#ic.| yeong

[sentofight]

"Um…" it's a hesitant start when the conversation topic trickles down into nothing, perhaps purposefully so as their responses became shorter. Something seemed to be on her mind, and as such, that something ended up gnawing on their mind. Another few seconds pass, unsure of how to word their concern, if they should word their concern, but in the end, they take a breath. "Are you alright…? You've been looking at your phone a lot, and you look kind of restless… If there's anyplace you need to be then it's fine with me if you go there, don't worry about me. But…if it's something else, then I don't mind listening. As long as you are fine with sharing, of course." ( HELLO YEONG

Oh, where to begin? The bombing of her family house? losing the last of her family? knowing something she wish she didn't know? Realizing that her life could be ... fake?

Did ... grandma loved me? Did she really loved me like her own? or was it the guilt of what she had done to me? Caleb! What about him? Did he know? Was his death in vain, too? All these questions keep prying on her mind the moment she let her guards down.

What is she?

Even Zayne kept that a secret from her.

Who can she really trust?

No ... she is too cruel on them if she thought they never loved her or cared for her. She knows it is true. No one can fake that much love she felt for the past what 8 years or more? Grandma raised her like she was her own and Caleb was there as her irreplaceable big brother. Zayne, well he was there for some part of her childhood then their fates decided a little detour before they come back into each other's life.

Digging into what had happened was the only thing that kept the gears in her mind working. Who and why would someone deliberately bomb her house. All clues lead to one .... one and only--Onychinus. If she is going to get answers then the best way is to find their leader and well, extract her answers from him. one way or another.

She was waiting for a confirmation from one famous artist to take her into where she could find more about Onychinus when Akira's voice rang to snap her out of her trance.

"--Ah! Oh, um ... sorry," hiding her phone into her pocket, she clasped her hands tightly. What was she doing ... she was out with a friend and look at her, ruining the mood.

"Sorry, you were kind to arrange this trip and here am I, thinking of something else beside how to eat these wonderful velvet cakes!" there was a forced grin plastered on her face. A blind person would tell how much she is trying to force a happy and excited vibe.

There is no need for more people to get involved. She didn't even tell Tara about this not even Jena, her boss. Akira is a civilian and what would do him if he learned about this? He'll just worry endlessly about her. I mean ... he is now but the less he know the better. In case she failed, that's a probability, he wouldn't be in danger.

"Come on! Let's eat and continue with the course, yes? We still got uuuh... the cat hat tricks shop to see! Aren't you excited? I heard that the cat cafe in the market district is actually there, too! Miser Vilho brought some of his cats into this magic show! aaaa!!! I hope he brought Vitalis~ He does not like me for some reason but I like him~ hehehe."

unprompted | <3 i love you <3 | @flovverworks

[rinkasisopods]

SEOYEONG WI ♡ DAWN (PRIDE & PREJUDICE) at KOREAN NATIONALS

[dis--parity]

『 🌹 』 "Augh... augh...

Short haired women are so hot all the time, every day, they are ev-ry-thing, god damn, I can't take this!"

[lunateticc]

@desuetmort.

"..... are you looking for this, soul reaper?" the female arrancar trills out to the concerned looking shinigami around a triumphant, cutting smile (tinged with blood) that charmingly crinkles the pretty crescent moon mark under her glittering-obsidian eye. she proudly holds up the last remaining limb of the new-born hollow that had been unlucky enough to cross her covetous path before a-yeong could peacefully exorcise; akin to a cat showing off its most recent kill.

the moth woman was positively preening, unable to help herself.

the recently severed appendage was now just a ribboned ended sallow-hued chunk of flesh, having been torn into violently with teeth-gnashing gusto & efficiently whittled away to near nothing. the redhead absolutely loved nibbling on the tails last if they were available, considering it a desert of sorts after her main course, which hadn't been very big this time; just dart-fast & reptile-esque. a tiny lizard that seemed to have caused more trouble for the soul society member rather than veera herself.

which was pleasing in it's own right.

[convxction]

"I'll have him handcuffed and locked up even if it is the last thing I do."

"No, you won't--er, I mean, um good luck?"

"My brother lost it ..."

[starredblood]

NOWHERE GIRL

PART ONE

kang-saebyeok x fem!reader

synopsis: desperate to find a place to stay, your former high school friend ji-yeong let’s you crash at her apartment for the week. but things get complicated when her roommate doesn’t seem too happy about your arrival.

wc. 1.6k

warnings: none? | authors note: first ever fic woo-hoo! will try to finish this fic series before classes start next week but not sure how many parts this will end up being lol.

(nowhere girl masterlist)

“No. Absolutely not.”

Ji-yeong groans and throws her head back in tantrum. But if Sae-byeok says no, then it’s a no. Always being firm on her stance, it’s practically impossible to make Sae-byeok change her mind.

“But she’s literally right outside of the apartment building. Come on just one week and she’ll be gone like that!” Ji-yeong snaps her finger and shoots her roommate a sly smile. But because Sae-byeok was anything less than swayed she had to resort to pouting. “Please, Sae-byeok. After I ran away she was the only person willing to let me stay at their place until I got back on my feet. It’ll be awkward if I couldn’t do the same for her. And—And she’s such a sweet girl, nothing like me because I know you’d hate the idea of having two me’s running around!”

Sae-byeok rolls her eyes. She put herself through mental and physical obstacles to finally be able to afford to rent an apartment with Ji-yeong and to finally be the guardian Cheol deserves. After two months of tranquility in their new place, Ji-yeong suddenly wants to bring a fourth person into their tight knit sanctuary. A total stranger—she can’t imagine the discomfort Cheol will feel. It took him an entire summer to get used to Ji-yeongs presence.

