that you were abusing Yesung's kindness.

He was in no mood to carry such heavy things, his muscles still ached from the strenuous rehearsals. But then he had you in front of him, looking at him with the eyes of a kitten abandoned on the street, and he found it impossible to refuse.

"Where is this warehouse?"

"Thank you!" you crooned, hugging Yesung by the waist to guide him to the place he had asked about.

The singer's body tensed as he felt your arm around his body. You were too close, close enough for the citrus scent of your shampoo to cloud his thoughts.

His hand moved slightly to wrap around your shoulders, he was willing to share that gesture of camaraderie with you. Clearly it had nothing to do with the fact that your proximity stunned him without you being aware of the effect you had on him.

His arm came up and was about to wrap around your shoulders, had it not been for one of your coworkers who rushed by and tugged on your hand urgently because she needed to talk to you about the change of plans the agency had presented at the shareholders' meeting.

As soon as your body was dragged into the nearest empty office you let out a groan at being interrupted. Your arm already missed the warmth of Yesung's body. You had struggled so hard to make that move without it being forced and now it was all ruined.

"Couldn't you wait a little longer to talk? I was in the middle of something important," you complained, making a bad face.

The opportunity was lost and all because of the insensitivity of your co-worker and the company you worked for.

"I know, forgive me. You and Yesung make a nice couple." His comment managed to bring a genuine smile to your face. "Today you will have less workload for the schedules because the comebacks from August have been delayed until further notice."

You cursed under your breath because that task was already done. You had spent several hours getting everything up to speed and now none of it was any good. The plans had been ruined.

"The notice comes too late, yesterday I finished adjusting the schedules for the subsidiaries and now I'll have to do it again."

Your childish whining reached the ears of Yesung, who was waiting patiently in the hallway. He didn't want to interrupt but apparently he could avoid carrying boxes if he helped you with the new task at hand.

"Thanks for the heads up. I'll tell the team to stop work until things are in order."

As you left the office Yesung intercepted you smiling as if he had heard the best news in the world.

"You're so glad to see me?" you joked.

"Yes, but I just heard that there is no more work to do. You can finally get out of the office…

"I finally found you (Y/N), I wanted to know if…

Yesung could not continue listening to the sudden conversation that interrupted his talk because you were already surrounded by the arm of one of your colleagues while he was leading you in the opposite direction to the office.

His hands clenched into fists and he began to walk towards you taking long–accelerated strides, but his pace stopped, he stopped moving forward and let you go along with the stranger.

It bothered him to be angry about such absurd things. It made him uncomfortable that his jealousy came to the surface for such trivial things.

He didn't even have the right to feel frustrated about it because you were friends and for the moment it seemed that was enough for you. You had never hinted at wanting something more, that was the only reason he continued to keep his feelings at bay.

Yesung turned around on his heels and made his way back to the office where the copies were still neatly placed on your desk despite the huge mess that littered the floor.

With a snort Yesung bent down to arrange some folders inside the boxes indicating what kind of documents were inside. At least he could still help carrying the boxes to the warehouse, he still had some reason to continue waiting for you to return.

After being dragged again to another office by your workmate, you finally made your way to the office where you wished Yesung was waiting for you. You felt selfish making him wait and holding in your heart the hope that he would stay there until you returned.

"Listen up everyone," you raised your voice for your colleagues to stop their activities, "I have just been informed that our work is finished for the day. Tomorrow we will not need to report to the office."

Your words made the five people who made up your work team let out a sigh of relief.

"But for the time being we have to attend a lunch with the team leader and then we will be free."

Yesung smiled sweetly as he watched you stretch your arms in anticipation of the hours of rest you could enjoy after having been working your ass off. No one but him knew how bad you had it when you didn't rest properly, no one understood how hard it was for you to pretend that everything was going well when the reality was completely different.

Lunch time came and everyone started to leave the office hoping not to be intercepted by the press. They had no idea what was going on between the top management of the agency and the shareholders anyway, there was little they could do with the little information they got to hear in the corridors.

Unfortunately Yesung had to leave through another door to meet them at the agreed place. While you avoided the press, he had to avoid the fans who hounded him at all costs.

In the middle of your walk away from some reporters, you could see how your friend was being harassed by three women. They were not teenagers and yet they were behaving so childishly and blocking the singer's way.

