#accepted: jae seung

[heretherebedork]

I love this new trend of Korean BLs having characters that are already queer and know they're queer and have had boyfriends in the past. It's so nice to see and so encouraging.

And watching Seung Hyun walk into a what is obviously the PRIDE group and make friends and be supportive and everyone talking about their relationships just... so good to see. Also, rainbow rice cakes? My entire heart.

Between this and Seo Jae Yun and his long term crush on his friend and the fantastic bi realization in Oh! My Assistant along with one character just being out and gay and Happy Ending Romance being about breaking up with your boyfriend to find your new boyfriend... there's so much queer energy here and it makes me gloriously happy.

It's just so nice to have queer babies everywhere in a bubble of acceptance because it isn't gay for you, it isn't just this one guy, it's this man is gay and he likes men or he's bi and he's realized he likes men as a whole. I love it here.

[bunnyabricot]

Arrogant and annoying 📚⚖️💻

✧ pairing : Seo Ji ho x reader

✧ warning(s) : smut ; fingering (f receiving), degrading, pet names (brat, slut, whore, doll) cum eating, public sex, enemies to lovers, praise (literally only 1)

✧ summary : You just didn’t like how he acted, nothing else. When you’re both left alone at the library you discover it might be something else.

✧ words : 2.1k

✧ a/n : sorry I’m in too many fandoms

***

You were in the secondary library with your study group, working for the next exam. You were asking each other questions, asking if you didn’t understand a law text and whining about failing. Well, mostly you and Kang Sol A. You just needed to let it out to the detriment of everyone present here, must obligated to hear your complaints.

Everyone in the group was here except Seung Jae, he is spending more and more time with his wife. Good for him. Even though you miss his luck in guessing the exam subject.

You were all concentrated on your respective computers, and/or books before you, silent. Your gaze mindlessly drifted to the guy at your opposite on the table, Seo Ji ho. They voluntarily put him at the polar opposite of you because you two can’t stand each other, you are like cat and dog. He’s the cat by the way. Always so arrogant and cold, you hated so deeply how he is looking at people as if he was better than anyone. Like calm down it’s not because you know the civil code that you’re better than us.. Put him in a forest and he’ll die in 4 hours. Knowing what paragraph carjacking is mentioned won’t help you against a bear smart ass.

You looked at him, his stupid face and how his fingers tap the keyboard. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, revealing his veiny forearms. You gulped at the sight and quickly diverted your gaze.

Suddenly, Sol A breaks the silence. “I forgot ! I needed to help Mrs.Kim for the open law office. Sorry guys I need to go !” She explained swiftly and leaves as soon as she started. You all look at each other, stupefied. Joon Hwi chuckles “Typical Sol A”.

A phone buzzes, you look at your friend next to you, Ye Seul. “It’s my boyfriend. I’m sorry I need to leave.” She apologetically says. “Aww it’s okay, have fun !” You answer back. She nodded, puts her stuff in her bag before waving you goodbye. Bok Gi watches her leaving with puppy eyes as Ye Beom pats his back in comfort. Bok Gi always had a thing for your friend. How could he not she is so adorable and pretty !

You were now remaining 6. The number quickly decreased. You were alone in the corner of the table. The 5 others all gathered at opposite side. “Ya, Bok Gi, I’m so hungry.. Accompany me to the kitchen real quick please.” The oldest boy requests. “Sure, I’m not really in the mood to study anymore anyways..” The other sadly accepts.

You look back at your work before you once again get interrupted by Sol B. “I need to fetch some documents in the other library. I’ll be back.” She states sternly. She was also quite condescending, but it was less insufferable than Ji Ho. “I’ll go with you” Joon Hwi hurriedly says. For some reason you think he likes her. You were always good at reading people. She looks at him without saying anything as she makes her way out of the room, the boy following her close with a sweet smile on his face. With the way she treats him differently than anyone, you guessed the feeling is mutual.

As they start to leave the room, You suddenly wake up in realisation. “Wait ! You’re leaving me here ?” You mutter, worried. Ji Ho sides eyes me, exasperated at my reaction. “Yeah..” Joon Hwi responds amused. “But he’s so arrogant help me.” You plead as if he wasn’t in the same room as you. “And you’re so annoying..” He answers vexed.. “Sure arrogant and annoying what a cute duo” Joon Hwi states before winking at you.

You scoff as he leaves the room. “What is he talking about..” You mumble under your breath. “You’re so clueless it’s almost cute.” The boy with glasses says. You choke on your own spit. “What are you talking about about ? Have you gone crazy because of the exam ??” I shout, distraught. “Have you gone crazy ? You’re practically drooling while looking at my hands in front of everyone and you think nobody can sees you.” He scoffs while looking directly into your eyes. You blush, heavily embarrassed by the fact that you have been caught. You become red but you don’t know if it’s from anger or humiliation. “See, this is why I hate you. You are so mean and… And.. Just arrogant in general, like you’re better ! You’re such a dick Ji Ho..” You snap at him. How dare he mocks you..

You stand up and pack up your things messily, wanting nothing but to disappear, looking down at the table to avoid his gaze. You swear you could almost cry of frustration. When you look up you see him nowhere in sight. You turn around and see him right behind you, looking down at you. He comes closer, caging you between him and the table. You are mortified and drop your bag on the table.

His heavy gaze gives you goosebumps and you can’t help the growing heat between your legs, being so vulnerable, so close to him. You shut your thighs together and tug at the hem of your skirt. “Do you expect me to believe that ? If you hate me then why are you so shy right now ? Why do you always stare at me, at my hands, ‘want me to stuff you with them hm ? Or would you prefer if I bend you over this desk, lift your pretty skirt and pound into you ?” He offers disturbingly sternly. Your breathing gets faster as you look at the floor, unable to look directly at him. He grabs your chin with his fingers. “Look at me” He orders. You oblige and dare to stare at him, weakened by what he just said.

You still think about his offer, Seo Ji Ho, the number 1 on your enemy list offering you his fingers to get off. Despite his attitude, you must admit he is attractive. His plump lips, his dark eyes. Everything about him is enticing. “So ?” He asks once again. You hope he was not making fun of you and that his offer is real. “Please take me Ji Ho..” You answer shyly. He grins and breathes out from his nose deeply. “What a brat, insulting me then wanting to get fucked..” He scoffs. He approaches you to kiss your neck sloppily. “I wish I could right now but we don’t have much time. My fingers will have to do..” He continues. You whimper, dazed.

He sucks the skin of your neck, leaving hickeys. He lifts up your shirt and your bra to expose your tits. He hums as he hungrily stares at them and messily leaves wet kisses onto them, making you whimper once again.

The pool between you legs grows and your legs are weakening from his attack. He takes his hand to spread your legs as the other kneads your breast. He directs his hand under your skirt and knowingly moves your panties aside. You grab his shoulder as he plays with your wet folds. You bite your lips in attempt to stay quiet but he finds another way to shut you up as he crashes his lips against yours. At the same time, he enters his middle finger inside your warm cunt. You want to moan loudly at the feeling but his rough kissing stops you.

Despite the context, you blush at the kiss, why does it feel so sweet ? Your tongues intertwine with each other sloppily and you furrow your eyebrows in pleasure. He adds his ring finger and scissors you mercilessly. He stops the kiss as you are both breathless. He angles his fingers in a way that makes you see stars, you moan loudly, surprised. “What a slut, do my fingers feel too good for you ?” He coos at you and pinches your nipple in warning. You squirm, startled. “Get your voice down. You don’t want anyone to see you like a pathetic whore now, do you ?” He warns you.

