#jinwoo: it’s nothing fancy and is perfect for him

[hanakihan]

jinwoo: oh i can craft a S class artifact set even though I can’t equip it HMMMM for whom can I create it—

*proceeds to think about jinchul during whole process, ends up having surprised pikachu face at the result*

also my brain sees whole set as smth like that based on descriptions:

[parkjess]

FIRST KISS WITH ASTRO:

Myungjun:

You two are dating for a few days now and he didn’t steal your first kiss yet, he was obviously nervous about it because he’s not usually the type of kissing but more cuddles and bear hugs. He decided to take you on a karaoke night with the rest of the members; in the end of the night all of them left and you stayed there with your boyfriend, him being a bit drunk but thankfully you didn’t drink any kind of alcohol tonight.

“Babe...” he whispers to you while falling slightly on the couch, lying down. You turn your face to him, holding his body from collapsing completely there and making him sit straight. “Myungjun (or Oppa, whatever you like hehe), let’s go home now, you’ve been drinking enough.” You say softly and brush his soft hair away from his face so you can see him clearly. He sat straight and suddenly held the collar of your shirt, pulling it closer to him gently and closing his eyes. You ofcourse didn’t expect him to do it here and now but he is full of surprises. When he locked the air between you two, your eyes widened but you closed them after a second to enjoy the moment you two shared. Well, he got you drunk in love eventually.

Jinwoo:

After he takes you to Astro’s dorm and introduces you to the rest of the members, he would probably hold you tight by your waist on his side. After that he takes you to his room to show you his collection (of smtg, idk what) and show off his rapping skills and some of his own composed songs. You are literally so proud to have a boyfriend like him. You couldn’t help but smile that proud smile of yours the whole time and he noticed that, getting closer to you with his chair.

“Jinwoo, I- I’m speechless this is amazing-“ before you could finish your sentence he cut you with a sweet, pure kiss, holding one of your cheek while loving the taste of your lips. Both of you smile through the kiss and are a blushing mess. When you pull away he whispers to you, close enough still for you to feel his breath on your face; “I love you.”

Dongmin:

You came to support your boyfriend on one of his shooting days for a magazine, there were WAY more people than you expected to be there but okay. Trying your hardest not to drool and wet the floor on set because your boyfriend was so handsome and attractive. But not only in your eyes.

You noticed the makeup artists, hair dressers, camerawomen and literally everyone around him complimenting him TOO MUCH. Ok you got it, he’s handsome, he’s hot. But hello? You’re right there.

It was a long day, too long for your liking. You weren’t the type to be worried about it because he’s yours and you know that, you both know that. But still it was hurting you that he may leave you for someone ‘better’. When the two of you left the set, he noticed your furrowed brows all the way home, wanting to ask you why you are acting like that but he was busy focusing the road, so he just placed a hand on your thigh. You finally arrived at the dorm, he parked the car but didn’t take off his seat belt right after. “Honey,” he turns his face to you brushing the side of your face as if he comforts you. “Why are you being like this?” He asked softly. -“I saw them looking at you like... that.” You explained. His thoughts were right, you were jealous. “Baby,” he chuckles, admiring your face; “you know I’m yours right? I’m only yours.” He says as he secretly takes off his seat belt and leans in towards you, locking your lips together. “I’m only yours.” He whispers through the kiss.

Moonbin:

One of your best friends, Bin, invited you to hang out with Your squad on Friday night in a small local restaurant which was very fancy and aesthetic.

The 7 of you sat around the table, enjoying your food and music they decided to play by themselves. When it was bin’s turn, you noticed something is weird with his behavior all of the sudden. He started to scratch the back of his neck as if he was nervous, little did you know he was REALLY nervous.

His eyes locked with yours as the rest of your friends looked at each other in confusion, only you and Bin could feel the tense in the air. His eyes were sparkling while staring into yours. “Can you hear that?” He asks Nervously, scratching the back of his neck faster, -“hear what?” You take a sip from your drink and reply with a question. “The beating of my heart.” And with those words of his, the rest of the boys were shocked, screaming in cringe and excitement.

Your heart felt like a machine that moment. Then Bin decided to take your hand and stand up, leading you outside of the restaurant while the rest followed quietly (Well, Astro can do nothing quietly...). “Y/n, I-“ scratching his neck, “I like you.” He says with a nervous smile plastered on his face, leaning in to kiss your lips sweetly. -“Can your hear that?” You say when both of you pull away, intertwining your fingers together. -“My lungs are screaming.” You joke, he laughs at that and leans in to steal another quick taste of your lips.

Minhyuk:

Besides having the greatest, huge crush on one of your best friends, he is the person you adore the most and appreciate his damn hard work.

Most of the time, he was stuck in the dance practice room, working on some new choreography, just for fun as a hobby or working hard for a comeback. You got closer to him as time passed by and finally felt comfortable to ask him to watch him dance since it was a guilty pleasure you wouldn’t tell anyone about, except for him.

God damn, his body moves so beautifully to the sound of any song he plays. Especially today, he wore a long sleeved shirt which showed his muscles and curved body through the fabric perfectly. You tried your best to not bite your lips till you bleed as you fell for him more with every step he made.

Resting your head against the mirror behind you, you decided this heaven can’t just be forgotten in your head without capturing the moment. You took your phone from your pocket and started to film. Didn’t take him a while to notice your action and yell with a smile in the middle of dancing. “Yah what are you doing?” He was blushing as if he wasn’t used to cameras all around him.

Little did you know you mean something else to him. -“That’s too perfect, Minhyuk.” You stood up, still filming as the song ended, he was out of breath. He started to walk towards you as your feet started to immediately run in circles away from him. Unfortunately he caught quickly enough and both of you fell on the floor. Ok your heart is now leaving your body as you find yourself lying on the cold floor, Minhyuk on top of you but luckily he stopped himself with his hands on both of your sides.

You can’t help but stare at his sparkling eyes, he does the same as you scan every detail of his beautiful face, your gaze is locked with his.

Eyes, nose, lips.

Lips. you are a blushing mess while looking at his lips. This moment took only few seconds to happen but feels like you both want to stay like that forever. All of the sudden your hand is sent to his hair, you move his bangs to the side to expose his forehead which full of sweat but you don’t really care about that.

-“Minhyuk...” you whisper, your heart went out of control already. Still staring into each other’s eyes. And then he does that. His lips find a place to live on your own, you always liked sweets and chocolate but never tasted this kind of sweet before. You place both of your hands on his cheeks, pulling him closer to you a bit, trying not to make him fall onto your body, you deepened the kiss. Not wanting this to end ever.

He pulls away after you both reach heaven with the taste of each other’s lips, “I love you.” He says.

Sanha:

You and sanha are dating for a while now, he’s your first love and so you’re his.

You both decided to take a walk in the park, lots of trees, flowers, fresh air and love. You didn’t even notice but it’s been already 3 hours since the sweet, unofficial date started. -“Sanha,” you say softly, taking his hand in yours and playing with his fingers gently. He hummed in response, “When did you have your first kiss?” You ask him suddenly, he definitely didn’t expect it, but he doesn’t have a problem with a question like that since you both talk about everything openly.

He chuckles as a reply and adds; “perhaps today.” He teased, smirking a bit while looking at you. -“What? Who the he-“ he turns to face you faster than you could think and pecks your lips. Well at first it was a peck, but he acts too quick and cups your face in the palms of his hands and deepening his lips into yours.

It was pure, it was naively done, it was cute and adorable. “I love you y/n.” He says and dives back into your lips, feeling your smile throughout the kiss and follows.

[agustdef]

Choose

Pairing: MJ x Reader

Genre: Established Relationship; Fluff

Word Count: 2.2K

Warning: Brief and vague mention of sex and cheating. It’s mentioned, it doesn’t happen. Nor is it suggestive. 

Rating: PG-13

Author’s Note: This fic was written for the ever so sweet and lovely @jinterlude​‘s birthday. I wish I could do something longer, but I’m also very happy to be able to give you this specific concept for a story. You are one of the greatest humans I’ll ever know and I hope you have the best day that you can. 

