#hae wrote

[shrimpsicality]

dear @i-got-hit-by-a-planet, happy holidays!!! this is my gift for you from the @mcytblrholidayexchange, I hope you like it! :D

beta-ed by @rutellingmeashrimpfriedthisrice tysm for your help!

Summary: Joel and Scar travel the kingdoms selling crystals reputed to give magical properties. Their caravan is always ready for a hasty getaway, for no particular reason.

text under the cut if you prefer:

So, against the odds, it continues...

It starts when Joel tries to sell magic beans to Scar, desperate and not very convincing, and gets an offer of partnership instead. Joel has his reservations at first, but—as previously mentioned—he's desperate. They end up working well together; Scar with his charisma and Joel with his easygoing nature, and when it comes to it, brute force.

The caravan swings off the main path and through what feels like a wall of fully-grown berry bushes, then slows to a stop. The horses snort in protest, Scar exclaims "oh, goodness me!" from inside, and Joel grumbles as he dismounts; was that really a path?

Nevertheless, it appears they have arrived in the Fairy Fort. An abandoned stronghold of a faction long disbanded, nature has overtaken the castle that once stood on the hill. Superstitions and legends spread like wildfire here, and no traveller dares cut back the brambles in the way of its eastern entrance for fear of retribution.

Joel picks the more stubborn branches from his hair and surveys the clearing they're in. It's surrounded by eerily skeletal oak trees, the occasional leaf clinging valiantly to its branch, but the denseness of the trees more than makes up for the thin foliage. Only dappled patches of sunlight reach the forest floor, which is patterned with red and brown mushrooms.

He spots a circle of them ringed by darkened grass and carefully gives it a wide berth as he checks on the horses. Forget superstitions, what were they thinking, letting horses trample through that mess?

The horses have stopped but not stilled. They don't seem hurt, fortunately, pawing at the ground with their hooves. Emerging from within the caravan, Scar slips past Joel to pet them and thank them for their work.

"Who's a good horse?" he croons, running his fingers through their manes. "You are, yes you are."

"Am I, Scar? I didn't know that." Joel asks, amused. He can't help it, really, and laughs when Scar yelps and flails, turning around with a hand on his heart.

"Joel, you can't do that to a man!" he protests. Joel holds his hands up in apology, shaking his head.

"Sorry, sorry!"

After a brief rest, they continue deeper into the grove, proceeding more cautiously. The horses rear occasionally, whinnying at something unknown. Joel hangs strings of bells on the reins, and sews protective charms into Scar's and his clothes. It doesn't hurt to be careful; they're here because they're greedy, not because they have a death wish.

They pass a large swathe of land ravaged by a forest fire. Scorch marks reach up the stumps of trees left behind, soot and ash painting the area in streaks of grey. The air is oddly warm, too, as if the fire had just recently been extinguished instead of having burnt out ages past. Legend has it, this is the place where the undead witch Cleo had her fiery revenge against those who wronged her.

But the place isn't only defined by the legends hanging over it. There's a thriving community of people—who are, presumably, not fairies—set up in the town. It's almost worth the rough journey over, Joel thinks, as they settle into a cosy inn for a meal. Laughter and chatter fill the room, and after they've overcome their reservations about fairy food, it's the most relaxed they've been in weeks. Joel blows the steam off a warm bowl of mushroom stew as Scar charms the diners beside them, pitching an array of protective crystals set into lockets, bracelets, and rings.

They don't need to know the iron chains cost more than the centrepieces. At least they aren't really lying when they say their wares can protect them; iron does help against the fairies reputed to live here. Scar's doing them a favour, frankly.

Speaking of whom, Scar's pitch has progressed from fanciful to outright unbelievable as he gets caught up in the delights of storytelling, and Joel quickly sets down his bowl to intervene.

And continues...

The wheels of the caravan clatter over the uneven path, rocking it from side to side. Leaning against one window, Scar peers outward to the forest. They are departing the kingdom of BEST, pockets heavy with swindled gold, and Scar can't help but whoop in delight. A passing wind sweeps away the sound and loses it amongst the rustling of leaves.

The farther out of BEST territory they go, the sparser the leaves become. Evergreen spruce trees melt into dry, barer branches as the deciduous oaks and birches shed their leaves in the winter wind. The movement of the caravan kicks up a cool breeze, and Scar fancies he sees snowflakes drifting along the chilly air. That is surely just his imagination, however; it is not that cold yet.

Ahead, Joel steers the horses to their next destination. He's humming, cheerful, as is usual after their customary stop at the town of Snowpeak. The people there come from all places, though the locals are used to their tricks. Joel cares more for the company; Etho the trickster is stationed at the Snow Fort, the fortress that gives the town its name. Scar, for his part, is happy to conduct dealings from the caravan alone while Joel attempts to charm Etho, or what Joel does.

There's an exclamation of surprise, and Joel tugs on the reins; the caravan lurches past a fallen tree. The pots by the window swing from their hooks and Scar rushes to their side, hands flying frantically. Ah, the hazards of a moving home.

He settles the assorted plants—succulents and kalanchoes, which will bloom in the springtime—and pats the ceramic pots as if to say "now stay put!".

Behind, the white walls of the Snow Fort are slowly fading into the mist. When the snow comes, it will gather on the spruce walkways and pile against calcite walls, letting the fortress live up to its name. Until then, the most arresting feature of the fortress is its soulsand defences, cleverly built under planks; they leave enemies stumbling while their allies skate past with charmed shoes. Scar has one of those, too—and plenty of fakes that he's sold to curious travellers and prying enemies.

Not that Scar takes sides, of course. No, no; he's completely independent... but Joel does, and Scar likes the leverage it gives him. (That, and he's afraid of Etho—though he'll never say that!)

And continues…

The smoky scent of gunpowder floats about him. Joel carefully transfers the explosive powder onto the waxed paper, holding his breath as the movement sends clouds of dust blossoming into the air. Gunpowder is volatile, light, and exceedingly easy to ignite. Joel resists the urge to brush the specks of grey from his sleeves; the slightest friction could set the whole thing off.

Later, when there isn't a full pouch of the stuff inches from him. Of all the ways to go, exploding because he couldn't stand getting his clothes dirty is not his preferred one.

He is in a clearing, a safe distance—he hopes—away from their caravan. Through the thick tree trunks, he can hear Scar humming to himself, though he has to strain his ears. Softer still is the sound of a campfire crackling, the contented neighing of horses, and the scratch of ink against paper as Scar writes. It's a domestic little scene that Joel can practically see, made familiar from years of travel, and he is struck with an intense, almost dizzying need to protect it.

Hence why he's doing this, he supposes. The vigilantes known as Smajor and Moon have been worrying at their heels, making trouble for the two of them. Joel intends to send them a message, and he's out of fancy paper, so explosions it is.

Joel reaches—slowly, holding his breath—for a piece of string. With a finger holding the paper in its folded position, he loops the string carefully around the package.