His fingers go in and out of you quickly and you bite your lips to suppress your moans. His thumb rubs your clit and your hold to his shoulder tightens as well as your pussy, clenching around his skilled fingers. “A-Aah- Ji Ho.. M’sorry..” You beg. “If fucking you makes you apologise, I should have fucked you dumb long ago doll.” He chuckles, accelerating his mouvements nevertheless. His fingers are so perfect, curled into your tight hole. You flutter your lashes and admire him. You feel so pathetic, breasts exposed, all wet and disheveled as he is fully clothed and composed. Or at least that what you thought. If you knew his heart was racing at the sight of you, you might cum on the spot.

“M’gonna..” You start. “I know doll. Cum for me, cum on my fingers like a slut.” He cuts you, shoving his two fingers deeply into you as you reach your climax. You furrow your eyebrows and tears are pricking in your eyes. He brushes your nipple softly with his fingertips and kisses your neck oh so gently. The contrast between his slow motions compared to his rough assault on your most private part is too much for you. You sob and moan his name while cumming on his fingers “J-Ji Ho…”, you sob.

He watches your face carefully as you reach your climax and curses under his breath “Shit..”. Now he’s addicted.

He kisses away the tears at the corner of your eyes as he caressed your breasts fondly “Good girl.” He praises you unexpectedly. You look at him stunned, you think you might cry again after this. You just smile at him, simply happy, giggling.

You legs are shaking as he slowly takes his digits out of you. They’re wet with your arousals and he shoves them inside your mouth. Your immediately suck on them, cleaning them off for him. “Such a pretty whore sucking on my fingers.” You shut your eyes and exhale from your nose, smiling.

Once they’re free from any sort of any of your juices, he removes them from your pretty mouth. He stares at you a second, admiring you, before leaving a fond kiss on your lips. You’re startled by his gentleness and melt. “You’re not so bad.. I guess” You tease him. He scoffs, almost outraged “What, need another round with my dick this time fucking slut ?”.

You wear about to answer him when you hear a convo and footsteps approaching. You look at him, whose eyes are also wide. You swiftly pull down your shirt and sits back down to your place. He has just the time to automatically sits next to you before the door opens. Ye Beom and Bok Gi arrive and both furrow their eyebrows at the scene before them.

“Why are you seated so close to each other without someone losing an eye ?” The man with glasses questions suspiciously. You were about to respond but you just realise the presence of Ji Ho’s hand resting on your thigh, which shuts you up immediately. You glare at him and he just grins back at you. “We were studying. He is smart after all, you have to admit.” You answer, sure of yourself. “With no laptop and no books in front of you..?” Bok Gi remarks. You look at your bag with all your belongings placed on the table very much closed to your dismay. You look at Ji Ho for help but he just raises his eyebrows while tilting his head, waiting for you to find another excuse. Why did you fuck him in the first place already ?

“I meant, in reality we were.. Making peace.” You confess. It’s not entirely false.. “Yeah, well, from the hickeys on your neck peace was not the only thing you were making..” Yeom beom snickers. You become bright red. Ji Ho this bastard. “Nevermind, I still hate him..” You say while taking your bag to leave, not bothering to look at anyone. “Wait Y/n don’t be like that.. It’s not that bad..” He tries to apologise, catching after you with his unbearable grin. You open the door only to be face to face with Sol B and Joon Hwi looking directly at your obviously disheveled state. “Is that hickeys..?” Joon Hwi asks, kind of concerned. Bok Gi adds “Oh now it’s bad..”. “I’m changing study group. Bye guys !” You said, waving, joking despite the poor situation.

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likes, reposts and comments are appreciated!!

[mugunghwc]

unprompted ask / selectively accepting

@badheart said: "According to that airhead, Mo is seriously involved with the korean mafia," Seung-jae revealed to Sadako, while eyeing her newest collection. "Where do you actually get your drugs from? Have you ever been creative enough without them," he snorted.

her gaze had been locked on her canvas ; savagely stroking her brush across to depict the newest concept for her collection, which was coming soon. this had been her hyperfixation for some time now, trying to get it all out before the end of the year. this was, probably, her biggest project—which was why sadako appeared as if she was barely listening to jeon until the word ' mafia ' stood out.

the bristles of her brush were no longer making contact with the canvas as she lifted it just enough. her latest stroke of red paint began to drip down the model's figure, giving it the illusion of blood. "mo? & doing what? being their cow?" she had to snort, whilst still not grasping the seriousness of the situation. too distracted, too high to make sense of it. all she could truly acknowledge were the words that followed & earned a snarl from her. "shut the fuck up." her voice dripped with venom over the possible accusation of lacking creativity on its purest form: raw. calling her an addict was one thing, but putting in doubt her talent, set her off. "that just makes things in my head to become more clear." sadako explained. less abstract & much more concrete. it opened a window into her mind that explored every crevice & translated it into something visual—something to be shared with the world.

the brush was used to point in his direction, accusing him. "i have my contact. another artist i worked with, gets it from there." giving out the detail that she was far rom the first one to get involved in this sort of thing. if anything, it felt as if more & more artists were becoming conscious over how helpful this tool could be. "maybe your airhead brother can get me something better & stop being so vague about that cow."

[idolskpop]

‘Moving’ Episode 19: Ryu Seung Ryong, Kim Sung Kyun’s Emotional Father-Son Reunion

The penultimate episode of ‘Moving’, the hit Disney+ original series, delivered an intense and emotional showdown between the former agents and the North Korean army. Ryu Seung Ryong, Kim Sung Kyun, and Han Hyo Joo were on the brink of losing but promised to save their children.

‘Moving’ Episode 19: The Final Battle at Jeongwon High School

(Photo : Disney+) The episode began with the continuation of the fierce battle between the former agents and the North Korean army. The North Koreans were determined to complete their mission and bring the file back to their country, while the former agents were willing to do anything to protect their children. Lee Kang Hoon (Kim Do Hoon) was brutally beaten by Park Chan Il (Jo Bok Rae), who had super-strength powers. Kang Hoon was inexperienced and overpowered by his opponent. Their guidance counselor, Cho Il Hwan (Kim Hee Won), tried to stop Park Chan Il, but he failed. Luckily, Lee Jae Man (Kim Sung Kyun) arrived in time and saved Kang Hoon from the North Korean soldier. Their father-son relationship touched the viewers as Jae Man apologized for coming late. Jang Joo Won (Ryu Seung Ryong) was able to defeat Kwon Young Deuk (Park Gwang Jae), who had the same powers as him. Joo Won used his healing abilities and superhuman strength to overpower his enemy. However, the situation turned worse when Kim Deok Yoon (Park Hee Soon) called for backup from their strongest soldier, Lim Jae Seok (Lee Suk Hyeong). Lim Jae Seok had the ability to crush anything with a clap, but he was sensitive to light and could not stand seeing it. Lim Jae Seok unleashed his destructive power and demolished half of Jeongwon High School, causing chaos and panic among the students and teachers. Joo Won had to save Jae Man again from the collapsing building, but he got trapped under the rubble with a metal rod piercing his chest. Joo Won’s eyes were severely damaged by Lim Jae Seok’s attack, and he decided to remove them himself. He told Jae Man to take care of his daughter, Jang Hui Soo (Go Youn Jung), and said his final words: “I love you.” Jae Man managed to escape from the building with Kang Hoon and others before it was too late. He carried Joo Won’s body with him and mourned his death.

