#i switched to the save where i did not buy the staff and bought extra weapons and OH BOY DO I LIKE THE DECISION AFTER SEEING CH 20! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

soliverse · 4 years ago

Text

sugar, sugar - z.cl

reader x chenle

genre: angst, fluff

warnings: a kiss in the cheek, cuss words, pessimism (I think that’s about it? Let me know if I missed something.

word count: 6.2k

part of the Candy Hearts Collab by @127-mile (click the link if you want to read the rest of the collab)

synopsis: Your whole life, especially working for your boss, is a living nightmare. That was until you got some sugar in your life.

inspiration:

Isn’t It Romantic (The film from Netflix by Rebel Wilson),

Sugar, Sugar by the Archies

networks

@nctcreations @kdiarynet @kpopscape @kwritersworld @culture-cafe @neowritingsnet @neoswitchnet @czennienet

February 13,202x / 8:00 AM

It was a quiet and peaceful morning. Which is too bad since that’s not what you’re aiming for.

Your alarm should’ve sounded at 6:00AM. Instead, it woke you up an hour late despite how much fumbling and crying that you did make it work last night.

You have completely ditched breakfast, running as fast as you can to the bus stop that never comes and leave as scheduled.

Already half an hour late, you still sat down that bus seat, fidgeting as if not staying calm on your seat will make the bus ride shorter. Right now, the only thing that you’re still holding on to is that small, sliver of hope that you get there before your boss does.

After climbing down the vehicle, you ran like you’re in a marathon and looked for that one window that your coworker always leaves open whenever you’re late like today. You ungracefully climbed up the window of the storage room and met Jisung, who’s already getting himself ready before opening.

“Is he here yet?”

You whispered as you tried to dust your red shirt and smoothened out your wrinkled uniform. The goal is to make yourself look decent, an attempt that you barely managed to accomplish

“He just came in. Hurry up before he notices.”

You mouthed “Thanks” to Jisung before leaving the storage room and sneak into the main entrance to log yourself in for today.

Your eyes scanned the candy-themed decorations for any signs of life (or danger, in your boss’ case) but he is nowhere to be found. You walked casually towards the main entrance, breathing only a sigh of relief as soon as you get to the front door.

Finally feeling at ease, you pressed your thumb on the device that records your time and gave yourself a mental pat in the back for actually pulling it off. At least, before a hand pops out of nowhere and touched you by shoulder.

You yelped at the surprise appearance of your ever-so-stealthy boss right behind you.

“You’re late again.”

He was staring at you with those black intense eyes and his resting bitch face. His expression always made you worry because there’s no way to actually now if he’s mad or not. You kept your head down and tried to avoid as much eye contact as possible.

“Surprised? I saw your little stunt by the window. You know that it’s right in front of my office, right?”

He patted your shoulder before placing his hands back to his pockets.

“You also know that I’ll be deducting that on your payroll, right?”

“Yes sir.”

He didn’t even let you finish and just turned his back at you, walking towards his office.

“That reminds me. We should bolt that window down before someone else tries to sneak in and steal. Tell Jisung to work on that as soon as possible.”

As soon as he’s out the way, you rolled your eyes and went back to straightening the wrinkles off of your uniform.

“Tell Jisung to work on that as soon as possible.” You said, mimicking him made faces behind his back.

As if Jisung knows how to shut that window properly.

After that delightful conversation, you helped Jisung in refilling the candy containers, tidied the shop by little bit, and breathe for one final time today before you opened the shop.

Some people may have imagined working on a candy store to be a dream. You get to bask in all of the aesthetics, you get to interact with children every day, and there’s that perk that you get to enjoy an unlimited supply of sweet treats during your shift.

Oh boy, some people couldn’t have been more wrong.

Your location is near an amusement park, which is already hectic as it is, but you also need to deal with stuff that all retail staff goes through.

If you were to make an entire list of the stressful situations that you have to deal with every single shift, it would take you all day.

There are children throwing temper tantrums because their parents refused to buy the candy that the wanted, entitled Karens demanding free candy because you made her baby cry, teenagers who thinks they’re so smart by stealing handful of candies from their containers while you’re distracted. It’s a mess.

And that’s beside your main source of stress. That one is sitting on his office at the back of the store, probably playing some game on his phone while you act as both staff and manager, is the best boss in the world, Mr. Zhong Chenle.

Note the sarcasm.

That guy deserves a whole separate list by himself.

///

So far, the first few hours of your shift went smoothly. There were a few customers here and there but nothing that you and Jisung can’t handle.

All is well. But if you’ve worked retail before, you would know that those words are cursed.

You’ve always had this thing where you’d get a stomachache whenever something bad is about to happen. Ever since that one nice lady earlier told you to keep the change with a very kind smile, your stomach has been grumbling like crazy.

You sneaked into the counter and sat there for a moment to rest. The pain is bearable, but it makes it very hard for you to breathe properly. After taking a few deep breaths, the pain subsided a little bit.

Until, someone wrapped their arms around you, startling you off the chair and had you freefalling straight into your butt.

“I’m not paying you to slack off Y/N. Do something. I don’t know… rearrange the Valentines display. Just don’t sit around while there’s so much stuff to do.”

He dusted his overprized outfit that probably cost more than your wage, even grabbing the hand sanitizer from his pocket, completely acting like you had a contagious virus that.

Fighting the urge to talk back, you just turned around and went back to work.

Someday, I’m going to punch that resting bitch face off his face.

Someday.

You went back and found Jisung painstakingly arranging the M&M piece by piece, arranged by color, size and filling.

The kid makes you worry sometimes.

He’s a good kid but sometimes he can be a bit… clueless?

You remembered the first time that your boss bought a cotton candy machine and asked you and Jisung to figure out how to operate it. He almost left work with nine fingers that day.

“Hey kid. Bossman wants us to change the Valentines display.” You explained as you walk over to the center of the room where the display case is placed.

“Not again. What does he want this time?”

“I don’t know. His only instruction is do something.”

He whined for a bit, but he followed your lead shortly after and started removing all of the candy jars on display one by one.

You started working on it as well, hoping that he (aka the owner) won’t notice that you just switched the glass containers of the candy displays with each other and then placed them back in their original place.

You realized that he probably didn’t know what the display looked like in the first place. It’s just more unnecessary work just to keep you moving.

To pass the boredom, you decided to dote on the kid that is busy making a bouquet of out of rose-shaped lollipops right beside you.

“Sooo…”

You said in a high-pitched voice and tried to lighten up the mood a little.

“Any plans for the V-day?”

He stops for a moment, bowing his head down while he tried to hide his shy smile.

“I’m taking this girl out bowling.”

You squealed and poked his side to tease him. He used to be a little highschool kid that you were told to keep an eye on just in case he accidentally kills himself. It was a headache at first, but he grew on you and now he feels like your honorary little brother.

“Awww. My Jisungie is grown up. It felt like it was just yesterday when I was to trying to teach you to tie your own shoelaces. And now, you’ve got a girlfriend”

“Uhm Y/N. That was yesterday.”

You were about to pinch his cheeks once again when Chenle squeezed himself in between you and Jisung.

“And now you’re flirting. Geez. Do I have to do everything around here?”

Why does this guy keep popping out of nowhere?

He stared you and Jisung down before he slithered back to his office once again. You just stood there in disbelief, shaking your head as you went back to work.

///

The end of the day went by smoothly, which made you worry even more. As you return some of the candy displays back to the stock room, you can’t help but think that today was just the calm before the storm.

Take last year’s Valentines for example.

The shop was stuffed with that a customer fainted because of suffocation. Jisung was bleeding because some guy punched him for flirting with his girlfriend (even though the poor kid is just being nice and gave her one of the extra candy flowers.)

And oh, no dates. While everyone is busy celebrating the love that they will share together you celebrated at the fact that the day is all over.

Ever since you’ve started working at that shop, you’ve never really tried to meet new people. You keep explaining that you’re tired all day. That your job is very demanding time-wise and physically. But in reality, no one just asked you out.

You could’ve quit, but who would take in a highschool graduate without work experience? You’ve barely saved up for a whole college semester, let alone the curriculum. There’s nothing to do besides suck it up.

It’s just one of those things that you stop celebrating as you get older.

Valentine’s day, your birthday, your birthday which is the same day as Valentine’s day.

Sighing, you picked up the stack of empty boxes that you needed to take outside for the garbage truck. Once again, Chenle pops out of nowhere, hitting some of the boxes that tumbled back on the floor. His are arms folded at his chest, sneering because of the mess that he created.

“Will you clean up this mess? It’s almost closing.”

You just pursed your lips, nodding as you stacked the boxes once again, trying very hard not to lose your composure.

“And will you please close the lights outside this time? I doubt that can pay for the damages if this shop burns down.”

Back turned against your employer, you picked up the boxes from the floor. You’re just glad that it is tall enough to cover most of your face. If someone could see your face right now, they would say that it is the face of someone that is about to murder somebody. Which is getting closer and closer to reality every single time Chenle opens his mouth.

Besides, you left one of the lights open one time. His petty ass just can’t seem to live it down.

“I’ll make sure to double check before leaving, sir.”

“Good. Make it quick.”

Holding out the boxes, you figured that he’d at least hold the door out for you. You had that one tiny glimmer of hope that he’s nice after all and you judged him too hastily.

Nope.

He slams the door right behind him and closed the lights from outside.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

You slammed the boxes down to search for the lights and open the door for yourself.

Just one punch. I need just one punch and that’s it. He’s gonna get what’s coming to him.

Scrambling in the dark, you almost faceplanted as you tripped one of the boxes in your way. With your arms stretched out as you feel up your surroundings, it took you a few minutes before you’ve finally managed to open the switch and see the mass that you made while stumbling.

You just facepalmed and stood there for a while, reminding yourself to take deep breaths and calm yourself before you actually burn this place down.

One by one, you stacked the boxes once again in one corner, making sure secure them this time. Keeping the door open, you’ve successfully placed them inside the bins.

One box in particular fell down to the ground. You picked it up to stuff it back to the garbage can but the motion made a rattling noise.

I must’ve missed a piece.

You dusted off the nearby pavement and sat down so you can open the box.

Inside was a few bags of candy, adorned with the usual red and white swirls with the text “Sweet Escape” taking over most of the packaging.

This one must be new.

You stuffed the box back to the garbage can, looked around for signs of a snooping, grumpy adult and placed candy on one of your back pockets.

If your boss found out that you messed up the inventory again, he will not hesitate to fire you. You’re just gonna have to sneak it inside before he gets there tomorrow. Well, assuming that your alarm clock works this time.

///

“Mom, what’s for dinner?”

You closed the door behind you and took off your shoes as entered your living room.

Throwing your keys and jacket aside, you’ve just noticed that the lights are all off and the house is eerily quiet.

You grunted as your sore feet walked itself to the kitchen, only to find a single note on the counter.

Me and your sister went out to eat tonight. Just order something for dinner

Love Mom,

All you ever wanted that night that you just to a nice, warm dinner and go straight to the bed and shut yourself from the world.

Great. No breakfast and dinner.

Fuck my life.

You threw the note in the garbage bin and just stomped your way to your room. You felt like breaking down at that moment but you didn’t have the strength to make cry and make a fuss. Maybe you can just sleep all the frustrations off and feel a lot better tomorrow.

Maybe it doesn’t get much worse than this.

You scoffed.

Sike.

As if.

You slammed yourself to bed but soon realized that it wasn’t a very good idea.

You felt something in your pocket popped and it made a huge mess in your bed. You took it out of the pocket and realized that it was the bag of candy from earlier. The seams popped out and tore open from being squished by a tired, underpaid employee.

At this point, you just glared and cursed yourself once as you cleaned the candy off of your bed. Some of the candy is inside the box, so you cupped your hands and poured the remaining contents to your palms. It was filled with tiny colorful candy hearts, which looked appetizing despite the tiny bits of disfiguration and the fact that it was in your pockets the whole time.

Well, I guess this is dinner then.

You popped the candy in your mouth, letting it sit as it oozes a strong citrusy flavor. It had a texture similar to those fever tablets for kids. In fact, it tasted like medicine a bit, too.

The citrus taste kept on spreading in your mouth and your face now contorted to a grimace. It felt like all moisture is getting sucked out of your body.

They sell this to kids?

You ran to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water to water the taste down. It didn’t do anything, so, you kept on chugging more and more water until you’ve finished an entire gallon of liquids.

You sat down at the kitchen floor and breathe a sigh of relief. The taste finally left your tastebuds, but you can still feel your body feeling repulsed by the extreme sour sugary candies that you just consumed.

Drinking one more glass of water, you went back to your room and changed into your comfortable clothes, finally ready to leave this day behind.

Let’s just hope that those candy bits won’t get you sued tomorrow.

///

February 14,202x / 8:00 AM

The alarm started blaring off from its place, scaring you shitless and making you jump out of bed in panic.

You could've have been happier and more annoyed at the same time.

You leaned against your bedroom wall, giving yourself a few minutes to calm yourself down before you decided to turn off the alarm.

Once your heartbeat has cooled down, you stepped back to the bedside table and pressed the alarm button to check the time.

8:00AM

"Dammit!”

Your heart started to race once again. This time, it’s the adrenaline rush that’s making you move faster than normal. You even contemplated about getting a shower. However, you're already screwed as it is, you're not going to work without breakfast and shower again.

You stepped back to your room, wrapped on a bathrobe and panting like you just ran a marathon. Digging into your own closet, you noticed that your uniform, a red polo shirt and matching star white pants, is missing from your closet.

"Mom! Have you seen my uniform?"

You shouted from your room but you heard no answer. It seems like they didn't stay the night either.

Great.

Seeing as how your day started, you've deemed the rest of the day unsalvageable and just grabbed the closest thing to red that you have on your closet, which is a red frilly blouse and a white paneled skirt that you've never worn before. It's right at the bottom of your closet, so you've figured you or your mother bought this before and just forgot all about it.

You also grabbed one of your newer shoes to match and bolted to the front door as fast as possible.

You locked the door behind you, only to be spooked as you turned around to see a car parked in your driveway.

It was one of those fancy ones too. The ones that have their doors open at the side like an alien spaceship.

You only know one person in the world that's flashu enough to ride one. And he's just came out of the car.

"Happy birthday! You're pretty early..."

Chenle smiled as jogs over to you, keys jingling on his fingers, and gave you a small peck on the cheek.

You stood there in your porch, frozen.

Zhong Chenle knows how to smile. And he knows about your birthday

"I was about to call you but I didn't want to wake you up. So, I came over instead. Did you eat your breakfast yet?"

You shook your head hesitantly, still unable to speak and process the situation.

"No good, young lady. Go back inside. We're not leaving with an empty stomach."

///

Here's something that you never encounter every day. Your spawn-of-the-devil employer is making you pancakes in the kitchen. And you finally have fresh milk in your fridge.

What happened to the world while you were sleeping?

"I'm not a professional chef but at least it's edible."

He said as he placed a perfectly fine plate full of fluffy pancakes right in front of you. Is this him being cocky?

He sets the apron aside and sat down right in front you, grabbing a plate and a piece of pancake for himself.

"Go on... Tell me if it's good."

You hesitantly took a bite, and then chewed in silence as Chenle expectantly watched you from the side. You set the fork down, speechless.

They're as good on the inside as they looked on the outside.

"You don't like it?"

He sounded upset. It wasn't like "I can't believe you forgot to do this thing that I told you" upset either. He looked at you with his puppy dog eyes and a bit of a pout.

You froze. What if all of this is trick? And this is just is way of firing you, like letting you down gently in case you formed a vendetta and burn the shop down in your anger.

Which, for the record, is partly true.

"Uhm. It's nice. It's very niceee"

In your panic, you might've overdone the compliment. It sounded like you're on gunpoint and you had to say it to live. Nevertheless, he still smiled to himself and took the compliment well, even pouring you another glass of milk so "it would go down better".

The interaction alone gave you the chills. It felt like you're walking on thin ice and the former Chenle will come out and bury you alive. But even that would've sound more real than what's about to happen next.

Like the gentleman that he is, he opened the car door for you. You never even got the chance to question where the two of you are going. After sitting down, just when you're about you're about to ask, he held your hand and gave it a kiss.

"You buckled up?"

"Uhm. Yes..."

Still holding your hand, he pressed some buttons on the dashboard and then music started playing. You recognized that it was that song, Sugar Sugar by The Archies. It’s one of the songs that you ironically played in the candy shop. There was also Sugar by Maroon 5, Sugar by Florida.

Well, you get the point.

“Sugar Ah, honey, honey You are my candy girl And you got me wanting you…”

He proceeds to sing along to the song merrily as he backed up your driveway. Meanwhile you sat there quietly as you tried to assess your situation.

Is this kidnapping? Would it be considered kidnapping if I willingly went inside the vehicle?

Once you’ve realized how ridiculous you sounded in your head, you relaxed for a bit and started humming along to the song. It was at this point that you realized that Chenle had a beautiful voice. The song didn’t have high notes, but it was hard to make your voice pop up with the middle register. It sounded stable, like he’s a recording artist.

The atmosphere at the shop would be much better if he sang like this all the time.

…which reminded you of something that Chenle might be neglecting to think.

Panic washed over you and soon, you can’t keep still and moved around your seat a lot.

“Are you comfortable?

He kept on glancing on your direction, keeping you in check for a few moments while he still kept an eye on the road,

“We can make a quick stop if you need something.”

Trying your best to keep yourself still, you finally sat down and placed both of your hands on your lap, like the kids at school when their parents ask them to behave.

“Where are we going again?”

The question finally popped out and you pursed your lips while trying to wait for the answer.

“I don’t know. It’s your day. We can go wherever you want to.”

“Oh.”

It’s not like him to be away from the shop at this time of the day, let alone the whole day. No matter how sucky he is, he did what is best for the shop. It was his baby.

And if the both of you aren’t going, then it only means one thing. His baby is screwed at the hands of someone.

"By the way, who's taking care of the candy shop?"

You tried to ask nonchalantly, but it only came out sounding more inconspicuous.

"Oh yeah. I left Jisung in charge."

He wistfully replied. Suddenly, you feel your head spinning from your seat from the sheer realization that he left the kid alone, in his shop, with no adult/proper supervision.

"You left Jisung alone... In charge... On Valentine's Day"

You turned your gaze away from him, trying to hide your internal panic. You'll be lucky if the guy made it alive until lunch by himself.

"Relax. He'll be fine. He's with the trainees. Figured it might teach them a thing or two in getting the actual job done."

“And with trainees too… oh my god.”

Great. More casualties.

“You don’t mind if we stopped by the shop first, do you?”

“Of course. You’re the boss.”

///

In a few minutes, he pulls over to the parking lot and you’re glad to see the shop in piece. On the outside at least.

You stepped inside the car and practically ran over to the inside of the shop, leaving Chenle behind.

“Welcome to Sweet Escape, how may I help you?”

Two unknown faces greeted you at the door. They must be the trainees that Chenle talked about earlier.

“Would you happen to know where Jisung is?”