“No.” Sae-byeok says, unamused.

“I will do you and Cheol’s chores for a month and you can hog the television as much as you want I won’t complain! Come on, just one week.” she crosses her fingers and begins batting her eyelashes.

Sae-byeok pauses to think for a minute.

“Just one week.”

“Yup! One week.” Ji-yeong nods.

“And you have to pick up Cheol from school on Mondays.”

“Ugh, fine whatever. So, is that a yes?” Ji-yeong groans. When Sae-byeok hesitantly nods she raises a fist in the air in victory. “Yes! Thank you, Sae, thank you! I’ll bring her up now—don’t worry she’s as harmless as a butterfly.”

Ji-yeong sprints to the front door and Sae-byeok slumps down on the couch. She grabs the throw pillow closest to her and presses it to her face to let out a massive groan. By the time Sae-byeok finishes letting out her frustrations on the pillow she hears the front door swing open and two people giggling like schoolgirls.

“Sae-byeok come here I want to introduce you to my ex-guardian angel!” Ji-yeong says, enthralled.

Frowning, Sae-byeok removes the pillow off her face and sluggishly gets off the couch. She’s not looking forward to this dreadful upcoming week with you around.

From first impressions, Ji-yeong was right about your delicate appearance. From your light denim wash overalls to your chipped pink nail polish, you were definitely the opposite of both Sae-byeok and Ji-yeong aesthetic wise.

“Hi, Sae-byeok it’s so nice to meet you!” you greet bashfully and give her a courteous bow. “Thank you so much for letting me crash here for a bit. I’ll do my best to not be a disturbance or anything like that.”

The moment you locked eyes with Sae-byeok you felt intimidated. Ji-yeong previously warned you about her cold nature so you braced yourself to be iced as you made your way to their apartment.

Sae-byeok bowed back ever so slightly, her hands dug deep in the pockets of her sweats, and her lean body easily towering over you.

Ji-yeong sensed that the tension was about to become awkward so she grabs you by your arm and leads you to her bedroom.

“My bed is small but we can definitely both fit as long as you don’t mind a little contact.” Ji-yeong explains.

You glanced around her room. It was messy, with posters placed crookedly on the wall, socks and undergarments scattered all over the floor, and a bag of open chips on the undone bed.

“Oh, uh, I’ll just sleep on the couch I don’t want to bother you anymore than I already have.” you say, laughing nervously. Was it too presumptuous of you to oppose her offer because of her messy room? You didn’t lie technically. You did feel ashamed to have to ask Ji-yeong for this huge favor.

“Are you sure?” she raises a brow.

“Positive.”

⊹ ✿・・───・・✦・・───・・✿

Ji-yeong was sworn to secrecy by you not to tell Sae-byeok why you had to stay at their place temporarily. But Sae-byeok isn’t annoyed because she wants to know what happened to you, it’s because she had the decency to let you stay so she has the right to know some backstory—but Ji-yeong remains tight lipped.

Sae-byeok was firm on having her walls secured throughout your stay.

The day you arrived, all Sae-byeok kept worrying about was how Cheol will take the news as she made her way to pick him up from school.

When you and Cheol met, the boy timidly greeted you before scurrying off to the room him and Sae-byeok share. He remained there for the rest of the day and Sae-byeok had to pull her roommate aside to tell her about how awful this plan was and that you had to leave immediately.

“She’s making him uncomfortable!” Sae-byeok argues.

Ji-yeong rubs her fingers on the sides of her temples. “Calm down, jeez. I’m telling you Cheol will warm up to her—“

“He shouldn’t have to warm up to her because she shouldn’t even be here.”

“Sae-byeok, you’re being dramatic. Just give him a day or two and he’ll be fine trust me.”

Sae-byeok wasn’t happy about this situation at all.

The morning after, Sae-byeok wakes up alone in her room with no sight of Cheol. She doesn’t think much of it at first since it’s Saturday, until she remembers that you were here. So she leaps from her bed and basically sprints to the living room. And to her complete and utter surprise, she sees you helping Cheol draw on a sketch book.

“Be careful with oil pastels, they break easily if you put too much pressure on them so draw on the paper lightly.” you advise the boy, your voice soothing and assuring.

Cheol’s tongue poke out between his teeth in concentration as he scribbles lines across the paper.

That’s when you sensed a set of eyes on you. You whip your head around and end up making eye contact with Sae-byeok.

“Morning.” you mumble to her before focusing back on Cheol’s painting because you can’t look into her eyes another second longer.

Sae-byeok inhales and exhales deeply before making her way to the kitchen. She’s conflicted. Cheol never became comfortable with someone this quickly. What, just because you can draw you are so likable?

Soon after, Ji-yeong pops out of her room in her work vest. When she heads towards the kitchen, she takes one quick glance at you and Cheol before smirking.

“I told you.” she whispers to Sae-byeok. The taller girl only scoffs as her response.

You appear right after. “Good morning, Ji-yeong.”

“Hey. Did you sleep well on the couch?”

“Yeah, I did. Thanks again—for everything. Both of you.” you say. You suck in a deep breath, hesitant and careful with your actions. “So uh, I’m working later this afternoon at the art gallery I told you about. I was wondering if you’d all like to go see the art there? All free, of course.”

Sae-byeok raises an eyebrow. Was this your way of getting into everyone’s good graces?

