#here's hana's tag for later

[hplonesomeart]

‼️ART TRIGGER WARNING: Mild body horror/gore

Sooooo I kinda unexpectedly deviated from what I would consider my normal art preferences here. Mostly because I’ve seen a lot of talented artists drawing their own renditions of menacing Puzzles fanart where he goes fully insane and whatnot. I wanted to also contribute to that trend somehow…although it’s slightly out of my usual comfort zone << especially with his recent design change of loosing his whole lower body lol. Adapting that into my art was an interesting experimental challenge

Here is my own take on Puzzles falling apart! Quite literally! I still wanted to add a bit of empathy in here for him tho— because I’m going to be so distraught if WOTFI 2024 is his resignation from the spotlight for good. His final bow on stage if you will; the grand finale of his performance before he departs in death (MAN I SURE HOPE HE DOESN’T DIE BUT THE FANDOM SPECULATIONS AND PARANOIA ARE GETTING TO MY HEAD. And it just seems like the narrative progression is leaning that way). Well not matter what happens to him this upcoming Saturday…this tragic TV guy has impacted me in unexpected ways and I’m just so glad we got to spend and entire year with his character. And he’s sure not gonna disappear from my art anytime soon. Hopefully I won’t be maiming him ever again after this though jksjsksp he’s suffered enough angst for now <3

And here is just a black & white sketch version without the red overlay stuff!! Although it’s an older version so not everything is exact

[4sh3ryy]

intro post :3

hi !!!!! very very new to tumblr lolz. used it b4 on the side to read fanfics and look for fanart etc etc, but ive never actually posted and/or interacted much so.. !! ᛝ im a minor, turning 15 in a few months ᛝ dont like dont read. block me if u dont fw me lolol ────୨ৎ──── 𐙚 fandoms i like are hetalia, btd1&2, nso, pjsk, and omori !! 𐙚 identity for now nonbinary transmasc, aroaceflux * prefer they/them but i also use he/him 𐙚 favorite ships ? i live laugh love rusame and sufin (hetalia), lawren and strade/ren (btd1&2)

➤ i get kinda weird if u get 2 know me, jus so yk

➤ im from the usa !! ➤ im very very desensitized and only get uncomfortable around amab people dni if ur amab. sorry not sorry

────୨ৎ────

links !

i have a carrd, everything else is linked there, plus more info on me. im free to giving my discord if u ask !!!!!! i wanna meet more ppl who r in the fandoms i like lolz :3

okay bye now lol. i probably wont post much but if i do it may jus be irrelevant fandom stuff (specifically btd since im hyperfixating on that rn) my pfp is made by mangopp !

[cherryblossom-heart]

Devour me (1/?)

modern!Sukuna x Reader

It’s been three years since you last saw Sukuna. You made your peace with the thought of never seeing him again but he never quite can stay way from you, can he?

Content Warning: Angst, slut shaming, the usual for these two love birds, also reader kinda went in a bender, I'll explain later.

A/N: Here we are, kicking with a new season. The tag list remain the same for the ones that were following I hate you and the ones that asked to be added. Unfortunately, the tag list is full now but you can catch my updates here @cherrys--blossoms. Hope you enjoy it guys!

In case you missed it: Season 1

Main masterlist. Part 2>

If you like the story please interact: reblogs, likes and comments go a long way. Feedback is always appreciated! Feel free to message me about it.

Taglist:

@beautifulwitchcandy @divineascensionz @yunho-leeknow @jun1p3rlol @starriesworlds @orikixxx @vladsgirlxx @paradisestarfishh @animereaderinsertwriter @lastsubstance @moonchhu @vorfreudevortex @that-willowtree @v1x3n @gojoscumsluttt @wrldtups @frootloopscos @aldebrana @kidd3ath @saltedcoffeescotch @meggletoomanyfandoms @b0nez9 @storiesbyparadise @fairygardenprincesss @dimplesxx @comeonatmebruh @imoutofpot @meowpopsicle @csolya @sukubusss @chosolovrrr @naammiii @dollchub @iluvrinnie @magalimachete @pimento-mori @boogiemansbitch @seellove @emochosoluvr @kittyyyyykats @tojisrealwifey @deegausserr @turtl3-warr1or @noooo-onee @kyoshitargaryen @curlyhairkk @stillinracooncity @gina239 @thequeenofcurses @midnightlunartic @ilshades @himezoro @am3thysxt @chckn-pi @jxeon @ghost-0rch1d @lizatonix @gradmacoco @dreamingoftomorroww @sadrna @dimitrithinker @piluhns @sournobody @neo-admin @mentallyunpresent @suki91 @sukunaslilsocks @linny-bloggs @hana-patata @booklova0-0 @poopooindamouf @veecynii

[princesssae]

{But You Like Her Better}

[Megumi Fushiguro x Fem!Reader]

In Which -> It’s the 3rd of December, so why do you see Megumi handing his sweater over to Hana Kurusu?

Word Count -> 2.4k

Authors Note -> Ever since she said “that” to Megumi, I started disliking her. But today is the 3rd of December, and it’s the PERFECT time to write this. This fic is based on Heather, by Conan Gray so I suggest listening to this song before reading! This is not apart of the Kid!Megumi series!

Warnings -> THIS TAKES PLACE AFTER THE FINAL BATTLE AGAINST SUKUNA!!!! Spoilers if you haven’t read the chapters!!! ANGSTTT, fluff at the end.

It’s cold today. You shiver and walk down the empty hall. Maybe you should ask Maki to train with you today. After all, you need to get warm. Sitting in the building with no heat is killing you. Why hasn’t anyone changed the thermostat temperature yet?

You turn around the hallway to go to the exit and there you see Megumi. What’s he doing on this side of the building? He’s usually never here. Usually, he’s always in his dorm room or out with Itadori. That brings you to your next point. Where's Yuji at? They’re usually attached at the hip after the incident. But Yuji isn't there. It's someone else.

It's blonde hair. Short, shiny, blonde hair. And there you see it. You see Megumi handing his sweater over to Kurusu Hana. She’s pretty. Prettier than you. Her eyes are as bright as the blue sky. Maybe he’s mesmerized by them. Maybe that's why he’s holding eye contact with her for so long.

“Do I hear wedding bells?” she exclaims, with her hands over her mouth. She acts like a middle school girl squealing because her crush just confessed. Maybe that’s what just happened. From here, you can tell that her cheeks are pink.

Your heart stings. This is something you definitely did not need to witness. You turn away from the scene and walk away to go to your dorm room.

She’s an angel. Literally and figuratively. Maybe that's why he likes her. He likes girls that are pretty like her. Did he know that it was the third of December?

The scene in your head, no matter how many times you replay it again and again, he was gazing into her eyes. He’s in love, isn’t he? And it's not with you, it's with her.

The next morning, you sit in the dorm living room, eating breakfast. You realize you forgot to get a drink and while you were about to get up, Hana is suddenly next to you, handing you your favorite drink. She smiles once you accept the drink. She’s so shiny.

“Here,” she says.

“Thanks,” you respond with, still in shock that she knows your favorite drink.

“Yuji told me that it’s your favorite drink,” she explains. She’s already on a first name basis with him? It took you months to be able to get comfortable with saying his first name. Maybe he likes her better, too.

“Oh, well thank you anyways,” you say and take a sip of the drink. She’s so nice.

When she walks away, you notice the choice of clothing that she’s wearing today. It’s a sweater. Megumi’s sweater, to be exact. There’s a pang in your heart but that’s okay. He wants her. It’s his choice anyway. It’s not like you ever had a chance with him.

Later that night, the group is watching a movie in the living room but you turned in, telling the group that you didn’t feel good. Maki and Nobara tagged along with you anyways, saying that they didn't wanna see Hana all over Megumi.

Having a girls night was needed. Silly face masks being used, matching pajamas being worn, and even hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows were made from the kitchen.

They know about your tiny (not really tiny) crush on Megumi. You’ve had a crush on him for so, very long. You met Megumi when he was in middle school, roughing up the bullies that ever crossed his way. Being in the same class, he knew you were getting picked on.

But for what reason? You'll never find out. It's not like you were a loner. In fact, you had a nice friend group, good grades and a good social life. Maybe they were jealous of your friends. Who knows?

Sitting on your bed, you come back to your senses and realize that Nobara and Maki are still in your room. You wait for their arguing to end to start your own story about yesterday's incident. When you get enough courage to tell them what happened yesterday, Nobara gets furious.

“Are you serious? Why did he do this?!” she exclaims out of frustration. “And yesterday out of all days? Be serious,” Nobara scoffs and crosses her arms.

She knows that Megumi doesn’t have a crush on Hana. He just feels indebted to her for saving his life. But she knows that he shouldn't have taken it that far.

Maki nods in agreement. “Yeah, I just don't think that he has the hots for her, you know?” she states, stretching her arms.

Speak of the Devil. Your phone dings and it's a message from someone. Megumi, to be exact. You pick up the phone and show your friends the notification from your home screen. When you open the message, you hear Nobara groaning in the background saying something along the lines of “boys and their obliviousness”.

Megumi <3: Are you okay? Yuji told me that you said that you didn't feel well.

Sent at 8:30 pm

You: Yeah! I'm okay. Nobara and Maki are with me.

Sent at 8:31 pm

Megumi <3: Oh okay. Just wondering why you weren't here tonight.

Sent at 8:31 pm

And that's the end of the conversation. Not like you expected anything out of it anyways. Hana’s probably on the couch, cozying up next to him. He probably has his arm around her shoulder. They probably kiss when nobody's looking. Megumi would never kiss you. She’d probably get hurt if she found out that Megumi was talking to someone when she’s right next to him.

Maybe you should change his contact name. He’s taken already, isn’t he? It wouldn’t be proper to crush on someone while they're talking to someone else. You'll do it later.

You turn off your phone and join the conversation Nobara is wildly explaining, about somebody stealing some shopping bags? You don't know, but you know that you enjoy your time with them.

A week later, all the students are at a ramen booth eating their worries away. Shoko says that it's her treat, as long as you get her a pack of cigarettes while yall are out. You're not legal enough to do it, but maybe you'll pay someone to get it for you.

At the end of your meal, when you're about to go up and pay with Shoko’s card, you're tapped on the shoulder by someone. You turn around and you're faced by someone from your middle school.

“Hey, how are you? I feel like it's been so long since we've seen each other,” your guy friend says. He was introduced to your friend group a little later than when you joined, but nevertheless, you enjoyed each other's company.

“Good, I'm doing good. How are you?” you question back.

“Good, thanks. I see a lot of new faces from your new high school. Oh, and there's Megumi. Hey Megumi, how are you doing man?” he asks. Megumi, seated from across the table, nods his head in encouragement and responds with a short answer.

Your guy friend reverts his attention back to you and the rest of the conversation goes smoothly.

When he says goodbye to you, he gives you his phone number and tells you to let him know when you're free. He wants to hang out with you, and maybe get the gang back together.

On the way back home, Nobara gets all excited. “Did you see the way he was looking at her, Maki?! He’s soooo interested,” she tells you, with her arms waving in the air ecstatically.

“Yes, yes, I saw,” Maki responds. It's vague, but you can tell she’s excited by the twinkle in her eye.

The group of guys, which include Yuji, Inumaki, Panda, Yuta and Megumi walk behind yall by a couple of steps. They’re engrossed in their own conversation, but you see Megumi’s eyes flicker towards yours before he pulls away with a frown.

What's up with him? You wonder. Maybe it's because Hana isn't here. She said that she was busy and couldn't show up tonight. It's not like you cared. But oh well, it's not your problem anymore.

It’s 9:27 pm at night when you get another message. You sort of hope that it's your friend that you recently connected with. But all your hope diminishes when you realize who it is.

Megumi <3: Come to the kitchen.

Sent at 9:27 pm

It's all he sends and you wonder if it was for someone else instead. You contemplate on going, but it's just been so awkward between the two of yall lately. So no, you decide not to go and to sleep instead. Maybe you're finally getting over your silly crush. Maki and Nobara would be proud.

There's a knock at your door. You look over at your clock and it's 3:32 am. Who is up this late at night? Another knock. Are you serious? Sleep is needed right now. You get up and open the door, fully prepared to yell at the person who was disturbing your sleep. But, it's Yuji.

He sees the look of annoyance on your face and debates on whether he should continue his speech or not. He takes the risk anyway.

“I need you to go to the living room,” he states.

“And why is that?” you ask, still obviously annoyed.

“Because! I was watching this horror movie and something moved, I swear. I ran and everyone else would yell at me! Except for you, of course,” he explains hastily. “I just wanna turn off the TV because I don't wanna hear things in my sleep and it's actually the TV noise,” he continues.

You feel bad. He’s had a living curse live inside of him and he's scared of a movie. But not any curse, the King of Curses. Maybe he has PTSD. Why would he even be watching a horror movie this late at night anyways? He doesn't like movies like that.

You give in. You tell him to get to bed while you turn off the TV. He smiles and hugs you tight. He wishes you a good night and that he’s sorry for interrupting your sleep. You grin at him in return and walk towards the living room, where the movie is playing.

When you enter the room, you don’t see a movie playing. The lights are also on. Did Yuji just lie to you? Now, you're furious. Not only did he lie to you, he woke you up at the Devil's hour just for a stupid prank.

You turn around and are about to head back to Yuji's room to give him a piece of your mind, but then you see Megumi. He’s holding two cups of hot chocolate. Tiny marshmallows are floating on top of them.

“Can we talk, please?’ He asks. He sees your shocked face. Then he sees it turns into a contemplative face. Why are you avoiding him? That hurts so much.

After a few seconds, you reply with “Why not? It would be a waste of a hot chocolate,” deciding to talk. His shoulders relax, glad that you said yes.

When you both sit on the couch, he starts the conversation. “You’ve been avoiding me,” he points out.

“Well yeah, it's awkward and I don't want anything to happen between you and Hana if she sees me together with you,” you state. You're being considerate. You wouldn't like it either if a girl kept on hanging around your boyfriend.

“Nothing happening with me and Hana,” he states.

“But you gave her your sweater,” you explain.

“I don't like her. I was just being nice. It's what Gojo would've wanted. He would've wanted me to treat everyone nicer, especially if they risked their life to save me,” he states again. What he says next is appalling.

“I don't like her, I like you,” and suddenly, Megumi can't look you in the eyes anymore. His cheeks are getting rosy and his face is turned away. You're in awe. When has he shown any interest in you? He’s always been distant and quiet around you.

“I'm not even half as pretty as she is,” you try again. Maybe this is a prank, or even better, a dream.

He looks at you again. And this is all you need to know to know that this is all real. One look in his eyes and you're enchanted. He’s also mesmerized. He likes looking into your eyes.

“You’re prettier than her. You care so much for everyone around you and I like that about you. Ever since we were in middle school, I’ve always wondered what it was like to have you as a friend. But now since I’ve felt that, I wanna know what it's like to be yours,” he finishes. His whole face is slightly pink now. Even the tips of his ears are pink.

“Okay,” you say. “Okay, let's do this, then,” you state again with more confidence in your answer.

Megumi finally exhales on that. His shoulders relax again and he's able to smile. He never smiled when Hana was around. That should’ve been a dead give away that he didn't like her.

For the next hour, you and Megumi chat. You finish the hot chocolate and laugh when he gets a milk mustache.

When you finally say good night to each other, he walks you to your dorm room and tells you that he can't wait to see you later.

Getting back in bed, you check your phone on your nightstand. It has two messages and it's from Nobara.

Nobaka: Tell Yuji to shut up, I can hear him

Sent at 3:32 am

Nobaka: DID I JUST HEAR MEGUMI’S VOICE!?!!? THIS LATE AT NIGHT?!?! YOU BETTER TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED

Sent at 4:35 am

Then you get a message from Megumi.

Megumi <3: Sleep well. And please block that guy from the ramen shop.

Sent at 4:37 am

You smile and set your phone back down on the table. Maybe December 11th isn't so bad after all to start dating Megumi Fushiguro.

Please do not copy, translate, or alter my work without my permission!

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

🎉 Thank You for 10k+ Followers!! 🎉

A big thank you goes out to @cozymochi for this beautiful celebratory commissioned artwork for this major milestone ✨ It really captures the scope of all the content that had been put out in the last 4+ years—both in terms of official Twst materials and on this blog! I think it’s very fitting that we hit this milestone in the month of Halloween too (I just held off on posting this til the month after); it’s Twst’s biggest holiday of the year, so it’s twice the cause for celebration!!

A lot has happened over the course of my time in this fandom. I’ve written many things of course, but I’ve also had many other exciting opportunities! I’ve been interviewed for a paper, met many cool people from all over the world, attended Twst meetups + events, collaborated with other talented creators, received kind gifts, contributed to various fandom projects, and finished telling the origins of my Twst OC. This blog has been with me through a lot of major changes and difficult hurdles in my life too—it’s really been an anchor for me, a comforting and safe space for me to be creative or analytical whenever I want to be.

When I first started this blog as a very casual hobby in summer of 2020, I never even considered that it would balloon to this extent. It still doesn’t feel totally real to me 😭 I don’t usually fixate on numbers (they make me anxious), but looking back on it, 10k is a LOT, and 4 years is a long time. To put that in perspective, if we were in Twisted Wonderland for 4 years then all of the students we’ve come to know and love would have graduated by now. That’s crazy to me. We’ve come so far as a group.

I feel that a large part of fandom is the community that comes with it. I would have found it so challenging to stick with Twst had I not had so many great people keeping me engaged with it. I’d now like to take a moment to thank those folks. Keeping in line with the idea of “4 years”, think of these as little messages scrawled in a yearbook. I also have a blog event planned to celebrate! More on that later.

Please note that I’ve used pseudonyms for most of the following people, as I’d like to respect their privacy (I’m very private myself) + not all of them are comfortable with being explicitly named or tagged to a large crowd. You’ll know who you are if you see yourself on here.

Without further ado:

MSS — Thank you for being the first Twst space I felt truly a part of. It’s still the place I consider my fandom “home” beyond this blog.

April — Thank you for making MSS as a place for us to share! We’re tsunderes in solidarity.

Drinking Knight — The banners wouldn’t exist without your help. Thanks for getting the ball rolling on those; I’d like to think that I’m a little more confident in designing new ones myself now, but you were the start of it all. Your endless enthusiasm for the most insane otome boys, drinks, and bullying (positive) others is truly an inspiration.

Q. Opinionated — Can’t count the number of times you ran tech support for me 💀 Thanks so much for being patient and willing to laugh at a stupid situation. I WILL grip you (escape is not an option) 🤲

Dad with his Printer — Why are you so cheeky My unofficial proofreader and fact checker. Still treasure the teeny J word and coffin magnets you sent, and, even more valuable than those, the bad dad jokes/puns advice and wisdom you give. Wishing you luck on your art adventure.

A. Cider — An unexpected friend I met very late into the fandom and happened to run into irl by total coincidence. Funny how life works. Your shitposts are great, and I appreciate having a like-minded person to talk with about the J words and story critiques. I’d also like to thank you for the many little doodles you’ve made; I know you’re very busy and have a wife to tend to at home but I appreciate that you still make time for friends.

Hana — Extroverted pink-haired magical girl representation. Your bubbly love for Disney, Diasomnia, singing, and (yes) angst lights up the entire room. Maybe you’re not too confident with yourself are right now, but I know you’ll find your way.

Swan — For being quick on the uptake and giving me the heads up about various things! We may not talk much one-on-one, but I’m thinking of you and enjoy seeing you pitch into the conversation. You’re still banned for L*ona posting though/j

Ly — My secret French twin/j Thanks for being my cultural + equine advisor and a voice of (salty) reason. Never shut up about your hyperfixations! You’re a real one.

Oys — Enabler + encourager of my Yan!Sil delusions. Sorry for making your blood pressure spike every time we talk about our food takes. But hey, at least we get a good laugh out of it :))

Mac and Bean — For being my inspirations. Bean, you have such atmospheric writing. I hope my writing style can be just as magical as yours. Mac, it was your blog that first got me into starting my own Twst writing. You never stop being so, so funny also I blame you 120% for the L*ona rot.

Peaches and Cream — To my local Twst friends, thanks for keeping me company even through the hard times. Peaches, happy to be your local Twst dealer anytime. Cream, thanks for hooking me up with new books.

Salt and Flora — I don’t know where you vanished to, but the sea brought you back to me on its tides. I’m so happy we could meet again. Salt, you’re so talented at crochet and design work; get your coin 😂 Flora, you’re the sweetest person ever. Literally cottagecore personified, even in your art.

Piano — We don’t always see eye to eye, but thank you for being my serial debater and showing me new perspectives. Your open-minded theories and analyses are such fun. And, of course, it’s always hilarious to think about how we accidentally (?) swapped oshis 🤡 You’re a star.

The Anklebiter — For having the most unhinged jokes and ideas. Seriously, THE most unhinged. I never do any of the crazy things you suggest but I’m always really entertained from just hearing them.

Te, Mi, and Ro — Thanks for organizing local events and giving me an excuse to touch grass. It’s a lot of hard work and you guys manage to pull it off every time! Mi, I was flattered to have you reach out to me to help a little with the Tweel cupsleeve event. Happy to help anytime! Te, I remember you were cosplaying as Kalim when we first met and I kept thinking about how perfectly suited you are for the role. You were very friendly and made such an effort to include everyone in the event even when I was Idia-ing in the corner. To this day, you continue to spontaneously introduce me to new people 😂 Thanks for getting me put of my comfort zone. Ro, I didn’t think we’d meet again like this. Small world! You’re learning and improving the big events. Here’s hoping to many more!

Vic — For being Ace Trappola when very few others would. It’s refreshing to have someone tell it like it is. I wish I could be as bold and as honest as you are sometimes. You have such a big heart when it comes to the characters you love; it makes me want to adore them like you do too 🫶

Kana — For being so sweet and patient. You helped me through so many rough patches and have also contributed a lot to the look of the blog. It’s so fun gushing with you about magical girls and pretty boys, sharing our favorite shows and movies… I feel as though I’ve made a lifelong friend.

Zari — Thank you for charms and art book, big fan of your stuff 😭 So honored to have worked with you on projects too. I hope to see a lot more of your Yuu and other OCs around, I love following them ^^

Lala — You understand, encourage, and validate my weird tastes in fictional men 💕 Really admire your sense of fashion and stylish nails too. Whenever I have my shrimp apron on, I think of you.

Arisu — No longer in the Twst fandom but integral in the earliest days. Wherever you are now, I wish you nothing but happiness.

P-san — You’re a lifesaver!! Thank you so much for helping me find cute little outfits and accessories for my plushies… They are forever grateful to be properly clothed.

V, Fa, Fe, Ray, Rea, Sonny, Glimmer Group, and Incognito Crew — Thanks for being so supportive of my hyperfixation on Disney villain anime boys, even if you guys have NO clue what I’m rambling about half of the time. To V specifically 🫵 I am NOT a cat boy kisser

Mango — I didn’t know I wanted you in my life until you showed up uninvited one day and chewed your way into my heart.

