#because some CEOs and investors needs more money

[xshadowdelta]

DESFILABA EN MILÁN

Yoo Jimin (Karina) x Male Reader (6K Length)

Being the son of the president and owner of one of the most famous multinational companies in the entire world had an infinite number of advantages, but one stood out above the rest. The economic power you wielded was practically inexhaustible, which led you to a life of luxuries and whims, since you won the race against the rest of the sperm.

Living in a mansion, having a driver and bodyguard, attending private schools, and one of the best universities in the world, having a huge guaranteed job, and rubbing shoulders with some of the most important people on the planet. Although the latter was sometimes more of a drawback than an advantage, depending on how tedious the matter at hand was.

And that was what had brought you here, to Milan, Italy, in what was known as Milan Fashion Week, a show whose date was marked on the calendar of everyone who was interested in this whole panorama.

It's not that it was your first time attending an event of this caliber, but it was your first time dealing with something related to fashion, a topic that you hardly knew anything about and that didn't interest you too much, to be honest.

Why were you here then? Simple, because of one of your father's contacts. The world of business was not simply about making money with your company, offering a quality product, managing your employees and going home to sleep every night, no, it went much further.

Everyone should start from the bottom, and once you have managed to reach the top, the difficulty lies in staying up there, which is something that experts always say. And to achieve this objective, alliances are needed, partners if you prefer, in order to build a powerful and, at the same time, faithful network of contacts.

One of the most powerful designers at the show belonged to your father's network of contacts, and therefore also to yours and your company's. Attending this parade was nothing more than a business commitment to strengthen the relationship between you two.

However, the CEO of the company, that is, your father, was closing a deal with a new investor in the USA, and his busy schedule prevented him from traveling to Europe precisely at that time. And there is where you came in, your position as heir, your father's current right-hand man, and future president meant that these tasks fell on you.

You had to admit that you were a little nervous. The crowd of celebrities didn't surprise you, you had been to places like this before, but the fashion world used to bring together a lot of, no offense, snobs.

Since your childhood, you have dealt with thousands of these types of people. You were seasoned in a thousand battles against posh children of rich parents who believe they are the center of the universe, just because the guy they called dad once fucked their mother without wearing a condom in a gas station bathroom, and he ended up having success with some banal bullshit. Luckily, you hadn't turned out that stupid.

You witnessed the parade from the guest area between a young actor who was beginning to emerge in Hollywood and a Formula 1 driver. Experiencing this type of event from the inside perhaps would eliminate your prejudices and change your way of seeing them, nothing could be further from reality.

You still couldn't understand how there were people willing to not only wear such extravagant outfits and clothing, but also pay for them, a negligible sum of money for you, obviously, but it wasn't for 99% of the population.

Hours passed and the moon, along with a blanket of stars, beautifully illuminated the sky of the city, in accordance with the end of the event and the subsequent celebration, one of those famous after-parties that the great figures used to chat, get to know each other, and, of course, do some business.

However, that night, it wasn’t among your tasks to sign any new contracts with anyone there. Luckily for you, your father was lenient in this matter. Attending the event, interacting a little bit with acquaintances, and having the freedom to leave after completing said mission.

“I can’t believe my eyes. Look who is here, it's my good friend's little boy!” You caught a glimpse of a quirky guy, approaching you with his arms open.

There was the culprit of this little trip through the Italian country, your father's old partner, a man with long gray hair, about 60 years old, extremely thin and whose body was surrounded by who knows how many animal skins are in danger of extinction.

“It is a pleasure to see you again, sir.” You lied as he hugged you, patting your back. “I thank you for the invitation on behalf of my father, I am sure he would have loved to be able to attend.”

“Ah, that old father of yours, he continues to work too much, it's time for you to take over.”

“It is difficult, sir, we also want him to rest, but you know how stubborn he is.” At that moment, one of the waiters approached you with a tray full of champagne glasses, which you both took.

You continued talking for a while, mostly about your impressions of the show and the work you were involved in lately, taking advantage of the moment to introduce you to other designers and moguls and even some of the models who had paraded on the scenario.

“The last time I saw you, what were you, 16 years old? But look at you now, you are already a man, and you will carry on your shoulders the weight of a huge brand, it is a weight that is not inconsiderable at all. Have you not thought about having a good woman to help you?”

“I think I'm still young for that, sir, but it's certainly something I haven't considered at the moment.”

“There are countless women here and each one stands out in something: power, beauty, intelligence…I could introduce you to whoever you wanted.”

You were beginning to feel uncomfortable because of the direction the conversation was taking. Although it is true that your father gave you freedom on that topic, from time to time he had dropped a comment about it. Without a girlfriend and a large fortune, you were a good catch, of course, but also the perfect target for fortune hunters. However, that didn't stop you from having fun sometimes.

You scanned the place with your gaze, doing a quick sweep of the people that came into your visual range. You then stopped at a girl who stood out above the rest in your perception.

She had Asian features, a bright dark hair and was wearing a very elegant black dress that was tight to her body. Her face was simply beautiful, somewhat pale, but certainly beautiful, as if she were the human representation of a goddess, and her body had perfect proportions, highlighted perfectly by that small dress. She was chatting cheerfully with one of the models at the show, and her smile left you speechless.

The old man next to you also observed the girl since your gaze had been lost in her, and they didn’t have a plan to return to their initial position. He gave you a playful smile and placed a hand on your shoulder. That touch was enough to make you come back to earth.

“Be careful, kid, you know what they say, the devil wears Prada.”

The designer left you there confused with those words while he went to greet another of his guests, but your eyes were still focused on that young girl. You took a long drink of your champagne, finishing it instantly and leaving the glass on one of the nearby tables to begin walking determinedly in the direction of the girl.

Sadly for you, a third person blocked your way by putting an arm around your shoulders. You tried to free yourself from that grip until you realized who it was, one of your old university classmates, the son of a great businessman in the automotive world.

He spoke to you animatedly for a few minutes in which you didn’t pay him a single second of attention while your eyes tried not to lose sight of the figure of that girl, now hidden behind the body of your friend.

You wanted to interrupt him and say something, but you also didn't want to be disrespectful. That was your mistake, was what you thought when he dragged you from there to introduce you to another group of people while you watched how you were moving away from your goal.

Suddenly you found yourself caught up in a loop that lasted about a couple of hours, about meeting new personalities, stupid conversations about business that you would have participated in another time, but not right now when your head was in somewhere else.

You managed to get out of that group with the typical excuse of having to use the bathroom, and you dove into another amount of people trying to escape. You walked through the huge room where the party was taking place while your eyes moved restlessly from side to side.

After a few long minutes, your search was unsuccessful, and you sighed in defeat, thinking that perhaps that girl had already left the party. Your left hand grabbed a strand of hair from your bangs, twisting it angrily, while your right hand held the elbow of your other hand. If you had been alone, you would have let out a frustration yell.

It was then when you noticed how a hand gently touched your back, making you turn on your feet, coming face to face with the owner of your thoughts. You relaxed the expression on your face that could not hide its surprise at seeing her standing there looking at you with a smile, as if a halo of light illuminated only her, dazzling.

“I've been waiting for you all night.” She said this, making a small pout with her mouth. That completely unnerved you. The unknown girl made the first contact. Was she waiting for you?

"How is…"

“I noticed how you looked at me.” Shit, you had been so freaking obvious. Your cheeks flushed red with embarrassment, thereby increasing the volume of her giggle.

“Yoo Jimin, but you can call me Karina.” She offered one of her hands to you, you shook it in greeting, indicating your name back.

Both of you started talking at that moment. You learned that she came from South Korea and that she was dedicated to music and entertainment, specifically being a K-pop idol in a group known as Aespa along with three other girls. You knew little about the subject, but if she was part of it, it was definitely something interesting to investigate in the future.

She told you that she assisted this event as an ambassador for the Prada brand, you smiled then remembering the old man's words, but you still had to decipher the second part.

“And will you stay for a long time in Italy?” You asked.

You were supposed to fly back home tomorrow, but your private plane could wait as long as necessary.

“Oh, well, the truth is that tomorrow I'm going back to Seoul.” It made you sad to know that, and it seems that she noticed it because she got a little closer to you to whisper something in your ear.

“But that doesn't stop us to make this night indelible.” The sensual tone of her voice combined with her perverted smile gave you the clue you needed, there was the devil.

The journey from the place of celebration to the place where you were staying seemed eternal. During the trip, you couldn't help but ogle Karina, you were so obvious that she could only laugh and say “cute”.

You gave her way to your suite, walking around it in amazement, as if she hadn't been in hundreds like that before. On one of the occasions when she turned around and faced you, you grabbed her hips, pulling her towards your body to kiss her passionately, something she responded immediately with the same intensity.

“You don't waste time, I like it.” She said playfully, giving you another kiss.

“It's not like I have much.” You replied by lowering your hands to her butt, massaging it a bit, making her sigh against your lips.

“We have the whole night, tiger, we are going to have a great time.” She commented, letting out a moan when she felt your lips attacking her neck. You gave her buttocks a squeeze, appreciating that you agreed with her statement.

You grabbed the hem of her dress and lifted it up pulling it over her head and leaving her in just underwear, and her hand quickly went to the bulge in your crotch caressing it over your pants.

“God, it looks so big, I can't wait to have it in my mouth.” A shiver ran through your body, forcing you to undress as fast as you were allowed, making Karina laugh loudly.

Now with both of you covered only by your underwear, her hands traveled to your chest, caressing it as she reached up to kiss your lips again. In response, your hands distributed slow and gentle caresses along her bare back, taking advantage of the situation to unhook her lace bra. Your torsos were separated enough for the garment to fall to the floor due to gravity.

She took your hand and led you to the bed, where you took her by the waist, causing you both to fall gently lying on the bed, with her under you, still enjoying your kisses.

One of your hands went up her body to her voluptuous breasts, grabbing and kneading one of them at the same time as your tongues surrounded each other inside your mouths.

You moved away from her lips, eager to taste her tits, introducing one into your mouth, savoring it for a long time while your hand caressed her other mound, even going so far as to lightly pinch her nipple.

“Beautiful…” You whispered, offering the same treatment to her other boob.

“Are you saying it to me or my tits?” She asked, pressing your head against her breasts even more.

"Both." She smiled at your answer and shifted on the bed, moving freely, walking on four over the sheets, watching you with a feline gaze that made you rev ​​up the speed.

She completely surrounded your body, being you now the one lying face up on the bed, opening your legs to allowing her to stand in the middle. She lay on top of you, with her face pressed against your crotch, raising her butt giving you an unbeatable view.

She stuck out her tongue to lick the huge bulge that was pushing the fabric of your boxers toward the ceiling, threatening to tear it if it wasn't quickly released. She continued kissing your abdomen, leaving a trail of kisses gradually rising to your chest at the same time that her hands were playing with your member, still inside its lair.

She was playing with you, it was obvious, and you needed her as soon as possible, impatient and anxious, but you refused to show weakness, if Karina wanted to play this game then you would both play.

She went back down to your bulge, there was a part of your gray boxers that had turned into a darker color as some drops of pre-cum had escaped from your tip as a result of Karina's constant teasing. Realizing this she smiled widely with malice knowing that she had won this first round.

She bit with her teeth the elastic of your boxers, pulling them down, lowering them until your hard and throbbing penis was finally free. Karina looked at your naked cock in amazement, bringing her face closer, beginning to spread small kisses along your length.

She rested her elbow on your thigh, measuring your penis with the length of her arm. “Holy fuck, it's so much bigger than I thought. I have never faced one like this” She admitted without stopping kissing it, sticking out her tongue to lick the entire surface, making it wet.

“Come on, I'm sure you could have any boy you wanted…” “You’re not wrong, that's why I have you.” She responded, winking at you.

Meanwhile, your brain was beginning to malfunction due to the pleasure that her lips and tongue were giving you down there. “In that case, be careful and don’t choke yourself.”

Your comment was clearly a joke, but Karina, who was now moving her closed hand around your penis up and down masturbating you, stared at you with a planning in her head.

“There is nothing I want more right now than to choke on this damn cock.” She said in a very hot tone increasing the pace of the handjob making you moan louder.

You swallowed, getting even more excited. You had been with other women before, but Karina gave you an unknown vibe until this moment. She was beautiful, she was sexy, and she was aware of it, and there is no animal more feared by men than a confident and self-assured woman.

A spit came out of the woman's mouth directly onto your cock, which was already completely wet and the movement of the female hand on it was beginning to cause watery sounds.

“I can't wait any longer.” Karina whispered to herself, leaning over your cock, surrounding your tip with her lips and putting as much as she could into her mouth.

She stayed like that for a few seconds adjusting to the size of your penis and proceeded to lower her head a little more until she managed to put the entirety of your dick in her mouth.

You clung tightly to the sheets when shocks of pleasure ran through your body as you noticed how you reached her throat in one go. “God, Karina, you're crazy.”

She would have answered you if her nose wasn't brushing against your lower abdomen at that moment. She was too busy cupping her cheeks to grant you as much pleasure as possible inside her mouth.

After a few seconds of holding her breath she released your member, completely covered in saliva now. Karina coughed a few times but quickly went back to engulfing your cock.

You could see how Karina's head went up and down on your cock in a frantic manner, driving you crazy. Your member did not stop throbbing in the intimacy of her mouth and several strings of saliva were coming out of the girl's mouth meanwhile she was sucking you, starting to make a mess on your lower zone.

You had enough time as spectator and decided to join the action by taking Karina's head in your hands, helping her swallow your cock deep in her throat, causing her to dig her nails into your thighs. You held her hair in one of your fists while she continued to sink again and again on your crotch without any type of modesty.

You removed your hands, and she got separated from you, breathing heavily, but instead of leaning back and walking away, she buried her head between your balls to lick and suck on them, taking them into her mouth.

Karina continued giving love to your balls while now her both hands were masturbating your long member at high speed with enveloping movements, twisting your penis with pleasure.

She switched from your balls to your cock again, sucking you harder than before, swallowing your penis as much as she could and moving her head more desperately, producing erotic sounds from the depths of her throat. 

She let out a large stream of saliva from her mouth against the lower part of your abdomen and your thighs, kneeling on the bed and taking her own tits in her hands, making them swing before your attentive gaze, some of the saliva falling on her breasts.

You sat up a little until you reached her and grabbed her breasts, with a movement of your hips you introduced your penis between them, bouncing your hips and masturbating yourself by using her tits.

This surprised her at first, but she quickly changed her expression to a one much more lustful, staring at you, biting her lower lip, and watching as you enjoyed the massage between her breasts.

Your cock covered on saliva was leaving her tits all sticky and messy, but favoring the sliding of your penis between them.

“Please don't cum yet, I need so much more from you.” Karina moaned, squeezing the sides of her breasts with her knuckles, thus imprisoning your cock, which made you moan.

You lowered your head to kiss her lips, and you placed your hands on her shoulders, starting to move your hips faster. In response, she stuck her tongue out to lick and caress the tip of your cock each time you passed through her breasts.

She held her tits tightly and moved them without mercy or compassion, now they were no longer two huge pieces of meat that shook roughly on your manhood as if they meant nothing more than that, with the only mission of offering you pleasure. “FUCK Karina! Stop or I’m going to explode!” You screamed in ecstasy of lust, doing your best to retain the liquid that was pooling at your tip and threatening to overflow.

She didn't let go of you immediately, no, that would have been too compassionate of her, she slowly reduced the pace making the last caresses feel excitingly deadly. Even so, the damage done to you was remarkable, because the tip of your penis covered in a whitish color was irrefutable proof. With a playful smile Karina bent down to lick your tip and with it those small drops of semen that were peeking out, licking her lips noticeably.

“It tastes so delicious, I can't wait to get the full load.”

You had managed to stabilize your breathing and your emotion just when she threw herself at you again, kissing your lips like a beast and your hands explored each other's body with total freedom, directing one of your hands to her panties to which she began to curve her body rubbing her crotch against your hand.

“I'm so wet.” She made a fake moan, trying to provoke you. “I'm pretty sure you could sink that whole cock into my pussy so easily right now.” Her eyes, her mouth and her entire body were breathing fire, and you weren't afraid of getting burned.

“And what are you supposed to be waiting for?” You played along, murmuring close to her ear as you pulled down her panties and she kicked in the air until she sent them flying away from the bed. “Help yourself.” You gave her another effusive kiss while holding your hard, erect member, offering her a clear sign.

Karina then sat on you, a few inches from your penis, in fact, it was now held upwards, resting on the girl's stomach, and you couldn't have a better view of her at that moment.

She licked the palm of her hand, then running it over your tip, rubbing it insistently in circular motions. One of your eyes closed trying to resist, you were trying to avoid having to beg her at all costs. You were lucky that she was madly horny and couldn't stay playing with you much longer.

She rose just enough to be able to insert the tip of your penis into the entrance to her pussy, slowly descending, allowing you full access to her interior in one go.

A long sigh left her mouth once her butt made contact with your thighs, staying still for a few seconds staring at the ceiling with her eyes closed and a smile on her face. Your hands caressed her thighs, going up to her hips and abdomen, leaving one of your hands lightly pressed against her stomach.

She looked down to make direct eye contact with you while still smiling. Her hands handled yours on her stomach, moving it gently over it.

“I can feel you perfectly…you're so fucking big inside me.” She moaned, beginning to rock back and forth in small movements, without breaking your skin-to-skin contact.

Each time the distance was greater, leaning back and returning forward until it collided with the palm of your hand, a sensation so wonderful that you couldn't describe it in words.

“You're so tight, I could cum at any moment.”

At that moment, Karina's hips began to rise and fall on your cock, riding you and giving you the vision of how your cock entered and left her pussy, each time more abruptly.

“Sorry darling, I would love to have a creampie from you, but sadly today it will be impossible.” She said between moans as she continued bouncing over your dick.

You had to be careful then, you thought internally, letting yourself be carried away more and more by the pleasure, grabbing and squeezing Karina's tits in your hands that were bouncing in the air with ferocious movements.

She rode you harder and faster with each ride. Now placing her feet on the bed and squatting over you, your hands traveled to her ass, pushing yourself even further, making your cock enter even deeper inside her, stirring her insides and making her scream with pleasure.

She continued like this for a few more minutes until suddenly she opened her eyes and mouth wide, suppressing a moan, and made eye contact with you again, completely clouded by pleasure.

“I'm cumming.” She announced riding your cock now in a crazy way and as if those words had turned on a switch in you, you also responded, giving the best you had.

“Fuck yes, just like that make me cum please, please, please…” The way she begged you, her face twisted with pleasure, her body trembling on yours. If there was a paradise after death, it must be something like this.

“Shit shit shit shit!” She screamed, standing on the bed and making your penis come out of her pussy, rubbing her hand frantically against the folds of her pussy, letting out a powerful jet of fluids over the sheets and over part of your crotch and abdomen. You couldn't believe what you had just experienced, Karina had squirted directly on you.

She fell to her knees on the bed, exhausted, trembling, with her legs closed as well as her eyes, breathing heavily, trying to recover from that intense orgasm.

You approached her from behind, surrounding her body in a hug and placing a kiss on her shoulder. She turned to you, smiling with a tired expression.

“That was…”

“The hottest thing I've ever seen in my life.” You interrupted her. “We can rest if you need it.”

Karina glanced at you over her shoulder before leaning over the bed, resting her palms and knees on the sheets, bringing her butt closer to rub against your cock.

“You said it yourself before…we don't have much time.”

You automatically groped her buttocks, and in response, she moved her ass at a faster pace, as if it were a dance. You grabbed your cock and lined it up with her entrance, penetrating her again, making you both moan again.

Karina's twerking didn't stop, not even when your hands gripped her waist, turning your thrusts into much more carnal movements, and causing your own hips to crash hard against her ass every time you buried your cock deep inside her.

The movement of the girl's ass was simply hypnotic, it seemed that her entire body was a sensual spectacle, made by and for the enjoyment of the sexual act.

Her moans of pure pleasure and her desperate pleas asking you for more and more did nothing but heat up the atmosphere even more, and increase your body temperature along with your lust.

You raised one of your hands and let it fall on Karina's buttock in a loud spank to her ass. She let out a small squeal and turned her head to look at you, with lasciviousness in her eyes that you had never seen before.

“Use my body all you want, tonight I'm yours.”

