#came here yesterday & spent the night. I took the exam today and now I'm heading home after looking around a bit :D

[koreanbibliophilegirl]

태극 ring :D

I found an accessory shop that sells jewelry with Korean patterns today!!!

(There were 도깨비(dokkaebi, Korean goblins/ogres said to wield clubs) patterns and 단청(danchung, roof tile decorations) patterns too, but they were too expensive😅)

This ring's pattern was inspired by 태극기(Taegukgi, the Korean national flag)!🇰🇷

The stick shapes with the yin-yang symbol are 4괘, a.k.a. 건곤감리- the sky, the ground, water, and fire.

건(the sky) is three lines, 곤(the ground) is six lines, 감(water) is five, and 리(fire) is four!

I screenshotted this from a TED-related internet community back in 2019. I knew I'd have a use for it someday😀👍

[i-like-sparkly-things]

Right in front of you

A Halstead!sister

Jay held a strong grip on your upper arm as he led you out to the school hall. "What the hell was that Y/N? Are you happy now? God.... I can't believe you cheated!" he sneered, "EYES UP HERE Y/N!! "

"I'm sorry" you sighed, locking eyes with Jay, silently praying that he would let this go. It was only one time anyway. It wasn't a big deal.

But he let out a hollow laugh, "Thirty percent, Y/N, THIRTY PERCENT. You're going to have to do better than a half-ass apology. What exactly are you sorry for? Huh? For cheating? Or being caught?"

Requested : Yes by @study-coffee-chicago : They found out she cheated on a test in high school...and Jay's the one who has to pick her up.

Warnings : angry!Jay (lots of it), alcohol, swearing, anxiety attacks

Note : I am so so so sorry this so longg 😭 I ended up so far away from the actual request kayela please don't block mee 😭 butt I've learned alot in writing abt active and passive voices and using more imagery Yayy!! I'm so glad that yall are ok with my grammar thank uu🥺

MASTERLIST HERE

The piles of homework and flashcards you needed to memorize had no end in sight, and now that Will was taking nightshifts along with his usual double shifts, and intelligence was tracking down an underground drug cartel, you spent most days alone, allowing your mind to engulf you.

Every time you sat down to study, you felt a striking pain in your chest. In mere seconds the air was sucked out of your lungs and you found yourself panting, desperate to get oxygen back into your body.

You would be surrounded by books and worksheets and you could swear the walls of your room were closing in towards you, trapping you in a sea of incomplete work.

You failed to follow the schedules and to do lists you had made for yourself. Staring at them, hoping the essays would write themselves.

All you needed, was a break. A moment to relax from anything and everything.

So when your best friend mentioned that her brother used to drink a little before he appeared for an exam, your mind was quick to catch on.

Last night you had borrowed a little bit of beer from Jay's stash of alcohol and took a few sips of it as you studied.

The more you drank, the less bitter it became. It was a weird, new sensation, but it worked nonetheless.

Except now, you were sitting in the girls bathroom at school, ramaging through your notes, trying to recollect what you had learned yesterday.

You saw what you had underlined and highlighted— names in pink and important dates in yellow—but your mind came up blank.

Flipping the pages you saw people in wigs, and castles burning to the ground —None of which you recognized.

A wave of anxiety rippled through you unable to comprehend your next thought —you were going to fail.

Your head was throbbing as you ran a hand down face, massaging your temples trying to calm yourself down.

You took out your water bottle that you had filled with beer and swallowed a few gulps, hoping that it would help you think straight.

You groaned, feeling the sting of alcohol at the back of your throat, popping some mints into your mouth, you ran towards the exam hall.

***

Your foot bounced on the polished wood floors as sweat pooled on your forehead.

You thought you were careful —only taking a peek from your friends answer sheet when Mrs.Ling's back was facing you.

Everything would have worked out if it wasn't for that kid sitting behind you. In a split second your teacher turned around, when he dropped his pen, to see you peering over your partner's desk.

Now you were sitting in the principles office praying that Jay wouldn't be the one picking you up.

You could already imagine his anger at you for pulling him away from his case, only to find you cheated.

Unfortunately luck was not on your side today.

You dare not look at Jay as he entered the office, letting out a huff as he sat down. You could feel the rage emitting him, tension filling the room, as he burned holes looking at you.

"I'll get straight to the point" Your principal started.

"Please" Jay growled, struggling to contain himself. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, when he got the call saying that you had cheated on your midterms.

You and Will were alike,at least he thought so, both good at science and math but weak at geography and history. Nonetheless you continued to secure good grades for the most part.

"Y/n here, was caught cheating from a classmates answer sheet. Our teacher caught her red handed. I truly did not expect this from you. These midterms cost thirty percent of your grade..... "

Pretty soon his voice was muffled like he was getting farther and farther away from you. His figure swayed in front of you as you squinted your eyes to keep him in the center of your vision.

" You are suspended, Mrs halstead"

Your eyes widened , your body choosing the perfect time to bring out what little beer you had taken when you heard those words, letting the alcohol mix with the adrenaline.

"WHAT??!! " Damn, alcohol really bought out your courage as Jay stared at you in shock at your audacity.

"Y/n, your lucky I'm letting you retake the exam. That's only because you've had a clean record so far. I strongly suggest you start preparing early Ms. halstead" your principal said in a firm but monotone voice that left you speechless.

Jay held a strong grip on your upper arm as he led you out to the school hall. "What the hell was that Y/N? Are you happy now? God.... I can't believe you cheated!" he sneered, "EYES UP HERE Y/N!! "

Oh god. Every now and then, the ground would sway beneath you, tiles shifting in your vision. But you counted your steps, carefully putting one foot in front of the other, not wanting Jay to find out what else you had done........ until now.

You tilted your head, only to be met with your brother's piercing stare but little did he know, now it made it infinitely harder to concentrate on your walking.