MJ had always been a quirky dork. The man was all over the place and would do the weirdest things at the weirdest times. It was chaotic, but also adorable and YN wouldn’t change his way of being even if she could. And it’s why she tried not to question it much when he started to ask her random questions and then change the subject or disappear altogether.

That didn’t stop her from being curious each time it happened though.

The first incident was when they were sat down in their shared apartment eating dinner. One second MJ was shoveling food into his mouth at an alarming rate - one that made her worried he would choke on it - and the next he was staring at her so intensely she was a tad uncomfortable. Of course, YN ignored it for a while hoping he’d stop or say something but when two minutes passed she grew mildly annoyed.

“What?” she asked, looking up from her plate.

Instead of the usual smirk that played on his lips once he successfully annoyed her there were pursed lips and a furrowed brow. He continued not speaking for a moment or two and then when he did it wasn’t what she expected.

“A or B?” he asked.

YN sat there confused, but when there was no follow up and his serious expression didn’t waver she responded.

“Uh… B.”

At that MJ nodded and went back to eating his dinner. YN perplexed opened her mouth to question it, but he looked so into inhaling the rest of his dinner that she left it alone. Well, that and she knew that he would break sooner rather than later on what that was about.

Or that was what she assumed would happen.

For the rest of the night MJ said nothing and acted like it was a normal evening. They cleaned the dishes together, got ready for sleep, and spent the evening cuddled in bed watching some random show that happened to be on when they got into bed most nights. Neither were that invested, but also invested enough to be sad when they missed an episode because they’d gotten into bed too late or fell asleep too early.

The usual routine is what made her forget about the question until another incident happened.

About a week later MJ called her while she was at work and usually that was a highlight of her day, especially when they day had been tiring. But there was no small talk, nor did he try his usual mood maker tactics on her.

He said four words.

“1, 2, or 3?”

Midway through a greeting YN paused and her brows furrowed in confusion. Why in the world had he asked her that and why was it the second time? What could he possibly be having her choose?

However, none of those questions could be asked aloud before he was speaking again.

“Kinda urgent, my sun. Which one?”

The pet name got her out of her head and helped brighten her day for a moment, which meant she could answer him.

“Hm… I wanted to say 1, but how about 3?”

There was a soft laugh from the other side of the phone and it was music to her ears. MJ’s laughs were infectious, especially when they were the loud ones, but something about his gentler ones just sparked joy inside of her. They were just so cute.

“Thank you, my sun. I love you. And don’t forget we’re doing movie night tonight,” he said.

“I love you too. Also, I didn’t and don’t think I don’t remember you saying that I could take your turn on choosing this time.”

There was a horrible attempt at the phone cutting out from his end that she rolled her eyes at.

“I’m sor- I ca- hear you. I’ll ta- to y-y-you later. Bye!”

That left YN with something to laugh about for the rest of the day, especially when things felt like they were a bit too much for her. But questions lingered in the back of her head for longer than they had the last time.

Naturally, she forgot over time or for the most part she did. But that was only because MJ was being extra weird outside of the questions. He still asked them at random times, even having their friend Jinwoo ask her once and going so far as to add the question onto the card for the flowers he’d sent her one day at work.

But her true focus was the secretiveness that went along with it. Outside of the questions he was obviously hiding something from her. She trusted him so she knew it wasn’t cheating - plus he was never gone enough for that to be a thing. And that man was not a fan of quickies so there was no way he had them at work or between work hours. There was also the fact that one of his friends always was near when he was heading out and she definitely knew that wasn’t happening since they preferred to love MJ from a distance. Plus a few were her friends first and they’d never betray her like that.

And with that off the table that meant she was left scrambling for something or anything to explain what was going on. All she could think of is it being some sort of surprise for her, but her mind kept glossing over the one possibility. Not once did she think of it, not even to dismiss it as an option.

It worked in MJ’s favor though because on the day he asked her out to dinner for the following evening she was still none the wiser. All her focus seemed to be on the joy of going to a restaurant they hadn’t in a while and not needing to dress extra fancy to do so. His job held a lot of work dinners and she came as his date most of the time, which meant so much dressing up when she just wanted to relax at home or with friends.

When venturing to the best kimchi stew place with the best view she didn’t mind it. That meant she slipped on a pair of jeans, wore a cute top, and could wear any non-heels in her possession. Once ready to go she met MJ out in the car where she got to see his outfit for the first time all day. It was casual, but something about it was a bit more put together and intentionally stylish. She didn’t think to say anything though because it wasn’t rare that he did it; plus, she was against adding something as little as that to her pile of suspicion.

Besides, she planned to ask him about it during their date.

They bided the time in the car talking about their week and the ridiculous thing Sanha had done the day before and how Eunwoo had seemed ready to kill him. Which meant the week went about how it normally did, because Eunwoo often looked ready to just unload on his chaotic friend group. The poor bean was perpetually stressed out and done with all of them.

Something that YN and everyone found hilarious. Though sometimes she took mercy on him and got them in line, especially when they grated on her nerves as well.

Upon arrival they pulled into a spot and walked into the building, being directed to their favorite seats immediately. Both were such frequent customers that they knew the staff by name and vice versa. Everyone knew what they liked and did their best to accommodate them because they all got along so well. It was a nice space to be.

Once in their seats YN’s eyes drifted to the window next to them. Through it you could see the cityscape. The buildings high, the lights bright, and the people and cars moving about. It was peaceful despite the inherent busyness and chaos that came with living in a city. At some point in life she may have enjoyed the quiet of a smaller town or a suburb, but she would never change out of the city for that. At least not with the way she lived her life in that moment. Maybe when she and MJ were married with kids to raise would she wish for a change of pace.

“You going to stare out the window all night? I’m sure my face is just as beautiful,” MJ teased.

YN made a fake gagging noise and then laughed.

“That was so cheesy,” she said.

“I know. Speaking of, are we getting the usual?”

“Of course.”

And just like magic their waiter, Hyuk, strolled over to take their order. There was some light small talk before he was off putting the order in, though YN was sure they started it the moment they walked through the door. They never changed it unless they added another item on as some sort of side, so there was no need to guess or wait for them to come to a decision.

As they waited they talked about anything and everything, well anything that was light. They’d swerved into the topic of a case the YN worked that was particularly hard and when MJ saw how much it took out of her to speak about it he changed the subject. However, he kept the focus on her and a story she had to tell. Something he’d explained to her once as a way to get off a not great conversation, but still letting her know that he was there to listen to whatever she wanted to tell him.

“I think you should do pink,” he said.

“Pink? You think I should dye my hair pink?” she asked incredulously.

MJ nodded, pausing as Hyuk sat their stew, side dishes, and drinks down before leaving.

“Yeah, pink would suit you well. We can even dye it together if you want. Hot pink.”

No response felt right for YN so she just left him sitting there with his ridiculous idea and grabbed her spoon to gather a bit of the broth to drink. Even when he did that dork eyebrow wiggle she ignored him, motioning for him to eat his food. After a few seconds he did, though there was a look in his eyes that she couldn’t place. It wasn’t the earlier mischief, but it did indicate he was up to something.

She would’ve said something right then and there, but the taste of the stew had her releasing an involuntary moan as she did. The taste was just so perfect and she was much hungrier than she assumed, so the thought of talking was over before it truly started.

And they remained like that. Eating wasn’t a talkative affair, so the silence was fine. Well, silence with the occasional whisper of how they loved the food so much and would do anything for it.

They were both weird.

Dinner finished quickly enough and the moment the dishes were collected they were replaced with their usual bingsu. It was chocolate oreo and way too sweet, but also way too good. They didn’t have it every time or at least that was the lie YN liked to tell herself so she could validate getting it the next time they came.

The lie had no one fooled.

While YN dug in almost immediately MJ did not and when she didn’t notice his spoon fighting to steal her scoop she looked up. Surprisingly, MJ wasn’t there and that confused her, until she turned her head and saw him down on one knee with an open ring box in his hand. He wore a bright smile and the joy in his eyes matched it.

