#bbtrippin

[conscbgb]

I love the bond they have with their dance crew

[ahrealos]

240810 - Ateez Kim Hongjoong and Choi San in Chicago (Day 1) for the Towards the Light tour in North America

[scuzmunkie]

Holy hell…. Atiny…. Are we ok?! Everyone still breathing?! Check in babes!! @itshayhay girl…. I’m freakin out!!

[mysterygrl20]

anyone wanna guess what my favorite part of the bbtrippin choreo video is

[fadinglampfireapricot]

I stumbled across this and took a screenshot. Why do they look like an idol group and their female CEO?

[absentcaryatid]

An old interview from Dec. 11, 2021 but still interesting for a little look into the dance crew that produces choreography for ATEEZ and other K-pop groups.

[kangyeosaang]

im always saying i dont have concert biases but here i am w my 4 byungchan fancams from this ateez concert afsgdbs

[yunwooz]

Imagine Dragons - Warriors Choreography by SAN, BBtrippin, TARZAN

[atiny-for-life]

Xikers Full Storyline Explained - Part 5

Masterlist

위치 (WITCH)

Regarding the title, the Korean means "Location" but sounds like "Witch", making it some clever wordplay they actively utilize throughout the song.

If you played Maze of Choice, the YouTube multiple choice game they released as part of the album promotions (and which I covered here), you will already have an idea of what this MV is about

We open on a ticket booth standing amidst a narrow path colored similarly to the album cover - orange and black

The sign above the booth asks "WHERE IS YOUR LOCATION?", indicating once you're in, you won't know where to go

Junmin then appears, walking into the empty corridor, only for black smoke-like creatures to rush by and make a desk appear right in front of him (you can hear their screech just before his own voice comes in in the song's opening)

Going by his behavior, it's clear he has no idea where he is or any recollection of donning the clothes he's now wearing, which means their memories were wiped before they came here, presumably by TRICKY

With no other option but to play along, Junmin picks up the folded card on the table ahead and finds the words "Do you want to make a bet with me?" in a golden cursive font

Except, there is no way for him to choose: the moment he finishes reading, he's dragged away by an unseen force

My best guess here is this takes place at the same time as Maze of Choice and is showing us the recruitment process they all went through at the hands of TRICKY before they were given their powers in Rockstar

The lyrics seem to support this by telling us "You're already in TRICKY HOUSE"

We see them all in their formal uniforms after this, hair either nicely slicked back or free of product, prim and proper students as Namoo (and presumably the government and society) desires in this corporate-run world where fulfilling your predestined role is all you get to have in life

We next get Yechan's verse where they first use the wordplay of "I know your location (위치) but I'm not a WITCH"

While the others are running through parts of the maze, he's being actively attacked by the black cloud-like creatures who restrain his arms, presumably after he failed to choose the right direction

At the end of his verse, we get the first sign of TRICKY and the dokkaebi's blue fire as he wears his schoolbag and reaches for a falling sheet of paper which ignites upon his touch, presumably indicating he's picked the right one

We next see Jinsik and Hyunwoo in an office meeting room in which all the employees wear white masks

Just like in Maze of Choice and the Bittersweet Preview, we see them navigating this world together, which leads me to assume they were the only ones who already knew each other prior to getting chosen by TRICKY

Going by the lyrics, we can tell they're all going a little bonkers in this maze - constant dead ends, looping back to the start, everyone they come across lies to them, and they keep falling for trick after trick

Huge shout out to the choreography at this point (BBTrippin never disappoints) - it truly is a theatrical performance visualizing the lyrics and if you haven't watched a full live stage yet, you absolutely should - they're crushing it

Following Junmin's lines, we move on to Sumin's rap verse during which one of the dokkaebi's blue flames guides him to a locker through which he enters a new section of the maze

Note here how we transition with the blue flame and now see Sumin in red-white-and-black clothing as opposed to his school uniform (we'll come back to that in a second)

There are more masked workers in this section, all wandering a warehouse full of garment bags filled with clothes kept in shades of red, white, and black

While he's there, it suddenly gets darker and a spotlight finds him before white crumpled up paper falls from the ceiling which reminds me of the end of Tricky House when all the paper airplanes, dust and ghost-like objects were flying around

Minjae, already changed out of his uniform as well, is up next and also finds the garment warehouse where he gets surrounded by the masked employees who seem to capture him and throw him to the ground

Upon hitting the floor, he pounds his fist against it which seems to make the employees disappear, leaving him by himself

And this is when the lyrics first indicate he's actually enjoying this... he thinks it's a beautiful night