Ji-yeong shrugs. “Why not? It sounds cool. I get off work early today and Sae-byeok—“

“Is busy.” Sae-byeok cuts her off.

You nod. “Of course, no problem.”

“You are?” Ji-yeong retorts.

Sae-byeok throws her a glare trying to communicate with her eyes to tell her to be quiet. Ji-yeong gulps.

“Oh, yeah you are. Sorry I forgot.” she laughs. “But I can go—and take Cheol, of course. That poor boy needs to explore the world and I’m sure an art gallery will cultivate his—“

“Stop talking.” Sae-byeok through her teeth. You look back and forth at the girls, nervous that you’re about to start a squabble between them.

“How about next time?” you say. “I’m interning there until the end of summer break so you guys have plenty of time to schedule a day to come visit.”

“Great!” Ji-yeong beams. She grabs the sandwich Sae-byeok has been preparing for herself and stuffs it in her lunch box. “I gotta go I’m already late so see you guys later!”

Sae-byeok mutters curses aimed at her roommate. She begins prepping another sandwich until she realizes that you were still standing there fiddling with your hands.

“What do you want?” she asks, hostile yet quiet in classic Sae-byeok fashion.

Your eyes widen and your face becomes flushed at her aggression, almost forgetting what you came here to do.

“I just wanted to apologize if I overstepped my boundaries.” you explain, your gentle voice being a contrast to Sae-byeok’s. “I was working on my art project and I saw your little brother was watching me curiously so I let him play around with my old oil pastels. I hope you don’t mind.”

Sae-byeok sighs. She tilts her head slightly to observe Cheol who was in his own world coloring. She never even considered to buy him anything to draw with—she can only afford enough for food and shelter.

“It’s fine.”

Not wanting to pester her any longer you go back to the couch. Cheol starts explaining his drawing but you start zoning out trying to decide if you should just walk out of this apartment and never look back. Right now, you would rather venture out on the streets than have Sae-byeok constantly ice you for a week. But can you really survive out there? Maybe if you just avoid her for the entirety of your stay you will be fine.

[saebyeokbliss]

ONCE MORE TO SEE YOU— PART XIII.

synopsis: on a cold january day, you were worrying about the reason your girlfriend wasn’t texting back. when she finally does and asks to meet at your apartment, you’re met with heartbreak as she ends your relationship. no explanation. two years later, you run into her at a cafe with someone new. what are you to do?

warnings: brief mentions of death. cute cheol (i love him so much he's a lil sweetie), self-doubt, rude sae-byeok a little, some fluff actually, light angst

pairing: sae-byeok x fem!reader

Sae-byeok had been avoiding you.

It was obvious.

Before the kiss, she had at least acknowledged you at work—silent glances across the diner, the occasional mumble when passing by, the rare moments where her hand would brush against yours when reaching for the same plate. But now?

Nothing.

She barely looked at you. If she did, it was fleeting, like she was afraid too much eye contact might set something on fire. Conversations were clipped, interactions stiff. You weren’t even sure if she was mad at you or mad at herself. Maybe both.

And it was driving you insane.

It was getting close to closing time when the bell above the diner door jingled, and in walked Ji-yeong—Cheol trailing beside her, his small hand clutching hers tightly.

Sae-byeok, who had been wiping down the counter, visibly tensed at the sight of them.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Ji-yeong grinned, pulling Cheol toward an empty booth. “What? We can’t come visit you?” She plopped down into the seat and patted the spot beside her for Cheol to sit. “I figured it’s been a while since we had a nice, family dinner.”

Sae-byeok sighed, rubbing her temple. “Ji-yeong…”

“I want diner food,” Cheol chimed in, swinging his legs under the table. “And I wanted to see you.” His big brown eyes locked onto Sae-byeok’s, making her expression soften instantly.

She sighed, defeated. “Fine. But don’t cause trouble.”

Ji-yeong gasped dramatically. “Me? Cause trouble?”

Sae-byeok shot her a glare, but Ji-yeong only smirked, clearly enjoying herself.

And then she spotted you behind the counter.

“Ohh,” Ji-yeong said, dragging out the syllable like she had just uncovered a great secret. She leaned toward Cheol, whispering something in his ear.

Cheol’s eyes lit up. He perked up in his seat, waving enthusiastically in your direction. “Noona!”

You smiled, walking over to their table, dish rag still in hand. “Hey, Cheol,” you said warmly. “You here for dinner?”

“Yup! You should eat with us,” he said earnestly.

Sae-byeok stiffened. Ji-yeong grinned.

“Oh, that’s a great idea,” Ji-yeong said, her voice dripping with mischief. She turned to Sae-byeok, her eyebrows waggling. “Right, Sae-byeok? Since her shift is basically over, she should totally eat with us.”

Sae-byeok shot her a glare that could have melted steel. “Ji-yeong—”

“Please?” Cheol added, giving Sae-byeok the same wide-eyed look that always made her fold.

Sae-byeok sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Fine.”

Ji-yeong beamed in victory.

You tried not to smirk.

Sitting down with them felt almost natural, like slipping into something familiar.

Cheol was practically vibrating with excitement, kicking his feet beneath the table as he babbled about school, his favorite cartoons, and how Ji-yeong had let him eat ice cream before dinner (which earned Ji-yeong a very pointed look from Sae-byeok).

Ji-yeong, of course, took every opportunity to tease Sae-byeok, nudging her under the table whenever she got too quiet.

And you?

You couldn’t help but steal glances at Sae-byeok, watching the way her usual cold exterior softened when she looked at Cheol. Watching the way she tried (and failed) to hide her amusement at Ji-yeong’s antics. Watching the way her shoulders slowly relaxed as dinner went on, like she was allowing herself to enjoy this moment, even if just for a little while.