The Heartbreaking Reunion of Ryu Seung Ryong and Go Youn Jung

(Photo : Disney+) Meanwhile, Kim Bong Seok (Lee Jung Ha) and Hui Soo were hiding in a classroom with Frank (Ryoo Seung Bum), who had betrayed the CIA and decided to help them. Frank used his healing abilities to treat Bong Seok’s wounds and told him that he was his uncle. Frank revealed that he was Kim Doo Sik’s (Zo In Sung) younger brother, who was kidnapped by the CIA when he was a child. He said that he never forgot his brother and wanted to see him again. He also said that he was sorry for what he had done and asked for Bong Seok’s forgiveness. Bong Seok accepted Frank’s apology and hugged him. He said that he was glad to have an uncle like him. Frank smiled and said that he was proud of his nephew. Hui Soo was worried about her father, Joo Won, who had not contacted her for a long time. She tried to call him, but there was no answer. She asked Frank to help her find him, but Frank said that it was too dangerous. Hui Soo insisted on going out, saying that she could not just sit there and do nothing. She said that she loved her father more than anything and wanted to see him alive. She ran out of the classroom, followed by Bong Seok. They encountered Lim Jae Seok, who was still rampaging outside. Hui Soo tried to fight him, but she was no match for his power. Lim Jae Seok grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up. Bong Seok used his flying abilities to rescue her, but he was also caught by Lim Jae Seok. He squeezed them both until they lost consciousness. At that moment, Joo Won’s voice echoed in Hui Soo’s mind. He told her that he loved her more than anything and that he was sorry for not being a good father. He said that he was proud of her and that she should live happily. Hui Soo regained her strength and broke free from Lim Jae Seok’s grip. She used her healing abilities to heal Bong Seok’s wounds and helped him fly away from Lim Jae Seok. They landed near a truck where Jae Man was waiting for them. He told them to get in quickly and drove away from the school. On the way, Hui Soo saw her father’s body lying on the back seat. She was shocked and devastated. She cried out his name and hugged him, hoping that he would wake up. She asked Jae Man what had happened to him, but Jae Man could not answer. He was also in tears and grief. Hui Soo blamed herself for her father’s death. She said that she should have stayed with him and helped him. She said that she was sorry for not being a good daughter. Bong Seok tried to comfort her, saying that it was not her fault. He said that her father loved her very much and that he sacrificed himself to save them. He said that they should be grateful for his life and honor his memory. Hui Soo sobbed and said that she loved her father very much and that she missed him. She said that she wanted to see him again and hear his voice. Bong Seok hugged her and said that he was there for her. He said that they were not alone and that they had each other. He said that they would get through this together. The episode ended with a heartbreaking scene of Hui Soo and Bong Seok mourning their father’s death, while Jae Man drove them to safety.

Netizens’ Reactions

(Photo : Disney+) The 19th episode of ‘Moving’ received rave reviews from the viewers, who praised the actors’ performances and the director’s skills. They expressed their emotions and opinions on various online platforms. Here are some of the comments from netizens: - “This episode was so sad and touching. I cried so much for Joo Won and Hui Soo. Ryu Seung Ryong and Go Youn Jung are amazing actors. They made me feel their pain and love.” - “Kim Sung Kyun deserves an award for his role as Jae Man. He showed so many emotions in this episode. He was angry, scared, sad, and brave. He was a hero and a father.” - “I can’t believe Joo Won is dead. He was my favorite character in this show. He was so funny, kind, and cool. He had such a great chemistry with everyone. I will miss him so much.” - “The action scenes were so epic and realistic. The special effects were impressive. The director did a great job of creating tension and suspense. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.” - “I’m glad Frank turned out to be a good guy. He redeemed himself by helping Bong Seok and Hui Soo. I hope he reunites with his brother, Doo Sik, soon.” - “I’m worried about what will happen in the final episode. Will Doo Sik and Mi Hyun survive? Will Bong Seok and Hui Soo be happy? Will Frank escape from the CIA? I can’t wait to find out.”

Conclusion

(Photo : Disney+) ‘Moving’ is a captivating series that combines action, fantasy, romance, and family drama in a unique way. It is based on a popular webtoon by Kang Full, who also wrote the screenplay for the series. The series features a stellar cast of veteran and rising actors, such as Ryu Seung Ryong, Han Hyo Joo, Zo In Sung, Cha Tae Hyun, Ryoo Seung Bum, Kim Sung Kyun, Lee Jung Ha, Go Youn Jung, and Kim Do Hoon. The series has received positive reviews from critics and viewers alike, who praised its plot, characters, cinematography, music, and production value. It has also achieved high ratings on various platforms, such as Disney+, Hulu, IMDb, MyDramaList, and Naver. The series will air its 20th and final episode on September 20th, 2023. It is expected to deliver a satisfying conclusion to the story of the superpowered families. If you enjoyed this article, feel free to share it with your friends and leave a comment below. Subscribe to IDOLS KPOP for exclusive updates and captivating content. Read the full article

[idontwanttowhy]

Review: She Would Never Know/Sunbae, Don’t Put On That Lipstick (2021)

Boring main leads, intriguing and thoughtful side story

Synopsis

Secrets are revealed as new cosmetic marketing hire Chae Hyun-seung romantically pursues his job trainer and sunbae/senior Yoon Song-ah. He soon discovers Song-ah has been, for 2 years, secretly dating their boss Lee Jae-shin, who was more recently pressured into a secret marriage arrangement to his long-time admirer Lee Hyo-joo, the younger sister of his childhood friend and grandson to the CEO of the company, Lee Jae-woon. Hyun-seung’s sister Chae Ji-seung gets wrapped up in the mess, and his other sister, Chae Yeon-seung, slowly realizes her husband Kang Woo-Hyun’s biggest secret. 

AC Overall

I stomached the first few episodes, but once it was clear the leads (obviously) were going to end up together with fewer hiccups than deserved, I read episode recaps and only watched the scenes related to the other couples. And I’m so glad I did! The mains have a typical sunbae-hubae coworker dynamic: (insignificantly older) woman recruits and trains a younger man, who dotes on her and, despite being friend-zoned, manages to woo her. Nothing wrong with this, but often it’s not done tastefully--and this may be worse than usual. I typically like when the male leads are more into the female leads, but this guy was pu-shy. You know what, this whole drama was a seemingly un-purposeful crash-course on manipulation, from Hyun-seung to Jae-shin and Hyo-joo...all mess.

The side characters, however, were who I kept watching for. Specifically the sisters, with love stories of their own: one blossoming while the other’s unraveled. Ji-seung’s relationship with Jae-woon, the chairman’s grandson, was soooo adorable and silly--really balanced out the drama. Because the unraveling of Yeon-seung and Woo-hyun’s marriage? Could’ve been a whole drama by itself.

So, She Would Never Know (2021) is worth it for the sides, but the mains? Not so much. 