“I’ve been asking you a million random this or that questions for weeks now trying to figure out how to do this. You’ve helped me with so many decisions, but in the end of it all they didn’t feel right. So, with the last thing I asked you helped me realize that this was best. That I wanted to ask you to marry me, to be my wife in a place we both love with a view that very few places could beat. YN, my sun, I love you with my entire being. And I know my personality can be a lot sometimes, but you love all sides of me regardless of how you sometimes lock me out of the bedroom for peace. Or make me go to JinJin’s. And I love you the same way. So, if you don’t mind I’d like to ask one more question. Yes or no?”

YN felt her stomach churn and her heart beat erratically. There was just so much joy inside of her that her body didn’t know how to handle it and she felt a little overwhelmed, but in the best possible way. The man she loved and who she’d spoken to about their future life proposed to her in one of her favorite places and included her in the entire process. Even if she didn’t know about it.

“Yes,” she said, her voice shaky.

And without another word MJ slipped the ring onto her finger and stood up, pulling her into a tight embrace. They laughed and they cried throughout the night. Both of them on cloud nine.

[gojins]

tw: alcohol.

wherever he goes, jinwoo's always pretty much the life and soul of every party, yet that’s hardly surprising, considering how sociable and exuberant he is. in other words, he knows everybody, and everybody knows him — that’s just how much of a social butterfly he is. now, there would be absolutely nothing wrong with that, if only he weren’t such a reckless drinker, but alas, nobody’s perfect. we all have our flaws, and he simply happens to love getting completely shit-faced a bit more than he should. thankfully, he can always count on jihoon to keep him in check — well, or at least try to. so while he’s busy going around, greeting people left and right, sipping his cheap beer like he’s drinking fancy wine or some shit, his friend’s just tagging along behind him, bored out of his mind, looking like he doesn’t even want to be there in the first place. ❝ c’mon, man, loosen up! ❞ it’s a typical house party with cheap alcohol and shitty music, yet it seems like jinwoo’s genuinely having a great time. ❝ go get yourself a drink and try to have fun! ❞  /  @jvhoon

[jinwoostro-archive]

A Piece of Cake

Some sweet myungjin fluff 

“You want us to, what, now?”

“Marry me” Jinwoo beams, hands clasped behind his back

Everyone’s sat in various states of shock

Sanha, who had previously sat with his legs dangling over the back of the sofa and was looking at the world upside down, had screeched and kicked at the air

This made him tumble off the sofa simultaneously kicking Minhyuk in the shoulder, eliciting a pained groan from the victim of Sanha’s murder legs

Moonbin and Dongmin, who are sitting way too close for people who are “just friends”, gape at Jinwoo’s hopeful smile

Myungjun, meanwhile, nearly drops his drink. A smile is frozen on his face and his lips start twitching

They had been called over at an ungodly hour of 10am (in Myungjun’s opinion that is)

And once they were finally at Jinwoo’s apartment and everyone had been settled it was finally 1pm

It had been Moonbins suggestion to bring snacks to Jinwoo’s place and Dongmin’s money that actually made it happen

By the first half hour most of the snacks had been eaten and Myungjun still hadn’t arrived

By the time Myungjun had arrived, everyone had abandoned waiting patiently and were now an organised mess of screaming

After the screaming had died down Jinwoo leapt off the sofa and stood in front of them raising a finger to the sky

“My dear friends, we are gathered here today-“ he began ceremoniously

To which Moonbin hollered “get on with it” and Jinwoo was then betrayed by his closest friends who threw any soft object they could get their hands on at him

Besides Minhyuk…

Minhyuk threw a bottle of water at Jinwoo

A swift glare was thrown towards his direction before Jinwoo began talking again

“my dear friends we are-minHYUK NO”

He hadn’t even finished his sentence before he caught Minhyuk reaching for the closest bottle of water

“as I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted. One of you lucky people will have the privilege of marrying me. Only for a day, but it’s still an honour”

“remind me again why we’re friends with you”

Jinwoo thought his ears would never be the same again, or his dignity, after the immediate cacophony from the small group

“because.. my dear Dongmin, you all love me and your lives would be sadder without me”

Besides Sanha’s small snort, no one else replied

“so” Jinwoo clapped his hands jubilantly “who’s going to volunteer?”

Moonbin slightly raised his hand before Dongmin promptly pinched his arm making him yelp

He turned a mock hurt look towards Dongmin who remained staring forwards, smile tight on his face and a look in his eyes that screamed murder

Jinwoo gave a small smile before he desperately turned towards Sanha and Minhyuk, hands clasped together and placed in front of his face

His look faltered when he saw slight fear in their eyes

Unknowingly, behind him Myungjun was pretending to strangle to them if they so much as thought of volunteering

He turned to the other side spotting Myungjun sporting a grin that took over his features

“Myungjun…please? I’ll repay you in cake”

“ahh Jinwoo, you know how to steal my heart” Myungjun admitted. He looked down at the floor with his hand over his heart before looking back up and into Jinwoo’s eyes, whispering dramatically “I do”

Jinwoo laughed softly and pulled Myungjun into a hug, whispering “you’re the best” into his ear

Sanha, unable to bear it for any longer, piped up “Out of interest, why did you want to marry one of us”

“oh, they’re doing free wedding cake samples so I needed someone for that”

Jinwoo gave a self-satisfied grin before grabbing Myungjun’s hand and dashing out of his apartment, leaving the uproar behind.

Jinwoo clung onto Myungjun’s arm as they both burst out into the street, cackling and howling until they couldn’t breathe

Eventually their laughs simmered down into chuckles, having garnered a few strange looks from passers-by

Jinwoo still clung onto his arm, now too comfortable to let go

“so…why did you really want to marry someone?” Myungjun asks after a few beats of silence

“I’m not kidding! They’re doing free wedding cake samples!”

Myungjun stops in the middle of the pavement making Jinwoo stumble who was still leeched onto his arm

“free…. cake?” he whispered “then why the heck are you standing around for?! Come on Park Jinwoo, lead the way!! Those cakes need me now!!”

Jinwoo shakes his head and smiles before adjusting his grip so their fingers are interlinked and starts running

It was a small shop, at most 15 minutes’ walk away from Jinwoo’s apartment. It had simple decoration, nothing fancy, yet it seemed like the most beautiful place in the world

Especially with Jinwoo standing in front of it, shirt blowing in the light breeze and one hand covering his eyes from the sun, which was encompassing him in a light glow making him look positively ethereal

Myungjun, meanwhile, was stood a few metres behind him looking oddly like a gaping fish

Jinwoo was about to enter the shop when he noticed a distinct lack of warmth in his left hand

He reached back and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the shop

It was only when the cold blast of hair from the shop hit Myungjun did he realise that this was a very bad idea

A very not good, horrible, dreadful, lousy idea

A tall woman, who had looked like she had never seen the fun of life unless it was through divorce papers, greeted them

Myungjun looked up at her, very prepared to give up the whole farce. Then he glanced at Jinwoo, and damn it he had the cutest face, it should be illegal to look that adorable

He smiled serenely at the woman and brought up his and Jinwoo’s intertwined hands

“Good afternoon Miss, me and my lovely partner were wondering if you would be so kind as allow us to see which delicious cakes you have for our wedding”

“how.. pleasant. Please, sirs, follow me” she somehow managed to ruin the word pleasant. She uttered the word as if it were painful for her to be nice

She brought them to an adjacent room where they met a smaller woman who beamed up at them as they came in

The taller woman simply nodded slightly at the petite woman before leaving the room, who waved a floury hand and a chirpy thank you at her retreating back

“ahh ignore her, she’s always like that! Anyways, so sorry for that gentlemen, what can I do for you today?”