The music video has taken a turn: we've skipped to the present and, as we've seen in We Don't Stop, in the present, Xikers have already gotten used to their powers and befriended TRICKY, willingly choosing to live in its world

And that world includes the maze they started out in so, as they switch from their school uniforms to black-white-and-red attire, we can see them becoming a part of TRICKY's world with all the powers which come with it

After escaping, they learned the maze's layout, they know where to go, where to find everyone, how to trick and mess with them - we're now their victims

We see Junmin in his new outfit, his fist still on the ground, presumably after also making the masked people disappear, the floor now littered with clothing items in greens and blues

And we also see Jinsik, sitting in the clouds above the maze (on what we later get to see is a giant pair of scissors with the name 'xikers' engraved on it), free to look down and watch the lost people wander the maze now that he's also all dressed up in TRICKY's colors

They highlight this contrast between then and now in the next shot as well: we see Yujun wander the hallway full of doors in his uniform before we zoom out to Hyunwoo in the present looking at the maze's model, all cool, calm, and collected

The way to escape seems to be to not just follow the blue spirit fire, but to actively entrap one of the orbs, which we get to see Minjae do near the end of the video after our rap-trio's shared verse

One more shoutout the choreography at this point because, after this, they make it seem like Hunter has freakishly long arms through simple visual blocking and strategic arm placement - it's such a neat little trick

We close out with a group performance to the chant of "We already know your location" contrasting the opening question on the ticket booth and further playing with the song title

The final shot is all nine shushing us, index fingers to their lips, as we see their acquired dokkaebi spirit orbs - 10 in total because Junghoon is here in spirit

[allinory]

Block B 6/7!! (Or, alternatively, 6 ugly dudes and no jaehyo)

A group picture (excluding Jaehyo) from bbtrippin's leader's wedding uploaded by Park Kyung

[atzupdates]

[230703] Instagram Reels/TikTok/YouTube Shorts Update | 청양고추Vibe with BBTRIPPIN 🔥

[thelargefrye]

EXILE HER STAFF

EXILE HER staff is made up of some great and creative women who make sure that the soloist is successful within the idol world.

MANAGER KIM EUNJI

eunji has been your manager since you debuted in 2018. many IXLUVS love her for how well she looks after you and how serious she takes her job. you’ve described your relationship with eunji as a sibling relationships, and you view her as a wise older sister, often asking her for advice. many sasaengs are actually scared of her because of how intimidating she is.

IXLUVS actually have an inside joke about how she use to be a high school gangster that was in with the wrong crowd and so she became your manager to become better.

MANAGER KANG HANUEL

your second manger, she became apart of the team during 2020. at first a lot of IXLUVS were shocked about you getting a new manager and actually thought that eunji quit. however, you were quick to tell fans that eunji did not quit, but haneul simply joined the team to help her with managing all your schedules.

when you had your fight with hongjoong, she was the one who suggested you take some time to yourself. almost lost her job when she punched the new producer, dawn, once she found out she had been stealing your stuff AND caused the fight between you and hongjoong.

STYLIST HANAKO MIRA

the woman behind all your iconic styles. a fashion icon herself, mira has been the stylist for several idols before joining your team in 2019 and has been with you ever since. your relationship with your stylist is like that of a rich aunt and her niece she loves to spoil. it’s thanks to her that you have been able to find your personal style and not afraid to try new things.

MAKE - UP ARTIST CHLOE KIM

chloe was originally hired by KQ as an assistant stylist for ATEEZ and worked with them for their debut and SAY MY NAME before being transferred over to your team during your STARRY NIGHT promotions as a lead stylist. chloe was only suppose to help with that comeback; however, she hit it off so well with you that she put in a request to be on your team permanently.

since then she has worked with you and fans often love watching the two of you interact. you often teasing her and her threatening you to not ruin your makeup as if you did, she was not retouching it.

CHOREOGRAPHER ARA KIM

the mastermind behind some of your dances. she along with BBTRIPPIN have come up with most of your dances. her dream was to be an idol but a knee injury stopped her. she recently trended on tiktok thanks to her dance videos. while the two of you aren’t extremely close, you do talk to each other and share your troubles with one another over dinners.

here’s a list of your songs that she has choreographed: GASHINA, HEROINE, TWIT, RING X RING, FEARLESS, MAGO, 28 REASONS, and SIREN.

BODYGUARD ANGIE WILDE

every IXLUV loves her cause she’s a GIANT WOMAN. she’s 6’3 and has every single sasaeng and anti quaking in their boots. she was hired to be your bodyguard after you almost got mobbed at the airport. since she was hired, fans love watching the two of you interact like a mother bear and her little cub because no matter how tall you are, she WILL always be taller. sorry i don’t make the rules.