Without a shred of self-control to stop you or make you think at all, you grabbed a handful of her hair in your hand, pulling it back, making her moan. Karina's body sat up until her back was pressed against your torso. With your other arm you totally surrounded her stomach while your hips did not reduce the pace of the thrusts.

One of her arms wrapped around your head as you began to kiss and lick her neck. Your hand let go of her hair and held one of her breasts tightly, pressing her closer to you to prevent her from falling forward but taking advantage of the moment to squeeze it between your fingers.

After a few minutes you released her from your grip, returning to the initial position, not lasting too long there as you immediately pressed one of your hands on her back, forcing her to lie completely face down on the bed.

Your hands tightly gripped the sheet on each side of her head, your thrusts were deeper, burying the entirety of your cock inside Karina, who for some time could not stop moaning uncontrollably.

She tried to silence her moans by biting the sheet, but you instantly leaned gently on her to bring your mouth to her ear and whisper.

“Don't even think about it.” You said, putting a hand on her neck and making her turn her head to remove the sheet from her mouth. “I want to hear you scream.” You whispered in her ear, giving her another spank on her ass.

Karina left that position and turned around on her back, opening her legs for you, while you looked at her with some confusion in your expression. You could see how some tears welled up in her eyes.

“Do you want me to scream?” With the help of her hands, she opened the folds of her pussy, showing you how it was completely wet and dripping. “Then fuck me properly!”

She did not show anger, but her voice and expression were completely authoritative. You smiled when you saw her in that state and bent down to reinsert your member into her pussy.

Despite all your attacks on her tonight, her pussy was still fucking tight, squeezing your hard cock to the point of satiety. That didn't stop you from continuing to pound into her as if it were the last thing you were going to do in this life.

You continued attacking her mercilessly, lowering your head to lick her breasts and then going up to kiss her lips, while your fingers pinched her nipples.

You grabbed the back of her neck as your cock ceaselessly disappeared inside her body, and she rolled her eyes due to the pleasure she was receiving.

“Fuck me please, fuck me please, FUCK ME!” She desperately demanded while you felt the walls of her pussy contract. 

You came out of her, replacing your cock with your fingers, rubbing her folds in the same way she had done some time ago, achieving the same result, another huge jet of fluids straight from her pussy.

You didn't give her time to rest this time, as you grabbed her legs, pulling her to the edge of the bed, holding her body in your arms to lift her up and make her hug your body with you standing.

It seems that despite being tired, she anticipated your idea and surrounded your waist with her legs and your neck with her arms, also lifting her butt, allowing you to insert your penis into her more comfortably.

You grabbed her ass and started rocking her body upwards, making her bounce on your cock incredibly.  Your moans were silenced by your lips, devouring each other without mercy.

After a while you noticed how your legs were wobbly, your hands were clinging tightly to her butt and once again your penis seemed ready to unload everything you had inside.

“You're going to cum for me, right? I want your cum all over me” Karina smiled mockingly on your lips, caressing your hair and your cheeks, you could only nod your head.

“I need to make a mess in that pretty face you have.” She smiled widely.

You separated her from your body, being careful not to fall, and she quickly knelt in front of you, leaving her head at the height of your penis, which you were stroking violently while Karina waited for you on the floor, sticking out her tongue.

You finally released yourself and large streams of semen fell onto Karina's beautiful face, covering it almost entirely in a matter of seconds until you were completely empty.

“Fuck, you came so much.” Karina exclaimed, trying to clean the mess you had caused on her face with her hands, taking the opportunity to lick her fingers in the process.

On the other hand, you were exhausted, panting heavily trying to recover from the tremendous effort you had just made. Even so, you noticed some pressure on your member again, you looked down to discover Karina grabbing it with one hand.

“Let me help you.” She whispered, putting it back into her mouth and making movements with his tongue trying to collect as much of the fluid remains as possible, cleaning it.

“I'll be right back.” She said, standing up and walking past you towards the bathroom, earning a spank on her ass as a tip and turning to give you a satisfied smile before disappearing out the door.

You fell onto the bed, emitting a tired sigh, closing your eyes for a few moments, and seeking to rest your body. After a while you felt the bed move next to you, you opened your eyes and turned your head to the side, seeing how Karina, also now lying next to you, was looking at you penetratingly.

She smiled at you and came close to your body. You put an arm around her shoulder, allowing her to lie on your chest, which she caressed with the palm of her hand. With your free hand, you lifted her chin towards your face to kiss her sweetly.

Karina circled your neck and settled into her position, making the kiss increasingly passionate and needy, to the point where she was practically lying on top of you again. You broke apart, panting and smiling at each other.

“Can't we stop the time?” You asked, making her giggle. She approached your lips again, this time kissing you very slowly.

“Thank you for tonight, I really needed something like that.” She let her head fall between the crook of your head and your shoulder, and you hugged her, pressing her body against yours.

“I guess it all ends here, right?” You asked, caressing her hair, and she turned to you, planting a soft kiss on your cheek.

“I'm sorry…but let's do this.” She said, getting out of bed and walking over to grab something from her bag, a cell phone, and walked back to you. “Give me your number, let's stay in touch, you know, in case we meet again.” She said, winking at you and handing you the device.

"I'd love to." A huge smile formed on your lips as you recorded your contact on Karina's agenda. Once you finished, she snatched the phone from you, throwing it somewhere nearby on the bed, and climbed on top of you, kissing you again desperately.

“There are still a couple of hours until my flight departure, I have to be at my hotel before my staff wakes up, or I will be in trouble.”

“It's more than enough for me.” You whispered before returning to devour each other with renewed energy, it seems that your dreamy night still had another chapter to be written.

[vantaeries]

🐈‍⬛ PICK A PILE : GHIBLI CAT 🐈‍⬛

FUTURE SPOUSE : THEIR APPROACH TO THEIR CAREER & WHEN THEY MET YOU

PILE 1 PILE 2 PILE 3

Disclaimer : This is a general reading. It may or may not resonate with you. Please take what resonates and leave what doesn't. Remember, the energies can change from time to time. So pick wisely.

How to pick : Close your eyes, take a deep breath and clear your mind. Trust your intuition and choose a pile that you are most drawn to.

PILE 1

🐈🐈‍⬛ - For those who choose this pile, the profession of your future spouse is often marked by risks and rewards. It requires them to attend many social events, hosting parties or business meetings. No doubt they have good communication skills. Any words that come out of their mouth manage to gain favor from their bosses or clients. However, if they use these skills to trick and manipulate others for their business advantage, it could be the start of their downfall. They might even be willing to change their profession or workplace if it doesn't benefit them. It's like they only seek fun and money in the workplace. It's most likely that when they meet you, they will start to take their work more seriously and responsibly. This could happen when you both work together. From platonic, both of you slowly became lovers. I think you will help your FS to see the big picture in future where you both lead each other in work. So yes, it's definitely like a work couple.

🐈🐈‍⬛ - In their chart, Prominent Jupiter, Air Sign (Gemini & Aquarius), Strong Mercury, Water Sign (Scorpio)

🐈🐈‍⬛ - Possible career fields : judge, lawyer, banker , investor, business person, investigator, entrepreneur, artist & leader

PILE 2

🐈🐈‍⬛ - For this pile, you and your future spouse will start a business together or work in partnership. Before starting the business, one of you might have experienced some conflict, but when you meet, you'll both have the idea to open a business. You will serve as pillars of support for each other. For example, if you open a coffee shop, they will make the coffee while you take the orders. The only thing you need to be mindful of is maintaining balance. Misunderstandings or confusion may arise if one of you is emotionally guarded or secretive. If any problems or issues related to work or love occur, both of you need to sit down and have a deep conversation. Otherwise, one of you might harbor a lot of dissatisfaction and potentially isolate themselves in their work.

🐈🐈‍⬛ - In their chart : Strong Cancer & Moon, Gemini, Aquarius, Taurus, Moon - Mercury

🐈🐈‍⬛ - Possible career field : Travel blogger, therapist, counselor, teacher, entrepreneur, cooks, stall managers

Pile 3

🐈🐈‍⬛ - For those who choose this pile, your future spouse (FS) is determined and focused. Once they choose a field, they set their mindset and goals firmly on it. Due to this determination, they might overwork themselves. The universe advises them to rest, as they are working themselves like a robot. It's likely they experienced heartbreak before, possibly neglecting their previous partner because of their intense focus on work. After the breakup, they grieved over their mistakes. When they meet you, they feel a nurturing and welcoming energy, making them dream of building a family with you. Both of you will strive to provide comfort and financial security in the relationship. For some of you, this might mean having a child soon after starting the relationship. For others, it could mean that one of you may act like a child (not in a negative way, but in a sense that this relationship will heal your inner child).

🐈🐈‍⬛ - In their Chart : Strong Venus (Libra, Taurus), Venus - Saturn, Capricorn, Cancer

🐈🐈‍⬛ - Possible career field : Work in entertainment, musician, artist, banker, florist, executive role (CEO), engineering

Feel free to suggest topic to me in my ask box. Thanks. Enjoy the reading

[mostlysignssomeportents]

No, “convenience” isn’t the problem

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in CHICAGO (Apr 17), Torino (Apr 21) Marin County (Apr 27), Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

Using Amazon, or Twitter, or Facebook, or Google, or Doordash, or Uber doesn't make you lazy. Platform capitalism isn't enshittifying because you made the wrong shopping choices.

Remember, the reason these corporations were able to capture such substantial market-share is that the capital markets saw them as a bet that they could lose money for years, drive out competition, capture their markets, and then raise prices and abuse their workers and suppliers without fear of reprisal. Investors were chasing monopoly power, that is, companies that are too big to fail, too big to jail, and too big to care:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/04/teach-me-how-to-shruggie/#kagi

The tactics that let a few startups into Big Tech are illegal under existing antitrust laws. It's illegal for large corporations to buy up smaller ones before they can grow to challenge their dominance. It's illegal for dominant companies to merge with each other. "Predatory pricing" (selling goods or services below cost to prevent competitors from entering the market, or to drive out existing competitors) is also illegal. It's illegal for a big business to use its power to bargain for preferential discounts from its suppliers. Large companies aren't allowed to collude to fix prices or payments.

But under successive administrations, from Jimmy Carter through to Donald Trump, corporations routinely broke these laws. They explicitly and implicitly colluded to keep those laws from being enforced, driving smaller businesses into the ground. Now, sociopaths are just as capable of starting small companies as they are of running monopolies, but that one store that's run by a colossal asshole isn't the threat to your wellbeing that, say, Walmart or Amazon is.

All of this took place against a backdrop of stagnating wages and skyrocketing housing, health, and education costs. In other words, even as the cost of operating a small business was going up (when Amazon gets a preferential discount from a key supplier, that supplier needs to make up the difference by gouging smaller, weaker retailers), Americans' disposable income was falling.

So long as the capital markets were willing to continue funding loss-making future monopolists, your neighbors were going to make the choice to shop "the wrong way." As small, local businesses lost those customers, the costs they had to charge to make up the difference would go up, making it harder and harder for you to afford to shop "the right way."

In other words: by allowing corporations to flout antimonopoly laws, we set the stage for monopolies. The fault lay with regulators and the corporate leaders and finance barons who captured them – not with "consumers" who made the wrong choices. What's more, as the biggest businesses' monopoly power grew, your ability to choose grew ever narrower: once every mom-and-pop restaurant in your area fires their delivery drivers and switches to Doordash, your choice to order delivery from a place that payrolls its drivers goes away.

Monopolists don't just have the advantage of nearly unlimited access to the capital markets – they also enjoy the easy coordination that comes from participating in a cartel. It's easy for five giant corporations to form conspiracies because five CEOs can fit around a single table, which means that some day, they will:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/18/cursed-are-the-sausagemakers/#how-the-parties-get-to-yes

By contrast, "consumers" are atomized – there are millions of us, we don't know each other, and we struggle to agree on a course of action and stick to it. For "consumers" to make a difference, we have to form institutions, like co-ops or buying clubs, or embark on coordinated campaigns, like boycotts. Both of these tactics have their place, but they are weak when compared to monopoly power.

Luckily, we're not just "consumers." We're also citizens who can exercise political power. That's hard work – but so is organizing a co-op or a boycott. The difference is, when we dog enforcers who wield the power of the state, and line up behind them when they start to do their jobs, we can make deep structural differences that go far beyond anything we can make happen as consumers:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/18/administrative-competence/#i-know-stuff

We're not just "consumers" or "citizens" – we're also workers, and when workers come together in unions, they, too, can concentrate the diffuse, atomized power of the individual into a single, powerful entity that can hold the forces of capital in check:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/10/an-injury-to-one/#is-an-injury-to-all

And all of these things work together; when regulators do their jobs, they protect workers who are unionizing:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/06/goons-ginks-and-company-finks/#if-blood-be-the-price-of-your-cursed-wealth

And strong labor power can force cartels to abandon their plans to rig the market so that every consumer choice makes them more powerful:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/01/how-the-writers-guild-sunk-ais-ship/

And when consumers can choose better, local, more ethical businesses at competitive rates, those choices can make a difference:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/10/view-a-sku/

Antimonopoly policy is the foundation for all forms of people-power. The very instant corporations become too big to fail, jail or care is the instant that "voting with your wallet" becomes a waste of time.

Sure, choose that small local grocery, but everything on their shelves is going to come from the consumer packaged-goods duopoly of Procter and Gamble and Unilever. Sure, hunt down that local brand of potato chips that you love instead of P&G or Unilever's brand, but if they become successful, either P&G or Unilever will buy them out, and issue a press release trumpeting the purchase, saying "We bought out this beloved independent brand and added it to our portfolio because we know that consumers value choice."

If you're going to devote yourself to solving the collective action problem to make people-power work against corporations, spend your precious time wisely. As Zephyr Teachout writes in Break 'Em Up, don't miss the protest march outside the Amazon warehouse because you spent two hours driving around looking for an independent stationery so you could buy the markers and cardboard to make your anti-Amazon sign without shopping on Amazon:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/29/break-em-up/#break-em-up

When blame corporate power on "laziness," we buy into the corporations' own story about how they came to dominate our lives: we just prefer them. This is how Google explains away its 90% market-share in search: we just chose Google. But we didn't, not really – Google spends tens of billions of dollars every single year buying up the search-box on every website, phone, and operating system:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#not-up-to-the-task

Blaming "laziness" for corporate dominance also buys into the monopolists' claim that the only way to have convenient, easy-to-use services is to cede power to them. Facebook claims it's literally impossible for you to carry on social relations with the people that matter to you without also letting them spy on you. When we criticize people for wanting to hang out online with the people they love, we send the message that they need to choose loneliness and isolation, or they will be complicit in monopoly.

The problem with Google isn't that it lets you find things. The problem with Facebook isn't that it lets you talk to your friends. The problem with Uber isn't that it gets you from one place to another without having to stand on a corner waving your arm in the air. The problem with Amazon isn't that it makes it easy to locate a wide variety of products. We should stop telling people that they're wrong to want these things, because a) these things are good; and b) these things can be separated from the monopoly power of these corporate bullies:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/08/divisibility/#technognosticism

Remember the Napster Wars? The music labels had screwed over musicians and fans. 80 percent of all recorded music wasn't offered for sale, and the labels cooked the books to make it effectively impossible for musicians to earn out their advances. Napster didn't solve all of that (though they did offer $15/user/month to the labels for a license to their catalogs), but there were many ways in which it was vastly superior to the system it replaced.

The record labels responded by suing tens of thousands of people, mostly kids, but also dead people and babies and lots of other people. They demanded an end to online anonymity and a system of universal surveillance. They wanted every online space to algorithmically monitor everything a user posted and delete anything that might be a copyright infringement.

These were the problems with the music cartel: they suppressed the availability of music, screwed over musicians, carried on a campaign of indiscriminate legal terror, and lobbied effectively for a system of ubiquitous, far-reaching digital surveillance and control:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/02/nonbinary-families/#red-envelopes

You know what wasn't a problem with the record labels? The music. The music was fine. Great, even.

But some of the people who were outraged with the labels' outrageous actions decided the problem was the music. Their answer wasn't to merely demand better copyright laws or fairer treatment for musicians, but to demand that music fans stop listening to music from the labels. Somehow, they thought they could build a popular movement that you could only join by swearing off popular music.

That didn't work. It can't work. A popular movement that you can only join by boycotting popular music will always be unpopular. It's bad tactics.

When we blame "laziness" for tech monopolies, we send the message that our friends have to choose between life's joys and comforts, and a fair economic system that doesn't corrupt our politics, screw over workers, and destroy small, local businesses. This isn't true. It's a lie that monopolists tell to justify their abuse. When we repeat it, we do monopolists' work for them – and we chase away the people we need to recruit for the meaningful struggles to build worker power and political power.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/12/give-me-convenience/#or-give-me-death

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[hallowpen]

Thank you SO much for answering my question! (Not to sound like a broken record but it really does help understand the show more) I actually contemplated reading the novel because my friends said it was really good, but I opted to wait for the show (especially after how disappointed i ended up being with Dream) But also because I just like being surprised ya know?

With that said, im actually REALLY happy it was FB that ended up with this project. I feel like they’re the only pair that can truly deliver when it comes to the yearning & romantic aspect (and actually making it believable) I mean just now after the first ep I can already feel how connected their characters are. Also the child actors playing their younger counterparts are just fantastic! The little girl that plays Anin just absolutely nailed that scene where she’s consoling Pin and trying to make her laugh.

As for the MOC, even though i was excited they decided to back the series, ngl I was a little bit afraid at first that they were gonna tone everything down and make the story a super watered down version of the book…but no, they’re just letting things flow and im very pleasantly surprised by that. Thanks to their backing though, the cinematography is just on another lvl and the score?!? Omg I get goosebumps everytime I hear the main track from the OST. Gam Wichayanee (I think her name is?) has such an incredibly beautiful voice.

Anyways, im probably about to hit character limit and i’ve probably bored you at this point with my ranting lol Sorry, I just needed someone to be a fangirl with and gush about this show 😂

I’ll probably be back at some point after the second ep. airs to ask more questions (so I apologize in advance heheh)

Please... fangirl away. I've been similarly gushing to my friends about this series for months hehe

I understood the pause from the MOC getting involved... but why my faith in this series never wavered is because I trust Saint (IDOLfactory's CEO) and I knew he wouldn't compromise any of the important elements of the story just for money. He's been known to invest several million baht into his own series just to make sure the quality is to the standard he wants it be... and he would've done the same for TLP had he needed to. He said to hell with everyone's cautionary worries when he decided to produce GAP (he was being told from several sources, including potential investors, that GL was a losing bet and he shouldn't do it) because he knew how important sapphic media was to Thai queer audiences. AND HE WAS RIGHT!!! That series was being funded on a hope and a prayer... and without Saint (and FreenBecky), Thai GL as we know it today wouldn't exist on the scale that it does. Call me an IDOLfactory simp if you want, but it's not without merit 😂😂😂

I'm glad TLP ended up in the hands that it did... because we're only one episode in and everything about this series is just *chef's kiss*

[terramythos]

anyone remember when call of duty was so popular and made so much money that every game publisher saw that and went 'we need to make our own call of duty' and as a whole completely failed to get a fraction of that success? the gaming community was stuck with brown color filtered gritty realism first person shooters for years, and video games suffered as a whole. genre games fought an uphill battle to even get made because they couldn't make all the money forever (never mind that the numerous CoD clones couldn't do that either). it's a really obvious case example of how doomed chasing those trends truly is. people liked call of duty because it was call of duty. they didn't need another game that tried to do the exact same thing but worse. it's extremely obvious if you think about it more than 10 seconds.

what i'm basically saying here is that in 2024, techbro grifters and the investors & CEOs who prop them up are some of the stupidest fucking people on the planet.

[venacoeurva]

...I know people in this day and age think any collaborative effort can fix things, often despite reality (ex. the MULTIPLE tumblr blackout protests over the last like 10 years across different owners of tumblr that didn’t change shit),

but I think going out of your way to buy things from tumblr en masse as a “well then they’ll be profitable and won’t have to change things to resemble profitable sites!” as if the CEO/higher ups are personally going to see this and not AT MOST just go “oh we made money, sick, Anyway.” is just. the most naive and frankly 5-year-old level of problem solving unrealistic idea if you think about it for more than 5 seconds. People are just so blinded by naive optimism it’s painful.