Azul Ashengrotto — For being the character that first convinced me into giving this game a shot. The Little Mermaid was something I always held so dear to me, so it almost seems like destiny that you’d be the one to drag me down into Twst. You’ll always hold a special place in my heart for that, even if my feelings have changed since then.

Rook Hunt — For being there when I needed to laugh a little. It’s scary to glance over my shoulder sometimes, but you make it easier to smile as I look back.

Rollo Flamme — For letting me know that having negative feelings is normal and human, even if we don’t always cope with them in the healthiest of ways. Let’s reflect and be better together!

Leona Kingscholar — For showing me that change and personal growth is, in fact, possible. Th-This doesn’t mean I like you or anything though, so get off your high horse—

Jade Leech — For taking my hand and guiding me back on the path when I got lost in the dark. Whatever crimes you may commit in your free time, I forgive you/j

Miss Raven Crowley — The little black bird who could, the blog muse. I made you on a whim and look at where you are now… You went from a background character to the main character of your own story. So proud of you, my child 😭

Asset compilers, fan artists, fanfic writers, fan translators, cosplayers, merch makers, editors, plushie pic takers, video essayists, theorizers, etc. — You’re all so important to keeping the fandom alive, especially during periods of official content drought. It wouldn’t be feasible for me to list out all of the content creators I enjoy (chjsbsksks and it honestly might be awkward since I haven’t directly interacted with most of them), but I hope that this message still reaches you and finds you well. Keep doing your thing; I love seeing the work you put out ^^

Anyone and everyone that I’ve ever commissioned and/or received fan works from — I appreciate that you took time and energy out of your day to create something for me. There’s so much talent in the Twst fandom and I’m honored that you would dedicate some of that to a silly little birb.

You, the Readers — For supporting this blog and and what I do here! You’re an important part of my journey too.

Thank you!! Here’s to a future unknown and a page unwritten.

- The Writing Raven

[misc-obeyme]

cc. your tags on the boudoir post. MAMMON recieving an album of those photos. i'd love to hear your thoughts on his reaction (and everyone else's, if you're feeling particularly inspired?)

Ah, Daisy, my dear, thank you for asking!

I apologize for this late response, but I knew I was gonna be getting wordy with this one. Because I looove the boudoir photos idea in general and OH MAN just thinking about all their reactions is making me crazy lol. I was going to just do my regular sort of response, but this turned into full on headcanons oops.

So just in case anyone missed it, here is the original post!

My thoughts change a little bit depending on whether MC is present when the characters receive the pictures, so I included both! I only did the bros but I might be willing to do the rest upon request!

the brothers react to MC giving them an album of boudoir photos

NSFW MDNI

Warnings: suggestive but that's about it, nothing explicit

Lucifer

When you're with him, Lucifer is calm and courteous, but with a flare of arrogance. Of course you would give him such a special gift. It's only natural that you would trust such intimacies to him.

He asks you if you're trying to tell him something. Has he perhaps been neglecting you, MC? Did you give him this so that he wouldn't be able to help himself? He's onto you.

No matter your reason, he can't look through too many of the pictures before wanting the real thing that's sitting right next to him. Tell him you still have some of that lingerie in your possession. Especially if you happen to have some in his colors.

If you aren't with him, he's going to be a lot less arrogant in general. He will find you later, make no mistake. But he's honestly so touched by your gift that he spends a lot of time looking through the album, simply admiring you.

Mammon

Mammon is freaking out no matter where you are the time. If you're with him, it's definitely a lot worse. Blushing profusely. Opens the album then slams it shut because he can't handle looking at it for very long.

You can't help but giggle at his reaction and then it's all stop laughin' at him MC!! You'll need to take his hands or maybe kiss his cheek, let him know that you genuinely just wanted to give him a nice gift, you aren't trying to tease him or anything.

Ask him if he likes it. You'll get a serious response. Calms down enough to say 'course he likes it. Likes it so much, he suddenly can't keep his hands off you.

If you aren't with him at the time, he buries it under his pillow or otherwise hides it because this is now one of his treasures and nobody gets to see it but him!

Leviathan

Levi is another one who'd be a blushing mess no matter what, but if you're there at the time, he might retreat to his room and not let you in. He needs that barrier between you because if he sees you right now, his heart will explode.

He'll let you back in eventually, but it might be a minute. He needs to calm down. Are you trying to kill him, MC?! Even when he does let you in, he can't look at you directly. He's probably covering his face with his hands.

Reassure him that you gave these photos to him because you trust him with them. They're personal, intimate, and you want him to be close to you. He's going to calm down the more you talk to him. Pull his hands away from his face and when he sees the sincerity in your eyes, it flips a switch. Might even slip into demon form just to wrap his tail around you possessively.

If you're not with him at the time, he's going to need to take care of that raging boner of his right away. He won't be able to focus on anything else until he does. He's so embarrassed, he has to watch several episodes of Ruri Hana to recalibrate.

Satan

He will try to keep his expression unreadable. He's not having any over the top reactions, but as he flips through the photos, he keeps getting redder and redder. You're sitting right next to him, how can he not react? At some point, he has to close the album because he feels like he's looking at something he shouldn't.

Satan is quiet about how flustered he is, but he's having a hard time looking at you. He tries to say something and incomprehensible lines about how beautiful you are fall from his lips. He sounds like a broken record of spoken word poetry or perhaps a very drunk beat poet.

Recovers himself after a minute. As soon as he's composed, you're in his arms. You knew what this would do to him, didn't you, MC? You'll find yourself pressed up against the nearest wall in moments.

If you're not with him, Satan will tuck your album into a stack of his other books. He thinks it's well hidden there - in plain sight. But he's hyper aware of it. Keeps coming back to look at it. Ends up having to put it on the bottom of a stack behind a different stack to make it more difficult to get to.

Asmodeus

Thrilled. Absolutely thrilled in every way. Oh, wow, MC, you look amazing. He's breathless. He's entranced. He's even blushing because he knows what it means that you've given these to him. He's so in love with you, he can't stand it.

Asks you about everything you may be wearing. Comments on the skill of the photographer. Tells you that next time, you should do one together. He has so many ideas. He wants to do one where all you're wearing is jewelry - bright and sparkling, just like your soul.

Covers you in kisses. He's not shy about how this is making him feel, how much he wants you. He just wants to see your beautiful figure here and now in real life, MC! Won't you let him worship you?

If you're not with him, he will find you immediately so he can say all of the things he needs to say in that moment. You can't leave him alone with all these feelings, both physical and emotional. He brings them all to you without hesitating.

Beelzebub

It might take him a minute to understand exactly what he's looking at, mostly because he's never even heard of this. He doesn't know what a boudoir photo shoot is, so you might have to explain it to him. Once he understands, he starts lightly blushing as he looks through them. His expression is serious because he's beginning to see just how special this is.

Honestly surprised that you would give him something so intimate. He's touched. He's going to hug it to himself and look at you with tears in his eyes because he can't believe how lucky he is.

Give him another couple minutes to look through them and then he's having different feelings. He's not sure if he can hold back, MC. Tell him it's okay, that you don't want him to, and you'll find yourself on your back on his bed in zero seconds flat. You're quickly reminded why he's the Avatar of Gluttony.

If you're not with him at the time, he will figure things out on his own, though he'll have a plethora of questions for you later. He keeps it close to him at all times until you answer them because he knows one thing for sure - he doesn't want anyone else seeing these.

Belphegor

Oh, he sees what you're playing at. Trying to fluster him, are you, MC? Trying to rile him up? Are you sure you can handle him when you do that? He's so wound up by the gift he can't act normal about it. He's actually very touched by it, but he's not sure how to deal with the feelings, so he comes on too strong.

You laugh because to you, this is expected. You understand that this is Belphie's way of dealing with his own shyness. You respond by meeting him with just as much intensity. It's all kisses and touching and fumbling in the dark.

It's only later, when both of you are calm, when you're nestled in his arms, that he admits to you how much it means to him. That he tells you how he'll cherish the album you gave him. That he says he's stunned by how gorgeous you are, even more brilliant that the stars in the sky.

If you aren't with him at the time, you'll be dealing with a petulant but horny demon later on. He's going to be annoyed at you for leaving it for him and then not being there when it inevitably turns him on. Just as possessive as his brothers, he hides it in the attic where no one is likely to find it.

masterlist | Thank you for reading!

[woniedarlin]

A Sister's Shadow: Yang Jungwon

pairing: Jungwon x fem! reader

synopsis: You love your sisters—Yeri, Hana, and Narin—truly, and you’ve learned almost everything from them. But you can never forget the day when Yeri introduced Jungwon to your family. That day changed your life forever. Ever since you were little, you loved Jungwon. However, you couldn’t help but feel envious of the friendship between Jungwon and Yeri. But what will happen when Jungwon decides to propose to Yeri years later?

warnings: This is inspired by the 2019 movie “Little Women” and is set in the 1860s. It includes historical references to the societal roles and limitations placed on women during that period, including themes of gender inequality and the pressures of marriage for security. Reader discretion is advised. It also has mentions of injuries and kissing. Let me know if there is more!

note: Hello darlings, I couldn't help but take inspiration from the ‘’Little Women’’. Please know that it won't follow the exact events. The characters except for you and Jungwon that are mentioned in the story are just something I made up. I haven’t read the novel yet so I really apologize to those who were truly a fan of it. This is inspired by Amy and Laurie’s story, and I really hope you will like it. Happy reading!

permanent tag list: @sol3chu @13tter @chlorinecake

Growing up as the youngest, you were often shielded by your three older sisters—Narin, Hana, and Yeri—in the home you shared. You were raised in modest circumstances, finding your way through life as you learned and listened from your older sisters.

It was the afternoon when Yeri burst through the door of the home, her cheeks flushed. “Y/n, guess who I’ve brought to meet us!” she exclaimed, her eyes twinkling.

You followed Yeri into the parlor, where a 15-year-old tall boy with a cute smile stood confidently by the doorway. His dark hair was tousled from the wind, and his eyes sparkled as he glanced around the room.

“Everyone, this is Yang Jungwon,” Yeri announced proudly, gesturing towards him. “He’s just moved into the neighborhood, and I thought it would be wonderful for him to meet the family.”

Jungwon gave a smile, his dimples showing, and a nod. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” he said warmly while glancing at you and the rest of your family.

From the moment you laid eyes on him, you felt a strange fluttering in your stomach. At twelve years old, you were used to being seen as the baby of the family..but something about Jungwon’s presence made you want to prove yourself more grown-up.

As Yeri chatted animatedly with your parents, Jungwon’s attention turned to you. “So, Y/n,” he began, his tone friendly “do you enjoy living here?”

You nodded, a small smile forming. “Yes, it’s nice. We’ve lived here for as long as I can remember.”

Jungwon chuckled softly. “That’s great to hear. It must be fun having Yeri as your sister.”

“She’s the best,” you replied with a grin, glancing over at Yeri who was sharing a playful look with Jungwon.

Throughout the gathering, you couldn’t help but notice between Jungwon and Yeri. They kept exchanging glances and shared inside jokes that spoke of a deep friendship. You admired and envied it at the same time.

🌱

It was winter, and everything was covered in frost. The air was cold, and the ground was slippery with ice. You walked through the snowy streets, carrying a basket of warm bread. You hurried along, trying to stay warm.

Suddenly, your foot slipped on a patch of hidden ice and you tumbled to the ground, the basket of bread scattering across the snowy path. Pain shot through your knee as you landed hard, and tears welled up in your eyes from the shock and the sting of the fall.

‘’A-ah.. ouch‘’ Clutching your injured knee, you tried to compose yourself, but the pain was unbearable. Tears streamed down your cheeks as you struggled to get up, feeling helpless and alone.

Then, you heard footsteps approaching. Through blurry eyes, you saw Jungwon walking briskly towards you, his brow furrowed.

“Good heavens, are you hurt?” Jungwon asked urgently, kneeling beside you and gently placing a hand on your arm.

You nodded, trying to stifle your sobs. “I-I fell,” you managed to say, your voice trembling with pain.

Jungwon’s expression softened as he examined your knee. “Let me see,” he said softly, carefully lifting your pant leg to inspect the wound. “It appears you’ve taken quite a spill.”

You winced as Jungwon touched the tender skin around the scrape, but his touch was gentle. He reached into his coat pocket and retrieved a clean handkerchief, using snow to dampen it before gently cleaning the wound.

“The cold will help soothe it,” Jungwon reassured you, his voice calm and steady despite the urgency of the situation.

“It hurts terribly,” you admitted, feeling the sting intensify now that the initial shock was wearing off.

“I understand,” Jungwon replied sympathetically. “But you’ve been brave thus far.”

You managed a weak smile. “Thank you,” you murmured, feeling warm despite the icy ground beneath you.

Jungwon finished bandaging your knee with care movements. “There,” he said finally, tying a secure knot in the handkerchief. “That should suffice for now. You must take care to keep it clean and avoid putting too much weight on it.”

“Thank you,” you said sincerely, looking at him with gratitude.

Jungwon smiled warmly, helping you gather the scattered bread, and offered to carry the basket for you. “It was my pleasure, Y/n. Pray, be more cautious in the future, won’t you?” he then patted your head.

That day fully changed what you saw in Jungwon.

🌱

As the evening descended softly, you sat by the flickering fireplace, nervously twisting your hands as you watched Yeri and Jungwon prepare for a night at the theater. The thought had been on your mind all day, and you finally gathered the courage to ask.

“Yeri, could I come with you to the theater tonight?” you ventured, your voice marked by hope.

Yeri turned to you, her expression gentle yet firm. “Oh, Y/n, it’s too late for you to be out. The theaters are no place for someone your age at this hour.”

“But I’m not that young,” you protested quietly, trying to hide the disappointment that threatened to surface. “I promise I’ll behave.”

“I know you would,” Yeri replied gently, kneeling beside you and patting your nightgown affectionately. “But mama would be worried, and it’s past your bedtime.”

You nodded sadly, knowing she was right. Despite your best efforts, jealousy crept into your heart as you watched Yeri and Jungwon gather their coats and hats, preparing for an evening of entertainment.

“I understand,” you murmured, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes.

Yeri reached out and squeezed your hand warmly. “I love you, Y/n.”

Tears welled up in your eyes at her words, and you nodded sadly. “I love you too, Yeri,” you whispered. You do love your sister so much…

Jungwon, sensing your disappointment, offered a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry, Y/n. We’ll tell you all about it when we return.”

As they left, the door softly closing behind them, you sank back into the chair as you felt envy and guilt.

🌱

Summer arrived fast.

The warm sun kissed your cheeks as you sat on the sandy beach, a light breeze carrying the salty scent of the ocean. It was a rare outing with your sisters—Narin, Yeri, and Hana—and Jungwon.

Yeri and Jungwon raced along the shoreline, their laughter mingling with the sound of the waves. Bursts of gleeful shouts as they chased each other through the sand.

Meanwhile, you sat quietly on the blanket spread out on the beach, a sketchbook resting on your lap. Your eyes followed Jungwon as he ran. With each stroke of your pencil, you drew all the small details that made your heart race.

“He’s quite a sight, isn’t he?” Narin remarked, noticing your focused gaze.

You nodded silently, a faint blush coloring your cheeks. “He’s… he’s fun to draw,” you managed to say, trying to hide what you were feeling inside.

Hana, giggling beside you, leaned over to peer at your sketch. “You’ve captured him perfectly,” she commented with a smile.

You continued sketching as a few hours passed. The sun started to sink, then, Yeri and Jungwon returned with their faces flushed from their games.

Jungwon glanced over your shoulder, catching sight of your sketch. “What’s this?” he asked curiously, crouching down beside you.

You felt your heart skip a beat as he leaned closer to examine your drawing. “Um, just something I was working on,” you murmured shyly, unable to meet his gaze.

Jungwon studied the sketch intently, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “You’re talented,” he said sincerely.

“Thank you,” you replied softly.

Yeri, noticing the exchange, chuckled playfully. “Looks like someone has a secret talent,” she teased, giving you a look.

Jungwon laughed, his eyes meeting yours. “You should draw me more often,” he said warmly, his words sending a flutter through your heart…

🌱

Years already passing by.

It was a quiet evening, the gas lamps flickering softly as twilight settled over. Yeri returned home with tear-stained cheeks, her usually vibrant spirit subdued. Your heart sank at the sight of her, knowing something had gone awry.

“What happened, Yeri?” you asked softly, your voice full of concern as you approached her.

Yeri turned to you, her eyes brimming with tears. “Oh, Y/n,” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. “Jungwon… he tried to propose to me today.”

Your heart skipped a beat as her words hung in the air, the weight of their implications sinking in. “But… why are you crying then?” you managed to ask, your voice barely above a whisper.

Yeri shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “Because I had to refuse him,” she confessed, her voice cracking with sorrow. “I love him, but not in that way… everything would be horrid if we married.”

Your heart shattered at her words, tears welling up in your eyes as you struggled to comprehend the depth of her sacrifice. But more than that, you were crying because you saw how deeply Jungwon loved Yeri,

Enough wanting to marry her.

The realization pierced your heart, knowing that the love you held silently could never be.

“I’m so sorry, Yeri,” you whispered, your voice choked with emotion as you pulled her into a tight embrace.

Yeri buried her face in your shoulder, her sobs mingling with yours as you held each other, sharing the weight of a love that could never be. Through tear-stained eyes, you both grieved for the dreams and hopes that had collided with harsh reality.

It was a scene of quiet sorrow, a moment frozen in time amidst the hustle and bustle of a world in transition.

“I never wanted to hurt him,” Yeri muttered softly. “But I couldn’t bear the thought of a marriage built on anything less than true love.”

“I understand,” you replied gently, your heartache echoing in your voice. “Sometimes, the hardest choices are the ones that break our hearts the most.”

🌱

Months had gone since you said goodbye to your family and went to Europe with your grandmother.

Yes, you left, but with a purpose.

There, you learned from skilled artists and improved your painting techniques.

Sitting at your easel with a palette in hand, you focused on painting the colorful spring flowers. The park was lively with other painters, families having picnics, and couples walking together. You didn’t realize that someone familiar was about to reappear in your life.

He approached quietly, a smile tugging at his lips as he observed you in your element. His heart swelled with pride at how far you had come since the last time he saw you.

“Y/n?” Jungwon’s voice broke the peaceful silence, his tone filled with surprise and delight.

You turned at the sound of his voice, eyes widening in disbelief before breaking into a smile. “Jungwon!” you exclaimed, setting aside your paintbrush and palette as you rose to greet him.

He closed the distance between you in quick strides, his grin widening as he reached out to boop your nose playfully—a familiar gesture that you remembered so well.

“You surprised me!” you laughed, your voice filled with genuine joy as you threw your arms around him in a tight embrace.

Jungwon lifted you effortlessly, spinning you around in a whirl. “You’ve grown up,” he remarked with a soft chuckle, his arms still wrapped around you as he gently set you back on your feet.

“I… I didn’t expect to see you here,” you admitted, feeling a rush of happiness and fondness as you looked up at him.

“I wanted to see you,” Jungwon confessed, his gaze tender as he brushed a stray lock of hair from your face. “You look… incredible.”

Heat crept into your cheeks at his compliment, your heart fluttering at the sincerity in his eyes. “Thank you,” you murmured shyly, feeling a surge of gratitude for his presence.

You almost forgot to introduce Jungwon to Minhee. Someone you had been with for a while. ‘’Oh, I want you to meet someone,’’

‘’Jungwon, this is Minhee,” you said warmly, gesturing to the young man standing beside you. “Minhee, meet Jungwon.”

Minhee extended his hand with a smile, his demeanor polite yet reserved. “Nice to meet you,” he greeted Jungwon.

Jungwon shook Minhee’s hand, a polite smile on his lips that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Likewise,” he replied, his tone cordial yet distant.

You sensed a subtle shift in Jungwon’s face before he masked it with a neutral expression.

“Minhee and I were just about to head out,” you explained, breaking the silence that followed the introductions. “It was wonderful seeing you, Jungwon.”

“Yeah, it was great catching up,” Minhee added with a nod, sensing the tension.

Jungwon nodded slightly, his gaze flickering between you and Minhee. “Take care,” he said quietly, with a bit of sadness.

You felt a pang of sympathy as you looked at Jungwon, wishing you could ease the unease that went between you. “We should talk more often while you’re here,” you suggested gently, hoping to bridge the gap that had unexpectedly arisen.

Jungwon nodded again, a faint smile touching his lips. “I’d like that,” he replied, his voice softer now as he met your gaze with gratitude.

With a final wave, you and Minhee turned to leave. As you walked away, you couldn't shake the bittersweet feeling—a reunion with Jungwon, colored with unspoken words and a connection that spanned time and distance.

🌱

The room felt heavy as you carefully packed away your painting supplies, the scent of oil paint lingering in the air. Jungwon leaned against the doorway, his eyes studying you with curiosity and concern.

“Why are you giving this up?” he asked gently, breaking the silence that hung between you.

You paused, turning to face him with a small, sad smile. “It’s not about giving up,” you began, your voice marked by resignation. “It’s about practicality. There are things in life we must consider.”

Jungwon furrowed his brow, sensing the weight of your words. “But you love painting,” he insisted softly.

“I do,” you admitted, nodding slightly. “But loving something doesn’t always mean it’s the path we can afford to take.”

He stepped closer, his gaze searching yours. “What do you mean?”

You sighed, setting down a brush with deliberate care. “You see, Jungwon,” you started, choosing your words carefully, “Women here are often powerless unless they marry. Even then, everything they have belongs to their husbands.”

Jungwon frowned, his expression pained as he took in the implications of your words. “That’s… unfair,” he muttered, his voice laced with sympathy.

“It’s reality,” you replied quietly. “And Minhee… Minhee is different. He’s wealthy, and he can provide security. I’ve always known I would marry a rich man.”

Jungwon’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of hurt crossing his features. “So, if Minhee went down on one knee to you, would you say yes?”

You met his gaze squarely, the weight of your decision hanging heavy in the air. “Yes,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “Because marrying Minhee means security, stability… a future I can’t achieve on my own.”

His shoulders slumped slightly, the reality of your words sinking in. “I understand,” he said softly, though you detected a hint of disappointment in his tone.

As you resumed packing, the room hung heavy with silence.

🌱

The park felt peaceful as you and Jungwon sat, you had just finished drawing him, the lines on the paper capturing him with careful detail.

“You have a remarkable talent,” Jungwon remarked with genuine admiration as he studied the sketch, his eyes flickering between the paper and your face.

“Thank you,” you replied softly. The air around you felt charged with unspoken words.

As you both stood up and began to walk, having a lighthearted conversation. Yet, amidst the ease of your exchange, Jungwon’s demeanor turned thoughtful, his gaze distant for a moment.

“How is Minhee?” he finally asked, his voice betraying a hint of concern.

“He’s busy with business,” you replied casually, though the words carried a weight you couldn’t ignore.

