#hk girl top coat

[nailsandinspo]

That polish . 😍

[finepolish]

National Doughnut Day Nails

National Doughnut Day Nails

National Doughnut Day was on June 2 this year, and I totally missed it! I love a good doughnut and wanted to show my appreciation, so I came up with these delectable nails to celebrate in my own way. I cheated by using a stamping plate to make the doughnuts, although in retrospect this would have been a lot faster doing the design by hand! So do be warned, if you try this at home, it will take a…

[a-trying-writer]

[sr--hk fic. sometimes things really dont turn out well.]

Capricious groaned in pain as she struggled to open her eyes. She felt as if her brain was being hammered from the inside of her skull, and no matter how hard she tried to shake them off, her vision was blinded by flashing lights. Even her ears were ringing, making her feel nauseous and dizzy.

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, followed by someone’s muffled voice, then was pulled away to be thrown over something she wasn’t sure was an object, or a person. No matter how hard she tried to come to her senses, Capricious felt as if she was being thrown around like a ragged doll, which made her want to scream at the top of her lungs, which she found to be difficult as well.

Before she knew it, she blacked out again.

The world was dark.

Or so Capricious thought as she opened her eyes again, then sniffed the air to catch that familiar scent of a cigarette stick burning. She tried to turn to her side, but stopped when she noticed that some parts of her body were numb.

Once again, she wanted to scream, but didn’t when a set of glowing red eyes rose up from under her bed, and stared directly at her. “K-Koschei...” she called out to the drone. “I-” “Don’t force yourself to get up, my friend,” Racter interrupted. “You suffered another dumpshock during our last run, which left you helpless for a few hours.”

Capricious could see the burning ember of the end of the cigarette stick in the dark, then heard Racter exhale. “Of course your brother was very worried about you, and fought while you were on his shoulder, until we were able to find an opportunity to rest.” He paused to take another drag. “I must admit, the girls were surprisingly clever on what to do while you were suffering, and allowed us do the rest of the... well, I want to say, ‘dirty’ work, but that’s putting it mildly compared to what actually happened. Gun Show didn’t hold back when we were backed against the wall thanks to those petty gangs.”

“I... see...” Capricious breathed out. “Given that you’re here, I assume Duncan has fallen asleep?”

“Yes, which is surprising, given that he absolutely refused to leave you alone.” The chair creaked as Racter leaned back slightly. “I’m impressed that you can tame him, my friend.”

“He is not an animal, Racter,” Capricious snipped. “He is my brother and a man, so please, show some respect.”

Koschei whirring his engines was a sign that she said something out of line, but even though she was clearly unable to get up, she wanted to stand her and her brother’s ground

The drone had calmed down and walked towards Racter, coloring him red in the darkness. It was still hard to see, but Capricious swore the rigger was sitting with one leg crossed over the other. He also wasn’t wearing his coat, and the sleeves on his shirt were rolled up to his elbows.

“I apologize, my friend,” he then said. “I will be more careful with my words from now on.”

“Please,” she sighed. “You two are very reliable in your own ways, and I can’t match either of you when it comes to strength and talent. The last run was something of a wake up call... I guess.”

“Then take it as you would any other mistake, and learn from it, my friend.”

“W-what?”

Koschei followed Racter’s movement as he got up from the chair, and walked up to Capricious to sit on her bed. “Considering you’re the leader of this ‘ragtag’ group, it does us no good when you pity yourself. You should be happy that you’re still alive, unlike the people that Koschei gleefully maimed.”

“‘Gleefully’?”

“Since you’re still recovering, perhaps you should take the time to think back on what happened, and learn what you can to prevent it in the future. Sure, mistakes and accidents do happen, but considering the world we live in, my friend, you must always be on your best, unless you truly do want to die.”

“I don’t want to die, Racter!”

“Then learn.” The Russian paused to enjoy his cigarette, then exhaled towards the ceiling. Capricious couldn’t help but be mesmerized by how he looked as if he was doused in blood thanks to Koschei’s glaring red eyes, but also clean and well kept.

How does he do it, she wondered. Does he keep shaving products in the workshop?

“Even with all that said, you should rest,” he then pointed out. “I’ll be here for a little while longer to watch over you... Do you mind if I work here in the meantime?”

“N-no...”

“Good, thank you, my friend. I promise to not disturb you. Koschei however...” The drone stepped towards the bed, and rose his limbs up to the bed. “Well, I can’t promise that he won’t make himself comfortable in your room.”

“That’s... fine.” Capricious breathed out a laugh. “I appreciate it.”

[the-original-b]

Archangel Chapter 9: Mergers and Acquisitions

Format: Prose / Fiction, multi-entry

Part in Series: 1 of 9 (The Story So Far | The Beginning)

Word Count: c. 4,000

Summary: Now a contractor for the Marlow Partners Northeast Regional headquarters, Specialist Krueger recognizes the emergence of a disturbing trend in the field. 

Warning(s): blood, violence, drug use

He released his hands from around her neck when she finally stopped struggling as he stood up to look down at her and study her chest, looking for stillness to indicate she wasn’t breathing anymore. When satisfied he ran his fingers first through the pockets of her hoodie, then her pants to find what he was after—a tiny bag half-filled with a chalky substance resembling powdered drywall.

He emptied the contents of the bag into a bent spoon and held a butane torch to its bottom, applying the heat in five-second intervals so as to only melt his prize down and not burn it, then placed a cotton ball into the puddle of fluid that had accumulated in the spoon. He applied his syringe to the cotton ball to draw the liquid out, inspected it, and stuck the needle into his arm to depress the plunger and lose his senses.

 ~~

He hadn’t felt the suppressor can when Milo Krueger, clad in a dark turtleneck sweater and tactical pants, arrived later and pressed the muzzle of his .45 ACP Colt Government against the back of his head, and didn’t protest when he thumbed back the hammer, tilted the handgun a little and squeezed the trigger. With his other gloved hand he caught the spent brass mid-flight and hung onto it a while to cool before placing it into his coat pocket and holstering his weapon. He turned his attention to the other body in the room and sat down on the bed next to it to study the poor girl’s pale face and lifeless expression, fearing the worst.

He un-gloved one of his hands to rest the backs of his fingers on her forehead, and pulled it back when he felt just how much cooler her skin was than his; confirming he was far too late to do anything to save her.

“Verdammt,” he exhaled, sitting at the foot of the bed she laid upon. He reached into his inside coat pocket to find his phone and dial her number. “It’s me,” Krueger said soon after she answered. “I found her.”

In his mind’s eye, he could see Elizabeth Khai straighten up in her chair at the news. “Can you get her out?” she asked.

“Not going to happen,” he continued, looking back down at her.

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure.”

“Shit…” Khai sighed on the other end of the line. “I’ll talk to Isaac and let him know what happened,” she conceded. “Come back to the branch, he’ll want to hear it from you.”

“Understood.” Krueger shut the phone and returned it to his coat pocket before standing up again. He looked down at the girl one last time and offered her a silent apology before turning for the exit.

On his way out he took another glance at the man he just executed, and spotted track marks and bruises running up the length of his left arm. Directly below his fingertips was a syringe half-full of a cloudy solution.