Jinwoo, who seemed to be shocked into silence was elbowed by a suffering Myungjun

The look on his face screamed “Help me Jinwoo please I was dragged into this I only came in for the cake I don’t know what to do we don’t have any plans please help me”

Luckily Jinwoo seemed to understand all of this, or at least some parts of it

“ah yes, we’re getting married in a few months and we were wonderfing if we could have a few testers for our wedding cake” the lie was executed perfectly, as expected from a perfect Jinwoo

She clapped her hands and with a quick “I’ll be right back!” she dashed into the backroom

Meanwhile Jinwoo and Myungjun were standing in the room, fake smiles plastered on their faces

“quick, before she comes back we need to sort out our story” Myungjun hissed

“ok, we’ve been together for 7 years and recently got engaged. We’re having a small wedding with just our family and friends, we have our own apartment and a puppy as well as a child called Sanha” Jinwoo hissed back

“you…seemed very well prepared” Myungjun murmured “but I have one issue”

“ok fine, Sanha isn’t our child. Was that too much?” Jinwoo replied

“No wait, what? I want a big wedding, forget about a small wedding” Myungjun looked affronted with the fact of having a small wedding “also I thought that Minhyuk and Sanha were our kids anyway?”

Before Jinwoo could reply, the baker came back carrying a tray loaded with small bits of what seemed to be every flavour in the world

“alrighty here, I’ve put a label under each taster so you know which one you want, holler at me if you need anything, I’ll be sitting there” She pointed to a chair in the corner of the room

Myungjun and Jinwoo nodded and moved closer to the tray giggling excitedly

There were so many cake flavours they never knew existed on that tray Rhubarb & Rose petal, pink champagne, Pumpkin & peanut butter, Courgette & pistachio, were but to name a few

Jinwoo could sense the baker peering at them over her phone so he picked a simple chocolate flavoured one and held it near Myungjun’s face, motioning for him to open his mouth

He got the hint and opened his mouth, Jinwoo placed half the piece into his mouth and ate the rest

This went on for a few more flavours. They went through vanilla, Mocha, lime & ginger, when the bakers voice made a sudden reappearance

“are you sure you two are in love? Because you only look, I dunno, a bit awkward?” She quickly seemed to realise her mistake “Not that I’m saying you’re awkward, you look cute together, Really cute!! You suit each other a lot, ultimate power couple!!”

Through the midst of her stammering Myungjun whispered softly “we… look cute? Together?” A smile grew on his lips and he turned to her, practically beaming

“yes! We are very much in love with each other! I love him so much, he’s the only one for me” he turned to Jinwoo and placed a kiss on his cheek, his lips remaining there for a second too long before he pulled away

Jinwoo turned bright pink, his ears were aflame as he placed a hand on his cheek

The baker squealed, jumping up and down in her seat. Which she then disguised into a cough and pretended to be smoothing down her apron

Myungjun turned Jinwoo back towards the cakes

“im sorry I did that, but she was getting suspicious” he mumbled for Jinwoos ears only

“no!” Jinwoo cleared his throat, the ‘no’ coming out a bit more high pitched than he would have hoped for “no! it’s good, we...erm... need to keep up the pda”

Myungjun seemed to take this as a challenge because he snaked an arm around Jinwoos waist and pulled him closer “Better?” he asked, teasingly, before bringing up a cake for him to try

Jinwoo could do nothing but nod, he was sure if he spoke, all that would come out would be a squeak. He was positive that his ears were actually on fire with how hot they felt

Jinwoo picked up another cake and fed it to Myungjun

“ahh, you got a lil something here” the icing from the cake had smeared just outside of Myungjun’s lip

He tilted his head towards the baker’s direction, Jinwoo took this as an indication for him to go forward

He raised a thumb and lightly swiped the icing off Myungjun’s lip, never taking his eyes off him

This garnered a small grin from the man who then proceeded to bring his other arm around Jinwoos waist bringing them impossibly closer

He brought his hands down lower and placed it on Jinwoo’s lower back when they heard someone clearing their throat

“please keep pda to a minimum, choose your cake and go do whatever you young couples do outside of the shop” The bakers cheeks were tinged red as she spoke, not able to keep the glee out of her voice

Myungjun stepped back as if electrocuted, every part of his body going haywire.

Maybe this really was a bad idea

He turned at the baker aware of how frazzled he probably looked, blurted “we’ll make a decision and come back later” and dashed out of the shop

Jinwoo sprinted to the baker and gave her a small hug

“I owe you one”

“too right you do Park Jinwoo, now, go get him” She shooed him out of the shop and shook her head. She’d probably see them again in a years’ time to be honest

If she had to hear his pitiful woes of the “most beautiful gorgeous man in the world” she would not be responsible for the arsenic found in her cousin’s cake

Jinwoo rushed out, but Myungjun had disappeared

He stood on one of the benches and scanned the roads and pavements for the familiar black haired man he knew

Almost tripping over his feet he sprinted to where Myungjun was speed walking off to

It took several shouts of his name for him to finally turn around, a look of annoyance on his face

They were right outside Jinwoo’s apartment now, and the streets were empty

“Ahh, why didn’t you wait for me? I was worried” Jinwoo took a step forward, still out of breath and reaching a hand forward to hold his hand

Myungjun stepped back, “I’m sorry Jinwoo, I didn’t mean for it to go that far”

“what do you mean too far?” he asked, genuinely confused

“We were only supposed to go as friends, I got carried away, we were only pretending to go as a couple right? I mean, I should’ve asked you first but-“

“-I did it on purpose” having grown tired of Myungjuns rambling, Jinwoo grabbed his face and slightly raised his voice to be heard above his apologies

“you, what, now?”

“I said, I did it on purpose” Jinwoo confessed, “this whole thing, I did it because I like you”

“like? Or like like?” Myungjun asked cocking his head to the side

“what kind of que-? Of course like like”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Myungjun seemed to abandon all previous feelings, instead adopting feeling betrayed at how Jinwoo hadn’t confessed to him before

“I didn’t know you felt the same way!” Jinwoo’s voice was steadily increasing in volume, as was Myungjuns

“Well you should’ve told me so I would’ve known!”

“But you didn’t tell me either!”

“that’s not the point!”

“HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIKED HIM JINWOO??”

Unknowingly they had gathered an audience from Jinwoo’s apartment and all inhabitants were staring at them with looks of exasperation

Minhyuk was practically hanging out of window, looking the most exasperated

“ANSWER THE QUESTION, HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIKED HIM??”

“yes, answer the question Jinwoo, how long have you liked me?” Myungjun parroted

Jinwoo took a deep breath and looked into Myungjun’s eyes before whispering “7 years”

“seve- are you kidd-SEVEN?” Jinwoo looked at Myungjun, afraid that he might have broken him

This time it was Myungjun’s turn to grab Jinwoo’s face

He looked at him determinedly

“kiss me”

Jinwoo looked back down at his lips and back into his eyes, his mouth slightly agape

“you want me to-?”

“kiss me, yes”

Jinwoo stepped forward and looking at Myungjun to be sure, then he placed his hands on his face and brought them closer

It was soft, it was messy, but it was everything he wanted it to be

Their lips fit perfectly as if they were made together

A kiss like this was a beginning, a promise of many more to come

They broke apart, hearing the whooping of their friends from the window

Minhyuk and Dongmin were wolf whistling while the rest were screaming

Nothing mattered to Jinwoo and Myungjun other than each other, warms breaths mingled together, hearts beating wildly and the pure joy that settled within them

[katherinedoeskpop]

Winner Comeback Review: “Really Really” and “Fool”

YG’s organization is a running joke with K-pop fans (the company, not Yang Hyung Suk). Creatively, they’re on fire – their artists are widely acknowledged for their talent and popularity, often dominating charts and music shows.  But in terms of planning, they’re a hot mess.  “In the YG dungeon” has become the term for the many artists who go on extremely long hiatuses.  Many people have been waiting for Winner’s comeback for a very long time.  “Really Really” and “Fool” are both really quality comebacks, so I think that it’s been worth the wait.

If you’d like to know more about what I look at in my reviews, click here.

*WARNING!* This review assumes the reader has listened to the music and/or seen the music video!

Concept: Winner is known for rather low-key music with simple melodies and instrumentals. Their songs often have a bit of a melancholy feel to them – not overly depressing, but somber and reflective.  “Fool” falls into this category, while “Really Really” is a fun and upbeat style that’s new for the group.