Jungwon nodded silently, his expression unreadable as he turned away slightly, staring into the distance. The silence stretched between you, punctuated only by the soft rustling of leaves overhead.

“You deserve more than just security,” Jungwon said suddenly, his voice low yet with earnestness. “You deserve happiness, love… a future where your heart is truly fulfilled.”

You paused, taken aback by his heartfelt words. “Why are you telling me this?” you asked gently, a mix of confusion and vulnerability in your voice. “You know the reality of life.”

Jungwon met your gaze, his eyes reflecting a depth of emotion. “Because you deserve to hear it,” he replied softly, his voice trembling with sincerity. “Because… I love you.”

Those three words hung in the air, stirring emotions within you. Tears welled up in your eyes as you reached out to touch his hand, your heart overflowing with unspoken longing.

“I’ve loved you, I’ve always had,” you confessed softly, your voice trembling with raw honesty. “Every moment, every sketch… it was you.”

Jungwon’s breath caught, his eyes glistening with tears as he held you close. “I never knew,” he murmured, his voice filled with regret. “I should have told you sooner.”

With the weight of years of unspoken love and missed chances hanging between you, you leaned into his embrace.

But you knew that despite the tender moment, the reality of your circumstances remained unchanged. With a heavy heart and tears streaming down your cheeks, you gently pulled away from Jungwon.

“I can’t,” you whispered brokenly, your voice cracking with emotion. “Not when… not when Yeri didn't choose you. I won’t settle for being someone’s second choice. I won’t allow myself to be that’’

"Love, please listen-" Jungwon pleaded, trying to hug you, but you interrupted him right away.

“You are being mean Jungwon...” you muttered to him as you felt your tears running down to your cheeks.

Jungwon’s expression softened, his tears mingling with yours as he watched you walk away, each step echoing the ache in your heart...

🌱

Returning to your hometown brings a lot of memories and emotions. The sights and sounds welcomed you back into the embrace of your family and home. Amongst the laughter and chatter, there was a quiet moment when you found yourself alone with Jungwon after a while.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” you admitted, your voice soft with surprise as you looked at him, feeling a rush of emotions at seeing him again.

Jungwon’s eyes searched yours, his gaze with longing. “I had to see you,” he confessed quietly.

As you both walked through the old familiar streets, the conversation turned to recent events. The mention of Minhee brought a pause, a hesitation crossing your face.

“You didn’t say yes,” Jungwon observed gently, his voice barely above a whisper. “Why?”

Taking a deep breath, you looked down in shame, your heart laid bare in that vulnerable moment. “Because I don’t love him that way….the way that I should,” you admitted, your voice tinged with emotion. “Not like… like I love you.”

Jungwon’s expression softened, his eyes shining with tears of joy and relief. Your eyes met him as tears slowly went down. “You don't have to say anything-’’

But without a word, he moved closer and gently held your face before kissing you...

🌱

Years had passed since that reunion when love had finally found its way back to you and Jungwon. Now, you were sitting while painting the beauty of the park.

Beside you, Jungwon watched with a tender smile, his gaze brimming with admiration and love.

“You’ve captured it perfectly,” he murmured, his voice soft with pride as he knelt beside you, gently placing a hand on your growing belly.

You glanced down at the swell of your abdomen, a smile gracing your face. “Our little one,” you whispered. “Can you believe it?”

Jungwon’s eyes sparkled as he leaned in to press a kiss against your forehead. “I can’t wait to meet our baby,” he replied softly, his hand resting protectively over yours.

In that moment, you knew that you had found love that had grown against all odds...

[mimikyuno]

my yuriful summer 2024 watchlist 🏖️☀️

now that i checked out the first episode of all the yuriful shows i was keeping an eye on, here’s my first thoughts and impressions

Mayonaka Punch

tags: comedy, supernatural, vampire

thoughts on episode 1: LOVED IT SO SO MUCH!!! i love the mc already she’s such a mess and i already love the dynamic between her and the raging vampire lesbian. my favorite from the ones on this list tbh!! need more cancelled youtubers and horny for blood lesbian vampires. also i have a weak spot for anime with adult characters who can drink alcohol and get wasted lol. WILL be watching EAGERLY.

yuri thoughts 🌸: the yuri looks solid!! there was verbal mention of lesbian romantic feelings. and as in most vampire shows, blood drinking is metaphor for sex but it’s made quite explicit in this one which increases the yuri score. the protagonists have already a v interesting dynamic im invested.

(EDIT) POST EP 3 THOUGHTS: i love this one more and more!!! still my fave out of these 5 for some reason? i just like masaki and live’s dynamic a lot, i hope they kiss

(EDIT) ALMOST END OF THE SEASON UPDATE: only one of these im still watching lmao ep 9 and 10 were really good! i hope masaki and live make out by the end. yuki best girl

Na Nare Hana Nare

tags: sports

thoughts on episode 1: LOVE the colors and art style in this one! love that there’s a girl in a wheelchair!! love the brazilian girl who keeps kissing everyone!! the parkour girl is turbo autistic fr… also a ninja lmao. im v interested in this tbh!! will be watching.

yuri thoughts 🌸: im v interested in the possible yuriful dynamics, especially between the girl in a wheelchair and mc, and between parkour ninja autistic and tall girl. i think the brazilian girl and girl who follows her around are also supposed to be shipped.

(EDIT) POST EP 3 THOUGHTS: yeppp turbo autism ninja is a huge lesbian i love her sm 💌. very sweet show!

(EDIT) ALMOST END OF THE SEASON UPDATE: on hold. it got quite boring at the ep 5 mark and i cant will myself to continue. might drop

Senpai was Otokonoko

tags: crossdressing, love polygon, romance, school

thoughts on episode 1: this counts as yuriful and i Will fight u on this. bisexual girl x closeted trans girl x closeted gay childhood friend love triangle? discussions of gender identity? yes pls. will be continuing it!!

yuri thoughts 🌸: makoto and aoi are cute 🥹

(EDIT) POST EP 3 THOUGHTS: idc about whatever happens later on, makoto is a trans girl, episode 2 and 3 are an insane confirmation. even if she never breaks through her eggshell throughout the whole series, she’s trans. no like fr. i love her so so much and i hope she’ll be able to transition (either at the end of the series or afterwards). egg of the season 🥚🏳️‍⚧️

(EDIT) ALMOST END OF THE SEASON UPDATE: meh. dropped lmao

Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan

tags: comedy, gag humor, school

thoughts on episode 1: “shiiiika 🦌!!!” okay y’all know i love me some gag humor anime but tbqh im feeling kinda lukewarm on this one. maybe it’s bc i had rly high expectations for this but idk most of the gags did not hit as nice as i hoped. tho some of them were brilliant (also looove the constant breaking of the fourth wall). not looking forward to the siscon character that’s gonna be introduced. will be continuing but might drop if i get bored. however i loved how they Did mention that only male deer have horns sooo… noko transbian 🦌🏳️‍⚧️?

yuri thoughts 🌸: the two protagonists have great yuri potential!! torako has already shown she’s a huge girl kisser and noko just keeps teasing her, which is a great dynamic imo. also torako’s va is hatsune miku’s voice provider, and we all know hatsune miku is transbian goddess so!

(EDIT) POST EP 3 THOUGHTS: okay nvm i actually love this!!!!!! and the siscon character is such a caricature and parody of the siscon trope that i love her too (also she’s voiced by mafuyu project sekai uwu).

(EDIT) ALMOST END OF THE SEASON UPDATE: dropped lmao (gags got boring, i have seen too many similar shows)

VTuber Nandaga Haishin Kiri Wasuretara Densetsu ni Natteta

tags: comedy, otaku culture

thoughts on episode 1: once again maybe unpopular opinion but im not completely sold on this one. yes it’s fun, yes she’s unhinged, yes they’re all absolutely raging homosexuals BUT idk how to explain it but it feels very much male oriented. idk i think i feel this way bc it’s my personal pet peeve when otaku shows focus mostly on men as the intended audience (for example, when they showed her audience, all the viewers were men which like. they could have shown at least one woman who likes watching her videos yknow?). so anyway. at least it’s incredibly gay? and once again, love characters gettinf drunk lol. but idk i feel like this was made to ride the wave of hololive and get men on twitter to share funny clips idk. i like how they use actual vtuber avatars in certain scenes, and i get the vibe they’ll want to make these girls real vtubers, hence why we dont see what they actually look like but just their vtuber persona. will be checking out more ep but will drop if it gets too meh.

yuri thoughts 🌸: as mentioned, all the girls are RAGING homosexuals fr. asking about favorite lesbian porn scenarios to each other to possibly act them out. hello?!

(EDIT) POST EP 3 THOUGHTS: again nvm, i like this one too now lmao tho i’d rank it last out of these 5 tbh. but it’s so unhinged and deranged that it’s a super fun watch

(EDIT) ALMOST END OF THE SEASON UPDATE: the wii fit -like episode was the last drop. burnt braincells i’ll never grow back. dropped byeee 0/10

[nevernonline]

✧.* pancakes for dinner; svt smau

chapter 19; repercussions

synopsis: y/n while in her third year at greenwood international university finally gets an opportunity to move off campus into a new complex, she has to deal with the realization that her childhood rival is her new next door neighbor.

genre/s: reader is super oblivious, fluffy, sexual themes. 

content: swearing, mentions of sexual relations, some drinking& mary jane 🍃

tag list - open

word count: 18k. (please note theres texts in between writing too 🖤)

masterlist ▸ 18. loose lips, locked eyes (part 2) ▸ 20. moving backwards.

Seungcheol’s eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the hospital room’s dull lighting. He blinked a few times, brows knitting together as he slowly processed where he was. His body felt sore, his head was pounding, and his gaze landed on Y/N.

She was curled up in a chair beside his bed, still awake, though she looked exhausted. He noticed the way her hands were gripping the blanket over her lap, the tense set of her shoulders.

His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke. “What the hell happened?”

Y/N looked up, startled by his sudden alertness. “Cheol,” she breathed, relief flashing across her face before she quickly masked it. “Morning.”

“Yeah. And very much not dead,” he muttered, grimacing as he sat up, a sharp pain shooting through his head. “Why am I still here?”

Y/N hesitated before answering. “You fainted.”

He blinked. “I what?”

She sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. “You passed out last night, after getting hit by Joon. Your blood sugar was low, and you were running on, like, zero sleep. The doctors said your body just shut down from everything—stress, exhaustion, dehydration, the works.”

Seungcheol groaned, leaning back against the pillow. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“I wish I was.”

He was quiet for a moment, processing. Then, his head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing as he took her in. “Wait. How do you know all this?”

Y/N swallowed, suddenly feeling caught. “Because I slept here and took care of you, your dad and Hana looked stressed so I told them to go home for the night.”

Seungcheol stared at her, unreadable. “You stayed.”

“Yeah,” she admitted, shifting uncomfortably. “I felt bad. I didn’t want you to wake up alone.”

A flicker of something passed through his expression—surprise, maybe something else—but it was gone too quickly for her to catch. He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “Shit. So everyone saw me go down?”

“Uh, yeah. Pretty dramatically, too.”

“Great,” he muttered, pressing his fingers to his temples. “I’m never gonna live this down.”

Y/N snorted. “Nope.”

Despite the situation, she saw the corners of his lips twitch, like he wanted to smile but was too annoyed with himself to fully commit.

Then, his expression sobered as his gaze flickered back to hers. “Seriously, though… why’d you stay?”

Y/N inhaled sharply, caught off guard by the weight of his question.

She could’ve told him the truth—that she felt guilty, that seeing him like that had shaken her more than she wanted to admit, that despite everything, she still cared about him more than she probably should.

Instead, she went with the safer answer.

“Because someone had to be here when your stubborn ass woke up.”

Seungcheol studied her for a long moment, something unreadable in his eyes. Then, finally, he huffed out a small laugh, shaking his head.

“You’re impossible.”

Y/N forced a smirk. “And you’re a dumbass.”

A smirk of his own played on his lips. “Guess that makes us even, huh?”

Not even close, she thought. But she didn’t say that. Because the truth was, she didn’t know why she had stayed.

Y/N shrugged, crossing her arms. “Mingyu and Yuqi are on their way over, and Vernon’s with his parents, but he’ll come check on you later tonight.” She paused, then smirked. “Someone’s popular.” 

Seungcheol was already irritated. Not only was he stuck in a hospital bed, but now he had to sit here and listen to Y/N tell him how everyone was about to show up like this was some sort of field trip.

He rubbed a hand over his face. “So, let me get this straight—I get knocked out, and now I have a whole damn welcome committee?”

“Pretty much.” 

Seungcheol groaned. “Great. Can’t wait.”

Y/N didn’t miss the way his expression soured slightly at Mingyu’s name. He wasn’t obvious about it—he never was—but she knew him too well. Seungcheol could tolerate Mingyu at best, and at worst… well, he’d never admit it out loud, but she knew.

She leaned against the chair, watching him. “You know, for someone who pretends not to care about Mingyu, you’re doing a terrible job hiding it.”

Seungcheol scoffed. “I don’t care.”

Y/N raised a brow.

“I don’t.”

Her brow lifted higher.

He exhaled sharply. “Okay, maybe I mildly care.”

Y/N grinned. “Right. And I mildly think you’re full of shit.”

Seungcheol rolled his eyes but didn’t argue further.

She let the teasing go for now, instead shifting in her seat, her expression becoming more serious. “Also… This might make me sound fucking insane but, I swear I saw Chaewon at the party.”

Seungcheol’s head snapped toward her. “What?”

Y/N nodded, chewing on her lip. “I mean, I think I did. It was only for a second, but I swear she was there. Then she was gone.” She huffed, shaking her head. “I probably just imagined it, but it freaked me out.”

Seungcheol frowned. “Chaewon, as in—”

“Yes, that Chaewon,” Y/N cut in, rubbing her temples. “I don’t know. I was already on edge, and with everything going on, my brain could’ve been playing tricks on me. But for a moment, it felt real.”

Seungcheol stayed quiet, his jaw tightening slightly.

Y/N sighed. “Anyway, that’s not even the biggest problem right now. I’ll bring it up later when everyone else comes. The problem is you—specifically, how you’re gonna explain to everyone that you went down like a poorly built Jenga tower.”

Seungcheol, looking far too comfortable for someone who had been knocked out cold the night before, watched her with that knowing smirk. He was relaxed, but there was something in his eyes—something sharper, heavier.

“So,” he said, drawing out the word. His voice was a little hoarse, but steady. “We gonna talk about it?”

Y/N glanced at him, feigning confusion. “Talk about what?”

His smirk deepened. “Don’t do that.”

She rolled her eyes and took a sip of wine straight from the bottle. “You’re on painkillers.”

“Actually, I’m not. My dad probably turned them down because he thinks I’m going to be an addict or whatever else he can come up with.. So?”

“You’re being bold.”

He laughed softly, shifting slightly in the bed. “Maybe.” He didn’t look away. “But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”

Y/N sighed. She knew exactly where this was going.

“We almost kissed,” she admitted.

Seungcheol tilted his head, as if considering something. “Yeah. And?”

“And it didn’t happen.”

“Right.” He nodded. “But do you wish it did?”

Her stomach flipped. She looked away, eyes focusing on the monitors beside him. “You’re seriously asking me this while hooked up to an IV?”

He grinned. “Wouldn’t be the first time we had bad timing.”

That made her laugh, despite herself. “No, it really wouldn’t.”

His gaze searched hers, like he was looking for an answer before she could even say anything. “You felt it too, didn’t you?”

Y/N opened her mouth, but before she could respond, the hospital door swung open.

“Oh, good! You’re awake.”

Yuqi’s voice filled the room as she stepped in, holding up a bottle of wine triumphantly. Behind her, Mingyu followed, arms full of snacks.

Y/N closed her eyes for a brief second, exhaling through her nose. Of course. Somehow, no matter when these moments happened, Yuqi was always the one interrupting.

Seungcheol glanced at Y/N, amused by the way her shoulders tensed.

“Speaking of bad timing,” he muttered under his breath, voice laced with something teasing.

Y/N shot him a look, but he just grinned, and somehow, she knew this conversation wasn’t over.

Yuqi set the wine down with a dramatic sigh. “You have no idea the struggle we went through to get this. Apparently, people have issues with buying alcohol before noon. Like, excuse me, my best friend had a stressful night, and I think she deserves a drink.”

Mingyu dropped a bag of chips onto Seungcheol’s lap. “You just get snacks, though.”

Seungcheol glanced at the bag before looking up at Y/N. “This feels like a weak trade.”

“Be grateful,” she deadpanned, though she was still tense from their conversation.

Yuqi flopped onto the chair beside Y/N, eyeing the two of them suspiciously. “Alright, what’s going on here? I walked in, and the air was thick.”

“Nothing,” Y/N said quickly, a little too quickly.

“Uh-huh.” Yuqi narrowed her eyes. “Cheol?”

Seungcheol leaned back against the pillows, looking entirely too smug for someone in a hospital gown. “I don’t know, Yuqi. Maybe Y/N was just about to confess her undying love for me.”

Y/N rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. “Right. That must be it.”

Mingyu, who had started unpacking the snacks, snorted. “Yeah, that sounds fake, but okay.”

Yuqi, however, seemed intrigued. She glanced between them, her matchmaking instincts kicking into high gear. “Wait. Wait, wait, wait—did something happen last night?”

“Nope,” Y/N said immediately.

“Almost,” Seungcheol muttered.

Yuqi’s eyes widened. “Almost what?”

“Nothing,” Y/N insisted. “Nothing happened.”

Mingyu paused mid-bite into a granola bar, staring at them. “Okay, now I feel like something definitely happened.”

Seungcheol smirked, shifting just slightly toward Y/N. “She’s just mad because people keep interrupting us.”

Yuqi gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “Me?"

Y/N pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yuqi, you literally always interrupt.”

Mingyu laughed, tossing a snack onto the table. “Damn, okay. Should we, like, leave so you two can—”

“No,” Y/N cut in quickly.

“Yes,” Seungcheol said at the same time.

Yuqi clapped her hands together, absolutely delighted. “Oh, this is fun.”

Y/N groaned. She could feel Seungcheol looking at her, waiting, but now that their friends were here, she wasn’t going to keep whatever that moment was alive. Not now.

So instead, she grabbed the bottle of wine, twisted the cap off, and took a long, much-needed sip.

Yuqi smirked. “Okay, so now I definitely need to hear the full story.”

Y/N, still reeling from the almost moment with Seungcheol, decided to steer the conversation far away from that particular topic. “Actually, something else was weird about last night.”

Yuqi raised a brow. “Weirder than you and Cheol almost—”

“Yes,” Y/N interrupted, leveling her with a glare. “I swear I saw Chaewon at the party.”

That got their attention. Yuqi’s smirk faded, replaced with genuine surprise. “Chaewon? Like Chaewon?”

Mingyu, who had been less than enjoying Yuqi interrogating Y/N, suddenly looked much more alert. “Wait. You think you saw her?”

Y/N nodded. “I mean, I only caught a glimpse, but I know what I saw. And she—she looked like she was hiding.”

Mingyu frowned, popping a chip into his mouth. “You don’t think she was just, like, there as someone’s plus-one?”

Yuqi scoffed. “Yeah, sure, because Chaewon definitely rolls in those kinds of circles. No offense, but why the hell would she show up to that party of all places?”

Y/N bit her lip, hesitant. “That’s the thing… I don’t know.”

Seungcheol shifted in the bed, wincing slightly. “You’re sure it was her?”

Y/N hesitated, but then nodded. “I think so. It was fast, but it felt… I don’t know, like she wasn’t supposed to be there or she got scared when she saw me and ran off, like I genuinely have no fucking idea.”

Yuqi tilted her head. “Okay, but if she was there, why wouldn’t she just say hi? I mean, yeah, it’s awkward, but it’s not like she—” Yuqi suddenly stopped her phone scrolling and gasped loudly.

Y/N watched her carefully. “What?”

Yuqi’s lips parted slightly before she cursed under her breath. “Oh my fucking god.”

Mingyu blinked, confused. “Oh my fucking god what?”

Yuqi looked at Y/N, then at Seungcheol, then back at Y/N. “Chaewon is dating Joon.”

The words hit like a slap to the face.

Seungcheol’s expression darkened instantly, his grip tightening around the blanket on his lap. “You’re fucking kidding.”

Y/N’s stomach dropped. It made so much sense now—the secrecy, the way she ran. “So that’s why she didn’t want me to see her?”

Yuqi let out a low whistle. “Damn. No wonder she kept that quiet. She knew how bad that would look.”

Mingyu shook his head. “So, let me get this straight. Joon—who was already acting like a complete psycho last night—brought Chaewon to that party? And she didn’t tell any of us?”

Y/N exhaled sharply, sinking back into her seat. “And it gets worse. If she was there with Joon, then that means she saw everything.”

Seungcheol’s jaw clenched. “Including him taking a swing at me.”

Yuqi groaned, rubbing her temples. “This is a mess.”

Mingyu nodded. “I mean, no offense, but she’s dating an asshole.”

Seungcheol scoffed. “You’re just figuring that out now?”

Y/N shook her head, mind still racing. “I just—I don’t get it. Why would she go for him? Do you think she knows what he did to me? What did he did to Cheol?”

Yuqi shrugged. “People make bad choices for bad men every day.”

Seungcheol still looked pissed, but now there was something else behind his eyes—something that looked almost like… hurt. Like the idea of Chaewon knowing what Joon did and still being with him bothered him in a way he wasn’t ready to admit.

Mingyu sighed, grabbing a handful of snacks. “Well, guess we’ll just have to figure out how to deal with this now, too.”

Y/N nodded slowly, but her mind was still stuck on Chaewon’s face, the way she had disappeared into the crowd. She knew this wasn’t the last time she’d have to deal with her. And somehow, she had a feeling that whatever came next wasn’t going to be simple.

Yuqi leaned back against the little sofa in the hospital room, a chip still half-hanging out of her mouth. “Okay, what if you just text her?” she said, chewing thoughtfully. “Act like you don’t know anything. See what she says.”

Y/N blinked. “What would I even say? ‘Hey, random question, were you lurking around a launch party hosted by my mother while dating my ex’s psycho best friend?’” She gave Yuqi a flat look.

Mingyu laughed through a sip of his soda. “Maybe dial it back a little.”

Seungcheol, still lying stiff in the bed but watching closely, added, “You could say you were just thinking about her or checking in, maybe something about the fundraiser. Something casual.”

Yuqi nodded. “Exactly. Play it cool. If she lies, we’ll go from there.” Then, with a glint in her eye, she added, “And if she doesn’t lie, maybe we can figure out what the hell she was doing there.”

Y/N sighed, unlocking her phone. “I hate that this is actually a decent plan.” She started typing.

Mingyu let out a low “damn” from across the room, then raised his brows at Y/N. “Remind me not to lie to you. Ever.”

Y/N shrugged, crossing her arms. “Only if you’re bad at it.”