BODYGUARD KIM WONIL

wonil is the newest addition to your team, having joined in mid-2022. ixluvs have ever really seen his full face, but have definitely seen his tattoos and love them. was very awkward when he first joined to not just you, but around the other staff as well. you often tease him like a younger sister and he’s been warming up to you and the rest of your team recently.

[mrsfezziwig]

KQ - The Reason Ateez Don't Win Awards: (Pt 1)

n.b.(Good God I am actually scared of what reaction this may get from other Atiny but I feel like it is something I really need to address!)

Ateez are incredible;

as humans, as a group, as vocalists and as rappers, but their stand out ability comes in the way they perform and dance. I have never seen a group like these eight men when it comes to their star power; all of them could probably be in The Demon Line now they have matured, especially Yunho, who feels more relaxed on stage, more intense and he is most definitely not holding himself back anymore (That YunGi clothes grab in the Wonderland tour version, anyone? This Mrs Fezziwig was fanning herself like a Georgian Regency lady with a hand fan and blaming it on her age - hot flushes, you know... Oof! ). But anyone with a braincell can look at the lack of acknowledgement of their talents in terms of end of year award show nominations and wonder what the hell is going on?! It is incredibly irritating when people who deserve to have their hard work and talents celebrated are passed over again and again.

Now, this is where I just know I am going to be side-eyed, possibly bombastically, because I need to make comparisons in order to make my points as this is only about my opinion, and things I see other Atiny discussing on socials. In addition everyone knows how close the members of these two groups are as friends, hence why I am risking my sanity to say it:

The Comparison - Stray Kids

What makes Stray Kids so well awarded isn't just their agency, which has absolutely helped, with their money, organisation and longevity in the idol industry, but there's also the fact that they have practically carte blanche when it comes to the music they make. No body on this good, green Earth can ignore the sheer genius that is 3RACHA and their most common producer, Versachoi, when it comes to their abilities to write, compose and produce their songs.

Every emotion in the human pantheon of feeling is out there in a song available for fans to discover from their catalogue. Their forte is the musical freedom all the members contribute to the group.

SKZ hits harder because they are performing their own emotion out in song and dance, having three geniuses in one group is fated, no one can ever tell me otherwise... However, Ateez doesn't have that extra layer of connection even though the boys are still insanely versatile and make it work.

That's not the fault of the members, BBTrippin or even on some level the collective Edenary, they're all being told the same thing by the agency. It lies in the fact that those at the top want it to be this way.

I don't say this as a diss against Edenary, and I have yet to find a skip song on their albums. It is all impactful, musically, there is nothing but hit after hit on those but the lyrics just aren't up to par. Guerilla was about a fictional revolution, Halazia was about a fictional revolution from the outsider perspective, Bouncy was about an, um... fictional revolution and Crazy For-... Yeah, I am going to stop here.

KQ CEO-nim, I respectfully say:

Holy Fuck... Drop the fucking storyline into the b-side! Yep, you heard me right - Drop. The. Fucking. Storyline. From. The. Title. Tracks! Plllleeeeaaaaasssseee?

I am pretty sure all the inhabitants of Dimensions A and Z, and how ever many other of these buggers are hiding in the mind of the planners, shall collectively gasp dramatically 'Blasphemy!'

What a cardinal sin to suggest such a thing!!! Pre-debut Atiny are clutching their pearls and Diary Version albums as I speak such foul utterances, wondering how I could possibly have the very cheek of it to say such a thing! Do you think the boys will be proud of the dramatic delivery here? 😂

Yes, there are some moving and heart-wrenching b-sides on Ateez albums that are ignored for the scale of interdimensional time Pirates, which makes it increasingly, painfully obvious that those emotions are rare in their title tracks. So, I will make the point I've been moving up to with the comparison:

KQ need to let loose the reins

I first encountered Ateez in my initial journey with kpop in 2021 and I was in my 'BTS got me hooked, Stray Kids toppled them with Hellevator from my focus, and Ateez seems interesting...' era

Being 38 I felt kinda like some sort of sicko for finding guys I could have birthed attractive and I still have twinges of this feeling occasionally. Thankfully, none of the 5th Gen children are anything other than cute little babies to me, ones that I want to tut at, throwing appropriate clothing their way and ground them for going out in such tiny skirts and dresses. As you can imagine, finding Deja Vu as my first Ateez song sent me screeching dramatically away from the group, hands flapping and looking for a man my age to hide behind [thank you, Rain; you were extremely helpful during my mid-life-ish crisis].