He’d seen that same substance in half-depleted syringes enough times over the last few months to recognize the emerging trend and deduce the circumstances behind the homicide. He would address this when he returned to the branch.

~~~~

Krueger stepped through the glass doors of the office and made his way to the conference room, where he knew Khai and Hayden would be that afternoon.

“Hi, Mr. Krueger,” Danielle said from behind her desk. “They’re just wrapping up another meeting, you can head right in.”

He offered her a nod. “Danke,” he added. He made his way through the hallway and stepped through the double doors, then quietly sat himself down by the foot of a long table in the center of the room as Khai and Isaac Hayden conferred with another person at the other end. Hayden and the other person he didn’t recognize were standing as they talked while Khai sat.

“With respect, Mr. Hayden,” the other man presented his case, “my guys aren’t super comfortable with the idea of being monitored twenty-four-seven. They’ve always found their own pace; that’s when they do their best work.”

“And what kind of work is it they’re doing, Mr. Leo?” Hayden enquired. “I haven't seen a report from your group in months now, have I?” He wore a dark gray pinstriped suit and white shirt with a rosewood red tie and pocket square. “Can I trust that you can maintain control over your operation from a distance?”

 “Of course you can,” Leo snapped. “My guys are rock solid, I got no problem letting them do their thing. But they can’t perform the way they have been if your people are watching them all the time, that’s all I’m saying.”

 “It’s not supervision,” Hayden lectured, “it’s reassurance. We all know how it is you've made your fortune; nobody here is in the dark on what goes on at the street level. But I remain unconvinced that you’re willing to leave your past behind… and your judgement on the matter is no longer considered sound.”

Leo recoiled, visibly offended by what Hayden said. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means your two weeks’ notice has been filed and processed. It will take me some time to find a suitable replacement for you, and you may continue your work as usual during the interim. But the next time you and I speak, it will be about the process of transition.” He gestured the exit, dismissing him. “You can let yourself out, Mr. Leo.”

Leo briefly clenched his fists, then loosened them as he turned away from Khai and Hayden and headed past Krueger toward the door.

When Leo was gone, Krueger stood up and approached the other two people in the room.

“Miss Khai made me aware of what happened this morning in the Rockaways,” Hayden said as he turned to address Krueger. “I’ve sent my condolences to the mother and father, and made burial arrangements.”

Krueger nodded. “There was another syringe there,” he said. “Narcotics.”

“Dragon Tears,” Khai confirmed, standing to match the other men in the room with her and freeing one hand from her note pad to adjust her glasses. She wore a navy blue skirt suit with black tights and round-toe pumps, her hair down past her shoulders. “The new deluxe heroin that’s dominated the headlines all over the East Coast as of late.”

“Is this us?”

Khai hesitated a little. “Not directly,” she said. “We levy steep fees to allow the stuff into the Tri-state, but none of our people distribute. Mr. Hayden is adamant about that.”

“You may not agree with our handling of the material, Mr. Krueger,” Hayden explained, “but understand—it is simply too profitable an opportunity to pass… and our, regulation, doubles as quality control for both the vendors and their clientele.”

Krueger nodded, keeping his disapproval to himself. “I see…” He gestured the exit, referring to Leo. “And your last conversation?”

“Tyson Leo was a small-time dealer,” Khai elaborated. “Until he got connected with a supplier of the Dragon Tears and expanded his network to encompass all of southeastern Long Island. That’s when he showed up on my radar. At first, Mr. Hayden and I let him keep the drugs in exchange for forty percent of what he makes from them. But now that we’ve folded him in formally, we ordered him to walk away from the drugs.”

“Mr. Leo is a capable leader,” Hayden added, “respected among his peers, but he's restricted by his myopic aspirations. I had hoped he could rise above the chaff and prove himself superior to his associates; I was wrong. The goal of becoming a narcotics kingpin was too deeply rooted in his actions for him to change his ways…” Hayden gathered his coat and slipped it on over his suit. “But there may yet be a way forward,” he mused. “You’ll head to Patchogue tonight, Mr. Krueger. Observe his den from a distance and report what you see.”

Again, Krueger kept his objections to himself. “Understood.”

“You and I will speak soon. Good day to you both.” Hayden exited the conference room, leaving Khai and Krueger alone with each other.

Khai placed her pen and pad on the table top after Hayden had left the room. “I guess that means we’ll need a rain check for our dinner plans.”

“So scheint es,” Krueger noted. He offered her a sorrowful smirk. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“I know you will,” Khai said. She shot him a wink before turning to head toward her desk. “I’ll have CJ meet you in the armory downtown,” she continued as she took her seat. “He talked about updating our inventory and replacing a few things, so I let him order a small shipment to field test. I would very much appreciate your help with that.”

“Do you think I’ll run into much trouble on a recon assignment?”

“Nothing you can’t handle,” she noted with a mischievous smirk, lacing her fingers together and resting her forearms on the desk top.

“Of course,” he said. “I’ll see what Young Mr. Silvio has for me.” Krueger took his leave, allowing Khai to finalize the funeral arrangements for the girl.

 ~~~~

Krueger inspected and approved of the reconnaissance equipment when he made it to the armory later that afternoon. “Miss Khai said you’re updating the inventory here?” he said.

“Yep,” CJ replied. “Figure if this place is one of my responsibilities, I’d better make sure it’s up and running without a hitch.”

“Agreed,” he noted, leaning against a workstation and crossing his arms, “but having your associates learn a set of completely new and unfamiliar tools at this point is far from advantageous.”

“Well, that’s why you’re here,” he jested. “To teach us your ways, impart your knowledge. Besides, this is a new branch, Krueger. A new branch needs a new armory. Speaking of which…” CJ Silvio reached up and pulled one of the new arrivals from the wall—a polymer framed handgun resembling a cross between a Glock 17 and a HK P30. “Steyr M,” he said, handing it to Krueger to inspect. “Nine millimeter. The sights are supposed to be better than the competition, and they’re cheaper than Five-sevens.”

Krueger familiarized himself with the feel and weight of the weapon. He held the weapon in a weaver stance and looked down the sights, making sense of the unfamiliar picture composed of a trapezoidal rear notch and triangular front blade. “Suppressor?”

“You bet.” He handed Krueger a suppressor and a pair of fifteen-round magazines. “Let me know how it goes, yeah?”

Krueger attached the can to the end of the handgun and looked down the sights again, dry-firing to get a sense of the trigger weight. “Ja.” He accepted both magazines, sliding one into the handgun and engaging the safety. He placed the other in one of the pockets of his pants before heading for the exit.

 ~~~~

Krueger observed a one-story house on Carman Street through his binoculars from behind his windshield, the directional microphone resting on the car roof pointed toward the house. Even at this hour the crowds were gathered in force a few blocks north on Main Street, hopping from bar to bar as they satisfied their fleshly desires. He found a measure of solace in the fact that he still had a few short years to go before his daughter Victoria would spend any amount of time or money in this town—and if she did, it would be on Main Street, not at some drug den.

He watched and listened for hours, the microphone’s earbud in one ear and his communicator in the other. “Leo hasn’t come out of the house since he got there,” he said into the receiver. “He’s in with four other men his age.”

“His lieutenants,” Hayden surmised. “Have they had other visitors?”

“Food delivery… and UPS.” Krueger watched the door and partially obscured windows for any sign of activity that would confirm or deny Hayden’s suspicions; whatever shadows he could see through them weren’t giving him any clues. He watched in silence until a person wearing a hooded sweatshirt came into view and walked up to the door. “Hold on,” Krueger noted. “I might have something…”

The person in the hoodie—Krueger couldn’t tell from this distance whether it was a man or woman—knocked on the door four times. Then the door was cracked open a tiny bit, and the hooded figure tried to discreetly hand the person on the other side of the door a crumpled fistful of dollar bills before the door shut. Krueger saw right through it; this person was buying something.

The door opened again and the hooded person accepted a bag of powder from the one behind it. The hooded person took the bag and stepped away from the house, stuffing it in his or her pants pocket as he or she did, then headed down the street toward wherever he or she would spend the night.

“You were right to suspect Mr. Leo,” Krueger commented. “Someone just bought drugs from the house.”

Krueger heard Hayden sigh on the other end. “Then I believe it’s time to shut him down… Scuttle the operation,” he ordered.

“And Leo?”

“Crew expendable.”

Krueger only had a moment’s pause before reaching up through the moon roof to retrieve the directional microphone and put the binoculars away. “Understood.” He deactivated his communicator and shut the engine off, then reached into his coat for his handgun to disengage the safety and chamber the first round. He exited the car and strode down half the block to the house.

When he arrived, he knocked on the door four times at the observed frequency, then drew his weapon and held its muzzle against the door. As soon as the knob twisted and the door opened a little, held by a chain lock, Krueger pressed his weight against the door to hold it open while he fired twice through the door into the person standing behind it. He kicked the door free, knocking the wounded person to the floor before raising his gun and finishing him with two more shots.

Krueger turned his attention toward one other person scrambling for cover behind a doorway, raised his weapon, and put him down with a single well-placed shot. He proceeded deeper into the house, peering around the corner into the kitchen area and dropping the two people there with accurate shots placed between Ziploc bags of off-white powder and triple beam balance scales resting on the table.

He listened for more movement around him, and hearing none, proceeded deeper into the house. He went room to room hunting Leo, and found him curled up on a mattress on the floor, passed out with a depleted syringe in his hand. Krueger raised his gun one-handed, hesitating for a moment before lining up the sights and squeezing the trigger to execute him.

“Weak,” he commented, lowering the weapon.

Krueger returned his gun to the holster and placed his hands in his coat pockets as he walked back down the hallway to the front door, careful not to place his step in the growing puddles of blood on the floor as he headed out the house and back down Carman Street to his car. He entered the vehicle and sat down behind the wheel, starting the engine and fishing his phone out of his inside pocket to report to Hayden as he drove off.

 ~~~~

Krueger keyed open his front door and stepped into his home in Rego Park when he arrived an hour later. He hung his coat and weapon holster on the rack in the corner next to Khai’s and sat down on the adjacent bench to remove his boots as Khai addressed him from his kitchenette, the evening news on in the background.

