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Hydrogen Is the Future—or a Complete Mirage!

The green-hydrogen industry is a case study in the potential—for better and worse—of our new economic era.

— July 14, 2023 | Foreign Policy | By Adam Tooze

An employee of Air Liquide in front of an electrolyzer at the company's future hydrogen production facility of renewable hydrogen in Oberhausen, Germany, on May 2, 2023. Ina Fassbender/ AFP Via Getty Images

With the vast majority of the world’s governments committed to decarbonizing their economies in the next two generations, we are embarked on a voyage into the unknown. What was once an argument over carbon pricing and emissions trading has turned into an industrial policy race. Along the way there will be resistance and denial. There will also be breakthroughs and unexpected wins. The cost of solar and wind power has fallen spectacularly in the last 20 years. Battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) have moved from fantasy to ubiquitous reality.

But alongside outright opposition and clear wins, we will also have to contend with situations that are murkier, with wishful thinking and motivated reasoning. As we search for technical solutions to the puzzle of decarbonization, we must beware the mirages of the energy transition.

On a desert trek a mirage can be fatal. Walk too far in the wrong direction, and there may be no way back. You succumb to exhaustion before you can find real water. On the other hand, if you don’t head toward what looks like an oasis, you cannot be sure that you will find another one in time.

Right now, we face a similar dilemma, a dilemma of huge proportions not with regard to H2O but one of its components, H2—hydrogen. Is hydrogen a key part of the world’s energy future or a dangerous fata morgana? It is a question on which tens of trillions of dollars in investment may end up hinging. And scale matters.

For decades, economists warned of the dangers of trying through industrial policy to pick winners. The risk is not just that you might fail, but that in doing so you incur costs. You commit real resources that foreclose other options. The lesson was once that we should leave it to the market. But that was a recipe for a less urgent time. The climate crisis gives us no time. We cannot avoid the challenge of choosing our energy future. As Chuck Sabel and David Victor argue in their important new book Fixing the Climate: Strategies for an Uncertain World, it is through local partnership and experimentation that we are most likely to find answers to these technical dilemmas. But, as the case of hydrogen demonstrates, we must beware the efforts of powerful vested interests to use radical technological visions to channel us toward what are in fact conservative and ruinously expensive options.

A green hydrogen plant built by Spanish company Iberdrola in Puertollano, Spain, on April 18, 2023. Valentine Bontemps/AFP Via Getty Images

In the energy future there are certain elements that seem clear. Electricity is going to play a much bigger role than ever before in our energy mix. But some very knotty problems remain. Can electricity suffice? How do you unleash the chemical reactions necessary to produce essential building blocks of modern life like fertilizer and cement without employing hydrocarbons and applying great heat? To smelt the 1.8 billion tons of steel we use every year, you need temperatures of almost 2,000 degrees Celsius. Can we get there without combustion? How do you power aircraft flying thousands of miles, tens of thousands of feet in the air? How do you propel giant container ships around the world? Electric motors and batteries can hardly suffice.

Hydrogen recommends itself as a solution because it burns very hot. And when it does, it releases only water. We know how to make hydrogen by running electric current through water. And we know how to generate electricity cleanly. Green hydrogen thus seems easily within reach. Alternatively, if hydrogen is manufactured using natural gas rather than electrolysis, the industrial facilities can be adapted to allow immediate, at-source CO2 capture. This kind of hydrogen is known as blue hydrogen.

Following this engineering logic, H2 is presented by its advocates as a Swiss army knife of the energy transition, a versatile adjunct to the basic strategy of electrifying everything. The question is whether H2 solutions, though they may be technically viable, make any sense from the point of view of the broader strategy of energy transition, or whether they might in fact be an expensive wrong turn.

Using hydrogen as an energy store is hugely inefficient. With current technology producing hydrogen from water by way of electrolysis consumes vastly more energy than will be stored and ultimately released by burning the hydrogen. Why not use the same electricity to generate the heat or drive a motor directly? The necessary electrolysis equipment is expensive. And though hydrogen may burn cleanly, as a fuel it is inconvenient because of its corrosive properties, its low energy per unit of volume, and its tendency to explode. Storing and moving hydrogen around will require huge investment in shipping facilities, pipelines, filling stations, or facilities to convert hydrogen into the more stable form of ammonia.

The kind of schemes pushed by hydrogen’s lobbyists foresee annual consumption rising by 2050 to more than 600 million tons per annum, compared to 100 million tons today. This would consume a huge share of green electricity production. In a scenario favored by the Hydrogen Council, of the United States’ 2,900 gigawatts of renewable energy production, 650 gigawatts would be consumed by hydrogen electrolysis. That is almost three times the total capacity of renewable power installed today.

The costs will be gigantic. The cost for a hydrogen build-out over coming decades could run into the tens of trillions of dollars. Added to which, to work as a system, the investment in hydrogen production, transport, and consumption will have to be undertaken simultaneously.

Little wonder, perhaps, that though the vision of the “hydrogen economy” as an integrated economic and technical system has been around for half a century, we have precious little actual experience with hydrogen fuel. Indeed, there is an entire cottage industry of hydrogen skeptics. The most vocal of these is Michael Liebreich, whose consultancy has popularized the so-called hydrogen ladder, designed to highlight how unrealistic many of them are. If one follows the Liebreich analysis, the vast majority of proposed hydrogen uses in transport and industrial heating are, in fact, unrealistic due to their sheer inefficiency. In each case there is an obvious alternative, most of them including the direct application of electricity.

Technicians work on the construction of a hydrogen bus at a plant in Albi, France, on March 4, 2021. Georges Gobet/AFP Via Getty Images

Nevertheless, in the last six years a huge coalition of national governments and industrial interests has assembled around the promise of a hydrogen-based economy.

The Hydrogen Council boasts corporate sponsors ranging from Airbus and Aramco to BMW, Daimler Truck, Honda, Toyota and Hyundai, Siemens, Shell, and Microsoft. The national governments of Japan, South Korea, the EU, the U.K., the U.S., and China all have hydrogen strategies. There are new project announcements regularly. Experimental shipments of ammonia have docked in Japan. The EU is planning an elaborate network of pipelines, known as the hydrogen backbone. All told, the Hydrogen Council counts $320 billion in hydrogen projects announced around the world.

Given the fact that many new uses of hydrogen are untested, and given the skepticism among many influential energy economists and engineers, it is reasonable to ask what motivates this wave of commitments to the hydrogen vision.

In technological terms, hydrogen may represent a shimmering image of possibility on a distant horizon, but in political economy terms, it has a more immediate role. It is a route through which existing fossil fuel interests can imagine a place for themselves in the new energy future. The presence of oil majors and energy companies in the ranks of the Hydrogen Council is not coincidental. Hydrogen enables natural gas suppliers to imagine that they can transition their facilities to green fuels. Makers of combustion engines and gas turbines can conceive of burning hydrogen instead. Storing hydrogen or ammonia like gas or oil promises a solution to the issues of intermittency in renewable power generation and may extend the life of gas turbine power stations. For governments around the world, a more familiar technology than one largely based on solar panels, windmills, and batteries is a way of calming nerves about the transformation they have notionally signed up for.

Looking at several key geographies in which hydrogen projects are currently being discussed offers a compound psychological portrait of the common moment of global uncertainty.

A worker at the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field, a test facility that produces hydrogen from renewable energy, in Fukushima, Japan, on Feb. 15, 2023. Richard A. Brooks/AFP Via Getty Images

The first country to formulate a national hydrogen strategy was Japan. Japan has long pioneered exotic energy solutions. Since undersea pipelines to Japan are impractical, it was Japanese demand that gave life to the seaborne market for liquefied natural gas (LNG). What motivated the hydrogen turn in 2017 was a combination of post-Fukushima shock, perennial anxiety about energy security, and a long-standing commitment to hydrogen by key Japanese car manufacturers. Though Toyota, the world’s no. 1 car producer, pioneered the hybrid in the form of the ubiquitous Prius, it has been slow to commit to full electric. The same is true for the other East Asian car producers—Honda, Nissan, and South Korea’s Hyundai. In the face of fierce competition from cheap Chinese electric vehicles, they embrace a government commitment to hydrogen, which in the view of many experts concentrates on precisely the wrong areas i.e. transport and electricity generation, rather than industrial applications.

The prospect of a substantial East Asian import demand for hydrogen encourages the economists at the Hydrogen Council to imagine a global trade in hydrogen that essentially mirrors the existing oil and gas markets. These have historically centered on flows of hydrocarbons from key producing regions such as North Africa, the Middle East, and North America to importers in Europe and Asia. Fracked natural gas converted into LNG is following this same route. And it seems possible that hydrogen and ammonia derived from hydrogen may do the same.

CF Industries, the United States’ largest producer of ammonia, has finalized a deal to ship blue ammonia to Japan’s largest power utility for use alongside oil and gas in power generation. The CO2 storage that makes the ammonia blue rather than gray has been contracted between CF Industries and U.S. oil giant Exxon. A highly defensive strategy in Japan thus serves to provide a market for a conservative vision of the energy transition in the United Sates as well. Meanwhile, Saudi Aramco, by far the world’s largest oil company, is touting shipments of blue ammonia, which it hopes to deliver to Japan or East Asia. Though the cost in terms of energy content is the equivalent of around $250 per barrel of oil, Aramco hopes to ship 11 million tons of blue ammonia to world markets by 2030.

To get through the current gas crisis, EU nations have concluded LNG deals with both the Gulf states and the United States. Beyond LNG, it is also fully committed to the hydrogen bandwagon. And again, this follows a defensive logic. The aim is to use green or blue hydrogen or ammonia to find a new niche for European heavy industry, which is otherwise at risk of being entirely knocked out of world markets by high energy prices and Europe’s carbon levy.

The European steel industry today accounts for less than ten percent of global production. It is a leader in green innovation. And the world will need technological first-movers to shake up the fossil-fuel dependent incumbents, notably in China. But whether this justifies Europe’s enormous commitment to hydrogen is another question. It seems motivated more by the desire to hold up the process of deindustrialization and worries about working-class voters drifting into the arms of populists, than by a forward looking strategic calculus.

In the Netherlands, regions that have hitherto served as hubs for global natural gas trading are now competing for designation as Europe’s “hydrogen valley.” In June, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni inked the contract on the SoutH2 Corridor, a pipeline that will carry H2 up the Italian peninsula to Austria and southern Germany. Meanwhile, France has pushed Spain into agreeing to a subsea hydrogen connection rather than a natural gas pipeline over the Pyrenees. Spain and Portugal have ample LNG terminal capacity. But Spain’s solar and wind potential also make it Europe’s natural site for green hydrogen production and a “green hydrogen” pipe, regardless of its eventual uses, in the words of one commentator looks “less pharaonic and fossil-filled” than the original natural gas proposal.

A hydrogen-powered train is refilled by a mobile hydrogen filling station at the Siemens test site in Wegberg, Germany, on Sept. 9, 2022. Bernd/AFP Via Getty Images

How much hydrogen will actually be produced in Europe remains an open question. Proximity to the point of consumption and the low capital costs of investment in Europe speak in favor of local production. But one of the reasons that hydrogen projects appeal to European strategists is that they offer a new vision of European-African cooperation. Given demographic trends and migration pressure, Europe desperately needs to believe that it has a promising African strategy. Africa’s potential for renewable electricity generation is spectacular. Germany has recently entered into a hydrogen partnership with Namibia. But this raises new questions.

First and foremost, where will a largely desert country source the water for electrolysis? Secondly, will Namibia export only hydrogen, ammonia, or some of the industrial products made with the green inputs? It would be advantageous for Namibia to develop a heavy-chemicals and iron-smelting industry. But from Germany’s point of view, that might well defeat the object, which is precisely to provide affordable green energy with which to keep industrial jobs in Europe.

A variety of conservative motives thus converge in the hydrogen coalition. Most explicit of all is the case of post-Brexit Britain. Once a leader in the exit from coal, enabled by a “dash for gas” and offshore wind, the U.K. has recently hit an impasse. Hard-to-abate sectors like household heating, which in the U.K. is heavily dependent on natural gas, require massive investments in electrification, notably in heat pumps. These are expensive. In the United Kingdom, the beleaguered Tory government, which has presided over a decade of stagnating real incomes, is considering as an alternative the widespread introduction of hydrogen for domestic heating. Among energy experts this idea is widely regarded as an impractical boondoggle for the gas industry that defers the eventual and inevitable electrification at the expense of prolonged household emissions. But from the point of view of politics, it has the attraction that it costs relatively less per household to replace natural gas with hydrogen.

Employees work on the assembly line of fuel cell electric vehicles powered by hydrogen at a factory in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, on March 29, 2022. VCG Via Getty Images

As this brief tour suggests, there is every reason to fear that tens of billions of dollars in subsidies, vast amounts of political capital, and precious time are being invested in “green” energy investments, the main attraction of which is that they minimize change and perpetuate as far as possible the existing patterns of the hydrocarbon energy system. This is not greenwashing in the simple sense of rebadging or mislabeling. If carried through, it is far more substantial than that. It will build ships and put pipes in the ground. It will consume huge amounts of desperately scarce green electricity. And this faces us with a dilemma.