"I'm sorry" you sighed, locking eyes with Jay, silently praying that he would let this go. It was only one time anyway. It wasn't a big deal.

But he let out a hollow laugh, "Thirty percent, Y/N, THIRTY PERCENT. You're going to have to do better than a half-ass apology. What exactly are you sorry for? Huh? For cheating? *Or being caught?*"

***

You rested your head on the seat as Jay entered the truck, flinching, when he slammed the door shut. Your pounding headache was getting worse by the minute, as your ears started to ring.

You blinked a few times squinting to focus on the road ahead of you but the fast-moving cars and the loud horns made you feel like your head was going to explode.

"Y/n," he addressed you, much calmer now.

You forced yourself to turn to your brother, who wore a confused expression.

But the moment he saw your deshelfed hair and your cracked lips, a wave of worry crashed over him. What the hell?

The truck came to a stop at a red light and Jay immediately scanned you over "Y/n?" he grabbed your chin, his jaw dropping, as he came face to face with reality.

"Are you drunk!!?" he barked , steam basically pouring out of his ears.

But your pleading eyes and empty silence gave him the answer he needed. "Are you kidding me??" he snarled as he slammed the steering wheel.

Oh God no. A blinding pain ripped through your head when Jay's palms made contact with the hard plastic. You winched turning your head away from your furious brother, letting out a whimper.

Jay's eyes widened at the sound, his heart breaking, realizing the pain you were in.

If he was going to be mad at you or at least punish you, you needed to be sober.

He stepped on the pedal as the light turned green taking a few breaths, trying to calm himself down.

With the vice lords reclaiming their territory and selling uncut fentanyl, bodies were dropping all over the city most of them being kids.

Kids..... your age.

Every kid at the morgue, just reminded him of you. He saw parents sobbing, begging for their kids to come back but Jay new better. They were never going to come home. Ever.

So he made it a priority to catch these ruthless creatures. He made it a priority over his sleep, over nine hours shifts and unknown to him, over spending time with you.

"Hey , hey" he whispered, not wanting to hurt you again, "We'll talk about this later ok? for now...... just..... it's ok..... I've got you" here reached out his hand, the other still on the steering wheel, to slowly rub your back as you tried to breath through the pain.

" I got you"

***

Jay wrapped a hand around you allowing you to hold onto him for support.

Silently, he deposited you on the couch, laying you down. He knew that he wasn't in any state to talk to you. He needed to clear his mind from his racing thoughts and rueful images of dying teenagers.

His phone rang, indicating that the district was awaiting him. "Here" he reluctantly shook your shoulders "Y/n, I need to go ok? Will will be here soon"

***

Almost half an hour had passed and you were waiting for Will to get out of the shower. You'd heard Jay explain everything to him over the phone.

You thought about how disappointed he would be.

Will —being the nerd he was— always helped you with your projects and gave you pop quizzes during breakfast, before your exams. He taught you how to organize flashcards just like he did in med school.

Even through your blurry thoughts, the image of Will's betrayed face and embarrassed eyes, knowing you cheated, lingered on your mind.

Your body was all over the place. Tiny noises echoing through your ear. Your muscles simultaneously aching and loose.

You were shivering as you tried to curl up into a ball. Your body trying to hold what little heat it had within itself.

But nothing stopped your tears.

You felt water drops make their way down your cheeks forming small splotches of water on the cushion you laid your head on.

And you didn't bother to wipe them away.

Will more or less was in the same state you were in. There was a multi-vehicle accident on the highway and victims were piling in the ED. He was running from one treatment room to the other, waiting to get back home and crash.

Will walked over to you with a huge glass of water and an advil, gently  nudging you to sit up.

Your head still pounded, your eyes zoning in and out of the figure in front of you "Y/n, here drink the whole glass and take this" Will soothed, placing the glass and the pill in your hand "I—I'm sorry" You whispered, distracting yourself from Will's eyes.

Will knew he should be angry. Just like Jay was but he couldn't bring himself to blaming you, not until he had the full story anyway.

You looked so petite on the enormous couch, your legs folded on top of each other, arms shaking as you drowned the glass of water along with the Advil.

Your red puffy eyes and tear strained cheeks,were a contrast from your usual self. or he thinks. He's been pretty busy lately, so he's not too sure. " We'll talk about it later. I'm not angry. I promise"

He assured and was about to head to bed himself when you grabbed his wrist.

If he wasn't angry at you then maybe— just maybe—he would help you.

"Stay" You pleaded , the word falling from your lips just as easily as it had, many, many times before.

And just like before, you were met with Will's soft brown eyes filled with sympathy, ready to help. Ready—to be by your side.

He's slowly nodded climbing onto the couch, next to you. He wrapped an arm around you and you nestled into him, laying your head on his chest.

You found some comfort as he embraced you, talking you under his arm and encompassing you in his warmth.

Holding on to him, you hoped that he would take your pain away, just like he did when you were little.

***

Will woke up to an uncomfortable feeling of something —or someone—   tugging at his shirt.

He slowly opened his eyes allowing them to adjust to the light as he felt another a tug at his side. He looked over to you, but your eyes were shut, brimming with tears, your arm laid across his chest.

You were holding on to Will , using him as a lifeline, grounding you from the pain.

You felt a hand squeezing your own, stopping you from gripping the fabric "Y/n?" You opened your eyes to look up at will who had tears of his own, staring at the state you were in "it's okay, I'm here, I'm right here"

He encircles you, tighter than before, whispering soothing assurances into your hair.

***

With Will's help, the pain slowly subsides, allowing you access to your thoughts again.

You step out of the shower, into the living room and your eyes widen seeing Jay and Will sitting at the kitchen counter.

You didn't even hear Jay come in, but right now taking in his hardened glare, you didn't dare ask.

You knew what was coming and you didn't fight. You couldn't.

"So apparently we're cheating on our midterms now, huh?" Jay's calm voice made shivers run down your spine, starting to take rapid breaths.