Staff isn’t going to see your purchases and go on a full redemption arc and restore porn in spite of payment systems’ massive stigma against it or Apple’s restrictions and never ever try to mimic Twitter or TikTok again, or whatever the fuck you’re expecting, they’ll keep focusing on shit tweaks that resemble other sites because those are what keep investors who think they know tech and user wants hooked and they think new people from other sites will come over for that instead of the fact these people are typically escaping those kinds of features.

Staff isn’t your friend, their vying for support like they’re your buddy who is hitting hard times and has been here holding your hand all these years is deliberate corporate marketing, they’re an arm of a corporation that spits in the face of LGBTQ+ people and especially black people for daring to post about themselves while touting themselves as The Queer Site! A diverse site! Look at this AMA we’re doing with someone about Black History Month! and you’re doing nobody a service when you’re unintentionally rewarding a service for getting worse because they will not know nor care about your motives, they just care that they got money and will continue making it worse regardless of you. They’re a corporation, not a small business ran by 10 people who are trying their best. People throwing money at Staff already encourages them, let alone when you buy into the weird parasocial shit they try with us which will continue as they see success with that method.

Like the mere idea of everyone buying the crabs to gift to make the site profitable is just unrealistic (especially in this economy with such terrible inflation and in NA there are issues with the weather and fires, on a site that mostly consists of groups of people who are typically low income or unable to work???), it feels very much like the gofundme pages people set up to raise money for celebrities who have debts who will be fine regardless and definitely don’t need your help. Corporations and CEOs are not your friends, they never will be. They do not care about you and they’re not some poor uwu victim of circumstance.

TL;DR half-assed blackouts aimed at companies that don’t care (that I have seen over and over) and “cr*b day” type efforts are incredibly dumb and will change nothing, and they will not change anything, just encourage them since they see they’re making money during their current marketing schemes, if they notice at all. You pitying them like they’re a poor innocent person is exactly what the corporation wants.

If you want to make a difference give that money to an artist or lgbtq+ people who basically get flagged as mature for Existing, or people who get their posts flagged for criticizing the site, or something, someone who gets screwed over by this site on the regular. It will do far more good than that whackadoo type pipe dream and sit down and think for a second, please.

[steven--lim]

okay I just don't even wanna watch a single video with Shane and Ryan anymore bc I don't wanna call myself a fan of them anymore. their fanbase is vindictive and toxic as fuck. the absolute vile things they're saying about Steven? what the actual fuck... like their shows don't cost money? like they don't also have salaries? people keep bringing up Steven's tesla, I don't think I've ever heard him mention his own car, only Shane and Ryan when they're joking about him.

I've kept my mouth shut about this since Watcher started but so many of y'all have absolutely pushed Steven to the back bc you like Shane and Ryan more. Not liking his content is one thing, that's totally fine but insulting the guy everytime he's on screen and now showing your real true colors acting like he held the other guys hostage to get them to agree to this or something. yes, Steven is the CEO which, if you'll remember from making watcher, happened bc Shane and Ryan didn't want to step up to that role and Steven already had some connections and took initiative to meet with investors.

I don't love the timing of this move either and I can't even afford it at the moment - don't even know if I'll be able to watch as I'm outside the US but I needed to defend Steven for a second. Stop making him the villain.

most of y'all are the meanest, most toxic "fans" I've ever seen. I don't wanna be part of the fanbase at all because of you.

[winntir]

I hate to weight in on this, but I'm seeing a lot of finger pointing around the cancellation of The Acolyte, so let me point the finger at the correct culprit:

Bob Chapek, former CEO of Disney during a painful three year period the infamous Iger tried to take a step back. How is he to blame for The Acolyte's cancellation when he isn’t even in a position to do that anymore? Well, investor fraud.

See, maybe the pandemic gave some really inflated numbers for streaming services' success, maybe there was some deception on Chapek's part, particularly for Disney+, but streaming services have been over-invested in since then. With everyone stuck at home, what else were they going to do but watch stuff online? These circumstances that caused that boom no longer apply now, and because of that, all the investments made during this time couldn’t possibly see a proper return.

So, what's this have to do with The Acolyte? Well, it should be obvious. To pay back investors, Disney needed to cut their losses, and that meant anything underperforming was on the chopping block. The Acolyte was a very expensive show to make, and it wasn’t a success by the metrics they used, so they killed it. Lotta money went in, didn’t get the return they needed to justify its existence, so no more money goes in.

And from that perspective, The Acolyte was always going to get cancelled. It was never going to make a return on investment, it was never going to be a smash hit. Its destiny was failure, and it’s not because of any culture war bullshit that's a smokescreen for fascist ideologies, though the grift on YouTube got theirs. No, it was all just business. Star Wars is not art to Disney executives and investors; it’s a product, and what do you do when a product doesn’t make a return on investment? You discontinue it.

Welcome to the fucking real world.

[2jaeh]

Last Summer / Kim Doyoung 

Genre: smut, angst 

word count: 16k

f! college student reader, aged up! Doyoung, slight badboy!Jaehyun and fwb!Jaemin

warnings: dilf!, age gap, old money fic!, cheating, affair, public!, unprotected, daddy!, alcohol!, blackmail!, gaslighting?, multiple smut scenes, let me know if I miss anything. 

A five week business vacation with a bunch of elite families, filled with gossip, rumors and people doing anything to climb the social ladder. But through all the chaos the last thing you suspected was a whirlwind romance with your friends father. 

appearances: college friends : Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, Sungchan, Jaehyun 

aged up! Johnny and Kun. 

A/N: hello! its author SIN here! I haven't wrote a monster fic since FREAKS but im here for old money Doyoung after so many requested a full fic of Country Club. Sorry i've been so IA i hope you enjoy this one !

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was that time of year again and you and your mom were being dragged to one of your father’s business vacations which entailed around five weeks of your summer at your family’s world renowned resort. Now anyone else would be joyous that they’d be spending a luxury vacation at the hot spot for celebrities in the Summer, but now entering your twenties, and spending almost every summer of your life at this place, you figured it had lost its wow factor.

“Why couldn't we go to the Maldives or Greece like normal families” you groaned, slipping into a cashmere sweater that matched with a pair of capri pants and tennis shoes. You watched your  mother frantically  order the resort employees to prepare the bungalow to her liking until her eyes rested on you.

“Darling I thought I told you to throw those tacky shoes out” she sighed, coming over and giving you a tight squeeze, “and…you can go to Greece on your next semester break okay ? right now we need to mingle with your father’s investors, big smile!”

You gave her your best fake grin before returning back to your room and exchanged your shoes for a more high quality taste. You had no idea why your mom was being so particular about your dress code  being it was only day one and the more important guests only ever arrived in the second week.

You folded your arms and returned back downstairs to the lounge area when a familiar face completely caught you off guard.

“Jaemin!” you squealed, running into the toned man’s arms as he lifted you into a tight hug and engulfed you with his Givenchy perfume. Jaemin, your friend or rather fling whom you actually met via one of your father’s parties, was the son of a very big tech company CEO and your father’s current favourite golf buddy.

Mr. Kim Doyoung, the most handsome man you'd ever laid eyes on.

Jaemin released you from the hug and you took the opportunity to smile at both Mr and Mrs Kim as they briefly greeted you before returning to the conversation with your parents. You watched as Mr Kim pushed his glasses up as he laughed at some joke your father supposedly told, his gummy smile broke his stoic character and for a second you almost forgot your surroundings.

“Quite the surprise hey” Jaemin snapped you out of your trance and you quickly nodded. “You guys never do summer vacation, what's the special occasion ?” you questioned the dark haired man.

Jaemin chuckled and shrugged. “Dad said there’s a huge investor visiting this time and he doesn't want your dad to fumble any business proposals.” You hummed and looked back at the parents and watched your dad enthusiastically show Mr Kim around.

“Hey Doyoung it's a win win hey” your dad boasted, “our wives are happy, our kids are happy and we get to have a rematch of that golf game you cheated me out of last month.”

“Cheated?” Mr Kim smirked, “are we still running with that ?”

You gulped at his cockiness. Yes this was wrong. Entirely wrong because this was your friends father for fuck’s sake, but you’d been crushing on him for years, way before you met Jaemin. You hated to admit it but Mr Kim was your first real crush.

It all started on the night of your 18th, when he came to the party on his own because he and his family were going to leave on a business trip the next morning. He only stayed about 20 minutes, most of it was spent talking to your father and then he came over, introduced himself and placed a gift in your hands before planting a sweet kiss on your cheek.

“It's Viviene Westwood, your dad said you’re a big fan” His voice was so light and smooth. “My son starts at the same university as you next year, I hope the two of you can help each other out.”

And with that he said his goodbyes and you’d only see him at very special events after that. He did attend your 21st this year, but you and Jaemin had already established a friends with benefits situation and you decided that crushing on a man twice your age who now happens to be your fling’s father was not the path you were seeking.

“Do you think I’d have to sneak into your room every night ?” Jaemin pinched your side and you playfully pushed him before bringing your arms around his neck.

“Honestly our parents are going to be so blackout drunk every night im sure you could walk straight into my room and do whatever you want” you bit your lip and Jaemin smirked in return, enjoying the challenge.

The first two days were pretty much uneventful even with Jaemin railing you into your bed the very first night. Luckily for the two of you your dad managed to get the Kims’ the bungalow right next door and Jaemin made good use of the maintenance ladder and your balcony.

You were grateful you had Jaemin around until the morning you heard a voice you wished was in your head. The voice you thought you’d only hear when University resumed.

Lee Haechan.

“Jaemin hurry up, my arms are killing me here” You heard him say as you stepped out on the balcony to oversee the commotion. Your uni friend, well rather Jaemin’s, was standing outside their bungalow with luggage that definitely exceeded a five week stay which meant that it was likely computer equipment.

Great.

“What are you doing here ?” making sure your voice was definitely unwelcoming. “Wow y/n way to be hospitable to your good friend” he dropped his bags and clapped sarcastically. You watched the workers scramble for the luggage as Jaemin stepped outside to greet his very annoying friend.

“His parents kicked him out for the summer” Jaemin looked up apologetically.

“Can't say I wouldn't do the same” you scoffed while Haechan stuck out his tongue. “My boy and I are going to build a gaming pc, you know good old fashioned bonding” Haechan threw his arm around Jaemin while your poor friend knew you weren't in the slightest happy about this new arrangement.

“Great” you sighed, “hope you two lovebirds have a lovely vacation.”

“You can join us, you know, it's really fun.” Jaemin tried to look hopeful but he already knew you'd rather eat dirt than spend more than two hours with Haechan and build a damn pc on top of that.

You unenthusiastically waved them off and returned to your bedroom and threw yourself on your bed ready to dive into a solemn state until you heard a voice coming from downstairs.

His voice.

You tiptoed down the wooden stairs and you saw Mr Kim sitting at the corner bar with your father both adorning golf wear and engaging in conversation when your father quickly noticed your presence.

“Hey sweety, you're not hanging out with Jaemin today ?” he said while taking a sip of his scotch whiskey.

You groaned while approaching the two men, making sure your attention was on your father and not Mr Kim. “Haechan is here and they're going to spend the entire vacation building some stupid pc” you complained with a pout and your ears perked when you heard Mr Kim chuckle.

“Sorry about that, Haechan can be pretty persistent and I just wanted to help his parents get him out of their hair for a bit” Mr Kim smiled sweetly and you could tell he was genuine with his apology. “If you're bored why don't you come out for a round of golf, make sure your dad isn't cheating.”

“Uhm I don't want to impose…” you began to say and your dad quickly jumped to his feet and threw his arm around you. “My angel will be the best judge I can assure you!” he squeezed your shoulder, “go get ready sweetheart we will leave in 20.”

You stood under the caddy’s umbrella shielding yourself from the blistering summer heat as you watched Mr Kim and your father tee off on the fifth hole. Most of the banter was inside jokes they had going on and honestly you almost regretted joining their session until you saw how immaculate Mr Kim was at playing golf. His form, the way he stuck out his tongue slightly as he concentrated on his next shot and ofcourse how accentuated his muscles were through his golf gear as he swivelled his body every shot.

The heat wasn't that bad after all.

“Sir you have a call at the front desk” the caddy held the phone up for your dad to receive it.

You watched your father’s frown turn into a wide smile signalling it was either a big investor or one of his work buddies. “Hey Doyoung Johnny is here, i'm going to check him in before our wives make a big deal about his sudden appearance” your dad chuckled and hung up the call.

“Ah yes the wives biggest enemy, i'm surprised he actually showed up” Doyoung rested his hands on his golf club. “He didn't bring…her…did he ?”

Your eyes followed Mr Kim’s to your fathers and your dad quickly shook his head as he began handing his equipment to his caddy.

“Oh you know he wouldn't do that, gosh imagine what the investors might think.”

Now this story you were definitely clued up on thanks to Haechan practically interrogating Johnny Suh’s nephew, Sungchan. Mr Suh was a high end lawyer and had been working with your father’s circle of friends for years. He was a prominent figure, anyone and everyone fell in love with him and that's exactly how he got into trouble.  You're not sure of the timeline but according to Haechan Mr Suh had an affair with a young divorcee who’s case he’d been working on. Almost everyone expected his career to plummet after the news broke but it just made him more popular amongst young naive women who thought they too could bag the richest newly divorced big time lawyer.

Your mom couldn't stand him especially because she and the other wives were friends with his ex wife. But your dad never bothered since he’d always say that his ex wife was a gold digger and would have ‘ran him dry’ eventually. Surprisingly Haechan noted that Sungchan was also more than happy to know that his uncle was finally free from that woman.

There’s two sides to every story you guessed.

“Are you really leaving in the middle of the game ?” Mr Kim sighed, “this isn't just an excuse to get out of losing again is it ?”

Your father scoffed and waved his hand. “Oh please we are picking this up tomorrow, but for now why don't you get a little practice with my daughter ? she's got a wicked right swing!”

“Dad I don't think-”

“Let's do it.”

You turned to face Mr Kim who was now holding out his golf club to you as a stunning smile spread across his face. You swallowed hard as your father zoomed off in his golf cart and left you alone with just Mr Kim and the unattentive caddy.

“Mr Kim I'm not the best player so-”

“Hey my rivalry is with your father not you” Mr Kim waved his hand and grabbed a bottle of water. “I’ll go easy on you.”

You refused to be a stuttering mess so you tried your best to concentrate on the task at hand. It should be easy since there’s nothing the two of you could really talk about besides your father or Jaemin.

Oh you hoped he wouldn't bring up Jaemin.

You took your first swing and honestly like you expected it wasnt that grand. You turned to him apologetically while he let out a charming chuckle before joining you on your walk to the next hit.

“You're too tense” he commented and tapped your shoulder. “Since we're just practising, how about I coach you and next time you can win against your father.”  

You watched as he consulted the caddy on the perfect golf club and watched him stroll back over to you and replaced the club you clutched in your hands. The next movement almost had you weak at the knees as he slowly moved behind you and placed his slender fingers on your shoulders and squeezed lightly.

“Relax y/n” he calmly said in your ear. He may have been thinking this was just a friendly exchange but God your mind was thinking very different things. Vile almost absurd things. You nodded and did as he said, exhaling deeply while your heart was practically beating out of your chest.

“It's all in the hips you know” he said before clearing his throat, “May I ?”

You nodded again and within seconds his hands were on your waist. It was all very PG but anything he did always felt erotic. You kept your concentration on your posture making sure he wouldn't pick up on your strange behaviour but every touch, every breath coming from behind you felt like electricity.

“Now be gentle, allow your body to lead you to the shot rather than the strength of your hit” He continued and stepped back to watch you take your next shot.

The next shot was better but again you were no Lydia Ko. Mr Kim however seemed to be a perfectionist because yet again you were given another club and his hands returned to your waist. This time it felt a little different. You felt his breath against his neck and his hands were a lot more firmer as he guided you to redo your shot. “Now I know you can do better than that” His voice was low and you felt a sensation develop between your legs. You had no idea how you let your impulses get the better of you but you allowed yourself to arch your back a bit until your ass pretty much grazed against his crotch. You know it was evident too because you heard him suck in a deep breath but you didn't dare turn around.

“Like this..?” you managed to say and heard him hum before slowly stepping away and allowed you to take the shot.

Surprisingly that one was the best you had all day and it even ignited excitement out of you as you jumped in celebration, completely forgetting what had happened a mere seconds ago. “Oh my God did you see that ?!” you squealed and turned to face Mr Kim who had been chewing on his bottom lip before it turned into a sweet smile.

“I knew you had it in you, you're a natural and a quick learner” He held his hand out for a high five but as your hands collided, his fingers entangled with yours and your eyes met his in probably the most intense unspoken exchange in your life. You had no idea what was going on in his head and you were unaware that his thoughts mirrored yours. He had no idea why he did what he did and his head swarmed with so many unresolved questions.

This was his friend's daughter. His son’s college friend.

The caddy called the two of you up to drive over to the next hole and you both silently jumped in the backseat, hoping the situation was just an awkward exchange and nothing more. The drive was bumpy and unusually long. Both you and Mr Kim opted for looking in the opposite direction until the caddy hit the brakes causing Mr Kim to quickly shield you from impact.

“God what the fuck?” Mr Kim cursed and you mentally hated that it gave you another reason to find him attractive. There was no hope at this point.

“S-sorry sir there was a rabbit crossing the path” the caddy looked up into the rear view mirror and you swore you saw fear in his eyes. Mr Kim sighed and muttered that it was okay and to keep moving but as the trip resumed you realised his arm was still draped across your lap.

You adjusted your seating which pushed your tennis skirt higher and now his hand was exposed to your thigh as you waited to see what his next move might be. Mr Kim cleared his throat and you almost gasped when you felt him squeeze your exposed thigh before the caddy finally came to stop.

“I need you to go to the front desk and get more water and please let them know that the rabbits are roaming free on the course at this hour, it's quite dangerous for everyone involved” you watched Mr Kim tap his resort card on the payment machine and watched the caddy leave  you and Mr Kim completely alone.

“What do you study again y/n ?” Mr Kim asked casually as if nothing suspicious had happened all day and set up his next shot. You wiped the beads of sweat forming on your head. “I…study accounting Mr Kim.”

His chuckle made your eyes narrow as he took an effortless shot and turned around to face you. “Call me Doyoung, you do call Kun by his first name don't you ?” his new demeanour confused you. Was he just being friendly all this time and you were mistaking it for something else ?

“Yeah well Kun has been my dad’s friend for ages so-”

“So am I a stranger then ?” he poked his tongue into his cheek, “I guess we have to work on our relationship then.”

Mr Kim, Doyoung gestured for you to set up your next shot. Seeing as you were unsure of his intentions you decided to test the waters again. What was the worst that could happen anyway ? Him peacefully rejecting you would actually solve a lot of your current problems.

“Can…you help me again ? I kinda forgot the posture thing” you battered your eyelashes at him and you watched as his jaw tightened for a brief second before he nodded and came over to his usual position. You wasted no time in pressing back into him but this time you turned your head slightly to see his reaction.

“W-what are you doing y/n?” his low voice sent a shiver down your spine.

“What do you mean, I'm just..playing golf” you replied innocently and you heard him chortle in amusement. You felt his fingers press into your hips as you practically settled in his crotch, a bit proud that you had him a little flustered.

“You’re…a very naughty girl” he hummed as he straightened himself and allowed his fingers to dance on the band of your skirt.

You sighed and hummed in agreement. “I know Mr Kim and it seems like you're not so innocent yourself.”

Doyoung raised his eyebrow at your snarky comment yet mentally cursed his inability to keep his arousal in check. He was in dangerous waters but his head was too clouded with how this was about to play out for him to think about any consequences right now.

“Are you saying that this….exchange has you a little excited as well?” he queried and you felt absolutely delirious with lust.

“You can find out for yourself if you want” you curved your back a bit standing like an open invitation for him to do as he pleased. You expected him by now to at least lecture you that the two of you were out in the open and this whole ordeal was just absurd but instead he carefully stood behind you as your hands tightened around the golf club and his fingers ghosted its way up your skirt.

Doyoung’s breath was deep and steady as he caressed the skin of your inner thighs before taking his index finger and grazed it over your soaked panties. You heard him groan at your wetness while you bit down on your lip at the contact. You thought it would stop there but you almost collapsed when he pushed your panties to the side and allowed his long cold digits to feel your arousal.

“Fucking hell” he cursed as his other hand held onto your hip to keep you steady.