They both nodded and pointed to the direction of the left side of the shop, which was supposed to be all the supplies were. Instead, there was Jisung on the register, which by the way looked different from what you can remember.

In fact, the whole shop looked nothing like it was yesterday. The colors seemed more vibrant and festive and the whole thing looked like a candy wonderland. To be honest, it reminded you of that one Katy Perry music video.

Jisung bowed at you formally and wore his usually customer service smile.

“Welcome to Sweet Escape, how may I—”

“How many fingers do you have now?”

You replayed the question in your head and it sounded just as crazy when it came out of your mouth. At this point, you decided to continue on with the question. For obvious safety reasons.

“Uh ma’am. What do you mean?”

“Hold your fingers up. How many do you have?”

He was hesitant to do as you say. Chenle just facepalmed and gestured him to do as you said, putting up all of his tall fingers in the air.

“Ten?”

You breathe a sigh of relief, almost rushing over to hug the confused Jisung when Chenle pulls you from behind.

“Please excuse her for the moment. She’s feeling a bit under the weather.”

He smiled and bowed to Jisung as an apology, another gesture that you haven’t seen him do before, pulling you outside the store to give you some air. Once you’ve reached the parking lot, he placed his hands on your shoulders to hold you still.

“Okay. Since when is hugging my staff became a thing?”

He stares you down with a genuine concerned look on his face.

He placed one of his hands on your forehead.

“It’s not like you’re sick either…”

Chenle sighs, finally releasing you from his grasp

“Tell me. What’s the problem?”

He sat you down at the pavement and gave you enough space to reflect on your actions.

You had the choice to say that you have absolutely no idea what’s happening to you right now, but you thought that he ought to know why you’re acting that way. Now, you just have to figure out how to explain it to him without sounding like a crazy person.

“I…”

You started slow, working your way into explaining that you woke up into this insane dream about how her boss is suddenly so nice to her that morning.

And then it hit you.

“I had a dream about you...”

Ideas started pouring down to your head, starting to piece together a story that actually made sense.

“And in that dream, you’re this mean guy that never cared about me and other people’s feelings. You just made everyone around you miserable. The dream felt so real so I’m very uncomfortable that you’re acting nice to me now.”

“Is that so?”

You nodded your head as an answer. Chenle pulls you over to a side hug, relief washing over him knowing that it wasn’t that bad as he made it up to be.

“I’m sorry if that mean version of me hurt you.”

He rested his head on your shoulders and pulled you closer to him.

“If I decided to be mean to you in a dream again, feel free to punch me or whatever. I promise to make up for all of it once you wake up.”

It was probably the nicest thing that anyone has said to you in a while. Even though it wasn’t actually him who’s hugging you and making you feel all warm inside, you’re not going to see your boss the same way again.

“You know what, why don’t we start now. There’s plenty of time today to make it up to you.”

He stood up from his seat and brushed himself, helping you do the same right after.

“Where does my y/n want to go right now?”

Your lips formed a mischievous smile.

You knew just where you wanted to go at that moment, but he’s probably not going to like it

///

“Would it hurt you to rest for one second?”

You’ve been running around the theme park for the whole day and Chenle just barely kept up to you and your antics. He gave you a small opportunity for a payback and you’re not going to let it slide. Even if it’s with nice Chenle.

You were about to run off again somewhere when he tugs you by the hem of your shirt.

“Y/N-ah, don’t you feel sick at all?”

Chenle’s eyes droop down as he tried to compose himself. As someone that doesn’t like heights and gets dizzy easily, it seems like he’s about to faint any minute now.

“But I want to ride the Ferris wheel.”

He went sheet white, if that is humanly possible. Chenle had barely enough time to recover from the roller coaster ride a few minutes ago and now you’re already on your way to hop in to another one.”

“Fine. We can rest. I don’t think my ears can handle any more of your screaming.”

You can hear Chenle complaining under his breath. The two of you went to the horror house a while ago and there was a high-pitched screaming the whole time. You’ve been teasing him with it ever since.

“I told you, that wasn’t me!”

“The only person inside is you and me. And I don’t remember screaming my own name for fifteen minutes.”

His mouth opened like he was about to say something, but he stopped midway and just took your hand to drag you at the nearest bench. He sat you down first before he took the seat right next to you, both palms on his face and trying to give himself a moment to breathe.

As much as you wished to torment that guy to death, he really looked sick to his stomach. He can barely lift his head up without taking deep breaths.

“You alright?”

You said as you patted his back gently, giving some time to relax and a moment to breathe.

“I’m fine. I did say that I’ll do anything for you today.”

He takes one last breathe before getting up the bench, only to lean on one side too much and almost toppling over.

“Yeah. I think were done for the day. You can barely stand up.”

You sat him back at the bench and caressed his back to get him to relax. Not even a minute after sitting back down, he did a thumbs up to let you know that he’s doing fine already.

“What time is it?”

“4:30. Why?”

He tried his best to stand up and keep himself still. This time, his attempt was successful.

“I’ll drive you home.”

“Are you sure?”

“You can barely stand up. What makes you think that you can drive?”

“Just trust me.”

///

Sure enough, you both got to your house unscathed.

He told you to step out of the car, which you did, and he smoothly backed the car to your garage.

“How was that?”

He said smugly just as he came out of the car, keys jingling on his fingers once again. You can joke about his motion sickness but you can’t comment on his driving.

Chenle was then about to enter your house, but you stopped him just before he turned the doorknob.

“You know what, I had a lot of fun today. It’s probably the best birthday slash Valentine’s Day that I’ve had a whole life. I think you deserve this…”

You held up your fist into a ball and pretended to land a punch to his face. He winced, which gave you and opportunity to tiptoe and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

He stood there frozen for a few seconds, but it was replaced by a cheeky, boyish smile that he’s been hiding from you the whole time that you know him.

You twisted the doorknob and stepped inside your house first, when a popping sound greeted you from inside.

Turns out, those were party poppers.

“Surprise!”

Your whole family is there, alongside all of your friends from way back highschool.

“Sorry for missing you this morning sweetie, we needed some time for the party preparations. Chenle did a good job of distracting you the whole day.”

An arm wrapped itself on your shoulders and gave it a tight squeeze. It didn’t take long for you to find out who it was.

“She made me ride the roller coaster, twice.”

“Stop being a baby. I asked you the second time but you refused to come with me.”

Laughter fills the room and it went for the rest of the night. The celebration wasn’t fancy but it was enough for you to realize what life you’re missing in the real world. And as much you want to make it longer, sooner or later you’re going to have to come back to your old life.

That time was the next day.

///

February 14,202x again / 6:00 AM

The shrill sounds of the alarm clock woke you up, but you were smiling ear to ear. Something about your dream have placed you in a very good mood. Too bad you can’t remember the specific details. All you know is that there’s a car, the shop, the theme park… Zhong Chenle.

Why would it be a nice dream if your boss was in it?

Before you started conspiring some theories, you shook it off and started to get ready for today. To your surprise, the alarm woke you up on time. This means that you can take your sweet time in getting ready, possibly even make yourself an English breakfast for a change.

Your plans are foiled, however, when you realized that the kitchen wasn’t empty.

“Happy birthday…”

Your mom came from the living room to give you the tightest hug. She hasn’t hugged you like this for a long time, so you reciprocated and pulled her in a tighter embrace.

“I’m sorry that this is all we can afford for now…”

She sits you down the table and pushed the small bento cake right in front you. It is not bigger as your hands, but the pink icing and the decorations looked so delicate and beautiful.

“I promise to make you a better cake next year.”

“This is all I need Mom, thank you for doing this.”

///

Everything is going smoothly today. The bus is on time and the driver even gave you a small Valentine’s card as you went inside. For the first time in your life, you looked at the streets painted different shades of red and you’re perfectly fine with it.

You even got to work early. Doors are still shut down when you got there, so you decided to climb up the storage window so you don’t have to wait outside. As instructed, you finally locked it behind you and made it a point to be on time so you’ll never have to use it again.

You started with work right away, cleaning up as much as you can before everyone gets there. While you were mopping the main shop, you can hear keys jingling from outside, meaning that your boss already got there. The door swings forward and upon turning around, he opened the lights, only to see you standing in the middle of the shop.

He screamed at an ungodly pitch and almost fell down at his place.

“Oh, it’s just you. That wasn’t me, alright? ”

He dusted himself off tried his act together and be as cold as before, only to be embarrassed because you kept laughing at his face.

You tried to keep a straight face and bowed at him to excuse yourself. If your tardiness won’t get you fired today, it would probably be your excessive laughing.

“This is the horror house all over again.”

You swear that you heard him mumble something else, but you weren’t sure if you heard it right.

What are the odds that he dreamt about a horror house too, right?

Before you got the chance to go though, he said something that made your heart race for the rest of the day.

“You were there too, right? I just want you to know that that was really me.”

You turned around to see if he’s joking, but instead found a smiling Chenle at the other end of the shop.

“I actually liked you for a while now. So forgive me for always lashing out on you.”

He placed his hands on his pockets and walked slowly towards you, his head down while he tried to hide his shy smile.

“Happy birthday Y/N. I don’t mind repeating that day again... just don’t make me ride the roller coaster twice this time.”

///

59 notes · View notes

shitfics · 8 years ago

Text

One of These Nights (3/?); jongyu; pg

Jinki knows that he’s gay. What he doesn’t know is how to handle a crush on someone as entwined in the music industry as he is.

part 1 - part 2

sorry again that this has been such a wait! ^^; this follows jinki through lucifer promotions and is more of the slow burn 8) and for the chat part...this is the day and outfit jong is referencing

thanks as always @yurilikesgirls and @jongyued for all their help!

slight warning for brief homophobia/relateable closeted gay feels

"Hyung, get off of your phone," Minho whines. "Don't you want to listen to the game?"

Jinki ignores him and lifts up his book. His phone is still tucked between the open pages of the trot history book, but hopefully pretending to read would keep Minho from bothering him. He didn’t know that Jinki had already finished the book last week, and only kept it on him for his discussions with Jonghyun. For every chapter, Jonghyun had been sending him commentary: stories of all the artists he remembers playing from his mother's cassettes at the record shop she had used to own, nostalgia for the genre’s simple two-beat rhythm, and requests for Jinki to sing him one song or another the next time they meet. When his phone lights up with another request -- and a promise to buy Jinki drinks if he sings it -- he smiles, unable to hide his excitement.

"You could at least respond to the people you’re around, you know," Minho huffs, apparently not giving up on getting his attention. “You look happier about your phone than your members, lately.”

In the seat behind him, Jinki can practically hear Kibum rolling his eyes when he sighs. "Just let him be, Minho -- he's probably texting Jonghyun again. The old man needs someone his age to talk with."

Jinki shoots a glare back at Kibum, then returns to his phone. It does help for him to have someone outside of the band to talk to, especially during promotions. When he’s forced to spend every waking with the members, untangling tensions and trying to smother any new problems before they blow up, he needs a lifeline to the outside world to keep from going insane.

The game cuts to commercials, and Gyeongshik switches his attention away from the radio to their conversation. “Is it that Kim Jonghyun? The one who wrote some songs for your last album?"

"Yeah, that one," Taemin answers. "Jinki's gotten real close to him lately."

"Huh." He blinks, letting the car roll a few feet ahead before stopping again. "You know, I used to listen to his radio show, but I haven't listened to his show ever since he started stirring up controversy online.”

Jinki leans towards the front seats with interest -- as much as Jonghyun had shared with him about his radio show, he had never mentioned anything going wrong. "He had scandal?"

"Yeah. He posted something about that movement -- I forgot what it was called already -- the one at that university, where some student left a letter on a board talking about all sorts of stuff. Basically coming out in support of homosexuals," he explains, and Jinki freezes, skin immediately prickling at the subtle disdain his manager layers into the word. "I heard they had to filter the show's messages for a little bit after that, since he was getting harassment. He should have expected it, really, saying things like that online..."

The leather of the front seat creaks under Jinki's fingers when he clenches his hand before retreating. He fiddles with his phone as the other members speak, rereading Jonghyun's last message to distract himself from the nervous swirl of nausea in his stomach.

He hates hearing the words for people like him. Even when they’re euphemisms, and even when the person saying them doesn’t wear a disgusted curl on their lip as Gyeongshik does -- it makes him sweat. Jinki wipes his palms on his jeans and keeps his face carefully blank. He’s never been able to shake the fear that some small expression or gesture will somehow pull everyone's attention towards him when the topic arises.

Thankfully, an announcement of an upcoming soccer game on the radio saves him -- Minho knocks his elbows into Jinki and Kibum in his rush to turn up the volume on the stereo, and the conversation ends there, drowned out under the flood of stats and predictions that Minho throws out as easily as the paid commentators.

With a sigh, Jinki reopens his phone and taps out a half-hearted response to Jonghyun's last text and sets down his phone. Though he's certain the topic is over for now, his heart is still racing, and he can’t bring himself to add the jokes and faces he usually adds to his messages. The knowledge that Jonghyun would risk public blowback to support him is a small comfort. He won't risk coming out to him -- he'd already decided not to air that secret to anyone -- but it's nice to know that Jonghyun might not be disgusted by him if he did.

He lays his head back against the carseat. It’s hard to imagine a life where he would feel up to the risk. Maybe if he weren't an idol, he could tell Jonghyun, or a few close friends -- maybe he'd even have the courage to ask Jonghyun out, if it wouldn’t ruin their friendship completely. But he has four other careers resting on him keeping that part of himself hidden, on top of his own, and he could never bring himself to risk that. Not for a miniscule shot at a crush.

***

As always, Jinki’s stomach was full of butterflies when the time came for their new song to be thrown in the competition of music shows. And like always, he’d had his doubts of their success -- their new title track was radically different from the last, and the pants they’d had to squeeze him in for the performance only raised his doubts -- but somehow, it had all come together. They’d won their first award, danced through their encore, and finally filed back into the dressing room to pick confetti out of their hair before changing into their own clothes to head home.

When Jinki returns to the dressing room, his phone is buzzing in his bag, and he already knows who it is. He rushes to give the staff a final bow and thanks, then passes their trophy over to Minho, letting him pose with it as he digs up his phone. He smiles at the string of missed messages from Jonghyun.

realjonghyun85: Jinki-yah!!!! Congratulations!!

realjonghyun85: I watched your performance tonight!!!

realjonghyun85: You got your first win!!! I'm so happy for you, Jinki-yah

realjonghyun85: Your live was so good he he ... did you eat the extra CDs I bought? Is that where they went?

majingki: Ahhh I’m embarrassed

majingki: Thank you hyung ^^

majingki: You're too nice TT I still need to improve more

realjonghyun85: And you’re so humble ... but that's why you keep getting better isn't it ^^

realjonghyun85: You have to let me buy you a meal when you're done promoting, alright?

realjonghyun85: Or I can buy you drinks for each win you get ... your pick

majingki: Well, I'm going to need the drink he he

majingki: But food sounds good too TT

majingki: Do I really have to pick between them?

majingki: And if I pick food, you'll buy meat right...?

realjonghyun85: Ah!! Stop being cute

realjonghyun85: You don't have to pick

realjonghyun85: Of course I'll buy you both~

majingki: You don't have to ^^;

realjonghyun85: Well, you can't stop me now!!

realjonghyun85: So really ^^ Let me treat my winning dongsaeng

majingki: Ok~

majingki: Thank you hyung ^^

majingki: I didn't realize you would be watching our performance

realjonghyun85; Of course!

realjonghyun85: I never miss any music show he he

realjonghyun85: Me and my sister usually watch them together

realjonghyun85: I wanted to watch it for you anyway

reajonghyun85: That fishnet open back shirt...

realjonghyun85: Interesting styles idols are wearing these days ... he he

majingki: Please, don't tease me about it... TT

majingki: It's not like I pick the clothes out

majingki: We just have to dress flashy for our concept

realjonghyun85: That shirt was different from your usual image

realjonghyun85: You looked good

majingki: Hyung TT You're embarrassing me

realjonghyun85: Am I?

majingki: Yeah ... I'm not used to wearing things like that ... but it was a bit fun ^^

majingki: Made it easier to not get as sweaty since it was open

realjonghyun85: Yeah, I bet...

realjonghyun85: You seemed to enjoy it as much as the crowd

realjonghyun85: They liked seeing that much of you he he

majingki: Hyung!!!

majingki: Why are you like this ... I'm blushing

realjonghyun85: Ah, I'm teasing you too much, aren't I?

realjonghyun85: Sorry Jinki-yah

realjonghyun85: It’s hard not to...

realjonghyun85: I'm a little drunk

majingki: Oh?

realjonghyun85: Yeah, noona bought us drinks to watch the show...

realjonghyun85: I’ve had a few he he

realjonghyun85: And she's already sick of me talking so much, so I messaged you

realjonghuyn85: Hopefully you don’t mind? ^^

majingki: I don't mind it hyung ^^

majingki: I like how talkative you are

realjonghyun85: Well, you're probably the first person to ever say that

realjonghyun85: Too kind ... my angel-hearted Jinki-yah

majingki: I’m just being honest hyung ^^

realjonghyun85: I'll believe you this time

realjonghyun85: But I should leave you alone ... I'm sure you want to celebrate the win with your members

majingki: Aw, you don't have to TTT

majingki: We'll probably just rest and eat...

majingki: Too tired for much else now

realjonghyun85: Well, I'll let you rest well then ^^

realjonghyun85: Noona is bugging me now anyway

realjonghyun85: She says I'm too drunk to be texting

majingki: You don't seem that drunk...

realljonghyun85: I know!! I told her you couldn't even tell!!

realjonghyun85: But I really am drunk ...

realjonghyun85: You just can't see my face he he

realjonghyun85: I'm actually all flushed

majingki: I wish I could see

majingki: It's been a while since you've been that drunk

realjonghyun85: Don't tempt me to send you a photo

realjonghyun85: That'll be embarrassing later

majingki: Why? ^^

majingki: You think I'll tease you about it?

realjonghyun85: Maybe he he

realjonghyun85: You're always a little unpredictable

majingki: Yeah? ^^

majingki: It's fun though, right?

realjonghyun85: Of course~

realjonghyun85: I always have fun with you

majingki: I have fun with you too, hyung ^^

realjonghyun85: Ahhh... you’re making me miss you more TT

realjonghyun85: I have to go now...

realjonghyun85: I can tell I'm getting ridiculous...

realjonghyun85: Better to inflict that on my noona than a busy idol like you

majingki: Okay hyung TT

majingki: I'll have to go back to the dorm with the members now anyway

majingki: But don't forget you can message me~ I'll respond between schedules

majingki: And come to my musical next week! Please?

majingki: I can probably meet you back stage ^^

realjonghyun85: Of course I'll be there! I know how hard you've been working

realjonghyun85: Later Jinki-yah!!

***

Jinki’s knee bounces double-time as he checks his phone for the third time in five minutes as he waits in the dressing room. He'd told Jonghyun to meet him backstage after his afternoon performance, in the short gap before preparations for the evening one. The last message from he’d gotten from Jonghyun had mentioned that he was bringing his sister along, so he hadn't even bothered to change out of his final costume from their afternoon performance, too afraid of being caught off guard.