At one point, Cheol got ketchup all over his cheek, and you instinctively reached over with a napkin to wipe it off.

“There,” you said, smiling at him. “All clean.”

Cheol beamed up at you. “Thanks, Noona!”

Sae-byeok stared.

She didn’t mean to. But something about the way you interacted with Cheol—so effortlessly, so warmly—made something inside her ache.

It wasn’t just Cheol.

It was Ji-yeong too. You laughed at her stupid jokes, she laughed at yours. The way you fit so naturally into this moment, like you belonged here. Like you had always belonged here.

And maybe, once, you had.

A long time ago, before she messed everything up.

Before she left.

She swallowed hard, looking away.

Ji-yeong caught it, of course. She didn’t say anything—just smirked into her drink, nudging Sae-byeok under the table again.

Sae-byeok ignored her.

By the time dinner was over, the tension in Sae-byeok’s chest had twisted into something different. Something she didn’t want to name.

Because watching you with Cheol and Ji-yeong, hearing your laughter mix with theirs, seeing the way you fit so seamlessly into this moment—it reminded her of something she had tried so hard to bury.

She was falling for you.

Again.

Like she had never stopped.

And that terrified her.

Because she knew—no matter how much she wanted to pretend otherwise—she didn’t deserve this.

Didn’t deserve you.

But damn it, she wanted to.

More than anything.

You weren’t expecting her.

After dinner, after the way Sae-byeok had spent the entire night not looking at you, you figured she was going to keep avoiding you. That the wall she had built between you two was too thick, too heavy with guilt to be broken down.

But then, just past midnight, there was a knock at your door.

You hesitated before opening it, pulse quickening when you saw her standing there—hair slightly disheveled, hands stuffed into the pockets of her jacket, eyes filled with something unreadable.

She looked nervous.

Sae-byeok never looked nervous.

“…Hey,” you said softly.

She shifted on her feet, glancing down at the ground before meeting your gaze. “Can I come in?”

You stepped aside without a word, closing the door behind her as she walked in. She didn’t sit down. She just stood there in the middle of your apartment, arms crossed, shoulders tense.

Like she was bracing herself for something.

You swallowed. “Sae-byeok, what’s going on?”

She exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair. “I need to tell you why I’ve been avoiding you.”

You folded your arms, leaning against the couch. “I figured it was because of the kiss.”

She flinched slightly but didn’t deny it. “It’s… more than that.”

Silence.

Then, finally—

“I don’t think I deserve to be with you.”

The words hit you like a punch to the gut.

You stared at her, heart tightening. “What?”

Sae-byeok’s jaw tightened, and when she spoke again, her voice was raw, like she was forcing the words out despite every instinct telling her to keep them buried.

“I told you everything,” she said. “About Deok-su. About the games. About the people I—” She stopped, shaking her head. “I’ve done things, terrible things, and I don’t want you to be with someone like me.”

You took a step forward. “Sae—”

“I killed him,” she interrupted, her voice harsh, almost desperate. “I stabbed him in the heart and watched him die, and I don’t regret it. I don’t regret any of it. And that… that scares me.”

Her breathing was uneven now, her hands clenched into fists. “I wanted to believe that if I kept you at a distance, if I didn’t let myself feel this, then maybe it wouldn’t matter. That maybe I wouldn’t have to face the fact that the person you think I am—the person I want to be when I’m with you—isn’t real.”

She swallowed hard, finally looking at you again. “You deserve someone better.”

You stared at her for a long moment, letting her words settle.

Then, without thinking, you crossed the space between you and grabbed her face, pulling her into a kiss.

She stiffened at first, like she hadn’t been expecting it, but then she melted into you, her hands gripping your waist as if she was afraid you’d disappear. The kiss was deep, slow, lingering—filled with every unspoken word between you.

When you finally pulled back, you rested your forehead against hers, your breaths mingling in the quiet space between you.

“I wasn’t dwelling on any of that,” you whispered.

She blinked, lips slightly parted. “What?”

“I wasn’t sitting here thinking about what you did in the games, or about Deok-su, or about anything else you’re torturing yourself over,” you said. “The only thing I was thinking about after that kiss was how much I missed you.”

Her breath hitched.

“I spent two years thinking I’d never see you again,” you continued, your voice trembling slightly. “Two years wondering why you left, wondering what I did wrong. And then you kissed me, and for the first time in years, I felt something again. And now you’re standing here, acting like I should hate you, but all I want to do is—”

You kissed her again, softer this time, slower.

When you pulled away, she was looking at you like she didn’t know what to do with herself.

“…You shouldn’t forgive me so easily,” she murmured, but her hands were still gripping your waist, like she couldn’t bear to let go.

You smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Too bad.”

She let out a breath that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, and for the first time in a long time, her shoulders relaxed.

Neither of you spoke for a moment. You just stood there, wrapped in each other’s warmth, the weight of the past slowly lifting.

Finally, she whispered, “I don’t know how to do this.”

You squeezed her hand. “Then we’ll figure it out together.”

And for the first time in a long time, Sae-byeok let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, she deserved this after all.

taglist: @monroesturnns@everly-summers-solace@holyshtimgay@knfthxv@delfinadolphin@madebysae@jetaimeeeee@m0rtifiedg0th@katieschry1@erika-mon2-blog@tcvazq

[expired-vibes]

Falling For You

DoYeong X YN , JaeJun x YN

The air between Ha Do-yeong and Jeon Jae-jun was suffocating.Y/N could feel it.