“How was Patchogue?” she said from behind her laptop screen.

“Messy,” he replied as he stepped out of his boots and lifted his turtleneck sweater off himself, revealing a black A-shirt which his lean athletic frame filled perfectly. “Had to close business… I tested Silvio’s new arrival,” he added as he walked up to her. “It worked very well.”

“Well,” she noted, standing to greet him in an oversized sweater and a pair of leggings, “he’s grown a lot since Williamsburg. I’d expect no less.” She properly greeted him by wrapping one arm around his neck and planting a string of long kisses on his mouth as she ran her other hand through his hair. These days he had allowed his military fade haircut to grow a little, and it took on a messier look which she liked.

Krueger returned her affections in kind, holding her close by her waist as he kissed her.

When they broke contact, Khai noticed an expression she hadn’t seen in his eyes in a long time—doubt. “What’s the matter?” she asked.

“Leo,” he said after a brief pause.

“That bad, huh?”

“Hayden was right to suspect him. He was dealing; I called it in, and he had me wipe them out. And I did without a second thought.”

“It can’t be the first time you cleaned up a heroin den.”

“Far from it, but it was never… an associate.” He stopped himself from saying one of his own.

Khai nodded, understanding exactly where his objection came from. She reached back up and rested her hand on his cheek “It never feels right when it’s somebody we work with,” she said, “and Isaac wouldn’t have given you the order if there were any other way.” Her hand rested on his chest now, feeling the pulse of his beating heart. “You did the right thing, Milo. I promise.”

“Suppose I’ll have to trust your judgement there,” he added resting his hand on top of hers.

“I’ve been right so far, haven’t I?” she jested, reclaiming her seat.

“Well, there was that one thing with Osiris,” he added, matching her tone. He went to the kitchen to fix himself a plate of the food she’d prepared.

“It worked out in the end, didn’t it?”

“Sure it did,” he chuckled. He placed himself down across the table from her as he ate, turning his attention to the news behind her. “Vas ist das?” he queried.

“Hm?” Khai followed his gaze to the television behind her. “Oh, they’re following a story about PMC operators in a few cities across the country.”

“A private military company here in the States?”

“Yep. Castle Security Solutions,” she said, turning her laptop around for him to see. “They’ve grown like a weed since U.S. Armed Forces starting pulling out of combat zones across the world. In the early days they’ve replaced the troops in those areas of the world where there was still work available, but recently they started providing additional support for law enforcement. You know, ‘handling the more dangerous parts so the guys and girls in blue can protect and serve.’ So it goes.”

“Do you believe any of that?”

Khai shrugged. “As a citizen, I can’t dispute the results they’ve achieved in the cities they’ve been deployed—Detroit, Memphis, Albuquerque…”

“But as controller of the Branch?” Krueger suggested, placing a forkful of beef and broccoli in his mouth.