AC Review (spoilers)

Some things to get off my chest before we get into the main (side) event: Hyun-seung inserted himself everywhere he didn’t need to be--overstepping and excusing it as “helping”. Gaslighting King. I did NOT agree with his actions--if someone with whom you have a trainer-trainee relationship is being cheated on, how much of a responsibility do you have to let that person know? From what we saw, he and Song-ah got along at work and everything but didn’t have a relationship outside of work, so big question mark there! Even if you’d still let them know, the way Hyun-seung did it was distasteful. Blindly forcing Song-ah to catch “the man she puts lipstick on for” (I wish they kept the literal title, not sure the “English” one does it justice--or maybe it does, because She Would Never Know how repulsive her future boyfriend’s tactics were...)--at Jae-shin and Hyo-joo’s WEDDING PLANNING CONSULTATION??? And homeboy really thought his conniving would make Song-ah immediately go “fuck the man I’ve enthusiastically dated for 2 years, I’ll be with you now”?? Hyun-seung was goading her into being just plain nasty about it too, constantly *whiny baby voice*: “wHy ArEn’T yOu MaD”, throwing fits (and fists) at work whenever Song-ah and Jae-shin interacted and she wasn’t literally SPITTING on her BOSS and JUMPING on her TRAINEE’s dick---Hyun-seung was a whole five-year-old! Basically, his character shows why you don’t go for immature younger men...because geeeez...So obviously I had to skip the mains’ relationship development. Song-ah deserved more than Hyun-seung, and I hated that he got her in the end with little self-reflection. She did take her time though, I’ll give her that. And she needed to! Jae-shin had traumatized her by not accepting that their relationship had to end, and with Hyun-seung simultaneously in her ear like a parrot--would’ve been enough for me to swear off men for at least 10 years. Glad Song-ah ditched Hyun-seung and ran away to pursue her career at the end too. (And yeah, Jae-shin was an asshole too, not taking no for an answer and going to extremes to get Song-ah back and all, but with his past it felt more...justified? Not excusable, just...I get it. And he was attempting to balance his own desires with the Lee family’s mess, particularly the manipulation by Hyo-joo---threatening s*****e for a man is no way to bag him, girl. SO glad she finally got herself together by the end, and moved on from both him and playing the victim in general. With little animosity towards Jae-shin too! Growth.)

If you want to read a very thoughtful review that further fleshes out my issues with the main relationship gracefully: https://seoulbeats.com/2021/03/she-would-never-know-toxic-relationships-have-never-looked-so-stylish/

Dead Fish (buckle up, this is a marathon)

So, the plot of Woo-hyun and Ryu Han-seo’s relationship is what kept me watching. First off, well acted(?) because I picked up on Han-seo and Woo-hyun being or at least having been romantically involved from jump, and knew I couldn’t just stop watching the drama because---I had to know if I was just fishing for a non cis-het relationship in a chlorine swimming pool, or if there was in fact a fish and I’d been fishing in the ocean this whole time. AND there WAS a fish (but it was already dead).

*exasperated sigh*

I felt for everyone involved: Yeon-seung questions her whole relationship after finding out her husband had “done stuff” with another man--his only friend, Han-seo--during college; Woo-hyun fervently denies that he’s gay; bestie Han-seo had been sticking around despite clearly being in love with someone who CANNOT reciprocate...it’s all just UGH. 

But I especially felt for Yeon-seung. Her questioning everything did not only stem from her husband’s MSM past but reminded her of the incompleteness of their relationship, marked by the lack of ANY “I love yous”(how can you only have said “thank you” in response? To your WIFE of how long?!)...my heart nearly exploded. Because she seemed to have known something was always off but accepted it as her hubby’s personality, and that nothing is perfectly perfect, right? I can’t blame her for that; her reason for being with him was that at dinner dates he would stop eating and intently LISTEN to her whenever she talked which, is rare. And for her part, worth forgiving a little lack of verbal affirmation. But the real nail in the coffin was Woo-hyun not only keeping this ex-lover around, but actively hiding him from her all those years--they had never met until she began working again, and what kills me even more is that shit wouldn’t have blown up had she not innocently befriended her husband’s friend, god forbid! And Han-seo--he really shouldn’t have stuck around as he did knowing his continued feelings, Woo-hyun’s own confusion, and the whole part where there’s a whole ass wife and adorable daughter involved--kinda reckless. Not that he was wooing Woo-hyun (had to do it, I should try poetry next), but rather torturing both himself and his love. I don’t know that Woo-hyun’s necessarily gay-if you don’t identify you don’t identify-but he’s clearly got some questions, or heavy guilt at the very least, surrounding his sexuality that continue to eat him up inside, and that’s no way to live. So while I feel for Woo-hyun’s internal struggle, he and Han-seo are clearly masochists because they did this to themselves, and without caring about others involved. If I were Yeon-seung, I’d be livid and distraught and everything in-between--truly don’t know how she kept it basically together in front of her siblings with that can of worms sitting right there in front of her. Which only added to my emotions--I’m true water sign FOR REAL. My scorpio ass would’ve been bawling and isolating myself until I figured out how to burn the world down.

Gracefully and beautifully, the story evolved and became less about his sexual past/sexuality and more about whether he was living as full of a life as he could be if he just accepted his past and his self for whatever it was and is. And that’s what I could not appreciate enough about the way their story was written. Woo-hyun ended up taking time to himself at his wife’s suggestion, encouragement, and support, and Han-seo stepped away, choosing not to continue to torture himself and the person he loves. 

This is one thing I appreciate in dramas--the human experience. Discovery, confrontation, forced reckoning--all good entertainment but also palpable situations. And it makes you...or at least me...put myself in the shoes of all the characters to explore motivations, feelings--conniptions of my own as well as theirs. It reminded me of a similar relationship hurdle (although the people involved were only briefly dating) represented in the HBO show Insecure--directly speaking to some things people have had to face in relationships, and within, as a direct consequence of homophobia prevalent in so many communities. It made me think of what I would say or do if I was in this situation, and I can only hope to remain supportive of my partner as they dig through their feelings. So, loved this plot of the drama and the loving message of taking care of your self and those you love; it’s just a shame that it was paired with the nonsense that was the lead coupling. 

[eunwoo-supremacy]

Drama I

To Be Continued 2015

This web drama is a teen fantasy story that tells the story of a male idol group (ASTRO) that suddenly slips back in time just one day ahead of their debut stage.

My Romantic Some Recipe 2016

A 21-year old college student has a one-sided love for a restaurant customer. Then after getting drunk one evening she takes a stand-up poster of her idol. From that advertisement he magically emerges to help her...teach her how to charm the other guy, to cook, to ride a bike, to take better care of herself. Then as suddenly as he arrives, he disappears.

Hit The Top 2017

Lee Ji Hoon and Choi Woo Seung are two childhood friends who also happen to be preparatory students for the civil service exam, although Ji Hoon has a secret dream to be a singer and songwriter. One day they meet Yoo Hyun Jae, a popular but problematic member of a popular '90s idol group who accidentally traveled through time to the year 2017 from the year 1993. Thus begins the story of passion, love, and friendship among 20s youth in the entertainment industry.

Sweet Revenge 2017

This web drama is a teen fantasy drama about a teenager who gets her hands on a note that enacts revenge on anyone whose name is written on it.

My ID is Gangnam Beauty 2018

This series tells the story of Kang Mi Rae, a girl once bullied for her looks. As a result, she became insecure, cautious around people and withdrawn. However, Mi Rae decides she wants a fresh start away from bullying and gets plastic surgery to transform her face. When she begins university, she meets Do Kyung Suk from their middle school days, who sees people for what they are on the inside and not the outside; he then becomes attracted to Kang Mi Rae. As Mi Rae begins to get teased once more and labeled "Gangnam Beauty", the cold, aloof but kind inside Kyung Suk becomes the one person that stands up for her and in the process, Mi Rae begins to recover her lost confidence and discovers that true beauty is not on the outside. (Source: AJ at MyDramaList) ~~ Adapted from the webtoon “My ID is Gangnam Beauty” (내 ID는 강남미인!) by Gi Maeng Gi (기맹기).