Seungcheol, head tilted slightly on the pillow, gave her a look. “And you think she'll just confess to you?”

“I hope so. I guess,” Y/N said slowly, “If theres no issue I don't see why she wouldn't?”

Mingyu tilted his head. “Yeah, not to be rude, but… since when do you go full private investigator on someone?”

Even Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, rubbing the side of his temple gently. “You hate confrontation. You used to make your mom break up with your friends for you.”

Y/N gave a short laugh under her breath, but her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. She glanced at her phone for a second before tucking it into her back pocket and sitting back in the chair, suddenly a little quieter. “Yeah. I know.”

Yuqi exchanged a glance with the boys but stayed quiet, waiting.

Y/N exhaled through her nose, fidgeting with the hem of her hoodie. “I think I’m just tired,” she finally said, voice softer than before. “Of letting people lie to me. Of brushing it off and pretending it doesn’t get to me.”

No one said anything, but the air in the room shifted. Heavier. More real.

“I used to tell myself it wasn’t worth it—confronting people, pushing back, whatever. That it just made things messy. But the thing is…” She looked around at all of them, her eyes briefly landing on Seungcheol’s before drifting away again. “It’s already messy. And I’m still the one cleaning it up.”

Yuqi’s expression softened instantly. “Y/N…”

“I don’t want to stay stuck in this cycle anymore,” she said, her voice getting steadier, firmer. “Where people get to hurt me or hide things from me, and I just swallow it down because I don’t want to ruin the vibe or start a fight.”

Seungcheol’s lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he stayed quiet.

Y/N glanced at him again, her voice gentler now. “I’m not doing it to start drama. I just… want things to be simple again. I want to move forward without always wondering who’s telling me the truth.”

Mingyu leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, and after a moment he nodded slowly. “That actually makes sense.”

Yuqi walked over and perched on the side of the hospital bed. “Okay, I’m proud of you, but also—are we going undercover to a bar tonight or what?”

Y/N cracked a smile. “Yeah.”

Seungcheol finally spoke, voice low but clear. “You deserve simple, Y/N.” His eyes met hers. “You deserve better than what we’ve all put you through.”

Y/N sighed, scrubbing a hand over her face as she leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “I just hate when people get caught in my crossfire,” she said quietly. “Especially people I care about.”

Yuqi's teasing grin faded.

Y/N glanced toward Seungcheol without really looking at him. “I never wanted you to get hurt either. And I think… I think I might’ve hurt Vernon’s feelings last night, too. So now I just need to figure out what the fuck I’m doing.”

That made the room go still. Seungcheol’s jaw tensed ever so slightly, and Mingyu looked up from the snack he was unwrapping.

“I’m trying to move forward, but it’s like—every step I take just ends up hurting someone else, and it makes me feel sick. I didn’t mean for any of this to be a game, and I know it’s not, but it feels like it sometimes. And I hate that.”

There was a long pause before Yuqi quietly said, “Okay, well, step one of moving forward: get the truth.”

Y/N huffed a laugh and looked up. “If Chaewon was at the party, then something’s up. I mean she’s not from around here. She doesn’t have family nearby. And she’s dating Joon. So what the hell was she doing at my mom’s house?”

Yuqi nudged Mingyu. “We should get her a few drinks, loosen her up. Drunk people are bad at lying. And hey, maybe we steal her phone.”

“Yuqi,” Seungcheol said flatly, raising an eyebrow.

“What?” she shrugged. “For truth. For justice.”

Y/N laughed despite herself, shaking her head. “Let’s not steal anything, yet. But if she’s lying to my face, I want to know. I’ve let too much slide already.”

Seungcheol’s voice was soft. “You sure you want to do this tonight?”

“I need to,” Y/N said, firmer now. “I’m tired of wondering. Tired of guessing who’s real and who’s full of shit. I want answers, and if I don’t get them, I want peace anyway.”

Yuqi stood up with a dramatic stretch and clapped her hands together. “Alright, I'm gonna hit the bathroom. If I come back and someone’s crying, I’m walking right back out.”

“Noted,” Y/N muttered with a small smirk.

Once Yuqi disappeared down the hallway, the room fell into an awkward, loaded silence. Y/N stayed standing, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. Mingyu leaned back in his chair, arms crossed loosely, watching her for a beat.

Then, casually—but not really—he asked, “What did you mean earlier? About Vernon?”

Y/N hesitated, fiddling with the edge of her hoodie sleeve. “Nothing, just I think I crossed a line last night.”

“How?” Mingyu asked, brows furrowing like he couldn’t quite figure out what she could’ve done.

Seungcheol didn’t jump in, but his eyes flicked to her, clearly listening. Quiet, but tuned in.

Y/N shrugged and sat down on the edge of the chair beside Seungcheol’s bed. “I was drunk, we were talking, it got weird.”

Mingyu tilted his head, trying to read her. “Weird how? Like kissing weird?”

Her silence was enough of an answer.

Mingyu’s eyes widened slightly. “Wait—did you actually kiss him?”

“No.” Y/N’s voice was quick. “But it almost happened. And I didn’t mean for it to. I mean, it was kind of a joke, kind of not, and it just—” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. The point is, I saw his face after, and I think I hurt him. And I hate that. Vernon’s like—he’s been my best friend since I was a kid.”

Mingyu looked like he wanted to say something more but bit it back, his expression unreadable.

Seungcheol was still quiet, gaze down on the blanket across his lap. After a moment, he said softly, “He’s not the only one who got weird with you last night.”

Y/N looked over at him. “Yeah,” she said. “I’ve been thinking about that too.”

Mingyu leaned forward, a little incredulous now. “Wait. You’re telling me you almost kissed both of them? Last night?”

Y/N buried her face in her hands. “I hate it here.”

Seungcheol let out a low chuckle, and even Mingyu cracked a smile.

“Okay, that’s… that’s kinda interesting, honestly,” Mingyu said, shaking his head. “Messy as hell. But it's interesting.”

Y/N dropped her hands. “I’m not trying to be interesting. I just want to stop feeling like I’m ruining everything.”

“You’re not,” Seungcheol said, voice steady. “You’re just figuring it out.”

Before Y/N could reply, they heard the toilet flush down the hall.

Yuqi’s footsteps padded back down the hallway, but she hadn’t quite rounded the corner yet when Mingyu leaned back again, arms behind his head like he was stretching out the tension.

“So wait,” he said, mock-offended, “you almost kissed Vernon and Seungcheol last night…”

Y/N gave him a cautious look.

He raised a brow, grinning. “But not me? Damn, Y/N. I thought we had something special.”

She rolled her eyes. “Gyu—”

“I mean,” he went on with faux dramatics, “you’ve got this whole Bachelor situation going on, and I’m still in first place without even trying. Talk about winning by default.”

Y/N let out a small laugh, but it didn’t reach her eyes. The joke hit a little too close to a sore spot she wasn’t ready to unpack—again. Her stomach twisted as she looked down at her hands.

Mingyu didn’t seem to catch it. “You really can’t commit, huh?” he teased, his smile wide. “One foot out the door with all of us.”

That one stung. Her smile faltered, and the air shifted.

Seungcheol sat up straighter in the bed, his voice sharper than usual. “Dude. That’s not funny,” Seungcheol said, eyes steady on him. “Feelings are involved.”

Y/N didn’t say anything right away, but her throat was tight. She tried to play it off, brushing invisible lint off her pants. “It’s fine. He’s just joking.”

Seungcheol glanced at her, then back at Mingyu. “Still. Don’t make her feel like she’s some joke you’re winning.”

Mingyu’s grin faded a little as he looked at Y/N again. The momentary flicker of guilt passed over his face.

“Sorry,” he said, a little more seriously now. “I didn’t mean it like that. You know that, right?”

Y/N nodded, but the silence that followed was heavier than before.

Yuqi finally stepped back into the room, breaking it like a snapped string. “Okay, what did I miss? Why do you all look like you just cried without me?”

Mingyu quickly cleared his throat and offered a crooked smile. “We were just talking about Y/N’s love triangle.”

“Love square,” Yuqi corrected with a knowing glance, sitting back down. “And I’m still voting that we steal Chaewon’s phone tonight.”

Y/N managed a real smile this time. “Only if I get to do the talking.”

Mingyu opened his mouth, maybe to say something light again, but this time he thought better of it. He just nodded once.

Yuqi looked between them. “So. We’re still doing this, right?”

Y/N stood, setting her wineglass down with a little more force than she meant. “Yeah. We’re doing this.”

She turned toward the door and then paused, glancing back at her friends. “But I’m the one who’s gonna talk to her. No games. No drama.”

Yuqi grinned. “We’ll just be your backup dancers.”

Mingyu gave a mock salute. “Operation Bad Bitch, begins.”

Seungcheol watched from his bed, slow and steady, eyes still on Y/N. “You sure you don’t want someone with you?”

Y/N shook her head. “No. I need to do this one myself.”

And despite everything, there was something solid in the way they all looked at her—maybe even proud. As much as she felt scattered and uncertain and guilty, there was one thing she finally had a grip on.

The knock at the hospital room door came with the distinct sound of a nurse pushing a cart, and a moment later, the door opened to reveal not just the nurse, but Seungcheol’s dad stepping in behind her—tall, serious, and surprisingly gentle in his tone. Hana followed quietly, her expression unreadable but eyes darting straight to Seungcheol in the hospital bed.

“Sorry to interrupt,” the nurse said cheerfully, already glancing at the monitor. “Just one more set of vitals and we’ll get the paperwork going. He should be good to go soon.”

Seungcheol groaned softly, but not from pain. “You mean I actually get to leave?”

His dad smiled—just a flicker, but it was there. “Told you it wouldn’t be forever.”

“I didn’t believe you,” Seungcheol muttered, leaning a little so the nurse could check the cuff on his arm. He tried not to flinch at the blood pressure reading; it still made him feel like a patient instead of a person.

Hana stood off to the side, eyes scanning the room—taking in the way Y/N stood with her arms crossed, Mingyu lounging awkwardly nearby, Yuqi tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair in the room, and the tension that had clearly only just started to settle.

Seungcheol’s dad nodded to the room in general. “Didn’t realize you had this much company.”

Y/N offered a polite smile. “We were just about to head out, actually.”

Yuqi dragged Mingyu up and started leading him outside, with just a small goodbye to the rest of the group still lingering in Seungcheol’s room. 

The nurse smiled as she scribbled something down. “Well, you’re free to hang around until discharge is finalized. Just don’t go trying to run off before I bring the wheelchair, alright?”

Seungcheol gave her a tired look. “I’m not eighty.”

“Hospital policy,” she chirped, before rolling out of the room with a wave.

His dad stepped closer to the bed, hands in his pockets. “You’re lucky. You hit your head harder than they first thought. Take it easy, alright?”

“I will,” Seungcheol mumbled, but his eyes were on Y/N again, like whatever tension had paused between them was waiting to pick back up the second everyone cleared out.

Hana’s voice finally cut through. “We brought some of your things, by the way. Clothes, that hoodie with the stupid hole in the elbow you like so much. Some snacks, just a care package of sorts.”

“Thanks,” he said, though it came out a little stiff.

Y/N didn’t miss the way Hana looked at her—kind, curious, and cool.

“I’ll go put them over there,” Hana said, slipping past Y/N with a slight brush of her shoulder. Not to be rude. Just enough to remind her she was there.

As Hana set the small duffel bag down on the chair near the bed, she turned slightly toward Y/N, her expression softening from cool to warm in a heartbeat. She waited until the nurse and Seungcheol's dad were briefly distracted talking over the discharge papers.

“Hey,” she said quietly, just for Y/N to hear. “Thank you for staying. You being here let his dad and me actually sleep last night.”

Y/N blinked, caught a little off guard by the genuine tone. “Oh—yeah. Of course. I didn’t mind. It was kind of my fault anyway.”

Hana tilted her head, her voice low and kind. “Still. You didn’t have to. But I think he needed you here, even if he doesn’t say it out loud.”

Y/N gave her a small smile, something tired but grateful in her eyes. “He always says it without saying it.”

That earned a soft laugh from Hana. “Sounds about right.”

They shared a moment—brief, but real—before Hana squeezed Y/N’s arm lightly. “Go get some air. I’ll stay with him until everything’s settled. You’ve done your part.”

Y/N hesitated. “You sure?”

Hana nodded. “I’ve got him now. Go breathe. Maybe sneak a real coffee.”

Y/N glanced at Seungcheol, who was distracted with the cuff still wrapped around his arm and muttering something to his dad. Then back at Hana.

“Thanks,” she said quietly. “For not… making this weird.”

Hana grinned. “You and me? We’re on the same team.”

Y/N stepped out of the way to let her sit beside the bed, still a little stunned at how simple the exchange had been. But grateful. Really, really grateful.

Y/N lingered by the door for a moment longer, letting the calm energy in the room settle. Hana was already talking to Seungcheol’s dad, who was reviewing the last bits of paperwork with the nurse. The noise of the busy hospital corridor outside felt distant, and Y/N, for the first time in what felt like days, took a deep breath, letting herself relax.

She felt the weight of everything—the party, the tension with Seungcheol, the confusion with Vernon, and everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours—begin to catch up with her. It wasn’t just the mess of emotions that had been swirling around her; it was the fact that she felt like she was always walking on the edge, trying not to hurt anyone else or let her feelings get the best of her.

As she stepped outside the room and into the hallway, the sudden quietness was almost overwhelming. She didn’t know whether she wanted to find some space, clear her head, or run away from the whole situation. But what was she running from, really? She didn’t even know where she was heading. Maybe she was just looking for something to hold onto.

Just then, her phone buzzed in her pocket, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She shoved her phone back into her pocket with a sigh, feeling a lot less satisfied than she had hoped. She leaned back against the wall for a moment, rubbing her eyes as she tried to clear her head.

She had to focus. Focus on Seungcheol. Focus on everything going on around her. Maybe confronting Chaewon wasn’t the best idea, but it was the only thing that was making sense to her right now.

A soft voice broke through her thoughts. It was Hana, standing at the door to Seungcheol’s room, her head poking out from the threshold. “Y/N, you okay?”

Y/N nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah, all good.”

Hana smiled kindly, the understanding between them unspoken. “Everythings gonna be fine. Don’t worry too much.”

Y/N walked back toward the room, her mind buzzing. She didn’t want to overthink everything, but it felt like everything was coming to a head. Whatever Chaewon was hiding, it had to come out. She couldn’t keep letting things slide, not when people she cared about were getting caught in the crossfire.

She pushed the door open slowly, finding Seungcheol looking much more awake and alert, though still groggy. He flashed a tired smile when he saw her, his eyes still a little unfocused.

“Hey,” Y/N said quietly, sitting down beside him again, offering him a soft smile.

“Hey…” Seungcheol’s voice was hoarse, but there was a certain calm in his expression. He reached out for her hand, squeezing it gently. “How are you doing?”

Y/N swallowed, her emotions still swirling. “I’m okay. Just a lot on my mind.”

He gave her a small, knowing look. “I get that. But you don’t have to carry everything yourself, you know? I’m here.”

Her heart softened at his words, the familiar comfort of his presence still grounding her, even if things felt off. She couldn’t help but feel conflicted, even as she tried to push aside the tension and focus on the moment.

“I know,” she replied, her voice quieter now, a little more vulnerable. “But sometimes it just feels like it’s all too much. Like I’m just letting it all pile up.”

Seungcheol gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, his expression turning more serious. “You don’t have to figure it all out right now. Let’s just take it one step at a time.”

As Y/N sat beside Seungcheol, lost in her thoughts, the door creaked open, and the nurse from earlier stepped inside with a clipboard in hand. She looked between Seungcheol and Y/N, offering a warm smile.

“So, Seungcheol, everything looks good to go,” the nurse said, giving him a quick check of his vitals. “If you’re feeling up to it, we can get you discharged.”

“Fuck yeah.” 

The nurse nodded with a smile. “I’ll just leave this here then.” She handed over some papers for Seungcheol to sign and stepped back toward the door. “I’ll be back in a minute to get you on your way out.”

As the nurse stepped out to grab a wheelchair for Seungcheol, Y/N lingered by the window, scrolling aimlessly on her phone. She heard him groan softly behind her and turned to see him sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, rubbing his temples.

"Ugh, my head feels like someone hit it with a brick," he muttered, squinting as he tried to stand.

"Well," Y/N said, walking over to him with a wry smile, "that’s because someone kind of did."

"Right," he said with a short laugh, wincing as he shifted his legs over the side. “God, I feel like I aged twenty years overnight.”

"You're really committing to the grumpy old man vibe, huh?" she teased gently.

He gave her a crooked grin, eyes flicking to hers with a softness she hadn’t seen from him in a while. “Only thing missing is a cane and yelling at kids to get off my lawn.”

Y/N rolled her eyes playfully. “Alright, Grandpa, let’s get you dressed before the nurse comes back and sees you flashing your ass in this hospital gown to the world.”

Cheol snorted but didn’t object as she moved to grab his folded clothes from the chair beside the bed. She handed him his shirt first and turned her back halfway, giving him privacy while still staying close enough to help if he needed it.

After a few seconds, she heard the faintest sound of a grunt—him trying to tug it over his head—and turned back around just enough to see him struggling to lift his arms properly.

"Okay, stop," she said, walking over before he could protest. "Let me help, you’re going to rip a stitch."

He didn’t argue. Instead, he sat still while she gently helped him ease the shirt over his shoulders, mindful of the bandages and bruises. Her touch was careful, but there was something intimate in the silence that followed—quiet, steady, trusting.

Cheol cleared his throat after a moment. “Thanks for staying. You didn’t have to.”

Y/N looked at him, her hands brushing down the fabric of his shirt as she straightened it. “I wanted to,” she said softly. 

His eyes met hers. There was a flicker of something there—something warm and searching—but he didn’t press it. “You’re gonna make me cry in a hospital gown,” he joked, trying to lighten the mood again.

“You’ll live,” she replied with a small smirk, handing him his sweatpants. 

“Debatable,” he muttered dramatically as he leaned forward to step into them, groaning with every movement. “Okay, this is officially the least sexy thing that’s ever happened between us.”

“Good,” she said, holding his arm steady as he stood. “Let’s keep it that way for now, old man.”

He laughed again, low and hoarse but genuine. And as she helped him ease down into the wheelchair the nurse had left outside the door, neither of them said much—just sat in that shared, quiet understanding that something between them had changed again. Maybe not in the big, dramatic way it always used to, but in a quieter, more human way.

The nurse reappeared just as Y/N adjusted the blanket over Seungcheol’s lap, tucking it around his legs like someone who’d clearly done this before—probably for her grandma, or maybe a friend. She gave them a quick glance, a cheerful smile forming as she double-checked the chart in her hands.

"Vitals look great, and you’re officially cleared to go," she said, unclipping the last monitor from Seungcheol’s finger. “Now—did your girlfriend want to wheel you out, or should I?”

There was a split second of silence.

Y/N froze, halfway through adjusting the wheelchair handles. Seungcheol blinked. Hana, standing just outside with a half-empty coffee cup, covered her mouth like she was trying not to laugh. His dad just raised his eyebrows with the kind of silent amusement only a father could pull off.

“Oh—uh,” Y/N said, her voice going a bit high, “I’m not—he’s not—we’re not…”

“I mean, if she wants to, I’m not stopping her,” Seungcheol added quickly, that usual smirk tugging at his lips even as his ears turned red.

“She stayed overnight,” Hana added slyly, sipping her coffee with a knowing look. “That counts for something.”

Y/N gave her a playful glare and then cleared her throat, trying to recover. “I’ll wheel him out. Might as well see this through.”

The nurse nodded, clearly entertained but saying nothing else, and handed Seungcheol his discharge papers. “All yours, then. Take it easy for the next few days, alright?”

“Not like I have a choice,” Seungcheol grumbled.

They rolled out slowly, Y/N behind the chair as they exited the hospital room and headed toward the elevators. Hana and his dad walked ahead, giving them a little space, murmuring about stopping by the pharmacy on the way home.

Y/N dug her phone out of her pocket with one hand and shot a quick text to their friends that they're coming out and ready to go as they waited for the elevator.

By the time she looked up from her phone, Seungcheol was eyeing her suspiciously over his shoulder.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he said, leaning his head back against the wheelchair. “Just making sure you’re not trying to kill me for not telling the nurse you weren’t my girlfriend and just some annoying stalker.”

She gave him a look. “You’re so dramatic. Relax. You’d be so fucking lucky if I was your stalker.”

“I am relaxed,” he muttered. “Just fucking around, I think the head injury got to me.”

Y/N rolled her eyes fondly, pushing him into the elevator as the doors dinged open. “Okay, grandpa.”

The elevator doors closed with a quiet ding, and Y/N leaned lightly against the back rail as it descended, her fingers curled around the wheelchair handles. Seungcheol’s head tilted lazily to the side, his shoulder brushing against her knee as he adjusted in the seat.

“You know,” he said after a beat, voice a little hoarse but playful, “if I’d known you’d be helping me get dressed and wheeling me out of the hospital like some tragic drama scene, I would’ve gotten punched in the face way sooner.”

Y/N huffed a laugh, even though her heart was still knotted from earlier. “Don’t get used to it. This was a one-time thing.”

He smirked, then grimaced when the motion made his head pound. “Noted. Old man rules still apply, though. Might need help getting into bed.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but smiled, the elevator gliding to a stop. “You’re literally almost thirty years old, you’re fine.”

“And someone with a minor concussion and a face bruise to match my bruised ego. Don’t age-shame me.”

They exited into the quiet hospital lobby, where Hana and his dad were already waiting near the doors. Y/N’s grip tightened subtly on the handles, a strange pang hitting her chest as the bright afternoon sun spilled through the glass.

“Thanks. For staying. For helping me, if you ever wanted a change in majors you could be a nurse, you’d look cute in scrubs.”

Y/N helped him slide his arms through his hoodie, moving slow so it wouldn’t jar his stitches. “Mhm, thank you, but It’s kinda my fault you were here in the first place.”

“You didn’t make Joon hit me,” he replied.

“No. But if I never kissed you back then and let it go further than maybe you wanted, it would’ve never happened.” She looked down at the ground, scratching her shoe on the pavement.

Seungcheol stilled a little at that.

He didn’t say anything at first. But when he did, his voice was low.

“You never made me do anything I didn’t want,” he said. “The feeling was mutual.”

Her eyes flicked to his, and for a second, they just looked at each other—past the teasing and the banter, past all the things they hadn’t said out loud.

And then Hana called out from the passenger seat, cheerful as ever, “Cheol! You want your grandma blanket for the ride home?”

The moment popped like a soap bubble. Y/N chuckled under her breath and stepped back.

“Come on,” she murmured, patting his shoulder. “Let’s get you out of here before she starts asking if we need to pick up prunes and slippers too.”

Seungcheol groaned as he stood, leaning lightly on her for balance. “You joke, but I think she already got me a cardigan.”