“A private militarized police force, with no obligation to anything but the bottom line… that can sink us. Such a presence wouldn’t be caught up in the same bureaucratic obstacles as the regular police that allow organizations like the Marlow Partners to operate just outside of what’s legal. Criminal justice staples like warrants and probable cause will be thrown out for ideals like unfounded suspicion, hearsay, and personal grudges.” She shuddered as she considered the implications of what she just said. “I like to think it’ll never happen in New York but still,” she continued, reclaiming Krueger’s heterochromatic eyes. “I can’t shake the feeling that we’re just one bad deal away from signing our own death warrants… We’ll have to be extra careful, going forward.”

 ~~~~

A man in dark slacks and a white shirt pulled his SUV as close to the crime scene as he could get, then stopped the engine and stepped out of the vehicle. He hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his topcoat as he ducked below the police tape and approached the house on Carman Street, illuminated by the flashing red and blue lights of first responders.

Some uniformed officers took eyewitness statements as crime scene investigators took photos of the scene. The man in the coat wove between them as he made his way to the kicked-in door and peered inside, noting the body with four bullet wounds laid out in the foyer, already marked and noted by the investigators.

“Hey,” one of the officers got his attention. “Can I help you somehow?” His uniform sported a Sergeant’s stripes.

“Hey there,” the newcomer responded in a rich, gravelly baritone. “This your crime scene, Sergeant..?”

“Allers,” the officer said. “And yeah, it’s mine. Who did you say you were?”

“Peter Cross,” he said. “United States Government.” He quickly flashed Allers an ID and badge. “You know what this place was?”

“I heard rumors,” Allers said. “Some kind of heroin nest.”

“Looks like more than that to me.”

“And you know this based on your expertise?” Allers questioned. “I’m sorry, you said you were U.S. Government, right? Which agency, FBI? DEA?”

“Not really,” Cross said, shaking his head. “When the DEA shits the bed, I’m the guy they call to change the sheets.” He thumbed over his shoulder in the direction of the house. “Now I’ve seen enough of these dens to know a thing or two about them, so if you like,” he suggested as he took a few steps toward Allers, “I think it would be mutually beneficial for me to stick around for a little bit. Share some insight…” He grinned wryly at the other man.

Allers shrugged. “If you think we missed something, you’re welcome to take a second look Agent Cross.”

“Cool…” He gestured the open door. “Why don’t you show me inside, Sergeant Allers?”

“Follow me.” Allers led Cross to the kitchen area, where the drugs and money was being documented, collected, and marked as evidence. “At first we thought this was a typical gangland hit for the product and the money,” he explained, “but they usually don’t leave the goods behind in raids like that… doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”

Cross looked around the room, noting the bodies beside them. He recalled the other one by the door as he played the events in his head as he deduced they played. He gestured the bags of contraband. “Is that what I think it is?”

“The super heroin? Looks like it, but we’ll have to wait for the lab results to be sure.”

“Uh-huh…” Cross leaned against the countertop as he rested his hands on his hips. He looked over to where the kitchen emptied into the central hallway leading to rooms he hadn’t seen yet. “How many bodies?”

“Five, the four you’ve seen plus one more in the master bedroom.”

“You ID any of them?”

“Yeah, we have IDs on all of them,” Allers noted. “These four are nobodies but the one in the master bedroom got our attention: Tyson Leo.”

“Leo..! Son of a bitch…” Cross snapped his fingers as he put the picture together. “Well you’re right about one thing, Sergeant—this was a hit. The work of a professional. Somebody here was out to make a point, not a profit… Share this with the rest of the Suffolk PD,” he suggested, standing up straight again. “This isn’t the first drug den I’ve been to in the last few weeks and I’m betting it won’t be the last.” He headed for the door. “And if I were a betting boy, this drug crisis is going to get a lot bloodier before it goes away.”

“And this is the year they cut our budget,” Allers scoffed, crossing his arms. “Figures.”

“Damn shame,” Cross added. “It would sure be nice if somebody were still around to do fill the gaps in that budget, no?”

(Masterlist | Chapter 10)

[salamanderskin]

Dream a little Dream of Me (A Wartime Romance)

Reposting to Tumblr as part of operation ‘Archive all the old fics’ WWII romance, m/f original sickfic

The year was 1942.

The rain may have been warm but it was persistent.

In the barracks, Charles Frank took a moment to borrow a pocket mirror and ran a comb and a dab of brylcreem through his hair in an attempt to make his hair look more dapper than military smart. By the time he'd caught some rain and pushed his hat on top of that, he was pretty sure it was wasted effort. Another check in the mirror confirmed he was looking presentable, dark brown hair smoothly parted, clean shaven and his shirt freshly ironed. You could have cut yourself on the pleats in his tan slacks. If he was pale and his nose was a little raw at the edges, perhaps it wouldn't show in a dark dancehall.

He bent to tie his laces, optimistically choosing brown spectators over his everyday shoes. He'd just got the soles replaced and they were smooth and pliable, the better to spin Lil around the floor if she'd only let him. He could but hope. He could but- his breath caught uncomfortably and he found himself sneezing hard against one fist.

“Ht---KSSchu! -KSSchu!... excuse me,” he told the air around him.

“Gesundheit.” Someone called over from the next room. His buddy Sam came through in shirt sleeves, fiddling with the buttons on his braces. “Haven't you done that enough today?”

He really had. What he'd hoped on the parade ground was just a tickle in his nose had spread into his throat and inner ear, settling in as surely as the change in the weather. Charlie's head was thick and the beginning of a sinus headache tightened just below his eyes. As if in demonstration he had to sneeze again before he could answer.

“Hah- TCSHu!”

“Gesundheit! Gee Charlie, you going to be alright tonight?

Charlie just shrugged. “You're a mother hen, Sam.”

“As if!” Sam laughed, snatching Charlie's comb to sweep his own blonde locks to one side. “I was going to say that if you can't meet Lillian tonight I'd be more than happy to take your place.” “You should be so -snf- lucky!”

Sam yelled something back as Charlie departed, but it was lost to the patter of rain. It was a perfect summer storm to go with what was blooming into a perfect summer cold. Charlie turned the collar of his overcoat up and gave his nose a thick blow into his handkerchief in the hope that it would last him a while. He needed this to go well.

* * * *

There she was, waiting under the awning of the cafe to escape the rain. She wasn't looking up, so Charlie took a moment to watch her. The brisk but easy way she had of moving, which had so attracted him to her, showed even when she was shaking her umbrella and surreptitiously straightening the seams on her stockings- real silk stockings! God she looked good in them, and in that g ress. It was simple but elegant, just like she was. She'd done her hair up the way he liked, though he'd never told her. Dark curls framed her face to one side, victory rolls on top of her head. A few wisps of brown hair were escaping in the damp and clinging to her cheek.

As he neared her, Charlie cleared his throat once for nervousness and then again for utility, hoping he didn't sound too hoarse.

“Lil!”

“Charlie, you made it.”

“Of course.” He cleared his throat again with a cough.  Say it! “You look beautiful.”

Lil tried to look embarrassed but only grinned as he took the umbrella from her and embraced her lightly, keeping his face averted. She rose on her toes to kiss him on the cheek.

“Ah, maybe you shouldn't-” He pulled away with a hand between them, finishing shyly. “I'm not feeling so good.”

“You're not?”

“It's nothing but I-”

As if he to demonstrate his voice cracked on the last word and he turned to cough into one fist. When he started it was hard to stop. He was desperate both to ease the itch in his chest but also to look bright and well, and that urge won out after a few husking barks. Were his cheeks burning? Something about the kind way she was looking at him made him want to sink into the ground.

“No kidding!” She said, then. “I don't mind.”

“I do. I don't want to get you sick. I wasn't going to come but I- I couldn't stand you up.”

That was an understatement. The thought of her waiting under the awning for him in the rain, her face gradually falling as she realised he wasn't just a little late, was more than he could bear. He could have sent one of the boys to run a note to her, perhaps, but he didn't quite trust them. Not with a girl like her. As it was, she really didn't seem to mind. Perhaps he could keep it together for the date and a few dances and wait until he got back to his bunk to fall apart in a sniffling mess. He could but hope, though the needling tingle in the back of his nose suggested otherwise.

“Lets go inside.” He crooked an arm and she followed him easily, keeping in step with all the ease he'd seen her display on the dance floor.

Inside the cafe was nice enough. The light was a little too harsh to be truly romantic but they were the last patrons of the evening and it was quiet. A swing band was playing the hits on the wireless, something by the Glen Miller Orchestra. Once they were inside a wood panelled booth it was as though they were the only people in the world. When Lil excused herself for a moment, Charlie took the opportunity to blow his nose again. It was running freely and every slight sniffle fanned the ticklish, sneezy feeling and made his nostrils twitch in what he was sure was an unattractive way.

He scarcely managed to return it to his lap before Lil was hovering at his side, asking him a question in her quiet voice.

He wanted to answer her, but the tickling in his nose wasn't going away. At first he could quell it with a heavy breath out, but the next sniff in just made it worse. He was going to have to sneeze, no avoiding it. He could feel his nostrils flaring, and he barely had time to snatch his handkerchief from his pocket before-

“Ha-TCCh-oo!” The sound is heavier than he hoped it would be, yet it does little to quell the itch, leaving him blinking at the light in the ceiling in anticipation of another. “Hah- Hk---KSSch! Ugh, I'm sorry. Excuse me.”

“Bless you.”

“Th-thank y- Ha---TSCHuh!”

“Bless you!”

Lil touched his arm just for a moment,and suddenly he felt fine again. Then she slid into the booth opposite him and he found himself shivering with sudden chills at the withdrawal of her heat.