With most of the other cast members out to grab food, the dressing room is quiet, and he hears Jonghyun's voice echoing down the hall even before a staff members knocks on the door.

"Jinki-ssi -- someone's here to see you."

Jinki jumps out of his chair and bounds to the door, swinging it open to grin widely at Jonghyun. "Youre here!"

"Shit, Jinki-yah!” Jonghyun exhales, one hand thrown over his chest. “You don't need to startle me like that! And of course I'm here -- I'm only late when there's no schedule to stick to."

"Sorry, hyung." Jinki smile broadens when he sees that one of Jonghyun's arms has stayed stubbornly hidden behind his back. He leans to the side to try and steal a glance, heart fluttering at the possibility that Jonghyun had bought him a gift.

Catching Jinki's intent, Jonghyun steps back from the doorway before Jinki can tell what he's brought. "You look really different dressed like this." Jonghyun says, deflecting Jinki's attention from whatever he's hiding when he looks him up and down.

Jinki's nerves itch at the intensity of his stare. He fidgets with his belt, suddenly conscious of the extra attention it brings to the tightness of his jeans. "A good different, I hope?"

"Yeah, for sure -- I mean, I'm used to seeing you in makeup for shows on TV, but with these clothes, and your hair like this...you really look like a rock star."

"Thanks," Jinki straightens his back, confidence quickly soaring from the compliment. "I was a little worried I'm too soft to suit this kind of image."

"No, it really suits you, especially with the long hair--"

The sound of a woman clearing her throat interrupts him. "Are you ever going to move, Jjong? I can't get through the door to introduce myself with you standing there..."

"Right, sorry." Jonghyun shuffles quickly into the room, letting the woman follow behind in him. Jonghyun gestures to her, introducing her with a proud smile. "Jinki, this is my sister Sodam."

Jinki fixes the grin he had been wearing into a polite smile before he bows, making sure to bend to the full ninety degrees. He knows how much Jonghyun's sister means to him, and he wants to make a good impression. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's good to finally meet you too, Jinki." She smiles after returning the bow. "Jonghyun talks so much about you."

"She's just reciting cliches," Jonghyun mumbles, embarrassed. Sodam shakes her head from behind Jonghyun's shoulder, making Jinki grin. There's no reason for it, but having Sodam's approval of their friendship makes his crush seem a little less pathetic.

"We've gotten close these past few months, right? You don't need to be embarrassed about it, I'm flattered that you talk about me," Jinki says, feeling bold. When Jonghyun only shrugs shyly, Jinki points to the flowers in Jonghyun's hands. "...Are those for me?"

"Oh, right!" Jonghyun snaps out of his flustered state to hold the bouquet out for him. "We picked these up on the way for you."

Jinki takes them from Jonghyun hands, hiding his smile behind the thick bundle of flowers when he pulls them close. He doesn't want to look too delighted, but it’s the first time he’s ever been given flowers from anyone other than his parents.

"Jjong picked out the roses," Sodam says with a nudge at Jonghyun's shoulder.

Jonghyun jostles her back roughly. "I wanted to get something nice, and I don't know anything about flowers. I just grabbed whatever I could find."

"Well, they're really nice," Jinki says. He leans the bouquet back towards him, sighing at the fresh scent. "Thank you, hyung. I like them a lot."

Jonghyun scratches at the back of his neck, a pleased smile on his lips. "You're welcome."

Both of them rock back on their heels as the conversation stilts. When the silence begins to drag on, Sodam clears her throat. "So, how long can we stay back here before we get kicked out? I don't want to get you in trouble if we linger."

Jinki pokes his head out of the door. He'd found that he could judge how long they had before things got frantic by the pace of the stage crews' steps; that only half of them were only power-walking meant they still had some time left. "Maybe a few more minutes, since I still have to change...I think they want to go over some things before the evening performance."

"Well, we don't want to keep you, since you're the star of the show." Jonghyun grins at him. "But can we take a picture before we leave? I know you're going to wear this later in the show, but my phone doesn't have the best camera. I doubt I'm going to see you in an outfit like this again."

"Sounds great! I'll take the picture for you both." Sodam snatches Jonghyun's phone out of his hand. Gesturing for them to step back, she waves her hands, frowning as she tries to direct them. "Can't you get closer than that? This phone can't make a very wide shot."

Stepping closer, Jonghyun slings an arm over his shoulder and grumbles. "Lean down a little, could you? Your boots are too damn big."

Jinki snickers when Jonghyun stumbles on his toes as he tries to stand taller. "Having trouble reaching, hyung?"

"You're lucky I'm not allowed to mess up your hair tonight, Jinki-yah." Jonghyun's fingers snake under his curls to give a quick pinch at the back of his neck. "You're being extra cheeky."

When Jinki yelps, Sodam sighs, brows furrowed in exaggerated annoyance. "Can I take a picture of you two, or are you going to just play around?"

"Yes, yes, picture time, got it." Jonghyun points to the camera. "Smile, Jinki-yah."

Jinki faces the camera as instructed and beams, unable to help smiling brighter when he feels Jonghyun squeeze his shoulder and lean more of his weight on him for balance.

Sodam snaps a few more pictures, then claps her hands. "Alright, that's good."

She passes the phone back to Jonghyun, who pulls up the pictures and holds it out so they can all see. Sodam rests her head on Jonghyun's shoulder and coos. "This picture came out so cute. You two look happy."

Sidling up on Jonghyun’s other side, Jinki stares at the picture, caught off guard by the brightness of his own smile. Did he always look that happy around Jonghyun?

Jonghyun hums. "It came out well, yeah -- should we use this one?"

"But your eyes are closed, hyung. Was that on purpose?"

"I do that a lot, haven't you noticed? My eyes get red when I fall asleep with my contacts in...it's the best way to cover that up." Jonghyun looks down at his phone again, this time tapping his way through the screen to twitter. "Do you mind if I upload it? You still have a few shows left to go, and your musical deserves some extra promoting. I know you've worked hard."

"Sure, go ahead," Jinki agrees. He's too pleased with Jonghyun's compliment to care that he usually avoids sharing things online. "It'll be nice to have it up there."

"Alright then, I'm uploading it..." Jonghyun taps and squints at his screen before he pulls away from it with a smile. "And it’s all done. Too late to delete it now."

Sodam only manages squeeze off a single question about Jinki’s career before before Jonghyun's phone buzzes violently in his hand, screen flickering every half-second with a new notification.

Jonghyun blinks at it. “Um...”

"You better turn that off completely during the show," Sodam says.

"I guess so," Jonghyun says, eyes wide as he opens up his phone. "That picture really took off fast -- is this why you never make your account public?"

Jinki shrugs. "Kind of. Too much attention can be a little overwhelming."

"Yeah, I guess...I didn't expect so many people to notice I posted something this quickly." Jonghyun taps rapidly at the screen, expression desperate as he tries to turn off the flood of notifications. "And now a lot of your fans are following me for whatever reason...how many can you possibly have?"

Jinki sticks out his lips in a fake pout. "Are you saying you expected me to be unpopular?"

"No." Jonghyun huffs. "I'm just saying I didn't expect people to follow me because of one picture with you."

"You should have expected it, Jjong -- Jinki's a celebrity after all." Sodam shrugs. "They're probably hoping you'll post more pictures with him later."

"Damn. I hope they aren't disappointed if I don't."

"We can take more pictures sometime," Jinki offers. "As long as you don't take any when we're out drinking. I don't want anyone to find where we're at, or see me drunk...I'd definitely get in trouble for that."

"I'm more likely to look drunk than you, so don't worry." Jonghyun laughs. "I'm not sure I want to do it anyway, it feels weird...like I'm using you for your fame."

"I know you're not like that, hyu--"

"You're telling me every costume designer went to get coffee?!" A booming voice from across the theater cuts Jinki off and makes Jonghyun jump. As Sodam snickers at Jonghyun’s reaction, Jinki cringes, able recognize the voice from across the theater.

Jinki sighs and pushes back his bangs. "That was the director...he's a good guy, but I'm not sure you want to stick around. There'll be more of the yelling as we get closer to starting.”

"Alright. We should go and grab our seats, anyway," Sodam says. She nudges Jonghyun until he nods in agreement. "Good luck with your show, Jinki."

"I'll work hard." Jinki smiles, tucking the flowers under his other arm. "You two have good seats, right?"

"Very good seats," Jonghyun affirms. "I made sure to get the best. So you have to wave to us, okay?"

"I'll try, but I'm not sure I'll be able to see you with the stage lights."

Jonghyun laughs. "Don't worry about it then, just focus on your performance. If you make it a good one, I'll write up a review to please my new followers."

"You'll say good things about me no matter what," Jinki teases.

"You know I will." Jonghyun grins. Reaching in for a hug, he stops himself mid-way, pulling back before he crushes the bouquet of flowers against Jinki's side. Sodam's lips quirk in amusement at Jonghyun's awkward retreat when she turns her attention back to Jinki.

"Thanks for letting us backstage again. I'm going to take my brother away before he finds something else to talk about -- he can talk forever if you let him."

"Yeah...and I ought to get to work." Jinki swings his arms by his side, enjoying the playful glare Jonghyun sends him before he remembers to bow to Sodam. "It was nice to meet you. Thank you for coming to the musical."

"You too." She bows back.

Jinki watches them leave, waving to Jonghyun as he’s dragged away. The moment they step out of earshot, Sodam leans in towards Jonghyun's ear, chattering at him excitedly and glancing back at Jinki one last time.

Jinki catches her gaze with a knot in his stomach.

He should have concerned himself less with earning her approval, and more on keeping the butterflies that always fill his stomach around Jonghyun from affecting his behavior -- he can't shake the feeling that a part of her noticed he’s more fond of her brother than a friend should be.

***

Jinki opens up his twitter the moment he gets back to the dorm, curious about what fans might have to say about his last performance of the musical. Though it was something he planned on doing anyway, Jonghyun's presence in the audience had emboldened him to give a little extra fanservice before the curtains had closed. Their fans didn't know it yet, but the only appearance they would have in Korea for the next year would be for their concert, and Jinki felt like he had to do something special to make up for it.

A picture of himself with his hands in the air and a broad smile on his lips makes him grin at the memory of that moment -- though he’d been worried about balancing the musical and its rehearsals in the middle of promotions, he’s glad he didn’t pass up the role. It had been nice to play a role outside of the polite and sweet side of him he always emphasized to fans.

Backing out from his search, Jinki moves on to his mentions, heart fluttering when he sees that a good number of them include the picture he took with Jonghyun. As silly as it is, a part of him can't help but be happy to see their names are being used side-by-side. Jinki scrolls down further, fully expecting the comments to be about the picture he had let Jonghyun take or the songs Jonghyun had written for their last album, but finds little mention of that -- instead, his screen is flooded with screenshots, taken on different phones at different resolutions but all evidence of the same thing: Jonghyun following one of his biggest fansites.

Jinki stares at his phone in disbelief, half wondering if it was a joke -- why would Jonghyun follow one his fansites? Closing it, he goes to Jonghyun's following list, seeing no mention of it -- he could write it off as an image edit that got spread around, but knowing Jonghyun, he has reason to be suspicious. He moves through a few random discussions amongst the fans, and the same ones that noticed him following the fansite were posting jokes about the unfollow that shortly followed it.

Jinki sets his phone aside and rolls onto his back, needing to stare at the ceiling to try and think. That’s enough evidence for him that it really happened. But it still seemed...odd. Jonghyun always talked about keeping up with the industry, so it could be about that -- but a fansite wouldn't tell him anything about musical trends. And updates on SHINee are easy enough to find on the official accounts he was already following.

The only reason for someone to follow a fansite of his would be to look at pictures or video of him, right? His mind hones in on that thought, building his hopes higher and higher until his heart is beating stupidly fast. Did he just follow the site on accident, after looking up pictures of Jinki? And if he did look up pictures -- how often did he do that? Was it because he wanted pictures of the musical, or was it a regular thing?

It had to mean something.

Reaching back for his phone, Jinki pulls up the image again to look at the timestamp one fan had given, squinting at the screen as he zooms until he can read the small 3:03 am printed in the corner. Jonghyun had followed his site only an hour after ending his radio show.

So Jonghyun gets home around 3am, and the first thing he does look at pictures of me?

Jinki swallows, cheeks growing warm when his mind jumps to other things Jonghyun might do late at night after work. There’s no way Jonghyun would look them up with that purpose in mind -- it's not like fansite pictures were revealing. But the idea is still enticing, enough for him to want to find out why Jonghyun decided to sign himself up for easy access to pictures of him.

It’d be easier to get information out of him in person, but he can’t stand to wait, so he opens up his last conversation with Jonghyun and starts with a teasing text.

majingki: Why did you follow my fansite hyung? ^^

Though his message is read immediately, Jonghyun’s response comes a few minutes later.

realjonghyun85: Eh? Your fansite?

majingki: Yeah ^^

realjonghyun85: I clicked it on accident!!

realjonghyun85: The screen on my new phone is so big, see TT I keep pushing the wrong buttons

majingki: But why were you on there hyung ^^ Are you a fan hehe

realjonghyun85: Well, you know I'm your fan

majingki: Yeah, I know ^^

realjonghyun85: How did you know I followed it, anyway?

majingki: I saw fans posting about it ... they put up screenshots ^^

realjonghyun85: Seriously? Wow... I have to be careful

realjonghyun85: They're like detectives

majingki: Careful?

majingki: You think you might follow one again? ^^

realjonghyun85: My hands are clumsy!

majingki: Do you look often? ^^

realjonghyun85: They take good pictures!

majingki: You should make one your phone background then hyung~

realjonghyun85: You really want me to?

majingki: I'm joking he he

realjonghyun85: Too bad, I'm going to do it now

realjonghyun85: This is what you get for teasing me Jinki-yah

majingki: Free promotion? Sounds like a good thing ^^

realjonghyun85: I guess so ... hehe

majingki: Pick something good ^^

realjonghyun85: No such thing as a bad picture from these sites, don't worry

majingki: Mm...

majingki: So you have looked at them a lot?

realjonghyun85: You know, you're always extra cheeky when it's late

majingki: ^^

realjonghyun85: Shouldn't you sleep?

majingki: I had to tease you first

majingki: But I guess you're right...

majingki: We can’t all stay up till 3am looking up idol pictures... ^^

realjonghyun85: Go to bed, Jinki-yah

realjonghyun85: You need your rest

majingki: Alright, alright ... I won’t tease you anymore

majingki: Thanks again for coming to the musical, hyung ^^

realjonghyun85: Of course!

realjonghyun85: You were great ^^

realjonghyun85: Sodam enjoyed it too, and she's not a musical person at all

majingki: ^^ Thanks

majingki: I'm glad she liked it ... I was nervous

majingki: But I’ll sleep now! Since hyung said I should!

realjonghyun85: Glad you finally listen to me he he

majingki: You rest too ^^ Don't stay up too late hunting pictures~

realjonghyun85: I won’t!

realjonghyun85: Good night Jinki

***

"Hey, Jinki," Jonghyun greets him at the door and invites him in with a familiar hurried movement of his hands. "Sorry I'm not ready to leave yet. My friend is still here, we got caught up working on a new song together."

"That's fine." Jinki shrugs, toeing off his shoes before heading to wait on the couch. He's gotten used to catching Jonghyun in the middle an inspiration burst, and has learned to expect a small wait when he arrives. "You'll be done soon, you think?"

"Yeah, we're pretty much done." He walks past Jinki to the small music room. "Just let me help her pack her music and things, then we can--"

"Oh, I got it, Jonghyun." A woman steps out from the small studio, sheets of music shoved haphazardly into a set of folders under her arms.

Jinki stares at her, a sudden lump forming in his throat. He had always known that he couldn't be the only person Jonghyun worked with in his small apartment studio, but seeing first-hand that the person he’s working with is a pretty girl stirs a jealousy in him that he hadn't expected to feel. He wanted those moments all to himself.

The woman smiles at him broadly, then looks at Jonghyun as she comes to join them in the living room. "I didn't realize you were having a guest. I would have cut you off a while ago if I had known. I hate it when you're late to things."

"Yeah, well..." Jonghyun rubs the back of his neck. "I lost track of time, so I didn't think to say anything. But it's good we didn't lose the flow we had going, right?"

The woman rolls her eyes, obviously as familiar as Jinki is with Jonghyun's excuses. “You always lose track of time.”

"I know, I know." Jonghyun claps his hands together, eager to move the subject on from his habitual lateness, and gestures to Jinki. "This is the idol friend I was telling you about, Lee Jinki -- I guess you probably know him as SHINee's Onew.”

Before Jonghyun can introduce her in turn, she bows to Jinki. "I'm Sojin, Jonghyun's friend from high school. I usually play keyboard for him and help him write." There's a small spark in her eye as she pauses to fix her hair before continuing. "I'm sorry that we ran late, but I am glad I got to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too," Jinki says, trying to ignore her smile even as he returns it. She's pretty, in a heart-wrenching way -- the image of her and Jonghyun sharing the piano bench is enough to make his chest burn. He locks his hands together in front of him and bows to her, hoping his politeness will hide the jealousy still clawing at his gut.

"Ah, you're even more handsome in real life..." she muses, eyes bouncing over his face when he straightens. "Jonghyun always keeps such good-looking friends."

Jonghyun's eyes widen. He looks quickly between Jinki and Sojin, clearly as caught off guard by the blatant flirting as Jinki had been.

"Well, of course he's good-looking, Sojin -- he's an idol," Jonghyun huffs. "And a popular one, too. I'm lucky I ever get to see him at all with how busy he is."

Sojin shakes her head and sighs before heading to the door. "You don't need to hint at me like that, Jonghyun. I understand that you two had plans. I'll leave."

"Sorry, I don’t mean to rush you out." Jonghyun apologizes, but follows her to the door and opens it without hesitation. "We just don’t get to see each other much, and he just finished promoting."

"That's a shame." Sojin stops outside the door. "I hope to see you again when you're not so rushed."

Jinki smiles, hoping it comes across as sincere. "Yeah, you too."

"Later, Sojin -- send me those recordings when you get the chance." Jonghyun closes the door after her, then slumps back against it with a heavy sigh. He fixes Jinki with an apologetic look as he straightens. "I'm really sorry about that, Jinki. I could tell you were kind of uncomfortable with her flirting."

"It's fine," Jinki says. "Stuff like that happens."

"Still, though." Jonghyun pouts. "Let me know if you want me to tell her to back off, alright? I doubt you two will meet again, but I don't want you to feel put on the spot like that if you do."

Jinki shrugs. He already feels better now that they're alone, and the tinge of protectiveness in Jonghyun's voice is nearly enough to make him forget his earlier jealousy. "I can handle it, hyung. I have plenty of experience turning people down."

Jonghyun shakes his head, a wry smile on his lips, and reaches out to ruffle Jinki’s hair before he can protest. "C'mon, now you're just bragging."