“Mr Kim…please..more” your voice quivered, not sure what you were asking for exactly but whatever was happening couldn't end right now, not like this.

Doyoung was completely immersed in how wet you were for him. He loved how your folds felt between his fingers and you were like putty in his hands. You gasped when he inserted a finger into your core and he heard him groan once more this time in frustration.

“Youre so fucking tight, id ruin you sweetheart” his words were like venom in your ear as he continued to finger you at an agonising pace.

Euphoria quickly came to an end when you heard a golf cart and it was Doyoung’s caddy returning from his errands. Doyoung quickly wiped away his hands and the two of you stood innocently as the caddy jogged over.

“Sir, they are requesting the both of you back for brunch” the caddy spoke and immediately began collecting the golfing equipment and packed the cart. You looked up at Doyoung trying to search his face for what all of this meant and whether it might happen again but he returned back to his stoic self. His eyes never met yours and he was silent and to himself the entire way back up to the resort.

If you thought your crush on him before was dangerous, well you've just entered a new territory.

By the time you washed up and arrived at the restaurant your father had picked for lunch you noticed everyone was already settled in. Doyoung sat right next to his wife and chuckled along with your father, Mr Suh and your father’s long time friend Qian Kun. Doyoung glanced up for a millisecond but returned to the conversation as if nothing had ever happened on the golf course.

“Darling, what took you so long ? Doyoung said you guys arrived two hours ago” your mother embraced you before one of the waiter’s pulled out your chair next to Jaemin.

“I had to take a shower” you pressed your lips into a smile and looked over at Doyoung, “It was extremely humid down there.” You watched his fingers twitch around his wine glass but it wasn't enough of a reaction for anyone else to notice. Your eyes drifted to Mr Suh who flashed you a friendly smile that you forcefully returned back before leaning into Jaemin.

“Why the hell is he here ? I thought our mothers hated him” you questioned as Jaemin rubbed the small of your back.

“Apparently his ex wife had been cheating on him too, way before he started his affair” Jaemin popped a cheese cube into his mouth. “Yeah right that’s what he wants everyone to believe” Haechan chimed in and you weren't going to admit it but you definitely shared his sentiments.

You looked up and noticed that Sungchan, Mr Suh’s nephew had also joined the trip as well as Kun Qian’s son, Chenle. You weren't too familiar with Sungchan despite him being in the same university as you but you knew Chenle really well. The two of you practically grew up together.

“I thought you were going to Dubai for the summer” you took a sip of your white wine while the ash blonde boy shook his head and sighed.

“Yeah I thought so too” he scratched his head, “My mom convinced my dad to come to the resort this year for the big networking party, God are they not tired of doing business ?!”

“Who else is gonna pay for your trips to Dubai ?” Haechan mused and Chenle rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he retorted, “What are you even doing here anyway Lee Haechan? I thought your parents were going to London.”

“They went without him,” Jaemin snickered, earning a shove from Haechan.

“I would've done the same,” Sungchan added.

“That's what I said” you giggled and Sungchan gave you a thumbs up while Haechan erupted in a long groan.

“Face it, without me, you losers wouldn't have any fun” he pouted.

For a minute you too had completely forgotten about Doyoung, lost in the childish banter of your friends until the memory flashed back and you felt your stomach turn. There it was. The guilt was finally settling in as Jaemin squeezed your thigh under the table while he entertained whatever conversation they were now engaged in. How could Doyoung just sit there, as if nothing had ever happened. Was what he did just something to overlook?

You couldn't have been more wrong as Doyoung’s thoughts were completely scattered from the very moment he saw you in your tennis outfit. He was engaging in conversation but wasn't really retaining any information. He couldn't help himself but to steal glances at you from the other end of the dining table. Doyoung thought he was being subtle enough until he felt a tap on his shoulder from none other than Johnny Suh.

“Gonna take a smoke break, wanna join ?”

Doyoung stepped onto the balcony that overlooked the pool area as he twirled his red wine in his glass and exhaled deeply.

“Doyoung Doyoung Doyoung, you dog” Johnny blew a cloud of smoke into the sky as he erupted into laughter, “I didn't think you had it in you buddy.” “What are you talking about?” Doyoung muttered, leaning against the marble balustrade. Doyoung’s eyes shifted to the window making sure no one was paying attention especially since Johnny’s voice was the equivalent to a megaphone.

Johnny took a step closer with a smirk spread across his face,  “Doyoung, do you know who you're talking to ? I am the King of reading the room, especially when it comes to sneaky glances at your good friend’s hot daughter.” Doyoung’s jaw tightened again and he looked back into the restaurant before gulping down the last of his wine.

“I don't know what youre talking about,” he answered coldly.

Johnny narrowed his brows and cleared his throat, “Okay so she walks in, directs a very weird innuendo at you after you two played golf alone all day and you two have been eye-fucking each other for the past half hour.”

“Would you lower your damn voice ?!”

“So it's true ?”

Doyoung ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and pulled Johnny aside. He had no choice but to come clean but luckily for him Johnny would never ever spill the beans on his adultery seeing as Doyoung had been hiding Johnny’s string of affairs for ages. Yes there were more than one and no his now ex wife and all his friends have no idea about them.

“She baited me” Doyoung wet his bottom lip, “came up to me like a fucking minx and I-”

“You fucked her on the golf course ?” Johnny asked amusingly.

“No,” Doyoung deadpanned, “I…used my fingers for a bit but the caddy interrupted.”

Doyoung hated the smug look that spread across Johnny’s face and honestly actually explaining the situation only made him feel more guilty. He was the older, more mature one; this was entirely his fault and not yours at all.

“That’s your son’s friend oh my God you're worse than me” Johnny grinned and Doyoung turned back to look at you in a hearty conversation with his son and your friends. Johnny was right. This was so much worse than whatever he has done, but he could end it right here right now.

“It’s not going to happen again, I made sure to get my point across to her very quickly” Doyoung chewed on lip.

“Oh please, you said your wife hasn't given you any in a long time and I still have the divorce papers you filed for last-”

“Throw them away” Doyoung cut Johnny off.

“What ?!” the taller man exclaimed.

“There’s no need, I'm not going through with it” Doyoung replied calmly despite his thoughts still scrambling about both his marriage and you. Johnny ashed his cigarette and shook his head as the two of them entered the restaurant.

“Whatever man, all I know is that just a small taste of that kind of adrenaline doesn't go away that easily.”

Doyoung slipped back in his seat and put on his best smile but Johnny’s words still stuck with him like a thorn in his side.

Would he be able to stop ?

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few days had passed since the golf course incident and you were grateful that your dad had been entertaining his friends on his own as they attended seminars and did God knows what until late hours of the night. It was one of those nights where all the parents had gone out to one of the bars at the resort and you and your friends figured you’d also drink the night away.

“God Sungchan I swear if you don't finish your drink I will push you into this pool” Haechan threatened as the younger boy grimaced at the taste of his 8th drink of the night. Honestly having all of them around this year wasn't that bad because usually you'd either be babysitting your parents or drinking with the resort staff.

You sipped your cocktail and danced along to the music blaring from the poolside bar in your Miu Miu two piece wrapped in a mesh skirt. Jaemin threw his arm around you and you could tell by his slurred words and sloppy kisses that he was needy.

“Are you not fucking Haechan tonight ?” you rolled your eyes.

“Don't ever say that again” Jaemin groaned while his hands ghosted over your thighs and moved to grope your ass.

“Ew get a room” Chenle spat and you sighed. As much as you’d love to get railed right now you couldnt stand that this arrangement with Jaemin only worked when he was in the mood rather than it being mutual. You already knew he’d be in your room for the night and you won't see him the entirety of the next day unless you were out looking for him.

“Yeah totally not in the mood doll” you pried his hands off your figure and took a sip of your drink, “you should call it a night, don't want to be hungover when you have a pc to build.”

Jaemin never bothered to argue back. He knew how stubborn you could be and honestly he needed to get Haechan back to the bungalow before he ended up swearing at the bartenders. You waved off Jaemin, Haechan and Chenle who went along since his accommodation was on that end anyway while you took care of Sungchan.

“You all good there buddy?” you joined him on one the loungers as he gulped down his third glass of water.

“I'm alright, sorry i'm still getting used to the whole alcohol thing” he smiled sweetly.

You giggled and tutted in response, “don't force yourself if you don't want to, Haechan may think he is the boss around here but trust me he’s a pushover.”

Sungchan nodded shyly until you saw his eyes perk up. You followed his gaze and from all people in this entire goddamn resort in walks Johnny Suh and Kim Doyoung.

Just great.

“Hey Nephew” Johnny greeted, his face absolutely red indicating he was definitely more drunk than his dear nephew right now.

You looked up at Doyoung briefly who just stood awkwardly while Johnny babied his nephew, smothering him in hugs and compliments. Sungchan stood up and stabilised his uncle, praying he wasn't going to be stubborn about heading back to their bungalow.

“Come on Uncle Johnny, time for bed” Sungchan held him by his waist while Johnny pinched his cheeks and coddled the younger boy.

“Doyoung isn't my nephew just the cutest ? He's the cutest right ?” Johnny slurred as Sungchan bid his farewell to you and guided Johnny back to their bungalow.

You wasted no time in making sure there were no awkward silences and grabbed a new drink from the bar and began heading down a dimly lit path. You couldn't look at him. Especially since he had ignored your existence for most of the week.

“Where are you going ?” he questioned, as you heard his footsteps follow close behind.

“To the beach, leave me alone” you replied carelessly. Did he expect you to respect him as your father’s friend after the stunt he pulled ?

“You are not going to the beach in the middle of the night drunk and on your own” he lectured, still following you down the path until the two of you reached the white sandy area that met the moonlit shore.

He watched attentively as you turned around and removed the mesh skirt as you soaked in the moonlight and the salty sea breeze.

“You're not my father Mr Kim” you groaned, “I can do whatever I want.” “Do your parents know where you are right now ?” Doyoung questioned as he shook the sand that filled up his sandal.

You walked over to one of the beach recliners sighing that the umbrellas were all down and sat down your drink on the table. “My parents think I'm at the overnight spa, smart of me don't you think ?” you smirked as you struggled to open the umbrella that was twice your size.

Doyoung massaged his temples before walking over and helping you open the umbrella before taking a seat on the opposite recliner. He knew he was doing the right thing by taking care of you while you were acting recklessly, but a part of him wondered if being around you in that scantily clad bikini and the amount of alcohol running through his veins and yours, was a good idea.

“What are you drinking ?” Doyoung watched you take a sip of your cocktail as you laid back in the recliner and crossed your legs.

“Rum and Coke” you replied, handing him the drink.

You were amused by how much he drank, and watched as he set the glass aside and shook his leg anxiously while his entire body tensed up.

“For someone who told me that I'm too tense you're really one to talk” you commented and pointed to his fidgeting fingers and anxious leg. Doyoung quickly took notice of his actions and gathered himself. He turned his focus to the dark sea, while you studied him wondering what the hell was going through his head right now.

“You know any normal married man would be back home laying next to his wife after a drunken night” you sighed and Doyoung’s eyes quickly darted to yours.

“I'm here to make sure you get home safely,” he said in a calm tone.

“Oh please” you scoffed, “you had no idea I was out here until you guys stumbled across us at the bar. Mr Kim it seems like you love to keep your distance from your wife regardless whether I'm here or not.”

Doyoung’s jaw tightened at your words. He knew you were not  taunting him because everything you mentioned was pretty much how it's been for the past few months in his marriage. Most of the time he met with your family on his own and your father had always commented on how divided the two of them had become after Jeno had turned 18.

“Its probably why youre so needy too, when was the last time youve even fucked anyone ?”

“Is this a joke to you ?” Doyoung retorted, “Do you not see how wrong this is ?”

You rolled your eyes, finishing the last of the drink, and sat  it back on the wooden side table.

“Honestly I dont,” you shrugged, “I did at first ofcourse, hell Ive been wanting to fuck you since my 18th birthday but now that I know youre miserable  in your marriage I dont see the harm in it.”

Doyoung pondered on your words and of course he was miserable but his reasoning for coming onto you wasn't because he needed a quick fix. God he saw beautiful women at so many investor parties but nobody had him riled up like you did. For him though it was your 21st birthday, when you wore that Elie Saab sequin dress and you carried yourself with such poise and class that he’d never taken notice of before. There was always a mystery surrounding you and with that neverending curiosity he disciplined himself into keeping his distance.

That was until a few days ago.

“You’ve been wanting me since then ?” Doyoung asked in that low voice that always hit the right spot.

You pushed yourself up from the recliner and stood up to hover over him. Doyoung’s eyes dragged over your body until his eyes locked with yours as you placed your thumb under his chin.

“Oh Mr Kim I fantasise about having you every…single..night” you mused and with that you pressed your lips against his and sighed into the passionate kiss. Doyoung quickly pulled you into his lap, his lips never leaving yours as you straddled him and immediately gripped onto his dark locks.

“I'm not going to be able to stop this time y/n” Doyoung groaned into your neck as you pushed your body further down into his lap, already feeling his hardened member against your clothed core.

“Don't stop…please dont stop” you moaned into his kisses as he grabbed your ass and buried his face into your chest, littering your collarbone and breasts with kisses. You both knew that taking your time would only raise concern so you were in agreement that it needed to be done as soon as possible.

You fiddled with his dress pants as he unbuttoned his shirt revealing the very toned body you were suspecting. God the sight of him alone like this could've made you orgasm. Doyoung quickly pushed down his pants and then suddenly pulled away.

“Fuck…Fuck!” he cursed.

“What is it ?” you looked around thinking one of the employees was lurking around.

“I don't have protection. '' Doyoung looked up at you and bit down on his lip.

“God i'm on the pill please just fuck me already” you whined and returned your lips to his desperate to regain the momentum you had earlier on.

“Are you sure this is okay sweetheart ?” He asked once again his voice filled with concern. God the age difference thing was really showing right now because everyone around your age was careless and dumb. Any guy in their 20s (and probably Johnny Suh) would be ecstatic to know they'd be able to do it raw.

You found his concern endearing.

“Do whatever you want Mr Kim, I just need you inside me” you whispered and Doyoung literally felt dizzy with ecstasy at your lewd words. He quickly responded by pushing aside your bikini bottom and rubbed circles on your clit before entering two digits into your core, preparing you for what's to come.

You were so lost in the magic he was putting in his fingers that you almost gasped at the difference when he inserted his member inside you. He was much bigger than you imagined and the biggest you ever had. He was right when he said he’d ruin you.

“Oh my fuck-” you moaned in his ear as Doyoung guided your hips to ride him. He wasnt sure if it was the impromptu fuck, the lack of sex he’s had recently or the girl on top of him right now but it was a fucking hell of a experience. You moved your hips roughly against his, expertly making circles with your hips as you built up your orgasm. Doyoung’s moans were like music to your ears as he groaned according to your movements as his nails dug into your thighs.

“Doyoung im-”

“Is my angel close hmmm” he hummed and the pet name just inched you closer to your high. Doyoung moved his hand to the front so his thumb had access to your clit, stimulating you until you were ready to give in. Doyoung watched in awe as you beautifully threw your head back and came so hard on his cock that he wished he could do it again almost immediately.

You rode out your high and to Doyoung’s surprise you removed yourself from his lap and settled between his legs. Your hand grabbed hold of his member as you looked up at him and pumped his member.

“You know, so you don't have to stress about coming inside me,” you brought your face down to meet his tip, “well coming inside me in a different way.”

Doyoung leaned back in his seat and grabbed a fistful of your hair as you went to work on his length. He knew he wouldn't last long, not with already fucking you and now with your tongue skillfully pleasing him. You hollowed your cheeks as your hand met your speed and the grip on your hair signalled that he was close.

“Fucking hell” was all Doyoung could say when he finally released in your mouth and with heavy eyes watched you swallow every bit of him.

“We should get back before they close up the bar” you said, straightening up your hair and outfit.

“Yeah we should” Doyoung agreed and buttoned up his shirt and tucked himself back into his pants. God he wished he could at least help clean you up and lay in bed with you but unfortunately that could never be on the agenda. He honestly had no idea what to say or what to do. The two of you walked in silence until you reached the bungalows, making sure to stay in the shadows just in case anyone was awake at this hour.

“Well good night I guess” you folded your arms, slightly embarrassed that regardless of what you said you still felt a pang of guilt and jealousy that he still  wasn't yours for the night.

You were about to walk off when Doyoung grabbed onto your arm and turned you to face him. He placed a kiss on your forehead and then a softer one on your lips.

“Meet me tomorrow at the squash court at 2:30,” he whispered as his thumb stroked your cheek, “Only if you want to though.”

You nodded and smiled up at him before finally parting ways and leaving both of you revisiting one of the most incredible nights of your life.

—--------------------------------

The next morning you took your time to get ready, completely avoiding the voices of your hungover parents downstairs. You knew they'd pester you about where you were, what time you got home and most importantly who was the last person you were with last night.

That was the last thing you needed to be questioned about.

“Princess are you done pampering up, we're going to the gym” you heard Haechan’s grating voice call from outside your balcony. Of course you still had to pretend you wanted to hang out with them today but it just gave you a better alibi to showing up at the squash court. You quickly slipped into a cute Ralph Lauren polo shirt and bike short set and doused yourself with your Chanel no.5 before heading out to meet your friends.

“God I can smell you a mile away” Chenle dramatically coughed as the five of you strolled down to the fitness centre.

You sighed and stretched your arms above your head, “It's called perfume, you should try it sometime” you teased and the boy stuck out his tongue in return.

“Hey did you get home okay last night ?” Sungchan tapped your shoulder looking down at you sheepishly, “I needed to get Uncle Johnny home before he decided to extend his drinking hours.” You waved your hand and hooked arms with the taller boy, giving his bicep a tight squeeze as you stepped into the air conditioned wellness centre.

“It’s all good I went straight home anyway” you lied.

You and your friends were already welcomed with green juice, herbal tea and smoothie selections by the staff while you scouted the area for where you might bump into Doyoung. The centre was quite vacant, I guess not everybody could recover as fast as your family and friends as drinking to your limits never delayed the schedule of the next day. You walked through the essential oil aroma of all the various spa treatments until you finally reached the gym and caught your first glimpse of Doyoung laughing along with the rest of the parents.

God he looked extra hot today in just a pair of black track pants and a fitted white tee.

“Dude your uncle is jacked” Haechan gaped at Johnny Suh who was walking around in just a pair of training shorts, his sweaty toned body on display for everybody. God knows why. It's not like you didn't think he was hot, you would be stupid to think otherwise, but Mr Suh was never your type. He never had the sex appeal that Mr Kim had.

“Hey kids!” your dad waved as you all strolled over to join the gathering. You put on a friendly smile as your mom already pulled you into her side and gushed to the other mothers about how thankful she was to have a daughter or something along those lines. Your mother spoke but you avoided Mrs Kim’s eyes completely, while flashes of last night kept running through your mind.

“How about you gym buffs finish up and we’ll meet for lunch later” Mrs Qian spoke even though she knew her husband would rather join in on spa treatments than play any form of sport.

“Why are we doing sports on a vacation again ?” Kun Qian sighed as Johnny shoved a racket in his hands. “Come on now Kun, you gotta look good for Mrs over here” Johnny winked as Mrs Qian giggled shyly. Johnny Suh was truly a menace for any married woman.

“Well I'm guessing you're going to sweat it out with the boys” your mom fixed the headband on your head and sighed, “My dear daughter thrives on competitive sports, especially when it’s beating her own dad in them.”

“Not this time honey, I'm feeling lucky” your dad ended with his infamous catchphrase before he’d probably rage quit later on.

“Alright so I’ll be playing basketball with the fit young guys” Johnny threw his arms around both Jaemin and Chenle who both looked enthused by this idea. “Sure then I guess Kun, Doyoung, y/n and I will head to the squash courts” your father saluted Johnny as he began making his way to the back of the gym where a row of brightly lit squash courts lined up.

“Are we playing singles or doubles ?” Doyoung asked as he grabbed a baseball cap to push away the loose strands that fell over his forehead. He was pretty composed for someone who was literally fucking you raw on a beach a few good hours ago. You wondered what was going through his mind now that you showed up to his invitation.

“Doubles, my daughter and I verse you and Kun” your father called over an employee to bring over a few iced bottles of water. Your father suggested a round with each opponent and tally the score after.