“What do you want to eat?” He asked, to distract her. “I'm not too hungry, but...”

She gave him a sympathetic eye. “You need to eat something. I'm sure they don't feed you boys enough. Perhaps some soup? I'll have some if you will.”

Suddenly soup sounded like the best idea anyone had ever had.

“You drive a hard bargain.” He gave her a smile, and she returned it. This was going better than he had expected. Unfortunately it couldn't last.

Their food arrived and he was surprised by how glad he was of it. It was hot and soothing on his throat, less painful to swallow than a sandwich would have been. At the same time, the steam from it made his nose run so much he had to retreat to the restroom to blow it. When he came back, no sooner did he sit back down then he was sneezing again. He struggled with it for a long moment, blinking furiously. The itch was everywhere, in his eyes, in his throat, right through his nose. He hovered the handkerchief in his open hands and turned away, waiting.

“You'll have to to huh...ah-” Nothing. He shook his head then it mounted again. “Excuse me, sorry...

hk-TCCh-oo! Ha-TSSh-uh! TSSch!... ugh...”

He finished with a little groan. His handkerchief was very much the worse for wear, and every rub irritated his already red nostrils. His nose and upper lip were starting to smart in the air.

Lillian saw his discomfort and without saying a word reached in her purse and drew out her own hankie, smaller than his and more delicate, but mercifully clean and dry.

“I'b sorry.” He said thickly as he took it.

“No, the right answer is 'thank you.'” She paused. “And you're welcome. You keep it.”

Her sharp, dark eyes caught his fingers pressing above his eyes. “You're getting a headache.” It was an comment, not a question, so he didn't correct her that he had, in fact, had the wretched thing all day. It was merely intensifying as the congestion got harder to handle. As it was, her compassionate observation made his heart swoop in her chest as surely as any overt expression of sympathy might have done. Maybe she really cares for me. Maybe...

Things were less awkward after that. They talked for a long time, punctuated by the occasional burst of sneezes, quickly stifled.  Again and again he had to interrupt her or himself to cough. Eventually he gave up trying to contain it and just turned from her, one hand holding the hankie in a polite fist over his mouth, the heel of the other pressing into the top of his ribcage to ease the ache there.

“I'm so sorry. What were you saying?”

Lil had finished her own soup while his remained mostly untouched. She put her spoon down and closed her hand around his own where he returned it to the table.

“Never mind that. You sound awful, Charlie.”

He shrugged. “I'm alright. It's just a h-hah...” His voice rose in pitch, he couldn't help it. “Just a... a head cold... excuse m'TSSCu!-IDSTchuh!-TSSCHah!” Oh darn, that was loud and as wet as it sounded.

“Bless. Some head cold.”

“I'm sorry, you must think I'm disgusting. I- I sneeze a lot when I'm sick. It's nothing, really.”

“So I see. Maybe we should get the bill, anyway.”

He did so, grateful for the distraction. Rising to his feet to get the bill made him feel woozy for a moment, and another shiver ran through him, pricking up the hairs on his arms. He helped her into her coat and then paused, facing her. In her heels she was only a little shorter than he was and he could look right into her eyes. They were a lovely brown, clear and kind of serious. He was blushing again, he just knew it. Still, no harm in asking.

“So...Lil... d'you want to go hear a band?”

Her eyes sparkled, and then narrowed as she looked him up and down.

“I don't know, Charlie.” She said, “May I-”

Before he could pull away Lil reached up and cupped a hand at his cheek, trying to feel his temperature.

“Hmm.” She said, shaking her head. In truth it was too warm out to tell, but she didn't like the glazed look in his eyes. “I think you should go to bed.”

“Oh.” Charlie stuttered to silence. His brain felt sluggish, unable to conduct an argument and paralysed by the fear that maybe she didn't want to go dancing, didn't want to be seen with him. He couldn't blame her, he was a mess.

“Well, I- hk-KISChuh!” It burst out before he could stop it. He smothered the sneeze and the ones that followed with his wrist but they still tore his throat and made his head ache. He found himself thinking how much more miserable they would be in his bunk by himself when they'd parted ways and all his buddies were out picking up their respective girls. It wasn't fair.

There was a little silence filled only by the sound of the wireless. Ella Fitzgerald was singing, oblivious to his predicament.

Stars shining bright above you

Night breezes seem to whisper 'I love you'

Birds singing in the sycamore tree...

“I like this song.” Lil said, obviously trying to fill the pause.

“Then perhaps we should have one dance.”

Perhaps he was made bold by knowing that there was no way this evening could end worse, or perhaps she was right and he was feverish. Whichever it was, with one movement, Charlie swept an arm around Lil's waist. Instinctively she settled hers at his shoulder and rested the other in his cupped hand, her fingers very slender next to his. He swayed with the music for a measure, his firm grip bringing her effortlessly into rhythm with him, and then began to spin her around the floor to an easy swing tempo. She followed easily as he swung her out then brought her into his arms again and their feet added neat percussion to the music.

Stars fading but I linger on, dear

Still craving your kiss...

There was a brief, disastrous moment when the sneezy tickle returned to his nostrils as suddenly and insistently as if he had inhaled a feather. Without even thinking he tucked his head from her, burying it in the crook of his arm to stifle it. “Kschmph!”

“Bless you.” Lil whispered into his ear, not even missing a beat as he brought her back in a neat circle.

Say nightie-night and kiss me

Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me

When I'm alone and blue as can be

Dream a little dream of me.

The spinning was starting to make him dizzy and he fudged a step, banging his shin on the hard edge of a table. Just as abruptly a male voice interrupted them from behind the counter.

“Will you two lovebirds move on already? We're closing up.”

“Right. Sorry.”

They fled, laughing, before the man could complain again.

Outside the rain had stopped, though it dripped from the trees and ran in the gutters a like river. The sky was darker but a warm wind was driving the clouds away. Charlie still hadn't let go of her arm, and she hadn't pulled away. He gave her a long, tired look.

“Guess I'll say goodnight.” He said at last. His voice was so thick, it was more of a “gooddight” and the words hurt his throat.

“Are you kidding? It's too bad to be sick and alone too.”

He was melting. He felt giddy again and this time it wasn't his cold. It was a shame he was so practical, and had to point out-

“You can't follow me back the barracks.” It was half-true. She wasn't that kind of girl and he didn't think he was that kind of man.

“If you want... it's early yet. Curfew is hours away and my landlady is out tonight. Maybe you could come in, have a cup of tea and dry your things. See if we can't find you some cough syrup....Summer colds are the worst.” she added sympathetically.

Optimism soared in Charlie's chest. “Well, if you'll be home alone, you at least need someone to walk you back.”

“That's the spirit.”

“And we'll go dancing another time?”

“Absolutely. Come on.”

So he took her arm again and they set off along the street. Despite the cooler air he was feeling better than he had all day, all things considered, better than he had for weeks. Shadows lengthened around them, the crickets began to chirp again and Lil was singing under her breath.

Dream a little dream of me...

[creativenailsteam]

Santa Gift Box Nail Art!!

Merry Christmas!!

Hurray!! Santa getting surprise gift box for you!! Hurry up and welcome the cute little Santa. ☺️ 

Santa Gift Box Nail Art

Products used:

1. El Corazonorazon Bio-gel Base Coat

2. Color Club Fierce 1044 

3. Christmas water decal

4. HK Girl Top Coat Creative Nails is active on:

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[nako-doodles]

tag game 📦

The rules are:

tag the person who tagged you

answer the questions

tag 10 people

Tagged by the lovely @nervousatthenightclub​ 💖💖💖 thank u

How tall are you? 172cm

What color and style is your hair? it used to be a black but the sun has bleached it into dark chestnut brown....it used to be a lob but I pull my hair back so often I dont even know what to call it.....an........electron cloud of baby hair around a bun nucleus?

What color are your eyes? a nice poopy brown

Do you wear glasses? i use to wear contacts and OK lenses but i didnt have time to clean my OK lenses in college and then i keep getting irritants in my eyes here so im back with glasses 

Do you wear braces? nope

What’s your fashion sense? it used to be monochromes and neutrals with the occasional pastel pink but now that i've depleted my summer clothes, my mom has now made my entire wardrobe bright florals and prints, but really you can find me in loungewear most of the time

Full name? shirley

When were you born? oct 26, sometime in the year of our lord

Where are you from and where do you live now? the last place I was at was NYC, and now I’m in HK

What school do you go to? university. sadly.

What kind of student are you? i used to be an overachiever in high school but i kinda.....gave up? in college. so the ‘crams the night before and prays to lord buddha vishnu jesus during the exams’ kinda gal

Do you like school? everything about uni but academia is great.

Favorite subject? linguistics, urban economics, art history, english, ethics and philosophy, history of fashion

Favorite tv show? avatar the last airbender, house of cards, legend of zhen huan, game of thrones, sponge bob? i dont really watch tv anymore 

Favorite movie? off the top of my head: spirited away, graveyard of the fireflies, your name, the godfather, schindler’s list, up, the flowers of war, the princess bride, the sound of music, e.t....but im sure im missing a lot

Favorite books? reading off my bookshelf in the family library: 

grapefruit by yoko ono

no longer human 人間失格 by dazai osamu

no exit by jean by paul sartre

pride and prejudice by jane austen

i know why the caged bird sings by maya angelou

the wind-up bird chronicles ねじまき鳥クロニクル by murakami haruki

twelfth night by shakespeare

the waste land by ts elliot

the alchemist by paulo cuelo

jin ping mei 金瓶梅 by anonymous

le petit prince by antoine de saint-exupéry

red sorghum clan 红高粱家族 by mo yan

13 flowers of nanjing 金陵十三钗 by yan geling

between the world and me by ta-nehisi coates

the complete poems of Emily dickinson

milk and honey by rupi kaur

e e cummings: complete poems 1904-1962

dear ijeawele by chimamanda ngozi adichie

a confederacy of dunces by john kennedy toole

l’etranger by albert camus

the art of spirited away

wall and piece by banksy

yayoi kusama: give me love