“Ye-sol is my daughter,” Jae-jun growled, fists clenching at his sides. “You’ve been playing house with her for years, but we both know she’s mine.”

Do-yeong’s expression was blank, but Y/N could see the storm raging in his eyes. “And yet, she runs from you every time she sees you,” he replied smoothly. “She chooses me.”

Jae-jun’s jaw tensed, and his gaze flickered toward Y/N. “You understand, don’t you?” His voice softened when he spoke to her, like she was something precious. “Ye-sol should be with me. And so should you.”

Y/N’s breath caught. She knew Jae-jun had feelings for her, had noticed the way his eyes lingered on her longer than necessary. But she never acknowledged it—not when her heart had already made its choice.

Do-yeong stepped closer, shielding her from Jae-jun’s gaze. “Don’t bring her into this.” His voice was dangerously low. “She’s not yours to claim.”

Jae-jun let out a bitter laugh. “Oh? And she’s yours?”

The last thread of control snapped.Jae-jun threw the first punch. Do-yeong barely dodged before retaliating, shoving him back against a parked car. It was violent, ugly—years of resentment and unspoken anger exploding all at once.

“Stop it!” Y/N cried, stepping between them just as Jae-jun swung again.

She barely registered the impact before pain shot through her shoulder, knocking her off balance. The world tilted as she stumbled, her ankle twisting beneath her.

“Y/N!” Do-yeong was at her side instantly, his arms catching her before she hit the ground. His hands, usually steady, were shaking as they held her, as if the thought of her in pain was unbearable.

Jae-jun’s eyes widened. “Shit. I—Y/N, I didn’t mean—” Then, as if realizing something, his gaze darkened with resolve. “Come with me.”

Jae-jun tries to take Y/N. Before she could react, Jae-jun reached for her.

His grip was firm but not forceful—desperate, almost. “I’ll take care of you. You don’t need to stay here with him.”

Y/N tried to pull away, but her ankle gave out, and a sharp hiss of pain left her lips.That was all it took for Do-yeong to snap. He grabbed Jae-jun’s wrist, his grip like iron.

“Don’t. Touch. Her.”

Jae-jun sneered, yanking his arm away. “She doesn’t belong to you.”

Do-yeong’s entire body was tense, his rage barely contained. “She’s not some object you can claim.”

Ignoring him, Jae-jun bent down, arms reaching to scoop Y/N up.Before he could, Do-yeong moved faster.His hand pressed against Jae-jun’s chest, shoving him back with enough force to make him stumble.

“She’s not going anywhere with you.” His voice was ice, but the way his arm curled protectively around Y/N’s waist was pure fire.

Jae-jun clenched his fists but didn’t move forward again. He looked at Y/N, eyes searching, waiting for her to choose.

Y/N met his gaze and shook her head. “I’m not going with you, Jae-jun.”

Something flickered in his expression—hurt, anger, resignation.With one last glare at Do-yeong, he turned and stormed off, disappearing into the night.

The moment Jae-jun was gone, Do-yeong turned his full attention to Y/N. His hands, rough from the fight, softened as they cradled her face. “Are you okay?” His voice was raw, laced with guilt.

She exhaled, leaning slightly into his touch. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” he said firmly. His fingers trailed to her shoulder, gently brushing the spot where Jae-jun had hit her. His jaw tightened. “Damn it, Y/N, I should’ve stopped this before it started.”

She reached for his wrist, her touch grounding him. “You were protecting Ye-sol. And me.”

His throat bobbed, his composure cracking just slightly. And then, before she could say anything more, he pulled her against him. Y/N barely had time to react before she felt the warmth of his embrace—solid, steady, overwhelming.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured into her hair. “I never wanted you to get caught in the middle of this.”

She closed her eyes, melting into him. “Then don’t fight for me,” she whispered. “Just stay with me.”

Do-yeong tilted her chin up, his eyes dark with something unspoken.And then, he kissed her.

Soft at first, hesitant, as if asking for permission. But when she sighed against his lips, her fingers tangling in his shirt, he deepened the kiss, pouring everything he felt into it.

When they finally pulled away, breathless, Do-yeong rested his forehead against hers, his hands still gripping her waist.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised.

And Y/N knew—this was where she belonged.

[sentofight]

"Ah! You almost got it!" a gasp and despair flowing through their voice when the colorful plushie falls down again, so engaged in the game they might as well have been playing it themself. "You can do it, Yeong...!" (hello guess who unlocked the crane game

"Come on ...Come on," her focus is on the plushie she wants. Tongue sticking out like a kid, focused on their drawing. "No ... nonononono! NOOOOOOOOO~!!!" hands slam against the transparent window then slide down in despair. Yeong drops on the ground, sniffling.

"Aaah.... *hic* nooo. Why have you forsaken me, plushieeeeeee~!!!!" insert a dramatic moment. Arching down to repeatedly slam at the ground. "I really wanted to get this for you ..." her initial shock of losing was soon replaced with unparallel determination, Yeong snapped back and jumped back on her feet.

"ALRIGHT! I'm not a quitter! Granny didn't raise a quitter! Let me at it again!" inserting more coins to resume her hunt for the colorful plushie. Hunter instincts kick in and viola, after a couple of times the plushie is hers!

"TAAADAAA~!!!! Ha ha! You're not escaping Linkon's best hunter, hehe~" she raises the plushie up high like the scene from a certain movie. "Now," she leans and present her trophy for her new friend. "I bestow this upon you, Akira." a grin cross her lips. "Thanks for cheering me."