I also just want to say that I’m actually not really familiar with Winner.  I watched Mix & Match, their music videos, and one or two of their variety show appearances.  But since they were on hiatus when I got into K-pop, I only started following them recently.  Though I did my due diligence when looking into their discography, I don’t “know” them as well as most of the groups I review.

SONG:

Really Really

Music by: Seungyoon, Mino, Uk Jin-Kang

Arranged by: Uk Jin-Kang

“Really Really” is pretty bright, or at least as bright as a group like Winner might care to get.  It’s different from their usual style, but it also fits right into their discography.  It relies on a few key instruments, letting the catchy and simple melody shine. I wouldn’t have expected them to go for tropical house, but it definitely works. Perhaps it’s Winner members have a hand in writing their own music, allowing them to infuse their own style and preferences.

Personally, I like “Really Really” a lot because it’s super pleasant.  While it ultimately doesn’t build or go anywhere in terms of energy, it has a great laid-back feel. I’m starting to get nice weather out where I live, and it’s the kind of song I’d listen to while I’m driving with the windows down. It’s also super catchy, which is a big advantage.  I find myself singing it all the time.  And it’s not annoyingly catchy, either.  It flows really smoothly, making it easy listening.

Fool

Music by: Seungyoon, Airplay

Arranged by: Airplay

“Fool” is a pensive and morose ballad that’s more typical of Winner’s signature style. The vocals are clearly the star here, and all four of them sound amazing.  I’m personally really impressed by Seunghoon, who has a very different tone from any of the others. (For the record, my mother preferred Mino) I’m not really a huge ballad fan, but I do have my exceptions.”Fool” is one of them.  It seems so simple, but it’s filled with a lot of small nuances.

The instrumentals are so simplistic. I actually only counted three or four while listening (piano, electronic effects, percussion, and I think guitar).  But at the same time, they determine the whole mood of the song.  The first verse is only piano, and then it fades into the background as the electronica highlights the chorus.  The percussion only comes in on the second verse, and it’s fairly light at that.  This all continues to steadily build through the bridge, then dies down to the piano when Jinwoo sings the opening of the final chorus.  Everything then comes rushing back and climaxes with Seungyoon’s emotional high note.

I think a lot of instrumentals of K-pop songs are somewhat lacking once the melodies get taken out.  Don’t get me wrong, the vocals and melody are a big part of “Fool.” In fact, my favorite part is Mino and Seunghoon’s harmony in the bridge.  But when I listen to the instrumental version, I can still feel the mood and story of the song. And given the simplicity of the instrumentals, this is very impressive.  It’s the sign of a very well-crafted song where the creators have very carefully thought of each and every element.

SCORE: “Really Really,” 19/20 |||| “Fool,” 20/20

LYRICS:

Really Really

Lyrics by: Seungyoon, Mino, Seunghoon

“Really Really” is pretty straightforward.  The basic premise is: “I (really really like you, and I hope you like me too.”  That’s pretty much it. Three out of four of the members participated in writing the lyrics, and it shows because all of the verses seem kind of tailor-made for the person singing them.  The best example is Mino.  I obviously don’t know him personally, but his words seem honest and pretty true to the face that he shows the public (cool on the outside, soft on the inside):

“Scoring a goal, proposal like a ceremony Let’s choose nicknames for each other, Honey? No. Dear or Darling? I’m embarrassed just by thinking it I’m nervous I need a lot of alcohol I might be big and tall but when in front of you I feel small”

It can get a little smarmy at times (“Even goddesses get jealous of your beauty / Your lethal charms are killing me”), but I don’t think it’s too over the top.  I’ve spoken several times about the irony of hot guys singing these kinds of lines. We may find the lyrics cheesy, but we’d change our minds if [insert hot K-pop star here] was singing it to us personally. This actually isn’t a much of an issue with “Really Really.”  I think that it has a pretty down-to-earth feel, and it seems like a genuine confession.  It’s well-written with some great lines, but it’s the perfect amount of low-key for a fun pop song.

Fool

Lyrics by: Seungyoon

“Really Really” is light and airy, but “Fool” is heavy and raw.  It’s about the men regretting how terrible they were to their ex, and looking back on their bad actions. (“‘Get lost from my sight,’ those cruel words I spat out without hesitation / anyone can see I was a fool”) There is a risk with this kind of song, because the subject matter can produce a wide variety of reactions.  It could come across as overly sappy, or it could conversely fail to garner any sympathy at all.  Some might even say that it could be romanticizing monstrous behavior.  I think that Seungyoon toed the line perfectly and created a very realistic and sobering situation:

“Fool, stupid, I know now it’s all my fault Dummy, idiot, I know it’s all my fault I was a fool, Baby I was a fool”

The members recognize that they have been many horrible things: harsh, cruel, selfish. And yes, there is a little bit of begging the ex to come back (“I long for you every day, Yes I know I’m late late / please come back as if nothing happened baby”).  But in the larger context of the song, it’s more about a person realizing their atrocious behavior rather than pleading for forgiveness (although it seems that would be the next step).  It doesn’t seem like they’re standing at the ex’s window making a statement.  Instead, it feels like they’re reflecting on their own and verbalizing their regret.  (“Even if I’m sorry now, nothing changes, I know”) The subject of the song is working out their guilty feelings.

It’s not necessarily a song that asks you for sympathy, but it does allow you to feel bad for the singer.  These kinds of situations aren’t always black and white, and it often depends.  Past behavior does not have to mark you for life if you are remorseful and resolve to change yourself.  And it’s possible to feel bad for someone who is trying to do so without completely forgiving them. It’s nice that the lyrics reflect these mixed sentiments.

SCORE: “Really Really,” 9/10 |||| “Fool,” 10/10

LINE DISTRIBUTION:

It’s clear that Taehyun had a very big role in Winner, and I’m sure that Inner Circles miss his presence greatly.  At the same time, I feel like the remaining members have been able to fill in the hole that he left in terms of vocals. It’s understandable that Seungyoon would pick up most of the slack – not only is he the main vocal role in both songs, but his lines kind of provide the backbone.  Jinwoo was the one who had to step up a lot, and it really paid off.  I think that he did a really good job.  Mino and Seunghoon also do pretty well, with at least one verse in each song.  A group with two singers and two rappers is a well-balanced, and it shows here. What happened with Taehyun is definitely sad, but I think that Winner functions really well as a foursome.

SCORE: “Really Really,” 9/10||||| “Fool,” 9/10

CHOREOGRAPHY:

Really Really

I try not to deduct points from more simplistic dances, but it’s really hard not to when the members aren’t actually dancing most of the time.  I get that there are groups that do more “hype” dancing to liven up the audience, and I get that most of Winner’s music doesn’t really go well with complicated choreography.  But the members of Winner are good dancers.  If any of their songs needed a cool and catchy dance, “Really Really” was it.  It didn’t even have to be hard or fancy, just something we could all groove along to!  I will concede, however, that this is probably my own personal grievance.  And the choreography for the backup dancers is really nice.

Despite my sadness that Winner isn’t dancing more, when they actually do dance it’s great.  The chorus and key moves are so catchy and fit the song so perfectly.  It really captures that laid back feel. One of the reasons I like K-pop is because there are dances I can learn.  American pop is different because whole dances don’t really catch on (although specific moves do).  The last time I saw everyone dancing along to an entire song was in 2008 for “Single Ladies.”  “Really Really” feels like a dance that would catch on in the US.  I can just imagine everyone in the club doing that cool step touch.

Fool

I actually wasn’t expecting there to be a dance for “Fool,” so it’s a nice surprise.  There’s an increased amount of K-pop routines that draw from modern dance, which I love because that’s my background. I actually got really excited when I saw them making basic modern shapes.  The movements are very linear and clean.  It’s not a full-on performance like BTS did with “Spring Day,” but this kind of bare-bones routine works really well with a pared-down song like “Fool.”