Everyone agreed to the plan and you had your first round with Kun who was a pleasant opponent that always complimented your serves no matter how lazy they were eventually becoming. You liked Kun. He was such a good husband and father that you believed he truly set a standard for men everywhere. You always wondered how he even dealt with your father and his erratic friends but clearly it never bothered him.

“I'm going to talk your father into a quick foot spa before we get onto the next round” Kun said cheekily and you smiled sweetly as the two of you stepped into the hallway for the opponent swap.

“Did she go easy on you Kun ?” Your dad came over and high-fived you while Doyoung rolled his eyes. “Well you'd have to bet that she destroyed Kun after the beating I gave you” he said, the cockiness yet again in his voice drove your arousal.

“We both did just fine” Kun snapped back, “I'm just going to rest up a bit before the next round if you are planning on drinking tonight again.”

“Okay old man,” your dad conceded and followed Kun, “You guys coming with or going on with the game ?”

Doyoung waved his hand, “I know you two will never come back and I need to get my fitness in, go ahead.” He waited until the hallway was clear and followed you inside one of the courts in silence. There was tension in the air now that he was finally alone with you.

As soon as he was certain the two of you were alone Doyoung backed you up against the corner of court, a blind spot from both the entrance, hallway and the cameras above. He exhaled deeply as he grabbed onto your thigh, pushing your legs apart and settling his own leg in between for you to nestle on his toned thigh. His slender fingers ghosted up your body until his thumb brushed over your pouty lips, awaiting to meet his.

“I thought about you all night” he whispered before leaning in and peppered kisses along your jawline. He smelled exquisite, and  you had no idea that you were already unconsciously rubbing your heat up and down his thigh.

“Why’d you ask to meet here?” you whimpered into his touch, “we could get caught very easily.” Doyoung silenced you by pressing his lips against yours passionately, moaning into the kiss as he slipped his tongue inside and wrapped his hand around your neck ever so delicately.

“I thought I’d be able to control myself in a public setting and we could sneak out after, but I can't help myself” Doyoung pushed you harder onto his thigh and snaked his hand around you to grab onto your ass. He seemed way less in control than the first two times you two were in a situation like this. It was so out of his character to be the one to initiate such intimacy especially when his family were literally just a stroll down the hallway.

Doyoung had worked himself up to the point you thought he was going to recreate the golf incident  but something quickly brought him to his senses and he immediately stepped back and neatened himself while his eyes shifted to the entrance of the court.

“What’s going on ?” you frowned and looked into the empty hallway and back to the man who just had his tongue down your throat a few seconds ago.

“We cant do this, what the fuck this is just..its too much!” he was pacing the court and biting on his nail as if sanity had just hit him.

You groaned in frustration and gained some sort of composure before approaching the older man. “Are you serious right now ? you can't just do that and then tell me youre chickening out” you spoke in a low voice obviously frustrated that he was still so indecisive regardless of what had happened last night.

“Everytime I see you it's like I throw away my morals and then reality just…hits me” Doyoung frowned and his words really pissed you off, rightfully so.

“So what am I huh ? someone you can use until reality just hits you ?” you snapped back feeling your face heat up, “I have feelings too you know and I thought I made it very clear last night.”

Doyoung became stoic. You watched him grab a racket and ball from the floor as he got into position on the other end of the court.

“Let's Play” he said in a cold tone.

“Youre fucking unbelievable” you cursed and pushed open the clear door making your way back to your bungalow and as far away from Kim Doyoung as you possibly could. You hated that for him it was purely just physical and you had to deal with the emotional side to all of this. You had no idea how much you liked him until his attention drifted from you, until he was showing some affection to his wife or when he was just purely existing in the same space as you.

You hated it. You absolutely hated having feelings for Kim Doyoung.

You spent most of the day locked up in your room, catching up your best friend on the whole ordeal to which she just said ‘find someone new to fuck with and get over it’. It was easier said than done. Jeno was completely out of the question seeing as he was the son of the man you were trying to get over. Most of the employees were annoying frat boys and you weren't sure if any man would be able to satisfy you the way Mr Kim did.

“Honey get ready, we're having dinner at the Greek place tonight” your mother called from downstairs and you inwardly groaned. What was with these people and doing almost everything together. Sighing you got ready anyway because missing a dinner would not only have your parents nagging you about it you’d also be letting Doyoung know that the quarrel you had earlier was a lot more serious than you wanted him to think.

You needed him to know that you didn't care and you were going to be the one to move on. Pulling out your Versace black cocktail dress or the revenge couture collection as your friend calls it, you made your way  down to dinner making sure to keep your head up high and your attention off Mr Kim entirely.

You hoped.

“You guys finally made it” Johnny Suh’s voice boomed from the grand table that was set up on the fairy lit private deck at the back of the quaint restaurant. You began making your way over to your friends when you noticed an extra man had now joined the festivities and boy was he something.

He looked around your age, dressed in Prada with his hair slicked back which emphasised his sculpted face with the prettiest set of dimples you'd ever seen. His eyes immediately locked with yours as you took the seat across him and his lips curled into a friendly smile.

“Good evening everyone” you greeted and Sungchan quickly cleared his throat and gestured at the man seated next to him. “y/n this is my older brother Jaehyun, Jae this is y/n” he introduced the two of you and the man reached over the table to shake your hand.

“You're the infamous y/n then” he smiled, his voice was low and utterly charming.

“Infamous ?”

“Well,” he shrugged, “the beautiful heir to this luxurious resort, best believe you're talked about.”

You blushed at his words ignoring the irrelevant comment from Haechan and continued getting to know Johnny Suh’s other nephew, a true god sent distraction from Kim Doyoung. The two of you spoke for hours. You learnt that Jaehyun was an up and coming actor, and his family were in the textile industry. His hobbies were photography and collecting vinyls from his favourite artists all the way down to his great grandfather's favourites. You also learnt he frequented Milan for fashion shows, and it was his favourite city in the world. A place he already offered to give you a personal tour of.

“You know I heard that he goes to Milan just to fuck these old rich women” Haechan whispered as the two of you snuck around the back of the resort for a smoke.

“Why would he need to, he’s too rich to be a sugar baby” you rolled your eyes and drew in the freshly lit cigarette.

“Bro is just a milf hunter, it gives him bragging rights and those cougars love it” Haechan grabbed the cigarette from your fingers and brought it up to his own lips. You peaked around the corner and watched as Jaehyun conversed with the rest of the men, laughing along with their jokes. He looked so innocent compared to the perverse things you were now hearing about him.

“Probably runs in the family, streets already calling him Johnny Suh’s prodigy” Haechan ashed out the cigarette and used a tester cologne to mask the smell.

“God he is so hot though, you think he could retire milf hunting for just one night ?” you smirked as the two of you made your way back up to the restaurant. Haechan gave you a pat on the back as he followed your gaze back to Jaehyun.

“If he’s anything like his uncle he probably already fantasised you underneath him during dinner.”

All the scandalous chats with Haechan and the obvious flirting with Jaehyun completely grabbed your attention from Doyoung and you almost forgot about the argument earlier on. You took the opportunity to steal a glance but to your surprise his eyes were already on you and he barely bothered to look away. His stare was dark as he twirled his whiskey glass in his hand and ignored the conversations that were happening around him.

“Honey the girls and I are all packed and off to the overnight spa” His wife interrupted his stare and he gave her a sweet smile and never bothered to share his plans for the night. That's the kind of relationship they had. No questions, no suspicions, just a facade for the friends and family that everything was perfect.

The ladies said goodbye to their tipsy husbands and thanks to your white lie that you already spent time at the spa the previous night you got away scot free from the outing. Haechan, Chenle and Sungchan decided to hang out at the arcade with Jaemin following close behind, seeing as you hadn't paid him any attention thanks to the appearance of Jaehyun. Which meant it was just you, Jaehyun and your father’s friends still lingering around the restaurant and bar for the rest of the night.

“So y/n what do you guys do for fun around here ?” Jaehyun shot back the last of his drink and leaned back into his seat looking so goddamn inviting.

“Well,” you held up your glass, “we drink, we play sports nobody cares about and we complain about our embarrassing parents.” Jaehyun followed your eyes to your father doing his best impression of what looked like the moonwalk and chuckled.

“Hey he’s pretty good!” he mused while you shook your head and stood up.

“You wanna get out of here?”

You and Jaehyun strolled around the empty courtyards as all the restaurants started packing up for the night. The summer night finally began cooling down and Jaehyun’s body seemingly got closer as the two of you walked around aimlessly.

“Why don't we take a little pitstop?” Jaehyun smirked and pulled you behind one of the restaurants where both of you were out of sight to onlookers. You could tell he was an expert in these circumstances, he definitely was a man who always got what he wanted.

Consensually of course.

“I heard something about you” you bit down on your lip as he began giving you butterfly kisses along your jaw and down the nape of your neck. Jaehyun hummed as you felt him smirk against your skin. “Hmmm and what did you hear about me ?”

“That you’re a milf hunter” you giggled as he licked the weak spot he found just under your ear. Jaehyun pulled back and an amused smile spread across his face. “A milf hunter ?” he repeated your words as if it was the first time he was accused of such.

“I mean I generally meet older women,” he added, “but I don't actively search for….milfs.”

“So I'm not just a second choice for tonight then ?” you mused, pulling him back to your body by his half buttoned dress shirt. Jaehyun licked his lips as he stared down at you and his large hands massaged your thighs while you moaned in his touch.

“I came all this way after Sungchan sent me pictures of you guys hanging out, baby i'm here because of you” Jaehyun lifted your face to bring you into a deep sensual kiss that figuratively and literally had you weak at the knees. The kiss was amazing but it was still sub par in comparison to Mr Kim. Jaehyun was a lot like the guys you've met at country clubs and student events. They were all drop dead gorgeous but lacked the experience, the class you craved. The type that came natural to someone like Kim Doyoung.

God you were thinking about him while another man, your rebound was practically worshipping you right now.

“You wanna come back to my place ? my uncle won't say anything” Jaehyun asked in between breathy kisses while he tried to hike your dress up for better access.

You ran through the pros and cons of the indefinite possibility that Johnny Suh’s big mouth might spill your escapades to your father despite his nephew trusting him this much. The only pros you could think of were getting fucked by Jeong Jaehyun and possibly getting over Mr Kim.

Possibly.

While you were in a mini dilemma Doyoung’s mind was a mess. He obviously couldn't let go of how you had left him at the squash court earlier and secondly how you spent the majority of your night with Johnny Suh’s promiscuous nephew. He downed another round of brandy, wincing at the taste while his friends fooled around on the roulette tables.

With a free night away from his wife and the happy hallmark family agenda Doyoung assumed it was finally the night to let loose. But all he could think about was you and where you were right now. What were you doing ? Did you not want him anymore upon meeting Jaehyun ?

“Need a top up ?” Johnny tapped Doyoung’s shoulder and the dark haired man nodded and held out his glass. “Hey you good ? my man you’re free tonight be happy!” Johnny cheered but his smile turned into a frown when Doyoung just appeared more stressed than usual. “Hey is this about..” Johnny turned to look at your father, making sure he was at a good distance from the conversation, “y/n ?”

Doyoung nodded and Johnny sighed.

“It happened, we went too far and now all I can think about is my wife and my son,” Doyoung sighed, staring at the brown liquid in his glass. “I truly fucked up.”

“You know what's fucked up ? you and this trainwreck of a marriage” Johnny scoffed, irked at the fact that he had to have this conversation about his friend’s failed relationship once again. “She is not the reason your marriage is not working, honestly she has nothing to do with your marriage regardless.”

“I know I know” Doyoung responded and sipped his drink, “I just cant get her out of my mind.”

“My advice is spend actual time with her, not these little sneaky one hour sessions and see how you feel after” Johnny suggested and Doyoung was quite surprised that the advice Johnny had given wasn't a total waste of time.

“If you're genuinely interested in another woman, it will make signing those divorce papers much easier, that's all i'm saying” Johnny concluded and topped up his own glass with the remainder of brandy.

“What about her family, Jaemin God what would everyone say if-”

“We will get to that when it's serious enough” Johnny interrupted before Doyoung dug himself into more worries. “For now just figure out if you're finally ready to call it quits.”

Doyoung decided to take a walk to clear his mind and ponder on the advice Johnny had given him earlier. He knew very well that his marriage was pretty much doomed a few years back but he hated that he stuck around to the point where he felt guilty to be the first one to bring up a divorce. What was even worse was that during a conflict over dinner some time back Jeno had come up to him and told him he’d be okay if it happened and it was better than both of them pretending to be happy for other people.

It was that very conversation that prompted Doyoung to have the phone call with Johnny, ready to begin the divorce  process but his sudden interest in you made him retract it. He felt insane. Careless. He made himself believe that he was only interested because he was unhappy in his marriage.

But of course that was never the case. You were different.

Doyoung stepped down into the courtyard and just as he was about to retreat he caught a glimpse of your figure that was partially lit by the overhead light of the restaurant. You were up against a wall, pinned against it by Jaehyun as he ravished your neck with kisses and you grabbed onto him for dear life enjoying every second of it.

Doyoung felt his body heat up at the sight of you with another man. He had never experienced that amount of jealousy and just pure anger up until this moment. Did he have a reason to be ? no. Could he have walked away and allowed you to do whatever you wanted seeing as you weren't his ? yes.

Was he going to ? not likely.

“Sorry, uhm Jaehyun ?” Doyoung cleared his throat causing you and Jaehyun to quickly move out of the shadows and gain some composure. Doyoung’s presence made you roll your eyes as Jaehyun approached his uncle’s friend unaware of the tension between the two of you.

“Oh hey Mr Kim” Jaehyun grinned and Doyoung’s jaw tightened as he took in your lipstick stains all over Jaehyun’s swollen lips and neck.

“Your uncle…He is looking for you…probably needs help getting back home seeing as Sungchan is preoccupied at the moment” Doyoung reported as his eyes briefly met yours.

Jaehyun looked back at you and shrugged. “Hey my offer is still open” he winked and gave you a quick peck on the cheek before moving his lips to your ear, “if you still want me just knock on my bungalow.”

You watched him say his goodbyes to Doyoung before quickly disappearing into the resort in search of his uncle and began your own journey home before you were interjected.

“y/n..” he held onto your wrist as you looked up at him.

“What ? you want to take over from where Jaehyun left off hmm ?” you raised your eyebrow, “you want to use me for about twenty minutes and go back to your happily married life ?”

Doyoung chewed on his bottom lip and exhaled deeply. “Look,” he began, taking a step forward, “I apologise for making you feel that way but please understand that was never my intention. I would never hurt you or purposefully disregard your feelings y/n” he loosened his hold on your wrist and caressed your cheek.

“A Lot of it is overwhelming but I've never done this before and  you're not just some random hook up y/n, believe it or not I actually like you” Doyoung’s words made your cheeks heat up, not completely sure how to react to his confession.

“Now listen,” he continued, “I had time to think about it and If we're both on the same page that it's not just a physical attraction then I want to spend time getting to know you better.”

“But how would we-”

“I managed to get an extra room up at the hotel away from the bungalows and I'll schedule myself free time for ‘business meetings’ throughout the day for us to hang out” He answered by pulling out a hotel keycard as evidence.

“How did you get a room isn't it at all suspicious that you're not at your bungalow ?” you frowned, still trying to process everything he was suddenly offering you.

“Y/n, me sleeping in a different room let alone a different suite altogether than my wife is not all that surprising to anyone around me” he admitted as he stuffed the keycard back into his pocket.

“If your little white lies work as well as you say they do then this should be a breeze right ?”

Your head was muddled and you wondered if he was being genuine about getting to know you or just stringing you along until he had another guilt trip fiasco. You needed some type of leverage to not only save your feelings but to also prove that he was in this for real this time.

“If you change your mind and for whatever reason decide ‘this is too much’ during the rest of the vacation  i'm going to come clean to both your wife and Jeno” you folded your arms and stood your ground.

“Sure, you have every right to” Doyoung answered, quicker than you expected him to. “Even though I will be going through a divorce in the possible future, if there is truly something between us, I'll sign the papers as soon as the vacation is over.” His words gave you goosebumps. He was absolutely serious. He was ready to go all in ?

You looked up into his almond eyes and nodded. “Deal.”

The next two weeks were probably some of the best moments of your life. Not only could you indulge in mind blowing sex with Doyoung but the two of you started to develop a genuine emotional relationship through your scandalous affair.

“What’s with this obsession with Greece y/n ?” Doyoung brushed the wet hair from your face as the two of you soaked your naked bodies in the spa bath of his hotel room.

“I love Greek mythology” you shrugged, “from the time my dad took me over there in elementary school, I had a school project on a Percy Jackson book” you giggled.

“I didn’t care much for the fantasies of Percy Jackson until I saw the real thing in Athens, it took my young breath away.”

Doyoung listened to your little story as he always did while watching the water droplets cascade down your shoulders and disappear into the soapy water. He finally felt relaxed for the first time in God knows how long.

You noticed you were babbling on and turned around to face him, giving him a cheeky smile.

“Are you daydreaming about screwing me while I was talking about a treasured memory ?” You raised your brow and Doyoung chuckled.

“Well I wasn’t thinking of it until you mentioned it just now”

You pulled him into a deep sensual kiss as you settled into his lap and sighed as he wrapped his delicate hands around your waist. Doyoung moved his lips down to your neck and nibbled on the sensitive skin, smirking when you moaned out his name. He loved hearing you praise him.

“Baby let’s move this to the bed” he whispered into your ear before pulling you out of the tub and quickly dried the two of you up before carrying you over to his bedroom.

“Someone wants to take his time tonight” you hummed and Doyoung gave your thigh a quick smack, ordering you to get on your stomach.

“That ass has been grinding up against me for the past hour and I can’t help but want to get a piece of it” his words made you wet in an instant as you slowly arched your back, giving him what he wanted.

Doyoung’s fingers danced across your spine and with his index finger he pressed into your core, sticking his tongue in his cheek as you already begged him for more. “Does my Angel want a little more?” He asked innocently as his second finger came in contact with your clit.

“Please more” was all you could say and Doyoung granted your wish, pushing two digits into your core and feeling your core clench around him. You loved when he took his time but you hated that you couldn’t last long when he did. You were already feeling an orgasm building way too early and quickly reached for his fingers and pulled away.

Doyoung chuckled darkly behind you and realised you weren’t going to hold on for long tonight and began lining up his member and pushing deep inside you. He sighed as you let out a gasp and gripped onto the bed sheets as he moved in and out of you in a brisk movement.

“That feels so good Mr Kim” you mewled, knowing it drives him insane in the best way possible when you refer to him formally in this type of setting.

Doyoung grabbed a fistful of your hair as he pounded into you. Your back arched in the best possible way for him to find your sweet spot. You were going delirious with ecstasy as his cold fingers moved to your throat and squeezed lightly. He was a professional in knowing what made you weak at this point.

“Come for me my Angel” Doyoung spoke between strokes and you could hear in the strain of his voice that he was close too.

Doyoung bit down on his lip as he watched you draw circles on your clit to help you finish. You were completely fucked out and he loved looking at you weak under his touch. Your pants became faster and Doyoung held on a little longer so you could cum all over him before pulling out of you and brought your mouth to his tip.

“Open up pretty” he swiped his thumb over your quivering lip and slipped his throbbing cock into your mouth until he finally came undone. Doyoung watched you swallow every bit of him until he was completely cleaned up and he stroked your head in satisfaction.

“Good girl.”

The next day you had plans with all the moms while Doyoung attended a few meetings with his friends. Everything was finally running smoothly until what you had feared most had already begun stirring.

Jaemin got a text from his mother to retrieve her ipad from his father’s suite, where she assumed it would be considering her husband only hired the suite for work related activities. Jaemin showed his identification to the hotel and headed up to the room until he realised that he didn't have keycard access. Mentally cursing himself he pulled out his phone in order to text his father until he heard a trolley park behind him.

“You need access to your dad’s room bro ?” the young bellboy smiled and held up the employee master key.

“Yeah thanks man” Jaemin nodded and watched the boy open the room for him and disappear down the hallway.

Jaemin stepped into the apartment and he immediately had an unsettling feeling fill his chest. From the unmade bed to the alcohol and chocolates spread across the coffee table, this looked a whole lot more than a ‘work suite’. Brushing it off knowing his parents have their issues anyway Jaemin began searching for the ipad. He slumped into the couch and looked in the crevices until he pulled out a very interesting piece of material.