Top Management

Top Management is a web drama based on an internet novel. It tells the story of a new manager at an entertainment agency who uses her ability to see the future to succeed in the industry.

Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung 2019

The story takes place at the beginning of the 19th century. Goo Hae Ryung is an intern to become a palace historian. However, it was not acceptable for women to write historical records at that time. She takes one step at a time to create her own destiny in Joseon, where Confucian ideas are deeply rooted. She wants to fulfill her duties as a historian and prove to the world that everyone is equal. Along with the fight of the female palace historians, the drama will tell about her romance with Prince Yi Rim who has a secret of his own.

Soul Plate 2019

A drama about ASTRO members -who are angels and descendants of Raphael- running a restaurant. They heal and comfort people visiting their restaurant with soul food.

True Beauty 2020

"True Beauty" is a romantic comedy about a high school girl, Lim Ju Gyeong, who rises to pretty girl fame after she masters the art of make-up from YouTube. She turns into a goddess because of her makeup skills, but would rather die than reveal her bare face to anyone. It tells her love story with the only boy that saw her without makeup, Lee Su Ho. Lee Su Ho is an attractive and handsome boy who appears cold because of his dark past but is actually very caring. They grow when they meet each other, share their secrets and find love with each other, but can Su Ho make Ju Gyeong find her true beauty?

Island 2022

Won Mi Ho is the only daughter of her father who runs Daehan Group. Her arrogant and selfish attitude causes her to make a big mistake that eventually angers her father into banishing her to Jeju island. There, she is assigned to work as a high school ethics teacher. Unbeknownst to her, the island is where evil roams free. She meets other individuals on the island and together, the characters join forces to live.

[enterenews]

Jung Kyung-ho offers private tutoring to Jeon Do-yeon's daughter from medical school

Jeong Kyung-ho offered private tutoring to Jeon Do-yeon's daughter, Noh Yoon-seo, who left the all-care class at medical school.

In the 4th episode of tvN's Saturday and Sunday drama 'One Other Scandal' (Screenplay Yang Hee-seung, Yeo Eun-ho/Director Yoo Je-won), which aired on January 22nd, Choi Chi-yeol (Jung Kyung-ho) first proposed private tutoring to Nam Hae-yi (Noh Yoon-seo), who had been unfairly expelled.

Haeng-sun Nam (played by Do-yeon Jeon) attended a parents' meeting when her daughter Nam Hae-yi was accepted into the medical school's all-care urban class. Bang Soo-ah (Kang Na-eon) mother Jo Soo-hee (Kim Seon-yeong) and Lee Seon-jae (Lee Chae-min) mother Jang Seo-jin (Jang Young-nam) openly fought at the parents' meeting. The southbound line tried to stop her from fighting, but she was slapped by Jo Soo-hee's hand and even hit by sparks, but she somehow tried to loosen her mood.

But when Soo-Hee Jo cried out that her daughter, Bang Bang-ah, said that her English test answers were duplicated because of Namhae-i's question, and she missed her first grade, she regarded Namhae-i as a thorn in her eye. Just then, when another parent suggested a secret deal for her, saying that she wanted to join the medical school's all-care urban class, Jo Soo-hee made a plan to let Nam Hae-i go. Jang Seo-jin also took the side of Jo Su-hee, dissatisfied with the friendship between her son Lee Seon-jae and Nam Hae-i.

Nam Hae-i was suddenly kicked out of the all-care urban class because she did not attend all the lectures of the all-care urban instructors. Haeng-seon Nam also tried to protest to the director, Jun-sang Kang, in anger at the academy's behavior of suddenly canceling after notifying the pass, but he could not even meet him.

Feeling guilty that if Nam Hae-yi had been in the all-care urban class, Choi Chi-cheol went to Nam Haeng-seon and said, “Let’s start classes again, daughter. Let her take a class with me separately. He suggested ”individually. When Nam Haeng-seon expressed delight, saying, "If it's individual, you say that Hae-yi will give private tutoring?" Choi Chi-yeol said, "There are conditions instead."

[isralienpsytrance]

BUSAN, 1999 from Thomas Percy Kim on Vimeo.

A pregnant Korean-American woman returns to Korea and her mother. They bathe and scrub each other, hoping to heal past wounds.

Filmmaker Thomas Percy Kim now accepting investments for HBO-Max debut feature with Jim Cummings (THUNDER ROAD): wefunder.com/islechild

Sundance Ignite 2022 Winner SF Film Festival GGA Best Narrative Short ('23 Oscar-submitted) Palm Springs International Shortfest Official Selection Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival Official Selection National Film Festival for Talented Youth 2022 Best Short Winner TIDE Film Festival 2022 Official Selection Ouray Film Festival 2022 Official Selection USC Asian Pacific Film Festival 2022 Jury Award Winner

Starring - Lee Sang-Hee & Cha Hee Writer & Director - Thomas Percy Kim Producer - DaEun Kim & Soojin Jeong Cinematography - Jin Kim AC - Yeo Jin Kim & Young Bin Jo Gaffer - Cha Sang-Kyun Soundie - Wan Dong Kim Production Manager - Whee Shim Production Designer - Jae Hyung Kim Art Team - Jae Hyung Kim, Pyo Yeong Park, Tae Hun Song, Dennis Kim Grip - Joon Sung Lim MUA - Liu Jing Dan Set Translator - Laura Im PA - Gabbie Kim Body Double - Baek Seung Min Color - Cameron Marygold Composer - August Mesarchik & Isaac Friedenberg Sound Mixer - William Storkson Foley - Aidan Kwasneski Voiceover - Minji Chang & Aidan Kwasneski Special Thanks - Frankie Li and Alyce Yang at Diverso, Will Noyce, Seb Evans, Se Ji Choi, Ho Ki Kim, Soo In Burm, Mom, Dad, Jace, Grandma's and Gramps ;)

Filmmaker's instagram: instagram.com/thomas.pk Filmmaker's website: thomaspk.com thomaspercykim@gmail.com

[shugar-daddie]

This is a huge news!!! 2 Baeksang 2021 award winners will be working together!!! 🤩🤩🤩😭😭

Year 2021 is surely a year for veteran actors and actresses to shine in kdramaland starting with Beyond Evil and continuing with On The Verge of Insanity and The Devil Judge. Cha Seungwon too will be coming out with a drama this year 😭😭

If Jang Hyuk accepts Red Heart, we might see 5 Baeksang 2022 nominations next year. Best Actor in TV category being dominated by the vets. 😭❤️❤️❤️

[michyeosseo]

You’re good at reporting things. You should have told me things like that right away.

[dreamingsnowflake2013]

Can we talk about how Ho-joon has Jae-yoon saved as ‘Jooin’ in his contacts?! Because the translation can’t really cover the delicious ambiguity of the term as it not only means ‘landlord’ but also ‘owner’ or ‘master’. It really shows the difference between the two men Jae-yoon fell for: Seung-seok using a deeply derogatory insult to describe him which expresses in a nutshell how he sees Jae-yoon; on the other hand, Ho-joon has saved Jae-yoon as his ‘owner/landlord’ on the phone since day one. And while it might have started as a personal joke, over the course of time, it has become a true endearment revealing his true feelings for Jae-yoon (the respect, admiration and growing love). 

They show this difference in the same episode in scenes almost directly following one another, so it’s definitely deliberate.