Why didn't he push them away? Why did he allow them to touch him or invade his personal space? You weren't jealous, you told yourself with conviction, you were worried that he was used to that kind of invasive harassment, to not having his space respected.

On the contrary, Yesung was more worried about you than about himself. You weren't used to the press shoving a camera in your face or throwing themselves at you with microphones brandishing like swords on a battlefield. All that was alien to you and he should be there to protect you.

Then one of your colleagues took off the leather jacket he was wearing and placed it over your head to protect you from the cameras, and Yesung couldn't hold back any longer.

He practically pushed the stalkers away and walked with determination in his footsteps to where you and your companions were. With conviction he pushed the reporters aside and once his hand caught your wrist, he yanked you off with a jerk and began to run as if escaping imminent danger.

The jacket that had been on your head fell to the ground and neither of you bothered to pick it up.

"What are you doing?" you asked almost breathlessly, trying to keep up with his footsteps.

"They weren't going to stop harassing you until you gave them an interview. The best thing to do was to run away from there," he declared, stopping his footsteps abruptly to catch his breath.

The small restaurant was not far, maybe you two could wait there until the rest of the group gathered to go in together.

"Why don't you go home and rest? They told you there would be no more work until further notice anyway," the frustration could be seen through his words.

"If I don't attend the group meals, the boss won't consider me for future projects. You know how they are."

"What if I advocate for you?" he solved as if it were as simple as that.

"Sure, I'm sure it will have a big impact on the boss if I bring him a letter from a Super Junior member endorsing my work in the planning department. No way, there are already too many rumors circulating in the office."

Those last words pricked his curiosity. Rumors? He had been there three days in a row and the last thing he had ever witnessed was the telling of any hallway or agency group rumors.

"What kind of rumors are you involved in? do you steal sugar packets from the cafe? do you take naps at work?" he questioned as he fell prey to curiosity.

Of all the options circulating in his mind, none of them fit the kind of person you were. He didn't understand what they could say about you that wasn't positive.

Your face suddenly reddened at the thought of the kind of things they said. The constant little taunts from your classmates.

"Here comes the boyfriend" they would sometimes shout when Yesung stopped by to say hello after a few rehearsals.

"He's coming to check on the merchandise" would occasionally be heard at times when he would stop by the office to see if you needed him to do anything for you.

Not to mention the three days he had spent helping you, your colleagues kept saying that "he treated you like a princess and wouldn't let you move a hand".

"You know, something like I'm bad at writing reports," you laughed falsely, and he caught your lie but didn't press for the truth.

Once the rest of the employees arrived, you moved on to where you would eat. Yesung hoped it would all be over quickly so he could take you home and force you to rest. The fatigue on your face was starting to worry him.

Everyone began to take their seats as they arrived. You were waiting for Yesung to sit next to you, but to your surprise one of your friends slipped in after you and the idol was moved two seats away from you.

For a moment you were grateful because, knowing what your teammates were like, it gave them less opportunity to make childish jokes by pairing you up in an imaginary marriage with your friend.

Yesung regretted having let you pass first because now he had a couple of strangers on either side of him and one of them was the employee who had covered you with his jacket and who now kept looking at him with a clear annoyance in his eyes.

Resigned to sit there without interacting he joined the group.

As time progressed he saw bottles of soju and beer piling up in front of the clerks. Sometimes he would lean back on the backless bench so he could make sure you were okay.

Twice he heard your laughter and he immediately smiled as if he were a fool, because that's just the way he felt sitting there waiting for you to decide it was time to go home.

Another hour passed and the number of bottles increased exponentially.

Your mind was slightly foggy from lack of sleep and the alcohol in your blood. You had drunk a little too much because of the warm feeling that spread in your chest as the soju slid down your throat.

The once lively laughter now sounded shrill thanks to the inhibition provided by the alcohol. Yesung was used to it because sometimes outings with other singers ended that way, even some TV shows were recorded under that interview format while drinking.

"So you still like that friend of yours?" a voice slurred by alcohol rose above the noise of the restaurant.

You smiled dumbly, took another small sip of the soju in your glass and nodded incoordinately as that silly grin continued to be plastered on your flushed face.

"Shhhhh…" You hushed, making an exaggerated noise and hiding your face between your hands on the table. "It's a secret."

Although your voice had come out in the tone of a whisper, the volume had been loud enough to draw the attention of several of your companions, including Yesung.