"And apparently, someone thinks it's ok to steal alcohol from my stash" He gritted, never breaking I contact with you. "Do you think that's how the world works Y/n? DO YOU? BECAUSE LAST TIME I CHECKED YOU'RE STILL A FUCKING TEENAGER!!" He spat, his thoughts fuming towards your trembling body.

It was every dieing body flashing before his eyes, as the past months' agony slipped off his tongue.

"Jay" Will's voice was stern, giving a knowing look towards his younger brother and didn't bother to give Jay time to argue with him.

"Y/n, we need to know what's going on"

"With school, with tests with....... everything" he stated giving you a solemn look meaning every word he said, promising himself that he would do whatever it takes to figure out what had been going on.

You sucked in a breath weighing all your options. You didn't want them to think that you needed a babysitter or  that you couldn't take care of yourself.

You knew that they had their own problems to worry about but you couldn't take it anymore.

You hated it.

The feeling of your lungs collapsing, struggling to find air for your body, your stress skyrocketing anytime you sat down to study, never getting any thing done.

All day long you would constantly tell yourself to do your work. Every spare second is spent in making a list of things you want to do but when it was time to actually do those things, your mind wandered and emptied.

You took another deep breath, looking up from your feet, your eyes meeting your brothers.

You spilled the past months events from how alone you were all the time and not being able to concentrate to how you ended up drunk at school and cheating on your midterms.

Tears rolled down your cheeks as you your hands trembled. You stood crying in the middle of the room until you felt a pair of arms around you.

Will placed his hand at the nape of your neck as he stroked your back with the other "Breathe Y/n, just Breathe" He slowly pulled away leading you to the couch.

God, how he wished he could turn back time. Then he'd been more vigilant to notice the changes that had come over you.

You felt the couch dip on both sides but you intently studied your fingers, fumbling with the hem of your shirt and wiped the tears off your face. They were mad. No, they were furious. You knew it.

But for some reason, they weren't showing it. Maybe they were waiting-

"We're not mad"

You without your head around to look at Jay, furrowing your eyebrows in disbelief. Jay? Not mad? HA.

"but I am disappointed though, but that's only because you didn't tell us......

but stealing alcohol was bad too" he added, earning him a glare from Will.

"Y/n, what Jay means is— we could've helped with school . Homework . Tests . Anything, you name it. We will help" he assured, "But how do we know you need help, if you don't tell us?"

You sighed, taking in the weird turn of events that had happened before you. You had wasted all this time, trying to figure out all your problems out, when the answer was right in front of you.

A mountain of guilt now sat on Jay's shoulders, weighing down on him, pushing him deeper into a wormhole of 'if's'.

Maybe if he'd just been a little more careful, this wouldn't have happened.

Maybe if he'd stop and listen to you once in a while, this wouldn't have happened.

While trying to save kids out on the street, he forgot to care for the kid at home. You were his sister, and yet, here you are in front of him, barely keeping yourself together.

But that would change. Right here. *Right now.*

"Y/n," Jay started "If you would have told us how alone and stressed you were feeling.....I would've taken some time off... Maybe we'd watch a movie or something. All you had to do was ask...... And we'll get you the help you need, y/n. You good with that?" he questioned, his anger and frustration dissipating.

You saw your brother, the workaholic detective, wanting to put his job aside, for you .

You were more important to him, than his job—You realized.

" Yea... Yeah, I am"

Will stood up and got another advil with another glass of water. "and maybe you wouldn't end up drunk and cheating on your test" he smirked, crouching in front of you.

"God, I didn't think it would hurt this bad. I am never drinking again!" you smiled , as you drowned the pill.

"See now that's what I like to hear!!" Jay exclaimed, wrapping his arms around you, squeezing you into his chest. You squirmed, trying to get out of his grip, laughing, when you were joined by Will.

You know what? Maybe, things are going to be okay? Ya know?

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Read more of my fics here!!

Tagging : @girlandthemoon @herecomesthewriterwitch @megaliciab @meyocoko @alkadri-layal

[mmilkbreadd]

Chapter twenty three: “Bokuto Hates Goodbyes”

Masterpost - Prev - Next.

Warning(s): post-timeskip manga spoilers!!

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“Tendou is going to quit volleyball after graduating. He wants to go to Paris to work as a chocolatier” you said, never taking your eyes off him. You sighed again, trying to find the words to tell him. Bokuto noticed your pause and smiled at you waiting for you to reply. “And I... I'm going with him.”

Koutarou's smile faded, along with the hope in his heart. 

Silence took over the atmosphere. You were trying to look at Bokuto, but he kept his gaze on the snowy ground. Neither of you had opened your mouths to say anything. Maybe because the correct words did not exist to express what you were feeling at that moment; you, remorse, and Bokuto didn't even know what to feel. Sadness, melancholy, happiness because you are going to fulfill your dream... fear of being forgotten. 

So many things to say, feel, live. 

“Why?” he asked, still with his gaze on the floor.

“Why…?”  you lashed several times. “Because I want to be a baker, fulfill my dream and my grandmother's... It's what I want, Kou.”

Koutarou started to shake his head from side to side, his hands over his hair. 

“Yes I know, but Paris?”  Bokuto looked at you for the first time, his eyes filling with tears. “That's like a million miles away!”

The snow kept falling on you two and the cold seemed to increase, but neither appeared to notice. The moment seemed eternal: Bokuto's tears that still did not come out, the imminent farewell, the silence that still continued ...

“We can continue to be friends, Koutarou, you shouldn't worry” the Owl turned to the opposite side of the school, and started walking away quickly. “Bokuto! Bokuto!” there was still no response on his part. “Koutarou, wait!”

Even though in his mind Bokuto had planned not to return, hearing his name come out of your mouth once more, he stopped short. He quickly turned to see you, your nose was red from the cold, and smoke came out every time you spoke when you apologized to him.”