There’s a lightness to their movements that’s very beautiful to watch.  It’s very soft and fluid, with a lot of rising and falling motions.  These kind of dances focuses on the emotion just as much as the movement (if not more).  So even if the movements are small, they’re filled with intention and meaning.  Although the dancing eventually dies out halfway through song, there’s a beauty in the simplicity when it’s there.

SCORE: “Really Really,” 16/20 ||||| “Fool,” 17/20

CENTER AND FORMATIONS:

The dancing is clearly not the focus for either of the two songs, so there isn’t really a traditional center.  The biggest element in both performances is the use of backup dancers, so I’ll focus on that.  For “Really Really,” the use of female backup dancers is a smart choice.  The performance heavily benefits from having guys and girls live it up and dance together, and it gives it a party atmosphere.

“Fool” focuses more on formations, movement, and direction. They definitely travel and move around a lot more.  I don’t think that the female dancer wasn’t needed here, because it didn’t really add anything.  It would have been different if she and Seunghoon had some kind of dance interlude.  But she just kind of sauntered in and hugged him, then did some pointed walking and hip swaying before just exiting.  I understand why they put her in, but would have been better to just have it as the four of them.

SCORE: “Really Really,” 8/10 ||||| “Fool,” 7/10

MUSIC VIDEO:

Really Really

I get the impression that YG artists are heavily influenced by the West (read: the US). So it doesn’t surprise me that “Really Really” was shot in the US and directed by renowned American music video director Dave Meyers. I looked him up, and it turns out he’s behind some pop classics like Katy Perry’s “Firework” and Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been.”  He also did CL’s “Lifted.” Maybe it’s because of having an American director for a Korean group, but I feel like this music video is as close to being American as it can get without actually being American.

I recently decided to see what’s new in Top 40 pop music these days. Videos filled with scantily clad people twerking and gyrating all over each other reminded me why I moved to K-pop in the first place.  (Nothing wrong with any of that – it’s just a bit overkill for me) So admittedly, “Really Really” is a very watered down version and much more palatable for me.  But it’s got a lot of common things that are pretty typical: It’s shot in L.A., it’s got hot girls sexy dancing, and it even has those bouncing cars.  This isn’t a negative thing for me at all; it’s simply an observation. It’s just kind of funny how this is usually perceived as typical American life.  I know not everyone thinks this way, but living abroad I have been asked a lot of questions about my partying habits.  So this kind of thing just makes me smile.

In terms of the more technological aspects, it’s beautifully shot.  About half of the shots are moving shots that zoom in and zoom out and keep us entertained.  The static shots are also interesting because they’re often shot from above, which is not usually a common angle (or at least not one consistently used.  And the black and white gives the fun a chic and cool edge.  The cinematography actually elevates the quality of the music video immensely. Without these choices, it wouldn’t be half as interesting.

Fool

“Fool” is quite dark for a K-pop music video.   I do stay pretty mainstream, but I haven’t seen anything this emotionally heavy since BTS and “I Need U.”  While the lyrics for “Fool,” are kind of open-ended and have many options, the music video takes a much harder line.  It paints a picture of the most extreme situation, and while it is beautiful to watch it is also a wild ride.

We see that the members of Winner are troubled by their past.  Mino is haunted by a woman in a chain mail mask who destroys art, which is presumably precious to him. Seunghoon witnessed his girlfriend die in a motorcycle accident.  Jinwoo searches security footage for whoever burned his beloved’s wedding dress.  (We’ll get to Seungyoon later, because his storyline is a little different.) As things come to a head, we learn the twist.  As Mino chases down the woman and tears through the painting she’s holding, he sees a mirror image of himself.  The same thing happens to Seunghoon when he lifts his girlfriend’s helmet.  And Jinwoo is confronted with footage of him pouring gasoline on the dress.

I don’t think the members actually did any of these things in the story.  Like many music videos, it’s symbolic. These actions represent the qualities that caused the end of their relationships. Motorcycles and accidents can symbolize self-destructive and reckless behavior.  Watching and scrutinizing security tapes is a parallel for jealousy, stalking, and perhaps possessiveness. I’m not as sure what Mino’s is – maybe selfishness or egoism, or perhaps violent tendencies given the way he chases the woman. These were the reasons for their relationships’s demises, and making the men end up staring themselves down is a powerful way of visually portraying that.  It could have been a little more clearly edited – you might miss some crucial shots if you blink – but it’s easy enough to connect the dots.

Seungyoon’s is slightly different because he doesn’t see himself.  We mostly spend time watching him play around and take photos with a woman.  Everything’s in white, which obviously stands for innocence, purity, etc.  Unlike the other members, what he is doing with the girl is not a visual metaphor for how he ruined the relationship.  Instead, we come to understand that the camera hides nothing. Through the lens, we see black marks around the woman’s neck. Eventually, he sees his own hands covered in black and breaks down – meaning he’s the one responsible for this terrible abuse.  Again, it’s not clear if he actually did it or if it’s symbolic.  But what’s true is that he’s guilty, and he cannot take his actions back. While the other members see they’re the monstrous ones, Seungyoon has to go a step further and acknowledge it.

There’s a lot of powerful imagery in this music video: the images outside and within the church, the contrast of white versus red and black (and what it means), the various burning items, etc.  However, it’s the story that really packs the punch.  The music video focuses in on a specific moment: when the members realize the horrible things that they have done.  When I watch it, I just feel profoundly sad.  The images are so nice but depict such ugly things, which adds to the sadness even more. I complain a lot about story music videos not actually having enough story, or keeping it too cryptic.  “Fool” is a perfect example a music video that can do both. It has a dramatic, engaging, and emotional story and stunning images.

SCORE: “Really Really,” 18/20 ||||| “Fool,” 20/20

STYLING:

Style is very important in “Really Really.” For the first half, they wear chic and sharp suits that make them look handsome.  Then in the second half, they switch to more casual wear that’s typical of young male Korean style. They’re basically personifying the “work hard play hard” vibe.  And of course, they all look pretty damn good.

In “Fool,” the actual clothing is less important (although it’s just as stylish, to be honest).  The color of what they’re wearing is actually pretty meaningful.  The four members are shown wearing white (all members, but primarily Seungyoon), red (Jinwoo and Mino), and black (Seunghoon).  The white represents their “innocent” state, when they either don’t realize the gravity of their actions or are just in firm denial.  The red and black shows what they really are, tainted by what they’ve done.  Black might even represent the truly horrible things that they can’t take back, like the marks of Seungyoon’s abuse.  Maybe Seunghoon actually did accidentally kill his girlfriend through recklessness. Color meanings are a basic yet essential way to make visual hints, and I think that it’s well done here.

STYLING MVP: Seunghoon, for his hairstyle and his chic motorcycling clothes

SCORE: “Really Really,” 9/10 ||||| “Fool,” 10/10

FINAL TALLY:

SONG

Really Really 19, Fool 20

LYRICS

Really Really 9, Fool 10

LINE DISTRIBUTION

Really Really 9, Fool 9

CHOREOGRAPHY

Really Really 16, Fool 17

CENTER/FORMATIONS

Really Really 8, Fool 7

MUSIC VIDEO

Really Really 17, Fool 20

STYLING

Really Really 9, Fool 10

TOTAL

Really Really, 87

Fool, 93

CONCLUSION: I debated a long time about writing a review for Winner.  As I said, I haven’t spent a lot of time following them.  And I must admit that their previous songs were not always my cup of tea.  But I’m really glad I decided to go through with it and give them a chance, because I’ve really come to like these songs and appreciate there music more. After such long hiatuses, this comeback was definitely what Winner needed to prove they’re capable of representing the newer generation of YG.  I worry about them going back into the “dungeon” – let’s be honest, YG is unpredictable – but I really hope that this comeback showed the higher ups that they need to promote regularly.

Sources: Youtube, YG Entertainment, Wikipedia, Dave Meyers professional website

Winner Comeback Review: “Really Really” and “Fool”

YG's organization is a running joke with K-pop fans (the company, not Yang Hyung Suk). Creatively, they're on fire - their artists are widely acknowledged for their talent and popularity, often dominating charts and music shows.  