The rest of the mechanism is easy to assemble. The string is tied to a latch attached—say that ten times fast—to a spring, which holds a stopper linked to a string of fishing line in place. Ingenious, really. With the slightest step on the tripwire, the package of gunpowder will tear open and spill into the space between the open latch and the casing. The catch swings back due to the spring, which sparks against the gunpowder, and— boom.

Joel feels pretty pleased with himself for coming up with that. He divides the gunpowder into two packages and slots them into his bag with the rest of his materials. The wax will hopefully reduce any stray friction as he travels to the Scottage, where he'll set the whole thing up.

As he heads back to their campsite, he notices that Scar is indeed sitting by the fire. Joel lingers by the trees, bag hanging from a far branch as he starts brushing the last of the grey powder from his arms. There is a series of soft pops as they ignite, but in small quantities, they're harmless enough. Once he's satisfied, he retrieves his things and returns to his partner.

And continues...

Years ago, Scar took up lapidary on a whim, liking the process of shaping gems and jewels. He learnt how to use the files, templates, rock tumblers, and trim saws; charmed his way into an apprenticeship with a local jeweller. He handled rubies, emeralds, lapis, even a diamond or two. When the money ran low and the mines lost their wealth, it was just a switch to a cheaper, more brittle material.

Scar turns his attention to the pieces of glass in front of him. Or should he say, crystals? His newest batch: a dazzling array of crystals in pink, green, and violet. He picks one up to polish and smooths a finger over the natural-looking bevels. It really is his best work yet. He'd made them on the journey over, sanding and polishing each chunk of glass to a perfect shine.

It is tricky to write on a moving vehicle, though, which is why Scar leaves the intricate details till they arrive. Later comes the ribbons; gauzy, delicate, and most importantly, pretty.

In the lull between customers, or the quiet at the end of the day, he loops lengths of ribbon around each crystal and writes in shimmery ink on perfectly cut paper. Pretty little labels in a flowing script, making fantastical claims of the crystals' properties. Strength, Luck, Protection… Everyone underestimates the power of presentation, and Scar'll be damned if he doesn't use that to his advantage at every opportunity.

They've set up shop in Sunspark, a village on the outskirts of the Southlands. A sta-hall, Joel would call it, because "when in Rome", right?

At this time of day, the cobblestone streets are empty. The air is still, as if waiting with bated breath for something to break the silence. Seated at their stall, Scar watches the sun set slowly, dipping over the roofs of the houses across the square.

It's winter and the days have shortened. Golden light spills onto the counter, catches and refracts through the glass— through the crystals. It catches on Joel's hair as he ducks through the doorway.

"Hey, Scar," says Joel, sleeves rolled up and hair in a bun. His voice is lowered, like he has also sensed the hushed atmosphere. There's a clock swinging from his vest, delicate clockwork outlined in gold and lapis, small diamonds inset to act as miniature stars. It's extravagant and practical, exactly how Joel likes his possessions.

He checks it; the hand ticks closer to night. "Good day today… I'm thinking another day here and it'll be about time we pack up,"

"Yeah, yeah, absolutely," Scar agrees. He leans on the counter, attention drifting around the area. A crow pecks at a gap between the cobblestones, the clicks of its beak against stone echoing faintly.

There's a flicker of movement between the houses. Scar tenses. Joel follows his line of sight and swivels around, crouching slightly in preparation.

A strong wind whooshes past.

A man bursts from the shadows, cloak billowing in the wind. For a second, all Scar can see is a deep scowl and the glint of eyes under the hood. Then, he gasps as it is thrown back to reveal a very familiar face.

"Grian?" he can't help but exclaim. Scar knows him; Grian is one of five leaders of the Southlands' most notorious faction, a rowdy bunch called the Spyglasses. Apart from that, well, Scar may or may not have recognised Solidarity, another Spyglass, at his stall yesterday. And he may or may not have sold him... false goods. But that's neither here nor there!

Beside him, Joel yells, "What are you doing here?"

Grian skids to a stop, hair wild and eyes alight with righteous indignation. Scar recognises the look, because it's often directed at him by previous customers. He rises from his seat, readying himself to start running.

Before Grian can launch into a rant—Scar remembers those, too—he pauses and does a double-take. "Scar? Joel?"

"Yes, yes, we know each other's names; we're all very famous people." Joel sighs, waving aside Grian's spluttering objections. He pauses, feigns disinterest as he looks Grian up and down. "We're actually closed, you know, but we'll make an exception for you. I suppose."

"Why hello there, good sir," Scar sweeps into a bow obligingly. As always, Joel brings the managerial aloofness and Scar plays the friendly sales clerk. "May I interest you in some wares?"

"NO!" Grian shouts, laughter creeping into his voice regardless. "No, Scar, you cannot!"

He jabs a finger at Scar, sending Joel into raucous shouts of laughter. Grian slides a glare in his direction; Joel laughs harder. "You scammed Jimmy! Do you know how much I heard about you two liars and scoundrels today?"

"Nooo?" Scar tries for innocence. He knows how much Jimmy, code name Solidarity, talks when he's upset, indignant, or otherwise feeling wronged. That's why they like winding him up the most—and Grian's reactions are just the cherry on top.

Joel has quietened and slunk to Grian's back, a smirk splitting his face in two. There is no threat here, though they'll probably have to leave the town ahead of schedule if they've been discovered. If they can just redirect Grian's attention…

"A— a lot, alright? He won't stop going on about you and your protective crystals," Grian says, disdain dripping from the last two words. Joel makes elaborate gestures behind his back, culminating in a dramatic pantomime of his ears falling off his face from, presumably, Jimmy's constant talking. Scar stifles a snort.

"Wha—" Grian whirls around, suspicious, and sighs. "Very funny, Joel,"

When he turns back, the stall is empty—of both crystals and Scar himself. Joel's snickers linger as the pair melt swiftly into the shadows, disappearing down the winding streets to the sounds of Grian's screeching.

And continues...

For all the glamour of a life of trickery and travel, it has its mundane times. Now, as the first frost breaks across the land, their pace slows in concession to the dropping temperatures and Joel can't help but feel a little restless.

They are in the Southlands again—Amethyst's Peak, nestled deeper into the territory—because Scar has more contacts there. Joel wonders if they'll meet the Spyglasses again. It's too fun to mess with them, really; Grian's dramatic anger aside, they are actually quite friendly with the pair of conmen and there's no end to their shenanigans when they meet.

Business has slowed for Joel and Scar though, now that they have to operate on foot while the caravan is off for repairs. Joel wishes them luck with it; there are splinters and cracks and dirt in every corner, born of a year of constant travel.

In its absence, Scar has gotten them a place of sorts. It's a lovely house, charming even, and especially welcome on a cold day like this. Where the biting wind would have pried its way through the slats of the caravan, the brick and mortar of the house keeps the interior comfortably warm. Joel sits himself by the fireplace and wraps his hands around a mug of wine. Scar is sat by the window, nose practically pressed to the glass as he watches the snow pile on the street outside, falling in not so much flakes as clusters of snow.

"Scar..." Joel calls to him, tipping his head at an angle to stare sideways at his partner in crime. "I'm bored."