“What the fuck ?” Jaemin murmured as he inspected the lingerie until the set started looking familiar to him. There was no way he thought. His heart began racing as he looked around the room once more and everything started to make sense. Your favourite chocolate, your favourite champagne left on the table. There was a new edition of Vogue magazine laying on the floor, the same one he saw you with at the pool the other morning.

Jaemin felt lightheaded. Who was he mad at more? Was it you ? the girl he was sleeping with just before the summer break or his father. The man that raised him and the man he respected. He was angry but reality hit when he realised he couldn't react.  He couldn't  cause a scene amongst the hundreds of socialites that could probably ruin his university reputation. This was how their lives worked. Everything needed to get buried before anyone outside their circle found out.

Jaemin sucked in a deep breath and left the room in silence. He needed to discuss this with the only person who could bury this messy affair.

His father.

While you were blissfully unaware of the shitstorm that was about to come, you happened to bump into Jaehyun and Mr Suh in one of the conference room lobbies. Both of them smiled down at you giving you an uneasy feeling that you couldn't explain.

“Looking for someone?” Johnny Suh smirked annoyingly.

“M-my father” you lied, “where is he ?”

“I think I saw him head over to the pool bar with Kun” Jaehyun draped his arm over your shoulder and escorted you very far from a confused Kim Doyoung who had just joined his friend Johnny Suh. The more you seemed to converse with Jaehyun the more awkward things had become. Since the night you made out with him you ofcourse cut it off after your deal with Doyoung, but you wondered why Jaehyun never bothered to question your sudden disinterest in him. He just moved on. You greeted him during dinners and said goodbyes when he left, that was about it.

“So where do you disappear to at odd hours during the day y/n ?” Jaeyhun brought you over to a table, pulling your chair close to him.

“You expect me to hang around Haechan and friends ? no thank you” you scoffed and Jaehyun stuck his tongue into his cheek and shook his head.

“You never answer my question sweetheart”

“Is it any of your business ?” you raised a brow and you hated the smug smile that spread across Jaehyun’s face. Him getting you heated probably got him off or something.

Jaehyun leaned in and you caught a whiff of his overpowering Tom Ford perfume. “I know you’re fucking Mr Kim so cut the innocent act” he smirked, enjoying seeing the fear that now filled your eyes. There was no point in denying since he probably found out from his loud mouth uncle who Doyoung admitted to letting in on your little secret.

“Like I said, that’s none of your business” you kept your cool, waving at a waiter to order something strong to keep your nerves down.

Jaehyun politely waited until your order was received and again leaned in close enough to make you tense up.

“Let me cut to the chase here y/n” Jaehyun began, “this little secret might be the juiciest story in the last few years and if it gets out your dad’s reputation, Mr Kim’s reputation…”

“Nothing is going to happen because no one is going to find out” you cut him off. Jaehyun raised his brow as if you just challenged him.

“Help me out and I’ll keep your dirty little secret” he leaned back in his chair and smiled as the waiter brought over your drinks. You glanced over Jaehyun, trying to figure out what he could possibly want when he practically had it all.

“Remember I mentioned that the only reason I’m here is because of you” Jaehyun sipped his drink, “well turns out there’s a lot of perks in dating the heir of this resort.”

“Oh really like what ?” You rolled your eyes at him.

“There’s this film I want to star in and the director is obsessed with wanting to come to this resort during these ridiculous networking vacations” Jaehyun explained, “Now I don’t have the power and neither does my uncle have a say as to who gets an invite, only your dad.”

You frowned as you tried following what he was getting at.

“Why can’t I just tell my dad to invite the guy why do I have to be dating you ?”

Jaehyun sighed and placed an arm around your waist. “Wouldn’t it be just romantic ?” He smiled, “y/n and Jeong Jaehyun met at her fathers resort and now she’s accompanying him to the Cannes film festival officially as his girlfriend.”

“You’re delusional” you rolled your eyes.

“And you’re fucking your boy toy’s father let’s not play the morality scale here sweetheart” he smirked and honestly you wished you could punch him in the face.

“Remember, your fathers entire empire could come crashing down” he added and you felt a shudder go down your spine.

“..how can I be so sure you won’t say anything after the festival is over?” You asked in a small voice. This felt like a dead end situation.

Jaehyun pulled out an envelope from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of you.

“My uncles a lawyer and I’ll make sure this little agreement between the two of us stays equal and authentic, no fine print.”

You couldn’t believe this was happening. One minute you were in paradise with Doyoung and now you’re in a law and order episode with Jaehyun. But you couldn’t risk it. Not for Mr Kim and definitely not for your parents. Image was absolutely everything in this socialite world and one little mistake could ruin it all.

“What were the two of you planning to do after he divorced his wife anyway ? Get married ?” Jaehyun chuckled dryly beside you.

That was another question that always kept you up at night. Yes he was going to divorce his wife and be with you but the two of you could never go public. Your parents would be livid plus the press would have a field day. You could be dropped in university for your actions, the sin count was endless.

Maybe there was no happy ending after all.

You signed Jaehyuns agreement and decided to retire to your bungalow before contacting Doyoung about everything that had just happened. This may even be the last night you could spend with him.

While you were wrapped in your own thoughts Jaemin watched as his father got ready for the dinner party your father was hosting tonight. Everyone was invited but Jaemin already felt sick to his stomach that he’d have to be in the presence of both you and his father.

“Dad, are you almost ready ?” He knocked on the door as he watched his father scramble for a necktie.

“Yeah yeah almost done son” Doyoung chuckled as he finally picked one out, “gotta look good for the last big dinner here.”

Jaemin leaned against the door frame as he watched his father spruce himself up. He actually never noticed how much his mood had changed since they had arrived. He was dressing nicer, he was smiling more and honestly just felt like his old self again.

Jaemin couldn’t stand that he knew the reason for his fathers happiness.

“Okay let’s head out!” Doyoung draped his arm over his son's shoulder as he met his wife at the entrance and they made their way over to the grand dinner party.

All the investors were there and it seemed like they kicked off the drinking festivities quite early as the restaurant was brimming with lively chatter and clinking of glasses. You decided that despite your sombre mood you’d still dress for the occasion and stepped out in a lacy Versace midi dress that you had been saving for the end of the trip.

“Hey y/n that milf hunter has been lookin- wow you look great!” Haechan’s eyes widened as he took a second to look at you.

“Thanks Haechan, who knew you’d be the least hated person on my trip this year” you nudged him playfully.

“Character development” he winked before realising what he came over for, “oh I was saying that Jae-“

“Hello y/n '' Jaehyun approached you in a Prada custom, you figured at this point he was probably sponsored since that's the only brand he wore the entire trip.

“Hi Jaehyun” you forced a smile as he gestured for you to take his arm. Your stomach churned as you watched him flash that gorgeous smile to all your fathers elite guests, all the older women gushing and giggling when he acknowledged their existence.

“What’s going on with your brother and y/n?” Chenle asked Sungchan who just shrugged as he was just as confused as the rest of them. Jaemin was especially confused. Could he have been wrong about the woman his father had seen ?

Doyoung was a bit distracted by all the guests but he managed to catch a little glimpse of you when you were being introduced to a board member by your father.

You looked breathtaking and he couldn’t wait to tell you that. He wished he could just steal you away just for a minute and have you all to himself. He wanted to pepper your skin with soft kisses and tell you how beautiful you were. He wanted to show you off to everyone here that you were his.

But Doyoung’s smile faded when he saw Jaehyun slip beside you and his hand was placed on the small of your back as he joined the conversation. Jaehyun was behaving differently. He was attached to your side and now he had the distaste of watching Jaehyun press his lips against your cheek.

“Whatever he is doing I am not involved” Doyoung snapped out of trance to Johnny's voice beside him. The taller man offered him a whiskey as they watched the scene from a distance.

“I thought you said he’s not interested in her,” Doyoung said as he winced at the taste of his whiskey.

“You know how these kids are” Johnny shrugged, “one day they’re fighting next day they’re fucking like rabbits.”

Doyoung shook his head at Johnny's crude words as he continued to observe the strange interaction. That was until Jaehyun had locked eyes with him and he sent him a wink.

God he knew.

“You told your nephew ?” Doyoung pulled Johnny aside who was still pretty much oblivious to everything that was unfolding.

“Told him what ?”

“What do you mean! You know what” Doyoung shot back the rest of his whiskey in frustration. “Johnny, did you tell your indecent moronic nephew about y/n and I ?”

Johnny thought about it for a second and then raised his hands in defence. “He must have overheard me on the phone or maybe I….mentioned it while I was drunk.”

“You’re unbelievable” Doyoung spat and shoved the glass into Johnny's hands before making his way out onto the terrace for a breath of fresh air.

Meanwhile you finally found an excuse to get away from Jaehyun who decided that his next target for the night was some film star from the 80s that he wanted as a mentor. You walked out into the courtyard and blew out a sigh of relief that you were finally free from that place.

“Y/n….”

You looked back and noticed Doyoung was making his way down from another exit, probably sick of this party as well. You were so happy to see him finally, he’s the only person you wanted to see tonight. Doyoung moved down a path that was dimly lit and away from anyone at the party and waited until you were able to make your way over to him.

“Doyoung” you practically ran into his arms as the two of you  embraced tightly under the moonlit sky. You didn’t want to let him go. Especially after everything that had happened earlier on.

“y/n what is going on?” He asked with concern as he studied your face.

“That bastard ugh” you cursed, “Jaehyun knows about us and now he’s blackmailing me into dating him for some film feature.”

Doyoung felt a burning sensation in his throat. Having someone like Jaehyun in on the secret meant it was done, it was over for everyone involved.

“Should I talk to him, what he says something after ? I could-“

“No” you replied, pressing your hands to his chest. “He made me sign an agreement that he wouldn’t say anything, as long as I do a few PR couple things for him.”

“This is my fault I should’ve never told Johnny I should’ve -“

“It’s not your fault” you cut him off again, “this relationship we have is complicated and after speaking with Jaehyun I realised that it’s going to be difficult regardless if he knew or not.”

Doyoung licked his lips as he figured what you were getting at. He never thought about how hard it would be to even start seeing you in your day to day life once he was a divorced man. Your father and him might ruin a good business relationship and opportunities for you could be removed based on what the public opinion would be.

“So this ends here then” he said defeatedly as he watched you fight back a few tears.

“I wish it could be different” you replied and looked up into his comforting eyes. Doyoung leaned down and pressed his lips against yours. The kiss was sweet and soft, it reminded you of the one night you were able to sleep over and finally fall asleep in his arms.

It wasn’t long until the kiss became intense, and Doyoung had you up against the stone wall pressing his body against yours as he ravished you with kisses. There was absolutely no way the two of you could sneak off so you were okay to get whatever little time the two of you had left. Doyoung pushed up your dress in a hurry as you undid his pants and got into a position that would give him easy access in the short space of time. Groaning as he entered you, Doyoung pushed your hair to the side and left open mouth kisses along your neck and jawline as he pounded into you, a few feet from your father’s dinner party.

“Doyoung I can't hold on any longer” you panted as you chased your orgasm. Doyoung planted a soft kiss on your cheek before quickening his pace and his soft whispers made you weak at the knees.

“Baby i'm going to fill you up and don't you worry this won't be the last time, I promise” he grunted until he finally released inside of you and quickly grabbed hold of your waist to help your balance. That was probably one of the best orgasms of your life and you wondered if you’d ever feel something  like that ever again.

“Did you mean it ?” you asked in a soft voice as Doyoung helped you neaten up.

“That it won't be the last ?”

You nodded and he cupped your face with his large hands, smiling down at you.

“It's tough right now, but after things begin to settle we can try going on a little private vacation, just you and me” he promised with a kiss on your forehead, “look at it this way, being apart for a while will just build excitement to seeing each other again.”

You chuckled and nodded once more, softly embracing him before realising it was probably time to get back to the party. As you walked away you felt a lump develop in your throat because while his gesture was sweet, you honestly had no idea if you'd see him like this again. Doyoung shared your exact sentiments and only said what he said to give you a piece of mind.

He watched you walk off and decided to go in the opposite direction to use an alternate entrance when he noticed Jaemin had been sitting slumped on the terrace chair watching him make his way over.

“Son, what are you doing here?” Doyoung cleared his throat and shoved his hands in his pocket to appear less nervous.

“Where were you dad ?” Jaemin deadpanned.

“I was..I was just-”

“How long have you been seeing y/n ?” Jaemin looked up at him and Doyoung’s chest felt heavy as his son looked at him with such disgust in his eyes.

“Jaemin what are you talking-”

“Look,” Jaemin cut his father off, “I went to your hotel room and figured it out, I didn't tell anyone and I don't plan to because I don't want to be embarrassed.”

Doyoung sighed and it felt like his entire world just crashed once more. From being a shitty husband the last thing on earth he ever wanted to be was a shitty father. He was selfish because he was unhappy in his marriage but not once did he consider how Jaemin would feel if, when he found out.

“I'm so sorry Jaemin, I really am and don't worry it started and ended on this trip” Doyoung tried to reassure the boy. “I made a huge fucking mistake because-”

“You wanted out of your marriage” Jaemin sighed and Doyoung nodded with guilt. Jaemin chuckled bitterly and looked off into the distance. “What’s more annoying is that Ive never seen you happier you know, I just assumed it was being away from the office.”

Doyoung listened intently as Jaemin shared his sentiments. “I cant believe the reason you had to suffer and stay in this awful marriage was probably because of me” Jaemin frowned and looked back at his dad, “Of course I hate that it was y/n but dad please live for yourself, I can't stand this person you have become in the last few years.”

Jaemin’s words surprised Doyoung but he hated that he didn't want him to think that you were the sole purpose for his new found joy. Being free was the root of his happiness and being with someone like you made him feel free.

“Look son, firstly us staying together was our choice and I apologise that you felt guilty for my change in character, that is not your fault and never will be” Doyoung reassured him and placed his hand on Jaemin’s shoulder, “y/n have ended what we have and shes with…Jaehyun now, don't worry about it okay?”

Doyoung would rather use Jaehyun’s blackmail to avert all attention all together and in turn that part of the deal seems more realistic and eventually everybody is happy. Almost everyone.

Jaemin felt a sense of calm that the affair was over and that you were moving on. He obviously hated Jaehyun but it was better to bury all of this and for it to never be revisited ever again.

“Okay cool” Jaemin finally said, “God I hate this resort.”

“That makes two of us.”

Back at the party you were practically on autopilot, doing the rounds of small talk with all of your father’s guests to distract your mind from Doyoung. This was what being a socialite was all about. Your lives were a mess just like anybody else but the media could only show the good side of it. The lavish parties, the power couples, the perfect children with the perfect grades.

That's all it ever was and will ever be.

The next day all bags packed you had your father’s closest circle had a grand breakfast then gathered in the lobby for the last goodbye.

“What a time huh?” Johnny Suh bellowed as he shook your father’s hand, “next time at the Maldives resort ?”

Were not fishing your drunk body out of the ocean Johnny” your father quipped as the two of them laughed in unison. You said your goodbyes to Chenle whose father was already rushing them into their car.

“Mr Qian is a true airport dad” Haechan shook his head.

“What is he late for ? He literally owns a private jet” Sungchan added.

You smiled as Jaehyun came over, you really played up the fake girlfriend thing because you had no idea what the psychopath was capable of next.

“Aw look at you, so sad to see me go” Jaehyun pouted as he moved a strand of hair out of your face.

“Hmm so sad” you gritted your teeth as you pulled him into a hug that involved a cheeky pinch to his side which only made him laugh. Jaehyun pressed his lips to your cheek and slipped his hand down to your lower back.

“Be a good girl now and I’ll be seeing you in New York next week” Jaeyhun smirked and made his way out with Sungchan and his uncle.

Jaemin shuffled awkwardly as it was now just your family, his and Lee Haechan. He watched as you and his father paid each other no mind as if nothing has or ever happened between the two of you. Doyoung tipped an employee that loaded their car and waited until his family had finished their goodbyes.

“Oh please do come to the next vacation, it was a pleasure having you” your mom hugged the Kims before Mrs Kim, her son and Haechan jumped into the vehicle.

“Yes Doyoung don't you dare go off and work in solitude like you always do” your father gave him a firm handshake.

“We shall see what the future holds,” Doyoung smiled before coming over to you. He almost felt like a stranger again with the way he stood his distance and held out his hand to you.

“I hope when you're not too busy we can play golf again” He smiled and you felt your heart flutter.

“I’ll let you know when my schedule is free Mr Kim.”

The End

[eaglesnick]

“Leverage is the reason some people become rich and others do not become rich” - Robert T Kiyosaki

The privatised water companies have been demanding price rises of between 24% and 91% over the next five years according to the Consumer Council for Water. The mainly foreign owned "English" water companies want to invest £96bn in water and sewage restructuring between now and 2030. New reservoirs, the first for over 30 years, will be built, leaks will be reduced and less sewage will be pumped into our waterways and seas.

Amen to that! But wait…

“English water firms have handed £57 billion to shareholders in the 30 years after privatisation.” (The London Economic: 28/10/21)

We, the consumer, having generously contributed to foreign share dividends for three decades to the tune of £2 billion per year, are now expected to part with even more money to pay for 30 years of private water company neglect. Meanwhile, the CEO’s of these private companies gave themselves a 20% pay rise for the year 2021-22, pocketing £24.8 million.

None of these facts are particularly new but what really irked me yesterday morning was an interview on BBC’s “Today" programme with David Henderson, CEO of Water UK, the organisation that represents all of the privately owned water companies.

Stressing the country’s need for “economic growth", Henderson said this would not be possible unless the water companies were allowed to drastically raise the price of water to cover the cost of investment needed to upgrade our water infrastructure. Talking of the need to increase water supply he stated:

“We have not built a reservoir in 30 years, even though our population has risen by 20% in that time. And that’s because we have been blocked by regulators and by planning officials around the country.”

The cheek!

According to New Civil Engineer magazine (01/09/22)

“There is a seemingly direct link between the 1989 privatisation of water companies in the UK and the ceasing of new reservoirs being built. While there have been a number of flood alleviation reservoirs built by the Environment Agency in this time, the water companies have not invested in potable drinking reservoirs.”

While I have no doubt that some applications for new reservoirs have been refused by planning authorities the main reason for inadequate reservoir capacity is the reluctance of the privately owned water companies to spend money on investment. Despite what David Henderson said on the Today programme this is a headline from the Express:

“Water firms ‘sold off reservoirs that could have eased drought' - Profit ahead of supply" (10/08.22)

In defending the private water companies Henderson was merely doing his job - after all that is what he is paid to do - but unfortunately their behaviour is indefensible. The reason that our waterway infrastructure is near collapse is not because investment plans have been blocked by “regulators and planning officials" but because of greed.

When Margaret Thatcher privatised the previously publicly owned water companies she sold this national asset for a grand total of £7.6bn. In addition she gave the newly created privately owned water companies a “green dowry" of £1.5bn. At time of purchase the water companies were totally debt free.

Fast-forward and what do we find?

“Water firms’ debts since privatisation hit £54bn as Ofwat refuses to impose limits.” Guardian: 01/12.22)

The water companies have spent the last few decades borrowing money, not to improve the water supply and sewage disposal infrastructure, but to pay dividends to shareholders. According to Ofwat’s own figures the water companies have been running ratios of debt to capital value as high as 80%. Water company share holders (70% owned by foreign investors) have received £65.9bn in dividends and it is calculated that 20% of household water bills go towards paying for the debt that rewards these shareholders.

Rachel Reeves much heralded national wealth fund is supposed to be a central plank of the Labour governments “Green Prosperity Plan” but Labour’s earlier promise to nationalise the dysfunctional private water companies has now been abandoned.

David Henderson has issued what in effect is a blackmail ultimatum to the new Labour Government that without massive price rises in consumer water bills, the Labour Party can kiss their dreams of economic growth goodbye.

Today Ofwat, the water regulator, sanctioned an average increase in water bills of 21%, some companies charging as much as 44% more over a five year period. This is a third less than what the water companies demanded, but even a 21% rise over five years is an increase of 4% a year, twice the inflation rate target of the Bank of England.