Talking about the contrast between the two men, the fact that they are complete opposites is so blatant that it couldn’t be more obvious, but Jae-yoon, being blinded by a 10 years worth of one-sided crush with rose-tinted glasses on his nose, doesn’t notice it until it’s almost too late, or rather he thinks he blew his chance, however, it turns out that Ho-joon has no intentions staying away from him after all once he’s accepted his feelings and realised he really likes his owner cute landlord. 

It’s such a great and interesting dynamic where we have a guy who pretends to be good but actually turns out to be a total trash while the man Jae-yoon thinks isn’t worth much, proves his worth and is revealed to be a good man who possesses a huge capacity for kindness and love, is loyal to a fault and has strong protective instinct.

[gillianthecat]

catching up on Roommates of Poongduck 304 episode 6

Jealous Ho Jun! Fills my heart with joy. The way he wrestled the tongs from Jae Yun in order to serve him. The way he outright ordered him to stop looking at his phone. Their coworkers are so lost.

Uh oh. What has the love of my life (pathetic sleazy version) done now?

Oh my, Ho Jun is tipping his hand and revealing how much he cares. Is ordering Jae Yun not to go going to backfire on him? I can't imagine Jae Yun will just acquiesce to his yelling.

I mean, Ho Jun is not wrong about Seung Seok and what Jae Yun is doing.

This feels like a breakup :-( But I think it's a necessary fight for them both to figure out what they want from each other.

The lyrics to this song are very on the nose.

And the actors are very good together. I can really feel the weight of this conversation.

You look like shit, Yu Seung Seok. And smoking is bad for you. This can't be the first time you've gotten beat up/arrested/otherwise in trouble for scamming someone.

Ooh, is Jae Yun finally going to stand up to him? (No shade for your crush, dude, the man is gorgeous.) Did Ho Jun's words finally get through to him?

Ah, they've been friends since at least high school.

This is really sad too. Another breakup of sorts. And sadder because the narrative doesn't promise us a resolution to their friendship. In fact, it probably would be better for Jae Yun to step away from that friendship altogether, at least for a while. I don't know what it was like when they were kids but it's become this toxic mess of codependency and manipulation and unrequited pining. I pity Seung Seok for his desperation and for getting caught up in a pyramid scheme, but he and Jae Yun are not good for each other right now.

Sad lonely man drinking alone.

Sad lonely man called his ex(?) to distract him? Oh, she's a friend. Good, he needs a wise friend to confide in.

And I guess he didn't know that he had a crush. It's an evening of surprising truths and uncomfortable changes.

Oh, Jae Yun, baby. Very apt song lyrics: Will you send me away even if it hurts? I know it's hard, but you are making the right choice.

Oh baby. To see that evidence of manipulation and betrayal right in your face. Oh that hurts. But at least this simplifies cutting him off cold.

I don't think it's just because I think Kang Woo Jung is pretty, but I'm finding the story of this relationship at least as compelling as the main romance. There's just so much unspoken history there weighing it down, and both actors bring a lot of interesting nuance to their dynamic.

Rooftop scene!

Oh, Jae Yun. You are having a BAD DAY. Both of your primary relationships are imploding. But at least you have a new stuffed animal friend from the barroom floor.

This drunk monologue to the pig! I love it so much. Both funny and providing useful insight into Jae Yun's brain.

Ok, that was an acceptable moment for, and depiction of, a startled reaction to a kiss. It felt like Ho Jun was actually startled and not just freeze-framing for the camera. Well done, boys.

All right. I'm all caught up and ready for next Thursday. This show continues to be enjoyable - not brilliant, but fun to watch and well acted by all the mains. We're three quarters of the way through with one hour of screen time left, and both parties have finally figured out they have crushes on each other. And we've got our first drunken kiss, which it looks like Jae Yun will have forgotten in the morning. Will the course of true love run smooth until here-after? I doubt it, my prediction is that we don't get a real kiss until the last 10 minutes of the show.

[mugunghwc]

unprompted ask / selectively accepting

@badheart said: "Is Coco alright?" Jae asked after stepping into Naomi's place, looking for his baby, which came running towards him. It was evening by now, and he did not look too well. The smell of alcohol was clinging to him. No wonder, his useless half brother left him quite in a crisis. Seung-jae petted Coco, before picking her up, looking towards Naomi. "And you?" He finally wondered.

with how busy her boss was, sometimes it felt as if coco was hers rather than his—often times, being the one to take her to her appointments to the vet, or a photoshoot. kind of like being her manager, in a way. naomi didn't mind, though. having a decent place to live was more than enough payment for her, plus, she enjoyed the attention that coco drew her way. not only from others, but especially, from her boss, who treated her like a princess. a treatment she could only dream of, coming from him.

she was already in her pyjamas by the time he showed up—a set made out of silk, consisting of a navy blue tank top & shorts with some lace decal at the bottom. an attire she had purposely chosen after being told he'd stop by to pick up coco. naomi wanted his attention, & although she obtained it, he appeared to be far from good. the excessive smell of alcohol was one that reminder her of her time as a bartender, causing her to scrunch her nose. luckily, he was too busy with coco to take note of it until later, when he stood & naomi appeared almost nervous.

"i'm fine. you know she's an angel." she responded first & foremost to his question, before turning it around with a slight tilt of her head & sme concern in her voice. "what about you...? did you drive here? if so, maybe you want to stay a bit... while i prepare you some coffee."

[convenientalias]

Rewatching episode 6 of MCTNA

After like a month of unaligned schedules, my mom and I have returned to watching MCTNA. Here are some thoughts on episode 6:

-MCTNA did, I suppose, put in the bare minimum of effort trying to convince us Seon-ho was into Hui-jae. Which is to say, it includes a scene of him drinking and thinking about the past after seeing her with Hwi, feeling angsty and all that. Problem is, all the scenes it shows in the flashback--him pouring her a drink before going off to war, her and him watching Hwi sail off with the army himself--are in context more about the two of them being angsty about Hwi being taken away than about the two of them having any sort of relationship. (Well, the drinking scene being the most questionable there, but the fact that Hui-jae immediately says her "last drink" is for Hwi and Seon-ho responds with "I know" has always kind of undermined the idea that Seon-ho really wanted her to accept his love there... it feels more like he's saying goodbye to her in Hwi's place. Might be a stretch, but so is seeing any romantic intent between those two at any point past episode 3.) It does revive my vague idea of a Hui-jae/Seon-ho using each other as proxies for Hwi but let's not go into that right now.

-I also always intended to write a fic where Hui-jae barged into the shack to interrupt what she thought was a secret meeting (a la that scene where she confronts Hwi after reuniting with him at Ihwaru) but turned out to be Hwi and Seon-ho having shack sex (bc I have many headcanons about those secret meetings in the shack) and then, idk, they have a threesome, but I'm not going to write that right now either! Probably.

-Still adore the brief plotline that was a dude insulting Seon-ho's parentage on the street and Seon-ho proceeding to break into the dude's house with a troop of soldiers and stab the guy through the hand! Every time I'm writing a fic and I'm like "on a scale from reasonable to homicidal maniac, how vicious do I want Seon-ho to be", I tend to use this scene as a reference point (...to excuse me pushing him a little bit further to the violent side lols).

-Seon-ho INTERRUPTED THE KING to make a statement about how Bang-won only acted so bold bc Joseon hadn't yet abolished private armies and I know in context he did that to derail the confrontation between Bang-won and Yi Seung-gye that Bang-won was aiming for, BUT. It takes guts! Also I just love watching those two banter in front of the entire court and Yi Seung-gye. Seon-ho is living his best life. Bang-won is living the life of a dude whose fan is not sufficient to bat away this one housefly that keeps buzzing noisily around his head.