“I don't want to be friends” shouted Bokuto looking straight into your eyes, with a tear rolling on his cheek. “I do not want you to go! W-we're just getting to know each other! It's not fair.”

Bokuto pouted while still staring at you. 

“We still have time, I won't be leaving for another month,” you said, but you knew it wasn't enough time. Not even a thousand years would be. “We'll talk on the phone!”

Promises that were very difficult to keep. Even if you wanted to, with the exams that would be shortly, and then in the cooking academy, it would be impossible to maintain much contact. You didn't know if you could even keep it with Emiko and Wakatoshi.

“Don't say things that later won't be true,” Bokuto said for the last time, wiping the tears that fell from his eyes. “Bye, y/n.”

And in a last act of desperation, you grabbed Koutarou by the wrist and then grabbed his coat tightly, then brought your lips together with his. 

After a few seconds, the light of a flash interrupted you.

“I'm sorry?” Emiko said with a nervous little smile. She had taken a picture of you kissing, and now she was slowly walking away so she could escape your creepy gaze. “I better go, haha. Byeee.”

Again the silence had taken over the environment. But this time, Bokuto's face was completely changed. His cheeks were flushed and he had a big smile on his lips.

“You like me too?” he asked suddenly. 

And even though you were speechless, you were able to whisper a little “yes”. Bokuto without warning held you with his arms, hugging you, and then started jumping up and down several times.

“Wait, we were fighting two minutes ago,” he said, making an angry face, but then his true colors showed and he started laughing. “Hey Hey hey! It no longer matters, we must take advantage of every second. Get ready, y/n, I'll come tomorrow at nine in the morning! Well maybe not that early, but I'll come before lunch!”

And here was another example where you could see the captain of Fukurodani change his mood quickly.

You said goodbye and you entered the academy again, thinking about how to assassinate Emiko. 

Tomorrow would be the last day you would see Bokuto in a long time.

And maybe forever. 

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Just as Koutarou had said the night before, at eleven in the morning he was at Shiratorizawa's gate, waiting for you to come out. It was not as early as he would have liked, but he had also arrived very late at the hotel, so he needed to sleep as well. Even though you were already walking towards the exit, two people arrived before you.

“Hello, Bokuto-san,” Tendou greeted. “Let's get straight to the point, what are your intentions with the little y/n? Ushijima and I are not very convinced that you go out with her so often. You were too late last night, and now it's too early. I hope you are not doing strange things out there. This is not Tokyo, my friend.”

“He is not your friend, Tendou” Ushijima said in a whisper, with his deep voice.

“I know, best friend, but I want to intimidate him” Satori whispered back, but he didn't realize that Bokuto had heard everything. 

In the distance, you came walking next to Emiko. You had already forgiven her for last night's photo, although she still hadn't deleted it from Twitter, and had even put it as your profile picture for a few hours until you noticed and took it out. You can tell that Tsukasa almost ran out of roommates. 

“Hey, aren't those Satori and Wakatoshi talking to your boyfriend?” She asked you, pointing to your friends and the one who wasn't your boyfriend really.

“I'm going to kill them.”

You sped up your pace to get there as quickly as possible and avoid disaster before it happens. But to your surprise, when you got to where the three of them were, all you could hear was laughter. Yes, even Ushijima.

“What is happening here?” you asked, raising an eyebrow at Satori, who you thought was responsible for this situation. And as always, you were right.

“Oh, nothing, y/n. Just old friends remembering old times” said Tendou with a rather forced laugh. Then, Ushijima and Bokuto also began to laugh out loud, while Koutarou made a danger signal with his eyes, and Emiko watched the situation in disbelief.

“I think Koutarou and I should go now” and before any of your friends could say anything, you grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket and trotted off to Miyagi's main park.

Behind you, you could hear Tendou's screams calling for you to come back, but you ignored them and kept walking quickly in front of Bokuto.

Arriving at the park you could see several children with their parents playing in the snow, despite not having snowed today, there was still a little snow on the trees and grass.

“Thanks for saving me, things were getting ugly there,” he said as he took your hand that was on his sleeve, to be holding hands normally. “I have bad news.”

More bad news? You didn't think you were going to be able to endure another misfortune this weekend. It seems that Bokuto noticed your desperate face and squeezed your hand tightly to encourage you.

“They have suspended my bus for tomorrow, they say there will be a snowstorm in the afternoon so they have changed the schedule.” Nothing went right for tragic volleyball lovers. “I'm leaving tonight, so we can't see each other tomorrow.”

The world fell at your feet. How could everything go wrong for you? A lot of drama has existed lately.

“And now what?” you asked him.

“We live in the moment!” and without saying anything else, Bokuto started to run towards the ice skating rink, never letting go of your hand. 

The ice was full of small children, who watched Koutarou every time he made a few meters and fell letting out a scream. The kids laughed at the Owl's exaggeration, causing him to make it even more dramatic to obtain more laughter. Every time you fell, Bokuto would rush to get up and ask you if you were okay, even if you were laughing at yourself and had not suffered any injuries.

After skating for half an hour or so, you decided to go for lunch because it was already quite late. You went to the same cafeteria that you had gone to the day before, and you ordered something warm since today's temperature was even colder than yesterday’s. 

At the end of lunch, Bokuto asked you to show him around the city, although there was not much to show as it was quite small compared to Tokyo. You showed him where Karasuno High was, but you didn't go there since it was relatively far from where you were. He took several photos and sent them to Akaashi, and then to his mother. 

The hours passed quickly, reaching the time of curfew, which meant that you had to go back to school, and Bokuto to his hotel to find his bags and go to the station. Unfortunately, you could not accompany him before his bus leaves. 

“It's time to say goodbye,” you told him once at the entrance of the academy. "Thanks for coming to visit me, Kou.”

Before saying something to you, Bokuto put his arms around you. This time neither of you were crying, nor were sad. You were happy for the time you spent together.