So I continued on my way along up the endurance hike that is the Stray Kids path, again feeling slightly creeped out at myself for buying Oddinary, but also in absolute awe at the music these eight guys made. I still don't have a fucking clue what their storyline is, although it is coming more into focus thanks to the most recent SKZFLIX but that's kinda positive as it allows for their flexibility in terms of what they say and how it's performed and perceived.

At the core, I like their lyrical content better than Ateez, purely due to the fact it's visceral in its emotional impact. With a leader like Bang Chan, I haven't been surprised to find so many amazing fans out there too. Older STAYs I chat with on Discord have been my rock and support as I admitted my feelings of discomfort at the age thing and we figured out it was my STBX husband and his reaction to my new found hobby and likes that left me feeling so icky.

With their help, I finally got the courage up to accept that we were done after 20 years and I haven't missed him except for one occasion [I was facing a general anaesthetic to have a massive abscess on my jaw drained, all alone in a hospital about an hour from home with nobody at all to hold my hand] since he left in March. Every time I faced a backwards step emotionally because of my Ehler-Danlos Syndrome and my limitations, they were there to check on me.

This community is what makes Kpop the best rabbit hole I ever plunged into - stay away from Twitter (No, Elon, it isn't called 'X', it's called Twitter!) and the fans are such magnificently, genuine hearted people who just get me! For the first time in my life my sense of humour wasn't misinterpreted and rather slotted into place like this was where I was meant to be all along. When I found this tribe I was so lonely it was frightful, and it's only by being who I am today with their love and support I can look back at that version of myself and cry for her desperation and black-fog draped soul.

99% of the people in that chat are actually StayTiny, and they were discussing Halazia, insisting I really need to watch the MV. So I did, and as thankful I am for BTS getting me into Kpop and Stray Kids for finding me at my lowest then giving me my coping song in Voices, Ateez overtook them all in one MV. There is something about these guys that I connected with. That began my twisted path in April 2023 in learning names, songs and personality types that lead me to December and the drop of Crazy Form. Yet they may now be my Ult group, Stray Kids are my foundation in the world of idols. And no, I still can't handle Deja Vu no matter how many times I have tried to make it happen. So far I can get to the end of Yunho's opening but I can't take San with that haircut and eyebrows without cringing and backing out, which means I've progressed beyond the sexual feel of the song and am now firmly entrenched in 'Second-hand Embarrassment Station'.

Ateez could be much bigger if...

Despite the connection I found with these seven crackheads plus Jongho, instantly was thrown off by the incessant focus on the story of Ateez and dimension hopping, wondering where they were, as in where were the personal stories; the freedom of expression and grounding focus of reliving your experience in music?

If the story came in the form of a novel, I would be pre-ordering that shit off Amazon faster than I pre-order SKZ and Ateez albums. And I am not alone in this sentiment. After five years in the industry, these guys aren't newbies, they have the experience to handle the responsibilities of writing their own songs with guidance from Edenary and creating their own choreo alongside BBTrippin.

Hearing how the agency weaves the lore into every single MV and title track, I felt angry. I still am and am likely to always be, because if they let up and allowed the boys to display their joy, sorrow, happiness and agony in their songs and choreo, Ateez would be even greater, they'd be a force to be reckoned with particularly in the international market where they just work already. This is where BTS and Stray Kids have Ateez beat.

international fans have come to expect that the music is written and produced by the members of a group. Sure this could be argued as being a side effect of BTS getting so big, it's also a factor no one should discount.

Now, I shall move onto the part I love most: 'saying shit 'people who don't have a genetic pain disorder and who still have two flying fucks to give' won't...

The agency is responsible for the lack of mainstream recognition in terms of awards and fans because that oomph 3RACHA pour into their music is where the disparity lies.

With performers like the eight men in Ateez imagine them being up there on the VMAs stage getting all the praise... And the viral Taylor Swift reaction to match... Her reaction to Chan was just so relatable after all (be still my Swiftie/STAY/Atiny manic heart). I can't lie, the thought of them never being recognised in the mainstream before it's too late and they disband to focus on solo careers makes me tear up. Oh, that's so dramatic of me is what people who don't know Ateez will think,

'Ewwww... it's not that deep 🙄! Go touch some fucking grass and stop being so saesang coded' { Bitch, if I could go outside without dislocating my hip, I'd still be an Archaeologist! Is that enough grass and mud for you all?}

With a massive 'Wooyoung-thicc, baby-girl-twerking' ass BUT(t):

The thing is, it actually is that deep.

I am sick of spending comeback day piecing together the story point instead of looking at the video and lyrics and it's meaning. Which invariably is about the destruction of the dystopian universe. Don't Stop did the story telling in a way that made sense for what the video portrays and it works real fucking well (plus Mingi? Oooh, damn boyyy!). We understood it because it was all there to be found!