-Seon-ho and Nam Jeon have a civil conversation about gaining power for like two seconds before Seon-ho ruins it by mentioning that oh yeah, maybe his dad supports the idea of him gaining power, but he has no intention of actually backing Seon-ho up if things go south. He's right though!

-Sometimes in all the politics and pining I forget this show aims to have at least one but preferably multiple fight scenes per episode. This episode has at least two, more depending on how you count it. Hwi and the Hwi squad taking down Ganggae and the Ganggae squad isn't high cinema but it's still a lot of fun and helps to fill the quota. The forest scene, on the other hand...

-When we reached the forest scene and the wolf showed up, my mom was like, "...so is this werewolf Hwi" and I was like lols. Yes this is the point where my werewolf fic starts. No there are no werewolves in My Country the New Age (for a while when I was constantly talking about my fic, about a year? ago, she was beginning to believe it was actually a werewolf show).

-I LOVE Hwi just casually striding out of cover, saying, "Could you be less in the way?" and complaining that Bang-won's arrow has damaged the wolf's skin. The AUDACITY of this MAN.

-I'd forgotten a lot of how this first conversation goes, due to the drama that follows it. Bang-won asks Hwi to serve him very quickly--does he mean it? Is it a test? Is it love at first sight? Of course the "assassin" in the trees really is highly suspicious, and it makes sense that Bang-won interrogates Hwi afterwards. But at first there's this banter where it's interesting; Bang-won can't tolerate disrespect (hence telling his man to teach Hwi a lesson) but he also... sort of enjoys it. Enjoys Hwi disrespecting him, finds it, and him, intriguing. It's a balance that really factors into what I love about Bang-won/Hwi, how Hwi is so familiar and Bang-won craves that but also can't really allow anyone to fully treat him as an equal. And Hwi does see everyone as an equal--Tae-ryeong tells him to get on his "lowly knees" and his only response is that knees don't have social status. It's like... Hwi, we get that knees don't have social statuses but you, the owner of those knees, definitely do, and your status is definitely lower than that of a Literal Prince. Why/how are you like this??? Beautiful.

-My mom and I can't decide--did Bang-won really intend to cut Hwi's head off if Seon-ho hadn't interrupted them? On the one hand, Bang-won is willing to kill. On the other hand, Bang-won doesn't kill recklessly--he holds off attacking Bang-seok for years, plays delicate games with his father and the court, and later (tho my mom doesn't know this yet!) spares Seon-ho even when it would be sensible to kill him. On the one hand, Bang-won was already swinging the sword. On the other hand, with that kind of wind-up it would be hard to pull the blow--at the mere sound of a door opening--without so much as scratching the person you were swinging at, pausing exactly at the curve of his neck. Was Bang-won trying to kill Hwi, or just intimidate him? Of course, if Bang-won didn't mean to kill Hwi at that exact moment, he still would have killed him later if Hwi (with Seon-ho's assistance) hadn't convinced him they were on the same side and he could be trusted. But it's a question.

-My mom finishing the episode: So we can't wait another month to continue.

Me: Are you invested in the love triangle?

My mom: No, I don't care about the girl.

Me: No, I meant Seon-ho and Hwi and Bang-won.

My mom: THAT I can get behind.

My OT3 has finally all met and even been in the same courtyard together! Life is good.

[bcg98]

ITS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY

(10/10)

I finished this kdrama, and all I want to do is wipe my memory and watch it again. The acting, the story line, the suspense, all of those were beyond amazing.

Firstly, the focus of the show is NOT mental illness. The focus, and message, is trauma and how it effects everyone differently. I saw someone on an online forum complain about how it romanticized and glamorized mental illness, and could not help but roll my eyes. None of the characters, besides Mun-yeong's mother had a mental illness (Sang-tae has autism, but the actor clarified that it was not an "illness, but rather something he was born with", which I personally think made the character more amazing, since the focus was not his autism). The message is how differently trauma affects us, our perspectives and perception of life, and how difficult it can be to overcome it. I feel the need to reiterate about trauma, because it played such an important part of each characters' development.

Second, the characters and their development was so amazing to watch (especially the main characters' relationship(s)). I enjoyed how the background characters (the patients) were meticulously weaved into the story to help the main characters. Also, the usage of fairy tales was beautiful, as it highlighted the darker meaning of those stories (many fairy tales actually originate from much darker story lines, but are translated differently in order to market to children; (do not) look up the origins of Sleeping Beauty, Little Mermaid, and Snow White if you are 18+). I also really loved Oh Jung-se's portrayal of Moon Sang-tae, as it was very humanized and respectful, while also adding many characteristics of autism that are not always shown in media.

Lastly, the ending. I enjoyed that the story continued after the epic climax, bring conclusion to all of the characters, even the special appearances. Being able to watch the "what happens afterwards" was very good, especially when you considering the trauma the climax added onto the main three. The character development and evolution is just spectacular, and it was all wrapped up beautifully (though I still wonder if Jae-su and Seung-jae got together, and if Mun-yeong and Gang-tae had a baby boy ㅋㅋㅋ).

What would I change? **spoilers**

I really wished that Mun-yeong could have had some reconciliation with her father before he died, especially if you take into account that his dying wish was to protect his daughter. I understand the way it was written, but I really hope that Gang-tae told Mun-yeong what her father said, how he had accepted that he would never be able to get her to forgive him. This also makes me wonder if he was never actually trying to kill her, but trying to kill his wife, since Mun-yeong resembled her. The one time we see him attack her (with context), or when he was afraid of her, I wonder how lucid he actually was.

Final thoughts

I am going to rewatch it as soon as I push "post". This story made me laugh and cry (a lot). I loved the family that Mun-yeong and the Moon brothers created; Sang-tae becoming her actual older brother, while Gang-tae finally got his childhood sweetheart. I also enjoyed the love story between the two, how they both understood each other, how Gang-tae taught Mun-yeong to open her heart and never giving up on her, and how Mun-yeong helped Gang-tae reconnect with himself.

[peony-pearl]

Clay in the Kiln - chapter 7

Chapter 6

____________________________

She had to get home.

Skating along the cobbled streets, Haruka bent the ground to allow herself quick travel, gracefully sliding through Ba Sing Se. She hoped no one would be awoken by the sound of the rock below her crackling as she slid through the streets, making sharp turns that forced her to use the sides of houses and property walls.

She hoped she wouldn't wake Fen. She climbed through her window, where she then proceeded to immediately remove the uniform she'd pilfered from the Fire Nation camp. She lifted a loose floorboard, which revealed a set of garments she'd stolen just weeks earlier off of a soldier bathing in the river. It helped her sneak and blend in when she needed to eavesdrop on plans.

Hiding the outfits carefully, Haruka felt the exhaustion of the night overtake her body as she struggled to stand. Her underclothes were drenched in sweat, her hair a frazzled mess. She was spent and sore; her shoulder still tender from the injury in the lower ring. She laid on the floor, still catching her breath.

She closed her eyes.

And the image of Seung held captive in front of the Fire Nation captain - held by her hand - replayed in her mind.

Her adrenaline began to settle, and she smiled as she fell asleep.

                                   ___________________

"Captain-"

Seung threw another chair towards the wall in his fit of rage. His hair falling over his eyes and out of its ponytail, making him look as ragged as his emotions.