[starmist]

To me Alchemy of Souls is very much a “they’ve been dead from the beginning” story

Like,,, Cho Yeong died that day with the rest of her family, Master Lee declares her dead and Kim Dojoo even holds a jesa for her.

Naksu dies, if not the moment she shifts her soul/has it stolen, then in ep18 when she lets go of the ice stone and chooses to live a normal life. She herself even says in ep5 that “now Naksu is also dead”.

Hell, she even lives as essentially a vengeful ghost. A cold and empty existence, her only purpose to avenge her family. The entirety of s1 is about her learning to live and want to live which is what makes her fate so tragic.

Jin Buyeon died in the womb and later, the girl that was born through the power of the ice stone, is thought to be dead by everyone save for her mother.

(Nice parallel of Cho Yeong & Jin Buyeon where Jang Gang, like Jin Ho Gyeong, obsessively looks for a little girl thought to be dead by all but him, because of his grief and guilt)

And even her name belongs to a woman’s dead granddaughter. Though I’m only looking at this through a s1 perspective, Jin Seol Ran, Jin Buyeon’s original identity, has also been all but dead for centuries.

A twice over dead girl, inhabiting the body of another dead girl, uses the name of yet another dead girl, and shares a body with a two centuries long dead woman.

She was never going to survive. How much she changed, everything she did, was all futile in the long run because she died long before the story started, there was never any saving her, she was dead from the very beginning.

[dis--parity]

@chiryxushi | Plotted Starter

『 🌹 』 Underneath the moonlight, in the middle of an isolated woods one might only dare travel to if they were trying to film some obscure found-footage series, a vast lake basks in the midnight calm. Those pristine, gently-rippling waters are among the only places someone of Yeong-Hui's... popularity, can find an iota of tranquility these days. Here, they had a rare opportunity to detach themselves from the screens, the cameras, and the flashy clothing.

It's not like they minded all that, normally - but even someone like them could do with a refreshing skinnydip every now and again. And so they went - already less-than-modest clothing folded and set aside on a dirt incline overlooking those beautiful waters, they allowed the coolness and peace to wash over them as their body sunk into the lake water.

Basking in moonlight, they found their tranquility backstroking beneath the full moon in isolation, gazing endlessly up at the stars as they floated to the very center. So too did all thought abandon them as quickly as care and feeling, simply grinning with the satisfaction that they could just be, for a little while.

Ah, would that the moon were their only witness... of all the lakes they could have gone to, why were they so drawn to here? Perhaps they would soon find out...

[gyakusama]

❝ Oh, don'cha even worry 'bout it; my haircut────unlike yer face────never stopped no one from bustin'. ❞

❝ ♪ Summer lovin' happened so fast ♪ ❞

❝ ♪ Summer lovin' balls in my ass ♪ ❞

[miss0atae]

Random Thoughts about Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (EP 1 - 2):

I'm so glad I took the time to watch these two first episodes now because I could really enjoy them. At first, I was a bit sad I missed all the fun that you can get when you're watching the episodes as they come out. I kind of have a bit of fear of missing something important when I'm watching a series later. Turns out sometimes it's better to wait because you can really take the time to appreciate the story.

It's been a while I didn't enjoy a Korean BL. I think the last one was Boys Be Brave! last May. Since then, I didn't find any I could really like. I also think we didn't get that much from Korea. It felt like the coming of new BL series has dried up and Korea didn't want to bring us new interesting BL (according to my own taste of course). Anyway, I watched LFTCOT and I was really impressed. There is this atmosphere you can only find in Korean BL. The setting of the story, in a rural and brutal town, reinforces this feeling.

It's not easy to bring a good setting and to make you care fast for the main characters, but this series did it very well. Do Hoe lives a violent life around his more violent father. You can't be indifferent to his hardships. When we first met the character, he seems like he's made of stone. However, you soon realizes that it's a very fragile armor he is wearing to protect his mind and his heart. There seems to be no ray of sunshine in his life. He has this posture where you feel like he is trying bravely to put up and overcome adversity, but it's like a losing battle. He can only win by leaving this place. There is a sense of hope, an ability to silently endure hardship and suffering in Do Hoe. At the same time, there is also this bitterness, a mixture of angst, endurance and a yearning for more in life.

That's where Ju Yeong's arrival is so crucial and bringing so much more in Do Hoe's life. It's like he opened the curtains that were weighted everything. You see how he get passed the defense mechanisms of Do Hoe and how slowly their relationship change and become deeper. Every time Ju Yeong was smiling, it felts so warm. I guess he is bringing such a contrast in Do Hoe's life. However, even if he has a very charming and cheerful personality, he is also a more complex character. He is not naive and he sees things. I fear a bit for the time where they are both going to drift apart only to reconnect later. How is "the oppressive culture symbolized by Do Hoe's father" going to twist their relationship and how will they find the way of freeing themselves from it ten years after?

I guess we'll get the answer in the coming episodes. As for now, The series did a great job so far in balancing the angst with more happy times. I especially like the "ice-cream" scenes. It feels so Korean BL to have a scene where the main characters share an ice-cream. I can't wait to see what will get in episode 3 and 4.