Imagine having that every comeback day, the 'falling out of bed at 5am to match KST' would be so much more enjoyable because there isn't any depth to plunder, it would be a {most definitely not} straight shooting banger or bopper or tear-mopper of a track, ALMOST ENTIRELY written and produced by the members for us to enjoy on repeat. Then a few days later the Edenary b-side/s with all the storyline desired would drop and we would be mentally prepared to disect every second of it because our thirst would have diminished to the 'reasonably manageable when those eight beautiful men plus San's chocolate bar abs are in the world' level.

Whilst I intended to make all my points in one post, I will split it up because of the length it's going to be... To be continued...

[dailykoreanpop]

Watch: ATEEZ’s San Wows With Epic Performance Video Set To Imagine Dragons’ “Warriors”

ATEEZ’s San has showcased his talents with a powerful new video!

On October 27, San released an intense, cinematic performance video set to Imagine Dragons’ “Warriors.” Notably, the breathtaking video was choreographed by San himself, with the help of BBtrippin and TARZAN.

San released the video with the message: “For everyone who is fighting hard in their own worlds and their own lives.”

Check out San’s new “Warriors” performance video below!

Credit: Soompi

[fadinglampfireapricot]

Golden hour.....part 1

Dear Ateez, Edenary, KQ, BBtrippin, even Xikers

If y'all wanted to murder me just say so. These next few weeks won't be easy😩

[mlwood1498]

Bite Me Baby, So I Know I'm Alive

Chapter 2

Mingi only smirked at him once over breakfast, and San seemed blessedly oblivious, only asking if he felt okay when he saw Seonghwa’s reddened cheeks. He assured the sweetly concerned man he was fine, as Mingi chuckled, staring down into his seaweed soup. While, yes, he was somewhat awkward, Seonghwa only wished Mingi was as sweetly oblivious as he played up on camera. There was a reason he could pull out a wicked persona on stage or write songs so well. Yes he was kind of socially awkward, but he was also observant as fuck, and he knew exactly what to do with the information he gathered. His fuck boy image was as carefully curated as Seonghwa’s genderless demonic beauty.

Seonghwa rolled his eyes and huffed at his band mate's silent teasing and ate his breakfast. He had assured San he was fine three times before the other looked at him suspiciously but gave in. He thought that would be the end of it, and hoped it would stay that way.

At dance practice Mingi again threw him a sly smirk from behind Hongjoong, as their Captain bounded up smiling at the eldest. Seonghwa felt ice in his belly as he wondered exactly what Mingi had heard. Had Seonghwa unknowingly said a name? He was pretty sure he hadn't, but mid cumming? It was possible. Or was this just a continuation of him teasing Seonghwa about Hongjoong's biting habit?

He felt a hand on his shoulder, jerking him out of his staring contest with the rapper. “You okay there Hwa?” Hongjoong was asking, looking at him in concern. He looked over his own shoulder and saw Mingi smothering a smile as he turned away to talk to Yunho. “Is Mingi picking on you?”

“A little, but it's fine. It's all in good fun,” Seonghwa said, forcing a smile. “He's just been teasing me about our loss yesterday,” he straight up lied.

“I don't know why,” Hongjoong muttered, his hand sliding down Seonghwa's arm. “He was on your team and lost too.”

“Who knows,” Seonghwa shrugged. “He's just having fun. I don't mind a little teasing now and then.”

“Hm, as long as he keeps it respectful. You're still his elder,” Hongjoong said with a small frown. Mingi's teasing was certainly not respectful, but Seonghwa was not going to admit that and put Hongjoong in leader mode. Besides, Seonghwa knew if he told Mingi to stop he most certainly would immediately.

Their choreographer gave a sharp whistle and they broke apart to make their way to their starting positions. Their BBTrippin crew was relentless as they adjusted moves and made them repeat them over and over until everyone was dripping with sweat. Seonghwa’s lungs and legs were burning with exertion by the time their hyungs gave them a fifteen minute break.

He walked to his bag to grab his water, pulling his hoodie off as he went, leaving him in a simple black tank and his sweats. He heard Wooyoung's low whistle from his side. “Oh he got you good didn't he?” the young man said, eyebrows going up and a smile crinkling his cheeks and eyes.

Seonghwa looked down and then realized what the other meant. He could barely see the bruise on his clavicle because of where it was, but the one on his shoulder was easy to see. It was a pretty dark blue and he knew the one on his neck was as well, from seeing it in the mirror earlier. “Yeah I suppose so,” he said carefully.