Hana popped open the backseat door just as Seungcheol leaned into Y/N’s side again for balance. He was wobbly, not from pain this time, but mostly just exhaustion. Even with a solid night’s sleep, it was like his body hadn’t quite caught up to everything that had happened.

“Okay, big step,” Y/N coached gently, guiding him toward the car.

“Don’t patronize me,” Seungcheol mumbled with a crooked grin. “I’m still taller than you.”

“Not if you collapse in the parking lot.”

“I’d fall with dignity.”

Hana reached out to steady him on the other side. “You’d fall like a baby deer.”

That made him snort, wincing as he lowered himself into the seat. Y/N crouched to help him swing his legs in, adjusting the blanket while Hana fluffed the little pillow she’d brought from home.

“You good?” Y/N asked him.

Seungcheol nodded slowly, eyes fluttering shut for a second. “Yeah. This is the most care I’ve felt since I had the flu in middle school.”

“Cute,” Y/N murmured. “Try not to make this a regular thing.”

Once he was situated, she stepped back to let Hana close the door. They lingered for a second on the curb, a rare moment of quiet between them.

“Hey,” Hana said, nudging her shoulder lightly, “you’re welcome to come hang at our place tonight. Invite the rest of your friends, watch a movie and order pizza or something?”

Y/n smiled at the offer, genuine but apologetic. “I wish I could,” she said, brushing her hair back. “I need a shower. I feel like I slept in a hospital chair, which—spoiler alert—I did.”

Hana nodded, understanding but still a little disappointed. “Totally fair. Do you guys have plans tonight?”

Y/n paused a beat too long before saying, “Yeah. Just something small.”

She didn’t elaborate, and Hana didn’t push. But she noticed the way y/n looked back at the car—just for a second, a flicker of guilt in her expression. Like maybe she didn’t want to leave him right away, but had already decided she would.

“Thanks for staying with him last night,” Hana added quickly, her voice softening. “You gave us a chance to get some sleep, and I know he needed you more.”

Y/N’s throat tightened at that, but she managed a quiet, “He would’ve done the same.”

“I know,” Hana said with a smile, stepping away toward the passenger side. “He’s good at taking care of people. I’m glad someone’s around to take care of him too, for once.”

Y/N stood on the curb a moment longer after Hana’s car disappeared down the street, the warmth of the moment fading into the chill of her nerves. She stared down at her phone, thumbs hovering to cancel her other plans and just have a night off from anything dramatic, but she knew she couldn’t avoid it.

She sighed. If she let it go now, if she pushed it down again like she always did, it would fester. And she was tired—tired of pretending things didn’t hurt when they did, tired of letting people lie and act like it didn’t matter, tired of being the one who always cleaned up the mess without saying anything.

This wasn’t about Chaewon, not really. It was about everything.

Y/N finally moved, walking toward the car where Mingyu waited in the driver’s seat, messing with the aux cord like it was a life-or-death mission. Yuqi was sitting in the back seat, texting rapidly like her fingers were going to fly off. 

He looked up when she slid into the passenger seat. “Ready?”

The silence that followed was comfortable for a moment. Then, without turning his head, Mingyu added, “You sure you wanna do this tonight?”

“No,” she admitted honestly. “But I need to.”

He nodded slowly, taking the corner onto her street. “You really think she’s with Joon?”

“I know I saw her,” Y/N said. “And unless she took up ghosting and astral projection in her free time, she’s hiding something.”

Yuqi snorted. “Chaewon always was a little… elusive.”

“You think she knew what he did to Seungcheol?”

Y/N didn’t answer right away. The thought of it had been sitting in the pit of her stomach all day, growing heavier with every passing hour. If she gave Chaewon the benefit of the doubt, she might have missed it. But if she didn’t...

“I don’t know,” she said quietly. “But she knows us. And I feel like she should’ve said something. Anything.”

They pulled into the driveway. Mingyu killed the engine but didn’t move to get out. “You think she’s gonna confess the moment we show up?”

“No,” Y/N said with a wry smile. “That’s why we’re bringing Yuqi.”

“Ah, yes. The human lie detector with excellent fashion sense.” Yuqi just smiled, gassing herself up. 

Y/N unbuckled, pushing the door open. “She’s the super secret weapon because if I fail, she’s got full permission to steal her phone.”

Mingyu let out a bark of laughter. “You guys are both way more terrifying than you look.”

Yuqi smacked the back of his head, “Yeah, and don’t you forget it. Next time you fuck up we’ll haunt you too.” 

They stepped into the house, the familiar scent of her mom’s hand soap still faint in the air from earlier. Her dad was in the living room, sprawled across the couch like he’d melted there, a glass of water on the coffee table and a blanket her mom must have thrown over him. 

Mingyu was already raiding the fridge. “What time are we leaving?”

Y/N checked her phone. “Maybe, around 7?  Vernon’s meeting us there.”

Yuqi just smirked, pouring hot water into her mug of tea. “Can’t believe I’m saying this… but I actually need  to see Vernon tonight. Just to make sure you didn’t break his heart or something.”

Y/N froze mid-sip of water.

Her dad, of course, woke up from his nap at the perfect moment and didn’t let that go unnoticed. “Wait—what did you do to Vernon?”

“Nothing, he’s fine! They’re just being dramatic.” she said quickly. 

Mingyu gave her a look, exaggerated and teasing. “Y/N Y/L/N, you’re turning into a full-blown heartbreaker. At this rate, you’ll have all three of us in therapy.”

Her dad chuckled from the couch, but it faded quickly. Y/N couldn’t tell if he drifted back into his nap or was just listening on. 

The awkwardness from Mingyu’s comment still hung in the air, but Y/N wasn’t in the mood to dwell on it. She wanted to focus. To get this night over with and figure out what was really going on with Chaewon.

She glanced back at the clock, seeing that they only had about 45 minutes before they were supposed to meet Vernon.

“Alright. Let’s go over the plan again,” she said, her voice taking on a more determined edge. “We go to the bar and I figure out what’s really going on. I’ll talk to her, and we’ll see what happens. I don’t know what she’s up to, but I’m going to find out.”

Yuqi nodded, giving her a small smile. “Exactly. You’ve got this, Y/N.”

“Yeah,” Mingyu added, smirking again. “Just don’t–” 

Y/N shot him a glare. “I swear, Mingyu...”

Yuqi chuckled, her hand brushing against Y/N’s arm in a comforting gesture. “Let’s just get this over with, okay?”

Y/N took a deep breath, putting her phone back in her pocket. She was still nervous, but there was no turning back now. The plan was set, and she was ready to face whatever came her way tonight.

With one last glance at her friends, Y/N nodded. “Let’s go.”

With one last glance at her friends, Y/N nodded. “Let’s go.”

The bar was buzzing with energy when Y/N, Yuqi, and Mingyu arrived. The low hum of conversation and the clink of glasses filled the air, and the neon lights overhead gave everything a slightly hazy glow. Vernon was already waiting for them, leaning against the bar, scanning the crowd. When he saw them, he waved, his familiar grin lighting up his face.

Y/N felt a little lighter at the sight of him, but the weight of the situation wasn’t easy to shake. Chaewon still hadn’t responded to her text, and she was feeling the sting of uncertainty.

“Hey, you guys made it,” Vernon said, standing up straight and giving them a quick hug. “Are you nervous?”

Y/N laughed nervously, trying to hide her nerves behind the usual bravado. “A little,” she admitted. “But I’m just gonna ask her what’s going on. I have to know.”

Yuqi leaned in, squeezing her arm. “You’ve got this. Just keep it cool.”

Mingyu, on the other hand, was already scanning the bar with a smirk. “Alright, what’s the plan? Do you want us to eavesdrop, or?”

Y/N, despite her nerves, couldn’t help but laugh at the idea. “Let’s just find a spot where we can hear her without being too obvious. I don’t want to confront her with the whole group there.”

Vernon nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we’ll just keep it chill. If anything goes down, we’re ready to step in.”

The group made their way to a booth in the back corner of the bar, a small, cozy spot where they could see the front door but remain hidden in the shadows. The dim lighting in the corner booth would give them a slight advantage in keeping an eye on the entrance, but it was just out of view enough to avoid drawing attention.

Y/N sat on the edge of the booth, her fingers tapping nervously against the table. “I don’t know if I can do this, you guys.”

“You can,” Yuqi assured her, taking a seat beside her. “But you’re gonna have to relax. She might not even show up tonight, you know? She could be avoiding the whole thing.”

Mingyu, taking a seat on the other side of Y/N, nudged her gently. “But, hey, if she does show, I’ll be on standby to help you. Just give me a signal and I’ll pretend to spill my drink on her or something.”

Y/N couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Mingyu’s antics, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Thanks for the offer. I’m sure that’ll work wonders.”

Time seemed to stretch on in the quiet booth, the noise of the bar surrounding them but not really reaching her. Every minute felt like an hour, and with each passing second, Y/N grew more anxious.

The bar was buzzing, dim lights flickering against clinking glasses and low music. Y/N sat in the booth with Yuqi, Mingyu, and Vernon, her nerves tingling with every passing minute. She kept checking the door. Fifteen minutes late. Twenty. Thirty.

Yuqi leaned in. “She’s not coming.”

“She said she would,” Y/N muttered, gripping her drink. Her stomach had been twisting for the past hour, and the tequila wasn’t helping.

“She could’ve changed her mind,” Yuqi offered with a shrug. “Or maybe she—”

But before he could finish, the door opened again—and there she was.

Chaewon.

She stepped inside, hair tousled from the wind, a soft blush of embarrassment on her face as she looked around and spotted Y/N. She lifted a hand in a small wave, mouthing, Sorry!

Y/N’s breath hitched a little. “Shit.”

Vernon straightened slightly. “Huh.”

Yuqi blinked. “No way.”

“She looks nervous,” Mingyu muttered, adjusting in his seat to watch through the gap in their booth.

Chaewon approached, clutching her coat tighter around herself. “I am so fucking sorry,” she said as soon as she reached Y/N’s table. “I got so lost—I haven’t really been here before, and I thought I could find it on my own, but then I turned down the wrong street and—yeah. Anyway, I’m here.”

“It’s alright,” Y/N said, forcing a polite smile as she stood. “I’m just glad you made it. Wanna sit?”

Chaewon glanced at the booth. “You came alone?”

Y/N nodded. “Yeah. Just figured it’d be easier to talk one-on-one.”

In the booth behind them, her friends ducked slightly lower, their drinks halfway to their mouths, fully invested.

Yuqi whispered, “Okay, I literally love eavesdropping more than actually being involved, but I wish I could see the look on her face when Y/n brings up Joon.”

Mingyu nodded. “Now let’s just hope she doesn’t lie to her face.”

Vernon, still nursing the same beer, murmured, “She’s definitely hiding something. I’m not sure what, but you know.” 

Y/N, back at her table with Chaewon, took a breath. Her pulse thumped in her ears, but she kept her voice steady. “So? You’re here. That’s kind of surprising.”

Chaewon offered a nervous laugh. “Why’s that?”

“You’re not from here,” Y/N said. “And you didn’t mention anything about visiting. Just caught me off guard.”

Chaewon glanced down at her drink menu. “Yeah, it was sort of a last-minute thing. And I really did not remember you were from here. I was surprised when you texted me. I just wanted to enjoy the long weekend and get away, you know?”

“Mhm,” Y/N said carefully. “Get away from what, though?”

Chaewon hesitated, just for a second, and Y/N caught it.

Back in the booth behind them, Yuqi whispered, “That was a pause. She’s lying.”

“She’s definitely lying,” Mingyu agreed.

“Now we just see how good Y/N is at calling her bluff,” Vernon added quietly.

Chaewon had ordered a simple cider. Y/N had switched to a club soda a while ago, the earlier buzz from tequila fading into something steadier. She kept tapping the edge of her glass, nerves stitched through the casualness she was trying to maintain.

“So,” Y/N said after a few minutes of catching up. “What’s really going on, Chae?”

Chaewon blinked. “What do you mean?”

Y/N gave her a look. Gentle, but pointed. “I mean what made you come here out of nowhere? Why did I see you at my mom’s party but you avoided me? Why are you pretending this is all just some little detour?”

Chaewon sighed and set her cider down. “Okay. You’re right. I wasn’t totally honest about that.”

Y/N didn’t respond, just waited. Her silence urged the truth forward better than any questions could.

“I really didn’t know it was your mom’s event,” Chaewon said. “I swear. I wouldn’t have shown up like that if I had known. It was just—he brought me.”

Y/N frowned. “He?”

Chaewon hesitated. “The guy I’m seeing.”

Y/N’s throat tightened, but she kept her expression even. “So you’re seeing someone.”

“Yeah,” Chaewon said, eyes flicking away briefly. “It’s kind of new. And kind of complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“We got into it at the party,” she admitted. “There was some insane shit going down, I guess? Honestly, I don’t even know how to explain it. He was being weird and kind of intense, and I felt so awkward once I realized where I was, and by the time I got the courage to say something to you, we had to leave.”

Y/N studied her, trying to piece together the truth buried underneath. “You left because of what? Drama?”

Chaewon nodded. “Partially, yeah. And I just—I felt horrible. I knew you saw me, and I didn’t know how to explain any of it without sounding like a bad friend.”

There was sincerity in her eyes. Y/N could see it. Or maybe she just wanted to.

“You could’ve said something earlier,” Y/N said softly. “We’ve been through too much for silence to be our thing.”

Chaewon’s eyes dropped. “I know. That’s on me.”

Back in the booth behind them, Yuqi muttered, “She’s good.”

“She’s too good,” Mingyu added, leaning in.

“She’s not lying about everything,” Vernon said under his breath. “But she’s definitely not telling the whole story.”

Back at the table, Y/N finally sighed. “I’m not mad you’re seeing someone, Chae. I’m mad I had to find out by spotting you across a damn party and then you ran away from me.”

“I know. I know,” Chaewon said again. “It wasn’t fair. I was scared. He’s not really someone I thought I’d be seeing seriously. And I just didn’t want to be judged, especially if it didn’t work out.”

Y/N nodded slowly, but something didn’t sit right.

She tilted her head, giving Chaewon a soft smile as she swirled the straw in her drink. “So… this guy you’re seeing.”

Chaewon’s eyes flickered with a nervous edge. “Yeah?”

“Is he from school?” Y/N asked casually.

Chaewon nodded. “No actually. He’s from here, and goes to law school. We met through some mutual friends at the comedy club.”

Y/N hummed. “Must be serious if he brought you to a fancy party.”

Chaewon gave a tiny laugh. “I mean, I didn’t even realize whose party it was until I got there. I didn’t know how to act, honestly.”

Y/N nodded, taking a slow sip before setting her glass down. Then, lightly—like it barely mattered—she said, “So… Joon, right?”

Chaewon blinked. “What?”

“Joon?” Y/N repeated, brow raised just a little, like she didn’t already know the answer.

Chaewon froze. Just for a second—but it was there. That split second where someone’s brain stutters trying to play catch-up. “…Wait. How do you know Joon?”

Y/N tilted her head. “You said mutual friends, right? Small world.”

Chaewon was clearly thrown off. “Right, but… I didn’t think you… I didn’t even know you two had met.”

Y/N just gave a soft shrug, keeping her tone neutral but her gaze sharp. “Oh, yeah I’ve definitely met him.”

The color in Chaewon’s face shifted slightly, like her body had just caught up with the panic her brain was trying to hide. She reached for her drink again, stalling. “Oh. Huh. That’s… I mean, yeah. He’s—uh. Great. I guess I just didn’t realize you two would have crossed paths.”

Y/N let the silence stretch for a moment, then offered a small, polite smile. “Like I said. Small world.”

Chaewon laughed awkwardly, still clearly trying to figure out if she was being accused of something or just… exposed. “I really didn’t mean to seem weird at the party, by the way. I just panicked. I didn’t know what to say.”

“Makes sense,” Y/N said, still watching her carefully.

Chaewon nodded too fast. “Anyway, we didn’t stay long. There was a little… incident or something. And he wanted to leave early.”

Y/N just hummed, but the glint in her eyes said she’d heard everything she needed.

“Okay, okay—she’s surprised?” Yuqi scoffed under her breath, incredulous. “Like he doesn’t have a picture with her on Twitter?”

Vernon shrugged, sipping his beer. “She didn’t expect Y/N to know. That’s what’s throwing her off.”

Mingyu shook his head. “Which is wild. Because Y/N might be sweet, but she’s not blind. Especially not anymore.”

Yuqi smirked. “I told you. We came prepared. Girl scouts would be proud.”

Vernon leaned on the table, eyes narrowing. “Let’s just hope Y/N doesn’t let her deflect. I know she hates confrontation but... she deserves the truth.”

“She’ll get it,” Yuqi said. “And if she doesn’t—”

“Plan B,” Mingyu and Yuqi said in unison.

Chaewon’s smile faltered for a split second. Barely there. Most people wouldn’t have noticed—but Y/N did.

“Why?” Y/N asked, more direct now. “What would’ve been hard to explain?”

Chaewon hesitated. ��Well… he brought me, and then there was that whole mess with his ex or something showing up—and it just got weird.”

Y/N blinked. “His ex?”

“Yeah,” Chaewon said quickly, like she was glad for the change of subject. “I guess they came and got all dramatic, and he had to leave to deal with it. That’s why we left early.”

Y/N stared at her, pulse quickening. That’s what she’s calling it?

“So he didn’t tell you anything else?” Chaewon asked. “Like... not about me, I mean—just... that night?”

Y/N hesitated. She wanted to say everything. About the screaming. About Joon hitting Seungcheol. About Seungcheol’s blood staining the floor.

But something held her back.

“I heard pieces,” she said instead. “You know how words get around.”

Chaewon nodded slowly. “Well,  we didn’t even talk after. He said he felt bad for dragging me into it, so I figured it was over.”

Y/N studied her, heart thudding. She could feel her friends listening to her from the next booth. Probably ready to jump in. But she wasn’t done yet.

“So, you didn’t know it was my mom’s party?” she asked gently.

“No. I swear,” Chaewon said, reaching for Y/N’s arm. “I would’ve said something if I had. I just… I was nervous. Everything felt weird.”

Y/N looked down at her drink, her voice barely above a whisper. “It was weird.”

Y/N gently pulled her arm back, her fingers curling around her glass again. Her tone stayed soft, but something shifted in her eyes.

“You know, Chaewon,” she started, “there’s something I’ve always wondered about.”

Chaewon blinked. “What?”

Y/N sighed, swirling the melting ice in her drink. “The video that got posted. Of me and Seungcheol.”

Chaewon immediately looked uneasy. “Yeah, you told me. That’s awful.”

Y/N nodded slowly. “It was. Especially since it was filmed without us knowing. And posted by Joon.”

The words landed like a dropped glass.

Chaewon froze. “What?”

Y/N didn’t flinch. “He was the one who leaked it. And Seungcheol told me,  it was all some bet or prank. And he never meant for it to get out. But Joon made sure it did.”

Chaewon’s face paled, her lips parting like she wanted to speak but didn’t have the words.

Y/N tilted her head. “You didn’t know that?”

“I—” Chaewon looked cornered now. “No. He never said anything like that to me. I swear.”

“Okay,” Y/N said, letting the weight of it linger before she continued, quieter. “And you also just completely missed him hitting Seungcheol the other night?”

Chaewon swallowed. “I didn’t. He said an ex-something, I assumed he meant a girlfriend, not.. Not a friend.”

“You didn’t hear it either?” Y/N pressed, brows furrowed. “You didn’t hear the shouting? The crash? Or see Seungcheol bleeding on the floor?”

Chaewon shook her head, too fast. “No, I—I went outside for a phone call. I didn’t even know anything had happened until Joon said we had to leave.”

“You just left?” Y/N asked. “No questions?”

“I was confused! He told me someone was being dramatic and we had to go. I didn’t… I didn’t know what happened until later.”

Y/N studied her face carefully, heart beating fast. “Do you believe him? That it was just drama?”

“I don’t know what to believe,” Chaewon said helplessly, voice cracking. “I thought I knew him. But now—”

She didn’t finish.

Behind them Yuqi was practically vibrating with frustration, phone in hand under the table. Mingyu leaned forward to whisper, “You’re texting him, aren’t you?”

“He needs to be here,” she muttered. “If she’s gonna unravel this much, Cheol deserves to hear it.”

“Isn’t he supposed to be resting?” Vernon asked.

Yuqi’s eyes never left her screen. “You think he’s gonna sit this out when he hears Joon’s name again?”

Y/N exhaled slowly, unsure if she felt relieved or sick.

“You know what fucking sucks?” she said after a beat. “I want to believe you. I really, really do. Because I don’t think you’re a bad person, I know deep down you aren’t.  But I feel like I’ve spent so long giving people the benefit of the doubt that I don’t even know when I’m supposed to stop.”

“Y/N…”

“I’m tired of people lying to me. Or leaving me in the dark and acting like it’s not a big deal when I get hurt.”

“I didn’t mean to—”

A voice cut through from behind her.

“Y/N.”

She turned, blinking in surprise as Seungcheol stood there, hoodie pulled over his head, out of breath and looking like he never should’ve left his bed.

Chaewon blinked up at Seungcheol, eyes wide. “Wait... what are you doing here?”

He didn’t say anything at first—just looked at Y/N, then back at Chaewon, jaw tight. The bandage across his face was faintly pink at the edge, like it was still healing. His posture was stiff, like standing here was costing him.

Y/N shifted in her seat and answered for him, voice calm but cold. “He fainted the night of the party, by the way. After Joon hit him. Cracked his head open and everything. Needed stitches.”

Chaewon’s mouth opened slowly, her face going pale. “Wait... I didn’t know it was that serious.”

Y/N tilted her head, expression unreadable. “I guess it would’ve been hard to know, if you were already on your way out with him.”

“I didn’t know,” Chaewon said again, quieter this time. “I thought he just got into an argument, not a physical fight. Not that he passed out. Not that it was—hospital level serious.”

“Well, it was.” Y/N’s tone wasn’t sharp, just... tired. “And I’m not saying this because I want to pick a fight or make you feel bad. I’m saying it because Joon is bad news. He has been for a long time.”

She glanced at Seungcheol for half a second, just long enough to see him still, listening.

“I let him into my life once and he did some real damage. To me. To Cheol. You didn’t know me then, but that stuff still follows us around.” She took a breath. “So I’m not here to tell you what to do. I’m just saying... maybe think twice before letting someone like that convince you of what’s true.”

Chaewon looked like she didn’t know where to look, her mouth pressed into a line. “He’s never been like that with me.”

“I believe you,” Y/N said honestly. “But sometimes people only show you what they want you to see.”

There was silence for a moment. The air in the booth had shifted—less accusatory, but more real.

Behind them, the rest of the group sat frozen in their booth, not even pretending to sip their drinks anymore.

Chaewon sat there for a moment, her hands wrapped around the nearly-empty glass in front of her. Her expression softened, not defensive—just conflicted. “People change, though,” she said finally. “I mean… look at Seungcheol.”