In confronting the challenge of the energy transition, we need a bias for action. We need to experiment. There is every reason to trust in learning-curve effects. Electrolyzers, for instance, will get more affordable, reducing the costs of hydrogen production. At certain times and in certain places, green power may well become so abundant that pouring it into electrolysis makes sense. And even if many hydrogen projects do not succeed, that may be a risk worth taking. We will likely learn new techniques in the process. In facing the uncertainties of the energy transition, we need to cultivate a tolerance for failure. Furthermore, even if hydrogen is a prime example of corporate log-rolling, we should presumably welcome the broadening of the green coalition to include powerful fossil fuel interests.

The real and inescapable tradeoff arises when we commit scarce resources—both real and political—to the hydrogen dream. The limits of public tolerance for the costs of the energy transition are already abundantly apparent, in Asia and Europe as well as in the United States. Pumping money into subsidies that generate huge economies of scale and cost reductions is one thing. Wasting money on lame-duck projects with little prospect of success is quite another. What is at stake is ultimately the legitimacy of the energy transition as such.

In the end, there is no patented method distinguishing self-serving hype from real opportunity. There is no alternative but to subject competing claims to intense public, scientific, and technical scrutiny. And if the ship has already sailed and subsidies are already on the table, then retrospective cost-benefit assessment is called for.

Ideally, the approach should be piecemeal and stepwise, and in this regard the crucial thing to note about hydrogen is that to regard it as a futuristic fantasy is itself misguided. We already live in a hydrogen-based world. Two key sectors of modern industry could not operate without it. Oil refining relies on hydrogen, as does the production of fertilizer by the Haber-Bosch process on which we depend for roughly half of our food production. These two sectors generate the bulk of the demand for the masses of hydrogen we currently consume.

We may not need 600 million, 500 million, or even 300 million tons of green and blue hydrogen by 2050. But we currently use about 100 million, and of that total, barely 1 million is clean. It is around that core that hydrogen experimentation should be concentrated, in places where an infrastructure already exists. This is challenging because transporting hydrogen is expensive, and many of the current points of use of hydrogen, notably in Europe, are not awash in cheap green power. But there are two places where the conditions for experimentation within the existing hydrogen economy seem most propitious.

One is China, and specifically northern China and Inner Mongolia, where China currently concentrates a large part of its immense production of fertilizer, cement, and much of its steel industry. China is leading the world in the installation of solar and wind power and is pioneering ultra-high-voltage transmission. Unlike Japan and South Korea, China has shown no particular enthusiasm for hydrogen. It is placing the biggest bet in the world on the more direct route to electrification by way of renewable generation and batteries. But China is already the largest and lowest-cost producer of electrolysis equipment. In 2022, China launched a modestly proportioned hydrogen strategy. In cooperation with the United Nations it has initiated an experiment with green fertilizer production, and who would bet against its chances of establishing a large-scale hydrogen energy system?

The other key player is the United States. After years of delay, the U.S. lags far behind in photovoltaics batteries, and offshore wind. But in hydrogen, and specifically in the adjoining states of Texas and Louisiana on the Gulf of Mexico, it has obvious advantages over any other location in the West. The United States is home to a giant petrochemicals complex. It is the only Western economy that can compete with India and China in fertilizer production. In Texas, there are actually more than 2500 kilometers of hardened hydrogen pipelines. And insofar as players like Exxon have a green energy strategy, it is carbon sequestration, which will be the technology needed for blue hydrogen production.

It is not by accident that America’s signature climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, targeted its most generous subsidies—the most generous ever offered for green energy in the United States—on hydrogen production. The hydrogen lobby is hard at work, and it has turned Texas into the lowest-cost site for H2 production in the Western world. It is not a model one would want to see emulated anywhere else, but it may serve as a technology incubator that charts what is viable and what is not.

There is very good reason to suspect the motives of every player in the energy transition. Distinguishing true innovation from self-serving conservatism is going to be a key challenge in the new era in which we have to pick winners. We need to develop a culture of vigilance. But there are also good reasons to expect certain key features of the new to grow out of the old. Innovation is miraculous but it rarely falls like mana from heaven. As Sabel and Victor argue in their book, it grows from within expert technical communities with powerful vested interests in change. The petrochemical complex of the Gulf of Mexico may seem an unlikely venue for the birth of a green new future, but it is only logical that the test of whether the hydrogen economy is a real possibility will be run at the heart of the existing hydrocarbon economy.

— Adam Tooze is a Columnist at Foreign Policy and a History Professor and the Director of the European Institute at Columbia University. He is the Author of Chartbook, a newsletter on Rconomics, Geopolitics, and History.

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Borrador del calendario del WRC para la temporada 2024.

El WRC había planeado agregar una nueva ronda en Arabia Saudí al calendario de rallies del próximo año. Sin embargo, no se pudo llegar a un acuerdo a tiempo y se ha pospuesto hasta 2025. Esto permitirá que el calendario se mantenga con 13 rondas, lo que puede ser beneficioso desde el punto de vista financiero para el aumento de participantes en el Rally1. Hyundai está considerando competir con…

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"Love Live! Performance The Cost Payment Of Course": The Controversial Br ⁇ no Massu Engira Masilamanicon

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Some background on South Korean politics in light of the 12.3 self-coup attempt

At 10:23 PM on 12.3, President Yoon Suk-yeol (Yun Seokyeol) declared martial law. The Korean people and MPs immediately mobilized to stop it. Although a group of special forces stormed the Parliament building and tried to break up legislative activity, 190 MPs made it into the chamber and voted only two hours later to rescind martial law. Soon after that, Yoon agreed to end martial law and the military officially stood down.

This was a bizarre and shocking few hours for everyone in the country and the world, and how Yoon got to the point of making this absurd decision is an interesting story. To tell it, I'll try to explain 1) South Korea's history of military rule, 2) Yoon's prosecutorial and political career, 3) the main opposition Together Democratic Party, and 4) Yoon's presidency. And finally, 5) what the self-coup attempt means for South Korea and the world.

I'll try to be brief as I can, but I'm starting from the assumption that most people know very little about South Korean politics. So, it's a long post.

Military rule

After fascist Japan surrendered at the end of WW2, it handed over power in the occupied Korean peninsula to an indigenous government called the People's Republic of Korea. Unfortunately, the new government was brutally suppressed by the US military in the South and warped into unrecognizable form by the Soviet Union in the North. In the South, the Republic of Korea was established as a US-aligned anticommunist dictatorship. Everything in this summary is extremely simplified, but suffice it to say that the Republic of Korea, or South Korea, more or less remained an anticommunist military dictatorship until 1987.

(One of the less graphic pictures of the Bodo League massacre, where the South Korean police and military killed 200,000 civilians)

Military rule in South Korea was founded on protecting South Korean capitalists, many of which had accumulated their wealth under the Japanese occupation, from the dual threats of leftists in South Korea and North Korean attack. South Korea retained the vast majority of colonial police employed by the occupation government, whose main purpose had been to root out and destroy independence guerillas, and repurposed them to root out and destroy left-wing guerillas (many of which were the same people). This caused an extraordinary level of state violence in early South Korean history. The South Korean prosecution service was similarly used to find and imprison or kill the opposition. Due to their function as part of an authoritarian state, the prosecution service was given broad powers to both investigate and prosecute.

Especially after President Park Chung-hee (Bak Jeonghui) took power (by overthrowing another short-lived democratic government), the South Korean state's purpose became not only to protect capital, but also to direct its expansion. The South Korean state used its control over credit to make companies invest in sectors that it predicted would have great export potential. Once a company established itself in a sector, the state directed it to use the profit it got from exports to invest in another, more capital-intensive sector. Over decades, this strategy led to enormous economic growth for South Korea and a massive rise in living standards. It also caused a few companies in particular to become fantastically wealthy global megacorporations. These are the chaebols (jaebeol), which include Samsung, Hyundai, LG, and others.

By 1987, a series of massive democratic protests and uprisings finally ended the dictatorship. A free election was held, and a general named Noh Tae-woo (No Taeu) was elected president. In the new democratic era, the conservative movement was formed as an alliance of dictatorship figures like Noh, chaebols, small businesses, and white collar workers who wanted to continue the economic policies of the dictatorship. The democratization movement continued as various incarnations of the Democratic Party (South Korean political parties change names and split and merge constantly), made up of unions, civil society activists, and students. Leftists have continued to be a minor force in South Korean politics, but for the purposes of this post I'll mostly set them aside. The main groups we're concerned with are conservatives and democrats, organized into a constantly shifting mush of political parties.

Supreme Prosecutor of the Republic

Before he became president, Yoon Seok-yeol was the Supreme Prosecutor of the prosecution service. To understand the significance of this, we have to take a look at the prosecution service in the democratic era and the political environment that Yoon emerged into.

During the dictatorship, everyone hated the police. So after the dictatorship, South Korea thoroughly reformed and defanged the police. This was a genuine success of the democratization movement. The police were turned from a gang of brutal thugs into an organization that almost never uses guns and is known for getting yelled at and beaten up by random citizens. If you hit a South Korean cop, the cop might be punished for annoying you. (Though the situation is different for ethnic minorities and striking workers.)

On the other hand, the prosecution service was left mostly untouched. While it obviously was no longer used for open political repression, it largely retained its broad investigative powers and personnel.

To put it simply, the prosecution service is an authoritarian holdover inside a democracy. It justifies its powers by being a hammer against the most powerful members of society. In South Korea, it's common for politicians of all parties to have their houses raided or be put in prison. This happens regularly even to former presidents, and even to some of the wealthiest people in the world, the heads of the chaebols. These things are unthinkable in most Western democracies. Whether you think these powers are justified or not, they've led to the prosecution service having far more active influence over politics than prosecutors in most democracies. As far as the prosecutors were concerned, that made them the heroes of this story.

These things came to a head in 2016 with conservative President Park Geun-hye (Bak Geunhye). Due to a series of massive scandals, Park had become extremely unpopular, with her approval rating hovering at 30 percent. What put the nail in the coffin for Park was an investigation by a prosecutor named Yoon Seok-yeol. Yoon exposed bizarre corruption involving President Park, Samsung, and a cult that had been involved with her family since the presidency of her father, Park Chung-hee. This led to massive protests and Park Geun-hye's impeachment.

(2016 Candlelight Protests)

The president who succeeded Park, Moon Jae-in, promoted Yoon within the prosecution service. At his new position, Yoon prosecuted and imprisoned Park, as well as another conservative former president. At this point, he was becoming a major public figure, popular among democrats and hated among conservatives. So President Moon promoted Yoon again, this time to Supreme Prosecutor of the entire service.

And then, Yoon started investigating Moon's own justice minister. This led to a public dispute. Moon's government looked corrupt and hypocritical, and Yoon became more popular than ever. Soon, Yoon resigned his office and entered the conservative presidential primary.

Of course, conservatives welcomed Yoon's entry, and he won the primary and the presidency. But how did they go from hating him for destroying their president to fighting to get him elected? How did Yoon go from prosecuting a corrupt conservative to being one?

The reason for the switch from Park to Yoon lies in their political brands.

Park Geun-hye's brand was built on nostalgia for her authoritarian father. Many older South Koreans associate Park Chung-hee's regime with stability, rational economic management, and anticommunism. At the same time, even most conservative voters hate actual authoritarian behavior. All South Koreans have either lived under military dictatorship or have heard from their family what it was like, and almost nobody is eager to return. Once Park Geun-hye's corruption and inept attempts at election manipulation were revealed, she was finished.

This is why conservatives welcomed Yoon Suk-yeol into their party: they needed him to wash their hands of corruption. He was a rebirth of authoritarian discipline made acceptable by his prosecution of unpopular conservatives. His message was law and order: if we lock up the corrupt, criminals, and communists, the country can be saved from ruin. If we push workers harder (by increasing work hours), economic growth will continue. If we push women harder (by forcing a return to traditional gender roles), the birth rate will return to normal. And, of course, the chaebols should be deregulated and given tax cuts.

Together Democratic Party

Before we pick things back up with Yoon, his main opposition is worth a look. This is the Together Democratic Party, which along with other opposition parties blocked the declaration of martial law and is now pushing for Yoon's impeachment.

We can summarize the Democratic Party's traditional and typical outlook in the figure of President Moon Jae-in (Mun Jaein). This was Park Geun-hye's main rival and the president who promoted Yoon Seok-yeol. He can be considered something like the "Korean Barack Obama". He was liked by democrats and called a dangerous communist by conservatives, but he didn't do all that much in reality other than raising the minimum wage, reducing the workweek, and attempting diplomacy with North Korea. He is now generally liked because things felt normal, he handled the COVID-19 pandemic well, and he didn't make any earth-shattering mistakes. He's the only living president not to be imprisoned after leaving office.

For decades, the Democratic Party was this type of moderate reformist, center-right party. However, in just the past few years, the party has gone through a considerable transformation.

(A 2017 Democratic presidential primary debate, with Lee on the left and Moon on the right.)

The Democratic Party has now unquestionably become the party of a person named Lee Jae-myung (Yi Jaemyeong), who was elected party leader in 2022. He's been called the "Korean Bernie Sanders", and this label is at least somewhat accurate.