“God that's sexy,” Wooyoung said softly, stepping in to trace over the marks in Seonghwa's skin. “Do they hurt when you press on them? I'm a little jealous to be honest.”

Seonghwa’s face burned. “W-what?”. He looked around in panic, but everyone was either laid out on the floor or getting a drink and wiping away sweat. “It's just from the game,” he said lamely.

“Yeah but imagine if it wasn't?” Woo said in a flirty voice. “Come on don't tell me you've never thought about riling Pokjoong up until he snaps. He's sexy when he's mad. And he might be smaller but he's strong.”

“You're the one with the punishment kink,” Seonghwa muttered, “Not me.”. Wooyoung had hardly been secretive about the fact he liked to be used a little carelessly. He'd even hinted at it during interviews. Atiny both knew about it and joked about it regularly.

“Mm true, but I think you're a little bit into the idea. A control freak like you? You might not be a brat like me, but I think you'd like it if he got rough with you,” Wooyoung said, looking surprisingly serious. “Or maybe he already did.”

“We're not like that. He's not like that,” Seonghwa said, his cheeks turning pink in a way that had nothing to do with exercise. “It was just a game.”

“Seonghwa hyung,” Wooyoung said leaning in to whisper, “then why do you have finger mark bruises by his marks?”. Woo pulled away, and looked at him knowingly, then turned to grab up his own water. He trotted off to harass Yeosang, leaving Seonghwa with a flaming red face and a gaping mouth.

***

Hongjoong was watching Seonghwa and Wooyoung in the mirrors as he drank some water. The two were clearly having a conversation that Seonghwa didn't want to have if the flustered look on his face was anything to go by. Hongjoong felt his stomach swoop with uncertainty as Wooyoung touched Seonghwa's shoulder and he noticed the two bruises there. He knew he'd bitten too hard. Seonghwa didn't visibly bruise that easily, so he felt bad all over again.

He watched though as Wooyoung’s face morphed from teasing to flirty to serious, every emotion easy to read. He mentally hesitated when they seemed to have a silent conversation as Wooyoung pulled away from whispering something to Seonghwa that made the man's face turn red. Wooyoung turned and walked away, but Seonghwa seemed to unconsciously reach up to touch the mark with his thumb.

“What was that about?” Yunho asked from where he was suddenly at Hongjoong's shoulder. He'd been so focused he hadn't even seen the other man move in the mirror.

Hongjoong jumped a little, looking at him, but then flushed a little and shook his head. “I don't know. Wooyoung seemed to be asking about the bruises. I'm worried I hurt him, but he said he's fine. Those marks look pretty bad right?” Hongjoong fretted. “I was definitely too rough.”

“I don't think so,” Yunho said simply.

“What? But look at his skin,” Hongjoong hissed. Seonghwa was looking at his hoodie like he was battling whether or not to put it back on. “He has such a nice tone and it's all bruised up because of me.”

“Or,” Yunho said pointedly, looking at his Captain. “Think of it as an unmarked canvas where you left your signature.”. His tall, quiet friend looked at him steadily for a moment as the idea sunk in. He smiled briefly as Hongjoong turned pink. “And trust me, he likes it, no matter what he's said about it. Remember my best friend is his roommate.”

“I don't know how to respond to that,” Hongjoong said looking at one of his oldest friends in the group, blinking in surprise.

Yunho shrugged. “You don't need to. Something to think about though.”. He smiled a tiny amused smile when Hongjoong huffed and pouted a little. “I want to go over the second verse’s routine again.”. Hongjoong sighed and nodded and then went to talk to their choreographer.

***

Hongjoong was slouching down on their dorm couch, ignoring Wooyoung’s chatter with whomever he was playing a game with. He had his laptop open and was toying with a new song distractedly. It was hard to focus though, with thoughts of Seonghwa swirling around in his head.

At dance practice Seonghwa had ultimately put his hoodie back on after one of the hyungs had teased him about having a boyfriend that needed to be more careful. He'd also been cagey around Hongjoong all afternoon and it wasn't sitting very well with the leader. He and Seonghwa had an easy relationship at this point and could rely on each other to be pretty honest. Seonghwa told him the marks were no big deal, but right now they felt like a huge deal. Yunho's words were fucking with him too.

Jongho plopped down next to him and just stared.

“What's up Baby Bear?” he finally asked, knowing Jongho could outwait an iceberg, and closed his laptop. He looked at the youngest, eyebrows up in question.

“What's up with you and hyung?” Jongho asked seriously.

“Which one? You have six others besides me,” Hongjoong said, but was pretty sure he knew, because of course this could only be about Seonghwa. Nothing else had happened in recent history with anyone else.