"I'm not, really!" Jinki squirms away from Jonghyun, fixing his bangs back into place as he backs up into the other room to escape. "It's just true!"

"I'm sure it is..." Jonghyun mumbles, suddenly pulling his hands back. The corners of his mouth etching deeper in annoyance as steps over to the coat rack to retrieve his jacket. "You're really good-looking. Probably get tons of offers."

"It doesn't matter -- I'm not really interested in dating," Jinki says, hoping to placate Jonghyun, though his own mood has already soured.

His mind has already made connections he never wanted to make, and he can only imagine one reason Jonghyun would be upset about Sojin's interest in him. Since before they met, Jonghyun had penned dozens of lyrics about one-sided love, but never given a name to his muse -- and if it were going to be anyone, wouldn't it be the girl he'd worked on music with since he was young?

He pushes the thought away, afraid of sharpening the tension between them. No point in thinking about it, anyway, when he'd never have a chance.

When Jonghyun returns, Jinki forces out a smile, slipping back into his shoes and watching patiently as Jonghyun shrugs on his jacket.

"Let's go grab something to eat." Jonghyun steps past him and swings open the door, uncharacteristically rushed. "I've been cooped up in here all day."

"Sounds good to me," Jinki agrees. He follows Jonghyun to the elevator in long strides to keep up with his pace. When the door closes behind them, the blurry reflection of Jonghyun with his arms crossed is enough to keep him from trying to start a conversation, so he shoves his hands in his pockets and waits, counting the seconds between the ding for each floor to distract himself.

Once outside, Jonghyun waves for them to cross the street, still wordless even as he directs them towards their usual restaurant. It's not as if Jinki needs verbal directions, when they've been to this place a few times before and they're walking together, but they've never made the short walk in total silence -- even if they have nothing to say, Jonghyun usually fills the space in with his absent humming. Tonight, he steps alongside Jinki quietly, looking deep in thought as they navigate their way through the bustle of pedestrians to reach the restaurant on the corner.

Just after they settle into their seats and make their orders, Jonghyun's phone buzzes against the table. He glares at it accusingly.

"Sojin wants your number," he grumbles, fingers beginning staccato taps of irritation across the screen when he opens his phone to begin a response.

“Sorry.” Jinki slumps back in his seat, feeling guilty. "It's not a big deal. Just tell her you won’t give it out or ignore it."

Jonghyun's mouth twists when he receives another message. "You sure you don't want her number or anything?"

"I already said I'm not interested," Jinki insists. He kicks at the leg of his own chair, irritated that Jonghyun seemed to be taking out whatever jealousy he felt on him. "Why are you so upset about it, anyway? Is Sojin some one-sided love of yours or something?"

The silence that follows is enough to make Jinki regret the question the minute it leaves his mouth. He'd rather not know if that’s true, and the intense stare Jonghyun is giving him makes him think it is.

"...Are you asking me that as a serious question, Jinki?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Jinki snaps. "You've worked with her since high school, right? And you spend so much time alone together...it makes sense that you would like her."

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm interested in her at all," Jonghyun protests. He pinches the bridge of his nose, hiding his mouth with his hand as he gives a soft laugh. "Really, I'm not interested -- I've never even thought about it. We just work well together on music, and share a lot of early memories...we’re old friends. It's never been anything more than that."

Jinki's scrunches his nose and eyes Jonghyun, still skeptical. "You're acting like you're jealous, though."

"I'm not jealous." Jonghyun scowls. When their food is set down a moment later, he reaches across the table to swipe a piece of Jinki's food before beginning his explanation. "I'm just irritated with how she’s acting, you know? I feel like she only hit on you so blatantly because you're an idol -- I've never seen her be so pushy before about a guy -- and I don't like that she'd treat you differently. I don't want you to have to worry about that part of your life around me."

"I told you I’m used to it, hyung." Jinki says. "It’s not a big deal unless there's a crazy crowd, or it’s one of our sasaeng fans. The only reason I'm tense right now is because you seem tense."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry for that." Jonghyun sighs and relaxes back into his chair. He wipes his hand on a napkin, then wring it in his hands, staring past Jinki as he thinks over his words before continuing. "Plus, I just ... am a bit jealous, I guess. I don't have a lot of friends I can meet up like this, one-on-one. And now I keep thinking you'll meet some other girl I work with and want me to invite her along--"

"I wouldn't do that."

"I wouldn't blame you, if you did," Jonghyun says, smiling reluctantly. "And it's selfish of me to not help you meet people, isn't it? It’s probably hard for you to date, as an idol. But I just don't like the idea of sharing the little time I get with you ... I've really grown to like it."

"I like it it just being us too,” Jinki says, not realizing how it sounds until Jonghyun averts his gaze to avoid meeting his eyes as a shy smile pulls at his lips.

A flush crawls up Jinki’s neck. He rushes to add on his statement, not wanting to say anything suspicious. "I mean, I'm used to being stuck around four other guys and fans, and since they're both really noisy--" he cuts himself off, already feeling like he's making things worse. "I meant that the quiet's a nice change. And you’re a great friend."

At his words, Jonghyun's expression warms, and Jinki has only a half-second to try and calm the flutter in his heart before Jonghyun reaches across the table to squeeze his shoulder.

"You’re a good friend to me too, Jinki-yah. I’m glad we’ve gotten so close.”

***

Jonghyun’s coffee table is covered in a dozen dishes and drinks for each of them. All of the bowls are open and steaming, ready to eat, and Jinki can’t remember the last time he’s seen so much food.

Jinki stretches his legs out under the table with a satisfied sigh and reaches for the second dish Jonghyun had ordered for them to share. He hasn't eaten properly in ages, it feels like. The latest blowup between Jino and Kibum at the dorm had given him plenty of reason to avoid any common areas, and between that and schedules he'd missed more meals than he'd eaten. The chance to relax with Jonghyun and a movie (the first Lord of the Rings, predictably -- because Jinki always lets Jonghyun pick and they had just finished the books) had brought back his hunger with a force that had his mouth watering from the moment their food came to the door.

His appetite doesn't go unnoticed by Jonghyun -- probably because they're bumping elbows every time Jinki reaches across the table to grab another piece of meat from Jonghyun's side -- and he imitates Jinki’s reach by knocking back into him with deliberate force.

"Are you hungry or something, Jinki-yah?" Jonghyun teases. "You seem to be eating off every corner of the table."

"A bit," Jinki answers, covering his mouth with his hand as he gives a sheepish smile and finishes chewing. "I haven't had a full meal like this since promotions started."

"Idols, really." Jonghyun tuts and shakes his head. He puts a hand on Jinki's shoulder for balance and stands, then settles onto the couch. "I’m full already, so the rest of the food is yours. Eat anything left that you like."

"Thanks, hyung." Jinki grins back at Jonghyun before reaching for what was left of his soup, He looks up at the movie as he sips the broth, trying to figure out what he had missed so far. Though they had read all the books together, Jinki hadn't enjoyed them enough to remember all the details, and he still got lost in all the nonsense about elves and dwarves and magic.

He squints at the white-robed wizard on screen. "Why is Gandalf asking that guy for help? I thought he was a bad guy?"

"He is -- Gandalf will learn that in a bit. He ends up blocking the fellowship's preferred path to Mordor, and is the reason the fellowship has to go through the Mines of Moria, which is where Gandalf falls."

Jinki hums with feigned interest and slumps back against the couch. Though the movie isn't his kind of story, it at least gets Jonghyun talking, and Jinki is fully content to listen to his commentary and glance over his shoulder to watch his reactions for the next few hours.

When the credits begin to roll, Jonghyun sighs and flips on the lamp next to him.

"I'm not going to force you through the next movie tonight," Jonghyun says. "It's getting pretty late for you."

"Oh, yeah..." Jinki trails off, already dreading returning the dorm. "I guess I should be heading back, huh?"

Jonghyun raises a brow at him. "You don't sound like you want to go back.”

“Not really.” Jinki sighs. He unfolds his hands on the table to stare at them, trying to think what to say. He shouldn't be sharing, not when it's an issue among the members -- but he trusts Jonghyun.

Jinki takes a deep breath and explains. "Kibum and Jino are fighting lately. I don't really know what started it -- I was gone for that, and they won't tell me -- but Jino's been making little jabs and Kibum's been an ass at every chance he can be." Jinki bites his lip in guilt: it's his job to keep things running smoothly, and he'd been failing at it. "And when they aren't doing that, they're completely silent, and the whole dorm is tense. I've tried to get them to talk about it a few times, but they won't listen. Jino refuses to admit he did anything to offend Kibum, and Kibum won't talk to him unless he does."

"It's not your fault if they won't talk," Jonghyun says gently. "Can you stay with your parents for bit and wait for Kibum and Jino to smooth things out on their own? They'll have to, eventually, since you’re all stuck together."

Jinki shakes his head. "My parents still live in Gwangmyeong...it's not that far, but I would feel like I'm running away if I went there. I have practice for our repackage to worry about, too."

Jonghyun fiddles with the rim of his glasses, brow wrinkling thoughtfully. "You could stay here for the night, then, if you wanted. The couch isn't that comfortable, but you're welcome to it."

Jinki blinks, caught off guard by the offer -- he hadn't realized Jonghyun considered them close enough for that to be on the table. "Are you sure? I really don't want to impose..."

"It's not imposing, Jinki-yah." Jonghyun laughs and pokes his shoulder with a socked foot. "I offered. And it’ll mean I get extra time with you, too -- that's definitely something I've been lacking lately."

"Yeah." Jinki smiles back at him gratefully. "Let me tell the members I’ll be staying, just in case they wonder why I’m not at the dorm."

He pulls out his phone and fires off a quick message into the members' group chat to tell them he'll be staying at Jonghyun's. His message is been read immediately by all four of them, but only Minho bothers to give him a quick response.

Sighing, he tosses the phone aside. "Looks like I can stay. No one said anything against it."

"Hey, I'm sure they miss you." Jonghyun pats his back reassuringly. "If you’re going to stay, we can watch the next movie.” He tugs on Jinki’s shirt to try and get him to stand. “But you should get up here if we're for it -- staying on the floor like that isn't good for your back."

"Sorry, hyung." Jinki grins and climbs up onto the couch, holding out his empty bottle to Jonghyun. "Do you have anymore to drink? If I'm staying, a little more couldn't hurt."

***

A little more turns out to be a whole bottle of soju Jonghyun had found in the back of his fridge. And just like with the food, Jonghyun cuts himself off early and leaves the rest to Jinki, who’s all too eager to finish off the rest. The fact that he’s staying at Jonghyun's house for the night has nestled as a bundle of nerves in his stomach, and he’s counting on the alcohol to take the edge off. After he finishes the last drop, Jinki tucks himself back against the cushion of the couch. The room is already swirling around him, and he needs something to lean against when the last few swallows hit.

Even with the lights off for the second movie, he see Jonghyun looking at him out of the corner of his eye, clearly concerned about the amount of alcohol Jinki had managed to drink. For some reason, the worry is amusing -- maybe because it's so painfully in character for Jonghyun, or maybe because he's really just that drunk. But the more he thinks about it, the harder it is not to laugh, and soon Jinki is snickering, shoulders rising up to his ears as he tries to keep himself from laughing fully.

Jonghyun turns to him, frowning with worry when Jinki immediately straightens his face to try and hide his amusement. "You're really drunk, Jinki-yah -- you sure you're up for watching the rest of this?"

"I'm fine, hyung," Jinki says, enunciating carefully to fight against the heavy feeling on his tongue. "I'm having fun! I want to finish the movie."

Jonghyun narrows his eyes. "If you're sure..."

"I'm sure." Jinki nods. He tries to bump his shoulder against Jonghyun's when he opens his mouth to argue, but the shift in weight is difficult to calculate, and he ends up nearly falling over Jonghyun's lap.

“Whoa, careful.” Jonghyun catches him quickly and helps him up with a gentle push. He eyes Jinki with caution. “...Maybe movement is a bad idea for you right now.”

"Mm, maybe." Jinki nestles back into the crease between the back cushions of the couch. Jonghyun hadn't bothered to push him all the way upright, so he has good reason to stay put -- especially when that means leaving only a few inches of distance between them.

He looks through his lashes up at Jonghyun. He can’t not look, now that he’s realized how close they are.

A sudden heaviness pulls on his chest. He shouldn't be thinking about doing anything -- shouldn't even entertain the thought -- but the alcohol is a good excuse to let himself indulge. And Jonghyun never seems to mind closeness, so leaning against him wouldn’t be that different than helping him with billiards, except he's touching with no goal in mind but the pleasant fizzle in his stomach he can never admit to having. Jinki bites his lip and shifts closer a few inches at a time, still unsure if he wants his approach to be noticed or not.

Jonghyun makes no attempt to move away -- if anything, he seems to be leaning back towards him -- and Jinki gets bolder. He nuzzles his cheek against Jonghyun's shoulder, then moves lower, adjusting his weight until he's resting his head fully on Jonghyun's arm and his right hand is up against his leg.

At that, Jonghyun stiffens, and Jinki stops, suddenly afraid he had gone too far. "This okay, hyung?"

"It's fine," Jonghyun says, keeping his eyes locked on the screen. The shadows along his neck from the dim light of the television shift as he swallows, bending into new shapes when he adjusts his arm to rest behind Jinki's shoulders. "You still comfortable?"

"Yeah," Jinki breathes. The movie blurs as he adjusts to the new angle, a half-mixture of faces and movement that seems much less important than the soft and steady sound of Jonghyun breathing deeply above him. Jinki's heart pounds in his throat as what he’s done sinks in.

Jonghyun's arm is around him, and his cheek is pressed right against Jonghyun’s chest, and Jonghyun’s chest is warm and firm and everything he’d imagined it to be, the few times he’d dared to think about it.

He's had this kind of contact with his members before, but it had never felt this thrilling.

He tries to force his attention back to the movie with little luck. At every tense scene, Jonghyun's fingers tighten slightly around his arm, sending a buzz flitting across his skin that reminds him how close they are.

All he would have to do to kiss Jonghyun is lift himself a few inches and turn his head.

As the image in his mind gets more detailed, Jinki flushes, trying to ignore the voice in his head that tells him alcohol would be a perfect excuse for anything he might do. Shaking his head, he throws his attention back to the movie, needing something to comment on to end the silence that has his mind racing.

"The movies are way better than the books," Jinki says, flapping his hand at the screen. The camera pans out to fields and forests, and Jinki continues, mumbling under his breath. "I don't have to read all those boring descriptions of trees and nature or whatever...I can just look at them."

Jonghyun laughs softly. "You didn't like the books, huh?"

"They were a little boring, yeah..." Jinki trails off. He closes his eyes, enjoying the small shift of Jonghyun's chest against his cheek when he gives a mocking huff of offense. "But I wanted to read them since you liked them so much."

"Well, I'm honored you'd endure that for me," Jonghyun says. Despite his teasing tone, his voice sounds heavy, and his hand runs a small circle on Jinki’s shoulder. "Just tell me next time if you don't like what I pick, and we'll find something else."

"Okay." Jinki yawns and stretches out fully on the couch. "Will you be mad if I fall asleep, hyung? The movie's really dragging on..."

"I won't be mad. You don't like them either, do you?"

"Mm." Jinki closes his eyes to dodge the question. When the movie picks up into an action scene that takes Jonghyun's attention away from him, Jinki uses the chance to settle fully onto his chest.

Jonghyun's fingers whisper through his hair and push back his bangs. "...Jinki-yah? Are you falling asleep?"

Jinki gives a tired grunt. He's not sure if he will, but he's already slipped peacefully into the warm and content stage of drunkenness where he doesn't want to move. Maybe if Jonghyun thinks he's asleep they can stay like this all night.

***

Jinki wakes up in a sweat. He doesn't remember going to sleep with a blanket on him, or the pillow under his head. Kicking off the blanket, Jinki stands, immediately reaching for the button of his pants. As always, he’d worn his best-fitting jeans when he saw Jonghyun, and though they aren’t uncomfortably tight, they're still too warm to sleep in, especially when he's still a little buzzed. Undoing the zipper, Jinki shoves them down around his knees and pries them off of his calves, nearly tripping over his feet as he tries to step out of them.

He swears under his breath until he kicks them off in triumph and collapses back on the couch. When he looks up, Jonghyun is standing outside of his room, looking frozen between heading back inside and moving on to the kitchen.

"Oh, hyung. Sorry, uh--" Jinki says, grateful that the dark hides the blush creeping up his neck. "I guess I fell asleep in my jeans and got too hot. I don’t really have pajamas or anything."

"Ah, yeah. I didn't think about that," Jonghyun says. His focus bounces between Jinki's face and the floor. Jinki doesn't need light to be able to tell that his cheeks are burning. "Do you want anything to wear?"

"I'll be fine, thanks." Jinki quickly lies down to cover himself back up with the blanket. The idea of getting to wear something Jonghyun owned sounds too enticing for him to feel right accepting, even if he would feel more comfortable with some kind of pajamas.

Jonghyun nods and shuffles off to the kitchen, still clearly embarrassed. The sound of him opening and closing cabinets is like gunshots in the tense silence, and Jinki stares unblinkingly at the ceiling, hyper aware of every movement Jonghyun makes. When he hears the pad of Jonghyun’s feet approaching him, he closes his eyes to seem asleep, reopening them only after he hears the clink of glass against the coffee table.

Jonghyun meets his eyes with a soft smile in the dark, and Jinki swallows, feeling a dozen hopes spark to life as the distance between them seems to shrink.

“Hyung?”

"I'm not sure you drank enough water to balance out all that alcohol," Jonghyun whispers. "I don't want you to end up with a hangover."

"Oh." Jinki smiles at his own stupidity, reaching out to take a drink from the glass. He must still be drunk, to be thinking there was a possibility of anything happening between them. "Thank you, hyung."

"Sure." Jonghyun ruffles his hair lightly. "Get some rest, Jinki."

"You too." Jinki lays back down.

When he hears the door to Jonghyun's bedroom close again, he presses the heels of his hands against his eyelids, willing himself to forget the moment. The discomfort is distracting enough to pull him away from the rapid beat of his heart, but it's not enough to erase the image of Jonghyun in only a loose shirt and boxers from his mind. He hasn't seen Jonghyun without his glasses in ages, either, and that felt new too. It's not that Jonghyun looks better without them, but that it feels intimate now -- another part of Jonghyun dressing down at the end of the day, rather than dressing up to make a good first impression.

With a groan, Jinki rolls onto his side and forces himself to breathe slowly. He needs to calm himself down if he wants to get any sleep. The last thing he needs to think about is Jonghyun dressing down around him.

#jongyu #hyung au #long fic #the slowest slow burn #jong is a lotr nerd #i had to consult my wife on some shit cause i dun remember much about lotr

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ciathyzareposts · 4 years ago

Text

Abandoned Places: Turnabout

In this session, I saw the “full party death” screen for the first time.

I tried hard to finish Abandoned Places for this entry, pouring almost 16 hours into it over the last six days, but I’m not quite there. It’s been very frustrating, and I wish I’d just wrapped it up when I was toying with it last time.