An interesting case study will be that of Thames Water which has dire financial problems due to building up a debt of £14bn (while still paying out tens of millions in dividends to its shareholders). It remains to be seen if Thames Water will be allowed to go bust or whether the new Labour Government will step in and bail it out but maybe this headline gives us a clue:

“Labour abstain on bid to criminalize water companies for sewage pollution” (Canary: 17/05/24)

[jeongyunhoed]

The third and final story in the 100-Day trilogy, taking place four years after the events of The 100-Day Relationship and two years since the events of I Do. When the patriarch of the Choi family suffers a heart attack, the entire clan decides to visit the estate in the hopes of getting in his good graces and parts of his fortune before he passes. Seonghwa and Juhyun now find themselves clashing with nosy relatives who threaten to split them up and have her removed from any possible inheritance.

Inheritance 

Member: Seonghwa Pairing: Seonghwa/OC Genre: I’m going to say angst-fluff, drama, intrigue. Things to note: Art Curator!Hwa, a lot of crazy rich stuff again (for real, this will have A LOT), and perhaps some adult-y things.

Watch out!: More drama ahead. Marital arguments, hidden cameras because bitchy relatives and worse exes paired together make a horrible combination.

A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long. I kind of steered away from Kpop for a bit but I managed to unclog my brain enough to be able to write this chapter. Tag list is open as always.

Tag list: @kflixnet , @treasure-hwa    

Masterlist

Chapter 4

The news of the Choi patriarch’s death spread to the news outlets almost immediately, partly due to Daeyoung’s acquaintances at one of the newspaper outlets in both Japan and Korea. The article reporting of the death took up more ad space in the obituary section, much to Daeyoung’s liking. It led to Jongmin and Hyunwoo insisting that the wake and the funeral be held completely private, away from the prying eyes of the media. 

“Choi Hyungsuk, the head of one of the country’s wealthiest families, passed away of natural causes this week. The chaebol is survived by his three children; Choi Hyunwoo, Choi Jongmin, and Choi Seonak, eight grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. The CEO position of the family’s company is now undetermined with the patriarch’s shares up for grabs.” 

Hyunwoo put down the newspapers after reading the article that morning, shooting a glare toward his son, who seemed especially pleased with what he did over breakfast. “Did you really have to make this all a show?” He asked. 

Daeyoung shook his head. “I didn’t write it that way, I just told my contacts the points that needed to be mentioned,” He said. “The shares grandpa owns are public information, father. In every country he’s got properties in.” 

“You do realize that the country we have been living in has inheritance taxes, right? If anything, the only one squandering whatever money we have just so happens to be my only son,” Hyunwoo frowned. “Have those investors of yours been delivering on what they said they’d do anyway?” 

“Father, you sound as if uncle Jongmin is the one who will get grandpa’s shares when we all know that you, the eldest in your family, will rightfully receive all of those, however much grandpa still owns in the company,” Daeyoung pointed out. 

Hyunwoo knew his son had a point, but there was none in trying to explain how he honestly had no care for it. Hyunwoo was always more than happy to receive whatever he could for as long as he had a place in the company – he would always assure his family that having less of those shares meant having less of a burden. His wife, while relieved that he felt that way, always had that underlying concern that one day, Hyunwoo might see things from Daeyoung’s point of view, or even from Seonak’s point of view. 

Despite Daeyoung’s insistence on flaunting their wealth, Hyunwoo and Jina knew that at the end of the day, they are still much better off now than if they got more. Jina, who also came from old money (her family owns one of the country’s major banks that have branches in several countries), knew to teach her children to be content and happy while striving for more purpose in the world. Both Hyunwoo and Jina had even questioned at one point if Daeyoung was really their son and not Seonak’s. 

“I don’t think it’s the right time to think about the family business, it’s important to take some time to grieve properly, isn’t it?” Jina said while taking a sip of her tea. “We must all be present at the wake later, Eunhyung and the rest of the staff are making the preparations while we’ve done all we could for the rest. If there are reporters present, no comment as always.” 

Daeyoung and Hyemin exchanged looks. “But, mom-” Hyemin tried to interject. “With all due respect, I think the people should at least know-” 

“Know what, Hyemin?” Hyunwoo spoke again, making her sit up straight, falling silent. “They know what they need to know. There’s no other news. They’ve already brought up how my father’s shares at the company are up for grabs, that’s all the media circus this is going to get.” 

Soohyuk, who had been quiet this whole time, excused himself and brought his plate and cup out from the dining area, passing it to the helper who was nearby and quickly went down to place it in the kitchen. Having heard what happened that drove Juhyun and Seonghwa to leave the estate and return to the city, Soohyuk returned to his room and packed his things. They were all set to leave the estate anyway until the day they would be called to return for the will reading. 

He had grown to see how his own parents were from an early age, just by observing how Daeyoung treated everyone and how Hyemin was with her own group of socialites that married richer husbands. Soohyuk had also gotten teased for his family’s wealth, but, like his other aunts and his much younger uncle, he shrugged it off. Daeyoung and Hyemin never even knew that Soohyuk worked for a university newspaper and that he was becoming interested in one of his classmates, a girl named Rie Tachibana, whom he got to see in their philosophy and literature classes. 

Soohyuk could only imagine what his parents would say if they found out that he had asked her out. He knew they would grill Rie much like how Daeyoung and Seonak rounded on Seonghwa and Juhyun during the dinner. He took out his phone and glanced at the door before locking it. He didn’t want to be disturbed, much less get caught for now. Maybe when he proposed to Rie, he could, but not for now. 

He sat back down on the edge of the bed and tapped his phone’s contacts, to her number. Soohyuk took a deep breath and tapped the video call feature, seeing it ring. Rie’s sudden appearance on his screen nearly made him fall over in surprise. 

“Hello? Soohyuk-kun!” She said with a smile. 

“H-hi,” Soohyuk smiled back, hoping that his cheeks weren’t red. 

“What’s up? I still have to revise that article I’m doing on the school’s cheerleading squad. I heard you’re in Korea, but you seem to be in some hotel?” Rie asked. 

Soohyuk shook his head. “It’s the ancestral home, but not really,” He said. He looked down for a moment. “I admit, I just wanted to call you after what’s been going on.” 

“Oh-oh yeah, I’m sorry about your loss,” Rie’s tone softened. “I’d visit you if I could. The funeral’s going to be there, I presume?” 

“Obviously,” Soohyuk chuckled. “But I could arrange for you to come here if you’d like.” 

Rie raised a brow. “That’s a weird way of asking me out. We had a nice time before.” 

“Well that was before,” Soohyuk tried to sound cool. “We did agree to another date, didn’t we?” He said, hoping that he wasn’t smiling so wide. 

Rie nodded. “Yes we did. When you get back, maybe we could have dinner again, without talking about the newspaper or homework or any of those lectures,” She pointed out. 

“Deal,” Soohyuk nodded. 

Rie nodded as well. “Must be nice to live like you, huh?” She said, looking a little wistful. “Don’t have to worry about a thing.” 

Soohyuk shook his head. “It seems that way, doesn’t it?” 

There was a knock on the door and Soohyuk could only wave at Rie before hanging up. He rushed to unlock and open the door and saw Sangmin come in, holding his gaming console. “Soohyuk hyung! Want to play some Mario Kart?” He asked. 

Soohyuk shook his head. “Only for a little bit. I’m packing up to leave.” 

Sangmin’s head tilted and he looked at the older male with slight concern. “You’re leaving too?” He asked. 

“Oh, yes, yes, aren’t we all? Shouldn’t you be packing to go home?” He asked. 

Sangmin nodded. “I already did it. I knew we were going to leave the moment Juhyun noona and Seonghwa hyung left the other day.” 

Soohyuk let out an exasperated sigh. “Ah right. You think aunt Seonak drove great grandpa to his death?” He grinned. 

The younger male laughed out loud. “I wouldn’t be surprised. So, Mario Kart?” 

Soohyuk nodded. “Alright, grand prix, okay?” He said, following Sangmin out of the room. He would much rather focus on a confusing race track than have to deal with his own family at the moment. 

~ 

While most of the public took little notice of the Choi patriarch’s passing, the news was arguably the most important among society circles in Korea. Many trust fund bachelors were already making bets as to which Choi family member would take the lead – as Juhyun’s father was the one in Korea and was therefore more public, he was the most obvious choice. Hyunwoo was second place. Seonak wasn’t given a passing thought given that she was based in Switzerland and hadn’t set foot in Seoul, more less Jinju, for years since moving to Geneva. 

Even Seonghwa’s family was aware of what was happening, and in turn, sought to travel to the funeral hall where the wake was being held to pay their respects. Seonghwa’s grandmother, whom had viewed Juhyun’s grandfather as a best friend in recent years since their reunion, was especially saddened yet she wasn’t crying. Seonghwa knew this from seeing her take a lot longer to move to the side after almost every visitor paid their respects. 

It was an all-black affair, with some of the men looking rather tired – many would compare them to celebrities getting into trouble with the law and are in the midst of a court case. Hyunwoo’s comparison was accurate – that the news of the patriarch’s death was followed by a media circus. 

Some politicians – Hyungsuk’s old colleagues or peers – had even arrived to pay their respects and give their condolences to Jongmin, Hyunwoo, and even Seonak. While Hyunwoo and Jongmin were grouped with the tired celebrities in terms of looks, Seonak looked as polished as ever. Maintaining the bob she had not long after the passing along with a full face of makeup. Hyemin of course, took after her aunt-in-law in a freshly-styled hairdo and a full beat. 

Juhyun, on the other hand, looked as simple as she had always been – unintentionally meeting the criteria of what was popularly constituted as “quiet luxury.” Seonghwa knew that she had only thrown on the first things she saw in her dressers. She watched the visitors come up to the front, approach the portrait of her grandfather, then leave, but not without passing all of them to greet them briefly before really leaving the place. 

She wasn’t particularly close with her grandfather over the years. As far as she knew, she only remembered afternoons when he would take her to the local supermarket and buy her snacks to eat for school in the coming week. Juhyun also remembered summers when she was a child, watching him hover over the cooks in the kitchen, not to criticize their way of cooking, but to ask them about it. It wasn’t something her grandmother approved, but the cooks were grateful nonetheless. They would rather have Hyungsuk than her grandmother hovering over them. 

Whenever her grandmother would constantly ask them to pose for photos, the same kind, Juhyun remembered, her grandfather would call her out on it. 

“Again?! We just took a lot of photos a few minutes ago!” She remembered him often saying. 

When her grandmother died, it was still quite a somber affair. But Juhyun remembered Seonak asking who stands to also inherit parts of her wardrobe. Being the only child on her side of the family, Juhyun’s grandmother basically had everything she could ever ask for and more. Naturally, Seonak got most of her wardrobe, including her jewelry. Those never saw the light of day unless she planned on showing off to her friends, which was almost every week. 

The rest of the wardrobe, made up of pieces that Seonak didn’t like or thought was garbage, ended up with Eunhyung. Hyungsuk, of course, did not object. 

It was a tense greeting when Juhyun and Seonghwa showed up that day of the wake. She only nodded in acknowledgment when Jihyun and Bin arrived, only for Juhyun to pull Seonghwa away when they planned to approach them. The conversation at the estate was still fresh in her mind, and Juhyun felt like she needed to stand her ground in deciding that she would not attend the wedding unless Seonghwa was invited too. 

“Do you think they can change their minds about your aunt’s condition of letting them get married in Geneva?” Seonghwa muttered to her as they walked to the side, a little away from the growing crowd and clusters of people stopping to send their condolences. 

“I wouldn’t put it past them, but,” Juhyun sighed. “At this point, I’m starting not to care. If they want to stick with that, then so be it. It’ll save us the time and effort to clear our schedules.” 

Seonghwa reached down to hold her hand, lacing their fingers together. “But Jihyun’s your sister,” He said. 

“But you are my husband,” She countered with a squeeze of his hand. “I married you, which makes you more important than them to me.” 

Seonghwa felt incredibly moved, but it didn’t take away the bit of guilt he felt for Juhyun missing out on Jihyun’s wedding because of him. He also knew Juhyun had a point. They were now more important to each other than everyone in their immediate families. He kissed her cheek and pulled away to get them some water. 

As he approached the water cooler to fill two cups, he suddenly saw Seonak making her way over to him. Seonghwa tensed up, trying to make this as quick as possible only for the older woman to stop him. “Seonghwa, hello,” She said with a smile. 

“Hello.” 

A small smile appeared on her lips. “How are you finding all of this? The frenzy surrounding my father’s passing?” She said. 

It’s a trap, he thought. Seonak’s trying to find his weakness. He needed to be careful. “Somber. He was a good man to have many friends come and see him,” Seonghwa replied, trying to be as polite and as formal as possible. 

Seonak nodded, taking one of the cups of water from his hand and taking a sip. “Walk with me, will you?” She said, gesturing to the nearby hall where there hardly weren’t any people. 

Seonghwa could feel his heart pound as he agreed. The anxiety was growing as he walked alongside Juhyun’s aunt. The very aunt she hated, along the empty hall. Juhyun was going to wonder where he had gone off. He refused to say another word unless she spoke. 

And Seonak did. “You know, you could imagine my surprise when I found out that everyone else was invited to your wedding except for me,” She started, taking another sip of the water that was meant for Juhyun. “That’s quite disrespectful, you know.” 

Seonghwa reminded himself even more that whatever he said next, Seonak may use against him. “Sorry,” He said, still keeping it as formal and as polite as possible. He somehow had a feeling she was anticipating that he get down on his knees to beg for her forgiveness, that he’d squeal. Seonghwa knew not to explain any further and keep it at that. 

“But then again, I suppose it might be out of shame that Juhyun settled,” Seonak said with a simper as they walked. “That girl could potentially have everything, including a high quality husband.” 

“...Excuse me?” Seonghwa blurted out. 

But Seonak only chuckled, as if expecting the reaction. “Juhyun settled with you. She never got it into her head that she could do so much better, aim much higher. For gods’ sake, she was nearly propositioned by the English nobility. We could’ve had a duchess in this family.” 

“What?” Seonghwa was trying to wrap his head around what the older woman was saying. 

Seonak sighed, giving him an apologetic look. “Why even waste your time trying to fit in, Park Seonghwa? If there is one thing you should know, even now that both my parents are gone, you will never be enough,” She said. 

There it was, Seonghwa thought, as he noticed Seonak take a folded wad of paper out of her purse and handed it over to him. “What’s this?” He said. 

“Something for you to think about. I know it’s already been a few years,” Seonak said. “But there’s still time to make things right, let Juhyun be where she belongs. It’s not too late.” 

Seonak walked off, tossing the now-empty cup of water into the dust bin. Seonghwa could feel the weight come off him, like the dark cloud had now left and dissipated. He remembered that Juhyun would be looking for him right about now. If anyone told her they saw him walk and talk with Seonak, Seonghwa knew she was going to be curious. 

He looked down at the folded wad of papers she gave him. A nagging thought was beginning to surface in his mind. Seonghwa hoped it wasn’t what he thought it was, while he slowly unfolded the paper. The words printed at the top only confirmed his nagging thoughts. To make things worse, most of the paper had already been filled out with both their names. 

Application for Uncontested Divorce

~ 

The executor of Hyungsuk’s will announced that the reading would be done a month later, and everyone left for their respective homes. In the case of Seonak and her family, she opted to remain in the estate while her two daughters and son-in-law stayed elsewhere. The funeral was held just as quickly and as privately, a ceremony amongst the immediate family that made up the entire Choi clan. The three children of the patriarch had only permitted guests and visitors, to pay their respects at the wake. Seonak especially saw to it that not even Seonghwa’s grandmother was invited. 

Despite the trying time for the entire Choi clan, Juhyun still brought herself to work. Being in the office served as a welcome distraction from the family members she had to tolerate.She insisted on showing up for work even if Seonghwa told her that it was likely going to be fine for her not to show up for that same reason. Her doing so shocked the employees and supervisors that were part of the new division she was put in charge of: Cosmetics. 

A board meeting to discuss the upcoming cosmetic exhibition later, Juhyun returned to her office. Seonghwa was suddenly waiting for her, sitting on the couch. “Hey,” He said, standing up when she closed the door behind her. 

“Seonghwa? What brings you here?” She asked. 

He was suddenly unsure of whether or not to say it. While he wanted to always be honest with Juhyun, what Seonak proposed he do would only cause them both harm. “I just wanted to see you, how you’re doing,” He took her into his arms and kissed her forehead. “It hasn’t been long, how are you feeling?” 

“Fine, really. I’ve had time to process everything. Oddly I’m not so sad,” Juhyun said, looking up at her husband. “What about you? You really worried?” She raised a brow, sensing something different. 

Seonghwa smiled. “I need to talk to you about something. It’s about what happened during the wake,” He said, letting go for them to sit down again. 

“Oh? What happened at the wake? Did aunt Seonak give you another condescending look?” Juhyun frowned. 

He shook his head. “No, it’s something different, actually. She said you were nearly propositioned by an English royal,” He revealed. That much he could say for now, he thought. “Did it really happen?” He was curious. 

Juhyun stared at him for a moment. “She said that to you?” and he nodded. “Did he, really? As far as I know, I was sitting next to the woman he ultimately proposed to.” 

It was Seonghwa’s turn to be confused. “...What?” 

“Lord Oliver Montague of Mayfair,” Juhyun revealed. “I didn’t think he would actually propose to me all those years ago. It was early in college, before Jihan took notice of me. I kind of helped him when he was lost in Sanary-sur-Mer during the summer break, and he thanked me by inviting me to his family home.” 

Seonghwa took note of every detail she revealed about the man, unsure whether to feel insecure or not. “Was he handsome?” 

“He was good-looking, I admit,” Juhyun said, her expression falling slightly the more Seonghwa asked. “But he was more than 10 years older than me at the time, he wasn’t going to wait to start a family if he proposed to me. The woman I sat next to, her name was Monique Rahman, she ended up becoming his wife. Now she’s Lady Montague.” 

“You seem so up-to-date with Lord Oliver’s whereabouts,” Seonghwa noticed. 

Juhyun shook her head. “Not really. He just sends me a message every now and then, telling me what he’s been up to. He’s happily married to this day and good for him.” 

“Oh, oh good, good for him,” Seonghwa nodded. “Sounds like a good guy.” 

She studied his reaction. “Seonghwa…I married you. Aunt Seonak is trying to get into your head the way Rebecca was trying to get into mine,” She assured him, voice low. 

“I know, I know,” He replied. His mind was racing. All he could think about was the wad of paper that he tucked under his desk at the museum. “I mean, we could’ve both settled with them, right? But we settled with each other.” 

Juhyun raised a brow. “What do you mean?” 

There it was, it felt like there was no way to stop what Seonghwa knew he was going to say. Juhyun sensed it too. “I mean, had you settled for that British Lord, and I with Rebecca even if she was the one who left me, we would’ve turned out very differently, right?” 

“Seonghwa,” Juhyun stood up. “Are you hearing what you’re saying?” 

“Loud and clear,” He stood up as well, a sigh escaping his lips this time. “Lord Oliver’s proposal seems too good to be true to pass on.” 

“But I didn’t get proposed to by him, Seonghwa,” Juhyun argued, shaking her head. “I didn’t. Didn’t you hear what I said earlier? Monique Rahman is Lady Montague, not me.” 

Seonghwa felt like he was having a mental breakdown the more he pressed on the aristocrat. “You truly are fucking beautiful, you refuse to see that. No wonder you caught the attention of that British guy,” He said. He couldn’t help it. It was like trying to stop a leaking faucet but to no avail. 

Juhyun was trying to wrap her head around the things Seonghwa was saying. “What are you accusing me of? You asked me about what Aunt Seonak told you, and I told you, there was nothing going on. I did say he was more than 10 years older than me, and he wouldn’t be waiting long to start a family if he proposed to me then and there,” She approached him and held his hands. 

“Is that why you turned him down?”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Seonghwa,” She whispered. “I never had feelings for him. I didn’t look at him the way you think I did. And that was years ago, before I met Jihan. Why are you sounding like I cheated on you?” 

Seonghwa sighed and rested his forehead on hers. “I can’t help but think that maybe you’re better off with someone who’s also old money like you-” He was cut off when she kissed him. 

Juhyun felt her eyes welling up with tears that silently streamed down her face. She slowly pulled away, her forehead still resting on his. “I’m sorry my family’s like this,” She whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

That only made Seonghwa kiss her again. Juhyun didn’t have to apologize, and he knew that very well. But at this moment, he knew that he hurt her, just as much as he hurt himself. She kept whispering apologies as they lingered. 