That made Y/N blink. Chaewon wasn’t trying to be cruel, and her voice carried no bite—just sincerity. “I know I wasn’t around back then, but I’ve heard enough to know how bad things got between you two,” she went on. “And you still gave him another chance. He changed. You saw it.”

Y/N looked over at Seungcheol without meaning to. He wasn’t looking at either of them—just staring down at the condensation on a glass someone had set in front of him. Her chest tightened.

Chaewon continued, quiet but hopeful. “I just… I want to believe Joon can change too. That maybe he already has. That I’m not a complete idiot for trusting him.” She laughed a little, almost embarrassed. “And if I am… I guess I’ll have to learn the hard way.”

Y/N didn’t answer immediately. Her face was calm, but her shoulders carried something heavy. “It’s your life,” she said gently. “I’m not here to tell you how to live it. Just keep your eyes open, okay?”

Chaewon gave her a grateful little smile, then glanced at her phone. “I actually have to get going—I’ve got to drive back early tomorrow. The Bachelor charity event set up stuff kicks off in the afternoon, and I’m already behind.”

She stood and pulled her coat on. “I’m glad we talked though. I’ve missed you. And I really hope you both don’t change your minds about participating. We need people like you to keep it from being a complete mess.”

Y/N gave her a tired smile. “I’ll let you know.”

“Let me know when you get back to town, we can talk more.” 

Chaewon waved a little as she slipped past the booth and disappeared out into the cold night.

As the door closed behind her, the booth behind them immediately stirred. Yuqi popped her head over the divider like she’d been physically holding herself back. “Okay, I didn’t want to interrupt,” she said, voice low and fast, “but oh my god, is she really that fucking delusional?”

“She really meant that,” Vernon added, frowning. “She didn’t seem like she was pretending.”

Mingyu let out a low whistle and passed Y/N her drink. “You handled that way better than I would’ve. I would’ve been like, ‘ He knocked a guy out and ran. Please.’”

Y/N just shook her head and took the drink. “It’s not worth blowing up over. She heard me. I think.”

Seungcheol was still quiet, eyes back on his drink. Yuqi noticed. “You okay?”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah. I don't think she gets it. What he did. Not really.”

Y/N leaned back, her voice soft. “I don’t think she does either. But she will.”

There was a pause. The weight of the conversation hung there, lingering, even as the music from the bar picked up again.

Y/n raised her glass. “To people who don’t fucking suck,” she declared.

Vernon lifted his. “To Y/N being the most composed drunk I’ve ever seen.”

Yuqi grinned. “To Seungcheol showing up like he was in a fucking movie at the perfect time.”

Seungcheol cracked a small smile, finally, and tapped his glass against theirs. “To dumb bets and better choices.”

They all clinked, laughing quietly. Even if it wasn’t perfect, at least they had each other.

“You know what? I’m done fucking waiting around for shit to happen. I just want to get drunk.”

Yuqi blinked, taken aback by the bluntness of her words. “Well, I can’t say I didn’t see that coming,” she said with a small, knowing grin. 

Y/N looked up at her friends, her frustration evident in her eyes. “I just need to forget about all of this for a while. I just need a break from all this fucking shit. I’m done trying to make sense of Chaewon’s excuses. And I’m done with everyone pretending like things are fine when they’re clearly not.”

Mingyu leaned back in his seat, his tone light but still with a hint of concern. “Well, if you’re going to get drunk, we’re all in. But let’s just make sure we do it right. No weird texting people while we’re all hammered, yeah?”

Y/N shot him a sarcastic smile. “I’m not planning on texting anyone else tonight.”

Yuqi raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like a good plan.”

As the night wore on, Y/N, Yuqi, and Mingyu slowly but steadily made their way through the drinks, the alcohol lifting their spirits—if only for a little while. Mingyu was already a bit tipsy, his loud laugh echoing through the bar as he told one of his typical ridiculous stories, much to the amusement of Yuqi and Y/N. Every so often, his attention would flicker to his phone, but he wasn’t looking for any texts or notifications; he was just trying to avoid making things awkward.

Yuqi, who’d started off slow, was now matching Mingyu’s pace. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes had the relaxed, playful gleam of someone who had indulged just enough to feel at ease. She leaned back in her seat, a half-empty glass of wine in her hand, and looked at Y/N with a raised brow.

“You okay?” Yuqi asked, a bit of teasing in her tone as she watched Y/N fiddle with her glass. “I mean, besides the whole Chaewon situation.”

Y/N let out a deep breath, sinking back into the booth and stretching her legs out. “I don’t even know what to think anymore. One minute, I’m here hoping to get some closure, and the next…” She motioned vaguely with her hand. “It’s just… this.”

Mingyu nodded as if he understood, though his slurred words were a little more playful than thoughtful. “Honestly, you might be better off without the whole ‘closure’ thing. The last time I tried to get closure, it ended with me making bad decisions and eating an entire pizza by myself. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”

Yuqi chuckled and shook her head, taking another sip of her wine. “I think Mingyu’s advice is more for entertainment purposes than actual wisdom.”

Y/N smiled despite herself, the alcohol already starting to make her feel more relaxed. “Yeah, well, I guess that’s what I get for coming here and thinking I could fix everything. Maybe I was just kidding myself.”

Mingyu leaned forward a little too eagerly, clearly tipsy enough to push the conversation in his usual teasing direction. “Honestly, you’re just lucky you didn’t get caught up in my chaos tonight. That would have really messed up your whole vibe.”

Y/N laughed softly, shaking her head. “I’m fine with chaos. But now that I think about it, I have kissed pretty much every one of my friends in some form or another, haven’t I?” She raised an eyebrow, looking at Mingyu as if daring him to comment.

Yuqi grinned, recognizing the shift in Y/N’s mood. “Are you keeping score now?”

Y/N smirked, the words coming easier now. “Maybe I should. Vernon, Seungcheol, Mingyu…” She let the words linger for a second, just to make sure Mingyu caught on.

Mingyu, his tipsy grin widening, immediately jumped on the bait. “Oh, I see how it is,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “You’re telling me I’ve got some competition now? This is what I get for being the only one who’s always been here for you?”

Y/N rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at her lips. “Oh please, you’re not even in the running. I’ve kissed all the guys, not just you. Maybe you should step it up.”

Mingyu laughed, almost spilling his drink, clearly enjoying the banter. “Well, I’m just gonna say it. I’m still in first place.” His voice dropped to a teasing tone. “But maybe that’ll change after a few more drinks.”

Yuqi shook her head, but her grin was infectious. “It’s a wonder how you two manage to survive each other.”

Y/N didn’t get a chance to respond before Vernon, who had been nursing the same beer since he arrived, cleared his throat.. He hadn’t been part of the conversation much, he was too busy convincing Seungcheol to head back home and rest for his own good. He gave them a smile, though it was slightly strained, and leaned forward.

“You guys sound like you’re having fun without me,” he said, his voice light, but there was an underlying hint of something Y/N couldn’t quite place. Maybe it was jealousy, or maybe something deeper.

Yuqi just laughed, tipping back a shot of clear liquid, “Where the fuck is the patient?” 

“I finally convinced him to head back home and get some rest. He wanted to say goodbye, but his head was killing him and it’s loud as fuck in here, so I just let him know I’d tell you guys.” 

Y/n just shook her head, “Seungcheol just Irish exited us? Party pooper.” 

Vernon laughed, “You remember he’s hurt right?” 

“Yes, but also I know his mom and dad sent him to etiquette classes.”  Y/N shot Vernon a glance. “You’re just taking it slow, huh? Still nursing that same luke-warm, half drank beer?”

Vernon shrugged, his gaze shifting between the group. “Yeah, not really in the mood to drink much tonight. Just wanted to hang out, I guess.”

Mingyu raised his glass in Vernon’s direction. “No worries, man. You know, I’d offer you a shot, but I think you’re just not ready for my level of madness.”

Yuqi chuckled, but Y/N could sense something different about Vernon tonight. His usual chill vibe was off. He wasn’t fully in the moment, and it made her feel like something else was going on. Maybe it was the frustration from earlier in the day, or maybe he was just trying to keep his own feelings in check.

Y/N didn’t want to press it, though. Instead, she smiled and raised her glass. “Well, you’re welcome to join whenever you want. No judgment here.”

Vernon’s smile was quick but faint, and he nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

Y/N tilted her head, looking at Vernon from across the table. She felt the need to shift the mood, to break the subtle tension hanging between them. A playful smirk tugged at her lips as she leaned in slightly, her voice light but with an edge of mischief.

“So,” she started, her eyes narrowing slightly. “About that money you owe me. The one where you’re supposed to kiss me for a hundred bucks.”

Vernon stiffened, looking over at her in surprise. “Wait, what? You’re not serious, right?”

Y/N let out a soft laugh, casually sliding into the seat next to him. She crossed her arms and grinned, enjoying the way his eyes flickered nervously. “Oh, I’m dead serious. You agreed to it. Or do you need a refresher?”

Vernon shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to recover from the unexpected confrontation. “Come on, Y/N, you know I didn’t think it was really gonna happen.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. “But you didn’t say it wouldn’t happen. That’s on you.”

Mingyu, who had been listening, chimed in with a teasing laugh. “Oh, this is rich. Vernon, I think you’re just afraid to lose.”

Vernon shot Mingyu a look, but it was half-hearted, the teasing from earlier forgotten in favor of the current playful banter. “I’m not afraid, I just—” He looked back at Y/N and huffed in frustration. “This is silly..”

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head. “It’s not silly. You agreed to it. And you’re still trying to back out?” She leaned in a little closer, her voice soft but teasing. “What happened to being a man of your word, huh?”

Vernon shifted awkwardly, his fingers tapping lightly against his beer bottle. “I’m not backing out. I just—” He stopped himself, a little unsure of how to continue. He turned to face her, his eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and frustration. “I don’t think it’s the right time, alright?”

Y/N leaned back, crossing her legs as she gave him a skeptical look. “Oh, I see. Too scared to kiss me now?” She couldn’t help herself—she was enjoying the game too much.

Vernon rolled his eyes but smiled in spite of himself. “I’m not scared, okay? I just think there are other things we should probably talk about first.”

Mingyu, leaning in with a mischievous grin, added, “Ah, so now there’s something more important than a hundred bucks and a kiss?”

Y/N shot him a quick glance, still enjoying the tension she was building. “I think we all know there’s more to it than that, don’t we, Vernon?”

Vernon seemed to hesitate for a moment, his expression flickering between amused and uncertain. “Yeah, well maybe I’ll surprise you later,” he said with a shrug, though his tone was soft, almost like a challenge.

Y/N smirked. “You’ll cave eventually, Vernon.”

Mingyu snickered, thoroughly enjoying the moment. “I think we all know you won’t,” he said, raising his glass to Y/N. 

Y/N’s grin softened, and she laughed, leaning back into the booth. “I guess we’ll see what happens.”

The three of them shared a lighthearted moment, their laughter mingling with the chatter and music of the bar. For a brief moment, things felt simple again, and Y/N felt a slight shift in the air—a reminder that despite everything, she could still find moments of ease, even when life felt complicated.

But as she glanced at Vernon, his amused smile hiding a hint of something more, she couldn’t help but wonder what would really happen next. 

The night stretched on, the noise of the bar swirling around them as Y/N, Yuqi, and Mingyu laughed louder, their drinks flowing freely. Y/N was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol, her head buzzing and her cheeks flushed from the warmth of it all. She had been in a bit of a haze, caught between the laughter and the jokes, but as the hours wore on, she could feel herself getting more and more tipsy. Mingyu had been playing some ridiculous card game with the bartender, and Yuqi was showing off some dance moves they all had long forgotten about, but Y/N was starting to lose track of it all.

She leaned back against the booth, a half-smile tugging at her lips, but her thoughts were blurry. She tried to focus on the conversation, but the words felt like they were slipping through her fingers. When she tried to stand, the room swayed a little, and she grabbed onto the table to steady herself, giggling at her own clumsiness.

Vernon watched her with a mixture of amusement and concern. His eyes flickered to Yuqi and Mingyu, who were still clearly intent on staying out longer, their energy far higher than Y/N’s.

“You guys think it’s a good idea for her to keep going like this?” Vernon asked, his voice careful, even though he was trying to keep things light. He already had a slight headache from the secondhand noise and the general chaos of the bar.

Yuqi, grinning from ear to ear, waved him off. “Oh, let her have fun. It’s been a while since she let loose like this.”

Mingyu joined in, leaning back in his seat and tipping his glass, as if to toast to their good time. “Yeah, she’s fine. Who else would be this much fun after a day like today?”

But Vernon’s brow furrowed. He knew Y/N better than anyone in the group, and this was starting to feel like a bit much. She’d been carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders lately, and he could see that she was beginning to fade, her usual spark dimming as the alcohol hit her harder than it had earlier in the night.

He glanced at her again—her laugh was a little more drawn out than normal, and she was leaning a little too far forward in the booth. His instinct kicked in, and he stood up, pushing his chair back.

“I think it’s time we get her home,” he said, his voice firm, more out of concern than anything.

Yuqi, still half-grinning, raised an eyebrow. “What, you want to be the hero now?”

Vernon shrugged, looking at Y/N. “Someone needs to be. Her mom’s gonna freak out if she sees her like this.”

Y/N giggled from the booth, clearly not really grasping the conversation, but the moment she tried to stand, she wobbled, and Vernon was quick to catch her, gently placing an arm around her waist to steady her.

“Let’s get you out of here,” he said softly, his voice warm with concern. Y/N grinned up at him, barely able to keep her eyes open.

“I’m fine,” she slurred, her words a bit too exaggerated. “I can walk. I think.”

But Vernon was already helping her stand, guiding her out of the booth. Yuqi and Mingyu exchanged a glance but didn’t protest. They both knew when it was time to bow out.

“Fine, fine, take her home,” Yuqi said, waving her hand dismissively, though she was clearly enjoying the chaos of the night. “We’ll hang out a little longer and catch up. You guys go ahead.”

Mingyu chuckled, adding with a playful wink, “Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of her next time.”

Vernon shot him a look, raising his eyebrows, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he helped Y/N to the door, her arm loosely around his shoulders as he guided her through the crowd.

By the time they reached the car, Y/N’s head was lolling a little to the side, and she giggled softly, her words a little more jumbled now.

“This was fun,” she mumbled, looking up at him with a dazed smile. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess tonight.”

Vernon’s lips curled into a soft, understanding smile, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes. “You’re not a mess, Y/N. You’re just having a good time. And you deserve that. ”

He helped her into the car, securing her seatbelt before he got in himself, and they started the short drive back to where they were staying. Y/N leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes for a moment. She let out a long, content sigh, still feeling the warm buzz from the alcohol and the chaos of the night.

When they arrived at the house, Vernon helped her out of the car and into the front door, his arm securely around her waist. He was mindful of how unsteady she was, trying his best to keep her steady.

When they finally made it back to Vernon’s house, Y/N was still feeling the effects of the alcohol, her head swimming with the buzz and her thoughts hazy. She was leaning against Vernon for support as they entered the front door, but the moment they were inside, she stopped and pouted, glancing up at him with a playfully frustrated expression.

“Vernon,” she whined, her voice a little slurred, “I can’t... I can’t get my jacket off. Help me.”

Her hands fumbled at the zipper, unable to get a good grip on it, and she pouted, her lower lip sticking out like a little child. It was too cute to ignore, and Vernon couldn’t help but smile at her, even though he was trying to keep his focus.

“Alright, alright,” he said, shaking his head in amusement as he gently took hold of her jacket and pulled the zipper down for her. “You really can’t get that off by yourself?”

Y/N looked up at him with wide eyes, still pouting. “No, I’m too tired. You’re the only one who can help me,” she mumbled, the tipsiness still making everything feel a little exaggerated.

Once her jacket was off, she leaned into him a little more, her face softening with a faint smile. “You know,” she started, her voice a little more serious but still carrying the slurred edge of alcohol, “the bet... I never really got to finish it.”

Vernon raised an eyebrow, already knowing where this was going. “What do you mean, finish it?”

Y/N gave him a mischievous smile, her eyes twinkling despite her obvious drunken state. “I promised you a kiss, didn’t I?” she teased, stepping closer and lifting her hands to his chest, her fingers grazing his shirt. “I think it’s time I make good on that.”

Before Vernon could respond, she leaned up on her tiptoes and planted a quick, soft kiss on his lips. It was brief, but definitely real.

As soon as Y/N kissed him, her lips lingering just a little longer than before, she pulled back with a satisfied grin. But then, almost as if it wasn't enough, she leaned in again, this time a little more confidently. Her eyes were half-lidded with the warmth of alcohol, and her fingers grazed his chest once more, her lips moving closer to his.

"Just one more," she murmured, her voice husky and playful. "I promised, didn’t I?" She was being bold, her body pressed against his as she looked up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

But Vernon gently pulled back, placing his hands on her shoulders to create a little distance between them. His expression softened, though there was a firmness in his tone as he said, “Y/N, no. You’re too drunk right now.”

She frowned, looking disappointed for a second, then pouted. “But I want to... I want to kiss you more,” she admitted, her voice soft but insistent.

Vernon sighed, his brows furrowing slightly. He gently pushed her hair back behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her skin for a brief moment. “I know you do,” he said, his voice low and calm. “But not like this, okay? Not when you're like this. It wouldn’t be right.”

Y/N’s face fell for a moment, the playful sparkle in her eyes dimming slightly as she processed what he was saying. “You’re really not gonna let me?” she whispered, her voice almost too soft to hear. There was a vulnerability in her tone that almost made him second guess his decision, but he knew this was for the best.

“No,” he said gently but firmly. “I’m not. You deserve to have a kiss that’s real, and right now, you're not thinking clearly. I want it to count too, Y/N.” His hand softly cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek as he leaned in, kissing her forehead lightly. “I’ll be here when you’re ready... but not like this, okay?”

Her shoulders slumped, and she let out a long, exaggerated sigh, her lower lip sticking out in a playful pout. She didn’t say anything more for a few moments, just silently accepting it with a small, resigned nod.

“Fine,” she muttered, though her eyes still held a bit of that mischief. “But you owe me one. When I’m sober, I’m holding you to it.” She glanced up at him with a teasing smile, knowing he would probably regret saying no when the moment came.

Vernon smiled back, shaking his head at her playful persistence. “Deal. But only when you’re sober, Y/N. Promise me.”

“I promise,” she replied, almost giggling at the absurdity of the situation. “You’re so mean. I’ll make you regret it.”

They both chuckled a little, the tension easing between them, though it still hung in the air like a subtle undercurrent. The night had already been so unpredictable, but somehow, this moment felt like a small step toward something that wasn’t rushed, something that could happen when they were both ready.

Vernon led Y/N upstairs to the guest room, his hand gently guiding her as she swayed slightly, her steps unsteady. The room had always been hers whenever she stayed over at his house, and though it was technically the guest room, everyone called it Y/N's room. It was cozy, with soft, neutral colors and a bed that was always made up perfectly, as if waiting for her to return.

He helped her sit on the bed and pulled the blankets up around her, making sure she was comfortable. "Stay here, okay? I’ll be right back with some water."

Y/N nodded, her eyes barely staying open as she flopped back into the pillows, the alcohol making her limbs feel heavy. When Vernon returned, he placed a glass of water on the nightstand along with some Tylenol. "Here," he said quietly, his voice soft as he gave her a warm smile. "Drink this if you’re feeling bad tomorrow, okay?"

She reached for the glass, taking a small sip. "Thanks," she mumbled, her voice still a little slurred. "You’re nice."

Vernon chuckled softly, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. "You should get some sleep now, okay? I’ll be right downstairs if you need anything. Just text me."

Y/N blinked up at him, her expression momentarily serious. "I’m not always like this, you know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, almost sounding vulnerable.

“I know,” he reassured her, squeezing her hand gently before standing up. "Just get some rest, alright? Good night, Y/N."

"Good night," she echoed, sinking further into the pillows, her eyes already beginning to close.

Once Vernon left the room, Y/N took a moment to let everything sink in, but the alcohol was already working its way through her body, making her more relaxed than she should have been. She reached for her phone on the nightstand, her fingers a little uncoordinated as she unlocked it.

Her thumbs hovered over Seungcheol’s contact. She needed to talk to him. She needed to know he was okay. Without thinking much about it, her fingers started typing, the words coming out sloppily as she texted him:

Her phone buzzed, and she half-expected a response right away, but then she remembered that Yuqi might still be out or sleeping. She hadn’t replied immediately, and Y/N thought nothing of it, sinking further into the bed, her eyelids heavy.

She didn’t know it, but she’d sent the message — the one about kissing Vernon, the casual way she threw it out there — to the wrong person. It wasn’t Yuqi who received it. It was Seungcheol. She hadn’t meant to stir anything, and in her current state, she couldn’t even process the mistake, let alone how it might land with him. All she knew was that it felt like a small confession, something light after such a chaotic, emotionally intense night.

As she waited for a reply she wouldn’t get — not from the person she thought, anyway — her mind began to drift, the weight of the alcohol, the exhaustion from the day, and the tangled emotions pulling her into sleep.

note: hi omg sorry this took so long, i redid it like a thousand times especially with the ending and i had another version where chae didn't come but this felt like the best vibe to keep things going. i'm not incredibly happy w/ it still but thats okay. (also the tumblr rules rlly make me edit out a bunch of stuff but anyway) also studying for exams and everything has been kicking my ass, but my semester ends at the end of next week so if u guys are also in the thick of it good luck!!

taglist: @minhui896@sun-daddy-yoriichi@luchiet@miles-sketchbook@kissesfrmwonwoo@readerlozies@vcutparis@mxnhoeuwu@writingbarnes@headlockimnida@odxrilove@jeonghaniehaee@bath1lda @wonwootakemyheart @dokyomis@hanniesdegree @blvkkeddcc@gyuguys@rakshithanotrao@multiplumes@jihoonsbbygirl@tacosandbitch @lukeys-giggle

[veephoenix]

zutto — chapter twelve | wc: 3k | series masterpost | prev. chapter

Chapter summary: Noah finds an old family album in Grandma's living room. Noah and Lia explore a nearby village that leads to a guarded sanctuary.

Reading time: 12mins aprox.

Tags and trigger warnings: established relationship, very slight angst, mostly fluff and happiness, no trigger warnings, just lia and noah being the cutest couple ever. (This chapter is mainly a filler, but do let me know if there's sth that definitely needs to be added here).

‼️ THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING OF MY OTHER FIC THE UNMAKING OF A WARRIOR ‼️

General trigger warnings: this work addresses and depicts issues related to addiction, abuse, & violence, contains explicit sexual content, and explores themes of childhood trauma. Reader discretion is advised. +18

Noah stirred awake with his face nestled in the tousled cascade of Lia’s hair, which lay strewn across their pillows. Still foggy with sleep, he brushed her hair back, freeing himself from the comfortable knot of her arms and legs. Lia’s face, serene in slumber, bore the same gentle innocence she’d had since childhood—soft features and a hint of a smile that made her look so small, almost fragile. 