Like Bernie Sanders, Lee Jae-myung can be characterized as a radical social democrat. His policies could actually be characterized as more radical than Bernie Sanders'. As the governor of Gyeonggi Province, Lee introduced a youth basic income and experimented with universal basic income. As a national political figure, Lee pushes for what he calls his "Basic Society" policies. These include universal basic income, youth basic income, universal basic housing (by massively expanding public housing), expanding free healthcare coverage to nursing, free meals for seniors, and a four day workweek. In general, Lee criticizes means-tested welfare and advocates for universal programs that guarantee a baseline standard of living by right.

On the other hand, Lee could also be characterized as less radical than his policies would imply. A common criticism, which ironically comes from both conservatives and leftists, is that he doesn't often talk about how to pay for his policies. Conservatives see this as a sign of irresponsible populism and economic illiteracy, while leftists criticize him for not naming the enemy. Unlike Bernie Sanders, Lee doesn't rail against chaebols or inequality or push for taxes on the rich. He also tends to appeal to questionable technology like AI rather than collective action. So although Lee champions some genuinely radical policies, he certainly isn't a socialist.

Lee's public image is also quite different from someone like Bernie Sanders. Lee is generally seen as a figure of questionable morality due to a constant conveyor belt of personal scandals and corruption allegations. He has been accused of, among other things, abusing his staff, having his brother involuntarily committed, illegally sending money to North Korea using an underwear factory, and having connections to organized crime. Lee's personal legal controversies have been the greatest source of instability for him and the Democratic Party since he became its leader.

In fact, Lee was recently convicted of lying while campaigning in one of his trials in November. Due to now having a criminal conviction, he is technically barred from running for office again. However, the conviction could still be overturned on appeal and recent events have really thrown everything up in the air. And even if Lee himself can't run for office, his ideology has taken over the Democratic Party and it's likely that whoever succeeds him will share it.

So, Lee Jae-myung is the nemesis that Yoon Seok-yeol has been fighting for his whole presidency. A criminal versus a prosecutor. Universalism versus austerity. Relief versus discipline.

Yoon Suk-yeol's presidency

Finally, we return to President Yoon. Though even as a prosecutor he was a figure of questionable intelligence, as a politician he's revealed himself to be one of the most inept people in modern history.

Since the beginning of his term, Yoon has been unable to do nearly anything at all domestically. The Democratic Party already had a majority in Parliament at the beginning of his presidency, and so Yoon has been unable to enact literally any part of his legislative agenda. Instead, he was reduced to calling young people lazy, bemoaning the far too short workweek, and wishing he could cut welfare.

In April of 2024, parliamentary elections were held. Lee Jae-myung, Democratic party leader, used the primary process as an opportunity to purge the party of centrists. Despite the Democratic Party's parliamentary candidates being further left than they'd ever been, opposition parties expanded their hold over the Parliament and nearly won a supermajority. After their victory, Lee Jae-myung was reelected as party leader and Basic Society advocates were elected to every seat on the party's supreme council. The Democratic Party emerged more left-wing, more ideologically unified, and more powerful than it ever had been before.

Now that Lee's Basic Society ideology had consolidated its hold on the Democratic Party and the Parliament, the Parliament began trying to pass its agenda in earnest. The Parliament passed bills establishing an experimental UBI, preventing companies from suing workers for striking, and expanding labor protections to subcontractors, among others. Over and over, Yoon vetoed them. Yoon has vetoed 19 bills and pocket-vetoed 4 more, more than every other South Korean president combined.

Both Yoon and the Parliament accused each other of being obstructionists. The problem for Yoon was that the Parliament's policies were popular, while his policies were unpopular. As Yoon issued more and more vetoes, his approval rating only fell.

(A political cartoon by Bak Sunchan depicting Yoon as a lame duck saying "veto")

Without the ability to change domestic policy, Yoon put all of his energy into foreign policy. Due to their history and composition, conservatives want to maintain trading links with other developed countries and developing countries for the chaebols to export to, want to maintain anticommunist alliances with the US and Japan, and are hostile to North Korea. (Participation in this system is what led the South Korean military to commit atrocities in Vietnam.) Democrats are somewhat skeptical of both the US and Japan, and want reconciliation with North Korea. Yoon has been strengthening relations with the US and Japan, sending weapons to Ukraine, and taking a hard line against North Korea.

Although several of these efforts were unpopular, the most significant has probably been Yoon allowing Japan to list the Sado gold mine as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Before Yoon, South Korea had been blocking this because the site failed to mention the thousands of Korean slaves forced to work in the mine during WW2.

So, the two years of Yoon's presidency had so far consisted of Yoon obstructing popular reforms while failing to pass unpopular reforms and engaging in unpopular war crime denialism. He was generally regarded as impotent, laughable, and annoying. And at the same time, allegations of Yoon's own corruption grew louder and louder.

Yoon's wife is accused of taking bribes and meddling in the conservative primary. Yoon's friend, a Marine Corps officer, is accused of negligence that resulted in a young conscript's death. Yoon is accused of using his friends in the prosecution service to interfere with both investigations. As these scandals grew, the Parliament passed bills appointing special prosecutors independent from the prosecution service to investigate them. Many of Yoon's vetoes were of these special prosecutor bills.

Since the parliamentary elections in April, Yoon has been stuck in a vicious cycle. The Parliament passes popular legislation and Yoon vetoes it. Yoon's approval rating falls. The Parliament passes a bill to investigate Yoon and Yoon vetoes it. More information and leaks about Yoon's corruption come out. Yoon's approval rating falls, eventually to 18 percent. Afraid of the public pressure, more conservative MPs distance themselves from Yoon.

It seemed inevitable that eventually, enough conservative MPs would defect to override Yoon's veto and appoint a special prosecutor. A special prosecutor would find evidence of Yoon's corruption. The public would grow only angrier with Yoon. The only road left would be impeachment and imprisonment, just like Park Geun-hye. Yoon bashed his head against the wall, unable to find a way out.

Clearly, somewhere in this pile was the final straw. On 12.3 at 10:23 PM, Yoon Seok-yeol turned on the camera and vomited blood.

So, what does the coup mean?

The declaration of martial law was so bewildering because it felt like it came out of nowhere. But that's not strictly true; the Democratic Party had been warning that Yoon was plotting to declare martial law for months. Most people dismissed this as a conspiracy theory, including myself. It was simply too far-fetched and illogical to contemplate, until it happened.

But the real reason it felt like it came out of nowhere was because, at the same time, it did. Not even Yoon's most devoted supporters were thinking about martial law. Apparently, everyone from the leader of Yoon's party to the Ministry of Defense to his own prime minister was caught totally by surprise. He circulated no conspiracy theories in advance, and not a single news network attempted to justify his actions. He had no cult of personality and no party ready to fall unquestioningly behind him. In short, he acted essentially alone. As soon as people rose up in defiance, he had no choice but to back down.

It's a good sign for South Korean democracy that the people defeated the self-coup attempt so quickly and decisively. But compare the political environment with that of other countries. How normal has authoritarianism become? How many people openly wish for a dictator? How subservient are the cabinet officials and the news networks? How cultlike are the major parties and how acquiescent is the opposition? These conditions make a country much more vulnerable to a ruler with authoritarian instincts. And we should expect authoritarians to act in creative and unprecedented ways.

The self-coup is an explosion of the authoritarian tendencies that have been bubbling under the surface of the conservative movement since the end of military rule. It's a decisive discrediting of Yoon's prosecutorial brand, which had been conservatism's last hope to maintain the people's trust. Yoon's impeachment and imprisonment are all but guaranteed. And the general consensus among both democrats and conservatives now is that Yoon's blunder has killed conservatism in South Korea for at least the next decade.

In fact, the 12.3 declaration of martial law might really have been a successful self-coup. In that the conservatives have removed themselves from power. And the death of the right is a golden opportunity that Korean leftists must seize. If Lee Jae-myung's Democratic Party becomes politically dominant, it must be challenged from the left to properly name the enemy. If the Basic Society policies become normalized, the left should treat them as common sense and demand more. When people become disenchanted with the democrats, the left must be ready as their competitor and obvious alternative, not the right.

Could South Korea see a new era of competition between a socialist left that wants to finally do away with the chaebols, a social democratic center that merely wants UBI, and a nonexistent right?

Maybe. Probably not. But a new world of possibilities has opened up.

[viandclintbarton-supremacy]

Lost Boy (EngWnt x Male Reader)

This was inspired by Lost Boy

8,869 words

Warning: Swears, Angst and fluff moments

Why am I here? This is isn't home. Well you didn't know what a home is.

You say as you wait outside the famous St George Park. You feel the rain hit the top of your head and shoulders as you hear the car that dropped you off drive away. You sighed as nerves and anxiety crept in. You wanted to be here but also wanted to be home back in Japan.

You missed the feeling, you missed your apartment, you missed your training grounds, your teammates and the Kawasaki Frontale faithful.

You were scared to be in a land that you only been to with your team once before. Truth is you were an orphan, you were left at an orphanage in Japan in Kanagawa from there you grew up and at the age of 13 you joined the Kanagawa youth squad and once you hit 16 you became part of the first team 3 years later, 42 assists and 77 goals for the club. You wanted to play for the japan national team but you kept getting the cold shoulder. You started to deflate, lose motivation and felt the same feeling you felt since you could remember. The pain your so called parents gave you.

Worthless

Dissapointment

Lost

"Lost Boy, Lost Boy, Lost Boy" A smile came to your face and you recollected that chant Kanagawa fans would chant for you. The story of you being a orphan made the fans sympathise with you and your constant big player status on the field made you a fan favourite and was gifted the name Lost Boy.

That chant was something special it made you feel like you belonged, like a son to the crowd. The first time you heard it you had to fight back tears but bowed to the crowd.

It was your Neverland

You looked down before composing yourself, you started to walk into the reception of St George Park and you spot Serena Wiegman and Gareth Southgate waiting for you.

You think about how you ended up in the situation. Playing for England?!?!

You remember playing a man of the match worthy game in the AFC Champions League against 2 time champs from Ulsan Hyundai. Scoring 4 goals and assist. As you walked off the pitch to the famous Lost Boy chants, you didn't notice Serena Wiegman who was enjoying a vacation watching you from the crowd.

She approached you outside the locker room with your manager. Seeing your talent, the fans love for you and potential. She researched your background and found out that you have English relations due to your mother. And Serena wanted to give you a chance as she believed you not playing international football a crime. You was overwhelmed. Leaving Japan, going to England, no friends, no faces you know except for Serena.

But you knew deep down that this could change your life for the better.

"F/N, I'm so glad you are here" Serena said as she approached you with a warm smile. You go for a hand shake but Serena gave you a hug. She made you feel welcome and made you feel protected. You gave her a slight hug back and she turned to Southgate making sure to keep a hand on your back to let you feel comfortable. "F/N this is Gareth Southgate, the manager of the England Senior team." You extended your hand to the man who shook your hand. "Pleasure sir" you said respectfully in English "Nice to meet you L/N, Wiegman told me all about you. I have seen some of your stuff, I hope you step up" He said in a cold tone, you wanted to frown but hid it. It felt like he wasn't happy you were here "Mr Southgate, I said it before and ill say it again. This young man is an extraordinary talent and no offence to the team but his passion for the game shines brighter then your passion when you played for England"

God damn, you eyes slightly widen as you look back and forth between the duo. The tone of her voice sounded like a mother defending her child Talk about putting pressure on you. Southgate clearly wasn't happy with the comment but didn't say anything back. "Anyway, let me show you around. Serena" He said leading the way for you before saying goodbye to Serena "Actually i will come along" The Dutch women said "But what about the girls?" you looked back at Southgate before turning back to the lady. "They will be fine, the staff are already their for the girls training, i will see them after Y/N is settled in" She as she patted your back.

You smiled at her as the three of you walk into the building. You thought about what Serena was talking about. The girls? Her team is here training. The Lionesses! You remember watching them in the Euro's 2022 and it was inspiring to watch and witness. You had hope to cross paths in some way with one of them just to seek knowledge from the European champions if you crossed paths. But the whole team was here!

As you were taking to each rooms and facilities, you made sure to shake everyone's hand. The staff should be treated like they are part of the team. This made Serena smile when she picked up on the gesture whilst Southgate thought it was you trying to look good in front of him.

"This concludes our journey. I must depart now, as we have some new arrivals later. The rest of the team will arrive later tonight. Make yourself at Home F/N. Serena" Gareth said leaving in a hurry as he left you outside your hotel door. You let a sigh and ran your hands through your hair. "Well he sure is something" You say in a light hearted tone as you felt Serena's hand on your shoulder "He is a stubborn man, he rarely changes his team up and when i suggested you he laughed it off. But because of my belief I even went to the FA" your eyebrows raised as she nodded at tour response "Yes I made a case that you are what the men's team needed and they listened and push him on it." You looked at Serena with admiration. She really did believe in you, all that worry and nervous energy turned into determination.