"Well, why don't you look at all this snow!" Scar suggests and turns to look at him, delight evident in the expressive flying of his hands. Joel doesn't want to look at some boring snow. Plus, he's still shivering from that morning, when a sudden heavy snowstorm sent them sprinting across the street back to shelter.

He says as much to Scar, concluding with a pout, "And I didn't get to buy those books, even though I've been looking bloomin' everywhere for those!"

"Hey, that's not too bad!" Scar says. His hands fly some more. "We can go back tomorrow, if you like."

"Yeah, tomorrow, while a sheet of solid ice falls on our head out there." Joel retorts sarcastically. Scar follows his gaze out the window, where the thick flurry of snow blocks out the street. The glow of lanterns shines weakly through the onslaught; still, it is hard to even make out the silhouettes of the houses opposite.

"…You have a point." He concedes.

"But I'm about to go mad here; what can we even do?"

"That's the question, isn't it, Joel?" Scar sighs. There's a certain distant quality to his sigh that suggests Joel is in for a long speech. "I don't have the faintest clue. We've been on the road for so long—don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change that at all—but now that it has been changed, Joel, against our will; we are at a loss. Perhaps we've gotten too used to the rapid pace of…"

"Let's play cards," Joel heads off the incoming introspection. He searches his bag—still unpacked, shoved into the closet while they took in as much of the town before winter hit in full force—for a deck. Scar abandons a sweeping gesture and hurries to his side, making grabby hands for the cards.

They don't get to the 'playing' aspect of playing cards. Scar is too engrossed in shuffling them in increasingly elaborate ways, and Joel eggs him on and attempts to vanish an ace up his sleeve. Still, amidst the falling card towers and the scattered cards of a failed shuffling, the snow gathers around them.

Joel cuts the deck of cards again and starts anew. He thinks of winter days and sunny laughter, of endless unlikely tales and the clink of glass-turned-crystal. His pocket watch ticks on, counting the seconds until they're ready to go on the road again. Together— always.

[literallys-illiteracy]

Crow's Eye View and Limbus Company

Poem No. 9, "Muzzle", Crow's Eye View poetry collection:

Every day was a spate of gusts and now a largish hand touches my waist. Just when the smell of my sweat seeps through the ecstatic vales of my fingerprints: fire. I shall fire. In my digestive tract I feel the stout gun barrel its slick muzzle kissing the back of my clenched teeth. Then at the moment I close my eyes for the blast just what have I spit in lieu of a bullet.

By Kim Hae-Gyeong (김해경). Pen name Yi Sang (이상)

There are two notes to make about this poem. The first is that it has been directly referenced prior to this, in the Solemn Lament Yi Sang's passive name:

Fire.IShallFire

I want to note this in relation to the EGO's mention of "My viscera", which carries the implication of shooting one's self, alongside the awakening line's "feeling of the gun barrel" (or in other words muzzle).

Now in order excluding the mentioned

This poetry collection has been referenced several times throughout the game, and i thought i would compile all the places that it has been referenced so far (and with a healthy dose of conjecture)

Note that i am aware these were written without spaces, however for the sake of being readable i wont be removing them.

Poem No. 1 "13 Children":

13 children speed toward the way. (For the road a blocked alley is apt.) The 1st child says it is scary. The 2nd child says it is scary. The 3rd child says it is scary. The 4th child says it is scary. The 5th child says it is scary. The 6th child says it is scary. The 7th child says it is scary. The 8th child says it is scary. The 9th child says it is scary. The 10th child says it is scary. The 11th child says it is scary. The 12th child says it is scary. The 13th child says it is scary. Among 13 children there are scary children and scared children and they are all they are. (It is better that there is no other excuse.) Of those it is fine to say that 1 child is scary. Of those it is fine to say that 2 children are scary. Of those it is fine to say that 2 children are scared. Of those it is fine to say that 1 child is scared. (For the road an opened one is apt.) It does not matter if 13 children do not speed toward the way.

This poem has been referenced a multitude (2) of times in different places.

The first is the use of the word children in the uptie stories, referencing the 13 children, as there are 13 sinnners (remember that dante is still a sinner, even if they have no ID's (yet)).

The second is during Yi Sang's Dimension Shredder Corrosion:

As a matter of fact, the alley is an open one

alongside its profile line being "open alley", in direct reference to the second line of the poem.

Poem No. 2:

When my father is dozing by me I become my father and I become my father’s father and even then my father is my father like my father so why do I keep becoming my father’s father’s father’s…father why must I jump over my father and why at last must I be acting out myself and my father and my father’s father’s and my father’s father’s father’s roles all at the same time staying alive

This one will return in later mention.

Poem No. 4:

This above poem is a symbology of death, the geometric sequences all ending at zero, reaching their terminus. This relates to Hae-Gyeong's tuberculosis, which would eventually kill him.

Poem No. 5:

Relating back to, but not being the origin of, Yi Sang's motif of the "Wings".

Alongside Poem no. 2, this relates back to the concept of stagnation in ones life.

Poem no. 10. "Butterfly":

In the tattered wallpaper I see a dying butterfly. It’s a secretive mouthpiece a hotline to the other world. One day in my glassed beard I see a dying butterfly withered and feeding on the poor dew that respiration makes. If I die with my palm over the mouthpiece the butterfly too shall spring away. Words like these are never to be let out.

This is the inspiration for the abnormality named "Funeral of a Dying Butterfly" within the mirror dungeon, and arguably the "Funeral of Dead Butterflies" in games prior.

The second is the line "ISeeTheDyingButterfly" in the Solemn Lament ID itself. One could consider the fact that Yi Sang received this ID in itself a reference.

Trigger warning: mentions of suicide and self harm in the proceeding section, read with caution

Poem No. 15:

1 I find myself in an interior with no mirror. Me-in-the-mirror has surely gone out. For fear of him I tremble. From where and how does this sinister figure machinate against me. 2 In a cooled bed I slept cradling a crime. I was absent in my certain dream and my military boots which held prosthetics soiled my dream’s blank sheets. 3 I steal into an interior with a mirror. To release me from the mirror. But crestfallen and without fail he too and in sync enters. Bestows his regret upon me. Imprisoned by me as I am by him me-in-the-mirror too trembles. 4                                                          My dream where I am absent. My mirror where my counterfeit does not appear. Yearner for my solitude to whom even incompetence is OK. Finally I have decided to prescribe suicide to him. I indicate the awning window which does not even have a view. The sole purpose of that window is suicide. But he cannot go before I kill myself he instructs me. Me-in-the-mirror is almost a deathless bird. 5 I occulted my heart with metal held the pistol up to the mirror and aiming leftward the chest pulled the trigger. The bullet dug into where his heart should be but his heart is to the right. 6 Crimson ink spilled out from the carbon heart. In my dream to which I am late I’ve been sentenced to capital punishment. It is not I who rules my dreams. I am guilty of a grave crime for holding captive the very two who cannot even shake hands.

The largest and most obvious reference that can be drawn from this is the "me in the mirror" relating back to canto 4 and Yi sang's relation to mirrors as a whole.