Jongho ignored the question and pressed on. “You are both acting weird. He's being all shy and nervous and you look like you kicked someone's puppy. Did you have a flight or something? It's messing with everyone and putting us on edge.”

“It's the sexual tension you're getting there,” Woo said distractedly from his computer as he clicked his mouse.

“There's no sexual tension!” Hongjoong screeched, ears immediately turning red. Where in the hell had Wooyoung gotten that impression from?

“Okay, fine, it's the sexual tension from Hwa you're getting and guilty confusion from our Captain,” Wooyoung huffed, rolling his eyes.

“There's no sexual tension,” Hongjoong said firmly. Right? “I just feel bad about how the game went the other day. I got carried away and I think I hurt Hwa, but he's being really closed off about it and just says he's fine,” Hongjoong said, frowning. “I feel really shitty about it, so I'd appreciate you not glossing over that part.”

Woo, let his teammates know he was going to be afk for a moment and turned around in his chair. “Hyung, did you actually look at the bruises today? Like up close, or just from across the room stewing in misplaced guilt?”

“Why would that matter?” Hongjoong asked, face turning pink. “A bruise is a bruise and I caused it.”

“You caused the bite part of it,” Wooyoung agreed. “But I would bet anything that the bruise next to his clavicle is from fingers. I assumed they were maybe from you too, but considering the guilt complex you have around just biting him, I'm doubting that now. When I said something about them he didn't deny it and got flustered.”

“So someone grabbed him during the game too maybe?” Hongjoong asked, not sure how he felt about Wooyoung assuming he'd grabbed Seonghwa hard enough to bruise him, on purpose, a second time. “I think I grabbed his leg? And his hair…shit I should probably apologize for that too. His head is kinda sensitive from dying his hair…”

“No,” Jongho disagreed, ignoring Hongjoong as he started on another guilt spiral. “He made it to that corner pretty fast. You just happened to trip over him, otherwise you probably wouldn't have found him.”

“So…what? I don't know what you're trying to say here Woo,” Hongjoong said, getting a little irritated.

“I think I do, and I don't want to know,” Jongho said standing up with a grimace. “The less I know about all of your sex lives the better.”

“There's no sex life,” Hongjoong said, face turning red again. “Who has time for a sex life?” Jongho just raised his hands in defeat and made for his room. He turned back to look at Woo. “God just spell it out okay? I don't want to play this game with you today.”

“Look, Joongie,” Wooyoung said, leaning his arms on his knees. “I'm saying this in all sincerity, so hear me out. It's hardly a secret I like it a little rough. Literally everyone knows that. I like it when my partner leaves marks too. You want to know why?” he asked his elder.

“I'm not sure, but I have a feeling it's important to your point, so tell me,” Hongjoong said hesitantly.

“Because it's a reminder of a good time and what we shared. It's a reminder of the pleasure we shared too. I'm always a little sad when the marks fade, so I sometimes press on them while I have them. Sometimes it's so they stay a little longer, but usually just because it's like feeling a ghost of what we had together. So that's why I get how Seonghwa probably liked it when you bit him. He's cagey about it, but he likes a lot of the same stuff as me,” Wooyoung said dead serious for once. “And I also know he's kinda mortified about it and dealing with that too.”

Hongjoong felt something roll inside him as he listened to Wooyoung and remembered what Yunho said earlier. It felt a lot like desire and he didn't want to process that yet. It wasn't something a lot of people triggered in him. He swallowed and stared at the lid of his laptop, taking in this new information. He'd bitten Hwa like he'd done to any of the others probably a dozen times or more, but it was different this time. Actually had he ever bitten Hwa before yesterday? He couldn't remember. He'd left his mark on his friend's perfect skin and Seonghwa had, from what Woo and Yunho said, liked it…a lot. And Hongjoong…Hongjoong liked that a lot. He could admit that much at least.

“I understand. I don't know what to do with this information yet, but I understand what you're saying,” Hongjoong said softly, finally looking up.

“If it were me I'd be leaving pretty little bites all the way up his thighs before sucking his dick, but you do you Joongie,” Wooyoung said with a slight smirk. He put his headphones back on and turned back to his game. Hongjoong could only gape as the little gremlin left those images in his head and went back to gaming like he hadn't dropkicked his elder into another reality he hadn't even seriously thought about before.

***

Within a week Hongjoong's marks were gone and Seonghwa was sad to see them go. He hadn't dared jerk off again to them like he had the first day. Not with Mingi on the other side of the wall. He did sometimes press them though, at least until he did it once and Hongjoong had choked on his water and then didn't make eye contact with Seonghwa for the next three hours, ears suspiciously red.