The frustration has come more from length and size than difficulty. If a game isn’t giving you what you want, the last thing you want it to do is persist, but Abandoned Places has unearned dreams to be epic. It started in the Hall of Light, which was about as big as a single regular dungeon level. The “proving grounds” at Souls Abbey was another level, then another at the library of Kal Kalon. The Steps dungeon had two levels, and that’s where I learned that I would need to find three Ruling Symbols–sword, orb, and staff–each broken into three pieces and secreted in three different dungeons. Each was only one level, but that was still another nine dungeons. Then, each Symbol required a fourth dungeon where I’d find an altar to assemble them, so that was another three. Once I had all three Symbols, Bronakh appeared and challenged me to get through a dungeon called the Halls of Rage.

The Ruling Symbols came together on their respective altars.

All told, I’ve been through 18 dungeon levels. That’s five more than Dungeon Master already. If you’re going to make a game in this style, you’ve got to supply something to keep it interesting. Options could be:

Challenging combat. Make the player really fight for every inch. Make every foe memorable. Require the player to explore the full range of spell capabilities. Improve enemy AI and tactics on each new level.

Challenging puzzles. Really work the player’s mind with the mechanical puzzles. Force him to take a lot of notes and maps and make leaps of logic.

Interesting environment. Make the dungeon immersive. Blow the player’s mind with scenes and vistas that he’s never seen before.

Interesting stories. Give each level a backstory and character. Populate it with lore and encounters that fill in an ongoing narrative.

Dungeon Master made itself famous with the first two options, particularly the second. Ultima Underworld went largely with the latter two but also had some interesting puzzles. Abandoned Places, at least for most of its run, does none of them. For 14 of the 18 levels I’ve experienced so far, the enemies have been staggeringly easy, and for 17 of the 18, the puzzles have been entirely of the rote mechanical kind. Push a switch here to open a door somewhere else. Dungeon Master had puzzles like that, too, but it kept you guessing. That switch might open one door but close another. Or you might need two switches to open the door. Or the switch might have multiple settings. Or it might only open the door for a limited period of time. I learned to play Dungeon Master and most of its lineage (e.g., Eye of the Beholder, Knightmare, Black Crypt) by carefully mapping without touching anything, then slowly testing things out. In Abandoned Places, you might as well pull a lever the moment you see it because there isn’t going to be any trick to it.

The game has some interesting wall textures. Sometimes it’s tough to tell what’s interactive and what’s not.

Some of the levels got highly annoying in their attempts to artificially stretch the length. A switch in the southwest corner opens a door in the northeast corner, for instance. Going through that door leads you to a lever that opens a door back in the southwest corner. Solving most of Abandoned Places‘ levels means making multiple “loops” through the dungeon, checking for what changed since the last time you were there. In that sense, the dungeons have been relatively linear and I’ve only been mapping spottily, mostly during those times when I ran out of options and I needed to make sure I hit every square and studied every wall again. Some of the buttons and switches are awfully hard to see.

Pressure plates on floors tripped me up a couple of times. You can’t see them; you have to listen for them. There are times I unthinkingly started playing without my headphones on and thus didn’t note when I walked over a floor plate. This isn’t a big deal if you only walk over it once–it probably just opens some door that you needed open anyway. But if you walk over it a second time, it closes the same door. Only if I wasn’t wearing my headphones the first time and was the second time, I might think I just walked over it for the first time and thus avoid it in the future, unknowingly locking myself out of an area until I get the whole thing sorted out.

The game is fond of occasional messages, most of which have no relevance to the level.

I said “for 14 of the 18 levels” above. Things changed a little after I recovered all of the Ruling Symbols. The next three levels required me to find the altars to unite the pieces of each symbol. The location of each dungeon was revealed to me as I exited the dungeon where I found the third piece. The game had a bug where it told me the Tower of Scions twice when it really meant to give me Draken Tor for one of the two, but I sorted that out with an online walkthrough. Anyway, the enemies in the three “altar” dungeons were much harder than those I’d encountered previously. They weren’t hard compared to Dungeon Master or any other game of this subgenre, but they were harder than before. I had to be a little more careful in combat and a couple of times rest between battles.

Exiting each dungeon after you find the third piece of the Ruling Symbols brings up a message that tells you the location of the altar to unite them.

On the subject of resting, theoretically the hunger system ought to discourage you from doing it too often unless you bring a huge supply of food with you from town. But I discovered through experimentation that the characters’ health regenerates faster than hunger depletes it. The ratio is about 1.4 to 1. So as long as you don’t mind dealing with everyone saying “oof!” about once a minute as hunger pains drain a hit point, you might as well ignore the whole system. Spell points regenerate much slower than hit points, unfortunately, and there were a couple of times that I parked my party in a corner while I did something else for 20 or 30 minutes so their spell power would regenerate.

A random shot of opening a treasure chest.

Let me take a diversion to complain about spells. While warriors suffer a “cool down” period after physical attacks, there is no similar pause after spells. The mage’s ability to destroy every foe with whatever offensive spell she chooses to cast is limited only by her mana. Because a player with a normal index finger can double-click the mouse about five times a second, it really doesn’t matter whether the mage is casting “Electricity,” “Fireblast,” “Mage Bolt,” “Ice Strike,” or whatever. The spells that cost more points do more damage, but you can cast them so fast that it hardly matters whether you cast three “Fireblasts” at 8 points each or four “Electricities” at 6 points each (or, for that matter, twelve “Mage Bolts” at 2 points each; and yes, I really do need to standardize when I use digits and when I spell it out). There might as well have just been one generic “Blast” spell for mages.

My cleric has lagged well behind the others in character development because he can’t swing a weapon to save his life, even though I bought an amulet and a ring meant to improve his abilities. He currently has 52,877 experience points compared to my primary warrior’s 269,512. He gets some offensive spells, but I needed to save most of his spell points for healing, particularly as the foes got more difficult. “Cure of Gods” came along just as I was getting sick of having to cast “Minor Cure” dozens of times, and then he got “Healing,” which restores all hit points for 10 spell points. Equally important are his exploration spells, including “Swimming,” “Walk on Fire,” and “Jump,” the last of which lets you jump over a square. That became vital in the Halls of Rage.

How is walking on fire a spell, but general fire resistance isn’t?

Before I get to the Halls, I’ll just talk a bit about the economy. It’s relatively generous as long as you save and sell extra weapons, gems, and jewelry. (Oddly, extra armor can’t be sold.) There’s nothing useful to buy in the armory, but jewelry stores sell Rings of Mighty Attack, Amulets of Strength, Amulets of Speed, and Rings of Protection, and I was able to give each character some new item every two or three dungeon levels. Now my inventory slots are full, so I only need to keep a little money to buy passage into towns and the occasional meal or room at an inn. I’m thinking about dumping most of it because it weighs you down, and I think slows you in combat.

I don’t want to suggest that none of the dungeon levels prior to the Halls of Rage had anything interesting. The Summer Vale had 12 small interconnected levels (all of them together still equaling the size of one standard level) which were a challenge to map. The dungeon near the Lake of Dreams had a maze of single squares in which three of the four walls had levers that activated teleporters. There was a way to find your way through using messages, but I mapped the whole thing by dropping items on the floors. Still, until the Halls of Rage, that’s about as exciting as it got.

Once I united the three Ruling Symbols, I got an image of a crown for some reason. The Symbols themselves disappeared from our inventories. Then the weirdest thing happened: the game said that I had “new powers”–specifically, we could all transform ourselves into bats and fly across the landscape, avoiding random encounters and no more relying on boats to get between islands. (For some reason, the option to transform into a bat is activated by a button that looks like a hot air balloon.) I mean, I guess I appreciate the ability, but it really came out of nowhere. Perhaps it has some root in the frequent representation of vampires in Hungarian folklore? If so, it’s the only Hungarian-influenced thing I’ve seen in the game so far.

Maybe now that we have the “Ruling Symbols,” we’re now “rulers”?

Using my new power to cross the land.

The Halls of Rage was the final dungeon I explored for this entry, and it completely changed all the rules. It showed that the developers were capable of extremely challenging environments; they just didn’t implement them for the 17 previous levels. It was one of the most hateful dungeon levels that I’ve ever experienced, full of things that the game hadn’t even hinted were possible before. Fireballs roar continually down the hallways. Plants suddenly come alive and eat you when you’re adjacent. There are perpetually spinning squares in which you have to fight enemies coming at you from all directions without being able to stop yourself spinning. There are teleporters that dump you into the middle of fire or water. If you try to outsmart them by having “Swimming” or “Walk on Fire” active, they up the ante by dumping you on squares that cancel magic and are on fire. There’s one long corridor full of fire with one square in the middle that cancels magic and another just after it that spins you around, so you go racing through it at a panic when you lose “Walk on Fire” only to find that you’ve just returned to where you started. One whole section of the level features a puzzle where you have to push or pull planters around to clear a path, but one wrong move can leave you in a “walking dead” scenario. Getting through this level took me about six times as long as any other level. It was like playing an entirely different game.

The party walks into a fireball.

Check out this particularly awful area. You come into here from the western corridor. The moment you step on the “T@” square, it teleports you to one of the spinners (“@”) on the north or south ends of the room. They spin continually, so you have to try to walk off of them while they’re spinning. If you’re lucky, you walk into one of the safe corners. If you’re unlucky, you walk into one of the “FB” squares and fireballs–the kind that kill your entire party in seconds–come roaring out of the opposite end of this north/south section. Meanwhile, the plants in the two “P” planters are alive and biting you while you stand adjacent to them.

A particularly vexing section of the Halls of Rage.

Your only hope moving forward is to get to one of the doors on the east end, but there are enemies behind the doors–ghosts–and if they step into the doorway and block the path, you have to try to fight them while getting slammed with fireballs. That doesn’t work. So you have to lure them out into one of the corner squares, deal with them, and then get to the end of the room.

Plants attack you in this dungeon, and you can’t fight them back. They’ve always been non-hostile before.

The middle room has a secret wall behind it with a treasure chest on the far side. This is the ostensible goal of the area. But the only way to get into this area is to step on three successive fireball squares, each one of which continually launches fireballs as long as you’re on the square. So somehow you have to quickly sidle to the door, press the lever to open it, and hope that the enemy on the other side stays back long enough for you to walk through the door and escape the fireballs. Oh, and the one right in front of the door (“FB!”) also cancels magic, so you’re doing this with no protection and in the dark. I don’t think “Mage Shield” and “Walk on Fire” and other spells really help in this situation, but it would have been nice to have some false hope.

The treasure chest, by the way, is entirely optional. I mean, this is the sort of game where you have to check everything, but it turns out that you don’t even need to be in this area. The problem is that once you step on “T@” and get teleported to one of the edge squares, there’s no good way to escape. You can linger in one of the western corners forever, but you can’t get out by entering “T@” from the north or south because you immediately get teleported. You have to cast “Jump” to get across it from the square in between the two planters–which is a perpetually spinning square. Half the time, your “Jump” won’t work because it will try to send you in the direction of a planter, one quarter of the time it will put you back in the doorway to the east, and the final quarter it will actually get you out of the room. You only have to somehow survive three fireball squares to make it in the first place. I couldn’t do it with all my characters alive. Maybe if I’d grinded more. I had to reload from outside the dungeon.

The whole purpose of the Halls of Rage was simply to find the stairway out. Once I’d achieved that, Bronakh again appeared and said “now let me see what you can do in my lair” and automatically transported us to his lair in the middle of a volcano, with no option to return to town to level up or anything.

Our intro to the final dungeon.

Miscellaneous notes, many dealing with bugs:

I am particularly grateful for the ability to fly as a bat because it was getting increasingly hard to get anywhere on the overworld. You can’t just move smoothly across the map. The party gets hung up on all kinds of obstacles that you can’t even see.

The game weirdly divorces the overland features from the dungeons you have to find. For instance, I had to find the dungeon beneath the Tower of Scions. The tower is a feature on the map, but if you walk directly to the tower, you just get the “town menu” but with no menu options. You have to root around in the scrub surrounding the tower before the game finally tells you that you’ve found the dungeon.

The regular Tower of Scions menu offers no option to enter its dungeon.

Instead, you have to hunt around its periphery until you get this.

The game deletes unused keys from the previous dungeon when you enter a new dungeon, thus saving you from bulking up your inventory with extra keys that you’re too afraid to throw away.

In an early entry I said that the “combat waltz” was impossible because “enemies are always facing you.” This turns out not to be true. You can approach enemies from the side and rear. The waltz still doesn’t work though, for reasons having to do with the fact that there are actually four “positions” in each square, and you can only hit enemies if they’re in the two positions adjacent to you, which do require them to be facing you.

The graphic depiction of the cool downs frequently glitches, often showing that the weapon is available even when it isn’t.

There’s an occasional bug in shops where accidentally clicking off the menu takes you to a blank screen. At this point, you can’t do anything and have to kill the game.

I hope I saved recently.

I’ve been avoiding the “Terror” spell because I don’t see any purpose in sending enemies running off for other parts of the dungeon, where I’ll just have to fight them again. However, I accidentally cast it (I was going for “Toxic Cloud” below it) on a dwarf. It somehow turned him invincible. Once it wore off, I was unable to hurt or even hit him with melee attacks or spells. I had to reload an earlier save.

In treasure chests, I found several suits of robes that told me they were the “wrong armor for this class” no matter what character I tried to equip with them.

A couple of times in the Halls of Death, my lead two warriors froze and refused to do anything when I clicked on their weapons. Both times were fighting ghosts. I don’t know if the game glitched or if ghosts have some kind of paralysis or terror effect. There’s nothing in the character sheet that tells you what kinds of conditions you’re under, and up until then (other than hunger), there hadn’t been any conditions.

I have mixed feelings as I move forward towards the end. One the one hand, I’m glad I played Abandoned Places long enough to find out that the creators were capable of some Ördög-level cruelty. On the other hand, that was a lot of boring sludge to make me wade through to get to the good stuff. I don’t know if I hope that Bronakh’s fortress continues in the vein of the Halls of Rage or if it offers a quicker wrap-up.

Time so far: 25 hours

source http://reposts.ciathyza.com/abandoned-places-turnabout/

#retro games #dos games #retro #crpg #adventure #amiga #oldcomputers #8bit #16bit #blog #repost

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smoothshift · 6 years ago

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Tesla Model 3 AWD vs. C7 Corvette Grand Sport via /r/cars

Tesla Model 3 AWD vs. C7 Corvette Grand Sport

I’ve been daily driving Corvettes for the past (7) years or so. I had 5 years in an old C5 Corvette and spent the last two years in a C7 Grand Sport. While I love Corvettes my life has slowly become more complicated to the point where daily driving a C7 Grand Sport has been less and less of a joy.

Now don’t get me wrong, Corvettes are the most daily-able sports cars you can get. Plenty of trunk room, an honest 30mpg if you drive them calmly, the cars are reliable, and they are generally affordable to repair/maintain. For me though, I just recently got married, moved to a place that made for a commute that was a bit more tedious than it was fun, and in general was beginning to feel a bit limited/stressed out when driving my Corvette (more on that later). So I decided to trade in my C7 Grand Sport for a Tesla Model 3 non-performance AWD. Here are my thoughts!

Buying Experience:

Buying a Tesla is a generally seamless and enjoyable experience, but there are some points that are a bit unnerving.

Test driving a Tesla is literally as easy as walking into your nearest store and saying“Hi I want to test drive this model”, and 5 minutes later you’re behind the wheel of whatever models they have available. The sales staff is generally pretty friendly, helpful, and polite, and there is very minimal if any sales pressure.

Compared to your typical dealership experience, where you often have to deal with a salesman sizing you up, etc. This is a much better way to test-drive a vehicle. For instance if you want to drive a 100K+ Model S P100D the answer is “Absolutely, let me grab your co-pilot and do you want any water while we wait?” as opposed to “well let’s see if you can afford it first”

The actual ordering experience is a bit odd/sketchy at times. You have to order your car online and when ordering you place a $2500 deposit to reserve your chosen configuration. It is rather difficult to figure out how much you’re actually purchasing the car for if you’re just using the website. For one, the prices listed on their “cost estimator” do not take into consideration taxes, delivery fees, etc. Likewise Tesla is very quick to advertise a cost with savings, which tends to be a very optimistic savings estimate that takes into consideration EV tax refunds, gas savings, etc.

The main problem is that it’s very hard to figure out how much you are looking to pay with taxes, delivery, registration, etc. until after you place your $2500 reservation. Even then, the way the order confirmation process happens, you pretty much agree to a bunch of different items first and then you see the final price of your vehicle. If you were to buy a car almost anywhere else you start by seeing your full price and then you start agreeing to things, so this kind of felt like a bait and switch at times as I was going through the process.

After the order is confirmed, you get a call from a delivery specialist and they ask if you would like your car delivered or if you would like to pick the car up. I opted to pick the car up.

The pickup process was great!

“Hi I’m here to pickup a car I just ordered”

“Okay great! A delivery host will be with you in a few minutes”

From there I sat in a super nice waiting and was greeted by my delivery host who had me sign some official documents (lease agreement, DMV stuff, etc). Unlike a dealership where this process is usually 45 minutes to 2 hours long, this was literally (8) simple signatures and 5 minutes long. Throughout the process my host kept apologizing for it taking so long and it was literally the most breezy car purchase I had ever experienced.

After that I had a brief introduction to the car and off I went!

I think you could literally get into a Tesla with as little as 15minutes to an hour of total effort expended, depending on how you go about doing things. This is way nicer than the 4-6 hour nightmare that traditional car dealerships put you through.

At the same time, Tesla definitely tries to hide how much money you are actually spending on their vehicles until the last possible moment and until you feel pretty much committed to the purchase. To me the whole order of events in this process is a little sketchy.

A few other notes on this: I traded in my Vette. They gave me a Kelly Blue Book good estimate site unseen and said they’d match any carmax quotes that I got (which I didn’t get).

I did have a little bit of negative equity in my car that I was hoping to roll into my lease payments (since the whole point of a lease is to minimize how much upfront cash one puts down). I had an estimate from a sales advisor showing what this would roughly look like, however when confirming the lease agreement online the negative equity was not rolled into the monthly payments. I reached out to the Tesla folks after confirming my order and they said they’d have no problem making the adjustment, but they kind of went MIA before it was time for me to take delivery.

Before you go “well why did you commit to an agreement that you didn’t want?” to be honest their whole order of events is a little confusing and you’re not quite sure what’s a click just to get the order going/car secured, and what’s a click that’s going to be a more binding confirmation.

Since the amount of negative equity was minimal I just decided to pay for it up-front. But in general I feel like Tesla is a little reckless when it comes to being transparent about what the car costs, how the financial agreement is being made, etc. For me, I was fine with how it all played out (despite being unnerved) but I can honestly see a lot of people digging themselves into a bad financial hole with the way some of these transactions can happen.

Okay on to the cars!

Build Quality:

I know the Tesla Model 3 has a pretty bad reputation for build quality, but my model was pretty solid to my eye. No obvious paint defects, various trim pieces seem aligned. There’s maybe some more panel gap than you’d find elsewhere, but nothing obvious or overtly offensive.