The second, in stanza (the term for a paragraph in a poem) 5, can be linked back to Fell Bullet, once again relating to the bullet piercing the heart that was present in the story of the Freischutz, however the failure of this to kill, or take Yi Sang's soul.

the 6th stanza is also interesting for its relation to both dreams, alongside its relation to handshakes. One could relate this to the abnormality "handshake of handshakes" or alternatively "Wandering Mind" (source of Wrist Guards and Phantom Pain respectfully), however, in Poem

[mobblespsycho100]

An Interview with Kabru.

Q: Glad you could make it! Happy to have you here

K: Likewise. I admit, I was surprised when I got this invitation. I'm quite flattered, haha.

Q: Shall we just get right to it?

K: Go right on ahead, if you please. I'll be sure to answer as earnestly as possible.

Q: Okay then! First question: why do you smile?

K: Why wouldn't I smile? It puts people at ease. Discomfort will bring seperation, and a smile can disarm their worries as easily as words or a trade of blows can.

Q: Ah, I see... smiling as a tool of effective communication! Interesting. Moving on to the next one, (you can give as many answers as you like) what do you love?

K: The company of others. How humanity can stab one another in the back as they see fit, without much deliberation. We lift others up, so that we can piece them back together when they shatter into glass.

Q: You sure do love talking with other people. Third question, what you do love most about yourself?

K: Myself? Hahaha, what a wonderful, thought provoking question. My answer is always the same, what don't I love about myself? It should be clear that I wouldn't love the company of others if I loathed my own self.

Q: Alright, then. What is something you wish you could change about yourself?

K: I wish to have more control over things outside of my control The color of my eyes. It's a bit of a ... unsettling distracting shade of blue, isn't it?

Q: It really is! They're quite enchanting... Now here's our fifth question, Why do you think so much about others?

K: Humans are fascinating, aren't they? Unlike monsters, they heal and they hurt. They create and they destroy. They want others to be genuine with them, but lie as easily as they breathe. We are all just living in our own worlds, and it is when these worlds collide do we invent what is known as 'community'. Is this enough of an answer?

Q: Of course. Interesting answer... Final question for today then, why do you stab oranges to eat them?

K: It's just more convenient, isn't it? I don't like to get my hands dirty, and peeling just feels so much more difficult while wearing gloves especially. I never really thought about it much though, why should it matter how I eat my oranges? They only taste differently depending on the region where they were grown in.

This is such a silly interview, haha! Thank you for having me

(Q: Thank you for answering honestly.)

Oh hey, by the way, did you know? When using a knife to slice or pierce through oranges, it apparently has the same sensation as stabbing human flesh.

[manawari]

*slams table* CELEBRITY/ACTORS AU!

inspired by those panels heh~

Basically, Cha Hae-in is an actress (got recruited by her manager after witnessing her fame at the athlete field when she was a teenager) and her image grew when she entered the art of filmmaking.

She appeared in various movies and shows, even making a few close friends along the way. However, she was often given the role of a background character — not that she was complaining, she thought it was better that way since she could still continue her passion for running.

Regardless, many people adored her every time she was on screen and Hae-in, being the sweet woman she was, returned their love as much as she could — which Han Song-yi, her manager, speculated it was the reason why she was still popular in spite of never getting the main lead role.

Many fans kept asking her when would she become a star lead in a movie. Cha Hae-in just chuckled and said she was content with being a second lead or just a background character. "But if the opportunity is up, will you take it, Ms. Cha?" "I wouldn't mind at all!"

A few months later, Han Song-yi called her and announced that a director wanted her to star as a main lead in a show that was primarily in an action genre. Of course, Hae-in screamed.

Fun fact: action was her favorite genre, thanks to Baek Yoon-ho and Kanae Tawata's influences after working with them, and wouldn't say no once she was offered. But to star in a main role? Hae-in thought she was dreaming at first.

Who is the male lead? Sung Jin-woo, of course.

Sung Jin-woo had been known for starring in a famous fantasy-dystopian show called "Solo Leveling" which debuted when he was fifteen and had went on for over five years (he started as a minor character to the main character of the series). Since then, his fame had been going on incessantly even when he had taken a break for two years to spend time with his family.

And once again, he would be starring in an action show. This time, he won't be the main character alone.

He was familiar with Cha Hae-in. He had seen a couple of her films before and was his sister's favorite actress.

Woo Jin-chul, his manager, decided set up a dinner with Cha Hae-in and her manager so they could get to know each other.

Hae-in hardly paid attention to him throughout the dinner, only would when Jin-woo began a topic for her to discuss with. He didn't know how far she would go as a female lead in an action show, but he hoped everything would turn out fine.

Jin-woo always did his stunts alone, even when he was just starting his career. And surprisingly, Hae-in was the same as well. She had been preparing for her role by training with Baek Yoon-ho ever since she received the part.

The show was entitled as "Avid" which featured the male lead (Sung Jin-woo) fighting against the people who were after him while protecting his village from getting wrecked, and along the way, he met (Cha Hae-in) who would soon become an immense help as she knew secrets about the enemy he did not know of.

Working with her was great. Jin-woo was impressed by her skills and how easily she got into character when she was actually shy behind cameras. He was amazed whenever he saw her fight and how well she swung her body to take her opponents down as if she was dancing.

On the other hand, Hae-in still couldn't believe she had gotten to work with Jin-woo, one of the best actors in the action genre.

Little did they both know, it was just the beginning.

Hae-in knew Jin-woo was popular because of his looks, charisma, and talent, so hearing a bunch of girls squealing at the sight of him was no surprise. Meanwhile, Jin-woo dealt with them the best way he could until Jin-chul came to his rescue.

"Tough luck for an actor, huh?" Hae-in teased him when he returned to the set exhausted.

"I just wanted to grab some coffee." Jin-woo grumbled.

The show's debut on its first five episodes had been a success. Many fans called it as "Sung Jin-woo's comeback" and "Cha Hae-in's peak performance". Of course, with all the love the show had been getting, the director got motivated to extend the storyline.

Hae-in's co-actors/friends publicly showed their support in the media, along with Jin-woo's, whom tagged her in their posts to send their felicitations. Choi Jong-in even joked about that she would soon steal his spotlight and Baek Yoon-ho expressed how he was crying in joy to see their training being paid off onscreen.

Everything was a success and people throughout the world loved the show.

. . . But that was until the audience began to get attached to the characters.

Many fans began to post in the media of how they "shipped" Jin-woo and Hae-in's characters due to the chemistry both on and off screen.

"Congrats! The fans think you and Jin-woo will make an amazing couple!" Jong-in exclaimed when he came to visit the set.

"It's just our characters." Hae-in scoffed. "Let them have their fun as long as it keeps the show running."

Jong-in smirked. "So if they asked for you two to kiss, would you do it?"

She spit out her drink. "ABSOLUTELY NOT! The show has been focusing on the action and protecting one's loved ones since the beginning. Romance would be a little too much."

"Well, that's too bad. I think they are already discussing it in the writer's room."

The production team was on full support on building the two lead's relationship. Thankfully, it won't happen already, but they were officially going for that route.