“Goodbye, y/n, I'm going to miss you” and with a lot of bravery in his heart, Koutarou brought his lips to yours one last time. 

“I promise to call you.”

And so, Bokuto Koutarou said goodbye with a sad smile, knowing that that promise was nothing more than an empty promise.

And that at the end of all, it would not be kept. 

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A/N: I know Bokuto’s hair isn’t exactly accurate in the photo but it was the best image I could find😩😩 sorryy

Btw who wouldn’t leave everything behind to go to Paris with Tendou Satori? I wouldn’t even think about it, my bags are ready!

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[cristophynn]

the coffee shop — chapter two

summary: it all started out when satan decided to take on a part-time job in a café near his place. by how things played out, he thought that maybe the two of you weren't meant to be and that you were just a dumb high school crush everyone has. fate had other plans, though, and he was sure as hell that it wasn't a dumb crush anymore.

pairing: satan/reader

warnings/tags: underage drinking, implied/referenced child abuse, family drama, mutual pining, ANGST

author's note: i honestly don’t know if this would be considered as angst lmao i’m so horrible at writing asdjhsabvsdjs. aaaaaaaaaa. by the way, this is an au where everyone is human and reader has they/them pronouns. <3

ao3 work: the coffee shop.

"Whatever, I'm walking home." Satan laughed as he stood up from his seat, swiftly dodging one of his drunk classmates who was trudging towards one of the food tables. Bidding his goodbyes for the last time, the blonde teen picked up his beige coat that was on his chair and slipped it on. He was barely able to avoid the drunk people dancing around, and he was tired and tipsy, too. After graduating from senior high school yesterday and partying for the whole day today, he really was worn out, and he just wanted to flop on his bed and sleep. He was supposed to be picked up today, but he figured that he didn't want to wait any longer and decided to walk himself home.

The whole graduating thing was sad to him, really, since he really did gain better friends. Ever since he worked in that cafe, his social skills did become better. He was able to start fresh when he finished junior high school, becoming friendlier and smiled a lot more. He became a science major in the academic senior high school just a few blocks away from his previous school, and there weren't really a lot who had veterinary medicine as their choice of course. Nonetheless, he still gained acquaintances and friends (and admirers too, if he were to boast) that he could count on, and he really matured a lot compared to when he was back then. He passed his college entrance exam and was ecstatic to finally be able to study veterinary medicine. He really didn't want to deal with people or their gross habits of living, and he definitely tolerated other species of animals even more compared to his own kind.

Satan was afraid that if he were to disobey his father's orders, the same thing from that night would happen to people watching over him. Ever since he left the café, his drinking habits got worse over time, which made him unable to sleep well at night without downing a glass or two of wine. He's been riding to school and back home in one of his father's cars, with one of their drivers and Azazel assisting him. There was a dash cam, so again, he really couldn't escape. He wasn't allowed to go out on weekends either, unless he was taken to school, and he was given a curfew, too. 

Walking home alone right now reminded him of when he was in junior high school, rushing to get to the café for his shifts. It reminded him of his childish antics (which he sorta grew out of, by the way) and his childish heart. It reminded him of how excited he always was whenever he went to the café, because he knew he would be seeing the familiar face of his crush that worked alongside him by the counter and making drinks for customers. He would be lying if he said his heart stopped skipping a beat whenever he would look at your pictures— because even if he deleted your number, he would never delete your pictures. He would be lying if he said that he found someone who could make him feel the same way whenever he was talking to you, or listening to you.

That's why when Satan saw from a distance the familiar café where he spent his happiest moments of his life so far, he felt the familiar excitement come back to him again like when he was in his last year in junior high. It was just as he remembered and how he first saw it, except now there was only snow on it. He could feel the familiar tugging of his heartstrings once more, the warmth in his chest, the blood rushing to his cheeks, and the memories of his times spent there flooding in his mind. He remembered how he took orders and how he was taught to make the easiest drinks so far. He remembered the old gift you gave him (that he never threw out— just inside his desk's drawer and was left untouched). Because of how much he was staring at the still-open coffee shop, he accidentally cursed as he bumped into a person and instantly tumbled to the ground right in front of the entrance. He was tipsy and tired, and it would be much enough of a reason for him to accidentally fall to the ground.

"How old are you, even?" A voice laughed as he picked himself up, and he clicked his tongue. He didn't bother looking for the source of the voice. He stood up from the ground, dusting himself and his clothes off. As he gave the stranger's amused question a reply, he began adjusting his dark green scarf that almost fell off when he fell.

"I'm eighteen, for your information. I'm just tipsy and tired."

"And yet, you still didn't change at all. Just like I remembered."

That response made him turn his head to where the source of the voice was, and he once again could feel his sixteen-year-old self's giddy emotions spring to life at the sight in front of him. His tiredness was long gone, and he felt himself sober up and go back to being his usual self. The short figure, the pastel green hoodie, the voice he loved hearing, and the sight he longed to see once more — it was all there in front of him, you were there standing in front of him.

You were smiling brightly by the entrance at the sight of him and his shocked face. His mouth was hanging open and his eyes were as wide as saucers. The light pink color that was dusted on his fair-colored cheeks reminded you of how it was easy to fluster him and how quick it was for him to feel cold. It was as if time stopped for a moment as you two stared at each other's eyes, light snowflakes still falling around the two of you. He swallowed the lump in his throat after what seemed like forever as he ran up to you with open arms, and you could see the pool of tears brimming in his eyes for a moment. It wasn't long before you felt him holding you against his body and embracing you tightly, the familiar feeling of his warmth and the scent you missed so much overwhelming you. His slender arms were around your torso, his head was rested on your shoulder, and you were sure that you heard him letting out shaky sobs that were muffled.