Compared to the Corvette the Model 3 feels surprisingly solid. Even with the new C7’s, Corvettes always have quite a few creaks and rattles thanks to their removable targa top roof. Likewise, my C7’s interior wore way too fast for being only two years old. I honestly felt like I bought a C7 Grand Sport and it started falling apart after two years of daily use, which honestly isn’t acceptable for a $65,000 car.

The Model 3’s interior feels like it uses higher quality materials that won’t wear as quickly and in general it feels like a solid, competently put together car. It doesn’t have that over-engineered, super high quality German car feel, but it’s a nice place to be and definitely nicer than a C7 Corvette’s interior. I also don’t foresee the Model 3 falling apart as quickly as the C7 did.

Only thing I noticed build quality wise is that doors and trunks need to be slammed extra hard to properly close. New passengers almost never close a door tight enough and I almost always have to re-close my trunk even though I think I used enough effort.

In general I was expecting the Model 3 to be a little cheap, crappy, and haphazard in terms of build quality and have been pleasantly surprised so far. On the flip side, though I know Corvettes aren’t the most high-end cars ever made, I expected my C7 to hold up much better than it actually did.

One other call-out is that I am happy that I am leasing this car. It’s not that the build quality is bad per say, but something about it makes me feel like it wouldn’t last a 5+ year ownership cycle.

Driving Experience:

I mainly got the Model 3 because I often have to drive to downtown urban areas and experience soul-crushing 2-4 hour traffic slogs on a weekly basis. Though the C7 Corvette is probably the best daily sports car driver you can find, it can get a little tiring to drive around on a daily basis.

The C7 Grand Sport kind of has two modes, very docile and polite, or ruthlessly fast. Though it’s great that it has both personality types, it transitions between them in an awkward way. There’s times when you want things to be a little sporty and fun and the car is defaulting to its docile tendencies. Then there’s other times when you want it to be a little easier to drive and it can feel a little too intense. So it creates this odd experience where you sometimes feel like you’re a bull in a china shop when putting around town, then there’s other times when you’re wanting to tear it up and the car feels a little too domestic.

The Model 3 has a very “zen-like” driving experience. With the regenerative braking everything feels very telepathic. To move forward use the pedal, to slow down just release. This experience feels very natural and it is super easy to manage your car’s momentum. You barely need to use the brakes and with the near instantaneous torque the car has, it is also very easy to slot yourself wherever you need to go.

The inherent nature of EV vehicles really does feel like a better way to drive to me, and there’s just a lot less mental overhead with how easy and seamless the cars are to drive once you get used to them.

That being said, the Model 3 constantly reminds you that it’s designed to be a normal car and that it’s not a performance oriented vehicle (which it isn’t of course). Steering feel and engagement is virtually non-existent compared to the Corvette. With the way the Corvette cockpit and ergonomics are designed the driver is put in a position where they can be very focused and engaged with the road/car. To be honest this kind of makes a driver in the Corvette feel special.

The Model 3 by comparison just doesn’t try to make the driver feel particularly special in anyway, so while the EV experience is pretty novel and interesting to encounter, the car doesn’t surround itself around the driver like other sports or drivers’ oriented cars would.

I’ll put it this way. When I would wake up in the morning and find myself hitting traffic, the Corvette would feel like a bit of a chore to be in. When I find myself hitting traffic in the Model 3 I think it’s the greatest thing ever because of how easy, comfortable, and seamless the car is to drive in those situations.

When I would get off of work at 2am and have no one on the road around me, I’d think the Corvette was the greatest thing ever because of how enjoyable, fun, and engaging it made driving. Meanwhile in the Model 3, it’s not even worth trying to drive fast when there’s an open road in front of me because it’s not particularly fun or enjoyable to do so in this vehicle.

Power:

I’d classify the Model 3 AWD as quick, but not necessarily fast or powerful. Yes it does have a 4.5 0-60 time, and with its AWD and EV properties that 0-60 can sometimes be a bit punchier than people expect. That being said, the car really runs out of oomph as you approach 80-mph so I’d classify the accelerations as surprising, but a little unremarkable once you get used to them.

The C7 Grand Sport actually has a hard time coming on to power with the way it is torque managed. You can’t floor the car until you are traveling at least 30-40MPH, and you don’t really feel a torque kick in until the car is around 3,000RPM. So you have this odd experience with the C7 where you can’t ever really deck it off the line, but you don’t necessarily always get a nice low-end torque bite like you’d expect from an N/A V8. That being said, a floored C7 feels like it can literally pull you all the way to 189 MPH if given enough road whereas the Model 3’s sense of power and accelerations starts to fade at 50mph and is less existent when you’re at 80.

Around town the Model 3 would probably beat the Corvette from stoplight to stoplight. The instant reaction time and acceleration of the EV motors is just too much for most ICE cars to compete with. By the time an ICE car gets into power, the right gear, etc. the Model 3 has already hit its desired speed. Likewise, where an ICE car has to slam on the brakes to slow down, the Model 3 is naturally coasting to a stop thanks to the regen braking. So it’s actually almost easier to Yo-yo the Model 3 and speed spotlight to spotlight as you can deck it to 60 and then coast to a stop without making a sound or having to use the brakes. If you tried to do that in a C7 Corvette you’d look like a madman.

On a highway, the C7 Grand Sport will walk the Model 3 all day everyday. Especially if the race is for more than say an 1/8th of a mile. On the highway the Model 3 might get the jump but after that it’s over.

I will say that I’m a touch disappointed with the AWD Model 3’s acceleration. I test drove one of these before buying and it felt much stronger than mine currently does. Though it’s a lot easier to blast the car around thanks to its AWD system, I do miss some of the drama that comes with the Corvette. The accelerations are quick, but they just aren’t consistently satisfying on the Model 3.

One other item I noticed is that the Model AWD actually hesitates a bit on its acceleration below 20 MPH. Now this could just be a traction control thing, but the car definitely eases itself into a roll and then starts rocketing you after 20mph when you have the foot to the floor. In the C7 Corvette if you floor it at 0mph, you’ll likely blow the tires off but the car isn’t going to hold back its initial power off the line.

For the Tesla fanboys who really talk up EV acceleration; yeah it’s great from a dig and can surprise you every once in a while, but it does feel like a bit of a party trick, especially as you hold an acceleration and feel the car running out of legs. ICE cars may not nail the initial launch, but they keep going and going. This isn’t to say that EV’s won’t continue to improve on their top-end speed. There’s just tons of articles showing Teslas blowing cars away in a drag race, and if you extend that race to say a half mile the ICE cars keep going while the Teslas start fading. I’m not much of a performance snob, by any means but people acting like Teslas are SO powerful are conveniently overlooking a lot of things, or just haven’t spent much time in a car that has over 350HP.

Handling:

The handling on the Model 3 is surprisingly competent. The suspension is really well dampened and it has an almost perfect balance of firmness and comfort. To be honest the C7 Corvette’s suspension feels like a P.O.S by comparison. Even with magnetic ride control, the C7 feels too firm, as if you are often being jostled and unsettled by the road. Yes there’s maybe a greater sense of connectedness and control, but you feel like GM had no sense of balancing performance and refinement with their suspension setup compared to the Model 3’s.

I’m going to pin the C7’s issues on the leaf springs and low suspension travel, but yeah…despite the C7’s great handling the ride quality of its suspension really betrays how enjoyable and controllable the car can be.

I took my Model 3 on a twisty road, and while it might not have felt as glued to the road as the Corvette would, it felt totally composed, had minimal body roll, and it was very easy to control momentum thanks to the regen braking. In fact it was almost smoother to drive in a canyon thanks to the regen allowing you to decelerate and instantly accelerate at will.

The one thing that I do miss about the C7 Grand Sport is its turn in and grip. With the C7 Grand Sport you feel like you can literally throw it into any turn and that it will just lock-in and go. You don’t get that with the Model 3, but to be fair I wasn’t really expecting that. Some lowering springs, larger sway bars, stickier tires, and a more performance oriented alignment would probably help the Model 3 get respectably closer to this though.

The Model 3 does have pretty weak brakes to me. Now granted, with the regen braking you actually don’t have to use the brakes too often because your speed is so easy to control. At the same time though I felt like my C7 Corvette’s brakes could bail me out of literally any situation…and that’s with steel rotors not even the carbon ceramics. The Model 3’s brakes are adequate at best and probably a little underdone for a car that brags about safety as much as Tesla does.

The Corvette is obviously the better handling car and to be honest it’s probably the best handling car for the money that you can buy today. That being said, if you haven’t driven a C7 Corvette you’ll love everything about the Model 3’s handling. If you have driven one…you’ll really miss the C7’s great turn in and grip, but surprisingly you won’t feel like you’re driving a pig or anything like that at all.

Technology:

Tesla has a lot of hype surrounding their cars due to how technologically advanced they are. The Model 3 in particular is Tesla’s current flag bearer on this front.

While a lot of the features that the Model 3 has are kind of cool, their usefulness and overall impact on the driving experience is a little all over the board. With some features being great while other features feel useless and somewhat gimmicky. So I’ll start with the stuff that I think works well and will work my way down to the features that I think are overhyped.

Phone App.

The Model 3 uses a phone app to replace a proper keyfob. There’s also some keycards that are available in case your phone ever dies. I find the phone app to be relatively helpful. It’s usually something I already have in my hand when walking to my car so it’s a little more convenient to deal with than a fob. Likewise you can monitor your car’s charge, temperature, and a few other things remotely. Now if your car is in a parking garage where your car isn’t getting cell signal, you won’t be able to monitor as well, but I find it pretty convenient to be able to remotely monitor charging progress, to set the cars’ temperature on a hot or cold day before I get in it, etc.

Auto-Pilot

The much-publicized auto-pilot also works quite well! The car pilots itself quite competently and it takes a really big mental load off of you when driving in tedious situations. I have it engaged maybe 50-75% of the time on my daily commute and it has been a game changer for dealing with traffic or tedious driving situations. While the system isn’t perfect, the more I use it the more I trust it and enjoy it.

Where auto-pilot comes up short is that it just doesn’t know how to “pre-empt” human actions when driving. For instance, say a car is merging on the right of me, when driving myself I’ll either accelerate or brake a bit to avoid any inconvenience for me or the driver merging. With auto-pilot engaged, the car sometimes lets that inconvenient moment happen, where your car is now in a position that is going to force a more rapid braking or acceleration action that could have been avoided earlier. Or in a more common instance, there will be a car in the lane next to you with its blinker on. If you were driving yourself you’d probably give this car a chance to get over. With auto-pilot engaged it just keeps on pushing through, potentially creating a tough lane change situation for the car trying to merge as a result.

Another call-out is that auto-pilot does rely quite heavily on clear lane lines for it to work well. I’ve already found myself trying to engage it in situations where it wasn’t available due to poor or unclear road conditions. While this is 100% understandable it is a bit of a limitation.

Full Self Driving

At the moment I am happy that I did not spring for the full self-driving option. While auto-pilot handles itself quite competently, I just don’t trust the car’s awareness to change lanes completely on its own, to slow down and accelerate at appropriate times, etc. It’s not bad by any means and I have no doubt that the car can drive itself, the car at this very moment is just missing some of the human intuition that would make having full self driving engaged something that is truly a worry free experience. For instance, I’d MUCH rather just change lanes myself and re-engage auto pilot than have to worry about the car not knowing how to handle a particular situation, braking when it’s not supposed to, accelerating inappropriately, etc. On the flip side, there’s a lot of times when I want to just be in auto-pilot for as long as possible and being limited to one lane does feel like a bit of a bummer. If FSD was subscription based or followed an owner around instead of a vehicle around I’d 100% buy it. However, it just doesn’t make sense to add an extra 10%+ cost to your vehicle for what is essentially tenuous lane changing capability at the moment.

Parking Sensors and Cameras

The parking sensors are great! The fact that they show how many inches you are away from an object makes navigating tight spots much more intelligent. The backup camera is pretty high res and can occupy pretty much the whole screen, which genuinely makes it more useful than a rearview mirror. My C7 had a backup camera, but I always found myself using the rear-view mirror anyways because the backup camera felt a little too small or not detailed enough.

Though the car has (8) cameras it only has a rear view camera mode, which is a bummer as I think a 360 view, a front view, etc. could be immensely helpful. Apparently the cameras aren’t positioned in a way to really offer this view, but when you’re used to a car with multiple camera angles (like my Vette had) it’s a small letdown

Touch Screen/Infotainment

I think the touch screen on the Model 3 is nice but it’s distracting. Coming from Android auto, everything in that interface is 1-2 touches away. The Model 3 touch screen requires a lot of touching and navigating to get things to actually do what you want, which quite frankly is unsafe and distracting.

The in-car navigation is the best in-car navigation I have ever encountered. It seems to genuinely be on-par with Waze/Google maps and it pretty much curb stomps any other proprietary car navigation that is out there. The satellite view is pretty cool to have, though if you don’t have it, you aren’t missing much. Likewise, the traffic visualization, though helpful seems to not give you a sense of traffic as well as Google Maps’ implementation.

The media playback implementation on this car sucks. Slacker radio or whatever it is called never seems to play what you want it to, and it is super slow and clunky to navigate. This is a huge weak-point for all Teslas at the moment as there is no native Spotify integration, etc. for media playback.

Connecting to Bluetooth on my Samsung Galaxy S9 was error prone as it would constantly disconnect and reconnect until I deleted all of the contacts on my phone that had a special character in them. Now that I have done so, things seem a bit more solid.

The car’s voice command-recognition is not very good. When I speak to google assistant it gets things right every single time, this car takes forever to recognize what I am saying to it and often gets it wrong. Likewise the car cannot read your SMS messages nor can you send them via voice. In general this car’s infotainment and voice based features are extremely limited compared to android auto and carplay.

I find myself feeling often limited and inconvenienced with the Model 3’s infotainment system and to be honest, with how much touching you have to do on the touchscreen and with how poor the voice recognition is, the touch screen can be pretty dangerous to use unless you have autopilot engaged.

The good news is that this area has a lot of potential to improve! But I used Android Auto on a daily basis feeling like I never needed anything extra. With this I feel like it’s just not all there yet.

Easter Eggs

The “easter-eggs” included in the car I plan on never touching, and though they are “nice” to have they don’t deserve all of the hype that people give them.

Web-Browser

There’s a web-browser in the car, which I actually like the idea of! But I can’t think of times where I would prefer to use that over my phone. I would 100% trade the web-browser in for phone mirroring or a more competent media interface.

Sound:

A lot of people really hype up the sound systems in these cars and I think they’re nothing special. I think it’s better balanced and overall clearer than my Corvette’s sound system but I wouldn’t call it a selling point or anything near a deciding factor if purchasing the car.

In fact the only thing I do like about the car’s sound system is that Jazz and other classical music is much easier to listen to because you aren’t fighting the noise and vibration of the engine constantly.

Tech overview

In general, I think the real technological innovation with the Tesla Model 3 is in its battery technology and the general EV driving experience. Auto-pilot is a pretty well developed feature, but FSD does feel like it’s a long way off despite Tesla’s optimistic claims. All of the other stuff that you’ll see in Youtube videos and reviews feels either gimmicky or a little under-developed/buggy. So don’t buy into the idea that the technology inside this car will change your life, because it won’t! But the general EV driving experience and general competence of auto-pilot are game changers for the daily driver.

Misc. EV thoughts:

Though this car has an advertised range of 310 miles it gets nowhere near that if driving like a normal human. Since I’ve owned the car I’ve charged over 300 miles on it, and have driven about 200. That should show you how far off the range estimates are.

Now, this isn’t to say that I’m particularly disappointed or limited by the range. But it’s a little weird seeing the car say you have 294 miles and then two miles later you have 284. Whereas in an ICE car if it says you have 294, you get all 294 miles.

If you don’t live in an area where there is reliable overnight charging the car will be a little stressful to own. I charge my car at work, but have already had times where I have had to go out of my to charge extra, etc. because I was driving more than I could charge at work.

In general you do feel like you are saving a lot of time and money owning an EV car. I put about 120 miles of charge on my Model 3 using some public chargers for $7. Compare that to 4 gallons of gas and that would easily be $15-$25 out here in California.

Likewise, not having to deal with gas stations is awesome. In my Corvette I’d often get people coming up to me asking me for money, or would sometimes get weird looks from folks in sketchier parts of town. I simply just don’t ever have to encounter that in the Model 3. Likewise, I was getting Costco gas, which though cheap is a miserable experience with the stupid lines so I am really happy to have that be done with.

It’s also really nice being able to hang out in the car and not have the ICE motor running to get air-conditioning, power, etc. When I arrive early to places, my Model 3 becomes a very comfortable mobile office that I can hang out in until a meeting starts, etc.

I’m not much of a green freak, but it is pretty nice driving and knowing that you aren’t polluting as much and are helping the world inch towards more sustainable energy.

Lastly, the Tesla supercharger network is a rather powerful thing to have at your disposal. Most public chargers give you about 20-30 miles of range per hour, meaning your car can need up to 8 hours to recoup most of its charge. Though I have a situation where I can pretty consistently charge at work, here’s going to be times where I need a quick fill up and the Tesla superchargers makes that option available. If you are driving with other manufacturers, though the public network is available, you just don’t have that option for a 45 minute fill up like you do with Tesla. Your only option is to let your car charge for several hours.

Overall thoughts vs. C7 Corvette Grand Sport.

The Model 3 AWD isn’t a driver’s car (which makes sense given that it’s probably the first car designed to be a driverless car). If you are looking to enjoy driving from more of a thrills and excitement level, this car won’t give you the emotional and visceral cues to make that happen. It’s not that the car isn’t quick, doesn’t handle well, or anything like that. There’s just an effortlessness and lack of drama that the Model 3 has which makes things a bit less rewarding to engage in. It’s easy to be impressed with the car and to be surprised with it, but it’s not something you necessarily feel invested in emotionally. I look at my Model 3 and think “driving is so quick, efficient, and practical now” I used to look at my Corvette and go “God I love this thing”. Both are good connections to have, but they are different. If you think showing off gimmicky sort of buggy technology is special, then you’ll feel very cool owning the car, but from an emotional perspective the Model 3 does very little to make you love it like you would a sports car.

When I would drive my C7 Grand Sport around, I would literally feel like I owned the road and could have a shot at any other car that came at me. I felt like there was a certain presence and emotional engagement to being in a Corvette and that just isn’t there in the Model 3. To be fair, I don’t necessarily think a Model 3 is trying to be that kind of emotional drivers*’* car in the first place so I can’t necessarily peg this as a flaw, but for those of us used to a more sporty experience, you are going to miss having that emotional connection and presence emanating from your car.