[salanaii]

Learn Korean with me - Week 19

Day 1 - 3: Vocab

** Don't forget your journals and of course Netflix.

꿉니다 Kkum ni da Dream/dreams/to dream

도서관 Do seo gwan Library/libraries

고마워 Go ma wo Thanks

잠 Jam Sleep/slumber

남자 Nam ja Man

아이스크림 A I seu keu rim Ice cream

배스킨라빈스 Bae seu kin ra bin seu Baskin Robbins

아이 A i Child

콜라 Kor ra Cola

아파트 A pa teu Apartment

또는 Tto neun Or/either

여자 Yeo ja Woman

우의 U ui Friendship/raincoat

우유 U yu Milk

뽀뽀 Ppo ppo Kiss

듀오링고 Dyu o ring go Duolingo

여자아이 Yeo ja a i Girl

여자들 Yeo ja deur Women

아니요 A ni yo No

남자아이 Nam ja a i Boy

개 Gae Dog

학생 Hag saeng Student

가수 Ga su Singer

제 Je My

고양이 Go yang i Cat

음식 Eum sig Food/cook

한국 Han gug Korea

메시지 Me si ji Message

도넛 Do neos Doughnut

신문 Sin mun Newspaper

씨 Ssi Seed/Ms/Mr

집 Jib House

파티 Pa ti Party

부산 Bu san Busan

서울 Seo ul Seoul

맥도날드 Maeg do nar deu McDonald’s

모터스 Mo teo seu Motors

삼성 Sam Seong Samsung

도쿄 Do kyo Tokyo

블루윙즈 Beur ru wing seu Bluewings

유나이티드 Yu na I ti deu United

드래곤즈 Deu rae gon jeu Dragons

뉴욕 Nyu yog New York

스타벅스 Seu ta beog seu Starbucks

런던 Reon deon London

사과 Sa gwa Apple

연필 Yeon pir Pencil

개미 Gae mi Ant

방 Pang Room

수영합니다 Su yeong hab ni da Swim/swims/is swimming

[fake-married-my-dead-fiance]

Fear is a huge driver of plot in Alchemy of Souls and most of it is centered around Jang Uk and Naksu. Almost every character's main motivation is fear except Naksu (revenge) and Jang Uk. (This is long)

Park Jin is terrified that Jang Uk will fulfill his destiny because his main goal is to maintain social order. He is therefore fully committed to impeding any progress Jang Uk might make. His turning point (finally) is the near death of Seo Yul, probably not because he actually loves Yul or Uk for themselves, but because as everyone acknowledges, Seo Yul being killed by Jin Mu will overturn the social order (General Seo will invade Daeho Fortress and start a war). Park Jin knows Jang Uk will try to save Yul, so he supports him.

(I'm pretty sure the only major decision he makes motivated by love is trying to save Maid Kim from Jinyowon, everything else is to preserve social order. He's extreme lawful good)

Go Won spends most of S1 trying not to be afraid of Jang Uk/the concept of a King Star, because he doesn't want to be like his father who is terrified of the prophesied King Star's existence. Jin Mu eventually succeeds in making Go Won afraid which results in Jang Uk's death (it doesn't take). But then in S2, with a Jang Uk who is 100x more terrifying, Go Won realizes that he doesn't have to be afraid because Jang Uk doesn't want to be king and will use his power protectively:

Which means that Jin Mu can no longer control Go Won through fear, as he is able to do with the king and basically everyone else.

Jin Mu definitely fears what Jang Uk might become, since he can be displaced from his position of power if Uk ever becomes a real mage.

And yet, he mostly makes other people afraid of Uk instead of really fearing Jang Uk himself. This is probably because Jin Mu believes that compassion and protection are signs of weakness. I think the only time he really believes Uk might kill him is when Seo Yul is dying. What he fears the most is being rejected by those in power, which is why when Go Won turned on him he was so angry.

The king and the Unanimous Assembly decide to release the fire bird because they both fear and envy Jang Uk and his ice stone. As for the general population, they generally fear super-powered Jang Uk but also want him around (just not like, too close) because they are more frightened of soul shifters. They both fear and idolize Naksu and are manipulated with their fear.

And to quickly include Lady Jin, her fear is centred around losing control of Jinyowon, which is why she searches so desperately for Bu-yeon, is dismissive of her under-powered second daughter, and is so determined to keep resurrected Naksu/Bu-yeon under control.

Seo Yul is complicated because he doesn't know what Jang Uk is until pretty late in the game, he mostly is afraid of what Jang Uk is doing (hanging out with a soul shifter, Naksu herself) and what his beliefs will result in (which to be fair was a legitimate fear given what happens at the end of S1). He is also afraid of breaking his personal moral code:

And then we have Maid Kim, who is literally never afraid of Jang Uk, she just loves him no matter what. By S2 she knows exactly who he is and that he's haunted by ghosts and she does not care. "Oh my super-powered adopted son is home to spend a haunting night, let's make sure he's comfortable!"

What she is afraid of is Naksu: she thinks her sword is ominous, she holds a funeral for Cho Yeong so that Naksu's spirt won't attack Jang Uk, and she fears that Naksu will drag Jang Uk to the grave in S2. However, her fear is never centered on herself, she's pretty much only afraid because she wants to protect Uk (like mother like son). Which is why she's one of the good characters, her fear isn't selfish.

When it comes to Naksu/Cho Yeong and Jang Uk, they are never really afraid of each other or really drive by fear, unlike everyone else. Jang Uk recognizes Naksu right away, isn't afraid of her threats at all, and then sends men to capture her. He's almost immediately willing to put his life in her hands.

His motivation is more to prove himself, which is both about himself and his mother whose memory he is trying to protect by convincing people that he's Jang Gang's son.

Cho Yeong's motivation in S1 is revenge at least at first, which she needs her powers back to have. But then she switches to protection and remains that way through S2.