With a soft chuckle, your arms came up to hug him back and pulled him closer to you. "You're still a drunk, aren't you? I honestly thought you were a teetotaler now, but what just happened earlier told me otherwise." You hummed before pulling away. You watched as he stood up straight to wipe away the stray tears falling from his eyes. "You haven't changed a bit. You're still taller than me, and you still hate the cold. Your shoulders look broader, though. You worked out over the years?" You chuckled, and you could see a dark blush creep up his face as his hand went over to his nape, sheepishly rubbing it. "It's nice to see an old friend after quite a while. Let's go in and drink the night away!"

Old friend. That stung him much more than it should have. He brushed back the sudden ache that he felt in his chest and he let out a soft laugh, nodding. Right, he forgot about the fact that you didn't like him back at all. He liked you so much and remembered all his happy moments with you too much that it never crossed his mind that you were someone who didn't like him back. Even if you never told him straightforward about your feelings, he was certain that you didn't like him back. How could you? You're you, and he's him. There's no way someone like you would be able to return his feelings.

Stepping inside the café after two, almost three, years of being at his lowest point, he felt like he was at home. Everything was still the same. It was all just as he remembered. The two air conditioners that were placed on two corners of the café, the comforting warmth of the heater, the minimalist paintings that were hung on on the walls, and the smell of coffee wavering through the air. If he sniffed even more, he could even smell the familiar scent of the last loaf of garlic bread he ate just a few hours before quitting the job. It was nostalgic, and dear god did he miss it. He just wanted to turn back time and play out his cards properly just to avoid getting caught— and maybe, just maybe, he would still be working here with you up to this day. Maybe, he would have gotten to know you better or even met more of your relatives. He might have gotten closer to your niece and nephew that he babysat with you. He could remember the days that the whole crew would gather around and eat dinner on the long center table in the kitchen soon after closing hours, and then he would ride home with a stomach full of happiness.

He remembered how the both of you would make any little thing an inside joke, laughing like idiots at literally anything they find funny. He felt like it was about to start happening all over again— the conversations, the laughter, the inside jokes, the warm feelings, and light-hearted talks. He felt like his feelings for you would bloom all over again and blossom from a small bud to a bigger flower. Seeing you come out from the kitchen holding two bottles of shochu and two shot glasses reminded him of when you would bring over a large bottle of certain beverages and stacked cups for the whole crew. It made his heart skip a bit once again when he realized that the two of you were at a table and sharing a drink after three long years of waiting. Laughter and jokes were shared between the two of you the whole night, and time passed by quickly without even realizing, leading you to where both of you were right now— tipsy and being all talkative than usual.

"So, do you want to start working in the café again? Help out the family, you know?" You smiled as you took another shot of the rice wine, taking the bottle that was placed on the middle and pouring yourself another cup to fill to the brim. As you were refilling the cup, the blonde in front of you let out a soft chuckle before taking the shot glass in front of him, chugging the liquor down then setting the glass back on the wooden table. "You don't have to do it, but—"

"Passing down a chance to hang out with my best friend and catch up?" Couldn't be me, you know." Satan laughed as he watched you refill his own glass again before placing it back on the center of the table. "It's been almost three years, and I'm sure both of us changed a lot. We could catch up."

Hearing the words come out of his lips made your heart ache as you purse your lips, and you frowned as you let out a soft sigh. A moment or two passed before you gave him a sad smile with your bottom lip trembling. "I don't think we can catch up and continue this friendship…" You trailed off, your voice evidently cracking. You cleared your throat and watched as Satan's grin fell from his lips. It only made you feel worse, but you figured that it would be better than leaving without a word to him. "I'm going back to my hometown to where my parents and siblings live. I'm going to college there. I just asked because I'm worried about how Simeon would handle the café while I'm gone. He can't bake and take orders at the same time, so…"

Just as when Satan had his whole world in front of him and got his hopes up, the reality just came crashing back to him all over again but harder. Satan could feel his throat forming a lump and his chest getting heavy at the thought of him losing you again. He listened to the sound of your voice cracking before he took a deep breath and forced himself to laugh out loud. "College? I see." You could see him force a smile, and you could only take the shot glass in front of you to distract yourself. As you raised your glass and brought it up to your lips, you heard him speak up to continue his statement. "I can't really stop you from achieving your dreams, so I suppose I have no other choice but to support that, don't I?"

Satan found himself lying down on your bed that night and staring up at the ceiling, his phone by his ear as he waited for the other line to pick up. He was wide awake despite that fact that it was in the middle of the night, but he couldn't really sleep that well at the thought of you leaving him at the next morning and he wouldn't be there to bid you goodbye. It wasn't like he never done this before, either. He was used to it— choosing to stay awake like an idiot despite being drunk and then waking up to go to school the next day. He did it too much that he didn't even have a problem doing it anymore and that he could function well enough despite the intense hangover he was feeling. He was listening to your steady breaths, hoping to himself that you were fast asleep already and that Azazel was still awake. When the other line finally picked up, Satan could hear Azazel's voice answering with an alarmed tone.

"Where are you? It's already midnight. Shouldn't the party be over by now? What will I te—"

"Azazel, calm down. I'm fine, okay? The party is done, and I decided to crash over at my friend's place since it was closer to the school. Tell that to father, and in case he threatens to slap you, I want you to blame it all on me, and I'll resolve this with father."

"You should at least tell me where you're sleeping over! Also, there's no way I'm doing that! I don't want you taking all the blame for yourself! Satan, I really think—"

"I don't want you taking all the blame for yourself either. You didn't even do anything wrong, so you should at least learn how to defend yourself when father is doing something wrong to you."