You were going to make sure you proved Southgate wrong, repay Serena and show the world who F/N L/N is "Thank you Serena, you wont regret this" She smiled like a mother and patted your back "Now go rest, you must be tired' You smiled and shook your head "I managed to get sleep on the journey here. If its no issue since none of my teammates are her, can I watch you train the lionesses for a bit" Her curious look turned into a wide smile "Of course" You smiled and dropped your belongings in your room "May I ask, why do you want to watch." She asked curiously as you followed her "Well, you and the Lionesses are one of the top teams in the world, I'd be stupid to not want to watch h and learn from you and the women" She smiled, she found admirable that you would want to learn from the women when a lot just bash female footballers "Why me I'm just the manager?" she would say curious on what wanted to learn from her

You grinned as you walked alongside Serena. "Why you? Really? Well for starters, you're not just 'just the coach.' You're Serena Wiegman, the brilliant mind behind one of the most successful women's national teams in the world. You've achieved incredible success and I have a lot to learn from you. Plus, watching the Lionesses in action is an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Your team's skill, tactics and teamwork are truly works of art to me." Serena chuckled at your response and your excitement, clearly appreciating your enthusiasm and respect for the women's game. "Well, I'm flattered, F/N. We'd be glad to have you watch our training. I believe that learning from each other, regardless of gender, is how we all grow and improve in this beautiful sport."

You followed Serena out to one of the 3Gs the team was training on, You were feeling better then earlier, With Southgate gone and you can be around a pitch and watching football made you happy and at peace. Though nerves did run through as you were gonna be watching top flight pros playing

As you stepped onto the pitch and the view of the Lionesses practicing their drills came into focus, you couldn't hide the awe on your face. It was a sight to behold, the precision, the skill, and the teamwork of the reigning European champions were truly impressive.

You watched as Lucy Bronze skilfully dribbled the ball, Keira Walsh executed pinpoint passes, and Bethany England alongside Alessia Russio showcased her finishing ability. It was clear why they were considered among the best in the world.

The enthusiasm and energy of the Lionesses were infectious and it felt like a privilege to witness their training session. As you followed Serena, you couldn't help but feel a sense of motivation and inspiration.

As the Lionesses gathered in hushed conversation on the pitch, you found yourself still engaged in discussion with Serena Wiegman. Talking about her thoughts and expectations of the team as they near the Women's World Cup. The moment was a unique one for you as you were not only adapting to a new country and a new team but also facing the uncertainty of how you would be received.

Serena's voice was reassuring and she had the ability to put you at ease. She spoke about her belief in your abilities and her dedication to seeing you succeed in the England Men's team. Her unwavering support was like a lifeline. Keeping your confidence up and alive as you days counted down to your international debut.

"You know, F/N," Serena said, Turning towards you with her arms crossed, her eyes filled with determination, "I have high hopes for you. Your passion for the game and your incredible talent can bring a new energy to our national team and football. I believe that your presence will not only benefit you but also inspire our Lionesses. " She smiled as she glanced at the powerful women training and pushing their limits. "We have an incredible family of football here in England and I want you to feel at home."

You couldn't help but smile. Serena's words resonated with you and they helped the anxiety and homesickness that had lingered since your arrival in England fade away for that moments. It was the reassurance and guidance you needed. "Thank you, Serena," you replied with genuine gratitude as you bowed your head to her. "I appreciate your belief in me and your efforts to bring me here. I'm determined to give my best and contribute to the England Men's team. And if there's ever an opportunity for our teams to come together and train, I'd love to be a part of it."

Serena nodded, her eyes filled with warmth. "I'm glad to hear that, F/N." She stepped towards you placing a firm grip and pat on your arm "We're not just about men's and women's football here; we're one football family. Your presence here is a testament to that, and I'm certain you'll make a positive impact."

As you continued your conversation, little did you know that the Lionesses were observing you from a distance. The collective curiosity and intrigue of the England Women's National Team would soon lead to a new chapter in your journey, one filled with camaraderie, mutual respect and the realization that you had indeed found a football family

On one side of the pitch near the goal, Mary Earps, Ella Toone and Alessia Russo exchanged curious glances and hushed whispers.

Mar, the goalkeeper, leaned in and said, "Have you two seen that guy talking to Serena? Who is he, and what's he doing here?" as she played with the football in her hands

Ella Toone shrugged her shoulders, her eyes still fixed on you. "I have no idea, but he seems to be quite interested in what Serena is saying. Could he be a new coach or something?" She said crossing her arms as curiosity settled in

Alessia Russo chimed in, "I don't know, but he doesn't look like a coach. Maybe he's a new player or something? We can ask Serena later."

"Yeah you can ask for his number HAHA OW" Ella showed shout after receiving a kick from Alessia to the backside

Meanwhile on the other side of the pitch, Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh and Bethany England were engaged in their own discussion. Lucy, with a sharp eye for talent, recognized you from a few clips she had seen online. "I swear seen that guy before," Lucy remarked, nodding in your direction. "He's a player, I'm sure of it. I saw some clips of him and he's got some serious skills if its who I think it is."

Keira Walsh, the midfielder, leaned in with interest. "Really? He looks like he's in deep conversation with Serena. Maybe he's a new addition to the men's team? Don't think I seen him in any of the youth teams in the past" Lucy nodded in thought

Bethany England, who had been eyeing you with curiosity chimed in, "Well, if he's here to play, he must be pretty good. We should introduce ourselves later and make him feel welcome."

As the training session continued, more and more of Lionesses kept a watchful eye on you, curious to learn more about the mysterious player who had captured Serena Wiegman's attention.

Serena would excuse you as she would approach the team to go over things about upcoming matches as you headed to the stands to watch the rest of the session from there. As Serena addressed the team and laid out their plans for the upcoming match, the Lionesses listened attentively. Afterward, Leah Williamson was the first to break the ice, curiosity getting the best of her.

"If I may" Leah began, "who is that boy you were talking to earlier? Is he a new coach or part of the England media team?"

Millie Bright, seated nearby, chimed in with her own question, "Yeah, he looked quite engaged in your conversation. Is he here to help with our training or something?"

Serena smiled and decided to share a bit about you, the new member of the England Men's team. "Actually, that young man you saw is F/N L/N. He's not a coach or part of the media team. F/N is a talented footballer, and he's recently joined the England Men's national team. I believe he has a lot to offer and you might see him around from time to time. As he requested to watch todays training" The mention of your name and the explanation from Serena piqued the interest of the Lionesses. They exchanged intrigued glances, realizing that you were not just a casual observer but a actual player.

"If his apart of the men's team, why is he watching us and not with Southgate?" Lauren Hemp who handed a drink to Jess park as she spoke up. The question was a thought was on most of the girls minds.

"Good question Lauren" Serena began. "F/N is here because he's new to England and he wanted to observe the training and learn more about the style and strategies of English football. He's keen on acclimating himself to the English game as quickly as possible. Whilst he's officially a part of the men's team, he's interested in learning from our team as well."

Serena's explanation seemed to make sense to the Lionesses. With them and Lauren nodded in understanding. It was clear that you were genuinely eager to immerse yourself in English football. The curiosity about your presence now seemed to be mingled with a sense of mutual respect for your dedication to the game. It was indeed a unique situation to have a male player from the men's team showing genuine interest in observing and learning from the Lionesses. It was a testament to your dedication and willingness to go the extra mile to improve your skills and understanding of football.

As the training session continued, you couldn't help but notice the collective gaze of the Lionesses directed your way. You had been absorbed in watching their drills and skills, trying to absorb as much as you could from the reigning European champions, but you couldn't ignore the fact that you had become the center of attention. Which was starting to make you anxious and paranoid

Whilst you were checking your Instagram notifications, you looked up from your spot of the Lionesses, You took a double take and realized they were watching you with expressions ranging from curiosity to amusement. Feeling a bit self-conscious, you flashed a small, sheepish grin and gave a little wave in acknowledgment of their attention as you slowly sinked into the chair and hoodie

"Aww, so cute." Millie Bright couldn't help but tease with a playful smile. Her comment drew light laughter from some of the other players. "Lets adopt" Rachel Daly would say as she gave Bright a should bump as the duo laughed. It seemed that your friendly wave had endeared you to the Lionesses even more.

Leah Williamson leaned over to Lauren Hemp and whispered, "Well, I have to say, he's certainly not what I expected from a guy joining the men's team. Seems like a good guy." Lauren Hemp nodded in agreement. "Definitely. We should introduce ourselves later and make him feel welcome." Knowing that whenever someone joins a new team or place for the first time it can be overwhelming"

As the training session with the Lionesses concluded, Serena Wiegman decided it was a good time to have a private conversation with one of her most experienced players, Lucy Bronze. The two of them found a quiet corner of the field

"Lucy, I need to talk to you about something important," Serena began, her expression grave. Lucy, ever the professional, sensed the gravity of the situation and nodded for her coach to continue. Serena took a deep breath. "You know the new player, F/N L/N, who you all have been eyeing?" Lucy's eyes lit with recognition. "Yeah, I saw him talking to you earlier. He's a really talented player from what I have seen. What about him?" As said as she crossed her arms

Serena leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "Well, the thing is, his arrival hasn't been entirely smooth. Southgate has been... less than welcoming, let's say." She would say in a displeased tone, Lucy raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? But why? He's a great talent. What's Southgate's problem?"

Serena sighed, her disappointment evident. "I don't know for sure, but it seems that Southgate has a certain way of doing things, and he's resistant to change. He's been dismissive of F/N ever since my recommendation and since F/N arrival, despite his incredible talent and potential."

Lucy's expression hardened as she glanced to where you were sitting before placing her hands on her hips and turning towards Serena. She had a reputation for being outspoken and a supportive teammate. This situation didn't sit well with her. "That's not right. If he's here to help the team, Southgate should at least give him a chance. Is there anything I can do to help?" She would ask with good intent as she suspected Serena was telling her this for a reason

Lucy nodded firmly. "Don't worry Serena, We should have each other's backs that's what makes a team. I'll make sure the team knows about this and that we extend a warm welcome to F/N." Serena smiled, her trust in Lucy reaffirmed. "Thank you, Lucy. I knew I could count on you. Let's make sure that F/N feels like a part of this football family and let's show Southgate how wrong he is. We need to look out for him on and off the pitch. He knows no one in country, he needs some friends. I cant speak for the men's team but I trust you and the girls" Lucy was driven to make sure you are welcomed and had new friends.

After returning to your room and finishing a workout, you realized that your roommate had yet to arrive. It gave you some time to unwind and reflect on the day's events. Your thoughts swirled with excitement about watching the Lionesses' training session and the camaraderie that seemed to be developing between you and the women's team. As you were catching your breath, a sudden knock at the door interrupted your solitude. You quickly made your way to the door, opening it to find Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh, and Bethany England standing there, wearing friendly smiles.

"Hey there, F/N right?" Lucy greeted you with a warm and welcoming tone. "Mind if we come in for a chat?"

Your surprise at their visit quickly turned into a grin as you stepped aside to allow them entry. "Of course, come on in. It's great to see you all again. What brings you here?" You were sweating bricks

Bethany England was the first to speak, her friendly demeaner shining through. "We thought we'd swing by and officially welcome you to England, We thought it may be a bit daunting coming to a place where you know no one"

Keira Walsh nodded in agreement. "Yeah, We also heard about your conversation with Serena. It's not often we get a male player showing interest in our training sessions and we wanted to say hello."

Lucy chimed in "Plus, we wanted to let you know that we're here for you. If you have any questions, need any advice or just want to hang out, we're your go to squad." She said in a cheeky voice in the end

Your heart swelled with gratitude and appreciation as you looked at the three Lionesses who had taken the time to visit you. "Thank you, that means a lot. I'm really excited to be here, and I'm looking forward to learning and growing learning here. I'd love to get to know you all better and train together sometime." This was the first time you were getting attention not for your popularity or status. In Japan your teammates were stick around you for popularity and when the cameras where gone they didn't go near you. so this was refreshing, so you were eager to make actual friends

Bethany England grinned. "That sounds like a plan. We'll make sure to coordinate some joint training sessions in the future. But for now, let's just hang out and get to know each other better. We were about to head to the cafeteria and eat, You wanna tag along?" You smiled and nodded excitedly "Of course"

"Great, Come on Youngblood" Lucy would say as Keira patted your back and guided you out of the room following Beth and Lucy.

As you all settled around a table in the bustling cafeteria, the Lionesses were quick to initiate a conversation about your background. "So, F/N," Lucy Bronze began, "tell us a bit about yourself. How did you end up here in England?" She said as she took a bite out of her meal

You leaned back in your chair, ready to share your story. "Well, I grew up in Japan and football has been a huge part of my life since I was a kid. I played for Kawasaki Frontale for a since I was 13 and always dreamt of representing my country. But that never happened, they kept rejecting me." You said sadly, the trio couldn't help but feel for you. Playing for England was big for them and if that got rejected constantly it would hurt. You then smiled "And it was Serena Wiegman who saw me playing one day, She was in Japan and saw me during a match and gave me the opportunity to join the England Men's team. She went out of her way for me and I couldn't be more grateful to her." You smile before you take a bite out of your meal

Keira Walsh nodded in understanding. "That's impressive. It takes a lot of determination to leave your home country and start fresh. And for Serena to go out of her way for ya says a lot about what she thinks you. We're glad you're here." You smile at Keira who smiles back. Bethany England added, "And you're going to learn a lot from the coaching staff here. Our training is intense, but it's what has made us successful."

You gave a cheeky smirk. "If the training wasn't intense and didn't push me to my limit then I wouldn't be here" Lucy gave a light laugh at your change of demeanour as Beth looked Keira and gave her a look saying 'Lucy is going to love this guy' To which Keira nodded back "That's the attitude Youngblood" You chuckle, You were glad at the trio looking after you and couldn't but like the new nickname Bronze seemed to have give you.