"Does he know?"

Yesung's face was burning and it wasn't a question of the alcohol because, unlike you, he hadn't had a drop. He wanted to know the answer, He'd be lying if he said he didn't care what you were about to answer.

"At what point did it get so late?" Yesung proclaimed, almost shouting, almost lunging across the table to get everyone's attention to avoid hearing your answer. "I'll go pay the bill in appreciation for your hard work for us as a group."

He cursed himself internally for not being able to come up with a better excuse to get away from there. Perhaps faking a food choke would have been less costly and embarrassing than his current alibi.

"Wow, your boyfriend is so cool," pitched the worker sitting on your right side and you just nodded.

Yesung seemed to walk in an uncoordinated manner as he advanced towards the bar where the cash register was located. His face continued to send waves of heat throughout his body and his heart threatened to bounce out of his chest at a frantic pace.

The idol grabbed one of the bottles of cold water from the cooler and drank it quickly as he waited for the cashier to return his card.

Involuntarily his gaze wandered to the table where you were sitting. Your body was slightly hunched over as your fingers absentmindedly traced the contour of the mouth of the small glass that was now empty.

The cashier cleared her throat slightly to get the singer's attention as she returned the card to its owner. Even she could tell by the way he was watching you, how his eyes seemed to turn into hearts as soon as you laughed uproariously.

The idol walked back to the table, but stopped as soon as he saw your friend refill your glass with more liquor. He fleetingly pushed your glass away so you couldn't reach it. You'd had enough to drink, he didn't want you to get drunk when what you needed most was rest.

"I think she's had enough to drink. I'll take her home," he murmured, rounding the table to reach you. "The bill is paid, have a good night."

Without giving room for your protests, Yesung placed his hand on your lower back to urge you to stand up without losing your balance. He was serious, his lips pressed into a straight line.

"I am not drunk Jong Woon…. Kang Hoon," you corrected when you remembered that he had changed his name, "you know I can drink more."

"And then I'd have to worry that you'd start handing out hugs and kisses to your workmates. You know you have bad habits when you overdo it."

His grip became a little firmer as he led you outside the establishment. As he opened the glass door the sound of a motorcycle horn alerted you to where you were.

The wind felt so good on your skin, cooling your cheeks and caressing your hair as it messed it up. It was a cool, outrageous night.

Yesung's hand never left your lower back but he did tighten his grip fearing you were going to stumble and end up falling to the ground without being able to get your hands in.

"You don't have to worry, I told you I'm not drunk, I don't even feel dizzy. Look" you awkwardly tried to balance on one foot but you failed and staggered to the side while you were laughing with happiness. "Well, maybe I am a little dizzy."

Your bubbly laughter infected him, making him smile warmly. In his eyes you were perfect, despite your sudden clumsiness that contrasted with the professionalism you showed at work. Everything seen through his eyes was beautiful when it came to you.

Feeling the confidence that only alcohol could instill in you at a moment like that, you took his hand and hugged his arm as if you were a child begging for his attention. Your cheeks flushed slightly as you clicked your tongue and a goofy grin framed your face.

"Why are you blushing?" you asked amused at his reaction.

"Because it's hot."

"Don't lie, I may be dizzy but I know it's cold. The night is cool."

Reinforcing your grip around his arm you rested your head on his limb, carving your cheek against the soft fabric of his coat.

It felt so good like this. With his firm arm supporting you as you walked upright, with his warmth keeping the cold from seeping through your coat and with his scent enveloping you protectively.

Those were the signs, it was time to confess your feelings before the urge to do so left your body. It was time to take advantage of the fact that you had decided to drink a little too much.

Your hands clenched into fists and you released the air you had been holding in as the idea of making a confession flared in your mind. It was now or never.

"I'm sorry for dragging you out of the restaurant like that," Yesung blurted out, making your words get stuck in your throat. "I'm also sorry I can't be of more help in your work, I know you've had heavy days and you can take care of yourself, but you should rest because…

"I like you," you confessed angrily starting your tirade, stopping in the middle of the street to face him. "I know we are friends and that in reality these things should be avoided because I didn't want to cross the line, but I realized that there is no remedy and now I don't want to turn back."

Yesung's gaze seemed exorbitant, as if you were speaking to him in an unknown language or had grown a second head. You had taken him by surprise and he didn't understand where all your words were coming from.