Now if you’re looking to circumvent a lot of the hassles that come with driving, this car is pretty much the best in the business at the moment. From its near silent operation, the reactive nature of EV piloting, and the fact that things like auto-pilot make it so you almost don’t have to drive the car, the Tesla Model 3 does simplify almost all of the complexity that comes with owning and driving a traditional ICE car. For instance there’s no oil changes, no more stopping for gas, you’re not worrying about engine failure, transmission fluid leaks, etc. This isn’t to say that EV’s are bullet proof by any means, but it does seem like there’s a lot less that can go wrong.

I will say, as much as I loved the idea of owning and driving a C7 Corvette there was a lot of low-key stress and hassle that came with driving one day to day. The car’s large tires would tramline, turning radius wasn’t particularly good which made for difficult parking lots, the car would seem to get super dirty after only a few days driving it, the suspension could beat you up easily, etc. In general, whenever I was asked to run an errand in the Corvette, part of me always weighed having to deal with the low-key wear and tear issues that it could cause, vs. actually doing whatever the trip was. With the Tesla it’s pretty much always “yeah no problem” because the car is easy to drive, there’s no gas to use, minimal drivetrain wear and tear, etc.

Though I think Tesla does mis-represent the true cost of their vehicles, there are a lot of positives to how they conduct business. When I would take my Corvette in to get serviced, even after making an appointment, I’d be sitting at a dealership for several minutes before anyone would acknowledge me, and then the dealership would not really know how to address or want to address whatever issues I presented to them.

So far everything with Tesla has been very quick and seamless. There’s a general “can do” attitude with everyone that I’ve encountered from Tesla and there’s a general emphasis on trying to make things as convenient as humanly possible for owners.

Likewise, though I do find some of the Model 3’s features to be a little gimmicky and buggy, there’s definitely a clear vision behind the vehicle and how everything is intended to integrate. With a lot of cars, the C7 included, I think a lot of manufacturers go “here’s all of the things this car can do” and they kind of throw in off the shelf parts and features that do the job, but those features don’t feel like they belong to the car itself. Some of the Tesla stuff is a little questionable, but there’s no question that they tried very hard to develop those features a certain way and to integrate into the car on a more comprehensive level. A Tesla very much feels like an Apple product, whereas a lot of other cars feel like PC’s from various OEM’s by comparison. There’s pros and cons to both but the Apple product does feel like there’s some kind of lasting vision or purpose behind it, whereas that’s not as much the case with OEM PC stuff.

Tesla’s ability to add features via over the air updates is also pretty darn cool. I’m probably not as passionate about this car as I am the Corvette, and yet I find myself constantly looking at Tesla forums and news because I know improvements to the car are constantly coming.

All in all, will I miss my Vette? Absolutely! Will this car make my life easier in a bunch of different ways? Totally. As I drive this car more and more I realize that I liked the idea of owning a Corvette, being in one, etc. almost more than I enjoyed the actual car itself. This isn’t to say that I didn’t use my C7 well, or didn’t appreciate it, etc. just that the ethos behind a car can really be a powerful thing and can help mask a lot of factual flaws or issues.

The Model 3 by comparison is probably way better across the board in terms of practicality, day-to-day enjoyment, cost, convenience, etc. yet I don’t love it or enjoy it the same way I do the Corvette. It’s an intellectual affair, and one that makes all the sense at this very moment in my life, but I’m never going to look back and go “Man I got to drive a Model 3” and that’s precisely why I decided not to own this car.

EV is clearly the future and I am honestly a little shocked that Audi, Jaguar, and Porsche are the only ones to sort of have moderately competent vehicles coming to market any time soon. Even then, they look to be about a generation behind where Tesla is at in terms of battery, EV, and general technological capabilities.

ICE cars won’t be going away too soon, but EV really is the future. Tesla is trying to hit the car revolution quite hard with the full self-driving ethos, tech heavy emphasis, etc. Even without that stuff, EV vehicles are quite clearly better than ICE vehicles to me.

Though my goal is to get the new mid-engine Corvette when it comes out, part of me is worried that for all of its greatness, it will still ultimately fall short of the many inherent advantages provided by the EV driving experience. The first car manufacturer to have a proper EV sports car could very likely get my next purchase. The EV experience is great, and while the Model 3 AWD isn’t perfect in a lot of ways, the more I drive it, the more I feel like ICE cars are starting to feel like a huge step backwards. If by some miracle the new Tesla Roadster starts at $150K, which it won’t, I’d buy it in a heartbeat even if I couldn’t completely afford it. EV’s are here to stay and I’m looking for something compelling to make sure I never look back.

TL;DR. Model 3 AWD, surprisingly better built than C7 Corvette, not a super high performer but great to daily drive and is quick. EV is a gamechanger. Don’t buy a Model 3 for all the tech hype, because that part is overblown. If you’re used to driving a sports car you’ll likely miss the emotion behind it in the Model 3 AWD.

#reddit #autonews #auto #cars

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superblyjovialtheorist-blog · 6 years ago

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Isn't $300/mo TOO much for car insurance?

Can my parents insure my car without me on the insurance policy?

Ok, there's a little bit to the story. I want my mom to sign my car (which is in her name at the moment) over to me. She said that she would. The DMV people said that to change the car over into my name, I have to bring in my I.D. and proof of insurance. I'm wondering if they will switch the car into my name without me being listed on my mom's policy (the ins. car has her name on it.) Will the people at the DMV switch the car into my name, or do I have to have my own insurance, or be put on her policy?""

Would my parents car insurance go up if i crash?

if i crash and im on learners permit, would it go up? because i called my insurance agent and he said i dont need to be listen as a driver ill be insured. i live in california btw if that matters.""

How much would car insurance and tax cost?

I am a 23-year-old female living in a small English town. I have not even had driving lessons yet but I am considering it but first I want to know how much would car insurance and tax cost?

Car insurance recommendations?

hi im 16 and trying very hard to get emancipated i havent told my mom yet though because it seems like a great idea not to get kicked out first, but anyways i have locked in a steady job at a clothing store but i am only working part time for now. What would your recommendation be for cheap car insurance i have no idea where to even start but if i can get cheap insurance than i will be able to spend more on an appartment or trailer. plz give me your recommendations and any advice on how to accomplish my goal. and please no bad comments i just want advice.""

Average motorcycle insurance cost for 18 yr old with 2007 yamaha yzf-r1?

How much has your health insurance gone up since the affordable health care act was passed?

I just got notice mine went up by 33.5% last week. Why is my insurance getting less affordable instead of more affordable?

How much does US health insurance cost per year?

I am considering moving with my wife and kids to Michigan for a year as part of my degree. I have a number of questions, mainly about health insurance. 1. Will my wife and I still be considered married? If not, will that affect the way we buy insurance/are treated at the hospital? 2. She is very active, with slight asthma and bad PCOS. How much (roughly) would health insurance be for her for one year? 3. I am wheelchair dependent and suffer from epilepsy. How much (really roughly) would my health insurance cost? 4. Do I buy separate health insurance for my children (aged 17 months, 1 month and 1 month)? 5. My eldest child appears to be struggling with leg movement and we are considering the possibility that she may have inherited my condition. Will treatment and tests be covered by the insurance, even though we have an idea of what it might be before buying the insurance? I know these must sound like obvious questions to US citizens, but we are not a particularly rich family, so we need to make sure that there are no big bills hiding around the corner! Thank you""

What do you do when he doesnt have car insurance?

I was in a car wreck two weeks ago. We thought he had safe auto to the police report which is a nightmare but which made it worst he has no insurance at all. He had been drinking early but did not blow enough to go to jail. What can be done about him driving without insurance and drinking

Question about car insurance ?

i know car insurance has many factors to it. i want to buy another car in addition to the one i already own. i drive a 1999 chevy lumina and i pay 1,700 a year for insurance for it...thats just the least amount of coverage too. i want to buy a 1992 firebird and switch the insurance over to that one. should i expect to see a drop in insurance because the car is much older or is there a chance it could be higher because the type of car it is? just curious thanks""

Pregnant with no insurance in houston?

Im married so i dont know if i can even get medicare and i also know that is a process that takes time and if my calculations are right i should be close or in the 3rd month already. it might be a complicated pregnancy because of the fact that four months before this i had a miscarriage at 4 mnths so i need to see a doctor soon. any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks.

Gerber Life Insurance?

What exactly is Gerber life. Insurance? And is it worth investing in?

Question about Car Insurance?

I don't know if it's possible to get an answer from you guys, but it's worth a try! I have State Farm insurance, and I'm going to be driving a 2006 Hyundai Sonata, and i'm 16 years old. It's black, & I make pretty good grades, 3.5 is my avg (I heard that mattered) I was just wondering how much it would be per month! If you have any help, that would be great! Thanks :)""

Car insurance help?

Ok so im about to turn 16. my parents said they would get me a car, but only if i paid my own insurance. can u please tell me how much it would be a month. and what company would be the lowest price. i dont know if u need this info but. im 16. white ( someone told me it matters?), i live in florida (palm beach county), and the car will probably be an audi a4. thanks for help""

Medicinal marijuana and health insurance?

So I live in California and have entertained the idea of getting a medicinal marijuana card, but the thing that always holds me back in the end is the fear that somehow my name would go on some list that insurance companies would have access to, and then proceed to jack up my premiums due to me being flagged a smoker. Does anybody have any insight regarding this? For those of you that have medical cards... did you see an increase in your monthly bill from your health insurance after signing up for the card? I know about doctor/patient confidentiality, but still... legal marijuana is still too new, so I'm being overly cautious, ESPECIALLY when it comes to health insurance premiums. Thanks in advance. -C""

Insurance For Aprilia RS50: Im 16?

im 16 and im going to get an aprilia RS50 and i was woundering how much the insurance would be?? also? how much would the insurance be on a 50cc moped?

Open car insurance policy?

My dad is looking at buying me a 200 car to use but so far the cheapest insurance I can find is 4.5 grand. I have heard about open insurance policies and was wondering if my dad got the car and policy in his name would it work out cheaper for me to drive it like that? Also what companies do these policies and how would I go about getting one?

Lending your car to somebody - insurance issues?

This is for Ontario drivers in specific, however any information is appreciated. Basically, what are the legalities of lending your car to somebody (just for a day)? What happens if they get in an accident? Does your insurance cover it? Would your rates go up? Thanks!!""

Why my insurance company increased my premium when iwas not at fault.?

We did not find results for: My insurance increased due to the false statement given to the police officer.So called accident happened in the parking lot when I was coming out from the parking lot and some lady immediately stopped her car behind me and waiting that i should hit her car. I immediately stopped my car and our rare bumper slightly touched. At the time of incidence she not alert even she was looking car coming out with zero speed. There had already a small dent in her car. and claim before the police officer. This dent is due to the this incidence. That was very minor incident. no body was hurt or damage in this incidence she get five thousand from the company. Due to that incidence my insurance increased my premium. I need justice What should I do Now. l Try the suggestions below or type a new query above.

""Can I lose in small claims court if I got into a accident that wasn't my fault, but I didn't have insurance?""

Can I lose in small claims court if I got into a accident that wasn't my fault, but I didn't have insurance?""

What is the name of place where I can go to pass some test of driving and get lower prices for car insurance?

What is the name where I can go to pass some test of driving and get lower prices for car insurance? I remember smb told me if I go there and pass test they will provide me documents allowing me to decrease my insurance for car. Currently cause I just got my license and had no any experience of driving, I am paying about $780 for 6 months. How can I go down on that price?""

Can I get health insurance for $60 a month?

I am a 23 year old female, full time student. I have no health problems, but need health insurance. I need office visits for a small copay ($30 or so). I can't find anything.""

Will the insurance company pay?

On my way home last night, I was hit by a guy making a left at an intersection neither one of us had a stop sign, however I was keeping straight and he turned and hit me. Now I am 17 years old, and the car is in my moms name and so is the insurance, I am not on anyones insurance, the other guy had insurance and however he did not have a license. So the police issued him 2 tickets leaving the scene and no license. So my questions are 1. Who is at fault 2. Who's insurance would I go through (I only have liability) 3. Will his insurance pay? 4. How long does this process take? 5. Procedure? 6. What should I do?? Thanks in advance.""

Can any help question bout car insurance?

just bought i fiat punt car today trying to find insurance and getting stupid quotes im 48 years old not some boy ra acer any body got any idea who i could try please leave there name and phone number if possible ...thank you

Is -3 driving record bad or good for insurance?

I just got promoted at work and now I have to be issued a company truck and i am wondering if my employees insurance would cover -3 driving points.

Could I get car insurance before having a car?

I don't seem to have a car at the moment like I mentioned. But I was wondering if I could get a car first and then purchase the insurance or would that not work?

Isn't $300/mo TOO much for car insurance?

""Roughly, how much is the insurance on a Peugeot 106?""

Im a girl, Provisonal Lincense Holder (learner driver) 18 years old, looking for no more than a 1.5 engine. Also how much to they cost to tax. Thanks in advance for everyones help, it is much appriceated x.x.x.x.x""

Can my new car be on my parents auto insurance policy if we live in different states?

I recently moved to Michigan for work and just bought a new Mitsubishi Evo, and here the insurance is outrageous (over 300/month) compared to Illinois which is about half as much. Is it possible for me to be on my parents insurance plan if they live in Illinois? I already bought the car and I need insurance one way or another I'm just trying to save some money here, and just wondering if it is possible.""

What is the Average cost for health insurance for newlyweds?

Me and my GF are going to be getting married soon we are both 18 and have a house we are renting with steady jobs. What would our monthly average be for Health insurance?

Which family car has the lowest insurance rates in Toronto and why?

My mother added her car to my insurance policy without telling me?

i jus got a letter in the mail informing me of changes made to my insurance on my car, changes i didnt make and apparently my mother did, without telling me. what should i say to her?""

Cheap car insurance with DUI?

I'm really struggling to pay rent along with everything else, and now I have to pay car insurance or else my registration will be suspended. I can barely afford to buy food with my part time job and school. Is there a really cheap car insurance company that accept DUIs? I don't have bad credit and have ALWAYS paid my bills, I just need something relatively cheap or else I have no idea how I am going to stay under a roof with food. I live in northern California if that matters. I'm 24 and got my DUI 3 years ago. I had actually got stopped because of my light.""

My car insurance premiums why are they so expensive?

low mileage driver 28 years old 5 years no claims 5 years held full license Car 1.2 Clio worth under 2K completed PASS plus after driving test I would think all the above would suggest low premium. But because my postcode is just inside Greater London, all my premium quotes seem to fall in 55-60 when in a previous town I was paying less than 40, This surely can't be fair or right can it? Can anybody suggest a good but cheap insurance company?""

How long do I have to wait to be able to buy car insurance?

My sister has been paying for car insurance because the car is hers. I want to buy a new car, so I need to pay insurance on my own. I've been driving for 1 year. The problem is I had 2 tickets: speeding and move-over violation. I think because of that, the insurance quote is very high, like $200/month. I wonder if I will be able to buy insurance with lower quote a couple years later or not, and during that time I will put my car under my sister's insurance. Thank you to people who give me answers!""

Do you need motorcycle insurance in florida?

i plan on moving to florida really soon, i am from n.j. and i heard i wouldnt need insurance, is that true? are there any circumstances where i would need to get insurance?""

Can I borrow money from my life insurance policy?

I have had a life insurance policy since 2002. It is only for $50,000.00. I have always paid and never been late. I am now in a bind and need this money to start up a business. Being that I have had this policy for now a little over 8 years, can I borrow the full amount?""

Total loss and State farm auto insurance?

I had a collision a few weeks before and it is classified as collision damage. I received an estimate at a body shop who initially provided an estimate of $xxxxx/- and said that the insurance company has agreed to pay them and a delivery date was given. Now, things have changed in the middle and the body shop manager tells me a new stories of additional things that went wrong due to collision (all of a sudden) and that the insurance agent after inspection wants to call it a total loss based on this new estimate. My insurance company- State farm wants it to call a total loss which I doubt given the extent of repair it might take for the minor damage in the front fender alone. Now, here are my questions. I now have suspicion on the integrity of the body shop as well the trick palyed in declaring total loss. 1. Can I have a second opinion at a different body shop? Does State farm allow that? 2. If the repair cost is more than the ACV, and if I still wish to keep the car, can I negotiate for the max amount less deductible that State farm is willing to pay the body shop (xx% of the max amount that state farm is willing to pay before declaring total loss) and I take care of the remaining cost? Your input is appreciated. Thanks, NS""

Someone hit my bumper. Car insurance question?

I was in traffic today and someone hit my car from behind , damaged my bumper. I have statefarm and fully covered. I have never been in this situation , and plus i think it's getting a little bit complicated. Because the guy who was driving the car doesn't own the car. And the guy who owns the car's name doesn't seem to be the one who's insured with the car(it seems to be his wife or someone ) Usually does this matter?? What are the procedures I should take to get this done asap . I want honda to fix the damage. Will the other person pay for this damage. What should I watch out for ? any kind of traps? I have a small backpain. is that covered under insurance also ? I think they have allstate. please help !!""

Car Insurance?

I am just about to get my license. My parents want me to have my own insurance policy; and I was wondering if anyone knows of a good company to go with. Something with good coverage, but relatively cheap; I only have a part time job. I am under 18 so I know that will influence a lot of how much it costs me and etc. Any input on this is greatly appreciated.""

Can I be under my parents' insurance under a different state?

I am a college student with a permanent address in Illinois, but I am in California for college. I am planning on getting a car in California. Can I get insurance under my parents' policy? What is the cheapest way of doing so? Should I register the car under their name or my name?""

""Can you fake proof of insurance in Seattle, WA?""

My friend and I are having an argument. He believes that you can keep a fake insurance card in your car that looks legitimate and the police will not be able to check the information with the insurance company to verify that you actually have insurance, if they pull you over. Also, if you do not have proof of insurance, and you get cited for a ticket, he believes that you could send in fake proof of insurance to the Seattle Municipal Court so they would dismiss the ticket, less a $25 admin fee, because they do not check insurance information/do not have access to insurance records. I want to believe that he's wrong, but I don't know, I am not educated on the subject. Does anyone know the answer?""

Up to how much can health insurance cost?

I'm doing a speech about why I think health care should be free, so I'm wondering whats the range of cost on health insurance?""

How much (about) would insurance cost for a Lamborghini Gallardo (at 16 yrs old)?

I want to name my new insurance company?

i want to name my new insurance company

How much does your car insurance cost?

Im 18, third party fire and theift on a Nissan Micra and its 400""

What is the average cost for General Liability Insurance for a Security Guard Company in California.?

I'm trying to get an idea of how much a 1,000,000,000 Liability Insurance Policy would cost for a Security Company in California""

Can someone help me with an insurance question?

new driver no insurance live in ca, 20yrs old, i am considering of buying kia rio my monthly car payment will be around $169. can u give me an estimate of how much my insurance will be.""

Can my car insurance company take my car without my Authorization?