Before the other man on the line could even think about answering back, Satan ended the call and turned off his phone so Azazel wouldn't butt in. A thing or two that both of them had in common was that they were both too stubborn and protective of each other. They stuck to each other whenever it was possible despite their large age gap and they always have to step in to protect each other. Satan could remember when Azazel was slapped for letting five-year-old Satan run around the park and trip on a rock. Satan could remember when his father forced Azazel to his knees and kicked him just because eleven-year-old Satan got a question wrong in his final exam. Satan could remember when he kept crying to his butler about how stupid it was of him to take the blame for something Azazel didn't even do. The least that Satan could do now that he was old enough to protect himself was to take the blame for his actions and to defend Azazel in anyway he can. It was stupid and cliché of him, but he loved Azazel more than his father, anyways.

He didn't even realize how deep in thought he was until you spoke up from the futon set on the floor, catching him off guard and startling him completely. "When you first talked about your butler, I really expected that you would think he was just like a dog to you. But, you know, I think it's really sweet that you would even tell him to blame yourself when your father gets angry. Not everyone is like that to their own butler, you know. I think he genuinely adores you by how he spoke so fondly of you." You smiled softly as you sat up from the large futon that was set beside your bed, turning your head to look at Satan.

You felt bad for letting him get home drunk and leaving him after being together for only an hour or two, so you just decided to let him stay for the night and let him drop you off the airport. At first, he was hesitant about it knowing that the guest bedroom was where you slept, but you assured him that it wouldn't be a problem at all. Of course, since the Japanese side of you reminded yourself that he was a guest, you of course let him take the bed and decided to sleep on the futon.

From his current position, which was lying straight on his back, he turned to the side so he could face you and scoffed a bit. "Of course I would do that for Azazel. He has been more like a father to me than my biological father ever was. If I could, I would move out and choose to live with him instead. Also, the only ones who do that anyways are spoiled brats and weren't raised properly. Our mom was kind enough to teach us about manners and whatnot." He answered back before letting out a snort in the end.

Now being more wide awake than ever, you let out a chuckle and nodded in understanding. "I'm surprised that all of you have different career choices though. Shouldn't all of you be working hard right now since all of you are supposed to inherit your father's business?" You asked as you tilted your head, a brow raised.

Satan shook his head in response before answering. "No, not really. It's not always that way, especially for a family as big as us. Besides, it is always the eldest who inherits the family business. I feel bad for Lucifer, really. He wanted to be a prosecutor but he became a lawyer instead because he needed to inherit the chairman position. He has it the worst out of all of us since he's expected to be as excellent as father." He let out a soft sigh as soon as he finished his statement, frowning. You watched as he sat up on your bed and took a look around the room. After a few moments of silence, a low hum came from him and he spoke up with a hint of sadness in his voice. "Anyways, you look like you're all packed up, huh?"

The smile on your face fell and you once again felt a pang hit your chest, causing you to let out an awkward chuckle. The air started to feel heavy, too. "I'm sorry." You apologized. Your guilt washed over you and made you feel completely horrible about leaving your old friend in just a few hours.

Satan breathed out before grinning, shaking his head and the smile on his face crawling back up on his face. "It's your dream, right? To study culinary arts?" He hummed as he placed a hand on your head and gently ran his thumb across your scalp, as if he was patting a newborn kitten. He knew it would be horrible if you stopped studying for your dream just to have you all to himself, and he knew he wouldn't be able to stand the guilt of doing that for his own selfish ideas. The last thing he wants to be like is his own father. "Don't be sorry for dreaming. If I found out you stayed here for me, I would be hating myself for being the reason to stop you."

And finally, after three long years of pining over him, you felt your heart skip a bit once again at his touch and at his words.

Crowded.

That was one way to describe the airport despite it being too early in the morning. It was crowded, and Satan was shocked at how it was so noisy already at 6 in the morning.. There were couples and families walking inside with a large suitcase, probably going for a vacation. There were young adults who were ready to work abroad for higher income. There were parents dropping off their kids for them to study in their dream college. And, there was you, being dropped off by none other than the crew and Satan. Holding a large backpack and two suitcases, you were just standing in front of them as you fought back the tears. It reminded you of the time when the whole Dreamland crew had happier and livelier vibes. Of course, the whole vibe of the group changed — solemn and so… glum. It made your whole goodbye, of course, heartbreaking, but you wanted to keep your chin up for them. At least, until they were out of sight and that they can no longer see you cry.

"You guys… Can't you at least smile for me before I leave?" You forced a smile on your lips as you tried to make the atmosphere lighter. When you were met by no response other than huffs or wider frowns, you couldn't help but sigh and pretend to be frustrated. "Oh, come on, it's not like I'm dying. I'm just moving. I'll be back sooner or later, I promise."

"Well, all of you know she has a point." Simeon was the first to speak up after a few seconds, throwing everyone his ever-so cheerful grin and trying to lighten the mood along with you. "We should be glad that she's going for her dream. Besides, you know what they say. People don't like goodbyes, so let's all just say our 'see you soon' to her and smile, okay?"

Of course, Simeon. The optimistic and calm cousin, often called an angel. He would never fail to lighten up moods or make everything better. His words were like miracles that people would instantly feel better from him. He brings a sense of comfort and genuinely enjoys making people happy. It was incredible at how he fixed moods in a jiffy. Soon, the whole crew was nodding in agreement and smiling wide, including that handsome hunk of a blonde that you called Satan.

When your eyes trailed over to his smiling face, you couldn't stop your heartstrings tugging at your chest in such a way that you didn't know if you were supposed to smile or cry. You knew how he already made it clear that you should be doing things for your own, to which you weren't used to doing after being so selfless all your life and serving people for three whole years. Graduating at sixteen was something else, indeed, but you knew you had to go to college once you were around eighteen or nineteen. You and your parents had an agreement about that. Everyone took turns saying their goodbyes, with Satan choosing straight off the bat that he would be the last. The moment they finished saying their goodbyes, they went back in the van to probably cry their eyes out until the last of your family was finally inside. You watched as Satan nodded and urged them to just leave him behind, saying that he'll be picked up by Azazel later.