Bethany England leaned forward, her curiosity showing on her face. "F/N, what did your parents think about you leaving Japan and coming all the way to England? It must be hard being away from them"

The question caught you off guard and you felt a pang of anxiety. You hadn't shared your orphan background with them yet and you weren't sure how to respond. You never like to talk about it or people asking you about them in interviews. Your mind raced, trying to come up with a plausible explanation that wouldn't reveal your painful past.

But just as you were about to stammer out a response, a strong hand landed on your shoulder. You turned to see Millie Bright, a tall and confident giant of a defender, offering a warm smile. She leaned in to speak, introducing herself to you.

"Hi, I'm Millie Bright and this is Rachel Daly. We couldn't help but couldn't this welcoming party" she said with a friendly tone, effectively shifting the focus away from the question about your parents.

Rachel Daly, Millie's Best Friend, extended her hand to you with a friendly grin. "Nice to meet you, F/N." You eagerly shook her hand before shaking Daly's hand. However, Lucy Bronze, who had noticed your hesitation earlier, couldn't help but keep an observant eye on the situation. She had sensed there was more to the story, but out of respect, she chose to let the matter drop, at least for now. She decided to get up and walk around the table towards you, She grinned and playfully ruffled your hair a move that caught you off guard. "Well, F/N, it's been a pleasure getting to know you. Enjoy your time with our lovely Millie here. She's the best at making sure our 'Child' is well taken care of."

Millie Bright, "Yeah Yeah, you three better have been on your best behaviour whilst with F/N. We can't have you being a bad influence on our new 'son' here." She gestured to herself and Daly. You were thrown off by the comment but recovered with chuckle understanding the English banter. "Come on son" She would say dramatically as she throw her tattooed arm over your shoulders and guided you away from the group.

As you walked alongside Millie, you couldn't help but notice the warmth and friendliness that radiated from her. Her easygoing demeaner put you at ease and you quickly felt a sense of comfort in her presence. Millie, with a playful twinkle in her eye, began to strike up a conversation. "So, F/N, tell me a bit more about yourself. What are your hobbies or interests outside of football? I want to learn more about ya"

You welcomed the chance to talk more about yourself and opened up to Millie. "Well, besides football, I enjoy golf ,reading and playing games. It's a great way to unwind and take my mind off things. What about you? Any interesting hobbies or hidden talents?" You say interested in her thoughts

"Oh, I can definitely hold my own in a game of darts, Painting and I make a mean lasagne. You'll have to come over sometime, and me and my other half will cook up a feast for you." You smile at her, surprised at her welcomes "You could bring your partner with you too" She nudged you "Oh no I don't have a partner. That too much hassle for me" You say nervously. It was true, trying to manage a football career and relationship seemed a lot of work, Millie would give you a surprised look, she assumed you would have a partner by your looks "But I'd love that. Thanks, Millie. And it's been great getting to know you and the rest of the team. I was a bit nervous at first, but you've all made me feel so welcome."

Millie patted your back reassuringly, You tried to not be sent to the floor by her strength. "We're like a big, sometimes chaotic, but always supportive family. You'll fit right in, F/N. Plus, you've got a great sense of humour. That makes you alright in my books"

"Ah so this is where the 'son' thing came from" Millie looked at you with a proud face "Oh you see, Young one , You're now officially part of the family. And that means you have no choice but to accept me and Rachel as your 'football moms.' You're stuck with us now." You couldn't help but smile at her. You felt a emotion that was foreign to you. To hear someone call you 'son' even if it was a joke made you emotional but you kept strong

"I wouldn't have it any other way mother dearest" You say to Millie who responded with a cackle as she ruffled your hair "Good Lad" When you reached your room and it was time to say goodbye, Millie's demeaner grew more serious. She took your phone and added her WhatsApp number, ensuring that you had a direct line to her. You was bamboozled at her actions as you stood there confused as she done it

She looked you in the eye, her tone sincere. "F/N, even though we've just met, I want you to know that you can reach out to me anytime if you need anything or if something comes up. I've got your back and that goes for both on and off the pitch." Her protectiveness and genuine concern touched you deeply. You nodded "Thank you, Millie. I really appreciate it. I'm looking forward to being a part of this football family" You say with heart as Millie smirked "Good night my child" She would say in a mock voice. "Good night mother dearest" With a warm smile, you say and watched as she headed back down the hall way.

As you entered your room, You saw a figure standing there. It was your roommate and new teammate. "hello there" You say hoping they heard you. The man turned around at you and looked you up and down. " Hey" You smiled faltered, One he didn't reply with 'General Kenobi' and two he clearly had no interest in you. You walked up and stuck out your hand "My name is F/N L/N. I hope we get to know each other more and get game time together" You say in hopes you misread his emotions. "Nice to meet you, My name is Jordan Sancho" but there was a clear disconnect in his demeaner. It was as if he was putting on a façade of politeness "Well Jordan "I'm looking forward to getting to know you and working together on the team," you said, slightly repeating what you said earlier, hoping to break through the icy atmosphere. Jordan simply nodded in response and the room fell into an awkward silence. It was clear that there was something more going on with him and you couldn't help but wonder what might be causing this behaviour. The awkwardness in your shared room with Jordan seemed to stay as small talk was made sporadically but without much enthusiasm. You couldn't help but feel the tension and it was evident that he had reservations about your presence.

The following morning, it was time for a team meeting with the England Men's team. As you entered the meeting room, many of your new teammates greeted you warmly, and the captain, Harry Kane, offered a friendly handshake and a welcoming smile. However, it was Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, and Jack Grealish who stood out. They not only greeted you but also invited you to sit with them. Their eagerness to welcome you was palpable and it helped to ease some of the tension that had lingered since your arrival.

Phil Foden leaned over with a grin. "Hey, F/N right? we saved you a spot right here." You smiled thankfully as you sat next to the city trio.

"How you finding it?, settling in alright?" Walker would ask making you feel at ease "Its a lot, I wont lie but I'm happy to be here and play for England" you said with determination, Receiving a pat from Walker. "That's the spirit lad". You notice Jack Grealish offered you a warm handshake. Which you shook with a firm grip "Mate, it's great to have you here. Need anything we are your boys. What you say we go get a bevvie later?"

"A what?" You would say confused "A buvvie?" You say. You may have had great English speaking skills but lacked on slang, Foden noticing your confusion laughed "He meant like a beer or any alcoholic drink" You gave a noticeable "Oooooh" Scratching the back of your head in embarrassment "Sorry I'm not fully caught up on the slang here" You felt a pat from Walker "Don't worry lad, we can teach you all you need to know. But you have great English though" He said with surprise "Well I home schooled with a one of the Guardians at the orphanage who also had a accent which is why I sound like I'm from here." The trio nodded but then Jack spoke up "Orphanage?" You stutter, you slipped up. You started to feel the stares from the trio and those overhearing the conversation.

"Ok, everyone sit down" Thankfully Southgate entered the room to start the talk to the group, Making the trio forget and focus on him. As he began his presentation, he took a moment to introduce you to the squad. However, his introduction was laced with bitterness, making it clear that he believed your presence was primarily due to Serena Wiegman's influence. "Here with us, we have F/N," Southgate began, his tone sharp and a touch resentful. "He's joined the squad for this international break, and it's no secret that he's here largely because of Serena's insistence. As a result, he'll be replacing Marcus Rashford for these matches." Is he fucking serious? You thought as you then notice how silent the room was and you couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. The weight of being seen as a replacement for a another player who had been and the implication that you owed your presence to someone else that wasn't even Gareth's choice was palpable.

However, Phil Foden, sitting next to you, reached out and patted your shoulder in a gesture of support. He didn't say anything, but his reassuring touch and understanding gaze conveyed that you were not alone in this moment. You glanced and saw that Kyle and Jack were also looking at everyone who were looking at you. Southgate quickly moved on to discuss the details of the upcoming matches. Netherlands, Northern Ireland and Germany. But the tension in the room remained and you couldn't help but feel the weight of expectations and doubts hanging over you just doubled.

Later in training you made it your mission to prove to them that you weren't just here due to Serena's backing but your skill. You impressed Kane, Foden and sterling with your shooting and dribble skills. Kyle and Saka would be paired up with you for 3 v 3 which let you build a friendship, trustfulness and learn how they play.

You received the ball from Saka and was about to lob the ball over Kane as you saw Walker running behind but then you found yourself landing on you upper back as you felt something shoot through your right foot. You knew someone just two footed you but the thought of it happening in training was disgusting to you. You looked up and stood up to see it was Harry Maguire. You pushed the larger man nearly sending him on his ass. "What the fuck was that Maguire! That was reckless as fuck!" The man regained his posture and glared again "I don't care who you are, L/N. you've got to earn your place here. If you can't handle a challenge like that, you won't make it." He said before walking away. Despite Kyle and Saka checking on you and Harry clearly getting a talking down to from Kane you knew what you was gonna do

"Earn my place you say? alright" you mumble to yourself

After the intense exchange with Harry Maguire, you were determined to prove yourself and demonstrate your resilience. He had clearly underestimated your ability and resolve, and you were not about to let his challenge go unanswered.

The first attempt to get past Maguire was a spectacular nutmeg that left him dumbfounded and you calmly slotted the ball into the net. The laughter and applause from your teammates resonated across the field.

For the second attempt, you displayed your dribbling skills as you deftly maneuvered the ball around Maguire, causing him to lose his balance and fall on his ass like a baby. Once again, you found the back of the net with precision and can feel the anger radiating off Maguire.

The third attempt was the most rewarding. As Maguire attempted to shoulder barge you off the ball, you gracefully evaded his challenge, sending him tumbling into the dirt. With remarkable composure, you scored yet again and the team couldn't contain their amusement and admiration for your resilience and skill. Whilst some worried that they would need to step up their game to keep a spot on the first team.

As you were about to move to the next game, you felt a hard push you forward harshly as you heard your teammates around respond with audible woahs. You turned around with a glare and was face to face with Maguire who was fuming. "What's wrong Harry, do I have dirt on my face?" You would say making fun that he had dirt on his face from when you sent him to the ground. Before Maguire could cuss you out, Kane got in-between you two, as you two were pulled away, Kane turned to Maguire as Grealish stood on front of you in a protective manner

"Maguire!, that's enough," Kane said firmly, looking Maguire in the eye. "We're here to work together as a team, and this kind of behaviour isn't helping anyone. If this continues I will make sure you wont play the next game"

As Kane continued to address Maguire, other players began to gather around and it became clear that the incident had divided the team. Some players like Foden, Walker, Saka, Sterling, Pickford were clearly on your side, believing that you had been provoked and had demonstrated your skill in response. Others, Noticeable Manchester United players like Sancho, Shaw and non United players like Henderson were against you, showing support for Maguire.

"ENOUGH" The team was silent as they heard Southgate speak up. "BACK TO TRAINING NOW." He turned to you and walked up to you ignoring Maguire "F/N, I don't know how you train back in Japan but this place is for the most professional of footballers. Act like it. We don't need any more incidents like this." You bite your tongue back, You knew he was trying to goad you into responding but you just looked down and had to swallow your pride. He left without saying anything to Maguire. You couldn't help but feel pissed off that he turned a blind eye to Maguire's actions and choose to blame you for the entire incident but in the back of your head you knew you had to fight for Serena, You career and those who are supporting you. don't lose your head you thought. The mixed emotions of anger and hurt were mixing around in you. Anger due to the treatment from the manager and players who have it out for you and Hurt that you felt like a target to most of the team.

You would feel a hand n your shoulder and turned to see it was Kane "You ok?" He asked and you just shrugged "Been through worst" Kane would frown " I don't know what the gaffers deal is but you were not to blame there. You did what anyone would do. when I saw your name on the call up post I searched you up and you are a fantastic player and you will do great things for England. I don't see why Gareth is treating you like this but I know you will make him and the others acknowledge you once they see you on the pitch" with that he would pat you on the back and leave. You smiled happy knowing that your captain believed in you and supported you it added more fuel to the fire that was building. You couldn't wait to show them what you could do.

Later you would be doing some last minute mess around with some of the team before heading in. You were shooting against Pickford in goal when a idea came to your mind as you saw Pickford away from his line. As you kicked your toes under the ball it would glide up into the sky and float over Pickford who was left standing in awe as the ball landed in the net. Screams of approval and claps came from Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, and Declan Rice, who had all witnessed the audacious chip with delight. Kyle clapped you on the back. "That chip was a thing of beauty, mate!". Declan Rice would ruffle your hair "That was mad man, could use you at Arsenal" he would joke around.

"THATS MY BOY" You all would turn to the voice in the distance and see the women's team from afar walking along to the training facility building and saw a wild Millie bright cheering her boy. You would wave to her slightly embarrassed. You could see the faces of the other Lionesses laugh at Millie's antics with the exception of a few who were confused. You were happy that you got to show off and some of your new friends on the men's and women's team saw it. It also reminded you of what Millie said last night about if you need someone to talk too. You wanted to vent to her about the day. Sure you could with the boys and maybe Lucy, But Millie was the one straight up with you and you know you wouldn't be a burden going to her about it. And you didn't want to make Serena stressed out about it when she has to focus on a whole team.