"Captain, we fended them off-"

"HOW CAN ONE OF OUR OWN HELP THEM?!" Seung screamed.

"I don't know, but-"

"Seung!"

Finally stopping his destruction, Seung looked up to find the general entering the room.

"I'm glad you're safe," he said. Seung snarled.

"I was humiliated."

"But you're alive," the general said, just as Commander Jae appeared in the doorframe. "We're grateful you weren't hurt."

Seung's fists trembled; the stone of the room began to clatter, beginning to create a deafening sound.

"SEUNG!"

The general's voice was enough to shock the younger man out of his fury.

"That's enough."

Reluctantly, Seung conceded to the order and straightened up, and he smoothed back his hair, composing himself.

"I'm just as angry as you are, Seung. But one Earthbender against an entire city's worth? I think we'll be fine."

"That's not the point-"

"I know your point! But it's done. What's happened has happened, and it's time for us to move on and tend to our soldiers. Nurse your pride and join us when you've cleaned yourself up."

"... Yes sir."

                                ______________________

Tea was poured as Lu Ten sat with Iroh at the map desk. Out in the battlefield, the sounds of another battle effort waging in the distance as it was led by one of the other commanders so the prince could rest.

"Well," Iroh began, "It's a relief to know where our missing supplies have been going. I just wish we actually knew who it was."

"I do too. I'm just curious as to why."

Iroh laughed, pouring his own tea. "They're smart. They know what is coming, and they've accepted the future of the Fire Nation. A wise choice."

"They were... kind of clumsy. They're not a soldier, I could tell in their body language."

"Questions for another day," Iroh said. "I hope they don't feel the need to be too distant. They've made themselves worthy already, and I hope to meet them, so they may be given their due accolades. Especially for helping you."

Lu Ten sighed. "I got careless."

"Lessons learned," Iroh answered. "Learn and grow, don't berate the man you were a moment ago, an hour ago, a day ago. Let him build you the steps you need to proceed and become stronger and wiser."

Listening to Iroh's sage advice, Lu Ten smiled. His eyelids became heavy; the warm tea and the countenance of his father began to unravel the tightness of his muscles and the buzzing of his mind.

Iroh, his eyes on the map, didn't need to look at Lu Ten to know; he heard that telltale sigh. "You need rest."

"I'll rest when I'm dead," Lu Ten said, taking a small figurine of a Fire soldier and casually bumping over an Earth soldier figurine.

Iroh laughed. "Well, you're going to be tired for a very, very long time."

                                       _________________

The house had been quiet. Fen set the table, loading it with dishes for breakfast.

She had tried to make some of Haruka's favorites, hoping to cheer her up. Ever since Seung left in a bitter departure just over a month ago, Haruka hadn't been herself. She became reclusive and quiet, and it worried Fen. Each day, Fen would try to ask Haruka if she would like to go out to town, or to simply share some tea together, but Haruka rarely joined her; and when they did see each other, it wasn't for long.

Fen was missing the company. She was a social creature, even with her nervousness. It was becoming lonely in the spacious house; so in an effort to cheer her mistress up, she woke up early to make a big breakfast. She opened the curtains, letting in the golden dawn.

Once she felt the manor was sufficiently full of sunlight and the smell of good food, Fen approached Haruka's room, knocking on her door.

"Lady Haruka?"

There was a silence, and Fen worried about knocking again, but maybe Haruka simply hadn't heard. She knocked again, calling her name a little louder.

A moment passed.

Another moment passed.

Something in Fen's gut began to twist. She knocked harder, now becoming concerned.

"Lady Haruka!" She called, panic evident in her voice. Her hands were just barely beginning to tremble.

Then a fumble from inside of the room, a groan. She almost doubled over in a rush of relief, but the sounds inside still confused her.

"Is everything alright? Are you sick?"

She heard the grasp of the sliding door, and it finally exposed Haruka in a disheveled state. Fen gasped, as Haruka stood wrapped in a blanket. Her hair was thick with mats, and her eyes sagged with exhaustion.

"What in the world happened?" Fen's voice trembled in horror, her big brown eyes wide with worry.

Holding her hand up, Haruka gently signaled Fen to pause.

Wow. She felt awful. Her body ached, and sleeping on the floor probably didn't help. Leaning on the doorframe, she gathered herself as best as she could.

"Nothing, nothing. I'm fine, I just..." she reached up to smooth back her hair. "I had a really long night."

Fen stood there, staring.

"What do you mean?!" She asked as Haruka's attention was cut short.

"Haruka?"

"Oh wow, did you make breakfast?" Haruka said absent-mindedly. She stumbled past Fen, her stomach growling.

Fen watched, dumbfounded, watching her mistress amble through the hallway, still clutching the blanket around her body as she headed to the dining room. Fen took pursuit and followed Haruka, seeing her grab a bowl of rice.

And then Fen froze, watching Haruka begin to eat right out of the serving bowl, scarfing down what could have easily been three servings. She then grabbed a bowl of cooked meat mixed with vegetables. She sighed, closing her eyes.

"This is good," Haruka said, her mouth full as she pointed to the bowl. "If this gig never worked out, you could have been a cook."

The bizarre compliment fit the atmosphere as Fen slowly sat down at the table.

"I... Thank you?"

She watched Haruka devour nearly the entire meal without even sitting down. After clunking down the last bowl that just barely had some remaining food in it, Haruka yawned loudly and inelegantly.

"Okay. I'm going back to bed," she announced, much to Fen's surprise, who stood so fast she almost lost her footing.

"Bed? But-"

"Then later, we're going out," Haruka said. Fen perked up.

"Out? You... You want to go out?"

Opening the door to her room, Haruka turned and smiled at her. "Yeah. I'm gonna treat you to a nice day in town."

"I... Oh... Oh, thank you," Fen smiled, still confused at Haruka's demeanor, but she simply watched the door close, and she heard Haruka fall into her bed.

And she kept her word. After washing up and making herself look more like the fiancee of a captain, she and Fen traveled through the square of a handsome shopping district. She watched Fen walk excitedly under a sapphire blue sky with such a spring in her step.

"I'm so happy to see you up and about," Fen said.

Haruka often felt truly grateful for her maid. Even though Fen was a stickler to the rules that Haruka needed to follow, she still did her best to make sure Haruka was happy in her cage. She knew how much Haruka loved the arts, and she would do her best to enrich her mistress' life with songs and stories.

"Thank you for being patient with me, Fen. I appreciate your presence more than you know."

Fen couldn't put her finger on it; while she was compelled to know why Haruka's demeanor had changed so sharply, she was just so happy to not be sitting in a dark house for another day.

"What happened?" Fen asked. "You seem so... different."

The events of the previous night replayed in Haruka's memory.

Thrill, fear, satisfaction, revenge... Her adrenaline rushed with each thought.

"I just... I had a breakthrough. I should be thankful for the good things I have. I'm going to start changing my path to align my priorities to my future."

These words almost sickened her; but in a way they weren't true - and yet they were at the same time.

Haruka intended to continue to change her path. Nothing was going to stop her from pursuing the future she desired. She proved to herself how powerful she was on the battlefield; how much her training the past few weeks had paid off.

But here, as Haruka... Old expectations weighed heavy on her shoulder as she knew she needed the resources she had. Knowing she needed to swallow her pride, she could no longer defy the rules put in place for her.

She had to do everything in her power to not bring attention to herself from here on out.

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Chapter 8