"What are you talking about? Do you like me?"

He felt like a fool. You were clearly confessing your feelings, he could understand that, but he didn't understand why it was happening now, why you started saying it in a furious way as if the idea of falling in love with him didn't end up pleasing you.

"I think it was more alcohol than you could tolerate. Let's go home."

He wasn't ready. It was neither the time nor the way he wanted everything to happen. Where was the intimacy of the environment? didn't you mind standing in the middle of the street while curious eyes stopped on you to watch the show?

"I told you I'm not drunk and right now I want you to answer me, do you feel the same way about me or am I looking like a fool about to be rejected?"

His previously upset look slowly transformed into one full of warmth. His eyes scrutinizing your face, nervously searching for something in it.

Then his hands cradled your face with a delicate touch, as if in his hands he held something made of fine crystal.

The tenderness with which he watched you, the warmth of his hands and the shy smile that peeked from his lips. You wanted to record in your mind each of those sensations, each of those gestures.

"How could I refuse you? I would have to be insane to do that (Y/N)." His velvet-soft voice caressed your ears and his assurance made you tremble. "I love you as my friend, as my co-worker, as every role you play in my life. I love you."

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the lack of sleep or maybe it was the accumulation of emotions that clouded your mind; but your eyes threatened to close as your legs lost all strength.

"I love you too," your voice came out almost inaudible. A whisper that was barely audible to him.

His eyes opened wide and his body moved closer to yours as soon as he felt your legs give way. He took it upon himself to hold you in his arms so you wouldn't fall to the ground. Although he had to struggle a bit, he managed to carry your body as if you were a princess, cradling you against his chest and feeling your breathing slow down.

Without being able to help it a laugh left his lips vibrating inside his chest as well. It was hopeless, you had him head over heels and he was happy that way, gravitating around you like the moon does around the Earth.

Leaning his body just a little he placed a kiss on your forehead and continued walking towards the cabs waiting parked at the side of the street.

Although he was anxious to talk about it with you, he decided he would wait one more day. He had already waited so long and one more day couldn't make much difference.

A small reminder that requests are open, if you don't feel good sending messages in english, you cand send your request in spanish too (since I can work properly with that language).

If you only wanna fangirling or make any question my messages are open for you too.

#super junior imagines #super junior x reader #super junior yesung #yesung x reader #yesung x y/n #yesung x you #yesung fanfic #yesung oneshot #yesung imagines #yesung #kpop imagines #kpop oneshots #kpop fanfic #kpop idols

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shoutoutcommerce · 1 year ago

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Harnessing the Power of Digital Marketing in E-commerce: Strategies That Convert

In the fast-evolving world of e-commerce, leveraging effective digital marketing strategies is not just an option—it's a necessity. At The Big Shoutout, we've mastered the art of turning browsing into buying, driving both traffic and conversions. This post explores cutting-edge strategies that can transform your e-commerce business.

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profitpullsse · 2 months ago

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ideas about digital marketing

6. Use Retargeting Ads

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wildsonlinda01 · 2 months ago

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The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Shopify Store in 2025

Running a Shopify store in 2025 is more competitive than ever, but with the right strategies, you can stand out and build a thriving eCommerce business. Whether you're just starting or looking to scale, here’s a complete guide to optimizing your Shopify store for success.

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Your store’s design plays a huge role in conversions. Here’s how to make it visually appealing and user-friendly:

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alexsharing · 7 months ago

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Why B2C Ecommerce Business Convenience ?| Imagency Media

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bakerstreethound · 6 months ago

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Single Dad Corinthian - New Beginnings | Chapter 2: Simple Joys (Repost)

Chapter 1: A Walk in the Park

Relationship: Single Father!Corinthian x OC Aspen Reeves

Warnings: brief mention of losing a child, absent parents, flirty Corinthian, pining, sensual undertones, mentions of past abusive relationship for Aspen, and supportive Corinthian

All writings belong to me @bakerstreethound (Do NOT claim, copy, repost, or translate my works to other sites. I only publish here and on A03 under the same username)

Word Count: 4.4k+

Having someone to talk to was nice and you were eager each time you heard the ping of your phone, instead of the dreaded pit of worry and anxiety that accompanied them.

Your phone pings, the smile crossing your face of its own accord.

I don’t have many reasons to smile, you know.

Well, perhaps I might have to be one of them.