It was easy to figure out that his new secret was not so secret, so he resisted the urge after that. It was mortifying enough already.

It didn't help things get back to normal with Hongjoong though. There was a weirdness between them that hadn't been there for at least two or three years. At a fan meet he'd seen Hongjoong reach for him three times and then abort the mission each time.

Atiny saw too and there were so many edits already, after only a day. Most were the “Mom and Dad are fighting” variety. He didn't care about that, but he wondered if they were. Were they fighting? Hongjoong seemed to find an excuse not to be wherever Seonghwa was lately. He knew he just needed to wait him out though. Hongjoong wouldn't avoid it forever. He'd want to talk about it once he figured out what it was that was bothering him.

Seonghwa was sitting on the bench of their gym locker room, wrapped in a towel, when Hongjoong came in. He was still breathing hard, so he must have been doing cardio today. He froze when he saw Seonghwa, but for once didn't run, looking at Seonghwa with his usual fond gentleness.

“Hi Joongie,” he said easily, smiling at seeing his friend in what felt like weeks. “Treadmill today?”

“No bike,” Hongjoong said, relaxing a little at the very normal conversation topic. “Woo is trying to get me into it more. It's actually harder than I thought it would be,” he admitted with a little chuckle. He moved closer and smiled softly. “We haven't talked in a while have we? I'm happy to see you Seonghwa.”

“You've been avoiding me,” Seonghwa said softly right back.

“I know. I'm sorry,” Hongjoong replied, looking regretful. “I'm just…it's been kinda weird between us lately right, since the zombie game?”

“You didn't hurt me,” Seonghwa said uncomfortably. “I don't know how else to say it so you'll believe me.”

“I get that now too,” Hongjoong said, stepping closer, something shifting in his look. “That's not really what's been bothering me anyway.”

Seonghwa looked up at him, eyes widening slightly at the intensely curious look on his friend's face. He tensed slightly as Hongjoong reached out and traced one finger across his collarbone and shoulder. The tickle of his touch sent a shiver through the elder’s body.

“My marks faded,” the younger man murmured. “I guess it's been a few weeks hasn't it?”

He was so close Seonghwa could feel the heat rolling off of his skin and smell the mix of his soap, faint sweat, and just the scent of Hongjoong. He shivered again, his nipples going hard and tiny bumps springing up across his skin. “Told you you didn't hurt me,” he muttered.

“Hm, I guess so. I'll try harder next time,” Hongjoong declared and then stepped back with a small teasing smirk. He went to his locker and grabbed his bag. “See you at practice in the morning Hwa. Make sure to rest up so you're ready.”

And then Seonghwa was alone again, staring at the door to the room, not knowing what in the hell had just happened.

***

Of course it was a throwback to Deja Vu they were doing on stage when it happened next. They'd been pulling out some of their past tour songs that Atiny missed seeing on stage. Woo and San had laughingly challenged the other units to do their mock fight choreo where Wooyoung uppercuts San and then bites him. Yeosang and Jongho had just laughed and goofed off. Mingi and Yunho hadn't done too poorly and got the giggling crowd cheering for them.

Then it was Seonghwa and Hongjoong’s turn. They'd tried weaseling out of it but as a “MATZ, MATZ, MATZ” cheer started up they sighed and got into position. Or rather Woo and San put them in position, with Hwa in San’s position. This felt conveniently staged suddenly and Hongjoong vowed to grill Wooyoung later, but Atiny were cheering and jumping up and down so they had to at least try it.

They moved through the steps, maybe not as gracefully as San and Woo, but well enough. And then the nape of Seonghwa’s neck was cupped in his grasp and Hongjoong went for it. He bit Seonghwa just enough for the other to squeak a little and jump, but not enough to leave a mark there on stage. Hongjoong didn't lighten the look he wore on stage one bit while he looked at the other man as he pulled back. Seonghwa blinked and then blushed as the crowd's noise reached deafening levels. The edits were going to be ridiculous, he was sure.

“Nice, good job!” San was praising them, beaming happily, then started to joke about them stealing his position in the group. Everyone giggled and then the two were pulled to other ends of the stage for the next performance.

Hongjoong could taste the heat and salt of Seonghwa on his tongue as he grinned out over the screaming fans. He dropped down onto the edge of the stage to whisper the opening rap of To The Beat, blood pounding through his veins and simmering desire thrumming low in his belly. He hadn't felt arousal for another person for at least half a year and here he was half hard on stage.

He knew they needed to talk about it, but for now he channeled that desire and watched as the crowd went wild as he whispered huskily, “mul mannassji eopu…”.