As he shifted to leave, she murmured something in her sleep, and all he caught was the word “cold”. He reached for one of the fluffy blankets Emi had handed him the day before and tucked it around her and over the duvet, leaving only her eyes, nose, and a tuft of hair peeking out. He knelt on the futon and leaned down, pressing a light kiss to her forehead, and was rewarded with the sight of her nestling deeper into the blankets, her contented smile widening slightly. The sight made him chuckle.

A few minutes later, Noah found himself downstairs in the dimly lit living room, where the quiet of early morning was still present. The world outside was barely touched by dawn, and there was a chill lingering in the house. Deciding that coffee could wait, he sank into the couch, raking a hand through his hair as he reflected on the events of the previous night. He and Lia had stayed up late, mulling over his grandmother’s words, everything she’d said and shared with them, all she’d known for years—the connection he and Lia shared and had been skirting around for so long. This morning, waking up beside her, limbs tangled, he couldn’t help but regret the many sunrises they’d missed together.

Sighing, Noah let his gaze drift across the room until it landed on an old chest of drawers, cluttered with various albums and keepsakes. Curiosity getting the better of him as he crouched down and slid open one drawer. He pulled out a couple of albums, their corners worn with time and use. As he lifted them, a gentle voice broke the silence.

“Good morning, dear.”

Startled, Noah nearly lost his balance, clutching the albums as he turned to see Hana standing by the doorway. She was wrapped in a beige shawl, her hand clasping it at her chest as though savoring the warmth.

“Morning,” Noah replied, regaining his composure and standing to his full height.

“You’re up early,” she observed, stepping into the room with her gentle, knowing smile.

 “Yeah, my sleeping schedule is still a bit all over the place.”

“Lia?”

“Still asleep.”

Hana’s eyes dropped to the albums in his hands. 

“Have you looked at those yet?” she asked, gesturing for him to sit beside her on the couch. 

Noah shook his head no.

She took one of the albums from his hands, opening it on her lap. The first photo that met their eyes was a candid of Noah as a toddler, his cheeks chubby and his eyes wide. He didn’t recall ever having that hair, but now he hoped he’d never find himself with that haircut again.

As they turned the pages, Noah glimpsed snapshots of his childhood—him at home, for Christmas, for his birthday, scenes from parks, zoos, even a shrine his grandparents had taken him to in Los Angeles. Then, there was one of his mother, Eve, cradling him as a baby. Hana traced her fingers over Eve’s face, her daughter. Her expression immediately softened with a hint of sadness. 

“Your grandfather took this just a few months after you were born,” she murmured. “There aren’t many more of her, I’m afraid.”

Noah stared at the picture in silence, feeling a quiet pang of loss. But he simply shook his head, flipping to the next page. 

“It’s okay,” he said, as though reassuring himself.

Then a photo of six-year-old Lia appeared, her small hands clutching a bouquet of flowers picked fresh from Hana’s garden, her bright smile and eyes full of wonder and joy. That day, she’d insisted on helping Hana with the gardening, and Noah’s grandfather had decided to document the occasion. Noah remembered his own enthusiasm, persuading his grandfather to let him try out the film camera, capturing that exact photo of her he was looking at right now. Lia looked so cute, offering the bouquet to him with so much excitement and innocence. Noah made a mental note to have a copy made of the picture to keep it in his wallet. 

They continued flipping through memories, watching him grow from a boy to a teenager. The photos became scarcer as they reached his teenage years due to digital storage slowly replacing printed albums. Near the end, something slipped from one of the plastic sleeves, fluttering to the floor. Noah picked up the yellowed paper, examining it. It was a drawing of a family: Two adults and two children standing side by side, flowers drawn in colorful scribbles around the figure of the mother. Noah thought the drawing was pathetic, for the supposed adults looked more like children (only taller), and the choice of colors was quite horrible. He imagined what Lia would say if she saw it; she’d probably be horrified.

Hana, peeking over his shoulder, said, “You did that.”

“I did?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.

Hana nodded with a hum of confirmation.

Noah studied the drawing for a moment before a smile tugged at his lips. 

“Let me guess. It’s me and Lia, isn’t it?”

“Indeed,” she confirmed, her eyes twinkling. “You drew a little family. You, Lia, and two kids.”

He held the drawing, a pang of nostalgia hitting him as he thought about what it might have meant back then, even if he hadn’t understood it. Lia had always meant home, even from the beginning. He glanced at Hana.

“Is this related to some folklore story, too?” He asked, giving the paper a little shake. 

“I’m afraid not,” she replied with amusement. 

Noah hummed thoughtfully, a soft chuckle escaping him.

“I guess I’ve always been a little obsessed with her, haven’t I? Surprised she didn’t run away from me by now.”

Hana chuckled, patting his shoulder. “Oh, she’s always enjoyed your attention. Still does.”

Noah looked down at the drawing once more, then carefully slipped it back into the album.

“Well, I don’t think we’re ready for this yet,” he said lightly, though the thought of a future with Lia brought a warmth to his chest.

“There’s a time for everything,” Hana countered, her hand resting on his shoulder with quiet reassurance. “I’ll go prepare some coffee and get breakfast ready.” She stood up with a stretch.

She adjusted her shawl as faint footsteps creaked above them, drifting down the staircase like a quiet echo. Pausing, Hana raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“Looks like Miss Flowers heard the word coffee,” she teased, her eyes crinkling with joy.

“She’s probably been dreaming about your tamagoyaki.”

“Well then, I’d better get started with the cooking.” 

She turned to head for the kitchen, but Noah’s voice stopped her.

“Hey, Grandma?”

“Yes, darling?” She looked back at him, sensing something thoughtful lingering in his voice.

“I was thinking of taking you and Lia out for lunch today. Is that nice restaurant still open? The one owned by that fisherman downtown, by the river?”

“You mean the one by the harbor? Oh, yes! Kaito still runs it with his family. Wonderful man, that one. He’s been there as long as I can remember, serving the freshest catch you’ll find for miles.”

“Perfect. I figured it might be nice… Spare you and Emi from doing the cooking and spoiling us. We’re going to be here for two weeks so…”

“So?” Hana raised an eyebrow, daring him to continue. “Noah, you’re my Grandchild—and so is Lia. I’ve been waiting to have you back so that I could spoil you day and night. Taking us out for lunch sounds wonderful, but having you here, seeing you and Lia so happy… that’s all I need. No need to be so decorous, all right?” 

As he nodded, Lia appeared at the top of the stairs, rubbing her eyes with a sleepy smile. She was wearing one of Noah’s hoodies and leggings, her hair messy and still carrying that softness from sleep.

“Did someone say coffee and tamagoyaki?” 

After lunch at the chosen restaurant by the river’s harbor, the three of them strolled through town. The cobblestone streets bustled with life: shopkeepers arranging their displays, locals chatting by the open-air markets, and the occasional cat winding lazily through the clusters of legs. Noah and Lia lingered here and there, pointing out shop signs and admiring the architecture, their joy and excitement filling the quiet spaces between Hana’s stories about the town.

But after a while, Hana slowed her pace, her steps growing more deliberate. She paused at the corner of a small park, resting her hand on a wrought-iron fence. 

“I think my legs are ready for a good sit,” she admitted with a warm smile. “But you two go on—explore a bit.”

Noah stepped closer, concern flickering across his face. 

“Maybe we should head back together. Don’t want to tire you out.”

Hana waved a hand dismissively. 

“Nonsense. Just walk me home, and you two can go off on your adventure. I’m perfectly fine, dear.” She adjusted her shawl and motioned to the familiar path leading back to the house.

They fell into step beside her, walking in silence until they reached the front gate.

Before heading inside, Hana turned to them. 

“If you’re up for a nice walk, you should head over to the neighboring village. There’s a path that winds through a small forest—lovely at this time of day.” She pointed toward a narrow road leading away from the town’s main street. “If you don’t mind the hour’s walk, it’s a cozy place I think you’ll enjoy. And just outside the village, up in the hills, there’s an old sanctuary. It’s guarded, so you won’t be able to go in, but the approach is breathtaking and it’s full of deer roaming around. Lia will enjoy the variety plants and flowers growing here and there. You’ll see the torii arches leading up to it, painted bright vermillion. They stand like quiet guardians on the hillside.”

Lia’s eyes sparkled at the mention of the animals and flowers. She exchanged an excited glance with Noah. 

“That sounds beautiful. Let’s go!”

With Hana safely settled at home, they retraced their steps down to the town square, setting off on the road she had pointed out. The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, the light over the fields and forested hillsides warm and comforting. As they walked, the noises of the town faded behind them, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant hum of cicadas.

Noah and Lia set off down the winding path toward said neighboring village. After ten minutes of chatter, Noah plucked a small flower from the roadside and held it up in front of Lia.

“Alright, Miss Flowers. Let’s make this hour-walk count,” he said, walking backward with a mock-serious expression. “Identify this specimen, and tell me something interesting about it.”

Lia’s eyes sparkled with the thrill of the challenge, her smile growing big. 

She barely glanced at the flower before answering, “That’s Hepatica asiatica, commonly called Japanese anemone. It’s known for thriving in early spring, but has a kind of magic because it also flowers in autumn. It symbolizes endurance.”

Noah pursed his lips, pouting slightly as he assessed her answer with approving nods. Then, he placed the flower in her hair and continued the game, snatching up every wildflower he found, confident he could stump her with at least one. 

He spotted a cluster of yellow flowers by the edge of the path, their delicate petals stretching toward the sunlight. He plucked one and held it up for Lia to see just like he’d done with all the previous one that now adorned Lia’s hair, making her look like a woodland spirit. 

“I bet you don’t know this one. Yellow, cute, uh… squishy-looking. What’s it called?”

Lia glanced at it, raising an amused eyebrow. 

“That’s Ranunculus japonicus, the Japanese buttercup. They usually bloom in spring and early summer. They’re actually mildly toxic, but they represent charm and attraction in Japanese flower language.”

Noah’s jaw dropped in exaggerated astonishment. 

“Toxic and charming? Sounds like a dude from a dark romance novel,” he commented, letting the flower slip from his fingers. He wasn’t about to place a posinous flower in Lia’s hair. “How on earth do you know all of this?”

She laughed, catching up to him and brushing his shoulder. 

“I read a lot about flowers.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s see if I can stump you,” he muttered. Walking backward again, he eyed the path until he spotted a patch of dainty white blossoms, their clusters hanging delicately on thin stems. He picked one. “Okay, smarty-pants. Bet you can’t name this one.”

Lia was enjoying this too much. She licked her lips before answering. 

“Galium odoratum, also known as sweet woodruff. They used to use it for tea and perfumes. And it’s supposed to bring good luck.”

Noah threw his head back in defeat, groaning loudly. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me! Good luck, she says,” he mumbled, sticking it in her hair. “Alright, now I’m officially impressed… but also determined.”

“Bring it on."

He narrowed his eyes, scanning the path and its surroundings as they walked. He spotted a stem of tiny purple blossoms swaying in the breeze. Plucking one, he raised it high with a triumphant flourish.

“Ha! This one. There’s no way you’ll know it,” he declared, lifting it dramatically like he’d found a rare gem.

Lia giggled, trying not to laugh too hard at his enthusiasm. She squinted at the flower and smirked. 

“Veronica persica, or Persian speedwell. Common around here, and often seen as a sign of spring. They’re one of the first flowers to bloom in the year. They symbolize loyalty and friendship.”

Noah gaped, flopping his hand over his heart in mock despair. 

“Are you kidding me, Lia? Persian speedwell? Is that even a real flower?”

She only laughed, nodding. 

“Completely real, I promise.”

He sighed dramatically, defeated, as he placed the speedwell beside the other flowers in her hair. 

“How are you this smart? Who just casually knows Persian speedwell?”

Lia shrugged, feigning innocence. “A dedicated flower nerd, apparently.”

“Oh, I’m well aware,” Noah groaned, though he couldn’t hide his smile as he adjusted her floral crown. “It’s like your brain is a flower encyclopedia. You could’ve made something up, and I’d have been none the wiser. I’m almost afraid to try again.” 

By the time they arrived at the village, her hair was crowned with flowers of every shade, making her smile as radiant as she looked. They strolled through the village, stopping to explore charming little shops that sold everything from handmade pottery to delicate fans painted with mountain scenes. They bought a few trinkets, small souvenirs of their day, and stopped to sample the village’s street food—sweet roasted chestnuts, steaming dumplings, and crispy fish skewers that Noah insisted on trying despite Lia’s comments on how spicy they looked.

As they continued up the main street, the scent of sakura blossoms in full bloom greeted them. The path led to the entrance of the sanctuary that Hana had mentioned, marked by the striking vermillion torii gates rising from the hillside. They paused in awe at the sight, but just off to the side, beneath the wide branches of a sprawling sakura tree, stood a weathered memorial stone, its base framed by clusters of fresh wildflowers left by visitors.

Intrigued, Lia leaned in to read the inscription, tracing the carved characters with her finger. “It’s a collection of stories from the people that’s lived in that sanctuary for years and centuries,” she murmured, her voice quiet with reverence. “Hear this one,” she mentioned, calling to Noah by sending a look to him over her shoulder.” It’s about a Samurai who fell in love with a Princess…” 

Noah rested his chin on top of her head, listening as she read aloud, her voice weaving the tale of the samurai who had defied his fate to protect the woman he loved. Once a noble warrior, he’d become a ronin, a masterless samurai, after fleeing with the princess in order to save his life and to protect her. They’d come to the sanctuary for refuge, and in return, they had dedicated themselves to it, helping it flourish. Together, they built a life there, raising three children and even adopting a wolf who guarded their family and the sanctuary with fierce loyalty.

When Lia reached the end, a smile played on Noah’s lips. 

“Hmm,” he mused, his chin still resting comfortably atop her head. “Sounds like something I’d do for you.”

Lia tilted her head back to look up at him with a glint of amusement. “Protect my life with a katana, slicing down anyone who dares threaten me?”

“Absolutely,” he replied, attempting a noble tone as he puffed out his chest. “Honor above all else.” He tried to imitate a stoic samurai expression but couldn’t help the grin breaking through.

Lia giggled. “I’d love to see that. Would you wear the armor too?”

Noah placed a hand over his heart, feigning deep consideration. “Only the best armor for you, Princess. And when I finally wield my katana, you’ll see—no force could keep me from keeping you safe.”

Melting at his sweetness, Lia took his hand and pulled him back to her as her eyes went back to the memorial stone. 

“The names of their three children were Levi, Sakura, and Jasmine. How cute is that? They named their daughters after flowers!”

“That’s something you would definitely do,” Noah remarked.

She held her breath as Noah’s warm breath brushed her face, a sequence of images running through her mind before she quickly dismissed them. 

“Do you think they’d let us bring a katana home through airport customs?” She asked, changing the direction of the conversation. 

“Oh, of course,” Noah replied, completely straight-faced. “I’m sure it’s considered a cultural souvenir.”

“We’ll have to see about that,” she replied thoughtfully, “but let’s go check the ones on display in that shop we saw on the way up.” 

“I’ll follow your lead, ma’am.”

A tiny sneak peak at chapter 13:

Her words trailed off as she entered the bedroom, only to freeze in place. She stood there in her bra and panties, and Noah, instead of holding her sleeping shirt, had something else entirely in his hands: the pair of kitty ears and the choker she’d impulsively bought in Osaka. One in each hand, he lifted them slowly, inspecting them with raised brows.

“What... is this?” he asked, looking up at her, intrigued.

Lia’s shoulders slumped, her cheeks warming with embarrassment. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

— prev. chapter | chapter thirteen 🌶️

Taglist:

@somebodyels3 | @respectfulrebel | @thecoyotescry | @bluestdai | @lma1986

@sweetwombatpizza | @missduffsblog | @shilohrosechicken | @jilliemiw86 | @alwaysfightforwhoyouare

@chey-h | @ferduttini | @dominuslunae

[lomliverpool]

sweetness — jobe bellingham ₊˚ෆ

warnings : insta au/smau, crack/humor, my awful attempt at being funny, a lot of 💀 jokes, everyone has a crush on her <3 faceclaim is marsai martin!

🍓hana’s notes : for my beloved @iissza <3 thank you for the ideas sweet cheeks love you lots <3 pls tell me what yall think since a lot of you are excited for this 😭 || MAIN MASTERLIST

┆ ° ♡ • ➵ ✩ ◛ °

[ Y/N L/N EXCLUSIVE! ]

“So Y/N, since the fashion show is over, what are some of your favourite outfits?”

“Oh! Good Question! My obvious favourites were Zendaya and Beyonce’s!”

“But also I love my boyfriend’s look, he looks very handsome.”

“Who’s your boyfriend?!”

“Someone.”

• • •

footballcelebritynews just posted!

footballcelebritynews Football youngster Jobe Bellingham was seen leaving with upcoming model Y/N L/N after the Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring-Summer 2024 Show. Let us what you think about this couple!

view all comments!

user8 heart been broke so many times 😔

user7 cats out of the bag 🤭 that’s actually me guys

⤷ user6 ur mom would’ve been more believable

user9 thats my hand he should be holding

user12 Once in an interview she said that she’s currently with someone who plays on the pitch!!

⤷ user4 omg!!! they are always liking each other’s posts 🤭

⤷ user3 and she once post that she was at a match he was playing in!

⤷ user2 how do yall know all this shit 💀

• • •

yourinstagram just posted!

yourinstagram lv babyyyy 🧸📸

view all comments!

jobebellingham 😍

isabelamerced So beautiful!!

hallebailey 😍😍😍!!!

user1 QUEEN IS SLAYING

user2 mother is mothering!!!!!!

user9 whats jobe doing here 🤨?

user3 marry me pls 🥹

user4 shes so gorgeous i might cry

user5 is this the girl that was seen with jobe???

user6 how did jobe bag this beauty??

⤷ user8 i honestly have no idea 🤣

user7 jobe must a rizz master

user8 the comments are killing me lmfaoo 💀💀

• • •

jobebellingham just posted!

jobebellingham Happy 1 year my love ❤️

tagged; yourinstagram

view all comments!

judebellingham ❤️❤️

yourinstagram my love 🫶 but why that last picture babe???

⤷ jobebellingham Cause you look too cute 😘

user2 AWW OMGG

user1 GUYS??? WHAT IS THIS???

user3 my heart 🥹🥹

user4 she’s so lucky!!!

⤷ user5 no jobe is lucky!!! she’s so pretty!!

user8 no jobe dont do this 💔

user6 what if this was my last straw

user7 i’m not even mad bro she mad pretty

user9 HERE WE GO!!!!

• • •

yourinstagram just posted!

yourinstagram 1 year with the loml 💌 (pls let me take a proper pic of you later 🥹)

tagged; jobebellingham

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jobebellingham Love you ❤️

judebellingham love you guys 🫶 (especially y/n)

⤷ jobebellingham I’m blocking you

⤷ yourinstagram hey!!! don’t be mean to him 😡😡 (we can do it tomorrow)

⤷ jobebellingham I’m blocking both of you

⤷ yourinstagram aw baby come here lemme give u a kiss 😘

judebellingham just so you guys know he immediately lit up and ran to meet her

user1 aww thats so cute let me check if my toaster is waterproff

user2 You guys are adorable 🥰 (laying on the highway)

user3 y/n?? What is this? I thought we had something 😔

user5 you don’t have to lie y/n we all know you’re with me 😘

user7 you guys are goals!! get it? cause he plays football 😀😀😀

⤷ user8 you should erase your whole existence

⤷ user9 That joke deserves an award 😂

⤷ user10 the contrast between the two comments lmfaooo

user11 this is so sweet my teeth started to hurt

[akkivee]

hello vee.

@/twogallonhats on twitter made this iceberg, and now i am subjecting you to this. Explain to the best of your knowledge, good luck.

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh okay sure

idk why rhyme anima is listed tbh it’s just a zany anime version of hypmic but that very well may be the reason lol like it gave us a man by the name of tom whisper weathercock lol

there’s always a prolific push for your fav to win the drb lol. iirc during the championship round in the 1st drb there was a fan?? fans??? who gave money to some guy with a following to post a video of him asking everyone to vote for mtc lol. jp fans for the second got together and made eng/kor/ch instructions on how to vote in the vr battles it’s a time can’t wait for that to kick off next year 😬

arb is technically not canon and therefore ooc lol

idk what hypmic tictok sounds mean. i can tell you of a few times hypmic was trending on tiktok tho lol

idk if they were even a soundcloud rapper, but some soundcloud rapper fell in love with hypmic and decided to make ichiro his oc/persona and put himself on a team with jyushi and samatoki and they were california division lol

back in 2018???? hypmic posted a christmas video except it was just champagne gold and base hifumi.png in a santa hat slid across the screen truly graphic design is hypmic’s passion lol

i mean there was a brief time there were rp accounts on twt so ig that’s what it

kimura loves black people so much and wants to be black so bad he felt the need to bl@ckface for one of his album drops. fandom asked he take down the posts, he didn’t, fans called him out on it, he blocked them

around the time when there was rumblings that gbr was exiting uhhhhh the eu i think, a dice cosplayer had a video of themselves popping mentos in a coke bottle go viral. someone in british politics used it as a metaphor for whatever stance they had on brexit lol

lol i’m lumping hypstage and hypnama together since i don’t think there’s a real reason they’re listed other than occasionally being points of discussion

hifumi was the original tbh creature

asmr tubers vibe with hypmic characters being their yandere bfs

idk if it’s more than memeing on hitoya but that hitoya card in the pic was clowned on so hard LOL

i couldn’t tell you a specific instance of it but hypmic jank includes frequent misspellings lol

lol i also don’t know if there’s actual controversy behind oridivis besides them getting thanos snapped

*rio voice* curry friday and the mtc seiyuu used to celebrate it lol

there was a collab with some instant curry company (probably called curry meshi lol) and they had the leaders rap a song for it. the songs’ are fun and what’s even funnier is that the song has the leaders sharing this curry and kuukou technically didn’t eat the curry bc it was all gone by the time the cup reached him (and jakurai ate most of it LOL)

i have no fcking clue what weenor busujima is lol

the fact hyprice is a thing is a damn good reason to be here lol. ogs know a hypmic series producer made the joke in 2018 during a hypnama that spawned the concept years later lmao

there was a typo on kuukou’s introductory bio that said he was 68cm LOL

akuma no hana is indeed a song about sex idk what else to tell ya lol

throwback to the hypmic bathtubs they had a live for crazy ass hypmic merch moments lol

the hangout streams are located in this building called mixalive. instead tagging that building’s twt for one of their events, hypnosis flava iirc, they mistakenly tagged a porn twt lol

there was an art trend a few years ago where artists drew their bde faves (and even real people got in on the trend) balancing a shampoo bottle on their big 🍆. ichiro was unfortunately the face of the trend

stage hitoya went viral for that pic used in the iceberg and i had to see randos calling him a two face ass character ONLY HYPMICS ARE ALLOWED TO BULLY HITOYA DAMN YOU

the seiyuu are always getting up to shit backstage lmao tradition is ishiya-san and amasaki-san prowling up on the mtc seiyuu menacingly lmao

if there’s drama or anything of relevance outside of yes stream discords exist, ion know about it lol

a few songs are inspired by/interpolate from other songs. this a normal thing in the music industry (let’s get physical by olivia newton john and physical by dua lipa comes to mind) but hypmic caught a lot of flack for ‘stealing’ from black artists. shinogi dead pools is kendrick lamar’s drank swimming pools bar for bar lol but again, it’s very normal lol the whole kendrick vs drake rap battle that happened this year literally was them using each other’s sound to diss them

some european(?) indie film had an actor wearing ichiro’s jacket

there was a brief trend in jp where they made snow sculptures of their characters as means of attractions and hypmic jumped in on it. it produced the ugliest kuukou known to man he was so unflatteringly scrunckly i loved him LOL

????? bat seiyuu family???? i’m sure what i have in mind is not what they have in mind lol but i mean yeah it’s a running joke that the bat seiyuu consider each other family lol shoutout to sakakihara-san randomly calling hayama-san his ‘onii-chan’ and both hayama-san and sakakihara-san bullying tf outta takeuchi-san by calling him ‘papa’ lol

ariana grande is based about samatoki and there’s proof lol

hypmic vs crsm rap battle was REAL and fumiya wanted to EAT THEM

kamio-san has taken to slapping kuroda-san’s ass and kuroda-san has taken to trying to murder him for it 😌

quite recently lol mtr’s album art was leaked ahead of the hangout stream in a post meant to advertise the fan meeting lol

british dice was a theory i didn’t pay attention to bc i kinda thought just the concept was dumb *wheeze* i think it had something to do with a mistranslation about dice’s father

the rest of that tier i have no fcking clue about lol

in a camera transition during the 9th live, someone’s desktop background was on screen instead of the yknow, livestreaming concert lmao

they got some ddb members to make choreography to move your body til you die!!! i tried i didn’t think it was too bad but the pace of the dance needed to be slowed down eventually lol

if this isn’t poking fun at sensei saying men should automatically know how to rap idk what that is lol

if there’s a trip the mtc seiyuu have taken that stands out from the others, i don’t know about it lol

the hypmic cafe that’s going on rn have these stickers??? standees??? for sale and someone stole all of samatoki’s LOL

[hanaleeappreciationweek]

(this awesome poster is the handiwork of our wonderful host @sazanes!!)