Juhyun felt like her heart was breaking. It felt like a wound being reopened for the whole world to see once again. She felt like no matter how much she tried to convince him, it wouldn’t do. She was just relieved that no one else was around, or at least overhearing this conversation outside. It was her idea in the first place to pretend that they were in a relationship. It was now making her think that had she not asked Seonghwa back then, things wouldn’t be this painful. 

“It’s just as my fault for thinking that…” Seonghwa whispered against her lips. 

“You wanted to find out if what aunt Seonak was saying was true,” Juhyun pointed out. 

“I’m sorry too,” Seonghwa replied. “I’m so sorry too. You were right about your aunt after all.” 

Juhyun nodded. “I know. She’s a real piece of work, isn’t she? She’s even tried to do that to every single niece and nephew she has, even her own kids. That’s her tactic.” 

Just then, Juhyun and Seonghwa heard their phones buzz. It was an email. 

Subject Line: Choi Juhyun x Park Seonghwa Hidden Camera

They glanced at each other, wondering whether or not to open it. Juhyun felt her heart stop when she went in to check the message itself. 

Married couples should know better. Reputation’s in ruins once this gets out. 

There was no signature, no indication of who it might have been. The sender of the message seemed like an automated one. Juhyun and Seonghwa viewed the video attachment. The video was mostly dark, yet it was in a familiar-looking room. The outlines of two people against the moonlit curtains of the room could be seen on the bed. 

The sounds of a loud tapping soon filled the room alongside heavy breaths and soft whimpers. Juhyun and Seonghwa nearly dropped their phones as they immediately closed the attachments. Just when they thought it could get any worse. 

[gentil-minou]

Has anyone done a Secretary Kim wangxian au but with wwx as the genius but clueless CEO and lwj as the extremely competent secretary with a crush he's resigned to never getting anywhere so he quits leading to wwx realizing his feelings and trying to win him back?

--

Stygian Tech's CEO Wei Wuxian is acclaimed for his innovative work in clean energy especially since he was forced to drop out of college early due to poor funds.

What most don't know is that his BFF from uni, Lan Wangji dropped out with him and took on the role of his secretary

Thanks to lwj's unsurprising talent for organization and his surprising knack for creating space to network, ST was able to get the funding it needed and wwx was able to put his focus on his projects.

He really couldn't have done any of it without lwj, and now at ST's 10 year celebration he means to commemorate lwj for all his help with a plaque in his honor, to go with all the other ones lwj keeps on the wall behind his desk.

They all proclaim him as LAN ZHAN THE BESTEST FRIEND EVER.

Lan Wangji loves them almost as much as he hates them.

Because you see lwj has harbored a crush on wwx since their very first meeting during a heated debate in their entry level environment sci class.

A crush is putting it lightly. He's known he's been in love with wwx for the past decade. Why else would he drop out of his prestigious university against his family's expectations to work as Wei Ying's secretary? For Wei Ying, of course.

Wei Ying's ideas from the very start were unfounded and actually realistic, able to settle debates about clean energy from all sides in ways that made both happy while still being good for the environment. It wasn't fair that his ideas would have to be shoved away because of a lack of money. Lwj couldn't do that to him, to the world.

So, the day after Wei Ying dropped out, so did Lan Wangji

He's spent the last ten years taking care of the tasks Wei Ying could not, so that he could focus on his inventions and marketing them. They made the perfect team, with LWJ happily working behind the scenes to keep the operation organized and running smoothly, and Wei Ying at the the front charming investors and launching his business off the ground.

Lan Wangji doesn't mind his secretarial duties, he used to find solace in them, in fact. Knowing he could take care of the small things so that Wei Ying could put his brilliant mind to use, it was all the satsifaction he needed.

Until now, that is.

He's put his life and career on hold for so long. He has his own dream of creating his own start up, and he can't keep playing the secretary role forever.

And more importantly he can't handle his heart breaking with another plague about their undying friendship, and just their friendship, again.

So, on the night of ST's 10th anniversary, as he drives wwx home (he only trusts himself to get wy home safely; he will need to work on that) he tells him is quitting, putting in his 2 weeks notice.

Wwx thinks he's joking. Is Lan Zhan quitting some secret smoking habit? A prank?

He laughs and laughs, but lwj doesn't laugh with him. His grip tightens on the steering wheel and he looks straight ahead at the road in front of them.

Oh, Wei Wuxian realizes. He's serious.

The rest of the drive is uncharacteristically silent though the tension cuts.

Lan Wangji stops in front of Wei Wuxian's home, providing details about his plan for offloading his duties in the coming weeks in short clipped sentences. He's already scouted the secretarial department and selected a promising woman named Luo Qingyang who will take his place nicely and he thinks will fit wwx's rather eclectic style of running his business.

But wwx doesn't want anyone to take lwj's place. Lwj had been his partner for so long through all the devastating hurdles and endless nights working. How can he possibly go on without him?

But he will, he has to. Because Lan Zhan wants to leave. So he swallows his tears and smiles, as wide as he can make it stretch.

He says good, and he thanks Lan Zhan.

He holds that smile in pretty plastic place, all through his goodbyes, even as he chokes up when he says his usual farewell, "See you tomorrow Lan Zhan"

Then he goes inside his home, and and collapses into choked sobs right there in the entrance as he hears Lan Zhan drive away.

(threadfic here where i'll probs continue this or i'll make an actual oneshot idk anymore)

[mariacallous]

The open internet once seemed inevitable. Now, as global economic woes mount and interest rates climb, the dream of the 2000s feels like it’s on its last legs. After abruptly blocking access to unregistered users at the end of last month, Elon Musk announced unprecedented caps on the number of tweets—600 for those of us who aren’t paying $8 a month—that users can read per day on Twitter. The move follows the platform’s controversial choice to restrict third-party clients back in January.

This wasn’t a standalone event. Reddit announced in April that it would begin charging third-party developers for API calls this month. The Reddit client Apollo would have to pay more than $20 million a year under new pricing, so it closed down, triggering thousands of subreddits to go dark in protest against Reddit’s new policy. The company went ahead with its plan anyway.

Leaders at both companies have blamed this new restrictiveness on AI companies unfairly benefitting from open access to data. Musk has said that Twitter needs rate limits because AI companies are scraping its data to train large language models. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has cited similar reasons for the company’s decision to lock down its API ahead of a potential IPO this year.

These statements mark a major shift in the rhetoric and business calculus of Silicon Valley. AI serves as a convenient boogeyman, but it is a distraction from a more fundamental pivot in thinking. Whereas open data and protocols were once seen as the critical cornerstone of successful internet business, technology leaders now see these features as a threat to the continued profitability of their platforms.

It wasn’t always this way. The heady days of Web 2.0 were characterized by a celebration of the web as a channel through which data was abundant and widely available. Making data open through an API or some other means was considered a key way to increase a company’s value. Doing so could also help platforms flourish as developers integrated the data into their own apps, users enriched datasets with their own contributions, and fans shared products widely across the web. The rapid success of sites like Google Maps—which made expensive geospatial data widely available to the public for the first time—heralded an era where companies could profit through free, mass dissemination of information.

“Information Wants To Be Free” became a rallying cry. Publisher Tim O’Reilly would champion the idea that business success in Web 2.0 depended on companies “disagreeing with the consensus” and making data widely accessible rather than keeping it private. Kevin Kelly marveled in WIRED in 2005 that “when a company opens its databases to users … [t]he corporation’s data becomes part of the commons and an invitation to participate. People who take advantage of these capabilities are no longer customers; they’re the company’s developers, vendors, skunk works, and fan base.” Investors also perceived the opportunity to generate vast wealth. Google was “most certainly the standard bearer for Web 2.0,” and its wildly profitable model of monetizing free, open data was deeply influential to a whole generation of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

Of course, the ideology of Web 2.0 would not have evolved the way it did were it not for the highly unusual macroeconomic conditions of the 2000s and early 2010s. Thanks to historically low interest rates, spending money on speculative ventures was uniquely possible. Financial institutions had the flexibility on their balance sheets to embrace the idea that the internet reversed the normal laws of commercial gravity: It was possible for a company to give away its most valuable data and still get rich quick. In short, a zero interest-rate policy, or ZIRP, subsidized investor risk-taking on the promise that open data would become the fundamental paradigm of many Google-scale companies, not just a handful.

Web 2.0 ideologies normalized much of what we think of as foundational to the web today. User tagging and sharing features, freely syndicated and embeddable links to content, and an ecosystem of third-party apps all have their roots in the commitments made to build an open web. Indeed, one of the reasons that the recent maneuvers of Musk and Huffman seem so shocking is that we have come to expect data will be widely and freely available, and that platforms will be willing to support people that build on it.

But the marriage between the commercial interests of technology companies and the participatory web has always been one of convenience. The global campaign by central banks to curtail inflation through aggressive interest rate hikes changes the fundamental economics of technology. Rather than facing a landscape of investors willing to buy into a hazy dream of the open web, leaders like Musk and Huffman now confront a world where clear returns need to be seen today if not yesterday.

This presages major changes ahead for the design of the internet and the rights of users. Twitter and Reddit are pioneering an approach to platform management (or mismanagement) that will likely spread elsewhere across the web. It will become increasingly difficult to access content without logging in, verifying an identity, or paying a toll. User data will become less exportable and less shareable, and there will be increasingly fewer expectations that it will be preserved. Third-parties that have relied on the free flow of data online—from app-makers to journalists—will find APIs ever more expensive to access and scraping harder than ever before.

We should not let the open web die a quiet death. No doubt much of the foundational rhetoric of Web 2.0 is cringeworthy in the harsh light of 2023. But it is important to remember that the core project of building a participatory web where data can be shared, improved, critiqued, remixed, and widely disseminated by anyone is still genuinely worthwhile.

The way the global economic landscape is shifting right now creates short-sighted incentives toward closure. In response, the open web ought to be enshrined as a matter of law. New regulations that secure rights around the portability of user data, protect the continued accessibility of crucial APIs to third parties, and clarify the long-ambiguous rules surrounding scraping would all help ensure that the promise of a free, dynamic, competitive internet can be preserved in the coming decade.

For too long, advocates for the open web have implicitly relied on naive beliefs that the network is inherently open, or that web companies would serve as unshakable defenders of their stated values. The opening innings of the post-ZIRP world show how broader economic conditions have actually played the larger role in architecting how the internet looks and feels to this point. Believers in a participatory internet need to reach for stronger tools to mitigate the effects of these deep economic shifts, ensuring that openness can continue to be embedded into the spaces that we inhabit online.

WIRED Opinion publishes articles by outside contributors representing a wide range of viewpoints. Read more opinions here. Submit an op-ed at ideas@wired.com.

[dojae-huh]

The tour and the solos

Some thoughts on the messy schedule of January-February of 2024 and lack of American leg for NCT Unity tour.

Foreword. I think we, fans, should get used to this order of things. SM gets more and more artists, more and more neos do solo activities. It becomes impossible to dedicate socmed for a period of time to only one unit or a member. It's not just solos. BA work, YT content announcement, magazine pictorials, etc. - these activities also need to be announced, and they break a sequence of promotional material of the member under the spotlight.

Ideally, an album should be announced a month prior to its release. Three weeks is the usual time for SM. Three weeks of pre-release promotional run+two weeks of music shows+a week or two for "tails" (fanmeets, bts yt content, some magazine articles). A month and a half. 4 units, 2 comebacks per year. 8x1.5=12. As you see, a smooth series of comebacks is possible in an ideal scenario and without solos. However, some units have 3 comebacks (+singles/Japanese releases). Some months are bad for comebacks (Olympics, holidays). I didn't include NCT/NCT U/DJJ/solos. Not to mention, members get sick, members get tied by obligations to third-parties (tv-series, BA appearences), and there are multiple possible reasons for delays in production of albums and MVs, multiple ways a "perfect" schedule can go awry.

That being said, a schedule for NCT still can be paced better than we had this winter. I would not like a repeat. I think it is the result of catching up with things (Ten's solo, it was postponed), priorities (Wish debut at SMtown), and Taeyong not having much time left (enlistment) with the need to continue with 127's Unity tour (Tokyo Dome, March 9-10). In addition, both Tae and Ten had BA appearence obligations at the time of their comebacks. Even if they don't take too long, they still affect scheduling of fanmeets and concerts.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

If you browse X, you'll easily see fans believing SM is intentionally sabotaging NCT 127 and some neos (Taeyong and Ten). "SM can't let them become too popular". Such statements are close to a fan's heart, evoke immidiate emotional responce.

Where is the proof and argumentation though?

It is indeed not peachy inside SM right now. Kakao, Hybe are the new biggest shareholders. CEOs were changed. There were talks about the board consisting of only finance guys, and artists trying to fight back. Ongoing investigations of Kakao, SM and Align that helped to oust LSM. A constant mayhem. I don't even go there.

NCT is SM's current bread-winner (together with aespa). After LSM/Kakao/Hybe feudal war SM needs to show investors its 3.0 plan is working, that the company is profitable, it will have money to pay dividents, that despite foreign investors losing interest in k-pop companies and pulling out, and SM stock falling low because of investigations, SM is still a worthy company to trust its money to. Believe in it, and it will come out a winner, and stocks will rebound. Hence, SM needs good sales from NCT and all the members. SM needs money. The company is undergoing a big change and is buying companies in US and establishing new ones for music production&distribution, not to forget SM needs money for the new groups (they will take time with investment return).

Secondly, 127 neos are approaching contract renewal. It is not the time to dissapoint them and make them think of possibly parting ways. Yes, Taeyong now knows his worth and alludes to it in interviews. Who will bring money then? Dream? They have their renewals same year. Who says they won't decide to join their hyungs after witnessing a bad treatment of them?

Intentionally sabotaging the artists, making them regret being signed to the company, simply doesn't make sense in the current situation SM is in.

Taeil had a duet song with an indie artist once (whose company is an SM's sub-label). I consider the video for their song as the bottom of SM's lowered standarts. Nowadays covers get a better treatment.

Now, think of the quality of photoshoots and promotional videos Ten and Taeyong got. Clear concepts were developed, professionals were hired, everything was organised quickly, solutions were found (like wigs for Tae). Both were given a lot of say, their opinion listened to. Taeyong got to perform on music shows the song he likes the most (Moon tour) and the one (APE) he asked to be added to the album after A&R offered him their list. By the way, the quality of print of the latest albums is much better than Resonance.

Fans heard Taeyong used one of his jackets (the white puff one), and run with the story he styled all other outfits and did his own make-up, lol. Since when Taeyong is a make-up artist? As for Loewe, it's how it's done. Brands give clothes to idol companies to be used and advertised, it's benefitial for both parties. Jaehyun is constantly in Prada in recent 127 MVs.

Money on promotion should be spent wisely. Afterall, profit starts only after the expenses are covered. If some type of advertisement is costly but brings little exposure, is not effective, it shouldn't be implemented. It is better to spend those money on something else.

Beyonce can promote her album through one twit, and that will be enough, it is because she has the capital of her name. Fans tend to not realise this about idols. New groups need a lot of promotion to gain fans. For older artists their name does the work, they already have a fandom. K-pop is not for general public, it's a niche product. The 1,2 mln Spotify subscribers on Tae's channel will hear the new album without any special ad. Same applies to subscribers on other music platforms.

Despite Taeyong giving only two concerts in a small venue (Seoul has a problem with venues, this one is used by many k-pop idols), his concert was prepared better than Link. He flew in the air, there was a giant "T" letter, lightsticks were synchronised. Taeyong decided on the setlist himself, he was given full reign over it.

Whatever problems there are on the upper level with higher ups, the staff at NCT centre worked with intention to do right by the artists.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A lot of money was invested in American market. 127 spent a month there. It is not reasonable to just forget about it after the effort brought results. During Link tour 127 spent 2 weeks in NA and gave 8 shows. Meaning, even a short-lasting trip is enough. The more concerts (with the same setlist, props, choreos) a tour has, the more profit and return, afterall. Again, it is not reasonable to shorten it, when it is actually a well enough prepared concert.

So "Why"? I think it is a simple result of "squeze in" approach. Normally, Tae's 2nd album would be released later, but he wanted it before enlistment. If Taeyong enlists somewhere in late March-early April, then perhaps the US leg was sacrificed for his solo. MarkHyuk also need time to prepare for Dream activities, at least 2 weeks, I guess.

To be honest, the lack of NA concerts puzzles me. Japan is more profitable (domes) and more convenient (close), so it takes precedence. Still. Taeyong is the only culprit I can think off, lol.

[glazeish]

meet the chastains!

dianna chastain (upper left) - 47, currently working at prescott preparatory school and working nights as a waitress. shunned from the rest of her family she met reese.

reese chastain (upper right) - (not gonna lie, got him off the gallery but changed the name and some outfits. i just dont like making male sims.) 49, the father of dianna's children, but he looks like he hasn't aged since 30. he had no intent of marrying dianna until he found out that she was pregnant with their first born justine. he's a great father, but relationship wise he continues to crave more, something new.

justine chastain (bottom middle) - 16, really the only child that understands their situation, understands finance, and knows that there's something going on with her parents. she was tasked with raising the twins ever since they were born. this caused a divide between justine and her parents because she can't help but wish that there was someone else to care for her besides herself.

aubrey chastain (bottom left) - 10, the most outgoing and happy person in the whole family. she thinks her life is perfect. the second something goes wrong her outgoing and happy personality disappear and she shuts down completely.

sydney chastain (bottom right) - 10, even though she is still young she is always thinking- overthinking. however, she doesn't understand her overthinking is occasionally correct.

the world:

dianna's workplace- prescott preparatory school (K-12 private school for the children of celebrities, ceo's, or just people with a lot of money. has a handful of international students- children of royalty)

reese's workplace- magnolia enterprises: working in the IT department. one of the parents at prescott prep is a large investor (an "owner")

justine's school (prescott prep)- justine has been attending prescott since 9th grade. however, the twins both attend blakely elementary because dianne can only get discounted tuition on one child unless she gets promoted.

the twins school (blakely elementary)- a K-6 school that serves their neighborhood. one problem... due to underfunding, more things are getting cut and more teachers are quitting. dianne needs to get them into prescott... no matter what it takes.

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 31 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

“What do I owe you for the reservations?” Adri asked, and Gideon laughed, like they had told a joke.

“Nothing,” Gideon replied.

“It can’t be nothing. I want to cover something.”

“Sure, you can purchase the snacks on the plane.”

“Gideon,” Adri chided as Gideon laughed.

“Don’t worry about what you owe me.”

“I am going to worry. That’s what I do best. I really want to cover something. It’d make me feel better.”

“Why? Why would it make you feel better?”

Adri bit their lip a moment before realizing they were still wearing lipstick. It was probably all over their teeth at this point. “I don’t want to feel like some kind of… kept woman.”

“Is that how you think I see you?”

“I just prefer things to be equal.”

“Consider this reparations.”

“Gideon,” Adri said again, and Gideon snorted. “Be serious.”

“I am serious, sort of. I have more money than you. Therefore, I pick up most of the tab. I’m not hurting for money. At some point you run out of things to buy. It’s really not something I’m going to lose any sleep over.” Gideon sobered slightly at Adri’s expression, and he slid a hand through theirs, squeezing it. “Listen, I don’t want to step on your sense of pride. I know you could cover your fare share. I’m not doing this to win points or show off. I’m doing this because I want to, and because I care about you. I like spending time with you. So I decided I will spend two weeks of interrupted time somewhere nice with you, and that’s as complicated as it needs to be.”

“It’s just… a lot,” Adri muttered.

“I’m not asking you to marry me.”

“I’m not even your…” Adri paused, wondering if they wanted to have this conversation now, or if it’d ruin the mood of a previously fun and romantic evening. “I mean, we aren’t—are we?”

“Are we what?”

“Together,” Adri said with a hint of embarrassment, like they were sixteen and asking out a date for prom.

Gideon’s brow knitted with confusion. “As opposed to what, apart?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Ah, now that you mention it, I do have a couple other girls I’m dating on the side I haven’t brought up until now. You don’t mind if we bring them along on our trip, do you?”

Adri let out a sigh and turned away, releasing his hand. “Everything is such a joke to you.”

“I just don’t know how much more obvious I can make it that I’m serious about you.”