Cha Hae-in was no stranger to doing romance — she did some during the movies she starred in with Choi Jong-in (which led some fans to think they were dating behind the doors, but the speculation was debunked when the two admitted that they only see each other as siblings). But Jin-woo. . . It was his first time.

They had become close friends throughout the shooting and Hae-in was almost worried about seeing her co-actor become awkward with the new route. But Jin-woo handled it like a professional and managed to satisfy the director in his scenes where he would be looking longingly at her and smiling in awe. The director even said it felt raw.

The next scenes were spent with them holding hands and hugging a lot more than the previous episodes. As expected, it made the fans go insane.

"JINHAE NATION ARISE" — was in all platforms created by the fans of the show, Hae-in, and Jin-woo. The tag contained posts about the characters and the actors themselves. At some point, it was hard to tell which one they were referring to.

Hae-in had never felt so afraid opening her socials. Meanwhile, Jin-woo decided to make a joke about all of the posts to distract her mind.

"Hey! Look at this one!" Jin-woo leaned toward her while she covered her eyes in embarrassment. "It said that our characters are going to confess next episode."

"Isn't that the same person who posted it since, I don't know, seven episodes ago?" Hae-in rolled her eyes. She did not understand these so-called 'shippers' sometimes. "And besides, how are they going to confess when the director keeps killing off characters? I thought Esil was going to stay longer."

"Same." Jin-woo agreed. "But hey, let these people hope. Who knows the writers might change their minds and not continue with the development."

"You're right." Hae-in chuckled.

"Hae-in?"

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering—" Jin-woo bit his cheek, albeit in hesitation. "Do you want to go to the amusement part with me?"

"Amusement park?" Hae-in blinked. "Isn't that too crowded? We could get recognize and who knows what else can get into people's minds!"

"Who cares? We're humans. We need to take some breaks." Jin-woo huffed. "So, what do you say?"

In the end, Hae-in agreed.

Thankfully, their managers were kind enough to help them. Song-yi gave them wigs and hats as disguises while Jin-chul called for some guards to act as civilians to keep an eye on the two.

Hae-in wore a brown wig that was long and wavy while Jin-woo wore a black one that swept down to his chest. Even with his appearance, Hae-in made him put on a mask since his face was still distinguishable.

Their time in the amusement park was a success. Hae-in realized how she had never taken a complete break ever since she started the show. But she was thankful for Jin-woo. He was truly different than the actors she had worked with.

He was fun, compassionate, and clearly knew what he was doing.

"I love you." He said to her when they were filming a scene where their characters had reunited.

"CUT!" The director yelled. "Mr. Sung, you were supposed to say 'I am glad to see you', not 'I love you'!"

"Oh." Jin-woo became dumfounded. "Right, sorry!"

"Take two!"

On the other hand, Hae-in couldn't help but feel flustered. Fortunately, she managed to get through the shoots without letting that moment slide into her mind.

Things had gotten a bit awkward between her and her co-star. . .

Once the day ended, Jin-woo had approached her and told her the truth. He let those words slip out of his mouth because he did love her and it had been going on for almost a year.

Perhaps most of those scenes where he was looking at her in awe were not acting at all. . .

But in the end, rather than voicing her feelings out, Hae-in rose on her toes and wrapped her arms around Jin-woo's neck to kiss him.

They had begun dating after that day.

Even if it was only in secret, and since they were not ready for an uproar, the two stars were happy and had spent their breaks cuddling with each other and planning their dates once the shooting was over.

Jin-woo had taken her to his family when Christmas came and Hae-in did not expect how welcomed she would be, especially Jin-ah.

Even though they forbid their friends from ever sharing their personal lives, it did not stop them from expressing it low-key in their posts about the show. All the couple did was shake their heads and just ignore those people

After all, what mattered was they love each other and that was it.

[goawaywithjae]

What both seasons of “D.P.” do so well is tell the important and uncomfortable stories that no one wants to believe are true. When soldiers are regularly humiliated, degraded and tortured, what right does anyone have to tell the victims that they must return to their abusers?

[convenientalias]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 신입사관 구해령 | Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Yi Jin/Min U-won/Song Sa-hui Characters: Yi Jin, Min U-won Additional Tags: Pre-OT3, Post-Canon, Marriage of Convenience, Relationship Negotiation Summary:

Yi Jin met with Min U-won in the evenings sometimes, when duty did not keep them too busy or when they were able to mix business with pleasure.

Perhaps it should not have shocked him when, on one of those pleasant evenings, U-won told him, “I am thinking of speaking to the Song family about the possibility of marrying Song Sa-hui.”

Another wild OT3 fic appears.

[kiame-sama]

Azul being absolutely inconsolable if the human dislikes/is disgusted by his smut stories makes sense

but now I'm curious about what he'd think if the human finds them kinda hot

Human doesn't know Azul wrote them so they'd definitely be ashamed to be caught reading smut but. y'know. monsterfucker in a world entirely of nonhumans, what else would they do?

HAE!Human: Hey, Azul?

Yandere!Azul: Yes, my dear (Y/n)?

HAE!Human: I was on this app the other day called Trottr and I came across this... interesting piece... involving a Human and a Caecilia having 'relations'. And you're a Caecilia...

Yan!Azul: *internal panic mode, setting fires to everything, screaming on the inside* yeah..?

HAE!Human: Sorry if this sounds a little weird, but, that's actually a topic that is very interesting to me and I was wondering how much of it is accurate to Caecilia?

Yan!Azul: W-well, what is this piece of writing?

HAE!Human: Just... Promise you won't judge me, okay? *Shows Azul his own writing*

Yan!Azul: ... *Blue screens in bliss and blushes a deep blue all over his face and ears because the Human likes his writing, all three hearts beating like jackhammers in his chest*

HAE!Human: Azul? I said you can't judge me!

Yan!Azul: Would- ahem- would you like me to show you how accurate it is to Caecilia?

HAE!Human: ... what?

[sylusjinwoon]

This is such a random question but have you ever written a story where the reader goes with jinwoo to the international guild conference(I think thats what its called)

Im not asking you to write it, you’ve already written so much. Its just that you have so many works I struggle to find a specific one

Byeeeeeee! Have a good day/sweet dreams

hey sweetheart! and no, i don’t believe i wrote a story where the reader attends a conference with jinwoo. however, i can help you find a specific jinwoo story that i have personally written to suit your needs! so i have made a summary of every single jinwoo story i have written under the cut with their links ♡ !

1. { sparkle } - first jinwoo story i have ever written told in jinwoo’s POV where he realizes he’s in love with reader

2. { 3RR0R } - where the system shows jinwoo that his soulmate is not cha hae-in

3. { pillowtalk } - reader speaks to jinwoo about her love for him while he sleeps.

4. { season’s call } - reader is constantly under protection from jinwoo’s shadow soldiers.

5. { hold me like a grudge } - investigator!jinwoo protects the reader while hiding a secret from her.

6. { surround you } - jinwoo is away on a business trip, leaving reader alone as she muses on how much she misses him.

7. { like you do } - reader is a young woman living in the real world who gets the chance to live out her dreams of being with jinwoo in his world.