[heartfulofsighs]

Baggage Claim Pt. 5

Description: Seunghoon back from a business trip only has a mind for growing his company. You are in the middle of running from the by the book life that was drowning you. When a minor inconvenience sets you in his path will you be the reason he eases up? And could he be what you need to get serious again? 

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 

Hey guys. Sorry I’m so late on this I lost Inspo for a bit but thankfully I had @negrowhat and @bbnightengale to bounce ideas off of even if they didn’t realize I was doing it. Thanks every one for their patience. I appreciate it and don’t worry we are nearing an end...more or less lol. 

He had woken up early. He always woke up early and even despite being out late he still felt mostly rested. He replayed your quick conversation as he got dressed, brushing his teeth and going through the words over and over again. He stared at the picture on his fridge. While he ate his cereal. Bright smile. Somehow he seemed closer to seeing that expression, something that he thought wouldn’t happen. He had assumed that after switching bags he would never see you again. The city was vast and he didn’t have any idea how long you were staying. The party and what you had said made your smile seem more in reach. Now all he needed was a place to take you. He dropped his bowl in the sink and headed out. 

“Squeeze wants out.” The sentence was destroying his good mood. Mino looked very serious. Hoon’s friend and the agency’s lawyer Jinwoo was perched on the edge of his desk shaking his head. “Such a shame.” He said without much feeling. He had no idea. Hoon had spent untold amounts of time going back and forth with them on their campaign. “Did they say why?” Hoon asked. He was trying to keep his anger in check. He hated wasted time. “They got bought.” Mino began. “By a very big beverage company that has its own internal marketing department.” Jinwoo explained, “they’re cancelling our contract.” “But our fee?” Hoon questioned. “They’re willing to pay 30%.” Mino offered. Hoon nearly knocked the small light from his desk. “30%?” He echoed. Jinwoo stood up straight and pulled his cellphone out, “don’t sweat it too much, I’ve already got a meeting set up with their CEO and lawyers.” He tapped away at his phone screen, “I’m gonna try for at least 70%.” “You’re going by yourself?” Hoon questioned. “Shouldn’t we go with you? I don’t want you to be...bullied or-” Jinwoo looked up at him from his phone. The atmosphere in the room changed. His wide doe eyes visibly sharpened, “you really think they can bully me?” He asked pleasantly. “It just doesn’t seem like a fair fight.” Mino said. “Nothing in life is fair. All you guys have to do is send me good vibes...I’ll work it out and then give a call of course.” He said. “I appreciate it...we appreciate it.” Hoon said. It wasn’t often that Jinwoo came in on jobs for them. He was one of their best friends but he was heading up a budding firm. He had his own problems to handle not to mention that he usually wouldn’t take his full payment for any of his work. It drove Mino and Hoon crazy. They solved that problem though. Now they direct deposited his fees instead of giving him checks that he never cashed. “Is the meeting today?” Mino asked. Jinwoo nodded, “yep. I’m gonna get some coffee downstairs and then go. Leave it to me.” His nonchalance was typical but also terrifying. He was going to bring all his persuasive powers against these men. He wondered if he would stop at 70%. He just might push for the whole fee. Seunghoon rubbed his face in annoyance. “What about Seungyoon?” He asked. Though he was afraid to hear the answer. “Haven’t heard anything from him yet.” Mino whispered. He slammed his fist on the desk before leaning back in his chair, eyes closed. “It isn’t the end of the world.” Jinwoo said lightly. “He’s just considering all his options...don’t worry so much.” Hoon heard the sound of a chair scraping the floor. Mino must be standing, “you know how he is.” He said softly. When he opened his eyes they were getting ready to leave. “Good luck.” He said to Jinwoo. The older man waved before walking out. “I’m gonna work on some stuff. Don’t sit here and fume all day.” Mino warned. Funny he should say that because that’s all Hoon could think to do. Mino closed his door as he left and he was alone. This was suppose to be a good day. Things felt like they were going his way. He closed his eyes again and tried to bring that feeling back. He began to envision your picture hanging on his fridge smiling brightly. He took a huge breath in then out. He thought of you laughing at the event. That was a good smile too. Before he could talk himself out of the phone call he found your number and hit the call button. His mind felt like it was rolling. Everything was so mixed up. But the sound of your voice stopped it. “Hi?” He soaked up the single syllable and smiled when he responded. The conversation had gone by in a blaze. When he hung out one thing was concrete. He was going to pick you up. He looked down at his desk and then at his computer screen. Where was he going to take you?

Cherry made you try on combination after combination. It felt like you had put on every single piece of clothing you had brought with you. “I think that sort of flouncy shirt is nice, with the shorts.” Cherry sniffed as she talked. You picked up the shirt in question and put it back on. It was off the shoulder with flouncy sleeves that hid a bit of your arm jiggle. Not that you minded it but you only wanted to have one area to be concerned over. The shorts weren’t overly short but it was more thigh then you were planning on. “You don’t think this is too much skin?” You asked slowly. You looked at yourself in the mirror. Cherry sneezed then shook her head. “I think you look perfect, wear your white converse, take that jean jacket and we have an outfit!” She declared. She sneezed again and you made a note in your mind to carefully, quietly, spray the room down with Lyesol.     You coaxed all of your hair into a high ponytail before you figured you were done.  It felt like he took a long time. The waiting killed you. Cherry drank her tea and managed to make herself a little oatmeal. You watched her eat because there wasn’t much else to do. Maybe you were too excited? Watching Cherry felt more sane then watching your phone and hoping for the screen to light up. “Maybe he figured out what was wrong at his job?” You said softly to yourself. “It’s been barely 30 minutes...he’s probably leaving to come get you now…” She said as she swirled her spoon through her oatmeal. “Don’t think too hard about this.” She teased. It didn’t take too much longer before your phone lit up. It slid across the table before you picked it up. “Hello?” You listened to some shuffling and then his voice came over the line. “I’m downstairs.” He said quietly. You stood up gathering your bag. Cherry watched you her spoon in her mouth. “Have fun!” She called as you rushed to the door. Seunghoon had a tight look on his face. His features were pulled into worry and you figured whatever it was that happened at his job was pretty bad.    “Where are we going?” You asked quietly. He turned to you his eyes lingering on your outfit before he cleared his throat.    “You look really pretty.” He began.    “Thanks.”    “I’m gonna take you to the boardwalk amusement park. It’s real dumb and there are always a lot of tourist.” He sounded triumphant by the time he finished his sentence. His features eased a bit and the worry you had seen when you got in the car faded. “Perfect.” You said.  

The drive to the pier was a quiet one. You hummed along to whatever played on the radio. All the tension that he had left the office with melted as soon as you got into the car. He had been right to ditch work. To make an excuse and just disappear. Mino hadn’t been suspicious at all. He had looked up from his computer and waved. “Everything is going to work out. Don’t worry too much.” He had said. He had given Hoon a reassuring smile. He peeked at you. The window was open and the wind was blowing your hair around. You didn’t seem to mind, you kept your eyes watching the scenary. It wasn’t far to the boardwalk and he enjoyed watching your hair and your smile out of the corner of his eye. He pulled into the parking lot which was fuller then he thought it would be. You didn’t give him a chance to open your door. You were pulling on the handle, bouncing out with a huge smile on your face. He got out and walked to your side. You had your phone out to snap a picture of the rides.    “You haven’t come here yet right?” He asked. You turned and shook your head. The park was picturesque. You could see the rollercoaster rising up from the boardwalk, the sky and ocean a backdrop of blue. There was a ferris wheel and one of those swinging dragon ship rides.      “It’s on my list though.” You confessed. He watched as you took a moment to look him over. A confused look on your face.    “What?” He asked. He looked down at his slacks to see if he had spilled something on himself. Satisfied, he then gave his arms a glance. His clothes were immaculate. The idea of changing hadn’t occurred to him. He figured he wouldn’t stand out too much especially since there wouldn’t be many people there on a weekday.    “I’m guessing you came straight from your office?” You asked as you looked his outfit over more.    “Yes.” He answered.  You put your phone away in your pocket a determined look on your face. He liked it, your nose scrunched and he imagined if you had sleeves that could be pulled up, you would.      “May I?” You asked quietly. He nodded and you stepped closer, “ok, lose the jacket.” You said. He pulled his jacket off immediately and held it awkwardly.    “Your shirt, do you have an undershirt on?” You asked. He nodded again and you smiled, “good, take this fancy one off then.” He did. You were nice enough to hold his jacket while he fiddled through with the buttons. He could feel you watching him shrug it off but he decided not to think too hard about it. Once it was off, he put both the shirt and jacket into the trunk of his car. When he came back he made sure to stand the same distance away from you. You didn’t seem bothered by him being that close. In fact it helped because the finishing touch was you lifting your arms and ruffling his hair. You were so close. He could smell vanilla from your body wash, and felt your breath before you pulled away to look at him again. His heart was going a million miles an hour. All he could think about was leaning forward and kissing you. But you were gone too soon, a new big smile on your face.    “Better.” You pronounced. Your hands wrapped around his arm and you began to pull, “now let’s get this forget about work day started!”