"Looks like you pulled lad" You would hear Jack say in a cheeky tone but confusion would show on your face as you didn't understand what he was saying

Phil Foden, sitting nearby, noticed your confusion and decided to clarify. He leaned in and explained, "It means it looks like you've caught someone's attention romantically, mate."

You shook your head, a slight blush still on your cheeks and responded, "Oh, no, it's not like that. Millie and I are just friends." It was true, you had no feelings like that for Millie

Foden couldn't help but laugh at your quick dismissal of any romantic involvement. "Alright, mate, just friends it is. But Millie sure seems proud of her 'boy' over there." The group laughed as you knew this wasn't going away anytime soon.

After training you would take a shower and change, Heading down a hallway to the cafeteria until you would see Sancho, The man stopped in front of you. He didn't sugercoat his words. "Look, L/N, let's get one thing straight. We're just teammates, and I don't care for you taking Rashford's place." The words hit you like a punch to the gut. The camaraderie you had hoped to build with Sancho, seemed to have hit a major roadblock. It was a stark reminder that not everyone on the team welcomed your presence, and the feeling of isolation and negativity weighed heavily on you. The man would walk past you as you signed before running your hands through your damp hair and walk around a corner.

Lost in your thoughts, you didn't notice the approaching figure until it was too late. You accidentally collided with someone, and as they stumbled backward, you reached out instinctively to prevent them from falling. You would lock eyes with the figure. It was Alessia Russio. "Whoa, sorry about that," you quickly apologized, steadying her.

Alessia would smile sheepishly "Its alright, I wasn't looking where i was going, L/N right?" You would smile back "Yes but call me F/N. and you are Russio right?" Her smile got brighter as she would respond "Yes but you can call me Alessia" But then her face turned slight concerned noticing the slight frown on your face, "Is everything okay? You seem a bit off." You hesitated for a moment, debating whether to share your recent encounter with Jordan Sancho. But ultimately, you decided to confide in Alessia, who had shown genuine kindness.

"I had a bit of a run-in with a teammate from the men's squad," you admitted. "It's just been a rough day, and some of them aren't very welcoming." She would give you a knowing look. "Yep been there, Don't let them get to you. You're here on merit, and you have the talent to be with the national team. We all saw that lovely chip earlier" You would smile sheepishly as the words comforted you. She was right and you couldn't help but smile brightly and look into her eyes getting a clear look at them. You slowly felt like you were being hypnotised and unknowingly to you so did Alessia

*Wolf whistle* You would both snap out of it and turn to the sound

"What do we have here, then Ella?" You would turn to Mary Earp's alongside Ella Toone. Caught off guard by the duo you would then notice you were both holding each other. In a panic you would both separate and try to recompose yourself. You braced yourself, you had hoped this two United players wouldn't be like the ones from earlier Alessia quickly turned to face the two Manchester United Women's players, a friendly smile on her face. "Hey, Mary, Ella! This is F/N, This is one of the new players for the men's team. F/N, meet Mary and Ella." You smiled and stuck out your hand. "nice to meet you both"

Mary and Ella exchanged knowing glances, clearly amused by the situation. Mary was the first to shake your hand "Oh, F/N, you're fitting in quite well with the ladies, I see," Mary teased, her playful tone still very much intact. You tried to fight back the blush on your cheeks and then Ella would shake your hand "You two make a cute pair" Alessia would kick Ella as you looked down embarrassed.

Ella would play off the kick however. "AH Mary I'm falling" She would say falling to Mary who caught her "My hero" Mary would then play also "Fear not my love, i am here to protect you" She said in a mocking. Alessia was bright red "That's it" She then ran after the two down the hallway leaving you behind. You sighed in relief, The teasing made it obvious that you found her attractive and didn't want to embarrass yourself when you only just met them.

"They can be a lot sometimes. Sorry about them," You jumped at the force turning to them who would put a hand on your arm "sorry didn't mean to scare ya" In a apologetic voice. You saw it was Leah Williamson "I'm Leah." She shook your hand "F/N" You responded to her. You felt the same way when you met Kane. You felt nervous meeting the women's captain.

Leah sensed this and then shifted the conversation to the upcoming men's game against the Netherlands, showing a genuine interest in your thoughts. "So, how are you feeling about the men's game against the Netherlands?"

You appreciated her friendly demeaner and openness. "I'm feeling excited and ready. It's a great opportunity, and I'm eager to contribute to the team's performance. I'll give it my all."

Leah nodded in understanding and gave a smile. "That's the spirit. Just so you know. The squad was talking about you last night." A wave of anxiety washed over you" All good things and just know We're all behind you and we'll be cheering you on. Just remember, it's just another game of football. Enjoy it." She would pat you on the shoulder. You couldn't help but feel moved by the words she said. It really felt genuine and she wanted you to succeed. With that she began to walk away before stating "I heard you like golf, we should play sometime"

"I'm down" you would shout to her as she walked down the hall "Good lad!"

You sat there, in the stadium of light. England were beating san Marino 6 - 0 in the 67th minute. The day was filled with preparing and trying to focus. Of course there was media, Asking you how you felt and if you think you were ready for this. Also the online response was mixed. From those who thought you weren't good enough, didn't know you and of course the Rashford situation. But there was an upside, those who gave you a chance watching your clips or the interviews on the England YouTube channel drew a liking towards you an da big one was it showed you watching the Lionesses train and talking to Serena which shocked but drew interest to you, from fans loving the face you were supportive of the women's game and to people it as you trying to learn as much as you could.

Excitement coursed through your veins as you observed your teammates on the field, the crowd, each play and each goal filling you with a sense of pride. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, with fans cheering for their team and the players demonstrating their skill and determination. Yet, alongside the excitement, there was also a twinge of restlessness. Sitting on the bench, you were eager to contribute, to step onto the field and to make a statement in the match. The desire to prove your worth and show your capabilities was a burning motivation within you. As you closely watched the game unfold, you couldn't help but mentally prepare yourself for the moment when you might be called upon to join the action. The second half played out before you and you remained focused, all the days of studying the tactics and learning from the experienced players around you lead to this

The opportunity to represent England in an international match was a dream come true and you were determined to make the most of it. Your emotions were a mix of excitement, anticipation, and readiness, as you waited for your chance to step onto the pitch and contribute to the team's success.

As the second half of the match against San Marino continued, you couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation. However, as the minutes ticked away, Southgate didn't look at you once. You were waiting for him to tell you to warm up. Anxiety built up as you wanted to burst onto the field and show everyone your worth. You knew that your fans in Japan and around the world were watching, Serena and the Lionesses were too. Why isn't he calling to you. It was the 80th minute and you could even hear the crowd close to you say

"Put the new kid on!"

"Why isn't he putting L/N"

"We want to see what he can do"

The minutes ticked down

81th minute

82th minute

83th minute

84th minute

85th minute

86th minute

87th minute

88th minute

89th minute

90th minute

*Final whistle blows*

It never came

You sat there in disbelieve as when you saw Southgate shook the opposing mangers hands you caught him smirking at you as you sat there hurting.

Part 1 End

[jessmac566]

Ok so I've been brainstorming all day about what Andre could have planned for next year, some of these thoughts have been brewed from the comments on his post on insta (these are in no particular order):

- Proton and still be Porsche works driver, basically swap with Julien

- Jota and move to Cadillac

- Jota but don't become a Cadi works driver like Norman not being a Porsche works driver last year

- Retire from racing all together and continue as Porsche ambassador or driver assistant role like Alex Wurz and Timo Bernhard

- Aston Martin for their first season, his experience will help the current Aston GT drivers who move up to prototypes

- Genesis/Hyundai, driver when they come into WEC (I've heard maybe 2026 but it's just a rumour), but join now to help develop car, connections to Jacky Ickx (as Jacky is a Genesis ambassador) and Andre could have Hyundai connections from Japan (ik that Hyundai is from South Korea but some Toyota or Honda people could have moved brands)

- Back to FE to do pundit stuff and comms and continue as a Porsche test and reserve driver like this year (could also potentially help Andretti as they are customers of Porsche)

- Back to FE in a bombshell move to Kiro (probs won't happen though)

- Retire from pro racing and go do historic racing like Dario Franchitti and Tom Kristensen

- Go back to Audi and help develop their F1 car with Neel (probably the least likely option but it would be quite funny considering what Andre's opinions on F1 are)

[netscapenavigator-official]

Hey thanks for being an EV positive, yet still corporate critical and Tesla negative blog. My first car is an EV that I just got end of last year, and most discussion surrounding them has been... odd. It's either you're an elon bootlicker, someone who hates tesla and therefore also ALL EVs, or the conspiracy nuts who think they're woke death traps. There's some genuinely cool things about EVs, and while I don't think they'll be the entire solution for ICE cars, they have a place i think.

I think there's a middle ground for electric vehicles to exist in a more sustainable future, even if they won't (or shouldnt) be as widespread as ICE cars. Plus, driving one is just straight up fun, and this is coming from a person who used to HATE driving

Now this is an EV take on Tumblr Dot Com that I can get behind! I'll try to keep this as non-rambly as possible, but I love this topic a lot, and sometimes I just like talking about things... Sorry in advance...

I've certainly seen the division in EV opinions, too. It's shame that Tesla Fanboys ruined them for a lot of people, and Elon Musk really sealed the deal. A lot of left-leaning people on Tumblr (and the internet in general) have really been sucking down the oil industry's propaganda lately because they can't bring themselves to separate their opinion of Tesla and EVs in general. It's even starting to leach into the far-left's opinion of green technologies as a whole... which is certainly disheartening.

I, however, also find electric cars really fascinating, so that's why I enjoy talking about them so much on this blog. The concept of a car that does everything you need transportation to do, but silently, smoothly, and with zero-emissions is just so cool. Also, they kinda just... make sense. Like, I plug my dryer into the wall, it does chores. I plug my oven into the wall, it does chore. I plug my phone and laptop into the wall, they do "chores." So why not my car? Like why do I have to go out of my way to a stupid little fueling station and put a liquid in my car that has to be fracked, refined, transported, and then burned? Why can't I just charge my car at home, like every other appliance in my life? And the answer is... I can! And that's really cool! It's such a simple, novel concept, and yet it's been bastardized to hell and back, which I think is a real shame.

On the technology side of things, (in addition to Musk going off the deep end) I just think that Tesla has lost its luster. It got comfy in its market position, stopped innovating, and the legacy automakers caught up. The Hyundai Kia Motor Group is doing far more impressive things, imo. I mean, bringing 800V, sub-20 minute charging to cars that start under $50K is extremely impressive, especially when you consider the ONLY other cars that have and do that are the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, Lucid Air, and Tesla Cybertruck (all cars that start over $80,000). Also, not to fangirl too much, but what Kia did with the EV9's drivetrain is downright industry leading... and tbh... I just don't see how people can see the innovations that companies like Hyundai, Lucid, Rivian, etc. are bringing to the market... and still think that Tesla makes good electric cars, let alone good cars at all.

Also, I completely mirror your opinion on the necessity of EVs. Being pro-electric cars doesn't mean you're pro-car dependency. Even in public transportation havens like the Netherlands or Japan, cars still have a place. Whether it be industrial, commercial, or niche personal reasons, cars will most likely have a place in the transportation world for the foreseeable future, and my philosophy regarding that is: So long as they exist, it's better for them to be zero-emission. I genuinely hope to see a public and mass transit revolution in my life time. I hope Americans will see public transportation be better funded and more accessible. I also hope, one day, people who don't want to own a car, won't have to. However, in the meantime (and for those people in the future who simply can't use public transportation for their transportation needs) an electric car is better than a ICE one. Period.

That's not to say EVs don't bring their own environmental challenges. They do. However, my opinion on the matter simply mirrors what studies and research show us: EVs are better for the environment than ICE cars, even if they aren't perfect. Every step in the right direction is a good thing, and a lack of perfection is not an excuse to to wallow and let things get worse.

And P.S.

How fun that your first car is electric! I'm totally jealous. I hope it brings you many many years of reliable transportation, well into the future. <3

[chaejhst]

240705 Hyundai Japan's Youtube video

KONA | 走るほど広がる世界 メイキング Full Version | ヒョンデ

[zikbitume]

@OfficialWRC · #WRC I #WRCLive I #RallyJapan

[cosmosbeelover]

The History of Korean Male Groups – From Yeonhee Professional Singers’ Quartet to BTS -> Pt. 6.5/? (Rewrite)

In Part 6.5 of The History of Korean Male Groups, I will conclude the discussion initiated in Part 6 and begin exploring the Third Republic of Korea, which lasted from 1963 to 1972. This era is marked by significant historical events that continue to influence contemporary discussions and are intricately connected to the contributions of Korean artists from that time. A summary of these events will be provided, along with relevant videos at the end of this post; however, I urge readers to pursue additional independent research to deepen their comprehension of this facet of Korean history.

Third Republic of Korea

The Third Republic of Korea, which existed from December 1963 to November 1972, emerged following the disbandment of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction that had toppled the Second Republic and instituted a military regime in May 1961. Park Chung Hee (박정희), who served as the Chairman of the Supreme Council, was elected as the President of South Korea during the presidential election of 1963.