MY car was stolen out of my driveway after i got home from late at night from dancing at a club. I was was very tired and accidentally left my keys in my car. I awoke up the next morning with my car gone. made a report it was stolen, a few days after police contacted me stating my car was found and it was smashed up un-driveable. they put it in a towing company. asked me several questions and went into investigation. insurance called me and did their own investigation and asked me several questions like the police did before. I got a letter in the mail a week later from my insurance stating they will not give me any monies for my car because they don't believe my story. but failed to give me proof of me lying. understand my car is paid off its a 1998 BMW. it was in great condition.I am still paying insurance on it, I found out today that my car is not at the towing place that an agent from my insurance company came and had my car towed away. I was never informed, i did not i sign any papers releasing my car. I have the title. the towing place said they needed the car for investigation. can they take my car without my consent?""

Car Insurance/car buying?

I am a first time car buyer and don't have much experience with this stuff. Should I buy car insurance before I buy the car or can I buy the car and insurance at the same time? Thanks

How much is monthly insurance rates?

What are the things you pay insurance for and how much...

Cheaper auto insurance with EVOC certification?

While I was going through military police training, I was told if you have an Emercency Vehicle Operations permit, you can get a discount on your car insurance. Is this true and what companies offer this discount if at all?""

Isn't $300/mo TOO much for car insurance?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cheapest-car-insurance-carlene-ostara"

0 notes

diaryofjustinantonio · 7 years ago

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January 6th, 2018 - 2

Sigh, I’m gonna try again even though I’m very disappointed in Tumblr for playing me like this.

Last day in Camrose, and hopefully my last one for a long long time. Mom woke me up around 7:30 and we had coffee together along with cereal for me. Unfortunately, I made her cry and I feel so shitty about it now. I mentioned that there were so many things that I went through that I could’ve just lived without and I brought up their past homophobia. I feel bad even more since she’s already sick. Man am I so shitty…

I went back to my room but fell asleep until about 13, which was a shame since I was trying to fix my sleeping pattern. I had a late lunch: those Indonesian noodles with sausages and spinach. I felt so bloated afterwards…

After that, mom helped me start packing and I’m so thankful that she bought my a bunch of clothes when they were in California. It seems like my backpack and luggage are both pretty heavy but oh well, better heavy than not a lot to bring back.

I also gave my extra condoms to Andrew just in case he needs it (surprise, surprise, no action for me during the entire break) and I also found out that I actually brought the seeds I thought I left in Montréal with me…including the hemp/cannabis seeds. I find it weird how the airport security staff in Dorval Airport didn’t detect it (or they did but either it’s actually not illegal to carry or they didn’t care).

After dad arrived, we had dinner and we also played with Belle. We also talked about tentative plans to go somewhere else for the next Christmas/winter break. I told them as long as it’s somewhere warm, I don’t mind. But honestly, if I could have more fun by myself in Montréal or elsewhere, I might just have to do that. Dad mentioned that since Andrew’s going to finish high school and go to university soon (I mean not really, he still has 4 years to go), we should make it a tradition to have Christmas together. I’m not sure if I can actually maintain that tradition…most especially at the point in time when I’m living elsewhere.

Delphine sent a picture of her new bullet journal to our group chat and I’m honestly so jealous. Hopefully, I’ll be able to buy a notebook for making one with the gift card for the Paragraphe store that Juli got me for my birthday, but no worries nor big deal if I don’t. I’m content with an agenda, Google Calendar, Listography, and this blog.

Speaking of gift cards, I also have a $5 gift card for iTunes and I contemplated about buying the song Portions for Foxes by Rilo Kiley but then I thought nah, I’ll just find another song as my good morning ringtone.

Hopefully, I’ll see Javi tomorrow. He told me he’s quite sad because his family flew back to Madrid after visiting him for Christmas. I know that we’re friends now but there’s still that thought that thinks we’ll be an awesome couple if he lived here or if he didn’t have to fly back to Madrid after his exchange session. Man, I wish I could live in Spain. There was a point in time when I cried alone because he reminds me so much of myself and when I was with him, I felt like I’m experiencing the childhood that I never had. I’m not sure if I’m making sense but ahh, I hope I could clarify this one day. Hopefully, he wouldn’t mind being more than friends without defining it as a serious relationship because I really do like him and I think he does like me back as well.

Speaking of Madrid, I might save up and work during June and/or July so I could visit Spain (and maybe two more countries) because I really want to travel outside North America this year. Javi said I could always come and visit and I hope I could stay over and not worry about my accommodation, but Couchsurfing is a thing, thankfully.

I found out a few years ago that the easiest way for me to become a Spanish citizen is to live there for 2 years, gain residency, and then apply for naturalization. I really want to achieve this, not only for myself but for my kids. I believe my future lies in Europe and being connected to cultural roots would give me some sense of contentment, maybe even…enlightenment? I don’t know when I’m gonna do this, maybe after finishing my bachelor’s degree or even finishing my last term there but it has to happen.

2018 is also the year where I turn 21 and it’s been 3 years yet I haven’t bought a single lottery ticket and that’s gonna change soon. I think I might buy one every month or every other month to see my chances…not actually chances, but I know the law of attraction and the universe both got my back!

I’m worried that the winter storms might delay my flights but I’m optimistic that I’ll get to Montréal in time. I’m really going to try making the switch to the Dutch/German lifestyle of agendas and planning, and planes and public transport being on time would REALLY help me a lot here.

I’m also so so nervous for the next semester. I didn’t study at all (nor opened that physics book I borrowed from the public library) for my calculus and physics deferred exams, and I’m taking 15 credits! From 9 in each of my freshman terms to 12 last semester to this many! I mean, I have to get used to a heavy workload because some engineering students will have semesters exceeding 15. Anyways, I’m gonna push myself extra hard this semester. Wish me luck and hope I’ll make good choices

I had to repeat everything I wrote down (phew for having a somewhat good memory) so I wasted about an hour but I have to wake up at 3h, leave at around 4h and my flight is at 6h. Not much sleep now (probably won’t even) but I hope I’ll get to sleep during my flight.

Ciao~I’ll probably update before the Edmonton-Toronto flight takes off.

0 notes

fesahaawit · 8 years ago

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Why Work So Hard Building a Fortune and Not Protect It?

[Happy Friday! Got a fresh article from long-time reader, Gene Roberts, who you might recall from previous posts, Zen and the Art of Couples Budgeting and Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today. Both of which ironically allude to motorcycles which plays a big role in today’s story. I’ll admit it IS one of those “insurance reminder” type articles, but I guarantee you won’t be bored by it. And in fact, you might even learn something today! *Gasp* Take it away, Gene…]

********

I’ve read the odd financial blog (flog?) or two over the last few years, and against all odds many interesting and useful ideas have managed to seep through my thick skull. Some articles have even moved me to take action in some facet of my finances!

There have been tons of pieces written about how to make more money. And plenty on how to change your lifestyle to consume less to be able to save even more on the same income. I’ve also read many suggestions on good ways to maximize your return on all that extra money you just saved.

It seems like many of the pieces I’ve read seek to increase your net worth in one way or another. That is a fine goal to be sure. But I don’t recall coming across many that discuss ways to hold onto or protect your assets. Why would anyone work so hard to amass a fortune, only to leave it vulnerable to being taken away?

How to Prevent an Indemnity Crisis

Most of us are familiar with the term “Identity Crisis”. For which, Google provides the following definition:

“A period of uncertainty and confusion in which a person’s sense of identity becomes insecure, typically due to a change in their expected aims or role in society.”

Here’s my similar definition of an “Indemnity Crisis”:

“A period of uncertainty and confusion in which a person’s cents (and dollars) become insecure, typically due to a change in their health and/or employment status for which they are ill-prepared.”

Indemnity is awesome. Who doesn’t like being protected from dire consequences when bad things in life happen to us? We indemnify ourselves against some of that bad juju by purchasing insurance.

Some situations you can’t do much to protect yourself from. Like your girlfriend’s college roommate, let’s say, transferring a phone call from her angry mother to YOUR dorm room at 6am, you know, because that’s where her daughter was. (Awkward!)

But there are many other situations where you can mitigate the financial consequences of life’s less-than-forgiving moments before they threaten to bankrupt you.

Some of the things Lloyd’s of London has insured over the years would surprise and/or confuse you. From Betty Grable’s gorgeous gams to the tip of Jimmy Durante’s humongous honker, it seems no body part is off-limits if it contributes to a celebrity’s value. Also including: Gene Simmons’s tongue, Liberace’s hands, Bruce Springsteen’s voice, Dolly Parton’s rather impressive endowments, and Tom Jones’ chest hair – eww.

For us mere mortals, the insurance choices are somewhat more mundane. Everyone is pretty much up on home, auto, and life insurance, but less popular are renter’s insurance, short-term disability, and umbrella policies. There are also a slew of specialty policies that can be useful if you have risk exposure in their niche markets. (Editor’s Note: I’m still waiting one day for Financial Blogger’s Insurance – come on people! :))

Just because a particular type of insurance is voluntary (unlike auto, health, and homeowner’s if you have a mortgage) doesn’t mean you should pass it up to save a couple of bucks. You just aren’t generally forced to carry coverage that will only hurt you if you don’t.

Consider that while 95% of home owners carry homeowner’s insurance, only 40% of renters carry rental insurance. Granted, renters aren’t responsible for most damage to their apartment itself (assuming they didn’t cause it). But they can still get burglarized or have the upstairs apartment flood out their apartment and damage or destroy everything they own. Who’s going to pay for that carnage?

You, if you aren’t insured.

Tragically, a few years ago this happened to a co-worker of mine. He didn’t have any renter’s insurance when his apartment complex burned to the ground. He and his wife lost everything they owned and were temporarily homeless (weeks before Christmas, no less). Without any insurance it was very difficult to get back to where he was financially before the fire.

Even with insurance it would still be awful. But at least then he would have been able to replace most of his belongings straight away.

Those of us that have started to accumulate significant assets (more likely than not, if you are reading a “flog”) can come under attack by those that want them. Do you want to keep from losing the results of your hard work? Better look into getting a good umbrella policy before someone “trips” and injures themselves on your property or it could all be gone.

An umbrella policy could be a lifesaver, even if you don’t currently have many assets to protect. You could still get a big judgement against you from an accident or injury you caused whether you’re wealthy or not.

(Editors Note: We picked up umbrella insurance for the first time ourselves a few years ago when our wealth started growing, along with our family. For reference we pay $212.91 a year for $1,000,000 worth of coverage which comes out to about $18/mo. Annoying, but not as annoying if we have to activate it!)

I’m not an insurance salesman and don’t claim to know about all the different ways to insure yourself against risk. But I did have a major event happen last year that made me glad I covered my rear end.

Short-Term Disability and “Search and Rescue” Policies

I’ve ridden motorcycles for decades. I’ve taken advanced classes to help hone my riding skills. I have over 100,000 miles riding experience with no accidents (“had” now, I suppose) and feel that I am a safe rider (still). But that perfect record can vanish in an instant.

In general I am not overly worried when I ride. I know that anything can happen, but I have good health insurance, my bike is insured, I wear all the protective gear, and I am a careful rider.

That is where my attention to “what if” might have ended. Health insurance? Check. Motorcycle insurance? Check. Protective gear? Check. “Good boy, you’re responsible. Have a cookie.”

But that would have resulted in a very bad outcome for me financially. Thankfully, I did consider some more “What ifs”: “What if I can’t work for months after an accident?”, “What if that accident happens on the other side of the country, how do I get home?”

So in addition to my health and motorcycle insurance, I added short-term disability from work and a “search and rescue” policy.

What’s a search and rescue policy? I’m glad you asked. Search and rescue policies (or travel insurance depending on who you buy it from) are offered to owners of GPS tracker systems to defray costs of search and rescue, some medical, and repatriation (returning you to your home).

It’s not something you would normally think of. But if you do anything dangerous out of cell phone coverage (especially alone), you should consider buying a tracker and getting the policy. If the dude in 127 hours had a tracker on him, his story probably wouldn’t have been made into a movie (and would still be able to clap).

The Motorcycle Accident That Put It All Into Perspective

One beautiful day in April I left for a weekend motorcycle trip out of state with some friends.

While following a car around a bend, I see that there is an accident about a half mile ahead. I cut the throttle and coasted while I tried to see what impact it might have to our ride. In that moment I was looking, the driver of the car ahead of me decided to break rapidly even though we were more than a quarter of a mile away from the site.

When I realized how fast the car had slowed, I grabbed just a little too much break too quickly and locked up my front tire. My bike slid around from side to side as I recovered from the skid. I was able to keep the bike upright and avoid hitting anything, while simultaneously avoiding anything hitting me. Not a scratch on the bike, yay!

Unfortunately, as the bike was gyrating my left foot came into hard contact with the pavement. Enough energy was transferred into my leg that it shattered the top of my tibia without it even coming into contact with the road. Freak accident, what can you do?

The pain was immediate. But I was able to get the bike over to the side of the road and stopped safely. I hit the kill switch to shut off the engine, and one of my friends came over to put the kickstand down for me. I was still sitting on the bike when the EMT’s got to me.

Fast-forward a couple of days, and I am stuck in a hospital bed with a monstrosity of metal poles screwed through my leg into my lower tibia and upper femur holding my leg in a fixed position. I’m doped up, but still in a lot of pain.

The trip is over, so my friends had to leave to go back home and I am all on my own hundreds of miles away from my friends and family.

I was OK for a couple of days, but it began getting depressing fast. Though I was fine, my health insurance wouldn’t pay to send me back home where I had a support system. I was in a quality hospital and the staff were taking good care of me. But I was going to be sent to a local skilled nursing facility until the swelling went down enough to do the reconstruction. Then I would still have to stay until I was able to take a commercial flight home.

I would have been stuck there for over a month on my own with no one to look out for me … had it not been for that search and rescue policy I bought for exactly these situations.

Given my medical state, the repatriation clause in that policy applied and I was able to catch a ride home on a private Lear Jet that was set up to be a full ICU (overkill for my condition), including a staff of 2 ICU nurses to watch over me in addition to the pilot and co-pilot.

I got back home a week after the accident. It’s difficult to convey just how relieved I was to see my family again. I don’t care how old you are – when you are hurt bad, it is always good to see your mom.

To make a 5-month-long story short: two plates, eleven screws, and a couple of scoops of cadaver bone paste later I was finally back to work.

I’ll still be going to physical therapy for many more months, but I can now walk without a cane most of the time, and I’ll have another surgery in four or five months to have some hardware removed. All things considered, I came out pretty well.

Financially, things are all good. But they could have gone bad.

I could have forgone the short-term disability and saved about $600 from my paycheck

And lost over $20,000 in tax-free benefits

I could have decided against the search and rescue policy and saved $120

And been isolated and injured for a month.

And been on the hook for a $30,000 flight (what one of the nurses told me it cost – a hell of an ROI right there!)

If I didn’t have good health insurance, I’d have owed $150,000 of medical expenses on top

I wouldn’t have been able to pay for the medical flight if I hadn’t had the insurance. So strictly speaking, the policy didn’t technically “save me” that expense. But again, it’s hard to overstate what it meant to be back at home around friends and family.

The short-term disability is another matter entirely. I would have had to come up with over $20K to replace my lost wages. That would have wiped out the majority of my emergency fund and set me back years on my retirement.

The short-term disability only paid out 65-70% of my gross pay, but since it was tax-free (premiums are paid with after-tax dollars, so disability benefits are received tax-free.), it was almost just what I normally took home. So not only did I not have to deplete my savings and push back my retirement date, I was able to still meet all my savings goals for the year. And due to my decreased activity during my convalescence, I saved even more money and was able to buy a new 4K TV at the end. OLED rocks!

The Bottom Line

It’s easy to ignore potential problems like New Orleans did before Katrina hit. They hadn’t had a serious problem in decades, so despite repeated warnings from professionals who knew that they were vulnerable to catastrophe, the elected officials decided that the cost of improvements were too hard of a sell to the residents who would have resisted the extra taxes. But you can only ignore a problem until you can’t anymore – like when you have to start treading water.

Ask yourself, how long can you financially tread water?

The problem is that protecting yourself requires planning and a tolerance for spending money on something that hopefully will never be needed. I saw some of the most amazing trees on the Gulf coast that didn’t bust a sweat when Katrina roared by. But they didn’t grow their roots the second the storm came onto the horizon. They were planted years ago. Decades, even.

The bottom line is this: you have to take a look at where your risks lay now, and take action to protect yourself BEFORE the tragic events strike.

Safeguard your future, and your hard-earned wealth.

….. Thanks Gene! I’ll await your next yearly article you send me for publication consideration :) If anyone’s now in the “insurance” zone – and I hope you are! – read this article next (by me): Dear Wife, Here’s How to Spend My Life Insurance Money When I’m Gone!

Why Work So Hard Building a Fortune and Not Protect It? posted first on http://ift.tt/2lnwIdQ

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heliosfinance · 8 years ago

Text

Why Work So Hard Building a Fortune and Not Protect It?

********

How to Prevent an Indemnity Crisis

Most of us are familiar with the term “Identity Crisis”. For which, Google provides the following definition:

“A period of uncertainty and confusion in which a person’s sense of identity becomes insecure, typically due to a change in their expected aims or role in society.”

Here’s my similar definition of an “Indemnity Crisis”:

Indemnity is awesome. Who doesn’t like being protected from dire consequences when bad things in life happen to us? We indemnify ourselves against some of that bad juju by purchasing insurance.

But there are many other situations where you can mitigate the financial consequences of life’s less-than-forgiving moments before they threaten to bankrupt you.

You, if you aren’t insured.

Even with insurance it would still be awful. But at least then he would have been able to replace most of his belongings straight away.

Short-Term Disability and “Search and Rescue” Policies

In general I am not overly worried when I ride. I know that anything can happen, but I have good health insurance, my bike is insured, I wear all the protective gear, and I am a careful rider.

That is where my attention to “what if” might have ended. Health insurance? Check. Motorcycle insurance? Check. Protective gear? Check. “Good boy, you’re responsible. Have a cookie.”

So in addition to my health and motorcycle insurance, I added short-term disability from work and a “search and rescue” policy.

The Motorcycle Accident That Put It All Into Perspective

One beautiful day in April I left for a weekend motorcycle trip out of state with some friends.

The trip is over, so my friends had to leave to go back home and I am all on my own hundreds of miles away from my friends and family.

I would have been stuck there for over a month on my own with no one to look out for me … had it not been for that search and rescue policy I bought for exactly these situations.

To make a 5-month-long story short: two plates, eleven screws, and a couple of scoops of cadaver bone paste later I was finally back to work.

Financially, things are all good. But they could have gone bad.

I could have forgone the short-term disability and saved about $600 from my paycheck

And lost over $20,000 in tax-free benefits

I could have decided against the search and rescue policy and saved $120

And been isolated and injured for a month.

And been on the hook for a $30,000 flight (what one of the nurses told me it cost – a hell of an ROI right there!)

If I didn’t have good health insurance, I’d have owed $150,000 of medical expenses on top

The Bottom Line

Ask yourself, how long can you financially tread water?

The bottom line is this: you have to take a look at where your risks lay now, and take action to protect yourself BEFORE the tragic events strike.

Safeguard your future, and your hard-earned wealth.

Why Work So Hard Building a Fortune and Not Protect It? published first on http://ift.tt/2ljLF4B

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