slow food: dutch and flemish meal still lifes, 1600-1640

china: a cookbook by terry tan

frida’s fiestas by guadalupe rivera marín and marie-pierre colle

thug kitchen: eat like you give a fuck 

encyclopaedia of chocolate by ecole grand chocolat valrhona 

sweet: desserts from london's ottolenghi

(yes i had “half a suitcase” full of my fave books when i moved here. yes i almost had an overweight luggage. yes i finished all these books before they got my wifi set up. yes i buy cookbooks for their pictures. yes i stole the chinese novels from my dad bc i didnt want to bring their translations with me. yes i read coffee table books bc im a nerd. yes half these books are my favorite people bc my favorite people gave them to me. no i will not say which ones. no this is not a comprehensive list.)

Favorite pastime? huddling with a cup of coffee and a book, baking, cooking, people-watching, wandering through cities

Do you have any regrets? you cant live life without some form of regrets

Dream job? traveling. eating. traveling and eating. im an easy girl to please.

Would you ever like to be married? to...gourmet food? sure. otherwise no.

Would you like to have kids? no. maybe a food baby?

How many? a number approaching negative infinity

Do you like shopping? depends on the thing. books and cute stationary and accessories? sure. furniture? house hunting? fuck no. never again. 

What countries have you visited? just a layover, visit, or lived? for reference: i memorized my passport numbers from the sheer amount of times ive had to fill it in for various customs and border control forms growing up

Scariest nightmare you have ever had? i dont usually dream (or rather I guess technically speaking i dont remember my dreams?) but most harrowing one I remember...was particularly sisyphean. for some reason i was tasked to outsmart a sphinx in the form of 20 questions? which is already unfair considering, but anyways every time we got to a subject i didn’t know i would be thrown into a pit that somehow houses another sphinx? and every repetition we would be closer to question 20? it was just a nerdier version of zeno’s paradox repeat ad infinitum until my exhausted brain stop running on a hamster wheel of hell and woke me up at 4am for my 3pm exam :D

Any enemies? im not a doormat

Any significant other? yes, to food and my bed

Do you believe in miracles? hmmm.......on a ‘jesus turns wine from water’ scale? no. little ones like talking with a nice neighbor on a plane, meeting a new friend somewhere unlikely, or just barely catching the last subway train? yes.

How are you? i was watching a video about how columbia has opened its borders to the venezuelans in light of the economic crisis...which then escalated into me marathoning a journalistic mini-documentary series about borders and migrants and refugees and asylum seekers while crying into a bowl of mangos. tldr im great. 

I tag my usual loves: @t0d-oder-freiheit @seokjinsult @jinswife @jinkooksremedy @jinbeann @jinergy @cafejoon @jionysus @iluvnj @jincentvangogh @yooniescheeks @hellreads 😘😘

[parrotpolish]

#Repost @mwilkins1120 with @make_repost ・・・ Happy 50th Birthday Renae!!! Welcome to the club!! Lol!!😁 Hope you have an amazing day my dear!!🥳🎂💖💜 Thanks to Caroline @tinkerbell1970s and Caroline @caroline_archer for getting all of us ladies together to celebrate your birthday with this beautiful collage!!😘😘 Please check out all of the lovely ladies designs at: #happybirthdaytothequeenofneon I used: @parrot_polish Pink Pirahna & Russia Pacifica Purple @blushlacquers Venetian Blinds @glistenandglow1 HK Girl Top Coat @twinkled_t Vibin @clearjellystamper Big Bling Stamper @uberchicbeauty Plate 23-02 @cuticulanailcare Gingerbread Brulee @unicornmagicskincare Coconut Deluxe Acetone Additive 💖💜💖💜 #parrotpolish #blushlacquers #glistenandglow #twinkledt #twinkledtstampingpolish #clearjellystamper #uberchicbeauty #cuticulanailtape #unicornmagicskincare #nails #notd #nailsoftheday #nailsofig #nailsofinstgram #nailsofinsta #alltheprettynails #nailsarelife #nailsnailsnails #nailartaddict #nailpolishaddict #gradientnails #neonnails #birthdaynails #ignails #instanails #nailstoinspire #nailseveryday #nailsonpoint https://www.instagram.com/p/CLFouk8sAm6/?igshid=or14svjd73ip

[lubdubsworld]

Veritas ( Jung kook x Oc)

Author’s Notes : 

this may not be everyone’s cup of tea. i just feel like I've written enough soft stuff and my stories all sound the same to me, to be honest ..... so i want to venture into something different and some hardcore stuff. 

The female character isn’t necessarily bi, but she has sex with her roommate. if you’re not into that then maybe you shouldn’t read this. i have this picture in my head about how this story should turn out and i’m just going to try and write it that way. it may not work out, so i apologize in advance in case it doesn’t. 

Warnings : Prostitution, Dubious consent, Hard drugs, Violence. implied suicide attempts. Lot of really dark stuff . Please , if you have any remotely serious issues of trauma, steer clear of my writing. i do not sugar-coat. 

Rating : 19 +

Chapter One. 

December 24, 2019. 

“You won’t be coming home tonight either, then, Milan” , Reina  said, her eyes wide and dead as she stood in front of the full length mirror, thick black kohl smudged around her fingers as she traced her  waterline , painting her eyes . 

Her lips looked red, under the dim lighting over head and she was pouting a little, wet tongue poking out in a way that was vaguely erotic. She was wearing a purple baby doll, the top of her soft breasts lined with silvery white fur and the hips flaring out in a wavy pleats. The shimmery fabric fell around her in waves, like flowing water and i felt my breath catch because it was all so alluring. So magical. 

I stared at her , mildly aroused. Not because of the way her breasts filled out her bodice, or the way her hips curved into hourglass perfection, or because of how smooth her longs looked, ankles encased in strappy peep toe heels. I was aroused because I was still a little riled up from the little bit of molly i had taken earlier and i knew just how her lips tasted, like peppermint and gin and strawberry lip balm. 

My body wanted release. And I preferred her, to the ugly, panting men who smothered me into stained mattresses, hairy thighs and meaty arms holding me down and taking, taking, taking when there was nothing left to take anyway. 

I wanted to move closer and hug her, wrap an arm around her and drag her into the bed. 

She was so good at making me feel loved. So gentle and so careful. I loved her fingers inside me, because they were soft and long and kind. Soothing in a way not a lot of things in my life were. 

 I loved her.

It wasn’t a romantic feeling, but something that went far beyond it.

“I don’t know... it’s some famous guy...” I slurred, turning back to stare at my own reflection. 

Reina had done my make up today and i looked almost exotic, my chestnut hair styled to lie half up and half down, the loose strands curling into shiny tendrils, thick and glossy over my bare shoulders. My lips looked shiny and slick, perfect to wrap around a nice pink cock, or so it would look to a potential client. 

But it wasn’t just some potential john  tonight. 

it was a high profile client, an idol actor, some one who had a lot of money and a lot of clout. Someone important. And my boss had been adamant about either Reina or me taking the guy. Apparently, it was his first time with our company, and he wanted the highest rated whores in the place, ergo us. After three years, Reina and i had built a reputation for ourselves. We were good, still relatively young .

More importnatly, we were intelligent. We spoke english. We knew about the political scene in some obscure country and we could wear cocktail gowns and pass off for college educated professionals. Some men thought that soliciting an educated, smart girl made them better. 

Yes, i paid a woman to let me in between her thighs, but you know what, she was smart. 

“ oh, you better do well then. We can’t afford to piss them off.” She said with a little smile.

 No, i couldn’t. My heart was pounding. Three consecutive beats.

Lub dub. Lub Dub. Lub Dub. 

Jung Kook. Jung Kook. Jung Kook. 

 i felt sick, bile collecting at the back of my throat and a pain starting up at the base of my skull. Just the thought of him triggered nausea. Just the thought of his name... was all it took for me to want to reach the nearest sharp object, point it right at my wrist, slice through the skin , flesh and the veins till he fucking bled out of me for good. 

Too bad it didn’t really work. i’d tried enough times to know. 

“Milan.... hey!” Reina was saying something but I was done. If i was starting to think about Jung Kook, it was time to get distracted again. Keep my mind off him. it was the only way I could survive. 

As i swayed a little, reaching for the little purse with the condoms and used a spritz of some spraymint on myself before slipping into some high heels, watching my blood red nails peek out of the peep-toe shoes, stark against the black leather.

“i’m meeting Han in the Hyatt. Later.” She grinned. 

I hummed. 

Reina had another client for the night, some Chinese businessman called Mr. Han who visited us twice a month, a handsome guy that Reina had always crushed hard on and I didn’t want to take away that little bit of happiness from her. 

The man was married , would never do something as risky as leave his family for her , but for the duration of a few hours, she was allowed to dream. Allowed to imagine. 

So I had agreed to take this  client instead.

“You seem wobbly, Milan...” Reina said suddenly, fingers curving on my upper arm. “ Are you okay?”

i shook my head to clear the haze. 

“I’m fine.” i said softly, reaching for the glass pot full of  strong black coffee before pouring myself a glass and chugging it down. it would probably help a bit in sobering me up, by the time i reached the lounge downstairs where my supposed client was waiting. It wasn’t safe, being high when meeting a new client. 

I kissed Reina sloppily on the cheek, before moving to the door and out into the carpeted hallway. I’d walked this path a million times, so my body was almost on auto pilot, and i fumbled with the zipper of my purse, awkwardly pulling out the little eye mask and putting it on. It had been a part of the instruction and i’d almost forgotten. i tied it at the back of my head, walking slowly tot he elevator. The coffee did help and by the time i pushed in the door of the loungue, i was slightly more sober. 

I took one look at the three men gathered around the huge table and I felt a little bit of a foreboding. I was supposed to meet just one of them. 

 I stared at them , confused and slightly thrown, wondering if I’d conjured them up out of my conscience.

 it wouldn’t be the first time , after all. 

But they weren’t even looking at me and the man on the left , slightly younger than the other two and with a handsome face and a rough voice, gave me a smile and tugged on my arm. 