Although the Third Republic was ostensibly characterized by a return to civilian governance through the National Assembly, it functioned as a dictatorship dominated by Park, members of the Supreme Council, and the Democratic Republican Party. . The regime emphasized economic growth, anti-communism, and the enhancement of relations with the United States and Japan. Park secured re-election in 1967 and, with the National Assembly's support, amended the constitution to enable a third term, which he won in 1971. In December 1971, he declared a state of emergency and later proposed reunification with North Korea in July 1972. The October Restoration in 1972 saw the imposition of martial law, the dissolution of the National Assembly, and the announcement of a new constitutional framework. The Third Republic ultimately ended with the ratification of the Yusin Constitution in November 1972, leading to the establishment of the Fourth Republic of Korea.

Park Chung Hee

Park Chung Hee (박정희; November 14, 1917 – October 26, 1979) was a prominent South Korean politician and military officer who held the position of the third president of South Korea from 1962 until his assassination in 1979, following his rise to power through the May 16 coup in 1961. He is often considered one of the most influential figures in Korean history, although his legacy as a military dictator remains a subject of debate.

Prior to his presidency, Park served as the second-highest-ranking officer in the South Korean army. His coup effectively ended the interim Second Republic of Korea, and after two years as the head of the military junta, he was elected president in 1963, marking the beginning of the Third Republic. A staunch anti-communist, he fostered strong relations with the United States, which had maintained a significant military presence in South Korea since the Korean War. He endorsed American military actions in Southeast Asia and dispatched South Korean forces to Vietnam shortly after assuming power. Park implemented a series of economic reforms that resulted in remarkable economic growth and industrialization, a period now referred to as the Miracle on the Han River. This transformation positioned South Korea as one of the fastest-growing economies during the 1960s and 1970s, though it came at the expense of labor rights. Additionally, this period saw the emergence of chaebols, state-supported family-owned conglomerates akin to Japan's zaibatsu, with notable examples including Hyundai, LG, and Samsung.

Official presidential portrait, 1970s

Park's prominence, which peaked in the 1960s, began to decline in the 1970s, marked by narrow electoral victories in the 1971 presidential and subsequent legislative elections. In 1972, he imposed martial law following a self-coup and enacted the authoritarian Yushin Constitution, establishing the Fourth Republic. As a dictator, Park suppressed political dissent, exerted control over the military, and regulated media and artistic expression. His assassination in 1979 by Kim Jae-gyu (김재규), the KCIA director, occurred in the context of the Busan–Masan Uprising, leaving the nature of the act—spontaneous or premeditated—ambiguous. Despite the political upheaval following his death, economic growth persisted, leading to Choi Kyu-hah's (최규하) brief presidency before Chun Doo-Hwan’s (전두환) military takeover. The eventual democratization of South Korea was realized through the  June Democratic Struggle in 1987.

Park's legacy remains contentious within South Korean political discussions, complicating objective assessments of his administration. While some acknowledge his role in fostering economic development that transformed South Korea, others condemn his authoritarian governance, particularly post-1971, for compromising civil liberties and human rights in favour of economic stability and social order. A Gallup Korea survey in October 2021 identified Park, alongside former adversaries Kim Dae-jung (김대중) and Roh Moo-hyun (노무현), as among the most positively regarded presidents in South Korean history, particularly among conservatives and older demographics. His daughter, Park Geun-hye (박근혜), later became the 11th president of South Korea, serving from 2013 until her impeachment and conviction on corruption charges in 2017.

Rise to power

On April 26, 1960, Syngman Rhee, the first president of South Korea, was ousted from power and forced into exile due to the April Revolution, a movement primarily driven by students. Later that year, on July 29, Yun Po-sun was elected president; however, the actual authority resided with Prime Minister Chang Myon. The new administration faced immediate challenges, as neither leader could secure the loyalty of a significant faction within the Democratic Party or agree on cabinet appointments. In an effort to maintain the fragile coalition, Prime Minister Chang reshuffled cabinet positions three times within a span of five months.

The newly established government grappled with an economy plagued by years of mismanagement and corruption during Rhee's tenure, while simultaneously facing pressure from the student activists who had played a crucial role in his removal. Demonstrations became a common occurrence, with protesters demanding extensive political and economic reforms. The situation was exacerbated by a decline in public safety and widespread distrust of the police, which had been closely aligned with Rhee's regime, leading to a loss of support for the ruling Democratic Party amid ongoing factional disputes.

Park Chung-hee shook hands with General Guy S. Meloy Jr. during his visit to the United Nations Command in 1961.

In this climate of unrest and division, Major General Park established the Military Revolutionary Committee. Anticipating his imminent retirement, he accelerated the committee's plans, culminating in a military coup on May 16, 1961, which was ostensibly led by Army Chief of Staff Chang Do-yong, who defected on the day of the coup. Following this upheaval, Chang Myon announced his resignation along with his cabinet on May 18. Yun Po-sun accepted the coup and successfully convinced the United States Eighth Army and various commanders of the Republic of Korea Army to refrain from intervening in the transition of power.

A new administration emerged from military officers loyal to Park, with General Chang nominally at the helm of the reformist military Supreme Council for National Reconstruction. However, after Chang's arrest in July 1961, Park assumed full control of the council. The coup was generally embraced by a populace weary of ongoing political instability.

Following the coup, Park was elevated to the rank of Lieutenant General. Historian Hwang Moon Kyung characterized Park's governance as distinctly "militaristic," emphasizing his early efforts to organize South Korean society along militaristic principles. One of his initial initiatives involved a campaign to "clean up" urban areas, which included arresting the homeless and assigning them to work in "welfare centers." American historian Carter Eckert noted that the historiography surrounding Park often overlooks the significant influence of his militaristic worldview on his approach to South Korea's modernization, as well as the impact of Japanese militarism on his establishment of what is referred to as a "developmental dictatorship." Eckert described South Korea under Park as one of the most militarized states globally, highlighting his unprecedented efforts to instil militarization within South Korean society.

Within the Imperial Japanese Army, there existed a conviction that the principles of bushido would imbue Japanese soldiers with an indomitable spirit, rendering them invulnerable in combat. The Japanese perceived warfare primarily as a contest of will, where the side possessing the greater resolve would inevitably triumph. Park, influenced by his training under Japanese officers, often expressed the belief that "we can do anything if we try," positing that sheer willpower could surmount any challenge. Interviews conducted by Eckert with Park's close associates revealed a consensus that Park's formative experiences in officer training in Manchukuo were pivotal to his character, with his friends asserting that understanding his values necessitated an appreciation of his Ilbonsik sagwan kyoyuk, reflective of the ethos of an Imperial Japanese Army officer.

On June 19, 1961, the military council established the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) to thwart counter-coups and neutralize perceived threats, both internal and external. The KCIA was endowed with investigative powers and the authority to arrest individuals suspected of misconduct or harbouring anti-government views. Under the leadership of its inaugural director, retired Brigadier General Kim Jong-pil, who was related to Park and a key architect of the coup, the agency expanded its influence into economic and foreign affairs, thereby consolidating its role in the governance of South Korea.

Park with U.S. President John F. Kennedy in Washington, D.C., on November 14, 1961.

President Yun's tenure provided a veneer of legitimacy to the military regime. Following his resignation on March 24, 1962, Lt. General Park, who was the chairman of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, seized the opportunity to strengthen his authority by assuming the role of acting president and receiving a promotion to full general. Under pressure from the Kennedy administration, Park committed to reinstating civilian governance.

In 1963, he successfully ran for president as the nominee of the newly established Democratic Republican Party, appointing Park Myung-keun, the party's Vice Leader, as the head of the President's Office. Park won the election against former President Yun, representing the Civil Rule Party, by a narrow margin of just over 156,000 votes, equating to a 1.5 percent lead. He would later secure re-election in 1967, again defeating Yun, albeit with a slightly less challenging campaign.

Yushin Constitution

The governance of the Fourth Republic was characterized by the Yushin Constitution, a framework that drew its nomenclature from the concept of "restoration," akin to the Japanese Meiji Restoration (明治維新, Meiji-ishin), which facilitated Japan's emergence as a global power in the late 19th century. This term Yushin (유신; 維新) implies a significant imperial connotation, reflecting the concentration of power in the presidency, which was a hallmark of the Yushin Constitution. Under this regime, President Park held substantial authority, effectively centralizing governance and diminishing the role of other political entities.

The Yushin Constitution established a highly authoritarian political structure, endowing the president with extensive executive and legislative powers. The presidential term was extended to six years without restrictions on re-election, and the election process was manipulated through an electoral college, the National Conference for Unification, which was designed to limit candidates to a single choice. The president's authority included the ability to suspend constitutional rights and govern by decree, while the National Assembly's power was severely curtailed, as the president could dissolve it at will and appoint a significant portion of its members. This arrangement effectively transformed Park's presidency into a legal dictatorship, leading to widespread but ultimately futile protests against the regime.

Park contended that Western-style liberal democracy was ill-suited for South Korea due to its nascent economic status. He proposed that a "Korean-style democracy," characterized by a robust and unchallenged presidency, was essential for maintaining national stability.

On November 21, 1972, the Yushin Constitution was ratified in a South Korean constitutional referendum, receiving an extraordinary 92.3% approval from a turnout of 91.9%. This constitution led to the dissolution of the Third Republic and the establishment of the Fourth Republic of Korea. Park was re-elected unopposed for both a fourth term in 1972 and a fifth term in 1978.

The Fourth Republic experienced increased instability as Park's popularity waned and his autocratic governance became more overt during the 1970s. The Yushin Constitution facilitated legal and open violations of civil liberties, particularly aimed at quelling growing opposition, which in turn intensified resistance against his regime. Despite Park's repeated assurances of a transition to full democracy, scepticism regarding his intentions prevailed.

Some Documentaries

Numerous videos document the events of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. I recommend seeking out additional videos related to the aforementioned events for a more comprehensive understanding.

Note this video is 7 hours long

[redlightspellsdaanger]

Indigo || Thierry Neuville / Nicolas Gilsoul

Summary: SS17, Rally Japan, 2024. Nicolas Gilsoul is at home watching the broadcast of the last rally of the season.

Rating: R

Word Count: 3,2k

Warning / notes: M/M. One sided. Unrequited. Toxic.

A/N: Title inspired by Annalisa's Indaco Violento. ("violent indigo") Not enough written about these two out there! I'd love to write a longer story but since I don't know if I'll ever find the time to do it, I decided to put a few ideas in a one-shot.

Dedicated to @magnycours2004 ! ✨🎶

You can check below ⬇️⬇️ or go straight to ArchiveofOurOwn.

INDIGO

“I do not believe what I am seeing! First stage of the final day and Ott Tänak is off the road!”

The wrecked Hyundai i20 that was slumped in the narrow stream had clearly suffered terminal damage. The director cut to live footage from another camera, from a different car; Martijn Wydaeghe was on the screen now. His face broke into a smile a split second before Thierry entered the frame to hug him, lifting him off the floor, the newly crowned world champions locked in a tight embrace. 

Numb, Nicolas grabbed the remote and switched off the TV. He remained in the same position in the dark, sat on the couch with one leg crossed over the other.

He felt nothing for the longest time. It would be nice if Belgium won a title, but Nicolas wasn’t particularly invested one way or another. He had only intended on watching one or two stages of the final day of the rally before heading off to bed anyway and, much like everyone else, he hadn’t expected to see the title being decided so soon. 

There was a light throbbing on the side of his head which wasn't there before. He pulled on the fabric of his shirt, his chest suddenly feeling constricted and making it hard to breathe. Hauling himself up, Nicolas used the back of the couch and the dinner table for support as he walked towards the windows to catch some fresh air and fight an unsettling sensation of dizziness. 

The living room had been plunged into darkness since he'd switched off the TV. The only source of light were the street lamps outside. Everything was quiet, the car park devoid of life, nothing going on - a stark contrast with the storm brewing inside his head. The images of car nº 11’s crew celebrating played in his head in a loop. Andreas Mikkelsen, by a twist of fate, had to be there too, of course. 

He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands; scratched his chin, noticing his mouth turned downwards. Disgusted at the way he couldn’t control his emotions. Nicolas was so sure he wouldn’t care one way or another, there was simply no reason to feel lightheaded like this, with rocks weighing in his stomach. His heart rate had picked up drastically in the meanwhile. Glancing at the cabinet in the corner, he wondered whether the pills he hadn't touched in a long time were on the right or left side. He gritted his teeth, refusing to give up so easily. Grasping the windowsill, he braced himself on it, head hung forwards. 

“Bravo, Nicolas!”

He needed water. He had to drink water, his mouth was so dry. Heading to the kitchen, he filled a glass to the brim and chugged it as though he'd crossed the Sahara on foot. A few droplets ran down the side of his mouth, dropping from his chin to his shirt. 

“Tu vas bien?!”

He wiped at it with the back of his hand and filled another one. A crowd roared in his ears and he squeezed his eyes shut trying to mute it. He ambled back towards the living room, holding the glass so tightly that his knuckles were white. He blinked, willing the memories of seeing them dry and dirty and smelling of Corona beer away; or how the dust made his nose itch. The phantom sensation of his back stinging after landing from a massive jump. Boiling hot temperatures, fabric layers sticking like glue to his body from sweat. Excited laughter in the intercom. German chattering around him.