Note: So sorry for the delay in getting this out!! IRL has been a little tricky these days.

It gives us great joy to announce our third edition of the Hana Lee Appreciation Week!!

This year we are holding the AW around World Book Day (23rd April) in honour of Hana's passionate, long-lasting love for books!

Hana is talented at a great number of things, but is passionate about just a few. One is music - the other is reading. It was originally a hobby her parents introduced her to, to gain an advantage as a noblewoman, but Hana grew to love it far beyond what her parents expected. Her fondness for Jane Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, her delightful rebellions in secretly reading Wuthering Heights and manhuas, her adorable habit of leaving sweet notes behind, between the pages of a library book. Her love for books has deep and wonderful, and allowed her a window into worlds she didn't even realize existed!

But books and reading aren't our only themes for this AW! Take a look at our theme list for what we plan to do for each day:

April 21st - Character Appreciation/Throwback

April 22nd - Flowers/Fashion Design

April 23rd - Bookworm/AU

April 24th - Competitive Hana!/Culinary Love/Music

April 25th - Family/Friendship/Romance

This event will be held from April 21st to 25th. Any content is welcome, as long as it is Hana-centric and shows a positive depiction of her! Fanfic, fanart, meta, edits, moodboards, playlists, headcanons, interactive media - even simple appreciation posts and screenshots of fave scenes will be great!

It isn't absolutely necessary to post content only on the day of the theme! We often accept pieces even when sent on a later date, and also keep a bonus week in case you couldn't finish your pieces during the week. We also don't mind WIPs, so if you have one that is Hana-focused... we'd LOVE to see it!! We also love throwback pieces, so if you have any that you made previously, do reblog them and tag us!

We also will be accepting pieces after the event is over, and all year round until the next HLAW! So even if you have your post ready much later, please don't hesitate to tag us! 🤗

Blogs to Tag: @hanaleeappreciationweek, and hosts @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes

Tags to Use: #hanaleeappreciationweek, #HLAW, #HLAW 2024

There are some incredible fan-community blogs that work tirelessly both to promote creative fandom works and make the experience fun for their writers! Do check them out!!

@choicesficwriterscreations, @choicesmonthlychallenge, @choicesflashfics, @choicespride, @choicesholidays, @choicesprompts, @wordwarriors

If you know any others who would like to be tagged, please let me know! Here are the amazing works sent in for 2023 and '22 if you'd like to get more inspired!

HLAW 2023 | HLAW 2022

See you all next month, and looking forward to all your amazing Hana content!! 🤗🤗

✅✅Signal Boosts will be greatly appreciated!!✅✅

[leeknowsnot]

CHAPTER 16 — "Am I... Afraid?"

Yunjin is F!Hyunjin BTW!

The school looked different when you weren’t just rushing from one class to the next, dodging gossiping students and deadlines like falling debris. It felt oddly quiet in the lull between the last bell and the start of club activities. The noise hadn’t disappeared — it had just moved further off, beyond the main corridor where Lina now walked, just a step ahead of her new responsibility.

Yunjin trailed slightly behind her, taking in every hallway like she was seeing it through a filter of wonder. Her arms were crossed loosely over her notebook, fingers tapping a rhythm Lina couldn’t name, and her eyes flitted to every bulletin board, poster, and classroom number as if each held its own story.

“And that one’s the science building,” Lina said, pointing at a corner of the courtyard as they stepped through the side hallway. “You’ll mostly have lab classes there, depending on the elective schedule Mr. Ji gives you.”

Yunjin gasped like someone had just told her she won a lottery. “No way! That building’s so cute. It looks like it belongs in a campus webtoon. Is it as old as it looks?”

Lina blinked. “…Yeah. It leaks when it rains.”

Yunjin laughed, soft and bubbly and real, and somehow the sound bounced around the empty hallway like a melody. “Charming. I love it already.”

Lina didn’t know what to do with that. She turned away, clearing her throat. “Anyway. That’s the back field. There’s P.E. every other day. And… the gym’s down the hall to the left.”

The tour was simple enough — Lina had given it a few times before — but never like this.

Yunjin didn’t just look. She responded. She asked questions. Made comments. Laughed at things Lina didn’t realize were funny. She even stopped at the art club board and admired every pinned sketch like she meant it, even though it had nothing to do with her schedule.

It was weird.

Not bad. Just… unexpected.

People didn’t usually treat Lina like that. They usually listened just enough to get by, or treated her like a walking school map, or ignored her altogether.

But Yunjin—Yunjin walked beside her like she wanted to. Like she wasn’t just tagging along because she had to.

“Hey, Lina?” Yunjin said suddenly, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to grab ice cream or bubble tea after this?” She looked hopeful, her arms swaying a bit as she tilted her head. “Only if you’re free. I passed by this cute shop on the way to school this morning. I figured I’d drag someone with me.”

Lina’s first instinct was confusion.

Then panic.

Because in her mind, she had already heard the sound of approaching footsteps in the hallway. Already felt that familiar, low-tension anticipation that came every afternoon now, when she pretended she wasn’t waiting for Seungmin but always found her feet walking beside his anyway.

It was the same thing every time. He’d drop by the classroom casually. Make some joke to Hana and Soojin about their non-existent class rep meetings. Glance at Lina without a word like they were picking up from a sentence they never finished.

Lina bit her lip.

“I actually have some after-school stuff,” she said, shifting her bag on her shoulder. “Sorry. But… thanks for the invite.”

Yunjin nodded, unbothered. “No worries. Some other time then?”

Lina hesitated before nodding. “Sure.”

Yunjin beamed, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “Here—just in case. Gimme your number.”

“Oh—uh, okay.”

She keyed in her number quietly. Yunjin handed it back with a grin.

“If you ever feel like bubble tea, just text me, okay?” she said, backing away toward the corridor leading to the school gates. “See you tomorrow, Lina!”

Lina gave her a short wave. “See you.”

Yunjin disappeared around the corner.

A few seconds later, right on cue — as if summoned by her nerves — a familiar voice drifted in from the opposite end of the hallway.

“Wow. Was that the famous exchange student I just passed by? I kept hearing whispers from other students even at the hallway."

Seungmin.

Lina turned just as he reached her, his hands in his pockets, hair slightly wind-blown from the afternoon breeze.

“She’s cute,” he said casually, like commenting on the weather. “Tall.”

Lina let out a short breath, not quite a scoff. “She’s nice.”

Seungmin nodded, eyes briefly sweeping the corridor before looking back at her. “Ready to go?”

And just like that, they fell into step.

But something tugged at the back of Lina’s ribs — something heavy and faintly annoying.

It wasn’t just Yunjin’s sudden appearance. It was what she felt the moment Yunjin turned the corner and disappeared just as Seungmin arrived. That tiny flicker of relief that passed through her chest so fast it left a sting.

She hated that she felt that.

Hated it even more when she caught herself glancing at him from the corner of her eye as they walked. Wondering if he noticed how bright Yunjin was. Wondering if it made her seem duller by comparison.

Was she… afraid?

Afraid he’d smile at Yunjin the way he sometimes did at her?

Lina frowned.

Hard.

No. She wasn’t going to spiral again. Not now. Not about Seungmin.

Even if that familiar flutter was returning.

Even if the sight of him walking next to her still made something inside her tilt slightly off-balance.

She shook her head lightly and focused her eyes forward, refusing to let her thoughts win.

But they were already crawling up her spine with questions she didn’t want to ask herself again.

Not now.

Especially not when she was walking beside the very boy she feared she might have already fallen for.

[mukieissukie]

Pt.7 Shinez or scammerz?

The next morning, the company cafeteria was bustling as usual. Heeseung, still groggy from a late-night gaming session with the members, shuffled in with Sunghoon and Jake. He was halfway through ordering his usual iced americano when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He turned to see Yunjin and Kazuha, both wearing matching mischievous grins.

"Morning, Heeseung-sunbaenim!" Yunjin chimed, her tone a little too sweet.

"Good morning," Kazuha echoed, holding up a tray already stacked with snacks and drinks.

Heeseung blinked, wary. "Uh, morning. You two here early?"

Yunjin leaned in, lowering her voice just enough for only him to hear. "You remember our little deal, right?"

Heeseung’s eyes darted around. "Yeah, I remember."

Kazuha smiled innocently. "We’re really craving those limited edition strawberry milk drinks today. You know, the ones that always sell out."

"And maybe some of those new pastries," Yunjin added, glancing at the display. "Oh, and I need to renew my streaming subscription. You wouldn’t want us to get bored and… accidentally say something to Hana, right?"

Heeseung sighed, already pulling out his wallet. "Alright, alright. Just… keep it down, okay?"

Sunghoon, watching the exchange, leaned in with a smirk. "You in trouble, hyung?"

Heeseung shot him a look. "Don’t ask."

Jake, catching on, grinned. "Looks like someone’s got a fan club."

Yunjin and Kazuha exchanged a high-five as Heeseung paid for their drinks and snacks. As they left the counter, Yunjin called over her shoulder, "Don’t forget, I saw some cute new merch in the company store. You’ll get it for us, right, Heeseung-sunbaenim?"

Heeseung groaned, but nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Just… don’t tell Hana."

Kazuha winked. "Our lips are sealed. For now."

Later that Week

It didn’t stop at snacks. Every time Heeseung ran into Yunjin or Kazuha in the halls, they’d greet him with bright smiles-and a new request.

One day, Kazuha held up her phone, showing a subscription renewal page. "You promised, remember?"

The next, Yunjin sent him a text with a photo of the latest official Le Sserafim hoodie.

Yunjin: This one’s cute! Size M. Thanks, Heeseung-sunbaenim!

Heeseung’s bank account was taking a hit, but every time he considered protesting, Yunjin would simply say, "You know, Hana’s been asking why we’re so close lately…"

Heeseung would sigh and hand over his card, muttering, "Blackmailers."

Hana, oblivious to the secret alliance, watched as Yunjin and Kazuha munched on their ever-growing stash of snacks. "Where did you guys get all that? You’ve been eating like queens lately."

Yunjin grinned, popping a pastry in her mouth. "We just have good luck, I guess."

Kazuha nodded, her eyes twinkling. "And good friends."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "You two are acting weird."

Yunjin only laughed. "Just enjoying life, unnie."

....

Sunghoon and Jake watched as Heeseung reluctantly handed over another drink voucher to Kazuha.

Jake elbowed Sunghoon. "How long do you think he’ll last?"

Sunghoon grinned. "As long as Hana’s in the dark, I guess."

Niki, passing by, shook his head. "Hyung, you’re getting played."

Heeseung could only sigh, watching Yunjin and Kazuha walk away, already plotting their next request. But as long as his secret was safe, he figured it was

...a price worth paying...

Tags: @jiyeons-closet

♡♡♡Thankyou for reading♡♡♡

[blessyatoz]

give it your best!! ♡ // izuku midoriya

— for those who just can't take only smuts anymore, here's a little cute and funny moment where izuku talks with other heroes about a gift he got from his (cute...) manager, going all nerd about it;

longfic (+63k words and on posting) tags: pro-hero izuku midoriya, manager au, falling in love, humor read all on AO3 excerpt from chapter seven: for the names beneath the masks, ft. shoto, katsuki, burnin, kido and onima

First, Kido thought he was seeing things. Then, yellow? Was that a yellow post-it stuck to his computer?

Yoo, Kido-san, warning! The big boss is in full rage mode today, so unless you’ve got a death wish, steer clear! Trust me, it’s for your own safety, hehe~ Stay safe, hero!

That was the message Kitagawa-chan had left. On it, a ridiculous drawing of Endeavor looking like an angry, flaming buffalo—a droopy wiener doodled right on his face. 

He cracked up at that.

In front of the keyboard was a carton of milk. He had told her that was his favorite snack.

Kido almost had tears of joy in his eyes when he realized. It was a little gift! Kitagawa-chan…! he thought, amazed and grateful for the kindness. Anyone watching would wonder if the paper flowers circling around his head were real (they weren’t).

Beside him, Onima was having the time of his time, clutching his stomach. In one hand, he was holding a yellow post-it too — in the other, a pack of children’s hair ties and a drawing of himself with pigtails next to a kid, accompanied by none other than Endeavor himself. Hey, was that Hana-chan? Kido wondered, bursting out laughing too.

Onima was about to burst into laughter when he noticed the wiener doodled on Endeavor’s face on Kido’s post-it. He grabbed it with his own hands, laughing even harder.

“Why doesn’t she ever draw Burnin-san too?! She’s a strict boss who deserves limp balls on her face too!” Yeah, Kido was definitely still in the fifth grade.

“Haaaah, what did you say, you scum ass?!” Burnin yelled, offended. She had a post-it in one hand too. In the other, a bottle.

A second later, Shoto and Deku appeared practically in sync. Shoto had a post-it and thin paper in his hands; Deku did too, plus something else. What was it?

“Oh, did everyone get a post-it?” Kido snorted.

From there, everyone had a reaction: Shoto just nodded, Onima wiped a tear of laughter from the corner of his eye, and Deku confirmed it shyly, almost awkwardly—though a determined expression and smile slowly spread across his face.

Kido continued, “I got one and a carton of milk.”

“A pair of children’s hair ties and a ridiculous drawing. Unbelievable.”

“Hah, a bottle of wine!” Burnin bragged, and it didn’t take long. In seconds, Kido was already in a comical slap fight with her: What do you mean wine?! You better share that with the older folks!

Burnin mocked, “Over my dead body, you mummified corpse.”

“HEY!!!”

“I got a 50% discount coupon for cold soba dishes at nearby restaurants.” Then Shoto, looking somewhere between surprised and… happy?

“Oh, that’s nice, Shoto-kun!” Onima gave him a thumbs-up.

Shoto immediately glanced at the post-it Onima was holding.

Onima could swear Shoto's eye twitched. “Why does my old man have a penis drawn on his face?”

…like there was a slightest hint of a smirk threatening to break through. 

“Oh, well, see, Shoto-kun…”

Behind them, Kido and Burnin were still going at it, fists flying in all directions.

Deku was the only one left to say, staring at the post-it—and the other thing—in his hands, eyes shining with that determined look on his face.

After giving Shoto a less-than-plausible answer, Onima leaned in, pressing his shoulder against Deku’s, eyes narrowing playfully at what Deku was holding. 

A mischievous smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Heeeeh, so besides the post-it, what else did you get, huh, Deku-kun~?”

That caught Kido and Burnin’s attention.

“Are you stupid? Of course, he’d get something—she’s his manager, dumbass” Burnin teased, then pointed at herself with a smug grin. “But the present I got is still the best. You guys can suck yourselves.”

Kido mocked her, ready to bicker again, but his curiosity won out.

Not so subtly, he stood on his tiptoes, trying to peek at the post-it Deku was holding between his fingers.

Yoooo, pretty boy! Good luck on the first taping of Training The Nexts today! I’m leaving Mini Mighty and Mini Fat with you for some extra support, okay? >.< take good care of them, they’re a precious good luck charm!!! Give it your best! ♡

Kido raised an eyebrow.

Mini Mighty and Mini Fat? The hell were those?

AND—WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE, THE FREAKING TRAINING THE NEXTS?! THE ANNUAL SHOW RUN BY JAPAN’S HERO UNIVERSITY?! FOR REAL?!

THAT DAMN DEKU! Barely back in Japan and already in the spotlight?!

Before Kido could say anything, Onima was there, ruffling Midoriya’s hair proudly, laughing heartily.

“You damn kid! You’re gonna be on a TV show already?!” By now, Deku’s hair was a complete mess. Even with a grimace, he was still smiling; maybe it was the warm reaction from his senpais that sparked some happiness in him, right? “We’ll have all the TVs on here to watch it! My Hana loves that show. She’s just a kid, but she’s already a huge hero fan. Not surprising, though—having a dad like me, how could she not be?”

"Oh, sure, sure, Onima," Burnin teased, making Onima shoot her an offended look—which she totally ignored. "I heard Lemillion’s going to be on it too, is that true, Deku-kun?"

Deku perked up, excitement radiating off him. “Yes! It’s true! I’m really excited to work with Lemillion-senpai! It’s going to be so much fun!” Then, suddenly, he shrank a little, looking a bit sheepish. “I’m actually a little nervous, though. You see... I’m not very good… at dealing with the media. Reporters and that kind of stuff. B-but I’m getting better! And this is a chance to show that! I’m glad Kitagawa-san has been helping me with it! Since, uh, today is the first episode recording of Training The Nexts, she…”

They could all see it clearly now: carefully held between Deku’s fingers was an All Might keychain in his classic blue and red costume. Back-to-back with him was Fat Gum in a fighting pose, his bright yellow contrasting sharply with orange. A collective murmur of surprise and admiration rippled through the group as they took in the tiny figures. Whoa…

"She, uh, she left this as a good-luck charm,” Deku said, his voice tinged with awe. “That’s what she gave me.” The shyness that had surrounded him moments before melted away, replaced by a wide, almost childlike excitement. “It’s a collector’s keychain! Kitagawa-san has so many amazing things like this! I-I can’t believe she trusted me with it! It’s so cool, so delicate, I’m kind of scared I’ll break it or lose it—but I’ll be careful! Really, I will! It’s just… whoa, I can’t believe she actually had one of these and—she just gave it to me!” He kept rambling, barely pausing for breath, eyes wide and shining as he spoke. He cradled the keychain gently, like it was the most precious thing in the world, afraid it might slip through his fingers at any moment.

Shoto’s lips curved into a subtle smile as he watched his friend. This was familiar—typical nerd Midoriya for him.

On the other side, Onima and Kido exchanged looks, wide grins spreading across their faces. They joined in, patting Deku on the back. Come on! They had to support their kohai!

“That’s awesome, Deku-kun! Training the Nexts, huh?” Kido praised him, messing up his curls even more. “You brat! Stealing the spotlight from us! You better make room for your senpais at the charity event next week, you hear?” he joked.

“D-don’t say that, Kido-san! I didn’t—”

“Oh, don’t listen to this idiot, Deku-kun. I heard the final challenge is going to be broadcast live from Mount Fuji! Give it your best, kid!” Burnin encouraged him, grinning widely.

“I will! I’m really excited for it!” Deku replied, nodding enthusiastically. “It’s all thanks to Kitagawa-san. She’s the one who arranged this! I owe her a lot… I’ll… I’ll do my best and make her efforts worth it!”

"You’ll do well, Midoriya-kun," Shoto said, a faint smile crossing his face as he gave his friend’s shoulder a reassuring pat. Deku’s face lit up. “I’m sure of it.”

“Thanks for the support, Shoto-kun. And you guys too!”

Everyone was all smiles until Kido, pretending to be clueless—failing miserably—squinted at the post-it in Deku’s hand. His expression shifted to one of playful mischief. “Yo, Deku, mind explaining why she’s calling you pretty boy?”

Awkward silence. Then awkward laughter.

“W-w-well, about that…”

BOOM!

A door flew off its hinges with the explosion—and from the space where it once stood, Dynamight emerged, all explosions and murder in his eyes.

In his hand, he seemed to have what looked like, oh, a yellow post-it and the tattered remains of a photo.

Some looked at the vein throbbing on his forehead; others at the shredded photo in his hand.

It was that photo from when Deku had beaten Dynamight in a sparring match three days ago. The photo showed Dynamight. Black eye. Massive bump on his head. Shoto and Burnin having the time of their lives in the background.

Kido and Onima gasped. Shoto’s eyes flicked to the broken frame, a faint sigh escaping him—another door, gone…

Deku? Deku looked like he was about to bolt. As always, he could sense when things were about to go south for him…

“DUMBASS DEKU, WHERE THE FUCK IS YOUR SHITTY MANAGER?!” Small explosions were popping from the explosive hero’s hands. “THAT FREAK! I’M GONNA SHOW YOU BOTH!”

“Kacchan!—Show what? Did you get a post-it too—?”

“YOU WON A DAMN REMATCH, DEKU.”

An explosion flared from Dynamight’s palm—and half a second later, the photo was nothing but ash.

“REMATCH. NOW, IZUKU.”

“But Kacchan! We have to— I have to—”

“NOW.”

Hah, this time he’d crush the damn nerd and leave him flat on the ground. Dynamight’s grin was wild, almost sinister. Murderous? Yeah, probably. Deku flinched. 

But isn’t a grin a type of smile too?

AUTHOR NOTES:

HELLO TUMBLR that's a tiny little except from my fic Izuku Midoriya/Original Female Character. Hoping that except got ur attention! We already have seven chapters posted. Feel free to check out the all chapters and tags on AO3! Hope you enjoyyyy! Comments and kudos are appreciated <3