“Come sit here, baby...” He drawled softly, patting my thigh as i sank into the plush velvet seat next to him. He went back to laughing with his friends and i found myself staring at the man next to him, still unsure where this was leading. 

“I’m Mingyu, by the way. hang on for a while, okay? We’ll head up to the suite in a  few minutes. ” He said suddenly, reaching out and gripping my chin, before kissing me on the lips. 

i nodded softly, before voicing a tentative hello. 

I drifted off afterwards, vaguely listening to the conversation and trying hard to sober up.

 When his hand slipped up my skirt, i switched my mind off with practiced ease, letting him collect on the 300,000 Won he had paid for the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days later, photos of Kim Mingyu exiting a supposed massage parlor which was notorious for prostitution scandals, were plastered all over the internet . 

and somehow, I was the one under fire. 

“I don’t understand.... someone leaked information about your client being involved with a prostitute in a massage parlor and this idiot thinks it’s you...”

I groaned in disbelief. 

“apparently, he’d been talking about sleeping with that woman during the ... drinks thing that I met him at.. he was with a couple of guys and i swear, i didn’t even pay any attention to what any of them were saying.....but he thinks that i overheard whatever he’d said about the whole ‘ massage parlor’ thing he’d gone to and now.. it’s out on the news and his career is on the line, so he wants to raise hell over this....”

“Look... Mrs Lee knows about you... And i think he signs a contract too, before paying us. It’s not going to even be worth it. “

I shrugged.

“it’s still bad publicity, when you think about it. No one’s going to want to risk it, if this idiot goes around telling people that we give out private information.”

Reina sighed. 

“What’s Mrs. Lee saying....” she said softly. 

i shrugged. 

“She wanted to talk it out with the guy. Hopefully, she’ll be able to offer him something or somehow convince him that i wouldn’t do stuff like that...” 

“This sucks.”

I groaned.

“it sure does...”

“You wanna make out? “ She rubbed circles on my back and i smiled a little, moving to press my lips to her cheek. 

“I’m sorry baby....i need to go the shelter. “ I said apologetically. Reina smiled, and brushed the hair off my face, her hands soft and gentle against my skin. 

“You’re so good. I hate that something like you exists in a world like this...” She whispered and i laughed.

“I’m no saint, Rei.... Can i borrow your red muffler?” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The shelter was located somewhere near itaewon, and i took the bus, taking care to keep most of my face hidden underneath the muffler and the upturned collar of my fur coat. Over the past three years, I’d managed to fade out of memory. I stopped being ‘ the stalker who followed jung Kook to private party in HK’ and became just another, nameless faceless girl int he crowd of Seoul. But the fear was still there. 

What if someone took a look at me and recognized me?

Jung Kook’s fans were scary.

 My apartment broken into. My clothes ripped to shreds. Pigs blood smeared over everything i’d owned. Fired from my job. Kicked out of my home. 

I swallowed. I had been an idiot. 

And idiot in love. 

And it had cost me  everything. 

The memories still burned bright beneath the surface though, just waiting to come barreling into my conscience. Those awful , awful moments as i stood there in a sea full of strangers , staring at the boy who had literally emant the tnitire world to me. The only thing that had mattered to me. the boy, i had spent the better part of a decade on. 

 “ Why on earth would I want something like you, when I can have any of these women, So Eun? You’re not beautiful. you’re not famous. You’re not even in the same league as me. Why the fuck would i like something you?? ” 

I swallowed. I’d repeated those words to myself , over and over again . a million times. a zillion times. I thought , over time they would lose their venom. Someday they would lose all meaning become just words. you know, syllables strung together by a drunk nineteen year old who probably didn’t know what he was saying. 

But they hadn’t. 

instead they had just festered , like some untreated wound, oozing pus and attracting flies, giving out the sickening stench of rotting flesh and making me want to empty my insides . And they were still there, i thought bitterly. those words were still there, carved on the inside of my skull, 

“Miss!! Careful.!!” someone’s  hand closed over my arm , yanking me to the side and i gasped, surprised. It took me a second to realize , i’s almost veered dangerously into oncoming traffic. Bowing in apology and gratitude, I pulled my scarf closer and walked quicker, aware that a light rain had started. 

The shelter was closed today and i called my friend on her phone, waiting as she came around the building to let me in. 

Jieun lived in the building , and she took care of the pups in her custody like a mother would. I smiled wide as she bought the familiar mutt, curled happily into her arms.

“Hello Gureum!! hi unnie... ” I said , laughing as he growled, under-bite sticking out in a way that at first glance was slightly terrifying. I smiled, happy that i had finally found time to visit him.

 Nearly a decade ago, when  jung kook had left for Seoul, his parents had turned the poor puppy out of the house. 

I had found him whimpering in a ditch and I had taken him in. But when I’d followed Jung kook to the city, it had been difficult to take care of him. but jieun had been running a shelter even back then and she had taken him in .  

for the past Seven years she had taken care of him.i visited every week or even twice or thrice when i could spare some time.

 But sometimes , I couldn’t come. i regretted that. Gureum was family after all. 

Shaking my head, i took the dog into my arms, reaching into my bag for the dog treats and the small leather leash. 

“Ready to go the park , buddy?” 

As we walked down the streets to the park, the familiar streets, wet with falling rain and the fresh scent of damp earth, i felt daring enough to unwind the muffler from my face. the icy air hit me like a spray and I shivered, in a good way. 

Gureum yanked on the leash, yipping loud , all of a sudden and i turned surprised. I went stiff when i saw the huge poster , stuck to the back of the bus stop. 

It was Jung Kook. 

“That’s... That’s just a picture buddy... that’s not your hyung...” I said stupidly, reaching down to pick up the excited little dog. “but don’t worry. He’s happy. He really is...Gureum.... wait...”

Gureum struggled a bit more, intending to run to the poster and it took me a minute to calm him down.

“it’s okay....” i said over and over again and I almost believed iot myself. 

It was okay, I thought, once again , after he had quieted down and we had reached the park. I sat down on a grassy knoll, overlooking the little bit of the city and I un-clipped his leash , letting him roll around on the damp lawn. 

“ It’s okay.” i said out loud, with a deep shuddering breath. 

it would all be okay. 

[sensationails4u]

Freehand painted Fall Leaves 🍃 🍁🍂 Back to 2015 when I painted this leaves perfect for Fall. This is another deleted post when My account was hacked I used 
@opi_products
Suzi Loves Cowboys @chinaglazeofficial
Golden Enchantment Leaves painted with 🎨acrylic paints @glistenandglow1 
Hk Girl Top Coat ✨

[mystarmyangel]

[TRANS] Elle HK December 2017 Issue Interview: YoonA’s Wardrobe

Korean girl group SNSD’s YoonA was invited by Salvatore Ferragamo and specially came to Hong Kong for the event. Even amidst her busy schedule, she forked out time to have a conversation with ELLE, sharing with everyone her personal thought on dressing, let us explore the goddess’s magical wardrobe.

ELLE: How would you describe your dressing style? Usually I prefer simple style, I don’t really like styles that are too glamorous or exaggerating, colours wise I don’t really go for striking colours, simple and classic design suits my personal taste. Just like today wearing a white shirt, with printed floral design at the back, it is a simple yet feminine design.

ELLE: Your must-have item for winter is? In the winter, I especially like to wear ankle boots, because it is easy to match, no matter what outfit you wear you are able to match with it, creating a fashionable style, so this is a must-have item in the winter.

ELLE: In the cold winter season, in order to look fashionable while keeping warm at the same time, do you have any fashion tip? Actually, I really like to wear turtleneck tops because it really keeps one warm, also when you match with other clothing on the outside or a coat/jacket, it creates a layering look and a fashionable look is easily attained.

ELLE: You cut your hair short recently, what is the reason behind it? After changing a new hairstyle, is there any changes to how you dress? One of the reasons for cutting short hair is because my hair got damaged from the constant hair dyeing due to performance needs. Secondly, because I have been appearing in front of everyone with long hair for many years so I hope to change a new look. I didn’t have any major change to how I dress after changing a new hairstyle, however I feel I look more mature than before wearing the same set of outfits.

ELLE: The most common item in your wardrobe is? It should be jeans and black pants, because matching jeans and black pants with tops already give off a different feeling, so these two items are what I most commonly wear. As for jeans, I used to wear jeans that are either skinny or straight cut but recently boot cut is more in trend so I start wearing those cutting more.

ELLE: Which colour tone do you prefer? The main colour tone I like is the primary colour range, basically my wardrobe consists mostly of black, white and grey colours clothes, I will use red or yellow colour for a contrast

ELLE: Do you like to do online shopping or physical store shopping? Do you prefer to shop alone or with a group of close friends? Usually I will shop at the physical store itself, and most of the times I will shop with my unnie. If my stylist is free, I will also ask her out to go shopping together.

Interview Scans: Stormbar Trans: mystarmyangel

[finepolish]

Holographic Bubble Nail Art

Holographic Bubble Nail Art

I’ve still been feeling rather lazy and uninspired, so I again turned to the @clairestelle8challenge to help me through the week.  The prompt for January 21 was Circles, and I could have easily turned to my stamping plate collection, but I decided to challenge myself a little bit and try my hand at painting bubbles. I started by applying a pearly white base color to all my nails. Of Quartz You…

[wanderharryings]

Hong Kong from the eyes of an Instagrammer

Hong Kong’s places to visit was never of interest to me. It was all about their FOOD - I love warm meaty dim sums and sweet juicy roasts. It was a no-brainer that I will make it to Hong Kong some day for a dim sum pilgrimage.

Can’t recall exactly when but it was a day I flipped through the calendar and realised there wasn’t any holidays planned till 2020. So got onto skyscanner and booked 2 tix to Hong Kong! Boom! 