You would definitely be lying if you said that you didn't want to just drop your bags and stay here for someone, particularly the blonde. Which is why when it was finally his turn to bid you a 'see you soon', you had the urge to completely give up on your dreams until you realized that Satan would beat himself up when that happens. He called your name with his voice that evidently got lower over the years, making your breath hitch as you swallowed a forming lump in your throat.

"I'm surprised that you used to put up with my shit all the time back when we were sixteen, you know?" He laughed softly as you only looked up at him, realizing how he also got taller compared to the last time you met him. "I couldn't really prove or show it to you, but I really did become a better person."

You nodded as you let out a soft laugh at the memories when he would come back from school with a few bruises, to which you would always patch him up and teach him how to cover up with makeup. It resulted in him wearing a face mask soon when it was time for his shift to hide his scars. You remembered how he would always grumble out an explanation to why he came beaten and bruised. As you thought back to these memories, you realized how slowly he would start coming to the café with a fresh face as the days passed by, until a month had completely passed without him getting into fights. His character development was genuinely interesting to see and witness, and you were glad that you were there to witness it. Azazel must have been happy when he stopped getting into fights and chose to study his ass off.

"I know you became a better person, Satan. Maybe tone down the drinking to avoid losing a liver?" You smiled softly before playfully hitting him on the shoulder. Satan couldn't help but let out another laugh and give you a nod in response. "Well, see you soon. Wait for me, okay? When I come back, you'll be the first person I'm hanging out with."

Satan took a deep breath as he laid a gentle hand on your head, ruffling and completely messing up your hair. You didn't mind, though, since you knew it would mess up either way during the flight. It took you a few moments to decide on how to end the goodbyes with him, seeing as that you two were completely silent during after that. None of your relatives were here, either, so you chose to stand on your toes and, without hesitating, press a soft kiss on his lips. When you pulled back after a few seconds, you saw that his turquoise eyes were wide open and his pale skin was painted with a deep red blush. You then started to litter his soft face with kisses, occasionally tilting your head a bit to reach some parts, before finally ending them with a light peck on his lips. "I'm sorry I had to leave you like this."

Satan just watched, flabbergasted and devastated, as you trudged away while tugging your luggages behind you. The coward and meek side of him chose to stand still and watch you disappear in the crowd despite wanting to go after you and give you one last kiss. When he could no longer see you and when it was clear that you won't be walking back to see him again, his chest started to feel heavy and his eyes started to water. Taking out his phone, he dialed the pink-haired man's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Azazel, pick me up in the airport. Let's have a drink."

"We're home!!" Azazel huffed out as he kicked the doors open, carrying the drunk and half-asleep blonde with all his might. Despite Satan's thin and short frame, he was heavier than expected— hence his butler's struggling. When they happened to enter the house, the whole family was just in the middle of having their dinner. You could imagine the shocked looks on their faces when they saw Satan slurring and crying on Azazel's back when said butler struggled to naturally enter the dining room to get medicine from one of the cabinets. He was literally on the verge of collapsing to the floor. God save Azazel.

Of course, Lucifer was the first to react. The eldest stood up and pulled Satan off the poor butler, visibly cringing when the scent of whiskey was all over him. Azazel literally gasped for air and sighed in relief, letting out a few coughs soon after.

Of course, Lucifer was the first to react. The eldest stood up and pulled Satan off the poor butler, visibly cringing when the scent of whiskey was all over him. Azazel literally gasped for air and sighed in relief, letting out a few coughs soon after.

"The hell happened ta him?" Mammon asked as he helped his older brother carry the youngest to his usual seat beside Lilith, concern visible in his eyes. Sure, they were used to a drunk Satan coming home, especially late at night, but him being a crying mess is a different story.

Azazel cleared his throat. "Uh—"

"Dismissed. You can rest up. You must be tired." Lucifer cut Azazel off, deciding to hear it from Satan himself instead. Of course, the only one who knew his siblings the best was him (and their mum, but she was already long gone and that they never wanted to speak of it). Before anyone could even blink an eye, Azazel was already dashing out the kitchen to run to his room. When Lucifer turned his head to look at his youngest brother, Satan was already downing Asmo's glass of wine.

Lilith let out an awkward laugh and cheekily grinned. "I tried to stop him, but he just reached out and took it, you know?" She explained as she motioned over to the blonde, who was now reaching over to take Lilith's glass of wine, only for Belphegor to move it farther from him. Satan's loud whine was heard throughout the kitchen, and everything was an actual mess. It was all cut short, though, when the head of the family ended all the fun by banging on the table.

"Shut your traps!" Their father yelled, catching everyone's attention and making the eight siblings fall silent— excluding the youngest who was still crying on the table. He had his eyebrows furrowed and fists in a clench. "It's stupid how all of you care about this good for nothing brother of yours. You know how much he causes trouble and how he completely ruins the family's image up until that age, and yet, every one of you are taking care of this incompetent and sorry ass. Stop treating him like a child!"

Lucifer frowned as he shook his head in frustration. Just as when he was about to step in and defend the youngest child, a sob was heard from where Satan sat. All attention was turned back to the blonde, and even their father's face went soft when he saw how heartbroken the blonde looked. "Hey," The blonde said before letting out a shaky laugh, not even trying to stop the tears falling from his eyes anymore. "What if someone you really like kissed you before getting on their plane?" He asked softly, voice a bit hoarse and shaky due to his current condition. Nobody tried to answer back, and nobody made a move. It was just silent, and all of them didn't dare to speak up. "Should I have chased them? Or maybe begged them to stay? What would happen if I did that?" He looked up and immediately laid his eyes on his father, before standing up straight (too straight for a drunk man) and turning his attention on him. "You did that to mom too, didn't you? You chased after her and just straight up proposed to her just so she wouldn't leave you? Do you think I could do that?"

No response.

It just egged Satan on to finish up his statement. A low chuckle was heard.

"Do you think that they would accept my proposal? Or, do you think they would start hating me for trying to stop them from getting their dreams?"