A familiar warm, spicy scent from a distinctive perfume set off butterflies in his belly and made his knees go weak.

Shaking his head, he tried to get rid of it all but the flashes and memories, voices, sharp, almond shaped eyes zeroing on the road ahead… bits and pieces from the past resurfaced against his will in a steady flow, swirling and they wouldn't stop. A feeling of nausea was rising from his stomach to his throat, he was choking and he feared he was going to be sick. Nicolas took a deep breath, exhaling with effort, and braced himself with both hands flat on the dinner table, glaring at the wooden surface. 

It should have been him. 

A decade of hard work and dedication and everything else in his life made secondary, only to end up treated like a dirty rag and dismissed. His career, over; his life, destroyed. All to watch some inexperienced midget kid from the weather crew picking up the laurels. 

Thierry was nothing without Nicolas. 

His heart was beating wildly inside his chest, so loud in his ears that he was sure he was about to have a stroke and die. He tightened the grasp on the emptied glass of water, anguished. An overwhelming need of release hit him and, seeing red, he slung it with a guttural scream, following as it smashed against the wall opposite into pieces, shards shining in the air like fairy dust.

His neighbour next door yelled at him, the old hag, as if this was any of her business. As if he wasn't in his own house.

“Taisez-vous!” Nicolas shouted back.

He clenched his fists, shaking, his chest heaving with his shallow breaths. 

Thierry was a kid to whom Nicolas taught everything. A very talented and hard working kid but who would merely be fumbling around without guidance. Without the guidance Nicolas had provided. It wasn’t Thierry’s family, nor his manager, nor the rest of his team that would sit next to him in the car, experiencing every single kilometre on the road, the adrenaline, the highs and the lows. It was him. No one else could possibly understand the feeling of being in the car.

“Yoo-hoo! Bravo, bravo, bravo!”

Staggering towards the cabinet before he realised what he was doing, he desperately swung the doors open, one after the other, to get to the small plastic bottle. His fingers were trembling as he struggled to open the lid. He jiggled it until one capsule dropped on the palm of his hand. And then again until a second one rolled out. Popping them in his mouth, Nicolas threw his head back, closing his eyes as he swallowed them. He then took a deep breath and collapsed on the armchair, begging for the whirl in his head to dissipate. 

The divorce was inevitable by the time it occurred, Nicolas would be the first to admit. Their partnership had run its course, at least in the terms that had been established. He hadn't chosen the circumstances and honestly couldn’t care less how his former driver would deal with the aftermath of the decision, he craved distance first and foremost. But the timing did give him a perverse satisfaction in the middle of all the pain, with Thierry scrambling to find someone to sit by his side with only a few days to go before Monte. One of his friends would surely loyally stand in and help him save face but crashing out of the rally to avoid further embarrassment would perhaps be a blessing in disguise. 

It didn’t quite go that way. Not in Monte Carlo, not in the other rallies that followed.

However, season after season Nicolas found closure. There were more wins but the lack of better results in the championship helped him cope. Thierry finally got what he wanted: he was in charge in the car, and he even seemed fond of his new co-driver. In the way one is fond of a pet, that is. Martijn's submissive behaviour in and out of the car sickened him. But it was too late anyway, Thierry had peaked in the sport. Knowing he hadn't achieved with anyone else the unbelievable highs they did together softened the blow. 

With time, Nicolas stopped caring about his former driver’s career and even the WRC to an extent; time healed all wounds and not even the way this season had unfolded bothered him.

Or so he had believed.

Closing his eyes again, he could see the pier in Sardinia crystal clear, as he ran to dive in the Mediterranean after Thierry. Their first trophy in the WRC nearly slipping from their hands along with the coolant leaking from the radiator. The sheer fairytale of their first win in Germany. Utter despair in Australia after narrowly missing out on the title.

Thierry’s head on his shoulder as he snored softly, during another exhausting, long haul flight. Thierry smiling at the camera lens as Nicolas snapped a photo over dinner at some nondescript restaurant. Thierry falling asleep midway reviewing notes late at night, the two sitting together on his bed at the hotel. Waiting in companionable silence for the doctors to release them in a Chilean hospital, grateful they survived to tell the tale. The nightclub in Sardinia.

The nightclub in Sardinia. Nicolas tipped his head back, resting it on top of the backrest, swallowing thickly at the memories. 

They had beaten a five time world champion fair and square. Nicolas wasn’t big on drinking, wasn’t big on clubbing either as he didn’t like the music they played at nightclubs. He loathed excesses, so in general he tended to avoid those places; but this time it was warranted. The whole team had been ecstatic. Thierry was partying hard. It was a side of him he was less familiar with, even though they were friends and quite close. His driver took only calculated risks in everything in his life that didn’t involve cars, which wasn't that much anyway, but Nicolas understood he was no stranger to crossing the line at nightclubs occasionally. 

Tonight seemed to be one of those nights. He was loose, uninhibited. In the carefree way he laughed, in the sleek way he moved, none of that particular awkwardness or geekiness Nicolas was used to. The black shirt he wore had a couple more undone buttons than usual, teasing less innocent onlookers with a glimpse of smooth chest. His face was flushed in an attractive way, as if he had been in the car. He was a siren.

Nicolas wasn’t sure when he'd started looking at him differently. He couldn’t pinpoint the moment he had stopped seeing him as the boyband extra wannabe, as someone had once called him. He liked the relationship they had and the privileged position the gap in their ages and experiences gave him, despite technically being an employee. It was a nice change, after so many years of it being the other way around with his drivers. And maybe others caught on to it first, for sure the closeness and the focus on the job stopped him from realising it earlier (it wasn't like Nicolas was less perceptive than other people) - but his driver's glow up had been very real. Not just physically but in the way he carried himself. The more self assured Thierry grew and rebelled against him behind the cameras, the more annoying it should be; but although losing control over him did them no favours, the provocative nature had ignited something else. Other strong emotions were now simmering inside Nicolas.

Thierry was gesturing a lot, clinking classes and laughing with the guys from the team and some very keen and eager Italian fans. And then they turned physical, shoving at each other and moshing, laughing stupidly loud, inebriated. Thierry wobbled when someone pushed harder and lost balance, stumbling over in Nicolas’ general direction. 

It was like it'd been scripted. All Nicolas had to do was to open his arms and catch him. Thierry wasn’t light by any means but as a dead weight like that, it took all his strength to hold him on impact. He landed against his body, all hard muscle, sizzling hot and with a dizzying scent from his eau de parfum. Letting out an uncharacteristic giggle, he hugged Nicolas one armed, breathing hard against his neck. He was vibrating. 

With one arm firmly wrapped around his waist and the other hand set on his hip, Nicolas took a sharp intake of breath and pulled back, feeling Thierry’s fingers clawing at his shoulders like his life depended on it. He was blinded by big and sparkly, doe-like green eyes gazing intensely into his, lips curved up in a small smile. The world stopped turning and Nicolas was convinced that Thierry was about to do something exceptionally crazy. The thrill of realising he might be seeing Nicolas in a different light, at last, contrasted with the rising panic of being in public.

Thierry drew closer and plopped a sloppy kiss on his cheek. He was grinning when he pulled back, all dimples and a glint of lunacy in his eyes. “Merci!”

He felt it as soon as Thierry extracted himself from his hold, a terrible coldness. Nicolas wanted more. 

The wheels were turning in his brain as he watched his driver. The group continued laughing, posing for all sorts of silly photos and jumping to the beat, some David Guetta song even Nicolas recognised because Thierry played it all the time in the car. 

He had never looked at Nicolas like that before, he had never felt so seen.  

Maybe it was time to get him back to the hotel. 

Thierry would be vulnerable, intoxicated like that. He could do something he would regret or could get hurt. Nicolas should protect him and take him to the hotel room. If Thierry wanted to drink, then he could keep him company. They could celebrate their victory together. Wouldn't that be nice? Just the two of them, away from prying eyes. In the privacy of a hotel room he’d be safe because Nicolas would take care of him. Give him everything he'd crave. And in turn, be rewarded for all of his hard work, too. 

Nicolas deserved this. It was high time Thierry showed his appreciation and recognition for all he did for him.

Moving quickly through the crowd, powered by feverish anticipation, he wasn't even worried about how he'd convince him to go with him, he just knew he would, Thierry trusted him. He was trying not to grin as he approached the group, when dread installed in the pit of his stomach. 

Andreas was back. The two were hugging now, far too cosy for Nicolas’ taste once again. Thierry’s forehead rested on the crook of his neck and Andreas’ arm slid around his waist. The glass in his hand was shaking precariously and Andreas grabbed it, taking a sip and not returning it. The urge to break them apart was immense but Nicolas had to be patient. Thierry was looking the worse for wear, so it shouldn't be difficult at all to convince him to leave. But then he saw Andreas’ arm slipping down his back; blood froze in his veins as he saw the Norwegians's hand moving lower, sliding into the back pocket of Thierry’s tight jeans. 

He was whispering in his ear and Thierry was shaking his head, still laughing. More whispering and after a glance over his shoulder at the group - his eyes momentarily meeting Nicolas’ - he was steering him around and away from everyone. They were leaving together. 

There was nothing Nicolas could do, all his hopes slipping through his fingers like smoke. Abandoned, feeling pathetic and used, he returned to the hotel on his own, swallowing his anger. This was all Thierry's fault. Unlocking the door to his room and stepping into the dark, he imagined his driver would be there somehow, waiting for him with an apology on the tip of his tongue. 

Thierry would be sitting on the edge of the bed as he approached, blinking up at him, so docile. His lips were always chapped but in Nicolas’ fantasy they were just as pouty but soft and ready. He’d gently tip his chin up and then remove his glasses, the orange ones that he rallied with. He’d held them many times before but it had never felt this intimate. He’d trace along the line of his jaw with his fingertip, the stubble grazing his skin, and then the curve of his mouth.

Nicolas was hard as a rock. 

The way Thierry's lips curled in that delicate, alluring pout drove him mad. He may want many things from him but when basic primary instincts took over, this was all he needed. Fingering through his driver's dark hair with one hand, he cupped the back of his head, while with the other he would, wordlessly, unzip the fly of his trousers. He would hold him firm while Thierry dutifully sucked him. The low moan on the back of his throat when he rocked his hips faster would make him bite his lip until it bled. Oh, putain. He would let his eyes close, lost in the sensation. 

They weren't in a hotel with fuschia walls anymore. It was a beautiful field of strawberries. 

Nicolas woke up from his slumber and realised that he was in his living room in Belgium, sunk in his armchair cushions. He wasn’t sure how long it had been. 

He couldn't help but reflect some more about the past. At his most rational, Nicolas knew nothing had happened that night with Andreas. If ever. Thierry and Andreas had been friends for many years, they liked to go out together, they spent time together with their respective girlfriends. He had never heard of either of them as much as glancing twice at another man. Thierry himself was too busy with cars to even pay proper attention to his neglected girlfriends, let alone to another human being. He was very affectionate at the right moments to make up for his shortcomings, when it best served his interests too, but that was it. He wasn't like Nicolas. Nicolas treated his partners well. He would treat him well too, if Thierry would let him. Nicolas was capable of forgiving him.

But then doubt seeped in, a voice in the back of his head telling him that he wasn't privy to everything that went on behind his back. What if…? Would Thierry really turn to others for things that Nicolas would kill to have the chance to offer him? He would descend into a frenzy at those moments, scratching at his scalp, the scenarios his imagination produced enough to leave him unhinged. Nicolas never let desire interfere, of course, but being so close to him, all day long, week after week, year after year, and all for nothing…it became an echo of their championship hopes. Beyond reach. 

If he looked in the mirror, Nicolas would see little left of his blue eyes. Red rimmed and with dark circles underneath, they would be consumed by indigo. 

If Nicolas were a different man…if Nicolas were a different man, maybe he’d stop giving in to self-destruction tendencies. A different man would destroy other people’s lives instead of his own, for example. He was a self-loathing wimp, though, not strong enough to get over it, not strong enough to punish others.

Sometimes he wondered what would be more effective: to inflict pain directly on him or on his co-driver. Pets could cause a lot of heartbreak after all. 

Other times Nicolas wondered in which rally would he create havoc, undetected, by strategically placing a rock or other obstacle in a way that would make it seem like an accident. It was so easy when you knew how to do it. 

Maybe not tonight. But perhaps one day Nicolas would become a different man.

Fin

[enriquemzn262]

GOODBYE MARIA I'M OFF TO KOREA

Hopefully not the nightmare of existence Korea, which is

Hum

I know I should say "North", but as of late, I keep reading about how absolute awful life in South Korea has become, with a population decline worse than Japan, abhorrent working hours, a student population pressured into borderline studying to death because of some nation-wide exam that basically sets your entire future, how the only good jobs are those found in either Samsung or Hyundai, with people killing themselves if they fail to enter either, and just a general rampant misogyny and sexism towards women that borders on fundamentalism Islam levels of awful.

But the I remember that literally two million people starved to death in North Korea in the 90's, that they still do to this day, that entire generations of families get locked up in force labor camps if any of their family members escapes the country, that life is basically spent worshiping the Kims like they're gods, and if you don't you're executed, and how personal freedoms are effectively non-existent.

I guess the capitalistic one is still better in the end.

Anyway, anon, avoid the Koreas.