Naksu doesn't have any reason to fear Jang Uk in S1. Then in S2, even when she has no memory of who she is, she is very much not afraid of him. Even when he threatens her:

She takes like a whole minute to let go and step away from him. And when she sees the ice stone, she decides to try and use him rather than retreat in fear.

But of course all Naksu/Jang Uk plot is driven by both of them running straight towards things that they should fear, including each other. They are the antithesis of living in fear, they chose protection and love (and constantly being in mortal danger) instead.

[rhea314]

20 questions for fic writers podficcers

Thank you for tagging me @gracieryder and @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove, I feel so included <3

How many works do you have on ao3? 1,559 - which I believe is 1,208 podfic, 179 vids, and 163 fics

What's your total Ao3 word count? 615,783

What fandoms do you create for? I have works in 450 fandoms so I’m not listing them all so here are top couple of fandoms by work-type: - Vid: Nirvana in Fire, The King: Eternal Monarch, and 9-1-1 - Podfic: Yuri on Ice, Teen Wolf, and The Raven Cycle - Fic: Smallville, Stargate Atlantis, and Gundam Wing

Top 5 Works by Kudos: Fics dominate sorting by kudos so here's top two of each category: - Fic: The Rock and The River this Spirited Away fic wins out by a large margin, bubbling up is another Spirited Away fic and in second place. - Vid: Bury a Friend is my most kudos’d vid (Untamed) and Applause is second most kudos (Untamed RPF) though that is my most-watched vid on YT. - Podfic: through a window softly by impossibletruths, an Untamed fic for which I did a lot of music mixing is my top kudos’d podfic, so much so that it actually gets in my AO3 top 5 kudos list which is wild. The Absolutely True Story of the Yiling Patriarch: A Manifesto in Many Parts by aubreyli is in second place.

Do you respond to comments? I try!

What is the work you've made with the angstiest ending? - Fic: All my fics are neutral or positive endings (I think?) - Vid: this TKEM AU where Yeong dies - Podfic: I enjoy narrating big emotions so I have a lot of people-cry-in-this-fic grief/angst and self worth issues stories but often they end on at least an uplifting note. Possibly something in Attack on Titan or X-Men had a and-they-stay-sad ending but I can’t remember something specific to for-sure point at.

What's the work you've made with the happiest ending? So many happy endings (both the emotional kind and the porn kind). I’m not sure I could point to a ‘happiest’ since a lot of them are very happy.

Do you get hate on your works? I’ve had some weird comments but not particularly hate, hopefully that will continue to be true.

Do you create smut? Yup, at least with podfic and fic.

Craziest crossover? I wrote a heralds of valdemar / lord of the rings fic when I was just starting out in fandom.

Have you ever had a work stolen? I hope not.

Have you ever had a work inspired by your works? Very excitingly, people have made vids inspired by my vids which is the absolute coolest thing (Nothing by @nubreed73, and Mei Changsu is Climbing the Mountain by @sandalwoodbox)

I have had fic translated, which is neat.

People have made podfics of my fic which is just delightful and makes me so, so happy as a fellow podficcer.

I've also had people make me fanart/coverart which is super cool!

Have you co-recorded/co-written/co-vidded before? I’ve done a podfic collab where we co-wrote the story together and then recorded the story together. I’ve been part of multivoice collabs of things I did not participate in writing for with both in-person/live recording and recorded separately then edited together. I’ve also done oral not!fic collabs.

I've done collab vidding with @sandalwoodbox

All time favorite ship? I can't decide. I tend to have one OTP per fandom I'm into, but see fandom list it's too long to pick just one ship.

What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? I’ve got a variety of old files for fics I never got a permission response on that will just live in my computer forever. Some are complete, some needing editing, some are partially completed and all abandoned due to lack of response. I learned my lesson and now do not record unless I have already received permission or the author has BP.

What are your podficcing/writing/vidding strengths? - Podfic: Consistency? Enthusiasm. Emotion (I hope).

- Vid: Picking decent songs?

What are your podficcing/writing/vidding weaknesses? - Podfic: Accents, words not in english, cover art.

- Writing: Doing it without a challenge/exchange

- Vid: I don't know how to do a lot of technical stuff so I'm sort of coasting on my current skill level without challenging myself much.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language? For podfic I try! Sometimes I don’t know what I don’t know (see past mispronunciation of French where I thought I knew what I was doing T_T). But having been in into anime, c-dramas, k-dramas, and a variety of fandoms with various languages involved I know I will give it my best shot, possibly fail, and it will take me 2-3x as long to record, but sometimes I can be proud of what I’ve come up with on the far end and that’s nice. Forvo, google translate, and finding friends/acquaintances I know who speak the language have all be helpful.

First fandom you podficced/wrote in/vidded? - Podfic: Spiderman/Smallville crossover: 2008.

- Vid: Eastwick (TV)

- Fic: Heralds of Valdemar

Favorite work you've made? - Podfic: The Ion Arc by Sunhawk - I started recording this Gundam Wing story in 2008 and finished in 2019 and it clocks in at over 80 hours. This was my labor of love for just over a decade and will always hold a very important place in my heart. Have I re-listened to it, no. Do I think it’s the best podfic I’ve ever made, probably not, doesn’t matter, still my favorite. - Vid: I’m not sure how to pick so I’ll just go with my co-vid with @sandalwoodbox Hug Cats! - Fic: I’ll follow the consensus and say The Rock and The River for this.

Tagging - feel free to take up this invitation to answer some questions or not as you see fit!: @sandalwoodbox, @revolutionaryjo, @rollerskatinglizard