8. { butterfly kisses } - reader comforts jinwoo during a bad day.

9. { love letter of flowers } - florist! reader and s-rank hunter! jinwoo fall in love 💐

10. { slow dancing in the dark } - reader sees jinwoo dancing with hae-in and feels envious.

11. { boyfriend headcanons } - general fluff headcanons

12. { arise } - reader is resurrected as one of jinwoo’s shadow soldiers due to a tragic event.

13. { rose-colored boy } - jinwoo takes care of a sick and feverish reader.

14. { sands of time } - academy arc; reader can’t stand jinwoo and lowkey hates him… or does she?

15. { light in the darkness } - antares!jinwoo basks in the reader’s softness.

16. { tiptoe } - reader is kept hostage as potential leverage, but it fails when jinwoo brutally attacks her captors to teach them a lesson.

17. { snooze } - reader loves to humble jinwoo by calling him dorky nicknames.

18. { enough is enough } - reader and jinwoo get into an argument.

19. { motherland } - jinwoo comforts reader after her failures.

20. { love me for me } - reader can’t stand being second best to her sister, hae-in.

21. { follow you } - reader becomes anxious at work due to a persistent co worker who can’t leave her alone…

22. { house of gold } - jinwoo fumbles his proposal LMAO

23. { headfirst for halos } - first yandere jinwoo fic.

24. { penpal } - academy arc; jinwoo wishes to get closer to his beloved reader.

25. { proud to be yours } - jinwoo makes a huge announcement during a press conference.

26. { the dark knight } - reader is a capable hunter who can’t stand it when jinwoo purposely prevents her from attending raids.

27. { musings for yandere jinwoo } - more yandere stuff

28. { moonlight } - jinwoo becomes captivated by reader when she calls him a strangely unique nickname.

29. { anomaly } - reader gets isekai’d into the world of solo leveling.

30. { of gifts and curses } - jinwoo muses how his strength and power are for the sake of protecting his beloved…

31. { reader inserts } - reader gets emotionally scarred after reading a painful reader insert.

32. { too sweet } - jinwoo falls in love with a reader who is the embodiment of sunshine.

33. { peaches } - a love story between jinwoo and the reader whom he has always loved.

34. { the only exception } - yandere jinwoo who falls head over heels for reader at first sight, willing to do anything to keep her by his side.

35. { selfish } - jinwoo being a jealous bby 🥰

36. { belong to you } - 100% jinwoo spice / thirst post

37. { touch starved } - jinwoo tries to woo (lmao) the reader and win her heart ♡

38. { cry for me } - another thirst post based on an ask ♡

39. { lover is a day } - comfort fic for jinwoo

40. { heartbreak feels so good } - reader is embarrassed with having a one night stand with jinwoo and wishes to forget. unfortunately for her, jinwoo wants nothing more than to remember and finally claim reader as his.

41. { marked by you } - more thirst posts for jinwoo

42. { the prince and the pauper } - historical romance / fairytale au with prince jinwoo sung and a commoner reader

43. { darling } - a yandere story with a twist. yandere jinwoo and yandere hae-in are deeply in love with the reader and would kill each other just to have you all to themselves…

44. { company } - lmaoo reader keeps friendzoning jinwoo, and he hates it.

45. { autobiography } - reader is an author that wants to write jinwoo's biography; what more can i say? 🥰

46. { perfect } - 18+ only, another thirst post for jinwoo

47. { saturn } - will jinwoo learn to love the reader’s true self hidden beneath a cheerful fa��ade?

48. { slow it down } - boy next door jinwoo! what more can i say 🤭🥰

49. { that green gentleman (things have changed) } - single dad! jinwoo x daycare worker! reader

50. { god is a woman } - 18+ thirst post / drabble

51. { the admirer } - jinwoo loves to annoy the reader to capture her attention

52. { not a want but a need } - 18+ thirst drabble

53. { marry me } - the title says it all, really 🤭

54. { your heart belongs to me } - another 18+ thirst post

55. { the haunted one } - academy arc story where reader can see jinwoo’s shadow soldiers and becomes terrified of him.

56. { me + you } - another cute academy arc story where reader is struggling with math and jinwoo tutors her

57. { of painful auras and cute boys } - university au; reader has a migraine and needs to be saved;;; but by who ;3c

[frances-baby-houseman]

I'm SORRY not enough people are talking about how Celine Song and Justin Kuritzkes are married and she wrote a three-person movie called Past Lives and he wrote a three-person movie called Challengers and both of these movies have ONLY THREE CHARACTERS and in both of them one of the characters is named ARTHUR.

Are there no other names

What has an arthur done to them

I think it is significant which characters are named Arthur!! (well one is Art but you know.)

Why isn't everyone talking about this

Tashi/Patrick/Art

Nora/Hae Sung/Arthur

COME ON!!!

[solitudeandseclusion]

the way the pool scene in ep 3 was filmed is so interesting. because choi seung hyo knows something happened & he wants to divert bae seok ryu's mind with the time capsule. he wants to remind her of her old, fierce self. and then she jumps in.

now she's vulnerable. he's standing by while she floats. he asks her very carefully if she's confident in the big decisions she has taken recently. even asks to make sure if she's really sure about breaking up her engagement. the way he looks at her!!!!!! she loses balance for a sec and he steadies her. always ready.

now keep in mind this is all happening while my guy has zero idea about his own career or life direction btw 😭 but sure he wants to be a guiding light for her. love me a loser in love 💞

[edit: yes i said guiding light but i meant anchor!! he's being her anchor in that scene. i wrote the post after 2 am & couldn't remember the thing]

p.s. yes jung hae in is fantastic but can we also give jung so min her flowers, she's literally elevating her performance with each scene & is such a good scene partner for him.

[shrimpsicality]

It's February! Febuwhump Time :D

hello!! I've been stockpiling some febuwhump prompt fills this past month bc unfortunately I'm really busy in February. so now I get to post them!!

they'll be posted on ao3 and on here daily, at who knows what time, until I run out (which, if I don't find time to write more, will be on 14 Feb)

so yeah! 14 fics for you!! here's the current list:

01 : Helpless (Raddles, Dylqn)

03 : “Bite Down On This” (Nerdi, Fein) 

04 : Obedience (Draconix, Reign)

06 : “You Lied to Me” (Fulham)

10 : Killing In Self Defence (Reign, Silverr)

12 : Semi-conscious (Reign, Nerdi)

13 : “You Weren’t Supposed to Get Hurt” (Couri, Fulham)

14 : Blood-stained Tiles (Draconix, Fulham)

15 : “Who Did This to You?” (Dylqn, Tek)

16 : Came Back Wrong (Couri, Fein) 

18 : Too Weak to Move (Fyroah) 

19 : “Please Don’t” (Reign, Silverr)

ALT 04 : Human Weapon (Fruit, Fein) 

ALT 08 : Killing Game (Silverr)

why are some of them red? well you see—

HBG Last Life AU 💥💥

yeah that's right you heard me. I have. no idea what possessed me to do it, but I did. takes heavy inspiration from the mechanics, setting, and even certain plot elements of LL. (you'll see what I mean about the plot elements smile)

of course I gotta say: please heed the warnings and tags on each of these fics, and also... YOU. hbg member. don't look please D:

[hyuckmov]

hi queen I hope you're doing fine, we miss you on here 😭

can we please get something from rockstar hyuck part 3??? just crumbs please

here's something spicy that i actually wrote when i FIRST started rockstar hyuck wayyy way way back :) as a thank u to u guys for sticking w me i hope u missed just filth LOL

-

the call connects just after two rings, a sharp crackle of static before you're met with the sound of his soft breathing, loud against the quiet of his surroundings. 