You had to treat it as frivolous. If you let your mind dwell on things then you wouldn’t be able to led him happily. You would be too nervous. You pulled him to the swinging dragon ship first The line wasn’t too long and before you knew it the two of you were being directed by a very disinterested teenager.    “No running.” He drawled. As he waved back and forth indicating the ramp.  Hoon followed you to the back row. You shuffled in all the way to the end and plopped down next to you.    “It feels like a million years since I’ve been on one of these.” He said as he fixed his belt. You watched his long fingers and lamented the fact that you hadn’t even thought about a manicure since you landed. For a moment you found yourself annoyed about how grubby you imagined your nails looked next to his perfect ones. You were so caught up in the sudden thought, that he fixed your seatbelt for you. His perfect hands snapping the safety belt at your waist and tightening it quickly. He sat up straight and sighed. He seemed the slightest bit excited. His tiny hint of a smile made you forget about everything. You wanted to see what that smile could grow into.    “Don’t forget to hold your arms up.” You said. He nodded at you very seriously, as if you were giving him very intricate instructions.   The swinging ship loosened him up. He laughed, he held his arms up and screamed with everyone else. At the highest point he grabbed your arm as the ship swung forward. You closed your eyes and leaned into him screaming as your stomach dropped. You could hear his shouting throw his chest as you hung on.   You couldn’t stop giggling as you got off and he reflected your energy. His hand was still in yours, he was leading you back down the ramp looking back every so often. It was almost as if he thought you wouldn’t be there from one step to the next. You gripped his hand with more strength laughing still. His hair was even more ruffled and he was projecting calm and contentment.    “Where to next?” You asked. He surveyed the park and you got a chance to study his profile. His face was helped by the soft smile on his lips. You hoped he would keep it, you hoped that you would get to see it all day.      “You wanna try the bumper cars?” He asked as he turned to you again. You nodded, you didn’t mind him leading you around after all it was his day to relax. Everything was a laugh, the bumper cars, the merry-go-round, the rollercoaster. He bought you both the typical boardwalk snacks. Hotdogs and french fries, cotton candy that he playfully broke off the stick to feed you. The act was just silly enough to not get your imagination going too hot. His frown was long gone. He followed behind you, snacking on popcorn when you spotted what you had been looking for all day. The photo booth. You stopped dead, “a photo booth.” You said excitedly.  He stopped next you his chewing loud. He threw a piece into the air and managed to catch it in his mouth. He looked triumphant and his goofy face made you laugh even more.   “You wanna take pictures?” He asked. The booth looked tiny but you could imagine the pictures looking so cute. You wanted something to remember today. Something to remind you of the time you got him to fully smile, just in case you didn’t happen to see him again. Of course you would want pictures. You could put the strip of photos up in your room and even take them with you when you had to go….     The booth was a little indeed smaller on the inside then you had anticipated. He sat on the bench finishing off the last of his popcorn. When you hesitated he patted the spot next to him expectantly. You sat trying your best to not crowd him. Hoon didn’t seem to mind at all. He edged closer to you and set his paper popcorn bag under the bench. His arms were long enough that he didn’t have to stand back up to feed the machine money. “So silly faces first?” He asked. There was a beeping sound, you turned just in time to stick your tongue out at the camera. Then you gave him bunny ears, crossed your eyes, blew the camera a kiss, every time the camera snapped you giggled. The pictures printed on a photo strip that he swiped from the slot. “How do we look?” You asked as you tried to see them. He was studying them so intently you thought maybe they hadn’t developed well. “Cute.” He finally said. Then he leaned forward again, “but let’s do one more set…” He fed the machine more money then leaned back. “What should we do for this one?” You asked. He looked at you while the machine beeped away in warning. “Smile really big.” He directed. You had just a moment to do it. To pull your lips into a big smile and actually mean it. It had been such a long while since you had meant it. You felt for the first time in a long while like yourself. You hadn’t taken this trip to become a better version of you. What you wanted was to just feel normal. Happy.   The camera snapped, then the warning beep sound started again. You felt his arm around your shoulders, he pulled you even closer laying a kiss on your cheek right at the second snap. The beep again and you looked up at him. He was leaning in. “Are you going to kiss me?” You whispered. “Can I?” He asked. The camera snapped. The beeping started again. You answered with an affirmative hum pushing your lips against his right as the camera snapped again. His hand cupped your cheek and you felt yourself melt into him.  It was probably a bad idea for you to be kissing a man you barely knew. If you were home this wouldn’t be happening, if you were home you wouldn’t be out at all. But you liked him. You couldn’t deny the very obvious pull and what was the point of waiting? Didn’t everyone say time was fleeting? You wanted to kiss him, to keep kissing him. There was no harm in having things that you wanted. For a moment you forgot where you were. Your mind had begun to glaze over a bit. He pulled away, his thumb tracing back and forth on your cheek. You tried your best to not give away your disappointment. “Ummm excuse me?” A small voice drifted into the booth. For a moment neither of you moved until there was a knock. You pulled away from him, sticking your head through the dark curtain. There was a little girl standing outside expectantly. Her mother was holding her hand but it was very obvious that she was the spokesperson. “Are you done? Can me and my mommy use the booth now?” She asked loudly. You could hear Seunghoon chuckling. “We’re done.” You said to her. He was right behind you as you cleared the curtain. “Sorry we took so long.” He said down to her as you passed.

All he wanted to do was relive the photo booth. He had the picture strips in his hands. He gazed down at them as he followed behind you oblivious to everything else. In his pocket his cellphone buzzed. He ignored it like he had been ignoring it all day. He didn’t want to know about anything involving his job. He wanted to keep thinking about your lips instead.    “Are there any other rides you wanna get on?” You asked. He looked up stopping just in time to not run into you. “Pick something, we can do whatever you want.” He said. “Are you going to let me have one of those?” You asked abruptly. You were looking at the pictures a slow smile creeping across your face. “Which one do you want?” He asked. “The silly faces one.” You answered automatically.  You held your hands out palms up expectantly. So cute. The way you smiled at him expectantly, what was he going to do? He handed over the strip you wanted and you looked your faces over. He stepped even closer his hand reaching for your hair, “thank you.” He said softly. He pushed some of it behind your ear. A gesture he had seen hundreds of times in the movies, it felt so different to do it in real life. “For what?” You asked innocently. For what? For making him feel like he could actually breath. For putting a smile on his face, for making the day about something other than his job. But he didn’t know exactly how to say all that. “This day was really relaxing, thanks for coming with me.” He finally said. You shrugged his thanks off, “it’s no big deal, I know how it is.” You replied. “Can we have more days?” He asked quickly before he lost his nerve, “if we both aren’t busy?” He added. For a second he could see your hesitation but then you nodded. “Sure, I don’t mind.” You said. “It can be sort of like a fling?” You suggested. His heart hammered. No. But he nodded his head because what else could he do? If a fling was all he could have then a fling would be what he took.