BEST. DECISION. MADE. IN. 2019.

We had a very very comfortable flight to Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific. We regularly fly via budget airlines to other parts of Asia so it was nice to fly via full-service airline on this trip. Food wasn’t fantastic but Haagen Daz on-board was a nice touch!

Landed shortly past midnight. Didn’t feel like figuring out the train services at that ungodly hours so we booked an airport transfer via Rideways by Booking.com. Wasn’t exactly cheap however service by our driver Ken Wan was top notch so I ain’t complaining. I highly recommend Ken if you are looking for an airport transfer in HK. He is so good with his instructions that it made navigating out of the airport so easy for us. 5 STARS!

Ken drove us right up to Hong Kong Island where we booked a 3-night stay at Hotel Jen via Booking.com . I have left my reviews on Booking.com so feel free to scroll through and read before deciding if you should go with our choice. It was a no-frills stay so we found it hard to justify the price we paid. However, you’ll appreciate the convenience of the location. The hood is very different in the wee hours and when the sun comes up! Love it!

Husband did the planning for most parts of this trip. He said he knew he had to pick the most instagrammable places to entice his wife to remain excited throughout the trip ;)

For the rest of this post, you’ll view snippets of my instastory to stay true to the IG-worthy theme.

Started the first day with a day trip to Tai O fishing village on Lantau Island. Wasn’t hard to get there via MTR and their bus service. You can google to find the varied ways to get to Tai O. A Singaporean we met on this trip advised to avoid Tai O during the weekends. Good for us we went on a Friday morning. There was barely any crowd. We took a leisurely stroll and munched on food we found along our path.

These spicy jumbo fishballs were the first thing we ate on this trip. It was the perfect pairing for the cold weather. My lips were on fire, in a good way.

Told ya - there was sooo much to eat as you walk around exploring the village on your own but eat sparingly because you shouldn’t miss out on this tiny dim sum stall. Their plump Har Gows simply glide down your throat one after another. Never ever had one that is this good! Do not worry about having more than 1 platter because there is soooo much walking to do (so you need to fuel up!) and of course a lot more to see besides food.

Tai O is an Instagram haven. There are so many activities and spots to photograph but I wasn’t sure how I would feel if I were to live there... at times I felt like I was intruding the locals’ personal space. Maybe no, there were plenty who greeted us with warm smiles and just went about doing their own things. 

Amidst the busy daily morning activities and the buzz in the marketplace, we stumbled upon a white building with massive Christmas decorations. Later realised it was a Church. We stood there thinking if we should go in to pay respects when a local greeted us with a big “Hello” and signalled us to go in. We entered but couldn’t find a prayer hall so exited almost immediately. Happy to have visited during the Christmas season to see the Church in it’s full glory.

We left Tai O to to check out the bargains at the Citygate Outlets located right smack at the MTR station where we have to transit. Very strategic I must say!

If you’ve been to the outlet malls in the US, then this wouldn’t excite you. Bagged a couple of items from Adidas and was mighty pleased with the discount. Left as soon as we gobbled down some roast meat on steamed rice for late lunch.

MTR’s well connected lines and undisrupted service ensured we arrived at the hotel on time to freshen up and head out for our night exploration. The moment we arrived back to HK Island, I missed the charm of Tai O. It was a great escapade from the concrete jungle. The city girl in me truly appreciated that side of HK!

For the night we decided on something a little more touristy - we cruised along Victoria Harbour on-board AquaLuna, a traditional Chinese junk boat. Hubs researched on the various cruise offerings and we unanimously agreed on AquaLuna. He got us tix on Klook . Each tix covered a complimentary drink for the 45-min sail. We ordered taro chips to go with our glass of red. It was indeed a beautiful start to our holiday!

We disembarked at the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui and walked along the Avenue of Stars, an avenue to honour HK film celebrities. It was just about time for the famous light show ‘Symphony of Lights’ to begin so we promptly grabbed a cup of hot chocolate each to catch the show in the cold winter night. Hong Kong is a true stunner at night!

It was hard to end the night early when there was still so much going on around that area. We pressed on and moved on to explore Nathan Street. Nightlife in HK didn’t seem any different from SG - it was all about brightly lit streets, bustling crowd and many more food options.

After clocking 25, 663 steps, we stopped for a quick wonton mee dinner and retired for the night. Thank God for our Timberland boots investment else we couldn’t have managed all that non-stop walking!

Day 2 was a lot more slower... we had to as our energy was depleting after a full on day 1!

We took the MTR once again (we did all day err day alright) and headed towards Quarry Bay to take photographs of the famed monster building. While searching for directions on how to get there, Hubs chanced upon the news that a photo taking ban has been put in place since Sep 2019. Apparently the residents complained about all the mayhem created by instagrammers so they fenced up the area! Oh, well; we didn’t give up ;)

Saw the banner and the fence? Occasionally you’ll have people coming out of their shops to monitor your movements. We were constantly whispering to each other while we were there as we were afraid of being chased out before we were done.

If you got sick of HK food and looking for some Indian/Indo fare, this is also the place to visit. We caught sight of non-locals patronising the grocery stores around this area. There were plenty of hair salons in a single stretch too!

Quarry Bay is an unconventional mix of modern buildings, old school housing charm, marketplaces, traditional bakeries, modern cafes and way more. 

Then it was back on the MTR to head towards the Central for some touristy shopping and gourmet indulgence before the next item on our itinerary - Victoria Peak!

Victoria Peak via the tram ride was totally Hubs’ idea. He didn’t manage to go up the Peak during his first visit to HK so this was a first time experience for us both. Once again, we got our tix from Klook. It was basically a combo ticket so we opted for the tram ride to Sky Terrace and a pass to Madame Tussauds.

We met our Klook guide at an MTR exit closes to the tram station. He chaperoned us to the station and briefed us on what needs to be done once we hit the peak. Clear instructions that didn’t require us to ponder much about what to do next. We followed his instructions to a T and ended up on the highest hill on Hong Kong island known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak. Windy and cold yet breathtaking view of the city and sunset shortly after we arrived.

It was a certainly a night to remember. In fact, it was 2 consecutive memorable nights! This called for a celebratory dinner. Hence, we trekked down to Yung Kee which wasn’t very far off the tram station. Our hearts and stomachs were so full.

Roasts and rice game strong! Hard to beat the HK folks in their fried rice renditions. Every grain is coated in grease and flavoured so well. Every mouthful leaves you wanting more. Perfection!

Causeway Bay, HK’s most up-scale shopping district was next on our agenda. We were all geared up for more walking and sightseeing. It was the perfect place to head to on our last night in HK as there’s the Wellcome supermarket that is open 24hrs which is the most perfect place to pick up edible gifts for family and friends back home. We researched quite a fair bit on the supermarkets to go to and the items to buy as gifts. A couple of supermarkets we walked into before Wellcome, were very much for expats so you don’t get local produce. I got carried away with the cool Tesco/Waitrose products manufactured just for the HK market! 

As for the specifics of the edible gifts, we got bottles of XO sauce and dried scallops from Yick Cheong Ho at Tai O. I felt it was more appropriate to get 'em sauces from Tai O than from supermarkets. The XO sauces sold in the supermarkets are brands that are available back home too. At Wellcome we picked up the remaining items on our shopping list like Greatwall luncheon meat, Nissin XO instant noodles, Holland “Black and White” evaporated milk cans and mango-pomelo sago bottled drink. 

We were extremely exhausted after clocking a total of 21, 519 steps for the day. Besides, all the edible gifts were weighing a tonne so it was only wise we headed back to the hotel. 

We’ve experienced enough of the efficient MTR system. So, it was time to experience HK’s heritage tram system, Ding Ding. It was a nice and slow ride “home”. 

Hong Kong Tramways has done a brilliant job in preserving the charm and maintaining a traditional transportation system to be functional since 1904.

On the next morning, one last hurrah before we board the airport express and fly back home...

I heart you with all of my heart, HK! Till we meet again, XO XO (pun fully intended).

[lesmotsdemoi]

Nail Art Therapy Sessions 💅🏻 Roses with black stamping over this stunning sparkly shifty polish from Tonic✨💙💜💗Swipe for a video and alternate lighting. Base Coat: Jessica Fusion Polish: Tonic Come Wander Stamping Polish: MdU Black & Glisten & Glow Bunks & Bug Juice (layered solo roses) Stamping plates: Fab Ur Nails FUN 21 & 25 Top coat: Glisten & Glow HK Girl #notd #nailboarders #nailstamping #naturalnails #nailsofinstagram #supportindies #nailsoftheday #nailart #nailarttherapy #untried (at Thousand Oaks, California)

[internnails]

🦋Hello ladies 👋🏽 Here is what I used for My Dotting Mani for Amanda @riot_pr 🎂Birthday #WellDotMyPondsItsAmandasBday 🔺Npowered, Nriched, Nfluence by Nikki @xobynikki #xobynikki 🔺White Gown White and HK Girl Top Coat by @glistenandglow1 #glistenandglow1 notd#Nails#nails2inspire#naillacquer#nailartaddict#naturalnails#indieswatch#indiepolish#indienails#indielove#indienailpolish#indiemade#supportsmallbusiness#swatchpolish#indieswag#itrustindiepolish#indiedoitbetter#iwanttoswatchforyou

[creativenailsteam]

Fun Fair Children's Day Nail Art!

Fun Fair Children’s Day Nail Art!

Happy Children’s Day!!

Children are fun loving and wants to keep playing all the time. Olden days they used to play outdoor games and enjoy fairs, exhibitions etc. But now mobile phones and internet games have taken over them. Its affecting their physical as well as mental health. We need to create an awareness about it. Make them understand what they are missing. So I thought of doing a nail art…