"hey," you whisper, breathlessly. you didn't expect him to even pick up, considering how busy he was after shows. there was every chance he was still at the venue, high off the adrenaline that performing always gave him, or that he was at another one of his after-show parties, feeding off the adoration and desire that always surrounded him in a haze. 

"hey." you can't tell if he's mocking you, his voice equally breathy. "miss me?"

"yeah." you nibble on your lip, unsure what to say now that he was actually listening. shuffling back onto the pillows laid out on your bed, you sigh. "i'm sorry i couldn't make it to your show." it was the band's first trip to play a few gigs in another city close by, and although you wanted to follow, you just couldn't make the time for it. 

the boys, of course, had been endlessly excited – a new city, a new crowd…and of course a whole new slew of girls to show up to their parties. 

"it's fine," he murmurs, lightly. "i'll be back soon, anyway." 

you hear him shift around, and once again you're reminded of how surprising it is that he's picked up. "are you on the way to the party now?" 

"i'm not going to the party tonight, baby." the term of endearment snags your breath, a warmth spreading sweet and slow inside your body. "'m just staying in the hotel." 

"really?" you blurt out, hating the way your voice betrays the spark of hope that flickers in your chest. 

he laughs, and you can hear the smile in it. "it's good that you called," he says, quietly. there's a pause, as you try to figure out how to interpret his words. 

"not going to ask why, baby?" 

"why?" you ask, weakly. 

"because i've been thinking of you all day." you hear the clink of a wine glass being set down on a table, and then the rustle of sheets. "listened to that voice memo you sent me a week ago after the show…got me so fucking hard i couldn't even show up to the party, baby."

you inhale sharply, thighs pressing instinctively together. "haechan…" you murmur, fear prickling at your skin even though you know no one's listening. 

"it got so much worse after i drank," he breathes. "'m so sensitive right now…we've never fucked while drunk right?" 

"haechan," you plead, unsure if you want him to stop or continue. 

"what's wrong?"

"we're…we're on the phone." 

"so?" and now there's a thud, and you're sure he's dropped his phone next to him . you can hear the clink of his belt being unbuckled, the heavy slide of it as he tosses it somewhere off the bed. a rustle of fabric, and then a low groan sounding out, the sound shooting straight to your core. 

"haechan!" 

"fuck…baby," he pants. "keep saying my name like that." 

"hae–" you cut yourself off, biting your lip. fuck.

there's a short pause, your ears filled with the sound of his breathing, as if his body were caging yours in. the memory of it so vivid that you can't help but trail your hands down to the waistband of your shorts, something about the sultry way his voice played in your ears without him actually being there, the ghost of his touch still lingering in the corners of your body –

"- i can hang up, if i'm making you uncomfortable." there's a nervous stutter to his voice, which has lost all cadences of lust. "i'm sorry. i'll see you when i get back, –" 

"don't." you don't bother to hide the neediness in your voice, too stung by the idea of him hanging up, of him leaving you to fester in this unbearable heat. "please stay." 

you hear him inhale. "would it help if we switched to video call?" 

you feel lightheaded, mouth moving without sound. 

"baby," he presses. "you have to tell me if i'm making you feel uncomfortable, okay?" 

"let's not…let's not switch to video call," you swallow. "yet." 

"whatever you want," he agrees, softly. "are you on your bed, sweetheart?" 

"yes," you whisper. "j-jaemin's in his room too." 

"then we'll have to be quiet, hm?" 

[fake-married-my-dead-fiance]

Great moments from No Gain No Love, Ep 4

The sound effects when Ji-wook put down all the bobby pins. They are heavy and hurt to take out and this is legit

Lol, the writer Foster Sister wrote What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, gender swapped!

This line:

This was so real, there is a limit to how much hate one can take. Especially from someone so determined to comment like 100 times

The rented wedding ring being so prominent when Ji-wook writes a little letter with his wedding money contribution

HANDS!

I hate the way Hae-young's male colleagues treat her. So sexist

She still has the gummy ring and his letter!

Stealth cat who cannot be evicted (good for Baby!)

This ridiculous business scene while they both look like crap

So excited for next week!

[manawari]

Florist!Jin-woo

The sunlight glazed through the clear glass, caressing on the array of fresh flowers awaiting for the daylight. Jin-woo pulled the string down to adjust the curtains and spread more daylight across the store. The wooden floor shimmered in bronze as they lit up the entire place in its warm, tranquil glory. A fresh aroma flushed to the ceiling, courtesy of the beautiful flowers accumulated in various vases.

Jin-woo grew up with flowers. His mother had been taking care of her plants as much as she took care of him as a baby. Thus, developing his affinity for flowers. She taught him everything she knew and Jin-woo carried them by heart. He learned and memorized each flower, as well as their meaning.

The flower shop had been the source of the family's leisure life. While his father worked as a firefighter, his mother was in charge of selling the best flowers ever to offer in Seoul. They lived a floor above the store as it would be the easiest access instead of going from one place to another. Jin-woo had earned his college degree thanks to the business and his sister had been doing well at her studies.

He loved it. He loved opening up the store and greeting the sun to do its job. He cherished every moment of helping around the shop and serving the customers the most suitable flower to take home.

. . . And maybe along with that girl.

Jin-woo had lost count of the amount of times he saw her halt over the flowers in the outside of the shop, checking and being in awe with them while touching the petals with her fingertips. And yet, she never bought one. It was visible on how much she adored them, which was a wonder every morning.

"Jin-woo!" A voice called for him. It was his mother. "Are you done staring at the young lady? Here, hand these flowers to her. They had just bloomed, so I can guarantee that she will like them."

"Who? Me?" Jin-woo blinked in surprise.

Kyung-hye clicked her tongue in disapproval and shoved the paper bag into his hands. "I did not tell that to a ghost, did I? Go. And say hi to the lady!"

Jin-woo sighed and made his way to the outside of the shop. His heart raced upon moving his gaze to the girl. This was his first time to be approaching her. Swallowing, he walked closer and said;

"These are for you."

She instantly met his eyes. Warm dark eyes and her blonde locks nuzzling her cheeks after the smooth wave of the wind. "For me?"

"My. . . My mother handed them to me and said I should give these to you." Jin-woo replied.

"But I wasn't intending on buying anything." She said, her cheeks flushing.

Her response pulled a chuckle from his mouth. Jin-woo extended his hand. "Call it as a freebie. You seem to like flowers a lot." He glanced at the pink petals. "And they're pink hyacinths — they symbolize positive things."