Oh, darling, I have not had enough of you. But I would like more

Is that so?

I’d kill to see that smile again, the one you flashed to Levi in the park before we officially met.

Your heart thumps faster as you send another text. Would you now?

Only if you asked nicely.

What, do I have to be nice about it?

There are ways I could make you behave if you prefer.

You pause. Are you certain about that? I might bite.

I like it when they bite (:

******

You voted for the regular homestyle crust while he vies for the thin crust when it comes to a Margherita pizza. Regular crust he likes for pepperoni or meat lovers, you find out.

This easy back and forth becomes the normal and your darker more dreary days turn brighter with the chime of a text and call. Those sounds that once spelled doom now ring with a brighter tune.

The tune of hope.

You do not want it to disappear but approach it with caution.

That is the day he asks you out on a date, your first official date together. You remember the confidence he exuded on the phone.

“Aspen, darling, he drawled. “Would you like to join me on a picnic at the park? It would be me and you only, under that nice shade tree.”

Your name on his lips sounded utterly delightful and you did not hesitate to tell him yes.

******

Yes, you can be happy and not dread every moment of your existence wondering if you were an awful parent, if you could have done more to save Sam, could have given Kai a reason to stay.

You shake those thoughts from your mind. Shush, Aspen. You’re here to meet Corinthian on your first date.

First date.

Yet, the world in all its cruelty has given you a new gift, a fresh start, hope. Hope you scarcely allow yourself to feel anymore,

He looks impossibly heartbreaking and more devastatingly gorgeous than you remember. When you first met him, he wore white suit pants and a simple T-shirt.

Shit, you have been staring too long, more like gawking and you snapped your jaw tighter, determined not to let him get to you.

You can do this.

It’s a picnic another normal day.

Who are you kidding? This is more than you could fathom or deserve.

He reaches for your hand, pressing a kiss to your knuckles before leading you to a place beneath the tree.

You gasp, a giggle bursting from your lips. “You didn’t Cori.”

He smiles. “Of course I did. It is all for you.”

The flavors burst on your tongue in a delightful manner, a low moan passing along your lips. Corinthian stiffens next to you his slice of cheese close to his mouth, jaw slack.

“This is probably the best meal I have had all week.”

He cocks a brow, his signature move. “Really?” That surprises him. What the heck have you been eating then?

“Yeah. The best I can do for myself sometimes is cereal, some taco meat on occasion, and sandwiches when I am in a pinch. It’s not the worst thing.”

He reaches out to you to stroke your face with his hand, thumb dragging along your lip. “You had a bit of something there.”

“Not here, darling,” he snaps, sending you shrinking. What did you do? You didn’t mean it. Panic and worry crawl along your skin. So you have been too foreward and he hates you now.

Great, Aspen, look what you have done, ruined your once chance of something exciting in your life. Get it together you can make this work.

You find yourself smiling as Corinthian reaches out for your hand, squeezing it gently.

“I am sorry for snapping at you, Aspen. My eyes are sensitive and I don’t like exposing to the sun more than necessary, hence why I wear these. Should have explained sooner.”

“Oh.”

He was not sure which you preferred, but champagne is usually in style, especially for a celebration and wasn’t this a celebration?

A celebration of a colossal win or a massive failure.

He cared, that is what he feels when he watches you pilfer through the wicker basket, your face brightening when you produce a Honeycrisp apple.

You wonder how they would feel on your sides, squeezing you gently, holding you close to his chest where you can hear the thrumming of his heart.

“Something on your mind, darling?”

You shrug, swallowing another bite of cheese before replying. “Not really. I was considering going to the bookstore later. I need something else to stimulate my mind while at work.

“Ah I see, work can get slow?”

“Being a receptionist has its ups and downs throughout the week, but my boss gives us enough downtime to sneak in reading time throughout the day. It is good for our productivity.”

“Ah, so I see,” Corinthian hums thoughtfully, interrupted by the ping of his phone. “Shit.” He glances down at his phone, mouth pulled into a thin line.

“What’s wrong?” You take a sip of your champagne.

“The sitter texted me saying their plans fell through so they can’t watch Levi for the following two hours. I told Matthew I needed him for longer so Levi wouldn’t disturb us.”

“Oh, I see. Well, would it be that bad if Levi joined us?”

“I had planned for us to go bowling.”

“He can join us.”

“Wait, you don’t mind?”