She let out a smile. "You seem to know a lot about flowers. And— alright, I'll take them."

"I'm Jin-woo." He blurted out.

She glanced up and flashed him a bright smile. "Hae-in."

It earned him a smile. After some time of just seeing her outside, he finally got her name. Hae-in. . . It sounded like a flower unraveling its petals in the first touch of sunlight.

Her short visits never stopped after they had exchanged names. And the routine remained the same. Jin-woo would open up the curtains and a minute later, he could see her stopping by to admire the flowers on display, but this time, she'd meet his gaze and wave her hand. He would wave back in return.

His mother continued to push him into giving flowers to Hae-in at least once a week. And if course, Jin-woo had no choice but to follow his mother's order, but on the bright side, he'd get to talk to her before she leaves.

Except for this time. . .

As Jin-woo arranged the flowers in the outside, making sure they were all receiving the sun, he noticed Hae-in was not here yet. She would usually arrive at this time in the morning. Not that he was worried. . . He was just used to seeing her face and ever since he had begun to know her, seeing her in the morning was one of his routines.

He pushed the door open and something from the corner of his eye made him stop his steps. It was Hae-in, but she was with a guy. Tall, thin, and wore a red and black suit that matched his red hair, along with a pair of glasses. She was laughing as the man spoke something to her.

Jin-woo shook his head and got inside. He grabbed the clipboard and scrolled through the list of banquets to make. It was Jin-ah who usually made them, but he was in charge of gathering the flowers. So, he took a piece of newspaper and laid it on the table before he walked around the shop to gather the flowers the first client had chosen.

He heard the door open. It must be his sister who had gotten home from school. But instead, it was none other than Hae-in.

"Jin-woo." She smiled.

He instinctively smiled back. "Hey."

"Are you busy?"

"Not at all." He shook his head. "Do you need something, Hae-in?"

Hae-in tucked her hands to her back. "Uh. . . What do you think are the best flowers to give to someone you love?"

Something shot through his heart. Yet, Jin-woo ignored it. "Well, there are roses, peonies, tulips, daisies. . . Which kind do you want?"

"Is it okay if I leave it to you?" Hae-in asked. "You know more about these things and I don't want to mess up."

"Okay." He maintained his smile. "I can do it."

Oh, someone save his heart from breaking. . .

But, who was he kidding? He was just that one fool who had a crush on a lovely woman named Hae-in. He lived his life through flowers. How could she return his affections for that? Perhaps it was natural for her to be with someone like that guy. . .

Jin-woo, being himself, busied himself with the orders and then gathering the flowers Hae-in wanted to give to her boyfriend. She was going to pick the banquet up in Saturday. He thought it must be their anniversary which was why she asked him for flowers.

The deadline came and Jin-woo had prepared the banquet ready. It contained the flowers he had mentioned and added three yellow hydrangeas in the middle; Jin-ah had wrapped them in a light green craft paper and a blue ribbon. It looked pretty. . . Hae-in's boyfriend was certainly a lucky man.

The door opened and there she was, followed by the same man he had seen in that day. Jin-woo put up a decent composure and greeted his guests like he often did.

"Here's the banquet you asked, Hae-in." He gestured to the counter.

"Oh my God! Thank you, Jin-woo!" Hae-in beamed. She turned to her boyfriend. "I told you he's the best florist in this town, Jong-in!"

"Fine, you are right," Jong-in rolled his eyes. "And maybe you are right about the fact that I should not buy that cologne."

She chuckled. "Yoon-ho will love the flowers, especially if it's you who will give it to him!"

What. . . ? Jin-woo couldn't help but feel confused in the whole situation.

"Here's the money. I hope it is enough." Jong-in handed him a few won and picked the banquet up. "Are you coming, Hae-in?"

"I'll get home on my own." Hae-in said. "Enjoy your dinner!"

Once Jong-in walked out of the shop, Jin-woo stood on his spot, registering the sentences he had heard in front of him. Did this mean that Hae-in and Jong-in were not exactly together? Was he a friend of hers that she had come to help?

"So. . . What was that?" Jin-woo cleared his throat. "I thought that banquet was supposed to be for him?"

"Him? No. It was his fiance's birthday and I told him that he should buy flowers instead of another cologne." Hae-in chuckled. She looked at him. "What made you think of that?"

Jin-woo felt heat rise on his neck. He looked away and stashed his hands into his pockets. "N— nothing." He turned around. "I'll have to continue stacking up. Feel free to stay a bit longer."

"Wait!" She grabbed his wrist. "Jin-woo, I— uh. . . "

Jin-woo blinked. "Yes?"

"Would you like to go out with me after you're done?" Then, Hae-in let out a smile. "Let's just say it is my response to that flower you gave me last week."

"Which one?"

"The dahlias." She said. "You know what they mean, right?"

As the words dawned on him, Jin-woo drooped his head in bashfulness, chuckling as he scratched his cheek with his finger. He faced Hae-in again with an affectionate smile.

"Wait for me in fifteen minutes." He told her.

[goawaywithjae]

There’s a relatively new Korean word that didn’t exist when I was a kid: umchina/엄친아, which is a portmanteau for 엄마 친구 아들/umma chingu adeul, or mother’s friend’s son. The idea is that while this 엄친아 may not even exist in real life, he is the ideal person who Korean children are constantly compared to.

This August, Jung Hae-in will star in a tvN K-drama called “Mom’s Friend’s Son” or … “엄마 친구 아들.”

What I find appealing about Jung is that while he has a boyish quality that works well in the romance genre — really selling the emotions, he’s also stellar in action thrillers where you’re never sure if he’s the hero or villain.

[convenientalias]

Chapters: 12/12 Fandom: 연모 | The King's Affection (TV), 신입사관 구해령 | Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Crown Prince Lee Hwi | Dam-yi/Song Sa-hui, Crown Prince Lee Hwi | Dam-yi/Goo Hae-ryung, Crown Prince Lee Hwi | Dam-yi/Song Sa-hui/Goo Hae-ryung Characters: Crown Prince Lee Hwi | Dam-yi, Song Sa-hui, Goo Hae-ryung Additional Tags: Crossover Pairings, Politics, Death Threats, Femslash February Summary:

Lee Hwi doesn't trust these new female historians. Especially Apprentice Goo and Apprentice Song. Song Sa-hui is clearly a spy sent by her grandfather. Goo Hae-ryung is a whole other kind of problem, a bit hard to describe.

Both are determined to stick close by her, each in their own way. Both have a little too much interest in Hwi, interest that doesn't seem entirely professional. And before long, both have begun to pose a danger to Hwi's secrets... and perhaps a greater danger to her heart.

My crossover fic is complete at 31k words! I was going to put off posting the last chapter for a few more days, but then I was like, I could just do it now! So here it is, complete and fully posted. Secrets, polyamory, discussions of historian ethics, political intrigue, and smut--you can get it all here ;) I really do hope some ppl will read it now that it’s finished bc I know it’s a bit of an obscure crossover. I guess we’ll see.